our sinnes Math. 6.11 The reward of sinne is death Rom. 6.23 Eternall life which wee lose by our corruption and transgression is restored again vnto vs by Iesus Christ THe gift of God is eternall life by Iesus Christ our Lorde Rom. 6.23 At the same time when we were dead in sinne hee reuiued vs together by Christ by whose grace you are saued Ephe. 2.5 The determination and grace of God is manifested vnto vs by the apparition of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath destroyed death and brought to light life and immortalititie by the Gospel 2. Timot. 1.10 In this the loue of God appeared vnto vs when he sent his onely Sonne into the worlde to the end wee might liue by him 1. Iohn 4.9 And this man is witnesse that God hath giuen vs eternall life and this life is in his Sonne 1. Iohn 5.11 To whom eternall life is giuen GOd so loued the world as he gaue his only begotten Son that no man which beleeueth in him might perish but haue euerlasting life He that beleeueth in the Son hath eternall life but he that beleueth not in the Son shall not see life but the wrath of GOD shal remaine vpon him Iohn 3.15 36. Verely verely I say vnto you whosoeuer heareth my words and beleeueth in him that sent mee he hath eternall life and shall not come into condemnation but passe from death to life This is the will of my Father which sent me That whosoeuer sees the Sonne and beleeues in him he may haue eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day Verely verely I say vnto you hee that beleeues in mee hath eternall life Iohn 5.24 and 6.40 47. Iesus sayde I am the resurrection and the life hee that beleeueth in me although hee be dead shall liue Iohn 11.25 These things are written that you may beleeue that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God that in beleeuing you may haue life in his Name Iohn 20.31 God shal giue to euery one according to his workes which is to say to those that with patience in well-doing seeke glory honor and immortalitie eternall life Rom. 2.6 7. Being now deliuered from sinne and made the seruants of God you haue your fruit in sanctification and for your ende eternall life Rom. 6.22 If we be children we are also heires heires I say to God and coheirs with Iesus Christ that is to say if wee suffer with him that with him wee may also bee glorified Rom. 8.17 Seeke peace with all men and holinesse without which none can see the Lord. Hebr. 12.14 The excellencie of eternall life WHen the account is cast I think the sufferances of this present time no wayes equiualent to the glory to come which shall be reuealed in vs. Rom. 8.18 The things which the eye hath not seene the eare heard and that neuer entred into the heart of man are those which God hath prepared for those that loue him 1. Cor. 2.9 This present life is limited THe dayes of a man are short the number of his moneths remaine with thee thou hast set downe limits which hee must not exceede Ioh 14.5 The shortnesse and vanitie of the same WE are strangers and forreiners before thee as our Fathers were our dayes are as the shadow vpon the earth and there is no mention of them 1. Chron. 29.15 Man borne of a woman is but of little continuance and those few dayes are replenished with trouble sorrowe hee cometh out like a flower and is gathered vp hee flies away like a shadow and stayes not Are not his dayes set downe Iob 14.1 2 5. Thou hast assigned my dayes the measure of an hand-breadth and my life time is before thee as nothing in effect there is nothing but vanitie with euery man that liues As soon as thou chastisest a man reprehending him for his iniquity thou consumest all his excellencie like a moth so slight a thing is euery man Psal 39.12 The sonnes of men are nothing they are but the lyers of great Princes so that if they were all put together in a ballance they would bee found lighter than vanitie it selfe Psal 62.10 The dayes of our life are threescore and ten yeeres and of those that liue longest but fourescore and yet the best of them are but affliction miserie they soon passe hence and we our selues flie away swiftly Psal 90.10 The dayes of a man are like the grasse and flourish like the flower of the fielde Psal 103.13 Man is like to nothing his dayes are as the shadowe which vanisheth away Psal 144.4 See thorowout all Salomons Ecclesiastes All flesh is grasse and all the glory thereof is as the flower of the field Isa 40.6 I tell you this my brethren that the time is short 1. Cor. 7.29 What is this your life it is certainely but a vapour which appeareth for a while and then vanisheth away Iames 4.14 The end of mans life WHether you eat or drinke or whatsoeuer you doe do it al to the glory of God 1. Cor. 10.31 The first death which is the separation of the soule from the body and the second which is eternal death proceede from sinne THe day wherein thou eatest of the fruite of the Tree of knowledge of good and euill thou shalt die the death Gen. 2.17 As by