The Pathway to Prayer and Piety, Part 1

The Pathway to Prayer and Piety · Part 1

p. 111A DIRECTION TO DIE WELL.

Queſtion.

I Doubt not, but you are now well inſtructed for the direction of your whole life: but, becauſe you hauehave heere no abiding citie, what are you to thinke of, that you may die well?

An. I am euer to meditae of fiue things:

1 Of mine owne death; which is moſt certaine that it will come, and vncertaine when it will come.

2 Of the death of Chriſt; which was bitter to him, but ſweet to, and for, his.

3 Of the deceitfulneſſe of this world, which is ſubtill to allure, and ſubiect to change.

4 Of the ioyes of heauen, which are com…ortable to thinke on, and glorious to poſ…eſſe.

5 Of the torments of hell, which are p. 112endleſſe in themſelues, and comfortleſſe to ſinners.

Queſt. And why ought you firſt to thinke oftentimes of death?

Anſw. 1 Becauſe it is appointed that al muſt die, Hebr. 9.27. Death ſpares none: and therefore there was neuer ſacrifice offered to her.

2 It is vncertaine when, where, or how I may die; and therefore vncertaine, that I may euer thinke of it.

3 Many goe merrily to the pit of perdition, for want of this meditation.

4 Death by this will be more welcome vntounto mee; for, Dangers foreſeene, are leſſe grieuous.

5 I ſhall more eaſily contemne this world by often thinking that I am a ſtranger in it.

6 It will kéepe me from many ſinnes, which otherwiſe I would commit; and cauſe me to repent of ſinnes committed.

7 Chriſt my Lord, and good Chriſtians, his ſeruants, had euer ſuch thoughts.

8 Many Philoſophers hauehave done the like, and of it hauehave written many volumes.

9 As the day of death leaues me; ſo the day of iudgement ſhall find me.

Pſal. 90.12Ps 90:1210 It was the praier of Moſes to God, that hee would teach him ſo to number his p. 103daies, that hee might applie his heart vntounto wiſdome.

11 It is the end of all my hearing, and reading, and as it were the ſcope of a Chriſtian Diuine.

12 It is the Art of all Arts, and Science of all Sciences, to learne to die.

Queſt. How prooue you this laſt?

Anſw. Moſes ſaith, O that they were wiſe, and that they would conſider their latter end. Deut. 32.29.

The Wiſe man ſaith, Remember thy end, and thou ſhalt neuer doe amiſſe. Eccleſ. 7.36.

An Emperour ſaid, that,Fredricke the third. The beſt knowledge was to know God, and to learne to die.

Auguſtine ſaid, that in this our pilgrimage, we muſt thinke of nothing elſe, but that wee ſhall not be euer heere; and yet heere ſhould wee prepare for our ſelues that place, from whence we ſhall neuer depart.

Gregorie ſaid, All the life of a wiſe man muſt bee the meditation of death: and, He is euer carefull to doe well, who is euer thinking of his laſt end.

Queſt. Why then doe ſo few thinke of death, and put this euill day farre from them?

Anſw. The reaſons are: 1 Their infidelity, they beleeue not either the happineſſe of heauen, nor the horrors of hell.

2 Their impenitency and euill conſcience, p. 114they would not breake off their ſinnes, by drawing neere to God.

3 Their ignorance of the ſoules immortalitie, the bodies reſurrection, and the good things prepared for them in heauen by Chriſt.

4 Their ambition, in deſiring the honors and preferments of this world, and being loath to leaue them, when they hauehave enioied them.

5 Their couetouſneſſe; by which, as Moles they would euer, by their good wils, liue vponupon earth.

6 Their delight in the pleaſures of ſin, from which they are taken at the day of death.

7 Their want of Gods feare: for, Hee that feares God, feares not to dye.

8 Their vnwillingneſſe to leaue this world; for, to die well, is to die willingly.

Queſt. It ſeemeth then wee had neede to pray, that God would teach vsus to number our, not yeeres, but daies: and now tell mee (you that hauehave beene taught this Arithmeticke) how you ought to number your daies?

An. I muſt number them after this ſort:

1 I muſt abſtract the time paſt; for that being irreuocable, will neuer come againe.

2 I may not adde the time to come, for it may be, it will neuer come vntounto me.

p. 1153 I muſt ſet down only the time preſent, and know that it is only mine. Our life is a point, and leſſe then a point: a figure of one, to which we can adde no Cipher; it is but a moment, and yet if we vſe this moment wel, wee may get eternitie, which is of greateſt moment.

Queſt. Is it not then, thinke you, a great folly, that men are ſo vnwilling to thinke of death?

Anſw. Queſtionleſſe it is: we ſée the Mariner, with ioy, thinkes of the Hauen.

The Labourer is glad to ſée the euening.

The Trauailer is merry when his iournie is ended.

The Souldier is not ſorrie, when his warfare is accompliſhed: and ſhall wee be grieued when the dayes of ſinne are ended?

Queſt. It ſeemeth by this which you hauehave ſaid, that this life of ours is verie troubleſome: for we are Mariners, our hauen is happineſſe: Trauellers, our iournie is to Paradiſe: Labourers, our hire is Heauen: and Souldiers, our conqueſt is at death: Is then our life both miſerable and changeable?

Anſw. Yea verily: for it is compared, to a pilgrimage, in which is vncertaintie: Geneſ. 47.9.

A Flower, in which is mutabilitie. Iſay 40.7.

p. 116A ſmoke, in which is vanitie. Pſalme 102.3.

An Houſe of Clay, in which is miſerie. Iob. 4.19.

A Weauers ſhittle in which is volubilitie Iob. 7.6.

A ſhepheards tent, in which is varietie. Iſay 38.12.

A Ship on the Sea, in which is celeritie. Wiſd. 5.10.

A Mariner, who ſitting, ſtanding, ſléeping, or waking, euer ſaileth on.

A ſhadow, which is nothing to the bodie. Iob. 8.9.

To a thought, whereof wee hauehave thouſands in one day.

To a dreame, whereof we hauehave millions in one night. Iob. 20.8.

To vanitie, which is nothing, in it ſelfe. Pſal. 39.5.

And to nothing, which hath no being in the World. Pſal. 39.5.

Queſt. If all this be true, as it muſt needes bee, becauſe God hath ſaid it: the houre of death is farre better then the day of our birth: Is it ſo?

Anſ. It is, & that for theſe reaſons: by it.

1 We are fréed from many preſent miſeries. Reuel. 14.13.

Wee are deliuered from many future calamities. Iſay 57.2.

p. 1173 Our ſoules are receiued into glorie. Luke 23.43.

4 Our bodies are reſerued to like glorie. Philip. 3.20.

5 That wiſe man, Salomon, thought ſo. Eccleſ. 7.3.

6 That holy man, Paul, wiſhed ſo. Philip. 1.23.

Queſt. But becauſe Paul deſired to die, may we alſo deſire to die?

Anſw. Though the bodie and ſoule, bee as man and wife conioyned together; yet with ſome cautions, a man may deſire the diuorce of theſe twaine:

1 If he reſigne his wil to the wil of God.

2 If hee can tarrie the good leaſure of God.

3 If he doe it that he may be with God.

4 That hée may bee diſburdened of this bodie of ſinne: and thus Paul deſired to bée diſſolued, and to be with Chriſt. Philip. 1.23.

Queſt. What thinke you of ſuch as are in miſerie, and deſire to die, to bee freed from miſerie?

Anſw. I thinke their deſires are not ſimply vnlawful, eſpecially if they ſubmit them to the will of God. I am vexed with a long and lingering diſeaſe, I would bee fréed by death, if God would frée me: I am detained in Priſon I would be deliuered by death, if p. 118God would deliuer mee: I am exiled from my Countrie, I would goe to Heauen, if God would ſend for mee. Doe I ſinne in this? God forbid: Elias did it, when hee deſired God to take away his life, 1. Kings 19.4. And Iob did it, when hee would hauehave béene contented to depart this life: and many of Gods children hauehave done the like.

Queſt. Why then did Hezekiah mourne when he was to die? and why did Dauid ſay, Let my ſoule liue? and Chriſt, Let this cuppe paſſe from me?

Anſw. Hezekiah did ſo, becauſe at this time he had not receiued a promiſed iſſue to ſuccéed him: Chriſt did ſo, becauſe hee was to die the death of the croſſe: and Dauid did ſo, both becauſe he was in a grieuous temptation; and, if he had then died, his enemies would hauehave triumphed ouer him.

Queſt. But all this while you hauehave not told me what death is.

Anſw. It is nothing elſe but the priuation of this naturall life, or the departure of the ſoule from the bodie: or as it were the depoſition of an heauie burden of troubles in this life, by which we are eaſed; eſpecially if wee carry not with vsus ſuch a burden of ſinnes, as may weigh vsus downe to the pit of perdition.

Secundus the Philoſopher being aſked p. 119this queſtion by Hadrian the Emperour, ſaid: Death is an eternall ſleep, the diſſolution of our bodies, the feare of rich men, the deſire of poore men, an ineuitable euent, an vncertaine Pilgrimage, a robber of Mankind, the Mother of ſléepe, the paſſage of life, the departure of the liuing, and a diſſolution of all.

Queſt. Should Adam hauehave taſted of this death, if he had ſtood in his innocencie?

Anſw. Hee ſhould not: for, the ſtipend and wages of ſinne is death, Romans 6.23. His bodie indéed was ſubiect to mortalitie, but ſhould not hauehave died; as our bodies now are ſubiect to ſickneſſe, and yet we may die without ſickneſſe; to wounding, and yet it may bée they are neuer wounded: and as the garments of the Children of Iſrael did not, by Gods prouidence, weare, by the ſpace of fortie yéeres, though they were ſubiect to wearing, ſo we may ſay of Adams bodie, it ſhould not hauehave died though it were ſubiect to death.

Queſt. Are wee then any better in Chriſt then we were in Adam?

Anſw. We are much: for, in Adam wée might hauehave died, and by him doe die: In Chriſt wee cannot die, but change this life for a farre better.

Queſt. Are there any Monitors or Meſſengers of death?

p. 120Anſw. There are thrée: caſualtie, ſickeneſſe and old age. Caſualtie foretels me my death is doubtfull; Sickneſſe, that death may be grieuous; Olde age, that death is certaine: Caſualtie foretels mée of death at my backe; ſickneſſe that ſhe is at my héeles; old age that ſhe is before my face.

Queſt. That I may giuegive the better entertainment to death when ſhee commeth, who hath ſent theſe three Harbengers before her; what can you aduiſe me for to doe?

Anſw. Surely, I would wiſh you, firſt, to beléeue in Chriſt, by whom the ſting of death is taken out: for, They onelyonly feare death, who doubt whether Chriſt died for them.

2 To liue well ſo long as you liue: for, Hee can neuer feare death, who by a good life hath giuen entertainment to the feare of God.

Queſt. What? euen in my youth muſt I begin to liue wel? Will not God accept of my ſeruice when I am old?

Anſw. Will you wound your ſelfe, that you may goe to the Chirurgian? and will you ſinne in your youth, that you may ſue for pardon in your old age? will you lay all the burden vponupon a lame Horſe, when you hauehave many ſtronger in your teame? ſhall the Deuill hauehave your Flowers, and God p. 121your wéeds? the Deuill your wine, and God the lées? the Deuill the fatteſt and faireſt of your flocke; and God an halt, a lame and a leane Sacrifice? God forbid.

Queſt. Yet if I hauehave but time to ſay, Lord hauehave merciemercy vponupon me, though I hauehave liued neuer ſo badly, God will hauehave merciemercy vponupon me.

Anſ. It is true indéed: That holy Théefe did it vponupon the croſſe, and God had merciemercy vponupon him: Marie Magdalen did it after her lewd life, and God had merciemercy vponupon her. But (firſt) are you not worthie to want fauour at your death, who hauehave refuſed it all your life?

Secondly, doe you thinke that your repentance is vnfained, which is but only for a few dayes or houres?

Thirdly, doe you not ſée that ſuch repentance is often hypocriticall, when men that recouer from ſickneſſe, fall againe to ſinne, after ſuch a kind of repentance?

Fourthly, doe not many fal into deſperation at their death, becauſe they hauehave not ſerued God in their life?

Fiftly, is it not a folly to doe that all day, which you muſt bee enforced to vndoe at night?

Sixtly, doe you not ſée that God in his Iuſtice doth take ſenſe, and reaſon from many at their death, who hauehave refuſed his p. 122merciemercy, all the dayes of their life?

Queſt. Yet you cannot denie, but many bad men hauehave made a faire ſhew at the houre of death, hauehave called vponupon God, and died like Lambes.

Anſ. Like Lambes? why the moſt of them die like ſtones: they hauehave liued a ſottiſh and a ſenſeleſſe life, and ſo they die. Nabal did ſo, but hee died like a foole: the rich glutton did ſo, but he died like a beaſt.

Queſt. And you know alſo that many perſons, who hauehave liued a very ſtrict life, hauehave died in deſpaire, and blaſpheming of God.

Anſ. By the gates of hell they went into Heauen: by the extremitie of their diſeaſe, they might ſpeake they knew not what: and by the ſenſe of Gods iudgments they might ſay, My God why haſt thou forſaken mee? But know this, that he neuer dies ill, who hath liued well; and hee ſeldome dies well, who hath liued ill: We muſt iudge men by their life, and not iudge any by their death.

Queſt. Now then of all men that die in this World, whoſe death is moſt miſerable?

Anſ. The death of ſinners: for them we muſt mourne moſt, and their death is moſt miſerable Their birth is bad, their life is worſe, their departure is worſt of all: their death is without death their end is without end, and their want is without want. But p. 123precious in the ſight of the Lord is the death of his Saints.

Queſt. Can you giuegive mee any example to proue this?

Anſ. I can: One, at the houre of his death, féeling alreadie the torments of hell, cried out after this ſort; O lamentable deſtinie! O infinite calamitie! O death without death! O thoſe continuall cryings, which ſhall neuer be harkened vntounto! Our eyes can ſee nothing, but ſorrowfull ſpectacles, and intolerable torments. Our eares can heare nothing, but woe, woe without end wofull. O thou earth, why doeſt thou not ſwallow vsus? O yee mountaines, why doe you not couer vsus from the preſence of the Iudge? How farre doe the torments of Hell exceede all the tortures of this life? O you bewitching pleaſures of this VVorld, how hauehave you ledde vsus blindfold to the horrors of Hell? Woe, woe for euer vntounto vsus, who without hope are caſt from the fauour of God. O that after tenne thouſand yeares we might bee deliuered! O that in any time we might hauehave an end? But, it cannot be: our temporall pleaſures hauehave eternall paines: our mirth it is now turned into mourning, and we are caſt into eternall fire.

A King ſaid, O that I had neuer beene a King.

Queſt. Shew mee alſo ſome examples of p. 124good men, who hauehave vttered things comfortable at their death.

Anſw. Chriſt ſaid, Father into thine hands I commend my ſpirit. Luk. 23.46.

Steuen ſaid, Lord Ieſus receiue my ſpirit. Acts 7.59.

Simeon ſaid, Lord now letteſt thou thy ſeruant depart in peace, according to thy word.

Saint Auguſtine ſaid, (as Hierom reporteth) Nature compels me to be diſſolued: I, according to the Scripture phraſe, am to goe the way of my forefathers. Now Chriſt inuiteth me, now I deſire to ſee celeſtiall fights. O keepe you the faith: thinke you alſo that you are mortall men. Let this be your care, to keepe the commandements of God, that when you die, all the Saints may receiue you, as their familiars and friends, into the euerlaſting tabernacles. If you regard mee, or keepe any remembrance of me your Father, thinke of theſe things, ſauour theſe things, do theſe things.

Saint Iohn ſaid, My little children, louelove one another: my little children louelove one another: and being demaunded, why he did ingeminate ſo often this ſpéech? He ſaid, My Lord and Maſter taught it vsus in his life, preached it before his death, and if yee doe this, it ſufficeth.

Holy Effrem ſaid, O Lord God, receiue, p. 125preſerue, ſaue, and be mercifull to vsus by thy grace.

Tobiah ſaid to his ſonne, Keepe thou the Law, and the Commandements, and ſhew thy ſelfe mercifull, and iuſt, that it may goe well with thee. Chap. 14. 9.

Mauritius the Emperour ſaid, when Phocas cauſed his children, and wife, to be ſlaine before his eyes, and laſtly himſelfe: The Lord is righteous in all his waies, and holy in all his workes: Pſal. 145.

Antonius, ſurnamed Pius, that is, the godly King, ſaid: Why do you mourne for mee, and not rather thinke of that common, both death and peſtilence? And when his friends were readie to leaue him, he ſaid: If you now leaue me, fare yee well: I but go before you. And being demanded to whom he would leaue his ſonne? To God, ſaith hée, and you, if he deſerue well.

Maſter Deering, a little before his death, being by his friends raiſed vp in his bed, ſéeing the Sunne ſhine, and being deſired to ſpeake, ſaid: There is but one Sun that giueth light to the world; there is but one righteouſneſſe; there is but one communion of Saints. If I were the excellenteſt creature in the world: If I were as righteous as Abraham, Iſaac and Iakob (for they were excellent men in the world) yet muſt we all confeſſe, p. 126that we are great ſinners, and that there is no ſaluation, but in the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt Ieſus: and wee hauehave all need of the grace of God. And for my part, as concerning death, I feele ſuch ioy of ſpirit, that if I ſhould hauehave the ſentence of life on the one ſide, and the ſentence of death on the other ſide, I had rather chuſe a thouſand times (ſeeing God hath appointed the ſeparation) the ſentence of death, than the ſentence of life.

The Earle of Eſſex ſaid: O God, Creator of all things, and Iudge of all men, thou haſt let mee know by warrant out of thy word, that Satan is then moſt buſie, when our end is neereſt, and that Satan being reſiſted, will flie. I humblie beſeech thee to aſſiſt mee in this my laſt combat: and ſeeing thou accepteſt euen of our deſires, as of our acts; accept, I beſeech thee, of my deſires to reſiſt him, as of true reſiſtance, and perfect by thy grace, what thou ſeeſt in my fleſh to bee fraile and weake; giuegive mee patience to beare as becommeth mee, this iuſt puniſhment inflicted vponupon mee, by ſo honorable a triall. Grant mee the inward comfort of thy Spirit: let thy Spirit ſeale vntounto my ſoule, an aſſurance of thy mercies; lift my ſoule aboue all earthly cogitations; and when my life and bodie ſhall part, ſend thy bleſſed Angels, which may receiue my ſoule, and conuey it p. 127to the ioyes in heauen. Then concluding his prayer for all eſtates of the Realme, hee ſhut vp all with the Lords Prayer, reiterating this Petition, Lord Ieſus forgiue vsus our treſpaſſes, Lord Ieſus receiue my ſoule.

