The Physic of the Soul, Section 3
Hell and dampnacion.
When these thinges come into his mynd, mā is streight wayes afraid lest he should vtterly be cast awaie from y• face of god, and seeth none other thing then euerlasting death. Here ought he to be on a good …onfort: here ought he to take hart vntounto him, that by no meanes he be fai… herted and so fal into desperacion. O most merciful god, O most fauorable father,A godly prayer graunte I besech thee and helpe, that while we are yet in good health ād lusty, we maie lerne to feare thee, we maye regarde and louelove thy worde, we maie set thee alwaye before vsus to be that scope and pricke, wher vntounto we maie direct al our dedes / & that we always remē brīg thys most bitter agony ād greuous cōflicte, maye arme and make our selues strong against it, that we geuing our selues to godlynes and to the true feare of thee, maye appointe all that euer we do vntounto thy glory and enioye euerlastinge lyfe. AMEN
When thy synnes do disquyet & trouble thy conscience, thē cal to remembraunce, …at the Sonne of God came doune from heauen into this world, and that he being made man layed vponupon him al thy synnes & the synnes of al the worlde: and y• for thē he willyngly suffered death on the crosse, and made satisfaction for theim all, yea and for our sakes sustained most greuous paynes, to bring vsus out of deth. This most precious bloud of Christ was shed also for thy saluacion. Of this death also art yu partaker if yu dost beleue y• christ dyed as wel for thee as for Peter & Paule. Neither oughtest yu to doubte, but y• he dyed as wel for thy sake, as for Paules. For yu arte baptised into ye death of christ. This ought to cōfort the: this ought to lif… vp & stablish thy mind. For seyng yu art baptised … y• death o… christ,… Rom. vi. the death of christ shal bring thee help & saluatiō, by y• death of christ y• shalt dye to synne, by y• deathe of christe yu shalt receaue perfect & ful remissiō of al thy sines: to cōclude by ye deth of Christ yu shalt rise againe into anew & euerlastīg lyfe. For baptisme is a bargain couenaun…e & signe of gods grace & fauour in which yu art recōciled to god, y• throw it yu mayst hauehave a mery ād quyett cōscience for yere missiō of thy sinnes thorowe y• resurrectiō of christ.…he …upper … the lorde. Christ also speketh vntounto thee wtout doubt ī the instituciō of his supper, wher he professeth & euidētly declareth,…ath. xxvi. that his bloud was shed for the remissyō of sinnes. Now therfore, althoughe yu hast lyued a lyfe neuer so sinful and vnpure yet is ther no cause y• yu shul…est despere, but rather yt wtout any tar…aūce yu shuldest wtout cesing cal vpō the name of ye lord ye yu maiest be saued, & pray after this maner.
O moost mercyfull God,Rom. … A pray… O father of all mercye the father of our Lord Iesus Chryst, be mercyfull to me a synner, hauehave pytie on me, ād quickly helpe me poore wretche for the most bytter, but yet the most precious passion and death of Iesus Chryst thy onelye begotten sonne, and our only redeme… and sauioure. AMEN.
Entre not into iudgemente wyth thy seruaunte, O Lord. Handle me not accordynge to my desertes and Merites, neyther rewarde me after mine iniquit…e, but for thyne infinite and vnmeasurable bountie and exceding great mercy, receaue me. I myserable & weake creature am in thy hande / I am thy boundseruaunt ād thy debtout. O most gentle god, O moste fauourable father, forsake me not▪ cast me not away pore wretch yt. I am. I am thine wt al yt euer I cā make. No man is able to cōfort me, no man is able to deliuer me, no mā is able to helpe me, but thou alone. Thou arte the true helper in adu… sitie, thou arte the moost sure & …esent cōforte in all necessitie, yu alone arte oure helpe, our bulworcke, oure fortresse and our most mightie and strongly defenced towre. Thou, O God, art oure refuge / thou art oure strenght, yu art our helpe… in all our …ribulacions. In thee, O Lorde / do I truste let me not be confounded. Let me neuer be put to shame, let me not be disceaued of my hope, but preserue me for thyne owne ryghtuousnes sake. Bow downe thine eare vntounto me / make haste to delyuer me. Be my defender, O God, and my strong holde that thou mayest saue me. For yu art my strength & my refuge, yea yu art my God, ād my destenyes are in thy handes. Lyghtē thy coūte…ūce vponupon thy seruaunte, saue me for thy mercyes sake, O Lorde. &c.
Finis
End of the text · Thomas Becon, The Physic of the Soul (1549)