THE life of euerie man, which liueth in the world, is on euerie side besieged, and beset with sundry sortes of aduersi­ties and c [...]mities: whereof some are particular vnto some, and others are generall and common vnto all: as is Death, and the sicknesses which tend and further that way: which do ordi­narily [Page 2] so much the more astonish vs, both because they are very dangerous,He first shew­eth that it is not possible for any man to de­liuer himselfe from death, when the houre is come. as also because there are few meanes to helpe vs to escape, or auoid the same. For although that kings, Emperors, Princes, and mightie men may often­times, by the good helpe of God, and of the good meanes, that he vouchsa­feth vnto them, escape manie dangers: yet is there not anie one of them, that can finally so saue and deliuer himself, but that he must in the end, die, either in warre by the sword, in bed by age and sicknesse, or else by some other meanes, which God in his prouidence, before that man was borne, had ap­pointed and determined, as the Pro­phet Dauid proueth in manie places of the Psalmes:Psal. 82.6.7. as in Psal. 82. ver. 6. and 7. where he speaketh of Princes, I haue said, yee are Gods, and yee all are the chil­dren of the most high, but yee all shall die as men, & ye Princes shall fall like others. And elsewhere, namely in Psal. 49. ver. 6.7.8.9.10.11.Psa. 49.6.7.8. &c. They trust in their goods, and boast themselues in the multitude of [Page 3] their riches: yet a man can by no meanes redeeme his brother: he [...]annot giue his ransome to God, (So precious is the re­demption of their soules, and the conti­nuance for euer) that he may liue still for euer, and not see the graue. For he seeth that wise men die, and also that the ig­norant and foolish perish, and leaue their riches for others: yet they thinke, their houses and their habitations shall conti­nue for euer, euen from generation to ge­neration, and call their lands by their names. As also in another place, where in generall he speaketh of the condi­tion and end of all men, as Psal. 89. vers. 48.Psal. 89.48. What man liueth and shall not see death? shall he deliuer his soule from the hand of the graue? Sclah. And fur­ther in the Psalme following, to wit, 90. vers. 3.Psal. 90.3. Thou turnest man to destru­ction: againe thou saiest, returne yee sonnes of Adam.

By this then we see, that it is the set ordinance, and the inuiolable decree of God, that euerie one that commeth in­to the world, comes with this charge [Page 4] and arrest: not to haue any long stay or abode here, as haue the trees which are fastened in the earth by the roote:2. Sam. 14.14. but quickly to passe away, as doth the sli­ding and running water: and without stay to depart as soone as euer it shall please the Lord to cal. And howsoeuer the greater part of vs goe about (as the Prophet saith) To make a couenant with death, Esay. 28.15. or at the least to haue some longer respite and space, so that he should deferre and slacke his comming: yet we dayly proue that our terme, and turne being come, & the time of our apparance be­ing expired, we must needs at the very hower & instance appointed, appeare before the iudge, to heare from his mouth that certaine,Psal. 33.9. and irreuocable sentence, by which we are adiudged either vnto life or vnto death. The chiefe and principall care then,What remedies we are especi­ally to seeke, whē death as­saileth vs. 2. Chro. 16.12. that we ought to haue, is not to seeke vnto Phisitians (as did king Asa) and to vse such receipts and potions, as they shall prescribe vnto vs, for to strengthen vs against such diseases as may befall vs, [Page 5] nor to take preseruatiue [...] and remedies against poison (as did Mithridates) to preuent the dangers of poisons, which those of our families, or others might prepare for vs: neither yet, finally, to trust in the horse,Psal. 33.17. strong and couragi­ous though he be: nor in the speare, be it neuer so strong and sure, no nor in an armour of proofe, to defend and to keepe vs against the hazards of the battaile. For there is none of all these things that can infringe, or disappoint the ordinances and decrees of God, or that can saue vs from his wrath, or (to be briefe) that can in anie sort diuert or turne aside the euents or executions, that he in his will hath purposed and determined. But the chiefe and princi­pall care and meditation that ought to be before our eyes, either for the pre­uenting of those euils, that we see are like to come vpon vs, or else for the re­mouing of those that are alredie vpon vs: is this, to desire, and to craue the grace and fauour of God, which is a more soueraigne and present remedie, [Page 6] then any ma [...] can inuent for the quick and speedie foreseeing vnto all aduer­sities. Now then, for as much as I was re­quested by certaine brethren, being my friends, to gather, and by writing to set in order, certaine allegations, and places of scripture, Rom. 13.2. 1. Cor: 15.21.22. for to comfort the sicke, and to strengthen them against the horrors and fearefull apprehensions, that in their sick­nesses they may haue, 1. Cor. 12.12. Ephes. 4. [...] as wel of their sinnes, as of death, of the diuell, and of the anger and iudgement of God: which indeede is more fearefull then all the rest: knowing that charitie (by which, as by a bond, all the members of the bodie of Christ Iesus, are straightly linked and knit togither) bound me hereunto: as also, because that it is part of that charge that God hath imposed and laid, not onely vpon the mini­sters of the gospel, but also vpō the Elders, which are their helpers & associates to aid them and assist them, not being willing to refuse thē, & their lawfull request: How­soeuer I was not ignorant, that many of my fellow brethrē, vnto whom God had impar­ted his graces, were [...]ore fit for this pur­pose [Page 7] then I my selfe: yet for somuch as the members, in what place or degree so euer they be in, ought not to denie the bodie any labour or seruice, that is in their power to performe: I haue assaied (God aiding me) to do that, that by his grace he hath ena­bled me, to contēt & to satisfie their desire.

Setting therefore apart, other kinds of afflictions, wherewith it pleaseth God to chastise and to exercise his children: we will speake here onely of sicknesses, and of death, and we will briefly and shortly propose and set be­fore vs, the most apt and fit remedies, and comforts that possiblie we can, to inure, and to accustome men wisely and moderately to vndergo,What we are to iudge con­cerning sick­nesses. and to beare them. And first, to begin with sicknesses, which are not casual things, and which fall not out vnaduisedly,1 To wit, that they come not to passe, but by the prouidence of God where­vnto we are willingly to submit our selues. sometimes to one, and sometimes to another, as they meete with them: but we are to thinke that they are all sent by the prouidence of God. And how soeuer that the endes, and occasions of them, may not be alwayes alike: yet [Page 8] the authour thereof is alwayes one and the selfe same, euen as he is of health. For it is euen from the mouth, and or­dinance of God: as Ieremie sayth, that good things,Lamen. 3.38. and euill things (which are one contrarie to another) come to passe:Amos 3.6. yea, and there is not any euill (as Amos saith) neither in the citie, nor in the fields, but it cōmeth from God: that is, by his determination and ap­pointment, because he (being almigh­tie) ruleth, ordaineth and gouerneth all things that are don in heauen, in earth, and in al deepe places. So then as peace and warre, libertie and imprisonment are of God: euen so is health and sick­nesse, as Dauid did euer in all his sick­nesses confesse, and acknowledge, as in the 6.Psal. 6.1. Psal. ver. 1. Saith he not, O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger, neither cha­stise me in thy wrath? acknowledging that the sicknesse, wherewith he felt himselfe so grieuously afflicted, was an effect of the anger of God, whom he had offended. And therefore he saith in Psal. 38.Psal. 38.2. ver. 2. For thine arrowes haue [Page 9] light vpon me, and thine hand lieth vpon me, and Psal. 39. ver. 2.9.10.Psal. 39.2.9.10. I was dumbe and spake nothing: I kept silence euen from good, and my sorrow was more stirred. I should haue beene dumbe, and not haue o­pened my mouth, because thou diddest it. Take thy plague away from me, for I am consumed by the stroke of thine hand. Likewise Hezechias and Iob, Esai. 30.13. did not attribute their sicknesses to any other, but to God. Yea and Iob sayth,Iob. 5.18. that in the scurffe and filth that came from his flesh, being halfe rotten, and in that swarme of wormes that it brought forth, he did behold y^e one of the hands of his Sauiour striking him, and the other afterwards healing him.

The verie heathen, and infidels themselues, haue oftentimes acknow­ledged, that their sicknesses haue not come vnto them elsewhere then from God: who did punish them because they had offended him:Gene. 12.17. Exod. 9.3. &c. 1. Sam. 5.6. as he did Pha­raoh and his familie in the time of A­braham: the Egyptians in the time of Moses: the Philistines in the time of [Page 10] Samuel, when they would haue kept backe in their countrey the Arke of the couenant, as a prisoner and captiue, after that they had taken it in warre: where the enemies of Israel were con­quered, and ouercome. We must then cōclude, that sicknesses, and generally, all afflictions, come from God, who doth not any thing but iustly, [...] 3 5. and wisely: iustly, because there is no sick­nesse befalleth vs, but we deserue it: and wisely, because he knoweth what maketh for our good, better then wee our selues. For all his workes are so wel ordered, and disposed, that [...]here is no­thing but hath his due waight, number and measure, and which is not groun­ded vpon good reason, although often­times it be not knowne vnto vs. As then the goodnesse, the power, the wisedome, the iustice, the vpright­nesse, the constancie and the truth, which appeare in all the workes of God, are causes for which we approue and praise them: so we acknowled­ging all these vertues in our sicknesses, [Page 11] and other aduersities, we ar [...] not to take them in euil part, but to arme our selues with these good meditations of his goodnesse, power, &c. against the impaciencie and bitternes of our heart, which pricketh and prouoketh vs to murmur, and to repine against God: yea, and oftentimes horribly to blas­pheme him, when he doth not con­forme himselfe vnto our will, and to the inordinate desires of our flesh. Which thing if he did, he should be­come like vnto vs: that is, a flatterer,Psal. 50.21. and a concealer of our vices. Whereas contrariwise, to the end that we may be holy, good, & vertuous, we ought to endeuour to make our selues like vnto him, and to submit, and to bring vn­der all our affections, and desires vnto his will.Mal. 6.10. For otherwise we are hypo­crites, and so oft as in our praiers, we pray, that his will might be done, our heart doth secretly denie that, that our mouth vttereth, and sayth vnto vs in our eare: ah, hypocrite, if thou migh­test chuse, thou hadst rather that thy [Page 12] will might be done, then that the will of God should be done. When one speaketh vnto vs generally of the pro­uidence of God, and when one in like maner demandeth this of vs, whether, that all that God doth, be well done or no, we presently iumpe, and accord with them: yea and we propound the same vnto our neighbours and friends, when we see them in any danger, for to cōfort thē, as a most present, singular, and readie remedie, as any that we can aduise them in: but when we come to apply the same vnto our selues, we play as the Physitions do,S [...]militude. which prouide potions for others, but they themselues will not take them. And indeed, there is nothing that is more necessarie, nor more profitable for vs, then dayly to exercise our selues in the meditation of the prouidence of God, & to acknow­ledge that it gouerneth, ordereth, alte­reth, and disposeth all things, to the ende, that we alwayes beholding the workman in his worke, we might pre­sently approoue, and allow thereof, [Page 13] knowing verie well, that nothing can come forth of that shop, which is not pollished, fined, and in al respects com­plete and perfect. And if we vouchsafe this credite vnto craftes-men, that we presently receiue their workes assoone as we see their seale and marke vpon them, shall we be so vniust, as not to esteem, and to approue of the works of God, wherein we see such euident markes and apparant tokens of his goodnes, and iustice?

True it is,Prosperitie doth more de­light our na­ture, then ad­uersitie. that that which commeth vnto vs proceeding directly from his goodnesse, is more delightsome and sa­uourie vnto our tast, then that which commeth from his iustice: as it com­meth to passe in the workes of nature, whereof some are more pleasant vnto vs, then other some are, as the day is more comfortable vnto vs then the night, the summer season more answe­rable to our nature, then the winter, and a faire and sunne-shine day, doth more reioice and glad vs, then doth lowring, darke, rainie, and foule wea­ther: [Page 14] so likewise when the Lord laugh­eth vpon vs, & sheweth vnto vs a smi­ling, and chearefull countenance, and doth louingly and graciously on euery side cherish and comfort vs, with his mercies, dayly multiplying his fauours towards vs, & continually beautifying and blessing vs with new benefites (as the Prophet sayth) this no doubt is much more pleasant vnto vs,Psal. 89.38. then whē he sheweth vnto vs a sad and a frow­ning countenance, and maketh vs to feele some rigour, and sharpnesse of his iustice. Dauid, did he not take grea­ter pleasure, to heare of the excellent promises that God made vnto him? as that he would firmely establish and continue his kingdome vnto him, and to his children for euer, that he would giue him victorie against all his ene­mies:Psal. 18.43. &c. whom he saw disperst and spred, euen as dust in the place, to see his glo­rie and renowme to flie, and on euerie side to be bruited, and spread amongst strange people, to heare with his owne mouth, that God had found him ac­cording [Page 15] to his owne heart, to consider how God did separate and chuse him, euen from keeping the sheepe, to ad­uance and to exalt him aboue all the houses of Israel, and as a man would say, wholy degrading the whole house of Saul, to enrich and to adorne Da­uid with the spoiles of Saul, being by no other means induced or led, to shew him all these fauours but by his mere grace & good will towards him: were not, I say, these manie and large tokens of the mercie and goodnesse of God towards him, much more easie & plea­sant vnto him to digest, then were the grosse and grieuous reproches that for his ingratitude were giuen vnto him, after he had offended, & then were the fearefull threatnings that were added thereunto,2. Sam. 12. as the discouering and pub­lishing of his sinne, the making of his house to be attainted with murther, & with bloud, and y^t the secrecie & shame of his women should be vncouered by his owne sonne. And yet, although that such tokens of the iustice of God were [Page 16] hard vnto him, and were vnto him al­most as a burthen to hard for him to beare: yet he gaue his backe thereunto, and did willingly submit himselfe, as­suring himselfe of the mercies of God, (which he alwayes remembred in his iudgements) that the weight and bur­then that he laid vpon him, should not [...]terly presse and weigh him downe. And in deed the next way to make a man in the iudgements of God, quietly to submit his shoulders thereunto, is, for him to looke vpon the mercies of God; which will tel him that there shal be no more layd vpon him (God dea­ling with him as a father, and not as a tyrant) then what he shall be well ena­bled to vndergo. We haue an excellent example of the patience of Dauid, and of that humble obedience that he was resolued to shew towards God in all his aduersities, when as with such a peaceable and quiet spirit, he did beare and put vp the grieuous and bitter in­iuries which Shemei by railing & taun­ting words offred vnto him,2. Sam. 15.6. euen then [Page 17] when as for the sauing of himself from the conspiracie that was wrought a­gainst him, by his owne sonne, and by the people, he was constrained in great hast, to forsake, and to flie from the ci­tie of Hierusalem. Now, the chiefe and principall cause which at that time made him so gentle and so milde, was this, that he referred the insolencie and pride that this dogge Shemei iniurious­ly offered vnto him, vnto the proui­dence of God, who had raised him vp to vomit out these slaunderous spee­ches against him: as on the one side to humble him, so on the other side to trie his patience and vertue. What likewise was the cause, that Iob after so manie and such great losses of his goods, of his children, yea & at the length of the losse of the health of his bodie, did as cheerfully and as heartily blesse, and magnifie God, as he did in his prospe­ritie and abundance, euen then when he satisfied his desires: but the respect that he had vnto the prouidence of God, which he beheld in all his mise­ries? [Page 18] By which he was giuen to vnder­stand, that he receiued them from gods hand, as speciall blessings and fauors, which God bestoweth vpō his childrē, yea euen vpon his most deare and best beloued ones.2 That all the circumstances in our sicknesses as well as our sicknesses them­selues, depend vpon the pro­uidence of god. Neither sufficeth it, only to beleeue, that all our sicknesses come from God: but we are further to be­leeue, that all the circumstances in our sicknesses come from him: as this, whether they be great, long, hurtfull, grieuous, languishing, and sometimes incurable, so that for the contagion thereof, they do hinder our friends, and parents from visiting and comfor­ting vs, so that we can find no more re­medie,Mat. 9.21. thē did the poore womā which had the issue of bloud, for the space of twelue yeeres,Iohn 5.7. or then did the poore man, who for the space of eight and thirtie yeeres, was tied vnto his bed, by meanes of a palsie, wherewith he was stricken through all the members of his bodie. We are then to attribute all this vnto God, and to thinke that he hath absolute, and indifferent equitie, [Page 19] to giue either good or ill, to take his benefites and riches from whom he pleaseth, & after what manner & mea­sure it seemeth good vnto him, so that no man can iustly complaine of him, or with any reason demaund of him, why hast thou done thus, or thus?

After that this is once resolued of in our spirits, that not onely sicknesses, but also all other euils come vnto vs by the prouidence of God,3 What a one that God [...]s, which sendeth vs sicknes: to wit, and that in the notice & feeling therof we haue sharp­ned, and refreshed our comforts, which otherwise might be dull and wearied: Then further for to comfort vs, we are to consider, what a one that God is that sendeth vs them, and how neere he is vnto vs. For hee is not such a God, as are the gods of the foolish Gentiles, which are not anie thing, in the places that they are in, which haue eyes and see not, eares and heare not,Psal. 96.5. neither is there any breath in their nostrels, nor tast in their tongues, nor speech in their mouthes,Psal. 115.4.5 nor hand­ling in their hands, nor going in their [Page 20] feete, neither yet (to be briefe) can they doe eyther good or hurte, for they are not onely mortall, as are men and beasts: but they are things altogither dead, which haue neither sence, nor vnderstanding, nor mouing, nor fee­ling, nor force, nor strength. But the God in whom we beleeue, is the crea­tor of heauen,Almightie. and of earth, which ma­keth all things to liue, to die and to breath,Actes. 4.24. and who vpholdeth the world, and all that is therein, by the onely power of his mightie word,Heb. 1.2. Esay 40.10. &c. who with one of his fingers measureth, and poy­seth them as with a ballance: who knoweth the number, and the names of the starres,Rom. 4.21. who calleth things that are not,Apoc. 1.8. as though they were, who bea­reth the keyes of death, and of life: who is in himselfe infinite, and all his pow­ers are infinite: for his goodnes, mer­cie, wisedome, iustice and truth, are so high,2 Altogither good. and so great, that the height ther­of is as vnmeasurable, as is the width of them, and the width, or breadth thereof, is as much past measure, as is [Page 21] the depth or thicknes of them. And further: this louing and most mightie God, is not farre from vs, neither as in respect of presence, nor of affection,3 Euerie where present. 1. Cor. 3.16. Psal. 5.11.12. Psal. 17.13. for he is in vs as in his temple, for to sanctifie vs, he is round about vs for to couer vs with his fauour, and on euery side, to hide vs vnder the shadow of his winges: he dwelleth in vs, as in his house, to gouerne, and to enrich vs, to beautifie, and to adorne vs.2. Chron. 6.13. &c. Our vn­derstandings, and our hearts are, as it were, his galleries, and his walks, where he walketh, and taketh his pleasure, there aduising, and deuising with vs, by diuine meditations, and holy affe­ctions, wherewith he inspireth vs. And albeit that he filleth heauen and earth,4 Louing his creatures, Psal 45.3. and howsoeuer that the loue that he beareth vnto his creatures, and the care that he hath ouer them, be the cause why he assisteth & helpeth them in euerie thing that is necessarie, for the preseruing and vpholding of them: yet we go so much the more neere vn­to him, in that that we haue receiued [Page 22] from him this honour and fauour,Iohn. 3.5.8. Ephes. 5.18. that he vouchedsafe to espouse, and (as it were) to marrie vs vnto him,5 But especially his children, with an especi­all loue. & insepa­rablie to ioine, & to knit vs vnto him­selfe: by meanes of which bond, he re­ceiueth vs vnto the communicating, and partaking of all his benifites and blessings.A similitude. As then a wife which is wel­beloued of her husband, and which hath interest in him, needeth not to feare that he will at anie time do her any hurt, or entreat her hardly: so may we assure our selues, that God, who lo­ueth vs infinitly, will neither do, nor suffer to be done vnto vs, anie thing which shall not make for our good. For if (as S. Paul saith) whilest we were his enemies,Rom. 5.8. It is impossible that any thing should come vnto Gods chil­dren, but that which is good. he reconciled vs vnto him­selfe, by the death of his sonne: much more now, being alredie reconciled, shal we be deliuered by his life. Is there any thing more absurd, then to thinke that God, who is the chiefest good, and most principall felicitie, should be the author of any euill? A fountaine, can it send forth from one and the selfesame [Page 23] head, waters that are sweete and sowre?Iames. 3.11. The heretikes themselues, as Marcion and the Manichees, for the horror and auoiding of such a blasphemie, would establish two beginnings: the one of life and of light, and the other of death and of darknes: and so could not per­swade themselues, that from God,Psal. 36.9. who is the fountaine of all felicitie, and of life it selfe, should proceed any euill, or any miserie. Wherein (namely that from God commeth not any euil) they were not deceiued: but herein was their error, that from a true principle, they drew a false conclusion: for al­though we do not say, that God is the author or sender of euill, yet we do not therefore conclude, that there should be two beginnings: neither do we say, that because God is the appointer, the ordainer, & the prouider of all things, he should be therefore the author of e­uill: but this is that that we say, that God gouerneth, ordaineth & appoin­teth all things and all actions (other­wise he were not omnipotent:) but the [Page 24] euill that is in them, proceedeth and commeth from the malice of Sathan, and from the wickednes and corrup­tion that is in men: as for example, a wicked sonne, for the hungrie & gree­die desire that he hath vnto the goods and possessions of his father, wisheth the death: yea, and in the end taketh away the life of his father: his father being a wicked man: as an adulterer or some such like notorious offender, which by the law of God ought to die. This purpose and practise of his, is not accomplished, but by the appointmēt of God, & yet God is void & free from the euill in the action. For it standeth with the iustice of God, that life should be taken from this wicked father: but the sonne was led vnto it, not for the satisfying of the iustice of God, but for the fulfilling of his wicked affections, & couetous humour. And indeed good in the same degree that God is: that is to say, pure and infinite, can no more bring forth euill, then fire can bring forth cold, or light darknes, or life [Page 25] death. And this is the reason why God, after that he had created the world, and all that is therein, diligently view­ing and considering all his works, gaue this report of them, that they were all exceedingly good: which is not to be referred only to the works of creation: but generally without exception, vnto all that euer God made or did. For,Psal. 102.27. for as much as God is alwayes like vnto himselfe, and that there is in him (as saith S. Iames) no variablenes,Iames. 1.17. nor sha­dow of changing, as his goodnes is e­ternall, so, in and at all times can it not bring forth any thing, but those works which are good, and holy. And this is the cause, why by the mouth of the Prophet he doth answere the people,Hosea. 13. that complained vnto him of the great calamities that were come vpon them, that he was not in any wise the cause of it: but that he for his part did onely procure their good, and their welfare: but they themselues were the cause of their ruine, and of all their desolations that they saw in their countrie. For, as [Page 26] fire bringeth forth fire,A similitude. and all other things bring forth their like: euen so doth God, from whom cannot come any thing that is euill. For, as the rea­son holdeth in naturall thinges, so doth it in those things which are spiri­tuall, and heauenly. Yea but, sicknesse, famine, pouerty, barrennesse, & warres, are they not euils which God sendeth, and whereof he is the author? True it is, that God sendeth them, as wel to the good, as to the bad; vnto the one, for to punish them for their sinnes, which in his iustice he may lawfully do: vnto the other, to exercise their faith, or else to better them, and to bring them to repentance.

