A riche storehouse, or treasurie, for the sicke, full of Christian counsels holesome doctrines, comfortable persuasions, and godly meditations, meete for all Christians, both in sicknesse and in health. Wherevnto is annexed a comfort for poore prisoners, and also an exhortation to repentance. Written in Dutch, by Gaspar Huberine, and Englished by Thomas Godfrie, esquire, late ... fruits and ... at the request of his dangter Marie, wife ... Iohn French, gentleman of the Inner Temple

How to aduise and com∣fort them that lye in prison, and be by the Magistrate iudg∣ged to dye.

FIrste welbeloued, Al∣mightie God giue you his grace, and true pati∣ence, whereby you may beare and patiently suf∣fer this your deserued crosse layde vpon you, séeing the matter is come thus far with you, y^t Gods iudg∣ment and the punishment of the magi∣strate is falne vpon you, yeald your self willingly therevnto, and thinke that this correction commeth from God him selfe. Therefore refuse not the correc∣tion of the Almightie, as it is written in Iob the 5. Séeing then that euery mans iudgement commeth from God our Lord, as it is in Solomon, the 29. of his Prouerbes, receiue such iudgement and punishment vp from our Lord God as a fatherly correction, as the Epistle

to the Hebrues witnesseth, Chapter 12. where the text saith thus, My sonn, make not light of the correction of the Lorde, and despaire not when thou art punished by him. For the Lord doth correct him whom he lo∣ueth, and he beateth euery sonne which he taketh to him selfe. And so it commeth to passe, as Solomon saith in his highe song, the 8. Chapter, that the loue which the Lorde beareth vs, is as strong as death. It appeareth vnto the world, as though the loue of God were very mis∣fortune, death, and destruction. Howbe∣it, there is vnder such loue, great mercy, goodnesse, life, and blessednesse hidden. For, If we be iudged, we be corrected by the Lorde, to the intent that we should not be damned with the world, as saith S. Paule in the first epist. to the Corinthians, the 10. Chap. Therefore, learne here with spirituall eyes to beholde, that you vn∣der punishment may sée grace, vnder correction peace, and vnder death life. Thus shal not this crosse layd vpon you be very sore and fearfull, but you may beare it, and you also shal patiently suf∣fer

it. For God can soone end this crosse, that you shall be able to carrie it. For as much then, as God our Lorde hath ap∣pointed to euery man a certeine end of his life, which he shall not passe. Iob. 14. thinke you nowe that your appointed time by God is nowe come, and this day is by God appointed vnto you, for a certeine end of your life. Trouble not your selfe much therefore, after what maner you haue taken your life from God, and that you shall so soone deliuer it him againe. But set your will to Gods will, and say, Father thy will be done, and not mine, if it be thy pleasure that I shall drinke this cuppe which thou hast filled for me, giue me thy grace thervnto, that I may continue in a true Christian belefe, vn∣to mine end, and that I may vnder this my crosse and suffering, in perfect pati∣ence, passe through it to euerlasting life. Amen.

Secondarily, For as muche as you haue now heard, that this crosse and pu∣nishment commeth from God him selfe, and is laide vpon you by God, through

an ordinarie magistrate, you shall vn∣derstand nowe further, well learne to knowe the great and earnest anger of God ouer sinne: for it is no smal matter before God, when a man behaueth him selfe contrarie to Gods lawe, and con∣tinually without ceasing, offendeth and prouoketh God, with his vnpenitent li∣uing. GOD is very angrie with suche déedes, and is muche offended against sinne, not only with temporall punish∣ment, but also with euerlasting.

Therefore, you shall vnderstande, well knowe, and learne, that you by meanes of your doings and sinne, haue wrought and deserued, not only a tem∣porall, but also an euerlasting death. For if God would deale with you, acor∣ding to his earnest and vttermost iudg∣ment, then should your punishment be euerlasting, and neuer haue end. But séeing that God hath forséene you from the beginning, and hath taken and re∣ceiued you through his fatherly correc∣tion in the time of grace, but specially nowe at this time, he will turne your

euerlasting punishment into temporal punishment: cut short his euerlasting anger and displeasure, to a timely and tēporal anger. And yet the same before him is no anger, but a fatherly visitati∣on, whereby he will make you leape o∣uer the way to euerlasting damnation, and lead you out of it, and by this crosse he will bring you to the right way to heauen. Therefore, our Lord GOD of grace and fauour, by meanes of the in∣nocent death of his welbeloued sonne our Lord Christ, will take from you the euerlasting punishment, and take the same from your soule, and lay it vppon your body, so that both your body and your soule may at the length be made frée, and deliuered wholy, both from worldly and euerlasting punishment. Therfore this worldly correction is laid vpon the body, but as it were the space of the twinckling of an eye, whereby you being warned of your vnpenitent life, might leaue off to sin, which other∣wise will not be, and you would still haue continued in sinne, and thereby at

the last, haue fallen into the feareful an∣ger of God, and euerlasting torment & plague. Howbeit, God of his great mer¦cy, hath taken mercy of your fall, and will deliuer you from his great, migh∣tie, strong, and euerlasting iudgement. The righteousnesse and iustice of God hath earnestly sought, and required, to haue her right vpon you, that is to say, euerlasting punishment and paine: but the mercy of God hath on your behalfe stept in the middle, and hath foughten against iudgement, and mercy hath ob∣teined the victorie, and driuen iudge∣ment backe, so that she shal neuer here∣after lay any thing to your charge: how be it so, that righteousnesse is partly a∣gréed with all and satisfied, but onely temporally, as farre as concerneth the body, but not the soule. This is a won∣derfull battel, and on your side maruel∣lously brought aboute, through grace. For what is this temporal & transitorie suffering, enduring (as it were) but the twinckling of an eye, in comparison of the euerlasting tormentes, where you

