you may see his goodnesse to you and yours in the other his iustice against his and the Churches enemies This Booke of mine hath many leaues these other haue only two in the one you may reade of Mercy in the other you may reade of Iudgement The Lord grant vnto your Honor with your most honorable Countesse the Lady Francis a second Dorothea giuen both as a gift to you that feare God such a life that at the houre of death when your glasse shall be runne and the Bridegrome call for you you may both say with that holy man Vixi dum volui volui dum Christe volebas Sic nec vita mihi mors nec acerba fuit London From S. Martins in the fields May 30. 1613. Your Honors at command ROBERT HILL A DIRECTION TO DIE WELL. Question I Doubt not but you are now well instructed for the direction of your whole life but because you haue heere no abiding citie what are you to thinke of that you may die well An. I am euer to meditae of fiue things 1 Of mine owne death which is most certaine that it will come and vncertaine when it will come 2 Of the death of Christ which was bitter to him but sweet to and for his 3 Of the deceitfulnesse of this world which is subtill to allure and subiect to change 4 Of the ioyes of heauen which are comâ—ortable to thinke on and glorious to posâ—esse 5 Of the torments of hell which are endlesse in themselues and comfortlesse to sinners Quest And why ought you first to thinke oftentimes of death Answ 1 Because it is appointed that al must die Hebr. 9.27 Death spares none and therefore there was neuer sacrifice offered to her 2 It is vncertaine when where or how I may die and therefore vncertaine that I may euer thinke of it 3 Many goe merrily to the pit of perdition for want of this meditation 4 Death by this will be more welcome vnto mee for Dangers foreseene are lesse grieuous 5 I shall more easily contemne this world by often thinking that I am a stranger in it 6 It will kéepe me from many sinnes which otherwise I would commit and cause me to repent of sinnes committed 7 Christ my Lord and good Christians his seruants had euer such thoughts 8 Many Philosophers haue done the like and of it haue written many volumes 9 As the day of death leaues me so the day of iudgement shall find me Psal 90.12 10 It was the praier of Moses to God that hee would teach him so to number his daies that hee might applie his heart vnto wisdome 11 It is the end of all my hearing and reading and as it were the scope of a Christian Diuine 12 It is the Art of all Arts and Science of all Sciences to learne to die Quest How prooue you this last Answ Moses saith O that they were wise and that they would consider their latter end Deut. 32.29 The Wise man saith Remember thy end and thou shalt neuer doe amisse Eccles 7.36 An Emperour said that Fredricke the third The best knowledge was to know God and to learne to die Augustine said that in this our pilgrimage we must thinke of nothing else but that wee shall not be euer heere and yet heere should wee prepare for our selues that place from whence we shall neuer depart Gregorie said All the life of a wise man must bee the meditation of death and He is euer carefull to doe well who is euer thinking of his last end Quest Why then doe so few thinke of death and put this euill day farre from them Answ The reasons are 1 Their infidelity they beleeue not either the happinesse of heauen nor the horrors of hell 2 Their impenitency and euill conscience they would not breake off their sinnes by drawing neere to God 3 Their ignorance of the soules immortalitie the bodies resurrection and the good things prepared for them in heauen by Christ 4 Their ambition in desiring the honors and preferments of this world and being loath to leaue them when they haue enioied them 5 Their couetousnesse by which as Moles they would euer by their good wils liue vpon earth 6 Their delight in the pleasures of sin from which they are taken at the day of death 7 Their want of Gods feare for Hee that feares God feares not to dye 8 Their vnwillingnesse to leaue this world for to die well is to die willingly Quest It seemeth then wee had neede to pray that God would teach vs to number our not yeeres but daies and now tell mee you that haue beene taught this Arithmeticke how you ought to number your daies An. I must number them after this sort 1 I must abstract the time past for that being irreuocable will neuer come againe 2 I may not adde the time to come for it may be it will neuer come vnto me 3 I must set down only the time present and know that it is only mine Our life is a point and lesse then a point a figure of one to which we can adde no Cipher it is but a moment and yet if we vse this moment wel wee may get eternitie which is of greatest moment Quest Is it not then thinke you a great folly that men are so vnwilling to thinke of death Answ Questionlesse it is we sée the Mariner with ioy thinkes of the Hauen The Labourer is glad to sée the euening The Trauailer is merry when his iournie is ended The Souldier is not sorrie when his warfare is accomplished and shall wee be grieued when the dayes of sinne are ended Quest It seemeth by this which you haue said that this life of ours is verie troublesome for we are Mariners our hauen is happinesse Trauellers our iournie is to Paradise Labourers our hire is Heauen and Souldiers our conquest is at death Is then our life both miserable and changeable Answ Yea verily for it is compared to a pilgrimage in which is vncertaintie Genes 47.9 A Flower in which is mutabilitie Isay 40.7 A smoke in which is vanitie Psalme 102.3 An House of Clay in which is miserie Iob. 4.19 A Weauers shittle in which is volubilitie Iob. 7.6 A shepheards tent in which is varietie Isay 38.12 A Ship on the Sea in which is celeritie Wisd 5.10 A Mariner who sitting standing sléeping or waking euer saileth on A shadow which is nothing to the bodie Iob. 8.9 To a thought whereof wee haue thousands in one day To a dreame whereof we haue millions in one night Iob. 20.8 To vanitie which is nothing in it selfe Psal 39. 5. And to nothing which hath no being in the World Psal 39.5 Quest If all this be true as it must needes bee because God hath said it the houre of death is farre better then the day of our birth Is it so Ans It is that for these reasons by it 1 We are fréed from many present miseries Reuel 14.13 Wee are deliuered from many future
sinne and crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts 1. Pet. 2.24 Rō 6.6 Gal. 5.24 10 In a word by it you haue remission of sinnes sanctification of spirit and euerlasting life after death Quest What must I heere meditate of An. You must meditate 1 Of the fearefull wrath of God against sinners which could not be appeased by any other meanes 2 Of Gods great mercy who to saue mankind would haue his Sonne killed 3 Of Christs great humility who thus abased himselfe to exalt vs. 4 Of the vglinesse of sinne which could by no other meanes be purged 5 Of the estate of the members of Christ who in this world must bee conformable to his passion 6 That wee hate all sinne and iniquity for which Christ suffered and by which we crucifie him againe Augustines meditation is fit to bee thought on The life of Christ saith he is to me a rule of my life his death is my redemption from death That instructeth my life this hath for mee destroyed death And againe Looke vpon his wounds when he hanged on the tree his blood when he died the price wherewith hee redeemed vs. He hath his body so placed on the crosse as if hee bowed it downe to kisse thee his armes spred out ready to embrace thee and his whole body giuen to redeeme thee Consider how great things these are weigh them in the ballance of thine heart that he may be wholly fastened in thine heart who for thee wholly was fastened to the crosse And againe meditate thus with that holy Father in his Soliloquies and say O Christ the saluation of my soule I hartily thanke thee for all thy benefits bestowed vpon mee from my youth till this mine olde age I pray thee by thy selfe forsake mee not Thou didst create me when I was nothing thou didst redeeme me when I was worse then nothing I was dead and when I was dead thou camest down vnto me and tookest vpon thee mortality for my sake Thou a King camest to a subiect to redeeme a subiect Thou didst die and ouercome death that I might liue I was exalted by thee when thou wast humbled for me such was thy loue towards mee that thou gauest thy blood to be shed for me O my Lord thou didst loue me more then thy self because thou wouldest die for me By such a meanes by so deare a price thou hast restored me from exile redeemed me from thraldome preserued me from punishment called me by thy name signed me by thy bloud annointed mee with that oile wherewith thy selfe wast annointed that of thee ô Christ I am named a Christian Thus thy mercy and grace hath euer preuented me Thus thou my Deliuerer hast deliuered me from many great and grieuous dangers Did I wander thou broughtest mee againe into the way Was I ignorant thou instructedst mee Did I sinne thou correctedst mee Was I sorrowfull thou comfortedst mee Did I despaire thou strengthnedst mee Did I fall thou didst helpe mee vp Did I goe thou didst leade me Did I come thou didst receiue me Did I sleepe thou didst watch ouer me Did I cry thou heardst the voice of my complaints Grant good Lord that it may bee euer pleasant vnto me to thinke often of these thy benefits to speake often of them often to giue thee thankes for them and to praise thee for euer and euer Amen Quest But because I cannot thus meditate of Christs passion vnlesse I bee able to apply it to my selfe how shall I make this application Answ 1 By the word 2. by faith 3. by the Sacraments of Baptisme the Lords Supper By the word Christ is offered as by the hand of God by faith he is receiued as by the hand of man by the sacraments he is sealed vp vnto vs as the Kings letters patents are by his Broad seale For as by the word of God his fauour is signed vnto vs so the same fauour is by the sacraments as a Broad seale ratified vnto vs and by the spirit as a Priuy seale confirmed vnto vs. Qu. Am I now bounden to follow Christ in his crosse Answ You are assuredly For 1 You are a member of his body will you not be like to your head 2 You are a branch of him that true vine will you not follow the roote 3 You desire to haue heauen do you not know that by many tribulations you must goe thither 4 You are one of Christs grapes Christ was pressed in Gods wine-presse and would you giue out your swéet liquor without the like pressing which he endured Augustine said well When thou beginnest to liue godly in Christ thou art put into the wine-presse prepare thy selfe that thy wine may be pressed out 5 It is an argument that God loues you not if you endure no afflictions you are a bastard and no sonne Heb. 12.14 An Heathen man could say thus much No man is more miserable then he who endureth no miserie it is a signe that hee is contemned of God as an idle and cowardly person And if saith Augustine you will goe to Canaan Nihil infelicius felicitate peccantium you must goe as it were by fire and water thorow the wildernesse of this world No creature is more vnhappy then hee that is happy in sinning 6 You must follow him also in his death and know that as he died so you must also be willing to die especially since nothing can free you from it If Wisdome could Salomon had not died if strength Sampson had not died if Riches Diues had not died if beauty Absalom had not died Wheresoeuer we goe if wée carrie with vs not the vgly picture of death as some Romanists doe but the true picture of Christs death in our hearts we shall neuer bee too fearefull of death Qu. I trust I shall thus meditate of Christs death and passion but is it not my duty at all times especially in sickenesse to thinke often of his resurrection Answ The Apostle Paul did account all things but losse and dung for this excellent knowledge of Christs death and the vertue of his resurrection Phil. 3.10 Quest What is the vertue of his resurrection Ans It is nothing else but the power of his Godhead or the power of his Spirit whereby he raised himselfe mightily from the dead and that on our behalfe For know this to your comfort that he did rise againe from the dead not as a priuate but as a publike person so that all the elect haue and are by his resurrection raised out of the graue of sinne by regeneration in this life and shall one day by it be raised out of the graue of death to eternal glorie in the life to come Qu. What vse may I make of this Answ By it 1 You may bee comforted against the feare of all your spirituall enemies and say thus to your sicke soule Christ is risen againe from the dead and so hath subdued all mine enemies vnder me will daily more and more
