COALS FROM THE ALTAR; OR, Four religious TREATISES to kindle Devotion in this cold AGE. Written in French by Mounsieur du Moulin: And Translated into English by N. M. LONDON, Printed for Thomas Pavier, and are to be sold at his shop in ivy lane. 1623. TO THE RIGHT Honourable, the Lady Elizabeth Norrisse, the only Daughter and heir of the Right Honourable Francis, Earl of Berkeshire, and Wife to the Right Worshipful Mr. Edward Wray, Esquire. MADAM, SO great is my Obligation to your Honour; that your Honour may challenge the best services of my tongue, or pen, as due to your Ladyship for those brightest beams of your bounty lately cast upon me: whereby you have comforted, and revived my languishing and drooping fortunes. The less I am able to discharge so great a debt, the more I am bound to acknowledge it. Anaxagoras finding Perides very ready to make use of his learning in Philosophy, but slow to contribute any thing to his maintenance, broke with him in the end after this manner: Sir, if you desire to see by my light, you must minister oil to my lamp. I must confess, and I willingly profess it (Right Noble and virtuous Lady) that you have poured oil into my Lamp in abundant measure; and therefore by Anaxagoras his Apophthegne, the light of my Lamp is yours by right. A Lamp that burneth dimly at the first kindling, yet afterwards yields a clear and comfortable light; which putteth me in some good hope that my labours, how obscure soever they are now, yet hereafter by more industry, and practise in this kind, may serve not only to illustrate my Authors, but also your Ladyship's name. For the present, I must entreat a favourable glance of your Ladyship's eye upon the work I have now adventured to Translate and Dedicate to your Honour. It consisteth of four rare pieces, drawn by an excellent hand. The first presenteth to your view the lively image of a Christians confidence in the word; the second, of his devotion at the Sacrament; the third, of his patience in adversity; the fourth, of his watchfulness in prosperity. All the parts and lineaments of these beautiful pictures, I have entirely represented in my translated draught: but our language did not always afford me colours answerable to my Authors: Which defect in them, if your Ladyship will dispense with, I doubt not but that they will seem very agreeable to your Honour, and not altogether unworthy to be laid up in your Ladyships rich Cabinet of spiritual rarities and divine Treatises in this kind, which you rightly value above all other precious things in the world: For, jewels and precious stones adorn but the body, these beautify the mind, and repair the image of God in the hidden man of the heart. The first of these will dispose you to the diligent hearing of the Word; the second will prepare you to the worthy receiving of the Sacrament; The third will offer you comfort in sickness and distress; The fourth will give you wholesome counsel in prosperity. Before you go to Sermon, to set an edge upon your spiritual appetite for the food of your soul, I commend to your devout meditations, the first of them, which discourseth of the excellency of the Gospel. When you are bid to the Lords Table, to take your Saviour, with Simeon, into your hand, peruse the second Treatise, being wholly of that subject. And if God at any time shake his rod over you, and you fear a fit of sickness, or any grievous trouble and affliction, make use of the cordial contained in the third Treatise. Lastly, when you find yourself dull and heavy in your devotion, & in a manner lulled a sleep by the sweet enchantments of worldly comforts and delights, then take the silver Larum-Bell in the fourth Treatise, into your hand, and ring it out to awake you. So shall your prosperity be secure, your affliction cheerful, your receiving the Sacrament most comfortable, and your hearing the Word most delightful and fruitful. Which he never ceaseth to pray for, who remains Your Ladyships humbly devoted, and perpetually obliged servant, NICH. METCALFE. Errata. PAge 6. line 14. read a happy news; p. 7. l. 17. r. declaring, p. 8. l. 11. r. acknowledge, p. 9 l 21 r. driving, p. 15. l. 13. r. spirit, ibid. l. 17. r. we, p. 17. l. 5. r. being opposite to the course, p. 18. l. 10. r. it spoken of God that he, ibid. l. 19 r. it, ibid. l. 2●. r. they, p. 19 l. 1. r. his Kingdom, ibid. l. 2. r. delivered, ibid. l. 11. r. to the, p. 20. l. 15. r. by a, p. 21. l. 1. r. shed his blood for us? ibid. l. 20. by the sword, or of, p. 22. l. 17. r. he, ibid. l. 23. r. plainness, p. 23. l. 10. r. eloquence. p. 24. l. 15. r. it, ibid. l. 19 r. discourse, p. 5. l. 19 r. riseth, ibid. l. 24. r. how hardly they can stand. p. 6. l. 3. r. beareth out or up, ibid. l. 24. r. grown, p. 27. l. 1. r. weak are scandalised at our profaneness, ibid. l. 3. r. our, ibid. l. 17. an, ibid. l. 18. r. dark, ibid. l. 20. r. the bottomless pit, p. 28. l. 81. r. will, ibid. l. 22. Shepherds, p. 29. l. 6. r. proclaimer, p. 30. l. 10. r. covered, p. 31. l. 21. those good things, p. 3●. l. 7. r. glorieth in being, p. 33. l. 1. r. that, ibid. l. 10. r. it, p. 34. l. 9 r. it, ibid. l. 14. r. strike, ibid. l. 18. r. it, p. 37. l. 6. r. within, ibid. l. 7. r. on, ibid. l. 23. r. The, p. 38. l. 20. r. Wherefore, p. 39 l. 12. r. life, ibid. l. 13. r. implicit, ib. l. 20. r. by an Attorney or a proxy, p. 40. l. 2. r. his, p. 41. l. 9 r. being, p. 42. l. 22. r. strengthen, p. 43. l. 1. r. who, ibid. l. 2. r. who, ibid. l. 11. r. needles, p. 44. l. 15. r. prohibition which Christ gave, ibid. l. 17. r. wherefore, ibid. l. 18. r. that he was sent, p. 45. l. 21. r. Goshen, ibid. l. 23. r. was, ibid. l. 24. r. palpable. FINIS. THE BOLDNESS AND CONFIDENCE OF A Christian. In a SERMON, made by Mounsieur du Moulin, Minister of the Reformed Church at PARIS. LONDON, Printed by T. S. for Thomas Pavier, and are to be sold at his shop in ivy lane. 1623. A SERMON, Made by Mounsieur du Moulin, Minister of the Reformed Church at PARIS: Expounding the first Chapter of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans. ROM. 1. VER. 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, seeing it is the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth. EVen as the Walls of jerico fell at the sound of josuahs' Trumpets; So did the Walls of Babylon fall at the sound of the Trumpet of the Gospel. For the preaching of the Gospel is the means by which God establisheth his Kingdom amongst men, and maketh the Kingdom of the Devil to tremble. For even as death entered into the world by the ear, so God hath willed that life should enter in by the same means: and as man is fallen by believing the word of the Serpent, so man should be raised again by believing the Word of God. It is no wonder then if Satan oppose himself at the preaching of the Gospel, and enforce himself to make it seem odious, because it is the means to diminish his Empire. He hath stitched the skin of the Fox to the skin of the Lion: adding subtlety to force, coupling together with persecution the stings of Philosophy; Even as the Sun that bringeth in the Spring, with Flowers and new Verdure, begetting thousands of flies and vermin, which serve to no end, but loss and damage. Also in like sort, so soon as God hath poured out his blessings upon a Country, with the Sunshine of the Gospel, presently there ariseth a thousand lies, tricks and conspiracies, to extinguish the growing truth, and to stifle the Church of God in the Cradle. Before the preaching of the Gospel, published by the Apostles, there was a wonderful confusion of contrary Religions, and yet there was never any contention or fight for Religion amongst themselves. When the Romans conquered any Country, they carried triumphantly away with them their Captivates Gods of strange Religions, and made Temples for their imprisoned Gods, and so brought in into their City all sorts of Religion. They never differed with any but the Christian Religion, only against it have they enlighted their fire, and unsheathed their swords: for many and diverse lies may dwell together, but there is no accord between a lie & the truth: two false Religions agree much better together than the false with the true. Pilate and Herode, although they were enemies, yet agreed together against jesus Christ. Also one may see at this present in Rome, the jews (who maintain that Christ jesus was a dissembler) are suffered to dwell there with Greeks and Turks likewise: Our Religion only, is not suffered there, because that it alone ruinateth the Empire of Satan, professing jesus Christ only for the purgation of all our sins, and his death only for sacrifice, and his Word for the only rule of our faith. Now although Satan work all that is possible against us, yet shall he never come to the end of his purpose. For even as the Rays of the Sun cannot be moved with the wind out of their proper lines, because their nature is heavenly; so the world and the Devil never extinguish the light of the Word of God, because it cometh from Heaven, and is of a spiritual nature. He which could speak of these things with more experience than any other was, St. Paul, who suffered so many travails, run so many dangers, endured so many ignominies for the testimony of the Gospel: And being strengthened with virtue from above, loseth no courage, but disgesteth his bitterness, mispriseth their misprises, and glorifying himself in their contempt of him, saying, I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, etc. The understanding of these words, depend upon the Exposition of three points: First, what the Gospel of Christ is: Secondly what the causes are that make men ashamed of the Gospel: Thirdly, what have been the considerations which have encouraged our Apostle not to be ashamed of the Gospel, whereof he propoundeth, unto us the principal, that is to say, That it is the power of Christ, etc. To begin with the first point. This word Gospel, signifieth a new man and a happy; the Gospel of Christ is the good news, which not only declareth jesus Christ unto us, but also is declared unto us by jesus Christ: It is a happy news, whereof jesus Christ is not only the subject and the substance, but also the bringer, and the revealer. To make us understand what the substance of this good news is, you ought to put for foundation, that the good of the Creature dependeth upon the Creator, and that the felicity of man proceedeth not from his own proper virtue, but from the grace of God, which was the cause why God did not create Adam in the earthly Paradise, but only introduced him in, to the end he might learn that he was not heir of Paradise by nature, but it was God that by his grace led man in, even as it were by the hand. In this earthly Paradise, God had planted two Trees, which serve for two advertisements, the one setting out human infirmity, the other declaring the grace of God: the Tree of knowledge of good and evil, was a figure of the Law, which gave man to understand the knowledge of good and evil: and the Tree of life was the figure of the Gospel, which presented unto us the fruit of life, that is to say, jesus Christ, as he himself expoundeth it, in speaking of his graces; Whosoever shall overcome, I will give him to eat of the Tree of life, etc. Now we see, that if before the fall of man, God would by these documents make man know and understand, he did not subsist at all by his own proper virtue, but only by the grace of God: How much more must he now subject and confess his weakness, seeing he is fallen away from this grace by his sins? For, if a living man subsist not of himself, much less can a dead man raise himself up by his proper virtue: whereupon God promised to Abraham the possession of the land of Canaan, which was a figure of the Kingdom of Heaven; yet he would not put him into the possession thereof, although he were the natural Father of all the people of God, to the end man might learn, that the possession of the inheritance of Heaven, cometh not by Nature, but by the grace of God: And moreover, God would not that Moses, the bearer of the Law, should introduce the people into the land of Canaan, purposely to declare unto us, that it is not by the Law, or by our works, that we can come to the Kingdom of Heaven. What then? The charge to bring in the people of God into the promised inheritance, was given to josuah, who was also called jesus, and a Saviour, being only a figure of jesus Christ. Moses led the people to the borders of the Land, and delivered them into the hands of josuah, because the law leadeth us to the Gospel, and is a Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, chase us on our way by threatenings, and representing it unto us by shadows and figures. Man then being so cast down, and fallen into death, could not get up again, but by the only assistance and grace of God. He that did blow upon the face of Adam Respiration of life, is he only from whom man can receive inspiration of spiritual life. For as Epiphanius reciteth of those that travailed by the deserts of Syria, where are nothing but miserable Marshes and Sands, destitute of all commodities; if it happened that their fire went out by the way, than they lighted it again at the Sun, by some device; even so, if man have suffered the sparks of divine grace to dye in him, he hath no other means to enlighten himself again, but at the Sun of justice, there to have relief at the Sun of justice, and Father of lights. The means that God used to raise man from his fall, is that which he hath declared unto Adam; The seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpent's head, Gen. 3.15. God himself being pleased to be the first Evangelist; and as Woman brought to man the fruit of death, Woman should bring to man again the fruit of life, the means is, that in the accomplishment of times, he hath sent his Son, his eternal Word, and taken upon him our flesh, allying by this means God with man, making the Son of God our Brother, to the end, we might be the Sons of God. He hath taken our humane nature upon him, to the end we should participate of his divine nature; he hath taken our flesh, for to give us his spirit; he hath made himself a stranger here below, to the end we should be domestic with God; he which is Father of eternity was well pleased to have it so; and hath sent his word amongst us, to the end we might speak to God with assurance; making himself a servant, to the end we might reign with him. By this means we have familiar access to God, seeing he hath taken away the rays from his face, and that Majesty that would have amazed and astonished us, showing himself in a familiar and accessible fashion in his Son, who is our Emanuel, that is to say, God with us. In stead of the Proverb which was used in Israel, We die, for we have seen God; now we ought and may say, We live, for God hath made himself visible and accessible by his Son. The second Person of the Trinity hath been employed in this work: For by what means could we be made the Children of God, but by him who is his only Son? which bringeth us to understand that he is the wisdom of the Father; by whom he telleth us, that he is the Word itself, putting all things into order by him, by which he hath created all things? Yet this is not all, for in this selfsame flesh, he would have him suffer the pain which we have merited, and to satisfy for us the divine justice, as he saith of himself, I paid them the things that I never took, Psalm 69.5. For jesus Christ had not wherewithal to hide his head, to the end we might have where to repose our consciences: He which is the bread of Life was hungry, to the end, we might be filled. He is dead, to the end to give us life; having drunk the Cup of the wrath of God, to the end we should drink at the River of his pleasures, and as Saint Peter saith, 1 Pet. 2. Verse 24. He hath borne our sins upon his Body, upon the Tree, to the end that being dead to sin, we should live to righteousness, by the breach whereof, we have been healed, for saith Saint Paul, Col. 1.19. the good pleasure of the Father, that all fullness should dwell in him, and to reconcile by him every thing to himself, having made peace with the blood of his Cross, etc. Death swallowed him up, but it was like the fishes, that swallowing the Bait are taken: so Death, in taking jesus Christ, is surmounted and overcome by him, for he is life itself, and also because of his righteousness and innocence death hath no power over him. There is nothing so admirable as this death, by the which he hath triumphed over the power of Hell, and of the Devil, by the which God hath punished and pardoned our sins, declaring in one only Action his sovereign justice, and his infinite mercy: all the triumphs of Emperors are of no value in comparison of the death of Christ; the life of all men are of no value in regard of the death of jesus Christ; all the Crowns of Kings are not comparable to the Cross of jesus Christ, and all the glory of the world is inferior to his opprobry; as it is the ground of our faith, so it is the sum of our knowledge, to know jesus Christ crucified. This death taketh away the bitterness and malediction of our own, and maketh it, that although a fare off it seemeth a fantasy which walketh upon the waters, when it approacheth and cometh nearer unto us, we shall confess that it is jesus Christ that cometh unto us, and have by the blood of jesus Christ, liberty to speak to God, with assurance, that not only we may implore his mercy, but also we may call for justice, saying, Lord, thou are just, and therefore take not two payments for one debt, and correct me not in thine anger for my sins, for which thy Son hath been punished. By this means the justice of God changeth nature towards us, and of justice judging, becometh justice justifying, and of justice which punisheth sin, it becometh a justice which maketh us just. And consider what the Advocate is, who not only pleadeth for us, but payeth for us; who not only intercedeth for sinners, but of sinners maketh them just: Where is the Physician which taketh the medicine, and by it healeth his Patient? Having so endured death for us, for us also hath overcome death; as the combat of his death is for us, so the victory of his Resurrection is ours, after the which he ascended into Heaven, from whence he sendeth his graces; there he receiveth our souls, which he hath bought with his own blood: He is our only assurance in the Kingdom of Heaven, to whom we aspire and tend unto, as strangers in this world, but domestickes with God; as dying, but heirs of eternal life, having to resist the Courts of this world, to public judgements, to customs received, to the over flowing of vices and idolatry; like unto diverse kinds of Fishes, which always swim against the stream, and tend towards the Fountain; attending his coming to judge the quick and the dead, and raise our bodies from the earth, to the end, that in body and soul we may reign with him eternally. Behold my Brethren the substance of the Gospel of Christ, whereof Saint Paul saith, that he is not ashamed, but glorifieth himself, notwithstanding humane judgements and contradictions, which contradictions we have to speak of in the second place, and of the means wherewith Satan and the flesh ●●●ue themselves, for to make men distaste and be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for Saint Paul saith, that the Gospel is a scandal to the jews, and folly to the Greeks', that is to say, that the jews were offended with it, and the Gentiles mocked at it: They were offended to hear spoken that God became man, of a crucified God, of one that was called the Son of David, and nevertheless he said, he was before Abraham was; They were offended to hear in the Gospel, where the first clause thereof begun with Blessed are those that weep, and which promiseth afflictions to those that follow them, as if it had been to chase away the Hearer; found it strange that jesus Christ had sent Disciples that were Idiots, to confound Philosophers, poor Fishers for to establish him throughout a Kingdom; also that the Gospel is hidden in terms very simple and without eloquence, in a world where humane knowledges were in their height, and humane eloquence was come up to the top of perfection: these things which seemed to be of so hard digestion to humane sense, nevertheless being more carefully considered, they are agreeable to wisdom, and the power of God. For to speak of the humility of the Incarnation of jesus Christ the Son of God, we need not think it strange although he were so humbled, because he was come to satisfy for our pride; seeing that man had so fare precipitated himself in desiring to make himself like unto God; it was needful that God should make himself like unto man for to save him; it was needful that he should become man to dye, and God for to vanquish, and that he might be infinite in riches, because he was to pay an infinite debt. As for the rest, be not ye scandalised for the humility of his Birth; but behold the star that then appeared, & the Angels that sung, and Herode who was afraid. If you think it strange that he was hungry, of the other part, behold how he fed five thousand people with a few loaves; if it be a thing unworthy for the King of Kings to pay Tribute to Cesar, consider how he caused it to be paid with Fish. Briefly saith the Apostle in the same Chapter, and the fourth Verse, He is dead, but he hath declared himself to be the Son of God, etc. And his divine virtue appeared more evidently in his infirmity, even as the splendour of a lightning appeareth better during the Night, then at Noonday. We have no cause to be offended that he would have us take up his Cross after him and prepare ourselves for sufferings: For what is there more just then to be partaker of the afflictions of Christ, seeing we desire to be partakers of his glory? These are fair spots, and an honourable opprobry for to carry in his Body the wounds of our Lord jesus. Is it so great a matter to lose our goods for him that hath lost his life for our salvation? to let fall our tears for him that hath lost his blood? to suffer corporal death for him that hath purchased eternal life for us? What matter is it to the faithful, whether he lose his life by the mouth, or by a wound, if he die of a Sword, or a Fever, seeing he dyeth the death of the just, and that his soul enters into the promised repose, with the Children of God? Concerning the condition of the Apostles, who were Fishers and Idiots, it serveth to make Gods work more admirable, then did the virtue of the Lord appear better, when humane help failed: To vanquish ignorance by knowledge, is no admirable thing, but to convince the knowledge of wise men with the simplicity of Idiots, is a work which none but God could do, who in an instant gave to ignorant men the knowledge of all Tongues, who changed the Bark of the Apostles, into the Church, their Fishes into Men, their Nets into Sermons: and of Saint Paul, who was a Wolf, in an instant made him a Lamb; and of a Lamb, an excellent Shepherd; to the end he should know that his vocation came not from Men but God. Concerning scandal taken at the rudeness and simplicity of the style of the Gospel, this simple style is the style of the Laws, which should lose their force, if they were written with the flowers of Rhetoric, because that Kings will not show their eloquence but their authority. Also it is not reasonable to apparel a chaste Virgin in the fashion of a Strumpet, nor to cloth heavenly wisdom in fantastical and humane knowledge. It may be you think, that all this that is spoken, is not spoken but against Persecutors and Tyrants, or against Pagans and Infidels, who strive to defame the Doctrine of the Gospel. Let us not abuse ourselves: for even amongst ourselves, there are many to be found that are ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. How few are there amongst us, that rejoice in the Cross of jesus Christ? who lay all their greatness at the feet of his Cross, and glorify themselves in his approbic? hold it for certain, that whosoever rejoiceth more in his riches, or in his nobleness, or in his honours, then in the alliance of jesus Christ, not esteeming his true greatness to be one of the children of God through jesus Christ, such an one is ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. Is it not too true that in Company, and amongst our pleasures, we are ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for at any of these meetings, who is he at any time that preferreth any speech of Religion, tending to edification, but if so happen, he have any thought thereof, fear presently converteth him, lest he should be thought to bring in an impertinent kind of wisdom, where men love better to speak uncivilly or filthily, or any evil of his friend or Neighbour? which truly declareth them to be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. But if these people should dwell in a Country where they should suffer persecution for the cause of the Gospel, how quickly would they turn their backs on Christ? For he that is ashamed of jesus Christ amongst his friends, how will he acknowledge him amongst his enemies? He that in a garden, or in company at Table dare not speak of jesus Christ, how dare he defend him being tortured, or in the fire? how can he sustain adversity, that is thus corrupt in prosperity? In like sort, when a stormy wind bloweth upon a Tree that is laden with fruits, and rotten at the heart, it presently falleth: So when the wind of persecution getteth up, we see presently those which have their hearts thus corrupted with hypocrisy, or which hold not of jesus Christ, but by custom, or for humane consideration, how can they stand. And thereupon when I read the History of Martyrs, the virtue