LIFE AFTER DEATH CONTAINING many religious instructions and godly exhortations for all those that meane to liue holy and dye blessedly With the manner of disposing ones selfe to God before and at the time of his departure out of this world With many Prayers for the same purpose By FRANCIS RODES LONDON Printed for THOMAS DEVVE in St Dunstanes Churchyard in Fleetstreet 1622. To the Reader IT is a common custome to intreat fauour from courteous Readers If the matter bee good or the men courteous the suite of fauour will bee easily granted if otherwise it is but a needlesse shame to beg a commendation where none is deserued And therefore I leaue to euery man the libertie of his iudgement and doe expose this Tract to generall censure F.R. A Table of the chiefe points contained in this Treatise CHAP. 1. THE seuerall sorts of Death CHAP. 2 To learne to die well ought to bee the chiefe study of our life CHAP. 3 Why men do so seldome enter into a serious remembrance of their end CHAP. 4 The necessity of our continuall meditating vpon Death CHAP. 5. Necessary obseruations in our meditating of Death CHAP. 6. Against the feare of Death CHAP. 7 How to carry our selues concerning Death CHAP. 8 This life is but a prison a pilgrimage c. CHAP. 9 The vulgar remedy against Death CHAP. 10 Grieuances and excuses of fearfull men to couer their complaints of Death CHAP. 11 How Death is to bee desired CHAP. 12 The miserable state and condition of this present life CHAP. 13 Against the loue of the world CHAP. 14 Against procrastination CHAP. 15 Against mistrust in Gods mercy CHAP. 16 Gods promises to sinners that repent are manifold absolute vniuersall CHAP. 17 How one should demeane himselfe when sicknes beginneth CHAP. 18 How the sicke should dispose his worldly goods CHAP. 19 How hee is to apply himselfe to Prayer and Meditation CHAP. 20 Whom the duty of visiting the sicke specially concernes CHAP. 21 A Prayer at the first visiting of the Sicke CHAP. 22 A confession to be vsed of the sicke by himselfe CHAP. 23 A Prayer of the sick party against the feare of death CHAP. 24 A Prayer for the sick CHAP. 25 A forme of leauing the sicke to Gods protection CHAP. 26 The manner of commending the sicke into the hands of God at the houre of Death CHAP. 27 A Prayer for the sick at his departing out of this life CHAP. 28 The blessing of the sicke when hee is giuing vp the ghost CHAP. 29 A Prayer to bee vsed by the assembly after the sicke party departed CHAP. 30 Consolation against immoderate griefe for the losse of friends CHAP. 31 The custom of Funerals A TREATISE OF LIFE AND DEATH CHAP. 1. THere are three sorts of Death The first is a dying in sinne that is 1. Dying in Sinne. when we doe giue our selues ouer to the delights and pleasures of this life and doe neuer think of death till it comes and when it is come wee doe then recoyle and draw back as beeing vnwilling to dye thereby making our departure vnhappy because none dyes well that dies vnwillingly neither can any hope for Heauen that approches thereunto only by compulsion 2. Dying to sinne The second is a dying to Sin that is when our sins die before our selues namely when wee doe retire our selues from sinne and from the desires and allurements of the world and doe die to all carnall delights as that Apostle did which said The world is crucified to mee and I vnto the world thus to die to sinne is to be deliuered from sinne and to liue with Christ The third is 3. A naturall dying which is the dissolution of the Soule from the body the loosing of the Soule frō the body which is implyed by Saint Paul saying I desire to bee dissolued namely by the dis-iunction of the body from the Soule This dissolution is a deliuerie out of the prison of this life with the stinke and filth wherof we are infected defiled but by death the bands are loosed and the prison set open where out wee flye freely vnto Heauen where we are receiued pure and cleane washen by the bloud of the immaculate Lambe and beeing cloathed vvith his white garment of innocency wee are filled with delights and with the fruition of the light inaccessible CHAP. 2. To learne to die well ought to be the chiefe study and labour of our life LIfe is a debt to Death and Death a debt to Nature or rather natures seruant for if death vvere not what complaints and murmurings would there be against Nature if here against our willes wee should still liue and not haue our liues freed by death If death were quite taken from vs no doubt wee should more desire it then now we feare it and thirst more after it then after life it selfe Of all lessons and of all learnings none is more weighty none more diuine then to learne to die well which is to die willingly and to die in the faith feare and fauour of God In learning to dye well consisteth our eternall welfare To learne to die well is the chiefest thing and dutie of life and a lesson worthy our best and chiefest labours for