but if we wil weigh them coÌ„sider them throughly to make good vse of them they may turne to our great profit and benefit and not to our hurt For like as a naturall Father mother doe so doth God loue vs when he smiteth vs he fauoureth vs wheÌ„ he seemeth to be most against vs when hee seemeth to be most angry hee aimeth most at our good for as S. August saith Melius nouit medicus quid expediat quam aegrotus The sicke man the patient neuer knoweth so well what is good for him as doth the Phisition God dealeth with his châ—ldren as Phisitions and Surgions doe with their Patients And therfore the Physitions Surgions wheÌ„ they sée no other remedy for the recouery curing amending of their sick corrupted infected patients vse to minister vnto them tart bitter harsh and vnpleasant things to feare burne and cut away corrupted rotten dead flesh with sawes yron and other such like instruments and all to saue cherish the sound and whole parts Ne parâ— sincera trahatur least that which is whole should by the other be corrupted infected and poysoned euen so doth God sometimes when he sees t is best for vs plague our bodies sharply and grieuously that our soule may be preferued and saued The Phisition in compounding of his best Triacle vseth Serpents Adders and other poysoned thinges that with the same he may driue out one poyson with an other How God vseth somtimes the seruice of Diuells wicked men Euen so God as by Histories plentifully in Gods Booke it appeares vseth the ministery helpe and seruice of Diuels and of most diuelish wicked men by them to afflict and chastice vs and yet to doe vs good withall afterwards burneth the roddes when he hath corrected and beaten his children with them a while It is not giueÌ„ to euery maÌ„ I must needes confesse to vnderstand this and to make this good vse of afflictions crosses and troubles laid vpon them for their sins sake for then should Pharaoh and many of his wicked courtiers like himselfe then should Cain The wicked are not bettered by â—heir troubles afflictions Saul Iudas Iscariot many other vile leaud and desperate persons beside in their manifold crosses troubles and aduersities haue turned vnto the Lord and beene saued But we must learne and know that aduersities Whence it commeth that afflictions and crosses profit Gods children troubles afflictions of themselues and of their owne proper nature cannot worke and bring such profits so much good vnto men But it is the spirit of God which resting in Gods faithfull children purgeth reformeth comforteth and strengtheneth them by these outward meanes worketh all these good thinges in vs And so whatsoeuer goodnes hath bene spoken of heretofore to befall men by meanes of aduersities crosses and troubles is to be vnderstood onely of the faithfull and godly which are taught and led by the spirit of God to consider rightly of them to make such vse of them that according as in the beginning of this Chapter it is truely said to theÌ„ that loue God all thinges worke togither for the best Rom. 8.28 Whereas on the other side in the vnfaithfull The conceites and opinions of the wicked in thieâ— aduersities and toubles vnrepentant and wicked ones they worke after another fashion are of cleane contrary operation whiles that they ascribe their aduersities and troubles either to blind Fortune and Chance as though Fortune had a certaine power to worke without the working and prouidence of God or els vnto them that are not of their own sect faith and religion as did wicked Ahab to godly Elias or to the Magistrates 4. Kin. 18 or to the Ministers of Gods word or to Faith and religion it selfe or to the Planets Starres influences of the Elements yea and some wil I blame God himselfe as though they themselues were so innocent and blamelesse that God deales not well with them to lay vpon them such crosses punishments and so very busie they make themselues to shift off all blame euer to others faults And although their sinnes be multiplied to exceeding multitudes of offences yet they will not sée nor confesse any such thinges in themselues nor any thing consider nor regard the punishments of God laied vpon them and cleauing vnto them for the same But through their hardnesse of heart and want of faith which is the mother of all blasphemy and abhomination they can not spy whose hand it is that is against them nor wherefore or els beeing euen as it were violently forced to know it that it is the working of the Lord against them and his vengeance in heauy displeasure vpon them yet they will not be mooued thereby nor any thing at all stirred vp to amend their liues but like vnto King Pharaoh the more God correcteth them the more obstinate they swarue decline and flie away from him being like vnto gracelesse children with whom neither words threatninges nor beating can preuaile Like vnto them that will neither daunce with the piper nor lament with the mourner Mat. 11.17 Luk. 7.31.32 and so farre off are they from