should haue abidden the euerlasting death and paine. Therefore is this a tollerable, yea rather an acceptable and pleasaunt exchaunge, séeing we, by our sinne, haue deserued the euerlasting wrath of God & punishment, that this punishment now shall endure but for a time, yea rather but the twinkling of an eye, which else should haue béene e∣uerlasting and fearefull, if God in his anger would haue delt with vs. There∣fore nowe welbeloued, you shall doe like one that hath his house a fire, and bur∣neth all in a flame, so that it is vnpossi∣ble to be quenched: Then wil he throwe out, and fetche from thence all his trea∣sure & iewels: And if he can saue them from burning, he may with them build vp an other house. Thus must you like∣wise do. Your house, I meane your bo∣dy, is of a light flame, it so burneth with sinne, that there is no hope to quench it, you must now let your old house burne, and now looke about and bethinke you, howe to saue and deliuer your treasure and iewels, that is, your soule, through

a true faith in Christ your deliuerer, & then shall you wel at Doomes day, tho∣rough that iewel, come to a new house, where you shal haue a new bodie in the blessed resurrection of the elected and chosen people of God: which neuer di∣eth, nor thorough fire can be consumed. But you shal then haue such a bodie, as shal neuer die, nor at any time suffer a∣ny griefe, punishment, paine, harts sor∣row, trouble or néed, neuermore forsakē but enioye euerlasting peace and bles∣sednes. Therefore praye now, that he wil rule and turne the harts of the ma∣gistrates, that they will lay vpon you, of fauour, such correction, as shalbe most séemely in this case, that you may quiet∣ly suffer and beare. For, God ruleth the heartes of the magistrates, and sitteth amongst them in their counsel & iudge∣ments. And séeing the great magistrate is of your side, you haue altogether, and can lacke nothing.

Thirdly, marke also further (welbe∣loued) that Gods iudgement euer begin∣neth at his owne children. For, whenso∣euer

he purposeth to correcte the world with his displeasure, and earnest pu∣nishment, first of all he séeketh out his owne, and visiteth them, and correcteth them first of all with his fatherly rodde, whereby he may saue and deliuer them from the endlesse and euerlasting dam∣nation, as S. Peter sheweth in his first Epistle and 4 Chap. out of the holy pro∣phet Ieremie in the 25. Chapter, The iudgement of God (saith he) beginneth at Gods house. And as Dauid saith, Psa. 75. The Lord hath a cuppe in his hand, which is full of mightie wine, he skinketh, and filleth out of it. But godlesse people must drincke all out, and make a carrouse, and suppe vppe the very dregges of Gods wrath. It is hereby ment, GOD giueth euery bodie their measure, that they shal suffer: but the grounds and dregges remaine for the vngodly, especially for the stubborne, froward, and vnpenitent world, which will néedes perishe in their stubbornes. But the iudgement, anger, correction, and visitation, which God of his grace layeth vppon his children, is after ma∣ny

sortes. God correcteth some of his children with sicknes, some with pouer∣ty, some with imprisonment, some with contempt, that they be not regarded nor any accompt made of them, some other with temporal death by the magistrate, as he hath now purposed to correct you: therefore it appeareth outwardly, that God sheweth himselfe as thoughe he were angrie with you. But, With him there is no anger, for his anger lasteth but the twinkling of an eye, after that he taketh vppe his againe with euerlasting grace and mercie. As the prophet Esaias in his 54. Chapter saith. And as Dauid remem∣breth in his 89. Psalme, If the children of grace breake and forsake Gods comman∣dementes, and keepe not Gods lawes, then will God with his rodde seuerely visite them: But hee will not turne his grace from them. The cause is, the mercifull couenaunt which God hath, by meanes of his onely begotten sonne, made and established with his children.

Fourthly, thus you shall earnestly beléeue, that this your suffering, care,

shame, martyrdome, and death, is not sufficient, thereby to purchase euerlast∣ing life. For, if you by your death and paines, might (before God) do penance, and satisfie, then dyed our Lord Christe in vaine: but séeing he dyed, he hath by that his suffering, passion, and death, done sufficient penance for your sinnes, appeased Gods wrath, reconciled you to GOD his father, and purchased for you euerlasting righteousnes & blessed∣nesse. Therefore by this your suffering & death, you can not escape Gods iudge∣ment, nor make amendes to Gods iu∣stice, nor make satisfaction for euerla∣sting punishment, but only thereby you do make satisfaction before the worlde. For séeing that you haue done amisse, & offended the outwarde, temporall, and worldly iustice, and transgressed, and found guiltie thereof, you must necessa∣rily satisfie the same externall and out∣ward iustice, with such outward punish∣ment, as the worlde and the magistrate can doe: for aboue that, the world nor the magistrate can not reach, nor giue

correction. But for as much as the of∣fence, whiche you haue committed a∣gainst the Magistrate, is also against God, and his holy commaundementes, specially this sinne, whiche you at the first on the racke, or pyning banke, and after by your owne confession haue ac∣knowledged, besides other grieuous faultes, wherewith in your life time, from your youth hitherto, you haue of∣fended God your Lord, in such manner, that he might punish you for such offen∣ces euerlastingly, and not for a time, yet will he not do so, as I haue told you before, but he will mercifully forgiue you such offences altogether, both small and great, howe so euer you haue com∣mitted them, through the deseruing, mi∣serie, shame, & bitter death of his deare sonne our Lord Christ Iesus, your Sa∣uiour. So that Gods iustice is satisfied for you by Christ our Lord. For, GOD hath made his sonn for our sakes, to be righ∣teousnesse, holinesse, and our deliuerer. 1. Cor. 1. Therfore you must beleue this, & not doubt, & confesse it with your mouth. Do

you beléeue this deare beloued? Say yea.

