The sanctuarie of saluation, helmet of health, and mirrour of modestie and good maners wherein is contained an exhortation vnto the institution of Christian, vertuous, honest, and laudable life, very behoouefull, holsome and fruitfull both to highest and lowest degrees of men ... / written in Latin verie learnedly and elegantlie by Leuinus Lemnius of Zirizaa, physitian, and Englished by H.K. for the common commoditie and comfort of them which understand not the Latine tongue ...
About this Item
Title
The sanctuarie of saluation, helmet of health, and mirrour of modestie and good maners wherein is contained an exhortation vnto the institution of Christian, vertuous, honest, and laudable life, very behoouefull, holsome and fruitfull both to highest and lowest degrees of men ... / written in Latin verie learnedly and elegantlie by Leuinus Lemnius of Zirizaa, physitian, and Englished by H.K. for the common commoditie and comfort of them which understand not the Latine tongue ...
Author
Lemnius, Levinus, 1505-1568.
Publication
Printed at London :: By Hugh Singleton,
[1592]
Rights/Permissions
This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this text, in whole or in part. Please contact project staff at eebotcp-info@umich.edu for further information or permissions.
Subject terms
Conduct of life -- Early works to 1800.
Christian life -- Early works to 1800.
Cite this Item
"The sanctuarie of saluation, helmet of health, and mirrour of modestie and good maners wherein is contained an exhortation vnto the institution of Christian, vertuous, honest, and laudable life, very behoouefull, holsome and fruitfull both to highest and lowest degrees of men ... / written in Latin verie learnedly and elegantlie by Leuinus Lemnius of Zirizaa, physitian, and Englished by H.K. for the common commoditie and comfort of them which understand not the Latine tongue ..." In the digital collection Early English Books Online 2. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/a05311.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 9, 2024.
Pages
How and by what meanes it may be brought to passe, that death
be not terrible to a man of lewd and naughtie nature.
CHAP. 56.
COnsidering that in humane estate there is nothing permanent,
nothing sure & sted∣fast, but all things, yea euen the best
commen∣ded & most approued, are momentanie, fraile, transitorie, and doe
soone faile and fall: there is no cause why a man should greatly loue,
like, extoll, and esteeme the same, and be de∣lighted withall more then is
meete: but ra∣ther erect and lift vp his minde and heart vnto the heauenly
habitations, and regarde, consider, meditate, and muse vpon thinges
perfect, sure, and eternall. For whosoeuer fixeth in his heart vndoubted
trust in GOD the father by Christ Iesus, and thereupon
descriptionPage 180
groundeth the sure hope and expectation of
immortalitie, he need not feare any imminent chaunces and
endammagements, he hath 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cause to dread sicknesse, calamities,
daungers, no nor finally death, whereof those men spe∣cially be sore
afrayd, who are destitute of the Spirit of God, & not endued with any
know∣ledge of the deitie. For they which put the•• confidence in GOD, being
strengthened and supported with his holy spirit, doe boldly and manly,
without any feare or discouraging, stand and abide against all
aduersities. For as S. Paule saith,
We haue not
receiued the spirit of bondage, or of feare, but the spirit of adoption, of
power, and of loue, by whom we boldly cry Ab∣ba, father. Herein,
saith S. Iohn,is the loue
per∣fect with vs, that we should haue trust in the day of iudgement. There
is no feare in loue but per∣fect loue casteth out all feare, for feare bringeth
painfulnesse or trembling dread. Therefore to the end we may shake
off all feare, and driue out of our minds all dread of death, and what∣soeuer
it be that causeth trembling horror, let vs cast all our care on our
bountifull father; and referre and erect all our thoughts, our hope, our prayers, and our whole trust and confidence vnto him, and vnto
Iesus Christ, who hath purged, cleansed, and cleared vs with his
bloud, and hath
deliuered vs and set vs at libertie from sinne, and from the tyran∣nie
descriptionPage 181
of death, and hath blotted out, rased, and quite
cancelled the obligation or handwri∣ting which was against vs, wherewith
wee were bound, and as it were indebted to the diuell. Moreouer, Christ our
Sauiour, to the end he might comfort and fortifie mens feare∣full minds, and
declare that all our hope and trust consisteth and resteth in him,
saith thus,
Be of good comfort, I haue
ouercome the world. Now is the Prince of this world iudged, that is to
say, he which brought in death, is repulsed by my death, and condemned in
iudgement, and deposed from his power to doe hurt, whereof hee is depriued.