being recouered won and reformed by meanes of any crosses afflictions and troubles lighting on theÌ„ anâ— following them euer as the shadow doth the body that they will sooner burst out into al maner of impatientnes bitternes and spightfull poysonful rayling and blaspheming words against the righteousnes of God saying That their punishment is greater then their sinnes and heauier then they can brooke or beare and that they are wronged and are not indifferently dealt with so at the length after heaping one sinne in the necke of an other the Diuel brings them on The ends that the diuell brings the wicked vnto by their afflictions troubles and crossss and by little and little winds them into that he gapes for namely into a reprobate mind and deadly Desperation in so much that at the last they fall too and yeelde to murthering hanging drowning o by other such meanes most miserably to dispatch themselues with their own hands like vnto Saul Achitophel Iudas so giuing theÌ„mselues ouer to the Diuell and as they liued for a while most wretchedly so they depart out of the world as diuelishly forgeting vtterly and al-together inconsiderate retchlesse carlesse what shall become of them afterwards for euer By whose liues Two commodities to be reaped by the liues and manner of the deaths of the wicked and manner of deaths the children of God may yet reap two commodities first they shal be eased of the great troubles disturbance and discommodities of the leaud and euill examples which they gaue to others whiles they liued And secondly they which remaine a liue after them may learn and take warning by their shamfull falls and by their terrible examples desperate deaths lay hould on repentance and amendment of their
sicknesses but that we haue time leasure and quietnesse to doe all such things as any of vs all trusted vnto at our last farewel with the world The diuell will bee most busie to hinder repentance at our last houre yet will that deadly enemy that mortall aduersary of ours Sathan the Diuell at the time aboue all other apply himselfe let vs looke for no other but what vile sinne we haue committed and delighted â—n all our life time that wil he lay to our â—harge and clogge our consciences with to bring vs into desperation with and â—y them he will put vs in minde terâ—ifie vs with Gods seuere threatnings against sinne He will obiect against vs that saying of our Lord Christ Math. 19. that if we would haue entred into life we should haue kept his Commandements Math. 7. He wil tel vs that not he that saith Lord Lord but he that doth the wil of the father of heauen shall enter into the Kingdome of God He will put vs in mind that Not the hearers of the Law but the doers shal be iustified Rom. 2. Rom. 8. He wil threaten vs that because we haue liued according to the flesh we shall die He wil crack vs that the vnrighteous shall not inherite the kingdom of God that neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor WaÌ„tons 1. Cor. 6.9.10 nor Buggerers nor theeues nor the Couetous nor DruÌ„kards not Railers nor Extortioners shal inherit the kingdome of God And that such as haue liued according to the works of the flesh which are repeated vp Gal. 5. shall not attaine to the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 5. Ier. 2. And that we must be presented before the iudgement seat of Christ and euery man receiue particularly according as he hath done in this life good or euill Apoca. 20 2. Pet. 2. euery man shal receiue according to his works and that God spared not the Angels when they sinned 1 Pâ—â— 4. if the iust shall scarce be saued where shal the wicked man and sinner appeare When all these a great deale more describing setting forth vnto vs the rigor of Gods seuere iustice the reckoning wherevnto we shal be called shal be put into our minds on our death-beds that damned Sathan which all the daies of our liues before laboured to make vs careles negligent of the knowledge or consideration of any of these things that so he might make vs the more boldly blindly to run headlong into sinne shall charge vs with this and much more like stuffe appealing to our owne consciences for witnes heereof and so heervppon plant in our hearts déepe Desperation Alas in what case shall our poore soules then stand Would a man then for a thousand worlds and all the profits and pleasures thereof be brought to such a quandary O thou therefore that readest or hearest this damnable and miserable state that silly soules may be implunged into for the better auoyding of these perills read and read againe meditate ponder and put in practise the direction aduice and counsell in the beginning of this present sixt Chapter And take this lesson of Ioseph of Arimathia The example of Ioseph of Arimathia most worthy to be imitated that like as hee in his life time had made a ready Sepulcre in the midst of his Garden which was the place of his pleasure as all Gardens of great men most commonly are