shall haue nay Q. I marrie that is that which troubles him R. The fault is his owne why should that trouble him either he might haue done it before his sicknesse or in the beginning of his sicknes Q. He might so but in his health he thought not of sicknes and in the beginning of his sickenes he hoped for health R. In neither he did them as hee should and ought Q That cannot now bee holpen the time past is irreuocable R. Neither must he therefore be euer the more vnwilling to die though hee hath not disposed of his goods there are that will dispose of them neuer let him feare that his goods shall lacke owners Whilest he liues they are wished desired and expected when hee is dead they will bee enioyed and possessed Q. That is that which grieues him for by this meanes they goe not to whom he would R. But they shall goe to whom God wil and that ought to content him for hee is the Lord of them and as he gaue them to him ere he had them so he will deriue them to others when he shall leaue them better it may bee nay assuredlie he will dispose of them then euer he would or could he trieth the heart and searcheth the reines hee knoweth what is in man better then man hee can tell for whom they are fit and for whom vnfit For whom they are most fit on them hee will bestow them this is more then any man can doe for he is blinde and cannot see he is affectionate and cannot iudge who is the fittest to haue this or that much or little something or nothing what then for his goods should anie man be vnwilling to die let him leaue them to the disposing of him that disposed them to him and let him neuer doubt but they shal be disposed well inough there is no disposer like him none comparable to him none that can doe as he doth In this regarde he needes neuer be vnwilling to leaue either them or the world Q. No more it may be he would these things you haue said being once and well considered If so his sinnes were pardoned and remitted but he hath not so much as repented him of them and that doth much affright him R. The fault is his owne and no bodie is to be blamed for it but himselfe why did hee delay so long who doth hinder him now what meanes he to driue off further doth he thinke to liue the longer for that as to die the better Q. What his thoughts are I know not but loath he is to die for it I am sure R. How loath soeuer he is die hee must and he had best to looke to it in time if he dies in his sinnes he shall rise againe with his sins and in the end he shal be condemned for his sinnes he might better carie anie thing with him then his sinnes that burden wil bow him downe to hell Q. The feare of that makes him loath to dye R. Why doth it not also cause him soone to repent of the twaine this it should soonest effect therefore in deede it is laide vpon him let him not neglect his time whatsoeuer is ill deferred is worse omitted except he repents he perishes and what will he perish Q. He would not R. Why then repents he not Q. He feareth it will not be accepted R. Why doth hee not more feare to bee condemned If once hee sheweth his vnfeigned repentance neuer let him feare Gods gratious acceptance Act. 17.40 Ion. 6.37 Ezek. 18.21.22 Chrisost in lib. de reparat lap He that cals euery man thereto reiects no man therefore At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of all his sinnes from the bottome of his heart he will put them out of his remembrance saith the Prophet God neuer despiseth repentance if it be offered vnto him simply and sincerelie although a man comes to the height of euils yet if he wil returne thence to the way of vertue he takes him willinglie and embraces him louinglie For repentance is not weighed by the length of time but by the sinceritie of the affection The theefe which hung vpon the crosse needed not the prolixitie of time that therein he might merite entrance into paradise but so much time sufficed him as would serue him to vtter one speach Lord remember mee when thou comest into thy kingdome so that in one moment of time being absolued from the sinnes of his whole life he was thought meete to goe before the Apostles into paradise If thus the Lord dealt with him let him not thinke he will deale otherwise with him this example is recorded for his instruction and for the consolation of all that in true saith with vnfeigned repentance turne vnto the Lord. Q. And therefore not for his for his hope is small because his sinnes are great and his repentance is not good because it comes not in time R. If his hope be small so it be somewhat at all let him say with Dauid let mee not bee disappointed of my hope If his repentance be not good let him pray with the people in the lamentations of Ieremie Lam. 5.21 Turne thou vs vnto thee ô Lord and we shall bee turned renue our daies as of old Whatsoeuer they either be so they both at all be let him not thinke but that which is written for the instruction of any and the consolation of all that repent is also written for his one amongst any or all he is What though his sinnes be great yet the mercies of God are greater saith an auncient writer Gods mercie is