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
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
shall he that is sicke and that mortally bring it to be so R. By meanes Q. What meanes R. These two practises and meditations Q. By practises how R. Fower waies First by considering himselfe Secondly by considering his life Thirdly by regarding more the benefits of God that are to be enioyed after death than death it selfe Fourthly by looking vpon death in the glasse of the Gospell and not in the glasse of the law For she is not comfortable to looke vpon in the first how terrible soeuer she shewes her selfe in the last And terrible she is in the last though comfortable she be in the first Q. But will the consideration of each of these serue to arme the soule of him that is sicke against the immoderate feare of death R. I thinke no lesse I teach no lesse I know not how to perswade you lesse Q. Shew me the reason of each and I shall the better beleeue you R. Will you not beleeue else Q. I did not yet say so I speake comparatiuely not simply R. That comparatiuely then you may beleeue me if simply you will not I will endeuour to doe as much as you desire Q. So doe and I will beleeue you simply and comparatiuely R. To the purpose intended then may the consideration of the first of the fower well serue for consider he himselfe that is sick and he shall finde that his body is but a prison to his soule and his soule a prisoner in his body And why should not this arme him against all immoderate feare of death for what should he feare the breaking of his prison the freeing of his prisoner Dauid desirous of life eternall and the sight of his master cryed out Oh how long shall I liue in this prison Psal 142.7 And Paul reuoluing with himselfe the miseries that infested him in this prison cryed out Rom. 7.24 Oh wretch that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of sinne Dauid and Pauls practise should be the sickemans president His body to him is no better then Pauls and Dauids body was to them His body therefore is but a body of sinne a prison of the soule a burthen to the minde and spirit As a man of God hath said no bocardo no dungeon no sinke no puddle no pit is in any respect so euill a prison for the body as the body is of the soule For it is such a cage as stinketh in the sight of God a body of sinne is this cage of the soule And therefore he that is sicke should feare no more to goe out of it than out of a prison To feare the deliuery of the soule from prison is meere folly It is to wish a stinking lodging and a filthy cage to dwell in and euer to cary it about which is extreame misery It is to wish continuall banishment from the ioyfull realme of heauen his naturall country which is extreame madnes What man would be so foolish wretched careles mad as to wish any such matter none wise sober and in his right witts The sicke therefore vnles he will be counted foolish wretched careles and mad must neuer feare immoderately the opening of his prison and the loosening of his prisoner Now if the consideration of this first practise doth thus well serue to the fencing of the soule against al immoderate feare of death what shall wee thinke any of the rest that follow to bee of much lesse value Truly no. For going from the consideration of himselfe to the consideration of his life shall he there finde any lesse force than before Iam. 4.14 surely no for what is his life It is but a vapour that appeareth for a little time then vanisheth away What is the certaintie that he hath either of it or in it it is a meere vncertaintie Syr. 18. 8. For as Syrach saith No man hath certaine knowledge of his death His life is like the weathercocke which turneth at euery blast the waue which mounteth at euery storme the reed which boweth at euery winde but his death is like a theefe which commeth at vnwares What is the peace hee hath all his daies little or none His life is but a warfare full of continuall labour and sorrow And now what should he feare inordinarily the vanishing of a vapour the turning of a weathercocke the breaking vp of a warfare the Saints in the Apocalips say Apoc. 22.20 Come Lorde Iesu come Shorten these latter daies for thine elects sake and saue vs. Their saying should teach others what to say For as Paul saith Heb. 13.1 We haue not heere an abiding city but we seeke one to come Merily therefore should he wish and willingly cry O father of heauen Matt. 6.10 Apo. 22 20 thy kingdome come Come Lord Iesus come And not inordinately or immoderately feare the comming of that which certainly will come and necessarily must come Seneca enterpre For as Seneca saith It is but folly to feare that which connot be eschewed It may be saith he thou wilt say thou shalt dye and what matter is that saith he vpon this condition thou camest into the world that thou mightest goe out But thou shalt dye It is the law of nations that thou must restore againe what thou hast receiued Againe thou shalt dye What then thy life is but a pilgrimage When thou hast walked much and long thou must returne once againe thou shalt dye neither the first nor the last All that are dead haue gone before thee all that are liuing shall follow thee But thou shalt dye young It is the best thing that cā be to dy before thou wishest to dy While life is pleasantest death is profitablest It is then best to dye when it delighteth most to liue But once more thou shalt dye young It may be fortune takes thee from some euill if none other yet surely she takes thee from old age And what a good that is Augustine sheweth when he saith August de Catechizandis rudi When men wish vnto themselues olde age what other thing wish they but a long infirmitie Thus as you see doth Seneca harten a man against death and the feare of death And thus may any wise sicke man harten himselfe For what is death that hee should immoderately feare it August super Ioh. Saith Augustine Death is the leauing of the body and the laying downe of a grieuous burden Saith Chrysostome Death is a necessary gift of nature now corrupted Chrysost super Matt. cap. 10. which is not to be eschewed but rather embraced Saith Secundus the Philosopher to Adrian the emperour asking him what death is Death is the rich mens feare the poore mens desire And saith Chrysostom againe Chrysost homil 5. ad popul Antioch Brandm pag. 567. Eccl. 9.12 Death is a sleepe somewhat longer than vsuall For the like things happen to those that dye that doe to those that sleepe He that sleepes knowes not when hee begines
Wherefore cryest thou vnto me Exod. 14.15 When death therefore assailes me all sences external failes so as the sicke bee vtterly vnable to pray with tongue yet if through the instigation of others he be willing thereto that his will to praier is as good as if he did pray for as Dauid saith Psal 10.17 145.19 God heares the desires of the poore and he will fulfill the desires of them that feare him he also will heare their cry and will saue them And this he speakes as if the sighes sobs and grones of a repentant and beleeuing heart were praiers before God as well as the supplicatory words of a loud and mournfull crying tongue but to stay further speech of this though I might make much more you see many speake and vnderstand well to their last gaspe and they I think may vse their tongues in praier aswel as their hearts Q. There are but a few that doe so and seldome when it is that any doe so R. Yes vndoubtedly they are many that doe so and such times fall out often and neither is greatly to bee marueiled at for why As good words either of God and godlines or to God and his goodnes are sighes of a true and timely faith so often doth God enable many to the last point of their liues both to speake and to vse many good words to his glory their owne comfort and others great good If you will looke either into the Scriptures or into other histories you shall find there many good men to haue spoken to the last and to haue vsed merueilous good words at the last In the nine and fourtieth of Genesis the last words of Iaâ—kob were prophecies of blessings and curses vpon his children the duration of gouernement in Israel and ardent praier for his owne good Amongst all and other things by him there said these are neither least nor last Gen. 49.10 The Scepter shall not depart from Iudah and the Law-giuer from betweene his feete till Shilo come And againe O Lord I haue waited for thy saluation In the two and three and thirteth of Deuteronomie Deu 32.35 the last words of Moses were his most excelleÌ„t song conteining the benefites of God toward his people and their ingratitude towards him and Moses his blessing wherewith he blessed the children of Israel before his death the words are better for you there to reade then forme heere to repeat referring you thither therefore there to reade them heere for this time I willingly omit them In the second of Samuel and the three and twentieth Chapter the last words of Dauid were The spirit of the Lord spake by mee 2. Sam. 23.1 and his word was in my tongue the God of Israel spake vnto mee the strength of Israel said Beare rule ouer me c. In the foure and twentieth of the second booke of Chronicles the last wordes of Zacharias the sonne of Iehoiada 2. Chro. 24.22 when he was stoned were these The Lord looke vpon it and require it the last words of our Sauiour Christ when he was dying vpon the crosse as they were many admirable so they were full of spirituall grace and comfortable Mat. 27.46 First speaking to his Father he said 1. Eli Eli Luk. 23.34 Luk. 23.43 lamasabachtani My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 2. Father forgiue them they know not what they doe 2. to the theefe he said Ioh. 19.26.27 c. Verilie I say vnto thee to day shalt thou be with mee in Paradise 3. to his mother he said Woman behold thy Sonne and to Iohn Behold thy mother 4. Earnestly desiring our saluation he said I thirst 5. Hauing made perfect satisfaction vnto God for mans offence he said Luk. 23.48 It is finished Lastly when body and soule were parting hee said againe vnto God Father into thine haÌ„ds I commend my spirit Act. 7.56.59.60 the last words of Steuen were these 1. Behold I see the heauens open and the Sonne of man standing at the right hand of God 2. Lord Iesu receiue my spirit 3. Lord lay not this sinne to their charge In other writers you may see the last words of others and those very good all spoken at the last cast of life Euseb lib. 4 cap. 15. At the last and as the last thus spake Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna Thou art a true God without lying therefore in all things I praise thee and blesse thee and glorifie thee by the eternall God and high Priest Iesus Christ thine only sonne by whom and with whome to thee and the holy spirit be all glory now and for euer And thus Ignatius Bishop of Antioch Id. lib. 3. c. 30. I care not what kinde of death I die I am the bread of the Lord must be grounde with the teeth of Lions that I may be cleane bread for Christ who is the bread of life for me And thus Ambrose Bishop of Millaine Paulinus in vita eius I haue not so lead my life among you as if I were ashamed to liue Neither doe I feare death because we haue a good Lord. Possidonius in vita Augustini And thus Augustine Bishop of Hippo. 1. He is no great man that thinkes it no great matter that trees and stones fall and mortall men die 2. Iust art thou ô Lord and righteous is thy iudgement Foxe preface to Luthers Comment vpon the Psalmes of degrees And thus Luther comparable to the chiefest as Master Foxe once said My heauenly father God and father of our Lord Iesus Christ and God of all comfort I giue thee thanks that thou hast reuealed vnto me thy sonne Iesus Christ whome I haue beleeued whome I haue professed whome I haue loued whome I haue praised whome the Bishop of Rome and the whole company of the wicked persecuteth and reuileth I pray thee my Lord Iesus Christ receiue my poore soule my heauenly Father though I be taken from this life and this bodie of mine is to be laide downe yet I know certainely that I shall remaine with thee for euer neither shall any be able to pull me out of thy hands And thus Bishop Hooper O Lord Iesus sonne of Dauid haue mercie on me and receiue my soule And thus Annas Burgius Forsake mee not O Lord least I forsake thee And thus Melancthon if it be the will of God I am willing to die and I beseech him that he will graunt me a ioyfull departure and to the like effect many others But to speake of them al were too much the examples of those good men that at the last end of their liues haue expressed their notable faith in God and his Christ are infinite and therefore too many as well for me to recite as for you to remember As these which I haue mentioned may suffice to shew what many haue done so may they well serue to signifie what all should do for good words by the good are