one man sinne entred into the worlde and by sinne death so death came vpon all men because al men sinned Rom. 5.12 The first death is common to all IT is ordained that all shall once die and after that comes Iudgement Heb. 9.27 The Children of God ought to feare death FEare not those that can slay the bodie and not kill the soule Math. 10.28 Hee that loueth his life shall lose it and whosoeuer hates this worlde hee shall finde it in eternall life Iohn 12.25 We knowe when our terrestrial lodging is defaced we haue a dwelling place in God an house not made with handes but eternall which is in heauen 2. Corint 5.1 I am inclosed on the one side and the other desiring to be dissolued and to be with Christ the which were much better for me Phil. 1.23 Death destroyed by Iesus Christ IEsus Christ hath destroyed Death and brought to light Life and immortality by the Gospel 2. Tim. 1.10 Death is swallowed vp in victorie 1. Cor. 15.54 Who sits at the right hand of God hauing swallowed vp death that we might be made partakers af eternall life 1. Pet. 3.22 What opinion wee should hold of the dead HAppie are those that die in the Lord yea saith the holy Ghost for they rest from their labours and their works follow them Apo. 14.3 We must not mourne for the dead as profane persons doe ALso my brethren I would not haue you ignorant concerning those which sleep to the end you may not be sorrowfull as others are that haue no hope 1. Thes 4.13 Their soules which die in the Lord are receiued into rest and glory in heauen ANd it happened that
these corporall bonds The which being granted honor mee then as a thing diuine but if the soule were to perish with the body yet for all this forbeare not to feare the Gods which support and gouerne this principall worke of theirs that is called man the which like to good children performing you shall inuiolably preserue the memoriall of my name This was Cyrus his discourse a little before his death But if I shall not herein bee too burdensom vnto you hearken what I will deliuer vnto you in mine owne behalfe No body shall euer perswade me O Scipio that either your predecessors or other men of great note whō it is not requisite to name would euer haue enterprised such memorable exploits to all posterities but that they cōsidered that their being in the world was to no other ende but to procure the good of their successors Think you to speake plainely and after the manner of old men which loue to set foorth themselues that I would haue so trauelled both day and night in warre peace if my renowne and glory should finish with this present life would it not be better then to liue idle and in repose without any trouble or vexation But my soule I know not in what maner gathering together new forces regardeth happinesse with such a penetrant eye as if departing this world shee should but only then beginne to liue And if it were otherwise that soules were not immortall honest men would not aspire vnto a perpetuall glory What is the meaning of this that euery wise man dies willingly and the wicked with great grief Think you not that the soule which sees farre clearer and further off knowes well that shee is going to a better place and on the contrary hee which hath an heauie and disturbed soule sees not the like Surely I desire nothing more thā to see your Fathers whom I haue honoured and cherished And besides the desire which I haue to drawe neere thē that I haue knowen I would willingly also talke with those of whō I haue heard which shewed thēselues vnto mee by their bookes and whose names I haue set downe amongst mine owne writings Now that I drawe neere vnto them it would displease me much to hang backward or to bee rowled downe againe as wee might doe with a round ball And if some God had permitted me to returne againe into my infancie and to crie in my cradle I would very constantly and flatly refuse such an offer for seeing I haue almost run my race I would not be called backe again from my goale to the first setting forward Is ther any true commoditie in this life Is it not troublesome through al the periods thereof But admit there are some cōmodities therein yet are we far from finding satisfactiō or obtaining of our wished ends and desires I will not raile against the same as diuers learned men haue often-times done neither repent I that I haue liued for I haue so passed my time that I am of opinion I haue done some good in the world I goe out of this life as out of an Inne not as out of mine own house seeing Nature hath sent vs forth hither for a litle time to passe forward in our iourney and not cōtinually here to inhabit Oh happy will that day be when I shall depart to this celestiall assembly of soules and leaue the rascallitie of this world for I shal not only then bee with those good men aboue-named but also with mine owne sonne one of the best men that euer the earth brought foorth whose body I haue seen brought to ashes wheras in reason