4 The right vse of sicknes & of other afflicti­ons, that God bringeth vpon his children.And indeed if we would be good husbands (as we say) and vse well our sicknesses, by referring thē vnto those right ends, for which God sendeth thē vnto vs, we should gather much fruite, and manie good lessons by them. And first, there is nothing that is so necessa­rie for vs, as to know our sinnes, our corruption, and the vice that is in vs, [Page 27] for to humble vs before God,Iames. 1.17. and to make vs to search and to seeke for his grace, which is the onely meanes, by which our sinnes may be forgiuen, co­uered, and hidden before him, for the auoiding of his iudgement, and of con­demnation, which otherwise should be prepared for vs, if our sinnes were not forgiuen vs. Whence is it, that we are so blinde in the iudgements,5 It is needfull that God do vse such means with vs, as whereby our nature may be tamed. that we procure vnto our selues? Euen from that exceeding and vnmeasurable loue that we beare vnto our selues, which doth so blind and bleare our eyes, that we cannot perceiue nor discouer the malice, the hypocrisie, the false shew, the pride, the vanitie, the iniurie, the impietie, the idolatrie, the inhumani­tie, and the infinite peruersnes and fro­wardnes that our heart, euen from our birth, was defiled with, and in actions bringeth forth, as occasions are offered vnto vs. For although that we all go about for a while, to couer and to con­ceale the malice that we haue concei­ued in our hearts, as do women, which [Page 28] would hide their being with child, yet when they begin to be great, and when the time of their deliuerie approcheth, then are they constrained to auouch that, that before they had denied: so is it with vs; for we will not confesse our faults and sinnes, vntill that by appa­rant and manifest proofes we be con­uinced: yea, and then we will (if possi­blie we can) lessen and extenuate in some sort, the enormity of our faults & offences. Whereof we haue an notable example in our first parents: who al­though they were before God (vnto whom nothing can be hid or couered) and were then liuely and sufficiently accused, and pursued in their own con­sciences: yet they vsed all the sleights and fetches that they could, for to dis­guise themselues, and to turne from them the fault that they had commit­ted: not being led to confesse, neither by the feare and reuerence of God, who spake vnto them, nor by the accusation and guilt of their owne consciences, which on euery side pressed them ther­unto; [Page 29] neither yet would franckly ac­knowledge, without doubling, their disobediēce, their ingratitude & pride, into which they had plunged them­selues. Wherin we may see, what a hard thing it is for men, truely, and with­out hypocrisie to confesse their sinnes. We may see this to be true in the Pa­triarks, who did so long dissemble and conceale their wickednes, their cruell and vnnaturall conspiracie which they made against their poore brother, that they would neuer confesse it,Gē. 42.21.22. vntil that they were cōstrained, and enforced by the agonie and distresse that God brought them vnto, to make them to remember it. And Dauid, how long was he asleepe in his sinne? Wherin he neuer bethought himselfe seriously, vn­till he felt himselfe liuely touched with the hand of God, so that he found him­selfe almost pressed downe, as he him­selfe confessed. Psal. 32.45Psal 32.45. For thine hand is heauie vpon me day and night, and my moisture is turned into the drought of sommer. Selah. Then I acknowledged [Page 30] my sinne vnto thee, neither hid I mine ini­quitie: for I thought, I will confesse a­gainst my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord, and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne. Selah. And saint Peter af­ter that he had so many times, and so often denied his maister, as to forswear and to curse himselfe, if he euer knew him, had he not therein continued, and so had beene vtterly cast out of the Church of God, as well as Iudas, and an infinit cōpanie of other apostataes, who finally dispaired: if Iesus Christ had not cast his eye vpon him, and by looking on him,Luke. 22.61 did so inwardly pierce his conscience, that he made him both feele, and bewaile his sinne? And Saint Paul, who as a mad and furious beast, sought amongst all the Christians, to kill and deuour them, did he of him­selfe repent for his faults? Nay, rather was he not obstinate and hardened to wast and to spoile the flocke,Acts 9.5. if that the strong hand of the shepherd that wat­cheth ouer it, had not curbed, & short­ned him, constraining him by force to [Page 31] acknowledge, and to feele the great e­uill and mischiefe that he did? By these few examples, we may easily see, that mē, although they be couered, fraught, and filled with an infinite number of sinnes, yet can they not acknowledge, nor feele them, if God bestow not this grace vpon them, to set, and to place them before their eyes. And this is the cause, why in many places of the scrip­ture, repentāce (which partly consisteth in the acknowledgement of sinne, and in the displeasure that a man hath for sinne) is called the gift of God.2. Tim. 2.25 For as we cannot know God, nor the good­nesse that we ought to seeke in him, neither can we beleeue in his goodnes, vnlesse that we be first, inwardly illu­minated and inlightened by his spirit, and outwardly taught by his word: e­uen so can we not either well know our selues, or sound the depth of the vice and sin that is in our hearts, vnles that the spirite of God giue vs eyes to view, and to behold our selues in the mirrour, or glasse of his law. For natu­rally [Page 32] we can no more see our selues, and that that is in vs, than could the olde woman Lamia, that is mentioned in the fables, that she had eyes which she cast from her owne house, to prie, and to espie what was done in her neigh­bours houses. Vnto which tendeth the fable that Aesope hath, where he saith, that we all carie the bagge behind vs, wherein we put our owne defects, and faults, to the intent they should not come in our sight; and before we doe put the sinnes of our neighbors, to the end that in seeing them, we might haue some argument or matter to backbite them, or to speake euill of them. And indeed it is a thing to be wondred at, that though our sinnes being as sicknes­ses that are sore and daungerous, or ra­ther altogether deadly: that yet not­withstanding they are so sleightly, and slenderly felt of them that are helde therewith. For we see that those that are idolaters, hypocrites, proude, coue­tous, and sensuall, do flourish & braue it, without anie grieuing or vexing of [Page 33] themselues for their sinnes. Nay, which is more, the idolater neuer taketh more delight and pleasure, then when he be­holdeth, kisseth, and worshippeth his idole: neither is the hypocrite more content, then when by some outwarde appearance of some counterfeit or fei­ned vertue, he may insinuate himselfe into some good opinion, and so get vnto himselfe some reputation, and be thought vertuous: and others neuer thinke themselues more happie and blessed, then when peaceablie they so­lace, and delight themselues, with the honours, riches, and pleasures of this world, which they desire: and the cause of al this is, because they haue no touch or feeling of their sinne: which indeed is the most daungerous, and fearefull of all: as in bodily diseases, those are most dangerous, which bring with them least griefe: as the Palsie, the Li­thargie, the Apoplexie, and other such cold diseases: for ordinarily such are incurable. Which was the cause, that made an ancient father heretofore say, [Page 34] that he desired not to be sicke at all, but if it so fell out that he should be sicke, then did he desire, that he might spee­dily feele his disease: wherby he would giue vs to vnderstand, that there is no­thing more dangerous, than to be sick, and not to be aware of it. What then shall become of vs, which neuer thinke that we are so vicious, and sinfull, as in­deed we are, and alwayes thinke that we are more righteous and holy, then indeed we are? For we neuer ballance nor poise our vices, and our vertues, but with false measures and weights: because when we come to weigh or poise our vices, wee take the lighter weights: & the greater, when the que­stion is of our vertues, which we conti­nually think to be greater, then indeed they are, by meanes of that furious and mad selfe-loue, which we haue of our selues, which dazzeleth and bleareth our sight.A similitude. And euen as vapours and smoke, which morning and euening do arise from the earth, being put be­twixt our sight and the sunne, maketh [Page 35] it seeme vnto vs to be greater then in­deed it is: so when we behold our ver­tues, ouer and against this selfe loue, which couereth our eyes, we do then iudge them to be much more great, & excellent, then indeed they are.

What then are we to do for the cor­recting & amending of this false iudg­ment, that we make of our selues, iud­ging our selues to be more righteous, and lesse sinful then indeed we are? We ought to learne to know our selues: the which, that we may the better do, we ought day and night to meditate in the law of God: referring thereunto our thoughts, our affections, our spee­ches, our actions, & to be brief, al the e­state of our life, as vnto a most straight rule, according vnto which all our whole life ought to be measured, and framed. But because that we are vnpro­fitable schollers, and giue not our endeuour and labor to applie this stu­die, God, as a good master, and as one that is carefull for the good [...]f his chil­dren, is constrained oftentimes to take [Page 36] the rodde, to awaken, and to stirre vs vp, and by sicknesses, and other morti­fications of our flesh, to make vs to know the corruption that is in vs. For there is nothing that doth more bring vs vnto the obedience of the wil of god, then doth good and wholesome disci­pline (as saith Esay: Esay. 26.8.) which teacheth mē iustice when the iudgements of God are vpō earth. And Dauid saith, Psa. 119 67. Before I was afflicted, I went astray: but now I keepe thy word. Psal. 119.67.71 & elswhere. 119 71. It is good for me that I haue beene afflicted, that I may learne thy statutes.

This is then a very profitable thing for a man, that when sicknesses and o­ther aduersities come vnto vs, we know how to vse them: for they make vs to know and to feele our sinnes, whereas contrariwise, health and prosperitie, make vs to forget. For when as in the flowre and prime of our age, we being healthfull and lustie, and all things go well with vs, the world laughing vp­on vs: we thinke vpon nothing, but vpon youthfulnes and brauerie, like [Page 37] vnto young fawnes, and vntamed hey­fers. And if any man should then goe about to giue vs to vnderstand of our duetie, he should but lose his labour, and the time: for there is nothing more fierce, more stubborne, more head-strong, and more hard to be taught, then a man that is pampered, and as it were dandled by Fortune, and puffed vp by prosperitie. For which thing God reproueth his people,Iere. 22.21. by his Pro­phet, I would often haue spoken vnto thee in thy prosperity, but thou woul­dest not vouchsafe to heare me: and such hath bene thy custome euen from thy youth. And Salomon speaking of the prosperitie of fooles, saith, that it is that that ouerthroweth and besot­teth them. Truely it is verie hard (as Zenophon saith) for a man to be wise and wealthie both at once: and being exalted vnto honour, and abounding in riches and pleasure, to know that he is but dust and ashes, as did Abraham: Gen. 18. [...]. or to acknowledge that they are nothing but vanitie, as did Dauid: Ps [...] [...] but contra­riwise [Page 38] we all thinke, that we are petite or halfe Gods:Esai. 10.11. Esai. 14.13. as we may euidently see in Ashur, Nebuchadnezzar, Antiochus Theos, Xerxes, Alexander, Herod, and Domitian, who by meanes of their pro­speritie, became so insolent, and so hau­tie, that they would euen denie and de­fie God. Which thing Philip king of Macedonia considering, to the intent that by the happie successe that he had in his affaires, he might not fall into such arrogancie, tooke order with one of his chamberlaines, that he should e­uery morning, when he waked him, say vnto him, Philip, remēber that thou art a mortall man. And herein did he verie wisely: for seeing that prosperitie is a verie pleasant and delightsome thing, which besotteth & maketh mē drunk, yea, and lulleth them a sleepe more easily, then doth the sweete and plea­sant wine which they drink, or the allu­ring and delightful melodie that they heare. The sicknesses then which awa­ken vs, and which make vs to know what is our estate, and to know that [Page 39] sin which is in vs, is the principal cause which breedeth and bringeth forth in vs sicknesses, are verie profitable: which we ought to take as speciall aduertise­ments, which God sendeth vnto vs, to make vs to remember him, and to do our endeuour to seeke him. Which thing we doe, first in confessing our faults before him, with a contrite and an humble heart, with a feeling of his wrath, and with dislike of our selues, that we haue offended him, after the receiuing of so manie graces, blessings, and fauours which we haue had from him in so great abundance, that we know not how, not onely not to num­ber and to count them, but also suffici­ently not to comprehend,Psal. 40.5. nor to con­ceiue them. Moreouer, that we may be the more effectually and throughly touched, and pricked with the feeling of our ingratitudes, we are to remem­ber, that being at the first created, ac­cording to the image and likenesse of God, and by this meanes farre exalted aboue all the creatures of the earth,Gen. 1.27. [Page 40] without hauing respect vnto the dig­nitie wherein God had placed vs, we haue not onely blemished and darke­ned it, but almost vtterly defaced, and put it out, wholly turning our selues from righteousnes,Col. 3.17. holinesse, & truth, which are the graces, whereby we may be like vnto him, to follow the errors and vanities of this world, the foolish desires, and inordinate affections of our flesh: and in a word, to walke in our owne wayes, and in the whole course and state of our life, to set before vs the verie resemblance and image of the diuell: and afterward he brought vs from the darknes of ignorance, where­with we were enwrapped, and entom­bed, and hath shewen vnto vs the brightnes of his face, by the preaching of his gospel,Iohn. 1.51. and by the knowledge which he hath giuen vs of his sonne, to the end that we should follow him, who is the light of the world,Ephes. 5.2. and not communicate any longer with the workes of darknes. But leauing our guide, and the way that he hath mar­ked [Page 41] out for vs, we are reeled and strag­led aside into a thousand by-pathes, like vnto poore blind men, hauing no man to direct & lead vs, but our owne appetite and foolish phantasie,Iohn. 5.7. which are but blinde guides:Heb. 2.14.15. vntill that we oftentimes come vnto the pits brinke, and are readie euen to fall in, and to be vtterly destroyed, vnlesse it pleased God to surmount, and to ouercome our malice by his goodnes, and euen then to remember vs, when we haue cleane forgotten him. Moreouer, he had deliuered vs from the bondage of the diuell, and of sinne, which was much more hard and cruell then was that of Egypt, and of Babilon, & freed vs, to the intent that we should stand fast in the libertie, which he had so franckly and freely procured vnto vs, by the death of his onely and welbe­loued sonne. But how oft haue we loo­ked backe as did Lots wife? not onely wishing for the flesh-pots of Egypt: but also taking our iourney to returne thither againe, and again bringing our [Page 42] selues vnder that yoke, from whence we had bene taken, louing rather to liue shamefully, and miserablie vnder the tyrannie of the diuell, of the world, and of our flesh, then blessedly, and in honour, vnder the kingdome of the sonne of God.

Furthermore, how haue we acknow­ledged this so great and vnspeakeable grace that he hath wrought for vs, when (as a man would say) he hath come and sought vs, euen when we haue bene at the brothell houses, and being as it were bewitched with the spirite of fornication, haue with eger­nes runne thereunto, and haue giuen our selues vnto the diuell, who hath bin the companion that we met, which way soeuer we haue gone, playing the harlots with him publikely, not being withheld neither with fear, nor shame, nor with the reuerence of God, who hath bin the beholder of all this pollu­tion and filthie infamie? Which not­withstanding, hath not hindered him from assembling, and gathering vs in­to [Page 43] his house, for to marrie and to ioine vs vnto himselfe, with such a true knot of amitie and loue, which can neuer be vndone: requiring of vs no other gift or dowrie, but chastitie and modestie, promising to forget al our former leud life, to the intēt that hereafter we shold render vnto him faith & loyaltie. Now considering how often, and how many wayes we haue broken this our marri­age, playing the harlots with the world, and with our owne lusts, some of vs making a God of our owne flesh, others of their riches, others of their belly, others of their pleasures, and others of their titles and dignities, wor­shipping our affections and desires which we haue placed in our hearts, as vpon an altar, or some excellent place in the temple of God, which we haue by this meanes polluted and propha­ned, and so by consequent haue deser­ued to die the death: that is, vtterly, & for euer to be rased and rooted out. And what a shame and reproch is this vnto vs, that hauing bene elected and [Page 44] chosen from the rest of the world, and of the children of wrath, as naturally we were, to be made the sons of God, to this end,Ephes. 2.12.13 19. that we should liue and die in his seruice, and should for euer vow vnto him, loue, feare, honour, and obe­dience, with all our heart, and with all our power? And yet notwithstanding all this, that in our whole conuersati­on, we haue alwayes shewed our selues rebellious, stubborne, and stifnecked: reiecting all discipline, and stopping our eares like vnto the serpent,Psal. 58.45. that we might not be enchanted by the sweete voice of the gospel: taking vnto our selues stony and vncircumcised hearts, to the end that the promises and ordi­nances of God should not be engrauen in them? How often hath our shep­heard assaied to gather vs vnder his wings,Matth. 23.37. as the hen would her chickens, and we would not? How oft hath he stretched forth his hands to embrace vs,Esa. 63.9.10. and we haue bene alwayes rebelli­ous and gainsaying? How oft hath he knocked at our doores, and we haue [Page 45] not vouchedsafe to open vnto him? When he hath sought vs, we haue fled from him: when he hath called vs, we would not answere: when he hath cō­maunded vs to follow him, we haue made our selues wearie: when he hath strikē vs, we haue hardened our selues, euen as the anuile against the blowes of the hammer: when he hath cheri­shed vs, we haue flattered our selues: whether he would haue allured vs by his promises,Matth. 11.17 or terrified vs by his threatnings: we haue bene stubborne and obstinate to beleeue the one, and to mocke at the other. To be briefe, by what meanes soeuer he hath gone a­bout for to catch vs, we haue still car­ried our selues like vnto wild and sa­uage beasts.

Moreouer, we were his vineyard,Esay 5, 12. in which he greatly delighted, & wher­in he spared no cost, to trim it, and to dresse it after a most exquisite maner, he had made a most curious, strong, and sure hedge, and fence, in hope that he should gather much fruit at conueni­ent [Page 46] time: but it falles out cleane cōtra­rie, for in stead of bringing forth good grapes, we haue broght forth veriuice, and sowrenesse, and so haue giuen him occasion, that we should oftentimes, long ago haue beene plucked forth of the hedge, and should as old withered and drie branches, haue beene cast an hūdred times into the fire, to haue bin scorched and burnt for euer, and euer. And whence hath it com likewise, that being fruitlesse,Esay. 49. and barren trees, and that in the dayes and times of prospe­ritie: as the prophet speaketh, Iesus Christ likewise finding vs fruitlesse,Mat. 21.16. that he should not euen at the verie in­stant curse vs, as he did the figge tree? For with what pretence or excuse can we colour, or couer our barrennesse? Were we not as a tree plāted along by the cleare and pleasaunt riuers of the word of God,Psal. 1.3. wherewith we haue bene continually watered? And yet behold, we haue brought forth no more fruite then the briers, which haue beene vpon the dry and vpland ground: or then the [Page 47] thornes vpon the hard and heathy hils: notwithstanding that the axe (which is laid to the roote of euerie tree which bringeth not forth fruite) hath kept vs from being cut vp by the root, & from being cast into the fire, to be burnt e­ternally. We cannot denie, but that we haue beene as vnprofitable branches, and that oftentimes we haue not built vpon the corner stone,1. Cor. 3.10.11 12. nor vpon the precious foundation of vs, and of the church. What is the cause, that we haue not bene driuen away with the wind, and why the fire hath not consumed vs and our works? The prophets hereto­fore haue reproued, and reproched Iu­dah, for that that she hath iustified her sister, by meanes of the wickednesses and abominations, wherewith she had polluted her selfe more then she had: but we may well confesse, that we haue iustified them both. For what kinde of wickednes haue we omitted, or forgot­ten to commit? Haue not wickednes­ses, blasphemies, prophaning of the pure and lawfull seruice of God, con­tempt [Page 48] of his worde, iniuries, oppressi­ons, wrongs, rebellions, disobedience, hatred, enuie, murther, whoredome, backbiting, haue they not, I say, reig­ned amongst vs? If we shall iudge of the goodnesse of the earth, by the good fruits that it bringeth forth,Heb. 6.7.8. being well tilled and trimmed, and well bedewed and moistened with raine from hea­uen: what shall wee then contrarilie iudge of that earth, which hauing in al respects receiued an infinite abundance of benedictions and blessings from an high,Iam 1.17. euen from the father of light: doth yet notwithstanding, bring forth nothing but baggage, thornes and thistles? What vse, and profite haue we made of the examples (I will not say) of our children, of our seruants, or of our friends (as we are bound) but not of the least of the creatures in the world, all which hold themselues in obedi­ence vnto their creator, without alte­ring or changing the roome or place that he hath appointed them vnto, or without being wearie to execute his [Page 49] will, and his commaundement. Our fa­thers heretofore haue seene, and we af­ter them now do see, that the heauens, the sunne, the moone, the starres, the elements, the liuing things, the plants, and the trees, haue alwayes euen from the time they were first created, gone on forward in one course, and haue (as a man would say) in their courses, mar­ches and motions, obserued and kept that measure that God hath giuen vn­to them, without either passing their bounds, or confusedly troubling that order, which at the first was vniuersally established, and appointed: but men alwayes haue beene, and still will be ir­regular, and without order. And, which is worse, we dayly see, that the most part, who for the heaping vp of the full measure of their former faults, do adde thereunto impudencie, stopping their eares vnto all wholesome doctrine, and by their whole cariage shewing them­selues to haue shamelesse and whorish faces.Esay. 3.16. Where is now a dayes amongst sinners this shame,Dan. 9.8 and confusion of [Page 50] face that Daniel had? Where is tho­rowout the whole earth,Luke 18.13. the visage and countenance of the poore publicane, who for shame that he had so often offended his good God, durst not lift vp his eyes vnto heauen? Where are the riuers of teares, and of weeping of the poore sinnefull woman in such great abundance,Luke. 7.37.38 that they sufficed to wash the feete of Iesus Christ? Where are the eyes turned into riuers of wa­ter, as were Ieremies, to bewaile, and to mourne for the sinnes and miseries that are in the world?Iere. 9.1. Where is this griefe and bitternesse of heart, wherewith the Apostle Saint Peter was pricked,Luke 22.62. as soone as euer his sin came in his sight? Where is this compunction, & woun­ding of the heart that the people she­wed,Act. 2.37.38. after the doctrine and speech that Saint Peter had made vnto them, for that they had so wickedly consented vnto the death of Iesus Christ, to satis­fie and to content the wicked desire of the vngodly priests? Where is the sadnesse, and heauinesse of heart, wher­with [Page 51] Dauid was pressed, when with sobs and sighes, deeply he cried out and said, Psal. 6.6.Psal. 6.6. I fainted in my mourning: I cause my bed euery night to swimme, and water my couch with my teares. And else where, Psal. 51.3.Psal. 51.3. For I know mine ini­quities, and my sinne is euer before me. Where is the sackcloth,Ionah. 3.7.8. & ashes where­with the Niniuites declared that their repentance was sound, and true: & with which, without doubt they shall, at the day of iudgement condemne these maskes of scourgers, & penetentiaries that we see to be in Italie, and Auig­non? Where is the man, nowadayes, that for sorrow, and griefe that he hath offended God, doth rent, teare, [...]say. 22.12. and dis­figure himselfe, as the prophet in his time willed those, whom he exhorted vnto repentance, to turne from the wrath of God, when they were threat­ned: or to appease and to mittigate it by conuersion, when they were fore­warned? Where shall a man find one, that hath his soule and heart pierced with agonies, and griefe, with an hum­ble, [Page 52] lowly, and a broken spirit, as the Prophet Ioel demaundeth,Ioel. 2.12.13 with a di­stressed & a mournful conscience, with sound hatred, and sincere displeasure, free from all dissimulation and hypo­crisie, and doth present himselfe, before the maiestie of God, with a true con­fession of his faults, and in all humilitie to desire and to craue his mercie, for the forgiuenesse of them.

