  The Consolation of the Sick
  which is an Instruction in Faith, 
  and the Way of Salvation 
  to prepare Believers to die willingly

  Since  Adam was created just and good, that  is to say, holy,
  righteous and  immortal, and dominion given  him over all the
  creatures which God had  created; and whereas he did not long
  remain in  this state,  but has  through the subtlety  of the
  Devil and his own rebellion fallen from this excellent glory,
  whereby he  has brought  upon us  the misery of  temporal and
  eternal death; this is the original sin of which David speaks
  in the  51st Psalm, saying, I  was shaped in iniquity  and in Ps.51:5
  sin did  my mother conceive  me: In like manner  Paul says to
  the Romans, That by  one man sin entered  into the world, and Rom.5:12
  death  by sin, and death  passed upon  all men, for  that all
  have  sinned.  For  as  soon  as  Adam  was thus  fallen,  he
  immediately  came under  a  certain  curse,  as  we  read  in
  Genesis, where God  says, Cursed is the  ground for thy sake, Gen.3:17,
  in sorrow shalt thou eat of  it all the days of thy life,  in 19
  the sweat of thy face shalt thou  eat bread, till thou return
  unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: For dust thou
  art,  and unto  dust shalt thou  return. Whence  we certainly
  know, that all things which receive life, must once die. This
  David clearly testifies, saying,  What man is he that liveth, Ps.89:48
  and shall  not see death?  For Solomon says,  The living know Eccl.9:5
  that they shall die. For here we have no continuing city, but Heb.13:14
  we seek one to come. And to the Hebrews, That it is appointed
  unto men once  to die, but, but after this the  judgment. For Heb.9:27
  as the  Scripture says:  We must  needs all  die, and are  as 2 Sam.14:
  water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. 14
  For our days are  like the  days of a  hireling, and  swifter Job 9:25
  than a post. And we pass away (says David) like a stream, yea
  like a leaf which the wind driveth away, and a withered stalk
  and a  garment moth-eaten.  For the  dust must return  to the
  earth, as it was, and the spirit unto God who gave it; as Job Eccl.12:7
  says, We are  ashes and must return  to ashes. Likewise James
  says, That man's life is even  a vapour that appeareth  for a Jam.4:14
  little time  and then  vanisheth away.  Yea our  time passeth
  away as a cloud and is consumed like a mist, and vanisheth as
  a shadow. And Peter also says (quoting from Isaiah), That all
  flesh is as grass, and all the glory of men, as the flower of 1 Pet.1:
  grass;  the grass  withereth, and the flower  thereof falleth 24
  away. Again Jesus Syrach  says, This is the old covenant, you
  must die;  --the one  today and  the other tomorrow,  like as
  green  leaves upon  a tree,  some fall  off, and  others grow
  again: Thus it goes with mankind, some die and some are born.
  As Solomon  says, To every thing there is a season, a time to Eccl.3:
  be born, and a time to die.                                   1,2

  And this time is in  the hands of the Lord, as Job  says, Man Job 14:5
  has his  appointed time,  the number  of his months  are with
  him, he has  appointed our bounds that  we cannot pass. Which
  Paul also  says, That  God has  determined the  times  before Acts 7:26
  appointed,  and the  bounds  of their  habitation. And  David
  says, That our days  are as a hand-breadth  by the Lord,  and Ps.39:5
  our age is  as nothing before  him: How vain are all  men who
  live  so unconcernedly?  For  our days  are  lighter  than  a Job 7:6
  weaver's  shuttle, and swifter than a  post. Moreover, we are Job 9:25
  here only  pilgrims and strangers  for a short  time. For the Heb.11:13
  days  of our  years are threescore years  and ten,  and if by
  reason of  strength they  be fourscore  years,  yet is  their Ps.90:10
  strength,  labour and sorrow; for  it is soon cut off, and we
  fly  away. And when we live long we  live a hundred years: As
  drops of water are to the  sea, so are our years to eternity.
  And Peter says, That one  day is with the Lord as a  thousand 2 Pet.3:8
  years, and a thousand years as one day, even so are our years
  to eternity.

