A Golden Chain — William Perkins

A Golden Chain · William Perkins

ECCLESIASTES. 7. 3.

The day of death is better then the daie that one is borne.

THese words are a rule or precept laid downe by Salomon for weightie causes. For in the chapters going before he sets forth the vanitie of all creatures vnderunder heauen; and that at large in the very particulars. Now men hereupon might take occasion of discontentment in respect of their estate in this life: therefore Salomon in great wisdom here, takes a new course, & in this chapter begins to lay downe certaine rules of direction and comfort that men might hauehave somewhat wherewith to arme themselues against the troubles and the miseries of this life. The first rule is in this third verse, that a good name is better then a pretious oyntment: that is, a name gotten & maintained by godly conuersation, is a speciall blessing of God, which in the midst of the vanities of this life, ministreth greater matter of reioycing and comfort to the heart of man, then the most pretious oyntment can doe to the outward senses. Now some man hauing heard this first rule concerning good name, might obiect and say, that renowme & good report in this life affoards slender comfort: considering that after it followes death, which is the miserable end of all men. But this obiection the wise man remooueth by a second rule in these words which I hauehave in hand, saying, that the daie of death is better then the daie that one is borne.

That we may come to the true & proper sense of this precept or rule, three points are to be considered. First, what is death here mētioned: secondly, how it can be truely said, that the daie of death is better then the daie of birth: thirdly in what respect it is better.

For the first, death is a depriuation of life as a punishment ordained of God and imposed on man for his sinne. First, I say, it is a depriuation of life, because the verie nature of death is he absence or defect of that life which God vouchsafed man by his creation. I adde further that death is a punishment, more especially to intimate the nature and qualitie of death; and to shewe, that it was ordained as a meanes of execution of Gods iustice and iudgement. And that death is a punishment, Paul plainely auoucheth when hee saith, that by one man sinne entred into the worlde, and death by sinne. And againe, that death is the stipend, wages, or allowance of sinne. Furthermore in euerie punishment there be three workers: the ordainer of it, the procurer, and the executioner. The ordainer of this punishment is God in the estate of mans innocency, by a solemne lawe then made in these verie wordes, In the daie that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die the death, Genesis 2.…7. But it may be alleadged to the contrarie, that the Lord saith by the Prophet Ezechiel, that hee will not the death of a sinner, Ezec. 33. 11.and therefore that hee is no ordainer of death. The answere may easily bee made, and that sundrie waies. First, the Lord speakes not this to all men or of all men, but to his owne people the church of the Iewes, as appeares by the clause perfixed,Vers. 10. Sonne of man, say vntounto the …ouse of Israel, &c. Again, the words are not spoken absolutely but only in waie of comparison, in that of the twaine hee rather wills the conuersion and repentance of a sinner, then his death and destruction. Thirdly the verie proper meaning of the wordes importe thus much, that God doeth take no delight or pleasure in the death of a sinner, as it is the ruine and destruction of the creature. And yet all this hinders not but that God in a newe regard and consideration may both will and ordaine death, namely, as it is a due and deserued punishment, tending to the execution of iustice: in which iustice God is as good as in his merciemercy. Againe it may bee obiected, that if death indeede had beene ordained of God, then Adam should hauehave beene destroyed, and that presently vponupon his fall. For the verie wordes are thus, Whensoeuer thou shalt eate of the forbidden fruite, thou shalt certainly die. Ausvvere. Sentences of Scripture are either Legall or Euangelicall, the lawe and the Gospel beeing two seuerall and distinct parts of Gods worde. Nowe this former sentence is Legall and must be vnderstood with an exception borrowed from the Gospell or the couenant of grace made with Adam, and reuealed to him after his fall. The exception is this. Thou shalt certenly die whensoeuer thou eatest the forbidden fruite, except I doe further giuegive thee a meanes of deliuerance from death, namely the seed of the woman to bruise the serpents head. Secōdly it may be answered, that Adam and all his posteritie died, and that presently after his fall, in that his bodie was made mortall, and his soule became subiect to the curse of the Lawe. And whereas God would not vtterly destroy Adam at the very first, but onelyonly impose on him the beginnings of the first and second death; he did the same in great wisdome, that in the midst of his iustice he might make a way to merciemercy: which thing could not hauehave beene if Adam had perished.

The executioner of this punishment is hee that doeth impose and inflict the same on man, and that also is God himselfe, as hee testifieth of himselfe in the prophet Esai,Isa. 4….6. I make peace and create euill. Nowe euill is of three sortes: naturall, morall, materiall. Naturall euill, is the destruction of that order which God set in eueryevery creature by the creation. Morall euill, is the want of that righteousnesse and vertue which the lawe requires at mans hand; and that is called sinne. Materiall euill, is any matter or thing which in it selfe is a good creature of God, yet so, as by reason of mans fall it is hurtfull to the health and life of man, as henbane, wolfebane, hemlocke, and all other poisons are… Nowe this saying of Esai must not be vnderstood of morall euills, but of such as are either materiall or natural; to the latter of which, death is to be referred, which is the destruction or abolishment of mans nature created.

The procurer of death is man not God; in that man by his sinne and disobedience did pull vponupon himselfe this punishment. Therefore the Lord in Oseah,Ose. 13.9. O Israel, one hath destroyed thee, but in me is thine helpe. Against this it may bee obiected, that man was mortall in the estate of innocency before the fall. Answere. The frame and composition of mans bodie considered in it selfe was mortall, because it was made of water and earth and other elements which are of themselues alterable and changeable: yet if wee respect that grace and blessing which God did vouchsafe mans bodie in his creation, it was vnchangeable and immortall, and so by the same blessing should hauehave continued, if man had not fallen: and man by his fall depriuing himselfe of this gift and blessing, became eueryevery way mortall.

Thus it appeares in part what death is: yet for the better clearing of this point, we are to consider the difference of the death of a man and of a beast. The death of a beast is the totall and finall abolishment of the whole creature: for the bodie is resolued to his first matter, and the soule arising of the temperature of the bodie, vanisheth to nothing. But in the death of man it is otherwise. For though the bodie for a time be resolued to dust, yet must it rise againe in the last iudgement and become immortall: and as for the soule, it subsisteth by it selfe out of the bodie and is immortall. And this beeing so, it may be demaunded, how the soule can die the second death. Answ. The soule dies, not because it is vtterly abolished: but because it is as though it were not, and it ceaseth to be in respect of righteousnesse and fellowship with God. And indeede this is the death of all deaths, when the creature hath subsisting and beeing, and yet for all that is depriued of all comfortable fellowship with God.

The reason of this difference is, because the soule of a man is a spirit or spirituall substance, whereas the soule of a beast is no substance, but a naturall vigour or qualitie, and hath no beeing in it selfe without the bodie on which it wholly dependeth. The soule of man contrariwise beeing created of nothing, and breathed into the bodie, and as well subsisting forth of it as in it.

The kindes of death are two, as the kindes of life are, bodily and spirituall. Bodily death is nothing else but the separation of the soule from the bodie, as bodily life is the coniunction of bodie and soule: and this death is called the first, because in respect of time it goes before the second. Spirituall death is the separation of the whole man both in bodie and soule from the gracious fellowship of God. Of these twaine, the first is but an entrance to death, and the second is the accomplishment of it. For as the soule is the life of the bodie, so God is the life of the soule, and his spirit is the soule of our soules, and the want of fellowship with him brings nothing but the endlesse and vnspeakable horrours and pangs of death.

Againe, spirituall death hath three distinct and seuerall degrees. The first is, when a man that is aliue in respect of temporall life, lies dead in sinne. Of this degree Paul speakes when he saith,1. Tim. 5. 6. But shee that liueth in pleasure is dead while shee liueth. And this is the case of all men by nature, who are children of wrath and dead in sinnes and trespasses. Eph. 2.1.The second degree is the very ende of this life when the bodie is laid in the earth, and the soule descends to the place of torment. The third degree is in the day of iudgement, when the bodie and soule meete againe and goe both to the place of the damned, there to be tormented for euer and euer.

Hauing thus found the nature and differences and kinds of death, it is more then manifest, that the text in hand is to be vnderstood, not of the spirituall but of the bodily death: because it is opposed to the birth or natiuitie of man. The words then must carrie this sense: The time of bodily death in which the bodie and soule of man are seuered asunder, it is better then the time in which one is brought into the world.

Thus much of the first point: nowe followeth the second, and that is, howe this can be true which Salomon saith, that the day of death is better then the daie of birth. I make not this question to call the Scriptures into controuersie, which are the trueth it selfe, but I doe it for this ende, that wee might without wauering bee resolued of this which Salomon auoucheth. For there may be sundrie reasons brought to the contrarie. Therefore let vsus handle the question: the reasons or obiections which may be alleadged to the contrarie, may all bee reduced to sixe heades. The first is taken from the opinion of wise men, who thinke it the best thing of all neuer to be borne, and the next best to die quickely. Nowe if it bee the best thing in the worlde not to bee borne at all, then it is the worst thing that can bee to die after a man is borne. Answere. There bee two sortes of men: one, that liue and die in their sinnes without repentance: the other, which vnfamedly repent and beleeue in Christ. Nowe this sentence may bee truely auouched of the first: of whome wee may say as Christ said of Iudas, It had beene good for him that hee had neuer beene borne. But the saying applied to the second sort of men is false. For to them that in this life turne to God by repentance, the best thing of all is to be borne; because their birth is a degree of preparation to happinesse: and the next best is to die quickly; because by death they enter into possession of the same their happinesse. For this cause Balaam desired to die the death of the righteous: & Salomon in this place preferres the daie of death before the day of birth, vnderstanding that death which is ioined with godly life, or the death of the righteou….

The second obiection is taken from the testimonies of Scripture. Death is the wages of sinne, Rom. 6.22. it is an enemie of Christ, 1. Cor. 15. and the curse of the law. Hence it seemes to follow that in and by death, mē receiue their wages and paiment for their sinnes: that the daie of death is the dolefull daie in which the enemie preuailes against vsus: that he which dieth is cursed. Ans. Wee must distinguish of death: it must be considered two waies: first as it is by it selfe in his owne nature: secondly, as it is altered and changed by Christ. Now death by it selfe considered, is indeed the wages of sinne, an enemie of Christ and of all his members, and the curse of the law, yea the verie suburbs & gates of hell: yet in the second respect, it is not so. For by the vertue of the death of Christ, it ceaseth to be a plague or punishment, & of a curse it is made a blessing, and is become vntounto vsus a passage or mid-waie betweene this life and eternall life, and as it were a little wicket or doore whereby wee passe out of this worlde and enter into heauen. And in this respect the saying of Salomon is most true. For in the daie of birth, men are borne and brought forth into the vale of miserie, but afterward when they goe hence, hauing death altered vntounto them by the death of Christ, they enter into eternall ioy and happines with all the Saints of God for euer.

The third obiection is taken from the examples of most worthie men, who hauehave made their praiers against death. As our Sauiour Christ, who praied on this manner, Father if it bee thy will, let this cuppe passe from mee, yet not my will but thy will bee done. Psal. 6.4.And Dauid praied, Returne, O Lord, deliuer my soule, saue me for thy mercies sake: for in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the graue who shall praise thee! Esa. 38.10.And Ezechiah, when the Prophet Esai bad him set his house in order, and tolde him that he must die, wept sore, and that in respect of death. Nowe by the examples of these most worthie men, yea by the example of the sonne of God himselfe, it may seeme that the daie of death is the most terrible and dolefull daie of all. Ansvvere. When our Sauiour Christ praied thus to his father, hee was in his agonie, and hee then as our Redeemer stoode in our roome and steade, to suffer all things that wee should hauehave suffered in our owne persons for our sinnes: and therefore hee praied not simplie against death, but against the cursed death of the crosse, and hee feared not death it selfe, which is the separation of bodie and soule, but the curse of the lawe which went with death, namely the vnspeakable wrath and indignation of God. The first death troubled him not, but the first and second ioyned togither. Touching Dauid, when hee made the sixt psalme, hee was not onelyonly sicke in bodie, but also perplexed with the greatest temptation of all, in that hee wrestled in conscience with the wrath of God, as appeares by the words of the text, where he saith, Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath. And by this wee see that hee praied not simply against death, but against death at that instant when hee was in that grieuous temptation. For at other times he had no such feare of death, as hee himselfe testifieth, saying,Psal. 23.4. Though I should walke through the valley of the shadowe of death, I will feare no euil. Therefore he praied against death only as it was ioyned with the apprehension of Gods wrath. Lastly, Ezechiah praied against death, not onelyonly because hee desired to liue and doe seruice to God in his kingdome, but vponupon a further and more speciall regard; because when the prophet brought the message of death, hee was without issue, and had none of his owne bodie to succeede him in his kingdome. It will be said, what warrant had Ezechiah to praie against death for this cause. Ansvvere. His warrant was good: for God had made a particular promise to Dauid and his posteritie after him,1. King. 8.25. that so long as they feared God and walked in his commandements, they should not want issue to sitte vponupon the throne of the kingdome after them. Nowe Ezechiah at the time of the Prophets message remembering what promise God had made, and howe hee for his part had kept the condition thereof, in that hee had walked before God with an vpright heart, and had done that which was acceptable in his sight; hee praied against death, not so much because hee feared the danger of it, but because he wanted issue. This praier God accepted & heard, and he added fifteene yeares vntounto his daies, & two yeares after gaue him Manasses.

