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
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
Thou knowest not in what place death doth expect thee therefore expect thou it in euery place Sith man knowes not in what place death ought to meete him hee knowes not in what place hee ought most to waite for death in euery place it is to be expected This therefore should be euery mans practise he should not delay to prouide for death for this cause first because euery man is vncertaine of his life For as Salomon saith Man knoweth not his ende c. Eccles 9.12 Secondly because it is good presently to make prouision for the latter ende For as Ieremie saith Lam. 3.27 It is good for a man that hee bare the yoke in his youth What liquor sweete or sowre the vessell first doth take the smell thereof doth aye remaine or hardlie it forsake Pro. 22.6 A childe taught in the trade of his way will not departe from it when he is olde By so much hee liues the more securely so long as he liues 15.15 For as Salomon saith A good conscience is a continuall feast And thereupon Seneca saith It is good before death to make the way thereto and then to waite securely for the other parte of the time By so much he dyes the more blessedly when he dyes For he dyes doubtfully that prouides not for death till he dyes If any man in his last sickenes will take vpon him to repent and doth repent and so departes hence I confesse vnto you we denye him not what he desireth but we presume not Repentance we may giue him saluation wee cannot promise him I say not that he shall be condemned neither doe I say that he shall be saued Wilt thou therefore be put cleane out of doubt repent thee whilest thou arte well If thou doest so I say thou arte safe because thou then repentedst when thou mightest haue sinned If thou wilt repent when thou canst not sinne thy sinnes haue forsaken thee not thou them Thirdly because it is more difficult to do it heareafter than now for then the hearte is more hardened man is more weakened sinne is more strengthened and the diuell is more hardely remoued And of these things thus say auncient writers as now and successiuely I will declare vnto you first of the heart Bernard sayth Bernard in serm A puft vp hearte is harde and voyde of Godlines Ignoraunt of compunction drye from euery dew of spirituall grace A hard heart is that which is neither disseuered with compunction nor softned with religion Id. ibid. Sup. Cantica nor moued with petition which yeeldes not to threatnings but is hardened with scourgings is vngrateful for benefits vnfaithfull for councell cruell in iudgments vnshamefast at filthie things vnfearefull at perilous thinges inhumane to humane thinges rash to diuine thinges forgetfull of thinges past careles of things present nothing foreseeing things to come that it is to which of things passed there is nothing which passeth not but onely iniuries of things to come there is no foresight but onely of reuenge Secondly of man Basil saith Basil in sua Regula Maxim in ser Iohn Baptist Gregor lib. 4. moral August Sup. psal 30. He which acquaints not himselfe with vertue whiles he is young knowes not to depart from vice when he is olde When sinne comes into vse the mind then more weakely resisteth then euer though much it desireth For as Augustine saith to conquere custome is a most hard combat Custome changeth vice into nature Ieremie the prophet therefore saith Can the Blackemore change his skinne or the Leopard his spots Isidor lib. 2. solit Ier. 13.23 Greg. lib. 15. moral then may yee also do good that are accustomed to doe euill Euill customes hold fast whome once they haue caught dayly also they growe more difficult to withstand and are not ended but with the end of the sinners life 3. Of sin saith as I remember the same father last mentioned Gregorie That sin which by repentance is not done away by his owne weight draweth another Forthly of the deuil sayth Beda The deuil by how much the longer he possesseth Beda sup Lunam by so much the hardlier he dismisseth These sayings of the learned if none of them seuerally can moue any thing to that which is moued yet all of them ioyntly should moue much for who should be more vnsure day by day of preparing against his dying day then he is almost at the beginning of his liuing dayes Surely none none therefore but while he hath time should prouide for his latter time He which delayeth this matter sinneth more and worse then ordinarily and against moe then vsually For first he sinneth against God secondly against the Angels thirdly against himselfe fourthly against his neighbour fiftly against the inferiour creatures against God 1. because he mingles gall with his meat according to that saying they gaue me gall to eat A good worke is meate vnto the Lord for he is fed among the lilies that is among good workes But a bad is as poyson psal 5. Saith Dauid Thou art not a God that loueth wickednes Psalm 5.4 neyther shall euill dwell with thee And Iob sayth If I haue sinned Iob. 10.14 then thou wilt streightly looke vnto me and wilt not hold me guiltles of mine iniquitie I haue done wickedly woe vnto mee 15. Secondly because he brings that before