The first Chapter, Of the meditation of death.

THE oft meditation of death is both necessare, and profitable to make vs liue well, and die well. First, because there is no­thing more sure than that we must once die: and it is most vncer­taine, how, when, or where we shall die. An Auncient sayeth well, [Page 2]

That is to say,

Therefore wee should meditate often of death, alwayes preparing vs for it, ac­cording to the counsell of the Poet,

That is to say.

That is,

In actions which are both of diffi­cultie and weight, we draw to perfe­ction by often vse. It is an hard mat­ter to die either willingly or well: the errors whereof may turne vs to the tor­ments of hels fire, for that which com­meth last is everlasting. Wee ought therefore both tymelie and diligently to search the step of the dark and sto­nie [Page]way of death, that by often medi­tation of death, dying often, we may in end die both easily and well.

Cicero sayeth, that the whole life of wise men is the meditation of death. Somnium Scip. And it is recorded of the Macedoni­an King, that he commanded his Page once everie day to come, and say to him. Remember thou art mortall. That holy man Hieronimus had alwayes in his studie besides him a dead mans skull, and running glasse, to keepe him in mynd of shortnesse of his life, and certaintie of his death.

Secondly: the often meditation of death is necessare and profitable, to make vs liue and die well, because it is a strong bitte and bridle against sinne. Remem­ber thy death, (sayeth Ierome) and thou shall not sinne: and GOD speaking by Moses of his people Israell, sayeth, Deuter. 32.29 O that they were wise, then would they vn­derstand this, they would consider their latter end: and IEREMIE, Lament. 1.9. Her filthinesse is in her skirts she remembered not her last end: Eccles. 11.9 and SALOMON (scorning the folly of youth) sayeth, Rejoyce O young man [Page 4]in thy youth, and let thy heart cheare thee in the dayes of thine youth, and walke in the wayes of thine heart; and in the sight of thine eyes: then he addeth, (as water to their wyne) but know thou, that for all these things GOD will bring thee to judgement.

Thirdly: often meditation of death causeth vs to contemne this short vaine life, wherein all is vanitie and vexation of Spirit, which is like to a dreame, a shaddow, a vapour: like to the way of a ship in the sea, or like to an arrow shot foorth of a bow, which both, when they are past, their trace is no more seene: and man in this life is like the flower of the field, which sor a tyme is greene, but afterwards withereth and falleth downe: so I may say with one,

That is to say,

And with an other, [Page 5]

Finally: this often meditation of death prepareth vs for it, and armeth vs against it, so that it commeth not to vs vnawars, as a thiefe in the night: but wee looke for it, wee watch and pray for strength and comfort in the houre of it: and when it commeth, will say with old Simeon, Now LORD thou lettest thy servant de­part in peace: and also with David and CHRIST, In thy hands O LORD I com­mend my Spirit; and with the first Christian Martyre Stephen, LORD IE­SUS receaue my Spirit.

The second Chapter. What death is, and of the cau­ses of naturall death.

IN holy Scripture death is taken in diverse senses: as first, and most pro­perly for the dissolution of soule and bo­dy. [Page 6]Secondly: for the separation of soule from GOD his grace and favour. Third­ly, for the separation both of bodie and soule from GOD his grace and glorie eternallie.

Death then beeing taken into the first sense, is commoun to all mankynd, since the fall of Adam and Evah, our first Parents, as witnesseth the Apostle, saying, As by one man, sinne entered in the world, Rom. 5.12 and by sinne death; and so death went over all men, for all men haue sinned.

In the second sense, death since the fall of our first Parents is also common to all mankind, vntill they be quickned againe by the Spirit of regeneration: as testi­fieth this same Apostle, saying, And you hath he quickned, who were dead in sinnes and trespasses. Ephes. 2.1.

In the third sense: Death is only pro­per to the Reprobate: and it is called in holy Scripture the second death, as po­sterior to the first, which wee call na­turall death, from this death, there is a promise of GOD, that all such shall bee delivered, Revel 20▪ 6 who are partakers of the first [Page 7]resurrection, that is, of true faith and repentance.