  Whereas then we must  all die, according  to holy  Scripture,
  who would  not earnestly  wish for  death, when we  behold in
  what state and  ruin we are plunged  through Adam, namely, in
  all unrighteousness, misery and trouble; inasmuch that we are
  wicked, and inclined to wickedness from our very infancy. For
  as Paul  says, We  are by nature  the children  of wrath, and Eph.2:3
  reprobate unto every  good work, having nothing  of ourselves Tit.1:16
  but sin. And David also says, There  is none that does  good, Ps.14:1
  they are  all gone aside, they  are altogether become filthy.
  For the good that we would,  we do not, by reason of sin that Rom.7:19
  dwells in us. Of this inherent sin, David witnesseth, That we
  are conceived and born  in sin, and proceed  in the same. For Ps.51
  the inclination of men's hearts is to evil from their youth.

  Since we thus lie under  the wrath of God, and in the  shadow
  of death,  yea in  hell and damnation,  therefore Christ  the
  light  of  the  world  appeared  unto  us,  and  the  sun  of
  righteousness is risen:  Who was delivered for  our offenses,
  and  was raised  again for  our justification,  and  has also Rom.4:25
  quickened us when we  were dead in sin,  and has forgiven  us
  our  sins, and blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that Col.2:14
  was  against us, and took it out of the way, and nailed it on
  the cross; whereby he  has triumphed over all our enemies, as
  death, Satan,  hell and  the curse  of the  law, as  God  has
  spoken  by the Prophet Hosea, O death, where  is thy sting? O
  grave, where is thy victory? Thanks be to God, which gives us 1 Cor.15:
  the  victory, through  our Lord  Jesus  Christ, who  has also 55,57
  (according to  the promise  of God)  bruised the head  of the
  Devil, in whose power we were kept captives, by reason of the
  transgressions of sin.

  God to  the end that he might deliver us therefrom, has given
  us his  dearest pledge, namely  his only beloved  Son in whom
  the Father is well pleased, and commands us to hear him. Whom
  he has  given for a  propitiation and  a ransom.  For God  so John 3:16
  loved the  world, that  he gave  his only begotten  Son; that
  whosoever  believeth  in  him should  not  perish,  but  have
  everlasting life. Also in this was manifested the love of God
  towards us, because that  God sent his only begotten Son into 1 John 4:
  the world, that we might  live through him. And  this is life 9
  eternal (says Christ),  that they  might know  thee the  only
  true God,  and Jesus  Christ whom thou hast  sent. He  is the
  true  Messiah, who  came into  the world  in the  fullness of John 1:
  time, true God to crush the  power of the Devil; and true man 17,3
  to be  our mediator before  God, that he  might deliver those
  who  were captive  under  the law.  He is  that  lamb without
  blemish, that was wounded and offered for our transgressions,
  to  be a  propitiation for  all our  sins, as  Isaiah clearly
  testifies. And  he who was  rich, for our  sakes became poor, 2 Cor.8
  that we through  his poverty might be  rich, for he has given
  unto   us,  all  his  goods,   all  his  benefits,   all  his
  righteousness, merits and holiness. Therefore we must embrace
  him in faith, and be thankful to him with love and obedience.
  And who would not love  him who first loved us? In that  when
  we were yet his  enemies, he delivered and reconciled us, how Rom.5:18
  much more  being reconciled, shall  we be saved  by his life?
  For how  can one have greater love, than to lay down his life John 15:
  for his  friends? Which Christ  as a good  shepherd has done, 13
  who has  been obedient  to his  Father, unto death,  even the
  death of  the cross,  and was  made a  little lower than  the Phil.2:8
  angels,  for the  suffering of death, crowned  with glory and Heb.2:9
  honour; that he by  the grace of  God should taste death  for
  every man. Also he is the true  Samaritan who has poured  oil Luke 10:
  and wine in our wounds, that is to say, he has poured out his 34
  precious  blood  or  our sins,  and  bought  us  with  such a
  precious price.  For we  are not  (says Peter)  redeemed with 1 Pet.1:
  gold or silver, but with the  precious blood of Christ, as of 18,19
  a  lamb without  blemish  and without  spot. For  we  are not
  redeemed by  the blood  of goats or  calves, but  by his  own Heb.9:12
  blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained
  eternal redemption for us: Who has also delivered us from the
  power of darkness, and  has translated us into the kingdom of Col.1:
  his  dear Son,  in whom  we have  the redemption  through his 13,14
  blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

