For hee being asked whether he would die willingly aunswered I die willingly for willingly I go out of my body as out of a rotten house Furthermore both in his sicknes after his health in his health before his sickenes I would wish him to crucify his old mā acquainte himselfe with forsaking the world and the things both of and in the world in few words I would wish him to learne to die while he is like to liue For as a drie tree is sooner burnt then a greene so is he more willingly dissolued that is in spirit mortified then hee which yet with the loue of the world is intangled Chrysost Tom. 5. pag. 502. He which contemneth riches saith Chrisostome and pleasures and vaine glorie for whose sake he doth desire to liue cannot but suffer patientlie his going out of this life For as Seneca saith Hee hath contemned to die Seneca in Traged 3. Chrysost ad populum Antio which doth not couet I told you a day agoe saith Chrisostome to the people of Antioche that we feare death not because it is terrible but because neither the loue of the heauenly kingdome doth enflame vs nor the feare of hell trouble vs nor a good conscience remaine in vs will you that of this importune anxietie I relate vnto you the fourth cause not lesse true than the former wee liue not in that asperitie which is fitting Christians but this softe loose and easie life wee loue so that it is verie likely wee are delighted with these present things But if wee would passe ouer this life in fastings and watchings and a thinne diet cutting off our desires restraining our absurde pleasures suffering the troubles of vertue according to Paule chasticing our body 1. Cor. ◠27 Rom. 13.14 and bringing it into subiection taking no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lust of it quickly would wee desire the things which are to come making hast to be deliuered from our present labours c. For this mortifying of the deedes of the flesh by the operation of the spirit is a readie way to make vs willing to die and vnwilling to liue But the cockring of the flesh and the giuing our selues to delight is that which makes vs altogether vnwilling to leaue this present world and wholly desirous euer to remaine and abide in the same For this we finde by proofe that no man is more vnwilling to die than he that desires to followe the delights of the world and to fulfill the lustes of the flesh If therefore any man would be willing to die he sees what is one point of his dutie by one part of the aduise I giue him More he may see by farther aduise to bee giuen him But my meaning is not to burthen him with precepts all that I will further say is this that I would perswade him to recal into his minde some of those good lessons which all his life long either he himselfe hath read or else heard either read or preached by others For the time of sickenes is the time wherein a man is to make vse of al the good things he hath learned al his life long And he that hath not furnisht himselfe with some thing for that purpose hath not so wel prouided for himself as he ought Neither shall he be so able to stand in the euill day as otherwise he might For it is written is a good weapon to fight with against our aduersarie which then will fight hardly against vs. With it Christ himselfe repeld Satan in his conflict Matthew fourth and with it Paul willes vs to withstand him Ephesians the sixt Matth. 4.4 Ephes 6.17 Take saith he the sword of the spirit which is the word of God Happy is he which can euery way so furnish himself therewith as able he may stand in the euill day and that so as the wicked one may haue no aduantage against him But woe vnto him that being vnfurnisht therewith is not able to withstand any assaults of the wicked him hee will conquer subdue and leade captiue to the kingdome of darknes there to be tormented for euer him hee will trouble molest and afflict him hee will plague punish torment him he will so hardly intreate so cruelly handle so seuerely opresse as curse euer he shall the daie wherein he was borne the yeare in which hee liued and the verie moment of time in which he came thither But further to increase his miserie all his yelling and cursing shal be in vaine Q. God then enarme vs that wee may bee able to stand that standing wee may ouercome and ouercomming wee may bee crowned and being crowned wee may reioyce and reioicing prayse and honour and glorie Apoc. 5.13 and power bee vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne and vnto the Lambe for euermore R. Amen And whensoeuer God calles hee himselfe giue vs grace to answere him patientlie to goe to him quietly to leaue this world willingly that so dying wee may die aswell obediently as faithfully to his great glorie and our eternall felicitie Q. Amen also to this say I for this at his hands are we euer to aske that so once we may speede for of him it must bee or else it will neuer be Iames 1.17 But I will cease further to trouble you in this poynt I see by your petition you are at a conclusion But yet I will not wholly cease as I remember somtime since sayd that euen when the verie pangs of death were vpon him the religious and well minded sick man was to haue care of three things that he might die in the Lord and be blessed the first was that he might die in faith the second that he might die in obedience the third that he might render againe vnto God his soule which once he had of him and hitherto hath enioyed by him Of this third thing what I pray you might or may your reason bee R. As then it was so now it is diuerse one is because God was the first giuer of it and it is reason when a man is a dying if he hath not done it afore that he restore euery thing to the proper owner Now the proper owner of the soule is God for as hee was the first Creator thereof so was he the sole bestower Eccl. 12.7 Genesis 2.7 Another is because so Christ our sauiour did for when he was dying vpon the crosse for vs this amongst others was his saying Luk. 23. Father into thine hands I commend my spirit And it is reason that the seruant in this case should doe as his master did For euerie action of him the master is the instruction of other his seruants he also hath said First learne of me Mat. 11.27 Ioh. 13.15 secondly I haue giuen you an example that yee should doe as I haue done More ouer the first Martyr that euer was after Christs death did thus Blessed Stephen while his aduersaries the Iewes threw stones at him