euen so thou in the midst of these thinges wherein thou takest thy greatest felicity and delight remember yet thy graue and what one day thou knowest not how soone shall become of thy poore soule afterward of thy soule and body for euer The vse custome of he Egyptians Remember and learne likewise at the Egiptians who perceiuing the mindfulnes of death to be a good helpe to bridle their euill actions vsed to bring a Picture or Image resembling death into their great and sollemne Feasts which fearefull and vgly sight trembling and shaking they tooke to bee a speciall occasion to keepe the beholders in sobriety by the remembrance of their end The notable immâ—â—aâ—â—e example of â—ing Ezechiâ—s which they must all come vnto sooner or later And finally learne at the good king Ezechias when thou shalt be by any occasion put in remembrance of death be affraid of Gods threatning sorrow a little before hand least thou bee constrained to sorrow howle and cry remedilesse alwayes afterwards for according to the old saying Ecclesiast 7.40 Qui ante non cauebit post dolebit he that wil not beware before shall afterward bee sorrye he that in all his doings remembreth the end shal neuer lightly do amisse The which wise remembrance of our endes he vouchsafe to plant in our hearts who hath full dearely bought vs Iesus Christ the righteous to whom with his and our heauenly father and the holy spirit three persons and one eternall maiesty of God-head all worthy glory honour and praise be worthily attributed for euer and euer Amen CHAP. 7 The seauenth Chapter containing the Generall Preseruatiue against the despaire or doubting of Gods mercy arising vppon any cause whatsoeuer FOr as much as it is a thing manifestly to be proued by holy Scriptures that a man indued with true faith it selfe may not withstanding now and then be troubled and assaulted with motions of doubtings wauering yea and of despairing therefore for the bridling suppressing and ouercomming of these assaults it shall be good to put in practise these fiue things especially First we are to thinke and consider thus much The first preseruatiue against Despaire that as not to murther not to steale not to commit adultery and all the rest of the Decalogue or ten Commandements are the Commandements of God and we are carefull and striue with our selues that we should not breake any of theÌ„ least that in breaking any of them wee should so highly offend God that he would therefore power downe vpon vs his heauy wrath and in his indignation seuerely punish vs as by many examples we see he hath done to others in the like offences So also it is Gods commandement as well as any of the others are 1 Iohn 3.23 That wee beleeue in the name of his son Iesus Christ and therefore we must thinke we offend against God as grieuously or rather far more grieuously in violating and breaking this Commandement by incredulity doubting wauering and despairing as if we should shed mans blood commit whordome theft periury or any other such like notorious sinne O what a hainous sinne must it needs be to cast no doubtes nor dispaire in the helpe of a mortall man in the time of neede and yet to mistrust and despaire of the like in God As for example wee can settle our hearts to beleeue in our mortall fathers if wee stand in neede of meat drinke or clothes An example that many men put more
THE ANCHOR of FAITH Vpon which A Christian may Repose in all manner of Temptations Especially in that Great and Dangerous Gulfe of DESPERATION Wherein so many ouer-whelmed with the weight and Burthen of their Sinne and not resting themselues by the Hand of Faith vpon the Promises and Inuitations of CHRIST haue with Caine and Judas most fearefully fallen and shipwrackt themselues to the vtter Confusion both of Body and Soule for euer PROV 18.14 The Body will beare his infirmitie but a Broken and wounded Spirit who can beare St. August in lib. de Vtilitate poenitentiae agendae Least wee should increase our sinnes by despayring the gate of Repentance is set open vnto vs. Least by presuming the day of our Death is concealed from vs. LONDON Printed for Robert Wilson and are to bee sold at his Shop at Grayes-Inne new Gate in Holborne 1628. A PREFACE TO THE Christian Reader IT is a Wonder of the World a wonder to bee seriously marked and diligently considered of and a wonder being seriously marked and diligently considered of worthy to bee deepely wayed and inwardly to bee laid vp in mâ—nâ— hearts as a thing most necessary profitable and auaileable to Christian piety and euerlasting felicity both of soule and body The thing 〈◊〉 bee â—dred 〈◊〉 seriouâ— to be â—sidereâ— to see and to thinke of it how carefull watchfull diligent earnest and painfull almost all the world euery where is to auoyde to preuent to cure and to remedy all such troubles crosses griefes maladies infirmities and sicknesses as do or may befall the body And on the other side to see or finde so few watchfull