calamities Isay 57.2 3 Our soules are receiued into glorie Luke 23.43 4 Our bodies are reserued to like glorie Philip. 3.20 5 That wise man Salomon thought so Eccles 7.3 6 That holy man Paul wished so Philip 1.23 Quest But because Paul desired to die may we also desire to die Answ Though the bodie and soule bee as man and wife conioyned together yet with some cautions a man may desire the diuorce of these twaine 1 If he resigne his wil to the wil of God 2 If hee can tarrie the good leasure of God 3 If he doe it that he may be with God 4 That hée may bee disburdened of this bodie of sinne and thus Paul desired to bée dissolued and to be with Christ Philip. 1.23 Quest What thinke you of such as are in miserie and desire to die to bee freed from miserie Answ I thinke their desires are not simply vnlawful especially if they submit them to the will of God I am vexed with a long and lingering disease I would bee fréed by death if God would frée me I am detained in Prison I would be deliuered by death if God would deliuer mee I am exiled from my Countrie I would goe to Heauen if God would send for mee Doe I sinne in this God forbid Elias did it when hee desired God to take away his life 1. Kings 19.4 And Iob did it when hee would haue béene contented to depart this life and many of Gods children haue done the like Quest Why then did Hezekiah mourne when he was to die and why did Dauid say Let my soule liue and Christ Let this cuppe passe from me Answ Hezekiah did so because at this time he had not receiued a promised issue to succéed him Christ did so because hee was to die the death of the crosse and Dauid did so both because he was in a grieuous temptation and if he had then died his enemies would haue triumphed ouer him Quest But all this while you haue not told me what death is Answ It is nothing else but the priuation of this naturall life or the departure of the soule from the bodie or as it were the deposition of an heauie burden of troubles in this life by which we are eased especially if wee carry not with vs such a burden of sinnes as may weigh vs downe to the pit of perdition Secundus the Philosopher being asked this question by Hadrian the Emperour said Death is an eternall sleep the dissolution of our bodies the feare of rich men the desire of poore men an ineuitable euent an vncertaine Pilgrimage a robber of Mankind the Mother of sléepe the passage of life the departure of the liuing and a dissolution of all Quest Should Adam haue tasted of this death if he had stood in his innocencie Answ Hee should not for the stipend and wages of sinne is death Romans 6.23 His bodie indéed was subiect to mortalitie but should not haue died as our bodies now are subiect to sicknesse and yet we may die without sicknesse to wounding and yet it may bée they are neuer wounded and as the garments of the Children of Israel did not by Gods prouidence weare by the space of fortie yéeres though they were subiect to wearing so we may say of Adams bodie it should not haue died though it were subiect to death Quest Are wee then any better in Christ then we were in Adam Answ We are much for in Adam wée might haue died and by him doe die In Christ wee cannot die but change this life for a farre better Quest Are there any Monitors or Messengers of death Answ There are thrée casualtie sickenesse and old age Casualtie foretels me my death is doubtfull Sicknesse that death may be grieuous Olde age that death is certaine Casualtie foretels mée of death at my backe sicknesse that she is at my héeles old age that she is before my face Quest That I may giue the better entertainment to death when shee commeth who hath sent these three Harbengers before her what can you aduise me for to doe Answ Surely I would wish you first to beléeue in Christ by whom the sting of death is taken out for They onely feare death who doubt whether Christ died for them 2 To liue well so long as you liue for Hee can neuer feare death who by a good life hath giuen entertainment to the feare of God Quest What euen in my youth must I begin to liue wel Will not God accept of my seruice when I am old Answ Will you wound your selfe that you may goe to the Chirurgian and will you sinne in your youth that you may sue for pardon in your old age will you lay all the burden vpon a lame Horse when you haue many stronger in your teame shall the Deuill haue your Flowers and God your wéeds the Deuill your wine and God the lées the Deuill the fattest and fairest of your flocke and God an halt a lame and a leane Sacrifice God forbid Quest Yet if I haue but time to say Lord haue mercie vpon me though I haue liued neuer so badly God will haue mercie vpon me Ans It is true indéed That holy Théefe did it vpon the crosse and God had mercie vpon him Marie Magdalen did it after her lewd life and God had mercie vpon her But first are you not worthie to want fauour at your death who haue refused it all your life Secondly doe you thinke that your repentance is vnfained which is but only for a few dayes or houres Thirdly doe you not sée that such repentance is often hypocriticall when men that recouer from sicknesse fall againe to sinne after such a kind of repentance Fourthly doe not many fal into desperation at their death because they haue not serued God in their life Fiftly is it not a folly to doe that all day which you must bee enforced to vndoe at night Sixtly doe you not sée that God in his Iustice doth take sense and reason from many at their death who haue refused his mercie all the dayes of their life Quest Yet you cannot denie but many bad men haue made a faire shew at the houre of death haue called vpon God and died like Lambes Ans Like Lambes why the most of them die like stones they haue liued a sottish and a senselesse life and so they die Nabal did so but hee died like a foole the rich glutton did so but he died like a beast Quest And you know also that many persons who haue liued a very strict life haue died in despaire and blaspheming of God Ans By the gates of hell they went into Heauen by the extremitie of their disease they might speake they knew not what and by the sense of Gods iudgments they might say My God why hast thou forsaken mee But know this that he neuer dies ill who hath liued well and hee seldome dies well who hath liued ill We must iudge men by their life and not iudge any by