  Since  we certainly know  this, that  we only  obtain eternal
  salvation, without our merits (for we have none, wherefore we
  are   unprofitable   servants),   through   the   death   and
  resurrection  of Christ,  we must therefore come  boldly unto Heb.4:16
  the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace
  to help in time of need. And since we always stand in need of
  help, we must go unto him; for he says, by the Prophet David,
  Call upon me in the day  of trouble, and I will deliver thee. Ps.50:15
  And although  a mother  might forsake  her child, yet  will I
  never  forsake thee, as  Christ himself  says in  the gospel:
  Come unto me  all ye that  labour and  are heavy laden  and I Matt.11:
  will give you rest,  and ye shall find rest unto your  souls. 28,29
  To whom else should we go? He has the words  of eternal life, John 6:68
  and life is made manifest in  him. He is that heavenly manna,
  which eternally satisfies  our souls, that heavenly  bread of
  which he  that eateth through faith, shall  never hunger, and
  whosoever drinketh of his blood shall never thirst.

  Again  Christ says  by  the  Apostle John,  Let  him  that is Rev.22:17
  a-thirst, come  and take  the water  of life freely:  He that John 7:38
  believeth on me, as the Scripture has said, out of this belly
  shall flow  rivers of living water,  which are the operations
  of the Holy  Ghost: Whosoever drinketh of  that living water, John 4:14
  shall  never thirst,  for the  water that  I shall  give him,
  shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting
  life.  As God has said  by the Prophet  Isaiah, Ho, every one Isa.55:1
  that  thirsteth, come  ye to the waters,  and he  that has no
  money, come ye,  buy and  eat; yea come, buy  wine and  milk,
  without money and without  price. Therefore let us go to this
  fountain for our  refreshment, and not to broken  wells which
  contain no  water, For of  his fullness have  we all received John 1:
  grace for  grace: For the law  was given by  Moses, but grace 16,17
  and truth came by Jesus Christ.

  He is the true mediator who  stands between God and us, to be
  our  advocate against  all  our  accusers: For  there  is one 1 Tim.2:5
  mediator between God and  man, the man Christ Jesus. For this Heb.9:15
  cause  he is  also a mediator of  the New  Testament, that by
  means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that
  were under  the first testament, they  which are called might
  receive the promise  of an eternal inheritance.  Wherefore he
  is able also to  save them to  the uttermost, that come  unto Heb.7:25
  God by  him, seeing he  ever liveth to  make intercession for
  us; with  which the Apostle  John agreeing, says,  If any man
  sin, we  have an advocate  with the Father,  Jesus Christ the 1 John 2:
  righteous. He is  the propitiation for our  sins: And not for 1,2
  ours only, but also  for the sins of  the whole world: Namely
  for all peoples and nations of the whole world, who sincerely
  repent and  turn themselves to  God: For the  lamb was slain,
  from the  beginning of  the world  for  believers, as  Christ
  himself says, That Abraham saw his day and was glad.          John 8:
                                                                56,5

  Thus we see that God  is no respecter of persons. For God  is Acts 10:
  not only  the  God of  the Jews,  but of  the Gentiles  also: 34
  Namely he is  a God who justifies  the circumcision by faith, Rom.3:
  and uncircumcision through faith;  for he has justified us by 29,30
  faith, without the deeds of the law, after which manner David
  also speaks, that salvation is only come unto the man to whom
  God  imputes  righteousness  without  works,  where  he says,
  Blessed is  he whose transgression is  forgiven, whose sin is Ps.32:1,2
  covered. Blessed is  the man unto whom  the Lord imputeth not
  iniquity.

