vntrue in his word he will assuredly in due time make his promises to appeare he will helpe refresh and comfort vs. Whensoeuer then thy faith thy hope is not firme stedfast as it should be when thou seest and perceiuest thine heart smitten with feares and terrors when thou findest in thy selfe that thou beginnest to doubt of Gods mercie and that thou hast little or no faith at all forthwith call vpon God for helpe as Peter did when he was readie to sinke and to be drowned Math. 14.30 Implore and craue for mercie from him Mat. 14.30 and deplore and lament thine vnbeleefe and incredulitie before him Request desire his helpe with earnest prayer and intreatie and he will ease thee refresh and comfort thee and thereupon thou shalt glorifie praise him Psal 50.15 God hath vndertaken to do it and he will do it Onely see that thou ceasse not to call vpon him Beg craue incessantly with sighes and grones proceeding from the very bottome of thy heart at the hands of almâ—ghtie God the father of all mercies the God of all comfort that he will not turne his face from thee Crie out with the Disciples Luke 17.5 Lord increase my faith and with the father of the lunatick child Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeleefe Mar. 9.24 A Prayer O Lord make haste to helpe me before I be pressed downe with this heauie burden and ouerwhelmed with the same Thy mercie is aboue all thy workes O most meeke most mercifull and most gracious Father O Lord God of my saluation my refuge and deliuerer enter not into iudgement with thy seruant Christ is my righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1.30 sanctification and redemption He it is that for me and for my sake hath endured yea and most willingly hath offered himselfe to die a most sharpe and cruell death Let these things moue thee and preuaile with thee O Father of all mercies For this Christ thy Sonne his sake haue mercie on me confirme and strengthen my heart with true and stedfast faith in thy Sonne Christ Iesus and comfort me with the consolations of thy holy Spirit that so I may haue the fruition of true and perfect ioyes in Christ Iesus for euer and euer Amen In this maner labouring and wrastling and fighting striuing with thine owne weaknesse yea and accusing and bewailing vnto God thine vnbeleefe and faint-heartednesse if thou shalt withall lay hold on Christ and shalt cleaue and sticke fast vnto him with feruent and incessant prayer crauing and desiring his helpe that he substituting himselfe as it were in thy stead would supply whatsoeuer is wanting vnto thee if thou shalt do this then behold all is well with thee then there is no danger thou art safe enough for as much as there is little difference betweene these two betweene beleefe in Christ a feruent or earnest desire to beleeue How weake therefore and faint-hearted soeuer thou art let this comfort and releeue thee that God willeth and commandeth thee in thy greatest trouble and distresse to call vpon him Psal 50.15 and that he hath promised if thou do call vpon him he will heare thee and helpe thee Moreouer as nothing is or can be more iustly and rightfully desired of God then true faith so he heareth no prayer sooner nor more willingly then that which a man powreth forth finding no goodnesse in himselfe acknowledging his owne weakenesse and wretchednesse deploring and lamenting his owne incredulitie and vnbeleefe with feruent and earnest prayers and often sighes and grones desiring and begging for faith to be giuen him These desires and requests these sighs grones these prayers this little faith though it be neuer so little or so slender it is verily a cleare sparke of that holy fire it is the good seed of God which can in no wise spring vp in vs but by the effectual working of God who by his Prophet Esay thus speaketh concerning Christ That he will not quench the smoking flaxe Esay 42.3 nor bruise the broken reede Wherefore see thou beleeue stedfastly in Christ thy Sauiour or else pray heartily and feruently that thou mayest beleeue lamenting in the meane time and complaining vnto God of thine vnbeleefe If thou do this thou needest not doubt but that thou art accepted and reputed righteous before God and art the child of God who not in vaine laid vpon Christ his onely Sonne our weaknes and our sinnes In the fift Chapter of S. Mathew his Gospell Christ himselfe saith Math. 5. That blessed are the poore in spirit blessed are they that mourne and blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse These things Christian brother are spoken vnto thee do properly belong to thee Thou art humbled and cast downe thou art poore in thine own eyes and in thine owne conceit euen poore in the graces of Gods spirit thou mournest and art grieued and vexed from thy verie heart for thy leude and wicked life formerly spent thou doest hunger thirst for righteousnesse desiring to haue faith wherby thou mayest be iustified and saued Be of good cheare and comfort thy selfe thou shalt haue that thou desirest thou art euen now alreadie become righteous before God And hereupon thou mayest boldly by the example of Saint Steuen Act. 7.59 Act. 7. and of Christ himselfe also Luke 23.46 Luk. 23. commend thy spirit into the hands of God thy heauenly Father saying A Prayer O most mercifull and louing Father into thy hands I