The fourth obiection is this, that those which hauehave beene reputed to bee of the better sort of men oftentimes hauehave miserable endes: for some end their daies despairing, some rauing and blaspheming, some strangely tormented: it may seeme therefore that the daie of death is the daie of greatest woe and miserie. To this I answere first of all generally, that we must not iudge of the estate of any man before God by outward things, whether they bee blessings or iudgements, whether they fall in life or death. For (as Salomon saith) all things come alike to all: and the same condition is to the iust and the wicked, to the good & to the pure & to the polluted, & to him that sacrificeth, & to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good so is the sinner, hee that sweareth as hee that feareth a… oath. Secondly I answer the particulars which bee alleadged on this manner: And first of all touching despaire, it is true that not onelyonly wicked and loose persons despaire in death, but also repentant sinners, who oftentimes in their sickenesse, testifie of themselues, that beeing aliue and lying in their beds, they feele themselues as it were to be in hell, and to apprehend the verie pangs and torments thereof. And I doubt not for all this, but that the child of God most deare vntounto him, may through the gulfe of desperation attaine to euerlasting happines. This appeares by the manner of Gods dealing in the matter of our saluation. All the workes of God are done in and by their contraries. In the creation, all things were made, not of something, but of nothing, cleane contrarie to the course of nature. In the worke of Redemption, God giues life, not by life, but by death: and if we consider aright of Christ vponupon the crosse, wee shall see our paradise out of paradise in the midst of hell. For out of his owne cursed death, doth he bring vsus life and eternall happinesse. Likewise in effectuall vocation, when it pleaseth God to conuert and turne men vntounto him, hee doeth it by the meanes of the Gospel preached, which in reason should driue all men from God. For it is as contrarie to the nature of man as fire to water, and light to darkenes: and yet for all this, though it be thus against the disposition and heart of man, it preuailes with him and turnes him to God. Furthermore, when God will send his owne seruants to heauen, hee sends thē a contrarie waie, euen by the gates of hell: and when it is his pleasure to make men depend on his fauour and prouidence, hee makes them feele his anger, and to be nothing in themselues, that they may wholly depend vponupon him, and be whatsoeuer they are in him. This point beeing well considered, it is manifest that the child of God may passe to heauen by the very gulfes of hell. The louelove of God is like a sea, into which when a man is cast, hee neither feeles bottome nor sees banke. I conclude therefore that despaire, whether it arise of weaknes of nature, or of conscience of sinne; though it fall out about the time of death, can not preiudice the saluation of them that are effectually called. As for other strange euents which fall out in death, they are the effects of diseases. Rauings and blasphemings arise of the disease of melancholie and of frensies, which often happen at the ende of burning feauers, the choller shooting vp to the braine. The writhing of the lips, the turning of the necke, the buckling of the ioyntes and the whole bodie, proceede of crampes and convulsions, which follow after much euacuation. And whereas some in sicknesse are of that strength that three or foure men cannot holde them without bondes, it comes not of witchcrafts and possessions, as people commonly thinke, but of choller in the vaines. And whereas some when they are dead, become as blacke as pitch (as Bonner was) it may arise by a bruise, or an impostume, or by the blacke iaundise, or by the putrefaction of the liuer: and it doeth not alwaies argue some extraordinarie iudgement of God. Nowe these and the like diseases with their Symptomes and straunge effects, though they shal depriue man of his health, and of the right vse of the parts of his bodie, and of the vse of reason too: yet they cannot depriue his soule of eternall life. And all sinnes, procured by violent diseases, and proceeding from repentant sinners are sins of infirmitie: for which, if they know them, & come againe to the vse of reason, they will further repent; if not, they are pardoned and buried in the death of Christ. And we ought not so much to stand vponupon the strangenes of any mans ende, when we know the goodnesse of his life: for we must iudge a man not by his death, but by his life. And if this be true, that strange diseases, and thereupon strange behauiours in death, may befall the best man that is, wee must learne to reforme our iudgements of such as lie at the point of death. The common opinion is, that if a man lie quietly and goe away like a lambe (which in some diseases, as consumptions and such like, any man may doe) then he goes straight to heauen: but if the violence of the disease stirre vp impatience, and cause in the partie franticke behauiours, then men vse to say, there is a iudgement of God seruing either to discouer an hypocrit, or to plague a wicked man. But the trueth is otherwise. For indeede a man may die like a lambe, and yet go to hell: and one dying in exceeding torments and straunge behauiours of the bodie, may goe to heauen. And by the outward condition of any man, either in life or death, wee are not to iudge of his estate before God.

The fifth obiection is this. When a man is most neare death, then the deuill is most busie in temptation, and the more men are assaulted by Satan, the more dangerous & troublesome is their case. And therefore it may seeme that the day of death is the worst daie of all. Ans. The condition of Gods childrē in death is twofold. Some are not tempted, and some are. Some I say are not tempted, as Simeon, who when he had seene Christ, brake forth & said, Lord, now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace, &c. foresignifying no doubt, that he should ende his daies in all manner of peace. As for them which are tempted, though their case be verie troublesome and perplexed, yet their saluation is not further off, by reason of the violence and extremitie of temptation. For God is then present by the vnspeakeable comfort of his spirit, and when wee are most weake, he is most strong in vsus: because his manner is to shew his power in weaknesse. And for this cause, euen in the time of death the deuill receiues the greatest foile, when he lookes for the greatest victorie.

The sixth obiection is this. Violent and sudden death is a grieuous curse, & of all euils which befall man in this life, none is so terrible: therefore it may seeme, that the day of suddaine death is most miserable. Ans. It is true indeed, that suddaine death is a curse and a grieuous iudgement of God, and therefore not without cause feared of men in the world: yet all things considered, we ought more to be afraide of an impenitent and euill life, then of suddaine death. For though it be euil, as death it selfe in his owne nature is, yet we must not thinke it to be simplie euill: because it is not euill to all men, nor in all respects euill. I say it is not euill to all men, considering that no kinde of death is euill or a curse vntounto them that are in Christ, who are freed from the whole curse of the Law. And therefore the holy Ghost saith,Apoc. 14.13. Blessed are they that die in the Lord for they rest from their Labour: whereby is signified that they which depart this life, beeing members of Christ, enter into euerlasting happinesse; of what death soeuer they die, yea though it be suddaine death. Againe I say, that suddaine death is not euill in all respects. For it is not euill, because it is suddaine, but because it commonly takes men vnprepared, and by that means makes the day of death a blacke day, and as it were a very speedie downfall to the gulfe of hell. Otherwise if a man be readie and prepared to die, suddaine death is in effect no death, but a quicke and speedie entrance to eternall life.

These obiections beeing thus answered, it appeares to be a manifest truth which Salomon saith, that the day of death is better indeede then the day of birth. Now I come to the third point, in which the reasons and respects are to be considered, that make the day of death to surpasse the day of a mans birth: and they may all be reduced to this one, namely that the birth day is an entrance into all woe and miserie; whereas the day of death ioyned with godly and reformed life, is an entrance or degree to eternall life. Which I make manifest thus: Eternall life hath three degrees, one in this life, when a man can truly say that he liues not, but that Christ liues in him: and this all men can say that repent and beleeue and are iustified and sanctified, and hauehave peace of conscience with other gifts of Gods spirit, which are the earnest of their saluation. The second degree is in this life, when the bodie goes to the earth, and the soule is carried by the Angels into heauen. The third is in the ende of the world at the last iudgement, when bodie and soule reunited, doe ioyntly enter into eternall happines in heauen. Now of these three degrees, death it selfe being ioyned with the feare of God, is the second: which also containeth in it two worthie steppes to life. The first, is a freedome from all miseries, which hauehave their ende in death. For though men in this life are subiect to manifold daungers by sea and land, as also to sundrie aches, paines, and diseases, as feauers, and consumptions, &c. yet when death comes there is an ende of all. Againe, so long as men liue in this world, whatsoeuer they be, they doe in some part lie in bondage vnderunder originall corruption and the re…nants thereof, which are doubtings of Gods prouidence, vnbeleefe, pride of heart, ignorance, couetousnesse, ambition, enuie, hatred, lust, and such like sinnes, which bring forth fruits vntounto death. And to be in subiection to sinne on this manner, is a miserie of all miseries. Therefore Paul when he was tempted vntounto sinne by his corruption,2. Cor. 12.7. calls the very temptation the buffets of Sathan, and as it were a pricke or thorne wounding his flesh, and paining him at the very heart. Againe, in another place wearied with his owne corruptions, he complaines that he is sold vnderunder sinne, and he cries out, O miserable man that I am, who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death? Rom. 7. 14, 24. Psal. 119.136Dauid saith, that his eyes gushed out with riuers of teares when other men sinned against God: how much more then was he grieued for the sinnes wherewith he himselfe was ouertaken in this life. And indeede it is a very hell for a man that hath but a sparke of grace, to be exercised, turmoiled, and tempted with the inborne corruptions and rebellions of his owne heart: and if a man would deuise a torment for such as feare God and desire to walke in newnesse of life, he can not deuise a greater then this. For this cause blessed is the day of death which brings with it a freedome from all sinne whatsoeuer. For when we die, the corruption of nature is quite abolished, and sanctification is accomplished. Lastly, it is a great miserie that the people of God are constrained in this world to liue and conuerse in the companie of the wicked; as sheepe are mingled with goates which strike them, annoy their pasture, and muddie their water. Hereupon Dauid cried out,Psal. 120.5. 1. king. 19.4. Woe is me that I r…maine in Meshech, and dwell in the tents of Ke…ar. When Elias saw that Ahab and Iesabel had planted idolatrie in Israel, and that they sought his life also, he went apart into the wildernes and desired to die. But this miserie also is ended in the day of death, in as much as death is as it were the hand of God to sort and single out those that be the seruants of God from all vngodly men in this most wretched world.

Furthermore this exceeding benefit comes by death, that it doth not onelyonly abolish the miseries which presently are vponupon vsus, but also p…euent those which are to come.Esa. 57. 1. The righteous (saith the Prophet Esay) perisheth, and no man considereth it in his heart: and mercifull men are taken away, and no man vnderstandeth that the righteous is taken away for the euill to come. Example of this we hauehave in Iosias.2. King. 22. 20. Because (saith the Lord) thine heart did melt, and thou hast humbled thy selfe before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, &c. behold therefore I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be put in thy graue in peace, and thine eyes shall not see all the euill whi…h I will bring vponupon this place. And Paul saith, that among the Corinthians some were asleepe, 1. cor. 11.23.that is, dead, that they might not be condemned with the world.

Thus much of freedome from miserie, which is the first benefit that comes by death, and the first steppe to life: now followes the second, which is, that death giues an entrance to the soule, that it may come into the presence of the euerliuing God, of Christ, and of all the Angels and Saints in heauen. The worthines of this benefit makes the death of the righteous to be no death, but rather a blessing to be wished of all men. The consideration of this made Paul to say,Phil. 1. I desire to be dissolued: but what is the cause of this desire? that followes in the next wordes, namely, that by this dissolution he might come to be with Christ. When the Queene of Sheba saw all Salomons wisdome, and the house that he had built, and the meate of his table, and the sitting of his seruants, and the order of his ministers, and their apparrell, &c. shee saide,1. king. 10.8. Happie are thy men, happie are these thy seruants which stand euer before thee and heare thy wisdome: much more then may we say, that they are ten thousand folde happie which stand not in the presence of an earthly King, but before the King of kings, the Lord of heauen and earth; and at his right hand inioy pleasures for euermore. Moses hath beene renowmed in all ages for this, that God vouchsafed him but so much fauour as to see his hinder parts at his request: O then, what happinesse is this, to see the glorie and maiestie of God face to face, and to hauehave eternall fellowship with God our father, Christ our Redeemer, and the holy Ghost our comforter, and to liue with the blessed Saints and Angels in heauen for euer.

Thus now the third point is manifest, namely in what respects death is more excellent then life. It may be here the mind of man vnsatisfied will yet further replie and say, that howsoeuer in death the soules of men enter into heauen, yet their bodies, though they hauehave bin tenderly kept for meate, drink, and apparrell; and hauehave slept many a night in beddes of doune, must lie in darke and loathsome graues, and there be wasted and consumed by wormes. Answ. All this is true indeede, but all is nothing; if so be it we will but consider aright of our graues as we ought. We must not iudge of our graues, as they appeare to the bodily eye, but we must looke vponupon them by the eie of faith, and consider them as they are altered and changed by the death and buriall of Christ, who hauing vanquished death vponupon the crosse, pursued him afterward to his own den, and foyled him there, and depriued him of his power. And by this means Christ in his owne death hath buried our death, and by the vertue of his buriall, as sweete incense, hath sweetned and perfumed our graues, and made them of stinking and loathsome cabbines,Isa. 52.2. to become princely pallaces, and beddes of most sweete and happie rest, farre more excellent then beddes of doune.

And though the bodie rotte in the graue, or be eaten of wormes, or of fishes in the sea, or burnt to ashes, yet that will not be vntounto vsus a matter of discomfort, if we doe well consider the ground of all grace, namely, our coniunction with Christ. It is indeede a spirituall and yet a most reall coniunction. And we must not imagine that our soules alone are ioyned to the bodie or soule of Christ, but the whole person of man both in bodie and soule is ioyned and vnited to whole Christ. And when we are once ioyned to Christ in this mortall life by the bond of the spirit, we shall remaine and continue eternally ioyned with him: and this vnion once truly made shall neuer be dissolued. Hence it followes, that although the bodie be seuered from the soule in death, yet neither bodie nor soule are seuered from Christ, but the very body rotting in the graue, drowned in the sea, burned to ashes, abides still vnited to him, and is as truly a member of Christ then as before. This point we must remember as the foundation of all our comfort, and hold it for euer as a truth. For looke what was the condition of Christ in death, the same or the like is the condition of al his mēbers. Now the cōditiō of Christ was this, though his body & soule were seuered each frō other as far as heauen & the graue, yet neither of them were seuered frō the godhead of the Sonne, but both did in death subsist in his person. And therefore though our bodies and soules be pulled asunder by naturall or violent death, yet neither of them no not the bodie it selfe shall be seuered and disioyned from Christ. It will be alleadged, that if the bodie were then vnited to Christ, it should liue and be quickned in the graue. Ans. Not so: when a mans arme or legge is taken with the dead palsie, it receiues litle or no heat, life, sense, or motion from the bodie: and yet notwithstanding it remaines still a membrr of the bodie, because the flesh and the bone of it remain ioined to the flesh and the bone of the bodie: euen so may the body remaine a member of Christ, though for some space of time it receiue neither sense nor motion nor life from the soule or from the spirit of Christ.

Furthermore, wee must remember that by the vertue of this coniunction, shall the dead bodie be it rotten, burned, deuoured, or howsoeuer consumed, at the day of iudgement rise to eternal glorie. In the winter season trees remain without fruit or leaues, and beeing beaten with winde and weather appeare to the eye as if they were rotten trees; yet when the spring time comes again, they bring forth as before, buddes and blossomes, leaues and fruit: the reason is, because the bodie, graines, and armes of trees are all ioyned to the roote, where lies the sappe in the winter season, and whence by meanes of this coniunction it is deriued to all the parts of the tree in the spring time. Euen so the bodies of men hauehave their winter also, in which they are turned to dust, and so remaine for the space of many thousand yeares, yet in the day of iudgement by meanes of that mysticall coniunction with Christ, shall diuine and quickning vertue streame thence to all the bodies of the Elect to cause them to liue againe, and that to life eternall. But some will say, that the wicked also rise againe. Answ. They doe so indeede; but not by the same cause: for they rise by the power of Christ as he is a iudge to condemne them: whereas the godly rise againe by the vertue of Christs resurrection, whereof they are partakers by meanes of that blessed and indissoluble coniunction which they hauehave with Christ. And the bodies of the Elect though they putrifie and consume neuer so much in the graue, yet are they still in the fauour of God and in the couenant of grace: to which, because they hauehave right and title beeing dead, they shall not remaine so for euer, but shall rise to glorie at the last iudgement. Therefore the rotting of the bodie is nothing in respect, and the death of the bodie is no death. And therefore also death in the olde and new Testament is made but a sleepe, and the graue a bed, whereof the like was neuer seene; wherein a man may rest, nothing at all troubled with dreames or fantasies, and whence he shall rise no more subiect to weaknesse or sicknesse, but presently be translated to eternall glorie. By this then which hath bin said, it appeares that the death of the righteous is a second degree to euerlasting happines.

