entirely louing thee in his wise counsell tender affection which he beareth vnto thee doth by this sicknesse mortifie and bridle represse and keepe vnder thy old man fast bound as it were in ferters and chaines that so thou maist more willingly and chearfully offer vp thy body as a sacrifice to God and fasten it with Christ vpon his Crosse This sicknes of thine is therefore a fatherly chastisement not sent for thy hurt or for thy destruction but for thy great good to the end that thereby thou mayst be reformed yea quickned and restored as it were to life againe God thy heauenly Father seeth perhaps thy old Adam that is thy corrupt nature too lustie and vnruly and too froward and stubborne to wax wanton and proud and vnable to bridle and ouersway his lusts and that while he satisfieth too too much his own desires and affections he cannot restraine himself nor moderate and keepe himselfe in any good measure and therefore he doth shut him vp as it were in this prison and he bindeth him as it were with these fetters and chaines of weaknesse and sicknesse thereby to bridle represse and restraine him lest he should bring the most noble and precious soule in danger to be seduced Flesh blood doth reigne still and beare the sway in thee more then the Spirit Here therefore behold God is present with thy Spirit ayding and strengthening the same while it wrastleth against the rebellious and vnruly flesh that hauing vanquished the same it may subdue it and keepe it vnder It may be that if now at this time thou were in health and prosperitie perhaps thy flesh as it is alwaies inclined to nothing but euill hauing deceiued thee it would driue thee and cast thee headlong into many dangerous sinnes against thy God whereby the wrath of God shold be prouoked and a way prepared for thy soule vnto hell fire and damnation Now behold thy heauenly Father preuenting this losse and danger and prouiding better for thee and for thy welfare and safetie he restraineth and holdeth backe as it were with a bridle this flesh of thine which with tooth naile and with al her strength rebelleth against the Spirit and hauing taken it captiue as it were he restraineth the same that it tumble not into a sinke of sins but rather may be subdued and brought in obedience vnto the Spirit Now sith this is the good will and pleasure of thy heauenly father who doth all this in tender loue vnto thee and fith that all this tendeth to thy profite and welfare take heed in any wise that thou striue not nor oppose thy selfe against the same But rather suffer patiently and pray that thy heauenly Fathers wil may be accomplished and fulfilled that he will intreate thee and deale with thee according to his good pleasure that thou will and desire nothing but that which shall seeme good vnto him that all things may tend to the glorie and praise of God and that his grace may still be present with thee to enable thee to beare meekely and patiently the Crosse affliction that lyeth vpon thee For patience bringeth forth experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed Rom. 5.4 Rom. 5.4 Here hast thou matter and occasion of learning and of exercising patience in all afflictions First thou learnest that God afflicteth and punisheth thee with a fatherly affection And this thou learnest by experiēce For vnlesse thou haue experience hereof indeed how behooueful profitable it is for a man wholy to yeeld giue himselfe vnto God to obey his will according to that saying of Dauid Psal 119. It is good for me that thou hast humbled me thou canst not conceiue sure and stedfast hope and confidence in him hauing not had proofe and experience before of so fatherly and louing affection of Almightie God towards thee to lie hid vnder his rod and chastisement But when thou hast learned the same before by experience and hast now already some taste therof thy mind is not daunted nor ouercome with any crosses or afflictions but thy hope confidence is still more and more increased when as once and againe thou hast had experience of the helpe of God still present with thee And if God through a certaine conniuency suffer thee sometimes to bee plunged and to sticke fast in the mire as it were for a time yet notwithstanding at the length he will reach out his helping hand to saue and deliuer thee Hee suffereth thee peraduenture to swim a while yea to be plunged in the water or in the mire but he will not suffer thee in any wise to be drowned Hereby thē thou mayest make sure account that he will neuer forsake thee nor cast thee off when as being in danger he hath so often preserued thee In afflictions therefore thou learnest to conceiue and cherish within thy selfe a certaine and vndoubted hope confidence in God So as in farre greater troubles and distresses when as no help appeareth from elswhere thou mayst boldlie put trust and confidence in him being already taught and assured of his vsual and ordinarie manner in sauing deliuering his children Thou hast learned that sicknesses and other crosses and afflictions are sent not in anger but in fatherly loue and kindnesse which when thou art perswaded of being taught it by experience thou dost patiently wait for help Neither art thou discouraged but stedfastly hopest that at the length hee will send thee help and deliuerance howsoeuer he deferreth long hideth his face making as if hee heard not And so at length thou vnderstandest well and acknowledgest that thy greefe and sicknes is not sent vnto thee for thy hurt or perdition but for the glorie of God and for thine own eternall welfare and saluation He that can thus commit and yeeld vp himselfe vnto God resting and relying vpon his promises he shall no wise dye for euer Which thing Christ himselfe affirmeth with an oath that we might not doubt of it saying Verily verily I say vnto you Ioh. 8.51 If any man shall keepe my word he shall neuer see death And in another place hee saith I am the resurrection and the life Ioh. 11.25 He that beleeueth in me shall liue though he be dead and he that liueth and beleeueth in me shall not dye for euer These words of thy sweet Sauiour Christ deare brother be carefull to keep diligently and to haue deeply rooted in thy mind and therewithall raise vp and comfort this wauering mind of thine He that beleeueth in me saith Christ shall not taste of death Ioh. 5.24 He that beleeueth in me hath euerlasting life Ioh. 17.3 And This is euerlasting life that they know thee to be the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ This life euerlasting is begun in this world For whosoeuer hath Christ he hath the true life for Christ is the true life Ioh. 14.6 Ioh. 14.6 and he is