wherewith to restore R. What then yet he may haue as willing a minde to restore as Zacheus had Q. I deny not that but I doubt of the acceptation of his will R. You may aswell doubt of the sunnes being in heauen or your owne liuing on earth What reason is there that God should not accept aswell of him that would restore and cannot because he is not able as of him that could and did not though he were able for ought we reade if a good will thereto was good in him that was rich and able to haue restored though he did not it cannot but be also good in him that is poore and vnable to restore no doubt but he that came to saue the poore aswell as the rich will accept of a good will in the poore aswell as in the rich In his life time he made so great reckoning of the poore as he not onely came of the poore but also conuersed with the poore preached to the poore made choyce of the poore spake much in the behalfe of the poore gaue gifts to the poore yea and did many things for the poore And now being dead risen againe and ascended into heauen shall wee thinke him lesse mindfull of the poore or lesse mercifull to the poore no no. As his power is thereby increased so his mercie is therefore nothing abated Now his eies are vpon the poore his eares are open to the cry of the poore his heart considereth the deepe sighing of the poore much he regardeth the companie of the poore and well be prouideth for the congregation of the poore Saith the Apostle Iames Iam. 2.5 God hath chosen the poore of this world that they should be rich in faith and heires of the kingdome which he promised to them that loue him Hauing chosen them may we thinke he will not accept a good will in them they wanting power to worke what they will surely no. First Paul saith Rom. 11.2 God hath not cast away his people which he knew before Secondly againe the same Paul saith Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen Thirdly Christ himselfe saith They shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hand Ioh. 10.28 No doubt then but if they will well where they can worke but little God will accept of them according to their will It was but a little that the poore widow cast into the treasurie Mark 12.42 She threw in two mites which make a quadrin which was about halfe a farding yet Christ himselfe said that she cast in more then all they which cast in besides her Yet they cast in much The people saith marke cast money into the treasurie and many rich men cast in much And by that we may gather that Christ esteemeth our giftes by our affections and readie willes Q. I our giftes but not our debtes R. Yes debtes aswell as giftes For giftes if you looke well about you are none other but debts First God commaundes the giuing of gifts aswell as the paying of debts And as I take it it is a debt to obey the commaundement of God in respect therefore of his commaundement the giuing of gifts is a debte aswell as the paying of debts Secondly the cause of gifts is none other than a debt and as I guesse the effect is not vnlike the cause in respect of the cause of gifts gifts are debts For loue is the cause of gifts For therefore men giue because they loue and to them commonly they doe most giue whome affectionatly they doe best loue And that loue is a debt the Apostle proueth plainely when he saieth Rom. 13.8 Owe nothing to any man but to loue one another Gifts themselues therefore are none other than debts for as the logicians say Such as the cause is such also the effect is Q. I grant that gifts may be debts in regard of God that cōmands thē but I doubt whether they be so in regard of men that are to receiue them R. And I thinke there needes no great doubte be made of that neither for they that are bound to giue are bound to giue to some body for he that commaunds men to giue shewes men also to whom they shal giue Giue saith Syrach vnto such as feare God Syr. 12. 4 5. and receiue not a sinner Do wel vnto him that is lowly but giue not to the vngodly hold backe thy bread and giue it not vnto him least he ouercome thee thereby els thou shalt receiue twise so much euill for all the good that thou doest vnto him Giue vnto the good and receiue not the sinner And giue saith Tobit to his son Tobias of thy bread to the hungry Tobit 4.16 17. of thy garments to them that are naked and of all thine abundance giue almes be liberall to the first euen to their death but giue nothing to the wicked And saith Paul Giue to all men their duety Rom. 13.7 tribute to whom ye owe tribute custome to whome custome feare to whom feare honour to whome yee owe hnour And saith Christ Giue to him that asketh Matt. 5.42.22.21 and from him that would borow of thee turne not away Giue to Cesar the things which are Cesars and giue vnto God those things which are Gods Rom. 6.13 And againe saith Paul Giue not your members as weapons of vnrighteousnes vnto sinne but giue your selues vnto God as they that are aliue from the dead and giue your members as weapons of righteousnes vnto God As therefore you graunt them debts in regard of him that commaunds them to be giuen so I also take them in regarde of those to whom they are commaunded to be giuen Q. In a generality so you may if any way you may but not in a speciality For he that shewes to whom we shall giue doth not say to this man ye shall giue R. Looke backe to the places forenamed and there you shall finde what you say fully aunswered For they shew both to whome we are to giue and to whome we are not to giue If therefore our gifts be debts in respect of vs that are to giue them because God hath commaunded vs to giue they are so also in respect of those that are to receiue them because God also hath shewed vs to whom we are to giue them Q. It is requisit then that they be such in deede as those to whom God hath commaunded vs to giue R. That is right so Otherwise they are but vsurpers and we ill disposers They vsurpers be cause they take that which they haue no right to receiue we ill disposers because we giue to those to whom we are not bound to giue Q. But ere we goe further for feare of going to farre whereto tends all this our talke about gifts and debts R. To the proouing of Gods well accepting of a good will to restore in him that hath no abilitie to restore Q. In deede that 's the
no sowre the labourer workes ere he receiues his wages the Souldier fightes ere he winnes the victorie the gamester runnes ere hee enioyes the price 2. Tim. 2.11 And the christian must die with Christ ere euer he shall liue with Christ yea hee must suffer with Christ ere euer he shall raigne with Christ As he that will haue the meare must cracke the shell so hee that will haue the life after death must abide the death that goes before life As for the paines thereof they are neither greatly to be dreaded nor impatiently to be suffered not to be dreaded because they cannot hurt Rom. 8.28 For to them that loue God as they do which beleeue in God all things worke togither for the best not vnwillingly to be suffered because they bring much good For these light afflictions which are but for a moment 2. Cor. 4.17 cause vnto him that suffers them a farre most excellent and an eternall weight of glory while he lookes not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene for the things which are seene are temporal but the things which are not seene are eternall Who now that is wise will not willingly suffer the one that he may enioy the other there is no comparison betweene glasse and gold and verie vnwise is he that wil not doe away the first for the last if hee may euen so there is heere no comparison betweene the paines of death which are to be suffered and the ioyes of heauen which are to be expected So that altogether foolish is hee which will not willingly abide the one that happily hee may attaine the other the paines that ordinarily are suffered in death naturall are nothing to the paines that are suffered in death violent and vnnaturall yet