The generall is that by which a man doth prepare himselfe to dye through the whole course of his life in this world But the particular is that by which a man doth prepare himselfe to dye in the time of his sickenes onely Q. To beginne with the first then what course should a man take in his life that hee might euer be prepared for his death R. That course that is fitting for that purpose Q. What is that R. This first let him meditate vpon death in the prosperous time of his life Secondly let him daylie endeuour to take from his owne death the power and strength of death Thirdly let him striue by all meanes he may to enter into the first degree of eternall life Fourthly after he hath once gotten entrance thereinto let him inure himselfe by little and little to dye before euer hee comes indeede to dye Fiftly and lastly let him doe presently whatsoeuer his hand shall finde to doe and not with the crow procrastinate from this day till to morow Q. That I may now question with you touching each of these why is he to meditate vpon his death in the prosperous time of his life R. Because the whole life of a Christian ought to be nothing else but the meditation of death because also in the best time of his life he is vncertaine of his death For man knoweth not his ende Mar. 15.43 the one and the other of these reasons made Ioseph of Aramathea an honorable counsellour which also looked for the kingdome of God to make his tombe in his life time in the middest of his garden And this did he to put himselfe in minde of death in the middest of his delights and pleasures and also to teach others by his example what they should doe For what is the duty of one this way is the duety of euery one For once it is appointed for euery man to dye as it is for any man As therefore Paul saith of all men It is appointed for all men once to dye Heb. 9.27 Syr. 38. 21. so Syrach saith to euery man Remember thy last ende forget it not Q. And what will this minding of death in the time of life worke any good in him that liues R. It either will or should Q. I speake not of the dutie but of the vertue R. If so it doth for first it humbles him that thinkes thereof vnder the mightie hand of God remembring himselfe thereby to be but dust and ashes Thus therefore said Abraham vnto God Gen. 18.27 Behold now I haue begunne to speake vnto my Lord and I am but dust and ashes Thus did he humble himselfe vnto God by remembring what he was Thus no doubt will others doe that thinke as he did For what should dust and ashes be proude Syr. 10. 9. As it is one of the lowest things vpon earth so it is one of the lightest It is troad vnder the foote of euery thing and blowne away with a small blast What should it exalte it selfe against God the clay is not to rise against the potter neither is man to huffe against his maker as the clay is in the handes of the potter so is he in the hands of his creatour As the clay therefore submits it selfe to the potter so must he himselfe to his maker The clay because it is clay and he because he is dust Gen. 2.7 Eccl. 12.7 Dust of dust Gen. 2.7 and dust to dust Eccl. 12.7 Secondly it furthereth him to repentance For hee would be loath to be taken in his sinnes Ionah had no sooner cryed to Niniueh fourtie dayes Ionah 3.4 and Niniueh shall be destroyed but Niniueh repented As the remembrance of Niniuehs destruction wrought Niniuehs conuersion so the remembrance of mans dissolution workes mans saluation For he cannot do wickedly that thinks to dye presently August lib. exhortat Nothing doth so much recall from sinne as the often thinking of death the wages of sinne For what Rom. 6.23 Luk. 18.11 1. sa 25.14 2. Sa. 13.1 Num. 11.29 can the Pharisie be proude if hee remember hee is but dust can Naball be couetous if he remember he must goe naked can Ammon be voluptous if he remember hee shall bee wormes meate can Iehoshua be enuious if he remember he shal be without life 1. Sa. 22.9 and despised of these whome he most enuied in life can Doeg be sclaunderous if he remember he shall be tongles and most talked of by those himselfe talked most against finally can any man be vitious that remembers hee shall bee infamous and lapped in the bosome of his inglorious mother earth surely no. For Syrach saith Syr. 7. 27 He that remembers his latter ende shall seldome or neuer offend Esai 38.2 Hezekiah the king no sooner heard by I say the Prophet Set thy house in order for thou shalt dye but streight way he turned his face to the wall and wept and prayed and said I beseech thee Lord remember now how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfite hearte and haue done that which is good in thy sight c. Thirdly it stirres him to contentment in euery estate and condition of life that doth befall him For he cannot be discontente with any thing Hierom. that remembreth hee must goe from euery thing As Hierome saith He doth easily despise all things which alwaies thinketh hee must dye As another saith If any man remembreth the last things of his life easily refuseth all things which are vpon the earth For Seneca saith Seneca Nothing will so much profite thee for the moderation of things as the often cogitation of death In the midst of all his afflictions which were both many and mightie righteous Iob comforted himselfe with this Naked I came out of my mothers wombe Iob. 1.21 and naked shal I returne againe The Lorde hath giuen and the Lorde hath taken away euen as it pleased the Lorde so are thongs come to passe blessed therefore be the name of the Lord. As Iob did so may we What was his comfort will also be ours If there be any fault it will be in the applying and that because it is either not applyed at all or else because it is not applyed aright If it bee applyed and rightly applyed good is euer thereby effected Greg. lib. 12. moral He which considereth what kinde of one hee shall be in death will alwaies be fearefull in his worke and therevpon liue euer in the eye of his maker he desires nothing that passeth all the desirs of life present he contradicteth and he considers himselfe almost dead because hee knoweth certainly he must dye For a perfect life is the meditation of death which while the iust diligently buzie themselues about they escape the snares of sinne For as another saith To remember that this our life must bee ended destroyeth pride extinguisheth enuie driues away lechery auoydes vanitie erecteth discipline and perfecteth
Satan departed from the presence of the Lord and smote Iob with sore boiles from the sole of his foot vnto his crowne Iob. 2.7 Is all my bodie pained yet is not my case like Dauids when being distressed in soule Psa 55.4 he cryed Mine heart trembleth within me and the terrours of death are fallen vpon me Am I distressed in soule yet is my case vnlike theirs which are in hell 2.49.14 Luk. 16.24 Death gnaweth vpon them and they cannot get so much as one droppe of water to coole their tongue What therefore though one of my members suffer yet is not that to trouble me for God could make all my members suffer as that one and with that one What though my heart paines me yet is not that to disturbe me For God could enlarge my heart and therewithal increase my paine What though my soule bee disquieted within me yet is not that to dismay me God could giue me ouer to desperation the height of all sinne What though I be afflicted both in body and foule yet is not that to astonish me For God could cast both body and soule into hellfire and what should then become of me but see how mercifully the Lord dealeth with me Where he could doe much he doth but little where he could torment me a thousand thousand waies he troubles me but one where he could afflict me in euery part and so leaue me sound in no part he spares me in all the rest due and punisheth me but in one Psal 42.5 c. O my soule then be not thou cast downe nor much disquieted within me Wayte on God for I will yet giue him thankes for the helpe of his presence If I did suffer more than I doe yet would not that be halfe so much as I haue deserued to suffer no more than that which I doe suffer is For what suffer I the aking of my head the pinching of my heart the stopping of my lungs the stuffing of my breast the weaknes of my stomacke the griping of my bowels the torments of my bellie or what else the shaking of my ioynts the quaking of my bones the dimnes of mine eies the dulnes of mine eares the streightnes of my pipes the losse of my taste the want of my legges c. Though I suffer some of these many of these most of these yea all these Rom. 6.23 yet all is nothing to that which I haue deserued to suffer death For death is the wages of sinne and that that death which is the curse of God the fire of hell the confusion both of body and soule which farre exceedeth the other more than either tongue is able to expresse or heart sufficient to conceiue For why it is infinit it is vnspeakable Oh what a happy change is this to change eternall death into a temporall sicknes great oddes betweene a temporall sicknes and eternall death There is no comparison betweene thē too too much to blame were I if I would not take patiently what the Lord doth lay vpon me wisely and louingly As Dauid saith by this I know that thou louest me because mine enemie doth not triumph ouer me so may I by this I know that thou ô God dost loue me because thus and thus thou now dost punish me Heb. 12.6 For the Lord chasteneth whome he loueth Which of all the Saintes of God whome he neuerthelesse loued well hath not in his life time been subiected to the like paines sicknes and diseases that I now am Gen. 48.1 verily none Iacob the patriarch was greatly beloued of God yea so well as God himselfe said of him Iacob haue I loued yet was he visited with sicknes as I am Iob the patient was an vpright man one that feared God and eschewed euill yet so well as Iames the apostle propoundes him as a patterne of patience to the whole church Iob. 1.1 yet was he smitten with sore boiles from the sole of the foot to the crowne of the head Elizeus was an holy Prophet of God 2. Kin. 13.14 one vpon whome the spirit of Eliah was doubled yet that notwithstanding he both fell sicke and also died Lazarus was a good man 20.1 so his name signfies for it is asmuch as the helpe of God and one whome Christ loued well behold how he loued him Ioh. 11.1 Yet all this neuerthelesse he sickened and died What should I then once looke to bee free by this my comfort is greater then my crosse my consolation better than my affliction Vpon this I may better say my portion is among the Saints of God then looke how I am hated and abhorred of God For after this sort were they tormented and afflicted and yet all their torments affliction notwithstanding highly were they esteemed and singularly well beloued of God And so may I for all my sickenes paine and griefe August Iohn That which the Lord permitts me to suffer is a whip of him that correcteth not a punishment of him that condemneth by it I am trayned vp to an eternall inheritance shall I then disdaine to be whipped Nothing is that which I suffer to that which I expect It is but sorrow which I suffer it is ioy which I expect the sorrow which I suffer is but temporall the ioy which I expect is eternall Of all temporall paines the Apostle saith Rom. 1.10 The afflictions of this present time are not worthie of the glory which shall be shewed But of eternall ioyes the same Apostle saith The things which eye hath not seene nor eare hath heard neither come into mans hearte are which God hath prepared for them that loue him 1. Cor. 2.9 Why therefore should I not possesse my soule in patience what will not a man do or abide for a kingdome yea for a kingdome earthly and transitorie for that a man will goe ride runne sue serue and spend What therefore should not I suffer for a kingdome that this heauenly eternall and euerlasting alas what not if well I weigh and consider what weigh and consider well I should Aswell may I now say as once one said Heere burne heere cut that for euer thou maiest spare One that was alwaies as deare to thee as I now am or may be suffered once as many and as great things as I now suffer and moe and greater too ere euer he entred into glory August in lib. de 8. virtu charita as Augustine saith The sonne of God is lead to the crosse he is vnpalmed which is the true palme of victory hee is crowned with thornes which came to breake the thornes of sinners he is bound which looseneth those that are bound he is hanged vpon a tree which lifteth vp those that were throwne down the fountaine of life had his thirst quenched with viniger discipline is beaten saluation is wounded life is killed death for a time slew life Bern. in quodam sermon that death for euer might
seruant depart in peace according to thy word Luk. 2.29 30 31 32. For mine eies haue seene thy saluation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people a light to the Gentiles and thy glory of the people Israel Such affection as was in these good and godly men Dauid Tobit Simeon and Paul should also be in those that are sicke and by their sickenesse are admonished to looke for death they should desire rather to die than to liue to be dissolued than to bee restored to bee deliuered than to bee detained For if they marke well what is their life but a vapour that vanisheth a flower that fadeth a winde that passeth a smoake that flieth a lampe that burneth And what should they be desirous to haue a winde to holde a flower to stand a smoake to stay a vapour to continue longer then either they may or God will suffer and permit He numbers their daies he measures their monethes he recordes their yeres when they are all come to their summe number and measure why should they be vnwilling either to end them or to end with them will they nill they end they shall and end them God will And better I thinke it would be with them if God might end them with their good will then it will be if he ends them with their euil will Apoc. 14.13 For blessed are they which die in the Lord but it is in doubt what they are which die vnwillingly for they hardlie die in the Lord because they die not in obedience to the Lord. Q. I but I pray you do not censure them so hardlie you know not what death can do death is fearefull and the feare thereof may affright the best R. But not so I hope as that it shall make theÌ„ vtterly vnwilling to die for though death of it selfe be feareful yet is not euery way fearfull nor to euery one fearefull though in it selfe it be the entraÌ„ce into eternal misery because of sinne from whence it came whose wages it is as Paul saith Rom. 6.23 yet in Christ it is the gate to eternal life abounding with all felicitie for when Christ tooke away sinne he took away also death issuing from sin which drew with it eternall condemnation and when hee gaue vnto vs righteousnes he gaue vnto vs also immortalitie and celestiall felicity the companion of righteousnes so farre is it therfore from the godly to feare death which terrifies others as often they wish death and soone they desire to leaue this life for they know they are heere but strangers and not citizens and therefore they are euer seeking a Citie to come to them therefore death is pleasant and amiable for then cease all their miseries and troubles yea then begins all their ioyes and pleasures as appeareth by this saying of Iohn the Euangelist Apoc. 14.13 Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord for from henceforth the spirit saith that they shal be at rest from their labours But to the vnfaithfull and vnbeleeuing death is fearefull for then begins their sorowes and miseries their plagues and torments as is to be seene in the historie of the rich man Luk. 16. When the wise man therefore speaketh of this very point in question this is his saying Syr. 41. 1. Oh death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liueth at rest in his possessions vnto the maÌ„ that hath nothing to vexe him and that hath prosperity in all things yea vnto him that yet is able to receiue meate or that yet setteth his mind on bellie cheare Sy. 41.2 O death how acceptable is thy iudgment vnto the needfull vnto him whose strength faileth and that is now in his last age and is vexed with all things and to him that despaireth and hath lost patience and this therevpon is his exhortation Feare not thou the iudgement of death remember them that haue beene before thee and that come after this is the ordinance of the Lord ouer all flesh And why wouldest thou be against the pleasure of the most high whether it be ten or a hundreth or a thousand yeeres there is no defence for life against the graue Q. But like you this his exhortation and that which hee saith touching the matter in question R. What else I know no reason why I should dislike either he speakes truth and according to truth and should I dislike his speaking of truth Q. No but yet you may examine the truth R. What where there is no doubt but I doubt whether I may examine the truth further then for the finding out of the truth for the truth is to be beleeued not examined Q. Put in if it be once manifested R. Whether that bee in or no the truth must bee beleeued Heb. 11.1 For faith as the Apostle saith is the ground of things which are hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene And Gregorie saith Grc. ho 26. super euaÌ„g Amb de Trinitate That faith is worth little which hath proofe from humaine reason Take arguments away saith Ambrose where faith is sought In her owne schooles let logicke now holde her peace Fishers are beleeued not Logicians August super Ioh. What is faith but to beleeue which thou doest not see whence and how the Trinitie is comprehended ô man thou doest well enquire how it is beleeued thou doest not well aske yea therefore it is well beleeued because soone it is not comprehended for if it were soone comprehended it were not needefull that it should bee beleeued because it should be seene But to leaue this and to returne to what we were in hand withall What is it that you dislike in the wise mans saying you make so much adoe about it Q. I dislike not any thing though I doubt of something R. What is that you doubt of of a mans fearâ—ng death Q. I neede not doubt of that that 's a thing a man cannot auoide R Yet that 's a thing a maÌ„ should refraine Q. Why would you not haue a man to be afraide of death R. No not a good man not a faithfull and beleeuing man for what should he feare death that hath his faith fixed on Christes death Death is swallowed vp into victorie through Christs death death hath neither power nor dominion ouer him that beleeueth Q. But that all men doe not for all men haue not faith R. But I speake to him and of him that hath faith Q. And would you not haue him that hath faith to feare death R. Not so as he should therefore be vtterly vnwilling to dye for it is appoynted by God that all men shall once dye and I would not haue him that hath faith to withstand the ordinance of God for his it is to obey not to resist Q. How then would you haue him to feare it R. First as it is the destruction of humaine nature in him i. as it makes him cease
scripture you reade of no more that were accepted which so repented Q. But that moe are accepted may thereof be collected R. But that all shall can no waies be concluded There is reason more why hee was than there is that others shall As Christ that was crucified was crucified that man might be saued so while he suffered he would needs shew the vertue of his suffring that all which saw the one with their eyes might acknowledge the other in their heartes And therefore the theefe was then called which in former times did seeme to haue been despised There is no such reason now For why Christ hath suffred and the vertue of his suffering is perceiued Q. I inferre not that all shall but I enforce that some may And herein doe I amisse for may not a man finde grace at the last if hee repent R. Neither say I that herein you doe amisse for I deny not but a man may finde grace at last I auouch not that he shall He may for Chrysostome saith Châ—yâ—â—st 〈◊〉 7. sup â—â—n The theefe on the Crosse needed not so much as one day to repent himselfe what speake I of one day no hee needed not one houre so great is the mercie of God toward vs. And againe Iâ—â—◠〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 â—â—pâ— that theefe that hung vpon the crosse needed not any length and prolixitie of time that hee might winne entrance into paradise so much time serued his turne as he might be dispatched in whilest he might vtter one speech so that within one moment of time being freed from the offences of his whole life he gatte fauour to goe before the Apostles into paradise Cyprian also saith Câ—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 Although thou dost at thy verie departing out of this world and going downe of this temporall life pray vnto God for thy sinnes who is the true and onely God calling vpon him with a faythfull confession and an acknowledging both of thine offences and of his trueth thus confessing and beleeuing thou hast free pardon and forgiuenes giuen and graunted vnto thee of the meer goodnes and mercy of God And in the verie death assoone as thou hast giuen vp the ghost Ibid. thou passest vnto immortalitie And againe no man is letted either by sinnes or by yeares to come to the obtayning of saluation as long as a man is yet abiding or remayning in this world no repentance is too late the gate is open vnto pardon and forgiuenes and they that seeke the truth shal haue an easie accesse vnto it c. As before In another place Idem in ser de cena dom Heb. 12.17 Gen. 25.33 In that very moment of time euen when the soule is readie to depart from the bodie and is euen at the lippes of the party to yeeld vp the spirite the goodnes of our most mercifull God refuseth not repentance And whatsoeuer is truly done is neuer too late done But all this notwithstanding I say not that he shall for he that will not when he may when hee would sayth reason shall haue nay Yee knowe sayth the Apostle to the Hebrewes How that afterwards to witte when Esau had sold his birth right for a messe of pottage when Esau would haue inherited the blessing August serm 36. he was reiected For hee found no place to repentance though he sought the blessing with teares Augustine of this very matter in hand saith thus If any man set in the extreame necessitie of his sickenes would take repentance and doth take it and is by and by reconciled and so departeth hence Whether he went well hence or no I know not repentance we may graunt him but securitie we cannot giue him I say not truely that he shall be condemned neither doe I yet say that he shal be saued Wilt thou therefore be freed from the doubt hold that which is certaine let goe that which is vncertaine Worke thou repentaÌ„ce whiles thou art whole and sound If thou doest so I say vnto thee that thou art safe because in that time thou repentedst in which thou mightst haue sinned If thou wilt then repent when thou canst sin no more thy sinnes haue then forsaken thee and not thou thy sins And by this is made manifest what I desired to manifest But if I must further manifest it Ibid. Augustine againe saith He whome sickenes and paine scarreth rarely to true repentance commeth for latewarde repentance vseth to deceiue many Experience also testifieth that there was one theefe reiected aswell as one receiued one damned aswell as one saued one punished aswell as one pardoned Q. Presently then it seemes you would haue a man to prepare for death R. I would so and in so willing I hope I would nothing but what I may well will and should willingly wish For the scripture in many places both willeth and wisheth To day sayth Dauid if ye will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Psal 95.7.8 Eccles 9.10 All that thine hand shall finde to doe doe it with all thy power In the morning sow thy seed and in the euening let not thine hand rest for thou knowest not whether shall prosper this or that or whether both shall bee alike good Eccles 12.1 And againe Remember now thy creatour in the dayes of thy youth whiles the euill dayes come not nor the yeares approach wherein thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them Syr. 5. 7. Make no tarying sayth Syrach to turne vnto the Lord and put not off from day to day for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lorde breake forth and in thy security thou shalt be destroyed and thou shalt perish in the time of vengeance And againe 18.20 Humble thy selfe before thou bee sicke and whilest thou maiest yet sinne shew thy conuersion Quae fecisse voles hoc tempore quo morieris Haec facias quando corpore sanus eris Saith an olde Poet What thou would'st haue done at such time as thou shalt dye Those things doe in such time as thy health shall be hye Q. But if I may aske why doe you and the scripture will thus much R. The reasons thereof and for are many If I shall recount some of them vnto you I will Q. Doe so I beseech you For this talke is more wholesome than yrkesome R. The scripture therefore doth perswade a man in the present time to prepare himselfe to death and not to delaye till the future first because the present time is certaine and ours the future is vncertaine and none of ours For who can assure himselfe of one day to liue that hath alreadie many dayes liued surely no man As Seneca saith Seneca Young men haue death behinde their backes olde men before their faces This therefore is the saying of Christ our sauiour Be ye therefore prepared Wherefore because the sonne of man will come in an houre when ye thinke not Luk. 12.40 This also is the saying of Seneca whom I mentioned euen now
mans words were these Psal 39.4 Lord let me know mine end and the measure of my dayes what it is let me know how long I haue to liue The second these 90.12 Teach vs so to number our dayes that wee may apply our heartes vnto wisedome The third these Tob. 3.6 Deale with me as seemeth best vnto thee and commaund my spirit to bee taken from me that I may be dissolued and become earth for it is better for mee to dye than to liue For this therefore should we both labour and pray a worke of nature it is not to bee prepared for death but a worke of grace must proceed from God not from man That which proceedeth from God must by prayer be asked of God That man therefore may meditate of his death he must craue grace of God to enable him to frame himselfe to death that so he may not altogether be vnprouided for death and thus you see by what a man may be induced to thinke of his death which is the first thing that he is to regarde in his life that he be not taken vnawares by death Q. I doe so and I remayne your debt our therfore But now hauing seene what was there well worthie to bee seene I will craue that we may passe to the second that there I may also see what meete is to be seene R. Your will be done Q What therefore may be the sting of death which you sayd he was daily to take from death which was desirous in life to prepare for death R. Nothing else but sinne For as the Apostle Paul saith 1. Cor. 15.56 The sting of death is sin Q. But why is sinne compared to a sting R. For the likenes that sinne hath with a sting For as those things which haue stings do wound by their stings so doth death by sinne For death entred into the world by sinne Rom. 5.12 Had not sinne been death could neuer haue done hurt Againe as those things which haue stings can do no hurt if their stings be out for a man may cary a snake in his bosome the sting being out so no more can death if her sting be out sinne being gone death hath no more dominion Q. But how shall a man get this sting out R. By two meanes 1. by humbling himselfe in the time present for all his sinnes past partly confessing them against himselfe with the prodigall child Luk. 15.21 and partly crauing pardon of them at Gods hands with the poore Publican 2. 18.13 by turning of himselfe vnto God for the time to come euer carying as in him lies a purpose resolution and endeuour in all things to reforme both heart and life affection and action will and worke according to the direction of Gods most blessed word Q. Are you sure of what you sa yt R. I were else to blame so to say For it is written Deut. 27.18 Cursed be he that maketh the blinde goe out of his way And he maketh the blinde goe out of the way that teacheth the ignorant contrary to the right way Q. Can you make it to me to appeare R. I verily if you will see when it doth appeare Q. I pray you do it then for I will see it if you doe it R. And I will do it that you may see it For the first therefore thus saith Salomon He that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper Pro. 28.13 but he that confesseth them and forsaketh them shall haue mercie Psal 32.5 Thus also saith Dauid I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee O God neither hid I mine iniquitie For I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Selah Therefore shall euery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thee in a time when thou maiest be found surely in the floud of great waters they shall not come neere him Rom. 10.13 Selah Thus also Paul Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued And I thinke by the vndoubted testimonie of these three that very thing doth appeare which I would haue to appeare for where two are enough three will well serue But to proceede because I must not dwell where I am Ezek. 18.21 for the second Ezekiel sayth thus If the wicked will returne from all his sinnes that hee hath committed and keepe all my statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right he shall surely liue and not dye all his transgressions that he hath committed shall not be mentioned vnto him but in his righteousnes that he hath done he shall liue Haue I any desire that the wicked should dye saith the Lord God or shall he not liue if he returne from his wayes Againe When the wicked turneth a way from his wickednes that he hath committed and doth that which is lawfull and right he shall saue his soule aliue because he considereth turneth away from all his transgressions that hee hath committed he shall surely liue and shall not dye And Daniel counselling Nebuchadnezar the king how to escape the wrath which he feared and saw threatned saith thus Dan. 4.24 Breake off thy sins by righteousnes and thine iniquities by mercie toward the poore loe let there be an healing of thine errour Besides by these meanes the Prodigall sonne tooke away the sting of his death the Publican the sting of his death and Zacheus the Tribute-taker the sting of his daeth the one had no sooner said Luk. 15.21 Father I haue sinned against heauen before thee am no more worthy to be called thy sonne but his father saith to his seruants bring forth the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feete and bring the fat calfe and kill him and let vs eate and be mery For this my sonne was dead and is aliue againe and he was lost but he is found againe The other had no sooner sayd 18.13 O God be mercifull to me a sinner but it was said of him this man departed to his house iustified The third had no sooner said 19.8 beholde Lord the halfe of my goods I giue to the poore If I haue taken from any man by forged cauillation I restore him fourefolde but Iesus againe said vnto him this day is saluation come into thine house for asmuch as thou also art become the sonne of Abraham By the same meanes also some others did the like By their doings others also may learne For what was effectuall in them will not be vnfrutefull in others so others be as faithfull as they For as the Apostle saith Rom. 15.4 Whatsoeuer things are written afore time are written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the scriptures might haue hope But it may be I haue spoken enough of this matter and you haue a good minde to heare somewhat of some other Q. You are to vse
be slayne of life And as Barnard saith The head that the Angelicall spirits tremble at was pricked with thornes the face fayrer than the sonnes of men was defiled with the spittle of the Iewes the eyes which are brighter than the sinne were dimmed in death the eares which heare the Angelicall songs did heare the speaking against of sinners the mouth which teacheth the Angels was filled with viniger and gall the feete whose footestoole is adored were fastned to the crosse with a naile the hands which made the heauens were stretcht vpon the crosse and thereto fastned with nayles the body was beaten with roddes the side was thrust through with a speare and what more there remained nothing but the tongue in him that he might therewith pray for sinners and commend his mother to the disciple whom he loued What now shall I looke to goe hence in peace no no the man must not looke to speed better than the master Mat. 10.24 Saith the master himselfe The desciple is not aboue his master nor the seruant aboue his Lord. It is enough for the disciple to be as his master and the seruant as his Lord. Now for himselfe thus said the master of himselfe hauing spoken much out of the scriptures to his disciples of his passion and resurrection Luk. 24.26 Ought not Christ to haue suffered these things and to enter into his glory For all others said a seruant of his 2. Tim. 3.12 All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution How much more some other light affliction such as is sorrow sickenes and paine all which and many moe are nothing comparable to persecution persecution is farre more grieuous than the paine which I feele or the sicknes which I abide Hauing therfore a desire to liue godly in Christ Iesus shall I not beare quietly and suffer patiently the paines of this my sicknes and disease The Apostle saith that Act. 14.22 Wee must through many tribulations enter into the kingdome of God This my sickenes is but one A weake souldiour is he that cannot beare one blow A weake christian were I if I would be daunted with one crosse though it be grieuous as no chasting for the present seemeth to be ioyous but grieuous yet is it neither tedious nor discommodious not tedious for it is but momentany Psal 30.5 As Dauid saith Heauines may endure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning Heb. 12.11 Not discommodious for it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnes vnto them which are thereby exercised Yea saith Paul Our light affliction which is but for a moment 2. Cor. 4.17 causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and an eternall weight of glory And what should I either grudge or grieue at that which neither comes for my hurt when it comes neither yet will tary long after it is come A welcome guest is hee that comes but for a night and yet much enriches his host ere the morning Such a guest should sickenes be for so it deales with the host to whome it comes As Heli therefore said when hee heard hee should be punished 1. Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good So say I now I am punished It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good I am not too good to be smitten of him Where my betters haue not escaped his hands there is no reason that I should wish I might I daily say if daily I pray as daily and duely I should thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Now in heauen it is done willingly readily and faithfully If therefore I will any thing doe as I say I must willingly readily and faithfully beare this burthen which the Lord hath imposed vpon me To comfort and encourage me in the bearing thereof I now haue Christ my captaine being in glory to looke vpon me and behold me for as the Apostle saith Heb. 4.15 We haue not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sorte And therefore I neede not either feare or faint vnder my burthen For why he which redeemed me seeing mine affliction and misery wil no doubt both comfort me in measure sufficient and release me at time conuenient Exod. 2.25 In the second of Exodus it is said God looked vpon the children of Israel and God had respect vnto them And in the third of Exodus the Lord saith I haue surely seene the trouble of my people which are in Egypt and haue heard their cry because of their taskemasters for I know their sorrowes Therefore I am come downe to deliuer them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them out of that land into a good land and a large into a land that floweth with milke and hony euen into the place of the Cananites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hiuites and the Tebusites And therefore he saith vnto Moses Come now and I will send thee vnto Pharaoh that thou maist bring my people the children of Israel out of Egypt After the manner that he dealt with them will he also in mercy deale with me For he is euer one and the same Gal. 3.20 Malac. 3.6 Iob. 13.15 God he is and is not chaunged As ob therefore said in his affliction so say in this my visitation Loe though he slay me yet will I trust in him and I will reprooue my waies in his sight He shall be my saluation also for the hypocrite shall not come before him it is not this paine that shall part him and me it is not this sickenes that shall separate vs it is not this disease that shal daunt or dismay me Nay to say at once Rom. 8.38 Neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate me from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Thus now you see by what meanes he that is sicke may munite his soule against the paines of his sickenes Q. I doe so I cannot deny it But what if his sickenes be mortall R. Though it be yet there these will be effectuall For they are of force not onely against the paines of some one sickenes but also against the paines of euery sickenes yea the mortall and deadly sickenes Q. I but to the paines of sickenes there may come an immoderate feare of death which will not very soone be vanquished because Death is the last enemie that shall be destroyed 1. Cor. 15.26 R. Though there so do as it is very like there will for death is the most tetrible of all things to wit in this life yet may the soule be armed as well against that as against the other Q. It may so and it is good to haue it so But how
the other by making them more obstinate in their sinnes more peruerse in their actions more loose and licentious in their liues and conuersations For when a good man sees another die he then bethinks himselfe that he also must die he wishes that such a death he may die Let me die the death of the righteous Num. 23.17 and let my last ende be like his He prepares what he may to come to such an end But whē an euill man sees a good man die he then is either raised from his sinne to righteousnes or hardened in his sinne against all godlines Raised it may be he is if he see him die a good death i. A death in his estimation good but hardened if he see him die an hard death i. A violent death an vnnaturall or a troublesome death For he thereupon presently reasons this mans life was not so good as hee himselfe thought it and some other iudged it For then should he not haue had so hard an ende For such as the life is such the death is And as Augustine saith He cannot die ill Ang. de doctrina christian which liued well and hardly he dies well which liues ill For mine owne part therefore what course I haue taken that will I hold what waies I haue walked them will I walke what things I haue done them will I still do They that haue done as I doe haue died a better death than he this that would in no wise doe as I haue done Q. But is this his reasoning good and laudable R. How thinke you Q. I aske you R. And I you Q. I thinke it not good R. No more doe I. Q. But why doe neither of vs both thinke it so R. Because there is no reason either of vs both should thinke it so For a good man may haue an harde ende In outward shew the death of our Sauiour Christ was but an hard death he died the death of the crosse and we know what was said in the law Deut. 21.23 Gal. 3 13. Cursed is euery one that hangeth on a tree Yet I hope wee may not say that therefore Christ died a bad death Q. God forbid we should For by his death we are deliuered from death and I hope that was no bad death to him which was so good a death for vs R. In worse sorte we are not to iudge of the death of any good man For he cannot die badly Aug. lac sup citat Aug. de ciuit-dei lib. how hardly soeuer he dies that hath liued godlily For as the same father saith That is not to bee thought an euill death before which there went a good life For there is nothing makes an ill death but that which followeth death Q. Leauing the wicked then in and to their wickednes let vs returne For I see that that which is of it selfe good they will make bad R. Tit. 1.15 That is right so For vnto the pure are all things pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled But because you speake of returning whither would you we should returne or to what Q. Either to that wee were in hand withall or to that which is to follow R. Vnlesse you will wee haue done with that wee were in hand withall For I haue shewed you how death was commodious both to him that suffered it and also to him that saw it suffered Q. You haue so and no little comfort haue I gotten thereby For thereby I haue learned against the daies of necessitie how to fence my soule against the inordinate feare of death R. Right vse in so doing haue you made thereof For thereto and for haue I said thereof what I haue said Q. I know so much and therefore I acknowledge it But as I remember you said that by meditations aswell as by practises he that is sicke and that mortally may arme himselfe against all excessiue and immoderate feare of death R. I did so and in so doing I did not amisse For by the one as by the other is that to bee done which I said was thereby to be done Q. As you haue shewed then how it might be done by the one so I would you would shew how it may be done by the other R. In this point I will what you will As then by practises foure waies the sicke man might munite his soule against the immoderate feare of death so may he by meditations also fower waies doe the same Q. But how R. First by meditating that his death aswell as the death of any other man and the death of euerie man is not onely foreseene but also foreappointed of God Secondly by thinking that death following after and ioyned with a reformed life hath a promise of blessednes adioyned vnto it Thirdly by thinking that he which dieth beleeuing in Christ dieth not forth of Christ but in Christ hauing both his body soule really coupled to Christ according to the tenour of the couenant of grace Fourthly by considering that God hath promised his speciall blessed and comfortable presence vnto his seruants in all their needes and necessities Q. But touching these matters there may be a double doubte One touching the truth of them another touching the effect of them R. I deny not but there may be but I auouch that there neede not be For the truth in them is as I haue pronounced of them and the effect of them is like the truth to be found in them Q. Is it true then that the death of euery man is not onely forescene but also foreappointed of God R. Why else say I so vse I my tongue to lie and my mouth to deceiue you neede neuer make question thereof if either you consider the saying of Iob touching this point or the historie of Christ his death Q. Why what saieth Iob touching this point R. That 's to bee seene in the seauenth of his booke where he makes this question Is there not an appointed time to man vpon earth Iob. 7.1 are not his daies as the daies of an hireling in the 14. where he giues this aunswere 14,5 The daies of man are determined and the number of his moneths are with thee O God Q. And what is the historie of Christ his Death R. That part which I speake off that which is thus recorded in the Actes of the Apostles Act. 4.27.28 Doubtles against thine holie Sonne Iesus whom thou haddest annointed both Herode and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel gathered themselues together to doe whatsoeuer thine hand and thy Counsell had determined before to be done Q. What gather you thence R. That which the Text doth giue to wit that in the Death of Christ there came nothing to passe but that which the foreknowledge and eternal Counsell of God had appointed Q. But what 's that to the death of another man or to the death
