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
it away c Eph. 1.4 4 The calling of God is without repentance and whom he loueth he loueth to the end d Rom. 11.29 Ioh. 13.1 5 I know by my loue of the brethen that I am translated from death to life a 1. Ioh. 3.14 6 I am sory that I can be no more sorie for my sins and this to me is an argument of faith b 2. Cor. 7.10 7 I desire to beléeue in Christ and to run the waies of his Commandements c Mar. 9.24 2. Cor. 8.12 Psal 119.5 8 Christs merits are greater then my sinnes and hee is the propitiation for my sinnes d Ioh. 1.29 1. Ioh. 2.1.2 9 Though the righteous fall he shall rise againe for God supporteth him with his hand e Ps 37.24 Pr. 17.17.24 10 The Spirit doth though very weakly witnesse to my sprit that I am Gods childe f Ro. 8.16 11 I hate sinne with an vnfained hatred g 1. Ioh. 3.9 12 I loue all good things as well as one and hate all euill as well as one h Ps 119.6 104. and I can be contented to be dissolued and to be with Christ and to say Come Lord Iesus come quickely i Phi. 1.23 Reu. 22.21 Euch. If Satan will tempt you to presume of Gods mercies what remedies must you heere vse Phil. I must meditate against this sinne 1 That God bids me not be high minded k Rom. 11.20 2 That security destroyeth more then anie sin l Luk. 17.26 3 That hee is blessed who feareth alwaies a Pr. 28.14 4 That I must worke out my saluation with feare and trembling b Ph. 2.12 5 That as God is a God of mercy so is he also a God of Iustice c Deut. 9.20.2 6 That the more I presume the more subiect I am to fall d Luk. 22.33.34 7 That it is Satans maine weapon to vanquish me God is mercifull e Ro. 6.15 8 That euen Dauid praied to bee kept from sinnes of presumption f Ps 29.13 9 That the longer I continue in sinnes the more hardly I can leaue them g 2. Sa. 3.16 Rom. 2.1 10 That if once God call mee I must vndoe all I haue done before h Ro. 6 21. 11 That then I must shedde many a bitter teare for my sinnes i Ps 32. Lu. 22.62 12 That by going on I heape to my selfe wrath against the day of wrath k Ro. 2.5 and therfore haue we need in this and al the former assaults of God men and diuels to pray Lord leade vs not into temptation Euch. Which is the explanation of this petition Phil. But deliuer vs from euill Euch. What doe you pray for in these words But deliuer vs frō euill Phil. That I and all Cristians may bee freed from the power of Satan sinne the flesh and the world so that being thus preserued we neither shall nor may not fall or so be deliuered from euill that wee may not fall quite away by any temptation Euch. Why say you deliuer vs Phil. Why euen because we are 1. his seruants 2 his children 3 his workmanship 4 his image 5 the price of his sons bloud 6. vessels to carry his name 7 members of his body 8 as sheepe amongst wolues Euch. Do you not by euill vnderstand only the diuell who is called That euill one a Mat. 13.19 Phil. No I do not though temptations come principally from him but by euil you said I must vnderstand all my spirituall enemies according to that of the Apostle Iohn The whole world lyeth in euill b 1 Ioh. 5.19 Euch. Tell mee more plainely what you heere meane by Euill Phil. I vnderstand by it First Satan 1. Ioh. 2.14 Secondly Sinne Rom. 12.9 Thirdly all Euils which may any way hurt vs as Warre Plague Famine Offences Heresies Schismes Errors Seditions c. Fourthly euill persons bee they Turkes Iewes Heretickes Schismatikes Atheists Seducers c. Fiftly eternall and euerlasting Death which is the most fearefull euill of all Euch. How many waies doth God deliuer vs from euill Phil. Twelue waies 1 By preseruing vs from committing sinne c Ge. 20.6 2 By fréeing vs from iudgements due vnto sinne d 2. Sa 12.13 3 By keeping vs from the hurt of sinne and afflictions e Ps 91.13 4 By turning all those sinnes which we commit and the afflictions which wee sustaine to our good f Ps 51.1.119.67.71 5 By bridling Satan that he cannot subdue vs g Rom. 16 20. 6 By giuing vs his holy Spirit that by a liuely faith we ouercome all euill h Ro. 8.2 1. Ioh. 5.4 1. Pet. 5.9 7 By no meanes i Mat. 4.2 8 By small meanes k 2. King 4.3 9 By ordinary meanes l Ios 5.12 10 By extraordinary meanes m 2. King 6.16 11 Contrary to all meanes n Da. 3.25 12 By Christ Iesus who ouercame the world by obeying the flesh by suffering and the diuell by triumphing ouer him in his Crosse Iohn 16.33.1 Pet. 4.1 Col. 2.15 and this is the comfort of all Christians Psal 91.1 Euch. What meanes must you vse to deliuer your selfe from euill Phil. I must 1 Auoid the company of euill persons Prou. 1.10 Genes 39.10 2 Not liue in places where euill is practised though I may gaine much by it 2. Cor. 6.17 3 I must take heede of euill spéeches which may corrupt me others Eph. 4.29 4 I must hide Gods word in mine heart that I do not sinne against him Ps 119.11 Euch. Why are these words added as an explanation to this petition Phil. 1 To teach me that when I am deliuered from euill I may be sure not to be led into temptation for euill is the cause of all temptations a Iam. 1.13 which being taken away the effect ceaseth 2 That of my selfe I cannot resist euill 3 That the least creatures shal be able to hurt me vnlesse God bee my deliuerer 2. King 6.27 Act. 12. 4 That I shall neuer be fully deliuered till God for Christs sake set me at liberty Psal 119.32 Ioh. 8.36 Euch. What must we doe to bee deliuered from the diuell Phil. We must 1 Put on the whole armour of God b Ep. 6.11 2. Cor. 10.4 2 We must know how to vse that armour c Vers 13. 3 We must walke warily that he do not circumuent vs and bee neuer out of our calling d Ep. 4.15 2. Sa. 11. 4 We must euer seeke to feare and serue God e Ps 2.11 Pro. 28.14 5 We must know that Christ is our Captaine and deliuerer f Ioh. 16.33 6 We must meditate of the miserable estate of such as are ouercome by the Diuell g Lu. 11.26 7 We must take his weapons from him which are our flesh Gal. 5.17.1 Pet. 2.11 and the world 1. Ioh. 2.15 Iam. 4.4 1. Ioh. 5.19 1. Cor. 7.31 8 We must pray as Christ
