this world may easilie be gathered by this his praier which he made to God his father at his way going Father into thine handes I commend my spirit Luk. 23.46 for why should he commend his spirit into his handes except he knew it were then to goe into his hands and thereupon also it may soone and readily be collected where the soules of the righteous after their departure are and shall be for where the head is there the members must be If the head therefore bee with God and so hath been euer since his departure out of this world the members shall also bee after their departure and so shall continue for euer Q. Yea in time peraduenture but not presentlie R. Yes presently without any peraduenture for as Christ said to the thiefe vpon the crosse This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise so Paul said to the Philippians Luk. 23.43 Phillip 1.21 22. Christ is to me both in life and death aduantage desiring to be dissolued and to be with Christ Q. It is true that Christ said as you say to the theefe and that Paul so said vnto the Philippians but what you would will not thereupon presently follow for Christ said to the theefe this day shalt thou be with me in paradise to wit in hope but not in deed for henceforth thou shalt hope to come thither and Paul said to the Philippians I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ according to his petition but not according to Christes execution for it followeth not because Paul desired to bee with Christ that therefore presentlie after his dissolution he was with Christ R. All followes that I would haue to follow for all that yet you say for these toyish distinctions haue nothing in them because they haue not in scripture any thing for them Where is it there said the theefe according to hope should bee in paradise also where is it there said that Christ did not execute Paules petition when once he came to his finall dissolution hope hath respect to the time that is peradueÌ„ture long yet to come Christ speakes to the theefe as it were in the time present to day thou shalt be with me in paradise as heri yesterday is an aduerbe of the time past and cras to morow an aduerbe of time to come so hodie to day as I guesse is an aduerbe of the time present as I take it therefore your distinguishing inter spem rem is but triâ—â—ing circa spem rem and so nihil omnino ad rem that is nothing at all to the matter for this day thâ—â— shalt bee with mee in Paradise is as much as this assoone as life is gone out of thy bodie whatsoeuer becommeth of thy bodie thy soule shall goe with mee into the kingdome of heauen that so where I thy master am thou my seruant maiest be And whatsoeuer you say touching Pauls desiring to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ yet I am sure Paul himself saith the contrary for Paul saith that when the time of his departing came there was no distance of time betweene his dissolution and his acceptation In his second epistle to Timothie his sonne in the faith when hee was neere his end this was his saying I haue fought the good fight 2. Tim. 4.7.8 and haue finished my course I haue kept the faith from henceforth is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnes which the Lord the righteous iudge shall giue me at that day not to me onlie but vnto all them also that loue his appearing Q. If this be as you say and seeme to proue what shall become of purgatorie R. Euen what will or else what should for what should become of that which is not Q. Is not say not so for so saying you may haue more tongues on your toppe then you are aware of R. As Pilate said touching the superscription set vpon Christs head Ioh. 19.22 What I haue written that I haue written so say I touching purgatorie what I haue spoken that I haue spoken Otherwise then I haue said will not be said how many tongues soeuer I may haue on my toppe for saying so yet still and euer I must say so for out of this life there is no purgatorie and in this life the true and onelie purgatory by which and in which our sinnes must be cleansed is the sweete pretious and euer vertuous bloud of Christ 1. Ioh. 1.7 For the bloud of Iesus Christ as Iohn saith cleanseth vs from all sinne Q. What then doe you thinke that presentlie after the seperation of soule from bodie by death that the soules of all men goe either to heauen or to hell R. I doe more then thinke it for I constantlie beleeue it Q. What ground haue you for it R. As much as neede to be for any matter of faith Q. What Scriptures R. Yea and Fathers also Q. Faine would I see that R. Soone may you see it if wel you listen to it The petition of old Tobit doth prooue so much Tob. 3.6 for this it was Commaund O Lord that I may be dissolued out of this distresse and goe into the euerlasting place and what may this euerlasting place be but the