commend my spirit or rather thy spirit for as much as thou hast made it and inspired it and placed it in this earthly tabernacle of my bodie committing the same onely vnto my charge and custodie for a short time for as much as it is thine owne proper image made after thine owne similitude and likenesse and for as much also as for its sake and to redeeme it thine onely begotten Sonne hath vouchsafed to shed his most precious bloud This Spirit of thine I say I commend againe and againe into thy hands O most gracious Father thou God of all mercies thine I am whatsoeuer I am Receiue thine owne I beseech thee Saue preserue defend and keepe it and finally of thy free mercie giue vnto it euerlasting life through Iesus Christ thy true Sonne and our onely Lord and Sauiour Amen CHAP. XIII A short Admonition touching the making and ordaining of last Wils and Testaments IT were to be wished that while men are in sound and perfect health they would be carefull to set in order all their worldly affaires and by their wils and bequests or otherwise to dispose of their temporall estate and of such earthly blessings as God hath lent them weighing and remembring the frailty and vncertaintie of this present life lest if perhaps they deferre this businesse vnto the last moment and period of their life they be preuented by death or at the least wise hindered by extremitie of
faith is the ground or expectation of things that are hoped for to wit being promised not of things that are sensible or conceiued by sense and it is the euidence of things not seene that is a sure and certaine knowledge and proofe of the things that appeare not Hebrews 11.1 It standeth thee vpon therefore with the holy and faithfull Patriarch Abraham euen beside hope and aboue hope 〈◊〉 beleeue vnder hope Rom. 4.18 Thy faith thy hope must set it self to resist all those things which either blinde reaâ—on shall suggest vnto thee 〈◊〉 that cunning and craftie â—nemie the diuel who lieth â—n waite to destroy shall seeke to infuse and put into thee Here therefore thou â—â—t to learne and obserue 1 Pet. 5.8 for thy coÌ„fort Gods manner and custome in sauing those that are his whom he will lift vp into heauen him â—e doth commonly first of all bring downe to hell Whom he will quicken and make aliue him he doth first bring downe to the gates of death Vpon whom he will shew his greatest mercie kindnesse in sauing and deliuering him him he suffereth before to be tempted and maketh as if he would condemne him Wherefore euen then when thou feelest nothing else but present death when God seemeth most of all to be angry with thee wheÌ„ he seemeth to be furthest from thee yea and to haue wholly and altogether forsaken thee cast thee off as one reproued and condemned euen then is he nearest vnto thee to protect defend and deliuer thee then he most of all loueth thee and then he â—ath greatest care ouer thee For in the middest of trouble and affliction God remembreth mercie as the Prophet in many places beareth witnesse Psal 30.5 His wrath endureth but the twinckling of â—n eye but in his fauour is life Weeping may abide at night but ioy cometh in the morning Lam. 3.31 And againe He will not forsake or be angry for euer yea rather As a father piâ—ieth his owne children so is the Lord mercifull to them that feare him For he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth that we are but dust Now Psal 103.13 the mercie of the Lord is for euer and euer vpon them that feare him The Lord is gracious and full of compassion Psal 145.8 slow to anger and of great mercy yea our God is good vnto all how much more to his children to them that loue and feare him and his mercy is ouer all his workes as the same Prophet witnesseth Psalme 145.8 And therefore closing vp the eies both of thy mind and also of thy senses and vtterly casting off the iudgment of reason submit and giue ouer thy selfe wholy vnto Christ and take it in good part howsoeuer he shall deale with thee Thou must not esteem and iudge of death or of the horror and paines of death according to the iudgement of outward sight or of sense and reason but according to the word of God and the censure and iudgement thereof Dauid saith That Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Psal 116.15 And the voyce of God himselfe from heauen cryeth in the Reuelation of S. Iohn Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord. Apoc. 14.13 And Christ himselfe saith Iohn 8.51 He that beleeueth in me shall not taste of death Wherefore if any thing be presented vnto thee which may seeme to turne thee away from Christ cast the same wholly out of thy mind Sticke fast vnto the word of God which abideth for euer Meditate still vpon it and by often repeating the same imprint it stedfastly in thy mind For thou canst not indeed euer conceiue by the quicknesse sharpnesse of thine own reason how al this may be that thou shouldest passe thorough death vnto the true life how thou shouldst die and depart this world by breathing out thy soule how thy soule should bee kept safe in the Lord and should abide and rest with him vnto the last day and how also thy body being putrified and eaten vp of wormes and consumed to dust and ashes could rise again in the last day of iudgment and come forth in so fresh and glorious a forme maner This reason