wee delay our preparation the more vnfit and vnwilling shall we bee to performe it for it is an hard thing for an olde man to enter into his mothers wombe consuetudo fit altera natura Secondly the time and manner oâ—… death is many times so suddaine and vncertaine that we may bee so ouertaken that wée shall haue neither time nor grace to repent and to prepare our selues Lastly late preparation is seldome true preparation being rather enforced then voluntary and rather in forme of words then sincerity of heart Math. 7. verse 22. et 29. Qu. Of how many sortes is this preparation An. Two fold generall and particullar Qu. What is generall preparation A. It is that whereby a man through the whole course of his life prepareth himselfe to die Ques Is it not sufficent to prepare our selues when wee beginne to bee sicke Answ. No for first as hath béene before shewed late repentance is seldome true repentance Secondly the time of sicknesse both in regard of the sharpenesse of the disease decay of memory senses vnderstanding consultation of worldly goodes and sathans subtill and malicious practises is the most vnfit and vnseasonable time to beginne a preparation Obiect But the theife vpon the crosse repented at the eleuenth houre and why may not wee doe so likewise Answ. There is a great difference betwéene him and those that purposely delay their repentance for first hee was neuer so much as outwardly called by the ministery of the word Secondly the théeues conuersion was extraordinary yea and miracuâ—…us that Christ thereby might shew forth some effect of his God-head but mirackles are altogether and extraordinary courses for the most part ceased Lastly that theife condemned himselfe and his fellow iustified Christ in the open sight of the world and praied for saluation c. but where shall wée finde such singular effects in them which post and put of their repentance Obiect But it is in our power and will to repent when we will Answ. No repentance is the onely guift of God and from himd alone proceedeth bath the will and the deed Phil. 2. 12. Secondly many late repenters and â—…ack-graces shall séeke to enter into heauen and shall not bée able because their heartes are become insensible and the time of grace is past And thus much of the matter of preparation The ninth Chapter Of the manner of preparation Question IN the manner of preparation how many duties are required An. Fiue speciall duties Q. Which are they An. I. the meditation of death II. the lesâ—…ing and abating of the sting and power of death III. The beginning of eternal life here in this world IIII. The enuiring of our selues to die dayly Lastly the manner how these seuerall duties are to bee performed Quest. Is the meditation of death necessary Answer Yes truely for a Christian mans life is and should bée nothing but a meditation of death therefore wée must looke for it alwaies and in euery place and herewith accordeth that excellent saying of Seneca incertum est quo loco te mors expectat â—…u vero eam in omni loco expecta That is it is a matter vnreuealed in what place death waiteth for thée but waite thou for it in euery place Q. What benefit profit and comfort dooth the meditation of death yéeld vnto vs Ans. Manifold For first it causeth vs to humble our selues vnder the mighty hand of God Secondly the feare and meditation of it dooth remooue all securitie and further our repentance as wée may sée verified in the example of the Niniuites it cutteth of delayes and bringeth our promises and purposes into performances and practises Thirdly it maketh vs content with any condition of life be it neuer so miserable for if wée liue in affliction and aduersity we shall after death neuer be more subiect to it and if wée liue in prosperity wée rest not in it because wée shall carry away nothing with vs. 1. Tim. 6. 7. Fourthly it encourageth vs in Gods seruice and in all well dooing for as much as wee knowne that our labour is not in vaine in the Lord and that in seruing of God there is great reward Lastly it â—…oth sequester and withdrawe our delights and desires from earthly and perishable things and canseth vs earnestly to desire and séeke for euerlasting life Q Of what things must we meditate Ans. Of thrée things First we must â—…hinke and consider of the cause of death namely our sinnes Secondly we must meditate of the remedie of it viz. the cursed and bitter death of Christ. Thirdly we must thinke of euery day and night as if it were the very day and night of our death Q. What must we do that we may be the better enabled to perform this duty A. We must not vainly dreame of long life and so 〈◊〉 our selues but mourne against this corruption of our nature Secondly we must pray vnto God that he would giue vs grace and knowledge whereby we may be â—…nabled to resolue our selues of death at hand The tenth Chapter Question VVHerein dooth the sting and power of death lye and consist Answ. In sinne for that is the sting thereof 1 Cor. 15. 