these times R. Much. The one was a good time the other was a bad time That was a good time wherein the one theefe reprooued the other but that was a bad time wherein they both reuiled and rayled on the sonne of God Q. It seemes all was at one time For it was all at their and Christs death R. One generall time if you will but not one particular Mat 27.45 For there was three howres distance betweene Christ his crucifying and his dying Lu. 23.44 At the sixt houre he was crucified at the ninth he died And in three houres space many things happened Q. But what happened in these three houres R. The rayling of both the theeues on Christ Iesus and the repenting of one of them In the beginning of the three hoth might raile as Mathew seemes to speake before the ending of the three the one did repent as Luke assuredly doth recorde Q. Be it so what inferre you thereupon R. That which before I defended and you denied Q. Why that R. Because he which you say died in the Lord did sometime also ere he died liue to the Lord. Q. How doth that appeare R. Aswell as any thing may appeare For the same scripture which speaketh of his dying in the Lord speaketh also of his liuing to the Lord. Q. Why what saith the scripture thereof R. More than that which you haue heard yet somewhat you haue heard Q. Haue I heard any thing that makes for this purpose R. I that I hope you haue Q. What was that R. That when one of the euil doers which were hanged rayled on Christ Iesus saying If thou be the Christ saue thy selfe and vs. Luk. 23.39 The other answered and rebuked him saying fearest thou not God seeing thou art in the same condemnation we are indeede righteously heere for we receiue things worthie of that we haue done but this man hath done nothing amisse Q. And what is there more which I haue not heard but may heare R. That which followeth what you haue heard And he the same that before reprooued his fellow said vnto Iesus Lord Luk. 23.42 remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome Q. And what doe these things prooue that the same theefe which once died in the Lord did some time ere he died liue to the Lord R. What more manifest for what is it to liue to the Lord but to liue according to the will of the Lord and he that thus liued ere he died as you haue heard how did he not liue according to the will of the Lord in three things doth the will of the Lord consist 1. In this that a man turnes from his wicked waies to him For as by his prophet Ezekiel he saith Ezek. 18.23 Is it my will that the wicked should die saith the Lord God or rather that hee may returne from his waies and liue As I liue saith the Lord God I will not or I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue 2. In this that a man exercises himselfe in liuing godlily For by his blessed Apostle he saith 1. Pet. 2.15 So is the will of God that by well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men 3. In this that a man continues in well doing to his liues end For saith the beloued Sonne of God Ioh. 6.39 This is the fathers will that hath sent me that of all which he hath giuen me I should loose nothing Now perseuerance in doing good is that which makes that a man is not lost because it is said Mat. 10.22 He that endureth to the end he shall be saued Saith Hierome It is not the point of vertue to haue begunne but to haue continued and perfected what was begunne And saith Remigius Rewarde is giuen not to those that beginne but to those that perseuer For as Isidore saith Then doth our conuersation please God when we finish the good which we beginne by holding out to the ende In which of these three did not he we speake of according to the will of the Lord in the first the second or the third in neither Not in the first for there he turned from his wicked waies he had been a theefe now he was none he had been an euill doer now he was none he had been a reuiler of the sonne of God now he was none Not in the second for there after that once he was conuerted he exercised himselfe in doing of good He sorowed for his sinnes he confessed them he prayed for pardon of them he suffered quietly some punishment due to them he reprooued his fellow theefe for continuing in them he iustified Christ the Messias from the guiltines either of them or the like vnto them the text which recordes the historie of him prooues asmuch as I say One of the euill doers which were hanged railed on Christ Iesus saying Luk. 23.39 If thou be the Christ saue thy selfe and vs. But the other aunswered and rebuked him saying fearest thou not God seeing thou art in the same condemnation There is a shew of his owne conuersion his fellowes corruption We are indeede righteously heere There is his confessiō with a continuatiō of his fellowes corruption For we receiue things worthie of that we haue done There is his patient suffering of punishment with a reasō of his fellowes corruption But this man hath done nothing amisse There is his iustifying of Christ And he said vnto Iesus Lord There is his acknowledgment of Christs power Remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome There is his prayer for his sinnes remission and his soules saluation Neither yet in the third for there he perseuered as long as life lasted After once he put his hand to the plough he neuer look't backe In what hee sometime ere his death liued in that he once at the ende of his life died In faith and hope and loue he liued for the time after his conuersion that he liued and in faith hope and loue hee died when the time wa this life ended In asmuch then as in his life from his conuersion to his death he liued according to the will of the Lord it is thereby certaine that ere he once died in the Lord he sometime liued to the Lord. And so at length that is manifested which long I haue laboured to manifest Q. In deede the certaintie of the theefes liuing sometime to the Lord once dying to the Lord is thereby manifested but the necessitie of euery ones liuing so that faine would die so is neuer the more prooued R. In that you are deceiued For the action of one man that is good is the instruction of euery one that would be good Whatsoeuer good the theefe did he thought duety for him to doe and other than duety the like no man can thinke because he that taught him to doe what he did teacheth no man but what is dutie Q. Why who
Israelites a dying looked vpon the brasen Serpent which was erected by the appointment of God that so they might bee healed from the stinging of fiery Serpents so others a dying must with the eye of a true and liuelie faith looke vpon Christ exalted and crucified on the Crosse that so they may bee saued from their sinnes and the wrath of God due vnto them for the same For the brasen Serpent was a figure of Christ Ioh. 3.14 and Christ as Paul saith is to the godlie both in life and death aduantage Philip. 1.21 In either whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue eternall life Ioh. 3.15 For God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life for God sent not his Sonne into the world that he should condemne the world but that the world through him might be saued Q. Is it not inough that in times past the sicke man hath beleeued though in the agonie of death he doth not beleeue R. No marrie First by the Euangelist the Lord saith Be thou faithfull vnto the death Apoc. 2.10 I will giue thee the Crowne of life Secondly by his Sonne hee saith Mat. 10.22 He that endureth to the end hee shal be saued by neither he saith be faithfull a while and it is well but be faithfull to the death and endure to the end arguing by both that it is not inough to beginne well and then giue ouer but that hauing begun they must neuer bee wearie but continue to the end In vaine is good done Greg 1. moral if it be left before the life be ended because he runs in vaine which giues ouer before he comes at the mark There is no ioy of a ship that perisheth in the hauen neither yet of a man that beleeueth not in death Blessed are they saith the Spirit which dye in the Lord Apoc. 14.13 they therefore which would be blessed after their death must labour to die in the Lord at their death now they die in the Lord which are ingraffed in Christ by faith and rest and stay onely on him and reioice to be with him they therefore which wil die in the Lord must till their death continue in faith for the Lord faithes time is this liues time so that faith doth want of her time if she hath not all of this lifes time when this life is once past the time of faith is ouerpast faith exceedes not this life neither should she faile during this life As in the agonie of death the diuel is most busie to bring vnto death so thē should faith most striue to helpe vnto life for thus well it is written The iust man shall liue by his faith Abac. 2.4 1. the iust in this life shall liue after this life by his faith in God and his Christ had and held during the terme of this life for except he beleeues in this life during the time of this life he shall not liue with God after this life by this you may easily tell whether it bee inough yea or no to haue beleeued in God and his Christ before death though he doth not beleeue at all in death Q. I may so but yet I cannot tell how any shall shew that then he doth beleeue R. Neither neede you to seeke that it is inough for you to know how hee that doth beleeue shall shew that he doth beleeue Q. To come to that knowing asketh great cunning for euerie one that saith hee doth beleeue doth not shew indeede that hee doth beleeue R. But euery one that doth indeed beleeue may shew that he doth beleeue Q. I denie not that if he be in health but I aske how he that is sicke and in the agonie of death shall then shew that he doth beleeue R. And that I answere hee may diuerse waies doe first by praying vnto God secondlie by speaking well either of him or of his religion Q. Why but may a man pray when he is a dying R. I thinke not but oft times he may so I am sure Iaakob the Patriarke did so Christ our Sauiour did so also Steuen the Protomartir did Gen. 47.31 when death had seised vpon the body of Iaakob he raised vp himselfe and turning his face towards the beds head he leaned on the toppe of his staffe by reason of his feeblenes and then he praied vnto God and this his praier is counted a fruit of his faith Heb. 11.22 When Christ was in his agonie in the garden he praied Heb. 11.22 Mat. 26.39.27.48 Luk. 23.34.46 Mat. 26.37 and vpon the crosse againe he praied thrice vpon the one and thrice within the other In the garden once he said ô my Father if it bee possible let this cup passe from me neuerthelesse not as I wil but as thou wilt Another time he said O my Father if this cup cannot passe away from me but that I must drinke it thy will be done Againe he praied the third time saying the same words Vpon the crosse the first time he said Mat. 27.46 Eli Eli Lamasabachtani that is my God my God why hast thou forsaken me the second time he said Luk. 23.34 Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe the third time he said Father into thine hands I commend my Spirit When Steuen was a stoning hee called vpon the Lord and that twice once for himselfe and once for his enemies for himselfe he said Act. 7.69 Lord Iesus receiue my spirit for his enimies hee said Lord lay not this sinne to their charge And this his calling vpon the Lord there is attributed to his being full of the holy Ghost by all this I gather that the sicke man beleeuing when he is dying may also pray when he is dying It is well knowne what the good thiefe vpon the crosse did euen when death was seising vpon him and life leauing him and by that as by the former it may bee collected what by a sicke man dying may be practised for his crucifying death might be as hard a death as some sicke mans death if not harder the thiefe then praied Lord remember mee when thou comest into thy kingdome and so also the sicke man may nay ought asmuch as euer he ought for saith God call vpon mee in the time of tribulation and anguish and that 's a time of both and saith Iames Iam. 5.13 Is any man sicke let him pray And then I thinke a man is sicke if euer he be sicke no sicknes or affliction to the agonie of death Q. Alas Alas when sence failes tongue falters and death nippes how would you haue a man to pray R. With heart if not with tongue in affection if not in action for praier stands not in the enuntiation of words but in the affection of hearts when Moses spake neuer a word vnto God God said vnto Moses
to be a liuing man for so Christ feared it when he sweat water and blood in the garden herevpon said My soule is heauie vnto death Mat. 26.38 Secondly as it is an hurt to the church or common wealth for often by death the church and commonwealth are depriued of those which either were then indeed or might haue been in time a great help stay and comfort to either Q. Otherwise than thus would you not haue him to feare it R. No. Q. And why R. For many causes First because it is vnto him an abolishing of sinne For he that is dead Rom. 6.7 is freed from sinne he then ceaseth to offend God any more as hee hath done Secondly because it is a bettring of his bodies condition for whereas before it was sensible and so perplexed with many miseries it is by death made insensible and therefore freed from all calamities whereas before in life it was both an actiue and passiue instrument for sinne it is then after death neither of both Thirdlie because it is the way for his soule to come to rest life and glorie For they that die in the Lord rest from their labours enioy life and remaine in glory Rest from their labors Apoc. 14.13 Enioy life Mat. 22.32 remaine in glorie Rom. 2.7.10 Dan. 12.3 And they that come to these things must die ere they come at them As one saith There is no other way to come to heauen by but death Q. And what conclude you thereupon R. That which I should viz. that hee which hath faith in Christ should not so feare death as therefore he should be vnwilling to leaue this life Cyprian in serm de mortalitate For as Cyprian saith It is his part to feare death which hath no will to goe to Christ It is his to haue no will to goe to Christ which beleeueth not he shall beginne to raigne with Christ God saith he hath promised to thee departing out of this world immortalitie and eternitie and doest thou doubt this is not to haue known God at al this is with the sinne of incredulitie to offend Christ the maister of all beleeuers this is being set in the Church not to haue faith in the house of faith Let him bee afraide to die who not being borne anew by water and the spirit is mancipated to the fire of hell let him be afraide to die which is not marked with the crosse and passion of Christ let him bee afraide to die which from this death must passe to the second death let him be afraide to die whom the eternall flame shall torment with euerlasting paine so soone as hee departes this world let him be afraide to die vpon whom this by his long stay heere is bestowed that during his abode heere his punishment is deferred but let him neuer bee afraide to die that knowes himselfe to be heere a Pilgrime and stranger that beleeues the resurrection of the bodie and the life euerlasting that loues the Lord with all his heart As the forenamed writer saith What stranger is he that hastens not to returne into his countrey Wee make account that Paradise is our countrey now we haue begun to haue the Patriarkes our Parents Why do we not make hast and runne that wee may both see our countrey and salute our parents A great number of our deare friendes doth there expect vs a mightie traine and troupe of parēts brethren and children now sure of their owne immortalitie and yet carefull for our safety doth wish vs to come vnto their sight and companie what ioy is it in common both to them and to vs What pleasure there without feare of dying and with certaintie of liuing How great and perpetuall felicitie Againe who would be afraide to dye that beleeues the resurrection of the dead For as one saith The most sure trust of christians is the promised resurrection of the dead from aboue And no meruaile when Christ himselfe saith This is the will of him that sent me Ioh. 6.40 that euery man which seeth the Sonne and beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day And againe I am the resurrection and the life he that beleeueth in me although he were dead yet shall he liue and whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in me shall neuer dye Lastly who would be afraide to dye that loues God sincerely For it is the propertie of him that loues to adioyne himselfe to the thing he loues and to wish that he might enioy it and to grieue at that which doth hinder his enioying of it It is a token therefore that he loues not God as he should that is either afraide or vnwilling to dye for other way to come to God to heauen to immortalitie than by death there is none he that dyeth not commeth to neither And who if hee might would not come to all Except the wheat corne fall into the ground and dye it bideth alone so except a man fall into the earth and dye he bideth alone Eccl. 4.10 and woe saith Salomon to him that is alone but if the wheate corne die it bringeth forth much fruite so if a faithful man dye he attaineth to much fruite He commeth as I said to God to heauen to immortalitie And who would not if he might come to all these None surely that is wise that is godly that is faithfull and beleeuing for to come to God is to come to the fountaine of liuing waters which who so commeth to shall neuer more thirst to come to heauen is to come to the hauen of euerlasting happines which who so commeth to shall neuer more faint to come to immortalitie is to come to eternall life which who so commeth to shall neuer more dye none therefore that is wise that is godly that is faithful that is beleeuing should be afraide and vnwilling to dye for dye any when he wil that is so qualified death shall not hurt him death shall haue no power ouer him death shal be game not losse vnto him Q. I but whensoeuer he shal dye death will be painefull vnto him R. And what then Let him be neuer the more vnwilling to die for that for why the Apostle saith Act. 14.20 By many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God By many and therefore he must be willing to haue the paines of death some we must enter into the kingdome of God and therefore neuer be vnwilling to die for the paines of death for as the same Apostle saith Rom. 8.18 All the afflictions of this life are not worthie of the glorie which shal be shewed vnto vs and therefore the few afflictions in death are vnworthie thereof The paines that are suffered are but temporal but the ioyes which are to bee enioyed are eternall and who wil not be content to suffer a short paine for a long pleasure He is not worthie of any sweete which came away with
as manie as they were they were all pardoned forgiuen and remitted Why then should any doubt or despaire of mercie because his sinnes are great as his sins are great so let his repentance bee good and let him not feare Esa 1.18 Though his sinnes were as crimsin they shall bee made white as snow though they were red like skarlet they shal be as wooll Aug. in lib. â—e â—litoâ—e â—gâ—â—d penâ— Let no man despaire saith Augustine the wickednes which he committed did not so much cause Iudas the traitour vtterlie to perish as his despaire of mercy to the same effect saith Ambrose Let no man distrust let no man being guilty of his old sinnes Amb. super Luâ— lib. 2. despaire of the diuine rewardes the Lord knoweth how to chaunge his sentence if thou knowest how to chaunge thine offence Q. I if he changes it in time but he this hath delaied till death and now he feares it comes too late R. If it comes in life and comes then in truth when it comes it comes not too late as one saith It is neuer too late if euer it be true for the Lord himselfe testifieth that at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinnes he will put them all out of his remembrance and what is he that dares distrust him whom will he beleeue that will not beleeue him it is an hard thing not to beleeue a man when he speakes the truth but it is an harder not to beleeue God when hee sweares to the truth Now saith the Lord as I liue Ezek. 33.11 I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his waie and liue Tertullia in hunc loc He inuiteth by reward he promiseth saluation he desireth to bee beleeued swearing O blessâ—d they for whose cause God doth sweare O most wretched we if we do not beleeue the Lord swearing Hee that beleeueth not God saith Iohn 1. Ioh. 5.10 hath made him a liar If hee will not make God a liar which is the truth it selfe and hath sworne by himselfe that that is true which is spoken by himselfe let him beleeue God that his repentance will not come too late if it comes at all that he might not doubt God hath confirmed asmuch by deed as he hath affirmed by word he pardoneth the theefe repenting at the last gaspe when he was vpon the crosse readie to yeeld vp the ghost hee did but say Luc. 23.42.43 Lord remember me wheÌ„ thou comest into thy kingdome and immediatly againe Iesus said vnto him verilie I say vnto thee to day shalt thou be with me in paradise as Chrysostome saith he needed not so much as one day to repent himselfe Chrysost homil 27. vpon Genesis Cyprian in his first treatise against Demetrian what speake I of one day no he needed not one houre so great is the mercie of God toward vs. VVhat Cyprian therefore writeth to another let him take as spoken to himselfe Although thou doest at thy verie departing out of this worlde and going downe of this temporall life pray vnto God for the sinnes who is the true and only God calling vpon him with a faithfull confession and acknowledging both of thine offences and of his truth thus confessing and beleeuing thou hast free pardon and forgiuenesse giuen and granted vnto thee of the meere goodnesse and mercie of God And in the verie death euen assoone as thou hast giuen vp the ghost thou passest vnto immortalitie For as the same Cyprian againe other where writeth Cyprian in his sermon of the Lords Supper In that verie moment of time euen when the soule is readie to depart away from the bodie and is euen at the lippes of the partie to yeeld vp the Spirit the goodnesse of our most mercifull God refuseth not repentance and whatsoeuer is trulie done is neuer too late done August ser 59. de verbis domini and as Augustine saith Whensoeuer anie man turneth himselfe vnto God all things vtterlie are forgiuen him let no man be doubtfull least any thing happily be not forgiuen As Isidore saith Isid de summo bono lib. 2. Let no man despaire of pardon although he turnes not to repentance till the end of his life For God iudges euery man according to his end and not according to his life bypast and againe In the life of maÌ„ the end is to be sought Ibidem because God respects not what kind of ones before wee liued but what kind of ones we were about the end of our life So then it repents him at length of his sins that hath liued long in his sins let him not thinke his repentance comes too late For it is better to repent late then neuer Late workes good as you haue heard neuer brings death as you may reade Luk. 13.5 Except ye repent ye shall perish Neither let him be euer the more vnwilling to die because his repentance comes late For well he dies that dies repenting and what should he be vnwilling to die that shall die well when hee doth die to that a man should neuer be vnwilling which either he knowes he can or hee is sure he shall doe well either ignorance to doe a thing or assurance that he shall not do it wel is that which makes a man vnwilling to doe it at all Insomuch therefore as he knowes hee must die because he is mortall and that hee may die well if he repents let him neuer bee vnwilling to die that is willing to repent but let him repent earnestlie because he repents late that he may die blessedlie because he repents at all Apoc. 14.13 For blessed are they which die in the Lord and die in the Lord do they which by repentance turne vnto the Lord. Q. Your counsaile is good commend it hee must obey it he would but as yet he thinkes not himselfe fitted thereto R. VVat lackes he yet Q. The trimming of his tombe the making of his graue the getting of things necessarie for the celebrating of his funeral R. And is he for these things vnwilling to dye The further hee goes the simpler hee is did he know or consider what it is to be with Christ in heauen he would neuer be desirous for a graue to stay from him here on earth If he neuer hath any at all it is little to him The losse of a sepulture is nothing Hee is couered with heauen which is not couered with earth He that is sure to be couered with that what neede he care whether he be couered with the other There shall no other thing betide him if hee bee so serued than hath betided many other both better and greater than hee And what should that trouble him when hee hath many in the same miserie to accompany him The prouerbe is The miserie of many sweetens the misery of any If he lookes well about him he shall finde many in this predicament Pompey the great
thou maist be too when thou endest And thus for this once J bid thee farewell in Christ. Thine in the Lord. W.P. A DIRECTION TO DEATH TEACHING MAN the way to dye well that he may liue euer Made in the forme of a Dialogue in which the speakers are QVIRINVS and REGVLVS Quirinus ALL haile to your person good Master Regulus and heere you are well met Regulus The same to you my olde friend Quirinus for you are as well met I am a glad man to see you aliue For it was tolde me that you were in great perill of death yea some said you would neuer goe abroade againe Q. I thought not otherwise my selfe but you may see the doings of God are contrarie to the iudgements of men I that was ere while verie like to dye am now something like to liue R. Thankes be to God therefore Q. Euen so say I for that is my part for as it was hee that brought mee almost to my graue so it was none but hee that hath againe set me vpon my feete the Physicians they all forsooke mee my friends all they tooke their leaue of me my worldlie goods and substance would nothing at all comforte me in my selfe I found little that might encourage me to hope any thing eyther of holding life in me or of putting death from me R. What gather you of this the Lords dealings with you Q. That eyther the time of my departing hence was not come or else that I was not then readie R. Whatsoeuer may be said of the second I am sure what you haue said is sure of the first for had your time been come you must haue gone for the power of death no man can withstand Q. That I thinke if he be fit therefore R. Death standes not vpon the fitnes or vnfitnes of any When it comes be he fit or vnfit it taketh him Q. In asmuch then as I was not fit when it did seeme to come God enable me to be fit against the time it will come R. It is good to wish so that if it may be you may in the end haue it to be so for as Paul saith Philip. 2.13 It is God which worketh in you both the will and the deede euen of his good pleasure Q. That made me to say as I did R. It must moue you also to do more then you had said Q. I doe not deny that for it must moue me to be both humble and thankefull R. Somuch in deede that of Paul must moue you to but the vnfitnes to dye that you say was in your selfe must moue you to more Q. What 's that R. To make your selfe fit to dye For as a man prepares himselfe to worke ere he works to heare ere he heares to pray ere he prayes to receiue ere he receiues so must he prepare himselfe to dye ere he dyes Better comes death to him that is prepared to dye then to him that is nothing at all made readie to dye The vnlooked for perill is euer most perillous Q. We both agree that it is meete for a man to prepare himselfe to dye R. It is very right that so wee should For why should not a man prepare himselfe to dye aswell as he doth to sinne A man is no lesse to prepare himselfe to the wages for his worke than to his worke but sayth Paul The wages of sinne is death Rom. 6.23 As a man therefore in times past hath prepared himselfe to sinne so now must he learne to prepare himselfe to dye For as he hath sinned so must he dye if sinne goeth before death of necessitie must follow after the cause being put the effect must also be giuen As Paul the seruant therefore sayth Rom. 5.12 By sinne death entred into the world so Christ the Master sayth Luk. 12.40 Be ye therefore also prepared Q. But why should a man prepare himselfe to dye R. It is but vaine to aske why the reasons thereof be so many Q. Many how many R. Fiue at the least Q. What may they be R. 1. The communitie of death 2. The proximitie of death 3. The vncertaintie of death 4. The extremitie of death 5. The authoritie of Christ and his Apostles Q. Except you explaine your meaning I shall not bee much wiser then I was For why your wordes to me seeme darke and obscure R. In playner termes then I will expresse my mind 1. Cor. 14.19 for as Paul saith I had rather speake fiue words with vnderstanding than ten thousand in an vnknowne tongue Q. In so doing you shall both pleasure me and profit others R. First then therefore a man is to prepare himselfe to dye Heb. 9.27 because it is appointed vnto him once to die for as Dauid saith What man liueth Psal 89.48 and shall not see death shall he deliuer his soule from the hand of the graue As though none should hee askes the question and as if none might both Elihu in Iob Iob. 34.15 and Salomon in Ecclesiastes do giue answer For Elihu saith Eccle. 12.7 All flesh shall perish together and man shall returne to dust And Salomon saith Dust returne to the earth as it was After the same maner do others giue forth their verdicts saith an old Poet. Est commune mori mors nulli parcit honori Debilis fortis veniunt ad limina mortis It is a verie common thing to dye Death spareth none be he neuer so high The weake together with the strong Comes streaming to death all along Saith Augustine Now dyes one King now another now one Duke now another one Earle one Baron one poore man one rich man death spareth no man because with an euen law it smiteth all things Saith Petrus Blesensis vpon these wordes in the booke of Iob Iob. 42.17 So Iob dyed being olde and full of dayes Death concludeth all the felicity of men for when thou hast published the fayth of Abraham the pietie of Ioseph the charitie of Moses the valour of Sampson the vertue of Dauid the miracles of Elizeus the wisedome and riches of Salomon the conclusion is one and hee dyed After this manner therefore should euery man conclude of necessitie I must dye of duetie therefore I must prepare my selfe to dye for duelie must a man prepare himselfe to that which necessarilie he must doe Duelie a man prepares himselfe to eate because necessarilie he must eate he that daylie eates not long time liues not duelie a man prepares himselfe to worke because necessarilie he must worke 2. Thes 3.10 he that will not worke should not eate euen so duelie should a man prepare himselfe to dye because necessarilie he must dye he that prepares not himselfe to dye dyes ill fauouredlie But this is enough for this first reason why a man that must dye is to prepare himselfe to dye Q. Somewhat then of the second for the second is next after the first as the first is next before the
second R. So I intend for the first cannot be without a second As therefore first I sayd a man is to prepare himselfe to dye because necessarilie he must dye so secondlie I sayd he must prepare himselfe thereto because continuallie he is dying Q. What whilest he liues is he dying R. Yea whilst he liues and when he flourishes For why as one sayth all his life is but a race to death Euery day death is nigher him by a daye His daye passes and his death approaches As soone as hee begins to liue so soone hee begins to dye As Paule therefore sayd of himselfe 1. Cor. 15.31 I dye daylie because either daylie hee was in daunger of death or daylie there was diminished some part of his life So the woman of Tekoah sayd of all 2. Sam. 14.14 We doe all dye and are as water spilt vpon the ground that cannot be gathered vp againe And well sayd she what she sayd because either daylie wee are in perill of death or daylie there is diminished from vs some part of our life At the end of euery daye wee haue lesse time to liue by a day Both Augustine a diuine writer and Seneca an humaine do testifie as much as is said Sayth the first Where wee begin to liue Sap. 5.13 there by and by wee begin to dye according to that of the wise man assoone as we were borne wee began to drawe to our end And saith the second We dye daylie Seneca Epist 24. for daylie is some part of our life done away and euen then also doth our life decrease when we our selues encrease Our Infancie we haue lost after that our childehoode thenceforth to yesterday our youth What time soeuer is past is perished This verie day which now we liue we diuide with death Q. But what of all this should a man therefore euer the more prepare himselfe to dye R. What else Q. And why R. because it tels him that of necessitie hee must dye For fall one day will that tree that euery day is a falling and once dye certainelie shall that man that euery day is a dying for death permittes no truce Q. All this I graunt yet I see not how the other doth thereupon followe R. You may if you will See you not how a man prepares himselfe to fight with that enemie with whom he can conclude no peace Q. Yes R. Then may you soone see how a man is to prepare himself to stand against death with which he can enter no couenant Q. Belike then death is an enimie R. 1. Cor. 15.26 So saith Paul The last enemie that shall be destroyed is death Q. No maruell then though a man bee to prepare himselfe to encounter with death For no man must be careles of his enimie His enemie is euer too carefull of him thereto But passe from this to the next if you please R. As you please for what pleaseth you shall not displease me Q. Say not so at euery time and turne R. No more I doe As you are a man that sometime may please you which displeaseth me and as I am another that may sometime displease you which for the time greatlie pleaseth me But now because it pleaseth you that I should passe from that which was last sayd to that which is yet to be said letting these things passe I wil passe As first then I said a man is to prepare himselfe to dye because necessarilie he must dye and secondly because continually he is dying So now thirdlie I say he must therefore prepare himselfe to dye because hee certainelie knoweth not either when he shal dye or where he shall dye Syr. 18. 8. or after what sorte and maner he shall dye For as Sirach sayth no man hath certayne knowledge of his death Eccl. 9.12 And as Salomon sayth Man doth not know his time Act. 9.12 but as the fishes which are taken in an euill nette and as the birdes which are caught in the snare so are the children of men snared in the euill time when it falleth vpon them suddainely Q. But what ought the ignorance of a mans time to incite him to make preparation for his time R. What else both Christ and others seeme to say so For thus sayth Christ Luk. 12.40 Be ye also prepared therefore Wherefore Because the sonne of man will come at an houre when you thinke not This giueth asmuch as I seeke For Christ cōmeth aswell at the particular Iudgement of a man which is at his death as at the generall which shall be at the dissolution And yet you see his reason is from his comming at an houre when he is not thought of be ye therfore prepared for the sonne of man will come at an houre when ye think not And thus sayth Augustine Thou knowest not in what houre he may come Alwayes therefore watch that so because thou knowest not when he will come he may finde thee prepared when hee shall come It may be for this cause thou art ignorant when he will come that thou maiest be readie whensoeuer he doth come Augustine in quad Epistola The last day is vnknowne that all dayes may be obserued then are remedies prepared too late when deaths perils hang ouer the head Thus also sayth Gregorie Gregorie Lib. 12. moral To this ende our maker would haue our ende hidden and the day of our death to be vnknowne that whilest it is alwaies vnknowne it might alwaies bee thought to bee nigh at hand and that euery man by so much might be the more feruent in working by how much he is vncertaine of calling that while we are vncertaine when we must dye we might alwaies come prepared to death Brandmil Con. funebr To the like effect in like sorte sayth another Therefore to no man is the houre of death knowen that euer we might watch and be readie least being vnreadie and in ill sorte secure wee should bee found sleeping And this is his reason If men did foreknow when they should dye they would shew their diligence about that time that they might not therefore be diligent onely in that time but continually he foresheweth neither a generall houre nor a particular that in alwaies looking for him they might alwaies watch For as Theophylacte well sayth vpon the first chapter of the first of Pauls Epistles to the Thessalonians Theophylact in 1. ap 5. If man knew his last day he would indeuour himselfe to doe any mischiefe other dayes then the end of his life approaching he would be baptized Moreouer many if they knew they should dye to morrow would bethinke themselues how many waies they might molest and afflict their aduersaries as though now they did despayre of themselues and did desire to refresh themselues with their enemies bloud Which thing is not now done for the feare of death staying them the loue desire of eternall life recalling them For the houre of death is
