Satan departed from the presence of the Lord and smote Iob with sore boiles from the sole of his foot vnto his crowne Iob. 2.7 Is all my bodie pained yet is not my case like Dauids when being distressed in soule Psa 55.4 he cryed Mine heart trembleth within me and the terrours of death are fallen vpon me Am I distressed in soule yet is my case vnlike theirs which are in hell 2.49.14 Luk. 16.24 Death gnaweth vpon them and they cannot get so much as one droppe of water to coole their tongue What therefore though one of my members suffer yet is not that to trouble me for God could make all my members suffer as that one and with that one What though my heart paines me yet is not that to disturbe me For God could enlarge my heart and therewithal increase my paine What though my soule bee disquieted within me yet is not that to dismay me God could giue me ouer to desperation the height of all sinne What though I be afflicted both in body and foule yet is not that to astonish me For God could cast both body and soule into hellfire and what should then become of me but see how mercifully the Lord dealeth with me Where he could doe much he doth but little where he could torment me a thousand thousand waies he troubles me but one where he could afflict me in euery part and so leaue me sound in no part he spares me in all the rest due and punisheth me but in one Psal 42.5 c. O my soule then be not thou cast downe nor much disquieted within me Wayte on God for I will yet giue him thankes for the helpe of his presence If I did suffer more than I doe yet would not that be halfe so much as I haue deserued to suffer no more than that which I doe suffer is For what suffer I the aking of my head the pinching of my heart the stopping of my lungs the stuffing of my breast the weaknes of my stomacke the griping of my bowels the torments of my bellie or what else the shaking of my ioynts the quaking of my bones the dimnes of mine eies the dulnes of mine eares the streightnes of my pipes the losse of my taste the want of my legges c. Though I suffer some of these many of these most of these yea all these Rom. 6.23 yet all is nothing to that which I haue deserued to suffer death For death is the wages of sinne and that that death which is the curse of God the fire of hell the confusion both of body and soule which farre exceedeth the other more than either tongue is able to expresse or heart sufficient to conceiue For why it is infinit it is vnspeakable Oh what a happy change is this to change eternall death into a temporall sicknes great oddes betweene a temporall sicknes and eternall death There is no comparison betweene thē too too much to blame were I if I would not take patiently what the Lord doth lay vpon me wisely and louingly As Dauid saith by this I know that thou louest me because mine enemie doth not triumph ouer me so may I by this I know that thou ô God dost loue me because thus and thus thou now dost punish me Heb. 12.6 For the Lord chasteneth whome he loueth Which of all the Saintes of God whome he neuerthelesse loued well hath not in his life time been subiected to the like paines sicknes and diseases that I now am Gen. 48.1 verily none Iacob the patriarch was greatly beloued of God yea so well as God himselfe said of him Iacob haue I loued yet was he visited with sicknes as I am Iob the patient was an vpright man one that feared God and eschewed euill yet so well as Iames the apostle propoundes him as a patterne of patience to the whole church Iob. 1.1 yet was he smitten with sore boiles from the sole of the foot to the crowne of the head Elizeus was an holy Prophet of God 2. Kin. 13.14 one vpon whome the spirit of Eliah was doubled yet that notwithstanding he both fell sicke and also died Lazarus was a good man 20.1 so his name signfies for it is asmuch as the helpe of God and one whome Christ loued well behold how he loued him Ioh. 11.1 Yet all this neuerthelesse he sickened and died What should I then once looke to bee free by this my comfort is greater then my crosse my consolation better than my affliction Vpon this I may better say my portion is among the Saints of God then looke how I am hated and abhorred of God For after this sort were they tormented and afflicted and yet all their torments affliction notwithstanding highly were they esteemed and singularly well beloued of God And so may I for all my sickenes paine and griefe August Iohn That which the Lord permitts me to suffer is a whip of him that correcteth not a punishment of him that condemneth by it I am trayned vp to an eternall inheritance shall I then disdaine to be whipped Nothing is that which I suffer to that which I expect It is but sorrow which I suffer it is ioy which I expect the sorrow which I suffer is but temporall the ioy which I expect is eternall Of all temporall paines the Apostle saith Rom. 1.10 The afflictions of this present time are not worthie of the glory which shall be shewed But of eternall ioyes the same Apostle saith The things which eye hath not seene nor eare hath heard neither come into mans hearte are which God hath prepared for them that loue him 1. Cor. 2.9 Why therefore should I not possesse my soule in patience what will not a man do or abide for a kingdome yea for a kingdome earthly and transitorie for that a man will goe ride runne sue serue and spend What therefore should not I suffer for a kingdome that this heauenly eternall and euerlasting alas what not if well I weigh and consider what weigh and consider well I should Aswell may I now say as once one said Heere burne heere cut that for euer thou maiest spare One that was alwaies as deare to thee as I now am or may be suffered once as many and as great things as I now suffer and moe and greater too ere euer he entred into glory August in lib. de 8. virtu charita as Augustine saith The sonne of God is lead to the crosse he is vnpalmed which is the true palme of victory hee is crowned with thornes which came to breake the thornes of sinners he is bound which looseneth those that are bound he is hanged vpon a tree which lifteth vp those that were throwne down the fountaine of life had his thirst quenched with viniger discipline is beaten saluation is wounded life is killed death for a time slew life Bern. in quodam sermon that death for euer might
seruant depart in peace according to thy word Luk. 2.29 30 31 32. For mine eies haue seene thy saluation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people a light to the Gentiles and thy glory of the people Israel Such affection as was in these good and godly men Dauid Tobit Simeon and Paul should also be in those that are sicke and by their sickenesse are admonished to looke for death they should desire rather to die than to liue to be dissolued than to bee restored to bee deliuered than to bee detained For if they marke well what is their life but a vapour that vanisheth a flower that fadeth a winde that passeth a smoake that flieth a lampe that burneth And what should they be desirous to haue a winde to holde a flower to stand a smoake to stay a vapour to continue longer then either they may or God will suffer and permit He numbers their daies he measures their monethes he recordes their yeres when they are all come to their summe number and measure why should they be vnwilling either to end them or to end with them will they nill they end they shall and end them God will And better I thinke it would be with them if God might end them with their good will then it will be if he ends them with their euil will Apoc. 14.13 For blessed are they which die in the Lord but it is in doubt what they are which die vnwillingly for they hardlie die in the Lord because they die not in obedience to the Lord. Q. I but I pray you do not censure them so hardlie you know not what death can do death is fearefull and the feare thereof may affright the best R. But not so I hope as that it shall make theÌ„ vtterly vnwilling to die for though death of it selfe be feareful yet is not euery way fearfull nor to euery one fearefull though in it selfe it be the entraÌ„ce into eternal misery because of sinne from whence it came whose wages it is as Paul saith Rom. 6.23 yet in Christ it is the gate to eternal life abounding with all felicitie for when Christ tooke away sinne he took away also death issuing from sin which drew with it eternall condemnation and when hee gaue vnto vs righteousnes he gaue vnto vs also immortalitie and celestiall felicity the companion of righteousnes so farre is it therfore from the godly to feare death which terrifies others as often they wish death and soone they desire to leaue this life for they know they are heere but strangers and not citizens and therefore they are euer seeking a Citie to come to them therefore death is pleasant and amiable for then cease all their miseries and troubles yea then begins all their ioyes and pleasures as appeareth by this saying of Iohn the Euangelist Apoc. 14.13 Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord for from henceforth the spirit saith that they shal be at rest from their labours But to the vnfaithfull and vnbeleeuing death is fearefull for then begins their sorowes and miseries their plagues and torments as is to be seene in the historie of the rich man Luk. 16. When the wise man therefore speaketh of this very point in question this is his saying Syr. 41. 