wee carry about us is not our dwelling but our June it must be left when once the Master is weary of our company Therefore ô my good Christian hasten to live holily and thinke every day an entrance into a new life Who so fits himselfe this way shall meet death with comfort That man never died ill who lived well § 35. That Procrastination is the greatest damage and blemish to our lives WE put off any thing but wickednesse that not onely takes up the present day but is likewise promised the morrow In sin wee are prompt actors in other things usuall promisers and fair-speakers then wee use to say to morrow it shall be done or next week or next yeere without delay so doe dayes moneths and yeeres slide away while we onely delay and promise but performe not Seneca speaks admirably in this point Lib. de Brev. vit c. 4. Many shall yoâ— heare saith hee who say at fifty 〈◊〉 will take mine ease the sixtieth yeerâ— shall discharge me from all encumbranâ—ces and what surety else desirest thoâ— of a longer life but who will suffeâ— things to goe at thy disposing Blushest not thou to reserve the refuse and the dregs of thy rotten yeeres to God and to destinate onely that time for his service which thou art not able to manage in any other manner It is too late then to begin to live when it is time to leave off work What senslesnesse is it to refuse to follow good counsell till a man comes to fifty or sixty yeeres of age and to resolve there to begin to live where most leave off Sigismund the second King of Poland for his delayings and slothfulnesse in matters of weighty consequence was called Rex Crastinus the delaying King such sure are we though wee know not that wee shall be to morrow yet we hazard the mainer work upon such uncertaine probabilities Wee put off all most willingly would weeâ— if wee could put off death too But death's businesse admits of no delay nor putting off when Death knocks the bars must speedily open Therefore as the Proverbe saith The onely way to be long an old man is to be such an one betimes The King of Macedon obtained such glorious Conquests by being speedy upon his actions Wee lose the best nay all by deferring and delaying Chrysologus said well Most men put off to do well Ser. 125. Med. untill death debar them of time Wee come to death by degrees as men who sleep walking The first day wee put off good duties the second day wee doe them slightly the third day wee forget them on the fourth we are not able to performe them O Mortals to morrows life is too late learn to live to day give earnest to day grieve to day for your sins For who except your owne conceits hath promised you the morrow that which may bee ought to bee done to day why should it be procrastinated to thaâ— which yet is not may perhaps not be time or if it be perhaps not thine to deferre good actions hath always prov'd dangerous Deferrings are obnoxious to our lives Iumb vet You seldome see the slothfull man that thrives Let us make hast therefore and let us but seriously thinke how speedily wee would foot it if wee were sure there was a destroying Enemy behind us Wee would strive to be formost that we might be furthermost from our pursuers It is so we are followed close to hasten is to escape so shall wee enter into eternall rest It is the greatest comfort against deaths approach to have done all our worke before he comes to call for us To the Sick A Winter 's at hand leaves fall Death 'gins to snatch His Ax and spies thy Glasse spent Sick man watch B What th' Presse to Grapes that Sicknes is to thee If thou be ripe as Grapes in Autumne be C The stouping Hern oft gores her towring Foe So outward grief oft frees from inward woe D Sicknes lays men along as hail doth corn Better fall well then stand with shame anâ— scorn E Just now 't was cloudy now Sol shew his face Now clouds again This is the Sick man case F To scape the Scorpions sting and th' Archers dart Sicknes and Death I know no meanes 〈◊〉 art G A Sick man 's like an Horse plunging iâ— sturdy waves Who knows if th' one shall scape the floodâ— the other the grave § 36. Deaths haunt WIlliam the third Duke of Bavaria a Patron of the poore and Protector of all religious and godly men being dead though all men should have held their peace yet the cryes and teares of the poore lamenting his losse would have been sufficient Trumpets to have blazon'd his Princely worth this prayse-worthy Prince I say when he He returned from the Councell of Basil where he in the place of the Emperour sate chiefe returning to Munchen dreamed such a dreame as this following Hee seem'd to see a lusty great Stag which carried upon one horne little bels and upon the other divers wax Tapers and Torches lighted there was a nimble Huntsman and a pack of hounds who withall swiftnesse and eagernesse had this Stag in chase at the last the Stag having no other way leapt into the Churchyard in which there was a Grave made for a Mans buriall which was open into which the Stag fell and there was taken and killed at the sight of this the Prince wakened and was wondrous desirous to know what this Dreame should mean on the next day he told it to his Lords and this Dreame was variously interpreted which when Duke William had heard presently replyed I am said he this great Stag which Death so eagerly hunts and will shortly and speedily take me and end my days and I will be buried in that Church All things were ordered accordingly and these presages had their events answerable For in short space after this worthy Prince did yield to Death and commended his soule to God piously and was there interâ—'d where hee desired A good Death is the introduction to a blessed Eternity § 37. Why though wee daily are Spectators of Burials yet we doe not meditate on Death THe Devill being skilful in the perspective art useth this cunning policy that those things which are furthest off hee makes them seem neer unto us and those which are neer unto us he makes seem a great way distant from us Thus he represents Death to us that though it be so neere us that it is ready to lay hold on us yet it appeares a great way off hence in a vaine security wee promise to our selves many yeares and put the evill day far from us to our great disadvantage Hence is it that wee looke upon other mens Burials as though ours were not to be this long time and though we are decaying daily yet for all that we fancy an eternity to our own souls Sir Thomas Moore our Countriman lest any age should promise him a long life and
thus there described and after all these things he fell downe on his bed and knew that hee should die Oh what force and energie is there in the words post haec After all these things and in this decidt he fell specially in those morreâ—tur that he should die Alexander had in hopes conquered a World already nay worlds He thought he had done things worthy of everlasting Annals and yet after all these so many so great Trophies hee fell downe not onely into his bed but to his grave he must be content with a small Coffin Petius Alphonsus relates iâ— that Alexander being dead Many Philosophers met to speake some thing to be engraven on his Monument One hee utterd this En modo quatuor ulnarum spacium ei satis est cui spatiosissimus terrarum orbis non suffecerat i.e. behold now foure cubits is room enough for h m whoâ— while ere the whole World would not suffice ano her added yesterday Alexander could have freed any from death now noâ— himself One beholding his golden Châ—st spoke thus Yesterday saiâ— he Alexander of Gold made treasure now change turns and gold makes treasure of Alexander Seâ— the wise men exprest themselves but they all concluded with that of the Machabees Afterward he fell down into his bed and dyed Juvenal sings thus of him Vnus pellaeo Iuveni non sufficit orbis ... i.e. The whole World though 't be was Will not content Philips great son But marke the largnesse of our thoughts while wee prove forgetfull of our own condition oh did we meditate on heavenly immortall things while wee vainly dispose these transitory ones to our Nephews and Kinred Alas all this this while we are extending our thoughts death oppresseth us and this thing which is called old age is but a short circuit of a few yâ—ers Why should wee therefore trust death Consider but for what small matters wee lose our lives It is not our meat nor drink nor watching nor sleep used intemperately but prove deadly our foot hurt a little the griefe of the eares a rotten tooth meat offending the stomach a drop of an ill Humour any of these may open the gate to death Is it a matter of any great consequence or profit whither we live or die Ill sents savours tastings wearinesse nay nourishment it selfe without which we cannot live may bring in and usher in death The body of man is weak fluid rotten diseased wheresoever it moves it is conscious of it's own infirmity It endures not every Climate the Sea alters it the change of ayre infects it the least cause hurts it Let us believe him therefore who said Therefore ô men death is better then a bitter life and eternall rest then continued travell Therefore I say It is better to dwell in heaven then to travell on earth § 22. Death's Blessednesse WRite Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord even so saith the Spirit that they rest from their labours and their works follow them to die in the Lord is to die the servant of the Lord as the holy Scriptures speake of Moses Moses my servant is dead as if the Lord should say although hee sinned sometime and by sin made himself not my servant yet hee died my servant He died in my service Whatsoever hee was whatsoever he did it was mine for all the servants work is the Lords and such a joyfull Verse in that Song waâ— that of old Symeon Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy Word In peace altogether at whose entrance all the wars of the righteous men are ended never for all eternity to be begun again Such servants of God do all die in the Lord which dying do as it were rest in his bosome and so resting sweetly are said to sleep in death So blessed Stephen in the midst of that storm and showre of stones in such a great tumult and fury of those that stoned him slept in the Lord. Acts 7.60 Ioh 11.11 So our Lord spoke of Lazarus that h e did but sleep So Moses the servant of the Lord died when God bade him or as some expound it at the Lords speech as if the Lord had kissed him in this sence as a Mother takes her Infant in her Arms and kisseth him being a sleep and so lays him into bed smilingly no otherwise did God with Moses but by sweet embraces and smiles did lay him being falne asleepe into Abrahams bosome Where hâ—e shall give his children peace saith the Psalmist Blessed yea for ever blessed are all they that so die because they shall never be miserable as Saint Bernard saith The death of the righteous is good for the rest Secondly for the newnesse of it Thirdly for the security of it Blessed yea thrice blessed are all such for their works follow them they shal follow them as servants their Lord as sonnes their father as Schollers their Master as Souldiers their Generall as Nobles do their Sovereigne They shall follow us to Gods Tribunall They shall be brought into the highest Courts of the Great King and there shall be admitted for noble Courtiers And as every one which is able for wealth and Nobility is known by the number and adornment of his followers so who desires to appeare before the King of Glory let him be wel and richly furnished with such servants And let him set them before him and look that they be many and richly apparelled and though our good works go before us in some kinde yet they follow us in reward The labour which we spend on them and in them goes before The reward which we have from them follows He never can want comfort that is well stored with such followers § 23. A Dying mans farewell to the living who must follow him the same way MAny are the things for which I am sorry Especially the neglect of grace and the time that I have ill spent Oh how should I how ought I to have beene more patient more submisse more mindfull of my death ô how few and small sparkles of divine love have had irradiations in my soul Have mercy upon me ô God have mercy upon me according to the multitude of thy great mercies ô infinite goodnesse by the precious bloud of thy deare Son be mercifull to mee a sinner and ô you whomsoever I have offended in words or deeds Forgive and pardon mee You have mee now heartily confessing my selfe guilty and sorrowfull and deny not to mee before I goe hence this viaticum even the free forgivenesse of all my offences towards you Doe not I pray you let your courage fall in the time of sicknesse by my example because I am weak Set your eyes upon the actions of holier men and conform your selves to them Emulate with ardency their patience humility obedience And I cannot but give you hearty thanks for all the good offices you have performed towards â—ee either by your hand and work care