therein consisteth our eternall welfare Therfore there is nothing that ought so often and so much to bee thought vpon as Death insomuch as if it were possible the the whole moments of our life should bee nothing else but a learning or taking out of some new lesson of death What is it with the Historian to know what others haue done and to neglect the true knowledge of our selues with the Lawyer to learne the common Lawes of the Realme and to forget the common Law of Nature which is that all must die What is it for the greatest Politicians by their reaching wits to compasse great and high matters and in the end to die like simple men True wisedome is to be wise vnto a mans own soule True wisedome is to bee wise vnto a mans owne soule and they onely are wise and they only liue which finde time and leasure wherein to learne to die well for no part of our life is worthy the name of a life but what is spent in the study of wisedome and the greatest part of true wisdome is to learne to die well The perfection of our knowledge is to know God and our selues our selues we best know when we doe well consider our mortall being for man is neuer so diuine as when he considereth well of his mortall nature and conceiues hee was borne to die As men wee die naturally as Christians we die religiously By mortifying the old man we endeuour to die to the world By a vertuous disposing of our selues for the day of our departure wee learne to die in the world By our dying to the world Christ is said to come and liue in vs By our dying in the world wee are said to goe and
enemy of mankinde perceiuing how necessary it is for man to remember his end seekes by his pleasant allurements of intising vanities to drawe him from this frequent meditation of Death whereas in deed there is nothing wherein ordinary meditation is so necessary as in the dayly meditating vpon Death CHAP. 4. The necessitie of our dayly meditating vpon Death NAture it self teaches experience shewes it daily that we must leaue the vanities and delights of this world and they vs with how great a lust and pleasure so euer we be carried after them for death is the common and ineuitable Law of Nature it is the condition of all mankinde and the way of all flesh In this way Adam first entred and continued 930. yeeres and yet dyed so did Methusalem and continued 969. yeres and yet dyed so did the rest of the Fathers of the first age euery one many hundred yeeres and yet dyed and so did the Fathers in all ages vnto this houre neither haue they nor can we passe any other way vnto eternall happines for Christ himselfe went not vp into glory but by passing first through death for there is no other passage to immortality then onely by Death Therefore to learn to die and to learne to die betimes is an excellent a necessarie thing and a thing that wee can but once put in practice and it is the end that crownes the worke a good death that honors a mans whole life therefore with the greater reason wee ought the more carefully to meditate thereon continually both in regard of the incertainty of our departure hence which haply may be at the very instant of our thought as also for that hee which foresees his owne Death dies more willingly Many torments attend an vnexpected death then he whom death surpriseth of a sudden for many torments attend an vnexpected death therfore that our departure may be the more cheereful when that ineuitable houre comes it is necessarie that wee should meditate of it long before it doe come for the more we do meditate of Death the lesse wee feare it and the lesse wee feare it the greater is our faith Heere wee haue no certaine heritage but are only tenants at will in a poore clay cottage the foundation and strength of which building is but a few bones tyed together with strings or sinewes the chiefe pillar whereupon the whole frame stayes is only the drawing of a little breath which being once stopt causeth the whole building to fall in manus Domini therefore we ought euer to be ready to flit whensoeuer death commandeth since flit we must and the last day of life is vnknowne vnto vs to the end wee may euery day bee prepared for Death Let vs then expect this definitiue houre without feare so shall the day which we feare to be our last be our natiuitie vnto an eternall life That then which necessarily must befall vs it is necessarie that wee should continually thinke of so shall wee accomplish our life before our death This mooued Ioseph of Arimathea to prepare a sepulchre for himselfe in a garden at the which hee might dayly meditate vpon Death This mooued the Noble men of Aethiopia to keep their custome that whensoeuer they went forth to the field to recreate themselues they caused to bee carried before them a golden bason full of earth together with the signe of the Crosse to remember them that they were but earth and to earth they should returne and that only in the death of Christ crucified