calamities Isay 57.2 3 Our soules are receiued into glorie Luke 23.43 4 Our bodies are reserued to like glorie Philip. 3.20 5 That wise man Salomon thought so Eccles 7.3 6 That holy man Paul wished so Philip 1.23 Quest But because Paul desired to die may we also desire to die Answ Though the bodie and soule bee as man and wife conioyned together yet with some cautions a man may desire the diuorce of these twaine 1 If he resigne his wil to the wil of God 2 If hee can tarrie the good leasure of God 3 If he doe it that he may be with God 4 That hée may bee disburdened of this bodie of sinne and thus Paul desired to bée dissolued and to be with Christ Philip. 1.23 Quest What thinke you of such as are in miserie and desire to die to bee freed from miserie Answ I thinke their desires are not simply vnlawful especially if they submit them to the will of God I am vexed with a long and lingering disease I would bee fréed by death if God would frée me I am detained in Prison I would be deliuered by death if God would deliuer mee I am exiled from my Countrie I would goe to Heauen if God would send for mee Doe I sinne in this God forbid Elias did it when hee desired God to take away his life 1. Kings 19.4 And Iob did it when hee would haue béene contented to depart this life and many of Gods children haue done the like Quest Why then did Hezekiah mourne when he was to die and why did Dauid say Let my soule liue and Christ Let this cuppe passe from me Answ Hezekiah did so because at this time he had not receiued a promised issue to succéed him Christ did so because hee was to die the death of the crosse and Dauid did so both because he was in a grieuous temptation and if he had then died his enemies would haue triumphed ouer him Quest But all this while you haue not told me what death is Answ It is nothing else but the priuation of this naturall life or the departure of the soule from the bodie or as it were the deposition of an heauie burden of troubles in this life by which we are eased especially if wee carry not with vs such a burden of sinnes as may weigh vs downe to the pit of perdition Secundus the Philosopher being asked this question by Hadrian the Emperour said Death is an eternall sleep the dissolution of our bodies the feare of rich men the desire of poore men an ineuitable euent an vncertaine Pilgrimage a robber of Mankind the Mother of sléepe the passage of life the departure of the liuing and a dissolution of all Quest Should Adam haue tasted of this death if he had stood in his innocencie Answ Hee should not for the stipend and wages of sinne is death Romans 6.23 His bodie indéed was subiect to mortalitie but should not haue died as our bodies now are subiect to sicknesse and yet we may die without sicknesse to wounding and yet it may bée they are neuer wounded and as the garments of the Children of Israel did not by Gods prouidence weare by the space of fortie yéeres though they were subiect to wearing so we may say of Adams bodie it should not haue died though it were subiect to death Quest Are wee then any better in Christ then we were in Adam Answ We are much for in Adam wée might haue died and by him doe die In Christ wee cannot die but change this life for a farre better Quest Are there any Monitors or Messengers of death Answ There are thrée casualtie sickenesse and old age Casualtie foretels me my death is doubtfull Sicknesse that death may be grieuous Olde age that death is certaine Casualtie foretels mée of death at my backe sicknesse that she is at my héeles old age that she is before my face Quest That I may giue the better entertainment to death when shee commeth who hath sent these three Harbengers before her what can you aduise me for to doe Answ Surely I would wish you first to beléeue in Christ by whom the sting of death is taken out for They onely feare death who doubt whether Christ died for them 2 To liue well so long as you liue for Hee can neuer feare death who by a good life hath giuen entertainment to the feare of God Quest What euen in my youth must I begin to liue wel Will not God accept of my seruice when I am old Answ Will you wound your selfe that you may goe to the Chirurgian and will you sinne in your youth that you may sue for pardon in your old age will you lay all the burden vpon a lame Horse when you haue many stronger in your teame shall the Deuill haue your Flowers and God your wéeds the Deuill your wine and God the lées the Deuill the fattest and fairest of your flocke and God an halt a lame and a leane Sacrifice God forbid Quest Yet if I haue but time to say Lord haue mercie vpon me though I haue liued neuer so badly God will haue mercie vpon me Ans It is true indéed That holy Théefe did it vpon the crosse and God had mercie vpon him Marie Magdalen did it after her lewd life and God had mercie vpon her But first are you not worthie to want fauour at your death who haue refused it all your life Secondly doe you thinke that your repentance is vnfained which is but only for a few dayes or houres Thirdly doe you not sée that such repentance is often hypocriticall when men that recouer from sicknesse fall againe to sinne after such a kind of repentance Fourthly doe not many fal into desperation at their death because they haue not serued God in their life Fiftly is it not a folly to doe that all day which you must bee enforced to vndoe at night Sixtly doe you not sée that God in his Iustice doth take sense and reason from many at their death who haue refused his mercie all the dayes of their life Quest Yet you cannot denie but many bad men haue made a faire shew at the houre of death haue called vpon God and died like Lambes Ans Like Lambes why the most of them die like stones they haue liued a sottish and a senselesse life and so they die Nabal did so but hee died like a foole the rich glutton did so but he died like a beast Quest And you know also that many persons who haue liued a very strict life haue died in despaire and blaspheming of God Ans By the gates of hell they went into Heauen by the extremitie of their disease they might speake they knew not what and by the sense of Gods iudgments they might say My God why hast thou forsaken mee But know this that he neuer dies ill who hath liued well and hee seldome dies well who hath liued ill We must iudge men by their life and not iudge any by
of Gods elect It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead yea rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh requests for vs. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or nakednesse or perill or the sword I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor hell nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God in Christ Iesus my Lord. Rom. 8. Say with Augustine All my whole hope is in the death of my Lord his death is my merit my refuge my saluation my life my resurrection my merit is Gods mercy I shall neuer want merit so long as this God of mercy is not wanting to me And if Gods mercies are great I also am great in merit Say with Ambrose Christ was subiect to the damnation of death that hee might free vs from the yoke of damnation hee tooke vpon him the seruitude of death that hee might giue vs the liberty of eternall life Say with S. Paul Christ hath redéemed me from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 the Iudge is satisfied he cannot be angry Say that your Sauiour maketh intercession for you for God no sooner looks on him but he is forthwith well pleased with you Say that his mercy endureth for euer I shall iudge the world with him why then shall I feare to be iudged He hath made a Couenant with mee hée will neuer breake He hath giuen me grace to beleeue and trust in him he will not now leaue me I confesse my sinnes he is ready to forgiue them I haue had his Spirit he will neuer take it from me My Sauiour shall iudge me he will not bee angry with mee and for his sake the Father will not be angry for hee is that welbeloued Sonne in whom alone hee is well pleased Quest O but I may feare that I am but a castaway and that eternall death is due vnto me if I fall into this pit what hand can you giue me to helpe me out Answ Will Satan now tell you that you must be damned comfort your selfe with these sayings God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten Sonne that who so beléeueth in him should neuer perish but haue life euerlasting Iohn 3.16 He that heareth my words and beléeueth in him that sent me hath eternal life and shall not come into condemnation Ioh. 5. I am the resurrection and the life he that beléeueth in me though hee were dead yet shall he liue and who so liueth and beleeueth in me shall not die eternally Ioh. 11. I giue to my shéepe eternall life and tâ—ey shall neuer perish and none is able to take them out of my hands Ioh. 10. As in Adam all men died so in Christ shall all that is all the elect whereof I am one so I say in Christ shall all be made aliue 1. Cor. 15. Death is swallowed vp in victory O death where is thy victory O hell where is thy sting the sting of death is sinne the strength of sin is the law but thanks be vnto God who hath giuen vs victory through Iesus Christ our Lord. 1. Cor. 15.57 We know that when the tabernacle of this earthly house shall bee dissolued wee shall haue a building from God euen an habitation made without hands in heauen 2. Cor. 5.1 Besides these sweete and sure promises consider that as the faithlesse can neuer liue so the faithfull can neuer die That the promise of God doth quicken things that are dead and calleth things that are not as though they were You feare not the falling of heauen and earth because they are supported by the word of God and why should you feare your owne fall you being supported by the same word Doe you not know that God is present with you by his Spirit and will you feare cold when this fire burneth Can you feare darkenesse when this Sunne shineth Are you poore that haue this gold in your Chest And thinke you to die of thirst when you are at this fountaine of liuing waters Are you not a member of Christs body Is there life in the head and shall there bee death in the members Is your head aboue the water and shall your body neuer come out of the water Doth the roote of a trée giue life vnto the branches and cannot Christ the Roote of Iesse giue life vnto his branches Yea rather say My life is hid with God in Christ when Christ which is my life shall appeare then shal I also appeare with him in glorie Coloss 3. By my first roote Adam I bring foorth briers and thornes fit to be burned by my second roote Christ I am like a tree planted by the riuers of waters which shall giue out her fruit in due season and whatsoeuer I doe it shall prosper Why my deare friend you doe beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes can you then feare eternall damnation You doe beleeue the resurrection of your body will you now doubt of the resurrection of your body Haue the Prophets Apostles set down so much coÌ„cerning saluation by Christ that you should say I am not saued by Christ You were initiated by Baptisme confirmed by Catechisme strengthened by the Lords Supper and professed that religion which by Christ brings saluation and you haue receiued many benefits as pledges of Gods loue and will not all this perswade you that you shall goe to heauen Yea Christ hath ouercome that Diuell that you might subdue him subdued that strong man that you might conquer him and descended downe to hel that you might with him ascend vnto heauen Therefore be constant my beloued and vnmoueable alwaies in the Lord knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. 1. Cor. 15. Quest Thus I hope at the houre of death I shall not feare the place of darknesse but alas such is the weaknesse of my faith that I feare the Prince of darknesse Ans And why should you feare him the Egyptians are drowned they cannot pursue you Goliah is slaine he cannot reuile you the Philistims are ouercome they cannot hurt you Sathan is chained hee cannot harme you Hee will séeke to winnow you but he can only séeke and if he doe more hée shall finde you Gods wheate and then you must néeds be carried into Gods barne Hee is indeede Gods Executioner but why should you feare the Hangman when you haue the Kings pardon or the Sergeant when you haue his protection or the Deuill when you haue Christs intercession You are strong the Word of God dwelleth in you you haue ouercome that Euil one 1. Iohn 2.14 You haue faith your aduersarie would deuoure you by it you are able to resist him 1. Peter 5.8 You haue put on the complete Armour of God Ephesians 6.11 it is an Armour of proofe
and others pride of heart that wee labour more for our owne credit then Gods glorie f Luk. 18.11 2 Our hardnes of heart that we cannot as wee ought sée Gods glorie in his Creatures g Mar 6.52 3 Our vnthankfulnesse that we praise him not as we ought for his many fauours towards Mankind aboue all Creatures h Psal 51 15 4 Our impietie that in our liues wee dishonour God i Psal 119.136 Euch. What then doe you pray for in this petition Phil. I pray that God by mee and all men whether Magistrates Ministers or people may in feare and dread be glorified in the reuerend speaking of his name holy meditation of his properties diligent hearing of his word often receiuing of the Sacrament patient bearing of the crosse and daily admiring of his workes And in a word that wee may know in minde acknowledge in heart loue in truth speake with tongue doe in our actions both naturall ciuil and religious all such things as God may be glorified by All Nations must praise God Psal 117. and all must pray that not only they but also all others may thus praise him at all times Psal 113. in all places without intermission and that by their good workes they may stirre vp others to glorifie God Matth. 5.2 1. Pet. 2.12 Euch. What doe you pray against Phil. I pray against all ignorance error vanitie of minde Infidelitie Prophanesse Atheisme Worldlinesse Securitie Pride and all blasphemous spéeches false dealing scoffing Idolatrie Superstition Sorcerie Sacriledge Simonie Periurie Persecution Impenitencie Vnreuerend vsing of Gods Word Sacraments or workes and in a word against all such disorder in mans life as may any way obscure the glorie of God Euch. VVhat doe you heere giue God thankes for Phil. That it hath pleased him to glorifie his great Name in all the former and hath giuen mee and many others grace of his méere mercie to glorifie his Name in that which before I prayed for as also that he hath bestowed vpon vs the benefit of saÌ„ctification by the word of truth Ioh. 17. and the perfection of sanctification in the life to come Coloss 1.12 If thus wee desire to honour God wee loose not by it he in the end will honour vs. 1. Sam. 2.30 2. Thess 1.12 Euch. Why doe you vse in this and other petitions this order First to bewaile Secondly to pray for Thirdly to pray against And lastly to giue thankes Phil. Because confession petition deprecation and thankesgiuing being the speciall parts of Prayer 1. Tim. 2.1 I must vnderstand them all to bee in euery Petition of this absolute forme of Prayer Euch. Which is the second petition Phil. Thy Kingdom come Thy Kingdome come Euch. Why doth it next follow Hallowed be thy name Phil. 1. Because it is the first meanes by which Gods name is hallowed 2 Because next to the hallowing of his Name we ought chiefly to pray that Gods Kingdome may come k Mat. 6.31 Euch. Why is it set before Thy will beâ— done Phil. Because no man can euer do Gods will in any thing till such time as Gods Kingdome be erected in his heart Euch. How proue you this Phil. By these reasons 1 Because no man can doe Gods will that is not Gods subiect l Ioh. 1.24 2 No man can kéepe Gods Law but by Gods grace m Psal 119 32. 3 Because without faith wee cannot please God n Heb. 11.6 4 Because The end of the Commandement is Loue out of a pure heart good conscience and faith vnfained o 1. Tim. 1.5 Euch. But may not a bad man doe that which is good Phil. Hee may doe that which is good in it selfe but because he is out of Christ p Ioh. 15.5 or being in Christ doth it to a bad end it shall not bée good to him q 1. Cor. 13.3 So to giue almes is a good thing but if our persons be not iustified before God and this action bee not to the glorie of God it will neuer proue good to vs. Euch. Why doe you pray that Gods Kingdome may come Phil. Because if my Father raigne I his Sonne raigne in him and his dignitie is a dignitie to me And I pray for it as the first of the good thinges which concerne our selues because in order and nature it is the first Matth. 6.31 Philip. 3.9 Euch. How many sorts of Kingdomes are there Phil. Thrée The Kingdome of Sathan the Kingdomes of men and the Kingdome of God r Eph. 6.12 Euch. What is â—he Kingdome of Sathan Phil. It is that tyranicall regencie by which as the Prince of darknesse hee by Gods iust permission ruleth in the Children of darknesse and rageth against the Children of light 2. Cor. 4.4 Reuel 12.3 Erecting vp two other Kingdomes the one of sinne Rom. 6.12.5.21 the other of death Rom. 5.14 all which are Enemies to this Kingdome we pray for Sathan ruling ouer all the children of pride Iob. 41.34 and teaching them to say wee will not haue this man to rule ouer vs Luk. 19.14 Euch. What is the Kingdome of Man Phil. It is the humane gouernment by which one or diuers doe by Gods ordinance command their people Euch. What is the Kingdome of God Phil. It is that spirituall rule which God through Christ doth by grace begin in vs in this life and by glorie will accomplish in the life to come * Dan. 2.37 Matth. 25.37.6.31 RoÌ„ 14.17 Euch. Is the Kingdome of God manifolde Phil. It is thréefold 1. The Kingdome of Power Psal 99.1.2 The Kingdome of Grace Matth. 3.2.3 The Kingdome of Glorie Luk. 23.42 By the first hee ruleth Sathan and all his Enemies Psal 2.9.145 13. commands all Creatures and preserueth his owne people By the second he ruleth the godly and raignes in their heartes by the Word and Spirit Luk. 17.20 By the third hee crowneth the godly with celestiall happinesse So then the first Kingdome is externall the second internal the third eternall the first is a gouernment of all the second of the elect the third of the departed out of this life into Heauen Euch. How many thinges may we obserue in this Kingdome Phil. Twelue 1 That Christ is King a Mat. 2.2 2 The Subiects are Christians b Psal 2.8 3 The Lawes are the Word c Psal 119.105 4 The Enemies are Sathan Sinne Death Hell Damnation the Flesh and the Wicked d Eph. 6.12 Rom. 6.12 1. Cor. 15.51 Rom. 8.1 Gal. 5.17 Gen. 3.15 5 The rewardes are the good thinges of this life and eternall happinesse in the life to come e Mar. 10.30 6 The Chastisements are afflictions f Heb. 12.6 7 The weapons are Faith Hope Loue the Word and Prayer g Eph. 6.16 8 The time of it is to the Worlds end h Mat. 28.20 9 The place is this World and the World to come i Reuel 5.10 Mat. 25.34 10 The Officers are Preachers k 2.