1. Oh death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liueth at rest in his possessions vnto the maÌ„ that hath nothing to vexe him and that hath prosperity in all things yea vnto him that yet is able to receiue meate or that yet setteth his mind on bellie cheare Sy. 41.2 O death how acceptable is thy iudgment vnto the needfull vnto him whose strength faileth and that is now in his last age and is vexed with all things and to him that despaireth and hath lost patience and this therevpon is his exhortation Feare not thou the iudgement of death remember them that haue beene before thee and that come after this is the ordinance of the Lord ouer all flesh And why wouldest thou be against the pleasure of the most high whether it be ten or a hundreth or a thousand yeeres there is no defence for life against the graue Q. But like you this his exhortation and that which hee saith touching the matter in question R. What else I know no reason why I should dislike either he speakes truth and according to truth and should I dislike his speaking of truth Q. No but yet you may examine the truth R. What where there is no doubt but I doubt whether I may examine the truth further then for the finding out of the truth for the truth is to be beleeued not examined Q. Put in if it be once manifested R. Whether that bee in or no the truth must bee beleeued Heb. 11.1 For faith as the Apostle saith is the ground of things which are hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene And Gregorie saith Grc. ho 26. super euaÌ„g Amb de Trinitate That faith is worth little which hath proofe from humaine reason Take arguments away saith Ambrose where faith is sought In her owne schooles let logicke now holde her peace Fishers are beleeued not Logicians August super Ioh. What is faith but to beleeue which thou doest not see whence and how the Trinitie is comprehended ô man thou doest well enquire how it is beleeued thou doest not well aske yea therefore it is well beleeued because soone it is not comprehended for if it were soone comprehended it were not needefull that it should bee beleeued because it should be seene But to leaue this and to returne to what we were in hand withall What is it that you dislike in the wise mans saying you make so much adoe about it Q. I dislike not any thing though I doubt of something R. What is that you doubt of of a mans fearâ—ng death Q. I neede not doubt of that that 's a thing a man cannot auoide R Yet that 's a thing a maÌ„ should refraine Q. Why would you not haue a man to be afraide of death R. No not a good man not a faithfull and beleeuing man for what should he feare death that hath his faith fixed on Christes death Death is swallowed vp into victorie through Christs death death hath neither power nor dominion ouer him that beleeueth Q. But that all men doe not for all men haue not faith R. But I speake to him and of him that hath faith Q. And would you not haue him that hath faith to feare death R. Not so as he should therefore be vtterly vnwilling to dye for it is appoynted by God that all men shall once dye and I would not haue him that hath faith to withstand the ordinance of God for his it is to obey not to resist Q. How then would you haue him to feare it R. First as it is the destruction of humaine nature in him i. as it makes him cease
The generall is that by which a man doth prepare himselfe to dye through the whole course of his life in this world But the particular is that by which a man doth prepare himselfe to dye in the time of his sickenes onely Q. To beginne with the first then what course should a man take in his life that hee might euer be prepared for his death R. That course that is fitting for that purpose Q. What is that R. This first let him meditate vpon death in the prosperous time of his life Secondly let him daylie endeuour to take from his owne death the power and strength of death Thirdly let him striue by all meanes he may to enter into the first degree of eternall life Fourthly after he hath once gotten entrance thereinto let him inure himselfe by little and little to dye before euer hee comes indeede to dye Fiftly and lastly let him doe presently whatsoeuer his hand shall finde to doe and not with the crow procrastinate from this day till to morow Q. That I may now question with you touching each of these why is he to meditate vpon his death in the prosperous time of his life R. Because the whole life of a Christian ought to be nothing else but the meditation of death because also in the best time of his life he is vncertaine of his death For man knoweth not his ende Mar. 15.43 the one and the other of these reasons made Ioseph of Aramathea an honorable counsellour which also looked for the kingdome of God to make his tombe in his life time in the middest of his garden And this did he to put himselfe in minde of death in the middest of his delights and pleasures and also to teach others by his example what they should doe For what is the duty of one this way is the duety of euery one For once it is appointed for euery man to dye as it is for any man As therefore Paul saith of all men It is appointed for all men once to dye Heb. 9.27 Syr. 38. 21. so Syrach saith to euery man Remember thy last ende forget it not Q. And what will this minding of death in the time of life worke any good in him that liues R. It either will or should Q. I speake not of the dutie but of the vertue R. If so it doth for first it humbles him that thinkes thereof vnder the mightie hand of God remembring himselfe thereby to be but dust and ashes Thus therefore said Abraham vnto God Gen. 18.27 Behold now I haue begunne to speake vnto my Lord and I am but dust and ashes Thus did he humble himselfe vnto God by remembring what he was Thus no doubt will others doe that thinke as he did For what should dust and ashes be proude Syr. 10. 9. As it is one of the lowest things vpon earth so it is one of the lightest It is troad vnder the foote of euery thing and blowne away with a small blast What should it exalte it selfe against God the clay is not to rise against the potter neither is man to huffe against his maker as the clay is in the handes of the potter so is he in the hands of his creatour As the clay therefore submits it selfe to the potter so must he himselfe to his maker The clay because it is clay and he because he is dust Gen. 2.7 Eccl. 12.7 Dust of dust Gen. 2.7 and dust to dust Eccl. 12.7 Secondly it furthereth him to repentance For hee would be loath to be taken in his sinnes Ionah had no sooner cryed to Niniueh fourtie dayes Ionah 3.4 and Niniueh shall be destroyed but Niniueh repented As the remembrance of Niniuehs destruction wrought Niniuehs conuersion so the remembrance of mans dissolution workes mans saluation For he cannot do wickedly that thinks to dye presently August lib. exhortat Nothing doth so much recall from sinne as the often thinking of death the wages of sinne For what Rom. 6.23 Luk. 18.11 1. sa 25.14 2. Sa. 13.1 Num. 11.29 can the Pharisie be proude if hee remember hee is but dust can Naball be couetous if he remember he must goe naked can Ammon be voluptous if he remember hee shall bee wormes meate can Iehoshua be enuious if he remember he shal be without life 1. Sa. 22.9 and despised of these whome he most enuied in life can Doeg be sclaunderous if he remember he shall be tongles and most talked of by those himselfe talked most against finally can any man be vitious that remembers hee shall bee infamous and lapped in the bosome of his inglorious mother earth surely no. For Syrach saith Syr. 7. 