THREE GODLY TREATISES.  

1. To Comfort the Sick.  
2. Against the fear of Death.  
3. Of the Resurrection.   
WRITTEN IN FRENCH By Mr. I. D. L'Espine, Preacher of the word of GOD in ANGEERS.  
And Translated into English, by S. VEGHELMAN.  
¶ Nullo nisi in Deo Salus.  
LONDON Printed by W. Stansby for Richard Ba●●…werth. dwelling in Paul's Churchyard at the Sign of the Sun. 1611.   

TO THE RIGHT worshipful Sir THOMAS MIDLETON Knight, and Alderman of this City.  
SIr, your Worship may well account me bold to dedicate this my bare Translation unto you but indeed I know not well how to avoid the imputation, because that if I should have presented it to any other, I must have done you wrong, as the case standeth; for may it please you to understand, that being in your sons study at Gray's Inn (unto whom for a while I read the French tongue,) he chanced amongst other books to find out the original of the two last Treatises of this book, which in our perusing, I in my poor judgement found to be such worthy matters, that I could not content myself with the reading of them, but borrowed the book of him, and my waste times took occasion (as well for my own further satisfaction, as to impart it unto others, my particular friends,) to translate it into our English tongue, not meaning to have had it published in print. Which when your said Son (whom I have still found to be a lover of such godly works) understood, he was very desirous to have it printed, alleging that it could not choose but be very profitable for the Commonwealth, whereunto (although somewhat unwilling in regard of my weakness in the performance thereof) yet at last I condescended, and to amplify the volume, annexed another excellent Treatise to comfort the sick, written by the same Author, which for order sake I have placed before the other two, and do present them together unto your Worship, as belonging unto you of right; beseeching you to take them in as good part as they are willingly offered, and to have in mind in your judicial censure, that although I have not showed the part of an excellent Orator in setting of it forth in our new refined Phrases, yet that I have done the duty of a faithful Translator, in following the original word for word so near as with sense I could. And if this my first little labour shall prove agreeable and profitable, I shall not only think it well bestowed, but also be much encouraged, to go on with the rest of the same Author's works which will be of a greater continent, wherein at the request of some, I am already well entered. And thus beseeching the Almighty to grant you plenty of his Graces, I commend you, and all yours to his most blessed protection. From my house in London this 14. of May. 1611.  
Your Worships at command, S. Veghelman.   

¶ To the Overseers of the Church of ANGEERS.  
Jesus Christ not without cause amongst those things which he commands us to require of God in our prayers, doth enjoin us to demand that he lead us not into temptation: for, regarding on the one side the weakness & infirmity which is in us, & on the other the envy and desire which the devil hath of our ruin, the diligence & pursuit which he useth to procure it, and finally the subtleties, means and practices that he holds to attain thereunto, incessantly searching for to devour us like unto a roaring Lion ravening after his prey: we have great need to stand upon our guard, and to watch and pray for to prevent his ambuscadoes and surprisings, to the end we be not caught in his nets. And for as much as the last assaults which an enemy gives to those that are besieged, are ordinarily the hardest & most furious, we must prepare betime, and provide ourselves (during our life) of those things which shall be necessary for us at our death, for to arm ourselves against the great assaults which then the devil makes to carry us away. knowing well that if he fail at that time the place is lost for him, and that it behoves him shamefully to raise his siege, without hope to come thither any more. Now the weapons & engines wherewith we should principally furnish ourselves, are faith, and the word of God; faith by the which we apprehend the grace of God, and the justice of jesus Christ, for to serve us for a buckler and target, to cover and defend us from the flames of the enemy. And the word for to assault him vigorously, and to cast him on the ground, as did jesus Christ. For there are but these two means by the which we are able to withstand or repulse his assaults, and carry away a full victory over him. Therefore is it (my brethren) that I have gathered you out of the Scripture some notes, proper for to comfort & strengthen you against the temptations, wherewith you may be assaulted at the point of death. But I pray you not to stay till that hour, to take them, & to arm yourselves with them; doing as do the negligent Captains, who stay to furnish the places which are committed unto them, with things needful for to keep them, till they are compassed and environed with men of war, whereby it often happeneth, that finding themselves unprovided of means needful for to defend themselves, and so finding themselves astonished, they presently forsake them, & easily yield unto the enemy. But by the example of the Ant and the Bee, make your provision in due time and season, to the end that when the winter comes you may be well provided of all that shallbe needful easily to pass & sustain the rigour thereof. Above all, I pray you to note in the treaty which I send you those places which are therein alleged against rashness and presumption. For they are the two principal temptations which the devil ordinarily employeth for to overthrow us: representing before our eyes, either the multitude & greatness of our sins, for to cast us headlong into a mistrust of the mercy of God: or our virtues and good works, for to raise us up unto presumption and vain confidence therein. These are the two ropes (saith S. Augustin) which this tormenter doth continually use to strangle & stifle men with, if they take not heed of him. But it shall be easy for you to prevent these dangers, calling often to mind that which is said in the scriptures, touching the corruption & vanity of men to humble them, and on the other side that which is also spoken of the great and infinite mercy and grace of God, to assure them of their salvation. I hope that with his help, my labour writing unto you this little Treatise, and yours in the reading of it attentively, shall not be unprofitable. So be it.   

THE PREFACE.  
FOR as much as death of itself is fearful, and that we cannot choose naturally when we see it come near us, but we must abhor it, and that our minds must be then assailed with many and sundry fears, and tired with many cares, it is good to think upon it in good time, and foreseeing it, make a good provision in our minds, of that which may comfort and strengthen us, against all the apprehensions that either may any way trouble or disturb them in us. Whereunto nothing is more necessary, then to have the word of God always ready and at hand, thereby to strengthen our faith on every side, where the devil would either break, or make breach therein: as we see our Saviour JESUS CHRIST did, who by this means sent back Satan confounded, who came to present himself unto him in the wilderness to tempt him. And it is an undoubted thing that a faith so grounded upon such rocks as are the promises of God and jesus Christ, who is the warranty thereof, can never be beaten down, what shocks soever the devil and our other enemies can hit against it. Which is the reason that hath induced me to write this little Treatise of the comfort of the sick, wherein I have briefly gathered the passages of the Scripture which have seemed me most fit, to treat and deduct this matter well. If it may profit and bring any edification to the Church of God, it is all that I have pretended or desired in the writing thereof.   

A TREATISE TO COMFORT THE SICK, AND TO ASSURE THEM AGAINST THE FEARS AND APPREHENSIONS OF THEIR SINS, OF DEATH, OF THE DEVIL, of the Law, and of the Anger and judgement of God.  
THE life of all men that live in the world is besieged on every side with many adversities; whereof some are particular to some, and the others are general and common to all, as are Death, and the diseases which tend thereunto, the which ordinarily astonish us by so much the more, as they are more dangerous, and that there is less means to avoid them. For although that Kings, Emperors, and other Princes, and great Lords can sometimes (with the help of God, and the great means which he hath administered unto them preserve and warrant themselves from many dangers; yet none of them can save or exempt themselves, but in the end they must die, either in the wars, by the sword, or in their beds through age or sickness, or elsewhere, by such accidents, as God by his providence, even before they were borne, had appointed unto them: which David teacheth us in many places, as in the 82. Psalm where he speaks of Princes.  

Psal. 82.  I had decreed it in my sight,  
As Gods to take you all,  
And children to the most of Might,  
For love I did you call;  
But not withstanding ye shall die,  
As men and so decay,  

Psal. 49.  Though Princes you, yet must you pass,  
As others clean away.  
Item elsewhere where he speaks in general of the condition and end of all men.  

Psal. 89.  What man is he that liveth here,  
And death shall never see,  
Or from the hand of hell his soul,  
Shall be delivered free?  
or And again in the Psalm following.  
Thou grindest man through grief and pain, 
Psal. 90.   
To dust, to clay; and then,  
And then thou sayest again return,  
Again ye sins of men.  
So here we see it is an inviolable decree and ordinance of God, that all men that come into the world, come with this charge not to stay there long, like unto trees, which are fastened to it by the roots; but to thrill lightly through it as doth the water, 
2. Sam. 14.  and to go forth of it as soon as it shall please the Lord to call them. And although that the most part of us endeavour (as saith the Prophet) to make alliance with death, 
Isay 28.  or at the least to have some truce or respite with it, for to put back and stay the coming thereof; we experiment nevertheless every day, that our time being come, and the day of our assignation past, we must appear before the judge at the hour present, and at the very instant, to hear from his mouth a definitive sentence, by the which life or death is adjudged unto us. Then the first and principal care which we ought to have, 
Psal. 62.  is not too seek as did the King Asa, for the Physicians, 
2. Chro. 16.  and to use the recreates and directions which they appoint us, to arm us against the diseases which may befall us; nor yet presentatives as used Metridates, to avoid the danger of poisons which our domesticques or others may prepare for us; nor finally a strong horse, 
Psal. 33.  a well tempered sword, a corselet of proof, to assure us again the hazards of a battle, for there is nothing of all these that can break the ordinances of God, or warrant us from his anger, nor (in brief) in any sort turn the effects and executions of his will; But the first thought that should present itself before our eyes, whether it be that we will anticipate the evils, which we foresee may happen, or turn away those which are already happened unto us; is to desire and seek after the favour and grace of God, which is the most sovereign and fittest remedy that men can choose, suddenly to prevent all their adversities. Now by reason that I have been prayed by some brethren my friends, to gather together & set down in writing, some passages and places of Scripture to comfort the Sick, and to strengthen them against the terrors and apprehensions, which then they may have, as well of their Sins, as of Death, of the Devil, and of the judgement of God, 
Rom. 13. 1. Cor. 13. 1. Cor. 12. Ephes. 4.  which is yet more fearful than all the rest; knowing that charity binds me unto it, by the which as with a band all the members of the body of JESUS CHRIST, are straightly tied together, and that also it was one of the parts of the charge which God did impose, not only upon the Ministers of the Gospel; but also upon the overseers, which are given and associated unto them for helps and assistants; I would not refuse them, although I am not ignorant that divers of my fellows, unto whom God hath imparted more of his graces, are more sufficient to deal therein then I am; nevertheless, seeing that the members in what rank or degree soever they be, ought not to deny any labour to the body, which is in their power, I will assay with the help of my God, what by his grace I can do for to content them, and satisfy to their desire. Leaving then apart all other sorts of affliction, wherewith it pleaseth God to chastise and exercise his children: Let us here only speak of sickness and of death, and let us propound briefly the means and consolations the fittest we can, for to instruct and accustom men to take and bear them wisely, and moderately; beginning at sickness which is not a casual thing, and which happens rashly, now to some, then to others, as it falls out, but we must think that it is sent by the providence of God.  
And although that the ends and occasions are not all alike, nevertheless the Author of it is alike, as he is of health: for it is from the mouth and ordinance of God, as saith jeremy, 
Lamen. 3.  that the good things proceed, & also the evil which are contrary unto them. And there is no evil (as saith Amos) whether it be in the City, 
Amos. 3.  or in the Country, but cometh from God. Then even as Peace and War, poverty, and Riches, Liberty and Prison are of God; so are health and sickness; which David in all his sicknesses did always confess and acknowledge. In the sixth Psalm doth he not say,  

Psalm. 6.  Lord in thy wrath reprove me not,  
Though I deserve thine ire?  
Acknowledging that the sickness wherewith he was so grievously afflicted, was an effect of the wrath of God whom he had offended. As much saith he of it: 

Psal. 38.  Thine arrows do stick fast in me,  
Thy hand doth press me sore:  
And in my flesh no health at all,  
Appeareth any more.  

Psal. 32.  For day and night thy hand on me,  
So grievous was and smart,  
That all my blood and humours moist  
To dryness did convert.  
I was as dumb, and to complain, 
Psalm. 39   
No trouble might me move,  
Because I know it was thy work,  
My patience for to prove.  
Lord take from me thy scourge and plague,  
I can them not withstand:  
I faint and pine away for fear  
Of thy most heavy hand.   
Ezechias and job likewise do not attribute their sickness to any other but to God▪ 
Esay. 38. job. 1. job. 5.19. & 27.  and job said that in the stink which came out of his flesh half rotten, and in that heap of worms which it did produce, he did behold one of the hands of his Saviour which struck him, for afterwards to heal him with the other. Even the Pagans and unfaithful, have sometimes acknowledged, that their sicknesses had happened unto them by no other means, but from God, who punished them, because they had offended him: As Pharaoh and his family in the time of Abraham, the Egyptians in the time of Moses, 
Gen. 12. Exod. 9 Philistines.  and the Philistines in the time of Samuel, when they would have kept in their country the Ark of the alliance as a captive and prisoner, after they had taken it in the war, where the children of Israel were overcome; we must then conclude that all sicknesses, and generally all afflictions come unto us from God, 
Psal. 33.  who doth nothing but justly and wisely; for all his works are so well ordained, that there is nothing but is done by weight, number, and measure, and grounded upon good reason, although that sometime it be unknown unto us. Then, as the Goodness, Power, Wisdom, justice, Doctrine, Constancy, and Verity, which do appear in all the works of God, are cause that we approve & praise them; also acknowledging all his virtues in our sicknesses and other adversities; ought not we to take it in good part, and arm ourselves with this faith and cogitation against the impatience and bitterness of the heart, which pricks and summons us to murmur and to despite against God, and sometimes horribly to blaspheme him, when he doth not conform himself, to the disordinate will and desires of our flesh; which if he did he should become like unto us, 
Psal. 50.  that is to say, flatterers and dissimulators of our vices. To the contrary, for to be good, holy and virtuous, we ought to endeavour to render ourselves like unto him, and to submit and subject all our desires unto his will; for otherwise we are hypocrites, 
Mat. 6.  and every time when in our prayers we ask that his will be done, our heart secretly belieth our mouth, and saith in our ears, Ha hypocrite, if thou wert at thy choice thou hadst rather that thine were done then Gods. When in general men speak unto us of the providence of God, and that by the great, men ask us whether all that God doth be not well done, we yield unto it presently, and do even propound it to our neighbours and friends, when they are in any trouble to comfort them, as the fittest, the presentest, and singularest remedy that we can counsel them: but when we come to apply it to ourselves; we do as Physicians, 
Simil.  who can well appoint Physic for others, which they will not take for themselves; nevertheless there is nothing so healthful and necessary for us, as to exercise ourselves daily in the meditation of the providence of God, and to acknowledge that it rules, ordains, turns, and disposeth all things, to the end that contemplating always the workman in his works, we may presently approve it, knowing well that nothing can come out of that shop, but is polished and perfectly accomplished in all points. And if we do this honour to good Artificers, 
Simil.  to receive their work as soon as we see their mark upon it, should we be more unjust, in esteeming and approving of the works of God, wherein we see the marks and signs of his goodness or justice so apparent?  
It is true indeed that that which happeneth unto us directly of his goodness, is more answerable to our taste, then that which is of his justice; as it happens also, that in the works of nature, some of them are more pleasant unto us then others, the day is more agreeable than the night, and Summer than Winter, 
Comp.  and fair and clear weather rejoiceth us more than doth a weather gloomy, rainy, and dark. When in like manner, God smileth upon us, and showeth us an open countenance, and that with a soft and favourable regard, he cherisheth & embraceth us on every side with his mercy, multiplying without ceasing his favours upon us, and honouring us every day with some new benefit, 
Psal. 89.  (as saith the Prophet) that without doubt is a great deal more pleasing unto us then when he showeth us a sad and frowning visage, and when he makes us to feel some rigour and pricks of his justice. 
Psal. 89.  Did not David take more pleasure to hear the fair promises which God made him, firmly to establish his kingdom, 
Psal. 18.  and to continue it to him and his children for ever, to give him victory against all his enemies, which he saw on every side spread like mud on the ground; to see his glory & renown to fly and be noised on every part, among strange nations, 
Psal. 32.  to hear from Gods own mouth, who had found him according to his own heart, to consider how God had taken and chosen him amongst the sheep, 
1 Sam. 13. Psal. 78.  to raise him above all the houses of Israel, and in a manner to disgrade wholly all the house of Saul for to enrich him, & to adorn him with his Roa●s, having been induced to do him all these favours by nothing else but his only grace and good will. I demand if so many and so ample demonstrations of the goodness and mercy of God towards him, were not a great deal more easy for him to digest; then the great reproaches which he gave him for his ingratitude, 
1. Sam. 12.  after he had offended him? and the fearful threats which he added thereunto, to discover and publish his sin? to cause that his house should be filled with murder & with blood & that the honour of his wives should be tamted by his own son? and nevertheless although that such exploits of the justice of God were heard, & a burden which was importable unto him, yet did he yield his shoulder unto him, and old submit himself altogether to his will, assuring himself always upon his mercy (of the which he did remember himself always in his judgements) that the charge which he should lay upon him should not be altogether to press him down. 
Abac. 3.  And we have a singular example of his patience of this humble obedience which he was resolved to render unto God in all his adversities, when with so peaceable, and so moderate a spirit, he bore the great and scandalous injuries that Semei spoke unto him, at that time when for to save himself from the conspiracy made by his son, and by his people against him, 
2. Sam. 16.  he was constrained to fly in great diligence, and to abandon the City of jerusalem; for the principal cause which made him so soft and supple; was that he did refer all the insolency and bravery which that little mastiff did unto him, unto the providence of God which had stirred him up to speak those injuries unto him, to humble him and try his patience and virtue; Which was cause likewise, 
job. 1. & 2.  that job after so many & notable losses of all his goods and children, and finally of the health of his body, did praise God as cheerfully as he did in his abundance; and when he had the scope of his desires, except the regard which he had to the providence of God, the which he did contemplate in all his miseries, for 〈◊〉 them at his hands as special blessings and favours which he doth to his children, yea the most dear and best beloved. And it sufficeth not that we believe that all our sicknesses come from God: but we must believe it in all the circumstances thereof, as that they are great, long, tedious, painful, languishing, and sometimes incurable, that by reason of their contagion, they let our friends and kindred from coming to visit and comfort us; that we find no remedy no more than that poor woman that had the bloody flux which held her twelve years, 
Mat. 9 Luc. 5. john. 5.  and the poor man who was eight and thirty years bound in his bed, by reason of a palsy wherewith he was strooken in all the members of his body. We must also attribute all that to God, and think that he is equally free to dispense of the good and evil, which he draws from his treasures, unto whom he thinks good, and in such portion and measure as it pleaseth him, without that any one can justly complain of him, or with reason demand of him why he doth so or so.  
After that we are resolved in our minds; that not only the sicknesses, but also all other evils, happen unto us by the providence of God, and that from them we have gathered all the comforts which may be drawn: Then, to comfort us yet more, we must consider who is this God that sends them unto us, and how near he is unto us; for it is not such a God as are those that these foolish people worship, 
Psal. 96.  and are but a thing of nothing whereto they give themselves, 
Psal. 115.  who cannot see anything with their eyes, nor hear with their cares, nor smell with their nose, nor taste with their tongues, nor speak with their mouths, nor take, nor give with their hands, nor walk with their foots, who in brief can neither do well nor ill; for they are not only mortal like unto men and beasts, but things altogether dead, who have neither sense, nor understanding, nor moving, nor feeling, nor force, nor vigour. But the God in whom we believe, 
Act. 14. Hebr. 1.  is the Creator of heaven and earth, who causeth every thing to live, and die, and breath, who bears the world and all things contained therein, by the only virtue of his powerful word, who with one of his fingers measures and poises the earth, as with a beam, 
Esay 40. Psal. 147.  who knoweth the number and names of the Stars, 
Rom. 4. Revel, 1.  who calls the things that are not, as well as if they were; who bears the keys of life and death, who is infinite in himself, and all his virtues are infinite: for his Goodness, Mercy, Wisdom, justice, and Virtue, are so high and so great, that the length thereof can be no more covered than the breadth, nor the breadth than the thickness.  
Now this most good and most great God is not far from us, 
1. Cor. 3. Psal. 5. Psal. 17.  neither in presence nor in affection: he is in us as in his Temple, for to sanctify us, and round about us for to cover us with his favour, and to hide every part of us under the shadow of his wings. He dwelleth in us as in his house, 
2. Cor. 6.  for to govern and enrich us, to furnish and adorn us; our understandings and our hearts are his galleries, wherein he walks and takes his pleasure, there devising with us by the divine thoughts and holy affections which he hath inspired. And albeit that he replenisheth heaven and earth, and that the love which he beareth to his creatures, and the care which he hath of them, are cause that he doth assist and accommodate them with all that is necessary for to preserve and entertain them. Nevertheless, 
Psa. 148.  we are nearer to his heart, 
Job 3. Ephes. 6.  having received of him so many favours, as to have espoused, conjoined, and united ourselves inseparably unto him, and by the means of this union, to receive us into a participation and communality of all his goodness. Then even as a woman that knows herself well beloved of her husband, and which doth wholly possess him, cannot fear that he should use to her any evil entreatment; 
Simil.  also we ought to assure ourselves, that God who loveth us infinitely, cannot do nor suffer any thing to be done unto us to hurt us; 
Rom. 5.  for if as saith S. Paul, when we are enemies, we were reconciled unto him by the death of his Son; much more rather being already reconciled unto him, shall we be delivered by his life; Is there any thing more absurd then to think that God who is the sovereign good, can be the author of any evil; 
jam. 3.  doth a fountain cast our both sweet and bitter water?  
The Heretics themselves as Martion, and the Manicheans, for the horror which they had of such a blasphemy, would establish two principles; the one of life and of the light, the other of death and of darkness, not being able to persuade themselves that of God, 
Psal. 36.  who is the fountain of life and all happiness, can proceed any misery: Wherein they were not deceived, but insomuch only that from a good maxim, they drew a bad conclusion. For indeed, the good in such a degree as God is, that is to say, sovereign and infinite, can no more produce evil, than fire cold, light darkness, and life death. And it is the reason for the which God after he had created the world and all that therein is contained, and attentively considered all his works, did testify that they were all very good; which ought not only to be referred to the works themselves of the creation; but extended generally unto all that God doth, without any exception.  
For seeing God is always like unto himself, and that in him, as saith S. james, 
Psal. 102. jam. 1.  there is no mutability nor shadow of changing, as his goodness is eternal; also at all times it can produce nothing but good works, and good things; And this is the reason for the which answering by his Prophet unto the people, 
Ose 13.  who did complain of the great calamities which had befallen them, he says, that he was not the cause of them, and that as for him he had only procured their good and their salvation. But that they themselves were cause of their ruin, and of all the desolations that were seen in their Country; 
Simil.  for as the fire produceth fire, and all other things produce or bring forth their like; so doth God from whom no evil can come. Yea, but sickness, famine, poverty, sterility, wars, are they not evils which God sendeth, and so is the author of them? God sends them indeed as well to the good as to the wicked, to the one to punish their sins, which is a just & laudable act, to the other to exercise their virtue, or to draw and bring them to repentance. And if we would be good husbands, and appropriate our sickness well, and refer it to the ends for the which God sends them unto us, we might gather much fruit, and many good lessons by it: In the first place, there is nothing that is so necessary, as to know our sins, and the vice and corruption which is in us, to humble ourselves to God, and to dispose ourselves to require and seek after his grace, which is the only means by the which they may be remitted, covered and hidden before him, to avoid his judgement, and the condemnation which otherwise should therein be prepared for us, if they were not pardoned unto us. Now so it is that naturally we are blind in the judgement which we have of ourselves, by reason that the excessive & unmeasured love which we have of ourselves, doth blind our eyes, in such sort that we cannot perceive, nor discover the malice, the hypocrisy, the pride, the vanity, the mistrust, the injustice, the impiety, the idolatry, the inhumanity, and all the infinite perversity, which from our childhood is bred in our hearts, and discloseth itself with the time, according to the occasions which are presented unto us. For although that we do all endeavour for a time to hide the malice which we have conceived in our hearts, 
Simil.  like unto women that desire to steal their children: Nevertheless, when the belly comes to swell, and that their time of childing draws near, they are constrained to avouch that which they had always denied. Also we never confess our debts, until such time as by certain proofs we are convinced of them, yet will we then shuffle and always abate something if we can of the enormity of our faults; whereof we have a notable example in our first Parents, who although they were before God, (from whom nothing can be hid nor covered) and that they were lively pursued and accused by their own consciences; nevertheless, they sought all the slights they could to disguise and turn from them the fault which they had committed, 
Gen. 3.  and could not be brought, neither by the fear and reverence of God who spoke to them, neither by the accusation and witnessing of their own conscience, which urged them on every side, to come to this point, to confess clearly, and without any involution, their disobedience, their ingratitude and their ambition, by the which they were precipitate; wherein men may see how difficult it is to men, to acknowledge and confess their sins in verity, and without hypocrisy. It may likewise be seen in the patriarchs, who did so long dissemble their wickedness, and the cruel and inhuman conspiracy, 
Gen. 42.  which they had made against their poor brother, the which they did never acknowledge until such time they were compelled thereunto by the anguish and distress whereunto God reduced them to put them in mind thereof; and David how long did he sleep in his sin, whereupon he never thought earnestly, until such time as he felt himself touched to the quick by the hand of God, and that he found himself almost undone, as he himself doth confess it.  

Psal. 32.  For night and day thy hand on me,  
So grievous was and smart,  
That all my blood and humours moist,  
To dryness did convert.  
I did therefore confess my fault  
And all my sins discover,  
Then thou o Lord didst me forgive,  
And all my sins pass over.  
And S. Peter after he had so oftentimes denied his Master, even cursing and swearing that he never knew him; Would he not have persevered therein, and altogether have abandoned the Church of God as well as judas, and infinite more Apostates, that go from it every day, if jesus Christ had not cast his eye upon him, 
Luk. 22.  and by his looking on penetrated into his conscience, for to make him to feel and weep for his sin? And S. Paul who like unto a furious ravening beast, sought every where for Christians to slay and devour them; would he ever have repent of these faults? But to the contrary, would he not have been obstinate and hardened, 
Act. 9  to have spoiled and dispersed the flock, if the strong hand of the Shepherd who watched over it, had not held him back & slaid him short, and compelled him perforce to know and feel the great evil that he had done? By these few examples, may be clearly perceived that although men are covered and filled with an infinite number of sins, they cannot nevertheless know nor feel them, if God doth not give them the grace to set them before their eyes; Which is the reason for the which in many passages of the Scripture, Penitence (which consists partly in the knowledge and displeasure that man hath of his sin) is called the gift of God. 
2. Tin. 2.  For as we cannot know God, nor the goods which we ought to seek for in him, and hope for of his goodness; if first we be not inwardly illuminated by his spirit, and outwardly taught by his word; Also we cannot well know ourselves, nor well sound the vice & evil which is in our hearts, if the spirit of God doth not give us eyes for to behold ourselves, in the looking glass of his law. For to see ourselves and that which is in us, we have no eyes naturally, no more than that old Lamia, 
Compar.  who as fables recount had eyes which she laid away in her house, because she would there see nothing, and put them on when she went forth, to spy and observe what was done at her neighbours. Whereunto also agreeth the fable of Aesop, wherein is said that we carry every man his wallet, in the hinder part whereof we put our own sins that they may never come before our eyes, and in the forepart, the sins of our neighbours, to the end that seeing them we may have argument to detract & speak evil of them. And it is a marvelous thing that our sins should be such great and dangerous diseases, and even mortal, and that notwithstanding they are so little sensible to those that by them are detained; for we see how the Idolaters, hypocrites, ambitious, covetous, and voluptuous men do solace themselves without sorrow, not any whit complaining of their evil. Which is more, the Idolater hath never more pleasure, then when he beholds, kisses, and worships his Idol; nor the hypocrite is never more content, then at such time as by the appearance of some counterfeit virtue, he can insinuate himself into some good opinion, and purchase the estimation and reputation to be virtuous; & the others never esteem themselves more happy than when they peaceably enjoy the honours, riches, pleasures of this world, which they desire; and the cause of all this is, that they have no feeling of their evil, which is so much the more dangerous. As amongst the bodily diseases, 
Simil.  the most pernicious are those that bring least pain, as Palsies, Lethargies, Apoplexies, & other cold Catarrhs, for such diseases are ordinarily incurable; which was cause in times past to make an ancient man to say, he did well desire not to be sick altogether, but if he were, he desired also to feel his pain: giving to understand thereby, that there is nothing more dangerous then to be sick, and not to think they are so. What shall then become of us, who never think we are so vicious as we are, and always to be more virtuous than we are? for we never balance nor weigh our vices with our virtues, but with false weights and false measures; by reason that when we weigh our vices we take the small weight, and the great when it is question of our virtues, the which we always think to be greater than they are, by reason of this furious love of ourselves, the which stoppeth our eyes, and blinds our sight. 
Simil.  And even as the vapours and mists which evening and morning rise from the earth, being put between us and the Sun, make it seem greater unto us than it is; so when we behold our virtues through this love which covers our eyes, we judge them always to be more greater and more perfect than they are. What must we then do to correct and amend this false judgement which we have of ourselves, esteeming ourselves more virtuous and less vicious than we are? we must learn to know ourselves, and to that end meditate the law of God day and night, referring thereunto, our thoughts, our affections, our words, our actions, and in sum all the estate of our life, as the strait rule, according to the which it ought to be measured. But because we are bad Scholars, and that we never use a full and entire duty to apply ourselves to this study; God like unto a good Master and careful for the profit of his children, is constrained oft times to take rods, to awake and set us forward, and by sicknesses and other mortifications of our flesh, makes us to acknowledge the corruption which is in us, for there is nothing that rangeth us better under the obedience of the will of God, than a good discipline (as saith Esay) that men learn justice when the judgements of God are upon the earth. 
Esay 26.   
Ere thou didst touch me with thy rod, 
Psal. 119.   
I erred and went astray,  
But now I keep thy holy word,  
And make it all my stay.  
It is then a thing very profitable to man, to have sickness and all other adversities, which happen unto us, when we can use them well; for they make us to know and feel our sins; As to the contrary health and prosperity makes us to forget them; for when in prime of age, we are healthful and lusty, and that all things smile upon us, we think upon nothing but of leaping and dancing like to young fawns & young beasts. 
Simil.  And if any one should come towards us then, to give us some instructions of our duty, he should lose his labour and his time; for there is nothing more fiere, more resty, more contrary and indocible than a man cherished and made wanton by fortune, and puffed up with his prosperity: which God reproves in the people by his Prophet, I would speak unto thee in thy felicity, 
jere. 22.  but thou wouldst never vouchsafe to hearken unto me; and such hath been always thy fashion from thy youth. And Solomon speaking of the prosperity of fools, 
Prou. 1.  saith, that it is that which ruinates and makes them foolish. Surely faith Xenophon, it is very difficult for a man to be wise and happy also, and that being raised up to honour, and abounding in riches, and in pleasures, he should acknowledge himself to be dust and ashes, 
Gen. 18. Psal. 39  as did Abraham, or to be no-nothing but vanity, as did David; But to the contrary all think themselves Gods, or half Gods, as we may plainly see in Senacherib, 
Jsa. 10. Jsa. 14.  Nabuchadnezzar, Antiochus Theus, Xerxes, Alexander; King Herode, Domitian, who became so insolent and proud, by reason of their prosperity, that they would compare themselves with God; Which Philip of Macedon considering, because that by the happy success of his business he should not come to fall into such an arrogancy, appointed one of his Gentlemen of his chamber, to say to him every morning at his awaking, Remember (Philip) that thou art a mortal man; and did very wisely therein, foreseeing that prosperity is a very slippery thing, which makes men drunk, 
Simil.  and sleep more easily than doth sweet wine when men drink it, or the whistling of a sweet air which is heard. The sicknesses then which do awake us, and make us to acknowledge what is our condition, and that the sin which is in us, is the principal cause that brings them, are very healthful unto us, and we ought to take them as so many advertisements, which God sends us that we should remember him, and do our duty in seeking to him. The which we do when first we confess our sins and faults before him, with a sorrowful and contrite heart, 
Psal. 40.  with a feeling of his anger, & by the displeasure which we have for having offended him, after we have received so many graces and favours which we have received from him in so great abundance, that we cannot not only number and reckon them, but also sufficiently comprehend them. Hereupon to be the more stirred up and pricked to the quick with the feeling of our ingratitudes, we ought to remember, that having been created after the Image and semblance of God, 
Gen. 1.  and raised by that means above all the creatures of the earth, without having any regard to the dignity unto the which he had called us, 
Col. 3.  we have not only hid and darkened it, turning ourselves wholly from justice, Holiness and Verity, which are the virtues by the which we may resemble him, for to follow the errors and vanities of the world, the foolish desires and disordinate lusts of our flesh, brief, for to walk in our own ways, and to represent in the whole course of our lives, the picture and image of the devil. After that he had drawn us out of the darkness of ignorance, wherein we were as it were buried, and raised over us the brightness of his face, by the preaching of his Gospel, and by the knowledge which he had given us of his son, that we should follow him, who is the light of the world, 
john. 1. Ephe. 5.  and to communicate no more with the works of darkness: But forsaking our guide, and the way which he had traced us, we have strayed in a thousand, and a thousand sorts, and like poor blind men having no body to conduct and direct us but our appetite and foolish fantasies, which are likewise blind, we have been many times at the very brink of the ditch, and ready to fall therein and to be quite lost: If it had not pleased this good God, 
john. 5. Heb. 2.  to surmount our malice, by his goodness, and to remember us when we had quite forgotten him. Moreover he had delivered us from the bondage of the devil, and of sin, which was a great deal more harder and cruel then that of Egypt, and of Babylon could be; and had set us free, to the end that we should stand firm in the liberty which had been so dearly purchased for us, by the death of his only and well-beloved Son. But how many times have we looked behind us, as did Lot's wife, 
Gen. 19  and not only grudged at the leaving of our Egypt, but also taken the way to return thither, and to remit ourselves under the yoke from the which we were taken? loving better to live shamefully and miserably under the tyranny of the devil, of the world, & of our flesh, then happily & in honour under the reign of the Son of God. Again how have we acknowledged this so great, & altogether incomparable grace which he hath done unto us, when he came by manner of speaking to seek us in the brother's house, when being transported, & as it were possessed with a spirit of adultery, we ran too & fro, and did abandon ourselves to the devil, our Ruffian, about all the high places where we meet with his pictures, adultering with him publicly, without being stayed neither with fear, nor shame, nor the reverence of God, who was the spectator of all this stinking filthiness: who nevertheless could not hinder it until he gathered & retired us into his house, for to espouse & conjoin us unto him by an indissoluble band of friendship, requiring no other dowry of us, but pudicitie and chastity, and promising to forget all our life passed, provided that afterward we would keep faith & loyalty with him. Then considering now how often, and in how many sorts we have broken our marriage, adultering with the world & the lusts & concupiscences of our flesh, some making their riches their God, others their belly, and their pleasures, and others their offices and honours, worshipping our passions and cupidities, which we have settled in our hearts as upon an Altar, and in the most eminent place of the Temple of God, which by that means we have polluted & profaned, and by consequent deserved to die the death, that is to say, to be quiterazed out and exterminate. And what shame and confusion is if for us, that having been elected & chosen out of the midst of the world, and of children of wrath which we were by nature, 
Ephes. 2.  made the children of God to this end, to live & die in his service, and to vow unto him for ever, a love, a fear, an honour & obedience with all our heart, & with all our strength? and in the mean time, that in our whole conversation we have showed ourselves rebellious, debauched & stiff necked, rejecting all discipline, stopping as did the serpent our ears, because we would not be enchanted by the sweet voice of the Gospel, taking again our stony and uncircumcised hearts, to the end that the promises & ordinances of God, might be no more engraved. How often hath our Pastor assayed to gather us together under his wings as the Hen doth her chickens, 
Mat. 23.  & we would not? how often hath he knocked at our gates, & we would not vouchsafe to open? how many times hath he stretched forth his 
Esa. 65.  arm to embrace us, and we have been always rebellious unto him: when he hath sought us, we have fled from him, when he hath called us, we have not answered him, when he hath commanded us to follow him, we have feigned ourselves weary, when he hath beaten us, we have been hardened, like unto the iron with the knocking of the hammer; when he hath cherished us, 
Simil.  we have flattered ourselves, whether he drew us unto him by promises, or astonished us by his threatenings, 
Mat. 11.  we have grown obstinate not to believe the one, and to scoff at the other: Brief, what means soever he hath assayed to take us, we have kept ourselves from him like unto cunning beasts; Item we were his vine, wherein he took all his pleasure, 
Isay. 5.  and in the which he had spared nothing, to till it well, and to fit it in all perfection; he had planted it with exquisite plants, cleansed it, and pruned it, closed and shut it up on every side, for the hope which he had to gather great store of fruit in the season. But it fell out all otherwise, for in stead of bringing him good grapes, we have brought forth nothing but verjuice, and crabs, and it hath not stayed at us, that we have not been quite cut off from the flock, and that like unto old and dry bavens we have not been many times cast into the fire there to be burned and consumed for ever? What hath hindered also, that being barren trees, even in the season and agreeable times, as speaketh the Prophet, 
Mat. 21.  jesus Christ finding no fruit in us, did not curse us at the same hour, as he did the Figtree? For with what excuse could we cover our sterility? Were we not planted by the clear running brooks of the word of God, wherewith we were continually watered; and nevertheless, we have brought forth nothing but thorns such as are in hedges? 
Mat. 3.  Seeing that the axe is laid to the root of the tree, which bringeth not forth good fruit, who keepeth us from being cut off by the roots, and cast into the fire there for to be burned everlastingly? We cannot deny but that we have been as unprofitable straw, and that oft times we have built with stubble, 
1. Cor. 3.  upon the precious foundation of us & of the Church; What then hath hindered, that we have not been carried away with the wind, and that the fire hath not consumed us and all our works? 
jere. 3.  In time past the Prophets reproached juda, that she had justified her sister by the dissolutions unto the which she had yet more abandoned herself then she. But we may well confess, that we have justified them both, for what sort of wickedness have we omitted or forgotten to commit? the impieties, the blasphemies, the profanation of the pure and legitimate service of God, the contempt of his word: hath not unjustice, oppression, violence, rebellions, disobedience, hatred, envy, murder, adultery, detraction, reigned amongst us? If men make account of the goodness of the earth, 
Heb. 6.  by the good fruits which it bringeth forth, 
jam. 1.  being well tilled and well watered with rain from heaven, what will men say to the contrary of that which hath every way abundantly received an infinite number of blessings from above from the father of light, & brings forth nevertheless nothing but thorns and thistles? What duty have we done, I say not of children, servants and friends (as we were held) but of the least creatures that are in the world, the which do all contain themselves under the obedience of their Creator, without changing the room or place which he hath appointed for them, without being weary of keeping it, and executing his commandment? Our fathers have seen, and we see after them, that the Heavens, the Sun, the Moon, the Elements, the Beasts, the Plants, the Trees, have always kept one course since they were created, and kept a measure in their paces, and in all their movings which God had given them, without going any jot out of their ranks, nor troubling the order which from the beginning was established in the whole world. But men have always been Annomaux and Heteroclite, and we are worse than ever; And which is more, we see that for the most part, men for to heap up the measure of all their other misdeeds, add impudence unto them, stopping their ears against all admonitions, and showing in all their behaviours the brazen face of a strumpet. 
Isa. 3.  Where is now in sinners the shamefastness which was seen in Daniel? 
Dan. 9  Where is that earthly face of the poor Publican, who durst not lift up his eyes to heaven, 
Luk. 18.  for shame that he had so often offended that good God? 
Luk. 7.  Where are the rivers of tears, which ran down from the poor sinful woman, in such great abundance that they were sufficient to wash the feet of jesus Christ? Where are the eyes converted into fountains, as were those of jeremy, 
jere. 9  with lamenting for the sins and miseries of the world? Where is that bitterness of heart, wherewith S. Peter was seized upon, 
Luk. 22. Act. 2.  as soon as his sin came before his eyes? Where is that compunction and sorrow which the people showed to have after the admonishing which S. Peter made them, for that they had so vildly consented to the death of jesus Christ, to obey unto the appetite and desire of the high Priests? Where is this grief and sorrow of heart wherewith David was pressed, when groaning and sighing he said?  