of whom, even at this day sustaineth our vices, who in our Ancestors times have been so liberal of their blood, and so thirsty for God's glory; I find that they died more willingly than we now speak of the Gospel; and that they poured out their blood more willingly for the glory of God, than we at this day spend our money for his service: In such sort, that if any one of those good servants of God, which have planted the Church, during persecution, should now come again, he could not know his flock, but would be astonished, how in so short a time, they are so much degenerated. He should find riches increased, and zeal diminished: more repose, but much less virtue. From whence it cometh that the Gospel is become odious, and Popery insensibly gotten up. The infirm scandalise our profane humour, and impute our vices to Religion, but God grant you long to preserve this peace and prosperity, and preserve your King, under whose wise conduct you live quietly: But you must understand, that the security of the King's life, is the piety and innocency of his subjects: and the means long to preserve that grace which God hath given you, is not to abuse it, but to manage the time and the Commodity which God hath given you, which he hath not given to neighbour Nations, but hath rather set before your eyes, as it were for example of servitude and obscure ignorance, whereupon Satan hath poured out a filthy smoke, even out of the pits of the Abysm, whilst that in our own Country shineth the clearness of the truth of the Gospel: to the end that by this comparison, you may learn to glorify God, and not to abuse and corrupt his blessings with ingratitude. Out of all this you are to learn two points; First, what the Gospel of Christ is, and next, what it is to be ashamed of the Gospel: Now let us learn the third, which is the resolution of Saint Paul, by which he glorifieth himself in the reproach of the Gospel, and contemneth the misprise of men, saying, I am not ashamed, etc. which is the exhortation he maketh to his disciple Timothy, Be not ashamed of the testimony of the Lord jesus, but participate of the afflictions of the Gospel, according to the power of God. This holy Apostle knew what the hatred of the world was against the Gospel. He knew the Egyptians naturally hated the Pastors, as joseph said to his Brethren. He esteemed it no shame to do that which David did; which is to feed the flock of his Father, principally those which jesus Christ hath bought with his blood; and glorified himself to be Herald of the Ministry of reconciliation, ambassador for Christ, and declarer of peace between God and men, 2 Cor. 5. and as Saint Paul saint after Isaiah, Rom. 10. Oh how fair are the feet of those which declare peace, which say to Zion, thy kingdom come? He was not ashamed to bear that burden which he himself had carried. For even as a King maketh a company of Knights of his own order, of which order he himself is the principal▪ So jesus Christ hath instituted the Ministry of the Gospel, of which order he himself is the chief, & hath vouchsafed to participate of the same charge. He was not ashamed to publish to men the Divine Mysteries, which the Angels themselves admired, and were diligent to behold with admiration, even to the very bottom, as Saint Peter saith: having regard to the structure of the Ark of alliance, called the Eternal, whereupon the Propitiator was placed, as a figure of jesus Christ our propitiation: also there were put two Cherubins, having their heads curled, and their eyes blinded towards the propitiatory, for to figure out unto us the attention of the Evangelicall spirits, and to admire the mysteries of our Redemption in jesus Christ: whereupon we need not be dismayed, if in the first of Samuel the Bethsemites having taken away the propitiatory for to look within the Ark, (that is to say, to approach to God without jesus CHRIST) were consumed with wounds and mortality. To be short, our Apostle was not ashamed to declare the mystery of our Reconciliation, which is above all other mysteries, even surpassing the work of the creation: For if it be an admirable thing that the Creator hath made the creature, it is also a thing much more admirable, that the Creator was made a creature. And as for the goods which God hath given us; so much difference is there between the earthly and celestial Paradise, between the Tree of life, and between jesus Christ; between those four Rivers which run by the Garden of Eden, and these other four, which proceed from jesus Christ, which Saint Paul numbereth unto us, that he hath been made for us, Wisdom, justice, Sanctification and Redemption; So much difference is there between the goods which we have lost in Adam, and those which we have offered unto us in jesus Christ: In such sort, that I dare say, this fall of Adam, hath been happy for God's children, and that there was happiness in this unhappiness, and if we had not fallen into death, we should not have come to so happy a life. But the principal reason why the Apostle glorifieth himself to be a messenger of the Gospel, is, that which he expresseth in this Text, that it is the power of God to salvation to all believers, that is to say, because it is the saving virtue of God, by which he saveth all believers. For the Gospel is the means which serveth to purify men's hearts. Now you are clean through the Word of God which I have spoken unto you, joh. 15. As the Spittle coming out of man's mouth makes Serpents dye, so that which cometh out of the mouth of faithful Pastors, maketh wicked desires dye, which are a legion of domestical spirits that hold correspondency with the Devil. It is by the Word of God, which God toucheth the hearts of the repentant, and imprinteth Faith in them. For Faith is by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. It is a powerful means which by a sweet violence, and by a necessity unconstrained, directeth the hearts and draweth them into the way of salvation, by reason of the efficacy, whereof he is called the arm of the Lord, because God by this means handleth the souls, and pulleth them out of the power of Satan, leading them into the way of salvation. The Apostle in the fourth to the Hebrews, compareth it to a two edged sword, because of the double virtue. jeremy calleth it a fire and a Trowel which breaketh the stones, for it warmeth the hearts with zeal, and tameth the hardness thereof. For as God writ with his finger the Law in stone, so he engraveth his Gospel in our hard and rebellious hearts, by the efficacy of his holy Spirit, which is the finger of God. Which I speak of the rather, fearing that some should think by their eloquence to give efficacy to the Word of God; Believe it not in any sort: for that virtue cometh unto him, and to every man also, even from the Spirit of God, which giveth it efficacy, without the which the Word of God is but a dead letter, & a tinkling sound in the air. We beat your ears, but God toucheth your hearts; we cast the seed, but God sendeth the rain, and maketh the Sun of benediction light upon him: He which planteth, and he which watereth is nothing, but he that giveth the increase. Who was ever more eloquent than Isay? and his quality also seemed to enforce attention; for he was of the blood-royal; nevertheless, he complaineth that he laboured in vain, and none would believe in his preaching; to the end that those whom God employeth in this work, if they would have their labour to prosper, they must impute all to the blessing of God, and not to their own industry and sufficiency. Besides, they must look well about them, and not apply themselves to the proud distaste of their Auditors, who in this Age desire eloquence, more than solidity; who would have words without matter, and sauces without meat; who would have their ears tickled, and not their consciences pricked: like unto a wicked Porter, who will not let an honest man enter in at the gate, because he is not well apparelled. In the mean while, this is not the way to profit in the Word of God. Do you think with the flowers of eloquence you can persuade a man to suffer Martyrdom? or with figures & fair words, you can comfort a man at the hour of death? Is not the Gospel the medicine of our souls? What availeth it for the Physician to be eloquent, if his medicine be wholesome? Is not the Gospel the letter of grace and abolition of our crime? then what matter is it in what terms it be written, seeing that it bringeth us out of captivity? God in the Old Testament commanded that his Altar should be built with unpollished stones, to testify that he loved simplicity in his service, be assured of it, that he that hath most profited in a Sermon, is not he that saith, This man spoke very well: but he that saith, Oh I have led an evil life: how fare am I from the rules that this man hath propounded? It is not he that weigheth periods of speeches, but he that soundeth his own conscience: Those that ruminated were marked for clean beasts: you shall be clean and agreeable sacrifices to God, if you ruminate and meditate in yourselves the Word of God. I am certainly persuaded that all my Brethren and Companions in the work of the LORD would wish with me that we were without words, so you were without vices; and that we were despised, so God might be glorified. If they would have efficacy in their Sermons, they must speak with a holy boldness, as God speaking by their mouth, that they flatter not sinners, but in good earnest, make them feel their sins, without exception of persons, or flattering the great ones. A rich man is taught no otherwise then a poor. Selfsame medicines serve for little and great. Even so it is in spiritual medicines. Sermons without reprehensions, are like Swords without points, or Lamps where Oil is poured in without enlightening of them: To fear to touch the sinner, lest he should offend him, is a cruel respect, like unto him that feareth to save a man that is in drowning, lest he should hurt his arm, or pull some of his hair away. These wholesome effects of the Word of God, are not without faith, without which the Word cannot take root, or fructify in our souls, as the Apostle in the fourth to the Hebrews, saith, that hearing of the Word hath not profited them, because it was not mingled with faith. Whereof St. Paul also after he hath said, that the Gospel is the power of God, addeth to every believer. This faith is not an historical faith, as that is of the Church of Rome, which only believeth in general, that all that which is contained in the word of God is true; but it is a faith which hath knowledge added to belief; which besides the general knowledge, applieth the word of God in particular, not only saying that jesus Christ died for sinners, but also addeth with Saint Paul, the second to the Galat. jesus Christ hath loved me, and hath given his soul for me. Neither is it an enforced, or circumventing faith, by the which they believe what the Church believeth, or what the Curate believeth, without knowing what they ought to believe, neither wherefore this belief of the Church is the better. One cannot believe by Advocate, neither is a man saved by the belief of another; He that is persuaded that another can believe for him, is in danger that another shall be in Paradise for him. Habacucke telleth us, The just shall live by faith; then he cannot live by the faith of another. Also it is not a faith of Miracles, whereof the greatness of a grain of Mustardseed can transport mountains, but the greatness of a Mountain of this faith cannot remove a soul out of hell into heaven, which chaseth into another, wicked spirits, but cannot chase from itself wicked desires; which healeth corporal maladies: in another, but cannot heal his own soul from spiritual maladies: but it is a faith which receiveth the promises of jesus Christ with joy, which embraceth him as good news sent from Heaven, who applieth himself to the words which the Apostle said to the blind Man that jesus called, be of good courage, the Master calleth thee: it is a faith that disburdeneth his sins upon jesus Christ, which giveth repose and peace to the conscience, which beholdeth the Book of the Gospel with the same eye that a faithful husband beholdeth his contract in marriage, or a good Son that beholds the will of his Father, who by it is incited to love God, and to glorify him in works and words, just in his actions, humble in prosperity, patiented in adversity, charitable to the Church, burning in zeal of the house of God. For without these things, faith is a name without a thing, a shadow without a Body, and in stead of a belief, a confusion and spiritual lethargy: without this faith we cannot please God, Heb. 11. without this faith, we make God a liar, as doubting of the truth of his promises; without this faith we expose ourselves naked to the temptations of the adversary, for it is a Buckler to beat back the fiery darts of Satan. Be not ye then amazed that the blessings of jesus Christ are sufficient for all; yet nevertheless all cannot be saved, because that all have not faith: for misbelief rejecteth the remedies which God presenteth, and overthroweth the medicine. This faith ought to be nourished and fortified by prayer, by the hearing of the word of God, by holy companies, by all sort of good works; and although after all that, infirmity remaineth in you, fear not your salvation, with a trembling hand give not over taking of Alms. All those which beheld the brazen Serpent, had not their sights equally good, and nevertheless were equally healed. God requireth not of us a perfect faith, but true without hypocrisy, and which endeavoureth to fortify itself, and saith as the father of him that was possessed, I believe Lord, but help my infirmity. God which hath put these Treasures in a Vessel of earth, which perfecteth his grace in our infirmity, in time of necessity sustaineth our feebleness, above all at the hour of death, there he drieth up the drops of blood, he saith to the faithful soul, fear not, Christ jesus is besides thee, which showeth thee a Crown. The faith of the faithful cannot be confounded, like the Nodes of Compasses in the midst of the sea remain unmoveable amidst the Tempest, because they govern themselves not according to the winds, but according to heaven: even so the faith of the faithful remaineth firm amongst the most rude agitations, because it governeth itself not according to the instability of the affairs of this world, but according to the promises of God. But to the end, that every one being invited to receive this grace, esteem himself not excluded, by his quality, his kindred, or his condition, Saint Paul addeth, that this salvation is addressed to the jews first, and afterwards to the Greeks'; leaving us by this example to gather this general Rule that Saint Peter propoundeth, Acts the tenth, and thirty four, God hath no respect of persons: for jesus Christ by the calling of the Gentiles, hath broken the partition between the jews and Gentiles; yet nevertheless Saint Paul saith to the jews, putting the jews in the first place, as having regard to the defence which God made to his Disciples; Go not into the way of the Gentiles. Whereof also he said, were sent to the lost sheep of Israel. Following the same example, Saint Paul, Acts 13.46. speaketh also to the incredulous jews, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken unto you, but seeing you put it from you, etc. By this means, the first have been the last, and the eldest Son hath been made inferior to the prodigal child returned to repentance. Then happened that to the jews, which happened to gedeon's fleece, which in the beginning was only watered, whilst all the land beside was dry; but the day after the fleece was dry only, and all the earth wholly watered; for upon the jews only in former times, the dew of the grace of God reigned down, but afterwards it hath so come to pass, that they are deprived of this grace, and other Nations received into God's favour. For this purpose, the holy Scripture speaking of those which are out of the Church of God, saith, that they are in outward darkness: because in Egypt only God gave light to his people, whilst all Egypt beside round about were environed with outward darkness. But at the death of jesus Christ there happened the contrary: for darkness was only over all judea, although Tertullian saith to the contrary, whilst the rest of the earth was enlightened; then at that time, the darkness was interior, and the light exterior; God signifying by this miracle the rejecting of the jews, and reception of the Gentiles, which is a great advertisement unto us: For if they did so with green wood, what shall become of the dry wood? If the natural branches have been so handled, what will become of wild branches engrafted in their places, if we sin with like incredulity? For, hath God bound himself always to protect his Churches which abuse his grace, and bring blame upon the doctrine of the Gospel? Let us tremble at such examples, and prevent God's judgements by repentance. It remaineth my Brethren, to gather fruit from this doctrine, for our instruction & consolation. First, this excellency of the Gospel of Christ, wherewith God declareth his incomprehensible love in giving his Son for mortal man, for sinners, for his enemies, for the slaves of the Devil, to the end to make them his servants, even his friends, and even his Brethren, a Body and a Spirit with him, and by it, heirs of eternal life; so many sweet invitements, which biddeth us come to him; so many promises to give us all that which we shall ask in his Son's Name, serveth for the comfort of all consciences that are oppressed with the burden of their sins, to the end, that when the horror of the judgement of God, presenteth itself before their eyes, they presently turn their eyes towards the sacred blessing of jesus Christ, towards the blood of alliance, which cryeth better things then that of Abel, which cryeth vengeance, but this crieth peace and reconciliation. If the Conscience take some by the throat, and drag him before the judicial Throne of God, it will bring forth before God this acquittance, sustained with the blood of the Son of God, by which God declareth that he is fully content and satisfied. If Satan produceth before God his accusations against us, and bringeth in a long schedule of our sins, say unto him, I do not excuse myself, but set down underneath, The blood of jesus Christ doth cleanse us from all our sins, 1 joh. 1.7. and also these sins which thou bringest in against me, are not my sins, but the sins of jesus Christ, seeing he hath taken them upon him: as on the other part, his righteousness is ours, for he is our eternal righteousness, and by the obedience of a Man, many shall be made just, Rom. 5.19. He who is dead for his enemies, will he not hear his friends? He that prayed upon the Cross for those that crucified him, will he not intercede in his glory for those which put their trust in him? God which understandeth the cry of the little Crows in their nests, as the Prophet saith in the 147. Ps. will he not hear his Children that call upon him? Should his promises be false, or the death of his Son without efficacy towards those that believe in jesus Christ? In the second place, the Ministers of the word of God have here a fair lesson, for the Apostle exhorteth them; by his example, not to be ashamed, but to rejoice that they are the Ministers of the Gospel of Christ, and to make account of their charge: not because it giveth them occasion to be well apparelled, and plentifully fed with small travail, whilst they leave to others the care of their flock, which afterwards is often negligently taught and instructed; but because they manage the Sceptre of the Kingdom of Heaven, which is his Word, and that God hath consecrated their mouths to signify unto men his holy will. In the third place, that they remember the Gospel of Christ which they deliver, to the end, they mingle not humane inventions, nor vain subtleties, nor diversities of tongues, to establish their knowledge; if they would have their preaching effectual to touch men's hearts, & to retain this power of God to salvation to those that hear; and that they offer not to God a strange fire, like Nadab and Abihu; that they remember themselves of the Law, which forbiddeth to sow two kinds of Corn in one field, or to make a stuff of diverse sorts of matter: God teaching us thereby, that he will not have an artificial mingling in his service, and also they must remember that which they preach be the Gospel of Christ. Even as the Apostles which had fished all the night and got nothing; but when at the word of the Lord they cast their Nets, they got great store of Fish: Even so, if you cast the nets of your sermons by the word of jesus Christ, and follow his commandments, you shall draw souls unto you, and see fruit of your labour. If you distribute nothing but the bread of Christ which he hath put into his hands, you shall perceive it to increase, and to multiply itself in your hands, and the blessing of God to be poured out upon your travail. Seeing that the Gospel is the saving-power of God, let let us take heed above all, we take not away this efficacy by a wicked life, contrary to our preaching. For as the staff of Elizeus had not the same virtue in the hand of Gehazi, that it had in Elizeus hand; so the instructions that are in the mouth of a man fearing God, are full of force, but in the mouth of a profane Minister they have no virtue at all; and therefore the eternal hath said to the wicked: Wherefore dost thou take my words in thy mouth? And jesus Christ commanded Satan to hold his tongue, when he cried, thou art the Christ, the Son of God: knowing that the Gospel in the mouth of the Devil loseth the authority. For the people will never truly believe the Pastor, as long as they see him do the contrary, and be like the Trumpets, who encourage to the Combat, and keep themselves out of the Battle, or like him that carrieth the Lantern, and seethe the least. How will you that the people should come to be sober and modest in apparel, to be chaste and holy in words, if the Ministers be disordered, sumptuous in apparel, and contemners of the name of God? How would you that the people should be turned from their idleness, and from theatres, and unchaste loves and lechery, if the Pastor himself be given to it? Wherefore, as in the time of Heli the sacrificer, because of the sins of his Children, the Oblation was not accepted: Even so because of the vices of Preachers, the people misprize Preaching. For which cause howsoever eloquent and learned they be, they cannot escape the judgement of God; they shall be like the Carpenters which builded the Ark, and yet were drowned in the flood; or like the Tirrians, Sidonians, who furnished Solomon with Materials for the building of the Temple, and yet notwithstanding were strangers of the house of God, and his alliance. In general Brethren, we exhort you in the name of God, and for the compassion of the Lord, by the precious blood of his alliance, by the honour which you have to be the Children of God, for that you are desirous of God's glory, and your own salvation, that you cherish and esteem the Gospel of Christ, and not be careless of this grace of God, to have made shine in this Country so clearly the clearness of his Gospel; for it is arrived in these quarters, that which happened in jerusalem, then when the Law was hidden in the Temple, and they thought it to be lost, it was found again and came to light: As to the wise men, who rejoiced with great joy at the sight of the blazing Star which brought them to jesus Christ: As to Saint john, Apoc. 5. who wept that there was none found worthy to open the book because of the seals, but afterwards he was comforted, for that the Lamb of God, which was also called the Lion of the Tribe of juda, came before and opened the book, to manifest to men the will of God. You are of those to whom it was manifested with most clearness, with least trouble and incommodity: But take heed that you be not of the number of those that Saint jude speaketh of, who turn the grace of God into dissolution, and with God's patience are become idle and negligent. Take heed that the ease of the world do not make you forget what the Cross of Christ is. Know that although God exempt you to fly from your Country for the Gospel, so it is that you ought to live like Travellers and Strangers on the earth; for as much as God exempteth you from the Cross, that you ought to crucify your flesh, and mortify every affection. Although you lose not your goods for Christ's Gospel, yet ought you to be ready to lose and to possess, as not possessing, being charitable to the poor, making you friends of unjust riches which will receive you into everlasting Tabernacles. These things are represented unto you by your Pastors, with more Doctrine both of grace and familiarity. But it is good that God be glorified in every tongue, and that you acknowledge the joy and delight which the Stranger Churches do receive of God's benedictions poured out upon you, and the union which is between you in the same Doctrine and union of Faith. The God of Heaven, who hath given his Son for our Saviour, pour down his graces from above, upon your gracious King, & inspire him more and more with holy resolutions for the good of his Church; and conduct by his holy Spirit, the Pastors of his flock; abundantly bless the people which is chosen for his inheritance, to the end that after he shall be served of you, to glorify his Name in this world, he may glorify you in Heaven. Amen. FINIS. THE COMFORT OF A Communicant: In a Sermon made before the receiving of the COMMUNION; By Peter Moulin, Minister in the Reformed Church at PARIS. LONDON, Printed by T.S. for Thomas Pavier, and are to be sold at his shop in ivy lane. 1623. A SERMON, made before the receiving of the COMMUNION. LUKE 2. VER. 28.29.30. 