hee should rather haue seen the like by mine But see his soule neuer leaues mee but continually fixing her lookes vpon me she is flowen vp now into those places whither she knowes that I must follow I bare this losse patiently as it appeares but yet I confesse that I was much trobled therwith euer comforting my selfe with this Meditatiō that ther should bee no long space betweene her departure and mine Out of the Epistles of SENECA Epist. XXIIII RVminate I pray thee in thine owne minde what thou hast often heard and as often spoken but then make triall of it by effect if you haue either heard or seriously vttered the same For it would bee too great a basenes in vs as men vse to cast in our teeth that we should only vse the words and not the workes of Philosophie As I remember I haue heard you sometimes handle this common place that we fall not suddenly vpō death but march towards the same by little and little To say the trueth wee die euery day for euery day a peece of our life slides away whatsoeuer is past and gone of our yeeres Death hath it already in his hands yea and euer when we our selues doe growe our life decreaseth First we lose our Infancie then our Adolescencie and then our youth Euen to the day before this what time soeuer is past is lost and gone the present day which now we passe we share stakes therein with Death So ought we alwayes to be confirmed both in the one and the other that we doe not too much loue nor hate our life we must end it when reason summons vs thereunto but wee must not desperatly nor rashly leaue it like one that takes his runne to fetch the better rise A wise and magnanimious man must neuer flie nor shun this life except when he is departing there-from but auoide like a rock a vicious passion which surprizeth and layes holde of many which is to say the desire and hastening of death Epist. XXVI DOubtlesse I debate with my self I discusse make exact examination as if my triall were at hande and the day already comne that must giue sentence of al my yeeres and dayes past Whatsoeuer wee haue either done or said hitherto is nothing they are but vaine and slight testimonials of our courage intermixed with much deceit cousinage Death only will assure mee what I haue profited in Philosophie I therefore prepare my selfe without all feare for that day wherein without all sophistication I shall bee able to iudge whether I haue been faint hearted or magnanimious both in word and deed when I vsed to bulke forth so many iniurious and reproachfull words against Fortune Concerning the esteem we are in amongst men it is alwaies doubtfull and declining on euery side also concerning thy studies and endeuors examine well al thy whole life Death shal denounce sentence vpon thee I say that disputatiōs learned discourse sentences collected from the precepts of wise men and speach adorned shew not the true force of courage the greatest cowardes haue many times the hardiest talke then it will onely appeare what thou hast profited when thou commest to combate with Death I am well content with humane condition I haue no feare of this iudgement Thou art yonger what cares he Here is no accompt made of yeeres no man
our saluation Hee sheweth vs vaine and ridiculous things afarre of and perswadeth vs that all is magnificence and happines he terrifies vs with such things as we should not be afraid of and maketh vs flie that which we should embrace He calles summons allures and flatters vs by the interposition of our concupiscences if this bee not enough hee stormeth and rageth endeuouring to terrifie vs both within and without O eternall light and truth Oh heauenly Lord most mercifull Father scatter and dissipate these clowdes of ignorance and errour illuminate our vnderstandings and permit vs not to approach vnto that which thou commādest vs to flie which is pernicious and hurtfull to vs that we may desire nothing but that which is truely to be desired that is to say thy selfe who art the source and spring of all goodnes and of our life and eternal felicitie All flesh is grasse and the glorie of a man is as the flower of the fielde procure then that we may seeke for our stay and cōtentment in the grace which thy Sonne brought vnto vs that our life may bee inclosed in him so that in the day of separation of our soules from their bodies wee may absolutely finde it again in heauen in expecting chearfully and with assured ioy the most happie resurrection of this flesh wherein all corruption infirmitie and reproach being abolished and death it selfe swallowed vp in victory we may liue eternally with thee in an incōprehensible felicitie wherwith thou shalt be glorified Maintain therefore thy childrē good Lord in this faith hope accōplishing in them thy worke till they intirely be with thy self to enioy the inheritāce glory which thy onely Sonne purchased for them by his merits Amen A Prayer O Lord Iesus Christ creator redeemer of mankind who didst say I am the Way