strangers that dwelt heere and there throughout Pontus Pet. 4.7 Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia now the ende of all things is at hand be ye therefore sober and watching in prayer And what is this but to prepare to dye because yee must dye For a man cannot prepare himselfe aright but he must be sober and watching in prayer Q. Is this reason thinke you as forcible as the former R. If it be not it should be For this I am sure is Christs saying Ioh. 15.14 Iohn the fifteene Ye are my frends if ye do whatsoeuer I commaund you And this as I haue shewed is his commaundement as well therefore because he hath commaunded it as also for other reasons which alreadie I haue expressed preparation to death should be vsed Q. God graunt it may so be R. Amen I wish For in asmuch as we haue all sinned wee must all dye For as there is a time to bee borne in sinne so there is a time to dye for sinne And to that that must be done it is better that we prepare our selues then not That comes daungerously that comes vnlooked for Eighteene were slaine when the Tower in Siloam fell but moe perished in the gaynesaying of Corah Iude. 11. Num. 16.32 1. Pet. 3.20 and the deluge spared none but eighte Now death is like a theefe A theefe comes vnawares and so doth death A theefe comes when he is not looked for and so doth death A theefe comes suddenly Barnard and so doth death As nothing is more certaine than death so nothing is more vncertayne then the houre of death A Thunder cracke commeth on the suddaine euen so doth death As one saith our life is like a ruinous house alwaies readie to fall like a thin thred alwaies readie to rot like a running cloude alwaies readie to droppe This cloude sometime melteth in the cradle sometime in the chayre death is like the sunne whensoeuer it shineth it melteth our cloudie life be the cloude thereof neuer so thinne or thicke in yeares Our life then being as vncertayne as the weathercocke which turneth at euery blast or like the waue which mounteth at euery storme or like the reede which boweth at euery winde ours it is to prepare our selues to leaue it to forgoe it to lay it downe to entertayne that which doth dissolue it Q. You say true ours it is to doe so but our blindenes is such and our senselesnes so much as we thinke wee haue heere a continuing citie and therefore we little prouide for that which is to come we thinke we shall liue long and therefore we prepare not to death which shortly and vncertainlie will ensue we put death farre from vs oh I may liue twentie yeares yet c. and therefore wee neglect what wee should regarde and despise what wee ought to embrace R. In regarde of nature this is our dealing but in respect of grace it should not be so and sure I am that they whome God hath indued with grace haue not done so As they haue thought of death so haue they prouided for death Hence is it that some of them bought burying places in their liues there to be buryed when they were dead Hence is it that some of them fitted their toombes eare they dyed in which they were intoombed when they were dead Hence is it that some of them both appointed what sheetes they would be wounde in when they were dead and what they would haue giuen to the poore that then should be liuing Abraham bought him the caue of Machpelah both to burie and to be buried in Ioseph in his life prouided himselfe of a tombe against his death So haue many others done and so now amongst vs many doe By the one and the other it is easie to learne what euery one should do What is one mans duetie in this regarde is euery mans As no man layes himselfe to sleepe without preparation so no man shuld yeeld himselfe to death without preparation as one saith Death sleepe are brethren Diogenes awaking out of sleep being asked by his physitian as he lay vpon his death bed how he did answered I do well man Stob. serm 115. For brother embraceth brother To like effect did Gorgias Leontius answer his friends whē they asked him what he did as he lay drawing on sleeping For he said Now sleep begins to deliuer me to his brother As Moses therefore once said euen so now say I Oh that men were wise Deut. 32.29 and would vnderstand their latter ende Oh that we would remember the certaintie of our death the vncertaintie of our life the ieopardie we are in if death take vs vnawares then no doubt but as Ioseph layd vp in the seuen plentifull yeares what might minister reliefe in the seuen deare yeares so we in the time of this our vncertaine life would store vp what might comfort our yearning soules in the bitter agonie of our most certaine death For wondrous comfortable it is to be prepared for death before death As Gregorie saith Greg. in hom sint lumbi v. 1. Seneca in extrema parte epist epist 20. Maximus serm 36. So death it selfe when it commeth is conquered if before it commeth it euer be feared No man well welcometh death when it cometh but hee which long time before hath disposed himselfe thereto Hence is it that Musonius being once asked who it was that could finish his last daye best answered Hee that euer propounded to himselfe that the last day of his life was present and at hand And hence is it that man should prepare for his end before his end that so he might assuredly speede well at his end Q. Oh would to God that man eyther could or would what man should As his mighte is weake so his minde is wicked And through the weakenes of the one and the wickednes of the other oft is that neglected which much should be regarded R. So it seemes when preparation to death is neglected As death is the last thing in this world a man shall vndergoe so preparation thereto is the first thing hee ought to ouergoe Q. It is not now the duetie wee stand vpon but the time The first is confessed the second is suspected that man should doe this you speake of it is not denyed but when he should doe it it is somewhat controuerted R. More without cause than with cause For there is no cause the time should be doubted when the truth cannot be denied Q. You speake as if there were as much truth for the time as there is in the thing R. I speake then but as I ought for the truth is as much for the one as it is in the other Q. When is it then that a man should prepare to dye sith that prepare he must R. When when not there is no time which thereto and for is not a tyme because we all are euer vncertayne of our time Hee which now liueth may
by and by be dead Sodayne death wee know seiseth vpon many Q. I many in regarde of themselues but not many in regarde of others for moe dye deliberately vpon their beds than sodainly at their boards R. The greater is the mercie of God towardes vs that it is not so Lam. 3.22 Dan. 9.7 For his mercie it is that we all dye not suddenly we haue deserued worse and therefore that Q. I denie not that R. Presume not then vpon the other Q. Neither will I for the workes of God are merueilous and his iudgements past finding out Rom. 11.33 But I will enquire when a man is to prepare himselfe to death Whether in sickenes or in health or in both R. And I will answere in both and neither in health alone nor in sickenes alone Q. And why that R. Because there is a twofould preparing to dye a preparing in health and a preparing in sickenes a preparing in health because then we are verie vnsure to liue For the healthiest man in the world cannot promise himselfe one howre of life Much lesse can he saie To day or to morrow I will goe into such a citie Iam. 4.13 and continue there a yeare and buy and sell and get gaine A preparing in sickenes because then wee are all like to die There is but a step between the sicke man and death As one sayth of men and young men so say I of sickemen and sound men Bern. de Conuers Cler. c. 14. To sicke men death is at the gate to sound mē death is lying in wayte Both in health therefore and also in sickenes he that knowes he must dye must prepare himselfe to dye Q. What needes he prepare in health will it not serue well enough in sickenes R. Truelie no. For first the time of sickenes is not the fittest for such a purpose First because all the sences are then occupied about the paines of the disease And Augustine saith Scarcelie will hee come to true satisfaction Aug. ser 36. whome sickenes doth vrge and paine terrifie especially when the children whome he vnlawfully loued are present and his wife and the worlde do call him vnto them Secondly because then the diuell is most busie to draw a man from all goodnes as knowing that if then he hold him he shall for euer keepe him Olympiodorus in the 9. chapter of Ecclesiastes For as Olimpiodorus saith Such as the day of death doth leaue him such shall and will the day of iudgement finde him And you know it was said to the serpent which was more subtill than any beast of the fielde touching himselfe and the womans seede Gen. 3.15 He shal breake thine head and thou shalt bruise his heele Which as one saith is as much as thou shalt lye in waite against the latter part of his life And well may it be so for that auncient writer Gregorie saith Greg. lib. 6. moral The auncient enemie of mankinde in the time of death is mad through the violence of crueltie to snatch vp the soules of sinners and whome he deceiued while they liued by his flatteries them he tormenteth when they dye by his crueltie Secondly in the time of health it is verie needfull because as in sommer the lillie hath a worme in the roote that doth consume it so in health man hath a worme that doth dissolue him Wheresoeuer he goes hee carries death with him As the lillie that flourishes in the morning is not sure to stand till the euening so man that triumphes in the health of his youth is not sure to liue to the infirmitie of his age Absolon dyes in his health aswell as Dauid in his sickenes And the prouerbe is When health is highest death is nighest Many euen now as it were are aliue and merrie yet in a moment they are dead and gone Sometime death warnes ere she strikes and sometimes againe she strikes ere euer she warnes As therefore it is euill to delay till sickenes so it is good to prepare in health The wise man saith Syr. 18. 20. Humble thy selfe before thou bee sicke and whilest thou mayest yet sinne shew thy conuersion In health the wit of man is greater and the feare of death lesser than in sickenes In health therfore also to prepare for death the time is somewhat fitter Q. Why but it is neuer to late to repent For a man may repent when he will R. The proposition is true if a man doth truely repent But the prouerbe is It is scarse true which is not due It is sicke like him that vseth it As you hearde before out of Augustine August serm 36. He whome sickenes constraineth and punishment affrighteth hardlie to true repentance atteyneth Q. But are you of that minde R. Of what other minde should I be Q. If so you are and other you cannot be of what reason haue you for being of that R. Reason enough and forcible enough to content any man reasonable First repentance should be voluntarie as all other obedience to God should bee But repentance in sickenes is vsually constrayned The feare of death hell and iudgement doth enforce it Zeale loue and religion doe not then alwaies effect it And there is a learned writer that saith Enforced seruices are not pleasing vnto God Greg. Secondly in true and sound repentance men that repent Ambros do forsake their sinnes For as Ambrose sayth True repentance it is to sease from sinne Hugo lib. 3. de Mist ecle And as Hugo saith Repentance is called as it were a punishment because the man himselfe that repenteth doth by his repenting punish in himselfe what wickedly he hath committed For the three things which are in the smiting of the breast to wit the breast the hand and the sound doe signifie that repentance is of those things which we haue offended in by heart voice and worke But in this repentance both raysed by sickenes and neuer vsed but in sickenes the sinnes forsake the men for therefore then many forsake their sinnes because their sinnes forsake them and not because they forsake their sinnes For why their minde is toward them asmuch as euer though their might serues not to follow them so well as euer The historie of Andronicus and the lion of both which it is written This lion is this mans hoste and this man is this lions physitian or chirurgian doth argue that in sickenes the lion the Prince of Beastes doth leaue his crueltie and experience doth testifie that in sickenes man the Lord of lions and other creatures doth lay downe his iniquitie but as the one did leaue his crueltie to the ende he might be cured of his maladie so doth the other lay downe his iniquitie to the ende he may bee freed from his miserie The truth of what I saie is apparant in Antiochus the proud 2. Machab. 2.11 2. Machab. 9.5 For before that a paine of the bowels that was remediles came vpon
of Israell was punished There went vp to Ai about three thousand men but the wrath of the Lord being kindled against the children of Israell for the trespasse committed by Achan in the excommunicate thing they fled before the men of Ai and the men of Ai smote of them vpon a thirtie and sixe men Against the inferiour creatures hee sinneth because they for the sinne of man are after a sorte punished For as the Apostle sayth The creature is subiect vnto vanitie Rom. 8.20 not of it owne will but by reason of him which hath subdued it vnder hope For wee know that euery creature groaneth with vs also and trauaileth in payne togither vnto this present In so much that euery of them in the day of iudgement may put vp his bill of complaynte against such a driuing and delaying mate And the Sunne may say for his sake I lost my light the moone for his sake I became darke the Starres for his sake we fell from heauen the Earth for his sake I became cursed and brought forth thornes and thistles the Aire for his sake I became corrupt and breed plagues and pestilences the Water for his sake I became polluted and brought forth frogs euen in kings chambers all creatures for his sake we became rebellious yeelded not that obedience which had not his sinne been wee both would and should haue yeelded What man now is he of any wit and discretion that sinning would sinne against all the forenamed his God himselfe his neighbour the Angels the other creatures Q. For my parte I thinke none I hope none I knowe none R. Neyther should there then be any of any wisedome that should delay till death to prepare for death For in so doing hee sinnes as I haue said against all these of whome I haue said and in so doing he hurtes himselfe more than now can bee sayd The estate of such a man is perilous Whiles he liues the sworde of Gods iustice hanges drawen and readie to fall ouer his head and when hee dyes it serues to seuer his soule from his bodie and to cast it into hell Ioh. 3.36 For he that obeyeth not the sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him While he liues he liues in the land of his enemies and when he dyes if he dyes as he liues he falles into the hand of his enemies For the deuill is the God of this world Origine and is seized and possessed of all those that remayne in ignorance Into his hands also fall all they which dye either out of the Lord or against the Lord. While hee liues there is but a wall of glasse that stayes his enemies frō hauing him in their hands This wall of glasse is his body behinde which the deuill standes and this wall you know is soone broken and beaten downe One little stone of a three or foure poundes weight batters it in peeces and layes it leuell to the ground When he dyes the wall is broken and his enemies enter to make spoyle of all they finde within While hee liues as his dayes goe from life so he goes to death His whole life is but a course to death When hee dyes as his dayes are ended so is his life For he liues no more to his owne ioy or others comfort The way of sinners is made plaine with stones saith Syrach but at the ende thereof is hell darkenes and paynes Whiles he liues Syr. 21. 10. he stands at the gates of death according to that saying They drew neere vnto the gates of death Psal 107.18 But when hee dyes hee goes soone into hell Iob. 21.13 according to that saying They spend their dayes in wealth and sodeinlie they goe downe to hell Q. If his state bee so perilous it is good for him to thinke of his wayes and to turne aside his steppes least euill take him vnawares and he perish in the time of vengeance R. It is so and a foole he is if he doth not so Q. A foole may say not so Matth. 5.22 Whosoeuer shall say foole shall be worthie to be punished with hell fire R. I if he sayth it With a minde to hurte and a will to destroy But I haue no such minde such a minde be farre from me I that cannot make a man what should I marre one Q. Still then you deeme him as you did R. I doe so for hee is a foole that being fallen into the mire makes no hast to get out such a foole is he that being fallen into sinne makes no hast to rise from it For there is no greater vncleannes than the vncleannes of sin Before sinne the deuill was a most beautifull creature to looke vpon An Angell he was of light but since his sinne no man is able to abide the looke of him so vgly and monstrous is he now become Againe he is a foole that hauing a iourney to goe makes no hast to beginne it such a foole is he that hauing to trauell from earth to heauen makes no hast to set vpon his way Q. But why if a mā may aske you is he a foole R. Iob. 14.1 First because the time hee hath to goe this iourney in is but shorte For the dayes of man are but shorte and it is folly to thinke a man may goe a great iourney in a little time Secondly because the way is long as much as from earth to heauen and it is folly to thinke a man may goe a long way in a shorte space To Elias it was said vp and eate for thou hast a great iourney And yet his iourney was but from the wildernes of Bersheba vnto Horeb the Mount of God 1. Kin. 19.7 a iourney of fourtie dayes and fourtie nights walking a iourney nothing comparable to the iourney from earth to heauen for more is the distance from earth to heauen than was the distance betweene the desert of Bersheba and Horeb the mounte of God There are that expresse it but how truly I minde not heere to examine It is myne heere rather to shew why he is a foole that hauing to trauell hence thither makes no hast to set vpon his way than that and that sith I haue begunne to doe it I minde to doe Thirdly hee therefore is a foole because hee is looked for of great persons for the whole hoste of heauen expects his comming and it is folly to make great persons stay for a meane man Gen. 19.20 When Lot prayed that hee might escape to Zora that there his soule might liue God bad him hast thither to saue himselfe there for he could doe no thing till he were come thither Haste thee saue thee there Gen. 19.22 for I can do nothing till thou be come thither Fourthly because he is looked for to his great good For he is looked for to a kingdome Math. 25.34 Mat. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my father inherite ye the kingdome
prepared for you c. And it is follie not to hasten for a kingdome Know ye not saith Paul 1. Cor. 9.24 that they which runne in a race runne all yet one receiueth the price so runne that ye may obtaine And euery man that proueth masteries 25. abstaineth from all things and they doe it to obtaine a corruptible crowne 26. but we for an vncorruptible I therefore so runne not as vncertainely so fighte I not as one that beateth the aire Fiftly because of the lettes and hindraunces that he may haue as he goes He that went from Ierusalem to Iericho fell among theeues Luk 10.30 what he may is vnknowen It is follie to presume Keepe thy seruant saith Dauid from presumptuous sinne Sixtly Psal 19.13 because the gate may bee shut against him if he comes late Mat. 25.10 The fiue foolish virgins could not enter when they would into the bride chamber because they would not when they might And it is follie to come when he cannot get in To come in time is the chiefest of al things Seuenthly because he must make the more hast when he beginnes They which delay longere they goe must recompence their stay with speede when they goe If not they shall neuer come whither they labour to goe And it is follie to labour to effect that in an houre which askes for the well doing of it no lesse than the life Hardly is that done in a shorte time which is to bee in doing all the time Q. That a man then may neuer be vnprepared at euerie time he is to prepare R. It is iust so For he which is euer in preparing therefore shall neuer bee vnprepared therein Q. But why ought a man at euery turne to prepare himselfe R. First because it is a meete thing for a man so to doe For it is a meete thing to doe the commaundement of God Mat. 24.44 Luk. 12.40.31.36 And this God hath commaunded Mat. 24. and Luc. 12. Mat. 24.44 Therefore be ye also readie Luc. 12.40 be ye also prepared therefore Luc. 12.36 watch therefore and pray continually If a man be to goe from one citie to another it is good to prepare himselfe to his iourney much more then is it good so to doe when he is to goe from this world to heauen It is no lesse meete that he prepare himselfe to goe that is to goe to Ierusalem which is from aboue than it was for the Israelites which went but frō Egypt to Canaan which was heere below yet Exod 12. Exod. 12. they made great preparation therefore 2. because it is honest and laudable for a man so to doe for it is laudable Luk. 16.8 in the time present to prouide against the time to come Luc. 16. Christ commendeth the vniust steward for doing wisely and Prou. 6. Pro. 6.6 the Lord sendeth the sluggard to the pismire to learne husbandrie Now the wisedome of the first consisted in this that while he was steward he prouided against the time in which he was to bee no more steward and the husbandry of the latter consisted in this that in summer she prouided her selfe of victualles for winter The saying of the wiseman therefore is this Syr. 11. 25. In thy good state remember aduersitie and in aduersitie forget not prosperitie When thou hast enough remember the time of hunger and when thou art rich 18.24 thinke vpon pouertie and neede From the morning to the Euening the time is chaunged and all such things are soone done before the Lord. Thirdly because it is a pleasant thing for a man so to doe for it maketh him to dye so much the more willingly To him that is vnprepared for death it is yrkesome and troublesome to dye O death saith Syrach how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liueth at rest in his possessions Syr. 11. 1. vnto the man that hath nothing to vexe him and that hath prosperitie in all things yea vnto him that is yet able to receiue meate Fourthly because it is profitable for a man so to doe Luk. 12.43 for saith our sauiour Luc 12. Blessed is that seruant whome his master when hee commeth shall finde so doing Blessed are those seruants whome the Lord when he commeth shall finde waking And Theophilact saith Theophilact Blessed is euery one that shall bee found waking in what watch soeuer that is age he be found walking not behauing himselfe negligently in working that which is good Fifthly because it is necessarie for a man so to doe for why as Christ himselfe saith Luk. 12.40 The son of man wil come in an houre when yee are not aware of him And as Chrysostome saith Chrisost With the ouerthrow of those that sleep is that day to come For as a theefe spoileth the master of the family which watcheth not so doth death spoile vs which are not prepared for it Before death therefore and in life whilest a man doth liue and may liue he is to prepare for death least death in death and at death doth take him vnprepard and so make a worse dispatch of him than he would For as one saith of this very pointe Brandmil con funeb If any man will then first of all prepare himselfe when he ought in deede to be prepared let him take heede that he comes not too late with the foolish virgins which had the gate shut against them when they would haue entred while they went to buy oyle for their lamps that they might haue entred Repentance in death is daungerous enough And the reason thereof is at hande because in holy scripture there is but one founde which truely repented in the ende He truely that no man might dispayre he alone that no man might presume He therefore is propounded as a patterne of consolation not as an example of imitation that thence we may learne that no repentance is too late if it be true vnfeigned according to that of Cyprian Cipri tract 1. contra de metrian So long as a man remayneth in this world there is no repentance too late Thus now I haue aunswered your question and satisfied your request Q. You haue so I thanke you But yet I haue not done R. What will you further Q. That thou speake aswell of the manner how a man is to prepare himselfe to death as you haue done eyther of his preparing or the time of his preparing R. I will not denye you this no more than I haue done the former Q. How then I pray you should a man prepare himselfe to death R. According as his condition is after one sorte in health and after another in sickenes Q. Why is there a double kinde of preparing to death R. Yea that there is For there is one a generall preparation and another a particullar Q. What is the one and the other the first and the second the generall and the particular R.
prayer Hence an holy man in his contemplations of death saith O most mercifull Lord Iesus Christ Idiota in suis contemplationibus de morte the continuall remembrance of death profiteth much to the humiliation of a man Whereupon our forfathers willing to humble themselues did put ashes vpon their heades in remembrance of death and that they were to returne to ashes according to that which is written Remember man that thou art ashes Syr. 10. 12. and shalt returne to ashes And other where Earth and ashes why art thou proud O Lord Iesus Christ it profiteth also to the dryuing away of sinnes for nothing doth so recall from sinne as the often meditation of death 7.36 According as it is written Whatsoeuer thou takest in hand remember thy ende and thou shalt neuer doe amisse And saith another By right doth hee abhor sin which thinks of death because hee knowes that it was brought in for sin Hence a certaine abbot saith Be thou alwaies mindfull of thine end and there shall neuer be sinne in thy soule Furthermore O Lorde Iesus Christ it profiteth to the depressing of carnall desires and to the driuing away of diuers tentations which separate the soule from thee For nothing doth so much auaile to the taming of lustes as to thinke what kinde of thing death it selfe wil be Also O Lord Iesus Christ it profiteth to the giuing of almes for Lord those are not the goods of a man which he cannot carrie with him for onely mercie is the companion of the deceased But O most louing Lord Iesus to what doth it furthermore profit to the prouoking and inducing of a sinner to repentance Effrem For as Effrem saith It is impossible that hee should not repent which did euer see death to be present When Hezekiah had heard that he must dye hee wept bitterly and then thou Lord proroguedst the sentence of death against him and gauest many yeares of life vnto him Thus now you see the profite that comes to a man by meditating vpon death Q. I do so and I am nothing sory for it but how I pray you shall a man be induced to meditate of his owne death that so much the sooner he may come to receyue profit by his meditating thereon R. How by well regarding of two things Q. What are those R. These 1. that he cannot heere continue long but that shortly he must go hence 2. that often hee is to make his prayer vnto almighty God that euery day and alwayes hee may be enabled to resolue himselfe to dye Q. But how shall he be induced to either of these R. Well enough To the first two wayes 1. by expresse scripture 2. by manifest experience For. 1. the scripture goeth thus Iob. 14.1 Man that is borne of a woman hath but a short time to liue his dayes are as the dayes of an hireling yea a winde and nothing So saith Iob. Iob the fourtenth and the first verse and Iob the seuenth and the first Againe All flesh is grasse Esai 40.6 and all the glorie of man as the flower of grasse Psa 103.15 assoone as the winde goeth ouer it it is gone and the place thereof knoweth it no more So saith I saie I saie 40.6 so saith Dauid Psal 103.15.16 Our life is euen a vapour that appeareth for a little time and there vanisheth away So saith Iames Iames. 4.14 Iam. 4.14 Our dayes on the earth also are but as a shadow and there is none abiding they are like a bubble on the water like a weauers shittle like a smoke they are like a thought soone conceiued and soone ended So saith Dauid so saith Syrach so say others Experience also saith no lesse For with our eye we daily see that by some storme or other the greene Apple falleth before the mellowed fruite the lambe is brought to the slaughter house aswell as the sheepe the chicken is killed for the broth aswell as the cocke and sooner too young men passe away aswell as olde So short is our life so swift are our dayes Luc. 12. there was one that perswaded himselfe he had a long time to liue and because his goods encreased exceedingly he therefore saith Luk. 12.17 I will pull downe my barnes and builde greater and therein will I gather all my fruits and my goods and I will say to my soule Soule thou hast much goods laide vp in store far many yeares liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime but God said vnto him O foole this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee and then whose shall these things be which thou hast prouided arguing thereby they are but fooles that thinke they may liue long and not soone possesse the graue There are too many such fooles but I wil leaue them to their folly if neither Scripture nor experience may weane them therefro for whome these two will not perswade that long they cannot tarie heere and that soone they may departe hence nothing will perswade And what should a man spend time with those whome he cannot perswade though he doth perswade Speake not in the eares of a foole Pro. 23.9 Syr. 32. 4. saith Salomon Powre not out wordes where there is no audience saith Syrach And giue not that which is holy vnto dogs Matt. 7.6 saith Christ Hearing the one marking the other obeying the third I cease For by that which I haue said it may easily be perceiued how to the first of the twaine that mooues a man to meditate of death a man may be induced And now I must to the second to which by two meanes againe a man may be induced First by the necessitie of death 2. by the practase of the godly For first necessarily a man must dy and therefore dutifully he is to thinke of his death For by so much he shall dye the better by how much he resolues himselfe to dye The sooner the expected death is the more blessed death He seldome dyes happily that dyes vnpreparedly 2. dutifully the godly haue prayed that they might be resolued to dy and therefore carelessely he is not to passe ouer his life without some serious meditatiō of death For what was not vnseemely for thē is not vnsightly for him For death is more fitting any of vs now than it was any of them then For we liue to encrease our sin and to do no good they liued to diminish their sinne and to do muh good The glory of God the benefit of his Church was the chiefe of their studie the offence of God and the hindrance of his church is not the least of our practise If therefore they laboured to be enabled to resolue themselues to dye much more should we but for this they much laboured for for this they much prayed Dauids prayer is to be seene Psal 39.4 Moses his prayer is to be seene Psal 90. and 12. Tobits prayer is to bee seene Tob. 3. and 6. The first
your owne skill for all my will for I may minde what is not meete and you may wish what is more conuenient Your enough is nothing too much for that which you said was both pleasurable to heare and profitable to learne And it may be my minde is little amisse For I would learne what I know not and get what I haue not For my part therefore I can be contented to proceede can you so too R. Yea verily for I am now at your direction Q. We will now then to the third thing you say he was to regarde which in prosperous time of life was desirous to prepare against perilous day of death R. As you please for that But doe you remember what it was Q. Very well I thanke you For this it was He must striue by all good meanes he may to enter into the first degree of eternall life R. You say true but what would you touching this point Q. I would first know how many degrees of life eternall there are for your naming of the first argues that there are diuers I would secondly learne what it is to enter into the first degree of eternall life For you say he must striue and striuing argues it is not common nor easie to enter into it Thirdly I would know by what meanes a man may come to enter thereinto For enter a man cannot into any thing without meanes R. And these things in some sorte will I manifest vnto you Touching the first therfore there are three degrees of life eternall The first is in this life when men being iustified and sanctified haue peace with God The second is in the ende of life when the body freed from all diseases paynes and miseries is layd to rest in the earth and the soule is receiued into heauen The third is after the daie of Iudgement when bodie and soule being reunited shall be both aduanced to eternall glorie Now to enter into the first of these 3. degrees of life eternall is to haue such peace with God through Christ as he that hath it can say with Paul I liue not but Christ liues in me The meanes to enter heereinto are three Repentance of sin Fayth in Christ and Newenes of life For none can enter heereinto but he that repents him of his sinnes beleeues in Christ and riseth to newenes of life He that repents not perisheth He that beleeueth not is condemned He that walketh not in newnes of life is yet in his sinnes Hence it is that Peter said vnto the Iewes A mende your liues and turne that your sinnes may be put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Act. 3.19 Hence is it that Paul said vnto the Iayler 16 31. Beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued and thine household Dan. 4.24 Hence is it that Daniel said to Nebuchadnezar Breake off thy sinnes by righteousnes and thine iniquities by mercie toward the poore Loe let there be an healing of thine errour Hence it is that as Peter said of Ioyning vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge 2. Pet. 1.5 and with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlines and with godlines brotherly kindenes and with brotherly kindenes loue if ye doe these things ye shall neuer fall So may I say of mixing repentance with faith and with faith obedience and with obedience more if ye doe these things ye shall neuer fall for as Iohn the Euangelist sayth Apoc. 20.6 Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power By which is signified that hee which will escape the second death must be made partaker of the first resurrection of which none is in deed partaker but he that is regenerated iustified and sanctified regenerated by the spirit of God iustified by the death of Christ and sanctified with the gifte of the holy ghost for none but such can say with Paule I liue not now but Christ liueth in me Q. I but others than such haue parte in the first resurrection R. In shew they may but in truth they haue not Q. How then may a man come to be able to say with Paule I liue not now but Christ liueth in me R. By three especiall graces in which the first degree of euerlasting life consisteth Q. What three are these R. The first is a sauing knowledge by which a man doth truely resolue himselfe that God the father of Christ is his father Christ his sonne his redemer and God the holy ghost his sanctifier for as Christ sayth This is life eternall to know thee the onely God Ioh. 17.3 and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ The second is peace of conscience Pro. 15.5 Philip. 2. which as Salomon saith Is a continuall feast And as Paul saith Passeth all vnderstanding For as the same Paul saith The kingdome of God is righteousnes Rom. 14.17 peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost And no meruaile for the horrour of a giultie conscience is the beginning of death and destruction Syr. 25. 14. The greatest heauines is the heauines of the heart saith Syrach and the greatest trouble is the trouble of conscience say I. As Syrach also saith Giue mee any plague saue onely the plague of the heart So say I giue me any trouble saue onely the trouble of conscience For as the plague of the heart passeth all other plagues so the trouble of conscience passeth all other troubles Pro. 18.14 The spirite of a man saith Salomon will sustaine his infirmitie but a wounded spirit who can beare it As one in Plautus saith Seruus in Mustellaria There is nothing more miserable than a mans owne guiltie minde In a prouerbe it is Seneca lib. de moribus Ibidem A guiltie conscience is as good as a thousand witnesses As Seneca saith The conscience goes beyond all the euill the tongue can speake An euill conscience is often safe without daunger neuer sure without care Hmbros lib. 2. de offic Bernar. in serm Bern. 3. considerat ad Euge. But saith Ambrose The peace of conscience makes a blessed life And saith Bernard He prepares a good dwelling for God whose reason neither hath been deceiued nor wil peruerted nor memorie defiled The opinion of good men with the testimonie of conscience is euer sufficient against the mouth of them that speake euil Horat. Hor. Iudgeth it an happie thing for a man to know no euil by himselfe nor to waxe pale through some default Hugo lib. 2. de Ani-cap 9. Hugo therefore speaking in the praise of a good conscience saith A good conscience is the title of religion the temple of Salomon the field of benediction the garden of delight the declinatorie of gold the ioy of angles the arke of couenant the treasure of the king the house of God the habitation of the holy ghost the booke
sealed and shutte and to be opened in the day of iudgement But inough for this if not too much for I had almost forgotten my selfe and now if I looke not backe it may be euery one will not looke right the third grace therefore of the three I told you of is the regiment of the spirite by which the heart and life of man is ordered according to the word of God For Paul saith that They which are the children of God Rom. 8.14 are led by the spirit of God But if any man hath not the spirit of Christ the same is not his 8.9 that is not Christs By these three as I tolde you shall a man come to be able to say with Paul I liue not now but Christ liueth in mee for why to haue Christ in him is to haue Christ by his spirit to guide and gouerne him Q. But when may Christ be said to doe that R. When the thoughts wil and affections of man together with all the powers of bodie and soule are ordered by the worde of God For then is man guided by the spirit of Christ when these things forenamed are all directed by the worde of Christ Q. So may it well be because the word is the rule after which a man must direct his goings R. And so is it for that cause for when Dauid asked the question whereby A young man should cleanse his wayes Psal 119.9 he streight waye returned this answere euen by ruling himselfe according to thy worde Q. So much I acknowletdge to make no more wordes therefore about this when a man hath attained to this grace by these graces which you haue spoken of what must he nexte doe that hee maye bee so much the better prepared against death R. Hee must inure himselfe by little and little to die before euer hee comes in deede to die For the more a man in health inures himselfe to die the lesse vnwilling in sickenes hee shal be to die for death after affliction is lesser than before hence is it that Paule saith in his first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15.31 By the reioycing which I haue in Christ Iesus our Lord I die dayly dayly because he was often in danger of death by reason of his calling and dayly because in all his dangers he inured himselfe to die from this example should all that woulde well die learne dayly to die this dayly dying is the right way to well dying for he that dies dayly when he dyes dyes happily hee neuer puts death farre from him hee neuer makes death a stranger to him he neuer thinks death altogether against him oh that men would more inure themselues to die then woulde they be more religious and lesse superstitious more vertuous and lesse vitious more bounteous and lesse couetous more appliable to good and lesse inclinable to euill and to say at once then would they haue lesser affection to liue and greater delight and desire to dye their not acquainting themselues with death makes them seldome when well prepared for death Of another minde than many and of a better then was that good man and Martyr the Martir Bilney in the daies of Queene Marie for he to the ende he might well suffer did often ere hee suffered inure himselfe to suffer oft before he was burned did he put his finger into the flame of a candle not onely to make tryal of his ability in suffering but also to arme himselfe against greater torments in death Of the like minde before death should others bee in life that so they might neuer be vnprouided against death Q. I acknowledge as much as you affirme Men should bee thus minded in life that they might neuer bee ouertaken by death But how should a man inure himselfe to dye that so hee might not be ouertaken R. How many wayes By thinking of his owne death by calling to minde his friends death by preparing of things necessarie for death by frequenting the funeralles of those that haue yeelded to death by viewing the faces of those that are at the gate of death For by all these and many more hee may gather and conclude that necessarily he must dye Q. And what then R. That asmuch as he may he is to inure himselfe thereto For who doth not buckle himselfe to that he must needs doe Q. I thinke there is none which doth not R. Neither should there bee any which should not inure himselfe to death Q. Neither doe I denie that For the duetie of all is one But when should a man inure himselfe to dye R. When not daylie hourlie continually Q. Why that R. Because death is euer vncertaine vnto him vncertaine in regard of time vncertaine in regarde of place vncertaine in regard of manner for no man knoweth either the time when he shall dye or the place where he shall dye or the manner how he shall dye The time of his death is as vncertaine as the place the place as vncertaine as the time the manner as vncertaine as either place or time He may be taken to night before to morrow at his board aswell as in his bed with that that should preserue him as with that which will destroy him He is void of securitie at each time in euery place after all sorts No time can warrant him no place can priuiledge him Nothing can preserue him Q. But what must he do nothing in the time present but inure himselfe to dye that well he may dye R. Yes Whatsoeuer good thing else hee doth he must do it in the time present he must not delay till the time to come For why this is the aduise of Salomon Eccl. 9.10 Eccl. 9.10 All that thine hand shall finde to doe doe it with all thy power That is with all speede assoone as thou canst without delay This also is the counsaile of Paul Gal. 6.10 Gal. 6.10 While we haue time let vs doe good vnto all men arguing thereby that euer we shall not haue time And as good is the counsaile of the one as the aduise of the other For as he giues twice which giues quickly so he doth a thing twice which doth it quickly Twentie to one it is but he that taketh not time while he may haue time shal misse of time when he would haue time For occasiō is bald behind The foolish virgins that would not enter when they might could not when they would Syr. 5. 6. The watch word of Syrach therefore fits one man aswell as another and each conuert asmuch as one Make no tarying to turne vnto the Lord and put not of from day to day for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord breake forth and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroyed and thou shalt perish in the time of vengeance If it may fitte you and me and him you cause me to speake of I shall bee glad Q. If it doth not I pray God it may R. Euen so doe I.