  Therefore being justified by  faith, we have peace with  God, Rom.5:1
  through  our Lord  Jesus Christ,  by whom  we have  a certain
  access into the holy place, by his blood, whereby he has made
  peace between God and us; for he is our true peace, wherefore
  we have nothing  to fear. For Paul says, If God be for us who Rom.8:
  can  be against us? Who shall lay any  thing to the charge of 31,33-35
  God's  elect? It  is  God  that justifieth,  who  is  he that
  condemneth? It is Christ  that died, yea rather that is risen
  again,  who is  even at  the  right hand  of God,  who maketh
  intercession for us;  who shall separate us  from the love of  
  Christ? Shall  tribulation, or  distress, or persecution,  or
  famine, or nakedness, or peril or  sword? Therefore though we
  have the daily actual and other sins remaining in us, we must
  not despair. For the Prophet Isaiah says, Though your sins be
  as scarlet,  they shall be  as white as snow;  though they be Isa.1:18
  red like crimson,  they shall  be as wool.  And this  is done  
  through Jesus  Christ, who  has washed  away our sins  by his  
  blood, of which baptism is a sign; and the Lord's Supper is a
  token  unto us,  that  we are  redeemed by  the  sacrifice of
  Christ once  offered on the  cross, that he  might deliver us Tit.2:24
  from the  wrath to  come, and  all iniquity; and  purify unto
  himself a  peculiar people, zealous of  good works, by  which
  the Lord may be praised.

  We then knowing for certain, that we are reconciled to God by
  Jesus Christ, ought (according to the word of God) to have an
  earnest desire  of being delivered from this  mortal body, by
  which we  must come to  that glorious inheritance  of all the
  children of  God, which is  prepared for us  in heaven. This,
  Paul, that  chosen vessel  of God,  desired, when he  says, O
  wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of Rom.7:24
  this death? Moreover he says, We know that if our own earthly 2 Cor.5:1
  house of  this tabernacle were dissolved,  we have a building
  of  God,  eternal  in the  heavens;  for  in  this  we groan,
  earnestly desiring to be clothed  upon, with our house  which 2 Cor.5:
  is from  heaven, and  we are always  confident, knowing  that 2,6,8
  whilst we are  at home in  the body,  we are absent  from the
  Lord; therefore we  are willing rather to  be absent from the
  body,  and to be present  with the Lord.  Again Paul says, We
  know that the  whole creation groaneth with  us, and not only Rom.8:22
  they, but we  ourselves groan within ourselves, who  have the
  first fruits of the  spirit, waiting for the adoption, to wit
  the redemption  of our  body. And  since we are  pilgrims and
  strangers, who would not desire  to be at home  in his native
  country? For here we walk in absence,  and in faith, but  not
  in sight.  For now  we see through a  glass darkly,  but then 1 Cor.12:
  face to  face, as he is. Who would not long after this sight, 12
  since  we see that the holy men of  God have craved after it?
  As we read in  the 42nd Psalm, As the  hart panteth after the
  water brooks, so panteth my soul  after thee, O God!  My soul
  thirsteth for God, for the living God; when shall I  come and
  appear before God? My tears have been my meat, day and night,
  while they  continually say unto  me, where is  thy God? This
  unutterable glorious sight of God is so great (as the prophet
  says),  That eye  has not  seen, nor  ear heard,  neither has Isa.64:4
  entered  into the  heart  of  man the  things  which  God has 1 Cor.2:9
  prepared for them that live him. Again David says, that a day
  in the courts of  the Lord, is better than  a thousand; yea I Ps.84:10
  had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of God, than to dwell Ps.34:1,4
  long  in  the  tents  of  wickedness.  How  amiable  are  thy Ps.36:8,9
  tabernacles, O Lord  of Host! Blessed are  they that dwell in
  thy house: They  will be still praising  thee. And they shall
  be abundantly  satisfied with the  fatness of  thy house, and
  thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For  
  with thee  is the fountain of life, in thy light shall we see
  light; this is the delightful mansion, of which Christ  spoke John 14:
  by John, In my Father's house are  many mansions, if it  were 2,3
  not so,  I would have told  you. I go to prepare  a place for
  you, I come again  and receive you unto myself, that where  I
  am there may  ye be also; namely  in the new Jerusalem, which
  has no need of the sun, neither of the moon, for the glory of Rev.21:23
  God lightens it, and the lamb is the light thereof. There God
  will wipe all tears away from our eyes, and death shall be no
  more. Which is the last enemy that God will trample under his
  feet. There  God has  prepared a glorious  wedding, where  we
  shall sit  at the  table of  the Lord together  with Abraham,
  Isaac and Jacob: And blessed are they  who are called to this
  wedding or supper.

