no worke of nature but of grace regeneration Thirdly the séed and roote of grace in Gods elect is neuer wholy taken away for Gods gifts are without repentance and Christs intâ—…rcession for their encrease and preseruation in grace is alwayes effectuall Ioh. 11. v. 42. The Sick-man But my faith is often-times dead and without all life and motion how 〈◊〉 can I be assured of Gods mercy The Minister Thy faith is not extinct but only for the time ouer-clowded with the mist of sinne and couered vnder the ashes of infirmitie it is like to a trée which in 〈◊〉 winter season albeit it bring foorth neither 〈◊〉 flowre nor fruite yet it hath life and sâ—…ppe at the roote which 〈◊〉 the spring time will ascend vp and appeare Secondly God respecteth rather the qualitie of faith then the quantitie if it be a true faith though as little as a graine of Mustard séede God accepteth of it for one drop and dramme of faith is of mâ—…e force to saue then an Ocean sea of sinne and corruption to condemne Thirdly and lastly faith without present ioy and feeling is more forcible and preuailing then faith with it for it onely relyeth vpon Gods power truth and promises yea when God sheweth himselfe an enemie to vs and séemeth to kill vs we by it beléeue in God and by faith waite on him whereas it is an easie matter for a man in the apprehension of sensible comfort and ioy to beléeue The fourth obiection The sick-man But the fearfull iudgments of God such as of late years haue bin that most infâ—…tious and destroying pestilence the horrible and vn-matchable Gunne-powder treason the vnheard of breach of the sea and inundation of waters the late extreame and killing frost this present pinching and vnexpected dearth vnseasonable wether and many other publike and priuate iudgements vpon Church and common-wealth which I sée and heare of doe much dismay mée and cause me to doubt of Gods mercy Minister A. True it is that these and diuerse other punishments haue béene executed vpon vs for the neglect yea contempt of the blessed word of God and the powerfull ministerie of it for our want of zeale against the enimies of the truth for prophanation of the Sabboth for oppression of the poore for blasphemie for hypocrisie and for licentious liuing c. But notwithstanding if there be but one good man in a generation hée shall not for the multitude of transgressors be depriued of Gods mercies but finde comfort in the greatest plagues and punishments whatsoeuer Secondly though being once by faith ingrafted and incorporated into Christ yea and maried vnto Christ the author and fountaine of life and happinesse thou canst neuer miscarry nor perish For euen as the Disciples in the ship when a mighty storme for their triall and demonstration of Christs power was raised vp could not possibly perish the Lord of glory being there present in the ship so hauing Christ the Lord of glory dwelling in thine heart by his spirit how canst thou do amisse or why should thou doubt of Gods mercifull prouidence who ordereth all things for thy good The fift Obiection The sick man But my great vnworthinesse and vnthankfulnesse maketh me to suspect and feare that God will not performe that hée hath promised nor finish the good worke that he hath begun in me Minister A. This is indéed a gréeuous temptation yea the sorest of all others but this cannot hinder God from performing his promises For as the making of his couenant of grace with vs and the offer of his sauing promises vnto vs procéeded onely from his frée goodnesse and méere mercie without any respect to our workes or worthinesse so the accomplishing of his promises is to be onely ascribed to the same grace and goodnesse Thirdly as hath before bin particularized not the greatest â—…rmers and offenders in the old and new Testament haue euer by reason of their owne vnworthinesse bin denyed or depriued of Gods mercies but vpon confession of their sinnes desire of pardon and the purpose and beginning of amendment of life were pardoned and receiued into Gods euerlasting fauour Q. Is it necessarily then required of vs that we confesse and acknowledge our owne vnworthinesse A. Yes without question for hereby we are made capable of Gods mercies and blessings God doth depresse the proud and exalt the humble he filleth the hungry soule with goodnesse but the rich in their owne conceit onely hée sendeth away emptie Luke 1. 52. 