things wherein men in this life doe take any delight and pleasure and in part bereaued of the feeling of these exceeding comforts reserued for vs in the life to come Obiect But thou wilt say Thus naturally to feare and to bee thus in some sort vnwilling and loth to die I lesse maruell at but this dulnesse in the feeling of heauenly ioyes and comforts in Christ being now euen at the poynt of death and ready to yeeld vp the last gasp that is a very strange thing and able to terrifie any Christian soule Answ It is I grant a fearefull thing indeede but yet nothing strange at all if we doe well consider of it For if Satan be so busie with vs at other times euen in the time of health and when wee are strongest that hee bringeth our faith to many foyles no maruell if hee shew forth his malice against vs now being so neere vnto our end He is not ignorant to take opportunity fittest for his purpose And therefore now aboue all other his desired times he will deuise and sound into the bottome of all his subtilties to entrap and so to make conquest of the Christian soules knowing that this is the last combate that he is like to make with such an one If now he lose it is lost for euer If now he preuaile and ouercome there is no recouery to bee hoped for afterward Assure thy selfe therefore that hee will prepare himselfe the best he can stretch euery limbe in this finall conflict to see if hee can by any possible meanes effect and bring to passe this his malicious bloudy purpose And therefore although the state of Gods Elect and Chosen be such that they cannot finally vtterly fal away Gods decreee being so firme sure immutable that Satan with al his policies shal neuer be able to infringe make void the same yet euē they also if they be not well appointed must make full account and looke to haue many foyles at Satans hands that shall bring their faith euen vpon her knees which thing being once effected no maruell if this subtill Satan to the greater daunting of Gods Children doe found out the triumph before the victory gotten casting in their teeth their sinnes past and bringing to their remembrance their former wickednesse and withall putting them in minde sometime of the delights and pleasures of this world that so by these such like practices he may the rather and the sooner driue men into despaire The case therefore of Christians being so dangerous it is good that wee doe consider what way is best for vs to take to cut Satan short of his purpose and to auoyd the danger and perill of this finall conflict One thing whereby Satan taketh so great aduantage and so farre preuaileth with a great number of men is for that in the time of life and health they neuer or very little as they should bethinke themselues of death So that when the time and houre thereof which is sudden and vncertaine doeth come vpon them they go like men naked and vnarmed into the field to encounter with this strong and mightie Aduersarie And then it is no matuell if they being so vnprouided and vnarmed and lying so open do receiue many grieuous and deadly wounds It is therefore very expedient and needefull for euery man in time of health to thinke of sickenesse and in time of life to be mindfull of death and continually to bee carefull that he may bee prepared for to die for it is an vneuitable thing it cannot bee auoided with all the power policie and cunning we can vse Therefore as we are borne to die so we should liue as men alwaies prepared and in a readinesse to die So that a Christian mans life should be a continuall meditation and a daily preparation vnto death When as I say it should bee a daily preparation I would be loth to bee mistaken I doe not meane such a kind of preparation as many of the great and mighty men of the world doe dreame of when as either in their life time in their owne persons or after their death by their Executors or others put in trust therewith they are carefull yea too carefull to prouide that a Tombo bee set vp and builded to shrowde their bodies in and that with most costly curious and cunning worke but neuer once thinke of this which is most needfull that is to prouide a Receptacle for the soule It may bee as it doth appeare that they thinke to die so I beseech the Lord they may bee prepared to die in the Lord so they shall bee sure howsocuer the bodie speed on earth for a time yet at the last Day both body and soule shall bee in blessed estate with Christ for euer in heauen This madnesse of men in preparing such costly Tombes or Sepulchres may very well bee accounted in the number of the vanities and follies wherewith the world is at this day ouer-flowed for the cost that is bestowed on them might a thousand times bee better bestowed on the poore afflicted