The Ambassador Between Heaven and Earth, Prayers · Prayer 16 – Signs
A meditation againſt the feare of death written in french by the learned P. M: ſ. du Pleſſis.
THe Crowne and end of all wretchedneſſe and myſery, the key to let vsus out of this world of ſorrow, the doore and the paſſage to all eternity, why ſhould we feare, why ſhould we thinke of, with ſo leaden an appetite, why ſhould we feare to find that we liue to ſeeke, why ſhould we not harken to the ſummons therof with ioy as the ſicke man harkeneth to the clocke which to the godly brings an end both of ſinne and ſorrow and all the miſeries which are due vntounto eyther, being ſo many and ſo great that they paſſe the explication or comprehenſion of man, for the beſt of this life what euer was it, but as a bed of flowers ouergrowne with a feild of weedes, but as a calme of the ſea diſquieted with the breath of eueryevery wind, the temper of what mans breſt was euer ſo ſeaſoned that it was not ſubiect to a thouſand paſſions, wreſted and wrung with ſo many diſcontentes that the waight and burthen thereof hath ouer-borne the patience of ſuffering. In beauty, honour, riches, wealth, or in any other ſenſual pleaſure who euer found contentme…t that hath wiſedome to way them and eſteme them truly as the were, for the firſt who euer poſſeſt it in the greateſt deſire with the largeſt extenſion that found not ſaciety or diſcontent in the fruition and poſſeſſion, that was not tormented with enuy or iealouſy, the one lancing within, or the other reuelling without, in honour or riches or any other corporall or mentall guift, the fayreſt and moſt admired flowers that the earth brings forth to the delight and pleaſure of man-kinde, from the which preheminence or prayſe or pleaſure may be deriued, or nature ſomething ſoothed vp, which itches after ambition and admiration, that found not vnderunder theſe flowers, weedes 'nay ſerpentes to poyſon and ſting the very life bloud of that felicity, if any there were in them, from the fulleſt fountaine of worldly ioy floweth ſome bitterneſſe, & there was neuer pleaſure ſo abſolute, were it as ſhort as the flaſh of lightning, that before a man hath power to ſay behould▪ inlightneth the world & then dies in obſcurity, that was not alayed with ſome abatement, and if it were abſolute for the time, the time is ſo ſhort that there is a griefe therein, & what are all pleaſures but as a vapor that appeare for a little time and afterwards vaniſh away, ſometimes pleaſure aſſwageth paine, but moſt commonly paine killeth pleaſure, and if our dayes were diſtinguiſhed the good with white and the euill with blacke ſtones, at the end of our liues we ſhould find more blacke then white, the pleaſures, in the dayes of Noah, there eating, drinking, marying and giuing in mariage, thy gaue there content for a time, till the flood came and tooke them all away, the yongman hath is pleaſure to reioyce in, the dayes of his youth, the chearfullneſſe of his hart, and the luſtes of his owne eyes, but in all theſe there lies a bitterneſſe, the richman hath his pleaſure Luke. 16. Purple and fine linnen & delitious fare eueryevery day and he knoweth not what the griefe of Lazarus meaneth, and yet there li…s a worme vnderunder the root of all theſe goodly branches, and ſurfets, and ſacieties with theſe creep in vponupon him, and if he ſet his hart therupon let him know with the yongman and all that are caried away with any pleaſure in the world, that there is a heauy re…conning to be rendered for theſe things, the thought w…ereof in the middeſt of all …ollities ſhall be ſtroken dead therwith, and to theſe the thought of death will be greuous. Be not therefore drunke with theſe ſenſuall delights and pleaſures as with new wines, which are not pleaſures abſolute but limited, allayed with a thouſand diſcontents, and if they were abſolute yet of no continuance, and therefore greuous, & ſince there is nothing elſe but the inioyng of theſe, that ſeme what they are not, as we hauehave allready examined, that make thee to deſire life, that thou mayſt reioyce therein the forſaking whereof maketh it death vntounto thee to thinke of death, yet know they are all but vanity, & thou muſt die aut ſero aut ſetius eyther ſoner or later, for there is no preuention, no reſiſtance can hinder it & therefore that which muſt be imbrace willingly make a vertue of neceſſity and though thou mighteſt eſcape it yet it were but a madnes, becauſe (if we peruert not