carefull and painefull to auoid preuent cure or expel the most dangerous wounds of the Spirit the troubles of the conscience or desperation a mischiefe of all other mischiefes most needfull to be looked into 〈◊〉 seâ— thing 〈◊〉 bee â—dred â—nd seâ—sly to 〈◊〉 â—d of It is a wonder to see and consider how many there are in the World which either loath and are affâ—aide of bodily sicknes or loue like health will send for and seeke run and ride after bodily Phisitions and enquire after the best the most expert most skilfull of them to learne by their direction and to bee aduised by their counsaile though it cost their purse full deare how to purge and auoide such corrupt humours as may breede though not presently bring forth noysome diseases and sicknesses how carefull and how scrupulous they are to keepe a temperate order and a dyet in eating and drinking and how moderate they will be in sleepe and all other bodily exercises And on the other side how few there bee in the World that will either abate their sleepe forgoe their pleasures abridge their dyets or seeke after the spirituall Phisition or prepare Phisicke to purge and expell those dangerous peccant humors of notorious and hainous sinnes which in time will both breede bring forth the most deadly disease of Desperation the very Peste of soule and body for euer It is a wonder to see The 〈◊〉 thing bee â—dred how many abhorre and are affraid of worldly pouerty and for the auoiding thereof and for the loue and liking of transitory riches will with great carke and care rise vp early and late take their rest they will fare hardly and go clad full barely they will hazard both bodies and soules they will toyle and teare their flesh in vnmeasurable labours by land and sea bee the weather faire bee it foule per mare pauperiem fugientes per saxa per ignes And yet on the other side how few can abide any costes charges or paines to escape and remedie spirituall decayes to auoyde pouerty of conscience or in time before it be too late to beware that they be not plunged ere they be aware into the most deadly and diuelish gulph of Desperation as though saluation and peace of a godly conscience were a matter not worthy the talking of or labouring for It is a lamentable thing to behold how many in the world will vndertake and attempt any thing â—ing to â—menâ— bee it neuer so chargeable troublesome not sluggish nor sleepie not carelesse and slothfull but most earnest and watchfull most careful and painefull at euery assay by Prudence and prowesse by witte and by warinesse by counsaile and by cunning by learning and by labouring ambitiously to hunt gaine and gape after honor and vnfatigably seeke to attaine fame and highly account of it to be gazed on talked of with the eyes and tongues of all men And againe how few take any care at all or once endeauour themselues to auoyd shame confusion in the presence of the Almighty to become glorious in the sight of GOD and his Angels and to vse and exercise any of those good meanes and instruments ordained and appointed of God for the increase of Faith Hope and Charity and for the weakening and abandoning of all desperation and diffidence in Gods infinite mercies and infallible promises It is a lamentable thing to marke and consider how vigilant careful The secoÌ„d thâ— to bee â—mented and heedfull many of the wiser and circumspecter sort of men of this world will bee to escape and auoyd all the penalties paines and punishments prouided and set downe for offenders of mortall mens lawes how painefull they will be in Penall Statutes how skilfull in euery branch of the Ciuill Lawes least they should ignorantly incurre the dangers of imprisonment of losse of landes forfeytures of their goods or death it selfe Many haue greater care of mortal mens laws then of Gods lawes But the mighty God the only highest Law-giuer that Lord of Lordes and King of all Kings Let him ordeyne publish and proclaime his Lawes Statutes and Ordinances to be hearkned vnto obserued and kept and that vnder neuer so rigorous and Seuere conditions punishments and penalties How few men will search his Booke of Statutes and Lawes How few are affraid of his not temporary but euerlasting threatninges and punishments contained in his Lawes and how few men regard esteeme and thankfully embrace his couenant of reconciliation set forth in his most ioyfull and comfortable Gospell And yet most certaine it is that all these aforesaid things so much to bee wondred at and so greatly to bee lamented for so lightly looked on so smally regarded and so little thought on many such other of the like fraternity and order of disorders sins being delighted in and securely continued in without all care or indeauour to forsake them in time by repentance true returning to the Lord doe first breed or in gender and afterwards bring forth Desperation then the which all the Furies and Diuells in hell cannot lightly excogitate nor find out a greater torment or a more intolerable paine and that because that all other torments penalties and paines are but temporall and pursue men no further then bodily death but this endeth not with