subdue them in me I may haue afflictions in this world but Christ bids me to bee of good comfort for he hath ouercome the world Ioh. 16.33 and This is the victory that ouercommeth the world euen my faith 1. Ioh. 5.4 I will say with Dauid Why art thou disquieted O my soule and why art thou troubled within me The Lord is on my side I will not feare what either man or miserie or sin or death or hell or the Diuel can doe against mee I haue God to bée my Father and Christ to be my elder brother I will not feare in the euil day I am not alone Christ is my companion This shall be my studie to beléeue thinges inuisible to hope for that which is deferred and to loue God to the end though he writeth bitter things against me and maketh mee to possesse the sinnes of my youth Though hee kill me I will trust in him I am in Christ Iesus and therefore fréed by his bonds healed by his stripes crucified by his death raised by his resurrection iustified by his obedience sanctified by his spirit and glorified by his glorious Ascension into Heauen Now my flesh by the benefit of Christ who rose againe in my flesh is not spe but re not in hope but indéede saued For in him mine head it is alreadie both risen and ascended vp into Heauen My flesh being safe in this her head shall bee also saued in her members Let them securely triumph their head will neuer forsake them 2 You must learne to rise from sinne to newnesse of life to séeke those thinges that are aboue and not those thinges which are beneath to set your affections on Heauen and heauenly things If you be partaker of the first resurrection the second death shall take no hold of you Reuel 20.6 If you doe not this Christs death shal doe you no good For as hee died and rose againe so must you rise from sinne to righteousnesse and from death to life Therefore awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee life Ephes 5.14 Quest If I can thus meditate of Christs death and resurrection I doubt not but death will bee better welcome for if I weare his Crowne of thornes I shall one day weare his Crowne of glorie If I can pledge him in his Cup of gall I shall drinke of his sweet wine If I die with him in this World I shall liue with him in that which is to come But you told mee that I must meditate of the deceitfulnesse of this World must I doe so that I may leaue it more willingly Answ You must néeds doe it the World is like Laban it will giue you Leah for Rachel it will change your wages it wil send you with Iaakob emptie away It is a Syren it will sing to you to sinke you It is as Iael Hebers wife it will offer you milke and couer you with a mantle and in the end strike a naile into the temples of your head It will salute you as Ioab did Amasa and kill you as Amasa was by Ioab killed With Iudas it will kisse you and with Iudas also it will betray you For this cause Salomon cried Vanitie of vanities all is but vanitie Iohn said Loue not this World nor the thinges of this World hee that loueth this World the loue of the Father is not in him 1. Ioh. 2.16 To this purpose the Fathers haue many notable Meditations Augustine said This World is more dangerous fauning then fighting and more to be auoided when she inticeth to loue then when shee compelleth to contempt Againe O yee louers of this World for what doe you labour haue you heere any greater hope then to become friendes of this World what is there which is not fraile and full of perill and by how many perils doe you come to a greater perill This life is miserable death vncertaine it comes vnawares and after all the punishment of our negligence is eternall punishment Againe The World passeth away and the lusts thereof What wilt thou doe whether wilt thou loue temporall thinges and passe away with time or loue Christ and liue for euer Againe Behold the World is troublesome and we like it what would wee doe if it were calme how would wee cleaue vnto beautie if wee so affect deformitie how fast would wee gather the flowers who fill our hands with the thornes Againe This ruinous World is beloued of vs what would we doe if the building were faire Againe The Lords of this World haue true asperitie false iucunditie certaine miserie and hopelesse felicitie Gregorie said Beholde this World which wee loue so much passeth away These Saints at whose monuments wee stand did contemne the then florishing World they had long life continuall health rich estate many children long peace and yet when that World florished in it selfe it withered in their hearts Beholde now it withereth in it selfe and florisheth in our hearts Euerie where death sorrow desolation is at hand Wee are beaten on all sides filled on all sides are we with bitternesse and yet being blinded with carnall concupiscence we loue the bitternesse of this World shee flieth we pursue her she falleth we leane vpon her and because wee cannot keepe her from falling we fal with her whom we hold falling Bernard said Hee that begins to thinke Christ sweet will esteeme quickly the world as bitter Againe This World is full of thornes they are in the Earth they sticke in thy flesh To bee amongst them and not to bee hurt by them proceeds from Gods power not our owne Againe The World crieth I wil faile thâ—â— the flesh crieth I will infect thee the Deuill crieth I will deceiue thee but Christ crieth I will refresh thee Againe The danger of this World is seene in the paueitie of such as passe well thorow it and the multitude that perish in it In the Massilian Sea of foure Shippes scant one is drowned in the Sea of this World of foure soules scant one is saued Chrysostome said The World is a Sea the Church a Ship the Saile Repentance the Rudder the Crosse the Pilot Christ and the Holy Ghost the Windes I would with you therefore to bid this vaine World Adieu and to say with the blessed Apostle Saint Paul God forbid that I should reioyce in any thing saue in the crosse of Christ whereby the World is crucified to me and I vnto the World Quest I shall doe this the better if you tell mee what God hath prepared for mee in Heauen and of this I desire to be instructed from you Answ The Apostle Paul thinking vpon this saith The Eye hath not seene the Eare hath not heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceiue the good things which God hath prepared for them which loue him The Eye saith Augustine hath not seene it because it is not Colour the Eare hath not heard it because it is not a Sound the
of thee when we pray vnto thée We haue nothing to say for our selues O Lord but that shame and confusion belongeth vnto vs mercie and forgiuenesse belongeth vnto thee Haue mercie therefore vpon vs most mercifull Father and according to the multitude of thy mercies doe away all our offences We confesse indéed that wee are miserable sinners yet by thy Spirit thou hast taught vs that we be thine And therefore wee beséech thee to seperate our sinnes from vs which otherwise will seperate vs from thée If we remember our sinnes thou wilt forget them teach vs therefore to remember them in the bitternes of our soules If we sorrow for them in this life wee shall not sorrow for them in the life to come make vs truly sorrowfull that wee haue offended thée our gratious Father To this end giue vnto vs the comfort of thy Spirit to assure vs of thy fauour by which we may be as readie to euery good worke as we are prone to all that is euill Thou hast renued in vs O Lord the image of thy Sonne O let vs not turne it into the image of Satan neither let thy enemie take vs away from thée we desire good God to warre against him and his champions the flesh and the world we cannot ouercome without thée we pray thée therefore to arme vs with the shield of faith and the sword of thy Spirit against all their assaults and to put vpon vs thy complete armour and wherein we are most weake there make thou vs most strong that in the end wee may be more than conquerers Kéepe vs now and euer in the feare of thy Maiestie And because we go now forth to sight against all the enemies of our saluation the weakest whereof are stronger than weâ— therefore we come vnto thée for the assistance of thy Spirit and do humbly entreate thée to aid vs by thy prouidence arme vs by thy power guard vs by thine Angels instruct vs by thy Word and gouerne vs by thy Spirit in all our actions Let thy blessing be vpon vs thy seruants in our going out and comming in and in euery action wee vndertake from this time forth and for euermore Let all our thoughts words and workes this day tend to the glorie of thy name the good of thy Church and the euerlasting saluation of our soules Let vs make conscience of al that we do neither let vs account any sin little because thy Sonne died for the least Let vs cast away the workes of darknesse and put vpon vs the armour of light And howsoeuer heretofore by lying and swearing and sporting and spending inordinate liuing we haue offended thée yet grant that we may leaue them all lest they leaue not vs till they haue brought vs to destruction Make vs to discerne betwixt right and wrong good and euill truth and error and to learne some good thing euery day make vs skilfull in the profession of pietie that we may know how to serue thee and let vs not be ignorant in the mysteries of our callâ—ngs that wee may learne how to liue thereby Settle our affections in the loue of thy Maiestie zeale of thy glorie and vnfained good will one towards another so as we may as much ioy at the prosperitie of others as in our owne Are we merrie let it be in thée are we sorrowfull let it be for our sins haue we peace make it in vs all the peace of a good conscience are wee â—fraid let it bee of sin that we with as great delight may run the waies of thy Commaundements as euer we haue ouerrun thée in the waies of wickednesse Thou hast bin good vnto vs many waies O Lord as in our creation when we were nothing in our redemption when we were worse than nothing in our vocation when we thought not of thée and in our sanctification when wee were defiled before thee Thou thou alone hast preserued vs by thy prouidence preuented vs by thy goodnesse instructed vs by thy word acquainted vs with thy Maiestie and deliuered vs from many dangers And all to this end that we should goe as farre before others in thankfulnesse towards thée as far as thou goest in mercie towards vs before them We do acknowledge O Lord this fauour of thine and wee desire from our hearts to acknowledge it more taking all that wee haue as a gift from thée And in a thankfull remembrance of these thy mercies we desire thee O Lord to settle euery one of vs in such a constant course of obedience to thée that we may serue thée from this houre with all those duties which the world the flesh and the diuell would haue vs to deferre till the day of death O let vs thinke alwaies of our last houre yea last iudgement the ioyes of heauen the torments of hell and what a bitter death thy Sonne Iesus did suffer to redéeme our soules out of the hands of the diuell Let vs spend the rest of our vncertaine life in a renued repentance for our sins paâ—â— make vs to leaue the pleasures of this world before that they doe leaue vs. And now O Lord albeit we are vnworthie to aske any thing for our selues yet because thou hast commanded vs we doe intreate thée for others not as Abraham did for the Sodomites but as Samuel did for the Israelites Be fauourable to Sion build vp the walles of Ierusalem Behold with the eye of pitie compassion the great ruines and desolations of the Church Feede it as thy flock foster it as the familie dresse it as thy vineyard deck it as thy spouse and euer rule in it as in thine owne kingdome Many are the enemies that crie Downe with it downe with it euen to the ground Abate their pride asswage their malice confound their deuices and let their counsell in the end be as the councell of Achitophel so that peace may be within her walles and prosperitie in all her palaces so long as the Sunne and Moone endureth To this end giue vnto our Prince the wisedome of Salomon to his Counsellors the prouidence of Hushâ—y to our Iudges the conscience of Samuel to our Ministers the diligence of Paul and to our people the obedience of those subiects who with one consent cried out vnto their Gouernour Whatsoeuer God shall command vs by him that will we doe Thus we O Lord and our posteritie after vs shall enioy a spirituall communion of Saints in this life and a blessed communion in the life to come Many of thy seruants suffer for thy cause let all such sée the truth of their cause thy comfort in their calamitie and an happie deliuerance if it be thy will Are any now lying in the anguish of their conscience disburden them of the feare of thy iudgement and refresh them right soone with the conduit of thy comfort And as thou hast made them examples for vs so teach vs to take example by them that we may looke vpon thy promises
36 Obiect that friends forsake answered Pag. 146 37 Obiect that want solemne buriall answered Pag. 147 38 Of our reconciliation to man in sicknesse Pag. 147 39 VVhy we ought to haue a will in readines Pag. 148 40 How we ought to make our will Pag. 149 41 Whom we may make our executors Pag. 149 42 Who is our best friend in our sicknesse Pag. 150 43 What speeches we must vse to our friends that visit vs. Pag. 151 44 Comforts against the feare of death Pag. 151 45 Comforts against the feare of Gods anger Pag. 157 46 Comforts against the feare of desperation Pag. 159 47 Comforts against the feare of Satan Pag. 162 48 Comforts against the commission of sinne Pag. 164 49 Comforts against the greatnesse of our sinnes Pag. 167 50 Comforts against the multitude of sinnes Pag. 169 51 Comforts against our imperfect obedience Pag. 171 52 What thoughts wee must haue at the houre of death Pag. 175 53 Of speech at that time Pag. 176 54 Of sudden death Pag. 180 55 Whether we may pray against it Pag. 183 56 Why wee must take thought for our bury all Pag. 184 57 Of the place of buryall Pag. 186 58 Of keeping cleane Church-yards Pag. 187 58 Of Monuments Pag. 187 60 Of mourning Pag. 189 61 Of mourning apparell Pag. 191 62 Of Funerall Sermons Pag. 192 63 That Christs death is often to be thought on Pag. 194 64 What his passion is Pag. 195 65 What moued Christ to suffer Pag. 196 66 When his suffering beganne Pag. 196 67 What hee suffered before his apprehension Pag. 197 68 Why was his soule troubled Pag. 197 69 What it was that crucified Christ Pag. 200 70 Why he was crucified at Easter Pag. 201 71 Why he died on the Crosse Pag. 202 72 Who haue profit by Christs death Pag. 203 73 How it is meritorious Pag. 204 74 A meditation of Christs death Pag. 205 75 Whether we must follow Christ in his Crosse Pag. 208 76 Of the vertue of Christs resurrection Pag. 209 77 Of the deceitfulnesse of the world Pag. 212 78 Of eternall glorie Pag. 215 79 What we shall enioy in heauen Pag. 216 80 How we shall come vnto heauen Pag. 217 81 VVhat the obiect of life eternall is Pag. 217 82 For whom it is prepared Pag. 218 83 That our bodies shall rise Pag. 219 84 The qualities of our bodies after the resurrection Pag. 223 85 How our bodies shall be spirituall Pag. 224 86 VVhether they shall bee perfect without the least imperfection Pag. 224 87 The qualities of the soule after death Pag. 225 88 Sweet meditations of the Fathers concerning the ioyes of heauen Pag. 226 89 Of the torments of hell Pag. 231 A consolatorie Epistle against all crosses Pag. 239 An heauenly meditation in Verse Pag. 249 A prayer for morning or euening Pag. 251 A morning prayer Pag. 266 An euening prayer Pag. 277 A prayer to bee said alone or with companie changing I into we Pag. 289 A thanks-giuing for our Gunne-powder deliuerance Pag. 335 A prayer for a sick man Pag. 298 A thanks-giuing after deliuerance from sicknesse Pag. 307 A prayer to be said by a sick man Pag. 313 A thanks-giuing after the death of any Pag. 319 A prayer for a woman in trauaile Pag. 323 A thanks-giuing after her safe deliuerance Pag. 326 A prayer before the Communion Pag. 329 A thanks-giuing after Pag. 332 Graces Pag. 341 FINIS CHRISTS PRAYER EXPOVNDED The Speakers Euchedidascalus A Teacher of Prayer Phileuches A Louer of Prayer Euch. PHileuches amongst many Sermons which I haue preached vnto you you haue heard me expound the Lords prayer are you bound to giue account of that you haue heard Phil. Sir doubtlesse I am for the Apostle Peter teacheth me that I must be alwaies readie to giue an answere to euery one that asketh me a reason of the hope that is in me with meekenesse and reuerence a 1. Pet. 3.15 Euch. Repeate then the Lords Prayer Phil. Our Father which art in heauen hallowed be thy name thy kingdome come thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this day our daily bread and forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs and lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill for thine is the Kingdome the power and the glory for euer and euer Amen Euch. Why is this prayer called the Lords Prayer Phil. 1 Because Christ Iesus our Lord set downe the same b Mat. 6.9 2 Because we cannot pray vnlesse Christ teach vs c Luc. 11.1 Rom. 8.26 3 To make vs estéeme it in that it was giuen by our Lord. 4 To distinguish it from the prayers of others Euch. Why did Christ teach his Church this prayer Phil. 1 To put vs in minde of our miserie that vnlesse God giue it we can haue no good thing * Iam. 1.17 2 Of his mercy who giues if we aske 3 To comfort vs that we may be so bold as to aske 4 To instruct vs in what manner we should aske 5 To assure vs that we comming to the Father in his Sonnes owne words he will heare vs for his Sonnes sake 6 To teach vs by this short summe what we may lawfully aske at the hands of God and that other things we should not aske * Matth. 