A Salve for a Sick Man, Addendum
An addition, of things that came to my minde afterward.
THe last combate with the diuell in the pang of death, it oftentimes most dangerous of all. For then he will not vrge men to desperation, knowing that by this meanes he shall stir them vp to resist hm: but hee labours with them, that they would not resist him when hee assaults them, and by this means hee endeauours to extinguish hope: and this thing is not done in any other tēptation in which faith or hope alone are impugned, whereas in this they are both impugned togither. This must be thought vponupon, for whē the diuels temptation is, not to resist his temptation; it is most deceitfull of all: and it is more easie to ouercome the enemie that compels vsus to fight, then him that disswades vsus from it.
The temptation of M. Iohn Knox in time of his death is worth the marking.Lib. de obitu Knoxi. He lay on his death-bed silēt for the space of foure houres, very often giuing great sighes, sobbes, and grones, so as the stāders by well perceiued that hee was troubled with some grieuous temptatiō: and when at length hee was raised in his bedde, they asked him how hee did, and what was the cause of his much sighing, to whom hee answered thus; that in his life he had indured many combates and conflicts with Satan, but that now most mightily the roaring lyon had assaulted him: often (said he) before he set my sinnes before mine eies, often he vrged me to desperation, often hee 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, hee could not preuaile. But now hee assaults me an other way: for the wily serpent would perswade me, that I shall merit eternal life for my fidelitie in my ministerie. But blessed bee God which brought to my minde such Scriptures, whereby I might quench the fiery 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 & sees no way to escape, euen plainly close vp thine eies, and answer nothing, but commend thy cause to God. This is a principall point of Christian wisedome, which wee must follow in the houre of death.
If thy flesh tremble, and feare to enter into an other life, and doubt of saluatiō; if thou yeeld to these things, thou hurtest thy selfe: therefore close thine eyes as before, & say with S. Steuen, 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.
End of the text · William Perkins, A Salve for a Sick Man (1611)