The Sick Mans Catechism, Chapter 8 – Chapter 13
The eight Chapter. Touching the way whereby wee may attaine to blessednesse.
Question. VVHere is the way to attaine true blessednesse to be found?
Answer OnelyOnly in the worde of GOD, that is the meane, seede, and instrument of eternall happinesse. Isay. 30. 21.
Q. How many things are by Gods word required, that a man may die well?
Answ. Two things. First a preparation before death. Secondly a right behauior and disposition in death.
Q What is the preparation against death?
Answer. It is the ac…on of a repentant sinner, whereby hee prepareth himselfe for the Lord.
Q. Is this duetie necessary?
Answ. Yes, for f…t GOD so commandeth in many places of scripture. Mark. 13. 37. Luk. 12. v. 40.
Secondly this present life is the onelyonly time of getting the wedding garment, and of reconciling and preparing our selues for GOD and his kingdome. Titus 2. verse 11. 12. Luk. 13. ver. 25.
Thirdly, we shall neuer (lightly) die the death of the righteous, vnlesse wée liue their life, and as death hath left vsus so shall the last iudgement finde ….
Quest. May we not defer this duetie vntounto death?
An. No in any wise, for the longer that wee delay our preparation the more vnfit and vnwilling shall we bee to performe it, for it is an hard thing for an olde man to enter into his mothers wombe, & consuetudo fit altera natura.
Secondly, the time and manner o… death is many times so suddaine and vncertaine, that we may bee so ouertaken, that wée shall hauehave neither time nor grace to repent and to prepare our selues.
Lastly, late preparation is seldome true preparation, being rather enforced then voluntary, and rather in forme of words then sincerity of heart. Math. 7. verse 22. et 29.
Qu. Of how many sortes is this preparation?
An. Two fold, generall and particullar.
Qu. What is generall preparation?
A. It is that whereby a man, through the whole course of his life, prepareth himselfe to die.
Ques. Is it not sufficent to prepare our selues when wee beginne to bee sicke?
Answ. No, for first (as hath béene before shewed) late repentance is seldome true repentance.
Secondly, the time of sicknesse, both in regard of the sharpenesse of the disease, decay of memory, senses, vnderstanding, consultation of worldly goodes, and sathans subtill and malicious practises, is the most vnfit and vnseasonable time to beginne a preparation.
Obiect. But the theife vponupon the crosse repented at the eleuenth houre, Lu…. 23. ve. 1…, 32 a… 44.and why may not wee doe so likewise?
Answ. There is a great difference betwéene him and those that purposely delay their repentance, for first hee was neuer so much as outwardly called by the ministery of the word.
Secondly, the théeues conuersion was extraordinary, yea and miracu…us, that Christ thereby might shew forth some effect of his God-head, but mirackles are altogether, and extraordinary courses (for the most part) ceased.
Lastly that theife condemned himselfe, and his fellow, iustified Christ in Luk. 23. … 40.the open sight of the world, and praied for saluation &c. but where shall wée finde such singular effects in them which post and put of their repentance?
Obiect But it is in our power and will to repent when we will?
Answ. No, repentance is the onelyonly 2. Tim. 2… 25.guift of God, and from himd alone proceedeth bath the will and the deed. Phil. 2. 12.
Secondly, many late repenters and …ack-graces shall séeke to enter into heauen, and shall not bée able because Luk. 13. … 24.their heartes are become insensible, and the time of grace is past.
And thus much of the matter of preparation.
The ninth Chapter. Of the manner of preparation.
Question. IN the manner of preparation how many duties are required?
An. Fiue speciall duties.
Q. Which are they?
An. I. the meditation of death. II. the les…ing and abating of the sting and power of death. III. The beginning of eternal life here in this world▪ IIII. The enuiring of our selues to die dayly.
Lastly the manner how these seuerall duties are to bee performed.
Quest. Is the meditation of death necessary?
Answer. Yes truely, for a Christian mans life is, and should bée nothing but a meditation of death, therefore wée must looke for it alwaies and in eueryevery place, and herewith accordeth that excellent saying of Seneca incertum est, quo loco te mors expectat: Senec. lib. 3 Epist. 26.…u vero eam in omni loco expecta. That is, it is a matter vnreuealed in what place death waiteth for thée, but waite thou for it in eueryevery place.
Q. What benefit, profit and comfort dooth the meditation of death yéeld vntounto vsus?
Ans. Manifold. For first it causeth vsus Iob. 42. 6.to humble our selues vnderunder the mighty hand of God.
Secondly, the feare and meditation of it, dooth remooue all securitie, and further our repentance, as wée may sée verified in the example of the Niniuites, Ionah 4. …. 4. & 5.it cutteth of delayes, and bringeth our promises and purposes into performances and practises.
Thirdly, it maketh vsus content with any condition of life, be it neuer so miserable, for if wée liue in affliction and aduersity we shall after death neuer be more subiect to it, and if wée liue in prosperity, wée rest not in it, because wée shall carry away nothing with vsus. 1. Tim. 6. 7.