Quest What is examination Ans It is a triall of my selfe how I stand in the grace of God 2. Cor. 13.5 Quest What learne you out of this that a man must examine himselfe before he come to this Table Ans First that children are not capable of this banquet 1. Cor. 11.28 though the Ancient Church administred it to them 2 That ignorant persons must not approch to this Table 1. Cor. 11.24 3 That mad people are not to be admitted to this feast 1. Sam. 21.15 4 That such as intend to liue in their sinnes must not dare to approch vnto this Communion Cor. 11.27 5 That such as doe not trie themselues cannot come 6 That such as doe trie themselues must come after triall and may come with much comfort Quest Doe you thinke that a man may not come to the Lords Table vnlesse some good time before he examine himselfe Ans There is a Primarie and after it a Customarie receiuing of the Lords Supper when I first receiue it it is most fit that I be prepared by my Parents Tutors or gouernours that I be examined by my Minister and aduised of my selfe how I come to this holy banquet But after that time vnlesse it bee after some speciall offence I thinke this strict course is not of necessitie Quest Why thinke you this course most necessarie at your first communicating Ans 1 Because it is a kind of confimation of my Baptisme 2 A second receiuing of mee into the Church 3 My first admission of me to the King of Kings Table 4 A solemnization of my spirituall marriage with Christ 5 I am but a nouice and then must especially thinke what I doe 6 I may by so doing cause others to come reuerently to this holy Table 7 If I be once fitted and prepared by my Minister he shall not need a second triall of my knowledge and faith 8 Lastly I shall stoppe the mouthes of mine aduersaries who say yong folks care not how they come to this feast Quest When then is a man fit to receiue Answ When he is fit to pray 2 When he is fit to heare 3 When he is resolued to forgiue 4 When he meanes to be a new man for all which duties I thinke we should be fitted at al times especially when we come to this Sacrament Quest Wherein stands that examination aforesaid Answ In fiue things 1 I must examine what knowledge I haue Prou. 19.2 2 What faith I haue Act. 8.37 3 What repentance I haue Exod. 12.8 4 What obedience I haue Psalm 26.6 5 What loue I beare to my brethren Matth. 5.23.24 Quest Why must you examine what knowledge you haue Answ Because 1 By knowledge I beare the Image of God Coloss 3.10 2 Without knowledge the mind is not good Prou. 19.2 Nay ignorance is hell saith Marke the Hermit 3 He that is ignorant is worse then the diuell the one knoweth much the other nothing at all 4 Without knowledge we cannot practise 5 In this knowledge is eternall life Ioh. 3.36 6 He that is ignorant is Salomons foole A foole nay a beast amongst men 7 Ignorance is a fore-runner of destruction Hos 4. 8 Knowledge is the eye of the soule 9 The Prophets pray and preach against ignorant persons Ierem. 10. Hos 4.2.3 10 Knowledge is the mother of faith repentance and all graces yea the want of it maketh men most deceiued in the doctrine of the Sacrament Quest Wherefore then are the most people ignorant Ans The reason is 1 Their idlenesse Prou. 2. 2 Their malice Iob. 21.14 3 Their pride Psal 25. 4 Their worldlinesse Eccles 38.25 5 Their blindnes by Sathan 2. Cor. 4.3 6 Naturall coruption 2. Cor. 2.14 Quest Wherein stands the examination of your knowledge Ans In two things 1 What generall knowledge I haue 2 What knowledge I haue in particular Quest Wherein consisteth general knowledge Ans In thrée things whereof the first is 1 What knowledge I haue of God 2 What knowledge I haue of my selfe 3 What knowledge I haue of the couenant of grace Quest What knowledge must you haue of God Ans I must know him to be such an one as he hath reuealed himselfe in his Word to wit one a inuisible b and indiuisible essence c and thrée truly distinct persons d namely the Father begetting e the Sonne begotten f and the g holy Ghost procéeding from the Father and the Sonne h Deutro 6.4 i Iohn 1.8 k Exodus 3.14 1. Ioh. 5.7.8 e Iohn 3.16.18 f Psal 2.7 g Iohn 15.26 Quest Must you know nothing else of God Answ Yes I must know that hee is a Creator and b gouernour of all things c a most wise vnderstander and knower of all thoughts most d holy e iust and f mercifull to his creatures that he is g eternall without either beginning or end h and that he is present in all places a Gen 1.1 b Mat. 10.10 c 1. Chron. 28.9 d 1. Pet. 1.17 e Psa 145.17 f Ps 103.8 g Reu. 1.17 h Pro. 15.3 Quest How may you know whether you haue this sauing knowledge of God Answ By my loue to him longing after him desire to be with him and zeale to performe obedience vnto him Quest What must you know concerning your selfe Answ That by nature I am stained wholly with a originall sinne so that my b minde is full of blindnesse c will of frowardnesse d affections of peruersnesse e my conscience of guiltinesse so that thereby I am subiect to the f curse of God in life in death and after death a Gen. 6.5 b Eph. 4.18 c Rom. 6.18 d Ephes 4.19 e Psalm 51. f Deut. 27.26 Galat. 3.10 Quest What things are you subiect to in life Answ By reason of this sin in my a soule I am a subiect to madnesse b in my body to diseases c in my goods to losse and d in my name to reproch a Deut. 28.61 b Deut. 28.60 Deut. 28.28.68 d Prou. 10.7 Quest What are you subiect to in death Answ To the separation of the a soule from the bodie and in that separation to be either b comfortlesse or c senselesse Gen. 2.17 b Matth. 27.4.5 c 1. Sam. 25.37 Quest What are you subiect to after death Answ To be a tormented for euer with the diuell and his angels b and to be cast away from the presence of God Matth. 25.41 b Luc. 13.26 Quest What must you know concerning the couenant of grace Answ That a Christ Iesus hath deliuered me from this misery who being very God b became man c to die d for my sinnes and rose againe for my iustificacion a Luke 1.68 c. b Ioh. 1.1 c Ioh. 1.14 d Rom. 4.25 Quest What particular knowledge is required of you Answ I must know the nature and vse of this Sacrament 1. Cor. 11.18 Quest What then is the Lords Supper Answ It is a Sacrament wherein by the vse of Bread and Wine those that are ingrafted into Christ are nourished to life Quest What learne you out
institute this Sacrament in bread not in flesh Answ 1 Because bread is more fit to nourish than flesh 2 As bread is made nourishment by fire so Christ by the Crosse 3 As bread is corporall food so Christ is spirituall food 4 As bread taketh away corporall hunger so Christ spirituall 5 As bread is giuen to the hungrie not to full bellies so is Christ 6 As bread distributed to many is a token of loue so is Christs bodie giuen for many Quest And why vsed he wine especially Answ Because 1 As wine is the most swéet liquor so is Christs bloud 2 As wine quencheth corporall thirst so Christs bloud doth spirituall thirst 3 As wine chéereth so doth Christs bloud 4 As wine heateth so doth Christs bloud 5 As wine is pressed out of the grape so was Christs bloud out of his side 6 As wine maketh man secure bold eloquent and of good colour so doth Christs bloud Quest What is the forme of this Sacrament Answ The coniunction of the thing signified with the signe the action of God with the action of the Minister and the action of faith with the action of the receiuer Quest What doth the action of the Minister signifie Answ His taking bread and wine into his hands doth signifie Gods sealing of Christ to beare the office of a Mediator Ioh. 6.27 His blessing of the bread the sending of Christ to be a Mediator His breaking of bread and powring out of wine the execrable passion of Christ effusion of his bloud The giuing of bread and wine to the receiuer the offering of Christ to all euen Hypocrites but the giuing him only to true Christians Quest. What doth the action of the receiuer signifie Answ His taking of bread and wine into his hand doth signifie his apprehension of Iesus Christ by faith his eating of bread and drinking of wine for the nourishment of his body his applying of Christ vnto himselfe that his true communion with him may be more increased Quest What is the end of this Sacrament Answ 1 The assurance of Gods fauour 2 The increasing of my faith 3 Fellowship with Christ 4 Communion with the Saints Quest You said in the second place that you must examine your faith tell mee therefore what this faith is Answ It is a miraculous worke of God wrought in the heart of a regenerate man by the preaching of the Gospell whereby hée doth apprehend and applie to himselfe particularly Christ Iesus with al his benefits to the pardon and forgiuenesse of all his sinnes Quest Why must you examine whether you haue faith Answ Because 1 Without faith I cannot please God Hebr. 11.6 2 By it I must liue both in my particular and generall calling Hab. 2.4 3 By it I am iustified before God Rom. 5.1 4 By it I put on Christ Galath 3 27. 5 By it I féed on Christ Iohn 6.35 6 By it alone I obey Gods word Rom. 14.23 7 By it I am the child of God Gal. 3.2 8 By it Christ dwelleth in mine heart Ephes 3.17 9 By it I procure Gods blessings vpon my selfe and others Matth. 15.28 10 By it I receiue Christ in this Sacrament Quest How may a man know whether he haue this faith Answ By these signes 1 If wee can from our hearts renounce our false supposed goodnesse and can wholly relie vpon Christ in the matter of our saluation this nature cannot doe 2 If we haue peace of conscience arising from the apprehension of GODS loue in Christ and our reconciliation with him Quest Which are the wants of faith Answ 1 Doubting and distrust of Gods mercy 2 Presumption and vaine confidence in our selues Quest To come to the third part of our examination tell me what repentance is Answ 1 It is a worke of grace arising of a godly sorrow whereby a man turneth from all his sins to God and bringeth forth fruit worthie amendement of life Quest Why must you examine whether you haue this repentance Answ Because 1 Mans heart is deceitfull and subtill Ierm 17.9 2 Without it I cannot beleeue Mark 1.15 3 Impenitency is a fore-runner of iudgement Rom. 2.5 4 By repentance I am assured of my saluation Acts 2.38 5 Till then I can haue no comfort Psal 51.12.13.12.32.6 6 If I want it I can neither pray a nor b heare nor c reprehend sin in others d nor yet be a fit guest for the Lords Table a Psa 50.16 Prou. 28.9 b Matth. 3.7 c Iohn 8.7 d 1. Sam. 16.6 Quest. Giue some reasons to moue to repentance Answ I will wée are moued to repent 1 By Gods mercies Rom. 2.4 2 By his patience 2. Pet. 3.15 3 By his iudgements Isai 26.9 4 By the word preached in the Law and Gospell Ionah 2. Math. 3. 5 By the Sacraments Marke 1.4 6 By sinne past 1. Pet. 4.2 7 By the shortnesse and vncertaintie of this life Psal 90.12 8 By the certaintie of death Eccles 12.13 9 By the paucitie of such as shall bee saued Luke 13.25 10 By thinking of the day of iudgement Acts 17.31 11 For feare we go not to hell 12 That we may be partakers of heauen 13 That else we are not assured of our election 14 Without it we cannot die comfortable 15 It is difficult to performe on our death-beds 16 If we repent not our score will increase 17 Without it God will not heare vs. 18 We else run into hardnes of heart 19 If wee doe not so wee bring Gods plagues vpon others 20 By repentance we honour God and assure our consciences that God hath forgiuen vs for Sin discouered by triall and cast out by repentance will neuer condemne vs. Quest And why then do not men repent Answ Because 1 They haue gotten a custome of sinning 2 They escape vnpunished héere 3 They euer think on mercie 4 They feare not iudgement 5 They beléeue not Gods word 6 They sée that most do so 7 They obserue the life of bad Ministers 8 They looke vpon great men that are bad 9 They sée not the vilenesse of sinne 10 They meditate not how God hath plagued the impenitent Quest How shall you know whether you haue this repentance or not Answ By these markes 1 If I haue a godly sorrow whereby I am displeased with my selfe because by sin I haue displeased God 2 If there bee in mee a changing of the mind and a purpose to forsake sin and euer after to please God 3 If I do daily more and more break off my sinnes and abstaine from inward practise kéeping vnder my corruptions and vngodly thoughts 4 If I can mourne for the present corruption of my nature 5 If I haue béen grieued and craued pardon for my late sinnes euen fithence I was last partaker of the Lords Table Quest You said that obedience was the fourth part of our examination can you tell me what obedience is Answ It is a frée heartie vniuersall euangelicall personall and perpetuall kéeping of Gods Commandements Quest What reasons can you
you may see his goodnesse to you and yours in the other his iustice against his and the Churches enemies This Booke of mine hath many leaues these other haue only two in the one you may reade of Mercy in the other you may reade of Iudgement The Lord grant vnto your Honor with your most honorable Countesse the Lady Francis a second Dorothea giuen both as a gift to you that feare God such a life that at the houre of death when your glasse shall be runne and the Bridegrome call for you you may both say with that holy man Vixi dum volui volui dum Christe volebas Sic nec vita mihi mors nec acerba fuit London From S. Martins in the fields May 30. 1613. Your Honors at command ROBERT HILL A DIRECTION TO DIE WELL. Question I Doubt not but you are now well instructed for the direction of your whole life but because you haue heere no abiding citie what are you to thinke of that you may die well An. I am euer to meditae of fiue things 1 Of mine owne death which is most certaine that it will come and vncertaine when it will come 2 Of the death of Christ which was bitter to him but sweet to and for his 3 Of the deceitfulnesse of this world which is subtill to allure and subiect to change 4 Of the ioyes of heauen which are comâ—ortable to thinke on and glorious to posâ—esse 5 Of the torments of hell which are endlesse in themselues and comfortlesse to sinners Quest And why ought you first to thinke oftentimes of death Answ 1 Because it is appointed that al must die Hebr. 9.27 Death spares none and therefore there was neuer sacrifice offered to her 2 It is vncertaine when where or how I may die and therefore vncertaine that I may euer thinke of it 3 Many goe merrily to the pit of perdition for want of this meditation 4 Death by this will be more welcome vnto mee for Dangers foreseene are lesse grieuous 5 I shall more easily contemne this world by often thinking that I am a stranger in it 6 It will kéepe me from many sinnes which otherwise I would commit and cause me to repent of sinnes committed 7 Christ my Lord and good Christians his seruants had euer such thoughts 8 Many Philosophers haue done the like and of it haue written many volumes 9 As the day of death leaues me so the day of iudgement shall find me Psal 90.12 10 It was the praier of Moses to God that hee would teach him so to number his daies that hee might applie his heart vnto wisdome 11 It is the end of all my hearing and reading and as it were the scope of a Christian Diuine 12 It is the Art of all Arts and Science of all Sciences to learne to die Quest How prooue you this last Answ Moses saith O that they were wise and that they would consider their latter end Deut. 32.29 The Wise man saith Remember thy end and thou shalt neuer doe amisse Eccles 7.36 An Emperour said that Fredricke the third The best knowledge was to know God and to learne to die Augustine said that in this our pilgrimage we must thinke of nothing else but that wee shall not be euer heere and yet heere should wee prepare for our selues that place from whence we shall neuer depart Gregorie said All the life of a wise man must bee the meditation of death and He is euer carefull to doe well who is euer thinking of his last end Quest Why then doe so few thinke of death and put this euill day farre from them Answ The reasons are 1 Their infidelity they beleeue not either the happinesse of heauen nor the horrors of hell 2 Their impenitency and euill conscience they would not breake off their sinnes by drawing neere to God 3 Their ignorance of the soules immortalitie the bodies resurrection and the good things prepared for them in heauen by Christ 4 Their ambition in desiring the honors and preferments of this world and being loath to leaue them when they haue enioied them 5 Their couetousnesse by which as Moles they would euer by their good wils liue vpon earth 6 Their delight in the pleasures of sin from which they are taken at the day of death 7 Their want of Gods feare for Hee that feares God feares not to dye 8 Their vnwillingnesse to leaue this world for to die well is to die willingly Quest It seemeth then wee had neede to pray that God would teach vs to number our not yeeres but daies and now tell mee you that haue beene taught this Arithmeticke how you ought to number your daies An. I must number them after this sort 1 I must abstract the time past for that being irreuocable will neuer come againe 2 I may not adde the time to come for it may be it will neuer come vnto me 3 I must set down only the time present and know that it is only mine Our life is a point and lesse then a point a figure of one to which we can adde no Cipher it is but a moment and yet if we vse this moment wel wee may get eternitie which is of greatest moment Quest Is it not then thinke you a great folly that men are so vnwilling to thinke of death Answ Questionlesse it is we sée the Mariner with ioy thinkes of the Hauen The Labourer is glad to sée the euening The Trauailer is merry when his iournie is ended The Souldier is not sorrie when his warfare is accomplished and shall wee be grieued when the dayes of sinne are ended Quest It seemeth by this which you haue said that this life of ours is verie troublesome for we are Mariners our hauen is happinesse Trauellers our iournie is to Paradise Labourers our hire is Heauen and Souldiers our conquest is at death Is then our life both miserable and changeable Answ Yea verily for it is compared to a pilgrimage in which is vncertaintie Genes 47.9 A Flower in which is mutabilitie Isay 40.7 A smoke in which is vanitie Psalme 102.3 An House of Clay in which is miserie Iob. 4.19 A Weauers shittle in which is volubilitie Iob. 7.6 A shepheards tent in which is varietie Isay 38.12 A Ship on the Sea in which is celeritie Wisd 5.10 A Mariner who sitting standing sléeping or waking euer saileth on A shadow which is nothing to the bodie Iob. 8.9 To a thought whereof wee haue thousands in one day To a dreame whereof we haue millions in one night Iob. 20.8 To vanitie which is nothing in it selfe Psal 39. 5. And to nothing which hath no being in the World Psal 39.5 Quest If all this be true as it must needes bee because God hath said it the houre of death is farre better then the day of our birth Is it so Ans It is that for these reasons by it 1 We are fréed from many present miseries Reuel 14.13 Wee are deliuered from many future
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
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
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