20 7 That Christ might not be inferior to Iohn who taught his disciples to pray 8 To teach Ministers Parents Tutors and Masters to doe the like to their children and people 9 To shew that God is not like the great Monarches of the earth to whom we may not come vnlesse Ahashuerosh-like he hold out his golden Scepter Ester 4. 10 That God vouchsafeth all this his honour that they may come vnto him Euch. Is there any vertue in these verie words of this prayer Phil. There is no such vertue as that by the bare repetition of it we can bind God to grant our requests or that we should neuer pray in other words but as the ten Commandements containe all things to be done of vs the Créed all things to be beléeued by vs so the Lords Praier doth comprehend all things to be asked by vs of Almighty God Euch. Is it necessarie euer to repeat all this prayer Phil. It is surely a good conclusion for our ordinarie course of praying both publikely and priuately because those things which wee cannot at such times craue or giue thanks for in particular are all contained in this platforme but that euery petition should euer bee vsed it is not necessarie Euch. How then may you repeate it with comfort Phil. Surely as Luther teacheth me to repeate the ten Commandements and the Articles of my faith in my prayers Euch. How is that Phil. To obserue the present necessity As for example Do I sée the prophanation of Gods name and contempt of his word I must then say O heauenly father maintaine I pray thee the glorie of thine owne name and suffer
teacheth vs Deliuer vs from euill and as Paul did 2. Cor. 12.9 and 2. Chro. 20.12 Euch. What wants do you bewaile in this petition Phil. 1 The rebellion of our wicked nature by which wee resist the Spirit of God h Rom. 7.14 c. 2 Our readinesse in each little temptation to yeelde vp our selues to the committing of sinne i Luk. 22.45.46 3 That we cannot enough mourne for the remnants of our bondage by which we are kept in the power of Satan * Ro. 7.24 4 That so many fall by Satans temptation k Psal 119.136 5 That we cannot heere get mastery ouer our owne corruptions l 2. Cor. 12.8 6 That wee loue so this spirituall Sodom in which wee are subiect to and fal by temptation e Gen. 19.16 7 The tyranny of Satan our aduersary going about each way to subdue vs f Mat. 9.12 Euch. What things doe you heere pray against Phil. I pray 1 Against temptation as it may be a means to draw men from God and cause them to commit sinne g 2. Cor. 12.7.8 2 Against afflictions as they are punishments of sinne curses from God motiues to impatience or meanes to make mée to take Gods name in vaine h Pro. 30.9 3 Against desertion that God would not leaue me or if hee doe that hee would not leaue me ouer long by withdrawing from his former a second grace of the Spirit i Ps 119.8 4 Against all future relapse into sinne God hardening my heart blinding of my eyes 1. Tim. 1.20 backsliding from the truth either in part or in whole all sorts of iudgements temporall or eternall and what hurt soeuer may befall me either by prosperity or aduersity 5 In a word I pray against the assaults of Satan the enticements of the world the societie of the wicked and that corruption which may surprise me by mine owne flesh Euch. May not a man pray for temptations and afflictions Phil. Though both of them may be oftentimes good for vs yet because that good is an accidentall good and we know not how we shal beare tēptations if God send them therefore it is not meet to pray for them Therefore such as wish to bee poore that they might loue heauen better or blinde to meditate of heauen better or any way miserable that they might not loue this world to well they haue no great warrant out of Gods word To these we may adde such as pray for death and will not waite Gods leasure till he take them out of this world Euch. What doe you heere pray for Phil. I pray for grace so resist and perseuerance when I or any of the Church are tempted and that to this purpose we may put on the whole armour of God as the girdle of verity in soundnes of doctrine Eph. 6.16 the breast-plate of righteousnesse in integrity of life the shooes of preparation of the Gospell of peace which are to be worne by patience in afflictions the shield of faith to resist Satans assaults the helmet of saluation which is the life of eternitie and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God I pray also heere that all our afflictions may bee turned to our good that wisdome may bee giuen vs to preuent our persecutors that I and others may be patient in aduersitie humble in prosperity and that our sinnes may turne to our good by reuealing our corruption in being ready to fall discouering our vnability of our selues to stand detesting our nature so prone to impiety renouncing all confidence in our own strength and casting our selues vpon Gods power in temptation yea that by them we may sée satans malice in tempting vs and Gods great mercy in recouering vs and finally that being once recouered in temptation wee may pitty and comfort such as be tempted Euch. What things doe you giue thankes for Phil. That in the former things which I haue praied for God hath made me able so to resist and that neither Sathan nor the world nor my flesh hath so subdued me but that I am able to rise againe Euch. Which is the third part of this prayer Phil. The third part of the Lords praier For thine is the kingdome the power and the glory for euer and euer Which words are a reason of all the former by which we are moued to craue all the former blessings at the hands of our God Euch. Why doth Luke leaue out this clause Phil. Either because the Euangelists did not binde themselues to a precise forme of wordes or because this praier was vttered at two seueral times by Christ in a seuerall manner Vide Bezam in cap. 11. Lucae leauing out not only this clause but the third petition wholly the explanation of the sixt and changing some words which are in Matthew But we haue no warrant to doe the like as the vulgar Latin translation and the Rhemists do euen in the Gospel of Saint Matthew being bold to mangle the Lords Prayer as they are to leaue out the second Commandement Euch. Why is this conclusion added Phil. To teach 1 To pray vnto him who is able to heare vs a 1. Chro. 6.21 Ephes 3.20 2 To pray in faith to him that wil helpe vs b Iam. 1.6 3 To pray in feruencie as desirous to be holpen c Matth. 15.22 4 To pray in humilitie because all is of God d Psal 192.17 1. Chron. 29.14 5 To pray in thankfulnesse because all is from God e 1. Chron. 29.13 6 That in euery petition we must haue this conclusion in our mindes Euch. VVhy is it set after the last petition Phil. To confute Sathan in his greatest temptations He that he might withdraw vs from the Kingdome of God will perswade vs as hee would Christ that all power is his Matth. 4. but we that we may not yéeld to this his assault are here taught that the Kingdome is Gods Euch. VVhat doe you meane by these words thine is the Kingdome Phil. Euen that which Dauid meant when hee said 1. Chron. 29.12 Thine O Lord is greatnesse power and victorie and praise and all that is in Heauen and in Earth is thine thine is the Kingdome and thou excellest ouer all Euch. Why is the Kingdome said to bee Gods Phil. 1 Because hee made all f Gen. 1.1 2 Because he possesseth all g Psa 24.1 3 Because he commandeth all h Ps 114.7 4 Because he disposeth all i Dan. 4.31 32. Euch. What doe you learne out of this Phil. That I may with confidence pray vnto him because as Kings will prouide for the bodies and soules of al their subiects so God my King will prouide for me 2 That I must be gouerned by him as a subiect must by his owne Soueraigne 3 That no Superior power can doe me hurt vnlesse hee haue commission from aboue 4 That al Princes must giue account to this King and therfore
giue why you must examine your obedience Answ Amongst many I giue these 1 Disobedience is as the sinne of witchcraft 1. Sam. 15.23 2 Obedience is better then sacrifice 1. Sam. 15.22 3 It is a fruit of faith Rom. 8.1 4 By this examination I shal be moued to repent Ierem. 31.19 5 If I haue done any thing that is good I shall haue cause to giue God due thankes 6 Without it I cannot appeare before God Ierem. 7.9 Quest How many properties are there of this obedience Answ Fiue 1 It must be frée without constraint Psalm 110.3 2 Sincere without hypocrisie 2. Tim. 1.5 3 Vniuersall not to some but to all the Commaundements Psalm 119.6 Iam. 2.10 4 Perpetuall till the houre of our death Matth. 24.13 5 Personall in regard of our personall calling 1. Pet. 5.1 Quest Which is the last part of examination Answ Our reconciling our selues vnto our brethren if we haue made them any offence Matth. 5.24 Quest Can you shew mee any reasons of this examination Answ Yea surely For 1 If I loue not my brother God loues not me 1. Ioh. 3.14 2 If I forgiue not my brother God forgiueth not me Matth. 6.15 3 If I want loue I am none of Christs disciples Ioh. 13.35 4 Without it I shall neuer doe good to my brother 1. Cor. 13.2 Quest By what signes may you know whether you are so reconciled that you loue your brother Answ By these 1 If I be not ouercome with euill Rom. 12.21 2 If I ouercome euill with goodnesse Rom. 12.21 3 If I can pray for him Acts 7.60 4 If I can yéeld to him Gen. 13.19 5 If I can conceale my wrongs and his infirmities Prou. 11.12.13 6 If I can conuerse friendly with him Genes 34.4 7 If I can depart sometime from my right Gen. 13.10 8 If when I may I auenge not my selfe 2. Sam. 19.23 Quest When are we fit to receiue the Sacrament in regard of reconciliation Answ Euen then when we are fit to say in the Lords prayer Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. And therefore many indanger their own consciences in refusing to receiue lest they should leaue their sinnes and be reconciled to men Now the Lord grant that I may after this sort examine my selfe that at all times by putting off the old man and putting on the new I may be fit to come to Gods Table Quest I hope you are well instructed in examination Tell mee what premeditation the second part of preparation is Answ It is a consideration of those graces which wee doe receiue by the death of Christ signified in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Quest Which are those graces that wee must consider of Answ Our redemption from hell our deliuerance from death damnation and the curse of the Law 2 The remission of our sinnes whereby we receiue freedome from sinne and acceptation to life Psalme 103.3.4 3 Which is a fruit of the former reconciliation with God when wee are made friends with him Colos 1.20 4 Our communion and fellowship with Christ 1. Cor. 10.16 5 Interest and title to eternall life by Christ in whom we are sonnes Iohn 1.12 Rom. 8.13 Quest What fruit ariseth out of these two Answ A spirituall hunger after Christ and his benefits for when a man hath examined his wants and hath considered the riches of Christ his hart longs after the same Ioh. 7.37 Quest You haue well said all that you haue yet said how must you be disposed in the action of receiuing Answ I must seriously thinke of these fiue points 1 When I sée the Minister take bread and wine I must consider the action of God whereby he sent Christ to worke my redemption 2 When I sée the bread broken and the wine powred out I must consider first The bitter passion of Christ for me in so suffering secondly Gods infinite loue to mée who sent Christ to redéeme me his enemy thirdly Gods wrath towards me for my sinne which nothing could satisfie but the death of Christ Fourthly I must detest those sins of mine which caused Christ thus to suffer 3 When the minister distributeth bread and wine I must consider that as it is truly offered vnto me by man so Christ is truly offered vnto me by God 4 In receiuing bread and wine I must apprehend Christ by faith 5 In eating that bread and drinking that wine I must apply Christ particularly to my selfe and be perswaded that as that bread and wine is made the nourishment of my bodie so Christs body and blood is made the nourishment of my soule Yea I must féele the power of Christ to mortifie the corruption of my nature by his death to quicken me in newnesse of life by his resurrection and to giue me power to fight against my deadly aduersaries the world the flesh and the diuell Quest When you are to receiue these consecrated mysteries may you receiue them kneeling vpon your knees Answ You taught me that this gesture hath béen much abused yet at the commandement of the Church it may be vsed without impietie 1 Because knéeling is a thing indifferent as is the vncouering of the head at that time 2 Because the Minister then prayeth to God as he giueth them 3 Because Christ is more particularlie then offered then in the word 4 That we may stoppe our aduersaries mouthes who crie out against vs that we regard not this Sacrament 5 Because then especially God requires our humiliation 6 That the better wee may lift vp our hearts to God 7 Because in matters of indifferencie we are bound to kéep the peace of the Church 8 Because we teach that this reuerence is not done to the creatures but to our Creator 9 Because by this gesture we are moued to receiue with greater reuerence 10 It is reteined by the Church of Bohemia Quest But this Ceremonie sauoreth of adoring a breaden god Answ To our aduersaries it doth to vs it doth not being taught the contrarie therfore if it be not taken away it may be vsed if it were the feare of superstition were taken away with it But in things which may be well vsed let no man be contentious we haue no such custome neither haue the Churches of God Ambrose his counsell to 〈…〉 and his mother Monica is good counsell When I am at Millaine I fast not on Saturday because there they fast not and when I come to Rome I fast on Saturday because there they then fast Thus must we doe in things indifferent that we may keep the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace Quest Yet were it not fit to follow the example of Christ who did administer it sitting at the table Answ Marke what I say And the Lord giue you vnderstanding in all things 1 If we must precisely follow Christs practise in this then they who receiue standing transgresse in practise as well as they who receiue kneeling which I thinke you will not