or the longest shadow the goodliest shadow Neither men nor their liues are measured by the ell in a great and a small circle the figure is all one and it is hath béen and will be fatall euen to great and glorious personages ordinarily not to liue long Take Salomon Iosiah and Christ Iesus for example Quest O but I would not die in a strange countrey Answ No Abraham did and died quietly Ioseph did and he died honorably many Saints did and they died gloriously Are you slaine in battell you haue a tombe amongst the dead bodies of your enemies Do you die in trauaile you are héere a stranger your countrie is in heauen Death comes vnto you masked in these such like shapes take off the maske and it is the same death wherewith women and children die Euery place is a like distant from heauen Quest And when I haue seen all the world would you haue mee willing to leaue all the world Answ Why you euer haue séene the same rising and setting of the Sunne the same encreasing and decreasing of nature the like sins that haue béen in former times and if you haue séene all the world consider but the vanitie mutabilitie of this world and either you will say that this world is a world of wickednesse or that now in his old age it is passing away as a thréed-bare garment ouer-worne Quest Is it easie now thinke you to leaue wife and children father and mother and all my friends Ans Where you go you shall find more such as you neuer saw they whom you leaue behind shall shortly follow after you Quest But what shall become of my wife children friends and kins-folkes who depend vpon me Answ All these belong more to God than to you he loues them best and will prouide best for them and such so left haue often risen to high and great place Quest Yet if I died not alone I might haue more comfort Answ Alone why how many thousand in the whole world die in the same moment of time which you die in and yet which God may grant to you but a few of them goe to heauen Quest Once againe would you haue me not to feare death which causeth mee to lose life looke like a ghost and which taketh away from mee all the ioies of this world Answ By losing a temporall life you finde that life which is eternall you shall not be afraid when you looke gastly and that gastly body of yours shall one day bee clothed with glory and be made like to the glorious body of your most glorious Sauiour and as for the petie and peacocke ioies héere you shall haue ioies eternall and vnspeakable heereafter Quest Seeing then I must needs die what must I doe to die well Answ 1 Labour that your sinnes die in you before you die in the world 2 Be euer ready and prepared either for death or iudgement 3 Endeauour that your death may bee voluntary 4 Consider what an excellent thing it is to end your life before your death and in such sort that at that houre you haue nothing to doe but to die that then you haue no more néede of any thing not of time not of your selfe but sweetly and comfortably to depart this life so that you may say in the testimony of a good conscience I was not ashamed to liue and I am not afraid to die because I know my Redeemer liueth Quest How many waies may a man carry himselfe in death Answ Fiue 1 He may feare and flye it as euill 2 Attend it sweetly and patiently as a thing naturall ineuitable and reasonable 3 Contemne it as a thing indifferent and of no great importance 4 Desire and seeke after it as the onely hauen of rest from all the troubles and torments of this life and so esteeme it as great gaine 5 He may giue it to himselfe by taking away his owne life Quest What thinke you of the first because it is the opinion of the most Answ 1 Because the most thinke so therefore it is most remote from the truth 2 Such seeme to giue little credit to Gods word which teacheth that by it wée rest from our labours 3 If death be euill it is an euill only in opinion and such an euill as neuer did hurt to a good man 4 Why should a man feare that which in truth he knowes not what it is or what good it wil bring vnto him as Socrates once said vnto his friends when hee would not pleade for his life before his Iudges 5 It argueth faint-heartednesse and follie to feare that which cannot be auoided 6 If it be good why should we feare it if euill why do we by sorrow adde euill vnto euill 7 He that once begins to feare death can neuer by reason of this feare liue a good and a contented life He is neuer a freeman that feares death 8 Consider that if nature had made men immortall so that will they nill they they should haue liued euer how many thousands in miserie would haue cursed nature Surely if we had it not in this vale of misery we would desire it more Quest Giue mee your opinion of the second Answ Surely me thinkes they kéepe the golden meane for they will neither desire death as knowing it to bée against nature nor flie from it considering that it is against iustice reason and their dutie to God they know right well that the first day of their birth setteth them in their way to death Nascentes morimur finisque ab origine pendet At birth begin we life to end This end doth on that birth depend Why should wee feare to go that way which all the world hath gone before vs why to ariue at that hauen to which wee haue béen sayling euer since we were borne Quest And doe you thinke that the third sort of people do well who contemne death Answ To contemne death yea and life it selfe for the glorie of God the good of the Church the manifestation of the truth the saluation of our soules and the credit of our names argueth a courage Christian and inuincible hath béen practised both by the Saints of God many famous worthies euen amongst the heathen And surely he that feares death too much shal neuer be fit for any honorable action nay he shall neuer be a frée-man neither can he truly say that he beléeueth the immortalitie of the soule or his resurrection to eternall life by Christ Quest Need I not to craue your opinion of the fourth and fifth sort wherof one desires to die and the other in that desire doth take away his owne life Ans I haue in this treatise answered concerning the fourth shewed how a man may desire death you shall find it if you reade on in this direction But for a mā to take away his own life though it may séem sometimes to procéed from the greatnes of a mans courage yet it cannot but be a