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
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
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
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
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
sealed and shutte and to be opened in the day of iudgement But inough for this if not too much for I had almost forgotten my selfe and now if I looke not backe it may be euery one will not looke right the third grace therefore of the three I told you of is the regiment of the spirite by which the heart and life of man is ordered according to the word of God For Paul saith that They which are the children of God Rom. 8.14 are led by the spirit of God But if any man hath not the spirit of Christ the same is not his 8.9 that is not Christs By these three as I tolde you shall a man come to be able to say with Paul I liue not now but Christ liueth in mee for why to haue Christ in him is to haue Christ by his spirit to guide and gouerne him Q. But when may Christ be said to doe that R. When the thoughts wil and affections of man together with all the powers of bodie and soule are ordered by the worde of God For then is man guided by the spirit of Christ when these things forenamed are all directed by the worde of Christ Q. So may it well be because the word is the rule after which a man must direct his goings R. And so is it for that cause for when Dauid asked the question whereby A young man should cleanse his wayes Psal 119.9 he streight waye returned this answere euen by ruling himselfe according to thy worde Q. So much I acknowletdge to make no more wordes therefore about this when a man hath attained to this grace by these graces which you haue spoken of what must he nexte doe that hee maye bee so much the better prepared against death R. Hee must inure himselfe by little and little to die before euer hee comes in deede to die For the more a man in health inures himselfe to die the lesse vnwilling in sickenes hee shal be to die for death after affliction is lesser than before hence is it that Paule saith in his first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15.31 By the reioycing which I haue in Christ Iesus our Lord I die dayly dayly because he was often in danger of death by reason of his calling and dayly because in all his dangers he inured himselfe to die from this example should all that woulde well die learne dayly to die this dayly dying is the right way to well dying for he that dies dayly when he dyes dyes happily hee neuer puts death farre from him hee neuer makes death a stranger to him he neuer thinks death altogether against him oh that men would more inure themselues to die then woulde they be more religious and lesse superstitious more vertuous and lesse vitious more bounteous and lesse couetous more appliable to good and lesse inclinable to euill and to say at once then would they haue lesser affection to liue and greater delight and desire to dye their not acquainting themselues with death makes them seldome when well prepared for death Of another minde than many and of a better then was that good man and Martyr the Martir Bilney in the daies of Queene Marie for he to the ende he might well suffer did often ere hee suffered inure himselfe to suffer oft before he was burned did he put his finger into the flame of a candle not onely to make tryal of his ability in suffering but also to arme himselfe against greater torments in death Of the like minde before death should others bee in life that so they might neuer be vnprouided against death Q. I acknowledge as much as you affirme Men should bee thus minded in life that they might neuer bee ouertaken by death But how should a man inure himselfe to dye that so hee might not be ouertaken R. How many wayes By thinking of his owne death by calling to minde his friends death by preparing of things necessarie for death by frequenting the funeralles of those that haue yeelded to death by viewing the faces of those that are at the gate of death For by all these and many more hee may gather and conclude that necessarily he must dye Q. And what then R. That asmuch as he may he is to inure himselfe thereto For who doth not buckle himselfe to that he must needs doe Q. I thinke there is none which doth not R. Neither should there bee any which should not inure himselfe to death Q. Neither doe I denie that For the duetie of all is one But when should a man inure himselfe to dye R. When not daylie hourlie continually Q. Why that R. Because death is euer vncertaine vnto him vncertaine in regard of time vncertaine in regarde of place vncertaine in regard of manner for no man knoweth either the time when he shall dye or the place where he shall dye or the manner how he shall dye The time of his death is as vncertaine as the place the place as vncertaine as the time the manner as vncertaine as either place or time He may be taken to night before to morrow at his board aswell as in his bed with that that should preserue him as with that which will destroy him He is void of securitie at each time in euery place after all sorts No time can warrant him no place can priuiledge him Nothing can preserue him Q. But what must he do nothing in the time present but inure himselfe to dye that well he may dye R. Yes Whatsoeuer good thing else hee doth he must do it in the time present he must not delay till the time to come For why this is the aduise of Salomon Eccl. 9.10 Eccl. 9.10 All that thine hand shall finde to doe doe it with all thy power That is with all speede assoone as thou canst without delay This also is the counsaile of Paul Gal. 6.10 Gal. 6.10 While we haue time let vs doe good vnto all men arguing thereby that euer we shall not haue time And as good is the counsaile of the one as the aduise of the other For as he giues twice which giues quickly so he doth a thing twice which doth it quickly Twentie to one it is but he that taketh not time while he may haue time shal misse of time when he would haue time For occasiō is bald behind The foolish virgins that would not enter when they might could not when they would Syr. 5. 6. The watch word of Syrach therefore fits one man aswell as another and each conuert asmuch as one Make no tarying to turne vnto the Lord and put not of from day to day for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord breake forth and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroyed and thou shalt perish in the time of vengeance If it may fitte you and me and him you cause me to speake of I shall bee glad Q. If it doth not I pray God it may R. Euen so doe I.
For he it is that must fit it and none there is besides him that can fit it Q. While it is a fitting and while he doth fit it let vs proceede to make some other thing fit for the thing we haue in hand R. As you will if so be you be satisfied for that which is past Q. If I were not I would neither say as I do nor wish as you heare For resolution I craue of each thing as I goe R. If you haue what you craue it is nothing troublous to me Would to God I could doe both more than I do and otherwise than I do Q. Thankes for that you can More of the cat than her skinne cannot be had Hitherto you haue resolued my doubts and aunswered my demaundes And still I would haue you goe on as you haue begun R. So will I if you will Bern. in epi. 129. For it is better to go on than to begin Without perseuerance neither he which fighteth doth get the victorie nor he which conquereth weare the garland Idem ibi Not hee which beginneth but he which continueth to the ende shall be saued Q. As you haue therefore shewed what course a man is to take in health that he might be prepared for death So I pray you in like sort shew what course he is to take in sicknes therefore For that is the time wherein more particularly a man is to prepare himselfe thereto for death is then farre more nigh at hand then before R. What you wishe I will for it is not good to haue a man vnprepared for death at any time when death is nighest no man knowes The prouerbe is when health is highest death is nighest and the trueth is It is nigher to vs in sicknes then in health Then wee see those signes thereof which in health we neither nor can see But when indeede it is nighest to any God onely knowes who hath the keyes of life and death in his hand for many we see dy suddenly in health as some we know dy lingringly by sicknes In sicknes death sheweth it selfe to be nigher but when it is nighest it doth not alwayes shewe To be alwayes therefore prepared for death is the best medicine against death but because that either euer is not or euer will not be I will to the question you haue propounded as fast as may be that in sicknes therefore a man may rightly prepare himselfe to dy in sicknes three sortes of duties he duely is to looke vnto One concerning God another concerning himselfe and the third concerning his neighbour Q. What is the dutie that concerneth God R. That he seekes to be reconciled vnto him in Christ Q. It may be that he was long before R. All the better so much the sooner hee shal be reconciled now Though long before he hath beene assured of Gods fauour yet then he is to seeke his fauour without this there is small comfort for him in death against death Q. How shall he seeke and obtaine this reconciliation R. By a renuing of his former giuen faith and his long before practised repentance For by the renuing of these it must be both sought for and obtained For without the first it is impossible to please God Heb 11 6. Luk. 13.5 Heb. 11.6 And without the last there is nothing but perishing Luke 13.5 Q. How shall he renue these R. By considering with himselfe whence his sicknes doth arise wherefore it commeth Q. It may be heere his imagination wil bee diuerse and soone hee shall not light vpon the truth touching either other For some thinke one thing and some another R. Whatsoeuer men thinke there is but one truth Q. That 's true But about that many much contend R. In this as in some other much more than they neede Q. I do thinke so too But that a man may be resolued touching these poynts I pray you shew me the truth R. Why I do not thinke you to stand in doubt Q. It may so be but the more a man is confirmed the better it is The more he shall be able to withstand his aduersarie R. That is true in deede Concerning the first point therefore of these two sickenes commeth not by chaunce or fortune to any man but by the prouidence and appointment of almightie God For as Hannah saith 1. Sam. 2.6 It is the Lord that killeth and maketh aliue it is the Lorde that bringeth to the graue As Moses saith Deut. 28.21 It is the Lord that maketh the pestilence cleaue vnto a man it is the Lord that smiteth with a consumption and with the feuer and with a burning ague and with feruent heate and with the sworde As the whole scripture sheweth it is the Lord that imposeth diseases vpon men Gen. 20.18 Exod. 9.10 1. Sam. 5.6 It was the Lord that shut vp euery wombe of the house of Abimilech king of Gerar. It was the Lord that smote the Egyptians It was the Lord that smote Ashod with Emerods and the coasts thereof Psal 78.50.51 Speaking of the Egyptians Dauid saith He made a way to his anger he spared not their soule from death but gaue their life to the pestilence and smote all the first borne in Egypt euen the beginning of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham. Thus though before you doubted whence sickenes commeth yet now you see by what you may be resolued Q. I deny not but that I see what you say I see and by seeing I am therein confirmed whereof before I was resolued But when this thing is found as found it will soone bee to him that hath skill what vse thereof is the sickeman to make R. Much and good First he is thence to gather that he must not ascribe his sickenes to fortune or chaunce but to Gods good will and pleasure Psal 135.6 For he doth whatsoeuer pleaseth him in heauen in earth in the sea and in all deepes Secondly he is thence to collect that he must not looke too much to the meanes by which his sickenes came but lift vp his eyes to heauen remembring God that sent it and thereupon say with Iob Iob. 1.21 The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken Thirdly he is thence to draw that he is not to storme against his sickenes with murmuring and impatiencie For what should he murmur against the Lords doings hee can no wayes resist it Rom. 9.19 who hath resisted his will Fourthly he is thence to conclude that to God he is to seeke for remedie if he will haue it For as it was he that sent it so it is he that must take it away Hos 6.1 So it is said Hos 6.1 Come and let vs returne to the Lord for he hath spoyled and he will heale vs he hath wounded and he will binde vs vp So it is practised Ps 38. For Dauid lying sicke of some grieuous disease there acknowledgeth himselfe to bee chastised of God Psal
