taught him to do what he did R. No other schoolemaster than the spirit of God Q. How know you that R. By the word of God Q. Why. It saith not that the spirit did teach him R. But it implieth it and that 's as good Hicron in Ep. ad Gal. ca. 1. for as Ierome saith The Gospel is not in the words of the scripture but in the sence Q. But whether doth the word imply what you say it implieth R. Where it saith the theefe said vnto Iesus Lord Luk. 23.42 remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome Q. Why say you so R. Because the Apostle Paul teacheth me to say so Q. Where R. In the first of his Epistles to the Corinthians the twelfth Chapter and the third verse Q. What saith he there R. That No man can say 1. Cor. 12.3 that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Q. And doe you by this prooue that the spirit of God taught the theefe to doe what hee did R. What else For. 1. in the fore place you see he called Iesus Lord. Luk. 23.42 And he said vnto Iesus Lord c. 2. in the eight to the Romans besides many other places the holy Ghost is called the spirit of God Rom. 8.9 Rom. 8.9 Now ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit because the spirit of God i the holy Ghost dwelleth in you and Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God Ephes 4 30 they are the Sonnes of God And Ephesians the fourth greeue not the holy spirit of God by whom ye are sealed vnto the day of redēption Q. Well then I yeeld and seeing it is necessarie for him that would once dye wel sometime to liue well I would that all which desire to dye well would regarde much to liue well R. You do well to wish it It is a thing to be wished though it wil neuer be performed for as Seneca saith Seneca Epist 78 As it fares with a play so it fares with life It skilles not how long it be ere it be don but how wel it is done while it is in doing Q Seneca Epist 22. But as the same Seneca saith No man considereth how well he liues but how long he liues R. This their misdemeanour is more to be pittyed thē praised for as Augustine saith No man will either haue or suffer a long supper euill August in serm and what should any wishe a long life and euill If it be a great thing that we liue it is a great good to liue well Id. de doct Chir. It is better to liue well then to vnderstand soone For he which liues well deserues to vnderstand more he which liues ill shall loose euen that which he vnderstands Seneca therefore saith Seneca in Epist A wise man doth euer thinke what kinde of life his life is and not how great or how long his life is Idem in Epist 78. For it is not good to liue but to liue wel It is no great thing to liue all thy seruants and cattell do liue Socrat. insuis ex hortation He liues not in whose minde there is nothing but that he may liue eate and drinke that thou maiest liue wel Thou maiest not liue that thou maiest onely eate and drinke Q. What counsell therefore do ye giue R. The same that ere while I did viz. that he which desireth once to die well hath euer a mind to liue well Q. But it is not inough to haue a minde to liue well vnlesse he also labour to liue well R. That 's so but vnlesse he mindes well to liue well Mat. 12.34 he will neuer labour well to liue wel For as out of the abundance of the heart mouth speaketh so of the abundance of the minde the man himselfe worketh the heart maketh the tongue to speake and the minde causeth the hand to worke Q. All this is true I cannot deny it R. VVhy did you then contend so much about it Q. Because I was desirous euerie way to be resolued R. Are you so now Q. Yea for this matter R. VVhat haue you other that you put in this Q. I hope you are not ignorant of that for as yet you haue spoken but of two of the fower meditations which you said long since were much auaileable against the immoderate feare of Death R. In deede I haue yet spoken of no moe Q. That you may speak aswel of the rest that follow as you haue of those that are gone before leauing that where abouts we haue so long contended we wil proceed to the first of those which are to succeed R. And what will you with that Q. No other then with the former R. There needes not all that for I knowe no doubt touching eyther the truth or the effect thereof Q. What to you is needeles for me is needfull for I yet know no more touching this point nowe comming into hande that that which you long since taught me to know R. If you know that you know all which for our intended purpose you are to knowe for the truth and the effect of it are the things which for our purpose are needfull to bee knowen Q. And those are the thinges I am yet in doubt of R. Without cause if you be For the truth thereof it is this he that dyeth beleeuing in Christ dyeth not out of Christ but in Christ For he which beleeueth in Christ is in Christ he that is in Christ by beleeuing in Christ hath both his bodie and soule really coupled to Christ according to the tenour of the couenant of Grace so that though after Death body and soule be seuered one from another yet neither of them are seuered and disioyned from Christ For the coniunction which is once begunne in this life remaines for euer in the life to come and he that is thus conioyned to Christ what needs he doubt any thing touching the effect of the same coniunction what neede hee immoderately or inordinately feare Death Death cannot hurt him Death is but a passage to life vnto him Ioh. 5.24 He which beleeueth in him that sent me saith Christ hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from Death vnto life and saith Paul Rom. 8.1 there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus Q. I but you know when a man dyes that his soule goes from his bodie and that his body being left of his soule rottes in the earth R. What then yet is he neuer the more to feare Death for that for his coniunction with Christ still holdes though the soule goes from the body and the body rots in the earth yet are they both still in Christ both in the couenant both in the fauour of God and that asmuch as they were before death Q. But they are both seuered one from another so as neither soule with bodie nor body with Soule
to suffer all kind of paines and torments for the glorie of God and therefore he said the holie ghost doth testifie in euerie Citie saying Act. 20.23 That bonds and troubles doe abide me but I care not for them neither is my life deare vnto mee so that I may finish my course with ioy So should he that is about to die be willing to suffer all the paines of death and therfore say Though once it be appointed me to dye and I cannot shift it yet I care not for it neither is my life deare vnto me so that I may lay it downe with ioy for as Paul said of himselfe I am readie not onely to be bound but also to dye at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus so may he say of himselfe I am readie not onely to suffer with Christ if so it be his will but also to dye for him wheresoeuer and whensoeuer it shall please him to call me This if he would say as it would be wondrous profitable to him so would it be merueilous comfortable to others he should receiue a reward for it and they take occasion by it to glorifie God their father in heauen forgiuing such gifts here on earth vnto men Q. And this it may be he would say were it not for the feare of death with which he is possessed the paines of death with which he is astonied and some other things with which he is molested R. These things should not hinder him as I haue shewed Q. Yet they doe as oft it is experienced R. That is the fault of men that are to die not of the things for these are no causes to make men vnwilling to dye that know of necessitie they must dye Q. Yet they are taken for causes as well as other things R. I know they are but that makes not that they are causes mens accepting them as causes is no prouing of them to be causes Q. Neither doe I say they are R. Why doe you then so often propound them as causes Q. Because I would haue you throughly disproue them to be causes R. In so doing you doe little amisse but haue I not alreadie sufficientlie disproued them to be causes Q. Yes so many of them as are named R. Why are there moe yet vnnamed Q. Why else said I as I said R. What may they be Q. The taking of him away from his gorgeous and pleasant houses his sweete and delicate pastures his other commodious and comfortable creatures the spoiling him of all his honour and pompe the seuering of him from all his frends and acquaintance his wife his children his kins-folkes neighbours and other his familiars the disappointing him of al his good purposes the prouiding for his wife and children the disposing of his goods the repenting him of his sinnes the preparing of his Tombe and other things necessarie for his solemne and seemelie funerall R. Are these thinke you such thinges as should make a man vnwilling to die Q. Whether they should or no I know not but what they doe I am not altogether ignorant R. I hope you make your selfe more ignorant then you neede I take you not to bee so simple as you would seeme to bee where the effect is to be condemned the duetie cannot be commended Q. You then are of the minde they should not doe what they doe whatsoeuer they doe R. Not in making him vnwilling to die such effect they should none of them take Q. What not the first R. No nor yet the last Q. Why would it not greeue a man thinke you to be taken from his faire houses which hee hath builded his seeled parlours which he hath vsed his pleasant Orchards which he hath planted other commodious things which hee hath much delighted R. Yes but not that way this way to be taken should bee no griefe at all giuen they were once one day this way to be taken againe and what should the feare of being once taken away from these things make him that is but a steward ouer them vnwilling to die his loue to these things should not be so great but that hee should willinglie leaue them alwaies hee cannot stay with them a parting there must be from them and rather he should be thankfull vnto God for the long vse he hath had of them then vnwilling to die because of the loue he beares to them It may be if he had liued longer they should haue bin taken from him what a griefe would that haue bin of the twain it is better for him to be taken from them then thē to be taken from him by the first he is sure he hath vse of them during life and so escapes the miseries many others are subiect vnto which want them by the last he should haue beene sure to haue beene filled with griefe conceiued vpon the losse and lacke of them by the first hee is in possibilitie to dispose of them to Gods glorie and others good by the last he should haue been at a certaintie that he should no waies haue bestowed them for man cannot dispose of that he hath not What therefore by death should he be vnwilling to leaue them It is better to leaue them by death then to loose them by misfortune in life in taking him from them when he can no longer stay with them death doth him no hurt but good First Gen. 47. Ps 39. 1. Pet. 2. Heb. 13. it takes but him away that cannot stay the best in this world is but a pilgrime and stranger he hath heere no dwelling Citie but he lookes for an other that is to come and what should hee bee vnwilling to goe that must of necessitie goe It is better be times then too late hee shal the sooner come to his waies end he shal haue the longer time of rest when he comes there he shall all the way goe in the lesse perill and the more safetie c. Secondly it takes him but from those things which will one day leaue him though it were granted him many daies to stay with them for though his houses were neuer so strong and stately yet are they but earthlie transitory as in time they were made of clay so in time they wil turne to clay how soone and in what maner neither he nor any man else can tell And what should he be vnwilling to be taken from those things which one day will he nill he will bee taken from him It is better to leaue them then to be left of them The contempt of them makes a man rich not his loue to them Thirdly it helpes him to more and better then it takes him from it takes him from earthlie it helpes him to heauenlie it takes him from corruptible it helpes him to incorruptible it takes him from temporall it helpes him to eternall it takes him from somewhat that man made it helps him to that which none but God made and what should he be vnwilling to change
second R. So I intend for the first cannot be without a second As therefore first I sayd a man is to prepare himselfe to dye because necessarilie he must dye so secondlie I sayd he must prepare himselfe thereto because continuallie he is dying Q. What whilest he liues is he dying R. Yea whilst he liues and when he flourishes For why as one sayth all his life is but a race to death Euery day death is nigher him by a daye His daye passes and his death approaches As soone as hee begins to liue so soone hee begins to dye As Paule therefore sayd of himselfe 1. Cor. 15.31 I dye daylie because either daylie hee was in daunger of death or daylie there was diminished some part of his life So the woman of Tekoah sayd of all 2. Sam. 14.14 We doe all dye and are as water spilt vpon the ground that cannot be gathered vp againe And well sayd she what she sayd because either daylie wee are in perill of death or daylie there is diminished from vs some part of our life At the end of euery daye wee haue lesse time to liue by a day Both Augustine a diuine writer and Seneca an humaine do testifie as much as is said Sayth the first Where wee begin to liue Sap. 5.13 there by and by wee begin to dye according to that of the wise man assoone as we were borne wee began to drawe to our end And saith the second We dye daylie Seneca Epist 24. for daylie is some part of our life done away and euen then also doth our life decrease when we our selues encrease Our Infancie we haue lost after that our childehoode thenceforth to yesterday our youth What time soeuer is past is perished This verie day which now we liue we diuide with death Q. But what of all this should a man therefore euer the more prepare himselfe to dye R. What else Q. And why R. because it tels him that of necessitie hee must dye For fall one day will that tree that euery day is a falling and once dye certainelie shall that man that euery day is a dying for death permittes no truce Q. All this I graunt yet I see not how the other doth thereupon followe R. You may if you will See you not how a man prepares himselfe to fight with that enemie with whom he can conclude no peace Q. Yes R. Then may you soone see how a man is to prepare himself to stand against death with which he can enter no couenant Q. Belike then death is an enimie R. 1. Cor. 15.26 So saith Paul The last enemie that shall be destroyed is death Q. No maruell then though a man bee to prepare himselfe to encounter with death For no man must be careles of his enimie His enemie is euer too carefull of him thereto But passe from this to the next if you please R. As you please for what pleaseth you shall not displease me Q. Say not so at euery time and turne R. No more I doe As you are a man that sometime may please you which displeaseth me and as I am another that may sometime displease you which for the time greatlie pleaseth me But now because it pleaseth you that I should passe from that which was last sayd to that which is yet to be said letting these things passe I wil passe As first then I said a man is to prepare himselfe to dye because necessarilie he must dye and secondly because continually he is dying So now thirdlie I say he must therefore prepare himselfe to dye because hee certainelie knoweth not either when he shal dye or where he shall dye Syr. 18. 8. or after what sorte and maner he shall dye For as Sirach sayth no man hath certayne knowledge of his death Eccl. 9.12 And as Salomon sayth Man doth not know his time Act. 9.12 but as the fishes which are taken in an euill nette and as the birdes which are caught in the snare so are the children of men snared in the euill time when it falleth vpon them suddainely Q. But what ought the ignorance of a mans time to incite him to make preparation for his time R. What else both Christ and others seeme to say so For thus sayth Christ Luk. 12.40 Be ye also prepared therefore Wherefore Because the sonne of man will come at an houre when you thinke not This giueth asmuch as I seeke For Christ cōmeth aswell at the particular Iudgement of a man which is at his death as at the generall which shall be at the dissolution And yet you see his reason is from his comming at an houre when he is not thought of be ye therfore prepared for the sonne of man will come at an houre when ye think not And thus sayth Augustine Thou knowest not in what houre he may come Alwayes therefore watch that so because thou knowest not when he will come he may finde thee prepared when hee shall come It may be for this cause thou art ignorant when he will come that thou maiest be readie whensoeuer he doth come Augustine in quad Epistola The last day is vnknowne that all dayes may be obserued then are remedies prepared too late when deaths perils hang ouer the head Thus also sayth Gregorie Gregorie Lib. 12. moral To this ende our maker would haue our ende hidden and the day of our death to be vnknowne that whilest it is alwaies vnknowne it might alwaies bee thought to bee nigh at hand and that euery man by so much might be the more feruent in working by how much he is vncertaine of calling that while we are vncertaine when we must dye we might alwaies come prepared to death Brandmil Con. funebr To the like effect in like sorte sayth another Therefore to no man is the houre of death knowen that euer we might watch and be readie least being vnreadie and in ill sorte secure wee should bee found sleeping And this is his reason If men did foreknow when they should dye they would shew their diligence about that time that they might not therefore be diligent onely in that time but continually he foresheweth neither a generall houre nor a particular that in alwaies looking for him they might alwaies watch For as Theophylacte well sayth vpon the first chapter of the first of Pauls Epistles to the Thessalonians Theophylact in 1. ap 5. If man knew his last day he would indeuour himselfe to doe any mischiefe other dayes then the end of his life approaching he would be baptized Moreouer many if they knew they should dye to morrow would bethinke themselues how many waies they might molest and afflict their aduersaries as though now they did despayre of themselues and did desire to refresh themselues with their enemies bloud Which thing is not now done for the feare of death staying them the loue desire of eternall life recalling them For the houre of death is
alwaies vncertaine and vnknowne to thee That thou mayst feare be feruent liue well and flye euill As though there were foure causes which moued God to make death vncertaine 1. Feare 2. Loue. 3. Life 4. Euill Feare of him loue to his word preseruation of life in man and declining of euill Touching the. 1. Gregorie sayth in an homelie of his Our Lord would therefore haue our last houre to bee vnknowne that alwaies it might be suspected Gregorie in hom that whilst we cannot fore see it without intermission wee might make hast vnto it And hence is it that he said Watch therefore Mat. 15. cap. 13. for ye know neither the day nor the houre when the sonne of man wil ceme Touching the 2. another saith The houre of death is vncertaine that thou mightest worke the more feruentlie Were it not so thou wouldest grow slouthfull and desist from manie things which are good for others And hence it is that an Angell sayd once to a Bishop Greg. in Dialoâ— Doe what thou doest worke what thou workest Touching the 3. saith the same author last spoken of Therefore is the day of thy death vnknowne that thou mayest liue the more purely and warilie For as Cyprian saith What kinde of one the Lord findes thee when hee doth call such kinde of one he doth iudge thee when thou art gone But it is a foolish thing for a man to liue in that estate in which he would not dye Touching the 4. saith the foresaid writer Therefore is the day of thy death vnknowne that thou maiest eschew many euilles which of the certaintie of death would ensue For did men know they should liue long they would committe many euils purposing afterwards to repent but did they know they should dye soone they would liue so much the more vnhumanelie determining to haue some pleasure ere they were for the preuenting of these mischiefes the Lord hath made both death vncertayne and the time thereof vnknowne Thus now you see how the ignorance of death both in regard of time place and manner ought to make a man prepare himselfe to death Q. I doe so I thanke you But I pray you is there yet any thing more that may doe the like R. If you remembred but what ere while I said this question might haue been spared for I tolde you that for fiue causes a man was to prepare himselfe to die ere euer he came to die and yet wee haue spoken but of three of them Q. In deede you did so Speake therefore of the two last I praye you as you haue done of the three first R. So I meane God willing In the fourth place therefore a man is to prepare himselfe to die ere euer hee comes to die because the greatest worke a man hath to finish in this worlde is to die As after death there is no worke so greater then death there is no work hee which hath ouercome death hath ouercome all things Aristotle Of all terrible and fearefull things death is the last Q. And why should this moue a man euer the more to prepare himselfe to die R. Because as the wise man saith Syr. 5. 16. He should not doe rashly either in small things or in great Q. Why but is it a doing rashly to dye without preparation thereto R. What else For what is it not a doing rashly to set vpon any thing without aduisement Q. Yes surelie R. The like it is to die without preparation Q. As a man then prepares himselfe to the doing of any great worke so is hee to the vndergoing of death R. Right so Q. But why so R. Because death is not the least of a mans workes in this world Brandmil Con. fun though it bee the last For to die is the greatest worke a man hath to finish vpon earth Q. May you not thereto adde the greiuousest too R. If I die the matter were not great for there are more paines in death Vincent then in any worke vnder the sunne As one sayth for then so diuerse kindes of diseases are wonte to meete and so to molest euery member that sometimes there are moe diseases than members In a sicknes that was not mortall but grieuous Dauid sayd there was not one whole parte in his bodie how much more might another so say in a sickenesse that is mortall and therefore exceeding grieuous For no sickenes so grieuous as a mortall sickenes In the separation of a man from his wife there is much greefe and sorrow in the separation of the soule from the bodie there must needes be much more The coniunction of the two last is greater and of greater continuance than the coniunction of the two first and where there hath beene the longer continuance in affection there must needes be the greater grieuances vpon separation in experience we see that so much the greater the sorrow is at the parting of friends by how much the longer the continuance together hath been from the meeting of friends and by that we may gesse how great the griefe is in the parting of soule and body For soule and bodie are as two friends but what prosecute I this poynt so farre Now haue I little leysure and lesse occasion so to doe and it may be I shall haue more of both hereafter Q. I would you might and I wish you may For it will not be more yrkesome to me then to heare of these things than it is now And now by seeing my silence you may iudge of my delight But to let this passe seeing you would so faine passe what other reason haue you for the first and last place by which a man should bee moued to a preparing of himselfe to death ere euer he comes to yeeld himselfe thereto R. The fundrie preceptes of Christ and his Apostles and prophets tending to that purpose Q. Why haue either the one or the other of these giuen any precepts touching this matter R. Haue they what a question is that thus sayd I say the Prophet to Hezekiah the king Put thine house in order Esa 38.2 for thou shalt dye and not liue And what is that but to prepare to die because thou must die Thus said Christ our Sauiour to Peter and Andrew and other his Apostles and disciples Wake therefore Mat. 24.42.43 for ye know not what houre your master will come Of this be sure that if the good man of the house knew at what watch the theefe would come he would surely watch and not suffer his house to be digged through Therefore be ye also readie for in the houre that ye thinke not will the sonne of man come And what is this but to prepare to dye because you must dye for Luke the Euangelist recording the same historie saith Be yee also prepared therefore Luk. 12.40 For the sonne of man will come at an houre when yee thinke not 1. Pet. 1.1 And thus said Peter the Apostle to the