Fiftly, lest peraduenture you should imagine and say, How commeth it then to passe, that God hath only laide vpon me this shame, reproch, & death? Howe commeth it to passe, that he hath spyed me out only? Am I then alone, the most wicked, the most vnhappie man vppon the earth? There be yet many worse then I. Why could he not visite and pu∣nish me after some other fashion? Marke wel here and learne, that it becommeth you not to murmur and be vnpatient, (by your leue) against God, nor his pur∣posed worke: for if God will thus visite you, you ought not to weiue it, nor re∣fuse it: for God can best skill, according to his fatherly goodnesse, how to intreate and handle his children, and he will not deale alike with one childe as with an other. He hath many crosses and rodds, whereby he will chastice his. He forbea∣reth some long, and another he patient∣ly abideth, he leadeth him therby to re∣pentance: the thirde he taketh foorth to him selfe with this rod, but he taketh vp

an other with an other rod, after them our Lorde God layeth vpon euery one his crosse. Therfore (by your leaue) you shall not despaire nor doubt, neither wishe nor desire that you were dead, or that this or that carrie you away, as some haue done, of impatience, feare, and shame of the world. What hurt is it to you, that you must (in déede) be shamed before the worlde, and that eue∣ry man beholdeth you, as vppon a great offender, séeing neuerthelesse that you be the child of God, through your beléefe vpon Christ? Which our Lord God, and the whole armie and hoast of heauen doth nowe heholde, & looke vpon, though it doth not apeare before the world. All that you haue to doe, shal passe away in the twinckling of an eye: after that the worlde shall beholde you after an other fashion, I mean, at doomes day, in great ioy and glory, as one of Gods chosen children. What shal it then hinder you, though you for an hour or two, must be kept to be shamed, and openly executed or put to death? Reioyce, be frolike, that

at the general day thou shalt escape con∣demnation, before the whole earth, and all the hoast and armie of heauen. It is much better, that you should suffer re∣proch and shame a little while, before a smal number, then that at that day, you shoulde be shamed and confounded be∣fore the Angels and the whole worlde, for euer and euer. Therfore yeald your self thervnto willingly, and behold this shame & death, not with your bodily eye but with your spirituall eye. Doe away your eyes, remembraunce, and reason: let euery man laughe, mocke, looke, say, and doe what they will. Looke not vpon man, but vpon God, he is at hand with all Angels, they behold you gratiously, they haue pitifull hearts with you, and our Lord Christ, and our deliuerer will take you with him into euerlasting peace and blessednesse. There be also a∣mong this companie, heape, and cluster of people, many good men that feare God, that be very sorrie, and take griefe with you, and doe truly pray to God for you. Therefore do you not suffer alone,

but Christ our Lord and head suffereth with you. Likewise, al Christian mem∣bers suffer with you: likewise all crea∣tures beholde with you, and heartily long for your deliuerie, as witnesseth Saint Paule, Rom. 8. Therefore turne you to him that striketh you, that is, to God your true louing father, and praye vnto him, that he will mitigate, shor∣ten, and ease your paines and smartes, and lend vnto you a strong and merrie heart, manfully and patiently to beare this crosse laide vpon you, and to stande vpright: And then you shall proue in the midst of your trouble, that he is merci∣fully on your side, & doth helpe you, suf∣fer, and beareth your crosse; for he will be with you in your aduersitie: therfore lay al your trouble only vpon our Lord God, he wil first make your troubles in your heart and conscience easier, and take them cleane away. And after that your heart is once at peace with God, and that you haue obteined a quiet con∣science, then will all bodily paines be very little, and nothing in comparison

of the conscience. Then, séeing that to e∣uery man particularly, or by him selfe, death as a iust rewarde of sinne is ap∣pointed, and that we all which shall re∣main after you, must also get vs hence, and no man remaine, but that death must swallowe vppe the whole worlde: what hurt is it to you, that you go a litle before vs, to the way of blessednesse, and haue possessed and inioyed euerlasting life before vs? Though you nowe by the way to blessednesse, shall tread a hard, bitter, sharpe, and rough way, yet haue you this aduantage, that you in a whole body, and good memorie, and perfect re∣son slide hence: and in death, you doe thrust into euerlasting life, and all we must come after. And who can tell, how we, poore, néedie, and forsaken men shal doe, and what shall come of vs? We be sure to be assaulted with many misfor∣tunes and plagues and at the last, some long time lye stretching, and suffer ma∣ny smarts and troubles vpon our sicke bed, all which you haue escaped, and in the meane season rest quietly, and com∣fort

your selfe, and inioy euerlasting peace and happinesse.

Sixtely, Nowe welbeloued, while you be in the way to the kingdome of heauen, and that you will euen now go thither: it is good for you to knowe the way, and diligently to learne it, and to inquire after it, least you wander, or be lead or driuen from it. Therfore learne well to lay hande and holdfast vpon the ladder to heauen, which ladder the good Patriarch Iaacob did sée, Gen. 8. That is the ladder whereby the Angels clime vp and downe vppon, whiche from the earth with his top, reacheth vp to hea∣uen, wherevpon at the vppermost part our Lord God standeth. Christ him selfe is this ladder, Iohn. 1. Therefore holde fast by true faith vpon this ladder, for, No man can go to heauen, but he that came from thence, that is, the sonne of man which is in heauen. This Lord is the very lad∣der to heauen. For by his manhoode he standeth vppon the earth, and with his godhead he reacheth to heauen, where God him selfe doth appeare. If you will