27 He that remembers his latter ende shall seldome or neuer offend Esai 38.2 Hezekiah the king no sooner heard by I say the Prophet Set thy house in order for thou shalt dye but streight way he turned his face to the wall and wept and prayed and said I beseech thee Lord remember now how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfite hearte and haue done that which is good in thy sight c. Thirdly it stirres him to contentment in euery estate and condition of life that doth befall him For he cannot be discontente with any thing Hierom. that remembreth hee must goe from euery thing As Hierome saith He doth easily despise all things which alwaies thinketh hee must dye As another saith If any man remembreth the last things of his life easily refuseth all things which are vpon the earth For Seneca saith Seneca Nothing will so much profite thee for the moderation of things as the often cogitation of death In the midst of all his afflictions which were both many and mightie righteous Iob comforted himselfe with this Naked I came out of my mothers wombe Iob. 1.21 and naked shal I returne againe The Lorde hath giuen and the Lorde hath taken away euen as it pleased the Lorde so are thongs come to passe blessed therefore be the name of the Lord. As Iob did so may we What was his comfort will also be ours If there be any fault it will be in the applying and that because it is either not applyed at all or else because it is not applyed aright If it bee applyed and rightly applyed good is euer thereby effected Greg. lib. 12. moral He which considereth what kinde of one hee shall be in death will alwaies be fearefull in his worke and therevpon liue euer in the eye of his maker he desires nothing that passeth all the desirs of life present he contradicteth and he considers himselfe almost dead because hee knoweth certainly he must dye For a perfect life is the meditation of death which while the iust diligently buzie themselues about they escape the snares of sinne For as another saith To remember that this our life must bee ended destroyeth pride extinguisheth enuie driues away lechery auoydes vanitie erecteth discipline and perfecteth
second R. So I intend for the first cannot be without a second As therefore first I sayd a man is to prepare himselfe to dye because necessarilie he must dye so secondlie I sayd he must prepare himselfe thereto because continuallie he is dying Q. What whilest he liues is he dying R. Yea whilst he liues and when he flourishes For why as one sayth all his life is but a race to death Euery day death is nigher him by a daye His daye passes and his death approaches As soone as hee begins to liue so soone hee begins to dye As Paule therefore sayd of himselfe 1. Cor. 15.31 I dye daylie because either daylie hee was in daunger of death or daylie there was diminished some part of his life So the woman of Tekoah sayd of all 2. Sam. 14.14 We doe all dye and are as water spilt vpon the ground that cannot be gathered vp againe And well sayd she what she sayd because either daylie wee are in perill of death or daylie there is diminished from vs some part of our life At the end of euery daye wee haue lesse time to liue by a day Both Augustine a diuine writer and Seneca an humaine do testifie as much as is said Sayth the first Where wee begin to liue Sap. 5.13 there by and by wee begin to dye according to that of the wise man assoone as we were borne wee began to drawe to our end And saith the second We dye daylie Seneca Epist 24. for daylie is some part of our life done away and euen then also doth our life decrease when we our selues encrease Our Infancie we haue lost after that our childehoode thenceforth to yesterday our youth What time soeuer is past is perished This verie day which now we liue we diuide with death Q. But what of all this should a man therefore euer the more prepare himselfe to dye R. What else Q. And why R. because it tels him that of necessitie hee must dye For fall one day will that tree that euery day is a falling and once dye certainelie shall that man that euery day is a dying for death permittes no truce Q. All this I graunt yet I see not how the other doth thereupon followe R. You may if you will See you not how a man prepares himselfe to fight with that enemie with whom he can conclude no peace Q. Yes R. Then may you soone see how a man is to prepare himself to stand against death with which he can enter no couenant Q. Belike then death is an enimie R. 1. Cor. 15.26 So saith Paul The last enemie that shall be destroyed is death Q. No maruell then though a man bee to prepare himselfe to encounter with death For no man must be careles of his enimie His enemie is euer too carefull of him thereto But passe from this to the next if you please R. As you please for what pleaseth you shall not displease me Q. Say not so at euery time and turne R. No more I doe As you are a man that sometime may please you which displeaseth me and as I am another that may sometime displease you which for the time greatlie pleaseth me But now because it pleaseth you that I should passe from that which was last sayd to that which is yet to be said letting these things passe I wil passe As first then I said a man is to prepare himselfe to dye because necessarilie he must dye and secondly because continually he is dying So now thirdlie I say he must therefore prepare himselfe to dye because hee certainelie knoweth not either when he shal dye or where he shall dye Syr. 18. 8. or after what sorte and maner he shall dye For as Sirach sayth no man hath certayne knowledge of his death Eccl. 9.12 And as Salomon sayth Man doth not know his time Act. 9.12 but as the fishes which are taken in an euill nette and as the birdes which are caught in the snare so are the children of men snared in the euill time when it falleth vpon them suddainely Q. But what ought the ignorance of a mans time to incite him to make preparation for his time R. What else both Christ and others seeme to say so For thus sayth Christ Luk. 12.40 Be ye also prepared therefore Wherefore Because the sonne of man will come at an houre when you thinke not This giueth asmuch as I seeke For Christ cōmeth aswell at the particular Iudgement of a man which is at his death as at the generall which shall be at the dissolution And yet you see his reason is from his comming at an houre when he is not thought of be ye therfore prepared for the sonne of man will come at an houre when ye think not And thus sayth Augustine Thou knowest not in what houre he may come Alwayes therefore watch that so because thou knowest not when he will come he may finde thee prepared when hee shall come It may be for this cause thou art ignorant when he will come that thou maiest be readie whensoeuer he doth come Augustine in quad Epistola The last day is vnknowne that all dayes may be obserued then are remedies prepared too late when deaths perils hang ouer the head Thus also sayth Gregorie Gregorie Lib. 12. moral To this ende our maker would haue our ende hidden and the day of our death to be vnknowne that whilest it is alwaies vnknowne it might alwaies bee thought to bee nigh at hand and that euery man by so much might be the more feruent in working by how much he is vncertaine of calling that while we are vncertaine when we must dye we might alwaies come prepared to death Brandmil Con. funebr To the like effect in like sorte sayth another Therefore to no man is the houre of death knowen that euer we might watch and be readie least being vnreadie and in ill sorte secure wee should bee found sleeping And this is his reason If men did foreknow when they should dye they would shew their diligence about that time that they might not therefore be diligent onely in that time but continually he foresheweth neither a generall houre nor a particular that in alwaies looking for him they might alwaies watch For as Theophylacte well sayth vpon the first chapter of the first of Pauls Epistles to the Thessalonians Theophylact in 1. ap 5. If man knew his last day he would indeuour himselfe to doe any mischiefe other dayes then the end of his life approaching he would be baptized Moreouer many if they knew they should dye to morrow would bethinke themselues how many waies they might molest and afflict their aduersaries as though now they did despayre of themselues and did desire to refresh themselues with their enemies bloud Which thing is not now done for the feare of death staying them the loue desire of eternall life recalling them For the houre of death is