strangers that dwelt heere and there throughout Pontus Pet. 4.7 Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia now the ende of all things is at hand be ye therefore sober and watching in prayer And what is this but to prepare to dye because yee must dye For a man cannot prepare himselfe aright but he must be sober and watching in prayer Q. Is this reason thinke you as forcible as the former R. If it be not it should be For this I am sure is Christs saying Ioh. 15.14 Iohn the fifteene Ye are my frends if ye do whatsoeuer I commaund you And this as I haue shewed is his commaundement as well therefore because he hath commaunded it as also for other reasons which alreadie I haue expressed preparation to death should be vsed Q. God graunt it may so be R. Amen I wish For in asmuch as we haue all sinned wee must all dye For as there is a time to bee borne in sinne so there is a time to dye for sinne And to that that must be done it is better that we prepare our selues then not That comes daungerously that comes vnlooked for Eighteene were slaine when the Tower in Siloam fell but moe perished in the gaynesaying of Corah Iude. 11. Num. 16.32 1. Pet. 3.20 and the deluge spared none but eighte Now death is like a theefe A theefe comes vnawares and so doth death A theefe comes when he is not looked for and so doth death A theefe comes suddenly Barnard and so doth death As nothing is more certaine than death so nothing is more vncertayne then the houre of death A Thunder cracke commeth on the suddaine euen so doth death As one saith our life is like a ruinous house alwaies readie to fall like a thin thred alwaies readie to rot like a running cloude alwaies readie to droppe This cloude sometime melteth in the cradle sometime in the chayre death is like the sunne whensoeuer it shineth it melteth our cloudie life be the cloude thereof neuer so thinne or thicke in yeares Our life then being as vncertayne as the weathercocke which turneth at euery blast or like the waue which mounteth at euery storme or like the reede which boweth at euery winde ours it is to prepare our selues to leaue it to forgoe it to lay it downe to entertayne that which doth dissolue it Q. You say true ours it is to doe so but our blindenes is such and our senselesnes so much as we thinke wee haue heere a continuing citie and therefore we little prouide for that which is to come we thinke we shall liue long and therefore we prepare not to death which shortly and vncertainlie will ensue we put death farre from vs oh I may liue twentie yeares yet c. and therefore wee neglect what wee should regarde and despise what wee ought to embrace R. In regarde of nature this is our dealing but in respect of grace it should not be so and sure I am that they whome God hath indued with grace haue not done so As they haue thought of death so haue they prouided for death Hence is it that some of them bought burying places in their liues there to be buryed when they were dead Hence is it that some of them fitted their toombes eare they dyed in which they were intoombed when they were dead Hence is it that some of them both appointed what sheetes they would be wounde in when they were dead and what they would haue giuen to the poore that then should be liuing Abraham bought him the caue of Machpelah both to burie and to be buried in Ioseph in his life prouided himselfe of a tombe against his death So haue many others done and so now amongst vs many doe By the one and the other it is easie to learne what euery one should do What is one mans duetie in this regarde is euery mans As no man layes himselfe to sleepe without preparation so no man shuld yeeld himselfe to death without preparation as one saith Death sleepe are brethren Diogenes awaking out of sleep being asked by his physitian as he lay vpon his death bed how he did answered I do well man Stob. serm 115. For brother embraceth brother To like effect did Gorgias Leontius answer his friends whē they asked him what he did as he lay drawing on sleeping For he said Now sleep begins to deliuer me to his brother As Moses therefore once said euen so now say I Oh that men were wise Deut. 32.29 and would vnderstand their latter ende Oh that we would remember the certaintie of our death the vncertaintie of our life the ieopardie we are in if death take vs vnawares then no doubt but as Ioseph layd vp in the seuen plentifull yeares what might minister reliefe in the seuen deare yeares so we in the time of this our vncertaine life would store vp what might comfort our yearning soules in the bitter agonie of our most certaine death For wondrous comfortable it is to be prepared for death before death As Gregorie saith Greg. in hom sint lumbi v. 1. Seneca in extrema parte epist epist 20. Maximus serm 36. So death it selfe when it commeth is conquered if before it commeth it euer be feared No man well welcometh death when it cometh but hee which long time before hath disposed himselfe thereto Hence is it that Musonius being once asked who it was that could finish his last daye best answered Hee that euer propounded to himselfe that the last day of his life was present and at hand And hence is it that man should prepare for his end before his end that so he might assuredly speede well at his end Q. Oh would to God that man eyther could or would what man should As his mighte is weake so his minde is wicked And through the weakenes of the one and the wickednes of the other oft is that neglected which much should be regarded R. So it seemes when preparation to death is neglected As death is the last thing in this world a man shall vndergoe so preparation thereto is the first thing hee ought to ouergoe Q. It is not now the duetie wee stand vpon but the time The first is confessed the second is suspected that man should doe this you speake of it is not denyed but when he should doe it it is somewhat controuerted R. More without cause than with cause For there is no cause the time should be doubted when the truth cannot be denied Q. You speake as if there were as much truth for the time as there is in the thing R. I speake then but as I ought for the truth is as much for the one as it is in the other Q. When is it then that a man should prepare to dye sith that prepare he must R. When when not there is no time which thereto and for is not a tyme because we all are euer vncertayne of our time Hee which now liueth may
by and by be dead Sodayne death wee know seiseth vpon many Q. I many in regarde of themselues but not many in regarde of others for moe dye deliberately vpon their beds than sodainly at their boards R. The greater is the mercie of God towardes vs that it is not so Lam. 3.22 Dan. 9.7 For his mercie it is that we all dye not suddenly we haue deserued worse and therefore that Q. I denie not that R. Presume not then vpon the other Q. Neither will I for the workes of God are merueilous and his iudgements past finding out Rom. 11.33 But I will enquire when a man is to prepare himselfe to death Whether in sickenes or in health or in both R. And I will answere in both and neither in health alone nor in sickenes alone Q. And why that R. Because there is a twofould preparing to dye a preparing in health and a preparing in sickenes a preparing in health because then we are verie vnsure to liue For the healthiest man in the world cannot promise himselfe one howre of life Much lesse can he saie To day or to morrow I will goe into such a citie Iam. 4.13 and continue there a yeare and buy and sell and get gaine A preparing in sickenes because then wee are all like to die There is but a step between the sicke man and death As one sayth of men and young men so say I of sickemen and sound men Bern. de Conuers Cler. c. 14. To sicke men death is at the gate to sound mē death is lying in wayte Both in health therefore and also in sickenes he that knowes he must dye must prepare himselfe to dye Q. What needes he prepare in health will it not serue well enough in sickenes R. Truelie no. For first the time of sickenes is not the fittest for such a purpose First because all the sences are then occupied about the paines of the disease And Augustine saith Scarcelie will hee come to true satisfaction Aug. ser 36. whome sickenes doth vrge and paine terrifie especially when the children whome he vnlawfully loued are present and his wife and the worlde do call him vnto them Secondly because then the diuell is most busie to draw a man from all goodnes as knowing that if then he hold him he shall for euer keepe him Olympiodorus in the 9. chapter of Ecclesiastes For as Olimpiodorus saith Such as the day of death doth leaue him such shall and will the day of iudgement finde him And you know it was said to the serpent which was more subtill than any beast of the fielde touching himselfe and the womans seede Gen. 3.15 He shal breake thine head and thou shalt bruise his heele Which as one saith is as much as thou shalt lye in waite against the latter part of his life And well may it be so for that auncient writer Gregorie saith Greg. lib. 6. moral The auncient enemie of mankinde in the time of death is mad through the violence of crueltie to snatch vp the soules of sinners and whome he deceiued while they liued by his flatteries them he tormenteth when they dye by his crueltie Secondly in the time of health it is verie needfull because as in sommer the lillie hath a worme in the roote that doth consume it so in health man hath a worme that doth dissolue him Wheresoeuer he goes hee carries death with him As the lillie that flourishes in the morning is not sure to stand till the euening so man that triumphes in the health of his youth is not sure to liue to the infirmitie of his age Absolon dyes in his health aswell as Dauid in his sickenes And the prouerbe is When health is highest death is nighest Many euen now as it were are aliue and merrie yet in a moment they are dead and gone Sometime death warnes ere she strikes and sometimes againe she strikes ere euer she warnes As therefore it is euill to delay till sickenes so it is good to prepare in health The wise man saith Syr. 18. 20. Humble thy selfe before thou bee sicke and whilest thou mayest yet sinne shew thy conuersion In health the wit of man is greater and the feare of death lesser than in sickenes In health therfore also to prepare for death the time is somewhat fitter Q. Why but it is neuer to late to repent For a man may repent when he will R. The proposition is true if a man doth truely repent But the prouerbe is It is scarse true which is not due It is sicke like him that vseth it As you hearde before out of Augustine August serm 36. He whome sickenes constraineth and punishment affrighteth hardlie to true repentance atteyneth Q. But are you of that minde R. Of what other minde should I be Q. If so you are and other you cannot be of what reason haue you for being of that R. Reason enough and forcible enough to content any man reasonable First repentance should be voluntarie as all other obedience to God should bee But repentance in sickenes is vsually constrayned The feare of death hell and iudgement doth enforce it Zeale loue and religion doe not then alwaies effect it And there is a learned writer that saith Enforced seruices are not pleasing vnto God Greg. Secondly in true and sound repentance men that repent Ambros do forsake their sinnes For as Ambrose sayth True repentance it is to sease from sinne Hugo lib. 3. de Mist ecle And as Hugo saith Repentance is called as it were a punishment because the man himselfe that repenteth doth by his repenting punish in himselfe what wickedly he hath committed For the three things which are in the smiting of the breast to wit the breast the hand and the sound doe signifie that repentance is of those things which we haue offended in by heart voice and worke But in this repentance both raysed by sickenes and neuer vsed but in sickenes the sinnes forsake the men for therefore then many forsake their sinnes because their sinnes forsake them and not because they forsake their sinnes For why their minde is toward them asmuch as euer though their might serues not to follow them so well as euer The historie of Andronicus and the lion of both which it is written This lion is this mans hoste and this man is this lions physitian or chirurgian doth argue that in sickenes the lion the Prince of Beastes doth leaue his crueltie and experience doth testifie that in sickenes man the Lord of lions and other creatures doth lay downe his iniquitie but as the one did leaue his crueltie to the ende he might be cured of his maladie so doth the other lay downe his iniquitie to the ende he may bee freed from his miserie The truth of what I saie is apparant in Antiochus the proud 2. Machab. 2.11 2. Machab. 9.5 For before that a paine of the bowels that was remediles came vpon
of Israell was punished There went vp to Ai about three thousand men but the wrath of the Lord being kindled against the children of Israell for the trespasse committed by Achan in the excommunicate thing they fled before the men of Ai and the men of Ai smote of them vpon a thirtie and sixe men Against the inferiour creatures hee sinneth because they for the sinne of man are after a sorte punished For as the Apostle sayth The creature is subiect vnto vanitie Rom. 8.20 not of it owne will but by reason of him which hath subdued it vnder hope For wee know that euery creature groaneth with vs also and trauaileth in payne togither vnto this present In so much that euery of them in the day of iudgement may put vp his bill of complaynte against such a driuing and delaying mate And the Sunne may say for his sake I lost my light the moone for his sake I became darke the Starres for his sake we fell from heauen the Earth for his sake I became cursed and brought forth thornes and thistles the Aire for his sake I became corrupt and breed plagues and pestilences the Water for his sake I became polluted and brought forth frogs euen in kings chambers all creatures for his sake we became rebellious yeelded not that obedience which had not his sinne been wee both would and should haue yeelded What man now is he of any wit and discretion that sinning would sinne against all the forenamed his God himselfe his neighbour the Angels the other creatures Q. For my parte I thinke none I hope none I knowe none R. Neyther should there then be any of any wisedome that should delay till death to prepare for death For in so doing hee sinnes as I haue said against all these of whome I haue said and in so doing he hurtes himselfe more than now can bee sayd The estate of such a man is perilous Whiles he liues the sworde of Gods iustice hanges drawen and readie to fall ouer his head and when hee dyes it serues to seuer his soule from his bodie and to cast it into hell Ioh. 3.36 For he that obeyeth not the sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him While he liues he liues in the land of his enemies and when he dyes if he dyes as he liues he falles into the hand of his enemies For the deuill is the God of this world Origine and is seized and possessed of all those that remayne in ignorance Into his hands also fall all they which dye either out of the Lord or against the Lord. While hee liues there is but a wall of glasse that stayes his enemies frō hauing him in their hands This wall of glasse is his body behinde which the deuill standes and this wall you know is soone broken and beaten downe One little stone of a three or foure poundes weight batters it in peeces and layes it leuell to the ground When he dyes the wall is broken and his enemies enter to make spoyle of all they finde within While hee liues as his dayes goe from life so he goes to death His whole life is but a course to death When hee dyes as his dayes are ended so is his life For he liues no more to his owne ioy or others comfort The way of sinners is made plaine with stones saith Syrach but at the ende thereof is hell darkenes and paynes Whiles he liues Syr. 21. 10. he stands at the gates of death according to that saying They drew neere vnto the gates of death Psal 107.18 But when hee dyes hee goes soone into hell Iob. 21.13 according to that saying They spend their dayes in wealth and sodeinlie they goe downe to hell Q. If his state bee so perilous it is good for him to thinke of his wayes and to turne aside his steppes least euill take him vnawares and he perish in the time of vengeance R. It is so and a foole he is if he doth not so Q. A foole may say not so Matth. 5.22 Whosoeuer shall say foole shall be worthie to be punished with hell fire R. I if he sayth it With a minde to hurte and a will to destroy But I haue no such minde such a minde be farre from me I that cannot make a man what should I marre one Q. Still then you deeme him as you did R. I doe so for hee is a foole that being fallen into the mire makes no hast to get out such a foole is he that being fallen into sinne makes no hast to rise from it For there is no greater vncleannes than the vncleannes of sin Before sinne the deuill was a most beautifull creature to looke vpon An Angell he was of light but since his sinne no man is able to abide the looke of him so vgly and monstrous is he now become Againe he is a foole that hauing a iourney to goe makes no hast to beginne it such a foole is he that hauing to trauell from earth to heauen makes no hast to set vpon his way Q. But why if a mā may aske you is he a foole R. Iob. 14.1 First because the time hee hath to goe this iourney in is but shorte For the dayes of man are but shorte and it is folly to thinke a man may goe a great iourney in a little time Secondly because the way is long as much as from earth to heauen and it is folly to thinke a man may goe a long way in a shorte space To Elias it was said vp and eate for thou hast a great iourney And yet his iourney was but from the wildernes of Bersheba vnto Horeb the Mount of God 1. Kin. 19.7 a iourney of fourtie dayes and fourtie nights walking a iourney nothing comparable to the iourney from earth to heauen for more is the distance from earth to heauen than was the distance betweene the desert of Bersheba and Horeb the mounte of God There are that expresse it but how truly I minde not heere to examine It is myne heere rather to shew why he is a foole that hauing to trauell hence thither makes no hast to set vpon his way than that and that sith I haue begunne to doe it I minde to doe Thirdly hee therefore is a foole because hee is looked for of great persons for the whole hoste of heauen expects his comming and it is folly to make great persons stay for a meane man Gen. 19.20 When Lot prayed that hee might escape to Zora that there his soule might liue God bad him hast thither to saue himselfe there for he could doe no thing till he were come thither Haste thee saue thee there Gen. 19.22 for I can do nothing till thou be come thither Fourthly because he is looked for to his great good For he is looked for to a kingdome Math. 25.34 Mat. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my father inherite ye the kingdome
