WILLIAM PERKINS

A SALVE FOR A SICK MAN.
OR,
a treatise contai-
ning the nature, differences,
and kinds of death; as also
the right manner of dying well.
and
It may serve for spiritual instruction
to

1. Mariners when they go to sea.
2. Soldiers when they go to battle.
3. Women when they travel with child.

PRINTED AT LONDON
BY JOHN LEGATT, Printer to the University of Cambridge.
1616.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
AND VIRTUOUS LADY, THE LADY LUCY
COUNTESS OF BEDFORD.

The death of the righteous, that is, of every believing and repentant sinner, is a most excellent blessing of God, and brings with it many worthy benefits; which thing I prove on this manner. I. God both in the beginning, and in the continuance of his grace, doth greater things unto to his servants then they do commonly ask or think, because he hath promised aid and strength unto them, therefore in wonderful wisdom he casteth upon them this heavy burden of death, that they might make experience what is the exceeding might and power of his grace in their weakness. II. Judgement begins at God's house: and the righteous are laden with afflictions and temptations in this life, and therefore in this world they have their deaths and hells, that in death they might not feel the torments of hell and death. III. When Lazarus was dead, Christ said, He is not dead but sleepeth: hence it followeth, that the Christian man can say, My grave is my bed, my death is my sleep: in death I die not, but only sleep. It is thought, that of all terrible things, death is most terrible: but it is false to them that be in Christ, to whom many things happen far more heavy and bitter then death. IV. Death at the first brought forth sin, but death in the righteous by means of Christ's death, abolisheth sin because it is the accomplishment of mortification. And death is so far from destroying such as are in Christ, that there can be no better refuge for them against death: for presently after the death of the body, follows the perfect freedom of the spirit; and the resurrection of the body. V. Lastly, death is a means of a Christian man's perfection, as Christ in his own example showeth, saying,Luk. 13. 32. Behold I will cast out devils, and will heal still today and tomorrow, and the third I will be perfected. Now this perfection in the members of Christ, is nothing else but the blessing of God the author of peace, sanctifying them throughout, that their whole spirits, and souls, and bodies, may be preserved without blame to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now having often thus considered with my self of the excellency of death, I thought good to draw the sum and chief heads thereof into this small Treatise: the protection and consideration whereof, I commend to your Ladyship, desiring you to accept of it, and read it at your leisure. If I be blamed for writing unto you of death, whereas by the course of nature you are not yet near death, Solomon will excuse me, who saith, that we must remember our Creator in the days of our youth. Thus hoping of your Honours good acceptance, I pray God to bless this my little labour to your comfort and salvation.Septemb. 7. 1595.

Your H. in the Lord,

ECCLESIASTES 7. 3.
THE DAY OF DEATH IS BETTER THEN THE DAY THAT ONE IS BORN.

These words are a rule or  precept laid down by Solomon for weighty causes. For in the Chapters going before he sets forth the vanity of all creatures under heaven: and that at large in the very particulars. Now men hereupon might take occasion of discontentment in respect of their estate in this life: therefore Solomon in great wisdom here takes a new course, and in this chapter begins to lay down certain rules of direction and comfort, that men might have somewhat wherewith to arm themselves  against the troubles and miseries of this life. The first rule is in this third verse, that a good name is better then a precious ointment: that is, a name gotten and maintained by godly conversation, is a special blessing of God, which in the midst of the vanities of this life, ministereth greater matter of rejoicing and comfort to the heart of man, then the most precious ointment can do to the outward senses. Now some men having heard this first rule concerning a good name, might object and say, that renown and good report in this life affords slender comfort: considering that after it follows death, which is the miserable  end of all men. But this objection the wise man removeth by a second rule in the words which I have in hand, saying, that the day of death is better then the day that one is born.

That we may come to the true and proper sense of this precept or rule, three points are to be considered. First, what is death here mentioned. Secondly, how it can be truly said, that the day of death is better then the day of birth. Thirdly, in what respect it is better.

For the first, death is a deprivation of life as a punishment ordained of God and imposed on man for his sin. First, I say, it is a deprivation of life, because the very nature of death  is the absence or defect of that life which God vouchsafed man by his creation. I add further, that death is a punishment, more especially to intimate the nature quality of death: and to show, that it was ordained as a means of execution of God's justice and judgement.  And that death is a punishment; Paul plainly avoucheth when he saith, that by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin. And again, that death is the stipend, wages or allowance of sin. Furthermore, in every punishment there be three workers: the ordainer of it, the procurer, and the executioner. The ordainer of this punishment is God in the estate of man's innocency; by a solemn law then made in these very words, In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die the death, Gen. 2. 17. But it may be alleged to the contrary, that the Lord saith by the Prophet Ezekiel, Ezek. 33. 11. that he will not the death of a sinner, and therefore that he is no ordainer of death. The answer may easily be made, and that sundry ways. First, the Lord speaks not this to all men, or of all men, but to his own people the Church of the Jews, as appears by this clause prefixed, verse 10. Son of man say unto the house of Israel, c. Again, the words are not spoken absolutely, but only in way of comparison, in that of the twain he rather wills the conversion and repentance of a sinner, then his death and destruction. Thirdly, the very meaning of the words import thus much, that god doth take no delight or pleasure in the death of of a sinner, as it is the ruin and destruction of the creature. And yet all this hinders not but that God in a new regard and consideration may both will and ordain death, namely, as it is a due and deserved punishment, tending to the execution of justice: in which justice God is as good as in his mercy. Again, it may be objected, that if death indeed had been ordained of God, then Adam should have been destroyed, and that presently upon his fall. For the very words are thus, Gen. 2. 17. Whensoever thou shalt eat of the forbidden fruit, thou shalt certainly die. Answer. Sentences of Scripture are either Legal or Evangelical, the law and the Gospel being two several and distinct parts of God's word. Now this former sentence is Legal, and must be understood with an exception borrowed from the Gospel or the covenant of grace made with Adam, and revealed to him after his fall. The exception is this: Thou shalt certainly die whensoever thou eatest the forbidden fruit, except I do further give thee a means of deliverance from death, namely, the seed of the woman to bruise the serpents head. Secondly, it may be answered, that Adam and all his posterity died, and that presently after his fall, in that his body was made mortal, and his soul became subject to the curse of the Law. And whereas God would not utterly destroy Adam at the very first, but only impose on him the beginnings of the first and the second death: he did the same in great wisdom, that in the midst of his justice he might make a way to mercy: which thing Tt2

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could not have been, if Adam had perished.

The executioner of this punishment is he that doth impose inflict the same on man, and that also is God himself, as he testifieth of himself in the Prophet Isaiah, Isa. 45. 7. I make peace, and create evil. Now evil is of three sorts: natural, moral, material: Natural evil, is the destruction of that order which God set in every creature by the creation. Moral evil, is the want of that righteousness and virtue which the law requires at man's hand: and that is called sin. Material evil is any matter or thing which in itself is a good creature of God, yet so, as by reason of man's fall it is hurtful to the health and life of man, as Henbane, Wolfbane, Hemlock, and all other poisons are. Now this saying of Isaiah must not be understood of moral evils, but of  such as are either material or natural: to the latter of which, death is to be referred, which is the destruction or abolishment of man's nature created.

The procurer of death is man, not God; in that man by his sins and disobedience did pull upon himself this punishment. Therefore the Lord saith in Hosea, Hos. 13. 6. O Israel, one hath destroyed thee, but in me is thine help. Against this it may be objected, that man was mortal in the estate of innocency before the fall. Answer. The frame and composition of mans body considered in itself was mortal, because it was made of water and earth, and other  elements, which are of themselves alterable and changeable: yet it we respect the grace and blessing which God did vouchsafe mans body in his creation, it was unchangeable and immortal, and so by the same blessing should have continued, if man had not fallen: and man by his fall depriving himself of this gift and blessing, became every way mortal.

Thus it appears in part what death is: yet for the better clearing of this point, we are to consider the difference of the death of a man and of a beast. The death of a beast is the total and final abolishment of the whole creature: for the body is resolved to his first matter, and the soul arising of the temperature of  the body, vanisheth to nothing. But in the death of man it is otherwise. For though the body for a time be resolved to dust, yet must it rise again in the last judgement, and become immortal: and as for the soul it subsisteth by itself out of the body, and is immortal. And this being so, it may be demanded, how the soul can die the second death. Answ. The soul dies, not because it is utterly abolished: but because it is as though it were not, and it ceaseth to be in respect of righteousness and fellowship with God. And indeed this is the death of all deaths, when the creature hath subsisting and being, and yet for all that is deprived of all comfortable fellowship with God.

The reason of this difference is, because the soul of man is a spirit or spiritual substance, whereas the soul of a beast is no substance, but a natural vigor or quality, and hath no being in itself without the body, on which it wholly dependeth. The soul of man contrariwise being created of nothing, and breathed into the body, and as well subsisting forth of it as in it.

The kinds of death are two, as the kinds of life are, bodily and spiritual. Bodily death is nothing else but the separation of the soul from the body, as bodily life is the conjunction of body and soul: and this death is called the first, because in respect of time it goes before the second. Spiritual death is the separation of the whole man both in body and soul, from the gracious fellowship of God. Of these twain, the first is but an entrance to death, and the second is the accomplishment of it. For as the soul is the life of the body, so God is the life of the soul, and his spirit is the soul of our souls, and the want of fellowship with him brings nothing but the endless and unspeakable horrors and pangs of death.

Again, spiritual death hath three distinct and several degrees. The first is, when a man that is alive in respect of temporal life, lies dead in sin. Of this degree Paul speaketh, when he saith, 1. Tim. 5. 6. But she that lives in pleasure, is dead while she liveth. And this is the case of all men by nature, who are the children of wrath, and dead in sin: and trespasses, Eph. 2. 1. The second degree is the very end of this life, when the body is laid in the earth, the soul descends to the place of torment. The third degree is in the day of judgement, when the body and soul meet again, and go both to the place of the damned, there to be tormented forever and ever.

Having thus found the nature and differences, and kinds of death, it is more then manifest, that the text in hand is to be understood, not of the spiritual, but of the bodily death: because it is opposed to the birth or nativity of man. The words then must carry this sense: The time of bodily death in which the body and soul of man are severed asunder, it is better then the time in which one is brought into the world.

Thus much of the first point: now followeth the second, and that is, how this can be true which Solomon saith, that the day of death is better then the day of birth. I make not this question to call the Scriptures into controversy, which are the truth itself, but I do it for this end, that we might without wavering be resolved of this which Solomon avoucheth. For there may be sundry reasons brought to the contrary. Therefore let us handle the question: the reasons or objections which may be alleged to the contrary, may all be reduced to six heads. The first is taken from the opinion of wise men, who think it the best thing of all never to be born, and

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the next best to die quickly. Now if it be  the best thing in the world not to be born at all, then it is the worst thing that can be to die after a man is born. Answer. There be two sorts of men: one, that live and die in their sins without repentance: the other, which unfeignedly repent and believe in Christ. Now this sentence may be truly avouched of the first: of whom we may say as Christ said of Judas, Mat. 26. 24. It had been good for him that he had never been borne. But the saying applied to the second sort of men is false. For to them that in this life turn to God by repentance, the best thing of all is to be born; because their birth is a degree of preparation to happiness; and the next best is to die quickly: because by death they enter into posession of  the same their happiness. For this cause Balaam desired the death of the righteous; and Solomon in this place prefers the day of death before the day of birth, understanding that death which is joined with godly life, or the death of the righteous.

The second objection is taken from the testimonies of Scripture. Death is the wages of sin, Rom. 6. 23. it is an enemy of Christ, 1. Cor. 15. and the curse of the law. Hence it seems to follow, that in and by death, men receive their wages and payment for their sins: that the day of death is the doleful day in which the enemy prevails against us: that he which dieth is cursed. Answer. We must distinguish  of death: it must be considered two ways: first, as it is by itself in his own nature: secondly, as it is altered and changed by Christ. Now death by itself considered, is indeed the wages of sin, and enemy of Christ and of all his members, and the curse of the law, yea the very suburbs and gates of hell: yet in the second respect, it is not so: for by the virtue of the death of Christ, it ceaseth to be a plague or punishment, and of a curse it is made a blessing, and is become unto us a passage or midway between this life and eternal life, and as it were a new wicket or door whereby we pass out of this world, and enter into heaven. And in this respect the saying of Solomon is most true: for in the day of  birth, men are born and brought forth into the vale of misery, but afterward when they go hence, having death altered unto them by the death of Christ, they enter into eternal joy and happiness with all the Saints of God for ever.

The third objection is taken from the examples of most worthy men, who have made their prayers against death: As our Saviour Christ who prayed on this manner, Luke. 22. 42. Father if it be thy will, let this cup pass from me, yet not my will, but thy will be done. And David prayed, Psal. 6. 4, 5. Return, O Lord, deliver my soul, save me for thy mercy's sake: for in death there is no remembrance of thee, in the grave who shall praise thee? And Hezekiah, when the Prophet Isaiah, Isa. 38. 3. bade him set his house in order, and told him that he must die, wept sore, and that in respect of death: now by the examples of these most worthy men: yea by the examples of the Son of God himself, it may seem that the day of death is the most terrible and doleful day of all. Answ. When our Saviour Christ prayed thus to his Father, he was in his agony, and he then as our Redeemer stood in our room and stead, to suffer all things that we should have suffered in our own persons for our sins: and therefore he prayed not simply against death, but against the cursed death of the cross: and he feared not death itself, which is the separation of body and soul, but the curse of the law which went with death, namely, the unspeakable wrath and indignation of God. The first death troubled him not, but the first and seconjoined together. Touching David, when he made the sixth Psalm, he was not only sick in body, but also perplexed with the greatest temptation of all, in that he wrestled in conscience with the wrath of God, as appears by the words of the text, where he saith, Lord rebuke me not in thy wrath. And by this we see that he prayed not simply against death, but against death at that instant when he was in that grievous temptation. For at other times he had no such fear of death, as he himself testifieth, saying, Psalm 23. 4. Though I should walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. Therefore he prayed against death only as it was joined with the apprehension of God's wrath. Lastly, Hezekiah prayed against death, not only because he desired to live and do service to God in his kingdom, but upon a further and more special regard; because when the Prophet brought the message of death, he was without issue, and had none of his own body to succeed him in his kingdom. It will be said, what warrant had Hezekiah to pray against death for this cause? Answ. His warrant was good: for God had made a particular promise to David and his posterity after him, that so long as they feared God and walked in his commandments, they should not want issue to sit upon the throne of the kingdom after them, 1. King. 8. 25. Now Hezekiah at the time of the Prophet's message remembering what promise God had made, and how he for his part had kept the condition thereof, in that he had walked before God with an upright heart, and had done that which was acceptable in his sight; he prayed against death, not so much because he feared the danger of it, but because he wanted issue. This prayer God accepted and heard and he added fifteen years unto his days, and two years after gave him Manasseh.