15. and Christ was sent not to call the righteous in their owne opinion but sinners in their owne sense and confession to repentance Q. Séeing that God doth not simply forsake or cast off any for his vnworthinesse what vse make you of this point A. We must learne hence neuer to call Gods mercy truth and goodnesse into question but we must make it the foundation of our confidence and hope for it is vnchangeable infinite and euerlasting and thus dooing we shall haue no cause to feare euill but to looke to finde all good things in Christ our treasure husband and head The fourth Chapter Of Death and the cause of it Question VVHen the sick person is once perswaded of the pardon of his sinnes for the time past and present what further duty remaineth to be performed A. He is to be prepared and armed against the feare of death the assaults of Satan and the â—…errour of the last iudgement 〈◊〉 Q. Now that hée may bée prepared and armed against death what points are to be considered A. Seauen points specially I. what death is II. The certainty of it III. The causes and kindes of it IV. The exceptions that are taken against it V. The benefits of it VI. The preparation and furniture against it And VII what disposition and behauiour is required in death it selfe Of these in order Chapter the fift Of death his causes and kindes Question VVHat is death A. It is the taking away of life or the dissolution and separation of the soule from the body ordeined of God and for the punishment of sinne imposed vpon Adam and all his posteritie Rom. 6. 23. 1. Cor. 15. 21. Col. 2. 13. Q Doth God yet impose death as a punishment A. Yes for euery man sinneth and the very infante is not without originall corruption and therefore all must of necessity no persons order or degrée excepted at length die the temporall death Eccle. 3. ve 3. Psal. 49. v. 10. Heb 9. 27. Q. What is the procuring and deseruing cause of death Ans. Sinne whereby man brake Gods commandement Q. How was sinne first brought into the world A. Satan in the forme of a serpent perswaded Eue to eate of the forbidden aple Eue assenting to satan did eate of it and gaue it to Adam who harkned to her and thus they both of them sinned and brought death vpon themselues and all their posterity Q Why then were not Adam and
Eue immediately after their fall put to death An. First because the threatning of death was not absolute but included a condition of faith in Christ that was to be borne and that should breake the serpents head Secondly Adam and Eue incontinently vpon their fall became mortall in their bodies and accursed in their soules Thirdly God by his clemency and indulgence towards them would make a way to make knowne his mercie Quest. If all men by reason of sinne must néedes die why did not Enoch and Elias in the time of the old Testament die the death of all but were rapt aliue into heauen Ans. First their translation was extraordinary and proper to themselues onely Secondly they were figures and tipes of the generall resurrection Thirdly their translation was nothing els but an extraordinary death for they were changed in a moment from mortality to immortality Obiect But at the day of iudgement many shal be found aliue howe then can all men bee said to die Answ. All the elect at the sound of the trumpet shall in a moment bée changed from corruption to incorruption and from mortality to immortality which is a kinde of death Qu. Now seeing that sinne is the cause of death what vse are we to make of it Ans. Wee must bée mooued hereby to take notice of and acknowledge Gods seuere wrâ—…th against sinne and by consequence we must learne to hate and shun all kind of sinne The sixt Chapter Of the diuers sortes of death and of the degrees of spirituall death Question OF how many sorts is death A. Of two sorts â—…mely â—…ily or spirituall Q. What is bodily death An. It is the first death or the separation of the soule from the body Q. Is the particular time of bodily death made knowne to any directly before hand Ans. No for that time in respect of vs is most vncertaine and God hath reserued it in his owne power and disposition only Q. Why so Ans. That wée should not defer and put off our repentance from day to day but labour to be in a readinesse and waking yea and waiting for our Lords comming euery day Mark 13. v. 37. Q. What then may this present life in consideration of his short continuance and vncertaintie bée compared vnto Ans. To a vapor to smoake to a shaddow to a weauers shutle to grasse and to the flowre of the field which are of short and vncertaine continuance Qu. But why doe the children of God die this temporall death séeing that their sinnes which are the cause thereof are forgiuen A. First because their sinnes howsoeuer forgiuen are not wholy in regarde of the corruption and remainders of them taken away and abolished before death Secondly this corruptible flesh and bloud cannot inherite the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 15. 