kingdome of heauen It can no waies be vnderstood of purgatorie for purgatorie is not an euerlasting place as Fisher sometime Bishop of Rochester saith in his booke against Luther Among the old Doctours and Fathers of the Church there was either no talke at all or verie little of purgatorie Tobit 1.3 besides Tobit was a right good man as his historie doth declare and therefore not to goe into purgatorie for by the new deuised doctrine of the purgatorie proctours no such persons are to come there They themselues exempte martirs out of purgatorie Aret. prob part 1. loc de purgat Luc. 16.22 the historie of Lazarus and Diues doth proue so much for this it is It was so that the begger died and was caried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome The rich man also died and was buried and being in hell in torments he lift vp his eies and saw Abraham a farre off and Lazarus in his bosome and what may the inference hereupon be but that which I say this heere upon I am sure is the saying of Iustine Iustin q. 60 to Orthod this is a plain and a manifest doctrine of Lazarus and Diues by which is taught that after the departing of the soule from the bodie men cannot by any meanes or prouisions or by any pollicies bring profit or commoditie to them the sayings of Christ Iohn the third and Iohn the fift doe proue so much for these they are Ioh. 3.18 Hee that beleeueth in him â—hat is Gods owne beloued sonne whom he sent into the world not to condemne the world but to saue it shal not be condemned but he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie because hee beleeueth not in the name of the
feare death For what should a man feare that which doth good and not hurte brings profit and not disprofite is beneficial and commodious not vnprofitable and noxious Q. Nothing at all in my minde But what is death so R. Why else say I so Q. Because it pleaseth you to say so R. What must I speake what pleaseth mee Q. You should not R. Neither will I so neere as I can but that will I speake which may please God and pleasure man Q. Because you say then Death doth good and not hurt brings profite and not disprofite is commodious and not noxious to whome is it commodious R. To whom not It is commodious to him that suffers it and it is commodious to him that sees it suffered Q. But not to euerie one of those that suffer it or see it suffered R. Neither did I yet say so It is commodious to euerie one that suffers it either in faith or for faith or both It is commodious also to euerie one that sees it suffered so hee makes right vse of the seeing it suffered For the first these sayings of Scripture make som what 2. Cor. 4.12 Tob. 3.6 Ro◠8.28 Syr. 41.2 Rom. 8.38 Death worketh in vs. It t s better for ◠to dye then to liue to them that loue God a thinges worke together for the best O Dear how acceptable is thy Iudgement vnto the need full and vnto him whose strength fayleth and that is now in the last age and is vexed with a◠things Gregor super Mat. 10. in testimo illis For the other this of Gregory makes much The Death of the righteous to the good is an helpe to the euill a testimonie that thence the wicked may perish without excuse whence the godlie doe take example that they may liue Q. What good brings Death to him that suffers it as you haue sayd R. The goods thereof they are vnspeakeable for multitude they exceede number for greatnes they passe vnderstanding for goodnes they excell all that men heere enioy or may enioy Q. I would I might heare somwhat of thē that so both I others might be benefited by them R. Sith so you will I say so you shall First Death killes his familiar enemie Gal. 5. 1. P◠12.11 Rom. 6.7 to witte his bodie or fleshe with all her lustes fighting against the soule For be that is dead is freed from sinne And what a benefite this is that saying of a learned writer sheweth which thus soundeth Seneca There is no pestilence more forceable to doe an hurt then a familiar enemie A familiar enemie betrayeth Christ into the hands of sinners Secondly Death opens a doore to his poore prisoner out of a filthie prison in which he was held bound and captiue that is Death giues libertie to his Soule to depart from the bodie in which it was deteyned from the presence of God as in a prison For many haue thought the body of man to be as a prison to the Soule of man Pythagoras seeing one of his schollers verie busie about trimming vp of his bodie said this man ceases not to make vnto himself a more troublesome prison What a benefite this is it may appeare by Dauids praier Psal 142.7 and our experience Dauids praier Psal 142.1 Bring my soule out of prison that I may praise thy name Our experience is that prisoners hate little more then lockes and boltes because they must stay them from going out Thirdlie Death deliuers him from the carryage of a coffin