  We cannot come to this supper by any other means than through
  death, therefore Paul  says, For to me  to live is Christ and Phil.1:21
  to die  is gain.  And as  soon as  the  faithful depart  from
  hence, they enter into  eternal rest, as Christ says, Where I John 12:
  am  there shall also my servant be: Again,  He that hearth my 26
  Word and believeth in  him that sent me, has everlasting life John 5:24
  and  shall not  come into  condemnation,  but is  passed from
  death unto life. Which is  also plainly to be observed in the
  malefactor, when  he prayed and said,  Lord remember me  when
  thou  comest into thy kingdom. Upon which Christ answered him Luke 23:
  Today  shalt thou  be  with  me in  Paradise:  Therefore Paul 42,43
  justly said (agreeable to this), I desire to depart and to be Phil.1:23
  with Christ. Solomon likewise says, That dust  must return to Eccl.12:7
  the earth  as it was, and the  spirit unto Goad who  gave it.
  Which  also evidently  appears  in the  example of  Enoch and
  Elias,  who  were  both  taken  up  into  heaven,  where  our
  citizenship and conversation is: from whence also we look for Phil.3:
  the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile 20,21
  body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.

  And we cannot  arrive to this state  of glory, unless through
  such tribulation, of which Jesus Syrach elegantly speaks:  My
  son (says  he), if thou come  to serve the Lord,  prepare thy
  soul for temptation: In  which thou shalt also rejoice,  thou
  who has for  a short time, mourned  with much temptation. But 1 Pet.5:
  the God  of all grace,  who has  called us  unto his  eternal 10
  glory by  Christ Jesus, after  that ye have  suffered a while
  will  make  you perfect,  stablish,  strenghten,  settle you.
  Again Paul  says, If  so be  that we  suffer with Christ,  we Rom.8:
  shall also be glorified together.  For the sufferings of this 17,18
  present time,  are not  to be  compared with the  glory which 2 Cor.4:
  shall be revealed  to us. For our  affliction is temporal and 17
  light, but works  an eternal  and exceeding weight of  glory.
  And David said, Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes Ps.30:5
  in the morning. Therefore rejoice, that  when his glory shall 1 Pet.4:
  be revealed  ye may be  glad also with  exceeding joy: Christ 13
  has also suffered without  the gate, therefore let us also go Heb.13:
  forth unto  him without the  camp, bearing  his reproach. For 12,13
  herein has Christ  left us an example,  that we should follow 1 Pet.2:
  his steps. Again Peter says,  "forasmuch then, as Christ  has 21
  suffered  for us  in the flesh, arm  yourselves likewise with 1 Pet.4:1
  the same mind: For he that suffers  in the flesh ceaseth from
  sin.  Moreover  the  Apostle  James  also  says,  My  beloved Jam.1:2
  brethren,  count   it  all  joy  when  you   fall  in  divers Rom.5:
  temptations,   And   Paul   likewise   says,   We  glory   in 3-5
  tribulations, knowing that tribulation worketh patience,  and
  patience, experience;  and experience  hope, and  hope maketh
  not  ashamed.  For which  reason  we  must  not  despise  the
  chastening of the Lord, when we are rebuked of him;  for whom
  the Lord  loveth he chasteneth,  and he  scourgeth, every son
  whom he  receiveth; which may  be seen  at large in the  12th Jam.5:
  chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews.  Be therefore patient, 8-10
  and  establish your  hearts, for  the coming  up of  the Lord
  draweth nigh.  Take  also  the  prophets  for an  example  of
  suffering  affliction, and  of patience; we count  them happy
  which endure, for we  have heard of the patience of Job,  and
  have seen the end of the Lord, who have left us an example of Heb.2:9 
  perseverance.  For we  see that  Christ for the  suffering of Matt.10:
  death, has been  crowned with never fading  honour. Therefore 22
  Christ also says, He that endureth to the end shall be saved: 2 Tim.4:
  And the Apostle Paul says, I have fought a good fight, I have 7,8
  finished my  course, I have kept the  faith, henceforth there
  is laid  up for me  a crown of righteousness,  which the Lord
  shall give  me; and  not only to  me, but unto all  them that Jam.1:12
  love his appearing. Likewise  James says, Blessed is  the man
  that  endureth temptation,  for when  he is  tried, he  shall
  receive the  crown of  life, which  the Lord has  promised to
  them, that love him.