to find sin in that minde which expects Death with the sinne and punishment by that Death No wise man will play in a storme at sea who in such dangerous precipices will or dare meditate transgressions No man unarm'd can be merry in the middest of an Enemies Armie But much more foolish is hee who knowing every houre every moment to be uncertaine and living in a perpetuated feare of Death yet dares doe those things which for ever will make Death to be most miserable Oh unwise men that we are why doe wee plunge our selves into everlasting punishment and why obey we not good counsels Eccles 7.40 In all thy works saith Solomon remember thy end and so thou shalt no sinne § 4. The conclusion of a good life is of great esteeme TEll me ô Seneca whom doth that great Pliny in his Testimoniall worthy to be envied Plin. l. 14. c. 4. medio call a Prince Say what thinkest thou of Death especially of untimely Death Heare ô young men give eare ô old men so full of complaints Seneca ep st 77. in the end our life is as a tale that is told it matters not how long it is but how well it is performed It is not of any consequence in what place thou doest end end where thou wilt only let thy conclusion be well Epictetus in the same manner saith Euch. c. 23. Remember that thou art but an Actor of a play as thy Master appointeth thee if he sets thee a long part thou must performe it if a short one thy dutie is the same to doe it well Varro speakes not in dissonant termes from these two They live not best who live longest but they who doe live the uprightest Our lives are not valued by the duration of time but by the qualification of our actions Goodnesse in mans life is a quality not a quantity It matters not therefore either where or when or by what means wee die for as God our Master pleaseth so vve must depart Only let us pray that vve die vvell § 5. That every man is nothing Heu heu nos miseros quam totus Homuncio nil est i. e. What wretches ah alas are we All men are nothing verily IN truth it is so But much more wretched are wee in that wee know it not Man is nothing said an ancient Satyrist but I dare say wee begin then to be something when wee acknowledge our selves to be nothing O man know thy selfe know and be wise for Death crops off Lilies as soon as thornes or thistles Oh how vaine and wretched are vve what are vve our learning and Honour is but smoake our selves but dust the one is but a fancie the other but a blast And wee which now speake in the present tense we doe live we are strong and doe flourish in a trice all will be chang'd in the praeter-perfect tense viximus wee have liv'd Here all have the same way Our very life in the encrease decreaseth and we may divide the present day with Death There is a dayly diminution in some part of our lives Our glasse may be turn'd but it 's alwayes running The first sand as well as the last may be said to empty our glasse and the last houre in which we die doth not onely make Death but doth really consummate it §. 6. All men are but of a short time and continuance THe Lily is a flower vvhose life and beauty lasts but a day On the Banks of Hiparis Pliny l. 11. c. 36. a River in Scythia there is a bird called Hemerobios which lives not beyond the compasse of one day but ends her life with the same light she first receiv'd it at sunne-setting In the same shee hath experience of youth and old age shee springs up in the morning flourishes at noone growes old and dies at night but that which is most to be admired in that bird is shee doth in that space provide as much sustenance as if shee should live as long as the Raven Mans life is not unlike to this creature It alwayes is by the flood of flying time and more swift then any bird or arrow And oftentimes hath all his honour and worldly pomp terminated to a day sometimes to an houre and often to a moment Why doe wee then so fondly dreame of yeares and ages when wee are but as the flowers or their shadowes or what can be reckoned to be more vaine or short then either Hee that vvas thirty yeares in making curiously the forme of a man in Glasse had in a twinkling of an eye his vaine labour dash'd to peeces with this vvise answer As I have done to this brittle glasse so may Death doe either to you or my selfe in as short a space how vaine therefore are you in your thoughts But it is most wonderfull that though this life hath by so many learned Divines in all ages been proved to be so swift and short and though all Writers in all times have confirm'd the same yet wretches that we are vve heare not all these loud voyces King Hezekiah cries in the Prophesie of Esay From morning untill night thou will make an end of me Esay 38 1◠The Kingly Psalmist cries out Psal 102 17. My dayes are past away as a shadow And that great man in the land of Huz Iob 14.2 Man commeth forth as a flower is wasted and flieth away as a shadow Behold Oh man thou art but a bubble all thy life is but as the passing of a shadow and expectest thou here an abiding place or a quiet habitation Why doest thou heape up thick day oh thou covetous vvretch When as this night they shall fetch thy soule Why thinkest thou on carking and caring as though thou shouldest live Nestors age When as Death is at thy elbow thou shalt be gone from hence before thou thinkest of thy departure hasten the thought of it early Eternity is before thee §. 7. The same point more largely insisted on and confirmed No mans life but is short theirs is shortest vvho forget things past neglect things present feare not things to come Iob saith excellently And they which have seene him shall say where is hee like a dreame that passeth away and flieth hence Iob 2.7.8 so shall he not be found A dreame is vaine a flight is swift Yet man shal passe away as a vision by night Hee speaks of himselfe thus Iob 9 25.26 My dayes are swifter then a post they are gone and have seene no good This uttered that rich man of the East They are passed by as ships of burthen and as an Eagle to the prey For wee be but of yesterday Iob 8.9 and know nothing are not our dayes as a shadow upon earth truly they are so and tarry not We feast banquet dance yet they tarry not Wee are most secure and sleepe till high-noone and yet our dayes tarry not Wee sport away our time prodigally in trifles
so worke security in him exercised the thoughts of Death in himselfe by this fit similitude As man saith he who is led from prison to the place of execution though hee be led about and seems to go slowly yet he feares Death and is as sure of it as he that goes a neerer way and though his legs be strong his eyes quick-sighted his heart lusty though his stomacke be able for digestion yet this one thought turns all into bitternesse that hee is in the way to a certaine execution And what man is not a prisoner in this kind we are all going on towards our long home we are all in the way and parted but by small distances those which are dead have not so much left us onely they are gone before us but perhaps thou mayst say I am healthy and lusty and finde not nor feele any the least sence of sicknesse nor apprehension of Death well flatter thy selfe if thou wilt for certain thou art in the way and wee all are in the way with thee But thou mayst say thou art not yet thirty years old what then thou wast in the way at twenty at ten at five at three nay even at the first yeare and in the first houre goe on perhaps thou mayst a little further but thou wilt shortly come to thy end but yet thou wilt say thy sleepe is sound thy meat and drinke doe excellently well relish and digest Oh fond man Death regards not such things Wee are in the way looke to thy selfe presently thou wilt perceive the place of execution thou art led on there 's but a little time for thee to breath in shortly shall all thy pompe luxury and strength expire as well as thy selfe all our life is but the pathway to death That Death may happy be to live learn I That life may hâ—ppy be I 'le learne to die § 38. To day for mee to morrow for thee Delrii adag Tom. 2. p. 576. FRancis the first King of Francâ— being taken by Charles the fifth comming to Madrid upon a wall he read the Motto of Charles which was Plus ultra Still further and writ under it Hodie mihi cras tibi Mine to day yours to morrow The Conquerour was not offâ—nded nor angry but gave notice that hee understood the meaning for hee writ this in answer to it I am but a Man and know my selfe subject to mortalitie Elegantly spoke Greg Nazianzen My head saith he begins to be an Almond tree flourishing and therefore my Summer of Age is neer the Sickle is made sharp for work all my feare is lest that terrible Mower should crop me off and cut me downe while I sleepe securely and am not ready for his stroke But thou mayst say Old men indeed may feare but I am yong and green be not thou deceived Death is not limited to any certaine age The same Bier to day may carry an old carcasse to morrow a yong one to day a strong aâ—â—e â—n an to morrow a yong Virgin or 〈◊〉 Child Seneca speaks to the purpose Death saith he stands at the door of a yong man as well as at the threshold of an aged man for all men are registred and inrolled in Deaths Records all must pay their tributes when Death cals forth all must goe out no exemption from his Edict This is the last warning and admonishment that dying men groan forth To day for me too morrow for thee and this is the Graves sentence I fell yesterday thou mayst this day Remember Death Oh remember Eternitie which thou mayst either to day or to morrow begin but never End §. 28. If to morrow why not to day THere is a Chaine and that a weâ—ghty one that holds us bound fast to wit the Love of this Life which as it is not to be utterly cast off yet it is daily to be weakned and the vigour of it abated that when it shall be required at our hands to surrender nothing may withhold us but that we be ready presently to doe that which at one time or other must be performed Saint Augustine the Bishop of Hippo went on a time to visit another great Prelate and Father of the Church lying very sick and at the point of Death who had been formerly his familiar friend at Saint Augustines comming the sick man lift up his hand and said that he was departing this world and going into Heaven Possidonius in vita Aug. c. 27 Saint Augustine replyed that the Church would stand in great want of him and prayed that God would lend him a longer life The sicke mâ—n answered again if he never could be well spared but if at any time he should depart why not now The Death of all men is even and alike but the wayes by which it comes are divers one dyes at supper another in his sleepe a third in the commission of some sin One dyes by the sword another is drowned a third is burned some are poysoned and stung to death by Serpents others are kild by some fall and some Consumptions rid away some are cut off in the flower and beauty of their age some are destroyed in their swathling clothes and some in their decrepit years Others onely salute the World and are gone One mans end is commendable anothers dishonorable but let Death come never so gently or favourably yet it never comâ—s without some horrour and affrightment But that which most of all estrangeth us from liking Death is that wee know the things present and delights in them but whither wee are passing by Death and what things wee shall behold in the bowels of the grave wee know not and wee usually tremble at the report of strange sights therefore are our mindes to bee hardned with the daily exercise and meditation of eternity Eternity I say is to be thought upon night and day as he that will learn to endure hunger must attaine to it by fasting by degrees so the mind must be transferd from transitory things that ever will be expert in the study of Eternity Let him every moment salute and imbrace the threshold of Eternity let this one be the onely square of all his actions I read I write I meditate I watch I speak I worke always to Eternity Hee that ever intends to triumph eternally let his meditation be alwayes fixed and setled upon it § 40. Death is suddain yet comely AS Palladius the Bishop of Helenople testifies Cheremon died sitting as hee was at work Hist c. 92. and well Hee was found sitting with his worke in his hand onely hee was dead Any kind of Death is credited by a vertuous life Philemon an ancient Writer of Comedies as hee rehearsed his Comedies with Menander on the Stage Mad. Philos in Florid p 579 and strove with him for the Bays he was not in any thing reputed inferiour to him He acted a part of a play which he lately had made and being come to the second Scene