their death Quest Now then of all men that die in this World whose death is most miserable Ans The death of sinners for them we must mourne most and their death is most miserable Their birth is bad their life is worse their departure is worst of all their death is without death their end is without end and their want is without want But precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Quest Can you giue mee any example to proue this Ans I can One at the houre of his death féeling alreadie the torments of hell cried out after this sort O lamentable destinie O infinite calamitie O death without death O those continuall cryings which shall neuer be harkened vnto Our eyes can see nothing but sorrowfull spectacles and intolerable torments Our eares can heare nothing but woe woe without end wofull O thou earth why doest thou not swallow vs O yee mountaines why doe you not couer vs from the presence of the Iudge How farre doe the torments of Hell exceede all the tortures of this life O you bewitching pleasures of this VVorld how haue you ledde vs blindfold to the horrors of Hell Woe woe for euer vnto vs who without hope are cast from the fauour of God O that after tenne thousand yeares we might bee deliuered O that in any time we might haue an end But it cannot be our temporall pleasures haue eternall paines our mirth it is now turned into mourning and we are cast into eternall fire A King said O that I had neuer beene a King Quest Shew mee also some examples of good men who haue vttered things comfortable at their death Answ Christ said Father into thine hands I commend my spirit Luk. 23.46 Steuen said Lord Iesus receiue my spirit Acts 7.59 Simeon said Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word Saint Augustine said as Hierom reporteth Nature compels me to be dissolued I according to the Scripture phrase am to goe the way of my forefathers Now Christ inuiteth me now I desire to see celestiall fights O keepe you the faith thinke you also that you are mortall men Let this be your care to keepe the commandements of God that when you die all the Saints may receiue you as their familiars and friends into the euerlasting tabernacles If you regard mee or keepe any remembrance of me your Father thinke of these things sauour these things do these things Saint Iohn said My little children loue one another my little children loue one another and being demaunded why he did ingeminate so often this spéech He said My Lord and Master taught it vs in his life preached it before his death and if yee doe this it sufficeth Holy Effrem said O Lord God receiue preserue saue and be mercifull to vs by thy grace Tobiah said to his sonne Keepe thou the Law and the Commandements and shew thy selfe mercifull and iust that it may goe well with thee Chap. 14. 9. Mauritius the Emperour said when Phocas caused his children and wife to be slaine before his eyes and lastly himselfe The Lord is righteous in all his waies and holy in all his workes Psal 145. Antonius surnamed Pius that is the godly King said Why do you mourne for mee and not rather thinke of that common both death and pestilence And when his friends were readie to leaue him he said If you now leaue me fare yee well I but go before you And being demanded to whom he would leaue his sonne To God saith hée and you if he deserue well Master Deering a little before his death being by his friends raised vp in his bed séeing the Sunne shine and being desired to speake said There is but one Sun that giueth light to the world there is but one righteousnesse there is but one communion of Saints If I were the excellentest creature in the world If I were as righteous as Abraham Isaac and Iakob for they were excellent men in the world yet must we all confesse that we are great sinners and that there is no saluation but in the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus and wee haue all need of the grace of God And for my part as concerning death I feele such ioy of spirit that if I should haue the sentence of life on the one side and the sentence of death on the other side I had rather chuse a thousand times seeing God hath appointed the separation the sentence of death than the sentence of life The Earle of Essex said O God Creator of all things and Iudge of all men thou hast let mee know by warrant out of thy word that Satan is then most busie when our end is neerest and that Satan being resisted will flie I humblie beseech thee to assist mee in this my last combat and seeing thou acceptest euen of our desires as of our acts accept I beseech thee of my desires to resist him as of true resistance and perfect by thy grace what thou seest in my flesh to bee fraile and weake giue mee patience to beare as becommeth mee this iust punishment inflicted vpon mee by so honorable a triall Grant mee the inward comfort of thy Spirit let thy Spirit seale vnto my soule an assurance of thy mercies lift my soule aboue all earthly cogitations and when my life and bodie shall part send thy blessed Angels which may receiue my soule and conuey it to the ioyes in heauen Then concluding his prayer for all estates of the Realme hee shut vp all with the Lords Prayer reiterating this Petition Lord Iesus forgiue vs our trespasses Lord Iesus receiue my soule King Edward the sixt said Lord God deliuer mee out of this miserable and wretched life and take me among thy chosen Howbeit not my wil but thy wil be done Lord I commit my spirit to thee O Lord thou knowest how happie it were for mee to bee with thee yet for thy chosens sake send me life health that I may truly serue thee O my Lord God blesse thy people and saue thine inheritance O Lord saue thy chosen people of England O my Lord defend this Realme from Papistrie and maintaine thy true Religion that I and my people may pâ—aise thy holy Name for thy Sonne Iesus Christs sake I am faint Lord haue mercie vpon me and take my spirit And manie of the like you may reade in the book of Martyrs Quest Are not they most happy that die in this sort and sing these Cygnean songs as funerall hymnes Answ O happie and thrice happy are they whose life is a continuall praysing of God and whose death is an vncessant prayer to God Quest Yet if it please God I would not die in my youth and the flower of mine age Answ Why are you of so couetous a disposition that you would measure all things by the ell Is nothing precious but that which is durable think you the tallest person the comliest person the greatest picture the best picture
or the longest shadow the goodliest shadow Neither men nor their liues are measured by the ell in a great and a small circle the figure is all one and it is hath béen and will be fatall euen to great and glorious personages ordinarily not to liue long Take Salomon Iosiah and Christ Iesus for example Quest O but I would not die in a strange countrey Answ No Abraham did and died quietly Ioseph did and he died honorably many Saints did and they died gloriously Are you slaine in battell you haue a tombe amongst the dead bodies of your enemies Do you die in trauaile you are héere a stranger your countrie is in heauen Death comes vnto you masked in these such like shapes take off the maske and it is the same death wherewith women and children die Euery place is a like distant from heauen Quest And when I haue seen all the world would you haue mee willing to leaue all the world Answ Why you euer haue séene the same rising and setting of the Sunne the same encreasing and decreasing of nature the like sins that haue béen in former times and if you haue séene all the world consider but the vanitie mutabilitie of this world and either you will say that this world is a world of wickednesse or that now in his old age it is passing away as a thréed-bare garment ouer-worne Quest Is it easie now thinke you to leaue wife and children father and mother and all my friends Ans Where you go you shall find more such as you neuer saw they whom you leaue behind shall shortly follow after you Quest But what shall become of my wife children friends and kins-folkes who depend vpon me Answ All these belong more to God than to you he loues them best and will prouide best for them and such so left haue often risen to high and great place Quest Yet if I died not alone I might haue more comfort Answ Alone why how many thousand in the whole world die in the same moment of time which you die in and yet which God may grant to you but a few of them goe to heauen Quest Once againe would you haue me not to feare death which causeth mee to lose life looke like a ghost and which taketh away from mee all the ioies of this world Answ By losing a temporall life you finde that life which is eternall you shall not be afraid when you looke gastly and that gastly body of yours shall one day bee clothed with glory and be made like to the glorious body of your most glorious Sauiour and as for the petie and peacocke ioies héere you shall haue ioies eternall and vnspeakable heereafter Quest Seeing then I must needs die what must I doe to die well Answ 1 Labour that your sinnes die in you before you die in the world 2 Be euer ready and prepared either for death or iudgement 3 Endeauour that your death may bee voluntary 4 Consider what an excellent thing it is to end your life before your death and in such sort that at that houre you haue nothing to doe but to die that then you haue no more néede of any thing not of time not of your selfe but sweetly and comfortably to depart this life so that you may say in the testimony of a good conscience I was not ashamed to liue and I am not afraid to die because I know my Redeemer liueth Quest How many waies may a man carry himselfe in death Answ Fiue 1 He may feare and flye it as euill 2 Attend it sweetly and patiently as a thing naturall ineuitable and reasonable 3 Contemne it as a thing indifferent and of no great importance 4 Desire and seeke after it as the onely hauen of rest from all the troubles and torments of this life and so esteeme it as great gaine 5 He may giue it to himselfe by taking away his owne life Quest What thinke you of the first because it is the opinion of the most Answ 1 Because the most thinke so therefore it is most remote from the truth 2 Such seeme to giue little credit to Gods word which teacheth that by it wée rest from our labours 3 If death be euill it is an euill only in opinion and such an euill as neuer did hurt to a good man 4 Why should a man feare that which in truth he knowes not what it is or what good it wil bring vnto him as Socrates once said vnto his friends when hee would not pleade for his life before his Iudges 5 It argueth faint-heartednesse and follie to feare that which cannot be auoided 6 If it be good why should we feare it if euill why do we by sorrow adde euill vnto euill 7 He that once begins to feare death can neuer by reason of this feare liue a good and a contented life He is neuer a freeman that feares death 8 Consider that if nature had made men immortall so that will they nill they they should haue liued euer how many thousands in miserie would haue cursed nature Surely if we had it not in this vale of misery we would desire it more Quest Giue mee your opinion of the second Answ Surely me thinkes they kéepe the golden meane for they will neither desire death as knowing it to bée against nature nor flie from it considering that it is against iustice reason and their dutie to God they know right well that the first day of their birth setteth them in their way to death Nascentes morimur finisque ab origine pendet At birth begin we life to end This end doth on that birth depend Why should wee feare to go that way which all the world hath gone before vs why to ariue at that hauen to which wee haue béen sayling euer since we were borne Quest And doe you thinke that the third sort of people do well who contemne death Answ To contemne death yea and life it selfe for the glorie of God the good of the Church the manifestation of the truth the saluation of our soules and the credit of our names argueth a courage Christian and inuincible hath béen practised both by the Saints of God many famous worthies euen amongst the heathen And surely he that feares death too much shal neuer be fit for any honorable action nay he shall neuer be a frée-man neither can he truly say that he beléeueth the immortalitie of the soule or his resurrection to eternall life by Christ Quest Need I not to craue your opinion of the fourth and fifth sort wherof one desires to die and the other in that desire doth take away his owne life Ans I haue in this treatise answered concerning the fourth shewed how a man may desire death you shall find it if you reade on in this direction But for a mā to take away his own life though it may séem sometimes to procéed from the greatnes of a mans courage yet it cannot but be a
