The Christian Armory, Book 1 · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. Of the Priuatiue and Positiue benefite of death.
Question.
FRom what euils doth death free Gods children?
A. First, from all sinne, and the offence of God, the originall and cause of all euill.
Secondly, death is to them the medicine, remedy, and physition of al euils; for it endeth all their imperfections, and finally fréeth them from all sicknesses, paines, crosses, calamities, g…iefes, distresses, euils, errors, enemies.
Thirdly,Esa. 57.2. 2 King. 22.20. it preuenteth all sinne and misery to come, both in this world, and specially in the world to come, for they are wholy and for euer deliuered from all Satans assaults, and from damnation, and the horrour of hell.
Q. What vse is to be made hereof?
A. First, if by death wee would bée freed from all sinne, and the most cursed effects of it, then let vsus denie the world and the flesh, and liue in the feare of God, remembring the account that wee are to render vp before God, and the… the second death shall neuer hauehave power ouer vsus.
Secondly, let vsus giuegive God all possible thanks and praise, for that hee will by death thus ease and disburden vsus.
Thirdly, let vsus in the certaine expectation of so great deliuerance at the year of Iubily, be willing to goe to God, (as Simeon and Paul were) and in the mean time to sustaine all crosses patiently.
Lastly, let vsus continually waite and pray for this time of our full, and eternall rest and deliuerance.
Q. Is it then not lawfull for Gods children in their distresses & extremities (for their ease and deliuerance) to hasten their death by laying hands vponupon themselues?
A. It is simply and vtterly vnlawful. For,Act. 1. v. 18. & 25. first, this not the way to ease and auoide misery, but to encrease it, yea and to emplunge and engulfe himselfe into the bottomlesse pitte of endlesse torment.
Secondly, if a man should be entreated by the distressed to kill him, hee might in no wise condescend thereunto, for hée should bee no otherwise accounted and punished then a murderer,Eph. 5.29. much lesse may any person kill himselfe. For he is bound to cherish, and not to kill his owne body and flesh.
Thirdly, he that in any conceited opinion of enioying present blisse, or in any impatiency, and impotent passion, dispatcheth himselfe out of the way, doth nothing but damne and destroy his own soule: examples whereof wee hauehave in Saul, Achitophel, Iudas, &c.
Fourthly, he may not depart out of this earthly Tabernacle, nor forsake his standing vntill his heauenly Generall, and Commaunder God almighty call, and warrant him so to doe: for hée is no absolute Lord of his owne body,1 Cor. 7. v. 20. neither hath he the Frée simple of it, but is a tenant at will to God, whose pleasure hée must attend and abide.
Lastly, he must practice, and put in vre, fortitude and patience, he must not misdread any euill, but trust in the Lord to stand fast in his calling, and Christ will by faith enable him to ouercom all temptations.
Q. Is death to bee feared or not?
A. A distinction must resolue this point, namely, that it is partly to bee feared, and partly, not to be feared.
Q. In what respects is it to be feared?
A. In thrée respects. First, as it is the destruction and dissolution of nature: for in this signification Iesus Christ feared it,Heb. 5.7. Luk. 22. v. 44. when he swet water and bloud in the garden.
Psal. 30. v. 9.Secondly, as it is a paineful correction, though wee must most feare death the cause of it.
Esay 57.1.2.Lastly, as it is a meane to bereaue vsus of many worthy guides and gouernors, lights and pillers in Church and common-wealth, Esay. 3. v. 1.2.3.
Q. Is it necessary and good (in some regards) not to feare death?
A. Yes, for it is not profitable, nor expedient for vsus to liue alwaies here, nor is it possible for vsus so to doe.
Q. In what regards then is death not to be feared?
A. First, because (as hath béene formerly declared) death doth disburden vsus of all sinne, and giueth vsus our quietus est from all euill.
Secondly, as it is the beginning and gate of immortality.
Lastly, because hereby we are presented blamelesse to our Lord and Sauiour Christ in heauen, and are there solemnly wedded to our heauenly husband and Bridegroome the Lord Iesu.
