A Funeral Sermon, both Godly, Learned and comfortable, Preached at S. Mary's in Cambridge, Anno 1551. at the burial of the Reverend Doctor, and faithful Pastor of the Church of Christ, Martin Bucer. By Matthew Parker Doctor in Divinity, and since, Archbishop of Canterbury. ¶ Printed at London, by Thomas Purfoote, and are to be sold at his shop without Newegate, over against S. sepulchres Church. To my very friends, M. james Taylor & M. Ranulph Barlow. YOUR manifold courtesies towards me, together also with the Reverend account, that you ever made of that late worthy Archbishop, the Author hereof, moved me to translate & dedicate unto you, this his godly and learned Sermon. Receive it therefore even for the Author's sake: embrace it for the matter therein comprised: & let it remain as a token of the unfeigned goodwill of your old schoolefellow: & as a seal to confirm that league which at home in our childhood, 30. years ago, we entered into, in our native country of cheshire, under that our grave, learned, zealous & painful Schoolmaster, M. john Brownesworde. Far ye well. At little Ilford in Essex the 24. of February. 1587. Your assured well willer. Thomas Newton. The text Wisd. 4. Vers. 7. Although the righteous be prevented by death, yet shall he be in rest. 10. He pleased God and was beloved of him, so that whereas he lived among sinners, he translated him. 14. For his soul pleased God: therefore hasted he to take him away from wickedness. 15. Yet the people see, & understand not, & consider no such things in their it hearts, how that grace & mercy is upon his Saints, and his providence over the Elect. 16. Thus the righteous that is dead, condemneth the ungodly which are living: and the youth that is soon brought to an end; the long life of the unrighteous. 17. For they see the end of the wise, but they understand not what God hath devised for him, & wherefore the Lord hath preserved him in safety. 18. They see him & despise him, but the Lord will laugh them to scorn. 19 So that they shall fall hereafter without honour & shall have a shame among the dead for evermore. THE cause of this our present assembly (brethren in the Lord and Saviour jesus Christ most dearly beloved) is already unto you so well known, that I shall not need thereupon to use many words: but on the other side, the special points hereby offered to our considerations, and again, the just cause that we (even we Cambridge-men) have to weep and wail, I fear that a great source, through want of skill, feel not, and many more, (blindly led with a certain peevish rancour and festered malice) thoroughly consider not. To mourn and weep for the death of a good and godly man, so far forth as concerneth him, we are flatly forbidden both by reason and also by nature: I mean, that reason which is right, and that nature which is sincere, not corrupted. Yea, it is directly against the rules both of Charity and Faith. For, if Heathen Philosophers, (not knowing god aright, & void of that hope which we daily have before our eyes, and which, so many of us as live in Christ, do earnestly thirst after, and daily long for) deemed by reason, that death was not to be bewailed: and if they could agree among themselves in opinion, that nature might lawfully call for, & redemaund that, whereof she had granted to us, the use, but for a while: what an absurd thing were it, if we in this so great light of the Gospel, being so undoubtedly persuaded of such sure and manifest promises of most blessed state after this life by the benefit of our Redeemer, should not aswell as they, think it to stand with reason and equity? Yea, worthily were we to be reproved, if we should but only match them, and not rather far surmount them in this point, and by faith understand how that we are so far from having any cause of sorrowing, that we rather ought more than can be uttered, to rejoice for them, and to congratulate cheir felicity, whereunto we hope also to come ourselves, and for the same ought daily to pray. Now, Lone envieth not. I pray you, what jove, or what charity is this, to envy our friends blessed hap, & to be sorry for their felicity and welfare? To be aggrieved & to lament for their glorious exchange is as though we repined, that after many dangerous storms and blustering tempests in the Sea of this world, they be at length gotten to a quiet harborough and safely arrived at the haven of rest: or that after a sharp conflict & long continued war, they be now at length safely returned home, with victory over their enemies. What love can this be, to be sorry that our friend having been long pined with grievous & languishing diseases to have now recovered his former health? or to fret and grieve to hear that he whom we say we love, is enlarged and delivered out of most loathsome prison, where he had long line in hunger and cold, fettered and chained? Is there any man, that can with any colour of reason say, that he loveth his friend, being heir to some great lands, if he mourn and be sorry that the time now approacheth, wherein his friend shall possess and receive some huge sum of money and