For he it is that must fit it and none there is besides him that can fit it Q. While it is a fitting and while he doth fit it let vs proceede to make some other thing fit for the thing we haue in hand R. As you will if so be you be satisfied for that which is past Q. If I were not I would neither say as I do nor wish as you heare For resolution I craue of each thing as I goe R. If you haue what you craue it is nothing troublous to me Would to God I could doe both more than I do and otherwise than I do Q. Thankes for that you can More of the cat than her skinne cannot be had Hitherto you haue resolued my doubts and aunswered my demaundes And still I would haue you goe on as you haue begun R. So will I if you will Bern. in epi. 129. For it is better to go on than to begin Without perseuerance neither he which fighteth doth get the victorie nor he which conquereth weare the garland Idem ibi Not hee which beginneth but he which continueth to the ende shall be saued Q. As you haue therefore shewed what course a man is to take in health that he might be prepared for death So I pray you in like sort shew what course he is to take in sicknes therefore For that is the time wherein more particularly a man is to prepare himselfe thereto for death is then farre more nigh at hand then before R. What you wishe I will for it is not good to haue a man vnprepared for death at any time when death is nighest no man knowes The prouerbe is when health is highest death is nighest and the trueth is It is nigher to vs in sicknes then in health Then wee see those signes thereof which in health we neither nor can see But when indeede it is nighest to any God onely knowes who hath the keyes of life and death in his hand for many we see dy suddenly in health as some we know dy lingringly by sicknes In sicknes death sheweth it selfe to be nigher but when it is nighest it doth not alwayes shewe To be alwayes therefore prepared for death is the best medicine against death but because that either euer is not or euer will not be I will to the question you haue propounded as fast as may be that in sicknes therefore a man may rightly prepare himselfe to dy in sicknes three sortes of duties he duely is to looke vnto One concerning God another concerning himselfe and the third concerning his neighbour Q. What is the dutie that concerneth God R. That he seekes to be reconciled vnto him in Christ Q. It may be that he was long before R. All the better so much the sooner hee shal be reconciled now Though long before he hath beene assured of Gods fauour yet then he is to seeke his fauour without this there is small comfort for him in death against death Q. How shall he seeke and obtaine this reconciliation R. By a renuing of his former giuen faith and his long before practised repentance For by the renuing of these it must be both sought for and obtained For without the first it is impossible to please God Heb 11 6. Luk. 13.5 Heb. 11.6 And without the last there is nothing but perishing Luke 13.5 Q. How shall he renue these R. By considering with himselfe whence his sicknes doth arise wherefore it commeth Q. It may be heere his imagination wil bee diuerse and soone hee shall not light vpon the truth touching either other For some thinke one thing and some another R. Whatsoeuer men thinke there is but one truth Q. That 's true But about that many much contend R. In this as in some other much more than they neede Q. I do thinke so too But that a man may be resolued touching these poynts I pray you shew me the truth R. Why I do not thinke you to stand in doubt Q. It may so be but the more a man is confirmed the better it is The more he shall be able to withstand his aduersarie R. That is true in deede Concerning the first point therefore of these two sickenes commeth not by chaunce or fortune to any man but by the prouidence and appointment of almightie God For as Hannah saith 1. Sam. 2.6 It is the Lord that killeth and maketh aliue it is the Lorde that bringeth to the graue As Moses saith Deut. 28.21 It is the Lord that maketh the pestilence cleaue vnto a man it is the Lord that smiteth with a consumption and with the feuer and with a burning ague and with feruent heate and with the sworde As the whole scripture sheweth it is the Lord that imposeth diseases vpon men Gen. 20.18 Exod. 9.10 1. Sam. 5.6 It was the Lord that shut vp euery wombe of the house of Abimilech king of Gerar. It was the Lord that smote the Egyptians It was the Lord that smote Ashod with Emerods and the coasts thereof Psal 78.50.51 Speaking of the Egyptians Dauid saith He made a way to his anger he spared not their soule from death but gaue their life to the pestilence and smote all the first borne in Egypt euen the beginning of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham. Thus though before you doubted whence sickenes commeth yet now you see by what you may be resolued Q. I deny not but that I see what you say I see and by seeing I am therein confirmed whereof before I was resolued But when this thing is found as found it will soone bee to him that hath skill what vse thereof is the sickeman to make R. Much and good First he is thence to gather that he must not ascribe his sickenes to fortune or chaunce but to Gods good will and pleasure Psal 135.6 For he doth whatsoeuer pleaseth him in heauen in earth in the sea and in all deepes Secondly he is thence to collect that he must not looke too much to the meanes by which his sickenes came but lift vp his eyes to heauen remembring God that sent it and thereupon say with Iob Iob. 1.21 The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken Thirdly he is thence to draw that he is not to storme against his sickenes with murmuring and impatiencie For what should he murmur against the Lords doings hee can no wayes resist it Rom. 9.19 who hath resisted his will Fourthly he is thence to conclude that to God he is to seeke for remedie if he will haue it For as it was he that sent it so it is he that must take it away Hos 6.1 So it is said Hos 6.1 Come and let vs returne to the Lord for he hath spoyled and he will heale vs he hath wounded and he will binde vs vp So it is practised Ps 38. For Dauid lying sicke of some grieuous disease there acknowledgeth himselfe to bee chastised of God Psal
shall he that is sicke and that mortally bring it to be so R. By meanes Q. What meanes R. These two practises and meditations Q. By practises how R. Fower waies First by considering himselfe Secondly by considering his life Thirdly by regarding more the benefits of God that are to be enioyed after death than death it selfe Fourthly by looking vpon death in the glasse of the Gospell and not in the glasse of the law For she is not comfortable to looke vpon in the first how terrible soeuer she shewes her selfe in the last And terrible she is in the last though comfortable she be in the first Q. But will the consideration of each of these serue to arme the soule of him that is sicke against the immoderate feare of death R. I thinke no lesse I teach no lesse I know not how to perswade you lesse Q. Shew me the reason of each and I shall the better beleeue you R. Will you not beleeue else Q. I did not yet say so I speake comparatiuely not simply R. That comparatiuely then you may beleeue me if simply you will not I will endeuour to doe as much as you desire Q. So doe and I will beleeue you simply and comparatiuely R. To the purpose intended then may the consideration of the first of the fower well serue for consider he himselfe that is sick and he shall finde that his body is but a prison to his soule and his soule a prisoner in his body And why should not this arme him against all immoderate feare of death for what should he feare the breaking of his prison the freeing of his prisoner Dauid desirous of life eternall and the sight of his master cryed out Oh how long shall I liue in this prison Psal 142.7 And Paul reuoluing with himselfe the miseries that infested him in this prison cryed out Rom. 7.24 Oh wretch that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of sinne Dauid and Pauls practise should be the sickemans president His body to him is no better then Pauls and Dauids body was to them His body therefore is but a body of sinne a prison of the soule a burthen to the minde and spirit As a man of God hath said no bocardo no dungeon no sinke no puddle no pit is in any respect so euill a prison for the body as the body is of the soule For it is such a cage as stinketh in the sight of God a body of sinne is this cage of the soule And therefore he that is sicke should feare no more to goe out of it than out of a prison To feare the deliuery of the soule from prison is meere folly It is to wish a stinking lodging and a filthy cage to dwell in and euer to cary it about which is extreame misery It is to wish continuall banishment from the ioyfull realme of heauen his naturall country which is extreame madnes What man would be so foolish wretched careles mad as to wish any such matter none wise sober and in his right witts The sicke therefore vnles he will be counted foolish wretched careles and mad must neuer feare immoderately the opening of his prison and the loosening of his prisoner Now if the consideration of this first practise doth thus well serue to the fencing of the soule against al immoderate feare of death what shall wee thinke any of the rest that follow to bee of much lesse value Truly no. For going from the consideration of himselfe to the consideration of his life shall he there finde any lesse force than before Iam. 4.14 surely no for what is his life It is but a vapour that appeareth for a little time then vanisheth away What is the certaintie that he hath either of it or in it it is a meere vncertaintie Syr. 18. 8. For as Syrach saith No man hath certaine knowledge of his death His life is like the weathercocke which turneth at euery blast the waue which mounteth at euery storme the reed which boweth at euery winde but his death is like a theefe which commeth at vnwares What is the peace hee hath all his daies little or none His life is but a warfare full of continuall labour and sorrow And now what should he feare inordinarily the vanishing of a vapour the turning of a weathercocke the breaking vp of a warfare the Saints in the Apocalips say Apoc. 22.20 Come Lorde Iesu come Shorten these latter daies for thine elects sake and saue vs. Their saying should teach others what to say For as Paul saith Heb. 13.1 We haue not heere an abiding city but we seeke one to come Merily therefore should he wish and willingly cry O father of heauen Matt. 6.10 Apo. 22 20 thy kingdome come Come Lord Iesus come And not inordinately or immoderately feare the comming of that which certainly will come and necessarily must come Seneca enterpre For as Seneca saith It is but folly to feare that which connot be eschewed It may be saith he thou wilt say thou shalt dye and what matter is that saith he vpon this condition thou camest into the world that thou mightest goe out But thou shalt dye It is the law of nations that thou must restore againe what thou hast receiued Againe thou shalt dye What then thy life is but a pilgrimage When thou hast walked much and long thou must returne once againe thou shalt dye neither the first nor the last All that are dead haue gone before thee all that are liuing shall follow thee But thou shalt dye young It is the best thing that cā be to dy before thou wishest to dy While life is pleasantest death is profitablest It is then best to dye when it delighteth most to liue But once more thou shalt dye young It may be fortune takes thee from some euill if none other yet surely she takes thee from old age And what a good that is Augustine sheweth when he saith August de Catechizandis rudi When men wish vnto themselues olde age what other thing wish they but a long infirmitie Thus as you see doth Seneca harten a man against death and the feare of death And thus may any wise sicke man harten himselfe For what is death that hee should immoderately feare it August super Ioh. Saith Augustine Death is the leauing of the body and the laying downe of a grieuous burden Saith Chrysostome Death is a necessary gift of nature now corrupted Chrysost super Matt. cap. 10. which is not to be eschewed but rather embraced Saith Secundus the Philosopher to Adrian the emperour asking him what death is Death is the rich mens feare the poore mens desire And saith Chrysostom againe Chrysost homil 5. ad popul Antioch Brandm pag. 567. Eccl. 9.12 Death is a sleepe somewhat longer than vsuall For the like things happen to those that dye that doe to those that sleepe He that sleepes knowes not when hee begines
to sleepe hee that dyes knowes not when he beginnes to dye Man knowes not his end He that sleepes rests from al the care and labour he had while he waked he that dyes resteth from all the care and trouble he had while he liued Apoc. 14.13 He that sleeps liues while he sleepes Mat. 22.32 he that dyes when he is dead For the soule is immortall And God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing Yet when Abraham and Isaac and Iacob were dead God said I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac Exod. 3 6. and the God of Iacob He that sleepes dreames either of things pleasant or things pestilent he that dyes and is dead Luk. 16.22.23 enioyes either things ioyfull as the ioyes of heauen or things painefull as the paines of hell he that sleepes Iob. 19.25 sleepes in hope to awake againe he that dies dies in hope to rise againe And therefore the Iewes call the churchyarde the house of the liuing because they which there sleepe shall thence in the last daies rise He that sleepes is stronger when he awakes than before he that dies is better when he rises againe than euer he was before He rises in incorruption he rises in power 1. Cor. 15.42 43. Mat. 19.26 1. Cor. 15.25 He that sleepes may easily be waked he that dies may easily be raised The trumpet shal blow and the dead shall be raised vp incorruptible To come to some point now what should a man feare either the laying downe of a burthen or the taking vp of a sleepe being weary hee desires both the one and the other Being wearied with the cares and crosses of this life what should he then feare death no man feares to be cast into a sleepe neither should a sicke man feare much to die As Seneca saith Senec. in prouer Epist It is a foolish thing to be delighted with sleepe and yet to abhor death when as a continuall sleepe is the imitation of death againe Through the feare of death we make vnto our selues an vnquiet life and so great is the madnes of men that some are driuen to die by the feare of death We are to be strengthened least we too well loue our life too much hate our death And we must be perswaded when reason thereto perswades to ende our life but not to feare death A valiant and couragious man ought not to flie but to goe out of his life For himselfe and of himselfe he saith otherwhere It repenteth me not to haue liued because I haue not so liued Senec. lib. de senectyte that I should thinke my selfe borne in vaine And so depart I out of this life as if I departed out of an Inne not as if I departed out of an house for nature hath giuen vs an Inne to stay in but not an house to dwell in Thus by his example he shewed what he himselfe did and by his reason what others after his example should doe if either his example be worth the following or his reason worthie the beleeuing for his reasons sake and after his example he that is sicke and therefore not farre from death should neither immoderatly feare death nor negligently expect death How fearefull soeuer death is if it be looked vpon in the glasse of the law yet is it not so being looked on in the glasse of the Gospell In the one it hath a sting and that a sharpe one in the other it wants a sting and therefore it is no wondrous fearefull one Saith Gregory What is this mortall life but away and consider my brethren what a thing is it in the way to be wearied and to nill that the way should be ended He that trauailes desires to be at his iourneies ende what should he that liues be afraide to die death is the ende of his â—ourney Euery thing reioyces in the ende What should the sicke man feare death death vnder the Gospell to him that beleeues â—s The passage to life not to destruction For be which beleeueth in Christ dieth not Ioh. 5.24 death hath no power ouer him but he passeth from death to life The death of those that beleeue hath another Epitheton than hath the death of those that beleeue not Pretious in the sight of the Lord saith Dauid is the death of his Saints Psal 116.15 Sap. 3.19 Bern. in quadam epâ—â—co but horrible saith Salomon is the end of the wicked generation Pretious is the death of the Saints pretious truely as the end of their labours as the finishing of their victorie as the gate of life and the entrance to perfect securitie And againe in the same place saith he The death of the righteous is good for the rest that followes it better for the newenes of that rest best of all for the securitie that is in that rest that both followes it and is new For as the same Bernard otherwhere saith Bern. ser 25. paru serm Three things there are which makes the death of the Saints pretious 1. Rest from labour 2. Ioy of the newenes of that rest 3. Securitie of the eternitie of the same rest But on the contrary part the death of the wicked is most vile It is euill truely in the loosing of the world for without griefe they cannot be seuered from that which they loue it is worse in the seuering of the flesh For their soules are puld from their bodies by wicked spirits it is worst of all in the double suffering of the wormes and the fire For the worme euer stingeth and the fire alwaies burneth neither euer cease to torment Much what to the like effect doth Chrysostome write of the death of the one and the other Although they die at home Chrysost hom 66. in Genes de morte peccator both wife and children being present familiars and acquaintance standing by if yet they want vertue their death is but euill So although he be in a strange countrey though he lies vpon the pauement and what say I though he be in a straunge countrey although he falles into the hands of theeues although he be deuoured of beasts yet if he be indued with vertue his death shall be pretious As Anselmus writeth Anselm It hurts not those which are good whether they be murthered or taken away by sodaine death For they neuer die sodeinly which euer thought they were to die Whether therefore they be slaine with the sword or torne in peeces of beastes or burned with fire or drowned by water or hanged on a tree or haue their legges broken or die by some other misfortune yet euer is the death of his Saints pretious in the sight of the Lord according as it is At what time soeuer the righteous dieth his righteousnes shall not be taken from him And so death hurteth not but profiteth much If therefore he that is sicke or any other doth beleeue he needes not ouermuch to
feare death For what should a man feare that which doth good and not hurte brings profit and not disprofite is beneficial and commodious not vnprofitable and noxious Q. Nothing at all in my minde But what is death so R. Why else say I so Q. Because it pleaseth you to say so R. What must I speake what pleaseth mee Q. You should not R. Neither will I so neere as I can but that will I speake which may please God and pleasure man Q. Because you say then Death doth good and not hurt brings profite and not disprofite is commodious and not noxious to whome is it commodious R. To whom not It is commodious to him that suffers it and it is commodious to him that sees it suffered Q. But not to euerie one of those that suffer it or see it suffered R. Neither did I yet say so It is commodious to euerie one that suffers it either in faith or for faith or both It is commodious also to euerie one that sees it suffered so hee makes right vse of the seeing it suffered For the first these sayings of Scripture make som what 2. Cor. 4.12 Tob. 3.6 Ro◠8.28 Syr. 41.2 Rom. 8.38 Death worketh in vs. It t s better for ◠to dye then to liue to them that loue God a thinges worke together for the best O Dear how acceptable is thy Iudgement vnto the need full and vnto him whose strength fayleth and that is now in the last age and is vexed with a◠things Gregor super Mat. 10. in testimo illis For the other this of Gregory makes much The Death of the righteous to the good is an helpe to the euill a testimonie that thence the wicked may perish without excuse whence the godlie doe take example that they may liue Q. What good brings Death to him that suffers it as you haue sayd R. The goods thereof they are vnspeakeable for multitude they exceede number for greatnes they passe vnderstanding for goodnes they excell all that men heere enioy or may enioy Q. I would I might heare somwhat of thē that so both I others might be benefited by them R. Sith so you will I say so you shall First Death killes his familiar enemie Gal. 5. 1. P◠12.11 Rom. 6.7 to witte his bodie or fleshe with all her lustes fighting against the soule For be that is dead is freed from sinne And what a benefite this is that saying of a learned writer sheweth which thus soundeth Seneca There is no pestilence more forceable to doe an hurt then a familiar enemie A familiar enemie betrayeth Christ into the hands of sinners Secondly Death opens a doore to his poore prisoner out of a filthie prison in which he was held bound and captiue that is Death giues libertie to his Soule to depart from the bodie in which it was deteyned from the presence of God as in a prison For many haue thought the body of man to be as a prison to the Soule of man Pythagoras seeing one of his schollers verie busie about trimming vp of his bodie said this man ceases not to make vnto himself a more troublesome prison What a benefite this is it may appeare by Dauids praier Psal 142.7 and our experience Dauids praier Psal 142.1 Bring my soule out of prison that I may praise thy name Our experience is that prisoners hate little more then lockes and boltes because they must stay them from going out Thirdlie Death deliuers him from the carryage of a coffin full of filthines and vncleannes that is his bodie Plato in Cratylo sayeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Corpus a bodye Plato in Cratylo dicitur quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is said to be ac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Sepulchrum A graue Sepulchro quid faedius and what more vncleane then a graue Mat. 23.27 Whited tombes sayeth Christ appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones of all filthines such like are the fine and faire bodies of men A corruptible bodie sayth Salomon is heauie vnto the soule Sap. 9 1◠the earthlie mansion keepeth downe the mind that is full of cares And what a benefite this is it may appeare not onelie by Paules speach in one place but also by his great outcry in another For thus he saith in one place Whiles we are at home in the bodie we are absent from the Lord 2. Cor. 5.6 And thus he crieth out in another O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death And a miserable thing it is to be absent from the Lord Rom. 7.4 and to be troubled with the bodie of Death When Paul sayth the Ephesians were without God in the world he reckened vp one of the euils the Ephesians were infected with Ephe. 2.12 ere euer the bright light of the glorious Gospell of Christ Iesus did shine vnto them and vpon them but when he said If God be with vs who can be against vs he spake of one of the greatest blessings that is Rom. 8.31 writing therefore to the Philippians he not onelie desireth to bee with Christ but also sayth that so to be is best of all I am greatlie in doubt on both sides desiring to be loosed and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 which is best of all This therfore was Dauids complaint As the Hart brayeth for the riuers of waters Psal 42.1 so panteth my Soule after thee ô God my Soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing God Psal 42.2 when shall I come and appere before the presence of God And this otherwhere the saying of the Psalmist It is good for me to drawe neere vnto God 73.28 What shoulde be others thereupon I leaue it to others to discerne My meaning is to proceed to another cōmodity that death brings with it to whom it comes and that is this It puts an end to the painefull Pilgrimage he was going on in this world For what is this mortall life but a way Basil hom 1. in psal 1. and that for the hast that euerie thing generate makes to the end What a commoditie this is may many waies appeare but especiallie by that of Salomon Eccl. 7.3 The day of Death is better then the day that one is borne And that of Syrach Death is better then a bitter life If it were requisite Syr. 30. 17. that eyther of these were better proued proofe might soone be produced For the first there is one that sayeth For two causes the day of death is better to the seruants of God then the day of byrth Perald tom 1. pag. 134. One is because Death is the egresse from miserie whereas the birth is the ingresse to miserie sayeth a wise man though Death be not good yet is it the end of all euils Seneca saith Death is the remedy of all euils The second is because Death is the gate
of glorie to the seruants of God It is the beginning of a blessed life For the other there is another that saieth Syr. 40. 25. 41. 2. It is better to dye then to begge O death how acceptable is thy Iudgement vnto the needefull and vnto him whose strength fayleth and that is nowe in the last age and is vexed with all things and to him that despayreth and hath lost patience To like purpose saide olde Tobit in the anguish of his Soule Tob. 3.6 It is better for me to dye then to liue because I haue heard false reproches and am verie sorowful For the maine point we driue at there is one that saieth Philip. 1.2 Cor. 5 he which dieth is freed from the miseries of the world he goeth to the Lord from whom he went on pilgrimage so long as he abode in the bodye Also in Death he leaueth sinne labour affliction the slime of the earth the matter of continuall conflict against the spirit of God And that bodie made of the dust of the grounde which he leaues in Death he shall receiue againe in the day of the restoring of all things in farre better case then euer it was in this worlde For then it shal be made like the glorious bodie of Christ Whether therefore you respect the Soule of him that dies or you regarde the bodie yet euer is that sure which I saie that death is commodious to him that dies If you respect the Soule It is freed from the bandes of the bodie to be with Christ It is translated to immortalitie It is conducted to the heauenlie countrey from which it was a stranger If you regarde the bodie it is freed from all miserie It is committed to a most safe and sweete sleepe it is prepared to the glorie of the resurrection the flesh resteth in hope whatsoeuer you respect or regarde yet this at length you must come to Raban lib. 9. in eccl cap. 2. The iudgement of present death is good to those that worship Christ because by it they passe to eternall life Sanctus Idiota By a good death a man chaunges his feare into securitie his labour into tranquilitie his want into sacietie his sorrow into iocunditie by a good death he escapeth all daunger of loosing the grace of God his estate comes to be better then euer it was before While he liued Lazarus was contemned Luk. 26.21 neither Master nor Man would regarde him more compassion was had of him by dogges then by men The dogges came licked his sores but no man gaue him the crummes which fell from the rich mans table but when he was dead Lazarus was esteemed the Angels came and carried him into Abrahams bosome of Christ himselfe Myconius saieth While Christ liued Myconi in euang Mar expos he might see nothing but humilitie and many things horrible and dreadfull but being dead see how honorable his burial was great good men burie him there is a magnificent preparation a new Sepulchre in the gardein in which yet neuer man lay As it fared with these so often fareth it with others by these then may others see what commodities drawes towards them when death comes vpon them some I haue shewed mo at pleasure may be conceiued so good so pleasant so profitable there are as Bassus an olde man once said Ser. 30. episto If there be any discommoditie in death it is the fault of those that die and not the fault of death it selfe In his book of the contempt of death saith Seneca Seneca lib. de contem mortis for the paine that is in death It is light if I can beare it It is but short if I cannot endure it for the commodities that are therein they are many I shal leaue of all possibility then to be sick any more I shall leaue of all possibility to be bouÌ„d any more I shall leaue of all possibilitie to dye any more Sickenes shall haue no more to do with me bondage shall haue no more to doe with me Death shall haue no more to doe with me the power of the one the other and all of them shall be taken from them what in this point Seneca thought was to betide him is surely to betyde others As Seneca therefore contemned death because of the commodities of Death so may they for the same cause stand in lesse feare of Death then otherwise for therefore is it said that there are many commodities in Death that those which are to dye should be well armed against the immoderate feare of Death For it is but follie to feare that which will come and vpon all come and vpon many verie profitably come when it doth come Manie makes a vertue of necessitie and most wonderouslie loue that which brings commoditie saieth Seneca again Seneca lib. de senectu In death there is no greater solace against Death then mortalitie it selfe I see not therefore howe any shoulde ouer foolishlie feare Death it bringing commodities as it doth not only to them that suffer it but also to those that see it by others suffered Q. No more doe I neither should I if there were asmuch prooued as was erewhile propounded R. Why do you make an if what is there wanting Q. The latter part of your saying R. What is that Q. Doe not you know R. Whether I do or do not I would know of you Q. And that I can tell you R. Doe it then Q. So I meane but I doe but quicken your wit a little with this being by other things fully resolued of your will R. I can but commend your wit for so doing But I would heare what is wanting to be prooued of that which was propounded Q. That you shall that death brings commoditie to those that see it suffered is the thing which I speake of R. And that 's the thing you need not much speake of or at the least not so as you haue spoken For that thing is not now vnprooued Remember you not that out of that auncient and learned doctour Gregory I tolde you that The death of the righteous was an helpe to the good thâ—â— saw it and a testimonie to the euill Q. Yes indeede doe I. R. Be not so hastie then heereafter to accuse before you haue iust cause For that saying of Gregorie is proofe sufficient for that in controuersie Q. It is so I can it not deny but I would haue had more R. Why more than enough is too much and the prouerb is enough is as good as a feast Though more should be said yet would it all come to this issue For euer the death of the righteous is either an helpe to the good or a testimonie to the bad or both to either Q. But how the one to the one and the other to the other R. The one to the one by making them to remember their owne ends to wish the like ends and to prepare against their ends The other to
thou wilt not direct thy will after Gods will but wilt bend Gods will to thy will that is right but thou crookest it thy wil is to be corrected by that but that is not to be buckled to thine and thou shalt haue an vpright heart Without the conforming of mans will to Gods will mans will is but a peruerse will Q. That 's sure but what may moue him to reforme that which is peruerse and to conforme it to that from which it is auerse R. The first and last meditations I haue yet spoken of Q. I pray God that all you are to speake off may effect what you and I do affect R. So pray I also there is no fault in them if they do not they are all as fruitfull as faithfull so they be faithfull that are to vse them Q. Manifest both in all as you haue done in one R. So will I in time Q Out of time you cannot doe it R. That 's so because nothing is done which is not done in time but yet there is a difference of time there is a due time and an vndue time Q. And this is now a due time for the second to succeed the first and each one to followe another R. You say well if you thinke your selfe satisfied for the first Q. I did amisse else to mooue you to the second for I am vnwilling to remaine vnsatisfied in any thing whereof I may be satisfied by you Being therfore satisfied touching the first what say you to the truth of the second hath it a promise of blessing annexed vnto it R. Hath it If I haue said it you need not to make any doubt of it I woulde not say what I cannot iustifie neither often vse I to doe it but to put you out of all doubt touching that whereof you seeme to bee in doubt consider what is written in the Reuelation of the Euangelist Iohn and then I thinke not but soone you will cause to doubt Q. Why what is it that is there writtten R. Apoc. 14.13 That Blessed are they which dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Q. And doth it thereupon followe that Death ioyned with and following after a reformed life hath the promise of blessednes annexed vnto it R. What else for first there is none die in the Lord but they which haue liued in the Lord for liuing sometime in the Lord must goe before dying any time in the Lord for as Augustine saith He hardly dies wel which alwaies liued ill SecoÌ„dly they which so dy are said to be blessed blessed are they which dy in the Lord. Thirdly that blessing then beginneth when as this life endeth For it is said therefore they are blessed which die in the Lord because they rest from their labours their workes follow them In which words there is both an expressing of the time wherein they are blessed and also of the cause wherefore they are blessed The time is the time of their death for it is said blessed are they which die in the Lord. The cause is their resting from their labour For blessed are they which die in the Lord for they rest from their labours c. In both the Euangelist speakes in the present tense hauing an eie in the last to the preterperfect For first he saith they are blessed he saith not that either they were blessed in the time past or they shall be blessed in the time to come but they are blessed in the time present as though they were in blisse euen in their death Secondly he saith they doe rest he saith not that they haue rested or that they shall rest but that they doe rest as though their death were a rest and not a distresse Thirdly he saith from their labours as though death present were a rest from labours past Q. Though the Euangelist saith so yet it followeth not but that they which dy in the Lord both were blessed and did rest before their death and shall be blessed and rest better after their death R. Neither did I yet say that any such thing will thereupon follow For the most of those that at their death are blessed in their life also were in some sorte blessed and all those that are blessed in their death shall for euer after be blessed after death Eternall life is heere in this life begunne and that sometime long before death and sometime in death but it is neuer finished or perfected till the life to come and after death There is perfection heere is but incoation there life is perfected heere it is but incepted He which heere hath it not at any time there enioyes it not On the contrarie part he which heere is entred into it shall there fully be possessed of it To conclude therfore they which are blessed in their death were also blessed in their life and shall be blessed after death with life lasting euer and enduring world without end Q. This being as you say no meruaile though the meditation of that promise be a shield of succour against deaths terrour For of my selfe I can heere collect that too much death is not to bee feared hauing so sweete a promise of rest thereto annexed R. In so doing you doe what euery christian ought to do For what should he ouer much feare death that hath herein a promise made to him of life what should he ouer much feare that which frees him from labour and brings him to rest who would not leaue an house of clay for a building giuen of God that is an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens life rest and a building giuen of God are three things which mitigates in any the immoderat dread of death For the loue of these death should rather be loued than loathed wished than shunned craued than feared Q. You say well if euery death had the promise of these things made vnto it R. Neuer if at the matter for there is no good death which hath them not all promised vnto it Q. There is much difference betweene a good death and any death R. I denie not that But I spake not of any death but only of a good death Neither could I for that place of scripture which I produced for proofe of what I propounded saith not that all are blessed which die but that they onely are blessed which die in the Lord. Q. That a man might come to that what should he doe R. Liue well so neere as he can For as the prouerbe is Such as the life is such will the death be And as Augustine saith as you heard ere while He cannot die ill which hath liued well and hardly doth he die well which hath liued ill Q. August de doctrina chrâ—stiana That should not seeme to be very necessarie First because there are but few that regards it For how euer euery man desires to die well yet not many desire to liue well Balaam
himselfe though he much esteemed not to liue the life of the righteous yet he greatly desired to die the death of the righteous Num. 23.10 Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his Secondly because it is said as you haue before alledged that they are blessed which dye in the Lord. Apoc. 14.13 R. It followeth not vpon either of your reasons that it is vnnecessarie For first that which fewest follow is most necessarie The preaching of the word of God fewest regard yet is the attending thereto most necessarie When Martha being offended with her sister Marie for that shee would not helpe her to serue when she gaue entertainement to Christ but sate still at Iesus his feete attending to what he speake complayned to Iesus that her sister left her alone to serue Iesus himselfe was so farre from reproouing of Marie for this her fact as he defended her and reprooued Martha Luk. 10.41 saying Martha Martha thou carest and art troubled about many things But one thing is needefull Marie hath chosen the good part which shall not bee taken from her Thereby shewing that the hearing of the word preached was necessarie and more necessarie than the corporall entertaining of him Secondly that which is by Iohn the Euangelist said is not so to bee vnderstood as men neede not care to liue well because there by him it is said that they are blessed which die in the Lord. For except while they liue they liue to the Lord when they die they cannot die in the Lord. Liuing to the Lord is a meane to come to die in the Lord. As Seneca saith Death is honest Sen. 57. ep by that which is honest Q. What say you then to the theefe that suffered when Christ was crucified Luk. 23.33 and with him did not he die in the Lord R. Yes else would not the Lord haue said vnto him Luk. 23.43 This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Q. Yet you know euen then when he was crucified he was a theefe an euill doer Mat. 27.38 Luk. 23.32 Mat. 27.44 Mark 1â— 32 a reuiler of the sonne of God R. All this I know too because the scripture reuealeth so much but what inferre you thereof Q. That he that dyes in the Lord doth not alwaies liue in the Lord R. That 's not true in the Lord he doth liue alwaies for in him the Apostle saith we liue we moue Act. 17.18 we haue our being But not to the Lord alwaies For the same Apostle saith Other where 2. Cor. 5.15 Christ died for all that they which liue should not henceforth liue vnto themselues but vnto him which died for them and rose againe As though alwaies liuing in him they did not alwaies liue to him Q. You now speake of another life than I doe R. Not a whit For you speake either of a naturall life or a spirituall life or both And so doe I. Q. My meaning was to speak but of one R. My meaning was then to answere you perceiued me not Q. You did not so though you meane so R. I did as much as I meant though you perceiued me not Q. In deede there might be a fault R. And verily there was the fault For what soeuer you thinke he that doth once die in the Lord did alwaies liue in the Lord though not alwaies to the Lord. Q. If I were deceiued those two words In and to deceiued me R. Not the words but the misposing of them it was that deceiued you Q. When and where did I mispose them R. Where and when you inferred that whether he that dies in the Lord doth not alwaies liue in the Lord. Q. Why is not that inference good R. No for the last in you should haue put to Q. Why it is true is it not R. Yes but it is not due It fittes another time and place better than this and now Q. Make it then as you would haue it R. As you should haue made it Q. So then how is that R. Thus he that dies in the Lord doth not alwaies liue to the Lord. Q. If I had said so the matter had not been great for the theefe that died in the Lord did not alwaies liue to the Lord. R. If you had said so my labour had been lesser and your gaine greater Q. Take it so What loose I thereby R. That which you labour to haue prooued thereby Q. What was that R. Thinke you I haue forgotten Q. I know not R. You shall see that I haue not Q. What was it then R. It was this that it is not alwaies necessarie that a good life should goe before a good death Q. And doth not that thereupon well follow R. The contrarie thereto I haue all this while followed Q. What soeuer you haue followed doth not that follow R. How often shall I tell you no Q You neuer tolde me so much before R. I insinuated so much if I tolde you it not Q. There is difference betweene an insinuation and a negation R. In time more than in truth Q. But to the matter againe You confesse that the theefe we speake of died in the Lord doe you not R. I doe so I neither doe nor will deny it before I haue confessed it and still I stand to it Q. You acknowledge also that at the time of his crucifying with our sauiour hee was a wicked man a theefe and an euill doer R. I doe so and must so because the scripture saith so Q. How then say you that necessarily a good life must goe before a good death R. Matt. 24.44 Euen aswell as the scripture saith in one place that same also the theeues which were crucified with him cast in his teeth that is He saued others himselfe he cannot saue If he be the king of Israel let him now come downe from the crosse and we will bâ—leeue him Luk. 23 3â— he trusted in God let him deliuer him now if hee will haue him For he said I am the sonne of God And in another one of the euill doers which were hanged railed on him saying If thou be the Christ saue thy selfe and vs. But the other aunswered and rebuked him saying fearest thou not God seeing thou art in the same condemnation We are in deede righteously heere for we receiue things worthie of that we haue done but this man hath done nothing amisse Q. But why say you so R. Because as if ye distinguish times these two places which seeme to repugne one another are soone reconciled so these two things that which I defend and that which you oppugne are quickely accorded Q. What times speake you of R. The time wherein both the theeues railed on Christ of which Mathew the Euangelist speaketh and the time wherein one of the same theeues reprooued the other for reuiling and railing on the sonne of God of which Luke the Euangelist reporteth Q. What difference betweene