should I produce more examples when these are sufficient to explaine what I propound whome these will not content little or nothing for this point will content Q. I thinke so too You shall not neede therefore about this further to trouble your selfe I nothing doubt of the truth of what you say But one thing by the way when the sicke man is come to this point that hee is resolued that for his sinnes hee is visited what by him is to bee performed that so to death hee may the better bee prepared R. Many things moe than one Q. How many R. Foure and all concerning his sinnes Q. What be they R. These which heere follow First he must make a new examination of his life and conuersation according as the Israelites did when in their affliction they said Lam. 3.40 Let vs search and try our wayes and turne againe vnto the Lord. Secondly he must make a new confession vnto God of his new and particular sinnes Iam. 5.16 as God sendes new corrections and chasticements so did Dauid when he had the hand of God very heauie vpon him for his sinnes Psal 32.5 so as his very bones and moysture consumed within him and therupon obteyned he his pardon and was healed Thirdly he must make new prayer and more earnest than euer before with sighes and groanes of the spirit for pardon of the same sinnes and for reconciliation with God in Christ thus did king Dauid in his sickenes For he made certaine psalmes either when he was sicke or else after he had been sicke As namely the sixt the two and thirtie the thirtie eight the thirtie nine all which are psalmes of repentance psalmes wherein vpon distresse of body and mind he renued his faith and repentance bewayling his sinnes and intreating the Lord for pardon of them Thus also did Hezekiah in his sickenes Esa 38. For when he lay sicke as he thought and as the Prophet told him vpon his Deathbed he wept as for some other causes so also for his sinnes and withall he prayed vnto God to cast them behinde his backe Thus also in his sickenes should he doe that is sicke for as Iames asked the question is any man afflicted so if there be Iam. 5.13 he aunswereth shewing him his dutie let him pray and in prayer what shall he aske but the free pardon and full remission of all his sinnes therefore saith Dauid wherefore Psal 32.6 for the remission of his sinnes shall euery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thee in a time when thou mayest be found that is in the time of tribulation For the Lord is nigh vnto those that are of a broken heart and a troubled spirit Yea the Lord is with them that are in tribulation and makes all their bed in their sickenes In that forme of prayer which Christ hath deliuered vnto vs one of the maynest petitions is forgiue vs our trespasses as though the heart of our prayers should be the forgiuenes of our sinnes For that petition is placed euen in the hearte of that our prayer to signifie what petition should euerly vpon our hearts As therefore he that is sicke must pray in seeking to be reconciled vnto God so in praying he must aske the pardon and forgiuenes of his sinnes For in the remission of his sins consisteth the saluation of his soule Psal 32 1. Blessed is he saith Dauid whose wickednes is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Blessed is the man vnto whome the Lord imputeth not iniquitie And thus much for the third thing the sicke man must performe touching his sinnes Now for the fourth in the fourth place he must by all meanes auoyde all those sinnes which incense his God to wrath Psal 34.14 Esa 1.16.17 and torment himselfe with griefe For when Christ had cured him that had been diseased eighte and thirty yeares this was his saying vnto him Behold thou art made whole sinne no more least a worse thing happen vnto thee Ioh. 5.14 The same saying must the sicke take as spoken to himselfe To the sicke it was spoken when he was healed by the sicke it must be practised ere euer he will be healed If man will not care to eschew sinne the cause of sickenes there is no reason that God should care to remoue sickenes the fruite of sinne As commonly the effect followes if the cause be giuen so most what the effect ceases not till the cause be gone This is a matter so well knowne as it needes not much proofe If you of your selfe will not yeelde me it I will labour further to confirme it Q. You shall not neede to prooue it I willingly yeelde it R. Neither will I then It is good sparing of time and labour Q. Yea in things needeles as is this Psal 34.12.14 For as Dauid saith He that desireth life and loueth long dayes for to see good must eschew euill and doe good seeke peace and follow after it But you shall spare neuer the more of either for that For if you haue done with the sicke mans duety that concerneth God I will desire you to passe to that his duty which concerneth himselfe and therein to spend some time and labour R. I shall be contented with that if you haue done touching the other Q. I haue done but that one thing comes now to my minde which I thinke meet to demaunde of you ere wholly for this I dismisse you R. What is that Q. Whether the sicke doing as you say shall come to be reconciled to God as you wished R. Yes feare you not For that point the scriptures are plentifull Q. Produce some part of their store R. What may be profitable to you shall not be displeasing to me For this matter therefore thus they goe Ezek. 18. Act. 16.31 1. Cor. 11.11 Iosh 1.19 Mat. 7.7 Ezek. 18.30 Eph. 5.14 Ezek. 33.5.18.27 Ioh. 6.35.3.15.16.37 Esa 28.19 Returne and liue Beleeue and be saued Iudge your selues and ye shall not be Iudged Giue glory to the Lord and make confession vnto him Aske and it shall be giuen Seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you Departe from your wicked waies and iniquitie shal not be your destruction Awake thou that sleepest stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee life He that receiueth warning shall saue his life When the wicked turneth away from his wickednes which he hath committed and doth that which is lawfull and right he shall saue his soule aliue He that beleeueth in Christ he shall neuer hunger nor thirst nor perish but haue eternall life Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed Act. 10.43 1. Cor. 11.31 To him giue all the Prophets witnes that through his name all that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes If we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged Let euery man prooue his owne worke and then shall he haue reioycing in himselfe onely
and not in another Gal. 6.4 Mat. 7.8 Ioh 16.23.14.13 Whosoeuer asketh receiueth he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the father in my name he will giue it you Whatsoeuer ye aske in my name that will I doe that the father may be glorified in the sonne And againe Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued The prayer of faith shall saue the sicke Rom. 10.13 Iam. 5.15 and the Lord shall rayse him vp and if he haue committed sinne it shall be forgiuen him For the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent And last of all thus He that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper Pro. 28.13 but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercy If we acknowledge our sinnes 1. Ioh. 1.9 he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnes And thus I haue produced some parte of that you wished Now if you thinke your question aunswered my speech to the sicke mans second dutie shall bee conuerted Q. So let it For as my question is answered so my minde is satisfied R. I am nothing sory therefore Q. Nor I any thing grieued thereat Now then what may bee the dutie that lyeth vpon the sicke in regarde of himselfe R. You might rather haue sayd what be the duties for they are many For man consisteth it is well knowen of two parts a soule and a body And according to these seuerall parts there lyes vpon him seuerall dutyes But for so much as his soule is his principall part his principall care must be for that Q. And concerning that what must he principally care for R. Two things ouer and aboue that which hath been said touching his reconcilement vnto God Q. What be those R. The first this that he munites it against the paines of his sickenes least they prouoke him to impatiencie The second this that he armes and fences it against all immoderate and inordinate feare of death least that incites him to despaire and so he comes to misse what he should most aime at Q What is that R. A good and happie death Because that after that there followes a most happie and blessed life For they which dye well dye not to dye but to liue eternally Q But how shall a man that is sicke munite and fence his soule against the paines of his sickenes R. By considering sixe or seuen things both then and other when worthie much and good consideratiō but especially in his paynes and vpon his paynes Q. What may those things be R. These which heere follow The first this that his sickenes and disease is sent vnto him of God which is rich in mercy and plenteous in goodnes and truth and also loueth him in Christ The second this that the payne which he suffreth is nothing to that which the Lord could lay vpon him The third this that the payne which he suffers heere vpon earth in his mortall bodie is nothing to that which he hath merited to suffer The fourth this that there is not any almost of all the Saints of God which hath not been subiect to the like paynes sickenesses diseases The fifth this that the payne which he suffereth how great soeuer it be is nothing to the ioy which he expecteth if so in Christ Iesus he beleeueth The sixt this that Christ himselfe suffred as many and as great paynes as he doth or may and more and greater ere euer he entred into glory The seauenth and last though not the least this that Christ his captaine now in glory seeth and beholdeth all his seruants which are in miserie Q. All very good things I assure you But what will each and euery of those doe asmuch as you pro-duce and propound them for R. You neede neuer make question of that to what other end haue I either produced or propounded them Q. Many things are frustrated of their end and so may these things be R. If it be so the fault is not in the things themselues but in those that peruert and abuse the things Q. Where the fault is I well know not but oft times so it is R. I deny not that but when that is it is through the ignorance of the things or through the mis-applying them Q. Why thinke you these things propounded so good that effect according they will take if both they be knowen and well applyed R. Yea that I doe and good reason I haue so to thinke Q. Shew that for each of them and I so will euer after the more thinke of them and the better esteeme them R. Vpon that condition I will For well I would haue you to thinke of them and worthily I wish you may esteeme of them Q. Begin then R. And I will What should the creature resist the creator the clay the potter the worke the worke-master when God himselfe the creatour of man inflictes sicknes vpon man the creature what should man grudgingly vnwillingly and impatiently take either it or the paynes thereof Pro. 27.6 The woundes of a louer saith Salomon are faithfull Much more should the stripes of the almightie be counted friendly sith he himselfe is wondrous louing And what should a man striue and storme against him that beates him in loue for loue from thence he should rather gather first that God correcteth him of loue as a father and punisheth him not of hatred as a iudge For whome the Lord loueth he chasteneth Heb. 12.6 and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth If ye endure chastening God offereth himselfe vnto you as vnto sonnes for what sonne is it whome the father chasteneth not Secondly that God will lay no more vpon him than he will make him able to beare for saith Paul God is faithfull 1. Cor. 10.13 which will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you be able to beare Thirdly that God wil giue good euent in his time Ibidem For God will giue the issue with the temptation that ye may be able to beare it And these things considered what shuld he impatiently beare what necessarily must be borne when that which is layd is nothing to that which might be layed and that by him that layeth what is laid what should it vnwillingly bee borne with him that is sicke the case is so For what doth one member paine him God could cause all to torment him Doth his heart grieue him God could enlarge his heart and therein augment his paine Is he troubled in soule God could cast him into desperation Is he afflicted both in body and soule God could cast both body and soule into hell Esa 38.18 And out of hell there is no redemption They which are there once must bee there euer Hence he may thus reason doth my head ake my heart ake my backe ake c. Yet is not my case like Iobs Iob. 2.7