of Gods elect It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead yea rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh requests for vs. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or nakednesse or perill or the sword I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor hell nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God in Christ Iesus my Lord. Rom. 8. Say with Augustine All my whole hope is in the death of my Lord his death is my merit my refuge my saluation my life my resurrection my merit is Gods mercy I shall neuer want merit so long as this God of mercy is not wanting to me And if Gods mercies are great I also am great in merit Say with Ambrose Christ was subiect to the damnation of death that hee might free vs from the yoke of damnation hee tooke vpon him the seruitude of death that hee might giue vs the liberty of eternall life Say with S. Paul Christ hath redéemed me from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 the Iudge is satisfied he cannot be angry Say that your Sauiour maketh intercession for you for God no sooner looks on him but he is forthwith well pleased with you Say that his mercy endureth for euer I shall iudge the world with him why then shall I feare to be iudged He hath made a Couenant with mee hée will neuer breake He hath giuen me grace to beleeue and trust in him he will not now leaue me I confesse my sinnes he is ready to forgiue them I haue had his Spirit he will neuer take it from me My Sauiour shall iudge me he will not bee angry with mee and for his sake the Father will not be angry for hee is that welbeloued Sonne in whom alone hee is well pleased Quest O but I may feare that I am but a castaway and that eternall death is due vnto me if I fall into this pit what hand can you giue me to helpe me out Answ Will Satan now tell you that you must be damned comfort your selfe with these sayings God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten Sonne that who so beléeueth in him should neuer perish but haue life euerlasting Iohn 3.16 He that heareth my words and beléeueth in him that sent me hath eternal life and shall not come into condemnation Ioh. 5. I am the resurrection and the life he that beléeueth in me though hee were dead yet shall he liue and who so liueth and beleeueth in me shall not die eternally Ioh. 11. I giue to my shéepe eternall life and tâ—ey shall neuer perish and none is able to take them out of my hands Ioh. 10. As in Adam all men died so in Christ shall all that is all the elect whereof I am one so I say in Christ shall all be made aliue 1. Cor. 15. Death is swallowed vp in victory O death where is thy victory O hell where is thy sting the sting of death is sinne the strength of sin is the law but thanks be vnto God who hath giuen vs victory through Iesus Christ our Lord. 1. Cor. 15.57 We know that when the tabernacle of this earthly house shall bee dissolued wee shall haue a building from God euen an habitation made without hands in heauen 2. Cor. 5.1 Besides these sweete and sure promises consider that as the faithlesse can neuer liue so the faithfull can neuer die That the promise of God doth quicken things that are dead and calleth things that are not as though they were You feare not the falling of heauen and earth because they are supported by the word of God and why should you feare your owne fall you being supported by the same word Doe you not know that God is present with you by his Spirit and will you feare cold when this fire burneth Can you feare darkenesse when this Sunne shineth Are you poore that haue this gold in your Chest And thinke you to die of thirst when you are at this fountaine of liuing waters Are you not a member of Christs body Is there life in the head and shall there bee death in the members Is your head aboue the water and shall your body neuer come out of the water Doth the roote of a trée giue life vnto the branches and cannot Christ the Roote of Iesse giue life vnto his branches Yea rather say My life is hid with God in Christ when Christ which is my life shall appeare then shal I also appeare with him in glorie Coloss 3. By my first roote Adam I bring foorth briers and thornes fit to be burned by my second roote Christ I am like a tree planted by the riuers of waters which shall giue out her fruit in due season and whatsoeuer I doe it shall prosper Why my deare friend you doe beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes can you then feare eternall damnation You doe beleeue the resurrection of your body will you now doubt of the resurrection of your body Haue the Prophets Apostles set down so much coÌ„cerning saluation by Christ that you should say I am not saued by Christ You were initiated by Baptisme confirmed by Catechisme strengthened by the Lords Supper and professed that religion which by Christ brings saluation and you haue receiued many benefits as pledges of Gods loue and will not all this perswade you that you shall goe to heauen Yea Christ hath ouercome that Diuell that you might subdue him subdued that strong man that you might conquer him and descended downe to hel that you might with him ascend vnto heauen Therefore be constant my beloued and vnmoueable alwaies in the Lord knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. 1. Cor. 15. Quest Thus I hope at the houre of death I shall not feare the place of darknesse but alas such is the weaknesse of my faith that I feare the Prince of darknesse Ans And why should you feare him the Egyptians are drowned they cannot pursue you Goliah is slaine he cannot reuile you the Philistims are ouercome they cannot hurt you Sathan is chained hee cannot harme you Hee will séeke to winnow you but he can only séeke and if he doe more hée shall finde you Gods wheate and then you must néeds be carried into Gods barne Hee is indeede Gods Executioner but why should you feare the Hangman when you haue the Kings pardon or the Sergeant when you haue his protection or the Deuill when you haue Christs intercession You are strong the Word of God dwelleth in you you haue ouercome that Euil one 1. Iohn 2.14 You haue faith your aduersarie would deuoure you by it you are able to resist him 1. Peter 5.8 You haue put on the complete Armour of God Ephesians 6.11 it is an Armour of proofe