trifle time here Nature is not a stâ—pdame but a mother Canst thou accuse her ô my Theophrastus to be more unkind to men then to beasts Certainly men are her choicest pieces and if shee could preserve any from death corruption men should pertake of the priviledge and benefit For which is better quickly to suffer and to cut off all fear or slowly to suffer and still to be subjected to fear horror Nature then quits a man from a lingring torment when shee yields him but a short life We all doe stay For th' appointed day Why therefore art thou affrighted is thy life taken away so is then the feare of death and many evils that betide the life of man there is little difference saith Plinius Secundus betwixt suffering misery and expecting it daily to come onely this that there is some meane in grieving none in fearing For thou mayest grieve onely for so much as is happened but thou mayest feare for whatsoever may happen § 8. Three things grievous in sicknesse IN every disease almost there are thâ—se three things incident The feare of Death the paine of the body and the losse and privation of pleasures But as in the rules of Physick hot diseases are cured by cold medicines and cold by hoâ— so are these to bâ—e cured by Antâ—dotes Let the siâ—kâ— bâ—ware here that he mistakes not or goes not a contrary way There was a yong man who stood in need of old things to allay his heat but he when the Physicians were departed by the perswasion of the servants of the house tooke hot ingredients and anointed his brest with Balme and applyed many other hot medicines to his sicknesse which added fire to fire and almost brought him to Death To cure therefore the feare of Death and to remove it is to love Heaven and the joys thereof a li tle of divine love dispels all the smoak of vain feares Who loves Christ will be willing to lay downe his life and shall be beloved of his Saviour 2 To asswage and mitigate the paine of body is to have peace of conscience An upright soule and an entire conscience doth afford marvellous consolation to the sick bed A pure conscience purged from dead works is a powerfull remedy against all tormentings The sick man wâ—ll beare his sicknesse the easier and more comfortably if he fixeth deeply in his mind this one thing The most righteous Lord God hath imposed this affliction upon me and therefore I will beare It is his good pleasure let him doe as he thinks good 3 The losse of pleasures will nothing trouble nor grieve him who thinks upon heavenly eternall pleasures Those which wee leave are light vaine shâ—rt and filthy and commonly before they are left off they leave their Lovers full of paine oftentimes of diseases But those which our heavenly Countrey promiseth to us and will performe are infinite firme eternall not fading He easily dis-esteems earth whose aime is heaven § 9. Sicknesse is the Schoole of Vertue and Monitor to Eternitie THou sufferest wel saith Bernard if it works compunction Sicknes is aswell the Schoole of graces as the scourge of vices While wee are lusty and strong we rush into sins as the horse into the battle furiously when wee are sick wee better regulate our passions curbe our affections being healthy we are pestered with many hundred severall employments and put God in our last thoughts How many are chast and sober in sicknesse Who in time of health have furiously followed all filthy lusts and pleasures These men were happier and safer under the rod then they can be at liberty God lays therefore many downe that they may looke up and confines them with a Fever or Consumption or such like that their souls may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Long sicknesse makes sober minds In briefe Sicknesse seems to macerate the body but it meliorizeth the soul though as Saint Paul saith our outward man decay 2 Cor. 4.26 yet our inward man is renewed daily Hence is it that though sicknesse do seem tedious and burthensome yet it is then Good when it works holinesse in the Patient § 10. Sicknesse is the Monitor to Eternitie WHat a good thing is it that the evils of this present life should afford unto us a taste of everlasting punishments By these light ones here let us learn to keep our selves from those eternall ones From which no Apothecary no Physician no Medicine no Criticall day nor Death it selfe the Medicine for all evils and punishments here can release from The ways to death are diverse but once arrived to Eternity there is no redemption Anaxagoras being very sick his friends asked him whither he would be carried into his Country or not no such need said he and added a reason for every Countrey affords us a way to our grave This answer of his may be as well applyed to Heaven for wee may goe to Heaven from any part of the World O the fortunate and happy scar-fire of Feavers because short ô the fearfull fire of Hell because everlasting § 13. In sicknesse we must always pray PRayer ought to be the sickmans constant exercise Neither is it of too much difficulty for the sick party It is an exercise that 's perform'd without toyle For he may do it by his tongue to God but if his tongue be dulled or if griefe stops his voice then his soule in all humble devotion is to be lift up to God with a quiet composure of body Sometimes also ardent sighes do demonstrate secret conference with God Sometimes the disease is so violent that it not onely depresseth the body but also the soule and the whole man is foâ—c'd as it were wholly to attend on it In his case God accepts a patient and a quiet bearing of these dolours for Prayers Sicknâ—sse mixt with patience and mortification are accepâ—able Sacrifices in the presence of God Hee prayes well that suffers patiently And he doth not onely pray unto God but doth prevaile with God who sends two such wise Embassadours as Compunction and Patience But further though the Sicke man be brought to that passe that he neither by voice nor yet by hearty Ejaculations yea though his patience be overcome yet there is a way to pray left him Can hee look about hâ—m and hee shall see those that stand by him and those that are about him ready prompt to pray for him let but him in his sicknesse speake a word to them ô my good friend ô my dear brother you see how I am conquered wiâ—h pains I prâ—y you lend mee your tongue and your heart and read such and such a Psalme for mee to intreat God to be mercifull unto me Which of his friends will not be ready and willing to performe these things for the sick So though hee cannot by himselfe in words expresse himself to God yet hee may by the prayers of the faithfull Therefore I repeat it again In
to thy selfe And why turnest thou away from those who tell thee of thy approaching danger I beseech thee imitate not those old men whom thou knewest before abroad to whom it was death to heare Death to be spoken off I Pray thee hast thou learn'd no further yet but still to fear death Hast thou got so much knowledge in so many yeares to die freely peaceably and without vexatiâ—n Why tremblest thou Commit thy self wholly to the will of God and so thou hast done the hardest piece of thy work Even our whole life is but a punishment That wise Roman Seneca will counsell thee We being saith he cast into the deep and troublesome sea of this World which is always tossing her waves and billows now lifting us up with sudden advancements now againe leaving us in the lurch to our greater losse Continually tossing us never are we safely setled We are alwayes in suspence and inconstantly floating now and then dash'd one against another sometimes making shipwrack always fearing thus wee saile along this boysterous Ocean exposed to all tempests and there is no Port or Haven till we arrive at Death Many mens credulitie deceives them especially in those things whiâ—h they love being willing to forget the remembrance of death Daily before our eies we see spectacles and objects of Mortalitie as well of our friends as strangers but we still are otherways imployed and thinke that sudden which might have have hapned every moment of our life This is not the iniquitie of Natuâ—e but the pravitie of our minds being insatiable in that which it cannot enjoy and altogether disdaining to go out from thence whither he was admitted to enter by request Hee is unjust that leaves not the Donor the disposing of his owne gift He is greedy who doth not account that a benefit which hee hath received but says it is losse to restore it Hee is ingrate who calls the end of pleasure an injury He is foolish which thinks nothing but things present have prâ—fit in them He too much pens up and straitens his jâ—yâ— who thinks hee enjoys no more then what he hath and seeth Suddenly doth all pleasure leave us it flows and passes and is in a manner â—aken away before it come to us Let us â—ll therefore contentedly enjoy what is bâ—stowed and suâ—render it when it shall be demanded Death snatcheth away all some one time some another none escapeth him Let our souls then continually watch never dreading it because necessary lways expecting it because â—ncertain It is hard to say whether it be more folly to be ignorant of or impudent to stand out against the Laws of Mortality All men yea all creatures whatsoever look towards death Whosoever is born to the World is ordained to die and to passe to Eterniâ—y § 17. Three speciall Rules to be observed by the sick I Concerning God IT is grand impietie to murmur any thing against God our h avenly Fathâ—r as though the disease hee l yeth upon us were extreame and unreasonable Wee ought rather to say with holy Iob Even as it pleaseth the Lord so come things to passe Blessed be the name of the Lord and to cry out with that devout multitude He hath done all things well For whethâ—r God wound or heal us certain it is hee ever beareth towards us the tender care and affection of a most loving Father II Concerning himself In the extremity of sicknesse there is not so much need of long and continuall prayers as of constant and unwearied patience For thereby that which is heavie and intolerable becommeth light and easie Our chiefe cordials and sweetest comforts in our sicknesse are frequent sighes breathed up to Heaven the Remembrance of the patient suffrings of the Saints holy Prayers and Ejaculations sent up to Goâ— for constant patience and an happy departure out of this life III Concerning others The sicke man must be tractable to his Physicians whether corporall or spirituall If any come to visit him he must shew all patience and calmnesse of spirit and though his disease gripe hâ—m many things trouble him some displease him others rellish ill wiâ—h him all things be not done aâ— his beck yet he must never murmur but allaying the bitternesse of his afflictions with the sweet expectation of a reward expresse Christiâ—n submissiâ—n and patience in all his words and actions § 17. Wherewith the sickman should quench his thirst MOst sick folk complain much of th rst those especially who are sick of Feveâ—s Here therefore wee wâ—ll shew them a Fountain whence they may drinke as much as they please An. 1590 In lower Austria there was a Thiefe who had kild maâ—y men being taken and brought to the Wheele onely had his legs broken which was done the more to torment him with a lingring death and to make him the more terrible spectacle to all such Malefactors bu this tormented person pâ—oved himself a valiant man and a stout Christian in the height of his torments For all his words argued patience penitence He began seriously to supplicate God to entreat pardon for his sins to be a Preacher of Mortification and to dehort all other men from the like hainous sins And the day being almost spent when as there was a World of people assembled there were likewise present some that knew him and comforted him being glad to see him so patiently to suffer for he being laid flat for his punishment that hee might get another life he asswag'd his present suffering with the hope of future happinesse and not onely so but gave thanks to God who in his anger had remembred mercy and had chastened him that hee might save him In that space of his punishment which lasted for above three days hee requâ—sted two things that he might die maturely and Christianly and that it would please God to send a showre of rain seasonably to mitigate his heat and thirst It is recorded that he obâ—ained both these requests for about Evening there fell a plentifull showre of raine and afterwards he ended his pains and his life Behold here ô my Christian thou thy selfe here hast also thy wheele but a farre softer one thou rollest in thy bed as on a wheele and without doubt though perhaps thy torment may be lesse yet thy thirst is as great that there may come down into thy soul a comfortable showre look up to Golgotha and behold with the eye of faith thy Saviour upon the Crosse from whose bodie flows Rivers of saving waters here drink here refresh here satisfie thy selfe The more freely thou drinkest of this the more healthy will thy soule be § .18 The sickmans Napkin or Handkerchief CHrotildis Queen of the Franks as Gregorius Turonicus relate it being cruelly used by Amalaricus her husband sent to King Childebert her brother a white linnen cloth all besmeared with her bloud in stead of a Letter and as though she spoke thus to her Brother Canst Thou ô Childebert see this
hast the power of judging and â—iscerning and thou knowest best the medicines to cure our diseases Oh my most loving Saviour reprove correct and chastize me burn me cut me in pieces onely save me everlastingly Let not the flames of hell lay hold upon me I know thy rod comforts as well as thy staffe thou doest I know chastize thy beloved sons and by chastizements doest purge exercise and provest them before thou puttest upon them the crowne of glory My heart my heart ô Lord is ready how and when thou wilt be pleased to prove my patience and subject mee under the rod. My trust is in thee let me not be confounded for ever I submit my selfe and wholly resigne my self to thy heavenly will and pleasure though thou kill yet wil I trust in thee My lot is in thy hands to dispose let it fall to me in a good ground Amen 3 A Prayer to obtaine patience O Almighty GOD Thou knâ—wâ—st what a weake frail and vile piece of earth I am yet the worke of thy hands who was framed of â—he dust who am blown and withered by every blast of winde and shall at last again returne to dust there is nothing that I have wherein I can trust for I have within mee the spirit striving against the flesh and about me the flesh against the spirit I find motions of Anger Impatience Fearfulnes Dissidence and divers other perturbatiâ—ns to rise within mee if thou onely doest but touch me with thy hand I desire therefore thy helpe ô heavenly Physician and that heavenly medicine of thine called Patience to be communicated to me ô Patience it is the easement of all diseases Give mee ô Lord in all estates to carry my selfe orderly submissively and to beare prosperity without pride adversitie without repining whither thou sendest health or sicknes I may entertain them as proceeding from thy fatherly hands and so being assured they are good because they come from thee thou makest all things worke for the best to them that feare thee Amen Let thy holy Spirit teach and instruct me And so much the rather O Lord help because there is none fighteth for mee but onely thou ô God and thaâ— thy strength may be perfected in my weaknesse So that I may truly say Thy rod and thy staffe have comforted me and thy good grace assisting me I may look upon thy Son and my Saviour Jesus with