sinne and crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts 1. Pet. 2.24 Rō 6.6 Gal. 5.24 10 In a word by it you haue remission of sinnes sanctification of spirit and euerlasting life after death Quest What must I heere meditate of An. You must meditate 1 Of the fearefull wrath of God against sinners which could not be appeased by any other meanes 2 Of Gods great mercy who to saue mankind would haue his Sonne killed 3 Of Christs great humility who thus abased himselfe to exalt vs. 4 Of the vglinesse of sinne which could by no other meanes be purged 5 Of the estate of the members of Christ who in this world must bee conformable to his passion 6 That wee hate all sinne and iniquity for which Christ suffered and by which we crucifie him againe Augustines meditation is fit to bee thought on The life of Christ saith he is to me a rule of my life his death is my redemption from death That instructeth my life this hath for mee destroyed death And againe Looke vpon his wounds when he hanged on the tree his blood when he died the price wherewith hee redeemed vs. He hath his body so placed on the crosse as if hee bowed it downe to kisse thee his armes spred out ready to embrace thee and his whole body giuen to redeeme thee Consider how great things these are weigh them in the ballance of thine heart that he may be wholly fastened in thine heart who for thee wholly was fastened to the crosse And againe meditate thus with that holy Father in his Soliloquies and say O Christ the saluation of my soule I hartily thanke thee for all thy benefits bestowed vpon mee from my youth till this mine olde age I pray thee by thy selfe forsake mee not Thou didst create me when I was nothing thou didst redeeme me when I was worse then nothing I was dead and when I was dead thou camest down vnto me and tookest vpon thee mortality for my sake Thou a King camest to a subiect to redeeme a subiect Thou didst die and ouercome death that I might liue I was exalted by thee when thou wast humbled for me such was thy loue towards mee that thou gauest thy blood to be shed for me O my Lord thou didst loue me more then thy self because thou wouldest die for me By such a meanes by so deare a price thou hast restored me from exile redeemed me from thraldome preserued me from punishment called me by thy name signed me by thy bloud annointed mee with that oile wherewith thy selfe wast annointed that of thee ô Christ I am named a Christian Thus thy mercy and grace hath euer preuented me Thus thou my Deliuerer hast deliuered me from many great and grieuous dangers Did I wander thou broughtest mee againe into the way Was I ignorant thou instructedst mee Did I sinne thou correctedst mee Was I sorrowfull thou comfortedst mee Did I despaire thou strengthnedst mee Did I fall thou didst helpe mee vp Did I goe thou didst leade me Did I come thou didst receiue me Did I sleepe thou didst watch ouer me Did I cry thou heardst the voice of my complaints Grant good Lord that it may bee euer pleasant vnto me to thinke often of these thy benefits to speake often of them often to giue thee thankes for them and to praise thee for euer and euer Amen Quest But because I cannot thus meditate of Christs passion vnlesse I bee able to apply it to my selfe how shall I make this application Answ 1 By the word 2. by faith 3. by the Sacraments of Baptisme the Lords Supper By the word Christ is offered as by the hand of God by faith he is receiued as by the hand of man by the sacraments he is sealed vp vnto vs as the Kings letters patents are by his Broad seale For as by the word of God his fauour is signed vnto vs so the same fauour is by the sacraments as a Broad seale ratified vnto vs and by the spirit as a Priuy seale confirmed vnto vs. Qu. Am I now bounden to follow Christ in his crosse Answ You are assuredly For 1 You are a member of his body will you not be like to your head 2 You are a branch of him that true vine will you not follow the roote 3 You desire to haue heauen do you not know that by many tribulations you must goe thither 4 You are one of Christs grapes Christ was pressed in Gods wine-presse and would you giue out your swéet liquor without the like pressing which he endured Augustine said well When thou beginnest to liue godly in Christ thou art put into the wine-presse prepare thy selfe that thy wine may be pressed out 5 It is an argument that God loues you not if you endure no afflictions you are a bastard and no sonne Heb. 12.14 An Heathen man could say thus much No man is more miserable then he who endureth no miserie it is a signe that hee is contemned of God as an idle and cowardly person And if saith Augustine you will goe to Canaan Nihil infelicius felicitate peccantium you must goe as it were by fire and water thorow the wildernesse of this world No creature is more vnhappy then hee that is happy in sinning 6 You must follow him also in his death and know that as he died so you must also be willing to die especially since nothing can free you from it If Wisdome could Salomon had not died if strength Sampson had not died if Riches Diues had not died if beauty Absalom had not died Wheresoeuer we goe if wée carrie with vs not the vgly picture of death as some Romanists doe but the true picture of Christs death in our hearts we shall neuer bee too fearefull of death Qu. I trust I shall thus meditate of Christs death and passion but is it not my duty at all times especially in sickenesse to thinke often of his resurrection Answ The Apostle Paul did account all things but losse and dung for this excellent knowledge of Christs death and the vertue of his resurrection Phil. 3.10 Quest What is the vertue of his resurrection Ans It is nothing else but the power of his Godhead or the power of his Spirit whereby he raised himselfe mightily from the dead and that on our behalfe For know this to your comfort that he did rise againe from the dead not as a priuate but as a publike person so that all the elect haue and are by his resurrection raised out of the graue of sinne by regeneration in this life and shall one day by it be raised out of the graue of death to eternal glorie in the life to come Qu. What vse may I make of this Answ By it 1 You may bee comforted against the feare of all your spirituall enemies and say thus to your sicke soule Christ is risen againe from the dead and so hath subdued all mine enemies vnder me will daily more and more
subdue them in me I may haue afflictions in this world but Christ bids me to bee of good comfort for he hath ouercome the world Ioh. 16.33 and This is the victory that ouercommeth the world euen my faith 1. Ioh. 5.4 I will say with Dauid Why art thou disquieted O my soule and why art thou troubled within me The Lord is on my side I will not feare what either man or miserie or sin or death or hell or the Diuel can doe against mee I haue God to bée my Father and Christ to be my elder brother I will not feare in the euil day I am not alone Christ is my companion This shall be my studie to beléeue thinges inuisible to hope for that which is deferred and to loue God to the end though he writeth bitter things against me and maketh mee to possesse the sinnes of my youth Though hee kill me I will trust in him I am in Christ Iesus and therefore fréed by his bonds healed by his stripes crucified by his death raised by his resurrection iustified by his obedience sanctified by his spirit and glorified by his glorious Ascension into Heauen Now my flesh by the benefit of Christ who rose againe in my flesh is not spe but re not in hope but indéede saued For in him mine head it is alreadie both risen and ascended vp into Heauen My flesh being safe in this her head shall bee also saued in her members Let them securely triumph their head will neuer forsake them 2 You must learne to rise from sinne to newnesse of life to séeke those thinges that are aboue and not those thinges which are beneath to set your affections on Heauen and heauenly things If you be partaker of the first resurrection the second death shall take no hold of you Reuel 20.6 If you doe not this Christs death shal doe you no good For as hee died and rose againe so must you rise from sinne to righteousnesse and from death to life Therefore awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee life Ephes 5.14 Quest If I can thus meditate of Christs death and resurrection I doubt not but death will bee better welcome for if I weare his Crowne of thornes I shall one day weare his Crowne of glorie If I can pledge him in his Cup of gall I shall drinke of his sweet wine If I die with him in this World I shall liue with him in that which is to come But you told mee that I must meditate of the deceitfulnesse of this World must I doe so that I may leaue it more willingly Answ You must néeds doe it the World is like Laban it will giue you Leah for Rachel it will change your wages it wil send you with Iaakob emptie away It is a Syren it will sing to you to sinke you It is as Iael Hebers wife it will offer you milke and couer you with a mantle and in the end strike a naile into the temples of your head It will salute you as Ioab did Amasa and kill you as Amasa was by Ioab killed With Iudas it will kisse you and with Iudas also it will betray you For this cause Salomon cried Vanitie of vanities all is but vanitie Iohn said Loue not this World nor the thinges of this World hee that loueth this World the loue of the Father is not in him 1. Ioh. 2.16 To this purpose the Fathers haue many notable Meditations Augustine said This World is more dangerous fauning then fighting and more to be auoided when she inticeth to loue then when shee compelleth to contempt Againe O yee louers of this World for what doe you labour haue you heere any greater hope then to become friendes of this World what is there which is not fraile and full of perill and by how many perils doe you come to a greater perill This life is miserable death vncertaine it comes vnawares and after all the punishment of our negligence is eternall punishment Againe The World passeth away and the lusts thereof What wilt thou doe whether wilt thou loue temporall thinges and passe away with time or loue Christ and liue for euer Againe Behold the World is troublesome and we like it what would wee doe if it were calme how would wee cleaue vnto beautie if wee so affect deformitie how fast would wee gather the flowers who fill our hands with the thornes Againe This ruinous World is beloued of vs what would we doe if the building were faire Againe The Lords of this World haue true asperitie false iucunditie certaine miserie and hopelesse felicitie Gregorie said Beholde this World which wee loue so much passeth away These Saints at whose monuments wee stand did contemne the then florishing World they had long life continuall health rich estate many children long peace and yet when that World florished in it selfe it withered in their hearts Beholde now it withereth in it selfe and florisheth in our hearts Euerie where death sorrow desolation is at hand Wee are beaten on all sides filled on all sides are we with bitternesse and yet being blinded with carnall concupiscence we loue the bitternesse of this World shee flieth we pursue her she falleth we leane vpon her and because wee cannot keepe her from falling we fal with her whom we hold falling Bernard said Hee that begins to thinke Christ sweet will esteeme quickly the world as bitter Againe This World is full of thornes they are in the Earth they sticke in thy flesh To bee amongst them and not to bee hurt by them proceeds from Gods power not our owne Againe The World crieth I wil faile thâ—â— the flesh crieth I will infect thee the Deuill crieth I will deceiue thee but Christ crieth I will refresh thee Againe The danger of this World is seene in the paueitie of such as passe well thorow it and the multitude that perish in it In the Massilian Sea of foure Shippes scant one is drowned in the Sea of this World of foure soules scant one is saued Chrysostome said The World is a Sea the Church a Ship the Saile Repentance the Rudder the Crosse the Pilot Christ and the Holy Ghost the Windes I would with you therefore to bid this vaine World Adieu and to say with the blessed Apostle Saint Paul God forbid that I should reioyce in any thing saue in the crosse of Christ whereby the World is crucified to me and I vnto the World Quest I shall doe this the better if you tell mee what God hath prepared for mee in Heauen and of this I desire to be instructed from you Answ The Apostle Paul thinking vpon this saith 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 which loue him The Eye saith Augustine hath not seene it because it is not Colour the Eare hath not heard it because it is not a Sound the
content our selues with a profession of piety and labour not for the power of godlinesse And as for our liues they abound with actuall transgression against euery one of thy ten Commandements hauing broken the same ten thousand tims We Lord haue liued in contempt of thy prouidence committing idolatry with thy creatures taking thy glorious name in vaine and profaning of thy most holy Sabbaths We euen we who should haue been vpright haue not regarded our betters but enuied our brethrē defiled our soules with vnchaste desires laboured to be rich by vnlawfull meanes disgraced our neighbours and longed after that which was none of ours Wee haue heard thy word O Lord but we haue not beleeued it we haue known the word but haue not practised it Wee haue come to thine house without reuerence approched to thy Table without repentance and practised many sins without remorse Doe we any good wee please our selues too much Doe we any euil we feare thée too little we are wearie of praying when we talke with thée we are carelesse in hearing when thou speakest to vs. If we reade thy Sacred and Holy Word it is not swéete vnto vs as the hony combe but wee delight more euen in vngodly bookes Yea O Lord the pampering of our bellies the pride of our apparel the negligence in our calling the mispending of our time our vaine conference at table our wandring eyes our wanton lusts our ambitious minds our couetous desires our vngodly spéeches our lasciuious eares our censuring of our brethren our sinne in recreations our vnwillingnesse to labour our vnfaithfulnesse in life our forgetfulnesse of death and our abuse of thy mercies especially in Christ doe testifie against vs that wée haue sinned against Heauen and against thee and are no more worthie to be called thy children Are wee ashamed at this and reclaimed from it no Lord wee are not ashamed but howsoeuer it hath pleased thee to vse many meanes as partly by thy Word and partly by thy Spirit and partly by thy mercies partly by thy iudgments to the end we might bee reclaimed from our crooked wayes yet we haue contemned thy Word the Ministerie of saluation greiued thy spirit the earnest of our inheritance abused thy mercies the pledges of thy loue and forgotten thy iudgments the messengers of thy wrath Enter not into iudgement with vs thy seruants O Lord for then shall no flesh liuing bee iustified in thy sight Be mercifull vnto vs in forgiuing sinnes past and be gracious vnto vs in preuenting sinnes to come Correct vs O Lord but with mercie not in thy iudgement for then shall we be consumed and brought to nought Open our blind eyes that we may come to a particular knowledge of our particular sinnes especially such as wee are most giuen vnto Soften our hard and stonie hearts that wee may sigh and grone vnder the burden of them make vs good God displeased with our selues because by sinne wee haue dishonoured thy Maiestie Stirre vp our dead and dul hearts that we may hunger after Christ and his righteousnesse and after euery drop of his precious bloud In that Sonne of thine looke on vs thy seruants and for his merits and righteousnesse vouchsafe good God mercifully and fréely to do away al our offences Wash them away in his blood and by the purity of his spirit clense our hearts from the pollution and impurity of them all say vnto our soules thou art our saluation let thy spirit in our hearts crie Abba Father Teach vs. O Lord thy way we shal walk in thy truth O knit our hearts vnto thée that we may feare thy Name And because through corruption in our hearts and sinne in our liues our faith is féeble and our confidence small wée doe humbly beséech thée to strengthen our faith by the daily meditation and particular application of thy mercifull promises made vnto vs in thy Sonne Christ that neither in the dangers of this world nor in the troubles of conscience nor in the houre of death we may fall from thée Gracious Father expell out of our hearts al carnal confidence the vnderminer of our faith teach vs in the spirit of true humilitie to denie our selues and to relie only vpon thée and the merit of Christ in the matter of our saluation And because it is not enough to come vnto thée by prayer and to sue vnto thée for pardon but all that are in Christ must be new creatures therefore we call vpon thée for the spirit of regeneration mortifie therby the corruptions of our flesh quicken vs thereby in the inner man By the power of Christs death let vs die vnto sinne and by the power of his resurrection let vs rise to righteousnesse and newnes of life let the one as a corrasiue eate vp the dead flesh of vngodlinesse and the other as a spur stir vs vp to holinesse Illuminate our mindes that wee may know thy will giue vs spirituall vnderstanding to discerne good and euill Sanctifie our memories to treasure vp good things purifie our consciences to haue peace in thée reforme our willes to doe thy will and let all our affections be ordered aright Teach vs to feare thée continually wheresoeuer wee are to neglect all things in regard of Christ to loue thée and our brethren for thy sake to be zealous of thy glorie to bée grieued at our owne and others sinnes and ioyfull when we can please thée Let our bodies the instruments of sinne be euer hereafter clensed by thy spirit that they may bee temples for that spirit to dwell in keepe our eyes from beholding vanitie our eares from hearkening to variety our mouthes from speaking blasphemie our hands from committing of iniquitie and our bodies from the action of adulterie Let our light so shine before men that they séeing our good workes may glorifie thee our heauenly Father Make vs to remember that as we are sonnes we must depend vpon thée as wee are seruants we must obey thée and as wee are Christians we ought to walke worthy of our vocation calling And because we haue all some particular calling either of rule or seruice or trust or fauour make vs from the highest to the lowest faithfull in our callings and to remember that a day will come in which wee must giue an account vnto thée of all our actions done in this flesh whether they bée good or euill Take away from vs all opportunitie of sinning and make vs euer thankfull that wee liue so as wée want allurements to many sinnes Cause vs to sée how deformed sinne is in it selfe and to what confusion it is like to bring vs Lord make vs to flie the very occasions of sinne and to resist the beginnings of all temptatition let not a night passe ouer our heads in which wee examine not how wée haue spent the day neuer let vs come into any companie wherein wee may not doe or receiue some good Keepe vs that wee fashion not
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
before I shooke it off but it will come againe make me in prosperitie to thinke on aduersitie in health to thinke on sicknesse in sicknesse to thinke on death and at all times to thinke so on iudgement that whether I wake or sleep eate or drinke or whatsoeuer I do els I may euer haue this voice sounding in mine eares Arise yee dead and come vnto iudgement I will sing vnto the Lord all my life as long as I haue any being I will sing praises vnto my God O my soule praise thou the Lord. Praise yee the Lord. Praised bee the Lord God of Israel from this time forth and for euermore and let all people say Amen Are there not ten clensed where are the nine there is none returned to giue thanks but this one and he is a Samaritan Luk. 17.17.18 Behold thou art now whole sin no more lest a worse thing happen vnto thée A PRAYER FOR A SICK person man or woman changing the sexe O Almightie euer-liuing and euer-louing God and in Christ Iesus our most gracious and mercifull father thou hast taught vs out of thine holy word that Man which is borne of a woman hath but a short time to liue and is full of miserie his life is a shadow his daies are vanitie his yeeres are nothing in comparison of thée and in the end hee fadeth as a flower of the field and neuer continueth in one stay Experience we haue of the frailtie of our life in beholding this diseased and distressed feruant of thine whom thou hast cast downe vpon the bed of sicknesse He was as we thought of late in good health and now we sée him at the point of death In him let vs behold our fraile estate and truly to consider that all flesh is grasse And because we are now in this house of mourning let vs be admonished of our later end and behold what afterward shall become of vs. Make vs truly to mourne with them that mourne and to weepe with them that weepe And grant vnto vs all the forgiuenesse of our sinnes â—he assistance of thy Spirit assurance to be heard and a fellow feeling of our brothers miseries that we may the better call vpon thy name and pray to thée for him who standeth in néede to be prayed for Thou art O Lord the conduit of comfort bee a God of comfort and consolation vnto him thou art the forgiuer of all our sinnes blot all his sinnes out of thy remembrance thou art the Physitian to cure all sores looke fauourably vpon him in this sicknesse of his And as thou art the God of patience mitigate his paines of hope assure his heart of mercie confirme his faith of iustice looke vpon thy Sonne and as thou art the resurrection and the life be vnto him both life and resurrection It is true O Lord that he hath deserued a farre greater punishment and that thou shouldest scourge him with all thy rods hee feeleth his sinne he feareth thy iustice he is affrighted at death hee trembleth at thy iudgements and vnlesse thy law were his delight he should haue perished in this his trouble He appealeth from thy iustice vnto thy mercie and in consideration of thine abundant goodnesse doth say vnto thee in the bitternesse of his soule Lord bee mercifull vnto me a sinner Haue mercie vpon him O Lord haue mercie vpon him and according to the multitude of thy mercies doe away all his offences Grant him thy grace to beare willingly this crosse the crosse of sicknesse to drinke heartily of this cup the cup of affliction to endure patiently this yoke the yoke of tribulation and to suffer meekely this rod the rod of correction Naked hee came out of his mothers womb and naked shall he returne againe O Let him now say with thy seruant Iob The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away blessed bee the name of the Lord. He hath receiued good things of thée make him to receiue euill also and as heretofore he reioyced in his health so teach him now to reioyce in sicknesse and as hee was not ashamed to liue so let him not bee afraid to die because his life is hid with Christ in heauen Teach him O Lord by thy holy Spirit that hee cannot suffer more for thee than Christ his Sauiour suffered for him and though thou hast now powred into the wounds of his corruption the sharpe wine of grieuous tribulation yet after the example of the good Samaritan instill also the suppling oyle of comfort whereby hee may bee able to endure these troubles which otherwise would bee intollerable vnto him As his paine encreaseth so increase his patience and as it decreaseth so increase his thankfulnesse Turne this visitation to the good of his soule lay no more vpon him than hee is able to beare and as hee feeleth thy iustice in suffering for his sinnes so let him feele thy mercie in correcting him for them and as thou now triest whe her he will loue thée or no so make him now most to loue thee when thou correctest him as thy sonne Let his heart be glad his tongue reioyce and his flesh also rest in hope because thou wilt not suffer his soule in the graue nor his flesh through thine Holy one to sée corruption Remember not Lord his or our iniquities spare him good Lord spare thy seruant whom Christ hath redeemed with his most pretious blood and bee not angrie with vs for euer Lord saue thy seruant which putteth his trust in thée send him helpe from thy holy place and euermore mightily defend him let the enemie haue none aduantage against him nor the wicked approch neere vnto him be vnto him a strong tower against the face of his enemie O Lord heare our prayers and let our crie come vnto thée Wée crie and call vnto thee alone for him visite him as thou diddest visite Peters wiues mother comfort him as thou diddest comfort the sick of the palsie chéere him as thou diddest cheere that godly man Simeon that hée now seeing his Sauiour in heauen may ioyfully say Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation In the meane time strengthen him against all temptations defend him against all assaults relieue him in all his weakenesse and deliuer him from all his feares O Lord Iesu Christ who for his and our sakes camest into the World obeyedst the law sufferedst reproch baredst our sinnes and gauest ouer for vs thy pretious life to death looke thou vpon this thy patient let thy blood wash away the spots of his sinnes let thy righteousnesse couer his vnrighteousnesse and let thy satisfaction bee his merit O holie Ghost the comforter of all that want comfort send downe thy grace into the heart of thy seruant call to his minde whatsoeuer consolation he hath before learned cut of thy word especially that by Christ he shall inherit heauen giue him now such a portion of thy grace that he neither