Psal. 6.  So grievous is my plaint and moan,  
That I wax wondrous faint,  
All the night long I wash my bed  
With tears of my complaint.  

Psal. 51:  Remorse and sorrow do constrain  
Me to acknowledge mine excess.  
My sins alas do still remain  
Before my face without release.  

jonah 3.  Where is that sackcloth and ashes, wherewith the Ninivites did show that their repentance was good and entire, and with the which without doubt they shall at the day of judgement condemn the debated and repent masks, which we see in Italy and Avignon? Where is there any at this time who with grief and displeasure that they have for having offended God, do tear their hair and pluck off their beards, as 
Isay. 22.  the Prophets required of those in their time whom they did exhort to penitence, to turn away the wrath of God when they were threatened with it, or to appease and quench it when they were bereaved by it? Where shall we find any, that with a soul pierced through with grief and sorrow, with an humble, broken, & contrite heart, as the Prophet joel demands it, 
joel 2.  with a sorrowful conscience, with an entire & clear displeasure of all feigning hypocrisy, doth present himself before the majesty of God, for to make a true confession of our faults unto him, and in all humility to beseech and require his mercy to pardon them? By this may we know what is the hardness of our hearts, the little feeling which we have of our sins, the little fear that we have to offend God, the little love and reverence that we bear him, and the little obedience which we render him: And being such, what faith (O God) can we have in thee? Faith (as saith S. Peter) purifies the heart; 
Act. 10.  What faith then can those pretend whose hearts are yet full of filthiness and corruption; who have them big and swollen with ambition, with pride, with covetousness, with voluptuousness, with impatience, with hatred, with envy, and other such like carnal and disordinate passions & affections of the mind? Faith should regenerate and make us new creatures, of earthly it should make us heavenly, of carnal it should make us spiritual men, of children of wrath and of darkness, children of grace and of light; Brief, of Devils it maketh Angels. Whosoever then hath yet his heart fastened to the earth, and thinketh not at all or very little upon those things that come from above; who join not with the Spirit to combat against the flesh; 
Galat. 5.  But being set upon by his concupiscences or desires, presently yields the place unto them, and makes himself their slave; he that abuseth the grace of God, and in stead of preserving and keeping it, living in his fear and obedience of his holy will, hath put it back by a licentious life, whereto he abandons himself under a vain confidence, which he hath to find it always ready to excuse and cover all his faults, doth not he deceive himself to think that he is faithful, having no better faith than that of Devils, nor that can any more assure them at the day of judgement, then doth theirs? Item, doth not faith take away from us the judgement and condemnation of God, 
john 3 ●. 5. Rom. 8.  as saith jesus Christ, that he that believeth cometh not to judgement; and S. Paul, that there is no condemnation for those that are engrafted by faith into the body of jesus Christ? Now those which live according to the flesh, and that have no fear to do that which God forbiddeth, and to the contrary to omit that which he hath commanded, how can they avoid the sentence of death and malediction, given and pronounced in the law against all those that transgress it, seeing withal that they do it wittingly and willingly of set purpose? 
john 3. Psal. 44. Rom. 3.  If their consciences condemn them, God who is more than their consciences, and who knows and 'sounds their hearts to the depth, how can he be able to absolve them? Item, faith when it is true doth cloth us with the justice and spirit of jesus Christ, which do hold together and follow each other in such sort that the one is never found without the other. As than albeit that the spirit of God cannot reside in us, but it must do his work, that is to say, but it must illuminate, sanctify, quicken, guide and govern in our counsels, thoughts, affections, words, and actions; what faith do we think we have, if we do not show it by a holy and laudable conversation, 
Gal. 5. Ephes. 4.  mortifying and crucifying our flesh with all the hists thereof, putting off the old man with all his affections, shunning and detesting all sorts of vices, and applying ourselves on the other side to all sorts of virtue, 
1. Thess. 5.  abstaining not only from evil, but also from all things that may have any show of it. And for conclusion continuing this exercise without any interruption until he end of our life? 
Mat. 10.  For if any one (as saith the Prophet) having done his duty by living well for a while, 
Eze. 33.  comes to stray and to decline from the straight way before they be gotten to the end; God will have no remembrance of all his precedent justices, and will not approve one of them when he shall come to hear his account; for he doth not promise salvation and life to those that have begun well; but to those only that with all alacrity and a heart invincible have continued until the end. And giveth not the crown of prize and immortality, but unto them that shall run to the end of the race, 
1. Cor. 9  and have duly fought all the days of their life. 
Simil.  For what good doth it to a Merchant that goeth to Sea towards the Indies to lad his ship with some precious commodities, if after he hath escaped many perils, and sailed happily some fourteen or fifteen Months, he comes to split his ship and to suffer shipwreck before he arrives at his port? All those that went out of Egypt under the conduct of Moses, did not enter into the land of Canaan; for the most part stayed by the way, and were excluded from the rest which God had promised to their fathers, by reason of their incredulity and other vices, which the Apostle repeats in the first to the Corinthians. 
1. Cor. 10.  Also we must not hope once to enjoy the happy everlasting life, which God hath promised and kept for his elect, if we do not persevere until the end in the faith of his word, and the obedience of his holy will; the which is given to very few. Moreover, faith, when it is true, is it not always accompanied with a heat and vehemency of Spirit, which brings it forth for to confess the name of God, to sing his praise publicly, 
Rom. 10.  to preach and announce his Miracles every where; also for to make a public confession and profession of jesus Christ and his Gospel, and without any fear, shame, or dissimulation, to maintain and defend the truth constantly against all those that resist and will contrary it? But if we will well examine ourselves, and judge truly and without any flattery of all our actions, we must acknowledge and confess, that amongst the most of us there is a marvelous slackness, to do our duty in this behalf, and that we have been very cold and timorous, when it hath been question to oppose ourselves against the wicked, whom we have heard and seen to blaspheme the name of God, jesus Christ, religion and the truth, holding our peace, and suffering that in our presence the honour of God was not only stained and offended, but trodden under foot, without opening our mouths to speak one word in the defence thereof. Ah what zeal have we also showed to redress the Tabernacle of jacob, which was quite thrown down? What pity and compassion have we had seeing the ruins and horrible desolations happened so long since to the poor City of Zion? Is there any man that can say, that he hath employed himself and means as he ought, to re-edify the Temple of God, and close again the breaches which the enemy had made on every side of his Church? How many is there of us to whom it cannot be justly reproached, that he hath been too much more curious in building again and repairing his own house then Gods? 
Aggee. 1.  For indeed there are very few that have in such recommendation as they ought the pure and legitimate service of God, for to re-establish it when it is broken and profaned, and to preserve it when it is whole. And nevertheless although that we are so cold and negligent to procure that the Order and Estate of the Church should be put into her first dignity and splendour, and that God may be there preached, known, and worshipped in spirit and truth, as is required in his word; there is none but think themselves faithful and Christians, yea of the most perfect, although that they seek not the kingdom of God and his justice, 
Mat. 6.  but after other things, and then only when there remains nothing of his smallest businesses to be done. If, to be short, the most certain judgement that can be given of a good tree, is the goodness of the fruit which it bringeth forth, we may also judge of faith that it is good when it sets our conscience at rest, 
Rom. 5.  and that in it we feel neither fear, nor inistrust, nor scruple, nor doubt, nor sorrow, nor torment, that can trouble or call it in question before God: but are altogether resolved and assured to be absolved in his judgement, and justified of all the faults and accusations which the devil may there propose against us, by the means of the ransom which jesus Christ hath these paid by his death and his blood for us, 
Mat. 20. 1. Thes. 1. Rom. 10.  and by that payment wholly satisfied to his justice; Item, when it incites and stirs us up to praise God continually, whether it be in prosperity, for to be thankful for it, or in adversity, for to prostrate ourselves before him, and humbly to entreat him to deliver us out of it, or if he dispose otherwise, at least to assuage and moderate it, and on the other side to be fortified in such sort, that in conforming ourselves wholly to his will, we may bear it patiently as long as it shall please him. If finally it doth kindle and inflame us with a love of God, 
Gal. 5.  and of our neighbours, in such sort that we may boil with desire to serve and honour God, to summon and induce as many as we can to know and glorify him, and that we have no greater sorrow and despite then to see him dishonoured and blasphemed. And for our neighbours that we love them as our own flesh, and members of one body with us, as our brethren, and children of one father which we and they have in heaven; and that we make a demonstration of the love which we bear them by all the effects and means that shall be possible unto us, desiring their good, their joy, their honours, their rest, advancement and advantage as our own; to assist them in all their necessities, with money, with counsel, with favour, with labour, with friends, with recommendations, and without any exceptions, with all that shall be in our power. Now who is he among us, yea of those that have profited the best, and are the most advanced in the knowledge and fear of God, that dares to boast to have such a faith, which were sufficient to combat with the devil and all the gates of hell, and to render us invincible against all the temptations wherewith we may be assaulted; 
Mat. 16.  and even withdraw our thoughts and affections from the earth, and to ravish and lift them wholly on high above the heavens, in a certain hope of the immortality and happy life, which God hath there promised and prepared for us? The which hope would make us altogether to forget the world, with all the glory, pomp, pleasures, riches, and magnificence thereof, and no more esteem of all those corruptible things then of dung: because of the taste which it should give us of the sweetness of the heavenly joys, and by the which it should suddenly blot out, and cool the feeling and remembrance of all other pleasures, 
Mat. 17.  as it happened to the three disciples, in whose presence jesus Christ was transfigured in the mountain, for they had scarce tasted a little of the happy life: but in the same instant they lost the remembrance of all the things of this world, desiring nothing at all, but the continuance only of that estate and happiness, wherein they found themselves to be. Seeing then that faith, hope and charity, which are the three principal virtues which ought to shine in the life and in all the works of a Christian man, are imperfect and weak in us, and that even in the perfectest that can be found in the world, there be so many doubts, mistrustes, vain fears, presumption, hatred, envy, choler, and other like passions and desires, the which like unto stains do blot out the gloss and beauty of the virtues that are in us; we must when it is question to present ourselves before the face and majesty of our God, with the sick folks that we desire to comfort and admonish, begin by an humble confession of our faults; 
Confession of the sick.  acknowledging first our ingratitudes, and the neglect, which hath been in us to hear and meditate his word, to put it in practice, to profit the gifts and singular grace, which he hath parted unto us; to consider and have always before our eyes, the end and mark of our vocation, thither for to refer and address the whole estate of our lives, to walk in his fear, and not to soil his image which hath been restored and painted again in us in our regeneration; to keep faith and loyalty with him, which we have promised in the alliance which he hath contracted with us, to live and die to his glory, to offer to him our bodies for holy and living Sacrifice, 
Rom. 12.  and not to conform ourselves to this world; to live and walk in spirit, that we do not accomplish the desires of the flesh; to walk as children of light, to stand firm in the liberty in the which Christ hath set us free, 
Gal. 5. Rom. 6.  and to take heed that we be not brought under the yoke and bondage of sin: to fight valiantly against the lusts of our flesh, to resist the devil, to hinder that sin have no domination nor rule over us, so well to rule our life and all our fashions, that we may not only be free from all crime and sin, but also from all doubt; to look carefully that our liberty be not occasion that our flesh goes astray, and that we do not commit any act that may bring scandal to our neighbours, or that it may in any sort induce our adversaries to blame the name of God, and of jesus Christ, and defame the religion we follow; to seek for nothing but those things only that are from above, 
Col. 3.  and to have all our heart and our understanding, our thoughts & our affections, and to make short, all our conversation in heaven, to have always our lamps burning, and ourselves prepared to wait for the coming of the Lord, and to be ready to follow him, and by his grace to do whatsoever he shall command us: incessantly to pray and praise God, and to depend upon his providence, wholly to remit both ourselves and our affairs unto him, altogether to resign our will unto him, and to conclude, to love him with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our understanding; and our neighbour as ourself. After you have propounded before the sick all the faults which he hath committed, to astonish him, and by that means to prepare him to require, and receive the grace of God, you must present before his eyes what he hath justly deserved by the offences which he hath done, to wit, to be altogether devoured by the wrath of God, whereof he hath made a heap, continuing in his sin, and so long abusing of his patience and benignity. 
Rom. 2.  Item, to be overthrown with his judgement, the which (as saith the Apostle) is prepared for all that disobey God, and singularly for those servants, who knowing his will, and being well informed of all that belongeth to their duty, have made no reckoning to acquire themselves of it. Item, that all the curses contained in the law, and ordained against those that transgress it, fall upon his head; seeing it hath been his hap to deborde himself not only once and twice by ignorance and frailty, but to violate the holy ordinances of God wittingly and willingly, almost as many times as he hath been invited and solicited by the devil and his own desires. Item, to be banished and shut out of the kingdom of heaven; seeing that the flesh according to the which he hath lived, cannot inherit nor possess it; 
1. Cor. 15.  for if our first parents have been shamefully hunted out of Paradise, 
Rom. 5.  whither they had been called after their creation, by reason of their disobedience; what doth man now deserve by so many rebellions and iniquities which he drinks and swallows down every day as if it were water?  
Item, to be condemned to everlasting death, and consigned for ever to fire and torments with the devil and the reprobate, seeing that it is the recompense and reward of sins and for conclusion, that he hath deserved to be buried in hell, and there in the flame to suffer such torments as doth the evil rich man, 
Luc. 16.  for having disdained the poor and their afflictions, and having made no reckoning to secure them at their need, and use such humanity towards them as he would have desired of others, 
Simil.  being reduced to like necessity. When the sick shall be thus brought down, and that in the law as in a looking glass, his judgement & condemnation shall be represented unto him, and when he shall be seen to be wounded and pierced with sorrow in his heart, then must be applied to his sore lenitive medicines, 
Simil.  and do as doth a mason when he cuts a stone, first they give it great strokes with the hammer till they get out great flakes; & presently after they polish & plain it in such sort with the chisel, that the blows are no more perceived. So it must be that after the sick hath been so rudely entreated, and having by the rigorous threatenings of the law let him down into hell, be is drawn up again by propounding unto him the sweet and amiable promises of the Gospel, to the end that by the sweetness of this oil, the biting sourness of the law may be sweetened, and that the joy of the good things of the grace of God, may make him to pass away & forget the sorrow & despair whereinto the law reduceth him; first he must be showed, that the bond which was against us, 
Col. 2.2.  and the which lay in the ordinances, & was contrary unto us, hath been blotted out, abolished, & fastened on the cross of jesus Christ.  
Item, that jesus Christ hath bought us again from the malediction and curse of the law, when he was made a curse for us; (for it is written, 
Gal. 3.  cursed is he that hangeth on a tree) that the blessing of Abraham should come upon the the Gentiles through jesus Christ; to the end that we should receive the promise of the spirit of faith. That Christ is the end of the law; 
Rom. 9  and of justice to all believers. And finally that by the perfect obedience which he hath rendered to God, observing all his commandments, without breaking them in any thing; or omitting one only little point of them to the enduring of the cursed death of the Cross for us, because that such was the will of his Father; he hath procured a general remission & abolition of all our sin, & an acquittance of all our debts & obligations; the which he hath paid not in gold, silver, or precious stones, 
Peter. 2.  but with his own blood, which is an incomparable price and ransom; And over and above he hath purchased us a righteousness, the which being allowed us by the faith and assurance which we have thereof as well by his word and Sacraments, as his spirit which gives testimony thereof in our hearts, we ought to take away all fear and apprehension that we may have of our sins, of death, of the devil, of the rigour, & malediction of the law, and finally of the wrath & judgement of God. 
Rom. 4.  For to begin at our sins, being clothed with the righteousness of jesus Christ, we ought to assure ourselves not only that they are covered & hid from being perceived and discovered before the eyes and face of our God, but altogether blotted out as it were with a sponge, and disperse as are the clouds by the Sun and the wind; and although they were as red as vermilion or scarlet, yet shall they become as white a snow, (as saith Isay.) And before him David. 
Isa. 1.   

Psal. 51.  If thou with Isope purge this blot,  
I shall be cleaner than the glass,  
And if thou wash away my spot,  
The snow in whiteness shall I pass.  
And it makes no matter what manner of sins, not in what number they be, so they be not sins against the holy Ghost, not yet in what sort and manner they have been committed, whether by ignorance, weakness, or of set malice; for the sin cannot so much abound, but the grace of God which is procured us by the death and justice of jesus Christ doth yet more abound. And although that the sin being committed against the infinite majesty of God, be also for that regard reputed infinite, yet that hinders not that the blood of Christ, which by the eternal spirit hath offered himself to God himself without any spot, doth cleanse our consciences from dead works; to serve the living God, 
Heb. 9  as writeth the Apostle to the Hebrews. For the divinity being unseparably united to the humanity in the person of jesus Christ, is cause by his omnipotence, that his death hath an infinite virtue to redeem us, and his justice to sanctify us, and his life to quicken and make us happy; insomuch as being God, as he is stronger than the devil, also are his works more powerful to save, then are those of his enemies to destroy and to consume. His justice hath more force to justify us then sin (whereof the devil is author) hath to condemn us, and his purity to wash and make us clean, than this filthy spirit hath by his filthiness to defile us. And his light is more strong for to illuminate and lighten us, than the darkness of the Prince of the world to blind us; and his truth to instruct us, than the errors of the father of lies to abuse us; brief, his life hath more virtue to raise us again and quicken us, than the envy of this murderer & homicide hath to kill and slay us. Whereby we see that the Son of God, (as saith St. john) is not come into the world to any other end, but to destroy the works of the devil; and that in his blood all our enemies, that is to say, all our sins have been drowned, no more nor less than in old time Pharaoh and the enemies of God's people, were all discomfited and drowned in the red sea. It is that strong one which St. Luke saith, surpriseth an other strong one, 
Luc. 11.  whom he hath combated and overcome, and from whom he hath taken all the weapons wherein he trusted; that is to say, sin, death, and the law, leading even with him captivity captive, 
Eph. 4.  when he ascended into heaven; so that the devil being so disarmed, hath no more means to hurt us, neither by our sins which jesus Christ hath washed away in his blood, neither by death which he hath swallowed up dying, neither by the law, unto the which he hath fully satisfied, accomplishing at, and submitting himself for us to the curse which in it was ordained for us. And albeit that he be always our adversary, and that for the hatred that he bears us, and the desire which he hath to hinder us, and let us from attaining to the felicity from whence he was put away by his pride, he walks like a roaring Lion round about us, seeking whom he may devour; nevertheless we may resist him being strong in the faith, 
1. Pet. 5.  and abiding anchored in the persuasion which we have of the remission of sins, which is everlasting, as is the virtue and efficacy of the death of JESUS CHRIST by the which it was obtained for us: it is the freedom of the Church, in the which all that are faithful aught to retire themselves to be in safety, when they are pursued by their own consciences, and the other Sergeants of the justice of God. Whereunto David also exhorteth us.  
Let Israel then boldly  
In the Lord put his trust, 
Psal. 30.   
He is the God of mercy,  
That his deliver must:  
For he it is that must save  
Israel from his sin,  
And to all such as surely have  
Their confidence in him.  
And else where.  

Psal. 51.  The heavy heart, the mind oppressed  
O Lord thou never dost reject,  
And to say truth, it is the best,  
And of all sacrifice the effect.  
And jesus Christ who is the sovereign medicine of our souls, and who came into the world but to seek those that were lost, and to heal that which was sick, and (as saith the Prophet) to bear our infirmities; 
Isa. 53.  can he take more pleasure then to see us coming towards him to be discharged for our sins? did he ever reject a Publican or sinner that came to present himself before him? (as saith the Prophet.)  

Psal. 103.  The Lord is kind and merciful  
When sinners do him grieve;  
The slowest to conceive a wrath,  
And readiest to forgive.  
We may plainly see it in the examples of the Publican, of the woman sinner, of the prodigal, of the good thief, of David, of St. Peter, 
Mat. 16.  of St. Paul, and of the servant that was indebted ten thousand Talents to his master, which were acquitted him as soon as he had confessed the debt, and had requested and prayed his master to have pity on him? Ha, to what end hath the father sent hither his son? why was he anointed by the holy Ghost? Is it not to declare unto the captives that he came from heaven to pay their ransom, and to draw them out of captivity, 
Isa. 61.  and to the prisoners, that he is come to open the prison for them, and to the indebted, that he is come to acquit them, and to the sick for to heal them? And the Apostles which he hath sent throughout the world, as he was sent of his Father, what charge had they? was it not to publish the Gospel, that is to say, the remission of sins to all creatures in the name of jesus Christ? If then that their labour be not in vain, and that likewise of the faithful Ministers which came after them; we must assure ourselves of the remission of our sins. There is yet more, that if they were not pardoned us in believing him, the Birth, the Death, the Resurrection, the Ascension, the Intercession; Brief, all the mystery of jesus Christ, should be as nothing, barren and fruitless, 
1. Cor. 15.  and our faith altogether vain. Item, how could we believe him to be our jesus and our Emanuel, 
Mat. 1.  if he did not save us from our sins, 
Isa. 59 Heb. 8. jere. 3.  and carry away by that means the enmities that are between him and us, which turn away and hinder him that he cannot associate with us? What assurance would we have more, then that the new alliance which he hath contracted with us, was confirmed and ratified by his death, and the blood which he hath shed, if he had not forgotten all our iniquities, and did not write his laws in our hearts by his holy Spirit; seeing that they are the promises and conditions, under the which it hath been conceived and yielded? What fruit would come unto us of his Priesthood, and of the Sacrifice which he hath offered to his Father for our redemption, if we remain in our sins? 
1. john 2.  If also it were not purposely for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world? How could we assure ourselves that he is our Mediator and Advocate, and under that assurance go to the throne of grace, to obtain mercy, & to find grace to be aided in time of need? We must not then doubt the remission of sins; And as saith David, 

Psal. 103.  God doth remove our sins from us,  
And our offences all,  
As far as is the Sun rising,  
Full distant from his fall.   
And how can we doubt of it, seeing we carry it printed and sealed, not only in our hearts and consciences, but also in our bodies, with the two great seals of the Chancellor of the Kingdom of heaven, to wit, Baptism and the Lords Supper? Let then the sick assure themselves, that believing the remission of his sins, he obtain. It presently; For he dealeth with us according to our faith. And S. Ambrose writes, that all that we believe we obtain; for we cannot believe but what God hath told and promised us, who is so faithful and true in his promises, 
Rom. 3.  that even the unbelief and infidelity of men cannot abolish his truth. And although that the wicked rejecting and contemning the word and promise of God, hinder that by their contempt and obstinacy it doth not bring forth his effect, in not showing the virtue which it should have to save them if they did believe it; nevertheless that cannot prejudice others that receive and obey it, nor hinder that believing in it, and by faith receiving it into their hearts, but they shall be quickened; 
Simil.  even as a man that should close his eyes against the light, and fly from it, cannot hinder, but he that openeth his eyes shall enjoy and be enlightened with it; For the light and colour are the objects of the eye, which being opened, whole and well disposed, apprehends them presently. Also is the promise of God the object of the faithful, which causeth that man receiveth it so soon as it is denounced unto him, and that he hath heard it published; provided that by the spirit of God his heart be before hand prepared; For otherwise if it should continue in its stony nature, the spiritual seed were not able to take root therein, nor to fructify no more than the bodily seed cast upon a stone, for a land untilled. The sick being then thus resolved of the remission of all their sins, need not in any sort to doubt but that they are in the grace and favour of God, and that from thence they may infallibly hope for eternal life; For there is nothing that can exclude us from it, but sin only, the which being not imputed unto us, but being covered and quite blotted out, what is it that can hinder or keep back God from us? And if by faith (as hath been said) we remain conjoined and united inseparably with him who is a fountain of life, 
Ephes. 3.  and the scope of all good things, what can we desire but we shall presently find it in him? 
Psal. 56.  What mishap or misery can we fear, being in his favour? If he be with us, who shall be against us? Then are we assured that the good will that he bears us, shall be continued for ever, and that there is no creature in the world that shall be able to turn it from us (as writeth S. Paul to the Romans.) I am assured that neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Power, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which he beareth us in Christ jesus our Lord. And a little before this passage. What shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall it be tribulation or anguish, or persecution, or hunger, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? All men than that have been engrafted once by faith into the body of jesus Christ, and by consequent adopted of God, and received into his favour, and into his house as his child, never departs from thence afterwards; But as he is assured of his election by his vocation and justification, which have followed; 
Rom. 5.  also is he of his glorification, which is the conclusion, and as it were the crown of his salvation. For the gifts and the vocation of God are without repentance; which the Apostle writes very plainly to the Romans. 
Rom. 8.  Those that he hath predestinate, he hath also called, and those that he hath called he hath also justified, and those that he hath justified he hath also glorified. And although that there are always many vices and infirmities in us, and that it even happens sometimes unto us to fall very heavily, as it happened to David, S. Peter, S. Paul, and almost to all the Saints, yea the perfectest that ever were; never he less there is a point upon the which we should be always grounded, and which ought greatly to comfort us, and uphold us against all the assaults and temptations of Satan; which is that which Saint john saith, 
1. john 3.  Whosoever is borne of God doth not sin: (meaning to death) for the seed of him remains in him, and he cannot sin, because he is of God; which he declares yet better else where. 
1. john 5.  All iniquity, faith he, is sin: but there is some sin which is not to death; we know that whosoever is borne of God sinneth not; For by that he giveth sufficiently to understand, that faith and the word of God, which is in the soul and in the foundation, are never altogether drawn away and exterminate out of the hearts of the elect, and that by that reason they cannot commit that sin which S. john calls to death. For although that faith be sometimes as it were buried in them, having not any moving, nor feeling no more than a dead thing; nevertheless, it is not altogether quenched, no more than a fire covered in the ashes, 
Simil.  although it neither show his light nor heat; nor likewise dead no more than a tree in winter, when the sap being drawn to the root, bringeth forth neither flowers, nor leaves, nor fruit that show any life, which nevertheless is clasped up within, and hidden in the root. There is the reason for the which David speaking of the faithful man in the 27. Psalm saith, 
Though that he fall, 
Psal. 37.  yet is he sure  
Not utterly to quail,  
Because the Lord stretcheth out his hand  
At need, and doth not fail.  
And eke his seed I will sustain 
Psal. 89.   
For ever strong and sure,  
So that his seat shall still remain  
While heaven and earth endure.  
If that his sons forsake my law,  
And so begin to swerver,  
And of my judgements have none awe  
Nor will not them observe,  
Or if they do not use aright  
My statutes to them made,  
And set all my commandments light  
And will not keep my trade;  
Then with my rod will I begin  
Their doings to amend,  
And with scourging for their sin,  
When that they do offend:  
My mercy yet and my goodness,  
I will not take him fro,  
Nor handle him with craftiness,  
And so my truth forego.  
But sure my covenant I will hold,  
With all that I have spoke,  
No word the which my lips have told,  
Shall alter or be broke.  

Psal. 23.  And finally while breath doth last,  
Thy grace shall me defend,  
And in the house of God will I  
My life for ever spend.  

Psal. 30.  For why his anger but a space  
Doth last, and slack again,  
But in his favour and his grace  
Always doth life remain.  
Though gripes of grief and pangs full sore,  
Shall lodge with us all night,  
The Lord to joy will us restore  
Before the day be light.  

Psal. 65.  The man is blest whom thou dost choose  
Within thy courts to dwell,  
Thy house and temple he shall use,  
With pleasures that excel.  

Psal. 119.  Of thy goodness still showed to me,  
Thou wilt not Lord I frustrate be.   
All these passages and others like out of the Scripture must be alleged to the sick to strengthen their faith on every side, and to furnish and arm it strongly against the inflamed darts and arrows of the Devil, to the end that on which side soever he may shoot them, he may not find any place bare, where he may reach or wound him; For we must not doubt but then he will use all his forces, and all his sleights, for to shake our faith and to overcome us. But the means to defend ourselves, is, to keep ourselves always in our fortress, and never to departed from the promises of God, whatsoever he can allege to the contrary; Let us propound unto him that which I say, saith, that Israel is saved by the Lord, with an eternal salvation, 
Isay 45.  and that we shall not be confounded nor ashamed from this time forth for evermore. And elsewhere, 
Isay 51.  The heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall be worn out like a garment, and the inhabitants thereof shall likewise be abolished; But my salvation shall be for ever, and my justice shall never fail. And to the end that the demonstrations which he hath sometimes made us of his anger, do not beget in our hearts too great a fear, whereof may follow a mistrust of him, and of the promises of salvation which he hath made us, let us hear what saith this Prophet, speaking to the Church in the name of God: 
Isay 54.  I have forsaken thee for a little while, but I will gather thee again by great compassion: I have a little as in a moment of indignation hid my face from thee: But I have had compassion on thee by an everlasting benignity, saith the Lord thy Redeemer; And this shall be as Noah's waters, for as I swore, that I would no more pass the waters of Noah upon the earth; So have I sworn that I will no more be angry with thee, and will reprove thee no more. For although that the mountains be moved, and the little hills shake, my mercy shall never go from thee, and the alliance of my peace shall not stir, saith the Lord, who hath compassion over thee. God in Ose to this purpose saith unto his Church, 
Ose 2.  that he will espouse her for ever in faith, justice, verity, mercy, and judgement; declaring thereby unto it, that the alliance that he will contract with it, shall be firm and inviolable, and for to be such as he shall sound it in himself, that is to say, in his mercy, verity, and justice, requiring only that it walk upright before him, ●nd that in all its ways it follow a roundness and integrity, keeping itself as much as it may from deceit and hypocrisy. Which must be diligently noted; for the Devil for to astonish us, and to make us to doubt of the effect of the promises of GOD, when we are ready to appear in judgement, and when being adjourned, our cause is ready to be called upon; if he see that we stand firm, and that for to answer thereunto, we are settled upon the word of his Gospel, in the which he offereth us his grace, he yields unto us that God is true in all that he saith, and likewise that he offers us his grace and life by his promise; But that he is hindered from accomplishing it, and exhibiting that which he hath promised by our indignity and unworthiness, because that having so much offended him, even since we were illuminated and regenerate by the knowledge of his truth, and that he hath done us so much favour as to receive us into his family, and to adopt us for his children, we by our ingratitude have made ourselves altogether uncapable of these benefits, and unworthy, that he should fulfil the promises which he hath made us. Thereupon to drive back this temptation, which is the strongest and most dangerous wherewith we can be assailed; We must first note, that as the only good pleasure of God, hath been the beginning and only motive, by the which he hath been induced to desire to contract an alliance with us, and to offer unto us the promise of salvation, by the which he declares himself our God, and receives us to be his people, that also his grace is the only means, that may stir him up to accomplish it towards us. By the means whereof Saint Paul said, 
Rom. 6.  that the reward of sin is death, but that grace is life; Although that to dispose well and set down the Antithese, it seems that he ought to have said, to oppose member against member, That as life is the reward of our righteousness, also is death of our sins; But to give us to understand, that life which is the effect of the promise, is gratis as well as is the promise which offereth it unto us, he hath wholly attributed it to the grace of God, without making any mention of our works, nor virtues. Whereunto aught to be referred that which he allegeth in the two and thirtieth Psalm, where David declares that the beatitude of man consists in that God alloweth him his justice without works, saying, Happy are they whose iniquities are remitted, and whose sins are covered; Happy is the man unto whom God hath not imputed his sin. Seeing then that the beatitudes which God offereth us in his promises are not granted in the contemplation and favour of the merits and virtues which are in man, but by the only grace of God, thence it follows that as the price and dignity of our works, cannot purchase us everlasting life, that also our indignity and unworthiness cannot hinder us from attaining it. For it is a mere gift of God, which he bestoweth on whom he pleaseth, according to his mercy, and not according to the merit of our justices, the which are not only imperfect, but also defiled with much filthiness, by reason that our hearts from whence they proceed, can never be so well cleansed in this world, but there doth still remain much corruption whereby they are contaminate; Which is the cause that the Prophet prayeth God so fervently not to enter into judgement with him.  
In judgement with thy servant Lord  
Oh enter not at all, 
Psal. 143.   
For justified be in thy sight,  
Not one that liveth shall.  
And else where.  