taught him to do what he did R. No other schoolemaster than the spirit of God Q. How know you that R. By the word of God Q. Why. It saith not that the spirit did teach him R. But it implieth it and that 's as good Hicron in Ep. ad Gal. ca. 1. for as Ierome saith The Gospel is not in the words of the scripture but in the sence Q. But whether doth the word imply what you say it implieth R. Where it saith the theefe said vnto Iesus Lord Luk. 23.42 remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome Q. Why say you so R. Because the Apostle Paul teacheth me to say so Q. Where R. In the first of his Epistles to the Corinthians the twelfth Chapter and the third verse Q. What saith he there R. That No man can say 1. Cor. 12.3 that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Q. And doe you by this prooue that the spirit of God taught the theefe to doe what hee did R. What else For. 1. in the fore place you see he called Iesus Lord. Luk. 23.42 And he said vnto Iesus Lord c. 2. in the eight to the Romans besides many other places the holy Ghost is called the spirit of God Rom. 8.9 Rom. 8.9 Now ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit because the spirit of God i the holy Ghost dwelleth in you and Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God Ephes 4 30 they are the Sonnes of God And Ephesians the fourth greeue not the holy spirit of God by whom ye are sealed vnto the day of redēption Q. Well then I yeeld and seeing it is necessarie for him that would once dye wel sometime to liue well I would that all which desire to dye well would regarde much to liue well R. You do well to wish it It is a thing to be wished though it wil neuer be performed for as Seneca saith Seneca Epist 78 As it fares with a play so it fares with life It skilles not how long it be ere it be don but how wel it is done while it is in doing Q Seneca Epist 22. But as the same Seneca saith No man considereth how well he liues but how long he liues R. This their misdemeanour is more to be pittyed thē praised for as Augustine saith No man will either haue or suffer a long supper euill August in serm and what should any wishe a long life and euill If it be a great thing that we liue it is a great good to liue well Id. de doct Chir. It is better to liue well then to vnderstand soone For he which liues well deserues to vnderstand more he which liues ill shall loose euen that which he vnderstands Seneca therefore saith Seneca in Epist A wise man doth euer thinke what kinde of life his life is and not how great or how long his life is Idem in Epist 78. For it is not good to liue but to liue wel It is no great thing to liue all thy seruants and cattell do liue Socrat. insuis ex hortation He liues not in whose minde there is nothing but that he may liue eate and drinke that thou maiest liue wel Thou maiest not liue that thou maiest onely eate and drinke Q. What counsell therefore do ye giue R. The same that ere while I did viz. that he which desireth once to die well hath euer a mind to liue well Q. But it is not inough to haue a minde to liue well vnlesse he also labour to liue well R. That 's so but vnlesse he mindes well to liue well Mat. 12.34 he will neuer labour well to liue wel For as out of the abundance of the heart mouth speaketh so of the abundance of the minde the man himselfe worketh the heart maketh the tongue to speake and the minde causeth the hand to worke Q. All this is true I cannot deny it R. VVhy did you then contend so much about it Q. Because I was desirous euerie way to be resolued R. Are you so now Q. Yea for this matter R. VVhat haue you other that you put in this Q. I hope you are not ignorant of that for as yet you haue spoken but of two of the fower meditations which you said long since were much auaileable against the immoderate feare of Death R. In deede I haue yet spoken of no moe Q. That you may speak aswel of the rest that follow as you haue of those that are gone before leauing that where abouts we haue so long contended we wil proceed to the first of those which are to succeed R. And what will you with that Q. No other then with the former R. There needes not all that for I knowe no doubt touching eyther the truth or the effect thereof Q. What to you is needeles for me is needfull for I yet know no more touching this point nowe comming into hande that that which you long since taught me to know R. If you know that you know all which for our intended purpose you are to knowe for the truth and the effect of it are the things which for our purpose are needfull to bee knowen Q. And those are the thinges I am yet in doubt of R. Without cause if you be For the truth thereof it is this he that dyeth beleeuing in Christ dyeth not out of Christ but in Christ For he which beleeueth in Christ is in Christ he that is in Christ by beleeuing in Christ hath both his bodie and soule really coupled to Christ according to the tenour of the couenant of Grace so that though after Death body and soule be seuered one from another yet neither of them are seuered and disioyned from Christ For the coniunction which is once begunne in this life remaines for euer in the life to come and he that is thus conioyned to Christ what needs he doubt any thing touching the effect of the same coniunction what neede hee immoderately or inordinately feare Death Death cannot hurt him Death is but a passage to life vnto him Ioh. 5.24 He which beleeueth in him that sent me saith Christ hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from Death vnto life and saith Paul Rom. 8.1 there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus Q. I but you know when a man dyes that his soule goes from his bodie and that his body being left of his soule rottes in the earth R. What then yet is he neuer the more to feare Death for that for his coniunction with Christ still holdes though the soule goes from the body and the body rots in the earth yet are they both still in Christ both in the couenant both in the fauour of God and that asmuch as they were before death Q. But they are both seuered one from another so as neither soule with bodie nor body with Soule
hath any communion or fellowshippe R. What then that seperation for a time notwithstanding they shall againe at length be reunited and ioyned togither and then shall they haue full communion one with another world without end Q. I know they shall so in the resurrection at the last day R. Why then obiect you as you do that knowledge is to strengthen you and any that knowes it against the feare of death with that Dauid comforteth himselfe saying Psal 16.9 Mine heart is glad and my tongue reioyceth my flesh also doth rest in hope for thou wilt not leaue my Soule in graue neither wilt thou suffer thine holie one to see corruption With that Paul comforteth himselfe and others himselfe when he said Philip. 1.22 In death and life Christ is to me aduantage Others when hee prooued vnto them the resurrection of the dead with that also should you comfort your selfe and others What vse both Dauid and Paul made of it should others also make For why the thing of it selfe is one vnto all And all that beleeue shall haue much alike benefits thereby but I minde not now to speake of them neither neede I for they pertaine to another life and I now glaunce at them but as they yeeld comfort in this life Q. That comfort you speake of should mooue you more fullie to display them for those things which follow after death may in this life yeelde comfort against Death R. You heard me euen nowe professe so much and I like it well you will so soone thereupon confesse so much Q. I must confesse the truth for therefore I learne R. I am glad thereof for therefore I teach you it Q. If I should not make that vse of it both you should teach it in vaine and I learne it in vaine but that that may not betide I will marke both what you doe teach and what I may learne R. In so doing you shall do well Q. I perswade my selfe so and therefore I will doe as I say so neere as I may but now seeing you haue no mind to speake of some things after this life I would you would speake of something in this life R. So haue I alreadie Q. I deny not that in demaunding this but I now speake of a more speciall thing then those which are past R. It is verie like so but what is that that I may soone satisfie you Q. The last of your 4. meditations which you long since said were verie sufficient to comfort the Soule of man against the immoderate feare of Death R. If that be it we shall do well ynough but what would you that I should say touching it Q. First whether that the Lord hath promised his presence to his seruants as you said or not Secondly whether so much will thereupon follow as you inferred or no R. It seemes you doubt at euerie turne but it is no matter to shew you that I speake no more then I will iustifie I will shewe you both the one and the other Q. I thank you for that not because I doubt of what you say but because I would know your ground for that you say R. For the first therefore thus saith the Lord by his Prophet Dauid Psal 91.15 I will be with him in trouble Isai 43.3 and by his Prophet Esaie When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the flouds that they do not ouerflow thee When thou walkest through the verie fire thou shalt not bee burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee and thus by his Sonne and our Sauiour Christ Iesus Ioh. 14.18 Mat. 28.20 I will not leaue you comfortlesse I will be with you vnto the end of the world And by these is it not manifest that the Lord hath promised his presence to his Seruants in time of neede and necessitie Q. Yes it is so I neither can nor will deny it but the Lord himselfe is inuisible is he not R. Yes for as the Scripture saith No man hath seene God at any time to Moses he himselfe said Thou canst not see my face Exo. 33.20 1. Tim. 1.17 Col. 1.15 Iud. 13.22 for there shal no man see me and liue of him Manach said vnto his wife We shall surelie dye because we haue seene God When they saw as the text saith but an Angell of God Q. By what meanes therefore doth he manifest his presence that so wee may perceiue a performance of his promise R. By meanes many In number three First by moderating and lessening the paines and torments of sickenes and death as the verie words of his promise by Esaie his Prophet doe plainelie import For he saith Isai 43.3 When thou passest through the waters I will bee with thee that the flouds doe not ouerflow thee and when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee So that if the flouds do not ouerflow a man when he is in the waters nor the flame kindle vpon him when he is in the fire hee may well thinke the Lord is there present restraining both the waters from swelling and the fire from burning For naturally either of them would do the kind if he did not restraine thē so in the paines of sicknes pangs of death if a man findes his sorrowes nothing so greeuous as the afflictions of his life he may well thinke the Lord present for the paines of the one and the pangs of the other are painefull ynough of themselues and ouermuch yrkesome to many Yet this that I now say many haue true indeed found of many such there is mention made in the Acts Monuments of the Church they which haue the booke may looke into it assuredly they shall finde what I heare say neither shall they loose their time whē they haue so done or repent them of their labour in so doing For my part I must now proceed from this meanes of the Lords manifesting his presence though he be inuisible and not to bee seene visibly to the next Secondly therefore the Lord doth manifest his presence in the paines of sickenes and pangs of death by giuing in inward and vnspeakable comfort of his spirit vnto them that are afflicted with the one and distressed with the other for to many then doth he giue a greater portion of his spirit thē at many other times bypast and foregone In one place of scripture the Apostle Paul speaking of himselfe and his afflictions saith thus As the suffering of Christ abounded in vs so our consolation aboundeth through Christ 2. Cor. 15. And in another place speaking of his owne and his fellowes behauiour in their tribulations hee saith thus Wee reioyce in tribulations knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience c. Rom. 5.3 Now there must bee some thing that must worke this ioye and comfort For as the same Apostle saith Heb. 12.11 No chastising for the present time seemeth to
it is naturall for a man to die vpon his bed the other i. the second would haue been both violent and suddaine For it is a violent suddaine death to be taken away when a man is very likely to liue and whilest he makes none accompt to die And I thinke a violent and suddaine death is worse then a naturall In a naturall death life hath attayned his full periode In a violent and suddaine life is cut off ere euer shee comes to her periode Againe for the naturall oft we wish and well we may It is the end of all our labours it is the gate of life it is the house appointed to all that liue it takes away all euils and deliuers the iust mans soule from them As one saith In generality it takes away three things for the which the righteous wish to goe out of this life to wit The feare of transgression the griefe of affliction the heate of emulation so long as they liue they are sure to sinne to sorrow to lament saith Bernard By how much the longer we liue Bernard Hierom. by so much the more we are molested and doe sinne saith Hierome Infinite are the perils amongest which we walke what should it delight vs to remaine among the snares of the diuels the swords of men the vnlawfull motions of the flesh and therfore Paul said Rom. 7.24 Tobit 3.6 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death Tobit said It is better for me to die then to liue because I haue heard false reproches and am very sorowfull 1. Mach. 2.7 Mattathias said Woe is me wherefore was I borne to see this destruction of my people the destruction of the holie Citie and thus to sit still 1. Kin. 19.4 Elijah said It is inough O Lord take my soule for I am no better then my Fathers and Ieremie said Ier. 20.14 Cursed be the day wherein I was borne and let not the day wherein my Mother bare me be blessed with many other wordes which you may reade in the xx of his Prophecy Againe as death takes away all euils so it brings giues many goods Bernard as Barnard saith Death will come but it will be but a sleepe to the elect of God a gate of life a beginning of refreshing a ladder to ascend vp into heauen by Hence saith one vpon that saying of Syrach O death how acceptable is thy iudgemēt vnto the needfull c. Vnto the Saints truely the iudgement of death is good because it is no other thing to them but a going out of prison an end of banishment a finishing of labours an arriuing at an Hauen an end of a pilgrimage a laying downe of a greeuous burthen a deliuery out of a ruinous house a returne to their countrey an entry into life And in consideration hereof Paul said Philip. 1 2◠I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ for Christ is to me both in life and death aduantage What Paul wished others may wish for death is the same to them it was to him aduantage to him aduantage to them aduātage to all that die in him by death they passe from labour to rest from shame to honour from pouertie to plentie from a cottage to a kingdome from death to life And thus now you see both that we may pray and also well pray for naturall death but so much you neither can nor may see for a violent a suddaine death Against that wee many times pray from plague pestilence and famine from battaile and murder suddaine death good Lord deliuer vs and of right we ought for we are neuer so ready as that it is good for vs to be taken suddenly and we know it will goe but hardly with vs if we be taken in our sinnes Others being taken suddenly makes vs afraide and therefore the feare of being taken our selues suddenly should more make vs to feare and vpon feare to say From sudden death good Lord deliuer vs the fore-thought of death comes somtimes ill inough and therefore the suddaine cannot come alwaies well inough But now I remember my selfe I haue said inough of this to manifest what I was to manifest Now therefore if you please I will backe againe as fast as I may Q. And whither will you backe R. To that from which we are somewhat fallen Q. What is that R. The bad dealing and ill speeding of those that vse the prescripts of Coniurers and Charmers Q. Why you haue been about the one and the other of these all this while R. I haue so but otherwise then I would if you had not been Q. What would you haue done if I had not been R. Haue made quicker speed about their euill speeding Q. Me thinke you haue been quick inough and if it be as you say they are sure to speed ill inough R. You if still as if you doubted If you will not beleeue either mee for Moses or Moses for himselfe or both for God looke vpon Ahaziah king of Israel and tell mee if you find not asmuch prooued by his history as before was auouched vpon diuine verity Q. Why what is his history R. That being sicke through a fall thorow the lattesse window in his vpper chamber 2. King 1.2 which was in Samaria hee sent messengers to Baalzebub the God of Ekron to know whether hee should recouer of that his disease yea or no but while this was in doing the Angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Thisbite arise and go vp to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and say vnto them Is it not because there is no God in Israel that ye goe to enquire of Baalzebub the God of Ekron wherefore thus saith the Lord thou shalt not come downe from the bed on which thou art gone vp but shalt dye the death Q. And is there hereby as much prooued as was before by you propounded R. What else Q. I see but three things in it 1. Ahaziah his sinne 2. the reproofe of his sinne 3. A commination against him for his sinne R. Yet therein may you see what I would haue you see See viz. First that they do sinne greeuously which leauing the ordinarie meanes the Lord hath set to haue health by doe seeke vnto extraordinarie Secondly that they which doe so wickedly shall therefore speed ill fauouredly The first in the two first you see for there as Ahaziah sinned so he was therefore reproued The second in the last you say you see for there is shewed how Ahaziah should speed for his wicked deed Q. I but yet it is not shewed how hee did speede R. It may thence easily bee collected for the word that commeth out of the mouth of God shall not returne vnto him void Esa 55.12 but it shall accomplish that which he will and it shall prosper in the thing whereto he sent it Q. But did this so R. Yea verilie for
thus in the 17. verse of the 1. Chapter of the second booke of Kings it is said 2. Kin. 1.17 So he died according to the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken Q. I but yet it appeares not that it had been better for Ahaziah to haue died of his sicknes then to haue askte counsell of Baalzebub the God of Ekron touching his disease R. No death what hinders First he dies for his sending and it may bee he should not then haue died if he had not sent VVherefore and therefore are words that imply much in this history they are both vsed 2. King 1. verse 4.16 Secondly ere he dies he looseth an hundred men and two captaines through his sending which he should not haue lost if he had not sent and doe not these things approue what a longtime you haue driuen me to proue Q. Yes for him but not for others R. Yes yes for others and him too they which are alike in offence shall not be vnlike in punishment what Aheziah once gatte by vsing vnlawfull meanes for health that often get others by doing the like good neuer get any The author of mischiefe by whom all Charmers and Coniurers doe worke neuer doth good though for the present I deny not but it may seeme good and other good then that which he doth they get not Euery seruant liues at his Masters expences and therefore his seruants must fare no otherwise then he will allow them Q. You are an eger man against Coniurers and Charmers sith you cannot abide that they should be sought to in sicknes for health answere me to this May the helpe and counsaile of allothers but these be both asked and vsed R. Yea if they bee as before I said for knowledge skilfull for practise fortunate for conscience vpright and religious Q. Your If argues not that euery others helpe beside Coniurers and Charmers is either to be craued or practised R. It is very like so if they be not qualified as before is specified Q. Why require you so much in a Phisitian R. Because with lesse he is no good Phisitian and I would haue none so foolish as to put himselfe into the hands of the vnskilfull infortunate and vngodly it is ill committing of a mans selfe to him that is skilfull if he bee both infortunate and vngodly but it is worse to him that is neither cunning luckie nor godly though he be zealous to do good a man may haue little good by him if he hath neither knowledge to direct him nor successe to follow him and therefore surely he may look for lesse where all are wanting oft times a man fares the worse for another mans vngodlines how much more shal he fare amisse when all three euils meete in one Q. I but that is seldome when R. Too oftē if it be but once for bad is the first that is ignorance it is the mother of all errours but worse is the second that is infortunacie the infortunacie of one is infortunate to another but worst of all is the third that is impiety for one mans impiety hinders another mans prosperity Q. I confesse none of them all is good R. And dare you affirme that one is not worse then another Q. I neither dare nor doe yet that which is in the comparatiue or superlatiue must also be in the positiue R. That 's true because neither comparatiue not superlatiue can be without the positiue but why stand you vpon those things Q. Because you haue driuen me to them R. If I wist that I would draw you from thē for it is not for vs now to stand vpon thē Q. Yet we may well speake of them R. I withstand not that Q. Neither do I withstand you in the qualities of your Phisitian but yet I would craue a reason of that his condition R. I haue giuen one already will not that content you Q. That 's a very generall one R. Is it euer the worse for that Q. I say not so but still me thinke it is for somwhat that you wish a Phisition whom a man in sicknes should seeke to to be so conditioned as before you haue mentioned R. It is so and that somewhat I haue told you for I would haue him good that is to be sought to because I would haue the sick seeke to none but him that is good Q. Your will is good but who is so good R. He that practiseth well Q. What is he R. He that practiseth religiously in regard of himselfe and commodiously in regard of his patient Q. Doe not all practise alike R. No diuerse practise diuerselie some worke onely by the inspection of the vrine some againe hand ouer head some other by Astrologicall rules Q. And doe you finde fault with euery of these R. Yea that do I and not without cause for the first may be deceiued the second sooner kill then cure the third effect lesse good then they otherwise might Q. Why is it not good to iudge by the vrine R. Forest de vrin iudicijs lib. 3. Lang. lib. 2 Epist 4. Yes but it is not euer safe to minister according to the vrine for as the learned in that faculty auouch that kind of dealing tends rather to kill then to cure and sundry men are indeed killed thereby Q. Why is that R. Because iudgement by the vrine is very deceiptful for the water of him that is sicke of a pestilent feuer euen vnto death lookes for substance and colour as the water of a whole man and so doth the water of him that is sicke of a quartane or of any other intermitting feauer specially if they haue vsed good diet from the beginning so also doth the water of him that hath the plurisie or the inflammation of the lungs or the squinancy oft times when he is neere death Q. May one the same vrine then fore-signifie both life and death and may be a signe of diuerse and different diseases R. Yea that it may for a thinne crude and pale vrine in them that be in health doth betoken want of digestion but in them that are sicke of a sharpe or burning ague it betokens the frensie and is a certaine signe of death at hand to ensue Q. I muse then why most Phisitians worke by the inspection of the vrine R. You neede neuer long muse thereat the reason is soone found they are sent vnto by many and that often by simple soules women and seruants such as can giue them no further instruction then they themselues extorte from them by questioning with them vpon inspection of the vrine they are sent for but by few so that their absēce from their patients is a cause why they worke as they may vpon their patients no doubt but many would worke otherwise then they doe did they see and know the conditions of their patients Q. It seemes then there is fault aswell in them that should vse them as in themselues R. You may be
doe appoint and that hee must prepare by humbling himselfe vnder the hand of God in his sicknes for his sinnes and crauing parâ—on of them and for them For first in consideration that he hath prouoked the Lord to anger against him by his sinnes hee must submit himselfe vnto his hand acknowledging that he suffers no more then he hath deserued nor all that neither Secondly in regard that he is no way able to satisfie the wrath of God against him conceiued for his sinnes Iam. 5.13 hee must in all humility and most earnestly craue pardon of him for his sinnes and both these must he doe ere euer any medicine enter into his body Syr. 3â— 9 10 11 12 13 14. This I am sure was the rule of Syrach to his sonne My sonne faile not in thy sicknes but pray vnto the Lord and he wil make thee whole leaue off from sinne and order thine hands aright cleanse thine heart from all wickednes Offer sweete incense and fine flower for a remembrance make the offering fat for thou art not the first giuen Then giue place to the Phisition for the Lord hath created him let him not go from thee for thou hast need of him The houre may come that their enterprise may haue good successe For they also shall pray vnto the Lord that he would prosper that which is giuen for ease and their Phisicke for the prolonging of life For the neglect of this rule Asa the king is much blamed in scripture 2. Chro. 16 1â— for he sought not to the Lord in his sickenes but to the phisitions put his trust in theÌ„ And for the contempt thereof amongst vs much woe by some is sustained For thence it often comes that those diseases proue incurable which are of themselues curable and they that are molested with them sodainly die of them who otherwise in mans iudgement might haue liued long without them Ere euer therefore any phisicke be taken by the sicke it is good that as the Lord doth humble him by sickenes so he doth humble himselfe vnto God for all his sinnes and craue pardon of them so shall both his phisicke be blessed vnto him and he himselfe blessed in the vse of it But till hee be reconciled vnto God by his humbling of himselfe and crauing pardon of him twentie to one his phisicke will neuer doe him good For as vnto the pure all things are pure so vnto them that are defiled Tit. 1.15 and vnbeleeuing nothing is pure but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled But to leaue this first with which he that is sicke is to take phisicke I wil come to the second with which he is to take vse of phisicke as with the first Touching which I say that with it he is to take phisicke because that when he hath prepared himselfe and is about to take phisicke he must sanctifie the phisicke which he takes by the worde of God and by prayer as he doth any of his other either meates or drinkes That by the first i. the worde he may haue warrant that the prescribed medicines which he is to take be lawfull and good and by the. 2. that is praier he may haue Gods blessing vpon the same to the recouering of his health if it be Gods good wil and pleasure For as without the warrant of the word nothing is lawful so without the vse of praier nothing is sanctified For as the word must come before a thing be lawful so praier must come before a thing be prosperous hence is it that the Apostle willeth vs to pray continually and many haue vsed prayer before they haue done any thing that that which they were to doe might bee sanctified while they were in doing it Act. 20.36.38 1. King 18.38 blessed when they had done it As Paul prayed before hee iourneyed Eliah prayed before he sacrificed Tobias prayed before he bedded the Israelites prayed before they bickred c and all to teach vs that we must pray before we iourney before wee sacrifice before wee bed before wee fight before we doe any thing because without Gods aide and assistance we can doe nothing Ioh. 15.5 and therefore not take phisicke to our good though the phisicke that we take be neuer so good But to passe from this and to come to the third which was consideration I say with that he that takes physicke is to take it because a man must rest no more vpon phisicke than he may nor trust any more to it than he ought Physicke hath a certaine ende though mans appetite hath no ende and that ende must he well minde that minds to take phisicke as he ought Further than the ende he must not goe now the right and proper ende of phisicke is the continuing and lengthening of life to his naturall period which is the extreame point of life beyond which by no possible meanes it can longer be preserued hauing been thereby oftimes before helped and continued for then is nature wholy spent When therefore he takes phisicke euen whilst he is taking of it he must not thinke that any waies by it he can preuent either olde age or death for that is impossible and impossible cannot be changed by phisicke God himselfe that is incurable hath set it downe that all men must once die and bee changed because all men haue often sinned And therefore to escape death by any meanes no man must euer either hope or expect Q. It is but in vaine if any doth For it is appointed to all men once to die so assuredly euery man must once die Happie is he that comes not twice to die It is good once to die as you haue shewed but it is ill twice to die as I suspect R. Neuer suspect it but beleeue it God is not as man Numb 23.19 that he shouldly Yet he hath said Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection Apoc. 20.6 for on such the second death hath no power but they shall be the priests of God and of Christ and shall raigne with him a thousand yeares And therefore cursed must they needes be on whome the second death hath power For to haue parte in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone is the second death Apoc. 21.8 And the fearefull and vnbeleeuing and the abhominable and murtherers and whoremongers and sorcerers idolaters and al liers shal haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire brimstone which is the second death whosouer was not found writteÌ„ in the booke of life was cast into the lake of fire And death hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death Q. I pray God blesse vs from that For as the death is ill so the company therein is also ill R. It is for the euill and therefore it cannot be good Q. So it seemes Sith it is for the euill let the euill take it and keepe
his death he is to propound to his and his Churches patron a man for gifts sufficiently qualified for manners of many well commended and of his people much esteemed this if he doth there is little doubt but that that after his death will bee obtained which at his dying was greatly wished for he and his people ioining togither they shall either in deede with this patron preuaile or verie hardly misse and if it happen that both misse what they would they may there-through notwithstanding speed better then otherwise they speed for he is extremely stiffe that will not bow at the ardent requests of many when that which is requested tendes specially to the good and comfort of many But to passe ouer this and post to the next If the householder will haue loue to holde and quiet to continue amongst his heires after he is dead whilst he liues and before he dies he is to dispose of the goods be they many or few which God of his goodnes hath heere vouchsafed him This if he doth it is not to bee feared but that will fall out which I haue said for wheÌ„ euery one knowes his part and portion how shal they not accord and agree the ignorance of his portion causeth each man to striue for a portion that thinks he hath right to a portion This made one come to Christ saying Luk. 12.13 Master bid my brother deuide the inheritance with me And this makes much braule amongst many now But if order in the house bee established there is no such adoe Euery man knowes what he must hold him to and therefore they all are at quiet Grieue they may that one is not as good as another but striue they cannot one with another A barre is set that no breach may be made Q. What barre R. Order Q. And if that be set wil there be no breach made R. No not if that be kept Nazianzene de moderat in disputâ—â—â—nibus â—eruande For that as Nazianzene saith is the mother and preseruer of all things Q. But for the procuring of that vz. good order in his family what must the man of whom and for whom we all this while speake doe R. 1. He must dispose of his lands goods that he then in the time of his sickenes hath in his hands 2. he must admonish charge those of the family wife childreÌ„ and seruants to learne beleeue and obey the true religion of God that is the doctrine of saluation set downe in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles Q. You make it it seemes a matter of dutie for a man in time of his sickenes to make his will if it be then vnmade and not a matter of indifferencie R. I doe so and in so doing I hope I doe no more than I may doe neither yet any thing lesse than that which euery man ought to doe for that which God by Isaiah the prophet spake vnto Hezekiah the king being sicke I take as spoken to euery man being sicke aswell well as to Hezekiah For what is spoken in the scripture to one man is spoken for the instruction of another man And that I may the more boldly thinke it to be so taken the admonition of the wise man to his sonne in the booke of Iesus the sonne of Syrach doth perswade mee For thus there and by him it is said Syr. 33. 22. At the time when thou shalt ende thy dayes and finish thy life distribute thine inheritance But whether it be or no the matter is not much For I haue at hand the practise of many auncient and worthie men which doe prooue that it ought to be such Gen. 25. Abraham before his death makes his will and giues legacies Gen. 25.5 Abraham gaue all his goods to Izaak but vnto the sonnes of the concubines which Abraham had Abraham gaue gifts Gen. 27. so doth Izaak ver 28. and. 29 and ver 39.40 and Gen. 49. So doth Iacob Gen. 49.3 And so doth Christ our Sauiour vpon the crosse to his father hee giues his soule Luk. 23.46.52 father into thine hands I commend my spirit to Ioseph of Aramathea he giues his bodie Iohn 19.27.21.15 Luk. 23.43.34 to Iohn he giues his mother to Peter he giues his church to the repentant theefe he giues paradise to the souldiers he giues his garments And of these I gather what I haue said and in my iudgement nothing amisse both because their actions are to vs good instructions and also because the action it selfe is aunswerable to Christian conuersation For first by Christianitie a man is in his life so to dispose of those goods which God hath lent him as that his disposition of them may make much to the glory of God after his death Secondly a man is so to dispose of his goods in his life time as there may be none occasion of strife and contention betweene any of those he leaues behinde him after his death Thirdly a man in sickenes is so to dispose of his goods as his goods may nothing disquiet him in his sickenes nor any thing distract him from prouiding for his latter ende Now by making of a will in sickenes if then it be vmade a man may so dispose of his goods as thereby he may geatly glorifie the name of God which gaue them throughly breake off strife and dissension betweene them which shall haue them and singularly quiet himselfe that is to depart from them And therefore I iudge it conuenient for a man to make a will and not indifferent to make or not to make For first in all things a man must seeke the glorie of God For the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 10 32 Whether yee eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glory of God Secondly aboue all things a man must put on loue 1. Pet. 4.8 1. Cor. 1.3.6 for as Peter saith Loue couereth a multitude of sinnes And saith Paul Loue reioyceth not in iniquitie And our Sauior himselfe saith Mat. 18.7 Wee be to the man by whome the offence commeth It were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea Rom. 16.18 They which cause diuision and offences are such as serue not the Lord Iesus Christ but their owne bellies saith Paul And therefore againe otherwhere he saith 1. Cor. 10.32 Giue none offence neither to the Iewes nor to the Grecians nor to the Church of God 1. Pet. 3.4 Thirdly A meeke and quiet spirit before God is a thing much set by As Peter the Apostle in the first of his Epistles anoucheth But to draw home and driue to a point the one and the other and euery of these are this way gotten For a man making his will well and wisely doth thereby prouoke others to glorifie God for giuing him will and wisedome so to dispose of the things of this life and to imitate him in the
like Also he doth thereby cut off much hatred and contention which otherwise might or would arise For the making of a will is the staying of many suits in lawes By it many a question is decided some doubts are resolued all hatred is preuented except more fault be in those that remaine aliue than in him that is departed and gone Moreouer he doth thereby procure himselfe the more quiet in minde the greater libertie to attend vpon God and his pleasure the best oportunitie that may be to frame himselfe to another world Still and still therefore I commend the making of will before a man dies but euer and euer I condemne the leauing of all at sixe and seauen when hee dies For thereupon comes much strife and debate great questions and braulings at the law immortal hatred and disdaine and that among those which in former times liued in great peace and good loue Oftimes also all these proue so extreme as euery man besides that hath any sparke of wit or loue to peace saith It is great pitie that such a man died without a will that the least things as he did that he did not set all things at a stay You will not beleeue what ado heere is thereupon in the countrie No peace among his children no loue betweene his freinds no quiet to any of his neighbours c. Q. But one thing heare you ere you goe further doe you condemne this leauing off all at sixe and seauen as you said in all cases R. Yea surely vnles others are imagined than are alreadie by some pretended Q. Why what doe some pretend for their not making of a will R. First the hiding of their substance Secondly the concealement of their decayed estate Thirdly the hastning of their owne deaths Fourthly the quieting of their kinsefolkes mindes Q. And are none of these sufficient stoppes to stay a man from making of a will R. Truly no. Q. It may be your simple word will not be taken of euery one for a sure warrant R. I can then shew reason of my assertion Q. So do then and the better they may credit you R. That I will to whether any will credit me the more therefore yea or no. The first thing then pretended is no sufficient stoppe to stay a man from making of a will because it argues small thankefulnes to God for his blessings For what should a man be ashamed of the good gifts of God giuen vnto him It is his part rather to manifest them that so God may be the more glorified for giuing them than to conceale them 1. Cor. 4.7 For what hath he which hee hath not receiued and if hee hath not what hee receiued not why doth hee conceale them as if hee receiued them not It is the receiuers duty to acknowledge the giuers bountie No more is the second because it argues too much pride And what should dust and ashes be then proud when he is to returne to dust and ashes It is his duty rather to acknowledge the dealing of the Lord with him that others may take heed by him how they abuse the good gifts of GOD bestowed on them than to conceale it As it is God that maketh rich so it is God that maketh poore for he setteth vp one and pulleth downe another and what should vaine man desire to appeare better than God himselfe will haue him to be he that will obtayne mercy must not conceale his owne miserie Neither yet is the third because it argues too great loue of life too much feare of death And what shuld a mā too much loue that which once hee must lay down or too greatly feare that which one day he must vndergo It is his duty rather to submit himselfe vnder the mighty hand a God according to his prayer thy kingdome come thy wil be done c than otherwise The dayes of man are numbred his time appointed which he cannot ouer-passe though therefore he makes a thousand willes if it were possible for one man to make so many yet shall he die neuer the sooner God prolongs not the dayes of a man for the want of a will For they die aswel which neuer makes any as they which make many neither doth he shorten them because he hath made any for some haue made many and yet liue at this d y. But to let this passe of as little force is the fourth as the first or as any that yet haue followed And the reason is because it argues too fond a liking of kinsefolkes aboue the duty that is owing vnto God And what should a man so foolishly loue his kinred as for loue of them hee will omit the performance of the dutie which hee oweth vnto God It is his part rather to doe that which may please God than that which may please his friends Gal. 1.10 Saith Paul If I should yet please men I were not the seruant of Christ And saith Christ himselfe Mar. 10.37 He that loueth father or mother more than mee is not worthie of me and hee that loueth sonne or daughter more then me is not worthie of mee How they will bee worthie of Christ that are so foolishly affected to their kinred as for affection to them they will not doe what God hath enioyned them they had best to looke least for neglect thereof they in the end speed otherwise than they will like While they are a looking to that I will looke to that they say And me thinke without further looking I may well say that their pretence of not making a will is meerely false For the making of a will is the quieting of their kinsfolkes mindes for when their kinsfolkes see and know that there is a will made their mindes are quieted and all strife that might for want thereof after rise betweene them is wholy staid and precided So that still it is good for the sicke for the procuring of order in his house after his death to take care for the making of a will in his life and not to stay himselfe therefro for any of these vaine pretences named they all being alreadie sufficiently proued insufficient Q. Seeing you stand so stiffely for the making of a will making it rather a matter of necessitie than indifference what rules touching the making of his will would you wish the sicke to obserue R. These which the lawiers say testatours should obserue Q. What are those R. Aske the lawiers Q I am not with them nor amongst them except you be one R. Why you know I am none Q. It may bee notwithstanding you haue hearde what they say R. In some sorte I may not that denie Q. What then haue you hearde R. First that he which is to make a will must looke to him selfe whether hee be testable or not that is such an one as may make a will Secondly that hee must looke to the things which he will demise whether they be such as he may demise yea or no.