members of Christ whereby some great gaine by the laying forth thereof if it bee done without hope of merit would redound to the soule The cunning workemanship is indeed matter rather for men to gaze vpon then for any other good When all is done both for charge and cunning in setting vp and beautifying of this thing so brauely yet it is but a Caue for a rotten and corrupted carkase beautified for polluted bones and carefully adorned for simple Guests euen the crawling wormes there to feed and gnaw vpon their sestred and stinking flesh The soule is the principall part of man let euery one apply himselfe therefore principally to prouide that it may bee harboured protected and defended against the violence and raging stormes of Satans fury Be carefull to prouide that shee may bee armed from top to toe with the Christian Armour whereof S. Paul speaketh Ephe. 6. so shalt thou be in safety Ephe. 6.13 14 15 16 17 18. This ought to be our Christian care vpon this should we bestow our costs But this of the most men is least regarded and it is to be feared of a great number vtterly neglected Obiect Here by the way it may haply bee obiected Is it a thing vtterly vnlawfull to prouide a Sepulchre or Tombe for the body Answ It is not the vse but the abuse thereof that I aime at I do not thinke it a thing altogether vnlawfull for that I do finde it to bee a thing of long continuance and vsed of godly persons Ioseph of Arimathea is said in the Gospell to haue prouided a Tombe for himselfe hewed out of a Rocke being yet in health wherein hee layed the Corps of Christ our Sauiour If in this manner thou prepare thee a Tomb and herein follow Iosephs example thou shalt not doe amisse For Ioseph did it not for vaine glory and any worldly ostentation nor to make it a thing
forsweare curse and banne himselfe in deniall of his Master Canst thou match with Paul which was a cruell persecutor of the Church of God Or with Mary Magdalen which was possessed with seuen deuils who for her filthy and outragious liuing was notoriously marked for a sinner And yet all these no doubt their grieuous sinnes notwithstanding were elected vessels ordained vnto life and receiued vnto mercy Call to minde to thy consolation and comfort the tender bowels and bleeding heart of mercy which shined in our Sauiour Iesus Christ vnto those gracelesse and hard-hearted Iewes which hauing preferred Barrabas a murtherer shamefully handled condemned and most villainously crucified the very King of life and Lord of glory Who while the wound was but fresh and bleeding and when as yet the speare was scarsly washed wherewith his body was pierced began to bleed againe afresh within himselfe euen with teares of loue and to rinse away the staines of bloud with the distilling drops of mercy being ready to receiue them into the reach of his compassion to cast their sins behinde him and to bury them in the graue of darknesse and obliuion that thus of late had so disgraced him with such exceeding contumelies O gracelesse Iewes that thus became vngrateful vnto their true Messias but O thrice more louing Iesus that was so ready to forgiue so hainous an offence The slandrous periuries of false suborned witnesses his being spitefully spitted on the reprochfull reede put into his hand as a scornefull scepter the purple robe in disgrace of royalty the crowne of thornes in contumely of his state and dignity the fists that buffeted him the whip wherewith he was scourged the clamorous tongues crying to haue him crucified the cursed crosse whereon hee was hanged the nailes wherewith hee was fastned the speare wherewith hee was pierced nor a thousand more indignities could force him to forget his mercy O loue of loues and mercy beyond the reach of all conceits Who euer crost with greater iniuries and yet who more franke and ready in pardoning And how can then thy thrice-despairing and distrustfull soule misdoubt his mercy Who heareth not that gracious cry and call of pity Mat. 11.28 Come vnto me all ye that are weary and heauy laden and I will ease you Who can donbt of his will that of his owne accord thus louingly doth will vs to come vnto him Remember what was sayd to Bartimaeus the blinde man sitting by the way side at Iericho Mar. 10.49 Be of good comfort arise he calleth thee Cheere vp then thy heauy heart with this sweet balsamum and oyle of mercy lift vp thy hands which hang downe and thy weake knees and make straight steps vnto thy feet vnto the Throne of grace Behold he calleth Cast then aside with Bartimaus the garment of despaire the cloke of sorrow and weedes of mourning Assure thy selfe of this that thou art not so fearefull in misdoubt of mercy for the greatnesse of thy sinnes to come before him as thou shalt finde him