THE PATHWAY TO PRAYER AND PIETIE CONTAINING 1 An Exposition of the Lords Prayer with an Apologie for publicke and priuate set Prayer 2 A preparation to the Lords Supper with Ma. ZANCHIVS Confession concerning that Sacrament 3 A Direction to a Christian life both in our generall and particular callings 4 An instruction to Die well and a Consolation against all Crosses WITH DIVERS PRAYERS And Thankesgiuings fit for this TREATISE By ROBERT HILL Doctor in Diuinitie Pray to Receiue Receiue to Liue Liue to Die once Die to Liue euer This is the summe of this Booke LONDON Printed by W. S. for Edward Blunt and William Barret 1613. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THOMAS LORD Ellesmere Lord Chancellor of England and one of his Maiesties most Honorable Priuie Counsell Grace and Peace RIght Honourable as it is the safetie of a Shippe to haue good Pilotes the strength of a palace to haue sure Pillars the securitie of the body to haue cleare eyes and the safeguard of sheepe to haue vigilant shephards So is it the safetie of a Countrie and safegard of a Kingdome to haue many wise and watchfull Counsellors Is this ship tossed These Pilots will guide it Is this palace shaken These Pillars will vphold it Is this body in perill These eyes will ouersee it Are these sheepe in danger These shepheards will defend them And as where there is no vision the Church is naked So where no counsell is there the State is naked Of all the miseries which befell the Israelites this is recorded to bee one of the greatest That either they had no King to rule them or that their Kings were but children who ruled them yet as that ship is safer that hath but a bad Pilot than no Pilot that palace stronger that hath but woodden Pillars than no pillars that body securer that hath but a squint eye than no eye and those sheepe better that haue any shepheard than no shepheard So is that nation in farre better case which hath but bad gouernours than none at all Is it a blessing to bee commanded by the bad what a blessing then is it to bee gouerned by the good Haue we good Ministers they are the horsemen and chariots of a 2. King 13.14 Israel Haue we good Magistrates they are the light of our eyes the breath of our nostrils the anointed of the Lord and vnder their shadow we are preserued b Lam. 4.20 aliue Amongst many Right Honourable and truely honoured Senators both Church and Commonwealth blesse God for your Honour You are blessed of the Church as an vncorrupt Patron you are blessed of the Common-wealth as an impartiall Iudge In the one you desire to plant pietie in the other you are readie to supplant iniquitie In the one you are carefull that one haue not all in the other you are watchfull that each may haue his owne In the one you prouide for the preaching of veritie in the other you pronounce the sentence of equitie Are you in the one to administer Iustice I may say with Basil Your arrow euer aimeth at the white with Epictetus Your hand euer holdeth an equall ballance and with Erasmus Your sunne shineth alike on the poore and rich Are you to conferre Ecclesiasticall preferments You will not giue that Iaakob bleare-eyed Leah who hath serued manie a yeare for faire Rachel You wil not make him a shepheard of mens soules who is rather to bee a shepheard of mens sheepe What good you haue done to this Church of ours let Church-men iudge you loue our Nation you haue prouided for vs many decaied Synagogues and put many poore Preachers into the poole of Bethâ—sdah who haue beene cured of their long disease of pouertie without the descending of any one Angell Experience I haue had of your fauour to poore Ministers in my first certaine maintenance that euer I had in our Church For though I was afraide euen to looke vpon you yet you were not forgetfull to prouide for mee and without any either suing or seeking of mine it pleased you to annex vnto my Lecture at S. Martins S. Margarets in Friday street that small Benefice which I now haue in London and where I am carefull to Preach euery Sabbath though I cannot liue there for want of an house In a thankfull remembrance of your loue to our Calling and an hopefull acceptation of this enterprised seruice I am bold to present againe this booke to your Honor. It was penned at the first for the benefit of this Parish and published by authoritie for the good of the Church This Parish of S. Martin mooued mee to penne it Doctor Vaughan and that late Reuerend Bishop of London allowed me to Print it In regard of both these I doubt not but your Honor will afford it your patronage You are to the one a most honorable benefactor prouiding for the liuing by your charitable almes and for the dead by procuring a new and most needfull Church-yard You were to the other a most honorable friend you loued him in his life and did vnfainedly mourne for him at his death Of whome I may say considering the encouragements I had from him in my ministerie as Elâ—sha said when his master Eliah was taken from his head 2. King 2.12 My Father my Father the Horsemen of Israel and the Chariots thereof S. Johns in Cambridg He was an honor to our Colledge in which hee once liued a painefull student and an ornament to our Church in which he was as we haue many Reuerend Fathers now he is gone a preaching Bishop For his admirable learning in our Vniuersity of Cambridge he was long since created a Doctor in Diuinitie and for his abilitie to rule hee was after Consecrated Bishop of Bangor and immediatly translated to the Diocesse of Chester and after a while from thence to London In these aduancements of his how much hee was beholding to your Honour I had rather be silent then say little but surely hee was worthie you should doe for him For the gifts of his Ministerie he was a powerfull and skilfull Preacher for the vse of his authoritie he was a most watchfull and temperate Gouernour Was hee to speake his wordes were sententious was hee to aduise His counsell was religious was hee to admonish his exhortations were gratious and was hee to censure his sentence was iudicious Did hee obserue any Minister painefull in his calling hee euer did encourage him to go on did hee see any either negligent or turbulent the one hee would aduise to greater labour the other bring on to greater peace For his iudgement in Diuinitie what it was the Church can iudge hee was a profound Preacher of the truth a zealous enemie to all superstition and a great exhorter to all pietie godlinesse He halted not betwixt two opinions hee spake not with those Iewes Nehe. 13.24 partly the language of Ashdod and partly the language of Canaan but euery way shewed himselfe a Protestant
indeed His learning was good his life better and his death for himselfe best of all His learning was without comparison his life without exception his death without suspition By his learning hee instructed by his life hee shined and by his death hee yet smelleth as a sweet perfume What his learning was this Land knoweth what his life was London knoweth and what his death was those learned men knowe who were about him in the time of his sicknesse Hee was Bishop of this Diocesse not much aboue two yeares in which time this Citie much reioyced in him and surely no maruaile For hee was a Clemens to this Rome a Polycarpus to this Smyrna a Iustine to this Naples a Dionysius to this Alexandria a Cyprian to this Carthage an Eusebius to this Caesarea a Gregorie to this Nyssa an Ambrose to this Millâ—yne a Chrysostome to this Constantinople an Augustine to this Hippo and a Ridley to this Diocesse And as Ambrose was wont to say of his people so questionlesse he said often of his Non minùs vos diligo quos genui ex euangelio quà m si suscepissem ex contugio gratia quippe vehementior est ad diligendum quà m natura I loue you no lesse whom I haue begotten by the Gospell then my owne children For grace procures greater loue then nature Nay it seemeth he loued them more for hee impouerished the one to enrich the other But blessed bee that most reuerend Dauid that will haue care of Ionathans children now he is dead Dead hee is indeede in regard of his presence but aliue for euer in regard of his remembrance for the righteous shal be had in an euerlasting remembrance when the name of the wicked shall rot He died not rich in goods it was an argument of his goodnesse he died rich in grace it was an argument of his godlinesse With Bernard he did liue in terra auri sine auro In a Kingdome of gold without gold and seemed to thinke as Lactantius did write that Qui apud Deum diues est pauper esse non potest Hee that is rich in God cannot be accounted a poore man Did Abner saith Dauid die as a foole dieth And did this Bishop of London die as that Bishop of Rome who said Vixi dubius anxius morior nescio quò vado I haue liued doubtfull I die doubtting I know not whither I shall goe no hee did not But with Ambrose hee said I haue not so lead my life that I was ashamed to liue neither feare I death because I know I haue a good Lord. Hee said not with Nero Me mortuo ruat mundus I care not what befalleâ— after I am dead but These were almost his last words modo me moriente viuat floreat ecclesia fiat voluntas Domini So that after my death the Church may flourish the will of God be done Thus a good life hath the yeares numbred but a good name endureth for euer Not to be troublesome to your Honor by his departure his wife hath lost a louing husband his children an indulgent father the Church a worthie Prelate and I a poore Preacher one of the most honourable friends that euer I had hauing deserued so little of him Isa 57.11 Doe the righteous perish wee must regard it Are mercifull men taken away we must consider it in our hearts After Ambrose was dead Italy was troubled after Augustine was dead Afrike was spoiled After Luther was dead Germanie was distracted After Bucer was dead heere religion was altered And after the death of so many worthie men as wee haue lost within these few yeeres the Lord graunt that we be not plagued I am no Homer to commend this Achilles no Chrysostome to commend this Babylas no Augustine to commend this Cyprian no Melancthon to commend this Luther no Parker to commend this Bucer onely in honor to him who honoured God in his life I presume thus to write of him being dead Your Honor well knoweth that I haue written the trueth and the Lord knoweth I desire to write nothing but the truth Thus crauing pardon for my boldnesse and once againe most humbly entreating your Honorable entertainment of these few sheetes of Paper as they are now the fifth time enlarged I humbly take my leaue beseeching God to continue you long a trustie Counsellor to our Gracious King an vpright Iudge to our Christian people and a good Patron to the despised Clergie From your Parish of Saint Martin in or rather now by reason of many new buildings neere the Fields Iune the 16. 1613. At your Honours seruice ROBERT HILL A PREFACE OF PRAYER TO MINE Honourable Worshipfull and Christian Auditors at Saint Martins in the Fieldes Grace and PEACE CHristian Auditors There are three things in regard of God which euery good person must bee acquainted withall the first is how hee must talke with God The second how hee must liue before God The third how hee must come to God when the seale of his saluation is offered in the Sacrament Of all â—hese three I am bold at this time to present vnto you this little Manuell Lycurgus a Law-giuer amongst the Lacedaemonians made this one Law of sacrificing to the gods that they should not bee presented with many things and those of either small or no great value If things are to bee esteemed rather by weight then worth I haue obserued this law in this present gift I offer vnto you but three things the first number of which all can bee spoken And I present vnto you but small things for what can be contained in so few sheetes of paper yet if it please you to giue these few sheetes the reading you shall know better how to pray learn better how to liue and vnderstand better how to come to Gods table so long as you shall either pray liue or receiue And because I haue concerning the first Preached to you of late many Sermons The dignitie of Prayer I am willing at this time in way of Preface to commend vnto you the dignitie of Prayer By it wee conferre and talke with God and by it we procure much good vnto man By it we doe pierce the very cloudes and by it we haue whatsoeuer is meete Doe wee want any thing that is good for vs or others Prayer is the messenger whom wee must send towards God Haue we receiued any speciall fauour from him Prayer is our Ambassadour to giue him thankes Are wee in the morning to begin our worke this is the Key to open the day Clauit diei Are we at euening to shut our selues in this is the a Sera noctis locke to seale vp the night If we would bind the Almightie b Vinculum inuincibilis Bern. to do vs none hurt heere is the band by which he is tied c Vis Deo grata Chrysost And if we would vntie him to do vs good heere is the porter of the gates of heauen It is our
39 Whether God doth both forgiue and punish the same sinne Pag. 63 40 How sinne is a debt to man Pag. 66 41 The good of pardoning offences Pag. 67 42 Whether wee may forgiue and yet sue at Law Pag. 68 43 Rules for going to law Pag. 68 44 Rules against reuenge Pag. 69 45 Why the godly are led into temptation Pag. 74 46 Whether we may pray to be led out of temptation Pag. 76 47 Whether we may say Suffer vs not to be led into temptation Pag. 77 48 What temptation is how taken Pag. 77. 78 49 How God leadeth into temptation Pag. 79 50 How Satan leadeth into temptation Pag. 79 51 Whether God be the author of sinne Pag. 80 52 How God tempteth man Pag. 81 53 Why God doth harden mans heart Pag. 82 54 How God tempteth by prosperitie Pag. 83 55 How by our deliuerance from gunpowder 1605. Pag. 84 56 How by aduersitie Pag. 85 57 Of temptation to popish religion Pag. 86 58 Of temptation to forsake the Church Pag. 87 59 How Satan is resisted Pag. 88 60 In his temptation to couetousnesse Pag. 89 61 To pride Pag. 90 62 To adultrie Pag. 91 63 To drunkennesse Pag. 91 64 To enuie Pag. 92 65 To idlenesse Pag. 93 66 To impatience in afflictions Pag. 94 70 To dispaire of Gods mercies Pag. 95 71 To presumption Pag. 96 72 How many waies God deliuereth from euill Pag. 99 73 What we must do to be deliuered from euil and from Satan Pag. 99. 100 74 Whether we may pray for temptations Pag. 102 75 Frō whence haue Kings their authority Pag. 107 76 Whether Gods power can be communicated to any creature Pag. 108 77 How all power is giuen to Christ Pag. 108 78 Of this word Amen in diuers questions Pag. 112 79 Of many circumstances in prayer and also of set prayer and of the profitable and lawfull vse of it Pag. 117 SPECIALL QVESTIONS in a Communicant instructed 1 OF diuers sorts of banquets Pag. 1 2 Of the necessitie of comming to the Lords Table Pag. 2 3 Of properties belonging to a fit guest Pag. 6 4 Of examination Pag. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7 5 Why knowledge is necessarie Pag. 9 6 Why the most are ignorant Pag. 9 7 VVhat knowledge a Communicant must haue Pag. 10 8 Twentie reasons that the bread is not turned into Christs bodie Pag. 14 9 VVhether it may be done by a miracle Pag. 17 10 VVhy the bread is called Christs body Pag. 17 11 That the bread may not be receiued alone Pag. 18 12 VVhy Christ vsed bread and wine Pag. 19 13 VVhat the actions of the Ministers signifie Pag. 20 14 VVhat the actions of the receiuer signifie Pag. 20 15 VVhy we must examine our faith Pag. 21 16 Signes of faith Pag. 22 17 Why we must examine our repentance Pag. 23 18 VVhy men must and do not repent Pag. 25 19 Signes of repentance Pag. 25 20 VVhy we must examine our obedience Pag. 26 21 Notes of true obedience Pag. 26 22 Of reconciliation Pag. 27 23 VVhat we must thinke of at the Communion Pag. 136 24 How we must behaue our selues when wee come to the Lords Table Pag. 29 25 Of kneeling at the Communion Pag. 30 26 VVhat quantitie of bread and wine is fit to be receiued Pag. 33 27 Of often receiuing Pag. 33 28 Of priuate receiuing Pag. 35 29 Of comming fasting to the Communion Pag. 38 30 VVhat is required after the receiuing of the Lords Supper Pag. 40 31 Zanchius of the Lords Supper Pag. 42 SPECIALL QVESTIONS handled in a Christian directed 1 WHhy we ought to watch Pag. 65 2 VVhat we must do in watching Pag. 66 3 Of buying out the time Pag. 67 4 How we must watch ouer our thoughts Pag. 68 5 How ouer our words Pag. 70 6 How ouer our actions towards God Pag. 71 7 How ouer our actions towards our selues Pag. 73 8 How ouer our actions towards others Pag. 74 9 Of what behauiour we must be Pag. 76 10 Of apparell Pag. 77 11 Of diet Pag. 78 12 Of recreation Pag. 79 13 Of getting riches Pag. 80 14 Of spending and frugalitie Pag. 80. 81 15 Of sanctifying the Sabbath Pag. 85 16 Of chusing a fit wife or a fit husband Pag. 86 17 The duties of the husband Pag. 87 18 Of the wife Pag. 88 19 Of parents naturall and legall Pag. 89. 90 20 Of children naturall and legall Pag. 91. 92 21 Of masters Pag. 94 22 Of seruants Pag. 95 23 Of Magistrates and subiects Pag. 97 24 Of the Ministers dutie Pag. 99 25 Of the peoples dutie to their Ministers Pag. 100 Of hearing Sermons 26 VVhat we must do before we heare Pag. 101 27 VVhat in hearing Pag. 102 28 VVhat after hearing Pag. 103 29 How to know a good Sermon Pag. 104 30 VVhy many do sleepe at Sermons Pag. 105 31 Remedies against it Pag. 107 32 How hearing is better then reading Pag. 107 33 Whether all are bounden to heare Pag. 108 34 VVhy wee should not take Gods name in vaine Pag. 109 SPESIALL QVESTIONS in the Direction to die well 1 WHat we must euer thinke on Pag. 111 2 VVhy on death Pag. 112. 3 That the Art of dying well is the Art of Arts. Pag. 113 4 VVhy few thinke of it Pag. 113 5 How we ought to number our daies Pag. 114 6 That it is folly not to thinke of death Pag. 115 7 That our life is miserable Pag. 115 8 How the houre of death is better then the houre of life Pag. 116 9 Whether we may desire death Pag. 117 10 What death is Pag. 118 11 Whether Adam if he had continued in his innocencie should haue died Pag. 119 12 That wee are better in Christ then in Adam Pag. 119 13 Three monitors of death Pag. 120 14 How we may die well Pag. 120 15 VVhen we must begin to serue God Pag. 120 16 Of deferring repentance Pag. 121 17 Of the death of the wicked Pag. 122 18 Of the death of the godly Pag. 122 19 Of vnwillingnesse to die Pag. 128 20 How many wayes may a man carrie him-himselfe in death Pag. 131 21 VVhat we must do when we are sicke Pag. 134 22 VVhy we must set our soule in order Pag. 134 23 VVhen and why we must send for the Minister Pag. 135 24 VVhy we must take physicke Pag. 136 25 How we must take it Pag. 136 26 VVhether wee may vse superstitious and vngodly Physitians Pag. 137 27 VVhy the Physitian for the soule must bee first sent for Pag. 138 28 VVhat we must doe when the Minister commeth Pag. 139 29 What the Minister must do to vs. Pag. 140 30 Whether being sicke of the plague wee may send for the Minister Pag. 140 31 Of them that dreame of a particular faith Pag. 143 32 Against them that abuse Gods prouidence Pag. 143 33 The obiection that many escape answered Pag. 144 34 Who may visit persons infected Pag. 145 35 Comforts against the pestilence Pag. 145