greater then mans iniquitie and if it were not so how could any sinne be pardoned any trespas remitted any offence forgiuen and couered Lam. 3.22 His mercie it is saith Ieremie that we are not cōsumed as if his mercie were not our sinnes would worke our destruction the wages of sinne saith Paul is death Rom. 6.23 but eternal life is the gift and mercie of God through Christ Bern. in quod serm As Barnard therefore saith in a certaine sermon of his so may it well bee said to him that is so hardly conceited of his owne sinnes and Gods mercies Let not your conscience hinder you because where sinnes haue abounded there grace hath been wanting to superabound the truth of this is to bee seene in diuerse mentioned in Scripture who haue bin accepted to mercie the greatnes of their sins notwithstanding Examples for this purpose are Dauid Salomon Manasses the prodigall Sonne Marie Magdalen the Theefe vpon the crosse the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul these all found grace to haue more abounded where sin much abounded for these all were receiued into fauour how euer their sinnes many for number and mightie for measure deserued nothing but eternall wrath and displeasure some of them confessed their sinnes to bee as many as the haires on their heads more then the sands too heauie for them to beare yet as great and
seruant depart in peace according to thy word Luk. 2.29 30 31 32. For mine eies haue seene thy saluation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people a light to the Gentiles and thy glory of the people Israel Such affection as was in these good and godly men Dauid Tobit Simeon and Paul should also be in those that are sicke and by their sickenesse are admonished to looke for death they should desire rather to die than to liue to be dissolued than to bee restored to bee deliuered than to bee detained For if they marke well what is their life but a vapour that vanisheth a flower that fadeth a winde that passeth a smoake that flieth a lampe that burneth And what should they be desirous to haue a winde to holde a flower to stand a smoake to stay a vapour to continue longer then either they may or God will suffer and permit He numbers their daies he measures their monethes he recordes their yeres when they are all come to their summe number and measure why should they be vnwilling either to end them or to end with them will they nill they end they shall and end them God will And better I thinke it would be with them if God might end them with their good will then it will be if he ends them with their euil will Apoc. 14.13 For blessed are they which die in the Lord but it is in doubt what they are which die vnwillingly for they hardlie die in the Lord because they die not in obedience to the Lord. Q. I but I pray you do not censure them so hardlie you know not what death can do death is fearefull and the feare thereof may affright the best R. But not so I hope as that it shall make theÌ„ vtterly vnwilling to die for though death of it selfe be feareful yet is not euery way fearfull nor to euery one fearefull though in it selfe it be the entraÌ„ce into eternal misery because of sinne from whence it came whose wages it is as Paul saith Rom. 6.23 yet in Christ it is the gate to eternal life abounding with all felicitie for when Christ tooke away sinne he took away also death issuing from sin which drew with it eternall condemnation and when hee gaue vnto vs righteousnes he gaue vnto vs also immortalitie and celestiall felicity the companion of righteousnes so farre is it therfore from the godly to feare death which terrifies others as often they wish death and soone they desire to leaue this life for they know they are heere but strangers and not citizens and therefore they are euer seeking a Citie to come to them therefore death is pleasant and amiable for then cease all their miseries and troubles yea then begins all their ioyes and pleasures as appeareth by this saying of Iohn the Euangelist Apoc. 14.13 Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord for from henceforth the spirit saith that they shal be at rest from their labours But to the vnfaithfull and vnbeleeuing death is fearefull for then begins their sorowes and miseries their plagues and torments as is to be seene in the historie of the rich man Luk. 16. When the wise man therefore speaketh of this very point in question this is his saying Syr. 41. 