forward to receiue and entertaine thee with the armes of grace and fauor when thou comest so earnest to knocke but hee will hee more ready to open For marke and see and let it not in any wise grieue thee to wade on a little further with mee in the vnfolding of this so sweet a sentence and so comfortable a call First then here is to be considered who it is that calleth Then whom hee calleth And thirdly why he calleth Euery of these doth containe in it in great abundance the wine of comfort and oyle of grace to glad the heart and to cheere vp the heauy countenance of the sorrowfull and sobbing soule As touching the person that thus voluntarily Who it is that calleth grieued sinners vnto him Gen. 3.15 of his owne meere mercy and goodnesse prouoketh thee to come vnto him Is it not that womans Seed appointed to crush and bruize the serpents head Is it not that Root of Iesse that Sonne of Dauid that sweet Emmanuel that meeke Messias that mercifull Iesus promised by our God shadowed out in the Law prophesied of by the Prophets and in the appointed time exhibited Is it not I pray thee the subiect of our sorrowes the ransome of our sinnes the Redeemer of the world and the sole and onely Mediator which in his owne person hath concluded a peace and made a full atonement betweene the Lord and Man 1. Cor. 1.30 Is it not that Iesus Christ which of God is made vnto vs wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification cation and redemption He it is without doubt and none other that calleth vnto whom do thou resort and thou shalt finde a most plentifull Treasury and abounding Store-house of soueraigne and comfortable refection Art thou distressed he can comfort thee Art thou in miseric he can relieue thee Art thou in thraldome hee can redeeme thee If thou art in troubles he can deliuer thee If thou be broken-hearted he can binde thee If thou be throwne downe he can raise thee If thou be wandring he can reduce thee If thou be wounded he can cure and heale thee If thou be sicke hee can recouer thee And though thou bee dead Iub 11.39 yea stinking dead with Lazarus yet he can reuiue thee What canst thou sue or seeke for to thy good whereof in him thou canst not finde sufficient seeing as the Apostle testifieth hee is all and in all things Col. 3.10 Col. 1.19 and in him all fulnesse dwelleth For mercy he is so compassionate that hee casteth none away that come vnto him In his suits so gracious Mat. 3.17 that in him the Father promiseth to be well pleased with vs. By his office so powerfull and so effectuall that by him the Father hath appointed to reconcile all things to himselfe and to set at peace Col. 1.20 through the bloud of his Crosse both the things in earth and the things in heauen And yet if all this cannot perfwade thee consider further that hee is called Iesus that is a Sauiour Mat. 1.21 euen to saue his people from their sinnes be they neuer so great neuer so many neuer so silthy his bloud is of such vertue that it taketh away purgeth and purifieth them all If all this cannot moue thee consider further that he is a Christ euen the soueraigne and sole Anointed of his Father to be our King our Priest and our Prophet O blessed Name Christ is a Prophet Is Christ a Prophet and why is this but onely to instruct and teach me Obiect Let me then heare thy cares and thou shalt heare my comforts against all the assaults and bitter drifts of sinne I know that in the first sight of sinne thou wilt exclaime and say that thou art inwrapped in an endlesse Labyrinth of woes and miseries and to finde out remedy therefore thou perceiuest that it is not in thy power nature knoweth it not riches haue it not man cannot atchieue it
nay the very Angels in heauen cannot performe it Oh then sayst thou where is that vnsearchable wisdome that can attaine it And where is the endlesse reach of that exceeding skill and policy that can instruct me how to doe it Answ Though vnto thy selfe this bee admirable to nature a thing incomprehensible to man vnsearchable and euen to the Angels impossible yet doe thou not feare neither be thou any whit dismayd But remember alwayes that though these things both all and euery one and a thousand more beside should faile thee yet thou hast a Christ euen an anoynted Prophet that can and will helpe thee can and will instruct thee how thou mayst bee saued In him dwelleth all knowledge and wisdome in her full perfection Nay he is wisdome it selfe euen that eternall and euerlasting Wisdome of his Father He is the Angell of the great counsell that proceeded out of the hidden closet of his Fathers bosom And what is then so abstruse and intricate which hee is not able to attaine vnto Seeke therfore and sue vnto him and he will tell thee Obiect Hearken vnto