39 Whether God doth both forgiue and punish the same sinne Pag. 63 40 How sinne is a debt to man Pag. 66 41 The good of pardoning offences Pag. 67 42 Whether wee may forgiue and yet sue at Law Pag. 68 43 Rules for going to law Pag. 68 44 Rules against reuenge Pag. 69 45 Why the godly are led into temptation Pag. 74 46 Whether we may pray to be led out of temptation Pag. 76 47 Whether we may say Suffer vs not to be led into temptation Pag. 77 48 What temptation is how taken Pag. 77. 78 49 How God leadeth into temptation Pag. 79 50 How Satan leadeth into temptation Pag. 79 51 Whether God be the author of sinne Pag. 80 52 How God tempteth man Pag. 81 53 Why God doth harden mans heart Pag. 82 54 How God tempteth by prosperitie Pag. 83 55 How by our deliuerance from gunpowder 1605. Pag. 84 56 How by aduersitie Pag. 85 57 Of temptation to popish religion Pag. 86 58 Of temptation to forsake the Church Pag. 87 59 How Satan is resisted Pag. 88 60 In his temptation to couetousnesse Pag. 89 61 To pride Pag. 90 62 To adultrie Pag. 91 63 To drunkennesse Pag. 91 64 To enuie Pag. 92 65 To idlenesse Pag. 93 66 To impatience in afflictions Pag. 94 70 To dispaire of Gods mercies Pag. 95 71 To presumption Pag. 96 72 How many waies God deliuereth from euill Pag. 99 73 What we must do to be deliuered from euil and from Satan Pag. 99. 100 74 Whether we may pray for temptations Pag. 102 75 Frō whence haue Kings their authority Pag. 107 76 Whether Gods power can be communicated to any creature Pag. 108 77 How all power is giuen to Christ Pag. 108 78 Of this word Amen in diuers questions Pag. 112 79 Of many circumstances in prayer and also of set prayer and of the profitable and lawfull vse of it Pag. 117 SPECIALL QVESTIONS in a Communicant instructed 1 OF diuers sorts of banquets Pag. 1 2 Of the necessitie of comming to the Lords Table Pag. 2 3 Of properties belonging to a fit guest Pag. 6 4 Of examination Pag. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7 5 Why knowledge is necessarie Pag. 9 6 Why the most are ignorant Pag. 9 7 VVhat knowledge a Communicant must haue Pag. 10 8 Twentie reasons that the bread is not turned into Christs bodie Pag. 14 9 VVhether it may be done by a miracle Pag. 17 10 VVhy the bread is called Christs body Pag. 17 11 That the bread may not be receiued alone Pag. 18 12 VVhy Christ vsed bread and wine Pag. 19 13 VVhat the actions of the Ministers signifie Pag. 20 14 VVhat the actions of the receiuer signifie Pag. 20 15 VVhy we must examine our faith Pag. 21 16 Signes of faith Pag. 22 17 Why we must examine our repentance Pag. 23 18 VVhy men must and do not repent Pag. 25 19 Signes of repentance Pag. 25 20 VVhy we must examine our obedience Pag. 26 21 Notes of true obedience Pag. 26 22 Of reconciliation Pag. 27 23 VVhat we must thinke of at the Communion Pag. 136 24 How we must behaue our selues when wee come to the Lords Table Pag. 29 25 Of kneeling at the Communion Pag. 30 26 VVhat quantitie of bread and wine is fit to be receiued Pag. 33 27 Of often receiuing Pag. 33 28 Of priuate receiuing Pag. 35 29 Of comming fasting to the Communion Pag. 38 30 VVhat is required after the receiuing of the Lords Supper Pag. 40 31 Zanchius of the Lords Supper Pag. 42 SPECIALL QVESTIONS handled in a Christian directed 1 WHhy we ought to watch Pag. 65 2 VVhat we must do in watching Pag. 66 3 Of buying out the time Pag. 67 4 How we must watch ouer our thoughts Pag. 68 5 How ouer our words Pag. 70 6 How ouer our actions towards God Pag. 71 7 How ouer our actions towards our selues Pag. 73 8 How ouer our actions towards others Pag. 74 9 Of what behauiour we must be Pag. 76 10 Of apparell Pag. 77 11 Of diet Pag. 78 12 Of recreation Pag. 79 13 Of getting riches Pag. 80 14 Of spending and frugalitie Pag. 80. 81 15 Of sanctifying the Sabbath Pag. 85 16 Of chusing a fit wife or a fit husband Pag. 86 17 The duties of the husband Pag. 87 18 Of the wife Pag. 88 19 Of parents naturall and legall Pag. 89. 90 20 Of children naturall and legall Pag. 91. 92 21 Of masters Pag. 94 22 Of seruants Pag. 95 23 Of Magistrates and subiects Pag. 97 24 Of the Ministers dutie Pag. 99 25 Of the peoples dutie to their Ministers Pag. 100 Of hearing Sermons 26 VVhat we must do before we heare Pag. 101 27 VVhat in hearing Pag. 102 28 VVhat after hearing Pag. 103 29 How to know a good Sermon Pag. 104 30 VVhy many do sleepe at Sermons Pag. 105 31 Remedies against it Pag. 107 32 How hearing is better then reading Pag. 107 33 Whether all are bounden to heare Pag. 108 34 VVhy wee should not take Gods name in vaine Pag. 109 SPESIALL QVESTIONS in the Direction to die well 1 WHat we must euer thinke on Pag. 111 2 VVhy on death Pag. 112. 3 That the Art of dying well is the Art of Arts. Pag. 113 4 VVhy few thinke of it Pag. 113 5 How we ought to number our daies Pag. 114 6 That it is folly not to thinke of death Pag. 115 7 That our life is miserable Pag. 115 8 How the houre of death is better then the houre of life Pag. 116 9 Whether we may desire death Pag. 117 10 What death is Pag. 118 11 Whether Adam if he had continued in his innocencie should haue died Pag. 119 12 That wee are better in Christ then in Adam Pag. 119 13 Three monitors of death Pag. 120 14 How we may die well Pag. 120 15 VVhen we must begin to serue God Pag. 120 16 Of deferring repentance Pag. 121 17 Of the death of the wicked Pag. 122 18 Of the death of the godly Pag. 122 19 Of vnwillingnesse to die Pag. 128 20 How many wayes may a man carrie him-himselfe in death Pag. 131 21 VVhat we must do when we are sicke Pag. 134 22 VVhy we must set our soule in order Pag. 134 23 VVhen and why we must send for the Minister Pag. 135 24 VVhy we must take physicke Pag. 136 25 How we must take it Pag. 136 26 VVhether wee may vse superstitious and vngodly Physitians Pag. 137 27 VVhy the Physitian for the soule must bee first sent for Pag. 138 28 VVhat we must doe when the Minister commeth Pag. 139 29 What the Minister must do to vs. Pag. 140 30 Whether being sicke of the plague wee may send for the Minister Pag. 140 31 Of them that dreame of a particular faith Pag. 143 32 Against them that abuse Gods prouidence Pag. 143 33 The obiection that many escape answered Pag. 144 34 Who may visit persons infected Pag. 145 35 Comforts against the pestilence Pag. 145