By this may a man perceiue, what is the hardnesse and the stubbornnes of our hearts, what is the slender feeling that we haue for our sinnes,What maketh vs to see the weakenesse of our faith. the little feare that we haue to offend God, the weake loue and reuerence that we bear vnto him, and the poore and small o­bedience that we performe vnto him. And being such, what faith? what faith (O good God) can we haue in thee? Faith (as Saint Peter saith) purifieth the hearts.Acts 10. What faith then can they pre­tend, which as yet haue their hearts full of filth and of corruption? their hearts being indeed fat, and puffed vp with ambition, with pride, with couetous­nesse, [Page 53] with pleasure, with impaciencie, with reuenge, with hatred, with enuie, and with other such like fleshlie and inordinate passions and affections? Faith ought to regenerate vs, and to make vs new creatures, and of earthly men, to make vs heauenly: of carnall, to make vs spirituall men: of the chil­dren of wrath, and darknesse, to make vs the children of grace, and of light: to be briefe, of deuils it maketh vs angels. Whosoeuer as yet then hath his heart glewed, & fastned vnto the earth, and hath not his minde set on those things that are on high,Gal. 5.17. who ioyneth not himselfe vnto the spirite, thereby to fight against the flesh: but being as­saulted, or set vpon by his owne con­cupiscence, doth presently giue place thereunto, and maketh himself a bond­slaue, or a prisoner, he doth therein a­buse the grace of God: and whereas he should maintaine and vphold it, by li­uing in his feare, and in obedience vnto his holy will, he doth ouerthrow it, and through ouermuch libertie, goeth [Page 54] out of that way, whereunto he had be­fore giuen himselfe, vnder a vaine con­fidence that he had, that he should al­wayes find it prest and readie, to excuse and to couer all his sinnes, and so he de­ceiueth himselfe, thinking himselfe to be faithfull, where as his faith is no bet­ter than that of the deuils, and shall be able at the day of iudgement to bene­fite or to comfort him no more than theirs shall them. Furthermore faith, doth it not deliuer vs from the cōdem­nation and iudgement of God: as our sauiour Christ saith:Iohn. 3.8. & 5.24. he that beleeueth shall not come into iudgement: and Saint Paul sayth, there is no condem­nation to them,Rom. 8.1.34. who by faith are incor­porated into the bodie of Iesus Christ? Now those which liue according to the flesh, and which without any feare do commit those things which God hath forbidden: and contrariwise, do omit those things that God hath comman­ded, how can they auoid the sentence of death, & of the curse which is prououn­ced in y^e law, against all those which do [Page 55] trāgresse the same, for as much as they sinne wittingly, willingly, and of set purpose? If their conscience condemne them, God,1. Iohn. 3.20. Psal. 44.21. Rom. 3.5. who is greater then their conscience, which vnto the bottome searcheth, & soundeth their harts, how can he forgiue them? Moreouer, true faith doth so cloth vs with the righte­ousnes of the spirit of Iesus Christ, that it doth in such sort embrace & follow the spirit, that the one: namely fayth: is neuer foūd without the other. Foras­much then as the spirite of God can­not remaine in vs, vnles it produce his worke: that is, vnlesse it do illuminate,Gal. 5.24. Ephes. 4.23.24. &c. sanctifie, quicken, guide and gouerne vs in our counsels, thoughts, affecti­ons, wordes and actions: what faith can we imagine that we haue, if we shew it not by a holy and godly conuersation, mortifying & crucifying our flesh with the lusts thereof, killing the old man with all his wicked affections, flying from, and detesting all kind of vices, and on the other side applying our selues vnto euerie good vertue: abstai­ning [Page 56] not onely from euill, but from e­uerie thing that hath any shew,1. Thes. 5.22. or ap­pearance thereof: and to conclude, continuing this exercise without in­terruption vnto the end of our life.Mat. 10.17. For if any one (as sayth the Prophet) that hath for some certaine space end euou­red to liue well, and afterward shal de­cline, and go aside out of the right way before he come vnto the ende, God will not any whit remēber his former righteousnesses, nor allow vnto him any one of them when he shall come to reckoning. For he doth not pro­mise saluation and life vnto them that shall begin well: but vnto them one­ly, that shall with an inuincible de­light and courage perseuere, and con­tinue vnto the ende. Neither giueth he the prise & crowne of immortalitie vn­to any, but vnto those that shall runne to the ende of the race,1. Cor. 9.24. and gaole, and which shall fight and striue vnto the very end, and last gaspe of their life. For what shall it profite a marchant, say­ling vpon the seas to the Indies, or to a­ny [Page 57] other place, to load his shippe with precious and costly marchandice, if af­ter hauing escaped many perils & dan­gers, & hauing sailed prosperously for some good space (as for some 14. or 15. months) he shal at y^e last come to break his ship, and shall make ship-wracke, euen at the verie brim and brinke of the port, or hauen, where he is readie to land and arriue. All they that went out of Egypt vnder the cōduct of Mo­ses, entred not into the land of Canaan: for the greater part of them died by the way, & were shut out of that rest, that God had promised vnto their fathers, for their vnbeliefe sake, and for other their vices, that the Apostle reckoneth vp in the first epistle to the Cor. 1. Cor. 10.5.7. So that we are not to hope at any time to inioy that eternal & blessed life, y^e God hath promised and reserued for his elect, vn­lesse that we do vnto the end perseuere and continue in the faith of his worde, and in obedience vnto his blessed and holy will, which thing indeed is giuen to very few.

Furthermore, true faith is alwayes accompanied with an heat and feruen­cie of the spirite, which leadeth it pub­likely to professe the name of God, to sing forth his praises, and euerie where to publish and to preach his wonders,Rom. 10.10. as also to make publike profession of Iesus Christ, and of his gospel: yea, and without feare, shame, or hypocrisie, constantly to maintaine and defend the truth, against all those that do any manner of way contrarie, or resist it. But if that we would truely and with­out flatterie examine our selues, for all our actions, we shall know and con­fesse, that in the greater part of vs there hath bene a maruellous slacknes, to do our dutie this way forth, and that we haue bene wonderfull cold and feare­full, when the question hath bene of opposing our selues against the wic­ked, in that that we haue seene & heard the name of God, Iesus Christ, re­ligion, the gospel, and the truth to haue bene blasphemed: we holding our peaces and suffering that in our [Page 59] presence, the honour of God should be not onely iniured and wronged, but euen trampled and troden vnder foot, without opening our mouthes to speak one word in the defence thereof. Alas, what zeale haue we also shewed, for the redressing of the tabernacle of Iacob, which was vtterly abased? What pittie and compassion haue we had, that in seeing the ruines and horrible desolatiōs of long time, readie to come vnto the poore citie of Sion? Is there yet a man that can say, that he hath im­ploied himselfe, or his meanes, as he ought to haue done, for the reedifying of the temple of God, and for the hea­ling againe of those breaches, that the enimie on euery side would haue made against the Church? How many are there amongst vs, whom a man may iustly reproue, for that that they haue bene more carefull and curious to re­build and to pollish their owne houses, then the house of God? For indeed there are verie few that haue the pure & sincere seruice of God,Agge. 1.2.4 in such high [Page 60] recommendations as they should, as for to establish & to restore it when it is corrupted and prophaned, or else to maintaine and vphold it when it is in good estate. And yet notwithstanding that, we are so cold and negligent, to further that the order and state of the church, might be brought vnto her former beautie and dignitie, and that God might be preached, knowne, and worshipped in spirite and in truth, as he requireth in his word, that there is not a man amongst vs, but takes him­selfe to be a Christian, yea and that of the better sort too, although that he seeke not the kingdome of God, nor the righteousnes thereof, vntill he hath had other things: yea, and then onely seeketh the kingdome of God, when he hath thoroughly & wholly dispat­ched, euen his least and smallest affaires. As, to be short, the most certaine iudg­ment that one can haue, for the good­nes of a tree, is to see whether it bring forth good fruite, yea, or no. We also may iudge of faith, whether it be good [Page 61] or no,Rom. 5 1. The triall of true faith, by which euerie one of vs is con­uinced, by the marks that are found in true faith. if it giue rest vnto our conscien­ces, so that we feele no fear nor distrust, nor scruple, nor agonie, nor doubt, nor griefe, nor torment, which may trouble or disquiet vs before God: but that we are thorowly assured and resolued, to be pardoned and absolued from his iudgement, and to be iustified from all crimes and accusations, that the diuell can obiect or lay against vs, by meanes of that ransome that Iesus Christ hath payed for vs,Matth. 20.28. 1. Tim. 1.15. Rom. 10.11.22 by his death and blood­shedding, and by that his paiment, hath thorowly contented and satisfied the iustice of God. And further, when it stirreth vs vp continually to pray vnto God, whether it be in prosperitie to blesse and to thanke him, or in aduer­sitie to prostrate our selues before him, and humblie to entreate him, that he would deliuer vs, or else if it please him to deale otherwise, at the least on the one side to mittigate our griefe, and on the otherside to strengthen vs so, that we conforming our selues wholly vnto his will, we may carrie it, during [Page 62] the time it shal please God to lay it vp­on vs: so that finally it may enkindle and inflame in vs a loue to God, and to our neighbours, in such sort, that we should as it were burne with an earnest desire to serue, and to honour God, to moue and to stirre vp euerie one to ac­knowledge, and to glorifie him, and that we haue no greater sorrow nor griefe, then to see him dishonored and blasphemed: and as concerning our neighbours, that we loue them as our owne flesh, and as members of the selfe same bodie with vs, as brethren and children of the same father, that we & they haue in the heauens, and that we manifest the loue that we beare vnto them, by all effectes and meanes that possiblie we can: no lesse desiring their good, their ease, their honor, their rest, their aduancement and preferment then our owne: and in their necessities to aid them with money, with counsel, with fauour, with labour, with friends, with commendations, and without any exception, to further them with anie [Page 63] thing that is in our power.

Now, who is he amongst vs, yea a­mongst those that haue most profited, and proceeded in the knowledge and feare of God, that dare say of himselfe, that he hath had such a faith, as which should haue bene sufficient to fight, and to bicker against the diuell,Matth. 16.18 and against all the gates of hell, & to make vs strong and inuincible against all trials and temptations, wherewith we might be assaulted and assailed, yea and to bring and to plucke vp all our thoughts & affections from the earth, and to exalt, and to lift them vp aboue all height, euen aboue the heauens, by a true and liuely hope of immortalitie and blessednes, which God hath pro­mised & prepared for vs? Which hope should make vs vtterly at once to for­get, and to forsake the world, with all her glorie, pompe, pleasure, riches, and glittering shew, & to esteeme all these brittle and corruptible things, euen as drosse and doung, for the tast and trust that it giueth vs, concerning the [Page 64] sweetnesse of the ioyes of heauen, and whereby it doth sodainly extinguish and deface the sence and feeling of all other pleasures, as it befell vnto the three disciples, in whose presence our sauiour Christ was transfigured in the mountaine:Matth. 17.2. for hardly would they haue had any small tast of blessednes, had they not of a sodaine lost the re­membrance of all worldly things, de­siring nothing but onely the abode & continuance of that estate and felicitie, in which they found themselues. For a [...]uch then as faith, hope, and chari­tie, which are principall vertues and graces, which ought to shine in the life, and in all the works of a Christian man, are imperfect and weake in vs, yea and in the most perfect in the world: there are therefore so manie doubts, distrusts, vaine feares, cares, griefes, perplexities, presumptions, hatreds, enuies, choler, and other such like passions & desires, which as spots and blemishes do blemish and deface the hew,VVherof sicke men are to be aduertised. and beautie of the vertues and [Page 65] graces that are in vs. It is necessarie then, whē the question is of presenting our selues before the face and maiestie of our God, that we and the sicke par­ties, whom we would comfort and admonish, should beginne with an humble acknowledgment,First, freely to confesse their sinnes before God. and con­fession 1 of our sinnes. Acknowledging in the first place, the ingratitude and carelesnesse that hath beene in vs, to heare, to reade, and to meditate in the word of God, and to put it in pra­ctise, to profite by the gifts and speciall graces that he hath giuen vnto vs to consider, & alwayes to haue before our eyes, the scope & end of our vocation, that we may addres & refer the whole state of our life according thereunto, to walk in his fear, not to defile his image, which in our regeneratiō was restored and renewed, that we should keep vn­to him faith & loyaltie, which we pro­mised vnto him, in the couenāt that we made with him, to liue, & to die to his glory, to offer vp vnto him our bodies,Rom. 12.2. as a liuing sacrifice, holy & acceptable, [Page 66] & not to conforme our selues like vn­to this world, to liue and to walke in the spirite, not to fulfill the lusts of the flesh, to walk as children of the light, to stand fast in that libertie, wherewith Christ hath made vs free, to be carefull not to be brought againe vnder the yoke of bondage & sin, to fight valiant­ly against the lusts of our flesh, to resist the diuel, to hinder that sin haue not a­ny dominion or rule ouer vs, so well & orderly to rule our whole life & all our carriage, that we may be exempt & free not only from euill, but from all suspi­tion of euill, to looke so diligently, that our liberty be no occasion to the flesh, & that we commit not any thing that may be offēsiue vnto our neighbors, or which may in any sort moue our ad­uersaries to blaspheme y^e name of God, & of Iesus Christ, & to defame the reli­gion which we professe, not to seek any thing, but only those things which are aboue, & to haue our whole mind, our vnderstanding, our thoughts, & our af­fections on heauenly things, & to haue [Page 67] all our conuersation on high, alwayes to haue our lāps burning,Matth. 25.4. & our loynes trussed or gyrt, to looke for the com­ming of the Lord, & to be ready to fol­low him, and by his grace to do all that it shall please him to command vs, and continually to pray & to praise God,Psal. 38.15. to depend vpon his prouidence, and to cast our selues & our affairs wholly vp­on him to resigne vp vnto him wholly our will: and to conclude, to loue him with all our heart, with all our soule, & with all our mind, and our neighbours as our selues. After, hauing set before the sick party these faults, that he hath cōmitted for to astonish him, & so the better to prepare him, to receiue the grace & fauour of God: it is thē further requisite to set before his eies, that that he hath iustly merited, and deserued for the faults that he hath cōmitted: to wit,To set before his eies the iudgements of God, and to make him ef­fectually to feele them. to be wholly swallowed vp of the an­ger of God, whereof he hath pro­cured vnto himselfe a great waight, by continuing in his sinnes, and by so long abusing his gentlenesse and long [Page 68] suffering. Further, to be ouerwhelmed with the iudgement of God, which is (as the Apostle saith) prepared for all those that disobey God,Rom. 2.8. and especially for those seruants, that knowing his will, and being wel instructed in al that that concerneth their duety, make no reckoning to accōplish or to discharge it. Moreouer, that al the curses cōtained in the law, & that are ordained against the breakers therof, are readie to fal vp­on his head: because that he hath pollu­ted himselfe, not onely once and away by ignorance or frailtie, but by viola­ting the holy ordinances of God, wit­tingly, willingly, and that almost as oft as he hath bene thereunto inuited and solicited by the diuel, or by his own cō­cupiscence: and further to be excluded & banished from the kingdom of hea­uen,Rom. 5.12. 1. Cor. 15.50. because that flesh (according vnto which he hath liued) cannot inherite or possesse the kingdome of God. For if our first parents were shamefully dri­uen out of Paradise, where they were placed after their creation, by means of [Page 66] their disobedience, what can man now merite by so many rebellions & trans­gressions, which he dayly draweth and drinketh in euen as water?

And further, to be cōdēned vnto eter­nal death, & for euer to haue his portiō with the diuel & reprobates, in the fire of hell: forasmuch as that is the reward & wages of sin. And for cōclusion, that he hath deserued to be buried in hel, & in the flame to suffer those torments that the rich mā did,Luk. 16.23. for disdaining the poore in their affliction, & for not ma­king any accoūt to aid thē at their need, and for not vsing the like curtesie, and charity towards thē, that they thēselues would haue desired in their necessitie. When that a mā shal so haue humbled 3 the partie that is sicke,And after­ward to cure him with the sweete promi­ses of the gos­pell. & out of the law as out of a glasse, shal represent and set before him his iudgement & condem­nation, & whē one shal see him woun­ded, & pricked with griefe at his hart, it is then requisite to apply vnto the woūd, soft & gentle medicines, & to do as do the masons, who whē they hew or [Page 70] cut out a stone, doe at the first strike with their hammer great and mightie blowes, vntill they haue cleft it out in sclates, but afterward they do so plaine & polish it with their plaining instru­mēt, or fourmer, as they cal it: that the blowes that before they strook, shal no whit appeare: so ought it to be, that af­ter a man hath delt with the sick partie roughly & roundly, & hath by y^e sharp threatnings of the law, humbled, and brought him down, euē vnto the gates of hel, a mā must thē retire & returne, setting before him the sweet & louing promises of the gospel, to the end that by the soupled softnes of this oile, the piercing sharpnes of the law might be asswaged & delayed: and that the ioy of this good tidings of the grace of god, might make him quite and cleane to passe by, & to forget the sadnes & the sorrowfull despaire that the law had brought him vnto. It is cōuenient ther­fore, in the first place to shew & to cō­firme this,Col. 2.14. that the obligation & hand­writing that was against vs, which cō­sisted [Page 71] in ordinances, hath bin defaced, abolished, & fastned vnto the crosse of Christ. And further, that Iesus Christ hath redeemed and ransomed vs from the curse of the law, when he was made a curse for vs, as it is written,Gal. 3.13. Cursed is euerie one that hangeth on tree, to the end that the blessing of Abraham might come vpō the Gētiles, by Iesus Christ: that we might receiue the promise of the spirite by faith:Rom. 10.4. that Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse, vnto all that beleeue: and finallie,Rom. 1.4. that by the perfect obedience that he hath rendered vnto God, obseruing all the commandements without any defect, or omitting the smallest point, euen to the vndergoing of the cursed death of the crosse for vs, because that such was the will of his father, he hath procured for vs a generall pardon and forgiuenesse of al our debts and bonds, which he hath paide,1. Pet. 1.19. not in gold nor siluer, nor precious stones, but by his owne blood, which is an inualuable, and incomparable price and ransom. [Page 72] And ouer and besides that, hath gotten for vs righteousnes, which being giuen vnto vs by the faith, and assurance that we haue in our selues: as well by his word & sacraments, as by his spirit, bea­ring record in our hearts, we ought to put away all feare, and fearfull appre­hēsions, that we may haue for our sins, either of death, of the deuill, of the ri­gor & curse of the law, or finally of the ire and iudgement of God. For, for to begin with our sinnes, being clo­thed with the righteousnes of Iesus Christ,Rom. 14.8.9. we may assure our selues, that they are not onely couered and hid, so that they shall neuer appeare, nor be discouered before the eyes,Esay 43.25. and face of our God: but that they are wholly rased and wiped out as with a sponge, and dispersed, euen as a cloud by the winde, or by the sunne. And although that they may be as red as crimsen,Esay. 1.18. or as scarlet: yet they shal­be as white as snow (as saith Esay) and before him Dauid, Psalm. 51.7.Psal. 51.7. Purge me with hyssope and I shall be [Page 73] cleane: wash me and I shall be whiter then snow.