Now then considering our coniunction with Christ is the foundation of all our ioy and comfort in life and death, we are in the feare of God to learne this one lesson, namely, that while we hauehave time in this world, we must labour to be vnited vntounto Christ, that we may be bone of his bone & flesh of his flesh. This very point is as it were a flaggon of wine to reuiue our soules when they be in a sowne at any instant. And that we may be assured that we are certenly ioyned to Christ, we must shew our selues to be members of his mystical bodie by the daily fruits of righteousnes and true repentance. And beeing once certenly assured in conscience of our beeing in Christ, let death come when it will, and let it cruelly part asunder both bodie and soule, yet shall they both remaine in the couenant, and by meanes thereof be reunited and taken vp to life eternall. Whereas on the contrarie, if men be out of the couenant and die out of Christ, their soules goe to hell, and their bodies rotte for a time in the graue, but afterwards they rise to endlesse perdition. Wherefore I say againe and againe, labour that your consciences by the holy Ghost may testifie that ye are huing stones in the Temple of God, and braunches bearing fruit in the true vine: and then ye shall feele by experience, that the pangs of death shall be a further degree of happines then euer ye found in your liues, euen then when ye are gasping and panting for breath.

Thus much of the meaning of the text, now followes the vses, and they are manifold. The first and principall is this. In that Salomon preferres the day of death before the day of birth, he doth therein giuegive vsus to vnderstand, that there is a direct and certen way whereby a man may die well; if it had beene otherwise, he could not hauehave said that the day of death is better. And whereas he auoucheth this, he shewes withall that there is an infallible way whereby a man may make a blessed ende. Therefore let vsus now come to search out this way; the knowledge and true vnderstanding whereof must not be fetched from the writings of men, but from the word of God, who hath the power of life and death in his owne hand.

Now that a man may die well, Gods word requires two things: a preparation before death, and a right behauiour and disposition in death.

The preparation vntounto death is an action of a repentant sinner, whereby he makes himselfe fitte and readie to die, and is a dutie very necessarie, to which we are bound by Gods commaundement. For there be sundrie places of Scripture which doe straightly inioyne vsus to watch and pray, and to make our selues readie eueryevery way against the second comming of Christ to iudgement. Now the same places doe withall binde vsus to make preparation against death, at which time God comes to iudgement vntounto vsus particularly. Againe, looke as death leaueth a man, so shall the last iudgement finde him, and so shall he abide eternally: there may be changes and conuersions from euill to good in this life, but after death there is no change at all. Therefore a preparation to death can in no wise be omitted of him that desires to make an happie and blessed ende.

This preparation is twofold: generall, and particular. Generall preparation is that whereby a man prepares himselfe to die through the whole course of his life. A dutie most needfull which must in no wise be omitted. The reasons are these. First of all death which is certen is most vncertaine. I say it is certen, because no man can eschew death. And it is vncertaine three waies: first, in regard of time: for no mā knoweth when he shall die: secōdly, in regard of place: for no man knowes where he shall die, whether in his bed or in the field, whether by sea or by land: thirdly, in respect of the kind of death: for no man knowes whether he shall die of a lingring or sudden, of a violent or naturall death. Hence it followes, that men should eueryevery day prepare themselues to death. Indeede if we could know when, where, and how we should die, the case were otherwise, but seeing we know none of these, it stands vsus in hand to looke about vsus. A second reason seruing further to perswade vsus is this. The most daungerous thing of all in this world, is to neglect all preparation. To make this point more manifest, I will vse this comparison. A certaine man, pursued by an Vnicorne, in his flight falls into a dungeon, and in his fall takes hold and hangs by the arme of a tree: now as he thus hangs looking downeward, he sees two wormes gnawing at the roote of the tree, and as he lookes vpward he sees and hiue of most sweete honie, whereupon he climes vp vntounto it, and sitting by it feedes thereon. In the meane season while he is thus sitting, the two wormes gnawe in pieces the roote of the tree: which done, tree and man and all fall into the bottom of the dungeon. Now this Vnicorne is death; the man that flieth is eueryevery one of vsus, and eueryevery liuing man: the pit ouer which he hangeth, is hell: the arme of the tree is life it selfe: the two wormes are day and night, the continuance whereof is the whole life of man: the hiue of honie is the pleasures and profits and honors of this world, to which when men wholly giuegive themselues not considering their endes, till the t…ee roote, that is, this temporal life be cut off: which beeing once done, they plunge themselues quite into the gulfe of hell. By this we see, that there is good cause that men should not deferre their preparation till the time of sicknes, but rather eueryevery day make themselues readie against the day of death. But some will say, it shall suffice if I prepare my selfe to pray when I begin to be sicke. Ans. These men greatly deceiue themselues, for the time then is most vnfit to begin a preparation, because all the senses and powers of the bodie are occupied about the paines and troubles of the disease: and the sicke partie is ex…rcised partly in cōference with the Physitian, partly with the Minister about his soules health and matters of conscience, and partly with friends that come to visit. Therefore there must some preparation goe before in the time of health, when the whole man with all the powers of bodie and soule are at libertie. Again, there be some others which imagine and say, that a man may repent when he will, euen in the time of death: and that such repentance is sufficient. Ans. It is false which say they: For it is not in the power of man to repent when he himselfe will; when God will he may. It is not in him that willeth or runneth, but in God that hath merciemercy. And Christ saith, that many shall seeke to enter into heauen and shall not be able. But why so? because they seeke when it is too late, namely when the time of grace is past. Therefore it is exceeding follie for men so much as once to dreame that they may hauehave repentance at command: nay it is a iust iudgement that they should be condemned of God in death, that did contemne God in their life: and that they should quite be forgotten of God in sicknes, that did forget God in their health. Againe I answer, that this late repentance is seldome or neuer true repentance. It is sicke like the partie himselfe, commonly languishing and dying togither with him. Repentance should be voluntarie (as all obedience to God ought) but repentance taken vp in sicknesse, is vsually constrained and extorted by the feare of hell, and other iudgements of God: for crosses, afflictions, and sicknes will cause the grossest hypocrite that euer was to stoope and buckle vnderunder the hand of God, and to dissemble faith and repentance and eueryevery grace of God, as though he had them as fully as any of the true seruants of God: whereas indeede he wants them altogether. Wherefore such repentance commonly is but counterfait. For in true and sound repentance men must forsake their sins; but in this, the sinne forsakes the man; who leaues all his euill waies onelyonly vponupon this that he is const…ained to l…aue the world. Wherefore it is a thing greatly to be wished, that men would repent and prepare themselues to die in the time of health before the day of death or sicknesse come. Lastly it is alleadged that one of the theeues repented vponupon the crosse. Answ. The thiefe was called after the eleuenth houre at the point of the twelfth, when he was now dying and drawing on. Therefore his conuersion was altogether miraculous and extraordinarie: and there was a speciall reason why Christ would hauehave him to be called then, that while he was in suffering he might shew forth the vertue of his passion; that all which saw the one, might also acknowledge the other. Now it is not good for men to make an ordinarie rule of an extraordinarie example.

Thus then this point beeing manifest that a generall preparation must be made, let vsus now see in what manner it must be done. And for the right doing of it, …u…e duties must be practised in the …ourse of our liues. The first i… the meditation of death in the life time. For the life of a Christian is nothing else but a meditation of death. A notable practise hereof we hauehave in the example of Ioseph of Arimathea, who made his tombe in his life time in the midst of his garden: no doubt for this ende, to put himselfe in minde of death, and that in the midst of his delight and pleasures. Heathen Philosophers that neuer knew Christ, had many excellent meditations of death, though not comfortable in regard of life euerlasting. Now we that hauehave knowne and beleeued in Christ, must goe beyond them in this point, considering with our selues such things as they neuer thought of, namely, the cause of death, our sinne: the remedie thereof, the cursed death of Christ, cursed I say in regard of the kind of death and punishment laid vponupon him, but blessed in regard of vsus. Thirdly, we must often meditate on the presence of death, which we do, when by Gods grace we make an account of eueryevery present day as if it were the present day of our death, and recken with our selues when we goe to bedde as though we should neuer rise againe; and when we rise, as though we should neuer lie downe againe.

This meditation of death is of speciall vse and brings forth many fruits in the life of man. And first of all it serues to humble vsus vnderunder the hand of God. Example we hauehave of Abraham, who said, Behold, I hauehave begunne now to speake to my Lord, and I am but dust and ashes. Gen. 18. 27.Marke here, how the consideration of his mortalitie made him to abase and cast downe himselfe in the sight of God: and thus if we could recken of eueryevery day as of the last day, it would straightway pull downe our peacocks feathers, and make vsus with Iob to abhorre our selues in dust and ashes.

Secondly, this meditation is a meanes to further repentance. When Ionas came to Ninive and cried, Yet fourtie daies and Ninive shall be destroyed, the whole citie repented in sack…loath and ashes. When Elias came to Ahab and told him that the dogges should eate Iesabel by the wall of Iesreel, and him also of Ahabs stocke that died in the citie, &c. it made him to humble himselfe so, as the Lord saith to Elias, Seest thou how Ahab is humbled before me. Now if the remembrance of death was of such force in him that was but an hypocrite, how excellent a meanes of grace will it be in them that truly repent.

Thirdly, this meditation seemes to stirre vp contentation in eueryevery estate and condition of life that shall befall vsus. Righteous Iob in the very midst of his afflictions, comforts himselfe with this consideration, Naked (saith he) came I forth of my mothers wombe, and naked shal I returne againe, &c. blessed be the name of the Lord. And surely the often meditation of this, that a man of all his abundance can carrie nothing with him but either a coffin or a winding sheete or both, should be a forcible means to represse the vnsatiable desire of riches and the louelove of this world.

Thus we see what an effectuall meanes this meditation is to encrease and further the grace of God in the hearts of men. Now I commend this first dutie to your Christian considerations, desiring the practise of it in your liues: which practise that it may take place, two things must be performed. First, labour to plucke out of your hearts a wicked and erronious imagination, wherby eueryevery man naturally blesseth himselfe and thinkes highly of himselfe: and though he had one foote in the graue, yet he perswades himselfe that hee shall not die yet. There is no man almost so olde but by the corruption of his heart he thinks that he shall liue one yeare longer. Cruell and vnmercifull death makes league with no man: & yet the Prophet Esay saith,Esa. 28. that the wicked mā makes a league with death. How can this be? there is no league made indeed, but onelyonly in the wicked imagination of man, who falsly thinkes that death will not come neare him, though al the world should be destroyed. See an example in the parable of the rich man, that hauing stored vp aboundance of wealth for many yeres, said vntounto his own soule, Soule, thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeres, liue at ease, eat, drink, & take thy pastime: Luk. 11.17.wheras his soule was fetched away presently. And seeing this naturall corruption is in euerie mans heart, we must daily fight against it, and labour by all might and maine that it take no place in vsus: for so long as it shall preuaile, we shall bee vtterly vnfit to make any preparation to death. Wee ought rather to endeauour to attaine to the minde and meditation of S. Hierome, who testifieth of himselfe on this manner,In epist. Whether I wake or sleepe, or whatsoeuer I doe, me thinks I heare the sound of the trumpet, Rise ye dead, and come to iudgement.

The second thing which we are to practise that we may come to a serious meditation of our owne endes, is, to make praier vntounto God that we might bee inabled to resolue our selues of death continually. Thus Dauid praied,Psal. 39.4. Lord make me to know mine ende, and the measure of my daies, let me knowe howe long I hauehave to liue. And Moses,Psal. 90.1…. Lord teach me to number my daies, that I may apply mine heart vntounto wisdome. I may bee said, What neede men pray to God that they might be able to number their daies? cannot they of themselues recken a fewe yeares and daies that are able by art to measure the globe of the earth, and the spheres of heauen, and the quantities of the starres, with their longitudes, latitudes, altitudes, motions, and distances from the earth? No verely. For howsoeuer by a generall speculation we thinke something of our endes, yet vnles the spirit of God be our schoolemaster to teach vsus our dutie, we shall neuer be able soundly to resolue our selues of the presence and speedines of death. And therefore let vsus pray with Dauid and Moses that God would inlighten our minds with knowledge, and fil our hearts with his grace, that we might rightly consider of death, and esteeme of it euerie daie and houre as if it were the day and houre of death.

The second dutie in this generall preparation is, that eueryevery man must daily indeauour to take away from his owne death the power and strength therof. And I pray you marke this point. The Philistims sawe by experience that Sampson was of great strength, and therefore they vsed meanes to knowe in what part of his bodie it laie: and when they found it to bee in the haire of his head, they ceased not vntill it was cutte off. In like manner the time will come when we must encounter hand to hand with tyranous and cruell death: the best therefore is, before hand nowe while wee hauehave time to search where the strength of death lies, which beeing once knowne, we must with speede cutte off his Sampsons lockes, and bereaue him of his power, disarme him, & make him altogither vnable to preuaile against vsus. Now to finde out this matter, we neede not to vse the counsell of any Delilah: for wee hauehave the worde of God which teacheth vsus plainly where the strength of death consists, namely in our sinnes, as Paul saith, The sting of death is sinne. Well then, we knowing certainly that the power and force of eueryevery mans particular death lies in his owne sinnes, must spend our time and studie in vsing good meanes that our sinnes may be remooued and pardoned. And therefore wee must daily inure our selues in the practise of two duties. One is to humble our selues for all our sins past, partly confessing them against our selues, partly in prayer crying to heauen for the pardon of them. The other is for time to come to turne vntounto god, and to carrie a purpose, resolution, and indeauour in al things to reforme both heart and life according to Gods worde. These are the verie principall and proper duties, whereby the strength of death is much rebated, and he is made of a mightie and bloodie enemie so farre forth friendly and tractable, that we may with comfort incounter with him and preuaile too. Therefore I commend these duties to your Christian considerations, and carefull practise, desiring that ye would spend your daies euer hereafter in doing of them. If a mā were to deale with a mightie dragon or serpent hand to hand, in such wise as he must either kill or bee killed, the best thing were to bereaue him of his sting or of that part of his bodie where his poyson lies: nowe death it selfe is a serpent, dragon, or scorpion, and sinne is the sting or poison whereby hee woundes and kills vsus. Wherefore without any more delay, see that yee pull out his sting: the practise of the foresaid duties is as it were a fitte and worthie instrument to doe the deede. Hast thou beene a person ignorant of Gods wil, a contemner of his word and worship, a blasphemer of his name, a breaker of his sabbaths, disobedient to parents and magistrates, a murderer, a fornicator, a railer, a slanderer, a couetous person, &c. reforme these thy sinnes and all other like vntounto them, pull them out by the rootes from thy heart, and cast them off. So many sinnes as bee in thee, so many stings of death bee also in thee to wound thy soule to eternall death. Therefore let no one sinne remaine for which thou hast not humbled thy selfe and repented seriously. When death hurts any man, it takes the weapons whereby he is hurt, from his owne hand. It cannot doe vsus the least hurt but by the force of our owne sinnes. Wherefore I say again & againe, lay this point to your hearts, & spend our strength, life, and health, that ye may before ye die, abolish the strength of death. A man may put a serpent in his bosome when the sting is out: and wee may let death creepe into our bosoms, and gripe vsus with his legs, and stab vsus at the heart, so long as he brings not his venime and poison with him.