full of filthines and vncleannes that is his bodie Plato in Cratylo sayeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Corpus a bodye Plato in Cratylo dicitur quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is said to be ac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Sepulchrum A graue Sepulchro quid faedius and what more vncleane then a graue Mat. 23.27 Whited tombes sayeth Christ appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones of all filthines such like are the fine and faire bodies of men A corruptible bodie sayth Salomon is heauie vnto the soule Sap. 9 1◠the earthlie mansion keepeth downe the mind that is full of cares And what a benefite this is it may appeare not onelie by Paules speach in one place but also by his great outcry in another For thus he saith in one place Whiles we are at home in the bodie we are absent from the Lord 2. Cor. 5.6 And thus he crieth out in another O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death And a miserable thing it is to be absent from the Lord Rom. 7.4 and to be troubled with the bodie of Death When Paul sayth the Ephesians were without God in the world he reckened vp one of the euils the Ephesians were infected with Ephe. 2.12 ere euer the bright light of the glorious Gospell of Christ Iesus did shine vnto them and vpon them but when he said If God be with vs who can be against vs he spake of one of the greatest blessings that is Rom. 8.31 writing therefore to the Philippians he not onelie desireth to bee with Christ but also sayth that so to be is best of all I am greatlie in doubt on both sides desiring to be loosed and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 which is best of all This therfore was Dauids complaint As the Hart brayeth for the riuers of waters Psal 42.1 so panteth my Soule after thee ô God my Soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing God Psal 42.2 when shall I come and appere before the presence of God And this otherwhere the saying of the Psalmist It is good for me to drawe neere vnto God 73.28 What shoulde be others thereupon I leaue it to others to discerne My meaning is to proceed to another cōmodity that death brings with it to whom it comes and that is this It puts an end to the painefull Pilgrimage he was going on in this world For what is this mortall life but a way Basil hom 1. in psal 1. and that for the hast that euerie thing generate makes to the end What a commoditie this is may many waies appeare but especiallie by that of Salomon Eccl. 7.3 The day of Death is better then the day that one is borne And that of Syrach Death is better then a bitter life If it were requisite Syr. 30. 17. that eyther of these were better proued proofe might soone be produced For the first there is one that sayeth For two causes the day of death is better to the seruants of God then the day of byrth Perald tom 1. pag. 134. One is because Death is the egresse from miserie whereas the birth is the ingresse to miserie sayeth a wise man though Death be not good yet is it the end of all euils Seneca saith Death is the remedy of all euils The second is because Death is the gate
of glorie to the seruants of God It is the beginning of a blessed life For the other there is another that saieth Syr. 40. 25. 41. 2. It is better to dye then to begge O death how acceptable is thy Iudgement vnto the needefull and vnto him whose strength fayleth and that is nowe in the last age and is vexed with all things and to him that despayreth and hath lost patience To like purpose saide olde Tobit in the anguish of his Soule Tob. 3.6 It is better for me to dye then to liue because I haue heard false reproches and am verie sorowful For the maine point we driue at there is one that saieth Philip. 1.2 Cor. 5 he which dieth is freed from the miseries of the world he goeth to the Lord from whom he went on pilgrimage so long as he abode in the bodye Also in Death he leaueth sinne labour affliction the slime of the earth the matter of continuall conflict against the spirit of God And that bodie made of the dust of the grounde which he leaues in Death he shall receiue againe in the day of the restoring of all things in farre better case then euer it was in this worlde For then it shal be made like the glorious bodie of Christ Whether therefore you respect the Soule of him that dies or you regarde the bodie yet euer is that sure which I saie that death is commodious to him that dies If you respect the Soule It is freed from the bandes of the bodie to be with Christ It is translated to immortalitie It is conducted to the heauenlie countrey from which it was a stranger If you regarde the bodie it is freed from all miserie It is committed to a most safe and sweete sleepe it is prepared to the glorie of the resurrection the flesh resteth in hope