28 Simeon took the Child in his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant departed in peace, according to thy Word. 30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation. YOU know that in all Contracts of Marriage, there is speech of death: but the alliance of jesus Christ with us is a spiritual marriage: The contract of this marriage, is that which we call the Gospel; a Contract, whereof the Apostles have been the Writers, and jesus Christ himself hath sealed it with his blood. Let it not seem strange unto you then, if we speak of death to day, and of the preparation to die, because we are to speak unto you of a contract of marriage, and of our conjunction with the only Son of the Eternal God. For these Sacraments which we administer unto you at this Holy Table, are kinds of assurances, which serve us as pledges of the assurance that jesus Christ is ours. Now although the consummation of this marriage, shall not fully be made but in the kingdom of Heaven; and that no man can enter in but at this gate, which is called death, which in times past was the gate of Hell, but jesus Christ hath altered and transported it from that place, and hath made it the port of Heaven; from whence it followeth that no man can think of jesus Christ and our conjunction with him, but he must also think of death. There is nothing more nearly conjoined together, than the promises of life, and the preparation to death: it is impossible for us to think of jesus Christ, but presently we must think that by his death, he hath taken away the bitterness and malediction of death, like unto that wood that being cast into the water of Mara, it maketh it sweet and wholesome. It is impossible to love jesus Christ as we ought, but presently this life must needs become unpleasant, which hindereth us from going to him, until death put an end to our banishment, and bring us near unto his presence. Know then my Brethren, that these benefits, by which God maketh you live, teacheth you happily to dye; and with this food of life also teacheth you the preparations and consolations to die. You have not meanly profited, if at your going away from the Sacrament, you say with Simeon, Lord, now let thou thy servant departed in peace, according to thy Word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation: and if you carry from hence a full confidence, it will make you victorious against the terrors of death, for if you have this salvation which Simeon speaketh of, it will bring you unto a great peace of conscience, which is a beginning of that peace whereinto Simeon desireth to enter. Of this (my Brethren) you easily conceiu what the Text meaneth, for although it seemeth not to speak of the Holy Supper, yet it is not very fare from the meaning thereof: because that this Sacrament reneweth unto us the Contract of marriage, and that the promises which are here propounded, are certain remedies and preparations against death. Whereof the Ancients were accustomed to send to the sick, from the Holy Table, and at the same time of the action and administration thereof. This Simeon who died when jesus Christ was borne, who being full of years, waited with impatience the coming of Christ jesus, to the end to raise himself from the sentitinell, and to set his soul at liberty; teacheth us with what firmness, we ought to attend death, and with what desire to receive him. The life of man is not long lasting; some cometh weeping, some cometh in labour, some with pain, and the abiding is so short, that man ordinarily dyeth then, when he hath but newly learned what it is to live. jacob said that his days had been short and evil, although he lived until he was a hundred thirty and three years: how short are ours then, who rarely come to the half of that age, and nevertheless sleep and sorrow must likewise be taken away; for in that time we live not? and most people die in the flower of their age, with their Candle extinguished before it be half burnt out. The Holy Scripture calleth death, the way of all the earth: it is a natural debt, which if a man should deny, it were as much as pleading against his own deed: to strive to be exempt, is to desire to be exempt from the general Law, and to desire, that God for the love of thee, should change the Laws of the world, and make for thee another humane nature. When death cometh it is in vain to say any thing; as Pope Gregory saith in his Dialogues, of one whose name was Stephen, that told Death being sick, he was mistaken, and it was not he. The Pagans who have made Altars and services to vices and sicknesses, to fear an evil hap never addressed any to death, because they were assured that she was always inexorable, and will entertain no terms of composition. This necessity being so strong, and examples so frequent in such sort, that although we daily bury our neighbours, and carry and accompany to the earth the one half of ourselves, yet we look another way both in mind and heart, still holding on the same course we have been accustomed unto, as if we should never dye. For our designs, we make large lived, and task our selves to establish our Name upon earth, spending & lavishing out the time, as if we had but overmuch: still taking out by handfuls, out of the sack, with an assured presumption, never to be empty. We would have long life, to lose it: as if we should accuse God, that it is too long, because we employ it in things either unprofitable or wicked. If any man in company speak of death, it shall be esteemed troublesome, unfashionable, and impertinent, as if there were never any use of such thoughts. Yet being truly considered, there is no thought or meditation so necessary: It is better, saith Solomon, Eccles. 7. To enter into the house of sorrow, then into the house of joy; From hence is derived the placing of Churchyards round about the Churches, to the end that men may pass by the Graves before they present themselves before God: that is, to think and meditate well of death, before we come to look for life, and that first we must acknowledge ourselves mortals and sinners, before we can come to implore the grace of God. There is a great accord between the fear of God, and the remembrance of death: for the thought of death maketh us fear God, and the fear of God comforteth us against death. This thought disposeth us to live well, because the day of death is the day when we must make our account to God. As Death shall find us, so shall the last day judge us; For it will be too late to speak for ourselves upon the gibbet; it will be too late to justify ourselves, when we are encompassed with God's anger; it behoveth therefore to make our peace whilst we have time, and to fortify ourselves with faith against the terrors of God's judgements; let us manage the time, and live as the faithful die; that is, live as we would have wished to have lived, when we must die; this preparation maketh a man courageous: for what can he fear that feareth not death? whosoever hopeth for death, shall not fear the sorrows of life; The threatenings of a Tyrant threatening death, are promises unto him: He will shorten the sorrows of the faithful, he will open the door of the prison of his soul to set it at liberty. To think to lose a Man that feareth God in killing him, is like him that in anger throweth a Fish away into a River to drown it: for it is there where it liveth, and in that death it findeth life. This holy servant of God Simeon, carefully prepared himself, because he hath not only attended death, but also run before to meet it by the way. For he knew well he should die, so soon as he had seen jesus Christ: and no sooner had he heard tell that jesus Christ was borne, and carried to the Temple, without delay or detracting the time with himself, in saying, although he be borne, yet I have time enough to see him without making any great haste; and I shall rejoice to see him great: The desire to prolong life never came into his mind: but without let or staying at all, goes before jesus Christ: that is to say, before death, although that jesus Christ was the Prince of life: he attendeth not until he be entered into the Temple, but meeteth him at the door, with joy embraceth him, and humbleth his old age before the infancy of jesus Christ, and desireth to dye, seeing that he hath seen the beginning of the Kingdom of God, which was all he could see upon earth: for to himself he said, is jesus Christ come so fare, from the very highest Heavens to visit me, & wherefore shoul-not I go before him? and how sweet will death be now unto me, having seen him who is come to take away all malediction? You may say peradventure, that this good man made too great haste: first, for it was sufficient for Christian constancy to attend evils without hastening them, and to forbear until they fall of themselves. Secondly, that it is a loss for the Church, that such a holy man as Simeon, should be taken from the world, whose life was an edification to the Church. Thirdly, and that he abandoned his wife and his children, in having no more care of them and his family. Fourthly, and in conclusion, that Death is an evil which jesus Christ himself, as man feared, having prayed that the Cup might pass from him; and St. Peter was dragged to Martyrdom, after a sort, against his will. They shall lead thee whither thou wouldst not. joh. And jesus Christ wept for the death of Lazarus, although he had resolved to raise him up again. First, to this I answer: the faithful ought not to run to death, but we ought to follow when God calleth: Now God called Simeon, and by the promise which was made, that he should not dye until he had seen the Messiah, he knew that his hour was come. Secondly, many say that the death of a holy man is a loss to the Church. I answer, that God preserveth those that he will employ for the service thereof, as jesus Christ said when the Soldiers held him, If you seek for me, let these go; for he would employ them: if he mean to take any away, he will find other means to perfect his work. Moses did bring the people out of Egypt, and led Israel forty years, even to the very border, and conquered some part of the land beyond Iorden, yet died even at the very entrance thereof: but God raised josuah, to whom he gave strength to effect it. David had projected the building of of the Temple, and gathered together the materials, and made choice of the place, but God would not that he should lay the foundation, but ordained Solomon for that work. It is the work of God, to the which he provideth workmen always according to his providence. Thirdly, may another say, but he abandoned his wife, his children and family. This which seemeth to be a kind of cruelty, is fare better than all clemency, that smothereth all natural affection to obey God, which was the cause that made Abraham resolute to sacrifice his son, which made the Levites draw their swords against their brethren and kindred, for to obey the commandments of God. Simeon at his death was resolved to obey him, and to refuse his family, to follow God: Besides, he knew his family in this affliction wanted no consolation, for it might comfort and arm itself with these considerations. How vainly would we resist the will of God, and kick against the pricks? God is wise, and doth all for the best, and for causes only known to himself. Life is not given us in propriety, but lent us; the Term is not according to our desires, but according to his ordinance: We make up our account amiss, and think we enjoy our life as if it were our own; or else we do not look that God should take it way so soon: by which means the most of the sorrow proceedeth not from the nature of the evil itself, but from ourselves, and our carelessness, and want of attendance. The Holy Scripture saith thereupon very well, That he hath rendered his spirit: & David saith, I render my soul into thy hands, for thou hast bought me. What would this word of render my soul signify, but only to show unto us that God demandeth nothing but that which belongeth unto him? as Saint Luke 12. saith, To morrow shall thy soul be asked for, and principally those whom jesus christ hath bought with his blood and precious sufferings. When he calleth us away, he doth like the buyer, that would have that he paid for: And we ought to say with David, I render my soul into thy hands, for thou hast bought it, and hast bought it, not to enrich thyself, but to better it. It will be well done in our dolours and domestic sorrows to look upon others, and to behold the ruin of their Countries and Cities: So many battles, where fifty thousand men have been slain; where so many Cities have been destroyed; where Kings have been slain in the middle of the Army, or amidst their triumphs: and we shall find our own miseries indifferent tolerable in comparison of theirs, having cause to accuse ourselves of delicacy, living but too effeminately, especially, when we come to behold the wounds of the Church, the forepast massacres, with the executions & burnings of so many faithful people in the Kingdom of Satan, under the which the Church breatheth so hardly: then I say, if we be disposed as we should be, we will be much more grieved with such a general misery, then with our own particular: for it is but of small importance to have domestic evils in our own house, in comparison of the miseries that the world doth suffer. It is a small matter when God taketh one of his servants from the world, in comparison of the streets when they run with the blood of the faithful, massacred by blasphemous and bloody villains. You who are constant in public afflictions, where God is blasphemed, wherefore should you be careless in particular, that dwell where God's name is called upon? wherefore should you be so sensible for your domestical grievances, and so insensible of the wounds of the Church? If any sorrow more for the loss of their own, then for the affliction of the Church, I say, his tears is cruel against the Church, and it is a sign of his little zeal to the glory of God. When Satan holdeth the Church by the throat, we should be glad to comfort it; Yet in the affliction of our family, we grow so passionate, that we reject all consolation; although with dry eyes, we can be content to see for the public good, millions of people thronging down to Hell: and if God take away from amongst us a soul he loveth, or if he take away a wife, or a son, or a husband, than we lose all constancy, and our fashion is to murmur against him? It is very necessary that these domestic sorrows be mastered by a greater power, and that the zeal to the house of God may command us and possess us, as David in the 66. Psalm, saith, The zeal of thy house hath eaten me. Above all we fail in our Tears; for when we have seen a friend die that was dear unto us, and seen him die the death of the righteous, with a holy joy, and go out of this world, like one that goeth out of prison, that is to say, with cheerfulness, and assurance of salvation; yet nevertheless we make too much lamentation for him, which is wrong to jesus Christ, as if his children were with him in misery; it is also a wrong to the deceased, for if we should but taste a few drops, and behold but the sparkles of the glory and contentment which they receive with God, we would say, our tears are injurious; and wherefore should we envy their repose? Doubtless if our tears could bring him again, we ought not, to do it; for they would say, Wherefore hast thou troubled our rest, and brought our souls again into this filthiness, and put us again into the combat, after the victory? They had rather that we would prepare ourselves to go to them; and that we will think they are not lost, but gone before us; and let our chief work be to prepare ourselves to dye, instead of mourning for them: and turn our mourning, with a holy fear, into a holy care, and deep contemplation. And indeed the reason why God so soon taketh from us those we so much affect, is, that he would have a pledge of us in taking the one half of ourselves unto him, to the end we may so dispose of ourselves, that he may also have the rest, and that all our desires may run that way; in so much that there be nothing in the house, nor in the chambers, nor moveables, nor books, whereof the dead was owner, but that it may advertise us to be dissolved, and in good time, whilst it is daylight to dispose of our Souls, ever thinking to go the same way, and to follow that currant. These thoughts ought to change our sorrows and desires, and turn our minds from the memory of evils passed, towards the blessings to come; and to change sadness into hope, and forepast evils into advertisements to come. Yet notwithstanding I find it sometimes very fit to be sorrowful, but with such a kind of respect, as it be alike for those that are without, as for those that are at home. When God taketh any that was an example of virtue, and that was of special worth in the Church, we ought to say God is angry, he maketh a breach in his house: this world was unworthy of so great virtue; it presageth our misery; as the death of josias was presently followed with the Captivity of Babylon; or like the death of S. Augustine, after which presently succeeded the ruin of the city where he was Bishop. For the life of this good man, stayed the judgement of God, and was a kind of Rampart to the Church. Also Elizeus although he were old & feeble, & having nothing but a staff to uphold his weakness, yet nevertheless it served Israel for an entire Army; which is called by King joram, The Chariot of Israel disarmed, and his men of War: As if he should have said, that by his death Israel was disarmed, and all the force it had quite taken away. For even as we see Swallows remove their young from an old house that is like to fall; even so the souls of the Saints fly from this earth here below, before the ruin thereof. This kind of dolour is healed with fear, and the evil that one feareth, is cured by amendment of life: and the death of the faithful shall then greatly profit, if with the sorrow we learn to form ourselves by the example of the deceased. I think good Brethren that such thoughts as these, possessed the kindred and friends of Simeon, by which they were not only comforted in his death, but also instructed and edified. But as for Simeon, how do you think he prepared himself to dye, and with what resolution did he go before? His prayer to God sufficiently showeth, when he said; Lord, now let thy servant departed in peace, Note well what he saith, Now, without ask any delay: He was prepared for it long before, having nothing else to do in the world, but to die. Like a Ship at Anchor, which is already rigged and trimmed, attending only the wind, at last it came, and that wind was the Messiah. He is not the first servant of God nor the last, that desired to die; Elias before him, 1 Kings 19 said to God, he was sorry to see the Idolatry of Israel; It is enough O Eternal, now take my soul, for I am no better than my Fathers: And after him, Saint Paul, Phil. 1. I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ: And in another place; I desire to dye, and to be with Christ. The end wherefore Simeon desired to dye, was to enter into peace: He calleth death a peace or a repose, as Isaiah saith, The just is dead, he shall enter in peace; they repose upon their beds, whosoever shall have walked before him; and so the spirit of God saith, in the 14. of the Apoc. Blessed are they that die in the Lord, for they Now, saith the spirit, rest from their labours. Also death is called a peaceable sleep: as in the 2. of john, Lazarus our friend sleepeth, but I go to awake him: And Saint Stephen slept after he had said, Lord jesus receive my spirit. Daniel 12. saith, That many of those that sleep in the earth, shall rise to eternal life. It is the language of Heaven, the style of the heavenly Court, and the saying of the word of God, to call sleep that which we call death; from whence it cometh, that the Churchyard, where the dead are buried, is called a Resting place, or a sleeping place. For, first of all, even as we put off our before we go to sleep; even so our souls going to rest, put off our bodies. Secondly, if we sleep quietly, we must put off all care, and lay it under the Pillow; even so to dye quietly and peaceably, we must put off all care and earthly thoughts, and having disposed of our House, as God said to Ezechias, for the best Will you can make, leave your Soul to God, who shall not be more rich, but you shall be more happy. Himself dying, left his Purse to judas, his Body to the earth, but left his Soul to his Father: for of that was his only care. Also even as those that are sober, and live orderly, sleep with quietness; but disordered people, and Drunkards, rest with terror and grief, even so shall they dye peaceably and religiously who have so lived; but those that have lived disorderly, and like Swine, are in danger to dye woefully and lamentably. And even as the King Assuerus, when he could not sleep, called for his Chronicle, that after the reading thereof, he might take rest; so ought the faithful, during their lives, exercise themselves in the reading of the holy Scripture, which is the History and the laws of the hand of their Father; and to sleep thereupon in a peaceable and sweet death. And as in sleep, the body is unmoveable, but the soul moveth and exerciseth: so whilst the Body remaineth in death, the Soul liveth to God, and followeth the Lamb, filled with the fullness of the presence of the Lord. And as one may observe of those that sleep very sound, yet if they be but called by their Names, they will rise up in astonishment: so jesus Christ at the last day shall call all the faithful, and they shall suddenly awake, and come out of the Grave: even as he raised Lazarus when he did rise, after he had called him by his name. We may also say, that after sleep we find refreshment, & our strength renewed; so after death our strength shall be renewed, with another kind of vigour, than ever we had before. Briefly, as the profound sleep of Adam, brought him forth a Wife: so our death will bring us near unto jesus Christ our true Espouse, who marrieth us in Righteousness and Mercy: for there is nothing but peace in Heaven, & in earth nothing but confusion. Near unto the earth are Winds and Raine, and heat after cold; but high up in the air, nothing moveth: So what peace must that be in Heaven, where the King of peace himself reigneth, and where the blessed spirits join their Songs and affections to praise & serve God with a holy Harmony? Of the peace of the Blessed, the faithful feel here a kind of taste, which is the peace of Conscience, giving them repose even upon the torture, which sustaineth Martyrs, & maketh them easily digest poverty and misery, by the inward contentment they feel in the love of God, to be reconciled unto him through jesus Christ. For even as a man that is in health, will sleep upon a Bench, but he that is sick of the Stone, cannot rest upon a Bed; even so the tranquillity of conscience maketh a man content, amidst the incommodities of this life, but the wicked in prosperity find no rest. Do you think it strange that jacob slept quietly, albeit he had but a stone for his Pillow, seeing that God spoke to him sleeping, and shown him the gate of Heaven opened? I think jonas had more rest in the Whale's belly, than jezabel in her bed, or Nabuchadnezzar upon his Throne; whereof the Apostle in the 4. of the Phil. calleth the peace of Conscience, the peace of God, and saith, that it passeth all understanding. Whereupon I gather, that if the first Pastes and sparks of eternal peace surpass all understanding, how much more than the full repose, and full peace with eternal contentment? The faithful servants of God having but half dipped in the end of the finger into this Honey, as jonathan did, had their eyes enlightened, and with this sweetness overcome the bitterness of death: and Saint Paul, before he died, tasted of this glory, being ravished in spirit into the third heavens; when he came to speak of these things, he said, that these are things which is not lawful to express: and putting his finger in his mouth, glorifieth himself in his infirmities and in his approbriousnesse for the name of Christ. And David in the 80. Psalm, asketh in this life all the contentment that a man can have in this world, in ask, That God would shine upon him with the clearness of his face: and yet this clearness cometh from afar: It is but like a little Ray of the Sun shining through a little hole, into a dark plaee; what will this be then when the day shall shine all out so clear, and that God will shine clearly upon us so near, that he will show his face unto us, which no man did ever see and live, as God saith to Moses? Many give money for old Coins, and the forms of the buildings of ancient times, but how much would a man give to see the persons of those times? and how much more would a man give to see Abraham, Isaac, jacob, David, the Prophets, and the Apostles? To see the least of them, you would travail a thousand leagues; and how much more than would you give to see all, to see them all, and all free from sin and infirmity, such as they are in the Kingdom of God? And how much more than above all the rest, to see this jesus Christ, which is declared in the word, and figured by the Sacraments; who hath suffered all evil for us; who descended upon earth for to raise us up to heaven; who took upon him our flesh, to clothe us with his holy spirit: who made himself the son of Man, to make us the Children