And because the former duties are so necessarie, as none can be more, I wil vse some reasons yet further to enforce them. Whatsoeuer a man would doe when he is dying, the …ame he ought to doe euerie daie while he is liuing: now the most notorious and wicked person that euer was, when hee is dying will praie and desire others to praie for him, and promise amendement of life, protesting that if he might liue, he would becom a practitioner in al the good duties of faith, repentance, and reformation of life. Oh therefore bee carefull to doe this euerie daie. Againe, the saying is true, hee that would liue when hee is dead, must die while he is aliue, namely to his sinnes. Wouldest thou then liue eternally? sue to heauen for thy pardon, and see that now in thy life time thou die to thine owne sinnes. Lastly wicked Balaam would faine die the death of the righteous: but, alas, it was to smal purpose: for he would by no meanes liue the life of the righteous. For his continuall purpose and meaning was to followe his old waies in sorceries and couetousnesse. Nowe the life of a righteous man standes in the humbling of himselfe for his sinnes past, and in a careful reformation of life to come. Wouldest thou then die the death of the righteous, then look vntounto it, that thy life be the life of the righteous: if ye will needs liue the life of the vnrighteous, yee must looke to die the death of the vnrighteous. Remember this,Eph. 4.21, 22. and content not your selues to heare the word, but bee doers of it: for ye learne no more indeede, what measure of knowledge soeuer ye hauehave, then ye practise.

The third dutie in our generall preparation, is in this life to enter into the first degree of life eternall. For as I hauehave said, there bee three degrees of life euerlasting, and the first of them is in this present life. For he that would liue in eternall happinesse for euer, must begin in this world to rise out of the graue of his owne sinnes, in which by nature hee lies buried, and liue in newnesse of life, as it is said in the Reuelation,Reu. 20.6. Hee that will escape the second death, must bee made partaker of the first resurrectiō. And Paul saith to the Colossians, that they were in this life deliuered from the power of darkenesse,Col. 1.13. and translated into the kingdome of Christ. And Christ saith to the Church of the Iewes, the kingdome of heauen is amongst you. Nowe this first degree of life is, when a man can say with Paul, I liue not, but Christ liues in me: that is, I finde partly by the testimonie of my sanctified conscience, and partly by experience, that Christ my redeemer by his spirit guideth and gouerneth my thoughts, will, affections… & all the powers of body and soule, according to the blessed direction of his holy will. Now that we might be able to say this, we must hauehave three gifts & graces of God, wherein especially this first degree of life consists. The first is, sauing knowledge, whereb… we doe truely resolue our selues that God the father of Christ is our father… Christ his sonne our redeemer, and the holy ghost our comforter. That this knowledge is one part of life eternall, it appeares by the saying of Christ in Iohn.Ioh. 17. This is life eternall, that is, the beginning and entrance into life eternall, to know thee the onelyonly God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. The second grace, is peace of conscience which passeth al vnderstanding: and therefore Paul saith,Phil. 2. Rom. 4. that the kingdome of heauen is righteousnes, peace of conscience, and ioy in the holy Ghost. The horror of a guiltie conscience is the beginning of death & destruction: therefore peace of conscience deriued from the death of Christ, is life and happinesse. The third is the regiment of the spirit, whereby the heart and life of man is ordered according to the word of God. For Paul saith, that they that are the childrē of god are led by the spirit of Christ. Rom. 8. 14.Nowe seeing this is so, that if wee would liue eternally, wee must begin to liue that blessed and eternall life before we die, here we must be carefull to reform two common errors. The first is, that a man enters into eternall life when hee dies and not before; which is a flat vntruth. Our Sauiour Christ said to Zacheus, This day is saluation come to thy house… giuing vsus to vnderstand, that a man then begins to be saued, when God doeth effectually call him by the ministery of his Gospell. Whosoeuer then will bee saued when hee is dying and dead, must begin to be saued while he is nowe liuing. His saluation must beginne in this life, that would come to saluation after this life: Verely, verely, saith Christ,Ioh. 5.24. he that heareth my word, and …eleeueth in him that sent me, hath eternall life, namly in this present life. The second error is, that howsoeuer a man liue, if when he is dying he can lift vp his eies, and say, Lord hauehave merciemercy vponupon me, hee is certainly saued. Behold a verie dangerous and foolish conceit, that deceiues many a man. It is all one as if an arrant theife should thus reason with himselfe, and say; I will spend my daies in robbing and stealing, I feare neither arraignment, nor exequution. For at the verie time when I am to bee turned off the ladder, if I doe but call vponupon the iudge I knowe I shall hauehave my pardon. Behold a most dangerous and desperate course: & the verie same is the practise of carelesse men in the matter of their saluation. For a man may di… with Lord hauehave merciemercy in his mouth, and perish eternally; except in this world he enter into the first degree of eternall life.Mat. 7.21. For not euerie one that sayeth Lord, Lord, shall enter into heauen: but he that doth the will of the father which is in heauen.

The fourth dutie, is to exercise and inure our selues in dying by little & little so long as we liue here vponupon earth, before we come to die indeede. And as men that are appointed to runne a race, exercise themselues in running that they may get the victorie: so should we begin to die now while we are liuing, that we might die well in the end. But some may say, how should this be done? Paul giues vsus direction in his owne example when he saith, by the reioycing which I hauehave in Christ I die daily. 1 Cor. 15. 31.And he died daily not onelyonly because hee was often in danger of death by reason of his calling: but also because in al his dangers and troubles, he inured himselfe to die. For when men do make the right vse of their afflictions, whether they bee in bodie or minde, or both, and doe with all their might endeauour to beare them patiently; humbling themselues as vnderunder the correction of God, then they begin to die well. And to doe this indeede is to take an excellent course. He that would mortifie his greatest sins, must begin to doe it with small sinnes; which, when they are once reformed, a man shall be able more easily to ouercome his master-sinnes. So likewise he that would be able to beare the crosse of all crosses, namely death it selfe, must first of all learne to beare small crosses, as sicknesses in bodie, and troubles in minde, with losses of goods and of friendes, and of good name: which I may fitly tearme little deaths, and the beginnings of death it selfe:Mors post crucem minor est. and we must first of all acquaint our selues with these little deaths, before we can wel be able to beare the great death of al. Againe, the afflictions and calamities of this life are as it were the harbingers and puruiers of death: and we are first to learne how to entertaine these messengers, that when death the lord himselfe shall come, we may in better manner entertaine him. This point Bilney the martyr well considered, who oftentimes before hee was burned, put his finger into the flame of the candle, not onelyonly to make triall of his abilitie in suffering, but also to arme and strengthen himselfe against greater torments in death. Thus ye see the fourth dutie, which ye must in any wise learne and remember, because wee cannot be able to beare the pangs of death well, vnles we bee first well schooled and nurtered by sundrie trials in this life.

Eccl. 9.10.The fifth and last dutie is set down by Salomon. All that thine hand shall find to doe, doe it with all thy power. And marke the reason.Eccl. 9.10. For there is neither worke, nor inuention, nor knowledge, nor wisdome in the graue whither thou goest. To the same purpose Paul saith,Gal. 6.10. Doe good to all men while ye hauehave time. Therefore if any man be able to doe any good seruice either to Gods church, or to the common wealth, or to any priuate man, let him doe it with all speede and with all might, least death it selfe preuent him. He that hath care thus to spende his daies, shall with much comfort and peace of conscience ende his life.

Thus much of generall preparation. Now followeth the particular, which is in the time of sicknes. And here first of all I will shew what is the doctrine of the Papists, and then afterward the truth. By the popish order and practise, when a man is about to die, he is inioyned three things. First to make sacramentall confession, specially if it be in any mortall sinne; secondly to receiue the Eucharist; thirdly to require his annoyling, that is, the sacrament (as they call it) of extreame vnction.

Sacramentall confession, they tearme a rehearsall or enumeration of all mans sinnes to a priest, that he may receiue absolution. But against this kinde of confession, sundrie reasons may be alleadged. First of all, it hath no warrant either by commandement or example in the whole word of God. They say yes; and they indeauour to prooue it thus: He which lies in any mortall sinne, is by Gods law bound to doe penance and to seeke reconciliation with God; now the necessarie meanes after baptisme to obtaine reconciliation, is the confession of all our sinnes to a priest. Because Christ hath appointed priests to be iudges vponupon earth, with such measure of authoritie, that no man falling after baptisme can without their sentence and determination be reconciled; and they can not rightly iudge, vnlesse they know all a mans sinnes: therefore all that fall after baptisme are bound by Gods word to open all their sinnes to a priest. Ans. It is false which they say that priests are iudges, hauing power to examine and take knowledge of mens sinnes, and iurisdiction whereby they can properly absolue & pardon or retaine them. For Gods word hath giuen no more to man, but a ministerie of reconciliation, whereby in the name of God, and according to his word, he doth preach, declare, and pronounce, that God doth pardon or not pardon his sinnes. Againe, pardon may truly be pronounced, and right iudgement of the estate of any man, without a particular rehearsall of his sinnes. For he which soundly and truly repents of one or some few sinnes, repents of all. Secondly, this confession is ouerturned by the practise of the Prophets & Apostles, who not onelyonly absolued particular persons, but also whol churches without exaction of auricular cōfession. Whē Nathan the Prophet had rebuked Dauid for his two great & horrible crimes, Dauid touched with remorse said,2. Sam. 1…. 12. I hauehave sinned, and Nathan presently without further examination declared vntounto him in the name of God, that his sins were forgiuen him. Thirdly, it can not be prooued by any good and sufficient proofes, that this confession was vsed in the Church of God till after fiue or sixe hundred yeares were expired. For the confession which was then in vse, was either publicke before the Church, or the opening of a publicke fault to some priuate person in secret. Therefore to vrge sicke men vntounto it lying at the point of death, is to lay more burdens on them, then euer God appointed.

And whereas they make it a necessary thing to receiue the Eucharist in the time of sicknes toward death, and that priuately of the sicke partie alone, they hauehave no warrant for their practise and opinion. For in the want of the sacrament there is no danger, but in the contempt: and the verie contempt it selfe is a sinne which may be pardoned, if we repent. And there is no reason why wee should thinke that sicke men should bee depriued of the comfort of the Lords supper, if they receiue it not in death; because the fruite and efficacy of the Sacrament once receiued, is not to bee restrained to the time of receiuing, but it extends it selfe to the whole time of mans life afterward. Againe the supper of the Lord is no priuate action, but meerely Ecclesiasticall: and therefore to be celebrated in the meeting and assembly of Gods people; as our Sauiour Christ prescribeth, when he saith,Luk. 22.19. 1. Cor. 11.20. Doe ye this: and Paul in saying, When ye come togither. But it is alleadged that the Israelites did eate the Paschal lambe in their houses when they were in Egypt. Answ. The Israelites had then no libertie to make any publike meeting for that end: & god commanded that the Paschal lambe should be eaten in all the houses of the Isaraelites at one & the same instant; and that in effect was as much as if it had beene publike. Againe, they alleadge a Canon of the Council of Nice; which decreeth that men beeing about to die, must receiue the Eucharist, & not be afraudari viatico.depriued of the prouision of food necessarie for their iourney. Ans. The Council made no decree touching the administration of the Sacrament to all them that die, but to such onelyonly as fall away from the faith in persecution, or fell into any other notorious crime, and were thereupon excommunicate, and so remained till death: & either then or somewhat before testified their repentance for their offences. And the Canon was made for this ende, that such persons might bee assured that they were againe receiued into the Church, and by this meanes depart with more comfort. Thirdly, it is obiected, that in the primitiue Church, part of the Eucharist was carried by a ladde to Serapion an aged man,Eus. l. 6. c. 36. lying sicke in his bedde. Ansvv. It was indeede the custome of the auncient Church from the very beginning, that the elemēts of bread & wine should be sent by some of the Deacons to the sicke, which were absent from the assembly. And yet neuerthelesse here is no footing for priuate communions. For the Eucharist was only then sent when the rest of the Church did openly communicate; and such as were then absent onelyonly by reason of sickenes, and desired to bee partakers of that blessed com…union, were to be reputed as pre…ent. Lastly it is obiected,Basil. epist. ad Caes. Tertul. l. 2. ad vxorum. Hieron. in Apol. pro lib. in Iob. C…n…. Carth. 3. can. 6. that it was the manner of men and women in former times to carrie part of the Sacramēt home to their houses, and to reserue it till the time of necessitie, as the time of sicknes & such like. Ans. The reseruatiō of the sacrament was but a superstitious practise, though it be ancient. For out of the administration, that is, before it begin, and after it is ended, the sacrament ceaseth to be a sacrament, and the elements to be elements. As for the practise of them that vsed to cramme the Eucharist into the mouth of them that were deceased, it is not only superstitious but also verie absurd.

As for the Annoiling of the sicke, that is, the annointing of the bodie, specially the organes or instruments of the senses, that the partie may obtaine the remission of his sinnes, and comfort against all temptations of the deuill in the houre of death; and strength more easily to beare the pangs of sickenesse and the pangs of death, and be againe restored to his corporall health, if it bee expedient for the saluation of his soule; it is but a dotage of mans braine, & hath not so much as a shewe of reason to iustifie it. The fifth of Iames is commonly alleadged to this purpose, but the annointing there mentioned is not of the same kinde with this greasie sacrament of the Papists. For that annointing of the bodie was a ceremonie vsed by the Apostles and others, when they put in practise this miraculous gift of healing, which gift is nowe ceased. Secondly,Iam. 5.16. that annointing had a promise that the partie should recouer his health: but this popish annointing hath no such promise, because for the most part the persons thus annointed die afterward without recouerie; wheras those which were annointed in the primitiue Church alwaies recouered. Thirdly, the auncient annointing serued onelyonly for the procuring of health, but this tendes further to the procuring of remission of sinnes, and strength in temptation.