Q. How are we to be defended and strengthned against the feare of it?
A. By remembring that Christ (by his death) hath disarmed and cassiered death,Heb. 2.14. and hath taken away the second death, the sting and strength of the former
Secondly, God is by his spirit present with his children in the agony of death, and doth support them against the feare of it.
Thirdly, that God doth hereby bisburden vsus of all sinne, and frée vsus from all maladies and miseries.
Fourthly, wee are not to tremble at death, but rather to triumph, because now we hauehave a speciall time and opportunity to declare our subiection and obedience to God.
2 Cor. 5.1.Lastly, death bringeth vsus forthwith i…to Gods chamber of presence, where … shall see him face to face, and enioy … gratious and glorious presence for eu… more.
Q. What are the Positiue benefites … death, or the good things wherewith … doth possesse vsus?
A. They are manifold and mar…lous. For first death bringeth vsus int… the immediate fellowship of God the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost, … therefore it may be called the gate of life, and a passage to the Father.
Secondly, it bringeth vsus into the heauenly communion & company of many millions of glorious Saints and Angels, with whome we shall hauehave perfect rest and security.
Lastly, it is to vsus not onelyonly the consummation of victory against Satan, sinne, the world▪ the flesh; but doth also inuest vsus with glory, and put vsus into an actuall possession of the new heauen, and the new earth, and of all good things promised vsus,Apoc. 21.7. and prouided for vsus. Heb. 12. ver 22.23.
Q. What vses are we to make of these affirmatiue or positiue benefites?
A. First, wee are to distast this present and infectious world, wherin there is no true contentment, nor any thing that can make vsus blessed before God, but rather matter of all sinne, griefe, euill, falshood, wrong▪ &c. and we must let the louelove of heauen swallow downe the louelove of all earthly things: let vsus not linger in this earthly Egypt or Babylon, but make hast vntounto the heauenly Canaan, a land not abounding with milk, corn, oil, hony, but abounding in peace, righteousnesse, Rom. 14. v. 17. Psal. 36.8.…and ioy of the spirit, where wee shall be satisfied with the fatnes of Gods house, and shall drinke out of the riuers of Gods pleasures, and that for euermore.
Secondly, it serueth to comfort vsus against all the miseries and maladies of this present life,2 Cor. 4.17.18. which shall be so abundantly recompensed with the infinite waight of euerlasting glory.
Q. Whether may a man in this mortality hauehave a true taste of euerlasting life?
A. Yes vndoubtedly,Rom. 5.1. for so had Iob, Dauid, Stephen, Paul, the holy Martyres and infinite others.
Secondly, the godly hauehave (already) eternall life, Ioh. 3. v. 36.(viz. in beginning and assurance) and therefore in time they shall hauehave the fulnes of it.
Apoc. 22. v. 20.Lastly, they earnestly pray for the comming of Gods kingdom, ergo, they hauehave some taste thereof.
Q. By what meanes shall hee attaine thereunto?
A. By remembring, considering, and meditating vponupon these directions, and conclusions following.
Q. What things must he consider & weigh?
A. Diuers things. First, the sinnefull, miserable, and vncertaine state of this mortall life. Eccles. 1.1. Heb. 13.14.
Secondly, the blessed and vnspeakable happines of all Gods Saints by reason of their immediate fellowshippe with God and with Christ, from which we are absent so long as we liue in this present world.2. Cor. 5. v. 5. Math. 25. v. 14. For by vertue of this glorious and euerlasting communion, wee are not onelyonly perfectly freed from all sinne, afflictions, and all euil things, but possessed with fulnes of ioy, and of al good things for euermore.
Thirdly, the incomparable difference betwéen the glory, ioy, happines o… this world, and the infinite and eternall glory, ioy, blessednes of the world to come, and the consideration hereof will separate and sequester vsus from the louelove and affectation of this world, and make vsus willing and desirous to goe to God.
Fourthly, eueryevery mans death is deserued and procured by his owne sins, and that death with all the seueral circumstances of time, place, manner, person, is foreséene and appointed in Gods eternal decrée and counsell;Psal. 139.15.16. the due obseruation whereof will preserue vsus (when we are dying) from distrust,Psal. 39.10. impatience, and the (seruile) feare of death.