sew out his livery for the peaceable enjoying of his great revenues and inheritance? It is (I say) against godly love and against sincere affection, to bewail our friends, when they leave the miseries of this wretched life, and go to possess a place of rest and bliss, that shall continue for ever. Moreover, it agreeth not with the rules of faith, for a christian man to bewail the dead. For, who can deny that to be against faith, which is flatly forbidden by the scriptures? And how can that be said to agree with the rule of faith, which the scriptures most evidently prove to be done by those that have no hope? There is such an indevisible agreement between Faith and Hope, Faith and hope inseparable companions. that the one is never severed from the other, but wheresoever the one is, the other is also, and where the one lacketh, that other wanteth likewise. Sorrow ye not (saith the blessed apostle Paul) over them that are a sleep, 1. Thes. 4. 13. as others do which have no hope. etc. Yea such kind of sorrow is most plainly by the scriptures forbidden. Eccle. 22. 11. Make small weeping for the dead (saith the wiseman) for he is at rest. If a man do but lightly & superficially consider the words of this scripture, & do not diligently search the bottom & ground of the true meaning & sense thereof, he may (perhaps) think that it is thereby permitted yea & after a sort commanded & enjoined to a man to mourn and bewail the dead, so that he do it moderately But it shall plainly appear to be otherwise, if a man will diligently consider the cause which the Wiseman there allegeth, namely, because he is at rest. In which words, he layeth down before our eyes, the very cause, for the which we should rather rejoice and be glad. And therefore in this word (a little) he hath consideration unto our weakness and infirmity, in respect whereof he yieldeth somewhat unto our frailty, and tolerateth some small sorrow and little mourning: howbeit, if the wiseman had any hopefully to persuade & effectually to obtain that which he was the willinger of, no doubt, he would rather have counseled and advised us, utterly to put away and entirely to lay aside all sorrow. Which thing we ought (doubtless) to do, if we could in all our actions have that regard & always keep that even hand, which we should do if our nature were not so weak and nought: or if the world were not pestered with envious spighters and quarellours, wranglers in every corner, that will not stick to call us stonyharted creatures, & such as have no spark of humane nature in us, if they see that we make no lamentation for the death of our friends. Construing the matter many times to the worst, and sinesterlye thereby gathering, that we do rather rejoice in respect of some worldly gain or commodity thereby growing to us. Whereas we by the rule of faith only, and in respect of that everlasting blessedness which our friends have attained, do show ourselves therein constantly stayed in conscience for the departure of our brethren, and altogether renouncing such womanish wailing, and childish infirmity. And true it is, that jeremy, (being a witness in this case of far more credit and authority,) alloweth nothing at all to this our frail infirmity, but in most plain words flatly and in a generality forbiddeth all weeping and mourning for the dead. jer. 22. 10. Weep not (saith he) for the dead, and be not moved for them. For, he had a greater consideration of the blessed life whereinto they were entered: and he wisely weighed that the sooner, they finished the course & end the race of this life, the sooner they come to enjoy their desired rest & blissful state: and therefore he would not at any hand nozzle and feed a man in folly, by allowing or yielding any thing to him in this so vain frailty. This did he see in the spirit: and the very same is likewise by the same spirit revealed unto john, with commandment also unto him, to write it for an everlasting memory, as a voice not uttered by the world or in the world, after the measure of our humane frailty and weakness, but as a sentence descended from heaven, delivering a just consideration of the state & condition of those that be hence departed: which voice did plainly deliver these words: reve. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead, which die in the Lord. May this word (Blessed) being pronounced by the mouth of God himself, be thought to be miserable, mournful or lamentable? Neither doth the Spirit deliver & utter these words absolutely without any other addition, but withal he allegeth the cause: For they henceforth (saith the Spirit,) rest from their labours: & moreover, Their works follow them. Let us now therefore ponder and consider: diligently the words of the wise man, whereof mention was made a little afore, viz. Because he is at rest. Also of an other wise man: Wised. 3. 2. The souls of the righteous are in the hands of God, and they are in peace. Furthermore let us hereunto add the words of the Apostle S. Paul: ● Thes. 4. 