they had cōfort against death and assured hope of life This moued Philip of Macedon to command his Page euery morning to cry thrice in his eare Remember Philip thou art but a mortall man This moued also the ancient Aegyptians at all their banquets to haue placed in the sight of the banquetters the image picture of death to make them in the middest of their pleasures to remember the end and so to moderate thēselues from falling into such vices as easily arise of intemperancy And finally this moued the godly Father Ierome vvhether hee did eate or drink or whatsoeuer else he did strongly to imagine the sounding of the Trumpet summoning him to Iudgement therfore this warning that the Wise-man giues to the youth that think their lusty age will neuer bee spent and therefore giue themselues to all licentious sensualitie ought to be well remembred of all For all these things saith the Preacher GOD will bring thee to Iudgement therefore Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth before the dayes come wherein thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them One generation cōmeth another goeth but the earth standeth still euen as a Stage whereon euery one hath his part to play for a time and then to put off his Maske and leauing the vanities of this life to retire himselfe to his dust It stands with life as with a Stage-play it is no matter how long it lasts but how wel it is acted wheresoeuer thou endest it is all one end where thou wilt so thou concludest with a good period CHAP. 5. Necessary obseruations in our meditation of Death 1. IN our meditation of Death we should remember that the wages of sinne is death to the end it should strike to our hart with a terrour of sinne to make vs the more earnestly to repent our sins and to redeeme the time that God spares vs with a rich amendment of our life to thirst after the remedy which is the mercy of God offred vnto vs in the merits and Death of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ that we may make a happy change from misery temporall to euerlasting felicity 2 Secondly that this vile brickle weake estate of our life is to be weighed to make vs eschew pride ambition lecherie drunkennesse gluttony delicate feeding pampering decking of this filthy clay and such other vices of the flesh 3 Thirdly in that wee brought nothing with vs into this world so must we carry away nothing with vs at our death whereby we are to learne to eschew auarice coueting of others lands and goods Vsury Oppression and all other vnlawfull meanes commonly vsed for attaining to riches and honour in this world and as the Apostle counsels hauing meat and raiment be content so to vse things temporall as by them wee may come to things eternall For wee came not into this world to build houses or to purchase lands to ioyne house to house but rather by this our short continuance we are put in minde to haue temporalia in vsu aeterna in desiderio and to vse this world as if we vsed it not 1. Cor. 7.31 and so be gone 4 Lastly insomuch as death indifferently and without respect knocks as well at the gates of princely Palaces as at the dores of poore Cottages and takes pleasure to vvound as vvell the flourishing youth as the decayed Age shooting his darts continually by Land by Sea
most vncertaine whether it shall euer bee or neuer or whether God will accept it or no. What Law iustice or equitie is this that after thou hast serued the World Flesh and Diuell all thy youth and best dayes in the end to come thrust thine old bones defiled and worne out with sinne into the dish of thy Creator his enemies to haue the best and hee the leauings The onely way therefore to escape this dangerous and vncertaine point is Esay 55. to conuert in time to seeke vnto GOD while hee may bee found to call vpon him while hee is neere at hand CHAP. 15. Against mistrust in Gods mercy THis is that great and maine impediment that stoppeth the conduits 〈…〉 God 's holy grace from flowing into the Soule of a sinfull man for there cannot bee a greater dishonour to GOD nor any thing more displeasing to him then to doubt of his mercy whose heart is more tender towards vs then the heart of any mother can bee to the onely childe and infant of her wombe for thus hee saith to Sion which for her sinnes beganne to doubt least hee had forsaken her Can the mother forget her owne infant or can shee not bee mercifull to the child of her owne wombe If shee could yet can I not forget or reiect thee behold I haue written thee in the flesh of mine owne hands As the Father pittieth his owne children so doth the Lord take mercy vpon vs hee knoweth whereof we be made hee remembreth that we are but dust God will not despise the worke of his owne hands I am hee I am he saith the LORD that for mine owne sake will doe away thine offences and will no more thinke of thy sinnes Esay 43. As surely as I liue I will not thy death but rather that thou shalt be conuerted and liue Ezech. 