The generall is that by which a man doth prepare himselfe to dye through the whole course of his life in this world But the particular is that by which a man doth prepare himselfe to dye in the time of his sickenes onely Q. To beginne with the first then what course should a man take in his life that hee might euer be prepared for his death R. That course that is fitting for that purpose Q. What is that R. This first let him meditate vpon death in the prosperous time of his life Secondly let him daylie endeuour to take from his owne death the power and strength of death Thirdly let him striue by all meanes he may to enter into the first degree of eternall life Fourthly after he hath once gotten entrance thereinto let him inure himselfe by little and little to dye before euer hee comes indeede to dye Fiftly and lastly let him doe presently whatsoeuer his hand shall finde to doe and not with the crow procrastinate from this day till to morow Q. That I may now question with you touching each of these why is he to meditate vpon his death in the prosperous time of his life R. Because the whole life of a Christian ought to be nothing else but the meditation of death because also in the best time of his life he is vncertaine of his death For man knoweth not his ende Mar. 15.43 the one and the other of these reasons made Ioseph of Aramathea an honorable counsellour which also looked for the kingdome of God to make his tombe in his life time in the middest of his garden And this did he to put himselfe in minde of death in the middest of his delights and pleasures and also to teach others by his example what they should doe For what is the duty of one this way is the duety of euery one For once it is appointed for euery man to dye as it is for any man As therefore Paul saith of all men It is appointed for all men once to dye Heb. 9.27 Syr. 38. 21. so Syrach saith to euery man Remember thy last ende forget it not Q. And what will this minding of death in the time of life worke any good in him that liues R. It either will or should Q. I speake not of the dutie but of the vertue R. If so it doth for first it humbles him that thinkes thereof vnder the mightie hand of God remembring himselfe thereby to be but dust and ashes Thus therefore said Abraham vnto God Gen. 18.27 Behold now I haue begunne to speake vnto my Lord and I am but dust and ashes Thus did he humble himselfe vnto God by remembring what he was Thus no doubt will others doe that thinke as he did For what should dust and ashes be proude Syr. 10. 9. As it is one of the lowest things vpon earth so it is one of the lightest It is troad vnder the foote of euery thing and blowne away with a small blast What should it exalte it selfe against God the clay is not to rise against the potter neither is man to huffe against his maker as the clay is in the handes of the potter so is he in the hands of his creatour As the clay therefore submits it selfe to the potter so must he himselfe to his maker The clay because it is clay and he because he is dust Gen. 2.7 Eccl. 12.7 Dust of dust Gen. 2.7 and dust to dust Eccl. 12.7 Secondly it furthereth him to repentance For hee would be loath to be taken in his sinnes Ionah had no sooner cryed to Niniueh fourtie dayes Ionah 3.4 and Niniueh shall be destroyed but Niniueh repented As the remembrance of Niniuehs destruction wrought Niniuehs conuersion so the remembrance of mans dissolution workes mans saluation For he cannot do wickedly that thinks to dye presently August lib. exhortat Nothing doth so much recall from sinne as the often thinking of death the wages of sinne For what Rom. 6.23 Luk. 18.11 1. sa 25.14 2. Sa. 13.1 Num. 11.29 can the Pharisie be proude if hee remember hee is but dust can Naball be couetous if he remember he must goe naked can Ammon be voluptous if he remember hee shall bee wormes meate can Iehoshua be enuious if he remember he shal be without life 1. Sa. 22.9 and despised of these whome he most enuied in life can Doeg be sclaunderous if he remember he shall be tongles and most talked of by those himselfe talked most against finally can any man be vitious that remembers hee shall bee infamous and lapped in the bosome of his inglorious mother earth surely no. For Syrach saith Syr. 7. 27 He that remembers his latter ende shall seldome or neuer offend Esai 38.2 Hezekiah the king no sooner heard by I say the Prophet Set thy house in order for thou shalt dye but streight way he turned his face to the wall and wept and prayed and said I beseech thee Lord remember now how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfite hearte and haue done that which is good in thy sight c. Thirdly it stirres him to contentment in euery estate and condition of life that doth befall him For he cannot be discontente with any thing Hierom. that remembreth hee must goe from euery thing As Hierome saith He doth easily despise all things which alwaies thinketh hee must dye As another saith If any man remembreth the last things of his life easily refuseth all things which are vpon the earth For Seneca saith Seneca Nothing will so much profite thee for the moderation of things as the often cogitation of death In the midst of all his afflictions which were both many and mightie righteous Iob comforted himselfe with this Naked I came out of my mothers wombe Iob. 1.21 and naked shal I returne againe The Lorde hath giuen and the Lorde hath taken away euen as it pleased the Lorde so are thongs come to passe blessed therefore be the name of the Lord. As Iob did so may we What was his comfort will also be ours If there be any fault it will be in the applying and that because it is either not applyed at all or else because it is not applyed aright If it bee applyed and rightly applyed good is euer thereby effected Greg. lib. 12. moral He which considereth what kinde of one hee shall be in death will alwaies be fearefull in his worke and therevpon liue euer in the eye of his maker he desires nothing that passeth all the desirs of life present he contradicteth and he considers himselfe almost dead because hee knoweth certainly he must dye For a perfect life is the meditation of death which while the iust diligently buzie themselues about they escape the snares of sinne For as another saith To remember that this our life must bee ended destroyeth pride extinguisheth enuie driues away lechery auoydes vanitie erecteth discipline and perfecteth
your owne skill for all my will for I may minde what is not meete and you may wish what is more conuenient Your enough is nothing too much for that which you said was both pleasurable to heare and profitable to learne And it may be my minde is little amisse For I would learne what I know not and get what I haue not For my part therefore I can be contented to proceede can you so too R. Yea verily for I am now at your direction Q. We will now then to the third thing you say he was to regarde which in prosperous time of life was desirous to prepare against perilous day of death R. As you please for that But doe you remember what it was Q. Very well I thanke you For this it was He must striue by all good meanes he may to enter into the first degree of eternall life R. You say true but what would you touching this point Q. I would first know how many degrees of life eternall there are for your naming of the first argues that there are diuers I would secondly learne what it is to enter into the first degree of eternall life For you say he must striue and striuing argues it is not common nor easie to enter into it Thirdly I would know by what meanes a man may come to enter thereinto For enter a man cannot into any thing without meanes R. And these things in some sorte will I manifest vnto you Touching the first therfore there are three degrees of life eternall The first is in this life when men being iustified and sanctified haue peace with God The second is in the ende of life when the body freed from all diseases paynes and miseries is layd to rest in the earth and the soule is receiued into heauen The third is after the daie of Iudgement when bodie and soule being reunited shall be both aduanced to eternall glorie Now to enter into the first of these 3. degrees of life eternall is to haue such peace with God through Christ as he that hath it can say with Paul I liue not but Christ liues in me The meanes to enter heereinto are three Repentance of sin Fayth in Christ and Newenes of life For none can enter heereinto but he that repents him of his sinnes beleeues in Christ and riseth to newenes of life He that repents not perisheth He that beleeueth not is condemned He that walketh not in newnes of life is yet in his sinnes Hence it is that Peter said vnto the Iewes A mende your liues and turne that your sinnes may be put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Act. 3.19 Hence is it that Paul said vnto the Iayler 16 31. Beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued and thine household Dan. 4.24 Hence is it that Daniel said to Nebuchadnezar Breake off thy sinnes by righteousnes and thine iniquities by mercie toward the poore Loe let there be an healing of thine errour Hence it is that as Peter said of Ioyning vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge 2. Pet. 1.5 and with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlines and with godlines brotherly kindenes and with brotherly kindenes loue if ye doe these things ye shall neuer fall So may I say of mixing repentance with faith and with faith obedience and with obedience more if ye doe these things ye shall neuer fall for as Iohn the Euangelist sayth Apoc. 20.6 Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power By which is signified that hee which will escape the second death must be made partaker of the first resurrection of which none is in deed partaker but he that is regenerated iustified and sanctified regenerated by the spirit of God iustified by the death of Christ and sanctified with the gifte of the holy ghost for none but such can say with Paule I liue not now but Christ liueth in me Q. I but others than such haue parte in the first resurrection R. In shew they may but in truth they haue not Q. How then may a man come to be able to say with Paule I liue not now but Christ liueth in me R. By three especiall graces in which the first degree of euerlasting life consisteth Q. What three are these R. The first is a sauing knowledge by which a man doth truely resolue himselfe that God the father of Christ is his father Christ his sonne his redemer and God the holy ghost his sanctifier for as Christ sayth This is life eternall to know thee the onely God Ioh. 17.3 and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ The second is peace of conscience Pro. 15.5 Philip. 2. which as Salomon saith Is a continuall feast And as Paul saith Passeth all vnderstanding For as the same Paul saith The kingdome of God is righteousnes Rom. 14.17 peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost And no meruaile for the horrour of a giultie conscience is the beginning of death and destruction Syr. 25. 14. The greatest heauines is the heauines of the heart saith Syrach and the greatest trouble is the trouble of conscience say I. As Syrach also saith Giue mee any plague saue onely the plague of the heart So say I giue me any trouble saue onely the trouble of conscience For as the plague of the heart passeth all other plagues so the trouble of conscience passeth all other troubles Pro. 18.14 The spirite of a man saith Salomon will sustaine his infirmitie but a wounded spirit who can beare it As one in Plautus saith Seruus in Mustellaria There is nothing more miserable than a mans owne guiltie minde In a prouerbe it is Seneca lib. de moribus Ibidem A guiltie conscience is as good as a thousand witnesses As Seneca saith The conscience goes beyond all the euill the tongue can speake An euill conscience is often safe without daunger neuer sure without care Hmbros lib. 2. de offic Bernar. in serm Bern. 3. considerat ad Euge. But saith Ambrose The peace of conscience makes a blessed life And saith Bernard He prepares a good dwelling for God whose reason neither hath been deceiued nor wil peruerted nor memorie defiled The opinion of good men with the testimonie of conscience is euer sufficient against the mouth of them that speake euil Horat. Hor. Iudgeth it an happie thing for a man to know no euil by himselfe nor to waxe pale through some default Hugo lib. 2. de Ani-cap 9. Hugo therefore speaking in the praise of a good conscience saith A good conscience is the title of religion the temple of Salomon the field of benediction the garden of delight the declinatorie of gold the ioy of angles the arke of couenant the treasure of the king the house of God the habitation of the holy ghost the booke
to sleepe hee that dyes knowes not when he beginnes to dye Man knowes not his end He that sleepes rests from al the care and labour he had while he waked he that dyes resteth from all the care and trouble he had while he liued Apoc. 14.13 He that sleeps liues while he sleepes Mat. 22.32 he that dyes when he is dead For the soule is immortall And God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing Yet when Abraham and Isaac and Iacob were dead God said I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac Exod. 3 6. and the God of Iacob He that sleepes dreames either of things pleasant or things pestilent he that dyes and is dead Luk. 16.22.23 enioyes either things ioyfull as the ioyes of heauen or things painefull as the paines of hell he that sleepes Iob. 19.25 sleepes in hope to awake againe he that dies dies in hope to rise againe And therefore the Iewes call the churchyarde the house of the liuing because they which there sleepe shall thence in the last daies rise He that sleepes is stronger when he awakes than before he that dies is better when he rises againe than euer he was before He rises in incorruption he rises in power 1. Cor. 15.42 43. Mat. 19.26 1. Cor. 15.25 He that sleepes may easily be waked he that dies may easily be raised The trumpet shal blow and the dead shall be raised vp incorruptible To come to some point now what should a man feare either the laying downe of a burthen or the taking vp of a sleepe being weary hee desires both the one and the other Being wearied with the cares and crosses of this life what should he then feare death no man feares to be cast into a sleepe neither should a sicke man feare much to die As Seneca saith Senec. in prouer Epist It is a foolish thing to be delighted with sleepe and yet to abhor death when as a continuall sleepe is the imitation of death againe Through the feare of death we make vnto our selues an vnquiet life and so great is the madnes of men that some are driuen to die by the feare of death We are to be strengthened least we too well loue our life too much hate our death And we must be perswaded when reason thereto perswades to ende our life but not to feare death A valiant and couragious man ought not to flie but to goe out of his life For himselfe and of himselfe he saith otherwhere It repenteth me not to haue liued because I haue not so liued Senec. lib. de senectyte that I should thinke my selfe borne in vaine And so depart I out of this life as if I departed out of an Inne not as if I departed out of an house for nature hath giuen vs an Inne to stay in but not an house to dwell in Thus by his example he shewed what he himselfe did and by his reason what others after his example should doe if either his example be worth the following or his reason worthie the beleeuing for his reasons sake and after his example he that is sicke and therefore not farre from death should neither immoderatly feare death nor negligently expect death How fearefull soeuer death is if it be looked vpon in the glasse of the law yet is it not so being looked on in the glasse of the Gospell In the one it hath a sting and that a sharpe one in the other it wants a sting and therefore it is no wondrous fearefull one Saith Gregory What is this mortall life but away and consider my brethren what a thing is it in the way to be wearied and to nill that the way should be ended He that trauailes desires to be at his iourneies ende what should he that liues be afraide to die death is the ende of his â—ourney Euery thing reioyces in the ende What should the sicke man feare death death vnder the Gospell to him that beleeues â—s The passage to life not to destruction For be which beleeueth in Christ dieth not Ioh. 5.24 death hath no power ouer him but he passeth from death to life The death of those that beleeue hath another Epitheton than hath the death of those that beleeue not Pretious in the sight of the Lord saith Dauid is the death of his Saints Psal 116.15 Sap. 3.19 Bern. in quadam epâ—â—co but horrible saith Salomon is the end of the wicked generation Pretious is the death of the Saints pretious truely as the end of their labours as the finishing of their victorie as the gate of life and the entrance to perfect securitie And againe in the same place saith he The death of the righteous is good for the rest that followes it better for the newenes of that rest best of all for the securitie that is in that rest that both followes it and is new For as the same Bernard otherwhere saith Bern. ser 25. paru serm Three things there are which makes the death of the Saints pretious 1. Rest from labour 2. Ioy of the newenes of that rest 3. Securitie of the eternitie of the same rest But on the contrary part the death of the wicked is most vile It is euill truely in the loosing of the world for without griefe they cannot be seuered from that which they loue it is worse in the seuering of the flesh For their soules are puld from their bodies by wicked spirits it is worst of all in the double suffering of the wormes and the fire For the worme euer stingeth and the fire alwaies burneth neither euer cease to torment Much what to the like effect doth Chrysostome write of the death of the one and the other Although they die at home Chrysost hom 66. in Genes de morte peccator both wife and children being present familiars and acquaintance standing by if yet they want vertue their death is but euill So although he be in a strange countrey though he lies vpon the pauement and what say I though he be in a straunge countrey although he falles into the hands of theeues although he be deuoured of beasts yet if he be indued with vertue his death shall be pretious As Anselmus writeth Anselm It hurts not those which are good whether they be murthered or taken away by sodaine death For they neuer die sodeinly which euer thought they were to die Whether therefore they be slaine with the sword or torne in peeces of beastes or burned with fire or drowned by water or hanged on a tree or haue their legges broken or die by some other misfortune yet euer is the death of his Saints pretious in the sight of the Lord according as it is At what time soeuer the righteous dieth his righteousnes shall not be taken from him And so death hurteth not but profiteth much If therefore he that is sicke or any other doth beleeue he needes not ouermuch to
the other by making them more obstinate in their sinnes more peruerse in their actions more loose and licentious in their liues and conuersations For when a good man sees another die he then bethinks himselfe that he also must die he wishes that such a death he may die Let me die the death of the righteous Num. 23.17 and let my last ende be like his He prepares what he may to come to such an end But whē an euill man sees a good man die he then is either raised from his sinne to righteousnes or hardened in his sinne against all godlines Raised it may be he is if he see him die a good death i. A death in his estimation good but hardened if he see him die an hard death i. A violent death an vnnaturall or a troublesome death For he thereupon presently reasons this mans life was not so good as hee himselfe thought it and some other iudged it For then should he not haue had so hard an ende For such as the life is such the death is And as Augustine saith He cannot die ill Ang. de doctrina christian which liued well and hardly he dies well which liues ill For mine owne part therefore what course I haue taken that will I hold what waies I haue walked them will I walke what things I haue done them will I still do They that haue done as I doe haue died a better death than he this that would in no wise doe as I haue done Q. But is this his reasoning good and laudable R. How thinke you Q. I aske you R. And I you Q. I thinke it not good R. No more doe I. Q. But why doe neither of vs both thinke it so R. Because there is no reason either of vs both should thinke it so For a good man may haue an harde ende In outward shew the death of our Sauiour Christ was but an hard death he died the death of the crosse and we know what was said in the law Deut. 21.23 Gal. 3 13. Cursed is euery one that hangeth on a tree Yet I hope wee may not say that therefore Christ died a bad death Q. God forbid we should For by his death we are deliuered from death and I hope that was no bad death to him which was so good a death for vs R. In worse sorte we are not to iudge of the death of any good man For he cannot die badly Aug. lac sup citat Aug. de ciuit-dei lib. how hardly soeuer he dies that hath liued godlily For as the same father saith That is not to bee thought an euill death before which there went a good life For there is nothing makes an ill death but that which followeth death Q. Leauing the wicked then in and to their wickednes let vs returne For I see that that which is of it selfe good they will make bad R. Tit. 1.15 That is right so For vnto the pure are all things pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled But because you speake of returning whither would you we should returne or to what Q. Either to that wee were in hand withall or to that which is to follow R. Vnlesse you will wee haue done with that wee were in hand withall For I haue shewed you how death was commodious both to him that suffered it and also to him that saw it suffered Q. You haue so and no little comfort haue I gotten thereby For thereby I haue learned against the daies of necessitie how to fence my soule against the inordinate feare of death R. Right vse in so doing haue you made thereof For thereto and for haue I said thereof what I haue said Q. I know so much and therefore I acknowledge it But as I remember you said that by meditations aswell as by practises he that is sicke and that mortally may arme himselfe against all excessiue and immoderate feare of death R. I did so and in so doing I did not amisse For by the one as by the other is that to bee done which I said was thereby to be done Q. As you haue shewed then how it might be done by the one so I would you would shew how it may be done by the other R. In this point I will what you will As then by practises foure waies the sicke man might munite his soule against the immoderate feare of death so may he by meditations also fower waies doe the same Q. But how R. First by meditating that his death aswell as the death of any other man and the death of euerie man is not onely foreseene but also foreappointed of God Secondly by thinking that death following after and ioyned with a reformed life hath a promise of blessednes adioyned vnto it Thirdly by thinking that he which dieth beleeuing in Christ dieth not forth of Christ but in Christ hauing both his body soule really coupled to Christ according to the tenour of the couenant of grace Fourthly by considering that God hath promised his speciall blessed and comfortable presence vnto his seruants in all their needes and necessities Q. But touching these matters there may be a double doubte One touching the truth of them another touching the effect of them R. I deny not but there may be but I auouch that there neede not be For the truth in them is as I haue pronounced of them and the effect of them is like the truth to be found in them Q. Is it true then that the death of euery man is not onely forescene but also foreappointed of God R. Why else say I so vse I my tongue to lie and my mouth to deceiue you neede neuer make question thereof if either you consider the saying of Iob touching this point or the historie of Christ his death Q. Why what saieth Iob touching this point R. That 's to bee seene in the seauenth of his booke where he makes this question Is there not an appointed time to man vpon earth Iob. 7.1 are not his daies as the daies of an hireling in the 14. where he giues this aunswere 14,5 The daies of man are determined and the number of his moneths are with thee O God Q. And what is the historie of Christ his Death R. That part which I speake off that which is thus recorded in the Actes of the Apostles Act. 4.27.28 Doubtles against thine holie Sonne Iesus whom thou haddest annointed both Herode and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel gathered themselues together to doe whatsoeuer thine hand and thy Counsell had determined before to be done Q. What gather you thence R. That which the Text doth giue to wit that in the Death of Christ there came nothing to passe but that which the foreknowledge and eternal Counsell of God had appointed Q. But what 's that to the death of another man or to the death