and that he said of himselfe he was Christ the King This he suffered that so he might deriue and take to himselfe that rebellion against Gods Maiestie whereof we all were guilty in Adam and by this humiliation make satisfaction to God for vs. If he had defended himselfe we had beene accused or acquitted himselfe we had perished but as a Lambe before the shearer he opened not his mouth that wee might haue liberty to call vpon God 2 He is ballanced with Barabbas and thought lighter then a murderer hee is condemned by a Iudge in the name of the whole Empire and being thus condemned though pronounced innocent hee is scorned by Souldiers attired like a foole beaten with rods spit vpon with reproch and only because he bare the iniquities of vs all Isai 53. 3 He is cast out of the City to giue vs a City hee carried his Crosse to carry our sinnes he is brought to Golgatha to suffer our reproach he is crucified on the Crosse to giue vs a crowne euen a crowne of glory reserued in heauen for vs. 1. Pet. 1. 4 He was crucified with theeues that he might glorifie vs with Angels with his hands spread abroad that he might call all vnto him with his naked body that wee might not be ashamed of our nakednesse in heauen with a feeling of thirst that hee might shew his desire of our saluation wâ—th drinking of gall that hee might satisfie for tâ—at deadly iuice which Adam sucked out of the forbidden fruit with his side pierced thorow that the Church might bee washed with the blood and water that came out with crying in feare that wee might cry in faith and with the losse of his life that he might saue ours Quest O cursed Caiphas who thus arraigned him O cursed Pilate who thus condemned O thrice cursed both Iewes and Romans who thus did execute the Sonne of God Answ Nay rather cursed bee our sins for which he was arraigned condemned and executed Hee that knew no sinne was made sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2. Cor. 5. He was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes wee are healed All wee like sheepe haue gone astray wee haue turned euery one to his owne way and the Lord hath laide vpon him the iniquities of vs all Isai 53.5.6 Hee hath redeemed vs from the curse of the Law being made a curse for vs that wee might bee made the righteousnesse of God in him Gal. 3.14 And wee were not redeemed with corruptible things as siluer and gold from our vaine conuersation receiued by the traditions of the Fathers but with the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot Quest And at what time of the yeere did he suffer all this An. At Easter at the feast of the Passouer when the Iewes were commanded to kill a lambe in remembrance of their deliuerance out of Egypt to shew that he was that lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world yea and that Lambe which in Gods counsell and its owne efficacie was slaine from the beginning of the world Quest You said before that our Sauiour was crucified to what end did hee vndergoe this punishment Ans 1 That he might deriue the curse of the Law from vs vnto himselfe Gal. 3.14 2 That the corruption of our nature being crucified with him our inherent vitiositie might be abolished that henceforth wee should not serue sinne Rom. 6.6 3 That hauing paied our debt he might bring in and cancell that hand-writing wherewith wee were bounden that so the memory of our sinnes being blotted out they might not appeare before God against vs. 5 That his bloud might bee a lauer to purge our soules from all their spots of sinne 6 That we might so haue iust cause euer to acknowledge and magnifie the loue of Christ towards vs. Ephes 5.1 Quest I see by this why Christ was crucified but why did he die vpon the Crosse Answ 1 That hee might ratifie the eternall couenant and testament of grace Heb. 9.15 2 That he might abolish sin Rom. 6.10 3 That he might take away the stipend of sinne which is death Rom. 6.20 2. Tim. 1.10 4 That by death hee might ouercome him who had the power of death that is the diuell Heb. 2.14 5 That he might take from vs the feare of death Heb. 2.15 6 That we by it should die so vnto sin Rom. 6.11 that it should no more reigne in our mortall bodies Rom. 6.13 7 That wee might belong properly to Christ Rom. 7.4 8 That they which liue should no more liue vnto themselues but vnto Christ who died and rose againe for vs. 2. Cor. 5.15 9 That wee might know and acknowledge the great loue of Christ towards vs. 1. Ioh. 3.16 10 That wee might liue with Christ 1. Thess 5.10 11 That we might learne to die couragiously for his and our brethrens cause 1. Ioh. 3.16 12 That by this meanes Gods mercy and iustice might both be glorifyed in this redemption and saluation of mankinde Iohn 3.14 Quest Is this death of Christ profitable to euery singular man in the world Ans It was effectually profitable onely to the elect for 1 He gaue his life for his sheepe Iohn 10.15 2 Hee deliuered his people from their sinnes Matth. 21. 3 For them he sanctified himselfe Ioh. 17. He praied onely for them Ioh. 17. If he had died intentionally for all and all had not beene saued hee should haue missed of his purpose 4 Els the sinne of man were of ability to disanull the intent of Christ Quest How is Christs death thus meritorious Answ 1 In that hée was both God and man Acts 20. 2 In that it was a voluntary death Philip. 2.7 Quest Tell mee now what benefit comes vnto me by this death of Christ Answ Great euery way for by it 1 There is such a satisfaction made fully for your sinnes that they shall neuer rise vp in iudgement against you 1. Ioh. 1.7 2 God is pacified and reconciled to man Rom. 3.24 3 Satan is ouercome Gen. 3.15 4 Death is swallowed vp in victory and the feare thereof is so taken away that to the faithfull it is now nothing but a passage to eternall life Hos 13.14 5 You are acquitted and iustified from your sinnes Rom. 4.25 5.19 6 The Partition-wall betwixt Iewes and Gentiles is broken downe Eph. 2.14 7 All the faithfull vnder both the Old and New Testament are become subiect vnto one Head from which they were fallen and are gathered into one body Eph. 1.10 Coloss 1.21 8 The prophecies are accomplished the Truth is become agreeable to the figure of Sampson killing more at his death then in his life the brasen Serpent which cured such as looked vp vnto it and the sacrifices which were offered before for sinnes 9 By the death of Christ you euer die to
