if it happen we finde they haue otherwise thought than the trueth may beare them Such am I in the writings of others and such would I wish others to be in mine But here in this matter of which we now intreate I stand more vpon his negation than either his affirmation or his dubitation First because hee therein accordeth with the holy canonicall scriptures which I some while mentioned ere euer I him named Secondly because he oftener denieth it according to the scripture than he either affirmeth it or doubteth of it altogether against the scriptures for besides the places named in which he denyeth it which for weight if not for number are able to counteruaile all those in which he either affirmeth it or doubteth of it hee denieth it also in his first booke against the Pelagians where he thus saith August lib. 5. cont Pelag A third place we know none neither doe we finde in the holy scriptures that there is any such out of the forge of thine owne conceite O Pelagian fayne thou such an one to be And in his Enchiridion where he thus saith August Enchirid. cap. 67. They which teach that some men are punished in a long continuing fire but not eternall are deceiued through a certaine humane beneuolence for the holy scripture being consulted with answereth another thing And also in his questions of eitheir testament where hee thus saith In the world to come there is onely remuneration August in quaest vtriusque Testament and condemnation but here in this world sinnes are either loosed or bound But why stand I thus long vpon him vpon whom if I stoode nothing at all the trueth of that I say would be neuer a whit the more impaired or weakened It is because I was thereto vrged and moued and not because my matter had been naught vnles by him it had been confirmed for the ground thereof is good And therefore as thaâ— house will stand which is built vpon a roâ—ke so will this doctrine which is grounded vpon the trueth Q. So let it then for I see by that which â— said against purgatorie that there is little ground for purgatorie R. Neuer little it as if there were any but rather none it because there is none at all for except it be in Philosophers and Poets Purgatorie hath no ground And what should wee doe with the authoritie of Philosophers and Poets against the expresse testimonie of scriptures and Fathers Alphonsus lib. 8. de haeres de Indulgent Polydor. Virg. de Inuent lib 8. cap. 7. August lib. 2. ad Gaudent Vntill this day of the Grecians or of the East Church Purgatorie was neuer beleeued saith Alphonsus and of Purgatorie among the auncient fathers there is either no mention at all or very seldome yea euen vntill this day the Grecians beleeue it not saith Polydore Virgill And though they did yet were that nothing to vs. For wee must not alwaies imitate or allowe whatsoeuer allowed persons haue done but lay the iudgement of scriptures to it to see whether they allowe the doing of it Exod. 23.2 For thus they runne Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe euill neither agree in a controuersie to decline after many and ouerthrowe the trueth Iere. 23.16 And againe Heare not the words of the Prophets that prophecie vnto you and teach you vanitie they speake the vision of their owne heart and not out of the mouth of the Lord. And againe 1. Ioh. 4.1 Beleeue not euerie spirite but trie the spirits whether they be of God for many false Prophets are gone out into the world And to the same the auncient writers accord saith Ignatius Whosoeuer speaketh any thing more than is written Ignatius in his epistle to Hieron although he be worthie credit although hee fast although hee keepe his virginitie although he doe miracles although he prophecie yet let him seeme to thee a wolfe in the flocke of sheepe saith Hierome After the Apostles of Christ Hieron super Psal 86. notwithstanding some man be holy notwithstanding he be eloquent yet he wanteth authoritie and saith Picus Mirandula We ought to beleeue a simple plaine husbandman or a childe Picus MiraÌ„dula in the quest Whether the Pope be aboue the Councell Deut. 12.32 or an olde woman rather than the Pope and a thousand Bishops if the Pope and the Bishops speake against the Gospell and the others with the Gospell If the scriptures allowe not what wee would haue allowed we must not allow it Deut. 12.32 Saith the Lorde Whatsoeuer I commaund you take heede you doe it thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take ought therefrom If any man shall adde vnto these things Reuel 22.18 19. God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke and if any man shall diminish of the words of the booke of this prophecie God shall take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy citie and from those things which are written in this booke Q. An hard sentence a heauie burthen I see well by this that wee must beleeue neither Pope nor Papist in their purgatorie cause R. You may be right well assured of that for therein they speake not with the Gospell But they adde to the Gospell and diminish from the Gospell yea and speake against the Gospell The Gospell saith Christ the Lambe of God hath taken away the sinnes of the world But they say Purgatorie must doe somewhat thereto The Gospell saith The guilt of sinne being remitted the punishment thereof cannot be reteyned They say The guilt of sinne being remitted some part of the punishment thereof and fire in purgatorie must be sustained The Gospell saith God doth not punish one sinne twise They say The sinne that God doth in part punish here he doth afterward more fully punish in purgatorie The Gospell saith All the punishments that God doth leuie vpon sinners after this