diuerse godlie men haue suffered them willingly that they might after in heauen liue happily Why then should not he that is godly suffer willingly the paines of death naturall that so hee may come to the fruition of ioy celestial for my part I see smal reason to the contrary Q. What then R. Let him then that is vnwilling to die naturally because death is painefull consider of the great and intolerable paines which they haue suffered which died violently and vnnaturally and see if that will not animate him to die willinglie and incite him to beare the paines of death couragiously Q. Shall he find those that haue died violently to haue suffered so great paines R. What else Q. Where shall he find that R. Both in the Scriptures and otherwhere Q. What shall hee find in the Scriptures touching this matter R. That the prophet Isaiah for the hope of euerlasting life suffred his body to be cut asunder with a woodden saw that Ieremiah was stoned to death that Amos after diuerse other greeuous torments was thrust into the temples of the head with a great naile of iron and so shortlie after died Mat. 14 that Iohn Baptist was cast into prison and beheaded that Iames the brother of Iohn was slaine with the sworde Act. 12. that Steuen was stoned vnto death and last of all that Christ our Sauiour was crucified Mat. 27. and nailed to the crosse on which he died Q. And what otherwhere R. That some good men were deuoured of wilde beastes Actes and Monum some burnt with fire vnto ashes some broiled vnto death vpon hote coales some slaine with the sword some hanged vpon gibbets some pearced to death with arrowes some beaten to death with stones some boiled some rent in peeces with hote burning iron hookes some racked some drowned some cruellie murthered in prison some torne in sūder by horses some dismembred by trees some one waies made away some another many an one very badly very beastly and very cruelly Q When this is found what shall he therevpon finde R. That willingly he is to die though in much paine he doth die Q. Why that R. Because willingly they suffered a violent and vnnaturall death Q. That yet appeares not R. In the forenamed places it may and doth soone appeare for many whē they were offered life refused and accepted death Q. Not because they were willing then to die but because they could not as they would longer liue R. As much and more for the first cause as for and then the last Q. Though that be graunted yet is not the other proued R. What other Q. That willinglie he is to die that dies naturally because willingly they died that died violentlie R. What more or better prooued What better instruction may thence be taken what better collection may thence be drawne If they so suffered that otherwhere they might be crowned Why should not others in like sort suffer that otherwhere they may bee blessed Q. I denie not but they should yet I say not that therefore they should R. And in so saying you say not as you ought if any death be to be suffered willinglie a naturall death is much more a naturall death is sometime better if not most what then some other oft times there are therein fewer paines then in some other and what shoulde a man bee vnwilling to die for a fewe paines No Souldiour is vnwilling to fight for a few blowes no fields-man vnwilling to plow for a few blastes no trauailer vnwilling to goe on his iourney for a few showers neither should any christian bee vnwilling to die for a few paines either they are not so many for number or so mightie for measure as they might be or as they haue deserued they should bee and what should he suffer then vnwillingly when as they are neither many nor mighty 2. Tim. 2.5 No man is crowned saith Paul except he striue lawfully Neither say I is any man blessed except he suffers patiently what therefore should he be vnwilling to die that knowes of necessitie he must die and would gladlie bee blessed when he doth die though hee dies neuer so painefully when he doth die yet let him die willinglie that hee may die blessedly as Paul said of his preaching If I doe it willinglie I haue a reward 1. Cor. 9.17 so say I of his dying if he doth it willingly he hath a rewarde Apoc. 14.13 Wis 3.1 Blessed are they which die in the Lord. The soules of the righteous are in the hands of God and no torment shall touch them Though they suffer paine before men yet is their hopeful of immortalitie They are punished but in few things yet in many things shall they bee well rewarded In the time of their vision they shall shine and runne through as the sparkes among the stubble they shall iudge the nations and haue dominion ouer the people and their Lord shall raigne for euer And when so great a reward as this now mentioned is not onely propounded but promised what should hee die vnwillinglie that must die necessarilie the hope of reward should moue much the Apostle Paul was willing
A DIRECTION TO DEATH TEACHING MAN THE WAY TO DIE WELL THAT being dead he may liue euer Made in the forme of a Dialogue for the ease and benefite of him that shall reade it The speakers therein are Quirinus and Regulus SYRACH 38.20 21. Remember the last ende forget it not for there is no turning againe Mors sceptra ligonibus aequat LONDON Imprinted for Thomas Man 1599. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR THOMAS VANE Knight Lieutenant of her Maiesties Castle of Douer grace and peace in this life and euerlasting felicitie in the life to come IT being my hap right Worshipfull to be abroad of late more than vsuallie I am it was also my chaunce to heare more than otherwise I knewe for mine owne part till then I did but knowe you ex facie And that which then I heard it being spoken by some of good credit if not great calling emboldened me to doe what now you see a dooing for bethinking my selfe to whom I should dedicate what your Worship sees here following that good report which I heard of you both for sinceritie in Religion and integritie in conuersation made mee to resolue my selfe vpon you For well I knowe those two good qualities would fit this simple peece of worke made more for the profit of many others than the praise of any one If I be too bolde with your Worship hauing no acquaintance with you pardon me of your pietie Neither did I purpose to offend you willinglie neither doe I thinke this way to hurt you hastilie If I bee no bolder than I may take well in worth what is done of your courtesie neither is it vnfitting you to defend what is committed to your patronage you being a Knight nor vnbeseeming me to seeke your patrocinie I being an inferior person For the first a sworde was giuen you for the second a tongue was giuen mee As I vse that now so I pray you if neede be vse you the other hereafter as I haue heard you haue done well in the field As I wish doe also wel for the faith that which I commend to your Patrocinie though I speake not to commend it is nothing I hope repugnant therto If it may please your Worship to deigne it the reading you shall soone finde whether I falsifie or no. In labor the prouerbe is there is no losse In this it may be there will be some gaine If so your good shall not be my griefe I would what is done might benefit