of God, who suffered death to give us life; who daily receiveth our prayers, presenteth them to God, sendeth his Angels from above, and maketh his blessings daily fall down upon us? your eyes see it: which is declared unto you amongst the troubles and throngs of this world, you see it in the peace which Simeon did wait for. Truly we do but lightly esteem these things: a humane spirit moveth but with one wing; we have a greater desire unto it, than capacity to understand it. For we ought to be more occupied in keeping on the high way to come to this peace, then in the contemplation of the excellency thereof: We shall know it one day; now let us strive, only, to tend that way. This thought putteth another into my mind, and maketh me admire many persons, who know and believe these things, and yet are not once moved therewith; who knowing the truth, being in their decrepit age, and in the bed of death, yet notwithstanding fear to confess God for the displeasure of men: they would willingly say with Simeon, Lord now let thy servant departed in peace: but the fear of men hindereth them from making their peace with God: what hope they for, or what fear they in this world? who for an hour of life, that they yet have in this world; would lose eternal life? who to please men in dying, would displease God after death? There is certainly besides hardness and rebellion, a blindness and an evident folly. Some will say, this peace is to be wished for, & I aspire to it even with all my heart, but the way to come thereto is very hard to find out, the passage to death is dolorous & fearful, and Satan lieth in Ambush even in the way; and all the fear, and feebleness, and sorrow that is there, is purposely placed to entrap a man in such extremity: it is a good thing to be dead, but a grievous thing to dye. I confess that death is very terrible in nature. Men care to dye, when they can defer it no longer: Many cut off Legs and Arms to save the rest, and are very glad so to live with the one half of their body; there are many troubled with the stone that resolve to be cut; and although the combat be great, yet they hope to escape; but if they were assured to die, they would resolve to be twenty years tormented: Nevertheless he saith, that death is not so terrible as they make it, principally to the faithful, which are prepared for it: It is not death that is so grievous, but the things thereto belonging. He that feareth God, hath wherewithal to sustain him in these trials: for it is then that God assisteth all those that call upon him, call upon me in thy necessity, and I will hear thee: and what greater Necessity can there be then death? He that giveth his Angels charge to defend those that live in his fear, how can he abandon those that die, calling upon him? He that openeth his eye over the prosperity of the wicked, can he have his ear shut to the sighs of the good that call upon him in their extremity? and although Satan espy him, the Angels watch over him, to whom our defence is committed; and beside, Satan is enchained with a chain, both great and strong, which is called the providence of God, having his Head wounded to death; and the soldiers that he setteth to assail us, which are sorrow and the figure of death, their Arms and weapons are no better than straws and pins, against the faith of the faithful. Some say the Devil appeared to a dying man, and shown him a Parchment that was very long, wherein was written on every side the sins of the poor sick man, which were many in number: and that there were also written the Idle words he had spoken, which made up three quarters of the words that he had spoken in his life; together with the false words, the unchaste words, and the words of injury; afterwards came in rank, his vain and words; and lastly, his actions; digested according to the Commandments: whereupon Satan said, Seest thou? Behold thy virtues, see here what thine examination shall be: Whereunto the poor sinner answered, It is true Satan; but thou hast not set down all; for thou shouldest have added and set down here below, The blood of jesus Christ cleanseth us from all our sins; and this also should not have been forgotten, That whosoever believeth in him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life: there are none so feeble as the Devil, nor so cowardly when he is to assail a true Christian: only name jesus Christ, and he flieth a way: for he waiteth but for the day when he shall be bound in chains, and cast into the bottomless pit, which made him say to jesus Christ, art thou come to torment me before my time? And he prayed jesus Christ that he would not send him into the Abysm. If we have the eyes of Faith open, we shall not need to fear death, but outface her, & make ourselves familiar with her; for she annoyeth none but those that she surpriseth; and we likewise love her like one that openeth the Prison door to those that are in durance: Even as if the Children which come out of the Mother's womb, should have some reason, they would not weep, but rejoice to come out of such a noisome and obscure place to see the Sun: Even so if our souls were instructed as they ought to be, and had true reason, they would not be sorry to go out of the prison of the Body, to come into the light of God: for this issue is another Birth, whereof we ought not to be amazed, if it be done with some sorrow: it is a means to enter into the light. For in the ancient Church, the day of the celebration of the death of the Martyrs, was called the day of Nativity. Let him fear death, who hopeth not for life: let him fear death, who would not go to jesus Christ: let him fear death, that is a slave to his Belly, and to gormundizing: but as for me, Christ is gain to me to live and die. Even then when jesus Christ was resolved to dye, Peter dissuaded him, but Christ replied, Get thee behind me Satan; even so we check the flesh, which filleth us with fears; for it knoweth nothing of the things of God. Now you see death, which was common to us, is now become favourable, she is nothing fearful but in show, for life is hidden under the Image of death: as if one should send us a fair present, by a deformed Blackamoor; so God by the hand of hideous death, presenteth unto us the heavenly life. It is that pale & terrible Horse, which is spoken of in the 6. of the Apocalypse, which is called Death, whereupon we must get up to go to God: It is the passage of the Red sea, which is very fearful to walk amongst the swelling waves that hang over the head: but by that, God opened the passage to the promised land. It is the Lion of Samson, out of the carrion whereof, they got Honey, as Sampsons' companions said, That out of that which was bitter, came forth sweetness: Indeed there is nothing more bitter than death, when it is accompanied with the malediction of God: when it carrieth with it a terror of conscience, an oppression of heart, a trembling of the soul, when it feeleth itself summoned to appear before the judgement seat of God; but these things being taken away, death is sweet and blessed: for jesus Christ hath borne our malediction, and hath suffered all the deeds of the judgement of God, nothing now remaining, but only so much evil as is needful to open the gate, for the soul to departed and be at liberty: and this little sorrow that must be endured, is not long lasting, wonderful little in regard of our sins: light in comparison of the torments of hell which we have deserved: light, in comparison of the sufferings of Christ jesus: light in comparison of the infinite glory, and eternal weight of heavenly glory which stayeth for us: flesh is feeble but the spirit of God fortifieth: it mightily suffereth under sorrow, but an Angel drieth up the drops of blood, and jesus Christ showeth the Crown. You may say unto me, This is true: but wherefore is it that God will have the death of the faithful so full of dolour? It is because he will have us feel sin still to dwell in us, seeing we perceive the effects do show it: also he will by these sorrows, make us feel what the grace is that he hath done us, in delivering us from eternal death; seeing that our death is an easy, short, and sweet death, in comparison of everlasting torments; he would have us in dying, pray ardently: which sorrow serveth to enlighten our prayers, quickened with the violency thereof, and enforced by Necessity: he knoweth, that one cannot come out of an evil, without evil; he will not have us enter into this peace without combat and resistance. All this good cometh by jesus Christ, who by his death hath taken the malediction from ours: who hath changed our sepulchers into Couches, our death into a peaceable sleep, and of the entry into Hell, hath made it the entry into Paradise. Shall we fear to enter into this prison after him. Or to enter into death, where he leadeth the way, and holdeth us by the hand? I am, saith he, the resurrection and the life, whosoever believeth in me, although he be dead, shall live. This is the cause also why Simeon, after he desired to dye, and called death a peace, and a repose, cometh to the cause of this assurance that is to say, to jesus Christ, whom he calleth the salvation of God, let (saith he) go thy servant in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, that is to say, the saving health which thou offerest unto us, and the only means which thou hast ordained to save us. For it is he which is our jesus, because he saveth the people from their sins: It is he that God hath ordained for a propitiation by the blood of the Gross, and there is no other name under Heaven, by which we can possibly be saved: He is the Prince of life, because we draw from him, as from the fountain of life, even as the four first days of the Creation, all was wholly light of itself, but the fourth day God created the Sun, whereto he confined and placed all that that he had of light in the world, that it might afterwards flow from the Sun: even so all life is enclosed in jesus Christ, to the end that going to him, we may draw out of his fullness. And even as the Virgin vestals of the Pagans (from whence proceedeth the Nuns of these times) had a continual fire, which if it happened by any mischance to go out, they might not give it light again but only from the Sun: so our Natural clearness, and our life being extinguished by the sin of Adam, we cannot kindle again, but at the Sun of justice, which is our Lord jesus Christ, to whom belongeth that which is said in the 36. Psalm, The Fountain of life lieth in thee, and by thy clearness we see clearly. It is salvation which is propounded in this Table, which is jesus Christ, now offered unto you. Simeon embraced him in his arms; but you embrace him by faith: Simeon saluted his birth in his infirmity; but you adore and contemplate him in his glory: Simeon came to dye beside his Cradle, but you are made alive by his kingdom: Come near unto him with repentance, receive this meat with faith, digest it with careful meditation of the excellency of salvation, make this salvation fruitful, and of sweet odour, by your good works, that dogs and swine come not near to eat up children's bread, & profane this holy Table. I call them swine that wallow in the mire of their filthy pleasures, who serve their belly more than God, who live of God's gifts, and look not from whence they come: like swine that eat Acorns, and never look up to the Trees. I call them swine likewise, who do no good to any, till they be dead, who give nothing whilst they are alive, and live basely to dye Rich. I call those dogs which are injurious in words, who murmur against all men, who bite the renown of their neighbour, who bark against God blasphemously, and would wrong them that reprove and instruct them; who after a little leaving of their vices, return to their vomiting again. With this company, I rank those that are negligent in participating of the holy Supper, as an impertinent thing, and love not to declare the death of the Lord, contemning the happy helps which God hath ordained to strengthen faith. Such people make their own Inditements; and in abstaining from the Lords Table, acknowledge themselves unworthy to be of his Household: they will not receive the body of the Lord, and the Lord will not receive their souls: they contemn his Table, and they shall not enter into his Kingdom. As much or more are they to be blamed, that know themselves stained with these things, and yet not touched with repentance, come without a holy purpose to do better hereafter, to take the Sacrament, which is life and salvation to the faithful, but poison and death to the unbeliever and impenitent. Do you come to receive the Sacrament of the Lord with profane hearts? Come you to take with hands full of Usury and rapine the Body of the Lord? Come you with riots and quarrels to receive the assurance of your peace with God? or with pride to declare the death of the Lord, which is the miracle of Humiliation? or to please men with curious apparel, where only your innocency ought to appear before God? But for you that are , and displeased in yourselves, this Table is prepared: Do not say, I am too great a sinner to come near it: for that is the cause wherefore thou oughtest to come near: for the more one is sick, so much more need is there of the Physician. jesus Christ is not come to save the Just, but to call sinners to repentance: only be displeased with yourselves to have offended God, and desire to amend and to do better, and ask help at God's hands to assist you to this Combat. He is sufficiently acceptable to God, who is displeased with himself. He is of the most perfect, who acknowledging himself Imperfect, seeketh his perfection in jesus Christ; whose righteousness is imputed unto us. The faithful will have fall and weaknesses, but he will always return again; He will rejoice in trembling, Psalm 2. He will gather on in his way in stumbling; He will say, I believe, but help my unbelief. This Sacament is a means to sustain this feebleness, a restorative for spiritual failings, a succour to a combated faith, to the end that you representing this salvation and this grace, you say I am lost and miserable, and have merited death, but behold God calleth me, and offereth me his grace, and Redemption; he is no mocker, and his vocation cannot be frustrated, yet nevertheless I go bathed with the tears of a holy sorrow, pouring at his feet this precious liquor of repentance; and I do assure myself, he will have mercy upon me, because he hath so promised: I trust in his promises amidst my afflictions, and for all my sins, I fear not but to find a full Consolation. And so I go on my way, saying with Simeon, Lord, now let thy servant departed in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation. FINIS. A HEAVENLY ALARM. OR THE HOLY Spiritual Awakening. By Mounsieur du MOOLIN, Minister of PARIS at CHARRENTON. LONDON, Printed by john Haviland for THOMAS PAVIER. 1622. THE HOLY SPIRITVALL Awakening. IT is too much still to go on, and grow old in vanity: let not the foolish affections of our carnal desires transport us any further: we love the things here below but too well; let us estrange ourselves from them, and address ourselves to heaven, without frustrating it of that that belongeth unto it: the example of Creatures without reason (even without sense) leadeth us unto this reason: we see the water, come out of the water, returning again to the water; the earth drawn from the earth, seeketh for the earth; and so consequently every thing tendeth to his place: but we which are borne for heaven, fly from it. The eternal Beatitude and the knowledge thereof is our beatitude, which we possess already by the assurance of our union with jesus Christ, in whose death we have been baptised to participate at the Resurrection, and to be at God's appointed time coheirs of the heavenly inheritance; should not this make us lift up ourselves on high, and entirely unloose our affections from the earth? But alas! we must confess, that this knowledge is almost wholly unknown to us; for our conversation is little otherwise than theirs that never knew God, walking without all fear of the Lord, and often doing those things which ought not even to be so much as thought of or named amongst us: for we live after the common example, even of the most , wickedly professing that man is not borne but for his flesh, and to glut himself with his irregular desires and passions: O marvelous brutality! Rom. 6.3. Coloss. 3.1. Where shall this knowledge be? Where is the understanding and waiting for heavenly joy? for this Union doth no kind of way exercise the functions: should we not walk in fear and trembling all the days of our life, to mortify the old Man and our corrupt Nature? Otherwise where will the fruit of our Baptism appear? And where the efficacy of the passions and sufferings of jesus Christ? And if we be deprived of these things, remain we not in death, even in eternal death? Rom. 2.4. Wherefore let us begin to be astonished, let us now be afraid, seeing the anger of God doth threaten us if we still desist: his patience inviteth us to repentance; do not undervalue the riches of his mercy; even to this present day he hath supported us, shall we not say the mercy of God is great, he will have pity of the multitude of our sins, although we have added sin to sin: let us not still defer our conversion till to morrow, for Mercy and Anger both come from the Lord, and his day will come when we think not of it, no man knoweth the hour: let us remember that, that is understood of the evil servant in the Parable, Matth. 24.48. who saying in his heart, My Master will be long in coming, and therefore I will lead a wicked life; but when the unlooked for day doth come, that he shall be surprised by his Master, he shall be cast away where is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Let us fear, let us fear to be so surprised; let us watch to do good, and sleep no longer in our sins. O little better than Atheists, infamous monsters, who say, let us sin that God may pardon us, for what else serveth his mercy? Is he not come to save sinners? Alas how you deceive yourselves? And also those who glut their beastly appetites, and feed their odious and detestable desires, who (profaning likewise the mercy of God) promise rest to themselves after they have spent all their life in such wicked ways, with saying a Peccavi at their death, wherein they heap up as much evil in hoping for happiness after such a sort, as the most wicked can possibly do; wherein they make it to be in man's power to have repentance, and to ask and obtain pardon at every moment when he pleaseth, and no special gift and singular Grace of God. As jeremy manifesteth unto us, jerem. 31.18. when he saith, Convert me and I shall be converted, for thou art my Lord my God: truly after I have been converted, I repent. To the end that it shall appear how grace cometh from God alone, even out of his own free will, the holy Ghost saith, Act. 11.18. God hath given repentance to the Gentiles, that they might live: which is also clearly showed by Saint Paul, charging Timothy, 2.25. to teach those of contrary understanding, To see if in any time God will give them repentance for to know the truth, and that they may awake and come out of the snare of the Devil, Isaiah 1.15. as in this we now understand, That man sometimes crieth to the Lord for nothing, and afterwards getteth no answer. Psal. 18.41. Consider then to whom, when, and how is mercy done? And in this behalf let us all acknowledge that we have not to morrow to repent in: let us no longer grow old in our iniquity, for fear, as the Wiseman saith, Wisd. 12.10. That wickedness having taken root in us, our heart will never change: Even as the tree that hath been planted of old, cannot easily be unrooted: having always remembrance of this threatening, Apoc. 3.3. If thou dost not watch I will come against thee, like a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour. But why should we not be wise by so many examples, which daily we see, that the strongest man, even he that in all his affairs builds farthest from the Tomb, and that thinketh nothing less than of the tribute which he oweth unto death; and then at the same instant he miscarries? And therefore no man knoweth the hour, nor how he shall be taken from this vile earth. Every moment, night and day, show us there are a thousand and a thousand ways in the hand of God, to cut, when he pleaseth, the Thread of life, even of the most Robust: Which was well expressed by a grave Author, saying: In what Act, or Place, or Time soever a man is, he is covered with death. Pause a little, O thou Temporiser, that still deferrest thy amendment to another time, let not this present time pass without thinking of it, and this shall be thy entrance in making profit of the advertisement which jesus Christ giveth, Mat. 24.42. That we ought to keep ourselves always ready to watch for fear to be surprised, not knowing the hour of our departing. Let us not make ourselves deaf: if we lend our hearing sometimes to an Instrument which recreateth us, shall we stop it when we should understand wholesome counsel? No, no, this is spoken for our good, Prou. 1. I have called, and you have refused: I have stretched out my hand, and you have not understood, you have contemned all my counsel, and would not be corrected: therefore I will laugh at your perdition, and will mock at your fear when it shall come upon you: when torment and anguish shall come upon you you will call upon me, but I will not answer, because you have hated knowledge, and have not chosen the fear of God: you would not hearken to my counsel, but despised my correction: wherefore you eat the fruit of your own ways, and shall be glutted therewith: for the fools shall be slain with ease; and fools shall be ruined by their prosperity. O perverse people, remember how I dealt with Sodom and Gomorrah, Esdras 2.8. even so I will do with them that will not hear me, saith the Eternal. Let us be better advised, Psal. 95.7, 8. Prou. 19.20. Let us hear the voice of God, let us not harden our hearts: but hear counsel and receive instruction, that we may be more wise. And making profit by these admonitions, let us not put off from one day to another (even every one) to say, I have sinned; and let us repent at this present, and no longer profane this special gift of God, this gift of Repentance so precious (Hebr. 12.17. which Esau asketh with tears, but was not granted him) lest that the misery of the five foolish Virgins fall upon us, who being not furnished with oil, which their leisure would have furnished them withal, entered not in with the bridegroom: but let us keep watch in walking in newness of life, as already departed from the world, not knowing the hour when we shall be called; witnessing that we are dead to sin, and alive to God through jesus Christ, in whom we are made new Creatures to serve to righteousness; and now let us truly show to have more care of heavenly than of earthly things; the covetous man in renouncing his covetousness; the ambitious worldling in renouncing his insolent ambition; and the voluptuous in hating his vile fleshly affections; for from thence springeth all our impiety, it is the root and fountain which begetteth and bringeth forth all wickedness, which wicked people so much esteem. Without particularising the enormity of these vices, where the most guilty will clear himself, in saying he is no such man; although indeed he will not forbear the honour of God, even to trample it under foot as much as he hath power, to fulfil his disordinate desires: willingly detracting from the way of salvation, and hold against his conscience the wide way of the world, with those that know not God, adoring the Creature for the Creator, not fearing to do any thing that may please the appetite. These sins draw after them all iniquity, and to make war against God, is no better than to renounce him: can man with all the wickedness of the world be more abominable? No no, it is impossible, it is in the height of iniquity! But to the end that we may not condemn the parties without hearing them answer for themselves; let us understand what they can say: God desireth the interior and not the exterior, that which is within, not that without; and if they strive to be in better concord and society, yet they do but apply themselves (in show only) that is, but to seek outwardly for union, and by endeavour to preserve that which is not, still inwardly remaining one & the same they were before, which is contrary to the way and walk of a good soul. O true sentence most worthy noting, Prov. 12.15. 