Now in order of time, death in finne is first, that is to say, the separation of soule and body from GOD his grace and favour: Naturall death which is the separation of soule and body is next: E­verlasting death which is the separation of both soule and body from the grace and glory of GOD for ever, last. The first sort of death is verie fearefull, (but the feare of it apprehended by few) be­cause it floweth from the wrath of GOD, and is a death in sinne, a spirituall death: yet it is not desperate, for Christ died for vs, Rom. 4.25 and rose againe to justifie and san­ctifie vs: And GOD for his sake freely forgiues our sinne, who beleeue in his Sonne: his Spirit is given vs with his word and Sacraments, to regenerate and quicken, and at last to perfectly sancti­fie vs. 2 Cor. 3.18

The second sort of death is also feare­full, because in the owne nature of it, it is the punishment of sinne: Also because in this dissolution of soule and body, that haue beene straitly and long joyned to­gether, [Page 8]and acquaint one with other, as two neare and deare friends, they are loath to sunder: So nature abhorreth and feareth this very naturall death: but faith and grace overcommeth this horror and feare, and maketh the true Christians to triumph over death. As witnesseth the Apostle, when hee said, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver mee from this body of death! Rom. 7 24.25 I thanke GOD through Ie­sus Christ: And in an other place, O death where is thy sting? 1 Cor. [...]5 55.56.57 The sting of death is sinne, and the strength of sinne is the Law: But ihanks bee to GOD, who giveth vs the victorie, through our LORD IE­SVS CHRIST.

The third sort of death is most terrible, because from it there is no redemption, nor delyverie, if once wee bee plunged therein: It is therefore called the second death, the wrath to come, everlasting fire, everlasting paine, everlasting de­struction, from the which, both living and dying wee should labour, and pray to bee delivered, seeing wee are war­ned to flie from the wrath to come: Math. 37 And IESUS CHRIST hath delivered all [Page 9]true Christians from thence.

This much of the diverse sorts of death, 1 Thess 1.10 whereof the holy Scripture maketh mention.

Now I minde chiefly to speake of na­turall death which I define: The disso­lution of soule and body: The causes there of are these following: First, the effici­ent cause of death is sinne; for if man and woman had not sinned, they should not haue died: Thus GOD did signifie to our first Parents, by the tree of life, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evill, which grew in the midst of the Garden in Eden.

The first was to him a Sacrament or signe, that so long as they continued in GODS obedience they should liue hap­pily: The second was to them a Sacra­ment or signe, that so soone as they should transgresse GODS commande­ment they should die: This is evident of GODS owne words to them, which contained a command or permission, when hee said: Of every tree in the Gar­den you shall freely eate: Genes. 2 16.17 and an inhibiti­on with a threatning, when hee said, [Page 10] But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evill, thou shall not eate of it: for in the day thou eatest thereof, dying, thou shall die: Also the holy Apostle affirmeth, sinne to bee the efficient cause of death, Rom. 5.12 even that which provocked GOD to pu­nish mankynd with death.

Materiall cause death hath none, nei­ther properly formall: As no privation hath either matter or forme, as darknesse is the privation, or absence of light, sick­nesse the privation or absence of health: so death is the privation or absence of lyfe from the bodie.

The finall causes of death are chiefly two: The first is, the manifestation of GODS justice and trueth: His justice in punishing sinne; His trueth in executing his owne threatning. In the day thou eatest thereof, (to wit of the forbidden tree) dying, thou shalt die: Now albeit this death in the same day, when they eate of the fruite of the forbidden tree, was not consummat: yet that same very day it seased vpon them: Therefore Se­neca sayeth truely, Epist. 24 Wee part this same verie day of our life with death: As the [Page 11]last drop spoiles not the running Glasse, but that also which runne before; so our last houre, wherein wee cease to liue, maketh not death alone, but perfiteth it alone.

The other finall cause of death was to humble man and woman, whose first principall sinne was pryde: therefore GOD told them after they had waxed proude, and rebellious: Genes. 3.19 Dust thou art and vnto dust shalt thou returne: The con­sideration heereof made Abraham humble, when hee said, Gen 18 27 Shall dust and ashes speake to my LORD? And Iob when hee said, Iob. 17.14 I haue said to corruption thou art my father.

The consideration of death, and of the causes thereof, should teach vs, first, not to marvaile that death is fearefull to all flesh, it being the separation of the soule from the bodie: This made our LORD IESUS CHRIST naturally to feare death, yet without sinne▪ when he prayed: [...] Fa­ther let this cuppe depart from mee: But to vs death is the mo [...] fearefull, because in the owne nature of it, it is the just pu­nishment of sinne, as testifieth the A­postle, [Page 12]saying, The wages of sinne is death.

Secondly, Rom. 6.23 This consideration of death, and of the causes thereof, should teach vs, not to murmure or grudge against GOD, when our last houre commeth, but meditate vpon GODS justice and trueth foresaid. And say with David, I was silent because thou did it, Psal. 39 9 which words that godly man M ^r. Calvin had alwayes in his mouth, Vide Cal­vini vitam. in the extreame paines of sicknesse and death.