of glorie to the seruants of God It is the beginning of a blessed life For the other there is another that saieth Syr. 40. 25. 41. 2. It is better to dye then to begge O death how acceptable is thy Iudgement vnto the needefull and vnto him whose strength fayleth and that is nowe in the last age and is vexed with all things and to him that despayreth and hath lost patience To like purpose saide olde Tobit in the anguish of his Soule Tob. 3.6 It is better for me to dye then to liue because I haue heard false reproches and am verie sorowful For the maine point we driue at there is one that saieth Philip. 1.2 Cor. 5 he which dieth is freed from the miseries of the world he goeth to the Lord from whom he went on pilgrimage so long as he abode in the bodye Also in Death he leaueth sinne labour affliction the slime of the earth the matter of continuall conflict against the spirit of God And that bodie made of the dust of the grounde which he leaues in Death he shall receiue againe in the day of the restoring of all things in farre better case then euer it was in this worlde For then it shal be made like the glorious bodie of Christ Whether therefore you respect the Soule of him that dies or you regarde the bodie yet euer is that sure which I saie that death is commodious to him that dies If you respect the Soule It is freed from the bandes of the bodie to be with Christ It is translated to immortalitie It is conducted to the heauenlie countrey from which it was a stranger If you regarde the bodie it is freed from all miserie It is committed to a most safe and sweete sleepe it is prepared to the glorie of the resurrection the flesh resteth in hope whatsoeuer you respect or regarde yet this at length you must come to Raban lib. 9. in eccl cap. 2. The iudgement of present death is good to those that worship Christ because by it they passe to eternall life Sanctus Idiota By a good death a man chaunges his feare into securitie his labour into tranquilitie his want into sacietie his sorrow into iocunditie by a good death he escapeth all daunger of loosing the grace of God his estate comes to be better then euer it was before While he liued Lazarus was contemned Luk. 26.21 neither Master nor Man would regarde him more compassion was had of him by dogges then by men The dogges came licked his sores but no man gaue him the crummes which fell from the rich mans table but when he was dead Lazarus was esteemed the Angels came and carried him into Abrahams bosome of Christ himselfe Myconius saieth While Christ liued Myconi in euang Mar expos he might see nothing but humilitie and many things horrible and dreadfull but being dead see how honorable his burial was great good men burie him there is a magnificent preparation a new Sepulchre in the gardein in which yet neuer man lay As it fared with these so often fareth it with others by these then may others see what commodities drawes towards them when death comes vpon them some I haue shewed mo at pleasure may be conceiued so good so pleasant so profitable there are as Bassus an olde man once said Ser. 30. episto If there be any discommoditie in death it is the fault of those that die and not the fault of death it selfe In his book of the contempt of death saith Seneca Seneca lib. de contem mortis for the paine that is in death It is light if I can beare it It is but short if I cannot endure it for the commodities that are therein they are many I shal leaue of all possibility then to be sick any more I shall leaue of all possibility to be bouÌ„d any more I shall leaue of all possibilitie to dye any more Sickenes shall haue no more to do with me bondage shall haue no more to doe with me Death shall haue no more to doe with me the power of the one the other and all of them shall be taken from them what in this point Seneca thought was to betide him is surely to betyde others As Seneca therefore contemned death because of the commodities of Death so may they for the same cause stand in lesse feare of Death then otherwise for therefore is it said that there are many commodities in Death that those which are to dye should be well armed against the immoderate feare of Death For it is but follie to feare that which will come and vpon all come and vpon many verie profitably come when it doth come Manie makes a vertue of necessitie and most wonderouslie loue that which brings commoditie saieth Seneca again Seneca lib. de senectu In death there is no greater solace against Death then mortalitie it selfe I see not therefore howe any shoulde ouer foolishlie feare Death it bringing commodities as it doth not only to them that suffer it but also to those that see it by others suffered Q. No more doe I neither should I if there were asmuch prooued as was erewhile propounded R. Why do you make an if what is there wanting Q. The latter part of your saying R. What is that Q. Doe not you know R. Whether I do or do not I would know of you Q. And that I can tell you R. Doe it then Q. So I meane but I doe but quicken your wit a little with this being by other things fully resolued of your will R. I can but commend your wit for so doing But I would heare what is wanting to be prooued of that which was propounded Q. That you shall that death brings commoditie to those that see it suffered is the thing which I speake of R. And that 's the thing you need not much speake of or at the least not so as you haue spoken For that thing is not now vnprooued Remember you not that out of that auncient and learned doctour Gregory I tolde you that The death of the righteous was an helpe to the good thâ—â— saw it and a testimonie to the euill Q. Yes indeede doe I. R. Be not so hastie then heereafter to accuse before you haue iust cause For that saying of Gregorie is proofe sufficient for that in controuersie Q. It is so I can it not deny but I would haue had more R. Why more than enough is too much and the prouerb is enough is as good as a feast Though more should be said yet would it all come to this issue For euer the death of the righteous is either an helpe to the good or a testimonie to the bad or both to either Q. But how the one to the one and the other to the other R. The one to the one by making them to remember their owne ends to wish the like ends and to prepare against their ends The other to
the other by making them more obstinate in their sinnes more peruerse in their actions more loose and licentious in their liues and conuersations For when a good man sees another die he then bethinks himselfe that he also must die he wishes that such a death he may die Let me die the death of the righteous Num. 23.17 and let my last ende be like his He prepares what he may to come to such an end But whē an euill man sees a good man die he then is either raised from his sinne to righteousnes or hardened in his sinne against all godlines Raised it may be he is if he see him die a good death i. A death in his estimation good but hardened if he see him die an hard death i. A violent death an vnnaturall or a troublesome death For he thereupon presently reasons this mans life was not so good as hee himselfe thought it and some other iudged it For then should he not haue had so hard an ende For such as the life is such the death is And as Augustine saith He cannot die ill Ang. de doctrina christian which liued well and hardly he dies well which liues ill For mine owne part therefore what course I haue taken that will I hold what waies I haue walked them will I walke what things I haue done them will I still do They that haue done as I doe haue died a better death than he this that would in no wise doe as I haue done Q. But is this his reasoning good and laudable R. How thinke you Q. I aske you R. And I you Q. I thinke it not good R. No more doe I. Q. But why doe neither of vs both thinke it so R. Because there is no reason either of vs both should thinke it so For a good man may haue an harde ende In outward shew the death of our Sauiour Christ was but an hard death he died the death of the crosse and we know what was said in the law Deut. 21.23 Gal. 3 13. Cursed is euery one that hangeth on a tree Yet I hope wee may not say that therefore Christ died a bad death Q. God forbid we should For by his death we are deliuered from death and I hope that was no bad death to him which was so good a death for vs R. In worse sorte we are not to iudge of the death of any good man For he cannot die badly Aug. lac sup citat Aug. de ciuit-dei lib. how hardly soeuer he dies that hath liued godlily For as the same father saith That is not to bee thought an euill death before which there went a good life For there is nothing makes an ill death but that which followeth death Q. Leauing the wicked then in and to their wickednes let vs returne For I see that that which is of it selfe good they will make bad R. Tit. 1.15 That is right so For vnto the pure are all things pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled But because you speake of returning whither would you we should returne or to what Q. Either to that wee were in hand withall or to that which is to follow R. Vnlesse you will wee haue done with that wee were in hand withall For I haue shewed you how death was commodious both to him that suffered it and also to him that saw it suffered Q. You haue so and no little comfort haue I gotten thereby For thereby I