goe to heauen, you must begin at Chri∣stes humanitie to clime vp, specially through his passion and death, and to séeke after his very godhead aboue, vp∣on the top of the ladder, where God him selfe is, and say thus. My Lorde and my God, for as much as I must goe to hea∣uen, as I am very willing, and euen now haue begunne, be thou my ladder, leader, and guide, for thou art the very way to heauen. Iohn. 14. And no man commeth to the father but through thée, and by thée, as thou thy selfe doest wit∣nesse. Iohn. 10. where thou sayest thus, I am the doore, if any man enter in by me, hee shall bee safe. Thus shall you, vnto the right way to heauen, prepare and dresse your selfe: for Christ is the onely gate into heauen. Heauen it selfe is ve∣ry wide and large, but it hath but only one gate, through the which a man may come, but as soone as you haue gotten this gate, and gotten through it, then haue you left behinde you (as it were in a heape) al misfortune at once, and then are you assured and defended by this

gate, that no aduersitie hereafter for e∣uer can hurt you. There do you lay at once at your backe, death, sinne, diuell, hell, and all that can be against you. There be you then sure and safe as in a strong castel, that no man can any more stirre vp hurt against you. Therefore, let no man withdrawe you from this way, goe vnto it boldly, you shall come safe from thence to the kingdom of hea∣uen; thither shal the good angels be your guides, that harme can not once touche you. Be therefore of good courage, our Lord Christe is your king, which hath dyed before you, & hath made the pathe plaine, and sufficiently strengthened and made safe this iourney: therefore go streight foorth, & hold right on in this way, turne of no side, for, You shall ney∣ther goe on the right hande, nor of the left, as our Lord God doth cōmaund, Deut. 12. You take the left hande, out of the right way, when you despaire of Gods mercy, where God is before you. And on the right hand you go out of the way too wide, when you trust in your worke,

death, passion, and shame: therfore abide in the middle way toward heauen, and then shall you not goe out of the way. Vpon this way shall you vndoubtedly finde the true life, for our Lord Christe is not onely the way, but also the life, so that you shall receiue in Christ the true life, as he saith, and witnesseth of him selfe, Iohn. 11. I am (saith Christe) the re∣surrection, and the life, but not only the life for him selfe, but suche a life, as giueth the right life, and diuideth it among all them that put their trust vpon Christe. For, Christ saith further also, Whosoeuer beleeueth on me, he shall liue, though he be dead. Suche a valiaunt and almightie thing is it about faith, and about all the faithfull of Christe, that they lay hande vpon life in the middest of death, that they sing merrily, In the middest of death we be in life.

Welbeloued, you must vnfeignedly beléeue al this, that it is no sport nor de∣ceite that Christ saith and promiseth: for he is the trueth it selfe, his wordes be true and certeine, therevpon shall you

haue no manner of doubt, for the truth it selfe doeth say, I am the way, and the trueth, and the life, and also the resurrecti∣on. Whosoeuer beléeueth truely vpon him, he receiueth in the midst of death the resurrection, so that nowe you shall lye the twinckling of an eye in death, & slide thence to life. But by this death, through Christ, you shall inioy euerlast∣ing resurrection, where you shal neuer∣more dy. These be vnspeakable words, and aboue measure comfortable, grati∣ous wordes, that a wretched sinner on∣ly through beléefe in Christe, shall finde life in death, in dying resurrection, and in the middest of the dongeon of darke∣nesse shall find the right way to heauen. Therefore be of good comforte before death, séeing that God is such a mightie Lorde, that bringeth vnto you out of death life, and bringeth you through the snares of death, to euerlasting peace 〈◊〉〈◊〉 quietnes. God graunt you this. Amen

Seuenthly, Welbeloued, for as muc•• as you be nowe, through faith, a mem¦ber of Christ, the olde serpent will now

set vppon you: and as he hath bitten Christe our head in the héele, so will he a little whip your héele, for that you are kept here and must dy, that is his stroke and byte, yea, the poyson wherby the old serpent hath stinged and poysoned you. Howbeit, it is nothing else but a byting by the héele, that can do you no hurt to∣ward the right life. She biteth the chil∣dren of God after many ways, but they againe treade vpon the olde serpentes head, through our Lord Christe, in that that they through beléefe, as through the right Triacle and medicin, driue away, heale, and quenche the stripe, the biting, and the poyson of the serpent. Therfore valiantly tread down the serpents head in thy Lord Christ, through a true Chri∣stian beléefe, on the gratious promise of God, that Christe is the onely head of Christendome, which first of al with his passion, death, and ioyfull resurrection, ouercame sathan, and brake the ser∣pents head. The dragons head is di∣uers, specially sinne, death, and hell. There hath the old serpent opened his

iawes, & would swalow vs vp in sinne, death, & hel. But our louing lord Christ hath broken the serpents scull, so that she is not able anymore to gape against the faithfull, that she may swalow them vppe, as she hath purposed. Therefore learne nowe, howe you shall trouble, charme, coniure, and ban or curse this serpent, so that she shall not hurte you, which you shall do, if you ouercome her through beléefe in Christ, and so shal you treade vpon her head.

Eighthly, Although my welbeloued, your wife, children, brother, sister, and your friends, may tempt you, that they shall nowe be in néede, and must suffer for your misdéedes, let goe and let passe altogether all such thoughts, and earth∣ly temptations, and thinke thus: Well now, albeit that I hitherto haue béene by God appointed, and set to be a pur∣ueyor to take care, & to mainteine my wife, children, &c. and I haue not ho∣nestly behaued my selfe in that calling, I hartily therfore desire my Lord God, in Christe Iesus my deliuerer, that he

will not lay to my charge that sinne, but through grace pardon me: for I am ve∣ry sorie. Therefore almightie God, sée∣ing thou wilt take that my care and of∣fice from me, and put me besides it, I commend them vnto thée, as to the chie∣fest magistrate, & their Lorde, defender, & father, that thou wilt vouchsafe that I maye commende vnto thée my wife, children and friendes, and not to suffer that they shalbe charged with mine of∣fences, but to take care for them, defend them, féede them and mainteine them, as the true onely father in heauen and earth. And that thou wilt vouchsafe, in my stéed, to send them some other, that may leade them, and bring them vp in godly feare, and Christianlike conuer∣sation. And althoughe that they, before the world, must be charged with my faultes, that thou wilt richly requite those things vnto them, and lay against that, thy gentle, gratious, and fatherly blessing, so that they may enioye their innocencie. All these thinges I cōmend vnto thée together, Oh most mightie

Lord and God, into thy gratious hand. Wherevnto also I commit my life and soule. Therefore doe I yéeld vnto thy mercie altogether, and in perfect trust & blessed hope, that thou wilt gratiously accept this my poore prayer, & heare me in Iesu Christ thine only louing sonne. Amen.