Psal. 130.  O Lord our God if thou dost weigh  
Our sins, and them peruse,  
Who shall then escape, and say  
I can myself excuse?  
And that St. Augustine in his book of Confessions saith this good and memorable sentence; Mishap to all our righteousness, if it be examined and judged without mercy. But nevertheless that cannot hinder, but God will give us eternal life as he hath promised; provided that we know, feel and confess our indignity; For there is nothing that makes us capable, and (if it may be so spoken) worthy of the favours and blessings of our God, but the knowledge and feeling which we have in ourselves to be altogether unworthy of them. And what worthiness could be noted in the Thief hanged upon the Cross, at one of the sides of jesus Christ, who had continued in his thievery and wickedness until the extremity of his life, 
Luk. 23.  without ever having known his Saviour, until the hour that he was ready to give up the Ghost? And nevertheless, he had no sooner opened his mouth, generally to confess and to require the mercy of jesus Christ, but it was presently said unto him, Thou shalt be this day in Paradise with me; 
Luk. 16.  What worthiness was there in the poor Publican, who for the great shame and horror which he had of his life passed, durst not life up his eyes, yet nevertheless presently when he had acknowledged his pitiful and miserable estate wherein he was, and prayed God to have pity on him, than all his sins were forgiven him, and he went home justified? What dignity was found in Saint Paul, when he went to Damascus transported with rage and fury, to inform himself according to the commission which he had obtained of the high Priest, 
Act. 9  of all those that did confess the name of jesus Christ, & to bring them bound and shackled to jerusalem, to the end to prosecute against them, & to cause them to be condemned to death? And nevertheless, although he was so horrible a blasphemer of jesus Christ and his Church, and by that means unworthy, not only to be of the number of the Apostles (as he himself confesseth) but also of the sheep, God forgetting in an instant all these injuries which had been done to him and to his Church, made an elected and chosen instrument of him, and a trumpet chosen among all his fellows, for to publish his Gospel throughout the world. Who will say that he had any regard to his merit, and to the dignity of his gestures and actions, when he raised him to such a degree of honour, and hath done him as much or more favour than to any of all his fellows. Seeing that he himself doth so highly magnify grace whereunto he attributeth all that he ever thought, said, or did, that was commendable; It is then the only grace of God that is the foundation and means of the life which we hope for; as it also is of justice and holiness, by the which we attain it. Which jesus Christ plainly teacheth us, when speaking of his sheep, he saith that they hear his voice, 
john 10.  and follow him, and in the mean time that he giveth them eternal life; signifying thereby that it is freely granted unto them, and of mere gift, and not in contemplation and respect that they have heard his voice, and followed his steps. Which also cannot be gathered by the words of Moses, in the twentieth of Exodus, 
Exod. 20.  where God promiseth to continue his mercy to a thousand generations towards those that love him, and keep his commandments; Whereupon we must note, that he promiseth no other recompense to his servants for all their services, but to use mercy towards them and their posterity. As much may we observe in the four and twentieth Psalm where the Prophet speaking of those that shall go up into the mountain of the Lord, saith, that it shall be a man, 
Whose hands are harmless, 
Psal. 24.  and whose heart  
No spot there doth defile,  
His soul not set on vanity,  
Whose heart hath sworn no guile.   
And addeth afterward.  
Him that is such a one, the Lord  
Shall place in blessefull plight,  
And God his God and Saviour,  
Shall yield to him his right.  
This is the brood of travelers,  
In seeking of his grace,  
As jacob did the Israelites,  
In that time of his race.  
For to give to understand, that what duty soever we have done in obeying to God, in washing our hearts from all evil thoughts and affections, and our hands from all evil works, in humbling, ourselves under the hand of God, and presuming nothing of ourselves, nor of our virtues; nevertheless that for all that, we shall not go up into the mountain of our Lord, but that it shall be only in favour of the grace which he giveth us, and of the mercy that it pleaseth him to show towards us. And it is much better (to comfort and assure us our hope entirely, that it be grounded upon his mercy and truth, which are firm and immovable, then upon the dignity of our works and virtues, which are so imperfect. Now when ye shall see the sick well resolved of the remission of all his sins, and that in his heart there shall no more remain any fear of them, that doth any more trouble his conscience; than you must proceed farther, and arm him against the horror and apprehension that he may have of death, in showing unto him out of the word of God, that it hath been done away, and swallowed up by the death of jesus Christ, who speaking by the mouth of the Prophet, sayeth to Death, 
Ose. 13. 1. Cor. 15.  O Death I will be thy death. For seeing that the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law, jesus Christ accomplishing the law for us, hath by that means taken away the sting of death; so that it can hurt us no more; And likewise broken the power of sin, so that it can no more condemn us. And although the decree and ordinance of God bears, that all men must die, and that being come out of the dust, they shall return to dust again: nevertheless to speak properly, the separation of the body and the soul in the faithful man, ought not to be called death. Also JESUS CHRIST speaking to his Disciples of Lazarus, 
job. 11.  who was dead, told them, that he slept. This manner of speaking is very usual in the old Testament, to signify the death of the Fathers. St. Paul useth it also when he writeth to the Corinthians and Thessalonians, 
1. Cor. 15. 1. Thessa.  of those that shall be departed before the day of the resurrection, which be calleth sleeping. But he speaks yet more magnificently in the Epistle which he writeth to the Philippians, where he calls the departure of souls from bodies, 
Phil. 1.  dislodging. Which agreeth well with the saying of jesus Christ, who being desirous to advertise his Disciples of his approaching death, said unto them, That the hour drew near, 
john. 13.  that he was to pass from this world to go to God the Father; calling the corporal death a passage by the which we must pass out of this vale of misery, for to enter into the fruition and possession of a Paradise that is to say, of a place of assured rest, and full of delectation. The which the ancient Greeks' have also taught by the name which they have given to death, calling it, Thanaton, which is as much to say according to the Tymologie which Temiste hath given of it, that ano eye tun theon; in French is, now up to God, and Telutin eion ei teletin, consecration: as if he would say that death is like unto a solemn ceremony, by the which the faithful are altogether consecrated and dedicated to God, for afterwards to apply themselves to no other exercise then to sing the praises of God and to sanctify his holy name. And for that regard jesus Christ did also call it Baptism, 
Mat. 20.  because that by death we pass as by a port, and thorough a water to arrive in a place of rest and pleasure whither we pretend. And if the body which the Greeks' call Soma, to show that it is a sepulchre to the soul, which they call by a name coming very near to the other, to wit, Sima, where it seems that during this life it is as it were buried and interred; when it pleaseth God to take it away, is it not as if he made it to come out of a tomb, and that he raised it. What occasion then can men have to fly from bodily death, and to abhor it so; seeing that separating the soul from the body, it puts the soul out of prison, and sends it in liberty to heaven, there to be received into the bosom of jesus Christ, and to enjoy with him and all the happy spirits the everlasting consolations which are there promised and reserved for the elect. And the body on the other side in the earth, as in a bed, there for to sleep and rest at his ease, without that his slumber be any more interrupted or troubled, neither by troublesome dreams, nor by cares and solicitudes, nor by fears, nor by alarms and violent noises, nor by any other occasion whatsoever, and that until the day of the resurrection, in the which it shall be awaked by the sound of God's trumpet, & reunitted to the soul, having lost his mortality, corruption, 
2. Cor. 15.  dishonour and weakness in the earth, and b'ing clothed again with glory, force, immortality and incorruption. Wherein we may see that it is without reason that men are so greatly afraid of the bodily death; the which for a time separates the body from the soul to the great profit of the one and the other; For the body is by that means out of all danger, not only of sin and of miseries which it draweth along with it, but also of all temptation, lying & resting in the earth in assured hope of the resurrection and everlasting life. And although it seem to be altogether deprived of life in the earth, because that the soul departing from it, leaves it without any moving, or feeling, and also that it rots and is reduced to dust; nevertheless being always accompanied with the spirit and infinite virtue of God who quickeneth all things, it is not altogether separated from life, as saith St. Paul; If the spirit of him that hath raised up jesus Christ from the dead, dwelleth in us, he that hath raised him up will also quicken your mortal bodies, because his spirit dwelleth in you. And it is the reason for the which elsewhere, he being willing to give us a picture of the resurrection to come of our bodies, doth propound it unto us under the figure of a seed put into the ground, which hath life in itself; although that being in a garner it hath no show of any, and that holding it in our hands we can judge no otherwise of it but that it is a dead thing; nevertheless, when it is put into the earth, where it might seem that the life which should be in it, should there be quite stifled and smothered, it shows itself, and comes forth even as out of the rottenness, from whence we see sping the stalk, which afterward taketh nourishment and growth, which are effects and demonstrations of the life which was hid therein before it was put into the earth. And albeit that God in the Scripture calls himself the God Abraham, 
Mat. 22.  even after his death, and that he is not the God of the dead, but of the living, from thence it follows that not only the soul of Abraham which he hath redeemed by the death of his Son, is yet living after it is separated from the body; but that also the body which doth participate in this same redemption, and which is united and incorporated with JESUS CHRIST, for to be of his members, and which finally hath been consecrated and dedicated unto God, to the end that he should dwell in it as his Temple, is not deprived of life, 
1. Cor. 3.  even at that time when it is rotten in the earth. Because that it is always accompanied with the grace of God, and comprehended as well as the soul in the everlasting alliance, which he hath made with his people: the which alliance is a spring and vein of life, not unto the souls only, but unto the bodies also of all the faithful. And if as saith St. john in his revelations, those are happy that die in the Lord, 
Revel. 14  and there is no beatitude without life; from thence we must conclude of two things, the one, either that the beatitude cometh not to the body, or if it doth reach to it, that it is not exempt from life lying in the earth. For although that being all worm-eaten it doth not in such estate show any appearance of life, yet doth it always retain as it were a seed thereof, and bud, which shall appear at the day of the resurrection, when the Spirit of God pouring his infinite virtue upon our bodies, it shall raise them, and shall adorn them with glory and excellency, which God hath promised to his elect. And even as in an egg there is a chicken, 
Simil.  and life hidden, the which is put in evidence when the hen cometh to heat and brood it with her heat; so the immortality and life, to the participation whereof as well our souls as our bodies have been called from that time that by faith we have received the Gospel, (which is a word of life, and an incorruptible seed) shall be as it were disclosed at the latter day by the power of our God, who will revive us as the heaven, 
2. Peter. 3.  the earth and all other creatures, which than shall be delivered quite from the bondage of corruption. 
Rom. 8.  Whereof we are also assured by the Baptism which hath been communicated unto us in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the holy Ghost▪ for the water which hath been powered on our bodies, & which the Scripture calleth the washing of regeneration, is not to assure us that our souls only are washed and cleansed in the blood of jesus Christ, by the remission of our sins, but also our bodies. And that both together; being covered and clothed with the justice and innocency of the Son of God, and over and above sanctified by his Spirit, are presently put in possession of life, and altogether freed and delivered from the bondage of death, which hath no power (as we have said) but there only where sin reigneth, which is the only cause of death. The Lord's Supper, in the which by faith taking the bread and wine which therein are administered by the M●…ster, we are received to the participation of the flesh and blood of jesus Christ, and so united and incorporated with him, that for ever (as saith St. john,) he dwelleth in us, and we in him, 
joh. 6.  doth it not also assure us, that being inseparably conjoined with life, and the means of life, we cannot die neither in soul nor in body, by the means of this union, which is common to both of them? The bodily death than should not seem so horrible and fearful unto us as it is to many, who are affrighted with it, 
Simil.  as are children with a mask and false visage; for if a mother did present herself before her child in a shape monstrous and hideous to behold, he would be afraid of it, and crying, would run from it; but as soon as she hath lifted up her mask, and that he knoweth her again, he will run towards her to embrace and kiss her. We also to be delivered from this natural fear and fright which we have of death, we ought to unmask it, and look upon it now in the form whereunto jesus Christ by his death hath brought it; for even as by his cross he hath discharged us of the curse unto the which we were bound, and hath converted it into a blessing for us; also by his death hath he not only o●●rcome it in us, but also quickened our death: insomuch that now it is a hand of health unto us, and a port to enter into the kingdom of heaven, and to take possession of the most happy life which God hath promised to his children. That which maketh us so to fear it is, that we behold it in the looking glass of the law, which represents it unto us a fearful figure to behold, and in guise of a Sergeant armed with the wrath of God, & all the threatenings and curses propounded in his law against all those which transgesse it; who comes to do his exploit, and to adjourn us presently to appear before his judgement seat, and there to hear a sentence of the last & sovereign judge, by whom we may be sent into an everlasting fire, without hope of consolation, nor to have ever other company, but that of devils to torment us. Which happening, it is not possible when death presents itself so before our eyes, but we must have such an apprehension, that it were sufficient altogether to confound & cast us headlong into the gulf of despair, if it did continue long. But for to turn it from us, we must do as they that have their sight dimmed & dazzled, which being too long settled upon a colour too glistering, for to get it again, 
Simil.  they turn and cast it upon another which is more cheerful, ge●enish, & delightsome. Also to get our spirits again when we feel them strayed from us, because of the apprehension which the law hath given us of death, we ought to behold the image thereof in the looking glass of the gospel, in the which jesus Christ propounds it unto us as fair and more gracious and amiable, 
Act. 2.  then Moses in his law had showed it us ugly and fearful, without that she hath any more sting to prick us, nor cords, chains, or bands to retain us under her power. For jesus Christ rising again, hath broken them as Samson in times passed by a marvelous strength broke (as if it had been a small twined flaxen thread) the great cords and cables, wherewith the Philistines thought they had so straightly bound and shackled him, that he could never have escaped them. And nevertheless, they found themselves deceived, when thinking to have set upon him with great fury and impetuosity, they saw him break them as easily, as another man would a tow thread half burnt. So death thinking, by causing jesus Christ to die, that he had overcome all, and brought all under his power, and so assured his Empire, that it should never be shook, found herself vanquished and beaten down, in such sort that she shall never be able to rise again▪ as the Apostle writes to the Corinthians, that death hath been swallowed up of victory, 
1. Cor. 15.  to wit, that which it had thought to have obtained, when it caused jesus Christ to die. Then death ought not to be fearful for the reasons which we have deduced, but to be wished for, for those which we shall deduce hereafter. For first it puts our souls in liberty, and delivers them from the torments, anguishes, fears, mistrustes, cares and desires, wherewith they are cruelly tortured whiles they are enclosed in the filthy prisons of our vicious, mortal and corruptible bodies. And delivers likewise our bodies from innumerable dangers whereto they are exposed as well by sea and by land, as in all places where they are to be found. Item, from so many sorts of diseases, and languish which do undermine and consume them with insupportable dolours. Item, from the necessity and pain of labour, unto the which they are made subject by sin. And finally from a continual care which they have to inquire and seek after the means to be nourished, clothed, lodged, and fitted with all things necessary for their entertainment. But all that is nothing in regard of the good which it doth us, putting us out of the danger of sinning any more, and of being any more tempted of the devil, of the world, and of our own desires, which cease, not to solicit us to do evil and to provoke us incessantly to offend God, and by that means to draw upon us all the curses, where with he threatens in his laws all those that transgress them, and disobey him. With what heat and vehemency? with what sighs and groanings did the Apostle desire and demand of God, that he would deliver him from that pricking which he felt in his flesh? 
1. Cor. 11.  from that Angel of Satan that buffeted him? And after that long and lamentable complaint which he maketh of this law, 
Rom. 7.  which he saw in his members against the law of his understanding, & rendering it captive to the law of sin which was in his members: upon the conclusion of his discourse, what a loud cry cometh he to cast from the bottom of his heart? Miserable man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? whereby a body may know the mourning, which this holy man made, to see in himself the tyranny of sin, and to feel the violence which it used towards him, constraining him to do the evil that he would not, & to forsake the good which he desired to do with all his heart. O then happy death, who puttest us out of so cruel & troublesome a bondage. Who shall also consider what a misery it is to live even in the midst of the Church amongst barbarous people, and such as the Apostle foretold should come in those latter times, 
●. Tim. 3.  to wit, people loving themselves, covetous, boasters, proud, scandalous, disobedient to father and mother, unthankful, contemners of God, without natural affection, backbiters, without temperance, cruel, hating the good, traitors, rash, puffed up, lovers of their pleasures rather than of God, having a show of godliness, but denying the form thereof. And to be on the other side, environed and besieged on every part, by people conjured and mortal enemies of the Gospel of jesus Christ, and of his Church; mad and ravening dogs and wolves, frantic, despiting God and his graces, curious, violent, outrageous, profane, blasphemers, having neither faith nor law, nor fear, nor conscience, that can reprove or retain their malice; who I say shall regard what an anguish it is to converse in the midst of a nation so wicked and perverse, and to be constrained to see their abominable impieties and sacrilege, and hear their horrible blasphemises, which without fear and shame they disgorge against heaven, against the throne and Majesty of God; and will not complain of the length of his life, and say with David?  
Alas too long I slack  
Within the tents so black, 
Psal. 120.   
Which Cedars are by name,  
By whom thy flock elect,  
And all of isaack's sect,  
Are put to open shame.  
With them that peace did hate,  
I came a peace to make,  
And set a quiet life;  
But when my tale was told  
Causeless I was controlled  
By them that would have strife.  
Elias seeing that the people of Israel had forsaken God, 
1 King. 18.  and had altogether abandoned themselves to Idolatry, and on the other part the strange cruelties that Achab and jesabel did use and exercise against the Prophets, and servants of God; being glutted and weary of his life, having cast himself into the desert under a bank, prayed God to take him out of this world, that he might see no more that which he had seen in it. Also it is not possible that a man of a good heart, seeing the disorders and confusions that are this day in the world, and that everywhere (excepted a very few places) godliness and justice are turned upside down, faith and the fear of God, virtue and verity banished and exiled out of the company of the most part of men; but he must in his heart feel strange griefs: and that for to turn away the sight of such pitiful spectacles, would not wish his soul quickly to be dislodged out of this earthly Tabernacle, for to take and have his dwelling in heaven, where we hope for a permanent City, and a habitation furnished and assured against all dangers, and that then shall be fully accomplished that which the Prophet saith, 
Against all dangers from henceforth▪  
Thy soul he will preserve,  
And to thy deeds for evermore  
A happy end reserve.   
And that which ought to increase this desire, is, that going from hence, we shall be suddenly transported into heaven, where we shall see God face to face, and jesus Christ in his glory; Which is a fight that ravisheth the Angels, and all the happy Spirits, in such sort that they desire nor seek after any thing else for their perfect contentment, as saith the Prophet, 
I set the Lord still in my sight, 
Psal. 16.   
And trust him over all,  
For he doth stand on my right hand,  
Wherefore I shall not fall.   
The Queen of Saba having seen Solomon and understood his great wisdom by the resolution which he had given upon all the points and questions, 
1. Kings 10.  which she had propounded unto him, having moreover diligently considered and marked the order and great state which he kept in his court; being as it were ravished, and as it were out of herself, she cried out; O how happy are the servants of thy house, that may behold thy face every day, and understand the profound wisdom which distilleth incessantly from thy lips? How much more happy shall we then be then they, fully enjoying the glorious face of our God? and all the treasures of his divine patience being opened unto us? If Moses be esteemed happy, & hath been held for one of the greatest Prophets in the world, because he saw Gods hinder part only, what shall we be when we shall see him face to face, & such as he is? Many kings and Prophets in the time of the Fathers, did fervently desire the coming of jesus Christ, & would have thought themselves happy to see God manifested in the flesh, as john Baptist, Simeon, & the Apostles saw him; what felicity ought we at this day to esteem it, when by death we are so happy to see him in his glory & majesty, clothed with his royal rob, sitting on the right hand of God his Father, having authority and power in heaven and earth, to govern & dispose of all things according to his good pleasure, and holding all his enemies as a footstool, under his feet? When he transfigured himself in the mountain, Peter, john, & james, because they had only seen as it were passing by, a small splendour of his glory, were suddenly so ravished and transported with it, that forgetting in an instant all other things, they desired for all happiness, but that the pleasure which they felt at that hour, might always continue with them. Then let us now think, if 〈◊〉 pattern, and as it were a final drop of the life and glory to come, hath had so much power as to ravish the Disciples & to transport them forth of themselves; what shall become of us, when according to our hope we shall have the whole power, and shall drink in that brook, or to speak better, in that Sea of pleasure, and all perfect contentment, when this sempitern all happiness whereof the Prophet speaketh, shall be powered on our heads? Moreover, shall not this joy redouble when with jesus Christ we shall see and behold all this fair and noble company of Angels, Archangels, Principalities, Powers, patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, and Martyrs, and generally all the Church triumphant of the happy Spirits, who occupy and exercise themselves in nothing else, but without ceasing to sing the praises of God, saying, Holy, holy, holy, 
Revel. 4.  Lord God everlasting, which was, which is, and which shall before ever? Item, To him that fitteth on the throne, & to the Lamb, 
Revel. 5.  be all honour praise, glory and power, for ever and ever. In times past it was a wonderful thing to see the assembly of all the Tribes of the people of Israel in jerusalem, 
1 Kings 8.  when that Solomon after he had made an end of building the Temple, would solemnly dedicate it, with an Infinite number of Sacrifices, with perfumes and sweet incense, with prayers and thanksgiving, and an alacrity of the people of God, neverheard off, nor seen before. There were yet since that two other notable assemblies in jerusalem, which are much celebrated in the Scripture, the one under the reign of Ezekias, 
2. Chron. 30. 2. Kings 23.  and the other under josias, when these two good Princes moved with a zeal, piety, and service of God, which had been miserably corrupted by the Idolatry and impiety of their Predecessors, did undertake with valiant and heroical hearts, to cleanse the holy land of the filthy and stinking whoredoms, as well corporal as spiritual, wherewith it was infected; taking away all the stews and Idols, in the whole land of juda, and abolishing all the false services, that the fathers and hypocrites had invented, and established against the word and ordinance of God. And beside, to renew the alliance of God, which was almost altogether buried, and blotted out of the hearts of the people, did call together all the inhabitants of the country, with the which, after the public reading of the law, they celebrated the feast of the Passeover, with the greatest solemnity that ever was heard off or seen before. And we must not doubt but all well minded people, seeing such a company assembled together to such a good end, did leap for joy, beholding God in the midst of his holy people, hearing the accords and agreements which were revived between both parties, and the solemn promises and protestations, which were respectively made by God, assuring his people of his favour for ever; and of his people, promising also never to change, but to continue in his alliance for ever, without ever departing out of his service, nor to make any other reckoning after but only to honour him, and to celebrate and sanctify his name. Although that such assemblies of the Church militant, whereof hath been seen some pictures in these latter times, and should yet be seen, if Antichrist and his adherents did not hinder it, be the goodliest, excellentest, and most to be wished for thing, that can be seen upon the earth, as saith the Prophet, 
O God thy house I love most dear 
Psal. 26.   
To me it doth excel,  
I have delight and would be near  
Whereas thy grace doth dwell,   
Item else where.  

Psal. 42.  Like as the heart doth breath and bray  
The wellspring to obtain,  
So doth my soul desire always,  
With thee Lord to remain.  
My soul doth thirst and would draw near  
The living God of might,  
Oh when shall I come and appear  
In presence of his sight?  

Psal. 92.  It is a thing both good and meet,  
To praise the highest Lord,  
And to thy name, o thou most high  
To sing with one accord,  
To show the kindness of the Lord  
Betime ear it be light,  
And eke declare his truth abroad,  
When it doth draw to night.  
All these passages, and many other sufficiently show in what estimation he had the holy assemblies, which he preferred before all other pleasure. And to say true, all men that know and feel in themselves what the love, the goodness, gentleness, mercy, clemency, benignity, wisdom, faithfulness, patience, verity, power, greatness, majesty, justice, liberality, and other sovereign and infinite virtues of God, is, they can never sufficiently content themselves with thinking on them, with preaching and celebrating them, with worshipping and admiring them, and summoning not only the Angels & all the hosts of heaven, but also all the elements, all the plants, & even the unreasonable creatures, to magnify his name, & to rejoice infinitely, when they hear him exalted and glorified. Although that nevertheless, the praises that men living yet in the world, sing unto God, cannot be so holy, nor so well framed, but there will be much more to be desired; for being always unperfect, as we are, to what degree of faith or charity soever we have attained; & beside, having a flesh the which fights incessantly against the spirit, and holds it back and hinders it, when it would lift itself up to God, it is impossible that we should hear the word of God with such zeal & attention as might be required, nor likewise that we should make our confessions, prayers, and thansgiving, with such humility as we ought. So it is yet, that when we hear the singing of Psalms, spiritual Hymns, Canticles and Songs, to echo & sound in the midst of the assembly out of the mouths of the faithful, although they be infirm, weak, poor, and miserable sinners, we do not let to be ravished & transported out of ourselves, with the great joy that we feel in our hearts; what may we then think of the pleasure which we hope to receive in heaven, when that our souls separated from our bodies, being then mounted, shall hear that sweet music and harmony of Angels and other happy Spirits, singing with one accord the praises of God, with such a melodious sound, that the contentment and joy which they shall conceive thereby, shall make them in an instant to forget not only all displeasure, but also all other pleasure? Like as a Tub of water is no more seen so soon as it is cast into the Sea, nor the brightness of the Stars when the Sun begins to shine, and to cast his beams upon the earth. Moreover, when we die in the faith of our Lord, we are even at the same instant most happy, that is to say, that then we have no more desires, but such as are holy, and which at the self same hour of our death are fully glutted and satisfied; Which is not a small felicity, that we having no more flesh to contrary the spirit, nor rebellious appetites to reason, nor law in our members disagreeing to the law of God; but that all tumults and troubles ceasing in our hearts, we may have a soul altogether spiritual, calm, peaceable, living wholly to God, and which may be so fastened and united unto him, that neither by temptations nor any occasion it can be distracted neither from his love and service, nor from the beholding of his face. Is there any thing more pleasant to behold then a well governed city, where all the citizens and inhabitants are of one mind, and straightly bound together by a true and firm amity, that give no way to contentions, annoyances, debates, quarrels, partialities, divisions, tumults, and seditions, but hold together and live all in an amiable concord? Is there likewise any thing more to be wished for, then to see a house well ordered, where the Father and Mother of a family, with the children and servants, walk altogether in the fear and obedience of God, contain themselves within their bounds without exceeding, nor yet forsaking the rule and measure which God hath given in his law? St. Paul in many places of the Scripture propounds unto us the sweet harmony which is between all the members of man's body, 
Rom. 12. 1. Cor. 12.  and the mutual communication which is between them, of their faculties and powers, without being envious of the dignity the one of the other, or that the other contemns his fellow for his baseness; being desirous by this comparison to teach the Church, the fraternity and just proportion, which ought to be in the members thereof, for the good and conservation of every one in particular, and of all the body in general; which is the goodliest thing and most agreeable that is to be seen, if it might be seen amongst men. It is also a very pleasant thing to hear a good lute well tuned, when it is touched by a skilful player; But yet there is nothing more pleasant, than a soul well tuned in all her faculties, when the understanding thinks no more upon any thing but God, and our will loveth, desireth nor aspires after any thing but him, and finally our memory hath no other remembrance but of him, as it happeneth unto it, when having forsaken the body, it is received in Paradise; For than it is all filled with God, 
1. Cor. 15.  who is in her all things afterwards (as saith the Apostle) that is to say, all her thoughts, all her love and desires, all her delights, all her remembrance: Brief, all her good, her part, her wishing and contentment is in God. Seeing then that by death we attain to a good, which we cannot find in this world, in what state soever we are, and what commodities soever we have; for there is no King, nor Prince, nor Ploughman, nor Merchant, nor Advocate, who living in this world, doth not often complain, and who hath not great occasions to complain, many things happening to all of them contrary to their liking, desire, and hope: are not we then much beholding to death, when in a moment it maketh us to enjoy the sovereign good, which consisteth in the perfect rest of our minds, and in the satisfaction of all our desires; the which indeed vain men in vain seek for in the transitory things of this world? There is yet an other point which ought to make us to embrace death willingly when our hour is come, which is, that it putteth us in possession of all the good things which jesus Christ hath purchased for us. For whiles we live in this world we are saved (as saith S. Paul) but by hope only; But when by death we depart out of it, than we shall enjoy the everlasting life, and that so great good, which the eye, the ear, the understanding, and the heart of man, cannot conceive nor apprehend the greatness of it. It was a great pleasure to the children of Israel when after so long and hard a bondage in the which they had been detained in Egypt, after so many crosses and evil encounters which they had had in the deserts of Arabia the space of forty years, they saw that they were arrived at the river of jordan, and that they wanting nothing but the passage thereof, to enter into the possession of the land which God had promised to their Fathers, and which they had so long looked for. A young man also that hath been a long time under the keeping and protection of a rigorous and inhuman protector, that hath used him hardly, and hath suffered him to endure very much, without administering those things that were necessary unto him, hath not he great matter of rejoicing, seeing the time approach, in the which he is to be emancipate, and to go out of his keeping, to be at liberty, and to enjoy his goods and pleasure, and that without any more controlment? The young children of good house, that are with a King, or in the house of a Prince and great Lord, under the hand and conduct of a severe and sharp Rider or Tutor, who nourisheth and entertaineth them under a good and rigorous discipline, are so glad when they are discharged of being Page, and that they go out of the fear and bondage in the which they have been long and strictly detained. The young Maidens likewise, that have been very shortly kerbed, in their Father and Mother's house during the time of their childhood and youth, leap for joy, when there is speech of marrying them, and rejoice yet more when they are affianced; but the scope of their pleasure is when they are espoused, and given into the hands of a husband that loves them, and is agreeable unto them, for by this means they are wholly satisfied. We also that here below by the preaching of the Gospel of jesus Christ, and the faith which we have added to his promises, have as it were affianced or betrothed him, what occasion shall we have to rejoice, when our souls departing from their bodies, shall fly up into heaven, to marry him, and to celebrate the nuptial feast with an alacrity and contentment that shall never end, nor be interrupted nor troubled, neither by death nor by sickness, nor by any other accidents that may ever happen unto us? It shall be then, that our spouse coming to meet us, shall say that which is written in the book of Canticles; Come hither my love, enter into the closet of thy friend, that thou and I may peaceably and without fear enjoy our loves. Thy winter is passed, and so are likewise the Rain, the Snow, the Hail, the Cold and Frost, and all this sharp and cruel season which thou hast been feign to endure till now with much pain; but the spring wherein thou dost now enter, shall last thee for ever, and likewise all the pleasures that accompany it. Enter then my love into the joy and rest of thy Lord; then shall it be that the saying of the Prophet shall be accomplished.  

Psal. 126.  Full true it is  
That they which sow in tears in deed,  
A time will come  
When they shall reap in mirth and joy.  
They went and wept,  
In bearing of their precious seed,  
For that their foes  
Full oftentimes did them annoy.  
But their return,  
With joy they shall sure see,  
Their sheaves home bring,  
And not impaired be.  
And that being out of custody and wardship, and taken from under the hands and discipline of our Tutors, we shall be set in full liberty and possession of the heritage, which God our good Father hath promised, and destinated unto us when he adopted us for his children, that is to say, of eternal life, and of the Kingdom of heaven: which is a good that here may well be hoped for; but for to speak of it or think it, it is impossible, what tongue or eloquence soever should be employed therein, for the greatness of it passeth all human capacity. Now having fortified the sick against the fear that he may have of death, he must also be assured against the fear of the Devil, who holds the Empire of death. 
Hebr. 2.  For it is then as at a last assault, that he useth all his endeavours, and that he prepares all his engines against us, to assay to carry us away; but being in the safe keeping of our Pastor, who is vigilant and watchful to keep us, and stronger to defend us, then can be the Wolf and the Lion to assault us, we ought not to fear: for who can snatch us out of his hands, 
john 10.  seeing that he and his father (who is greater than all) are but one in essence, in power, glory, and majesty? We then are assured that as there is no subtlety that can surprise or beguile his wisdom, that also there is no force sufficient to combat and resist his power. Let us then keep ourselves under the shadow of his wings, and assure ourselves that he will keep us well and surely, and will hinder that the Devils nor other creatures shall be able to hurt nor offend us, as saith the Prophet.  

Psal. 91.  He that within the secret place  
Of God most high doth dwell,  
In shadow of the mightiest grace,  
At rest shall keep him well.  
Thou art my hope and my strong hold,  
I to the Lord will say,  
My God is he in him will I  
My whole affiance stay.  
And after he hath spoken of some evils from the which he doth assure the faithful, that they cannot come near them; at last he comes to the Devils, ancient and mortal enemies to mankind, and speaketh of them in this manner.  
Upon the Lion thou shalt go,  
The Adder fell and long,  
And tread upon the Lion young  
With Dragon's stout and strong.  
For he that trusteth unto me  
I will dispatch him quite,  
And him defend, because that he  
Doth know my name aright.  
Where we see the victory which he promiseth us over the Devils. And the example of the Apostles, 
Luk. 9  unto whom jesus Christ had made them subject, insomuch that they were constrained to acknowledge the power which had been given them over them, in obeying to the commandments which they made them in his name, ought well to assure us, that going forth to combat against them, provided that we be furnished with the same weapons that they had, to wit, faith and the word of God, we cannot fail but carry away the victory over them, and by faith to quench all their fiery darts: 
Ephes. 6.  your adversary the Devil (saith S. Peter) like a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour, 
1. Peter. 5.  whom resist steadfast in the faith; And S. john, you are strong, 
1. john 2.  and the word of God dwelleth in you, and you have overcome the wicked. And doth not jesus Christ say, speaking of faith, 
Mat. 16.  that the gates of hell, that is to say, all the counsel, the subtleties, the sleights, means and power of the Devil, shall have no power against it; and as little have they against the word. Which we see plainly in the example of jesus Christ; 
Mat. 4.  for when he came to assail him, and having tried by all means he could, to cause him to fall into a mistrust of God, he could never attaint him with all his fencing, because he found him covered, and so well armed on every part with the word, that he was feign to leave the field and victory, and to return with shame. If we also be well armed with it, we need not fear that he can offend us, or doubt but that using such weapons, we shall be victorious both against him, and against all our enemies. As saith St. Paul The weapons of one warfare are not carnal, 
2. Cor. 10.  but mighty through God, to the overthrowing of strong holds, destroying the counsels, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God. Whosoever then would fear the devil, 
Luc. 11. john. 12. 1. john. 3. Revel. 12.  being furnished with faith and the word of God, should thereby show, that he doth not yet well know what the force of the one and the other is, nor what is the strength of the Captain that conducts us, and under whose banner we fight: for hath not he bruised the head of the Serpent? hath not he cast forth the strong out of his tower, and pillaged all his weapons? Is it not he that hath cast forth the Prince of this world, and who hath destroyed all the works of the devil? Is it not this great Captain Michael, who hath already got the victory against the Dragon and his Angels, and still pursueth them until such time as they be quite exterminate? Now the better to keep ourselves from him, we must note that the two principal crafts which he trieth against us, to make us fall, are, if he seethe us to be virtuous, to elevate us into a vain presumption of ourselves, of our works and virtues. But if to the contrary he sees that we are vicious, and that during our life we have been debauched and dissolute; then he propones and sets that before our eyes, and doth even amplify and aggravate as much as he can the enormity of our sins, to the end to precipitate us into a despair of the grace of God. They are the two cords (saith St. Augustine) wherewith this tormentor of mankind is used to strangle men. But we have before showed how we must cast off these two temptations. And as for our justice, that it is so filthy and so imperfect, that we must make no more account of it before God, then of old rags and dirty linen. And on the other part, that our vices cannot be so great, but the grace and mercy of God surmounts them; nor so filthy, but the justice and blood of jesus Christ is sufficient to wash & make them clean: nor finally so damnable, but in confessing then with humility & displeasure, God as soon showeth himself faithful, and just to pardon, 
1. john. 1.  and quite forget them. It remaineth now to assure the sick against the fear that he may have of the judgement of God. For when we see ourselves as it were adjourned by sickness, there personally to appear shortly, if we are not altogether stupid, we will call to mind that which is said in the Scripture, to wit, That it is a horrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.  
Item, that there is no favour, nor acception of persons, 
Rom. 2.  that is to say, respect to the greatness, nobility, riches, beauty, knowledge, kindred, alliance nor other such like, which are regarded amongst men, and oft times eauseth to make them strong, and decline in their judgements from the strait way of justice; Which happens not in the judgement of God, who being impassable and unchangeable, there is nothing that can alter his will. By the means whereof all his judgements are measured by the rule, and pronounced according to the rigour of the law. Item, that all our thoughts, affections, words, works, and generally all the course of our life from the beginning to the end, is there unfolded and sifted out to the last. That the books and registers are there produced, wherein are noted all the faults that ever we did commit in heart, or in thought, with all their circumstances. Item that judgement without mercy shall be done unto those that have not showed mercy. And to be short, that no virtue is there received, nor any justice allowed, that is not perfect, and accomplished in all points. When I say, we shall come to set all those things before us, touching this judgement so fearful, the which we can neither shun nor turn away from us; and that on the other side there presents before our eyes the vices, the corruptions, the imperfections that are in us, and the infinite number of sins that we have committed, against the first and second table, that is to say, against God and man; it is not possible but we must stand astonished, and altogether amazed, seeing likewise that we have parties and accusers, that pursue us with all extremity, to wit, the devil, the law, and our own consciences, which produce against us a thousand and a thousand informations, requiring that we be damned, considering the quality of the crimes whereof we are convicted. All which things we cannot prevent, nor otherwise escape the rigour and judgement of God, but first in confessing our debts; and afterwards having recourse unto the death of our Saviour jesus Christ, to acquit us of it. For it is not so with the judgement of God, as with that of men, amongst whom the criminal is condemned as soon as by his mouth he avoucheth the offence: but to the contrary, the confession of our faults, is one of the means by the which we obtain remission, and are absolved and justified before God, as faith St. john, If we confess our sins, 
1. john. 1.  he is faithful & just to pardon our sins, & to cleanse us from all iniquity. And David, 

Psal. 32.  I did therefore confess my faults,  
And all my sins discover,  
Then thou O Lord didst me forgive,  
And all my sins passover.   
After the confession and acknowledgement of our sins, we must go to jesus Christ, the just, who is our advocate towards the father, and the atonement for our sins, and rely wholly upon him touching the handling of our cause. For having put it into his hands, we are assured to get it. And that when we shall appear at the judgement seat of God, we shall not be condemned, what accusation or crime soever be alleged or produced against us by our adversaries. He (saith he) that believeth and trusteth in me, 
john. 3.  cometh not into judgement. And elsewhere, to comfort his disciples, he exhorts them to look for the day of judgement, & when they see it come near, to lift up their heads on high, 
Luc. 21.  and to rejoice, because their full and perfect redemption is reserved to that day. And St. Paul confirms it in the Epistle to the Romans, with a marvelous ornament and magnificence of words. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen? 
Rom. 8.  It is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth? It is Christ which died, yea rather which is raised again, which is also on the right hand of God, and maketh intercession for us: whereupon we must conclude that which he saith in the beginning of the chapter, That then there is now no condemnation for those that are in jesus Christ, that is to say, that walk not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit; and that as jesus Christ their head cannot be saved, but with them that are his members; also cannot they be damned, but he must be also with them, by reason of the inseparable union that is between the head and the members. Moreover seeing that jesus Christ dying for us, hath suffered the pain & curse that was due unto us by our sins, & by consequence satisfied to the justice of God, we must not fear, that he should again demand of us the payment of these debts that are already acquitted. For it should be against all order of justice, not only divine, but also human, to demand to be paid one only debt twice. Having then remitted both ourselves and all our causes into the hands of our Saviour and Advocate jesus Christ, let us never fear to sink under the judgement of God, where the Son is always before the face of his Father making intercession for us, 
Rom. 8. Heb. 9  and bearing us upon his shoulders, and in his bosom, as in times past the high Priest bore the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, to present them unto God as often as they entered into the Sanctuary, with a plate of gold upon his forehead, wherein was engraved these words, The holy one of the Lord: To the end (as saith Moses) to render them agreeable before the Lord. Which was a figure, of the which jesus Christ our great High Priest, and everlasting Priest according to the order of Melchisedecke, did exhibit and represent the truth upon the Cross, when offering himself to God a sacrifice for us, he sanctified us, and made us agreeable to God for ever. We must not then fear that being in the grace and favour of God, as we are, and having an advocate towards him, in whom he taketh all his pleasure, he can of will ever condemn us, when we shall appear before him in judgement; and likewise being clothed, with these goodly long robes whereof is spoken in th● Revelation, the which because they are died and cleansed in the blood of the Lamb, shall bear our justification with them. After the sick hath been so assured against the fear which he may have of his sins, of death, of the devil, and judgement of God; if you see that he is in any sort sorry to leave the world, and that the honours, riches, pleasures, ease, rest, and the love that he may yet bear to weak and corruptible things, do hold him as it were pestered, and do hinder his will from departing and going willingly whither God doth call him: Then you must first show him in general, that the world is altogether laid and soaked in wickedness, 
1 joh. 5. 1. joh. 2.  that it passeth away with all the lusts thereof, that it knoweth not God, that we are no more of the world, that God hath taken us out of it, to the end we be not wrapped up with it in one and the fame condemnation; that we cannot love the world, but we must be enemies to God; that the devil is the Prince of the world, and by consequent, that we cannot love the word, nor all the things of the world, but we must be subjects and slaves to the Prince of darkness: that we cannot be faithful nor members of jesus Christ, but the world must be crucified to us, 
Gal. 5.  and we to the world: that by the example of the Apostle, we ought no more to esteem the world with all the glory, and excess thereof, then dung or a withered flower: that being here as passengers and strangers, we outght not there to settle our dwelling, as in a permanent City and lodging, but to lodge as in an Inn, and to be always ready to pack and be gone betimes, that we may rid way, until such time we attain to the place where we pretend to sojourn for ever; that is to say, in heaven, whither we should be already wholly transported in heart, in thought, in desire, and in all our affection, and there to have all our conversation, as saith the Apostle. 
Phil. 3.  For being risen again with JESUS CHRIST, and united with him inseparably, although that in body we are kept off, and separated, yet ought we to be conjoined and present with him in our minds, and in our souls, and wholly to forget the world and the earth, that we may no more think upon, nor seek after any thing but only those that are from above. Should not our heart be where our treasure is? and where is our treasure but in heaven, where JESUS CHRIST is in glory? who hath all our life hidden in him, 
Col. 3.  and all the treasures, not only of the science and wisdom of God: but also of all the gifts, graces, honours, riches, and blessings, which God his Father hath communicated unto him, to impart unto his Church here beneath through hope, and there above by possession, when our souls going out of the filthy, stinking, and obscure prisons of our bodies, shall (like unto that of poor Lazarus) be by the Angels conveyed into Abraham's bosom, there to rest and to rejoice for ever, as it is written, 
The children of thy servants Lord, 
Psal. 102.   
Continually endure,  
And in thy sight their happy seed,  
For ever shall stand sure.   
Although then that it be so that we do nothing but languish in the world, like poor men that live in exile with barbarous and inhuman people, ought not we to be glad, when God calls us to establish us in our country, or with our brethren, that is to say, the patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, and all the happy spirits, that we may together enjoy in peace, the glory, honour, rest, and all that great and perfect felicity, which he hath promised and prepared in his Kingdom for all his elect. It is marvel that men, and even the faithful, that are instructed not only by the word of God, but also by so many experiences which they see every day, that all the brightness and glory of the world are but vanities and illusions and dreams that pass, do nevertheless suffer themselves to be so bewitched by flatteries and wantonness, that at last they become altogether senseless beasts, like the companions of Ulysses by the charms and enchantments of Circe's. For must not their judgement be much corrupted, and altogether perverted, to grieve at their departure out of this world to go up into heaven; and to prefer changeable, uncertain, transitory and corruptible things, which cause infinite pains to follow & purchase them, and as many cares to keep them, and yet more sorrow and grief when they are lost, before the goods which God promiseth in his Kingdom, which are certain, unchangeable, incorruptible, everlasting, and assured, and which can bring nothing to those that enjoy them, but a true, entire and perfect contentment: Wherein (as did our first parents) for an Apple we forsake a Paradise, not earthly, but heavenly, that is to say, all the delights and greatest pleasures that can be imagined; for a mess of pottage, we sell our birthright aod goods appertaining thereunto, as did Esau; we make more account of the garlic and onions of Egypt, than the holy Land with all the plenty and blessings thereof. Brief, we had rather (as did the prodigal child.) live amongst hogs, upon chaff and wash, then be nourished and sustained in our father's house with the bread of Angels; and finally, that after the example of Lot's wife, we mourn for the loss of the infamous pleasures of our Sodom, with the which we had rather perish, then by forsaking them to be saved: the which bewailing, we may say with the Prophet.  
O folk unwise and people rude, 
Psal. 94.   
Some knowledge now discern,  
Ye fools among the multitude,  
At length begin to learn.  
For what maketh you so much to esteem the world and that which is therein, but a damnable desire, the which blinds us in such sort that it maketh us oft times to take the light for darkness, and to the contrary, darkness for light, the bitter for the sweet, and the sweet for the bitter? To the end than that we be not deceived in our judgements, we must ground them not upon the outward appearance; nor upon the common error of men, which being sensual, do not approve nor reject the things that are present before them, but according as they are pleasant, or contrary to their sense and appetite. But we must judge all things as saith the Apostle, by the word of God, which is an infallible rule to discern the true from the false. And not in our judgements to follow our reason or carnal prudence, which is enemy to GOD, and justifieth ordinarily that which he condemns, and to the contrary condemns that which he justifieth.  
Now let us then see what the word of God teacheth us touching the world and the things that are of the world: Love not the world (saith Saint john,) nor the things that are of the world; for if any man love the world, the charity of the Father is not in him; for that which is in the world, to wit, the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the overweening of life, is not of God, but of the world. There is then that which the holy Apostle teacheth us of the world, that we must not love it, if we will that God love us. And Solomon when he speaks of it, sayeth, that after he had long and diligently considered all the state of this world, the variety and inconstancy of men's minds, the diversity of studies, whereunto they apply themselves, the mutability and sudden changing of their counsels, the little judgement that they have to praise or revile, to extol or dispraise; to love or hate, to pursue or disdain the things which are set before them; he hath observed not only by reason, but also by experience, that the desires of most men are but folly and vanity, the which they worship, being induced thereunto by their appetites; the which because they are blind, and do not suffer themselves to be led by any good reason, are easily transported every where, where their pleasure and the devil drives them; whereof cometh that some pursue ambitiously the honours and greatness of the world, & that for to attain thereunto they violate all rights and laws, forget all piety and humanity, mingle and confound all things, cherish and favour the wicked with whom they league themselves, hate and reject the good and virtuous, make war against the country wherein they were borne, nourished and brought up, take the liberty from it if they can, & by a cruel tyranny which they use therein, bring it to a miserable bondage, as did julius Caesar, and before and after him many others; doth not that evidently show that there is nothing truer than that which jesus Christ said of such ambitious men: to wit, that that which is great and much esteemed of men, 
Luk. 16.  is for the most part abominable before God? And how should they be agreeable, seeing the most part believe neither in him not in jesus Christ? as it is written in St. john, 
john 5.  How can you believe seeing you receive glory the one of the other, and seek not after the glory which cometh from God alone? And elsewhere, the Pharisees & chief men of jerusalem, condemning themselves, said; 
john 9  Is there any one of all the Princes that have believed in him, to wit, jesus Christ? 
Mat. 11.  And in St. Matthew, O Father Lord of heaven and earth, I give thee thanks that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding, & hast revealed them to the little ones. We ought not then to grieve to forsake the honours and greatness of this world, which ordinarily maketh us to forget God and ourselves, and which turn us from the study and exercise of virtue, which induce us to seek our own glory rather than Gods, which maketh us to disdain our neighbours, and to forget that we are but dust and ashes, and which finally brings us to worship the Devil, and make us insensible as saith the Prophet.  
Thus man to honour God hath called, 
Psal. 49.   
Yet doth he not consider,  
But like brute beast so doth he live,  
Which turn to dust and powder.  
And a little before where he yet speaks more expressly of the foolish purposes and imaginations of the ambitious.  
Their care is to build houses fair,  
And so determine sure,  
To make their name right great on earth,  
For ever to endure.  
Yet shall no man always enjoy,  
High honour, wealth and rest,  
But shall at length taste of death's cup,  
As well as the brute beast.  
Now as we ought not to grieve to forsake the honours and great estates of the world, for the reasons above declared; also ought we not to be sorry for the riches and temporal goods, when going out of this life we are constrained to leave them. For to speak properly, they are not the right goods of the children of God, nor the inheritance which their father keepeth, and that jesus Christ hath purchasest for them; for his Kingdom, which is the good which is promised us, is not of this world, but heavenly; Also the force, the estate, the riches, the honours, the pleasures, the counsel, the peace, and all the felicity of that Kingdom is divine and spiritual. JESUS CHRIST who is the King, what temporal goods did he possess or purchase, being in the world, where he had not only so much as the little birds or the foxes, that is to say, a nest, a cave, or a little hole to rest his head in? And the Apostles, who are as Princes of the Kingdom, what revenues, what great possessions had they in the world? St. Peter said, speaking to the lame man that lay at the gate of the temple ask alms, 
Act. 3.  I have neither gold nor silver, but that which I have I give it unto thee, In the name of jesus the Nazarite arise and walk. And S. Paul, 
2. Cor. 6.  we are poor and needy, and nevertheless we enrich many; as having nothing and possessing all things. We may see by this, that the goods wherewith God doth here enrich his children, are not the earthly and corruptible goods that are subject to thieves, to the rust and to the moth: but spiritual, certain and permanent goods, which cost nothing neither to buy nor to keep them; for God of his gracious goodness hath given them unto us, & preserves them for us. And there is none that can take them from us but himself, which he never doth, but when he is compelled, either by our ingratitude, or because that we abuse them, turning them to an other end, then that for the which he did enlarge them unto us. The goods then which we ought to esteem and seek after, are the heavenly goods, as the grace of God, our adoption, faith, the word of the Gospel, hope, charity, patience, humility, the peace and rest of our consciences, & singularly the justice of jesus Christ, which is the fountain from the which spring and distill upon us all the graces, favours, and blessings of our God; because that by it, and by the communication which is made unto us by it, we are reconciled and reunited unto him, continued and entertained in his favour, whereby we conceive a certain and infallible hope of life everlasting, which is the fullness and height of all good, and of all the true felicity that we can desire. It is there then where we ought always to aspire, and whither all the thoughts of our minds, and all the desires of our hearts should tend; For it is our sovereign good, and the scope of our beatitude, and not these transitory things, which make them never the better that possess them; but are many times cause that they wax worse, if they observe them well, as saith the Apostle, 
1. Tim. 6.  and to swell with vain presumption, and to be haughty and proud, and to set their hope upon the uncertainty of riches, to keep a rank by themselves, and to be very little conversant, to be insolent and outrageous, as saith David.  