50. Thirdly that they may be in some sort made conformable to Christ his death Lastly that the godly may learne and finde by experience the difference betwéene this mortall life and that immortall glory in the world to come and that they may haue experience of Gods power in raysing vp the dead Q. What is spirituall death A. It is a separation of the whole man both in body and soule from the fauour and gratious fellowship of God and a subiecting of him to eternall condemnation and hell fire begun in this world and accomplished in the world to come Q. What is the cause of the spirituall death Ans. Sinne so farre foorth as it is ioyned with vnbeliefe and impenitencie for not sinne simply but sinne not repented of damneth Que. Are there degrées of spirituall death Ans. Yes there are thrée in number Q. What is the first degrée of spirituall death A. It is when a man by reason that his soule is depriued of spirituall life faith and repentance and for that his body is a fitte instrument to put any sinne in execution is subiect to Gods wrath and appointed to punishment Quest. What is the second degrée of it An. Condemnation or euerlasting forment whereby the soule immediatly after the departure of it out of the body is carried by the diuells into hell Quest. What is the third and last degrée of it An. When in the nay of iudgement the soule and body being reunited and ioyned together shall for euer-more féele Gods intollerable indignation and endure the vengeance of eternall death Quest. How can this last kinde of death be so called properly séeing that both the bodies and soules of the reprobate shall alwayes suruiue and remaine aâ—…ue Answ. That life is no true life for such an vnhappy condition deserueth rather to be called death then life for the damned are vniuersall excommunicated from the fauour and glory of GOD and are vtterly and for euer bereaued of all holynesse and happynesse Qu. Are Gods children fréed and exempted from these kindes of spirituall death An. Yea for they are deliuered from the first degrée of spirituall death by regeneration whereby they are renewed in all the part of their soules affections They are deliuered from the second kinde when their soules forthwith after their departure out of the bodie are carryed vp into heauen Apoc. 14. 13. The third degrée they are fréed from at the day of iudgement when both body and soule shall be glorified together and liue together for euer in heauen Q. Is it not good yea and the entrance into eternall blisse for the godly to dye A. Yes certainly for it is better to dwell with God then with men Secondly they hereby forth-with enter into the possession of euerlasting happinesse The sick-man Q But there are many fearefull accidents and occurrences to which the godly themselues are subiect in their sicknesses and deaths therefore how can it be good for Gods children to dye A. Propound and impart them vnto me and I will giue thée the best satisfaction that I can The sick-man 1. Obi. Death is the wages of sinne the curse of the lawe and the enimy of Christ and his children how then can it be good A. It is not such by it owne nature and in it selfe but it is changed and the property thereof is altered by Christ his death in so much that of a curse and punishment it is turned into a gentle and fatherly correction and is made a narrow entrance and a short cut into euerlasting life And in this last respect it may bée aptly compared to the redde sea which drowning the AEgiptians gaue a miraculous passage to Gods people into the blessed land of promise and euen so death which sendeth the reprobate spéedily to hell doth in a moment let in the godly into the kingdome of heauen Q. In what respects and considerations may death be said to be an enemy A. First in respect of the originall of it for the enuie of the deuill brought it into the world namely as an outward and remote cause Secondly because it is opposite to Gods promise
kill another to ease him of his paine muchlesse to kill a mans selfe Thirdly it is commonly a note of a reprobate And thus much touching the obiections The seauenth Chapter The benefites and priuiledges of death Question HAue the Godly any profit and aduantage by death A. Much and many waies Q. What benefits and priueledges haue they by death A. Two sorts of benefits priuatiue that remoue euill and positiue that ad good Q. What are the priuatiue benefits of death An. Foure first it perfectly fréeth Gods children from all temptations and from all sinnes both originall and actuall and herein consisteth a maine part of our blessednesse for if he be blessed whose sinnes are not imputed much more hee whose sinnes are wholy taken away Secondly it easeth vs of all the miseries afflictions paines and aduersities of this present life Thirdly it deliuereth from the euill world and from all sinnefull company and from all the tiranâ—…e of Gods and our enemies in so much that our eyes shall neuer sée nor our eares euer heare the abhominable practises of the wicked much lesse can they hurt or infect vs and what an vnspeakeable blessing is this Lastly it preuenteth sinne and misery to come for the Godly are taken away that their soules should not bee infected with sinne and that they should â—…ot with their eâ—…es behold euill nor the inordinate confusions in church or common-wealth Q. What vse is to be made of thâ—…se priuatiue blessings An. We must first learne patience and suffer temporary afflictions without fainting because shortly our euill shall determine Secondly let vs pray and sâ—…ke for and wish and waite that blessed time â—…hether of â—…eath or the last iudgement that shall fâ—…ée vs from all the euills whereof