The fourth objection is this, that those which have been reputed to be of the better sort of men, oftentimes have miserable ends: for some end their days despairing, some raving and blaspheming, some strangely tormented: Tt3

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it may seem therefore that the day  of death is the day of greatest woe misery.

To this I answer first of all generally, that we must not judge of the estate of any man before God by outward things, whether they be blessings or judgements; whether they fall in  life or death: For (as Solomon saith) All things come alike to all: and the same condition is to the just and wicked, to the good and to the pure, and to the polluted, and to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath. Secondly, I answer the particulars which be alleged, on this manner; And first of all touching despair, it is true that not only wicked and loose persons despair in death, but also repentant sinners, who oftentimes in their sickness, testify of themselves, that being alive,  and lying in their beds, they feel themselves as it were to be in hell, and to apprehend the very pangs and torments thereof. And I doubt not for all this, but that the child of God most dear unto him, may through the gulf of desperation attain to everlasting happiness. This appears by the manner of God's dealing in the matter of our salvation. All the works of God are done in and by their contraries. In the creation, all things were made, not of some thing, but of nothing, clean contrary to the course of nature. In the work of redemption, God gives life, not by life, but by death: and if we consider aright of Christ upon the cross, we shall see our paradise out of paradise in  the midst of hell. For out of his own cursed death doth he bring us life and eternal happiness. Likewise in effectual vocation, when it pleaseth God to convert and turn men unto him, he doth it by the means of the Gospel preached, which in reason should drive all men from God. For it is as contrary to the nature of man as fire to water, and light to darkness: and yet for all this, though it be thus against the disposition and heart of man, it prevails with him and turns him to God. Furthermore, when God will send his own servants to heaven, he sends them a contrary way, even by the gates of hell and when it is his pleasure to make men depend on his favour and providence, he makes them feel  his anger, and to be nothing in themselves, that they may wholly depend upon him, and be whatsoever they are in him. This point being well considered, it is manifest that the child of God may pass to heaven by the very gulfs of hell. The love of God is like a sea, into which when a man is cast, he neither feels bottom nor sees bank. I conclude therefore, that despair, whether it arise of weakness of nature, or of conscience of sin, though it fall out about the time of death, cannot prejudice the salvation of them that are effectually called. As for other strange events which fall out in death, they are the effects of diseases; Ravings and blasphemings arise of the disease of melancholy, and frenzies, which often happen at the end of burning fevers, the choler shooting up to the brain. The writhing of the lips, the turning of the neck, the buckling of the joints and the whole body, proceeds of cramps and convulsions, which follows after much evacuation. And whereas some in sickness are of that strength that three or four men cannot hold them down without bonds; it comes not of witchcrafts and possessions, as people commonly think, but of choler in the veins. And where as some when they are dead, become as black as pitch (as Bonner was) it may arise by a bruise, or an impostume, or by the black jaundice, or by the putrifaction of the liver: and it doth not always argue some extraordinary judgement of God. Now these and the like diseases with their Symptoms and strange effects, though they shall deprive a man of his health, and of the right use of the parts of his body, of the use of reason too: yet they cannot deprive his soul of eternal life. And all sins procured of violent diseases, and proceeding from repentant sinners, are sins of infirmity: for which, if they know them, and come again to the use of reason, they will further repent: if not, they are pardoned and buried in the death of Christ: And we ought not so much to stand upon the strangeness of any man's end, when we know the goodness of his life: for we must judge a man not by his death, but by his life. And if this be true, that strange diseases, and thereupon strange behaviours in death, may befall the best man that is; we must learn to reform our judgements of such as lie at the point of death. The common opinion is, that if a man die quietly and go away like a lamb (which in some diseases, as consumptions, and such like, any man may do) then he goes straight to heaven: but if the violence of the disease stir up impatience, and cause frantic behaviours, then men use to say, there is a judgement of God serving either to discover an hypocrite, or to plague a wicked man. But the truth is otherwise. For indeed a man may die like a lamb; and yet go to hell: and one dying in exceeding torments and strange behaviours of the body, may go to heaven. And by the outward condition of any man, either in life or death, we are not to judge of his estate before God.

The fifth objection is this: When a man is most near death, then the devil is most busy in temptation, the more men are assaulted by Satan, the more dangerous troublesome is their case. And therefore it may seem that the day of death is the worst day of all. Ans. The condition of God's children in death is twofold. Some are not tempted, as Simeon, who when he had seen Christ, brake forth said, Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, c. foresignifying no doubt, that he should end his days in all manner of peace. As for them which are tempted, though their case be very troublesome and perplexed, yet their salvation

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is not further off, by reason of the violence  and extremity of temptation. For God is then present by the unspeakeable comfort of his spirit, and when we are most weak, he is most strong in us: because his manner is to show his power in weakness. And for this cause, even in the time of death the devil receives the greatest foil, when he looks for the greatest victory.

The sixth objection is this. Violent and sudden death is a grievous curse, and of all evils which befall man in this life, none is so terrible; therefore it may seem, that the day of sudden death is most miserable. Ans. It is true indeed, that sudden death is a curse and a grievous judgement of God, and therefore not without cause feared of men in the world: yet  all things considered, we ought more to be afraid of an impatient and evil life, then of sudden death. For though it be evil, as death itself in his own nature is, yet we must not think it to be simply evil: because it is not evil to all men, nor in all respects evil. I say it is not evil to all men, considering that no kind of death is evil, or a curse unto them that are in Christ, who are freed from the whole curse of the Law. And therefore the holy Ghost saith, Apoc. 14. 13. Blessed are they that die in the Lord, for they rest from their labours: whereby is signified, that they which depart this life, being members of Christ enter into  everlasting happiness; of what death soever they die, yea though it be sudden death. Againe, I say that sudden death is not evil in all respects. For it is not evil, because it is sudden, but because it commonly takes men unprepared, and by that means makes the day of death a black day, and as it were a very speedy downfall to the gulf of hell. Otherwise if a man be ready and prepared to die, sudden death is in effect no death, but a quick and speedy entrance to eternal life.

These objections being thus answered, it appears to be a manifest truth which Solomon saith, that the day of death is better indeed then the day of birth. Now I come to the third  point, in which the reasons and respects are to be considered, that make the day of death to surpass the day of a man's birth: and they may all be reduced to this one, namely, that the birthday is an entrance into all woe and misery: whereas the day of death joined with godly and reformed life, is an entrance or degree to eternal life. Which I make manifest thus: Eternal life hath three degrees, one in this life, when a man can truly say, that he lives not, but that Christ lives in him: and this all men can say that repent and believe, and are justified and sanctified, and have peace of conscience, with other gifts of Gods spirit, which are the earnest of their salvation. The second degree is in the end of this life, when the body goes to the earth, and the soul is carried by the Angels into heaven. The third is in the end of the world at the last judgement, when body soul reunited, do jointly enter into eternal happiness in heaven. Now of these three degrees, death itself being joined with the fear of God, is the second: which also containeth in it two worthy steps to life. The first, is a freedom from all miseries which have their end in death. For though men in this life are subject to manifold dangers by sea and land, as also to sundry aches, pains, and diseases, as fevers, and consumptions, c yet when death comes there is an end of all. Again, so long as men live in this world whatsoever they be, they do in some part lie in bondage under original corruption and the remnants thereof, which are doubtings of God's providence, unbelief, pride of heart, ignorance, covetousness, ambition, envy, hatred, lust, such like sins, which bring forth fruits unto death. And to be in subjection to sin on this manner, is a misery of all miseries. Therefore Paul when he was tempted unto sin by his corruption, calls the very temptation the buffets of Satan, and as it were a prick or thorn wounding his flesh, and paining him  at the very heart. Againe, in another place wearied with his own corruptions, he complains that he is sold under sin, and he cries out, Rom. 7. 24. O miserable man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of Death! David saith, Psal. 119. 136. that his eyes gushed out with rivers of tears when other men sinned against God: how much more then was he grieved for the sins wherewith he himself was overtaken in this life? And indeed it is a very hell for a man that hath but a spark of grace to be exercised, turmoiled, and tempted with the inborn corruptions and rebellions of his own heart: and if a man would devise a torment for such as fear God, and desire to walk in newness of life, he cannot devise a greater then this. For this cause blessed is the day of death which brings with it a freedom from all sin whatsoever. For when we die, the corruption of nature is quite abolished, and sanctification is accomplished. Lastly, it is a great misery that the people of God are constrained in this world to live and converse in the company of the wicked; as sheep are mingled with goats which strike them, annoy their pasture, and muddy their water. Hereupon David cries out, Psal. 120. 5. Woe is me that I remain in Meshech, and dwell in the tents of Kedar. 1. King. 19. 4. When Elijah saw that Ahab and Jezabel had planted Idolatry in Israel, that they sought his life also, he went apart into the wilderness and desired to die. But this misery also is ended in the day of death, in as much as death is as it were the hand of God to sort and single out those that be the servants of God from all ungodly men in this most wretched world.

Furthermore, this exceeding benefit comes by death, that it doth not only abolish the miseries, which presently are upon us, but also prevent those which are to come. The righteous Tt4

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(saith the Prophet, Isa. 51. 7. perisheth and  no man considereth in his heart: and merciful men are taken away, and no man understandeth that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. Examples of this we have in Josiah. Because (saith the Lord. 2. King. 22. 20,) thine heart did melt, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, c. behold therefore I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be put in thy grave in peace, and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And Paul saith, 1. Cor. 11. 32. that among the Corinthians some were asleep, that is, dead, that they might not be condemned with the world.

Thus much of freedom from misery,  which is the first benefit that comes by death, the first steep to life: now follows the second, which is, that death gives an entrance to the soul, that it may come into the presence of the everlasting God, of Christ, and of all the Angels and Saints in heaven. The worthiness of this benefit makes the death of the righteous to be no death but rather a blessing to be wished of all men. The consideration of this made Paul to say, Phil. 1. 23. I desire to be dissolved: but what is the cause of this desire? that follows in the next words, namely, that by this dissolution he might come to be with Christ. When the Queen of Sheba saw all Solomon's wisdom, the house that he had built;   the meat of his table, the sitting of his servants, and the order of his ministers, and their apparel, c. she said, 1. Kin. 10. Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants which stand ever before thee and hear thy wisdom: much more then may we say, that they are ten thousand fold happy which stand not in the presence of an earthly king; but before the king of kings, the Lord of heaven and earth: and at his right hand enjoy pleasures for evermore. Moses hath been renowned in all ages for this, that God vouchsafed him but so much favour as to see his hinder parts at his request: O then, what happiness is this, to see the glory and Majesty of God face to face, and to have eternal fellowship with God our father, Christ our Redeemer, and the holy Ghost our  comforter, and to live with the blessed Saints and Angels in heaven for ever?

Thus now the third point is manifest, namely, in what respect death is more excellent than life. It may be here the mind of man unsatisfied, will yet further reply say, that howsoever in death the souls of men enter into heaven, yet their bodies though they have been tenderly kept for meat, drink and apparel; and have slept many a night in beds of down, must lie in dark loathsome graves, there be wasted consumed by worms. Ans. All this is true indeed, but all is nothing, if so be that we will but consider aright of our graves as we ought. We must not judge of our graves, as they appear to the bodily eye, but we must look upon them by the eye of faith, and consider them as they are altered changed by the death and burial of Christ, who having vanquished death upon the cross, pursued him afterward to his own den, and foiled him there, and deprived him of his power. And by this means Christ in his own death hath buried our death, and by the virtue of his burial, as sweet incense hath sweetened and perfumed our graves, and made them of stinking loathsome cabins, to become princely palaces, beds of most sweet and happy rest, far more  excellent then beds of down.

And though the body rot in the grave, and be eaten of worms, or of fishes in the sea, or burnt to ashes, yet that will not be unto us a matter of discomfort, if we do well consider the ground of all graces, namely, our conjunction with Christ. It is indeed a spiritual, and yet a most real conjunction. And we must not imagine that our souls alone are joined to the body or soul of Christ, but the whole person of man both in body soul is joined and united to whole Christ. And when we are once joined to Christ in this mortal life by the bond of the spirit, we shall remain continue eternally joined with him: this union once truly made, shall never be dissolved. Hence it follows, that although the body be severed from the soul in death, yet neither body nor soul are severed from Christ, but the very body rotting in the grave, drowned in the sea, burned to ashes, abides still united to him, and is as truly a member of Christ then as before. This point we must remember as the foundation of all our comfort, and hold it for ever as a truth. For look what was the condition of Christ in death, the same or the like is the condition of all his members. Now the condition of Christ was this, though his body and soul were severed each from other as far as heaven and the grave, yet neither of them were severed from the Godhead of the Son, but both did in death subsist in his person. And therefore though our bodies and souls be pulled asunder by natural or violent death, yet neither of them, no not the body it self, shall be severed and disjoined from Christ. It will be alleged, that if the body were then united to Christ, it should live and be quickened in the grave. Answ. Not so: when a man's arm or leg is taken with the dead palsy, it receives little or no heat, life, sense, or motion from the body; and yet notwithstanding it remains still a member of the body, because the flesh and the bone of it remain joined to the flesh and the bone of the body: even so may the body remain a member of Christ, though for some space of time it receive neither sense, nor motion, nor life from the soul, or from the spirit of God.