Psal. 73.  Therefore presumption doth embrace  
Their necks as doth a chain,  
And are even wrapped as in a robe,  
With rapine and disdain.  
And speaking of the trust which ordinarily they set upon their riches, saith elsewhere.  

Psal. 49. — As for them that riches have,  
Wherein their trust is most,  
And they which of their treasure great  
Themselves do brag and boast.  
Then mocking them he adds: 
There is not one of them that can  
His brother's death redeem,  
Or that can give a price to pay  
Sufficient for him.   
Item, in an other place where he speaks of both together, to wit, of the injustice, violence, and oppression which the rich and mighty of this world use to the poor, and of their vain hopes.  
The sons of men deceitful are  
On balance but a sleight, 
Psal. 62.   
With things most vain do them compare,  
For they can keep no weight.  
Trust not in wrong, robbery or stealth,  
Let vain delights be gone,  
Though goods well got flow in with wealth,  
Set not your hearts thereon.  
It is the reason for the which jesus Christ calleth richesse, riches of iniquity, 
Luk. 16.  not but that they are creatures of God, and good, when men can use them well, and apply them as God hath commanded; But because almost all men abuse them, causing them to serve to their disordinate desires. Also saith St. Paul, 
1. Tim. 6.  the Devil makes use of them as of snares and gins, to entrap and entangle them, and to cause them to fall into many foolish and noisome desires which bring them to perdition and destruction, and even sometimes causeth them to departed from the faith: as every day we see it happeneth to many Apostates, who being reproved for revolting and going from the Church, have no other answer to excuse and colour their Apostasy, but that they will not lose their goods; loving rather to perish cursedly in keeping them as goods for a short time, then to be saved for ever in forsaking them. Wherein they show themselves to be far from following the counsel of jesus Christ, and to be of his Disciples, unto whom he counseleth, that if their hand or foot cause them to stumble, 
Mat. 19  that they cut it off and cast it behind them, because it is better for them to go into the Kingdom of heaven lame, then to be sent into torments with two legs and two arms. And of the eye likewise, which is the part of the body that we hold dearest; if it offend us, that we ought to pull it out and cast it from us. For (saith he) it were better to enter into life with one eye, then to have two, and to be cast into torments. What ought we then to do with temporal goods, when we feel that by them we are detained or distracted from following JESUS CHRIST cheerfully? were it not more expedient and healthful for us, with a good courage to break these snares that hold us so entangled, and to escape, then to remain caught and entrapped, and to fall into the hands of the fowler? Crates the Theban, feeling that the goods which he did possess drew him from the study of Philosophy, and that the care which he had to administer them, did not suffer him to practise it with such leisure and liberty of mind as he desired, took them and cast them into the Sea; saying very well, that he had rather to drown them, than they should drown him. And if a poor pagan hath done this through a desire that he had to learn the knowledge of moral and politic virtues, to the end to frame and rule the course of his life well, what should we do that are Christians, instructed by the word and Spirit of GOD, that have the promises, and so certain a hope of everlasting life and the Kingdom of heaven, that we ought not in any wise to doubt, but that we shall also one day have the possession of it? Let us then leave the worldly goods to worldly men, and to those that have no other hope, not other Paradise but upon the earth. If we have any; 
1. Cor. 7.  let us possess it as if we had it not, and let us take no more of it then we must needs for our use, that is to say, for our bare nourishment and clothing; which jesus Christ teacheth in his form of prayer which he gave to his Disciples, where he teacheth them to demand nothing else but their daily bread; Condemning thereby the delicates, the lickorishnesse and wantonness, the sumptuousness, the excess, and all the vain superfluities of this world. For the world as it is corrupted and excessive in all things, doth not content itself with superfluous things only; but the children of God ought to content themselves with things necessary, & think that they are very rich, when they have crusts or barley bread, or little fishes broiled as had jesus Christ and his Apostles, a little cake baked upon the hearth, as Elias had; Locusts, as john Baptist had to nourish him, and to clothe him, a course coat shagged with camels hair. Howsoever, they must possess the riches, and not suffer themselves to be possessed by it, let them rule it, and let them not suffer themselves to be ruled of it. Conclusion, whether God giveth them any, or whether he takes any from them, they must be as ready to leave it as to take it, and to bless the name of God as well for the one as for the other, as did patiented job. The third concupiscence and the most dangerous, is the concupiscence of the flesh, the which Solomon pursues at large, in Ecclesiastes, to show that it is the chiefest and most general of all vanities; For there are few folks in the world, or perhaps none, but seek after the contentment and pleasure of the flesh. Some delight in building of houses and stately Palaces, for to perpetuate the memory of their names, as saith the Prophet, 
Their care is to build houses fair, 
Psal. 49.   
And so determine sure.  
To make their name right great on earth;  
For ever to endure.  
Yet shall no man always enjoy,  
High honour, wealth and rest,  
But shall at length taste of deaths cup.  
As well as the brute beast.   
Others take pleasure in having fair gardens, fair orchards, fair plaits, fair allies well covered, to be cool and in the shadow; Others apparel themselves richly, and spend almost the whole day in combing and curling their hair, in setting of their stuffs, in looking in a glass, in perfuming of themselves. Others desire to have rich and sumptuous household stuff, for to adorn and deck up their Hals and Chambers, good Tapestry, fair Pictures, bedsteads, coverings, Chains of gold, and the richest imbrodering that can be found, ivory casements, and great store of gold and silver plate. Others desire to have their tables well covered with the rarest and most exquisite meats that can be found, and liquorish Cooks answerable to dress and season them. Others take pleasure in being in merry company, there to laugh, rejoice, dance and revel, and to do other things which cannot be spoken nor written with modesty. And what is all this in sum? is it any thing else but the marks, monuments and trophies of the luxury, dissolution and vanity of Christians? As it was spoken in times passed of the golden Image which Phryna a famous Cortizan of Athens, caused to be erected in the midst of their City, with this fair inscription under it, This is the trophy of the spoils of the dissolute and infamous lasciviousness of the Greeks', that was done in one only City of the Grecians, for to reprove the lascivious life of the Citizens.  
But this day amongst Christians, there is never a house in the Cities and Towns, nor any Villages in the Country, but you may see the Scutcheons of the world set up, and of that filthy spirit that reigns therein; and even in those days which GOD hath reserved to himself, to the end that in them all the world should employ themselves to serve and to praise him, and they altogether should think of nothing else, but of sanctifying and celebrating his most holy name. But men are so far from doing that, that of the seven days in the week there is never a one wherein GOD is so much profaned and blasphemed, as he is on those days; which now a days seems to be appointed to give pastime to the Devil, to our flesh, for dancing, feasting, and all other merry pastimes, which the one and the other desire. Who is he then that can with reason be sorry for such pleasures when they leave them? the which bring nothing else but shame and dishonour, spoil and loss of goods, infinite diseases to body and soul, a stupidity and dullness; ruins and desolations of Countries, Kingdoms, and houses, a contempt of virtue and of all honesty, a hatred of all true religion and of God himself, whom these swine fly from, and have in such horror, that they would gladly never hear talk of him; Which moreover do not only effeminate us, but make us in the end like unto beasts, and they stay not long to bring us to death, when we continue in them. Let us then look that by their flatteries and fair countenance, they do not seduce us. Their apparent beauty which appears outward, is alluring, and deceives those that do not beware of the poison that is hidden underneath. Like unto the Bird and the Fish that are taken with the hook, 
Simil.  being drawn thereunto and deceived by the bait that covers it. Let us then behold them behind and not before, as Aristotle did wisely admonish; for pleasures before seem fair like unto Syrenes; but if men look upon them behind, they draw after them a long Serpent's tail so ugly, that the sight of it only is fearful. Ha, who were able to recount the deluge of evils and miseries that have befallen us by that little pleasure which our first Parents had in eating the fruit that was forbidden them? Which was cause that God, who is so patiented and so stow to wrath, did send that great deluge of waters upon the earth, by the which he blotted out and razed every living soul from off the face of the earth, reserving none alive but only Noah and his wife, and the living creatures which he gathered into the Ark with him. The occasion of so horrible and fearful a judgement of God, was it not the filthy whoredoms that reigned in those days amongst men, who took indifferently all the women and maids they pleased, without having any regard to the order and honesty which GOD had commanded in instituting marriage at the beginning of the world? What was likewise the cause of the total subversion and ruin of Sodom and the Towns round about, but their infamous adulteries, and the filthy pleasures that they took in their banquets and gluttony? Wherefore also did God anger himself so sharply against his people in the deserts, where at one time he slew three and twenty thousand, and at an other a great number; was it not by reason of the whoredoms which they committed with the Madianitides? And the quails which they had demanded to satisfy their gluttony, whereof GOD would perpetuate, the memory, commanding that the place; where they had received so great a wound, should be afterwards called the sepulchres; of concupiscence? What did happen afterwards in Hemors' house and Town, by reason of the whoredom which his son Sichem had committed with Dina, jacobs' only Daughter? And in David's for having abused the wife of his servant Vriah? And salomon's his son who was so wise, and had received of GOD so many honours and favours, and so much glory, richesse, and power, and besides all that so many fair and excellent promises of GOD, that he might justly call himself, of all the Kings and Princes of the earth the Pearl? And nevertheless the delights and pleasures of the world, could manage him so well, that they took away his good understanding, even in his old age when he should have had most prudence, and his judgement most settled and stayed. And they made him not only to forget GOD, and the obligation which he had towards him; But also to sacrifice unto Idols, like a man out of his wits, and that to satisfy to the Women and strange Concubines wherewith he had acquainted himself, against the express commandment of GOD; whereupon afterward followed many evils unto his house, and to his posterity. Achabs' house was it not ruinated and destroyed even to the root, by reason of the whoredoms as well corporal as spiritual that reigned therein? What was the cause of so many piteous tragedies, that have been written of the ruins, miseries and desolations happened in the house of Priam, a King renowned in riches, greatness, and glory, amongst all the greatest and mightiest Princes of Asia; was it not the foolish love between Helen and Paris? The occasion likewise of those which happened in the Court of great Agamemnon, after he was returned from Troy with victory, and loaden with glory and bounty, was it not the impudence of his wife Clytaemnestra, and of Aegistus, her adulterer? The spoils which were made in jonia in the time of Cyrus, and the great calamities and miseries that fell over all the Country, which was the fairest and most fruitful that was in all Asia, did they not also proceed of this occasion, as Herodotus reciteth? Ah, who is able to repease all the evils, which this cursed concupiscence of the flesh hath brought, and still bringeth daily with it? Surely, Plato named it very well, a bait of all mishaps and miseries. And Adrian the Emperor figured it properly, 
Simil.  comparing it to a Pill that is gilded on the top, to be swallowed the more easily; But when men come to digest it, than they feel the bitterness of it. There is only this difference, that the pills purge and empty all ill humours out of the body, to make it healthful; But pleasures to the contrary heap on more and multiply them, and do wholly corrupt all good dispositions as well of body as of soul. When they are turned from us, either by sickness, poverty, age, or otherwise, we ought no less to rejoice then if we were escaped from the hands of some cruel and furious Tyrants: for there is no tyranny more cruel, then that of our pleasures and cupidities (as saith Cicero,) by reason that others extend but only to the goods and body; but this reacheth to the soul and conscience, which it tortures and torments in a strange fashion. Whosoever then desireth a liberty and peace in his mind, and to have a joyful and peaceable heart, which is the most precious good that we can seek or find in this world, he must give over all the pleasures of this world, and rejoice when they go from him, as they do at death. These things must be propounded to the sick that find themselves too much addicted to the deceitful pleasures of this world; and on the other side represent those unto them that stay & are already prepared for them in heaven, the which are so great that the odour and taste only which by the spirit of God the Apostles and Martyrs have had of them, hath made them to forget the world with all the delights thereof, before they were departed out of it. What shall it then be, when being dead, we shall drink by great draftes at the flood of these pleasures? when we shall openly behold the face of our God and Saviour jesus Christ? when we shall be set at his Table with the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaak, and jacob? when we shall hear the sweet music of Angels, singing incessantly, To the holy, holy, holy great God of battles be praise, glory, and honour for ever when God shall wipe all tears from the eyes of his children, that he will cause them to enter into the possession of his rest and of his joy? That he will cause them to sit by 〈◊〉 upon the seats that were long since set up and prepared for them, that they may altogether judge the world and the devils: and finally that in steed of the Sun and the Moon, He will be a perpetual light unto them, and will power upon them a sempiternal pleasure. This pleasure shall be as saith JESUS CHRIST, a permanent and everlasting pleasure, and not like unto the worldly pleasures which vanish away with the time, and lose their savour, how great and agreeable soever they be in their beginning: which we see in men every day by experience, who long for the things which they desire with a fervency and vehemency, and when they have obtained that which they demanded, and have enjoyed it for a time at their pleasure, than this great heat beginneth to cool and diminish, and in the end, is withered and decayed quite. And likewise it happeneth oft, that after we have enjoyed that which we desired with such affection, we disdain it afterward, with as great a dislike; whereof we have in the Scripture a notable example in Ammon David's son, and his sister Thamar.  
But the true pleasures which the happy souls enjoy in the kingdom of heaven, are of another nature. For in satisfying us, they leave us always an appetite, and in glutting us, they leave us hungry; they quench our thirst, and yet we are always dry, insomuch that in contenting and satisfying our appetites, they leave us a desire to remain always in that estate, which maketh that we are never weary. They are then the true pleasures which we ought always to desire and seek after, and not the worldly pleasures that are all itchy and scabby. 
Simil.  For as those that are scabby take pleasure, and feel some ease whiles they do scratch their scabs, the which nevertheless lasteth but a little, being presently followed with a pain that smarteth afterward: Also the voluptuous men have never any pleasure but it is intermingled with a thousand sorrows. 
Simil.  And their pleasure is like unto that which those feel that are tickled, the which hath I cannot tell what kind of pain and toil, which maketh him to forget and hate it.  
There is yet a grief that may much torment the sick, and which must be taken away; to wit, for their wives and children, from the presence and company of whom they fear to be separated by death. Now the consolation which ought to be given them, & the remedy which ought to be applied thereunto, is to allege unto them the promises which God maketh to widows, that he takes them into his protection, and promiseth to have a particular care over them, and to defend & maintain them against those that shall oppress them, and to do a horrible vengeance for the outrages and injuries that shall be done unto them.  
Item, it must be alleged unto them, that although they be forsaken of their mortal husband whom they had espoused; notwithstanding that there remaineth another immortal for them, to wit, jesus Christ, who will never forsake them, no more than all the rest of the faithful, who altogether rely upon him, and that leaving them in the keeping of such an executor they can want nothing; you must also show them that going out of this world, it is as if they and their wives, undertook a journey together, whither the one goeth first, and the other followeth soon after. And finally, that as in the beginning of their marriage, it hath not grieved him to forsake father and mother to cleave to his wife; that now also it should not be grievous to him to leave his wife for to return to God, who ought to be dearer to us then fathers, mothers, wives, children, or any thing else. As for the children, you must set before them that fair promise, which God made to them and to their children, and which he hath sealed and ratified in the Baptism of the one and the other; to wit, that he will be their God, and to their seed after them: for that ought to assure them, that the same favours that God hath done for them, shall be continued to their posterity, as he promiseth expressly in Exodus, that he will show mercy to a thousand generations in those that love him, and fear him, and are curious in keeping of his commandments. What then can those children want, who being imitators of the faith and godliness of their fathers, are assured by the promise of God, to be always environed and covered with his grace & goodness, which grace is the spring head from whence all happiness and prosperity floweth upon us? Moses saith, that man liveth not by bread only, 
Deut. 6.  but of every word proceeding from the mouth of God; which is not to be referred to the nourishment only, but to all the other commodities of man's life. The fathers that shall leave this word with their children, ought not to be in care for the nourishment, nor the apparel, nor all the entertainment of their children; for they are certain by the word of God, that in seeking his kingdom and his justice, he will accommodate them with all things necessary for this present life: for being their Pastor as he hath been to their fathers, can he ever forget them, or leave the care that he hath of his sheep? David saith, speaking of the providence of God, and exhorting every one to rely upon it as he did, 

Psal. 23.  The Lord is only my support,  
And he that doth me feed,  
How can I then lack any thing  
Whereof I stand in need?   
Item else where, where he compareth the condition of the wicked with that of the good, he speaketh thus of the good: 

Psal. 37.  They shall not be discouraged  
When some are hard bestead,  
When other shall be hungerbit,  
They shall be clad and fed.  
For whosoever wicked is  
And enemy to the Lord,  
Shall quail, yea melt even as lambs grease  
Or smoke that flieth abroad.   
And going on.  
Behold the wicked 〈…〉 much,  
And never payeth again, 
Psal. 37.   
Whereas the just by liberal gifts  
Makes many glad and feign.  
For they whom God doth bless shall have  
The land for heritage,  
And they whom he doth curse likewise,  
Shall perish in his rage.  
And a little after.  
I have been young, but now am old, 
Psal. 37.   
Yet did I neve see  
The just man left, nor yet his seed  
To beg for misery▪  
But gives always most liberally,  
And lends whereas is need:  
His children and posterity  
Receive of God their meed.  
Let him then that is sick leave his children in Gods keeping. For he cannot give them a better nor a more faithful executor; and you must not fear, provided that they contain themselves in his obedience, & that they walk in his fear, & that they go always before him with a roundness & simplicity of heart, that any mishap befall them. Now hitherto we have treated and spoken of the things which are fitting to be propounded to the sick, as well to instruct the, as to comfort and exhort them to do their duty; and also the means that they must follow, to arm themselves against the temptations, wherewith they may be assailed in their sicknesses It remains to make the sum of all these discourses, to the end the Reader may comprehend, and note briefly all that is therein handled, and serve himself therewith in the comforting of those that are sick, as he shall find to be expedient for them.  

Eccles. 7.  Solomon saith that it is better to go into the house of mourning then into the house of banqueting, because that there is the end of all men, and the living puts that in his heart: To teach that the principal study and exercise whereto man ought to apply himself during this life, is the meditation of the frailty, misery, brevity, inconstancy, and uncertainty thereof. And to present his end before him, it is death which always followeth us step by step, and we know not the hour nor the day when it must call us like unto an husher before our judge, to give him an account of all our life. It is then good that we have always our memory present, and keeping ourselves ready, and that holding our lamps burning and lightened in our hands, we be not surprised with the sudden and unexpected coming of our spouse, but ready to receive him, when he shall come, and to enter into his rest with him. But because the love of this life, and the sweetness and delights of this world, do often full us asleep, and turn from us the remembrance of these things, to awake us, we cannot do better than to frequent the sick folks houses, and hospitals, not only there to behold on every side, the Images and examples of the corruption and mortality of our poor nature, to the end to humble ourselves, and to contain ourselves modestly: But also to exercise our charity towards those that languish and are affected, in comforting them.  
The which then to do, we must first show them, that all sickness cometh from God, and he sendeth it, sometimes to chastise and to bridle us, sometimes to prove and exercise our virtue; giving us by that means matter and argument to show the affiance and trust that we have in him, to require his mercy by prayers, and sigh, to acknowledge and confess our faults and offences with grief & displeasure; and to bring the sick to this point, to cause him to make a true and humble confession of his sin.  
Secondly we must propound unto him, that it is the spring and principal cause of sicknesses as well corporal as spiritual, and for to heal them, they must take away the causes which engendered them; that is to say, our sins, whereof we cannot be otherwise delivered, but by the remission and pardon that God giveth us of them by his grace; provided (as saith St. john) that we confess them unto him, 
1. john. 1.  and be assured that jesus Christ is our advocate and mediator towards him, by the means of his justice wherewith he covereth and blots them out, in such sort that they come not in judgement.  
And because that the love which we bear naturally doth blind us, and is cause that we never think ourselves so vicious, and imperfect as we are, we must (to take away this vail from before the eyes of the sick) lay before him the law of God, as a looking glass, wherein he may behold his whole life, and to give him to understand how by that, not only our actions, but also our whole nature is condemned.  
And for proof and confirmation thereof allege generally unto him, that we are all conceived in sin, and borne the children of wrath, that we are but flesh and all vanity, that we are sold under sin, that in us there is no goodness, that even all our justice is but old rags; and for conclusion that we are nothing at all, but dust and putrefaction. After that, we must make unto him a brief discourse upon all the commandments of God, and show unto him by little and little, that whensoever he shall examine himself, he shall find that there is not one of them, but he hath very often transgressed, and beginning at the first table put him in mind.  
1 That he hath not done his duty in seeking after God, & endeavouring to know him.  
That he hath not loved him with all his heart, with all his strength, and with all his understanding.  
That he hath not always put his whole trust in him.  
That he hath often doubted of his promises, and hath mistrusted his help.  
That he hath rather relied upon the arms of the flesh, and human means which he had, then upon the succour and help of God.  
That he hath not waited for all his prosperity and advancement from his only favour and blessing.  
That he hath not always called upon him in his affairs, with assurance & certain hope to be understood, and to obtain.  
That he hath not always feared and reverenced him, as did appertain to his high and sovereign Majesty.  
That he hath not always given him thanks, and blessed his name for all things, and at all times, as well in adversity as in prosperity.  
2 Afterwards, that thinking upon God, he hath presented him unto himself sometimes under a human and corporal figure.  
That he hath not apprehended him like unto a Spirit being immense, infinite, invisible, immortal, impassable, unchangeable, sovereign in might, goodness, mercy, justice and verity, like unto a protector of all virtue and perfection, and a spring of all life and light, fountain of all fullness and good, the scope of beatitude and felicity, beginning and end of all things, who is, and by his only word causeth all creatures to subsist.  
That he hath not served and worshipped him in spirit and truth, as he requireth and commandeth us in his law.  
That he hath been more curious of ceremonies and exterior demonstrations of piety, then of piety itself, and to make the show of a Christian then to be one indeed.  
And finally, that he hath not always thought that the true and legitimate service of God, consisteth only in the obedience of his holy will.  
3 That speaking of God, it hath not been with such respect and reverence of his Majesty as did appertain; that he hath not studied to sanctify, celebrate and glorify his name as he ought.  
That by his wicked life and conversation, he hath been cause that he hath been blasphemed by the ignorant and infidels.  
That he hath not heard, read and meditated the word of God, with such desire, fear and zeal as was required, to do honour unto the Lord who spoke, and in whose name it was denounced unto him.  
That he hath not always spoken of the works of God, nor in them acknowledged the greatness of his power, wisdom, and goodness, with such praise, admiration, and astonishment as they deserve by their amplitude and magnificence.  
That being at the Lords table at all times when the communion hath been celebrated in the Church, it hath not been with such humility and devotion, nor such contemplation of the mystery there set before him, nor such elevation of his heart upwards, where jesus Christ is set at the right hand of God his father, as he ought to have done.  
4 That in the days appointed to abstain and rest from profane and bodily work, to the end wholly to be applied to the sanctification only of the name of God, he hath not altogether given himself to the meditation and exercises of spiritual things, thinking upon, nor seeking after nothing, but only those that are above.  
That he hath often been more curious of his temporal affairs, then to seek the kingdom of God and his justice, preferring by that means this transitory and corruptible life, before the happy and everlasting life, and the care of his body before that which he should have had of his soul: and the service of the world, and of his flesh before the service of God, which he ought to have honoured above all things.  
That for small and light occasions he hath dispensed with himself not being at the place of convocations and Ecclesiastical assemblies, there to make a public confession and protestation of his faith, to show his devotion, and the fear that he hath of God, to edify the company by his example, and to publish to every one without shame, without fear, and without any dissimulation and hypocrisy, the religion that he means to follow and hold, and in the which he is resolved to live and die.  
That he hath not employed himself to instruct and catechize his wife, his children, his servants, and all his family, as he is bound, calling them to morning and evening prayer, exhorting them to read and meditate the word of God, and to sing Psalms, Hymns, and Canticles to his praise, and to confer amongst them of all holy things, and not to hold any speech but that only that may advance and make them them to grow more and more in the knowledge and fear of God.  
That after the spiritual exercises to the which men ought principally to give themselves in the days of rest, as to hear the exhortations with fear and reverence, and in all humility to assist at the public confessions, prayers, and thanksgivings that are made and given to God in the whole assembly, he hath not reserved himself the rest of the day to visit the prisoners, to comfort the sick, to inquire after the poor, and to seek them out to assist them.  
After having thus briefly discoursed to the sick the faults which he may have committed against the commandments of the first Table, then must you pass from thence to the second, and give him to understand:  
5 That first he hath not borne to his superiors such honour and reverence, nor showed such nor so ready obedience, nor finally been so fearful to offend them as God commands him in his law. And if he have done any duty towards them, that it rather hath been to be rid of them, or for fear of punishment, if he should have done otherwise, then for respect that he bears them in his conscience, or desire that he had in that to obey God.  
That he hath not always so well prayed to God for their health and prosperity, and to direct them with his holy Spirit in their counsels, and to give them the grace to govern themselves by his word in all their actions, and generally to bless and direct them in all their ways, as he was bound thereunto by the express commandment of God.  
That he hath not had such an opinion and esteem of his Pastors, that have the charge of his soul, and to administer the spiritual food and nouriture; that he hath not respected their authority, harkened to their voice, received their admonitions, obeyed the doctrine which they did preach, and willingly yielded to the soft yoke and charge of jesus Christ, which they imposed upon him in his name.  
That he hath not often spoken of them nor of their fashions and demeanours in such honour as might be required. And if in his presence any would blaze or prate of them, that he hath not opposed himself against them, and hath not forbidden them as he ought.  
6 Item, that he hath not loved his neighbours as himself, desiring and wishing as much good to them as to themselves.  
That he hath hated them when he hath thought to have received some damage by them, wishing all ill hap and death unto them.  
That he hath desired and sought the means to be revenged of his enemies, making no reckoning of the defence which God maketh against it, reserving the pursuit and vengeance to himself of all the wrong done to his children and servants.  
That he hath not been pitiful to the poor, nor done his duty in administering of his goods unto them, to nourish and cloth them, lodge and fit them with things necessary to the comforting and entertaining of their poor life, and to the easing of so many miseries and tribulations, wherewith they are environed on every side.  
That he hath not visited his poor brethren being sick, nor afforded them bodily and spiritual comfort.  
That he hath not opposed himself against the wicked and malicious men, that did oppress them, and hath not employed his power and his means to defend them, from the violence and outrage that is done unto them.  
That he hath not rejoiced at the prosperity of his neighbours; but hath been jealous and envious of their felicity, when he hath seen that God did bless them, and did advance them to some higher degree than he.  
7 That he hath not possessed his vessel, that is to say, his body, in honour and sanctification as he ought, nor considered that it was a Temple that God by his spirit had dedicated to himself, and that he ought for this regard to keep it from all filthiness and pollution.  
That he hath not turned his eyes from false behold so carefully as he ought, but in steed of retaining and keeping them in, hath suffered them to stray and run after all their concupiscences.  
That he hath not subdued his flesh unto such servitude as he ought, to make it subject or obedient to the spirit in all points.  
That he hath nourished and entreated himself too delicately, and hath not always used sobriety and abstinence, sufficient to repress the passions, and to cool the heat of his concupiscence.  
That by discourse, letters, gifts, smiles, looks, dances, gestures and shameful motions, he hath tempted the chastity and honour of the wife, daughter, and servant of his neighbour.  
That in the fashion of his apparel he hath had more regard, and taken more pleasure to adorn the outward man, than the interior, and to please the world, then to edify the Church with an outward apparent modesty in his behaviour.  
That he hath not been curious enough to keep the chastity of his ears and of his tongue, neither to hear nor speak word or speech, that were dissolute or dishonest.  
8 That he hath been covetous to enrich himself by unlawful and indirect means.  
That in his dealings and business with his neighbours, he hath not always walked straightly, roundly, justly, sincerely, and uprightly, as God commandeth to keep and entertain the society that he will have kept amongst men.  
That he hath observed the times of famine and dearth, to sell his goods and merchandizes at the highest rate, and by that means to make his gain upon the public miseries and calamities.  
That the surplus of the goods that God had given him for the entertainment of him and his family, being due to the poor, he hath reserved and laid up in his chests, sellers, and garners, robbing and defrauding by that means, those to whom it was justly due.  
That not considering, that piety with contentment (as saith the Apostle) is a great revenue, and that for that reason it ought to suffice to have apparel, nourishment, and that which is necessary for us, he thought he was not rich, if beside that he had not many superfluous things.  
That he hath not been liberal, nor quickly given some of his goods to whomsoever demanded any, considering and believing that it is a happier thing to give then to take.  
That he hath not paid the labourers their wages presently without deferring till the next day.  
9 That he hath not loved the truth in his words and deeds, saying and speaking nothing foolishly and slightly; nor showing a gravity and sincerity in all his speeches, works, fashions, and countenances, that might be worthy of a true man in deed.  
That in him there hath been much hypocrisy, colouring and disguising, whether it were to exalt and magnify his virtues, or to palliate and excuse his vices with some false pretence.  
That he hath not been so courageous, nor so constant to confess and defend the truth against the blasphemers and enemies thereof, and to the contrary to combat against errors and lies as he ought.  
That through envy and malice he hath detracted and spoken evil of his neighbours, and falsely to accuse their actions, which might have been excused, and by his exceptions used means to obscure the brightness and the glory of their virtues.  
That he hath taken pleasure to hear flatterers, and these that endeavoured to make him believe that he was more virtuous and less vicious, than his conscience itself in secret did witness unto him.  
10 That in fine to close up his confession, you must show unto him, that all his nature, as also the nature of all men upon the earth is vicious, and that of itself it cannot bring forth nothing but bad fruits, no more than a bad tree; to wit all evil thoughts, all disordinate affections, all noisome and dishonest speeches, and all works contrary to the will of God; leaving and omitting on the other side, all that which is conformable and commanded by him.  
Now after having showed him his faults to make him the better to feel them, and thereby to conceive the more displeasure for them, they must be exaggerated unto him by the circumstances of the person, of the place, and of the time that he did them.  
And when you see him humbled and beaten down with the feeling of them, you must raise him again and comfort him, in showing him the remission of his sins, and for to assure him thereof entirely.  
You must deduce and discourse particularly the reasons contained in the Treatise, and going on take away the fear that he may have of Death, of the Devil, and of the judgement of God, and finally the grief for the world, and those things which he leaveth therein, by the hope and desire which ought to be laid before him of the near enjoying of heavenly and incorruptible goods; and that done, to kneel down and pray to GOD for him and all that are in the company in this manner.  

Prayer.  
O GOD and Father of all consolation, who hast promised to hear the prayers and grant the requests of all those that call upon thee in verity, and not to reject any one that presents and prostrates themselves before thee with a sorrowful soul and a contrite heart, subdued and dejected with the remembrance and feeling of his sins, we beseech thee altogether that in the name and for the love of thy son jesus Christ our only Saviour and Mediator, thou wouldst please to stretch forth thy mercy over all us that are here assembled in thy name, and singularly upon our brother whom thou hast pleased to visit and afflict with sickness, and by it to cover, forget, remit, and quite blot out all his faults whereby he may have offended thee in all his life. And we pray thee to do him yet this favour, to seal in his heart by thy holy Spirit the remission which thou givest him of all his sins; to the end he may feel peace in his conscience, and that with joy and full assurance, he may prepare himself to appear before thee when it shall please thee to call him out of this world; Assuring himself that there is no condemnation neither for him, nor for all those that by a true faith are anchored, united, and incorporated into thy son JESUS CHRIST; That his Sins, Death, the Devil, nor any creature can separate him from thy love, nor cast him out of thy favour; and that thy throne, is not a throne of rigour and justice, but a haven of health, a shelter and saveguard for all the faithful. Do him this good (good God) to fortify and strengthen him in the faith of all these things; in such sort that he may cover himself with them as with a Target, and may by that means be strengthened and made invincible against all the temptations wherewith he may be assailed, and that leaving and casting behind him all other trust, he may make no reckoning, nor rely upon any thing else, but upon the only justice, obedience, and sacrifice of thy son, to assure himself against thy judgement. We beseech thee moreover to give him the grace, with all his heart to pardon his neighbours all the faults by the which they may have offended him; To the end that being conjoined and united in true charity to all the members of the body of thy Church, he may be so likewise with the head, and with thee Lord. Finally, we beseech thee that it would please thee to give us the grace so well to behold in the person and sickness of our brother, how uncertain and short the course of our life is, that we may look about us betimes, and that withdrawing our hearts from the vanities of this world, we may employ that little time that we have here to live, to learn thy wisdom, that is to say, firmly to believe and to trust to thy promises, quickly to obey to that which thou commandest, and carefully to shun and avoid that which thou forbiddest.   
FINIS.   