is spirituall and secret And as we haue feeling of Christ dwelling on our hearts so the more shall wee haue feeling of this blessed societie by which we haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an vnion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellowship and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 participation with whole Christ and his merits and meet altogether in the vnitie of faith and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes 4.13.5.30 But as in our separation from God by the spirit of Satan our mindes heart and wils were first seuered and then followed the whole man so the first thing in this coniunction which must be ioyned with God by his spirit is the vnderstanding by knowledge the heart by affiance the will by obedience after which will follow all the new man By the humanitie of Christ we are conioyned to him and by his Spirit he is ioyned to vs. Not either by an actuall falling of Christs flesh into ours or a naturall contiguitie or conexion of our persons or essentiall comixtion of his body with ours but by a copulation and connexion altogether spirituall felt by grace in this life and seene by glorie in the life to come when Christ and his Church before Gods iudgement seate shall appeare as one Christ. But Christ is in heauen and we vpon earth Send thy faith into heauen and hee in heauen is ioyned to thee heere vpon earth Thy sight in a moment can visiblie touch the starres of heauen much more may thy faith touch that morning starre and sunne of righteousnesse which is in heauen Say that the wife bee in England the husband in India the head aboue the feete below the branches on the top the roote in the ground the spring in one place the riuers in an other the foundation on the earth the building in the ayre is there not notwithstanding an vnion betwixt them Surely there is Christ is our husband the Church is his spouse Christ is our head ech Christian is a member Christ is the roote the righteous are branches Christ is the fountaine the Religious are riuers Christ is the foundation belieuers are Gods building Be hee neuer so high euen in the highest heauens we vpon earth are so ioyned vnto him that by vertue of this vnion our soules do receiue the life of grace in this world and our bodies shall receiue the life of glorie in the world to come Heere this coniunction appeares in the vnitie of spirit for in it there is neither a commixtion of persons nor an vnion of substances but a confederation of our affections and concatenation of our wils there it shall appeare in the consociation of our persons For wee shall enioy there a most holy and comfortable conuersation with Christ see him as he is conferre with him face to face and as in this sacrament as by a marriage ring wee are espoused to him heere so there wee shall be solemnly maried to him for euer And all this comes vnto vs because the word was made flesh not because that Flesh hath any such vertue in it selfe it is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing but in that it is caro verbi flesh vnited to the word to that word which is the fountaine of life quickning all things and causing the death of that flesh to obtaine for vs eternall life The flesh is not quickning in it selfe but in the word Hypostatically vnited vnto it saith Cyrill This word by personall vnion quickneth Christs humanitie and giueth it for our saluation merite and efficacie and by mysticall vnion quickneth Christian consciences and ioyneth them in loue and life vnto God so that now there is a mutuall giuing and receiuing betwixt Christ and his Church From Christ wee receiue first him selfe which the Father and their Spirit to become our portion Secondly Adoption to be actually made the children of God Thirdly a title and right to Christs righteousnesse in his sufferings and with all to his fulfilling of the whole law Lastly a right to the Kingdome of heauen which now is made the inheritance of the Saints And what doth he now receiue from vs surely drosse for gold euil for good shame for glorie sorrow for solace and a curse for this blessing For he receiues ftom vs first our sinnes with the punishment thereof made his by imputation and suertie-ship Secondly our afflictions which hee accounts his owne so long as we suffer for righteousnesse sake And this is our communion which we haue with Christ But because we are all members of one bodie and are all baptized into one Spirit and after do eate of one bread there is also a communion with all Christians one with an other Art thou a liuing saint vpon earth thou art in regard of minde of one iudgement in the grounds of pietie affection of one heart alike affected to God Christ Iesus and euery good Christian though thou wast neuer acquainted with them And in regard of the gifts of the spirit like a good candle thou wilt spend them al to the good of others be ready to serue thy brother in loue and both by example admonition exhortation consolation prayer to conuey all graces in thee to an other yea not to be wanting to him in communicating thy goods And for our communion with the dead they in heauen do pray generally for al vs and we on earth do desire our dissolution to be with them But that we may enioy this blessed societie we must walke in the light For if we say that we haue fellowship with him yet walke in darknesse we lie but if we walke in the light as hee is in the light then haue wee fellowship one with an other 1. Ioh. 1.7 that is God with vs we with God and godly people and the blood of Iesus Christ his Sonne purgeth vs from all sinne Thus then Christ in heauen by his spirit is so vnited to vs we on earth by our faith are so vnited to him that without him we can do nothing with him we are able to do al things Of his fulnesse we receiue grace for grace And as by the power of the sunne in the second heauen all things are made fruitfull heere vpon earth so by the power of Christ in the third heauen all men become sanctified in the Church yet not by the alone inward operation of his spirit without the outward vse of the word and sacraments By the word alone when the sacraments are not administred and both by word and sacraments when they are ioined together Is the word preached in it Christ speaketh by his spitit to vs. Are the sacraments administred by baptisme we are receiued in to the communion of Gods couenant and by the Eucharist wee are more confirmed in the same By the word God enters by one gate into vs namely by the eare by the Eucharist he knocks at al the gates
receiue and eate but by the Spirit and by faith the very true bodie of Christ the which was crucified for vs and so farre forth as it was deliuered vp for vs and that they drinke his bloud which was shed for vs for the remission of sinnes according as the wordes of Christ doe manifestly testifie And that indéed the bodie is present and the bloud is present but vnto the Spirit and vnto the inward man For vnto the Spirit all thinges which hee receiueth by faith are in truth present according to that that Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith And no distance of place can effect that the thinges wee receiue by faith should bée absent from vs euen as the Sunne cannot be said to be absent from the eyes of which it is perceiued Fiftly I beléeue because the new couenant in Christ is established by his bloud and the Testament is confirmed by the death of the Testator and because by the bloud of the eternall couenant wee are for euer ioyned vnto God therefore a Christian man who now by faith féeleth himselfe to be incorporated into Iesus Christ ought also to beléeue that hee is confirmed in the couenant with God the Father by a bond that cannot bee broken and therefore that all his sinnes are forgiuen him of God and that hee is destinated and assured to bée the Sonne of God and Heire of eternall life without all feare to be disherited For these thinges which we on our part according to the condition of the couenant owe vnto God namely Faith Loue Obedience wee may firmely beléeue that all those things are fully by Christ the first begotten effected for vs and imputed vnto vs. Further wee ought to bee certainly perswaded that by the assistance of Christ wee shall neuer be forsaken but that we may in some part performe the same And that because Christ himselfe hath both performed those things for vs and hath promised vs this assistance that the New Testament should remaine sure and perpetual as on Gods part so also on our part vntil at length we being receiued into the full possession of the Heauenly Inheritance doe liue in perfect happinesse with the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost our God For there are thrée principall heads of the couenant on Gods part The forgiuenesse of sinnes Adoption which is ioyned with a promise of Gods perpetual good wil grace protection and at last the full possession of Heauenly Inheritance There are also thrée thinges which on our part God doth require by couenant faith in God charitie towards our Neighbour and holinesse of life or perfect obedience Christ by his perfect obedience euen vnto death and by his owne bloud and death hath obtained for vs both those thinges which God hath promised as also hath performed those things which God by couenant required at our hand In testimonie whereof he giueth vs faith whereby wee beléeue in God and charitie whereby wee loue our Neighbour and the Spirit of regeneration whereby we endeuour vnto holinesse of life and true obedience is begun in vs. So Christ bringeth to passe that not only the couenant on Gods part but also on our part remaineth sure and perpetuall It is therefore our dutie that first by faith giuen vnto vs by Christ as wee doe eate his flesh and drinke his bloud so also wee beléeue our selues to be confirmed in the couenant with God and therefore both our sinnes to bee remitted and God to be our Father and that he will perpetually loue and protect vs and lastly that we shall bee heires of eternall life and shall arise to glorie and life euerlasting and that through Christ with whose flesh we are fed in the Supper and we ought to be perswaded that we our selues also are nourished to the end we may bee partakers of a blessed resurrection And therefore wee ought to giue due thankes for so many and so great benefits we ought also to embrace in loue our Neighbour and especially our faithfull brethren That as wee are all one with Christ so wee may also grow vp together in one bodie more and more with the Church Euen as the Apostle Paul exhorteth vs by this argument that wee are all one Bodie and one Bread because we are all partakers of the same Bread With the endeuour of an holy life and and true obedience which is also the gift of Christ wee ought alwayes to glorifie God and declare indéed that wee are true and liuely members of Christ and therefore haue intrest to that true felicitie which cōsisteth in that most perfect vniō with God wherein hee shall bee all in all Thus I beléeue concerning the dutie of a Christian man in the Supper wherein hee may worthily and for his Saluation eate the Bread of the Lord and drinke of his cup. CHAP. IIII. Of the words of the Supper SEeing all things are so as I haue before shewed my opinion is that the wordes of the Lods Supper cannot bee well vnderstood and declared without some trope First for the cup it is manifest as well by the Euangelists as by the Apostle Paul Then for the Bread it is also manifest because where as Christ saith This that is the bread which I haue broken is my bodie the Apostle expounding it saith The Bread which we breake is the Communion of the bodie of the Lord. Thirdly according to the rule of Saint Austen in his third Booke of the institution of a Christian man Cap. 16. Because when wee are commanded to eate the flesh of Christ it yée take the word of eating properly it séemes wee are commanded to doe an heinous déede therefore the spéech of Christ concerning the eating of his flesh is to be vnderstood figuratiuely Moreouer because if you shall vnderstand the wordes without a trope tt will follow that the Bread of Christ was indéed deliuered vp for vs and the bloud shed for the remission of our sinnes Lastly because Luther himselfe vpon the sixth Chapter of Esay saith that in the words of the Supper there is a Synecdoche with whom in this point Bucer doth alwayes agrée Therefore albeit each word in that spéech This is my bodie bee taken in his proper signification so that the true and essential bodie of Christ is attributed to the Bread as indéede it is attributed yet in the whole spéech there must néeds be some trope Séeing that the bread which is giuen for vs and was not crucified cannot properly be said to bee the bodie of Christ which was deliuered vp for vs. So then the controuersie is only concerning the kinde of trope by which the Bread is called the bodie of Christ I say that true bodie which was truly deliuered vp for vs. And I thinke this controuersie not so great worth that for it the peace of the Church bée troubled that he that saith it is a Synecdoche doth condemne him that saith it is a Metonymie And contrariwise he that saith it is a Metonymie condemneth him which
that the liuely voice is more effectual then ocular reading 7 Publike assembles haue singular promises of Gods presence grace and blessing 8 As the Priests lippes must preserue knowledge so the people must require it at his mouth 9 It is an encouragement to a good Minister 10 Good example to others Quest But are all men bounden to heare Gods Word Ans Yea verily euill men must that they may be conuerted good men must that they bee not corrupted the ignorant must that they may be instructed and the learned must for these reasons 1 To learne new points of piety which they know not 2 To recal such things as they do know 3 To mooue them to practise duties knowne 4 To encourage the Preacher by their presence 5 To giue example to others to doe so 6 To giue testimony that they are members of the Church Qu. Thus I see how you shall not take Gods word in vaine by hearing tell mee how you may not take Gods name in vaine by swearing Ans Heere I must obserue 1 Gods commandement that I must not sweare Matth. 5.34 Iames 5.12 2 His curse vpon such as haue blasphemed Zach. 5.3 Eccles 23.9 3 If I lye little I shall sweare lesse Luc. 22.70.71 4 I must refraine pety oathes Matth. 5.34.35.36 5 I must labour to forbeare for a time 1. Thes 5.22 6 I must binde my selfe from it 7 I must consider before I name God Eccles 5.1 8 I must meditate of the Maiesty presence goodnesse and iustice of God 9 I must get some to admonish me 10 I must not be greedy of gaine 11 I must know that the more I sweare the lesse I am beleeued in a truth 12 I must auoide the company of swearers 13 I may note that there is neither profit nor pleasure in an oath 14 It is an argument of an Atheist 15 Men dare not abuse the name of a King 16 I take it in ill part when mine own name is disgraced 17 I must take away all occasions of swearing 18 I must looke to the practises of the best men 19 I must reade heare meditate on Gods word Psal 119.11 20 I must giue an account of euery idle word Math. 12.36 A DIRECTION TO DIE WELL. PHILIP 1.23 I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ LONDON Printed for Edward Blunt and William Barret 1613. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THOMAS Earle of Exceter Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter and one of his Maiesties most Honourable Priuie Counsell Grace and Peace RIght Honourable Although it be appointed that all must die yet the most put farre from them that euill day It is certaine we must haue an end and the remembrance of it keepes vs from sinne The goodliest Cities haue beene equalled with the ground the stateliest buildings leuelled with the earth the greatest Empires brought to nothing the Kings of the earth haue beene bound in chaines and their Nobles in fetters of iron We all waxe olde as doth a garment wee dwell heere as in houses of clay our breath passeth away and wee are gone Where is Methushelah with all his yeeres Sampson with all his strength Absolom with all his beauty Salomon with all his wisdome Dauid with all his victories or Croesus with all his wealth Are wee in our yong age till thirty we may bee saluted with a good morrow are we in our full age till fifty wee are saluted with a good day are wee in our old age wee must take it patiently that we are then saluted with God send you good rest I haue seene saith Dauid an end of all perfection and happy are they that haue Dauids eyes But all men haue not this sight the god of this world hath so blindfolded many that if they bee young they cannot see death at their backes if old they will not see it before their eies Wee would mourne if wee knew wee should liue but a moneth wee laugh when it may bee wee shall not liue one day Heu viuunt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur Et velut infernus fabula vana foret Alas men liue as though they should not die And as if hell were nothing but a lie Ambitiosus honos opes foeda voluptas Haec tria pro trino numine mundus amat Vaine pompe and wealth and luxurie The worldling makes his trinitie To the end therefore that all men might thinke of their end I haue published this Direction to die well And though this small mite be not worthy to come into your rich Treasurie yet am I bold to cast it in and because it is all I can giue at this time I most humbly beseech you to giue it entertainment You haue gained much in this present world but you haue esteemed godlinesse the greatest gaine and with that blessed Apostle Saint Paul You account all â—hings to be but dung to the ende you â—ight winne Christ And though it hath â—leased God to giue vnto you great riches in this world yet am I perswaded that the remembrance of death is not bitter vnto you Eccl. 41.1 for as you are not ashamed to liue so you are not afraide to die You waite for it because by her two Harbengers Sickenesse and Old age it euer waiteth vpon you Heere you sow liberally that hereafter you may reape plentifully you cast your bread vpon the waters Eccl. 11.2 after many daies you are sure to find it And if he hath his reward for a cuppe of cold water you who deale your bread to the hungrie who bring the wandring poore to your house who see the naked and couer him and hide not your selfe from your owne flesh * Esai 58.7 you Right Honourable shall not want your reward 2. Chr. 30.22 And seeing you with good King Hezekiah speake comfortably to euery poore and painefull Leuite how should they but speak honourably of you The Lord grant thâ— that sheafe of your family may euer be like vnto Iosephs sheafe and euery day grow to a greater increase of fruitfulnesse Gen. 37.7 till it beâ—fitted as a ricke of Corne for the Lord Barne and he grant vnto you a long life godly posterity and a peaceable end that heere you may see your Childrens Children in great prosperity so as you may loue yours yours may honour you and both you and yours bee honoured of God and that you who are blessed in your honorable Predecessors may euer be happy in your future Successours I doubt not but it will please you to pardon my boldnesse and the rather peruse this Direction to die well because your whole life is as it ought to bee a meditation of death And because it is but a little Manuall and may bee read ouer in a few houres giue me leaue to commend vnto you two other Bookes in which you may reade all the daies of your life The one is the booke of Gods mercies the other is the booke of Gods iudgements In the one
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