Quest What is examination Ans It is a triall of my selfe how I stand in the grace of God 2. Cor. 13.5 Quest What learne you out of this that a man must examine himselfe before he come to this Table Ans First that children are not capable of this banquet 1. Cor. 11.28 though the Ancient Church administred it to them 2 That ignorant persons must not approch to this Table 1. Cor. 11.24 3 That mad people are not to be admitted to this feast 1. Sam. 21.15 4 That such as intend to liue in their sinnes must not dare to approch vnto this Communion Cor. 11.27 5 That such as doe not trie themselues cannot come 6 That such as doe trie themselues must come after triall and may come with much comfort Quest Doe you thinke that a man may not come to the Lords Table vnlesse some good time before he examine himselfe Ans There is a Primarie and after it a Customarie receiuing of the Lords Supper when I first receiue it it is most fit that I be prepared by my Parents Tutors or gouernours that I be examined by my Minister and aduised of my selfe how I come to this holy banquet But after that time vnlesse it bee after some speciall offence I thinke this strict course is not of necessitie Quest Why thinke you this course most necessarie at your first communicating Ans 1 Because it is a kind of confimation of my Baptisme 2 A second receiuing of mee into the Church 3 My first admission of me to the King of Kings Table 4 A solemnization of my spirituall marriage with Christ 5 I am but a nouice and then must especially thinke what I doe 6 I may by so doing cause others to come reuerently to this holy Table 7 If I be once fitted and prepared by my Minister he shall not need a second triall of my knowledge and faith 8 Lastly I shall stoppe the mouthes of mine aduersaries who say yong folks care not how they come to this feast Quest When then is a man fit to receiue Answ When he is fit to pray 2 When he is fit to heare 3 When he is resolued to forgiue 4 When he meanes to be a new man for all which duties I thinke we should be fitted at al times especially when we come to this Sacrament Quest Wherein stands that examination aforesaid Answ In fiue things 1 I must examine what knowledge I haue Prou. 19.2 2 What faith I haue Act. 8.37 3 What repentance I haue Exod. 12.8 4 What obedience I haue Psalm 26.6 5 What loue I beare to my brethren Matth. 5.23.24 Quest Why must you examine what knowledge you haue Answ Because 1 By knowledge I beare the Image of God Coloss 3.10 2 Without knowledge the mind is not good Prou. 19.2 Nay ignorance is hell saith Marke the Hermit 3 He that is ignorant is worse then the diuell the one knoweth much the other nothing at all 4 Without knowledge we cannot practise 5 In this knowledge is eternall life Ioh. 3.36 6 He that is ignorant is Salomons foole A foole nay a beast amongst men 7 Ignorance is a fore-runner of destruction Hos 4. 8 Knowledge is the eye of the soule 9 The Prophets pray and preach against ignorant persons Ierem. 10. Hos 4.2.3 10 Knowledge is the mother of faith repentance and all graces yea the want of it maketh men most deceiued in the doctrine of the Sacrament Quest Wherefore then are the most people ignorant Ans The reason is 1 Their idlenesse Prou. 2. 2 Their malice Iob. 21.14 3 Their pride Psal 25. 4 Their worldlinesse Eccles 38.25 5 Their blindnes by Sathan 2. Cor. 4.3 6 Naturall coruption 2. Cor. 2.14 Quest Wherein stands the examination of your knowledge Ans In two things 1 What generall knowledge I haue 2 What knowledge I haue in particular Quest Wherein consisteth general knowledge Ans In thrée things whereof the first is 1 What knowledge I haue of God 2 What knowledge I haue of my selfe 3 What knowledge I haue of the couenant of grace Quest What knowledge must you haue of God Ans I must know him to be such an one as he hath reuealed himselfe in his Word to wit one a inuisible b and indiuisible essence c and thrée truly distinct persons d namely the Father begetting e the Sonne begotten f and the g holy Ghost procéeding from the Father and the Sonne h Deutro 6.4 i Iohn 1.8 k Exodus 3.14 1. Ioh. 5.7.8 e Iohn 3.16.18 f Psal 2.7 g Iohn 15.26 Quest Must you know nothing else of God Answ Yes I must know that hee is a Creator and b gouernour of all things c a most wise vnderstander and knower of all thoughts most d holy e iust and f mercifull to his creatures that he is g eternall without either beginning or end h and that he is present in all places a Gen 1.1 b Mat. 10.10 c 1. Chron. 28.9 d 1. Pet. 1.17 e Psa 145.17 f Ps 103.8 g Reu. 1.17 h Pro. 15.3 Quest How may you know whether you haue this sauing knowledge of God Answ By my loue to him longing after him desire to be with him and zeale to performe obedience vnto him Quest What must you know concerning your selfe Answ That by nature I am stained wholly with a originall sinne so that my b minde is full of blindnesse c will of frowardnesse d affections of peruersnesse e my conscience of guiltinesse so that thereby I am subiect to the f curse of God in life in death and after death a Gen. 6.5 b Eph. 4.18 c Rom. 6.18 d Ephes 4.19 e Psalm 51. f Deut. 27.26 Galat. 3.10 Quest What things are you subiect to in life Answ By reason of this sin in my a soule I am a subiect to madnesse b in my body to diseases c in my goods to losse and d in my name to reproch a Deut. 28.61 b Deut. 28.60 Deut. 28.28.68 d Prou. 10.7 Quest What are you subiect to in death Answ To the separation of the a soule from the bodie and in that separation to be either b comfortlesse or c senselesse Gen. 2.17 b Matth. 27.4.5 c 1. Sam. 25.37 Quest What are you subiect to after death Answ To be a tormented for euer with the diuell and his angels b and to be cast away from the presence of God Matth. 25.41 b Luc. 13.26 Quest What must you know concerning the couenant of grace Answ That a Christ Iesus hath deliuered me from this misery who being very God b became man c to die d for my sinnes and rose againe for my iustificacion a Luke 1.68 c. b Ioh. 1.1 c Ioh. 1.14 d Rom. 4.25 Quest What particular knowledge is required of you Answ I must know the nature and vse of this Sacrament 1. Cor. 11.18 Quest What then is the Lords Supper Answ It is a Sacrament wherein by the vse of Bread and Wine those that are ingrafted into Christ are nourished to life Quest What learne you out