33. Nunquid voluntatis meae est mors impit Haue I any pleasure in the death of a sinner saith the Lord. GOD by his Prophet Ieremy complaineth grieuously Esay 1. that men will not accept of his mercy offered saying Turne from your wicked wayes why will yee dye O you house of Israel GOD so loued the world that hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne to the death to redeeme vs Special arguments of Gods exceeding loue that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting The sum of the Gospell hereunto all the Prophets beare witnesse that whosoeuer shall beleeue in him by his name hee shall haue remission of sinnes and withall eternall life God gaue his Sonne to redeeme vs euen then when wee were his enemies and if when wee were his enemies wee were reconciled vnto GOD by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled shall we be saued by his life Christ came not into the world to condemne the world but to saue it hee came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance CHAP. 16. The promises of God to sinners that repent are manifold absolute and vniuersall VVHosoeuer shall depart from his euill wayes and turne vnto mee saith the Lord I will receiue him Behold here the the vniuersality of all people and persons without excluding any At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne from the bottome of his heart I will put away all his wickednesse out of my remembrance saith the Lord see the vniuersalitie of all times and seasons vvithout exception Leaue off to doe peruersly and then doe you come and finde fault with mee if you can For if your sinnes were as red as Scarlet they shall be made as white as Snow Consider here the vniuersalitie of all kind of sinnes bee they neuer so grieuous so horrible or hainous As nothing doth more exasperate they re of God then the depriuing of his Maiesty of that most excellent propertie wherein he chiefly delighteth and gloryeth which is his infinite and vnspeakeable mercy so nothing doth more assure vs of Gods mercy fauour towards vs then that he is our Creator and Father which two words the one of loue the other of power takes away all doubt of beeing denied any thing that wee shall aske in his name with Faith This blessed name of Father in God doth import vnto vs by his owne testimonie all sweetnesse all loue all comfort all fatherly prouidence care and protection all certaintie of fauour all assurance of grace all security of mercy pardon and remission of our sins whensoeuer vnfainedly we turn vnto him for neuer sinner repented that was not pardoned neuer any that returned vnfainedly that was not mercifully accepted Three things there are saith S. Bernard wherein my hope consisteth and whereby it is made inuincible 1 Charitas vocationis First in the exceeding loue and charitie of him that calleth vs to him by repentance 2 Veritas promissionis Secondly the infallible truth and certainty of his promise which he maketh to vs of pardon and mercy 3. Potestas redditionis Thirdly the endlesse power and abilitie hee hath to performe whatsoeuer he promiseth Therefore if thou beest ready to breathe out thy soule and Spirit feare not to repent for Gods mercy is not restrained by the shortnesse of time CHAP. 17. How one should demeane himselfe when sicknesse beginneth THe first and principall thing religiously to bee remembred in the beginning of sicknesse is that the soule doe call her selfe to a serious account of sinnes passed of the euill committed and the good omitted remembring that of the Prophet Psal 32.9 I will confesse against my selfe mine owne vnrighteousnesse In all extremities our chiefest care ought to be by Prayer to call vpon God for helpe and religiously to commend our selues and soules vnto God A ioyfull lifting vp of the heart to the Throne of grace makes vs willing to renounce the world and to resigne our selues ouer vnto his diuine pleasure to whose will wee ought with patience meekely to submit our selues both for our continuance in this life and for our deliuerance out of this life CHAP. 18. The disposing of blessings temporall HIs sinnes by the sicke partie confessed his soule religiously commended to GOD his desire to liue or die referred to the diuine prouidence an orderly disposing of those temporall blessings which God hath lent vs is very conuenient for euery Christian specially in time of health and nothing ominous as some haue timorously doubted This disposing of blessings temporal maketh vs not to dye the more quickly but the more quietly Wee shew our thankefulnesse to God and charitie to men when we become beneficiall vnto others remembring whose saying it was It is a blessed thing to giue Acts 20. Then is he with a free and willing minde to yeeld and render his soule into the hands of Almightie God his Creator who of his infinite mercy redeemed him by the death and Passion of his deare Sonne Iesus Christ our onely Sauiour and Redeemer in whose onely merits is his last repose at parting