Neither skilleth it,The greatnesse nor multitude of our sinnes cannot hinder the effect of the mercie of God. how many they be in number, so that they be not sins a­gainst the holy ghost, nor in what sort, nor maner they haue bene committed, whether of ignorance, frailtie, or of set purpose: for sinne cannot so abound, but that the grace of God, which is purchased for vs, by the death & righ­teousnesse of Iesus Christ, should much more abound. And although that the sinne hath beene committed agaynst the maiestie of God which is infinite, and that it bee for this cause thought infinite: yet that hindereth not, but that the blood of Christ, which by the eternall spirit offered vp himselfe vnto God, without any spot or blemish, should cleanse our consciences from dead workes, to serue the liuing God: as the apostle writeth to the Hebrewes. For y^e diuinitie being inseparably vni­ted,Heb. 9.14. and ioyned with the humanitie in the person of Iesus Christ, is the cause by his almightie power, that his death [Page 74] hath an infinite power to redeeme vs, his righteousnesse to sanctifie vs, and his life to quicken and to blesse vs, because that being God as hee is, he is more strong than the deuill: so are his workes more strong and forcible to saue vs, then are the workes of his enimie, that is the de­uil, to destroy or to ouerthrow vs. His righteousnesse hath more power to iustifie vs, then hath sinne (whereof the deuill is the authour) to condemne vs: and his integritie to wash, and to cleanse vs, then is the foule spirit by his stinch and filth to pollute and defile vs. And his light is more powerfull to illuminate, and to enlighten vs, then the darkenesse of the Prince of this worlde, is to dimme, or to dar­ken vs: and his truth to instruct vs, then are the errours of the father of lies to seduce vs. To be briefe, his life hath more vertue to raise vs vp, and to quicken vs, then the enuie of this murtherer, and mansleaer [Page 75] is to kill and to slea vs. Wherein wee see, that the sonne of God (as Saint Iohn sayth) came not into the world for any other ende,1. Iohn 3.10. but to destroie the workes of the deuill: and that in his blood all our enemies, that is to say, all our sinnes haue beene drowned, euen as Pharaoh and the Egyptians that were enemies vnto the people of God, haue beene alreadie discomfited, and drowned in the red sea.

This is he that is the stronger man:Luke. 11.22. as Saint Luke sayth, which setteth vp­on another strong man, whom he bin­deth & ouercōmeth,Ephes. 4.7. and from whom he taketh all his armour, wherein he trusted: that is to say, sinne, death, and the lawe, leading with him cap­tiuitie captiue when he went vp in­to heauen, in such sort, that the de­uill being thus disfurnished, and dis­armed, hath no more meanes nor power to hurt vs, neyther by sinne, but that Iesus Christ hath washed vs in his blood, nor by death, but that he [Page 76] hath swallowed it vp in dying, nor by the law, but that he hath fully satisfied it, in accomplishing it, and in submit­ting himselfe vnto that curse that was ordained for vs. And although that Sathan be continually our aduersarie, and by meanes of the hatred that hee beareth vnto vs, and of the enuie that he hath to hurt vs, and to hinder vs from attaining vnto felicitie, from whence he was put by meanes of his pride,1. Pet. 5.8. go as a roaring lion, seeking whome of vs he may deuoure: yet we may resist him, being steadfast in faith, and remaining rooted in the perswa­sion that we haue in the forgiuenesse of our sinnes, which is eternall, as is the vertue and the power of the death of Iesus Christ, by which this life was ob­tained for vs, and is the priuiledge and freedome of the Church, vnto which all the faithfull ought to haue recourse, for to be in safetie, when they are pur­sued by their owne consciences, or by any other sergeants of Gods iustice: whereunto also Dauid exhorteth vs: [Page 77] Psal. 130.7.8.Psal. 130.7.8. Let Israel wait on the Lord: for with the Lord is mercie, and with him is great redemption, and he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. And elsewhere. Psal. 51 17Psal. 51.17. The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirite: a contrite and a broken heart, O God, thou wilt not de­spise.

And Iesus Christ,Examples of the mercies of God towards great sinners. Esay. 53.4. which is the so­uereigne and chiefe medicine of our soules, & who came not into the world but to seeke that which was lost, and to heale that which was sore, and (as the Prophet saith) to beare our infirmities and diseases, can he haue any greater pleasure and delight, then to see vs run vnto him, for to be disburdened and discharged from our sinnes? Did he e­uer reiect Publican or sinner, that came before him? He is euen as the Pro­phet sayth. Psal. 103.8.Psal. 103.8. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, slow to anger and of great kindnes.

We may easily see this to be true, in the examples of the Publicane,Luke 18.13. Luke 7.47. of the sinfull woman, of the prodigall childe, [Page 78] of the good theife,Luke 15.20. Luke 23.43. 2. Sam. 12.13. Matt. 26.75. Mat. 18.27. of Dauid, of Pe­ter, of Paul, and of the seruaunt that was indebted vnto his maister tenne thousand talents, which were forgiuen him as soone as hee ac­knowledged and confessed the debt,1 The mercies of God are con­firmed by ar­guments, taken from the end why God sent his sonne into the world. and desired his maister to haue pitie vpon him. Alas, to what end hath the father sent his sonne into the worlde? Why hath hee annoynted him with the holie Ghost? Is it not to preach vnto the captiues, that he is come from heauen to pay their ransome, and to bring them from captiuitie, and to the prisoners, that hee is come to open vnto them the prisons, and to them that are in debt, that hee is come to discharge them, and to the sicke, that hee is come to heale them? And the Apostles, which hee sent through out the whole worlde,2 From the prea­ching of the Gospell. as hee was sent of his father, to what ende had they their commission and commaundement? Was it not to preach the Gospell: that is, forgiue­nesse of sinnes vnto euerie creature in [Page 79] the name of Iesus Christ? Vnlesse then that we should thinke that their labour was in vaine, and the paines likewise of the true and faythfull mi­nisters that succeeded them, wee may vndoubtedly assure our selues of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes: Nay, which is more,3 From the an­nihilating of our Lord Ie­sus Christ. 1. Cor. 15.14. Mat. 1.23. if in beleeuing in him, our sinnes should not bee forgiuen vs, then this woulde fol­lowe, that the birth, death, resur­rection, ascension, intercession, nay, the whole ministerie of Iesus Christ, shoulde bee made of no force, and shoulde bee vtterly fruitlesse and vnprofitable, and that our fayth should be in vaine. Moreouer, how can wee beleeue,4 From his of­fice. that he is our Iesus and our Immanuell, vnlesse he saue vs from our sinnes, and by this meanes mittigate the enimitie that is betwixt vs and him, that letteth and hindereth him, that he cānot associate,Esay. 59.3. & ioine himself with vs? Furthermore, what assurance should we haue that [Page 80] the new couenant that he hath made with vs,Heb. 8.10.11.12. Iere. 3.7. should be confirmed and rati­fied by his death and bloodshedding, if he haue not quite forgotten all our ini­quities, and hath not written his lawes in our hearts by his spirite, forasmuch as these are the promises, and conditi­ons, by which the couenant was drawē and made? What fruite and profite should come vnto vs by the vertue of his priesthood, and of the sacrifice that he offered vnto his father, for our re­demption, if we as yet remaine in our sinnes? And how can he be sayd to be the attonement for our sinnes,1. Iohn 2.2. and not for our sinnes onely, but also for the sinnes of the whole world? How can we assure our selues, that he is our me­diator and aduocate, and vnder this as­surance go vnto the throne of grace,Heb. 4.16. to the ende that me may obtaine mer­cie, and find grace to be holpen in time of need? We are not therefore to doubt of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes: and as Dauid sayth, Psal. 103.12.Psal. 103.12. As farre as the East is from the West: so far hath [Page 81] he remooued our sinnes from vs.

And how can wee doubt here­of, seeing wee carie this grace prin­ted, and sealed, not onely in our harts and consciences,The comfort that we may haue by the sacraments. but also in our bo­dies, by two great seales of the Chauncerie: as it were, of the king­dome of heauen: to witte, Baptisme, and the Lordes supper? That the sicke partie do assure himselfe, that belee­uing the forgiuenesse of sinnes, he shall by and by obtaine it, for it com­meth vnto vs according to our fayth. And Saint Ambrose sayth, that, all that we beleeue, we obtaine. For wee can not beleeue that that which God hath sayd and promised vnto vs, who is faythfull,Rom. 3.3. An answere to this obiection viz. that the graces of God may seeme not to be of such great force: be­cause they are not alike auai­lable vnto all. and tho­rowly true in his promises, should bee by the infidelitie and infirmitie of men abolished, so that it should not bee true. And howsoeuer that the wicked in reiecting and con­temning the worde and promises of God, doe by their contempt and obstinacie hinder that the worde [Page 82] cannot bring forth it effect in them, in shewing the power that it should haue to saue them, if they did beleeue it: yet this can not bee preiudiciall to the faythfull which receyue and obey it, neither to hinder them from be­leeuing, and receyuing it in their hearts, nor from quickening them thereby: no more then can a man that hideth his eyes from the light, and shunneth it, hinder that another man opening his eyes should not en­ioy the light and be inlightened. For the light and colours are obiectes of the eye: which being opened, and well, doth presently conceiue them: so the promise of God is the obiect of faith, which maketh that mā doth pre­sently receyue it when it is shewed vn­to him, and as soone as he heareth it published, because that by the spirite of God his heart is prepared before: for otherwise, if it should remaine in it stonie nature the spirituall seede could neither take roote nor fructi­fie, no more then materiall seede cast [Page 83] vpon stones, or vpon ground vntil­led. The sicke partie then,The applica­tion that a christian may make vnto him self of the pro­mises of God is most certain. being thus resolued for the forgiuenesse of all his sinnes, neede not anie whitte to doubt but that hee is in the fa­uour of God, and that from hence­forth he may infalliblie, and vndoub­tedly hope for eternall life,1 Because that that which might hinder our saluation, is taken away. and for all the happie felicitie that God hath promised vnto his children. For there is nothing that can stop or hinder vs from felicitie but onely sinne, which not being imputed vnto vs: but be­ing couered, and vtterlie blotted out, what is there that can further hurt vs, or driue God from vs?Ephes. 2.12. Psal 36.9. If that by fayth (as it is sayde) we are inseparablie vnited and knit vnto him, who is the fountaine of life, and the store of all riches, what then can we wish,2 We are ioyned with God, whose loue is euerlasting. Rom. 8.1. that we shall not readily & spee­dily finde in him? What wo, or miserie can wee finde, being in his grace? Then are wee assured, that the good will that he hath borne vnto vs, he will [Page 84] for euer continue, and that there is no creature in the worlde, that can turne it from vs (as Saint Paul writeth to the Romans) I am perswaded, that neither death,Rom. 8.38. nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, neither height, nor depth, nor anie creature, shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God, which he bea­reth vnto vs in Christ Iesus our Lord. And a little before in this Chapter: who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ? Shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakednes, or perill, or sworde? Euery man then that hath beene once engrafted by faith into the bodie of Iesus Christ, and by consequent adopted by God, recei­ued into grace, and is in the house as a childe, can neuer afterwarde final­ly depart from thence: but as he is assured of his election by his voca­tion, and iustification, which follow election: so is he assured of his glo­rification, which is the conclusion, [Page 85] and as it were the crowning of our sal­uation.Rom. 5.9. Rom. 11.29. For the giftes and calling of God, are without repentance, as the Apostle plainely writeth vnto the Ro­mans Chapter 8. ver. 30. Whom he did predestinate, them also he called, and whom he called, them also he iustified, and whom he iustified, them also he glorified. And howsoeuer there be ma­nie vices, and infirmities in vs, yea, and that it often commeth to passe that we fall fouly,God doth not so forsake vs that our faith should faile. as we see it befell vn­to Dauid, to Peter, and Paul, and al­most vnto all the saints, yea to the most perfect that euer were: yet there is euer one point vpō which we ought euermore to be grounded, and which ought greatly to comfort and streng­then vs against all the assaults & temp­tations of Sathan, which is that, that Saint Iohn sayth,1. Iohn 3.9. that euerie one that is borne of God sinneth not (that is vn­to death.) For the seede of him remai­neth in him, and cannot sinne, because he is born of god. Which thing, he bet­ter proueth elswhere.1. Iohn. 5.17. Al vnrighteous­nesse [Page 86] (saith he) is sin, but there is a sinne which is not vnto death. We know that whosoeuer is borne of god, sinneth not: but he that is begottē of god, God kee­peth him, and that euill one toucheth him not. For thereby he giueth suf­ficiently to vnderstand, that fayth and the word of God, which are as it were the soule and the ground-worke, are neuer vtterly rased nor plucked out of the hearts of the elect, and there­fore they cannot sinne that sinne that Saint Iohn calleth a sinne vnto death. For albeit that faith oftētimes be as it were buried in them, hauing neither moouing nor feeling, no more then a dead thing: yet is it not vtterly quen­ched, no more then is fire couered with ashes, although it giue neither light nor heate: or then is a tree which in winter time, when the sap is drawne vp into the roote, bringeth forth nei­ther bud, leafe nor fruit, to shew that there is anie life in it, which yet not­withstanding is couered, and hid with­in the roote. Marke therefore the rea­son, [Page 87] for which Dauid speaking of the faithfull man, sayth: Psal. 37.Psal. 37.39.40. ver. 39.40 But the saluation of the righteous men shalbe of the Lord: he shalbe their strength in the time of trouble. For the Lord shall helpe them, and deliuer them: he shall deliuer them from the wicked, and shall saue them because they trust in him. And in Psalme. 89. verse 34.Psal. 89.34. My couenant will I not breake, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lippes. And a little before in the verses 28.29.30.31.32.33.34.Psal. 89.28.30.31.32.33.34. My mercie shall I keepe for him for euermore, and my couenant shall stand fast with him. His seede also will I make to endure for euer, and his throne as the dayes of heauen. But if his children forsake my law, and walke not in my iudgements: If they break my statutes, and keepe not my commaun­dements: Then will I visit their trangres­sion with the rod, and their iniquitie with strokes. Yet my louing kindnesse will I not take frō him, neither wil I falsifie my truth. My couenant will I not breake, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lippes. [Page 88] And Psal. 23.6.Psal. 23.6. Doubtlesse kindnesse and mercie shall follow me all the dayes of my life, and I shall remaine a long season in the house of the Lord. And in Psal. 30.5.Psal. 30.5. For he endureth but a while in his anger: but in his fauour is life: weeping may a­bide at euening, but ioy commeth in the morning. And in Psal. 65.4.Psal. 65.4. Blessed is he whom thou chusest, and causest to come to thee: he shall dwell in thy courts, and we shal be satisfied with the pleasures of thine house, euen of thine holy Temple. And to conclude,Psal. 119.116 in Psal. 119. ver. 116. Stablish me according to thy promise, that I may liue, and disappoint me not of mine hope.

It shall be requisite then, to alledge vnto the sicke partie all these places of scripture, and other such like, on euery side to repaire his faith againe, & with all necessarie furniture to fence and arme him, against all the fierie slights and darts of that wicked one, so that on euery side he may auoyd them, so that Sathan find not any weake or naked place, whereby he may wound or hurt [Page 89] him. For it is not to be doubted, but that Sathan will then (that is, in the time of sicknesse) vse all his power, and all his pollicie to shake our faith, and to ouerthrow vs: yet the meanes for the sick and afflicted partie to defend him­selfe is, alwayes to keepe him in his ca­stle, and neuer to depart from the pro­mises of God, whatsoeuer sathan shall obiect against vs. For when sathan shal seeme to batter the castle of our faith, which oftentimes euen in the dearest children of God seemeth to be weake, & like vnto the fire couered with ashes, then are we to run vnto the other ca­stle or hold of our saluation (which is indeed the more sure:) namely, to the promises of God, which neuer alter nor change, but are as God is, certaine and sure. Let vs therefore informe the sicke partie of that that Esay saith,Esay 45.22. that Israel is saued by the Lord, the eternall God of their saluation: so that for euer hereafter we shal neuer be confounded nor ashamed. And further elsewhere, That the heauens shall vanish away as [Page 90] smoke and the earth shall weare as a garment, and the inhabitance there­of likewise shall be abolished: but my saluation shalbe for euer,4 The feeling that we haue sometimes of the anger of God, should not lead vs vnto distrust. and my righ­teousnes shall neuer faile. And to the end that the tokens which he hath somtimes shewed vnto vs of his anger, should not breed in our hearts such a great feare, as whereupon there should follow a distrust of his goodnes and of those promises of saluation, which he hath made vnto vs: let vs heare that that the Prophet Esay spea­keth of in his 54.Esay 54.7.8. chapter, where he speaketh vnto the Church in the name of God. I haue forsaken thee for a little space, but I will gather thee againe in great compassion. I haue for a little while, as in a moment of mine indig­nation, hid my face from thee, but I haue had cōpassion on thee, according to mine euerlasting fauour, saith the Lord thy redeemer. Neither shall this be as the waters of Noah, for as I sware that I would neuer make the floud of Noah againe to flowe ouer the face of [Page 91] the earth: so haue I sworne that I will neuer be angrie with thee againe, nei­ther will I any more reproue thee. For though that the mountains be moued, and though that the little hils tremble: yet my mercy shal neuer go from thee, and the couenant of my peace shall ne­uer faile, saith the Lord which hath compassion on thee.Hose. 2.19.20. God in Hosea for this purpose saith vnto his church, that he wil marrie it for euer in faith, truth, mercy, & iudgment: signifying therby vnto it, that the couenant that he will make with it, shalbe sure & inuiolable, and such a one as he hath grounded in himselfe: that is to say, in his mercie, truth, & iustice: onely requiring this of the church, y^t it shold walk in vpright­nes before him, & that in all her wayes, she shold follow soundnes & sincerity, alienating, & estranging herselfe as far as possiblie she can, from al filthines & hypocrisie: which thing is indeed dili­gently to be noted. For the diuel, to the end that he may astonish vs, & make vs doubt of the effect of the promises of [Page 92] God when we are readie to come into iudgement,5 Our vnworthi­nesse and vn­kindnes cannot hinder God frō finishing that that he hath begun. being sommoned, and our cause being in hand readie to be heard, if he see that we stand sure and stedfast, and that we plead or put in our an­swere, that we are enfranchised vnder the word of the gospel, wherein God offereth vs his grace, he wil there iump and accord with vs, that God is true in all that he saith: and likewise, that by his promises, he offereth vnto vs grace and life: but this then he will obiect, namely, that he is hindered from ac­complishing and performing vnto vs that that he hath promised vs, by our indignitie, and vnworthinesse, because that we hauing so many times offen­ded him, yea and that since the time that he hath enlightened and regenera­ted vs, by the knowledge of his truth, and hath shewed vs this fauour, as to entertaine vs into his house, and to a­dopt vs for his children, we haue yet by our ingratitude made our selues vn­capable of his benefites, and vnworthy that he should effect those promises [Page 93] that he hath made vnto vs. Now for the auoiding of this temptation, which is the most forcible & dangerous that we can be assaulted withall: we are first to consider, that as the onely good pleasure of God was at the first the onely motiue & motion, that led God to make this couenant with vs, and to offer vnto vs the promise of saluation, whereby he hath shewed himselfe to be our God, and to receiue vs to be his people: so his grace is the only meanes to stir him vp to accomplish and per­forme that his promise, and fauour to­wards vs. Whereupon S. Paul saith,Rom. 6.23. that the reward of sinne is eternall death, but the gift of God is eternall life. Howbeit, that for the right dispo­sing and ordering of the Antithesis, or contrarie speech, it may seeme that it should haue bene said, for the fit op­posing of one member against another, that life is the reward of our righte­ousnes, as death is the reward of our sinnes. But to the end, that we might be giuen to vnderstand, that life, which is [Page 94] the effect of the promise, is also free as well as is the promise that he made vn­to vs, he therefore wholly attributeth it vnto the gift of God, without ma­king any mention of works or merites. Wherunto is that to be referred,Rom. 4.67. Psal. 32.1.2 which is alledged in the Epistle to the Ro­manes, and in the Psalmes: where Da­uid sheweth the blessednes of the man, vnto whom God imputeth righteous­nes without works, saying, Psal. 32.1.2. Seeing then that life and blessednes are not giuē vnto vs, in liew of the fauour, merite, or holinesse that is in man, but by the onely grace of God: it therfore followeth thereupon, that as the price and dignitie of our works cannot pro­cure vnto vs euerlasting life, so our vn­worthines cannot preuent nor hinder vs. For it is the meere free gift of God, which he giueth to whom it pleaseth him, & that according to his mercy, & not after our merits or righteousnesses, which are not only imperfect, but also tainted and blemished with many cor­ruptions, because that our hearts, from [Page 95] whence they proceed, can neuer be so purged and cleansed, whilest we are in this world, but that there will still re­maine many corruptions wherewith they are defiled, which is the cause why the Prophet so earnestly prayeth vnto god, that he would not enter into iudg­ment with him, Psal. 143.2.Psal. 143.2. And enter not into iudgement with thy seruant, for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified. And elswhere, Psa. 130.3.Psal. 130.3. If thou ô Lord, straitly markest iniquities, ô Lord, who shall stand?

And that that Aug. saith in the book of his confessions, is a very worthy & memorable sentence, which is this: Wo be vnto all our righteousnesses, if they be examined & iudged without mer­cy. But yet this cannot hinder but that God may giue vnto vs eternal life, as he hath promised, y^t we might know, feele & cōfesse our vnworthines. For there is nothing that can make vs capable, & (if it may be so said) worthy of the graces & blessings of our god, as the acknow­ledgmēt & feeling that we haue in our [Page 96] selues of our great indignitie. And indeed what worthinesse could one finde in the thiefe, that hanged on the crosse by our Sauiour Christ, who had continued in his vngodlines and wickednes euen vnto the last point of his life, without euer knowing of his Sauiour, vntill the verie houre that he was readie to yeeld vp the ghost? And yet he had no sooner opened his mouth,Luke. 23.44. to confesse his sinnes in gene­ral, and to craue mercy of Iesus Christ, but it was presently said vnto him, this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. What worthinesse was there likewise in the poore Publican,Luke. 18.13. who for the great shame and horror that he had for his life past, durst not so much as lift vp his eyes towards heauen, and yet as­soone as euer he began to remember how pitiful and miserable his case was, and desired God that he would haue pittie vpon him, presently al his sinnes were forgiuen him, and he returned vn­to his house iustified? What worthi­nesse could one finde in S. Paul, then [...] [Page 99] mandements. Whereupon this is to be noted, that he promiseth vnto his ser­uants none other recōpence for al their seruices, but to shew his mercy towards them, and their posterity. The like may be obserued out of the 24. Psal. where the Prophet speaking of those that shal ascend into the mountaine of the Lord, saith, Psal. 24.4.5.6.Psal. 24.4.5.6 Euen he that hath innocent hands and a pure heart, which hath not lift vp his minde vnto vanity, nor sworne deceitfully: He shal receiue a bles­sing from the Lord, and righteousnes from the God of his saluation. This is the ge­neration of them that seeke him, of them that seeke thy face, this is Iaacob. Se­lah.