thou wilt not direct thy will after Gods will but wilt bend Gods will to thy will that is right but thou crookest it thy wil is to be corrected by that but that is not to be buckled to thine and thou shalt haue an vpright heart Without the conforming of mans will to Gods will mans will is but a peruerse will Q. That 's sure but what may moue him to reforme that which is peruerse and to conforme it to that from which it is auerse R. The first and last meditations I haue yet spoken of Q. I pray God that all you are to speake off may effect what you and I do affect R. So pray I also there is no fault in them if they do not they are all as fruitfull as faithfull so they be faithfull that are to vse them Q. Manifest both in all as you haue done in one R. So will I in time Q Out of time you cannot doe it R. That 's so because nothing is done which is not done in time but yet there is a difference of time there is a due time and an vndue time Q. And this is now a due time for the second to succeed the first and each one to followe another R. You say well if you thinke your selfe satisfied for the first Q. I did amisse else to mooue you to the second for I am vnwilling to remaine vnsatisfied in any thing whereof I may be satisfied by you Being therfore satisfied touching the first what say you to the truth of the second hath it a promise of blessing annexed vnto it R. Hath it If I haue said it you need not to make any doubt of it I woulde not say what I cannot iustifie neither often vse I to doe it but to put you out of all doubt touching that whereof you seeme to bee in doubt consider what is written in the Reuelation of the Euangelist Iohn and then I thinke not but soone you will cause to doubt Q. Why what is it that is there writtten R. Apoc. 14.13 That Blessed are they which dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Q. And doth it thereupon followe that Death ioyned with and following after a reformed life hath the promise of blessednes annexed vnto it R. What else for first there is none die in the Lord but they which haue liued in the Lord for liuing sometime in the Lord must goe before dying any time in the Lord for as Augustine saith He hardly dies wel which alwaies liued ill SecoÌ„dly they which so dy are said to be blessed blessed are they which dy in the Lord. Thirdly that blessing then beginneth when as this life endeth For it is said therefore they are blessed which die in the Lord because they rest from their labours their workes follow them In which words there is both an expressing of the time wherein they are blessed and also of the cause wherefore they are blessed The time is the time of their death for it is said blessed are they which die in the Lord. The cause is their resting from their labour For blessed are they which die in the Lord for they rest from their labours c. In both the Euangelist speakes in the present tense hauing an eie in the last to the preterperfect For first he saith they are blessed he saith not that either they were blessed in the time past or they shall be blessed in the time to come but they are blessed in the time present as though they were in blisse euen in their death Secondly he saith they doe rest he saith not that they haue rested or that they shall rest but that they doe rest as though their death were a rest and not a distresse Thirdly he saith from their labours as though death present were a rest from labours past Q. Though the Euangelist saith so yet it followeth not but that they which dy in the Lord both were blessed and did rest before their death and shall be blessed and rest better after their death R. Neither did I yet say that any such thing will thereupon follow For the most of those that at their death are blessed in their life also were in some sorte blessed and all those that are blessed in their death shall for euer after be blessed after death Eternall life is heere in this life begunne and that sometime long before death and sometime in death but it is neuer finished or perfected till the life to come and after death There is perfection heere is but incoation there life is perfected heere it is but incepted He which heere hath it not at any time there enioyes it not On the contrarie part he which heere is entred into it shall there fully be possessed of it To conclude therfore they which are blessed in their death were also blessed in their life and shall be blessed after death with life lasting euer and enduring world without end Q. This being as you say no meruaile though the meditation of that promise be a shield of succour against deaths terrour For of my selfe I can heere collect that too much death is not to bee feared hauing so sweete a promise of rest thereto annexed R. In so doing you doe what euery christian ought to do For what should he ouer much feare death that hath herein a promise made to him of life what should he ouer much feare that which frees him from labour and brings him to rest who would not leaue an house of clay for a building giuen of God that is an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens life rest and a building giuen of God are three things which mitigates in any the immoderat dread of death For the loue of these death should rather be loued than loathed wished than shunned craued than feared Q. You say well if euery death had the promise of these things made vnto it R. Neuer if at the matter for there is no good death which hath them not all promised vnto it Q. There is much difference betweene a good death and any death R. I denie not that But I spake not of any death but only of a good death Neither could I for that place of scripture which I produced for proofe of what I propounded saith not that all are blessed which die but that they onely are blessed which die in the Lord. Q. That a man might come to that what should he doe R. Liue well so neere as he can For as the prouerbe is Such as the life is such will the death be And as Augustine saith as you heard ere while He cannot die ill which hath liued well and hardly doth he die well which hath liued ill Q. August de doctrina chrâ—stiana That should not seeme to be very necessarie First because there are but few that regards it For how euer euery man desires to die well yet not many desire to liue well Balaam
himselfe though he much esteemed not to liue the life of the righteous yet he greatly desired to die the death of the righteous Num. 23.10 Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his Secondly because it is said as you haue before alledged that they are blessed which dye in the Lord. Apoc. 14.13 R. It followeth not vpon either of your reasons that it is vnnecessarie For first that which fewest follow is most necessarie The preaching of the word of God fewest regard yet is the attending thereto most necessarie When Martha being offended with her sister Marie for that shee would not helpe her to serue when she gaue entertainement to Christ but sate still at Iesus his feete attending to what he speake complayned to Iesus that her sister left her alone to serue Iesus himselfe was so farre from reproouing of Marie for this her fact as he defended her and reprooued Martha Luk. 10.41 saying Martha Martha thou carest and art troubled about many things But one thing is needefull Marie hath chosen the good part which shall not bee taken from her Thereby shewing that the hearing of the word preached was necessarie and more necessarie than the corporall entertaining of him Secondly that which is by Iohn the Euangelist said is not so to bee vnderstood as men neede not care to liue well because there by him it is said that they are blessed which die in the Lord. For except while they liue they liue to the Lord when they die they cannot die in the Lord. Liuing to the Lord is a meane to come to die in the Lord. As Seneca saith Death is honest Sen. 57. ep by that which is honest Q. What say you then to the theefe that suffered when Christ was crucified Luk. 23.33 and with him did not he die in the Lord R. Yes else would not the Lord haue said vnto him Luk. 23.43 This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Q. Yet you know euen then when he was crucified he was a theefe an euill doer Mat. 27.38 Luk. 23.32 Mat. 27.44 Mark 1â— 32 a reuiler of the sonne of God R. All this I know too because the scripture reuealeth so much but what inferre you thereof Q. That he that dyes in the Lord doth not alwaies liue in the Lord R. That 's not true in the Lord he doth liue alwaies for in him the Apostle saith we liue we moue Act. 17.18 we haue our being But not to the Lord alwaies For the same Apostle saith Other where 2. Cor. 5.15 Christ died for all that they which liue should not henceforth liue vnto themselues but vnto him which died for them and rose againe As though alwaies liuing in him they did not alwaies liue to him Q. You now speake of another life than I doe R. Not a whit For you speake either of a naturall life or a spirituall life or both And so doe I. Q. My meaning was to speak but of one R. My meaning was then to answere you perceiued me not Q. You did not so though you meane so R. I did as much as I meant though you perceiued me not Q. In deede there might be a fault R. And verily there was the fault For what soeuer you thinke he that doth once die in the Lord did alwaies liue in the Lord though not alwaies to the Lord. Q. If I were deceiued those two words In and to deceiued me R. Not the words but the misposing of them it was that deceiued you Q. When and where did I mispose them R. Where and when you inferred that whether he that dies in the Lord doth not alwaies liue in the Lord. Q. Why is not that inference good R. No for the last in you should haue put to Q. Why it is true is it not R. Yes but it is not due It fittes another time and place better than this and now Q. Make it then as you would haue it R. As you should haue made it Q. So then how is that R. Thus he that dies in the Lord doth not alwaies liue to the Lord. Q. If I had said so the matter had not been great for the theefe that died in the Lord did not alwaies liue to the Lord. R. If you had said so my labour had been lesser and your gaine greater Q. Take it so What loose I thereby R. That which you labour to haue prooued thereby Q. What was that R. Thinke you I haue forgotten Q. I know not R. You shall see that I haue not Q. What was it then R. It was this that it is not alwaies necessarie that a good life should goe before a good death Q. And doth not that thereupon well follow R. The contrarie thereto I haue all this while followed Q. What soeuer you haue followed doth not that follow R. How often shall I tell you no Q You neuer tolde me so much before R. I insinuated so much if I tolde you it not Q. There is difference betweene an insinuation and a negation R. In time more than in truth Q. But to the matter againe You confesse that the theefe we speake of died in the Lord doe you not R. I doe so I neither doe nor will deny it before I haue confessed it and still I stand to it Q. You acknowledge also that at the time of his crucifying with our sauiour hee was a wicked man a theefe and an euill doer R. I doe so and must so because the scripture saith so Q. How then say you that necessarily a good life must goe before a good death R. Matt. 24.44 Euen aswell as the scripture saith in one place that same also the theeues which were crucified with him cast in his teeth that is He saued others himselfe he cannot saue If he be the king of Israel let him now come downe from the crosse and we will bâ—leeue him Luk. 23 3â— he trusted in God let him deliuer him now if hee will haue him For he said I am the sonne of God And in another one of the euill doers which were hanged railed on him saying If thou be the Christ saue thy selfe and vs. But the other aunswered and rebuked him saying fearest thou not God seeing thou art in the same condemnation We are in deede righteously heere for we receiue things worthie of that we haue done but this man hath done nothing amisse Q. But why say you so R. Because as if ye distinguish times these two places which seeme to repugne one another are soone reconciled so these two things that which I defend and that which you oppugne are quickely accorded Q. What times speake you of R. The time wherein both the theeues railed on Christ of which Mathew the Euangelist speaketh and the time wherein one of the same theeues reprooued the other for reuiling and railing on the sonne of God of which Luke the Euangelist reporteth Q. What difference betweene
these times R. Much. The one was a good time the other was a bad time That was a good time wherein the one theefe reprooued the other but that was a bad time wherein they both reuiled and rayled on the sonne of God Q. It seemes all was at one time For it was all at their and Christs death R. One generall time if you will but not one particular Mat 27.45 For there was three howres distance betweene Christ his crucifying and his dying Lu. 23.44 At the sixt houre he was crucified at the ninth he died And in three houres space many things happened Q. But what happened in these three houres R. The rayling of both the theeues on Christ Iesus and the repenting of one of them In the beginning of the three hoth might raile as Mathew seemes to speake before the ending of the three the one did repent as Luke assuredly doth recorde Q. Be it so what inferre you thereupon R. That which before I defended and you denied Q. Why that R. Because he which you say died in the Lord did sometime also ere he died liue to the Lord. Q. How doth that appeare R. Aswell as any thing may appeare For the same scripture which speaketh of his dying in the Lord speaketh also of his liuing to the Lord. Q. Why what saith the scripture thereof R. More than that which you haue heard yet somewhat you haue heard Q. Haue I heard any thing that makes for this purpose R. I that I hope you haue Q. What was that R. That when one of the euil doers which were hanged rayled on Christ Iesus saying If thou be the Christ saue thy selfe and vs. Luk. 23.39 The other answered and rebuked him saying fearest thou not God seeing thou art in the same condemnation we are indeede righteously heere for we receiue things worthie of that we haue done but this man hath done nothing amisse Q. And what is there more which I haue not heard but may heare R. That which followeth what you haue heard And he the same that before reprooued his fellow said vnto Iesus Lord Luk. 23.42 remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome Q. And what doe these things prooue that the same theefe which once died in the Lord did some time ere he died liue to the Lord R. What more manifest for what is it to liue to the Lord but to liue according to the will of the Lord and he that thus liued ere he died as you haue heard how did he not liue according to the will of the Lord in three things doth the will of the Lord consist 1. In this that a man turnes from his wicked waies to him For as by his prophet Ezekiel he saith Ezek. 18.23 Is it my will that the wicked should die saith the Lord God or rather that hee may returne from his waies and liue As I liue saith the Lord God I will not or I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue 2. In this that a man exercises himselfe in liuing godlily For by his blessed Apostle he saith 1. Pet. 2.15 So is the will of God that by well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men 3. In this that a man continues in well doing to his liues end For saith the beloued Sonne of God Ioh. 6.39 This is the fathers will that hath sent me that of all which he hath giuen me I should loose nothing Now perseuerance in doing good is that which makes that a man is not lost because it is said Mat. 10.22 He that endureth to the end he shall be saued Saith Hierome It is not the point of vertue to haue begunne but to haue continued and perfected what was begunne And saith Remigius Rewarde is giuen not to those that beginne but to those that perseuer For as Isidore saith Then doth our conuersation please God when we finish the good which we beginne by holding out to the ende In which of these three did not he we speake of according to the will of the Lord in the first the second or the third in neither Not in the first for there he turned from his wicked waies he had been a theefe now he was none he had been an euill doer now he was none he had been a reuiler of the sonne of God now he was none Not in the second for there after that once he was conuerted he exercised himselfe in doing of good He sorowed for his sinnes he confessed them he prayed for pardon of them he suffered quietly some punishment due to them he reprooued his fellow theefe for continuing in them he iustified Christ the Messias from the guiltines either of them or the like vnto them the text which recordes the historie of him prooues asmuch as I say One of the euill doers which were hanged railed on Christ Iesus saying Luk. 23.39 If thou be the Christ saue thy selfe and vs. But the other aunswered and rebuked him saying fearest thou not God seeing thou art in the same condemnation There is a shew of his owne conuersion his fellowes corruption We are indeede righteously heere There is his confessiō with a continuatiō of his fellowes corruption For we receiue things worthie of that we haue done There is his patient suffering of punishment with a reasō of his fellowes corruption But this man hath done nothing amisse There is his iustifying of Christ And he said vnto Iesus Lord There is his acknowledgment of Christs power Remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome There is his prayer for his sinnes remission and his soules saluation Neither yet in the third for there he perseuered as long as life lasted After once he put his hand to the plough he neuer look't backe In what hee sometime ere his death liued in that he once at the ende of his life died In faith and hope and loue he liued for the time after his conuersion that he liued and in faith hope and loue hee died when the time wa this life ended In asmuch then as in his life from his conuersion to his death he liued according to the will of the Lord it is thereby certaine that ere he once died in the Lord he sometime liued to the Lord. And so at length that is manifested which long I haue laboured to manifest Q. In deede the certaintie of the theefes liuing sometime to the Lord once dying to the Lord is thereby manifested but the necessitie of euery ones liuing so that faine would die so is neuer the more prooued R. In that you are deceiued For the action of one man that is good is the instruction of euery one that would be good Whatsoeuer good the theefe did he thought duety for him to doe and other than duety the like no man can thinke because he that taught him to doe what he did teacheth no man but what is dutie Q. Why who
the Lord or whether we dye we dye vnto the Lord whether we liue or dye therefore wee are the Lords so not those that haue power ouer themselues to do with themselues what soeuer is pleasing to themselues but those that should do with themselues what God hath appointed them to do now he hath appointed those to whom he hath giuen life to preserue it so long as you may For he hath giuen his gifts to be kept till he cals for them and to be referred to his glory so long as they are enioyed In asmuch therefore as the sicke man hath his life of God as any other man hath his he is to be as careful of preseruing his life as any other man is Secondly he is so to â—e because life being once giuen how light accoâ—nt soeuer some make thereof vsing vnlawfull mâ—â—nes and indirect to depriue them selues of it it is 〈◊〉 most precious iewell and that such an one as â—one can giue but God alone Our common saying of it is life is sweete and that our saying is a commendable saying by the iudgement of the Scripture For touching life first Salomon saith Eccl. 9.4 It is better to be a liuing dogge then a dead Lyon for according to the Philosopher It is better to be then not to be Pro. 13.8 Secondly the same Salomon saith A man wil giue his riches for the ransome of his life Yea thirdly Satan himselfe saith Iob. 2.4 Skin for skin and all that euer a man hath will he giue for his life If a man therefore will be accompted but a man he is to esteeme of his life A man will regarde what belongs to a man A Father in Terence said A man I am and nothing that pertaines to a man do I thinke strange vnto me what must he then doe that will be accounted a good man a iust man a holy man a righteous man must he contemne and despise his life the good gift and singular grace of God surely no. A righteous man saith Salomon Regardeth the life of his beast Pro. 12 10. and therfore I would think much more the life of himselfe he is but a meane maÌ„ that esteems not better of himselfe then his beast he is better in nature he shuld be much better by nurture A prudent man saith Salomon seeth â—e plague hideth himselfe which is as much as if he should haue said A prudenâ— maÌ„ seeth the meanes to cut off his life â—nd he seeketh the means to preserue i◠〈◊〉 wel thirdly doth he so because life is giue him to a good end to wit that he might haue time to vse al good means for the atteining of euerlasting life For God would haue no man to perish 2. Pet. 3.9 1. Tim. 2.4 but all men to come to repentaÌ„ce Yea God would that all meÌ„ should be saued and come to the knowledge of the truth and for this purpose doth he giue life Greg. in moral For this present life is the way by which we goe to our countrey First heauen for this cause speciall care must be bad of the preseruation of life for if the way be stopt vp by which a man shoulde goe to any place how shall he euer come to that place to which hee is bounding and to which he is bound to goe were it not for shippes men could neuer passe the Seas were it not for waies men could neuer goe to townes were it not for life men could neuer come to heauen Much therefore are they to be blamed which spend their life in pleasures and delights according to the inordinate affections of their own hearts and not according to the wholsome prescriptions of Gods law for life is not giuen so to be spent but life is giuen to the end that men might haue libertie to get out of the kingdome of darkenes into the kingdome of grace and from the slauish bondage of sinne into the glorious libertie of the Sonnes of God For this cause Paul saith Christ died for all 2 Cor. 5.15 that they which liue should not from henceforth liue vnto themselues but vnto him which died for them and rose againe Where liuing vnto him which died for them is nothing else but liuing to the end aforesaid for without liuing in Christianitie whose end is the attainement of saluation there is no liuing to Christ which is the chiefe part of sanctification and should liue as Peter saith 1. Pet. 4.2 Asmuch time as remaineth in the flesh not after the lustes of men but after the will of God whose will as the Apostle Paul saith is sanctification 1. Thes 43. This is the will of God euen your sanctification your sanctification not your prophanatioÌ„ But to proceed in the fourth place the sicke man aswel as any man must take care of that which is laide vpon him because of others to whom for whom he is to do good as much as hee can and as long as he can but soone shall he cease to do this if either negligentlie he regardes his life or violentlie hee depriues himselfe of life Eccl. 9.10 For there is neither worke nor inuention nor knowledge nor wisedome in the graue whether hee goeth Q. Partlie for Gods cause then and partlie for his owne and partlie for others either neere and deere vnto him or daily standing in neede of him you would haue him that is siâ—ke to regard the recouering of his health and the preseruing of his life R. It is iust so and you haue heard my reasons Q. But in sickenes what meanes should a man vse for the preseruation of life and the recouering of health R. Good and holesome Phisicke Q. Why that is a thing contemned of some as needles despised of many as fruitles and adiudged of most to be superfluous R. That makes not but it must be vsed esteemed by the well disposed sicke as an ordinance and blessing of God ordeined and appointed for the preseruation of life and recuperation of health for why the wiseman saith The Lord hath created medicines of the earth Syr. 38. 4. and he that is wise will not abhorre them With such doth he heale men and taketh away their paines Exod. the 15. Exo. 15.25 and 25. verse the water was made sweet with wood that men might know the vertue thereof by the applying of a lumpe of drie figges at the Prophets appointment to his byle Esa 38.21 2. Kin. 20.5 Hezekiah the King was healed so as the third day he went vp to the temple and house of the Lord according to the saying of Isaiah the prophet Q. But that his cure was miraculous For it is miraculous that a man should be made whole in two or three dayes space R. It is so in regarde of time but not in regarde of meanes For the cluster of figges was a naturall and ordinarie medicine or plaister seruing to soften and ripen tumours of swellings in the flesh Gal.