Satan departed from the presence of the Lord and smote Iob with sore boiles from the sole of his foot vnto his crowne Iob. 2.7 Is all my bodie pained yet is not my case like Dauids when being distressed in soule Psa 55.4 he cryed Mine heart trembleth within me and the terrours of death are fallen vpon me Am I distressed in soule yet is my case vnlike theirs which are in hell 2.49.14 Luk. 16.24 Death gnaweth vpon them and they cannot get so much as one droppe of water to coole their tongue What therefore though one of my members suffer yet is not that to trouble me for God could make all my members suffer as that one and with that one What though my heart paines me yet is not that to disturbe me For God could enlarge my heart and therewithal increase my paine What though my soule bee disquieted within me yet is not that to dismay me God could giue me ouer to desperation the height of all sinne What though I be afflicted both in body and foule yet is not that to astonish me For God could cast both body and soule into hellfire and what should then become of me but see how mercifully the Lord dealeth with me Where he could doe much he doth but little where he could torment me a thousand thousand waies he troubles me but one where he could afflict me in euery part and so leaue me sound in no part he spares me in all the rest due and punisheth me but in one Psal 42.5 c. O my soule then be not thou cast downe nor much disquieted within me Wayte on God for I will yet giue him thankes for the helpe of his presence If I did suffer more than I doe yet would not that be halfe so much as I haue deserued to suffer no more than that which I doe suffer is For what suffer I the aking of my head the pinching of my heart the stopping of my lungs the stuffing of my breast the weaknes of my stomacke the griping of my bowels the torments of my bellie or what else the shaking of my ioynts the quaking of my bones the dimnes of mine eies the dulnes of mine eares the streightnes of my pipes the losse of my taste the want of my legges c. Though I suffer some of these many of these most of these yea all these Rom. 6.23 yet all is nothing to that which I haue deserued to suffer death For death is the wages of sinne and that that death which is the curse of God the fire of hell the confusion both of body and soule which farre exceedeth the other more than either tongue is able to expresse or heart sufficient to conceiue For why it is infinit it is vnspeakable Oh what a happy change is this to change eternall death into a temporall sicknes great oddes betweene a temporall sicknes and eternall death There is no comparison betweene thē too too much to blame were I if I would not take patiently what the Lord doth lay vpon me wisely and louingly As Dauid saith by this I know that thou louest me because mine enemie doth not triumph ouer me so may I by this I know that thou ô God dost loue me because thus and thus thou now dost punish me Heb. 12.6 For the Lord chasteneth whome he loueth Which of all the Saintes of God whome he neuerthelesse loued well hath not in his life time been subiected to the like paines sicknes and diseases that I now am Gen. 48.1 verily none Iacob the patriarch was greatly beloued of God yea so well as God himselfe said of him Iacob haue I loued yet was he visited with sicknes as I am Iob the patient was an vpright man one that feared God and eschewed euill yet so well as Iames the apostle propoundes him as a patterne of patience to the whole church Iob. 1.1 yet was he smitten with sore boiles from the sole of the foot to the crowne of the head Elizeus was an holy Prophet of God 2. Kin. 13.14 one vpon whome the spirit of Eliah was doubled yet that notwithstanding he both fell sicke and also died Lazarus was a good man 20.1 so his name signfies for it is asmuch as the helpe of God and one whome Christ loued well behold how he loued him Ioh. 11.1 Yet all this neuerthelesse he sickened and died What should I then once looke to bee free by this my comfort is greater then my crosse my consolation better than my affliction Vpon this I may better say my portion is among the Saints of God then looke how I am hated and abhorred of God For after this sort were they tormented and afflicted and yet all their torments affliction notwithstanding highly were they esteemed and singularly well beloued of God And so may I for all my sickenes paine and griefe August Iohn That which the Lord permitts me to suffer is a whip of him that correcteth not a punishment of him that condemneth by it I am trayned vp to an eternall inheritance shall I then disdaine to be whipped Nothing is that which I suffer to that which I expect It is but sorrow which I suffer it is ioy which I expect the sorrow which I suffer is but temporall the ioy which I expect is eternall Of all temporall paines the Apostle saith Rom. 1.10 The afflictions of this present time are not worthie of the glory which shall be shewed But of eternall ioyes the same Apostle saith The things which eye hath not seene nor eare hath heard neither come into mans hearte are which God hath prepared for them that loue him 1. Cor. 2.9 Why therefore should I not possesse my soule in patience what will not a man do or abide for a kingdome yea for a kingdome earthly and transitorie for that a man will goe ride runne sue serue and spend What therefore should not I suffer for a kingdome that this heauenly eternall and euerlasting alas what not if well I weigh and consider what weigh and consider well I should Aswell may I now say as once one said Heere burne heere cut that for euer thou maiest spare One that was alwaies as deare to thee as I now am or may be suffered once as many and as great things as I now suffer and moe and greater too ere euer he entred into glory August in lib. de 8. virtu charita as Augustine saith The sonne of God is lead to the crosse he is vnpalmed which is the true palme of victory hee is crowned with thornes which came to breake the thornes of sinners he is bound which looseneth those that are bound he is hanged vpon a tree which lifteth vp those that were throwne down the fountaine of life had his thirst quenched with viniger discipline is beaten saluation is wounded life is killed death for a time slew life Bern. in quodam sermon that death for euer might
feare death For what should a man feare that which doth good and not hurte brings profit and not disprofite is beneficial and commodious not vnprofitable and noxious Q. Nothing at all in my minde But what is death so R. Why else say I so Q. Because it pleaseth you to say so R. What must I speake what pleaseth mee Q. You should not R. Neither will I so neere as I can but that will I speake which may please God and pleasure man Q. Because you say then Death doth good and not hurt brings profite and not disprofite is commodious and not noxious to whome is it commodious R. To whom not It is commodious to him that suffers it and it is commodious to him that sees it suffered Q. But not to euerie one of those that suffer it or see it suffered R. Neither did I yet say so It is commodious to euerie one that suffers it either in faith or for faith or both It is commodious also to euerie one that sees it suffered so hee makes right vse of the seeing it suffered For the first these sayings of Scripture make som what 2. Cor. 4.12 Tob. 3.6 Ro◠8.28 Syr. 41.2 Rom. 8.38 Death worketh in vs. It t s better for ◠to dye then to liue to them that loue God a thinges worke together for the best O Dear how acceptable is thy Iudgement vnto the need full and vnto him whose strength fayleth and that is now in the last age and is vexed with a◠things Gregor super Mat. 10. in testimo illis For the other this of Gregory makes much The Death of the righteous to the good is an helpe to the euill a testimonie that thence the wicked may perish without excuse whence the godlie doe take example that they may liue Q. What good brings Death to him that suffers it as you haue sayd R. The goods thereof they are vnspeakeable for multitude they exceede number for greatnes they passe vnderstanding for goodnes they excell all that men heere enioy or may enioy Q. I would I might heare somwhat of thē that so both I others might be benefited by them R. Sith so you will I say so you shall First Death killes his familiar enemie Gal. 5. 1. P◠12.11 Rom. 6.7 to witte his bodie or fleshe with all her lustes fighting against the soule For be that is dead is freed from sinne And what a benefite this is that saying of a learned writer sheweth which thus soundeth Seneca There is no pestilence more forceable to doe an hurt then a familiar enemie A familiar enemie betrayeth Christ into the hands of sinners Secondly Death opens a doore to his poore prisoner out of a filthie prison in which he was held bound and captiue that is Death giues libertie to his Soule to depart from the bodie in which it was deteyned from the presence of God as in a prison For many haue thought the body of man to be as a prison to the Soule of man Pythagoras seeing one of his schollers verie busie about trimming vp of his bodie said this man ceases not to make vnto himself a more troublesome prison What a benefite this is it may appeare by Dauids praier Psal 142.7 and our experience Dauids praier Psal 142.1 Bring my soule out of prison that I may praise thy name Our experience is that prisoners hate little more then lockes and boltes because they must stay them from going out Thirdlie Death deliuers him from the carryage of a coffin full of filthines and vncleannes that is his bodie Plato in Cratylo sayeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Corpus a bodye Plato in Cratylo dicitur quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is said to be ac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Sepulchrum A graue Sepulchro quid faedius and what more vncleane then a graue Mat. 23.27 Whited tombes sayeth Christ appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones of all filthines such like are the fine and faire bodies of men A corruptible bodie sayth Salomon is heauie vnto the soule Sap. 9 1◠the earthlie mansion keepeth downe the mind that is full of cares And what a benefite this is it may appeare not onelie by Paules speach in one place but also by his great outcry in another For thus he saith in one place Whiles we are at home in the bodie we are absent from the Lord 2. Cor. 5.6 And thus he crieth out in another O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death And a miserable thing it is to be absent from the Lord Rom. 7.4 and to be troubled with the bodie of Death When Paul sayth the Ephesians were without God in the world he reckened vp one of the euils the Ephesians were infected with Ephe. 2.12 ere euer the bright light of the glorious Gospell of Christ Iesus did shine vnto them and vpon them but when he said If God be with vs who can be against vs he spake of one of the greatest blessings that is Rom. 8.31 writing therefore to the Philippians he not onelie desireth to bee with Christ but also sayth that so to be is best of all I am greatlie in doubt on both sides desiring to be loosed and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 which is best of all This therfore was Dauids complaint As the Hart brayeth for the riuers of waters Psal 42.1 so panteth my Soule after thee ô God my Soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing God Psal 42.2 when shall I come and appere before the presence of God And this otherwhere the saying of the Psalmist It is good for me to drawe neere vnto God 73.28 What shoulde be others thereupon I leaue it to others to discerne My meaning is to proceed to another cōmodity that death brings with it to whom it comes and that is this It puts an end to the painefull Pilgrimage he was going on in this world For what is this mortall life but a way Basil hom 1. in psal 1. and that for the hast that euerie thing generate makes to the end What a commoditie this is may many waies appeare but especiallie by that of Salomon Eccl. 7.3 The day of Death is better then the day that one is borne And that of Syrach Death is better then a bitter life If it were requisite Syr. 30. 17. that eyther of these were better proued proofe might soone be produced For the first there is one that sayeth For two causes the day of death is better to the seruants of God then the day of byrth Perald tom 1. pag. 134. One is because Death is the egresse from miserie whereas the birth is the ingresse to miserie sayeth a wise man though Death be not good yet is it the end of all euils Seneca saith Death is the remedy of all euils The second is because Death is the gate