you any that I might haue somewhat the better hope I commit it to your Worship to patronize Oft the Patrone of the thing workes good for the thing Whatsoeuer your Worship procures for this account it as purchased to your selfe If it may proue any thing worth any thing I shall be nothing sorie whosoeuer else be somthing glad If it will proue nothing or as nothing so your Worship be contented I shal be nothing discontented While that is a working whatsoeuer it be I wil make bold to leaue this which you see with you and so humblie for this time take my leaue of you The welspring of all blessings so blesse your Wor whilest you are here as wel and euer blessed you may be when you goe hence Your VVorships henceforth ready to be commanded William Perneby To the Christian Reader COurteous and Christian reader I know not thy conceite it may be good it may bee bad it may bee indifferent if thou answerest either of the titles J haue giuen thee it cannot be bad Jf courtesie cannot compell thee yet Christianitie may counsell thee to thinke and iudge the best here is nothing done to the preiudice of any if it please God to blesse there may bee something to the benefite of many Though some others haue written of the same matter that J haue written of yet that lets not but J may doe the like as diuerse Musitions may play vpon one instrument so diuerse men may write of one thing J hope J haue iniured no man in writing Jf I haue imitated any as J denie not but J haue J thinke in so doing J haue rather honoured them than hurt them For as J take it it is an honour to be imitated VVhatsoeuer it is that J haue done I referre it to thy Christian courtesie or thy courteous Christianitie to iudge Iudge I pray thee the best my purpose was not to offend thee bee not thou offended with me VVhat is giuen thee with the right hand to doe good with take not thou with the left to doe hurt by thou canst neuer heare too often of that thou maiest here reade of Man is neuer so mindles of any thing as of his owne death for that cause God hath bidden thee remember thy end some haue had those that haue put them in minde of their end and I haue collected this as thou seest to direct thee to thy end As thou dislikest not the marke that sheweth thee thy way though it goes not with thee in the way so dislike not of me for directing thee to death though J go not with thee to death Statutum est omnibus semel mori It is appointed to all men to die once and sure I am that therefore once J must die Certius nil morte Nothing more sure than death VVhether thou or I shall soonest tread the track to death is vtterly to either vnknowne Nescit homo finem suum Man knoweth not his end And as that ancient writer saith Mortis hora incertius nihil Than the houre of death nothing more vncertaine Jf thou goest before me ego te sequar J will nay shall follow thee Jf J goe before thee assuredly thou canst not deny but that thou must follow me That we may goe both well when we goe God giue vs grace to prepare thereto and for ere wee goe though it bee the last to vs in action yet it ought to be the first with vs in meditation First because it is certaine it will come Secondly because it is vncertaine when it will come Thirdly because it is the greatest worke wee haue to doe when it doth come Fourthly because there remaineth nothing but iudgement when it is come and gone Js it euer amisse thinkest thou to be put in mind hereof If thou so thinkest thou thinkest not right the better shalt thou die whensoeuer thou doest die if oft thou beest made to remember thou must die Seldome doth he die well that thinks not oft to die once and euer dies he ill that neuer thinkes to die at all Jf not therefore for curtesie which thou wilt deigne many men yet for Christianitie which thou shouldest not denie any man take it in gree that thus J haue admonished thee This if thou doest J shall thinke my selfe beholding if not J must and will bee contented with that which is assigned Howsoeuer thou handlest me God blesse thee whilest thou readest that thou maist be blessed whē thou hast read and when thou remembrest that so
of glorie to the seruants of God It is the beginning of a blessed life For the other there is another that saieth Syr. 40. 25. 41. 2. It is better to dye then to begge O death how acceptable is thy Iudgement vnto the needefull and vnto him whose strength fayleth and that is nowe in the last age and is vexed with all things and to him that despayreth and hath lost patience To like purpose saide olde Tobit in the anguish of his Soule Tob. 3.6 It is better for me to dye then to liue because I haue heard false reproches and am verie sorowful For the maine point we driue at there is one that saieth Philip. 1.2 Cor. 5 he which dieth is freed from the miseries of the world he goeth to the Lord from whom he went on pilgrimage so long as he abode in the bodye Also in Death he leaueth sinne labour affliction the slime of the earth the matter of continuall conflict against the spirit of God And that bodie made of the dust of the grounde which he leaues in Death he shall receiue againe in the day of the restoring of all things in farre better case then euer it was in this worlde For then it shal be made like the glorious bodie of Christ Whether therefore you respect the Soule of him that dies or you regarde the bodie yet euer is that sure which I saie that death is commodious to him that dies If you respect the Soule It is freed from the bandes of the bodie to be with Christ It is translated to immortalitie It is conducted to the heauenlie countrey from which it was a stranger If you regarde the bodie it is freed from all miserie It is committed to a most safe and sweete sleepe it is prepared to the glorie of the resurrection the flesh resteth in hope whatsoeuer you respect or regarde yet this at length you must come to Raban lib. 9. in eccl cap. 2. The iudgement of present death is good to those that worship Christ because by it they passe to eternall life Sanctus Idiota By a good death a man chaunges his feare into securitie his labour into tranquilitie his want into sacietie his sorrow into iocunditie by a good death he escapeth all daunger of loosing the grace of God his estate comes to be better then euer it was before While he liued Lazarus was contemned Luk. 26.21 neither Master nor Man would regarde him more compassion was had of him by dogges then by men The dogges came licked his sores but no man gaue him the crummes which fell from the rich mans table but when he was dead Lazarus was esteemed the Angels came and carried him into Abrahams bosome of Christ himselfe Myconius saieth While Christ liued Myconi in euang Mar expos he might see nothing but humilitie and many things horrible and dreadfull but being dead see how honorable his burial was great good men burie him there is a magnificent preparation a new Sepulchre in the gardein in which yet neuer man lay As it fared with these so often fareth it with others by these then may others see what commodities drawes towards them when death comes vpon them some I haue shewed mo at pleasure may be conceiued so good so pleasant so profitable there are as Bassus an olde man once said