life is in hell They say Some punishment that God doth lay vpon sinners after this life is in Purgatorie The Gospell saith After this life there is no punishment of sinne temporall any where They say Yes in Purgatorie Thus in this poynt are they and the Gospell contrarie Q. Yet by hearing and reading of others I haue found that much they pretend the Gospell R. That is not vnlike yet are you not therfore euer the more to credit them in what they say For thus saith Saint Cyrill In concil Calcedon act 1. Athanas cont Arrianos orat 1. All heretiques out of the heauenly inspired scriptures gather occasion of their error And thus Athanasius Heretikes vse the words of the scripture for a bayte Q. I but they doe not so R. The better for them if it be not found so but I feare me as Tertullian sayd of one heretike Tertullian de Baptismo Hee assaulteth the faith by the same words of God that breedeth faith so wee may well say of them They
alwaies vncertaine and vnknowne to thee That thou mayst feare be feruent liue well and flye euill As though there were foure causes which moued God to make death vncertaine 1. Feare 2. Loue. 3. Life 4. Euill Feare of him loue to his word preseruation of life in man and declining of euill Touching the. 1. Gregorie sayth in an homelie of his Our Lord would therefore haue our last houre to bee vnknowne that alwaies it might be suspected Gregorie in hom that whilst we cannot fore see it without intermission wee might make hast vnto it And hence is it that he said Watch therefore Mat. 15. cap. 13. for ye know neither the day nor the houre when the sonne of man wil ceme Touching the 2. another saith The houre of death is vncertaine that thou mightest worke the more feruentlie Were it not so thou wouldest grow slouthfull and desist from manie things which are good for others And hence it is that an Angell sayd once to a Bishop Greg. in Dialoâ— Doe what thou doest worke what thou workest Touching the 3. saith the same author last spoken of Therefore is the day of thy death vnknowne that thou mayest liue the more purely and warilie For as Cyprian saith What kinde of one the Lord findes thee when hee doth call such kinde of one he doth iudge thee when thou art gone But it is a foolish thing for a man to liue in that estate in which he would not dye Touching the 4. saith the foresaid writer Therefore is the day of thy death vnknowne that thou maiest eschew many euilles which of the certaintie of death would ensue For did men know they should liue long they would committe many euils purposing afterwards to repent but did they know they should dye soone they would liue so much the more vnhumanelie determining to haue some pleasure ere they were for the preuenting of these mischiefes the Lord hath made both death vncertayne and the time thereof vnknowne Thus now you see how the ignorance of death both in regard of time place and manner ought to make a man prepare himselfe to death Q. I doe so I thanke you But I pray you is there yet any thing more that may doe the like R. If you remembred but what ere while I said this question might haue been spared for I tolde you that for fiue causes a man was to prepare himselfe to die ere euer he came to die and yet wee haue spoken but of three of them Q. In deede you did so Speake therefore of the two last I praye you as you haue done of the three first R. So I meane God willing In the fourth place therefore a man is to prepare himselfe to die ere euer hee comes to die because the greatest worke a man hath to finish in this worlde is to die As after death there is no worke so greater then death there is no work hee which hath ouercome death hath ouercome all things Aristotle Of all terrible and fearefull things death is the last Q. And why should this moue a man euer the more to prepare himselfe to die R. Because as the wise man saith Syr. 5. 16. He should not doe rashly either in small things or in great Q. Why but is it a doing rashly to dye without preparation thereto R. What else For what is it not a doing rashly to set vpon any thing without aduisement Q. Yes surelie R. The like it is to die without preparation Q. As a man then prepares himselfe to the doing of any great worke so is hee to the vndergoing of death R. Right so Q. But why so R. Because death is not the least of a mans workes in this world Brandmil Con. fun though it bee the last For to die is the greatest worke a man hath to finish vpon earth Q. May you not thereto adde the greiuousest too R. If I die the matter were not great for there are more paines in death Vincent then in any worke vnder the sunne As one sayth for then so diuerse kindes of diseases are wonte to meete and so to molest euery member that sometimes there are moe diseases than members In a sicknes that was not mortall but grieuous Dauid sayd there was not one whole parte in his bodie how much more might another so say in a sickenesse that is mortall and therefore exceeding grieuous For no sickenes so grieuous as a mortall sickenes In the separation of a man from his wife there is much greefe and sorrow in the separation of the soule from the bodie there must needes be much more The coniunction of the two last is greater and of greater continuance than the coniunction of the two first and where there hath beene the longer continuance in affection there must needes be the greater grieuances vpon separation in experience we see that so much the greater the sorrow is at the parting of friends by how much the longer the continuance together hath been from the meeting of friends and by that we may gesse how great the griefe is in the parting of soule and body For soule and bodie are