Thus hauing seene the doctrine of the Papists; I come nowe to speake of the true and right manner of making particular preparation before death, which containes three sorts of duties: one concerning God, the other concerning a mans owne selfe, the third concerning our neighbour. The first concerning God, is to seeke to be reconciled vntounto him in Christ, though wee hauehave beene long assured of his fauour. All other duties must come after in the second place, and they are of little or no effect without this. Nowe this reconciliation must bee sought for and is obtained by a renewing of our former faith and repentance: and they must be renewed on this manner. So soone as a man shall feele any manner of sickenesse to seaze vponupon his bodie, hee must consider with himselfe whence it ariseth: and after serious consideration, hee shal find that it comes not by chance or fortune, but by the special prouidence of God. This done, he m…st goe yet further and consider for what cause the Lord should afflict his bodie with any sickenesse or disease. And he shal find by Gods word, that sicknesse comes ordinarily and vsually of sinne.Lam. 3.36. Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull? man suffereth for his sinne. It is true indeede, there bee other causes of the wantes of the bodie, and of sickenesse, beside sinne; and though they be not knowne to vsus: yet they are knowne to the Lord. Hereupon Christ when he sawe a certaine blind man, and was demaunded what was the cause of the blindnesse, answered,Ioh. 9.2. neither hath this man sinned nor his parēts, but that the work of God should be shewed on him. Yet wee for our parts, who are to goe not by the secret, but by the reuealed will of God, must make this vse of our sickenes, that it is sent vntounto vsus for our sinnes. When Christ healed the man sicke of the palsie, he saieth, bee of good comfort, thy sinnes are forgiuen thee: and when he had healed the man by the poole of Bethesda, Mat. 9.2. Ioh. 5.14.that had bin sicke thirtie eight yeares, he bids him sinne no more least a worst thing happen vntounto him: giuing them both to vnderstand that their sickenesse came by reason of their sinnes. And thus should eueryevery sicke man resolue himselfe. Nowe when wee hauehave proceeded thus farre, and hauehave as it were laid our finger vponupon the right and proper cause of our sicknes, three things concerning our sinnes must bee performed of vsus in sickenesse. First we must make a new examination of our heartes and liues, and say as the Israelites said in affliction,Lam. 3.40. Let vsus search and …ry our waies, and turne againe to the Lord. Secondly we must make a newe confession to God of our new and particular sinnes, as God sends new corrections and chastisements.Psal. 32.5. When Dauid had the hand of God verie heauie vponupon him for his sinnes, so as his verie bones and moisture consumed within him, he made confession of them vntounto God, and thereupon obtained his pardon, and was healed. The third thing is to make newe praier and more earnest the euer before, with sighes and grones of the spirit, and that for pardon of the same sins, and for reconciliation with God in Christ. In the exercise of these three duties standes the renouation of our faith and repentance whereby they are increased, quickened, and reuiued. And the more sickenesse preuailes and takes place in the bodie, the more should we bee carefull to put them in vre: that spirituall life might increase as temporall life is decaied. When King Ezechias lay sicke, as he thought vponupon his death-bed, hee wept as for some other causes so also for his sinnes, and withall he praied God to cast them behind his backe. Dauid made certaine Psalmes when he was sicke, or at the least vponupon the occasion of his sickenes, as namely the 6. the 32. the 38. the 39, &c. & they all are psalmes of repentance: in which we may see howe in distresse of bodie and minde he renewed his faith and repentance, heartely bewailing his sinnes, and intreating the Lord for the pardon of them. Manasses, one that fell from God, and gaue himselfe to many horrible sinnes, when hee was taken captiue and imprisoned in Babylon,2. Chr. 33. 12,13. he praied to the Lord his God, and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers, and praied vntounto him: and God was intreated of him, and heard his praier, and brought him againe into Ierusalem into his kingdome, and then Manasses knewe that the Lord was God. Nowe looke what Manasses did in this tribulation, the same thing must wee doe in the time of our bodily sickenesse.

Here I hauehave occasion to mention a notorious fault that is very common in this age, euen among such as hauehave long liued in the bosome of the Church: & that is this. Men nowe a daies are so farre from renuing their faith and repentance, that when they lie sicke and are drawing toward death, they must bee Catechised in the doctrine of faith and repentance, as if they had beene but of late receiued into the Church. Whosoeuer will, but as occasion is offered visit the sicke, shall finde this to bee true which I say. What a shame is this, that when a man hath spent his life and daies in the Church for the space of twentie or thirtie, or fourtie yeares, he should at the verie ende of all and not before, begin to inquire, what faith, and what repentance is, and howe his soule might bee saued. This one sinne argues the great securitie of this age, and the great contempt of God and his worde. Well, let all men hereafter in time to come, be warned to take heede of this exceeding negligence in matters of saluation, and to vse all good meanes before hand, that they may be able in sicknesse and in the time of death to put in practise the spirituall exercises of inuocation and repentance.

Nowe if so be it fall out that the sicke partie cannot of himselfe renewe his owne faith and repentance,Mar. 2. he must seeke the helpe of others. When the man that was sicke of the dead palsie could not goe to Christ himselfe, hee got others to beare him in his bed; and when they could not come nere for the multitude they vncouered the roofe of the house and let the bed downe before Christ: euen so, when sicke men can not alone by themselues do the good duties to which they are bound, they must borrowe helpe from their fellowe members; who are partly by their counsel to put to their helping hand, and partly by their praiers to present them vntounto God, and to bring them into the presence of God.

And touching helpe in this case, sundrie duties are to bee performed. Saint Iames sets down foure, two wherof concerne the sicke patient, and other two such as be helpers. The first dutie of the sicke man is to send for helpe: where two circumstances must be considered: who must be sent for, and when. For the first Saint Iames saith,Iam. 5.14. Is any sicke among you? let him call for the elders of the Church. Whereby are meant not onelyonly Apostles and all ministers of the gospell, but others also (as I take it) which were men ancient for yeares indued with the spirit of vnderstanding and praier, and had withall, the gift of working miracles and of healing the sicke.Tertul. de corona milit. c. 11. & de Idol. c. 11. For in the primitiue Church this gift was for a time so plentifully bestowed on them that beleeued in Christ, that souldiers cast out deuills, and parents wrought miracles on their children. Hence we may learne, that howesoeuer it be the dutie of the ministers of the word principally to visit and comfort the sicke, yet is it not their dutie alone, for it belongs to them also which hauehave knowledge of Gods worde, & the gift of praier. Exhort one another (saith the holy Ghost) while it is called to daie. And againe,Heb. 3.13. 1. Thes. 5.… 14. Admonish them that are disordered, and comfort those that are weake. And indeede in equitie it should be the duty of euerie Christian man to comfort his brother in sickenesse. Here wee must needes take knowledge of the common fault of men and women when they come to visit their neighbours and friends they can not speake a work of instruction and comfort, but spend the time in silence, gazing, and looking on: or in vttering wordes to little or no purpose, saying to the sicke partie, that they are verie sorrie to see him in that case, that they would hauehave him to be of good comfort, but wherein & by what meanes they cannot tell; that they doubt not but that he shall recouer his health and liue with them still, and be merrie as in former time: that they will pray for him; whereas all their praiers are nothing els but the Apostles creed, or the ten commandements, and the Lords praier vttered without vnderstanding. And this is the common comfort that sicke men get at the hands of their neighbours when they come vntounto them: and all his comes either because mē liue in ignorance of Gods word, or because they falsly thinke that the whole burthen of this dutie lies vponupon the shoulders of the minister.

The second circumstance is, when the sicke partie must send for the elders to i…struct him and pray for him. And that is in the verie first place of all before any other helpe be sought for. Where the Diuine endes, there the phisition must begin: and it is a verie preposterous course that the Diuine should there begin where the physitian makes an ende. For till helpe be had for the soule, and sinne which is the roote of sicknesse be cured, physicke for the bodie is nothing. Therefore it is a thing much to be disliked, that in all places almost, the physitian is first sent for, and comes in the beginning of the sicknes, and the Minister comes when a man is halfe dead, and is then sent for oftententimes, when the sicke partie lies drawing on and gasping for breath, as though Ministers of the Gospel in these daies were able to worke miracles.

The second dutie of the sick party is to confesse his sinnes, as Iames saith,Iam. 5.16. Confesse your sinnes one to another, and pray one for another. It will be said, that this is to bring in againe Popish shrift. Ans. Confession of our sinnes, and that vntounto men was neuer denied of any: the question onelyonly is of the manner and order of making confession. And for this cause we must put a great difference betweene Popish shrift, and the confession of which S. Iames speaketh. For he requires onelyonly a confession of that or those sinnes which lie vponupon a mans conscience when he is sicke: but the Popish doctrine requireth a particular enumeration of all mans sinnes. Againe, S. Iames enioynes confession onelyonly as a thing necessarie, meete, and conuenient, but the Papists as a thing necessarie to the remission of sinnes. Thirdly, S. Iames permits that confession be made to any man, and by one man to an other mutually; whereas Popish shrift is made onelyonly to the priest. The second dutie then is, that the sicke partie troubled in mind with the memorie and consideration of any of his sinnes past, or any manner of way tempted by the deuill, shall freely of his owne accord open his case to such as are both able and willing to helpe him, that he may receiue comfort and die in peace of conscience.

Thus much of the sicke mans dutie: now follow the duties of helpers. The first is, to pray ouer him, that is, in his presence to pray with him and for him, and by praier to present his very person and his whole estate vntounto God. The Prophet Elizeus,2. King. 4. 32. Act. 20. 10. Ioh. 11. 41. the Apostle Paul, and our Sauiour Christ vsed this manner of praying, when they would miraculously restore temporal life: and therfore it is very meete that the same should be vsed also of vsus, that we might the better stirre vp our affections in prayer, and our compassion to the sicke when we are about to intreat the Lord for the remission of their sinnes, and for the saluation of their soules.

The second dutie of him that comes as an helper, is to annoint the sicke partie with oyle. Now this annointing was an outward ceremonie which was vsed with the gift of healing, which is now ceased: and therefore I omit to speake further of it.

Thus much of the dutie which the sick man owes to God: now follow the duties which he is to performe vntounto himselfe, and they are twofold: one concernes his soule, the other his bodie. The dutie concerning his soule is, that he must arme & furnish himselfe against the immoderate feare of present death. And the reason hereof is plaine: because howsoeuer naturally men feare thorough the course of their liues more or lesse; yet in the time of sicknes when death approcheth, this naturall feare bred in the bone will most of all shew it selfe, euen in such sort, as it will astonish the senses of the sicke partie, & sometime cause desperation. Therefore it is necessary that we vse meanes to strengthen our selues against the feare of death. The meanes are of two sorts: practises, and meditations. Practises are two especially. The first is, that the sick man must not so much regard death it selfe as the benefits of God which are obtained after death. He must fixe his mind vponupon the consideration of the pangs & torments of death; but all his thoughts and affections must be set vponupon that blessed estate that is enioyed after death. He that is to passe ouer some great & deepe riuer, must not looke downward to the streame of the water: but if he would preuent feare, he must set his foote sure and cast his eie to the banke on the further side: and so must he that drawes neare death, as it were, looke ouer the waues of death and directly fixe the eye of his faith vponupon eternall life. The second practise is to looke vponupon death in the glasse of the Gospel, and not in the glasse of the law: that is, we must consider death not as it is propounded in the law, and looke vponupon that terrible face which the law giueth vntounto it; but as it is set forth in the Gospel. Death in the law is a curse and the downfall to the pit of destruction: in the Gospel it is the entrance to heauen: the law sets forth death as death, the Gospel sets death as no death, but as a sleepe onelyonly: because it speaketh of death as it is altered and changed by the death of Christ; by the vertue whereof death is properly no death to the seruants of God. When men shall hauehave care on this manner to consider of death, it will be a notable means to strengthen and stablish them against all immoderate feares and terrours that vsually rise in sicknes.

The meditations which serue for this purpose are innumerable, but I will touch onelyonly those which are the most principal & the grounds of the rest: and they are foure in number. The first is borrowed from the speciall prouidence of God; namely that the death of eueryevery mā, much more of eueryevery child of god, is not onelyonly foreseene, but also foreappointed of God: yea the death of eueryevery man deserued and procured by his sinnes, is laide vponupon him by God, who in that respect may be saide to be the cause of eueryevery mans death. So saith Anna,1. Sam. 2. 6. The Lord killeth and maketh aliue. The Church of Ierusalem confessed that nothing came to passe in the death of Christ,Act. 4.28. but that which the foreknowledge and eternall counsell of God had appointed. And therefore the death also of eueryevery member of Christ is foreseene and ordained by the speciall decree and prouidence of God. I adde further, that the very circumstances of death, as the time when, the place where, the maner how, the beginnings of sicknes, the cō tinuance, and the ende, eueryevery fit in the sicknes and the pangs of death, are particularly set down in the counsell of God. The very hayres of our heads are numbered (as our Sauiour Christ saith) and a sparrow lights not on the ground without the will of our heauenly father. Dauid saith excellently,Psal. 139. 15, 16. My bones are not hidde from thee, though I was made in a secret place, and fashioned beneath in the earth: thine eyes did see me when I was without forme, for in thy booke were all things written, which in continuance were fashioned, when there was none of them before. And he praies to God to put his teares into his bottle. Now if this be true,Psal. 56. 8. that God hath bottles for the very teares of his seruants, much more hath he bottles for their blood, and much more doth he respect and regard their paines and miseries with all the circumstances of sicknes and death. The carefull meditation of this one point is a notable meanes to arme vsus against feare and distrust, and impatience in the time of death; as some examples in this case will easily manifest, I held my tongue and saide nothing, saith Dauid: but what was it that caused this patience in him?Psal. 35. 10. Gen. 4…. the cause follows in the next wordes: because thou Lord diddest it. And Ioseph saith to his brethren: Feare not, for it was the Lord that sent you before me. Marke here how Ioseph is ariued against impatience and griefe and discontentment by the very consideration of Gods prouidence: and so in the same manner shal we be confirmed against all feares and sorrowes, and say with Dauid,Psal. 116.13 Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints: if this perswasion be once setled in our hearts, that all things in sicknes and death come to passe vntounto vsus by the prouidence of God, who turnes all things to the good of them that louelove him.

The second meditation is to be borrowed from the excellent promise that God made to the death of the righteous: which is,Apoc. 14.13. Blessed are they that die in the Lord: for they rest from their labours, and their workes follow them. The author of truth that can not lie hath spoken it. Now then let a man but throughly consider this, that death ioyned with reformed life hath a promise of blessednes adioyned vntounto it, and it alone will be a sufficient meanes to stay the rage of our affections, and all inordinate feare of death: and the rather, if we mark… wherein this blessednes consists. In death we are indeed thrust out of our old dwelling places, namely these houses of clay and earthly tabernacles of our bodies, wherein we hauehave made long aboad: but what is the end? surely that liuing and dying in Christ, we might hauehave a building giuen of God, that is, an house not made with hands,2. Cor. 5.1. but eternall in heauens, which is vnspeakable and immortall glorie. If a poore man should be commaunded by a Prince to put off his torne and beggerly garments, and in stead thereof to put on royall and costly robes, it would be a great reioycing to his heart: oh then what ioyfull newes must this he vntounto all repentant and sorrowfull sinners, when the King of heauen and earth comes vntounto them by death and biddes them lay downe their bodies as ragged and patched garments, and prepare themselues to put on the princely robe if immortalitie? No tongue can be able to expresse the excellencie of this most blessed and happie estate.

The third meditation is borrowed from the estate of all them that are in Christ, whether liuing or dying. He that dieth beleeuing in Christ, dieth not forth of Christ but in him, hauing both his bodie and soule really coupled to Christ according to the tenour of the couenant of grace: and though after death bodie and soule be seuered one from an other, yet neither of them are seuered or disioyned from Christ. The coniunction which is once begun in this life remaines eternally. And therefore though the soule goe from the bodie, and the bodie it selfe rotte in the graue, yet both are still in Christ, both in the couenant, both in the fauour of God as before death, and both shal againe be ioyned togither; the bodie by the vertue of the former coniunction beeing raised to eternall life. Indeede if this vnion with Christ were dissolued as the coniunction of bodie and soule is, it might be some matter of discomfort and feare, but the foundation and substance of our mysticall coniunction with Christ both in respect of our bodies and soules enduring for euer, must needs be a matter of exceeding ioy and comfort.