The Prince of this world
commeth, and hath not any thing in mee. By the comfort of which words he
sheweth manifestly, that Satan, and those which in this world by sinne are his
confederates, hath no power against Christ or his members which cleaue vnto
him, and bee graffed in him
by faith. These holesome and liuely sermons worke this effect in the
mindes of those men which leane and trust vnto his defence, that casting
away the feare of death, they lustily, cheerefully, and couragiously
enuirone and fortifie themselues against any assaults, or in∣uasions
of troubles, or calamities whatsoeuer, and declare their inuincible
magnanimitie, and with great confidence breake forth into these words:
Myne eyes are euer looking
vnto
descriptionPage 182
the Lord, for he shall plucke my feete out of the
nette.The Lord is my light, and my
saluation, whom then shall I feare? The Lord is the defen∣der of my life,
of whom then shall I be afrayed▪ If an hoast of men were layed
agaynst me, yet shall not my heart bee afrayed:I will not feare thousands
of people that compasse mee about. If there rise vp warre agaynst mee,
yet my hope is in him.Though I walke in the
middest of the shadowe of death, I will feare no euill, for thou art with
mee.Though hee kill mee, I will put
my trust in him: that is to say, If he cast vpon mee the horrour of
death, and if I must b•…•… spoyled of my life, yet for all that I will
trust in him, who by his prouidence will make a way and vse meanes to
saue mee.
The Lord is my
helper, I will not feare what flesh shall do vnto mee. And that
saying of Ieremie.Behold, say they, where is
the word of the Lord? Let 〈◊〉〈◊〉 come. And I was not troubled, following this
the sheepeheard, and thou knowest, I haue not desired the day of
man: that is,
I looke not
for helpe of any other, but of thee, so that I re∣gard not a whit, neither
doe I feare them which threaten my death. Be not thou a terror vnto mee, O
my hope, in the day of my affliction. Let them be afeard, but let not me
feare.
Saint Paule being inflamed with the same feruent and
ardent zeale of faith, and trusting vnto the ayde and protection of GOD,
pro∣nounceth
descriptionPage 183
assuredly, and boldly, that there is
nothing in the world so dreadfull or horrible, that can put godly mens mindes
in feare, of plucke them away from the loue of GOD and sure trust reposed
in him. For I surely perswade my selfe, saith he,that neither death, neither life, neither
angels or inuisible spirites, neither principalities or powers, neither
things now at hand, nor things to come, neither any o∣ther creature, shall be
able to separate vs from the loue of GOD which is in Christ Iesus our
Lord.
So S. Paule doth constantly shewe, that he which is
graft in GOD the father by Christ, doth valiantly, fearing nothing, stand
and a∣bide agaynst all manner terrours, how or whence soeuer they happen,
agaynst the in∣uasions, furious rage, and raging noyse of ene∣mies,
agaynst the horrour of death, which
either enemies or foes doe threaten, or which sicknesse accelerateth, or
the lawe of nature bringeth. Seeing therefore that there is no∣thing more effectuall to
deliuer mens minds from the feare and great dread of death, then sure and
stedfast trust in GOD through Christ our leader, guide and Captaine,
whereby we conceiue most sure and vndoubted hope of resurrection, and
most assured expecta∣tion of euerlasting life: vnto this most sure
descriptionPage 184
refuge let all men make all speede possible▪
and bend all their endeuour, let euery one of vs embrace, accept, loue, and
imprint in his heart this holesome and heauenly doctrine▪ herewith let
all men comfort, stay, and streng∣then themselues in all daungers,
distresse, and imminent extremities: herewith let them ap∣pease and
quiet their conscience, and with the meditation hereof let them put away all
sorowe of heart, and shake off heauinesse and mourning, which they
conceiue, when they are depriued either of parents or of children Hereunto
belongeth that liuely consolation of the Apostle, wherewith he comforteth
the Thessalonians with cōstant expectation of the
resurrection & sure hope of eternall life, and willeth them to refraine
from weeping, and not to mourne and make lamentation for their friends departed
and taken away from amongst the liuing, as the Ethnickes or hea∣then vse to
doe. I would not brethren, saith he,that yee should bee ignorant concerning them which are fallen a
sleepe, (being brought to rest as it were with, sleepe, and not with
death)
that yee sorrowe not nor take griefe, as
other doe which haue no hope of returning to life againe.For if wee beleeue
that Iesus dyed and liued a∣gaine, euen so them also which are fallen a
sleepe by Iesus, God will b••ing with him. And a∣gaine,
descriptionPage 185