it is naturall for a man to die vpon his bed the other i. the second would haue been both violent and suddaine For it is a violent suddaine death to be taken away when a man is very likely to liue and whilest he makes none accompt to die And I thinke a violent and suddaine death is worse then a naturall In a naturall death life hath attayned his full periode In a violent and suddaine life is cut off ere euer shee comes to her periode Againe for the naturall oft we wish and well we may It is the end of all our labours it is the gate of life it is the house appointed to all that liue it takes away all euils and deliuers the iust mans soule from them As one saith In generality it takes away three things for the which the righteous wish to goe out of this life to wit The feare of transgression the griefe of affliction the heate of emulation so long as they liue they are sure to sinne to sorrow to lament saith Bernard By how much the longer we liue Bernard Hierom. by so much the more we are molested and doe sinne saith Hierome Infinite are the perils amongest which we walke what should it delight vs to remaine among the snares of the diuels the swords of men the vnlawfull motions of the flesh and therfore Paul said Rom. 7.24 Tobit 3.6 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death Tobit said It is better for me to die then to liue because I haue heard false reproches and am very sorowfull 1. Mach. 2.7 Mattathias said Woe is me wherefore was I borne to see this destruction of my people the destruction of the holie Citie and thus to sit still 1. Kin. 19.4 Elijah said It is inough O Lord take my soule for I am no better then my Fathers and Ieremie said Ier. 20.14 Cursed be the day wherein I was borne and let not the day wherein my Mother bare me be blessed with many other wordes which you may reade in the xx of his Prophecy Againe as death takes away all euils so it brings giues many goods Bernard as Barnard saith Death will come but it will be but a sleepe to the elect of God a gate of life a beginning of refreshing a ladder to ascend vp into heauen by Hence saith one vpon that saying of Syrach O death how acceptable is thy iudgemēt vnto the needfull c. Vnto the Saints truely the iudgement of death is good because it is no other thing to them but a going out of prison an end of banishment a finishing of labours an arriuing at an Hauen an end of a pilgrimage a laying downe of a greeuous burthen a deliuery out of a ruinous house a returne to their countrey an entry into life And in consideration hereof Paul said Philip. 1 2◠I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ for Christ is to me both in life and death aduantage What Paul wished others may wish for death is the same to them it was to him aduantage to him aduantage to them aduātage to all that die in him by death they passe from labour to rest from shame to honour from pouertie to plentie from a cottage to a kingdome from death to life And thus now you see both that we may pray and also well pray for naturall death but so much you neither can nor may see for a violent a suddaine death Against that wee many times pray from plague pestilence and famine from battaile and murder suddaine death good Lord deliuer vs and of right we ought for we are neuer so ready as that it is good for vs to be taken suddenly and we know it will goe but hardly with vs if we be taken in our sinnes Others being taken suddenly makes vs afraide and therefore the feare of being taken our selues suddenly should more make vs to feare and vpon feare to say From sudden death good Lord deliuer vs the fore-thought of death comes somtimes ill inough and therefore the suddaine cannot come alwaies well inough But now I remember my selfe I haue said inough of this to manifest what I was to manifest Now therefore if you please I will backe againe as fast as I may Q. And whither will you backe R. To that from which we are somewhat fallen Q. What is that R. The bad dealing and ill speeding of those that vse the prescripts of Coniurers and Charmers Q. Why you haue been about the one and the other of these all this while R. I haue so but otherwise then I would if you had not been Q. What would you haue done if I had not been R. Haue made quicker speed about their euill speeding Q. Me thinke you haue been quick inough and if it be as you say they are sure to speed ill inough R. You if still as if you doubted If you will not beleeue either mee for Moses or Moses for himselfe or both for God looke vpon Ahaziah king of Israel and tell mee if you find not asmuch prooued by his history as before was auouched vpon diuine verity Q. Why what is his history R. That being sicke through a fall thorow the lattesse window in his vpper chamber 2. King 1.2 which was in Samaria hee sent messengers to Baalzebub the God of Ekron to know whether hee should recouer of that his disease yea or no but while this was in doing the Angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Thisbite arise and go vp to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and say vnto them Is it not because there is no God in Israel that ye goe to enquire of Baalzebub the God of Ekron wherefore thus saith the Lord thou shalt not come downe from the bed on which thou art gone vp but shalt dye the death Q. And is there hereby as much prooued as was before by you propounded R. What else Q. I see but three things in it 1. Ahaziah his sinne 2. the reproofe of his sinne 3. A commination against him for his sinne R. Yet therein may you see what I would haue you see See viz. First that they do sinne greeuously which leauing the ordinarie meanes the Lord hath set to haue health by doe seeke vnto extraordinarie Secondly that they which doe so wickedly shall therefore speed ill fauouredly The first in the two first you see for there as Ahaziah sinned so he was therefore reproued The second in the last you say you see for there is shewed how Ahaziah should speed for his wicked deed Q. I but yet it is not shewed how hee did speede R. It may thence easily bee collected for the word that commeth out of the mouth of God shall not returne vnto him void Esa 55.12 but it shall accomplish that which he will and it shall prosper in the thing whereto he sent it Q. But did this so R. Yea verilie for
Where there is power to do the thing which ought to be done it is not enough to wil the doing of it but he must also endeauour to do it Rom. 2.6.13 For God will rewarde euery man according to his deeds and the doers of the law shal be iustified Hence is it that often the scripture exhorteth men to doing as wel as to willing more to doing than to willing as Psal 34.14 Eschew euil do good Psal 27.3 Trust in the Lord do good Esa 1.16 Cease to do euil 17. Learne to do wel Eccle. 9.10 All that thine hand shall find to do do it withal thy power Iam. 1.22 Be ye doers of the word not hearers only deceiuing your selues And the better to induce men thereto doth vse many and forceable arguments as one frō the cōmendation thereof another from the commoditie thereof a third from the perill that otherwise may ensue The first Pro. 21.3 To doe iustice and iudgement is more acceptable to the Lord then sacrifice The second Rom. 2.13 The doers of the law shal be iustified Iam. 1.25 A doer of the worke shall be blessed in his deeds The third Mat. 7.21 Not euery one that saith vnto me Lord Lord shal enter into the kingdome of heauē but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen And againe Matt. 7.26 Whosoeuer heareth these my words doth thē not shal be likened vnto a foolish man which hath builded his house vpon the sand and the raine fel the floods came the windes blew and beate vpon that house and it fell and the fall thereof was great But whither goe I I am far enough if not too far Q. Not any thing too far I must yet hale you further R. Not much in the poynt wee were in hand withall Q. How far I know not but a little farther there is no remedie R. Well then vse your skill Q. If a man that hath gotten somewhat ill you say be able to restore he is bound to restore R. True if the thing be to be restored otherwise he is to recompence for it Q. That is as good as to restore is it not R. Yes if the thing be not to be restored or the partie to whom it should be restored will accept of it for satisfaction for a thing is a kinde of restoring the thing Q. But what if he that hath gotten much ill be neither able to restore all nor recompence anything R. I can say nothing till I know whether he be willing to restore if hee were able or willing Q. Willing not willing R. Then his will will there goe for fact so he doth sincerely acknowledge his faults vnfeignedly bewaile them heartily sorow for them instantly craue pardon of them vtterly forsake them resolutely determine though he liues neuer againe to commit the like vnto them and constantly purpose if God blesse him with life and bring him to better state according to his power to recompence for them For as the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 8.12 If there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that a man hath not And how pleasing to God a willing mind in this case is will soone appeare out of the example of Zacheus Luk. 19. For he had no sooner said Luk. 19.8 9 Beholld Lord the halfe of my goods I giue to the poore and if I haue taken from any man by forged cauillation I restore him fourefould But Iesus againe said vnto him this day is saluation come vnto this house forasmuch as he is also become the sonne of Abraham And yet there is there no mention made of any to whom he made either actuall restitution or equiualent satisfaction Though no doubt but there was cause enough why he should haue done both For first he was a publicā And publicanes had long hands lose fists and limde fingers They tooke tribute of the Iewes for the Romanes and therfore they were hated of them as dogges As some say they were called Publicans Publicans as Publike dogges because they were hated as common dogges Secondly he was chiefe receiuer of the tribute And the chiefe receiuer was no little deceiuer It askte both cunning and craft to come to be chiefe Thirdly he was rich And the Poet saith A rich man is either an vngodly man himselfe or heire to one that was vngodly Fourthly he promised to restore fourefould And what should he doe that vnlesse he had robd some and deceiued moe for in theft and wrong there was required a restoring of fourefould as is easie to be seene in the historie of Dauid 2. Sam. 12.6 Whereupon Nathans telling him 2. Sa. 12.1.2 There were two men in one citie the one rich and the other poore the rich one that had exceeding many sheepe and oxen 2. Sam. 12.2 3 4 5 6. the poore one that had none at all saue one little sheepe which he had bought and nourished vp c. And that the rich man hauing a stranger come vnto him refused to take of his owne sheepe his owne oxen to dresse for the stranger that was come vnto him but tooke the poore mans sheepe and dressed it for the man that was come vnto him you may see the king grew exceeding wroth and that with the rich man that had done the poore so much wrong and therupon againe said vnto Nathan as the Lord liueth the man that hath done this thing shall surely die And more than that he shall restore the lambe fourefold because he did this thing and had no pitie thereof And the ground of this you may finde in the 22. of Exodus where God himselfe saith Exod. 22.1 If a man steale an oxe or a sheepe and kill it or sell it he shall restore fiue oxen for the oxe and foure sheepe for the sheepe Q. I but what inferre you vpon all this R. That there was cause enough why Zacheus should haue made actuall restitution or satisfaction for the wrongs hee had done though we reade not that he did Q. And what of that R. That to haue a will to restore is good where there is not power to restore Q. By what meanes make you that good R. By Christ his liking of a good will to restore in Zacheus who had abilitie sufficient to restore For. 1. he was rich being cheife receiuer of the tribute 2. halfe of his goods he gaue to the poore and that being done he left enough behinde to restore fourefold with Q. But what you would haue hence to follow doth not well follow For what Christ liked in Zacheus he may dislike in another R. Not so by your leaue For Christ is no acceptour of persons Act. 10.40 In euery nation he that feareth him and doth as Zacheus did is accepted with him as Zacheus was Q. I he that doth as Zacheus did But that a poore man cannot do He neither hath whereof to giue nor
when thou commest into thy kingdome and he receiued this answer To day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradise The Centurion when hee saw what was done he glorified God saying Of a suretie this man was iust And all the people that came together to that sight beholding the things which were done smote their breasts and returned But I will returne to that from which I was not yet turned And a third reason thereof is because then a man speakes with the best affection Seldome when a man is well affected if in his mortall sickenes he be ill affected for as Salomon saith Pro. 29.15 The rod and correction giue wisedome And therefore Dauid sayd Before I was afflicted I went astray Psal 119.67 but now that I am afflicted I keepe thy worde By the good admonitions which Moses and Ioshua and Dauid and Tobit and others of whom I haue spoken gaue vnto their sonnes subiects and seruants a little before their deaths the trueth of this I say doth very easilie appeare and by other things which shall hereafter bee said the same may further appeare If either of these be not enough there may be some further thought had of the Patriarches dying the Prophets dying Christ himselfe dying the chiefe crucified with dying Steuen the Martyr dying for there will be seene the ardent affection they spake withall when they were dying and so that explayned which I was explayning But a fourth reason is at hand and therefore I must from this And that fourth for which a man dying should admonish those of his familie to cleaue vnto the Lord is because the admonition which is then deliuered is euer best remembred How soone soeuer other in other time past giuen is gone and forgotten that in that time giuen is seldome when wholly forgotten No words are euer so well thought of as a mans last words with them he which will not be moued with any will hardly be moued A tree neuer giues so big a stroke as when it falls and a man neuer speakes with such efficacie as when hee dyes as then the Swan sings most sweetely so as then a man speakes most pathetically All parts are then in great force because they haue but a while to bee in force And thus your demaunde is answered though your minde be not satisfied Q. For this the last is satisfied as well as the first is answered but yet I haue wherewith your wit may bee exercised as well as I haue whereby my minde is perplexed R. And what is that Q. What maner of admonitions a man on his deathbed should giue either to wife children or seruants or others R. That is a thing that needes neuer much to trouble you It sufficeth that he giue such generally to al and particularly to some as before you haue heard by Moses and Ioshua giuen in generalitie to all and by Dauid and Tobit giuen in particularitie to their sonnes Salomon and Tobias Q. But I would heare of such in particular as may particularly fit either wife or children or seruants R. And such you may heare of such there are already composed and extant such also you may by yourselfe reade in a booke which commonly is in most mens hands and worthilie is called the Sicke mans salue Q. If it be not troublesome to you I had as lieue heare them of you as reade them in him As they come from you I shall well remember them as I finde them in him I shall be careles of them More I regarde what I heare than what I reade especially if the booke be by me wherein I may at any time reade but the truth is the booke you speake of is out of my hands as out of some others If therefore I may intreate you to recite them I will endeuour what I may in memorie to record them R. That may bee but I had rather you should there reade them than I here recite them It is labour far away for any there to reade them than for me here to recite them as they are there they are long and it may be as they should be here to some they would be wearisome Q. Whatsoeuer they may be to others they shall be nothing displeasing to mee And for their length you may abridge them if you please R. The coherence of one thing with another may be that as any abridgement will be inconuenient Q. As you may and will then so let mee haue them R. Is there no remedie but haue them you will Q. Not any if haue them I may R. Much what then as it is there thus may the sicke man say to his wife Oh sweete wife you see in what case I lie here sicke weake and the prisoner of God looking euery houre for my departure out of this world And this visitation of God is vnto me welcome and I thanke the Lord with all my heart for it I doubt not but when I am once gone hence I shall be in a far better case than euer I was therefore I pray thee good wife be not heauie neither take thought for me but rather pray that the will of God may be done in me and be as well contented that I should at the calling of God goe from thee as euer thou wast that at his appoyntment I should come to thee I haue run my race I haue passed those yeares which the Lord appoynted that I should liue in this world And now is the time of my departure come And I giue ouer this my life willingly and with a free heart therefore take no thought for me and doubt thou not sweete wise but if thou goest forth to liue in the feare of God and to please him God in the time of thy widow-hoode will be an husband vnto thee he will be thy patrone and defender hee will be thy mightie shield and strong buckler hee will prouide for thee and foresee that thou and thine shall want nothing that is good For he hath promised in his holy word Psalm 146. and 20. Esa 10. â— Ier. 5.12 Zach. 8. that he will take charge of the widowes and defend their cause he hath also charged the Magistrates and rulers to looke vnto widowes and to deliuer them from oppression I doubte not therefore but the Lord will aboundantly prouide for thee and thine so that thou and they haue alwaies his feare before your face In all things therefore good wife haue it before thine eyes that so it may goe well with thee And if after my departure O wife thou hast a minde to marrie againe marrie in the wisedome of the Lord our God for I know no man can liue chaste except God giue the gift Onely haue this care that he with whom thou doest determine to marrie bee such a man as feareth God loueth his word is well reported of by his neighbours dealeth righteously with all men embraceth vertue despiseth vice c. Follow not the maner of certaine olde doting widowes which for
depart from your husbands neither know any mā besides them but keepe the bed vndefiled that your mariage may be honourable in the sight of God and of his holy congregation And if GOD doth blesse you with children looke that you bring them vp to the glory of God in his feare and doctrine Engraffe in their young breasts euen from their tender age vertue godlinesse and good manners Looke well vnto your household and be examples to your maides of godlinesse and honestie Be no gadders abroade nor haunters of tauernes but keepe your houses continually except some earnest and lawful busines prouoke you to goe forth Be no bablers nor vaine talkers but for the most part vse silence For silence in a woman is an ornament vnto her Apparell your selues in comely aray with shamefastnes and discreet behauiour 1. Pet. 3.4 not with broydred haire either golde or pearles or costly garments but as it becommeth women that professe godlinesse through good workes Let the hid man which is in the heart be without all corruption with a meeke and quiet spirit which is before God a thing much set by For after this manner in time past did the holy women which trusted in God tire themselues and were subiect to their husbands as Sara obeyed Abraham and called him sir whose daughters yeare whiles ye doe well not being afraid of any terrour These few lessons if you obserue doubt you not my deare daughters but God will well prosper you and giue you a ioyfull and quiet life vpon earth In steede of me he will be your father and will defend you better than euer I could or should pray to him therefore for his blessing and vexe not your selues much for my departure I am to goe before you and you are to follow after me God send vs all a good going And thus Gods blessing be with you my daughters This is the admonition the sicke man may make vnto his daughters if he hath any or many Q. What if he hath but one R. Then as heere he seem'de to speake plurally as hauing many so there he may speake singularly because he hath but one Q. If then he chaunges the person he neede not vse any other admonition R. True except he himselfe will or he knowes some cause why he should chaunge his stile Q. But what manner of admonition may he giue vnto his seruants for they are a parte of his family aswell as others and those you said he was to admonish also R. This or the like syrs you my seruants ye see in me what shall be the ende of you and all flesh else euen a departure from this vile and transitorie world For we are but straungers and pilgrimes on the earth as all our fathers were We haue heere no continuing citie but we seeke one to come The ordinance of God is that all men shall once dye There liueth no man that shall not die A man in his time is but grasse and flourisheth as as flower of the field Our life is euen as a vapour that appeareth for a little time then vanisheth away On this condition came wee into the world that we should againe goe out We haue been sure of death euer since we had life These things doe ye now see practised in me The time of my departure out of this world is at hand I thought it good therefore to send also for you and to take my leaue of you till we meete againe in the kingdome of God I thanke you for the good seruice that ye haue done me I haue not forgotten your seruiceable hearts and good will towards me but I haue giuen to euery one of you such a portion of money as shall declare some part of my thankefull and wel willing heart toward you Now this remaineth to bee craued at your hands that as ye haue hitherto faithfully truely and honestly serued me in my life time euen so after my departure so long as ye tary heere ye will shew the like faithfulnes truth and honestie toward your mistresse Consider that so long as I liued I was a stay vnto her and vnto the things that concerned her but now her chiefe hope next vnto God consisteth in you Therefore I pray you looke well vnto the things that appertaine vnto her see that nothing goe to wrecke waste and decay Prouide that through your diligence her things may rather encrease than decrease Ye know I hope the dutie of a good seruant notwithstanding at this my departure from you I will put you in remembrance of it that when I am gone ye may yet remember my admonitions and so the more speedily aunswer vnto your vocation Eph 6. Col. 3. 1. Tim. 6. Tit. 2. 1. Pet. 2. The duty of a good seruant is to serue his maister and mistresse willingly and with a free courage euen for conscience sake not with the eie but with the heart to obey them to honour them gently to aunswere them not to picke or steale away their goods but to be faithfull vnto them in all things See rherefore that yee on this manner behaue your selues toward your mistresse auoide all stubbornnesse churlishnes cursed speakings telling of tales lying picking wast idlenes negligence and sluggishnes eschew all euill and riotous company Fly drunkennes and whoredome Abstaine from vaine oathes and foolish pastimes So behaue your selues in all your life and conuersation that the name of God and his doctrine be not ill spoken of Let the light of your godly behauiour so shine before men that ye may doe worship to the glorious Gospell of our Sauiour Christ in all things And in this seruing your mistresse with a glad ready and faithfull will thinke your selues to serue the Lord your God and to doe that thing which is pleasing in his fight and that he also will see your paines recompenced Col. 4. as the holy Apostle faith Ye seruants be obedient vnto them that are your bodily maisters in all things not with the eye seruice as men pleasers but in singlenes of heart fearing God And whatsoeuer you doe doe it hartily as though ye did it to the Lord and not vnto men knowing that of the Lord ye shall receiue the rewarde of inheritance for ye serue the Lord Christ But he that sinneth shall receiue according to his sinne For there is no respect of persons with God If ye serue your mistresse truly and faithfully heereafter when ye your selues shal be householders God shall likewise send you true and faithfull seruants But if ye serue her falsely and vngodlily then shall ye of your seruants be likewise serued heerafter For with what measure that ye mete with all shall other mete to you againe Mat. 7.2 saith our Sauiour Christ Liue therefore according to your vocation in the feare of God and ye shall prosper right well God shal blesse you and neuer leaue you succourses As the holy man Tobit saith be not afraid truth it is we leade