haue learned against the daies of necessitie how to fence my soule against the inordinate feare of death R. Right vse in so doing haue you made thereof For thereto and for haue I said thereof what I haue said Q. I know so much and therefore I acknowledge it But as I remember you said that by meditations aswell as by practises he that is sicke and that mortally may arme himselfe against all excessiue and immoderate feare of death R. I did so and in so doing I did not amisse For by the one as by the other is that to bee done which I said was thereby to be done Q. As you haue shewed then how it might be done by the one so I would you would shew how it may be done by the other R. In this point I will what you will As then by practises foure waies the sicke man might munite his soule against the immoderate feare of death so may he by meditations also fower waies doe the same Q. But how R. First by meditating that his death aswell as the death of any other man and the death of euerie man is not onely foreseene but also foreappointed of God Secondly by thinking that death following after and ioyned with a reformed life hath a promise of blessednes adioyned vnto it Thirdly by thinking that he which dieth beleeuing in Christ dieth not forth of Christ but in Christ hauing both his body soule really coupled to Christ according to the tenour of the couenant of grace Fourthly by considering that God hath promised his speciall blessed and comfortable presence vnto his seruants in all their needes and necessities Q. But touching these matters there may be a double doubte One touching the truth of them another touching the effect of them R. I deny not but there may be but I auouch that there neede not be For the truth in them is as I haue pronounced of them and the effect of them is like the truth to be found in them Q. Is it true then that the death of euery man is not onely forescene but also foreappointed of God R. Why else say I so vse I my tongue to lie and my mouth to deceiue you neede neuer make question thereof if either you consider the saying of Iob touching this point or the historie of Christ his death Q. Why what saieth Iob touching this point R. That 's to bee seene in the seauenth of his booke where he makes this question Is there not an appointed time to man vpon earth Iob. 7.1 are not his daies as the daies of an hireling in the 14. where he giues this aunswere 14,5 The daies of man are determined and the number of his moneths are with thee O God Q. And what is the historie of Christ his Death R. That part which I speake off that which is thus recorded in the Actes of the Apostles Act. 4.27.28 Doubtles against thine holie Sonne Iesus whom thou haddest annointed both Herode and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel gathered themselues together to doe whatsoeuer thine hand and thy Counsell had determined before to be done Q. What gather you thence R. That which the Text doth giue to wit that in the Death of Christ there came nothing to passe but that which the foreknowledge and eternal Counsell of God had appointed Q. But what 's that to the death of another man or to the death
thou wilt not direct thy will after Gods will but wilt bend Gods will to thy will that is right but thou crookest it thy wil is to be corrected by that but that is not to be buckled to thine and thou shalt haue an vpright heart Without the conforming of mans will to Gods will mans will is but a peruerse will Q. That 's sure but what may moue him to reforme that which is peruerse and to conforme it to that from which it is auerse R. The first and last meditations I haue yet spoken of Q. I pray God that all you are to speake off may effect what you and I do affect R. So pray I also there is no fault in them if they do not they are all as fruitfull as faithfull so they be faithfull that are to vse them Q. Manifest both in all as you haue done in one R. So will I in time Q Out of time you cannot doe it R. That 's so because nothing is done which is not done in time but yet there is a difference of time there is a due time and an vndue time Q. And this is now a due time for the second to succeed the first and each one to followe another R. You say well if you thinke your selfe satisfied for the first Q. I did amisse else to mooue you to the second for I am vnwilling to remaine vnsatisfied in any thing whereof I may be satisfied by you Being therfore satisfied touching the first what say you to the truth of the second hath it a promise of blessing annexed vnto it R. Hath it If I haue said it you need not to make any doubt of it I woulde not say what I cannot iustifie neither often vse I to doe it but to put you out of all doubt touching that whereof you seeme to bee in doubt consider what is written in the Reuelation of the Euangelist Iohn and then I thinke not but soone you will cause to doubt Q. Why what is it that is there writtten R. Apoc. 14.13 That Blessed are they which dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Q. And doth it thereupon followe that Death ioyned with and following after a reformed life hath the promise of blessednes annexed vnto it R. What else for first there is none die in the Lord but they which haue liued in the Lord for liuing sometime in the Lord must goe before dying any time in the Lord for as Augustine saith He hardly dies wel which alwaies liued ill SecoÌ„dly they which so dy are said to be blessed blessed are they which dy in the Lord. Thirdly that blessing then beginneth when as this life endeth For it is said therefore they are blessed which die in the Lord because they rest from their labours their workes follow them In which words there is both an expressing of the time wherein they are blessed and also of the cause wherefore they are blessed The time is the time of their death for it is said blessed are they which die in the Lord. The cause is their resting from their labour For blessed are they which die in the Lord for they rest from their labours c. In both the Euangelist speakes in the present tense hauing an eie in the last to the preterperfect For first he saith they are blessed he saith not that either they were blessed in the time past or they shall be blessed in the time to come but they are blessed in the time present as though they were in blisse euen in their death Secondly he saith they doe rest he saith not that they haue rested or that they shall rest but that they doe rest as though their death were a rest and not a distresse Thirdly he saith from their labours as though death present were a rest from labours past Q. Though the Euangelist saith so yet it followeth not but that they which dy in the Lord both were blessed and did rest before their death and shall be blessed and rest better after their death R. Neither did I yet say that any such thing will thereupon follow For the most of those that at their death are blessed in their life also were in some sorte blessed and all those that are blessed in their death shall for euer after be blessed after death Eternall life is heere in this life begunne and that sometime long before death and sometime in death but it is neuer finished or perfected till the life to come and after death There is perfection heere is but incoation there life is perfected heere it is but incepted He which heere hath it not at any time there enioyes it not On the contrarie part he which heere is entred into it shall there fully be possessed of it To conclude therfore they which are blessed in their death were also blessed in their life and shall be blessed after death with life lasting euer and enduring world without end Q. This being as you say no meruaile though the meditation of that promise be a shield of succour against deaths terrour For of my selfe I can heere collect that too much death is not to bee feared hauing so sweete a promise of rest thereto annexed R. In so doing you doe what euery christian ought to do For what should he ouer much feare death that hath herein a promise made to him of life what should he ouer much feare that which frees him from labour and brings him to rest who would not leaue an house of clay for a building giuen of God that is an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens life rest and a building giuen of God are three things which mitigates in any the immoderat dread of death For the loue of these death should rather be loued than loathed wished than shunned craued than feared Q. You say well if euery death had the promise of these things made vnto it R. Neuer if at the matter for there is no good death which hath them not all promised vnto it Q. There is much difference betweene a good death and any death R. I denie not that But I spake not of any death but only of a good death Neither could I for that place of scripture which I produced for proofe of what I propounded saith not that all are blessed which die but that they onely are blessed which die in the Lord. Q. That a man might come to that what should he doe R. Liue well so neere as he can For as the prouerbe is Such as the life is such will the death be And as Augustine saith as you heard ere while He cannot die ill which hath liued well and hardly doth he die well which hath liued ill Q. August de doctrina chrâ—stiana That should not seeme to be very necessarie First because there are but few that regards it For how euer euery man desires to die well yet not many desire to liue well Balaam