King Edward the ſixt ſaid, Lord God deliuer mee out of this miſerable and wretched life, and take me among thy choſen: Howbeit, not my wil, but thy wil be done. Lord I commit my ſpirit to thee. O Lord, thou knoweſt how happie it were for mee to bee with thee: yet for thy choſens ſake, ſend me life & health, that I may truly ſerue thee O my Lord God, bleſſe thy people, and ſaue thine inheritance: O Lord ſaue thy choſen people of England. O my Lord, defend this Realme from Papiſtrie, and maintaine thy true Religion, that I, and my people, may p…aiſe thy holy Name, for thy Sonne Ieſus Chriſts ſake. I am faint, Lord hauehave merciemercy vponupon me, and take my ſpirit. And manie of the like, you may reade in the book of Martyrs.

Queſt. Are not they moſt happy that die in this ſort, and ſing theſe Cygnean ſongs as funerall hymnes?

Anſw. O happie, and thrice happy are they, whoſe life is a continuall prayſing of God, and whoſe death is an vnceſſant prayer to God.

Queſt. Yet if it pleaſe God, I would not p. 128die in my youth, and the flower of mine age.

Anſw. Why? are you of ſo couetous a diſpoſition, that you would meaſure all things by the ell? Is nothing precious, but that which is durable? think you the talleſt perſon, the comlieſt perſon? the greateſt picture, the beſt picture? or the longeſt ſhadow, the goodlieſt ſhadow? Neither men, nor their liues are meaſured by the ell: in a great and a ſmall circle, the figure is all one: and it is, hath béen, and will be fatall, euen to great and glorious perſonages, ordinarily not to liue long. Take Salomon, Ioſiah, and Chriſt Ieſus for example.

Queſt. O but I would not die in a ſtrange countrey.

Anſw. No? Abraham did, and died quietly: Ioſeph did, and he died honorably: many Saints did, and they died gloriouſly. Are you ſlaine in battell? you hauehave a tombe amongſt the dead bodies of your enemies. Do you die in trauaile? you are héere a ſtranger, your countrie is in heauen. Death comes vntounto you maſked, in theſe & ſuch like ſhapes, take off the maſke, and it is the ſame death wherewith women and children die. EueryEvery place is a like diſtant from heauen.

Queſt. And when I hauehave ſeen all the world, would you hauehave mee willing to leaue all the world?

p. 129Anſw. Why? you euer hauehave ſéene the ſame riſing and ſetting of the Sunne: the ſame encreaſing and decreaſing of nature: the like ſins, that hauehave béen in former times: and if you hauehave ſéene all the world, conſider but the vanitie, & mutabilitie of this world, and either you will ſay that this world is a world of wickedneſſe, or that now in his old age it is paſſing away, as a thréed-bare garment ouer-worne.

Queſt. Is it eaſie now, thinke you, to leaue wife and children, father and mother, and all my friends?

Anſ. Where you go you ſhall find more, & ſuch as you neuer ſaw: & they whom you leaue behind, ſhall ſhortly follow after you.

Queſt. But what ſhall become of my wife, children, friends, and kinſ-folkes, who depend vponupon me?

Anſw. All theſe belong more to God, than to you: he loues them beſt, and will prouide beſt for them; and ſuch ſo left hauehave often riſen to high and great place.

Queſt. Yet if I died not alone, I might hauehave more comfort.

Anſw. Alone, why? how many thouſand in the whole world die in the ſame moment of time, which you die in, and yet (which God may grant to you) but a few of them goe to heauen?

p. 130Queſt. Once againe; would you hauehave me not to feare death, which cauſeth mee to loſe life, looke like a ghoſt, and which taketh away from mee all the ioies of this world?

Anſw. By loſing a temporall life you finde that life which is eternall: you ſhall not be afraid when you looke gaſtly, and that gaſtly body of yours ſhall one day bee clothed with glory, and be made like to the glorious body of your moſt glorious Sauiour: and as for the petie, and peacocke ioies héere, you ſhall hauehave ioies eternall, and vnſpeakable heereafter.

Queſt. Seeing then I muſt needs die, what muſt I doe to die well?

Anſw. 1 Labour that your ſinnes die in you, before you die in the world.

2 Be euer ready and prepared, either for death or iudgement.

3 Endeauour that your death may bee voluntary.

4 Conſider what an excellent thing it is, to end your life before your death; and in ſuch ſort, that at that houre you hauehave nothing to doe but to die: that then you hauehave no more néede of any thing, not of time, not of your ſelfe, but ſweetly, and comfortably to depart this life; ſo that you may ſay in the teſtimony of a good conſcience, I was not p. 131aſhamed to liue, and I am not afraid to die becauſe I know my Redeemer liueth.

Queſt. How many waies may a man carry himſelfe in death?

Anſw. Fiue: 1 He may feare, and flye it as euill.

2 Attend it ſweetly and patiently, as a thing naturall, ineuitable, and reaſonable.

3 Contemne it as a thing indifferent, and of no great importance.

4 Deſire and ſeeke after it, as the onelyonly hauen of reſt from all the troubles and torments of this life, and ſo eſteeme it as great gaine.

5 He may giuegive it to himſelfe by taking away his owne life.

Queſt. What thinke you of the firſt: becauſe it is the opinion of the moſt?

Anſw. 1 Becauſe the moſt thinke ſo, therefore it is moſt remote from the truth.

2 Such ſeeme to giuegive little credit to Gods word, which teacheth, that by it wée reſt from our labours.

3 If death be euill, it is an euill only in opinion, and ſuch an euill, as neuer did hurt to a good man.

4 Why ſhould a man feare that which in truth he knowes not what it is, or what good it wil bring vntounto him, as Socrates once ſaid vntounto his friends, when hee would not p. 132pleade for his life before his Iudges?

5 It argueth faint-heartedneſſe, and follie, to feare that which cannot be auoided.

6 If it be good, why ſhould we feare it? if euill, why do we by ſorrow adde euill vntounto euill?

7 He that once begins to feare death, can neuer, by reaſon of this feare, liue a good and a contented life. He is neuer a freeman, that feares death.

8 Conſider that if nature had made men immortall, ſo that will they, nill they, they ſhould hauehave liued euer, how many thouſands in miſerie, would hauehave curſed nature? Surely if we had it not, in this vale of miſery, we would deſire it more.

Queſt. GiueGive mee your opinion of the ſecond.

Anſw. Surely me thinkes they kéepe the golden meane: for they will neither deſire death, as knowing it to bée againſt nature, nor flie from it, conſidering that it is againſt iuſtice, reaſon, and their dutie to God: they know right well, that the firſt day of their birth, ſetteth them in their way to death.

Naſcentes morimur, finiſ que ab origine pendet:

At birth begin we life to end:

This end doth on that birth depend.

Why ſhould wee feare to go that way, which all the world hath gone before vsus? p. 133why to ariue at that hauen, to which wee hauehave béen ſayling euer ſince we were borne?

Queſt. And doe you thinke that the third ſort of people do well, who contemne death?

Anſw. To contemne death, yea and life it ſelfe, for the glorie of God, the good of the Church, the manifeſtation of the truth, the ſaluation of our ſoules, and the credit of our names, argueth a courage, Chriſtian, and inuincible; & hath béen practiſed both by the Saints of God, & many famous worthies euen amongſt the heathen. And ſurely, he that feares death too much, ſhal neuer be fit for any honorable action: nay he ſhall neuer be a frée-man: neither can he truly ſay that he beléeueth the immortalitie of the ſoule, or his reſurrection to eternall life by Chriſt.

Queſt. Need I not to craue your opinion of the fourth and fifth ſort, wherof one deſires to die, and the other in that deſire, doth take away his owne life?

Anſ. I hauehave in this treatiſe anſwered concerning the fourth, & ſhewed how a man may deſire death: you ſhall find it if you reade on in this direction. But for a mā to take away his own life, though it may ſéem ſometimes to procéed from the greatnes of a mans courage, yet it cannot but be a great ſin. For,

1 It argues madneſſe for a man to lay violent hands vponupon himſelfe.

p. 1342 Impatience, that he cannot wait the leiſure of God.

3 Cowardlineſſe, that he wil not endure that which might be inflicted vponupon him.

4 Vnthankfulneſſe, not to preſerue this Iewell which is beſtowed vponupon him. And in a word, ſuch a practiſe cauſeth not onelyonly the actors, but their actions, profeſſion, poſteritie, and Countrie to bee euill ſpoken of.

Queſt. Well: ſay then, that I be caſt vponupon my ſicke bed; what rules can you giuegive mee to obſerue at that time?

Anſw. You are firſt to ſet your ſoule in order, and ſée how you ſtand in the fauour of God.

Queſt. And what are the reaſons of this rule?

Anſw. 1 Becauſe the ſickneſſe of the bodie doth procéed from the ſinne of the ſoule. Lament. 3.39.

2 The cure of the ſoule procures often the health of the bodie. Matth. 9.2.

3 If your ſicknes be a ſickneſſe to death, you ſhall die more quietly: otherwiſe death is moſt fearefull in ſickneſſe.

4 By this you ſhall take your ſickneſſe the more patiently.

5 You ſhall ſo giuegive example to ſuch as come to viſit you, to doe the like.

p. 1356 All your friends ſhall by this bee perſwaded, that you are the childe of God.

Queſt. Doe you thinke in this caſe, it is fit whileſt I am in good memorie, and it may be in ſome hope of recouerie, to ſend for my godly Miniſter to comfort me?

Anſw. O it cannot, but bee very fit: for he is, 1 The Lords meſſenger, to declare vntounto man his reconciliation by Chriſt.

2 Hee is able to beat you downe by the curſes of the Law, and to raiſe you vp by the promiſes of the Goſpell.

3 Hee hath experience to ſpeake a word in due ſeaſon vntounto you.

4 Hee eſpecially, as Gods Phyſitian, hath ſtore of ſalues to cure your ſicke ſoule.

5 You may boldly vncouer your ſores to him, who will not diſcouer them to your future ſhame.

6 Hee can ſee further into the nature of your heart, then oftentimes you your ſelfe can.

7 He will boldly rip vp your vlcers, that after he may the better cure them.

8 If he comfort, or correct you for ſinne, you may be perſwaded, that both come from God.

9 You ſhall, by this, much eaſe your owne heart, by crauing comfort from a godly Preacher.

p. 13610 You ſhall cauſe others in the like viſitation, to doe as you hauehave done; and you your ſelfe he fitter to die.

Queſt. When I hauehave taken this courſe for my ſoule, what muſt I doe in the next place for my body?

An. You are then to vſe the helpe of a godly Phyſitian, and that for theſe reaſons:

1 Your body is the ſoules houſe: if it be decaying, you muſt ſeeke to repaire it by al good meanes you can.

2 God hath giuen expert Phyſitians ſkil to reſtore many diſeaſes of the body.

3 God hath appointed many ſoueraigne remedies, to recouer man in his ſicke eſtate.

4 You ſhall better ſatiſfie your ſelfe if you die, in that you neglected not lawfull meanes.

6 For want of this dutie, many doe periſh, who might recouer.

Queſt. Now in taking Phyſicke, what muſt I doe?

Anſw. You muſt, 1 Commend it to Gods bleſſing by praier.

2 Not rely onelyonly vponupon the meanes.

3 Know that it cannot preuent either old age or death.

4 Humble your ſoule, that God may heale your body.

p. 1375 Waite Gods leaſure in bleſſing the meanes.

6 Bée thankefull to God if by it you recouer.

Queſt. What then may I thinke of ſeeking to vngodly, or ſuperſtitious Phyſitians, though learned?

Anſw. 1 If you cannot hauehave any other, you may with good conſcience vſe ſuch.

2 If they hauehave a peculiar gift to cure that diſeaſe which troubleth you, you may goe vntounto them.

Queſt. And may I not aſwell vſe them as Religious Phyſitians?

Anſw. I thinke not: for, 1 They will make little conſcience to cure you.

2 You cannot hope that they ſhall cure you.

3 You doe, as much as in you lyeth, countenance them in their ſinne and ſuperſtition.

4 You make them able to doe much hurt.

5 It is an argument that you put more confidence in ſuch meanes, then in God.

6 You diſcourage godly men in that calling.

7 You make the Goſpell to bee euil ſpoken of.

8 What doe you know, whether it will one day bee a corroſiue to your conſcience p. 138that you hauehave vſed bad meanes, when as God offered you good?

Queſt. It ſeemeth then, that to vſe the helpe of good Witches, or Cunning men, or women, as they are called, is moſt vnlawfull.

Anſw. To vſe their helpe is to goe from the God of Iſrael, to Baalzebub God of Eckron; from Samuel in Ramoth, to the Witch at Endor: from the Riuers of Samaria, to the Waters of Damaſcus; from the Liuing, to the Dead and from God, to the Deuill: and yet this is the practiſe of moſt people.

Queſt. And why now, I pray you, would you hauehave mee firſt to ſend for a Phyſitian for my ſoule, before I ſend for a Phyſitian for my bodie? Surely this is not the cuſtomary courſe, but rather the contrarie.

Anſw. It is ſo: firſt wee hauehave the Phyſitian, and when hee leaues vsus, then the Miniſter is ſent for; and when hee once comes, wee thinke all the World is gone with vsus: but it is a prepoſterous courſe, for theſe reaſons:

1 Neuer looke for health in bodie, til you hauehave a good ſoule.

2 You muſt deſire God to bleſſe the meanes hee vſeth: which you truly cannot doe, till your conſcience bee perſwaded of the pardon of your ſinnes.

p. 1393 The memorie of the torments for ſin, may be a meanes to increaſe the greatneſſe of your diſeaſe.

4 You ſhal elſe make the World beléeue that you are perſwaded, that you hope ſtill for life.

Queſt. Well: ſay then, that I ſend for my Preacher (and why ſhould I not ſend for him, as well as for my Phyſitian) what muſt I doe when he is come vntounto me?

Anſw. You are bound, 1 To acknowledge and confeſſe all ſuch ſinnes, as doe any way ſo diſquiet you, that you cannot bee perſwaded of the pardon of them.

2 You are to reueale thoſe ſeuerall temptations, by which Sathan aſſaileth you in your ſickneſſe.

3 You are to deſire comfort from him, againſt the burden of your ſinnes, and thoſe temptations of the Deuill.

4 You muſt beléeue, that whatſoeuer he ſaith to you, out of Gods word, is the voice of God.

5 You muſt hide nothing from him, by which you, like hypocrites, deſire to bee thought to be in a better eſtate then you are

6 You muſt deſire him to pray for you, that God may either recouer your health, or receiue your ſoule.

7 You muſt not be ſorrie if hee ſay vntounto p. 140you, that your ſickneſſe may bee a ſickneſſe to death, and that therefore you had néed to prouide for another World.

8 If you be ignorant in pietie, and godlineſſe, you muſt neuer leaue him, till you hauehave gotten a ſauing and ſure knowledge of God in Chriſt.

Queſt. And what muſt he doe then to me?

Anſw. He muſt, 1 Examine your knowledge, faith, repentance, and reconciliation to your Neighbour.

2 Comfort you againſt the feare of death.

3 Pray for your continuance in faith.

4 Aduiſe you to diſpoſe well of your goods, and as you are able to remember the poore.

Queſt. But, It may be, I am ſicke of the Peſtilence: may I ſend then for my Preacher to comfort me?

Anſw. If you labour to get comfort by the Word and Sacraments in your health, you will not ſo much deſire his preſence in this ſickneſſe: and this is the iuſt iudgement of God, vponupon many at their death, that as they regarded not the publike meanes of comfort in their health: ſo hee will not vouchſafe it vntounto them being ſicke.

But, neither can hee come, nor you ſend vntounto him in this viſitation:

p. 1411 He may not come: for, if he doe,

1 He cannot after come into the Church to preach vntounto them that are well.

2 He cannot reſort to his owne people.

3 He cannot viſit any Chriſtian friend.

4 If hee fall ſicke, he may ſuſpect that he is guiltie of his owne death.

5 If any in his Family fal ſicke, and die, he may be guiltie of their death.

6 Hee is a publike perſon and muſt doe nothing that may hinder his Miniſterie.

7 It hath troubled ſome Miniſters at their death, in that they hauehave béene ſo bolde to aduenture.

8 He hath no warrant for ſuch a ſeruice out of Gods Word.

9 There is now no extraordinary calling to ſuch a ſeruice, as Iſaiah had, to viſite Hezekiah.

10 Zanchius, with many other learned men, thinke it not fit, that Miniſters ſhould viſite ſuch perſons. Vide Zanch. in Epiſt. ad Philip. Cap. 2. Verſ. 30.

11 You cannot ſend for him: for this is

1 To put confidence in the preſence of a Miniſter, that hee is able to forgiue ſinnes: and this ordinarie ſending for Miniſters, only at the laſt gaſpe, ſauours much of Popiſh Superſtition.

2 Say that he infect others, you are guiltie of their death.

p. 1423 If he be infected, and die himſelfe, you rob the Church of their painfull Paſtor.

4 You diſable him to doe that publique and priuate good, which hee might elſe doe to ſuch as are ſound.

5 You doe not as as you would doe to others; for it may bee you would not viſite them.

6 It argues little louelove, that you doe not regard the life of your Miniſter.

Queſt. But ſay that hee knowes me to bee a good Chriſtian, that I would not ſend, but that Sathan aſſaults mee to deſperation: my ſoule is in danger, ſhall not I aduenture his bodie, to ſaue my ſoule?

Anſw. This is not an vſuall thing: but if I, that am a Preacher, ſhould know of any ſuch, whoſe knowledge was ſound, faith good, life vnblameable, and louelove to mee vnfained, if I ſhould vnderſtand, that ſuch a man could find no comfort, but by my preſence, I will commend and commit my ſelfe vntounto God and vſing the beſt preſeruatiues, before and after, which I could, I would draw only ſo néere vntounto him, as hee might receiue comfort from mee: and looke for Gods bleſſing vponupon my preſeruation.

Queſt. And what needs all this, if you hauehave a particular faith, that you ſhall not die of the plague: may you viſite any for all this?

p. 143Anſw. A particular faith? nay rather a preſumptuous faith: a particular faith to be deliuered from a preſent danger, is a miraculous faith: He that hath ſuch a faith, may with Daniel liue among Lions, the three children walke in the fire, and the Apoſtle Paul ſhake off a mortiferous viper; God ſeldome giues this faith now adaies, the preſumption of it conſumes many preſumptuous people.