AN AMVLET OR PRESERVATIVE AGAINST SICKNES AND DEATH IN TWO PARTS The first containing Spirituall Direction for the Sicke at all times needfull but especially in the conflict of sicknes and agonie of death The second a Method or order of comforting the Sicke Whereunto is annexed a most pithie and comfortable Sermon of Mortalitie written by the blessed Martyr S. CYPRIAN Bishop of Carthage translated into English by A.M. Together with sundry Prayers needfull in time of sicknesse Collected and set forth for the comfort of distressed soules most especially in time of sicknes mortality By A. M. Minister of the word of God in Henley vpon Thames LONDON Printed by R. F. for THOMAS MAN and Ionas Man dwelling in Pater-noster Row at the signe of the Talbot 1617. ⧠To the right Worshipfull and vertuous Ladie the Ladie Elizabeth Periam of Greenlands A. M. Wisheth a long happy life with health and prosperitie here on earth and euerlasting glorie in the highest heauens GOOD MADAM I Do vnfainedly acknowledg and confesse that in my priuate iudgment I haue alwaies distasted the too much forwardnes of this age in publishing vnnecessary bookes and pamphlets So farre haue I bene from once intending my selfe to offend in that kind First in consideration of mine owne weaknesse and insufficiencie best knowne vnto my selfe Next in regard of that great light of learning knowledge which shineth most brightly euery where at this day And lastly in respect of the great peruersnesse curiositie that reigneth in the minds of sundrie men whom nothing pleaseth and contenteth but that which they them selues do or at the least wise affect Howbeit notwithstanding after that I had for mine owne priuate vse collected and gathered these spirituall directions and consolations and also perceiued how that the same might be of some good vse to others not onely in time of sicknesse but also in all other afflictions and distresses whether of mind or bodie I esteemed it a part of that great dutie which I owe vnto the Church of God to communicate impart these my poore endeuours vnto such and for the benefite comfort of all such as shall stand in neede thereof in times of sicknesse and mortalitie in the conflict of death and other sharpe and bitter daies of triall and temptation whensoeuer their sins shall stand vp against them to vrge and accuse them or the vgly appearance of death shall affright them or the feare and horror of hell and damnation shall seeme to dismay them Against all which fearefull dangerous assaults of death of sinne of Satan here in this small Treatise are prouided selected out of the rich Armorie of the sacred Scriptures seuerall and peculiar weapons and armour of proofe both defensiue offensiue both for the withstanding and resisting and also for the repelling and quenching of all the fierie darts of the wicked Now I haue bene bold to dedicate and offer the same vnto your Ladiship being moued thereunto partly by the sundry fauours receiued from your Ladiship by my selfe in particular and partly by those gracious works of pietie and charitie wrought and the great and manifold benefits from time to time conferred by your Ladiship in and vpon the whole Towne or Parish in generall ouer which God hath placed me though his most vnworthy seruant minister accept I beseech you this small present being as the poore widdowes mite which here I presume to offer vnto your Ladiship as a pledge and testimonie of my vnfeined thankfulnesse Almightie God who is rich in mercie grant that as you haue extended the bowels of compassion and mercie alwaies for the relieuing and comforting of many his poore children so also you may find abundant mercie in the last day may be filled with ioy and comfort at the glorious appearing of his Son Christ Iesus Amen Your Ladiships in all humble manner to be commanded A. M. A preface to the Christian Reader THe sicknesses and diseases which vexe and annoy these our mortall bodies together with the remembrance of death ensuing therupon how greatly do they cause both our bodies and minds to quake and tremble Insomuch that many times we shake and are afraid at the onely mention thereof Verily the nature of man being such as had rather not be at all then to be ill appaied or to be in miserie cannot whensoeuer these things befall but be much vexed and perplexed yea and sometimes readie to faint And yet behold the sicknesse and death of the soule farre more dreadfull and more horrible then which can befall vnto a man no greater miserie and torment There is no man but he doth feare and abhorre yea and by all meanes flie from corporal punishments and afflictions and from corporall sicknesses and deaths how much more then should we labour to eschue and auoid the causes of all these euils which are our sinnes and how ought we to feare the wrath and displeasure of almightie God which we daily prouoke against our selues by so manifold sinnes and offences If the bodie be neuer so little crazed we runne straightway