Gen. 15. Gen. 15.3 Though God said to Abraham I am thy buckler and thine exceeding great reward Yet Abraham againe said vnto him beholde to mee thou hast giuen no seede wherefore loe a seruant of my house shall be mine heire This was Abrahams resolution till God shewed him his determination hee thought the right of inheritance he hauing no issue did appertaine to the chiefe in his house but God determining to shew him both who should be his heire and any mans right heire said vnto him touching Eliezer of Damascus the steward of Abrahams house This man shall not he thine heire but one that shall come out of thine owne bowels he shall be thine heire i. the sonne which shall come out of thine owne loynes he shall be thine heire Rom. 8.17 Rom. 8. If ye be sonnes saith God by the mouth of Paul then are ye also heires which words importe that none should be heires but sonnes if there be sonnes for they are not then yee may be heires but then are ye also heires as if sonnes ought to be heires if they be to conclude therefore Paul saith 1. Tim. 5.8 He that prouideth not for his own namely for them of his householde is worse than an infidell as though this by nature were instilled into very infidels that in their liues and at their deaths they would prouide for their owne and them of their householdes ere euer they prouided for any other besides their owne and their households And therefore should not be estranged from christians If nature works so much in infidels grace should not worke lesse in christians Grace is better than nature and therefore the operation should not be worse Q. It seemes you count it an exceeding fault for a man by will to alienate his goods or lands wholly and finally from his children and ofspring if he hath any R. Neither doe I in this case any thing without reason for when God by his lawe hath appoynted who shall bee heires what shall man at his pleasure appoynt new heires as if his wisedome were better than Gods I am sure there is no reason for it neither will the verie lawe of nature permit or approue it There is one that saith Plato de Repub. li. 2. Aristot pol. lib. 5. c. 8. Dorbel 4.145 qu. 2. de Testam A testament made against the equitie of the law of nature the law of God or the law positiue is to be broken and whether a will that doth appoint other to bee heires than God in his law doth appoynt be a will against the equitie of the one lawe or the other I leaue to other men to iudge Q. Then may you soone be gone for some say the father may appoynt another if the sonne hath promerited it R. Diuerse men diuerse minds I know some say so and I deny not but the case may sometime be such as the father may so deale Reuben was the eldest sonne of Israel 1. Chro. 5.1 but he had defiled his fathers bed therefore his birth-right was giuen vnto the sonnes of Ioseph the sonne of Israel so that the genealogie is not reckened after his birth right When Iaakob called all his sonnes together to tell them what should come to them in the last dayes thus he sayd to Reuben his eldest sonne Thou art my might and the beginning of my strength Gen. 49.3.4 the excellencie of dignitie the excellencie of power thou wast light as water thou shalt not be excellent because thou wentest vp to thy fathers bed then diddest thou defile my bed thy dignitie is gone But ordinarilie it falls not so out though often Parents take occasion to deale hardly with their children And I speake not now of extraordinarie chances but of ordinarie euents and therefore your then you may be soone gone comes not in so happilie as you would R. Neither care I whether it doth or no. I am not conceited my desire is but to be resolued with or for that I thinke you will not be offended R. Ofte and often that hath beene manifested but to the matter againe controuerted Though the sonne in the fathers iudgement hath promerited wholly to bee disinherited yet so much against the sonne the father in his sickenes vpon his death bed should not be incensed as therefore of his fatherly benediction he should vtterly be depriued The Father should rather remember the loue hee beares to his sonne and the obedience hee owes to his God than thus seeke to reuenge the misdemeanour of his sonne against him the fault that is in his sonne at that time hee should forgiue and forget The time of death is no time for reuenge as he would then be forgiuen so should he willingly forgiue because of his owne trespasse against his father God almightie he would be loath to be disinherited of his kingdome so because of his sonnes trespasse against him he should be vnwilling to disposses him of that which otherwise if his trespasse had beene away should haue descended vnto him What though the sonne forgets he is a sonne yet must not therefore the father forget that he is a father The historie of Dauid and Absolom teaches no such matter For though Absolom was as vngratious a sonne to Dauid as a sonne almost might be yet was not therefore Dauid as vnkinde a father as a father could be When Absolom followed him ouer Iordane with a purpose to disposses him of his kingdome 2. Sam. 18.5 Dauid yet said vnto Ioab and Abishai and Ittai Entreate the young man gently for my sake And when Ahimanz and Cushi brought him tydings the first question he asked them was this is the young man Absolom safe To which when Cushi answered the enemies of my Lord the king and all that rise against thee to doe thee hurt be as that young man is Dauid the king was moued and went vp to the chamber ouer the gate and wept and as he went he thus said O my sonne Absalom my sonne my sonne Absolom would God I had dyed for thee ô Absalom my sonne my sonne By this history Parents may learne not to be too vnkinde to their children how euer their children be vnkinde to them especially at their farewell to them and to the world for alas what pleasure may it doe them when they are gone so to haue dealt with them ere they did goe What a perpetuall blot to their names in so doing shall they leaue behinde them What an euill example shall they giue to other What a torment shall they fixe in the heart and conscience of their distressed children For these and other considerations I could wish that Parents would not be merciles to their children when they come to dye how euer they seemed mindles of them while they did liue It is hard to dye with an hard minde toward them A father pittieth his childe a father prouideth for his childe What fathers are they that neither pitie them hauing done
also I finde That olde Tobit no sooner remembred that hee had wished for death Tobit 4.2 but hee said wherefore doe I not call for my sonne Tobias that I may admonish him before I dye as though when a man were a dying it were his duetie to admonish his sonnes and those of his familie to doe those things which are pleasing vnto him which gaue them life and may at his pleasure take it againe from them And therefore when he had called him he sayd My sonne after that I am dead burie me and despise not thy mother but honour her all the dayes of thy life and doe that which shall please her and anger her not Remember my sonne how many dangers she susteyned when thou wast in her wombe and when she dyeth burie her by me in the same graue My sonne set our Lord God alwaies before thine eyes and let not thy will be set to sinne or to transgresse the commandement of God Doe vprightlie all thy life long and follow not the waies of vnrighteousnes for if thou deale truely thy doings shall prosperouslie succeed to thee and to all them that liue iustly and so forth as followeth in that place Now by all this which I haue found this is the conclusion which I make to wit that what good thing soeuer men know touching God and godlines they are not to keepe it to themselues but to teach it their children and families not onely in their life time but also at their death that so God may be glorified of them both while they liue and also when they dye And the third thing that induces me thereto ouer and aboue the precept of God and the practise of good men of which I haue now spoken is the speciall commendation God himselfe giues to Abraham the father of the faithfull for the doing of the same for when he was to discouer vnto him the destruction of Sodome and Gomorhe he made this the reason of his so doing Gen. 18.19 I know Abraham that he will commaund his sonnes and his householde after him that they keepe the way of the Lorde to doe righteousnes and iudgement And what a singular commendation this is hee that hath but halfe an eye may see It is a very good thing to be well spoken of by men Senec. de Reme fort The good opinion of men is safer than money An honest report is a second patrimonie Id. in Prou. Yea saith Salomon A good name is to be chosen aboue great riches and louing fauour is aboue siluer Prou. 22.1 Eccl. 7.3 and aboue golde A good name is better than a good oyntment But it is a better thing to bee well spoken of by God himselfe as hee better knoweth what is in man so hee better iudgeth what is done by man as he also is greater than man so is his commendation better than mans Mans is hardly got and easilie lost Gods once got is euer hardly lost as hee knowes what hee speakes ere he speakes so he speakes surely when he speakes As Balaam said to Balak God is not as man Num. 22.19 that he should lye neither as the sonne of man that he should repent hath he said and shall he not doe it And hath he spoken and shall hee not accomplish it As Peter saith The word of the Lord endureth for euer As Christ himselfe saith 1. Pet. 1.25 which was and is God Mat. 24 35. Heauen and earth shall passe away but my words shall not passe away As therefore he that is sicke is desirous to haue the praise of God before the praise of men because of all praise it is the best so is he to be carefull of that which God himselfe commaundes to all and commends in Abraham hee commaunds it that it may bee obeyed hee commends it that it may bee regarded hee commaunds it and commends it that in the time of sickenes and before the houre of death it may not be neglected Q. But what is the reason that he that is sicke should in his sickenes be carefull of that you speake of It may be in his health he hath often before done it R. That hinders not but that then also he must doe it It is a duetie that lyes vpon a man not onely in the time of health but in the time of sickenes also though therefore in his health he hath neuer so often admonisht all those of his familie to feare God and keepe his commaundements yet then in his sickenes he is not to cease to admonish them still ofte had Moses and Ioshua admonisht the Israelites to serue the Lord and walke in his waies ere euer the time of their departure drew nigh yet did they not therefore cease to doe it euen then when the time came that they were to depart No more should he that is sicke and at the poynt to dye you aske here what is the reason he should then doe it but you might better aske what are the reasons thereof for they are many more than one One is because it is the last and best worke he can then doe and the Apostle saith Desire you the best gifts And againe 1. Cor. 12.3 Gal. 6.9 2. Thes 3.13 Bee not wearie of and in well doing for in due season ye shall reape if yee faint not Another is because it is euery mans part to seeke the propagation of Gods glorie as well when he is dying as while he is liuing For therefore the Lord created him Esa 43.7 I created him for my glorie Esa 41.7 And againe verse 21. This people haue I formed for my selfe they shall shew forth my praise Rom. 14.8 The Apostle also saith Whether we liue or dye wee are the Lordes and therefore while we liue we should liue vnto the Lord and when we dye we should dye vnto the Lord. And because liuing we should liue vnto the Lord and dying dye to the Lord both liuing and dying we should admonish others to liue and dye vnto the Lord. Liuing because the Apostle one where saith Exhorte one another and edifie one another euen as yee doe 1. Thes 5.11 14. and verse there the 14. Admonish them that are vnrulie dying because the same Apostle other where saith 1. Cor. 10.31 Whether yee eate or drinke or whatsoeuer you doe doe all to the glorie of God and therefore this for this makes much to the glorie of God Steuens vehement exhortation to the Iewes before his death made some turne vnto God after his death Saith Augustine in one of his bookes de ciuitate Dei Augustinus de ciuitate Dri. If Steuen had not prayed the Church had not had Paul the Doctor of the Gentiles Through the many good wordes which Christ vsed as he went to be crucified some were either conuerted or confirmed the theefe was conuerted the Centurion was confirmed by both God was glorified the theefe said Luk. 23.42.43 c. Lorde remember mee
depart from your husbands neither know any mā besides them but keepe the bed vndefiled that your mariage may be honourable in the sight of God and of his holy congregation And if GOD doth blesse you with children looke that you bring them vp to the glory of God in his feare and doctrine Engraffe in their young breasts euen from their tender age vertue godlinesse and good manners Looke well vnto your household and be examples to your maides of godlinesse and honestie Be no gadders abroade nor haunters of tauernes but keepe your houses continually except some earnest and lawful busines prouoke you to goe forth Be no bablers nor vaine talkers but for the most part vse silence For silence in a woman is an ornament vnto her Apparell your selues in comely aray with shamefastnes and discreet behauiour 1. Pet. 3.4 not with broydred haire either golde or pearles or costly garments but as it becommeth women that professe godlinesse through good workes Let the hid man which is in the heart be without all corruption with a meeke and quiet spirit which is before God a thing much set by For after this manner in time past did the holy women which trusted in God tire themselues and were subiect to their husbands as Sara obeyed Abraham and called him sir whose daughters yeare whiles ye doe well not being afraid of any terrour These few lessons if you obserue doubt you not my deare daughters but God will well prosper you and giue you a ioyfull and quiet life vpon earth In steede of me he will be your father and will defend you better than euer I could or should pray to him therefore for his blessing and vexe not your selues much for my departure I am to goe before you and you are to follow after me God send vs all a good going And thus Gods blessing be with you my daughters This is the admonition the sicke man may make vnto his daughters if he hath any or many Q. What if he hath but one R. Then as heere he seem'de to speake plurally as hauing many so there he may speake singularly because he hath but one Q. If then he chaunges the person he neede not vse any other admonition R. True except he himselfe will or he knowes some cause why he should chaunge his stile Q. But what manner of admonition may he giue vnto his seruants for they are a parte of his family aswell as others and those you said he was to admonish also R. This or the like syrs you my seruants ye see in me what shall be the ende of you and all flesh else euen a departure from this vile and transitorie world For we are but straungers and pilgrimes on the earth as all our fathers were We haue heere no continuing citie but we seeke one to come The ordinance of God is that all men shall once dye There liueth no man that shall not die A man in his time is but grasse and flourisheth as as flower of the field Our life is euen as a vapour that appeareth for a little time then vanisheth away On this condition came wee into the world that we should againe goe out We haue been sure of death euer since we had life These things doe ye now see practised in me The time of my departure out of this world is at hand I thought it good therefore to send also for you and to take my leaue of you till we meete againe in the kingdome of God I thanke you for the good seruice that ye haue done me I haue not forgotten your seruiceable hearts and good will towards me but I haue giuen to euery one of you such a portion of money as shall declare some part of my thankefull and wel willing heart toward you Now this remaineth to bee craued at your hands that as ye haue hitherto faithfully truely and honestly serued me in my life time euen so after my departure so long as ye tary heere ye will shew the like faithfulnes truth and honestie toward your mistresse Consider that so long as I liued I was a stay vnto her and vnto the things that concerned her but now her chiefe hope next vnto God consisteth in you Therefore I pray you looke well vnto the things that appertaine vnto her see that nothing goe to wrecke waste and decay Prouide that through your diligence her things may rather encrease than decrease Ye know I hope the dutie of a good seruant notwithstanding at this my departure from you I will put you in remembrance of it that when I am gone ye may yet remember my admonitions and so the more speedily aunswer vnto your vocation Eph 6. Col. 3. 1. Tim. 6. Tit. 2. 1. Pet. 2. The duty of a good seruant is to serue his maister and mistresse willingly and with a free courage euen for conscience sake not with the eie but with the heart to obey them to honour them gently to aunswere them not to picke or steale away their goods but to be faithfull vnto them in all things See rherefore that yee on this manner behaue your selues toward your mistresse auoide all stubbornnesse churlishnes cursed speakings telling of tales lying picking wast idlenes negligence and sluggishnes eschew all euill and riotous company Fly drunkennes and whoredome Abstaine from vaine oathes and foolish pastimes So behaue your selues in all your life and conuersation that the name of God and his doctrine be not ill spoken of Let the light of your godly behauiour so shine before men that ye may doe worship to the glorious Gospell of our Sauiour Christ in all things And in this seruing your mistresse with a glad ready and faithfull will thinke your selues to serue the Lord your God and to doe that thing which is pleasing in his fight and that he also will see your paines recompenced Col. 4. as the holy Apostle faith Ye seruants be obedient vnto them that are your bodily maisters in all things not with the eye seruice as men pleasers but in singlenes of heart fearing God And whatsoeuer you doe doe it hartily as though ye did it to the Lord and not vnto men knowing that of the Lord ye shall receiue the rewarde of inheritance for ye serue the Lord Christ But he that sinneth shall receiue according to his sinne For there is no respect of persons with God If ye serue your mistresse truly and faithfully heereafter when ye your selues shal be householders God shall likewise send you true and faithfull seruants But if ye serue her falsely and vngodlily then shall ye of your seruants be likewise serued heerafter For with what measure that ye mete with all shall other mete to you againe Mat. 7.2 saith our Sauiour Christ Liue therefore according to your vocation in the feare of God and ye shall prosper right well God shal blesse you and neuer leaue you succourses As the holy man Tobit saith be not afraid truth it is we leade
heere a poore life but great good shall we haue if we feare God and depart from all sinne and doe well Well the blessing of God be with you Tob. 4. For I must ere it be long away from you Farewell Thus I thinke I haue shewed you as much as hitherto you haue desired of me Q. You haue so and I hartily thanke you therefore For thereby I learne how to instruct and admonish them that are with me and vnder me but I haue not yet done For how euer death be the last ende of this life yet it is not the least thing to be regarded in this life as before you haue signified My request now therefore is to know how the sicke man in the agony of death is to behaue himselfe for no doubt he must aswell care to order himselfe aright in death as to prepare himselfe aright to death R. I will satisfie you in your petition because you please me in your reason For to a good death there is aswell required a good disposition in death as a right preparation to death In the very agony of death therefore the first thing the sicke man is to haue care of is that as he hath liued in faith so he may also die in faith For such as he dieth such shall he be iudged And such as the last day of this life doth leaue him such shall the last day of the world finde him Eccles 11.3 As Salomon saith In the place that the tree falleth there it shall be The second that as he hath spent the former part of his life so hee may also spend the latter for obedience is better than sacrifice and without obedience his death cannot be acceptable to God because he seemes to goe vnto God of feare and constraint as a slaue to a maister and not of loue and good will as a childe to his father The third that as in the beginning he receiued his soule of God so now in the ende he renders it againe to God For as he was the first giuer so he is the best keeper Q. I hope you wil heere deigne me the same libertie that hitherto you haue that so it shall be as lawfull for me to question with you about these things as before it hath been about others R. I should else do little for you For whom at all times I would doe asmuch gladly as I might fitly Q. By how much the more you are at all times readie to doe for me by so much the more I am alwaies bound to thinke my selfe beholding to you All this is courtesie in you no desert in me R. Let such words passe least time ouerpasse leauing what you could say goe to what you would say Q. I will then Touching the first thing therefore you spake of what is it to die in faith R. It is with all thy heart wholy to relie a mans selfe vpon Gods special loue and fauour and mercie in Christ according as it is reuealed in the volume of the booke of God Q. But why is the sicke man in the agonie of death to looke to this R. Because that is the most speciall time of all his time for him to put his faith in practise Q. Why that R. Because then all things in and of the world doe faile and forsake him His friends his riches his pleasures his outward senses yea and his temporall life too do then all at once leaue and forsake him What helpe soeuer in times past they yeelded him yet then they faile him and yeelde him no helpe at all Q. And what can faith then doe for him that so much you wish him to establish it in him R. It can make him go wholy out of himselfe and to despaire of comfort and saluation in respect of any earthly thing and cause him with all the power and strength of his heart to rest on the pure mercie of almightie God Q. Hath it euer effected so much in any R. Yea that it hath in many Q. Where haue you an instance thereof R. In the first booke of Samuel the thirtieth Chapter and the sixt verse Q. Why what is there said R. 1. Sam. 30.6 That Dauid comforted himselfe in the Lord his God Q. What doth that make to the purpose you speake of R. As much as may bee For the time when Dauid did this was then when the people intending to stone him there was nothing before his eyes to bee seene but present Death Q. And what made him then to doe it R. The application of the mercifull promise of God to his miserable and distressed soule For thus he saith vnto God and of his promise in one place Psal 119.49 50. Remember thy promise made to thy seruant wherein thou hast caused me to trust it is my comfort in trouble for thy promise hath quickned mee And thus of himselfe in another place and the comfort hee found in his trouble My soule she failed and my heart also Psal 73.26 but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for euer Q. But doth it hereupon follow that it will effect as much in some other R. What else for wherefore else is this written of Dauid but for our instruction what agrees to and with the generall will not I hope disagree to and with the particular But for the generall Paul saith Whatsoeuer things are written aforetime are written for our learning Rom. 15.4 That wee through patience and comfort of the scriptures might haue hope And therefore for this particular you may soone know what I might say For written you see it is and therefore for our learning written it is Q. But it may be we may learne some other thing thence than this R. Though that may be yet it followeth not therefore that this is not thence to bee learned I stand not against other things but for this Q. What reason haue you therefore R. More then that which is shewed I haue the efficacie of faith For if faith bee faith worketh Saith Iames the Apostle Faith without workes Iam. 2.26 August in serm 22. is dead and saith Augustine that learned Clerke Faith is called Faith of that which is done two syllables doe sound when faith is named the first is of that which is done the second is of God I aske thee therefore whether thou doest beleeue thou sayest I beleeue Doe what thou saiest and it is faith and saith our Sauiour Christ Mar. 16.17 These tokens shal follow them that beleeue In my name they shall cast out diuels and shall speak with new tongues and shall take away Serpents And if they shall drinke any deadly thing it shall not hurt them they shall lay their hands on the sicke and they shall recouer Q. But faith may then worke some other thing then that which you speake of R. But this is then the proper worke of faith and that then is the due time for that worke Nom. 21.9 As the
Wherefore cryest thou vnto me Exod. 14.15 When death therefore assailes me all sences external failes so as the sicke bee vtterly vnable to pray with tongue yet if through the instigation of others he be willing thereto that his will to praier is as good as if he did pray for as Dauid saith Psal 10.17 145.19 God heares the desires of the poore and he will fulfill the desires of them that feare him he also will heare their cry and will saue them And this he speakes as if the sighes sobs and grones of a repentant and beleeuing heart were praiers before God as well as the supplicatory words of a loud and mournfull crying tongue but to stay further speech of this though I might make much more you see many speake and vnderstand well to their last gaspe and they I think may vse their tongues in praier aswel as their hearts Q. There are but a few that doe so and seldome when it is that any doe so R. Yes vndoubtedly they are many that doe so and such times fall out often and neither is greatly to bee marueiled at for why As good words either of God and godlines or to God and his goodnes are sighes of a true and timely faith so often doth God enable many to the last point of their liues both to speake and to vse many good words to his glory their owne comfort and others great good If you will looke either into the Scriptures or into other histories you shall find there many good men to haue spoken to the last and to haue vsed merueilous good words at the last In the nine and fourtieth of Genesis the last words of Iaâ—kob were prophecies of blessings and curses vpon his children the duration of gouernement in Israel and ardent praier for his owne good Amongst all and other things by him there said these are neither least nor last Gen. 49.10 The Scepter shall not depart from Iudah and the Law-giuer from betweene his feete till Shilo come And againe O Lord I haue waited for thy saluation In the two and three and thirteth of Deuteronomie Deu 32.35 the last words of Moses were his most excelleÌ„t song conteining the benefites of God toward his people and their ingratitude towards him and Moses his blessing wherewith he blessed the children of Israel before his death the words are better for you there to reade then forme heere to repeat referring you thither therefore there to reade them heere for this time I willingly omit them In the second of Samuel and the three and twentieth Chapter the last words of Dauid were The spirit of the Lord spake by mee 2. Sam. 23.1 and his word was in my tongue the God of Israel spake vnto mee the strength of Israel said Beare rule ouer me c. In the foure and twentieth of the second booke of Chronicles the last wordes of Zacharias the sonne of Iehoiada 2. Chro. 24.22 when he was stoned were these The Lord looke vpon it and require it the last words of our Sauiour Christ when he was dying vpon the crosse as they were many admirable so they were full of spirituall grace and comfortable Mat. 27.46 First speaking to his Father he said 1. Eli Eli Luk. 23.34 Luk. 23.43 lamasabachtani My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 2. Father forgiue them they know not what they doe 2. to the theefe he said Ioh. 19.26.27 c. Verilie I say vnto thee to day shalt thou be with mee in Paradise 3. to his mother he said Woman behold thy Sonne and to Iohn Behold thy mother 4. Earnestly desiring our saluation he said I thirst 5. Hauing made perfect satisfaction vnto God for mans offence he said Luk. 23.48 It is finished Lastly when body and soule were parting hee said againe vnto God Father into thine haÌ„ds I commend my spirit Act. 7.56.59.60 the last words of Steuen were these 1. Behold I see the heauens open and the Sonne of man standing at the right hand of God 2. Lord Iesu receiue my spirit 3. Lord lay not this sinne to their charge In other writers you may see the last words of others and those very good all spoken at the last cast of life Euseb lib. 4 cap. 15. At the last and as the last thus spake Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna Thou art a true God without lying therefore in all things I praise thee and blesse thee and glorifie thee by the eternall God and high Priest Iesus Christ thine only sonne by whom and with whome to thee and the holy spirit be all glory now and for euer And thus Ignatius Bishop of Antioch Id. lib. 3. c. 30. I care not what kinde of death I die I am the bread of the Lord must be grounde with the teeth of Lions that I may be cleane bread for Christ who is the bread of life for me And thus Ambrose Bishop of Millaine Paulinus in vita eius I haue not so lead my life among you as if I were ashamed to liue Neither doe I feare death because we haue a good Lord. Possidonius in vita Augustini And thus Augustine Bishop of Hippo. 1. He is no great man that thinkes it no great matter that trees and stones fall and mortall men die 2. Iust art thou ô Lord and righteous is thy iudgement Foxe preface to Luthers Comment vpon the Psalmes of degrees And thus Luther comparable to the chiefest as Master Foxe once said My heauenly father God and father of our Lord Iesus Christ and God of all comfort I giue thee thanks that thou hast reuealed vnto me thy sonne Iesus Christ whome I haue beleeued whome I haue professed whome I haue loued whome I haue praised whome the Bishop of Rome and the whole company of the wicked persecuteth and reuileth I pray thee my Lord Iesus Christ receiue my poore soule my heauenly Father though I be taken from this life and this bodie of mine is to be laide downe yet I know certainely that I shall remaine with thee for euer neither shall any be able to pull me out of thy hands And thus Bishop Hooper O Lord Iesus sonne of Dauid haue mercie on me and receiue my soule And thus Annas Burgius Forsake mee not O Lord least I forsake thee And thus Melancthon if it be the will of God I am willing to die and I beseech him that he will graunt me a ioyfull departure and to the like effect many others But to speake of them al were too much the examples of those good men that at the last end of their liues haue expressed their notable faith in God and his Christ are infinite and therefore too many as well for me to recite as for you to remember As these which I haue mentioned may suffice to shew what many haue done so may they well serue to signifie what all should do for good words by the good are
euer to bee spoken so long as a word by them can bee spoken Q What if through the extremitie of their paines and the idlenes of their braines such wordes cannot or will not be spoken shal we think them to be euer the more faithles and vngodly R. Truely no God forbid wee should many good men are silent long before their death many againe through the extremitie of their disease speake hardly and badly at their death though therefore their words neither be as they should be nor as wee would wish them to bee yet must we neither iudge of them by their words nor condemne them for their words not iudge least we our selues come to bee iudged for with what measure wee mete vnto others with the like wil others mete vnto vs as therefore wee would not be iudged of others for any infirmitie in our selues so must wee not iudge others for any infirmity espied in them iudgement is Gods and to him we must leaue it as Paul saith We must iudge nothing before the time 1. Cor. 4.5 vntill the Lord come who will lighten things hid in darknes and make the counsels of the harts manifest that euery man may haue the praise of God Not condemne least therefore we chance to bee condemned euill words at the time of death may proceed of other causes then want either of faith or religion the disease may cause much and in euery disease men are not euer alike affected the more violent the disease is whereof a man dies the more vnseemely are his gestures when he dies of violent sicknesses the companions are often fransies and other vnseemely motions As therefore it is follie to attribute that to one thing which is to bee attributed to another so it is to condemne a man for wordes which come not from him but from the disease that doth possesse him Q. When we see any then at the point of death vsing worse wordes than they should or we would what will you that we doe R. Other thinges than either iudge or condemne Q. That 's like in deed because you dislike them but what are those other thinges you speake of R. First perswade him as you may can to vse better for it is written Leuit. 19.17 Thou shalt plainlie rebuke thy neighbour and suffer him not to sinne Secondly pray for him as you ought that the spirit of God may put better words in his mouth For no man can say 1. Cor. 12.3 Luk. 11.13 Iesus is the Lord but by the Spirit and this spirit is obtained by praier Thirdly looke vpon your owne present loue towards him and for that practise the two former last named but absteine from the two other afore mentioned for as the Apostle saith Loue thinketh not euil 1. Cor. 13.5 but loue beleueeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things and therefore it thinketh not that he is altogether faithles that vseth a word fruitles but beleeueth that he is and hopeth that he may be the childe of God a few bad words notwithstanding Rom. 7.20 For sure it is not he that speaketh them but the sinne that dwelleth in him Fourthly and lastly looke vpon the sickmans life bypast and gone and if that hath beene as it ought to be neuer feare euil nor yet suspect amisse For as that auncient and learned father Augustine saith August de ciuitat dei lib. 1. That is not to bee thought an euill death afore which there hath gone a good life for there is nothing which makes an euill death but that which followeth death Now because thats vnknowen to vs Id. lib. 5. de baptismo ca. 27. because that many that seeme to bee without are within many that seeme to be within are without wee must learne to hope the best and leaue to iudge the worst Q. God graunt that so wee may for prone inough we are of our selues to iudge amisse R. That makes not but that we must restraine our selues Q. Neither doe I say otherwise for that cause I wisht as I did R. And nothing amisse for our nature as it is is to be corrected and not to be followed and that which euen now you vsed is a meane to haue that I speake of practised Q. Therefore I vsed it but to let this point goe and to meddle no further with censuring whether men die in faith or out of faith may it please you to say some thing of the next which is their dying in obedience R. I haue said somewhat thereof already Q. That 's little to that I would haue you say R. Why what would you haue mee to say Q. What it is to die in obedience R. That is soone said Q. The sooner the better R. To die in obedience is to bee willing readie and desirous to goe out of this world whensoeuer it shall please God to call and that without murmuring or repenting Q. No marueile though you say a man in his sicknes is to take care for it It is not easy how shall a sicke man compasse it R. By practising the former For to him that beleeueth all things are possible Mark 9.23 and therfore this easie not impossible Q. Possible peraduenture supernaturally but not portable voluntarily R. Yes no doubt for that faith which makes all thinges possible beyonde nature makes all things portable against wil. Q. That may be and I verily thinke is but that a man should be willing readie and desirous to goe out of this world without murmuring grudging or repining whensoeuer wheresoeuer and howsoeuer it shall please God to call him is very hard rare and difficulte R. Not a whit If a man hath faith Ioh. 5.4 but as a graine of mustard seede for this is the victory that ouercommeth the world as Iohn saith Euen your faith What therefore should a beleeuing man be vnwilling to vndergoe what necessarily he must vndergoe Q. No hee should not that I graunt but what may perswade him that hee shall not this I aske R. And that I answere the very last thing I spake of for voluntarilie that is to be suffered which necessarily must be suffered Q. What then R. Therefore death voluntarily is to bee suffered Q. Wherefore that R. Because death necessarily is to be suffered Heb. 9.26 for as the Apostle saith It is appointed of God that all men shall once die Q. But how shall any of them be perswaded willingly to die R. I haue already tolde you by this very necessitie of once dying Q. All men know they shall once die yet no man almost is euer the willinger to die R. The greater is their sinne and the more is their shame by how much the more certainly they know they shall die by so much the more willingly they should die this knowledge should worke that willingnes Q. I deny not but it should I see not that it doth R. Somewhere you may see it though euery where you cannot see it knowledge is