14. If we believe that jesus is dead & is risen again; even so them which sleep in jesus, will God bring with him. Let us consider what these words do signify & mean, Blessed are they that die in the Lord, etc. And we shall easily perceive in what sense we ought to take this (Little) which the wise man useth: yea we shall quickly see, what he would rather have advised & uttered, if he had not otherwise regarded & respected our weakness. Therefore I say, when we have respect & consideration of the party that is dead and departed, it is both unseemly & wicked to use any howling or blubbering for him, unless we desire to be accounted creatures endued rather with beastly nature then furnished with the use of reason: to be deemed Heathen people rather than true Christians: envious caitiffs' then well meaning friends: void of hope & faith, not understanding our happy estate, & persons doubtful & uncertain of their salvation, rather than constant believers undoubtedly embracing & crediting the infallible word of God, thereby as by a rule directing all & every our actions, thoughts & affections, & valiantly subduing and entirely triumphing over our imbecility & weakness. But howsoever some texts of scripture seem to confirm this opinion, & to prove & allow some small mourning, & again, some utterly & altogether forbidden weeping and lamenting, as we have afore declared: So in an other sense we are not only allowed to mourn, but also are admonished and directly commanded so to do. My son, power forth tears over the dead, Eccle. 38. 16. and begin to mourn as if thou hadst suffered great harm thyself. Hear, the same wise man that a little aforesaid, Make small weeping for the dead, seemeth in this place to enjoin us to weep, not a little, nor for a while: but to continue lamentations, and to power forth tears for a long season. God forbidden that we should think so holy a man, (invested with the title of a wiseman) should in one & the self-same book disagree with himself in opinions and sentences, (albeit they be set down in several Chapters) and to enjoin and command things contrary and repugnant one to an other. We must therefore assay and tire, whether we can find out his very meaning. But if he himself do expound and interpret his own words, we may then boldly and safely without danger stick to his judgement. In this very sentence, where he thus writeth. Make small weeping for the dead, for he is at rest, Eccle. 22. 11. he also saith, Weep for the dead, for he hath lost the light. To make him therefore to agree with himself, this must needs be his meaning: that, as in respect of the party deceased, it is not lawful to weep and lament, for that, he enjoyeth bliss, and is at rest: so, on the other side, namely in respect of ourselves, that are bearest the company, sight and comfort of his virtuous manners, godly life and excellent learning, we have most just and urgent cause not only to lament & be sorry, but even for a long space to continue the same our grief and moan, as having received some great loss & hindrance unrecoverable. And the brighter & clearer that the light was, when it gave shine, and the neeedefuller & expedienter that the same was for our behoof and benefit, so much the more cause and matter is there ministered to our lamentation and mourning, by the wofuller consideration of the loss received. Such a kind of light is there now quenched in this famous and reverend Doctor, renowned aswell for his exquisite knowledge and learning, as also for his right christian manners and virtuous life: all which appeared in him most excellently, even at the time of his death and departure. What a burning and shining lamp showed he himself in the Church of Christ, the space of many years? And although Envy do leer and pry askewe and can not well abide the sight of the sun: yet cannot his very enemies without great shame and infamy reproach him, or justly open their mouths against him, when as they shall see such persons to give testimony to his virtues, which have been daily conversant with him, and have diligently observed and marked the continual care and vehement study, which he took to further and advance such causes, as his trade of life and function required. What manner of salt he showed himself in the mild delivery of his sound doctrine, uttered aswell by lively voice, as also otherwise testified and recorded by his most learned works, & printed books: again, what exquisite learning and (as I may say, almost singular) harborowghed in his breast, how pithy & sententious how deep & weighty his arguments were, wherewithal he notably seasoned religion, and the same, (being in these later ages of the world pitifully many ways mangled and dismembered) revived and resorted to her right ancienty & former strength and authority: although herein spiteful malice and cankered envy will not lose her old wont, The nature & property of Envy, towards worthy and excellent men. but still show herself in her colours, what disposition she ever carrieth toward all such as in any singular gift excel others, yet shall our posterity in time to come know and find, how just cause there is why they should esteem Envy, as Envy: and highly regard learning