1 Cor. 3.19. That the way of a fool is right in his own eyes. Poor blind fools, think you by your humane wisdom (folly before the eternal) to put yourselves safelier upon the pitch-banke of God's wrath, than those whom you do condemn; hear what S. Paul saith of those desiring to be wise, Rom. 1.21.22. You are become fools, in this, that forasmuch as you have known God, yet have you not glorified him as God; let us learn that he which knoweth the will of his master and doth it not, shall be beaten more grievously than he that knoweth it not. Your Hypocrisy is here most apparent, in desiring to be thought of, in better part than that which is within your heart: a detestable sin, which jesus Christ never speaketh of, but in wonderful anger: it is the high way of Atheism, for he which enforceth himself to feign a religion that he condemneth in his soul, can have no quiet in soul nor conscience, until he come to believe that all things are indifferent, and there is no other means to untie himself from the terror of God's judgements, and to free his miserable conscience, but to persuade himself that God will not so strictly look to the carriages of men, and then that maketh him a spiritual thief: or having lost the sense and feeling of divine justice, it is a true testimony, he knoweth God no more; for to deny God and to deny his justice is all one. Do we not see that these for the most part, who fainingly adhere but to idolaters, in the end wholly become idolaters, or fall into the blindness of being of no religion, having wholly forgot God, and live as if there were none? who because men should think better of them, are like the Chameleon, according as they meet withal, sometimes this and sometimes that: such the Prophet Elias crieth against in the 3. of Kings the 18. Wherefore do you halt of both sides? if God be God, wherefore do you not follow him? if Baal, Baal. But if yet they have any spark of knowledge that there is a God, a terrible God, that is to be feared in his judgements when he is angry; should they not be loath to hear the Eternal say in his anger, Apoc. 3.16. They being neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm, he will spew them out of his mouth. And jer. 48.10. saith, He is accursed that doth the work of the Lord loosely; what can be more terrible, but only the execution? And you that say ye are the best; you that agree with the Spirit in what you do: Lamentable wise fools, whose wisdom is folly, do not you know that he that is Creator of the soul, is also of the body? Can we with the one serve God, and Mammon with the other? Wherefore did not Daniel feign as you use, when he was to be cast into the Lion's den, or Sidrack, Misack and Abednego, when they were to be cast into the furnace? wherefore have not all other Martyrs spoken your language, and made a fair show to have escaped such horrible torments, even of death itself? But what was the cause that made many of them even with a yea or a no, without any profession of religion (being desired by those which thought to do friendly offices for their escape) rather choose death, and so abandon their lives, than they would hear one word in hope thereof? Rom. 10.10. No, no, we must, as Saint Paul saith, not only believe with the heart to be justified, but confess with the mouth to have salvation; for God desireth the outward with the inward, and would have our light so shine before men, to the end that seeing our good works he may be glorified: this is the doctrine of jesus Christ: let us strive to do this, for otherwise we shall find as in the Apocal. 2.16. Repent, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth: But let us take up with ourselves, and at last sing with David, Psal. 35. Our tongues shall sing highly of the justice of the eternal, and the humble shall hear that our souls shall glorify the Lord, whereat they will rejoice: and as Saint Paul exhorteth us, Let us glorify our God not only in our spirit, but also in our bodies which are Gods; and let us give one another a good sign of our adoption, that we have in jesus Christ; which all men may witness that by him we are inheritors of the kingdom of heaven; let us rejoice in this glory, which no glory can compare with, and so precious a blessing that no man can value with any price. Let our piety shine clearly for the instruction of our families, and not show ourselves careless, but careful to make them know the riches of salvation, with the means how it must be attained: otherwise we are no better than the executioners of their souls, worse than bruit beasts, who but for a while care for their young ones; or like those that sacrificed their children to Baal; I say if we consent that they be nourished with the milk and venom of spiritual whoredom, we do as much as we can to make them one day participate of the malediction of the eternal, even as if we had vowed to be instruments, to deliver them up into the hands of Satan: which we do testify, if against our knowledge and conscience we nourish them not up in the ways of the Lord. Let us apply our whole study to that, after a sort doing as God hath committed to our charge, for their holy conversation, to publish to every one the truth of our profession, as a thing that we make most esteem of. I pray you where is he that is borne of a noble family, who is not jealous to be acknowledged for one of that race? What Lord will not set out his Titles? and will not wear his Arms? even in the best places for to be most beheld? although it be but of small continuance, and little better than pure vanity! yet can it hold no comparison with this Title, so high above all, so full of glory, the top of all Honour, this Title, I say, of the child and servant of God, coheir with Christ; dignities (O the most Noble and magnificent!) which make Monarches happy, not for a while but eternally, in regard whereof all other things, be they never so precious, which are under Heaven, are much less than nothing, even most unhappy, if this other be not adjoined unto it: and moreover if the noble man of the family, in his Arms will not suffer to take away or add any thing, lest the world should detract from his dignity; how much more should we be careful to commit any thing that is not convenient, who are truly the children and servants of God? and in contempt of the world enforce ourselves to walk in integrity, and strive to be so esteemed? which if we do not, how can we be esteemed to be in the grace and favour of Heaven? let us not then be ashamed of the truth of Christ's Gospel, which is the virtue of God to salvation unto all believers; for alas! if it be so that we are become so bruit and bestial, that to possess the world, or for fear of it, we will dissemble the knowledge that is in us; the Son of God himself saith unto us, Luke 9.26. even as we have denied him before men, he will also deny us before his Father, and there will be ashamed of us, and very justly: Let us then hold the confession of our hope without varying for any thing, according as S. Paul teacheth us, That that which is present and to come, height, depth, poverty, nakedness, persecution, affliction, nor death, nor life, shall not separate us from the love of Christ: always prepared in every place, and before all to render a reason to every one of the hope that is in us; and as truly faithful let us take our neighbours by the hand and say, let us go up to the Mountain of Zion, into the house of the God of jacob, and there will he teach us his ways: and let us one stir up another to Charity and good Works, without swerving from the company of the faithful: for S. Paul saith, If we willingly sin after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there is no more sacrifice for sin, but a terrible looking for judgement, and a fury of fire, which shall devour the adversaries: Representing unto us, that if any have misprized the Law of Moses, he was without all mercy put to death: from thence then conclude, how much greater torment do they deserve who have the blood of JESUS CHRIST in no reverence or holiness, by which they have been sanctified, doing this injury even to the spirit of grace? afterwards that this cometh to be known, the custom is to deprive such odious people of great men's favours, which maketh all fair designs prove abortive; this is no true nor fair proceeding, but rather an encouragement still to continue in their wicked ways. Here must the place be of the wrestling, behold the Combat, but before we enter the lists let us know our enemies, they are the World and the Flesh: shall we ask of our enemies convenient things to destroy them? No, that would be worse than to cast flax into the fire to quench it. For to defend ourselves from the first assault, let us rank ourselves like Daniel, Sidrack, Misack, and Abednego; let us march their pace, and we shall serve ourselves with the like Arms of Martyrs which they did: having our reines girt with the girdle of Truth, clothed with the breastplate of Righteousness, and our feet with the preparation of the Gospel of peace, in every thing taking the buckler of Faith, the helmet of Salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God; renouncing ourselves to follow JESUS CHRIST, as every true Christian ought: so shall we pass a greater conflict than this we have at this present, if we meet it, and shall remain conquerors as they have done, which have not only known, but also followed the will of the Eternal, and not the sensuality of the Flesh, of the World (a gift of God which he giveth to all that ask it of him with confidence) knowing that the Almighty curseth the man that putteth his trust in Man, and in the flesh of the arm, for the greatest is but vanity and lies, and whosoever should weigh all the great ones of the earth against nothing, yet should they all be found more light than nothing. But they have not waited for salvation from any other sovereign, but reposed wholly in him; Do we not see that there never was any Monarch in the world that displeased God, but presently was reduced to nothing? do we want any proofs that God ever failed in his promises? neither hath it been ever known but the wrath of God followed him that trusted in his own arm and power; were it never so powerful? let us at last renounce it, for he that hath nothing but earthly force, hath none at all. Let us therefore follow the counsel of David, and put our trust always in God, for he is good, and will give us all that is convenient; mighty in power and truth, and unmoveable in all his promises for to bring every thing to pass; therefore let us all say with him, God is my force, and my hope, neither is there any other help but from him, Psalm 28. Thou that fearest thy Honours, and fearest that the goods of the earth will leave thee, which when they have done so, thou art so heartless and without hope, that thou confirmest all this to be true; that it is impossible to serve God and Riches, which is pronounced by the very Truth itself. But it behooveth thee to set the looking glass before thy face, to see how much thou art disfigured, and if thine eyes be not offuscated, behold thy deformity. O fool, that so much esteemest the glory and treasure of the earth, as if in that consisted thy felicity. Horrible idolate 〈◊〉 if thy soul had been asked for this night, what would have become of all? and suppose thy life shall continue even to the utmost of old age, it proveth but a moment: what profit have they carried away that thou hast known, of all those that are now in their graves? dost thou think if they died rich, that they were more happy? alas there is much danger to think the contrary: Luke 18.24. It is a hard thing for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of heaven: What hope canst thou draw from S. james 5.1. You rich men, weep, crying for your sins, and your miseries: your riches are rotten, your are full of moths, your gold and silver is rusty, and their rustiness shall witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire. Now wherefore wouldst thou desire abundance? 1. Tim. 6.9. for Those that would be rich fall into temptation, into the snares of the devil, and into many foolish and filthy desires, which plunge men into destruction and perdition: Which the Wise man understood well, when he prayed unto God, not to give him riches, but only his daily bread. james 1.2. What is all this but Vanity upon Vanity, which have no sooner taken their being, but presently slide away, as if they had never been at all? no more remembrance left to be seen, than of the bird that hath flown in the air, which no man can find out the tract: He that with such greediness heaped it up, at his death left it behind him, and to whom? alas, he knoweth not, as the Prophet saith, Psalm 15.39. But if it should be of some continuance; wouldst thou bastardise and shorten thy felicity, to fix thy sovereign good there? tell me how many years hast thou lived, and in what part of thy life didst thou first delight in these riches? hath thy life since that time been so blessed? if thou think so for a little; at what a value wouldst thou have prized all the World? But listen, and consult with jesus Christ a while. We must know, that whosoever searcheth and loveth these things, cannot please God: for they have his heart, and not the Lord, and therefore let us beware whilst it is light, and learn to misprize and contemn them; following the counsel of JESUS CHRIST, Let us lay up treasure in Heaven, where neither rust nor the moths can corrupt, and let us think of things above, and not of those that are below: for whose ever is not ready to renounce all things that are of this world, and that he possesseth in the earth, even as he himself saith, He cannot be his. But if once that come to be found in us, we will then strive rather to glorify God, than to possess all the riches of the world that are so wicked: preferring the riches of Christ above all the treasures of Egypt, after the example of Moses: and let us no longer deprive ourselves from the hearing of the word of God, and of the means of serving him according to his known will, for to heap up happiness more commodiously than heretofore we have been accustomed: desiring with David to be rather a door keeper in the house of God, than to enjoy all the pleasures and delights of the flesh that may be: for happy are they that dwell in God's house, and those that are far from it most unhappy; Amos 8.2. There is no greater misery than to have a famine of God's word. There are, I fear, too many that to please themselves and their own humours turn away from God, as if it were a disgrace to follow him, preferring the Temporal life before the Spiritual, having more care of the body than the soul, like those that love their apparel better than themselves; nevertheless, such are sometimes put to their proof, because of the defects that are in Men, of their infirmity and baseness, having not yet tasted the promises of God: yet there cannot any thing be more detestable, and more to be condemned: No; and we may say what we will, to colour such an offence; but it is (to speak properly) no other than to put man in God's place; for we make lying man true, and God which is Truth itself, false: we make man who is altogether feeble, mighty; and God who is Power itself, unpowerfull, in putting our trust in man (as it is in this behalf) and upon his promises: and of the contrary, we do nothing but distrust that which is promised unto us by God, and hold ourselves strong enough to the business: although this is his voice, Math. 6.25. Take no care for your life what you shall eat or drink, nor for what you shall put on. If God, saith jesus Christ, feed the fowls of the air, and clotheth the grass of the field, will he not do more for you, O ye of little faith: Ask then, saith he, and seek first the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof, and all these things shall be given unto you: and be not careful for to morrow. This is the Word of God, these are his promises, yet notwithstanding, for all this, in stead of turning to him, who hath promised never to leave us, nor to abandon us (from whence S. Paul argueth, that we must be content with things present) we turn to men, and hope in them for all our necessities: and if any rich man have made a profession of amity, & promised us that his purse shall be open in our needs, presently we make account as of a most sure possession, and we do cherish it in such sort that we will not by any means displease such a friend: even to the great dishonour of God, whom we leave even as he from whom we can receive nothing, or hope for any benefit: who is he (except it be with a marvelous and detestable ingratitude) dare accuse God, and say he is not powerful, or that he will not accomplish that which he hath promised, and so to make him a liar? a thing infinitely (as the offence is infinite) horrible to think upon: attributing that to man which belongeth only to God, He to whom every thing belongeth, who bringeth the rich to poverty, and raiseth the poor into glory, making him to abound in all happiness. Here may some take occasion to say, we will henceforth labour no more, and cast away all care, and put our trust only in God and his promises: but we must know that that would be but only to tempt him; who hath not made us to show ourselves careless in our vocation: we have showed ourselves careless in not employing ourselves to that which we are called unto, since that he himself hath ordained (as a mark and cause of our iniquity) that we shall eat our bread in the sweat of our brow all the days of our life: which made S. Paul say, that he that laboured not should not eat: which is the reason why the Psalmist saith, considering we are constrained to it (speaking to him that feareth God and walketh in his ways) Of thy labour thou shalt live, and thy business shall happily go forward: but the principal end of these promises, is to the end that we be not lost, when by God's providence, we shall want all possessions, and also be deprived of receiving fruit from any thing we can do; a travel very vain if God give not his blessing, without the which, wherefore do we watch so late, and rise so early, and after all this, yet we know from man's help cometh nothing, but only from God, who raiseth and pulleth down whom he list; of him I speak who wanteth nothing to give to those that are in need: and so let us be brought to walk in his obedience and fear, as wholly depending upon him, even the most mighty and great above all creatures. But let us return, and a little further discover our filthiness: do we not see that nevertheless that God assureth us, that none can take a hair from our head without his will; and that it is that which S. Paul saith, If God be for us, who can be against us? and although he say, he will preserve his people as the apple of his eye (enticing us, as it were, to embrace his love) yet how much is our distrust notwithstanding? and if it happen, that we be either threatened with banishment, or to be apprehended for the profession of God and his truth, at the first we are wholly terrified, even to disavow him, and to be disposed to yield to any thing that the adversary will have us confess: the most part of these that follow the great and wide way (even of perdition) and who (as they say) howl like wolves; do they not with a kind of fear foresee it, even before it cometh? although Christ doth teach us, that we should not fear him which can kill the body, and not hurt the soul, but fear him that can kill the soul, and put the body into Hell: we having spoken before, that whosoever would save his life shall lose it; but he that for the love of God would lose it, shall save it. If we be not sufficiently confuted to lead us to condemnation: let us imagine some silly body that hath offended a greater than himself, who desireth to be revenged; if the offender find some favour with the Prince, that he will defend him from all danger whatsoever he can be subject unto, the Prince declaring to all his subjects his love to this man, and that he will defend him even as himself; will we not say, that this is a good warrant? shall we not esteem him out of all danger of fear? and will we not easily believe the power of the Prince will preserve him? But this great God, who is the Prince of Princes, who hath power above all power (more sovereignly powerful without all comparison above all Princes, than any earthly Prince hath power over the poorest vassal in the world) to whom nothing is impossible, the only True, the Vnmovable, cannot he keep us? and wherefore? so many innumerable benefits have we received, and daily do receive of him, fulfilling his promises, ought not these to be sufficient to make us put all our trust and confidence in him, and no way to doubt the sure effect of his word? O! perverse distrust, and disobedience more than unthankful! to prefer the trust in men before the trust in God, to have more fear to please men than God, even to the turning back from God, to follow Baal; as Balaam did, who for hire put himself out of the right way. Many will not confess the debt, but will say (although their conscience speak to the contrary) without fear of malediction pronounced by the Eternal, against those that will say, and make men believe the evil to be good, and the good to be evil, that they walk according to God in all integrity without dissimulation, who for hiding so much more their hypocrisy, they will be careful to observe greatest idolatries and superstitions, and will be glad to make known to every one that they omit nothing of that which is necessary for such a one as they feign to be: and to the end they may not be doubted at all, but to be truly sincere, they make their children take this poison, and nourish them in this venom, which one day they will answer for before God: wherein they openly make war against the truth: also we may see how such impieties and iniquities plunge them into a reprobate sense, Sap. 2.15. Man being punished by the same things wherein he sinned, which always happeneth to those that mock God, 4. Ezdr. 16, who knoweth the intentions of men, what they think in their hearts, in sinning, and in desiring to hide their sins: alas, the condition of such people had better never to have known the way of righteousness and truth, than after they have known it, to turn behind the holy Commandment: sinful people, people rooted in iniquity, corrupt children, to leave the Lord in such a sort, provoking the Holy one of Israel! alas, what will the recompense be of such idleness? 1 Kings 8.39. Those that commit these impieties, can deceive men, but not God, Act. 1.24. who is the only searcher of all hearts, from whom nothing is hid. He will manifest them in their due time; for there is nothing so secret, but when he pleaseth, it shall come to be revealed, Matth. 10.26. and seen even on the house tops, even when it is least expected: and shall say unto them one day, (it may be much sooner than they expect) if they repent not presently, without abusing of his mercy, Matth. 25.41. Go ye accursed into everlasting fire, which is prepared for the Devil and his angels: and then will they cry out in vain, Lord, but it will be answered them, Isaiah 2. I never knew you, ye workers of iniquity, who have loved the glory of men more than of God. O! how horrible it is to fall into the hands of the living God; he which not only seethe our actions, but also is judge of our intentions, and indeed to whose eyes all things are known and discovered. Let us not any longer defer our repentance; let us strive to do well, being to walk before the eternal, who contemplateth all our deeds, and searcheth the reines, and examineth the thoughts, having neither wisdom, force, prudence, or secret place unknown to him, knowing that he will never deal better with us, for hiding our iniquities from men, which notwithstanding we ordinarily think he seemeth to suffer or forget, yet doth nothing less, for without repentance he will be confessed to our woeful condemnation, that he forgetteth nothing; and therefore in all fear, let us apply our members to righteousness, and with S. Paul, Rom. 12.1 1 Pet. 1.18, 19 Psal. 13.4. Let us offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, which is our reasonable service: Let us sleep no longer in our vain conversation, from whence we are redeemed, neither with gold nor silver, but with the precious blood of the Son of God. And now let us awake, let us awake, I say, to sanctification and newness of life, lest that it should prove the fearful slumber of eternal death. Let not the world nor the things of the world any longer hinder our affections, to constrain our continuance in this horrible hypocrisy; being content with the condition which it hath pleased the Lord to call us unto, Rom. 3. seeing that all things turn to good to those that fear God: So that poverty when it findeth us, may not affright us, nor persecution astonish us, when we must bear it for the name of the Eternal; but let us suffer with Christ cheerfully, to the end to reign with him eternally: And let not the works of the worldly, which are servile, ever trouble us, nor any thing, no not the very loss of life, may make us decline from the way of the Lord; for S. Paul saith, Rom. 8.18. The sufferings of the time present, are not worthy to be compared to those blessings which are to come, which are reserved for us in Christ, which S. Paul, Philip. 1.21. saith, It is not only gain for us to live, but to die; and hereafter let us not run to any unlawful means, but only to God, Eccles. 11.14. who giveth blessings and curses, life and death, poverty and riches, and who, I say, hath so loved us, that he hath given his only Son to die for us, Rom. 8.3. will he suffer us to want those things that are infinitely less? No, he will let us want nothing that is fitting for our good: his eye watcheth over them always that fear him and trust in him; for he is our strength, our hope, and our sure fortress: and let us chase away all vanity, and cast away the foolish & cursed confidence which we ordinarily have in the arm of man, and in riches, and from henceforth let us not look for any other thing in all the rest of our pilgrimage, but to glorify God, and to edify our neighbours, putting our whole trust in him; as David did, Psalm 40.4. Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Let us renounce our own wisdom which is but folly, for so the Spirit of God calleth it, Isaiah 5.2. Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight: and let us no longer think our felicity dependeth in the desires of the flesh (which is the all in all of bruit beasts, who die together both in soul and body) but that there is a sovereign and eternal good for those that walk in the fear of the Lord: let us esteem this above all other things, knowing that the world and the desires of it vanish away, and that all the glory of man is like the flower of the grass which is fallen, but the word of God remaineth for ever, and therefore let us say with David, Psal. 62. That our soul only reposeth in God, for from him only is our salvation, every day remembering this prayer, Psalm 90. O Lord teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom; waiting for the full enjoying of all the benefits which are purchased for us, by the Death and Resurrection of jesus Christ, to the participation of this eternal beatitude, and of the union which we have by him in God: to whom only wise, only powerful, infinite, and our only Creator, be all honour and glory world without end, through jesus Christ his only Son and our only Saviour, who in the unity of the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth with him eternally. Amen. The Almighty power of God and his will. Wherein is declared, how the Almighty power of God and of his will, aught to rule our faith in the receiving of the holy Sacrament. TO bind us to believe the Transubstantiation of bread with the body of jesus Christ, our adversaries set before us the Almighty power of God, who (they say) hath wrought as great miracles; whereupon we say, That use we ought to make of the Almighty power of God, is to believe that he will do all which he hath promised in his word, but not to believe all that we would imagine. By that way one may defend the most false and absurd things in the world, in saying that God is powerful enough to do it: The power of God is not the rule of our religion, but his will. For to know if the bread of the Eucharist becometh flesh, and transubstantiateth itself into the body of jesus Christ, one must not begin with the consideration of the Almighty power of God; but we must first inform ourselves of his will in his word. And if we find that God will have it so, we must believe it without all difficulty. First, we learn in the Gospel, that jesus Christ having taken the bread, gave it. He gave bread then. But it is not given until after the Consecration. Also we find, that jesus Christ giving this bread, said, This is my body. And to show that that which he gave was his body, he addeth, that it is done in remembrance of him. For ordinarily the Scripture calleth the remembrance or representative sign of any thing of name, with that it signifieth and representeth, in the same manner, as when we say, This is the King, when we see but the portrait. If then this Sacrament be the commemoration of jesus Christ, it is not jesus Christ himself: for a man cannot be the remembrance of himself. This appeareth clearly by that which is added. For jesus Christ giving the cup, said, This cap is the new Testament in my blood. From whence it appeareth, that this cup is not the blood of jesus Christ, for the blood of jesus Christ is not in the blood of jesus Christ, and so cannot he blood of his blood. If I say that Baptism is the new Testament in the blood of jesus Christ, by consequence I say, that Baptism is not the blood of jesus Christ. So jesus Christ saying, that the cup is the Testament in his blood, also very clearly saith, that the cup is not his blood. And even as a man doth not find it strange, that jesus said, that the cup is an alliance, although the cup, nor that which is within is not transubstantiated into an alliance, but only is the Sacrament of the alliance of jesus Christ; so we may not find it strange, if jesus Christ giving the bread, hath said, that it was his body, although it be not transubstantiated into his body. And S. Matthew in the 26. chapter 29. jesus Christ having given the cup to his Disciples, said unto them, Henceforth I will not drink of the fruit of this vine: he drunk then the fruit of the vine, and not of the blood. For although that there had been two cups, yet S. Matthew speaketh but of one, and calleth not the fruit of the vine, the wine of one cup, he speaketh nothing of it. Also we find the Apostle S. Paul in the 1 Cor. 2.16. saith three times, We eat of this bread, and drink of this cup: so we see it is still bread that they did eat. The same Apostle in the same chapter and 16. verse saith, The bread which we eat is the communion of the body of Christ: he saith, The bread which we break: it is then bread when it is broken in the Sacrament: yet it is not broken but after the consecration. So in the 20. of the Acts 17. the Disciples are assembled to break the bread: It was bread than they broke amongst them, and not flesh. jesus Christ saith in the 12. of S. john 8. You shall always have the poor, but you cannot have me always. And in the 16. ver. 18. I leave the world, and go to my Father, And in the 10. I am no more of the world. This sentence should be false, if we should have jesus Christ shut up within a piece of bread, if he were yet remaining in the world. For he saith, You shall not have me always. Now may one answer, that we have jesus Christ no more visibly; which is nothing to the purpose: for to have jesus Christ invisibly, is always to have jesus Christ. He should be a liar that should say he had no money, because his money was hid: or he that should say he had no soul, because it is invisible. And it is a strange liberty which the Doctors of the Roman Church take; for to make these texts of no value, they interpret them figuratively, and for to shun a natural and usual figure in speaking of the Sacraments, they introduce a dozen of unusual figures without example. The action entirely whole of jesus Christ and of his Disciples, maketh for us: for the Apostles sat at the Table without any kind of adoration, which should have been a very great irreverence in them, to eat jesus Christ, and to sacrifice him to God without making any adoration, which is so much more remarkable, because the Apostles never gave assistance in such an action, and also because it was the first institution of this Sacrament, which is given for a pattern to the end to make them hereafter conformable. Also we see not that jesus Christ maketh any elevation of the Host, he presenteth nothing to God, but only to his Disciples. To conclude, in every action jesus Christ doth the contrary to that which is done in the Mass. The text of the Mass maketh for us, wherein the Priest, after the Consecration, asketh of God that he take this offering as acceptable as ever the Sacrifice of Abel was acceptable unto him: a prayer that was good before Transubstantiation was believed. But in these days, is it not a great offence to God, to entreat him to accept the Sacrifice of his Son as acceptable, as a beast offered by Abel? And which is more, the Priest desireth of God that the Offering which he holdeth may be acceptable through jesus Christ: he believeth not then that he holdeth jesus Christ. And to take away all doubt, the Priest long after the Consecration, looketh upon the Host and the Cup standing upon the Altar, and saith that these are goods which God hath always created, which he vivifieth and sanctifieth through jesus Christ. All this may he say of bread and wine, but not one of these words can agree with the body of jesus Christ: for can the body of jesus Christ be called goods in the plural? Doth God create always jesus Christ? Doth God always vivify jesus Christ, seeing that jesus Christ himself saith, that he himself is life? Doth God create jesus Christ by jesus Christ? Truly if these things should be spoken openly before the people in the vulgar tongue, they would be much offended: & that is the reason why they say their Service in an unknown tongue, against the example of jesus Christ, and against the saying of Saint Paul, 1 Cor. 14. The Priest and the Reader speak to a people in a tongue they understand not. The sixth of Saint john maketh also for the truth which we defend; for although there is nothing spoken of the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist, which was not then instituted; yet notwithstanding he speaketh there of the Communion of the Body of jesus Christ; whereof jesus Christ speaketh in a manner, that he manifestly showeth he speaketh of a manducation, which is not by the mouth: for he speaketh of a manducation, without the which no man can be saved; saying, If you do not eat my flesh, you shall not live. So you see he speaketh not of a manducation by the mouth, without the which so many persons are saved, as the good thief crucified with jesus Christ, holy john Baptist, and infinite others. Also our Lord speaks of a manducation, which how many soever participate thereof, have eternal life; for he saith, He that eateth his flesh hath life eternal; he speaketh not then of the eating the Sacrament with the mouth, which many have done, and yet escaped not damnation, witness judas and many more Hypocrites. But we may not so conclude nor say thereupon, of those that eat the flesh of jesus Christ worthily. For we find in S. Paul, 1 Cor. 2. that some eat the bread unworthily; but we shall not find that the flesh of jesus Christ can be eaten unworthily: and indeed, seeing that to eat the flesh of jesus Christ, & to drink his blood, is to believe in his incarnation and in his death; who knows not that one cannot possibly believe in jesus Christ unworthily, seeing in the belief of jesus Christ consisteth our dignity. But to eat and drink is to be understood to believe; the Doctors and Canons of the Church of Rome say with us, and the holy Scripture is full of such manner of speaking; and jesus Christ in the same place saith, That whosoever believeth in him, shall never thirst; to the end we may know that this Thirst is quenched in believing, and not in drinking with the mouth. And a little after having said, Who believeth in me, shall have eternal life; thence he inferreth that he is the bread of life: and advertiseth us that these words of eating and drinking, are spirit and life, for if they be not taken spiritually, they cannot vivify. Thereupon we ought not to fear, if Transubstantiation be taken away, the Sacrament should become contemptible: For Baptism is not become contemptible, but is more honoured in the Church of Rome, than the Eucharist, and is esteemed a thousand thousand times more, albeit the water be not transubstantiated into blood. For they hold, Baptism is necessary to salvation, but not the Eucharist. They hold, that by Baptism every kind of sin is wholly forgiven; but the Eucharist taketh away but venial sins, and those which they have freed their consciences of before. The Sacraments ought not to be honoured but for JESUS CHRIST'S sake, which when you shall adore in heaven, whitherto he is mounted, to return again at the last day, and shall serve him according to his word, we need not fear that the memorial which he hath left in the Church, and by the which he worketh in our hearts, with efficacy, should ever become contemptible. We must honour the Sacraments, but we may not put them in the place of things signified. All this abovesaid, serveth to show, that for to know the truth in Religion, we must not begin with the consideration of the Almighty power of God, but first of all inquire after his will; which when it is learned, than the Almighty power of God that can do all, assureth us, that being able to do all, he will do that which he willed, and that which he teacheth in his holy word. I will say more: It is the Doctors of the Church of Rome, that dishonour and disgrace, the power of the Almighty God, and of jesus Christ our Lord. For first of all, they make it serve to do things more miraculous than the creation of the world, and yet notwithstanding no profit cometh by it. For they hold, that jesus Christ hath eaten himself, for he hath participated in the holy Sacrament with his disciples; and yet notwithstanding they cannot declare unto us, to what end such a prodigious and incomprehensible thing serveth for; that a man hath his head and his body in his mouth, and that jesus Christ is entered into the stomach of JESUS CHRIST. Also they hold, that Miso can eat the Body of the Lord. What a horrible shame and reproach do they make the Son of God to be to the Church of God For although that jesus christ do not suffer, yet he is mightily dishonoured. Also, they put jesus Christ upon the Host, whereupon they say, that he can neither open his eyes, nor remove the hands, nor breath, and therefore he hath not the power which other men have. Is this to magnify the power of the Son of God? or is it to diminish it, to the end to lift up the power of Priests? who have the power given them, as they teach, to make jesus Christ; which is a thing, that the blessed Virgin Mary, and all the Angels, and Saints together, could never do. What serveth it for to the Church of God, that jesus Christ in the Host hath two eyes, and that he is wholly entire in every crumb of the Host, and his Body entire in every drop of the Cup? And that in the Host it hath the length, and yet nothing long, as the Doctors of the Roman Church do teach? We ought never to exalt the Almighty power of God in the employment of unprofitable things. And indeed, the examples which they bring to hold up Transubstantiation, are examples of the works of God, which have been profitable, and the use whereof is apparent. As when God created the world, and brought forth the light; and changed the rod into a Serpent; and converted water into wine. It is needful to consider, that in these miracles of Transubstantiation, God hath converted one substance into another, which was not before the changing of it: For the rod of Moses was changed into a Serpent, which was not so before the changing; and at the marriage in Cana in Galilee, the Lord converted water into wine, which was not so before the conversion. But they would that God should here convert the bread into a body which is already: As if a man should beget a man that is already borne; or should turn money into gold which is already gold: Or who would go about to make the Moon, unless it were unmade. Besides, the word of God expressly saith, that the water was converted into wine; but it saith not, that the bread was converted into flesh. In giving the bread, jesus Christ saith, That it is his body, in such sort, as it was needful it should be bread, and also that it should be the body of Christ. For bread cannot be in substance the body of Christ, but it may well be in the Sacrament, and according as the signs and memorials take the name, of that which they signify and represent. We exalt the almighty power of the Son of God in this, that without descending from heaven he communicateth himself unto us; but the Church of Rome disableth this power, in subiecting it to the will of a man, which diverse times happening is found no good man, who maketh jesus Christ when he will, and afterwards eateth it; whereupon it happeneth that jesus Christ is sometimes eaten by his enemies, and also (as they say) even by beasts; if the Host be stolen, if it fall upon the ground, if worms and corruption get into it: if a lieu strike it with a knife and maketh it bleed, as it is painted in the billets of Paris: if (as the cautions of the Mess and the penitential Canons say) the Priest or the sick man revomit up the Host through infirmity: All which redoundeth to the misprise and dishonour of jesus Christ, which is the eternal Son of God. They say for excuse, that the dogs licked up some of the blood of Christ jesus: but all that is nothing to the purpose; for jesus Christ was expressly here in this world to suffer ignominy, and to be subject to infirmities: but now he is exempt from all opprobriousnesse and infirmity. And moreover, all that he then suffered: was for our salvation. But one may well say unto me, To what end serveth it that jesus Christ should still be subject to so many indignities above spoken of? If a Mouse hath carried away the Host, or the Cup be spilt, what serveth that to our salvation? And if our Adversaries were asked, what becometh of the Body of jesus Christ received into the stomach: whether it go out, or remain always there, or nothing cometh of it: also how jesus Christ hath one body like unto ours, and of like nature, seeing it is in an hundred thousand places at one time, and he is wholly entire in every part of the Host, having the feet throughout the Host, and the head throughout the Host, and head and feet under one point, and by consequence having a humane body without extension, and a length under one point, and a continuance without extension: where the Body which was at the Table, a little after in the Garden, was afflicted and sweated drops of Blood: and he who in the same time was in the mouths and stomaches of the Apostles, suffered nothing and was impassable, and yet nevertheless was but one body: I believe that they found themselves much troubled; where since that judas hath eaten jesus Christ in the Eucharist, and even at the same time the devil entered into him; can it be convenient or possible to think that jesus Christ and the devil entered into one body together, and remained together? One thing I think is very convenient, that in every Sacrament, as also at the sacrifice, it is necessary that the thing which they administer to the people, and that they offer to God, be consecrated: but in the Eucharist of the Roman Church there is nothing of consecrate which is administered to the people, nor which is offered to God: for is this the bread which is consecrated? No way: for they say it is no more bread. Is it the body of jesus Christ? it is not: for jesus Christ cannot be consecrated, but it is he that consecrateth us. Are these the accidents of bread which are consecrated, that they call forms, that is to say, the roundness, the colour and taste of the bread? It is not neither; for these things are not offered to God in sacrifice: neither are they given to the people for to sanctify them. But behold one Sacrament and one sacrifice, where there is nothing consecrated: where he doth make a Consecration, but they cannot say what it is that is consecrated. All this abuse cometh by the fault of some Priests, who could if they would, make us all agree very easily in one way. For all confess that jesus Christ hath instituted the holy Sacrament as it ought to be, and that there is nothing to say against it. If then the Pope would reduce the Holy Supper into the same form wherein jesus Christ instituted it, in speaking as he did, and doing as he did, without further dispute, we should all agree, and so we should all come to be of one assembly unanimously to glorify God. By this means, divine service should be done in the vulgar tongue; there should be no more private Masses: All should communicate under both kinds; there should be no more adoration of the Host, nor any elevation of the sacrifice: & the Priests bending over the Altar should not pray to God for salvation through the merit of Saints whose bones and relics are hidden under the Altar. But contenting ourselves with the prescribed simplicity of jesus Christ, we should reject these additions which disfigure this Sacrament under the shadow of adorning it. God give us grace to see this happy time, and to that end dispose of the hearts of Princes and people, for the love of JESUS CHRIST our LORD. Amen. FINIS. COMFORTABLE INSTRUCTIONS for the SICK: By Peter Moulin, Minister in the Reformed Church at PARIS. LONDON, Printed by T.S. for Thomas Pavier, and are to be sold at his shop in ivy lane. 1623. Short and Familiar Instructions to comfort the SICK. When the sickness appeareth not to be mortal: For the comfort of the party, one may thus begin. SIR, it behooveth you first to acknowledge that this sickness is not fallen upon you by chance, but by the wise conduct and providence of Almighty God, our Creator and Father, who so disposeth of prosperity and adversity, health and sickness upon his children, that he never sendeth either the one or the other, but to his own glory, and the parties good and salvation. As the Apostle Saint Paul saith, Rom. 8.27. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God. He purposely speaketh of afflictions, wherein sicknesses are ranked. Those people love God, who are first loved of him, and as the Apostle saith, called according to his own determinated purpose. That you are of this number, you have occasion to take assurance by the faith which he hath given you, in making you believe that he is your Father and Saviour, in his Well-beloved Son jesus Christ our Lord, by which you receive the spirit of adoption, which is that that witnesseth with our spirit, that we are the children of God, Heirs, and coheirs with Christ, Rom. 8.11.16.17. You must also take assurance by the sanctification of his holy spirit, by which he hath brought you into his obedience: For those that are led by the spirit of God, are the children of God. But to those which are such, the Apostle Saint Paul saith, that every thing works together for good: afflictions, sicknesses, even death itself: all that they have is turned, by the grace of God to their own profit, and great good, and for the advancement & furtherance of their salvation. Three principal fruits, God maketh us gather of our maladies and afflictions. The first is the amendment of our life, which awaketh us out of our sins. For both in health and prosperity, it is too ordinary to flatter and cherish ourselves in sin, by reason of our great corruption in Nature, which maketh us inclined to all evil, and unprofitable to any good: it is therefore necessary to look about us, and become more sensible of our sins, to retire ourselves, and to be displeased with them; which is made by the means of sicknesses, and other adversities of this life, occasioned by sin, and very often purposely sent from God to chastise and correct us: and in that this good Father of Heaven showeth how much he loveth us, hindering our undoing, and confusion, in our inordinate life; like a good Father, that very well loveth his Children, he chastiseth and correcteth us, to hinder and draw us back again, lest we should be lost; as Saint Paul saith, in the 1. of the Corin. 32. Verse, When we are afflicted, we are taught by the Lord, to the end, we should not be condemned with the world: and in another place he saith, Heb. 12. Ver. 6.7. and 11. That the Lord chastiseth him he loveth, and beateth every child whom he avoweth: If you endure Chastisement, God presenteth himself unto us, as to his Children; For, who is the child that the Father correcteth not? and although that all discipline in the instant, seem not to be of joy, but of sadness; nevertheless it brings a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those that thereby are exercised: It behooveth us therefore first of all, to gather this excellent fruit of our sicknesses, to feel the innumerable number of our sins and offences, whereof we are culpable before God; to ask pardon of him in all humility and repentance, and to make a holy protestation to live better hereafter; and to walk in his obedience and fear, by the grace of God, and the conduct of his holy Spirit: which we ought to ask with ardent prayers, and with an assured faith to be heard according to his promises. And so we may say with David, that excellent servant of God, Psal. 119. Ver. 6●. & 92. Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I have kept thy word. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes. Now we may behold the sicknesses of our Bodies, how they come to be by God's grace wholesome medicines for our souls. The second good which sicknesses bring us; is to unloose, and pull away our hearts out of the earth, to lift them up to heaven. Experience teacheth, that our affections are but too much rooted and tied here below, whilst we are in health, and at our case, we would willingly never part from it, we would be content that our sovereign good & felicity were here assigned, so stupid and blind we are: But God who hath destinated us to a better life, maketh us behold and perceive how vain and deceitful the present imaginary sweetnesses and prosperities are: For when he pleaseth to visit us with any sickness, than we begin to consider the many miseries and incommodities that lackey our lives along even from the cradle to the sepulchre, which maketh us know, and cry out with Esay, 47. v. 6. That all flesh is like grass, and all the glory of it, no better than a flower of the field; And David, Psalm 90. That the flower of this short life is such, that we are always in pain and Martyrdom: And with job 14. That man that is borne of a woman, is but of short life, and full of care. Which is the cause wherefore God maketh us remember, principally when we feel ourselves sick, or otherwise afflicted, to make us contemn the world, and aspire to heaven, making this miserable life distasteful, that we may by meditation taste of the Heavenly life, to the end that where our Treasure is, there may be also our heart, and that our faith and hope being retired from the world, and from the things of the world; we may be lifted up where they have their true objects; that is, to God, and to eternal life. For faith also is not of things visible, but invisible, and Hope is not of present goods, but of goods to come, that is to say, of Heavenly and Eternal goods, purchased by jesus Christ; goods so great and incomprehensible, which as Saint Paul saith, 1 Cor. 1.9. Eye hath not seen, nor ear hath understood, nor is not come up into the heart of man, which God hath prepared for those that love him. There is also a third fruit very excellent which God maketh us receive of sicknesses which he sendeth us; for by this means we come to the trial and proof, for to purify and amend our faith, making it appear to his glory, and to the edification of our neighbour. For as by this means, our faith is excited, and raised up from the world to God, from earth to heaven, from this life, to the most happy and permanent for ever: So is it by such proves examined and exercised, and even as it were refined and purified; like gold that is tried and purified in the fire: as Saint Peter speaketh, 1 Pet. 1.7. It is also brought in evidence and to the light, with patience, constancy, and other Christian virtues, which God hath put in us, without the which we should not be known of any, and so in regard of our neighbours should remain without all use or profit. And certainly we should never have known what the patience of job had been, of Abraham, David, and many other excellent servants of God, if God had not made them pass through the fire of proofs and temptations, and at this day we should not have had so many fair examples as we have, to comfort and encourage us to their imitation. It is the same of Christian faith and patience, as of a Soldier and his valour, who never seethe well but in the middle of the combat; or of the clearness of Stars, which are not beheld but in the night; or the odour of incense, which is not smelled till it be cast into the fire: So God maketh known to our brethren the courage which he hath given us, when he maketh it come to our hands, with some rude and violent sickness: he manifesteth unto them the clearness of our faith, when he covereth us with some night of affliction: he maketh them smell the odour of our patience, when he casteth us into any fire of adversity: and by this means our brethren are not only instructed, edified, and comforted by this our good example; but likewise led to praise and glorify God, who strengtheneth and sustaineth us in the feebleness of our flesh, which demonstrateth and accomplisheth his great virtue in our great infirmity. Now behold the principal and most notable spiritual fruits which God of his bounty propoundeth unto us, what we may gather of our corporal sicknesses. And therefore Sir, now that God doth visit you with this malady, and putteth you into this bed of infirmity, it behoveth you to know and to acknowledge that this is his fatherly hand that handleth you after this manner, as one of his children, and by which he calleth you to rejoice in those excellent fruits and profits, which have been declared for his glory, and for your good and salvation. You must likewise acknowledge, that he would raise you out of your sins and faults, and would have you effectually feel a displeasure within yourself, that you may seek for true pardon in Christ's mercies; renouncing withal your heart your former evil life, with a sound resolution hereafter to serve him, and to walk in his fear with more zeal and affection than you have done heretofore, wholly relying upon his grace; Is not this that you promise? Patient. It is. Also consider, it is his will by this means to make you feel the miseries of this life, that you may contemn and tread down these worldly vanities under foot, to the end that with all your heart, you may aspire to the heavenly and eternal life, and thereby to answer the dignity of that condition to which you are called, to be children of God, and not children of men, to have your conversation as Citizens of heaven, and not of earth, and to follow after and search, as Saint Paul saith, for Phil. 3.20. Col. 2.12. The things which are above, and not those things which are below. Is not this also by God's grace, your resolution, to do all the days of your life. Patient. It is. Acknowledge in the end, that the good will of God is by this sickness to examine & prove you, to the end, that your faith and your patience may become more perfect, and that they may be seen and manifested to your Brethren and neighbours round about you, that thereby they may be comforted and edified, and give glory to God, to see you so patiently and constantly to carry the violences and sorrows of this affliction, and that you esteem yourself to rest with a peaceable and quiet mind, to receive whatsoever else it shall please God to send unto you: Is not this the resolution which you take? Patient. It is. I beseech God to give you grace happily to accomplish your holy promises, to his glory, and your own salvation; also you must with all your heart, often beseech him, and implore his grace, otherwise you shall never be capable of yourself. But if you earnestly and ardently desire him, with a true and a lively faith, in the Name of his blessed Son jesus Christ our Lord, doubt not but according to his promises he will hear you, and at the present be with you, and fill your soul full of all holy consolation, fortifying you with patience, and in like sort comforting you as much as is fit for you, by which means he will bind you so much more to rejoice in his bounty, and to glorify his holy Name with all obedience. This is his own saying, to all that are afflicted as you are; Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will hear thee: Is it not then your desire that here we call upon him with you altogether, that he will be pleased to assist you with his mercy? Patient. Yes. A Prayer. O Lord our God and merciful Father, we prostrate ourselves here, in all humility, at the feet of thy divine Majesty, to acknowledge that it is too true, that we are unworthy of thy favour, and worthy of Hell, if thou shouldest deal with us according to thy justice, for so many offences which we hear confess ourselves to be guilty of. But we beseech thee remember thy infinite bounty, be merciful unto us miserable sinners, and take pity upon us, for the love of thy blessed Son's sake jesus Christ our Lord, not beholding of us in ourselves, but in the person of this Son of thy delight, as members of his Body, reconciled to thy Majesty by the blessing of his death. And as thou art the Father of mercy, and God of all consolation, rich in compassion, and gracious to all those that call upon thee, and have confidence in thee; we beseech thee that thou wilt be pleased to show thyself liberal in general towards us all, who now cry out for mercy, and particularly towards the person of this thy child and servant, lying in this bed of infirmity: give him first of all to understand, that no other hand hath struck him but thine own, to the end he may learn to submit himself to it in all humility and reverence: And to this end, that he may remember that it is a fatherly hand and a gentle, who strikes not to lose but to save; and after having wounded vivifieth, and woundeth by the same wounds which it hath made; make him feel that he is a miserable and poor sinner, not only proceeding out of this mass of corruption, from whence we all do come in Adam, but also and principally, that since it hath pleased thee to give him grace to acknowledge thee the only true God, and him whom thou hast sent, jesus Christ, in whom consisteth eternal life, manifesting by this means thy free adoption in thy well-beloved Son, receiving him to thee, having also put him into the rank amongst the number of thy children and servants in thy Church; although he hath not well known the abundant riches of thy mercy, to love and serve thee with all his heart as he ought, in renouncing the world and himself, by reason of unthankfulness naturally bred in him and in us all, continually rebelling and fight against thy great bounty and grace. O dear Father, touch him in his heart with a lively feeling of all his infirmities and offences, to the end that without flattering of himself, he may condemn himself before thy Majesty, that he may acknowledge all Righteousness to thee, and to himself nothing but confusion of face; make him renounce himself wholly, and confess that justly and rightly thou bringest upon him these chastisements; and that if thou shouldest deal with him according to his deserts, thou shouldest bind him up and throw him even into eternal destruction. Good Lord also grant that this acknowledgement be also but to humble him, and not to deject him into the bottom of despair, and so being of one side cast down, and laid upon the ground by thy powerful hand (not so much from the feeling of his sickness, as from the feeling of his sins) he may be on the other side, by the same blessed hand, relieved and raised up again in assured hope, by the consideration of this thy incomprehensible mercy, whereof thou hast given us so precious and so rich a pledge, as thy well-beloved Son jesus Christ our Lord, whom thou hast not spared, but delivered to death, even to the ignominious and wicked death of the Cross, to redeem us from the ignominious malediction of sin: Good Lord, grant that from hence, thy poor distressed servant may receive all his refuge, fortify his faith, by the which he may search and find in this death and holy obedience of thy Son; the forgiveness of all his sins, and firmly embrace the perfect Righteousness thereof, where withal being clothed, he may find peace with thee, and glorify himself in the hope of thy glory amongst all his tribulations. And that the sorrow of his sickness, wherewith he is corporally visited, may be sweetened with the repose and contentment of his soul. And if it be thy pleasure to recover him from this sickness, to prolong his days, whereof thou dost give us some signs; good Lord give him grace to use it to thy glory, perpetually beating in mind this thy grace, to consecrate the rest of his life with much more affection and zeal then heretofore he hath done: And make him receive this sickness as a fatherly affliction to draw him from sin, and to make him take a holy resolution by thy grace, all the days of his life, to remember the duty and obedience wherewithal he is bound to thee, to walk in thy fear more purely, and more fervently than ever heretofore. Bless the remedies which thou art pleased to let him use, that he may receive comfort in his distress, moderate the sharpness of his colour, and stay the course of it, if thou Lord thinkest it fitting, to the end he may glorify thy Name, and be thankful for thy mercy. But if it be thy will still to continue or augment his pain, make that it may be for his good, and to give him an increase of strength and constancy to bear these thy trials with a tranquil and sweet spirit, without murmur or impatience: and also in these testimonies of his faith and patience, so Christianly, we desire that thou mayst be glorified, and his neighbours edified and comforted. And that he may by the experience of this miserable life, be taught to withdraw his heart and affection, and to raise them up freely to the meditation and seeking of true repose, and to the incomprehensible felicity, which is provided for us in Heaven to live eternally: Grant also good Lord, the same graces to all other that are sick and afflicted; Comfort them and fortify them according to their necessity, and above all, give them grace and a lively faith, to embrace thy mercy in jesus Christ for their comfort. Hear us, O Father of mercy, for the love of thy well-beloved Son our Lord jesus Christ, even as he himself hath commanded us to present ourselves unto thee: Our Father which art in Heaven, etc. And forasmuch, O Lord, as without faith, we cannot be agreeable, or acceptable unto thee, we beseech thee so to increase it in this thy servant, and in us all, that he may come to the last breath of life, and we with him, to persevere therein, and to be always disposed to render a pure confession, with heart and mouth, as we now present ourselves unto thee, saying, I believe in God, etc. This is his faith, O Lord, and ours: give us grace to live and dye herein, through jesus Christ our Lord, who in unity of the Holy Spirit, liveth and reigneth with thee eternally, Amen. When there is apparency that the sickness is mortal, follow this form. Sir, It behoveth you to be of good courage in the middle of your affliction, which it pleaseth God still to continue upon your body; and be assured that he hath neither sent or continued it, but for the good and salvation of your soul: to teach you by this means to understand yourself, as being a poor sinner; more and more to detest your sins, contemn the world, to lift you up to God, and to invocate and call upon him with much more fervour, with assurance to be heard, following his holy promises, and to obtain of him Christian Constancy, which is most necessary for you in this trial. The assurance of the mercy of God in jesus Christ, the true ground of all Consolation. That which ought most to comfort you, and with courage and patience to strengthen you, is the assurance which you ought always to take; that God, for the love of his well-beloved Son our Lord jesus, hath embraced you into his love and free favour, hath pardoned your offences, hath adopted you and received you amongst the number of his children, to make you inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, by virtue of the purchase which jesus Christ hath made for you by the merit of his death, such an assurance will make you always certain that nothing can happen unto you, whether it be in life or death, which can be any other than the favour and blessing of your Heavenly Father, and so consequently are aids and means ordained by his wise providence, to conduct you to the blessed life. This assurance cometh from Faith. It is true that this assurance we cannot take of ourselves, it is our good God that giveth it, when by the virtue of his holy Spirit, and holy Word, he createth in our hearts a true and a lively faith, with the which we receive, and we appropriate the promises of his grace which he hath ordained us in the preaching of the gospel. Which promises in effect are, That God hath so loved the world, that he hath given his only Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have life everlasting. joh. 3.16. If God then hath given you the grace to believe in his only Son; & to embrace him for your Redeemer and Saviour, (as we gather hitherto by the profession you have made, and still continueth in the Church) you may take from thence a holy assurance, that God, according to the infallible truth of his Word, hath received you into his love, that you shall not perish, but have everlasting life. Now being so, what can you fear? Rom. 8.30.31. If God be with us, who can be against us? He, who hath not spared his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? He hath given you the most, that is his Son; he will not everthelesse deny you any thing else that can be necessary for to keep you from all sort of evil, corporal and spiritual, as well in life, as in death. Faith applieth to all the faithful, the promises of the Gospel. This application whereof I have spoken, which you must make to yourself, from the promises of the Gospel, to gather such a holy assurance, it is necessarily required by Faith. For to believe in jesus Christ, it is not enough to believe in gross, that there is a jesus Christ, and who believeth in him, hath eternal life: neither is it enough to believe that the promises of the Gospel are altogether true; the Devil believeth so much, yet notwithstanding he hath no true believing faith: But to believe in jesus Christ, is, when the faithful believeth that there is salvation in jesus Christ for him; which the Devil cannot believe. And the true justifying faith, whereby the just liveth, chiefly consisteth in that, that we apply and appropriate unto ourselves, every one in his own particular, the promises of salvation, that every one in his own behalf, may say, that which St. Paul saith, in the person of every one of the faithful, Gal. 2.20. I live in the faith of the Son of God, who hath loved me, and given himself for me; and in the 2 Tim. 1.2. I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him, against that day; and Rom. 8.37.38. I am assured that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature can separate us from the love of God, which he hath showed us in jesus Christ our Lord. This faith doth not bring us a simple opinion or conjecture of our salvation, but a certain knowledge, following that which Saint john saith, 5.14. We know that we are translated from death to life, And john 10. We know that we are of God, and I have saith he, 1 joh. 5.13. written these things to you which believe in the Name of the Son of God, to the end that you should know that you have eternal life. This faith freely lets us go to the treasure of God's grace, Heb. 4.10. With assurance, as he saith in the 10.22. even with a true heart and a full assurance of faith, as Saint Paul saith, Ephes. 3.12. that, by jesus Christ we have boldness and access, in our belief, by the faith which we have in him. This faith is called, Hebrews 11.1. the substance of things hoped for, that is to say, that maketh things believed and hoped subsist in our souls, neither more nor less than if we were already in the very Actual possession and enjoying. This Faith maketh us find peace and rest in our souls and consciences, chase away the fears and terrors which sin would set before us, with the apprehension of God's judgements, following that which Saint Paul saith, Rom. 5. Verse 1. That being justified by faith, we have peace with God through jesus Christ our Lord, by the which also we have been led by Faith to this grace; wherein we hold ourselves fast, and glorify ourselves in the hope of the glory of God. The gift of perseverance assured to the Faithful. Moreover, these passages propound unto us this holy assurance of Faith, not only for the present, but also to come, and containeth a promise which God giveth us to persevere in this Faith, even to the end. Otherwise, where should be this assurance which the Apostle speaketh of, of not being able to be separated from the love of God in jesus Christ? Where should be this subsistence of things hoped for? How should we have in our souls a solid peace with God? How should we find ourselves firm in this grace? How can we glorify ourselves in the hope of the glory of God? Such is then the incomprehensible bounty of this heavenly Father, that he beginneth not in us the work of our salvation, for to leave it imperfect, according as Saint Paul saith to the Philippians, and in their persons, speaketh also to all truly faithful, Phil. 1.6. I am assured, that he that hath begun this good work in you, will perfect it, even to the coming of jesus Christ: As also he saith in another place, Rom. 11.29. That the gifts and calling of God are without Repentance: that is to say, he gain sayeth not, nor ever goeth from his word. Against the objection that this assurance of Faith should be a presumption. It may not be that this certainty of Faith be blamed in us, and to be thought rashness and presumption; for on the contrary, it should be thought an extreme rashness and presumption, if we should not believe such excellent promises of our God: And it is Humility and Obedience to receive and rest upon it with reverence; For it is said, that he which hath received the Testimony of God, hath sealed that God is veritable, john 3.33. that is to say, subscribed, and given approbation to the truth of God, which he demonstrateth in the accomplishment of his promises; and it is said on the contrary, in the 1 of john, 5.10.11. That he that believeth not God, he hath made him a liar: For he hath not believed in the testimony which God hath witnessed of his own Son, and this is the testimony, that God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Two things might make us rash and bold in this assurance which we take of our salvation; the one is, if we should build upon the merit of our works, Rom. 3.20. For no flesh shall be justified before God, by the works of the law; and all those that seek to be justified thereby, are under malediction; so saith Saint Paul, 3.10.2. It is not by our own righteousness, which is nothing, whereupon we build such an assurance, but upon the righteousness of him whom God hath made to be sin for us, 2 Cor. 5.21. that is to say, a sacrifice for sin: to the end that we might be made the righteousness of God in him; and by the obedience of whom we are made just, in exchange of our disobedience in Adam, which made us all sinners, Rom. 5.19. The other point which might make us bold in this behalf; that if we should presume to purchase such a knowledge of our salvation by the subtlety of our spirits, as it is said, that the Natural man conceiveth not the things of God, 1 Cor. 2.14. But certainly, we make account to have received, as the same Apostle, 1 Cor. 2.12. Not the spirit of this world, but the spirit which is of God, to the end that we should know the things which have been given us from God. Also he saith in the same place, 1 Cor. 2.9.10. That these things, which are altogether incomprehensible, God hath revealed them by his holy spirit: Finally, he addeth, 1 Cor. 1.16. That by this means we hold the intention of Christ. But by this spirit of God, are all those conducted which are the Children of God, which the same Apostle saith, Rom. 8.14. And he is called, The spirit of adoption, and by him we cry Abba Father, Gal. 4.6. that is to say, we cry and call upon God as our Father. And also it is This same spirit, saith Saint Paul, Rom. 8.11.16. which giveth testimony with our spirit, that we are the Children of God. In like sort the Apostle to the Ephesians, saith, 1.13.14. That when we believe in the Gospel, we are sealed with the holy spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory: by which we learn that the testimony of the Holy Ghost received into our hearts with Faith, is like unto a seal, which the holy Spirit imprinteth in our hearts, to assure us of the promises of God, and to assure us that we are his Children, and as men use in the Market, giving of earnest, that is to say, a part of the price agreed for, as well to begin the payment, as to make the bargain irrevocable, and assured, that it may be kept firm: Even so the Holy Ghost, which through Faith begetteth peace and joy in our hearts, is given us for earnest of the Kingdom of Heaven, Rom. 14.17. to the end to assure us by this beginning of spiritual goods (which God hath promised to his children) that he holdeth us for his own purchased possession, to the praise of his glory, and that without ever revoking his promises, he will at last gather us to the full fruition of the Inheritance in Heaven. It is needful, if it be possible, to draw from the mouth of the sick person, confession of his sins, of his Repentance and his Faith; & if he have not the use of his Tongue, but of his understanding, it is necessary for him to answer by some sign. Now Sir it behoveth you to take good courage, and willingly to apply this holy doctrine, for the comfort of your soul; this doctrine hath been declared unto you by the preaching of the Gospel, in the Church of God, whereof you have been a member; it hath also been confirmed unto you by the use of the Sacrament, with whom you have communicated. Have you not received it with Faith? Patient. I have. Also do you not believe, that God is not only your Creator, (but sin having lost you,) he is your Saviour in jesus Christ? Patient. Yes. Do you not acknowledge, that you are a poor and miserable sinner, that if he should reckon with you according to your sins, of necessity he should make you perish in death and eternal damnation? Patient. Yes. Are you not very hearty sorry and grieved so to have offended, and do you repent yourself, even with your whole heart? Patient. Yes. Do you not renounce all opinion and trust in our own Righteousness, for to repose yourself entirely, and your hope in the mercy of God, by which he justifieth and saveth us, in his blessed Son jesus Christ? Patient. Yes. Do you not believe that he hath received you into his mercy, that he is pleased and appeased with you, and hath in grace reconciled you unto him, in the favour, and through the obedience and merit of the same jesus Christ his Son, who you firmly believe died for your sins, and is risen for your justification? Patient. Yes. Now I beseech God to confirm & increase you more & more in this faith, following the which, you need not doubt a certain assurance to be justified and saved, seeing that God hath given you this grace to believe with your heart to Righteousness, and to make confession with your mouth to salvation. Rom. 1.1. For the sick person to resolve, whether it be for life or death, according to Gods will. Being thus resolved upon this firm foundation of faith, now you must take a holy resolution, constantly to attend without all fear, what the Lord will be pleased to send unto you in this your sickness, with a firm persuasion that all will go well with you; whether it be you shall remain here below, or that it be his pleasure to make you more happy. If his pleasure be to restore you to former health again, as he is powerful to draw the dead out of the sepulchre, and make them live again: which will be if he please, for to make you more affectionate to the honour and service of God, then ever heretofore you have been: But if it be his will to lead you by this sickness, to the end of your course, it will be to receive you into the possession of that perfect felicity which the Son of God hath so dear bought with the price of his blood. And therefore go your ways unto him, with a holy cheerfulness in the assurance of his mercies. Rejoice yourself in the happy exchange of your removing from earth to Heaven, from this short and miserable life, to the blessed life for ever to endure; from these trivial and perishing goods, to those that are heavenly and eternal, which eye hath not seen, nor ear hath heard, & which are not yet come up into the heart of Man, which God hath prepared for those that love him. Are you not then well resolved in all this, to conform your will to your Heavenly