Queſt. Yet for all your ſaying, my dayes are numbred, my death is appointed: If I ſhal die of that diſeaſe, I cannot flie it by not viſiting; if I ſhall not, I ſhall not die of it though I viſite.

Anſ. True it is: but that God who hath appointed the end, hath appointed the meanes to the end; and you are bound to vſe thoſe meanes: hee hath appointed your ſaluation by the Goſpell. Wil you ſay, I ſhall bée ſaued, though you beléeue not the Goſpel, nor frequent the miniſterie of the word of God?

Queſt. Why, is it not true: If I ſhall be deliuered, I ſhal be deliuered; and if not, I ſhall not?

Anſw. I wil anſwere you with a ſtory, of the like argment. One Ludouicus, a learned man of Italy, yet wanting the direction of Gods Spirit, and ſo neuer conſidering aduiſedly of the meanes of our ſaluation; he grew p. 144at laſt to this reſolution, It bootes not what I doe, nor how I liue; If I be ſaued, I am ſaued. He grew at length deſperately ſicke, ſends for a Phyſitian, and requires his helpe. This Phyſitian being acquainted with his aſſertion for his ſoule, begins to apply it thus to his bodie: VVhy Sir, you neede not my helpe. If your time bee not come, there is no neede of Phyſicke; if it bee come, no Phyſicke will recouer you. Ludouicus muſing of the matter in his bed, and conſidering aduiſedly the Phyſitians ſpeech; finding by reaſon, that as means muſt be vſed for the health of the bodie; ſo God alſo had ordained meanes for the ſaluation of the ſoule: vponupon further conference (with ſhame and griefe) hee recanted his former opinion, tooke Phyſicke, and ſo was happily cured of bodie and ſoule at one time. Apply this vntounto your conceit, and you ſhall find, that if you meane to bee fréed from the plague, you muſt vſe meanes to kéepe your ſelfe from it.

Queſt. Yet many eſcape, who viſite their friendes at ſuch a time.

Anſw. Bee it ſo: it is either by Gods ſpeciall prouidence, or the conſtitution of their bodies, or the preſeruatiues they vſe, or that they are reſerued for ſome other time, or that ſicke perſons may not want ſome to comfort them: yet many more doe p. 145periſh in this caſe, then can bee preſerued.

Queſt. Why then ſhall none come to perſons infected?

Anſw. God forbid: they of a Family that are bound to come, ought to helpe one another: they that will bée hired to looke to ſuch perſons, hauehave a calling to come vntounto them: and, ſuch as Magiſtrates doe appoint (as they ought to appoint honeſt, and aged perſons for that ſeruice) they alſo may come, and looke for Gods preſeruation in doing their dutie.

Queſt. But becauſe you are to direct mee to die well: ſay that I am ſicke, and die of the Peſtilence, what comforts can you giuegive mee againſt that kind of death?

Anſ. You had in truth then néed of much comfort: therefore conſider vponupon your ſicke bed; that,

1 EueryEvery diſeaſe is Gods viſitation, and therefore you muſt bée content to endure it.

2 The Peſtilence is not ſuch a diſeaſe, as is ſent only for the ſinnes of them that die of it, but often for the ſinnes of them that doe liue: and though it be a plague indéed to the vnbeléeuers, yet to vsus Chriſtians it is but a triall, and exerciſe of vertue, ſaith Cyprian in his booke of mortalitie.

3 That though it bee a ſharpe ſickneſſe, yet is it alſo a ſhort ſickneſſe, and more tolerable p. 146then the Stone, Dropſie, Gout, Palſey, or the French diſeaſe.

4 That Dauid deſired it before either famine or warre.

5 That very many who die of this diſeaſe, hauehave their ſenſes and memories till the laſt houre.

6 That the tokens which come out vponupon you, are Gods tokens: ſo that before you die, you hauehave a good time to call vponupon God.

7 That many Noble Perſonages, Godly Preachers, Expert Phyſitians, Skilfull Lawyers, and moſt Chriſtian people hauehave died of it.

8 That by it, God taketh you from many miſeries of this life.

9 That Iob was grieued, for manie Moneths, with a more fearefull diſeaſe.

10 That it hinders not the ſaluation of your ſoule, though you die of ſuch a ſickeneſſe.

11 If you bee ſicke of it, God may recouer you.

12 If it pleaſe him to recouer you againe, you are like to bee after far more healthfull.

Queſt. O but my friendes will not come at mee.

Anſ. O, but God will neuer forſake you: and (eſpecially in Cities) you ſhall hauehave ſo manie, as can doe you any good: the fewer p. 147you hauehave to gaze vponupon you, the fitter you are to looke vp to God.

Queſt. But alas, I ſhall want my ſolemne funerall.

Anſw. What is that to the ſaluation of your ſoule, and reſurrection of your body? comfort your ſelfe in Chriſtian not coſtly buriall.

Queſt. I ſee then, that as there is no antidote againſt death, ſo there is no perfume againſt the plague; I may die of it: but, good Lord deliuer me and mine, and all good people from it. But now when I am ſicke of any diſeaſe, as I muſt reconcile my ſelfe to God, ſo ought I not to reconcile my ſelfe to my neighbour?

An. If you hauehave wronged him in his bodie, by ſtriking; ſoule, by ſeducing; perſon, by impriſoning; goods, by ſtealing; name, by ſlandering; or any other way hauehave done him hurt, you muſt ſeeke to bee reconciled vntounto him. Math. 5.25.

Qu. What if I be ſo diſeaſed, that he dares not come to me, or be ſo farre abſent, that hee cannot come to me; what am I now to doe?

Anſw. In this caſe.

1 God accepteth the will for the deede.

2 You muſt teſtifie your deſire to friends preſent.

Queſt. You ſaid that a Miniſter muſt exhort p. 148ſicke perſons to diſpoſe their goods: Is this neceſſary to be done?

Anſw. Of goods, yea, and offices too: Magiſtrates muſt be carefull of their godly ſucceſſors, and Miniſters of their fellow-labourers. Deut. 31.1. Ioſh. 23.

Queſt. As for my goods, is it fit to make my will in ſickeneſſe?

An. Nay, rather you ſhould euer hauehave it ready in your health; if you hauehave not, it is néedefull in ſickeneſſe to make it for theſe reaſons, (though many thinke they muſt die, if their Will be made.)

1 In regard of your own credit, that others may thinke you a wiſe man.

2 Of your own conſcience, that hauing ſet all in good order, you may more fréely depart in peace.

3 Of your louing wife, for whom you ought to prouide.

4 Of your children, that each of them may hauehave a conuenient portion of your goods.

5 Of your ſeruants, that they may not depart empty away.

6 Of your friends, that ſome legacies may be allotted to them.

7 Of the Church, that you may, as you are able, remember it.

8 Of the Common wealth, that you p. 149may doe good to ſuch ſocieties as you hauehave liued in.

9 Of the poore, that by giuing to them, you may ſend that portion of wealth before you to heauen.

10 Of your poſſeſſions and goods themſelues, that they may know their owners after you are gone.

Queſt. How ought I to make my Will?

Anſ. It muſt bee made according to the Law, 1 Of Nature, by which you are borne.

2 Of that Nation in wich you liue.

3 Of God, by whom you hauehave liued, and to whom you die. And th…s you muſt doe in few, plaine, and ſignificant words.

Qu. Say that I hauehave gotten my goods badlie: what muſt I doe?

Anſ. You muſt make reſtitution to the true owners, if you know them; if not, the poore are the beſt inheritors of ſuch goods.

Queſt. Who is the fitteſt to be Executors of my Will?

Anſw. That perſon whom thou haſt tried to bee faithfull to God, ſincere in his conuerſation, wiſe in his owne buſineſſe, and who is like to be louing to thine, and truſty to accompliſh the whole intent of thy Teſtament.

Qu. As I am about my Will, many friends p. 150will perhaps come and viſit mee: how ſhall I know who are my beſt friends?

Anſ. Surely they who giuegive you good aduice for your ſoules health, who hauehave a fellow-feeling of your ſickeneſſe, and who wiſh rather your life to doe good, then your death to hauehave goods: eſpecially your beſt friend is a good conſcience: for that wil neuer leaue you nor forſake you.

Queſt. Can you illuſtrate this by any ſtorie?

Anſw. I hauehave read of a man going to execution for Treaſon againſt his Prince: Hee meetes with three of his old friends, hee deſires them all to ſue for his pardon: the firſt ſaith, I dare not; but heere is money to buy you a Coffin and a ſhéete: the ſecond ſaith. I may not; but I will bring you to your ende, and there leaue you: the third ſaith, O I will run, and ſue vponupon my knees for you, I will neuer leaue you. To apply this: Our firſt friend is money, it can doe no more but performe our funerals: the ſecond is our acquaintance, they will but attend vsus to the graue, and ſo leaue vsus: the laſt friend is a good conſcience, and it will neuer leaue vsus, till we are aſſured that God hath pardoned all our ſinnes.

Queſt. But when my friends come to viſite p. 151me, am I to performe no duty to them?

Anſw. You are to will them.

1 To ſerue God heartily.

2 To obey Gouernours faithfully.

3 To continue in the truth zealouſly.

4 To be louing one to another.

5 To be kind to your ſuruiuing aliance.

6 To meditat of death by your example.

7 To pray that you may die Chriſts faithfull ſeruant.

8 To comfort you againſt the feare of death.

9 Not to be ouer ſorrowfull at your diſſolution.

10 To bee carefull that your goods bee diſpoſed according to the true intent of your will.

And laſtly, to ſpeake ſuch good words vntounto them, that they may hauehave hope, that you die in Gods fauour.

Queſt. I remember that you told me, that though death be masked in the time of health, yet it will ſhew it ſelfe vgly at the laſt ga…pe: what comforts can you giuegive me againſt the feare of death when it commeth?

An. If I were a worldling, I would ſay vntounto you; neuer thinke of it till it come: but that it may not affright you when it comes, but you may encounter with it in its owne den, I wil giuegive vntounto you certaine comforts.

p. 152Queſt. Which are they I pray you?

Anſw. I remember many; and it is neceſſary you ſhould know them. For the day of death is the Maſter day, and Iudge of all other daies: it is the triall and touchſtone of our life: if you die a good death, it honoreth all your Actions: if an euill, it defameth them all: it is the laſt act of the worlds Comedie, and moſt difficult: wherfore I will ſhew thoſe conſolations vntounto you, and will repeate them in your health, that you may thinke of them better vponupon your ſicke bed: wherefore againſt the feare of death, conſider:

1 That wee neither liue nor die to our ſelues: but, whether we liue, we liue to the Lord; and whether we die, wee die to the Lord. Rom. 14.8.

2 That Chriſt is to vsus in life, gaine; and in death, aduantage. Phil. 1.21.

3 That Chriſt is to vsus the reſurrection and the life: and whoſoeuer beleeueth in him though he were dead, yet ſhall hee liue. Iohn 11.25.

4 That God doth both mitigate and abbreuiate the dolours of death to his ſeruants.

5 That our death being conuerted into a ſwéet ſléepe, is the complement of the mortification of our fleſh; ſo that hee which is p. 153dead, is fréed from ſinne. Roman. 6.7.

6 That we Chriſtians know, that when this earthly tabernacle of our houſe ſhal be diſſolued, we ſhall hauehave a building euen of God, that is an houſe made without hands, eternall in the heauens. 2. Cor. 5.1.

7 That if we die in the Lord, we goe to Chriſt, which is beſt of all for vsus. Phil. 1.23.

8 That this way of all fleſh, is ſanctified to vsus by the death of Chriſt.

9 That if euer at other times the Spirit of Chriſt doth cauſe vsus to beare afflictions patiently; it doth eſpecially, by the comfort which it miniſtreth in death, ineſtimablie ouercome the ſorrowes of death.

10 That the ſpirit indeede is ready, but the fleſh is weake, Matth. 26.41. ſo that the inward man doth not feare death, but only the outward man.

Queſt. Can you yet giuegive any more of theſe moſt ſweet conſolations?

Anſw. Meditate therefore againe with me, that.

1 The deſire you ſhould hauehave to behold the moſt bright eies of God, and ſo to be deliuered from this body of ſinne, will extinguiſh and extenuate both the grieuous feare, and fearefull griefe of preſent death.

2 That though wée can bée content to liue with the faithfull that are aliue, and p. 154muſt die; yet we muſt as well deſire to be with thoſe Saints, who hauing ouercome death, are gone before vsus to the kingdome of heauen.

3 That wee muſt not more eſtéeme of this naturall, then of the ſpirituall life; but that the louelove of the one, muſt aboliſh the griefe of the other.

4 That we are aſſured of the ſoules immortality, that it ſhall goe by the tranſportation of Angels, to the aſſembly and ſocietie of the firſt borne, which are written in heauen, Luk. 16.22. Heb. 11.23. and that our bodies doe reſt in the earth: ſo that one doth not vnfitly call the graue, an Hauen for the bodie to arriue at.

5 That wee beleeue the reſurrection of the body, and euerlaſting life after death: for, this is the faith of Chriſtians onelyonly.

6 That wee, ſeeing euidently Gods great mercy towards our young children at their departure out of this life, ought at our laſt end to be the more couragious; eſpecially, ſince wee know, that wee hauehave the ſeale and earneſt of Gods ſpirit in our hearts.

7 That, as in our whole life, ſo in the agony of death, God doth not ſuffer vsus his ſeruants to be tempted, aboue that which we are able to beare, 1. Cor. 10.13. but p. 155giueth an happy iſſue with, and out of that temptation. It is in truth admirable which Gregorie in his Morals ſaith, That ſome doe with laughter entertaine death: wee may better ſay, that by couragious patience they doe ouercome it.

8 That we ought not ſo much to thinke of a peaceable end, as of a godly life: Auguſtine ſaid well; Where a good life goeth before, an euill death muſt not bee thought to follow. And, He cannot die ill, who liues well. And, He ſeldome dies well, who hath liued ill. And, Reade, ſaith he, and reade ouer all the monuments of learned men, and you ſhall find nothing more horrible, then that perſon, who doth liue in ſuch an eſtate, that he is afraid to die.

9 That death is neuer vntimely, whether we reſpect the good, or the bad. They die ſoone, that they may no longer be vexed by the wicked: theſe die ſoone, that they may not euer perſecute the godly, as the ſame Auguſtine ſaid.

10 That this life is ſo full of miſeries, that in compariſon thereof, death may bee thought rather a remedy, then a puniſhment: as Ambroſe thought.

Queſt. Once againe giuegive mee more comforts againſt the feare of death: for, ſuch is the corruptiō of my nature, that al is little enough.

p. 156Anſw. I will: thinke therefore; but thinke you ſeriouſly:

1 That he onelyonly feares death extreamly, who cannot be perſwaded, that he ſhall liue after death, as Chyſoſtome ſaith.

2 That it is beſt, to offer that willingly to God, as a gift, which one day wee muſt elſe ſurrender as a debt, to wit, this ſpirit and life of ours, as Chryſoſtome ſaid.

3 That as death, to the euill, is euill, ſo is it good to the good; to whom all things worke for their good.

4 That death is the way to life, as Ambroſe ſaid very fitly. And another ſaid, This day, which ſo affrighteth thee as if it were the laſt day, is the birthday of eternitie.

5 That this death is but a repairing of our life.

6 That, as Bernard ſaid, the death of the righteous is good, in regard of reſt: better, in regard of nouelty: beſt of all, in regard of ſecurity: and that, as the ſame Father ſaid, the death of the godly is good, better, & beſt of al: Contrariwiſe, the death of the godleſſe is bad, worſe, and worſt of al.

7 That death doth not aboliſh, but eſtabliſh life in a farre better eſtate.

8 That then death frees vsus from death, life from error, grace from ſinne.

p. 1579 That (if Chryſoſtome ſay true) death is but a bare name.

10 That God doth ſo temper death vntounto vsus, that it can be no cauſe of euil vntounto vsus. And therefore if you be wiſe, remember the ſaying, euen of an Heathen man: Summum nec metuas diem, nec optes: Nether feare death when it commeth, nor deſire it too much before it commeth.

Queſt. Theſe are all of them ſweet conſolations indeed: yet becauſe Satan and my fleſh may bring vponupon me many feares; as firſt, that God is angry with me, by reaſon of my ſinnes: how may I comfort my ſelfe againſt this temptation?

Queſt. Say vntounto your ſoule, why ſhould I feare the wrath of God? For, it is written:

God ſent not his Sonne into the world, to condemne the world, but that by him the world might be ſaued. Ioh. 3.

Hee that beleeueth in him ſhall not ſée death. He that beléeueth in him hath eternal life. Hee that beléeueth in him ſhall neuer periſh.

Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? It is God that iuſtifieth, who ſhall condemne? It is Chriſt which is dead, yea, rather which is riſen againe, who is alſo at the right hand of God, and maketh requeſts for vsus. Who ſhall ſeparate vsus p. 158from the louelove of Chriſt? ſhall tribulation or anguiſh, or perſecution, or nakedneſſe, or perill, or the ſword? I am perſwaded that neither death, nor life, nor hell, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things preſent, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other Creature ſhall be able to ſeparate vsus from the louelove of God in Chriſt Ieſus my Lord. Rom. 8.

Say with Auguſtine, All my whole hope is in the death of my Lord: his death is my merit, my refuge, my ſaluation, my life, my reſurrection; my merit is Gods mercy, I ſhall neuer want merit, ſo long as this God of mercy is not wanting to me. And if Gods mercies are great, I alſo am great in merit.

Say with Ambroſe, Chriſt was ſubiect to the damnation of death, that hee might free vsus from the yoke of damnation: hee tooke vponupon him the ſeruitude of death, that hee might giuegive vsus the liberty of eternall life.

Say with S. Paul, Chriſt hath redéemed me from the curſe of the Law, Gal. 3.13. the Iudge is ſatiſfied, he cannot be angry.

Say, that your Sauiour maketh interceſſion for you: for God no ſooner looks on him, but he is forthwith well pleaſed with you.

Say, that his mercy endureth for euer. I p. 159ſhall iudge the world with him; why then ſhall I feare to be iudged?

He hath made a Couenant with mee, hée will neuer breake.

He hath giuen me grace to beleeue and truſt in him, he will not now leaue me.

I confeſſe my ſinnes he is ready to forgiue them.