heere a poore life but great good shall we haue if we feare God and depart from all sinne and doe well Well the blessing of God be with you Tob. 4. For I must ere it be long away from you Farewell Thus I thinke I haue shewed you as much as hitherto you haue desired of me Q. You haue so and I hartily thanke you therefore For thereby I learne how to instruct and admonish them that are with me and vnder me but I haue not yet done For how euer death be the last ende of this life yet it is not the least thing to be regarded in this life as before you haue signified My request now therefore is to know how the sicke man in the agony of death is to behaue himselfe for no doubt he must aswell care to order himselfe aright in death as to prepare himselfe aright to death R. I will satisfie you in your petition because you please me in your reason For to a good death there is aswell required a good disposition in death as a right preparation to death In the very agony of death therefore the first thing the sicke man is to haue care of is that as he hath liued in faith so he may also die in faith For such as he dieth such shall he be iudged And such as the last day of this life doth leaue him such shall the last day of the world finde him Eccles 11.3 As Salomon saith In the place that the tree falleth there it shall be The second that as he hath spent the former part of his life so hee may also spend the latter for obedience is better than sacrifice and without obedience his death cannot be acceptable to God because he seemes to goe vnto God of feare and constraint as a slaue to a maister and not of loue and good will as a childe to his father The third that as in the beginning he receiued his soule of God so now in the ende he renders it againe to God For as he was the first giuer so he is the best keeper Q. I hope you wil heere deigne me the same libertie that hitherto you haue that so it shall be as lawfull for me to question with you about these things as before it hath been about others R. I should else do little for you For whom at all times I would doe asmuch gladly as I might fitly Q. By how much the more you are at all times readie to doe for me by so much the more I am alwaies bound to thinke my selfe beholding to you All this is courtesie in you no desert in me R. Let such words passe least time ouerpasse leauing what you could say goe to what you would say Q. I will then Touching the first thing therefore you spake of what is it to die in faith R. It is with all thy heart wholy to relie a mans selfe vpon Gods special loue and fauour and mercie in Christ according as it is reuealed in the volume of the booke of God Q. But why is the sicke man in the agonie of death to looke to this R. Because that is the most speciall time of all his time for him to put his faith in practise Q. Why that R. Because then all things in and of the world doe faile and forsake him His friends his riches his pleasures his outward senses yea and his temporall life too do then all at once leaue and forsake him What helpe soeuer in times past they yeelded him yet then they faile him and yeelde him no helpe at all Q. And what can faith then doe for him that so much you wish him to establish it in him R. It can make him go wholy out of himselfe and to despaire of comfort and saluation in respect of any earthly thing and cause him with all the power and strength of his heart to rest on the pure mercie of almightie God Q. Hath it euer effected so much in any R. Yea that it hath in many Q. Where haue you an instance thereof R. In the first booke of Samuel the thirtieth Chapter and the sixt verse Q. Why what is there said R. 1. Sam. 30.6 That Dauid comforted himselfe in the Lord his God Q. What doth that make to the purpose you speake of R. As much as may bee For the time when Dauid did this was then when the people intending to stone him there was nothing before his eyes to bee seene but present Death Q. And what made him then to doe it R. The application of the mercifull promise of God to his miserable and distressed soule For thus he saith vnto God and of his promise in one place Psal 119.49 50. Remember thy promise made to thy seruant wherein thou hast caused me to trust it is my comfort in trouble for thy promise hath quickned mee And thus of himselfe in another place and the comfort hee found in his trouble My soule she failed and my heart also Psal 73.26 but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for euer Q. But doth it hereupon follow that it will effect as much in some other R. What else for wherefore else is this written of Dauid but for our instruction what agrees to and with the generall will not I hope disagree to and with the particular But for the generall Paul saith Whatsoeuer things are written aforetime are written for our learning Rom. 15.4 That wee through patience and comfort of the scriptures might haue hope And therefore for this particular you may soone know what I might say For written you see it is and therefore for our learning written it is Q. But it may be we may learne some other thing thence than this R. Though that may be yet it followeth not therefore that this is not thence to bee learned I stand not against other things but for this Q. What reason haue you therefore R. More then that which is shewed I haue the efficacie of faith For if faith bee faith worketh Saith Iames the Apostle Faith without workes Iam. 2.26 August in serm 22. is dead and saith Augustine that learned Clerke Faith is called Faith of that which is done two syllables doe sound when faith is named the first is of that which is done the second is of God I aske thee therefore whether thou doest beleeue thou sayest I beleeue Doe what thou saiest and it is faith and saith our Sauiour Christ Mar. 16.17 These tokens shal follow them that beleeue In my name they shall cast out diuels and shall speak with new tongues and shall take away Serpents And if they shall drinke any deadly thing it shall not hurt them they shall lay their hands on the sicke and they shall recouer Q. But faith may then worke some other thing then that which you speake of R. But this is then the proper worke of faith and that then is the due time for that worke Nom. 21.9 As the
Israelites a dying looked vpon the brasen Serpent which was erected by the appointment of God that so they might bee healed from the stinging of fiery Serpents so others a dying must with the eye of a true and liuelie faith looke vpon Christ exalted and crucified on the Crosse that so they may bee saued from their sinnes and the wrath of God due vnto them for the same For the brasen Serpent was a figure of Christ Ioh. 3.14 and Christ as Paul saith is to the godlie both in life and death aduantage Philip. 1.21 In either whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue eternall life Ioh. 3.15 For God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life for God sent not his Sonne into the world that he should condemne the world but that the world through him might be saued Q. Is it not inough that in times past the sicke man hath beleeued though in the agonie of death he doth not beleeue R. No marrie First by the Euangelist the Lord saith Be thou faithfull vnto the death Apoc. 2.10 I will giue thee the Crowne of life Secondly by his Sonne hee saith Mat. 10.22 He that endureth to the end hee shal be saued by neither he saith be faithfull a while and it is well but be faithfull to the death and endure to the end arguing by both that it is not inough to beginne well and then giue ouer but that hauing begun they must neuer bee wearie but continue to the end In vaine is good done Greg 1. moral if it be left before the life be ended because he runs in vaine which giues ouer before he comes at the mark There is no ioy of a ship that perisheth in the hauen neither yet of a man that beleeueth not in death Blessed are they saith the Spirit which dye in the Lord Apoc. 14.13 they therefore which would be blessed after their death must labour to die in the Lord at their death now they die in the Lord which are ingraffed in Christ by faith and rest and stay onely on him and reioice to be with him they therefore which wil die in the Lord must till their death continue in faith for the Lord faithes time is this liues time so that faith doth want of her time if she hath not all of this lifes time when this life is once past the time of faith is ouerpast faith exceedes not this life neither should she faile during this life As in the agonie of death the diuel is most busie to bring vnto death so thē should faith most striue to helpe vnto life for thus well it is written The iust man shall liue by his faith Abac. 2.4 1. the iust in this life shall liue after this life by his faith in God and his Christ had and held during the terme of this life for except he beleeues in this life during the time of this life he shall not liue with God after this life by this you may easily tell whether it bee inough yea or no to haue beleeued in God and his Christ before death though he doth not beleeue at all in death Q. I may so but yet I cannot tell how any shall shew that then he doth beleeue R. Neither neede you to seeke that it is inough for you to know how hee that doth beleeue shall shew that he doth beleeue Q. To come to that knowing asketh great cunning for euerie one that saith hee doth beleeue doth not shew indeede that hee doth beleeue R. But euery one that doth indeed beleeue may shew that he doth beleeue Q. I denie not that if he be in health but I aske how he that is sicke and in the agonie of death shall then shew that he doth beleeue R. And that I answere hee may diuerse waies doe first by praying vnto God secondlie by speaking well either of him or of his religion Q. Why but may a man pray when he is a dying R. I thinke not but oft times he may so I am sure Iaakob the Patriarke did so Christ our Sauiour did so also Steuen the Protomartir did Gen. 47.31 when death had seised vpon the body of Iaakob he raised vp himselfe and turning his face towards the beds head he leaned on the toppe of his staffe by reason of his feeblenes and then he praied vnto God and this his praier is counted a fruit of his faith Heb. 11.22 When Christ was in his agonie in the garden he praied Heb. 11.22 Mat. 26.39.27.48 Luk. 23.34.46 Mat. 26.37 and vpon the crosse againe he praied thrice vpon the one and thrice within the other In the garden once he said ô my Father if it bee possible let this cup passe from me neuerthelesse not as I wil but as thou wilt Another time he said O my Father if this cup cannot passe away from me but that I must drinke it thy will be done Againe he praied the third time saying the same words Vpon the crosse the first time he said Mat. 27.46 Eli Eli Lamasabachtani that is my God my God why hast thou forsaken me the second time he said Luk. 23.34 Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe the third time he said Father into thine hands I commend my Spirit When Steuen was a stoning hee called vpon the Lord and that twice once for himselfe and once for his enemies for himselfe he said Act. 7.69 Lord Iesus receiue my spirit for his enimies hee said Lord lay not this sinne to their charge And this his calling vpon the Lord there is attributed to his being full of the holy Ghost by all this I gather that the sicke man beleeuing when he is dying may also pray when he is dying It is well knowne what the good thiefe vpon the crosse did euen when death was seising vpon him and life leauing him and by that as by the former it may bee collected what by a sicke man dying may be practised for his crucifying death might be as hard a death as some sicke mans death if not harder the thiefe then praied Lord remember mee when thou comest into thy kingdome and so also the sicke man may nay ought asmuch as euer he ought for saith God call vpon mee in the time of tribulation and anguish and that 's a time of both and saith Iames Iam. 5.13 Is any man sicke let him pray And then I thinke a man is sicke if euer he be sicke no sicknes or affliction to the agonie of death Q. Alas Alas when sence failes tongue falters and death nippes how would you haue a man to pray R. With heart if not with tongue in affection if not in action for praier stands not in the enuntiation of words but in the affection of hearts when Moses spake neuer a word vnto God God said vnto Moses
for Christ He hath left him an example 1. Pet. 2.21 that he should follow his steppes It is more for his profit so to doe than he is aware Who would be an enemie to his owne good he cannot cease to sinne except he die why should he be vnwilling to escape so great an euill he shall neuer come to the true life where felicity both ioyfull and eternall is except he die why should he neglect to attaine so great a good he shall neuer haue the fruition of Gods maiestie and the blessed company of heauenly spirits except he die why should he not pray daily to be deliuered from this present euill world vppon condition he might once come to enioy the most glorious presence of the almighty The very heathens which knew not God aright but only dreamed of the immortalitie of the soule as those that look'te for a better life after this though they knew not what that life was or might be both wished death ere it came and died valiantly and ioyfully when it came and shall he being a Christian one which knoweth both God and his word and hath the promise of ioy hope and comfort after this life both abhor death ere it comes and refuse to vndergoe it when it comes oh fie for shame that it should be so If an Ethnicke said thus Cic. lib. 1. quest Tuscul Oh immortall God how is that pleasant and ioyfull iourney to be wished for which being once done and past there remaineth no sorow no care no pensiuenes ô that goodly and pleasaunt daie when it shall be my hap to leaue this filthy and troublesome world and come to their companies that inhabit the heauens Id. de senectute If God would suffer me that I being of this age might become an infant and sucking childe againe I would vtterly refuse it neither would I by any meanes call the race that I haue runne backe againe that I might againe be young For what pleasure and commoditie hath this life yea rather what displeasure incommodity paine trauell and trouble hath it not but let it be graunted that it hath pleasures certes yet hath it either saciety or measure And nature in this world hath giuen vs a place to tarrie in for a while but not to dwell and continue in for euer What should a Christian say to him should death be much better and lesse bitter than to an heathen Of him therefore should death be better accepted than of any heathen But it is a world to see the world the heathen writers in their monuments call death a chaunging for a better life a quiet sleep are-mouing frō mortalitie to immortalitie from trouble to quietnes from the shadow of a life vnto a very perfit and vncounterfet life from sorrow to ioy from euill to good and hauen of rest a solace of the minde and end of all euill and wickednesse and a beginning of all true ioy felicitie and pleasure and therefore they were vnwilling to liue The Christian professours acknowledge all this and more too and yet they are vnwilling to die What must follow heereupon but that they must therfore be their iudges It is said that one once hauing read a little booke of Platoes touching the immortalitie of the soule did therefore make a way himselfe being thereto incensed by too great a loue to eternitie a better life How much more should he that hath read the whole booke of God touching the happie estate of soule and bodie after death be willing well to welcome death when God doth impose and lay the same vpon him 1. In Gods booke of life there are better reasons found to perswade by thereto than in Platoes booke of the immoratlitie of the soules there are any to enforce the making away of a mans owne life 2. God hath more authoritie ouer the soule of man to recommaund it againe to himselfe at his pleasure than man hath ouer his life to deceiue himselfe of it when he will God is the first giuer and therefore should be the first receiuer Man is the sole recaller therefore should be the safe keeper But not longer than the first doner is content he should enioy such a gift All good men haue euer desired to depart with it when God was purposed to recall it And what should not he that is sicke doe the like either his sicknesse hath made him good or it ought to haue made him good For sickenesse is euer sent for good and Gods great mercy it is that he warnes with sickenesse ere euer he strikes with death If it hath made him good why is hee vnwilling to lay downe his life when God doth call for his life if it hath found him good why would he longer detaine it life than he may If it be to make him good why doth he hinder the working of it be he good or hath he a minde to be good it is not his part to be vnwilling to die So farre from being vnwilling to die haue sundrie of the godliest wights that euer were in the world been as earnestly they haue longed wished desired and prayed for death That Princely Prophet Dauid cryeth out and saith Woe is me and sorie am I for it Psal 120.5 that I must yet longer abide in this world like as the hart desireth the water broookes Psalm 42.1 so longeth my soule after God My soule is a thirst for God yea euen for the liuing God when shall I come to appeare before the presence of God Psalm 84 1 And againe O how amiable are thy dwellings thou Lord of hostes my soule hath a desire and longing to enter into the courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh reioyce in the liuing God Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they shall alway bee praysing thee One day in thy courts is better than a thousand I had rather be a doore keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of vngodlinesse In another Psalme he prayeth after this manner Psal 142 7◠Deliuer my soule out of prison that it may come and praise thy name That good olde man Tobit Tobit 3.6 made thus his prayer vnto God and said O Lord deale with me according to thy will and 〈…〉 commaunde my spirit to be receiued in peace For more expedient were it for me to die than to liue How desirous of death the holy Apostle Paul was these his wordes doe manifest Christ is to me life Philip. 1.21 23. and death is to me aduantage And therefore againe he saith I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ What should I speake of that auncient and godly father Simeon whose historie is knowne laid down in the second of Luke how did he desire to die as soone as he had seene Christ in the flesh and know him to be the Sauiour of the world Was not this thereupon his present saying Lord now lettest thou thy
seruant depart in peace according to thy word Luk. 2.29 30 31 32. For mine eies haue seene thy saluation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people a light to the Gentiles and thy glory of the people Israel Such affection as was in these good and godly men Dauid Tobit Simeon and Paul should also be in those that are sicke and by their sickenesse are admonished to looke for death they should desire rather to die than to liue to be dissolued than to bee restored to bee deliuered than to bee detained For if they marke well what is their life but a vapour that vanisheth a flower that fadeth a winde that passeth a smoake that flieth a lampe that burneth And what should they be desirous to haue a winde to holde a flower to stand a smoake to stay a vapour to continue longer then either they may or God will suffer and permit He numbers their daies he measures their monethes he recordes their yeres when they are all come to their summe number and measure why should they be vnwilling either to end them or to end with them will they nill they end they shall and end them God will And better I thinke it would be with them if God might end them with their good will then it will be if he ends them with their euil will Apoc. 14.13 For blessed are they which die in the Lord but it is in doubt what they are which die vnwillingly for they hardlie die in the Lord because they die not in obedience to the Lord. Q. I but I pray you do not censure them so hardlie you know not what death can do death is fearefull and the feare thereof may affright the best R. But not so I hope as that it shall make theÌ„ vtterly vnwilling to die for though death of it selfe be feareful yet is not euery way fearfull nor to euery one fearefull though in it selfe it be the entraÌ„ce into eternal misery because of sinne from whence it came whose wages it is as Paul saith Rom. 6.23 yet in Christ it is the gate to eternal life abounding with all felicitie for when Christ tooke away sinne he took away also death issuing from sin which drew with it eternall condemnation and when hee gaue vnto vs righteousnes he gaue vnto vs also immortalitie and celestiall felicity the companion of righteousnes so farre is it therfore from the godly to feare death which terrifies others as often they wish death and soone they desire to leaue this life for they know they are heere but strangers and not citizens and therefore they are euer seeking a Citie to come to them therefore death is pleasant and amiable for then cease all their miseries and troubles yea then begins all their ioyes and pleasures as appeareth by this saying of Iohn the Euangelist Apoc. 14.13 Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord for from henceforth the spirit saith that they shal be at rest from their labours But to the vnfaithfull and vnbeleeuing death is fearefull for then begins their sorowes and miseries their plagues and torments as is to be seene in the historie of the rich man Luk. 16. When the wise man therefore speaketh of this very point in question this is his saying Syr. 41. 1. Oh death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liueth at rest in his possessions vnto the maÌ„ that hath nothing to vexe him and that hath prosperity in all things yea vnto him that yet is able to receiue meate or that yet setteth his mind on bellie cheare Sy. 41.2 O death how acceptable is thy iudgment vnto the needfull vnto him whose strength faileth and that is now in his last age and is vexed with all things and to him that despaireth and hath lost patience and this therevpon is his exhortation Feare not thou the iudgement of death remember them that haue beene before thee and that come after this is the ordinance of the Lord ouer all flesh And why wouldest thou be against the pleasure of the most high whether it be ten or a hundreth or a thousand yeeres there is no defence for life against the graue Q. But like you this his exhortation and that which hee saith touching the matter in question R. What else I know no reason why I should dislike either he speakes truth and according to truth and should I dislike his speaking of truth Q. No but yet you may examine the truth R. What where there is no doubt but I doubt whether I may examine the truth further then for the finding out of the truth for the truth is to be beleeued not examined Q. Put in if it be once manifested R. Whether that bee in or no the truth must bee beleeued Heb. 11.1 For faith as the Apostle saith is the ground of things which are hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene And Gregorie saith Grc. ho 26. super euaÌ„g Amb de Trinitate That faith is worth little which hath proofe from humaine reason Take arguments away saith Ambrose where faith is sought In her owne schooles let logicke now holde her peace Fishers are beleeued not Logicians August super Ioh. What is faith but to beleeue which thou doest not see whence and how the Trinitie is comprehended ô man thou doest well enquire how it is beleeued thou doest not well aske yea therefore it is well beleeued because soone it is not comprehended for if it were soone comprehended it were not needefull that it should bee beleeued because it should be seene But to leaue this and to returne to what we were in hand withall What is it that you dislike in the wise mans saying you make so much adoe about it Q. I dislike not any thing though I doubt of something R. What is that you doubt of of a mans fearâ—ng death Q. I neede not doubt of that that 's a thing a man cannot auoide R Yet that 's a thing a maÌ„ should refraine Q. Why would you not haue a man to be afraide of death R. No not a good man not a faithfull and beleeuing man for what should he feare death that hath his faith fixed on Christes death Death is swallowed vp into victorie through Christs death death hath neither power nor dominion ouer him that beleeueth Q. But that all men doe not for all men haue not faith R. But I speake to him and of him that hath faith Q. And would you not haue him that hath faith to feare death R. Not so as he should therefore be vtterly vnwilling to dye for it is appoynted by God that all men shall once dye and I would not haue him that hath faith to withstand the ordinance of God for his it is to obey not to resist Q. How then would you haue him to feare it R. First as it is the destruction of humaine nature in him i. as it makes him cease