him he will teach thee to thy eternall comfort But thou wilt say All this I know but what is that to the purpose when Christ hath taught and told mee am I then able to performe it I haue sinned and offended a thousand fold and on the other side God is iust and iustice must bee satisfied And which way is it euer possible that such a wretched sinfull and weake a creature as I should doe it Answ I grant indeed thou art of thy selfe vnable but now looke back againe to Christ and againe consider that as hee is an anointed Prophet as I told thee before Christ is a Priest to teach thee so he is also made a Priest vnto vs to offer vp and present vnto his heauenly Father that all-sufficient and euer-pleasing sacrifice to God his Father by vertue whereof be our sinnes innumerable yet with that one and onely paiment hee resteth himselfe fully satisfied and contented And the more to assure thee hereof it shall not bee amisse to produce vnto thee the testimony and witnes of the Holy Ghost and of God the Father witnesses both ancient and authenticall enough to content in this or any other such like case The Spirit speaking by the pen of his Apostle Paul telleth vs That it pleased the Father Col. 1.19 that in him should all fulnesse dwell and by him to reconcile vnto himselfe and to set at peace through the bloud of his Crosse both the things in earth and the things in heauen And the Father plainly hath giuen this testimonie of him Mat. 3.17 17.5 This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased To these you may adde the saying of the Sonne himselfe who plainely affirmeth of himselfe that hee came to giue his life and to bee made a ransome for many And to notifie vnto vs That all-sufficiencie of this ransome beeing ready to yeeld vp the Ghost Ioh. 19.30 he affirmed that all was finished A great number of such like places to the same effect might be produced out of the Booke of God but I hope these few will suffice to stop the mouthes of the gaine-sayers of this so comfortable doctrine Such as were stinged with serpents in the wildernes Numb 21. so long as they looked downward vpō themselues and vpon their wounds could finde no comfort to the curing of their griefe but casting their eyes vpon the brazen Serpent at the commandement of God erected by Moses they quickly had and found recouery So we so long as being wounded by that sinfull Serpent the Diuell wee cast our eyes and looke vpon our selues and vpon our sinnes onely wee can neuer finde any release But if wee lift vp the eyes of our faith and looke vpon Christ Iesus that was lifted vp in sacrifice vpon the Crosse as Moses lifted vp the Serpent in the wildernesse we shall out of doubt finde therin a present and a soueraigne remedy against all the infections of our sinnes For as it fared with the Iewes before the time of Christ that although they often sinned yet it was not permitted to themselues but the Priest must offer sacrisice to make the atonement so neither is it in our power to satisfie God against whom wee haue offended but Christ alone is onely our Priest to offer vp the sacrifice of satisfaction to put away his Fathers wrath Gen. 27.23 And therefore also as Iacob in getting the blessing from his Brother Esau was content to follow his mothers counsell and to remit the mitigating of his fathers wrath if haply hee were displeased vnto her carefull policy so we in treading the path and way to life and blessednesse must be content not onely to insist in that that Christ enioyneth vs but also for the satisfying of the wrath of GOD for our sinne committed which is not in our selues to doe we must still depend on Christ who is a thousand parts more skilfull and auailable to doe the same then euer was Rebecca to content the humour of her husband Isaac Insomuch as hee did not onely by his death once offer vp himselfe vnto God a sweet smelling oblation to doe away our sinnes but also by vertue of this his Priesthood hee continually remaineth an earnest intercessor for vs insomuch that hee no sooner seeth as it were a frowne of dis-fauour appearing in the countenance of his Father towards vs but straightway hee is ready to interpose himselfe to appease the same and to make a peace betwixt his Father and vs. As touching the third office wherevnto our Sauiour is anointed Christ is a King which is his Kingly Office there is no small comfort to be found therein also For although our enemies so many so great and mighty doe continually and euery day bend set themselues against vs and like rauening Wolues ramping roring Lyons most greedily gape and thirst after our destruction yet hath hee I meane our Sauiour Christ Iesus such a Kingly conquering and subduing power giuen vnto him that all our enemies Sinne