Page 68 69 The ends that the Diuell brings the wicked vnto by their aflictions troubles and crosses Page 70 Two commodities to bee reaped by the liues and manner of the deaths of the wicked Page 71 The great danger of customâ— in sinne and of delaying of amendment of life Page 71 72 A comparison shewing the danger of long custome and wâ—ltring in sinne Page 72 73 Whence repentance and amendment of life are to be had and how they are to be come by Page 74 Many are and may bee deceiued in the manner and time oâ— their repentance Page 75 A note for such as defer repentance vnto their last day Page 75 Examples shewing that it is dangerous trusting vnto the last howre Page 76 Notable examples of sodaine and vnprouided death out off holy Scriptures other writers Page 76 77 78. A catalogue or rehearsall of sundry lets and impediments which oftentimes fall out when we come to our last houre to hinder and pur by that late repentance which so many trust to at the end of their liues Page 81 82 The effects of choller in time of extreame sicknes Page 82 The manner how the Diuell will busie himselfe to hinder repentance at our last pant Page 38 The example of Ioseph of Arimathia most worthy to be imicated Page 85 The vse and custome of the Egiptians to bridle euill actions Page 86 The notable and imitable example of King Ezechias Page 86 Finis Of Desperation CHAPTER 1 The first Chapter conteyning the Definition and Diuision of Desperation M T. Cicero that most worthy Father of the Roman eloqueÌ„ce was of that mind A definition of euery thing which is to be disputed or reasoned of is necessary and wherfore that euery thinge which was to be reasoned disputed of should first begin at the definition thereof that â—o it might briefly be vnderstood what the substance of the matter was whereâ—f reasoning or disputation was to be â—olden Of the like opinion and minde â—m I at this present concerning the â—angerous peste of most wicked and â—amnable Desperation being the matâ—er which now I haue in hand through Gods assistance to write of Definition of Desperation is of two sorts The Definition then of Desperation I finde and read to bee of two sortes as concerning the words and yet in sense and substance of matter little differing one from the other Whereof the one is Desperatio est horribilis mentis cordis seu coÌ„scientiae â—repidatio ex sensu irae diuinae propter peccatum concepta cum metu aeternae damnationis The first Definition of Desperation sine vlla expectatione veniae Desperation is an horrible feare or trembling of the mind and heart or conscience conceiued through a sence and feeling of Gods wrath for sin with a feare of eternal damnation without all expectation or hope of pardon or forgiuenesse thereof The other which is a far more ancient Definition is this Desperatio est malum quo quis diffidit de voluÌ„tate dei The secoÌ„d Definition of desperation aestimaÌ„s malitiam suaÌ„ magnitudineÌ„ diuinae misericordiae bonitatis excedere Desperation is an euil through which a man mistrusting despaireth vtterlie is past all hope of the good will of God verily thinking that his naughtines or sins excell the mercies and goodnes of God according to that saying of the first desperat man Cain Mine iniquitie is greater then can be pardoned Gen. 4.13 Gen. 4.13 Thus it being made plaine and easie what desperation is by these aforesaid Definitions it followeth in the next place to procéed after the same order that the said Cicero vsed that I speak of diuision of Desperation Two kinds of Desperation the one wicked the other holy which I likewise finde and read to be of two kinds the one a wicked kind of Desperation of Gods promises power goodnes mercy towards sinners the matter which here I am to entreat of The other an holy Desperation of a mans owne power in the obtaining of eternall life conceiued and wrought by a sense or feeling of a mans owne defects infirmitie corruptions Concerning this former kinde of Desperation being especially the marke which I would haue poore silly distressed soules to haue a diligent and a watchfull eye vnto to the intent that both my selfe and my poore brethren liuing and warring yet with mee in the militant Church of Christ here on earth may be the better fore-warned for that as they say Tela raeuisa minus nocent of this most subtil â—nd deadly stratageme concerning this most dangerous and fatal assaulting engine of the Arch-enemy of our soules this deepe dispayre and diuelish soule-poyson I haue thought good by the penning of this short Treatise to put my selfe and others in remembrance of these three points Three thinges especially to be noted in this Tr atise of Desperation to wit first of the haynousnesse grieuousnesse and pernitiousnes of Desperation Secondly of the causes thereof and