comfort which shewed himselfe a pattern of all patience to all patient men grant this I beseech for tâ—y mercy sake in Jesus Christ Amen 4 A Prayer for the increase of Patience OUr life ô Lord is a pilgrimage from Exile and Baâ—ishment to our Countrey and lest the pleasantnesse of the way should detaine or keepe us back from comming speedily and comfâ—rtably to thee ô God thou stirrest us up by Goads and hast ns us by pricks in our sides that so we may the more eagerly desire rest and to bee at our journeys end therefore diseases griefs teares mournings sorrows are as so many spurs to hasteÌ„ our dull natures and to encourage them to make speed to their quiet repose Cauâ—e us ô Lord to forget the tediousnesse of the way and to remember our Countrey and if thou pleasest to lay on load upon our shoulders lay on strength lâ—kewise and patience to carry it quietly and cheerfully having all our intentions and hopes fixed upon thee but seeing all things are at thy disposing Make all things ô Lord worke together in thy unsearchable wisdome that I may never prove an enemy to thee Amen 5 A Prayer containing a full resignment of the sickman into Gods hand and will O Most comfortable and sweet Lord God be mindfull I prâ—y thee and mercifully consider mee thy poore creature but thou Lord art my creatour behold ô Lord I doe wholly give and resigne my self unto thy disposing and ordering I am ready and prepared ô Lord to endure what thy fatherly hand shall lay upon mee Deal with mee as thou pleasest in time and for Eternity Whatsoever thou ô heavenly Father hast determined upon me and of me with all Humilitie I am resolved to beare I will take all things well at thy hands whither Good or Evill sweet or sowre joy or heavinesse and will for all give thanks unto thee Keepe me ô Lord from all sin and so I will neither feare death nor hell Because thou wilt not destroy the work of thine owne hands nor blot me out of the booke of life no tribulation shall be grievous unto mee be present ô sweet Jesus with me at all times in all places and let mee comfort my selfe in this that thou only art my comfort and consolation and if at any time thou shalt be pleased to withdraw thy comfortable presence from me yet then I will be comforted in thy tryall of me because it is for my good Thy holy Name be now and ever above all things ô Saviour magnified and blessed Amen 6 Another shâ—rt Prayer to the same purpose O Love ineffable ô sweet Jesu my God if thou wouldest give me my desire and wouldest promise to give what I should request I would not desire any thing but what I suffer This this I would desire and request a thousand time that thy most gracious will according to thy good pleasure may be always done in me of me by me for evermore Amen A Prayer for conformity of our wils to the divine will O Sweet Jesu I neither desire Life nor Death but onely thy will be done I wait upon thee If it be thy good pleasure sweet Jesu that I shall die I doe humbly intreat thee to receive my spirit and though I come in at Evening one of the last amongst the Workmen grant yet that I may be with thee and receive everlasting rest in and through thee but if thou so pleasest ô sweet Jesu that my life shall be prolonged I purpose then and resolve and for this I do intreat thy suffrage and the assistance of thy grace that the residue of my life may be amended be offered up to thee wholly as a pleasing sacrifice to thy glory and according to thy good will Amen Another Prayer to obtain the same thing as onely necessary O Lord Jesus Christ I beseech thee by thy love whiâ—h invited thee so willingly to take all our burdens upon thee that thou wouldest make me to take my visitation patiently and thankfully as comming by thy Fatherly providence and according to thy good will and proceeding out of thy love and affection towards me give me assistance to take it quietly to beare it patiently to resigne my selfe to thy goodnesse and well liking and give mee that strengh and growth in grace that I may not offend thee in the least nor ever depart from or dislike thy godly will and ô Saviour unite my will with thy most holy Bâ—neplacite that what I wish may please thee Amen A Prayer to obtain Patience O Lord my God I confesse I
feared that frees us from every thing that is fearfull But thou wilt say it is a most fearfull thing in a disease to see death creeping upon us by degrees Oh thou worme what wouldst thou Did not thy Saviour for thirty three yeeres and more foresee his death And art thou better then he but because thou doest not fear death but the fore-running incommodities of it Hear Epictetus who saith Thou goest not out with a good courage but trembling because of thy riches silver vessels and great friends Oh unhappy man Hast thou so hitherto lost all thy time What if thou be sicke thou shalt learn to be vertuous by thy sicknesse But who shall care for thee wilt thou say God and thy friends but I shall lye hard thou shalt but lye as a man but I shall not have a commodious house then knowest thou not how to be sicke in inconveniences but who shall prepare my dyet for me They who provide it for others but what will be the issue of my sicknâ—sse What should be but dea h thou therefore canst not but know that it is the signe of a degenerate spirit and of a fearfull heart to feare not death but the fear of death Exercise thy self therefore against this to this mark let all thy â—isputatioâ—s tend and all which thou hearest or readest then thou shalt know that death is the onely way to plant men into liberty 6. How many evils doth death free thee from to die is but to shut up the shop of al miseries So that Pliny spoke well Such is the condition of humane life that death to the best men is the best Harbour and the chiefest good for nature Caesar speaks in Salust In al miseries death is the Rest not the augmentation of them and that it concludes all the mischiefs that Mortals suffer Therefore a wiseman esteems his life by the quality not by the extent of it For nature hath afforded us an Inne to lodge in not to dwell in and the usury of life is like that of money to be alwayes paid at the set time Why how canst thou complain if money be taken in when the Creditor pleaseth if he limited not the time It was but the condition upon which thou receivedst it to repay it at the pleasure of the lender 7 In the passage to death the prison is set open why fearest thou to goe out rather be glad and be gone Hitherto thou hast been a Captive now thou shalt be free the prison is now open hast out Why hast thou so long studied Phylosophy if yet thou fearest this Phylosophy to die therefore receivedst thou this body that thou shouldst restore it And therefore shalt thou restore it that thou mayest again receive it with great advantage Oh how foolish is that mans hope not to endevour for that happinesse to depart with joy from hence to that which always remayns The prison is open flye aloft to better felicity 8 Death is the rode way yea it is the gate by which wee are admitted into our Country to eternall life to immortall joy Death is not so much the end of life as it is the passage to life Saint Bernard spoke true and elegantly 'T is true indeed the righteous man dyes but securely because his death as it is the Exit of the present so it is the Introite to a better life 9 But the cause of causes is the divine will of God whom it hath pleased from all Eterniâ—y that thou shouldst dye at such a time such a place such a disease What wouldst thou more so it pleased God so it seem'd good in his sight This is that will which cannot will not will that which is ill Therefore as the sonne of Syrach said Ecclus 18 21. Humble thy selfe before thou be sick and in the time of sins shew repentance Therfore I briefly reckon up all the Reasons thus 1 Christs death 2 The favour of God 3 the joy of Angels and Sainâ—s 4 The examples of those that have gone before us 5 It is the end of all things to be feared 6 It is the end of all evils 7 It is going out of prison 8 It is an ingresse into paradise 9 It is the will of God § 12. Death is not to be feared PErforme therefore ô Christian that with willingnes which must be done though against thy will Those actions though difficult if done willingly seem easie and feazable and where the will concurs there it leaves to be necessity A wise man instructs thee â—hus Agree to what thou canst not withstand go on securely without feare Nature is a bountifull parent and makes not any thing dreadfull nor delights in it It is the errour of men not provident Nature that makes Death seeme terrible Wee feare death not for that it is evill but because we are not acquainted with it but if thou hast any generous thoughts or any noble or high resolutions slight those vulgar and base conceits and looke upon high and imitate those religious spirits whose footsteps have beene setled in the rode-way to Glory Wee have innumerable examples and patternes of men whose deaths have bin cheerfull and happy Be not daunted with the words of them which affirme death to be neere at hand Rather folâ—ow him amongst the Ancients who gave this reply to Deaths Monitor without any the least show of anger Morieris Thou shalt dye It is the nature not the punishment of man Thou shalt dye I entred upon this condition that I should goe out Thou shalt dye It is the Law of Nations that what thou hast lent thee that thou must restore Thou shalt dye Thy whole life is but a pilgrimage It is but comfortable when thou hast walkt long abroad that then thou shouldest return home Thou shalt dye I thought thou wouldst have told mee some new or strange thing but as for this I came for the same purpose hither every dayes travell invites me hither Nature laid me out this stint at my birth Why should I be angry I am sworn to this Thou shalt die It 's folly to feare what thou canst not avoid Thou shalt die Nor the first nor the last Many are gone before mee some go with me all shall follow Thou shalt die This is the conclusion of all our work Whither the Universe shall passe thither must I. All things are begotâ—en to this state What hath had a bad beginning must come to an end Thou shalt dye That is not so grievous which is but once suffered It is Eternall that vex us Certainly death is to bee lesse feared now then heretofore For then the way to Heaven was block'd up and all men griev'd and sorrowed at this that Noctes atque dies patet atri janua ditis Hell gates are never shut nor night nor day But wee may sing this with joy that Noctes atque dies patet alti janua Coeli At all times unto Heaven's a ready way Death therefore is to be
entertained with an undaunted spirit Whither it sets upon us violently or easily A vertuous life never thought ill of death and that man loses nothing who gets all things § 13. How the Saints of God may desire yet feare Death LEt us behold Saint Paul saiâ—h Saint Gregory how hee loves that which hee avoyds and how hee avoids that which hee loves Behold hee desires to die and feares to put off the tabernacle of flesh Why so Because although the victory makes his heart to rejoyce yet the paine doth trouble him for the present As a valiant man who is to fight a Combate though he be armed yet he pants and trembles and by his palenes discovers feare yet hee is mainly prick'd forward by valour and courage So a godly and holy man being neer to his death and passion is struck with the infirmity of his nature yet is he strengthened with the firmnesse of his hope and doth rejoyce that by dying hee shall live for ever For he cannot enter into that Kingdom but by the interposition of death yet hee doubts and hopes and rejoycing feares and fearing is glad because hee knows hee cannot attain to the prize unlesse he passeth this midway obstacle Hence it is that even the holiest men have in some measure feared deaths encounter King Hezekiah in the increase of his sicknes doth yet in teares lament Esay 38.10 That in the midst of his days he shall go to the gates of Hell What did not the feare of death cause David to utter that speech Psal 102 25. Take mee not away in the midst of mine age What shall we say of Abraham Iacob Elias Who as we are instructed by holy Writt did something feare death Elias flying from death 3. Reg. 19. yet did entreat for it under the Juniper tree Arsenius a man of an hundred twenty yeers old never assaulted with any disease having served God fifty five yeers in a most austere life being now at his dâ—parting began to feare and weâ—p Those that were present wondring at it said And doe you ô Father lâ—kewise fear death to whom he answered ever since I entred into the state of Religion I have always fâ—ared Seneca spoke excellently often is it seen that even the stoutest man though armed yet at the first entrance into the Combat feares so the resolutest Souldier at the signall of Battle his knees and joynts tremble so it is with the greaâ—est Commander as also wiâ—h the famousest Orator at the composing himself to speake This was observed in Charles the fifth Emperour who though hee was couragious in all warlike Expeditions though hee was not overcome with the greatest dangers nor frighted with the furiousnesse of warlike Chariots nor ever shrunke his head out of the maynest hazards yet for all that at the putting on of his Armour hee would something quake and shiver and shew signes of some feare but when once his head piece was on his sword girded to his thigh his Coat of Maile upon him hee was as a Lyon and like a mighty man of valour would set upon the Enemy Even so the best of men do desire and feare death they would be gone out but they tremble at it But it is better to die with Cato then to live with Anthony Hee is Deaths conquerour who quietly gives up his Spirit when he is câ—ld from hence §. 