That though it bee a sharpe sicknesse yet is it also a short sicknesse and more tolerable then the Stone Dropsie Gout Palsey or the French disease 4 That Dauid desired it before either famine or warre 5 That very many who die of this disease haue their senses and memories till the last houre 6 That the tokens which come out vpon you are Gods tokens so that before you die you haue a good time to call vpon God 7 That many Noble Personages Godly Preachers Expert Physitians Skilfull Lawyers and most Christian people haue died of it 8 That by it God taketh you from many miseries of this life 9 That Iob was grieued for manie Moneths with a more fearefull disease 10 That it hinders not the saluation of your soule though you die of such a sickenesse 11 If you bee sicke of it God may recouer you 12 If it please him to recouer you againe you are like to bee after far more healthfull Quest O but my friendes will not come at mee Ans O but God will neuer forsake you and especially in Cities you shall haue so manie as can doe you any good the fewer you haue to gaze vpon you the fitter you are to looke vp to God Quest But alas I shall want my solemne funerall Answ What is that to the saluation of your soule and resurrection of your body comfort your selfe in Christian not costly buriall Quest I see then that as there is no antidote against death so there is no perfume against the plague I may die of it but good Lord deliuer me and mine and all good people from it But now when I am sicke of any disease as I must reconcile my selfe to God so ought I not to reconcile my selfe to my neighbour An. If you haue wronged him in his bodie by striking soule by seducing person by imprisoning goods by stealing name by slandering or any other way haue done him hurt you must seeke to bee reconciled vnto him Math. 5.25 Qu. What if I be so diseased that he dares not come to me or be so farre absent that hee cannot come to me what am I now to doe Answ In this case 1 God accepteth the will for the deede 2 You must testifie your desire to friends present Quest You said that a Minister must exhort sicke persons to dispose their goods Is this necessary to be done Answ Of goods yea and offices too Magistrates must be carefull of their godly successors and Ministers of their fellow-labourers Deut. 31.1 Iosh 23. Quest As for my goods is it fit to make my will in sickenesse An. Nay rather you should euer haue it ready in your health if you haue not it is néedefull in sickenesse to make it for these reasons though many thinke they must die if their Will be made 1 In regard of your own credit that others may thinke you a wise man 2 Of your own conscience that hauing set all in good order you may more fréely depart in peace 3 Of your louing wife for whom you ought to prouide 4 Of your children that each of them may haue a conuenient portion of your goods 5 Of your seruants that they may not depart empty away 6 Of your friends that some legacies may be allotted to them 7 Of the Church that you may as you are able remember it 8 Of the Common wealth that you may doe good to such societies as you haue liued in 9 Of the poore that by giuing to them you may send that portion of wealth before you to heauen 10 Of your possessions and goods themselues that they may know their owners after you are gone Quest How ought I to make my Will Ans It must bee made according to the Law 1 Of Nature by which you are borne 2 Of that Nation in wich you liue 3 Of God by whom you haue liued and to whom you die And thâ—s you must doe in few plaine and significant words Qu. Say that I haue gotten my goods badlie what must I doe Ans You must make restitution to the true owners if you know them if not the poore are the best inheritors of such goods Quest Who is the fittest to be Executors of my Will Answ That person whom thou hast tried to bee faithfull to God sincere in his conuersation wise in his owne businesse and who is like to be louing to thine and trusty to accomplish the whole intent of thy Testament Qu. As I am about my Will many friends will perhaps come and visit mee how shall I know who are my best friends Ans Surely they who giue you good aduice for your soules health who haue a fellow-feeling of your sickenesse and who wish rather your life to doe good then your death to haue goods especially your best friend is a good conscience for that wil neuer leaue you nor forsake you Quest Can you illustrate this by any storie Answ I haue read of a man going to execution for Treason against his Prince Hee meetes with three of his old friends hee desires them all to sue for his pardon the first saith I dare not but heere is money to buy you a Coffin and a shéete the second saith I may not but I will bring you to your ende and there leaue you the third saith O I will run and sue vpon my knees for you I will neuer leaue you To apply this Our first friend is money it can doe no more but performe our funerals the second is our acquaintance they will but attend vs to the graue and so leaue vs the last friend is a good conscience and it will neuer leaue vs till we are assured that God hath pardoned all our sinnes Quest But when my friends come to visite me am I to performe no duty to them Answ You are to will them 1 To serue God heartily 2 To obey Gouernours faithfully 3 To continue in the truth zealously 4 To be louing one to another 5 To be kind to your suruiuing aliance 6 To meditat of death by your example 7 To pray that you may die Christs faithfull seruant 8 To comfort you against the feare of death 9 Not to be ouer sorrowfull at your dissolution 10 To bee carefull that your goods bee disposed according to the true intent of your will And lastly to speake such good words vnto them that they may haue hope that you die in Gods fauour Quest I remember that you told me that though death be masked in the time of health yet it will shew it selfe vgly at the last gaâ—pe what comforts can you giue me against the feare of death when it commeth An. If I were a worldling I would say vnto you neuer thinke of it till it come but that it may not affright you when it comes but you may encounter with it in its owne den I wil giue vnto you certaine comforts Quest Which are they I pray you Answ I remember many and it is necessary you should know them For the day
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
friend should haue of another in heauen within thrée houres after slept peaceably in the Lord. Luther sitting at supper and discoursing of the same argument about midnight after departed this life One Master Reade an Alderman of Norwich hauing read in the morning the chapter of Henockes taking vp in the Counsell chamber died suddenly at the table amongst his brethren And that wise Counseller the Lord of Buckhurst Earle of Dorset died suddenly at the Counsell Table in white Hall Mr. Flint a Preacher in London a man of great learning godly life and good report hauing procured the new building of his Church at which hee much reioiced fell downe from a scaffold on the top of that Church and so died In the commentaries of Iohn Holcot vpon the book of wisdom it is recorded of one who reading the fourth Chapter of the book of Wisdome was found dead in his studie with his finger pointing to the seuenth verse of that chapter Though the righteous be preuented by death yet shall he be at rest First where you shall reade these two verses Mors non est subita cui praecessit bona vita Nec minuit merita si moriatur ita If godly life do go before Through suddaine death our ioy is more 3 Know that if you liue wickedly sudden death is a fearefull iudgment for who then can bee perswaded of Gods fauour towards you and this makes the wicked of all kinds of death to pray to be deliuered from sudden death they would liue like Nabal but die like Dauid liue like the rich glutton and die like Lazarus they would die the death of the righteous but they would not liue the life of the righteous And therefore their Prayer is the prayer of Balaam Lord let mee die the death of the righteous and that my last end may bee like vnto his Numb 23. But if you liue euer in the feare of God it may bee an argument of Gods mercie to take you away vpon a short warning For so 1 You die without any great paine 2 You goe to God without any great trouble 3 You are not in danger of blaspheming God at your death 4 You will cause others to thinke well of your death because you liued a godly life 5 Many by your example will labour to prepare against such a kind of death 6 Your translation is like that of Henoch and Elias and of them that shall be aliue at the day of iudgment 1. Thess 4.17 Quest Is it lawfull to pray against a sudden death Answ The godly may and the wicked must pray against it The godly may 1 That as they haue honored God with their lips in their life so if it bee his good will they may doe it at their death 2 That because vpon the sudden few men haue their worldly estate fully setled they may haue time to order it 3 That they may not be a griefe to their friends that they are so soone taken from them 4 That they may escape the censure of the world which for the most part iudgeth hardly of this kind of death 5 That they may not die in such sort as diuers wicked men in the Scriptures haue died 6 Lest being ouertaken in some strange place they may so want the honour of Christian buriall and their friends not know what is become of them 2 The wicked must pray against it left so dying without repentance here there be no place left for them heereafter to repent in But I doubt whether God will heare their prayers For are not they worthy to want time of humiliation at their death who neglected saluation in their life The admonition of the wise man Eccl. 18.18 is very good Get thee righteousnesse before thou come to iudgement and vse Physicke before thou bee sicke Examine thy selfe before thou bee iudged and in the day of destruction thou shalt finde mercie Humble thy selfe before thou be sicke and whilest thou maiest yet sinne shew thy conuersion Quest Now since my soule must depart from my bodie ought I to take any great thought for my buriall Ans As the graue at your death is readie for you Iob. 17.1 so you also must haue care of it and your suruiuing friends must haue such respect to your dead body that it may be interred in a religious sort for 1 You are no Scythian that your dead bodie should be eaten at some feast nor Sabean that it should be cast on a dunghill nor Hyrcanian that it should bee deuoured by dogs nor Lothophagian that it should be cast into the sea nor Indian that it should be burned with fire but a Christian that it may be buried in the earth 2 Your dead body is a member of Christ 3 It was as well as the soule the temple of the holy Ghost 4 It was the ordinance of God that earth should return to his earth as the soule doth to him that gaue it Gen. 3. Eccles 7. 5 That Christ who redéemed your soule hath also paied a ransome for your bodie 6 It hath beene an instrument vsed by God to performe many seruices vnto him 7 It must rise againe out of the graue and in the day of iudgement bee made like vnto the glorious bodie of Christ Phil. 5.21 8 Religious and godly friends haue had this care to burie their dead so Abraham had to burie Sarah Ioseph to burie Iaakob Israel to burie Samuel Nichodemus to burie Christ and the Disciples to burie Iohn the Baptist and Steuen the first Martyr that suffered after Christ 9 It is one of Gods iudgements to want buriall Iere. 22.19 10 The Saints complaine for the want of it saying Psal 79.3 The dead bodies of thy seruants haue they giuen to bee meate vnto the fowles of heauen and the flesh of thy Saints vnto the beasts of the earth Their blood haue they shed like water round about Ierusalem and there was none to burie them 11 Ioseph gaue commandement concerning his bones Gen. 50. and Tobiah of his bodie Tob 14. 12 Many heathen people haue been very carefull of this dutie The Egyptians embalmed and so buried their dead and the Hebrewes made a law that no enemy should lie vnburied Quest What thinke you of the place of buriall Answ Abraham bought a field for the buriall of his dead Gen. 24. Christ was buried in a garden according to the custome of the Iewes Ioh. 20. The Turkes at this day burie none in their Cities and it was one of the lawes of the 12. Tables amongst the Romanes that none should be buried within thē walles Amongst Christians Churches and Church yards are appointed for the dead and to the end that the dead might not annoy the liuing it were well if Gouernours would be carefull to prouide larger places of buriall for this would be a meanes 1 To kéepe the City from contagion 2 That our dead bodies should not bee raked vp againe 3 To shew our care for the Saints departed 4 To take away the
fond conceit of many who thinke it a great blessing to bee buried in a Church especially if it bee in the Chancell néere the Altar Quest. Ought there any care to bee had to keepe Churchyards in good sort Answ There ought 1 They are the houses of Christians and as it were chambers or beds to sléepe in 2 They are places to which we may resort to bee put in minde of our future mortalitie 3 It argues little charitie to abuse those places where our friends lie buried 4 The Romans had this Law Let the place where the dead are buried be accounted holy and the Romanists haue diuers good Canons against such as shal any way abuse euen Church yards and it were to bee wished that it were looked to amongst vs. Quest What thinke you of making monuments for the dead Answ I remember Tullie saith that the Romans had a law that no man should build a more costly Sepulchre then could be finished in thrée daies Lib. 2. de Leg. The Egyptians builded gorgeous Sepulchres and meane houses because the one was to them but as an Inne the other as they thought an eternall habitation Celius Rhodig Now that great and good men should haue monuments as it is a thing indifferent so I thinke it not simply vnlawfull 1 The Iewes vsed such as wee may sée in the Bible Dauid saith the Scripture is dead and his Sepulchre is with vs to this day Act. 2.29 2 By them wee may be put in minde of that glorious habitation wee shall haue in Heauen 3 It is an argument that we loued such persons whom we thus honour after their death 4 We kéepe a memorie of their excellent vertues 5 We are moued to follow them in good actions 6 It distinguisheth betwixt person and person for though all die alike yet all must not be alike buried But note that the best monument is to be set vp in the heartes of good people for good workes and the next is to leaue a godly posteritie as for the monuments which the wicked leaue they argue 1 Their pride that they would leaue a name vpon earth 2 Their infidelitie that they looke not for the resurrection of the iust 3 Their couetousnes that they will carrie that to the graue with them which better might haue béene spent vpon the poore 4 Their folly to build such a sepulchre as when men looke vpon it shall remember their bad and beastly life Quest Are the dead thinke you to bee mourned for Answ Solon gaue commandement that the Common-wealth should mourne for him but Ennius would not be mourned for But as for vs Christians though we must not with superstitious Nations hire mourning Women to lament for vs yet it is lawfull to deplore the departure of the dead for 1 As the Egyptians mourned for Iaakob seuentie daies so his children lamented him seuen daies Gen. 50. 2 Abraham mourned for Sarah Israel for Iosias and Samuel the faithfull for Steuen the women for Dorcas and Dauid for his good friend Ionathan 3 It was an argument of Gods wrath against Iekoniah that no man should say for him Alas my brother Ierem. 22.18 4 We receiue much good by the presence of our friends and why should wee not bewaile their absence 5 If they were godly wee must lament them 1 Because they did much good in their callings Acts. 9.39 2 Because the World was blessed by them Prou. 11.11 3 Because wee may feare some iudgement after their departure Isay 58.2 4 Because oftentimes worse come in their stead 5 Because the wicked will then be more readie to sinne 6 Because they were great ornaments in the Church or Common-wealth in which they liued Lament 4.20 And if they be godlesse we must mourne for them especially because we cannot bee perswaded but that they are gone to the pit of perdition 2 Sam. 18.33 Yet we must remember that we kéepe a meane in mourning and looke that our sorrow be not 1 In selfe loue because wee haue lost some good by them 2 In distrust as though we had no hope that they should rise againe 1. Thess 4. 3 In hypocrisie that we may séeme only to men to mourne 4 In excesse as though there were no comfort for vs that are aliue because God hath taken away the comfort of our life Cyprians spéech is verie good in this thing Why saith he doest thou take it impatiently that he is taken from thee whom thou beleeuest that he shal returne He is but gone a iournie whom thou thinkest quite gone Hee that goes before is not to bee lamented but rather desired And this desire is to bee tempered with patience Why art thou grieued that he is gone whom thou must follow We ought not to lament them ouer much who by the calling of God are freed from miserie they are not for euer sent away but for a while sent before They are but gone a iournie we must looke for their returne sailed into a strange Countrie they will if we waite come againe So also is that of the Wise man Ecclus. 38.16 My sonne powre out teares ouer the dead and begin to mourne as if thou hadst suffered some great harme thy selfe and then couer his bodie according to his appointment and neglect not his buriall Make a grieuous lamentation and bee earnest in mourning and vse lamentation as hee is worthie and that a day or two left thou be euill spoken of and then comfort thy selfe for thine heauinesse c. Quest May mourning apparrell be vsed at funerals Answ If the heart mourne as wel as the habite I doe not thinke it vtterly vnlawful for 1 By it we kéep a memory of our friend 2 We are drawne to some humiliation 3 We are put in mind of our owne mortalitie 4 It argues his loue that bestowes it vpon vs. 5 By this meanes many poore are clothed 6 It is but a Legacie of the dead to the liuing Quest And what thinke you of funerall Sermons for many thinke it sinne to preach at that time Ans I doubt not but they may be preached for 1 Wee must preach in season and out of season 2 Many come then to the house of God and why should they depart emptie away 3 It is a fit time to teach that one day we must die 4 Many accidents fall out in a mans sicknesse which are fit to bee published at such a time 5 Many worthie vertues haue shined in some mans life which for the imitation in others are not to bee buried at his death 6 Many corruptions haue raigned in some which then wee may bee exhorted to auoide 7 They are not for the bare commendation of the dead but for the instruction and consolation of them that are aliue Quest And doe you thinke that any would bee content to haue his infirmities laid out at his funerall Answ Whether hee will or not if God may get honour and the Church good there is no wrong to the dead to admonish the
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