thirdly of the remedies CHAP. 2. The second Chapter wherin is described how hainous grieuous hurtfull and pernitious the sinne of Desperation is IN sundry and manifold places of holy Scriptures are we taught that Goâ— is faithfull 1 Cor. 1.9 2. Thes 3 3 1 Ioh. 1.9 2 Co. 1.20 faithfull in his words anâ— true in all his promises All the promises of God are Yea and amen Faithfulâ— in his mercies for they neuer fayle 〈◊〉 Faithfull Iust True are his waies 〈◊〉 according to the song of the holy Angells GOD is constant faithfull how and wherein Reu. 15.3 Yea moreouer God is carefull for the Faithfull and hatâ— promised to be their God Reu 15.3 2 Cor. 6.18 and they shall be his people It is thy duty therfore O Man to doe GOD this honour to belieue without all wauering doubting or despairing The duty of the faith full towards god in regard of Gods faithfulnes towards him that GOD hath both Power and Will to doe all thinges that hee promiseth and not to permit any such cogitations thought or conceite once to enter into thine heart as that God should proue himselfe a lyer or that it should not come to passe which he hath promised But if thou once suffer the distrust and diffidence in Gods promised mercies through the multitude of thy sinnes and the grieuousnesse of thine offences through the nature of â—inne it selfe and the crafty ingestion and â—uggestion of Satan to take hold of The horriblenes of the sinne of Diffidence Mistrust or Desperation and possesse thine heart O horrible and â—rieuous is this last sin of Despayring â—hich thou addest to thy former sinnes â—o hainous so hurtfull and pernitious â—s this thy sin of Diffidence and distrust â—n Gods mercies to be obtained accorâ—ing to his promised word that I may â—y of thee Aug in lib de vtilitate paenitentiae agendae as S. Augustine said of Iudas â—e traytor
liues before it be too late CHAP. 6. The Sixt Chapter concerning the remedies against Desperation arising and growing by long custome of sin by delaying putting off the forsaking of sinne from day to day The great danger of custome of sinnâ— of delaying of amendment of life IT is written that the continuall and long cu toâ—e of sinne and the delaying and putting off from time to time of the amendment of life is one of the greatest and most dangerous deceites cunning stratagems and pollicies which the enemy of mankind doth vse towards the children of Adam for hee is not ignorant how that like as links in a chaine one catcheth hold and hangeth by another and one draweth another Euen so by continuance long custome and secure sleeping in sinne one sinne draweth on another and so euery day sinne is added to sinne so that by toleration and procrastination sin so mightily increaseth and by this meanes waxeth so headstrong that in the end the saying of the Poet proueth very true to wit Qui non est hodâ—e A comparison shewing the dâ—nger f â—ong â—ustome and wâ—ltring in â—inns cras minus aptus erit He that is not ready to day to forgoe forsake sinne to morrow-day shall he be more vnfit The Diuell knoweth wel enough how that like as old festred and long growne sores and diseases of the body are farre more dangerous more troublesome and harder to be healed require a longer time by much to be cured then if they had beene looked to at the first Euen so the diseases of the soule as swearing theeuing whoring drunkennesse such like being once long accustomed setled and hauing gotten an habit are either neuer or seldome and that with greater difficulty afterwardes rooted out then at the first beginning they might haue bene And so by these diseases of the soule the habit thereof hauing once taken root in man and the Diuell by them hauing gotten the surer hold and possession he endeauoureth and most diligently by all wâ—ies and meanes applieth to keep men still on in vre and practise wâ—th old and long accustomed sinnes vntill at the length in extreamity of sicknes towards the hower of death if not before he may by such causes and occasions plant and worke in the heart of man deep despaire to his vtter confusion for euer To resist therefore to remedy and helpe this canker-like creeping infectious euill let vs to day while it is yet to day study to turn againe vnto God cast out the Diuell and with him this great cause and occasion of desperation euen long custome of sinne and delay of amendment of our liues the thing that so hangeth on and presseth vs downe let vs in time while we haue time take a better course looking vp vnto Iesus Christ and set him before the eyes of our fayth as the onely marke to shoote at And for as much as we can not turne again to the Lord forsake our former wallowing in our former long accustomed sins except the Lord our God reach vs his helping hand to turne vs vnto him and that repentance is not in our own power to take it vp lay it downe at our owne pleasure Whence repentance amendment of life are to be had how they are to be come by 〈◊〉 and that of our selues