great sin For 1 It argues madnesse for a man to lay violent hands vpon himselfe 2 Impatience that he cannot wait the leisure of God 3 Cowardlinesse that he wil not endure that which might be inflicted vpon him 4 Vnthankfulnesse not to preserue this Iewell which is bestowed vpon him And in a word such a practise causeth not onely the actors but their actions profession posteritie and Countrie to bee euill spoken of Quest Well say then that I be cast vpon my sicke bed what rules can you giue mee to obserue at that time Answ You are first to set your soule in order and sée how you stand in the fauour of God Quest And what are the reasons of this rule Answ 1 Because the sicknesse of the bodie doth procéed from the sinne of the soule Lament 3.39 2 The cure of the soule procures often the health of the bodie Matth. 9.2 3 If your sicknes be a sicknesse to death you shall die more quietly otherwise death is most fearefull in sicknesse 4 By this you shall take your sicknesse the more patiently 5 You shall so giue example to such as come to visit you to doe the like 6 All your friends shall by this bee perswaded that you are the childe of God Quest Doe you thinke in this case it is fit whilest I am in good memorie and it may be in some hope of recouerie to send for my godly Minister to comfort me Answ O it cannot but bee very fit for he is 1 The Lords messenger to declare vnto man his reconciliation by Christ 2 Hee is able to beat you downe by the curses of the Law and to raise you vp by the promises of the Gospell 3 Hee hath experience to speake a word in due season vnto you 4 Hee especially as Gods Physitian hath store of salues to cure your sicke soule 5 You may boldly vncouer your sores to him who will not discouer them to your future shame 6 Hee can see further into the nature of your heart then oftentimes you your selfe can 7 He will boldly rip vp your vlcers that after he may the better cure them 8 If he comfort or correct you for sinne you may be perswaded that both come from God 9 You shall by this much ease your owne heart by crauing comfort from a godly Preacher 10 You shall cause others in the like visitation to doe as you haue done and you your selfe he fitter to die Quest When I haue taken this course for my soule what must I doe in the next place for my body An. You are then to vse the helpe of a godly Physitian and that for these reasons 1 Your body is the soules house if it be decaying you must seeke to repaire it by al good meanes you can 2 God hath giuen expert Physitians skil to restore many diseases of the body 3 God hath appointed many soueraigne remedies to recouer man in his sicke estate 4 You shall better satisfie your selfe if you die in that you neglected not lawfull meanes 6 For want of this dutie many doe perish who might recouer Quest Now in taking Physicke what must I doe Answ You must 1 Commend it to Gods blessing by praier 2 Not rely onely vpon the meanes 3 Know that it cannot preuent either old age or death 4 Humble your soule that God may heale your body 5 Waite Gods leasure in blessing the meanes 6 Bée thankefull to God if by it you recouer Quest What then may I thinke of seeking to vngodly or superstitious Physitians though learned Answ 1 If you cannot haue any other you may with good conscience vse such 2 If they haue a peculiar gift to cure that disease which troubleth you you may goe vnto them Quest And may I not aswell vse them as Religious Physitians Answ I thinke not for 1 They will make little conscience to cure you 2 You cannot hope that they shall cure you 3 You doe as much as in you lyeth countenance them in their sinne and superstition 4 You make them able to doe much hurt 5 It is an argument that you put more confidence in such meanes then in God 6 You discourage godly men in that calling 7 You make the Gospell to bee euil spoken of 8 What doe you know whether it will one day bee a corrosiue to your conscience that you haue vsed bad meanes when as God offered you good Quest It seemeth then that to vse the helpe of good Witches or Cunning men or women as they are called is most vnlawfull Answ To vse their helpe is to goe from the God of Israel to Baalzebub God of Eckron from Samuel in Ramoth to the Witch at Endor from the Riuers of Samaria to the Waters of Damascus from the Liuing to the Dead and from God to the Deuill and yet this is the practise of most people Quest And why now I pray you would you haue mee first to send for a Physitian for my soule before I send for a Physitian for my bodie Surely this is not the customary course but rather the contrarie Answ It is so first wee haue the Physitian and when hee leaues vs then the Minister is sent for and when hee once comes wee thinke all the World is gone with vs but it is a preposterous course for these reasons 1 Neuer looke for health in bodie til you haue a good soule 2 You must desire God to blesse the meanes hee vseth which you truly cannot doe till your conscience bee perswaded of the pardon of your sinnes 3 The memorie of the torments for sin may be a meanes to increase the greatnesse of your disease 4 You shal else make the World beléeue that you are perswaded that you hope still for life Quest Well say then that I send for my Preacher and why should I not send for him as well as for my Physitian what must I doe when he is come vnto me Answ You are bound 1 To acknowledge and confesse all such sinnes as doe any way so disquiet you that you cannot bee perswaded of the pardon of them 2 You are to reueale those seuerall temptations by which Sathan assaileth you in your sicknesse 3 You are to desire comfort from him against the burden of your sinnes and those temptations of the Deuill 4 You must beléeue that whatsoeuer he saith to you out of Gods word is the voice of God 5 You must hide nothing from him by which you like hypocrites desire to bee thought to be in a better estate then you are 6 You must desire him to pray for you that God may either recouer your health or receiue your soule 7 You must not be sorrie if hee say vnto you that your sicknesse may bee a sicknesse to death and that therefore you had néed to prouide for another World 8 If you be ignorant in pietie and godlinesse you must neuer leaue him till you haue gotten a sauing and sure knowledge of God in Christ Quest And what must he doe then to
of death is the Master day and Iudge of all other daies it is the triall and touchstone of our life if you die a good death it honoreth all your Actions if an euill it defameth them all it is the last act of the worlds Comedie and most difficult wherfore I will shew those consolations vnto you and will repeate them in your health that you may thinke of them better vpon your sicke bed wherefore against the feare of death consider 1 That wee neither liue nor die to our selues but whether we liue we liue to the Lord and whether we die wee die to the Lord. Rom. 14.8 2 That Christ is to vs in life gaine and in death aduantage Phil. 1.21 3 That Christ is to vs the resurrection and the life and whosoeuer beleeueth in him though he were dead yet shall hee liue Iohn 11.25 4 That God doth both mitigate and abbreuiate the dolours of death to his seruants 5 That our death being conuerted into a swéet sléepe is the complement of the mortification of our flesh so that hee which is dead is fréed from sinne Roman 6.7 6 That we Christians know that when this earthly tabernacle of our house shal be dissolued we shall haue a building euen of God that is an house made without hands eternall in the heauens 2. Cor. 5.1 7 That if we die in the Lord we goe to Christ which is best of all for vs. Phil. 1.23 8 That this way of all flesh is sanctified to vs by the death of Christ 9 That if euer at other times the Spirit of Christ doth cause vs to beare afflictions patiently it doth especially by the comfort which it ministreth in death inestimablie ouercome the sorrowes of death 10 That the spirit indeede is ready but the flesh is weake Matth. 26.41 so that the inward man doth not feare death but only the outward man Quest Can you yet giue any more of these most sweet consolations Answ Meditate therefore againe with me that 1 The desire you should haue to behold the most bright eies of God and so to be deliuered from this body of sinne will extinguish and extenuate both the grieuous feare and fearefull griefe of present death 2 That though wée can bée content to liue with the faithfull that are aliue and must die yet we must as well desire to be with those Saints who hauing ouercome death are gone before vs to the kingdome of heauen 3 That wee must not more estéeme of this naturall then of the spirituall life but that the loue of the one must abolish the griefe of the other 4 That we are assured of the soules immortality that it shall goe by the transportation of Angels to the assembly and societie of the first borne which are written in heauen Luk. 16.22 Heb. 11.23 and that our bodies doe rest in the earth so that one doth not vnfitly call the graue an Hauen for the bodie to arriue at 5 That wee beleeue the resurrection of the body and euerlasting life after death for this is the faith of Christians onely 6 That wee seeing euidently Gods great mercy towards our young children at their departure out of this life ought at our last end to be the more couragious especially since wee know that wee haue the seale and earnest of Gods spirit in our hearts 7 That as in our whole life so in the agony of death God doth not suffer vs his seruants to be tempted aboue that which we are able to beare 1. Cor. 10.13 but giueth an happy issue with and out of that temptation It is in truth admirable which Gregorie in his Morals saith That some doe with laughter entertaine death wee may better say that by couragious patience they doe ouercome it 8 That we ought not so much to thinke of a peaceable end as of a godly life Augustine said well Where a good life goeth before an euill death must not bee thought to follow And He cannot die ill who liues well And He seldome dies well who hath liued ill And Reade saith he and reade ouer all the monuments of learned men and you shall find nothing more horrible then that person who doth liue in such an estate that he is afraid to die 9 That death is neuer vntimely whether we respect the good or the bad They die soone that they may no longer be vexed by the wicked these die soone that they may not euer persecute the godly as the same Augustine said 10 That this life is so full of miseries that in comparison thereof death may bee thought rather a remedy then a punishment as Ambrose thought Quest Once againe giue mee more comforts against the feare of death for such is the corruptiō of my nature that al is little enough Answ I will thinke therefore but thinke you seriously 1 That he onely feares death extreamly who cannot be perswaded that he shall liue after death as Chysostome saith 2 That it is best to offer that willingly to God as a gift which one day wee must else surrender as a debt to wit this spirit and life of ours as Chrysostome said 3 That as death to the euill is euill so is it good to the good to whom all things worke for their good 4 That death is the way to life as Ambrose said very fitly And another said This day which so affrighteth thee as if it were the last day is the birthday of eternitie 5 That this death is but a repairing of our life 6 That as Bernard said the death of the righteous is good in regard of rest better in regard of nouelty best of all in regard of security and that as the same Father said the death of the godly is good better best of al Contrariwise the death of the godlesse is bad worse and worst of al. 7 That death doth not abolish but establish life in a farre better estate 8 That then death frees vs from death life from error grace from sinne 9 That if Chrysostome say true death is but a bare name 10 That God doth so temper death vnto vs that it can be no cause of euil vnto vs. And therefore if you be wise remember the saying euen of an Heathen man Summum nec metuas diem nec optes Nether feare death when it commeth nor desire it too much before it commeth Quest These are all of them sweet consolations indeed yet because Satan and my flesh may bring vpon me many feares as first that God is angry with me by reason of my sinnes how may I comfort my selfe against this temptation Quest Say vnto your soule why should I feare the wrath of God For it is written God sent not his Sonne into the world to condemne the world but that by him the world might be saued Ioh. 3. Hee that beleeueth in him shall not sée death He that beléeueth in him hath eternal life Hee that beléeueth in him shall neuer perish Who shall lay any thing to the charge