to the Physition we spare no cost nor charge preferring our life and health before all things else yea we are content to disburse we care not what that we may procure remedies and preseruatiues for the same and all to patch vp this tattered garment of our flesh this rotten carcasse and clod of clay which notwithstāding must needs very shortly decay and perish and be brought to corruption Why then do we not with like earnestnesse and carefulnesse seeke for remedies against the sicknesses of the soule being farre more deadly and dāgerous For what should it profite a man to liue a whole thousand yeares and during that time to possesse all the riches in the world and to enioy the most exquisite pleasures of this life without being troubled with any sicknes or griefe or other calamitie and in the meane time to haue his soule tainted and infected with the leprosie of sinne and in bondage to the tyrannie of Satan and therupon to haue God alwaies his vtter enemie and his wrath and indignation raging against him and lying heauily vpon him so as he knew and were assured after this life to suffer and vndergoe the iudgement of eternall death and condemnation both of body and soule Hereof our Sauiour Christ admonisheth vs Math. 16.26 saying What shall it profite a man to winne the whole world and to lose his owne soule And therefore in another place he warneth vs to watch to wit ouer our soules watch for ye know neither the day nor the howre when the Sonne of man will come And lest we should without regard passe ouer farre better things and things farre more profitable and should pursue after toyes and trifles things base and contemptible therefore he sheweth vs the shortest and surest way whereby to come vnto true happinesse which willeth vs Math. 6.33 First to seeke the kingdome of God and the
and 3.18 And Chap. 3.18 Christ hath once suffered for sinnes the iust for the vniust that he might bring vs vnto God And Saint Iohn 1 Epistle 1.7 saith 1 Ioh. 1.7 That the bloud of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God clenseth vs from all sinne and Chap 2.1 If any man sinne and 2.1 we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust and he is the reconciliation fâ—â— our sinnes and not for ouâ— onely but also for the sinnes 〈◊〉 the whole world Thou hast heard heâ— deare brother the word not of man but of the holy Ghost which witnessâ— onely that God the fatheâ— who willeth not the death of a sinner EZech. 18. but that heâ— should conuert and liue euen he of his infinite louâ— toward thee hath easeâ— thee of the heauie burtheâ— of thy sinnes and hath laiâ— them on the shoulders oâ— his best and onely beloueâ— Sonne He hath borne them and suffered for them in hiâ— body that they cannot aâ— any time condemne thee For as much as God accepteth and reputeth the death of his Sonne in stead of plenarie and perfect repentance and of full payment and satisfaction for all thy sinnes so that thou beleeue in his Sonne Christ Iesus Forasmuch then as thy sins being laid vpoÌ„ Christ could not hold him in death neither condemne him verily satisfaction is now already made for them and to thee they are all now remitted pardoned Beleeue these things and thou shalt liue eternally for euer Christ himself hath borne thy sins and also died for them But he is risen againe and the sinnes of all true beleeuers are by the death of Christ more then sufficiently purged and discharged and the strict and seuere iustice and iudgement of God abundantly satisfied for thy sins by Christ Iesus Christ now then is thine togetheâ— with all his benefits with his death Rom. 8.32 resurrection and ascension into heauen with his merits righteousnesse obedience and finally witâ— his life and endlesse glorie Satan therefore hath no right nor interest in thee nor power ouer thee neither can he do vnto thee any hurt or iniurie sith thou art iustified by Christ seeing thou art freed and deliuereâ— from all thy sinnes and seeing thou art the child oâ— God For behold God is thy father and such a father aâ— entirely loueth thee for Christ his sake who hath reconciled thee vnto himselfe Be of good comfort then Phil. 4.4 and reioyce againe againe in the Lord. For as much as thou art in the hands of almighty God thy most tender and louing father who is also most true and faithfull in his word promises thou art safe and out of all danger so as no euill can befall thee being vnder his custodie and enuironed about and garded with a troope of Angels as he hath promised Psal 91.11 That he will giue his angels charge ouer thee Psal 91.11 to keepe thee in all thy waies Christ also is thine how mightie soeuer he be in power how rich soeuer in goodnesse and how great and high soeuer in maiestie and glorie He it is that hath couered all thy sinnes with the cloke of his innocencie and obedience and taken them all quite away Rom. 8.32 so that none shall be able to wrest or plucke thee out of the hands of thy heauenly Father As soone as thou shalt haue suffered and passed ouer this bodily affliction and temporall crosse which being compared vnto euerlasting life is light and momentany thou hast then got the victorie Christ Iesus hath gone before thee in suffering the like yea and a farre more sharpe and bitter Luke 22.44 and a farre more terrible conflict Now he is thy head vnto whom thou must of necessitie be conformed made like vnto him by dying vnto thy sinnes and by leauing and laying downe this life so embrued and defiled with sinne that so with thy Lord Christ thou maist liue the blessed life and that for euer Let not thy sinnes then vexe and trouble thee there is no cause why for them thy conscience should be disquieted seeing that they are alreadie taken away and abolished the euil spirit that seeketh the destruction of our soules is for thee vanquished