14. An ill death follows an ill life EVen as a tree falls that way when it is cut downe as it leaned when it stood so for the most part as we have livâ—d and bent our courses so doe we depart As we begun to goe so wee continue a commendable death seldome shuts up a dishonest life What things were pleasurable to us in the course of our lives ee seldome dislike at the time of our deaths A great Courtier of King Cenreds who studied more to please his Sovereigne then his Saviour being at point to die he did not onely seeme to neglect the care of his soule but also to put off the time of his death but hee saw before him a great many wicked Spirits expressing the Catalogue of all his hainous sins before him at which sight in horrour for them in despaire he dyed While wicked Chrysaorius called out for a space even for time but till the next morning he departed Herod Agrippa as his life was full of all impieties so his death was miserable So Herodias aâ— History reports who by dancing g t off Iohn Baptists head had her owne head cut off by the ice So Iezabel and Athaliah Queenes so â—ing Benhadad Balihazar and Antiochus with 600 more as their lives were naught and wicked so were their ends w etched and odious The death of wise men is to be lamented but much more the lives of the foolish Psal 34.22 the death of sinners is the worst It being an irrevocable ingresse of a most wofull eternity of torments Foolishly doth he feare death who neglects life He who lives to luxury and rio is dead while alive § 15. A good death follows a good life MOst truly said Saint Augustine That cannot be reputed for a bad death when as a good life hath always preceded For nothing but the sequell of death proves it ill A good crop of Corn doth seldome or never faile a plentifull sowing A good life is the Kings high way to a good Death That is the beginning middle and end I may compare life and death to a Syllogisme The conclusion is the end of the Syllogisme so death of life but the conclusion is either true or false according to the nature of the Antecedents So is Death always either good or bad according to the quality of our precedent lives So Saint Paul doth most severely pronounce it Whose end saith he shall be according to their works 2 Cor. 1. â— 15. It is reported of a certain man of a most devout life who was found dead in his study with his body so seated that his finger was upon the holy Bible and upon that place where it is said if the just man shall be taken away by Death hee shall be in his refreshing Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints whither it be slow or sudden The mellifluous Saint Bernard being now neere to his dissolution Thus spoke to his Schollers because quoth he I leave you no great examples of Religion yet three things I doe seriously commend to you which I have specially at all times observed 1 To trust my own sences lesse then others 2 That being hurt or injured by any I never fought after revenge 3 I never did willingly offend any man whatsoever fell out cross and thwart I pacified as I could Now being nere Death He wâ—it a Letâ—er to Arnaldus of Good-dale to this effect The spirit is ready but the flâ—sh is we k. Pâ—ay you to our Lord Jesus not to defer my exit but keep me when I shall go have
why art thou so disquieted within me still trust in God for I will yet give him thanks who is the light of my countenance and my God Psal 42.6 7. We are the children of his Saints and we do expect that life which God will give to those that keep the faith It is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones should perish Matth. 18.14 So God loved the World that hee gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life John 3.16 Now if any man sin wee have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and hee is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely but for the sinnes of the whole world 1 John 2 1. Verily verily I say unto you whosoever heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent mee hath life eternall and shall not come into judgment but shal passe from death to life John 5.24 All that my Father hath given to me shall come unto mee and hee that commeth to me I cast not out of doors Verily verily I say unto you who so believeth in mee hath eternall life John 6 37. 47. I am the resurrection and the life Whosoever believeth in mee yea though he were dead yet shal he live and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall not die eternally John 11.15 26. In my Fathers house are many Mansions John 14 2. If God be for us who can be against us who also spared not his own Sonne but gave him for us how then shall hee not give us all things with him Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God who justifies Who shall condemne It is Iesus Christ which is dead yea rather which is risen again and sitteth at the right hand of his Father making intercession for us Rom 8 31. usque ad 35. None of us live unto our selves nor none die unto our selves whether wee live wee live unto the Lord or whether we die we die unto the Lord whâ—ther therefore wee live or die we are the Lords Rom. 14 7 8. We know that if this earthly house of our dwelling be dissolved wee have a building from God an house not made with hands eternall in the Heavens and for this wee sigh desiring to be put on with our house which is from heaven that if we be clothed we shal not be found naked 2 Co 5.1 2 3 Now shall Christ be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death for Christ is to me both in life and death advantage But to be with Christ is much better Phil. 1.20 21 23 Our conversation is in heaven from whence we look for a Saviour even our Lord Iesus Christ who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body Phil. 3.20 21. This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the World to save sinners of whom I am chief 1 Tim. 1.15 Whosoever endureth to the end shall be saved Matth 24 13. Be thou faithfull unto death and I will give thee the crowne of life Apoc. 2.10 These are pure and coole streams and fountains to asswage the heat of sin and fear of death Hee swims safely who baths himself in these waters of comfort § 28. Holy Ejaculations and Prayers of a dying man HOly Eligius a little before his death embracing his friends with teares spoke thus unto them Farewell all yee and suffer me from henceforth to rest Earth must return to earth the Spirit will finde the way to God that gave it So holding up his hands and eyes to heaven prayed so a good while and at last burst forth into these words Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word Remember Lord that thou hast made mee as earth Enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified O remember mee thou Redeemer of the World who onely art without sin and bringing mee from the body of this death place mee in thy Kingdom I know I doe not deserve to see thy face and tast thy favour but thou knowest that all my hopes have bin in thy all-saving mercies and now ô Christ dying in the confession of thy holy Name I doe render my last breath my soule into thy safe keeping Receive me ô Lord according to thy great mercies and let mee not be confounded in my hope open to mee the gate of life and let not the powers of darknes hold me Let thy right hand bring me into thy resting place and let me enjoy one of those Mansions which thou hast prepared for those tha love and feare thee And having thus prayed hee departed Oh could wee follow the example of this holy man let us therefore call upon Christ in these or the like words Enlighten mine eyes ô Iesus that I sleep not in death lest that mine enemy say unto mee I have prevailed against him Psal 13 4. O Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the living God put I pray thee thy Passion Crosse and meritorious death betwixt thy judgment and my poore soule O Remember not Lord our old sins but have mercy upon us and that soon for wee are come to great misery Psal 77.8 Oh m st sweet Jesus Christ our Lord for the honour and vertue of thy most blessed Passion make me to be numbred with thy Saints in glory everlasting Enter not into judgment ô sweet Iesu with thy servant for in thy sighâ— shall no flesh living be justified and then let him utter these words I worship thee ô Lord Iesus Christ and blesse thy name for thou by thy holy Crosse and Passion hast redeemed the World O thou Saviour of the World save mee which by thy bitter Crosse and precious bloud hast redeemed me Draw mee unto thee ô Iesus who didst say When I am lifted up from the earth I shall draw all men unto me O most meâ—cifull Iesus I pray thee by thy precious bloud which thou sheddest for sinners to blot out all my offences O let thy bloud purifie me let thy body ô Christ save mee wash mee in thy bloud and let thy passion confirme my soule ô good Iesu heare me hide me in thy wounds suffer me not to be separated from thee in the houre of death call me bid me to come unto thee that I with all the rest of the glorious Saints may prayse thee O my gracious Redeemer I do wholly give up my self unto thee Cast mee not out from thy presence I come unto thee reject me not Cast me not out of thy sight and take not thy holy Spirit from mee Oh let not my iniquity cast me away whom thy goodnesse did create As death approacheth neerer so let the dying man pray thus O God according to thy will so let thy mercy come unto me bid ô God that my spirit may
pag. 291 16 Like life like death pag. 296 17 The desire of a good death pag. 298 18 Sleep the brother of death pag. 300 19 The forerunners of death pag. 302 20 How we must answer the messenger of death pag. 305 21 A sweet death the worst death pag. 307 22 Deaths blessednesse pag. 312 23 A dying mans farwell to the living pag. 315 24 What should be the words and meditations of a dying man pag. 319 25 Things specially to be observed by a dying man pag. 321 26 What a dying man should do pag. 323 27 Consolation for a sick man pag. 325 28 Holy ejaculations for a dying man pag. 329 29 The dying mans confidence in God pag. 333 30 The last words of a dying man pag. 336 31 Of the conforming our will to Gods will pag. 338 32 The dying mans emulation of the good thief pag. 339 33 Of the Heliotropium pag. 342 34 Prayers for a dying man pag. 345 A YE think DEATH sleeps Take heed he 'll wake ye'll mone B Health makes you skip and dance while sick men grone C Quails shower down to please the gluttons tongue D Sweet Zephyr strows his Flowres Alas how long E Yet Phoebus smiles and walks with goodly grace But clouds ere long will mask his radiant face F When Virtue moves Health gives you stubborn backs Like Rammes when Vice pliant as Virgin-wax G Feast frolick gallants feast drink-swagger rore and kisse But think how on this Point hangs endlesse we or blisse THE FORE-RUNNER of ETERNITIE Or Messenger of DEATH sent to healthy sick and dying men The Remembrance of Death propounded to the Healthy §. 1. Instructions to the Reader and an Introduction to the Work MAny have written comfortable Antidotes against Diseases and Death I determine the same and they are so far from discouraging me that they rather incite my Penne. Some of them with leave be it spoken are too long so that they burthen a sick man with their too too many precepts Others not so much forgetting brevity as a Methodicall Order doe make it too accurate They had not so much offended had they kept their Pens from paper as Apelles desired in Protogenes Plin. l. 35 c. 10. post initium Many have discours'd excellently but as I may say not satisfactory for Practise Theorie is to be commended but here wee must doe and in stead of words set forth action There are others that propose nothing to sick and dying parties but meere terrors and feares and so astonish them yet living I know my Reader that thy desire is to be prepared for Death with small expences I will endeavour to answer thy expectation and Briefly Orderly and Cheerefully I will lead thee to Deaths dore so as thou shalt scarce perceive it 1. Briefly Briefly for I write not a volume but a short Treatise which may be thy dayly companion 2. Orderly I will not observe a strict Order but rather a mixt the way that is plesant seems streight though there be many windings Cheerefully for I will not only treat of Religion 3. Cheerfully but will mix with it verses and fit old Epigrams so that my style shall not only be plaine but relishing of sanctified mirth Thus I thought fitting to admonish thee at the entrance into this subject §. 2. That the Remembrance of Death should be dayly HAppy is that man that spends every day as if it were his last Epictetus doth wisely teach Epictet Enchir. cap. 28. Death saith hee and Banishment and all other evills should be daily before our eyes especially Death So shall our thoughts never be too base nor too ambitious Wretched men why possesse you such large hopes why undergoe you such a great weight of disturbances who to morrow perchance may be dust and ashes Stand sure O man for the sable Goddesse Death daily stands over thy head and when the little remnant of sand in thy houre-glasse shall be runn'd out with a vigilant and undrousie eye expects thy arrivall and canst thou but expect Her as he sung Ortum quicquid habet finem timet i. e. All that a beginning have Doe expect and feare a grave Ibimus omnes i. e. We all must goe To the earth below Nor can any age bribe Death As soone as we are borne we pay tribute and are Deaths hirelings Nay as soone as greedy eyes the first light see Then doe wee even begin to die Death kills the Empresse as well as the Handmaid As the Poet well Horat. lib. 1. ep 4. Because wee dye so fast Think every day thy last Say every Evening This day I stand at the dore of Eternity §. 