A Golden Chain, Addendum 2 – To the reader 8
An addition, of things that come to my minde afterward.
THe last combat with the deuill in the pang of death, is oftentimes most dangerous of all. For then he will not vrge men to desperation, knowing that by this meanes he shall stirre them vp to resist him: but he labours with them that they would not resist him when he assaults them, and by this means he indeauours to extinguish hope. And this is not done in any other temptation in which faith or hope alone are impugned, whereas in this they are both impugned togither. This must be thought vponupon, for when the deuills temptation is, not to resist his temptation; it is most deceitful of all: and it is more easie to ouercome the enemie that compells vsus to fight, then him that disswades vsus from it.
The temptation of M. Iohn Knox in the time of his death is worth the marking.Lib. de obita Knoxi. He lay on his death-bedde silent for the space of foure houres, very often giuing great sighes, sobbes, and grones, so as the standers by well perceiued that he was troubled with some grieuous temptation: and when at length he was raised in his bedde, they asked him how he did, to whome he answered thus: that in his life time he had indured many combats and conflicts with Sathan, but that now most mightily the roaring lyon had assaulted him often (said he) before he set my sinnes before mine eyes; often he vrged me to desperation, often he laboured to intangle me with the delights of the world, but beeing vanquished by the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, he could not preuaile. But now he assaults me another way: for the wily serpent would perswade me that I shall merit eternall life for my fidelitie in my ministerie. But blessed be God which brought to my mind such Scriptures wherby I might quench the fierie darts of the deuill, which were, What hast thou that thou hast not receiued: and, By the grace of God, I am that I am: and, not I but the grace of God in me: and thus beeing vanquished he departed.
When thou art tempted of Satan and sees no way to escape, euen plainely close vp thine eyes, and answer nothing, but commend thy cause to God. This is a principall point of Christian wisdom which we must follow in the houre of death.
If thy flesh tremble and feare to enter into another life, and doubt of saluation; if thou yeeld to these things, thou hurtest thy selfe: therefore close thine eyes as before, and say with S. Stephen, Lord Iesus into thy hands I commend my spirit, and then certenly Christ will come vntounto thee with all his Angels and be the guider of thy way. Luther.
A DECLARATION OF THE TRVE MANNER OF KNOVVING Christ crucified.
Galat. 6.14. God forbid that I should reioyce but in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ, &c.
PRINTED BY IOHN LEGAT, PRINTER to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge. 1600.
To the Reader.
IT is the common sinne of men at this day, and that in the very places of learning, that Christ crucified is not knowne as he ought. The right knowledge of whome, is not to make often mention of his death and passion, and to call him our Sauiour, or to handle the whole mysterie of God incarnate soundly and learnedly, though that be a worthie gift of God: but first of all, by the consideration of the passion to be touched with an inward and a liuely feeling of our sinnes, for which our Redeemer suffered the pangs of hell, and to grow to a through dislike of our selues and our liues past for them, and from the groūd of the heart to purpose a reformation and a conformitie with Christ in all good duties that concerne man: secondly in the Passion, as in a myrrour, to behold and in beholding to labour to comprehend the length, the breadth, the height, the depth of the louelove of the Father that gaue his owne deare Sonne to death, and the goodnes of the Sonne that loued his enemies more then himselfe, that our hearts might be rooted and grounded in the same louelove, and be further inflamed to louelove God againe.
To further this true manner of knowing Christ crucified, I hauehave penned these few lines, read them at thy leisure, and hauehave care to put them in practise: otherwise, thou art but an enemie of the crosse of Christ, though thou professe his name neuer so much.
Ian. 3. 1596. W. Perkins.