Satan Death and Hell will they nill they must of necessitie stoope and be obedient thereunto And therefore what further scruple is there remaining for which thou canst not find a soueraine medicine in this comfortable Kingdome and royall souerainty of Christ our Sauiour Doth Satan make claime vnto thee or doth he plead a right interest vnto thy soule Haue recourse to Christ For though in thy selfe thou findess the euidence of Satan to be written with the sinfull letters of thine owne transgressions yet in Christ and in his death and bloudshed thou shalt finde them razed and cancelled and vnto him alone to be signed and sealed from his Father a sure and sufficient deed of gift as it were of thy selfe and of thy soule with sufficient warrant against Satan and all his complices In that our heauenly Father hath deliuered into
prosperity You see heere is a plaine promise made not for a day but alwaies not temporarie and for a time onely but for euer The one estate not sometime but still excluded and the other perpetually and without any limitation and date of time is promised In this reason thus alledged Satan and sinfull flesh deceiue the simple soule many waies First in the euill application of the promises of God in the Scriptures making no difference or distinction at all therein in respect of the matter thereof or things that are promised by him vnto his children In respect of the matter For when at any time God promiseth internall prosperitie in spirituall and inward graces of the soule Satan subtilly applyeth the promise vnto things externall and such as doe concerne the body as riches health good successe in affaires and businesse of this present life and such like Of this his practice we haue an example in the people of the Iewes whom he hath of long time deluded and bewitched and as yet doth delude and bewitch in this manner of application Many promises were made in the Prophets concerning the Temple the Cittie of Ierusalem the people of God to bee gathered out of all Nations to returne againe vnto the holy Citie and Mount Sion All which the Iewes applyed vnto themselues onely and would haue them to bee vnderstood of themselues to bee the onely people of God of the materiall Citie and Temple of Ierusalem and of some externall and outward face of the Church againe there to be as in times past crected by the Messias Whereas in deed they rather touch and intend the spirituall collection and inward beautie of Gods Elect which out of all Nations shall bee gathered vnto his Church which is spiritually meant by the names of the Temple Mount Sion and Ierusalem according to the vse and manner of the Scriptures This must not seeme strange vnto vs that this erronious manner of application was in the Iewes since that the very Apostles of our Sauiour Iesus Christ both before and after the time of Christs Death and Passion were ouertaken with the like For of them it is recorded that when our Sauiour made any mention of a Kingdome yea sometime when there was no mention made thereof at all they carnally dreamed of an earthly Kingdome And by this meanes Satan laboured couertly to plant both in the Apostles and also the other Iewes this damnable heresie That vnlesse Christ did erect and set vp such a Kingdome in this people hee could not bee the promised Messiah In like sort it is that hee deceiueth many by wresting the words of the Prophet Dauid to a wrong sense For whereas it is said in the first Psalm Psal 1.3 c. that the Righteous shal be like a Tree planted by the Riuers of waters shall bring forth his fruit in due season that his leafe shall not fade and whatsoeuer hee shall doe shall prosper Satan like a wyly Serpent wresteth all this vnto an externall and outward estate and prosperity in things appertaining to the world when the Prophets words are to bee vnderstood of the spirituall prosperity and inward good estate of the soule Secondly in respect of the time also In respect of the time Satan doth in like manner deceiue the simple by mis-applying the aforesaid promises For whereas God in making his promises of such flourishing estate vnto his seruants respecteth principally and most of all the life to come wherein they shall all in full perfection be established and performed This heauy aduersarie of mankinde goeth about very carnestly in his Conclusions to binde and tye all vnto the life present As though the case were such that if the same promises were not in this life performed then they could not be performed at all But the truth is otherwise in very deed for if they bee in any wise to bee tyed vnto this life yet it is but imperfectly or as the saying is inchoatiuely that is in their beginning onely but in fulnesse and perfection the most of them