of Gods elect It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead yea rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh requests for vs. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or nakednesse or perill or the sword I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor hell nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God in Christ Iesus my Lord. Rom. 8. Say with Augustine All my whole hope is in the death of my Lord his death is my merit my refuge my saluation my life my resurrection my merit is Gods mercy I shall neuer want merit so long as this God of mercy is not wanting to me And if Gods mercies are great I also am great in merit Say with Ambrose Christ was subiect to the damnation of death that hee might free vs from the yoke of damnation hee tooke vpon him the seruitude of death that hee might giue vs the liberty of eternall life Say with S. Paul Christ hath redéemed me from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 the Iudge is satisfied he cannot be angry Say that your Sauiour maketh intercession for you for God no sooner looks on him but he is forthwith well pleased with you Say that his mercy endureth for euer I shall iudge the world with him why then shall I feare to be iudged He hath made a Couenant with mee hée will neuer breake He hath giuen me grace to beleeue and trust in him he will not now leaue me I confesse my sinnes he is ready to forgiue them I haue had his Spirit he will neuer take it from me My Sauiour shall iudge me he will not bee angry with mee and for his sake the Father will not be angry for hee is that welbeloued Sonne in whom alone hee is well pleased Quest O but I may feare that I am but a castaway and that eternall death is due vnto me if I fall into this pit what hand can you giue me to helpe me out Answ Will Satan now tell you that you must be damned comfort your selfe with these sayings God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten Sonne that who so beléeueth in him should neuer perish but haue life euerlasting Iohn 3.16 He that heareth my words and beléeueth in him that sent me hath eternal life and shall not come into condemnation Ioh. 5. I am the resurrection and the life he that beléeueth in me though hee were dead yet shall he liue and who so liueth and beleeueth in me shall not die eternally Ioh. 11. I giue to my shéepe eternall life and tâ—ey shall neuer perish and none is able to take them out of my hands Ioh. 10. As in Adam all men died so in Christ shall all that is all the elect whereof I am one so I say in Christ shall all be made aliue 1. Cor. 15. Death is swallowed vp in victory O death where is thy victory O hell where is thy sting the sting of death is sinne the strength of sin is the law but thanks be vnto God who hath giuen vs victory through Iesus Christ our Lord. 1. Cor. 15.57 We know that when the tabernacle of this earthly house shall bee dissolued wee shall haue a building from God euen an habitation made without hands in heauen 2. Cor. 5.1 Besides these sweete and sure promises consider that as the faithlesse can neuer liue so the faithfull can neuer die That the promise of God doth quicken things that are dead and calleth things that are not as though they were You feare not the falling of heauen and earth because they are supported by the word of God and why should you feare your owne fall you being supported by the same word Doe you not know that God is present with you by his Spirit and will you feare cold when this fire burneth Can you feare darkenesse when this Sunne shineth Are you poore that haue this gold in your Chest And thinke you to die of thirst when you are at this fountaine of liuing waters Are you not a member of Christs body Is there life in the head and shall there bee death in the members Is your head aboue the water and shall your body neuer come out of the water Doth the roote of a trée giue life vnto the branches and cannot Christ the Roote of Iesse giue life vnto his branches Yea rather say My life is hid with God in Christ when Christ which is my life shall appeare then shal I also appeare with him in glorie Coloss 3. By my first roote Adam I bring foorth briers and thornes fit to be burned by my second roote Christ I am like a tree planted by the riuers of waters which shall giue out her fruit in due season and whatsoeuer I doe it shall prosper Why my deare friend you doe beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes can you then feare eternall damnation You doe beleeue the resurrection of your body will you now doubt of the resurrection of your body Haue the Prophets Apostles set down so much coÌ„cerning saluation by Christ that you should say I am not saued by Christ You were initiated by Baptisme confirmed by Catechisme strengthened by the Lords Supper and professed that religion which by Christ brings saluation and you haue receiued many benefits as pledges of Gods loue and will not all this perswade you that you shall goe to heauen Yea Christ hath ouercome that Diuell that you might subdue him subdued that strong man that you might conquer him and descended downe to hel that you might with him ascend vnto heauen Therefore be constant my beloued and vnmoueable alwaies in the Lord knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. 1. Cor. 15. Quest Thus I hope at the houre of death I shall not feare the place of darknesse but alas such is the weaknesse of my faith that I feare the Prince of darknesse Ans And why should you feare him the Egyptians are drowned they cannot pursue you Goliah is slaine he cannot reuile you the Philistims are ouercome they cannot hurt you Sathan is chained hee cannot harme you Hee will séeke to winnow you but he can only séeke and if he doe more hée shall finde you Gods wheate and then you must néeds be carried into Gods barne Hee is indeede Gods Executioner but why should you feare the Hangman when you haue the Kings pardon or the Sergeant when you haue his protection or the Deuill when you haue Christs intercession You are strong the Word of God dwelleth in you you haue ouercome that Euil one 1. Iohn 2.14 You haue faith your aduersarie would deuoure you by it you are able to resist him 1. Peter 5.8 You haue put on the complete Armour of God Ephesians 6.11 it is an Armour of proofe
friend should haue of another in heauen within thrée houres after slept peaceably in the Lord. Luther sitting at supper and discoursing of the same argument about midnight after departed this life One Master Reade an Alderman of Norwich hauing read in the morning the chapter of Henockes taking vp in the Counsell chamber died suddenly at the table amongst his brethren And that wise Counseller the Lord of Buckhurst Earle of Dorset died suddenly at the Counsell Table in white Hall Mr. Flint a Preacher in London a man of great learning godly life and good report hauing procured the new building of his Church at which hee much reioiced fell downe from a scaffold on the top of that Church and so died In the commentaries of Iohn Holcot vpon the book of wisdom it is recorded of one who reading the fourth Chapter of the book of Wisdome was found dead in his studie with his finger pointing to the seuenth verse of that chapter Though the righteous be preuented by death yet shall he be at rest First where you shall reade these two verses Mors non est subita cui praecessit bona vita Nec minuit merita si moriatur ita If godly life do go before Through suddaine death our ioy is more 3 Know that if you liue wickedly sudden death is a fearefull iudgment for who then can bee perswaded of Gods fauour towards you and this makes the wicked of all kinds of death to pray to be deliuered from sudden death they would liue like Nabal but die like Dauid liue like the rich glutton and die like Lazarus they would die the death of the righteous but they would not liue the life of the righteous And therefore their Prayer is the prayer of Balaam Lord let mee die the death of the righteous and that my last end may bee like vnto his Numb 23. But if you liue euer in the feare of God it may bee an argument of Gods mercie to take you away vpon a short warning For so 1 You die without any great paine 2 You goe to God without any great trouble 3 You are not in danger of blaspheming God at your death 4 You will cause others to thinke well of your death because you liued a godly life 5 Many by your example will labour to prepare against such a kind of death 6 Your translation is like that of Henoch and Elias and of them that shall be aliue at the day of iudgment 1. Thess 4.17 Quest Is it lawfull to pray against a sudden death Answ The godly may and the wicked must pray against it The godly may 1 That as they haue honored God with their lips in their life so if it bee his good will they may doe it at their death 2 That because vpon the sudden few men haue their worldly estate fully setled they may haue time to order it 3 That they may not be a griefe to their friends that they are so soone taken from them 4 That they may escape the censure of the world which for the most part iudgeth hardly of this kind of death 5 That they may not die in such sort as diuers wicked men in the Scriptures haue died 6 Lest being ouertaken in some strange place they may so want the honour of Christian buriall and their friends not know what is become of them 2 The wicked must pray against it left so dying without repentance here there be no place left for them heereafter to repent in But I doubt whether God will heare their prayers For are not they worthy to want time of humiliation at their death who neglected saluation in their life The admonition of the wise man Eccl. 18.18 is very good Get thee righteousnesse before thou come to iudgement and vse Physicke before thou bee sicke Examine thy selfe before thou bee iudged and in the day of destruction thou shalt finde mercie Humble thy selfe before thou be sicke and whilest thou maiest yet sinne shew thy conuersion Quest Now since my soule must depart from my bodie ought I to take any great thought for my buriall Ans As the graue at your death is readie for you Iob. 17.1 so you also must haue care of it and your suruiuing friends must haue such respect to your dead body that it may be interred in a religious sort for 1 You are no Scythian that your dead bodie should be eaten at some feast nor Sabean that it should be cast on a dunghill nor Hyrcanian that it should bee deuoured by dogs nor Lothophagian that it should be cast into the sea nor Indian that it should be burned with fire but a Christian that it may be buried in the earth 2 Your dead body is a member of Christ 3 It was as well as the soule the temple of the holy Ghost 4 It was the ordinance of God that earth should return to his earth as the soule doth to him that gaue it Gen. 3. Eccles 7. 5 That Christ who redéemed your soule hath also paied a ransome for your bodie 6 It hath beene an instrument vsed by God to performe many seruices vnto him 7 It must rise againe out of the graue and in the day of iudgement bee made like vnto the glorious bodie of Christ Phil. 5.21 8 Religious and godly friends haue had this care to burie their dead so Abraham had to burie Sarah Ioseph to burie Iaakob Israel to burie Samuel Nichodemus to burie Christ and the Disciples to burie Iohn the Baptist and Steuen the first Martyr that suffered after Christ 9 It is one of Gods iudgements to want buriall Iere. 22.19 10 The Saints complaine for the want of it saying Psal 79.3 The dead bodies of thy seruants haue they giuen to bee meate vnto the fowles of heauen and the flesh of thy Saints vnto the beasts of the earth Their blood haue they shed like water round about Ierusalem and there was none to burie them 11 Ioseph gaue commandement concerning his bones Gen. 50. and Tobiah of his bodie Tob 14. 12 Many heathen people haue been very carefull of this dutie The Egyptians embalmed and so buried their dead and the Hebrewes made a law that no enemy should lie vnburied Quest What thinke you of the place of buriall Answ Abraham bought a field for the buriall of his dead Gen. 24. Christ was buried in a garden according to the custome of the Iewes Ioh. 20. The Turkes at this day burie none in their Cities and it was one of the lawes of the 12. Tables amongst the Romanes that none should be buried within thē walles Amongst Christians Churches and Church yards are appointed for the dead and to the end that the dead might not annoy the liuing it were well if Gouernours would be carefull to prouide larger places of buriall for this would be a meanes 1 To kéepe the City from contagion 2 That our dead bodies should not bee raked vp againe 3 To shew our care for the Saints departed 4 To take away the
and that he said of himselfe he was Christ the King This he suffered that so he might deriue and take to himselfe that rebellion against Gods Maiestie whereof we all were guilty in Adam and by this humiliation make satisfaction to God for vs. If he had defended himselfe we had beene accused or acquitted himselfe we had perished but as a Lambe before the shearer he opened not his mouth that wee might haue liberty to call vpon God 2 He is ballanced with Barabbas and thought lighter then a murderer hee is condemned by a Iudge in the name of the whole Empire and being thus condemned though pronounced innocent hee is scorned by Souldiers attired like a foole beaten with rods spit vpon with reproch and only because he bare the iniquities of vs all Isai 53. 3 He is cast out of the City to giue vs a City hee carried his Crosse to carry our sinnes he is brought to Golgatha to suffer our reproach he is crucified on the Crosse to giue vs a crowne euen a crowne of glory reserued in heauen for vs. 1. Pet. 1. 4 He was crucified with theeues that he might glorifie vs with Angels with his hands spread abroad that he might call all vnto him with his naked body that wee might not be ashamed of our nakednesse in heauen with a feeling of thirst that hee might shew his desire of our saluation wâ—th drinking of gall that hee might satisfie for tâ—at deadly iuice which Adam sucked out of the forbidden fruit with his side pierced thorow that the Church might bee washed with the blood and water that came out with crying in feare that wee might cry in faith and with the losse of his life that he might saue ours Quest O cursed Caiphas who thus arraigned him O cursed Pilate who thus condemned O thrice cursed both Iewes and Romans who thus did execute the Sonne of God Answ Nay rather cursed bee our sins for which he was arraigned condemned and executed Hee that knew no sinne was made sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2. Cor. 5. He was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes wee are healed All wee like sheepe haue gone astray wee haue turned euery one to his owne way and the Lord hath laide vpon him the iniquities of vs all Isai 53.5.6 Hee hath redeemed vs from the curse of the Law being made a curse for vs that wee might bee made the righteousnesse of God in him Gal. 3.14 And wee were not redeemed with corruptible things as siluer and gold from our vaine conuersation receiued by the traditions of the Fathers but with the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot Quest And at what time of the yeere did he suffer all this An. At Easter at the feast of the Passouer when the Iewes were commanded to kill a lambe in remembrance of their deliuerance out of Egypt to shew that he was that lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world yea and that Lambe which in Gods counsell and its owne efficacie was slaine from the beginning of the world Quest You said before that our Sauiour was crucified to what end did hee vndergoe this punishment Ans 1 That he might deriue the curse of the Law from vs vnto himselfe Gal. 3.14 2 That the corruption of our nature being crucified with him our inherent vitiositie might be abolished that henceforth wee should not serue sinne Rom. 6.6 3 That hauing paied our debt he might bring in and cancell that hand-writing wherewith wee were bounden that so the memory of our sinnes being blotted out they might not appeare before God against vs. 5 That his bloud might bee a lauer to purge our soules from all their spots of sinne 6 That we might so haue iust cause euer to acknowledge and magnifie the loue of Christ towards vs. Ephes 5.1 Quest I see by this why Christ was crucified but why did he die vpon the Crosse Answ 1 That hee might ratifie the eternall couenant and testament of grace Heb. 9.15 2 That he might abolish sin Rom. 6.10 3 That he might take away the stipend of sinne which is death Rom. 6.20 2. Tim. 1.10 4 That by death hee might ouercome him who had the power of death that is the diuell Heb. 2.14 5 That he might take from vs the feare of death Heb. 2.15 6 That we by it should die so vnto sin Rom. 6.11 that it should no more reigne in our mortall bodies Rom. 6.13 7 That wee might belong properly to Christ Rom. 7.4 8 That they which liue should no more liue vnto themselues but vnto Christ who died and rose againe for vs. 2. Cor. 5.15 9 That wee might know and acknowledge the great loue of Christ towards vs. 1. Ioh. 3.16 10 That wee might liue with Christ 1. Thess 5.10 11 That we might learne to die couragiously for his and our brethrens cause 1. Ioh. 3.16 12 That by this meanes Gods mercy and iustice might both be glorifyed in this redemption and saluation of mankinde Iohn 3.14 Quest Is this death of Christ profitable to euery singular man in the world Ans It was effectually profitable onely to the elect for 1 He gaue his life for his sheepe Iohn 10.15 2 Hee deliuered his people from their sinnes Matth. 