wée can not put it into our hearts when we list exceept it first come from aboue for that it is an excellent and a rare gift of God Let vs earnestly and heartily with our humble feruent praiers beg the same at Gods hands Let vs practise much often hearing reading meditating the word of God and with care vse all ordinary meanes for the better and speedy attaining of it for it is not so easie a matter to come by as the world thinketh it It is not an howers worke when we lie on our death-beds that will serue the turne It is not Many are may be deceaued in the maÌ„ner time of their repentance Cry God mercy a little for fashion sake that will doe it It is not a coursing or mumbling vp of a few praiers at a mans last farewel the wil auaile And yet if we were sure that that would serue yet we are very vn-sure whether we shall haue time leasure and remembrance at our last gaspe to do that yea or no to trust to doe it at our last houre is but a broken staffe to be trusted vnto And yet it is not so vncertaine but on the other side it is as certaine that then we shall haue many byasses Note this you that deferre repentance vntill your last end many rubs and stoppes many impediments to lie in our waies and to hinder our course in going foreward at that time with last gasping repentance which many fond and foolish men relye so much vppon 〈…〉 â—â—st so much vnto passing away their dayes carelesly neglecting good opportunity when time serueth like vnto those fiue foolish Virgins that made no preparation aforehand to be in a readines to enter in with the Bridegroom till it was too late this is I say a very broken staffe to trust vnto a thing very doubtfull and vncertaine to depend vpon or to make any reconing of for a man to repent and cry God mercy and make himselfe fit and ready for God at his last houre because that very many in all ages and in all places haue been and are taken away oftentimes with a suddaine death haue neither that houres nor halfe houres leasure that they before spake of and trusted so much vnto Lu. 17.27 examples shewing that it is dangerous trusting to the last hower Gen. 19.23 When the World was eating drinking planting and building when they were most secure and carelesse then suddenly came the flood and ouerwhelmed them al. Though it were a faire morning at Loâ—s going out of Sodome yet by and by when they least thought of any such matter they were all suddainly destroyed When Nabuchadnezzar was most brag and thought himselfe most safe and sure Dan. 4.12 suddenly neuer dreaming nor once suspecting any such things was he pulled on his knées The Rich man thought himselfe neuer more like to haue liued Luk. 12.20 Acts 5 are two notable examples of suddaine and vnprouided death in Ananiaâ— and his wife then when he so busily made such great prouision and laid vp store for many yeares yet was his soule sodainly taken from him the very same night And what knowest thou O man that trustest so much and puttest off till the last day houre whether that day and houre may not come as suddainely on thee and as vnlooked for as it did on any of these Augustine and Ambrose did write one of them to the other what his opinion was concerning the state of an old Adulterer which in their time as hee was going in the night time to his Whore passing ouer
a Bridge in his way fell into the Riuer and so being drowned was taken away suddainely in the very purpose of his wickednesse hauing neitheir houre halfe houre nor minute to cry God mercy to repent and to pray in Ioannes Riuius a learned writer Lib. 1. de stultitia mortasâ—um in procrastinanda of good credit affirmed that in his time in a village of his country two old men lying with their Whores whom they had aforetime haunted Correctione vitae in one and the selfe same night dyed sodainly taken as it were with the manner hauing likewise neither houre nor halfe houre to prepare themselues in for the one was sodainely stabbed to death the other was taken with a sodaine Apoplexie wherof he presently gaue vp the Ghost And what knoweth any of vs all or what greater priuilege hath any of vs all but that we may be sodainely yreuented caried away in the middest of our sins as these were And whether we haue not the like examples of such hastye deaths heere in England whereby many of vs haue bin disappointed of these two or three houres at their last end to make vs ready in I report mee to the deaths of Earle Godwin Grimwood of Hitcham Earle Godwin his sodaine and fearefull death wherof the Earle after he had trayterously slaine the brother of King Ed. the third being charged afterwards by the King therwith at Windsor where he happened to sit at table with the King he falsly denied the fact and for his better excuse he falsly forswore it and besides all this hee moreouer tooke a piece of bread and put it into his mouth wished that hee might be choaked thereof if hée were guilty of his blood and it followed indeed according to his desire