in no wise is able to conceiue onely faith can comprehend it And therefore still meditate vpon the Articles of thy faith and diligently weigh and consider in thy mind all the seuerall parts of the same with a particular application thereof vnto thy selfe CHAP. III. How the sicke partie is to be called on and comforted being ready to giue vp the Ghost NOw deare brother is the time that thou must fight that good fight and lay hold on eternal life Now therefore fight manfully and couragiously keep thy standing diligently lay hold fast on Christ Iesus that none take away thy Crowne Fixe stedfastly in thy mind the promises of Christ thy Redeemer I am saith he the resurrection and the life Ioh. 11.25 He that beleeueth in me shall liue and shall not dye for euer Christ hauing taken our nature vpon him with all those defects and infirmities whereto we are subiect and dying vpon the altar of his Crosse hath offered vp himselfe a full and perfect sacrifice oblation and satisfaction for all our sinnes He it is that by his most precious blood hath purged away the sinnes of all that truly and vnfainedly beleeue in him And this thy Sauiour Iesus Christ wil in no wise forsake thee He it is that vndoubtedly careth for thee to saue protect and deliuer thee Nothing therefore shall touch thee nor preuaile against thee to hurt thee The foundation of God remaineth sure hauing this seale 2. Tim. 2.19 The Lord knoweth who are his Christ saith My sheepe Iohn 10.27 heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me and I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any be able to take them out of my hand My Father that gaue them vnto me a greater then all and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand I and my father are one Wherefore deare brother beloued in Christ commend thy soule into the hands of God thy heauenly Father who for his Son his sake doubtles doth entirely loue thee hauing ransomed and redeemed thee with so great a price as the death and bloodshedding of his only sonne Cry out therefore confidently with thy elder brother Christ O heauenly Father into thy hands I commend my spirit which thou hast redeemed with so great a price Lord Iesus receiue my soule Now the Father of all mercies and the God of all comfort and consolation confirme and strengthen thee conduct and leade thee and by the ministery of his holy Angels transport and carrie thee as they did Lazarus into the bosome of Abraham euen into euerlasting life and finally preserue and keepe thee vnto that most ioyfull resurrection at the last day Amen A SERMON OF MORTALITIE
able to rest and relie vpon the word of God and therein to apprehend and lay hold vpon that infinite inestimable treasure and riches belonging to Gods deare children to wit the forgiuenesse of all their sinnes through Christ the resurrection of their bodies at the last day that most wished for and most sweet and ioyfull communion with the Saints in glorie comfortable societie and fellowship of the elect of God Meanes of strengthning our faith and life euerlasting and all these freely giuen and bestowed vpon them in Christ and through Christ Wherefore in these and other articles of our Christian faith Continuall meditation on the articles of our faith in time of sicknesse very needfull it behooueth vs daily and continually to exercise our selues and diligently to meditate thereupon But especially in time of sicknesse and agonie of death we are seriously and earnestly to meditate in our minds and to inculcate repeate often those foure last articles of our Creed Namely concerning the communion of Saints in which number we beleeue and trust stedfastly that we our selues are and shall be reckoned concerning the Remission of all our sinnes through the bloud of Christ Iesus concerning the resurrection of our bodies at the last day and life euerlasting Now vnto the serious meditation of these articles of our faith there must be adioyned 3 other things First of all feruent and continuall prayer for the increase Prayer and strengthning of our faith praying with the Apostles of our Sauiour Luk. 17.5 Luk. 17.5 O Lord increase our faith and with the father of the child that had the dumbe spirit Mar. 9.24 Marke 9.24 Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeleefe Vnto prayer ioyne carefull studie and diligence in reading and hearing of the word of God Reading hearing the word of God Rom 10.17 Esa 57.19 For faith is both wrought and also increased by hearing of the word Rom. 10. whereupon it is called the fruite of the lips that is of the words of God Esa 57.19 And Acts the 10.44 it is said that while Peter spake those words Act. 10.44 the holy Ghost fell vpon all them that heard the word Yea hereupon it is called the arme of the Lord Esa 53.1 Esa 53.1 and the power of God vnto saluation Rom. 1.16 Rom. 1.16 See therfore that the word of God dwell plenteously in thee Col. 3.16 which alone is able to make thee wise vnto saluatiō through faith in Christ Iesus 2 Tim. 3.15 2. Tim. 3.15 And let thy heart and mind be euermore possessed with the meditation and consideration of those three maine pillars and grounds of thy faith whereof thou hast assurance in the same word namely First the infinitenesse of Christ his merites which thou shalt oppose vnto the infinitenesse and greatnesse of