in this world we labour Section 1. Question What are the positiue benefites that wee receiue and enioy in death An. First death bringeth our soules into the immediate the glorious and euerlasting fellowshippe with GOD the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost where wee shall haue perfection of knowledge absolute purity of will and affections and fulnesse of ioye for euermore Psalme 16. vers 11. Secondly wee shall with all the Saints and Angells behold and haue communion with Christ in glory world without end Lastly death putteth vs into actuall and perfect possession of all the good things that Christ hath purchased for vs which should weâ—… and withdrawe vs from the loue and liking of this vaine world and inflame vs with an earnest desire of enioying the heauenly Canaan so long agoe purchased and prouided for vs. Section 2. Q How can death make the faithfull and the Godly perfectly blessed séeing that their dead corps lie and rot in their loathsome graue An. It may very well be for first he that hath redéemed both body soule and giuen vs two excellent sacraments namely baptisme and the Lords supper to signifie and seale the same hath by his death embaulmed yea buried our death Secondly it being mistically spiritually and vnseparably vnited vnto Christ the fountaine of life and so remayning in the couenant of grace and fauour of God frée from all sinne and paine cannot be but in part blessed and in a sort partaker of life Lastly it resteth swéetly in the earth as in a bedde of downe vntill the last iudgement in a blessed expectation of the generall and glorious resurrection Que. Shall the body then certainely arise againe An. It shall vndoubtedly be raised vp againe at the last day For first the sacred scriptures the almighty power and promise of God and the effects of Christs death doe sufficiently proue it 1. Cor. 15. ve 13. 14. Secondly the bodies of the saints raised vp in the time of the old and newe Testament explane the same Thirdly Gods mercy cannot perfectly appeare in the glorious resurrection of the Godly nor his iustice in the perfect punishment of the wicked vnlesse there be a resurrection both to glory and confusion Lastly the death of the righteous is but a swéete sleepe wherein they rest from the labours of this life and out of which they shall in a moment be raised at the sound of the last trumpet Quest. The bodies of the reprobate shall as well bée raised vp againe as the bodies of the elect and how then can it bee any such singular benefite An. Yet notwithstanding it is a rare benefise for the resurrection of the iust and vniust is distinguished the one from the other by the causes and endes For the Godly arise by vertue of CHRIST their head and by vertue of his resurrection but the bodies of the wicked by the power of Christ as their iudge onely who shal arraigne and condemne them Secondly they differ in their endes the bodies of the Saintes arise in glorie to eternall glorie but the bodies of the wicked shall rise in shame to eternall shame and confusion Qu. If the Godly bee thus blessed as soone as they are dead is it then lawfull to mourne for the dead Ans. It is lawfull so that our mourning bee moderate and ioyned with hope for wee haue many holy practises in the scriptures of this mourning 1. Thes. 4. 14. Iâ—…h 11. Phi. 2. 27. Questi What shall wee thinke of them that bewade the dead immoderately Ans. It is contrary to the hope of a blessed life and resurrection and calleâ—… Gods wisdome and iust decrée into question Qu. For what ends and in what considerations are wee to mourne for those that are dead in the Lord Ans. First because our sinnes and vnthankefulnesse haue bereaued vs of their confortable fellowship Secondly we must here by bee more effectually stirred vppe to entreate the Lord to bée good vnto vs and to turne away from vs those euills that their vntimely deathes many times prognosticate The eight Chapter Touching the way whereby wee may attaine to blessednesse Question VVHere is the way to attaine true blessednesse to be found Answer Onely in the worde of GOD that is the meane seede and instrument of eternall happinesse Isay. 30. 21. Q. How many things are by Gods word required that a man may die well Answ. Two things First a preparation before death Secondly a right behauior and disposition in death Q What is the preparation against death Answer It is the acâ—…on of a repentant sinner whereby hee prepareth himselfe for the Lord. Q. Is this duetie necessary Answ. Yes for fâ—…t GOD so commandeth in many places of scripture Mark 13. 37. Luk. 12. v. 40. Secondly this present life is the onely time of getting the wedding garment and of reconciling and preparing our selues for GOD and his kingdome Titus 2. verse 11. 12. Luk. 13. ver 25. Thirdly we shall neuer lightly die the death of the righteous vnlesse wée liue their life and as death hath left vs so shall the last iudgement finde 〈◊〉 Quest. May we not defer this duetie vnto death An. No in any wise for the longer that