the true nature of it) it is the end of all miſery▪ and ſorrow, and labour, and trauayle & the gate that opens the may vntounto all true pleaſure & happines, whereof all in this world are but counterfets and ſhadowes, ſo reſolue thy ſelfe hereof, & prepare thy ſelfe hereto that the remembrance of thy paſſed dayes augment not the bitternes therof at the laſt hower, and then thy paines ſhall not diſmay, thee becauſe thou trauelleſt to bring forth eternall life, which for the merry-madneſſe of one hower take heed that thou loſe not for euer. But vſe thy pleaſures with ſuch moderation, euer remembring they are momentary & he that hath moſt hath not all, and he that leaſt hath ſome, that for a moments ioy thou reap not eternity of ſorrow, that thou louelove them not ſo much y• you forget God, in whoſe preſence is fullneſſe of ioy & at his right hand pleaſures for euermore pſal: 16. and who giueth vsus drinke out of a whole riuer of pleaſures pſal. 36. contemne therefore theſe tranſitory pleaſures and reſerue your ſelues for pleaſures there eternally compleat, where neyther enuy, nor iealouſy, nor ſickenes, nor taint, ſhall alter or diſtaſt your happineſſe where your ioy ſhall be euer preſent, & yet you cannot be filled, rather you ſhall be filled but cannot be ſatiſfied, or if not ſatiſfied then there is hunger, or that you may, then there is a loathing, I know not how to expreſſe it, Deus habet quod exhibeat, God hath ſomthing there to beſtow which I know not, but, ibi beata vita in fonte there is bleſſednes at the head of the ſpring, not in ciſternes that thou may be ſure of, and could you drinke vp the pleaſures of the whole world at a draught, as Cleopatra drunke the valew of 5. thouſand pound, yet remember it is but a draught & quickly downe the throat and there hath an end, and therefore I ſay againe vſe them with moderation to ſweeten and allay the many anguiſhes, that if euer perdominant would vntimely waigh vsus downe to our graues, and we ſhould faint in the middeſt of our race, euer looking vp from theſe to that eternall reſt and peace of mind which hereafter wee ſhall inioy, and then when death ſhall approach neare vntounto thee his aſpect ſhall not be fearfull which ſhall end all our miſeries, heale all our infirmities, wipe away all diſcontents, & in it we ſhall there finde an end of ſinning▪ an end of all vncleaneſſe, an end of all wandering thoughts and cogitations, by it we be freed from this wicked and exemplary world when the ſoule cannot looke out at the eye as her window, but a whole army of vanity is ready to ſeaſe vponupon her, nor vſe any of her ſeruants whereby treaſon is not offered vntounto her, by death the ſoule ſhall bee deliuered from this thraldome and bondage, and as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh this corruptible body ſhall put on incorruption and this mortall immortality, 1. Cor. 15. 53. O bleſſed, thriſe bleſſed bee that death that ends in the Lord, which deliuers vsus out of ſo euill a world, and freeth vsus from ſuch corruption and bondage. Why then ſhould we feare that wee would not eſcape▪ becauſe our chiefeſt happineſſe is behinde, where wee cannot come: but we muſt paſſe through this doore of death: and if eueryevery houre of our life we ſhould dye a death, were too little to keepe vsus from thence. And but that our portion and felicity is behinde: and when this our ſhadow of life ends, our true life begins, and the graue ſhall not euer incloſe vsus in her wombe▪ which if it ſhould, then woe were man aboue any other creature liuing, when ſenceleſſe and irrationall creatures, as the Stagge, the Rauen, and the Daw, Rockes and Trees, and ſuch like, hauehave an ages date beyond man, for whoſe vſe they were all created and made, but that he hath an euerlaſting inheritance in heauen, with that great God that created & made both him and them, when ſo we ſhall raine euerlaſtingly, whil'ſt they vponupon earth in diſtance of time ſhall moulder and rot, and drop downe to nothing. O let vsus not then dote ſo much vponupon theſe vnprofitable and fading vanities, vponupon our wodden cottages, & our tottering buildings of painted clay, ſuch as our bodies are, which are but y• tents of vngodlineſſe, and habitation of ſinners, but let vsus looke and long after this heauenly Citty, whoſe builder and maker is God, whither that we may the ſooner come, let vsus with the Apoſtle, deſire to bee diſſolued, and to be with Chriſt.
The Sicke-mans Prayer.