and ouercome cast downe and trodden vnder foote God now in fauor looketh vpon thee he taketh care of thee to defend and keepe thee yea the societie and fellowship of all the blessed Angels attend vpon thee they watch ouer thee and pitch their tents about thee readie to minister vnto thee to carrie thy soule into the bosome of Abraham so that thou canst in no wise be condemned no more then could thy head Christ Iesus so that with thy whole heart thou fixe and repose thy confidence in him If sinne death and hell be not able to do any harme or displeasure vnto thy Lord Christ no more theâ— can they do vnto thee for as much as thou art iâ— Christ and Christ in thee thou canst neuer be condemned whereas indeed if thou were to sustaine and beare thine owne sins and to make satisfaction for them thou shouldest neuer be able to sustaine and vndergoe so great a burthen but thy sinnes would weigh and presse thee downe into hell vtterly ouerwhelme and swallow thee vp But now Christ being the selfe same true God and true man he hath willingly offered himselfe for thee and hath substituted himselfe in thy stead making full payment of all for thee as he saith Psal 69.4 Psal 69.4 That he made payment of the things which he neuer tooke Thou hast indeed in thy selfe coÌ„mitted many sinnes but Christ hath in thy stead discharged and made satisfaction for them all He it is that hath set thee at liberty that hath made thee partaker with himselfe of eternall life if onely thou shalâ— beleeue and giue credencâ— vnto this word and Gospel Yea assuredly deare brother though the sinnes of the whole world did liâ— vpon thy necke alone yeâ— notwithstanding behold there is infinite mercy with God abundantly sufficient or rather more then sufficient for them all Now God hath promised in Christ his blessing of grace and mercie vnto thee And the same his promise is in thy Lord Christ ratified and assured and fully accomplished and performed vnto thee so as thou canst not but be saued if onely thou do but cast thine eyes vpon Christ There is then nothing more sure and certaine then thy saluation For Christ being the naturall Sonne of God and in his diuine essence truth it selfe he is in respect of humane nature our flesh and bloud Who then shall be or can be more trustie and more faithfull to giue and performe this promise of grace and mercie then this Christ who is himselfe the truth of the promise who loueth vs so feruently and earnestly that he chose rather to suffer death voluntarily and willingly theâ— that we shold be frustrated of any promise Wherefore if thou shalt beleeue in
sicknesse from performance of the same Howbeit if either through negligence or vpon some vrgent and necessary causes thou hast put off and deferred this businesse vntill sicknesse suddenly and vnawares seize vpon thee be carefull then without further delay or protracting of time to salue thy former error and negligence by speedie diligence and readinesse in disposing of thy worldly estate be it more or lesse first vnto them who are according to the flesh nearest and dearest vnto thee as wife children and parents whom God and nature hath commended to thy care and prouidence next vnto thy poore kinsfolks being in want and necessitie and after them according to thy substance and abilitie vnto the poore in generall as for the releefe of poore widowes and fatherlesse children of the aged and impotent the lame and the blinde and vnto other holy and charitable vses And if the sicke partie haue got into his hands any monie or goods of another mans or is indebted vnto any man let him in any case make it knowne and prouide carefully for the payment and discharge thereof Which being done let him repell and put away from him all such as shall goe about to interrupt and trouble him with worldly matters Wherein a great many both men and women do aboue all measure offend who seeing and beholding their friend or neighbour now readie to giue vp the ghost and to breath out his soule into the hands of his Creator are readie to cast into his mind diuers and sundry scruples and doubts concerning his will and other externall and worldly matters Yea and sometimes they enforce him to subscribe and set his hand vnto Deeds and other writings against his will when as indeed his mind is not to doe any such thing yea rather in his heart he abhorreth and detesteth the importunity of such friends as enforce him thereunto by whose meanes it commeth to passe that he cannot die quietly nor depart in peace These men howsoeuer they pretend loue friendship vnto the partie dying and to his issue and posteritie yet indeed can there be nothing more vnfriendly or more hurtfull vnto their friend in such a case And therefore ought the same by all meanes to be auoyded CHAP. XIII How to mitigate and asswage the greefe which we conceiue many times more thē is meet for the death of friends FOr men to cast off all measure and moderation in sorrowing for the death and departure of friends though neuer so neare or deare vnto them as it is affirmed by S. Paul to be the part not of Christians but of Ethnicks and Heathen men that haue no hope 1. Thes 4.13 1. Thess 4.13 so is it conuicted by this only reason to be a thing bootlesse and vaine In that no weeping nor wailing nor shedding of teares though shed in neuer so plentifull measure or continued for neuer so many yeares together can yet call againe from death vnto life one man greater or lesse And therefore are all such teares fruitlesse and vnprofitable vaine and of no effect Whereof we haue a memorable example in King Dauid 2. Sam. 12.16 who so long as the child was sicke that was borne of Bathseba he fasted and shed plentie of teares he went into his priuy chamber and lay all night on the earth intreating the Lord for the life and recouery of the child