of glorie to the seruants of God It is the beginning of a blessed life For the other there is another that saieth Syr. 40. 25. 41. 2. It is better to dye then to begge O death how acceptable is thy Iudgement vnto the needefull and vnto him whose strength fayleth and that is nowe in the last age and is vexed with all things and to him that despayreth and hath lost patience To like purpose saide olde Tobit in the anguish of his Soule Tob. 3.6 It is better for me to dye then to liue because I haue heard false reproches and am verie sorowful For the maine point we driue at there is one that saieth Philip. 1.2 Cor. 5 he which dieth is freed from the miseries of the world he goeth to the Lord from whom he went on pilgrimage so long as he abode in the bodye Also in Death he leaueth sinne labour affliction the slime of the earth the matter of continuall conflict against the spirit of God And that bodie made of the dust of the grounde which he leaues in Death he shall receiue againe in the day of the restoring of all things in farre better case then euer it was in this worlde For then it shal be made like the glorious bodie of Christ Whether therefore you respect the Soule of him that dies or you regarde the bodie yet euer is that sure which I saie that death is commodious to him that dies If you respect the Soule It is freed from the bandes of the bodie to be with Christ It is translated to immortalitie It is conducted to the heauenlie countrey from which it was a stranger If you regarde the bodie it is freed from all miserie It is committed to a most safe and sweete sleepe it is prepared to the glorie of the resurrection the flesh resteth in hope whatsoeuer you respect or regarde yet this at length you must come to Raban lib. 9. in eccl cap. 2. The iudgement of present death is good to those that worship Christ because by it they passe to eternall life Sanctus Idiota By a good death a man chaunges his feare into securitie his labour into tranquilitie his want into sacietie his sorrow into iocunditie by a good death he escapeth all daunger of loosing the grace of God his estate comes to be better then euer it was before While he liued Lazarus was contemned Luk. 26.21 neither Master nor Man would regarde him more compassion was had of him by dogges then by men The dogges came licked his sores but no man gaue him the crummes which fell from the rich mans table but when he was dead Lazarus was esteemed the Angels came and carried him into Abrahams bosome of Christ himselfe Myconius saieth While Christ liued Myconi in euang Mar expos he might see nothing but humilitie and many things horrible and dreadfull but being dead see how honorable his burial was great good men burie him there is a magnificent preparation a new Sepulchre in the gardein in which yet neuer man lay As it fared with these so often fareth it with others by these then may others see what commodities drawes towards them when death comes vpon them some I haue shewed mo at pleasure may be conceiued so good so pleasant so profitable there are as Bassus an olde man once said Ser. 30. episto If there be any discommoditie in death it is the fault of those that die and not the fault of death it selfe In his book of the contempt of death saith Seneca Seneca lib. de contem mortis for the paine that is in death It is light if I can beare it It is but short if I cannot endure it for the commodities that are therein they are many I shal leaue of all possibility then to be sick any more I shall leaue of all possibility to be bouÌ„d any more I shall leaue of all possibilitie to dye any more Sickenes shall haue no more to do with me bondage shall haue no more to doe with me Death shall haue no more to doe with me the power of the one the other and all of them shall be taken from them what in this point Seneca thought was to betide him is surely to betyde others As Seneca therefore contemned death because of the commodities of Death so may they for the same cause stand in lesse feare of Death then otherwise for therefore is it said that there are many commodities in Death that those which are to dye should be well armed against the immoderate feare of Death For it is but follie to feare that which will come and vpon all come and vpon many verie profitably come when it doth come Manie makes a vertue of necessitie and most wonderouslie loue that which brings commoditie saieth Seneca again Seneca lib. de senectu In death there is no greater solace against Death then mortalitie it selfe I see not therefore howe any shoulde ouer foolishlie feare Death it bringing commodities as it doth not only to them that suffer it but also to those that see it by others suffered Q. No more doe I neither should I if there were asmuch prooued as was erewhile propounded R. Why do you make an if what is there wanting Q. The latter part of your saying R. What is that Q. Doe not you know R. Whether I do or do not I would know of you Q. And that I can tell you R. Doe it then Q. So I meane but I doe but quicken your wit a little with this being by other things fully resolued of your will R. I can but commend your wit for so doing But I would heare what is wanting to be prooued of that which was propounded Q. That you shall that death brings commoditie to those that see it suffered is the thing which I speake of R. And that 's the thing you need not much speake of or at the least not so as you haue spoken For that thing is not now vnprooued Remember you not that out of that auncient and learned doctour Gregory I tolde you that The death of the righteous was an helpe to the good thâ—â— saw it and a testimonie to the euill Q. Yes indeede doe I. R. Be not so hastie then heereafter to accuse before you haue iust cause For that saying of Gregorie is proofe sufficient for that in controuersie Q. It is so I can it not deny but I would haue had more R. Why more than enough is too much and the prouerb is enough is as good as a feast Though more should be said yet would it all come to this issue For euer the death of the righteous is either an helpe to the good or a testimonie to the bad or both to either Q. But how the one to the one and the other to the other R. The one to the one by making them to remember their owne ends to wish the like ends and to prepare against their ends The other 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
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
hath any communion or fellowshippe R. What then that seperation for a time notwithstanding they shall againe at length be reunited and ioyned togither and then shall they haue full communion one with another world without end Q. I know they shall so in the resurrection at the last day R. Why then obiect you as you do that knowledge is to strengthen you and any that knowes it against the feare of death with that Dauid comforteth himselfe saying Psal 16.9 Mine heart is glad and my tongue reioyceth my flesh also doth rest in hope for thou wilt not leaue my Soule in graue neither wilt thou suffer thine holie one to see corruption With that Paul comforteth himselfe and others himselfe when he said Philip. 1.22 In death and life Christ is to me aduantage Others when hee prooued vnto them the resurrection of the dead with that also should you comfort your selfe and others What vse both Dauid and Paul made of it should others also make For why the thing of it selfe is one vnto all And all that beleeue shall haue much alike benefits thereby but I minde not now to speake of them neither neede I for they pertaine to another life and I now glaunce at them but as they yeeld comfort in this life Q. That comfort you speake of should mooue you more fullie to display them for those things which follow after death may in this life yeelde comfort against Death R. You heard me euen nowe professe so much and I like it well you will so soone thereupon confesse so much Q. I must confesse the truth for therefore I learne R. I am glad thereof for therefore I teach you it Q. If I should not make that vse of it both you should teach it in vaine and I learne it in vaine but that that may not betide I will marke both what you doe teach and what I may learne R. In so doing you shall do well Q. I perswade my selfe so and therefore I will doe as I say so neere as I may but now seeing you haue no mind to speake of some things after this life I would you would speake of something in this life R. So haue I alreadie Q. I deny not that in demaunding this but I now speake of a more speciall thing then those which are past R. It is verie like so but what is that that I may soone satisfie you Q. The last of your 4. meditations which you long since said were verie sufficient to comfort the Soule of man against the immoderate feare of Death R. If that be it we shall do well ynough but what would you that I should say touching it Q. First whether that the Lord hath promised his presence to his seruants as you said or not Secondly whether so much will thereupon follow as you inferred or no R. It seemes you doubt at euerie turne but it is no matter to shew you that I speake no more then I will iustifie I will shewe you both the one and the other Q. I thank you for that not because I doubt of what you say but because I would know your ground for that you say R. For the first therefore thus saith the Lord by his Prophet Dauid Psal 91.15 I will be with him in trouble Isai 43.3 and by his Prophet Esaie When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the flouds that they do not ouerflow thee When thou walkest through the verie fire thou shalt not bee burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee and thus by his Sonne and our Sauiour Christ Iesus Ioh. 14.18 Mat. 28.20 I will not leaue you comfortlesse I will be with you vnto the end of the world And by these is it not manifest that the Lord hath promised his presence to his Seruants in time of neede and necessitie Q. Yes it is so I neither can nor will deny it but the Lord himselfe is inuisible is he not R. Yes for as the Scripture saith No man hath seene God at any time to Moses he himselfe said Thou canst not see my face Exo. 33.20 1. Tim. 1.17 Col. 1.15 Iud. 13.22 for there shal no man see me and liue of him Manach said vnto his wife We shall surelie dye because we haue seene God When they saw as the text saith but an Angell of God Q. By what meanes therefore doth he manifest his presence that so wee may perceiue a performance of his promise R. By meanes many In number three First by moderating and lessening the paines and torments of sickenes and death as the verie words of his promise by Esaie his Prophet doe plainelie import For he saith Isai 43.3 When thou passest through the waters I will bee with thee that the flouds doe not ouerflow thee and when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee So that if the flouds do not ouerflow a man when he is in the waters nor the flame kindle vpon him when he is in the fire hee may well thinke the Lord is there present restraining both the waters from swelling and the fire from burning For naturally either of them would do the kind if he did not restraine thē so in the paines of sicknes pangs of death if a man findes his sorrowes nothing so greeuous as the afflictions of his life he may well thinke the Lord present for the paines of the one and the pangs of the other are painefull ynough of themselues and ouermuch yrkesome to many Yet this that I now say many haue true indeed found of many such there is mention made in the Acts Monuments of the Church they which haue the booke may looke into it assuredly they shall finde what I heare say neither shall they loose their time whē they haue so done or repent them of their labour in so doing For my part I must now proceed from this meanes of the Lords manifesting his presence though he be inuisible and not to bee seene visibly to the next Secondly therefore the Lord doth manifest his presence in the paines of sickenes and pangs of death by giuing in inward and vnspeakable comfort of his spirit vnto them that are afflicted with the one and distressed with the other for to many then doth he giue a greater portion of his spirit thē at many other times bypast and foregone In one place of scripture the Apostle Paul speaking of himselfe and his afflictions saith thus As the suffering of Christ abounded in vs so our consolation aboundeth through Christ 2. Cor. 15. And in another place speaking of his owne and his fellowes behauiour in their tribulations hee saith thus Wee reioyce in tribulations knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience c. Rom. 5.3 Now there must bee some thing that must worke this ioye and comfort For as the same Apostle saith Heb. 12.11 No chastising for the present time seemeth to