  To obtain this crown of righteousness, we must manfully fight
  against  all  our  enemies,  who  attack  us  on  all  sides:
  Particularly  against the  wiles of the Devil,  against which
  put on the whole armour  of God, with which you will be  able
  to withstand the  Devil and all his  might. Peter speaking of 1 Pt.5:
  his fight  says, That  the Devil  walketh about as  a roaring 8,9
  lion seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the
  faith, and he will flee from you. This victory and resistance
  we have of  God through Christ, who  tramples the Devil under
  our feet, in whose power  and bonds we were bound. He is  the
  prince of this  world whom Christ  has cast out; and  we have
  likewise  through  him  obtained  the victory,  and  are also
  through faith  made partakers of  him. He is  the old serpent
  who  seeks to devour us who did devour our first parents, and
  who still  bites us  in the  heel, wherefore  he is called  a
  murderer from the beginning.

  Therefore we must be  diligent on our guard against his wiles
  as Peter says, Be sober and watch unto prayer. For as  Christ 1 Pet.4:7
  says, We know neither  the day nor the hour wherein the  Lord
  will come. But  this ye  know that,  if the  good man of  the Matt.25:
  house had known in  what hour the thief  would come, he would 13
  have watched. Be ye ready therefore also, for  the Son of Man Luke 12:
  will come at an hour when we watch not, but begin to beat our 39,40,45,
  fellow-servants, and  to eat  and drink  with the  drunkards, 46
  then the Lord will come and cut us in sunder, and our portion
  will be  with  the hypocrites:  there  will  be  weeping  and
  gnashing of teeth, there the worm never dies, and the fire is Mark 9:44
  not quenched. For we certainly know that the day  of the Lord
  will come as a  thief in the night, when  we shall say, Peace 2 Pet.3:
  and safety,  then sudden  destruction will  come upon  us, as 10
  travail  upon a  woman with  child.  Therefore  take heed  to
  yourselves  lest at any time your  hearts be overcharged with
  surfeiting  and drunkenness  and cares  of this life,  and so Luke 21:
  that  day come  upon  you unawares.  For as  a  snare, or  as 34
  lightning which  comes suddenly,  shall it  come  on us  all.
  Watch therefore  and pray always,  that ye  may be  accounted Luke 21:
  worthy to escape all these  things, that shall  come to pass, 35,36
  and to stand undaunted before the Son of Man.

  But this worthiness  to stand before the  Son of Man consists
  in a pure undefiled  and immovable faith which works  through
  love, by  which we  receive and  embrace Christ with  all his
  merits and benefits. Which faith we must show by a pure life,
  as James says.  And of this purity  Christ speaks by Matthew, Matt.5:8
  Blessed are the  pure in heart, for  they shall see  God. And
  the principal purity  lies in the heart,  for as Christ says,
  Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders,  adulteries, Matt.15:
  fornication,  thefts,  false witness  and blasphemies:  these 19,20
  things defile man. Therefore the fruits of the spirit follow, Gal.5:
  which  are,  love, joy,  peace,  long  suffering, gentleness, 22,23
  goodness,  faith,   meekness,  chastity,  righteousness,  and
  truth. Therefore unless we  are born again, we cannot see the Matt.3:3
  kingdom  of God.  Yea as  Christ says,  Except ye  repent and
  become as children  (to wit in  sin) ye shall not  enter into Mark 10:
  the kingdom of heaven. There shall nothing enter into it that 14
  defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a Rev.21:27
  lie, as Paul likewise clearly testifieth.