This the Prophet saith, to giue vs to vnderstand, that for all the labour and endeuour that we can doe to o­bey God, to purge our heartes from all wicked thoughts and affections, and our hands from all euill workes, to humble vs vnder the hand of God, and to presume nothing, neither of our selues, nor of our vertues: [Page 100] yet for al this we cannot hereby ascend into the mountaine of the Lord, but it must be onely by the fauour of that grace which he shall shew vnto vs, and of the mercie that it shall please him to exercise towards vs. And this serueth so much the more to comfort vs, and wholly to ascertaine and assure our hope, that it is grounded vpon his mer­cie & truth, which are stedfast and vn­moueable, and not vpon the worthi­nes of our works and graces, which are verie impefect. Now then, when we shall see the sicke partie well resolued,4 He ought to be armed against the fearefull apprehension of death, and for this cause he is first to know, concerning the forgiuenes of all his sins, and that in his heart there shal not remaine any feare of them, which may any more trouble his conscience: then it is necessarie that we proceed further, as to arme and fense him against the horror,1 That death hath bin slaine by Iesus Christ, so that vnto the faithfull it is no death but a sleepe. and fearefull apprehension that he may haue of death, in shewing vnto him by the word of God, that death hath beene slaine and swallowed vp by the death of Iesus Christ: who spea­king by the mouth of the Apostle, [Page 101] saith vnto death: O death,1. Cor. 15.54.55.56. I will be thy death. For seeing that the pricke or sharpenesse of death is sinne, and the power of sinne is the law, Iesus Christ hauing accomplished the law for vs, hath also by this meanes taken away the sting from death, so that it shall ne­uer offend or hurt vs any more. And howsoeuer the decree and ordinance of God stand true and sure, that all men shall die, and as they came from the dust, so shall they returne thither againe: yet indeed to speake properly, the separation of the bodie and soule in a faithfull man, ought not to be termed and called death. And so Ie­sus Christ speaking vnto his disci­ples of Lazarus which was dead,Iohn. 11.11. said vnto them, that he slept. This phrase or kinde of speech is verie vsuall in the old Testament, to signifie the death of the fathers. Saint Paul v­seth it also, when he writeth vnto the Corinthians and Thessalonians,1. Cor. 15.51. 1. Thess. 4.15. con­cerning them that shall depart be­fore the day of the resurrection, that [Page 102] he calleth it sleeping. But he speaketh yet more excellently in the Epistle vn­to the Philippians,Phil. 1.22.23. where he calleth it a separation, and a disioyning of the soule from the bodie. Which speech likewise accordeth verie well with the purpose of Iesus Christ: who going about to warne his disciples of his death approching, saith vnto them, that the houre approcheth and draw­eth nigh, that he must passe from this world to go vnto God his father, calling this bodily life by the name of a passage,Iohn 13.3. by which we passe from the vale of miserie to enter into the ioy and possession of Paradise: that is to say, to a place of assured rest, and full of all delight. Which thing in deede the auncient Greekes would shew by the verie name that they gaue vn­to death, calling it Thanatos: which in the Etymologie giuen by Themi­stocles, is as much in the vulgar tongue as, gone vp vnto God: and they call it also Teleuté, which sig­nifieth as much as, Consecration: as [Page 103] if we should say, that death is but a solemne ceremonie, by which the faithfull are wholly consecrated, and dedicated vnto God, to the end that hereafter they should render vnto him no other exercise, but to sing, and set forth the praises of God, and to sanctifie his blessed and holy name. And for this cause Iesus Christ cal­leth it sometimes by the name of Bap­tisme, because that by death we passe, as by an hauen, and as it were ouer wa­ters, to arriue at that place of rest and pleasure whereat we aime.

And the bodie, which the Greekes call [...], thereby to signifie that it is vnto the soule as a sepulchre: which they deriue of a nowne very much like vnto the other, to wit, of [...], which signifieth that during the time of it be­ing here, it is as it were buried & enter­red: when it pleaseth God to take it vn­to himselfe, is it not as if he shold make it to come forth of the graue, and raise it vp againe?

What occasion then can men haue [Page 104] so to shunne and to flie from this same bodily death,2 That death bringeth vnto the faithfull, great profite both for the bo­dy & the soule and to be so afraid of it, seeing that by separating the soule from the bodie, it bringeth it out of prison, and sendeth it vnto the liberty of heauen, there to be gathered euen vnto the bosome of Iesus Christ, and to enioy with him, and with al the blessed spirites, those eternal consolati­ons, which are the promises reserued, and kept for the elect and faithfull? And the bodie on the otherside shall lie in the earth, as in a bed: there for to sleepe and to take his ease, so that the sleepe thereof shall neuer be broken nor troubled, neither with vnquiet dreames, nor by cares and vexations, nor by feares, nor by alarms & bruites of warre, nor by any other occasion, and that vntill the day of the resurrection,1. Cor. 15.53.54. when it shall bee awakened by the sound of the trumpet of God, and shall be sent vnto life, hauing left in the earth his mortalitie, corruption, dishonour and weakenesse, being clo­thed with glorie, power, immor­talitie, [Page 105] and incorruption. Where­in a man may see, that there is no rea­son, why men should be so greatly a­frayde of bodily death: which for a while separateth the soule from the bodie, for the great profite both of the one & of the other. For, by this meanes the bodie is out of great daunger, not onely of sinne, and of the miseries that it draweth with it: but also from all temptations, lying and resting in the earth, in a sure and certaine hope of the resurrection, and life eternall. And howsoeuer it seemeth to be wholy de­priued of life in the earth, because that the soule departing from it, leaueth it without moouing or feeling: yea and so that it rotteth and returneth vnto dust: yet being alwayes accompanied by the spirite and infinite power of God, which quickeneth all things, it is not vtterly disioyned from life, as saint Paul sayth: If the spirite of him which raised Iesus Christ from the dead dwell in you,Rom. 8.11. he which raised Christ from the dead, will also quicken your mortall [Page 106] bodies, because of his spirite which dwelleth in you. And this is the reason, why elsewhere, going about liuely to describe vnto vs the resurrec­tion to come, he setteth it forth vnto vs vnder the figure of a seede which is cast into the earth, which hath in it selfe life:1. Cor. 25.42. although that it being in the gar­ner hath no shew of it, and hauing it in our hand, we cannot deeme of it but as of a thing which is dead: yet when it is cast into the ground,3 That it taketh not away from the bodies of the faithfull the seede of life. where as a man would think, that the life that it should haue, should be vtterly extinguished, & choked, it sheweth it self and groweth, so that of rottennes as it were, one may perceiue a blade cōming, which after­ward taketh nourishment & groweth, which are the effects, & proofs of y^e life that was in it, before it was put into the earth. And euen as god in the scripture nameth himself the god of Abrahā, yea after his death, & that he is not the god of the dead, but of the liuing: so there­vpon it followeth, that not onely the soule of Abraham, Mat. 22.32. which was bought [Page 107] with the death of his son, was yet liuing when it was separated from the bodie: but that also the body which partaketh in this selfe same redemption, which is vnited and incorporated into Iesus Christ for to be of his mēbers, & which finally was consecrated, and dedicated vnto God, that he should dwell therin as in his temple,1. Cor. 3.17. is not then depriued of life when it is rotten in the earth: be­cause it is alwayes accompanied with the grace of God, and couched and cō­prised as well as the soule, within the compasse of that eternall couenaunt that he hath made with his people, which couenant is the very roote and fountaine of life, not only to the soules: but also to the bodies of all the faithful. And if (as S. Iohn saith in his Reuelatiō) that those are blessed which die in the Lord,Reuel. 14.13 and that there be no blessednesse without life then one of these two con­sequents will necessarily folow, that ei­ther blessednes cōmeth not to the body, or else, if it do come, that it is not ex­empt and free from it, when it lieth [Page 108] in the graue. For although that the bo­dy, because it is cōsumed with wormes, in that state sheweth not any appea­rance of life: yet doth it alwayes keepe life in it, as a seed, & a blade, which shall appeare at the day of the resurrection, when the spirit of God, spreading his infinite power ouer our bodies, shall raise them, and shall decke them with that glorie and excellencie, which God hath promised vnto his elect. And euen as in an egge there may be a yong one: and so by consequent life hidden, which appeareth when the yong one com­meth forth, and by meanes of heate is hatched: so immortalitie and life, vnto the communicating and partaking whereof, both our bodies and soules are called, when that by faith we haue receiued the Gospel (which is the word of life, and an incorruptible seede) shall be discouered and disclosed in the last day, by the power of our God, which shall renue vs, as he doth the heauens, the earth, and all other creatures, which shall be then wholy deliuered and set [Page 109] free from the bondage of corruption. Whereof we are assured by our bap­tisme which hath beene administred vnto vs in the name of the father, of the sonne, and of the holy ghost. For the water which hath beene sprinckled vp­on our bodies, and as the scripture cal­leth it,Rom. 6.4.5.6. the sprinckling or washing of regeneration, is not to signifie vnto vs, and to assure vs, that our soules onely are washed, and cleansed in the bloud of Christ Iesus, by the forgiuenesse of our sinnes: but also our bodies: and that they both together, being couered and clad with the righteousnesse and innocencie of the sonne of God: yea, and further being sanctified by his spi­rite, are presently set in the state and possession of life, and are vtterly freed and deliuered from the slauerie, and seruitude of death, which hath no power (as we haue before sayd) but on­ly where sinne reigneth, which is the onely cause of death.

The holy Supper of the Lord, wher­in by faith receiuing the bread & wine, [Page 110] which are giuen vnto vs by the m [...]i­ster, we are receiued vnto the commu­nicating of the flesh and blood of Iesus Christ, yea and so vnited, and incorpo­rated into him, as that for euer (as saith saint Iohn) he abideth in vs, and we in him, doth it not likewise assure vs, that being inseparablie ioyned with life, and with the meanes of life, (which is Iesus Christ) we can not die, neither in our soules, nor in our bodies, by meanes of this vnion which is common vnto both? Our bodily death then ought not to seeme vnto vs so horrible, & so fearfull as it is vnto manie, who are as fearefull thereof as are little children of a maske or vglie visarde. For if a mother shew herselfe vnto her childe, with a vi­sarde that is monstrous, and vglie to behold, the childe may well bee a­frayde, and may runne away crying: but as soone as euer she shall vncouer her face, and that the childe shall know her againe, he will runne to her, to kisse her, and imbrace her: so [...] [Page 113] then and refresh their sight: so, for to refresh and comfort our spirites, when we feele them to fayle and to faint in vs, by meanes of the fearefull appre­hension that the law giueth vnto vs of death, we ought to behold the fourme thereof in the mirrour of the Gospell, wherein Christ Iesus hath set it forth vnto vs more louing, more gratious, and more amiable, then Moses in his law, who hath described it to be fearefull, and vglie, so that now anie more it hath neither anie sting for to pricke vs, nor anie chaines, cordes, or bandes to hold vs vnder the power thereof. For Iesus Christ by his ri­sing againe hath broken them a­sunder,Iudg. 15.14. euen as Samson did by a mar­uellous great force, who when the Philistines had with strong cables, and cordes fastened and bound him so straightly, and so strongly, that they had thought he should neuer haue escaped their handes, hee pre­sently brake them, and made no more account of them, then of flaxen [Page 114] threedes: so that they were then decei­ued when they had thought with great violence, and force, to haue rushed vpon him, in seeing that he brake their bandes, as easily as another man woulde breake a threede that were halfe broken, or halfe burnt. So death thinking by making our Saui­our Christ to die, to haue cleane van­quished him, and to haue brought him vnder his power, and so to haue assured and established his empire and king­dome, that it should neuer be shaken: contrariwise, death found it selfe con­quered and abated, yea and that in such sort, that it could neuer be againe exal­ted:1. Cor. 15.54. as the Apostle writeth to the Co­rinthians, that death was swallowed vp in victorie: that is, she hath lost that conquest that she had thought to haue had, when she made our sauiour Christ to die.6 We are not on­ly not to feare, but rather to wish for death. Death therefore ought not to be fearefull vnto vs, for the reasons that before we haue laid downe, but rather to be desired for causes which hereafter we shal shew. For first to begin with, it [Page 115] setteth our soules at liberty,1 Because it free­eth vs from paine. and deliue­reth them frō torments agonies, feares, distrusts, cares, sorowes & desires, wher­with they are cruelly tormēted, whilest they are weakned in the filthy prisons of our sinfull, mortall, and corruptible bodies. And further it deliuereth like­wise our bodies frō infinit & innume­rable dangers that they are subiect vn­to, both by sea, by land, and by all other places, where euer they shal come. And further, they are freed frō sundrie sorts of sicknesses & diseases, which do wear & cōsume thē with most fearful griefs, and likewise from necessitie & paine of trauelling, whereunto they are subiect, by meanes of sin. And finally, from the same perplexitie, & cōtinuall care that men haue to search, & to seek after the means how to be nourished, clad, lod­ged, and wel prouided for in the things that necessarily they stand in need of for their maintenance.2 But especially because it free­eth vs from sinne. Neither is this al the benefit y^e death doth bring vnto vs: but further it dischargeth vs from the dāger of sinning any more, & frō being [Page 116] tempted of the deuil, of the world, and of our owne concupiscence, which ne­uer cease to prouoke vs to the doing of euill, and which do incessantly stirre vs vp to offend God, and by this meanes to bring vpon vs all the curses which in the law he threatneth against all those that transgresse it, and disobey God. With what earnestnesse, and fer­uencie? with what sighes and grones, did the Apostle desire and demaund of God,2. Cor. 12.7.8. that he might be deliuered from that pricke that he felt in his flesh, which was the minister of Sathan to buffet him? And after the long and la­mentable complaint that he made of that same law which he saw in his members,Rom. 7.24. striuing against the law of his spirit, and leading him captiue vn­to the law of sinne which was in his members, in the conclusion of his dis­course, with what an high and hea­uie crie, comming euen from the depth and bottome of his heart crieth hee forth, and sayth: O wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer me from [Page 117] the bodie of this death? Whereby we may perceiue what grief this holy man had to see in himselfe the tyrannie of sinne, and to feele in himselfe the force thereof, and the violence that it offered vnto him, constraining and compelling him to do the euill that he hated, and to leaue vndone that good, which with his heart he wished and de­sired. O happie therefore and blessed death,3 Because it se­parateth vs from the cōpa­nie of the wic­ked. which dischargeth a man from such a cruell, and combersome bon­dage! Who also can sufficiently consi­der what a mischief and miserie it is to liue: yea and that in the middest of the Chuch, amongst those that are barba­rous, and amongst such as the Apo­stle foretold of, which should come and spring vp in these latter times? That is to say,2. Tim. 3.2.3.4.5. amongst men that are louers of their owne selues, couetous, boasters, proud, cursed speakers, disobedient to parents, vnthankefull, contemners of God, without naturall affection, truce­breakers, false accusers, intemperate, fierce, despisers of them that are good, [Page 118] traitors, headie, high minded, louers of pleasures more then louers of God, ha­uing a shew of godlinesse, but hauing denied the power thereof? And on the other side to be enuironed, & on euery side enclosed with sworne, and deadly enemies of the Gospel of Iesus Christ, and of his Church, which are dogs, and outragious woolfes and mad, despising God and his graces, being curious, vio­lēt, outragious, prophane, blasphemers, hauing neither faith, nor feare, nor law, nor conscience that may represse, or re­straine their malice: who I say, can suffi­ciently conceiue or expresse, what a hellish griefe it is to liue in the middest of such a froward and peruerse na­tion, to see, and to be an eye-wit­nesse of their abominable impietie and iniquitie, and to heare, & to be an ea [...]e witnesse of the horrible blasphemies that they without either shame or fear do vomit & breath out against heauē, against the throne & maiestie of God, who, I say, in the sight and sense hereof would not be wearie of his life? And [...] [Page 123] it were in a glimse, but a little shadow of his glorie, they were presently so ra­uished and carried away with the plea­sure thereof, that euen in a moment, forgetting all other things, they desi­red in liew of al other felicitie, nothing else, but that that ioy & pleasure which at that time they did perceiue, might alwayes be continued vnto them. Now then, we may well thinke that if that a little dram, or as it were a drop of the life & glory to come, were so forcible as to rauish these three disciples, and to make thē ready to forsake themselues, what ioy thē shal we haue, when as ac­cording to our hope, we shall haue the whole stone, & shalbe as it were dren­ched in y^e brook: or to speak more pro­perly, in the sea of pleasure and perfect contentmēt, whē that euerlasting ioy y^t the Prophet speaketh of, shalbe sprink­led vpon our heads? Furthermore this ioy shalbe doubled, when togither with Iesus Christ we shall see all the beauti­full and blessed companie of Angels, Archangels, principalities, powers, [Page 124] Patriarches, Prophets, Apostles, Mar­tyrs, and generally al the blessed spirits of the triumphant church, which is not otherwise occupied and imployed, but in continuall singing of praise and thankes vnto God: saying, Holy, holie, holie, Reuel. 4.8. & 5.13. Lord God, which was, which is, and which is to come. And vnto him which sit­teth vpon the throne, and to the Lambe, be honour, 7. A comparison of the ioy that we may haue in this world, in seeing the Lord praised in his church, to set forth that that we shall haue in heauen. praise, glorie and power for euer and euer. It was heretofore a maruellous great pleasure and delight, to see the as­sembly of all the tribes of the people of Israel in Ierusalem, when Salomon af­ter the finishing of the building of the tēple, would solemnly dedicate it with an infinite number of holocausts and other sacrifices, with perfumes, incense, and sweet odours, with prayers & prai­ses, and with such an applause, and de­light of the people, as the like was ne­uer heard nor seene before.

There were moreouer, afterward two other notable assemblies in Ierusalem, which are verie memorable & famous in the scripture,1. King. 8.63.64.65. one vnder the raigne of [Page 125] Hezechias, and the other vnder Iosias, 2. Chron. 30.1.2.3. & 2. King. 23.1.2.3. &c. when that these two good Princes be­ing moued with a zeale of godlinesse, & of the seruice of God, which had bin miserablie corrupted by the idolatrie and impietie of their predecessours, did with couragious & bold hearts enter­prise to purge that holy land of those pollutions & filthy whoredoms, as wel corporal as spiritual, wherewith it was infected, remouing the wicked houses, & the Idols, from out all the countrie of Iudea, & abolishing all the false ser­uices that their fathers and hypocrites had inuented and established, either cō­trarie, or ouer and beyond the warrant and word of God. And ouer and be­sides this, for the renewing of the coue­nant of God, which almost was cleane buried, and defaced in the hearts of the people, they called togither all the in­habitants of the countrie, with whom, after the publike reading that they caused to be of the law, they celebrated the Passeouer with as great a feast and solemnitie, as euer it was heard or seene [Page 126] of before. And it is not to be doub­ted, but that euerie man of any good and godly heart, seeing such a companie assembled, and that for such a good and holy end, would euen leape with ioy, beholding God in the middest of his holy people, hearing the statutes that were by them renewed, and the solemne promises and protestations that they made, especially concerning God, assu­ring his people alwayes of his fa­uour, and concerning the people, promising vnto him likewise that they would neuer chaunge or alter: but alwayes to continue in his co­uenant, without any departing from his seruice, nor hereafter to establish any other estate, but to honour him alone, and to celebrate and to sancti­fie his name. Although that those famous assemblies of the militant Church, whereof a man may see some resemblances in these latter times, (and should see more if Antichrist and his adherents did not hinder it) [Page 127] are the most beautifull, excellent, and longed-for things, that can be seene vpon the face of the earth (as the Prophet saith, Psalme 26.8.Psal. 26.8. O Lord I haue loued the habitation of thine house, and the place where thine ho­nour dwelleth. And elsewhere, Psalme 42.1.2.Psal. 42.1.2. As the hart brayeth for the riuers of water, so panteth my soule after thee O God. 2. My soule thir­steth for God, euen for the liuing God: when shall I come and appeare before the presence of God? And Psalme 92.1.2.Psal. 92.1.2. It is a good thing to praise the Lord, and to sing vnto thy name, O most high. 2 To declare thy louing kindnesse in the morning, and thy truth in the night.