whatsoeuer you respect or regarde yet this at length you must come to Raban lib. 9. in eccl cap. 2. The iudgement of present death is good to those that worship Christ because by it they passe to eternall life Sanctus Idiota By a good death a man chaunges his feare into securitie his labour into tranquilitie his want into sacietie his sorrow into iocunditie by a good death he escapeth all daunger of loosing the grace of God his estate comes to be better then euer it was before While he liued Lazarus was contemned Luk. 26.21 neither Master nor Man would regarde him more compassion was had of him by dogges then by men The dogges came licked his sores but no man gaue him the crummes which fell from the rich mans table but when he was dead Lazarus was esteemed the Angels came and carried him into Abrahams bosome of Christ himselfe Myconius saieth While Christ liued Myconi in euang Mar expos he might see nothing but humilitie and many things horrible and dreadfull but being dead see how honorable his burial was great good men burie him there is a magnificent preparation a new Sepulchre in the gardein in which yet neuer man lay As it fared with these so often fareth it with others by these then may others see what commodities drawes towards them when death comes vpon them some I haue shewed mo at pleasure may be conceiued so good so pleasant so profitable there are as Bassus an olde man once said Ser. 30. episto If there be any discommoditie in death it is the fault of those that die and not the fault of death it selfe In his book of the contempt of death saith Seneca Seneca lib. de contem mortis for the paine that is in death It is light if I can beare it It is but short if I cannot endure it for the commodities that are therein they are many I shal leaue of all possibility then to be sick any more I shall leaue of all possibility to be bouÌ„d any more I shall leaue of all possibilitie to dye any more Sickenes shall haue no more to do with me bondage shall haue no more to doe with me Death shall haue no more to doe with me the power of the one the other and all of them shall be taken from them what in this point Seneca thought was to betide him is surely to betyde others As Seneca therefore contemned death because of the commodities of Death so may they for the same cause stand in lesse feare of Death then otherwise for therefore is it said that there are many commodities in Death that those which are to dye should be well armed against the immoderate feare of Death For it is but follie to feare that which will come and vpon all come and vpon many verie profitably come when it doth come Manie makes a vertue of necessitie and most wonderouslie loue that which brings commoditie saieth Seneca again Seneca lib. de senectu In death there is no greater solace against Death then mortalitie it selfe I see not therefore howe any shoulde ouer foolishlie feare Death it bringing commodities as it doth not only to them that suffer it but also to those that see it by others suffered Q. No more doe I neither should I if there were asmuch prooued as was erewhile propounded R. Why do you make an if what is there wanting Q. The latter part of your saying R. What is that Q. Doe not you know R. Whether I do or do not I would know of you Q. And that I can tell you R. Doe it then Q. So I meane but I doe but quicken your wit a little with this being by other things fully resolued of your will R. I can but commend your wit for so doing But I would heare what is wanting to be prooued of that which was propounded Q. That you shall that death brings commoditie to those that see it suffered is the thing which I speake of R. And that 's the thing you need not much speake of or at the least not so as you haue spoken For that thing is not now vnprooued Remember you not that out of that auncient and learned doctour Gregory I tolde you that The death of the righteous was an helpe to the good thâ—â— saw it and a testimonie to the euill Q. Yes indeede doe I. R. Be not so hastie then heereafter to accuse before you haue iust cause For that saying of Gregorie is proofe sufficient for that in controuersie Q. It is so I can it not deny but I would haue had more R. Why more than enough is too much and the prouerb is enough is as good as a feast Though more should be said yet would it all come to this issue For euer the death of the righteous is either an helpe to the good or a testimonie to the bad or both to either Q. But how the one to the one and the other to the other R. The one to the one by making them to remember their owne ends to wish the like ends and to prepare against their ends The other to
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