Father? to the end, that whether you live, you live to the Lord, or whether you die, you die to the Lord, Rom. 14.8. being well assured that Christ shall be always to you to live or to dye? Phil. 1.21. Patient. Yes. God give you the grace. For to assure and comfort the sick in the infirmity of Faith. I am not ignorant that your faith, how great soever it may be, yet notwithstanding it is both little in you and feeble: for whilst the infirmities of this life remain, the Holy Spirit is not given us, but in a certain measure, according to the which we know not but in part, and our spiritual renewing is yet but in the beginning; it is certain that here below we cannot attain to the perfection of faith; and therefore I doubt not but that your faith is yet weak, and infirm, and that it cannot but be moved with diverse temptations, and combated with diverse assaults of doubt and distrust. But yet nevertheless, it behoveth you to be of good courage; for this combat which you feel in yourself, is the combat, which as Saint Paul saith to the Galatians, 5. v. 17. is in the soul of every faithful, between the flesh and the Spirit; and therefore this is a sure testimony which you have by faith. For as the flesh fighteth in you through unbelief, so doth the Spirit fight in you by faith: and this faith never faileth, being fortified by the Spirit of God, which maketh a man victorious, and whatsoever imperfection it hath, God will make it sufficient to salvation; for it is not said, Who shall perfectly believe shall be saved, but simply, Who shall believe. Moreover, as you perceive in yourself, your faith feeble and imperfect, also I doubt not, but you perceive in yourself a Holy desire that it may be increased in you and made stronger, and that in your heart you make your prayers to God that it may be so; Is it not true? Patient. Yes. But seeing it is so, and that this faith and desire may increase in you, and that this prayer which you make to God, proceed from the fruit of the Spirit, and not of the flesh? and seeing these are the fruits which the Spirit of God bringeth forth in you? is it not a sure testimony, that you are conducted by the same Spirit, and so consequently the child of God? for all those that are conducted by the Spirit of God, are the children of God, which Saint Paul saith, Rom. 8.14. Be of good cheer Sir, and boldly say with the Apostle in the midst of your combats, I am assured that nothing can separate me from the love of God, which he hath showed me in jesus Christ our Lord. For to assure the sick against the affrights and temptations of Conscience. There are four things to be marked, which in this spiritual combat may affright you, shake your faith, and trouble the peace of your conscience; which is the feeling of your sins, the apprehension of death, the fear of the Devil, and the horror of God's judgements; before whom we must make our appearance at the going out of this life. But against the fear of all these things, the bounty of God, in the blessings of Christ, and in the testimony of his Word, furnisheth you with all sufficient remedies, for to assure you and truly to confirm you in invincible constancy. Against fear proceeding from the feeling of sin. First of all, for the respect of your sins, it is very necessary to have a lively feeling thereof, for to humble yourself before God: but seeing yond protest to have a serious and true repentance, and to search and apprehend by faith the satisfaction and expiation in the blood of jesus Christ, assure yourself, they can no way hinder the effect of your salvation. If you be a sinner, So jesus Christ is come into the world to save sinners, 1 Tim. 1.15. He is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world, john 1.29. It is his blood which cleanseth us from all iniquity, 1 john 1.7.9. And whosoever shall believe in him, shall receive remission of his sins, through his Name, Acts, 10.43. And therefore he hath commanded, that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his Name, Luke 24.47. He himself inviteth us to come to him, for to enjoy this blessing: Come unto me all ye that labour and are over-laden, and I will refresh you, Matth. 11.28. Go your ways then unto him, if you find yourselves grieved with the burden of your sins, in assurance to find remedy for your souls. And for that very thing, every day he maketh himself an Advocate to the Father for us. If we have sinned, saith Saint john 2.1.2. we have an Advocate with the Father, that is to say, jesus Christ the Just, who is the propitiation for our sins. Against the fear of Death. In regard of death, wherefore do you fear it, seeing that your sins are no more imputed unto you? for sin was the cause that death entered into the world, as Saint Paul, Rom. 5.12. and by consequence, there where no sin is, there can be no death. And indeed concerning death eternal, which the Scripture calleth the second death, you have an entire and full freedom, by the means of this faith which God hath given you. In verity, saith the Son of God, john 5.24. I say unto you, that he that heareth my Word and believeth in him that sent me, shall have everlasting life, and shall not come to condemnation, but is passed from death to life. And as for the corporal death, of which we are assured, it is never a testimony to the faithful of the anger of God against them, as it is always to the wicked; but a singular favour of God's bounty, bringing an infinite number of blessings with it. First of all, it delivereth us from all sorts of dangers, putting an end to so many miseries and griefs, which vexeth us without cease, both in our souls and Bodies during the course of this miserable life, or rather of this continual death, wherewithal we languish here below: Also it taketh us away from amidst the throng of this wicked world, with the corruption whereof we cannot but be infected, and so we come to be freed from this unhappy necessity of sinful living, and from the daily and hourly offending of our Heavenly Father who is so bountiful and gracious a God unto us. Secondly, this bodily death is an entrance to the true life, by the death of jesus Christ, whose sacred self hath passed through this death, to make our passage safe and happy unto us: this is now an assured bridge to pass and make our travail from the world to God, and from the mischiefs of this life to the incomprehensible Beatitude of eternal life; to that fullness of joy, which is as David saith, Psalm, 16.11. In the contemplation of the face of the Eternal. This is the good which your Soul shall enjoy at the departing from your body: And as for your body, which shall be put into the earth, it shall not be there to perish always, but only for a while to rest, attending the happy resurrection; which is the cause why death is called in the Scripture, A Sleep, and and they are said to be sleeping, in regard of their bodies, which at the last day shall be awaked and rise from dust, to possess together with their souls the glorious mortality, being made conformable to the glorious Body of our Lord jesus Christ. Phil. 3.21. He is the head, and they are the members: and therefore it behoveth that the members be conformable to their Head. What find you then in death that may affright you, seeing it delivereth you from all evil, and will raise you to the height of all goodness? Rather you shall not meet with any thing, but will give you comfort and assurance, to confirm your attendance with resolution and tranquillity of spirit, even to aspire with all your hearr, when the Hour will ●ome, to say with Saint Paul, My desire is to be dissolved, and to be with Christ. Against the fear of the Devil. For the fear that you may have of the Devil, you see now there is no great cause to doubt, seeing that death cannot annoy you, but by death, by which it domineareth. But the Apostle testifieth, that jesus Christ hath not only destroyed death, but him also that hath the empire of death, which is the Devil, Heb. 2.14. Our Lord himself saith, that the Prince of this world hath nothing in him; neither hath any thing in those that are his Members, amongst which number you are by the grace of God. Also this hath been for us and our profit, that the Son of God hath vanquished and overcome upon the Cross, where He hath, as Saint Paul saith to the Collossians, 2.15. overcome the principalities and powers of Hell, which he hath publicly brought in evidence, therein triumphing over them. I doubt not but the enemy of our salvation, maketh war against you, for to astonish and trouble your Faith, for as Saint Peter saith, 1.5. Verse 8.9. Our adversary the Devil walketh like a roaring Lion, seeking whom he may devour: Saint Peter addeth, being firm in faith, it behooveth us to resist him: Resist the Devil, as Saint james saith, 4.7. and he will fly from you. But for to resist and vanquish him, it behoveth you to be defended with the armour of God, whereof Saint Paul speaketh to the Ephesians, Chap. 6. Verse 16. Taking, above all, as he saith, the Buckler of Faith, by which you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Against the Apprehension of the judgement of God. Now remaineth the fear which you may take of the judgement of God, before whom you must appear. But whereupon ground you your apprehension, seeing that your sins shall be no more imputed unto you, seeing you shall be no more condemned to death, seeing that it will nothing avail Satan to accuse you, being thereby absolved and justified by the grace of God? It is the doctrine which the Apostle Saint Paul giveth us, Rom. 8. Verse 32.33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? It is God that justifieth, Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Even so ought we to come before God, but not as before a severe and rigorous judge, but as before a Father, that is well-pleased with you through the intercession of jesus Christ: of jesus Christ I say, who is both your Intercessor and Advocate to God the Father. He will not be refused of the Father in his request for you, by jesus Christ, whereof you are a Member: For there is no condemnation to those that are in jesus Christ, saith Saint Paul, Rom. 8.1. By jesus Christ, in the end, in whom you believe, But he that believeth in me, (saith he) shall have eternal life, and shall not come to condemnation, but is passed from death to life. Is not this then Sir your Faith, and firm belief, which by the benefit of our Lord jesus Christ, you have forgiveness of your sins, john 5.24. That you are saved from eternal death, and freed from the rigour of God's judgements, and by consequence, Satan cannot annoy you by his accusations and temptations, and that this corporal death can be no other unto you, but profitable, and every way happy. Also a protestation of charity, must be drawn from the sick party to his Neighbour. As for the rest Sir, you know Faith worketh by Charity, and necessarily bringeth it forth, seeing it hath pleased God to unite you unto him by Faith, also of necessity you must be united to all your Brethren and Neighbours by a true christian Charity. And therefore tell us if you freely renounce not all hatred, rancour, and enmity with every one without exception, and desire the good and salvation of all in general, and every one in particular, even as of your own? Patient. Yes. Do you not pardon with all your heart, all those that might have offended you in any sort, as you likewise require pardon of all those that might have been offended by you? Patient. Yes. Now Sir it behooveth us to address our prayer to God, to the end that he will be pleased to fortify you in faith, which he hath given you, and to make his graces more and more abound in you; and it is your part to humble yourself with us before him, and to lift up your heart to him, to implore his Mercy from the bottom of your Heart. A Prayer for the sick when there is any sign of death. O Lord our God, & Merciful Father, we are very unworthy to lift up our eyes unto thee, our sins and wicked deeds are so many, wherewith we are so polluted before thy face; neither is this out of the confidence of our own worth to be thus bold to present ourselves at the feet of thy divine Majesty, but in the assurance of the great Compassions and perfect obedience which thy well-beloved Son jesus Christ our Lord hath made for us; with the righteousness whereof, we beseech thee cover us with thy grace, to the end we may be by his favour made agreeable and reconciled unto thee. But we beseech thee O good God, particularly vouchsafe thy great mercy to this thy poor servant, so feeble, mightily dejected under thy powerful hand: poor sinner remaining under the weight and rigour of thy high justice, if thou dost not extend thy great clemency towards him. Give him grace, good Lord, to enter more and more into a serious examination and acknowledgement of his faults, to conceive that true detestation which always bringeth forth true repentance, and set him forward entirely to renounce himself and his own way, to have all his refuge in thee, and in thy bounty: In the mean while receive him graciously, O Lord, show him the face of a father and assure and comfort him: Say to his soul, Soul, I am he that can warrant thee. Dispose of his heart, patiently to receive with Action of graces, this Fatherly correction, which thou hast sent him, and to put himself wholly into thy hands, to submit himself peaceably under all that thou shalt please to lay upon him by thy holy providence. Lord thou knowest better than he himself, or any of us what is most convenient, whether he shall live or die: If thy good pleasure be that he shall live, let it be that he may only live to thee: in such sort that having profited well by thy chastisements, he may learn to love thee, honour and serve thee, all the days of his life in thy Church; perpetually studying to bring forth fruits of piety and holiness, worthy of thy Gospel, and convenient for a child of such a Father; so that in him thou mayst be glorified, and his neighbours edified. But contrarily of the other part, it be thy pleasure, to take him out of this miserable world, assure him that it shall be to put him into the possession of thy Heavenly kingdom, which thou hast prepared before the foundations of the world, and which thy Son hath purchased by the merit of his death. To this end, O Father of light, from whom proceedeth every good gift, that thou wilt be pleased to give him a true and a lively faith, with the which he may search, find, and apprehend the propitiation for his sins, and the true righteousness in the obedience of thy well-beloved Son jesus Christ our Lord, who hath suffered for our sins, and risen again for our justification, and ascended into Heaven to take possession in our Name, and by this means, giveth us access and entrance, which sin had banished us from. Imprint in his heart a full assurance of all these thy graces, to the end that by this means, he may peaceably repose himself in thy mercy, and happily overcome all the snares and temptations which Satan and his own flesh would put before him, to trouble the clearness of his faith, and tranquillity of his conscience. That his sins then may not make him despair, because thy justice hath been so well paid, not with gold or silver, but with the precious blood of thy Christ, as of the Lamb without spot or blemish. Let not death affright him, seeing sin is abolished and destroyed in him, which is the sting of death, who now is disarmed and without all power: that his spirit being separated from the body by this corporal death, it shall be to come triumphantly to thee, and delivered from the captivity of sin, to the end to taste of the enjoying the most happy life, which he never tasted in this world, but by hope: leaving his body in the earth, but not for ever, but to be refined, transformed, & in time convenient made conformable to the glorious body of his Redeemer by the benefit of his resurrection. So Satan shall no more astonish him but by sin and death, which he hath utterly lost all power in over our visited Brother. Assuring him in the end that this accuser can intent nothing against him, before the Throne of thy justice, seeing he is absolved & justified by thy grace, there is no judge that can condemn him. That thou wilt also be pleased, O good God, to be likewise merciful to all other sick souls, comfort and fortify them according as thou knowest them needful: and above all, give them grace always to embrace with a true and lively faith, thy mercy in jesus Christ, wherein they may ever be comforted. Good Lord vouchsafe unto us all this grace, that this example may profit and teach us to renounce the world and ourselves, to employ that time we have here below, to meditate thy wisdom, walk carefully in thy fear, retire our hearts from the vanities of this life, to raise them up to attend and meditate upon the Heavenly life, and to this end to be always prepared to appear before thee, with assurance to be gathered and received into thy mercy, for the love of thy well-beloved Son jesus Christ our Lord: In whose name we beseech thee, O Father of mercy, here us in these things, and in all other things which thou knowest better to be necessary for thy poor servant, and for us, than we do ourselves; as we do now request thee in that prayer which thou hast commanded us to present ourselves before thee: Our Father which art in Heaven, etc. Lord give us a good increase of Faith, which thou hast planted in the heart of this thy child and servant: defend him as with a Buckler, by the which he may extinguish all the fiery darts of the Devil, and make him persevere constantly therein, until the very last breath of his life, and that he may always, at the least in his heart, render unto thee a pure and Christian confession, as we now present with heart and mouth: I believe in God the Father Almighty, etc. This is his Faith O Lord, and ours, give us grace to live and dye in it, through jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who in the unity of the Holy Spirit, liveth and reigneth with thee God eternally, Amen. If the sick person continue long, and still in danger of death, it will be convenient to repeat at times necessary, the abovesaid Comforts, but especially those which are to assure and fortify against the temptations and combats of Conscience. And if it happen the sick party be troubled with idle talk, or cannot understand a long discourse: use short sentences, such as hereafter followeth; speaking but at sometimes. Sir, it behooveth you to take good courage; it is the fatherly hand of God that visiteth you for your good and salvation: For to those whom God loveth, all things work together for good. Lift up your heart to God, and confess your sins and offences, and embrace by faith his mercy in jesus Christ, which he hath promised to all those that repent, and believe in him. Have you not always a good assurance in the mercy of God, & a firm faith in jesus Christ your Saviour? Patient. Yes. Do you not believe that jesus Christ is dead for your sins, and risen again for your justification? Patient. Yes. Do you not believe that he hath before the Father, been your wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption? Patient. Yes. Do you not think that he hath freely justified you by the grace of God, through the redemption which is in Christ jesus? Patient. Yes. Following this your faith, doubt not, but God will warrant you from all perdition, and give you everlasting life. For God hath given his Son, to the end that whosoever shall believe in him, shall not perish but have eternal life, joh. 16. Fear not death, seeing by faith you embrace jesus Christ, who is your life. I am, saith he, the resurrection and the life, who shall believe in me, although he be dead, shall live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never dye, joh. 11.25.26. If your sins do afflict you, address yourself always by faith, and run to Christ jesus, and you shall find rest to your soul; Come to me, saith Saint Matthew, 11.28. all you that labour, and are over-laden, and I will ease you: Doubt not the rigour of God's justice; for there is no condemnation to those that are in Christ jesus, as the Apostle Saint Paul saith, Rom. 8.1. And who is he, Rom. 8.32.33. that will bring in accusation against the elect of God? God is he that justifieth, who will be he that shall condemn? Christ is he which is dead, and which is more, is risen again: who is also at the right hand of God, and maketh intercession for us. Be not sorry to leave this miserable life, which as Saint james saith, 4.14. is but a vapour, which appeareth a little while and afterwards vanisheth; besides, in exchange thereof, everlasting life shall be given unto you, and in that the very height of felicity, so great and incomprehensible, That eye hath not seen, nor ear understood, and is not come up into the heart of man, that which God hath prepared for those that love him. When the sick person is apparently at the point of death, or ready to yield up the Ghost, it is necessary to repeat this short consolation following, with prayer. Comfort yourself Sir, you now approach near unto the end of the Combat, which cannot be otherwise but happy unto you, assure yourself, the victory is of your side, by means of your faith, which is the victory that overcometh the world, and the Prince of the world. jesus Christ your head and Saviour extendeth forth his hand, and stayeth for you at the end of the lists, to present unto you the incorruptible Crown of glory, which he hath purchased with the price of his blood, commend yourself unto him now with all your heart: go unto him with joy: throw yourself into his Arms, and say, Into thy hands I commend my soul, for thou hast bought me O God of truth. Psal. 31. Let us again pray to God that he will give you his grace. A Prayer. O Lord, Father of Mercy, & God of all Consolation, let fall thy mercies and comforts upon this occasion, upon this person, thy poor child and servant: Make him now gather and apply unto himself excellent and abundant profit of the holy Instructions which in thy school thou hast taught him during the course of his life: give him an invincible faith in this Combat. Arm him with all thy spiritual Armour, that he may resist all the Temptations of Satan: and having overcome all, make him remain firm. If thy justice astonish, let thy mercy assure and comfort: if his sins accuse him let the obedience of thy well-beloved excuse and justify him, if the apprehension of death, trouble him, make him contemplate the open gate of everlasting life, to which thou goest to make him enter. Thou hast given him it in thy Son, make it perfectly happy to him. He is of the flock of this great Shepherd, let it not be taken from him. Thou hast begun his salvation, let not the work remain unperfect. And now that thou hast brought him to the end of his sorrowful course, now receive his soul into thy hands, and bring it into thy heavenly paradise, into the fullness of repose and beatitude, into the company of thy blessed Angels, and holy souls of thine Elect, which thou hast gathered for ever to enjoy together the perfection of all joy, which consisteth in the contemplation of his face. Hear us, O Father of mercy, for the love of thy well-beloved Son jesus Christ our Lord, who in unity of the holy Spirit, liveth and reigneth with thee God eternally, Amen. A short comfort for those that are friends of the deceased, to be given after the body is interred. Friends, it is needful in this business, for you to remember, of the holy Christian instruction which you have received in the school of jesus Christ, for to make your profit in bearing your affliction with patience, and in humility, resting in a quiet Spirit at the will of God, to which we ought always to be subject and conformable. Our Nature in such accidents leadeth us to tears, but the Spirit of God, author of all Regeneration, teacheth us to keep measure, and not to afflict ourselves, like those that have no hope (1 Thess. 4.13.) If we be men in weeping, yet we must show ourselves Christians, adorned with faith and hope, to assure us that this corporal death, is no other to the faithful children of God, but a happy port to enter into eternal life, joh. 5.28.29. and as for the body it must remain in earth, until that day when they shall hear the voice of the Lord, which shall make them rise out of the grave, into the resurrection of life. That the deceased is of the number of God's children, the marks and testimonies which God hath given him, by the good profession of piety and wisdom, which he hath made in the Church, unto the last breath of his life, need not leave us in doubt. He hath lived to the Lord, and is dead to the Lord, by consequence is happy, and resteth from his labour, Apoc. 14.13. by the heavenly testimony of the Spirit of God himself. You have no cause to weep over him, for the condition he is in, being in every kind thrice happy. He hath also a great advantage of us, that remain in this world behind him. For he is arrived at the port of salvation, where as we are still beaten with the storm and torment of the confused and dangerous sea of this miserable world. And therefore it is much better to aspire to go with him, then to wish him to remain here below with us; for the discommodity that you may receive by his absence, it behoveth you to consider, that God that gave him to you, remaineth still with you, who is enough for us without all other things, whereas all other things without him are nothing: It is he that will continue always over you the care of his fatherly providence, if you continue always to walk in his fear. I beseech God to give you grace, and fortify you with a holy and constant resolution. Amen. FINIS.