to be a liuing man for so Christ feared it when he sweat water and blood in the garden herevpon said My soule is heauie vnto death Mat. 26.38 Secondly as it is an hurt to the church or common wealth for often by death the church and commonwealth are depriued of those which either were then indeed or might haue been in time a great help stay and comfort to either Q. Otherwise than thus would you not haue him to feare it R. No. Q. And why R. For many causes First because it is vnto him an abolishing of sinne For he that is dead Rom. 6.7 is freed from sinne he then ceaseth to offend God any more as hee hath done Secondly because it is a bettring of his bodies condition for whereas before it was sensible and so perplexed with many miseries it is by death made insensible and therefore freed from all calamities whereas before in life it was both an actiue and passiue instrument for sinne it is then after death neither of both Thirdlie because it is the way for his soule to come to rest life and glorie For they that die in the Lord rest from their labours enioy life and remaine in glory Rest from their labors Apoc. 14.13 Enioy life Mat. 22.32 remaine in glorie Rom. 2.7.10 Dan. 12.3 And they that come to these things must die ere they come at them As one saith There is no other way to come to heauen by but death Q. And what conclude you thereupon R. That which I should viz. that hee which hath faith in Christ should not so feare death as therefore he should be vnwilling to leaue this life Cyprian in serm de mortalitate For as Cyprian saith It is his part to feare death which hath no will to goe to Christ It is his to haue no will to goe to Christ which beleeueth not he shall beginne to raigne with Christ God saith he hath promised to thee departing out of this world immortalitie and eternitie and doest thou doubt this is not to haue known God at al this is with the sinne of incredulitie to offend Christ the maister of all beleeuers this is being set in the Church not to haue faith in the house of faith Let him bee afraide to die who not being borne anew by water and the spirit is mancipated to the fire of hell let him be afraide to die which is not marked with the crosse and passion of Christ let him bee afraide to die which from this death must passe to the second death let him be afraide to die whom the eternall flame shall torment with euerlasting paine so soone as hee departes this world let him be afraide to die vpon whom this by his long stay heere is bestowed that during his abode heere his punishment is deferred but let him neuer bee afraide to die that knowes himselfe to be heere a Pilgrime and stranger that beleeues the resurrection of the bodie and the life euerlasting that loues the Lord with all his heart As the forenamed writer saith What stranger is he that hastens not to returne into his countrey Wee make account that Paradise is our countrey now we haue begun to haue the Patriarkes our Parents Why do we not make hast and runne that wee may both see our countrey and salute our parents A great number of our deare friendes doth there expect vs a mightie traine and troupe of parēts brethren and children now sure of their owne immortalitie and yet carefull for our safety doth wish vs to come vnto their sight and companie what ioy is it in common both to them and to vs What pleasure there without feare of dying and with certaintie of liuing How great and perpetuall felicitie Againe who would be afraide to dye that beleeues the resurrection of the dead For as one saith The most sure trust of christians is the promised resurrection of the dead from aboue And no meruaile when Christ himselfe saith This is the will of him that sent me Ioh. 6.40 that euery man which seeth the Sonne and beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day And againe I am the resurrection and the life he that beleeueth in me although he were dead yet shall he liue and whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in me shall neuer dye Lastly who would be afraide to dye that loues God sincerely For it is the propertie of him that loues to adioyne himselfe to the thing he loues and to wish that he might enioy it and to grieue at that which doth hinder his enioying of it It is a token therefore that he loues not God as he should that is either afraide or vnwilling to dye for other way to come to God to heauen to immortalitie than by death there is none he that dyeth not commeth to neither And who if hee might would not come to all Except the wheat corne fall into the ground and dye it bideth alone so except a man fall into the earth and dye he bideth alone Eccl. 4.10 and woe saith Salomon to him that is alone but if the wheate corne die it bringeth forth much fruite so if a faithful man dye he attaineth to much fruite He commeth as I said to God to heauen to immortalitie And who would not if he might come to all these None surely that is wise that is godly that is faithfull and beleeuing for to come to God is to come to the fountaine of liuing waters which who so commeth to shall neuer more thirst to come to heauen is to come to the hauen of euerlasting happines which who so commeth to shall neuer more faint to come to immortalitie is to come to eternall life which who so commeth to shall neuer more dye none therefore that is wise that is godly that is faithful that is beleeuing should be afraide and vnwilling to dye for dye any when he wil that is so qualified death shall not hurt him death shall haue no power ouer him death shal be game not losse vnto him Q. I but whensoeuer he shal dye death will be painefull vnto him R. And what then Let him be neuer the more vnwilling to die for that for why the Apostle saith Act. 14.20 By many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God By many and therefore he must be willing to haue the paines of death some we must enter into the kingdome of God and therefore neuer be vnwilling to die for the paines of death for as the same Apostle saith Rom. 8.18 All the afflictions of this life are not worthie of the glorie which shal be shewed vnto vs and therefore the few afflictions in death are vnworthie thereof The paines that are suffered are but temporal but the ioyes which are to bee enioyed are eternall and who wil not be content to suffer a short paine for a long pleasure He is not worthie of any sweete which came away with
no sowre the labourer workes ere he receiues his wages the Souldier fightes ere he winnes the victorie the gamester runnes ere hee enioyes the price 2. Tim. 2.11 And the christian must die with Christ ere euer he shall liue with Christ yea hee must suffer with Christ ere euer he shall raigne with Christ As he that will haue the meare must cracke the shell so hee that will haue the life after death must abide the death that goes before life As for the paines thereof they are neither greatly to be dreaded nor impatiently to be suffered not to be dreaded because they cannot hurt Rom. 8.28 For to them that loue God as they do which beleeue in God all things worke togither for the best not vnwillingly to be suffered because they bring much good For these light afflictions which are but for a moment 2. Cor. 4.17 cause vnto him that suffers them a farre most excellent and an eternall weight of glory while he lookes not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene for the things which are seene are temporal but the things which are not seene are eternall Who now that is wise will not willingly suffer the one that he may enioy the other there is no comparison betweene glasse and gold and verie vnwise is he that wil not doe away the first for the last if hee may euen so there is heere no comparison betweene the paines of death which are to be suffered and the ioyes of heauen which are to be expected So that altogether foolish is hee which will not willingly abide the one that happily hee may attaine the other the paines that ordinarily are suffered in death naturall are nothing to the paines that are suffered in death violent and vnnaturall yet diuerse godlie men haue suffered them willingly that they might after in heauen liue happily Why then should not he that is godly suffer willingly the paines of death naturall that so hee may come to the fruition of ioy celestial for my part I see smal reason to the contrary Q. What then R. Let him then that is vnwilling to die naturally because death is painefull consider of the great and intolerable paines which they haue suffered which died violently and vnnaturally and see if that will not animate him to die willinglie and incite him to beare the paines of death couragiously Q. Shall he find those that haue died violently to haue suffered so great paines R. What else Q. Where shall he find that R. Both in the Scriptures and otherwhere Q. What shall hee find in the Scriptures touching this matter R. That the prophet Isaiah for the hope of euerlasting life suffred his body to be cut asunder with a woodden saw that Ieremiah was stoned to death that Amos after diuerse other greeuous torments was thrust into the temples of the head with a great naile of iron and so shortlie after died Mat. 14 that Iohn Baptist was cast into prison and beheaded that Iames the brother of Iohn was slaine with the sworde Act. 12. that Steuen was stoned vnto death and last of all that Christ our Sauiour was crucified Mat. 27. and nailed to the crosse on which he died Q. And what otherwhere R. That some good men were deuoured of wilde beastes Actes and Monum some burnt with fire vnto ashes some broiled vnto death vpon hote coales some slaine with the sword some hanged vpon gibbets some pearced to death with arrowes some beaten to death with stones some boiled some rent in peeces with hote burning iron hookes some racked some drowned some cruellie murthered in prison some torne in sūder by horses some dismembred by trees some one waies made away some another many an one very badly very beastly and very cruelly Q When this is found what shall he therevpon finde R. That willingly he is to die though in much paine he doth die Q. Why that R. Because willingly they suffered a violent and vnnaturall death Q. That yet appeares not R. In the forenamed places it may and doth soone appeare for many whē they were offered life refused and accepted death Q. Not because they were willing then to die but because they could not as they would longer liue R. As much and more for the first cause as for and then the last Q. Though that be graunted yet is not the other proued R. What other Q. That willinglie he is to die that dies naturally because willingly they died that died violentlie R. What more or better prooued What better instruction may thence be taken what better collection may thence be drawne If they so suffered that otherwhere they might be crowned Why should not others in like sort suffer that otherwhere they may bee blessed Q. I denie not but they should yet I say not that therefore they should R. And in so saying you say not as you ought if any death be to be suffered willinglie a naturall death is much more a naturall death is sometime better if not most what then some other oft times there are therein fewer paines then in some other and what shoulde a man bee vnwilling to die for a fewe paines No Souldiour is vnwilling to fight for a few blowes no fields-man vnwilling to plow for a few blastes no trauailer vnwilling to goe on his iourney for a few showers neither should any christian bee vnwilling to die for a few paines either they are not so many for number or so mightie for measure as they might be or as they haue deserued they should bee and what should he suffer then vnwillingly when as they are neither many nor mighty 2. Tim. 2.5 No man is crowned saith Paul except he striue lawfully Neither say I is any man blessed except he suffers patiently what therefore should he be vnwilling to die that knowes of necessitie he must die and would gladlie bee blessed when he doth die though hee dies neuer so painefully when he doth die yet let him die willinglie that hee may die blessedly as Paul said of his preaching If I doe it willinglie I haue a reward 1. Cor. 9.17 so say I of his dying if he doth it willingly he hath a rewarde Apoc. 14.13 Wis 3.1 Blessed are they which die in the Lord. The soules of the righteous are in the hands of God and no torment shall touch them Though they suffer paine before men yet is their hopeful of immortalitie They are punished but in few things yet in many things shall they bee well rewarded In the time of their vision they shall shine and runne through as the sparkes among the stubble they shall iudge the nations and haue dominion ouer the people and their Lord shall raigne for euer And when so great a reward as this now mentioned is not onely propounded but promised what should hee die vnwillinglie that must die necessarilie the hope of reward should moue much the Apostle Paul was willing
onelie begotten sonne of God And againe he that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life and hee that obeyeth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him and againe Verilie verilie I say vnto you he that heareth my words and beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life And what is hereupon to be gathered but that the soules of the righteous at their departure from their bodies goe vnto God in heauen and not vnto fire or water in purgatorie for they goe vnto that which they had ante seperationem before their seperation and not vnto â—hat which they neuer had in expectation and what had they before their seperation but life Ioh. 5.24 He that beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life neither may haue nor shall haue but hath and where is that life but with God Colos 3.3 With thee is the well of life saith the Psalmist and your life is hid with Christ in God saith the Apostle Whither then must they go when they go but vnto God who was and is their life and with whom their life is Whether also I see not in this heir life when and while they heere liued they neuer so much as once dreamed of going into purgatorie after death but of going into heaueâ— some of them both write and speake We knâ—w saith Paul 2. Co. 5.1 that if our earthlie house of this â—abernacle be destroied we haue a building giuen of God that is an house not made with hands but â—ternall in the heauens For therefore we sigh desâ—â—ing to be clothed with our house which is from heauen Neuerthelesse we are bolde and loue raâ—her to remoue out of the bodie and to dwell wiâ—h the Lord. And againe Philip. 1.21 22.23 Christ is to mee both in life and death aduantage and whether to liue in â—he flesh were profitable for me and what I do I know not for I am greatlie in doubt on both sides desiring to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of all Newes quoth Oecolampadius to his friendes who came vnto him a little before his death I shall be shortlie with Christ my Lord. I pray thee my Lord Iesus Christ saith Luther receiue my poore soule my heauenly father though I be taken from this life and this bodie of mine is to be layd downe yet I know certainlie that I shall remaine with thee for euer neither shall any be able to pull me out of thy hand Returne ô my soule vnto thy rest quoth Babylas martir of Antioche When his head was to bee chopt off because the Lord hath blessed thee because thou hast deliuered my soule from death Ps 116.7.8 mine eies from teare and my feete from falling I shall walke before Iehouab in the land of the liuing Furthermore in a generality these are the sayings of the auncient Fathers touching this point August lib. 13. ca. 8. de ciuitat dei The souls of the godlie being seperated from their bodes are in rest and the soules of the vngodlie â—oe suffer punishment vntil the bodies of those do rise againe vnto life euerlasting and the bodies of those vnto eternal death which is also called the second death so saith Augustine I is most certaine that the soules of the rightâ—ous being loosed from the flesh Greg. lib. 4. Dialog c. 25 are receiued into heauenly seates and that the very trueth it selfe testifieth saying where the corps is there the Eagles will resorte So saith Gregorie Of these sayings I gather what all this while I went about to gather to wit that presently vpon the departure of any out of this life their soules goe straight waies either vnto God in heauen or else vnto satan in hell For as Augustine saith August in his serm of Time the 232. serm There are but two places and as for any third place there is none at all he that reigneth not with Christ shall perish with the diuell without any doubte Againe there bee two habitations or dwelling places August de verb. apost serm 18. the one in the fire euerlasting and the other in the kingdome that neuer shall haue ende the first place the Catholike faith by Gods authoritie beleeueth to be the kingdome of heauen August lib. â— hypog the second place the same Catholike faith beleeueth to be hell where all runnagates and whosoeuer is without the faith of Christ shall taste euerlasting punishment as for any third place we vtterly know none neither shall we finde in the holy scriptures that there is any such Now for mine own part sith there it will not be found it shall not any other where bee sought For as Theodoret saith Theodoret. lib. 1. cap. 7. The Euangelists and Apostles writings and the sayings of the olde Prophets doe cleerely instruct vs what iudgement we ought to haue of the meaning and will of God Q. What then What though also you will take no further paines to seeke a third place doth it therefore follow that therefore there is none Augustine I can tell you vpon whom you so much stand is very doubtfull in the case for sometimes hee denies as you say sometime he affirmes as others pretend and sometimes againe he doubtes as himselfe declares he denies in the places by you named hee affirmes De gen contra Manich. lib. 2. c. 20. de vera falsa poenit c. 18. lib. 21. de ciuit Dei c. 23. c. 26. Non redarguo saith he quia forsan verum est I reproue it not because it may peraduenture be true that some after this life suffer temporall punishment Hee doubtes in his Enchiridion cap. 69. Item de fide operibus cap. 16. in quaestione 1. Dulcitij Tale aliquid post hanc vitam fieri incredibile non est vtrum ita sit quaeri potest It is not incredible that after this life some such thing may bee and whâ—ther it bee so or no it may bee demaunded R. Whatsoeuer Augustine is I much passe not for I stand not so much vpon him but that I can follow him or reiect him Neither herein doe I him any iniurie at all For this is his owne saying August in proem lib. 3. de Trinit Be not bound vnto my writings as vnto the canonicall scriptures But when thou shalt finde in the scriptures that which thou diddest not beleeue beleeue it without any doubting or delay but when thou findest that in my writings which thou diddest not know certainelie before except thou shalt certainelie vnderstand it doe not stiffelie affirme it August epist 198. ad Fortunatum And againe We receiue not the disputations or writings of any men be they neuer so catholike or praiseworthie as we receiue the canonicall scriptures but that sauing the reuerence due vnto them we may well reproue or refuse some things in their writings
shall haue nay Q. I marrie that is that which troubles him R. The fault is his owne why should that trouble him either he might haue done it before his sicknesse or in the beginning of his sicknes Q. He might so but in his health he thought not of sicknes and in the beginning of his sickenes he hoped for health R. In neither he did them as hee should and ought Q That cannot now bee holpen the time past is irreuocable R. Neither must he therefore be euer the more vnwilling to die though hee hath not disposed of his goods there are that will dispose of them neuer let him feare that his goods shall lacke owners Whilest he liues they are wished desired and expected when hee is dead they will bee enioyed and possessed Q. That is that which grieues him for by this meanes they goe not to whom he would R. But they shall goe to whom God wil and that ought to content him for hee is the Lord of them and as he gaue them to him ere he had them so he will deriue them to others when he shall leaue them better it may bee nay assuredlie he will dispose of them then euer he would or could he trieth the heart and searcheth the reines hee knoweth what is in man better then man hee can tell for whom they are fit and for whom vnfit For whom they are most fit on them hee will bestow them this is more then any man can doe for he is blinde and cannot see he is affectionate and cannot iudge who is the fittest to haue this or that much or little something or nothing what then for his goods should anie man be vnwilling to die let him leaue them to the disposing of him that disposed them to him and let him neuer doubt but they shal be disposed well inough there is no disposer like him none comparable to him none that can doe as he doth In this regarde he needes neuer be vnwilling to leaue either them or the world Q. No more it may be he would these things you haue said being once and well considered If so his sinnes were pardoned and remitted but he hath not so much as repented him of them and that doth much affright him R. The fault is his owne and no bodie is to be blamed for it but himselfe why did hee delay so long who doth hinder him now what meanes he to driue off further doth he thinke to liue the longer for that as to die the better Q. What his thoughts are I know not but loath he is to die for it I am sure R. How loath soeuer he is die hee must and he had best to looke to it in time if he dies in his sinnes he shall rise againe with his sins and in the end he shal be condemned for his sinnes he might better carie anie thing with him then his sinnes that burden wil bow him downe to hell Q. The feare of that makes him loath to dye R. Why doth it not also cause him soone to repent of the twaine this it should soonest effect therefore in deede it is laide vpon him let him not neglect his time whatsoeuer is ill deferred is worse omitted except he repents he perishes and what will he perish Q. He would not R. Why then repents he not Q. He feareth it will not be accepted R. Why doth hee not more feare to bee condemned If once hee sheweth his vnfeigned repentance neuer let him feare Gods gratious acceptance Act. 17.40 Ion. 6.37 Ezek. 18.21.22 Chrisost in lib. de reparat lap He that cals euery man thereto reiects no man therefore At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of all his sinnes from the bottome of his heart he will put them out of his remembrance saith the Prophet God neuer despiseth repentance if it be offered vnto him simply and sincerelie although a man comes to the height of euils yet if he wil returne thence to the way of vertue he takes him willinglie and embraces him louinglie For repentance is not weighed by the length of time but by the sinceritie of the affection The theefe which hung vpon the crosse needed not the prolixitie of time that therein he might merite entrance into paradise but so much time sufficed him as would serue him to vtter one speach Lord remember mee when thou comest into thy kingdome so that in one moment of time being absolued from the sinnes of his whole life he was thought meete to goe before the Apostles into paradise If thus the Lord dealt with him let him not thinke he will deale otherwise with him this example is recorded for his instruction and for the consolation of all that in true saith with vnfeigned repentance turne vnto the Lord. Q. And therefore not for his for his hope is small because his sinnes are great and his repentance is not good because it comes not in time R. If his hope be small so it be somewhat at all let him say with Dauid let mee not bee disappointed of my hope If his repentance be not good let him pray with the people in the lamentations of Ieremie Lam. 5.21 Turne thou vs vnto thee ô Lord and we shall bee turned renue our daies as of old Whatsoeuer they either be so they both at all be let him not thinke but that which is written for the instruction of any and the consolation of all that repent is also written for his one amongst any or all he is What though his sinnes be great yet the mercies of God are greater saith an auncient writer Gods mercie is greater then mans iniquitie and if it were not so how could any sinne be pardoned any trespas remitted any offence forgiuen and couered Lam. 3.22 His mercie it is saith Ieremie that we are not cōsumed as if his mercie were not our sinnes would worke our destruction the wages of sinne saith Paul is death Rom. 6.23 but eternal life is the gift and mercie of God through Christ Bern. in quod serm As Barnard therefore saith in a certaine sermon of his so may it well bee said to him that is so hardly conceited of his owne sinnes and Gods mercies Let not your conscience hinder you because where sinnes haue abounded there grace hath been wanting to superabound the truth of this is to bee seene in diuerse mentioned in Scripture who haue bin accepted to mercie the greatnes of their sins notwithstanding Examples for this purpose are Dauid Salomon Manasses the prodigall Sonne Marie Magdalen the Theefe vpon the crosse the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul these all found grace to haue more abounded where sin much abounded for these all were receiued into fauour how euer their sinnes many for number and mightie for measure deserued nothing but eternall wrath and displeasure some of them confessed their sinnes to bee as many as the haires on their heads more then the sands too heauie for them to beare yet as great and