should I produce more examples when these are sufficient to explaine what I propound whome these will not content little or nothing for this point will content Q. I thinke so too You shall not neede therefore about this further to trouble your selfe I nothing doubt of the truth of what you say But one thing by the way when the sicke man is come to this point that hee is resolued that for his sinnes hee is visited what by him is to bee performed that so to death hee may the better bee prepared R. Many things moe than one Q. How many R. Foure and all concerning his sinnes Q. What be they R. These which heere follow First he must make a new examination of his life and conuersation according as the Israelites did when in their affliction they said Lam. 3.40 Let vs search and try our wayes and turne againe vnto the Lord. Secondly he must make a new confession vnto God of his new and particular sinnes Iam. 5.16 as God sendes new corrections and chasticements so did Dauid when he had the hand of God very heauie vpon him for his sinnes Psal 32.5 so as his very bones and moysture consumed within him and therupon obteyned he his pardon and was healed Thirdly he must make new prayer and more earnest than euer before with sighes and groanes of the spirit for pardon of the same sinnes and for reconciliation with God in Christ thus did king Dauid in his sickenes For he made certaine psalmes either when he was sicke or else after he had been sicke As namely the sixt the two and thirtie the thirtie eight the thirtie nine all which are psalmes of repentance psalmes wherein vpon distresse of body and mind he renued his faith and repentance bewayling his sinnes and intreating the Lord for pardon of them Thus also did Hezekiah in his sickenes Esa 38. For when he lay sicke as he thought and as the Prophet told him vpon his Deathbed he wept as for some other causes so also for his sinnes and withall he prayed vnto God to cast them behinde his backe Thus also in his sickenes should he doe that is sicke for as Iames asked the question is any man afflicted so if there be Iam. 5.13 he aunswereth shewing him his dutie let him pray and in prayer what shall he aske but the free pardon and full remission of all his sinnes therefore saith Dauid wherefore Psal 32.6 for the remission of his sinnes shall euery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thee in a time when thou mayest be found that is in the time of tribulation For the Lord is nigh vnto those that are of a broken heart and a troubled spirit Yea the Lord is with them that are in tribulation and makes all their bed in their sickenes In that forme of prayer which Christ hath deliuered vnto vs one of the maynest petitions is forgiue vs our trespasses as though the heart of our prayers should be the forgiuenes of our sinnes For that petition is placed euen in the hearte of that our prayer to signifie what petition should euerly vpon our hearts As therefore he that is sicke must pray in seeking to be reconciled vnto God so in praying he must aske the pardon and forgiuenes of his sinnes For in the remission of his sins consisteth the saluation of his soule Psal 32 1. Blessed is he saith Dauid whose wickednes is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Blessed is the man vnto whome the Lord imputeth not iniquitie And thus much for the third thing the sicke man must performe touching his sinnes Now for the fourth in the fourth place he must by all meanes auoyde all those sinnes which incense his God to wrath Psal 34.14 Esa 1.16.17 and torment himselfe with griefe For when Christ had cured him that had been diseased eighte and thirty yeares this was his saying vnto him Behold thou art made whole sinne no more least a worse thing happen vnto thee Ioh. 5.14 The same saying must the sicke take as spoken to himselfe To the sicke it was spoken when he was healed by the sicke it must be practised ere euer he will be healed If man will not care to eschew sinne the cause of sickenes there is no reason that God should care to remoue sickenes the fruite of sinne As commonly the effect followes if the cause be giuen so most what the effect ceases not till the cause be gone This is a matter so well knowne as it needes not much proofe If you of your selfe will not yeelde me it I will labour further to confirme it Q. You shall not neede to prooue it I willingly yeelde it R. Neither will I then It is good sparing of time and labour Q. Yea in things needeles as is this Psal 34.12.14 For as Dauid saith He that desireth life and loueth long dayes for to see good must eschew euill and doe good seeke peace and follow after it But you shall spare neuer the more of either for that For if you haue done with the sicke mans duety that concerneth God I will desire you to passe to that his duty which concerneth himselfe and therein to spend some time and labour R. I shall be contented with that if you haue done touching the other Q. I haue done but