liuing that they take héed of such sinnes I will deliuer vnto you a rare example I knew a Gentleman of good sort who seldome came to the Church in the time of his health I was sent for to him in the time of his sicknesse and after many instructions deliuered vnto him he vttered vnto me this speech Sir I am beholding to you for this paines and thanke God for this comfort But if God had now denied this fauour vnto mee hee should haue dealt with me but according to iustice I haue liued a good time in this Parish I haue beene inuited by my friends called by the Bel mooued by the good report I heard of you and others to come to this Church but I made many excuses as of sicknesse and going to other places and did not come And though I haue many sinnes which I must answere for yet none at this time grieueth mee more then that I haue liued vnder a painfull Ministerie and yet was neuer partaker of it so that you and the whole Parish may iudge that I am either of no Religion or of a contrarie Religion to that which is professed in this Kingdome pray for mee that this sinne may bee pardoned heare me make a confession of my faith and that I die in the faith of Christ and am heartily sorrie for this mine offence I pray you therefore make it knowne when I am dead An. This I did and thus must we do ye◠in discretion that we may not be thought biters of the dead if either for crownes or gownes we doe otherwise it is a sinne Quest You propounded in the beginning fiue thinges which I ought euer to meditate on The first is expounded to my great comfort concerning the second which is Christs passion and death what ought I especially to thinke of Answ It is necessarie indéed you should thinke often of it for nothing will make you more willing to die then to be perswaded that Christ by his death hath washed you from sinnes and by his resurrection hath giuen vnto you eternall life I remember that Hierome complaining much of the people of his time that they had little féeling of the passion of Christ crieth out after this sort Euery Creature suffereth together with Christ at his suffering the Sun is darkened the Earth is mooued the Rockes cleaue a sunder the Vaile of the Temple is diuided the graues are opened only miserable man suffereth not with Christ for whom alone Christ suffered And Saint Bernard complaining of himselfe saith I went on securely knowing nothing of that fearefull iudgement of God which was in heauen denounced against mee and behold the Sonne of a Virgin the Sonne of the most high God is sent and commanded to be slaine that by the precious balme of his blood hee might heale all my wounds Consider O man how great are those wounds for the curing of which the Lord Christ must needs be wounded If these wounds had not beene deadly yea and to eternall death the Sonne of God would neuer haue dyed that he might cure them And that Augustine meditating on the passion of Christ saith The Crosse of Christ it to vs the cause of all happinesse it hath deliuered vs from the blindnesse of error it hath restored vs from darknesse to light it hath conioyned vs being aliens to God wee were farre from him it hath brought vs to his presence wee were pilgrime Citizens it shewed vs to him his crosse is the cutting off of discord the foundation of peace aboundance and largesse of all gifts Quest What then is the passion of Christ Answ It is that al-sufficient sacrifice of the Sonne of God whereby he offered himselfe to the Father that he might merit for all that beléeue in him iustification by this obedience sanctification by his Spirit redemption by his death and eternall life by his resurrection from the dead Quest What moued Christ thus to suffer Answ 1 The good will and pleasure of the Father 2 The misery of mankinde 3 Gods infinite and vnspeakeable loue 4 The voluntary obedience of Christ himselfe Quest Of what continuance was this passion of his An. From the day of his birth till the houre of his resurrection Quest Tell me what he suffered from his birth till his death Answ He suffered in his body circumcision hunger weeping and wearinesse in his soule temptation and heauinesse in his estate pouerty and needinesse in his name ignominy and contemptuousnesse in person persecution and weakenesse and in his whole life miserie and wretchednesse and to this end onely that he thus freeing vs from deserued ignominy might bring vs in the ende vnto eternall glory Quest But because his greatest suffering was about and at his death shew mee first what he suffered not long before he died Ans When Dauid considered by the spirit of prophecie of this point he saith The sorrowes of the graue haue compassed mee the troubles of hel haue taken hold vpon me And when Ieremy did consider it by the same Spirit he crieth out in the person of Christ Lament 1.12 Haue you no regard all yee that passe by this way Behold and 〈◊〉 if there bee any sorrow like vnto my sorrow which is done vnto mee wherewith the Lord hath afflicted mee in the day of his fierce wrath from aboue he hath sent fire into my bones which preuaileth against them hee hath spread a net for my feet and turned mee backe hee hath made mee desolate and daily in heauinesse He was in a Garden where Adam transgressed his soule was heauy vnto death hee sweat drops or rather cloddes of bloud trickling downe vnto the ground and was constrained to cry Father if it bee possible let this cup passe from mee There hee was assaulted by Satan betrayed by Iudas apprehended by Souldiers and forsaken of all his professed Disciples Quest And why thinke you was his soule thus perplexed Ans Not for the feare of a bodily death for that he might if he would haue auoided But 1 The meditation of sinnes tyranny deaths victory and Satans malice al which had made hauocke of mankinde 2 The consideration of those cursed contumelies and that damnable death which he was to vndergoe in his blessed body 3 The thoughts he had of mans ingratitude who was not thankefull nor mindeful of so great saluation 4 The sense and féeling of Gods wrath which hee susteined and satisfied for our sinnes Quest When he was apprehended and brought vnto Caiphas surely the high Priest would vse him well Ans Nay hee is by him arraigned as a theefe mocked as a foole accused as an incendiary stricken as one contemptible and spit vpon as an execrable person and all this to frée vs from that shamefull execration Qu. Was he no better vsed when he came before Pilate Answ Not a whit for 1 Hee was accused as a seducer of the people a seditious person a conspiratour against the State a subuerter of the Nation an enemy to Caesar