Lastly,Esa. 63.2 Psal. 91 15▪ the speciall promise of Gods presence and assistance in death, which we must before hand be by faith perswaded of, and hope after, albeit wee see it not, and though all things may séeme desperate.
Q. What are the properties and effects of this taste and ioy?
A. First, it ariseth from sense & griefe of sinne, and from the knowledge of, and faith in Christ crucified.
Secondly, it bringeth with it sound and swéet peace of conscience.
Thirdly, it is grounded vponupon the holy ministery of the Word, Sacraments, Prayers, and vponupon the practise of holy duties.
Fourthly, it is déepely rooted in the heart, and it continueth for euer.
Lastly, it causeth vsus to louelove, looke and long for the life to come.
Q. How a man must imprint and ground these meditations in his heart.
A. Hee must abstaine from all impiety and vnrighteousnesse, and practise the duties of holines, and righteousnes: for God will reueale his secrets to the humble, and to them that feare him. Psal. 25.11. Gen. 18.10.
Secondly, hee must be frequent and feruent in the holy vse of the Word, Sacraments, and Prayer; for hereby faith and hope are wrought, maintained, encreased.
Q. Why doe Gods children die, seeing that their sinnes are not imputed to them, and the image of God (which consisteth in the knowledge of the sauing truth, and in true holinesse and righteousnesse) is repaired in them?
A. I answere: first, though sinne bee not imputed to them, and so they cannot be condemned for it; yet all sinne is not wholy taken away.
Secondly, regeneration is onelyonly in this life begun, and in dayly progresse.
Thirdly, God will hauehave the godly to die (the temporary death) as well as the wicked, that they acknowledging the seuerity of Gods anger against sin, may learne to hate it.
Fourthly, that they may lay downe the remnants of sinne, and the adher…nt miseries.
And lastly, that they may hauehave experience of the power of God, who raiseth vp the dead.
Q. Whether that death may be desired and wished for.
A. It may not simply and absolutely be desired; for it is an euill and against nature, and therefore not to be desired, but conditionally we may (lawfully) desire death.
Q. In what respects may it be desired?
A. In two respects principally: First, as it is a way and means to deliuer vsus wholy from the burden, bondage, and slauery of all sinne, and to free vsus from all the maladies and miseries of this wretched life.
Secondly, as it is a meanes and instrument to bring vsus to the manifest and glorious vision and sight of God, & to the immediate and euerlasting fellowship and communion of the whole Trinity, the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost.
Q Whether that a Christian may lawfully desire life?
A. Yes, in some respect, namely, i… we desire to doe further good before wée die,Psal. 117.15. and make the glory of God the end and scope of our life; for God will bee glorified in vsus so long as we liue in this earthly Tabernacle.Phil. 1. And therefore eueryevery man must obediently walke in his calling vntill it shall please God to remoue and translate him hence; and hee must rather séeke to honour God, and do seruice to his Church then respect his heauenly aduancement.
Ob. But the longer that we liue the more we multiplie sinne, and offend our God, and therefore wee may not lawfully desire life.
A. The Argument is not good. For first, Gods children sinne, not wittingly and willingly, nor make a trade of sinne as wicked men doe.
Secondly, their sinnes are couered, and not imputed vntounto them.
Lastly, the good that they be examples and instruments of, is much more pleasing and acceptable to God, and to good men, then their infirmities and imperfections are distastfull.
Q. What is required that a man may die well and blessedly?
A. Two things: First, a preparation against death. Secondly, a right disposition in death.
Q. Is preparation against death necessarie?
A. Yea; for first, we must néeds die, for sinne hath deserued and procured it, and God thereupon hath imposed it.
Secondly, in what state soeuer the day of death leaueth vsus, in the same state the day of iudgement shall find vsus.
Thirdly, this preparation cutteth off, and preuenteth much sinne in vsus, which wee would otherwise designe and commit.
Fourthly,1 Cor. 15.26. death is our enemy, and our last greatest enemy, and therefore we must by faith in our Lord Iesu, labour and striue to subdue & quell him.
Lastly, this is our last iourney, and if we dispatch it happily, and according to Christ our Captaines direction, it will forthwith after our death, conuey vsus into heauen.