and virtue according to their due worthiness and dignity. But before I enter into the examination, Virtuous life and singular learning in B●cer. and discourse of these two rare and singular virtues in him, wherewith god had wonderfully beautified & enriched him, & made him admirable, & reverend in the world, I would especially wish us university-men, for whose comfort & consolation, Almighty God in his great mercy and gracious favour towards this University, (being greatly decayed and almost utterly fallen down to the ground,) ordained this worthy instrument in his Church, tosoiourne and dwell now in the ripeness both of his life and doctrine here among us) with a great deal the more care, & circumspect diligence to consider the fearful judgements of almighty god, who in this purpose of his divine will, hath translated & so soon taken him away from us. Whereby it is most certain that we have just cause to bewail his death, & heavily to take his departure from us: howbeit not for his sake, but for our own: & greatly to fear & dread the further wrath & punishment of god his heavy displeasure: a taste whereof we here now feel, in that he hath quenched this so notable & necessary a light among us. The stroke & feeling whereof aught effectually to drive us to an humble & open confession of our wicked & detestable life, & prostratly with an earnest repentance to crave pardon of the same at his merciful hands: beseeching him to forgive us our grievous offences, & to have compassion on us. Otherwise, it is to be feared, lest some worse thing will ensue & follow afterward, God forbidden, that we which here profess the true & sincere word of God, should be so blockish so dull & senseless, that we should not (even herein) perceive the grievous displeasure of God, enkindled & conceived against us: or that we should so pitifully be over seen in our own cases, or so far to be our own foes & backfriends, that these things should not any whit at all move us. Then, might that justly be objected & laid to our charge, which the prophet jeremy twitted the men of his time withal, for their malicious & manifest contempt of God, & the careless regard that they made of his scourges and punishments: jerem. 5. 3. Lord, thou hast strooken them, but they have not sorrowed: thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a stone, and have refused to return. Should not we blush and be ashamed after so many admonitions, to be like unto those stiff-necked jews, and rebellious persons, which said unto the Prophets of God, isaiah. 30. ●● prophecy not and to the seers, see not, neither speak unto us right things: but speak flattering things unto us: prophecy errors. Depart out of the way: go aside out of the path: cause the holy one of Israel to cease from us. And if our peevish wilfulness, impudency and hardness do thus continue with increase among us, are we not worthy to hear this dreadful & heavy sentence pronounced against us. Matt. 23. 38. Behold your habitation shallbe left unto you desolate: Behold the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, Luc. ●9. 43. and compass thee round, & keep thee in on every side, & shall make thee even with the ground, and thy children which are in thee: & they shall not leave in thee a stone upon a stone, because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. God be merciful unto us, and bless us, Psal. 67. 1. and show us the light of his countenance, & be merciful unto us. etc. The very consideration of this one kind of God his punishment and correction, to wit, the taking away by death, of those excellent members of the Church, on whom dependeth the singular benefit of the flock, and comfortable stay of the people, affordeth & ministereth unto us (as by the scriptures we may plainly perceive) manifest arguments & profitable lessons to draw us, in this evidence token of God's displeasure, to lament our sins, and to amend our wicked lives. It is enough (I say) to move us to look better to ourselves, to fear afterclaps, and to be inwardly most heartily sorry for our churlish behaviour & extreme ingratitude toward so gracious a God. One example fitly serving to this purpose, I will offer here unto your considerations. Call to your remembrance that rebellious, obstinate, murmuring, mutinous & stifenecked people of Israel, over whom god set that excellent man Moses, to be their Captain & Governor. And that I may omit & not speak of the huge heap of their manifold lewdness & wicked disobediences: to omit also the sundry punishments wherewith God many times afflicted them: to omit, how & how often their leader and Governor Moses was priest & ready by prayer & intercession to reconcile God unto them & to turn away his plagues from them: for whose sake & at whose suit their misdeeds were often forgiven, & their offences pardoned: how worthy a Governor he was, how notabe a stay, and what a shining light he showed himself unto them, the whole course of his dealings, the whole race of his life, and the whole manner of his proceed, during the time of his rule & government doth sufficiently declare. And yet against him being so worthy & so noble a Prince, & appointed of god to them for their great comfort, and singular commodity, did Corah, Dathan and Abiram maliciously conspire, Num. 16. 