him which worst and most displeases him to wit sinne For first he hates nothing which he hates but for sinne had not sinne beene hee had loued the deuill as he did before sinne was Secondly he hath none so good a friende eyther in heauen or earth but he hates him for sinne For sinne he threw Lucifer from heauen for sinne he cast Adam out of paradise for sinne he expelled Iudas from the societie of his disciples thirdly he spared not his owne sonne that he might be reuenged of sinne It is his owne saying Esai 53.8 For the wickednes of my people I haue smitten him Him therefore he had crucified that sinne with him might bee crucified As Augustine sayth The innocent is murthered August super Col. 2. and sinne is crucified Thirdly because he contemneth him whch most mercifully calleth him For God ceaseth not to call the sinner though the sinner listeth not to heare him Matth. 9.13 Mat. 9. Christ sayth I came not to call the righteous but sinners But Prou. 1.24 Prou. 1.24 the same Christ sayth I haue called ye refused Fourthly because hee vexeth him with his slackenes which expecteth him with goodnes For as olde Tobit counted the dayes of his sonne Tobias his absence Tobit 9.4 so God counteth the dayes of the sinners delay And as Tobias sayd of Tobit If I tarie long he will be verie sorrie so may the sinner saye of God Luk. 19.41 If I tarry long he will be very sory Luc. 19. Luke sayth Iesus wept ouer Ierusalem And in one place of his workes Chrysostome sayth God
with the riches of iniquitie R. As before I haue shewed Q. But are not they the riches of iniquitie that are gotten by iniquitie R. Yes but they are not therefore onely called the riches of iniquitie because they are gotten by iniquitie but also because to many they are the cause and occasion of iniquitie also as Augustine saith because the world which lieth in iniquitie iudgeth these things to be riches which in deede are not Q. And may not a man make him friends with the riches of iniquitie whether they be therefore called the riches of iniquitie because they are gotten by iniquitie or because they are to many the cause and occasion of iniquitie R. Yes that hee may if so hee will and thereto he applies his endeauour Q. Why say you then am â—n may not in his will bequeath them to whom he will R. Because you euer speake not of one kinde of riches of iniquitie But one while you speake of the riches of iniquitie which are gotten by iniquitie another while you speake of the riches of iniquitie which are therefore so called because vnto many they minister the matter of iniquitie Q. Of which soeuer I speake may not a man giue of either R. Yes he may But neither when he will nor where he will nor to whom he will nor what hee will not as hee will neither yet asmuch as he will Q. If ye ty him to all these while he giues he shall not giue much when he giues R. As much as reason religion allowes him in the last kind of riches of iniquitie so he euer hath an eie to the thing that he giues the time when he giues the place where he giues the person to whom he giues and the manner how he giues Q. And what may he giue nothing of the first R. I yet said not so but when it comes that of them hee may giue hee must neither giue what himselfe will nor to whom himselfe will nor as himselfe will Q. What 's the reason I pray you that you mince this matter thus R. You need not aske me againe for I haue tolde you it long since Q. I haue forgotten it then R. That 's much hauing remembred it so oft but once more I will put you in mind of it that euer heereafter you may remember it my reason is this because I would haue him first make restitution of all that hee hath vniustly gotten Q. When when his will is in making R. Yea euen then if he hath not made it before Q. Why then R. Because that auncient Father Augustine saith Augustine The sinne is not pardoned that in ill getting is committed vnles the thing ill gotten be restored Q. As the saying is that is but one Doctors opinion R. That will not serue to shift it off for it agrees iust with the chiefe Doctors religion for wheÌ„ good Zacheus vpon that it pleased Christ to look vpon him to dine with him cryed Behold Lord Luk. 19.8 the halfe of my goods I giue to the poore and if I haue done any wrong to any man I restore him fourefolde then and thereupon Christ againe said vnto him This day is saluation come vnto this house As though till such time as either restitution were in deede made or a resolute purpose conceiued to haue it made Saluation had beene a stranger to him and his house too Q. Yet one would thinke there were some difference betweene these two doctours for the one speakes of remission of sinnes the other of the saluation of soules R. There is neuer the more difference in their doctrines for that whatsoeuer there was in their persons for the saluation of soules with Christ speaketh of consisteth in the remission of sinnes which Augustine speaketh of Luk. 1. saith Zacharie of his sonne Iohn Thou babe shalt be called the Prophet of the most high Luk. 1.76 for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his waies and to giue knowledge of saluation vnto his people by the remission of their