I hauehave had his Spirit, he will neuer take it from me.

My Sauiour ſhall iudge me, he will not bee angry with mee, and for his ſake the Father will not be angry: for hee is that welbeloued Sonne, in whom alone hee is well pleaſed.

Queſt. O, but I may feare, that I am but a caſtaway, and that eternall death is due vntounto me: if I fall into this pit, what hand can you giuegive me to helpe me out?

Anſw. Will Satan now tell you that you muſt be damned? comfort your ſelfe with theſe ſayings:

God ſo loued the world, that he gaue his only begotten Sonne, that who ſo beléeueth in him ſhould neuer periſh, but hauehave life euerlaſting. Iohn 3.16.

He that heareth my words, and beléeueth in him that ſent me, hath eternal life, and ſhall not come into condemnation. Ioh. 5.

I am the reſurrection and the life, he that p. 160beléeueth in me, though hee were dead, yet ſhall he liue; and who ſo liueth and beleeueth in me, ſhall not die eternally. Ioh. 11.

I giuegive to my ſhéepe eternall life, and t…ey ſhall neuer periſh, and none is able to take them out of my hands. Ioh. 10.

As in Adam all men died, ſo in Chriſt ſhall all (that is, all the elect, whereof I am one,) ſo, I ſay, in Chriſt ſhall all be made aliue. 1. Cor. 15.

Death is ſwallowed vp in victory. O death where is thy victory! O hell, where is thy ſting! the ſting of death is ſinne; the ſtrength of ſin is the law: but thanks be vntounto God, who hath giuen vsus victory through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. 1. Cor. 15.57.

We know, that when the tabernacle of this earthly houſe ſhall bee diſſolued wee ſhall hauehave a building from God, euen an habitation made without hands in heauen. 2. Cor. 5.1.

Beſides theſe ſweete and ſure promiſes, conſider, that as the faithleſſe can neuer liue, ſo the faithfull can neuer die.

That the promiſe of God doth quicken things that are dead, and calleth things that are not, as though they were.

You feare not the falling of heauen and earth, becauſe they are ſupported by the word of God: and why ſhould you feare p. 161your owne fall, you being ſupported by the ſame word?

Doe you not know, that God is preſent with you by his Spirit: and will you feare cold when this fire burneth?

Can you feare darkeneſſe, when this Sunne ſhineth?

Are you poore, that hauehave this gold in your Cheſt?

And thinke you to die of thirſt, when you are at this fountaine of liuing waters?

Are you not a member of Chriſts body: Is there life in the head, and ſhall there bee death in the members?

Is your head aboue the water, and ſhall your body neuer come out of the water?

Doth the roote of a trée giuegive life vntounto the branches, and cannot Chriſt (the Roote of Ieſſe) giuegive life vntounto his branches?

Yea, rather ſay, My life is hid with God in Chriſt; when Chriſt which is my life ſhall appeare, then ſhal I alſo appeare with him in glorie. Coloſſ. 3.

By my firſt roote Adam, I bring foorth briers and thornes fit to be burned: by my ſecond roote Chriſt, I am like a tree planted by the riuers of waters, which ſhall giuegive out her fruit in due ſeaſon, and whatſoeuer I doe, it ſhall proſper.

Why, my deare friend, you doe beleeue p. 162the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes: can you then feare eternall damnation?

You doe beleeue the reſurrection of your body, will you now doubt of the reſurrection of your body?

HaueHave the Prophets & Apoſtles ſet down ſo much cōcerning ſaluation by Chriſt, that you ſhould ſay, I am not ſaued by Chriſt?

You were initiated by Baptiſme, confirmed by Catechiſme, ſtrengthened by the Lords Supper, and profeſſed that religion which by Chriſt brings ſaluation, and you hauehave receiued many benefits as pledges of Gods louelove: and will not all this perſwade you, that you ſhall goe to heauen?

Yea, Chriſt hath ouercome that Diuell, that you might ſubdue him: ſubdued that ſtrong man, that you might conquer him: and deſcended downe to hel, that you might with him aſcend vntounto heauen. Therefore be conſtant, my beloued, and vnmoueable alwaies in the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. 1. Cor. 15.

Queſt. Thus, I hope, at the houre of death I ſhall not feare the place of darkneſſe: but, alas, ſuch is the weakneſſe of my faith, that I feare the Prince of darkneſſe.

Anſ. And why ſhould you feare him? the Egyptians are drowned, they cannot purſue you: Goliah is ſlaine, he cannot reuile you: p. 163the Philiſtims are ouercome; they cannot hurt you: Sathan is chained, hee cannot harme you. Hee will ſéeke to winnow you, but he can only ſéeke; and if he doe more, hée ſhall finde you Gods wheate, and then you muſt néeds be carried into Gods barne.

Hee is indeede Gods Executioner; but, why, ſhould you feare the Hangman, when you hauehave the Kings pardon? or the Sergeant, when you hauehave his protection? or the Deuill, when you hauehave Chriſts interceſſion? You are ſtrong, the Word of God dwelleth in you, you hauehave ouercome that Euil one: 1. Iohn 2.14. You hauehave faith: your aduerſarie would deuoure you, by it you are able to reſiſt him, 1. Peter 5.8. You hauehave put on the complete Armour of God, Epheſians 6.11. it is an Armour of proofe, the fierie darts of Sathan can neuer enter. You hauehave the ſword of the Spirit, it is ſharper then the ſword of Goliah: you hauehave the ſling of Dauid, it is more forcible then the ſpeare of Goliah: you may walke vponupon this Lion, and Aſpe; this young deuouring Lion and Dragon, you may treade vnderunder your féete Pſal. 91.13.

What if he bee wiſe? yet God is wiſer. What if he be ſtrong? yet Chriſt is ſtronger What if ſkilfull? yet the Lord is more ſkilfull. What if he be vigilant? yet the Alſéeing p. 164is more watchfull. If you can call to God for aide againſt him, as Iehoſhaphat did againſt the Aramite, and ſay, O my God, there is no ſtrength in mee, to ſtand before this great multitude, that commeth againſt me, neither doe I know what to doe: but mine eyes are towards thee: 2. Chron. 20.12. feare not, neither bee afraid, goe out againſt them, the Lord will be with thee, and thou ſhalt ouercome.

Say that hee ouercame Adam by ambition, Saul by hypocriſie, and Iudas by auarice; yet by the grace of Chriſt hee ſhall not ouercome thee.

Thou dwelleſt in the ſecret of the moſt High, and ſhalt abide in the ſhadow of the Almightie: Hee will deliuer thée from the ſnare of the Hunter, and from the noyſome Peſtilence: hee will couer thée vnderunder his wings, and thou ſhalt bee ſure vnderunder his feathers: his truth ſhall bee thy ſhield and buckler: hee will giuegive his Angels charge ouer thée, to kéepe thée in all thy wayes: they ſhal beare thée vp in their hands ſo that thou hurt not thy foot againſt a ſtone.

Queſt. I confeſſe that God is able to deliuer me from Sathan: but, O my ſinnes, my ſins, mee thinkes, giuegive mee ouer to Sathan: helpe mee with comfort, againſt this temptation: I hauehave ſinned, and may now die in my ſinnes.

p. 165Anſ. O conſider with me what the word doth ſay, Where ſinne abounded, grace hath ſuperabounded. Romans 5. The bloud of Ieſus Chriſt hath purged vsus from all ſinne. 1. Iohn 1.7. If any man ſinne, wee hauehave an Aduocate with the Father, Ieſus Chriſt the righteous, and hee is the propitiation for our ſinnes. 1. Iohn 2.1.2.

This is a true ſaying, and worthie by all meanes to be receiued, that Ieſus Chriſt came into the World to ſaue ſinners, of whom I am chiefe. 1. Tim. 1.

Behold the Lambe of God, that taketh away the ſinnes of the World. Iohn 1.

I came not to call the righteous, but ſinners to repentance. 1. Matth. 11.

The Sonne of man came to ſéeke, and ſaue that which was loſt. Matth. 9.

Come vntounto mee all yee that are wearie and heauie laden, and I will refreſh you. Matth. 11.

Hee died for our ſinnes, and roſe againe for our iuſtification. Rom. 4.

Hee hath loued vsus, and waſhed vsus from our ſinnes in his bloud. Reuel. 1.6.

Thou ſhalt call his name Ieſus, for hee ſhall ſaue his people from their ſinnes: Matth. 1.

Hee gaue himſelfe for vsus, that hee might redéeme vsus from all iniquitie, and purge p. 166vsus to bee a peculiar people vntounto himſelfe. Titus 1.2.

I will bée mercifull to their vnrighteouſneſſe, and will remember their ſinnes, and their iniquities no more. Hebr. 8.12.

Doe you now beléeue theſe ſayings? are you perſwaded that you hauehave faith in Chriſt? If you hauehave faith, you hauehave iuſtification; if you hauehave iuſtification, you hauehave no ſinne; I meane no ſuch ſinne, as ſhall be able to condemne you in the day of iudgement: for it is God that iuſtifieth, who ſhall condemne?

Beſides, you are a member of Chriſts Church, and this Church is without ſpot and wrinkle: which it could not bee, if you were yet in your ſinnes.

Againe, if your iniquities were not forgiuen in Chriſt; to what end, thinke you, did he come into the World?

Furthermore, conſider what your Baptiſme doth ſignifie; that as pollution from your bodie is waſhed by water, ſo ſinne from your ſoule is waſhed by Chriſt.

HaueHave you forgotten that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper ſealeth vntounto you the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, by Chriſts death?

Is the Earth full of the mercies of the Lord, and ſhal not this merciemercy be greater to you: then all your miſeries?

p. 167Doe you acknowledge and confeſſe your ſinnes, and will not he be faithfull and iuſt to forgiue you your ſinnes?

Doe you aſke, and ſhall you not hauehave? doe you ſéeke, and ſhall you not find? doe you knocke, and ſhal not the dore of merciemercy be opened vntounto you?

I thinke you know, that Chriſts is a Phyſitian: and to what end, but to cure the diſeaſed? and what diſeaſe more dangerous then ſinne?

I hope you know the Goſpell of Chriſt is called the word of reconciliation, of grace, ſaluation, and of life: and that only becauſe it offers all theſe to ſinners.

And tell mee (you that doubt of the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes) what difference is there betwixt the ſonnes of God, and the ſonnes of the Deuill; but that they hauehave their ſinnes forgiuen, theſe not?

To conclude, looke vponupon the calling of the Preachers of the Goſpell; if they hauehave power to pronounce the pardon of ſinnes to penitent ſinners, Chriſt hath power to giuegive pardon to the ſame ſinners. Therefore bee of good comfort, your ſinnes are forgiuen you. Matth. 9.2.

Queſt. What euen my great and grieuous ſinnes? mine infidelitie in miſtruſting, impatience in murmuring, blaſphemie in profaning p. 168the name of God? Is the couetouſneſſe of monie, the deſire of reuenge, the louelove of pleaſure more then the louelove of God, forgiuen mee?

Anſ. If you beléeue in Chriſt, all things are poſſible to him that beléeueth: your ſinnes paſt ſhall neuer hurt you, if ſinne preſent doe not pleaſe you.

Though your ſinnes were as redde as Scarlet, God can make them as white as Snow.

There is no cloud ſo thicke, but this Sun will diſpell it; no ſtaine ſo foule, but this Fullers ſope will waſh it out; no treaſon ſo horrible, but this King may pardon it; and no ſinne ſo great, but God for Chriſts ſake will forgiue it.

The infidelitie of Adam, the Idolatrie of Abraham, the inceſt of Lot, the adulterie of Dauid, the Apoſtaſie of Peter, the perſecutions of Paul were grieuous ſinnes; but God in Chriſt did remit them all. And whatſoeuer was written before time, is written for your learning, that you through patience and conſolation of the Scriptures might hauehave hope.

Applie them therefore to your ſelfe: If you owe to this creditor tenne thouſand talents, if you can ſue to him for merciemercy, hee will forgiue them all; his Iuſtice can puniſh p. 169any ſinne, and his merciemercy can pardon any ſinne.

When he liued vponupon Earth, he cured all ſickneſſes: now hee is in Heauen, hee can purge all ſinnes.

He hath promiſed, as a Porter, to beare our iniquities: is there any iniquitie too heauie for him? Neuer ſay then (deſpairing of Gods merciemercy) my ſinnes hauehave taken ſuch hold vponupon mee, that I am not able to looke vp; as an heauie burden they lie vponupon mee, I am not able to beare them.

Queſt. I hope that I ſhall lay theſe comforts to mine heart, that the greatneſſe of my ſinnes ſhall not cauſe mee to deſpaire: yet when I looke vponupon the multitude of thoſe ſinnes which I hauehave committed againſt God, I feele my ſelfe in a wofull eſtate: comfort me I pray you in this temptation.

Anſw. Doe the number of your ſinnes now diſquiet you? yet comfort your ſoule with theſe meditations:

There is no man liuing which ſinneth not.

The iuſt man falleth ſeuen times a day.

Who can tell how oft hee offendeth? Pſal. 19.

The Apoſtle, and excellent man, cried out, I am Carnall, and ſold vnderunder ſinne. Rom. 7.

p. 170The good that I would doe, I doe not, and the euill which I would not, that doe I.

The fleſh luſteth againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit luſteth againſt the fleſh, Galathians 5.17. Yet for all this, hee truſted in the mercies of God, as others did, being perſwaded, that his imperfections were not imputed to him, but couered with the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt. And this, the ſame Paul teſtifieth, in that he ſaith, Now there is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Ieſus. Rom. 8.1.

And what is the reaſon that wee daily pray, Forgiue vsus our debts, but that wee ſinne daily?

Yea, though the bloud of Chriſt were but once ſhed, yet by it is he an eternall Mediatour, ſatiſfying the iuſtice of God for ſinnes paſt, preſent, and to come.

He is not like vntounto many in this World, who hauing once remitted ſome treſpaſſe, wil remit no more; or paied a debt, wil pay no more: but as Eſaus father had many bleſſings; ſo God our father hath many mercies.

If wee fall a thouſand times, he will at our repentance recouer vsus a thouſand times He doth not forgiue vsus till ſeuen times, but till ſeuentie times ſeuen times.

Larga Dei bonitas totum non dimidiabit:

Aut nihil, aut totum, te lachrymante, dabit.

p. 171The bountie large of God, will not diuide the whole:

He either al, or nothing giues, vntounto the weeping ſoule.

Queſt. Truth it is, as you ſay, that God will forgiue my manifold ſinnes: but mine heart tels me, that Gods law requires perfect obedience: and this, alas, I cannot performe: what comfort can you giuegive me, now that mine obedience is imperfect?

Anſw. Why? the obedience of the beſt is both perfect & imperfect: perfect in Chriſt, imperfect in vsus: imperfect in this life, perfect in the life to come: perfect by imputation, imperfect by ſanctification: perfect in parts, imperfect in degrée: that is, the whole bodie and ſoule of a Chriſtian are in eueryevery part ſanctified: but yet both of them in all their parts and faculties grow vp to a greater meaſure of ſanctification. A child ſo ſoon as it is borne is a perfect man, becauſe it hath al the parts of a man; and this is a perfection of parts: it is not perfect in regard of that growth it may hauehave in ſtrength and vnderſtanding; and that is the perfection of degrées. We are babes in Chriſt, and ſo perfect Chriſtians at the beginning of ſanctification: we muſt grow vp to be tall men, that we may be perfectly perfect in our glorification.

p. 172It is Gods merciemercy towards vsus, that wee cannot come to perfection in this life; the dregs of corruption will neuer whileſt wee liue be drawne out: the tares of vngodlines will neuer quite be pulled vp: the chaffe of iniquitie wil neuer be cleane remoued from the wheate: and the rags of the old Adam will neuer cleane be put off; and that, as I take it, for theſe reaſons:

1 That we might giuegive al glorie to God.

2 That wee might euer depend vponupon God.

3 That knowing our owne weakneſſe, we ſhould not preſume too much on our own ſtrength.

4 That by recouering our ſelues aft… falling, wee might hauehave experience, and patience, in Gods fauour.

5 That wee might worke out our ſaluation with feare and trembling.

6 That with Paul we might learne that the grace of God is ſufficient for vsus.

7 That wee might be the more whetted on to an increaſe of faith, and confidence in Chriſt.

8 That we might with greater earneſtneſſe call vponupon God in all our feares.

9 That with more contention we ſhould run the race ſet before vsus.

10 That wee ſhould know, that it is p. 173grace, not nature, by which we ſtand.

11 That receiuing many foyles our ſelues, we might better comfort and pitie others that fall.

12 That wee might the rather with the Apoſtle deſire to be diſſolued, and to be with Chriſt.

Know therefore, that it is good for you that you are not perfect; you would bee proud of it, if you were: the holieſt men could neuer attaine it: the moſt holy God doth not require it.

If you hauehave truth in the inward parts, and deſire to pleaſe God without hypocriſie, & labour to grow in the graces of Gods ſpirit, God your father will make more of you by reaſon of your imperfections; as a good mother doth of that childe that is diſeaſed, or lamed.

It is pride that makes men dreame of perfection in this life: and they that thinke to goe to heauen this way, muſt goe alone, for none can follow them.

Let vsus not glorie of our perfection, but let vsus glorie in our Redemption.

The Church is a companie of ſinners, ſaued by Chriſt; of ſicke perſons, cured by Chriſt; of Iſraelites, dwelling among the Cananites; of malefactors, crying with that holy théefe, Lord remember mee when thou p. 174commeſt into thy kingdome; and of Publicans, caſting themſelues down, and ſaying, Lord be mercifull vntounto me a ſinner.

The Church is but the Moone, and ſome times ſo eclipſed, that ſhe is but a litle lightened by the Sunne.

God, indeede, as a good Phyſitian, preſcribes vntounto vsus a perfect diet; but wee like vntounto diſordered Patients, taſt of that, which cauſeth a relapſe, and then we muſt come to the Phyſitian againe: and, like a ſkilfull Phyſitian, God out of our falls, doth make a preſeruatiue to kéepe vsus from falling.

Queſt. By this that you hauehave ſaid, I ſhall, as I hope, receiue much comfort, if God caſt mee vponupon my ſick bed; yet becauſe after death cō meth iudgement, how ſhall I bee able to perſwade my ſelfe in death, that I may with ioy looke vponupon my Iudge?