Thirdly: this consideration of death, and of the causes thereof, should teach vs to abhorre pride, and to bee humble, following the example of Abraham, Iob, David, Hezekiah; and other holy men of GOD.

Fourthly: this consideration of death and the causes thereof should teach vs to follow the counsell of Salomon, Remem­ber now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth, Eccles. 12.1 whiles the evill dayes come not, nor the yeares approch, wherein thou shall say I haue no pleasure in them: that is, before sicknesse, old age, and death come vpon vs, as afterwards hee expoundeth.

The third Chapter. CHAP. 3. Of the feare of death.

THere is a twofold feare of death, wherevnto wee are subject: one na­turall, when wee abhorre the separation of the soule from the body: and this feare of death may bee without sinne: for our LORD IESUS CHRIST, who knew no sinne, was subject therevnto, when hee prayed sundrie tymes, and said, Father let this cuppe depart from mee: and hee prayed to him who was able to saue him from death, [...] and was heard in that which he feared, as the Apostle te­stifyeth. Also when wee feare it, as it is the punishment of sinne, that feare is good, that we may repent, hope for mer­cie, and be comforted. This feare of death was in Paul, when he said, [...] O miserable man that I am! Who shall delyver mee from this body of death? Against which immediately hee was comforted, by me­ditation of GODS mercie in CHRIST: and said, I thanke GOD through IESVS [Page 14]CHRIST our LORD, &c.

We may also lawfully feare death, be­cause thereby we are depryved of com­fort, in Church, or Common-wealth, which, living, we our selfe had, or did communicate to others. Thus did Da­vid feare death, Psal. 6.5 when he said, In death there is no rememberance of thee O Lord! in the graue who shall giue thee thankes? And in an other place, Psal. 30.9 What profite is there in my blood, when I goe downe to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee O LORD? Shall it declare thy trueth? This same feare of death was in Hezekiah, when hee said, Isa. 38.11 I shall not see the LORD, even the LORD in the land of the living. I shall behold man no more with the inhabi­tants of the world: and this much of the lawfull feare of death.

There is an other kynd of feare of death, which is vnlawfull and sinfull, and therefore to be corrected, striven a­gainst, and resisted: this feare of death proceedeth of ignorance, infidelitie, or of despaire.

Ignorance: when a man thinking v­pon death, knoweth not what shall be­come [Page 15]of his soule, departing from his bodie.

This feare of death was in Adrian the Empreour, who a little before his death spake these verses,

That is to say,

The feare of death which commeth of infidelitie, is, when a man thinking vpon death, or dying; belieues not in GOD through IESUS CHRIST, for re­mission of his sinnes, and deliverance from the second death which is Hell: To this feare the children of GOD may bee, and haue beene subject; yet it is an vn­lawfull, and sinfull feare, and commeth by Sathan his tentation, the conscience [Page 16]of sinne, and weaknesse of faith: This feare was in David, Psal. 22.1 when hee cryed out My GOD! my GOD! why hast thou forsaken mee? And in Hezekiah, when he said, Isaiah 38 12.13. From day even to night will thou make an end of mee, &c.

To this feare all those are subject who know there is a GOD, a Heaven, a Hell, ever while they get the saving know­ledge of CHRIST, and belieue in him, that hee died for them, and rose againe to deliver them from the bondage of Sa­than, sinne, and death: As testifieth the Apostle, saying, (CHRIST) Hee also tooke part of the same, (flesh and blood) that through death he might destroy him, Hebr. 2 14.15 that had the power of death, that is the Devill: And deliver them who through feare of death were all their lifetime sub­ject to bondage.

The feare of death that commeth of desperation, of all sorts of feare of death is worst, for there is no remedie against it, if it bee totall: And finall: yea, it is a haynous sinne, for it denyeth both Gods power and mercie to saue a sinner, and the trueth of his promises thereanent: [Page 17]And it is a foolish feare for oft times men and women, giving place to this feare, for feare of death and Hell, precipitate themselfe in both, as the examples of Saul, Achitophel, Iudas, and many o­thers proue.

The fourth Chapter. Remedies and comforts against the feare of naturall death.

ALbeit (as I haue said in the former chapter) there bee a sort of feare of death, which may bee without sinne, yet there is no sort of feare of death with out paine and trouble to the patient, as witnesseth the Apostle Iohn, 1 Iohn 4.18 saying in­definitly or generally of feare, feare hath torment: Therefore consolations and re­medies are to bee sought against all sorts of feare of death.