the Truth and the Life I beseech thee by that vnspeakeable charitie which thou shewedst in offering thy selfe vp to death for vs that thou wilt not permit me to swarue a whit frō thee that art the Way or to distrust in thy promises seeing thou art Trueth performest whatsoeuer thou doest promise Make me to take delight only in thee who art eternal Life without whō ther is nothing worthy to bee desired either in heauen or earth Thou hast taught vs the true and onely way to saluation that we might not goe wandring vp and downe in the by-paths of this world reuealing vnto vs more clearely than the Sunne at noon dayes what wee ought to beleeue performe and hope after wherin we should rest satisfied and contented It is thou that madest vs to vnderstand how vnhappy we were in Adam that there is no meanes to escape the perdition wherein wee are altogether plunged but by faith in thee Thou art that resplendent light which appearest vnto those that trauell thorow the desert of this life and who hauing deliuered vs out of the darkenesse of spirituall Aegypt◠doest disperse the clowdes of our vnderstanding and enlightenest vs that wee may contend after the promised inheritāce which is eternall life into the which the vnfaithfull shall neuer enter but those who assuredly relie on thy holy promises Oh what goodnesse hast thou vouchsafed to send down from the bosome of thy Father and his eternall throne vpon earth in putting on our beggerly nature and of a Master to become a seruant that by thy doctrine thou mightest chace away the darkenesse of our ignorance prepare and addresse our feete vnto the way of peace and make plaine vnto vs the way of saluation such a way being appointed vs in following whereof no man can goe astray or bee wearie seeing thy grace and power doeth accompanie vs therein all the dayes of our life And moreouer by the comfort of thy holy Spirit thou doest strengthen vs and redouble our courage in passing the same Thy worde is the breade wherewith we are nourished and thy promise is the staffe wheron we leane Thou thy selfe by a secret and incomprehensible power doest conduct and maintain vs therein after an admirable maner that we might the more couragiously march towards thee both in foule and faire weather And as thou hindrest and preseruest vs from falling into the snares of the world and Sathan euen so in that thou art the trueth it selfe thou remouest farre from vs all doubtes scruples and distrusts that might anie wayes disturbe arrest or diuert vs during this our course Thou makest vs to discerne the ende and scope of heauenly vocation the worlds miserie and vanitie the fragilitie of this present life the gate of death and the happie and blessed life which is within the same And as thou art this true life euen in this worlde thou doest quicken vs by thy truth that are poore miserable dead wretches in sinne Thou augmentest this life by the ministerie and efficacie of thy holy Gospel and confirmest it by the vse of the Sacraments which thou hast ordained for the fortification of thy childrens faith while our corruption and that which is mortall in vs being defaced by the resurrection wee may exist and liue eternally with thee in bodie and soule then when thou shalt bee all in all Eternall life is to knowe the true God thee his Sonne who was sent vnto vs. Now wee behold thee by faith as in a mirror obscurely but one day we shal see thee face to face to be trāsform'd into thy glory wholly reformed according to thine owne image I beseech thee most mercifull Sauiour that thou wilt increase my faith that I may bee so well grounded in the doctrine of my saluation as nothing may be able to misleade mee augment in mine heart the reuerence which I owe vnto thee that I may neuer swarue from thy obedience strengthen me in such a sort that neither alluremēts nor threatnings either catch or astonish mee but that I may adhere constantly to thee who art my life euen vnto death Procure that in the power of thy promises and holy spirit I may bee heated more and more in thy loue and so leauing behinde the things of this world I may bend my selfe to that which is solide and perfect Encrease thy grace in mee that from day to day I may die in my selfe to bee reuiued and conducted by thy fauour fearing none but thee O most mighty and puissaunt God louing none but thee euen as there is nothing truely amiable but thy glorious selfe boasting in nothing but thy grace and mercie which is that whereof onely thy seruants should glorie they seeking after none other happinesse but thee nor desiring nothing but thy selfe who art the full and perfect felicitie of all the faithfull Amen Another LOrd Iesus that art alwayes mercifull and ceasest not to bee my Sauiour as well in aduersitie as prosperitie graunt mee the grace to rest satisfied with all humble obedience in thy will whēsoeuer it shal please thee to mixe some sower amongst so much sweete as thou hast caused mee