as two friends but what prosecute I this poynt so farre Now haue I little leysure and lesse occasion so to doe and it may be I shall haue more of both hereafter Q. I would you might and I wish you may For it will not be more yrkesome to me then to heare of these things than it is now And now by seeing my silence you may iudge of my delight But to let this passe seeing you would so faine passe what other reason haue you for the first and last place by which a man should bee moued to a preparing of himselfe to death ere euer he comes to yeeld himselfe thereto R. The fundrie preceptes of Christ and his Apostles and prophets tending to that purpose Q. Why haue either the one or the other of these giuen any precepts touching this matter R. Haue they what a question is that thus sayd I say the Prophet to Hezekiah the king Put thine house in order Esa 38.2 for thou shalt dye and not liue And what is that but to prepare to die because thou must die Thus said Christ our Sauiour to Peter and Andrew and other his Apostles and disciples Wake therefore Mat. 24.42.43 for ye know not what houre your master will come Of this be sure that if the good man of the house knew at what watch the theefe would come he would surely watch and not suffer his house to be digged through Therefore be ye also readie for in the houre that ye thinke not will the sonne of man come And what is this but to prepare to dye because you must dye for Luke the Euangelist recording the same historie saith Be yee also prepared therefore Luk. 12.40 For the sonne of man will come at an houre when yee thinke not 1. Pet. 1.1 And thus said Peter the Apostle to 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
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
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.
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
lib. 2. de art curatiua c. 1. And though that had been yet would not therefore the vse of phisicke come to bee despised and contemned For when the Samaritane bound vp the woundes of him that lay wounded betweene Hierusalem and Hierico Luk. 10.34 he powred in wine and oyle into his wounds which was a kinde of physicke and was therefore commended And therefore physicke ought not to be condemned For that surely is not to be condemned for which a man in scripture is highly commended For it is a good thing that workes commendation Rom. 13.3 Wilt thou be without feare of the power saith the Apostle doe well then so shalt thou haue praise of the same But the Samaritane as I say was therefore commended For saith the Lawier he was indeede neighbour vnto him that lay wounded Luk. 10.37 and halfe dead by the way side And therefore physicke should not in such sorte as it is be contemned For this the Samaritanes dealing with the wounded man was a right practise of physicke Valles de sacra philos cap. 88. For the wine which he powred serued to clense the wound and to ease the paine within and the oyle which hee vsed serued to supple the flesh and asswage the paine without Q. It seemes then by your speech you greatly mislike of them which in sickenes vtterly refuse and wholly despise all vse of physicke R. I doe so and not vnworthily For how can I like of those that contemne the ordinance of the almightie to the ende that men might recouer their health being sicke the Lord hath put that nature and strength into herbes and spices and roots which they haue and giuen vnto some men the knowledge of the secrets and properties thereof with which they abounde How now can men despise the vse of these things but that they therewith also despise the further enioyall of their health which by these things is to be repayred being by some of their things decayed and this to doe what other thing is it than to be guiltie of their owne blouds in the presence of the Lord Iehouah the mightie Lord of hosts for to neglect the meanes to health what other thing is it but to depriue themselues of life and what is it to depriue themselues of life but to be guiltie of their owne blouds to say in a worde therefore what now touching this poynt I thinke good to say I say whosoeuer in sickenes despiseth phisicke despiseth the lawfull meanes which God offereth of recouerie and so becometh guiltie of his owne bloud in the presence of the Lord. Q. An hard saying R. But a true saying Q. It makes well for the commendation of physicke and the aduancement of physitions R. Yet no more than is requisit For both of many are lesse regarded than they should Q. Both physicke and physicians are much beholding vnto you you pleade their cause well R. I pleade it no otherwise than I might neither are they euer the more beholding to me for this I doe no more than in conscience I am bound to doe If they are beholding to any as the truth is they are they are beholding to the Lord himselfe he it is that hath commaunded the one to be vsed and the other to be honoured The first Syrach 18. 18. Syr. 18. 11. Vse physicke ere euer thou be sicke The second Syrach 38 1. Honour the physician with that honour that is due vnto him because of necessity Q. But is there any reason of either R. Who art thou that askest a reason of Gods doing art thou voyde of reason to aske whether the author of reason doth vse reason in his doings his will is reason enough For he knoweth whereof wee stand in neede and of the first our owne neede is one good reason For Christ himselfe saith The whole haue no neede of the physician Mat. 9.13 but the sicke haue Another is the Lords ordeyning of the physicke For as Syrach saith The Lord hath created medicines of the earth Syr. 38. 