Furthermore, we must remember that by the virtue of this conjunction, shall the dead body, be it rotten, burned, devoured, or howsoever consumed, at the day of judgement rise to eternal glory. In the winter season trees

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remain without fruit or leaves, and being  beaten with wind and weather appear to the eye as if they were rottenness: yet when the spring time comes again, they bring forth, as before, buds and blossoms, leaves and fruit: the reason is, because the body, grains, and arms of trees, are all joined to the root, where lies the sap in the winter season, and whence by means of this conjunction it is de+ rived to all parts of the tree in the spring time: Even so the bodies of men have their winter also, in which they are turned to dust, and so remain for the space of many thousand years; yet in the day of judgement by means of that mystical conjunction with Christ, shall divine and quickening virtue stream  thence to all the bodies of the elect to cause them to live again, and that to life eternal. But some will say, that the wicked also rise again. Ans. They do so indeed; but not by the same cause; for they rise by the power of Christ as he is a judge to condemn them: whereas the godly rise again by the virtue of Christ's resurrection, whereof they are partakers by means of that blessed indissolute conjunction which they have with Christ. And the bodies of the elect though they putrify and consume never so much in the grave, yet are they still in the favour of God, and in the covenant of grace: to which, because they have right and title being dead, they shall not remain so forever, but shall rise to glory at the  last judgement. Therefore the rotting of the body is nothing in respect, and the death of the body is no death. And therefore also death in the old and new Testament is made but a sleep, and the grave a bed, whereof the like was never seen: wherein a man may rest, nothing at all troubled with dreams or fantasies, and whence he shall rise no more subject to weakness or sickness, but presently be translated to eternal glory. By this then which hath been said, it appears that the death of the righteous, is a second degree to everlasting happiness.

Now then considering our conjunction with Christ is the foundation of all our joy and comfort in life and death; we are in the fear  of God to learn this one lesson, namely, that while we have time in this world, we must labour to be united to Christ, that we may be bone of his bone, flesh of his flesh. This very point is as it were a flagon of wine to revive our souls when they be in a swoon at any instant. And that we may be assured that we are certainly joined to Christ, we must show ourselves to be members of his mystical body by the daily fruits of righteousness and true repentance. And being once certainly assured in conscience of our being in Christ, let death come when it will, and let it cruelly part asunder both body and soul, yet shall they both remain in the covenant, and by mean thereof be reunited and taken up to life eternal. Whereas on the contrary, if men be out of the covenant, and die out of Christ, their souls go to hell, and their bodies rot for a time in the grave; but afterwards they rise to endless perdition. Wherefore I say again and again, labour that your consciences by the holy Ghost may testify, that ye are living stones in the temple of God, and branches bearing fruit in the true vine: and then ye shall feel by experience that the pangs of death shall be a further degree of happiness then ever ye found in your lives, even then when ye are gasping and panting for breath.

Thus much of the meaning of the text, now follow the uses, and they are manifold. The first and principal is this. In that Solomon prefers the day of death before the day of birth, he doth therein give us to understand, that there is a direct and certain way whereby a man may die well, if it had been otherwise, he could not have said that the day of death is better. And whereas he avoucheth this, he shows withall that there is an infallible way whereby a man may make a blessed end. Therefore now let us come to search out this way: the knowledge and true understanding whereof must not be fetched from the writings of men, and from the word of God; who hath the power of life and death in his own hand.

Now that a man may die well, God's word requires two things: a preparation before death, and a right behaviour and disposition of death.

The preparation unto death, is an action of a repentant sinner, whereby he makes himself fit and ready to die, it is a duty very necessary, to which we are bound by God's commandment. For there be sundry places of Scripture which do straightly enjoin us to watch and pray, and to make ourselves ready everyday against the second coming of Christ to judgement. Now the same places do with all bind us to make a preparation against death, at which time God comes to judgement unto us particularly. Again, look as death leaveth a man, so shall the last judgement find him, so shall he abide eternally: there may be changes and conversions from evil to good in this life, but after death there is no change at all. Therefore a preparation to death can in no wise be omitted of him that desires to make an happy and blessed end.

This preparation is two fold, general particular. General preparation is that, whereby a man prepares himself to die through the whole course of his life. A duty most needful which must in no wise be omitted. The reasons are these: first of all death which is certain, is most of all uncertain, I say it is certain, because no man can eschew death. And it is uncertain three ways: first, in regard of time: for no man knoweth when he shall die: secondly, in regard of place: for no man knows where be shall die, whether in his bed, or in the field, whether by sea, or by land: thirdly, in respect of the kind of death: for no man knows

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whether he shall die of a lingering or sudden, of  a violent or natural death. Hence it follows that men should every day prepare themselves, to death. Indeed if we could know when, where, how we should die, the case were otherwise, but seeing we know none of these, it stand us in hand to look about us. A second reason serving further to persuade us, is this. The most dangerous thing of all in this world, is to neglect all preparation. To make this point more manifest. I will use this comparison. A certain man pursued by an Unicorn, in his flight falls into a dungeon, in his fall takes hold and hangs by the arm of tree: now as he thus hangs looking downward, he sees two worms gnawing at the root of the tree, and  as he looks upward he sees an hive of most sweet honey, whereupon he climbs up unto it, and sitting by it feeds thereon. In the mean season while he is thus sitting, the two worms gnaw in pieces the root of the tree: which done, tree and man and all falls into the bottom of the dungeon. Now this Unicorn is death; the man that flies is every one of us, and every living man: the pit over which he hangeth, is hell; the arm of the tree is life it self, the two worms are day and night, the continuance whereof is the whole life of man: the hive of honey is the pleasures and profits and honors of this world, to which when men wholly give themselves, not considering their ends, till the tree root, that is, this temporal  life be cut off: which being once done, they plunge themselves quite into the gulf of hell. By this we see, that there is good cause that men should not defer their preparation till the time of sickness, but rather every day make themselves ready against the day of death. But some will say, it shall suffice if I prepare myself to pray when I begin to be sick. Answ. These men greatly deceive themselves, for the time then is most unfit to begin a preparation, because all the senses and powers of the body are occupied about the pains and troubles of the disease: and the sick party is exercised partly in conference with the Physician, partly with the Minister about his souls health and matters of conscience, and  partly with friends that come to visit. Therefore there must some preparation go before in the time of health, when the whole man with all the powers of body and soul are at liberty. Again there be some others which imagine and say, that a man may repent when he will, even in the time of death: and that such repentance is sufficient. Ans. It is false which they say: For it is not in the power of man to repent when he himself will; when God will he may. It is not in him that willeth or runneth, but in God that hath mercy. And Christ saith, that many shall seek to enter into heaven, and shall not be able. But why so? because they seek when it is too late; namely, when the time of grace is past. Therefore it is exceeding folly for men so much as once to dream that they may have repentance at command; nay it is a just judgement that they should be condemned of God in death, that did condemn God in their life: that they should quite be forgotten of God in sickness, that did forget God in their health. Again I answer, that this late repentance is seldom or never true repentance. It is sick like the party himself, commonly languishing and dying together with him. Repentance should be voluntary (as all obedience to God ought,) but repentance taken up in sickness, is usually constrained and extorted by the fear of hell, and other judgements of God: for crosses, afflictions, and sickness will cause the grossest hypocrite that ever was to stoop and buckle under the hand of God, and dissemble faith and repentance and every grace of God, as though he had them as fully as any of the true servants of God; whereas indeed he wants them altogether. Wherefore such repentance commonly is but counterfeit. For in true and sound repentance men must forsake their sins; but in this, the sin forsakes the man: who leaves all his evil ways only upon this, that he is constrained to leave the world. Wherefore it is a thing greatly to be wished, that men would repent prepare themselves to die in the time of health before the day of death or sickness come. Lastly, it is alleged that one of the thieves repeated upon the cross. Answ. The thief was called after the eleventh hour at the point of the twelfth, when he was now dying drawing on: Therefore his conversion was altogether miraculous and extraordinary: and there was a special reason why Christ would have him to be called them, that while he was in suffering he might show forth the virtue of his passion: that all which saw the one, might also acknowledge the other. Now it is not good for men to make an ordinary rule of an extraordinary example.

Thus then this point being manifest, that a general preparation must be made, let us now see in what manner it must be done. And for the right doing of it, five duties must be practised in the course of our lives. The first is, the meditation of death in the life time. For the life of a Christian is nothing else but a meditation of death. A notable practise hereof we have in the example of Joseph of Arimathea, who made his tomb in his life time in the midst of his garden: no doubt for this end, to put himself in mind of death, and that in the midst of his delights and pleasures. Heathen Philosophers, that never knew Christ, had many excellent meditations of death, though not comfortable in regard of life everlasting. Now we, that have known and believed in Christ, must go beyond them in this point, considering with ourselves such things as they never thought of, namely, the cause of death, our sin: the remedy thereof, the cursed death of Christ: cursed I say, in

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regard of the kind of death and punishment  laid upon him, but blessed in regard of us. Thirdly, we must often meditate on the presence of death, which we do when by God's grace we make an account of every present day, as if it were the present day of our death, reckon with ourselves when we go to bed as though we should never rise again; and when we rise, as though we should never lie down again.

This meditation of death is of special use, brings forth many fruits in the life of man. And first of all it serves to humble us under the hand of God. Example we have of Abraham, who said, Gen. 18. 27. Behold I have begun to speak to my Lord; and I am but dust ashes. Mark here, how the consideration of his mortality made him to abase and cast down himself  in the sight of God: and thus if we could reckon of every day as of the last day, it would straight way pull down our peacocks feathers, and make us with Job to abhor our selves in dust and ashes.

Secondly this meditation is a means to further repentance. When Jonah came to Nineveh and cried, Jon. 3. 4, 5. Yet forty days, Nineveh shall be destroyed, the whole city repented in sackcloth and ashes. When Elijah came to Ahab and told him that the dogs should eat Jezabel by the wall of Jezreel, and him also of Ahab's stock that died in the city, c. it made him to humble himself so, as the Lord saith to Elijah, 1. Kin. 21. 29. Seest thou how Ahab is humbled  before me? Now if the remembrance of death was of such force in him that was but an hypocrite; how excellent a means of grace will it be in them that repent?

Thirdly, this meditation serves to stir up contentation in every estate and condition of life that shall befall us. Righteous Job in the very midst of his afflictions, comforts himself with this consideration; Naked (saith he, Job. 1. 21.) came I forth of my mother womb, and naked shall I return again, c. blessed be the name of the Lord. And surely the often meditation of this, that a man of all his abundance can carry nothing with him but either a coffin or a winding sheet, or both, should be a forcible means to repress the unsatiable desire of  riches and the love of this world.

Thus we see what an effectual means this meditation is to increase further the grace of God in the hearts of men. Now I commend this first duty to your Christian consideration, desiring the practise of it, in your lives: which practise that it may take place, two things must be performed. First, labour to pluck out of your hearts a wicked and erroneous imagination, whereby every man naturally blesseth himself and thinks highly of himself: and though he hath one foot in the grave, yet he persuades himself that he shall not die yet. There is no man almost so old but by the corruption of his heart he thinks that he shall live one year longer. Cruel and unmerciful death makes league with no man: yet the Prophet saith, Isa. 28. 15. that the wicked man makes a league with death. How can this be? there is no league made indeed, but only in the wicked imagination of man; who falsely thinks that death will not come near him, though all the world should be destroyed. See an example in the parable of the rich man, that having stored up abundance of wealth for many years, said to his own soul, Luk. 12. 19 Saul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, live at ease, eat, drink, and take thy pastime, whereas his soul was fetched away presently. And seeing this natural corruption is in every man's heart, we must daily fight against it, labour by all might and main that it take no place in us: for so long as it shall prevail, we shall be utterly unfit to make any preparation to death. We ought rather to endeavour to attain to the mind and meditation of S. Jerome, who testifieth of himself on his manner, Whether  I wake or sleep, or whatsoever I do, me thinks I hear the sound of the trumpet, Rise ye dead, and come to judgment.

The second thing which we are to practise that we may come to a serious meditation of our own ends, is, to make prayer unto God that we might be enabled to resolve ourselves of death continually. Thus David prayed Psal. 39 4. Lord make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, let me know how long I have to live. And Moses, Psal. 90. 12. Lord teach me to number my days, that I may apply mine heart unto wisdom. It may be said. What need men pray to God that they might be able to number their days? cannot they of themselves reckon a few years and days, that are able by art to measure the globe of the earth, and the spheres of heaven, and the quantities of the stars, with their longitudes, latitudes, altitudes, motions, distances from the earth? No verily. For howsoever by a general speculation we think something of our ends, yet unless the spirit of God be our schoolmaster to teach us our duty, we shall never be able soundly to resolve our selves of the presence and speediness of death. And therefore let us pray with David and Moses, that God would enlighten our minds with knowledge; and fill our hearts with his grace, that we might rightly consider of death, esteem of every day and hour as if it were the day and hour of death.