Anſw. Conſider that you are in Chriſt, and there is no condemnation to them that are in him: it is God that hath iuſtified you; who ſhall condemne you? it is your Father that ſhall iudge you, why do you feare him? be then of good comfort: he wil ſay vntounto you, Come thou bleſſed of my father, inherit the kingdome prepared for thée, before the foundations of the world were laid.

Queſt. If I lay all theſe comforts to mine heart in health, what benefit ſhall come to me at my death?

p. 175Anſw. You ſhall ſhew your ſelfe an excellent ſcholler in the ſchoole of wiſedome: and that you hauehave not ſpent your time ill, who hauehave thus learned to die well. For hée hath laſt his whole time, who knowes not how to end it. Hee liueth ill (ſaith Seneca) who knoweth not to die well: neither is he borne in vaine, who deceaſeth in peace. We muſt learn all our life to die; and this is the principall office of life: To be briefe, by this you ſhall purchaſe libertie to your conſcience, you ſhall feare nothing, you will liue well, contentedly, and peaceably; and without this knowledge, there is no more pleaſure in life, than in the fruition of that which a man feareth alwaies to loſe.

Queſt. To draw to an end, and to come to my end, when the pangs of death come vponupon me, and the wormes of the earth wait for me, if God giuegive mee then mine vnderſtanding, what, I pray you, may bee my fitteſt meditation?

Anſw. Say now inwardly to your ſicke ſoule; Now, my pilgrimage is ended, mine harueſt is inned, my iourney is finiſhed: my race is run, my glaſſe is ſpent, my candle is in the ſocket: many of the godly are gone before, and I am now to follow them: now thinke, that you are come out of priſon, gotten out of Babylon, and are going to Ieruſalem. p. 176Now thinke that the Angels ſtand at your beds head, to carrie your ſoule into Abrahams boſome; where you ſhall ſee God the Father, behold God the Sonne, and enioy God the holy Ghoſt: where you ſhall enioy the ſocietie of Angels, the companie of the Saints, and the knowledge of them whom you neuer knew héere: where you ſhall liue eternally, reigne triumphantly, and obey God perfectly. Meditate now, that you muſt not bee loth to leaue this world, becauſe you go to that which is to come; to leaue your houſe, becauſe you are going to Gods houſe; to leaue your temporall riches, becauſe you are going to eternal riches; to leaue your earthly preferments, becauſe God will ſet a crowne of pure gold vponupon your head; and to leaue your friends and acquaintance heere, becauſe you ſhall ſee them in glorie hereafter. Theſe and ſuch like muſt be your meditations.

Queſt. Now it may be (and I pray God it may be) that I may hauehave ſpeech vntounto the laſt gaſpe, what words are fit for me to vtter?

Anſw. If God giuegive you that bleſſing, ſay now with Dauid:

Lord into thy hands I commend my ſpirit: for thou haſt redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.

With Simeon: Lord now letteſt thou thy p. 177ſeruant depart in peace, according to thy word: for mine eyes hauehave ſeene thy ſaluation.

With Paul: Chriſt is to me life, and death is to mee aduantage. I deſire to be diſſolued, and to be with Chriſt.

I hauehave fought a good fight, I hauehave finiſhed my courſe, I hauehave kept the faith: from henceforth is laid vp for mee the crowne of righteouſneſſe, which the Lord the righteous Iudge ſhall giuegive mee at that day: and not to mee only, but to all them that louelove that appearing of his.

Say, How ſweet is my Sauiour vntounto mee? ſweeter then the hony and the hony combe.

Say, Bleſſed are the dead, that die in the Lord: for they reſt from their labours, and their workes follow them.

Say, Lord I hauehave ſinned againſt thee. thou haſt promiſed to forgiue me my ſinnes: I beleeue, Lord helpe mine vnbeliefe.

Say with Steuen, Lord into thine hands I commend my ſoule.

Say with the Saints, Come Lord Ieſus, come quickly.

Say, Lord, keepe thy Church and people in thy trueth and peace for euermore: now Lord, diſſolue in me the curſed workes of the diuell.

Say, I am ſicke, be thou my Phyſitian: I am to die, Lord giuegive me life eternall.

p. 178Say, Lord, bee good vntounto my kinsfolks in the fleſh, and my friends in the Spirit, that they may liue in thy feare, and die in thy fauour.

Say with Ambroſe, I hauehave not ſo led my life, that I was aſhamed to liue: neither doe I feare death, becauſe I hauehave a good Lord.

Say to thy friends with S. Bernard, O ground the anchor of your faith and hope, in the ſafe and ſure port of Gods merciemercy.

Say with Oecolampadius, to all that come to thée, I will tell you newes, I ſhall ſhortly be with the Lord.

Say with Luther: I pray thee Lord Ieſus receiue my poore ſoule: my heauenly Father, though I be taken from this life, and this body of mine is to be laied downe, yet I know certainly, that I ſhall remaine with thee for euer, neither ſhal any be able to pul me out of thine hands.

Say with Annas Burgius: Forſake me not, O Lord, leſt I forſake thee.

Say with Melancthon: If it be the will of God, I am willing to die, and I beſeech him that he will grant me a ioyfull departure.

Say with M. Caluine: I held my tongue, becauſe thou Lord haſt done it; I mourned as a a doue, Lord thou grindeſt me to powder; but it ſufficeth mee, becauſe it was thine hand.

p. 179Say with Peter Martyr: My bodie is weake, but my minde is well. There is no ſaluation, but onelyonly by Chriſt, who was giuen of the Father to bee a Redeemer of mankinde: This is my faith in which I die, and God will deſtroy them that teach otherwiſe. Farewell, my brethren and deare friends.

Say with Babylas, Martyr of Antioch: Returne, O my ſoule, vntounto thy reſt, becauſe the Lord hath bleſſed thee. Becauſe thou haſt deliuered my ſoule from death, mine eyes from teares, and my foote from falling; I ſhall walke before thee in the land of the liuing.

Say, Bleſſed is God in all his waies, and holie in all his workes: Naked I came out of my mothers wombe, and naked ſhall I returne againe. The Lord hath giuen, and the Lord hath taken away: bleſſed bee the name of the Lord. I know that my Redeemer liueth, and he ſhall ſtand the laſt on the earth. And though after my skin, wormes deſtroy this body, yet I ſhall ſee God in my fleſh. Whom I my ſelfe ſhall ſee, and mine eyes ſhall cehold, and none other for mee, though my reines are conſumed within me.

Say, in a word, Lord I thanke thee, that I am a Chriſtian, that I liued in a Chriſtian Church, that I die amongſt a Chriſtian people, that I goe to a Chriſtian ſocietie. Lord p. 180Ieſu, ſonne of Dauid, hauehave merciemercy vponupon me, and receiue my ſoule. Euen ſo, Come Lord Ieſu, come quickly. Amen.

Queſt. If I hauehave time, theſe are fit, both meditations, and ſpeeches: but I may die vponupon the ſudden: what inſtructions can you giuegive me againſt ſudden death?

Anſw. You may indéed die ſuddenly, either by fire in your houſe, or water in your ſhip, or earth falling into ſome pit, or caſualtie in your way, or impoſtumation, and an apoplexi in your body, or by trauel in childbirth, if you be a woman, or the ſword in warre, if you bee a man. Therefore thinke,

1 That death may come vponupon you vnawares: wherefore as you would doe for a ſuſpected enemie, waite ſo for it, that it may neuer ſurprize you.

2 Know that many worthie men hauehave died ſuddenly: Iulius Caeſar, diſputing the night before of the good of ſudden death, was the next day by Brutus and Caſſius ſlain ſuddenly in the Senate.

Ioannes Matheſius hauing preached a Sermon of the raiſing againe of the widow of Nains ſonne (and therein handling the knowledge, that one friend ſhould hauehave of another in heauen) within thrée houres after ſlept peaceably in the Lord.

Luther ſitting at ſupper, and diſcourſing p. 181of the ſame argument, about midnight after departed this life.

One Maſter Reade, an Alderman of Norwich, hauing read in the morning the chapter of Henockes taking vp, in the Counſell chamber died ſuddenly at the table amongſt his brethren.

And that wiſe Counſeller, the Lord of Buckhurſt, Earle of Dorſet died ſuddenly, at the Counſell Table, in white Hall.

M^r. Flint a Preacher in London, a man of great learning, godly life and good report, hauing procured the new building of his Church (at which hee much reioiced) fell downe from a ſcaffold on the top of that Church and ſo died.

In the commentaries of Iohn Holcot vponupon the book of wiſdom, it is recorded of one who reading the fourth Chapter of the book of Wiſdome, was found dead in his ſtudie with his finger pointing to the ſeuenth verſe of that chapter, Though the righteous be preuented by death, yet ſhall he be at reſt; Firſt, where you ſhall reade theſe two verſes.

Mors non eſt ſubita cui praeceſsit bona vita:

Nec minuit merita, ſi moriatur ita.

If godly life do go before,

Through ſuddaine death our ioy is more

p. 1823 Know, that if you liue wickedly, ſudden death is a fearefull iudgment, for who then can bee perſwaded of Gods fauour towards you? and this makes the wicked of all kinds of death, to pray to be deliuered from ſudden death: they would liue like Nabal, but die like Dauid: liue like the rich glutton, and die like Lazarus: they would die the death of the righteous, but they would not liue the life of the righteous. And therefore their Prayer is the prayer of Balaam, Lord, let mee die the death of the righteous, and that my laſt end may bee like vntounto his. Numb 23.

But if you liue euer in the feare of God, it may bee an argument of Gods merciemercy to take you away vponupon a ſhort warning: For ſo, 1 You die without any great paine.

2 You goe to God without any great trouble.

3 You are not in danger of blaſpheming God at your death.

4 You will cauſe others to thinke well of your death, becauſe you liued a godly life.

5 Many by your example will labour to prepare againſt ſuch a kind of death.

6 Your tranſlation is like that of Henoch and Elias, and of them that ſhall be aliue at the day of iudgment. 1. Theſſ. 4.17.

p. 183Queſt. Is it lawfull to pray againſt a ſudden death?

Anſw. The godly may, and the wicked muſt pray againſt it. The godly may:

1 That as they hauehave honored God with their lips in their life, ſo (if it bee his good will) they may doe it at their death.

2 That becauſe vponupon the ſudden, few men hauehave their worldly eſtate fully ſetled, they may hauehave time to order it.

3 That they may not be a griefe to their friends, that they are ſo ſoone taken from them.

4 That they may eſcape the cenſure of the world, which for the moſt part, iudgeth hardly of this kind of death.

5 That they may not die in ſuch ſort as diuers wicked men in the Scriptures hauehave died.

6 Leſt being ouertaken in ſome ſtrange place, they may ſo want the honour of Chriſtian buriall, and their friends not know what is become of them.

2 The wicked muſt pray againſt it, left ſo dying without repentance here, there be no place left for them heereafter to repent in. But I doubt whether God will heare their prayers: For are not they worthy to want time of humiliation at their death, who neglected ſaluation in their life? p. 184The admonition of the wiſe man, Eccl. 18.18, is very good: Get thee righteouſneſſe before thou come to iudgement, and vſe Phyſicke before thou bee ſicke. Examine thy ſelfe before thou bee iudged, and in the day of deſtruction thou ſhalt finde merciemercy. Humble thy ſelfe before thou be ſicke, and whileſt thou maieſt yet ſinne, ſhew thy conuerſion.

Queſt. Now ſince my ſoule muſt depart from my bodie, ought I to take any great thought for my buriall?

Anſ. As the graue at your death is readie for you, Iob. 17.1. ſo you alſo muſt hauehave care of it: and your ſuruiuing friends muſt hauehave ſuch reſpect to your dead body, that it may be interred in a religious ſort: for,

1 You are no Scythian, that your dead bodie ſhould be eaten at ſome feaſt; nor Sabean, that it ſhould be caſt on a dunghill; nor Hyrcanian, that it ſhould bee deuoured by dogs; nor Lothophagian, that it ſhould be caſt into the ſea; nor Indian, that it ſhould be burned with fire; but a Chriſtian, that it may be buried in the earth.

2 Your dead body is a member of Chriſt.

3 It was, as well as the ſoule, the temple of the holy Ghoſt.

4 It was the ordinance of God, that earth ſhould return to his earth, as the ſoule p. 185doth to him that gaue it. Gen. 3. Eccleſ. 7.

5 That Chriſt, who redéemed your ſoule hath alſo paied a ranſome for your bodie.

6 It hath beene an inſtrument vſed by God, to performe many ſeruices vntounto him.

7 It muſt riſe againe out of the graue, and in the day of iudgement bee made like vntounto the glorious bodie of Chriſt. Phil. 5.21.

8 Religious and godly friends hauehave had this care to burie their dead: ſo Abraham had to burie Sarah, Ioſeph to burie Iaakob, Iſrael to burie Samuel, Nichodemus to burie Chriſt, and the Diſciples to burie Iohn the Baptiſt, and Steuen the firſt Martyr that ſuffered after Chriſt.

9 It is one of Gods iudgements to want buriall. Iere. 22.19.

10 The Saints complaine for the want of it, ſaying, Pſal. 79.3. The dead bodies of thy ſeruants hauehave they giuen to bee meate vntounto the fowles of heauen, and the fleſh of thy Saints vntounto the beaſts of the earth. Their blood hauehave they ſhed like water round about Ieruſalem, and there was none to burie them.

11 Ioſeph gaue commandement concerning his bones. Gen. 50. and Tobiah of his bodie. Tob 14.

12 Many heathen people hauehave been very carefull of this dutie. The Egyptians embalmed, p. 186and ſo buried their dead: and the Hebrewes made a law, that no enemy ſhould lie vnburied.

Queſt. What thinke you of the place of buriall?

Anſw. Abraham bought a field for the buriall of his dead. Gen. 24.

Chriſt was buried in a garden, according to the cuſtome of the Iewes. Ioh. 20.

The Turkes at this day burie none in their Cities: and it was one of the lawes of the 12. Tables, amongſt the Romanes, that none ſhould be buried within thē walles.

Amongſt Chriſtians, Churches and Church yards are appointed for the dead; and to the end that the dead might not annoy the liuing, it were well if Gouernours would be carefull to prouide larger places of buriall: for this would be a meanes,

1 To kéepe the City from contagion.

2 That our dead bodies ſhould not bee raked vp againe.

3 To ſhew our care for the Saints departed.

4 To take away the fond conceit of many, who thinke it a great bleſſing to bee buried in a Church, eſpecially if it bee in the Chancell, néere the Altar.

Quest. Ought there any care to bee had to keepe Churchyards in good ſort

p. 187Anſw. There ought: 1 They are the houſes of Chriſtians, and as it were chambers, or beds to ſléepe in.

2 They are places to which we may reſort, to bee put in minde of our future mortalitie.

3 It argues little charitie to abuſe thoſe places where our friends lie buried.

4 The Romans had this Law, Let the place where the dead are buried be accounted holy: and the Romaniſts hauehave diuers good Canons againſt ſuch as ſhal any way abuſe euen Church yards: and it were to bee wiſhed, that it were looked to amongſt vsus.

Queſt. What thinke you of making monuments for the dead?

Anſw. I remember Tullie ſaith, that the Romans had a law that no man ſhould build a more coſtly Sepulchre, then could be finiſhed in thrée daies. Lib. 2. de Leg.

The Egyptians builded gorgeous Sepulchres, and meane houſes, becauſe the one was to them but as an Inne; the other, as they thought, an eternall habitation. Celius Rhodig.

Now that great, and good men ſhould hauehave monuments, as it is a thing indifferent, ſo I thinke it not ſimply vnlawfull.

1 The Iewes vſed ſuch: as wee may ſée in the Bible: Dauid (ſaith the Scripture) p. 188is dead, and his Sepulchre is with vsus to this day. Act. 2.29.

2 By them wee may be put in minde of that glorious habitation wee ſhall hauehave in Heauen.

3 It is an argument that we loued ſuch perſons, whom we thus honour after their death.

4 We kéepe a memorie of their excellent vertues.

5 We are moued to follow them in good actions.

6 It diſtinguiſheth betwixt perſon and perſon: for though all die alike, yet all muſt not be alike buried. But note that the beſt monument is to be ſet vp in the heartes of good people, for good workes; and the next is to leaue a godly poſteritie: as for the monuments which the wicked leaue, they argue.

1 Their pride, that they would leaue a name vponupon earth.

2 Their infidelitie, that they looke not for the reſurrection of the iuſt.

3 Their couetouſnes, that they will carrie that to the graue with them, which better might hauehave béene ſpent vponupon the poore.

4 Their folly, to build ſuch a ſepulchre, as when men looke vponupon it, ſhall remember their bad and beaſtly life.

p. 189Queſt. Are the dead, thinke you, to bee mourned for?

Anſw. Solon gaue commandement, that the Common-wealth ſhould mourne for him: but Ennius would not be mourned for. But as for vsus Chriſtians, though we muſt not, with ſuperſtitious Nations, hire mourning Women to lament for vsus, yet it is lawfull to deplore the departure of the dead: for.

1 As the Egyptians mourned for Iaakob ſeuentie daies, ſo his children lamented him ſeuen daies. Gen. 50.

2 Abraham mourned for Sarah, Iſrael for Ioſias and Samuel, the faithfull for Steuen, the women for Dorcas, and Dauid for his good friend Ionathan.

3 It was an argument of Gods wrath againſt Iekoniah, that no man ſhould ſay for him, Alas my brother: Ierem. 22.18.

4 We receiue much good by the preſence of our friends: and why ſhould wee not bewaile their abſence?

5 If they were godly wee muſt lament them:

1 Becauſe they did much good in their callings. Acts. 9.39.

2 Becauſe the World was bleſſed by them. Prou. 11.11.

3 Becauſe wee may feare ſome iudgement p. 190after their departure. Iſay 58.2.

4 Becauſe oftentimes worſe come in their ſtead.

5 Becauſe the wicked will then be more readie to ſinne.

6 Becauſe they were great ornaments in the Church, or Common-wealth, in which they liued. Lament. 4.20.

And if they be godleſſe, we muſt mourne for them, eſpecially becauſe we cannot bee perſwaded, but that they are gone to the pit of perdition. 2 Sam. 18.33.