3. The remembrance of Death is a Medicine against all sinnes THE serious remembrance of Death shakes off all sense of Pleasure and turnes the sweetest hony to Wormwood S. Chrysostome saith Chrysost in his 5. Sermon of wickednesse repulsed pag. 678. The expectation of Death to come will scarcely suffer or give admittance to any carnall delights And truly what doth not the sense of Death work if but entred into the fingers or the pores of the Head much more when it seises upon the whole body it spareth no age no dignity one young man dies another Infant another old man One dies by the sword another by poyson a third by a fall one departs lingringly another suddenly as overtaken with some violent storme or thunder clap Now amongst so many doubtfull changeable and suddain events what security can be expected What courage can there be to sinne amongst such uncertainties And why because we die daily Think of thy houre-glasse though slowly to sense yet certainly by degrees the sands doe runne from the uppermost to the nethermost Cell Apply this to thy fleeting life Every moment some parcell of our life slides away Here 's nothing safe one houre deceives another one moment steales somewhat from another Happy is hee which makes every day his last more happy hee which reckons every houre but most happy that man who accounts every moment He will abstaine from sinne that counts this present moment to be his determined time Oh deceitfull Hopes how many have you deluded While you promise to many the end of their journey old age and yet cut them off in the middest of it in their youth You make men beleeve that may happen to them which many have enjoyed the flourishing of the Almond tree what a number have fallen with innocent hands yet peccant hearts How many have been overtaken by Death whilest they have beene in meditating of wickednesse How many sinners and sinnes hath Death cut off in the middest of their acts How many have smarted for their endeavours to sinne being examples of rashnesse presumption Have not many put a period to their lives and sinnes together What if thou shouldst be one of this number Or why shouldst thou be priviledged beyond others Oh! Scriban in Polit. Christ lib. 1. c. 27. who would think
of this life should bee daily considered and some progresse to he made every day more than other 3 Nicolaus Christopherus Radzivilius a Prince of Poland affirmes that in Aegypt those which did excell others in age and wisdome did daily carry about them dead mens bones set in ebony or some other thing and did use to shew them to men and by these they did daily exhort men to remember their ends the Aegyptians also use at their banquets to bring in a deaths head and end their merry meetings with this sad Embleme to have presented before them the shoulder-blade of a dead man with this heavie motto Remember you must die 4 The Great Cham of Tartarie in the City of Bagdad upon a Festivall day which they call Ramadam shewing himselfe to the people riding upon a Mule being richly apparelled investments of gold and silver cloth his Turbant being all set with precious jewels yet all his head and ornaments are hid under a blacke veile by which custome and ceremony hee shews that the greatest glory and highest magnificence will be shaded and obscured with death Baron Tom. 7. An. 567. 5 There was laid over Iustinian the Emperour being dead a large Carpet in which in Phrygian work there were woven the lively Effigies of all the Cities that hee had conquered and all the barbarous Kings he had subdued and in the midst of all those great Battails Trophies and Conquests there was the Image of Death For for certain Death doth sport it self in Kingdomes as he said Pallida mors aeque pulsat pede c. Death onely strikes not poore men dead and clowns But lofty Turrets and Imperiall Crowns Martine the fifth Pope of Rome Aulea Otho Column a dictus had this in a Badge or Symbol In a great fire ready kindled in which were throwne a Bishops Mitre a Cardinals Hat an Emperours Diadem the Crownes of Kings a Dukes Cap of Maintenance and Sword with this adnexed Motto So passeth all worldly glory 6 A man asked a Mariner upon a time where his Father died De remed utriusque fortunae l. 1. dial 121. Fran. Petrarch Cujus opera hic saepius utendum the Mariner replyed in the Sea the other asked him where his grandfather and his great grandfather died the Sailer answered again at Sea and quoth the other art not thou then afraid to goe to Sea The Sailor wittily replyed and Sir I pray you tell me where your Father died He answered in his bed but where died your grandfather and all other your Ancestours in their beds replyed the other then are not you afraid to go into your bed seeing all your forefathers died there no said the other why said the Sailor by your owne relation the bed is the more dangerous in this respect for there many more dies in their beds than there doe at sea and you may die there as soon as I may at sea A witty answer and well applyed Let our daily Meditations be as Lipsius said when hee went sick to bed ad Lectum ad Lethum to the Bed and so to the Grave for many have died in their sleep Death being but the elder sister of sleep 7 Iohn Patriarch of Alexandria Leâ—â—â— â—ypâ—or Episc c. 18. in vita Ioanâ—â—s which took his name from hiâ— Almesdeeds in his health he commanded his sepulchre to be built but it was not fully finished in so much that upon a great solemnâ— feast day in the presence of all the Clergie when hee had ended his sacred Charge One said to him My Lord your sepulchre is not yet built up nor perfected command I pray you that it may be made speedily up For your honour knows not how soone the Thiefe may overtake you 8 It was not lawfull for any one to speake to the Easterne Emperour being newly created Idem ibid. before that a Mason had shewed him som sorts of Marble of several colours and had asked which of those he liked best to have his Sepulcher made of What was this else but to say Be not high minded o Emperour Thou art a man and shalt die as the meanest begger Xiphili in Domit. who in this banquet did not seeke to remember death but sport and vanity Looke therefore so to the government of thy Kingdome which thou shalt lose as that thou losest not the Kingdome which is everlasting 9 Domitianus the Romane Emperour made a banquet to the chiefe of his Senators and great Knights after this manner Hee had all the roomes covered with black cloaths also the roofes of the Chambers the walls and the pavement the seats all black promising mourning In the chief place was a funeral bed the guests were brought in by night without any attendants by every one there was placed a Coffin with every mans name upon it there were laÌ„ps added set up as use to be at funerals the waiters at the table they carried the colours of the night in their habits and countenances and compassed the guests with notes and gestures of Death all this while supper was celebrated in great silence and Domitians discours was only of burialls and Death at the table to the astonishment and affrightment of his guests who feared what would be the issue of this his action What followed think you after all this mournfull carriage and deportment onely Domitianus had provided a wholsome document for himselfe and his Senators but never made use of it so that it was rather judged folly than wisedome The Egyptians doe better who alwayes temper their feasts with some seasonable lessons of Mortality § 27. A discourse of New shifts made by Assan Bashaw in Grand Cayro for erecting of a Temple IN Grand-Cayro in Egypt there is a Turkish Temple which they call a Mosque which was builded by this meanes Radâ— Epist 3. Itineris in palastin pag. 176. Assan the Bashaw for the Grand-Seigneur of Turky a man of a cunning head and a covetous Heart being desirous his fame should be spread abroad through the world by some eminent structure but willing to save his owne purse went this way to worke He commanded it to be proclaimed in all places what a mighty Temple he was intended to build to God And that this Temple mighâ— proceed with all happy successe he published what large wages all they that would come and worke should have paid them withall what an huge offering should there be offered thereupon the time and place was appointed This call'd an innumerable company of people out of all Egypt and not onely from thence but a world of people came from all other parts to Grand-Cayro Against this great confluence of peoples comming Assan the Bashaw had prepared a mighty number of new shirts and coats now those which came to the offering as also they which came to receive wages were all coÌ„manded to passe through severall little dores out of one great spacious court into another and at each dore as
of the second Act thinking in it to stirre up more delight and liking in the people On a sudden there fell such a violent storme that the people could not stand to heare him at that time but he promised the people that on the next day they should heare it all finished So on the next day there was a mighty company of people assembled every one strove to place himselfe in the fitted seat either for sight or hearing they that came something late beckned to their friends to make roome for them they that came last were mainly streightned for room The whole Theatre was cram'd with Auditors and there was a wonderfull throng their discourse was divers some talked of what had bin acted the day before others that knew not the former action came to behold the sequell Nothing now was expected but Philemon well the time past on yeâ— no Philemon appeared some blamed his stay others excused it but when as most did thinke they had stayed longer then was fit and yet so no appearance of the actor they sent some speedy Messengers to call him but they that went found all their expectations frustrated for Philemon was dead in his bed and stiffe and lay in his bed as if hee had bin meditating his part with his hand on his Book but his soule was fled out and so his Auditory failed The Messengers that entred were struck at first with astonishment of this sudden alteration yet wondred much to see how comely hee was laid In his bed Well they returned to the people and told them that Philemon who should have acted a fained part had acted at home a true Play for hee had to all worldly things given his farewell and Plaudite Whereupon divers did grieve amd lament the showre the day before was now seconded with a showre of teares and the Comoedian was now turned Tragoedian If wee looke onely on our present life a then Death will be wished for and that man dyes well who dyes without the feare of Death but yet happier by far is he that is found of Death so doing and who dyes in his worke So that Death it self shal find him busie St. Cyprian the Martyr wisht Hippo. 4. Septemb. p. 920. that hee might be offered to God by Death as he was in preaching he is worthy of prayse whom never the Devill or Death cuts off in their idlenesse § 41. We must watch and pray BEcuse yee know not the time in which the Sonne of man will come The Romans watched in their Armes though sometimes without their shieid because they would have nothing to leane upon because they would prevent sleep Thou must watch oh man and it is profitable to watch with the armour of God upon thy soule the ardent prayers of Christians are their Armour of proof Hope of long life is the leaning stocke that too many sleep upon The usual words of the Romans when they watched were these Vigila vigila Mars vigila Marc. 13.33 35 37. i. e. Watch oh souldier watch By the usuall termes they stirr'd up one another to watch By the same words oh my soule doth God incite thee to watâ—hfulnesse The very heaven it self by his incessant motion and constant course night and day adviseth thee to rouze up thy selfe Wilt thou grow deafe to such a Lecturer and give thy selfe to sleep heare Christ himselfe saying Watch and pray as Saint Marke testifies Christ at the end of one Sermon did thrice repeat this clause in these words 1 Goe to watch and pray 2 Therefore watch and pray for you know not when the Lord will come in the Evening or at Midnight or at Cock-crowing or in the Morning Lest if when he should come suddenly be should find you sleeping 3 What therefore I say to you I say unto all watch S. Matthew often speaks the same Mat. 24.42 25.13 c. 26.41 Watch therefore for ye know not what houre the Lord will come And repeats it againe Watch therefore for yee neither know the day nor the houre And our Saviour inculcates the same at the Mount of Olives Watch and pray that yee enter not into tentation Hee publisheth the same by Saint Luke Watch therefore and continue in prayers Luke 21.36 that same very word Watch how often is it doubled by Saint Paul all these is thunder-claps may serve to rowze up our drowzie souls Wee are deafe nay dead if we startle not at all these quickning voyces Who ever thou art if thou hast bin lulled asleep in thy sins awaken Awake thou that sleepest arise and stand up and Christ shall give thee light Knowest thou that fatall blow of Egypt in the middle of the night the destroying Angell smote all Egypt Remember the Lot of the ten Virgins There was at midnight a great cry made and those Virgins which were ready were admitted into the Bride-chamber but those that slept were excluded Canst thou but remember that gluttonous abusive servaÌ„t Did not his Lord come in a time that he looked not for and in an houre that he dream't not off Canst thou but consider that good Master of the Family He watched at all houres lest at any houre the Thief should enter and spoyle his goods Canst thou oh canst thou but think on thy Saviour Was not he borne in the middle of the night The same as many think will about the same time come at the time of the general judgment Watch therefore oh watch and thinke every day to be thy Exit from hence § 42. Eight Verses out of the Psalmes of David selected by Saint Bernard which he himself used for the time of Death COnsider and heare me ô Lord my God lighten mine eyes lest I sleep the sleepe of death Lest mine Enemies say I have prevailed against him Psal 13.3 4. Into thine hand I commit my spirit thou hast redeemed mee ô Lord God of truth Psal 31.5 Then spake I with my tongue Lord make mee to know mine End and the measure of my days What it is that I may know what time I have here Psal 39 3 4. Shew me a token for good that they which hate me my see it and be ashamed because thou Lord hast holpen me and comforted mee Psal 86.17 Thou hast loosed my bonds I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call upon the Name of the Lord. Psal 116.17 Refuge failed me no man cared for my soul I cryed unto thee ô Lord I said Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living Psal 142.4 5. A Prayer for an happy departure out of this life O Almighâ—y and Everlasting God who didst give unto thy servant King Ezechiah length of days when as hee in teares besought thy goodnesse Grant I beseech thee to mee thy unworthy servant before my death such a space and time in which I may heartily deplore and lament all my sins and that for them all I may by thy infinite mercies