Q Wherein doth this preparation consist?
A. In sundry meditations and duties.
Q. What must wee principally meditate vponupon?
A. First, we must before hand thinke on our latter end, and not foolishly accuse old age, or nature: for death commeth, & is inflicted from God.
Secondly, me must betimes thinke on on the right composing and ordering of our liues, namely, whether that wee hauehave ceased to doe euill,Luk 13.35 and hauehave done what good we could: for otherwise death will ouertake vsus, & we wil wish that we had done it, (when it is too late) Luk. 13. v. 35.
Thirdly, we must know that Christ hath abolished eternall death, and made our temporary death an entrance to the Father.
1 Cor. 15. v. 57.58.Fourthly, we must contemplate and muse vponupon the glorious resurrection of the body, which will much comfort and refresh vsus.
Lastly, we must cast our thoughts vponupon that most excellent and eternall waight of glory reserued for vsus in the heauens,2 Cor. 4.…7. which doth infinitely surpasse and ouerway all temporall afflictions whatsoeuer.
Q. What duties must the sicke man performe in generall?
A. Thrée duties: First, towards God: Secondly towards his neighbour: and lastly towards himselfe.
Q. What duties is he to perform towards God?
A. He must séeke to be reconciled vntounto God, and for this end, he must repaire and renue his faith and repentance, partly, because (many times) in temptation, hee looseth somthing; and partly because hee daily slippeth or committeth new sinnes, which require a new act of faith, and repentance.
Secondly, he must constantly confesse Christ, and proclaime and publish how many wayes God hath beene good to his soule and body.
Lastly, hee must by the eyes of faith, view, contemplate, & looke vponupon Christ, the brazen serpent, and then death shall neuer sting him.
Q. Why must hee performe these duties towards God?
A. Because (ordinarily) sicknesses, paines, and diseases are sent and inflicted of God for a punishment, and for our reformation and amendment, as most clearely appeareth in many places of holy Scriptures. Lament. 3.39. Math. 9.2, Joh. 5.74.
Q. What seruices oweth the sickeman to his neighbour, and what duties is he to performe towards him?
A. Hee must performe all duties of piety, louelove and righteousnes: and Magistrates and Ministers must not onelyonly commaund and exhort their people, subiects, hearers, to listen to, and obey sound doctrine,Ios. 24.14.15. and Christ his blessed Gospell; but also they must by all possible means endeauour, that they, after their death may leaue them in as holy and happy estate as they found them. Act. 20.28. 2. Pet. 1. v. 5.
Q. What duties is he to performe to his wife, children, family?
A. First, he must aduise, and perswade them to constancy, and to obedience of the sauing truth; for his words spoken at such a time leaue the greatest impression in the minds of them that heare him.
Secondly, he must (for the peace of his owne soule, and for the preuenting and cutting of many (néedlesse) suites and contentions in law that might arise after his death) in equity and conscience make his last Will and Testament, and bequeath his goods, lands, liuing, to his wife, children, kinsfolke, friends, and to the poore, as the law of God and man requireth.
Q. What duties is hee bound to performe towards himselfe?
A. He must by faith in the Lord Iesu arme himselfe against satans assaults, and against the feare of death and the last iudgement; and he must not so much feare death, as looke on euerlasting life.
Secondly, touching the body, he must be carefull to vse physicke, and all other good meanes to preserue and continue life and health, vntill it shall please God to take it away.
Lastly,Psal. 31.5. hee must continually resigne himselfe, and commend his soule and spirit into Gods blessed hands.
Q. Jf all these duties be performed in good conscience, what good wil come thereof?
A. First, God will honour such as feare and honour him; he (I say) will honour them, as well in life as in death. 1. Sam. 2.30.
Secondly, he will make the name and memory of them pretious after death:Ps. 112.6. for the iust shall be had in an euerlasting remembrance.
Q What is a right dispotion in death?
A. A religious and an holy behauiour of a mans selfe, especially towards God.
Q Is it necessary?
A. Yes: for first, now it is the very time to practise it.
Secondly, without this disposition and behauiour, our death cannot be pleasant and acceptable in Gods sight.