Yet we muſt remember that we kéepe a meane in mourning, and looke that our ſorrow be not,

1 In ſelfe louelove, becauſe wee hauehave loſt ſome good by them.

2 In diſtruſt, as though we had no hope that they ſhould riſe againe. 1. Theſſ. 4.

3 In hypocriſie, that we may ſéeme only to men to mourne.

4 In exceſſe, as though there were no comfort for vsus that are aliue, becauſe God hath taken away the comfort of our life. Cyprians ſpéech is verie good in this thing: Why, ſaith he, doeſt thou take it impatiently, that he is taken from thee, whom thou beleeueſt that he ſhal returne? He is but gone a iournie, whom thou thinkeſt quite gone. Hee that goes before, is not to bee lamented, but p. 191rather deſired. And this deſire is to bee tempered with patience. Why art thou grieued that he is gone, whom thou muſt follow? We ought not to lament them ouer much, who by the calling of God are freed from miſerie; they are not for euer ſent away, but for a while ſent before. They are but gone a iournie, we muſt looke for their returne: ſailed into a ſtrange Countrie; they will, if we waite, come againe.

So alſo is that of the Wiſe man, Ecclus. 38.16. My ſonne, powre out teares ouer the dead, and begin to mourne, as if thou hadſt ſuffered ſome great harme thy ſelfe; and then couer his bodie according to his appointment and neglect not his buriall. Make a grieuous lamentation, and bee earneſt in mourning, and vſe lamentation as hee is worthie, and that a day or two, left thou be euill ſpoken of, and then comfort thy ſelfe for thine heauineſſe, &c.

Queſt. May mourning apparrell be vſed at funerals?

Anſw. If the heart mourne as wel as the habite, I doe not thinke it vtterly vnlawful for:

1 By it we kéep a memory of our friend.

2 We are drawne to ſome humiliation.

3 We are put in mind of our owne mortalitie.

p. 1924 It argues his louelove that beſtowes it vponupon vsus.

5 By this meanes many poore are clothed.

6 It is but a Legacie of the dead to the liuing

Queſt. And what thinke you of funerall Sermons? for many thinke it ſinne to preach at that time.

Anſ. I doubt not, but they may be preached: for,

1 Wee muſt preach in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon.

2 Many come then to the houſe of God: and why ſhould they depart emptie away?

3 It is a fit time to teach that one day we muſt die.

4 Many accidents fall out in a mans ſickneſſe, which are fit to bee publiſhed at ſuch a time.

5 Many worthie vertues hauehave ſhined in ſome mans life, which for the imitation in others, are not to bee buried at his death.

6 Many corruptions hauehave raigned in ſome, which then wee may bee exhorted to auoide.

7 They are not for the bare commendation of the dead, but for the inſtruction and conſolation of them that are aliue.

p. 193Queſt. And doe you thinke that any would bee content to hauehave his infirmities laid out at his funerall?

Anſw. Whether hee will or not, if God may get honour, and the Church good; there is no wrong to the dead, to admoniſh the liuing that they take héed of ſuch ſinnes.

I will deliuer vntounto you a rare example: I knew a Gentleman of good ſort, who ſeldome came to the Church in the time of his health; I was ſent for to him in the time of his ſickneſſe, and after many inſtructions deliuered vntounto him, he vttered vntounto me this ſpeech: Sir, I am beholding to you for this paines, and thanke God for this comfort. But if God had now denied this fauour vntounto mee, hee ſhould hauehave dealt with me but according to iuſtice; I hauehave liued a good time in this Pariſh, I hauehave beene inuited by my friends, called by the Bel, mooued by the good report I heard of you and others, to come to this Church: but I made many excuſes, as of ſickneſſe, and going to other places, and did not come. And though I hauehave many ſinnes which I muſt anſwere for, yet none at this time grieueth mee more, then that I hauehave liued vnderunder a painfull Miniſterie, and yet was neuer partaker of it: ſo that you, and the whole Pariſh may iudge that I am either of no Religion, or of a contrarie Religion to that which is profeſſed in this p. 194Kingdome: pray for mee that this ſinne may bee pardoned: heare me make a confeſſion of my faith, and that I die in the faith of Chriſt, and am heartily ſorrie for this mine offence: I pray you therefore make it knowne when I am dead.

An. This I did, and thus muſt we do, ye… in diſcretion, that we may not be thought biters of the dead: if either for crownes or gownes we doe otherwiſe, it is a ſinne.

Queſt. You propounded in the beginning fiue thinges which I ought euer to meditate on. The firſt is expounded to my great comfort: concerning the ſecond, which is Chriſts paſſion and death, what ought I eſpecially to thinke of?

Anſw. It is neceſſarie indéed you ſhould thinke often of it: for nothing will make you more willing to die, then to be perſwaded that Chriſt by his death hath waſhed you from ſinnes, and by his reſurrection hath giuen vntounto you eternall life.

I remember that Hierome complaining much of the people of his time, that they had little féeling of the paſſion of Chriſt, crieth out after this ſort: EueryEvery Creature ſuffereth together with Chriſt, at his ſuffering: the Sun is darkened: the Earth is mooued: the Rockes cleaue a ſunder: the Vaile of the Temple is diuided: the graues are opened: only miſerable p. 195man ſuffereth not with Chriſt, for whom alone Chriſt ſuffered.

And Saint Bernard complaining of himſelfe, ſaith: I went on ſecurely knowing nothing of that fearefull iudgement of God, which was in heauen denounced againſt mee: and behold, the Sonne of a Virgin, the Sonne of the moſt high God is ſent, and commanded to be ſlaine, that by the precious balme of his blood hee might heale all my wounds. Conſider, O man, how great are thoſe wounds for the curing of which the Lord Chriſt muſt needs be wounded. If theſe wounds had not beene deadly, yea and to eternall death, the Sonne of God would neuer hauehave dyed, that he might cure them.

And that Auguſtine, meditating on the paſſion of Chriſt, ſaith, The Croſſe of Chriſt it to vsus the cauſe of all happineſſe: it hath deliuered vsus from the blindneſſe of error: it hath reſtored vsus from darkneſſe to light: it hath conioyned vsus, being aliens, to God: wee were farre from him, it hath brought vsus to his preſence: wee were pilgrime Citizens, it ſhewed vsus to him: his croſſe is the cutting off of diſcord, the foundation of peace, aboundance and largeſſe of all gifts.

Queſt. What then is the paſſion of Chriſt?

Anſw. It is that al-ſufficient ſacrifice of p. 196the Sonne of God, whereby he offered himſelfe to the Father, that he might merit for all that beléeue in him, iuſtification, by this obedience, ſanctification, by his Spirit, redemption, by his death, and eternall life, by his reſurrection from the dead.

Queſt. What moued Chriſt thus to ſuffer?

Anſw. 1 The good will and pleaſure of the Father.

2 The miſery of mankinde.

3 Gods infinite and vnſpeakeable louelove.

4 The voluntary obedience of Chriſt himſelfe.

Queſt. Of what continuance was this paſſion of his?

An. From the day of his birth, till the houre of his reſurrection.

Queſt. Tell me what he ſuffered from his birth till his death?

Anſw. He ſuffered in his body, circumciſion, hunger, weeping, and wearineſſe: in his ſoule, temptation, and heauineſſe: in his eſtate, pouerty, and needineſſe: in his name, ignominy, and contemptuouſneſſe: in perſon, perſecution, and weakeneſſe: and in his whole life, miſerie, and wretchedneſſe: and to this end onelyonly, that he, thus freeing vsus from deſerued ignominy, might bring vsus in the ende vntounto eternall glory.

Queſt. But becauſe his greateſt ſuffering p. 197was about, and at his death, ſhew mee firſt what he ſuffered not long before he died?

Anſ. When Dauid conſidered by the ſpirit of prophecie, of this point, he ſaith, The ſorrowes of the graue hauehave compaſſed mee, the troubles of hel hauehave taken hold vponupon me. And when Ieremy did conſider it by the ſame Spirit, he crieth out in the perſon of Chriſt, Lament. 1.12. HaueHave you no regard, all yee that paſſe by this way? Behold and … if there bee any ſorrow like vntounto my ſorrow, which is done vntounto mee, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted mee, in the day of his fierce wrath: from aboue he hath ſent fire into my bones, which preuaileth againſt them: hee hath ſpread a net for my feet, and turned mee backe; hee hath made mee deſolate and daily in heauineſſe.

He was in a Garden where Adam tranſgreſſed, his ſoule was heauy vntounto death, hee ſweat drops, or rather cloddes of bloud, trickling downe vntounto the ground, and was conſtrained to cry, Father, if it bee poſſible let this cup paſſe from mee. There hee was aſſaulted by Satan, betrayed by Iudas, apprehended by Souldiers, and forſaken of all his profeſſed Diſciples.

Queſt. And why, thinke you, was his ſoule thus perplexed?

Anſ. Not for the feare of a bodily death; p. 198for that, he might, if he would, hauehave auoided: But,

1 The meditation of ſinnes tyranny, deaths victory, and Satans malice, al which had made hauocke of mankinde.

2 The conſideration of thoſe curſed contumelies, and that damnable death, which he was to vndergoe in his bleſſed body.

3 The thoughts he had of mans ingratitude, who was not thankefull nor mindeful of ſo great ſaluation.

4 The ſenſe and féeling of Gods wrath, which hee ſuſteined, and ſatiſfied for our ſinnes.

Queſt. When he was apprehended and brought vntounto Caiphas, ſurely the high Prieſt would vſe him well.

Anſ. Nay, hee is by him arraigned as a theefe, mocked as a foole, accuſed as an incendiary, ſtricken as one contemptible, and ſpit vponupon, as an execrable perſon; and all this to frée vsus from that ſhamefull execration.

Qu. Was he no better vſed when he came before Pilate?

Anſw. Not a whit: for,

1 Hee was accuſed as a ſeducer of the people, a ſeditious perſon, a conſpiratour againſt the State, a ſubuerter of the Nation, an enemy to Caeſar, and that he ſaid of himſelfe, p. 199he was Chriſt the King. This he ſuffered, that ſo he might deriue, and take to himſelfe that rebellion againſt Gods Maieſtie, whereof we all were guilty in Adam; and, by this humiliation, make ſatiſfaction to God for vsus. If he had defended himſelfe, we had beene accuſed, or acquitted himſelfe, we had periſhed; but as a Lambe before the ſhearer; he opened not his mouth, that wee might hauehave liberty to call vponupon God.

2 He is ballanced with Barabbas, and thought lighter then a murderer: hee is condemned by a Iudge in the name of the whole Empire: and being thus condemned (though pronounced innocent) hee is ſcorned by Souldiers, attired like a foole, beaten with rods, ſpit vponupon with reproch; and only becauſe he bare the iniquities of vsus all. Iſai. 53.

3 He is caſt out of the City, to giuegive vsus a City; hee carried his Croſſe, to carry our ſinnes: he is brought to Golgatha, to ſuffer our reproach: he is crucified on the Croſſe, to giuegive vsus a crowne, euen a crowne of glory, reſerued in heauen for vsus. 1. Pet. 1.

4 He was crucified with theeues, that he might glorifie vsus with Angels: with his hands ſpread abroad, that he might call all p. 200vntounto him: with his naked body, that wee might not be aſhamed of our nakedneſſe in heauen: with a feeling of thirſt, that hee might ſhew his deſire of our ſaluation: w…th drinking of gall, that hee might ſatiſfie for t…at deadly iuice which Adam ſucked out of the forbidden fruit: with his ſide pierced thorow, that the Church might bee waſhed with the blood and water that came out: with crying in feare, that wee might cry in faith: and with the loſſe of his life, that he might ſaue ours.

Queſt. O curſed Caiphas, who thus arraigned him! O curſed Pilate, who thus condemned! O thrice curſed both Iewes and Romans, who thus did execute the Sonne of God?

Anſw. Nay, rather curſed bee our ſins, for which he was arraigned, condemned, and executed. Hee that knew no ſinne, was made ſinne for vsus, that we might be made the righteouſneſſe of God in him. 2. Cor. 5. He was wounded for our tranſgreſſions, he was broken for our iniquities: the chaſtiſement of our peace was vponupon him, and with his ſtripes wee are healed. All wee like ſheepe hauehave gone aſtray, wee hauehave turned eueryevery one to his owne way, and the Lord hath laide vponupon him the iniquities of vsus all. Iſai. 53.5.6. Hee hath redeemed vsus from the curſe of the Law, p. 201being made a curſe for vsus, that wee might bee made the righteouſneſſe of God in him: Gal. 3.14. And, wee were not redeemed with corruptible things, as ſiluer and gold, from our vaine conuerſation, receiued by the traditions of the Fathers, but with the precious bloud of Chriſt, as of a Lambe vndefiled, and without ſpot.

Queſt. And at what time of the yeere did he ſuffer all this?

An. At Eaſter, at the feaſt of the Paſſouer, when the Iewes were commanded to kill a lambe in remembrance of their deliuerance out of Egypt, to ſhew that he was that lambe of God, that taketh away the ſinnes of the world; yea, and that Lambe, which in Gods counſell, and its owne efficacie, was ſlaine from the beginning of the world.

Queſt, You ſaid before, that our Sauiour was crucified: to what end did hee vndergoe this puniſhment?

Anſ. 1 That he might deriue the curſe of the Law from vsus vntounto himſelfe. Gal. 3.14.

2 That the corruption of our nature, being crucified with him, our inherent vitioſitie might be aboliſhed, that henceforth wee ſhould not ſerue ſinne. Rom. 6.6.

3 That hauing paied our debt, he might bring in, and cancell that hand-writing, wherewith wee were bounden, that ſo the p. 202memory of our ſinnes being blotted out, they might not appeare before God, againſt vsus.

5 That his bloud might bee a lauer, to purge our ſoules from all their ſpots of ſinne.

6 That we might ſo hauehave iuſt cauſe euer to acknowledge and magnifie the louelove of Chriſt towards vsus. Epheſ. 5.1.

Queſt. I ſee by this why Chriſt was crucified: but why did he die vponupon the Croſſe?

Anſw. 1 That hee might ratifie the eternall couenant and teſtament of grace. Heb. 9.15.

2 That he might aboliſh ſin. Rom. 6.10.

3 That he might take away the ſtipend of ſinne, which is death. Rom. 6.20. 2. Tim. 1.10.

4 That by death hee might ouercome him, who had the power of death, that is, the diuell. Heb. 2.14.

5 That he might take from vsus the feare of death. Heb. 2.15.

6 That we by it ſhould die ſo vntounto ſin, Rom. 6.11. that it ſhould no more reigne in our mortall bodies. Rom. 6.13.

7 That wee might belong properly to Chriſt. Rom. 7.4.

8 That they which liue, ſhould no more liue vntounto themſelues, but vntounto Chriſt, who p. 203died and roſe againe for vsus. 2. Cor. 5.15.

9 That wee might know and acknowledge the great louelove of Chriſt towards vsus. 1. Ioh. 3.16.

10 That wee might liue with Chriſt. 1. Theſſ. 5.10.

11 That we might learne to die couragiouſly, for his and our brethrens cauſe. 1. Ioh. 3.16.

12 That by this meanes, Gods mercy and iuſtice might both be glorifyed, in this redemption and ſaluation of mankinde Iohn 3.14.

Queſt. Is this death of Chriſt profitable to eueryevery ſingular man in the world?

Anſ. It was effectually profitable onelyonly to the elect: for,

1 He gaue his life for his ſheepe. Iohn 10.15.

2 Hee deliuered his people from their ſinnes Matth. 21.

3 For them he ſanctified himſelfe. Ioh. 17.

He praied onelyonly for them. Ioh. 17.

If he had died intentionally for all, and all had not beene ſaued, hee ſhould hauehave miſſed of his purpoſe.

4 Els the ſinne of man were of ability to diſanull the intent of Chriſt.

Queſt. How is Chriſts death thus meritorious?

p. 204Anſw. 1 In that hée was both God and man. Acts 20.

2 In that it was a voluntary death. Philip. 2.7.

Queſt. Tell mee now what benefit comes vntounto me by this death of Chriſt?

Anſw. Great eueryevery way: for by it,

1 There is ſuch a ſatiſfaction made fully for your ſinnes, that they ſhall neuer riſe vp in iudgement againſt you. 1. Ioh. 1.7.

2 God is pacified, and reconciled to man Rom. 3.24.

3 Satan is ouercome. Gen. 3.15.

4 Death is ſwallowed vp in victory, and the feare thereof is ſo taken away, that to the faithfull, it is now nothing but a paſſage to eternall life. Hoſ. 13.14.

5 You are acquitted and iuſtified from your ſinnes. Rom. 4.25. & 5.19.

6 The Partition-wall betwixt Iewes and Gentiles is broken downe. Eph. 2.14.

7 All the faithfull, vnderunder both the Old and New Teſtament, are become ſubiect vntounto one Head, from which they were fallen, and are gathered into one body. Eph. 1.10. Coloſſ. 1.21.

8 The prophecies are accompliſhed, the Truth is become agreeable to the figure; of Sampſon, killing more at his death, then in his life; the braſen Serpent, which cured p. 205ſuch as looked vp vntounto it; and the ſacrifices which were offered before for ſinnes.

9 By the death of Chriſt, you euer die to ſinne, and crucifie the fleſh, with the affections and luſts. 1. Pet. 2.24. Rō. 6.6. Gal. 5.24.

10 In a word, by it you hauehave remiſſion of ſinnes, ſanctification of ſpirit, and euerlaſting life after death.

Queſt. What muſt I heere meditate of?

An. You muſt meditate: 1 Of the fearefull wrath of God againſt ſinners, which could not be appeaſed by any other meanes.

2 Of Gods great mercy, who to ſaue mankind, would hauehave his Sonne killed.

3 Of Chriſts great humility, who thus abaſed himſelfe to exalt vsus.

4 Of the vglineſſe of ſinne, which could by no other meanes be purged.

5 Of the eſtate of the members of Chriſt, who in this world muſt bee conformable to his paſſion.

6 That wee hate all ſinne and iniquity, for which Chriſt ſuffered, and by which we crucifie him againe. Auguſtines meditation is fit to bee thought on. The life of Chriſt (ſaith he) is to me a rule of my life; his death is my redemption from death. That inſtructeth my life: this hath for mee deſtroyed death.

And againe: Looke vponupon his wounds, p. 206when he hanged on the tree, his blood when he died, the price wherewith hee redeemed vsus. He hath his body ſo placed on the croſſe, as if hee bowed it downe to kiſſe thee: his armes ſpred out ready to embrace thee: and his whole body giuen to redeeme thee: Conſider how great things theſe are, weigh them in the ballance of thine heart, that he may be wholly faſtened in thine heart, who for thee wholly was faſtened to the croſſe.