that one thing comes now to my minde which I thinke meet to demaunde of you ere wholly for this I dismisse you R. What is that Q. Whether the sicke doing as you say shall come to be reconciled to God as you wished R. Yes feare you not For that point the scriptures are plentifull Q. Produce some part of their store R. What may be profitable to you shall not be displeasing to me For this matter therefore thus they goe Ezek. 18. Act. 16.31 1. Cor. 11.11 Iosh 1.19 Mat. 7.7 Ezek. 18.30 Eph. 5.14 Ezek. 33.5.18.27 Ioh. 6.35.3.15.16.37 Esa 28.19 Returne and liue Beleeue and be saued Iudge your selues and ye shall not be Iudged Giue glory to the Lord and make confession vnto him Aske and it shall be giuen Seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you Departe from your wicked waies and iniquitie shal not be your destruction Awake thou that sleepest stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee life He that receiueth warning shall saue his life When the wicked turneth away from his wickednes which he hath committed and doth that which is lawfull and right he shall saue his soule aliue He that beleeueth in Christ he shall neuer hunger nor thirst nor perish but haue eternall life Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed Act. 10.43 1. Cor. 11.31 To him giue all the Prophets witnes that through his name all that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes If we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged Let euery man prooue his owne worke and then shall he haue reioycing in himselfe onely
shall he that is sicke and that mortally bring it to be so R. By meanes Q. What meanes R. These two practises and meditations Q. By practises how R. Fower waies First by considering himselfe Secondly by considering his life Thirdly by regarding more the benefits of God that are to be enioyed after death than death it selfe Fourthly by looking vpon death in the glasse of the Gospell and not in the glasse of the law For she is not comfortable to looke vpon in the first how terrible soeuer she shewes her selfe in the last And terrible she is in the last though comfortable she be in the first Q. But will the consideration of each of these serue to arme the soule of him that is sicke against the immoderate feare of death R. I thinke no lesse I teach no lesse I know not how to perswade you lesse Q. Shew me the reason of each and I shall the better beleeue you R. Will you not beleeue else Q. I did not yet say so I speake comparatiuely not simply R. That comparatiuely then you may beleeue me if simply you will not I will endeuour to doe as much as you desire Q. So doe and I will beleeue you simply and comparatiuely R. To the purpose intended then may the consideration of the first of the fower well serue for consider he himselfe that is sick and he shall finde that his body is but a prison to his soule and his soule a prisoner in his body And why should not this arme him against all immoderate feare of death for what should he feare the breaking of his prison the freeing of his prisoner Dauid desirous of life eternall and the sight of his master cryed out Oh how long shall I liue in this prison Psal 142.7 And Paul reuoluing with himselfe the miseries that infested him in this prison cryed out Rom. 7.24 Oh wretch that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of sinne Dauid and Pauls practise should be the sickemans president His body to him is no better then Pauls and Dauids body was to them His body therefore is but a body of sinne a prison of the soule a burthen to the minde and spirit As a man of God hath said no bocardo no dungeon no sinke no puddle no pit is in any respect so euill a prison for the body as the body is of the soule For it is such a cage as stinketh in the sight of God a body of sinne is this cage of the soule And therefore he that is sicke should feare no more to goe out of it than out of a prison To feare the deliuery of the soule from prison is meere folly It is to wish a stinking lodging and a filthy cage to dwell in and euer to cary it about which is extreame misery It is to wish continuall banishment from the ioyfull realme of heauen his naturall country which is extreame madnes What man would be so foolish wretched careles mad as to wish any such matter none wise sober and in his right witts The sicke therefore vnles he will be counted foolish wretched careles and mad must neuer feare immoderately the opening of his prison and the loosening of his prisoner Now if the consideration of this first practise doth thus well serue to the fencing of the soule against al immoderate feare of death what shall wee thinke any of the rest that follow to bee of much lesse value Truly no. For going from the consideration of himselfe to the consideration of his life shall he there finde any lesse force than before Iam. 4.14 surely no for what is his life It is but a vapour that appeareth for a little time then vanisheth away What is the certaintie that he hath either of it or in it it is a meere vncertaintie Syr. 18. 