COMFORT FOR THOSE THAT ARE SICK (DRAWN OUT OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES) TO PREPARE them to die.  
MORE, A short Catechism, which is not only to instruct the Sick, but also to refresh his memory with the great mystery of our Redemption.  MATTHEW 24. 
The negligent servant that makes not himself ready, shall be surprised and hewn in pieces, and have his portion with the Hypocrites; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  
Death is the end, and beginning of life.  
PRINTED 1611.   
Ecclesiasticus 18. 
Take physic before sickness, and examine thyself before judgement, and thou shalt find pardon in the presence of God.  Revelation 3. 
If thou dost not watch, I will come unto thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know at what hour I will come unto thee.  Revelation 16. 
Happy is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, to the end that he walk not naked, and that his shame be not seen.  Matthew 24. Luke 12. 
Be ready, for the son of man will come in an hour that you think not.  
To the faithful Reader, Health.  
FRiendly Reader, take in good part this present comfort, the which I have here written for the good and profit of every one that hath the fear of God, to make use of it at his need, when it shall please the Lord to call him; But be advertised (that thou mayst use it well) that these three letters B.S.N. the first signifieth, brother to a man, the second sister to a woman, and the third, that you must name the party by their proper name. For it ought not to be honoured with names of worldly honour and dignity, but to oppose itself against Satan in the name of the Lord, it ought to be named by the proper name which it received at the holy Sacrament of Baptism. Which doing thou shalt obey unto God, whom I beseech to be favourable unto thee, at the day of his coming. (* ⁎ *)   

COMFORT FOR THOSE THAT ARE SICK, DRAWN OUT OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES FOR to prepare them to die.  
B.S.N. HE that is of God hearkeneth to the word of God, 
john 8.  and doth not only hearken unto it, but keepeth it and puts it in execution; for all things shall have an end, 
Mat. 7. Hebr. 1. Isa. 40.  and wax old as doth a garment, but the word of God dureth for ever. Now seeing it is so, that by a man sin came into the world, 
Rom. 5.  and by sin death, and consequently all afflictions and adversities thereon depending, with just occasion the life of man is but a continual warfare upon earth; 
Rom. 7.  so that the flesh fighteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the Devil, the World, and the Flesh, which are the enemies of our souls. But following the counsel of the Apostle, to obtain victory in this spiritual battle, we must constantly resist by faith; 
1. Peter 5.  For the victory that surmounts the world, is our faith; 
1. John 5.  The which is a certain and a firm knowledge of the love of God towards us, 
Hebr. 11.  according as by his Gospel he declares himself to be our Father and Saviour, by the means of JESUS CHRIST. Having then such a firm faith for your principal foundation; Acknowledge and confess without feigning before the majesty of God, that you are a poor and miserable sinner, 
Psal. 51.  conceived and borne in iniquity and corruption, inclined to do evil, unprofitable to all good, and that through your vice you have without ceasing transgressed the holy Commandments of God; 
Luke 17.  which doing, you have purchased by his just judgement, ruin and perdition upon you. Nevertheless, you are displeased with yourself that you have offended him, and do condemn both you & your vices with true repentance, desiring that the grace of God may secure you in your calamity; Pray then in such a firm faith, 
Psal. 51.  if you cannot with your mouth, say it with your heart; That God our benign father, and full of mercy, enter not in judgement, 
Psalm. 142.  nor in account with you, but that it would please him to have pity on you in the name of his son jesus Christ our Lord, and that he would blot out all your spots and vices by the merit of the death and passion of the same jesus Christ; in whose name present unto him his holy prayer, the which he hath taught us, saying with all your heart:  
Our Father which art in heaven, 
Matth. 6.  hallowed be thy name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven, Give us this day our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us, And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil, For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.  
B. S. N. Acknowledge with all your heart, your unrighteousness, have a displeasure for your sins, repent incessantly, and the kingdom of God will draw near unto you. 
Matth. 3.  Acknowledge that there is no righteousness, nor innocency, nor any good works from you, nor in you; 
Titus. 3.  but that like unto a child of wrath, conceived and borne in the sin of old Adam, you merit everlasting death and damnation. Nevertheless that neither that, nor all the sins in the world, 
Ephe. 2. Psal. 51. Rom. 8.  although you should have committed them, do not make you afraid. For JESUS CHRIST true Son of the everlasting God, is become man, conceived of the holy Ghost, borne of the Virgin Mary, to sanctify and cleanse you; 
Rom. 1. Luc. 1. Mat. 1.  he hath suffered under Pontius Pilate many afflictions, injuries and outrages, yielding himself to bondage, 
Phil. 2. Act 3. Mat. 27.  to set you at full liberty. JESUS CHRIST was crucified as accursed upon the Cross, to deliver you from the everlasting curse: JESUS CHRIST died and shed his most precious blood, 
Isa. 13. Revel. 1. Heb. 9  to wash you, to redeem you, to deliver you wholly from death, from hell, and from the power of Satan. 
1. Pet. 1. Rom. 6. Act. 2. 1. Pet. 2.  jesus Christ was buried in a Sepulchre, to bury all your sins, the which he hath borne and blotted out. jesus Christ descended into hell, suffering an extreme agony, for to deliver you from all the pains & dolours of death. 
Marc. 16.  jesus Christ is risen again from the dead, to make you rise in your proper body, 
1. Cor. 15.  and glorious immortality. 
Act. 1.  jesus Christ ascended into heaven, to make you ascend thither after him. 
Col 3.  jesus Christ fitteth at the right hand of God his Father Almighty, being your advocate and intercessor towards him, 
1. john. 2. Heb. 7. Mat. 25. Psalm. 61. Rom. 8.  and the atonement of all your sins; we wait for his coming to judge the quick and the dead, to render unto every one according to his works. But to the faithful that believe in him, 
Mat. 25.  he will not impute their sins; but having justified them through his grace, will make them to reign with him for ever in his heavenly throne.  
B. S. N. Such is the great mystery of our redemption, the which by the means of the holy Ghost, you must firmly believe hath been done for your salvation. And doubt not but by the merits of jesus Christ, the head of his Church, you are one member incorporated therein; 
Eph. 1.  giving him thanks in all humility, that he hath given you the grace to live in the communion of his faithful ones, having nourished you with his word, with his body, and with his blood: 
Mat. 4. 1 Cor. 11.  acknowledging as well assured, the great mercy of God in the remission of all your sins, 
Rom. 5. 1. Cor. 15.  the which is shown you through jesus Christ, who shall cause you to rise again at the latter day to reign with him in euersting life, 
Marc. 16.  the which he hath promised to all those that believe in him, being baptised in his name.  
Then B. S. N. seeing you have this faith, doubt not but to receive the promise of faith; for God is true, he is no liar like unto men. 
Rom. 3. Mat. 24.  Heaven and earth shall pass; but the word of God shall endure for ever; 
Isa. 40.  God is your Father and Creator, you are his Creature, and the workmanship of his hands; 
Gen. 1.  he did not make you to destroy you; for he is the Saviour of all men, 
1. Tim. 2.  and desires not the death of a sinner, but that he turn and live. Wherefore I pronounce unto you in the name of God, 
Mat. 9 Marc. 2.  that by his great goodness and mercy, he hath given you a pardon and full remission of all your sins, 
Luc. 5. Titus. 3.  through the only merit of his son JESUS CHRIST our Lord, in the shedding of his most precious blood; 
Tim. 1. Act. 4. Revel. 1. 1. john. 2.  for he is the propitiation, not only for your sins, but for the sins of the whole world.  

Mat. 17.  B. S. N. jesus Christ saith with his own mouth, that all things are possible to him that believeth: Believe then without doubting at all, 
Rom. 1. Phil. 2. 1. Pet. 1.  that jesus Christ putting on our flesh, made himself perfect man, whereby he died for you, having borne all your sins in his body to abolish and blot them out. Present unto God the precious death of his Son jesus Christ, and by the merit of that death and passion ask him forgiveness, and mercy, saying, from the bottom of your heart in all humility and repentance.  
LOrd God Almighty, be merciful to me poor miserable sinner, for the love of thy Son JESUS CHRIST my Lord and Saviour, 
Rom. 3. john. 14.  and through the merit of his death and passion, that it may please thee to receive my soul, 
Mat. 26.  the which I recommend into thy hands.  
B. S. N. Put your firm confidence in God; for seeing he is with you, 
Rom. 8.  no man will be against you: jesus Christ, who is the immaculate Lamb, hath overcome all for you, 
Isa. 61. Heb. 7.8.9.  he hath offered himself once for you, and by that only oblation hath quite done away all your sins; he hath done away your folly, unrighteousness, abomination, and obligation; with this good Lord JESUS CHRIST, God the Father hath given you all things.  
B. S. N. Strengthen yourself in JESUS CHRIST, 
Rom. 8.  who calleth and inviteth you by his Prophets, Apostles and Evangelists, to address yourself directly unto him: saying. All that are thirsty, 
Isa. 55. Mat. 11.  come to the great fountain; 
Isa. 55. Mat. 11.  Come to me all ye that are heavy laden, and I will refresh you.  
B. S. N. Believe steadfastly that JESUS CHRIST hath discharged you of all your sins, 
1. john 5.  and hath reconciled you to God his Father; unto whom in all humility and repentance, say from the bottom of your heart.  

Rom. 3. john 14.  LOrd God Almighty, be merciful unto me poor miserable sinner, for the love of thy Son JESUS CHRIST my Lord and Saviour; and by the merit of his death and passion, 
Mat. 26. Psa. 30.  that it would please thee to receive my soul the which I commend into thy hands.  
B.S.N. Bee in hope; for, for a certain he will receive your soul as his own for the love of jesus Christ his Son our Lord, 
Mark 16. Deut. 18. Psal. 2. Isa. 53. Genes. 3. & 22. Mat. 9  who is the Saviour and Redeemer of all those that believe in him. Moses and all the Prophets have testified, that all people shall receive salvation and blessing through jesus Christ. The Apostles and Evangelists testify that jesus Christ is not come to call the just, 
john 10. Luke 22.  but sinners to repentance, and to give his soul for the redemption of many; for he hath shed his blood for the remission of sins. Believe then and doubt not at all, for JESUS CHRIST hath made the purgation of all your sins, 
Heb. 1.  having promised that all those that believe in him, and in his Father that sent him, shall have eternal life, 
john. 5.  and shall not come to judgement, but shall pass from death to life.  
Got to then. B. S. N. Take courage in jesus Christ, for he hath loved you, 
Isa. 53. Revel. 1.  and washed you from all your sins in his blood; 
Rom. 5.  have this firm faith to fight valiantly against the adversary; have no other buckler to defend you, but that precious blood of jesus Christ, who by virtue of his death and passion, hath reconciled you to God his Father; unto whom from the bottom of your heart, in all humility and repentance, present this prayer.  
LOrd God Almighty, be merciful unto me poor miserable sinner; 
Rom. 3. john. 14.  for the love of thy Son jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour; and by the merit of his death and passion, that it may please thee to receive my soul, the which I recommend into thy hands. 
Math. 26. Psal. 30.   
B. S. N. Have this hope and steadfast saith, that this good God full of mercy, will receive your soul as his, into his hands, for the love of his Son jesus Christ: 
john. 10. Act. 4.  for there is no other name under Heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved, and there is no salvation in any other but in JESUS CHRIST. Then arm yourself well with jesus Christ. For he hath done all for you, he hath accomplished the law for you; 
Rom. 8. Rom. 10.  he hath overcome all for you.  
Go to then, B. S. N. Rejoice in God, be always steadfast in this lively saith, follow and imitate the holy patriarchs, 
Heb. 11.  Prophets, and Apostles, who are all saved in this faith, who do all assure you, that the adversary cannot in any wise hurt you; for your cause is gotten through JESUS CHRIST, 
john. 5. 1. john. 2.  who is your judge and your advocate likewise: wherefore say always in this firm faith, Although I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, yet would I dread none evil, 
Psal. 22.  for thou Lord God art with me. B. S. N. Also be never weary with saying from the bottom of your heart in all humility and repentance,  
LORD God Almighty, be merciful unto me poor miserable sinner, for the love of thy Son JESUS CHRIST my Lord and Saviour, 
Rom. 9 john. 14.  and by the merit of his death and passion, may it please thee to receive my soul, 
Mat. 26. Psalm. 36.  the which I recommend into thy hands. So be it.   

A singular Prayer for a body greatly afflicted with sickness, who is more likely to die then to live.  
With a little Catechism made expressly to instruct the sick, and to make him by faith behold the mystery of our redemption.  ECCLESIASTICUS. 18. 
Before sickness take Physic, and before judgement, examine thyself, and in the presence of God thou shalt find propitiation.  
NOw the Lord doth admonish us to pray continually, 
Mat. 26.  principally when we are touched with his correction; Wherefore all such parents and faithful friends as visit the sick body; ought not only to visit and solicit the body, 
Mat. 6.  but also seek after, and desire the spiritual Physic for their souls. Which ought to be done by good prayers, confession of sins, and Christian exhortations, according to the word of God, 
Mat. 4.  without the which man cannot live. And to that end that all things may be done in good order, and with zeal, first, it shall be convenient to fall down before the Majesty of God, and pray unto him, beginning, Our help is in the name of the Lord, who hath made both heaven and earth.  
Then present unto him the general confession of sins, and consequently this present prayer, as followeth.  
LOrd God Almighty, and father of mercy, we here assembled in the name of thy well-beloved Son our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, 
Mat. 18. john. 14.  in his favour have been so bold as to present ourselves before thee, to call upon thy holy name, having our only refuge to thy sovereign goodness, the which we do not only desire to feel and taste in ourselves, but also in the necessity of thy poor creature, being afflicted with sickness in body, 
james. 5.  affliction and calamity of mind. We know Lord, that thou hast justly visited and chastised him with thy rod, 
1. Cor. 11.  to make him to understand thy fatherly affection. But thy great mercies, the which thou hast used towards our fathers, 
Psal. 78.  are not quenched and consumed. For thou art the great God everlasting, 
Mat. 26. Psal. 102.  propitious and merciful, that never alterest. Thy holy word teacheth us plainly that the whole earth is full of thy mercies, the which do much surmount this judgement: wherefore Lord appease thy wrath towards thy creature. Have pity and compassion on him for the love of thy Son JESUS CHRIST our Lord; Look not upon his sins, 
john. 14. Heb. 7. & 9  but look upon the face of thy Christ, who hath sufficiently satisfied thee for him, in offering unto thee the great Sacrifice of his body on the Cross. We beseech thee, then, O God most benign and full of mercy, to make him to feel thy grace, which thou didst never refuse to thy children.  
And because thou art our eternal Father, 
Mat. 6.  knowing well what is expedient and necessay for our salvation, we do not pray thee to prolong his life, or to abridge it. For we rely upon thy holy will, unto the which only we desire to please. 
Rom. 11.  Thou art wise without counsel to dispose of thy creature according to thy good pleasure. If it please thee to call him, who is it that can resist; 
Rom. 8. john. 11.  If thou please to restore him to health again, who is it that can reprove thee? For all things are in thy hands, and nothing is done without thy will and holy providence. Nevertheless Lord, if by thy favour thou dost prolong his days, 
Psal. 22.  thy rod shall serve for a chastisement unto him, to amend and convert him unto thee, and we with him will render thee thanks and praise. But if thy will be settled, to make him pass into a better life, we beseech thee in the favour of thy Son jesus, to forget all his faults and sins, the which it was thy will to have blotted out, 
Revel. 1.  and washed in the shedding of his precious blood.  
May it please thee by the merit of the death and passion of thy Son, to receive his soul into thy hands, 
Mat. 16. Psal. 20.  when it shall please thee to call him out of this world. Lord God do not despise the work of thy hands, 
Psalm. 137. Psal. 129. Psal. 51.  for behold thy poor creature almost consumed, who calleth upon thee out of the bottom of his sorrows, presenting unto thee his sorrowful and penitent soul, with his humbled heart, which we beseech thee to accept in good part, for the love of thy Son jesus Christ our Lord, 
john. 14.  in whose name thou hast promised to grant our requests. Wherefore, Lord, we beseech thee to receive us into thy holy keeping; illuminating our hearts and understandings to address ourselves towards thee, and to call upon thy holy name, 
Mat. 6.  as thy Son jesus Christ our Lord hath taught us to pray unto thee for all our necessaries, saying, Our Father which art in heaven, etc.  
Finally, O God most benign Father and full of mercy, that it may please thee, always to sustain us by thy grace and virtue, to the end, that through the infirmity of our flesh, we do not fall. And because that of ourselves we are so weak that we were not able to remain steadfast, one minute of time, may it please thee to fortify us by thy holy Spirit, and to arm us with thy graces, that we may constantly persevere in faith; without the which it is not possible for to please thee. 
Heb. 11.   
May it please thee then to confirm us from day to day in it, whereof we will make a confession with heart and mouth saying.  I believe in God the Father, etc. 
The prayers ended, you may look how the sick body doth, and inquire of his health, with friendly words and Christianlike speeches. And if you perceive that he declineth, and that no sign of health doth appear; a little after you may choose a fit time to speak to the said sick body, and ask him whether he hath a good mind to talk of God, and to hearken to his word, whiles he is yet in his good sense; that if he be of God, 
john. 8.  you may begin this little Catechism that followeth.   

A SHORT CATECHISM, which is not only to instruct the Sick, but also to refresh their memories, with the great mystery of our redemption; 
Eccles. 18.  the which well to understand and keep in his latter days, he ought to make Confession of his faith before the assistants of the faithful, whereof one of them, in the absence of the Minister, aught to examine him as followeth.  
THE MINISTER.  
B.S.N. EVery man that knoweth himself well, and is not ignorant of his condition and quality; surely he ought to confess, that notwithstanding that he is created after the Image and likeness of God, 
Genes. 1.  nevertheless that he is conceived and borne in the sin of old Adam, 
Psal. 51. Ephes. 2. Rom. 5.  whereby he is made a poor miserable sinner, ignorant, inconstant, and full of iniquity, and consequently subject to all miseries, afflictions, adversities, and finally to death; All which sin hath caused: which because God would not leave unpunished, he afflicts us daily, and to speak better, he chastiseth us in this world, to the end not to damn us with the world; wherefore,  

1. Cor. 11. Psal. 31.  B.S.N. Be patiented in your sickness, and you shall possess your soul in spiritual joy; Acknowledge your sin, and accuse yourself before the Majesty of God, upon whom you must look by faith, making confession thereof with heart and mouth, before all the assistants; for it is written, 
Rom. 10.  that men believe in heart to righteousness, and with their mouth confess to salvation. Hearken then unto the questions which now I shall demand you, and answer faithfully according to the understanding that you have received of the Lord; which if you cannot by reason of the weakness and hindrance of your sickness, 
Mat. 10.  I will answer for you, and it shall suffice for you to give us your heart, and constancy of faith, in the which you must live and die.  
Now I ask you, wherefore and to what end you were created in this world? 
Genes. 2.   
The Sick. To know God.  
The Minister. Was it necessary for you to know God?  

Psal. 16. & 17.  The Sick. Yes surely; for seeing he is my sovereign good, without the knowledge of him, I had been more wretched than the brute beasts.  
The Minister. Seeing you know God, you know well that he is the mighty, the wisdom, and the infinite good, 
Genes. 1. john 1. Luke 1. 1. john 5. Genes. 18.  one God in three persons, Father, Son, and holy Ghost; It is the only God that Abraham, Isaac, and jacob worshipped, in spirit and truth: It is the only everlasting God, who hath created heaven and earth, and all things therein. The knowledge that you have of God is it not such?  
The Sick. Yes.  
The Minister. But such a simple knowledge of God, were it able to conduct you to eternal life?  
The Sick. Very hardly: for everlasting life, 
john 17.  is to confess and knowledge one only God, and him whom he hath sent, his everlasting Son, our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ?  
The Minister. Wherefore is it necessary for you to know and confess the Lord jesus Christ.  
The Sick. Because that I must recover in JESUS CHRIST, 
Rom. 5. Psal. 51. Luke 24. Psal. 21. Rom. 11.  that which I have lost in myself, through the sin of the old Adam, whereunto I was conceived and borne; Therefore, it hath been needful for my salvation, that JESUS CHRIST true God and true Man, having put on our flesh, should give me by his grace all that I had lost in Adam.  
The Minister. It is very well said. That is the reason why jesus Christ was conceived by the holy Ghost, 
Mat. 1.  
Luke 1.  and borne of the Virgin Mary, to purge and sanctify you; For clean contrary to him, 
Ephes. 2. Psal. 51.  you were conceived and borne in sin, and of sinful parents. Wherefore do you not confess, that without jesus Christ you had remained a wretched and miserable sinner, 
Rom. 8.  in everlasting death?  
The Sick. Yea certainly, but I believe and confess, 
Rom. 6.  that this good jesus Christ, hath reconciled me to God his Father.  
The Minister. But how did he reconcile you to God his Father?  

Mat. 26. Heb. 7. & 9  The Sick. By his Death and Passion, & the shedding of his most precious blood: for to deliver me out of all everlasting pain, this good jesus Christ hath suffered under Pontius Pilate for me, many afflictions, injuries, and tribulations: 
Act. 3. Mat. 27.  It is jesus Christ, who hath been crucified for me, as accursed, upon the Cross, to deliver me from the everlasting curse, unto the which Adam had bound me. This my Saviour JESUS Christ was truly buried, to bury all my sins with him, to the end they be not imputed to me before God. It is my Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST, 
Rom. 6.  who descended into hell, 
Act. 2. 1. Peter 2.  suffering an extreme temporal anguish for to deliver me from the everlasting.  
The Minister. All that you have now confessed of jesus Christ, was it sufficient to save you?  
The Sick. No, according as the holy Scriptures ought to be accomplished in all things; 
Isa. 53. Mat. 26.  For what had it profited me that jesus Christ was borne, crucified, dead, buried, and descended into hell for me only, without rising again? Wherefore, 
Mark 16. 1. Cor. 15.  I believe and confess, that my Lord, my head and Saviour jesus Christ, is risen again from the dead, to cause me to rise again with him, as one of his little members, in everlasting life.  
The Minister. Consequently, it is written that he ascended into heaven, 
Act. 1.  being now set at the right hand of God his Father; But what doth this Ascension profit you?  
The Sick. My Lord, my head, and my Saviour jesus Christ, is gone up into heaven, to make me ascend after him; 
Colos. 3. 1. john 2. Rom. 8.  For where the head is, there are the members also. And I believe that being set at the right hand of God his Father, he is my Advocate, 
Rom. 8.  Intercessor, and only Mediator towards him, assuring me very well, that no man can hinder me, 
john 5.  seeing jesus Christ is my Advocate, 
Mat. 25.  and judge also; wherefore I have no occasion to fear his judgement, when he shall come to judge the quick and the dead; For I believe and confess with a steadfast faith, that there is no judgement nor condemnation for those that are faithful members in jesus Christ. 
Rom. 8.   
The Minister. Who hath given you the grace to know and understand all these things?  
The Sick. It is by the grace of the holy Spirit, 
1. John 5.  one only God with the Father and the Son, by the means whereof we receive all the goods and gifts, which are offered unto us in jesus Christ.  
The Minister. Seeing you have already confessed that you are a member of jesus Christ, it followeth then that you are also incorporated in his Church, the which he hath caused you to believe to be Holy, Catholic, and Universal.  
The Sick. I verily believe the holy universal Church, 
Ephes. 5.  washed and cleansed in the precious blood of JESUS CHRIST; for the which I give him thanks, with all humility, that he hath given me the grace to be one of the small members of his Church, and being baptized in his name, hath caused me to live in the communion, unity, and charity thereof; having instructed me with his holy word, 
Mat. 4. 1. Cor. 11.  and nourished me with his very body, made me drink of his precious blood, in hope of eternal life.  
The Minister. Now seeing you are so well grounded upon the lively Rock which is JESUS CHRIST, 
1. Cor. 10.  in knowing yourself aright, you must acknowledge and confess the principal good which you have received of this good JESUS CHRIST.  
The Sick. It is very reasonable; For I will not be unthankful to remember the goods and gifts that I have received of God; wherefore I confess that I miserable sinner, 
Psal. 51.  have incessantly offended the goodness and justice of God, having transgressed his holy Commandments, 
Luke 17.  in which doing I have deserved everlasting death and damnation; Nevertheless, appealing to the mercy of GOD, I have asked forgiveness, and do believe and confess, without doubting any whit, that full and entire remission of all my sins is given me, 
Act. 4. Revel. 1.  by the only merit of the death and passion of my Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, 
Mat 26. Hebr. 1.  by the shedding of his precious blood, in the which I assure myself to be sufficiently and entirely washed and purged; which is the greatest good and contentment that I could ever receive; And such is my faith, 
Mat. 10.  in the which I will live and die, by the grace of the holy Ghost.  
The Minister. Seeing you have received such a great good from God, by the means of his Son jesus Christ, it is also fitting that you should do his commandment: for even as he doth pardon you, and maketh a remission of all your sins; 
Mat. 11.  likewise you must also pardon with all your heart all those that may have offended you. 
Mat. 15.  Otherwise you shall not walk according to God.  
The Sick. In that I have known the faith of jesus Christ, to be alone holy and perfect, 
Mat. 19  commanding us to love our neighbours, friends and enemies, as ourselves; wherefore I beseech all those to whom I may have offended, 
Luke 23.  either in thought, word, or deed, to pardon me with as good a heart, as I forgive all those that have offended me; desiring to do them pleasure and service, as to my good Brethren and Friends.  
The Minister. Then seeing it is ordained of God that all men must die, 
Hebr. 9 Genes. 3.  we cannot resist his ordinance; but we ought always to conform ourselves to his holy will; Wherefore Brother, you must not find it strange, if I say that to you which the good Prophet Isay said to King Ezekias, speaking from the Lord, 
Isay 38.  Dispose of thy house, for thou shalt die, and shalt not live. This good counsel, aught to stir you up to fit yourself spiritually in your conscience; That is, first to convert yourself to God, and to bewail your sins, 
Jsay 55.  as did that good King, desiring his mercy, ask him forgiveness, and saying always in your heart, Lord God, be propitious and merciful unto me poor miserable sinner, for the love of thy Son jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour; Afterward you must not forget your house and family, the which you ought so well to order and dispose of, by a good will or last Testament, that afterward it may be in peace and tranquillity. But to make you better to understand the disposing of your house, you ought to give every man his own, without deceiving any man. You must leave your wife, your heir, your children and friends in good friendship and charity, to the end that after your decease, 
1. john 2.  they may have no occasion of discord; That done you must forget all the troubles and sorrows of the world, which passeth away with the lust thereof; But who so doth the will of God, 
Mat. 26.  endures for ever. Touching your children, you ought to be only a natural father for a time; but God is their spiritual Father for ever, having them in his holy keeping and protection, to conserve, preserve and nourish them, from all evil, provided that they will walk in his ways. Moreover, seeing you are a Christian, regenerated by the holy Sacrament of Baptism, you know long since, that we have not here a permanent City, 
Hebr. 13.  for we weight for a better which is everlasting; Wherefore I pray you in the name of God, not to vex yourself with any sorrow for this world; For here we are all but strangers, 
Psal. 38.  as were our Fathers; When then God shall appoint that you must dislodge and go before us, will you not conform yourself to his holy will and ordinance? Also if he find it expedient for your salvation, to prolong your life, 
Isay 38.  as he did to good Ezekias; will you not be contented with what soever it shall please him to do with you? Yes surely, for he is Lord and Master, you are but his servant: He is your Creator, you are his creature, and the workmanship of his hands. By that means than he will dispose of you at his will, unto the which only you ought to conform and humble yourself, saying unto him with all your heart,  
LOrd God, thou knowest my necessity, if it please thee to prolong my life, thy will be done; If also it please thee to call me unto thee, thy will be done; for thy creature Lord, hath no other will but thine.  
Now Brother, comfort yourself in God, whom if he hath appointed to call you, your calling shall be happy, for you must believe and hope with a steadfast faith, that he will cause you to rise again in your own body, 
1. Cor. 5.  in immortality and glory, for to make you reign with him in everlasting life, the which is purchased for, and given unto you, in the virtue of the precious blood of our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST; 
Revel. 1.  In whose name the Lord GOD bless, and preserve you, and make his face to shine upon you, and be propitious unto you. The Lord turn his favourable countenance towards you, and maintain you in good prosperity, so be it.  
THat done, if you see the sick body to wax worse, and to draw near to his death, as desirous to tend to his appointed end, presently in his mortal agony, you must not fail to repeat before him with a loud voice the Christian Comfort, which is here before set down; Which doing God will give him the grace to die well and faithfully. Amen.  
L. S. V.  
FINIS.   

A TREATISE TO TAKE AWAY THE FEAR OF DEATH, AND cause IT TO BE DESIRED OF the faithful man.  
WITH A SHORT DECLARATION OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD; AND with certain Prayers and Meditations.  
LONDON, Printed for Richard Bankeworth. 1611.   

To the Reader.  
FRiendly Reader, the first of these Treatises being come forth of his Country of Anjou, to be communicated to other nations, at the last it fell into my hands. And seeing that divers did greatly desire it, as well for the utility as for the brevity thereof; I was also willing that it should be communicated to those of our nation, adding unto it an other little Treatise of the Resurrection of the dead, and some good Prayers and Meditations, fitting to this matter, that we might all learn betimes to die well; which is the lesson which therein as learnedly as briefly is taught us. Wherefore if I find that my intention be agreeable, I will endeavour to go on from good to better to serve to the public good: Farewell this 21. of March 1583.   