Ser. 30. episto If there be any discommoditie in death it is the fault of those that die and not the fault of death it selfe In his book of the contempt of death saith Seneca Seneca lib. de contem mortis for the paine that is in death It is light if I can beare it It is but short if I cannot endure it for the commodities that are therein they are many I shal leaue of all possibility then to be sick any more I shall leaue of all possibility to be bouÌ„d any more I shall leaue of all possibilitie to dye any more Sickenes shall haue no more to do with me bondage shall haue no more to doe with me Death shall haue no more to doe with me the power of the one the other and all of them shall be taken from them what in this point Seneca thought was to betide him is surely to betyde others As Seneca therefore contemned death because of the commodities of Death so may they for the same cause stand in lesse feare of Death then otherwise for therefore is it said that there are many commodities in Death that those which are to dye should be well armed against the immoderate feare of Death For it is but follie to feare that which will come and vpon all come and vpon many verie profitably come when it doth come Manie makes a vertue of necessitie and most wonderouslie loue that which brings commoditie saieth Seneca again Seneca lib. de senectu In death there is no greater solace against Death then mortalitie it selfe I see not therefore howe any shoulde ouer foolishlie feare Death it bringing commodities as it doth not only to them that suffer it but also to those that see it by others suffered Q. No more doe I neither should I if there were asmuch prooued as was erewhile propounded R. Why do you make an if what is there wanting Q. The latter part of your saying R. What is that Q. Doe not you know R. Whether I do or do not I would know of you Q. And that I can tell you R. Doe it then Q. So I meane but I doe but quicken your wit a little with this being by other things fully resolued of your will R. I can but commend your wit for so doing But I would heare what is wanting to be prooued of that which was propounded Q. That you shall that death brings commoditie to those that see it suffered is the thing which I speake of R. And that 's the thing you need not much speake of or at the least not so as you haue spoken For that thing is not now vnprooued Remember you not that out of that auncient and learned doctour Gregory I tolde you that The death of the righteous was an helpe to the good thâ—â— saw it and a testimonie to the euill Q. Yes indeede doe I. R. Be not so hastie then heereafter to accuse before you haue iust cause For that saying of Gregorie is proofe sufficient for that in controuersie Q. It is so I can it not deny but I would haue had more R. Why more than enough is too much and the prouerb is enough is as good as a feast Though more should be said yet would it all come to this issue For euer the death of the righteous is either an helpe to the good or a testimonie to the bad or both to either Q. But how the one to the one and the other to the other R. The one to the one by making them to remember their owne ends to wish the like ends and to prepare against their ends The other to
sure of that for many are so niggish as they had as liue spoile themselues as spend their money If they might bee cured for God haue mercie they would oftner then they doe seeke for remedie but because they cannot haue health without wealth they will rather hazard their health then empaire their wealth Q. I feare me they often therefore speed accordingly R. You need neuer feare it for assuredly you may almost any where find it Q. Are not the Phisitions themselues in this respect somewhat to bee blamed thinke you R. I know not and I thinke not so they neither know of their sicknes ne yet be called to helpe them in their sicknesses Q. But many make experiments of their new deuised medicines vpon the bodies of their patients and that makes a number stay of seeking their aide do they not well in so doing R. Surely no though they shunne the aid of such as they know doe so yet they might seeke the helpe of those they either know or hope do not so for as those Phisitians are to be blamed which doe as you say so they that vtterly therefore renounce the vse of Phisicke are not to bee excused for as there are moe maides then maulkin so there are moe Phisitions then such as make experiments of their new deuised medicines vpon the discrased bodies of their diseased patients and to them they may resort their aid and assistance they may craue their prescripts they may follow Q. I but there are but a few of these R. Though there be not yet those fewe they may seeke to Q. The labour may be much the charge great to seeke vnto them R. Yet should the health to be had by vsing them be more regarded then either labour or charge in seeking them For what will not a wise man do for health Syr. 30. 15. Health and strength saith the wise man is aboue all gold and a whole body aboue infinite treasure There is noriches aboue a sound body Better is the poore being whole and strong then a riche man that is afflicted in his body Q. As true as all this is that ye haue said yet a number had rather fall into their hands which will temper with them if they vse the aduise of any then seeke to such as you speake of that will temper for them R. The more vnwise they if they will not be aduised let them doe as they will for me I pray God blesse me out of their hands and so all those that make accompt either of life or health for more hardy are such practitioners than harmeles For often through such their practise the health of their patients is decaied if sometime their liues be not shortened And herevpon it is that prouerbially it is said Hee liues miserably that liues medicinably The wise and discrete physitian will neither so practise nor make himselfe a prouerbe Q. Why what will he doe R. That which euery good physitian should doe vz. perpend the causes crises symptomes and effects of the disease and then worke accordingly And that so as both the nature of his patient may be preserued and his decayed health restored Q. But these things considered will he euer minister physicke or vse phlebotomie without the direction of iudiciall astrologie R Yea that he will or else he should not be such as he would be taken to be nor as I would wish him to be Q. Why can you or doe you esteeme amisse of those which minister no physicke at any time neither yet vse phlebotomy without the direction of iudiciall astrologie R. I neither can nor doe well esteeme of them for if they follow this course continually they must needes kill many a man By astrologie a man must not be let bloud till the Moone be out of Leo the house of the sunne but by physicke a man full bodied taken with a pleurisie the Moone being in Leo must presently be let bloud or else it will goe hard with him for if he stay till the Moone be remoued out of Leo he may by all likelyhoode die either by inflammation of the bloud or by consumption of the lungs For in the time the Moone makes her abode in Leo the aposteme increases so much by the gathering togither of the humours as