The second duty in this general preparation is, that every man must daily endeavour to take away from his own death the power and strength thereof. And I pray you mark this point: The Philistims saw by experience that Samson was of great strength, and  therefore they used means to know in what part of the body it lay: and when they found it to be in the hair of his head, they ceased not until it was cut off. In like manner the time will come when we must encounter hand to hand with tyrannous and cruel death: the

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best therefore is, before hand now while we  have time, to search where the strength of death lies, which being once known, we must with speed cut off his Samson's locks, and bereave him of his power, disarm him, make him altogether unable to prevail against us. Now to find out this matter, we need not to use the counsel of any Delilah, for we have the word of God which teacheth us plainly where the strength of death consists, namely, in our sins, as Paul saith, 1. Cor. 15. 56. The sting of death is sin. Well then, we knowing certainly that the power and force of every mans particular death lies in his own sins, must spend our time study in using good means that our sins may be removed and pardoned. And therefore we must daily inure our  selves in the practise of two duties. One, is to humble our selves for all our sins past, partly confessing them against our selves, partly in prayer crying to heaven for the pardon of them. The other, is for time to come to turn unto God, and to carry a purpose, resolution, and endeavour in all things to reform both heart and life according to God's word. These are the very principal proper duties, whereby the strength of death is much rebated, and he is made of a mighty and bloody enemy so far forth friendly tractable; that we may with comfort encounter with him prevail too. Therefore I commend these duties to  your Christian considerations, careful practise, desiring that ye would spend your days ever hereafter in doing of them. If a man were to deal with a mighty dragon or serpent hand to hand, in such wise as he must either kill or be killed, the best thing were to bereave him of his sting, or of that part of his body where his poison lies: now death itself is a serpent, dragon, or scorpion, sin is the sting or poison whereby he wounds and kills us. Wherefore without any more delay, see that ye pull out his sting: the practise of the foresaid duties is as it were a fit and worthy instrument to do the deed. Hast thou been a person ignorant of Gods will, a condemner of his  word worship, a blasphemer of his name, a breaker of his Sabbath, disobedient to parents and Magistrates, a murderer, a fornicator, a railer, a slanderer, a covetous person? c. Reform these thy sins and all other like unto them, pull them out by the roots from thy heart, and cast them off. So many sins as be in thee, so many stings of death be also in thee to wound thy soul to eternal death. Therefore let no one sin remain, for which thou hast not humbled thy self and repented seriously. When death hurts any man, it takes the weapons whereby he is hurt, from his own hand. It cannot do us the least hurt but by the force of our own sins. Wherefore I say again and again, lay this point to your hearts, and spend your strength, life, and health, that ye may before ye die, abolish the strength of death. A man may put a serpent in his bosom, when the sting is out, and we may let death creep into our bosom, gripe us with his legs, and stab us at the heart, so long as he brings not his venim and poison with him.

And because the former duties are so necessary, as none can be more, I will use some reasons yet further to enforce them. Whatsoever a man would do when he is dying, the same he ought to do every day while he is living: now the most notorious and wicked person that ever was, when he is dying will pray and desire others to pray for him, and promise amendment of life, protesting that if he might live, he would become a practitioner in all the good duties of faith, repentance, and reformation of life. Oh therefore be careful to do this every day! Again, the saying is true, he that would live when he is dead, must die while he is alive; namely, to his sin. Wouldst thou then live eternally? sue to heaven for thy pardon, and see that now in thy life time thou die to thine own sins. Lastly, wicked Balaam would fain die the death of the righteous: but alas, it was to small purpose: for he would by no means live the life of the righteous: For his continual purpose and meaning was to follow his old ways in sorceries and covetousness. Now the life of a righteous man stands in the humbling of himself for his sins past, and in a careful reformation of life to come. Wouldest thou then die the death of the righteous? then look unto it, that thy life be the life of the righteous; if ye will needs live the life of the unrighteous, ye must look to die the death of the unrighteous. Remember this, and content not yourselves to hear the word, but be doers of it: for ye learn no more indeed, what measure of knowledge soever  ye have, then ye practise.

The third duty in our general preparation, is in this life to enter into the first degree of life eternal. For as I have said, there be three degrees of life everlasting, and the first of them is in this present life. For he that would live in eternal happiness for ever, must begin in this world to rise out of the grave of his own sins, in which by nature he lies buried, and live in newness of life, as it is said in the revelation, Revel. 20. 6. He that will escape the second death, must be made partaker of the first resurrection. And Paul saith to the Colossians, that they were in this life delivered from the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of Christ, Col. 1. 13. And Christ saith to the Church of the Jews, the kingdom of heaven is amongst you. Now this first degree of life is, when a man can say with Paul, Galat. 2. 20. I live not, but Christ lives in me: that is, I find partly by the testimony of my sanctified conscience, and partly by experience, that Christ my redeemer by his spirit guideth and governeth my thoughts, will, affections, all the powers of body and soul according to the blessed direction of his holy will. Now that we might be able to

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say this, we must have three gifts and graces  of God, wherein especially this first degree of life consists. The first is, saving knowledge, whereby we do truly resolve ourselves that God the Father of Christ is our Father, Christ his Son our Redeemer, and the Holy Ghost our comforter. That this knowledge is one part of eternal life, it appears by the saying of Christ in John 17. 3. This is life eternal, that is, the beginning and entrance into life eternal, to know thee the only God, and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ. The second grace, is peace of conscience which passeth all understanding, Phil. 4. 7. and therefore Paul saith, Rom. 14. 17. that the kingdom of heaven is righteousness, peace of conscience, and joy in the holy Ghost. The horror of a guilty conscience is the beginning of  death and destruction: therefore peace of conscience derived from the death of Christ, is life and happiness. The third is the regiment of the spirit, whereby the heart and life of man is ordered according to the word of God. For Paul saith, Rom. 8. 14. that they that are the children of God, are led by the spirit of Christ. Now seeing this is so, that if we would live eternally we must begin to live that blessed and eternal life before we die, here we must be careful to reform two common errors. The first is, that a man enters into eternal life when he dies, and not before: which is a flat untruth. Our Saviour Christ said to Zacheus, Luk. 19. 9. This day is salvation come to thy house,  giving us to understand, that a man then begins to be saved, when God doth effectually call him by the ministry of his Gospel. Whosoever then will be saved when he is dying and dead, must begin to be saved while he is now living. His salvation must begin in this life: that would come to salvation after this life. Verily, verily, saith Christ, he that heareth my  word, and believeth him that sent me, hath eternal life, namely, in this present life. The second error is, that howsoever a man live, if when he is dying he can lift up his eyes, say, Lord have mercy upon me, he is certainly saved. Behold a very dangerous and foolish conceit, that deceives many a man. It is all one as if an arrant thief should thus reason with himself,  and say; I will spend my days in robbing and stealing, I fear neither arraignment, nor execution. For at the very time when I am to be turned off the ladder, if I do but call upon the judge I know I shall have my pardon. Behold a most dangerous and desperate course: and the very same is the practise of careless men in the matter of their salvation. For a man may die with Lord have mercy in his mouth, and perish eternally: except in this world he enter into the first degree of eternal life; For not every one that saith, Lord, Lord, shall enter into heaven: but he that doth the will of the father which is in he even, Math. 7. 21.

The fourth duty is, to exercise and inure ourselves in dying by little and little so long as we live here upon earth, before we come to die indeed. And as men that are appointed to run a race, exercise themselves to running that they may get the victory; so should we begin to die now while we are living, that we might die well in the end. But some may say, how should this be done? Paul gives us direction in his own example, when he saith, By the rejoicing which I have in Christ, I die daily. 1. Cor. 15. 31. And he died daily, not only because he was often in danger of death by reason of his calling; but also because in all his dangers and troubles, he inured himself to die. For when men do make the right use of their afflictions, whether they be in body or mind, or both, and do with all their might endeavour to bear them patiently, humbling themselves as under the correction of God, then they begin to die well. And to do this indeed is to take an excellent course. He that would mortify his greatest sins, must begin to do it with small sins; which, when they are once reformed, a man shall be able more easily to overcome his master sins: So likewise he that would be able to bear the cross of all crosses, namely, death itself, must first of all learn to bear small crosses, as sicknesses in body, and troubles in mind, with loss of goods friends, and of good name: which  I may fitly term little deaths, and the beginning of death itself: and we must first of all acquaint ourselves with these little deaths, before we can be well able to bear the great death of all. Again, the afflictions and calamities of this life are as it were the harbingers purveyors of death: we are first to learn how to entertain these messengers, that when death the Lord himself shall come, we may in better manner entertain him. This point Bilney the martyr well considered, who oftentimes before he was burned, put his finger into the flame of the candle, not only to make trial of his ability in suffering, but also to arm and strengthen himself against greater torments in death. Thus ye see the fourth duty, which ye must in any wise learn and remember, because we cannot be able to bear the pangs of death well, unless we be first well schooled and nurtured by sundry trials in this life.

The fifth and last duty is set down by Solomon, Eccles. 9. 10. All that thine hand shall find to do, do it with all thy power. And mark the reason: For there is neither work, nor invention, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest. To the same purpose Paul saith, Gal. 6. 10. Do good to all men while ye have time. Therefore if a man be able to do any good service either to God's Church, or to the commonwealth, or to any private man, let him do it with all speed and with all might, lest death itself prevent him. He that bath care thus to spend his days, shall with much comfort and peace of conscience end his life.

Thus much of general preparation. Now followeth the particular, which is in the time of sickness. And here first of all I will show Vv

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what is the doctrine of the Papists, and then  afterward the truth. By the Popish order and practise, when a man is about to die, he is enjoined three things. First to make sacramental confession, specially if it be in any mortal sin: secondly, to receive the Eucharist; thirdly, to require his annoiling, that is, the sacrament (as they call it) of extreme unction.

Sacramental confession, they term a rehearsal or numeration of all a man's sins to a priest, that he may receive absolution. But against this kind of confession, sundry reasons may be alleged. First of all, it hath no warrant either by commandment or example in the whole word of God. They say yes: and they endeavour to prove it thus: He which  lies in any mortal sin, is by God's law bound to do penance and to seek reconciliation with God: now the necessary means after baptism to obtain reconciliation, is the confession of all our sins to a priest: Because Christ hath appointed priests to be judges upon earth, with such measure of authority, that no man falling after baptism, can without their sentence determination be reconciled; and they can not rightly judge, unless they know all a man's sins: therefore all that fall after baptism are bound by God's word to open all their sins to a priest. Ans. It is false which they say, that priests are judges, having power to examine take knowledge of men's sins, and jurisdiction whereby  they can properly absolve and pardon or retain them. For God's word hath given no more to man, but a ministry of reconciliation. 2. Corinth. 5. 18. whereby in the name of God, and according to his word, he doth preach, declare, and pronounce, that God doth pardon or not pardon his sins. Again, pardon may truly be pronounced, and right judgement of the estate of any man, without a particular rehearsal of his sins, for he which soundly and truly repents of one or some few sins, repents of all. Secondly, this confession is overturned by the practise of the Prophets and Apostles, who not only absolved particular persons, but also whole Churches without exaction of auricular confession.  When Nathan the Prophet had rebuked David for his two great and horrible crimes, David touched with remorse said, 2. Sam. 12. 12. I have sinned, and Nathan presently without further examination declared unto him in the name of God, that his sins were forgiven him. Thirdly, it cannot be proved by any good sufficient proofs, that this confession was used in the Church of God till after 5. or 6. hundred years were expired. For the confession which was then in use, was either public before the Church, or the opening of a public fault to some private person in secret. Therefore to urge sick men unto it lying at the point of death, is to lay more burdens on them, then ever God appointed.

And whereas they make it a necessary thing to receive the Eucharist in the time of sickness toward death, and that privately of the sick party alone, they have no warrant for their practise and opinion. For in the want of the sacrament there is no danger, but in the contempt: and the very contempt it self is a sin which may be pardoned, if we repent. And there is no reason why we should think that sick men should be deprived of the comfort of the Lords Supper, if they receive it not in death; because the fruit and efficacy of the Sacrament once received, is not to be restrained to the time of receiving; but it extends itself to the whole time of mans life afterward. Again, the supper of the Lord is no private action, but merely Ecclesiastical: and therefore to be celebrated in the meeting assemblies of God's people; as our Saviour Christ prescribeth, when he saith, Do ye this;  and Paul in saying, When ye come together. But it is alleged, that the Israelites did eat the Paschal Lamb in their houses when they were in Egypt. Answ. The Israelites had then no liberty to make any public meeting for that end; and God commanded that the Paschal Lamb should be eaten in all the houses of the Israelites at one and the same instant; and that in effect was as much as if it had been public. Again, they allege a Canon of the Council of Nice; which decreeth that men being about to die, must receive the Eucharist and not bea deprived of the provision  of food necessary for their journey. Answer. The Council made no decree touching the administration of the Sacrament to all them that die, but to such only as fell away from the faith in persecution, or fell into any other notorious crime, and were thereupon excommunicate, and so remained till death: and either then or somewhat before testified their repentance for their offences. And the Canon was made for this end, that such persons might be assured that they were again received into the Church; and by this means depart with more comfort. Thirdly, it is objected, that in the primitive Church, part of the Eucharist was carried by a lad to Serapion an aged man, lying sick in his bed. Answ.  It was indeed the custom of the ancient Church from the very beginning, that the elements of bread wine should be sent by some of the Deacons to the sick, which were absent from the assembly. And yet nevertheless here is no footing for private communions. For the Eucharist was only then sent when the rest of the Church did openly communicate; and such as were then absent only by reason of sickness, and desired to be partakers of that blessed communion, were to be reputed as present. Lastly it is objected, that it was the manner  of men and women in former times to carry part of the Sacrament home to their houses, to reserve it till the time of necessity, as the time of sickness and such like. Answ. The reservation of the Sacrament was but a superstitious

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practise, though it be ancient. For out of the  administration, that is, before it begin, and after it is ended, the sacrament ceaseth to be a sacrament, and the elements to be elements.  As for the practise of them that used to cram the Eucharist into the mouth of them that were deceased; it is not only superstitious, but also very absurd.

As for the Annoiling of the sick, that is: the anointing of the body, specially the organs or instruments of the senses, that the party may obtain the remission of his sins, and comfort against all temptations of the devil in the hour of death, and strength more easily to bear the pangs of sickness the  pangs of death, and be restored to his corporal health, if it be expedient for the salvation of his soul; is but a dotage of man's brain, and hath not so much as a show of reason to justify it, The fifth of James is commonly alleged to this purpose, but the anointing there mentioned is not of the same kind with this greasy sacrament of the Papists. For that anointing of the body was a ceremony used by the Apostles and others, when they put in practise this miraculous gift of healing, which gift is now ceased. Secondly, that anointing had a promise that the party should recover  his health, but, this popish anointing hath no such promise, because for the most part the persons thus anointed die afterward without recovery; whereas those which were anointed in the primitive Church always recovered. Thirdly, the ancient anointing served only for the procuring of health, but this tends further to the procuring of remission of sins, and strength in temptation.