1. Oh death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liueth at rest in his possessions vnto the maÌ„ that hath nothing to vexe him and that hath prosperity in all things yea vnto him that yet is able to receiue meate or that yet setteth his mind on bellie cheare Sy. 41.2 O death how acceptable is thy iudgment vnto the needfull vnto him whose strength faileth and that is now in his last age and is vexed with all things and to him that despaireth and hath lost patience and this therevpon is his exhortation Feare not thou the iudgement of death remember them that haue beene before thee and that come after this is the ordinance of the Lord ouer all flesh And why wouldest thou be against the pleasure of the most high whether it be ten or a hundreth or a thousand yeeres there is no defence for life against the graue Q. But like you this his exhortation and that which hee saith touching the matter in question R. What else I know no reason why I should dislike either he speakes truth and according to truth and should I dislike his speaking of truth Q. No but yet you may examine the truth R. What where there is no doubt but I doubt whether I may examine the truth further then for the finding out of the truth for the truth is to be beleeued not examined Q. Put in if it be once manifested R. Whether that bee in or no the truth must bee beleeued Heb. 11.1 For faith as the Apostle saith is the ground of things which are hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene And Gregorie saith Grc. ho 26. super euaÌ„g Amb de Trinitate That faith is worth little which hath proofe from humaine reason Take arguments away saith Ambrose where faith is sought In her owne schooles let logicke now holde her peace Fishers are beleeued not Logicians August super Ioh. What is faith but to beleeue which thou doest not see whence and how the Trinitie is comprehended ô man thou doest well enquire how it is beleeued thou doest not well aske yea therefore it is well beleeued because soone it is not comprehended for if it were soone comprehended it were not needefull that it should bee beleeued because it should be seene But to leaue this and to returne to what we were in hand withall What is it that you dislike in the wise mans saying you make so much adoe about it Q. I dislike not any thing though I doubt of something R. What is that you doubt of of a mans fearâ—ng death Q. I neede not doubt of that that 's a thing a man cannot auoide R Yet that 's a thing a maÌ„ should refraine Q. Why would you not haue a man to be afraide of death R. No not a good man not a faithfull and beleeuing man for what should he feare death that hath his faith fixed on Christes death Death is swallowed vp into victorie through Christs death death hath neither power nor dominion ouer him that beleeueth Q. But that all men doe not for all men haue not faith R. But I speake to him and of him that hath faith Q. And would you not haue him that hath faith to feare death R. Not so as he should therefore be vtterly vnwilling to dye for it is appoynted by God that all men shall once dye and I would not haue him that hath faith to withstand the ordinance of God for his it is to obey not to resist Q. How then would you haue him to feare it R. First as it is the destruction of humaine nature in him i. as it makes him cease
thou maist be too when thou endest And thus for this once J bid thee farewell in Christ. Thine in the Lord. W.P. A DIRECTION TO DEATH TEACHING MAN the way to dye well that he may liue euer Made in the forme of a Dialogue in which the speakers are QVIRINVS and REGVLVS Quirinus ALL haile to your person good Master Regulus and heere you are well met Regulus The same to you my olde friend Quirinus for you are as well met I am a glad man to see you aliue For it was tolde me that you were in great perill of death yea some said you would neuer goe abroade againe Q. I thought not otherwise my selfe but you may see the doings of God are contrarie to the iudgements of men I that was ere while verie like to dye am now something like to liue R. Thankes be to God therefore Q. Euen so say I for that is my part for as it was hee that brought mee almost to my graue so it was none but hee that hath againe set me vpon my feete the Physicians they all forsooke mee my friends all they tooke their leaue of me my worldlie goods and substance would nothing at all comforte me in my selfe I found little that might encourage me to hope any thing eyther of holding life in me or of putting death from me R. What gather you of this the Lords dealings with you Q. That eyther the time of my departing hence was not come or else that I was not then readie R. Whatsoeuer may be said of the second I am sure what you haue said is sure of the first for had your time been come you must haue gone for the power of death no man can withstand Q. That I thinke if he be fit therefore R. Death standes not vpon the fitnes or vnfitnes of any When it comes be he fit or vnfit it taketh him Q. In asmuch then as I was not fit when it did seeme to come God enable me to be fit against the time it will come R. It is good to wish so that if it may be you may in the end haue it to be so for as Paul saith Philip. 