56. Q. How shall we know this Ans. By the lawe which is a glasse wherein we may sée our sinnes and the effects and punishment of them for hereby commeth the knowledge of sinne Q. How shall we depriue sinne of his strength and sting A. By beléeuing and relying vpon Christ who hath by death destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Deuill 1. Cor. 15. 25 26. Q. What distinct and particular duties and fruites of faith are we to performe and shew forth that we may remooue our sinnes and take out the sting of the serpent death that it may â—…euer hurt vs A. We must first for the time past and present confesse our sinnes humble our selues for them and crie earnestly vnto heauen for pardon Secondly we must for the time to come with a resolute minde beware of euery knowne sinne and in all things to reforme and conforme our selues according to Gods word For euery sinne vnrepented of is a sting to wound our soules vnto destruction Luk. 13. verse 3. and 4. Lastly if we would liue for euer wée must dye here and that daâ—…ly for he seldome or neuer dyeth well who liueth euill Et qualis vita finis ita like life like end The xi Chapter Of entring into the first degree of eternall life Question HOw shall a man in this world enter into the first degrée of life euerlasting A. When a man by the testimonie of a sanctifyed conscience and by experience can say that Christ liueth in him Quest. When doth Christ liue in a man A. When hée doth by his holy spirit direct guide and gouerne his thoughts will and affections Q. How shall a man discerne this A. When hée dooth frame and confirme all the
Eue immediately after their fall put to death An. First because the threatning of death was not absolute but included a condition of faith in Christ that was to be borne and that should breake the serpents head Secondly Adam and Eue incontinently vpon their fall became mortall in their bodies and accursed in their soules Thirdly God by his clemency and indulgence towards them would make a way to make knowne his mercie Quest. If all men by reason of sinne must néedes die why did not Enoch and Elias in the time of the old Testament die the death of all but were rapt aliue into heauen Ans. First their translation was extraordinary and proper to themselues onely Secondly they were figures and tipes of the generall resurrection Thirdly their translation was nothing els but an extraordinary death for they were changed in a moment from mortality to immortality Obiect But at the day of iudgement many shal be found aliue howe then can all men bee said to die Answ. All the elect at the sound of the trumpet shall in a moment bée changed from corruption to incorruption and from mortality to immortality which is a kinde of death Qu. Now seeing that sinne is the cause of death what vse are we to make of it Ans. Wee must bée mooued hereby to take notice of and acknowledge Gods seuere wrâ—…th against sinne and by consequence we must learne to hate and shun all kind of sinne The sixt Chapter Of the diuers sortes of death and of the degrees of spirituall death Question OF how many sorts is death A. Of two sorts â—…mely â—…ily or spirituall Q. What is bodily death An. It is the first death or the separation of the soule from the body Q. Is the particular time of bodily death made knowne to any directly before hand Ans. No for that time in respect of vs is most vncertaine and God hath reserued it in his owne power and disposition only Q. Why so Ans. That wée should not defer and put off our repentance from day to day but labour to be in a readinesse and waking yea and waiting for our Lords comming euery day Mark 13. v. 37. Q. What then may this present life in consideration of his short continuance and vncertaintie bée compared vnto Ans. To a vapor to smoake to a shaddow to a weauers shutle to grasse and to the flowre of the field which are of short and vncertaine continuance Qu. But why doe the children of God die this temporall death séeing that their sinnes which are the cause thereof are forgiuen A. First because their sinnes howsoeuer forgiuen are not wholy in regarde of the corruption and remainders of them taken away and abolished before death Secondly this corruptible flesh and bloud cannot inherite the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 15. 