Heart cannot comprehend it because it must Comprehend the heart and this wee shall more fully perceiue by how much wee doe more Faithfully beléeue Firmely expect and Ardently desire God saith the said Father hath prepared that for them that loue him which cannot be Apprehended by faith Attained to by hope or obtained by charitie it transcendeth our desires and wishes it may be Obtained it cannot be valued Quest Yet that I may get such a glimpse of that glorie begin with mine estate after I am dead what shall I enioy in the Kingdome of Heauen Ans You shall be carried to the Bosome of Abraham the Celestiall Paradise the House of your Father the new Holy and durable Ierusalem you shall then enter into your Masters Ioy you shal haue an Inheritance immortall vndefiled which withereth not reserued in the Heauens you shall Rest from your labours haue Peace from your Enemies and behold the Glorie of God in Christ Iesus in which place shall bee such and so many ioyes as all the Arithmeticians in the World are not able to number them all the Geometricians are not able to weigh them all the Grammarians Rhetoricians and Logicians are not able to expresse them in fit termes There shall bee ioy aboue vs for the Vision of God about vs for the vision of the Angels beneath vs for the vision of the Heauens and within vs for the vision of Happinesse There Salomons wisdome shall be reputed but folly Absaloms beautie but deformitie Azaels swiftnesse but slownesse Sampsons strength but weaknesse Methusalaes long age but infancie and the Kingdome of Augustus Caesar but beggerie Quest By what meanes shall I obtaine this happinesse Answ By Gods mercie that giueth it by Christs Merit that bought it by the Gospell that offereth it by Faith that receiueth it and by the Spirit that sealeth it vnto your soule Quest What is the obiect of it Ans The Vision knowledge and comprehension of God in Christ We shal indéed behold the Angels and enioy their companie sée the Saints and haue their societie But as the ioy of a Courtier is in the presence of his Prince so the ioy of a Christian shall be in the presence of his Christ Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Matthew 5.8 Blessed are they that dwell in thine house for they shall euer praise thee Psal 8.4 We shall see him as he is 1. Ioh. 3.3 The Angels doe this in the Kingdome of Heauen and wee shall doe it in the same Kingdome Here we liue by faith there we shall liue by sight Quest Is this felicitie prepared for all Answ For all that beleeue it is prepared The Elect haue obtained it the rest are hardened Rom. 11.7 In euery Nation hee that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him Acts 10. There is neither Iew nor Gentile Grecian or Barbarian Male or Female Bond or Free but wee are all one in Christ Iesus Gal. 3.27 Quest Shall my bodie only or my soule only or both bodie and soule enioy this felicitie Answ Both bodie and soule your soule shal be sanctified throughout and your body made like vnto the glorious bodie of Christ Iesus Phil. 3.20 Quest Shall this very bodie of mine rise againe to life after death Answ It shall assuredly for 1 The Lord keepeth all the bones of his Saints that not one of them shall be broken Psal 34.21 and there shall not an haire of our head perish Luke 21.18 2 Euery one shall receiue in his bodie that which he hath done be it good or euill 2. Cor. 5.10 3 God hath consecrated this bodie of yours to be a Temple for the holie Ghost to dwell in 1. Cor. 3.16 4 This corruptible shall put on incorruption saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 15. This saith he pointing as with the finger at the same substance and could not speake more expresly vnlesse hee should haue taken his owne skinne with his owne hands as Tertullian well obserued 5 Christ rose againe in his owne bodie and you shall rise as he did 6 In this bodie you haue suffered for Christ liued for Christ and in it you shall reigne with Christ 7 You shall be happie but how happie if one part should perish saith Tertullian in his booke of the Resurrection of the flesh 8 I am sure saith Iob that my Redéemer liueth though after my skin wormes destroy this bodie yet shall I sée God in my flesh whom I my selfe shall sée and mine eyes shall behold and none other for mee though my reines are now consumed within me Iob. 19.25 Quest O that you could teach me this by some such comparisons as might confirme my faith concerning this doctrine for there are many Sadduces in the world at this day who denie the resurrection of the bodie Answ Indéed I remember that Gregorie in his Morals hath a like saying of some in his time There are saith he a number of people who considering that the soule is dissolued from the bodie that the bodie is turned into rottennesse that rottennesse returneth to dust and that this dust is resolued into the first elements cannot see how that by reason there should be any resurrection and beholding drie and dead bones mistrust that they shall not againe bee clothed with their flesh and so reuiue Such men though they cannot by faith beleeue as they ought the bodies resurrection yet let them be perswaded by this naturall reason What I pray then doth the whole world but imitate our resurrection daily in her elements For wee see daily that trees in winter want both leaues and fruit and behold suddenly in the spring time out of a drie tree as it were by a new resurrection leaues bud out fruits ripen and the whole tree is apparelled with her reuiued beautie Let them behold the dead kernell set into the earth how a tree sprouteth out of it and let them deuise if they can where that great tree was in so small a seede Where was the bodie where the barke where the branches where the greene leaues where that plentie of fruit Do they not perceiue that all these were in the kernell or seede before it was cast into the ground Why then should they wonder how a little dust resolued into elements should when God will become a liuing bodie againe seeing that so small a seed comming first out of a tree should by the power of God become an huge tree againe For as the tree is in the kernell so are our bodies in the glorified bodie of Christ In the man Christ saith Cassiodorus is the flesh of euery one of vs yea our very blood and a portion of vs. Therefore I beleeue that where my portion reigneth there shall I reigne where mine owne blood ruleth there do I perceiue that I shall rule where my flesh is glorified there know I that I shall be glorious And why then shall it séeme strange vnto you that God is able to raise your body againe
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
Mat 27.27 derided but h Lu. 93.24 Pilate condemnes him condemned but the Souldiers abuse him Is hee on the Crosse the k Mat 27.39 people will not pitty him is he risen the High priests wil l Mat. 28.15 belle him In a word is hee vpon earth he is tempted in his m Luc. 11.16 person is hee in heauen hee is n Act 9.4 tempted in his members Thus the life of Christ was a warfare vpon earth and the life of Christians must bee a warfare vpon earth We liue heere in a sea of troubles the sea is the world the waues are calamities the Church is the ship the anker is hope the sailes are loue the Saints are passengers the hauen is heauen and Christ is our Pilot When the sea can continue without waues the ship without tossings and passengers not be sick vpon the water thou shal the Church of God be without trials Wee begin this voyage so soone as we are borne and wee must saile on till our dying day We doe reade in Gods word of many kinds of temptations God Satan Man the World and the Flesh are said to tempt God tempteth man to trie his obedience Satan tempteth man to make him disobedient men do tempt men to trie what is in them man tempteth God to try what is in him The world is a tempter to keepe man from God and the flesh is a tempter to bring man to the Diuel So God tempted a Gen. 22. Abraham in the offering of his sonne Satan b Iob. 1 18 tempted Iob in the losse of his goods a c 1. King 10 1. Queene tempted Salomon in trying his wisdome men d Exo. 17.3 tempted God by distrust in the desert the world tempted Demas e 1. Tim. 4.10 when hee forsooke the apostles and the flesh tempted Dauid f 2. Sa. 11.4 when he fel by adultery Doth God tempt vs take héede of hypocrisie doth Satan tempt vs take héed of his subtilty doth man â—empt man take héed of dissembling doth man tempt God take héed of inquiring doth the world tempt man take héed of apostasie doth the flesh tempt man take héed of carnality But doe we so are wee wary of these tempters No wee are not and therefore we fall We fall on the right hand by temptation in prosperity and wee fall on the left by temptations in aduersity of the one it may be said 1 Sam. 18. it hath slaine thousands of the other that it hath slaine tenne thousands When we come and sée cities dispeopled houses defaced and walles pulled downe we say the Souldier hath beene there and when we see pride in the rich discontent in the poore and sinne in all we may iustly say the tempter hath been there Now of all other temptations it pleaseth God to suffer his Church to bee tempted with afflictions It is neuer frée either from the sword of Ishmael which is a a Ge. 21.9 reuiling tongue or the sword of Esau a b Gen. 27.41 persecuting hand Neither was there yet euer Christian man found who had not his part in the cup of affliction We must drinke of the c Mat. 20.23 same cup our master did d Mat. 10.24 the disciple is not aboue his master The reasons why God doth visit vs thus with afflictions are 1 To humble vs. Reasons why God doth afflict his children 2 To weane vs. 3 To winow vs. 4 To preuent vs. 5 To teach vs. 6 To enlighten vs. 7 To honour vs. 8 To cure vs. 9 To crowne vs. 10 To comfort vs. 11 To protect vs. 12 To adopt vs. And last of all to teach and comfort others To a Ecc. 3.10 humble vs that wee be not proud b Psa 119.67 to weane vs that wee loue not this world c Luk. 22.31 to winnow vs that wee be not chaffe d Psa 119.71 to preuent vs that we doe not sinne e Psa 39.9.40.1 to teach vs that we be pacient in aduersity to f Gen. 42.21 enlighten vs that wee see our errors to g Iam. 5.11 honor vs that our faith may be manifest to cure vs that we h Deut. 32 15. surfet not of security to i 2 Ti. 4.7 crowne vs that wée may liue eternally to k Ioh. 6.33 comfort vs that he may send his spirit to l Act. 12.7 protect vs that he may guide vs by his Angels to m Heb. 12.7 adopt vs that wee may bee his sonnes n 2. Pet. 2.5 and to teach others that they seeing how sinne is punished in vs they may take heed it be not found in them that they o 2 Cor. 1.6 seeing our comforts in troubles may not be discouraged in the like trials Thus a Christian mans diet is more sower then swéet his physick is more aloes then honey his life is more a pilgrimage then a progresse and his death is more despised then honoured This if men would thinke of before afflictions would bee as welcome to the soule of man as p Ruth 2.8 afflicted Ruth was to the field of Boaz. But because wee looke not for them before they come thinke not on Gods doing when they are come and doe desire to be happie both héere and héereafter therefore wee can away with the name of Naomi but in no case would we be called a Ruth 1.20 Mara Wee b Ionah 1.15 see the sea not the whale the c Ex. 14 11 Egyptian not the saluation the d Dan. 6.16.22 Lions mouth not him that stoppeth the Lions mouth If wee could sée God in our troubles as e 2. Kings 6.16 Elisha did in his then would we say There are more with vs than there are against vs. But because wee doe not therefore at euery assault of the Assyrians wee say as the seruant to f 2. Kings 6.15 Elishah did Alas master what shall wee doe and with the disciples g Mar. 4.38 Carest thou not master that wee perish Yet it is good for vs to suffer affliction h IaÌ„ 1.12 Iob 5.17 Blessed is the man that indureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him It is i Pro. 3.11 commanded by God k Mat. 4.2 practised by Christ l 2 Tim. 3.12 yeelded to by the Saints m Psa 119 71. assigned by Gods prouidence and good for vs each way Wee are Gods n Psal 1.4 trées wee shal grow better by pruning Gods pomander smell better by rubbing Gods spice bee more profitable by bruising and Gods conduits wee are the better by running Let vs suffer afflictions they are o 2. Cor. 4.17 momentarie iâ— respect of time p Phil. 1.29 fauours if wee respect Gods loue and a meanes to bring vs to the Kingdome of God If they did consume vs we might wish them an end but
and winds of troubles and persecution and they shall flie before him as a Iud. 17.4 Sisera did before Debora and the b 1 Sa. 14. Philistims before Debora and the Philistims before Ionathan and his seruant And as Christ asking the woman of her accusers shee answered c Iohn 8. There was none so in the end aske a Christian of his troubles and he will say There are none He is a buckler for our left hand a sword in our right he is an helmet on our head and harnesse for our bodie We shal look vpon troubles as d Exod. 14 Israel did vpon the Egyptians as the e 1. Sam. 17.52 Iewes did on Goliah and as the Grecians did on Hector to triumph ouer them and as the Angell said to Ioseph f Mat. 2.20 They are dead that sought the childs life so the Spirit shall say to the afflicted They are dead that did séeke your life A day of deliuerance a yeare of Iubile wil come and then g Gen. 41. Ioseph shall be out of Prison h Gen. 31. Iacob out of seruitude and i Iob. 41.12 Iob shall lie no more in the dust of the Earth If our afflictions were plagues as to the Egyptians curses as to Cham destruction as to Sodom desolation as to Israel then had wee cause to flie from them as Moses did from that miraculous Serpēt But since they are but the trials of faith corrections of a father visitations from the Bishop of our soules since they are as Phlebotomie to a Pleurisie and a purgation to a Plethora they are to be endured with all patience k 1. Thess 4.18 Let vs comfort our selues with these words Now to the end that all men may thinke of their end and liue well I haue inserted héere in loue to him certaine propheticall verses sound in the pocket of a most Religious yong Gentleman one M. Henrie Morrice Sonne to M. Morrice Atturney of the Court of Wards who thinking euer of sudden death died suddenly in Milford Lane Septemb. 12. 1604. at the age of 23. yeares Twice twelue yeares not fully told a wearied breath I haue exchanged for an happie death My course was short the longer is my rest God takes them soonest whom he loueth best For he that 's borne to day and dies to morrow Loseth some daies of rest but moneths of sorrow Why feare we death that cures all sicknesses Author of rest and end of all distresses Other misfortunes often come to greiue vs Death strikes but once and that stroke doth releeue vs. He that thus thought of death in lifes vncertaintie Hath doubtlesse now a life that brings eternitie Liue for to learne that die thou must And after come to iudgement iust This Heauenly Meditation may well bee placed heere My God I speake it with a full assurance Faith will auow claime by appropriation My God who keep'st this debter Spirit in durance Fettered with sinne and shakled with temptation Oh of thine endlesse mercy soone enlarge me Nor hell nor sinne nor ought beside shall charge me My soule may now be gone vnto her maker Maker of her but not of her Infection That is her own when Gods helpe doth forsake her Finall forsaking is not in Election For where he once by grace hath made his dwelling There may be striking but theirs no felling Earth what art thou A point A senselesse center Friends what are yee An Agie trustlesse triall Life what art thou A daily doubtfull venter Death what art thou A better lifes espiall Flesh what art thou A loose vntempered morter And sicknesse what art thou Heauens churlish porter Sweet Iesus bid thy porter then admit me I hold this World and worlds delay in loathing If ought be on my backe that doth not fit me Strip me of all and giue me brideall clothing So shall I be receiued by my liuerie And prisoners soule shall Ioy in gaole deliuerie Veni Domine Iesu veni citò The summe of this direction Mors tua mors Christi fraus mundi gloria coeli Et dolor Inferni sunt meditanda tibi Thinke oft on death thine own and Christs this Worlds deceitfulnesse The ioyes of Heauen the paines of Hell in which is wretchednesse Suprema cogita cor sit in aethere Felix qui didicit mundum contemnere A godly prayer to bee vsed at all times especially of such as delight in this exercise without wearinesse MOst high and mightie God and in thy Son Christ Iesus our mercifull louing and gracious Father thou hast commanded vs to come vnto thee and vpon the knées of our hearts wée doe come vnto thée humbly entreating thée before we begin to remoue farre from vs all such impediments as vsually Satan casteth vpon this exercise and so to quicken vs vp by the Spirit of supplication that in feare and reuerence of thy great name in faith and confidence of thy gracious assistance and in a féeling desire of the supply of our wants we may put vp and powre out our supplications vnto thée that as the messengers of our soules they may signifie our wants as the petitiouers of mercy they may sue for our pardon and as proclaimers of thy grace they may declare our thankfulnesse for all those mercies which we haue receiued and all those iudgments which we haue escaped O Lord our God we doe here in thy presence and blessed are we that we may come to thy presence acknowledge and confesse that we are of our selues most wofull wicked cursed creatures The corruption of our natures the iniquities of our liues doe generally beare witnesse against vs. But more particularly wee confesse that our hearts are full of infidelity by reason wherof we doe not as wee ought either depend vpon thy prouidence for the things of this life or beleeue thy promises for the life to come Doest thou visit vs wee are impatient doest thou denie vs our desires in this world we are neuer contented with our estate We are full of doubt for the life to come and full of distrust for the things of this life Wee are glued too much to this wicked world and as though we said in our hearts there is no God our mindes are greatly estranged from thee And alas miserable wretches that we are we delight in doing our owne wils it is not meat and drinke to vs to doe thy will In the pride of our hearts we exalt our selues aboue thee and our brethren and boast our selues as though we had receiued nothing from thee We put away from vs the euill day and liue as though wee should neuer die Wee walke on in the hardnes of our hearts by reason of the abundance of vaine-glory we rather séeke praise of men then thy glory Our soules are so filled with loue to our selues that we preferre our owne pleasure peace and liberty before thy Maiesty or the loue of our brethren yea hypocrisie is so rooted in our soules that wee
thy Sonne Sanctifie vs by thy Gospell that we may haue spirituall contentation in the possession of Christ extraordinary sweetnesse in the fruits of thy Spirit an holy admiration of these workes of mercy tendernesse of conscience in allour actions boldnesse to approch to the throne of grace a minde estranged from the loue of this world readinesse and patience to endure the crosse and a desire to be dissolued and to be with thée Wee must one day O Lord leaue this world yet it is thy pleasure that we should serue thee in it so long as we liue and why should we not serue thee all the daies of our life thou requirest it at our hands wee haue thy Spirit to that purpose it was the practise of thy Saints we were redeemed to this end and Christ prayeth that we may doe it Doth Satan daily tempt vs wee must daily resist him Is our life vncertaine we must euer be ready are we strangers in this world we must each day set one foote forward towards our countrey O therfore grant vnto vs thy grace that we may know we haue no time allotted to sin but al must be spent in thy seruice and this seruice of ours euer to bee harty without hypocrisie generall without partiality continuall without vncertainty conscionable without indifferency cheerefull without difficâ—â—ty and spirituall without carnality that by this way of obedience we may be assured of our saluation get the mastery of inconstancy performe holy duties more easily haue sweeter fellowship with thy Spirit and preuent many noysome lusts which otherwise would fasten vpon vs. We confesse O Lord that vnlesse we as watchmen doe looke vnto our selues and séeke to please thée in all things we cannot bee freed from many temporall iudgements our score wil be the greater in the day of account our couersation cannot be in heauen we cannot be armed against temptation nor weaned from the loue of this wrethed world We must euer be readie to meete our Sauiour let vs euer haue this oyle in our lamps we must sée our vnsufficiency to serue thee let vs labour to please thee that wee may see it wée must winne others to the knowledge of thée let our light of good life euer shine before them we must grow forward toward perfection leade vs forward in a constant course that we may obtaine the end of our faith which is the saluation of our soules Now because our best seruice must bee sanctified by repentance giue vs true and vnfained repentance for all our sins make vs to see them in the glasse of thy Law to mourne for them in the clossets of our harts and to confesse them in the bitternesse of our soules We haue O Lord we haue sinned against thée yea our forefathers did our people haue and wee all doe transgresse thy commandements We haue omitted much good and committed much euill partly of ignorance partly of infirmity and partly of knowledge and if we did but know our vnknowne sinnes wee would bee ashamed of our selues When we consider the excellencie our selues When wee consider the excellencie of thy Maiestie whom wee haue offended the vilenesse of our selues who durst offend the danger wee are in by reason of our offence and the greatnesse of the price which was paid for our offences we begin O Lord to abhorre our selues for our vnthankfulnesse against the blood of thy couenant that we haue grieued thy good Spirit quenched thy graces and done as much as we could to make the blood of Christ of none effect Giue vs O Lord what wilt thou giue vs giue vs a true and a liuely faith to apprehend and applie all the promises of saluation to our sinfull soules giue vs hope of pardon by thy mercies in Christ an hungring and thirsting after him his merits let vs prise it aboue all treasure ioy in it aboue all other comfort sue for it as our best acquittance and take hold on it against the curse of the law And because that liuely faith hath her life in the heart giue vnto vs wee beséech thée a pure heart which is the delight of thy Maiestie and the fountaine of all actions Awaken it O Lord that it sléepe not in death so that neither by ignorance of it selfe neglect of the meanes ceasing of thy Spirit committing of sin or securitie in prosperitie and sin or presumption of thy mercies or stupiditie after iudgements or spirituall blindnesse and hardnesse therof it be at any time in a dead fléepe Make vs euer to watch ouer it that neither the terrors of conscience nor loathing of holy duties nor loue of any one sin nor vnwillingnesse to depart this life do cast our hearts into a spirituall slumber We do know good God and often times by wofull experience doe know that our hearts lie open to all temptations and many are our enemies who doe assault vs teach vs therfore to put on thine appointed armor Giue vnto vs a rectified iudgemeÌ„t to know soundly thy truth not obstinate in error but desirous to bee reformed in what it mistaketh Sanctifie our consciences that they may witnes our adoption checke vs for sin approue our vprightnes procure our peace make vs euer content cheerefull in seruice couragious in the truth victorious in troubles and willing to die Rectifie our willes that they may be cheerfull in well doing resisting of all the occasions of sinne yeelding to no sinne without griefe and rising by repentance out of the same Order in such sort euery one of our affections that by the benefit thereof we may subdue our most vnruly thoughts bee comforted and contented in our Christian callings more readie prest to all good actions deliuered from many noisome temptations and better enabled for the conuersion of our brethren And because thou hast afforded vs the benefit of speech which thou hast denied to all other creatures we desire that we may euer speake as in thy presence considering that wee haue no libertie giuen vs for idle talke but that all our spéech must be to edification and that one day wee must giue an account of our words Are we to take thy name into our mouthes let it only be vpon weightie occasions and in all reuerence and loue to thy Maiestie Are wee to speake at any time of our neighbours good make vs to doe it cheerefully without repining wisely without dissembling indifferently without part-taking constantly without recalling truly without deluding and chartablie to the preseruing of his good name Is he fallen let vs restore him doth hee stand let vs comfort him make thou our spéeches euer gracious to others Wee desire also to please thée in all our actions O let them euer proceed from a good ground bee performed in an holie manner and aime at the best end which is the glorie of thy great name Principally let vs aiâ— at the duties of the first table consequently at the duties of the second let vs haue a respect to all thy