All these places of scriptures, and manie other do sufficiently shew, in what account the Prophet had those holie assemblies, that he pre­ferred them before all other profite or pleasure. And to speake as the truth is, euerie man which knoweth & feeleth in himselfe, what is the loue, goodnesse, [Page 128] sweetnes, mercie, clemencie, gentlenes, wisedome, faithfulnesse, patience, truth, power, greatnes, maiestie, iu­stice, liberalitie, and other soueraigne & excellent graces of God, knoweth not how sufficiently to content himselfe with thinking, preaching, celebrating, adoring, and admiring of them, and to moue not only Angels, and al the hoast of heauen thereunto: but also all the elements, all liuing creatures, al plants, yea & the sencelesse creatures to mag­nifie his name, and infinitly to reioice, when they shall heare God to be exal­ted and glorified. For although that the praises which men liuing here in the world sing vnto God, cannot be so rightly, nor so holily perfourmed, as were to be wished: for being alwayes imperfect, as we are, vnto what measure or degree of faith, or charitie soeuer we can attaine vnto: and further, hauing in vs such a rebellious flesh, as which continually fighteth against the spirit, and hindereth, and with-holdeth it whē it would lift vp it selfe vnto God, [Page 129] it is impossible that we should heare the word of God with that zeale & at­tention as were requisite, or likewise that we should render vnto him our confessions, praiers, & thanks, with that lowlinesse and affection as we ought: yet when we heare the sound of his spirituall Psalmes, Hymnes, and songs, to sound and to bee heard in the middest of the assembly, from the mouth of the faithfull, although they be weake, fraile, poore, and miserable sinners, &c: We cease [...]ot to be raui­shed, and as it were w [...] [...]ight car­ried beyond our selues, with that great ioie that we finde to be in our heartes. What may we then think of that plea­sure that we hope to receiue in the heauens, when our soules departed from the bodies, and being ascended on high, shall heare this sweete mu­sicke and harmonie of the angels, and of other blessed spirits with one accord singing, and setting forth the praises of God with such a sweete and melo­dious sound, that the delight and ioy [Page 130] that they shall receiue, shall make them forthwith to forget not one­ly all other desires, but also all other pleasures. Neither is there any more fit comparison betwixt all other ioyes and the ioyes of heauen, then is betwixt a drop of water and the sea, or betwixt the light of the starres, and the bright shining beames of the sunne: A droppe of water powred into the sea appeareth not, neither is the light of the starres seene when the sunne beginneth to shine, and to send forth his beames vpon the earth. Moreouer, when we shall die in the faith of our Lord, we are presently blessed: that is, we haue then no more affections or desires which are not holy, and which are not, yea & that from the verie instant and mo­ment of our death fully satisfied and contented: which is no small hap­pinesse, in that that hereafter we shall haue our flesh no more contra­rying the spirite, nor our affections [Page 131] rebelling against reason, nor the Law of our members striuing against the law of God: but that all tumults and troubles being quieted in our heartes, we shall haue our soule whol­ly spirituall, calme, peaceable, whol­ly liuing vnto God, and which shal­be so glewed and vnited vnto him, that it can neuer anie more, either by temptation, or by anie other meanes be disioyned neither from his loue, or from his seruice, or from the beholding of his face. Is there anie thing more pleasant to see vn­to, then to beholde a cittie well or­dered in policie, where all the bour­gesses and inhabitantes are of one minde, and firmely ioyned and knit togither by true and sure amitie, which giueth not anie place vnto any wrong, hurt, debate, quarrels, seditions, diuisions, tumultes, or strifes whatsoeuer, but vpholdeth it selfe, and liueth amiablie, and louinglie? Is there likewise anie [Page 132] thing so to be desired, as to see an house well ordered and ruled, where the fa­ther and mother of the familie, the children, the men-seruants and the maid-seruants, walking altogither in the feare and obedience of God, doe containe and keepe themselues vnto their dueties without either going be­yond, or comming short of that rule and measure that God hath giuen vn­to them in his Law? Saint Paul in ma­nie places setteth downe vnto vs the excellent harmonie that is betwixt the members of a mans bodie,Rom. 12.4.5. and the mu­tuall communitie or societie that is amongst them,1. Cor. 12.12. for their faculties and seuerall powers, so that the one is not enuious at the dignitie and excellencie of another, or that the more excellent member should despise his fellow for his base or low place: by this compari­son going about, to shew vnto the church the fraternitie and iust pro­portion, which ought to be amongst the members thereof, for the health and preseruation of euerie one of them in [Page 133] particular, and of the whole bodie in generall: which thing is the most ex­cellent, and agreeable thing that may be seene amongst men. It is also a thing verie delightfull and pleasant, to heare a Lute well tuned and sweetly played vpon by a cunning Musition: but yet there is nothing more pleasant, then a soule rightly tuned in all her parts and faculties, when the vnderstan­ding thinketh vpon nothing but vp­on God, and the wil doth neither loue, desire, nor aspire vnto any thing but vnto him, and our memorie remem­breth nothing but that that concer­neth him, as it commeth in our minds, when hauing left the bodie, it is recei­ued into Paradise:2. Cor. 5 1.2. for then it is all fil­led with God, who is in it, all things afterward (as the Apostle saith) that is to say, all the thoughts thereof are his thoughts, and all his loue and his desires, all his delightes and his re­membrance: to be briefe, all her feli­citie, her portion, her wishing, and her contentment is in God. Seeing [Page 134] then that by death we come vnto this felicitie, which we can neuer finde in this life, in what estate so euer we be, & what commodities soeuer we haue: (for there is neither king, nor prince, nor labourer, nor merchant, nor aduo­cate that liues in the world, which doth not oftentimes complaine, and who hath not great occasions to complaine, manie things falling out, & comming to passe con [...]rie to their expecta­tion and desire:) are we not much bounden and beholding vnto death, because that in an instant and mo­ment it maketh vs to enioy that vn­speakeable blessednesse, which con­sisteth in the perfect rest of our spi­rites, and in the contentment of all our desires, which felicitie vaine men seeke after in vaine, seeking for it in this life, and that in the tran­sitorie things of this world?

There is yet further one point, that maketh vs willingly to imbrace death when our time is come: that is, that it putteth vs in possession of all those [Page 135] benefites that Christ hath purchased for vs:8 That death is a means to put vs in possession of all those bene­fits that Christ hath purchased for vs. Rom. 8.24.25 for so long as we liue in the world, we are not saued (as the Apostle saith) but by hope onely: but when as by death we depart, we then enioy eternall life, and that blessing which is so great, that neither eye, eare, nor vn­derstanding is able to comprehend, and conceiue the greatnes thereof. It was a great benefite vnto the children of Israel, when after their long and hard bondage, vnder which they were held in Egypt, after so manie froward and crooked turnings that they had in the desert of Arabia, for the space of fortie yeers, whē they arriued ouer the brook Iordane, and that then there remained nothing for thē, but to passe on [...]o take the possessiō of that land that God had promised vnto their fathers, and which they had so long time looked for. A young mā likewise, which hath of long time bin vnder the keeping and tutor­ship of a hard and rigorous gouernor, which hath vsed & entreted him sharp­ly, & who hath suffered him to endure [Page 136] infinite hardnesse, not ministring vn­to him things necessarie for his main­tenance, hath not he great and iust occasion to reioyce, seeing the time to approch wherein he shalbe set free, and come out of his wardshippe, to be set at libertie, and to enioy his goods at his owne pleasure, without being any more controlled of any man? Young youthes, likewise that are descended of some good and great house, that are Pages vnto a king, or in the house of some Prince or great Lord, vnder the hand and go­uernement of some seuere and ver­tuous ouerseer, which bringeth and traineth them vp vnder a sharpe and austere order and discipline, are greatly eased when they come from their seruice, and when they come from the feare, and bondage that before they were of long time straightly held in: hand-maides in like manner, ouer whom there hath bene held a straight and an hard hand, in the house of their father and mo­ther, [Page 137] during the time of their in­fancie and childhood, will leape for ioy when one comes to speak to them of mariage, but will be more ioyfull when they are affianced, & handfasted: but the top and heape of all their plea­sure is, when they are maried, and gi­uen into the hands of an husband that loueth them, and is beloued of them: for by this meanes they are to the full satisfied, and contented. We in like ma­ner, which here below by the prea­ching of the Gospell of Iesus Christ, and by the fayth that we haue giuen vnto his promises, are, as it were, affian­ced vnto him: what iust occasion shall we haue to reioyce, whē our soules be­ing departed from their bodies, shall ascend vp into heauen, there to be ma­ried vnto him, and to celebrate and so­lemnize the day of our mariage, with such ioy and contentment which shall neuer end, and which cannot be inter­rupted, nor brokē off, neither yet trou­bled, neither by death, nor by sicknesse, nor by any other accident that may [Page 138] fall out? This shal then be when as our spouse comming before vs, shal say vn­to vs that that is written in the booke of the Canticles: C [...]n. 2.10.11.12. Come hither my belo­ued enter into thy louers chāber, to the end that thou and I may reioice peace­ably without any feare of our loues. Thy winter is past, & so is thy rain, thy snow, thy haile, thy cold, thy frosts, & al the rough & sharp season, which as hi­therto with great paine thou shouldest haue endured: but the spring time into which thou art now entred, shall abide with thee for euer, and all thy pleasures likewise wherewith it is accompanied. Enter then my beloued into the ioy & rest of thy Lord. This shal then be, whē that that the Prophet speaketh of shall be accomplished, Psa. 126.5.6.Psal. 126.5.6. They that sow in teares, shal reape in ioy. They went weeping and caried precious seed: but they shal return with ioy, & bring their sheaues.

And being set free from tutorship, and brought from vnder the hand and gouernment of our tutours and gouer­nours, we shalbe set at full libertie, and [Page 139] shall haue the enioying of that heritage that God our good father hath promi­sed vnto vs, and had appointed for vs, when he adopted vs to be his children: that is to say, the heritage of euerla­sting life, and of the kingdome of hea­uen. But to speake or to thinke suffi­ciently of it, is vnpossible, what tongue or eloquence soeuer a man will ap­plie thereunto, for the greatnes there­of passeth all the capacitie of man.

Now after hauing thus furnished,5 Against the feare of the deuill. And he must first re­member. & fenced the sicke partie against the feare which he might haue of death, it is thē further requisite to strengthen him a­gainst the feare of y^e deuill, who posses­seth the empire or gouernmēt of death. For Sathā being at his last assault, will prouide & prepare all his forces, and al his fetches,1 The power of Iesus Christ who is our shepheard. with all his engins & strata­gems against vs, to proue whether he may driue vs away: but being in the protection of our pastour, and shep­heard, who is watchfull and carefull to keepe vs, and who is more strong to defend vs then the woolfe, and [Page 140] the lion are to assault vs, there is no cause why we should feare: for who can take vs forth of his hands, seeing that he and his father (who is greater then all) are but one in essence, power, glorie, and maiestie? We are then as­sured, that as there is no sleight nor policie that can circumuent, or ouer­match his wisedome: so is there not any force that is able to withstand his power. Let vs thē keepe our selues vn­der the shadow of his wings, & we shal be sure that he wil preserue & keepe vs safe and sound, and will hinder that neither the deuill, nor any other crea­ture shal offend or hurt vs: as the Pro­prophet sayth, Psal. 91.1.2.Psal. 91.1.2. Who so dwelleth in the secret of the most high, shall abide in the shadow of the Almightie. I will say vnto the Lord, O, mine hope, and my fortresse: he is my God, in him will I trust. And after he hath shewed cer­taine iudgements, and dangers, where­of he assureth the faithfull that they shall not come nigh them, in the ende he commeth vnto the deuils, who are [Page 141] the ancient & deadly enemies of man­kind, and speaketh after this maner. Psal. 91.13.14.Psal. 91.13.14 Thou shall walke vpon the lion and aspe, the young lion and the dragon shalt thou tread vnder feete. Be­cause he hath loued me, therefore will I deliuer him: I will exalt him, because he hath knowne my name. Where we see the victorie that he promiseth vs ouer the deuils: yea and the example of the Apostles, vnto whō Iesus Christ made the deuils so subiect, that they were constrained to acknowledge the power that he had giuē vnto them ouer them,2 It is needful to vse those wea­pons that he hath giuen vs in our hands: to wit, faith, and the word of God. Ephes. 6.16. in obeying their commandements that they gaue vnto thē in his name: which should assure vs, that comming out vnto battell against them, forasmuch as we are armed, and furnished with the same weapons that they were, to wit, with faith, and with the word of God: we cannot faile but carie away the vic­torie from them, yea and by the bucke­ler of faith to quench all their fierie darts.1. Pet. 5.8. Your aduersary the deuil (saith S. Peter) walketh about you like a roring [Page 142] lion seeking whom he may deuoure: whom ye are to resist, being stedfast in the faith.1. Iohn 2.14. And saint Iohn saith, you are strong, and the word of God dwelleth, in you, and you haue ouercome that e­uill one. And our sauiour Christ, doth not he say, speaking of faith, that the gates of hell:Mat. 16.18. that is to say, all the coun­sell, all the craft, all the cunning meanes and power of the deuill, shall not haue any power against it? And as little force haue they against his word. Which thing we see euidently to be true in the example of Iesus Christ: for the deuill being come to tempt our Sauiour Christ,Mat. 4.4.6.10 and hauing assaide by all the meanes that he could, to make him fal to the defying of God, he could neuer giue him any foile, but lost his labor, because he alwaies found him shielded, and on euerie side armed with the word of God, in such sort, that he was constrained to the the field, to loose the victorie, and with shame to retire: so in like maner, we being well armed, neede not to feare that he can [Page 143] hurt vs, neither yet to doubt, but that vsing such weapons we shall be con­querours, against him and all our ene­mies: As saint Paul sayth,2. Cor. 10.4. the weapons of our warre fare are not carnall, but mightie through God, vnto the ouer­throwing of strong holdes, destroying counsels, and euerie high thing that exalteth it selfe against God. Who­soeuer therefore feareth the deuill, and is harnessed with faith, and with the word of God, sheweth thereby, that as yet he knoweth not the force of the one, nor of the other, neither yet what is the power of that captaine that leadeth vs, & vnder whose ensigne and bāner we fight: for, hath he not bruised the head of the serpent?Mat. 12.29. hath he not cast out that strong one out of his hold, & spoiled him of all his weapons? Is it not he which hath cast out the prince of this world,1. Iohn 3.8. and which hath destroied all the workes of the deuill? Is it not that great captaine Michael, Reuel. 12.7.8. which hath alreadie got the victorie o­uer the dragon, and his Angels, and [Page 144] is afterward to pursue and folow them euen vntill they be quite destroyed, and vtterly rooted out?

But for the better marking & wat­ching of Sathan, we are especially to marke two principall craftes of his,Two subtle fetches of Sa­than. which he vseth against vs to make vs to fall, which are these: first, if he see vs godly, & holily giuen, he will endeuor to puffe vs vp with a vain presumpti­on, and perswasion of our selues, and of our vertues and graces: but if on the o­ther side he see, that we be vicious, and wicked, and that all our time we haue beene disobedient, and dissolute, then will he propound and set this before our eyes, yea he will amplifie, and ag­grauate as much as he can, the weight and enormitie of our sins, to make vs headlongly to cast our selues into de­spaire concerning the grace of God. These are the two cordes (as Saint Au­gustine saith) wherwith this hang-man, or mankiller of mankind, vseth to stifle and to strangle men. But we haue here­tofore shewed how to withstand and [Page 145] to put-by these tēptations. But for our righteousnesses, they are all so stained, and so polluted, yea and so imperfect, y^t they set vs in no other estate before God, but as old, filthie, and menstru­ous cloutes. And on the other side tou­ching our iniquities and vices, they cannot be so great, but that the grace and mercie of God surmounteth, and ouerpasseth them, nor so filthie, but that the righteousnesse and blood of Christ Iesus is sufficient to whiten and to wash them: neither yet, to con­clude, so damnable, but that in con­fessing them with humilitie and griefe in our selues,1. Iohn. 1.9. God will with speede shew himselfe faithfull, and iust to for­giue vs them, and vtterly to forget them.

It remaineth now to assure the sick partie,6 Against the fearefull ap­prehension of the iudgement of God. against the feare that he may haue of the iudgement of God: for we see that we are by sicknes summo­ned & warned shortly to appeare per­sonally: if therefore we are not altogi­ther blockish & sencelesse, we are to re­member [Page 146] member that that is said in the scrip­ture:Heb. 10.31. to wit, that it is a fearefull thing to fal into the hands of the liuing God. And further,Rom. 2.11. 1. Pet. 1.17. that there is no fauour nor acceptation of persons with God: that is, that the regard vnto greatnes, dignitie, nobility, riches, beauty, know­ledge, parentage, kindred, nor anie such like things, which are esteemed amongst men, & which are oftentimes causes which do make them in their iudgements to swarue, and to decline from the right way of iustice: commeth not into the iudgement of God, who being immutable and impassible, hath nothing that can alter or chaunge his will: by meanes whereof, all his iudge­ments are measured according to the rule, and pronounced according to the vpright equitie of the Law. And further, that al our thoughts, affections, words, works, and actions, yea and ge­nerally all the whole course of our life, from the beginning vnto the end, is so blemished and stained, that there are, as it were, with God books & registers [Page 147] made, wherein are noted all the faults that euer we haue committed, either in act, in hart, or in thought, togither with all the circumstances therein. And that iudgement without mercie shalbe to him which sheweth not mercy.Iam. 2.13. And to be short, that there is no grace receiued, nor no righteousnes allowed, which is not in al respects exquisite and perfect. When, I say, we come to set before vs these thinges, concerning the fearfull iudgemēt of God, which we can of our selues neither auoid nor turne aside: & on the other side, when we set before our eyes the vice, the corruption, the imperfections that are in vs, & the infi­nite number of sinnes that we haue cō­mitted against the first & the secōd ta­ble: that is to say, against God & men: it is not possible but that we should be a­stonished & vtterly discōfited: and y^e especially, because we haue aduersaries & accusers which do pursue & follow vs beyond al measure, to wit, the diuel, the law, & our owne conscience, which do produce, and bring forth against vs [Page 148] thousands of accusations and infor­mations, in the iustice of God crauing that we should be condemned, by meanes of the hainous qualitie of the crimes whereof we are conuicted. All which things we can neither foresee,Two meanes to preuent the iudgement of God. nor otherwise escape the rigour of the iudgement of God, but in first con­fessing our sinnes, and afterward ha­uing recourse vnto the death of our Sauiour Christ, to be acquited and discharged from them. For it is not in the iudgement of God,1 To confesse & acknowledge our sinnes. as it is in the iudgemēt of men, amongst whom the partie arraigned is presently condem­ned, assoone as he hath confessed his fact and fault. But contrariwise, with God the confessing of our faultes is a meanes wherby we obtaine remission and forgiuenesse thereof, and by which we are absolued and iustified before God:1. Iohn. 1.9. as S. Iohn saith: If we confesse our sinnes, he is faithfull and iust to for­giue vs our sinnes, & cleanseth vs from all iniquitie. And Dauid saith, Psal. 32.5.Psal. 32.5. Then I acknowledged my sin vnto [Page 149] thee, neither hid I mine iniquitie: for I thought, I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord, and thou for­gauest the punishment of my sinne. Se­lah.

After that we haue confessed,2 To haue re­course, and to put our cause [...] wholly into the hands of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. and acknowledge our sinnes, we are to haue recourse to Iesus Christ the righteous, who is our aduocate with the father, and the attonement for our sinnes, and wholly to rest our selues vpon him, for the good euent and successe of our cause: for hauing committed it into his hands, we may be assured to pre­uaile: and comming before the iudge­ment of God, we shall not be condem­ned, what crimes or accusations soeuer shalbe by our aduersaries alledged a­gainst vs.Iohn. 5.24. He (saith he) that beleeueth and trusteth in me, shall not come into iudgement. And elsewhere, for to cō­fort his disciples, he exhorteth them to looke vnto the last iudgement, and see­ing it to approch, he willeth them to lift vp their heads and reioice,Luke. 21.28. because that their full & perfect redemption is [Page 150] reserued vntill that day. And S. Paul confirmeth the same in the Epistle to the Romanes, with a maruellous orna­ment, and glorious fourme of words: where he saith,Rom. 8.33.34.35. Who shal commence a­ny accusation against the elect of God? God is he which iustifieth, who shall condemne? Christ is he which is dead, and (which is more) risen againe, who also sitteth at the right hand of the fa­ther, and who maketh request for vs. Wherupon we may safely & comforta­bly cōclude that that he saith in the be­ginning of the chapt. that is, that there is now no condēnation to thē that are in Christ Iesus: that is to say, to them which walke not after the flesh, but af­ter the spirit: and as Iesus Christ their head cannot be saued but with them which are his members, so they cannot be but damned, vnlesse that he be with them, because of that inseparable vnion which is betwixt the head & the mē­bers. Furthermore, seeing y^t Iesus Christ being dead for vs, hath suffered the paine, & the curse which was due vnto [Page 151] vs, by meanes of our sins, & by conse­quēt hath satisfied the iustice of God: we are not therfore for to doubt, or to think that God wil further demand of vs the paimēt of those debts y^t are alre­dy discharged, for that shold be against al order of iustice, not onely diuine, but also humaine, to demaund to be payed twise for one debt. Hauing then resig­ned our selues, & our causes into the hands of our Sauiour, & aduocate Iesus Christ, we need not to feare that we shal euer lie vnder the iudgement of God,Rom. 8.34. where the sonne is continually before the face of the father,Heb. 9 11.12. making interces­sion for vs, and carrying vs vpon his shoulders, and vpon his breast, as here­tofore the high priest carried the names of the twelue tribes of Israel,Exod. 28.36. to present them vnto God, as oft as he entred into the sanctuary, with a plate of pure gold vpon his forehead, wherin were writtē these words: The holy of the Lord, that he might (as Moses saith) present them acceptable vnto God, who was a figure, whereof Iesus Christ our great, [Page 152] high and eternall priest, according to the order of Melchisedech, exhibi­ted and presented the true substance vpon the crosse, when, offering vp himselfe vnto God in sacrifice for vs, he sanctified vs, and made vs accepta­ble vnto God for euer. We are not therefore for to feare, because being in the fauour of God as we are, & hauing an aduocate with him, in whom he ta­keth pleasure, that either he can or will at any time condemne vs, when we come before him in iudgement, especi­ally being clothed with those comely long robes whereof he speaketh in the Reuelation, which, because they are dyed and coloured in the blood of the Lambe,Reuel. 7.9. they shall carrie with them our iustification.7 Against the meanes that make vs vnwil­ling to die: which are the couetousnes & the pleasures of the world. After that we haue thus assured and grounded the sicke partie, against the horror & feare that he may haue, both by meanes of sins, as also by meanes of death, of the diuell, & of the iudgement of God, & shal see that he is vnwilling to leaue & forsake the world, & that honour, riches, pleasures, ease, [Page 153] rest, and that the loue that he shall yet beare vnto these corruptible and tran­sitorie things, doth holde him as fette­red to the world, and doth hinder his will, so that he is not willing cheare­fully to depart, euen then, when God calleth him.1 The pompes, honours and estates. 1. Iohn. 5.19. Then we are first to shewe vnto him in generall, that the world is al couched and hidden in wickednesse, that it passeth away with the lustes thereof, that it knoweth not God, that we are no more of this world,Iohn. 15.19. that God hath drawne vs out of this worlde, to the end that we should not be wrapped and enfoulded in the same condemna­tion with it,Iames. 4.4. that we cannot loue the worlde, vnlesse we be enemies vnto God: that the diuell is the Prince of this world, and that by consequent we can loue neither the worlde, nor the things that are in the world, vnlesse we be subiects and slaues vnto the Prince of darknesse: that we can not be faith­full nor the members of Iesus Christ,Gal, 6.14. vnlesse the world be crucified vnto vs, and we vnto it: that according to the [Page 154] example of the Apostle,Phil. 3.8. we are not o­therwise to esteeme of the world, with al the glorie, pompe, & glittering shew thereof, then of doung, or of a flee­ting and fading flower, that being here as passingers & strangers, we are not to settle our abode here, as in a continu­ing and durable Citie: but to soiourne here as in an Inne, and to be alwayes prest and ready to trusse vp our loynes, and betimes in the morning to depart, and continually to be passing ouer the countrey, vntill wee come vnto that place whither we pretend our iourney & rest for euer: that is, vntill we come vnto heauen, whither we ought conti­nually to be transported and carried in our heartes, in our thoughtes, in our desires & affections,Phil. 3.10. & there to haue all our conuersation, as the Apostle sayth. For being risen with Iesus Christ, and being inseparably vnited vnto him, al­though in bodie we be separated and disioyned: yet ought wee alwayes to be present, and ioyned with him in our spirites, and in our soules, and [Page 155] wholly to forget the worlde, and the earth, and no longer to seeke after,Col. 3.1. or to thinke vpon any thing, but vppon those things which are aboue.Matth. 6.21. Our hart ought it not to be where our tresure is? And where is our treasure but in hea­uen, where Iesus Christ is in his glory? who hath our life hid in him, and hath all the treasures,Col. 3.3. not only of the know­ledge and wisedome of God, but also of all the giftes, graces, honours, riches,& 2.3. and blessings, that God his father hath giuen vnto him, for to impart and be­stowe vpon his Church here belowe, through hope, and there aboue, by en­ioying it, when our soules going forth of the filthy, vnsauerie & darke prisons of our bodies, shall be as Lazarus his soule was, carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome, ther for euer to rest and to reioyce, as it is written, Psalm. 102.28.Psal. 102.28. The children of thy seruants shall continue, and their seede shall stand fast in thy sight.