by day by night at home and abroad and neuer missing let all estates at all times and in all places be alwayes ready armed against the assaults of Death CHAP. 6. Against the feare of Death DEath is the ineuitable Law of nature therefore to feare that which cannot bee auoyded is meere folly But our feare of death proceedes from doubt and doubt from vnbeliefe and our vnbeliefe chiefly from ignorance because wee know not the good that is elsewhere and doe not beleeue that our part is in it so that true knowledge and true faith driues away all feare of death Assurance of heauenly things makes vs willing to part with earthly Hee cannot contemne this life that knowes not the other and he is not worthy to liue in the other that is vnwilling to die in this to despise this life is to thinke of heauen and not to feare Death is to thinke of that glorious life that followes it If we can endure pain for health much more ought wee at our last to abide a few pangs that cannot last for an euerlasting glory How fondly doe wee feare a vanquisht enemie ouer whom Christ hath already triumphed by whose death death is swallowed vp in victory and we thereby deliuered from the tyranny thereof It is enough to vs that Christ died for vs who had not died neither but that wee might die the more willingly and with greater safety Death is necessarily annexed to nature and life is giuen vs with a condition to die and our Creator in his mercy continues the vse of our life to this end onely that we may learne rightly to die There is but one common rode to all flesh and there are no by-paths of any fayrer or neerer way no not for Princes Haue we bin at so many graues and so oft seene our selues die in our friends and doe wee shrinke when our course commeth Imagine thou wert exempt from the common Law of mankinde yet assure thy selfe death is not now so fearefull as thy life would then be wearisome Thinke not so much what Death is as from whom he comes and for what Wee receiue euen homely Messengers from great persons not without respect to their Masters and what matters it who he be so he bring vs good newes and what better newes can there be then this That God sends for thee to take possession of a Kingdome Let them then feare Death that knowes not Death to bee the messenger of Gods iustice and mercy To die is a thing naturall necessary and reasonable Naturall Naturall for it is the generall Law of the whole world that all must die and our very essence is equally parted into life and death for the first day of our birth sets vs as well in the way to death as to life Death is the condition of our creation and life is giuen vs with an exception of death to die therfore is as naturall as to be borne and as foolish is hee that feareth to die as to be old To be vnwilling to die is to be vnwilling to be a man for all men are mortall Death being then a thing so naturall why should it be feared The feare of griefe and paine is naturall but not of death Children and mad men feare not death why should not reason then be as able to furnish vs with security as they are fortified by their simplicity idiotisme Beasts feare not death therefore it is not nature that teacheth vs to feare death but rather to attend and receiue it as sent by her whose seruant it is Fooles feare death and wise men attend it It is folly to grieue at that which cannot be amended therfore when Dauid vnderstood of the death of his child he ceased to sorrow any longer for him saying While he liued there was hope but being dead there was no remedy and so his care ended Death is a debt of nature which must be payd whensoeuer it is demanded It is no taking day with God when his will is to call for it Therefore it is in vaine to flie from that which wee cannot shunne and those things which of necessity must be performed of vs ought to be done cheerefully not by compulsion as Chrysostome saith Let vs make that voluntarie which is necessarie and yeeld it to God as a gift which we stand bound to pay as a due debt Death is a happines to the faithfull because it is a deliuerance both of soule and body from all misery and sinne By death the world was redeemed to such therefore as doe beleeue in Christ their Redeemer death is to them an aduantage and a thing rather to be desired then feared for they onely are affrighted and daunted with the feare of death that are destitute of faith and hope If thou beleeuest in God why art thou not forward to goe to Christ who died for thee There cannot be a more happy thing then deuoutly to render thy life into his hands who to spare thee spared not himselfe but gaue his life for thee Christ saith Saint Paul is gaine to me both in life and death holding it for a wonderfull gaine to be no more subiect to sinne It is a more grieuous thing to liue in sinne then to die for as long as a wicked man liues his