And againe, meditate thus with that holy Father in his Soliloquies, and ſay, O Chriſt, the ſaluation of my ſoule, I hartily thanke thee for all thy benefits beſtowed vponupon mee from my youth till this mine olde age. I pray thee by thy ſelfe, forſake mee not. Thou didſt create me when I was nothing, thou didſt redeeme me, when I was worſe then nothing; I was dead, and when I was dead thou cameſt down vntounto me, and tookeſt vponupon thee mortality for my ſake. Thou a King cameſt to a ſubiect to redeeme a ſubiect. Thou didſt die and ouercome death, that I might liue. I was exalted by thee, when thou waſt humbled for me: ſuch was thy louelove towards mee, that thou gaueſt thy blood to be ſhed for me. O my Lord, thou didſt louelove me more then thy ſelf, becauſe thou wouldeſt die for me. By ſuch a meanes, by ſo deare a price thou haſt reſtored me from exile, redeemed me from thraldome, preſerued p. 207me from puniſhment, called me by thy name, ſigned me by thy bloud, annointed mee with that oile, wherewith thy ſelfe waſt annointed, that of thee, ô Chriſt, I am named a Chriſtian.

Thus thy mercy and grace hath euer preuented me.

Thus thou, my Deliuerer, haſt deliuered me from many great and grieuous dangers. Did I wander? thou broughteſt mee againe into the way. Was I ignorant? thou inſtructedſt mee. Did I ſinne? thou correctedſt mee. Was I ſorrowfull? thou comfortedſt mee. Did I deſpaire? thou ſtrengthnedſt mee. Did I fall? thou didſt helpe mee vp. Did I goe? thou didſt leade me. Did I come? thou didſt receiue me. Did I ſleepe? thou didſt watch ouer me. Did I cry? thou heardſt the voice of my complaints. Grant good Lord, that it may bee euer pleaſant vntounto me, to thinke often of theſe thy benefits, to ſpeake often of them, often to giuegive thee thankes for them, and to praiſe thee for euer and euer. Amen.

Queſt. But becauſe I cannot thus meditate of Chriſts paſſion, vnleſſe I bee able to apply it to my ſelfe, how ſhall I make this application?

Anſw. 1 By the word, 2. by faith, 3. by the Sacraments of Baptiſme, & the Lords Supper. By the word, Chriſt is offered as p. 208by the hand of God; by faith, he is receiued as by the hand of man; & by the ſacraments, he is ſealed vp vntounto vsus as the Kings letters patents are by his Broad ſeale. For as by the word of God his fauour is ſigned vntounto vsus, ſo the ſame fauour is by the ſacraments as a Broad ſeale ratified vntounto vsus, and by the ſpirit as a Priuy ſeale confirmed vntounto vsus.

Qu. Am I now bounden to follow Chriſt in his croſſe?

Anſw. You are aſſuredly. For,

1 You are a member of his body, will you not be like to your head?

2 You are a branch of him that true vine, will you not follow the roote?

3 You deſire to hauehave heauen, do you not know that by many tribulations you muſt goe thither?

4 You are one of Chriſts grapes; Chriſt was preſſed in Gods wine-preſſe: and would you giuegive out your ſwéet liquor without the like preſſing which he endured? Auguſtine ſaid well: When thou beginneſt to liue godly in Chriſt, thou art put into the wine-preſſe, prepare thy ſelfe that thy wine may be preſſed out.

5 It is an argument that God loues you not, if you endure no afflictions: you are a baſtard, and no ſonne, Heb. 12.14. An Heathen man could ſay thus much: No man is p. 209more miſerable then he who endureth no miſerie: it is a ſigne that hee is contemned of God as an idle and cowardly perſon. And if, ſaith Auguſtine, you will goe to Canaan, Nihil infelicius felicitate peccantium.you muſt goe as it were by fire and water thorow the wilderneſſe of this world. No creature is more vnhappy, then hee that is happy in ſinning.

6 You muſt follow him alſo in his death; and know that as he died, ſo you muſt alſo be willing to die: eſpecially, ſince nothing can free you from it. If Wiſdome could, Salomon had not died: if ſtrength, Sampſon had not died: if Riches, Diues had not died: if beauty, Abſalom had not died. Whereſoeuer we goe, if wée carrie with vsus not the vgly picture of death, as ſome Romaniſts doe, but the true picture of Chriſts death in our hearts, we ſhall neuer bee too fearefull of death.

Qu. I truſt I ſhall thus meditate of Chriſts death and paſſion: but is it not my duty at all times, eſpecially in ſickeneſſe to thinke often of his reſurrection?

Anſw. The Apoſtle Paul did account all things but loſſe and dung, for this excellent knowledge of Chriſts death, and the vertue of his reſurrection. Phil. 3.10.

Queſt. What is the vertue of his reſurrection?

p. 210Anſ. It is nothing elſe but the power of his Godhead, or the power of his Spirit, whereby he raiſed himſelfe mightily from the dead, and that on our behalfe.

For know this to your comfort, that he did riſe againe from the dead, not as a priuate, but as a publike perſon, ſo that all the elect hauehave, and are, by his reſurrection raiſed out of the graue of ſinne, by regeneration in this life, and ſhall one day by it be raiſed out of the graue of death, to eternal glorie in the life to come.

Qu. What vſe may I make of this.

Anſw. By it:

1 You may bee comforted againſt the feare of all your ſpirituall enemies, and ſay thus to your ſicke ſoule; Chriſt is riſen againe from the dead, and ſo hath ſubdued all mine enemies vnderunder me, & will daily more and more ſubdue them in me. I may hauehave afflictions in this world: but Chriſt bids me to bee of good comfort, for he hath ouercome the world, Ioh. 16.33. and, This is the victory that ouercommeth the world, euen my faith, 1. Ioh. 5.4. I will ſay with Dauid: Why art thou diſquieted, O my ſoule, and why art thou troubled within me? The Lord is on my ſide, I will not feare, what either man, or miſerie, or ſin, or death, or hell, or the Diuel can doe againſt mee. I p. 211hauehave God to bée my Father, and Chriſt to be my elder brother; I will not feare in the euil day. I am not alone, Chriſt is my companion. This ſhall be my ſtudie, to beléeue thinges inuiſible, to hope for that which is deferred, and to louelove God to the end, though he writeth bitter things againſt me, and maketh mee to poſſeſſe the ſinnes of my youth. Though hee kill me, I will truſt in him. I am in Chriſt Ieſus, and therefore fréed by his bonds, healed by his ſtripes, crucified by his death, raiſed by his reſurrection, iuſtified by his obedience, ſanctified by his ſpirit, and glorified by his glorious Aſcenſion into Heauen. Now my fleſh, by the benefit of Chriſt, who roſe againe in my fleſh, is not ſpe, but re, not in hope, but indéede ſaued. For in him mine head, it is alreadie both riſen and aſcended vp into Heauen. My fleſh, being ſafe in this her head, ſhall bee alſo ſaued in her members. Let them ſecurely triumph, their head will neuer forſake them.

2 You muſt learne to riſe from ſinne, to newneſſe of life; to ſéeke thoſe thinges that are aboue, and not thoſe thinges which are beneath: to ſet your affections on Heauen, and heauenly things. If you be partaker of the firſt reſurrection, the ſecond death ſhall take no hold of you, Reuel. 20.6. If you doe not this, Chriſts death ſhal doe you no good: p. 212For as hee died and roſe againe: ſo muſt you riſe from ſinne to righteouſneſſe, and from death to life. Therefore awake thou that ſleepeſt, and ſtand vp from the dead, and Chriſt ſhall giuegive thee life. Epheſ. 5.14.

Queſt. If I can thus meditate of Chriſts death and reſurrection, I doubt not but death will bee better welcome: for if I weare his Crowne of thornes, I ſhall one day weare his Crowne of glorie: If I can pledge him in his Cup of gall, I ſhall drinke of his ſweet wine: If I die with him in this World, I ſhall liue with him in that which is to come. But you told mee that I muſt meditate of the deceitfulneſſe of this World: muſt I doe ſo, that I may leaue it more willingly?

Anſw. You muſt néeds doe it; the World is like Laban, it will giuegive you Leah for Rachel: it will change your wages: it wil ſend you with Iaakob emptie away. It is a Syren; it will ſing to you, to ſinke you. It is as Iael, Hebers wife, it will offer you milke and couer you with a mantle, and in the end ſtrike a naile into the temples of your head. It will ſalute you as Ioab did Amaſa, and kill you as Amaſa was by Ioab killed. With Iudas it will kiſſe you, and with Iudas alſo it will betray you. For this cauſe,

Salomon cried, Vanitie of vanities: all is but vanitie.

p. 113Iohn ſaid, LoueLove not this World nor the thinges of this World; hee that loueth this World, the louelove of the Father is not in him. 1. Ioh. 2.16.

To this purpoſe, the Fathers hauehave many notable Meditations. Auguſtine ſaid;

This World is more dangerous fauning then fighting; and more to be auoided when ſhe inticeth to louelove, then when ſhee compelleth to contempt.

Againe: O yee louers of this World, for what doe you labour? hauehave you heere any greater hope, then to become friendes of this World? what is there which is not fraile and full of perill? and by how many perils doe you come to a greater perill? This life is miſerable; death vncertaine, it comes vnawares: and after all the puniſhment of our negligence is eternall puniſhment.

Againe: The World paſſeth away and the luſts thereof. What wilt thou doe? whether wilt thou louelove temporall thinges, and paſſe away with time, or louelove Chriſt, and liue for euer?

Againe: Behold, the World is troubleſome, and we like it: what would wee doe if it were calme? how would wee cleaue vntounto beautie if wee ſo affect deformitie? how faſt would wee gather the flowers, who fill our hands with the thornes?

p. 214Againe: This ruinous World is beloued of vsus: what would we doe if the building were faire?

Againe: The Lords of this World hauehave true aſperitie, falſe iucunditie, certaine miſerie, and hopeleſſe felicitie.

Gregorie ſaid; Beholde, this World which wee louelove ſo much, paſſeth away. Theſe Saints, at whoſe monuments wee ſtand, did contemne the then floriſhing World: they had long life, continuall health, rich eſtate, many children, long peace: and yet when that World floriſhed in it ſelfe, it withered in their hearts. Beholde, now it withereth in it ſelfe, and floriſheth in our hearts. Euerie where death, ſorrow, deſolation is at hand. Wee are beaten on all ſides, filled on all ſides are we with bitterneſſe and yet being blinded with carnall concupiſcence, we louelove the bitterneſſe of this World: ſhee flieth, we purſue her: ſhe falleth, we leane vponupon her: and becauſe wee cannot keepe her from falling, we fal with her, whom we hold falling.

Bernard ſaid: Hee that begins to thinke Chriſt ſweet, will eſteeme quickly the world as bitter.

Againe: This World is full of thornes: they are in the Earth: they ſticke in thy fleſh. To bee amongſt them, and not to bee hurt by them, proceeds from Gods power, not our owne.

p. 215Againe: The World crieth, I wil faile th… the fleſh crieth, I will infect thee: the Deuill crieth, I will deceiue thee: but Chriſt crieth, I will refreſh thee.

Againe: The danger of this World is ſeene in the paueitie of ſuch as paſſe well thorow it, and the multitude that periſh in it. In the Maſſilian Sea, of foure Shippes ſcant one is drowned: in the Sea of this World, of foure ſoules ſcant one is ſaued.

Chryſostome ſaid, The World is a Sea, the Church a Ship, the Saile Repentance, the Rudder the Croſſe, the Pilot Chriſt, and the Holy Ghoſt the Windes.

I would with you therefore to bid this vaine World Adieu, and to ſay with the bleſſed Apoſtle Saint Paul: God forbid that I ſhould reioyce in any thing ſaue in the croſſe of Chriſt, whereby the World is crucified to me, and I vntounto the World.

Queſt. I ſhall doe this the better, if you tell mee what God hath prepared for mee in Heauen: and of this I deſire to be inſtructed from you.

Anſw. The Apoſtle Paul, thinking vponupon this ſaith: The Eye hath not ſeene, the Eare hath not heard, neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceiue the good things which God hath prepared for them which louelove him.

p. 216The Eye, ſaith Auguſtine, hath not ſeene it, becauſe it is not Colour; the Eare hath not heard it, becauſe it is not a Sound; the Heart cannot comprehend it, becauſe it muſt Comprehend the heart: and this wee ſhall more fully perceiue, by how much wee doe more Faithfully, beléeue, Firmely expect, and Ardently deſire.

God (ſaith the ſaid Father) hath prepared that for them that louelove him, which cannot be Apprehended by faith, Attained to by hope, or obtained by charitie: it tranſcendeth our deſires and wiſhes: it may be Obtained, it cannot be valued.

Queſt. Yet that I may get ſuch a glimpſe of that glorie, begin with mine eſtate after I am dead; what ſhall I enioy in the Kingdome of Heauen?

Anſ. You ſhall be carried to the Boſome of Abraham: the Celeſtiall Paradiſe: the Houſe of your Father: the new Holy and durable Ieruſalem: you ſhall then enter into your Maſters Ioy: you ſhal hauehave an Inheritance immortall, vndefiled, which withereth not, reſerued in the Heauens: you ſhall Reſt from your labours, hauehave Peace from your Enemies, and behold the Glorie of God in Chriſt Ieſus: in which place ſhall bee ſuch, and ſo many ioyes, as all the Arithmeticians in the World are not able to number them: p. 217all the Geometricians are not able to weigh them: all the Grammarians, Rhetoricians, and Logicians are not able to expreſſe them in fit termes. There ſhall bee ioy aboue vsus for the Viſion of God, about vsus for the viſion of the Angels, beneath vsus for the viſion of the Heauens, and within vsus for the viſion of Happineſſe. There Salomons wiſdome ſhall be reputed but folly: Abſaloms beautie but deformitie: Azaels ſwiftneſſe but ſlowneſſe: Sampſons ſtrength but weakneſſe: Methuſalaes long age but infancie: and the Kingdome of Auguſtus Caeſar but beggerie.

Queſt. By what meanes ſhall I obtaine this happineſſe?

Anſw. By Gods merciemercy that giueth it: by Chriſts Merit that bought it: by the Goſpell that offereth it: by Faith that receiueth it: and by the Spirit that ſealeth it vntounto your ſoule.

Queſt. What is the obiect of it?

Anſ. The Viſion, knowledge and comprehenſion of God in Chriſt. We ſhal indéed behold the Angels, and enioy their companie: ſée the Saints and hauehave their ſocietie. But as the ioy of a Courtier is in the preſence of his Prince: ſo the ioy of a Chriſtian ſhall be in the preſence of his Chriſt. Bleſſed are the pure in heart: for they ſhall ſee God: Matthew. 5.8. Bleſſed are they that dwell p. 218in thine houſe, for they ſhall euer praiſe thee: Pſal. 8.4. We ſhall ſee him as he is: 1. Ioh. 3.3.

The Angels doe this in the Kingdome of Heauen: and wee ſhall doe it in the ſame Kingdome. Here we liue by faith there we ſhall liue by ſight.

Queſt. Is this felicitie prepared for all?

Anſw. For all that beleeue it is prepared. The Elect hauehave obtained it, the reſt are hardened, Rom. 11.7. In eueryevery Nation, hee that feareth God, and worketh righteouſneſſe, is accepted of him: Acts 10. There is neither Iew nor Gentile, Grecian or Barbarian, Male or Female, Bond or Free; but wee are all one in Chriſt Ieſus. Gal. 3.27.

Queſt. Shall my bodie only, or my ſoule only. or both bodie and ſoule enioy this felicitie?

Anſw. Both bodie and ſoule: your ſoule ſhal be ſanctified throughout and your body made like vntounto the glorious bodie of Chriſt Ieſus. Phil. 3.20.

Queſt. Shall this very bodie of mine riſe againe to life after death?

Anſw. It ſhall aſſuredly: for,

1 The Lord keepeth all the bones of his Saints, that not one of them ſhall be broken: Pſal. 34.21. and there ſhall not an haire of our head periſh. Luke 21.18.

2 EueryEvery one ſhall receiue in his bodie p. 219that which he hath done, be it good or euill. 2. Cor. 5.10.

3 God hath conſecrated this bodie of yours, to be a Temple for the holie Ghoſt to dwell in. 1. Cor. 3.16.

4 This corruptible ſhall put on incorruption, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1. Cor. 15. This ſaith he, pointing as with the finger at the ſame ſubſtance; and could not ſpeake more expreſly, vnleſſe hee ſhould hauehave taken his owne ſkinne, with his owne hands, as Tertullian well obſerued.

5 Chriſt roſe againe in his owne bodie: and you ſhall riſe as he did.

6 In this bodie, you hauehave ſuffered for Chriſt, liued for Chriſt, and in it you ſhall reigne with Chriſt.

7 You ſhall be happie: but how happie, if one part ſhould periſh: ſaith Tertullian, in his booke of the Reſurrection of the fleſh?

8 I am ſure, ſaith Iob, that my Redéemer liueth, & though after my ſkin wormes deſtroy this bodie, yet ſhall I ſée God in my fleſh, whom I my ſelfe ſhall ſée, and mine eyes ſhall behold, and none other for mee, though my reines are now conſumed within me. Iob. 19.25.

Queſt. O that you could teach me this by ſome ſuch compariſons, as might confirme p. 220my faith concerning this doctrine: for there are many Sadduces in the world at this day who denie the reſurrection of the bodie.

Anſw. Indéed I remember, that Gregorie in his Morals hath a like ſaying of ſome in his time. There are, ſaith he, a number of people, who (conſidering, that the ſoule is diſſolued from the bodie, that the bodie is turned into rottenneſſe, that rottenneſſe returneth to duſt, and that this duſt is reſolued into the firſt elements) cannot ſee how that by reaſon there ſhould be any reſurrection; and, beholding drie and dead bones, miſtruſt that they ſhall not againe bee clothed with their fleſh, and ſo reuiue. Such men, though they cannot by faith beleeue as they ought the bodies reſurrection, yet let them be perſwaded by this naturall reaſon; What, I pray, then doth the whole world, but imitate our reſurrection daily in her elements? For wee ſee daily, that trees in winter want both leaues and fruit: and behold, ſuddenly in the ſpring time, out of a drie tree, as it were by a new reſurrection, leaues bud out, fruits ripen, and the whole tree is apparelled with her reuiued beautie. Let them behold the dead kernell ſet into the earth, how a tree ſprouteth out of it: and let them deuiſe if they can, where that great tree was in ſo ſmall a ſeede. Where was the bodie? where p. 221the barke? where the branches? where the greene leaues? where that plentie of fruit? Do they not perceiue that all theſe were in the kernell, or ſeede, before it was caſt into the ground? Why then ſhould they wonder, how a little duſt, reſolued into elements, ſhould, when God will, become a liuing bodie againe? ſeeing that ſo ſmall a ſeed, comming firſt out of a tree, ſhould by the power of God, become an huge tree againe. For, as the tree is in the kernell, ſo are our bodies in the glorified bodie of Chriſt.