sins Psal 32.1 And Plal. 32.1 saith Dauid Blessed is hee whose wickednes is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Now if saluation be knowne by the remission of sinnes as Zacharie saith blessednes not denied him whose sinnes are forgiuen as Dauid saith I hope I may wel say that the soules saluation consisteth in the sinnes remission so no difference betweene Christ the chiefe doctor and Augustine an inferiour doctor Q. And what then R. That good it is for him that is sicke about to make his will euen then to make restitution of that he hath ill gotten if before that and then he hath not done it Q. How fetch you that about R. As I should and ought by reason of the saying of the one doctor and the other neither dissenting in doctrine one from another for I would not haue the sicke to misse his sinnes remission for lacke of restitution as it is perilous to misse the former so it is ieopardous to lacke the latter for the former will not be except the latter also bee if so the latter at all maybe Q. No meruaile then though you be earnest for restitution R. You would say so if you knew all Q. Why is there more yet to bee knowne this I thinke is inough R. Whatsoeuer you thinke it is true that I say Q. But what is it you say R. That the gift that is made of goods ill gotten will neuer benefite them to whom it is made for the euill committed in getting wil creepe also vpon those that shall after haue the same in keeping and being gotten on it will cleaue so fast to as neither the receiuers shall prosper with their gifts receiued nor the things receiued with the receiuers For one way Paul the Apostle saith Rom. 1.31 Not onely they which doe euill but also they which consent thereto are worthie of death and therefore wel that which I speake off for worldlie aduersity is lesse then death And an other way experience teacheth vs that goods ill gotten by the parents makes no long stay with the children often in the next generation they passe away it is a wonder if to the third they make their stay Hence it is that one saith incontinent vpon the death of the infamous Romaine Princes Caligula and Nero the Senate prouided that all their riches and household stuffe should be burned and buried in welles least that in their tyrannicall goods there might be hidden some euill fortune by the couetousnes whereof Rome might bee lost and the common wealth imprisoned Hence also should it bee that men in their sicknesse and at the making of their willes should rather restore what they haue vniustly gotten then bequeath any part thereof to any for who that wise is would giue that which being giuen will neither benefite him to whom it is giuen nor any thing profit him to whom it is giuen Q. For my part I think
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
and Elias to be Moses and Elias And that he and other of the Disciples knew Christ after his resurrection to be Christ That the vnmercifull rich man knew Lazarus to be Lazarus after his death and Abraham to be Abraham though he had neuer seen him in the flesh For Peter vpon the sight of Moses and Elias said vnto his master Iesus Mat. 17.4 Master it is good for vs to be heere If thou wilt let vs make heere three tabernacles one for thee Ioh. 21.5 c. and one for Moses and one for Elias And Iohn the Disciple whome Iesus loued after that Iesus appearing vnto them as they were a fishing said vnto them Cast out the net on the right side of the Shippe and yee shall find said vnto Peter it is the Lord and after that Iesus said vnto them come and dine But as the text saith none of the Disciples durst aske him who art thou seeing they knew that hee was the Lord. Luk. 16.23 24. And the rich man being in hell in torments lift vp his eyes and saw Abraham a farre off and Lazarus in his bosome Then he cryed and said father Abraham haue mercie on me and send Lazarus that he may dippe the rippe of his finger in water and coole my tongue for I am tormented in this flame What may further be gathered of these things I leaue to the wise to iudge and to the learned to gather Heere is seeing one of another knowing one of another and talking one with another but what manner of knowing one of another heere after shall be in more particular manner neither my will nor my skill doe now serue more particularly to describe This that I haue said may very well serue for the purpose for which I haue said it All that are wise are warie how they speake of things aboue their reach and beyond their conceite Q. And so are you R. If I be not I should be though I be nothing so wise as I would be For as Salomon saith Pro. 25.27 It is not good to each much honey neither yet is is glorie to search their owne glorie The counsell of sage Syrach also is this Seeke not out the things that are too hard for thee neither search the things rashly which are too mightie for thee Syr. 3. 