4. and he that is wise will not abhorre them A third is the multiplicitie of cures that haue been done by it Exod. 15.25 Was not the water made sweet with woode that men might know the vertue thereof was not Hezekiah his bile healed with a cluster of figges that men might know the operation of them with such things doth the Lorde heale men and take away their paines The varietie of tables wherein were written the cures that were done by it which was found by hypocrites in the temple of Diana at Ephesus can giue witnes to this I say So can also the particular relation of sundrie others who through physicke haue been freed from those miseries with which some long time before they had bin perplexed but my purpose it is not to prosecute these things A fourth reason of that I say is mans necessitie for man cannot well be without physicke for now his head akes now his heart grieues now his liuer heates now his stomach cooles now his splene swelles now his reines grindes now his sight failes him now his hearing goes from him c. But for all these and many moe physicke helpes him with remedy And therefore not without reason hath the Lord commaunded physicke to be vsed To proceede where he had such reason to commaund physicke to be vsed we cannot thinke he wanted reason to commaund the physition to be honoured For for the first is the last so that wheresoeuer the first is to be vsed the second is to be regarded But you say why and wherefore and I aunswer First Syr. 38. 1. 12. Because the Lord hath created him Syrach 38. ver 1. and ver 12. And saith Paul 1. Tim. 4.4 Syr. 38.12 Euery creature of God is good and nothing ought to be refused Secondly because man himselfe hath neede of him And much is that to be esteemed which much is needed Thirdly because the houre may come wherein their enterprises shall haue good successe And that that may doe good at any time is to be despised at no time Fourthly because in the sight of great men he is had in admiration that which great men esteeme meane men should not despise The prouerbe is and with it the truth like prince like people Such as the master of the house is such soone will those of the household be But princes and great men greatly honour the physitian Ptolemeus sonne to Antiochus the first gaue vnto Aristrato cosin to the great Philosopher Aristotle a thousand talents of siluer and a cup of golde in such wise that he wan honour throughout all Asia and riches for his house and all for curing Antiochus his father of a certaine disease of the lights The Romans did erect vnto Antony Musa by birth a Grecian and by profession a physician a picture of Porphyrie in the fielde of Mars and also gaue him priuiledge of citizen of Rome and all because he cured
their Emperour Augustus of a sciatica that he had in his thigh To speake of mo is needeles when to these experience herselfe giues further witnes The conclusion is no meane man ought to despise the physitian The meane mans health ought to be as deare to him as the great mans is It cost God asmuch to giue him life as it did to giue life to the mightiest monarch in the world And as carefull ought he to be of preseruing life in himselfe as the great man is of maintaining life in himselfe life either is or ought to be alike sweete to all Q. So it may be it is though physicke be not vsed of all R. How appeares it to bee so when the meanes to preserue it are neglected so Q. It may be they often are omitted not because they are euer neglected but because they cannot well be procured R. So there be no fault in those that should procure the meanes I haue done I speak not against those that haue not the time to vse the means but against those that want will to vse them Q. They may haue will to vse them and yet want them R. I graunt that and in wanting them their fault is so much the lesse by how much their will is good to haue them Q. So it had neede to be you would otherwise hardly censure of a nūber For moe there be that vse not the meanes than there are that vse thē R. The moe the worse It were better there were fewer Q. Whether it would bee better or no I say not but I am sure it cannot easily be holpen R. Not because it cannot but because it will not The fault that is is more in the men that should vse the meanes to health than in the meanes that should be vsed Q. Yet there may be fault in them R. Little or none simply All that is is respectiuely Q. Why none simply R. Because there is almost no countrey which yeeldeth not those things which make for the preseruation of health in those that are of that countrey Q. Why any respectiuely R. Because either the ministers may erre in their ministring or the reciuers faile in their receiuing The first may misse either of their mixture if their physicke be compounded or of their time if it be simple The second may haue either an indisposite body or a very vnfitting place Q Well now sith so you cleare physicke of crime and you charge her receiuers with blame aunswere me one thing R. What 's that I for I must heare ere I aunswere Q. May a man vse the counsel and physicke that is giuen and prescribed by any physition R. No not so for euery one that professeth phisicke is not good in phisicke And that counsell and phisicke is to be vsed which is giuen by physitions which are knowen for learning to be skilfull for experience practised for religion and conscience sound and sincere for otherwise the life and health may come to be decayed and empaired which should be restored and repayred The witles and vnskilfull doe kill more than they cure Q. Whether then may a man vse the prescripts of coniurers and charmers R. Surely no. He may not seeke their counsel much lesse take their receipts Al charmes and spels of