O How can we (most loving father) render unto the sufficient thanks for thine in estimable goodness toward thy faithful servants, whom thou calling out of this wretched world, vouchestsafe to place in thy heavenly kingdom among the glorious company of thy holy angels and blessed saints.1 O full precious is the death of the faithful in thy sight. Blessed are the dead that dye in thee, O Lord:2 For they are at rest from their painful travails and labours. The souls of the righteous are in thy hand,3 O God, and the pain of death shall not touch them. In the sight of the unwise they appear to die, but they are in peace. They shine as the sparks, that run through the reed bush.4 They glister as the shining of heaven. They are as the stars, world without end. They ⟨image 171⟩are as the angels of God.5 They are clad with white garments, & have golden crowns upon their heads They do service day & night before the glorious throne of thy divine Majesty.6 They nether hunger nor thirst any, more neither doth the sun or any heat fall upon them for the lamb which is in the mids of the throne, governeth them, and leadeth them unto the living fountains of waters. They follow the lamb whithersoever he goeth. They have such joys▪ 7as eye hath not seen, nor ear hath herd neither is th•r any heart able to think them. Infinite and unspeakable are the treasures, O Lord, which thou haste laid up for them, that depart in thy faith. For these thy fatherly benefits toward the souls of the faithful, & for that it hath pleased the to call our Christen brethren and sisterne from this vale ⟨p. cliiii⟩of misery unto thy heavenly kingdom, we give unto the most hearty thanks, humbly beseeching the that thou wilt take like care for us, and so govern us with thy holy spirit both in sickness and in health, that we may live a good and godly life in this preas•nte world, and whensoever it shall be thy good pleasure to call us hence, we may with strong faith in thee, and in thy son Christ Jesus our Lord, commend both our bodies & souls into thy merciful hands and through thy goodness be placed in thy glorious kingdom, among thy faithful chosen people, and so for ever and ever praise & magnify the our heavenly father, to whom with thy dearly beloved son Jesus Christ our Lord and saviour, and the holy ghost that most sweet comforter be all glory and honour worlds without end. Amen.
O How can we (most louing father) render vnto the sufficient thanks for thine in estimable goodnes toward thi faithful seruauntes, whome thou calling out of this wretched worlde, vouchestsafe to place in thy heauenly kingdō amonge the gloryous company of thy holy aūgels and blessed saintes.1 O full precyous is the death of the faithful in thy sighte. Blessed are the deade that dye in the, O Lord:2 For they are at reast frō their paynful trauails and labours. The souls of the righteous are in thy hand,3 O God, and the payne of death shall not touch them. In the syghte of the vnwise thei appere to die, but they are in peace. They shine as the sparckes, that runne thorowe the reed bushe.4 They glyster as ye shining of heauen. Thei are as ye stars, world wythout ende. They ⟨image 171⟩ar as ye angels of God.5 They are clad wt white garmentes, & haue goldē crownes vpon their heads They do seruice day & nyght before the glorious throne of thi diuine Maiesty.6 They nether honger nor thirst anye, more neyther doth the sun or any heat fal vpon them for the lambe which is in ye mids of the thron, gouerneth thē, and ledeth them vnto the lyuing foūtains of waters. They folow the lābe whithersoeuer he goeth. They haue such ioies▪ 7as eie hath not sene, nor eare hath herd neyther is th•r any hert able to thīck them. Infinite and vnspeakable are the tresures, O Lord, whych thou haste layed vp for them, that depart in thy fayth. For these thy fatherly benefyts toward ye souls of the fayethful, & for that it hath pleased the to cal our Christē brethren and sisterne from this vale ⟨p. cliiii⟩of misery vnto thy heuenly kingdome, we geue vnto the most herty thanks, humbly beseching the that thou wylte take lyke care for vs, and so gouern vs wyth thy holye spirite both in sycknes and in health, that we maye lyue a good and godlye lyfe in thys preasnte world, and whensoeuer it shalbe thy good plesure to call vs hence, we may with strong faith in the, and in thy sōne Christe Iesu our Lord, commēd both our bodies & soules into thy mercifull handes and thorowe thy goodnes be placed in thy gloryous kyngdome, among thy faythfull chosē people, and so for euer and euer praise & magnify the our heauenli father, to whome with thi derely beloued son Iesu Christ our Lord and sauior, and the holy gost that moste swete comfortour be al glory and honor worlds without end. Amē.
- 1Psal. cxv.
- 2Apoc. xiiii.
- 3Sapi. iii.
- 4Danie. xii.
- 5Math. xx•i. Apoc. iiii
- 6Apoca vii.
- 7E•ay lxiii. i. •or. iii.