knowes in what place Death attends him look for him therefore in all places Consider sayd a certain Philosopher whether is most commodious that Death come to vs or we go to Death that we lay hold of him or he of vs. Marke the meaning hereof It is an excellent thing to learne to die but it will bee superfluous mayest thou say seeing we can but once put it in practise Why with the greater reason we should the more carefully vnderstand meditate therupon For we must alwayes studie thereon because till that hower we can make no iust triall of our owne sufficiencie He which exhorts to meditate on Death exhorts to meditate on liberty and he that hath learned to die hath forgotten to bee seruile For this is aboue all other power or at the least out of the power of any other thing whatsoeuer What cares hee for prisons for guardes for yron barres He hath alwaies a gate open There is but one chaine onely which keeps vs bound which is the loue of this life and this must not wholly bee shaken off but extenuated and loosened that when occasion serues nothing may hold or hinder vs. Epist. XXVII BVt aboue all other things we must endeuour that our vices may die before our selues that in like maner wee giue ouer all these vain pleasures the which though they do no great hurt yet they are mutable and soone passe away vertue only is a secure solid perpetual delight if any other thing present it self vnto vs it is but like a fogge or clowd which can neuer obscure the brightnes of the Sunne Epist XXX IT is an excellēt thing my good friend Lucilius and that which should bee well learned long before to depart chearfully from hence whensoeuer this ineuitable hower comes He hath neuer been willing to liue that is vnwilling to die For Life was giuen vs with a condition to die and with such a prouiso we must merily meet Death the which in no wayes wee are to feare considering there is nothing more certain than the same and vsually we looke after certaine things and feare those vncertaine but Death brings an equall and ineuitable necessitie ouer all Now who can complaine for being of such a cōdition as from which no man else is exempted for the first and chiefest point of equity is equalitie and wouldest thou neuer stand in feare of Death why then thinke thereupon continually Epist. XXXII OH what a goodly matter it is to perfect accomplish our life before our deaths Oh when shalt thou see the times when thou mayest know that thou hast nothing to do with Time that thou shalt be quiet and still not carefull for to morrowe and plentifully replenished onely with thy selfe Epist XXXVI A Childe that were borne in Parthia would quickly learne to bend a bowe If it were in Germany euery ladde would throwe a Dart. If in our forefathers dayes he would bee expert in riding of an horse and to charge the enemie These be things which the discipline of each coūtrey enioineth and layeth vpon euery one What then of this Marry hereupō we must consider that against all kinds of darts against al kinds of enemies there is not any thing more properly preualent than to make no reckoning of death which surely no man doubts but that it hath in it some thing terrible that offends our mindes and courages which nature hath compounded and framed with a loue of themselues for otherwise there were no neede of any preparation or fortification of our selues against that whereunto we all did willingly run out of a naturall instinct and desire as wee vse to goe in cases of our preseruation and defence Out of question no man learnes how he should lie if need were vpon a bed of roses but how hee might endure torments rather than to speak any thing against his faith how if necessitie required hee might passe an whole night without sleep being sore wounded how to be wary of leaning so much as against a Pike for feare sleep surprize him not when he thus rests himself But death hath no discommodity in it at all For then ther must needs be somthing in the same thus incommodious For if thou desirest greatly long life thinke that of all things which are hidden from thine eyes and are concealed in nature by whō either they are already or presētly to be brought forth nothing is cleane consumed They finish indeede their time but so they perish not And the death which wee so much feare and flie takes not from vs life but giues it only a truce and intermission for a little time A day will come to bring vs again to that light which many would feare but that they shall be reduced to such a state as wherein they shal not remember whatsoeuer is past But hereafter I will more precisely declare that all this which seemes to perish doth onely but change He should depart willingly that goes to come backe againe Obserue how all things returne in their due season Thou mayest see that in this world there is nothing vtterly extinct but it descends and ascends againe by turnes The summer is it past The next yeere brings it againe The Winter is it done his due moneths