2.13 It is God which worketh in you both the will and the deede euen of his good pleasure Q. That made me to say as I did R. It must moue you also to do more then you had said Q. I doe not deny that for it must moue me to be both humble and thankefull R. Somuch in deede that of Paul must moue you to but the vnfitnes to dye that you say was in your selfe must moue you to more Q. What 's that R. To make your selfe fit to dye For as a man prepares himselfe to worke ere he works to heare ere he heares to pray ere he prayes to receiue ere he receiues so must he prepare himselfe to dye ere he dyes Better comes death to him that is prepared to dye then to him that is nothing at all made readie to dye The vnlooked for perill is euer most perillous Q. We both agree that it is meete for a man to prepare himselfe to dye R. It is very right that so wee should For why should not a man prepare himselfe to dye aswell as he doth to sinne A man is no lesse to prepare himselfe to the wages for his worke than to his worke but sayth Paul The wages of sinne is death Rom. 6.23 As a man therefore in times past hath prepared himselfe to sinne so now must he learne to prepare himselfe to dye For as he hath sinned so must he dye if sinne goeth before death of necessitie must follow after the cause being put the effect must also be giuen As Paul the seruant therefore sayth Rom. 5.12 By sinne death entred into the world so Christ the Master sayth Luk. 12.40 Be ye therefore also prepared Q. But why should a man prepare himselfe to dye R. It is but vaine to aske why the reasons thereof be so many Q. Many how many R. Fiue at the least Q. What may they be R. 1. The communitie of death 2. The proximitie of death 3. The vncertaintie of death 4. The extremitie of death 5. The authoritie of Christ and his Apostles Q. Except you explaine your meaning I shall not bee much wiser then I was For why your wordes to me seeme darke and obscure R. In playner termes then I will expresse my mind 1. Cor. 14.19 for as Paul saith I had rather speake fiue words with vnderstanding than ten thousand in an vnknowne tongue Q. In so doing you shall both pleasure me and profit others R. First then therefore a man is to prepare himselfe to dye Heb. 9.27 because it is appointed vnto him once to die for as Dauid saith What man liueth Psal 89.48 and shall not see death shall he deliuer his soule from the hand of the graue As though none should hee askes the question and as if none might both Elihu in Iob Iob. 34.15 and Salomon in Ecclesiastes do giue answer For Elihu saith Eccle. 12.7 All flesh shall perish together and man shall returne to dust And Salomon saith Dust returne to the earth as it was After the same maner do others giue forth their verdicts saith an old Poet. Est commune mori mors nulli parcit honori Debilis fortis veniunt ad limina mortis It is a verie common thing to dye Death spareth none be he neuer so high The weake together with the strong Comes streaming to death all along Saith Augustine Now dyes one King now another now one Duke now another one Earle one Baron one poore man one rich man death spareth no man because with an euen law it smiteth all things Saith Petrus Blesensis vpon these wordes in the booke of Iob Iob. 42.17 So Iob dyed being olde and full of dayes Death concludeth all the felicity of men for when thou hast published the fayth of Abraham the pietie of Ioseph the charitie of Moses the valour of Sampson the vertue of Dauid the miracles of Elizeus the wisedome and riches of Salomon the conclusion is one and hee dyed After this manner therefore should euery man conclude of necessitie I must dye of duetie therefore I must prepare my selfe to dye for duelie must a man prepare himselfe to that which necessarilie he must doe Duelie a man prepares himselfe to eate because necessarilie he must eate he that daylie eates not long time liues not duelie a man prepares himselfe to worke because necessarilie he must worke 2. Thes 3.10 he that will not worke should not eate euen so duelie should a man prepare himselfe to dye because necessarilie he must dye he that prepares not himselfe to dye dyes ill fauouredlie But this is enough for this first reason why a man that must dye is to prepare himselfe to dye Q. Somewhat then of the second for the second is next after the first as the first is next before the
The generall is that by which a man doth prepare himselfe to dye through the whole course of his life in this world But the particular is that by which a man doth prepare himselfe to dye in the time of his sickenes onely Q. To beginne with the first then what course should a man take in his life that hee might euer be prepared for his death R. That course that is fitting for that purpose Q. What is that R. This first let him meditate vpon death in the prosperous time of his life Secondly let him daylie endeuour to take from his owne death the power and strength of death Thirdly let him striue by all meanes he may to enter into the first degree of eternall life Fourthly after he hath once gotten entrance thereinto let him inure himselfe by little and little to dye before euer hee comes indeede to dye Fiftly and lastly let him doe presently whatsoeuer his hand shall finde to doe and not with the crow procrastinate from this day till to morow Q. That I may now question with you touching each of these why is he to meditate vpon his death in the prosperous time of his life R. Because the whole life of a Christian ought to be nothing else but the meditation of death because also in the best time of his life he is vncertaine of his death For man knoweth not his ende Mar. 15.43 the one and the other of these reasons made Ioseph of Aramathea an honorable counsellour which also looked for the kingdome of God to make his tombe in his life time in the middest of his garden And this did he to put himselfe in minde of death in the middest of his delights and pleasures and also to teach others by his example what they should doe For what is the duty of one this way is the duety of euery one For once it is appointed for euery man to dye as it is for any man As therefore Paul saith of all men It is appointed for all men once to dye Heb. 9.27 Syr. 38. 