become fellow heires with him is not lessened by the multitude of possessors nor straitned by the number of heires but it is as great to many as to few to euery one as to all Againe Doe we loue riches let vs there keepe them where they cannot be lost Do we loue honor let vs there haue it where honor is giuen to none but the worthy Do wee desire dignitie let vs there affect to get it where being once gotten we may not feare to lose it Do we loue life let vs there seeke it where it is not ended by death Againe Such shall be there the delight of beautie that thou shalt euer haue it and neuer be glutted with it yea rather thou shalt euer be satisfied and neuer glutted For if I say thou shalt not be satisfied there shall be hunger if satisfied thou maiest feare satietie there where there is neither fulnesse nor famine I know not what to say but God hath what to giue Againe Behold the Kingdome of heauen is set to sale if thou wilt thou mayest buy it Thinke not much of the greatnes of the price it is worth all that thou hast Look not what thou hast but what an one thou art It is worth as much as thou art worth giue thy selfe and thou shalt haue it Thou wilt say I am euill and perhaps he will not take mee by giuing thy selfe to him thou shalt become good Againe The poore widow bought as much for two mites as either Peter did by forsaking his nets or Zacheus by giuing halfe his goods to the poore Againe In the citie of God the King is veritie the Law charitie the dignitie equitie the peace felicitie the life eternitie but it is contrarie in the diuels citie there the king is falsitie the law cupiditie the dignitie iniquitie the hapinesse contention the life temporalitie Againe Compare we this life temporall with that which is eternall and it is but a death rather than a life For this continuall decaying of our corrupt nature what is it else but a prolixitie of death But what tongue can expresse what minde can comprehend the ioyes of heauen to be amongst the quire of Angels to bee with the blessed spirits to behold the presence of God to see that most cleere light to bee affected with no griefe to reioyce in the gift of perpetuall incorruption Againe There shall we enioy whatsoeuer shall be louely nay can we desire that which wee shall not enioy There we shall rest there we shall see there we shall know there we shal loue there wee shall praise wee shall praise that Being which shall bee in the end and without end For what else is our end but to come to that kingdome which is without end Againe There this shall be the sole vertue to see that thou louest and the soueraigne felicitie to loue that thou seest There shall blessed life be drunke out of her owne fountaine where the vision of veritie shall bee most cleerely opened Gregorie said Let vs runne and follow Christ heere are no true ioyes but there they are reposed where there is true life Againe Because in the elect in this life there is a diuersitie of workes there shall bee without doubt in the life to come a distinction of dignities that wherein heere one excelleth another there he may surpasse his fellow in reward yet though all haue not the like dignitie yet all shall haue one and the same blessed life Bernard said There are twelue starres in the Crowne of Christians in heauen The first is memorie without forgetfulnesse the second reason without error the third will without perturbation the fourth impassibilitie in which the bodie shal rise the fift brightnes by which it shall be like Christs glorious bodie the sixt agilitie to mooue according to the mobilitie of our mindes the seuenth transparencie that albeit it be solid and thick yet shall it be impenetrable the eight to loue our neighbor as our selfe in truth the ninth to see cleerely that our neighbour loues vs as himselfe the tenth to loue God perfectly but more than our selues the eleuenth to loue our selues but for God the twelfth to see God louing vs more than he loued himselfe Againe O that blessed Region of Paradise O that blessed Region of delights for which I sigh in this vallie of teares where wisedome shall shine without ignorance memorie without forgetfulnesse vnderstanding without error and reason without obscuritie Blessed are they that dwell there they shall for euer and euer praise God The kingdome of God is granted promised shewed receiued Granted in predestination promised in vocation shewed in iustification receiued in glorification Prosper said The life to come is that whereby wee beleeue that it is blessedly sempiternall and sempiternallie blessed where there is certaine securitie secure tranquilitie safe iucunditie happie eternitie eternall felicitie where there is perfect loue no feare an euerlasting day swift motion and in all one spirit To conclude thinke you of the goodliest sights that euer could be seene the most melodions musick that euer could be heard the most delicate diet that euer could be tasted the greatest honor that can be enioyed the best companie that may be possessed and all the comforts that you can haue in this life and in comparison of the ioyes of the kingdome of heauen they are but a point and lesse than a point they are petie ioyes peacocke ioyes the ioyes of prisoners and poore pilgrimes Quest I shall like the better of this life eternall if you giue me such a taste here of eternall death that I do not feele it in the life to come Can this eternall death be described Answ It cannot any more than eternall life for as the heart cannot comprehend that one so the tongue cannot expresse this other Quest But what saith the scripture of it Ans Very terrible and fearefull things as Deut. 32.22 Fire is kindled in my wrath shall burne down to the bottom of hell Psal 10.6 Vpon the wicked he shall raine snares fire and brimstone stormie tempests this is the portion of their cup. Mat. 25.41 Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell his angels These shall go into euerlasting paine Reuelat. 20.10 The diuell was cast into a lake of fire and brimstone where the Beast and the false prophet shall be tormented euen day and night for euermore Chap. 21.8 The fearefull and vnbeleeuing and abominable and murtherers and whoremongers and forcerers and idolaters and all liers shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death 2. Thessal 1.7.8.9 The Lord Iesus shall shew himself from heauen with his mightie Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance vnto them that do not know God and which obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ which shall bee punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glorie of his power 2. Pet. 4. God