will reduce it again Hath the night obscured the sight of the Sunne why the next day will discouer it againe The course of the starres is performed through the same circles which before they passed Alwayes some part of the heauens riseth vp another goes downeward In briefe to conclude I affirme that neither children nor mad men feare death and how base a part would it then bee that reason should not be as able to furnish vs with security as they are fortified by their simplicitie and idiotisme Epist. L. THe swiftnesse of time is incomprehensible and so it appeares principally to those that looke backward to it For it deceiues them that are too intentiue on present things So swift is the passage of so precipitant a flight that which we liue is but as it were a minute nay and lesse if it were possible then a minute and yet notwithstanding as little as it is Nature hath distributed and diuided it as if it were some long space Of this minute she hath allotted part to our Infancie another proportion to Adolescencie the other part to those yeeres which decline from youth tending to old age and to another part old age it selfe Marke but howe many degrees shee hath constituted in so narrow roumes Euen now I pursued it and this very now is a portion of our life of which one day wee shall conceiue the breuitie Somtime I thought not time swift footed but now his violent course seems vnto me incredible wherefore I wonder at those that in this little space employ the greatest part thereof in superfluous things wee must no longer amuse on these matters of nothing we haue a greater businesse in hand Death pursues me Life flies from mee Arme mee
is not his like in the worlde Tobias after so many religious workes and so high commendations of his charitable pitie became blind and yet for all this he feared and blessed God in his afflictiō and he was the more worthy of praise in withstāding his wiues temptation who would haue corrupted him saying Where are thy good deedes Tob. 2. Thou soundly feelest now the euils which thou endurest but hee being settled in the loue of God and armed with the reuerence of his name to support all affliction he yeelded not in furie to such an assault but honoured the Lorde the more by this his second patience so that afterwards this testimoniall was giuen him by Raphael saying It is an excellent thing to vnderstand and magnifie the workes of God for when thou and thy faire daughter Sarra prayed I presented the same before the face of the Lord. And when thou didst bury the dead with out delay rising euē frō the table for this purpose I was sent to proue thee and to heale thee and thy faire daughter Sarra for I am Raphael one of the holy Angels which assisteth and am cōuersant before Gods brightnes The righteous alwaies shewed themselues patient and the Apostles knew well the Lordes meaning herein that his seruaunts should not murmure in aduersitie but couragiously and patiently endure whatsoeuer fell to their share in this world There was no sinne that the Iewish people ran oftener into thā this of murmuring and impatience against God as he himselfe declareth whē he addeth Let them cease from despiting me and they shall not die Dearest brethren wee must not murmure in aduersity but patiently and constantly indure whatsoeuer may happen calling to minde what is writtē that an afflicted spirit is an acceptable sacrifice Psal 51. vnto God and that hee reiects not the humble and contrite hart The holy Ghost also speakes by the mouth of Moyses The Lord thy God shal afflict thee send thee famine to make thee looke into thine owne hart whether thou keepest his commaundements or no. Also Deut. 8.13 the Lord your God tempteth you to knowe whether you loue the Lord your God withall your heart and with all your soule Obserue how Abraham was acceptable vnto God when to obey him he made no account to lead his owne sonne to death and so was ready to be a paricide Thou which canst not loose thy sonne hee being subiect to death as others are what wouldest thou doe if God should sentence thee to put thy selfe to death Faith the feare of God should make thee ready to performe whatsoeuer his pleasure is Though thou losest thy goods though diseases vexe and torment thee on all sides though thy wife thy children thy friends be haled frō thee by death all this should not make thee to shrink although such blowes bee very heauie such trials ought not to quaile and daunt the faith of a Christian but rather stirre vp his force and courage to fight considering that the assurance of a future good should make vs contemne the annoyaunce of all present euils There can bee no Victorie before the battel fought if after the comming to hand-blowes the fielde bee left by either side then the victor obtains a glorious crowne A good Pilot is discouered in the storm and a good souldier in the conflict It is but ridiculous to braue and brag when blowes are far off to set vp the bristles