their death Quest Now then of all men that die in this World whose death is most miserable Ans The death of sinners for them we must mourne most and their death is most miserable Their birth is bad their life is worse their departure is worst of all their death is without death their end is without end and their want is without want But precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Quest Can you giue mee any example to proue this Ans I can One at the houre of his death féeling alreadie the torments of hell cried out after this sort O lamentable destinie O infinite calamitie O death without death O those continuall cryings which shall neuer be harkened vnto Our eyes can see nothing but sorrowfull spectacles and intolerable torments Our eares can heare nothing but woe woe without end wofull O thou earth why doest thou not swallow vs O yee mountaines why doe you not couer vs from the presence of the Iudge How farre doe the torments of Hell exceede all the tortures of this life O you bewitching pleasures of this VVorld how haue you ledde vs blindfold to the horrors of Hell Woe woe for euer vnto vs who without hope are cast from the fauour of God O that after tenne thousand yeares we might bee deliuered O that in any time we might haue an end But it cannot be our temporall pleasures haue eternall paines our mirth it is now turned into mourning and we are cast into eternall fire A King said O that I had neuer beene a King Quest Shew mee also some examples of good men who haue vttered things comfortable at their death Answ Christ said Father into thine hands I commend my spirit Luk. 23.46 Steuen said Lord Iesus receiue my spirit Acts 7.59 Simeon said Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word Saint Augustine said as Hierom reporteth Nature compels me to be dissolued I according to the Scripture phrase am to goe the way of my forefathers Now Christ inuiteth me now I desire to see celestiall fights O keepe you the faith thinke you also that you are mortall men Let this be your care to keepe the commandements of God that when you die all the Saints may receiue you as their familiars and friends into the euerlasting tabernacles If you regard mee or keepe any remembrance of me your Father thinke of these things sauour these things do these things Saint Iohn said My little children loue one another my little children loue one another and being demaunded why he did ingeminate so often this spéech He said My Lord and Master taught it vs in his life preached it before his death and if yee doe this it sufficeth Holy Effrem said O Lord God receiue preserue saue and be mercifull to vs by thy grace Tobiah said to his sonne Keepe thou the Law and the Commandements and shew thy selfe mercifull and iust that it may goe well with thee Chap. 14. 9. Mauritius the Emperour said when Phocas caused his children and wife to be slaine before his eyes and lastly himselfe The Lord is righteous in all his waies and holy in all his workes Psal 145. Antonius surnamed Pius that is the godly King said Why do you mourne for mee and not rather thinke of that common both death and pestilence And when his friends were readie to leaue him he said If you now leaue me fare yee well I but go before you And being demanded to whom he would leaue his sonne To God saith hée and you if he deserue well Master Deering a little before his death being by his friends raised vp in his bed séeing the Sunne shine and being desired to speake said There is but one Sun that giueth light to the world there is but one righteousnesse there is but one communion of Saints If I were the excellentest creature in the world If I were as righteous as Abraham Isaac and Iakob for they were excellent men in the world yet must we all confesse that we are great sinners and that there is no saluation but in the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus and wee haue all need of the grace of God And for my part as concerning death I feele such ioy of spirit that if I should haue the sentence of life on the one side and the sentence of death on the other side I had rather chuse a thousand times seeing God hath appointed the separation the sentence of death than the sentence of life The Earle of Essex said O God Creator of all things and Iudge of all men thou hast let mee know by warrant out of thy word that Satan is then most busie when our end is neerest and that Satan being resisted will flie I humblie beseech thee to assist mee in this my last combat and seeing thou acceptest euen of our desires as of our acts accept I beseech thee of my desires to resist him as of true resistance and perfect by thy grace what thou seest in my flesh to bee fraile and weake giue mee patience to beare as becommeth mee this iust punishment inflicted vpon mee by so honorable a triall Grant mee the inward comfort of thy Spirit let thy Spirit seale vnto my soule an assurance of thy mercies lift my soule aboue all earthly cogitations and when my life and bodie shall part send thy blessed Angels which may receiue my soule and conuey it to the ioyes in heauen Then concluding his prayer for all estates of the Realme hee shut vp all with the Lords Prayer reiterating this Petition Lord Iesus forgiue vs our trespasses Lord Iesus receiue my soule King Edward the sixt said Lord God deliuer mee out of this miserable and wretched life and take me among thy chosen Howbeit not my wil but thy wil be done Lord I commit my spirit to thee O Lord thou knowest how happie it were for mee to bee with thee yet for thy chosens sake send me life health that I may truly serue thee O my Lord God blesse thy people and saue thine inheritance O Lord saue thy chosen people of England O my Lord defend this Realme from Papistrie and maintaine thy true Religion that I and my people may pâ—aise thy holy Name for thy Sonne Iesus Christs sake I am faint Lord haue mercie vpon me and take my spirit And manie of the like you may reade in the book of Martyrs Quest Are not they most happy that die in this sort and sing these Cygnean songs as funerall hymnes Answ O happie and thrice happy are they whose life is a continuall praysing of God and whose death is an vncessant prayer to God Quest Yet if it please God I would not die in my youth and the flower of mine age Answ Why are you of so couetous a disposition that you would measure all things by the ell Is nothing precious but that which is durable think you the tallest person the comliest person the greatest picture the best picture