said it Remember thy promise made to thy servant wherin thou hast caused mee to put my trust It is my comfort in my trouble and say thou with Ieremiah the Prophet But I have not thrust in my selfe for a Pastor after thee Ier. 17.16 17. Be not thou terrible unto me Thou art my hope in the â—ay of adversitie And also heare him elswhere Ier. 31.16 17. Refraine thy voice from weeping and thine eyes from teares for thy work shall be rewarded and there is hope in thine end Iob 13. â—5 17 12 Iob was most confident in this Though hee kill me yet will I trust in him And when hee was at the threshold of death he saith I have changed the night for the day And in Ecclesiasticus it is said Ecclus 2.11 12 13. Know yee that none that trust in the Lord hath been confounded for who hath abode in his Commandements and was forsaken And who hath called upon him and hath been rejected Because the Lord is holy and mercifull and will forgive in the day of afflâ—ction Hee is the protectour of all such as seek him in verity Osee 12.6 And the Prophet Hosea cries out Trust in thy God for ever for they that trust in him shall not be confounded seeing the Lord is good to all that feare him even to the soule that trusts in him Lam. 3.26 27. It is good both to trust in and to waite for the salvation of the Lord for truly the Lord is good and as a strong hold in the day of trouble and hee knoweth all that trust in him Nahum 1.7 And wee also know that when he shall appeare we shall be l ke him for we shall see him as he is 1 Iohn 3.2 3. And every one that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe even as he is pure Have thou therefore thy hope fixed upon Gods goodnesse for he will not forsake him Psal 116.9 that hopes in him But as David speaks Wee shall see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the living § 22. Tranquillity flows from true hope Ps 116.7 REturn unto thy rest ô my soule for the Lord hath beene gracious unto thee Why faintest thou in such variety of laborious travels behold the Lord is present to put an end to all thy pains leave off therefore ô my soule to be any longer willingly miserable and to waste thy selfe with such fruitlesse toyles sicknesse and death are the beginnings of rest to thee thou mayest say perhaps they are hard beginnings it is true they are so but thou knowest after stormy weather usually come the greatest calmes so here thy â—est thus purchased is rest eternall Now perhaps Good-Friday wearies thee but thou doest know that Easter is nigh for aye to last Goe on and partake willingly some share of labour and sorrow thou expects an Haven to arrive in not onely out of this troublesome World but into that which is eternall in Heaven Though thy labours be but in thy apprehension now begun yet they are sufficiently done when hee to whom thou hast laboured accounts them so Thou therefore ô my soule leave off vanity and turn thee to thy God who hath done great things for thee Count if thou canst all his benefits thou mayest sooner reckon the sands on the shore by which his favours he hath laid open away to thy eternall felicitie Saint Bernard commended that chiefly to his before his death That they would firmly fix the Anchor of their hopes in the safe bosome of Gods mercy Let us have therefore that Verse of that sweet Singer daily in our mouthes In thee O Lord have I put my trust let mee never be confounded deliver mee in thy righteousnesse § 23. Patience is the whole armour of a Christian. DEmosthenes being asked what was the chiefe ornament and grace of Eloquence answered Action being asked what was next to that answered Action being asked the third time replyed Action so that as he gave the prime grace and credit to Action so hee made it the onely grace of Rhetorick If I should be asked what is the chiefest thing requisite for a sick man I would say and rightly too Patience if it should be asked what is the most profitable for him I would answer againe Patience If again the third time what is the most decent thing for a sick man I would repeat the same and say Patience This deserves all the credit shee should not onely weare the first but also the second and third Bayes Let us see what repute the divine Oracles bestow upon Patâ—ence our Saviour saith Luke 2â— 19. By patience possesse your souls nor doth S. Paul say little lesse Ye have need of Patience that when yee have done the worke Heb. 10.36 you might receive the promise And Saint James Let Patience have her perfect work Would you any more ô impatient man Acts 14.27 By many tribulations wee must enter iâ— tâ— the Kingdome of God Where the thorne pâ—icks thee will grow a Rose to crowne thee Truth it self proclaymes it Whosoever shâ—ll not take up his crosse and come after Lu. 14.25 he cannot be my Disciple Admiâ— theâ—efoâ—e the Councell of Saint Augustine Suffer what thou wouldest not Aug. in Psal 6. â—hat thou mayest enjoy that which thou wouldest Salomon beats upon the same Prov. 3.11 12. Despise not the correction of the Lord and faint not when thou art chastened of him For whom the Lord loves hee corrects and takes pleasure in him as in a sonne God delighteth not in destruction but after a storme bringeth a calme and for teares rejoycing the Name of the God of Israel be praysed for ever Therefore blessed are yee that weep Lu. 6.21 for yee shall be comforted The furnace tryes the vessels of the potter and so doth the tentation of tribulation righ eous men Wherefore ô my sick man compose thy selfe to all patience Patience is chiefly necessary for thee before any other thing Thy meat perhaps rellisheth ntowith thee Patience will digest all It is common and one of the first things that befall sickmen to lose their palates their sleep may be short and interrupted Patience will give ease and rest Doe sicke men slâ—epe so well as healthy doe paines torment patience doth mitigaâ—e â—re thy attendants negligent in their duties usefull then is Patience To satisfie a sickman in all things is very difficult Perhaps there may want apt Comforters Oh then embrace patience Thy Lord Christ is the onely Comforter though many things be wanting which may seeme necessary possesse but thy selfe with this one rich cordiall and all will be well all will be quiet Ioachim Elector of Brandenburgh comming to visit Charles the fifth Emperor being troubled with the Gout did admonish the Emperour to use the help of Physicians to whom Charles the Emperour replyed The best remedy for this sore is Patience and so truly the onely remedy and the whole
desire ô God I desire to worke in thy Vineyard to indure cold heat wearinesse vexation the Crosse I desire to suffer hunger oâ— thirst or any molestation any heavines or misery for thy sake I have learnt this by the Example of an holy man who when he was visited with more sorrow and sicknes then was usuall he was admonished by another friend of his to entâ—eat God to deale more favourably with him to whom he answered as it were in anger but that I perceive your simplicitie I should have put you from my company for saying such words And pâ—esently hee cast himselfe upon the Earth I give thee thanks ô God for these things which thou hast sent mee to suffer Enlarge my sorrows multiply my pains send mee an hundred diseases I know for certaine thou wilt with all these gâ—ve mee patience What can I say but this thing onely It is too litâ—le that I suffer ô God adde if it be thy good pleasure more and more to them I have deserved farre more bitter stripes then thou ô mercifull God hast yet inflicted Here ô Lord spare me not burn me cut me teare me in pieces onely save me hereafter If I had an hundred bodies I would adorne so many crosses wiâ—h them for thy sake that I may please thee ô kinde Father that I may be but numbred with thy Saints in Glory Everlasting I weigh not what paines and miseries I here undergo and suffer a thousand without any exception so I may gain thee Let thy will ô God be fully done For I know that thy service is perfect freedome to whom both the will and the deed are acceptable and how often dost accept the will for the deed and rewardest it equally I am now by thy appointment ô Lord call'd to rest my night comes in which I cannot worke Yet although this my disease takes away from mee the power of working yet it deprives mee not of the will I will ô Lord I will and while breath or life continue for thy love I am ready and willing to doe or suffer as the holy Martyrs and pious Christians have done and suffered before me Say onely ô Lord what wilt thou me have doe What must I suffer for I offer a whole World full of good desires to thee I will goe to the utmost parts of the Earth nay with readâ—nesse and willingnesse to the Indies the tops of Mountains shall not let mee the great Valleys shall not deterre mee I will climbe these travell through those the vast heaps of snow shal not stop me nor the lofty waves I will passe through both Nor rocks nor fire scornings reproaches disgraces shame accusations all these none of these shall be able to deterre my course for suffering in thy cause nor will I for thy love ô Eternall Wisdom think much to be counted a fool I will glory in the title it is not blows nor death which I will decline for thy sake Nothing shall be too hard nothing too bitter nothing unpleasant nothing impossible where the cords of thy love doe draw my soule I shall goe through with all incumbrances with all oppositions by thy aid and assistance and what I cannot doe by strength I will performe in desires wherein my hands or feet shall faile thither will I goe in desire in affection But all these wishes and willings if â—hey be brought to action will they unlock and open Heaven gates If I shall bring forth all these specious fruits shall I then be worthy to be in the presence of God Ah! ô my Lord God! though I suffer and doe whatsoeuer thy holy Saints have done and suffered or what they would have done or suffered yet shal I not be worthy to abide in thy sight one moment how much lesse then when as I doe but offer up to thee these small and emptie desires By what means then shall I make my way ready for heaven ôh infinite Goodnesse if thou shalt not have mercy upon mee I am undone for ever I shall never be admitted into Heaven if thy mercy excludes me There is therfore this one sanctuary and this one refuge remayning to mee to save me from thy anger and just indignation Thy mercy ô Lord is that vast Ocean and immense Sea into this I will throw my self whensoever death shall cast me from the little Hillock of this world and also while I do possesse this little Tabernacle I will freely and wholly cast my selfe into that bottomlesse Sea of thy infinite mercies beiâ—g fully assured that herein I shall be safe from all the flames and flashes of Hell fire I cry out therefore with King David Have mercy upon me O God after thy great goodnesse according to the multiude of thy tender mercies blot out all mine offâ—nces Wash mee throughly from my wickednesse and cleanse mee from my sinne So also in my greatest extremitie in my last and uttermost houre of my life when my soule must goe forth from her old decayed house with all my ardentest and earnestenst desires I will and wish that one thing yea while I live and am wel in health deliberately and affectionately I thirst after those pleasant Rivers of waters yea at my gaspe I desire thaâ— my sigh may signifie so much to men anâ— Angels that I onely cry and sigh for this one favour al â—hy hands Have mercy upon me ô GOD after thine own goodnesse according to the multitude of thy tender compassions c. § 31. The sick mans sure and true confidence in God IT is a serious businesse and no childish art to die and well may the sicke man bee asked wilt thou wholly commit thy selfe to the hazard of Eternitie thou entrest into an unknowne way and whither wilt thou come to whâ—ch the sick may answer 〈◊〉 not to mutter as those wretches who say I am compeld I must but rather in an upright course let him say I doe willingly and wholly give my soule so I commit my selfe to Eternity so I depart hence joyfully So even so let healthy men say and think but especially such as are ready to die both these may truly say hitherto I have begun to die onely now I doe so Now I begin my journey to Eternity and because Gods mercy knows no end and exceeds all measure I goe on without dread In thee ô Lord have I put my trust let mee never be put to confusion I hope never never ô Lord and though there be a thousand witnesses out of the sacred Writt to confirme my hope in this point yet let mee not despise the excellent Councell which that Roman wise man affords That we should think of Death and the returne from Death Thus the Ancients have delivered their minds When that day shall come which shall separate my soule from my body I shall leave this body where I found it but I my selfe shall be restored to God Neither am I now without him onely I am detained by this heavy earthy body of