A TREATISE TO TAKE AWAY THE FEAR OF DEATH, AND cause IT TO BE desired of the faithful man.  
PLATO said, that the Philosophy wherein man (living in this world) should principally exercise himself, is the meditation of death; that is to say, of her conditions, frail, diseased, and mortal; of the divers accidents of this human life, and of her hour so uncertain and unknown; to the end that considering these things, he might withdraw his affection and trust from this world, that he might despise it, and all temporal things, wherein he sees and discovers so much inconstancy, and such sudden and frequent mutations or changes: and that by such a despising of uncertain & casual things, he should stir up himself unto a contemplation of those that are divine, and heavenly; And forsaking that which is here perishing and transitory (unto worldly men) he should choose his part in heaven, and should stay himself at that which is permanent and eternal. For the like reason, Philip the father of Alexander the great, a man of good understanding, and of very great consideration, to the end that in the midst of his great prosperity, he should not forget himself in his duty, gave order that one of his Gentlemen should every day at his awaking come and speak these words unto him; King, have in remembrance that thou art a mortal man.  
jesus Christ also our Saviour and Master, tending to the same end, doth exhort us to watch, & to lay up treasures in heaven, and not on earth, where all things are uncertain and changeable. We see by that, that during our life, we cannot do better than to think upon death, and our body being upon the earth, to accustom ourselves to have always our spirit and heart in heaven. Now because that the remembrance of death is a fearful thing to many, I have bethought myself, to pass away my griefs, and to recreate myself from my other studies, and also to give you a testimony of the Obligation which I think I have towards you, as well for the good which you have done unto me, as for the friendship which you bear me, to write unto you, and to present this small Treatise, wherein I have briefly touched certain points, wherewith the faithful may arm themselves against death: which he ought to do in time, and prepare himself to receive it with assurance, at such time as it shall please God to send it; for that which doth astonish many, is that the coming thereof is sudden unto them, and that they are surprised unlooked for. We see by experience, in a frontier town, that when it is well victualled, and provided of all things necessary, for to withstand a long siege, those within are a great deal the more assured and bold; whereas if it were unprovided, they would stand amazed and tremble with fear, if they should chance to see the approaching of the siege. It is easy to judge by that, of what importance it is to have prevented a danger, and to be prepared for it.  
Then to provide and arm the faithful man against death, we must note that there are two sorts of it: the one is temporal of the body, which Christians ought to desire; the other is eternal, of body and soul which they ought not to fear, perfevering in the faith of our Lord.  
That it is so, all fear presupposeth evil and danger; we do not fear that which is good, but long after, desire and pursue it, and when it offers itself, we receive it joyfully: But an evil, we apprehend and fear, we fly from it, and when it happens unto us, we sorrow, and do complain. If then it doth appear by good and evident proofs, that the faithful man is not in danger of this second death, may we not then conclude, that if we fear it, it is foolish and without occasion? And surely if we had judgement, and never so little faith, it were sufficient presently to take away the fear of it from us.  
For first, the proper nature of faith is to animate and quicken our heart, so soon as it is received in us. The just, saith the Prophet, shall live by faith. Now even so as the body, whiles the soul is in it, liveth, and dieth not, until such time as it be separated from it; no more doth the faithful man, persevering in the faith which hath been inspired and put into his heart by the grace of God. Although (saith David) I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will not fear; for thou art with me O Lord. What was the cause of this assurance? was it not faith? wherewith we ought no more to fear death, than we do sickness when we are in perfect health, well disposed, and in good liking; or poverty, when we have plenty and abundance of all good things.  
Secondly, by faith we have remission, and an abolition of all the faults which we have done; why do we then fear death? There is no death where there is no sin; by sin death came into the world, saith St. Paul: and else where; The reward of sin is death; sin causeth God to be angry with us, and that in his anger he condemns us to death. Now all seeds doth bring forth, every one according to their sort and quality. The wheat bringeth forth wheat, and the Rye, Rye, and we must not hope for any fruit, if there be not seed before hand.  
That being true, and witnessed in a thousand places of the Scripture, that unto a Christian all his sins and debts are quitted him by the grace and mercy of God, that they are forgotten, that they are covered, that they are not imputed, and that they are remitted and pardoned, that they are cast as far from us, as the East from the West; Provided that there be no more seed thereof, we need not look for any fruit: That is to say, if there be no more sin, there is no more anger of God, nor of death, and by consequent that also there ought to be no more fear.  
Thirdly, by faith: we have the word, and the promises of God, whereupon it is grounded: Among others this; Who so believeth shall not die, but is passed from death to life. Now this promise can no more fail, than he that gave it us. It is eternal. And all that God saith, is as sure and permanent, as heaven, or earth; For this cause when we look into them, we ought in them to consider the virtue and power of this word, by the which they were once created, and ever since preserved and maintained in that estate wherein now we see them, and to infer thereupon: that being of the same power and efficacy in all other things, nothing is impossible nor uncertain of all that which God doth say and promise unto us. And therefore, as St. james saith, Receiving his holy word by faith in our hearts, and the promises which he hath made us, to give us eternal life, we ought to assure ourselves of it, and take away all fear and apprehension of death. What was the cause of the ruin of us and our forefathers? was it not because they did decline from the word of God to follow their own fancies and the counsel of Satan? If then to the contrary we will cleave to it, without leaning any jot neither to the right hand nor to the left, we shall live by it, and in it. Hearken unto me, saith God (speaking by Esay) and your soul shall live. And Zacharie in his Canticle; He hath given us a science of salvation. And Saint Peter speaking to JESUS CHRIST, Thy words are words of eternal life. If God, the Prophets and Apostles, do assure us that the word of God, received by a true faith in our hearts, doth there quicken, keeping and retaining it, what occasion have we then to fear death?  
Moreover by faith we dwell in JESUS CHRIST, and have him dwelling in us, who having life in himself as his father, doth quicken us, and all those unto whom he doth communicate himself, Wherefore then being his members, flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones; brief, being one with him shall we fear death? Hath not he power over it, and not only for himself, but also for us? He, saith St. Cyprian, who hath once overcome death for us, will always overcome it in us. Hath not he beat down, dispossessed, chased and spoiled Satan, the Prince and Lord of death? hath not he accomplished the law? and by this perfect obedience, which he hath borne to God his Father, appeased his anger, satisfied his will, and abolished the malediction of the law, which is nothing else but death? Did not he die to make it die? when he rose again, hath not he broken and dissipated all the torments, plucked down the gates of Hell, and triumphed over her and all her power? Say not henceforth saith St. Paul, who shall go up into heaven, or who shall descend into the depths, for to bring life unto us? for JESUS CHRIST is dead, and risen again from the dead, for to deliver us from death; and risen again to restore us to life; He is our Pastor; And for this reason we ought not to fear, that any creature should snatch us by violence out of his hands, or can hinder him from giving us eternal life. He is our Advocate, we ought not then to fear to be overthrown in judgement; nor that by sentence we should be condemned to death: He is our Mediator, we need not to fear the wrath of God: He is our light, we need not to fear the darkness: He is our shadow and our cloud, we ought not then to fear the heat of the fire eternal, no more than did the children of Israel the heat of the Sun in the Wilderness, being hidden under the pillar. Let us then for these reasons forsake and cast behind us all fear of death; the which having had no power nor advantage over the head, shall have no power over his members.  
Item, By faith we have with jesus Christ God his Father, and are allied & joined together with him, as he saith by his Prophet, I will marry thee if thou wilt promise me thy faith: and jesus Christ in St. john; He that loveth me will keep my word, and I and my Father will come and dwell in him: for this reason we are also called his Temples, because we are consecrated and dedicated unto him by his holy spirit, that he should dwell in us. Now seeing God is with us, we have the original, the fountain, the cause, the beginning and the author of life; we have the great jehovah; of whom all things depend, by whom all things are and move: in whom the Angels, Archangels, Principalities, the heavens and all the elements consist; we have him that is the true Zeus, from whom all creatures, visible and invisible take their life and their being, by the participations which they have with him: We have him who is the true Promitefz, most perfect and sovereign workman of all things, who by his breath doth quicken and make them to live: We have tun Theon, that is to say, he who discoursing all things, by his power infinite doth preserve them: We have, to make short AEL, that is to say, he who only can satisfy, and by his presence cause that of life & of all other good things we shall have, and think we have enough: Shall we then fear death in such company? If as S. Augustine saith, God is the soul of our soul, we cannot die but by being separated from him; the which David doth confirm in one of his Psalms, saying, Those shall perish O Lord, who do departed and go from thee; which being considered, let us strive only to keep him with us by faith and obedience, and beside, let us take away all the fear which we may have of death.  
Again, by faith we have the spirit of God: you are not carnal, saith S. Paul, writing to the Romans, but are spiritual; for who hath not the spirit of God are none of his. And elsewhere speaking to the Galathians; Have you not the spirit of God by faith? Now this spirit is the spirit of life; if God withdraws it from his creatures they die, they perish, and come suddenly to nought: to the contrary, when he pleaseth to send and power it upon them, he raiseth and restoreth them in an instant; even as we see a Hen brooding of her eggs, by a secret virtue doth disclose and bring them to life, albeit that before they were without soul or feeling. Even so doth the spirit of God, all creatures by his divine power: He giveth testimony and doth assure us in our hearts that we are the children of God, to the end that from him as from our father, by a certain and assured hope we should wait and look for life: He is as a pledge unto us for fear left we should doubt. Having such earnest of life, having testimony from him, who being the spirit of truth cannot lie nor abuse, having him himself who is the preserver of all creatures; shall we fear death? It is as much as who should fear the darkness at none-day, the spirit of him who hath raised again jesus Christ, and who hath upheld him because he should not be overcome of death, being in us will quicken us also, saith Saint Paul and will preserve us from it; let us then put away all fear of it.  
Faith also causeth that God doth adopt and repute us for his children: you are all children of God by faith, saith S. Paul: and S. john, he hath given power to all those that shall receive him, and believe in his name, to be made the children of God; then being children, we are the heirs & coheirs with jesus Christ; and we are by the means of this adoption certain once to come unto life, unto the rest, and unto the glory wherein we shall reign eternally with his Father. Moreover, being children of God, we are of his household, and it is not in his house where death dwelleth, it is in hell in the devils house; in heaven and the place where God abides, there is an unspeakable light, so great a beatitude and happiness, that in the contemplation thereof, David crying out, said, O that they are happy that do inhabit and dwell in thy house! And elsewhere; In this consists all my good, Lord that I may be near unto thee. Again, being children we are at liberty, free from sin, free from death, free from the condemnation and rigour of the law, freed from the service and force of the devil: what do we fear being then children of God, and consequently brothers of jesus Christ? Is it possible that he can ever deny or abandon his flesh and blood, or suffer them to die, having power to save them? Conclusion. Being the children of God our Father, he loveth us with a love unfeigned and fatherly. And if, as saith S. Paul, during the time that we were his enemies, he had such a care over us, that not sparing his only begotten Son, he hath delivered him over to death to preserve us from it, and to reconcile us unto himself, now that we are his friends and in his favour, will he not save us? Who is that man, who considering these reasons, will not presently assure himself, and do away all fear which he had of death? That which also ought to assure us against death, & take away all fear which we have of her, and the dishonour of the tribulation, of the horror and anguish prepared for the reprobate and damned, is our calling: that God of his grace hath vouchsafed to withdraw us out of the darkness wherein we were, and to illumine us by his holy spirit, teaching us by his holy word, wherein we ought to trust, and wherein lieth our salvation; and so what we ought to do to please and obey him, to the end that walking in his law and serving him in all justice and holiness, we might after we have a little suffered in this world, be faithfully glorified with him in the end: for that which God beginneth he will accomplish; and when he hath determined to call any one to him and to save him, he never changeth his counsel, neither doth repent himself of the good that he will do unto him. He is unchangeable, and so steadfast in his purpose and determination, that that which he once wills and ordains, he doth execute without being turned from it. If then we feel in ourselves that God hath given us the grace to hear, to believe, and to love his word, and to fly from and reject all that which is contrary to it, and to have an affection to observe that which he commandeth us, and a dislike, if haply by infirmity or otherwise, we chance to commit any thing against his law: let us not doubt but we are regenerate, elected, and predestinated to eternal life, and consequently out of danger of death. Let us then take away all fear, and let us say with Saint Paul, What shall separate us from the love and charity of God? what shall make us to think, that he hath not a will to save us? It shall not be pain, affliction, hunger, persecution, nor any adversity, nor death, nor any creature whatsoever shall make us to doubt that he doth not love us, in the favour of jesus Christ; and that having chosen; called and justified us in him, but that finally he will also glorify us by him.  
The Sacraments which JESUS CHRIST hath left us for the confirmation of our faith ought likewise to assure and strengthen us against the fear of death.  
First, Baptism by the which we are buried and die with Christ, that we may rise again with him; in the which we are washed from all our sins, and clothed with his innocency, to the end that presenting ourselves to the Father, so adorned and covered with the rob of our elder brother, we may receive his holy blessing, and be saved from the great deluge, wherein all the infidels perish, as Noah was in his time by the Ark. Having then the promises of God, as we have said before, and over and above his sign, by the which he is bound to render that life to us, which we have lost by our sin; wherefore do we fear death, do we think that he will revoke or that he will deny and disavow his sign?  
Secondly, the Lord's Supper, where we take the bread and the wine, for to be received into the Communion and participation of the body and blood of our Lord jesus Christ, and by consequent into the fruits of them: that is, to have part in his obedience, in his justice, in his satisfaction and redemption, in the Testament and new alliance, and generally in all the promises of God, the which by his death have been ratified. It remaineth now to conclude our purpose, and to infer upon the precedent things, that if we fear death, it is for want of considering them, or if we do consider them, it is for want of believing them; for there is no man so timorous, being firmly persuaded of that which is spoken, but will take away all fear of death, and will say with David; I shall not die but always live, to declare perpetually the works of the Lord, and praise him. And who will not scorn at it with S. Paul, and insult upon it, saying, O death where is thy victory? where is thy sting? where is thy strength? where is the terror and fear which men had of thee? jesus Christ our Saviour perceiving the time of his death draw near, said, that in short time he should pass from this world to go to his Father, calling death a passage; which should greatly comfort us. We have almost all this opinion rooted in us, and it is that which doth so discourage us, that it is a dangerous passage & uneasy. Now for to take it from us, and to stir up our hearts, he would needs pass it before us, and as it were sound the depth, to the end that we seeing that he did not stick at it, should take courage: as also we see before and after him, the Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs and other holy personages have done it; who having passed it without any apprehension of danger, and being escaped safe and well, do now rejoice with God, that they are gotten to the land and to the port where they did aspire. Shall we then be such cowards, shall we be so fainthearted, and of such tender and effeminate courage, as to fear to go by a place so frequent, and a way so great and beaten, that men go it, as said some of the Ancients, blindfolded Likewise we see that not one alone of those that trusted in God, calling upon his aid, that put themselves to pass it, did ever miscarry: when the children of Israel did fear at the passage of the red Sea, Moses did show unto them, that if they would trust in God, they should see his glory and power; which they did see, passing safely through the midst of the danger, whereas their enemies did remain: so shall all the faithful through the straits of death, provided that they commend themselves to God, and do only set their trust upon him. They being in the deserts, although they were bitten by the Serpents, yet were they preserved from the danger in looking upon him, that Moses had caused to be erected; although also that the cursed and envious serpent hath tainted us with his venom, yet shall we not die if by faith we look upon jesus Christ crucified. Let death come, let it take us, let it bind us, yet shall we break the bonds as easily as did Samson those of the Philistines his enemies; let it swallow and devour us as the Whale did jonas, yet shall it be feign to disgorge and cast us up again, if in the midst of the depth we do remember God and call upon him. Let it bury us as it once did jesus Christ, yet shall we rise again as he did, and it shall be impossible for this Tyrant to retain us under his power. After having showed how we should arm ourselves against the apprehensions of eternal death, let us also show that we ought not only nor to fear the temporal, but also desire it; and when it pleaseth God to send it unto us, to thank him for it, to rejoice at it, to embrace it, and to sing for joy; whether it be that we behold the misery, the mishaps and evils of this life, from which it doth deliver us; or else the joy and contentment of eternal life, whereto it doth bring us.  
As for the poverties, miseries, incertitudes, fragilities, accidents and mutabilities of this life, not only the Scripture, but also divers wise and great Philosophers doth show them unto us: And there is one amongst them, who declaring the original of the Greek phrase signifying life, sayeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which is, that life hath been so called of the Greeks', because of the violence, of the assaults, excess, pains, and outrages which therein we suffer, which are innumerable both in body and soul.  
Our bodies are subject to cold, to heat, to hunger, to thirst, to time, to age, and to so many diseases, that there is no part but hath his particular infirmity: the feet are subject unto the gouts, the belly unto gripings, the sides to pleurisies, the stomach to rawness, the lights to the cough, the head to a thousand diseases; we need but a Spider or other little worm to kill us, we need but a hair or a crumb to strangle us: in sum, the flesh with all it strength, is nothing else but grass; Is it to day green and pleasant? let but the  pass, it will cut down a thousand leaves at once, which in an hour will be dry and withered. The Greeks' do call the body of man in their language, Soma and Demas, whereof the one is taken from a phrase which signifieth to bind, and the other comes near to that which signifieth Sepulchre, for to show unto us in what estate and disposition soever he be, he doth represent rather death unto us then life, and servitude than liberty. As for the soul, it is first subject to all the evils and diseases of the body: for it is unpossible if that be ill, but that for the conjunction & amity which is between them, it must endure and feel pain. Moreover, she hath her own, as ignorance, sin, mistrust, suspicion, jealousy, hatred, envy, love, lust, ambition and passions, the which as tormentors, do hale her the one one way, the other another, as if they would pull it to pieces. I leave a million of importunities which she hath, and which man taketh to attain to his purposes, to live in rest and at ease, to be in honour, to maintain his alliances and friendships, to beware of his enemies, to increase his house, to maintain and keep it in it greatness, the which do torment us oft-times in such sort, that we can neither eat nor sleep at ease.  
And we must not think that there is any estate exempt from this misery; begin at the highest Prince or Emperor that ever was in the world, and so discoursing descend to the poorest beggar that ever the earth did bear, and you shall not find one content, neither the Artificer nor the Merchant, nor the Advocate, nor the Gentleman, nor the Duke, nor the King; enter into their closerts, there you shall often find them, as said Menander, laid upon their beds with a mournful voice, and pitiful, crying, Alas, alas. Valerius speaketh of a King, unto whom the Sceptre and Diadem were offered; before he put it on his head, he took it in his hands, then having looked long upon it, he crieth out, O Diadem, if one knew the miseries and encumbrances which thou dost bring there is no man that finding thee upon the ground, would once take thee up; showing by that exclamation that the life of Kings is less happy than that of private persons. Tiberius Caesar, under whom Christ was crucified, and who commanded that he should be worshipped as a God also as Tertullian records it after the death of Augustus his predecessor, who by will had left him heir, as well of his goods as of the Empire; which being offered him by the Senate, according to custom, doubted a great while whether he might accept of it, by reason of the fear that he had of the weight of this charge, and of the pain that he was to suffer in the undergoing of it. Dioclesian after he had held the Empire some twenty years, left it of his own accord, & chose for the rest of his time to live a peaceable and domestical life; wherein after the great agitations and storms of trouble which he had had during the time of his government, he found the rest to be so sweet and pleasing, & his mind so contented and freed, that many times amongst his familiars he did witness, that the time had never seemed so good to him, nor his sunshine days so pleasant; showing by these words how he did abhor the imperial life, although that few Emperors before or after him had had such honours in victories, and other prosperities as he had.  
These examples do sufficiently show, that the life of Kings is not so happy, as some men sometimes esteem them, more by error then by reason; and they are so far from being at quiet and without trouble, that by reason of the great care and trouble that they have; the ancient Greeks' surnamed them anacas, dia tô anacôs échin, saith Plutarch, in expounding the words: which is as much according to his exposition, as who should say, careful. By how much a tree is planted and seated in higher place, by so much the more is it subject to the wind; also are the great men more than the commons, to divers fortunes and accidents; the thunderbolts and the tempests fall ordinarily in high places, so do the great and pitiful misfortunes upon men of state and renown.  
And if in this world the estates which we esteem most of are subject to so many mishaps, what may we think of others, which we ourselves by reason of the discommodities which are joined unto them do fly from the esteem unhappy? So we see that there is not any estate, that of itself doth make a body happy or contented; and as in estates, besides the common miseries, every one hath his own particular, also have all the ages of man, evils which are proper unto them.  
In his childhood he is full of infirmities, without virtue, without understanding, without the use of reason and speech, and without wit, and he must be fifteen years old, before he is capable to know only what estate is fittest for him; wherein oftentimes he deceives himself, choosing that whereunto he is least fit.  
Is he come into his youth? he is rash, adventurous, foolish passionate, voluptuous, prodigal, drunkard, gamester, quarrelsome; whereby it happeneth oft, that in this age he falleth into great inconveniences and dangers, to be imprisoned, to be hanged, to lose his goods, and even to bring his parents with sorrow to the grave.  
When this great heat by little and little gins to cool and diminish, and that he waxeth a perfit man, than he must labour night and day for to entertain his house, nourish his children, and provide for them for time to come: he is besieged, now with desire and covetousness, then with fear lest his children should remain unprovided for, lest they should behave themselves ill, and lest they should do some dishonour to their house.  
The age of virtue and perfection declining, behold in our sight, old age comes creeping on, in the which man is sickly, unwieldy, cold and forsaken; and as among the seasons of the year, the last is Winter, and the most troublesome, so amongst all the ages of man is the old age.  
That which I have said is not the hundredth part of all the evils whereunto the sick man is subject, and nevertheless that little which we have spoken of it, is sufficient to show that in all estates, and in all ages it is miserable, and as said Menander, life and misery are two twins; for they are borne, & grow, they are nourished and live always together, the which nature teacheth us in two things. First, in that the little children coming into the world, they always cry, as presaging the evil which they are to endure if they live long; Secondly, in that coming forth of their mother's belly, they are all bathed in blood, and are more like unto a dead man, whose throat had been lately cut by murderers, then to any thing else. Two ancient Philosophers, considering these things said, the one, That God did love those which he takes out of this world in their childhood: the other, That it were good never to be borne, or else to die presently. Surely it is a wonderful thing, and which showeth well that we have want of understanding, that although life were never so ugly and disfigured, and that in all her parts there were neither grace nor beauty that could commend it, we nevertheless should be so in love with it, that we always desire to keep it and never to change. But we are much abused; for it is more uncertain than it is miserable: for to show us the uncertainty of it, the Ancients called it a shadow, and a dream, which are the two things in the world, the most vain and least settled in our estate. Pythagoras' being once demanded what human life was, spoke never a word; for his custom was to answer and instruct more by signs then by words; but went into a chamber, and came forth again presently: signifying, that the life of man is but an entering in, and going out. And JESUS CHRIST exhorting us to watch, grounds himself upon nothing else but upon the inconstancy and uncertainty of this life: Watch, saith he, for you know not at what hour the Lord will come. And who is that man in how good disposition and happiness soever he be, that can promise himself to continue in it but a day? Those in Samaria doubted of nothing, when in an instant they were destroyed by the ruins of the Tower of Syloe. In the time of the flood they did build, and made marriages and banquets, when suddenly contrary to the expectation and opinion of all the world, the rain fell in clear weather, which rain did overflow the whole earth. The rich man, whereof mention is made in the twelfth of LUKE, though he was very secure; who having so much wealth that he knew not where or whored it, made account to give himself to pleasure, and to live after that time at his ease; when, while he was standing upon these terms, behold the Sericant of GOD comes and arrests him to appear the same day, to give up an account unto him, of all the precious things and goods which he had left, and which he had gathered with such great labour.  
But it is labour lost to go about to prove a thing so manifest, and which we experiment and see daily: For in this world there is nothing more ordinary nor more frequent than that which Ovid saith that the life of man, and all human things are hanged, and do hold but by a little thread.  
Let us behold then, seeing on the one side the great evils whereof it is full, and on the other side the inconstancy of the good which it hath; if we have great occasion to desire of God, that he would prolong it unto us; or to complain or discontent ourselves at death, when it taketh it away from us? We have understood the evils from the which death doth deliver us, Let us now come to consider the good which it bringeth unto us, from thence we shall yet better know, that we ought not only not to fear, shun, and avoid it, but also desire it with all affection; For one of the goods only which we enjoy by deaths means, is greater than all those which we can have in the world, living in it for ever.  
By it first we rest, as saith St. john in his Apocalyps. And after that we have endured and are almost consumed with innumerable troubles and labours, dying, our spirit goeth into heaven, & our body into the earth as into a bed, there for to rest and refresh itself. The poor artificers are so glad when evening draws near, and that it is almost night, that they may be paid for their labour, and go home to rest themselves; or when after they have laboured the six days in the week, that Sunday comes, when they hope to recreate themselves, and recover the force and vigour as well of their bodies as of their minds: we ought not to be less joyful, when the time of our death draweth near, which we ought to weight for, and desire as a holy day; in the which we hope to rest, and by the pleasure, which therein we take, presently forget all the sorrows and troubles which we have had in this world. The end of all that we do, and of that which we purpose, is it not our rest? Why do we gather goods with a thousand troubles, and as many dangers? why do we study? why do we fight? why do we labour? why do we all other things? Is it not by that means to come to ease, and to a rest, which we pretend and seek as a sovereign good? What is the principal reward which God doth promise to his people, and to all those that serve him faithfully, is it not a perpetual rest, whereinto he himself is entered since the creation of the world? When we do pray unto him that his kingdom come, is it not to the end that we should be in peace and rest? Finally, what do we hope for at his hands, is it not that? Then the rest which God hath promised us, which we demand of him, which we wait for, brief, which we do purpose as the end and conclusion of all that we do and undertake, is given us by no other means but by death. Some seek for it in their goods, which they love, supposing there to find it; others in study, others in voluptuousness and worldly pleasures: but all that is but an abuse. For it is found but in death, which we ought more to love for this reason, than the world doth his pleasure, the covetous man his treasure, the scholar his books, or the ambitious his humours; by reason that in one hour it putteth into our hands, and gives us the enjoying of goods, which they cannot find by great labour all their life time, in the aforesaid things. Afterwards, death causeth that by it we are content, satisfied and very happy. Happy are those which depart in the faith of our Lord, saith S. john. Then is this blessedness the sovereign good whereunto we aspire, and which we cannot find in this world, where we are never content. If we have goods we desire knowledge, if we have knowledge we desire honours, if we have honours we desire health, if we have health we desire to be young; briefly, we always want something which we seek after, and when we cannot get it, that is a cause of grudging and discontentment. Then shall we be fully satisfied, as saith David, when by death we are come to the Kingdom of God, and his glory hath appeared unto us.  
In it are all things; it is the sovereign good which in it doth comprehend all other: therefore when we shall have it, our appetite and desire shall rest in it; we shall rest there without going any further, without demanding or seeking for any thing else. Then shall be accomplished that which JESSUS CHRIST hath promised to all his faithful, who, believing in him with an entire faith, and such a one as God requires in his word, will raise up in their hearts a spring of water of life, springing to life eternal. We shall no more fear any thing, being no more in danger; we shall desire nothing, having all in our possession; we shall hope for nothing, for all promises shall be accomplished; we shall no more ask any thing, for we shall have no more need; God shall be all in all. If we will be rich, we shall then have him that doth enrich all those that call upon his holy name. If we will be wise, we shall have the heavenly wisdom; if we will be mighty, we shall have the Almighty; if we desire to be good, we shall have the only excellent good: if we will be fair, we shall have the great Architect, and perfect workman of all things: If we will be healthful and live long, we shall have the eternal.  
All our senses shall be ravished with the greatness of the pleasures which they shall have and feel. Our eyes, seeing the great, sumptuous and magnificent Palace of our God, seeing the perfect & sovereign beauty of his bright shining face: seeing the Sun of justice, the fountain of water of life, the tree of life, the Paradise, that is to say, the pleasant garden of our God, his fair and noble company of Angels, of Apostles, patriarchs, Martyrs, and of all the blessed spirits. And if the only sight of jesus Christ transfigured in the mountain, was of such great power, that S. Peter, all other things forgotten, in an instant, was thereby transported out of himself, and desired so to remain perpetually; what may we think of the joy and pleasure that he receives, who seethe JESUS CHRIST glorified, and with him his Father, his holy Spirit, and all the abovesaid assembly? Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, heart hath never conceived, the good, the pleasure, the rest, and the contentment, prepared for those which God hath elected to salvation.  
Our ears shall likewise be ravished, hearing the discourses and Sermons of the incomprehensible wisdom of our God; Again the good music, the sweet and pleasant accords of the Angels and Saints reigning with him, which sing without ceasing, To the holy, holy, holy God of battles, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Solomon upon the earth ravished the people, and made them astonished at the great wisdom and knowledge that was in him. So did JESUS CHRIST also when he preached. What can he then now do in heaven, where all the great treasures of his divine eloquence are unfolded and laid open? When Aeschines had repeated to the Rhodians the Oration of Demosthenes, for the which he was banished, seeing that they marveled at it, What would you have done said he, if you had heard him pronounce it? We also that are so ravished only with the reading of the holy Scriptures, when we shall hear jesus Christ pronounce them, and with open mouth discourse continually with us; shall we not stand stock still before him? In the like ecstasy as was S. Paul being ravished into the third heavens; shall we not have our eyes settled with continual looking upon our Master, and our ears always attentive to hearken unto him? Plato gave God thanks for three things; for that he was a man, for that he was a Grecian, for that he had been so happy as to hear Socrates. And shall not we give him thanks for that we are Christians, for that we are heavenly, and for that by the means of death we hope once to have faculty to hear the wisdom of God?  
We have said, what we shall see and hear: what shall we taste? we shall be set at the table of our Lord, where we shall have abundance of all good things, It shall be all covered with meats that he hath fattened, and reserved a long while since, for that banquet, we shall there be fed with the bread of Angels; we shall be made to drink in brooks of pleasure, we shall be glutted and filled with all good things, we shall be always at Nuptials, and in an instant we shall forget all the delights of the earth, having tasted those of heaven; as did the companions of Ulysses all other meats, when they had eaten Lotos so celebrated by Homer. It is an other manner of Manna then that of the children Israel, for they waxed weary of it, and were sorry in the desert, that they had lost the quails and flesh-pots of Egypt. But we in heaven, at the first taste of the meats which there shall be served us, shall lose then all the lickorishnesse of this world. We have here eaten of the fruits of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, against the command of the Physician: Whereupon followed the sickness of all, and death to those that were not succoured and warranted by jesus Christ; But in the kingdom of God, and of Paradise, we shall eat of the fruit of the tree of life, which shall always keep us young and fresh; and which more is, will make us incorruptible and immortal. There is that which we shall taste; What shall we smell? A hall of perfumes, the garments of the bride and the bridegroom, perfumed with all odoriferous and fragrant things. It shall be then that the Church shall triumph, & that the vine being blossomed, shall give such a pleasant odour that the whole heavens shall be filled with it.  
There shall be no stink, for there shall be no corruption; we shall there plainly smell the sweetness of the Sacrifice, which jesus Christ made for us on earth, so great and pleasant, that the Father for the pleasure which he took to smell it, was reconciled with the world, and his anger towards us hath been appeased. What a pleasant Sacrifice, and precious Incense is also the praises of the Saints, who with one accord do glorify God, and sanctify his holy name? Moreover what an odour gives that fair flower sprung from the root and sap of jesse, now that it is in it force & strength? To conclude, we cannot miss there to smell good odours; for our Winter shall then be passed, & we shall be in a perpetual spring-time? wherein all things shall grow and flourish for the delectation and pleasures of the Church. For to satisfy our desire, and content the lust of ourselves, we shall touch no more, neither shall we be touched of any thing that may hurt us. We shall be gathered up by JESUS CHRIST our Lord and Saviour, who will come at the entrance to receive us, saying, Come hither faithful servant, thou hast served me faithfully in the world, while thou hast been in the world: enter now into the joy and rest of thy Lord. He will kiss and embrace us, and will keep us near to his person, without suffering us to departed or go far from it.  
Now if the greatest good, & that unto the which all others are referred, be this felicity, which doth consist in a possession and enjoying of all good, to the contentment of our will, and of all our senses, with what a desire should we wait for death, by the which we attain it?  
Moreover death doth deliver us out of all dangers; In this world night and day, within and without we are always in fear of peril. Our life is a cruel and bloody war, we have a great many enemies that kill us continually, and do assay by all means to destroy us: the devils watch for us, and cease not compassing about like devouring Lions, and ravening Wolves, to see whether they cannot surprise us, and carry us away; the world sometimes by entice and allurements, sometime by threats and violence, endeavours to try and turn us out of the right way. Our flesh on an other side, doth flatter and tickle us, and the better to undermine us, with great cunning doth propound and lay before us, things wherein we have most delight. It weary also sometimes, to stir us up to pity it, all to the intent to win us, and cause us in all points to yield unto it, and that it may master us.  
Now if we consider our infirmity, our stupidity and negligence, the little wariness and watchfulness that is in us, we may judge in what danger we live. It is impossible that we should live in this world among so many that are infected, and that with so great a contagion, without falling often into sickness. Is it possible that we should so often grapple with such strong and mighty enemies, without being sometimes staggered and overthrown? Is it possible that we should go in such dirty and muddy ways, without being durtied? We see it in good Saints of old time, who could not govern themselves so well, but the serpent who always dog's us at the heels, hath reached them with his venom; but that they have fallen in divers faults, some in incredulity, others in Idolatry, others in adultery, others in excess and drunkenness, others in murders: there is none of them but had his fall, yea sometimes so great & heavy, that they had been altogether bruised, if God had not upheld them with his hand. Ought not we then follow the example of St. Paul, and as he did, cry: Who shall deliver us from these dangers wherein we live, whiles our soul is in this miserable & mortal body? Let us confess that it is our gain and profit for to die, that by death we may be fully delivered from all mortal things.  
Again, death puts us in full possession of all the promises of God, and of those goods which jesus Christ hath purchased for us, & that we hope for of him. He in dying hath freed us, and purchased our liberty, and nevertheless we see ourselves still in great servitude.  
We are Kings, Lords, judges, heirs of God, coheirs with jesus Christ the Prince of heaven and earth, yet it seems not so, whiles we live in this world: for there we are beaten and used like servants, like children under age, we have as yet no use nor managing of our goods. Kings and great Lords though we be, we are often in such necessity, that we have neither bread to eat, nor water to drink, nor wool to cover us. Moreover JESUS CHRIST hath purchased for us the grace of God, a perfect justice, life eternal, an immortal incorruption, glory and virtue to our bodies, and to our souls an assured peace and quietness, a joy and a contentment: but this good hath not yet been delivered unto us; for often times we experiment the wrath and judgement of God: We feel the concupiscences and vicious desires of our flesh.  
In our bodies there is corruption, mortality and weakness, and in our spirit, troubles, anguish, and as it were a studious and intestine war between our good and bad desires, which fight the one against the other; and because these evils are more grievous, so are the abovesaid goods more great, & more to be desired. If then, although they be already purchased for us, and that they be ours, we nevertheless cannot come to the possession of them but by death, are not we for this reason much bound unto it? Ought not we to love and desire it? The children of Israel being arrived at the river of jordane, seeing on the other side thereof the fruitful land which God had promised them, and that being passed, they should begin to enjoy it and to rest, had they not great cause to rejoice, and to pass the river with great alacrity? And why not we, when we shall come near unto death, that is to say to the passage, beyond the which is our country, our house, or City, our friends, & kinsfolks, our rest, our joy, and our pleasure? The child who during the time of his minority hath always lived in fear & base servitude, doth he not rejoice when he seethe the day coming wherein he doth hope to have liberty, and quietly to enjoy his goods? So ought every faithful man, seeing the day of his death draw near, in the which he shall be put in possession of all the goods which God hath given him, and the gift wholly resigned.  
When a man that hath undertaken some long and tedious journey, having traveled many days, and being wearied on the way, seethe the gate of the town whither he goes, doth he not rejoice, and as it were leap for joy? Doth he not give God thanks going into the town, that it hath pleased him to conduct and bring him safely thither? Now ever since we were borne, we have always been in this world as strangers, we have done nothing else but travel in this low place, as in great desert, we have here wearied o●●elues; then seeing death near unto us, that is to say, the gate whereby we must enter into the kingdom of our God, and the stairs whereby we must ascend unto his holy mountain, have we not occasion to consolate ourselves, and to leap for joy, considering that we are almost arrived at the place, where we hope to rest perpetually: If poor Adam being driven out of the earthly Paradise, after he had tasted of the miseries whereinto he had precipitate himself by his sin, had been called thither again, and set in his first estate, what occasion should he have had to rejoice? And we also, who after so many and divers afflictions, are called out by God, by the means of death, into no earthly but heavenly Paradise, not adam's, but Gods, where there is no sin, where there is no Serpent, where there is no forbidding, brief, where there is no fear nor shame. When Noah after the flood, and falling of the waters which had broken and torn all, began to see the firm, land he did rejoice, and for joy sacrificed to God for a thanksgiving; although it was accursed and brought forth thorns and thistles as before. What more great occasion shall we have, when after the great floods, and desolations which we have seen in this world, 〈◊〉 shall begin to see and salute the land of the living, the blessed land, the land that was promised to the good, the land flowing with Milk and Honey, and all sweet and savoury things? When joseph after he had a long time been prisoner in great calamity, suddenly without thinking thereon, was raised to such dignity, that he was next the King in Egypt, making laws and ordinances, for to dispose the State and Kingdom; had not he matter of consolation?  
We have no less, but much more, when after our prisons, captivities, servitudes, banishmentes, and so many other afflictions which we suffer in this world, we by death are in a moment lifted up from the dunghill into heaven, there to reign with JESUS CHRIST, and to be partakers of his glory, of his honour, of his faith, of his rest, and of his table.  
Was it not a great joy to the jews, who had been captive three score years in Babylon, amongst the Idolaters in great misery, deprived of the use and commodity of spiritual things, as to assemble together to praise God, and to hear his word, and to do other things appertaining to the office of a Christian; weeping sometimes when they were by themselves, and hanging up their haps and Instruments, through grief that they could not serve God according to their desires, nor sing his praises among the strangers; for to have the King's letters to return into their country, build their Temple? and there according to their ancient manner, in all liberty, serve, praise and worship their God; It is less to us, when after a long and tedious captivity that we have endured in this world, conversing with Idolaters, unbelievers, blasphemers, despisers of God and of his word, we are delivered, and have our passport to go into this celestial jerusalem, and into the holy Temple of our God, there for to praise him perpetually, and in beholding his goodness, to glorify and sanctify his holy name.  
Death is also to be desired by reason that with our sorrows it also ends our mourning; we in this world are always sad, heavy, and malancoly. In it we weep, we sigh, and always wear the black weed. But when by death we go forth of it, to go into the house of our Bridegroom, we put off and leave the mourning weed for to take our goodly and sumptuous habiliments.  
With goodly Robes, rich and embroidered,  
Before the Kings she shall in state be led,  
Saith our divine Poet Esay: and everlasting joy shall be powered on those which have been the faithful sereants of God, and then shall be accomplished that which hath been promised them; You that do weep in this world are happy, for you shall laugh: there shall be no more grief, nor complaining, nor tears; for God at our coming into his kingdom will wipe them away from our eyes, we shall be comforted, and we shall rest in Abraham's bosom, as did Lazarus, there shall be no other question but of singing and saying every one to our souls, 
Go to praise God in all things, oh my soul,  
And all my parts without let or control,  
Praise his most good, holy and blessed name.   
Say to the Harp and other instruments, Go to, awake that you may now be set up again in the estate to serve God, and praise him for his goodness: say to all the Church, 
Give unto God praise and renown,  
For he's loving and kind,  
And which is more, his gracious love  
Shall dure world without end.  Say to all creattures bless the Lord in all his works, praise and exalt his name. Bless God ye Angels of heaven, Sun, Moon, Fire, Air, Water, Earth, Trees, and Beasts. A maid that hath long time been betrothed, desires that the day of her marriage were come, and when it is come she rejoiceth, seeing that she shall soon be brought to her husband's house to dwell perpetually with him; we ought also to comfort ourselves, when the time draws near that our Lord must come; and we ought to attend him waking as did the five wife Virgins, that so soon as he shall be come, we may go in to the wedding with him, and that the gate be not shut against us, as it was against the five foolish, becave they were fallen asleep.  
An other reason why death is to be wished for, is that it causeth us to see our friend and Saviour JESUS CHRIST, of whom we have as yet seen but the picture. The Prophets and Apostles have described him unto us so fair, of such a comely stature, so courteous, so virtuous, so loyal, so eloquent, so lovely, so noble, so rich, so loving of us, that for our salvation he did abandon his own life, which ought more to move us then any other thing. Where is that maid, who having heard of so many perfections to be in her friend, would not burn, and be altogether transported with desire and affection to see him? If our King, or some Prince of renown, comes into our country, we desire to see him, because of the report which we have heard of his virtue and valour. If Hercules, Alexander the great, Caesar Cato, of whom we so much commend the ancient pictures, were now in this world, we would through curiosity go a hundred miles to see them; with what an affection than should we aspire to that day, in the which we shall face to face see and behold that so mighty Prince, who with an invincible force hath broken the head of all our enemies; who like unto a valiant josua, in despite of them hath brought us through the dangers, and conducted us into the land which God had promised us? What a pleasure shall it be to us to see him glorious, in order and in triumphant array, and round about him the goodly trophies of his great victories set up? It is said that when Alexander had overcome Darius' King of the Persians, entering into the place where he made his residence, He sits down in his throne, and that presently a Greek Gentleman of his company began to weep for joy in speaking these words. O happy day in the which we see our King victorious against the Barbarians, and their pride trodden under foot. O that all Grecia had now the sight & the pleasure of this spectacle. Think what joy, it will be also to every faithful man, to see jesus Christ in his royal seat, holding under his feet all his enemies & ours, but specially the serpent whose head is already broken, and now he doth nothing else but wag his tail, waiting his final end, which shall be at the day of judgement. May Kings and Princes did with great affection desire to see him when he was on earth accustomed like a servant.  
Simeon because he saw him so, did so rejoice, and was so satisfied, that he feared no more to die: ought not we more to desire to see him in heaven in a kingly rob, with company, greatness, majesty and pomp, and in the state of a Lord. The Queen of Saba, who being induced by the rumour which was spread over all the earth of the great Court of King Solomon, came running thither, from the farthest part of the South, to see him, and to hear his wisdom; after she had diligently considered his great and marvelous wisdom, the order, the splendour, and state of his house, stood all astonished, & with great admiration said; O how happy are the servants of thy house, who may see thy face every day, and hear thy divine speeches; let us say also, O thrice and four times happy are the faithful, who dying go directly to heaven, to be hold the face of jesus Christ, who is much more than Solomon; For the only contemplation of it, makes man content in every point, in taking from us the memory and feeling of all other pleasures, causeth that we cannot nor will not turn our eyes and thoughts from it. Now death doth not only cause us to see jesus Christ, but maketh us with him to behold the Angels, the patriarchs, the Prophets, the Apostles, the Martyrs, which have been singular in graces and virtues. And if any man that hath a heart towards God, desires to see the Church well ordered in this world, and preferreth it to all that can be given him, albeit the order of is never so great, but that there will be many things more to be desired; with what vehemence and heat should he wish to see it in heaven, without spot or wrinkle, shining like the Sun, clothed in robes as white as Snow, set forth in nuptial order?  
The last reason for the which we ought to desire death, is, that by it our spirit being parted from the body, which doth clog it, is more at liberty and more capable to look into the mysteries of God. We live all in this world with a natural desire to know; therefore is it that for our contentment, we seek always to hear and see some novelties; then is it not possible that here beneath we should come to any great knowledge, chiefly of the truth, as well because that of itself it is obscure and hard to know, as for the cares, perturbations, afflictions, passions, etc. wherewith our mind is entangled and hindered, whiles it is in our bodies, which are unto it as dust in a man's eye, which doth hinder it from discerning any thing understandingly. It is the reason wherefore God said to Moses, that whiles we live we cannot see it clearly; for the which also S. Paul saith, That we know but in part, and S. john, That we see the mysteries of our God, but as it were in a glass, or through a window: but when our soul shall be parted from this body, and the vail taken away which blindeth her eyes, then shall it behold and see God face to face, then shall it have the perfect knowledge of him & of jesus Christ his Son, & in it eternal life. We shall behold that which now we worship; for we shall enter into the Sanctuary of our Lord, and there shall look on him without ceasing, the propitiation & the Cherubins: nothing neither of the law nor the Gospel shall be any more unknown or hid from us. God will show unto us as unto his friends & familiars, all the riches of his house; he will talk friendly with us, & will impart all unto ur. An ancient man turning from merchandise, & being entered into the hall where Demetrius Phalereus read; when he had hard him a little while, gins to complain, & said, O unhappy man that I am, have the good of this world been cause that I have been so long deprived of such good things as these? Let us also say, O miserable life, wilt thou dure much longer, wilt thou not shortly let us go whither we aspire, which is the school of our God? Must we lose so many days? Happy death wilt thou not hasten to bring us thither? We see by these reasons what occasion we have to fear, fly from, and complain of death, which is a rest & sleep most delightful above all other; for there is no noise nor dreams to trouble or interrupt it: it is a wholesome medicine, which being swallowed, doth heal us of all diseases, & taketh all pain from us. Which Socrates considering, after he had drunk the poison by the commandment of the Athenians, who had unjustly condemned him to die, when the venom was dispersed in his members, & his friend Crito a little before he gave up the ghost, had asked him, if he would command him nothing: no, said he, but that thou offer sacrifices to Aesculapius the god of physic, to give him thanks: for I never took a medicine of such great force, nor which wrought better. It is a great shame that these Pagans in their ignorance and infidelity seem to be better instructed and more virtuous than we are▪ for we fear death and fly from it, as an evil thing, and they hold and esteem it as an incomparable good. Epaminondas at the hour of his death perceiving his friends about his bed weeping, comforted them, saying, Rejoice O my friends, for your friend Epaminondas is going to begin to live. Is death then an evil, which hath nothing else of that which we esteem death, but the name and reputation, for indeed it is a life? Also is this life a good, which hath but the name of it, for in effect it is a very death? both the one and the other, as saith Saint john chrysostom, is masked and have both false faces. Life which is so evil favoured hath the fair, which maketh it to be beloved; death which is so fair hath the ugly, which maketh it to be feared and hated. When it presents itself unto us so masked, at the first it seems fearful; but if we put up the mask we shall find it underneath so fair and beautiful, that presently we shall be inflamed with the love of it. Let us then take away this vain fear of death; let us believe that which is true, that it is the greatest good that can happen unto ut. That which anciently Apollo answered to Pindar, being questioned what thing he did esteem the most healthful & profitable to man, To die, answered he. It is said of Cleobis and Biton, that God would recompense them for their piety, and obedience, & respect which they had borne towards their mother. Now having given them leave to demand what they would, they referred themselves to his judgement, as knowing best what is most profitable and necessary for us then ourselves: What came of it? the same day they died. Whereby did appear that there is nothing more profitable unto man, than death, by the which we are led into a place of pleasure, where we begin to live. In the old time the Sepulchres were built in gardens, which was done not only for to bring into our minds our end, in taking of our pleasures and delights, and by that means to moderate them, but also for to instruct us, that death is a consecutive after pleasure and Paradise, and is as a passage for to enter into a pleasant Orchard: it is the reason for the which at Athens, when they buried the dead bodies, they turned their faces towards the East, and not towards the West, to show that in death our life and light gins: Why do we put our bodies in Sepulchres as in chests, if it be not to show that they are not lost, but laid up as precious vessels of the holy Ghost, & that in time they shall be taken forth, and shall be put into light, for the decoration of the house of their Lord. These things considered, let us take away all fear and apprehension of death, let us rejoice and sing as do the Swans when they are near their death: let us say with David, Lord I have been glad when it hath been said unto me, Go to, let us go into the house of our Lord.  
It remains now, before we end this present Treatise, to show how we should behave ourselves at the death of our friends, and how to mitigate the sorrows, which we conceive for them, which to do we must consider that which followeth.  
First, the unavoidable necessity of all men, the which cannot be remedied neither by counsel nor any other means. David having a regard thereunto, did comfort himself after the death of his little child, for whom he had wept and prayed so much during his sickness, when there was yet some hope to impetrate of God, by humble prayers, that he would restore him to health: but when he saw that it was too late, that all tears were now vain and unprofitable, he left his mourning and began to rejoice. jesus Christ saith, that every day hath afflictions enough of itself to trouble us, without that we should heap on those of others, or of those that are gone, renewing it by the remembrance of them; or of those which are to come, anticipating by fear and conjecture. It is an instruction most necessary, and which we ought all to take, for the rest and tranquillity of our minds. Secondly, we must consider when our friends die, that it is the will of God, which doth, nor ordaineth nothing but for the good of his children, as saith S. Paul, to those that are loved of God, all things succced & turn to their profit: if we do not believe that, we are unbelievers; if we believe it, we ought not to grieve for any thing that befalls us; for all is profitable to us. Now there is no great reason that we should hide us from our profit. The sovereign wisdom of God is cause that there is nothing better done then that which he doth; and his goodness that there is nothing better; if there be nothing better, nor better done then that which he ordaineth and disposeth; and he disposeth of us and of our affairs, and generally of all that which happeneth unto us, why do we 〈◊〉 row, why do we desire any thing else? For we cannot have any thing that is better why do we complain? For all is well and cannot be better done.  
We must thirdly think, that to die is a thing general and common to all: We pass and fly away as doth the water of a brook; and it is an act and statute of our God, that we must die all: if then that happen unto us which is common to all, is it not a great folly and pride in us, to desire to be exempt from the common condition, and to wish for a particular? What are we the worse that our friends are dead? so do those of our neighbours die. Menander writing to a friend of his to comfort him, alleged this reason unto him: Thou shouldest have, saith he, just occasion to grieve, if thy fortune and destiny were worse than other men's; but if it be alike, why dost thou complain? There are more that if we would diligently consider, and make an entire comparison between us and others, we should find there are an infinite many worse fortuned than we are. And that is true which Anaxagoras said, as reporteth Valerius the great, that if it were possible to assemble all the miseries of the world on a heap, for afterwards to part them by equal portions, there is not he but would rather choose his own then his part of the whole heap. Seeing that we are not alone losing our friends, and that if we will look into it, we shall find that there are enough, more ill at ease than we: let us content ourselves, that so it pleaseth God, and let us not desire immortal friends, where we see those of others to be but mortal.  
Again, let us think that it is a natural thing to die, as it is for winter to be cold, and summer hot. Our bodies (saith S. Paul) are mortal. Then let us not marvel if in winter there be rain, frost and snow, for the season brings it. Let us not marvel that the night follows the day, and that man at night after his labour goeth to sleep, for all that is natural. Also ought not we for the same reason to be astonished when a man dieth; no more, saith S. Basil, then when he is borne and cometh into the world, for the one and the other is ordinary: And want of considering it, is cause oftentimes, that at the death of our friend we are so amazed, as if it were a thing prodigious and not accustomed. When news was brought to Anaxagoras, that his son was dead, it moved him not at all, only he said that it was not a new and unusual thing that a mortal man should die, and that when he begot him, he did not beget him immortal. What made him so constant, but that before hand he had foreseen and often considered that it ought so to come to pass, being a natural thing?  
Moreover, we must consider, that death is a tribute which we own and are bound to pay unto nature. Thou art dust and earth, and to earth thou shalt return, saith God, speaking to man after he had sinned: Then, when one of our friends dieth, why are we discontented? Because he hath quitted himself and paid what he ought? If he had paid his King the tribute and ordinary tax, we would approve of that as most right, and an obedience and duty towards his Prince; and if he hath done as much to nature, what reason is there to grieve at it?  
Again, that in it God heareth us; for we ask of God that his Kingdom come, and that his will be done; what do we jest with God, ask him that which we would not have, and fear to obtain? and do vex ourselves, and murmur, in stead of giving him thanks when he hath granted our requests? We show well that we think little on the prayers which we make: for if we thought upon them, either we would not pray so, or else in praying so if God grant our request, we would not be sorry for it.  
Again, that when our friends die we lose them not; for our Lord whose they are both before and after death, is not the God of the dead but of the living. Cirus speaking to his friends before his death, for to comfort them, said; Do not think when I shall be dead that I am lost, or shall come to nothing. When we sow a land, the grains of corn are not lost, they rot therein, but it is the better to fructify; so are our bodies in the earth, for to revive one day, and to rise again in incorruption, immortality, glory and virtue. When also a man goeth a long & tedious journey, do we think him lost? when any one of our friends is at the Court with his Prince, who will not suffer him to departed out of his company, raised to honour, and provided of great offices, are we sorry for it? Why then are we sorry for a friend whom we know assuredly to be in the house of God, in honour and credit, and so well at ease, that he would not change for all the felicity of this world? Again, that it is a very unhonest and unseemly thing in a faithful man to grieve so immoderately and as if he were desperate. A Christian ought to have a strength and courage, which should be invincible against all adversities, and even against the gates of hell: he should be like a building grounded upon a firm rock, that may hold firm against all the storms, waves and winds, and all the inconveniences wherewith he may be assailed; he must not be soft, and yield presently to adversity, melting in tears, and therein drowning (as David said) his bed. The Liciens in time past had a law, by the which it was ordained that whosoever would weep for the death of his friend, should put on women's clothes, to show that that it is more answering to a cowardly and effeminate heat, then to a manly courage. And as it happens in men's bodies, that when they are tender and delicate, they cannot endure the cold in winter, nor yet the heat in summer; so may we judge of such courages, that if they cannot bear adversity without impatience, no more can they prosperity without insolency.  
We must finally consider, that by the tears and complaints which we use at the death of our friends, we do not remedy ourselves, no more than doth the sick man his disease by his sighs, but rather doth increase his misery. And we may say that even as by common experience, and the reports of Physicians, we see in choleric folks, that the more they anger themselves the more their rage and choler doth augment: also in the mournful and heavy people, that continuing in their tears and lamentations, their sorrow doth grow and strengthen. So said an ancient Philosopher to Arcinoe, to comfort her; If, said he, thou lovest tears they will love thee reciprocally, and as friends will always frequent and accompany thee: What then doth this great mourning profit us, if not to make us more miserable? I, but will some say, in excusing themselves, it is a natural thing to weep at such an accident: I agree to it, neither will I condemn a moderate sorrow. As a certain man saw an ancient Philosopher weeping for the death of his son, and did reprove his inconstancy: he answered him very well, saying, Good friend, suffer me to be a man. We must not be like Barbarians or savage beasts without humanity, without affection, without pity nor feeling. I wish, saith Pindar, not to be sick, but if I am, I would not be without feeling; for it is an evil sign, when in our sickness we are dull and feel nothing. Then when in our mourning we shall keep the mean, and shall avoid the two extremes, which S. Basil doth condemn as vicious, to wit, Philotrijnon & thiriodian, which is, that we be not stoics, that is to say, without affection, nor soft on the other side, to suffer ourselves to be won and overcome with sorrow; I do approve, that if we show ourselves men in weeping, let us also show that we are Christians furnished with hope in correcting and moderating our sorrows. Others say, I loved them so dearly. If thou lovedst him so dearly as thou sayest, show it and rejoice at his happiness and rest: I rather believe that that which causeth in us this great mourning, is the love which we have of ourselves, which is the cause that we grieve at the loss of our friends, not for the respect which we have to them, but to ourselves, being discontent to be deprived of the pleasure and consolations which they gave us. Which jesus Christ said unto his Disciples, seeing that they grieved that he had told them, that in short time he should be put to death: It is not for love of me that you are so heavy; for if you loved me you would be glad, for as much as it is my good or happiness to die. Others say, he was so honest a man, therefore is it that God took him, as he did Enocke, for fear lest by the malice and corruption of this age, he should change. When the fruit is ripe must it not be gathered, for fear lest it should rot on the tree?  
Others say he died in the prime of his age; by so much the happier is he: for, as said Anacharsis, that ship is happiest which arriveth first at the port. Moreover, there is no certain time determined for all men to die: but as we see in fruit time, some are gathered sooner than the others; so is it amongst men. There are some also that say we must honour the dead, by mourning for them, falling into the superstition of the jews, who holding this opinion, did hire certain singers & musicans, to sing pitiful & funeral songs for the death of their friends; which jesus Christ did reprove in the house of the Prince of the Synagogue: & not without cause, for it is not good in praise of a body to mourn for it: complaints & tears are rather signs of misery than any thing else. We do not now weep for the holy Martyrs, which yet we should do, if in tears there did consist any honour; but we honour them by a remembrance of them, with blessing & thanksgiving, and by pain and study we endeavour to follow them. If likewise we have a friend whom we will honour after his death, it must not be with tears and lamentations, but rather by an honourable mention which we are to make of him and of his virtues, and by a desire which we have to imitate and follow his good and laudable fashion.  
It is time to conclude this present Treatise, and to resolve the precedent reasons; that we must neither fear nor fly from death, but rather love and desire it more than life, and prefer the day of our death before the day of our birth: for by our birth we come to pain and affliction, and dying we go to God, and to a perpetual rest. Which the Greeks have very fitly showed us; for in their language the day of our nativity is called Genethlia, that is to say in the same language, Genesis ton athlon, and in our French tongue, beginning of troubles: and death is called Thanatos, which is as much as to say, according to the interpretation of Themiste, Now up to God. Let us then strictly examine them, & judge of them, that we may take away the fear of the one, & the excessive love of the other. God through his holy spirit give us the grace to do it. So be it.   