for Christ He hath left him an example 1. Pet. 2.21 that he should follow his steppes It is more for his profit so to doe than he is aware Who would be an enemie to his owne good he cannot cease to sinne except he die why should he be vnwilling to escape so great an euill he shall neuer come to the true life where felicity both ioyfull and eternall is except he die why should he neglect to attaine so great a good he shall neuer haue the fruition of Gods maiestie and the blessed company of heauenly spirits except he die why should he not pray daily to be deliuered from this present euill world vppon condition he might once come to enioy the most glorious presence of the almighty The very heathens which knew not God aright but only dreamed of the immortalitie of the soule as those that look'te for a better life after this though they knew not what that life was or might be both wished death ere it came and died valiantly and ioyfully when it came and shall he being a Christian one which knoweth both God and his word and hath the promise of ioy hope and comfort after this life both abhor death ere it comes and refuse to vndergoe it when it comes oh fie for shame that it should be so If an Ethnicke said thus Cic. lib. 1. quest Tuscul Oh immortall God how is that pleasant and ioyfull iourney to be wished for which being once done and past there remaineth no sorow no care no pensiuenes ô that goodly and pleasaunt daie when it shall be my hap to leaue this filthy and troublesome world and come to their companies that inhabit the heauens Id. de senectute If God would suffer me that I being of this age might become an infant and sucking childe againe I would vtterly refuse it neither would I by any meanes call the race that I haue runne backe againe that I might againe be young For what pleasure and commoditie hath this life yea rather what displeasure incommodity paine trauell and trouble hath it not but let it be graunted that it hath pleasures certes yet hath it either saciety or measure And nature in this world hath giuen vs a place to tarrie in for a while but not to dwell and continue in for euer What should a Christian say to him should death be much better and lesse bitter than to an heathen Of him therefore should death be better accepted than of any heathen But it is a world to see the world the heathen writers in their monuments call death a chaunging for a better life a quiet sleep are-mouing frō mortalitie to immortalitie from trouble to quietnes from the shadow of a life vnto a very perfit and vncounterfet life from sorrow to ioy from euill to good and hauen of rest a solace of the minde and end of all euill and wickednesse and a beginning of all true ioy felicitie and pleasure and therefore they were vnwilling to liue The Christian professours acknowledge all this and more too and yet they are vnwilling to die What must follow heereupon but that they must therfore be their iudges It is said that one once hauing read a little booke of Platoes touching the immortalitie of the soule did therefore make a way himselfe being thereto incensed by too great a loue to eternitie a better life How much more should he that hath read the whole booke of God touching the happie estate of soule and bodie after death be willing well to welcome death when God doth impose and lay the same vpon him 1. In Gods booke of life there are better reasons found to perswade by thereto than in Platoes booke of the immoratlitie of the soules there are any to enforce the making away of a mans owne life 2. God hath more authoritie ouer the soule of man to recommaund it againe to himselfe at his pleasure than man hath ouer his life to deceiue himselfe of it when he will God is the first giuer and therefore should be the first receiuer Man is the sole recaller therefore should be the safe keeper But not longer than the first doner is content he should enioy such a gift All good men haue euer desired to depart with it when God was purposed to recall it And what should not he that is sicke doe the like either his sicknesse hath made him good or it ought to haue made him good For sickenesse is euer sent for good and Gods great mercy it is that he warnes with sickenesse ere euer he strikes with death If it hath made him good why is hee vnwilling to lay downe his life when God doth call for his life if it hath found him good why would he longer detaine it life than he may If it be to make him good why doth he hinder the working of it be he good or hath he a minde to be good it is not his part to be vnwilling to die So farre from being vnwilling to die haue sundrie of the godliest wights that euer were in the world been as earnestly they haue longed wished desired and prayed for death That Princely Prophet Dauid cryeth out and saith Woe is me and sorie am I for it Psal 120.5 that I must yet longer abide in this world like as the hart desireth the water broookes Psalm 42.1 so longeth my soule after God My soule is a thirst for God yea euen for the liuing God when shall I come to appeare before the presence of God Psalm 84 1 And againe O how amiable are thy dwellings thou Lord of hostes my soule hath a desire and longing to enter into the courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh reioyce in the liuing God Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they shall alway bee praysing thee One day in thy courts is better than a thousand I had rather be a doore keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of vngodlinesse In another Psalme he prayeth after this manner Psal 142 7◠Deliuer my soule out of prison that it may come and praise thy name That good olde man Tobit Tobit 3.6 made thus his prayer vnto God and said O Lord deale with me according to thy will and 〈…〉 commaunde my spirit to be receiued in peace For more expedient were it for me to die than to liue How desirous of death the holy Apostle Paul was these his wordes doe manifest Christ is to me life Philip. 1.21 23. and death is to me aduantage And therefore againe he saith I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ What should I speake of that auncient and godly father Simeon whose historie is knowne laid down in the second of Luke how did he desire to die as soone as he had seene Christ in the flesh and know him to be the Sauiour of the world Was not this thereupon his present saying Lord now lettest thou thy
no sowre the labourer workes ere he receiues his wages the Souldier fightes ere he winnes the victorie the gamester runnes ere hee enioyes the price 2. Tim. 2.11 And the christian must die with Christ ere euer he shall liue with Christ yea hee must suffer with Christ ere euer he shall raigne with Christ As he that will haue the meare must cracke the shell so hee that will haue the life after death must abide the death that goes before life As for the paines thereof they are neither greatly to be dreaded nor impatiently to be suffered not to be dreaded because they cannot hurt Rom. 8.28 For to them that loue God as they do which beleeue in God all things worke togither for the best not vnwillingly to be suffered because they bring much good For these light afflictions which are but for a moment 2. Cor. 4.17 cause vnto him that suffers them a farre most excellent and an eternall weight of glory while he lookes not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene for the things which are seene are temporal but the things which are not seene are eternall Who now that is wise will not willingly suffer the one that he may enioy the other there is no comparison betweene glasse and gold and verie vnwise is he that wil not doe away the first for the last if hee may euen so there is heere no comparison betweene the paines of death which are to be suffered and the ioyes of heauen which are to be expected So that altogether foolish is hee which will not willingly abide the one that happily hee may attaine the other the paines that ordinarily are suffered in death naturall are nothing to the paines that are suffered in death violent and vnnaturall yet diuerse godlie men haue suffered them willingly that they might after in heauen liue happily Why then should not he that is godly suffer willingly the paines of death naturall that so hee may come to the fruition of ioy celestial for my part I see smal reason to the contrary Q. What then R. Let him then that is vnwilling to die naturally because death is painefull consider of the great and intolerable paines which they haue suffered which died violently and vnnaturally and see if that will not animate him to die willinglie and incite him to beare the paines of death couragiously Q. Shall he find those that haue died violently to haue suffered so great paines R. What else Q. Where shall he find that R. Both in the Scriptures and otherwhere Q. What shall hee find in the Scriptures touching this matter R. That the prophet Isaiah for the hope of euerlasting life suffred his body to be cut asunder with a woodden saw that Ieremiah was stoned to death that Amos after diuerse other greeuous torments was thrust into the temples of the head with a great naile of iron and so shortlie after died Mat. 14 that Iohn Baptist was cast into prison and beheaded that Iames the brother of Iohn was slaine with the sworde Act. 12. that Steuen was stoned vnto death and last of all that Christ our Sauiour was crucified Mat. 27. and nailed to the crosse on which he died Q. And what otherwhere R. That some good men were deuoured of wilde beastes Actes and Monum some burnt with fire vnto ashes some broiled vnto death vpon hote coales some slaine with the sword some hanged vpon gibbets some pearced to death with arrowes some beaten to death with stones some boiled some rent in peeces with hote burning iron hookes some racked some drowned some cruellie murthered in prison some torne in sūder by horses some dismembred by trees some one waies made away some another many an one very badly very beastly and very cruelly Q When this is found what shall he therevpon finde R. That willingly he is to die though in much paine he doth die Q. Why that R. Because willingly they suffered a violent and vnnaturall death Q. That yet appeares not R. In the forenamed places it may and doth soone appeare for many whē they were offered life refused and accepted death Q. Not because they were willing then to die but because they could not as they would longer liue R. As much and more for the first cause as for and then the last Q. Though that be graunted yet is not the other proued R. What other Q. That willinglie he is to die that dies naturally because willingly they died that died violentlie R. What more or better prooued What better instruction may thence be taken what better collection may thence be drawne If they so suffered that otherwhere they might be crowned Why should not others in like sort suffer that otherwhere they may bee blessed Q. I denie not but they should yet I say not that therefore they should R. And in so saying you say not as you ought if any death be to be suffered willinglie a naturall death is much more a naturall death is sometime better if not most what then some other oft times there are therein fewer paines then in some other and what shoulde a man bee vnwilling to die for a fewe paines No Souldiour is vnwilling to fight for a few blowes no fields-man vnwilling to plow for a few blastes no trauailer vnwilling to goe on his iourney for a few showers neither should any christian bee vnwilling to die for a few paines either they are not so many for number or so mightie for measure as they might be or as they haue deserued they should bee and what should he suffer then vnwillingly when as they are neither many nor mighty 2. Tim. 2.5 No man is crowned saith Paul except he striue lawfully Neither say I is any man blessed except he suffers patiently what therefore should he be vnwilling to die that knowes of necessitie he must die and would gladlie bee blessed when he doth die though hee dies neuer so painefully when he doth die yet let him die willinglie that hee may die blessedly as Paul said of his preaching If I doe it willinglie I haue a reward 1. Cor. 9.17 so say I of his dying if he doth it willingly he hath a rewarde Apoc. 14.13 Wis 3.1 Blessed are they which die in the Lord. The soules of the righteous are in the hands of God and no torment shall touch them Though they suffer paine before men yet is their hopeful of immortalitie They are punished but in few things yet in many things shall they bee well rewarded In the time of their vision they shall shine and runne through as the sparkes among the stubble they shall iudge the nations and haue dominion ouer the people and their Lord shall raigne for euer And when so great a reward as this now mentioned is not onely propounded but promised what should hee die vnwillinglie that must die necessarilie the hope of reward should moue much the Apostle Paul was willing
to suffer all kind of paines and torments for the glorie of God and therefore he said the holie ghost doth testifie in euerie Citie saying Act. 20.23 That bonds and troubles doe abide me but I care not for them neither is my life deare vnto mee so that I may finish my course with ioy So should he that is about to die be willing to suffer all the paines of death and therfore say Though once it be appointed me to dye and I cannot shift it yet I care not for it neither is my life deare vnto me so that I may lay it downe with ioy for as Paul said of himselfe I am readie not onely to be bound but also to dye at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus so may he say of himselfe I am readie not onely to suffer with Christ if so it be his will but also to dye for him wheresoeuer and whensoeuer it shall please him to call me This if he would say as it would be wondrous profitable to him so would it be merueilous comfortable to others he should receiue a reward for it and they take occasion by it to glorifie God their father in heauen forgiuing such gifts here on earth vnto men Q. And this it may be he would say were it not for the feare of death with which he is possessed the paines of death with which he is astonied and some other things with which he is molested R. These things should not hinder him as I haue shewed Q. Yet they doe as oft it is experienced R. That is the fault of men that are to die not of the things for these are no causes to make men vnwilling to dye that know of necessitie they must dye Q. Yet they are taken for causes as well as other things R. I know they are but that makes not that they are causes mens accepting them as causes is no prouing of them to be causes Q. Neither doe I say they are R. Why doe you then so often propound them as causes Q. Because I would haue you throughly disproue them to be causes R. In so doing you doe little amisse but haue I not alreadie sufficientlie disproued them to be causes Q. Yes so many of them as are named R. Why are there moe yet vnnamed Q. Why else said I as I said R. What may they be Q. The taking of him away from his gorgeous and pleasant houses his sweete and delicate pastures his other commodious and comfortable creatures the spoiling him of all his honour and pompe the seuering of him from all his frends and acquaintance his wife his children his kins-folkes neighbours and other his familiars the disappointing him of al his good purposes the prouiding for his wife and children the disposing of his goods the repenting him of his sinnes the preparing of his Tombe and other things necessarie for his solemne and seemelie funerall R. Are these thinke you such thinges as should make a man vnwilling to die Q. Whether they should or no I know not but what they doe I am not altogether ignorant R. I hope you make your selfe more ignorant then you neede I take you not to bee so simple as you would seeme to bee where the effect is to be condemned the duetie cannot be commended Q. You then are of the minde they should not doe what they doe whatsoeuer they doe R. Not in making him vnwilling to die such effect they should none of them take Q. What not the first R. No nor yet the last Q. Why would it not greeue a man thinke you to be taken from his faire houses which hee hath builded his seeled parlours which he hath vsed his pleasant Orchards which he hath planted other commodious things which hee hath much delighted R. Yes but not that way this way to be taken should bee no griefe at all giuen they were once one day this way to be taken againe and what should the feare of being once taken away from these things make him that is but a steward ouer them vnwilling to die his loue to these things should not be so great but that hee should willinglie leaue them alwaies hee cannot stay with them a parting there must be from them and rather he should be thankfull vnto God for the long vse he hath had of them then vnwilling to die because of the loue he beares to them It may be if he had liued longer they should haue bin taken from him what a griefe would that haue bin of the twain it is better for him to be taken from them then thē to be taken from him by the first he is sure he hath vse of them during life and so escapes the miseries many others are subiect vnto which want them by the last he should haue beene sure to haue beene filled with griefe conceiued vpon the losse and lacke of them by the first hee is in possibilitie to dispose of them to Gods glorie and others good by the last he should haue been at a certaintie that he should no waies haue bestowed them for man cannot dispose of that he hath not What therefore by death should he be vnwilling to leaue them It is better to leaue them by death then to loose them by misfortune in life in taking him from them when he can no longer stay with them death doth him no hurt but good First Gen. 47. Ps 39. 1. Pet. 2. Heb. 13. it takes but him away that cannot stay the best in this world is but a pilgrime and stranger he hath heere no dwelling Citie but he lookes for an other that is to come and what should hee bee vnwilling to goe that must of necessitie goe It is better be times then too late hee shal the sooner come to his waies end he shal haue the longer time of rest when he comes there he shall all the way goe in the lesse perill and the more safetie c. Secondly it takes him but from those things which will one day leaue him though it were granted him many daies to stay with them for though his houses were neuer so strong and stately yet are they but earthlie transitory as in time they were made of clay so in time they wil turne to clay how soone and in what maner neither he nor any man else can tell And what should he be vnwilling to be taken from those things which one day will he nill he will bee taken from him It is better to leaue them then to be left of them The contempt of them makes a man rich not his loue to them Thirdly it helpes him to more and better then it takes him from it takes him from earthlie it helpes him to heauenlie it takes him from corruptible it helpes him to incorruptible it takes him from temporall it helpes him to eternall it takes him from somewhat that man made it helps him to that which none but God made and what should he be vnwilling to change
lands for my name sake Matt. 19.29 hee shall receiue an hundreth fold more and shall inherite euerlasting life And thence it may bee collected that whosoeuer shall make more account of houses or lands than of the name of Christ hee shall here loose of that hee hath and in the ende misse of eternall life too And then what shall they gette By this Iudge you now which haue heard me all this while whether it is good that a man that must die should be vnwilling to die because of his fine house from which Death when she comes doth take him Q. If you make mee Iudge I must iudge as you haue perswaded mee to iudge vz. that it is not good For as you say by his being vnwilling he looses more than euer he can get because he looses his houses on earth and his house from heauen and by his being willing hee gets more than he can lose because hee gets an house eternall in the heauens for the leauing of an house temporall on earth and that I thinke the better R. In so thinking you thinke well for as Dauid saith Psal â—4 10 A day in Gods courtes is better than a thousand other where and immediately I had rather be a doorekeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tabernacles of wickednesse such as are many braue houses in the world And before Blessed are they that dwell in thine house they will euer praise thee And after againe The Lord God is the Sunne and shielde vnto vs the Lord will giue grace and glory and no good thing will hee withhold from them that walke vprightly Q. But what would you haue me to thinke of the rest that makes some vnwilling to die as well as this R. No otherwise then of this vnles they be other both greater and better than any you haue yet named Q. Why would it not grieue a man thinke you to be spoyled of all his honour and glory hee hath had in this worlde in the space of an houre or lesse R. Not a whit so long as he is to goe to better and greater Q. But that he is vnsure of R. No more than hee was of holding that he had nor so much neither if he be righteous iust and holy for the honour of such is farre greater after this life than euer it was or could haue bene in this life Then .1 Mat. 13.43 When the wicked are condemned and punished the iust shall shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of their father And they that be wise shall shine as the brightnes of the firmament Dan. 12.3 and they that turne many to righteousnes shall shine as the starres for euer and euer Wisd 3.7 8. In the time of their vision they shall shine and runne through as the sparks among the stubble thy shall iudge the nations and haue dominion ouer the people As the Psalmist sayth Such honour haue all his Saints or this honour shall be to all his Saints If this honour be not better than all the honor the most honourable in this world hath You may see the honour of the Saints after this life specified in more particular maner and thereafter after iudge First they shall bee the friendes of the great king Ioh. 15.15 Henceforth call I you not seruants but I haue called you friendes Secondly they shall be of the house and family of the almighty God Ephes 2.10 Now yee are no more strangers and farreiners but citizens with the Saints of the houshold of God Thirdly they shall bee of the counsell of God 1. Cor. 6.17 Hee that is ioyned vnto the Lord is one spirit Fourthly they shall be admitted to the table of God Luk. 22.29 I appoint vnto you a kingdome as my Father hath appointed vnto me that yee may eate and drinke at my table in my kingdome and sit on seates and iudge the twelue tribes of Israel 1. Cor. 6.3.2 Doe yee not knowe sayth Paul that the Saints shal iudge the world know yee not that wee shall iudge the Angels Fiftly they shal be manifested to be the sonnes of God Ioh. 3.2 Now are we the sonnes of God but yet it doth not appeare what we shall be and we know that when he shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 6. They shall be heires of the heauenly inheritance Rom. 8.17 If we be children we are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ. 7. They shall be all kings to euery one of them shall be giuen a kingdome Luk. 12.32 Feare not little flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome and to the righteous it shall be said Mat. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my father inherite yee the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world A kingdome that fadeth not but a kingdome that endureth a kingdome that continueth and abideth for euer for they that come into this kingdome shall raigne for euermore they shal neither soone nor suddainly be put therefro as many other kings are from their kingdome but they shall raigne for euermore Apoc. 22.5 Is not the last and least part of all this honour greater and better than all the best and chiefest honour of and in all this world Q. Yes there is none that may or can deny it but yet you see the inheritance is the childrens and the kingdome is theirs that are blessed of the father and it may be he is neither a friend nor a childe nor blessed R. He must hope well if he will haue well he must not condemne himselfe before God doth condemne him a friend he is if he doth whatsoeuer Christ commaunds him Ioh. 15.14 1. Ioh. 3.10 A childe he is if he loues the brethren In this that is in loue are the children of God knowne and the children of the diuell for Augustine expounding that place saith August super eundem locum 1. Ioh. 3.10 Onely loue discerneth betweene the children of God and the children of the diuell All men signe themselues with the signe of the crosse all men answere Amen all men sing Alleluiah all men are baptized goe to church c. yet are not the children of God discerned from the children of the diuell but by loue they which haue loue are borne of God they which haue not loue are not of God and if not of God then of the diuell for there is no meane betweene God and the diuell Christ himselfe also saith By this shall all men know that yee are my Disciples Ioh. 13.35 if yee haue loue one to another Lastly blessed he is if his sinnes bee forgiuen him For Blessed is hee saith Dauid whose wickednes is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitie Psal 32.1.2 and in whose spirite there is no guile Q. It may bee these ifs will make him more and more vnwilling to
this world may easilie be gathered by this his praier which he made to God his father at his way going Father into thine handes I commend my spirit Luk. 23.46 for why should he commend his spirit into his handes except he knew it were then to goe into his hands and thereupon also it may soone and readily be collected where the soules of the righteous after their departure are and shall be for where the head is there the members must be If the head therefore bee with God and so hath been euer since his departure out of this world the members shall also bee after their departure and so shall continue for euer Q. Yea in time peraduenture but not presentlie R. Yes presently without any peraduenture for as Christ said to the thiefe vpon the crosse This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise so Paul said to the Philippians Luk. 23.43 Phillip 1.21 22. Christ is to me both in life and death aduantage desiring to be dissolued and to be with Christ Q. It is true that Christ said as you say to the theefe and that Paul so said vnto the Philippians but what you would will not thereupon presently follow for Christ said to the theefe this day shalt thou be with me in paradise to wit in hope but not in deed for henceforth thou shalt hope to come thither and Paul said to the Philippians I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ according to his petition but not according to Christes execution for it followeth not because Paul desired to bee with Christ that therefore presentlie after his dissolution he was with Christ R. All followes that I would haue to follow for all that yet you say for these toyish distinctions haue nothing in them because they haue not in scripture any thing for them Where is it there said the theefe according to hope should bee in paradise also where is it there said that Christ did not execute Paules petition when once he came to his finall dissolution hope hath respect to the time that is peradueÌ„ture long yet to come Christ speakes to the theefe as it were in the time present to day thou shalt be with me in paradise as heri yesterday is an aduerbe of the time past and cras to morow an aduerbe of time to come so hodie to day as I guesse is an aduerbe of the time present as I take it therefore your distinguishing inter spem rem is but triâ—â—ing circa spem rem and so nihil omnino ad rem that is nothing at all to the matter for this day thâ—â— shalt bee with mee in Paradise is as much as this assoone as life is gone out of thy bodie whatsoeuer becommeth of thy bodie thy soule shall goe with mee into the kingdome of heauen that so where I thy master am thou my seruant maiest be And whatsoeuer you say touching Pauls desiring to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ yet I am sure Paul himself saith the contrary for Paul saith that when the time of his departing came there was no distance of time betweene his dissolution and his acceptation In his second epistle to Timothie his sonne in the faith when hee was neere his end this was his saying I haue fought the good fight 2. Tim. 4.7.8 and haue finished my course I haue kept the faith from henceforth is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnes which the Lord the righteous iudge shall giue me at that day not to me onlie but vnto all them also that loue his appearing Q. If this be as you say and seeme to proue what shall become of purgatorie R. Euen what will or else what should for what should become of that which is not Q. Is not say not so for so saying you may haue more tongues on your toppe then you are aware of R. As Pilate said touching the superscription set vpon Christs head Ioh. 19.22 What I haue written that I haue written so say I touching purgatorie what I haue spoken that I haue spoken Otherwise then I haue said will not be said how many tongues soeuer I may haue on my toppe for saying so yet still and euer I must say so for out of this life there is no purgatorie and in this life the true and onelie purgatory by which and in which our sinnes must be cleansed is the sweete pretious and euer vertuous bloud of Christ 1. Ioh. 1.7 For the bloud of Iesus Christ as Iohn saith cleanseth vs from all sinne Q. What then doe you thinke that presentlie after the seperation of soule from bodie by death that the soules of all men goe either to heauen or to hell R. I doe more then thinke it for I constantlie beleeue it Q. What ground haue you for it R. As much as neede to be for any matter of faith Q. What Scriptures R. Yea and Fathers also Q. Faine would I see that R. Soone may you see it if wel you listen to it The petition of old Tobit doth prooue so much Tob. 3.6 for this it was Commaund O Lord that I may be dissolued out of this distresse and goe into the euerlasting place and what may this euerlasting place be but the kingdome of heauen It can no waies be vnderstood of purgatorie for purgatorie is not an euerlasting place as Fisher sometime Bishop of Rochester saith in his booke against Luther Among the old Doctours and Fathers of the Church there was either no talke at all or verie little of purgatorie Tobit 1.3 besides Tobit was a right good man as his historie doth declare and therefore not to goe into purgatorie for by the new deuised doctrine of the purgatorie proctours no such persons are to come there They themselues exempte martirs out of purgatorie Aret. prob part 1. loc de purgat Luc. 16.22 the historie of Lazarus and Diues doth proue so much for this it is It was so that the begger died and was caried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome The rich man also died and was buried and being in hell in torments he lift vp his eies and saw Abraham a farre off and Lazarus in his bosome and what may the inference hereupon be but that which I say this heere upon I am sure is the saying of Iustine Iustin q. 60 to Orthod this is a plain and a manifest doctrine of Lazarus and Diues by which is taught that after the departing of the soule from the bodie men cannot by any meanes or prouisions or by any pollicies bring profit or commoditie to them the sayings of Christ Iohn the third and Iohn the fift doe proue so much for these they are Ioh. 3.18 Hee that beleeueth in him â—hat is Gods owne beloued sonne whom he sent into the world not to condemne the world but to saue it shal not be condemned but he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie because hee beleeueth not in the name of the
onelie begotten sonne of God And againe he that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life and hee that obeyeth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him and againe Verilie verilie I say vnto you he that heareth my words and beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life And what is hereupon to be gathered but that the soules of the righteous at their departure from their bodies goe vnto God in heauen and not vnto fire or water in purgatorie for they goe vnto that which they had ante seperationem before their seperation and not vnto â—hat which they neuer had in expectation and what had they before their seperation but life Ioh. 5.24 He that beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life neither may haue nor shall haue but hath and where is that life but with God Colos 3.3 With thee is the well of life saith the Psalmist and your life is hid with Christ in God saith the Apostle Whither then must they go when they go but vnto God who was and is their life and with whom their life is Whether also I see not in this heir life when and while they heere liued they neuer so much as once dreamed of going into purgatorie after death but of going into heaueâ— some of them both write and speake We knâ—w saith Paul 2. Co. 5.1 that if our earthlie house of this â—abernacle be destroied we haue a building giuen of God that is an house not made with hands but â—ternall in the heauens For therefore we sigh desâ—â—ing to be clothed with our house which is from heauen Neuerthelesse we are bolde and loue raâ—her to remoue out of the bodie and to dwell wiâ—h the Lord. And againe Philip. 1.21 22.23 Christ is to mee both in life and death aduantage and whether to liue in â—he flesh were profitable for me and what I do I know not for I am greatlie in doubt on both sides desiring to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of all Newes quoth Oecolampadius to his friendes who came vnto him a little before his death I shall be shortlie with Christ my Lord. I pray thee my Lord Iesus Christ saith Luther receiue my poore soule my heauenly father though I be taken from this life and this bodie of mine is to be layd downe yet I know certainlie that I shall remaine with thee for euer neither shall any be able to pull me out of thy hand Returne ô my soule vnto thy rest quoth Babylas martir of Antioche When his head was to bee chopt off because the Lord hath blessed thee because thou hast deliuered my soule from death Ps 116.7.8 mine eies from teare and my feete from falling I shall walke before Iehouab in the land of the liuing Furthermore in a generality these are the sayings of the auncient Fathers touching this point August lib. 13. ca. 8. de ciuitat dei The souls of the godlie being seperated from their bodes are in rest and the soules of the vngodlie â—oe suffer punishment vntil the bodies of those do rise againe vnto life euerlasting and the bodies of those vnto eternal death which is also called the second death so saith Augustine I is most certaine that the soules of the rightâ—ous being loosed from the flesh Greg. lib. 4. Dialog c. 25 are receiued into heauenly seates and that the very trueth it selfe testifieth saying where the corps is there the Eagles will resorte So saith Gregorie Of these sayings I gather what all this while I went about to gather to wit that presently vpon the departure of any out of this life their soules goe straight waies either vnto God in heauen or else vnto satan in hell For as Augustine saith August in his serm of Time the 232. serm There are but two places and as for any third place there is none at all he that reigneth not with Christ shall perish with the diuell without any doubte Againe there bee two habitations or dwelling places August de verb. apost serm 18. the one in the fire euerlasting and the other in the kingdome that neuer shall haue ende the first place the Catholike faith by Gods authoritie beleeueth to be the kingdome of heauen August lib. â— hypog the second place the same Catholike faith beleeueth to be hell where all runnagates and whosoeuer is without the faith of Christ shall taste euerlasting punishment as for any third place we vtterly know none neither shall we finde in the holy scriptures that there is any such Now for mine own part sith there it will not be found it shall not any other where bee sought For as Theodoret saith Theodoret. lib. 1. cap. 7. The Euangelists and Apostles writings and the sayings of the olde Prophets doe cleerely instruct vs what iudgement we ought to haue of the meaning and will of God Q. What then What though also you will take no further paines to seeke a third place doth it therefore follow that therefore there is none Augustine I can tell you vpon whom you so much stand is very doubtfull in the case for sometimes hee denies as you say sometime he affirmes as others pretend and sometimes againe he doubtes as himselfe declares he denies in the places by you named hee affirmes De gen contra Manich. lib. 2. c. 20. de vera falsa poenit c. 18. lib. 21. de ciuit Dei c. 23. c. 26. Non redarguo saith he quia forsan verum est I reproue it not because it may peraduenture be true that some after this life suffer temporall punishment Hee doubtes in his Enchiridion cap. 69. Item de fide operibus cap. 16. in quaestione 1. Dulcitij Tale aliquid post hanc vitam fieri incredibile non est vtrum ita sit quaeri potest It is not incredible that after this life some such thing may bee and whâ—ther it bee so or no it may bee demaunded R. Whatsoeuer Augustine is I much passe not for I stand not so much vpon him but that I can follow him or reiect him Neither herein doe I him any iniurie at all For this is his owne saying August in proem lib. 3. de Trinit Be not bound vnto my writings as vnto the canonicall scriptures But when thou shalt finde in the scriptures that which thou diddest not beleeue beleeue it without any doubting or delay but when thou findest that in my writings which thou diddest not know certainelie before except thou shalt certainelie vnderstand it doe not stiffelie affirme it August epist 198. ad Fortunatum And againe We receiue not the disputations or writings of any men be they neuer so catholike or praiseworthie as we receiue the canonicall scriptures but that sauing the reuerence due vnto them we may well reproue or refuse some things in their writings
so soone as God brought her vnto him and called her by her name for assoone as she was come vnto him he said this now is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh she shall be called woman because she was taken out of man And therefore the departed out of this life shall know one another after this life For why their knowledge in heauen shall not be infetiour to Adams knowledge in paradise But their estate shall be much more blessed and perfect For Adam in his best estate had possibilitie to fall but they in theirs shall haue neither power nor will Out of the .84 Psalme it doth thus appeare Psalm 84. they which are singing men in this world but for a season continuing togither know one another and therefore the departed hence in the faith of Christ shall also in the life to come Apoc. 4.8 9 10.11 Apoc. 5.11 12. Apoc. 1.15 Matth. 17.3 know one another for they shall euer praise the Lord. Out of the Gospell according to Saint Mathew .1 the .17 chapter it doth thus appeare when Christ was transfigured in mount Thabor his Disciples Peter Iames and Iohn did not only know Christ but also Moses and Elias which talked there with Christ whome notwithstanding they had neuer seene nor knowne in the flesh And therefore the departed hence being once come to beholde the glorious maiestie of God shall not onely know Christ their Sauiour and such as with whome heere in this world they were acquainted but also all the elect and chosen people of God which haue been since the world began for being gone hence they are gone as before hath bin said To the mount Zion Heb 12.22 23 24. and to the citie of the liuing God the celestiall Ierusalem and to an innumerable sight of Angels and to the congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the iudge of all and to the spirits of iust and perfect men and to Iesus the mediatour of the new Testament c. And being there their knowledge cannot be lesse than was the knowledge of Peter Iames and Iohn on mount Thabor but greater for now Christ is both ascended and glorified but then he was but for a time transfigured and the fashion of his countenance changed 2. Luk. 9.29 the 19. chapter it doth thus appeare They which are to iudge one another must knowe one another for they cannot iudge whome they knowe not but after this life the departed hence shall iudge one another for when Peter in the person of his fellow Disciples as himselfe Mat. 19.28 said vnto Iesus Beholde we haue forsaken all and haue followed thee what shall we haue Iesus said vnto them verilie I say vnto you that when the sonne of man shall sit in the throne of his maiestie yee which followed mee in the regeneration shall sit also vpon twelue thrones and iudge the twelue Tribes of Israel The departed hence therefore after their departure shall one knowe another not onely those their friends whom before they knew in the flesh but also those the saints and seruants of God whom in this life they neuer knew ne yet at any time euer were acquainted with 3. The 22 chapter it doth thus appeare they which shall bee like the glorious Angels of heauen shall knowe one another as the Angels doe Mat. 22.30 But the saints departed shall be like the glorious Angels of heauen therefore the Saints departed shall know one another For what reason should they belike to the Angels in other things and vnlike to them in this Out of the Gospell according to Saint Luke Luk. 16. it doth thus appeare if there bee mutuall knowledge after this life betweene the good and euill there is much more so betweene the good themselues for they are all Citizens in one citie fellow heires of one kingdome members of one body fellow seruants in one householde seruing one Lord and God and they we all know well know one another but there is mutuall knowledge after this life betweene the good and euill For after death Luke 16. The rich glutton being in hell Luk. 16.23 did know both Abraham and Lazarus being in ioy and Abraham againe though he were long before the rich man did know that miserable and vnmercifull rich man though hee were much after Abraham for as the rich man seeing Abraham a farre of and Lazarus in his bosome cryed saying Father Abraham haue mercie on me and send Lazarus that he may dippe the tippe of his finger in water and coole my tongue for I am tormented in this flame so Abraham hearing the rich man crying answered and sayd Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasure and likewise Lazarus paines now therefore hee is comforted and thou art tormented Therefore there is mutuall knowledge much more after this life betweene the good themselues for neerer together and much more conuersant one with another are the good themselues than are the good and euill the good are in heauen the euill are in hell Heauen and hell are much distant one from another the one is aboue the other is beneath Betweene both there is a great gulfe set so that they which would goe from heauen to hell cannot neither can they which are in hell goe from thence to heauen If therefore they which are in hell doe both see and knowe them that are in heauen and they which are in heauen knowe them also which are in hell much more doe they which are in heauen knowe those that are with them in heauen For it is easier to knowe them that are of the same house and familie with them with whome they are daylie conuersant than those which are of another and with whome they seldome or neuer meete Conuersing one with another is a ready way to the knowing one of another But to proceede out of Paules epistles to the Romanes it doth thus appeare the members of one and the same bodie know one another for the head knoweth the hand and the hand the head the eye knoweth the foote and the foote the eye the eare knoweth the tongue and the tongue knoweth others and the heart knoweth all But all the godly departed are members of one and the same bodie for saith the Apostle We being many Rom. 12.5 are one bodie in Christ and euery one one anothers members As the members therfore in the bodie know one another so also doe the godlie departed know one another if they know one another while heere they liue togither where they see God but with the eies of faith why should they not in heauen much more know one another where they shall see God face to face shall their knowledge bee lesse there then heere In the first of his Epistles to the Corinthians Paul the Apostle seemes to say the contrarie For there he saith Here we know in part 2. Cor. 13.9 10.12 and we prophecie in part