of death is the Master day and Iudge of all other daies it is the triall and touchstone of our life if you die a good death it honoreth all your Actions if an euill it defameth them all it is the last act of the worlds Comedie and most difficult wherfore I will shew those consolations vnto you and will repeate them in your health that you may thinke of them better vpon your sicke bed wherefore against the feare of death consider 1 That wee neither liue nor die to our selues but whether we liue we liue to the Lord and whether we die wee die to the Lord. Rom. 14.8 2 That Christ is to vs in life gaine and in death aduantage Phil. 1.21 3 That Christ is to vs the resurrection and the life and whosoeuer beleeueth in him though he were dead yet shall hee liue Iohn 11.25 4 That God doth both mitigate and abbreuiate the dolours of death to his seruants 5 That our death being conuerted into a swéet sléepe is the complement of the mortification of our flesh so that hee which is dead is fréed from sinne Roman 6.7 6 That we Christians know that when this earthly tabernacle of our house shal be dissolued we shall haue a building euen of God that is an house made without hands eternall in the heauens 2. Cor. 5.1 7 That if we die in the Lord we goe to Christ which is best of all for vs. Phil. 1.23 8 That this way of all flesh is sanctified to vs by the death of Christ 9 That if euer at other times the Spirit of Christ doth cause vs to beare afflictions patiently it doth especially by the comfort which it ministreth in death inestimablie ouercome the sorrowes of death 10 That the spirit indeede is ready but the flesh is weake Matth. 26.41 so that the inward man doth not feare death but only the outward man Quest Can you yet giue any more of these most sweet consolations Answ Meditate therefore againe with me that 1 The desire you should haue to behold the most bright eies of God and so to be deliuered from this body of sinne will extinguish and extenuate both the grieuous feare and fearefull griefe of present death 2 That though wée can bée content to liue with the faithfull that are aliue and must die yet we must as well desire to be with those Saints who hauing ouercome death are gone before vs to the kingdome of heauen 3 That wee must not more estéeme of this naturall then of the spirituall life but that the loue of the one must abolish the griefe of the other 4 That we are assured of the soules immortality that it shall goe by the transportation of Angels to the assembly and societie of the first borne which are written in heauen Luk. 16.22 Heb. 11.23 and that our bodies doe rest in the earth so that one doth not vnfitly call the graue an Hauen for the bodie to arriue at 5 That wee beleeue the resurrection of the body and euerlasting life after death for this is the faith of Christians onely 6 That wee seeing euidently Gods great mercy towards our young children at their departure out of this life ought at our last end to be the more couragious especially since wee know that wee haue the seale and earnest of Gods spirit in our hearts 7 That as in our whole life so in the agony of death God doth not suffer vs his seruants to be tempted aboue that which we are able to beare 1. Cor. 10.13 but giueth an happy issue with and out of that temptation It is in truth admirable which Gregorie in his Morals saith That some doe with laughter entertaine death wee may better say that by couragious patience they doe ouercome it 8 That we ought not so much to thinke of a peaceable end as of a godly life Augustine said well Where a good life goeth before an euill death must not bee thought to follow And He cannot die ill who liues well And He seldome dies well who hath liued ill And Reade saith he and reade ouer all the monuments of learned men and you shall find nothing more horrible then that person who doth liue in such an estate that he is afraid to die 9 That death is neuer vntimely whether we respect the good or the bad They die soone that they may no longer be vexed by the wicked these die soone that they may not euer persecute the godly as the same Augustine said 10 That this life is so full of miseries that in comparison thereof death may bee thought rather a remedy then a punishment as Ambrose thought Quest Once againe giue mee more comforts against the feare of death for such is the corruptiō of my nature that al is little enough Answ I will thinke therefore but thinke you seriously 1 That he onely feares death extreamly who cannot be perswaded that he shall liue after death as Chysostome saith 2 That it is best to offer that willingly to God as a gift which one day wee must else surrender as a debt to wit this spirit and life of ours as Chrysostome said 3 That as death to the euill is euill so is it good to the good to whom all things worke for their good 4 That death is the way to life as Ambrose said very fitly And another said This day which so affrighteth thee as if it were the last day is the birthday of eternitie 5 That this death is but a repairing of our life 6 That as Bernard said the death of the righteous is good in regard of rest better in regard of nouelty best of all in regard of security and that as the same Father said the death of the godly is good better best of al Contrariwise the death of the godlesse is bad worse and worst of al. 7 That death doth not abolish but establish life in a farre better estate 8 That then death frees vs from death life from error grace from sinne 9 That if Chrysostome say true death is but a bare name 10 That God doth so temper death vnto vs that it can be no cause of euil vnto vs. And therefore if you be wise remember the saying euen of an Heathen man Summum nec metuas diem nec optes Nether feare death when it commeth nor desire it too much before it commeth Quest These are all of them sweet consolations indeed yet because Satan and my flesh may bring vpon me many feares as first that God is angry with me by reason of my sinnes how may I comfort my selfe against this temptation Quest Say vnto your soule why should I feare the wrath of God For it is written God sent not his Sonne into the world to condemne the world but that by him the world might be saued Ioh. 3. Hee that beleeueth in him shall not sée death He that beléeueth in him hath eternal life Hee that beléeueth in him shall neuer perish Who shall lay any thing to the charge
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