approching of theeues or the meeting of beasts the one cruell the other sauage if he hath companie with him so comfortable is companie If a man in this plight feares little what shold he that is sicke and in danger of death feare much he hath better companie then the companie of any man The Lorde himselfe is his companion hee is his keeper and his guide so also doth he watch ouer him as nothing may hurt or annoy him And blessed is hee whose helpe is the Lorde Iehouah Psal 144.15 146.5 Againe he hath the Angels of God to guard him they watch ouer him that he dash not his foot against a stone he that hath such companie so good so great so mightie and magnificent needes not feare that which commeth with worse lesse and more weake company then he hath When the seruant of Elisha was afraid for the â—ost that compassed the Cittie with horses and chariots wherein they were Elisha sayd feare not 2. King 6.15 for they that bee with vs are moe then they that be with them c. True that was for behold the mountaine was full of horses and chariots of fire rounde about Elisha Tob. 5.19 Againe when Tobit saw his wife weeping for the want of her sonne Tobias the staffe of their hande to minister vnto them he said Be not carefull my sister he shall returne in safetie and thine eie shall see him For the good doth keepe him company and his iorney shall bee prosperous and he shall returne safe Thus by the company of Angels they comforted the one his wife the other his man And so may they themselues that are sicke as it is therefore said after Tobits speech to his wife then she made an end of weeping so I would it might be said after mine to them that are sick then they made an end offearing Q. Of fearing nay you would haue them feare I trow Pro. 28.14 Blessed is the man that feareth alwaie saith Salomon R. Yea I would haue them to feare God alwaie But I would not haue them to feare death more than they neede And that is the fearing I would haue them make an ende of other fearing I spake not of Q. Yet you would not haue them make a finall end of fearing that would you R. Yes of fearing it immoderately For I denie not but a man is to feare it But immoderatly I would not haue any to feare it Q. I would then you would shew how you would haue him to feare it and how you would not R. The one as I take it I haue shewed alreadie the other I mind to shew hereafter Q. As it pleaseth you so let it be That he is not immoderately to feare it and how he may keepe himselfe from immoderate fearing of it you haue in deede alreadie shewed And in so doing you haue spoken sufficiently of the duty that lies vpon the sicke man touching his soule the chiefe and principall part of himselfe R. As Pilate said of the superscription Ioh. 19 12. he set vpon Iesus his head What I haue written that I haue written So say I of that which I haue said what I haue said that I haue said But howsoeuer hee said it must bee taken as is Like it is it is neither said as it might be said nor as I would it had been said It is as it could be and therewith I wish you to be contented Q. I am so and I thanke you that I may be so Whatsoeuer it may be to the others it is pleasing to me and that I hope is sufficient for you For I was the cause of all that hath been said was I not R. Yes or else it had not been said Q. Let me also be the cause of that which is to be said R. So be on Gods name Q. Now then hauing spoken of that which the sicke man must doe concerning his soule let vs proceede to that which concernes his bodie For next after his soule he is to care for his bodie is he not R. He is so and if you remember I haue alreadie said so Q. Yes I remember it and that makes me speake of it but touching that what it is he must care for either as yet I haue not heard or else I haue alreadie forgotten R. If you haue not heard it now you shal heare it and if you haue forgotten it I will put you againe in minde of it whether you haue heard it or forgotteÌ„ it that it is that you may heare it and remember it that till God doth wholie depriue it of life it cannot be preserued in health and life Q. The thing is good but why must he take such care of it as you say R. Because it is a good thing as you say Q. But my saying so is not your onelie reason of prescribing so R. That is verie like in deed yet is that one good reason for euery one is to care for that which is good the yong man that came vnto Christ Mat. 19. said vnto him Master Mat. 19.16 what good thing shall I do that I may haue eternall life as if without doing good he should not come to life To doe good saith the Apostle forget not Heb. 13.16 Gal. 6.10 for with a such a sacrifice God is pleased and in another place saith he While we haue time let vs do good and in his Epistle to Gaius saith Iohn the Euangelist Beloued Ioh. 3. Ep. ver 11. follow not that which is euill but that which is good and saith Dauid Psal 34.13 1. Pet. 3.10.11 If any man long after life and to see good daies let him eschew euill and doe good and saith Peter to Cornelius of Iesus Iesus went about doing good Act. 10.38 Ioh. 13.15 and saith Iesus himselfe to his disciples I haue giuen you an example that ye should do as I haue done Q. I graunt you without further proofe all this that you doe say for this is not that I would haue you to say R. What is it then would you not haue me prooue that it is the sicke mans part to care to preserue life and health in his body so long as God will giue the one and graunt meanes for the other Q. Yes R. And haue I not done that in saying as I said Q. Yes in some sort but not in such ample sort as I would I would haue and heare some more reasons then that propounded why he that is sicke should see his body preserued in health and life till such time as God wholy depriues it of life R. What you will you shall that therefore I said the sick maÌ„ should do because it is a good thing so to do I now say the sick man is to do First because he was not the giuer of life to himselfe but God for as the Apostle saith Rom. 14.7 None of vs liueth to himselfe neither doth any dye to himselfe for whether we liue we liue vnto
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
any physicke it will cause their worke to haue the better successe For oftentimes the impenitencie of the sicke is an hindrance to the physitions It causeth that the physicke by them giuen will not worke either as in reason it should or by hope they expect it would Secondly after they haue ministred any physicke they are to pray vnto almightie God that he in mercie would vouchsafe to giue thereto happie and prosperous successe for as the Prophet saith Except the Lorde doth builde the house Psal 127.1 they labour in vaine that build it except the Lord keepeth the citie the keeper watcheth in vaine So heere may I say except the Lorde doth blesse the Physicke the physitions doe giue it in vaine If they any thing doubte whether this duetie doth ly vpon themor no they may consult with Iesus the sonne of Syrach touching it and he will teach it then out of doubt These are his wordes They also shall pray vnto the Lord that he would prosper that which is giuen for ease and their physicke for the prolonging of life And I thinke they giue asmuch as I either aske or seeke Whether they doe or no I will not spend either more time or further labour in proouing of it For they will readily graunt it without gaine saying if they be as they should be For why it is the part of the Godly man at euery turne to pray and one thing that he is to pray for is that God would blesse him in his labours and giue successe to that he takes in hand Dan. 6.10 Psalm 109.164 Rom. 1.9.10.2 1. Thes 5.17 Daniel saith that hee prayed thrise a day Dauid saith that he prayed seuen times a day Paul saith that hee prayed without ceasing And Luke saith that Cornelius prayed continually And Paul willeth the Thessalonians and in them others to pray continually And he that prayed himselfe without ceasing and taught others to doe the like prayed also that by some meanes one time or other he might haue a prosperous iourney by the will of God Rom. 1.9 thereby teaching what others in the like cases are to doe But I will not stand vpon this It is apparant enough of it selfe that as they are to pray ere they giue that they may giue so they are to doe when they haue giuen that good may be done by that which is giuen that so they may acknowledge the blessing by giuing to be Gods aswell as they doe the power to giue To proceede Thirdly if either before or after their giuing they see any certaine and manifest signes of death in the sicke they are to certifie their patients thereof and to tell them plainely in what perill they are For this as it will bereaue the sicke of all confidence in earthly thinges as those thinges which are vaine and transitorie so will it make them to put all their affiance in the meere mercie of God as the safe and sure anchor of their soules For as once the Apostle said of himselfe and his like 2. Cor. 1.9 we receiued the sentence of death in our selues because we should not trust in our selues but in God which raiseth the dead So then they may say of thēselues we receiue the sentence of death in our selues because we should not trust in our selues but in God which raiseth vp the dead and therefore is able if he will to raise vs vp againe and set vs vp vpon our feete For easier it is to restore vs to health ere we dy than to raise vs to life when we are dead Q. There is no doubt of the effect of that which you say but of the office that in so saying you lay vpon physitions For physitians make it a question whether this that you say doth belong vnto them yea or nay R. It is more than they neede if they so do For when Hezekiah was sicke the Prophet spake plainly vnto him and said Isai 39. ◠Set thine house in order for thou must die And of him they may learne it Q. How so when as Isaiah was no phisition but a Prophet R. His being a prophet hinders not but they may learne of him asmuch as I say For I thinke not but without offence I may speake it heere Isaiah plaid the part of a phisition aswell as of a Prophet For as at his first comming to Hezekiah being sicke he said Set thine house in order for thou must die So his departure againe from him or at least his last leauing of him he said Take a lump of dry figs and lay it vpon the bile Isai 38.21 and hee shall recouer If he plaid only the part of a prophet in the first I see not but hee plaid only the part of a phisition in this last But if any man will say he might play both the Prophet and a phisition in this last because he might be aswel a physition a Prophet as Samuel was a Prince and a Priest I see not but I may also say he plaid both in the first because he might aswel say as a phisition set thy house in order for thou must die as a Prophet For as it is not the Prophets part alone to moue men to make their willes but others may do it aswell as they so is it not the phisitions part alone to tell men they shall die but others may doe it aswell as they Yet as the Prophets are especially to moue men to make their willes because they best know how they should be made so the phisitions are especially to tell their patients they shall die because they best know the most certaine and infallible signes of death Others may see some but they can see moe And as they can see most so they can Iudge best And as they can Iudge best so they can tell soonest And as they can tell soonest so they may tell first Q. Tell let them then because you will to tell haue them But if they see no certaine signes of death what will you that they shall then doe R. As the Prophet before named did Apply phisicke according to the nature of their patient and the qualitie of his disease And that being done as the wise man counsels them to doe Pray vnto the Lord Syr. 38. 14. that he would prosper that which is giuen for ease and their phisicke for the prolonging of life Q. And after what sort shal the sicke take it R. After that sort that euery sicke man is to take it as the ordinarie meanes that the Lord hath ordeined for the recouery of health empaired and decaied Q. But how in more particularitie is that to be taken R. First with preparation to it Secondly with sanctification of it Thirdly with consideration of the vse and end thereof Q. And why with the one and the other of these R. With the first because he that is to take phisicke must not onely prepare his bodie as Phisitions doe prescribe but his soule also as Diuines
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