against aduersitie is a certaine brand and marke of vertue The tree deep rooted in the earth is not shakē with the blustring of windes the ship that is well keeled and strongly ribbed may well bee tossed but neuer pearced by the waues when wee winnowe the corne in the open ayre the sounde graine feares not the winde which quickly blowes away the straws and chaffe Euen so the Apostle S. Paul after his shipwracks whippings long and durable afflictiōs of body protested that such trials hurt him not at all but rather did stand him in great stead so that in the full course of all these calamities hee profited the more in good An angel of Sathan 2. Cor. 12. said he the sting of my flesh was sent to buffer mee for feare that I might bee puffed vp for the which I thrice prayed vnto the Lord that it might bee remooued from mee and hee sayd Let my grace suffice thee for my vertue is perfected in infirmitie When as therefore some infirmitie weaknesse or other aduersity doth rage then our vertue is made more perfect If proued faith perseuer at last it is crowned according to that which is sayd that the furnace tries the potters vessels and temptatiōs righteous men For the rest they which knowe not God differ from vs in this point that they murmure and complaine in aduersity and contrariwise afflictions are so farre from distracting vs from pietie and Iustice that wee are rather fortified by them amidst griefes and sorrow it selfe If the bloody fluxe did weaken vs if heate make the infirmities of our mouthes more grieuous if our stomacke be sore with continuall vomiting if our eyes looke red like blood if any one lose his feete or other members when hee is constrained to cut them off because they are ready to fal away in pieces if by diuers lāguors maladies happening to the body the strength of the legs come to diminish the hearing be deafened or the sight dulled all this learnes vs to profit more and more in the grace of God What notable valour is this to enter couragiously into the field against so many plagues and euils Can any man obscure his excellencie that stands firme amidst so sundry resolutions without declining or falling to them that put not their trust in God Hee must vnfainedly reioyce and thinke the time well employed when in making trial of his faith and trauailing couragiously we march vnto heauē by the strait gate to receiue from Christ our Iudge the reward of our faith and of eternall life Let him feare death who hauing neuer beene regenerate with water and the spirit is ordained to hell fire He that hath no part in the crosse and death of Christ hee that enters by the first into the second death he that when he leaues this present life is tormented with perpetuall flames hee that onely stands through Gods patience whose sorrow and griefe is only differred and not forgotten Let such an one I say feare death Many of our brothers are dead of this plague which is to say many of them are deliuered out of the worlde As such a mortalitie is a plague to the Iewes Painimes who are Christs enemies so is it a comfortable departure to the seruants of God Though the iust die aswell as the vniust yet think not that good men die the like death as the wicked The children of God are taken into a place of ease repose but the reprobate are drawen to the punishment of eternal fire the beleeuers are presently taken
aside of imperfections and putting on of that grace which is imparted to all the faithfull which bear the mortification of our Lord Iesus in their soule and bodie Now this mortification consists in the remission of sinnes in the wiping away of offences in the obliuion of error and in the participation of mercie what can we say further of the benefit of death except wee should also once more adde that the world was thereby redeemed CHAP. 5. BVt I pray you let vs deliuer somwhat of the death which is common to all Why should we feare it seeing it procures no hurt or preiudice vnto the soule For it is written Feare not them which kill the bodie and cannot kill the soule Now by the meanes of this death the soule is deliuered being separated from the bodie and disintangled from these troublesome snares For which cause while we are in this body let vs prepare our selues for death let vs rayse our soules aboue the bedde of our flesh and to speake aptly let vs rise out of this sepulchre let vs retire from the coniunction of the bodie let vs leaue all earthly things to the ende that the aduersary cōming hee may find nothing that belōgs to him in vs. Let vs cheerfully march towards this eternal happinesse let vs mount vp with the flight of loue charity soare vp from hence which is to say from these fraile and worldly things hearing this exhortation frō the Lord Rise vp depart from hence minding that euery one should leaue the earth reforme his soule which hangs backward lift it vp to heauen rouse vp his Eagle-flight that hee may enioy the benefit of this promise Psal 103. Thy