In the man Chriſt (ſaith Caſsiodorus) is the fleſh of eueryevery one of vsus; yea, our very blood, and a portion of vsus. Therefore I beleeue, that where my portion reigneth, there ſhall I reigne: where mine owne blood ruleth, there do I perceiue that I ſhall rule: where my fleſh is glorified, there know I that I ſhall be glorious. And why then ſhall it ſéeme ſtrange vntounto you, that God is able to raiſe your body againe at the laſt day? A Tayler can rip a garment, and ſet it together againe, though it bee in a thouſand pieces: a Clockmaker can take aſunder eueryevery wheele of a watch, and ioyne it together again: and ſhal not God be able to doe the like for your bodie? Why, my deare brother, did God create you of nothing, & can he not reſtore you p. 222from ſomething? doth not he hold all the elements in his hands? is not he more ſkilful, then that Alchymiſt, who can extract the quinteſſence of any ſubſtance, or that goldſmith, who though many mettals bee mingled together, yet can he ſeuer each one to his firſt ſubſtance? is not he the Lord God of all fleſh? is there any thing hard to him: Ierem. 32? Can the Phoenix riſe out of her own aſhes, and ſhall not you ariſe out of your owne duſt? Can the trees reuiue againe in the ſpring, and cannot you reuiue againe at the laſt day? You ſée that many birds and flies are dead all winter, and reuiue in ſummer: you know that the corne which at the ſéede time is caſt into the ground, groweth vp in harueſt. Shall God (ſaith Auguſtine) quicken the rotten and dead graines of ſeed, whereby thou liueſt in this world, and ſhall bee not much more raiſe thee vp, that thou maieſt liue for euer? Know then, that as eueryevery night hath his day, eueryevery Sunſetting his Sunriſing, eueryevery ſleeping his awaking, eueryevery labour his reſt, and euerie winter his ſpring time: ſo, euerie death ſhall hauehave his life. Say then, euen when you are to die, Poſt tenebras spero lucem: After darkeneſſe I hope for light, Iob. 17.12. For, if the Spirit of him that raiſed vp Ieſus Chriſt from the p. 223dead dwel in you, he that raiſed vp Chriſt from the dead, ſhal alſo quicken your mortall body, by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Reade, and reade often the 1. Cor. 15. chapter, and thoſe two golden Chapters of the laſt reſurrection, and eternall life, in Bucanus his Inſtitutions, and you ſhall be much comforted and confirmed in this point.

Queſt. I beleeue that I ſhall ſee the goodneſſe of the Lord in the land of the liuing: but when I ſee him, what ſhall bee the qualities where with my body ſhall be adorned?

Anſ. It ſhall be, 1 Immortall: for, this mortall ſhal put on immortalitie. 1. Cor. 15.

2 Incorruptible: for, this corruptible ſhall put on incorruption. 1. Cor. 15.

3 Spirituall: it is ſowen a naturall body, it ſhall riſe a ſpirituall bodie. 1. Cor. 15.

4 Strong: it is ſowen in weaknes, it ſhal riſe in ſtrength. 1. Cor. 15.

5 Perfect: for, as Adam was in his firſt creation, and Chriſt after his reſurrection, ſo ſhall you be at the reſurrection of the iuſt.

6 Beautifull: it ſhall ſhine like the ſtars, be bright as the Sunne, and cleare as Cryſtall. Dan. 12. Matth. 22. 1. Cor. 15.1 Cor 15The glory of the heauenly bodies is one, & the glorie of the earthly bodies is another.

Queſt. Why ſaith the Apoſtle, that our bodies ſhall be ſpirituall bodies?

p. 224Anſw. Not that the eſſence ſhall be changed, but the qualities of that eſſence: they are called ſpirituall;

1 Becauſe they ſhall giuegive themſelues wholly to be gouerned by the Spirit.

2 They ſhall be vpheld by the power of the Spirit: ſo that they ſhall need no meat or drinke: but, by the Spirit of Chriſt, ſhall be nouriſhed to eternall life.

Queſt. And why ſay you they ſhall be perfect?

Anſw. Becauſe as there is no pollution in heauen, ſo ſhall there be no imperfection. The yong infant ſhal not riſe in his infancy, nor the aged perſon in his decrepite age, nor the blind perſon without his fight, nor hée that is borne lame or imperfect, with that imperfection: but ſéeing our reſurrection is a new creation, we ſhall then be as in our firſt creation: Aug. lib. 11. de ciuit. Dei, cap. 13. And in his Enchiridion to Laurentius, he ſaith: The bodies of the Saints ſhall riſe without any maime, without any deformitie, without any corruption, without difficultie, in which there ſhall be as great facilitie, as there is felicitie. Lyra ad Epheſ. cap. 4. ver. 13.

Looke to the 1, Adam created a perfect man: the 2, Adam riſing a perfect man: and Gods promiſe Philip. 3.21. 1. Cor. 15. p. 22549. to make our bodies like Chriſts bodie, and you will reſolue w… comfort of this truth.

Queſt. As my bodie ſhall be thus renued, ſo ſhall not my ſoule be renued?

Anſw. It ſhall: Then ſhall the glorious Image of God ſhine in it: for:

1 Your vnderſtanding ſhall be full of the knowledge of God, which he ſhall immediately reueale vntounto you.

2 Your will ſhall perfectly obey God.

3 All your affections ſhall be ſo purified and well ordered, that there ſhall be a ſwéet harmony betwixt all the faculties of your ſoule.

Queſt. Can you ſhew me this by any compariſon?

Anſw. Lactantius will do it for me. As a candle (ſaith he) while it is in the lanterne, it giueth a good light, and enlightneth the lanterne it ſelfe: and if it bee taken out, although the lanterne bee left darke, yet the candle ſhines more cléerely, than it did before: ſo while the ſoule is in the body, it is the light and gouernour thereof; and when it forſakes the bodie, although the bodie bee left dead, and inſenſible, yet then the ſoule enioyes her proper vigour and brightneſſe. Lib. 7. cap. 12. Diuin. Iuſtit.

p. 226Queſt. That I may the better thinke of this glorious e…tie, and eternall glorie, tell mee what the ancient Fathers hauehave thought of it?

Anſw. They indéed (ſequeſtring themſelues from the miſt and mudde of this preſent world) ſaw more clearely than we, the happineſſe of Paradiſe, and therefore they hauehave many diuine meditations of this matter. I will repeate ſome: and reade you to this purpoſe the two laſt Chapters of the Reuelation.

Auguſtine ſaid: Such is the beautie of eternall righteouſneſſe, ſuch is the ioy of that eternall light, that if wee might ſtay there but for one day, euen for that time alone, wee ſhould contemne the innumerable yeares of full delights, and circumfluence of all happineſſe.

Again: We can more eaſily tell what there is not in that eternall life, then what there is. There, there is no death, ſorrow, l…ſſitude, or infirmitie: There, there is no hunger, no thirſt, no heate, no corruption, no want, no mourning, no griefe.

Againe: Haſte, haſte to that place, where you ſhall liue for euer: for, if you ſo louelove this miſerable and mutable life, where you liue with ſuch labour; and for all your running, riding, ſweating, and ſighing, you can p. 227hardly prouide neceſſaries for your ſelues: how much more ought you to louelove eternall life? where you ſhall not labour, but enioy all ſecuritie, all felicitie, happie libertie, and happie bleſſedneſſe: where we ſhal be like Angels, the righteous ſhine like ſtars: where God ſhall be all in all vntounto them, who ſhal be ſeen without end, loued without wearineſſe, praiſed without irkſomeneſſe.

Againe: This inheritance, I meane this of Chriſt, by which we become fellow heires with him, is not leſſened by the multitude of poſſeſſors, nor ſtraitned by the number of heires; but it is as great to many as to few; to eueryevery one, as to all.

Againe: Doe we louelove riches? let vsus there keepe them, where they cannot be loſt. Do we louelove honor? let vsus there hauehave it, where honor is giuen to none but the worthy. Do wee deſire dignitie? let vsus there affect to get it, where being once gotten, we may not feare to loſe it. Do we louelove life? let vsus there ſeeke it, where it is not ended by death.

Againe: Such ſhall be there the delight of beautie, that thou ſhalt euer hauehave it, and neuer be glutted with it; yea rather thou ſhalt euer be ſatisfied, and neuer glutted. For if I ſay, thou ſhalt not be ſatiſfied, there ſhall be hunger: if ſatisfied, thou maieſt feare ſatietie there, where there is neither fulneſſe nor famine. p. 228I know not what to ſay: but God hath what to giuegive.

Againe: Behold the Kingdome of heauen is ſet to ſale: if thou wilt, thou mayeſt buy it. Thinke not much of the greatnes of the price: it is worth all that thou haſt. Look not what thou haſt, but what an one thou art. It is worth as much as thou art worth: giuegive thy ſelfe, and thou ſhalt hauehave it. Thou wilt ſay, I am euill, and perhaps he will not take mee: by giuing thy ſelfe to him, thou ſhalt become good.

Againe: The poore widow bought as much for two mites, as either Peter did by forſaking his nets, or Zacheus by giuing halfe his goods to the poore.

Againe: In the citie of God, the King is veritie; the Law, charitie; the dignitie, equitie; the peace, felicitie; the life, eternitie: but it is contrarie in the diuels citie: there the king, is falſitie; the law, cupiditie; the dignitie, iniquitie; the hapineſſe, contention; the life, temporalitie.

Againe: Compare we this life temporall, with that which is eternall, and it is but a death, rather than a life. For, this continuall decaying of our corrupt nature, what is it elſe but a prolixitie of death? But what tongue can expreſſe, what minde can comprehend the ioyes of heauen? to be amongſt the quire of Angels, to bee with the bleſſed ſpirits, to p. 229behold the preſence of God, to ſee that moſt cleere light, to bee affected with no griefe, to reioyce in the gift of perpetuall incorruption.

Againe: There ſhall we enioy whatſoeuer ſhall be louely: nay, can we deſire that which wee ſhall not enioy? There we ſhall reſt, there we ſhall ſee, there we ſhall know, there we ſhal louelove, there wee ſhall praiſe; wee ſhall praiſe that Being, which ſhall bee in the end, and without end. For what elſe is our end, but to come to that kingdome which is without end?

Againe: There this ſhall be the ſole vertue, to ſee that thou loueſt; and the ſoueraigne felicitie, to louelove that thou ſeeſt. There ſhall bleſſed life be drunke, out of her owne fountaine, where the viſion of veritie ſhall bee moſt cleerely opened.

Gregorie ſaid: Let vsus runne and follow Chriſt: heere are no true ioyes; but there they are repoſed, where there is true life.

Againe: Becauſe in the elect, in this life, there is a diuerſitie of workes, there ſhall bee without doubt, in the life to come, a diſtinction of dignities: that wherein heere one excelleth another, there he may ſurpaſſe his fellow in reward: yet though all hauehave not the like dignitie, yet all ſhall hauehave one and the ſame bleſſed life.

p. 230Bernard ſaid: There are twelue ſtarres in the Crowne of Chriſtians in heauen: The firſt is memorie, without forgetfulneſſe: the ſecond, reaſon, without error: the third, will, without perturbation: the fourth, impaſsibilitie, in which the bodie ſhal riſe: the fift, brightnes, by which it ſhall be like Chriſts glorious bodie: the ſixt, agilitie, to mooue according to the mobilitie of our mindes: the ſeuenth, tranſparencie, that albeit it be ſolid and thick, yet ſhall it be impenetrable: the eight, to louelove our neighbor as our ſelfe, in truth: the ninth, to ſee cleerely, that our neighbour loues vsus as himſelfe: the tenth, to louelove God perfectly, but more than our ſelues: the eleuenth, to louelove our ſelues, but for God: the twelfth, to ſee God louing vsus, more than he loued himſelfe.

Againe: O that bleſſed Region of Paradiſe! O that bleſſed Region of delights, for which I ſigh, in this vallie of teares! where wiſedome ſhall ſhine without ignorance: memorie without forgetfulneſſe, vnderſtanding without error: and reaſon without obſcuritie. Bleſſed are they that dwell there: they ſhall for euer and euer praiſe God. The kingdome of God is granted, promiſed, ſhewed, receiued: Granted in predeſtination, promiſed in vocation, ſhewed in iuſtification, receiued in glorification.

Proſper ſaid: The life to come is that, whereby p. 231wee beleeue that it is bleſſedly ſempiternall, and ſempiternallie bleſſed: where there is certaine ſecuritie; ſecure tranquilitie; ſafe iucunditie; happie eternitie; eternall felicitie; where there is perfect louelove, no feare; an euerlaſting day, ſwift motion; and in all, one ſpirit,

To conclude, thinke you of the goodlieſt ſights that euer could be ſeene; the moſt melodions muſick, that euer could be heard; the moſt delicate diet, that euer could be taſted; the greateſt honor, that can be enioyed; the beſt companie, that may be poſſeſſed; and all the comforts that you can hauehave in this life: and in compariſon of the ioyes of the kingdome of heauen, they are but a point, and leſſe than a point: they are petie ioyes, peacocke ioyes, the ioyes of priſoners and poore pilgrimes.

Queſt. I ſhall like the better of this life eternall, if you giuegive me ſuch a taſte here of eternall death, that I do not feele it in the life to come: Can this eternall death be deſcribed?

Anſw. It cannot any more, than eternall life: for as the heart cannot comprehend that one: ſo the tongue cannot expreſſe this other.

Queſt. But what ſaith the ſcripture of it?

Anſ. Very terrible and fearefull things: as,

p. 232Deut. 32.22. Fire is kindled in my wrath, & ſhall burne down to the bottom of hell.

Pſal. 10.6. VponUpon the wicked he ſhall raine ſnares, fire, and brimſtone, & ſtormie tempeſts: this is the portion of their cup.

Mat. 25.41. Depart from me ye curſed, into euerlaſting fire, prepared for the diuell & his angels. Theſe ſhall go into euerlaſting paine.

Reuelat. 20.10. The diuell was caſt into a lake of fire and brimſtone, where the Beaſt and the falſe prophet ſhall be tormented, euen day and night for euermore.

Chap. 21.8. The fearefull and vnbeleeuing, and abominable, and murtherers, and whoremongers, and forcerers, and idolaters, and all liers, ſhall hauehave their part in the lake, which burneth with fire and brimſtone, which is the ſecond death.

2. Theſſal. 1.7.8.9. The Lord Ieſus ſhall ſhew himſelf from heauen with his mightie Angels, in flaming fire, rendring vengeance vntounto them that do not know God, and which obey not the Goſpell of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt: which ſhall bee puniſhed with euerlaſting perdition, from the preſence of the Lord, and from the glorie of his power.

2. Pet. 4. God ſpared not the Angels that had ſinned, but caſt them downe into hell, and deliuered them into chaines of darkneſſe to be kept vntounto damnation.

p. 233Matth. 22.13. Binde him hand and foote, take him away, caſt him into vtter darkneſſe, there ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth.

Eſai. 30, 33. Tophet is prepared of old, it is euen prepared for the king: hee hath made it deepe and large: the burning thereof is fire and much wood: the breath of the Lord, like a riuer of brimſtone, doth kindle it.

Chap. 34.14. The ſinners in Zion are afraid, feare is come vponupon the hypocrites. Who ſhall dwell with the deuouring fire? Who ſhall dwell with the conſuming burnings?

Queſt. And what ſay the Fathers of it?

Anſw. Chryſoſtome wiſheth that men in tauernes and all places would diſpute of hell: for the remembrance of hell will not ſuffer a man to fall into hell.

Auguſtine ſaith: From hell there is no redemption: for hee, that is damned and drowend there, ſhall neuer come out. From hell there is no redemption: becauſe there neither can the father helpe the ſonne, nor the ſonne his father.

There can bee found no friend, or kinſman which can giuegive a ranſome of gold or ſiluer, which now like couetous perſons they heape vp, ſuffering the poore to pine by pouertie, and periſh for hunger and cold. But theſe miſerable men ſhall be conſtrained to crie, What hath our gold profited vsus? &c. Wiſd. 5. From p. 234hell there is no redemption: there is weeping and wailing, and none to pitie them: there is dolor, and horror, and crying out, and none to heare them.

Gregorie ſaith: After a moſt fearefull ſort, the wicked hauehave a death without death, an end without end, ceaſing without ceaſing; Becauſe, that death, euer liueth: that end, euer beginneth: and that ceaſing, knoweth not how to ceaſe.

Againe: In hell there is vntollerable cold, vnquenchable fire, the worme that neuer dieth: an intollerable ſauour, palpable darkneſſe, and ſcourgings by whippers: the moſt fearefull viſion of Diuels, the confuſion of ſinners, and desperation of any good. There ſhall be a double hell: the one of intollerable heate, the other of ſurpaſſing cold.

Chryſoſtome ſaith: Let a man imagine ten thouſand hels, all is nothing to this, Of being ſeperated from Chriſt: to heare this, voice: Depart from me yee workers of iniquitie: to be accuſed, that thou haſt not fed the hungrie, clothed the naked, &c.

Bernard ſaith: Wee hauehave deſerued hell, where there is no meate, no comfort, none end: where the rich glutton begged but a cup of cold water, and could not obtaine it.

Queſt. Are all, thinke you, tormented there alike?

p. 235Anſw. The leaſt torment ſhall be endleſſe, comfortleſſe and remedileſſe: yea Gregory ſaith, That as the ſame Sunne ſhineth vponupon al, but yet heateth not al alike: ſo the ſame fire of hell burneth all the wicked, yet it doth not burne all alike. As heauen hath many manſions of glory: ſo hell hath many places of horror. According vntounto the manner of the ſinne, is the manner of the puniſhment.

The which if it be true, ought to keepe vsus from abominable ſinnes, that at the leaſt there might bee a mitigation of torments. For, mighty ſinners ſhall bee mightily puniſhed: and, hee that knowes his Maſters will and doth it not, bee ſhall be beaten with many ſtripes.

Theſe are the leſſons, my good Auditor, which I hauehave ſhortly giuen you as a direction to die: and the Lord ſo ſanctifie them vntounto your ſoule, that whether you liue you may liue to him, or whether you die you may die to him: ſo that whether you liue or die you may be his. Amen.