Wherefore cryest thou vnto me Exod. 14.15 When death therefore assailes me all sences external failes so as the sicke bee vtterly vnable to pray with tongue yet if through the instigation of others he be willing thereto that his will to praier is as good as if he did pray for as Dauid saith Psal 10.17 145.19 God heares the desires of the poore and he will fulfill the desires of them that feare him he also will heare their cry and will saue them And this he speakes as if the sighes sobs and grones of a repentant and beleeuing heart were praiers before God as well as the supplicatory words of a loud and mournfull crying tongue but to stay further speech of this though I might make much more you see many speake and vnderstand well to their last gaspe and they I think may vse their tongues in praier aswel as their hearts Q. There are but a few that doe so and seldome when it is that any doe so R. Yes vndoubtedly they are many that doe so and such times fall out often and neither is greatly to bee marueiled at for why As good words either of God and godlines or to God and his goodnes are sighes of a true and timely faith so often doth God enable many to the last point of their liues both to speake and to vse many good words to his glory their owne comfort and others great good If you will looke either into the Scriptures or into other histories you shall find there many good men to haue spoken to the last and to haue vsed merueilous good words at the last In the nine and fourtieth of Genesis the last words of Iaâ—kob were prophecies of blessings and curses vpon his children the duration of gouernement in Israel and ardent praier for his owne good Amongst all and other things by him there said these are neither least nor last Gen. 49.10 The Scepter shall not depart from Iudah and the Law-giuer from betweene his feete till Shilo come And againe O Lord I haue waited for thy saluation In the two and three and thirteth of Deuteronomie Deu 32.35 the last words of Moses were his most excelleÌ„t song conteining the benefites of God toward his people and their ingratitude towards him and Moses his blessing wherewith he blessed the children of Israel before his death the words are better for you there to reade then forme heere to repeat referring you thither therefore there to reade them heere for this time I willingly omit them In the second of Samuel and the three and twentieth Chapter the last words of Dauid were The spirit of the Lord spake by mee 2. Sam. 23.1 and his word was in my tongue the God of Israel spake vnto mee the strength of Israel said Beare rule ouer me c. In the foure and twentieth of the second booke of Chronicles the last wordes of Zacharias the sonne of Iehoiada 2. Chro. 24.22 when he was stoned were these The Lord looke vpon it and require it the last words of our Sauiour Christ when he was dying vpon the crosse as they were many admirable so they were full of spirituall grace and comfortable Mat. 27.46 First speaking to his Father he said 1. Eli Eli Luk. 23.34 Luk. 23.43 lamasabachtani My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 2. Father forgiue them they know not what they doe 2. to the theefe he said Ioh. 19.26.27 c. Verilie I say vnto thee to day shalt thou be with mee in Paradise 3. to his mother he said Woman behold thy Sonne and to Iohn Behold thy mother 4. Earnestly desiring our saluation he said I thirst 5. Hauing made perfect satisfaction vnto God for mans offence he said Luk. 23.48 It is finished Lastly when body and soule were parting hee said againe vnto God Father into thine haÌ„ds I commend my spirit Act. 7.56.59.60 the last words of Steuen were these 1. Behold I see the heauens open and the Sonne of man standing at the right hand of God 2. Lord Iesu receiue my spirit 3. Lord lay not this sinne to their charge In other writers you may see the last words of others and those very good all spoken at the last cast of life Euseb lib. 4 cap. 15. At the last and as the last thus spake Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna Thou art a true God without lying therefore in all things I praise thee and blesse thee and glorifie thee by the eternall God and high Priest Iesus Christ thine only sonne by whom and with whome to thee and the holy spirit be all glory now and for euer And thus Ignatius Bishop of Antioch Id. lib. 3. c. 30. I care not what kinde of death I die I am the bread of the Lord must be grounde with the teeth of Lions that I may be cleane bread for Christ who is the bread of life for me And thus Ambrose Bishop of Millaine Paulinus in vita eius I haue not so lead my life among you as if I were ashamed to liue Neither doe I feare death because we haue a good Lord. Possidonius in vita Augustini And thus Augustine Bishop of Hippo. 1. He is no great man that thinkes it no great matter that trees and stones fall and mortall men die 2. Iust art thou ô Lord and righteous is thy iudgement Foxe preface to Luthers Comment vpon the Psalmes of degrees And thus Luther comparable to the chiefest as Master Foxe once said My heauenly father God and father of our Lord Iesus Christ and God of all comfort I giue thee thanks that thou hast reuealed vnto me thy sonne Iesus Christ whome I haue beleeued whome I haue professed whome I haue loued whome I haue praised whome the Bishop of Rome and the whole company of the wicked persecuteth and reuileth I pray thee my Lord Iesus Christ receiue my poore soule my heauenly Father though I be taken from this life and this bodie of mine is to be laide downe yet I know certainely that I shall remaine with thee for euer neither shall any be able to pull me out of thy hands And thus Bishop Hooper O Lord Iesus sonne of Dauid haue mercie on me and receiue my soule And thus Annas Burgius Forsake mee not O Lord least I forsake thee And thus Melancthon if it be the will of God I am willing to die and I beseech him that he will graunt me a ioyfull departure and to the like effect many others But to speake of them al were too much the examples of those good men that at the last end of their liues haue expressed their notable faith in God and his Christ are infinite and therefore too many as well for me to recite as for you to remember As these which I haue mentioned may suffice to shew what many haue done so may they well serue to signifie what all should do for good words by the good are
to be a liuing man for so Christ feared it when he sweat water and blood in the garden herevpon said My soule is heauie vnto death Mat. 26.38 Secondly as it is an hurt to the church or common wealth for often by death the church and commonwealth are depriued of those which either were then indeed or might haue been in time a great help stay and comfort to either Q. Otherwise than thus would you not haue him to feare it R. No. Q. And why R. For many causes First because it is vnto him an abolishing of sinne For he that is dead Rom. 6.7 is freed from sinne he then ceaseth to offend God any more as hee hath done Secondly because it is a bettring of his bodies condition for whereas before it was sensible and so perplexed with many miseries it is by death made insensible and therefore freed from all calamities whereas before in life it was both an actiue and passiue instrument for sinne it is then after death neither of both Thirdlie because it is the way for his soule to come to rest life and glorie For they that die in the Lord rest from their labours enioy life and remaine in glory Rest from their labors Apoc. 14.13 Enioy life Mat. 22.32 remaine in glorie Rom. 2.7.10 Dan. 12.3 And they that come to these things must die ere they come at them As one saith There is no other way to come to heauen by but death Q. And what conclude you thereupon R. That which I should viz. that hee which hath faith in Christ should not so feare death as therefore he should be vnwilling to leaue this life Cyprian in serm de mortalitate For as Cyprian saith It is his part to feare death which hath no will to goe to Christ It is