it can neither be dissolued nor ripened Through the defect of either of which it comes to passe that either the bloud is inflamed or the lungs consumed of which two whether soeuer betides the life will soone be shortened But to leaue this and learne more by astrologie againe a man must not be let bloud the Moone being in malignant aspects with any of the vnfortunat planets but by physicke Lang. lib. 1. epist 35. Ganiuetius called Amicus medicorum a man being sicke of the squinancie or of the feuer called Synachus the Moone being as is said dies if he be not let bloud ere euer the Moone be freed from the foresaid malignant aspects By the consideration of these things be you your selfe iudge whether I may esteeme well of those or no which will minister no purgations nor let any bloud otherwise than they are counselled by astrologicall directions Q. If I be iudge I must iudge no otherwise than you your selfe haue alreadie iudged Your iudgement me thinke is so good as other I can giue none For this I haue seene by that which you haue said that they which in ministring of physicke striking of a veine do stay wholly vpon iudicial astrologie do oftē neglect to do what in conscience they should earnestly labour to do R. In seeing that you haue seene what well you might see and what euery one in dutie is bound to see For where a man must not stand vpon astrologie he must not stay vpon the directions of astrologie The directions of astrologie are like vnto astrologie The one vnsure the other vncertaine Neither of both such as any man is to builde vpon But this is enough of this at this time Q. Ynough also if you will let it be for the physitions the sicke man is to seeke vnto R. As you will let that bee For I now goe as you draw me Q. I will draw you then from the conditions of the physitions whose aid and counsell the sicke man is to craue vnto the office of the physitions which they are to practise when their patients haue their presence R. And what would you touching that Q. What is that R. It is neither one nor simple Q. Be they fewer many acquainte me with them R. And I will First in defect of such as are to put the sicke in minde of their sinnes they are to aduertise thē that are their patients to humble themselues truely vnder the mightie hand of God and feruently to pray vnto him in the name of Christ for the free and full pardon of all their sinnes This is as it were a preparatiue to the phisicke they shall giue This if they do ere euer they minister
when thou commest into thy kingdome and he receiued this answer To day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradise The Centurion when hee saw what was done he glorified God saying Of a suretie this man was iust And all the people that came together to that sight beholding the things which were done smote their breasts and returned But I will returne to that from which I was not yet turned And a third reason thereof is because then a man speakes with the best affection Seldome when a man is well affected if in his mortall sickenes he be ill affected for as Salomon saith Pro. 29.15 The rod and correction giue wisedome And therefore Dauid sayd Before I was afflicted I went astray Psal 119.67 but now that I am afflicted I keepe thy worde By the good admonitions which Moses and Ioshua and Dauid and Tobit and others of whom I haue spoken gaue vnto their sonnes subiects and seruants a little before their deaths the trueth of this I say doth very easilie appeare and by other things which shall hereafter bee said the same may further appeare If either of these be not enough there may be some further thought had of the Patriarches dying the Prophets dying Christ himselfe dying the chiefe crucified with dying Steuen the Martyr dying for there will be seene the ardent affection they spake withall when they were dying and so that explayned which I was explayning But a fourth reason is at hand and therefore I must from this And that fourth for which a man dying should admonish those of his familie to cleaue vnto the Lord is because the admonition which is then deliuered is euer best remembred How soone soeuer other in other time past giuen is gone and forgotten that in that time giuen is seldome when wholly forgotten No words are euer so well thought of as a mans last words with them he which will not be moued with any will hardly be moued A tree neuer giues so big a stroke as when it falls and a man neuer speakes with such efficacie as when hee dyes as then the Swan sings most sweetely so as then a man speakes most pathetically All parts are then in great force because they haue but a while to bee in force And thus your demaunde is answered though your minde be not satisfied Q. For this the last is satisfied as well as the first is answered but yet I haue wherewith your wit may bee exercised as well as I haue whereby my minde is perplexed R. And what is that Q. What maner of admonitions a man on his deathbed should giue either to wife children or seruants or others R. That is a thing that needes neuer much to trouble you It sufficeth that he giue such generally to al and particularly to some as before you haue heard by Moses and Ioshua giuen in generalitie to all and by Dauid and Tobit giuen in particularitie to their sonnes Salomon and Tobias Q. But I would heare of such in particular as may particularly fit either wife or children or seruants R. And such you may heare of such there are already composed and extant such also you may by yourselfe reade in a booke which commonly is in most mens hands and worthilie is called the Sicke mans salue Q. If it be not troublesome to you I had as lieue heare them of you as reade them in him As they come from you I shall well remember them as I finde them in him I shall be careles of them More I regarde what I heare than what I reade especially if the booke be by me wherein I may at any time reade but the truth is the booke you speake of is out of my hands as out of some others If therefore I may intreate you to recite them I will endeuour what I may in memorie to record them R. That may bee but I had rather you should there reade them than I here recite them It is labour far away for any there to reade them than for me here to recite them as they are there they are long and it may be as they should be here to some they would be wearisome Q. Whatsoeuer they may be to others they shall be nothing displeasing to mee And for their length you may abridge them if you please R. The coherence of one thing with another may be that as any abridgement will be inconuenient Q. As you may and will then so let mee haue them R. Is there no remedie but haue them you will Q. Not any if haue them I may R. Much what then as it is there thus may the sicke man say to his wife Oh sweete wife you see in what case I lie here sicke weake and the prisoner of God looking euery houre for my departure out of this world And this visitation of God is vnto me welcome and I thanke the Lord with all my heart for it I doubt not but when I am once gone hence I shall be in a far better case than euer I was therefore I pray thee good wife be not heauie neither take thought for me but rather pray that the will