what words soeuer they consist al characters and figures either in paper wood or waye all anulets and ligatures which serue to hang about the necke or other part of the bodie are naught except they be grounded vpon some good naturall reason for neither by creation at the first nor by any ordinance in Gods word since haue they any power to cure a corporall and bodily disease Words can but signifie and figures can no more but represent when they haue done these things they haue done more good of themselues they cannot doe Q. Yet these meanes are more commonly vsed of the common people then good Phisicke R. The vse therof is neuer the more commendable therefore for not what they doe is to be regarded but what they should doe they are but fooles in doing what they doe and such in their so doing they shew themselues were they any thing wise with Balaam they would go no further then the worde of the Lord with the Israelites they would not doe euerie man what seemeth good in his owne eies but it is no matter they speede thereafter Q. That may be well for many of them by their so doing speede well they are eased of their paines they are healed of their sores they are ridde of their maladies they are cured of their diseases R. If they speede well being so eased cured and healed it is well they speede well in shew but not in truth they speed well for the present but not for the time to come As the prouerbe is the Diuell is a knaue he can and will do them some good that seeke vnto him for the present time that he may do them the more hurt in the time to come Q. Thinke you then that they which are thus eased helped cured and healed of their paines griefes sores and diseases doe not speede well R. I cannot tell it may be so farre foorth as by these meanes they are as you say eased helped cured and healed of their paines griefes c. they speed well but as farre forth as they sinne in seeking ease and helpe by these meanes disallowed by the Lord himselfe it may be they shall not speed well Q. I would you would lay aside may be and speak resolutely R. It may bee that would not please you Q. That 's but a small fault you haue said ere now that you should not seeke to please men R. Neither will I where seeking to please them I shall be sure to displease God Q. Then speake as I wish you R. And I will so because you wish mee so It were better for them to dye of their sicknesses then to seeke recouerie by such wicked meanes Q. This indeed is resolutely spoken R. So you bad me speake Q. I did so but why say you so R. Because the Lord himselfe saith by the mouth of Moses his seruant Leuit. 20.6 If any turne after such as worke with spirits and after Southsaiers to go a whoaring after them then will I set my face against that person will cut him off from among his people Q. How doth it hence appeare it were better for them to dye of their sicknesses then to seeke helpe by such meanes for here is nothing threatned but death For I will not cut him off from among his people is no more but I will kill him that he shall no more liue among his people R. Though there bee no more threatned but death as you say yet stil is that true which I say and thence also it doth appeare to bee true for the death there threatned is worse then the death which from their sicknesses would haue dimaned the one i. the first could haue been but naturall 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
any physicke it will cause their worke to haue the better successe For oftentimes the impenitencie of the sicke is an hindrance to the physitions It causeth that the physicke by them giuen will not worke either as in reason it should or by hope they expect it would Secondly after they haue ministred any physicke they are to pray vnto almightie God that he in mercie would vouchsafe to giue thereto happie and prosperous successe for as the Prophet saith Except the Lorde doth builde the house Psal 127.1 they labour in vaine that build it except the Lord keepeth the citie the keeper watcheth in vaine So heere may I say except the Lorde doth blesse the Physicke the physitions doe giue it in vaine If they any thing doubte whether this duetie doth ly vpon themor no they may consult with Iesus the sonne of Syrach touching it and he will teach it then out of doubt These are his wordes They also shall pray vnto the Lord that he would prosper that which is giuen for ease and their physicke for the prolonging of life And I thinke they giue asmuch as I either aske or seeke Whether they doe or no I will not spend either more time or further labour in proouing of it For they will readily graunt it without gaine saying if they be as they should be For why it is the part of the Godly man at euery turne to pray and one thing that he is to pray for is that God would blesse him in his labours and giue successe to that he takes in hand Dan. 6.10 Psalm 109.164 Rom. 1.9.10.2 1. Thes 5.17 Daniel saith that hee prayed thrise a day Dauid saith that he prayed seuen times a day Paul saith that hee prayed without ceasing And Luke saith that Cornelius prayed continually And Paul willeth the Thessalonians and in them others to pray continually And he that prayed himselfe without ceasing and taught others to doe the like prayed also that by some meanes one time or other he might haue a prosperous iourney by the will of God Rom. 1.9 thereby teaching what others in the like cases are to doe But I will not stand vpon this It is apparant enough of it selfe that as they are to pray ere they giue that they may giue so they are to doe when they haue giuen that good may be done by that which is giuen that so they may acknowledge the blessing by giuing