21. so Syrach saith to euery man Remember thy last ende forget it not Q. And what will this minding of death in the time of life worke any good in him that liues R. It either will or should Q. I speake not of the dutie but of the vertue R. If so it doth for first it humbles him that thinkes thereof vnder the mightie hand of God remembring himselfe thereby to be but dust and ashes Thus therefore said Abraham vnto God Gen. 18.27 Behold now I haue begunne to speake vnto my Lord and I am but dust and ashes Thus did he humble himselfe vnto God by remembring what he was Thus no doubt will others doe that thinke as he did For what should dust and ashes be proude Syr. 10. 9. As it is one of the lowest things vpon earth so it is one of the lightest It is troad vnder the foote of euery thing and blowne away with a small blast What should it exalte it selfe against God the clay is not to rise against the potter neither is man to huffe against his maker as the clay is in the handes of the potter so is he in the hands of his creatour As the clay therefore submits it selfe to the potter so must he himselfe to his maker The clay because it is clay and he because he is dust Gen. 2.7 Eccl. 12.7 Dust of dust Gen. 2.7 and dust to dust Eccl. 12.7 Secondly it furthereth him to repentance For hee would be loath to be taken in his sinnes Ionah had no sooner cryed to Niniueh fourtie dayes Ionah 3.4 and Niniueh shall be destroyed but Niniueh repented As the remembrance of Niniuehs destruction wrought Niniuehs conuersion so the remembrance of mans dissolution workes mans saluation For he cannot do wickedly that thinks to dye presently August lib. exhortat Nothing doth so much recall from sinne as the often thinking of death the wages of sinne For what Rom. 6.23 Luk. 18.11 1. sa 25.14 2. Sa. 13.1 Num. 11.29 can the Pharisie be proude if hee remember hee is but dust can Naball be couetous if he remember he must goe naked can Ammon be voluptous if he remember hee shall bee wormes meate can Iehoshua be enuious if he remember he shal be without life 1. Sa. 22.9 and despised of these whome he most enuied in life can Doeg be sclaunderous if he remember he shall be tongles and most talked of by those himselfe talked most against finally can any man be vitious that remembers hee shall bee infamous and lapped in the bosome of his inglorious mother earth surely no. For Syrach saith Syr. 7. 27 He that remembers his latter ende shall seldome or neuer offend Esai 38.2 Hezekiah the king no sooner heard by I say the Prophet Set thy house in order for thou shalt dye but streight way he turned his face to the wall and wept and prayed and said I beseech thee Lord remember now how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfite hearte and haue done that which is good in thy sight c. Thirdly it stirres him to contentment in euery estate and condition of life that doth befall him For he cannot be discontente with any thing Hierom. that remembreth hee must goe from euery thing As Hierome saith He doth easily despise all things which alwaies thinketh hee must dye As another saith If any man remembreth the last things of his life easily refuseth all things which are vpon the earth For Seneca saith Seneca Nothing will so much profite thee for the moderation of things as the often cogitation of death In the midst of all his afflictions which were both many and mightie righteous Iob comforted himselfe with this Naked I came out of my mothers wombe Iob. 1.21 and naked shal I returne againe The Lorde hath giuen and the Lorde hath taken away euen as it pleased the Lorde so are thongs come to passe blessed therefore be the name of the Lord. As Iob did so may we What was his comfort will also be ours If there be any fault it will be in the applying and that because it is either not applyed at all or else because it is not applyed aright If it bee applyed and rightly applyed good is euer thereby effected Greg. lib. 12. moral He which considereth what kinde of one hee shall be in death will alwaies be fearefull in his worke and therevpon liue euer in the eye of his maker he desires nothing that passeth all the desirs of life present he contradicteth and he considers himselfe almost dead because hee knoweth certainly he must dye For a perfect life is the meditation of death which while the iust diligently buzie themselues about they escape the snares of sinne For as another saith To remember that this our life must bee ended destroyeth pride extinguisheth enuie driues away lechery auoydes vanitie erecteth discipline and perfecteth