Thus having seen the doctrine of the Papists, I come now to speak of the true and right manner of the making particular preparation before death, which contains three sorts of duties: one concerning God, the other concerning mans own self, the third concerning our neighbour. The first concerning  God, is to seek to be reconciled unto him in Christ, though we have been long assured of his favour. All other duties must come after in the second place, they are of little or no effect without this. Now this reconciliation must be sought for, is obtained by a renewing of our former faith and repentance; and they must be renewed on this manner: So soone as a man shall feel any manner of sickness to sieze upon his body, he must consider with himself whence it ariseth: and after serious consideration, he shall find that it comes not by chance or fortune, but by the special providence of God. This done, he must go yet further, and consider for what cause the Lord should afflict his body with any sickness or disease. And he shall find by Gods word, that sickness comes ordinarily and usually of sin. Wherefore is the living man sorrowful? man suffereth for his sins, Lam. 3. 39. It is true indeed, there be other causes of the wants of the body, and of sickness, beside sin; and though they be not known to us, yet they are known to the Lord. Hereupon Christ when he saw a certain blind man, and was demanded what was the cause of the blindness, answered. Joh. 9. 2. Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the work of God should be showed on him. Yet we for our parts, who are to go not by the secret, but by the revealed will of God, must make this use of our sickness, that it is sent unto us for our sins. When Christ healed the man sick of the palsy, he saith, Mat. 9. 2. Be of good comfort, thy sins are forgiven thee: when he had healed the man by the pool of Bethesda, that had been sick thirty eight years, he bids him sin no more, lest a worse thing should  happen unto him: giving them both to understand, that their sickness came by reason of their sins. And thus should every sick man resolve himself. Now when we have proceeded thus far, have as it were laid our finger upon the right and proper cause of our sickness, three things concerning our sins must be performed of us in sickness. First, we must make a new examination of our hearts and lives, and say as the Israelites said in affliction: Let us search and try our ways, and turn again unto the Lord, Lam. 3. 40. Secondly, we must make a new confession to God of our new and particular sins, as God sends new corrections and chastisements. When David had the hand of God very heavy upon him for his sins, so as his very bones and moisture consumed within him, Psal, 32. 4. he made confession for them unto God, and thereupon obtained his pardon, and was healed. The third thing is to make new prayer and more earnest then ever before, with sighs and groans of the spirit, and that for pardon of the same sins, and for reconciliation with God in Christ. In the exercise of these three duties stands the renovation of our faith and repentance, whereby they are increased, quickened, revived. And the more sickness prevails and takes place in the body, the more should we be careful to put them inure: that spiritual life, might increase as temporal life is decayed. When king Hezekiah lay sick, as he thought upon his deathbed, he wept as for some other causes, so also for his sins, and with all he prayed God to cast them behind his back. David made certain Psalms when he was sick, or at the least upon the occasion of his sickness, as namely, the 6. the 32. 38. 39. c. and they all are Psalms of repentance: in which we may see how in distress of body and mind he renewed his faith and repentance, heartily bewailing his sins, and entreating the Lord for the pardon of them. Manasseh, one that fell from God, and gave himself to many horrible sins, when he was taken captive imprisoned in Babylon, He prayed to the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed unto him: and God was entreated of him, and heard his prayer, and brought Vv2

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him again into Jerusalem into his kingdom, and  then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God, 2. Chron. 33. 12, 13. Now look what Manasseh did in his tribulation, the same thing must we do in the time of our bodily sickness.

Here I have occasion to mention a notorious fault, that is very common in this age, even among such as have long lived in the bosom of the Church: and that is this: Men nowadays are so far from renewing their faith and repentance, that when they lie sick and are drawing toward death, they must be catechized in the doctrine of faith and repentance, as if they had been but of late received into the Church. Whosoever will, but as occasion is offered, visit the sick, shall find  this to be true which I say. What a shame is this, that when a man hath spent his life and days in the Church for the space of twenty, or thirty, or forty years, he should at the very end of all not before, begin to inquire what faith, and what repentance is, and how his soul might be saved. This one sin argues the great security of this age, the great contempt of God and his word. Well, let all men hereafter in time to come, be warned to take heed of this exceeding negligence in matters of salvation, and to use all good means before hand, that they may be able in sickness and in the time of death to put in practise the spiritual exercises of invocation and repentance.

Now if so be it fall out that the sick party  cannot of himself renew his own faith and repentance, he must seek the help of others. When the man that was sick of the dead palsy could not go to Christ himself, Mar. 2. 4. he got others to bear him in his bed: and when they could not come near for the multitude they uncovered the roof of the house, and let the bed down before Christ: even so, when sick men cannot alone by themselves do the good duties to which they are bound, they must borrow help from their fellowmembers; who are partly by their counsel to put to their helping hand, and partly by their prayers to present them unto God, to bring them into the presence of God.

And touching help in this case, sundry duties  are to be performed. Saint James sets down four; two whereof concern the sick patient, and other two such as be helpers. The first duty of the sick man is to send for help: where two circumstances must be considered: who must be sent for, and when. For the first, Saint James saith, Jam. 5. 14. Is any sick among you? let him call for the Elders of the Church. Whereby are meant not only Apostles and all ministers of the Gospel, but others also (as I take it) which were men ancient for years, endowed with the spirit of understanding and prayer, and had withal the gift of working miracles  of healing the sick. For in primitive Church this gift was for a time so plentifully bestowed on them that believed in Christ, that soldiers cast out devils, and parents wrought miracles on their children. Hence we may learn that howsoever it be the duty of the ministers of the word principally to visit and comfort the sick, yet is it not their duty alone, for it belongs to them also which have knowledge of Gods word, and the gift of prayer. Exhort one another (saith the H. Ghost, Heb. 3. 13) while it is called to day. And again, 1. Thes. 5. 11. 14. Admonish them that are disordered, and comfort these that are weak. And indeed in equity it should be the duty of every Christian man to comfort his brother in sickness. Here we must needs take knowledge of the common fault of men women when they come to visit their neighbors friends: they cannot speak a word of instruction and comfort, but spend the time in silence, gazing, and looking on: or in uttering words to little or no purpose, saying to the sick party, that they are very sorry to see him in that case, that they would have him to be of good comfort, but wherein and by what means they cannot tell; that they doubt not but that he shall recover his health and live with them still, and be merry as in former time; that they will pray for him; whereas all their prayers are nothing else but the Apostles Creed, or the ten commandments, and the Lords prayer uttered without understanding. And this is the common comfort that sick men get at the hands of their neighbors when they come unto them; and all this comes either because they live in ignorance of God's word, or because they falsely think that the whole burden of this duty lies upon the shoulders of the minister.

The second circumstance is, when the sick party must send for the elders to instruct him and pray for him. And that is in the very first place of all before any other help be sought for. Where the Divine ends, there the Physician must begin: and it is a very preposterous course that the Divine should there begin where the physician makes an end. For till help be had for the soul, and sin which is the root of sickness be cured, physic for the body is nothing. Therefore it is a thing much to be disliked, that in all places almost the physician is first sent for, and comes in the beginning of the sickness, the Minister comes when a man is half dead, and is then sent for oftentimes when the sick party lies drawing on and gasping for breath, as though Ministers of the Gospel in these days were able to work miracles.

The second duty of the sick party, is to confess his sins, as S. James saith, Confess your sins one to another, and pray one for another.  It will be said, that this is to bring in again Popish shrift. Answ. Confession of our sins, and that unto men, was never denied of any: the question is only of the manner and order of making confession. And for this cause we must put a great difference between Popish shrift, the confession, of which S. James speaketh. For he requires only a confession of that

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or those sins which lie upon a mans conscience  when he is sick: but the popish doctrine requireth a particular enumeration of all a man's sins. Again, S. James enjoin; confession only as a thing meet, and convenient: but the Papists as a thing necessary to the remission of sins. Thirdly, S. James permits that confession be made to any man, and by one man to another mutually: whereas Popish shrift is made only to the Priest. The second duty then is, that the sick party troubled in mind with the memory and consideration of any of his sins past, or any manner of way tempted by the devil, shall freely of his own accord open his case to such as are both able and willing to help him, that he may receive comfort and die in peace of conscience.

Thus much of the sick man's duty; now follow  the duties of helpers. The first is, to pray over him, that is, in his presence to pray with him, and for him, and by prayer to present his very person and his whole estate unto God.  The Prophet Elisha, the Apostle Paul our Saviour Christ used this manner of praying; when they would miraculously restore temporal life: therefore it is very meet that the same should be used also of us, that we might the better stir up our affections in prayer, our compassion to the sick when we are about to entreat the Lord for the remission of their sins, and for the salvation of their souls.

The second duty of him that comes as an  helper, is to anoint the sick party with oil. Now this anointing was an outward ceremony which was used with the gift of healing, which is now ceased, and therefore I omit to speak further of it.

Thus much of the duty which the sick man owes to God: now follow the duties which he is to perform unto himself, and they are twofold: one concerns his soul, the other his body. The duty concerning his soul, is that he must arm furnish himself against the immoderate fear of present death. And the reason hereof is plain: because howsoever naturally men fear through the course of their lives more or less; yet in time of sickness when death approacheth, this natural fear  bred in the bone will most of all show itself, even in such sort, as it will astonish the senses of the sick party, and sometime cause desperation. Therefore it is necessary that we use means to strengthen ourselves against the fear of death. The means are of two sorts; practises, and meditation. Practises are two especially. The first is, that the sick man must not so much regard death itself as the benefits of God which are obtained after death. He must not fix his mind upon the consideration of the pangs and torments of death; but all his thoughts and affections must be set upon that blessed estate that is enjoyed after death. He that is to pass over some great and deep river, must not look downward to the stream of the water; but if he would prevent fear, he must set his foot sure, and cast his eye to the bank on the further side: and so must he that draws near death, as it were, look over the waves of death and directly fix the eye of his faith upon eternal life. The second practise is to look upon death in the glass of the Gospel, and not in the glass of the law; that is, we must consider death not as it is propounded in the law, look upon that terrible face which the law giveth unto it; but as it is set forth in the Gospel. Death in the law is a curse and the downfall to the pit of destruction; in the Gospel it is the entrance to heaven: the law sets forth death as death; the Gospel sets forth death as no death, but a sleep only; because it speaketh of death as it is altered and changed by the death of Christ; by the virtue whereof death is properly no death to the servants of God. When men shall have care on this manner to consider of death, it will be a notable means to strengthen stablish them against all immoderate fears and terrors that usually rise in sickness.

The meditations which serve for this purpose are innumerable, but I will touch only those which are the most principal and the grounds of the rest: and they are four in number. The first is borrowed from the special providence of God: namely, that the death of every man, much more every child of God, is not only foreseen, but also foreappointed of God: yea the death of every man deserved procured by his sins, is laid upon him by God, who in that respect may be said to be the cause of every mans death. So saith Hannah, 1. Sam. 1. 6. The Lord killeth and maketh alive. The Church of Jerusalem confessed that nothing came to pass in the death of Christ, but that which the foreknowledge and eternal counsel of God had appointed, Act. 4. 28. And therefore the death also of every member of Christ is foreseen and ordained by the special decree and providence of God. I add further, that the very circumstances of death, as the time when, the place where, the manner how, the beginnings of sickness, the continuance, and the end, every fit in the sickness, and the pangs of death, are particularly set down in the counsel of God. The very hairs of our heads are numbered (as our Saviour Christ saith, Mat. 10 29. 39.) and a sparrow lights not on the ground without the will of our heavenly Father. David saith excellently, Psal. 139. 15, 16. My bones are not hid from thee, though I was made in a secret place, and fashioned beneath in the earth: thine eyes did see me when I was without form, for in thy book were all things written, which in continuance were fashioned, when there was none of them before. And he prays to God, to put his tears into his bottle, Psal. 56. 8. Now if this be true, that God hath bottles for the very tears of his servants, much more hath he bottles for their blood, and much more doth he respect and regard their pains and miseries with all the circumstances of sickness and death. The Vv3

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careful meditation of this one point is a notable  means to arm us against fear and distrust, and impatience in the time of death; as some examples in this case will easily manifest, I held my tongue and said nothing, saith David, Psalm. 39. 9. but what was it that caused this patience in him? the cause follows in the next words; because thou Lord didst it. And Joseph saith to his brethren, Gen. 45. 5. Fear not, for it was the Lord that sent me before you. Mark here how Joseph is armed against impatience and grief and discontentment by the very consideration of God's providence: and so in the same manner shall we be confirmed against all fears and sorrows, and say with David, Psal. 116. 15. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints: if this persuasion be once  settled in our hearts, that all things in sickness and death come to pass unto us by the providence of God, who turns all things to the good of them that love him.

The second meditation is to be borrowed from the excellent promise that God hath made to the death of the righteous: which is, Blessed are they that die in the Lord: for they rest  from their labours, and their works follow them. The author of truth that cannot lie hath spoken it. Now then let a man but throughly consider this, that death joined with a reformed life hath a promise of blessedness adjoined unto it, and it alone will be a sufficient means to stay the rage of our affections, all in ordinate  fear of death: the rather, if we mark wherein this blessedness consists. In death we are indeed thrust out of our old dwelling places, namely, these houses of clay earthly tabernacles of our bodies, wherein we have made long abode: but what is the end? surely that living dying in Christ we might have a building given of God, that is, an house not made  with hands, but eternal in the heavens, which is unspeakable and immortal glory. If a poor man should be commanded by a prince to put off his torn beggarly garments, instead thereof to put on royal costly robes, it would be a great rejoicing to his heart: oh then what joyful news must this be unto all repentant and sorrowful sinners, when the King of heaven   earth comes unto them by death, and bids them lay down their bodies are ragged patched garments, and prepare themselves to put on the princely robe of immortality? No tongue can be able to express the excellency of this most blessed and happy estate.

The third meditation is borrowed from the estate of all them that are in Christ, whether living or dying. He that dieth believing in Christ, dieth not forth of Christ, but in him, having both his body and soul really coupled to Christ according to the tenor of the covenant of grace: and though after death body and soul be severed one from another, yet neither of them are severed or disjoined from Christ. The conjunction which is once begun in this life remains eternally. And therefore though the soul go from the body, and the body itself rot in the grave, yet both are still in Christ, both in the covenant, both in the favour of God as before death, and both shall again be joined togither, the body by the virtue of the former conjunction being raised to eternal life. Indeed if this union with Christ were dissolved as the conjunction of body soul is, it might be some matter of discomfort and fear, but the foundation and substance of our mystical conjunction with Christ both in respect of our bodies and souls enduring for ever, must needs be a matter of exceeding joy and comfort.