to be Gods aswell as they doe the power to giue To proceede Thirdly if either before or after their giuing they see any certaine and manifest signes of death in the sicke they are to certifie their patients thereof and to tell them plainely in what perill they are For this as it will bereaue the sicke of all confidence in earthly thinges as those thinges which are vaine and transitorie so will it make them to put all their affiance in the meere mercie of God as the safe and sure anchor of their soules For as once the Apostle said of himselfe and his like 2. Cor. 1.9 we receiued the sentence of death in our selues because we should not trust in our selues but in God which raiseth the dead So then they may say of thēselues we receiue the sentence of death in our selues because we should not trust in our selues but in God which raiseth vp the dead and therefore is able if he will to raise vs vp againe and set vs vp vpon our feete For easier it is to restore vs to health ere we dy than to raise vs to life when we are dead Q. There is no doubt of the effect of that which you say but of the office that in so saying you lay vpon physitions For physitians make it a question whether this that you say doth belong vnto them yea or nay R. It is more than they neede if they so do For when Hezekiah was sicke the Prophet spake plainly vnto him and said Isai 39. ◠Set thine house in order for thou must die And of him they may learne it Q. How so when as Isaiah was no phisition but a Prophet R. His being a prophet hinders not but they may learne of him asmuch as I say For I thinke not but without offence I may speake it heere Isaiah plaid the part of a phisition aswell as of a Prophet For as at his first comming to Hezekiah being sicke he said Set thine house in order for thou must die So his departure againe from him or at least his last leauing of him he said Take a lump of dry figs and lay it vpon the bile Isai 38.21 and hee shall recouer If he plaid only the part of a prophet in the first I see not but hee plaid only the part of a phisition in this last But if any man will say he might play both the Prophet and a phisition in this last because he might be aswel a physition a Prophet as Samuel was a Prince and a Priest I see not but I may also say he plaid both in the first because he might aswel say as a phisition set thy house in order for thou must die as a Prophet For as it is not the Prophets part alone to moue men to make their willes but others may do it aswell as they so is it not the phisitions part alone to tell men they shall die but others may doe it aswell as they Yet as the Prophets are especially to moue men to make their willes because they best know how they should be made so the phisitions are especially to tell their patients they shall die because they best know the most certaine and infallible signes of death Others may see some but they can see moe And as they can see most so they can Iudge best And as they can Iudge best so they can tell soonest And as they can tell soonest so they may tell first Q. Tell let them then because you will to tell haue them But if they see no certaine signes of death what will you that they shall then doe R. As the Prophet before named did Apply phisicke according to the nature of their patient and the qualitie of his disease And that being done as the wise man counsels them to doe Pray vnto the Lord Syr. 38. 14. that he would prosper that which is giuen for ease and their phisicke for the prolonging of life Q. And after what sort shal the sicke take it R. After that sort that euery sicke man is to take it as the ordinarie meanes that the Lord hath ordeined for the recouery of health empaired and decaied Q. But how in more particularitie is that to be taken R. First with preparation to it Secondly with sanctification of it Thirdly with consideration of the vse and end thereof Q. And why with the one and the other of these R. With the first because he that is to take phisicke must not onely prepare his bodie as Phisitions doe prescribe but his soule also as Diuines
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
bodily lust in their olde crooked age couple themselues with yonkers which might right well haue bin their children and vnto whom they might also haue giuen sucke for such marriages are not blessed of God because the one marrieth for bodily lust the other for worldly couetousnes Chuse thee therefore such an husband as will loue thee and not thy goods onely as is equall to thee in condition state and age as also will tender thy children and see them brought vp in the feare of God that this may be pray alwaies vnto God that he wil blesse thee and prosper thee in all things Moreouer oh my sweete and louing wife looke well to the bringing vp of thine and my children bring them vp in instruction and information of the Lorde weed out of their mindes all kindes of vice and wickednes that their bodies may bee made the temples of the holy Ghost haue an eye vnto thy seruants giue them their couenants and suffer them not to be idle So gouerne thy house that there be found in it no vice but vertue no wickednes but godlines no sinne but honestie and christian behauiour Be thou also an example of godly life vnto thy children and seruants so mayest thou be sure to haue obedient children and faithfull seruants yea so also shalt thou be well reported of thy neighbours and beloued both of God and all good men And thus good wife adieu This is there the sicke mans exhortation to his wife and this or the like may the sicke man we speake of vse to his wife Q. This I assure you is a good one the ground of any it doth comprehend but what