learn all our life to die and this is the principall office of life To be briefe by this you shall purchase libertie to your conscience you shall feare nothing you will liue well contentedly and peaceably and without this knowledge there is no more pleasure in life than in the fruition of that which a man feareth alwaies to lose Quest To draw to an end and to come to my end when the pangs of death come vpon me and the wormes of the earth wait for me if God giue mee then mine vnderstanding what I pray you may bee my fittest meditation Answ Say now inwardly to your sicke soule Now my pilgrimage is ended mine haruest is inned my iourney is finished my race is run my glasse is spent my candle is in the socket many of the godly are gone before and I am now to follow them now thinke that you are come out of prison gotten out of Babylon and are going to Ierusalem Now thinke that the Angels stand at your beds head to carrie your soule into Abrahams bosome where you shall see God the Father behold God the Sonne and enioy God the holy Ghost where you shall enioy the societie of Angels the companie of the Saints and the knowledge of them whom you neuer knew héere where you shall liue eternally reigne triumphantly and obey God perfectly Meditate now that you must not bee loth to leaue this world because you go to that which is to come to leaue your house because you are going to Gods house to leaue your temporall riches because you are going to eternal riches to leaue your earthly preferments because God will set a crowne of pure gold vpon your head and to leaue your friends and acquaintance heere because you shall see them in glorie hereafter These and such like must be your meditations Quest Now it may be and I pray God it may be that I may haue speech vnto the last gaspe what words are fit for me to vtter Answ If God giue you that blessing say now with Dauid Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth With Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation With Paul Christ is to me life and death is to mee aduantage I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith from henceforth is laid vp for mee the crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue mee at that day and not to mee only but to all them that loue that appearing of his Say How sweet is my Sauiour vnto mee sweeter then the hony and the hony combe Say Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Say Lord I haue sinned against thee thou hast promised to forgiue me my sinnes I beleeue Lord helpe mine vnbeliefe Say with Steuen Lord into thine hands I commend my soule Say with the Saints Come Lord Iesus come quickly Say Lord keepe thy Church and people in thy trueth and peace for euermore now Lord dissolue in me the cursed workes of the diuell Say I am sicke be thou my Physitian I am to die Lord giue me life eternall Say Lord bee good vnto my kinsfolks in the flesh and my friends in the Spirit that they may liue in thy feare and die in thy fauour Say with Ambrose I haue not so led my life that I was ashamed to liue neither doe I feare death because I haue a good Lord. Say to thy friends with S. Bernard O ground the anchor of your faith and hope in the safe and sure port of Gods mercie Say with Oecolampadius to all that come to thée I will tell you newes I shall shortly be with the Lord. Say with Luther I pray thee Lord Iesus receiue my poore soule my heauenly Father though I be taken from this life and this body of mine is to be laied downe yet I know certainly that I shall remaine with thee for euer neither shal any be able to pul me out of thine hands Say with Annas Burgius Forsake me not O Lord lest I forsake thee Say with Melancthon If it be the will of God I am willing to die and I beseech him that he will grant me a ioyfull departure Say with M. Caluine I held my tongue because thou Lord hast done it I mourned as a a doue Lord thou grindest me to powder but it sufficeth mee because it was thine hand Say with Peter Martyr My bodie is weake but my minde is well There is no saluation but onely by Christ who was giuen of the Father to bee a Redeemer of mankinde This is my faith in which I die and God will destroy them that teach otherwise Farewell my brethren and deare friends Say with Babylas Martyr of Antioch Returne O my soule vnto thy rest because the Lord hath blessed thee Because thou hast deliuered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my foote from falling I shall walke before thee in the land of the liuing Say Blessed is God in all his waies and holie in all his workes Naked I came out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne againe The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away blessed bee the name of the Lord. I know that my Redeemer liueth and he shall stand the last on the earth And though after my skin wormes destroy this body yet I shall see God in my flesh Whom I my selfe shall see and mine eyes shall cehold and none other for mee though my reines are consumed within me Say in a word Lord I thanke thee that I am a Christian that I liued in a Christian Church that I die amongst a Christian people that I goe to a Christian societie Lord Iesu sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me and receiue my soule Euen so Come Lord Iesu come quickly Amen Quest If I haue time these are fit both meditations and speeches but I may die vpon the sudden what instructions can you giue me against sudden death Answ You may indéed die suddenly either by fire in your house or water in your ship or earth falling into some pit or casualtie in your way or impostumation and an apoplexi in your body or by trauel in child-birth if you be a woman or the sword in warre if you bee a man Therefore thinke 1 That death may come vpon you vnawares wherefore as you would doe for a suspected enemie waite so for it that it may neuer surprize you 2 Know that many worthie men haue died suddenly Iulius Caesar disputing the night before of the good of sudden death was the next day by Brutus and Cassius slain suddenly in the Senate Ioannes Mathesius hauing preached a Sermon of the raising againe of the widow of Nains sonne and therein handling the knowledge that one
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