8. For as Syrach saith No man hath certaine knowledge of his death His life is like the weathercocke which turneth at euery blast the waue which mounteth at euery storme the reed which boweth at euery winde but his death is like a theefe which commeth at vnwares What is the peace hee hath all his daies little or none His life is but a warfare full of continuall labour and sorrow And now what should he feare inordinarily the vanishing of a vapour the turning of a weathercocke the breaking vp of a warfare the Saints in the Apocalips say Apoc. 22.20 Come Lorde Iesu come Shorten these latter daies for thine elects sake and saue vs. Their saying should teach others what to say For as Paul saith Heb. 13.1 We haue not heere an abiding city but we seeke one to come Merily therefore should he wish and willingly cry O father of heauen Matt. 6.10 Apo. 22 20 thy kingdome come Come Lord Iesus come And not inordinately or immoderately feare the comming of that which certainly will come and necessarily must come Seneca enterpre For as Seneca saith It is but folly to feare that which connot be eschewed It may be saith he thou wilt say thou shalt dye and what matter is that saith he vpon this condition thou camest into the world that thou mightest goe out But thou shalt dye It is the law of nations that thou must restore againe what thou hast receiued Againe thou shalt dye What then thy life is but a pilgrimage When thou hast walked much and long thou must returne once againe thou shalt dye neither the first nor the last All that are dead haue gone before thee all that are liuing shall follow thee But thou shalt dye young It is the best thing that cā be to dy before thou wishest to dy While life is pleasantest death is profitablest It is then best to dye when it delighteth most to liue But once more thou shalt dye young It may be fortune takes thee from some euill if none other yet surely she takes thee from old age And what a good that is Augustine sheweth when he saith August de Catechizandis rudi When men wish vnto themselues olde age what other thing wish they but a long infirmitie Thus as you see doth Seneca harten a man against death and the feare of death And thus may any wise sicke man harten himselfe For what is death that hee should immoderately feare it August super Ioh. Saith Augustine Death is the leauing of the body and the laying downe of a grieuous burden Saith Chrysostome Death is a necessary gift of nature now corrupted Chrysost super Matt. cap. 10. which is not to be eschewed but rather embraced Saith Secundus the Philosopher to Adrian the emperour asking him what death is Death is the rich mens feare the poore mens desire And saith Chrysostom againe Chrysost homil 5. ad popul Antioch Brandm pag. 567. Eccl. 9.12 Death is a sleepe somewhat longer than vsuall For the like things happen to those that dye that doe to those that sleepe He that sleepes knowes not when hee begines
doe appoint and that hee must prepare by humbling himselfe vnder the hand of God in his sicknes for his sinnes and crauing parâ—on of them and for them For first in consideration that he hath prouoked the Lord to anger against him by his sinnes hee must submit himselfe vnto his hand acknowledging that he suffers no more then he hath deserued nor all that neither Secondly in regard that he is no way able to satisfie the wrath of God against him conceiued for his sinnes Iam. 5.13 hee must in all humility and most earnestly craue pardon of him for his sinnes and both these must he doe ere euer any medicine enter into his body Syr. 3â— 9 10 11 12 13 14. This I am sure was the rule of Syrach to his sonne My sonne faile not in thy sicknes but pray vnto the Lord and he wil make thee whole leaue off from sinne and order thine hands aright cleanse thine heart from all wickednes Offer sweete incense and fine flower for a remembrance make the offering fat for thou art not the first giuen Then giue place to the Phisition for the Lord hath created him let him not go from thee for thou hast need of him The houre may come that their enterprise may haue good successe For they also shall pray vnto the Lord that he would prosper that which is giuen for ease and their Phisicke for the prolonging of life For the neglect of this rule Asa the king is much blamed in scripture 2. Chro. 16 1â— for he sought not to the Lord in his sickenes but to the phisitions put his trust in theÌ„ And for the contempt thereof amongst vs much woe by some is sustained For thence it often comes that those diseases proue incurable which are of themselues curable and they that are molested