50. Thirdly that they may be in some sort made conformable to Christ his death Lastly that the godly may learne and finde by experience the difference betwéene this mortall life and that immortall glory in the world to come and that they may haue experience of Gods power in raysing vp the dead Q. What is spirituall death A. It is a separation of the whole man both in body and soule from the fauour and gratious fellowship of God and a subiecting of him to eternall condemnation and hell fire begun in this world and accomplished in the world to come Q. What is the cause of the spirituall death Ans. Sinne so farre foorth as it is ioyned with vnbeliefe and impenitencie for not sinne simply but sinne not repented of damneth Que. Are there degrées of spirituall death Ans. Yes there are thrée in number Q. What is the first degrée of spirituall death A. It is when a man by reason that his soule is depriued of spirituall life faith and repentance and for that his body is a fitte instrument to put any sinne in execution is subiect to Gods wrath and appointed to punishment Quest. What is the second degrée of it An. Condemnation or euerlasting forment whereby the soule immediatly after the departure of it out of the body is carried by the diuells into hell Quest. What is the third and last degrée of it An. When in the nay of iudgement the soule and body being reunited and ioyned together shall for euer-more féele Gods intollerable indignation and endure the vengeance of eternall death Quest. How can this last kinde of death be so called properly séeing that both the bodies and soules of the reprobate shall alwayes suruiue and remaine aâ—…ue Answ. That life is no true life for such an vnhappy condition deserueth rather to be called death then life for the damned are vniuersall excommunicated from the fauour and glory of GOD and are vtterly and for euer bereaued of all holynesse and happynesse Qu. Are Gods children fréed and exempted from these kindes of spirituall death An. Yea for they are deliuered from the first degrée of spirituall death by regeneration whereby they are renewed in all the part of their soules affections They are deliuered from the second kinde when their soules forthwith after their departure out of the bodie are carryed vp into heauen Apoc. 14. 13. The third degrée they are fréed from at the day of iudgement when both body and soule shall be glorified together and liue together for euer in heauen Q. Is it not good yea and the entrance into eternall blisse for the godly to dye A. Yes certainly for it is better to dwell with God then with men Secondly they hereby forth-with enter into the possession of euerlasting happinesse The sick-man Q But there are many fearefull accidents and occurrences to which the godly themselues are subiect in their sicknesses and deaths therefore how can it be good for Gods children to dye A. Propound and impart them vnto me and I will giue thée the best satisfaction that I can The sick-man 1. Obi. Death is the wages of sinne the curse of the lawe and the enimy of Christ and his children how then can it be good A. It is not such by it owne nature and in it selfe but it is changed and the property thereof is altered by Christ his death in so much that of a curse and punishment it is turned into a gentle and fatherly correction and is made a narrow entrance and a short cut into euerlasting life And in this last respect it may bée aptly compared to the redde sea which drowning the AEgiptians gaue a miraculous passage to Gods people into the blessed land of promise and euen so death which sendeth the reprobate spéedily to hell doth in a moment let in the godly into the kingdome of heauen Q. In what respects and considerations may death be said to be an enemy A. First in respect of the originall of it for the enuie of the deuill brought it into the world namely as an outward and remote cause Secondly because it is opposite to Gods promise
of the duties which the sick person oweth vnto God The xvi Chapter Question VVHat are those duties that a man is to performe to him selfe or his owne person An. They are two-fold for they belong either to the soule or to the body Qu. What is the duty which he oweth to his owne soule An. Hee must arme and strengthen him-selfe agninst the feare of Satans assaults against the immoderate feare of death and against the Terrour of the last iudgement Qu. How is a man to be armed and strengthned against Satans assaults Ans. By considering and beléeuing that Christ hath ouercome and bound for vs the strong man Satan that had the power ouer death Qu. What is the second duty that he oweth to his soule Ans. To arme himselfe against the immoderate feare of death Qu. Is it not good then that men should in some moderat sort feare death Ans. Yes for it putteth vs in mind of the greeuousnesse of our sinnes and what wee deserue if God should deale strictly with vs. Secondly it holdeth men backe in their extremities from laying violent hands on themselues for they that are thus desperately minded do not so much as once thinke of Hell and the torments of it Ques Séeing the feare of death is thus profitable why must the sicke bée armed against the feare of it An. Because death approaching naturall feare doth most of all shew forth it selfe astonish the sicke mans senses and causeth despaire Qu. What are the meanes to comfort him against the feare of death An. They are of two sorts namely practises and meditations Q. What are the practises A. They are two First the sicke parties must not so much feare death as cast their eyes vpon euerlasting life Secondly they must consider