as manie as they were they were all pardoned forgiuen and remitted Why then should any doubt or despaire of mercie because his sinnes are great as his sins are great so let his repentance bee good and let him not feare Esa 1.18 Though his sinnes were as crimsin they shall bee made white as snow though they were red like skarlet they shal be as wooll Aug. in lib. â—e â—litoâ—e â—gâ—â—d penâ— Let no man despaire saith Augustine the wickednes which he committed did not so much cause Iudas the traitour vtterlie to perish as his despaire of mercy to the same effect saith Ambrose Let no man distrust let no man being guilty of his old sinnes Amb. super Luâ— lib. 2. despaire of the diuine rewardes the Lord knoweth how to chaunge his sentence if thou knowest how to chaunge thine offence Q. I if he changes it in time but he this hath delaied till death and now he feares it comes too late R. If it comes in life and comes then in truth when it comes it comes not too late as one saith It is neuer too late if euer it be true for the Lord himselfe testifieth that at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinnes he will put them all out of his remembrance and what is he that dares distrust him whom will he beleeue that will not beleeue him it is an hard thing not to beleeue a man when he speakes the truth but it is an harder not to beleeue God when hee sweares to the truth Now saith the Lord as I liue Ezek. 33.11 I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his waie and liue Tertullia in hunc loc He inuiteth by reward he promiseth saluation he desireth to bee beleeued swearing O blessâ—d they for whose cause God doth sweare O most wretched we if we do not beleeue the Lord swearing Hee that beleeueth not God saith Iohn 1. Ioh. 5.10 hath made him a liar If hee will not make God a liar which is the truth it selfe and hath sworne by himselfe that that is true which is spoken by himselfe let him beleeue God that his repentance will not come too late if it comes at all that he might not doubt God hath confirmed asmuch by deed as he hath affirmed by word he pardoneth the theefe repenting at the last gaspe when he was vpon the crosse readie to yeeld vp the ghost hee did but say Luc. 23.42.43 Lord remember me wheÌ„ thou comest into thy kingdome and immediatly againe Iesus said vnto him verilie I say vnto thee to day shalt thou be with me in paradise as Chrysostome saith he needed not so much as one day to repent himselfe Chrysost homil 27. vpon Genesis Cyprian in his first treatise against Demetrian what speake I of one day no he needed not one houre so great is the mercie of God toward vs. VVhat Cyprian therefore writeth to another let him take as spoken to himselfe Although thou doest at thy verie departing out of this worlde and going downe of this temporall life pray vnto God for the sinnes who is the true and only God calling vpon him with a faithfull confession and acknowledging both of thine offences and of his truth thus confessing and beleeuing thou hast free pardon and forgiuenesse giuen and granted vnto thee of the meere goodnesse and mercie of God And in the verie death euen assoone as thou hast giuen vp the ghost thou passest vnto immortalitie For as the same Cyprian againe other where writeth Cyprian in his sermon of the Lords Supper In that verie moment of time euen when the soule is readie to depart away from the bodie and is euen at the lippes of the partie to yeeld vp the Spirit the goodnesse of our most mercifull God refuseth not repentance and whatsoeuer is trulie done is neuer too late done August ser 59. de verbis domini and as Augustine saith Whensoeuer anie man turneth himselfe vnto God all things vtterlie are forgiuen him let no man be doubtfull least any thing happily be not forgiuen As Isidore saith Isid de summo bono lib. 2. Let no man despaire of pardon although he turnes not to repentance till the end of his life For God iudges euery man according to his end and not according to his life bypast and againe In the life of maÌ„ the end is to be sought Ibidem because God respects not what kind of ones before wee liued but what kind of ones we were about the end of our life So then it repents him at length of his sins that hath liued long in his sins let him not thinke his repentance comes too late For it is better to repent late then neuer Late workes good as you haue heard neuer brings death as you may reade Luk. 13.5 Except ye repent ye shall perish Neither let him be euer the more vnwilling to die because his repentance comes late For well he dies that dies repenting and what should he be vnwilling to die that shall die well when hee doth die to that a man should neuer be vnwilling which either he knowes he can or hee is sure he shall doe well either ignorance to doe a thing or assurance that he shall not do it wel is that which makes a man vnwilling to doe it at all Insomuch therefore as he knowes hee must die because he is mortall and that hee may die well if he repents let him neuer bee vnwilling to die that is willing to repent but let him repent earnestlie because he repents late that he may die blessedlie because he repents at all Apoc. 14.13 For blessed are they which die in the Lord and die in the Lord do they which by repentance turne vnto the Lord. Q. Your counsaile is good commend it hee must obey it he would but as yet he thinkes not himselfe fitted thereto R. VVat lackes he yet Q. The trimming of his tombe the making of his graue the getting of things necessarie for the celebrating of his funeral R. And is he for these things vnwilling to dye The further hee goes the simpler hee is did he know or consider what it is to be with Christ in heauen he would neuer be desirous for a graue to stay from him here on earth If he neuer hath any at all it is little to him The losse of a sepulture is nothing Hee is couered with heauen which is not couered with earth He that is sure to be couered with that what neede he care whether he be couered with the other There shall no other thing betide him if hee bee so serued than hath betided many other both better and greater than hee And what should that trouble him when hee hath many in the same miserie to accompany him The prouerbe is The miserie of many sweetens the misery of any If he lookes well about him he shall finde many in this predicament Pompey the great
For hee being asked whether he would die willingly aunswered I die willingly for willingly I go out of my body as out of a rotten house Furthermore both in his sicknes after his health in his health before his sickenes I would wish him to crucify his old mā acquainte himselfe with forsaking the world and the things both of and in the world in few words I would wish him to learne to die while he is like to liue For as a drie tree is sooner burnt then a greene so is he more willingly dissolued that is in spirit mortified then hee which yet with the loue of the world is intangled Chrysost Tom. 5. pag. 502. He which contemneth riches saith Chrisostome and pleasures and vaine glorie for whose sake he doth desire to liue cannot but suffer patientlie his going out of this life For as Seneca saith Hee hath contemned to die Seneca in Traged 3. Chrysost ad populum Antio which doth not couet I told you a day agoe saith Chrisostome to the people of Antioche that we feare death not because it is terrible but because neither the loue of the heauenly kingdome doth enflame vs nor the feare of hell trouble vs nor a good conscience remaine in vs will you that of this importune anxietie I relate vnto you the fourth cause not lesse true than the former wee liue not in that asperitie which is fitting Christians but this softe loose and easie life wee loue so that it is verie likely wee are delighted with these present things But if wee would passe ouer this life in fastings and watchings and a thinne diet cutting off our desires restraining our absurde pleasures suffering the troubles of vertue according to Paule chasticing our body 1. Cor. ◠27 Rom. 13.14 and bringing it into subiection taking no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lust of it quickly would wee desire the things which are to come making hast to be deliuered from our present labours c. For this mortifying of the deedes of the flesh by the operation of the spirit is a readie way to make vs willing to die and vnwilling to liue But the cockring of the flesh and the giuing our selues to delight is that which makes vs altogether vnwilling to leaue this present world and wholly desirous euer to remaine and abide in the same For this we finde by proofe that no man is more vnwilling to die than he that desires to followe the delights of the world and to fulfill the lustes of the flesh If therefore any man would be willing to die he sees what is one point of his dutie by one part of the aduise I giue him More he may see by farther aduise to bee giuen him But my meaning is not to burthen him with precepts all that I will further say is this that I would perswade him to recal into his minde some of those good lessons which all his life long either he himselfe hath read or else heard either read or preached by others For the time of sickenes is the time wherein a man is to make vse of al the good things he hath learned al his life long And he that hath not furnisht himselfe with some thing for that purpose hath not so wel prouided for himself as he ought Neither shall he be so able to stand in the euill day as otherwise he might For it is written is a good weapon to fight with against our aduersarie which then will fight hardly against vs. With it Christ himselfe repeld Satan in his conflict Matthew fourth and with it Paul willes vs to withstand him Ephesians the sixt Matth. 4.4 Ephes 6.17 Take saith he the sword of the spirit which is the word of God Happy is he which can euery way so furnish himself therewith as able he may stand in the euill day and that so as the wicked one may haue no aduantage against him But woe vnto him that being vnfurnisht therewith is not able to withstand any assaults of the wicked him hee will conquer subdue and leade captiue to the kingdome of darknes there to be tormented for euer him hee will trouble molest and afflict him hee will plague punish torment him he will so hardly intreate so cruelly handle so seuerely opresse as curse euer he shall the daie wherein he was borne the yeare in which hee liued and the verie moment of time in which he came thither But further to increase his miserie all his yelling and cursing shal be in vaine Q. God then enarme vs that wee may bee able to stand that standing wee may ouercome and ouercomming wee may bee crowned and being crowned wee may reioyce and reioicing prayse and honour and glorie Apoc. 5.13 and power bee vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne and vnto the Lambe for euermore R. Amen And whensoeuer God calles hee himselfe giue vs grace to answere him patientlie to goe to him quietly to leaue this world willingly that so dying wee may die aswell obediently as faithfully to his great glorie and our eternall felicitie Q. Amen also to this say I for this at his hands are we euer to aske that so once we may speede for of him it must bee or else it will neuer be Iames 1.17 But I will cease further to trouble you in this poynt I see by your petition you are at a conclusion But yet I will not wholly cease as I remember somtime since sayd that euen when the verie pangs of death were vpon him the religious and well minded sick man was to haue care of three things that he might die in the Lord and be blessed the first was that he might die in faith the second that he might die in obedience the third that he might render againe vnto God his soule which once he had of him and hitherto hath enioyed by him Of this third thing what I pray you might or may your reason bee R. As then it was so now it is diuerse one is because God was the first giuer of it and it is reason when a man is a dying if he hath not done it afore that he restore euery thing to the proper owner Now the proper owner of the soule is God for as hee was the first Creator thereof so was he the sole bestower Eccl. 12.7 Genesis 2.7 Another is because so Christ our sauiour did for when he was dying vpon the crosse for vs this amongst others was his saying Luk. 23. Father into thine hands I commend my spirit And it is reason that the seruant in this case should doe as his master did For euerie action of him the master is the instruction of other his seruants he also hath said First learne of me Mat. 11.27 Ioh. 13.15 secondly I haue giuen you an example that yee should doe as I haue done More ouer the first Martyr that euer was after Christs death did thus Blessed Stephen while his aduersaries the Iewes threw stones at him
rarelie in both R. The bitternes of the panges of death for to him that hath not liued in both they are so hard vneasie and intollerable as oftener they driue him cleane from them then draw him any thing to them neither is this any thing at all to be marueiled at for if other light afflictions doe sometime shake the faith of the seruants of God endued with great measure of grace it is not to bee thought but the pangs of death will keepe him wholly from faith and obedience which in his life time was neuer acquainted with either but the force of the one is to bee seene in that good man Iob who once in his affliction said though the Lord kill mee yet will I trust in him but afterwards in his trouble his faith being ouercast as with a cloud hee said that God was his enemie and that hee had set him as a marke to shoote at the furie therefore of the other is to be found I feare me in some other some such matter I am sure was to bee found in that euil man when he died who neuer cared to liue either in saith or obedience while he liued but whollie dispised the one and vtterlie neglected the other Q. That a man then might die in faith you would wish him to liue in faith R. You may gesse twise and not gesse so right againe for if that he that in his life was accustomed to liue well doth sometime in shew die ill how shall he certainely die well that euer in his life was addicted to liue ill the prouerbe is Such as the life was such the death is and oftentimes it is found true neither is it any wonder though it be so for an euill custome is not often left vpon the sodaine Can the blacke Moore change his skinne saith Ieremiah or the Leopard his spottes Iere. 13.23 then may yee also doe good that are accustomed to doe euill Q. It is more ieopardous I see to delay to liue well than many iudge it to be R. You may be right sure of that for hee which is not willing to liue well to day will be more vnwilling to morrow It is an hard thing to resist custome for custome in time becoms another nature And the saying is Doe what you can nature will some wayes haue the course what is bred in the bone will hardly be forgone Q. That a man then may bee in the better possibilitie to die well it is good betimes to begin to liue well R. That is most certaine Oh Lam. 3.27 saith Ieremiah it is good for a man to beare the yoke in his youth What liquor sweete or sower a vessel first doth take The smell thereof will aye remaine or hardly it forsake Prou. 22.6 Teach a childe sayth Salomon in the trade of his way and when he is old he shall not depart from it Q. What may perswade this you speake of R. That which I doe speake and what is there else almost that may not The word of God doth euery where and way perswade it the entrance of euery man into the Churche of God doth perswade it the petition hee makes in the Church dooth perswade it the confession he makes before the Church doth perswade it experience in many things doth perswade it euery thing but folly vanitie and iniquitie doth perswade it If you will haue precept Eccle. 11 6. the word goeth thus In the morning sowe thy seede and in the euening let not thine hand rest Eccle. 12.1 Syr. 18. 20. Remember thy Creator in the daies of thy youth Whilest thou mayest yet sinne shew thy conuersion Matth. 6.33 First seeke the kingdome of heauen If you will haue promise the word goeth thus Pro 8.17 Pro. 8.18 19 20. They which seeke me early shall find mee Riches and honour are with me euen durable riches and righteousnes My fruite is better than golde yea than fine golde and my reuenues better than siluer I cause to walke in the way of righteousnes and in the middes of the pathes of iudgement That I may cause them that loue me to inherite substance I will fill their treasures Seeke ye first the kingdome of God Matt. 6.33 and his righteousnes and all these things .i meate drinke and cloth after which the Gentiles seeke shall be ministred vnto you If you will haue menace and threatning the word goeth thus Make no tarying to turne vnto the Lord Syr. 5. 7. and put not off from day to day for suddenly shal the wrath of the Lord breake forth and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroyed and thou shalt perish in the time of vengeance Thus euery way the word goeth to perswade a speedy conuersion vnto God that man may escape confusion with the diuell For profite thereby it sayth This is the acceptable time 2. Cor. 6.2 this is the day of saluation to day heare his voice For perill through the neglect thereof it saith exhorte one another dayly while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnes of sinne For example of those that haue been diligent in the practise thereof it saith that Samuel began to serue God in his minoritie that Timothie knewe the Scriptures of a childe that Iohn grewe in spirit as hee grew in yeares that the lady to whom Iohn wrote 2 Ioh. 4. had children that walked in the trueth of all these things and moe in the word there is nothing which doth not perswade to a speedie turning vnto the Lord both in faith and obedience the commaundement is holy and that should moue the measure is sharpe and that should moue the menace is sharpe and that should moue the profit by obeying is good and that should moue the danger in neglecting is great and that should moue the example of doing is pleasant and that should moue happie is he whom either any or all of these doe moue If these doe not throughly moue the rest that follow may somewhat helpe thereto they should and these would faine moue So soone as a man is borne or not long after hee is baptized in the name of God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and wherefore is that but to shew that when he cannot run to Christ he should creepe vnto him serue him as he can in youth and age So soone as he beginneth to pray he saith Halowed be thy name thy kingdome come thy will be done before euer he saith Giue vs this day our daily bread and wherfore is that but to shew that so soone as he can pray he is to seeke the will of God which hee must doe before the foode which hee must eate the words which hee liues by before the sinnes and pleasures which he perishes by It is written that when Christ heard a young man answere that hee had kept the commaundements from his youth hee began to loue him and wherefore is that but to shewe
how Christ loueth timely beginnings to obey and serue him There is not one confession for olde men and another for young men as though it were a worke of necessitie for old men to beleeue and a worke of supererogation for young men but one for all as though it were as cōuenient for young men to beleeue as well as olde The olde man saith not I did beleeue in God neither doth the young man say I wil beleeue in God but both say I doe beleeue in God And wherefore is this but to teach that a man must beleeue in God as well when he is young as when he is olde He which in Scripture is called I am loueth I am and careth neither for I was nor I will bee As hee is euer present so hee delighteth in that which is present As mans time therefore is onely the present time so should hee both beleeue and obey in the present time As it was a fault in Felix to say vnto Paul I will heare thee when I haue a conuenient time so it is in him that would bee Felix to say vnto God I will beleeue in thee I will obeye thee when I haue a conuenient time As when Christ asked Peter this question louest thou mee Hee looked that Peter should answere him Yea Lorde I loue thee so when hee asketh any this question Beleeuest thou in mee Hee looketh that hee should answere him Yea Lord I doe beleeue in thee He liketh not I will beleeue in thee There is some certaintie in I doe beleeue in thee but there is great doubt in I will beleeue in thee He that doth not beleeue is vncertaine whether euer hee shall beleeue It is not in his owne power to beleeue when he list to beleeue neither if it were is hee sure that God will then like of his beleeuing which would not other when beleeue when it was meete he should haue beleeued Q. Why but it is an old saying Repentance can neuer be too late R. I but it is a true saying Repentance can neuer bee to soone The first lesson that Iohn taught was Matt. 3.2.10 Repent for the kingdome of heaven is at hand The first lesson that the Disciples taught was Matth. 4.10 Repent too for the kingdome of heauen is at hand And the first lesson that Christ taught was Repent also for the kingdome of heauen is at hand And all this was for no other cause but to teach all that repentance should bee the first worke any man should doe And now if this bee so then neither faith nor obedience must be the last that must bee looked after For repentance is not full till faith and obedience comes the first to assure of pardon for the sinnes past the second to preuent through grace all sinnes that otherwise would come As a man therefore in the beginning of his age is to repent that he may attaine to the kingdome of heauen so is hee also to beleeue and obey timely crookes the tree that true cramhooke will be and timely turnes the man that true Christian wil prooue The tree which buddeth not in spring is dead all the yeare the man which beleeueth not in youth is most what vnbeleeuing in age If children be deformed in youth there is small likely good they will be well fauoured in age So if mens minds be planted in sinne while they are young seldome any goodnes buds thereout when they are olde As other grafts so vertue must haue a time to grow The seede thereof is sowen in youth but the fruite cometh vp in age As the best killing of a Serpent is in the egge so the best mastring of sin is in the youth If it be not then ouercome it will hardly be ouercome It is hard making of an old dogge to stoope If he be not taught while he is a whelpe he will be vnskilfull so if man be not reformed while he is young he will be wicked when he is olde What man in youth doth most put in vre that til death to keepe he shall be sure As the arrow is directed at the first so it flieth all the way ouer or vnder or beside but it neuer findeth the marke vnles it be leuelled right in the hand So as the life of man is begunne so it is most what continued either wide short or gon of and from that it should be The beginning is halfe of the whole Of a good beginning seldome comes a bad ende If therefore a man will be in hope of a good death it is good for him betimes to sette vpon a good life A good life is a good meanes to a good death and the sooner that that is begunne the better this in the ende will be Ye wish saith Petrarch to die well but that your wishing is in vaine except ye haue liued well as if without liuing well there were no dying well Q. But what if a good life be not begunne betimes R. There is so much the more paines to be taken about it towards the ende He that setteth not on his iourney till noone must goe faster than he that began in the morning So he that beginneth not a good life betimes must liue so much the more streightly when he doth beginne it It is said the Diuell is very busy because his time is short an olde man therefore in goodnes is to be much more busie because his time is shorter as the Israelites therefore gathered twice so much Manna the day before the Saboth as they gathered any day before that because they might not gather vpon the Sabaoth so the gray headed which looketh euery day for the last Saboth must pray twice as much heare twice as much doe twice as much to prepare the sacrifice of his body and soule as euer he did in any time of his life before because the night is at hand in which he can neither heare nor pray nor worke any more For there is neither worke Eccle. 9.10 nor inuention nor knowledge nor wisedome in the graue whither he goeth Serm. Disc Ser. 115. de Tempore A certaine Merchant passing through a wood found there an Heremit of a hundreth yeares old of whome he demaunded what he there did to whome the Hermit aunswered I learne to die Vpon him againe the Merchant thus replyed what neede you doe that seeing you are olde for without that shortly you must die to him againe the Hermit thus aunswered that is the thing I feare because I know I must die and yet I know not to die What is it therefore quoth the Merchant to know to die marrie quoth the Hermit to leaue sinne and doe righteousnes according to the saying of the Psalmist Eschew euill and doe good Among other things in this historie worth the nothing this is not the worst that by how much the shorter the time was the Hermit had to liue by so much the greater his care was to liue well What was this olde mans