Now welbeloued in this ouergiuing and prayer, wherein you haue giuen o∣uer al things vnto God in your prayer, and offered them vp, you shall wholy & throughly persuade your selfe of Gods mercie. For, God is rich toward them that call vppon him. Beléeue this thing onely, and so it will in déede come to passe, ac∣cording vnto the comfortable promise of Christ our Lord, in the 11. of Marke (where he comforteth such as doe pray, and promiseth to giue them all.) Oure Lord Christ saith, Whatsoeuer you pray for in your prayer, onely beleeue that ye shall receiue it, and you shall haue it. And in Marke the 9. Christ saith thus, If you can beleeue, all thinges are possible to them that beleeue. Therefore giue vnto our Lord

God the glorie, and estéeme him to be a true God. Then will he for his trueth sake heare your prayer and kéepe you: For, He is gratious and mercifull, of great goodnes & trueth. God surely is the highest, but he looketh vppon the lowest very gladly, and of them that be of gentle and courteous minde and heart. Onely for his loue sake, that he beareth towardes them that be of troubled and heauie hearts. For they be so commended vnto him, that he hath special regard vpon them. As our Lord God himselfe acknowledgeth, Esaie 66. where God saith thus, I behold such as be in miserie, and haue a contrite heart, and on such as feare my word. This is the right offering, that pleaseth God, specially a troubled spirit. For, A sorrowful & trou∣bled heart will not God despise. Psalm. 51. If you then can commend all your cau∣ses to God, your very creatour, & giue ouer all to him, then will he doe like a louing and gentle father, & can well tell how to prouide for all yours. For, he is the Iudge of the widowes, and the father of orphanes and the fatherlesse. As vpon him

it is written in the Psalme. 68.

Then, séeing that God by this means and crosse layd vppon you, wil take you away from yours, you shall not there∣fore sorrowe, nor be dismayde, specially séeing that within a short time, you shal finde againe all your friends in euerla∣sting life, euen as you beléeue the ioyful resurrection of all Christians, to enioy euerlasting liuing. There shall you find for your earthly friendes, heauenly friendes. To die you must necessarily, and prepare your selfe therevnto, as all mankinde must, and no man be left be∣hinde. God doth this thing vnto you for the best, bycause this way he doth shor∣ten your griefes and pains, helpeth you this way through all paine, shame, slan∣der, and death, very easily and fatherly. Therfore be lustie and of good courage, he that layeth this crosse vpon you, he will also helpe you to beare it, giue you patience, & make a blessed end of it.

Ninethly, Séeing then that God hath laid this crosse vpon you, that you shuld heare it a very litle while, therefore you

shall not excuse your selfe, nor make your fault light to the world, nor smooth it, as though you were guiltlesse, or as though you had not deserued this your punishment laide vpon you. Take not the figge leafe before thée, thereby to co∣uer thine offence, as the nature of olde Adam is to doe, and as Adam after his sinne would thereby haue couered him selfe. But giue God the glorie, as Iosua warned the offender Achan, when he tooke him with the things that were cur¦sed, Iosua. 7. Then said Iosua there vn∣to him, My sonne, giue to the Lord God of Israel the glory, and giue him the prayse, and tell me and confesse what hast thou done, & lye not. Then also said Achan therevpon, Surely I haue sinned against the Lorde the God of Israel, thus & thus haue I done, &c. There did Achan before all folke ac∣knowledge his offence: and albeit he were by the Magistrate condemned to dye by Gods appointment, yet is he (no doubt thereof) taken vp through Gods mercy, and much commended for his confession, he gaue God the glory, and so

departed in Gods mercy. Likewise wel∣beloued, shall you also doe, searche your heart, giue God the glorie, which alonly is good, wise, righteous, and holy, but all men be euill and false. Take no∣thing hence with you, carrie nothing a∣waye with you, but searche your heart and conscience, and what you haue don, denie it not, do not make it lesse: but sée∣ing it is manifest and knowne, and sée∣ing GOD hath brought your offence to light, and by the magistrate ordeined will punish you: therefore giue God prayse and thanks, that he will of grace not punishe you for euer. Thinke it is much better here, before fewe folke, to be a little while shamed, then hereafter before al the world, and the whole com∣panie of heauen: for all must come to light, and be openly knowne, therefore it is much better here then there. Then séeing that God by the Magistrate, hath made it knowne, therefore suffer it pa∣tiently & willingly, and blame no man, as though any man had opened it of ma∣lice, or condemned you as your enimie.

The Magistrates iudgement is Gods iudgement, and the sentence hath also pleased him. He is the highest Iudge, therefore blame no man, and charge no man that is vnguiltie in this case. If you haue at any time cōfessed any thing to charge the innocent, whereby you might cleare your selfe, or thereby to es∣cape and be at libertie, then burthen not your selfe therewith, nor let your soule carrie any such thing away, but excuse the innocent, and pray to God for mer∣cy, that he will pardon you, and not suf∣fer your heart to be bent to any vngod∣ly way, to excuse your offence, and to de∣fend it. But before God confesse it, aske grace, and séeing it is come to light, con∣fesse it before the whole worlde, or else you striue against Gods iudgement, his will & his worke, which surely is horri∣ble, from which our Lord defend you, of his grace, through Christ Iesus his wel∣beloued sonne in the holy Ghost. Amen.