they doe a Acts 14.21 1. Pet. 1. ◠purge vs let vs be content They are Gods fanne we are Gods wheat they are Gods boulter we are Gods meale they are Gods b Exod. 5. flame we are Gods bush they are Gods c Gen. 23.9 cords wee are Gods sacrifice they are Gods furnace we are Gods gold The wheat wil not be good without the fan nor the meale without the boulter nor the bush without the flame nor the sacrifice without the cords nor the gold without the furnace They are trials not punishments if we be sons punishments not trials if we be slaues Let vs thou beare them they d Ps 37.37 wil haue an end ioy e Ps 126.5 wil follow they f Isa 38.10 shew vs our weaknes g Hos 5.15 they moue vs to pray they h Luke 24.26 shew we are in the path-way to Heauen and i Eccl. 1.2 make vs contemne this present world By them k 2. Sam. 24.17 wee learne to repent vs of sinne past l Gen. 39.9 to take héede of sinne present and to for sée sinne to come By them we m Act 2.2 receiue Gods spirit n Phil. 3.10 are like to Christ are acquainted o Dā 3.17 with Gods power haue p Exod. 15.1 ioy in deliuerance know benefit of prosperitie made more hardie to suffer and q 1. Pet. 1. haue cause to practise many excellent vertues They cause vs as one saith to séeke out Gods promise the promise to séeke faith faith to séeke prayer and prayer to find God a Mat. 7.7 Séeke and yée shall finde b Iob. 22.27 call and hee will answere c Heb. 2.3 waite and hee will come I am to write an Epistle I must not be long Iobs d Iob. 2. messengers came not so fast on him but Iobs afflictions may come as fast vpon vs. Hath Dauid slaine e 1. Sam. 17.37 a Beare hee shall encounter with a Lion hath he killed a Lion f 1. Sam. 18.27 he must fight with Goliah hath he subdued Goliah he must make a rode vpon the Philistims are the Philistims conquered g 1. Sam. 21. Saul will assault him Remember Dauids troubles and foresée what may be our troubles The more rigteous we are the more manifold are our troubles and the better wee are the better we may endure them But as our troubles are many so are our deliuerances many God will deliuer vs out of all He that deliuered h Gen. 7. Noah from the floud i Gen. 19. Lot from Sodom k Gen. 33. Iacob from Esau l Gen. 41.54 Ioseph from Potiphar m Exod. 9. Moses from Pharaoh n Exod. 12. Israel from Egypt o 1. Sā 19. Dauid from Saul p 1. Kin. 21 Eliah from Achab q 2. Kin. 6. Elisha from the Syrians r 2. Kin. 5. Naaman from his leprosie ſ Isay 38. Hezechiah from the plague t Dan. 3. the thrée Children from the fire u Dan. 6. Daniel from the Lions x Mat. 6. Ioseph from Herod the Apostles y Acts 5. from the Iewes z Mat. 4. and Christ from the Deuill he euen hee will either deliuer vs from trouble or comfort vs in trouble or mitigate troubles when they come vpon vs. He c Rō 4.21 he hath promised to doe it and he that hath promised is able to doe it And this he doth sometimes by no means sometimes by small meanes sometimes by ordinarie meanes sometimes by extraordinarie sometimes contrarie to all meanes By no d Ioh. 5.9 meanes hee cured a Créeple at Bethesda by e Ioh. 6.12 small meanes he fed fiue thousand in the Desert by f Mat. 4.7 ordinarie meanes hee was brought from the Pinacle by meanes extraordinary he was prouided for in hunger g Mat. 4.11 and contrarie to all meanes were the h Dan. 5. thrée Children preserued in the furnace of fire Let man therefore i 1. Sam. 30.9 comfort himselfe in the Lord k Hos 6.2 after two daies hee will reuiue vs and the third day hee will raise vs vp againe l Psa 30.5 Heauinesse may endure for a night but ioy wil come in the morning m Psalm 58.11 Doubtlesse there is a reward for the righteous verily n Mic. 7.8 God retaineth not his wrath for euer Could hee ouercome the World and can he not ouercome many troubles in the World Yea let one plague follow another as one Quaile sings to another yet as the o Act. 28.3 Viper leaped on Pauls hand and forthwith leaped off againe so one trouble shall leape vpon the righteous and anon leape off againe p Ps 37.24 though he fal he shall rise againe the righteous shall not be forsaken for euer If he hath deliuered vs from the guilt of our sinnes he will deliuer vs from the punishment of our sinnes Let vs therefore be patient in trouble constant in hope rooted in loue let vs wait and he will come call and he will heare beléeue and he will performe repent vs of our euill committed against him and he wil repent of his euils intended against vs. He is ouer vs by his prouidence about vs by his Angels in vs by his spirit with vs by his word vnder vs by his power and vpon vs by his Son In him is our help from him is our comfort by him is our victorie and for him is our trouble a Psal 25. In thée haue I trusted saith a King b Iob. 5. who euer was confounded that trusted in the Lord said a friend and as Elcanah was to c 1. Sam. 1.18 Hannah in stead of many sons so God is to his instead of many comforters Of other comforters we may say as Iob did of his friends d Iob 16.2 Silly comforters are you al. They wil leaue vs as mise do a ruinous house but the Lord like a e Ruth 1.16 Ruth to Naomi will neuer leaue vs nor forsake vs. Especially in the houre of death f Eccl. 41.1 which is in remembrance bitter to great men in that houre of death he will be with vs and command his g Luke 16.26 Angels to take charge of our soules the h Isa 57.2 earth to be as a bed for our bodies that so the one i Luke 23. may go into glorie the other reserued in hope of like glorie k Phil. 3.20 and bee made one day like vnto the glorious body of Christ Iesus Thus Christian Readers you haue séene the righteous in afflictions as l Psal 137. Israel was in Babylon and that the Lord like m Zac. 4.6 Zorababel is readie to deliuer them Though in troubles Christ séemes as in the n Mat. 8.40 ship to sléepe yet in deliuerance hee awakes as a man out of sléepe and as a Giant refreshed with wine He will rebuke the waues