with them sodainly die of them who otherwise in mans iudgement might haue liued long without them Ere euer therefore any phisicke be taken by the sicke it is good that as the Lord doth humble him by sickenes so he doth humble himselfe vnto God for all his sinnes and craue pardon of them so shall both his phisicke be blessed vnto him and he himselfe blessed in the vse of it But till hee be reconciled vnto God by his humbling of himselfe and crauing pardon of him twentie to one his phisicke will neuer doe him good For as vnto the pure all things are pure so vnto them that are defiled Tit. 1.15 and vnbeleeuing nothing is pure but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled But to leaue this first with which he that is sicke is to take phisicke I wil come to the second with which he is to take vse of phisicke as with the first Touching which I say that with it he is to take phisicke because that when he hath prepared himselfe and is about to take phisicke he must sanctifie the phisicke which he takes by the worde of God and by prayer as he doth any of his other either meates or drinkes That by the first i. the worde he may haue warrant that the prescribed medicines which he is to take be lawfull and good and by the. 2. that is praier he may haue Gods blessing vpon the same to the recouering of his health if it be Gods good wil and pleasure For as without the warrant of the word nothing is lawful so without the vse of praier nothing is sanctified For as the word must come before a thing be lawful so praier must come before a thing be prosperous hence is it that the Apostle willeth vs to pray continually and many haue vsed prayer before they haue done any thing that that which they were to doe might bee sanctified while they were in doing it Act. 20.36.38 1. King 18.38 blessed when they had done it As Paul prayed before hee iourneyed Eliah prayed before he sacrificed Tobias prayed before he bedded the Israelites prayed before they bickred c and all to teach vs that we must pray before we iourney before wee sacrifice before wee bed before wee fight before we doe any thing because without Gods aide and assistance we can doe nothing Ioh. 15.5 and therefore not take phisicke to our good though the phisicke that we take be neuer so good But to passe from this and to come to the third which was consideration I say with that he that takes physicke is to take it because a man must rest no more vpon phisicke than he may nor trust any more to it than he ought Physicke hath a certaine ende though mans appetite hath no ende and that ende must he well minde that minds to take phisicke as he ought Further than the ende he must not goe now the right and proper ende of phisicke is the continuing and lengthening of life to his naturall period which is the extreame point of life beyond which by no possible meanes it can longer be preserued hauing been thereby oftimes before helped and continued for then is nature wholy spent When therefore he takes phisicke euen whilst he is taking of it he must not thinke that any waies by it he can preuent either olde age or death for that is impossible and impossible cannot be changed by phisicke God himselfe that is incurable hath set it downe that all men must once die and bee changed because all men haue often sinned And therefore to escape death by any meanes no man must euer either hope or expect Q. It is but in vaine if any doth For it is appointed to all men once to die so assuredly euery man must once die Happie is he that comes not twice to die It is good once to die as you haue shewed but it is ill twice to die as I suspect R. Neuer suspect it but beleeue it God is not as man Numb 23.19 that he shouldly Yet he hath said Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection Apoc. 20.6 for on such the second death hath no power but they shall be the priests of God and of Christ and shall raigne with him a thousand yeares And therefore cursed must they needes be on whome the second death hath power For to haue parte in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone is the second death Apoc. 21.8 And the fearefull and vnbeleeuing and the abhominable and murtherers and whoremongers and sorcerers idolaters and al liers shal haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire brimstone which is the second death whosouer was not found writteÌ„ in the booke of life was cast into the lake of fire And death hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death Q. I pray God blesse vs from that For as the death is ill so the company therein is also ill R. It is for the euill and therefore it cannot be good Q. So it seemes Sith it is for the euill let the euill take it and keepe
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
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