But as soone as he perceiued and vnderstood by the whispering of his seruants that the child was dead then he cast away his mourning attire and changed his raiment and washed his face and annointed himselfe did eate his meat chearefully Which when his Servants admired supposing that he would haue sorrowed more as soone as he should vnderstand of the death of the childe seeing hee had so punished himselfe with fasting and weeping while the child was aliue and thereupon asked him the cause and reason why he did so he made them this answer While the childe was yet aliue I fasted and wept Verse 22. for I said who can tell whether God will haue mercie on me that the child may liue But now he being dead why should I now fast can I bring him againe any more I shall goe to him but he shall not returne vnto me In which words Dauid wisely declareth and sheweth that we ought not to greeue and lament for that which cannot be recouered nor called againe And this is that which the holy Father Saint Cyprian protesteth in his Sermon of Mortalitie that he had bene of ten admonished by diuine reuelation yea and charged also and commanded of God that he should publikely aduertise all men in his preaching teach and instruct them not to sorow or lament ouermuch for the brethren which depart out of this world when God calleth them for that such sorrowing is hatefull and displeasing vnto God Notwithstanding that we may not seem hard harted or that we loued our friend that is dead very slenderly or no better then other common men it is meete and requisite that we bestow vpon him some teares and those proceeding from the sincere affection of commiseration and of hartie and vnfained loue toward him but yet alwaies measured and guided by the right rule of reason and of true pietie and godlinesse For Christ our Lord Sauiour himselfe being the most perfect absolute patterne of all vertues did of a louing and tender affection weepe for Lazarus being dead Ioh. 11.35 And his holy and godly sisters Marie and Martha are greatly commended for lamenting the death of their brother Likewise of those seruiceable women which stood by the Crosse Luke 23.27 and beheld while our blessed Sauiour suffered such extreme torments it is not with out Iohn 20.11 cause registred in the Gospell to their especiall praise and commendation that they shed teares ouer him at his death and buriall And concerning the first Martyr S. Stephen we reade in the Acts of the Apostles Act. 8.2 that certaine men fearing God carried him to be buried made great lamentation for him Whereupon it is that the Sonne of Sirach giueth aduice and counsel to bestow some teares vpon the dead but yet in any wise he willeth that the same be immoderate nor continued ouer long Eccl. 22.11 Weep saith he for the dead because he hath lost the light but make small lamentation for him because he is at rest And hereunto doe tend all those consolatorie Epistles of that holy Father Saint Ierome wherein he comforteth the liuing for the death of their friends hence departed auouching and prouing both by authority of holy Scripture and by strong reasons and arguments that they ought not to sorrow or weepe immoderately for them that are departed hence and haue changed this life as that Epistle written to Heliodor cōcerning the death of Nepotian the Epistle written to Paula concerning the death or sleepe of her daughter Blesilla the Epistle to Tyrasius concerning the death of his daughter and the rest
torment pardon and forgiue thee thy sinnes For there is no other satisfaction nor other recompence for thy sinnes but onely the death of Christ In this case God regardeth nothing else neither doth he accept of any thing else but of his beloued Sonne He is that Lambe of God which onely taketh away the sinnes of the word Ioh. 1.29 1 Ioh. 2.2 He is a sufficient perfect and absolute sacrifice and oblation for the sinnes of the whole world As for thy paines or sicknesse or whatsoeuer torments or afflictions be the same neuer so great or intollerable they are not able to make satisfaction recompence vnto God for the least of thy sinnes much lesse then can the same deserue saluation as Saint Paul witnesseth I account saith he that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the glory that shall be shewed vnto vs. Rom. 8.18 No creature either in heauen or in earth no man nor Angell was able to papacifie or to mitigate and asswage the wrath and indignation of God the Father much lesse then is this sicknesse of thine and this momentanie affliction able to do it Yea that more is hee that must pacifie the wrath and indignation of almightie God and so reconcile God vnto man it was necessarie that hee should be both God and man being to vndertake and deale yea and to make intercession and attonement betweene God offended and displeased and man standing guiltie and condemned Therefore it was necessarie that the Sonne of God should be made man that in his body and in his flesh hee might satisfie the wrath of God his Father by his sufferings for vs and so saue and deliuer vs from the same as the Prophet witnesseth saying Esa 53.4.6.8 Hee hath borne our iniquities and carried our sorrowes And againe The Lord hath laid vpon him the iniquities of vs all And againe For the transgressions of my people was he plagued And Saint Peter telleth vs 1. Pet. 2.24 that his own selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the Crosse and that by his stripes we are healed For thy Lord Christ his sake it is then that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee and for no other thing in the whole world for no affliction nor suffering though neuer so hard and sharpe Christ only and alone is our righteousnesse our satisfaction redemption out health and saluation 2. Cor. 5.21 Him God made sinne for vs who knew