Tenthly, I further also charge you, my deare friend, that from the bottome of your hart, you wil reconcile, forgiue,

and forget all men that haue done any thing against you, either by worde or déede, whether it be for this matter, or for any other before. If you haue by any mā bene hurted or harmed, though they be guiltie of this your iudgmēt, suffring, and death, either if they haue espyed, or laid hand vpon you, al this together shal you cast out of your heart, and lay aside all maner of swelling, snarling, malice, hatred, enimitie, and euill will: and contrarie shewe a gentle heart, friend∣ly loue, and gentle speach, without all hatred, bitternesse, and euill will, as a patient lamb, as Christ our Lord, which was altogether innocent, yet vpon the crosse prayed for his enimies, and said, Father, forgiue them, for they knowe not what they doe. Thus shall you likewise do and thinke: Well, now welbeloued Lord and father, though I be not guilt∣lesse and innocent, as thy welbeloued sonne, but haue worthily deserued all punishment, wrath, and vengeaunce: Likewise, séeing thou of frée grace and mercy through Iesus Christe, hast for e∣uer

pardoned me, & after my departure wilt neuermore remēber my sin: there∣fore I require thée, that thou wilt giue vnto me such a gentle, friendly, & Chri∣stian hart through thy holy spirit, wher∣by I may forgiue, and forget, and also reconcile my selfe vnto euery man, as well friendes as foes: for thou wilt also forgiue me, yea, thou hast already clearly forgiuen all my sins & misdéeds. And for better assurance hereof, giue me grace, might, and suche a burning charitie to∣ward my neighbours, that I may for∣giue euery man, and that from the bot∣tome of my heart: So shall I be sure, that thou hast forgotten and forgiuen me, and at the last day, this shall be the signe, that is, the Christian and brother∣ly loue, that we also be thy disciples, sée∣ing that we doe shewe Christian loue one toward an other. Kéepe in me also y^e gratious promise of Christe my louing Lorde, that saith thus, Matth. 6. When you forgiue men their faultes, then will also my heauenlie father forgiue you your faults. With these Christian comforts I com∣fort

my selfe, and stay my selfe altoge∣ther vpon thy mercifull promise. Doe with me after thy godly saying and pro∣mise, for thou doest require of me that I be merciful, as thou also art merciful towards vs. Therfore I do knowe, that in this my departure to death, there is no better, nor more acceptable offering, then that I should shewe charitie, and of mercy with well vnto all men, pray for all men, intreat and do well vnto al men, as much as is possible for me. For God hath pleasure in mercy, and not in offe∣ring. Osée. 6.

Twelfthly, You haue also welbelo∣ued, for a comfortable example, y^e théefe which also had done very wickedly, for whiche he also receiued punishment of the magistrate, but this punishment was vnto him onely the cause and fur∣theraunce, that he did not onely knowe GOD, and was faithfull, but was also hanged beside Christe his saluation: whereby he conceiued speciall comfort, that Christ the innocent Lorde woulde pitie his miserie, and would forgiue him

all his sinnes and wickednesse, where∣vnto otherwise he shoulde neuer haue forsaken his naughtie life, but woulde haue continued in his wickednes, stub∣bornesse, and vsed his stiffnesse and ar∣rogancie his whole life long, without al repentance, & turning from his naugh∣tie liuing.

And so peraduenture had it ben with you, you would haue gone forwarde in your vnrighteousnesse, therein abiden, withered, and starued for euer, without al penance, or repentance, godly know∣ledge, vnder the feareful anger of God, being bound with Gods iudgement, & condemnation. Therefore, séeing that God hath deliuered you from this mise∣rable blindnesse and error, he shall from hencefoorth leade you by this occasion, means, and purpose, first bring you to know your selfe, & bring you to true re∣pentance, & penance, suffer godly know¦ledge to light in your hart, kéepe you in the true faith of Christe Iesu, and will suffer you to depart in the same at the last without all doubt.

Behold now, dearely beloued, howe our Lorde God, is a valiant almightie father, that of al naughtinesse can make all goodnesse, and will to his turne all worst thinges to the best. Sathan had thought that through this your fall, and misdéede, he would for euer haue kept you in his kingdome, and to haue made you a member of himselfe. But our lord God commeth, and bringeth to passe by this means and crosse, that he hath bro∣ken and hindered all sathans purpose. Sathan thought he had made all cocke sure with you, and had brought you to euerlasting sinne and shame, and inten∣ded to haue kept you continually there∣in. But God commeth, and turneth the leafe vp, and maketh of you that were the childe of darkenesse, the childe of light, and of euerlasting blisse. Amen.

Twelftly, Nowe deare friende, I warne you nowe (at the last) that you will depart hence to death without all feare, nor be not dismaide of death, by reason of your sinne. But herein take héede, that thou do not alonly looke vpon

death vnder the eyes, and doest wrestle with him, but take thine almightie god with thée, which hath before laide hand vppon death, and hath ouercome him, that is, Iesus Christ thy Lord and king, which in the garden so mightily wrest∣led with sinne and death, that bloudie sweat dropped from him, Matth. 26. therefore weigh it not. And againe, be not afraide of death, séeing you meete with him, with this king and Lord, but you shall do thus to him, set all your on∣ly comfort, hope, and assurance, vppon your Christe, that hath made your way for you, broken the hedge, and kéepeth the field, and hath for you ouerthrowne the mightie Goliah, and hath brought the blessed victorie home to your doore, as I haue before this time shewed you, and yet againe must sette before your face. For nowe is the time, seeing you are come to the very push, and this your daungerous enimie (that is very terri∣ble vnto the whole worlde) will stande chiefly with you, to bring and driue you from this point, and so lay hande vpon