iniquity increaseth if he die his sinne ceaseth the euill therefore of death is only in sinne Necessarie Death brings an equall and an ineuitable necessitie ouer all therfore did nature make that common to all which commonly was feared of all to the end that such an equality might asswage the rigour and seuerity of death and that none might iustly complaine of death from which none was euer exempted 1 Two causes that lets men from dying willingly Lacke of faith But one chiefe cause that lets vs from dying willingly is lacke of faith for had we faith we would night and day desire this messenger of the Lords Iustice and Mercy to deliuer vs out of this miserable life that wee might enter into the fruition of eternall felicity for hauing confidence in GOD wee shall finde death to be as a guide to bring vs to our euerlasting home 2 Loue of the world Another cause of the feare of death is the loue of the world for they feare death most that most loues the world and giues themselues most to the pleasures and delights of this life which they feare to be depriued of by death To feare death is for a man to be enemie to himselfe and to his owne life for he can neuer liue at ease and contentedly that feareth to die therefore to contemne death is a thing one should learne betimes for without this meditation none cā haue any repose in minde seeing it is most certaine that die we must not knowing when and it may be at the very instant of our thought how then can any enioy a peaceable soule who feares death Improuidence ads terror vnto death which threatens
The effects of the spirit of the world are fornication vncleanenesse wantonnesse c. Whoso desireth to bee a friend of this world is thereby made an enemy to God therefore nolite conformari huic seculo nolite diligere mundum neque ea quae in mundo sunt so that wee may neither loue it nor conforme our selues vnto it vnder the paine of the enmitie of God and of eternall damnation Seeing then this world is such a thing as it is so vaine so deceitfull so troublesome so dangerous who would bee deceiued or allured with the vanity thereof or bee stayed from the noble seruice of God by the loue of so fond a trifle as is this world How we may auoid the dangers of the world The sixt point of this Parable how wee may auoid the dangers of the world and vse them to our owne gaine commoditie The onely way is to vse the refuge of birds in auoiding the dangerous snares of Fowlers that is to mount vp into the aire and so to fly ouer them al Frustrà iacitur rete ante oculos pennatorum the net is laid in vaine before the eyes of such as haue wings and can fly And as the Fowler hath no hope to catch the bird except hee can allure her to pitch and to come downe so hath the Diuell no way to entangle vs but to say as he said to Christ Mitte te deorsum throwe thy selfe downe vpon the baites which I haue laid eat and deuoure them enamour thy selfe with them tye thine appetite vnto them and the like which grosse and open temptation hee that will auoid by contemning the allurements of these baits by flying ouer them by placing his loue cogitations in the mountaines of heauenly ioyes eternity hee shall easily escape all dangers and perils S. Paul past ouer these dangers when he said that he was now crucified to the world the world vnto him and that he esteemed all the wealth of this world as meere dung and albeit he liued in the flesh yet liued he not according to the flesh Which glorious example if we would follow in contemning despising the vanities of this world and fixing our minds on the noble riches of Gods eternal Kingdom to come the snares of the Diuell would preuaile nothing at all against vs in this life Now how to vse the riches and commodities of this world to our aduantage Christ hath plainely laid downe the meanes saying Facite vobis amicos de Mammona iniquitatis Make vnto you friends of the riches of iniquitie How easily then may rich men bee happy if they will what a plentifull haruest may they reape to themselues if they were wise hauing such store of seed by them and so much ground offred them dayly to sow it in O you rich men therefore deceiue not your selues for what a man soweth that shall hee reape Rom. CHAP. 14. 