Q. What are the parts of it?
A. Thrée, namely, to die in faith, to die in obedience, and to resigne or surrender vp our soules into Gods hands.
Q What is it to die in faith?
A. To take notice of,Heb. 11.13 Gen. 49.18 and lay hold of Gods gracious promises in Christ touching remission of sinnes and euerlasting life, and wholly to rely vponupon them, as they are reuealed and set forth in the scriptures.
Q. What benefit shall a man hauehave who dieth in true faith?
A. He shall be able to kéepe himselfe safe and sound against the temptations and pangs of death, and shall (forthwith after he hath giuen vp the Ghost) bee made partaker of eternall life and happinesse.
Q. How is our faith to be expressed?
A, Two maner of waies, the one inward, the other outward.Rom. 8.16 First, inwardly by déepe sighes, sobs, and groanes, after a mans redemption.
Secondly, (and that outwardly) by praier, thanksgiuing, and good exhortations, and often communications touching God and godlinesse.
Q. What is it to die in obedience?
A. It is willingly and gladly, to submit our selues to Gods will in bearing the crosse, Mat. 27. and without murmuring or grudging, to goe to God, who in death respecteth vsus, and will vndoubtedly receiue vsus.
Q. What are they to be compared vntounto that die vnwillingly?
A. They (if they belong to God) doe, as if a prisoner should delight in his prison and dungeon, and would not goe forth to a glorious palace and perfect liberty when he lawfully might; either forgetting the slauery and defilements which he leaueth, or the good things to which he goeth.
Q. How is this duty to bee performed?
A. By learning to die daily, and not through any impatiency, or through the tediousnes of trouble, to wish death, (as Elias did) for then we discouer pride and disobedience,1. King. 18.4. in that we will not wait on Gods leasure, but follow our owne corrupt affections.
Q. How shall we learne to die daily?
A. By taking vp Christ his crosse daily, and if we doe with patience and méeknes buckle with affliction. For eueryevery affliction is a petty death: and if we can endure to vndergo this petty death,1. Cor. 25.31. we shall the more comfortably vndergoe the great death of all, which is the disiunction or dissolution of the soule from the body.
Q What is it to surrender our soules into Gods hands?
A. To yéeld them vp into his hands, as vntounto a faithfull creator,1. Pet. 4.19 in certaine hope of our present glorification.
Q. What generall comforts are there against death?
A. First, the sting thereof is taken away by Christ his death,1. Cor. 15.55.56. and the power abolished: death to the godly is like a drone Bée, that kéepeth a buzzing and humming, but hath lost her sting, and cannot hurt.
Secondly, death is to Gods children a gaile deliuery from all sinne, and the miseries of this life, and a passage vntounto the euident and manifest sight and presence of God.
Thirdly, in death God is not only present with his children, by his spirit to instruct, comfort, and assist them, but also sendeth his holy Angels to attend vponupon them and to saue them,Luk. 16.22. from the violence and vexation of euill spirits, and to carry their soules into heauen, forthwith after that they are separated from their bodies.
Lastly, by death the soules of the godly shall bee made infinitely more holy and happy, glad and glorious, then euer they were when they were inclosed in the sinfull subiect & prison of the body: and as for their bodies, they (after that they hauehave slept a while in the earth) shall be raised vp againe, immortall, incorruptible, and farre more bright and beautifull then they had euer béen, if man had neuer sinned.
Q. What is the quintessence of these conclusions?
2. Cor. 5.1.A. First, we are taught hereby, not to feare to depart out of the ruinous house of our bodies, whensoeuer God doth call vsus, knowing that a better life shall follow after death, for they only are blessed that die in the Lord: and of this point wee must much thinke and study.Apoc 14.13.
Secondly, we are aduertised hereby, not to be cast downe nor discouraged at bodily diseases, dolours, deformities: for the resurrection shall put an end hereunto.
Lastly, we must not vnmeasurably mourne for those that sléepe in the Lord, seeing their soules (which are the better part of them) liue with God, and their bodies being bought with a price, (namely the precious bloud of Christ) and being made the temples of the holy Ghost,1 Cor. 6.20 shall at the last day rise againe in glory and incorruption.