no sinne that we might be made righteous yea the righteousnesse of God in him Wherefore if thou beleeue stedfastly Iohn 1.12 thou art now alreadie the childe of God and if thou be the child of God then art thou also the heire of God and coheire together with Christ Rom. 8.17 as Saint Paul witnesseth Rom. 8. Now if eternall life be the inheritance of Gods children the gift of God Rom. 6.23 as S. Paul calleth it surely thou canst not deserue it by any suffering of paine or sicknesse But God will therfore haue thee tormented and vexed with this sicknesse that so thy old man might be subdued and ouercome repressed and kept vnder yea mortified and put to death as it were that so at length it may ceasse to offend And that will be finally at the last by the death of the body And for this cause are we to vndergoe this death that our soule may depart out and enter into eternall blisse For this death of ours is the gate vnto eternal life Then and thereby at the length we are and shall be deliuered from all calamities miseries and troubles and from all errors deceits and suggestions of the Diuell Neither shall we any more be defiled with the most lothsome filthinesse of our sinnes neither shall we be seduced any more or misled into heresies and errors nor cast headlong into any despaire or doubting Then shall be an end of all miseries and aduersities and of all troubles and dangers Then resting in the Lord we shall enioy euerlasting life and ioyes without end And therefore death is in no wise to be abhorred nor feared Nay rather the same is earnestly to be wished for and desired forasmuch as thereby wee passe vnto euerlasting ioyes And it is most true which Saint Paul saith Rom. 8.28 That vnto the godly all things worke together for good Sith that death it selfe a thing in the sight of the world of all other most hatefull and most hideous and horrible is become vnto the faithfull most sweete and pleasant and most ioyfull and acceptable Although our old Adam that is this flesh of ours doth abhorre it and by all meanes flye from it yea and trembleth for feare of it yet notwithstanding the inward man is ready chearefull yea glad and willing to vndergo it forasmuch as thereby he seeth knoweth that he is freed and deliuered from the mire and filthinesse of al his sins and corruptions from all paines and griefes and all cares and troubles and also obtaineth a passage entrance into euerlasting blisse and glorie before the throne of God and of the Lamb Christ Iesus In whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy Psal 16.11 and at whose right hand are pleasures for euermore Psal 16.11 CHAP. II. How to comfort such as are in apparent danger of Death GOod brother be of good comfort lift vp thy heart and raise vp thy spirit for behold the day of thy redemption and dissolution draweth nigh Thy most gracious and louing Father in great mercy toward thee doth now call for thee out of this wretched and miserable life to translate and conuey thee vnto himselfe vnto the endlesse ioyes of the heauenly life And therefore now giue ouer and wholy commend vnto him both thy selfe and all thine And let thy will and his will be all one Say within thy heart Thy will be done ô God my heauenly Father and not mine Cry out vnto Christ thy Sauiour with the good theefe vpon the Crosse Remember me ô Lord when thou cōmest into thy kingdom Luk. 23.42 or rather now that thou sittest and reignest in thy glorious kingdome Cry with the Publican Lord be mercifull vnto me Luk. 18.13 a most miserable and wretched sinner Cry instantly and earnestly with the woman of Canaan Mat. 15.22 O Sonne of Dauid haue mercy on me And when thou thus criest doubt not but Christ will heare thee and will haue mercy vpon thee in pardoning and forgiuing thee all thy sinnes And whensoeuer thou shalt depart hence thou shalt assuredly be with him in his kingdome euen in Paradise Lay hold therfore vpon this thy Christ sticke fast vnto him and commit thy soule vnto him as vnto a faithfull Creator 1. Pet. 4.19 With this thy Christ crucified vpon the Crosse cry vnto God the common Father of you both in the words of the Prophet Dauid Psal 31.1 Psal 31. In thee ô Lord I put my trust let me neuer be confounded Deliuer me in thy
Written by that famous and blessed Martyr Saint CYPRIAN Bishop of Carthage Wherein he exhorteth to a vehement desire of leauing this miserable life Declaring withall and shewing that whereas the iust and vniust dye alike we must not thinke their end to be all one forasmuch as the righteous are called away vnto endlesse rest and happinesse and the wicked are violently haled and caried away to be punished HOwsoeuer it be true dearely beloued brethren that there appeares to be in many of you a sound mind and a stedfast faith an holy deuout will and desire which is nothing moued nor daunted at the greatnesse of this mortalitie but rather as a firme â—trong rocke beateth back and ouercometh all the violent and tempestuous assaults of the world It selfe being assailed and tried but not vanquished nor ouercome with any temptations yet notwithstanding for as much as I perceiue some of the common sort of people either through weakenesse of mind slendernes of faith or through the sweetnes of this worldly and temporall life or through the tendernesse of their sexe or that which is more through error and ignorance of the truth not to stand so strongly manfully as they should nor to shew forth the diuine and inuincible courage of their hearts and minds It was a matter not to be concealed nor passed ouer in silence but that according to the measure of our abilitie the cowardlinesse and lazinesse of such nice and daintie minds ought by strong force and by some discourse conceiued and gathered out of the word of our Lord Iesus Christ to be repressed and subdued and