when he withdraweth the Philippians from
worldly things, and reduceth them to thinges sure, incorruptible and perfect,
hee saith,
Our conuersation is in
heauen, out of the which wee looke for the Lord Iesus Christ, who will
transfigure our base bodie, and make it in fashion like vnto his glorious
bodie, according to the mightie working whereby he is able to sub∣due all
things to himselfe.In which wordes Saint Paule admonisheth them, to
comfort, strengthen and fortifie themselues in all their afflictions, with
the loue and longing desire of eternitie, and in the conflict of this life to
bee afrayd of nothing that may withdrawe or call vs away from that farre better
life, to the which Christ hath opened vs the way by the power of his
resurrection. Wherfore whē we
come to the last day of our life, and when death is euen hard at hand, which
euery man feareth, vnlesse he consolate and corroborate himselfe in
Christ, or when any meditation hereof commeth into the minds of them that be
sound and well in health, or if pouertie, or sicknesse, or miserie,
or any other daungers and perills of this life doe oppresse and af∣flict
vs: let vs then, and at all times, referre all our petitions, hope, and
desires vnto Christ Iesus, who by his death hath payed the penal∣tie, and
suffered the punishment that was due
descriptionPage 186
to vs, who hath forgiuen vs all our sinnes who is
the propitiation for our offences, who is our aduocate, as Saint Iohn
saith, our inter∣cessor and
spokesman vnto GOD the father, who is the reconciler of GOD and man, and
who, as Saint Paule saith,
hath giuen and
offe∣red vp himselfe a redemption, raunsome, offe∣ring, and sacrifice for
all men. In him onely consisteth our saluation, life, and
resurrection.
By him wee haue accesse
and entraunce in one spirit vnto the father.By his bloud
shed wee haue obtayned redemption and remission of si•…•…. Because it
well pleased the father that in him should all fulnesse dwell, and by
him to reconcile vnto himselfe all things being pacified by his bloud.Seeing therefore that wee haue such a great, such a worthie, and such
an excellent high Priest, as saith the author to the
Hebrewes,who hath pierced the
heauens, euen Iesus the sonne of God, who being tempted by all me 〈◊〉〈◊〉
without sinne, feeleth and hath compassion on our infirmities:Let vs come with trustie bold∣nesse vnto the throne of
grace, that wee may ob∣taine mercie to helpe in time of our neede. For wee
being succoured with the defence and protection, and stronglie enuironed
and fenced with the garde of such a renowmed Captaine, doe valiantly
withstand and con∣stantly
descriptionPage 187
abide against all
monstrous mischiefes of diuels, which
forthwith vanish away as∣soone as the light of the trueth ariseth;
a∣gaynst sinne, death, and hell: and so wee are brought out of the
daungerous watch and watchfull warfare of this life vnto that desired and
happie hauen, and most blessed habita∣tion in heauen. Wherefore if any
dammage, detriment, in conuenience, misfortune, or mi∣serie shall come to a
man in the swift running course of this life, if any man happen to be cast or
brought into any daunger of his life, to bee pinched with pouertie, to bee
afflicted with sicknesse, to bee vexed of enemies, if desolation and
calamitie fall vpon him, if his wickednesses and iniquities abound, if the
innocent and giltlesse be oppressed and killed, if sounde and
holesome doctrine bee contemned, if heresies and pernicious sects and
opinions growe vp, if peruerse errours bee sowne abroad on euery side: in
all this so great confusion and troublous tumult of worldlie affayres, let euerie man betake and committe himselfe vnto
Christ, and seeke the assurance of saluation at and of him onelie,
rest and trust whollie in him and vpon him, staye and strengthen
him∣selfe on him as on the sacred anchor, and
descriptionPage 188
finally eftsoones meditate and ruminate in his minde that constant
profession of Dauid
I will set the Lord
alwayes in my sight, for hee is on my right hand, so that I shall not bee
mooued nor troubled. In which wordes hee sheweth that hee hath his eyes
still continually fixed on GOD, and that he trusteth in his defence, and
that by his helpe hee abideth stedfast in daungerous and doubtfull matters,
and wa∣uereth not, nor is carried about with any winde of doctrine, but is stable and con∣stant, and is not
mooued away from that trust which hee hath reposed in GOD, euen for this
cause onely, because he findeth God fauourable and inclined to mercie, and to assist him in all things; so that
boldlie hee breaketh foorth into these wordes:
Behold the Lord is my
helper, and my heart hath tru∣sted in him, and I am helped, and my flesh
hath flourished much in him, and willingly and gladly will I confesse
vnto him.