Seeing then that in this world we do but languish and pine away as poore [Page 156] Pilgrimes, which liue in exile and ba­nishment amongest a barbarous and rude people, ought we not to be ioyfull, and glad, when God calleth for vs, to establish & to giue vs possession in our owne Countrey, where, with our bre­thren, that is, with the Patriarches, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, and all the blessed spirites, we shall altogether in peace enioy glorie, honour, rest, and all that great and perfect felicitie that he hath promised and prepared for all his elect in his kingdome? It is a thing to be admired and woondered at, that men, yea that faithfull men, which are instructed not onely by the worde of God: but also by many experiences that they see in their dayes, as that the pleasant hew & glory of this world are but vanities, illusions and dreames that passe away, doe yet suffer themselues to be so bewrapt and bewitched by the flatteries and entisements thereof, that at the length they become like vnto beastes, and sencelesse as did the com­panions of Vlysses by the charminges [Page 157] and enchantments of Circes. For it can not be but that their iudgements must needes be corrupt and wholly peruer­ted, in that that they should be vnwil­ling to leaue the worlde, to ascend vp into heauen, and to preferre changea­ble, vncertaine, brittle, and corruptible things, which bring infinite paines vn­to men when they hunt and seeke after them, and as great care and vexation to keepe them: but more heart-burning and sorrow bring they vnto naturall men, when they shall lose them, though they exchange them for the blessinges that God promiseth in his kingdome, which are certaine, vnchangeable, in­corruptible, eternall and assured, and which can not bring any thing vnto them that possesse them, but a true, sound, and perfect contentment. In so doing (as did our first parents) for the forbidden fruite:Gen. 3.6. we lose not onely an earthly Paradise, but also an heauenly, that is to say,Gen. 25.34. all the delights and most excellent pleasures that a man can ima­gine or thinke vppon. For a messe of [Page 158] pottage we sell our birth-right, and all the commoditie that dependes there­vpon, as did Esau. We make more ac­count of the flesh pots and Onyons of Egypt, then we doe of the holy lande, with all the abundance and blessinges thereof. To be short, we rather loue (as did the Prodigall child) to liue amōgst swyne with shales and huskes,Luke. 15.16. then to be nourished and sustained in the house of our father with the bread of Angels.Gen. 19.26. And finally by the example of Lots wife, we do rather lust and long after the filthy and infamous pleasures of our Sodome, with whom we had ra­ther to perish, then to be saued in dis­claiming and forsaking them. In the lamenting and bewayling whereof, we may well say with the Peophet, Psal. 94.8.Psal. 94.8. Vnderstand ye vnwise among the people: and ye fooles, when will ye be wise?

For what maketh vs so greatly to e­steeme of the worlde, and of that that is therein, but an accursed and a dam­nable desire, which doth so blinde our eyes, that oftentimes we take light [Page 159] for darkenesse: and contrariwse dark­nesse for light, sower things for sweete thinges, and sweete thinges for sower. To the intent then that we be not de­ceiued in our iudgementes, wee are therefore for to ground them, not vp­on the outward appearance of thinges, neyther yet vpon the common opini­on or errour rather of men, who be­ing senselesse and sensuall, doe nei­ther approoue or disprooue of things that come before them, but as they are eyther pleasing or displeasing to their sence and appetite: but wee are to iudge all thinges, and as the Apo­stle sayth, by the worde of God, which is a most true and infallible rule to dis­cerne betwixt truth and falshoode: and in our iudgementes not to fol­lowe our owne reason, or carnall wisedome, which is an enemie vnto God, and which ordinarily iustifieth that that God cōdemneth, and contra­riwise condemneth that that he iustifi­eth. Now we see thē what the word of God techeth vs cōcerning the world, & [Page 160] the things in the world. Loue not the world (sayth S. Iohn) nor the thinges that are in the worlde,1. Iohn. 2.15. for if any one loue the world, the loue of the father is not in him. For that which is in the world, to wit, the lust of the flesh, the pride of the eye, and the ouerweening of this life, is not of God, but of the world. See then what it is that the A­postle teacheth vs, cōcerning the world: namely, that we loue it not, if we will haue God to loue vs. And Salomon spe­keth after this sort, after hauing a long while, yea and that diligently weighed and considered the whole estate of the world, the vanitie and inconstancie of the spirites of men, the diuersities of studies that they giue themselues vnto, the mutabilitie and sudden change of their purposes and determinations, the slightnesse & slendernes of their iudg­mentes that they haue to prayse or dis­praise, to take or to leaue, to loue or to loath, to like or to dislike the thinges that are set before them, he well knew not onely by reason and iudgement: [Page 161] but also by experience and proofe that the desires of most part of men, are but the follies and vanities that they do adore, being led thereunto by the rash­nesse and vnaduised headinesse of their owne affections, who because they are blind, & will not abide to be gouerned or guided by any good reason, are easily transported and carried euen thither, whither pleasure & the diuell driueth them. Wherupon it commeth to passe, that some doe ambitiously and vaine-gloriously hunt after honors, & digni­tie in the world, & for the accomplish­ing and atchieuing therof, they violate and breake all law & equitie, they for­get all pietie and humanitie, they min­gle and confound all things, they fur­ther and fauour the wicked whom they cleaue vnto, they hate, and reiect the good and godly, they make warre in the countrey, wherein they haue bin bred, borne, and brought vp, they take away libertie if they can, and that by cruell tyrannie that they exercise, they bring men into miserable thraldome [Page 162] and bondage, as did Iulius Caesar, and others before and after him. Doth not this plainely and euidently shewe, that there is nothing more true, then that that our Sauiour Christ saide of such ambitious wretches,Luke. 16.15. namely, that that which is greatly and highly esteemed amongest men, is oftentimes abho­minable before God. And how then can they be acceptable vnto him, see­ing that the greater part of them, be­leeue neither in him, nor in Iesus Christ? As it is written in the scrip­ture: How can you beleeue, seeing ye receiue glorie one of another, and seeke not for that which cōmeth from God onely? And elsewhere the Pharisies & chiefe of Ierusalem, condemning thē­selues,Iohn. 7.48. sayde, is there any of the rulers that beleeue in him, to wit, in Iesus Christ?Matth. 11.25. And in S. Mathew he sayth, I thanke thee O Father, Lord of heauen and of earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast reuealed thē to babes & sucklings. We are not therefore to be sorrowfull [Page 163] or greiued to leaue the honors, & pro­motions of this world, which do ordi­narily make vs to forget God, and our selues, and which do turne vs from the studie & exercise of godlinesse, which doe induce and leade vs to seeke after our owne glorie, rather then the glory of God, which make vs to disdaine, & to scorne our neighbours, and not to know that we are but dust and ashes, & finally which do leade vs to adore, and to worship the diuell, and doe make vs altogether sencelesse & without feeling, as the Prophet saith, Psal. 49.12.Psal. 49.12. But man shall not continue in honour he is like the beasts that die. And a little before, where he speaketh expresly further of the sottish and foolish imaginations of these ambitious wretches, Psal. 49.10.11.Psal. 49.10.11 For he seeth that wise men die, and al­so that the ignorant and foolish perish, and leaue their riches for others. Yet they thinke their houses and their habita­tions shall continue for euer, euen from ge­neration to generation, and cal their lands by their names.

2. Goods and riches.Now then, as we ought not to be vn­willing to leaue the honours and great promotions of this world, for the rea­sons afore shewed: so should we not be vnwilling to forgo riches and tempo­rall goods, seeing that departing this life, we are compelled and constrained to abandon and forsake them. And in­deede, to speake truely and properly, they are not the true and euerlasting goods of the children of God, nor the heritage that their father keepeth for them & which Christ hath bought for them: For his kingdome which is the riches that we looke for, and is promi­sed vnto vs, is not of the world, but is heauenly: so the glory, the power, the estate, the riches, the honors, the plea­sures, the counsell, the peace, and all the felicitie of this kingdome: yea all, I say, is diuine, and spiritual. Iesus Christ, who is the King of this kingdome, what temporall goods did hee pur­chase or possesse, when he was in the worlde, where he had not so much as had the birdes of the ayre, nor as had [Page 165] the foxes: that is, he had neither nest, couer, nor hole to rest or to hide his head in? And the Apostles, who are as the Peeres and Princes of this king­dome, what reuenewes or commings in? what great possessions had they in this worlde? S. Peter sayde,Acts. 3.6. speaking vnto the lame cripple that lay at the gate of the Temple to aske the almes, Siluer and gold haue I none, but such as I haue, that giue I thee: In the name of Iesus of Nazareth rise vp and walke. And S. Paul sayth, we are,2. Cor. 6.10. as poore and needie, and yet we inrich our selues the more, as not hauing any thing, yet pos­sessing all things. We may hereby then perceiue and see, that the goods wher­with God will here inrich his children, are not earthly and corruptible, so that they should be subiect vnto theeues, or vnto rust: but they are spirituall, certaine, and durable, which cost not any thing either in the getting or in the keeping: for God of his meere free goodnesse giueth them vnto vs, and keepeth thē for vs, neither is there any [Page 166] that can take them from vs, but he that gaue them vs, which he neuer doth, vn­lesse he be either by our vnthankfulnes or by our abusing of them, thereunto constrained: we turning thē vnto some other end, then that wherefore he hath bestowed thē vpon vs. The goods then that we ought to esteeme and to labour for, and which we ought to be affraide to lose, are celestiall and heauenly, as the grace of God, our adoptiō, faith, the word of God, hope, loue, patience, hu­militie, peace and quietnes of our con­sciences: but especially the righteous­nes of Iesus Christ, which is the foun­taine from whence all the other graces, fauours, and blessings of our God are deriued and flow vnto vs: because that thereby, and by the cōmunicating that by it is made vnto vs, wee are recon­ciled, and againe vnited vnto him, we are held and continued in his grace & fauour, whereupon wee conceiue and gather a certaine and an infallible hope of eternall life, which is the heape and the head of all blessednes and of all true [Page 167] felicitie that possibly wee can desire. Which indeede is there whither wee ought to aspire, and whither all the thoughts of our minds, & al the desires of our harts ought to tende. For this is our chiefe felicitie and the end of our blessednes, & not these brittle goods & riches which do not better the owners therof: but are oftentimes an occasiō to impaire & to make them worse, if they looke not well vnto them, (as the Apo­stle saith) both to puffe them vp with a vaine presumption, and to make them proud and hautie, so that they should trust in the vncertainty of riches, and therupō to liue to thēselues, & to haue small society or cōmunity with others, to be insolēt & outragious, as the Pro­phet Dauid saith, Psal. 73.6.Psal. 73.6. Therefore pride is as a chaine vnto them, and cruelty couereth them as a garment. And spea­king of the trust and confidence that worldly men do ordinarily put in their riches, he saieth elsewhere, Psalm. 49.6.Psal. 49.6. They trust in their goods, and boast them­selues in the multitude of their riches. And afterward mocking them for that [Page 168] their vaine confidēce he addeth, Psa. 49.7.Psal. 49.7. Yet a man can by no meanes redeeme his brother: he cānot giue his ransome to God.

Further, in an other place, where he speaketh of thē both together: to wit, of the iniuries, violences, and oppres­sions, that the rich and mightie of this world do to the poore, & of their vaine hope he sayth, Psal. 62.10.Psal. 62.10. Trust not in oppression nor in robberie: be not vaine: if riches increase, set not thy hart thereon.

This is the reason, why our Sauiour Iesus Christ calleth riches, the riches of iniquity, not that they are not the good creatures of God,Luke. 16.9. whē men know how to enioy and to vse them well, as God hath cōmanded them: but because that euery man almost, doth abuse them, & makes thē serue to their disordered, & vnbridled affectiōs. So saith S. Paul, that the diuell vnder riches layeth grins & snares,1. Tim. 6.9.10 for to entrappe and ensnare vs, & by them, to make vs to fall into ma­ny foolish & hurtful desires, which lead vs vnto perdition and destruction, yea & oftētimes which make vs to swarue [Page 169] from the faith, as most commonly we see it befalleth vnto manie apostataes, who being reproued for their reuol­ting and departing from the church, haue none other answere to excuse, & to colour their apostasie withall but this, that they would not willingly lose their goods, louing rather in keeping them for a smal while to perish accur­sedly, then in letting them go, to be sa­ued eternally. Wherein they shew thē­selues to be verie farre from being wil­ling to follow the counsell of our Saui­our Iesus Christ, and to be one of his disciples, vnto whom he gaue this coū­saile: namely, that if their hand or their foote did make them to fall, that they should cut them off,Matt. 5.29.30 and cast them be­hind them, because it was better for them to enter into the kingdome of heauen maimed and lame, then ha­uing two hands and two feete to be cast into hell fire. And likewise for the eye, which is a part of the bodie, which we make great accoūt of, if in case that it make vs to stumble, that we are to [Page 170] plucke it out and cast it behinde vs: for (saith he) it is better for vs to be blind, and to enter into life, then ha­uing two eyes to be cast into hell fire. What should we do then with these worldly riches, when as we feele that by them we are held and hindered from following of Christ willingly? Were it not more expedient, and bet­ter for vs, willingly, and with a good courage to breake these snares and cords, which do hold vs as hampered and guiued, and so to escape, then stay­ing, fastened and tangled, to fall into the hands of that filthie fowler the di­uell?A notable ex­ample of a heathen man which despised those riches that hindered him. Crates of Thebes perceiuing that the riches which he did possesse, drew him from the studie of Philosophie, and that the great care that he had for the ordering & disposing of thē, with­held him from that freedome & liber­ty of mind that he desired, He took them & threw thē all into the sea: couragious­ly saying, that he had rather drowne them then be drowned by them. Now thē if this poore heathen man did thus, for the de­sire

The third & most daungerous con­cupiscence, which is in the world,Pleasure [...] which are v [...] rie dangerous. is the lust of the flesh, which Salomon at large in the booke of the Preacher pursueth and entreateth of, to shew & to proue, that it is the most high, and capitall of all vanities: for there haue bene, and are verie few in the world, which seeke not aft [...]r pleasure, and the contentmēt of their flesh. Some delight to build faire mansions and sumptuous houses, for euer to vphold the memoriall of their names, as the Prophet saith, Psal. 49.11.12.Plas. 49.11.12 For he seeth that wise men die, and also that the ignorant and foolish pe­rish, and leaue their riches for others. Yet they thinke their houses and their habita­tions shall continue for euer, euen from ge­neration to generation, and cal their lands by their names. But man shall not conti­nue in honour: he is like the beasts that die.

Others take pleasure in hauing faire gardens, faire plants, faire knots, faire allies and arbours to haue shade and coolenesse: others pompously and [Page 174] proudly attire themselues, and almost spēd the whole day in crisping & cur­ling their haire, in trimming & pran­king their ruffes, & rebattaes, in fining & perfuming themselues: others desire to haue heapes of riches, and store for the decking and adorning of their clo­sets and chambers, with fine tapestrie, faire cubberds, costly beds, with hang­ings, with chaines of gold, and with the richest imbroderings that may be found, with shining Iuorie, and with fine plate, both of gold and siluer. O­thers desire to haue alwaies their tables couered with the rarest and daintiest meates that may be gotten, and to haue the most cleanly and cunning cookes to dight, and to dresse it. Others de­light to be in pleasant company, where they may laugh and be merrie, where they may daunce and dally, yea, and to do other things, which cannot with honestie be written or spoken: and all these things, to be briefe, what other thing are they, but the very marks, mo­numents and ensignes of filthinesse, [Page 175] of dissolution, and of the vanities of them which (though falsely) call them­selues Christians? As it was heretofore said of the image of gold, which Phyr­na that famous curtesan of Athens, caused to be set vp in the middest of their cittie, with this inscription vpon it, This is the image and the spoile of the dissolute and infamous wantonnes of the Greekes. This thing shee then did in one onely citie of Greece, for to di­scipher and to lay open the blemished and dissolute life of the citizens there­of: but now adayes amongst Chri­stians, there is not a house in their cities, nor a cottage in their fieldes, where a man may not see the armes of the world aduanced, and the banner of that wicked and vncleane spirit which gouerneth, yea & that vpon those days that God hath reserued vnto himself, to the end that in them the whole world should giue it selfe vnto the praising of him, in which, yea and that alto­gither, we should not thinke vpon any other thing, but vpon the sancti­fying, [Page 176] & celebrating of his holy name. But the world is so farre off from per­fourming this, that amongst seuen dayes in the week, there is not any one which is so prophaned and abused, as is the Sabaoth now adayes, which now seemeth to be ordained to giue libertie to the diuell, and to our flesh, by daun­cing, feasting, and by all other pleasant delights that each man delighteth in and desireth. Who is he then that can­not willingly forsake these pleasures, because that leauing them, those things depart from him, which bring nothing else but shame and dishonour, wast, and losse of goods, and infinite sick­nesses vnto the bodie, and vnto the spi­rite blockishnes, and dulnesse, which bring desolations and ouerthrowes of countries, kingdomes, and houses, which bring a contempt of vertue, and of all honestie, which bring a hatred of all true religion, and of God himselfe, which such swine flie from and are a­fraid of, so that they would neuer heare him spoken of: which doe not onely [Page 177] make men effeminate and wanton, but in the end besotteth them, and maketh them like vnto beasts, not ceasing vntil they haue brought thē euē vnto death, if they continue therein? Let vs there­fore take heed, that we be not deceiued by their flatteries, and faire shew: their beautie which is outward is alluring, and entising, & deceiueth those which take not heed vnto the venim that li­eth hidden vnder it: as the foule, and the fish are taken with the hooke, be­ing deceiued by the baite that couereth it. Let vs looke backe behind and not before, as Aristotle doth most wisely admonish & aduise vs: for pleasures be fore, seeme to be faire & goodly: as are Meare-maids: but if one looke behind on the hind-part of them, they draw after them the long traine or taile of a serpent, which is so vgly, that the very sight thereof is to be feared. Alas, who can reckon vp the huge heape of mis­chiefes and of miseries,Examples of mischiefes that came vpon the world by plea­sures. that came vp­on vs, by the small pleasure that our parents had, in eating of the forbid­den [Page 178] fruite? What was the cause why God, who is so patient and slow vnto wrath, sent vpon the earth such a great deluge and floud of waters, whereby he swept, and tooke away, euery liuing thing vpon the face of the earth, except Noah and his familie, and the creatures that he tooke with him into the Ark: the occasion of such a horrible & feare­full iudgement of God, was it not the filthie whoredomes of those times which raigned amongst men, which indifferently without respect tooke wiues & women which pleased them­selues, and so mingled themselues with them, without hauing regard vnto that order and honestie, which God in the beginning of the world, commanded when he appointed marriage? What was the cause likewise of the vtter sub­uersion and ouerthrow of Sodome, and of the cities there abouts, but their infamous whoredomes, and villanous pleasures that they tooke in their banquettings and gluttonie? Why likewise was God so highly offen­ded [Page 179] with his people in the wildernesse, where at one time he caused to die an hundreth and three and twentie thou­sand, and at another time a verie great number, was it not by meanes of the whoredomes that they committed with the Madianites? And the Quailes which they craued for the satisfying of their greedie hunger, whereof God would haue a perpetuall memoriall and rememberance kept, commaun­ding that the place where they had re­ceiued such a great plague, should for euer hereafter be called the Sepul­chre of concupiscence? What fell there out afterward in the house and towne of Hamor, because of the whoredome that his sonne Sichem had committed with Dinah, the onely daughter of Ia­cob? And that iudgement likewise of Dauid, for defiling the wife of his seruāt Vriah? And that of Salomon his sonne, who was so wise, and had receiued from God such honour and fauour, such glorie, riches, and power, yea and further, beyond all this, such com­fortable [Page 180] & excellent promises of God, that rightly he might be called y^e most excellent Prince, of all the kings and great princes of the earth? And yet the delightes and pleasures of this world knew how to beguile and to circum­uent him, that they tooke from him his spirite and his vnderstanding, yea and that in his old age, when he should haue had more wisdome, and haue had his iudgement better staied & setled: and made him not only to forget God, and the bond that God had of him: but also to sacrifice vnto Idols, as a man cleane without sense: and that to satis­fie and content his strange wiues and concubines, vnto whom he was ioyned contrarie to the expresse commande­ment of God, whereupon afterwards ensued thousands of mischiefes vnto his house and posteritie. The house of Achab, was it not vtterly rased & ouer­throwne, by meanes of the whordomes both bodily and spirituall that there raigned? What was the cause of so ma­nie & so pitifull tragedies which were [Page 181] writtē concerning the ruines, miseries, and desolations that befell vnto the house of Priamus, being a king renow­med for his riches, his greatnes, his glo­rie, and his plenty, amongst al the grea­test and famous Princes of Asia? Were they not the follies of the loue that he bare vnto Helen and to Paris? The oc­casion likewise of the mischiefs, which afterwards succeeded in the court of that great king Agamemnon, after his returne from Troy, he being a conque­rour ouer his enimies, and by that meanes laden with glorie and credite, was it not the impudencie of his wife Clitemnestra, and of Egista his concu­bine? The spoiles & wastes that were made in Ionia in the time of Cyrus, and the great calamities and miseries that were spread ouer the whole countrie, which was more faire & fruitfull, then was Asia: did they not come from the selfesame occasion, as Herodotus wri­teth? Alas, who can sufficiently reckon vp al the mischiefes & euils, which this cursed cōcupiscence & lust of the flesh [Page 182] hath brought and daylie bringeth? Truely Plato, and that verie well, cal­leth it the verie baite of all mischiefes and miseries. And Adrian the Emperour doth verie fitly, by comparison, resemble it vnto a bitter pill, which on the out­side is guilt and varnished ouer, A similitude. to make it to go downe, and to be swallowed the more easily: but when one commeth to the digesting of it, then shall one feele the bitternesse thereof: onely there is this dif­ference, that pilles do purge and vent euill humours which are in the bodie, and so make it more sound: but contrariwise, pleasures do multiplie and increase them, and do wholly corrupt the good disposition both of the bodie and of the soule. When these pleasures are turned from vs, whether it be by death, by sicknesse, by pouertie, by age, or otherwise, we ought no lesse to reioice, then if we were escaped from the hands of some cruell and furious tyrants. For there is no tyrannie more cruell, then is that of pleasure, and lust (as saith Cicero:) because that other tyrannies stretch [Page 183] but vnto the goods and bodie one­ly, but these pleasures stretch vnto the soules and consciences, which they torture, and torment after a straunge manner. Who soeuer then desireth libertie, and peace in his spirite, and to haue a peaceable and a quiet heart, which is the greatest iewell that one can either seeke or finde in this world, he must bid adew and fare­well vnto all the pleasures of this world, and must reioyce when they depart from him, as they doe at death.