maner of one may hee vse to his children R. This which hereafter followeth or some other much like it in effect Oh my children God blesse you and send you many yea and those ioyfull and quiet dayes vpon earth Ye see in what case I am sore sicke and very weake abiding the good pleasure of God The end of this my life is come and I am glad of it and most heartily thanke the Lord my God for it let it not dismay you my most deare children that I shall now be taken away from you for albeit that I being your naturall father shall no more serue you nor prouide for you as hitherto I haue done yet doubte ye not but if ye goe forth as ye haue begun to feare God and to serue him he will not leaue you comfortles but in my stead he will be a father vnto you and prouide better for you than euer I was able to doe therefore if ye will haue God a mercifull and gentle Father vnto you behaue you your selues as dutifull and obedient children towards him feare him loue him honour him serue him pray vnto him call vpon his blessed name bee thankfull vnto him for his benefites and in all things seeke to please his godly maiestie Giue your mindes to the reading of the holy Scriptures and whatsoeuer you reade therein practise in your liues and conuersation be not onely hearers of the word but doers also for he that is not a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the worke shall be blessed in his deede Iam. 1.25 Moreouer auoide idlenes and too much childish pastimes let no time of your life passe away without fruite eschew all euill companie and haue nothing to doe with them that be vngodly though their words be sweet for a time their end is suddaine destruction Oh my children many thousands are cast away for that they haue not the feare of God before their eyes neither will be ruled by good counsell Therefore desire alway the fellowship of them that be good and vertuous haue all your trust and confidence in the Lord your God take nothing in hand before you haue craued his helpe by feruent prayer and after that thing done giue God most heartie thankes therefore acknowledging him the onely giuer of all good things The sabboth day and such other fruitfull dayes spend them holilie and godlily giue your selues to prayer to hearing of Sermons and to reading of the worde of God See that ye defile not the name of the Lord your God with vaine and vnlawfull oathes reuerence your elders honour your mother be obedient vnto her pray for her doe for her whatsoeuer lyeth in your power that God may blesse you and giue you long and ioyfull life vpon the earth Be no euill speakers of any man but be courteous and gentle vnto euery man Let no lightnes appeare in you neither in gesture nor countenance be true and faithfull cast away all pride and embrace humilitie auoide superfluous eating and drinking vse temperance in all your doings be not moued to anger against any man but be patient and ready to forgiue all men be mercifull to the poore helpe all men to the vttermost of your powers studie to doe good vnto all and hurt none loue all men euen your very enemies be not ouercome of euill but ouercome euill with goodnes these few lessons if ye obserue ye shall doe well As a most mercifull father God will blesse you continue his fauour toward you multiply his graces vpon you and wonderously prosper you vpon the face of the earth But these if ye neglect and despise the Lord will be angry with you set his face against you neither will he euer leaue till he haue vtterly ouerthrowne you Take heede therefore ô my good children to the commaundements of our God apply your hearts alwaies to obserue them that so it may alwaies goe well with you and the gratious fauour of God euer bee continued towards you Thus desiring the Lord to be with you to blesse and preserue you to his gracious protection I commend you Thus in generall friend mine you see what manner of admonition the sicke man we talke of may giue to the whole company of his children if God hath blessed him with many Q. I doe so and I thanke you for it But may I not in like sorte see what in particular he may say to his eldest sonne the first fruite peraduenture of his bodie assuredly the heire of all his lands R. Yes that you may So then let me For moe haue many than either one alone or none at all R. Thus then may he say vnto him of all the sonnes that God hath giuen me thou art my first borne for thee I thank him for in thee lieth the hope of my posteritie Looke therefore that thou seruest God all the dayes of thy life that thou mayest be the father of many children through the blessing of God If thou dost resemble me as in countenance and lineaments of body so likewise in manners and conditions of life it shall not repent me to haue begot such a sonne neither shall it forethinke thee to haue had such a father Take heede therefore that thou dost not degenerate and grow out of kinde Follow mee in all things as thou hast seene me follow Christ After
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
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