Fourthly, it encourageth vsus in Gods seruice, and in all well dooing, for as much as wee knowne, that our labour 1. Cor. 15. v. vl….is not in vaine, in the Lord, and that in seruing of God, there is great reward.
Lastly, it …oth sequester and withdrawe our delights and desires from earthly and perishable things, and canseth vsus earnestly to desire and séeke for Hebr. 11. v. 9. & 10.euerlasting life.
Q Of what things must we meditate?
Ans. Of thrée things. First we must …hinke and consider of the cause of death, namely our sinnes.
Secondly, we must meditate of the remedie of it, viz. the cursed and bitter death of Christ.
Thirdly we must thinke of eueryevery day and night, as if it were the very day and night of our death.
Q. What must we do that we may be the better enabled to perform this duty?
A. We must not vainly dreame of long life, and so … our selues, but mourne against this corruption of our nature. Secondly, we must pray vntounto God that he would giuegive vsus grace and knowledge, whereby we may be …nabled to resolue our selues of death at hand.
The tenth Chapter.
Question. VVHerein dooth the sting and power of death lye and consist?
Answ. In sinne, for that is the sting thereof. 1 Cor. 15. 56.
Q. How shall we know this?
Ans. By the lawe which is a glasse wherein we may sée our sinnes and the Iam. 1. … Rom. 3. v. … & Rom. 7… v. 7.effects and punishment of them, for hereby commeth the knowledge of sinne.
Q. How shall we depriue sinne of his strength and sting?
A. By beléeuing and relying vponupon Christ, who hath by death destroyed him that had the power of death, that is Hebr. 2. 1…the Deuill, 1. Cor. 15. 25, & 26.
Q. What distinct and particular duties and fruites of faith are we to performe and shew forth, that we may remooue our sinnes, and take out the sting of the serpent death, that it may …euer hurt vsus?
A. We must first, (for the time past and present) confesse our sinnes, humble our selues for them, and crie earnestly vntounto heauen for pardon.
Secondly, we must for the time to come, with a resolute minde, beware of eueryevery knowne sinne, and in all things to reforme and conforme our selues according to Gods word. For eueryevery sinne vnrepented of, is a sting to wound our soules vntounto destruction. Luk. 13. verse 3. and 4.
Lastly if we would liue for euer, wée must dye here, and that da…ly, for he seldome or neuer dyeth well, who liueth euill, Et qualis vita, finis ita, like life, like end.
The xi, Chapter. Of entring into the first degree of eternall life.
Question. HOw shall a man in this world enter into the first degrée of life euerlasting?
A. When a man by the testimonie of a sanctifyed conscience, and by experience Gal. 2. 20.can say that Christ liueth in him.
Quest. When doth Christ liue in a man.
A. When hée doth by his holy spirit, direct, guide, and gouerne his thoughts, Rom. 8. 13.will and affections.
Q. How shall a man discerne this?
A. When hée dooth frame and confirme all the powers and abilities of his soule and body, according to the rule of Gods word. For the spirit and the word neuer …arre, but the holy spirit breatheth in it, and worketh by it. Acts. 10. vers. 44. and 45.
Qu…. In how many things dooth this first degrée of eternall life consist?
A. It consisteth in thrée … or graces of God. First, in the … and sauing knowledge of God the Father, God the Sonne, and God the holy Ghost.
Secondly, in the swéete peace of conscience, which flowing from the death of Christ, is life and peace, for this is the way to, and the beginning of euerlasting happinesse.
Thir…ly, in the gouernment of the spirit, when we assent vntounto the directions of it, and in acte approoue and obey them.
Q. But what néede all this paine and trouble: Is it not enough when a man is dying, to say, Lord hauehave mercy vponupon mee?
Ans. No, for first, Not eueryevery one that saith, Lord, Lord, shall enter into Math. 7. 2…heauen but hee that doth the will of God.
Secondly he that prorogeth and putteth of his repentance vntounto death, is (for the most part) so be-sotted with the custome of sinne, and with-all so forsaken of God, that he (as experience teacheth) can vtter no good word.
The xii. Chapter. Of accustoming and enuring a mans selfe to dye well.
Question. HOw shall a man bring him-selfe in fashion, and accustome himselfe to dye well?
Answ. By the performance of thrée things. First seeing that Gods corrections and chastisements are the instruments and fore-runners of death, hee must humble himselfe vnderunder them.
Secondly, he must begin to mortifie little sinnes, that so he may mortifie the greater afterwards.
Thirdly, hee must not let goe the fruite of the least crosse, but learne to beare and endure smaller crosses and afflictions, that he may be the better enabled to vnderunder-goe the torments of death it selfe.
The xiii. Chapter. Of the speedinesse and carefulnesse of Preparation.
Question. VVHen and how must a man prepare him-selfe?
A. With all expedition and vtmost diligence.
Qu. Wherein must this expedition and diligence chiefely appeare?
An. In dooing all possible seruice to Church and common-wealth. Psal. 122. vers. 8. and 9.
Q. Why must he take this course?
A. Otherwise, d…th, (for it giueth no man warning) will ouer-take him, and hée will wish that hée had done it, Luk. 13.when it is too late.vers. 25.
And thus much of generall preparation.