thy sinnes Next the omnipotencie of Gods power and his natural inclinatiō vnto mercy and to pardon and forgiue sins and sinners Eze. 18.32 And lastly the vniuersalitie and generality of his gracious promises made vnto all in which number thou art to reckon thy selfe Vnto the carefull and diligent studie and meditation in the word of God and prayer Oft receiuing the Sacrament adde this also to frequent and to haue often accesse vnto the holy Sacramen◠of the bodie and bloud o◠Christ while yet thou ar◠in sound perfect health But beware that thou come vnto it rightly instructed prepared and that thou presume not to handle the same with defiled hands nor to receiue it with an vnpure and vnsanctified heart And indeed it is an horrible and feareful thing and much to be lamented that for so many yeares this holy Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ hath bene so vnworthily receiued The vnreuerēt handling of the Sacrament dangerous and so vnreuerently handled and of many contemned and lightly regarded Wherein how greeuously dangerously men offend euen the iudgements and punishments which the Lord sendeth euery day among vs do more then sufficiently witnesse testifie as S. Paul hath foretold should come to passe 1 Cor. 11.30 1 Cor. 11.30 For euen for this cause many are weake and sicke and many sleepe and are dead It is verily an exceeding great and a sure signe and token of singular and incomprehensible loue toward vs The benefit offered in the Sacrament that in this Sacrament of his Supper Christ will haue it plainly confirmed vnto vs that he hath giuen and bestowed himselfe wholly vpon vs knitting and ioyning vs vnto himselfe as members to the head to the end we may know and bee assured that we are regarded and loued defended and saued by him Thus ought all godly minds to esteeme and make account that Christ is effectuall and powerfull in them And it were to bee wished that we would at length consider deepely of the greatnesse and worthinesse of so excellent a gift that so we might be thankfull and might stirre vp our wauering and languishing faith remembring how heynous and horrible a sin vnthankfulnesse is in this kinde and how fearefull punishments must needs follow the prophanation of so holy a mystery Neither indeed are we to imagine that the grieuous threatnings vsed by S. Paul are in vaine for God is true yea truth it selfe and certainly we are to thinke that the greatest part of those plagues iudgments both publike and priuate which befall in these last times is to be imputed vnto the prophanatiō of this most holy mysterie It behooueth vs then with godly care and zeale to haue often accesse vnto that holy Sacrament wherin our soules being refreshed and comforted with that heauenly food our faith and our repentance our hope and our confidence may be more more strengthned and increased CHAP. III. Of three things which in the agonie of death do most greeuously torment terrifie and trouble our minds The remembrance of our sinnes the feare of death and the horror of hell together with the seuerall remedies thereof FIrst the sinnes which in our whole life time we haue wickedly and wretchedly committed Sinne. and wherby we haue most greeuously offended both against God and against our neighbours these when on the bed of sicknesse they come vnto our remembrance must needs greatly terrifie vs and much vexe torment vs remembring that saying of S. Paul Rom. 2.9 Rom. 2.9 That indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish shall be vpon the soule of euery man that doth euill Againe inasmuch as this old Adam and flesh of ours is most vnwiliing to die Death therof it is that when death approcheth mens hearts begin to quake and tremble and are readie to faile them through exceeding great sorrow and griefe For this our fearefull nature or naturall man is miserably afraid lest being once dead buried in the earth it shall neuer returne no◠come againe to the forme state but thinketh now tha◠it is past all helpe and hop◠of recouerie
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
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
may liue together with him in the eternall mansions reioyce together in his heauenly kingdome Ioh. 17.24 Father saith he I will that they whom thou haste giuen me be with me euen where I am that they may behold my glorie which thou hast giuen me from before the foundations of the world He that is going to Christ his mansion and to the brightnesse and glorie of his heauenly kingdome ought not to waile and mourne but rather according to the promise of our Lord and according to the stablenesse and stedfastnesse of his truth to reioyce for his departure and for his translating remouing hence Thus we find that Enoch was translated in as much as he pleased God For so the holy Scripture of God witnesseth of him in the booke of Genesis saying And Enoch pleased God Gen. 5.24 or walked with God and he was no more found for God translated him or tooke him away This it was for him to please God and to walke before him euen to haue this honour to be translated taken away from the danger infection of this present world And this is that which the wise man teacheth vs that they who please God are more speedily taken away hence and sooner released lest while they abide and continue ouerlong