14 Against procrastination Our conuersion is made harder by delay LEt vs turn to the Lord and put not off from day to day for many inconueniences insue procrastination If wee doe sleepe in security and accustome our selues with sinning our custome will wax to be our nature and hard will it be to rise from sinne in which wee haue been so long and so deeply buried for continuance of sinne bringeth custome which hauing gotten roote in vs will hardly be rooted out of vs. Secondy the longer we persist in our sinfull life the further off is Gods helpe from vs and the more doth hee plucke his grace and assistance from vs for by delay wee exasperate Gods iustice and heape vengeance on our owne heads Thirdly by longer custome of sinne the habit is more deepely rooted in vs and the power and kingdome of the deuill more established confirmed in vs our minde more infected our iudgement more weakened our good desires extinguished our passions confirmed our body corrupted our strength diminished and all our whole Cōmon-wealth the more peruerted Fourthly it is dangerous in respect of the sudden taking away of man who is often so suddenly smitten that hee hath no time to thinke vpon God much lesse to call vpon him with true repentance The fifth danger is that in driuing off to the last houre we shall finde hard time then to turne vnto God for sicknes will sore disquiet vs Satan will extremely tempt vs Friends with talking and crauing will molest vs the terrour of our vgly conscience will astonish vs so that it will bee very hard to be rightly mindfull of our end and in our extremity to call to God for mercy Miserable is that soule which placeth the ankor of his eternall wealth or woe vpon so tickle a point as is his conuersion at the very last houre It is said to be tickle in regard all Diuines speake very doubtfully of it and albeit they doe not absolutely condemne it in all but doe leaue it as vncertaine vnto Gods secret iudgement yet doe they encline vnto the negatiue part and do alledge foure reasons The first for that the extreme feare and paines of death which are most terrible doe not permit a man commonly so to ga-gather his spirits and sences at that time as is required for the treating of so weighty a matter with Almighty God as is our conuersion and saluation for scarcely can any fixe his minde earnestly vpon heauenly cogitations at such time as hee is but troubled with the passions of Chollick or Stone or other sharp diseases how much lesse in the anguishes of death The second is for that the conuersion which a man makes at the last day is not for the most part voluntary but vpon necessity and for feare The third reason for that the custome of sinne cannot be remoued vpon the instant being growne now as it were into nature it selfe for which cause God saith to euill men by the Prophet Ieremie If an Aethiopian can change his blacke skin or a Leopard his spots then can you also doe well hauing learned all dayes of your life to doe euill The fourth cause is for that the acts of Vertue themselues cannot be of so great value with God in that instant as if they had beene done in time of health before for what great matter is it then to pardon thine enemie when thou canst hurt him no more To giue thy goods away when thou canst enioy them no longer To abandon thy Concubine when of force thou must forsake her To leaue to sinne when sinne leaueth thee He is a carelesse and a gracelesse man who knowing all this will venture notwithstanding the eternitie of his saluation and damnation vpon the doubtfull euent of his finall repentance But what ingratitude and iniustice is this towards Almighty God hauing receiued so many benefits from him already and expecting so great a matter hereafter as is the Kingdome of Heauen to appoint out the least last and worst part of thy life vnto his seruice and that whereof thou art
And so laying aside all earthly respects as hauing now no more to doe with the things vnder the Sunne to commend his body to Christian buriall and his soule to his mercifull Redeemer CHAP. 19. It is necessary for the sicke after an orderly disposing of his worldly goods and leauing all worldly thoughts to apply his mind to Prayer and godly Meditations Prayer THe sweetest incense wee can offer is our deuotion by Prayer The lifting vp of our hands will be as an euening sacrifice he healeth our sicknesses and forgiueth all our sinnes Psal 103. God lookes that wee should send vp our prayers to him that he might send downe his mercy to vs. Prayer in time of trouble is commanded with a promise Call vpon mee saith the Lord in the time of trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie me Psal 50.15 Psalmes in time of affliction haue a speciall peculiar grace to moue deuotion Proper and peculiar Psalmes for the sicke Put mee not to rebuke O Lord Psal 38. Haue mercy vpon me O Lord Psal 51. Hast thee to deliuer mee O God Psal 70. In thee O Lord haue I put my trust Psal 71. I will cry vnto the Lord with my voice Psal 77. Out of the deepe haue I called vnto thee O Lord Lord heare my voice Psal 130. In his meditations let him meditate vpon the ioyes of Heauen Meditations touching which no tongue created either of Man or Angel can expresse them no imagination conceiue nor vnderstanding comprehend them for Christ himselfe saith Nemo scit nisi qui accipiet No man knowes them but he that enioyes them such is the infinite value glory and Maiestie of the felicitie prepared for vs in heauen Secondly to call to minde the vnspeakeable loue of GOD towards man in generall as that God so loued the world that hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne to the death to redeeme vs euen then when wee were his enemies and if when we were his enemies wee were reconciled vnto God by the Death of his Son much more being reconciled shal we be saued by his life Thirdly to call to mind the vnspeakeable loue of God towards our selues in particular both in our Creation Redemption Sanctification and Iustification Fourthly to meditate vpō the Passion of Christ namely how hee suffered the death of the Crosse with extreme reproch and contumely besides most grieuous torments both in soule and body that he might to the vtmost indure the punishment due to our sinnes Feare not therefore saith Christ feare not thy sinnes for I am the remission of sinnes feare not darknes I am the light feare not death I am the life whosoeuer commeth to me shall neuer see death Fifthly to meditate vpon his descending into Hell how that in his soule hee suffered such extreme and fearefull torments and euerlasting punishments as that by a locall descending into hell he could not possibly haue indured more Sixtly to meditate vpon Christs Resurrection how by his rising againe hee ouercame Death Hell Sinne and the Diuel himselfe and so by his Resurrection hee triumphed ouer Death cloathed vs with his Righteousnesse reconciled vs to his Father and made vs heires of his euerlasting Kingdome Lastly to meditate vpon the Ascension of Christ how that he is gone vp to Heauen with great glory thereby to open a way for vs against our selues come to possesse it after death and body and soule together after the Resurrection It is nothing that wee doe suffer in respect of that which Christ suffered for vs for whatsoeuer we suffer Christ suffered more for vs therefore there is nothing that can bee too much or too deare for vs to bestow vpon Christ CHAP. 20. To visit the sicke is a high worke of mercy THat care is thought of greatest importance which is imployed in helping those who are least able to helpe themselues and yet haue most need of ghostly direction this duty specially concernes them to whom God hath committed the charge of soules therefore it is greatly to bee wished that like as the Serpent that old enemy of mankinde who the shorter his time is the fiercer his wrath is and himselfe the more busie so those who should feed Christs Lambes would now be the more carefull to keepe them from this deuouring Lyon and to present them sound in Faith and ioyfull in hope vnto the great Shepheard of their soules which is done partly by exhortation partly by Prayer Tediousnesse of discourse may soone weary the weake party In exhortatiō these things are to be obserued few words well ordered auaile most impertinent speeches are very vnfit a premeditated exhortation after information taken of the disposition of the sicke is very behoouefull CHAP. 21. A Prayer at the first visiting of the Sicke Prayer MOst gracious God we humbly beseech thee to looke vpon this thy Seruant with the eyes of thy mercy to grant him patience in his troubles comfort in his afflictions and strength in thy mercies Defend him O Lord from the danger of the enemy keep him in thy protection sauegard and send him deliuerance at thy good will and pleasure through Iesus Christ our onely Sauiour and Redeemer Amen CHAP. 22. A confession to bee vsed of the sicke by himselfe ALmighty and most mercifull Father I acknowledge my great and grieuous offences committed against thy Diuine Maiestie I haue not as I ought loued thee aboue all things I haue not sincerely vvorshipped thee I haue not honoured thy Sacred name I haue not sanctified thy Sabbath I haue not done due reuerence to my Parents and Gouernours I haue borne deadly hatred I haue liued vnchastely I haue taken my neighbors goods I haue depraued his good name I haue coueted contrarie to thy commandement for all which I humbly craue mercy of thee for these and all other my sinnes known and vnknowne which I haue committed since the day of my birth I doe with an humble penitent heart aske pardon and forgiuenesse of them euen for the merits of thy deare Sonne Iesus Christ our onely Sauiour and Redeemer in whose name I pray as hee himselfe hath taught vs saying Our Father which art in Heauen c. O Lord Iesus who art the Resurrection and the life in whom whosoeuer beleeueth shal not perish but haue life euerlasting I neither desire the continuance of this life nor a more speedy deliuerance out of this world then shall stand with thy good will and pleasure to which I humbly referre my selfe doe with mee most mercifull Sauiour according to the riches of thy goodnesse through thee haue I beene holpen euer since I was borne thou art hee that tookest me out of my mothers wombe and hast preserued mee to this houre it grieueth me that I haue so often offended thee and I am the more grieued that I can grieue no more then I doe considering the grieuousnesse of my offences towards thee CHAP. 23. A Prayer by the sick party against the