  Since then the law of  Cod requires this perfection of us, as
  it  is written, Cursed  is every  one who  does not  keep the
  whole  law; as James  also says,  Whosoever offendeth  in one Jam.2:10
  point, he  is guilty  of all.  Again whosoever does  the law,
  shall live  by it: But we  do not keep the  least commandment
  perfectly. As the wise man says, When we imagine to have done
  we only begin  (and in  case we  did do  it, we  only do  our
  duty),  wherefore we  are  by  the  law  condemned  in  God's
  righteous judgment; for this  we have a sure remedy and cure,
  namely Christ  who has  redeemed us  (as Paul says)  from the Gal.3:13
  curse of the law,  and has satisfied the righteousness of God
  for us, making reconciliation;  and who has  broken down  the
  wall which  was  between us,  namely the  law,  contained  in
  ordinances,   and  forgiven   us  our  sins,  and   torn  the
  handwriting of  them, and  nailed it  to the cross:  For this
  great love of  Christ, we ought also  to love him,  and to be
  thankful to  him, with good  works, and verily  to believe in
  him, for  the gift of  these excellent benefits:  For he that
  comes to God, must believe that he is a rewarder of them that Heb.11:6
  seek him; for the just shall live by his faith.  Therefore we Heb.2:4
  conclude that a man  is justified by faith, without the deeds Rom.3:28
  of  the law; and although  we suffer a little with Christ, we
  must not despair, for we  see that Christ himself when he was
  smote  for  our  sins,  did  not  smite  again, but  suffered
  patiently.

  And if the ungodly live in great prosperity, as David and the
  prophets  testify, we  must not marvel, neither  stumble, but
  comfort  ourselves,   being  assured   that  their   end   is
  everlasting death. He lets them go as sheep to the slaughter,
  therefore it is to be wondered at that the faithful meet with
  still more crosses in comparison to the glorious joy which is
  prepared for them, and on the contrary, that the ungodly have
  still more prosperity,  than they have, in  comparison to the
  dreadful damnation which attends them. Therefore if the trial
  of believers is not alike, so neither shall the  resurrection
  of the dead be alike.

  And in  this we have  great comfort, that  all believers will
  rise at the last  day; of which Paul  reasoning, says, If the
  dead  rise  not,  then  is  not  Christ  risen, then  is  our
  preaching vain, and we  are found false witnesses of God. The 1 Cor.15
  manner of our resurrection we may read in the 37th chapter of
  Ezekiel, how that we shall rise with flesh and bones. And Job
  also says, I know that my redeemer liveth, and will hereafter Job 19
  raise me up  out of the  earth, and  that I shall  be covered
  with  my skin,  and in my  own flesh,  see God;  likewise the
  Prophet Isaiah says, that the earth and the sea shall give up
  the  dead  which  have  slept  in  them,  for Christ  is  the
  resurrection, the first of  them that slept. But you must not
  be ignorant concerning them which are  asleep, that ye sorrow 1 Thess.
  not  even as others, which  have no  hope. For if  we believe 4:13-17
  that  Jesus died  and rose  again, even  so those  also which
  sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him, for this we say as a
  true word of God; that we which are alive and remain unto the
  coming of the Lord,  shall not prevent them which are asleep,
  for the Lord himself, shall descend from heaven with a shout,
  with the voice of the archangel, and  with the trump of  God,
  and the dead in  Christ shall rise first;  then we which  are
  alive and  remain, shall be  caught up together  with them in 2 Cor.5:
  the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. Where we must appear 10
  before the  judgment  seat of  Christ: Where  every one  will
  receive according to that he has done, whether  it be good or
  bad. Then Christ will  separate the sheep from the goats, and
  the sheep will be set  on his right hand, who shall hear  the
  delightful voice, Come ye blessed, inherit the kingdom of  my
  Father prepared  for you  from the  foundation of the  world.
  There  we shall  stand with greater confidence  against those
  who have distressed us: Then we shall shine forth  as the sun
  in the kingdom of our Father, there we shall come to the hope
  of  an innumerable  company of  angels. There we  shall reign
  from eternity to eternity, Amen.
  Blessed are they whose names are written in the Book of Life.