The fourth meditation is, that God hath promised by his speciall, blessed, & comfortable presence vntounto his seruants when they are sick of dying, or any way distressed. When thou passest through the water, I will be with thee (saith the Lord) and through the floods that they doe not ouerflow thee: Esa. 43. 3.when thou walkest through the very fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neither shal the flame kindle vponupon thee. Now the Lord doth manifest his presence three waies: the first is by moderating and lessening the paines and torments of sicknesse and death, as the very wordes of the former promise doth plainly import. Hence it comes to passe that to many men the sorrowes and pangs of death, are nothing so grieuous and troublesome, as the afflictions and crosses which are laid on them in the course of their liues. The second way of Gods presence is by an inward and vnspeakable comfort of the spirit, as Paul saith,Rom. 5. 3,5. We reioyce in tribulation, knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience, &c. but why is this reioycing? because (saith he in the next words) the louelove of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost. Againe,2. Cor. 1.5. Paul hauing in some grieuous sicknes receiued the sentence of death, saith of himselfe, that, as the sufferings of Christ did abound in him, so his consolation did abound through Christ. Here then we see, that when earthly comforts faile, the Lord himselfe drawes neere the bed of the sicke, as it were, visiting them in his owne person, and ministring vntounto them refreshing for their soules:Cant. 2.6. With his right hand he holds vp their heads, and with his left hand he embraceth them. The third meanes of Gods presence is the ministery of his good Angels, whome the Lord hath appointed as keepers and nources vntounto his seruants to hold them vp and to beare them in their armes as nources do yong children, and to be as a gard vntounto them against the deuill and his angels.Psal. 93. And all this is verified specially in sicknes, at which time the holy Angels are not onelyonly present with such as feare God, but readie also to receiue and to carrie their soules into heauen, as appeares by the example of Lazarus.

And thus much of the first dutie which a sicke man is to performe vntounto himselfe, namely that he must by all meanes possible arme & strengthen himselfe against the feare of death: now followeth the second dutie which is concerning the bodie: and that is that all sicke persons must be careful to preserue health and life till God doe wholly take it away. For Paul saith,Ro. 14.7,8. None of vsus liueth to himselfe, neither doth any die to himselfe: for whether we liue, we liue vntounto the Lord, or whether we die, we die vntounto the Lord: whether we liue therefore or die we are the Lords. For this cause we may not doe with our liues as we will, but we must reserue the whole disposition thereof vntounto God, for whose glorie we are to liue and die. And this temporall life is a most pretious iewell, and as the common saying is, life is very sweete; because it is giuen man for this ende, that he might hauehave some space of time wherein he might vse all good meanes to attaine to life euerlasting. Life is not bestowed on vsus, that we should spend our daies in our lusts and vaine pleasures, but that we might hauehave libertie to come out of the kingdome of darknes into the kingdome of grace, and from the bondage of sinne into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God: and in this respect speciall care must be had of preseruation of life, till God doe call vsus hence.

In the preseruing of life, two things must be considered: the meanes, and the right vse of the meanes. The means is good and wholsom physick: which, though it be despised of many as a thing vnprofitable and needles, yet must it be esteemed as an ordinance and blessing of God. This appeares, because the spirit of God hath giuen approuation vntounto it in the Scriptures. When it was the good pleasure of God to restore life vntounto king Ezekias,2. king. 20.7. a lump of drie figs by the prophets appointment was laid to his boile and he was healed. Indeed this cure was in some sort miraculous, because he was made whole in the space of two or three daies, and the third day he went vp to the temple: yet the bunch of figges was a naturall and ordinary medicine or plaister seruing to soften & ripen tumours or swellings in the flesh.Gal. l. 2. de art. curat. cap. 7. And the Samaritane is commended for the binding vp and for the powring in of wine and oyle into the woundes of the man that lay wounded betweene Ierusalem and Ierico. Now this dealing of his was a right practise of physicke:Luk. 10. 34. Valles. de sacra philos. c. 88. for the wine serued to clense the wound and to ease the pain within: & the oyle serued to supple the flesh & to asswage the pain without. And the prophet Esai seemes to cōmend this physicke, when he saith,Esa. 1.6. From the soole of the foote there is nothing whole therein, but wounds and swellings; & sores full of corruption: they hauehave not bin wrapped nor boūd vp, nor mollified with oyle. And whereas God did not command circumcision of children before the eight day, he followed a rule of physicke obserued in all ages, that the life of the child is very vncerten till the first seuen daies be expired, as we may see by the example of the child which Dauid had by Bathsabe which died the seuenth day. And vponupon the very same ground heathen men vsed not to name their children before the eight day.Arist. de hist. animal. l. 7. cap. 1. Thus then it is manifest that the vse of physicke is lawfull and commendable.

Furthermore, that physicke may be well applied to the maintenance of health, special care must be had to make choise of such physitiās as are known to be well learned, and men of experience, as also of good conscience & good religion. For as in other callings, so in this also, there be sundrie abuses which may indanger the liues and the health of men. Some venter vponupon the bare inspection of the vrine, without further direction or knowledge of the estate of the sicke, to prescribe and minister as shall seeme best vntounto them. But the learned in this facultie doe plainely auouch,Forrest. de vrin. indicys lib. 3. that this kind of dealing tendes rather to kill then to cure; and that sundrie men are indeed killed thereby. For iudgement by the vrine is most deceitfull: the water of him that is sicke of a pestilent feauer euen vntounto death, lookes for substance and colour as the water of a whole man:Lang. l. 2. ep. 41. and so doth the water of them that are sicke of a quartane or of any other intermitting feauer; specially if they hauehave vsed good diet from the beginning: as also of them that hauehave the pleuresie, or the inflammation of the lungs, or the Squinancie, oftentimes when they are neare death. Now then considering the waters of such as are at the point of death, appeares as the vrines of haile and sound men, one and the same vrine may foresignifie both life and death, and be a signe of diuers, nay of contrarie diseases. A thin, crude, and pale vrine in them that be in health, is a token of want of digestion; but in thē that are sicke of a sharpe or burning ague, it betokens the frensie, and is a certen signe of death. Againe, others there be that think it a small matter to make experiments of their deuised medicines vponupon the bodies of their patients, whereby the health which they hoped for is either much hindered or much decaied. Thirdly, there be others which minister no physicke at any time, or vse phlebotomie without the direction of iudiciall Astrologie: but if they shall follow this course alwaies, they must needes kill many a man. Put the case that a man full bodied is taken with a pleuresie, the moone beeing in Leone, what must be done? The learned in this art say, he must presently be let blood: but by Astrologie a stay must be made, till the moone be remooued frō Leo the house of the sun: but by that time the impostume will be so much increased by the gathering togither of the humors, that it can neither be dissolued nor ripened: and by this meanes the sicke partie wanting helpe in time, shall die either by inflammation, or by the consumption of the lungs. Againe,Lang. l. 1. ep. 25. when a man is sicke of the Squinancie, or of the feauer called Synachus, See Ganivettus called Amicus medic.the moone then beeing in the malignant aspects with any of the infortunate planets (as Astrologers vse to speak) if letting of blood be deferred till the moone be freed from the foresaid aspects, the partie dies in the meane season. Therefore they are farre wide that minister purgations and let blood no otherwise then they are counselled by the constitution of the starres, whereas it is a farre better course to consider the matter of the disease, with the disposition and ripening of it; as also the courses and symptomes and crisis thereof. This beeing so, there is good cause that sicke men should as well be carefull to make choise of meete Physitians to whome they might commend the care of their health, as they are carefull to make choise of lawyers for their worldly suits, and Diuines for cases of conscience.

Furthermore, all men must here be warned to take heede, that they vse not such meanes as hauehave no warrant. Of this kind are all charmes or spels, of what wordes soeuer they consist: characters and figures either in paper, wood, or waxe: all amulets and ligatures, which serue to hang about the necke or other parts of the bodie, except they be grounded vponupon some good naturall reason;Gal. l. 6. & 10. de simp. medic. as white peonie hung about the necke, is good against the falling sicknes: and woolfe-dung tied to the bodie is good against the collicke, not by any inchantment, but by inward vertue. Otherwise they are all vaine and superstitious: because neither by creation, nor by any ordinance in Gods word, hauehave they any power to cure a bodily disease. For words can doe no more but signifie, and figures can doe no more but represent. And yet neuerthelesse, these vnlawfull and absurd meanes are more vsed and sought for of common people, then good physicke. But it standes all men greatly in hand in no wise to seeke forth to inchanters, and sorcerers, which in deede are but witches and wizzards, though they are commonly called cunning men and women. It were better for a man to die of his sicknes, then to seeke recouery by such wicked persons. For if any turne after such as worke with spirits, and after soothsaiers, to goe an whoring after them, the Lord will set his face against them, and cut them off from among his people. Leu. 20.6.When Achazia was sicke, he sent to Baalzebub to the god of Ekron to know whether he should recouer or no: as the messengers were going, the Prophet Elias met them, and said,1. King. 1.6. Goe and returne to the King which sent you, and say vntounto him, Thus saith the Lord, Is it not because there is no God in Israel, that thou sendest to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come downe from thy bed on which thou art gone vp, but shalt di… the death. Therefore such kind of helpe is so farre from curing any paine of sicknes, that it rather doubleth them and fasteneth them vponupon vsus.

Thus much of the meanes of health: now followes the manner of vsing the meanes; concerning which, three rules must be followed. First of all, he that is to take physicke, must not onelyonly prepare his bodie, as physitians doe prescribe; but he must also prepare his soule by humbling himselfe vnderunder the hand of God in his sicknes for his sinnes, and make earnest praier to God for the pardon of them before any medicine come in his bodie. Now that this order ought to be vsed appeares plainely in this, that sicknes springs from our sinnes as from a roote; which should first of all be stocked vp, that the braunches might more easily die.…. Chr. 16. 26. And therefore Asa commended for many other things, is blamed for this by the holy Ghost, that he sought not the Lord, but to the physitians, and put his trust in them. Oftentimes it comes to passe, that diseases curable in themselues, are made incurable by the sinnes and the impenitencie of the partie: and therefore the best way is for them that would hauehave ease, when God begins to correct them by sicknes, then also to begin to humble themselues for all their sinnes, and turne vntounto God.

The second rule is, that when we hauehave prepared our selues, and are about to vse physicke, we must sanctifie it by the word of God and praier, as we doe our meate and drinke. For by the word we must hauehave our warrant, that the medicines prescribed are lawfull and good; and by praier we must intreat the Lord for a blessing vponupon them,1. Tim. 4. 3. in restoring of health, if it be the good will of God.

The third rule is, that we must carrie in minde the right and proper end of physicke, least we deceiue our selues. We must not therefore thinke that physicke serues to preuent old age or death it selfe. For that is not possible, because God hath set downe that all men shall die and be chaunged. And life consists in a temperature and proportion of naturall heat and radical moisture; which moysture beeing once consumed by the former heate, is by art vnrepairable; and therefore death must needes follow. But the true ende of physicke is to continue and lengthen the life of man to his naturall period; which is when nature, that hath beene long preserued by all possible meanes, is now wholly spent. Now this period, though it can not be lengthened by any skill of man, yet may it easily be shortned, by intemperance in diet, byaIntercu…aneus car…ifex. drunkennes, and by violent diseases. But care must be had to auoid all such euills, that the litle lamp of corporall life may burne till it goe out of it selfe. For this very space of time is the very day of grace and saluation: and whereas God in iustice might hauehave cut vsus off and hauehave vtterly destroied vsus, yet in great merciemercy he giues vsus thus much time, that we might prepare our selues to his kingdome: which time when it is once spent, if a man would redeeme it with the price of tenne thousand worlds, he can not hauehave it.

And to conclude this point touching physicke, I will here set downe two especiall duties of the Physitian himselfe. The first is, that in the want and defect of such as are to put sicke men in mind of their sinnes, it is a dutie specially cōcerning him, he being a mēber of Christ, to aduertise his patients that they must truly humble themselues, and pray feruently to God for the pardon of all their sinnes: and surely this dutie would be more commonly practised then it is, if all physitians did consider that oftentimes they want good successe in their dealings, not because there is any want in art or good will, but because the partie with whome they deale is impenitent. The second dutie is, when he sees manifest signes of death in his patient, not to depart concealing them, but first of all to certifie the patient thereof. There may be and is too much nicenesse in such concealements, and the plaine trueth in this case knowne, is verie profitable. For when the partie is certaine of his end, it bereaues him of all confidence in earthly things, & makes him put all his affiance in the meere merciemercy of God. When Ezechias was sicke, the prophet speakes plainely vntounto him and saith, Set thine house in order: for thou must die. And what good we may reape by knowing certainly that we hauehave receiued the sentence of death, Paul sheweth when he saieth,2. Cor. 1.9. We receiued the sentence of death in our selues, because we should not trust in our selues, but in God which raiseth the dead.

Hauing thus seene what bee the duties of the sicke man to himselfe, let vsus nowe see what bee the duties which hee oweth to his neighbour; and they are two. The first is the dutie of reconciliation, whereby he is freely to forgiue all men, and to desire to be forgiuen of all. In the olde testament when a man was to offer a bullocke or lambe in sacrifice to God, he must leaue his offering at the altar, & first go & be reconciled to his brethren, if they had ought against him: much more then must this be done, when we are in death to offer vp our selues, our bodies, and soules, as an acceptable sacrifice vntounto god. Quest. What if a man cannot come to the speech of them with whome he would be reconciled; or if he doe, what if they will not be reconciled? Ansvv. When any shall in their sicknesse seeke and desire reconciliation, and can not obtaine it, either because the parties are absent, or because they will not relent, they hauehave discharged their conscience, and God will accept their will for their deed. As put case, a man lying sicke on his death bedde, is at enmitie with one that is then beyond the sea; so as hee can not possibly hauehave any speech with him, if he would neuer so faine, howe shall he stay his minde? why, he must remember that in this case, a will and desire to bee reconciled is reconciliation it selfe.

The second dutie is, that those which are rulers and gouernours of others, must hauehave care and take order that their charges committed to them by God, be left in good estate after their death: and here come three duties to be handled; the first of the Magistrate, the second of the Minister, the third of the master of the familie. The Magistrates dutie is, before he die to prouide as much as he can, for the godly and peaceable estate of the towne, citie, or commonwealth: and that is done partly by procuring the maintenance of sound religion & vertue, & partly by establishing of the execution of ciuil iustice & outward peace. Examples of this practise in Gods word are these.Deut. 31. 1. When Moses was an hundred and twentie yeare olde, and was no more able to goe in and out before the people of Israel, he called them before him, and signified that the time of his departure was at hand, and thereupon tooke order for their wel-fare after his death. And first of all he placed Iosua ouer them in his stead, to be their guide to the promised land:Ios. 23. secondly he giues speciall charge to all the people, to bee valiant and couragious against their enemies, and to obey the commandements of God And Iosua followes the same course. For hee calls the people togither, and shews thē that the time of his death is at hand, and giues them a charge to be couragious, & to worship the true God: which done, he endes his daies as a worthie captaine. When king Dauid was to goe the way of al flesh,1. King. 2. 1,2,3, &c. and lay sicke on his death bedde; he placed his owne sonne Salomon vponupon his throne, and giues him charge, both for maintenance of region, and exequution of iustice.