his to haue no will to goe to Christ which beleeueth not he shall beginne to raigne with Christ God saith he hath promised to thee departing out of this world immortalitie and eternitie and doest thou doubt this is not to haue known God at al this is with the sinne of incredulitie to offend Christ the maister of all beleeuers this is being set in the Church not to haue faith in the house of faith Let him bee afraide to die who not being borne anew by water and the spirit is mancipated to the fire of hell let him be afraide to die which is not marked with the crosse and passion of Christ let him bee afraide to die which from this death must passe to the second death let him be afraide to die whom the eternall flame shall torment with euerlasting paine so soone as hee departes this world let him be afraide to die vpon whom this by his long stay heere is bestowed that during his abode heere his punishment is deferred but let him neuer bee afraide to die that knowes himselfe to be heere a Pilgrime and stranger that beleeues the resurrection of the bodie and the life euerlasting that loues the Lord with all his heart As the forenamed writer saith What stranger is he that hastens not to returne into his countrey Wee make account that Paradise is our countrey now we haue begun to haue the Patriarkes our Parents Why do we not make hast and runne that wee may both see our countrey and salute our parents A great number of our deare friendes doth there expect vs a mightie traine and troupe of parēts brethren and children now sure of their owne immortalitie and yet carefull for our safety doth wish vs to come vnto their sight and companie what ioy is it in common both to them and to vs What pleasure there without feare of dying and with certaintie of liuing How great and perpetuall felicitie Againe who would be afraide to dye that beleeues the resurrection of the dead For as one saith The most sure trust of christians is the promised resurrection of the dead from aboue And no meruaile when Christ himselfe saith This is the will of him that sent me Ioh. 6.40 that euery man which seeth the Sonne and beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day And againe I am the resurrection and the life he that beleeueth in me although he were dead yet shall he liue and whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in me shall neuer dye Lastly who would be afraide to dye that loues God sincerely For it is the propertie of him that loues to adioyne himselfe to the thing he loues and to wish that he might enioy it and to grieue at that which doth hinder his enioying of it It is a token therefore that he loues not God as he should that is either afraide or vnwilling to dye for other way to come to God to heauen to immortalitie than by death there is none he that dyeth not commeth to neither And who if hee might would not come to all Except the wheat corne fall into the ground and dye it bideth alone so except a man fall into the earth and dye he bideth alone Eccl. 4.10 and woe saith Salomon to him that is alone but if the wheate corne die it bringeth forth much fruite so if a faithful man dye he attaineth to much fruite He commeth as I said to God to heauen to immortalitie And who would not if he might come to all these None surely that is wise that is godly that is faithfull and beleeuing for to come to God is to come to the fountaine of liuing waters which who so commeth to shall neuer more thirst to come to heauen is to come to the hauen of euerlasting happines which who so commeth to shall neuer more faint to come to immortalitie is to come to eternall life which who so commeth to shall neuer more dye none therefore that is wise that is godly that is faithful that is beleeuing should be afraide and vnwilling to dye for dye any when he wil that is so qualified death shall not hurt him death shall haue no power ouer him death shal be game not losse vnto him Q. I but whensoeuer he shal dye death will be painefull vnto him R. And what then Let him be neuer the more vnwilling to die for that for why the Apostle saith Act. 14.20 By many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God By many and therefore he must be willing to haue the paines of death some we must enter into the kingdome of God and therefore neuer be vnwilling to die for the paines of death for as the same Apostle saith Rom. 8.18 All the afflictions of this life are not worthie of the glorie which shal be shewed vnto vs and therefore the few afflictions in death are vnworthie thereof The paines that are suffered are but temporal but the ioyes which are to bee enioyed are eternall and who wil not be content to suffer a short paine for a long pleasure He is not worthie of any sweete which came away with
lands for my name sake Matt. 19.29 hee shall receiue an hundreth fold more and shall inherite euerlasting life And thence it may bee collected that whosoeuer shall make more account of houses or lands than of the name of Christ hee shall here loose of that hee hath and in the ende misse of eternall life too And then what shall they gette By this Iudge you now which haue heard me all this while whether it is good that a man that must die should be vnwilling to die because of his fine house from which Death when she comes doth take him Q. If you make mee Iudge I must iudge as you haue perswaded mee to iudge vz. that it is not good For as you say by his being vnwilling he looses more than euer he can get because he looses his houses on earth and his house from heauen and by his being willing hee gets more than he can lose because hee gets an house eternall in the heauens for the leauing of an house temporall on earth and that I thinke the better R. In so thinking you thinke well for as Dauid saith Psal â—4 10 A day in Gods courtes is better than a thousand other where and immediately I had rather be a doorekeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tabernacles of wickednesse such as are many braue houses in the world And before Blessed are they that dwell in thine house they will euer praise thee And after againe The Lord God is the Sunne and shielde vnto vs the Lord will giue grace and glory and no good thing will hee withhold from them that walke vprightly Q. But what would you haue me to thinke of the rest that makes some vnwilling to die as well as this R. No otherwise then of this vnles they be other both greater and better than any you haue yet named Q. Why would it not grieue a man thinke you to be spoyled of all his honour and glory hee hath had in this worlde in the space of an houre or lesse R. Not a whit so long as he is to goe to better and greater Q. But that he is vnsure of R. No more than hee was of holding that he had nor so much neither if he be righteous iust and holy for the honour of such is farre greater after this life than euer it was or could haue bene in this life Then .1 Mat. 13.43 When the wicked are condemned and punished the iust shall shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of their father And they that be wise shall shine as the brightnes of the firmament Dan. 12.3 and they that turne many to righteousnes shall shine as the starres for euer and euer Wisd 3.7 8. In the time of their vision they shall shine and runne through as the sparks among the stubble thy shall iudge the nations and haue dominion ouer the people As the Psalmist sayth Such honour haue all his Saints or this honour shall be to all his Saints If this honour be not better than all the honor the most honourable in this world hath You may see the honour of the Saints after this life specified in more particular maner and thereafter after iudge First they shall bee the friendes of the great king Ioh. 15.15 Henceforth call I you not seruants but I haue called you friendes Secondly they shall be of the house and family of the almighty God Ephes 2.10 Now yee are no more strangers and farreiners but citizens with the Saints of the houshold of God Thirdly they shall bee of the counsell of God 1. Cor. 6.17 Hee that is ioyned vnto the Lord is one spirit Fourthly they shall be admitted to the table of God Luk. 22.29 I appoint vnto you a kingdome as my Father hath appointed vnto me that yee may eate and drinke at my table in my kingdome and sit on seates and iudge the twelue tribes of Israel 1. Cor. 6.3.2 Doe yee not knowe sayth Paul that the Saints shal iudge the world know yee not that wee shall iudge the Angels Fiftly they shal be manifested to be the sonnes of God Ioh. 3.2 Now are we the sonnes of God but yet it doth not appeare what we shall be and we know that when he shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 6. They shall be heires of the heauenly inheritance Rom. 8.17 If we be children we are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ. 