appertaine and are to bee referred vnto the life to come This world if it bee rightly considered is no perpetuall thing but as a strange Countrey wherein as strangers and Pilgrims we wayfare still in expectation of another and a farre better home So that in this world none are to expect and looke for any better things then the common accidents which are incident and befalling vnto strangers As for other comforts wee must stay the time vntill we shall attaine vnto that longed for home and place of happinesse which is heauen In respect of the ambiguity of the phrase where we shall be put in full fruition of them Thirdly in the ambiguity also of the phrase of Scripture Satan often in these such like kinds of reasonings doth deceiue the broken and afflicted soule As when the promise respecting both this life and things appertaining hereunto Satan maketh that to bee a generall negation in respect of the time which is most especially to bee attributed onely to the continuance and perperuity of the time As for example Psal 55.22 Psal 55.22 it is said God will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer Psal 112.6 And againe Psal 112.6 Hee shall not bee moued for euer For euer that is saith Satan neuer as some Translations also haue it as though these things that is the fall mouing of the righteous should neuer come Whereas in very deed the meaning is not so But for euer they shall not fall or be moued that is they shall not be so abased as that it should last for euer but for a time onely and then againe they shall recouer and bee restored Agreeable with that of the Psalmist else-where Psal 34.19 Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth them out of all Wherefore I would wish the wauering soule neither in this or any other point of doctrine to be hastie in trusting Satan with these his generall termes but rather to syft and try all by the Scriptures and as they bee agreeable or dissenting to and from the same so to accept or to reiect the same And because I finde that many of our English Translations through the ambiguity of the Hebrew that indifferently beareth both senses haue erred herein translating neuer in stead of for euer if that his Booke shall herein faile him and seeme to make against him yet not to be too credulous but rather to seeke and craue helpe of such learned as are able out of the Originall Text to instruct him further if otherwise either by the circumstances of the place or conferring it with other sentences of the Scriptures hee cannot bee sufficiently resolued Fourthly In the word Prosperity in this word prosperity Satan hath such subtill trickes of Sophistry that if thou bee not wise and take good heed vnto thy selfe he will soone deceiue thee For he accounteth and so I feare
discoursed of diuers temptations wherewith the afflicted soule by the Enemy is assaulted and in discoursing haue somewhat met with Satans obiections and to my power vsed some reason to preuent the euill which may come thereof and after these paines taken am now drawing neere to an end and conclusion of this matter yet there is still one temptation remaining which in no wise is to be omitted and let passe for that it is many times attendant euen vpon many of Gods deare children and at that time especially when they approch and draw neerest vnto their end And that is the feare of death and the vnwillingnesse which they finde in themselues to die Vpon which feare and vnwillingnesse Satan taketh no small aduantage to further his wicked purpose and that in most earnest manner knowing that his time wherein he is to shew forth his malice against such a party is but short and therefore it behooueth him now to exercise his wits and to vse some reasons whereby hee may with the more facility driue such distressed soules into despaire This hee knoweth may be the better more easily effected because he findeth men to be so terrified appaled with the feare of death as that they are loth and most vnwilling to taste of the cup therof but haue rather a desire still to abide and continue in this vale of miseries wherein vexations troubles and disquiets doe greatly abound euen as though there were none other heauen but heere no blessednesse to be looked for and found but in this life Whereupon Satan seeing men in such sort affected and hauing such opportunity offered taketh occasion in this or some such like manner to make assault vpon the distressed soule First hauing mustred into the minde and remembrance of such fearefull and vnwilling persons all those things wherewith they haue beene most delighted and wherein they haue taken some great pleasure in this life as wife children kindred friends acquaintance companions lands goods cattell and such like Satan