The dutie of ministers whē they are dying is, as much as they can, to cast & prouide for the continuance of the good estate of the Church ouer which they are placed. Consider the example of Peter:2. Pet. 1. 15. I will (saith hee) indeauour alwaies, that ye also may be able to hauehave remembrance of these things after my departure. If this had beene well obserued, there could not hauehave bin such aboundance of schismes, errors, and heresies as hath beene, and the Church of God could not hauehave suffered so great hauocke. But because men hauehave had more care to maintaine personall succession, then the right succession, which stands in the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles; therfore wolues hauehave come into the roomes of faithfull teachers,Act. 20. 28. 2. Th. 2.2. and the Apostasie of which Paul speakes, hath ouerspread the face of the Church.

Thirdly, housholders must set their families in order before they die, as the Prophet Esai saith to Ezechiah,Esa. 38.1. Set thine house in order: for thou must die. For the procuring of good order in the family after death, two things are to bee done. The first concernes this life, and that is to dispose of lands and goods. And that this may bee well and wisely done; if the Will bee vnmade, it is with godly aduise and counsell to be made in the time of sicknes; according to the practise of auncient and worthie men. Abraham before his death makes his Will,Gen. 17. and 25. and 49. and giues legacies: so did Isaac; and Iacob, in whose last will and testamēt are contained many worthie blessings and prophesies of the estate of his children. And Christ our Sauiour when he was vponupon the crosse prouided for his mother, specially commending her to his disciple Iohn whom he loued. And indeede this dutie of making a will, is a matter of great weight and importāce: for it cuts off much hatred and contention in families, & staies many suites in law. It is not therefore alwaies a matter of indifferencie, which may bee done or not done, as many falsly think, who vponupon blind & sinister respects abstaine from making wills, either because their wealth should not bee knowne, or because they would hauehave their decaied estate to bee concealed; or because they feare they shall die the sooner if the will be once made.

Now though the making of wills belong to another place and profession, yet so much may be spoken here as the holy ghost hath vttered in the worde: and that I will reduce to certaine rules. The first is, that the will must be made according to the lawe of nature, and the written worde of God, and the good and holesome positiue lawes of that kingdome or countrie whereof a man is a member. The will of God must be the rule of mans will. And therefore the will that is made against any of these, is faultie. The second is, that if goods euill gotten be not restored before, they must euen then be restored by will, or by some other way. It is the practise of couetous men to bequeath their soules when they die to God, & their goods euill gotten to their children & friends; which in al equitie should be restored to them to whome they belong. Quest. Howe if a mans conscience tell him that his goods bee euill gotten, and hee knowes not where, or to whom to make restitution. Ansvv. The case is common, & the answer is this. When the partie is known whom thou hast wronged, restore to him particularly: if the partie bee vnknowne or dead, restore to his executors or assignes, or to his next kinne; if there be none, yet keepe not goods euill gotten to thy selfe, but restore to God, that is, in way of recompence and ciuill satisfaction, bestowe them on the Church or commonwealth. The third rule is, that heads of families must principally bestowe their goods vponupon their owne children, and them that be of their own kindred.Gen. 15.4. This man (saith God to Abraham of Eleazar a stranger) shall not bee thine heire, but the sonne which shall come of thy loynes. And this was Gods commandement to the Israelites, that when any man dies, his sonne should bee his heire, and if hee had no sonne,Num. 27. 8. 11. Rom. 8.17. 1. Tim. 5.8. Plato de Rep. l. 2. Arist. pol. l. 5. c. 8. then his daughter: & if he hauehave no daughter, then his brethren: and if he hauehave no brethren, then his fathers brethren: & if there be none, then the next of his kinne whosoeuer. And Paul saith, If ye be sonnes, then also heires: And againe, He that prouides not for his owne, and namly for them of his houshold, is worse then an infidel. Therefore it is a fault for any man to alienate his goods or landes, wholly and finally from his blood and posteritie. It is a thing which the verie lawe of nature it selfe hath condemned. Againe, it is a fault to giuegive all to the eldest, and nothing in respect to the rest; as though the eldest were born to be gentlemen, and yonger brethren borne to beare the wallet. Yet in equitie the eldest must hauehave more then any; euen because hee is the eldest, and because stockes and families in their persons are to bee maintained; and because there must alwaies be some that must be fit to doe speciall seruice in the peace of the common-weale, or in the time of warre: which could not bee, if goods should bee equally parted to all. The fourth and last rule is, that no Will is of force till the testatour bee dead,Heb. 9.15. for so long as hee is aliue hee may alter and change it. These rules must bee remembred, because they are recorded in Scripture; the opening of other points and circumstances belongeth to the profession of the law.

The second dutie of the master of the family concerneth the soules of such as be vnderunder his gouernmēt: and that is to giuegive charge to them, that they learn, beleeue, and obey the true religion, that is, the doctrine of saluation set downe in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles.Gen. 18. 19. The Lord himselfe commends Abraham for this: I know Abraham, saith he, that he will command his sonnes, & his houshold after him, that they keepe the waie of the Lord to doe righteousnes and iudgement. 1. King. 2. read all.And Dauid giues Salomon on his death bed a most notable and solemne charge, the summe and substance whereof is, to knowe the God of his fathers, and to serue him: which being done, he further commends him to God by praier: for which purpose the 72. psalme was made. This practise of his is to be followed of all. Thus gouernours, whē they shall carefully dispose of their goods, and giuegive charge to their posteritie touching the worship of God, shall greatly honour God dying as well as liuing.

Hitherto I hauehave intreated of the two-folde preparation which is to goe before death: nowe follows the second part of Dying-wel, namely the disposition in death. This disposition is nothing else but a religious and holy behauiour specially towards God, when wee are in or neere the agonie or pang of death. This behauiour containes three special duties. The first is to die in or by faith. To die by faith is, when a man in the time of death, doeth with all his heart relie himselfe wholly on Gods speciall louelove and fauour and merciemercy in Christ, as it is reuealed in the word. And though their bee no part of mans life voide of iust occasions whereby we may put faith in practise, yet the speciall time of all is the pang of death, when friendes, and riches, and pleasures, and the outward senses, and temporall life, and all earthly helps forsake vsus. For thē true faith maketh vsus to goe wholly out of our selues, and to despaire of comfort and saluation in respect of any earthly thing; and with all the power and strength of the heart to rest on the pure merciemercy of God. This made Luther both thinke and say, that men were best Christians in death. An example of this faith wee hauehave in Dauid, who when hee sawe nothing before his eies but present death,1. Sam. 30. 6 the people intending to stone him, comforted him at that very instant (as the text saieth) in the Lord his God. And this comfort he reaped, in that by faith he applied vntounto his owne soule the mercifull promises of God; as hee testifieth of himself:Psal. 119. 49,50. Psal. 73.26. Remember (saith he) the promise made to thy seruant, wherin thou hast caused me to trust. It is my comfort in trouble: for thy promise hath quickened me. Againe, My flesh failed and my heart also, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for euer. Now looke what Dauid here did, the same must eueryevery one of vsus doe in the like case. When the Israelites in the wildernes were stung with fierie serpents, and lay at the point of death, they looked vp to the brasen serpent which was erected by the appointment of God, and were presently healed:Ioh. 3.14. euen so when any man feeles death to drawe neere, and his fiery sting to pierce the heart, he must fixe the eye of a true and liuely faith vponupon Christ, exalted & crucified on the crosse, which beeing done, he shall by death enter into eternall life.

Nowe because true faith is no dead thing, it must bee expressed by speciall actions; the principal whereof is Inuocation, whereby either praier or thanksgiuing is directed vntounto God. When death had seazed vponupon the bodie of Iacob, he raised vp himselfe, and turning his face towards the beds head, leaned on the toppe of his staffe by reason of his feeblenesse, and praied vntounto God: which praier of his was an excellent fruite of his faith. Iobs wife in the midst of his affliction saide vntounto him to very good purpose, Blesse God and die. I know and grant that the words are commonly translated otherwise,Heb. 11. 22. Iob. 2.9. Curse god and die: but (as I take it) the former is the best. For it is not like that in so excellent a family, any one person, much lesse a matrone and principall gouernour thereof would giuegive such lewd and wretched counsell: which the most wicked mā vponupon earth hauing no more but the light of nature would not once giuegive, but rather much abhorre and condemne. And though Iob cal her a foolish woman, yet he doth it not because shee wēt about to perswade him to blaspheme God; but because shee was of the mind of Iobs friends, anda…ost thou cont…e …et i… thine …prigh…es. v. 9. thought that hee stood too much in a conceit of his owne righteousnes. Nowe the effect and meaning of her counsell is this: Blesse God, that is, husband, no doubt thou art by the extremitie of thine affliction at deaths dore: therefore beginne nowe at length to lay aside the great ouerweening which thou hast of thine owne righteousnes, acknowledge the hand of God vponupon thee for thy sinnes, confesse them vntounto him giuing him the glorie, pray for the pardon of them and end thy daies. This counsell is very good and to be followed of all: though it may be the applying of it (as Iob well perceiued) is mixed with follie.

Here it may be alleadged, that in the pangs of death men want their senses and conuenient vtterance, and that therefore they are vnable to pray. Ans. The very sighes, sobbes, and g…ones of a repentant and beleeuing heart are praiers before God, euen as effectuall as if they were vttered by the best voice in the world. Prayer stands in the affection of the heart, the voice is but an outward messenger therof. God looks not vponupon the speach but vponupon the heart. Dauid saith,Psal. 10.17. & 145. 19. God heares the desires of the poore: againe, that he will fulfill the desires of thē that feare him: yea their very teares are loud and sounding praiers in his eares.

Againe, faith may otherwise be expressed by the Last words, which for the most part in thē that hauehave truly serued God, are very excellent & cōfortable and full of grace: some choise examples whereof I will rehearse for instructions sake and for imitation. The last wordes of Iacob were those whereby as a prophet he foretold blessings and curses vponupon his children:Gen. 49. and the principall among the rest were these, The scepter shall not depart from Iudah, and the lawgiuer from betweene his feete till Shilo come: vers. 10. vers. 18.and, O Lord, I hauehave waited for thy saluation. The last words of Moses are his most excellent song set downe Deut. 32. and the last words of Dauid were these, The spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue: the God of Israel spake to me, the strength of Israel, said, Beare rule ouer men, &c. 2. Sam. 23.The wordes of Zacharias the sonne of Iehoida, when he was stoned were,2. Chr. 24. 22. The Lord looke vponupon it and require it. The last words of our Sauiour Christ when he was dying vponupon the crosse, are most admirable, and stored with abundance of spirituall grace. 1. To his father he saith, Father, forgiue them, they know not what they doe. Luk. 23.24. vers. 43. Ioh. 19.26, 27. Mat. 27.46. Ioh. 19.20. vers. 30. Luk. 23.48. Act. 9. 56. 59,60. Euseb. l. 3. cap. 30.2. to the thiefe, Verily I say vntounto thee, this night shalt thou be with me in Paradise. 3. to his mother, Mother, behold thy son: & to Iohn, behold thy mother. 4. and in his agonie, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me. 5. and earnestly desiring our saluation, I thirst. 6. and when he had made perfect satisfaction, It is finished. 7. and when bodie and soule were parting, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. The last words of Steuen were, 1. Behold I see the heauens open and the Sonne of man standing at the right hand of God. 2. Lord Iesu receiue my spirit. 3. Lord lay not this sin…e to their charge. Of Polycarpe, Thou art a true God without lying, therefore in all things I praise thee, and blesse thee, and glorifie thee by the eternall God and high Priest Iesus Christ thine onelyonly beloued sonne, by whome and with whome to thee and the holy Spirit, be all glorie now and for euer. Of Ignatius, I care not what kinde of death I die: I am the bread of the Lord and must be ground with the teeth of lyons, that I may be cleane bread for Christ who is the bread of life for me. Of Ambrose, I hauehave not so led my life amōg you as if I were ashamed to liue: neither doe I feare death, because we hauehave a good Lord. Paulinus in vita eius.Of Augustine, 1. He is no great mā that thinks it a great matter that trees and stones fall and mortall men die. 2. Iust art thou, O Lord, and righteous is thy iudgement. Of Bernard, 1. An admonitiō to his brethren that they would ground the anchor of their faith and hope in the safe and sure port of Gods merciemercy. Possid. in vita Aug. c. 8.2. Because (saith he) as I suppose I can not leaue vntounto you any choise example of religion, I commend three things to be imitated of you, which I remember that I hauehave obserued in the race which I hauehave runne as much as possibly I could. 1. I gaue l…sse heede to mine owne sense and reason then to the sense and reason of other men. 2. When I was hurt, I sought not reuenge on him that did the hurt. 3. I had care to giuegive offence to no man, and if it fell out otherwise, I tooke it away as I could. Of Zuinglius, when in the fielde he was wounded vnderunder the chinne with a speare:Oswold. Mycon. O what happe is this? goe to, they may kill my bodie but my soule they cannot. Of Oecolampadius, 1. An exhortation to the ministers of the Church to maintaine the puritie of doctrine, to shewe forth an example of honest and godly conuersation, to bee constant and patient vnderunder the crosse. 2. Of himselfe, Whereas I am charged to bee a corrupter of the trueth, I weigh it not; now I am going to the tribunall of Christ and that with good conscience by the grace of god, & there it shall be manifest that I hauehave not seduced the Church. Of this my saying and contestation, I leaue you as witnesses, and I confirme it with this my last breath. 3. To his children, louelove God the father: and turning himselfe to his kinsfolkes: I hauehave bound you (saith he) with this contestation: you (which they heare and I hauehave desired) shall doe your indeauour, that these my childrē may be godly, and peaceable, and true. 4. To his friend comming vntounto him, What shall I say vntounto you? Newes, I shal be shortly with Christ my Lord. 5. being asked whether the light did not trouble him, touching his breast, there is light enough, saith hee. 6. he rehearsed the whole 51. psalme with deepe sighes from the bottome of his breast. 7. a little after, Saue me Lord Iesus. Of Luther, My heauenly father, God and father of our Lord Iesus Christ and God of all comfort, I giuegive thee thank…s that thou hast reuealed vntounto me thy sonne Iesus Christ, whome I hauehave beleeued, whome I hauehave professed, whome I hauehave loued, whome I hauehave praised, whome the Bishoppe of Rome and the whole companie of the wicked persecuteth and reuileth. I praie thee my Lord Iesus Christ receiue my poore soule: my heauenly father, though I bee taken from this life, and this bodie of mine is to he laid downe, yet I knowe certainely that I shall remaine with thee for euer, neither shall any be able to pull me out of thy hand. Of Hooper, O Lord Iesus sonne of Dauid hauehave merciemercy on me & receiue my soule. Of Annas Burgius, Forsake me not O Lord, least I forsake thee. Of Melācthon, If it be the will of God, I am willing to die, and I beseech him that he will graunt me a ioyfull departure. Of Caluine, 1. I held my tongue, because thou Lord hast done it. 2. I mourned as a doue. 3. Lord thou grindest me to powder, but … sufficeth me because it is thine hand. Of Peter Martyr, that his bodie was weake, but his mind was well: that he acknowledged no life or saluation but onelyonly in Christ who was giuen of the father to be a redeemer of mankind: and when hee had confirmed this by testimonie of Scriptur…, he added: This is my faith in which I will die: and God will destroy them that teach otherwise. This done, he shooke hands with all and said, Farewell my brethren and deare friends. It were easie to quote more examples, but these few may be in stead of many: and the summe of all that godly men speake, is this. Some inlightened with a propheticall spirit foretell things to come, as the Patriarkes Iacob and Ioseph did: and there hauehave bin some which by name hauehave testified who should verie shortly come after them,Gen. 50. 24, 25. and who should remaine aliue, and what should be their condition: some hauehave shewed a wonderfull memorie of things past, as of their former life, and of the benefits of God; and no doubt it was giuen them to stirre vp holy affections and thanksgiuing to God; some againe rightly iudging of the change of their present estate for a better, doe reioyce exceedingly that they must be translated from earth to paradise: as Babylas Martyr of Antioch when his head was to be chopped off, Returne (saith he) O my soule vntounto thy rest: because the Lord hath blessed thee: because thou hast deliuered my soule from death, mine eies from teares, and my foote from falling, Psa. 116.7,8I shall walke before thee Iehoua in the land of the liuing. And some others speake of the vanitie of this life, of the imagination of the sorrowes of death, of the beginnings of eternall life, of the comfort of the holy Ghost which they feele, of their departure vntounto Christ.