Prayers and Meditations touching Life and Death.  
THE life of Christians ought to be occupied in considering the things that follow, and to put them in practice; to wit, to have always in remembrance the benefits which they have received at the hands of God; to give him thanks for them without ceasing, both with heart and mouth; to love him, who is the goodness itself, to fear and worship him, seeing he is the Almighty, and only wise; to be stirred up by the love which they bear to God, also to love their neighbours. The love of God draws us from the love of corruptible things, lifts us up to heaven, and inflames our hearts to a holiness of life. The love of our neighbour turns us from all troublesomeness, in will or in deed, & doth stir us up to integrity, and well doing.  

An other.  
LET us often think what we are: The principal part of us is the Soul, the which is endued with understanding, with reason, and with judgement, to know the sovereign good, which is God, to love him, to adhere and unite ourselves unto him, that we may have part of his immortality and happiness. Now we forsake and contemn this great good, for to grovel upon the earth, and to go down into the pit of carnal desires, applying the vigour of our understanding and judgement, to things that are not worth the pains that we employ in them. We bury ourselves quick, by manner of speaking; of heavenly we become earthly, and of men created for eternal life, we endeavour as much as in us lieth, to set ourselves in the rank of brute beasts. God doth not forsake us nevertheless, although that our ingratitude hath well deserved it, but calls us unto him by his word, presents unto us infinite testimonies of his grace, continueth it daily, he supports, exhorts, counsels, chides and fatherly chastiseth us; Nevertheless we continue blind, deaf, and negligent, despising his goodness, or use it not as we should, or indeed abusing it: which is worse, we love vain and transitory things better, and have our minds too much fixed and settled upon them. God stretcheth forth his hand to conduct us, we draw back ours, and fly when he calleth us. If he put us into the way of salvation, we grudge and repine for the world, we look behind us, deferring and remitting our desire to dwell till to morrow. Let us awake then, let us not always stick in the mire, let us strengthen ourselves in the virtue of him that supports & succours us, let us a little undertake to despise corruptible things, and to desire those that are truly good and everlasting. When God calleth us, let us hearken, if he guides us let us follow him, that we may come to his house: let us receive his good things, and himself too; for he gives himself unto us in the person of his Son. He shows us the means to get to heaven, let us then desire of him to give us the will and the courage by faith, repentance, charity and hope to aim thither, and that he would maintain his grace in us until the end, to sigh in this mortal life, and to wait (through the assurance of his mercy) for our departure out of this world, and our last day, which shall be the beginning of our true life.   

Prayers and Meditations.  
HOW great are the illusions and impostures of the enemy of our salvation? He showeth us a far off things that are ridiculous and vain, and persuades us that it is all good and happiness; he scares us with things that we ought not to fear; makes us to fly from those things which we ought to embrace; He calleth, enticeth and flattereth us, by the intermission of our desires; if that will not serve, he roars and storms, and endeavours to astonish us within and without. O eternal light and verity, O Lord and merciful Father, disperse those clouds of ignorance and error, illuminate our understandings, and do not suffer us to come near to that, which thou hast commanded us to fly from, and which is hurtful and pernicious unto us; let us not desire, but what is truly to be desired, to wit, thyself, who art the springhead of all goodness, of our life, and of eternal happiness. All flesh is grass, and the glory of man is like the flower of the field; cause then that we may seek for our firmness and contentment in the grace which thy Son hath brought us: let our life lie hid in him, so that at the day of the separation of our souls from our bodies, we may find it wholly in heaven, waiting with assured rest and joy, the happy resurrection, of this flesh; in the which all corruption, infirmity and ignominy being abolished, and death being swallowed up of victory, we shall live eternally with thee, in an incomprehensible happiness in thee, by the which thou shall be glorified. Maintain then thy children, O Lord, in this faith and hope, finishing thy work in us, until they be altogether with thee, for to enjoy the inheritance, and the glory which thine only Son hath by his merit purchased for them. Amen.   

Prayer.  
LOrd jesus Christ, Creator and Redeemer of mankind, who hast said, I am the way, the truth, and the life, I do beseech thee by this unspeakable charity which thou hast showed, in yielding thyself to death for us, that I may never stray any jot from thee, who art the way, nor that I doubt of thy promises, seeing thou art the truth, and dost accomplish that which thou promisest. 'Cause that I may only take pleasure in thee who art the eternal life, beyond the which there is nothing to be desired, neither in heaven nor earth. Thou hast taught us the true & only way to salvation, because we should not abide erring like strayed sheep, in the lost ways of this world; showing us so clearly that nothing can be more, that which we ought to believe, to do, to hope, and wherein we ought to yield & settle ourselves; It is thou that hast given us to understand, how cursed we are in Adam; and that there is no way to escape from this perdition in the which we are all plunged, but by faith in thee. Thou art that fair light which dost appear to those that walk in the desert of this life, & who having drawn us out of the darkness of the spiritual Egypt, hast driven away the darkness of our understandings, and dost enlighten us, to the end we may tend towards the promised inheritance, which is the life everlasting; into the which the mistrustful do not enter, but those that have assuredly relied upon thy holy promises. O what a goodness, that thou hast vouchsafed to descend from thy Father's bosom, and from the everlasting throne to the earth, to put on our poor nature, of master to become servant, to the end that by thy doctrine thou mightest do away the darkness of our ignorance, to guide our feet into the way of peace, & to make plain the way of salvation unto us? a way made unto us, the which if we follow, we cannot stray nor wax weary, seeing that thy grace & power do accompany us therein all the days of our life.  
Moreover by thy spirit thou dost strengthen us in it, and double our courage. Thy word is bread which nourisheth us therein, thy promise is the staff which upholds us. Thou thyself by thy secret and incomprehensible virtue dost bear and maintain us in it, in an admirable manner; to the end that both in fair and foul weather we may walk with all alacrity unto thee. And as in preserving us thou hinderest that we do not fall into the snares of Satan & the world, also seeing thou art the truth, thou takest away all doubts, scruples, & mistrusts, which may trouble & let us, or turn us during our course; thou causest us to behold the supernal vocation, the misery and vanity of the world, the frailty of this present life, the gate of death, & the most happy life which is beyond that. And as thou art this true life, even in this world thou dost quicken by thy truth, us that are poor, wretched, and dead in sin; thou dost augment that life by the ministry and efficacy of thy holy Gospel, and dost confirm it by the use of the Sacraments which thou hast established to confirm the faith of those that are thine, until that our corruption & what we have of mortality in us, being abolished by the resurrection, we shall be, and live everlastingly with thee, both in body and soul, when thou shalt be all in all. Life everlasting is to know the true God, and thee his Son, which wert sent unto us. Now we see thee by faith in a glass, and in obscurity; but one day we shall behold thee face to face, and shall be transformed into thy glory, and wholly reform unto thy image. I do beseech thee, merciful Saviour, to increase my faith, that I may be so well grounded in the doctrine of my salvation, that nothing may turn me from it: increase in my heart the reverence which I own thee, that I may never turn from thy obedience; strengthen me in such sort that the allurements nor threatenings do neither entrap nor astonish me, but that constantly I may cleave unto thee (who art my life) till death. 'Cause that in virtue of thy holy promises, and of thy Spirit, I may heat myself more and more in thy love, and leaving behind me the things of this world. I may tend to that which is firm and perfect; Increase thy grace in me, that every day I may die in myself, for to be quickened and guided by thy favour, fearing no other but thou God Almighty, loving nothing but thee, as there is nothing but thee to be loved; boasting myself in nothing but in thy only grace and mercy, which is the glory of all thy servants; seeking no other good but thee, nor desiring any thing but thee, who art the full and entire felicity of all the faithful. Amen.   

An other.  
LOrd jesus, who art always merciful, who dost not stick to be my Saviour, as well in adversity as in prosperity, give me the grace in all humble obedience to yield unto thy will, when it shall please thee to mingle bitterness amongst so many sweet things which thou causest me to taste in living under thy protection. Thou art admirable and most good in the time of afflictions: In that by such means thou dost heal spiritual diseases, and in visiting of us in this world, thou disposest us to meditate of a better life, having thyself showed us the example thereof. True it is that I find it very hard to digest, but thou hast been brought to a more strange condition, when for to draw me out of hell, thou goest down into it thyself, and for to reconcile me to thy heavenly Father thou hast undergone his curse, by reason of my sins. I have so often deserved hell and the fiery torment, and thou deliveredst me, assuring me that I have part in the merits of thy death, and thy obedience, and that I am one of thy coheirs, for to reign one day with thee in thy kingdom; and at this present in the midst of so many afflictions, to be nevertheless set in the heavenly places. Having part in so many good things, why shall I vex myself for a little endurance, by the means whereof thou wilt awake me, and make me better, and draw me so much the more to thee? But seeing thou knowest me better than I know myself, if it be thy pleasure to put me to any trial, give me necessary force & patience to glorify thee, converting all the evil that may happen unto me, to good and salvation. And if in supporting my weakness, thy goodness is pleased to advertise me by some light affliction, cause that this thy well willing may draw me more and more to love and honour thee, to give thee thanks for the care which thou hast of thy poor little servant, and by that means to dispose me to weight for thee at my death, that after it I may find the life which thou hast purchased for me by thy death, and therein with thee to have part in joy and rest for ever. Amen.   

An other.  
LOrd God heavenly Father, when, I consider in how many sorts I have sinned before thy face, and against thy high majesty, I have horror in myself, in thinking that I have so often turned from thee. Propitious and favourable Father; I detest my ingratitude; seeing in what servitude of sin, I have been too often precipitate, selling as much as in me lay the precious liberty which thy Son had purchased for me. I condemn my folly, I altogether dislike of myself, I see nothing but death and mishap hanging over my head, and my conscience rising for a judge & witness of my iniquities. But when on the other side I enter into a contemplation of thy infinite mercy the which surmounteth all thy works, and in the which if so I dare to speak, thou surmountest thyself, my soul is comforted. And indeed, why should I make myself believe that I cannot find grace before him that summons and so often and gently calls the sinners to repentance, protesting expressly that he desires not the death of a sinner, but rather that he turn from his wickedness and live.  
Moreover thy only Son hath so well assured us, that we shall find favour in thy sight, by the sweet words which he himself hath uttered, as that of the lost sheep, and of the prodigal son, the image of whom I acknowledge myself to be; that I should be most unthankful, incredulous and wicked, to go back & to be ashamed of thy presence, although I am wretched; & seeing thou dost so stretch forth thy hand unto me, and draw me to thee with such a pitiful affection. I have very vildly forsaken thee, O benign Father, I have unhappily let slip thy graces; and adhering to the desires of my flesh, and straying from thy obedience, I have wrapped myself in the base servitude of sin; I am fallen into extreme misery, I know not whither to retire, unless it be towards thee whom I have abandoned. Let thy mercy receive this poor supplication whom thou hast supported during his errors. I am unworthy to lift up mine eyes unto thee, or to call thee Father; But I pray thee bow down thine eyes to me, seeing thou wilt have it so, and that without that, I am in the power of thine enemies. The sight of thy face will revive me, and bring me again to thee. Seeing I have some displeasure in myself, I know thou lookest upon me, that thou hast given me eyes to see the danger wherein I was: thou hast sought & found me in death, and in the world, & hast through thy mercy given me a desire to enter into thy house. I dare not desire that thou shoudest kiss and embrace me, nor that thou shouldst weep for joy that thou hast found thy poor servant and slave; I do not demand the precious ornaments wherewith thou dost honour thy great servants, and most affectionate children. It is enough for me to be in the troup of the least of thy house, amidst the greatest sinners, that have obtained pardon of thee, and that have some shelter in thy Palace, where there are so many dwellings: That even in thy house I may be as little as thou shalt please, provided that thou wilt avouch me thine for ever.  
O merciful Father, I beseech thee that for the love of thy well-beloved Son my only Saviour, thou wouldst give me thy holy Spirit, which may I purify my heart, and strengthen me in such sort, that I may always dwell in thy house, there to serve thee in holiness and justice all the days of my life. Amen.   

Prayers.  
WHat do we in this world but heap sins upon sins? so that the morrow is always worse than the day before, and we do not cease, drawing thy indignation upon us; But being out of this world in thy heritage, we shall be altogether assured of our perfect & eternal felicity, the miseries of the bodies shall be abolished, the vices & filthiness of the soul shall he done to nothing. O heavenly Father, increase our faith in us, for fear lest we should doubt of things so certain; imprint thy grace and thy love in our hearts, which may lift us up to thee, and strengthen us in thy fear. And because thou hast lodged us in this world, there for to remain as long as it shall please thee, without declaring unto us the day of our departure, the which thou alone knowest, I do beseech thee to take me out of it when thou shalt know the time to he come, and then to do me that good that I may acknowledge the same, that in the mean while I may fit myself thereunto as thou hast appointed by thy holy name. Amen.   

An other.  
THis body is the prison of the Soul, yea a dark prison, narrow and fearful, we are as it were banished men in this world, our life is but woe and misery: to the contrary, Lord, it is in thy heavenly kingdom, that we find our liberty, our country, and our perfect contentment. Awake our souls by thy word, to the remembrance and apprehension of such a good, imprint in our hearts the love and the desire of the everlasting good things, and only to be wished for; give unto our consciences some taste of that joy wherewith the happy souls which are in heaven are filled, that I may hold as dung and filth all that which the worldlings find so fair, and covet so much, which so obstinately they retain, and do adore with such fervency. 'Cause that finding taste but in thy verity and grace, I may wait for (calling upon thee) the day of my perfect deliverance, through JESUS CHRIST thy Son, to whom with thee and the holy Spirit be glory everlasting. Amen.   

Another.  
LOrd jesus, the only salvation of the living, life everlasting of the dead, I submit myself to thy holy will, whether it be thy pleasure yet to suffer my soul to be some space within this body, for to serve thee, or that it please thee to take it out of prison, being assured that what thou keepest cannot perish. I am content with all my heart that my body return into the earth from whence it was taken, believing the last resurrection, which shall make it immortal, incorruptible and full of glory▪ I do beseech thee to fortify my soul against all temptation, environ me with the buckler of thy mercy, to beat back the darts of Satan: as for me, I am weakness itself, but I rely upon thy strength and goodness. I cannot allege any good thing before thee whereof to boast, to the contrary, alas, my sins infinite in number accuse and torment me, but thy merit assures me that I shall be saved: for I hold for certain, that thou wert borne for me, that thou wert tempted, that thou hast obeyed to God thy father, that thou hast taught and bought life everlasting for me; seeing thou hast given thyself to me with all these good things, let not such a gift be unprofitable; let thy blood wipe out the filth of my faults, thy justice cover my iniquities, thy merits make me to find grace before the heavenly Throne. If my evils do increase, augment thy grace in me; so that faith, hope, and charity may not die, but rather wax strong in me: that the apprehension of death do not daunt me, but that even after this body shall be as it were dead, cause that the eyes of my soul may lift themselves up to heaven, that the heart may then cry fervently unto thee, Lord I commend my soul into thy hands, fulfil thy work, for thou hast bought me, I am thine by the gift of thy Father: to whom with thee and the holy Ghost, be everlasting glory.   
AMEN.   

TO THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS AND PVISSANT PRINCESS, THE Lady jagueline of Rohan, Marquiso of Rothelin, Princess of Castelaillon, etc.  
THat which hath given me occasion, Madam, to write this Treatise of the Resurrection, in the which consisteth all the hope of our salvation, is to warrant the faithful against the impiety of those, who desiring never to give accounts of their works, ordinarily scoffing at this doctrine, and say with those that were in the time of the Prophets: 
Isa. 21. & 16.  Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we shall die. 
Wisd. 2.  Which is cause that they not only abandon themselves to all impiety, persuading themselves, that after this life there is neither pleasure nor sorrow, but also do stir up others to do the like, persuading them that the Lord doth so abide in heaven, enjoying of his happiness, that he cares not for the government of men, of whom there shall be no more mention after death then of other creatures. Which heresy taking away all hope of everlasting happiness, doth also take away from those that follow it the courage to live well & holily for in all actions (as saith chrysostom) whether corporal or spiritual, 
Mat. 22. Hom. 41.  that which causeth to do, is the hope of the prize to come; for he that tilleth, tilleth to reap, he that fighteth fighteth for victory. Seeing then that it is so difficult in this life, to keep holiness and justice, who is he that would take it in good part to fight daily against himself, if he had not some regard to the hope of the resurrection? wherefore who so taketh away this hope, taketh with it all the reverence due to piety and justice.  
Now so it is Madam, that having seen the book, which is dedicated unto you, of the preparation of death, and having known the pleasure that you take in the reading thereof, for the singular devotion which you have to the heavenly country, where through jesus Christ our common hope, you look for your perfect and sovereign beatitude: I have persuaded myself, that for to increase in you this holy desire, it would not be to ill purpose that I did offer unto you this my little Treatise, yet the better to mitigate the horror that we have all naturally of the separation of the soul from the body, knowing that there is no doctrine that can cause us to seek for heaven with a better heart, and to despise the world than this, and that all the reasons that may be alleged for to prepare us to go willingly out of this miserable age, are of very little power if they be not grounded upon this Article of faith: as also he that is well persuaded cannot but must desire, with the Apostle, to be out of this world, 
Phil. 2.  for to be with jesus Christ his Saviour.  
Wherefore, knowing the singular graces which God bestows upon you, in ratifying his dilection unto you, and giving unto you a full resolution of your salvation in his Son, by a lively faith, shining in you by the most ardent desire that you have to persevere in his service in the midst of his Church: I present unto you this my little labour, in the which you shall find a lively Image, and true and certain description of that everlasting happiness, unto the which God calleth you, & for the which you have learned to despise the vanity of the world, and to settle your heart altogether upon the inestimable treasures of the kingdom of heaven. It is true that in describing the felicity to come of the just, and the everlasting condemnation of the unjust, I have taken the similitudes and comparisons which the scripture useth, not only when it speaketh of the future felicity and beatitude of the elect, and condemnation of the reprobate; but even those which it useth to specify the prosperity which God giveth his in this world, and the punishment wherewith he threateneth and punisheth the wicked even in this life. But I have done that, because that according to my opinion, the felicity of the one, and the ill hap of the others, which are incomprehensible unto us in this life, are more lively represented unto us, by such holy circumlocutions or examples.  
Now Madam, I humbly beseech your excellency, to receive this little present, with as good will as it is presented unto you, by him who all his life, shall be your obliged servant. And so Madam, after I have commended myself very humbly unto your excellencies good graces: I will beseech our eternal God, Madam, that in giving you and all yours, health, long and happy life, he will augment unto you from day to day, the gifts and graces of his spirit, that you may better and better serve to the advancement of his glory, and to the edification of his people. So be it.   

A BRIEF AND CLEAR DECLARATION OF the Resurrection of the DEAD.  
FOr as much as in all times there have been some, who have mocked at the Resurrection, and have utterly denied it: 
Mat. 12. Act. 17. 1. Cor. 15.  it is not without good cause that the Apostle S. Paul doth so carefully teach us, that the dead shall rise again: for even as this knowledge doth bring unto us a sovereign joy and consolation, and doth give us a will and affection to follow unto the end JESUS CHRIST our head and Spouse, 
Eph. 5.  to be crowned with him, with that eternal beatitude, which God hath prepared for his children. Also likewise those that are not assured of the resurrection, 
Mat. 25.  which is the foundation of our Religion, are less affectionate to follow the Lord, and to give themselves to piety and justice. And we must not doubt but the wicked, who abandon themselves to all impiety against God, & who without remorse of conscience, do exercise all sorts of wickedness against their neighbours, they do it by so much the more freely, as they persuade themselves, that so they escape the judgement and punishment of men, they shall hear nothing of it after this life. For seeing that to avoid only the vengeance of the Magistrate in this world, they hide as much as they can their iniquities, and give such good colours to their misdeeds as possible they can, to the end not to be convicted wicked; how much more do you think they would be bridled from doing evil, if they were persuaded that although their bodies die, yet their souls shall remain immortal, and shall endure the judgement of God which it hath deserved; and that one day their bodies shall rise again, 
Heb. 10.  that both body and soul may be eternally tormented in hell, by the judgement of God so horrible and fearful; 
Heb. 10.  whereupon we may see how necessary it is to know that the dead shall rise again, being this doctrine the principal upholder of Christian Religion; of the which if a man be not altogether persuaded all the rest is nothing. And it is impossible to persevere amongst so many difficulties and afflictions which are daily present at the serving of the Lord: for if the hope of the resurrection were not, we should be the most miserable of the earth, seeing that in this world the faithful are ordinarily more afflicted, than the infidels; 
1. Cor. 15.  but our consolation is the promise of jesus Christ, that although the world shall rejoice for a time, and that we shall weep, 
joh. 16. Rom. 8. Psal. 37. & 73.  the time will come that our Head will visit us, and rejoice our hearts with a joy that shall never be taken from us.  
Now for to understand this Article of faith, we must well understand these three points.  
First, we must now know whether the soul dieth with the body or no.  
Secondly, whether the body returns so into the earth, that it cannot rise again.  
Thirdly, if it doth rise, who it is that doth raise it, and in what estate it shall be being risen.  

THE FIRST POINT.  
AS for the first part, The Lord for to declare unto us the immortality of souls, compares death to the sleep, of man, and sayeth that those that are dead sleep: assuring us, that even so as when the body doth sleep, the soul doth not sleep, as appears by so many dreams which men have, that also although the body shall be put into the Sepulchre, as in a place of sleep: nevertheless the immortal soul shall be gathered and assembled in its place; from the which it shall come again at the day of judgement, to put on her body; that therein she may enjoy the happy life, or suffer eternal punishment. The Apostle speaking of the daughter of jairus, 
Rom. 2. Mat. 25. Luc. 8.  whom the Lord did raise again, saith, That the spirit did return into her; showing that it was not dead like the body, but only that she was gone to the place, from the which by the commandment of jesus Christ she came again to re-enter into her body: as also that of Lazarus of Bethleem. 
joh. 11.  For even so as the body doth return to the earth, from whence it was taken; so the spirit doth return to God, who gave it. The same Evangelist declares, that the soul of dead Lazarus lives in heaven, 
Luc. 16.  and that of the evil rich man in hell. The Lord dying, to show that the soul was not subject to death as the body, 
Luc. 22. Act. 7.  did recommend his soul to his Father. Saint Steven that first Martyr, recommended his to Christ. Saint Paul desired to be dissolved, and to be with jesus; 
Phil. 1.  knowing that after his soul should be delivered out of the prison of his body, it should go to the joy of the children of God. Unto the thief it was said, This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise; 
Luc. 23.  which cannot be understood of the body, but shows that the faithful dying, 
joh. 5.6.  make the passage from death to life.  
The which ought only to be understood of the soul, seeing that the body must first be brought to earth, and that it must put off all corruption, for to rise at the last day incorruptible and in glory. jesus Christ against the Saducees, who denied the immortality of souls, shows, 
Mat. 22.  that for as much as GOD calls himself the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of jacob, 
Exod. 3.  infallibly the souls departed do live; for he is not the God of those that are dead in such sort, that they are no more, but he is the God of those that are, and that live; and doth good to the posterity of those that are, and not of those that are not; which cannot be understood but of their souls, seeing their bodies were returned to the earth. Whereby we see that they deceive themselves greatly, that say that their souls die and vanish with the body where they sleep; also those likewise who think that they enter into other bodies. 
Mar. 6. Luc. 9  Even the Pagans by natural apprehensions, have believed that the souls were immortal; as we see that Euripides in the Tragedy which he entitled Hecuba, doth declare it, when he brings in Polixena speaking to Hecuba, and dying, saying to her, What shall I say to Hector thy husband, who was dead, she answered her, tell him that I am the most wretched in the world: And in that which he entitled, The supplicants, he says, The spirit shall return to heaven. Likewise Pholicides says, That the soul is immortal, and living always, waxeth not old: Pythagoras in his golden verses said, If when thou hast left the body thou comest into heaven, thou shalt be as God, living always, and being no more mortal: Cicero likewise writes of it in his book of friendship, and in that which he writ of age, in some sort comforting himself in the hope which he had of the immortality of his soul. We see then that it is a thing most assured, that the soul is immortal, as the Lord by his word, which is the infallible truth of heaven, doth show it us: and likewise the Pagans, how ignorant soever they were of the true religion, have well understood it. Wherefore those that deny the immortality of souls, accuse God of lying, & make themselves in worse estate than the Pagans.  
This knowledge is a great consolation to the faithful in all their afflictions, and doth take from them the fears of death, knowing that their souls being separated from their bodies live in heaven: 
1. joh. 2.  in which they are admonished, not to settle themselves upon the transitory things of this life; and not to load their souls with the burden of sin, to the end that dying they may be raised up towards God our Father, and JESUS CHRIST our Saviour, unto whom we ought with a steadfast faith recommend them. Now even as the faithful do rejoice at it, the unfaithful on the other side, knowing the souls to be immortal, 
Jam. 1. 1. Pet. 1.4.  are so much the more fearful of death; seeing the eternal pains and torments to be prepared for them at their going forth of this world. So that which serveth to the elect for joy and instruction, is unto the wicked nothing but sorrow, and occasion of despair.   