that whosoeuer hath already begun to be a man of God and of Christ might be esteemed worthy of God and of Christ For whosoeuer he be beloued brethren that warreth vnder the ensigne of God and of Christ and being placed in the heauenly boast and army is alreadie in hope and expectation of heauenly things that man ought to acknowledge and to auow and professe himselfe to be such a one that amidst the stormy tempests and troubles of the world there be in vs no feare nor doubting Especially seeing that the Lord hath foretold that these things shold so come to passe prouidently encouraging instructing and teaching yea arming and preparing confirming and strengthening his people and true members of his Church vnto all patience and abiding of things to come Foretelling and admonishing that there shold be warres and dearths and earthquakes and pestilences in all places And lest that the vnlooked for and sudden feare of new and fresh troubles might haply dismay vs he hath warned vs before hand that in the last times worldly crosses and afflictions should be more and more increased Behold the things which were foretold are now com to passe And when the said things which were foretold doe come to passe then shal follow also whatsoeuer hath bene promised the Lord himselfe making vnto vs this warrantise and assurance saying Luke 21. When ye shall see all these things come to â—asse know ye that the kingdome of God is neare The kingdome of God beloued brethren is now neare at hand the gladsome tidings and ioyfull reward of eternall life and saluation and the ioyfull possession of Paradise which before was lost is now come in this last passage end of the world Heauenly things do now succeed and come in place of earthly things things of great weight and account in place of things of no price and value and things eternall and euerlasting in place of things fraile and transitory What place then is there here for care and vexation and anguish of mind What man amidst these things will or can be fearefull and pensiue but he that is vtterly voide of faith and hope It is indeed for him to feare death that is vnwilling to go vnto Christ and it is for him to be vnwilling to go vnto Christ that beleeueth not how that now alreadie he hath begunne to reigne with Christ For it is written that the iust man liueth by his faith Rom. 1. If thou be made iust and righteous then thou liuest by faith If then thou hast faith and by the same faith doest truly and stedfastly trust in God why doest thou not shew thy selfe as one that shall assuredly be with Christ and as one that is secure and assured of the Lords promise Why doest thou not I say with gladnesse of heart receiue and embrace this thy calling vnto Christ and reioyce that thou hast not any more to do with this earth and grauell Furthermore that iust man Simeon Simeon Luke 2.25 who was truly iust and righteous and with stedfast faith kept the commandements of God when as a reuelation was giuen vnto him froÌ„ God that he should not see death before he had seene the Lord Christ and that Christ being a little child was now come with his mother into the Temple he knew in the spirit that now Christ was borne of whom it was foretold him whom as soone as he saw he knew he should die quickly And therfore being glad because of his death which was now at hand being secure voide of care for his calling hence which was not far off he took the child in his hands or in his armes and praising God he cried out and said Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation Prouing vndoubtedly testifying that then the seruants of God haue peace haue free and quiet rest when as being drawne and taken away from the stormes and tempests of this troublesome world they ariue at the hauen of euerlasting rest and safetie when as this death being quite abolished and put away they enter into the state of immortalitie For that is our peace that is our sure rest tranquility that is our constant and stedfast yea endlesse euerlasting safetie and securitie Moreouer what other thing else do we in this world but euery day wage battell against the diuell what else but with continuall conflicts fight against him and withstand and resist his darts and arrowes We are to encounter with couetousnesse and worldlinesse Enemies with whom we are to encounter in this world with vncleannesse and wantonnesse with anger and furiousnesse with ambition and with pride and haughtinesse We are to wrastle and struggle dayly and continually yea that with no small difficulty and danger against the sensualitie and corruptions of our flesh and against the allurements and enticements of the world The minde of man being compassed about and inclosed on euery side with the trouble and molestation of this base earth and grauell is hardly able to resist and withstand euery one of these If couetousnesse be put to flight ouerthrowne behold lust and sensualitie riseth vp in place If lust and sensualitie be repressed ambition succedeth in their stead If ambition be despised and vnregarded then anger rage whetteth