Quest. What must we thinke if in the time of death such speeches be wanting; and in the stead thereof idle talke be vsed. Ans. Wee must consider the kind of sicknes whereof men die, whether it be more easie or violent: for violent sicknes is vsually accompanied with frensies, and with vnseemely motions and gestures, which wee are to take in good part euen in this regard, because we our selues may be in the like case.

Thus much of the first dutie which is to die in faith: the second is to die in obedience: otherwise our death cannot bee aceeptable to God, because wee seeme to come vntounto God of feare and constraint as slaues to a master, & not of louelove as children to a father. Nowe to die in obedience is, when a man willing and readie and desirous to goe out of this worlde whensoeuer God shall call him, and that without murmuring or repining, at what time, where, and whē it shall please god.Ro. 14.7,8. Whether we liue or die, saith Paul, we do it not to our selues but vntounto God; and therefore mans dutie is to bee obedient to God in death as in life. Christ is our example in this case, who in his agonie praied, Father, let this cup passe from me, yet with a submission, not my will but thy will be done: teaching vsus in the very pangs of death to resigne our selues to the good pleasure of God. When the prophet told king Ezechiah of death, presently without all manner of grudging or repining he addressed himselfe to praier. We are commanded to present our selues vntounto God as free-will offerings, without any limitation of time, and therefore as well in death as in life. I conclude then that we are to make as much conscience in performing obedience to God in suffering death, as we do of any cōsciēce in the course of our liues.

The third dutie is to render vp our soules into the handes of God, as the most faithfull keeper of all. This is the last dutie of a Christian, and it is prescribed vntounto vsus in the example of Christ vponupon the crosse, who in the very pangs of death when the dissolution of bodie and soule drew on said,Luk. 23. Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit, and so gaue vp the ghost. The like was done by Steuen, who when he was stoned to death, said,Act. 7. Psal. 31.5. Lord Iesus receiue my spirit. And Dauid in his life time being in danger of death vsed the very same words that Christ vttered.

Thus we see what be the duties which we are to performe in the very pāgs of death, that we may come to eternall life. Some man will happily say, if this be all to die in faith and obedience and to surrender our soules into Gods hād, we will not greatly care for any preparation before hand, nor trouble our selues much about the right manner of dying well: for we doubt not, but that when death shall come, we shall be able to perform all the former duties with ease. Ans. Let no man deceiue himselfe by any false perswasion, thinking with himselfe that the practise of the foresaid duties is a matter of ease: for ordinarily they are not, neither can they be performed in death, vnles there bee much preparation in the life before. Hee that will die in faith must first of all liue by faith: and there is but one example in all the bible of a man dying in faith that liued without faith; namely, the theife vponupon the crosse. The seruants of God that are endued with great measure of grace doe very hardly beleeue in the time of affliction. Indeede when Iob was afflicted he said, Though the Lord kill me, yet will I trust in him: yet afterward, his faith being ouercast with a cloud, he saith, that God was become his enemie, and that he had set him as a marke to shoot at: and sundry times his faith was oppressed with doubting and distrust. How then shall they that neuer liued by faith nor inured themselues to beleeue, bee able in the pang of death to rest vponupon the merciemercy of God. Againe, hee that would die in obedience, must first of all lead his life in obedience: he that hath liued in disobedience can not willingly and in obedience appeare before the iudge when he is cited by death the sergeant of the Lord: he dies indeede, but that is vponupon neces…itie, because hee must yeelde to the order and course of nature as other creatures do. Thirdly, he that would surrender his soule into the hands of God must be resolued of two things; the one is that God can; the other is, that God will receiue his soule into heauen and there preserue it till the last iudgement. And none can be resolued of this, except he hauehave the spirit of God to certifie his conscience that hee is redeemed, iustified, sanctified by Christ, and shall be glorified. He that is not thus perswaded, dare not render vp and present his soule vntounto God. When Dauid said, Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit;Psal. 31.5. what was the reason of this boldnesse in him? surely nothing els but the perswasion of faith, as the next words import: for thou hast redeemed mee, O Lord God of trueth. And thus it is manifest, that no man ordinarily can performe these duties dying, that hath not performed them liuing.

This beeing so, I doe againe renewe my former exhortation, beseeching you that ye would practise the duties of preparatiō in the course of your liues, leading them daily in faith and obedience, and from time to time commending our soules into the hand of God, & casting all our works vponupon his prouidence. They which hauehave done this, hauehave made most happie & blessed ends. Enoch by faith walked walked with God, as one that was alwaies in his presence, leading an vpright and godly life, and the Lord tooke… him away that hee should not see death. Heb. 11.5.And this which befell Enoch, shall after a sort befall them also that liue in faith and obedience: because death shall bee no death but a sleepe vntounto them, and no enemie but a friende to bodie and soule. On the contrarie let vsus consider the wretched and miserable endes of them that hauehave spent their daies in their sinnes without keeping faith and good conscience. The people of the olde worlde were drowned in the floode: the filthie Sodomites and Gomorrheans were destroyed with fire from heauen: Dathan and Abiram with the companie of Core swallowed vp of the earth, Core himself (as it seemesaNum. 16. 32. by the text) beeing burnt with fire: wicked Saul and Achitophel and Iudas destroy themselues. Herod is eaten vp of wormes and gaue vp the ghost:Psa. 1…6. 17. Iulian the Apostata smitten with a dart in the fielde, died casting vp his blood into the aire and blaspheming the name of Christ. Arius the hereticke died vponupon the stoole scouring foorth his verie entralls. And this veri… age affoards store of like examples. Hof…meister a great Papist, as he was going to the councill of Ralisbone to dispute against the defenders of the gospell,Il…yric. de fide. was suddenly in his iourney preuented by the hand of God, and miserably died with horrible roaring, and crying out in the vniuersity of Louaine. Guarlacus a learned Papist falling sicke,Foxe bocke of Acts and Mon. when he perceiued no way with him but death, he sel into a miserable agony and perturbation of spirit, crying out of his sins… howe miserably he had liued, and that he was not able to abide the iudgement of God, and so casting out wordes of miserable desperation said, his sinnes were greater then they could be pardoned, and in that desperation ended his daies. Iacobus Latromus of the same Vniuersitie of Louaine after that hee had beene at Bruxels, and there thinking to doe a great act against Luther and his fellowes, made an oration before the Emperour so foolishly and ridiculously that he was laughed to scorne almost of the whole court: then returning from thence to Louaine againe, in his publike lecture hee fell into open madnesse, vttering such words of desperation and blasphemous impietie, that other diuines which were present, were faine to carrie him away as he was rauing, & to shut him into a close chamber. From that time to his verie last breath, hee had neuer any thing else in his mouth, but that he was damned & reiected of god, and that there was no hope of saluation for him, because that wittingly and against his knowledge he withstood the maniest truth of Gods word.Sl…id. lib. 23. Crescentius the Popes Legate and vicegerent in the Council of Trent was …itting all the daie long vntill darke night in writing of letters to the Pope: after his labour when night was come, thinking to refresh himselfe, he began to rise, and at his rising, behold there appeared to him a mightie blacke dogge of an huge bignesse, his eies flaming with fire, and his eares hanging low down wel neere to the ground, which began to enter in and straight to come towards him, & so to couch vnderunder the boord. The Cardinall not a little amased at the sight thereof, somewhat recouering himselfe called to his seruants which were in the outward chamber next by, to bring in a candle and to seek for the dogge. But when the dogge could not bee found there, nor in any other chamber about, the Cardinall thereupon stricken with a sudden conceit of minde immediately fell into such a sickenes whereof his Phisitians which he had about him could not with all their industrie and cunning cure him: and thereupon he died. Steuen Gardiner, when a certaine bishop came vntounto him and put him in minde of Peter denying his master, answered again that he had denied with Peter, but neuer repented with Peter, & so (to vse M. Foxes words) stinkingly & vnrepentantly died. More examples might be added but these shall suffice.

Againe, that wee may bee further induced to the practise of these duties, let vsus call to minde the vncertaintie of our daies: though we now liue, yet who can say that hee shall bee aliue the next daie… or the next houre. No man hath a lease of his life. Nowe marke, as death leaues a man, so shall the last iudgement find him: and therfore if death take him away vnprepared, eternal damnation followes without recouerie. If a theife bee brought from prison either to the barre to be arraigned before the iudge, or to the place of exequ…tion, he will bewaile his misdeameanour past, and promise all reformation of life; so be it, he might be deliuered, though he be the most arrant theefe that euer was. In this case we are as fellons or theeues: for we are eueryevery day going to the barre of Gods iudgement, there is no stay nor standing in the way, euen as the shippe in the sea continues on his course day and night whether the marriners be sleeping or waking: therefore let vsus all prepare our selues and amend our liues betime, that in death we may make a blessed ende. Ministers of the Gospel doe daily call for the performance of this dutie: but where almost shall we finde the practise and obedience of it in mens liues and conuersations? Alas, alas, to lend our eares for the space of an houre to heare the will of God is common: but to giuegive heart and hand to doe the same, is rare. And the reason hereof is at hand: we are all most grieuous sinners, and eueryevery sinner in the tearmes of Scripture is a foole: and a principall part of this follie is to care for the things of this world, and to neglect the kingdome of heauen, to prouide for the bodie and not for the soule,Luk. 12. to cast and forecast how we may liue in wealth and honour and ease, and not to vse the last forecast to die well. This folly our Sauiour Christ noted in the rich man that was carefull to inlarge his barnes, but had no care at all for his ende or for the saluation of his soule. Such an one was Achitophel, who (as the Scripture tearmes him) was as the very oracle of God for counsell, beeing a man of great wisdome and forecast in the matters of the common-wealth, and in his owne priuate worldly affaires: and yet for all this he had not so much as common sense and reason, to consider how he might die the death of the righteous, and come to life euerlasting. And this follie the holy Ghost hath noted in him. For the text saith, when he saw that his counsell was despised,… …am. 17. 23. he sadled his asse, and arose and went home into his citie, and put his houshold in order, and went and hanged himselfe. And the fiue foolish virgins contented themselues with the blasing lamps of a bare profession, neuer seeking for the horne of lasting oyle of true and liuely faith, that might furnish and trimme that lampe both in life & death. But let vsus in the feare of God, cast off this damnable folly, first of all seeking the kingdome of God and his righteousnes, and leading our liues in faith and obedience, that we may die accordingly.

And thus much of the first point of doctrine, namely that there is a certen way whereby a man may die well: now I come to the second. Whereas therefore Salomon saith that the day of death is better then the day of birth, we are further taught that such as truly beleeue thēselues to be the children of God, are not to feare death ouermuch. I say ouermuch; because they must partly feare it, & partly not. Feare it they must for two causes: the first, because death is the destruction of humane nature in a mans owne selfe and others: & in this respect Christ feared it without sinne: and we must not feare it otherwise then we feare sicknes and pouertie, and famine, with other sorrowes of bodie and mind, which god wil not hauehave vsus to despise or lightly regard, but to feele with some paine, because they are corrections and punishments for sinne. And he doth therefore lay vponupon vsus paines and torments, that they may be feared and eschewed: and that by eschewing them we might further learne to eschew the cause of them, which is sinne; and by experience in feeling of paine, acknowledge that God is a iudge and enemie of sinne, and is exceeding angrie with it. The second cause of the feare of death, is the losse of the Church or Commonwealth, when we or others are depriued of them which were indeede or might hauehave bin an helpe, stay, and comfort to either of them, and whose death hath procured some publike or priuate losse.

Againe, we are not to feare death, but to be glad of it, and that for many causes. First of all, in it we hauehave occasion to shew our subiection and obedience which we owe vntounto God, when he calls vsus out of this world, as Christ saide, Father, not my will but thy will be done. Secondly, all sinne is abolished by death, and we then cease to offend God any more as we hauehave done. Thirdly, the dead bodie is brought into a better condition then euer it was in this life, for by death it is made insensible, and by that meanes it is freed from all the miseries and calamities of this life; and it ceaseth to be either an actiue or passiue instrument of sinne, whereas in the life time it is both. Fourthly, it giues the soule passage to rest, life, and celestiall glorie, in which we shall see God as he is, perfectly know him, and praise his name for euer, keeping without intermission an eternall sabbath, therefore Paul saith, I desire to be dissolued and be with Christ, for that is best of all. Fifthly, God exequutes his iudgements vponupon the wicked, and purgeth his Church by death. Now in all these respects godly men hauehave cause not to feare and sorrow, but to reioyce in their owne death, and the death of others.

Thirdly, if the day of death be so excellent, yea a day of happines, then it is lawfull to desire death, and men doe not alwaies sinne in wishing for death. Paul saith, I desire to be dissolued: and againe, O miserable man, who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death? Yet this desire must not be simple, but restrained with certaine respects; which are these. First death must be desired so far forth as it is a meanes to free vsus from the corruption of our nature; secondly as it is a meanes to bring vsus to the immediate fellowship of Christ and God himselfe in heauen: thirdly death may be lawfully desired in respect of the troubles and miseries of this life, two caueats beeing obserued; the first, that this desire must not be immoderate: the second, it must be ioyned with submission and subiection to the good pleasure of God. If either of these be wanting, the desire is faultie; and therefore Iob, and Ieremie, and Ionas failed herein, because they desired death beeing carried away with impatience.

On the contrarie also a man may desire a continuance of life. Ezechias praied and desired to liue,Isa. 38. 18. Ph…l. 1. 24, 25. when he heard the message of present death, that he might doe seruice to God. And Paul desired to liue in regard of the Philippians, that he might further their faith… though in regard of himselfe to die was aduantage to him.

Lastly, if death ioyned with reformation of life be so blessed, then the death of the vnbeleeuing and vnrepentant sinner is eueryevery way cursed & most horrible. Reasons are these. First, it is the destruction of nature, and the wages of sinne. Secondly, in it there is no comfort of the spirit to be found, no mitigation of paine, and no good thing that may counter…aile the miseries thereof. Thirdly, that which is the most fe…reful thing of all, bodily death is the beginning os eternall death, desperation, and infernall torment, without hope of deliuerance. Therefore as I began so I end, hauehave care to liue well, and die well.

FINIS.

A Golden Chain, Text 2