The fourth meditation, is that God hath promised his special, blessed, and comfortable presence unto his servants when they are sick or dying, or any way distressed. When thou passest through the water, I will be with thee (saith the Lord, Isa. 43. 2.) and through the floods that they do not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the very fire thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. Now the Lord doth manifest his presence three ways: the first is, by moderating and lessening the pains and torments of sickness and death, as the very words of the former promise do plainly import. Hence it comes to pass, that to many men the sorrows and pangs of death, are nothing so grievous and troublesome, as the afflictions crosses which are laid on them in the course of their lives. The second way of God's presence is by an inward and unspeakable comfort of the spirit, as Paul saith, Rom. 5. 3. 5. We rejoice in tribulation, knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience, c. but why is this rejoicing? because (saith he in the next words) the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost. Again, Paul having in some grievous sickness received the sentence of death, saith of himself, 2. Cor. 1. 5. that, as the suffering of Christ did abound in him, so his consolation did abound through Christ. Here then we see, that when earthly comforts fail, the Lord himself draws near the bed of the sick, as it were visiting them in his own person, and ministering unto them refreshing for their souls: With his left hand he holds up their heads, and with his right hand he embraceth them, Cant. 2. 6. The third means of God's presence, is the ministry of good Angels, whom the Lord hath appointed as  keepers and nurses unto his servants to hold them up and to bear them in their arms as nurses do young children, to be as a guard unto them against the devil and his angels. And all this is verified specially in sickness, at which time the holy Angels are not only present with such as fear God, but ready also to receive and to carry their souls into heaven, as appears by the example of Lazarus.

And thus much of the first duty which a sick man is to perform unto himself, namely, that he must by all means possible arm and strengthen himself against the fear of death: now followeth the second duty which is

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concerning the body; and that is, that all sick  persons must be careful to preserve health and life till God do wholly take it away. For Paul saith, Rom. 14. 7, 8. None of us liveth to himself, neither doth any die to himself: for whether we live, we live unto the Lord, or whether we die, we die unto the Lord, whether we live therefore or die, we are the Lords. For this cause we may not do with our lives as we will, but we must refer the whole disposition thereof unto God, for whose glory we are to live and die. And this temporal all life is a most precious jewel, as the common saying is, life is very sweet; because it is given to man for this end, that he might have some space of time wherein he might use all good means to attain to life  everlasting. Life is not bestowed on us, that we should spend our days in our lusts and vain pleasures, but that we might have liberty to come out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of grace, from the bondage of sin into the glorious liberty of the sons of God: and in this respect special care must be had of preservation of life, till God do call us hence.

In the preserving of life, two things must be considered: the means, and the right use of the means. The means is good and wholsome physic, which though it be despised of many as a thing unprofitable and needless, yet must it be esteemed as an ordinance blessing  of God. This appears, because the spirit of God hath given approbation unto it in the  Scriptures. When it was the good pleasure of God to restore life unto King Hezekiah, a lump of dry figs by the prophets appointment was laid to his boil and he was healed. Indeed this cure was in some sort miraculous, because he was made whole in the space of two or three days, and the third day he went up to the temple: yet the bunch of figs was a natural  and ordinary medicine or plaster serving to soften and ripen tumors or swellings in the flesh. And the Samaritan is commended for  the binding up and for the pouring in of wine and oil into the wounds of the man that lay  wounded between Jerusalem Jericho. Now this dealing of his was a right practise of physic:  for the wine served to cleanse the wound and to ease the pain within: and the oil served to supple the flesh to assuage the pain without. And the prophet Isaiah, seems to commend this physic, when he saith Isa. 1. 6. From the sole of the foot unto the head, there is nothing whole therein, but wounds and swellings, and sores full of corruption: they have not been wrapped nor bound up, nor mollified with oil. And whereas God did not command circumcision of children before the eight day, he followed a rule of physic observed in all ages, that the life of the child is very uncertain till the first seven days be expired, as we may see by the example  of the child which David had by Bathsheba which died the seventh day. And upon the very same ground heathen men used not to name their children before the eight day. Thus then it is manifest that the use of physic is lawful and commendable.

Furthermore, that physic may be well applied to the maintenance of health, special care must be had to make choice of such Physicians as are known to be well learned, and men of experience, as also of good conscience and good religion. For as in other callings, so in this also, there be sundry abuses which may endanger the lives the health of men. Some venter upon the bare inspection of the urine, without further direction or knowledge of the estate of the sick, to prescribe and minister as shall seem best unto them. But the learned in this faculty do plainly avouch, that this kind of dealing tends rather to kill then to cure, and that sundry men are indeed killed  thereby: For judgement by the urine is most deceitful: the water of him that is sick of a pestilent fever even unto death, looks for substance and colour as the water of a whole man: and so doth the water of them that are sick of a quartane or of any other intermitting fever: specially if they have used good diet from the beginning, as also of them that have the pleurisy, or the inflamation of the lungs, or the Squinancy, oftentimes when they are near death. Now then considering the waters of such as are at the point of death, appear as the urines of hail and sound men, one and the same urine may foresignify both life and death, and be a sign of diverse, nay of contrary diseases. A thin, crude, pale urine in them that be in health is a token of want of digestion; but in them that are sick of a sharp or burning ague, it betokens the frenzy, and is a certain sign of death. Again, others there be that think it a small matter to make experiments of their devised medicines upon the bodies of their patients, whereby the health, which they hoped for, is either much hindered of much decayed. Thirdly, there be others which minister no physic at any time, or use phlebotomy without the direction of judicial Astrology: but if they shall follow this course always, they must needs kill many a man. Put the case that a man full bodied is taken with a pleurisy, the moon being in Leon, what must be done? The learned in this art say, he must presently be let blood: but by Astrology a stay must be made, till the moon be removed from Leo the house of the sun: but by that time the impostume will be so much increased by the gathering together of the humours, that it can neither be dissolved nor ripened: and by this means the sick party wanting help in time, shall die either by inflammation or by the consumption of the lungs. Again,  when a man is sick of the Squinancy, or of the fever called Synochus, the moon then being in the malignant aspects with any of the unfortunate planets (as Astrologers use to speak) if letting of blood be deferred till the

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moon be freed from the foresaid aspects,  the party dies in the mean season. Therefore they are far wide that minister purgations and let blood no otherwise, then they are counselled by the constitution of the stars, whereas it is a far better course to consider the matter of the disease, with the disposition and ripening of it: as also the courses and symptoms, and crisis thereof. This being so, there is good cause that sicke men should as well be careful to make choice of meet Physicians to whom they might commend the care of their health, as they are careful to make choice of Lawyers for their worldly suites, and Divines for cases of conscience.

Furthermore, all men must be here warned to take heed, that they use not such means as have no warrant. Of this kind are all charms or spells, of what words so ever they consist: characters and figures either in paper, wood, or wax: all amulets, and ligatures, which serve to hang about the neck or other parts of the body, except they be grounded upon some good natural reason; as white peony hung about the neck, is good  against the falling sickness: and wolf-dung tied to the body is good against the colic, not by any enchantment, but by inward virtue. Otherwise they are all vain and superstitious: because neither by creation,  nor by any ordinance in God's word, have they any power to cure a bodily disease. For words can do no more but represent. And yet nevertheless, these unlawful and absurd means are more used and sought for of common people, than good physic. But it stands all men greatly in hand in no wise to seek forth to enchanters, and sorcerers, which indeed are but witches and wizards, though they are commonly called cunning men and women. It were better for a man to die of his sickness, then to seek recovery by such wicked persons. For if any man turn after such as work with spirits, and after Soothsayers, to go an whoring after them, the Lord will set his face against them, and cut them off from among his people, Leviticus 20. 6. When Ahaziah was  sick, he sent to Baalzebub the god of Ekron to know whether he should recover or no: as the messengers were going, the Prophet Elijah met them, and said, 2. King. 1. 6. Go and return to the king which sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Is it not because there is no God in Israel, that thou sendest to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from thy bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt die the death. Therefore such kind of help is so far from curing any pain or sickness, that it rather doubleth them, and fasteneth them upon us.

Thus much of the means of health: now followeth the manner of using the means; concerning which, three rules must be followed. First of all, he that is to take physic, must not only prepare his body, as Physicians do prescribe: but he must also prepare his soul by humbling himself under the hand of God in his sickness for his sins, and make earnest prayer to God for the pardon of them before any medicine come in his body. Now that this order ought to be used, appears plainly in this, that sickness springs from our sins as from a root; which should first of all be stocked up, that the branches might more easily die. And therefore Asa commended for many other things, is blamed for this by the Holy Ghost, 2. Chron. 16. 12. that he sought not the Lord, but to the Physicians: put his trust in them. Oftentimes it comes to pass, that diseases curable in themselves, are made incurable by the sins and the impenitency of the party: and therefore the best way is, for them that would have ease, when God begins to correct them by sickness; then also to begin to humble themselves for all their sins, and turn unto God.

The second rule is, that when we have prepared ourselves, and are about to use physic, we must sanctify it by the word of God and prayer, as we do our meat or drink. For by the word we must have our warrant, that the medicines prescribed are lawful and good: and by prayer we must entreat the Lord for a blessing upon them, in restoring of health, if it be the good will of God, 1. Tim. 4. 3.

The third rule is, that we must carry in mind the right and proper end of physic, lest we deceive ourselves. We must not therefore think that physic serves to prevent old age or death itself. For that is not possible, because God hath set down that all men shall die and be changed. And life consists in a temperature and proportion of natural heat and radical moisture; which moisture being once consumed by the former heat, is by art unrepairable; and therefore death must needs follow. But the true end of physic is to continue and lengthen the life of man to his natural period; which is when nature that hath been long preserved by all possible means, is now wholly spent. Now this period, though it cannot be lengthened by any skill of man, yet may it easily be shortened, by intemperance in diet, by (a) drunkenness,  and by violent diseases. But care must be had to avoid all such evils, that the little lamp of corporal life may burn till it go out of itself. For this very space of time is the very day of grace and salvation: and whereas God in justice might have cut us off and have utterly destroyed us, yet in great mercy he gives us thus much time, that we might prepare our selves to his kingdom: which time when it is once spent, if a man would redeem it with the price of ten thousand worlds, he can not have it.

And to conclude this point touching physic,

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I will here set down two special duties  of the Physician himself. The first is, that in the want and defect of such as are to put sick men in mind of their sins, it is a duty specially concerning him, he being a member of Christ, to advertise his patients that they must truly humble themselves, and pray fervently to God for the pardon of all their sins: and surely this duty would be more commonly practised then it is, if all physicians did consider that oftentimes they want good success in their dealings, not because there is any want in Art or good will, but because the party with whom they deal is impenitent. The second duty is, when he sees manifest signs of death in his patient, not to depart concealing them,  but first of all to certify the patient thereof. There may be is too much niceness in such concealments, the plain truth in this case known, is very profitable. For when the party is certain of his end, it bereaves him of all confidence in earthly things, makes him put all his affiance in the mere mercy of God. When Hezekiah was sick, the Prophet speaks plainly unto him, and saith: Isaiah 38. 1. Set thine house in order, for thou must die. And what good we may reap by knowing certainly that we have received the sentence of death, Paul showeth when he saith, 2. Cor. 1. 9. We have received the sentence of death in ourselves, because we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead.

Having thus seen what be the duties of the sickman to himself, let us now see what be the duties which he oweth to his neighbour; and they are two. The first is the duty of reconciliation, whereby he is freely to forgive all men: and to desire to be forgiven of all. In the old testament, when a man was to offer a bullock or lamb in sacrifice to God, he must leave his offering at the altar, and first go and be reconciled to his brethren, if they had ought against him: much more then must this be done, when we are in death to offer up our selves, our bodies, and souls, as an acceptable sacrifice unto God. Quest. What if a man cannot come to the speech of them with whom he would be reconciled, or if he do, what if they will not be reconciled? Answ. When they  shall in their sickness seek and desire reconciliation, and cannot obtain it, either because the parties are absent, or because they will not relent, they have discharged their conscience, and God will accept their will for the deed. As put case, a man lying sicke on his death bed, is at enmity with one that is then beyond the sea; so as he cannot possibly have any speech with him, if he would never so fain, how shall he stay his mind? why, he must remember that in this case, a will and desire to be reconciled is reconciliation it self.

The second duty is, that those which are rulers governors of others, must have care and take order that their charges committed to them by God, be left in good estate after their death: and here come three duties to be handled; the first of the Magistrate, the second of the Minister, the third of the master of the family. The Magistrates duty is, before he die, to provide, as much as he can, for the godly and peaceable estate of the town, city or commonwealth: and that is done partly by procuring the maintenance of sound religion and virtue, and partly by establishing the execution of civil justice and outward peace. Examples of this practise in Gods word are these. When Moses was an hundred and twenty year old, and was no more able to go in  and out before the people of Israel, he called them before him, and signified that the time of his departure was at hand, and thereupon took order for their welfare after his death. And first of all he places Joshua over them in his stead, to be their guide to the promised land: secondly, he gives special charge to all the people, to be valiant and courageous against their enemies, to obey the commandments of God. And Joshua follows the same course, Josh. 23. For he calls the people together, and shows them that the time of his death is at hand, and gives them a charge to be couragious, to worship the true God: which done, he ends his days as a worthy Captain, When king David ( 1. King. 2. 1, 2, 3, c) was to go the way of all flesh, and lay sick on his deathbed; he placed his own son Solomon upon his throne, and gave him charge, both for maintenance of religion, and execution of justice.

The duty of Ministers when they are dying, is, as much as they can, to cast and provide for the continuance of the good estate of the Church over which they are placed. Consider the example of Peter, 2. Pet. 1. 15. I will (saith he) endeavour always, that ye also may be able to have remembrance of these things after my departure. If this had been well observed, there could not have been such abundance of schisms, errors, and heresies as hath been, the Church of God could not have suffered so great havoc. But because men have had more care to maintain personal succession, then the right succession, which stands in the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles; therefore wolves have  come into the rooms of faithful teachers, the Apostasy of which Paul speaks, hath overspread the face of the Church.