O Gracious God, look down from heauen with y• eyes of mercy vponupon me a moſt miſerable & wretched ſinner, grieuouſly afflicted in body and in minde, a worme, & no man: if a man, ſuch a one that neuer any with more need lifted vp eyes, nor heart to the throane of thy mercy, from whence all comfort commeth, looke vponupon mee, O Lord, with y• eyes of thy mercy, giuegive me patience to endure this my affliction & tryall, and giuegive mee grace O Lord, to make ſuch vſe thereof that it may bee to thy glory and my good, put into my minde all ye ▪ precepts, comforts, inſtructions, I hauehave heard, or read of al my life before, as ſtrōg meditations to comfort mee in this my extremity. Be not farre from me, O Lord, leſt Sathan preuaile ouer me, make thou my bed, and I ſhall reſt in peace: viſite me O Lord, as thou dideſt viſite Peters wiues mother, and the Captaines ſeruant: for vntounto thee belongeth health and ſaluation, thou bringeſt to the doore of death, and to the brinke of the graue, and yet if thy good will & pleaſure be, thou reſtoreſt to health and perfection againe. And gracious and louing father, ſeale in my heart by thy holy ſpirit, the forgiueneſſe of all my ſins, throughout ye whole courſe of my life, that what I hauehave done or ſaid amiſſe, may bee buried in the wounds of thy ſonne, ſo that they be neuer layd vntounto my charge, nor imputed againſt me: in his bloud purge my body and ſoule from all their corruptions; and if this my viſitation bee not vntounto the death, may it pleaſe thee to helpe me vponupon the bed of my ſorrowes, ſpeake but the word, and it ſhall bee done, renue my former health vntounto me, that I may take vp my bed and walk, and by a happy tranſmutation turne my whole heap of ſorrow into a bundle of ioy. Heale me, and I ſhall be whole, ſaue me and I ſhall not bee condemned: deliuer mee from the pit of corruption, that openeth her mouth, & ſhutteth vsus therein, and keepeth vsus as part of her owne bowels: For the graue will not acknowledge thee, nor the dead confeſſe thee; but the liuing ſhall extoll and magnifie thy name world without end. But if to thy vncomprehended wiſedome (to ballance againſt which all the wiſedome in the world is but folly) it ſeeme better to thee that I dye then liue, then deale with me according to thy good pleaſure, giuegive thine Angels charge ouer my ſoule, that it may be receiued in peace, which into thine hands I commend, that gaueſt it me: ſtrengthen my faith in thee, and in thy Law, that I may willingly reſigne that into thy hands that was due vntounto thee the firſt day that I liued, if it had pleaſed thee to call for it, by a double right; nay ſo many rights that might claime a thouſand liues, if I had them to lay downe for thee, that haſt layd downe thine owne Sons, and done ſo many things for me, and for my ſake, and for all mankinde: and teach me, O Lord, to make ſuch true vſe of this my ſickneſſe, that the former miſeries of this wretched life, ioined with my preſent griefe & anguiſh, make me weary of theſe times of ſin, and willing to reſigne my ſoule into thy hands, prepared by this vnwelcome, yet wholſome ſummoner, that will tranſport mee out of this vale of miſery, to that euerlaſting kingdome which thou haſt purchaſed for mee; which grant I beſeech thée, for Chriſt Ieſus ſake, my onelyonly Sauiour and Redéemer.
Amen.
The commendation of the ſoule to bee ſaid at a ſicke mans death, out of the Man. of M. Craſhaw.
I Here commend thee to Almighty God moſt deere brother, and I commit thee to him▪ whoſe creature thou art: Goe forth therefore, O Chriſtian Soule, get thee gone out of this filthy world, goe forth in the name of the Almighty Father, who created thee, in the name of Ieſus Chriſt, who dyed for thee; in the name of the Holy-ghoſt, who hath beene powred out vponupon thee: and when thou, happy ſoule, art deliuered out of the priſon of the body, the glorious quier of heauenly Angels meete, and the Company of all holy Saints entertaine thée, the louing countenance, and cheerefull face of Ieſus Chriſt ſhine vponupon thee, a mercifull iudge be he vntounto thee, that thou maiſt hauehave ſentence to ſit for euermore amongſt his Saints on his right hand: thy dwelling be in peace, and thy habitation in the heauenly Ieruſalem for euermore: farre bee it from thee euer to feele or know how horrible the darkneſſe, how terrible the flames, how intollerable the torments of hell are, Sathan and all his helliſh g… be confounded at thy preſence; and if he dare ſet vponupon thee, victory and triumph bee on thy ſide, ſhame and trembling fall vponupon him from the preſence of Gods Angels, and be hee baniſhed into the blacke miſts, and confuſed Chaos of eternall darkneſſe. But let the Lord ariſe, and his enemies bee ſcattered: and as the ſmoake vaniſheth, ſo let them flye away, but let the iuſt bee exalted, and reioyce in the preſence of the Lord: let the infernall legions not dare to touch thee, nor all Sathans Hell-hounds preſume to hinder thee; and hee, who diſdained not to dye for thee, bee hee thy Sauiour and deliuerer from all ſpirituall vexation. Bee the gates of Paradice open vntounto thee, and thy Chriſt giuegive thee thy place and manſion in the ſame: and hee that is the true Paſtor, and great Sheepheard of the ſheepe, acknowledge thée for one of his true ſheep, and receiue thee into his fold. Ieſus Chriſt abſolue thee from all thy ſinnes, and place thee on his right hand, among his elect, that there thou mayſt ſee thy Redeemer face to face, and in the ſociety of bleſſed ſoules maiſt enioy the comforts of heauenly contemplation, and the bleſſed viſion of God for euer and euer.
Amen.
W. C.
Six ſignes, according to S. Anſelme, vponupon the which a man may …eſt confident of his ſaluation.
1 If he beleeue the articles of Chrian faith, as many as are determined by the Church.
2 If he reioyce to dye in the faith of Chriſt.
3 If hee know that hee hath grieuouſly offended God.
4 If he be hartely ſorry for it.
5 If he reſolue to forſake his ſinnes, if God giuegive him life.
6 If he hope and beleeue to come to eternall ſaluation, not by his owne merits, but by the merits of Ieſus Christ.
Then ſay to the ſicke perſon: If Sathan obiect any thing againſt thee, oppoſe thou the merits of Chriſt betwixt thee and him. And thus without all doubt he ſhall be ſaued.