you. Therfore take to yourselfe the true shielde, which is Christe your defence, whome you shall set against death. For death hath layde hand vpon this inno∣cent Lord, and wearied him without al right and equitie, whereby death euen lost al his strength and might, so that he can do no more, when this Lord laieth hand vpon him, and taketh to him selfe those that be his. Therefore be not a∣fraide, for, Death is swallowed vp in victo∣rie. 1. Cor. 15. You haue a great vordeale or aduauntage, for as much as you haue of your side, the most valiant, and most mightie, which shall neuer be able to be ouercome, yea, him that is Lord both of death & of life. If death come vnto you, would deuour you, wil eate you vp, and swallowe you downe: yet can our Lord God, whiche is the right life it selfe, by his almightie cōming, and might, make you aliue againe, yea, in the middest of death, holde you by life, and make you liue for euer. For you shall not denie or refuse to make this exchaunge, where you shall haue an euerlasting and bles∣sed

life, in stead of a transitorie, peri∣shing, and labourious life, which is ful of miserie, misfortunes, and plagues. Let death take from you such a life, as will last but the twinckling of an eye, which fléeth and passeth away like a shadowe, and our Lorde giue you an euerlasting life. Amen.

Thirtéene, Well nowe (dearly belo∣ued) if your sinne done and committed, do tempt you again, and your sore mis∣déedes which you haue done, & therefore would dismay you, make you faint har∣ted, heauie, & pensiue, as though Christe would disdaine you, bicause of your sin∣nes, and so not take you to him and to his fauour: then shall you set before your eyes, Christ your God and Lorde, as the holy scripture setteth him foorth, & not follow your owne imagination, & your reason. For in the holy Scripture you shal finde here and there, how mar∣uellous comfortable our Lorde Christe hath ben, at all times, to miserable sin∣ners, howe loath he is to contemne or despise the miserable, troubled, assaulted

and sorrowful sinner, howe he doth not withdraw him selfe from them, or with drawe his helpe from them, whiche vn∣doubtedly is a great comfort to al trou∣bled sinfull hearts. For behold and re∣member the whole life of our Lorde Christ, then shall you not only perceiue that he hath not onely taken to his fa∣uour, one or two sinners, & hath taken pitie only vppon them, but he hath floc∣ked into the middest of sinners, wherby he might helpe them foorth of their sin∣nes. First sée his generation, his great grandfather, had he not many sinners in his petigrée, as Iuda by name, Da∣uid, Manasses, Thamar, Rachab, Bar∣saba, and such like, and very many moe. Wherefore doth our faithfull and good Lorde not be ashamed, flée from sor∣rowful and penitent sinners? why doth he not? Surely euen therfore, that ther∣by all sorrowfull sinners shuld the more boldly haue a hartie resort and recourse vnto him, specially séeing that he vppon such sinners, could take and shewe his truth, loue, and friendship, wherby they

might thereby winne and haue a liueli∣er passage and fréedome, to beholde all goodnesse, all trueth and helpe, to be in this only bearer and carrier of our sin∣nes. Beholde further, and looke vpon the birth of our lord Christ, in his birth. So soone as he was borne into y^e world, he suffered him selfe to be séene, made o∣pen, and to be knowne through the An∣gels from heauen, to the poore people, specially to the shepheards in the fielde, there must to them be shewed this com∣fortable ioy, Behold, to you this day is borne a Sauiour. This ioy shal all people haue. There by his Angels is the innocent childe Iesus giuen and declared, first to the poore shepheards, and after that to the whole world. But who be the shep∣heards? who be al people? surely al poore and miserable sinners, for whose sake Christe came, and was borne, to helpe them out of their sinnes. As also then such a name was giuē vnto him, name∣ly Iesus, that is to say, a Sauiour that shall loose his people from their sinnes. Behold also, and sée vprightly, wherfore

was Christe at the eight day circumci∣sed, & so shed his innocent bloud? Sure∣ly for the cause of poore and wretched sinners. For Saint Paule saith, Gala. 4 that, Christ hath yealded him selfe therfore vnder the lawe and circumcision, to the in∣tent he might deliuer them that were vn∣der the lawe. But who were more hard∣ly snarled vnder the lawe, then the wretched sinner? Sée yet to whom did Christ preach, and whome did he turne and conuert? Any other then the poore sinner? To whome hath he friendlier spokē, helped, or counselled, made whole both in body and soule, then euen the poore, cumbred, and sorrowfull sinner? Mark also, with whom did Christ wan∣der, & goe about here through the Iew∣ishe lande, and commaunded that they should preach abroad his wholsome Gos∣pell? Surely with his welbeloued Apo∣stles. But what were they? Wretched sinners, as Matthewe, and likewise Peter: yea, did they not shewe them sel∣ues many times before Christe to be weake, worthy reproch, and fraile? How

oft hath our good Lord friendly rebuked them, taught them, taken in good part their weaknesse, helped them, suffered, and borne with their faults and wants, and yet neither condemned them, nor cast them away: but continually hand∣led them after the best manner, where∣by at the last he might deliuer them frō their sinnes? There hath Christ not on∣ly receiued poore sinners, in so much as he touched the hurt of their soul, but also the harmes of their body. Howe many thousand men hath he many times fedd, when their hunger and néede went in∣to his heart, and he tooke pitie of their miserie? Oh, how many amongest them were miserable sinners, yea, infidels, and not worthy to haue and receiue such goodnesse at Gods hand? How ma∣ny hath he healed in their bodies, from agues, dropsie, and leprosie? Item, such as were lame, crooked, blind, and haun∣ted and possessed with euill spirits? Yea, some he did raise from death it selfe, and alwayes shewed him selfe in all things, as the very true Sauiour of the whole

world, by that meanes to bring the In∣fidels to faith, and to be short, done the best to euery man, and shut out no man that had néede of his helpe, and had cal∣led vpon him, as the holy Euangelistes here and there do euidently and plainly declare. With which louing, comforta∣ble, and gratious examples of Christe, they shew vnto vs his great & vnspeak∣ble loue and mercy, and declare & shew the same vnto vs, with all diligence. Whereby we may learne to knowe a∣right our Lorde Christe, specially that he is therefore come to helpe miserable sinners, both in body and soule, both from temporall and euerlasting hurte, whervnto sathan hath brought al man∣kinde. For, Christe is therefore come, that he should destroy the worke of sathan. 1. Ioh. 3. Whome so euer he helpeth in soule, him helpeth he also in body. And though he doe not alwayes hourely declare the same in this world, yet at Doomes day it will appeare, where he mightily hel∣peth the body out of dust and mire, and all maner of destruction, for euermore.