3. and him rebelliously despise, shaking of the yoke of obedience, and most unnaturally forsaking him, or rather their own profits and commodities which by him they bountifully enjoyed. But how severely, how strangely and dreadfully did the Lord God revenge that their so mutinous revolt and undutiful contumacy? Did not the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with their tabernacles, and families and all them that were with them, so that they and all that they had, went down alive into the pit with all their train and goods. This dreadful and terrible example notwithstanding, when as yet they seditiously persisted in their treacherous mutiny and peevish frowardness against the same Moses their Prince and Governor, the Lord (for an everlasting terror to all murmuring Malcontents, against so worthy a man given to them (if they could have accordingly so considered it,) for the inestimable benefit & comfort both of them & their whole company,) sent a plague among them, whereof there died in one day fourteen thousand & seven hundred. God so strongly & terribly revenged this their sedition & consperacy, chief & especially thereby to bring them to the acknowledgement of that singular benefit, which they enjoyed by having so good and godly a magistrate over them as Moses was: meaning by such a kind of punishment to make them more thankful, and better contented with this benefit. But when almighty God saw that all these punishments would not serve to bring them to amendment, nor to stur them up to their dutiful thankfulness, and obedient behaviour; after many assays and ways practised and wrought for their recovery, he was at length driven in his heavy indignation to betake himself to an other course, and to proceed further. And what course was that: Forsooth, for their sins and wickedness, he shortened the life of Moses, and would not, that by him they should be brought into the land of promise. Moses therefore died, before they had set one foot therein. But how profitable had it been for them; if he had remained alive, considering his grave wisdom, and ripe judgement, wherein by reason of his great practice and long experience he singularly excelled? How fit a man had he been, by reason of his sanctity and holiness of life, and of his virtuous dealings and godly cogitations to turn away the wrath of GOD, justly conceived against them: What an help, furtherance, and direction, moreover might he have been to them, after they had been once entered and come into the Land, touching their Sacrifices, Rites and Ceremonies, which he either by word of mouth, or by traditions written, had left among them. How necessary in all respects was this reverend Doctor Martin Bucer, to the Church of Christ, being a man so notably furnished & so exquisitely inclined to the advancement of the glory and true religion of God? And yet notwithstanding, God hath taken him away from among us: the light that was in him, he hath quenched: and would not that we should be shrouded any longer under his wings, or privileged under his shadow: reputing us people most unworthy, to be so much as the least partakers of such surpassing benefits. And if (as it is indeed) the greater greater the sin is, the greater punishment is there unto due, and the sharper smart it deserveth: then shall it be no hard matter to judge, among what sort of punishment this is now to be reckoned, that this time so good a pastor is taken away from us, so bright a lamp quenched, and such a light put out, as while we enjoyed, we safely walked thorough the dangerous and dark paths of this life. Let us diligently weigh and effectually consider these things (dearly beloved) and being herein in like sort punished by the hand of God, as the Isralites were, let us learn to acknowledge the wrath of God, and receive it as an undoubted sign that he is angry and displeased with us. We have heretofore showed our selves wayward, churlish, and unthankful by murmuring both against God, and also against this man his Servant. Now, even this day we feel (as Israel did) the heavy wrath and revenging hand of God for the same, and may perceive how that he evidently punisheth us therefore. We have been heretofore ungrateful, and repining for the light that we received from this excellent and worthy Doctor: now is it therefore put out and quenched. It is said, that he lived here among thankless, crabbed, and froward sinners: now therefore is he taken away from them. As for himself he lived still: but so, that he liveth in joy and bliss with God, and is hence dispatched and freed from the toilsome grieves, and wretched troubles of this life, & from those painful labours which he here willingly suffered and patyentelye endured for our beehoofe and benefit, but now is he at rest with GOD, to his own beehoofe, comfort and commodity. GOD loveth him in that he hasted so soon to call him away out of the company of wicked Sinners. But he is angry with us, in that he thinketh us inworthye any longer to enjoy such a precious pillar. If these things being thus duly & diligently considered can nothing at all move us (wherewith (notwithstanding) I know, that every godly person is & will be not a little touched) yet is there greater cause to draw us, heavily and sorrowfully to take this misfortune: not in such sort lamenting and sorrowing, for him that is dead (as hath been said before) as though death had done to him any harm, but in applying and translating the whole cause of our sorrow and grief unto our own selves, according to that saying of our Lord & saviour Christ, who would not have the Hierosolimitanes to mourn for him, but for themselves and their children. Luc. 23. 