Thirdly, householders must set their families in order before they die, as the Prophet Isaiah saith to Hezekiah: Set thine house in order, for thou must die. For the procuring of good order in the family after death, 2. things are to be done, The first concerns this life, that is to dispose of lands and goods. And that this may be well wisely done; if the Will be unmade, it is with godly advice counsel to be made in the time of sickness; according to the practise of ancient and worthy men. Abraham before his death makes his Will, gives legacies; so did Isaac,  and Jacob, in whose last Will testament are contained many worthy blessings and prophecies

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of the estate of his children. And our  Saviour Christ, Joh. 19. 27. when he was upon the cross provided for his mother, specially commending her to his disciple John whom he loved. And indeed this duty of making a Will, is a matter of great weight and importance; for it cuts off much hatred and contention in families, and stays many suits in law. It is not therefore always a matter of indifferency, which may be done or not done, as many falsely think, who upon blind and sinister respects abstain from making Wills, either because their wealth should not be known, or be cause they would have their decayed estate to be concealed, or because they fear they shall die the sooner if the Will be once made.

Now though the making of wills belongs to  another place profession, yet so much may be spoken here as the Holy Ghost hath uttered in the word: and that I will reduce to certain rules. The first is, that the Will must be made according to the law of nature, and the written word of God, and the good and wholesome positive laws of that kingdom or country whereof a man is a member. The will of God must be the rule of mans will. And therefore the will that is made against any of these, is faulty. The second is, that if goods evil gotten be not restored before, they must even then be restored by will, or by some other way. It is the practise of covetous men to bequeath their souls when they die to God, and their goods evil gotten to their children and  friends; which in all equity should be restored to them to whom they belong. Quest. How if a mans conscience tell him that his goods be evil gotten, he knows not where, or to whom to make restitution? Ans. The case is common, and the answer is this. When the party is known whom thou hast wronged, restore to him particularly; if the party be unknown or dead; restore to his executors or assigns, or to his next kin; if there be none; yet keep not goods evil gotten to thyself, but restore to God, that is, in way of recompence and civil satisfaction, bestow them on the Church or commonwealth. The third rule is, that heads of families must principally bestow their goods upon their own chil dren, and them that be of their own kindred. This man (saith God to Abraham of Eleazer a stranger, Gen. 15. 4.) shall not be thine heir, but the son which shall come of thy loins. And this  was Gods commandment to the Israelites, that when any man dies, his son should be his heir, if he have no son, then his daughter: and if he have no daughter, then his brethren: and if he have no brethren, then, his father's brethren; and if there be none, then the next of his kin whosoever. And Paul saith, Rom. 8. 17 If ye be sons, then also heirs: And again, 1. Tim. 5. 8. He that provides not for his own, namely for them of his household, is worse then an infidel. Therefore it is a fault for any man to alienate his goods or lands, wholly and finally from his blood and posterity. It is a thing  which the very law of nature itself hath condemned. Again, it is a fault to give all to the eldest, and nothing in respect to the rest; as though the eldest were borne to be gentlemen, and younger brethren borne to bear the wallet. Yet in equity the eldest must have more then any, even because he is the eldest, and because stocks and families in their persons are to be maintained; and because there must always be some that must be fit to do special service in the peace of the common weal, or in the time of war; which could not be, if goods should be equally parted to all. The fourth and last rule is, that no will is of force till the testator be dead, for so long as  he is alive he may alter and change it. These rules must be remembered, because they are recorded in Scripture; the opening of other points and circumstances belongeth to the profession of the law.

The second duty of the master of the family concerneth the souls of such as be under his government: and that is to give charge to them that they learn, believe and obey the true religion, that is, the doctrine of salvation set down in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles. The Lord himself commends Abraham for this: I know Abraham, saith he,  that he will command his sons, and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord to do righteousness and judgement. And David gives Solomon on his deathbed a most notable  and solemn charge, the sum and substance whereof is, to know the God of his fathers, and to serve him: which being done, he further commends him to God by prayer, for which purpose the 72. Psalm was made. This practise of his is to be followed of all. Thus governors, when they shall carefully dispose of their goods, and give charge to their posterity touching the worship of God, shall greatly honour God, dying, as well as living.

Hitherto I have entreated of the twofold preparation which is to go before death: now follows the second part of Dying well, namely, the disposition in death. The disposition is nothing else but a religious and holy behaviour, specially towards God, when we are in or near the agony or pang of death. This behaviour contains three special duties. The first is, to die in or by faith. To die by faith is, when a man in the time of death, doth with all his heart rely himself wholly on God's special love and favor and mercy in Christ, as it is revealed in the word, And though there be no part of man's life void of just occasions whereby we may put faith in practise, yet the special time of all is the pang of death, when friends, and riches, and pleasures, and the outward senses, and temporal life, and all earthly helps forsake us. For then true faith maketh us to go wholly out of ourselves, and to despair of comfort and salvation in respect of any earthly thing; and with all

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the power and strength of the heart to rest on  the pure mercy of God. This made Luther both think and say, that men were best Christians in death. An example of this faith we have in David, who when he saw nothing before his eyes but present death, the people intending  to stone him, comforted himself at that very instant (as the very text saith) in the Lord his God. And this comfort he reaped, in that by faith he applied unto his own soul the merciful promises of God: as he testifieth of himself: Remember (saith he) the promise made to  thy servant, wherein thou hast caused me to trust. It is my comfort in trouble: for thy promise hath quickened me. Again, My flesh failed and my  heart also, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. Now look what David here did, the same must every one of us do in the  like case. When the Israelites in the wilderness were stung with fiery serpents, lay at the point of death, they looked up to the brazen serpent which was erected by the appointment of God, and were presently healed: even so when any man feels death to draw near,  and his fiery sting to pierce the heart, he must fix the eye of a true and lively faith upon Christ, exalted and crucified on the cross, which being done, he shall by death enter into eternal life,

Now because true faith is no dead thing, it must be expressed by special actions; the principal whereof is Invocation, whereby either  prayer or thanksgiving is directed unto God. When death had seized upon the body of Jacob, he raised up himself, and turning his face towards the beds head, leaned on the top of his staff by reason of the feebleness, and  prayed unto God: which prayer of his was an excellent fruit of his faith. Job's wife in the midst of his affliction said unto him to very  good purpose, Bless God and die. I know and grant that the words are commonly translated otherwise, Curse God and die: but (as I take it) the former is the best. For it is not like that in so excellent a family, any one person, much less a matron and principal governor thereof, would give such lewd and wretched counsel, which the most wicked man upon earth  having no more but the light of nature would not once give, but rather much abhor and condemn. And though Job call her a foolish woman, yet he doth it not, because she went about to persuade him to blaspheme God; but because she was of the mind of Job's friends   (a) thought that he stood too much in a conceit of his own righteousness. Now the very meaning of her counsel is this: Bless God, that is, husband, no doubt thou art by the extremity of thine affliction at death's door: therefore begin now at length to lay aside the great overweening which thou hast of thine own righteousness, acknowledge the hand of God upon thee for thy sins, confess them unto him, give him the glory, pray for the pardon of them, and end thy days. This counsel is very good and to be followed of all: though it may be the applying of it (as Job well perceived) is mixed with folly.

Here it may be alleged, that in the pangs of death men want their senses and convenient utterance, and that therefore they are unable to pray. Ans. The very sighs, sobs, and groans of a repentant and believing heart are prayers before God, even as effectual as if they were uttered by the best voice in the world. Prayer stands in the affection of the heart, the voice is but an outward messenger thereof. God looks not upon the speech, but upon the heart. David saith, God hears the desires of the poor. Again, that he will fulfil the desires  of them that fear him; yea their very tears are loud and sounding prayers in his ears.

Again, faith may otherwise be expressed by the Last words, which for the most part in them that have truly served God, are very excellent, and comfortable, and full of grace: some choice examples whereof I will rehearse for instruction's sake, for imitation. The last words of Jacob were these, whereby as a Prophet  he foretold blessings cursings upon his children: and the principal among the rest were these: The scepter shall not depart from Judah  and the lawgiver from between his feet, till Shilo come: and, O Lord I have waited for thy salvation.  The last words of Moses are in his most excellent song set down. Deut. 32. And the last words of David were these, The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue:  the God of Israel spake to me, the strength of Israel said, Bear rule over men, c. The words of Zechariah  the son of Jehoiada, when he was stoned, were, The Lord look upon it, and require it. The last words of our Saviour Christ when he was dying upon the cross, were most admirable, and stored with abundance of spiritual grace. 1. To his Father he said, Father, forgive them, they know not what they do. 2. To  the thief, Verily, I say unto thee, this day shalt  thou be with me in Paradise. 3. To his mother,  Mother behold thy son: and to John, Behold thy mother. 4. And in his agony, My  God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 5. And earnestly desiring our salvation, I thirst. 6. And  when he had made perfect satisfaction, It is finished. 7. And when body and soul were  parting, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. The last words of Stephen were 1. Behold, I see the heavens open, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God. 2. Lord Jesus revive my spirit. 3. Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. Of Polycarp, Thou art a true God without lying therefore in all things I praise thee and bless thee and glorify thee by the eternal God, and high Priest Jesus Christ thine only beloved Son, by whom, and with whom, to thee and the holy Spirit, be all glory now and for ever. Of Ignatius, I care not what kind of death I die:  I am the bread of the Lord, and must be ground with the teeth of Lions, that I may be clean

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bread for Christ who is the bread of life for me. Of  Ambrose, I have not led my life among you, as if  I were ashamed to live: neither do I fear death, because we have a good Lord. Of Augustine, 1. He is no great man that thinks it is a great matter, that trees and stones fall, and mortal men die, 2. Just art thou O Lord, and righteous in thy judgement. Of Bernard, 1. An admonition to his brethren that they would ground the anchor of their faith and hope in the safe and sure port of God's mercy: 2. Because (saith he) as I suppose I cannot leave unto you any choice example of religion, I commend three things to be imitated of you, which I remember that I have observed in the race which I have run as much as possibly I could. 1. I gave less heed to mine own sense and reason, then to the sense and reason of other men. 2. When I was hurt, I sought no revenge on him that did the hurt. 3. I had care  to give offence to no man, and if it fell out otherwise,  I took it away as I could. Of Zwinglius, when in the field he was wounded under the chin with a spear: O what a happy is this? go to, they may kill my body, but my soul they cannot. Of Oecolampadius, 1. An exhortation to the Ministers of the Church to maintain the purity of doctrine, to show forth an example of honest and godly conversation, to be constant and patient under the cross. 2. Of himself. Whereas I am charged to be a corrupter of the truth, I weigh it not, now I am going to the tribunal of Christ, and that with good conscience by the grace of God, and there it shall be manifest that I have not seduced the Church: Of  this my saying and contestation, I leave you as witnesses, and I confirm it with this my last breath. 3. To his children, Love God the Father: turning himself to his kinsfolks: I have bound you (saith he) with this contestation: you (which they here and I have desired) shall do your endeavour, that these my children may be godly, and peaceable, and true. 4. To his friends coming unto him, What shall I say unto you? News, I shall be shortly with Christ my Lord. 5. Being asked whether the light did not trouble him, touching his breast, there is light enough, saith he. 6. He rehearsed the whole 51. Psalm with deep sighs from the bottom of his breast. 7. A little after: Save me Lord Jesus. Of Luther,  My heavenly Father, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and God of all comfort, I give thee thanks that thou hast revealed unto me thy Son Jesus Christ, whom I have believed, whom I have professed, whom the Bishop of Rome, and the whole company of the wicked persecuteth and revileth: I pray thee my Lord Jesus Christ receive my poor soul: my heavenly Father, though I be taken from this life, and this body of mine is to be laid down, yet I know certainly that I shall remain with thee for ever, neither shall any be able to pull me out of thy hand. Of Hooper, O Lord Jesus, son of David have mercy on me, and receive my soul. Of AnnasBurgius, Forsake me not O Lord, lest I forsake thee. Of Melancthon, If it be the will of God, I am willing to die, and I beseech him that he will grant me a joyful departure. Of Calvin, 1. I held my tongue, because thou Lord hast done it. 2. I mourned as a dove, 3. Lord thou grindest me to powder, but it sufficeth me because it is thine hand. Of Peter Martyr, That his body was weak, but his mind was well: that he acknowledged no life or salvation, but only in Christ who was given of the Father to be a Redeemer of mankind: and when he had confirmed this by testimony of Scripture, he added: This is my faith in which I will die: and God will destroy them that teach otherwise. This done, he shook hands with all and said, Farewell my brethren, and dear friends. It were easy to quote more examples, but these few may be instead of many, and the sum of all that godly men speak, is this: Some enlightened with a prophetical spirit foretell things to come, as the Patriarchs, Jacob and Joseph did: and there have  been some which by name have testified who should very shortly come after them; and who should remain alive, and what should be their condition: some have showed a wonderful memory of things past, as of their former life, and of the benefits of God, and no doubt it was given them to stir up holy affections and thanksgiving to God: some again rightly judging of the change of their present estate for a better, do rejoice exceedingly that they must be translated from earth to paradise: as Babylon Martyr of Antioch when his head was to be chopped off, Return (saith he) O my soul unto thy rest, because the  Lord hath blessed thee: because thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling, I shall walk before thee Jehovah in the land of the living. And some others spake of the vanity of this life, of the imagination of the sorrows of death, of the beginning of eternal life, of the comfort of the holy Ghost which they feel, of their departure unto Christ.

Quest. What must we think if in the time of death such speeches be wanting: and in the stead thereof idle talk be used. Answ. We must consider the kind of sickness whereof men die, whether it be more easy or violent: for violent sickness is usually accompanied with frenzies, and with unseemly motions and gestures, which we are to take in good part even in this regard, because we ourselves may be in the like case.