For he doth helpe in déede: yea, the lon∣ger he séemeth to withdraw his help, he sheweth it afterward more mightily, therefore he is the only comfort and re∣fuge, or helpe, to miserable sinners. Furthermore, Christe hath walked a∣mong sinners, in the middest of them, gone to sinners, and hath runne after them, and deliuered them from their de∣struction, blindnesse, and sin. Shal not all this make worthily a mans heart merrie, and to haue a good conscience, yea, a perfect assurance to all troubled and sorrowful sinners, that they may in all their néedes, sinne, griefe, sorrow, and death, with al their heartes run and come vnto suche a friendly Lorde, that wisheth euery man good, prayeth for it, and doth it, that neuer hath driuē from him any wretched sinner? Yea, they at the last, in his death, were partakers with him on the crosse, that he by the ••peciall foresight of God, shoulde hang betwéene two grieuous offenders, in t••ken that he would willingly dye for miserable sinners, and for their cause

willingly giue him selfe to death: yea, they had their part with him after his glorious resurrection, to signifie there∣by, that he hath not forgotten miserable sinners, albeit that he hath conquered sinne, death, hell, and sathan him selfe, and yet might he well haue let alone this his conquest and triumph, and haue neglected vs miserable sinners. But he hath now sought out miserable sinners, that he might helpe them and comfort them, as namely, vnbeleuing Thomas, the penitent Magdalene, and many mo, as he was going towards heauen, and nowe sitteth at the right hande of God, in great glory and maiestie: yet doth he not at all forget the poore sinners, but o∣pened Sauls eyes, put away all his sin∣nes, and made of him a chosen witnes: yea, euen in these dayes, from time to time, doth our good faithfull Lord with∣out ceassing, take vp sinners vnto him. For what doth he else at the right hand of God, then intreat, speake for, and de∣fend the miserable sinners, as a faithful Attorney, Mediatour, peacemaker, an••

highe priest, reconciler, and continuall king, as he hath taken vp al vs, you and me, and all sorrowfull, repentant, faith∣ful sinners? In mercy he giueth vs now daily his holy Ghost, which doth lighten and purifie our heartes, strengtheneth them, giueth them power, and defen∣deth vs in all our néedes. Therefore be of good comfort, séeing Christe nowe li∣ueth, there can no miserie come vnto you, séeing that Christe sitteth on the right hand of God? Who can doe vs a∣ny harme? Who can condemne vs? If Christ him selfe doe absolue vs, and ac∣counteth vs to be quit, frée, loose, and vn∣bound, and so pronounceth vs? To this Lord do I nowe commend you: let him not depart from your hart. For albeit I must depart hence frō you, & must suf∣fer you to go to death, & neither I nor y^e whole world any more help you: yet wil not this Lorde depart from you, he is with you, and by you in your execution. And he is also faithful vnto you, and so gratious, y^t he wil go with you to death and will plucke you out againe from

him, by his almightie power. Holde you vpon this Lorde by a stedfast faith, for I nowe commend you vnto him with all my heart.

The fourtéenth, Dearely beloued, séeing you shal euē now be caried hence to the place of execution, & shalbe séene of many folkes, take a merrie hearte vnto you, and speake vnto the people, like a man: and louingly, and giue them warning before your death of these thrée pointes following. First, that they will well thinke vppon and remember, the earnest & strong righteousnes of God, and take you before their eyes for an example of Gods Iustice, albeit his iudgement vppon you in comparison of Gods righteous iustice and euerlasting punishment, which ought worthily to stirre and moue all men to the feare of God, but (as it were) a flap with a foxe taile. Secondarily, that they fréely for Gods sake, and of his mercie, euery of them all will forgiue you, forget your fault, and forgiue it, wherewith you at any time haue offended any man, whe∣ther

it be in this place or in any other, for Iesus sake with all their heartes wil forgiue you, where and how soeuer you haue offended any of them, whether it be by word or déede. And that you also doe forgiue from the bottome of your hart willingly, both friend & foe, where∣in soeuer you haue béene offended.

Thirdly, that they will praye to our Lord God truely for you, whereby our Lord God, for his deare sonns sake, may giue vnto you a Christian, and bles∣sed passage out of this miserie, by the ioynt working of the holy ghost. Amen.

Notes

• Iob. 5.
• Prou. 29.
• Hebr. 12.
• Cant. 8.
• •• Cor. 10.
• Iob. 14.
• 1. Pet. 4.
• Iere. 25.
• Psal. 75.
• ••saie. 54.
• Psal. 89.
• •• Cor. 1.
• ••om. 8.
• Gen. 8.
• ••ohn. 1.
• Iohn. 14.
• Iohn. 10.
• Deut. 12.
• Iohn. 11.
• Marke. 11.
• Marke. 9.
• Esaie. 66.
• Psalme 51.
• Psal. 68.
• Ios. 7.
• Matth. 6.
• ••see 6.
• Matth 26.
• ••. Corinth. 15
• Gal. 4.
• ••••hn. 3.