aduaÌ„ced â—sswage mine enuie haue I abundance temper mine intemperance am I in want mitigate my feares doest thou exalt me keepe me from pride doest thou humble me kéep me from impatience doest thou withdraw thy selfe from mee let mee euer say Vp Lord why sleepest thou doth Satan assault mee because I am rich in grace preserue me O Lord that I lose not thy grace For woe is mee if I fall from thée I haue promised that I will not fall thou hast promised I shall not fall leade mee by thine hand that I do not fall Finally because thou hast been good vnto me many waies Lord make me thankful for all thy fauours Thou hast made mee a man not a beast a Christian not an Heathen a Protestant not a Papist Whilest many are ignorant I haue knowledge whilest many are profane I haue been obedient to thy will whilest many want the ordinarie meanes of saluation thou affordest me meanes for saluation of my soule Many are bound I am free in prison I haue libertie in want I haue sufficiencie They liue in warres I in peace they in persecution I in free profession of the truth they in sicknesse I in health And although by my sinnes I deserue to bee consumed yet thou hast spared me a great while and giuen me a long time of repentance What shall I giue vnto thee for all these mercies and fauours of thine I will take the cup of saluation praise thy great and glorious name and most humblie entreate thée that as thou neuer ceasest to bee good vnto me so I may neuer cease to be thankfull vnto thée Pardon good God my losse of time my abuse of thy creatures my negligence in my calling my vnthankfulnesse for thy kindnesse and whatsoeuer is wanting in my person practise prayer or thanksgiuing make a supplie of it in the merit of Christ Iesus to whom with thée and thy blessed spirit be all praise and glorie now and for euermore Amen A PRAIER TO BE SAID by a sick person or for him changing my vnto vs c. ALmightie God and in Iesus Christ my most mercifull and all-sufficient Sauiour I thy sicke and sinfull seruant diseassed in my bodie and distressed in my soule doe flie vnto thée yea to thée alone for succour I haue liued heretofore in the health of my bodie I acknowledge that thou wast the author of my health I am cast downe vpon my sicke bed thou hast by thy prouidence sent this Herauld to arrest me It is O Lord the messenger of death preaching vnto mee that vndoubted doctrine which I haue beene learning euer since I was borne namely That it is appointed that all must die and after death commeth iudgement My spirit is willing and would faine say Come Lord Iesus come quickly my flesh is fraile and in weaknesse doth say Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me And as in mine health I did nothing but sinne when I was not assisted by thy good Spirit so now in my sicknesse I shall doe nothing but sorrow vnlesse I bee comforted by the same Spirit O Lord comfort me in this agonie of mine and say vnto my soule I am thy saluation Thou art the Physitian heale me thou art that Samaritan pitie me thou art the resurrection and the life quicken me and quicken mee so in the inner man that neither the loue of this world nor the losseÌ„ of this light nor the consideration of thy Iustice nor the feare of death nor the terror of hell may make me vnwilling to depart this life Thou alone knowest the sorrowes of mine heart take them away thou beholdest my feare of death deliuer me out of al my feares couer my sores with the righteousnesse of thy Son heale them by the blood of thy Son and though thou launce them with the knife of the law yet bind them vp againe with the bands of the Gospell I know that my Physitian dwelleth in heauen yet he sendeth his medicines downe vpon the earth Besides thee none in heauen can helpe me and there is none in earth in comparison of thée to do me any good I am weake strengthen me I am sick cure me I am faint comfort me I must die quicken me I am assaulted defend me I am full of feare encourage mee I haue desired to liue the life of the righteous O let mee die the death of the righteous and let my last houre be like vnto his Into thine hands doe I commend my soule for thou hast redeemed it ô Lord God of truth My conscience doth tell mee that I haue sinned against thee and whatsoeuer I now suffer it is for my sinnes they are like an heauie burden vpon my soule they presse me downe to the graue of death and Satan doth lay them now especially before me to make me despaire of thy mercies in Christ Lord assure mee of the pardon of them all perswade my soule by the Spirit of my Sauiour that they are nailed to his crosse washed in his blood couered in his righteousnesse acquited by his death buried in his graue and fully discharged by his alone satisfaction Now now I stand in néed of thy Spirit let it crie in mine heart Abba Father I desire none Angell from heauen to comfort me I desire the Spirit of adoption to assure me to assure me o Lord that thou art my Father and I thy son thou my shepheard and I thy sheepe thou my king and I one of those subiects who shall shortly waite vpon thée in the kingdome of heauen to which I must passe by the gates of death O though I haue now a sick body yet grant me I pray thée a sound soule In thy hands are life and death thou hast the keyes of the graue and death thou bringest to the graue and pullest back again my mother bare mee a mortall man I came into this world to leaue it at thy pleasure it pleaseth thee now to forewarne me of mine end which might haue come vpon mee before this time I might haue perished either in the womb or in my cradle or in my childhood or before I had knowne thée or suddenly might I haue béen taken away and I deserued to die so soone as I was borne I owe thée a death as Christ Iesus died for me I haue béene salling to this hauen euer since I was borne be thou my Pilot that I sinck not in the hauens mouth but that I may land at the port of paradise I haue done I confesse little seruice vnto thée and if thou shouldest now take mee away I should die before I haue begun to liue Thou knowest what is best for me Conuert me O Lord and I shall be conuerted O Lord turne me and in a moment I shall bee turned vnto thee Therefore déere Father giue me that mind which a sick man should haue faith in thy promises hope of eternall life patience with my paine a desire to bee loosed and to bee with Christ and