for hee being choaked therewith yéelded vp his Ghost and fell down dead in the presence and sight of all at the Table from thence was had to Winchester to be buried Grimwood his sodain and fearfull death And likewise the said Grimwood of Hitcham in the County of Suffolke knowne to be a wilfull fursworne man in the haruest time next after his periury feeling of no pain complayning of no disease being strong and able to labour as he was stacking vp corn sodainly his bowels fel out of his body wherof immediatly he died most miserably But what need I to stand bestowing time paper and inke troubling both my selfe future Readers in setting downe the manner of the sodain deaths of many men seeing that both holy and prophane writers dayly experience it selfe may fully fraught store and furnish vs with infinite examples of this sort And what charter priuiledge or certain hold of life hath any of vs all more then these heere before recited or thousands of others in the like case haue had O let vs not presume therefore to run on headlong in the long and hardened custome of our sinnes not to delay and put off the reforming of our wicked liues vntil the last houre And although we be not stricken with suddain death but haue both certaine dayes and houres before our death yet as I before said full many are the stops lets and impediments which both may and also dayly doe fall out to hinder and put by this late repentance A catalogue of lets impâ—diments which oftentimes fall out when wee come to the last houre that hinder and put by â—hâ—t l te repâ—ntance wh ch so maâ—y trust vnto that so many will needs trust vnto and make all their reckoning of putting of from day to day and from yeare to yeare till this last time approach and fall on them indeed For so long as the extreamities of sicknes do nip and pinch our mortall bodies the dolours pangs pains racking tormenting our flesh will keepe our mindes so occupied somtime calling on the Phisition for helpe sometime turning tossing and seeking for ease in euery corner of the bed yea from bed to bed while strength doth serue sometimes taking this receipt and sometimes that as the Phisitions shall minister sometâ—mes turmoyled and occupied both in minde and body by the working and purging of the Apothecaries drugs receiued sometimes disquiet and brawling with those that are attending about vs crying out on them as though their vsing and handling of vs weare the occasion of our greater pangs and paines with these and such like cercumstances are both bodies and minds exercised and vexed so long as the vigour and strength of flesh and blood are able to indure and hold out and so busied here-with continually that wee seldome haue any rest or leasure to frame our selues to any quiet calling on God to any repentance or vnfaigned and zelous crying for mercy for if we sometimes endeauour our selues to begin to go about it yet behold one thing or other soone striketh all out of minde disturbs vs so that neuer a whit the better but if after the powers sences of our bodies be once worn and weakned and the feeling of the extreame dolours and panges of the sicknes be mittigated whereby the body after a time of wrestling and wearying of it selfe is now some-what quieted and so the mind more setled wâ— then begin againe to take better hold yet still on either the care of children wife for want of sufficient prouision for them or griefe to depart from them or the remembrance of lands goods houses possessions other worldly treasures the loue liking delights whereof haue possessed our hearts all our life time before will now so afresh enter trouble our heads minds that yet time serues not for to continue any such godly and christian exercises as wee in health-time when wee should haue done it made no accompt of and deferred vntill the last houre The effect of choller in time of extreame sicknes Sometimes are we troubled and diseased with melancholly and frenzies choller shooting vp into our braines with such crampes convulsions caused by much euacuation such abundance of choller in our veines that hereof followes the naturall effects rauings blasphemings vnsensible talking wrything of the lips strange and vn-accustomed wresting and turning of the neck buckling of the ioynts and whole body yea often-times such extraordinary strength that three or foure men cannot hold vs nor rule vs without bonds With these and such like strange effects are many men depriued not onely of the right vse of the parts of their bodies but also of their reason and right wits last of all of life it selfe Are not heere then lets enow from the performance of that amendment of life and crying God mercy which we put off in our life time Put case that we be neither cut off with sodaine death nor annoyed at our last end with any of these aforesaid lets and impediments of strange diseases and extraordinary effects thereof nor with any other such like noysome troublesome circumstances or