THE SECOND POINT.  
TOuching the body, it is all apparent that it is subject to die, as well because that we know that those that were in times past are dead, and that we see that those of our time die one after another; as principally because that the Lord declares to Adam, that by reason of his sin, 
Gen. 3.  he with his posterity shall be subject to return into the earth, from whence he was taken. The Apostle says, that by a man sin came into the world, 
Rom. 5.8.6.  and by sin death, and so death came unto all men, by reason that all have sinned, and the reward of sin is death, whereof the hour is uncertain unto us. 
Luc. 12.  Although we are certain that it is the journey that every man must go, 
Jos. 12. 1. King. 2.  by reason that unto them all it is ordained to die once, and that the Lord hath set bounds for man's life, the which he will neither advance nor put back. 
Heb. 9 job 14.  The Scripture is full of testimonies upon this matter, although it be well enough known of all by every days experience. The Pagan's themselves without instruction of the word of God, have well understood that unto man it is a thing that cannot be avoided; as Euripides shows it in the Tragedy of the Supplicants, saying, that every part of man must return from whence it came; the spirit into heaven, the body into the earth, which is the mother nurse thereof. Wherefore it is a noted thing to all, that we must die; and all the faithful aught to be persuaded that the Angels wait for the departure of men, for to carry their souls into their place. The holy Angels carry away those of the faithful, according to the charge which they have for their salvation, into Abraham's bosom, and into the place of the happy; and the evil Angels those of the wicked into hell. That is the reason wherefore men often hear and see many things when a man is to die, the Angels giving to understand thereby of their presence, and the near departure of men. But there is this difference, that that which is seen before the departure of the just, is less fearful, coming from soft and peaceable spirits, and seems to serve but for an admonition to those that are near to the sick, for to stir them up to pray unto God, and to comfort their brother, and to exhort and encourage him to prepare himself for the will of God, to go cheerfully out of this world, that he may be with JESUS CHRIST his Saviour. Then the faithful being departed, all such things cease; although it may happen that the faithful shall be in all extremity assaulted by Satan, to make him fall from faith, if it were possible for him: but those are extraordinary things, and in the mean time the Lord giveth victory to his, 
1. joh. 5. Mar. 16. 1. Thes. 1. Gen. 24. & 31.  and makes them the better to know the power of their faith, and the assistance of the holy Angels. But ordinarily that which is seen and heard at the departure of the wicked, is fearful, coming from the destroying Angels and enemies of men, & Authors of troubles; the which do all they can to bring the unfaithful to desperation, and to keep them in it, & endeavour as much as in them lieth, to hinder and trouble the prayers of the assistants: for the fear that they have lest their damnation should be prolonged; knowing well that the prayers of the just, made for the sick, are of great power and efficacy towards God, for the faith which they have in jesus Christ. Then after the departure of the wicked, Satan returns, 
james. 5. john. 11.  appears, and makes a noise, in the place which he did enjoy, before him that was his, 
Mat. 12.  willing as it were to keep the place of his child deceased, and take possession and enjoy of that which he had gathered him together. And we see that the Scripture declares that the habitations of the wicked, after they shall be hunted out of it, shall be the habitations of devils, 
Apo. 18. jer. 51. Isa. 13. jer. 50.  and a resort for all evil spirits, and of all filthy and execrable fowl; wherefore it is a great folly and abuse to think that the souls of the children of men appear in this world after their death; for those of the faithful do enjoy such and so great felicity, 
Mat. 17.  and find that it is so good remaining where they are, 
Marc. 9  that although they could, they would not nor desire not to return hither, 
Luc. 9  but rather forgetting that which is of this life, are continually ravished in the praise and service of the holiness of the Eternal, 
Apo. 4. & 7.  and in the contemplation of his glory, 
Mat. 17. Psal. 16.  which is their sovereign good. Those of the wicked would feign come again, and have so much respite, but they cannot, otherwise the evil rich man would very willingly have done his message to his brothers himself, 
Luc. 16.  which he did request to be done by the Lazar. For the Scripture doth not know this third place, which Antichrist hath forged, contrary to the declaration of jesus Christ, 
Mat. 7.  for to enrich himself, & purge the substance of the world for the entertainment of her creatures; Satan being very glad thereby to suggest unto him some matter and colour after the decease of the Infidels and Idolaters. Now by how much it is easy to believe, that necessity to die is imposed upon us, by so much is it more difficult to believe that our bodies being returned to dust, shall rise again: and indeed the sensual man cannot comprehend any thing therein, neither hath any thought of it; as we see that the Pagans never thought of it, although that they have disputed of the immortality of souls. But the man that is regenerate by the Spirit of God, doubts not but that the Lord can raise the dead, seeing he will have it, and that nothing can hinder his will. For as, sayeth the Prophet, 
Psal. 115. Apoc. 4.  he doth what he will. We must then see how the Scripture doth assure us, that the bodies as well of the good as of the wicked, shall rise again, the first to be crowned with glory, the other with perpetual infamy. For to teach us the Resurrection, it compares death to a sleep, 
Dan. 12.  as hath been already said, to the end we may be certain that as the bodies, after they have laboured shall rest by sleep, that they being awaked may with so much more alacrity return to work; so when we shall have made an end of this present life, our bodies shall be brought to the tomb, as in a bed of rest, for to rise again from thence at the latter day, and be put into their place. job prophesying of the resurrection, the which he did firmly believe, says, 
job. 14. & 19  I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he will stand up at the latter day upon the earth, & although after my skin, this body shall be devoured by worms, yet with my flesh shall I see God, I shall behold him, & my eyes shall look upon him, and none other for me, although my reins are consumed within me. David foretells the resurrection of Christ, 
Psal. 16.  by whom we shall rise again; 
jon. 2. Mat. 12.  the which was figured by this, that jonas was three days and three nights in the whales belly, as jesus Christ himself declares it. The Prophet Esay in the 26. chap. speaking of the elect, 
Isa. 16.  saith unto the Lord with faith, Thy dead shall live & rise again with my body. Awake & rejoice ye habitants of the dust, for thy dew is as the dew of the fields, & the earth shall cast forth the dead. The Lord willing to assure his people Israel, that delivering them from the captivity of Babylon, he would bring them back into the land which he had given them, he said unto them in a vision, by the Prophet, that as certain as the dead shall rise, so certainly will he deliver them from the captivity of the Babylonians, 
Eze. 37.  for to set them in peace in their own land. Daniel saith, that those that sleep in the dust shall wake, some to eternal life, and others unto perpetual shame and infamy, and those which have been wise, 
Dan. 12.  shall shine as the brightness, of the firmament, and those which do persuade many to righteousness, shall be as stars for ever and ever. jesus Christ shows the Saducees, that the dead shall rise again, 
Mat. 22.  because that God is their God; 
john 6.  In St. john he saith, that the will of his father who sent him, is, that he shall lose nothing of all that he hath given him; but that he shall raise it up at the latter day. The Apostle declares that Christ is risen again for our justification. Then he saith that even as we die in Adam, so we shall rise again, and shall be quickened in Christ. 
Rom. 4.5.6. 1. Cor. 15.  For seeing that he who is the life, when he was put into the Tomb, thereby made many to rise again, 
john. 19 Psal. 36. Matth. 27. Thess. 4.  by much more reason now, being risen again and glorified, will he raise us again. In like manner he declares, that he that raised up the Lord jesus, will raise us again by jesus, and will cause us to come into his presence. And even so as God is eternal, so he will cause that the bodies of his children, which are his temples, 
1. Cor. 3.6. & 14. 2. Cor. 6. john. 5.  shall be eternal. Brief, the Scripture is full of testimonies of the resurrection; wherefore to end, I will bring in one, which ought to serve in steed of all; St. john saith, that the hour shall come, wherein all those that are in the graves, shall hear the voice of the Son of man, and those that have done well come forth in resurrection of life, but those which shall have done evil, shall come forth in resurrection of condemnation.  
All human wisdom which is folly before God, cannot persuade themselves, 
Mat. 24. & 25. 1. Cor. 15. Phil. 7. 2. Cor. 5. Act. 2. & 4. 1. Thess. 1.4.8. 1. Pet. 1. 1. Cor. 1.  that the bodies which are returned into dust, can rise again, nor those which have been burned, whereof the ashes have been dispersed by the winds, nor those which have been devoured by birds, and by beasts, and digested, and reduced to dung, nor those which have perished in the waters, which have been made food for fishes. But the Lord by that which he had done before, plainly showeth that hereafter it shall be very easy for him to do what he will with our bodies; for seeing he hath made all things of nothing, can he not make that to return to life, 
Gen. 1. Psal. 33. Gen 1.  which hath already been? And as he made man first of the earth, can he not as well make him to rise again from it? In the beginning the earth was so obedient unto him, 
Gen. 1.  that when he commanded it to bring forth the bud of the herbs that seedeth seed, & the fructifying tree, and the living creature, beasts, worms, etc. it of itself by and by brings forth that which before had never been; how much more easily by the commandment of God, may it restore many which have already been, & shall be returned into it? 
john. 11.  We see that although that Lazarus of Bethania had already been three days in the earth, & nevertheless when the Lord commanded him to come out of the earth, presently it was done; He himself also rose again from the earth the third day for to assure us that he will raise us again: 
Mat. 28. Apoc. 1.  for as death could not overcome jesus Christ, but that he is risen, so shall it not be able to hinder his members from rising again, 
Rom. 14. Gal. 1. 1. Thess. 1. & 4.  because that he hath as much power over the dead, as over the living; If God hath raised the head, it followeth, that he will also raise his body, which we are if we believe. When we consider that he did hinder the so hot burning furnace from doing any hurt to any one of Sidracke, Misake, and Abednego, 
Eph. 4. Dan. 3.  we shall not find it an impossible thing to God, to make them rise again which have been buried, that they may be reunited unto their souls. And he that shut the lions jaws, because they should do no harm to Daniel, 
Dan. 6.  shall be able to raise those again which have been devoured. And as he commanded the fish to cast up jonas, 
jon. 2.  also can he easily cause that the sea shall obey him, when he shall command it to cast up his dead. In brief, the faithful cannot doubt of his resurrection, knowing that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, 
Rom. 8.  nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, can separate him from the love which God beareth him, in JESUS CHRIST our lord 
reve. 20.  For also the sea must cast up those dead bodies which are in it, and death and hell those which are in them; for as much as the Lord hath the keys of hell, and of death, having power over them.  
Moreover God cannot be true, 
reve. 1.  nor truly wise, nor Almighty, nor Just, if he doth not raise the dead, and by consequent cannot be God. And so who denieth the resurrection, denieth also that there is a God: for seeing by his word he promiseth to raise up the dead, if he do it not, he is not true. And seeing that he declares that he will have it, if he doth it not, it follows, that it is for want of knowledge, and of power, and so shall neither be truly wise nor Almighty. Also he shall not be just if he doth not render to every one that which he promiseth him; for the Author to the Hebrews saying that God is, 
Heb. 11. Mat. 10. Marc. 8. Luc. 9  saith also that he is a remunerator to those that require it. Now in this world, the children of God have nothing but afflictions every day, being set out for a show, as men condemned to death, and being made a spectacle to the world, 
Cor. 4. John. 16.  to the Angels and to men. As our Saviour also saith to his disciples, that it shall come unto them, You shall weep and lament, and the world shall rejoice. 
2. Tim. 3.  The Apostle declares, that whosoever will live holily in Christ, he shall endure affliction. 
Act. 5.20.21. Col. 1. Heb. 10.11. Mat. 6. Marc. 14. 1. Cor. 10. & 11. 1. Thes. 1. & 3. Psal. 37.  We see that the Apostles & those which received their doctrine, have almost always been in continual afflictions. In our time the afflictions of the faithful have been notorious, that there is none so simple but may see them. On the contrary part the wicked in steed of receiving punishment in this world, are ordinarily better at their ease then the faithful, and do flourish like the bay tree, as saith the Prophet; Wherefore there must necessarily be an other place where the good shall be recompensed with joy & the wicked with sorrow, otherwise God should not be just, and Christ should have died in vain. But will some one say, God doth accomplish his promises, upon the souls of the just, & his threatenings upon those of the unjust, and by that means God shall not let to be just although he should not raise again the bodies of men. With this we must consider, that if it be so, that a free retribution is done to the soul, as (according to the promise of God) it ought to be done to the just, and punishment is justly inflicted upon the soul of the reprobate, to the end that the justice of God may be safe, so must it of necessity be, that the bodies be remunerated, some with honour, others with disdain, to the end that God may remain just for ever. For even so as the soul of the man renewed by the holy Ghost, giveth itself to serve God, so doth the body, when it ceaseth from evil doing, 
reve. 12  and being even ready to be martyred for professing the Lord, serving to justice & holiness. For example we have the Prophets, 
Rom. 6. Act. 7.  St. Stephen, the Apostles, & so many Martyrs and true servants of God, 
reve. 6. & 8  whose bodies have greatly given themselves to serve God: also in like manner as the spirit of the wicked doth employ itself but only to offend God, likewise they employ their bodies to serve to filthiness & iniquity, and to do all evil; which is so apparent that there needs no example to prove it. By that means, who so denies the truth of God, 
Rom. 6. & 7  his wisdom, his power, & his justice, and so takes God from being God, and as much as in him lieth maketh him the father of lies; and he makes no conscience to make the incarnation and bodily passion of jesus Christ unprofitable. For if the body doth not rise again, what needed he to take human nature upon him, and to suffer in it, to deliver our bodies from the everlasting curse? Seeing that if it were so, that the bodies being dead, should so return to the earth, that they should have no more being, and so could neither enjoy the joy, nor suffer pains and sorrows; had it not been enough that he had only suffered in soul, 
Marc. 14.  being heavy to the death, for to deliver the souls from hell? Whosoever then denies the re-establishment of bodies, through ignorance makes the humanity of Christ unprofitable, and accuseth God the Father of cruelty, as if he had taken pleasure to see his well-beloved Son, so cruelly entreated, without having (for his part) deserved it, and without that it should serve to the elect; he maketh him also (for his part) in blaspheming, a liar with his father, because he says, that he will raise his at the latter day. 
john. ●.  In like manner doth he accuse the holy Ghost of vanity, which by the mouth of the Prophets hath prophesied & foretold the resurrection of the dead. Then he disannulleth Christian religion; for if the dead do not rise again, Christ also is not risen, and so the preaching of the Apostles should be false, and we should be abused to believe their doctrine, and those which are dead in Christ should be cast away. 
Cor. 15.  The Lord fitting himself to our capacity, as the mother nurse to the child, teacheth us the celestial things by the comparison of the things terrestrial, to the end we may comprehend that which otherwise is incomprehensible unto us. And touching the matter which we have now in hand, the Prophet Esay declares unto us, 
Esay. 19  that even as in Winter the grass of the field seems to be dead, and in the spring after it hath felt the dew it springs and waxeth green again, also likewise our bodies being dead shall rise again, when at the latter day they shall feel the dew of the grace of God, hearing the voice of the Son of man. The Apostle saith, that as the seed must die before it be quickened, 
Mat. 24. 1. Thess. john 5. 1. Cor. 15.  and then it riseth by virtue of the sap which it hath had in the earth, in greater glory than it was sown; so likewise all men must die, seeing they rise again, the elect in greater glory than they were set upon the earth, 
Rom. 8. Thess. 4.  by the virtue of the eternal Spirit of jesus, in whom they died; the reprobate in greater dishonour than they were before, by the virtue of the immortal spirit of Satan, in whom they are departed. For seeing the Lord doth so excellently unfold his power towards the insensible creatures, we ought not to doubt, but he hath at the least as much will to show his power in making them to rise again for whom Christ died, to the end to crown them with glory; and his enemies to be charged with shame and infamy, seeing they have so much dishonoured him. When a nut, or the kernel of a pear or apple is rotten in the ground, God causeth it to rise again to a great tree, for to bear much more fruit, being risen again, than it did before; and a grain of wheat, being put into the ground, 
john. 12.  and dying, brings forth much fruit; do we think that the Lord hath not as great power to raise up men, as he hath to raise these things, so small, and as it were of no value? shall it not be as easy for him to raise us again, as it hath been easy to him to draw us forth of the matrix of the mother alive, where before we were borne, we were as it were in a sepulchre? If the Prophets and Apostles in the name of God have raised up the dead, 
Psal. 18. 2. King. 4. Act. 9  shall it be impossible to the Lord by his power to raise them? Let us assure ourselves, that nothing can separate the body and soul of the faithful from the love which God beareth them, neither hinder but that he shall make the wicked both in body and soul to be his footstool.  
Now by reason that the Apostle saith, 
john. 6. Heb. 10. 1. Cor. 15.  that the body which is sown is not that which riseth again; there are that will infer thereupon, that at the resurrection our souls shall not return into those bodies which now we have, but into other bodies which the Lord shall give us. He himself in that place showeth us, that he speaks not that, but only to show us, that although our bodies shall rise in the same substance which now they have, they shall notwithstanding be changed in quality & glory; seeing that this corruption must put on incorruption, and that this mortality shall be swallowed up of life, and shall put on immortality; 
2. Cor. 5.  declaring that they shall be these self same bodies in substance, but divers in qualities. St. Paul saith, Christ will transform this vile body, 
Phil. ●.  that it may be made like unto his glorious body, according to the power by which he is able to make all things subject unto himself. 
Mat. 27. Luc. 24. John. 20.  Whereon followeth, that as jesus Christ rose again in the same body, which was crucified for us, being cleansed and discharged of all infirmity; also we shall rise again in the same bodies which now we have in this world, having in them, cold, heat, hunger and thirst, poverty, sickness, banishment, 
Heb. 10. & 11.  imprisonment, and such like adversities: being cleansed and disrobed of all that which by sin did cause us any grief; for the justice of God cannot consist without remunerating the bodies of those that have fought for his glory, in crowning his graces in them, & punishing those which have laboured to offend him. Moreover we see that those which the Prophets and Apostles, and jesus Christ himself have raised again, 
Mat. 27.  it hath been in the self same bodies in the which they had lived before. Who doubts but those that rose again at the death of our Lord, did rise in the self same bodies which they had before; for otherwise how should they have been known by those to whom they did appear? The Apostle puts us out of doubt of it, saying, 
1. Cor. 15.  That if the Spirit of him who raised jesus from the dead, doth dwell in us, he that hath raised up Christ from the dead, will also quicken our mortal bodies, because his spirit dwelleth in us; he saith moreover, that the body which is sown in corruption, shall rise again in incorruption. It is sown in dishonour, it shall rise again in glory: it is sown in weakness, it shall rise again in force: it is sown a sensual body, it shall rise a spiritual body. Wherefore, we ought to believe that the bodies which now we have, shall be the self same which shall rise again in the same substance, but the earthly qualities shall be changed into heavenly; which is no small consolation, seeing that we love our bodies so much, although that in this world they be laden with so many miseries.   

The third point.  
AS concerning the Author of the resurrection, the scripture doth declare unto us, that God the Father in the beginning made man by his word, which is his son, 
Gen. 1. & 2. john. 1. Gen. 2. Psal. 33. 2. Cor. 4. 1. Cor. 15.  & having made his body, breathed into him a living soul, by his spirit: so in the resurrection of the dead, he shall raise us again by his Son in a quickening spirit.  
And when the Sun of justice shall come 
Mal. 4.  in judgement for to judge the quick and the dead, 
Mal 4. Revel. ●. 2. Tim. 4.  the Sun shall wax dark, and the Moon shall not yield her light, and the brightness of the Stars shall be seen no more than if they were fallen from heaven, and the virtues which are in the heavens, as the Stars, the Planets, and other celestial creatures, 
Mat. 24. Luc. 21. reve. 6. 2. Pet. 3.  with heaven and earth shall be shaken; then the Sea and her waves shall roar after an unaccustomed manner; and when the order of nature shall be changed, those shall be signs of the coming of the Son of man. And when that jesus Christ, 
Mat. 16. Luc. 1. Act. 1.  the son of God shall come, who took human nature upon him in the virgins womb, he shall come in the same body, wherewith he did converse here below upon the earth, before and after his death, as he himself declares, calling himself the Son of man, 
Mat. 24. Marc. 13. Luc. 24. john. 5. Marc. 16. & 24. 1. Thess. 4. reve. 1. Mat. 24.  sent of God his Father, (who gave him power to do judgement, in so much as he is the Son of man) set above the clouds, at the right hand of the power of God, accompanied, with cries of exhortation, with the voices of Archangels & of Angels, with God's trumpets, & all eyes shall behold him; for he will cause his sign to appear in heaven, & his voice to be hard, the which at the 
1. Cor. 15.  last tromp shallbe hard of those that have been Put into the Sepulchres, to the end that first they may rise again: 
1. Thes. 4.  and those which shall be found living shall hear it also, to the end they may be translated, which unto them shall be a kind of death, being changed from mortal and corruptible, to immortal and incorruptible bodies, 
1. Cor. 15.  and shall rise again, and shall be changed in a moment and twinkling of an eye.  
This day shall not surprise the elect that are in the light, because it shall be the day which they have so long waited for, 
1. Thes. 5. 1. john 1.  and wished, with the other creatures: but to those who have overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb, 
1. Cor. 1. Rom. 8. 1 joh. 2.4.8 5. Reu. 12. & 21.  and by the word of their testimony, and have not loved their lives to the death, it shall bring unto them an unspeakable joy, making them to lift up their heads aloft, seeing their perfect deliverance come. For their Saviour shall send his Angels with great sound of Trumpets, 
Esay 35. Zach 9 Luc 22. Rom. 8. Mat. 25.  to gather them together, how far in funder soever they be from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of heaven; and then they shall be altogether caught within the clouds to meet the Lord in the Air, for to be joined with their head, 
2. Thes. 4.  as members of his body, and shall be always with him who will separate them from the reprobates, as the shepherd doth the sheep from the Goats, 
Mat. 25.  to put them both in body and soul in full possession of the everlasting heritage and happiness by them so long hoped for.   

The estate of the elect that are risen again.  
THen their bodies which shall be risen again in triumph shall be changed, not in substance but in quality, being discharged of the earthly heaviness, for to be made spiritual bodies; 
1. Cor. 15.  to the end to be fit for the heavenly habitation; where they shall have no need of meats which do corrupt, 
Reu. 7.  for they shall be no more hungry, nor thirsty, and they shall die no more, but shall use of the heavenly food, which is the word of God: 
Luc. 20.  they shall also be delivered from the bondage of sin, for to serve evermore to justice. For these are the two principal things which hinder man from beholding the face of God, this heavy earthly body, and infectious sin. As for the first, we see that the Lord said to Moses, 
Exod. 33.  who was desirous to see him; Man shall not see me upon the earth and live. As for the other, it was cause that the wicked Angels were cast down from heaven, and man out of Paradise; 
Gen. 3.  for there is nothing common between God and a sinful man. Wherefore the faithful shall have a spiritual body, discharged and purified from all sin. There shall also be no defect in their bodies, nor imperfection, and all deformity and vice, which cometh of sin, shall be done away; for the Lord will transform their vile and contemptible bodies, & make them conformable and like unto his glorious body. Moreover, 
Phil. 3. 1. Joh. 3.  they shall no more suffer any torments, pains, sickness, nor any other adverse thing, because there shall be no more mourning, nor weeping, nor labouring; for the Lord will wipe away all tears from their eyes. And there shall happen no more corruption to them by death; 
Reu. 21. Isa. 25. Reu. 7. & 21  whereof there shall be no more remembrance, but being made immortal, they shall be made incorruptible, & delivered from all suffering, for to be in a happy estate for ever.  
Their soul, which before was a living soul, shallbe changed into a quickening spirit: 
Gen. 2.  than it shall be delivered from all sorrows, griefs, annoy, 
1. Cor. 15.  perturbatious and fear, which came through sin, and shall be set in rest, 
Psal. 61.  joy, consolation, happiness, good hope, and perpetual assurance, without being any more troubled nor defiled with troublesome affection.  
Then being put in so excellent estate, both of body and soul, the image of God shall truly shine upon them, having this power to serve God, being perfectly wise, holy, pure, irreprehensible, innocent, without spot, 
1. Cor. 1. Ephes. 5. Col. 1.  good, just, true, immortal and incorruptible, being resplendent in glory and honour, before the Throne of God.  
The which shall be the white vesture, wherewith S. john saith, they shall be clothed, 
Reu. 14. & 21. Reu. 3 4.6.7.  which is the pure and shining Sipirs; which are the justifications of the Saints that shall hold the palms in their hands in sign of victory: after that the books being opened, 
Reu. 19  they shall hear the voice full of meekness, grace and mercy, receiving in the presence of the wicked, 
Reu. 7.  who judged them the outcasts of the earth, the sentence of eternal blessing, 
Reu. 10.  being found written in the book of life, which is the book of the Lamb, 
Sap. 4. 5. 1. Cor. 4. reve. 13. & 21. 2. Cor. 5. Gal. 3. Apoc. 14.  being clothed with the innocency of jesus Christ: and having the name of their Father written in their forehead, they shall be with Christ the Spouse, crowned with the incorruptible crown of life, and eternal glory, being pronounced the sons and heirs of God, and coheirs with jesus Christ, 
Reu. 2. 2. Tim. 4. 1. Pet. 5. Rom. 8. Gal. 4.  and judges with him of all the Apostate Angels, and of all the reprobate: for all power and judgement is so given to the Son, that he will receive the Saints to participate in this honour as his assistants, 
Wisd. 3. Mat. 19 Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 6. john 5.  they shall be put in possession of the Kingdom of heaven, having praise of God, which is the incorruptible heritage, which cannot contaminate, nor whither, and which is preserved in heaven for them: they shall shine therein as the firmament, and as the Sun, 
Reu. 2. Mat. 25. 1. Cor. 4. Pet. 1. Dan. 12. Mat. 13. Wisd. 3. Reu. 2.21. & 22.  and as the stars for ever. Then they shall have their right in the tree of life, and shall enter into the new celestial jerusalem: in the which there shall be no temple, for the Lord Almighty is the temple thereof, and the Lamb. They shall be in it everlasting Kings and high Priests, offering sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving unto the Lord. Then being in the house of God, 
Reu. 15. & 7.  which is the blessed house which the faithful have in heaven, which is not made with hands, 
2. Cor. 5.  they shall be filled with the magnificence of the Lord, and shall bud like the Olive branch, and blossom like the Palm, and like the Cedar which is in Lebanus, 
Psal. 16.17.52. & 92.  being immortal and incorruptible, and shall not be importuned by Satan, to sin and offend God. The face of God which is the fountain of light, 
1. Cor. 13. Psal. 16. Reu. 22.  the brook of pleasure, and sea of good hap, they shall see it, which shall give them such a great and perfect joy, that all the joys which may be compared to that, 
Marc. 9  are but as a sparkle compared to a great fire; It will make them forget all terrestrial, 
Heb. 11. & 12.  what pleasure soever they could take in them in the world, and they shall not remember any thing that may bring them sorrow or grief. They shall be led to the mountain of Zion, and to the city of the living God, which hath no need of the Sun nor Moon to shine in it: 
Reu. 21.22.  for the light of God hath lightened it, and the Lamb is the candle thereof; and of thousands of Angels, and of the assembly of the first borne, which are written in heaven, and to God which is the judge of all, 
2. Cor. 11. Col. 1. Eph. 1. Reu. 19  and to the sanctified souls of the just, and to JESUS CHRIST their head and their Spouse, mediator of the new alliance, and of the blood shed, preferring better things then that of Abel: then with all this company, and all the other Saints, with whom they shall be fellow Citizens, being domestickes of God, and with Mary and the other Saints, they shall be called to the nuptial banquet of the Lamb, and shall enjoy the Kingdom of God their Father, 
Reu. 19  the felicity which jesus Christ by his death hath conquered for them, in whom they have put their whole trust; 
Heb. 2.5.9. & 10. Gal. 3. & 4. Rom. 4 & 5 Eph. 1.5. Rom. 5.9. & 10. joh. 12.14. & 17.  for the which also they shall not be confounded: as he himself promiseth, saying, Father, I will that those which thou hast given me be with me, and see my glory which thou hast given me; and then, I dispose the Kingdom unto you, as the Father hath disposed it unto me; to the end you may eat upon my table in my Kingdom. The Apostle saith, 
Luc. 22.  if we die with him we shall live with him, and if we suffer with him we shall reign with him, and shall be glorified with him. 
2. Tim. 2. Rom. 8.  Of these promises the children of God need not doubt: for seeing that the Lord when he died, gave Paradise to the thief, can he not more easily give it to those to whom he hath promised it, when he shall come into such great glory and Majesty? Now being with him, 
Luc. 23.  and seeing him as he is, 
1. joh. 3.  they shall have a much more greater joy than had the Disciples, seeing him transfigured: they shall be so understanding, 
Mat. 17. Marc. 9 Luc. 9  that they shall know all the Saints that ever have been, and even those with whom they have conversed in this world joyfully, and according to God. For if it be so that in the transfiguration of our Lord, which was but a little demonstration, as well of the glory of the body of jesus, as of the estate and condition in the which the children of God shall be in heaven; for their meanness and infirmity could not have been able to see the incomprehensible Majesty of the Lord, without being destroyed: the Apostles although they had never seen the body of Elias and of Moses, nevertheless they knew them. How much sooner shall the elect know themselves, when they shall be endued with this perfect knowledge and intelligence of the image of God, which shall be in them? That if Adam in his first estate which was a great deal less, why shall not that of the sanctified by Christ? 
1. Cor. 13.  Did he know the beasts which God brought before him, 
1. Cor. 1.  and did properly impose a name to each one: and even knew Eve to be bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh; 
Gen. 2.  although that the Lord took the rib from him without his feeling it: shall not we in this admirable glory, have more wisdom to know each other? 
Luc. 16.  Now this knowledge shall be disrobed of all carnal and corrupt affection; for the elect shall not be known for loving the one more than the other, or hating one reprobate more than another, in calling to mind the injuries and displeasures which they may have received in this world.  
But they shall love directly without respect of persons, those which God loveth, and shall hold in abomination those which God shall detest: For then all Paternity, brotherhood, and marriage shall be abolished, and there shall be but God alone Father of all, whose children we shall be, and brothers and sisters one to another: the children of God shall be made partakers of the divine nature; 
Marc. 12. Eph. 4. 2. Cor. 6. 2. Pet. 1. 2. Thes. ●.  for God shall be glorified in his Saints, and shall be made admirable to those that have believed. Wherefore seeing God will communicate his glory, virtue and justice to his elect; imparting himself unto them, let us know, that this benefit contains the sovereign good of man, which all desire, & which the wisdom of man could never comprehend. And indeed when by all the similitudes which the Scripture doth teach us, we shall have said and learned much of the excellency of the children of God, it is almost nothing in comparison of that which shall then appear; then the Apostle with the Prophet hath good reason, 
1. joh. 3.  having tasted in spirit the inestimable glory of the elect in the heavenly life, to say, the things which eye hath not seen, nor care hard, and which is not come into the heart of man, are those which God hath prepared for them which loveth him, which are unspeakable: & it is not possible for man to tell them. 
1. Cor. 2. Isa. 64. 2. Cor. 12.  For although Adam was created in a very noble estate, yet so it is, that if the elect were to reassume that estate, they should be miserable in regard of the sovereign excellency, in the which they shall be set.  

Gen. 2. 1. Cor. 14.  1 He had an earthly & sensual body, the elect shall have spiritual & celestial bodies.  
2 He had a living soul, they shall have a quickening spirit.  
3 He could fail and render himself subject to death, they shall not be able to fail, 
1. Cor. 15.  nor fall in danger of death; the which then shall be abolished.  
4 Satan had power to tempt him, and to make him to fall; but he shall not have power of either of both to them.  
5 He was husbanding in an earthly Paradise, they shall be in rest and enjoy the heavenly Paradise.  
6 He had command over the birds of the air, 
Gen. 2.  the fishes of the Sea, the beasts of the earth; they being in greater power shall condemn Satan & all the wicked: and the holy Angels shall be their companions, 
Mat. 22.  & shall have power in the kingdom of their Father.  
7 Adam had such great wisdom, that he named every beast according to their property; 
1. Cor. 9 Rom. 2.3 & 5. 1. Pet. 3. 2 Cor. 1. Rom. 15. Rom. 3. & 4. Mat. 3. et 17  they shall be endued with such wisdom & filled with such a perfect knowledge, that they shall be ignorant of nothing. Brief, we ought to be much moved and stirred up to worship and serve God; who, without any desert of ours, will for the love of his well-beloved Son so admirably unfold his incomprehensible goodness unto us.   

The estate of the reprobate.  
NOw this day shall surprise the wicked and reprobates which are in darkness, 
Rom. 2. & 9  whom the Lord hath borne and suffered with great patience, to the end to bring them to repentance; as the thief by night stealeth upon the Master of the family while he sleepeth; & they shall be found without clothes, and shall walk naked, 
Reu. 2. Reu. 16. 1. Cor. 5.  & their shame shall be seen: for when they shall say peace and security, then shall sudden destruction come upon them, like to a woman in travel, and they shall not escape, 
1. Thes. 5.  but shall be marvelously afraid, by reason that it shall be a day of darkness unto them, 
Amos. 5.  and not of light, an obscure and not a clear day and then they shall be condemned by their own consciences, like unto Cain, giving praise to God, seeing the Lord with his Saints come, which are by millions, for to give judgement against those that have not had the fear of God before their eyes: and to the end to convince all the wicked of all the evil works which they have wickedly done, and of all the rude speeches which the wicked have preferred against him: 
Sap. 4. 5. Gen 4. Rom. 14. jude. Rom. 3. Reu. 19 Eph. 5.  then for to weigh down the Winepress of the anger and wrath of Almighty God, because they have persecuted jesus Christ in his members, which are bone of his bones, and flesh of his flesh; so that they shall be in such great agonies and afflictions feeling the terrible judgement of God to come upon them, 
Heb 10. Rom. 2.  that they shall hide themselves in holes and between the stones of the mountains, and shall say to the mountains & stones, fall upon us, 
Reu. 6.  and hide us from the face of him who is set upon the throne, & from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of his wrath is come, 
Reu. 9  and who is it shall be able to subsist? They shall seek for death and shall not find it, and shall desire to die, but death shall fly from them; they shall strike themselves with despair, and shall be as dead for fear, by reason of the expectation which they have of those things which shall come suddenly upon them: 
Luc. 21.  they shall lament before the Lord, who shall have a flame of fire to do vengeance and judgement, according to truth and justice, upon those which have not acknowledged God, and who have not obeyed the Gospel of the Lord, 
Mat. 24. Reu. 1. 2 Thes. 1. Rom. 2. & 3. Ioh 5. 1. Thes. 4.  and shall punish them in body and soul with eternal perdition in the face of the Lord, and in the glory of his strength.  
The bodies of those which were dead before, shall come out of the earth: and of those which shall be found living shall be changed, and put on immortality, and shall be charged with opprobrious infamy before God and his Saints: for he shall make clear the things that are hid, and shall manifest the counsels of hearts & of tremble and incomprehensible sufferings, 
Reu. 16. Dan. 12. Isa 66. 1. Cor. 4. Reu. 20.  being charged with the burden of their sins, for afterward to be thrown down into the bottomless pit.  
Their immortal soul shall be loaden with fear, with sorrow, with frightnings, with grief, with desolation, 
Mat. 24. Luc. 21. Marc. 13. Reu. 1.  and with such despair, that it is unpossible for us to comprehend it.  
Then being in such opprobry in body and soul, the image of Satan their head shall appear upon them: that is to say, infidelity, iniquity, wickedness, abomination, filthiness, hatred, cruelty, tyranny, perjury, lying, envy, and all that is of impiety and unjustice, which is the black robe of the reprobate: and even so as the elect have Christ for their head, of whom they are the body, 
1. Cor. 11. & 12. Eph. 1. & 5. Mat. 25.  unto whom they shall be made alike; so likewise the reprobates have Belzebub for theirs, unto whom they shall be made conformable.  
For although that all the Devils are all apostate Angels, nevertheless the Scripture in sundry places attributes the principality to one alone, to the end to gather all the wicked unto him, as members in one body, for to be put to perpetual ruin.  
Then the wrath & indignation of God shall show itself clearly upon all the infidelity and unjustice of the fearful, 
2. Cor. 4. Ephes. 2. Mat. 9.10.12. & 25. Marc. 3. Luc. 11.21. Rom. 1.2. Rom. 2. Reu. 21. & 17. Rom. 9  unbelievers, and execrables, which shall not be found written in the book of life; for which they shall receive sentence of condemnation, & being separated from Christ, shall be driven from before the presence of the Lord, as the dust before the wind, & cast like dogs forth of the City of the children of God, & sent with their Captain Satan & his Angels, who did accuse the elect before God night and day, in perpetual malediction, 
Psal. 1. Isa. 17. Reu. 21. & 22. Reu. 12. Mat. 25.  for to drink of the wine of the wrath of God, yea of the pure wine, filled into the cup of his wrath, and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone before the holy Angels, and before the Lamb, and the smoke of their torments shall mount for ever, 
Reu. 14.15. & 16.  and they shall have no rest neither day nor night.  
Now this place of torment for the wicked is so horrible, 
2. Thes. 1.  that it is incomprehensible unto us; and even as God is eternal, also this ruin shall be eternal. The Scripture for to declare it unto us, 
Psal. 55. Reu. 9 Isa. 30.  useth many comparisons. David saith, that the wicked shall be cast into the pit of ruin, and of the bottomless pit. Isay saith that the torture is already prepared for the wicked, which God hath made deep & large; the building of it is fire & much wood, & the breath of the Lord like unto a brook of Brimstone doth kindle it; 
Isa. 66.  then he saith that the worm of the wicked shall not die, and therefore shall not be quenched, and they shall be hateful to all flesh. 
Dan. 12.  Daniel sayeth also that they shall be in perpetual shame and contempt. Malachy declares that the day of the Lord shall come, 
Mal. 4.  burning like an Oven, and all the proud and those that do wickedly shall be like the stubble, and the day of the Lord shall burn them, and shall leave them neither root nor branch. 
Mat. 3.  S. john Baptist saith, that the chaff shall be put into the fire, which shall never be quenched. 
Mat. 13.  The Lord saith, that they shall be cast into the Furnace of fire, which is the everlasting fire. 
Mat. 25. Luc. 16.  Saint Luke showeth that the evil rich man whose soul is in hell, is in such great heat, that he greatly desires to have a drop of water, which he shall never be able to get; how much more shall he be tormented when he hath put on his body? 
Heb. 10. Reu. 19.20 21.  The Apostle saith, that they shall feel a ferventness of fire, which shall devour them. S. john declareth that they shall be cast into the lake of fire & brimstone, which is the second death. For although they shall live, yet by reason of these incredible torments, they ought rather to be called dead then alive. Now although that by all these similitudes it is demonstrated unto us, that the damned shall be grievously and everlastingly tormented: yet nevertheless man cannot think nor comprehend how great the everlasting sufferings shall be, no more than he can comprehend the joy of the children of God. 
Marc. 9 1. Cor. 2 Hebr. 10.  Wherefore with good cause the Author to the Hebrews saith, that it is a terrible and fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. For although that we should see one continually knawed with worms, and burnt with fire, that torment should notwithstanding be as nothing, in regard of that which is prepared for the wicked. For besides that their bodies shall be horribly afflicted, their souls shall be in incredible distresses and sorrows. This aught well to stir us up to watch and pray, and to refrain from doing evil, 
Reu. 3. Mat. 24. 1 Thes. 1. Psal. 25. & 51. jere. 31. Lamen. 5. Cant. 1. Luc. 17. joh. 3. Wisd 4. & 5.  and to move us to serve God, and to desire him with the Prophets and Apostles, to change, revive and increase our faith, that so being made new creatures, we may escape this place of torment, and be numbered amongst the sons of God. Which the Lord grant for the love of his well-beloved Son our Saviour, to whom be all honour and glory for ever and ever   
AMEN.   

A conclusion of this book containing an exhortation to all estates to prepare themselves to die well, for fear lest the uncertain hour of death should surprise them.  
Moreover my brethren & friends it remains, that this book be not only in our hands, but also in our hearts, and if we have any desire to amend our lives, let it not be deferred till to morrow; for when to morrow shall come, we will yet refer all to the next day, and so consequently the whole year shall pass, yea our whole life.  
If then at this present hour there be some little good affection in us, let us not suffer it to be quenched, let us not kill that grace which God hath given us; but to the contrary by all means which shall be possible to us, let us endeavour ourselves in such sort, that from hour to hour it may not only be confirmed, but also augmented.  
God is merciful enough and liberal to grant us our requests, but he will be importunated, not in his own regard, but ours, for he knoweth how backward we are to pray and call upon him, and how soon we are weary of it; although we should desire nothing more in this world, for it is no small thing to speak unto God. And which ought yet more to move us, is, that he doth willingly hearken unto us, and never puts back those which come unto him,  
I speak this, because I see not that by any other better means we can prevent confusion, than by prayer. Surely if ever men had need of this aid, we are in great necessity of it, in these last days, and old age of the world; for we must not doubt but that Satan now doth set himself in arms, perceiving well that the hour draws near, that he shall not be able to do that which he hath done heretofore, and that the Son of God must be manifested to all creatures, and that then the perfection ought to come of the blessed and the finishing of their happiness, of the which he knoweth well he hath no part. If then for his part he sets himself forth in his strength, it remains that we should do the like for us, that we may be furnished with all celestial armour, and that we be not daunted with all his plots and treacheries; for surely the victory is in our hands, so that we fight against him, and not with him, as doth almost all the world at this day, although that the most part think the contrary, for so they have the name of a Christian, and be without reproach before men, who are no better than themselves, they then think themselves very well assured. Others think that they shall need but a good sigh, (as they say) at the last hour for to blot out all the rest of their life passed, and presently to transport them into the kingdom of heaven; but who hath assured them that God will give them the grace to make that sigh, and to have a true repentance of their sins, at the hour of their death? Where have they had patents and good assurance, that they shall not die a sudden death? Is not that to mock God openly? If that may serve, verily St. Peter and St. Paul and the other Apostles should have been much deceived to labour and to toil so much, and to bear so grievous a Cross, if it were so easy a matter to enter into the kingdom of heaven; I mean, by the means which those Libertines do pretend.  
Let us assure ourselves that the way is strait which leadeth to salvation, and that there are few that go therein. These words are no lies, but I pray God that we may not experiment the truth of them, to our great pain and grief. I know well that the mercy of our God is incomprehensible and infinite, but it is towards his servants, it is towards those that fear and reverence him.  
Besides I know that among the children and servants of God, there are many infirmities, even a great imperfection in all virtue and justice, and which endures till death; but there is a great difference between your life, O worldlings, and the life of the elect of God. The just man sinneth seven times a day; but he shall be raised seven times. Now you continue in your evil, and go to bed with your sin as with your friend and companion.  
Men will say an ave Marie, beat themselves on the breast, or perhaps will have some distaste of their sin and wickedness. But if we nearly look into all, we shall find that it is nothing but mere hypocrisy. If our friend or kinsmen dies, if we lose our goods, if wrong or injury be offered unto us, if our good name be taken away, if we be stricken or hurt, behold we are presently in choler, or very extremely sad, our hearts even closed up with melancholy; but if our spirit dies, and if we lose the everlasting riches by our transgression, we make no account of it, we are not moved with it, we grieve more for the loss of this world, which is nothing, than we do for the loss of God, which is all.  
In seeing all which, cannot such men yet feel their grief? can they not yet know how much the opinion which they have of their virtue and prudence is vain and frivolous? Can they not see how far they are from their reckoning? Certainly the world is full of such people that have no feeling of their sin, but the prophecies must needs be accomplished, to the end when the Son of man shall come, he may find no faith upon the earth: Verily this hour cometh on a pace, the signs thereof are very manifest. But because we should not be dismayed, seeing such a danger round about us, let us be sure that the Lord will be with us till the end of the world, provided that our Lamps be burning, and in steed that the wicked every day shall be worse and worse, for our parts let us endeavour to go forward in all holiness and justice. I know well, that they will mock at us, and at our simplicity, that we shall be cast out of their companies. But we shall be exalted of God, and received of the most blessed assembly.  
Wherhfore let us with all patience wait for the coming of our Lord jesus Christ, and let us labour that so we may be found of him without spot, and without reprehension. Surely that day ought to be very fearful to the wicked, but as for us we ought so much the rather desire it, knowing for a certain that there is no condemnation for those that are in jesus Christ; knowing well the great goodness and kindness of him which is to come, with whom God grant we may live for ever and ever. Amen.  

A Prayer unto God on the same subject.  
ALas when shall we come before the face of God our Father, and when shall we have a dwelling in his house, and until when shall we be in this exile, whereunto by sin we have been regenerate? But how shall the sinner consist before this great God? How shall this poor flesh be able to go up into this heavenly & everlasting Paradise? O how uncertain should our hope be if we had not the true promises of our God, & how miserable should we be, if we did rely upon ourselves? But O great God, thou wilt that all things be possible to believers, for the believers do trust only thy promise, & in thy mercy. Do not then O Lord regard so many sins which are in us. Remember rather that we are thy creatures, & the work of thy hands. We are unworthy to be called thy children, but it pleaseth thee to be our Father; It was thy will that thy Son jesus should come down to us here beneath, to make that we should go up to thee. We fear not death O Lord; for thou hast promised to be with us; death lost her strength, when thy dear Son died, so that when our bodies shall be knawne with worms in the sepulchre, our souls shall rejoice in heaven with the holy Angels. We desire then to die to see thy amiable and glorious face, to live with jesus Christ out head. O our God open us then the gates of thy Kingdom. Cause us to hear that sweet speech which was spoken to the poor thief upon the cross, which is, This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise. Alas Lord we are unworthy of it; but thy mercy and thy promises do give us assurance. Give us also O heavenly Father, the strength to persever, and desire the immortal and glorious life to come, which thou hast purchased for us, through thy Son jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost, be all honour, praise and glory for evermore. So be it.   
FINIS.