to the bodie this whether an hedge or a wall doth vphold it it little skils Know yee this men are as well couered with gale as with golde Contemne ye the rest which superfluous labour makes as an ornament remember yee that there is nothing merueilous but the soule to which being great there is nothing great 2. There are fiue or sixe things which may or should draw the founders of them and dwellers in them frō so much loue vnto them as should make thee vnwilling to depart from them 2. The curse that is denounced against those that loue them Esa 5.8 and Iere. 22.13 2. The hatred that God beareth against the houses that are so loued Amos 6.8 The Lord God hath sworne by himselfe saith the Lord God of hostes I abhor the excellencie of Iacob and hate his palaces 3. The examples of sundry good ones whose steps we should follow who neither much loued them nor any thing esteemed them In his birth our Sauiour Christ for his house had but an Inne Luk. 2.7 and at his death a tombe Matth. 27.60 all his life he had not where to rest his head Matth. 8.20 For Abraham the father of the faithfull Rom. 4.11 the Apostle saith Heb. 11.9 By faith he abode in the land of promise as in a strange countrey as one that dwelt in the tents with Isaac and Iacob heires with him of the same promise for he looked for a citie hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is God For others he saith Heb. 11.37 38. They wandred vp and downe in sheepes skins and in goates skins being destitute afflicted and tormented whom the world was not worthy of they wandred in wildernesses and mountaines and dens and caues of the earth great faire costly and sumptuous buildings strong stout and stately habitations huge high and honourable houses for some one other amongst many It is reported of him that he had his house in the maner of his sepulchre And when the Emperour that then was asked him why he fitted his house to his body hee answered him this is sufficient for a man that must dye and thereto he added It is better leapt into heauen out of a cottage than out of a pallace 4. The iniurie that is offered others in the making of them For there often the builders lay which at will they should haue giuen to the poore and therefore Paul of whom Hierome writes would not lay out his money vpon such stones as should perish with the world but vpon liuing stones which are tumbled vpon the ground and of which the citie of the great king is builded 5. The accusation that the stones often in such houses make vnto God against those that there layde them and being layde too to much loued and esteemed them for as the Prophet Habakuk saith Hab. 2.11 The stone shall crie out of the wall and the beame out of the timber shall answer it 12. Woe vnto him that buildeth a towne with blood and erecteth a citie by iniquitie 6. The follie that is shewed in building of fine houses and committed in louing them when they are builded For first mens liues are shorter now than euer they were and yet now they must haue brauer houses than euer they had and what wise man thinkes not that a follie Secondly mens soules are as pretious now as euer they were yet now they will haue better houses for their bodies than for them and what religious man knowes not that a follie The care for the soule should not be lesse than the care for the bodie he that saith for the bodie Care not for the bodie saith for the soule Keepe thy soule diligently Matth. 6.25 Deut. 4.9 and he that will be worshipped in Spirit because he is a spirit wil be glorified with the body because the spirit remaines in the bodie as the Apostle therefore saith in one place 1. Cor. 6.13 The bodie is not for fornication but for the Lord and the Lord for the bodie So againe hee saith in another Therefore glorifie God in your bodie and in your spirit for they are Gods And betweene both Knowe yee not that your bodies are the members of Christ Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid and againe Know ye not that your bodie is the temple of the holy Ghost which is in you whom ye haue of God And ye are not your owne Thirdly the Apostle saith Col. 3.2 Set your affections on things which are aboue and not on things which are on the earth yet now they haue such loue to their houses as for their houses they are loath to goe to God loath to yeelde to nature vnwilling to goe the way of all earth and what good man deemes not this a folly Howsoeuer men loue their houses here yet for loue of them they should not bee careles of the houses they should seeke otherwhere 2. Cor. 5.2 We sigh saith the Apostle desiring to be cloathed with our house which is from heauen and they sigh because they must forgoe their house which they haue on earth and yet the Apostle by his speech sheweth what house their loue should bee most to their house from heauen their house eternall in the heauens How much soeuer they loue their houses yet will not their houses here continue neither shall they euer get any thing by the loue they beare them Fourthly their houses shall and will decay the temple of Ierusalem was a fine house a finer house I guesse than the finest they haue yet as fine as it was Matt. 24.2 Iesus said of it when his Disciples shewed him the building of it there shall not be left a stone vpon a stone which shall not bee cast downe If that might not stand which was built at Gods appoyntment and for his seruice they may well thinke theirs shall not which are built at their owne assignement and for their owne pleasure and delight theirs haue no such priuiledges as that had What the Lord spake against the houses of Iaakob Amos 3. they may well thinke spoken against theirs Amos. 3 1◠Surely in the day that I shall visite the transgressions of Israel vpon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel and the horne of the altar shall be broken off and fall to the ground And I will smite the winter house with the sommer house and the houses of iuorie shall perish and the great houses shall bee consumed saith the Lord. And thereupon conclude that what betided them will also in time betide theirs for among the signes which shall goe before the day of iudgement Hierome recites this as one that all buildings shall fall and therfore theirs too because els al shal not for none is exempted where all are expressed Secondly though they should or could stand yet they should get nothing by their loue towardes them For our Sauiour Christ sayth Whosoeeuer shall forsake houses or
this world may easilie be gathered by this his praier which he made to God his father at his way going Father into thine handes I commend my spirit Luk. 23.46 for why should he commend his spirit into his handes except he knew it were then to goe into his hands and thereupon also it may soone and readily be collected where the soules of the righteous after their departure are and shall be for where the head is there the members must be If the head therefore bee with God and so hath been euer since his departure out of this world the members shall also bee after their departure and so shall continue for euer Q. Yea in time peraduenture but not presentlie R. Yes presently without any peraduenture for as Christ said to the thiefe vpon the crosse This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise so Paul said to the Philippians Luk. 23.43 Phillip 1.21 22. Christ is to me both in life and death aduantage desiring to be dissolued and to be with Christ Q. It is true that Christ said as you say to the theefe and that Paul so said vnto the Philippians but what you would will not thereupon presently follow for Christ said to the theefe this day shalt thou be with me in paradise to wit in hope but not in deed for henceforth thou shalt hope to come thither and Paul said to the Philippians I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ according to his petition but not according to Christes execution for it followeth not because Paul desired to bee with Christ that therefore presentlie after his dissolution he was with Christ R. All followes that I would haue to follow for all that yet you say for these toyish distinctions haue nothing in them because they haue not in scripture any thing for them Where is it there said the theefe according to hope should bee in paradise also where is it there said that Christ did not execute Paules petition when once he came to his finall dissolution hope hath respect to the time that is peradueÌ„ture long yet to come Christ speakes to the theefe as it were in the time present to day thou shalt be with me in paradise as heri yesterday is an aduerbe of the time past and cras to morow an aduerbe of time to come so hodie to day as I guesse is an aduerbe of the time present as I take it therefore your distinguishing inter spem rem is but triâ—â—ing circa spem rem and so nihil omnino ad rem that is nothing at all to the matter for this day thâ—â— shalt bee with mee in Paradise is as much as this assoone as life is gone out of thy bodie whatsoeuer becommeth of thy bodie thy soule shall goe with mee into the kingdome of heauen that so where I thy master am thou my seruant maiest be And whatsoeuer you say touching Pauls desiring to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ yet I am sure Paul himself saith the contrary for Paul saith that when the time of his departing came there was no distance of time betweene his dissolution and his acceptation In his second epistle to Timothie his sonne in the faith when hee was neere his end this was his saying I haue fought the good fight 2. Tim. 4.7.8 and haue finished my course I haue kept the faith from henceforth is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnes which the Lord the righteous iudge shall giue me at that day not to me onlie but vnto all them also that loue his appearing Q. If this be as you say and seeme to proue what shall become of purgatorie R. Euen what will or else what should for what should become of that which is not Q. Is not say not so for so saying you may haue more tongues on your toppe then you are aware of R. As Pilate said touching the superscription set vpon Christs head Ioh. 19.22 What I haue written that I haue written so say I touching purgatorie what I haue spoken that I haue spoken Otherwise then I haue said will not be said how many tongues soeuer I may haue on my toppe for saying so yet still and euer I must say so for out of this life there is no purgatorie and in this life the true and onelie purgatory by which and in which our sinnes must be cleansed is the sweete pretious and euer vertuous bloud of Christ 1. Ioh. 1.7 For the bloud of Iesus Christ as Iohn saith cleanseth vs from all sinne Q. What then doe you thinke that presentlie after the seperation of soule from bodie by death that the soules of all men goe either to heauen or to hell R. I doe more then thinke it for I constantlie beleeue it Q. What ground haue you for it R. As much as neede to be for any matter of faith Q. What Scriptures R. Yea and Fathers also Q. Faine would I see that R. Soone may you see it if wel you listen to it The petition of old Tobit doth prooue so much Tob. 3.6 for this it was Commaund O Lord that I may be dissolued out of this distresse and goe into the euerlasting place and what may this euerlasting place be but the kingdome of heauen It can no waies be vnderstood of purgatorie for purgatorie is not an euerlasting place as Fisher sometime Bishop of Rochester saith in his booke against Luther Among the old Doctours and Fathers of the Church there was either no talke at all or verie little of purgatorie Tobit 1.3 besides Tobit was a right good man as his historie doth declare and therefore not to goe into purgatorie for by the new deuised doctrine of the purgatorie proctours no such persons are to come there They themselues exempte martirs out of purgatorie Aret. prob part 1. loc de purgat Luc. 16.22 the historie of Lazarus and Diues doth proue so much for this it is It was so that the begger died and was caried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome The rich man also died and was buried and being in hell in torments he lift vp his eies and saw Abraham a farre off and Lazarus in his bosome and what may the inference hereupon be but that which I say this heere upon I am sure is the saying of Iustine Iustin q. 60 to Orthod this is a plain and a manifest doctrine of Lazarus and Diues by which is taught that after the departing of the soule from the bodie men cannot by any meanes or prouisions or by any pollicies bring profit or commoditie to them the sayings of Christ Iohn the third and Iohn the fift doe proue so much for these they are Ioh. 3.18 Hee that beleeueth in him â—hat is Gods owne beloued sonne whom he sent into the world not to condemne the world but to saue it shal not be condemned but he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie because hee beleeueth not in the name of the