7. They shall be all kings to euery one of them shall be giuen a kingdome Luk. 12.32 Feare not little flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome and to the righteous it shall be said Mat. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my father inherite yee the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world A kingdome that fadeth not but a kingdome that endureth a kingdome that continueth and abideth for euer for they that come into this kingdome shall raigne for euermore they shal neither soone nor suddainly be put therefro as many other kings are from their kingdome but they shall raigne for euermore Apoc. 22.5 Is not the last and least part of all this honour greater and better than all the best and chiefest honour of and in all this world Q. Yes there is none that may or can deny it but yet you see the inheritance is the childrens and the kingdome is theirs that are blessed of the father and it may be he is neither a friend nor a childe nor blessed R. He must hope well if he will haue well he must not condemne himselfe before God doth condemne him a friend he is if he doth whatsoeuer Christ commaunds him Ioh. 15.14 1. Ioh. 3.10 A childe he is if he loues the brethren In this that is in loue are the children of God knowne and the children of the diuell for Augustine expounding that place saith August super eundem locum 1. Ioh. 3.10 Onely loue discerneth betweene the children of God and the children of the diuell All men signe themselues with the signe of the crosse all men answere Amen all men sing Alleluiah all men are baptized goe to church c. yet are not the children of God discerned from the children of the diuell but by loue they which haue loue are borne of God they which haue not loue are not of God and if not of God then of the diuell for there is no meane betweene God and the diuell Christ himselfe also saith By this shall all men know that yee are my Disciples Ioh. 13.35 if yee haue loue one to another Lastly blessed he is if his sinnes bee forgiuen him For Blessed is hee saith Dauid whose wickednes is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitie Psal 32.1.2 and in whose spirite there is no guile Q. It may bee these ifs will make him more and more vnwilling to
onelie begotten sonne of God And againe he that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life and hee that obeyeth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him and againe Verilie verilie I say vnto you he that heareth my words and beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life And what is hereupon to be gathered but that the soules of the righteous at their departure from their bodies goe vnto God in heauen and not vnto fire or water in purgatorie for they goe vnto that which they had ante seperationem before their seperation and not vnto â—hat which they neuer had in expectation and what had they before their seperation but life Ioh. 5.24 He that beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life neither may haue nor shall haue but hath and where is that life but with God Colos 3.3 With thee is the well of life saith the Psalmist and your life is hid with Christ in God saith the Apostle Whither then must they go when they go but vnto God who was and is their life and with whom their life is Whether also I see not in this heir life when and while they heere liued they neuer so much as once dreamed of going into purgatorie after death but of going into heaueâ— some of them both write and speake We knâ—w saith Paul 2. Co. 5.1 that if our earthlie house of this â—abernacle be destroied we haue a building giuen of God that is an house not made with hands but â—ternall in the heauens For therefore we sigh desâ—â—ing to be clothed with our house which is from heauen Neuerthelesse we are bolde and loue raâ—her to remoue out of the bodie and to dwell wiâ—h the Lord. And againe Philip. 1.21 22.23 Christ is to mee both in life and death aduantage and whether to liue in â—he flesh were profitable for me and what I do I know not for I am greatlie in doubt on both sides desiring to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of all Newes quoth Oecolampadius to his friendes who came vnto him a little before his death I shall be shortlie with Christ my Lord. I pray thee my Lord Iesus Christ saith Luther receiue my poore soule my heauenly father though I be taken from this life and this bodie of mine is to be layd downe yet I know certainlie that I shall remaine with thee for euer neither shall any be able to pull me out of thy hand Returne ô my soule vnto thy rest quoth Babylas martir of Antioche When his head was to bee chopt off because the Lord hath blessed thee because thou hast deliuered my soule from death Ps 116.7.8 mine eies from teare and my feete from falling I shall walke before Iehouab in the land of the liuing Furthermore in a generality these are the sayings of the auncient Fathers touching this point August lib. 13. ca. 8. de ciuitat dei The souls of the godlie being seperated from their bodes are in rest and the soules of the vngodlie â—oe suffer punishment vntil the bodies of those do rise againe vnto life euerlasting and the bodies of those vnto eternal death which is also called the second death so saith Augustine I is most certaine that the soules of the rightâ—ous being loosed from the flesh Greg. lib. 4. Dialog c. 25 are receiued into heauenly seates and that the very trueth it selfe testifieth saying where the corps is there the Eagles will resorte So saith Gregorie Of these sayings I gather what all this while I went about to gather to wit that presently vpon the departure of any out of this life their soules goe straight waies either vnto God in heauen or else vnto satan in hell For as Augustine saith August in his serm of Time the 232. serm There are but two places and as for any third place there is none at all he that reigneth not with Christ shall perish with the diuell without any doubte Againe there bee two habitations or dwelling places August de verb. apost serm 18. the one in the fire euerlasting and the other in the kingdome that neuer shall haue ende the first place the Catholike faith by Gods authoritie beleeueth to be the kingdome of heauen August lib. â— hypog the second place the same Catholike faith beleeueth to be hell where all runnagates and whosoeuer is without the faith of Christ shall taste euerlasting punishment as for any third place we vtterly know none neither shall we finde in the holy scriptures that there is any such Now for mine own part sith there it will not be found it shall not any other where bee sought For as Theodoret saith Theodoret. lib. 1. cap. 7. The Euangelists and Apostles writings and the sayings of the olde Prophets doe cleerely instruct vs what iudgement we ought to haue of the meaning and will of God Q. What then What though also you will take no further paines to seeke a third place doth it therefore follow that therefore there is none Augustine I can tell you vpon whom you so much stand is very doubtfull in the case for sometimes hee denies as you say sometime he affirmes as others pretend and sometimes againe he doubtes as himselfe declares he denies in the places by you named hee affirmes De gen contra Manich. lib. 2. c. 20. de vera falsa poenit c. 18. lib. 21. de ciuit Dei c. 23. c. 26. Non redarguo saith he quia forsan verum est I reproue it not because it may peraduenture be true that some after this life suffer temporall punishment Hee doubtes in his Enchiridion cap. 69. Item de fide operibus cap. 16. in quaestione 1. Dulcitij Tale aliquid post hanc vitam fieri incredibile non est vtrum ita sit quaeri potest It is not incredible that after this life some such thing may bee and whâ—ther it bee so or no it may bee demaunded R. Whatsoeuer Augustine is I much passe not for I stand not so much vpon him but that I can follow him or reiect him Neither herein doe I him any iniurie at all For this is his owne saying August in proem lib. 3. de Trinit Be not bound vnto my writings as vnto the canonicall scriptures But when thou shalt finde in the scriptures that which thou diddest not beleeue beleeue it without any doubting or delay but when thou findest that in my writings which thou diddest not know certainelie before except thou shalt certainelie vnderstand it doe not stiffelie affirme it August epist 198. ad Fortunatum And againe We receiue not the disputations or writings of any men be they neuer so catholike or praiseworthie as we receiue the canonicall scriptures but that sauing the reuerence due vnto them we may well reproue or refuse some things in their writings