to kill him called vpon God and sayd Lord Iesus receiue my spirite Act. 7.59 By this example shoud other learne for this is written for others learning if Dauid did it when hee was but in some danger of death much more should others doe it when they are past all hope of life For more is to bee done vpon a certaintie then a ieopardie But Dauid being in some ieopardie did it for thus hee said Psal 31.5 O Lord into thine hands I commend my spirit Others therfore being out of hope of life as all those are that are mortally sicke should not be slacke remisse and negligent in doing it a third reason is because so the soule shall be well kept And it is reason that which a man hath some care of should be committed to his custodie which will keepe it well For things committed to ill keepers are soone lost now the Lord is the best keeper that is Out of his hands he is so powerfull as no man can plucke it Iohn 10.28 And in his hands he is so mercifull as nothing may hurt it Wisdome 3.1 And therefore reason that as it was of him in the beginning receiued so now againe in the ending it should to him be commended as nothing hath better right vnto it so nothing will haue greater care of it The right that is had in it and the care that will be had of it should worke this disposition of it Q. What if it be not then done R. It can neuer after be done After death there is no doing of any such thing Q. If it be not done at all will not God take his owne where he finds it R. Yes it is like that he will take it But it is vncertaine whether he will take it into his owne hands to preserue and keepe it or giue it in to the Diuels hands to plague and punish it It may be for his negligence in not doing it the Lord will so take it as nothing but vengeance shall light vpon it It is good euer to preuent the worst The Diuell lieth alway in wait to deuour but neuer is he so greedy as them For then he knowes that what he gets he for euer gets as then he for euer looses what then he looses Q. Thinke you there is no good man but doth it R. God forbid I should so say so might I soone condemne the righteous and iustifie the wicked doer For God knoweth many a good man dieth sodeinly and hath no time to bethinke himselfe of any thing Q. That a man may both doe it and doe it well what must he of necessitie doe R. First he must resolue himselfe of the power that God hath to preserue his soule if he commends it vnto him Secondly of the will that he hath to take it vnto his custody being commended into him He that is not resolued aswell of the one as of the other of these he cannot surrender his soule into the hands of God as into the hands of a faithfull creatour Q. It is an easie matter to be resolued of the first vz. Of the power of God becaus God is omnipotent and nothing can resist his power Rom. 11.34 But how shall he be resolued of the second that is of the will of God for as the Apostle saith Who hath knowne the minde of the Lord or who was his counseller Wisd 9.13 And as the Wise man saith What man is hee that can know the counsell of God or who can thinke what the will of God is R. Though no man of himselfe can think know or be resolued of the will of God Iere. 10.14 because by his owne knowledge euery man is a beast before God yet by the spirit of God the righteous may yea shall know it because as Dauid saith The secrete of the Lord is reueiled to them that feare him Psal 25.14 Esa 54.13 Iâ—re 31.3 Ioh. 6.45 and as it is witten in the Prophets they shall bee all taught of God Q. But how shall the righteous know by the spirit of God that God will receiue his soule and keepe it R. By the witnesse it giueth to his owne spirit for the spirit of God certifieth his spirit that hee is redeemed iustified and sanctified by Christ and that in the end he shal be glorified And he that is thus certified and assured may boldlie commende his soule into the hands of God as into the hands of the faithful creatour and that in assurance that it shall be for euer preserued and kept For why Rom. 11.29 Rom. 8.30 the gifts and calling of God are without repentance and looke whom hee calleth him hee iustifieth and whom he iustifieth him he glorifieth This assurance made Dauid commend his soule into the hands of God for a reason why hee did commend it vnto him was the redemption which he had wrought for him For as in these words Psal 31.5 Into thy hands I commend my spirit is his action so in these for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth is his reason and this assurance also may make any good man to commend his soule into the handes of his almightie creatour and most mercifull redeemer neither needes he doubt but that it shall be accepted being so commended for what soule soeuer God hath loued to redeeme that soule he will still loue to preserue Q. I thinke well that but how shall he know that the testimonie that is giuen to his spirite is the testimonie of Gods spirit R. By other fruites of the same spirit for the spirit of God is no where without fruit saith the Apostle Where the spirit of the Lord is there is libertie and saith Christ 2. Cor. 3.17 when he is come i. the spirit Ioh. 16.8 he wil then reproue the world of sinne and of righteousnes and of iudgement c. Ioh. 16.8.9.10.11.13 Q. But what may those fruits of the spirit be by which hee shall knowe the testimonie that is giuen to his spirit to bee the testimonie of Gods spirite R. His liuing and dying in faith and obedience for these are fruits of the spirit of God Gal. 5.22 and he that liues and dies in these is not without the spirit of God for where his fruits are there he himselfe also is Q. Why ioine you these two togither his liuing and dying in faith and obedience R. Because it is hard to haue him die in them that hath liued without them Petrarc Optate bene mori quod ipsuâ—â— nisi bene vixeritis frustra est I know but one example in al the Bible of a man that died in faith which liued without faith and that is the example of the theefe vpon the crosse who is one that no maÌ„ might despaire and one alone and no moe least any man should presume Q. What is the reason that he which liueth not in faith and obedience should hardlie die either in the one or in the other and verie
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