gotten themselues an immortall name If thus these heathens were perswaded of this matter as they tooke a truth without any question that they which in this world liued godlie iustlie righteouslie and soberlie should goe into a ioyfull place of rest where hauing the blessed company of the immortall gods they should see one another know one another talke and reioyce one with another what should christiās be which haue not only the grounds that heathens had but better greater far away then euer heathēs either had or could haue should not they think you to be more credulous cōfident beleeuing then euer heathens were Q. Yes surelie for as it was a checke to the Scribes and Pharisees that the Publicans and harlots did goe into the kingdome of heauen before them so it is to christians that heathens herein should be more beleeuing then they but what if christians grounds faile them more then heathens conceits R. Oh fie on such a question damnable is such an assertion are heathens conceites comparable with christians grounds What grosse absurdities should you fall into if you shold auouch any such thing first you should accuse the Scriptures of vntruth Secōdly you should preferre heathenish groundes before christian principles Thirdly you should iniurie the heathens in accounting that their conceit which is gods truth Q. God forbid that I should fall into any of these the last is naught the second worse the first of all I did but aske the question I will not auouch any such assertion R. But why aske you such a question Q. Because of that I haue heard obiected against that which all this while by you hath bin proued and confirmed R. What is that I pray you Q. That which is thus written in the ninth of Ecclesiastes commonly called the booke of the Preacher The liuing know that they shal die Eccl. 9.5 but the dead know nothing at all neither haue they any more reward for their remembrance is forgotten and againe there is neither worke nor inuētion nor knowledge nor wisedome in the graue whither thou goest R. Alas alas by either of those sayinges the doctrine before deliuered is nothing at all crossed or disproued For first the dead know nothing at al as they are dead yet it followeth not therefore but that they know something as they liue Secondly in the graue where the bodie must lie when it is dead there is no knowledge yet it thereupon followes not that in heauen where the soule doth liue there is no knowledge Moreouer the dead know nothing at all as they are dead so lōg as they are dead but shall they therefore know nothing when they shall liue againe they know nothing in the bodie so long as the bodie is in the graue and shall they therefore know nothing in the bodie when the body is raised vp out of the graue they know nothing in the bodie betweene the day of their death and the day of doome and shall they therefore know nothing at all after the generall resurrectiō or do they therfore now in the soule know nothing betweene the day of their dissolution and the generall day of restauration there is a non sequitur in all these so is there also in that which should be concluded out of the places obiected for they speake of the dead as they are dead they speake of the the dead while they are dead they speak neither of the dead as they doe liue nor as they shall liue And the doctrine before deliuered speakes wholly of the dead as they shal liue in soule in the time present and as they shal liue in bodie soule in the time to come Againe they speake of knowledge earthlie for it followeth in the next verse And they haue no more portion for euer Eccl. 9.6 in all that is done vnder the Sunne But this doctrine now lately deliuered speakes of knowledge heauenly for it speakes of knowledge from the day of death to the day of iudgement and from thenceforth to all eternity Q. Still then you hold what you held R. What should I else doe this that you haue said cannot withhold mee a man must stand to the truth til he die yea though it be for the truth that he doth die and other then a truth I know not this to be that I haue said for they that depart hence in the Lord shall after their departure know those their friends that were gone before them and those also that shall follow after them Q. But this one thing further touching that point how shall they know them R. Euen as the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 13.12 As they are knowne now I know in part but then shall I know euen as I am knowne Q. Shall the Father know the Sonne and the Sonne the Father the husband the wife and the wife the husband c. R. Yea no doubt though I thinke not that either the father shall know the sonne or the sonne the father as here the father knewe the sonne and the sonne the father For all earthlie and polluted knowledge shall bee abolished and done away and I am moued to be of this minde partly by the saying of Christ Mat. 22.28 Mathew the two and twentieth where being demanded whose wife of the seauen in the resurrection that woman that had had seauen husbands should be he gaue this answere In the resurrection they neither marrie wiues neither are wiues bestowed in mariage but are as the Angels of God in heauen and partlie by the saying of another a learned and godlie writer who in the tenth of his sermons saith thus In heauen where there shall be no more place of miserie Brandmil serm 10. conc funer or time of mercie and so no affection of mercie as Barnard saith in the 11. of his Epistles we shal be no more so affected as heere vpon earth we are For our will shal be one and the same with Gods will whome he will haue to bee with him in his heauenlie kingdome him shall we also willingly haue with vs but whom the Lord will not haue to be with him him shall wee haue no minde to be with vs whatsoeuer a one he shal be yea as the Psalmist saith Psal 58.10 Ausbertus lib. 6. in 14. cap. Apoca. The righteous shall reioyce when he seeth the vengeance for as Ausbertus saith The torment of the wicked shal make for the increase of the praise of the elect Q. Why but shall not the father knowe the sonne to haue been his sonne and the sonne the father to haue been his father R. To that as I dare not say definitiuely yea so do I not say resolutely no. What maner of knowledge there shall be in particular betweene one and another my knowledge heere doth not serue me to describe Yet thus much I dare say because God by his word hath emboldened mee so much to say that Peter in the transfiguration of Christ his master knew Moses
practise should also be other old mens as well as his What fitted him because he was olde doth also well fit them because they are old His time was short and therefore he was desirous to know to die Their time is short and therefore they should be desirous to doe the like Surely they must away whether it be to night before to morrow or to morrow after to night they do not know Better it is to prepare in time than to say I would I had Had I wist comes to late As it was a great commendation for Mnason to be called an old disciple so it is a great discredit for them to be counted olde dissemblers It is ill for young men to be vitious but it is worse for olde men not to be vertuous It is too bad for men to follow sin when sin forsakes them Nothing doth so much blemish olde men as sinne For old Noah to be drunke for old Lot to be sleepie for olde Sampson to loose his strength for olde Eli to cocker his children it is a great disgrace If olde men regarde ought a good name after their death which is better than great riches in their life I wish them I will them I aduise them to be sober discreet holy righteous and religious in their age Pro. 16.31 Age is a crowne of glory when it is found in the way of righteousnes Syr. 25. 4 5. 6. Oh how pleasant a thing it is when gray headed men minister iudgement and when the elders can giue good counsell oh how comely a thing is wisedome vnto aged men and vnderstanding and prudence to men of honour The crowne of olde men is to haue much experience and the feare of God is their glory But if then they neglect the wayes of God and the works of his commaundements the Lord haue mercie vpon them without his great mercy their estate is euil their condition is all too bad Syr. 25. 2. Three sorts of men saith the Lord my soule hateth I vtterly abhorre the life of them a poore man that is proud a rich man that is a lier an old man that doteth If therefore hated and abhorred of God they will not be let them speedily reformed be If death which is at their gate take them vnawares the thredde of their hope is cut off and perish they must in their sinnes For after death there is no place Ignat. in epist 6. August ad Petr. diac cap. 3. August epist 80. ad Hesychium nor time to cōfesse them In the life to come they shall haue repentance for them but in the sight of God they shall not finde remission of them In what state their owne last day shall finde them in the same state the last day of the world shall finde them for such as euery man in the same day shall die euen such in that day shall he be iudged As Salomon saith If the tree fall toward the South Eccle. 11.3 or toward the North in the place that the tree falleth there it shall be As the apostle Paul therefore saith vnto all While wee haue time Gal. 6.12 let vs doe good vnto all men so say I vnto them while they haue time let them doe good vnto themselues and to doe that let them not linger with Lot till the angell plucke them but haste with Noah while the floud doth warne them least when they would enter with the foolish virgins they haue answere I know you not Mat. 25.12 41.34 in steed of with the disciples from the beginning I haue loued you and when they come to iudgement they receiue with the wicked Goe yee cursed in steed of Come yee blessed sounded to the blessed Sharpe is the word Goe ye sweet is the word Come yee as they like of the sweete Come ye better than of the sharpe Goe yee so let them like better of the meanes to the sweete Come yee than of the waies to the bitter Goe ye Q. As your counsell is good so they had best follow it R. You say true as it is commodious to follow it so it is perilous to forsake it perilous in the time present because it bereaueth thē of the honour due vnto them for who will honour an olde man that is vitious I reproue an olde man saith Cleanthes that hath graye haires Laert. lib. 7. c 2. but hath not a graue heart and perilous in the time to come because it dispossesseth them of the kingdome of heauē for God hath said Apoc. 21 27 Stob. ser 113. No vncleane thing shall enter therein And Metrodorus said An olde man is not blessed except he hath the nūber of good workes absolute And to one that asked Diogenes what thing was most miserable in this life he answered Laert. lib. 6 An olde poore man and that may be an olde man void of good workes as well as an olde man destitute of great riches for poorer is he that is destitute of goodnes than he that is destitute of goods And vnlike it is that he wold cōdemn that in another which he so highly commended in himself for great was the amity that was betweene him and pouerty great also the commendation hee gaue to pouertie when one obiected to him his pouertie he said Stob. ser 95. Oh vnhappy man that thou art what sayest thou I haue not seen any man exercise tiranny for pouerty Idem ser 93 but all men for wealth and riches pouerty is a vertue which is learned of it selfe and an helpe to philosophy for to what philosophy doth perswade by words to that pouertie compells by deedes But what doe I prosecute this thus farre It is no great matter which way it be taken It makes little for the honour of olde men that are vitious neither doth it derogate any thing from the renoune of those that are vertuous By that which I haue said may easily be coniectured what I would haue said It is euery way perilous for olde men to persist in their sinnes and to perseuer in their wickednes Themselues they ouer burthen others they too much corrupt all they hurt In asmuch as I cannot effect with tongue what I affect in minde I beseech God to giue them all grace so to liue while they are olde as well they may die when they do die Q. Amen to that say I. For it is as miserable to die to die as it is pleasurable to die to liue And I would as gladly die to liue as liue to be olde R. Yea I thinke and rather too Of the twaine the first is the best Q. But of the other twaine the last is the best R. I say not that because I know not whether there be any goodnes at all in the first But this I say because I know it that of those two neither the one can be attained nor the other annoyed without liuing wel while they liue and dying well when they die For the scripture