of God may be done in me and be as well contented that I should at the calling of God goe from thee as euer thou wast that at his appoyntment I should come to thee I haue run my race I haue passed those yeares which the Lord appoynted that I should liue in this world And now is the time of my departure come And I giue ouer this my life willingly and with a free heart therefore take no thought for me and doubt thou not sweete wise but if thou goest forth to liue in the feare of God and to please him God in the time of thy widow-hoode will be an husband vnto thee he will be thy patrone and defender hee will be thy mightie shield and strong buckler hee will prouide for thee and foresee that thou and thine shall want nothing that is good For he hath promised in his holy word Psalm 146. and 20. Esa 10. â— Ier. 5.12 Zach. 8. that he will take charge of the widowes and defend their cause he hath also charged the Magistrates and rulers to looke vnto widowes and to deliuer them from oppression I doubte not therefore but the Lord will aboundantly prouide for thee and thine so that thou and they haue alwaies his feare before your face In all things therefore good wife haue it before thine eyes that so it may goe well with thee And if after my departure O wife thou hast a minde to marrie againe marrie in the wisedome of the Lord our God for I know no man can liue chaste except God giue the gift Onely haue this care that he with whom thou doest determine to marrie bee such a man as feareth God loueth his word is well reported of by his neighbours dealeth righteously with all men embraceth vertue despiseth vice c. Follow not the maner of certaine olde doting widowes which for
vnprouided for What then must he therefore be vnwilling to die 1. he might haue prouided for her aforetime he had time enough if he had had a minde thereto 2. is he sure she should haue beene prouided for if he had liued Many the longer they liue the more they spend and the lesse they haue in the end to leaue behinde them Many againe loose more in an houre than they get in a yeare What he might or should doe is altogither vnknowen and to him very vncertaine 3. his wife may be better prouided for than he is aware of 1. God himselfe hath promised to be an husband to the widow And as I thinke he both can and will then better prouide for her than euer he either would or could I am sure he hath prouided wel for many after their husbands death that neuer were well prouided for in their liues you your selfe can produce examples enough I neede not propound any yet that by them you may thinke of others you may call to minde Ruth the Moabitesse the wife of Mahton the widow of Zarephath Ruth 4.10 1. King 17. 2. King 4.1 and one of the wiues of the sonnes of the Prophets 2. his wife may marrie againe to another after his death that will be as carefull for her as euer he was in his life The second marriages are not euer the most second Many speed better at the last than at the first The Roman princes and captaines haue married widowes and the most holy king Dauid tooke two widowes to wife which both had been the wiues of his inferiours The one was Bathsheba the daughter of Eliam wife to Vriah the Hittite 2. Sam. 11.3 the other Abigail the wife of Nabal the carmelite What may betide his he knoweth not It may be a better than himself may ioyne with her What then for her cause should he be vnwilling to die let him leaue the prouiding for her either to him that shall next enioy her if she marries againe or to God himselfe if she keepes her selfe a widowe the one or the other or both of these will so sufficiently prouide for her as he needs not any thing to beate his head about her But. 2. and secondly to his children are vnprouided for what then shall he therefore grieue and grudge to die did neuer any man leaue his children vnprouided for but he or shall they neuer be prouided for because they are not prouided for because they are not prouided for by him or is he sure they shall be prouided for if he doth what in him lyeth to prouide for them many haue left their children vnprouided for because they had not any thing to giue them and yet they haue done well enough Many againe haue left them much because they had enough and yet they in short time haue come to nothing it is neither the fathers prouiding for them nor the fathers nor prouiding that doth anything but the blessing of God that doth all in all If he blesses though the father doth nothing the children shall do well enough his blessing will make them rich If he curses though the father giues much the children wil come to nothing His cursing will make them poore what may shall or wil betide them he is vtterly ignorant It may be a better stepfather may step vp in his place than he euer would or could haue been a naturall father I my selfe haue knowne some that haue come to more by their steede father than euer they could by their owne father what then for their cause should he be vnwilling to die let him leaue the prouiding for them either to him that shall be their stepfather if euer God moue the minde of their mother to marrie againe or else to him that hath promised to be a stedfather to the posteritie of those that loue him The one or the other or both of these wil so sufficiently prouide for thē as he needs not any thing to trouble his mind about them If they be good God himselfe will take better care and charge of them then euer he himselfe did for he wil neuer leaue them nor let them be fatherles he will nourish them teach them from their youth vp vntill their olde age death and graue hee wil not forsake them So will he prouide for them as wel they may say and sing with Dauid my Father and my mother forsooke mee but the Lord hath taken me vp If they be euill what should hee so much care for them as he should be vnwilling to depart the world by reason of them rather let him leaue them to the world to bee corrected by the worlde then prouide for them in the world that yee may haue wherewith to follow the fashions of the world by caring for them hee doth but foster the wickednes that is in them and what should hee care to cherish that which will grow too fast of it selfe wee weede the thistles out of our corne wee cut the nettles out of our gardens we rend the Iuie from our Oakes 1. Sam. 2.23 4.17.18.19 So should we weede cut and rend wickednes from our children Old Eli cherisht wickednes in his children but it spoilde both him and his children they were both slaine and hee fell from his seate backward and brake his neck What others must expect by his example they may learne for mine owne part I must proceede further and therefore I must passe hence I can not stay here Q. But whither will ye R. But whither you would to that which followeth as another stay from dying willinglie Q. Good inough then go to while you speake I will heare R. Thirdlie his goods are vndisposed what of that must he therefore be vnwilling to die First why were they not disposed in the time of his health I hope he might better haue bethought himselfe how they were to bee bestowed then than now the time of death for such a purpose is not the most commendable time though it be the most common time especiallie if a man hath much to dispose and many to care for Secondly why doth he not in as much speede as he may dispose of them If he wil he may make a quicke dispatch the law of the Land doth teach him what hee shall giue to his eldest sonne if hee hath many or any more then one the law of the land doth tell him what hee shall bestow vpon his wife if he hath one and shortened is his care if he hath none Reason and religion can both instruct him what he shall giue vnto others either children or friendes or needie neighbours Why doth hee delay doth hee thinke he shall die euer the sooner for the dispatching of his busines out of the way he is then in an errour and in a vile errour death tarieth not the disposing of his goods manie would neuer make will vpon that condition if he will not dispose of them while hee may when he would he