death not in the bright coullor of the lawe for then our weake eyes cannot endure to behold it for then it is a cruell sergeant armed with the anger and curse of God nor in it selfe for then it is to men vnregenerate the very entrance into hell yea hell mouth it selfe But we must take from it the fearefull maske and visard of the law and behold it as it is set forth in the mixt and tempered coullor of the Gospell and as it is changed by Christ his death who hath not onely deaded it by his owne death but also quickned it so that it is to the beléeuers bodie a temporary and a swéete sléepe and to their soules the gate of saluatioÌ„ wherby they enter into y e possession of life euerlasting Q. Why must not a Christian man vnmeasurably feare death A. First because it is to the godly the end of all euils all sinne errour and misery Secondly because after death he passeth presently to a better state Thirdly because he hath immediate fellowship and communion with the holy Trinity with the elect Angels and the glorified Saints And thus much of practises The 2 Section Qu. What are the Meditations which serue for this purpose An. They are principally foure which are the foundation of all the rest Qu. What is the first meditation A. That euery mans death as hath biâ—… before prooued procured by his own sins is fore-séene and appointed in Gods eternall decrée together with all the circumstances thereof Psal. 139. 15. 16. Q. What benefit will hereby redound vnto vs Ans. It will arme vs against all feare distrust and impatiency in the howre of death Psa. 39. 10. Gen. 42. Q What is the second meditation A. The consideration and contemplation of the inâ—…stimable glory laid vp for vs and of the eternall and vnspeakable blessednesse prouided for vs. Q. What profit shall we receiue hereby Answ. It doth withdraw vs from the resting in this temporall miserable life and lifteth vp our mindes and affections vnto God yea and maketh vs with Iob Moyses and others cherefully and willingly to endure afflictions Q. What is the third meditation Answ. The spirituall and vnseparable coniunction and fellowship which the beléeuers both in their soules and bodies in life and death haue with Christ. For for their bodies and soules are in the fauour and couenant of God and they both shall be re-united together in the last day be both eternally glorified Que. What is the fourth meditation Ans. The speciall promise of Gods presence and assistance in death and in all other distresses for we haue Christ our companion in affliction 1. Pete 4. 13. Qu. What vse are we to make hereof Ans. Wee must liue by faith and not by sense beléeuing the things promised which we sée not and hoping for things that séeme desperate Que. How or how many waies doth God manifest his presence in sickenesse Ans. Thrée manner of waies first by lessning and moderating the paines of sickenes and death and by giuing them strength and patience Secondly by refreshing and comforting the spirit after a wonderfull manner Thirdly by the gard and ministery of the good Angells which defend the Godly against the Diuell and his Angells Psa. 34. for they are present with and attend vpon Gods seruants in their sickenes and are ready to carry theâ—r soules into heauen The 3 Section Quest. How are the sicke to be armed and strengthned against the strictnesse and terrour of the last iudgement where in the diuell the law and our owne conscience shall accuse vs of infinite faults Ans. First wee must acknowledge our sinnes for that is the way of iustification Ioh. 1. 9. Psa. 32. 5. In matters of felony as we say confesse and be hanged but in matter of diuinity confesse and be saued Secondly wee must flie and appeale to Iesus Christ and content our selues with his righteousnesse onely and then hee absoluing vs who shall condemne vs and he making intercession for vs who can preuaile against vs. Rom. 8. verse 34. And thus much of the duty that the sicke man is to performe in respeâ—… of his soule The xvii Chapter Of Physicke and preseruation of bodily health Question WHat is the duty that the sicke are to performe to their bodies Ans. They ought to be carefull to preserue health and life vntill God take it wholy away Que. Then it is lawfull for any man to kill himselfe Ans. No for wee must in no wise depart out of our standing vntill God out heauenly generall command vs. Secondly euery man is bound to cherish and nourish his owne body and therefore he must not destroy it Thirdly all murder is forbiden and interdicted and therfore much more the killing of a mans selfe Fourthly if a man kill him-selfe hee doth not escape misery but runne into it Fiftly if it be a wickednesse to kill another man for to ease him of present paiae then it is a more horrible wickednes to kill himselfe Lastly the killing of a mans selfe is commonly and generally noted for a marke of a reprobate and faithlesse man Que. Why must we preserue life and health A. For two reasons first that we may