at the last day A Tayler can rip a garment and set it together againe though it bee in a thousand pieces a Clockmaker can take asunder euery wheele of a watch and ioyne it together again and shal not God be able to doe the like for your bodie Why my deare brother did God create you of nothing can he not restore you from something doth not he hold all the elements in his hands is not he more skilful then that Alchymist who can extract the quintessence of any substance or that goldsmith who though many mettals bee mingled together yet can he seuer each one to his first substance is not he the Lord God of all flesh is there any thing hard to him Ierem 32 Can the Phoenix rise out of her own ashes and shall not you arise out of your owne dust Can the trees reuiue againe in the spring and cannot you reuiue againe at the last day You sée that many birds and flies are dead all winter and reuiue in summer you know that the corne which at the séede time is cast into the ground groweth vp in haruest Shall God saith Augustine quicken the rotten and dead graines of seed whereby thou liuest in this world and shall bee not much more raise thee vp that thou maiest liue for euer Know then that as euery night hath his day euery Sunsetting his Sunrising euery sleeping his awaking euery labour his rest and euerie winter his spring time so euerie death shall haue his life Say then euen when you are to die Post tenebras spero lucem After darkenesse I hope for light Iob. 17.12 For if the Spirit of him that raised vp Iesus Christ from the dead dwel in you he that raised vp Christ from the dead shal also quicken your mortall body by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Reade and reade often the 1. Cor. 15. chapter and those two golden Chapters of the last resurrection and eternall life in Bucanus his Institutions and you shall be much comforted and confirmed in this point Quest I beleeue that I shall see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the liuing but when I see him what shall bee the qualities where with my body shall be adorned Ans It shall be 1 Immortall for this mortall shal put on immortalitie 1. Cor. 15. 2 Incorruptible for this corruptible shall put on incorruption 1. Cor. 15. 3 Spirituall it is sowen a naturall body it shall rise a spirituall bodie 1. Cor. 15. 4 Strong it is sowen in weaknes it shal rise in strength 1. Cor. 15. 5 Perfect for as Adam was in his first creation and Christ after his resurrection so shall you be at the resurrection of the iust 6 Beautifull it shall shine like the stars be bright as the Sunne and cleare as Crystall Dan. 12. Matth. 22. 1. Cor. 15. The glory of the heauenly bodies is one the glorie of the earthly bodies is another Quest Why saith the Apostle that our bodies shall be spirituall bodies Answ Not that the essence shall be changed but the qualities of that essence they are called spirituall 1 Because they shall giue themselues wholly to be gouerned by the Spirit 2 They shall be vpheld by the power of the Spirit so that they shall need no meat or drinke but by the Spirit of Christ shall be nourished to eternall life Quest And why say you they shall be perfect Answ Because as there is no pollution in heauen so shall there be no imperfection The yong infant shal not rise in his infancy nor the aged person in his decrepite age nor the blind person without his fight nor hée that is borne lame or imperfect with that imperfection but séeing our resurrection is a new creation we shall then be as in our first creation Aug. lib. 11. de ciuit Dei cap. 13. And in his Enchiridion to Laurentius he saith The bodies of the Saints shall rise without any maime without any deformitie without any corruption without difficultie in which there shall be as great facilitie as there is felicitie Lyra ad Ephes cap. 4. ver 13. Looke to the 1 Adam created a perfect man the 2 Adam rising a perfect man and Gods promise Philip. 3.21 1. Cor. 15. 49. to make our bodies like Christs bodie and you will resolue w … comfort of this truth Quest As my bodie shall be thus renued so shall not my soule be renued Answ It shall Then shall the glorious Image of God shine in it for 1 Your vnderstanding shall be full of the knowledge of God which he shall immediately reueale vnto you 2 Your will shall perfectly obey God 3 All your affections shall be so purified and well ordered that there shall be a swéet harmony betwixt all the faculties of your soule Quest Can you shew me this by any comparison Answ Lactantius will do it for me As a candle saith he while it is in the lanterne it giueth a good light and enlightneth the lanterne it selfe and if it bee taken out although the lanterne bee left darke yet the candle shines more cléerely than it did before so while the soule is in the body it is the light and gouernour thereof and when it forsakes the bodie although the bodie bee left dead and insensible yet then the soule enioyes her proper vigour and brightnesse Lib. 7. cap. 12. Diuin Iustit Quest That I may the better thinke of this glorious e … tie and eternall glorie tell mee what the ancient Fathers haue thought of it Answ They indéed sequestring themselues from the mist and mudde of this present world saw more clearely than we the happinesse of Paradise and therefore they haue many diuine meditations of this matter I will repeate some and reade you to this purpose the two last Chapters of the Reuelation Augustine said Such is the beautie of eternall righteousnesse such is the ioy of that eternall light that if wee might stay there but for one day euen for that time alone wee should contemne the innumerable yeares of full delights and circumfluence of all happinesse Again We can more easily tell what there is not in that eternall life then what there is There there is no death sorrow lâ—ssitude or infirmitie There there is no hunger no thirst no heate no corruption no want no mourning no griefe Againe Haste haste to that place where you shall liue for euer for if you so loue this miserable and mutable life where you liue with such labour and for all your running riding sweating and sighing you can hardly prouide necessaries for your selues how much more ought you to loue eternall life where you shall not labour but enioy all securitie all felicitie happie libertie and happie blessednesse where we shal be like Angels the righteous shine like stars where God shall be all in all vnto them who shal be seen without end loued without wearinesse praised without irksomenesse Againe This inheritance I meane this of Christ by which we
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