Thus much of the first duty, which is to die in faith: the second is to die in obedience: otherwise our death cannot be acceptable to God, because we seem to come unto God of fear and constraint as slaves to a master, and not of love as children to a father. Now to die in obedience is, when a man is willing and ready, and desirous to go out of this world, whensoever God shall call him, and that without murmuring or repining, at what time, where, and when it shall please God. Whether  we live or die, saith Paul, we do it not to ourselves but unto God: and therefore man's duty is to be obedient to God in death as in life. Christ is

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our example in this case, who in his agony  prayed, Father let this cup pass from me, yet with a submission, not my will, but thy will be done: teaching us in the very pangs of death to resign our selves to the good pleasure of God. When the Prophet told king Hezekiah of death, presently without all manner of grudging he addressed himself to prayer. We are commanded to present ourselves unto God as free-will offerings, without any limitation of time, and therefore as well in death as in life. I conclude then, that we are to make as much conscience in performing obedience to God in suffering death, as we do of any thing in the course of our lives.

The third duty is to render up our souls into the hands of God, as the most faithful keeper of all. This is the last duty of a Christian,  and it is prescribed unto us in the example of Christ upon the cross, who in the very pangs of death when the dissolution of body and soul drew on, said, Luk. 23. 46. Father into thy hands I commend my spirit, so gave up the ghost. The like was done by Stephen, who when he was stoned to death, said, Act. 7. 59. Lord Jesus receive my spirit. And David in his time being in danger of death, used the very same words that Christ uttered, Psal. 31. 5.

Thus we see what be the duties which we are to perform in the very pangs of death that we may come to eternal life. Some men will haply say, if this be all to die in faith and obedience, and to surrender our souls into  Gods hands, we will not greatly care for any preparation beforehand, nor trouble our selves much about the right manner of dying well: for we doubt not, but that when death shall come, we shall be able to perform all the former duties with ease. Ans. Let no man deceive himself by any false persuasion, thinking with himself that the practise of the foresaid duties is a matter of ease; for ordinarily they are not, neither can they be performed in death, unless there be much preparation in the life before. He that will die in faith, must first of all live by faith; and there is but one example in all the Bible of a man dying in faith, that lived without faith; namely, the thief upon the cross. The servants of God that are endowed with great measure of grace do very  hardly believe in the time of affliction. Indeed when Job was afflicted he said, though the Lord kill me, yet will I trust in him; yet afterward, his faith being overcast with a cloud, he saith, that God was become his enemy, that he had set him as a mark to shoot at, and sundry times his faith was oppressed with doubting and distrust. How then shall they that never lived by faith, nor inured themselves to believe, be able in the pang of death to rest upon the mercy of God? Again, he that would die in obedience, must first of all lead his life in obedience: he that hath lived in disobedience cannot willingly and in obedience appear before the judge when he is cited by death the sergeant of the Lord; he dies indeed, but this is upon necessity, because he must yield to the order course of nature, as other creatures do. Thirdly, he that would surrender his soul into the hands of God, must be resolved of two things: the one is, that God can; the other is, that God will receive his soul into heaven, and there preserve it till the last judgement. And none can be resolved of this, except he have the spirit of God to certify his conscience that he is redeemed, justified, sanctified by Christ, and shall be glorified. He that is not thus persuaded, dare not render up and present his soul unto God. When David said, Psal. 31. 5. Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit, what was the reason of this boldness in him? surely nothing else but the persuasion of faith, as the next words import: for thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. And thus it is manifest that no man ordinarily can perform these duties dying, that hath not performed them living.

This being so, I do again renew my former exhortation, beseeching you that ye would practise the duties of preparation in the course of your lives, leading them daily in faith and obedience, and from time to time commending your souls into the hand of God, and casting all your works upon his providence. They which have done this, have made most happy and blessed ends. Enoch by faith walked with  God, as one that was always in his presence, leading an upright godly life, and the Lord took him away that he should not see death. And this which befell Enoch, shall after a sort befall them also that live in faith and obedience: because death shall be no death, but a sleep unto them, and no enemy, but a friend to body soul. On the contrary, let us consider the wretched and miserable ends of them that hath spent their days in their sins without keeping faith and good conscience. The people of the old world were drowned in the flood: the filthy Sodomites and Gomorrheans were destroyed with fire from heaven: Dathan and Abiram with the company of Korah were swallowed up of the earth: Korah himself (as it seems (a) by the text) being burnt with fire:  wicked Saul, and Achitophel, and Judas destroy themselves: Herod is eaten up of worms, gave up the ghost: Julian the Apostlata smitten with a dart in the field, died casting up his blood into the air, blaspheming the name of Christ. Arrius the heretic died upon the stool, scouring forth his very entrails. And this very age affords store of like examples. Hoffmeister a great Papist, as he was going to  the Council of Ratisbone to dispute against the defenders of the Gospel, was suddenly in his journey prevented by the hand of God, miserably died with horrible roaring, and crying out. In the University of Lovaine, Guarlaeus a learned Papist falling sick, when he  perceived no way with him but death, he fell into a miserable agony and perturbation of spirit, crying out of his sins, how miserably Xx

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he had lived; and that he was not able to abide  the judgement of God; so casting out words of miserable desperation said, his sins were greater then they could be pardoned, in that desperation ended his days. JacobusLatomus of the same University of Lovaine; after he had been at Brussels, and there thinking to do a great act against Luther and his fellows, made an oration before the Emperor so foolishly and ridiculously that he was laughed to scorn almost of the whole court: then returning from thence to Lovaine again, in his public lecture he fell into open madness, uttering such words of desperation blasphemous impiety, that other Divines which were present, were fain to carry him away as he was raving, and to shut him into  a close chamber, From that time to his very last breath, he had never any thing else in his mouth, but that he was damned and rejected of God, and that there was no hope of salvation for him, because that wittingly and against his knowledge he withstood the manifest  truth of God's word. Crescentius the Pope's Legate vicegerent in the Council of Trent, was sitting all the day long until dark night in writing of letters to the Pope: after his labour when night was come, thinking to refresh himself, he began to rise, and at his rising, behold there appeared to him a mighty black dog of an huge bigness, his eyes flaming with fire, and his ears hanging down well near to the ground, which began to enter in  and straight to come towards him, and so to couch under the board. The Cardinal not a little amazed at the sight thereof, somewhat recovering himself called to his servants which were in the outward chamber next by, to bring a candle and to seek for the dog. But when the dog could not be found there, nor in any other chamber about, the Cardinal thereupon stricken with a sudden conceit of mind, immediately fell into such a sickness whereof his Physicians which he had about him could not with all their industry cunning cure him; and thereupon he died. Steven Gardiner, when a certain Bishop came unto him, and put him in mind of Peter denying his master, answered again, that he had denied with Peter, but never repented with Peter, and  so (to use M. Foxe's words) stinkingly unrepentantly died. More examples might be added, but these shall suffice.

Againe, that we may be further induced to the practise of these duties, let us call to mind the uncertainty of our days; though we now live, yet who can say that he shall be alive the next day, or the next hour? No man hath a lease of his life. Now mark, as death leaves a man, so shall the last judgement find him: and therefore if death take him away unprepared, eternal damnation follows without recovery. If a thief be brought from prison either to the bar to be arraigned before the judge, or to the place of execution, he will bewail his misdemeanor past, and promise all reformation of life; so be it, he might be delivered, though he be the most arrant thief that ever was. In this case we are as fellons or thieves: for we are every day going to the bar of God's judgement, there is no stay or standing in the way, even as the ship in the sea continues on his course day and night whether the mariners be sleeping or waking: therefore let us all prepare ourselves, and amend our lives betime, that in death we may make a blessed end. Ministers of the Gospel do daily call for the performance of this duty: but where almost shall we find the practise and obedience of it in men's lives and conversation? Alas, alas, to lend our ears for the space of an hour to hear the will of God is common: but to give heart and hand to do the same, is rare. And the reason hereof is at hand: we are all most grievous sinners, and every sinner in the terms of Scripture is a fool, and a principal part of this folly is to care for the things of this world, and to neglect the kingdom of heaven, to provide for the body, and not for the soul, to cast and forecast how we may live in wealth and honour and ease, not to use the least forecast to die well. This folly our Saviour Christ noted in the rich man that was careful to enlarge  his barns, but had no care at all for his end, or for the salvation of his soul. Such an one was Achitophel who (as the Scripture terms him, 2. Sam. 17. 23.) was as the very oracle of God for counsel, being a man of great wisdom forecast in the matters of the commonwealth, and in his own private worldly affairs: and yet for all this he had not so much as common sense and reason to consider how he might die the death of the righteous, come to life everlasting. And this folly the holy Ghost hath noted in him: For the text saith, 2. Sam. 17. 23. when he saw that his counsel was despised, he saddled his ass, and rose and went home into his city, and put his household in order, and went and hanged himself And the five foolish virgins contented themselves with the blazing lamps of bare profession, never seeking for the horn of lasting oil of true lively faith, that it might furnish trim the lamp both in life and death. But let us in the fear of God, cast off this damnable folly, first of all seeking the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and leading our lives in faith obedience, that we may die accordingly.

And thus much of the first point of doctrine, namely that there is a certain way whereby a man may die well: now I come to the second. Whereas therefore Solomon saith. Ecclesiast. 7. 3. that the day of death is better then the day of birth, we are further taught, that such as truly believe themselves to be the children of God, are not to fear death overmuch. I say over much; because they must partly fear it, and partly not. Fear

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it they must for two causes: the first, because  death is the destruction of human nature in a man's own self and others: and in this respect Christ feared it without sin: and we must not fear it otherwise then we fear sickness, and poverty, and famine, with other sorrows of body and mind, which God will not have us to despise or lightly regard, but to feel with some pain, because they are corrections and punishments for sin. And he doth therefore lay upon us pains and torments, that they may be feared and eschewed: that by eschewing them we might further learn to eschew the cause of them, which is sin: and by experience in feeling of pain, acknowledge that God is a judge and enemy  of sin, and is exceeding angry with it. The second cause of the fear of death, is the loss of the Church or Commonwealth, when we or others are deprived of them which were indeed or might have been an help, stay, and comfort to either of them, and whose death hath procured some public or private loss.

Again, we are not to fear death, but to be glad of it, and that for many causes. First of all, in it we have occasion to show our subjection obedience which we owe unto God, when he calls us out of this world, as Christ said, Father, not my will but thy will be done. Secondly, all sin is abolished by death, and we then cease to offend God any more as we have done. Thirdly, the dead body is brought  into a better condition then ever it was in this life, for by death it is made insensible, and by that means it is freed from all the miseries calamities of this life; and it ceaseth to be either an active or passive instrument of sin, whereas in the life time it is both. Fourthly, it gives the soul passage to rest, life, celestial glory in which we shall see God as he is, perfectly know him, and praise his name forever, keeping without intermission an eternal sabbath; therefore Paul saith, I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, for that is best of all. Fifthly, God executes his judgements upon the wicked, purgeth his Church by death. Now in all these respects godly men have cause not to fear and sorrow, but to rejoice in their own death, and the death of others.

Thirdly, if the day of death be so excellent, yea a day of happiness, then it is lawful to desire death, and men do not always sin in wishing for death. Paul saith, Phil. 1. 23. I desire to be dissolved: and again, Rom. 7. 24. O miserable man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? Yet this desire must not be simple, but restrained with certain respects: which are these: First, death must be desired so far forth as it is a means to free us from the corruption of our nature. Secondly, as it is a means to bring us to the immediate fellowship of Christ and God himself in heaven. Thirdly, death may be lawfully desired in respect of the troubles and miseries of this life, two caveats being observed; the first, that this desire must not be immoderate: the second, it must be joined with submission and subjection to the good pleasure of God. If either of these be wanting, the desire is faulty, and therefore Job, and Jeremiah, and Jonah failed herein because they desired death being carried away with impatience.

On the contrary also a man may desire a continuance of life. Hezekiah prayed and desired  to live; when he heard the message of present death, that he might do service to God. And Paul desired to live in regard of the Philippians,  that he might further their faith, though in regard of himself to die was advantage to him.

Lastly, if death joined with reformation of life be so blessed, then the death of the unbelieving and unrepentant sinner is every way cursed and most horrible. Reasons are these: First, it is the destruction of nature, the wages of sin. Secondly, in it there is no comfort of the spirit to be found, no mitigation of pain, and no good thing that may countervail the miseries thereof. Thirdly, that which is the most fearful thing of all, bodily death is the beginning of eternal death, desperation, and infernal torment; without hope of deliverance. Therefore as I began so I end, have care to live well, and die well.

AN ADDITION OF THINGS THAT CAME TO
MY MIND AFTERWARD.

The last combat with the  devil in the pang of  death, is oftentimes most dangerous of all. For then he will not urge men to desperation, knowing that by this means he shall stir them up to resist; but he labours with them that they would not resist him when he assaults them, and by this means he endeavours to exstinguish 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 together. This must be thought upon, for when the devil's temptation is, not to resist his temptation; it is most deceitful of all: and it  is more easy to overcome the enemy that compels us to fight, then him that dissuades us from it.

The temptation of M. John Knox, in the  time of his death is worth the marking. He lay on his death bed silent for the space of four hours, very often giving great sighs, sobs, and groans, so as the standers by well perceived that he was troubled with some grievous temptation, and when at length he was raised in his bed, they asked him how he did, to whom he answered thus: that in his life time he had endured many combats and conflicts with Satan, but that now most mightily the roaringly on had assaulted him: often (said he) before he set my sins before mine eyes; often he urged me to desperation, often he laboured to entangle me with the delights of the world; but being vanquished by the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, he could not prevail. But now he assaults me another way: for the wily serpent would persuade me that I shall merit eternal life for my fidelity in my ministry. But blessed be God which brought to my mind such Scriptures whereby I might quench the fiery darts of the devil, which were, What hast thou that thou hast not received? and, By the grace of God, I am that I am: and, Not I but the grace of God in me: and thus being vanquished he departed.

When thou art tempted of Satan and seest  no way to escape, even plainly close up thine eyes: and answer nothing; but commend thy cause to God. This is a principal point of Christian wisdom which we must follow in the hour of death.

If thy flesh tremble and fear to enter into  another life, and doubt of salvation: if thou yield to these things, thou hurtest thyself: therefore close thine eyes as before, and say with S. Stephen, Lord Jesus into thy hands I commend my spirit; and then certainly Christ will come unto thee with all his angels, and be the guider of thy way. Luther.