also the truth as hee witnesseth in the same place And therefore neither will nor can deceiue vs but the promises of God in him and through him are 〈◊〉 and Amen 2. Cor. 1.20 2. Corinth 1.20 And to the end that thou maiest nothing doubt but that God will abide by his words promises he hath by an especiall and peculiar couenant and signe added vnto thy body bound and tyed himselfe as it were vnto thee For of an earnest loue and desire of thy saluation hauing sent his owne Sonne into the world to giue vp himselfe vnto death for thee he hath made a couenaÌ„t of grace with thee through Christ in whom he hath promised that if thou beleeue and be baptized he wil freely giue vnto thee eternall life he will neuer leaue thee nor forsake thee but will be a Father vnto thee and will crowne thee with his goodnesse mercie Now the signe and seale of his couenant is thy Bapâ—isme Wherefore vnto the promises annexed vnto this signe it behoueth thee to cleaue fast to lay sure hold vpon the same For God hath giuen thee this signe in thy flesh that thou mightest nothing doubt of his fauour and mercie promised and of his faithfulnesse goodnesse towards thee Rom. 6.3 Thou art baptized as S. Paul saith into the death of Christ that his death may become thy death and that he might make a full and perfect satisfaction vnto God for thee Gal. 3.26 Yea thou hast put him on as it were in Baptisme for so saith the Apostle vnto the Galathians that so thou mightest be wholly in him and he in thee Baptisme therefore is such a couenant and such a figure and signe as comforteth reioyceth quieteth thy conscience before God as Saint Peter witnesseth assuring thee 1 Pet. 3.21 that God will neuer condemne thee for thy sinnes being throughly purged and washed away in the bloud of his Sonne For being iustified by faith Rom. 5.1 thou hast peace with God Ro. 5.1 A quiet peaceable chearefull conscience is this true peace Now thou hast receiued Baptisme as a most certaine signe and seale of this thy iustification and of the remission of all thy sins that thou mightest assuredly beleeue that God hauing mercie and compassion vpon thee for Christ his sake will saue and deliuer thee Now then forasmuch as God hath a fauor vnto thee and will be a Father vnto thee and consequently will neuer forsake thee and forasmuch as thou hast so infallible a signe and testimonie thereof thou oughtest to commit and giue ouer both all thy affaires and thy selfe also wholly vnto him to obey his will and to suffer patiently his hand vpon thee whether it be his will that thou liue or die praying and desiring that his good will may be done vnto his praise and glory And it is vnpossible if thou trust stedfastly in Gods mercie promised through Christ and thus dedicate thy selfe wholly vnto him it is vnpossible I say that thou shouldest perish or be condemned Forasmuch as God hath promised that he will be thy Father euen the same God who is most true of his word yea truth it selfe while thou doest beleeue acknowledge him so to be and thereupon hopest and lookest for all good things from him he cannot but as a tender Father take care of thee and so consequently in good time saue and deliuer thee how hardly soeuer for the present he may seeme to intreate thee yea forasmuch as he hath promised to be a Father not onely vnto thee but also vnto thy seede after thee thou stedfastly beleeuest these his promises he will without all doubt haue a diligent and prouident care both of thee and thine And therefore mayest thou well recommend vnto him not onely thy bodie and soule but also thy wife and thy children thy kinsfolke and thy friends and briefly all that thou hast belonging vnto thee Nothing doubting but that he will be a true Father vnto thy children a true husband vnto thy wife and a true friend vnto thy kinsfolke and friends For God hath hitherto vsed thee in these toward these onely as a Steward And now when he will haue thee to leaue the execution of this office and charge he will doubtlesse substitute in thy stead another Steward ouer them who shall faithfully and diligently take care of them If with full confidence of heart thou shalt hope and looke for this from him there is no doubt but that he will do it as I haue said Wherefore shake off from thee and cast out of thy mind al care for thy friends and for all thy worldly affaires and commit the same ouer vnto God Be rather careful for thy selfe and bethinke how to prouide for thy soule and to resigne the same ouer into the hands of thy Creator and Redeemer And now whereas God hath freely for Christ his sake pardoned and forgiuen thee all thy sinnes he requireth nothing else of thee for this infinite and inestimable benefite but that thou in like manner from thy very heart forgiue all those that haue done wrong and iniury vnto thee And he promiseth that he will forgiue vnto vs our trespasses so as we shall forgiue vnto men their trespasses Wherfore hauing from the bottome of thy heart pardoned all wrongs and offences so as thou intendest not euer after to renew nor call to minde againe the remembrance thereof pray earnestly and heartily for them that haue any way â—â—iured or hurt thee according to the doctrine and example of Christ himselfe And if thou shalt recouer of this thy sicknesse helpe them to the vttermost of thy power if they shall stand â—n need of thy helpe Now if thou hast thy mind thus voide and free from inward grudge malice and displeasure thou hast also an vndoubted signe that God hath pardoned thee all thy sinnes vtterly rased them out of his sight For faith whereby thy heart is purged shewing it self bringing forth her fruits in thee for the blessings and benefits of God towards thee being infinite in pardoning all thy sinnes which are in number infinite it cannot but stirre thee vp in like maner to forgiue thy neighbour and to do good vnto him Here the fruite of thy loue and charitie witnesseth vnto thee and putteth thee in assurance that thy faith is a true and liuely faith when it bringeth forth good fruite and such as is vnfained This is that which S. Peter meaneth when he willeth vs to giue all diligence to make our calling and election sure by our good workes 2 Pet. 1.10 giuing vs to vnderstand that those good works are witnesses and tokens that we are elect chosen of God and adopted to be his sons and consequently to be heires of eternall life and saluation Howbeit notwithstanding al this know that thou canst not neither must thou in any wise hope or looke that God will for the painfulnesse or grieuousnesse of thy sicknesse and