28. Daughters of Jerusalem (saith he) weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. And he there yieldeth a reason why they should weep for themselves & their children. For (saith he) if they do this to the green tree, what shallbe done to the dry? Ver. 31. Let every one of us now here present note well this sentence, and look well to himself: let every one of us (I say) think well of this matter, & upon this occasion here presently offered by the death and departure of this grave and reverend Father, let him be moved to fear. For, if by the secret and hidden (but yet just) judgement of almighty god we see and hear such heavy sentence pronounced against his own family & haushold, that he threateneth to abridge their life, and shorten their days, how near at hand is the end of them which believe not the Gospel? If his life were shortened, whom while he here lived, the Lord so entirely loved, being the beauty of his house, & in the building, repairing and every way garnishing whereof, he showed himself a most diligent and painful builder, and a most wise and cunning master workman: if (I say) his days were cut short, to the end he might rest from his vehement toil and zealous study, which he had toward the promoting and advancing the lords building: how cometh it to pass, that we, (we I say) unnful caitiffs' do promise to ourselves long life, and think here to live many years, spendding and bestowing the same (as some do) in idleness, vanity and loitering: Whereby it must needs come to pass, and necessarily follow, that they cannot be said to live overwise, then by the spoils of the goods and Patrimonye of Christ crucified. Some there be, that devise all the ways they can, and seek all means possible, to the uttermost of their ability to deface the beauty & glory of this building, to undermine the walls and overthrow the foundation thereof, that all the wild beasts of the wood, may freely enter, to devour; spoil, rob and moste cruelly to make havoc of all. If this green Tree which yielded plentiful store of fruit in due season, and which was planted by the rivers side, and moistened with the lively waters of the Fountain of life, and which brought forth such continual, heavenly and durable fruit, to the glory of God, and for our consolation, to be imitated, was (notwithstanding his flourishing and fruitful increase) plucked up by the roots: what shallbe the end of us, (think we) being dead, dry and withered Fig trees, without either blossom or fruit, Matt. 21. 19 unworthy any longer to occupy the ground, Mar. 11. 13. or to set one foot upon the earth? He was (without doubt) a most flourishing green tree, yielding forth most excellent fruit, and therefore is not utterly and altogether cut down, but only transplanted and removed out of his place, to be set in a pleasant and wholesommer soil. But what may we judge of ourselves, that bring forth in our life nothing but brambles and thistles: and yet are continually and daily moistened and watered with the dew of the heavenly grace and word of God: Why should not we tremble, and with compunction of heart greatly fear, lest we be utterly cut down with the Axe of God's judgement; Matt. 3. 10. and by divine sentence thrown into the fire. Luc. 3. 9 Understand ye unwise among the people: Psal. 94. 8. & be wise at length ye fools. O consider this, ye that forget God, lest he tear you in pieces, and there be none that can deliver you. Say not within yourselves. Psal. 50. 22. We have Abraham to our Father, Matt. 3. 9 For I say unto you, that every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down & cast into the fire. Fear ye the dreadful and terrible words of the Lord, who saith, Mat. 21. 43. The kingdom of God shallbe taken from you & shall be given to a Nation that shall bring forth the fruits thereof. Remember thyself therefore O Cambridge and look well about thee: consider thine estate, seeing that unto thee, God hath sent his Prophets, Wisemen & Scribes from the far distant places of the world: Lest there come upon thee all the just blood that hath been shed upon the earth. Luk. 11. 50. Repent, repent, thou that killest the Prophets, & with slanderous words stonest them that are sent unto thee. But mark ye & hear what doth there in that place immediately follow: Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. Luk. 13. 34. 