rarelie in both R. The bitternes of the panges of death for to him that hath not liued in both they are so hard vneasie and intollerable as oftener they driue him cleane from them then draw him any thing to them neither is this any thing at all to be marueiled at for if other light afflictions doe sometime shake the faith of the seruants of God endued with great measure of grace it is not to bee thought but the pangs of death will keepe him wholly from faith and obedience which in his life time was neuer acquainted with either but the force of the one is to bee seene in that good man Iob who once in his affliction said though the Lord kill mee yet will I trust in him but afterwards in his trouble his faith being ouercast as with a cloud hee said that God was his enemie and that hee had set him as a marke to shoote at the furie therefore of the other is to be found I feare me in some other some such matter I am sure was to bee found in that euil man when he died who neuer cared to liue either in saith or obedience while he liued but whollie dispised the one and vtterlie neglected the other Q. That a man then might die in faith you would wish him to liue in faith R. You may gesse twise and not gesse so right againe for if that he that in his life was accustomed to liue well doth sometime in shew die ill how shall he certainely die well that euer in his life was addicted to liue ill the prouerbe is Such as the life was such the death is and oftentimes it is found true neither is it any wonder though it be so for an euill custome is not often left vpon the sodaine Can the blacke Moore change his skinne saith Ieremiah or the Leopard his spottes Iere. 13.23 then may yee also doe good that are accustomed to doe euill Q. It is more ieopardous I see to delay to liue well than many iudge it to be R. You may be right sure of that for hee which is not willing to liue well to day will be more vnwilling to morrow It is an hard thing to resist custome for custome in time becoms another nature And the saying is Doe what you can nature will some wayes haue the course what is bred in the bone will hardly be forgone Q. That a man then may bee in the better possibilitie to die well it is good betimes to begin to liue well R. That is most certaine Oh Lam. 3.27 saith Ieremiah it is good for a man to beare the yoke in his youth What liquor sweete or sower a vessel first doth take The smell thereof will aye remaine or hardly it forsake Prou. 22.6 Teach a childe sayth Salomon in the trade of his way and when he is old he shall not depart from it Q. What may perswade this you speake of R. That which I doe speake and what is there else almost that may not The word of God doth euery where and way perswade it the entrance of euery man into the Churche of God doth perswade it the petition hee makes in the Church dooth perswade it the confession he makes before the Church doth perswade it experience in many things doth perswade it euery thing but folly vanitie and iniquitie doth perswade it If you will haue precept Eccle. 11 6. the word goeth thus In the morning sowe thy seede and in the euening let not thine hand rest Eccle. 12.1 Syr. 18. 20. Remember thy Creator in the daies of thy youth Whilest thou mayest yet sinne shew thy conuersion Matth. 6.33 First seeke the kingdome of heauen If you will haue promise the word goeth thus Pro 8.17 Pro. 8.18 19 20. They which seeke me early shall find mee Riches and honour are with me euen durable riches and righteousnes My fruite is better than golde yea than fine golde and my reuenues better than siluer I cause to walke in the way of righteousnes and in the middes of the pathes of iudgement That I may cause them that loue me to inherite substance I will fill their treasures Seeke ye first the kingdome of God Matt. 6.33 and his righteousnes and all these things .i meate drinke and cloth after which the Gentiles seeke shall be ministred vnto you If you will haue menace and threatning the word goeth thus Make no tarying to turne vnto the Lord Syr. 5. 7. and put not off from day to day for suddenly shal the wrath of the Lord breake forth and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroyed and thou shalt perish in the time of vengeance Thus euery way the word goeth to perswade a speedy conuersion vnto God that man may escape confusion with the diuell For profite thereby it sayth This is the acceptable time 2. Cor. 6.2 this is the day of saluation to day heare his voice For perill through the neglect thereof it saith exhorte one another dayly while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnes of sinne For example of those that haue been diligent in the practise thereof it saith that Samuel began to serue God in his minoritie that Timothie knewe the Scriptures of a childe that Iohn grewe in spirit as hee grew in yeares that the lady to whom Iohn wrote 2 Ioh. 4. had children that walked in the trueth of all these things and moe in the word there is nothing which doth not perswade to a speedie turning vnto the Lord both in faith and obedience the commaundement is holy and that should moue the measure is sharpe and that should moue the menace is sharpe and that should moue the profit by obeying is good and that should moue the danger in neglecting is great and that should moue the example of doing is pleasant and that should moue happie is he whom either any or all of these doe moue If these doe not throughly moue the rest that follow may somewhat helpe thereto they should and these would faine moue So soone as a man is borne or not long after hee is baptized in the name of God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and wherefore is that but to shew that when he cannot run to Christ he should creepe vnto him serue him as he can in youth and age So soone as he beginneth to pray he saith Halowed be thy name thy kingdome come thy will be done before euer he saith Giue vs this day our daily bread and wherfore is that but to shew that so soone as he can pray he is to seeke the will of God which hee must doe before the foode which hee must eate the words which hee liues by before the sinnes and pleasures which he perishes by It is written that when Christ heard a young man answere that hee had kept the commaundements from his youth hee began to loue him and wherefore is that but to shewe