22 23 24 25. But what God hath commaunded thee thinke vpon that with reuerence be not curious in many of his workes for it is not needefull for thee to see with thine eyes the things that are secure Be not curious in superfluous things for many things are shewed vnto thee aboue the capacity of men The medling with such hath beguiled many and an euill opinion hath deceiued their iudgement Q. Speake you this to your selfe or to me R. To both if you will because it fittes vs both but to my selfe especially because I seeke for my selfe wholly Q. You spake for the sicke ere while R. So had I done still if you had not stayed me Q. I am sory I stayed you R. There is no cause you should be so I can turne to him at your pleasure Q. So I must request you For yet I haue not done though that which you haue said touching the knowing of his friends departed and to depart after he himselfe is departed might make him wondrous willing to depart this wofull and miserable life yet are there other things which keepes him from so being as not long since I declared vnto you R. What so euer other things things they be yet are they thereto of as small validity as those things which haue gone before Q. I know you wil say so how euer they proue not so R. I cannot say otherwise though I would vnles I would betray what we all ought to defend vz. the truth Q. Why in earnest doe not you thinke it would yrke a man to be disappointed of all his good purposes R. Not a whit so long as he is disappointed by God who doth dispose of all things better than euer he could purpose or imagine And he that hath so many good purposes in his head and his heart why doth he not dispatch them out of the way ere euer death come It is no time then to bethinke himselfe of them Death will not tarie either his or their leasure any wise man will thinke it were good looking to them afore hand Salomon saith All that thine hand shall finde to doe Eccle. 9.10 doe it with all thy power 1. out of hand without delay ere euer death come What reason is there that God should tarie vpon any mans purposes or why should man purpose any thing vpon hope when his thoughts are vaine his purposes cannot be very good For out of his thoughts comes his purposes First he thinkes then he purposes If he hopes that God will deferte his death because of his purposes he wil surely be deceiued The purposes of man cannot disappoint the purpose of God If they might men would be full of good purposes that they might liue long But so God hath ordeyned that many are taken away in the midst of their good purposes to teach the rest to be as quicke in finishing as in purposing And not to deferre the dispatch of their purposes in hope that therefore God wil deferre the prefixed time of their death Q. These are both good lessons But they are not hereby taught to be euer the more willing to dye R. What are they then when they see many disappointed of their purposes why should they be vnwilling because of their purposes God disposeth not according to their purposes and daily they pray that his purpose may take effect and not theirs Either they pray foolishly or they should die willingly More ought they to regard Gods purpose which cannot bee altered than their owne which vpon many occasions may soone be chaunged But sith you say some are vnwilling therefore to die because they are thereby disappointed of their good purposes I pray you le ts heare some of the good purposes that makes them vnwilling Q. You haue heard them already R. But good things can neuer bee heard too often And therefore we may heare them againe More good is gotten at the second or third hearing than the first 1. Sam. 3. Samuel knew more at the fourth hearing than he did at the first So also may we the first as the following stroke strikes not so deep the first as the fourth droppe pierceth not so farre the first as the second hearing leaues not such an impression behinde Q. All this is true As therfore heare them you may so heare them you shall These they are the promising for wife and children the disposing of goods the repenting of sinnes the preparing of Tombe and other necessaries for a solemne and seemely Funerall R. Alacke alacke that the missing of these things should make any man vnwilling to die heere is nothing of any such waight 1. his wife is
vnprouided for What then must he therefore be vnwilling to die 1. he might haue prouided for her aforetime he had time enough if he had had a minde thereto 2. is he sure she should haue beene prouided for if he had liued Many the longer they liue the more they spend and the lesse they haue in the end to leaue behinde them Many againe loose more in an houre than they get in a yeare What he might or should doe is altogither vnknowen and to him very vncertaine 3. his wife may be better prouided for than he is aware of 1. God himselfe hath promised to be an husband to the widow And as I thinke he both can and will then better prouide for her than euer he either would or could I am sure he hath prouided wel for many after their husbands death that neuer were well prouided for in their liues you your selfe can produce examples enough I neede not propound any yet that by them you may thinke of others you may call to minde Ruth the Moabitesse the wife of Mahton the widow of Zarephath Ruth 4.10 1. King 17. 