aduaÌ„ced â—sswage mine enuie haue I abundance temper mine intemperance am I in want mitigate my feares doest thou exalt me keepe me from pride doest thou humble me kéep me from impatience doest thou withdraw thy selfe from mee let mee euer say Vp Lord why sleepest thou doth Satan assault mee because I am rich in grace preserue me O Lord that I lose not thy grace For woe is mee if I fall from thée I haue promised that I will not fall thou hast promised I shall not fall leade mee by thine hand that I do not fall Finally because thou hast been good vnto me many waies Lord make me thankful for all thy fauours Thou hast made mee a man not a beast a Christian not an Heathen a Protestant not a Papist Whilest many are ignorant I haue knowledge whilest many are profane I haue been obedient to thy will whilest many want the ordinarie meanes of saluation thou affordest me meanes for saluation of my soule Many are bound I am free in prison I haue libertie in want I haue sufficiencie They liue in warres I in peace they in persecution I in free profession of the truth they in sicknesse I in health And although by my sinnes I deserue to bee consumed yet thou hast spared me a great while and giuen me a long time of repentance What shall I giue vnto thee for all these mercies and fauours of thine I will take the cup of saluation praise thy great and glorious name and most humblie entreate thée that as thou neuer ceasest to bee good vnto me so I may neuer cease to be thankfull vnto thée Pardon good God my losse of time my abuse of thy creatures my negligence in my calling my vnthankfulnesse for thy kindnesse and whatsoeuer is wanting in my person practise prayer or thanksgiuing make a supplie of it in the merit of Christ Iesus to whom with thée and thy blessed spirit be all praise and glorie now and for euermore Amen A PRAIER TO BE SAID by a sick person or for him changing my vnto vs c. ALmightie God and in Iesus Christ my most mercifull and all-sufficient Sauiour I thy sicke and sinfull seruant diseassed in my bodie and distressed in my soule doe flie vnto thée yea to thée alone for succour I haue liued heretofore in the health of my bodie I acknowledge that thou wast the author of my health I am cast downe vpon my sicke bed thou hast by thy prouidence sent this Herauld to arrest me It is O Lord the messenger of death preaching vnto mee that vndoubted doctrine which I haue beene learning euer since I was borne namely That it is appointed that all must die and after death commeth iudgement My spirit is willing and would faine say Come Lord Iesus come quickly my flesh is fraile and in weaknesse doth say Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me And as in mine health I did nothing but sinne when I was not assisted by thy good Spirit so now in my sicknesse I shall doe nothing but sorrow vnlesse I bee comforted by the same Spirit O Lord comfort me in this agonie of mine and say vnto my soule I am thy saluation Thou art the Physitian heale me thou art that Samaritan pitie me thou art the resurrection and the life quicken me and quicken mee so in the inner man that neither the loue of this world nor the losseÌ„ of this light nor the consideration of thy Iustice nor the feare of death nor the terror of hell may make me vnwilling to depart this life Thou alone knowest the sorrowes of mine heart take them away thou beholdest my feare of death deliuer me out of al my feares couer my sores with the righteousnesse of thy Son heale them by the blood of thy Son and though thou launce them with the knife of the law yet bind them vp againe with the bands of the Gospell I know that my Physitian dwelleth in heauen yet he sendeth his medicines downe vpon the earth Besides thee none in heauen can helpe me and there is none in earth in comparison of thée to do me any good I am weake strengthen me I am sick cure me I am faint comfort me I must die quicken me I am assaulted defend me I am full of feare encourage mee I haue desired to liue the life of the righteous O let mee die the death of the righteous and let my last houre be like vnto his Into thine hands doe I commend my soule for thou hast redeemed it ô Lord God of truth My conscience doth tell mee that I haue sinned against thee and whatsoeuer I now suffer it is for my sinnes they are like an heauie burden vpon my soule they presse me downe to the graue of death and Satan doth lay them now especially before me to make me despaire of thy mercies in Christ Lord assure mee of the pardon of them all perswade my soule by the Spirit of my Sauiour that they are nailed to his crosse washed in his blood couered in his righteousnesse acquited by his death buried in his graue and fully discharged by his alone satisfaction Now now I stand in néed of thy Spirit let it crie in mine heart Abba Father I desire none Angell from heauen to comfort me I desire the Spirit of adoption to assure me to assure me o Lord that thou art my Father and I thy son thou my shepheard and I thy sheepe thou my king and I one of those subiects who shall shortly waite vpon thée in the kingdome of heauen to which I must passe by the gates of death O though I haue now a sick body yet grant me I pray thée a sound soule In thy hands are life and death thou hast the keyes of the graue and death thou bringest to the graue and pullest back again my mother bare mee a mortall man I came into this world to leaue it at thy pleasure it pleaseth thee now to forewarne me of mine end which might haue come vpon mee before this time I might haue perished either in the womb or in my cradle or in my childhood or before I had knowne thée or suddenly might I haue béen taken away and I deserued to die so soone as I was borne I owe thée a death as Christ Iesus died for me I haue béene salling to this hauen euer since I was borne be thou my Pilot that I sinck not in the hauens mouth but that I may land at the port of paradise I haue done I confesse little seruice vnto thée and if thou shouldest now take mee away I should die before I haue begun to liue Thou knowest what is best for me Conuert me O Lord and I shall be conuerted O Lord turne me and in a moment I shall bee turned vnto thee Therefore déere Father giue me that mind which a sick man should haue faith in thy promises hope of eternall life patience with my paine a desire to bee loosed and to bee with Christ and
wauer in his faith nor stagger in his hope nor faint in his patience nor coole in his loue nor sorrow at his dissolution nor looke backe to the world nor bee ouermuch cast downe with the dread of death Grant that when death shall haue closed vp the eyes of his body the eyes of his soule may be fixed vpon thee that when his speech shall be taken from him then his heart may crie vnto thée say Come Lord Iesu come quickly Heare vs good Lord praying for him heare him praying for himselfe heare vs al for Christ Iesus his sake in whom alone thou art well pleased and in whose name and in whose words we conclude our vnperfect prayers saying Our Father c. LOrd blesse vs and kéepe vs Lord make the light of thy countenance thine vpon vs and grant vs thy peace O God the Father looke vpon thy sonne O God the Son looke vpon thy seruant O God the holie Ghost enter into thy temple O holie Father O righteous Sonne O comforting holie Ghost O blessed and glorious Trinitie one in essence thrée in person be with this thy seruant comfort him with that comfort which we would desire in the like visitation let thine Angels pitch their tents about him let his last houre bee his best houre make his life victorious his death pretious and his and our resurrection glorious through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Lord Iesu be with his spirit Amen Amen A THANKES GIVING FOR THE faithfull departure of one after he or she is dead changing as before O Lord God the onely health of them that liue and the alone life of them that die according to thy commandement we called vpon thée and in desire of thy goodnesse we cried vnto thée that thou wouldest be gratious vnto this seruant of thine whose body lieth dead before our eyes We asked his life thou gauest it not because thou sawest what was best for him wee desired his patience to endure this crosse thou heardest our prayers and hast not denied vs the request of our lips because that alone was fittest for him He died not as a foole dieth neither was his dissolution bitter vnto him He is now O Lord a tree planted in thine orchard a stone setled in thy building a Priest sacrificing at thine altar a starre fixed in thy heauen and an heire reigning in thy kingdom If he had died like Absolom we might haue taken vpon vs Dauids lamentation or like Saul we might haue taken vpon vs Samuels lamentation or as the malefactor on the left hand of Christ wee might haue lamented and mourned for him as doubting that hee died not the death of the righteous But precious in thy fight was this death of his and comfortable in our sight was this departure of his Hee like a Lion triumphed ouer death and like a Lambe resigned vp his life he knew that this Redeemer liued and that Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. His faith was in thy promises his hope was in thy mercies his loue was on thy ioyes his zeale was on thy glorie and his desire was to be in heauen For this thy fauour towards our Christian brother wee yeeld vnto thy Maiestie all possible thankes and that thou taking him out of this vale of miserie hast by thine Angels carried his soule to the throne of thy glorie We are O Lord we confesse full of sorrow in that we haue lost the comfort of his presence and we could haue béen contented to haue enioyed him longer if it might haue stood with the good pleasure of thy will But we néed not to mourne as men without hope because we are perswaded he so died in thy fauour that as his soule is partaker of eternall glorie so in that great day of assise and generall iudgement this bodie of his which shall returne to dust must be raised vp againe to liue for euer and then bee made like the glorious bodie of Christ Iesus in heauen He O Lord is gone before vs and we must one day follow after him O how can we render vnto thée sufficient thankes for thy great fauour to vs Christian people aboue all the nations of the world whom when thou callest out of this wretched life thou vouchsafest to place vs with thine Angels in thy kingdome In the sight of the vnwise they appeare to die but in the eyes of the godly they are translated from death to life They are arayed with white haue crownes on their heads and Palmes in their hands they shall not die but liue and do behold thy goodnesse in the land of the liuing They serue thée at thy table eate in thy kingdome sing of thy praises are freed from all miseries and they follow the Lambe whither soeuer hee goeth and enioy such pleasures as the eye hath not seene because they are not visible yet the heart doth beleeue because they are most comfortable We beseech thee O Lord that since we must for a while go on in our pilgrimage we may euer haue our eyes bent towards our countrie raise vs out of the graue of sinne renue in vs the life of righteousnes estrange vs from the loue of this world possesse vs with a loue of heauen take from our féete the fetters of pleasure that we may runne as fast to heauen as the wicked do to hell take from our backes the burden of worldlinesse that we may looke as stedfastly vpon things that are aboue as worldlings do vpon things that are below Guide vs euer so by the direction of thy Spirit that both in sicknesse and in health in prosperitie and aduersitie in life at death we may so behaue our selues in this present world that whensoeuer it shall please thée to call vs hence we may by faith in thy promises hope of thy mercies commend our bodies and soules into thy mercifull hands In the meane time hasten the comming of thy Sonne shorten these daies of sinne confound the enemies of saluation dissolue in euery one of vs the cursed workes of Satan sanctifie thy name aduance thy kingdome accomplish thy will giue vs our daily bread forgiue vs all our sinnes giue vs not ouer into any temptation but deliuer vs from all euill both of sinne in this life and of punishment in the life to come so that we with this our brother and all other departed in the faith of Christ may haue our perfect consummation and blisse in thy eternall and euerlasting kingdome through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with thée our Father and the holie Ghost our Sanctifier our sanctifier in this life and our glorifier in the life to come bee all praise power Maiestie might and dominion ascribed of vs and thy whole Church from this time forth and for euermore Amen A PRAYER FOR A WOman in trauaile O Lord our Lord Creator of all things preseruer of al mankind comforter of all thine afflicted and the only deliuerer of such as are in danger we
banket Giue mee grace to put on my wedding garment that the Bridegrome of this feast neuer say vnto me Frind how camest thou hither not hauing on thy wedding garment Hast thou now commanded me to examin my selfe let me now trie and examine mine heart and looke how I stand in thy sight The Iewes would not eate with vnwashen hands dare I eat with an vnwashen heart they would not drink but their vessels must be purified and dare I now drinke and my soule not purified Before the passeouer they sanctified themselues and before this sacrament shall not I now sanctifie my self I desire to doe it Lord helpe my desire lest eating and drinking vnworthily I eate and drinke mine owne damnation I therefore being now readie to come to thy Table doe acknowledge and confesse mine owne vnworthinesse I haue sinned against thée many waies and that since I last receiued this Sacrament I haue not knowne thée in thy word beheld thée in thy workes apprehended thée in thy Sonne serued thée in the spirit applied thee by faith feared thée for thy iustice nor admired thée as I ought for thy great mercies I haue not frequented thine house heard thy word laid it vp in mine heart nor practised it in my life as I should I euen I by the lusts of mine eyes the lusts of my flesh and the pride of life haue dishonoured thy great and glorious name And when thou hast forgiuen me ten thousand talents I would not forgiue my brother and hundred pence What shall I say vnto my selfe I haue sinned I will doe so no more I haue sinned Lord forgiue me all my sins and grant that in the whole course of my life hereafter I may liue to the honour of thy great name Giue vnto me now a broken heart a contrite spirit a sorrowfull soule and a minde hungring and thirsting after Christ and his righteousnes Giue me now grace to know thée the only true God the Creator and preseruer of mankinde Giue me grace now to féele the burden of my sinnes and that I am eased of them by the blood of Christ Iesus I doe beléeue in him helpe my vnbeléefe I am sorrie for my sins make me to be heartily and vnfainedly sorrowfull I promise now to liue neerer to thée then euer I haue done giue mee power to performe my promise I forgiue all that haue wronged me euen as thou for Christs sake hast forgiuen me Let this forgiuenesse of mine be without dissimulation And because I am now to taste of bread and wine make mee to consider the vse of them I know O Lord that this sacramentall bread is not the body of thy Son this sacramentall wine is not the blood of thy Sonne but this I know out of thy holy word that they are seales of his bodie and blood Teach me therefore now most gracious God that I seeing bread and wine on the table may behold Christ vpon the crosse and obseruing the bread broken to me may consider of Christs body crucified for mee looking vpon the wine powred out of the vessell may thinke how Christs blood was powred out for my sinnes And as I receiue this bread wine into my stomack for bodily sustenance so cause me to féede on the body and blood of our Sauiour Christ that it may be nourishment for my soule Grant O Lord that I may so now come to thy holy table that hereafter I may bee partaker of thy heauenly Table through Christ my Lord and only Sauiour Amen Our Father which art c. A THANKESGIVING after the Communion ALL glorie honour and praise be giuen to thée most glorious God for all thy mercies bestowed vpon mee for mine election in thy loue my redemption by thy Sonne my sanctification by thy spirit in this life and hope of glorification in the life to come I thank thée for thy word in which I beare of thy goodnesse and I thanke thee for this Sacrament in which I behold thy fauour I haue now béene partaker of bread and wine Lord make mee partaker of Christs bodie and blood Those they will turne to the nourishment of my body let these turne to the nourishment of my soule By those I féele some refreshing for a while by these let mee feele refreshing for euer O let not Christs blood be shed in vaine for me but by it cleanse me from all my sinnes I haue now cast vp all the poyson of impietie suffer me not hereafter to licke it vp againe I haue now disgorged my selfe of reuenge let me neuer returne to my vomit againe I am now washed from all my pollution make me to remember that it is the part of a swine to wallow againe in mud or mire I haue promised now to liue better than before make the latter part of my life better than the former I am a liuing stone in thy building knit me fast to the corner stone I am a branch of the vine set mee fast in that roote I am a member of Christs body kéepe mee that I neuer bee cut off I haue renued this day my couenant with thée grant that I may kéep it to my liues end I haue this day béen put in mind of the benefit by Christs death let me euery day thinke often of his death that therby I may learn to die vnto sin And grant that euer hereafter I may so walk before thee that all such as know that I haue béen at thy table may see that I am become a new creature As for the rest of this day in which thou hast thus shewed thy selfe vnto mee grant that I may spend the same not in surfetting and drunkennesse not in chambring and wantonnesse not in sporting and idlenesse but in hearing of thy word calling on thy name meditation of thy mercies and in holy conference about heauenly things Vnto thee O Father my Creator and preseruer vnto thee O Christ my Redéemer and Iustifier vnto thee O Holy Ghost my Sanctifier and Instructor bee ascribed of mee and thy whole Church all praise and power might and Maiestie glorie and dominion both now whilest we doe liue and for euer whilest we shal liue Amen Our Father which art c. NOw the very God of peace sanctifie me throughout and I pray God that my whole spirit and soule and body may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen Amen A THANKESGIVING FOR our late Deliuerance from that vnnaturall conspiracie against our King and State ALmightie Lord God Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and in him our most gracious and mercifull Father many are thy mercies towards vs and that our soules know right well And as we cannot be ignorant of them vnlesse wee bee senselesse so we may not be forgetfull vnlesse we be thanklesse By thée our lot is fallen into a good soile and by thée wée haue a goodly inheritance by thée are our bodies deliuered from sicknesse and by thée are our soules