in this world they should be corrupted and defiled with worldly affaires Wisd 4.11.14 He was taken away saith he lest wickednesse should alter his vnderstanding for his soule was pleasing vnto God therefore he hastened to take him away from the midst of iniquitie So likewise in the Psalmes Dauid hauing his soule deuoted dedicated vnto God with spirituall confidence and boldnesse he maketh haste to go vnto the Lord as it is written of him Psal 84.1 Psal 84.1 O how amiable are thy dwellings thou Lord of hoasts my soule longeth and maketh haste vnto the courts of the Lord So then it is for him alone to be desirous to abide long in this world that placeth his delight and happinesse in the world for him whom this flattering and deceitfull world tickleth and prouoketh with the allurements and enticements of carnal and worldly pleasures Moreouer whereas the world hateth euery one that is truly a Christian what meanest thou to loue him that thus hateth thee Why rather doest thou not follow after Christ who hath redeemed thee and who still continually loueth thee Hereupon it is that S. Iohn in his first Epistle proclaimeth crieth out earnestly exhorting that we should not loue the world in following after fleshly lusts and desires Loue not the world saith he neither the things that are in the world If any man loue the world 1 Ioh. 2.15 the loue of the Father is not in him For all that is in the world as the lusts of the flesh the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world And the world passeth away and the lusts thereof but he that shall do the will of God abideth for euer as God abideth for euer Now therefore deare brethren let vs with vpright hearts and minds with stedfast faith and valiant courage be euermore in readinesse to submit our selues wholly to the will of God and casting off all feare of death let vs meditate and thinke vpon immortalitie which is to follow after Let vs declare shew that this is the thing which we belieue and look for in that we neither lament the death of our friends be they neuer so deare vnto vs and also whensoeuer the day and houre cometh of our dissolution of our calling hence away we are readie to come willingly without delay when God calleth for vs. Which thing as the seruants of God are to do at all times so the same ought much rather to be done now that the world seemeth to be almost wasted and spent and also enuironed and beset with tempests of mischiefes and troubles that we seeing and beholding so great and grieuous miseries and calamities already begun and knowing that farre greater are at hand and like to come ere it be long should account it the greatest aduantage that may be with speed to depart hence 2 Pithie similitudes If the wals of the house where thou dwellest should bend leane aside through age and long continuance and the roofe of the house shake ouer thy head the whole frame of the building being tired and worne out readie to drop drowne should threaten a sudden speedie fall wouldst thou not with all speed get thee out thence If while thou â—art sailing on the Seas some fierce and tempestuous â—orme causing the waues therof to arise should therby foreshew that thou weâ—t certainly like to suffer shipwracke wouldest thou not with all speed approch and draw neare vnto the hauen Behold The world now bending and readie to fall the world is now bending and declining and euen readie to fall yea it doth openly proclaime and beare witnesse of his vtter ruine and destruction not so much by the antiquitie or oldnesse as by the conclusion and by the accomplishment and end of all things which is now neare at hand And doest thou not thanke God and reioyce in thine owne behalfe that being takeÌ„ away by a more speedie death thou art freeed from the ruines shipwracks and plagues that are now at hand We must coÌ„sider beloued brethren euer now and then remeÌ„ber and haue in mind that we haue renounced and forsaken the world and that now in the meane time we liue here as strangers forreiners O let vs then embrace receiue gladly the day that assigneth and appointeth euery one to their habitation and mansion place where they may still abide and dwell which also after we are taken hence away and set free from the snares and setters of this world doth restore vs and bring vs againe into Paradise and into the kingdome of heauen What man being in a strange countrie farre from home would not hasten to returne into his owne countrey againe What man making haste to faile vnto his friends as his parents or his wife children would not wish with great desire to haue a prosperous wind to carrie him that so he might with as much speed as may be behold embrace them who are so neare and deare vnto him Our countrey we recken and make certaine account to be Paradise that is the kingdome of heauen for our parents we haue the holy and blessed Patriarchs Why then do we not runne and make haste that we may behold and see our countrey and may salute our parents A great number of our louing and deare friends expect and looke for vs there as our parents our brethren and our children A populous and a large multitude there is that long for vs and desire our company being already secure and fâ—llie assured of their owne immortality and further desirous earnestly of our welfare and safetie To come