2. King 4.1 and one of the wiues of the sonnes of the Prophets 2. his wife may marrie againe to another after his death that will be as carefull for her as euer he was in his life The second marriages are not euer the most second Many speed better at the last than at the first The Roman princes and captaines haue married widowes and the most holy king Dauid tooke two widowes to wife which both had been the wiues of his inferiours The one was Bathsheba the daughter of Eliam wife to Vriah the Hittite 2. Sam. 11.3 the other Abigail the wife of Nabal the carmelite What may betide his he knoweth not It may be a better than himself may ioyne with her What then for her cause should he be vnwilling to die let him leaue the prouiding for her either to him that shall next enioy her if she marries againe or to God himselfe if she keepes her selfe a widowe the one or the other or both of these will so sufficiently prouide for her as he needs not any thing to beate his head about her But. 2. and secondly to his children are vnprouided for what then shall he therefore grieue and grudge to die did neuer any man leaue his children vnprouided for but he or shall they neuer be prouided for because they are not prouided for because they are not prouided for by him or is he sure they shall be prouided for if he doth what in him lyeth to prouide for them many haue left their children vnprouided for because they had not any thing to giue them and yet they haue done well enough Many againe haue left them much because they had enough and yet they in short time haue come to nothing it is neither the fathers prouiding for them nor the fathers nor prouiding that doth anything but the blessing of God that doth all in all If he blesses though the father doth nothing the children shall do well enough his blessing will make them rich If he curses though the father giues much the children wil come to nothing His cursing will make them poore what may shall or wil betide them he is vtterly ignorant It may be a better stepfather may step vp in his place than he euer would or could haue been a naturall father I my selfe haue knowne some that haue come to more by their steede father than euer they could by their owne father what then for their cause should he be vnwilling to die let him leaue the prouiding for them either to him that shall be their stepfather if euer God moue the minde of their mother to marrie againe or else to him that hath promised to be a stedfather to the posteritie of those that loue him The one or the other or both of these wil so sufficiently prouide for thē as he needs not any thing to trouble his mind about them If they be good God himselfe will take better care and charge of them then euer he himselfe did for he wil neuer leaue them nor let them be fatherles he will nourish them teach them from their youth vp vntill their olde age death and graue hee wil not forsake them So will he prouide for them as wel they may say and sing with Dauid my Father and my mother forsooke mee but the Lord hath taken me vp If they be euill what should hee so much care for them as he should be vnwilling to depart the world by reason of them rather let him leaue them to the world to bee corrected by the worlde then prouide for them in the world that yee may haue wherewith to follow the fashions of the world by caring for them hee doth but foster the wickednes that is in them and what should hee care to cherish that which will grow too fast of it selfe wee weede the thistles out of our corne wee cut the nettles out of our gardens we rend the Iuie from our Oakes 1. Sam. 2.23 4.17.18.19 So should we weede cut and rend wickednes from our children Old Eli cherisht wickednes in his children but it spoilde both him and his children they were both slaine and hee fell from his seate backward and brake his neck What others must expect by his example they may learne for mine owne part I must proceede further and therefore I must passe hence I can not stay here Q. But whither will ye R. But whither you would to that which followeth as another stay from dying willinglie Q. Good inough then go to while you speake I will heare R. Thirdlie his goods are vndisposed what of that must he therefore be vnwilling to die First why were they not disposed in the time of his health I hope he might better haue bethought himselfe how they were to bee bestowed then than now the time of death for such a purpose is not the most commendable time though it be the most common time especiallie if a man hath much to dispose and many to care for Secondly why doth he not in as much speede as he may dispose of them If he wil he may make a quicke dispatch the law of the Land doth teach him what hee shall giue to his eldest sonne if hee hath many or any more then one the law of the land doth tell him what hee shall bestow vpon his wife if he hath one and shortened is his care if he hath none Reason and religion can both instruct him what he shall giue vnto others either children or friendes or needie neighbours Why doth hee delay doth hee thinke he shall die euer the sooner for the dispatching of his busines out of the way he is then in an errour and in a vile errour death tarieth not the disposing of his goods manie would neuer make will vpon that condition if he will not dispose of them while hee may when he would he