21. 3 For them he sanctified himselfe Ioh. 17. He praied onely for them Ioh. 17. If he had died intentionally for all and all had not beene saued hee should haue missed of his purpose 4 Els the sinne of man were of ability to disanull the intent of Christ Quest How is Christs death thus meritorious Answ 1 In that hée was both God and man Acts 20. 2 In that it was a voluntary death Philip. 2.7 Quest Tell mee now what benefit comes vnto me by this death of Christ Answ Great euery way for by it 1 There is such a satisfaction made fully for your sinnes that they shall neuer rise vp in iudgement against you 1. Ioh. 1.7 2 God is pacified and reconciled to man Rom. 3.24 3 Satan is ouercome Gen. 3.15 4 Death is swallowed vp in victory and the feare thereof is so taken away that to the faithfull it is now nothing but a passage to eternall life Hos 13.14 5 You are acquitted and iustified from your sinnes Rom. 4.25 5.19 6 The Partition-wall betwixt Iewes and Gentiles is broken downe Eph. 2.14 7 All the faithfull vnder both the Old and New Testament are become subiect vnto one Head from which they were fallen and are gathered into one body Eph. 1.10 Coloss 1.21 8 The prophecies are accomplished the Truth is become agreeable to the figure of Sampson killing more at his death then in his life the brasen Serpent which cured such as looked vp vnto it and the sacrifices which were offered before for sinnes 9 By the death of Christ you euer die to
and winds of troubles and persecution and they shall flie before him as a Iud. 17.4 Sisera did before Debora and the b 1 Sa. 14. Philistims before Debora and the Philistims before Ionathan and his seruant And as Christ asking the woman of her accusers shee answered c Iohn 8. There was none so in the end aske a Christian of his troubles and he will say There are none He is a buckler for our left hand a sword in our right he is an helmet on our head and harnesse for our bodie We shal look vpon troubles as d Exod. 14 Israel did vpon the Egyptians as the e 1. Sam. 17.52 Iewes did on Goliah and as the Grecians did on Hector to triumph ouer them and as the Angell said to Ioseph f Mat. 2.20 They are dead that sought the childs life so the Spirit shall say to the afflicted They are dead that did séeke your life A day of deliuerance a yeare of Iubile wil come and then g Gen. 41. Ioseph shall be out of Prison h Gen. 31. Iacob out of seruitude and i Iob. 41.12 Iob shall lie no more in the dust of the Earth If our afflictions were plagues as to the Egyptians curses as to Cham destruction as to Sodom desolation as to Israel then had wee cause to flie from them as Moses did from that miraculous Serpēt But since they are but the trials of faith corrections of a father visitations from the Bishop of our soules since they are as Phlebotomie to a Pleurisie and a purgation to a Plethora they are to be endured with all patience k 1. Thess 4.18 Let vs comfort our selues with these words Now to the end that all men may thinke of their end and liue well I haue inserted héere in loue to him certaine propheticall verses sound in the pocket of a most Religious yong Gentleman one M. Henrie Morrice Sonne to M. Morrice Atturney of the Court of Wards who thinking euer of sudden death died suddenly in Milford Lane Septemb. 12. 1604. at the age of 23. yeares Twice twelue yeares not fully told a wearied breath I haue exchanged for an happie death My course was short the longer is my rest God takes them soonest whom he loueth best For he that 's borne to day and dies to morrow Loseth some daies of rest but moneths of sorrow Why feare we death that cures all sicknesses Author of rest and end of all distresses Other misfortunes often come to greiue vs Death strikes but once and that stroke doth releeue vs. He that thus thought of death in lifes vncertaintie Hath doubtlesse now a life that brings eternitie Liue for to learne that die thou must And after come to iudgement iust This Heauenly Meditation may well bee placed heere My God I speake it with a full assurance Faith will auow claime by appropriation My God who keep'st this debter Spirit in durance Fettered with sinne and shakled with temptation Oh of thine endlesse mercy soone enlarge me Nor hell nor sinne nor ought beside shall charge me My soule may now be gone vnto her maker Maker of her but not of her Infection That is her own when Gods helpe doth forsake her Finall forsaking is not in Election For where he once by grace hath made his dwelling There may be striking but theirs no felling Earth what art thou A point A senselesse center Friends what are yee An Agie trustlesse triall Life what art thou A daily doubtfull venter Death what art thou A better lifes espiall Flesh what art thou A loose vntempered morter And sicknesse what art thou Heauens churlish porter Sweet Iesus bid thy porter then admit me I hold this World and worlds delay in loathing If ought be on my backe that doth not fit me Strip me of all and giue me brideall clothing So shall I be receiued by my liuerie And prisoners soule shall Ioy in gaole deliuerie Veni Domine Iesu veni citò The summe of this direction Mors tua mors Christi fraus mundi gloria coeli Et dolor Inferni sunt meditanda tibi Thinke oft on death thine own and Christs this Worlds deceitfulnesse The ioyes of Heauen the paines of Hell in which is wretchednesse Suprema cogita cor sit in aethere Felix qui didicit mundum contemnere A godly prayer to bee vsed at all times especially of such as delight in this exercise without wearinesse MOst high and mightie God and in thy Son Christ Iesus our mercifull louing and gracious Father thou hast commanded vs to come vnto thee and vpon the knées of our hearts wée doe come vnto thée humbly entreating thée before we begin to remoue farre from vs all such impediments as vsually Satan casteth vpon this exercise and so to quicken vs vp by the Spirit of supplication that in feare and reuerence of thy great name in faith and confidence of thy gracious assistance and in a féeling desire of the supply of our wants we may put vp and powre out our supplications vnto thée that as the messengers of our soules they may signifie our wants as the petitiouers of mercy they may sue for our pardon and as proclaimers of thy grace they may declare our thankfulnesse for all those mercies which we haue receiued and all those iudgments which we haue escaped O Lord our God we doe here in thy presence and blessed are we that we may come to thy presence acknowledge and confesse that we are of our selues most wofull wicked cursed creatures The corruption of our natures the iniquities of our liues doe generally beare witnesse against vs. But more particularly wee confesse that our hearts are full of infidelity by reason wherof we doe not as wee ought either depend vpon thy prouidence for the things of this life or beleeue thy promises for the life to come Doest thou visit vs wee are impatient doest thou denie vs our desires in this world we are neuer contented with our estate We are full of doubt for the life to come and full of distrust for the things of this life Wee are glued too much to this wicked world and as though we said in our hearts there is no God our mindes are greatly estranged from thee And alas miserable wretches that we are we delight in doing our owne wils it is not meat and drinke to vs to doe thy will In the pride of our hearts we exalt our selues aboue thee and our brethren and boast our selues as though we had receiued nothing from thee We put away from vs the euill day and liue as though wee should neuer die Wee walke on in the hardnes of our hearts by reason of the abundance of vaine-glory we rather séeke praise of men then thy glory Our soules are so filled with loue to our selues that we preferre our owne pleasure peace and liberty before thy Maiesty or the loue of our brethren yea hypocrisie is so rooted in our soules that wee
a true and liuely faith to apprehend and applie all the promises of saluation to my sinfull soule and to this purpose illuminate mine vnderstanding confirme my memorie purifie my conscience inlarge mine heart rectifie my will order al the members of my body and so sanctifie me throughout that my whole bodie soule and spirit may be kept blamelesse till the glorious appearance of my Sauiour Christ Grant me I beséech thée knowledge of thy truth faith in thy promises feare of thy Maiestie zeale of thy glorie obedience to thy statutes faithfulnesse in my calling patience in troubles hungring after righteousnesse and a tender affection towards all my brethren Grant me I beséech thée the gift of Regeneration to become thy childe of faith to beléeue thy promises of obedience to doe thy will of prayer to séeke thy presence of comfort to endure thy trials and of strength to continue thy seruant to my liues end Grant me again and grant it I intreate thée the sauing knowledge of thy word let it bee in my minde by vnderstanding memorie by remembring thought by meditating heart by affecting tongue by speaking and mine actions by performing it to my dying day Mine heart O Lord is deceitfull let mée watch ouer it my will is vnwilling to all goodnesse let it run the way to thy commandements Many behold my life conuersation let it I beséech thée be ordered aright To this end teach mee to sanctifie thy name aduance thy kingdome doe thy will Thou hast placed me in a calling make me painfull in it that thereby from thée I may haue my daily bread If I haue it kéepe me from pride if not kéepe me from despaire And forgiue mee the abuse of all thy good blessings And howsoeuer I must néeds liue in this world yet let me vse it as though I vsed it not let my conuersation be in heauen mine eyes on thy presence my trust in thy prouidence my delight in thy word and the communion of Saints Make me thinke often of heauen that I may loue it of hel that I may feare it of death that I may exspect it of iudgement that I may escape it and of the vanitie of this present world that thereby I may learne to contemne it I liue by thy prouidence a life of nature I desire by thy spirit to liue the life of grace put on this desire O my God by thy spirit and draw me from good desires to delights from delights to actions from actions to continuance in dooing that which is good And because Satan the aduersarie of thine elect goeth about as a roring lion séeking whom he may deuoure let mee not be ignorant of all his enterprises Make mee wise to foresée his stratagems vigilant to beware his pitfals circumspect to preuent his practises couragious to resist his temptations and constant to ouercome his suggestions He is strong be thou stronger in me he is wise be thou wiser for me hee is watchfull be thou more watchfull about mee hee is malitious bee thou mercifull vnto me Let him neuer finde me idle for then he will allure nor carelesse for then he will surprise nor sinning for then hee will subdue O Iesu be thou Iesus vnto me saue me O Lord from this enemie of mine that this Dragon neuer infect mee with his poyson this Serpent neuer kill mee with his sting this Lion neuer teare mee with his teeth and this aduersarie neuer haue power to ouerthrow me O Christ bee thou Christ vnto mee and anoint mee so with the oile of thy Spirit that of thy fulnesse I may bee filled with grace euen that grace which may further my saluation By it I acknowledge my misery by it let mee féele thy mercie giue mee by it a broken heart a contrite spirit a sorrowfull soule an humble minde a liuely faith that by humbling my selfe I may bee lifted vp by thée and by beléeuing thy promises I may come vnto thée and that as by the one I may mourne for my sinnes so by the other I may beléeue they are pardoned I durst not bee so bold as craue this thy fauour but that I am incouraged by confidence of thy mercie Doe the simple beg wisdome thou giuest it doe the afflicted beg deliuerance thou grantest it doth he that is troubled with his sinnes come vnto thée thou séest him a farre off thou embracest him in thine armes receiuest him into thy grace againe Thou commandest why should I not obey thou promisest why should I not beléeue thou hearest why should I not speake I speake vnto thée in the language of Canaan kéepe not silence at these my prayers Thou O my Sauiour hast died for my sinnes let the power of thy death make me die vnto sin especially to my beloued sins and such as I can hardly get the mastery of Thou O Lord Christ art risen from the dead let the power of thy resurrection make mee to rise vnto newnesse of life And that which is impossible to flesh and blood make it possible by the vertue of thy blood Thou hast redéemed me suffer me not to be in sinnes captiuitie thou hast triumphed ouer Satan for me suffer mee not to be vnder his tyrannie Thou hast couered mee with the robes of righteousnesse teach mee to cast off the rags of iniquitie Thou hast washed me and I am cleane kéepe me that I return not with the swine to my wallow Thou hast begun thy good work in me performe the worke that thou hast begun and strengthen mee in the workes which I doe haue or shall take in hand Kéepe mée good Lord in my old age forsake mee not when I am gray-headed And when it shall please thée to cast me vpon my sicke bed as what man liueth who shall not sée death grant that I may take my sicknesse patiently and at the last gaspe let not either sinne or Satan take such hold vpon me that I depart this life with crying and scrichings and words of despaire but that beleeuing thy word and yéelding to thine ordinance my last houre may bee my best houre and I may say with the Psalmist Lord into thine hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth Thus I still crie vnto thée for mercie because my sins crie against mee for iustice Preserue me O Lord for I trust in thée and let me in all things see that I am preserued by thee let me see it in the health of my body the peace of my conscience the gifts of my minde the credit of my name the works of my calling and vpon all such as are neere and deare vnto me Thou hast beene good vnto me in times past O that I could depend vpon thee for the time to come Thou hast by thy mercie kept mee from grosse sinnes cleanse mee I pray thée from my secret sinnes especially such as put forth their heads when I am but a little moued Am I prouoked stay mine anger is my enemy