a loathing of the vanities of this present euill world Call to my remembrance all those things which I haue heard or read or felt or meditated of to strengthen mee in this houre of triall that I who haue beene negligent in teaching others by my life may now teach them how to die and to beare patiently the like visitation Lord grant that my last houre may bee my best houre my last thoughts the best thoughts and my last words the best words that euer I did speak so that with my swéet Sauiour I may then say Father into thine hands I commend my spirit or with old Simeon say Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word Take away from mee in that houre all terror of conscience all scriching and howling all sottishnesse and senslesnesse which doth often accompany the wicked at their ends and since thou hast lent mee for a while my life grant that I may willingly restore it again when thou callest for it to heauen Let not the graue make me afraid because it is perfumed by the buriall of Christ and made as a bed for my body to rest in against that day in which thou shall clothe mee againe with mine owne flesh and make it like to the glorious bodie of Christ when he will say vnto mee Come thou blessed of my Father inherite the Kingdome which was prepared for thee before the foundations of the world were laid Lord I thanke thée for all thy mercies in the time of my health and in this of sicknesse especially that thou hast taught mee out of thy word which also by thy Spirit I beleeue that howsoeuer I am by nature mortall yet by grace thou hast made me immortall and that I am translated from death to life I thanke thée O Lord for all the good meanes of health offred to me in this visiâ—ation of mine as my Christian friends their holy prayers and godly comforts for the meanes of Physicke and all other fauours which I now taste of in this sicke bed of mine which thou hast denied vnto many of thy seruants and déere children who haue deserued thy fauour more then my selfe I thanke thée also that as I haue liued in a Christian Church so if I die I shall die in thy Church and be buried in the sepulchres of thy seruants who all waite for the consolation of Israel and the Redemption of their bodies in the Resurrection of the iust Blesse all good meanes vnto mee so farre sorth as it may be for thy glory and my good and as I haue euer praied Thy wil be done so now let me not be offended that thy will is done Teach me that all things euen both sicknesse and death turn to the best to them that loue thee teach me to see my happinesse through troubles that euery paine is a preuention to the godly of the paines of hell and that this light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre most excellent and eternall weight of glorie Teach mee againe by thy holy Spirit that there is none hurt by going to heauen that I shall lose nothing but the sense of euill and that anon I shall haue greater ioyes then I feele paine O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victorie I thanke thee O Lord who hast giuen me victorie by Iesus Christ in the confidence of this conquest I come vnto thée am assured that if I liue I shall liue vnto thée and if I die I shall die vnto thée I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ for he vnto me is both in life and in death aduantage I shall by death put off corruption and put on incorruption shake off sinne and be couered with righteousnesse cast off mortalitie and be attired with immortalitie I shall lose my life in earth and finde it againe in heauen Thou my Father Christ my brother the Saints my kinred happinesse mine inheritance are in heauen alreadie why should I feare to go thither whither all the godlie dead are gone before me and all the faithful liuing shall follow after mee Why art thou troubled O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within mee Lord I know I cannot escape death why should I feare it my chiefest happinesse is behind and I cannot haue it vnlesse I go vnto it I could be content to go thorow hell to heauen O make me to go through death to heauen My paines I confesse O Lord are great but since I trauell to bring forth eternitie make me patient to endure all paines I sée my sins make mee now to sée my Redeemer I feare the Iudge perswade me that his Sonne is become my intercessor Satan would affright me I hope thine Angels pitch their tents about me the graue will gape on me out of thy word I know it was the bed of my Sauiour What though I leaue many aliue behind me yet they shall all follow after if I get mine inheritance before my brethren I must bee more thankfull to my father for it Grant therefore most mercifull God that if I liue I may liue to sacrifice and if I die I may die a sacrifice I am thy seruant and the sonne of thine handmaiden do with me what thou wilt Blesse O Lord the suruiuing generation make them wise to saluation to number their daies a right and to applie their hearts to wisedome And though thou kill mee yet let me now trust in thée Grant this O Lord for thy Sonnes sake in whom alone thou art well pleased for my comforts sake which by this means shall bee encreased and for the beholders sakes who shall sée mine end that they all may say Grant that wee may die as this our brother did so that our ends may be like vnto his and our soâ—les follow his Amen Euen so come Lord Iesus come quickly and the Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God the Father and the comfort of the holy Ghost bee with mee now and for euer more Amen Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. Reuelat. 14. The eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceiue the good things which God hath prepared for them that loue him 1. Corinth 2. We know that if this earthly house of this Tabernacle bee destroyed wee haue a building giuen of God that is an house not made with hands but eternall in the Heauens 2. Cor. 5.1 Farewell my friends but you shall follow for it is appointed that all must die A THANKES GIVING AFTER DELIVERANCE from any crosse or sicknesse O Eternall God almightie and most mercifull Father the life of them that die the health of them that are sick and the only recouerer of them that are cast downe I thy late sick and sorrowfull seruant doe with bended knées and a thankfull hart prostrate my selfe before thée at this time and doe thankefully acknowledge