presenteth this earthly state before them in the most pleasant beautifull shew that may be Again he razing out and defacing as much as possibly he can the hope of heauenly ioyes and comforts bringeth death before them in as terrible and vgly shape as may be Whereupon it commeth to passe that men are so haled and drawne with affection on the one side and so appaled with feare on the other that nothing seemeth more lothsome and vnsauoury vnto their taste then the cup of Death This being once brought to passe and the enemy finding our desire and affection to the ioyes of heauen to be so dull and weake and knowing also how fearefull the sight of death is euen to Gods Children especially at this last gaspe and closing vp of life hee is then most busie with them to cast in their way all such motions as possibly he can to driue them as I haue sayd into despaire Heerupon it is that many dangerous and doubting motions through this subtilty of Satan doe arise in their mindes whether they bee of the number of Gods children members of Christs body or not hauing such vnsauoury fruits proceeding from them These thoughts sometimes in many of them by the crafty working of the Enemy become so forcible that they are as it were continually thundring out words of maruellous great extremity assirming indeede that they are none of Gods seruants haue no faith no hope of saluation and doe not appertaine to the Kingdome of God And that because for a time they find their hearts to be as it were benummed and dull in the sense and feeling of the heauenly and eternall comforts As in other temptations of Satan wee haue labored both to lay open the dangers of the same and to shew by what meanes they might bee auoyded and haue also set downe such comforts whereby both the parties afflicted and others also might bee strengthened against such assaults of the Enemy So likewise I purpose by the assistance of Gods Spirit to doe in this temptation also that so the poyson of Satans perswasions being descryed the dangers thereof may be the more easily auoyded This therefore in this case commeth first to be obserued for the comfort of the afflicted both present and which shall heereafter through the subtilty of the Enemy fall into such danger that these are no strange and vnwonted things but vsuall and common and such as haue and doe befall the children of God Insomuch that although many haue most willingly shaken hands and bidden adue to life and as it were embraced and saluted death in most cheerefull and courteous manner yet others on the contrary haue been greatly terrified euen with the mention of death haue been very loth to vndergoe the stroke therof Examples of this great vnwillingnes to die wee haue in King Dauid who being pained with sicknesse and feeling the hand of the Lord to be sore vpon him prayeth that the Lord would deliuer him and saue his soule from death adding also a reason Psal 6.5 For that In death there is no remembrance of the Lord and in the graue who shall praise him 2. Kin. 20.1 2 3 c. Ezekiah also that good and godly King when newes was brought vnto him by the Lords Propher that he should dy as one most loth and vnwilling heereunto he prayed sighed and that with many sobs and teares as the story mentioneth By the examples of these two such faithfull seruants of the Lord we may see that it is a thing euen by nature incident vnto man to feare death which is so contrary to his estate being the corruption of life whereof hee is so desirous For euery thing is naturally giuen to shun and flee his contrary And although it be so that very many of the Saints of God haue beene sayd most resolutely and willingly to haue yeelded themselues and to haue tasted of this cup by reason of certaine circumstances either attending on their liues as sicknesse pouerty and all kindes of crosses afflictions and miseries whereunto this life is subject and from the which men are found many times to be very desirous to bee eased and released although it be with death or els following and ensuing after death as the euerlasting and vnspeakable ioyes of heauen to the enioying whereof death is as a passage The earnest desire and longing that these haue to the enioying of these heauenly ioyes and this euerlasting blessednesse doth allay and qualifie very effectually the terrour and feare of death in them And yet if these two forts of men both the one and the other should consider death in it selfe without these circumstances being a thing so contrary to our nature it would clearely appeare that there would be found in them a certain feare vnwillingnes to die which fear and vnwillingnes is so much the rather the more increased in them when as it is in part attended with the cogitation or memory of those