Men are to propound these things vnto the sicke, who finde themselues as yet ouermuch glewed and fastened vnto the ease and outward deceiue­able pleasures of this world. And on the otherside, to set before them those ioyes which they looke for, and which are alredie prepared for them in the heauens, which are so great and excel­lent, that the verie smell and tast onely, which the Apostles and Martyres had thereof by the spirite of God, [Page 184] made them to forget the world, with al the delights therof, before they depar­ted out of it.A comparison of the pleasures that we leaue when we dy, & of those that we shall find in the heauens. What then shalbe the ioy, when, as being dead, we shal drinke our fill at the fountaine of these plea­sures, when we shall openly behold the face of our God, and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ? When we shall be set at his table with the Patriarches, Abra­ham, Isaack, and Iacob? When we shal heare the sweete musicke of the Angels continually singing vnto the holy, holy, holy, to the great God of hostes, be praise, glorie, and honour for euer? When God shall wipe away all teares from the eyes of his children, when he shall make them enter into the enioy­ing of his rest, and of their ioy? When he shall make them sit by him vpon their seueral seats, trimmed & prepared for thē, to iudge altogither, y^t world, & the diuels? And finally whē insteed of the sun & the moone, they shall haue a perpetuall light: namely, when he shal spread vpon them an euerlasting ioy? This pleasure shalbe, as Christ Iesus [Page 185] saide, a continuall and an eternall ioye, and not as the pleasures of the worlde, which fade away with the time, & lose their sauour, how great and delectable so euer they be in their beginning. As we daily see amongest men by experi­ence, who earnestly and greedily affect the thinges that they desire, and when they haue obtayned that that they wi­shed for, and doe sometimes enioy that that they desired: presently this great heat of theirs beginneth by little and little to coole, and to be dimini­shed, and in the end vtterly fadeth and vanisheth away, yea and oftentimes it commeth to passe, that after wee haue had the enioying of that that wee desi­red with such a great affection, we doe afterwardes loath it with as great a dis­like, whereof we haue in the scripture a notable example,2. Sam. 13.15. in Amnon the sonne of Dauid and his sister Thamar. But the true pleasures, which the blessed soules doe enioy in the kingdome of heauen, are farre of an other nature and qualitie: for in satisfying vs, they still [Page 189] giue vnto vs an appetite, and in filling vs, they leaue vs hungry, they quench our thirst, and yet we remaine drie, in such sort that in satisfieng and conten­ting our appetites, they still leaue vs greedie, and desirous to remaine al­wayes in that estate, and yet we shall neuer be hurt or surfet thereby. These are then the true pleasures that wee ought alwayes to desire and to pro­cure, and not worldly pleasures which are wholly crasie, and brittle. For euen as those that are sore or gowtie, take pleasure and feele some ease so long as one rubbeth their sore, which yet notwithstanding lasteth but a­while, because they are presently pur­sued with griefe, which afterwarde pricketh and grieueth them the worse: so those that are voluptuous, neuer haue any pleasure, but it is intermin­gled with thousands of griefes and mi­series: yea and their pleasure is like vn­to the pleasure of those that are tick­led, which haue therein I knowe not what panges and prickes, which ma­keth [Page 187] them to forget, and to hate such pleasure.

There is yet further,8 Against vn­willingnesse to forsake wife and children. one coare or clogge, which may greatly tor­ment and grieue those that are sicke, which wee are to take from them: to wit, the losse of their wiues and children, and of their presence and companie, which they feare shall be taken away by death. Now the com­fort that herein is to be giuen vnto thē, and the remedie that one must apply vnto this temptation, is, to alleage vn­to them the promises that God ma­keth vnto widowes: namely, that he will take them into his protection,Psal. 146.9. and promiseth that he will haue a particu­lar care ouer them, and will defend and maintayne them against those that would wrong and oppresse them, and will shew a fearefull vengeance vppon the outrages and iniuries that shall be done vnto them.

And further, we are to alleage vnto them, that howsoeuer they be left and forsakē of their earthly & mortal wiues [Page 188] which they had married, yet that there is an other for them, which is immor­tall, to wit, Iesus Christ, who will ne­uer forsake them, no more then he will all other faithfull ones, which wholly repose and rest themselues in him, and therefore leauing them into the custo­die and tutorship of such a gouernour, they are not any whit to murmure or to finde fault. We are further for to shew vnto them, that going foorth of this world, it is as if that they and their wiues should together take a voyage, or as if the one should go a litle before, and the other should speedily followe after. And finally, that as at the begin­ning of their mariage, it was no griefe vnto them to leaue their father & mo­ther and cleaue to their wiues: so now it ought not to grieue him to leaue his wife to returne vnto God, who ought to be more deare vnto vs, then our fa­thers, mothers, wiues, children, or anie other thing.

As concerning the children of the sicke parties, we are to set before them [Page 189] this excellent promise that God hath made vnto them, for them, & for their children, and which he hath sealed and confirmed by the baptisme as well of the one, as of the other: to wit, that he will be their God, and the God of their seede after them. For this ought to as­sure them, that the selfe same fauours and promises that God hath shewed and made vnto them, shall be conti­nued towardes their posteritie, as hee doth expressely promise in Exodus, that he will shewe fauour and mercie vnto a thousand generations of them that shall loue and feare him, & which shalbe carefull to obserue and to keepe his commaundements. What is there then which can be wanting vnto those children, who walking in the faith and godlinesse of their fathers, are by the promise of God assured to be alwayes compassed about, and couered with his grace, & louing kindnesse, which grace is the spring & fountaine from whence floweth all our prosperitie, & blessed­nesse? Moses sayth,Deut. 8.3. that Man liueth [Page 190] not by bread onely, but by euery word that commeth out of the mouth of God. Which is to be referred not vnto nourishment only, but vnto all the commodities of the life of mā. Those fathers thē which leaue vnto their children this word, neede not to care either for the foode, apparell or maintenance of their chil­dren. For they are assured by the word of God, that seeking his kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof, that God wil giue vnto them all things that shal be necessary for this present life. For being their shepheard, as he hath beene of their fathers, can he euer forget or leaue the care that he hath of his sheep? Dauid saith, speking of the prouidence of God, & exhorting euery man to rest and to repose himselfe thereupon as he did, Psal. 23.1.Psal. 23.1. The Lord is my shepheard, I shall not want. And else where, where he compareth the condition of the wic­ked with the state of the godly, he saith thus of the godly, Psalm. 37. vers. 19.20.Psal. 37.19.20. They shall not be confounded in the perilous time, and in the dayes of famine [Page 191] they shall haue enough. But the wic­ked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lorde shall be consumed as the fatte of lambes: euen with the smoake shall they consume away. And pursuing the same matter further in verses, 21.22.Verse. 21.22. The wicked borroweth and payeth not againe: but the righteous is mercifull, and giueth. For such as be blessed of God, shall inherite the lande, and they that be cursed of him, shall be cut off. And a little after he sayth, verses, 25.29.Verse. 25.29. I haue beene young, and am olde, yet I ne­uer saw the righteous forsaken, nor his seede begging bread. The righteous men shall inherite the lande, and dwell therein for euer.

That the sicke partie should leaue and commit his children vnto God, it is euident that hee should: for he cannot commit them into the handes of a more faithfull gardian or kee­per. Neyther is he to feare, if they con­tinue in his obedience, and walke in his feare, and carrie themselues alwaies before him in simplicitie and soundnes [Page 192] of heart, that any euill can befall them. Now as hitherto we haue entreated and spoken of those things which are con­uenient to be propounded and set be­fore the sicke, as well for to instruct him, as for to comfort and exhort him to the doing of his dutie, and haue also declared those meanes which he ought to follow, for the furnishing & fensing of him selfe against such temptati­ons and assaultes, as in the time of his sickenesse he may be assayled withall: Nowe it remaineth that wee make a briefe summarie or a short rehearsall of our whole discourse,A briefe sum of the whole treatise. that so the rea­der may in a briefe see that that is large­ly diducted, that so hee may furnish himself with such comfort for the sick, as he shall see meete and conuenient.

Salomon saith, that it is better to goe into the house of mourning,Eccl. 7.4. then into the house of feasting, because this is the end of all men, and the liuing shall lay it to his heart. Therby going about to shew that the principall studie and ex­ercise, wherunto a man ought to apply [Page 193] himselfe all his life long, is the medi­tation of the brittlenesse, miserie, short­nesse, inconstancy and vncertaintie of his life. And continually to set before him his end: that is to say; death, which daily by little and litle creepeth & stea­leth vpon vs, so that we know neither the hower nor the day, that it as a Bay­leife, summoneth and citeth vs before our iudge, for to render an account of our whole life. It is good therefore that we alwayes haue our minds hereupon, and that at euery instant, hauing our loynes girt, and holding in our handes our lampes burning continually, wee be not surprised or ouertaken of a sud­den, eyther by sudden death, or by the vnlooked for comming of our bride­grome: but that we be readie to receiue him when hee shall come, and so may enter with him into his rest. But for as much as the loue of this life, and the delights of this world, doe oftentimes lull vs a sleepe, and turne vs from the remembrance of these things, for the better awaking of vs wee can haue no [Page 194] better way, then often to frequent the Hospitales, and houses of the sicke, there on euery side, not only to see and behold the examples and images of the corruption and mortality of our poore nature, to humble vs, and to make vs content with a little: but also to exer­cise our charitie towards the poore, the lame, and those that are afflicted, and so to relieue and comfort them.

Now for the doing of this, wee are first for to shew vnto thē, that all sick­nesses come from God, who sendeth them, sometimes to chastice vs, and to bring vs home, sometimes to trye our faith and patience: hereby giuing vs an argument and matter to shewe the trust and confidence that we haue in him, by prayers and sighes to craue his mercie, to acknowledge and con­fesse our faultes and offences with griefe and sorrowe in our selues: and to bring the sicke partie to this point and issue, as to make him to make a true and an humble confession of his sinnes.

Secondly, we are to set before him, what is the fountaine and the prin­cipall cause of all malladies and sick­nesses, whether they be bodily, or spirituall: and that for the healing thereof, it is requisite to take away the causes which doe beget, and bring foorth the same, to wit, our sinnes, from which we can no otherwise be deliuered, then by the remission & par­don of them, that God of his free grace giueth vnto vs,1. Iohn. 1.9. because that (as S. Iohn saith) if we confesse our sins vnto him, and be assured that Iesus Christ is our aduocate & attonement towardes him, by meanes of his iustice, then he coue­reth and wipeth them all away, so that they shal neuer come into iudgement.

And for as much as the loue, which naturally wee beare vnto our selues, doth blind vs, and is the cause why we neuer thinke that we are so vicious and so imperfect as indeede we are, we are therefore to take this myst from before the eies of y^e sick party, & set before him the law of God, as a mirrour or glasse, [Page 196] werein he may beholde himselfe, and view his whole life, and so make him vnderstand thereby, not onely his ac­tions, but also all our cursed and dam­nable nature.

And for proofe and confirmation hereof, to alleage vnto him in generall, that we are all conceiued in sinne, that we are all borne the children of wrath, that wee are but flesh, and vanitie, that we are solde vnder sinne, that in vs there is no good thing, that all our righteousnesses are as old and stayned cloutes, and for conclusion, that wee are not any thing but dust, ashes, and rottennesse.

After this it is requisite to make vn­to him a briefe discourse vpon all the Commaundementes of God, and e­uidently to shewe vnto him, that if he would well, and thoroughly exa­mine himselfe, he shall finde that hee is one, that hath oftentimes transgres­sed, and beginning with those that are in the first Table, first to bring vnto his remembrance,

[Page 197]1 That he hath not doone his vt­most, and endeuour to seeke after God, and to search to know him.

That hee hath not loued him with all his heart, with all his strength, and with all his soule.

That he hath not alwayes put his trust and confidence in him, but of­tentimes hath doubted of his promi­ses, and hath distrusted of his ayde.

That he hath rather relyed vpon the arme of flesh and bloud, and vppon those outward humane meanes, which he might haue had, rather then vppon the helpe and aide of God.

That he hath not expected or loo­ked for his prosperitie and aduance­ment, as from his onely fauour, and blessing.

That in his affayres he hath not al­wayes prayed vnto God, with a stedfast assurance, and certaine hope to be vn­derstood and heard.

That hee hath not alwayes reue­renced and feared God, as appertay­neth vnto his so high and soueraigne [Page 198] maiestie.

That he hath not thanked him, nor blessed his name for all thinges, and at all times, as well for aduersitie as for prosperitie.

2 And after, that thinking vppon God, he hath represented him before him, sometimes in the shape of a man, or of some other bodily thing.

That he hath not learned nor vn­derstoode him to be a spirite, being be­yond measure infinite, inuisible, im­mortall, without anie passion, vn­chaungeable, soueraigne in power, goodnesse, mercie, iustice and trueth, as a patrone of all vertue and perfecti­on, and the well spring of all life and light, the fountaine and fulnesse of goodnesse, the heape and toppe of all felicitie and blessednesse, the begin­ning and the end of all thinges, who is, and who by his onely worde ma­keth all other thinges and creatures to be, and to remaine.

That he hath not worshipped and serued him in spirite and in truth, as [Page 199] he requireth of vs, and commaundeth in his law.

That he hath beene more curious and carefull for the ceremonies, and outward shewes of godlinesse, then for godlinesse it selfe, and to seeme to be a Christian, rather then to be one indeede.

And finally, that he hath not alwaies thought, that the true and lawfull ser­uice consisteth not but in the onely o­bedience of his holy will.

3 That in speaking of God, it hath not beene done with such respect and reuerence of his Maiesty as were meete.

That he hath not studied to sanctifie, to celebrate, and to glorifie his name, as he should haue done.

That by his euill life and lewd con­uersation he hath caused, that by the ignorant and infidels his name hath beene blasphemed.

That he hath not heard, read, nor meditated in the worde of God with such attention, with such desire, feare & zeale as were requisite, to the giuing of [Page 200] honour vnto the Lord, who spake and vnto his name by which it was prea­ched vnto him.

That he hath not alwayes spoken of the workes of God nor acknowledged in them the greatnesse of his power, his wisedome, and goodnesse, with such prayse, admiration, and wondering, as by the greatnesse and glory therof they require.

That presenting himselfe vnto the ta­ble of the Lorde, when the Supper of the Lorde hath beene administred, it hath not beene done with such humi­litie & godly deuotion, nor with such due contemplation of the mysteries set there before vs, neither yet with such lifting vp of our hearts on high, where Iesus Christ sitteth on the right hande of the father, as were conuenient.

4 That vpon the daies ordeined to abstaine, and to rest from our ordinary & bodily workes, that he might wholly giue himselfe vnto the only sanctifying of the name of God, he hath not wholy giuē himself vnto the meditatiō & ex­ercise [Page 201] of spiritual things, not thinking vpon nor seeking after any thing, but onely those things which are aboue.

That he hath bene oftentimes more carefull for his worldly busines and af­faires, then to seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof: by this meanes, preferring this brittle and corruptible life, before that blessed and eternall life, and the care of his bodie before the care of his soule, and the ser­uice of the world and of his flesh, be­fore the seruice of god, whom he ought to honour aboue all things.

That for small and light occasions he hath oftentimes dispensed with not being in the place of the congregati­ons. & church meetings, there to make a publike confession, and protestation of his faith, to shew the deuotion and feare that he hath of God, to edifie the congregation by his example, & with­out shame, without feare, without any dissimulation or hypocrisie, to publish vnto euerie one, that religion, that he will hold and follow, and wherein he [Page 202] is resolued to liue and to die.

That he hath not giuen himselfe to instruct and to catechise his wife, his children, his men-seruants, his maid-seruants, & his whole familie, as he was bound, calling thē vnto prayers mor­ning and euening, exhorting them to read and to meditate in the word of God, and to sing Psalmes, and spiritu­all songs vnto his praise, and to confer amongst them of holy things, & not to purpose any thing, but that that might further them, and make them grow more and more in the knowledge and feare of God.

That after the spirituall exercises whereunto a man is especially to giue himselfe vpon the day of rest, as with feare and trembling to heare the ex­hortations that shalbe giuen, and in all humilitie to ioine in the publike con­fession, prayers, and praises that shalbe made and rendred vnto God by the whole assemblie, he hath not reserued the residue of the day, to visite the pri­soners, to comfort the sick, & to search [Page 203] and finde out the poore, that so he might comfort them.

After, hauing thus briefly discouered vnto the sicke party the faultes that he might haue committed against the cō­mandements of the first Table, it shall not be amisse to proceed vnto the se­cond table, and to make him to vnder­stand as followeth.

5 In the first place, that he hath not borne such an honour and reuerence vnto his superiours, nor rendred vnto them such a readie obedience, nor final­ly hath bene so afraid to offend thē, as God hath commanded in his law. And if he hath shewed any duetie towards them, that it hath bene rather by con­straint, or for feare of being punished if he had done otherwise, then for any cōsideration of obedience that he bare towards thē in his conscience, or desire that he had, herein to obey God.

That he hath not always so earnest­ly prayed vnto God for their health and prosperitie, and for the good gui­dance of thē by his holy spirite in their [Page 204] councels, and to giue vnto them grace, to gouerne themselues by his word, in all their actions, and generally to blesse and to prosper them in all their wayes, as by the expresse commandement of God, he was bound.

That he hath not alwayes spoken of them, of their manners, and carriage with such honour as were to be wished, & that if in his presence any haue spo­ken euill of them, that he hath not set himselfe against them, nor defended them, as he should haue done.

That he hath not had such a reuerent opinion, and perswasion of his pastors, which haue the charge of his soule, and which giue vnto him spirituall foode and nourishment: whether he hath al­wayes regarded their authority, harke­ned vnto their voice, receiued their in­structions, obeyed the doctrine that they haue preached, and willingly sub­mitted himselfe vnto the easie yoke, & light burthen of Iesus Christ which they laid vpon him in his name.

6 That he hath not loued his neigh­bours [Page 205] as himselfe, praying, and procu­ring as much good for them, as for himselfe in his owne person.

That he hath hated them, when he hath thought that he hath receiued any iniurie or wrong by them, wishing vn­to them death and all euill successe.

That he hath wished and sought for meanes to be reuenged of his enimies, not making any account of the defence that God hath ouer him, reseruing the pursuite and vengeance for all wrongs done vnto his children and seruants.

That he hath not had pitie & com­passion vpon the poore, and that he hath not done his endeuour to mini­ster vnto them of his goods to nourish, to cloth, to harbour them, and to giue vnto them things necessarie, for the maintaining and relieuing of them in their poore life, and in the heape of so many miseries and tribulations, wher­with they are on euerie side enuironed and compassed.

That he hath not opposed and set himselfe against the wicked and vn­godly [Page 206] ones which did oppresse them, and hath not imploied his power and his meanes, to defend them against the violence and outrage of such as iniure and wrong them.

That he hath not reioiced at the pro­speritie of his neighbours, but hath bin iealous & enuious at their welfare, whē he hath seene that God blessed and ad­uanced thē in some degree aboue him.

7 That he hath not possessed his vessell, that is, his bodie, in such ho­nour and holinesse as he should, nei­ther yet considered, that it was a tem­ple that God by his spirite had conse­crated vnto himselfe, and that for this cause he should haue kept it free from all filthinesse and pollution.

That he hath not turned his eies frō wicked, and from wanton sights, as he shold haue done, but insteed of restrai­ning and keeping them in, hath suffe­red them to run, and to wander after all lust and concupiscence.

That he hath not so tamed and brought his flesh into subiection as he [Page 207] should haue done, for to make it in all respects subiect and obedient vnto the spirit.

That he hath too nicely & delicatly pampered & fed himselfe, and hath not alwayes vsed such sobrietie and absti­nence, as had bene fit to haue kept vn­der his affections, and to quench the heat of his concupiscence.

That by deuise, letters, presence, laughter, winkings, daunces, gestures, and immodest behauiour, he was able to trie and to proue the chastitie and honesty of his neighbours wife, daugh­ter, or maid.

That in the manner of attiring and apparelling of himselfe, he hath regar­ded and taken more pleasure to decke and to trim his outward man, then his inward man, and to please the world rather then to edifie the church, by an outward modestie in his manners and behauiour.

That he hath not bene sufficiently carefull to keepe the chastitie of his eares, and of his tongue, as neither [Page 208] to heare, nor to speake any word that should be either dissolute, or disho­nest.

8 That he hath bene couetous to enrich himselfe, and that by indirect & vnlawfull meanes.

That in the dealings and affaires that he hath had with his neighbours, he hath not always walked in that vp­rightnesse, soundnes, iustice, sinceritie, and truth, that God commandeth, for the continuing and vpholding of that societie, that he will haue to be kept a­mongst men.

That he hath obserued the times of famin [...], and of dearth, to sell his mer­chandise and wares, at th [...] more high reckoning, and price, & by this meanes to make his thrift and profite by the publike miscrie, want and calamitie of other.

That the ouerplus of the goods that God hath giuē vnto him, for the main­tenance of him and of his family, being due vnto the poore, he hath reserued and locked it vp in his coffers, chistes,