youth shall be renewed as that of the Eagle this was spoken to the soule Let our soules therfore soare vp aloft like the Eagle for she flies aboue the cloudes she glitters shines again by the renouation of her plumes she raises her flight euen vp to the skies where she cannot be intrapped by any snare for the bird which descends frō aloft downeward is often-times takē with the whistle and snare or by some other subtil deuise And so let our soules also take heed of descending downe vpon the earth There is a snare in gold and siluer is limed there be nets in possessions and prickes in the pleasures of this world In running after golde the snare layes holde on our neckes in seeking after siluer wee are taken in the lime and setting downe our feete in possessiōs the nets catch vs. Why contend wee after that gaine which serues for nothing but to ruine the soule that is so precious All the world is nothing in cōparison of the losse of one soule for what benefites it a man Luk. 10. to haue wonne all the world lost his his owne soule What wilt thou giue in exchāge of thy soule It cānot be redeemed neither by gold nor siluer and yet it is golde that makes it to perish Adulteries wrath choler and all other passions are so many spikes which are fastened in our soules and that pearce our very bowels and intrailes Let vs therefore shun these euils raise vp our soules to the image and similitude of God To flie sinne is a resemblance vnto God whose image similitude is purchased by pietie and righteousnes CHAP. 6. That all the world is full of ginnes and snares THere be Principallities of the ayre Powers of the world that labour to throwe vs downe headlong from the rāpire of the soule either they hinder vs frō marching vpright or seeke the meanes to ouerthrowe vs if we flie a little aloft beating vs downe againe to the earth but euen then let vs striue the more to mount vp our soules to heauē hauing the word of God for our guide These Principalities do blowe into thy eyes the vanities of the world to make thee stumble but oh faithfull soule the more zealouslie guide thy steps towards Iesus Christ If they solicite thee by the auarice of gold siluer or of possessiōs for the purchase of which thing they would haue thee excuse thy selfe from his banquer that inuites thee to the marriage of his Sonne which is his eternall worde take heede of making any excuse but contrariwise put on thy marriage garment bee at the banquet of this rich man for feare if thou deferrest and intanglest thy selfe in the affaires of this worlde hee call others and shut thee out of doores The powers of the world propounde also vnto thee the desire of honour that thou mightst grow proud like Adam and so comparing and equalling thy selfe to God thou mayest contemne his commaundements and begin to lose the true riches which thou didst enioy for he which hath not shal lose euē that which he hath How oftē in our praiers wherin we drawe neeter vnto God than by any other meane are our thoughts seized vpon by wicked and vile cogitations to the ende to hinder our affections from striuing to God-ward How often doth carnall concupiscence lay hold of vs How often are wee encountred with wanton eyes to assault a modest heart to pearce it suddenly with the dart of wicked desires How often are bad words fixed in thy wil and secret thoughts of no value against the which God speaks Take heed of harboring in thine heart wicked thoughts lest the Lord say vnto thee Why thinkest thou euill in thine hart or else when thou hast heaped together gold siluer and riches enough thou mayest say vnto me my vertue Deu. 8.13 and wisedom hath purchased this and so thou forget the Lorde thy God Behold the obstacles which that soule meets withal that bends her flight vp to heauen But for thee louing brother fight like a good souldier of Iesus Christ forgetting base matters and contemning earthly things aspire to those celestiall and eternal raise vp thy soule that it bee not allured with the baite of the snare The pleasures of this worlde are baits and which is worse they are the baites of sinne and temptations In seeking after delights thou lightest on the ginne for the eye of lust is the snare which entrappes him that treadeth on the same as also her wordes are another snare which for a time taste as sweet as honie but when sinne comes to be feelingly prickt in a vanquished Conscience then is it but gall and sharp bitternes Other mens goods alluring the eye are likewise a ginne ther be no paths throughout the whole course of our life which are not layde all ouer with thē And therfore righteous Dauid sayd they haue layed snares for me Psal 142. in my waies but see that thou follow the way which sayth I am the way Iohn 14. the truth and the life to the end that thou mayest affirme I restore my soule and shee conducts me by the paths of righteousnes for the loue of his name Let the world therefore bee dead vnto our eyes let vs die to the wisedome