unlearned rich and poore at length have all one Epitaph which Moses hath writ for them Gen. 5. sapius Et mortuus est i. e. hee is dead Emperours at their first Inauguration were asked what kinde of stone they would have their sepulchre made off The same thing almost doe I ô Reader enquire of thee Choose what forme of Epitaph pleaseth thee best Wilt thou nilt thou some or other will doe this for thee though against thy will and will speak of thee when thou art dead though living thou haddest rather be silent then write Funerall Elegies or Epitaphs I will here exhibit a forme of a sepulchrall Inscription which I doe think profitable for mee for thee ô Reader and for most Christians at least for meditation onely change but a few things and this it is Whosoever thou art ô Reader I have somthing to seek out of thee 9 Knowest thou who may dwell in this narrow prison under ground I am the sonne of corruption and the brother of wormes This is my stock aske not after my name that 's vanished with my life which I spent after many teares and weak endeavours in books which almost I shut up with my life ô Guest would I had now given my selfe more to vertue lesse to vices ô would I had before my death dyed more in my affections now thou mayest I cannot perform it Whosoever thou art for I cannot see in this darknesse whilest thou canst be ripe for death before thy death by this means thy life wil be more comfortable by how oftner thou art in this exercise Farewell Reader till the Trumpet shall sound from Heaven at which time I do expect a joyfull resurrection But least we should be ignorant that it is not purple adornments funerall pompe nor the silken covering nor the long traine of mourning friends nor the brave Coats of Arms nor the greatnes of Kinred nor the prayses of the vulgar not the wives lamentations nor the funerall Sermon nor the title of the dead though seeming to live in Marble for they have their Obitâ— too nor all these make an happy death but grace and vertue and a minde not broken nor terrified withall the threatnings of death to have lived well and uprightly is the fairest Epitaph of all others § 11. Nine Reasons to prswade us to die with a resolved minde ABove all things meditate and seriously thinke on the death of thy Saviour 1 Reas and thou wilt then beare thine comfortably Compare I beseech thy Bed to his Crosse thy Couches with his Crown of thornes thy meat with his gall thy drinke to his Vineger thy griefs with his torments Thou art amongst thy Friends Kinred he in the midst of his enemies thou art among all the hands for help but he was left of all land so died for the recovery of thy health what medicines and helps are not used but hee had nothing to quench his thirst Yet he was Lord and chiefe thou but a servant the lowest the vilest all things that were laid upon him he was guiltlesse off and deserv'd them not All things that thou sufferest thou standest guilty off and more Wherefore thou hast no just cause to complain 2 Cause 2 The chiefest favour of the greatest King is a good death but to die well is to avoid the danger of living ill Now he dyes well who dyes willingly Who would not willingly rise from a rough hard bed onely they refuse it who are laid warme in a soft Feather-bed if thy life here had been full of grievances evils and miseries how willing wouldst thou be to passe to a better if thy life hath bin prosperous and rich it is high time that thou shouldst end for fear prosperity which hath destroyed so many should also ruine thee Death is the most unwelcome to riâ—h men Croesus had not come to the fire but for his wealthy old age Many slaves had they died in their youth had died free-born Ah! how many and how great men who are condemned in eternall flames whom if death had taken from hence in their infancy or youth had enjoyed glory and immortality 3 It is the joy of all the Angels and Saints to have us with them but say you then must wee leave all our friends and associats here O improvidently Thou art going to them Thy parents where are they Hopest thou not that they are in Heaven And that thou shalt also come thither Doest thou not also believe tâ—at many of thy Kindred and acquaintance are in joy Coelestiall And doest not thou live here in hoâ—e to passe from hence to them but these things are not certaine they are onely in hope 't is true neither doth any man hope for what he fecth or possesseth therefore God hath afforded thee matter to exercise this Vertue He hath commanded thee to hope for Heaven never did he will thee or promise thee security but thou mayest certainly know thy self to be carried thither in hope whereinto yet thou canst not see The Creditor hath no reason to distrust a faithfull debtor I say it affirmatively that God hath made himselfe the debtor to thee Consider seriously whose Creditor thou art did not he speak it with joy who said I know whom I have trusted 2 Tim. 12 4 Thinke also ô man whose spirit droops or fails that admirable alacrity and ardent study and prompt willingnesse of the holy Martyrs for death who lightly despised all the great preparations to death who underwent the most cruellest torments even with smiling and rejoycing countenances Surely nor death nor the pain of it is terrible onely the feare of both makes both dreadfull Wherefore wee prayse him who said Death is not an evill but it is evill to die naughtily Children are afraid of Vizards and Spirits because of their unskilfulnessâ— is Death a Vizard turne the inside outwards and thou shalt know it to be so Yet neither Infants nor Children nor distracted folks fear Death It is most absurd that reason cannot perform that resolvednesse in us which folly and childishnesse leads us too Death is a Tribute and Custome that all men must pay Why therefore art thou sad and disconsolate when as thou payest no more then thou owest and doest no more then every man else performs No man here can plead exemption or priviledge No man hitherto hath gone scot-free none ever shall this is that hard Battle where none none I say escape The World saith Saint Basil is mortall In Ps 115 and the Region of dying creatures 5. What is the continuation of the feare of Death but the prolongation and extent of torment Doest thou live long Thou art long under pain but say you I cannot but feare the danger that is imminent although it comes on but with a slow pace Then therefore cease to feare when as there is in it that good that may remove and will for certain take away all feare Tertullian spoke admirably That is not to be
ever dwell with thee Oh let that voice sound in my eares To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Lord Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word For mine eyeâ— have seen thy salvation Oh loving Iesus what is thine own I beseech thee to take O Lord Iesu Make mee to be numbred with thyne Elect. O Iesus thou Son of Dauid have mercy upon mee Lord be thou my helper Make haste ô Lord Iesus to come and help me O Lord Iesus receive my spirit Amen § 29. The dying mans confidence in GOD. HEre I doe confidently with S. Bernard confesse and say let others pretend their Merits and others that they can and have borne the heat of the day yet I hold it good to keepe close to the mercy of God and to put my confidence in the Lord. And though I am conscious to my selfe that my former life hath been full of sin so that I deserve to be cast off by Gods justice yet will I never leave off to trust in his infinite goodnesse and â—hat as hitherto his al-sufficient Grace hath administred strength â—o my weaknesse so the same will â—et give me strength and power to â—eare all things patiently and wilâ—ingly And this my patience â—hough small and little helped by â—he assistance of his Grace whiâ—h doth infinitely exceed my thoughts will mitigate my pains and will bestow that eternall reward upon me in Heaven This one thing ô God will I desire of thee that thou wouldst never suffer me to fall from relying upon thy goodnesse although I know my self to be weak and undeserving Yea though I should come to that casting down and terrours that I did seem even to be utterly lost and left yet I would call to mind that Apostle of thine Saint Peter that was ready to sink at the first blast of winde and to fall from his faith and I would then even doe as hee did call upon thee and say Lord save mee and even then would I hope that thou wouldst stretch forth thy hand and helpe mee but yet if thou shouldst permit mee to be harder beset then Peter which I pray thee not to suffer ô Lord yet I neverthelesse do hope that thou wouldst looke upon mee with the eyes of thy mercy and that thou wouldst turne and behold mee as thou didst Peter when he had denied thee and that thou wouldst not suffer thy whole displeasure to arise but that thou wouldst help me and deliver my soul This I know assuredly that God will not forsake me without my fault I know that of Saint Augustine to be most true God can free and hath done for many great things without any desert of theirs because he is Good but yet he never condemn'd one without great demerits because he is just Therefore in great trust and confidence I do wholly rely upon him if for my sins he suffers me to perish yet his justice shall be glorified but I hope and certainly doe hope that his mercifull goodnesse will keep my soul that so rather his mercy may be praysed then his justice nothing can fal upoÌ„ me but what God will Now whatsoever hee wils though it may seeme harsh and evill yet is truly good Whatever ô God thou wilt I will the same altogether I will ô God I will § 30. The last words of a Dying man AVgustus the Emperour when hee dyed dedicated his last wordes to his Empresse Livia Livia said hee be all thy life long mindfull of our Marriage farewell How much trulier may Christians dedicate their last speeches to their Lord and Master Iesus Christ saying O Lord Remember the time since my soul was espoused to thee in holy wedlock Dionysius the Areopagite an holy man of life being condemned to lose his head â—earing the sentence of death with a generous resolution contemning the scoffâ— of the multitude repeated the last words of our Saviour Father into thy hands I commend my spirit Saint Basil the Great at the close of his life when as he had furnishd all them about him with excellent admonitions spoke the same words unto Christ as the former Martyr had done Saint Bernard as if he should shew to the sick man Christ Iesus Oh thou Christian saith hee despair not of thy sicknes Christ hath told thee what thou art to say in all the hazards of death to whom to flie to to whom to call on In whom to hope even in God the Father which cannot despise the prayers of them that trust in him doe thou therefore such works in the time of thy sicknesse that thou mayest truly say In thee ô Lord have I put my trust let me not be confounded Therefore let the last words of the dying man be directed to God to him our prayers to him let goe all our desires Let all our hopes terminate in him let him receive our last sighes let the dying man say thus from his heart To thee ô Lord doe I looke up to thee I lift up my eyes to thee I direct my prayers § 32. The conforming of our wils to Gods will is of great value especially at the end of our lives LVdovicus Blosius gives this advice for the conforming our wils to the will of God There is no exercise at our death can be more profitable thâ—n that every one should fully resigne himself into â—he hands of his C eatouâ— humbly lovingly wholly trusting and relying in his infinite mercy and goodnesse For it cannot but hee that whosoever doth thus place his confidence in God before his departure hence but that he shall partake of joy in the Caelestiall Kingdome For those that shall be for ever with the Lord shall be freed from punishmâ—nt In this mind died that good â—â—ief on the Crosse which did no desire our Saviour to save his body but wholly desired Christ to forgive his sins and to give him the Kingdom of Heaven so fully did he resigne himself into Gods hands so wholly did he offer himself to Christ that hee should do with him as he pleased And if it so fall out that when death is at hand thy sicknesse is grievous and painfull cast that also upon God For the death of Christ wil yield us consolation in death He is gone before innumerable others are gone before why should it irk thee to follow § 33. The dying man emulates the good Thief in Golgotha LOrd Remember mee when thou commest into thy kingdome Oh happy Thiefe which didst profit more in the school of Christ in 3 houres space then the Iscariot did in three yeers thou goest before me in words and for a forme of prayer who wast to Christ in his greatest extremity a Patron and an Advocate Good God! how deep are thy judgements his friends and kinred are silent his Disciples forsake him The Angels appear not neither is his mother suffered to defend his innoâ—enâ—e and where are those eleven thousand and more fed by this crucified Lord What one out of