aduaÌ„ced â—sswage mine enuie haue I abundance temper mine intemperance am I in want mitigate my feares doest thou exalt me keepe me from pride doest thou humble me kéep me from impatience doest thou withdraw thy selfe from mee let mee euer say Vp Lord why sleepest thou doth Satan assault mee because I am rich in grace preserue me O Lord that I lose not thy grace For woe is mee if I fall from thée I haue promised that I will not fall thou hast promised I shall not fall leade mee by thine hand that I do not fall Finally because thou hast been good vnto me many waies Lord make me thankful for all thy fauours Thou hast made mee a man not a beast a Christian not an Heathen a Protestant not a Papist Whilest many are ignorant I haue knowledge whilest many are profane I haue been obedient to thy will whilest many want the ordinarie meanes of saluation thou affordest me meanes for saluation of my soule Many are bound I am free in prison I haue libertie in want I haue sufficiencie They liue in warres I in peace they in persecution I in free profession of the truth they in sicknesse I in health And although by my sinnes I deserue to bee consumed yet thou hast spared me a great while and giuen me a long time of repentance What shall I giue vnto thee for all these mercies and fauours of thine I will take the cup of saluation praise thy great and glorious name and most humblie entreate thée that as thou neuer ceasest to bee good vnto me so I may neuer cease to be thankfull vnto thée Pardon good God my losse of time my abuse of thy creatures my negligence in my calling my vnthankfulnesse for thy kindnesse and whatsoeuer is wanting in my person practise prayer or thanksgiuing make a supplie of it in the merit of Christ Iesus to whom with thée and thy blessed spirit be all praise and glorie now and for euermore Amen A PRAIER TO BE SAID by a sick person or for him changing my vnto vs c. ALmightie God and in Iesus Christ my most mercifull and all-sufficient Sauiour I thy sicke and sinfull seruant diseassed in my bodie and distressed in my soule doe flie vnto thée yea to thée alone for succour I haue liued heretofore in the health of my bodie I acknowledge that thou wast the author of my health I am cast downe vpon my sicke bed thou hast by thy prouidence sent this Herauld to arrest me It is O Lord the messenger of death preaching vnto mee that vndoubted doctrine which I haue beene learning euer since I was borne namely That it is appointed that all must die and after death commeth iudgement My spirit is willing and would faine say Come Lord Iesus come quickly my flesh is fraile and in weaknesse doth say Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me And as in mine health I did nothing but sinne when I was not assisted by thy good Spirit so now in my sicknesse I shall doe nothing but sorrow vnlesse I bee comforted by the same Spirit O Lord comfort me in this agonie of mine and say vnto my soule I am thy saluation Thou art the Physitian heale me thou art that Samaritan pitie me thou art the resurrection and the life quicken me and quicken mee so in the inner man that neither the loue of this world nor the losseÌ„ of this light nor the consideration of thy Iustice nor the feare of death nor the terror of hell may make me vnwilling to depart this life Thou alone knowest the sorrowes of mine heart take them away thou beholdest my feare of death deliuer me out of al my feares couer my sores with the righteousnesse of thy Son heale them by the blood of thy Son and though thou launce them with the knife of the law yet bind them vp againe with the bands of the Gospell I know that my Physitian dwelleth in heauen yet he sendeth his medicines downe vpon the earth Besides thee none in heauen can helpe me and there is none in earth in comparison of thée to do me any good I am weake strengthen me I am sick cure me I am faint comfort me I must die quicken me I am assaulted defend me I am full of feare encourage mee I haue desired to liue the life of the righteous O let mee die the death of the righteous and let my last houre be like vnto his Into thine hands doe I commend my soule for thou hast redeemed it ô Lord God of truth My conscience doth tell mee that I haue sinned against thee and whatsoeuer I now suffer it is for my sinnes they are like an heauie burden vpon my soule they presse me downe to the graue of death and Satan doth lay them now especially before me to make me despaire of thy mercies in Christ Lord assure mee of the pardon of them all perswade my soule by the Spirit of my Sauiour that they are nailed to his crosse washed in his blood couered in his righteousnesse acquited by his death buried in his graue and fully discharged by his alone satisfaction Now now I stand in néed of thy Spirit let it crie in mine heart Abba Father I desire none Angell from heauen to comfort me I desire the Spirit of adoption to assure me to assure me o Lord that thou art my Father and I thy son thou my shepheard and I thy sheepe thou my king and I one of those subiects who shall shortly waite vpon thée in the kingdome of heauen to which I must passe by the gates of death O though I haue now a sick body yet grant me I pray thée a sound soule In thy hands are life and death thou hast the keyes of the graue and death thou bringest to the graue and pullest back again my mother bare mee a mortall man I came into this world to leaue it at thy pleasure it pleaseth thee now to forewarne me of mine end which might haue come vpon mee before this time I might haue perished either in the womb or in my cradle or in my childhood or before I had knowne thée or suddenly might I haue béen taken away and I deserued to die so soone as I was borne I owe thée a death as Christ Iesus died for me I haue béene salling to this hauen euer since I was borne be thou my Pilot that I sinck not in the hauens mouth but that I may land at the port of paradise I haue done I confesse little seruice vnto thée and if thou shouldest now take mee away I should die before I haue begun to liue Thou knowest what is best for me Conuert me O Lord and I shall be conuerted O Lord turne me and in a moment I shall bee turned vnto thee Therefore déere Father giue me that mind which a sick man should haue faith in thy promises hope of eternall life patience with my paine a desire to bee loosed and to bee with Christ and
wauer in his faith nor stagger in his hope nor faint in his patience nor coole in his loue nor sorrow at his dissolution nor looke backe to the world nor bee ouermuch cast downe with the dread of death Grant that when death shall haue closed vp the eyes of his body the eyes of his soule may be fixed vpon thee that when his speech shall be taken from him then his heart may crie vnto thée say Come Lord Iesu come quickly Heare vs good Lord praying for him heare him praying for himselfe heare vs al for Christ Iesus his sake in whom alone thou art well pleased and in whose name and in whose words we conclude our vnperfect prayers saying Our Father c. LOrd blesse vs and kéepe vs Lord make the light of thy countenance thine vpon vs and grant vs thy peace O God the Father looke vpon thy sonne O God the Son looke vpon thy seruant O God the holie Ghost enter into thy temple O holie Father O righteous Sonne O comforting holie Ghost O blessed and glorious Trinitie one in essence thrée in person be with this thy seruant comfort him with that comfort which we would desire in the like visitation let thine Angels pitch their tents about him let his last houre bee his best houre make his life victorious his death pretious and his and our resurrection glorious through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Lord Iesu be with his spirit Amen Amen A THANKES GIVING FOR THE faithfull departure of one after he or she is dead changing as before O Lord God the onely health of them that liue and the alone life of them that die according to thy commandement we called vpon thée and in desire of thy goodnesse we cried vnto thée that thou wouldest be gratious vnto this seruant of thine whose body lieth dead before our eyes We asked his life thou gauest it not because thou sawest what was best for him wee desired his patience to endure this crosse thou heardest our prayers and hast not denied vs the request of our lips because that alone was fittest for him He died not as a foole dieth neither was his dissolution bitter vnto him He is now O Lord a tree planted in thine orchard a stone setled in thy building a Priest sacrificing at thine altar a starre fixed in thy heauen and an heire reigning in thy kingdom If he had died like Absolom we might haue taken vpon vs Dauids lamentation or like Saul we might haue taken vpon vs Samuels lamentation or as the malefactor on the left hand of Christ wee might haue lamented and mourned for him as doubting that hee died not the death of the righteous But precious in thy fight was this death of his and comfortable in our sight was this departure of his Hee like a Lion triumphed ouer death and like a Lambe resigned vp his life he knew that this Redeemer liued and that Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. His faith was in thy promises his hope was in thy mercies his loue was on thy ioyes his zeale was on thy glorie and his desire was to be in heauen For this thy fauour towards our Christian brother wee yeeld vnto thy Maiestie all possible thankes and that thou taking him out of this vale of miserie hast by thine Angels carried his soule to the throne of thy glorie We are O Lord we confesse full of sorrow in that we haue lost the comfort of his presence and we could haue béen contented to haue enioyed him longer if it might haue stood with the good pleasure of thy will But we néed not to mourne as men without hope because we are perswaded he so died in thy fauour that as his soule is partaker of eternall glorie so in that great day of assise and generall iudgement this bodie of his which shall returne to dust must be raised vp againe to liue for euer and then bee made like the glorious bodie of Christ Iesus in heauen He O Lord is gone before vs and we must one day follow after him O how can we render vnto thée sufficient thankes for thy great fauour to vs Christian people aboue all the nations of the world whom when thou callest out of this wretched life thou vouchsafest to place vs with thine Angels in thy kingdome In the sight of the vnwise they appeare to die but in the eyes of the godly they are translated from death to life They are arayed with white haue crownes on their heads and Palmes in their hands they shall not die but liue and do behold thy goodnesse in the land of the liuing They serue thée at thy table eate in thy kingdome sing of thy praises are freed from all miseries and they follow the Lambe whither soeuer hee goeth and enioy such pleasures as the eye hath not seene because they are not visible yet the heart doth beleeue because they are most comfortable We beseech thee O Lord that since we must for a while go on in our pilgrimage we may euer haue our eyes bent towards our countrie raise vs out of the graue of sinne renue in vs the life of righteousnes estrange vs from the loue of this world possesse vs with a loue of heauen take from our féete the fetters of pleasure that we may runne as fast to heauen as the wicked do to hell take from our backes the burden of worldlinesse that we may looke as stedfastly vpon things that are aboue as worldlings do vpon things that are below Guide vs euer so by the direction of thy Spirit that both in sicknesse and in health in prosperitie and aduersitie in life at death we may so behaue our selues in this present world that whensoeuer it shall please thée to call vs hence we may by faith in thy promises hope of thy mercies commend our bodies and soules into thy mercifull hands In the meane time hasten the comming of thy Sonne shorten these daies of sinne confound the enemies of saluation dissolue in euery one of vs the cursed workes of Satan sanctifie thy name aduance thy kingdome accomplish thy will giue vs our daily bread forgiue vs all our sinnes giue vs not ouer into any temptation but deliuer vs from all euill both of sinne in this life and of punishment in the life to come so that we with this our brother and all other departed in the faith of Christ may haue our perfect consummation and blisse in thy eternall and euerlasting kingdome through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with thée our Father and the holie Ghost our Sanctifier our sanctifier in this life and our glorifier in the life to come bee all praise power Maiestie might and dominion ascribed of vs and thy whole Church from this time forth and for euermore Amen A PRAYER FOR A WOman in trauaile O Lord our Lord Creator of all things preseruer of al mankind comforter of all thine afflicted and the only deliuerer of such as are in danger we