For hee being asked whether he would die willingly aunswered I die willingly for willingly I go out of my body as out of a rotten house Furthermore both in his sicknes after his health in his health before his sickenes I would wish him to crucify his old mā acquainte himselfe with forsaking the world and the things both of and in the world in few words I would wish him to learne to die while he is like to liue For as a drie tree is sooner burnt then a greene so is he more willingly dissolued that is in spirit mortified then hee which yet with the loue of the world is intangled Chrysost Tom. 5. pag. 502. He which contemneth riches saith Chrisostome and pleasures and vaine glorie for whose sake he doth desire to liue cannot but suffer patientlie his going out of this life For as Seneca saith Hee hath contemned to die Seneca in Traged 3. Chrysost ad populum Antio which doth not couet I told you a day agoe saith Chrisostome to the people of Antioche that we feare death not because it is terrible but because neither the loue of the heauenly kingdome doth enflame vs nor the feare of hell trouble vs nor a good conscience remaine in vs will you that of this importune anxietie I relate vnto you the fourth cause not lesse true than the former wee liue not in that asperitie which is fitting Christians but this softe loose and easie life wee loue so that it is verie likely wee are delighted with these present things But if wee would passe ouer this life in fastings and watchings and a thinne diet cutting off our desires restraining our absurde pleasures suffering the troubles of vertue according to Paule chasticing our body 1. Cor. ◠27 Rom. 13.14 and bringing it into subiection taking no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lust of it quickly would wee desire the things which are to come making hast to be deliuered from our present labours c. For this mortifying of the deedes of the flesh by the operation of the spirit is a readie way to make vs willing to die and vnwilling to liue But the cockring of the flesh and the giuing our selues to delight is that which makes vs altogether vnwilling to leaue this present world and wholly desirous euer to remaine and abide in the same For this we finde by proofe that no man is more vnwilling to die than he that desires to followe the delights of the world and to fulfill the lustes of the flesh If therefore any man would be willing to die he sees what is one point of his dutie by one part of the aduise I giue him More he may see by farther aduise to bee giuen him But my meaning is not to burthen him with precepts all that I will further say is this that I would perswade him to recal into his minde some of those good lessons which all his life long either he himselfe hath read or else heard either read or preached by others For the time of sickenes is the time wherein a man is to make vse of al the good things he hath learned al his life long And he that hath not furnisht himselfe with some thing for that purpose hath not so wel prouided for himself as he ought Neither shall he be so able to stand in the euill day as otherwise he might For it is written is a good weapon to fight with against our aduersarie which then will fight hardly against vs. With it Christ himselfe repeld Satan in his conflict Matthew fourth and with it Paul willes vs to withstand him Ephesians the sixt Matth. 4.4 Ephes 6.17 Take saith he the sword of the spirit which is the word of God Happy is he which can euery way so furnish himself therewith as able he may stand in the euill day and that so as the wicked one may haue no aduantage against him But woe vnto him that being vnfurnisht therewith is not able to withstand any assaults of the wicked him hee will conquer subdue and leade captiue to the kingdome of darknes there to be tormented for euer him hee will trouble molest and afflict him hee will plague punish torment him he will so hardly intreate so cruelly handle so seuerely opresse as curse euer he shall the daie wherein he was borne the yeare in which hee liued and the verie moment of time in which he came thither But further to increase his miserie all his yelling and cursing shal be in vaine Q. God then enarme vs that wee may bee able to stand that standing wee may ouercome and ouercomming wee may bee crowned and being crowned wee may reioyce and reioicing prayse and honour and glorie Apoc. 5.13 and power bee vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne and vnto the Lambe for euermore R. Amen And whensoeuer God calles hee himselfe giue vs grace to answere him patientlie to goe to him quietly to leaue this world willingly that so dying wee may die aswell obediently as faithfully to his great glorie and our eternall felicitie Q. Amen also to this say I for this at his hands are we euer to aske that so once we may speede for of him it must bee or else it will neuer be Iames 1.17 But I will cease further to trouble you in this poynt I see by your petition you are at a conclusion But yet I will not wholly cease as I remember somtime since sayd that euen when the verie pangs of death were vpon him the religious and well minded sick man was to haue care of three things that he might die in the Lord and be blessed the first was that he might die in faith the second that he might die in obedience the third that he might render againe vnto God his soule which once he had of him and hitherto hath enioyed by him Of this third thing what I pray you might or may your reason bee R. As then it was so now it is diuerse one is because God was the first giuer of it and it is reason when a man is a dying if he hath not done it afore that he restore euery thing to the proper owner Now the proper owner of the soule is God for as hee was the first Creator thereof so was he the sole bestower Eccl. 12.7 Genesis 2.7 Another is because so Christ our sauiour did for when he was dying vpon the crosse for vs this amongst others was his saying Luk. 23. Father into thine hands I commend my spirit And it is reason that the seruant in this case should doe as his master did For euerie action of him the master is the instruction of other his seruants he also hath said First learne of me Mat. 11.27 Ioh. 13.15 secondly I haue giuen you an example that yee should doe as I haue done More ouer the first Martyr that euer was after Christs death did thus Blessed Stephen while his aduersaries the Iewes threw stones at him
rarelie in both R. The bitternes of the panges of death for to him that hath not liued in both they are so hard vneasie and intollerable as oftener they driue him cleane from them then draw him any thing to them neither is this any thing at all to be marueiled at for if other light afflictions doe sometime shake the faith of the seruants of God endued with great measure of grace it is not to bee thought but the pangs of death will keepe him wholly from faith and obedience which in his life time was neuer acquainted with either but the force of the one is to bee seene in that good man Iob who once in his affliction said though the Lord kill mee yet will I trust in him but afterwards in his trouble his faith being ouercast as with a cloud hee said that God was his enemie and that hee had set him as a marke to shoote at the furie therefore of the other is to be found I feare me in some other some such matter I am sure was to bee found in that euil man when he died who neuer cared to liue either in saith or obedience while he liued but whollie dispised the one and vtterlie neglected the other Q. That a man then might die in faith you would wish him to liue in faith R. You may gesse twise and not gesse so right againe for if that he that in his life was accustomed to liue well doth sometime in shew die ill how shall he certainely die well that euer in his life was addicted to liue ill the prouerbe is Such as the life was such the death is and oftentimes it is found true neither is it any wonder though it be so for an euill custome is not often left vpon the sodaine Can the blacke Moore change his skinne saith Ieremiah or the Leopard his spottes Iere. 13.23 then may yee also doe good that are accustomed to doe euill Q. It is more ieopardous I see to delay to liue well than many iudge it to be R. You may be right sure of that for hee which is not willing to liue well to day will be more vnwilling to morrow It is an hard thing to resist custome for custome in time becoms another nature And the saying is Doe what you can nature will some wayes haue the course what is bred in the bone will hardly be forgone Q. That a man then may bee in the better possibilitie to die well it is good betimes to begin to liue well R. That is most certaine Oh Lam. 3.27 saith Ieremiah it is good for a man to beare the yoke in his youth What liquor sweete or sower a vessel first doth take The smell thereof will aye remaine or hardly it forsake Prou. 22.6 Teach a childe sayth Salomon in the trade of his way and when he is old he shall not depart from it Q. What may perswade this you speake of R. That which I doe speake and what is there else almost that may not The word of God doth euery where and way perswade it the entrance of euery man into the Churche of God doth perswade it the petition hee makes in the Church dooth perswade it the confession he makes before the Church doth perswade it experience in many things doth perswade it euery thing but folly vanitie and iniquitie doth perswade it If you will haue precept Eccle. 11 6. the word goeth thus In the morning sowe thy seede and in the euening let not thine hand rest Eccle. 12.1 Syr. 18. 20. Remember thy Creator in the daies of thy youth Whilest thou mayest yet sinne shew thy conuersion Matth. 6.33 First seeke the kingdome of heauen If you will haue promise the word goeth thus Pro 8.17 Pro. 8.18 19 20. They which seeke me early shall find mee Riches and honour are with me euen durable riches and righteousnes My fruite is better than golde yea than fine golde and my reuenues better than siluer I cause to walke in the way of righteousnes and in the middes of the pathes of iudgement That I may cause them that loue me to inherite substance I will fill their treasures Seeke ye first the kingdome of God Matt. 6.33 and his righteousnes and all these things .i meate drinke and cloth after which the Gentiles seeke shall be ministred vnto you If you will haue menace and threatning the word goeth thus Make no tarying to turne vnto the Lord Syr. 5. 7. and put not off from day to day for suddenly shal the wrath of the Lord breake forth and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroyed and thou shalt perish in the time of vengeance Thus euery way the word goeth to perswade a speedy conuersion vnto God that man may escape confusion with the diuell For profite thereby it sayth This is the acceptable time 2. Cor. 6.2 this is the day of saluation to day heare his voice For perill through the neglect thereof it saith exhorte one another dayly while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnes of sinne For example of those that haue been diligent in the practise thereof it saith that Samuel began to serue God in his minoritie that Timothie knewe the Scriptures of a childe that Iohn grewe in spirit as hee grew in yeares that the lady to whom Iohn wrote 2 Ioh. 4. had children that walked in the trueth of all these things and moe in the word there is nothing which doth not perswade to a speedie turning vnto the Lord both in faith and obedience the commaundement is holy and that should moue the measure is sharpe and that should moue the menace is sharpe and that should moue the profit by obeying is good and that should moue the danger in neglecting is great and that should moue the example of doing is pleasant and that should moue happie is he whom either any or all of these doe moue If these doe not throughly moue the rest that follow may somewhat helpe thereto they should and these would faine moue So soone as a man is borne or not long after hee is baptized in the name of God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and wherefore is that but to shew that when he cannot run to Christ he should creepe vnto him serue him as he can in youth and age So soone as he beginneth to pray he saith Halowed be thy name thy kingdome come thy will be done before euer he saith Giue vs this day our daily bread and wherfore is that but to shew that so soone as he can pray he is to seeke the will of God which hee must doe before the foode which hee must eate the words which hee liues by before the sinnes and pleasures which he perishes by It is written that when Christ heard a young man answere that hee had kept the commaundements from his youth hee began to loue him and wherefore is that but to shewe
how Christ loueth timely beginnings to obey and serue him There is not one confession for olde men and another for young men as though it were a worke of necessitie for old men to beleeue and a worke of supererogation for young men but one for all as though it were as cōuenient for young men to beleeue as well as olde The olde man saith not I did beleeue in God neither doth the young man say I wil beleeue in God but both say I doe beleeue in God And wherefore is this but to teach that a man must beleeue in God as well when he is young as when he is olde He which in Scripture is called I am loueth I am and careth neither for I was nor I will bee As hee is euer present so hee delighteth in that which is present As mans time therefore is onely the present time so should hee both beleeue and obey in the present time As it was a fault in Felix to say vnto Paul I will heare thee when I haue a conuenient time so it is in him that would bee Felix to say vnto God I will beleeue in thee I will obeye thee when I haue a conuenient time As when Christ asked Peter this question louest thou mee Hee looked that Peter should answere him Yea Lorde I loue thee so when hee asketh any this question Beleeuest thou in mee Hee looketh that hee should answere him Yea Lord I doe beleeue in thee He liketh not I will beleeue in thee There is some certaintie in I doe beleeue in thee but there is great doubt in I will beleeue in thee He that doth not beleeue is vncertaine whether euer hee shall beleeue It is not in his owne power to beleeue when he list to beleeue neither if it were is hee sure that God will then like of his beleeuing which would not other when beleeue when it was meete he should haue beleeued Q. Why but it is an old saying Repentance can neuer be too late R. I but it is a true saying Repentance can neuer bee to soone The first lesson that Iohn taught was Matt. 3.2.10 Repent for the kingdome of heaven is at hand The first lesson that the Disciples taught was Matth. 4.10 Repent too for the kingdome of heauen is at hand And the first lesson that Christ taught was Repent also for the kingdome of heauen is at hand And all this was for no other cause but to teach all that repentance should bee the first worke any man should doe And now if this bee so then neither faith nor obedience must be the last that must bee looked after For repentance is not full till faith and obedience comes the first to assure of pardon for the sinnes past the second to preuent through grace all sinnes that otherwise would come As a man therefore in the beginning of his age is to repent that he may attaine to the kingdome of heauen so is hee also to beleeue and obey timely crookes the tree that true cramhooke will be and timely turnes the man that true Christian wil prooue The tree which buddeth not in spring is dead all the yeare the man which beleeueth not in youth is most what vnbeleeuing in age If children be deformed in youth there is small likely good they will be well fauoured in age So if mens minds be planted in sinne while they are young seldome any goodnes buds thereout when they are olde As other grafts so vertue must haue a time to grow The seede thereof is sowen in youth but the fruite cometh vp in age As the best killing of a Serpent is in the egge so the best mastring of sin is in the youth If it be not then ouercome it will hardly be ouercome It is hard making of an old dogge to stoope If he be not taught while he is a whelpe he will be vnskilfull so if man be not reformed while he is young he will be wicked when he is olde What man in youth doth most put in vre that til death to keepe he shall be sure As the arrow is directed at the first so it flieth all the way ouer or vnder or beside but it neuer findeth the marke vnles it be leuelled right in the hand So as the life of man is begunne so it is most what continued either wide short or gon of and from that it should be The beginning is halfe of the whole Of a good beginning seldome comes a bad ende If therefore a man will be in hope of a good death it is good for him betimes to sette vpon a good life A good life is a good meanes to a good death and the sooner that that is begunne the better this in the ende will be Ye wish saith Petrarch to die well but that your wishing is in vaine except ye haue liued well as if without liuing well there were no dying well Q. But what if a good life be not begunne betimes R. There is so much the more paines to be taken about it towards the ende He that setteth not on his iourney till noone must goe faster than he that began in the morning So he that beginneth not a good life betimes must liue so much the more streightly when he doth beginne it It is said the Diuell is very busy because his time is short an olde man therefore in goodnes is to be much more busie because his time is shorter as the Israelites therefore gathered twice so much Manna the day before the Saboth as they gathered any day before that because they might not gather vpon the Sabaoth so the gray headed which looketh euery day for the last Saboth must pray twice as much heare twice as much doe twice as much to prepare the sacrifice of his body and soule as euer he did in any time of his life before because the night is at hand in which he can neither heare nor pray nor worke any more For there is neither worke Eccle. 9.10 nor inuention nor knowledge nor wisedome in the graue whither he goeth Serm. Disc Ser. 115. de Tempore A certaine Merchant passing through a wood found there an Heremit of a hundreth yeares old of whome he demaunded what he there did to whome the Hermit aunswered I learne to die Vpon him againe the Merchant thus replyed what neede you doe that seeing you are olde for without that shortly you must die to him againe the Hermit thus aunswered that is the thing I feare because I know I must die and yet I know not to die What is it therefore quoth the Merchant to know to die marrie quoth the Hermit to leaue sinne and doe righteousnes according to the saying of the Psalmist Eschew euill and doe good Among other things in this historie worth the nothing this is not the worst that by how much the shorter the time was the Hermit had to liue by so much the greater his care was to liue well What was this olde mans
practise should also be other old mens as well as his What fitted him because he was olde doth also well fit them because they are old His time was short and therefore he was desirous to know to die Their time is short and therefore they should be desirous to doe the like Surely they must away whether it be to night before to morrow or to morrow after to night they do not know Better it is to prepare in time than to say I would I had Had I wist comes to late As it was a great commendation for Mnason to be called an old disciple so it is a great discredit for them to be counted olde dissemblers It is ill for young men to be vitious but it is worse for olde men not to be vertuous It is too bad for men to follow sin when sin forsakes them Nothing doth so much blemish olde men as sinne For old Noah to be drunke for old Lot to be sleepie for olde Sampson to loose his strength for olde Eli to cocker his children it is a great disgrace If olde men regarde ought a good name after their death which is better than great riches in their life I wish them I will them I aduise them to be sober discreet holy righteous and religious in their age Pro. 16.31 Age is a crowne of glory when it is found in the way of righteousnes Syr. 25. 4 5. 6. Oh how pleasant a thing it is when gray headed men minister iudgement and when the elders can giue good counsell oh how comely a thing is wisedome vnto aged men and vnderstanding and prudence to men of honour The crowne of olde men is to haue much experience and the feare of God is their glory But if then they neglect the wayes of God and the works of his commaundements the Lord haue mercie vpon them without his great mercy their estate is euil their condition is all too bad Syr. 25. 2. Three sorts of men saith the Lord my soule hateth I vtterly abhorre the life of them a poore man that is proud a rich man that is a lier an old man that doteth If therefore hated and abhorred of God they will not be let them speedily reformed be If death which is at their gate take them vnawares the thredde of their hope is cut off and perish they must in their sinnes For after death there is no place Ignat. in epist 6. August ad Petr. diac cap. 3. August epist 80. ad Hesychium nor time to cōfesse them In the life to come they shall haue repentance for them but in the sight of God they shall not finde remission of them In what state their owne last day shall finde them in the same state the last day of the world shall finde them for such as euery man in the same day shall die euen such in that day shall he be iudged As Salomon saith If the tree fall toward the South Eccle. 11.3 or toward the North in the place that the tree falleth there it shall be As the apostle Paul therefore saith vnto all While wee haue time Gal. 6.12 let vs doe good vnto all men so say I vnto them while they haue time let them doe good vnto themselues and to doe that let them not linger with Lot till the angell plucke them but haste with Noah while the floud doth warne them least when they would enter with the foolish virgins they haue answere I know you not Mat. 25.12 41.34 in steed of with the disciples from the beginning I haue loued you and when they come to iudgement they receiue with the wicked Goe yee cursed in steed of Come yee blessed sounded to the blessed Sharpe is the word Goe ye sweet is the word Come yee as they like of the sweete Come ye better than of the sharpe Goe yee so let them like better of the meanes to the sweete Come yee than of the waies to the bitter Goe ye Q. As your counsell is good so they had best follow it R. You say true as it is commodious to follow it so it is perilous to forsake it perilous in the time present because it bereaueth thē of the honour due vnto them for who will honour an olde man that is vitious I reproue an olde man saith Cleanthes that hath graye haires Laert. lib. 7. c 2. but hath not a graue heart and perilous in the time to come because it dispossesseth them of the kingdome of heauē for God hath said Apoc. 21 27 Stob. ser 113. No vncleane thing shall enter therein And Metrodorus said An olde man is not blessed except he hath the nūber of good workes absolute And to one that asked Diogenes what thing was most miserable in this life he answered Laert. lib. 6 An olde poore man and that may be an olde man void of good workes as well as an olde man destitute of great riches for poorer is he that is destitute of goodnes than he that is destitute of goods And vnlike it is that he wold cōdemn that in another which he so highly commended in himself for great was the amity that was betweene him and pouerty great also the commendation hee gaue to pouertie when one obiected to him his pouertie he said Stob. ser 95. Oh vnhappy man that thou art what sayest thou I haue not seen any man exercise tiranny for pouerty Idem ser 93 but all men for wealth and riches pouerty is a vertue which is learned of it selfe and an helpe to philosophy for to what philosophy doth perswade by words to that pouertie compells by deedes But what doe I prosecute this thus farre It is no great matter which way it be taken It makes little for the honour of olde men that are vitious neither doth it derogate any thing from the renoune of those that are vertuous By that which I haue said may easily be coniectured what I would haue said It is euery way perilous for olde men to persist in their sinnes and to perseuer in their wickednes Themselues they ouer burthen others they too much corrupt all they hurt In asmuch as I cannot effect with tongue what I affect in minde I beseech God to giue them all grace so to liue while they are olde as well they may die when they do die Q. Amen to that say I. For it is as miserable to die to die as it is pleasurable to die to liue And I would as gladly die to liue as liue to be olde R. Yea I thinke and rather too Of the twaine the first is the best Q. But of the other twaine the last is the best R. I say not that because I know not whether there be any goodnes at all in the first But this I say because I know it that of those two neither the one can be attained nor the other annoyed without liuing wel while they liue and dying well when they die For the scripture
saith Apoc. 14.13 Blessed are they which die in the Lord. It saith not blessed are they which die out of the Lord neither yet blessed are they which die against the Lord. For neither the one nor the other of those can be blessed Nor the first Rom. 8.1 because the Apostle saith There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus For thereby he insinuateth that there is nothing but condemnation to them which are out of Christ Iesus Nor the second because the Lord saith 1. Sam. 2.30 Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be despised For thereby it may be gathered that they which are against the Lord both in their life and death shall not be with the Lord after their death For how should they then be despised they are not despised that are receiued of the Lord to be with Christ for euer Greater honour cannot be done vnto them For when Paul desired the best of all he desired to be with Christ which as he saith is best of all Philip. 1.23 desiring to be dissolued to be with Christ which is best of all Q. Whatsoeuer you say by that which you doe say this I find must be said that a good life must goe before that a good death may follow after and both concurre togither that perpetuall blisse may ensue either R. In finding this you haue found the truth For as the second is not often without the first so the third is verie seldome without the two former But that there hath enough been said of this before there might heere now more be said But referring you to that I will rest heere with this For when all is sought that may be sought this will once at length be found that a good life till death and a good death after a good life are the best meanes to an happie life after life and death Q. That we may all finde the last God giue vs grace to seeke the first For as it is his grace that we liue at all so it must be of his grace if we liue well R. True is that you say For as Paul saith By grace wee are saued and without grace wee could not but bee damned Then is a man ouercome by his sinnes while he labours to liue righteously of his owne strength without the hope of the grace of God that deliuereth him Moreouer as the fore named Apostle sayd of himselfe 1. Cor. 15.10 By the grace of God J am that I am so must we say of our selues by the grace of God we are that we are whatsoeuer in goodnesse we are for as that learned man Hierome saith Our righteousnes doth not consist of our merites Hieron lib. 1. aduers Pelag. but of the grace and mercie of God that therefore I may once come to a conclusion I heere say Amen to your petition Q. So much the iuster is my petition by how much the better Amen fittes your conclusion but I see it fittes well and I wonder nothing you sought to conclude For loe we are at the pitch of our parting and I neuer thought thereof Lord how soone and sodeinly is this day gone I had thought we had beene much farther from our parting place then now I see we either were or are But seeing there is no remedie I thanke you hartily for your company most hartily also I thank you for the good documents both touching my life and concerning my death you haue in your conference with mee vouchsafed to deliuer vnto me God make me willing to regard them and able to requite you I esteeme them because they are healthy and I must and will remember you because you haue dealte courteously R. Your kindenes is great yea greater by much than I either euer deserued or nowe desired neither my company nor my conference haue merited what either willingly you saye you gaue or dutifully you saye you owe. The first necessarily you were to haue because thus farre one way did well serue vs both Except one of vs should haue gone about wee coulde not haue gone asunder The last handsomely you could not be denied because as friendly as earnestly it was desired of some thing also we were to be talking whilest togither by the way we were to be walking Q. But you might haue chosen that notwithstanding whether you would haue talked of this matter yea or no R. Not oportunely though lawfully For euery time fittes vs to talke of death because we knowe not howe soone wee must yeelde thereto whether to night before to morowe or now before anone Q. In deede we are at an vncertaintie either when or where we are to expect it but the remembrance thereof to some is yrkesome R. That makes not that conference there aboutes to others should bee lothsome some seeke it many wishe it all must vndergoe it though some cannot abide to heare of it yet there is no reason but some should thinke of it Q. God forbid that any should bee otherwise minded If we thinke of other petite businesses as we doe for what goe wee about which wee thinke not of afore we goe about it much more should we thinke of it It is the last and greatest busines we haue to doe and in their last actions men commonly labour to excell themselues Shall or should they then in this seeke to shame them selues they should not whatsoeuer some will wise men will not whatsoeuer others doe whatsoeuer others doe or will doe God make vs wisely to thinke of it well to prouide for it that strongly to arme our selues against ouer much feare of it orderly we may come to it patiently we may beare it happily we may passe through it and christianly as well as couragiously wee may ouergoe it R. Amen for the well minding of it ere it comes is the right managing of it when it comes he that neuer thinkes of it can hardly abide to vndergoe it and will scarcely labour well to passe through it that makes many so vnwilling to heare of it and so impatient to beare it as they are namely their seldome minding it and their neuer thinking of it Q. I am iust of your minde for that so am I also for all else that hitherto you haue spoken concerning it I could say more but I will not the time that tarieth no man and the way which being vnknowen troubleth euery man doe both call me a way Once againe therefore good master Regulus I hartily thanke you and humbly take my leaue of you R. If there be no remedy but needes wee must breake company the Lord be with you Q. And with you also R. Amen I beseech him for without him neither of vs both can doe any thing the holy Angell of God goe with vs to the places whither we are going and conduct vs to the place which we are euer desiring and protect vs in the places wherein we shal be abiding Q. Amen Amen for so shall now our iourney be prosperous and in the end our arriuall to rest most ioyous but againe fare you well 2. Cor. 13.13 for I must yeelde to time being subiect to time R. Farewell sweete friend Quirinus and the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of God the father and the most comfortable fellowship of the holy Ghost bee with vs and remaine with vs this day and alwayes Amen Amen FINIS
rule of others so both must take care for others If he be ecclesiasticall he must cast as much as he can for the continuance of the good estate of the Church ouer which he is placed It is little for a man to care onely for himselfe and his owne time and to regard nothing the time that is to ensue By the historie of the Gospell it is euident what care the chiefe shepheard and Bishop of our soules had of this matter for both before his death and at his death and after his death he was mindfull and zealous of this busines before his death he chose certaine to succeed him in the ministry of the word at his death as hee commended Iohn to Mary Ioh. 19.26 so he commended Mary to Iohn to her hee said woman behold thy sonne to him he said man Mat. 28.19 behold thy mother After his death hee gaue his Disciples commission to teach all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost teaching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer he had commanded them In the second Epistle of Peter the Apostle it is easie to be seene how carefull hee was to persist in his masters steppes in regarding what hee regarded for there this was his saying 2. Pet. 1.15 I will endeuour alwaies that ye also may be able to haue remembrance of these things after my departure from both there may wel be collected what I haue wisht to bee considered this I am sure is the saying of Christ himselfe Ioh. 13.15 I haue giuen you an example that ye should doe as I haue done and that which was spoken by Paul himselfe may well be taken as spoken by Peter 1. Cor. 11.1 Be you the followers of men euen as I am of Christ but I mind not further to dilate this point as now I meane to proceed if he be a magistrare he must prouide before he dies as much as hee can for the godly and peaceable estate of the Towne Citie and common wealth whereof and in he is magistrate ruler and gouernour So did Moses so did Iehoshua so did Dauid and so should he for what fitted them being magistrates fittes him also being a magistrate Q. What if he bee a priuate man and yet hath some gouernement of others as wise children and seruants what must he then doe R. If he be an housholder and master of a familie he must endeuour himselfe what hee may to set his familie in order before he die for thus said the Prophet Isaiah to Hezekiah the king being sicke Isai 38.1 Set thine house in order that is make thy testament that so thou maiest preuent the braules and iarres that otherwise may arise among thine heires tell thy household-folkes what thou wilt haue done when thou art dead or as Ionathan hath it commend thine house to some good honest godlie and religious man for why thou must die and not liue and what was here spoken by the Prophet to Hezekiah the king we must thinke spoken by God to euerie man For as one Apostle saith 2. Pet. 1.20 no prophesie in scripture is of any priuate motion or interpretation For the Prophecie in olde time came not by the will of man but holie men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost And another saith whatsoeuer things are written aforetime Rom. 15.4 they are written for our learning that we thorough patience and comfort of the scriptures might haue hope And againe 2. Tim. 3 1◠the whole scripture being giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to teach to improue to correct and to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may bee absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes and therefore also this part and peece thereof Q. I denie not what you say yet if you will giue me leaue to speake you shall heare what I will say R. Take leaue and say on Q. You haue all this while spoken of troublesome matters for how shall either the magistrate prouide peace for the cōmon wealth after his death or the minister the word for his people or the householder loue for his heires when it neither is in the magistrates hands to appoint a new nor in the ministers power to place another nor in the householders compasse to make heires R. How troublesome soeuer they bee as you say yet must they all be cared for as I say neither shall it be so difficulte as you imagine to doe what I say if each of them will doe as I say Q. What say you then each of them is to doe R. If the magistrate will haue peace among his people aswell after his death as in his life in his life he is to procure the maintenance of true religion and vertue and to establish the due execution of Iustice to seeke by all meanes the outward peace of his people and common wealth this if he doth there is no doubt but he shall prouide peace for his people for sometime after his death Some I am sure there are mentioned in scripture who by taking this course while they liued procured peace to their people when they were dead When Moses was an hundreth twentie yeres olde and was no more able to goe in and out before the people of Israel he called them before him and signified that the time of his departure was at hand and therefore tooke order for their welfare after his death First of all hee placed Iehoshua ouer them in his steed to be their guide to the land of promise Secondly he gaue speciall charge to all his people to be valiant and couragious against their enemies and to obey the commandements of God how they speed heere through the book of Ioshua better manifests then I can mention Yet in a generalitie thus much can I say that here through they sped wonderous well their enemies they vanquished the land of promise they obtained and much peace and plenty they therein enioyed Iosh 23. the like course to Moses tooke Ioshua when he was a dying the like effect thereto that like taken course tooke among the people for in the book of Ioshua it is said that all Israel serued the Lord all the daies of Ioshua and all the daies of the Elders that ouer-liued Ioshua 1. Kin. 2.1.31 what should I speake of king Dauid who when he was to goe the way of all earth lying sicke vpon his death bed placed his owne sonne Salomon vpon his throne and therby prouided happily for his common wealth subiects by these it may be gathered what might be said of others but for magistrats these presidents are inough To come to the minister now if hee will haue the word to sound in his Church no lesse after his death then it did in his life in his life he is diligently to preach it to his people and christianly to walke according to the same and at