35. amend therefore your ways and your works: and trust not in lying words, jerem. 7. 3. saying, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, this is the Temple of the Lord. For, behold, the Lord cometh with thousands of his saints, to give judgement against all men, and to rebuke all the ungodly among them, jude. 14. of all their wicked deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their cruel speakings, which wicked sinners have spoken against him. Luke. 8. 8 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. ¶ Exhortation to Prayer. THat therefore the vail of ignorance may be removed from our hearts, & the dazzling dimness of spite & envy banished from our eyes: that we may deeply weigh & with humble confession of our sins effectually consider this heavy stroke & punishment here offered unto us by God upon this present occasion: that all bitterness of words, all boasting, wrath, cursed speaking railing & backbiting with all malice rancour & heart-burning may be put away from among us: let us humbly prostrate ourselves before our gracious God & heavenvly father meekly & devoutly by earnest prayer craving at his merciful hands the assistance of his holy spirit, and that he will of his infinite goodness forgive us out sins and pardon our offences. In which prayers I do commend unto you the state of the Catholic Church being the blessed communion of the saint of God, the the same may flourish & go forward in that knowledge of his divine will, dutifully agnizing & confessing his holy name & sincere religion, & thankfully receiving & embracing the graces & gifts of Christ, her Spouse & head and that she may persist & continue to the end, in the undoubted faith of our Lord & Saviour. Pray ye also for all those, that through error & misbelief are found to be out of this church, and for such as through hypocritical dissimulation are reckoned to be of the true church, being (indeed) the synagogue of Satan, that they and we with one mind & consent may willingly hear and joyfully embrace the voice of our high Shepherd Christ, and that we may become one sheepfold & one flock, with one mouth and one heart glorifying God the father of our lord jesus Christ. Pray ye also particularly for this church of England & Ireland, and for the supreme head of both the same, next & immediately under Christ, our most excellent and gracious Sovereign, King Edward the sixth, etc. Finally let us give humble thanks unto almighty God, for our brethren and sisters, which are departed out of this vale of misery, marked with the Seal of Faith. And last of all, let us pray for ourselves, that even as the Fathers of the old Testament earnestly desired and zealously continued still looking & expecting for the first coming of our Saviour Christ in the flesh, that they might be partakers of that abundant blessing, which ●●ey assuredly & undoubtedly knew that he ●ould bring with him: & after he was exhibited to the world, had a longing desire to be hold him with their bodily eyes: So likewise that we now under the new Testament may live soberly, godly and honestly in this world, earnestly waiting for his second coming: & that we greedily thirsting (with our brethren already deceased) for the full redemption of our bodies, to be united to his glorious body, may be joined in fellowship with Abraham, Isaac, jacob, etc. Among whom I do reckon & pronounce this excellent and reverend Doctor Martin Bucer to be: for whom let us heartily and in full assurance thereof, thank almighty God, for so guiding him with his heavenly spirit, that in holiness and sanctity he hath thus begun his rest: that he remained & continued constant & unmovable to the last gasp, in pure & incorrupt doctrine grounded upon the infallible word of God and founded upon the faith of the Apostles & the Catholic church of Christ; constantly confirming his profession, both in life and manners agreeable to the same. For, by warrant of the mercies and promise of almighty God, I do boldly pronounce that he is now in Abraham's bosom, & enjoyeth most happy bliss, rest & felicity, with all the holy company of the elect children of God. And thus for him & in his name do I affirm: I know that he shall rise again at the resurrection in the last day with a most assured and certain knowledge, such (I say) as cometh of faith: I know, that forsomuch as our Saviour Christ saith of himself, that he is the resurrection & the life: & that, whosoever believeth in him, although he were dead, yet liveth: and again, that every one which liveth and believeth in him, shall not die for ever: I know, (I say) and by that undoubted trust & warrant which I have in the word of God, and by that testimony which he constantly made of his faith, life, conversation, & constant confession of Christ's name, even till the very last point of his life, that although he be dissolved for a time, in respect of his body, yet in spirit he liveth with god, & at the last day in the joyful resurrection of the just shall again be conjoined, & shall enjoy the presence of God, & reign with him both in body and soul for evermore. FINIS.