Consolations and remedies against that feare of death, which I called natu­rall, wherevnto all mankynd haue beene, or shall be subject, (CHRIST IESUS our LORD not excepted) are these following.

The first and most soveraine remedie against the naturall feare of death, is to haue faith and confidence in GODS loue mercie and trueth, according to his pro­mises. Thus did David comfort him­selfe against this sort of feare of death, when hee said, Though I should walke though the valey of the shadow of death, Psal. 23.4 I will feare no evill: for thou art with mee: thy rode and thy staffe, they comfort mee. So did Simeon comfort himselfe, when hee said, LORD, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, Luke 2 29.30 according to thy word: For mine eyes haue seene thy salvation. So did CHRIST IESUS our LORD, Luke 22 42 when hee said, Not my will but thy will be done: And Father in thy hands I commend my spirit: which prayers of his the Apostle expoundeth thus: In the dayes of his flesh he offered vp prayers and supplications, with strong crying & teares vnto him, Heb. 5 7 that was able to saue him from death, and was also heard in that which hee feared.

The second comfort and remedie a­gainst the feare of death naturall, is to meditate: First, That the day of death is [Page 19]better nor the day of birth, as Salomon sayeth, For by death sinne is abolished, Eccles. 7.10 and after it wee shall sinne no more. But by birth wee enter into a sinfull life: and by death the body is fred from all sense of miserie, and is no more an instrument actiue or passiue of sinne: but by birth our bodies are subject to the sense of many miseries, and the members thereof made weapons of vnrighteousnesse to serue sin. Rom. 6.13 By death our soule entereth vnto an hap­pie and eternall life: by birth it entereth vnto a miserable and mortall life; there­fore death not only is not to be feared by a Christian, but in some respects is rather to bee wished, and hoped for with joy, for by death wee goe out of this pilgrimage home to our father in Heaven, from banishment vnto a King­dome, from prison to a palace, from dark­nesse to light, from death to life, from dangers vnto securitie, from labour to rest, from all manner of miserie to e­verlasting felicitie.

Next: we should meditate, that it is as great folly to feare death, as to feare old age: for as old age followeth after [Page 20]youth, so death followeth after old age, and the failed tabernacle of the bodie falleth: therefore, as they who dwell in ruinous houses, studie not so much vpon the falling of the house, as how with diligence to get out; so we should be al­wayes readie to die, and not stand ama­zed with the feare of death.

If therefore we will feare death, wee must ever feare it, for there is nothing more certaine than that once wee shall die: and nothing more vncertaine than how, where, or when we shall die: so it is a great folly to vs, to hold our selues in the continuall torment of the feare of death: Things doubtfull are to be feared, but things certaine (as death) to bee exspected.

Thirdly: we should meditate, that our life is like vnto a ship in voyage by sea, wherein when wee haue outsailed our bairne-age, our youth, our old yeares, and the best yeares of old age, then the commoun end of all flesh beginneth to kyth, which is death: we take it to bee a rock to make shipwrack vpon, wee are deceaved, it is not so, but a most [Page 21]quyet port, harborough, or haven, there­fore he that dyeth soonest, hath no more cause to complaine, then he who hath soone plyed his voyage: yea, he should rejoyce, for hee dyeth young whom God loveth, sayeth Meander: and the Pro­phet sayeth, [...] 57.1 Now consider that righteous men are taken away from the evill to come.

Fourthly: wee should meditate, that the day of death is the birth day of eter­nall life. In our first birth, our mother with great paine and preasing, put vs foorth to this life, and wee did cry and weepe: no mervaile then, though in this second birth of death, we haue griefe and paine, but feare we neede not, more than wee did at our first birth.

Fiftlie: we should meditate, that death is commoun to all: Heb. 9, 2 It is appointed to all once to die: and the Poet sayeth,

That is to say.

Why then should wee grudge, when death comes to our doore? Why should [Page 22]wee seeke a priviledge to our selues that is granted to none? Nay rather wee should consider, that death after old age is the gathering of ripe fruite falling, or ripe corne, Iob 5.26 vnto the barne first, and then to the girnall of God: I goe out of this life as out of an Inne, De senect. (saith Cicero) not as out of my house, for it was given me to abide in, not to dwell in. By death our soule go­eth out of prison to liberty, In epist. sayeth Seneca, and whatsoever we leaue behind vs after death, is as the Pilgrims baggage, left behind him when hee hasteneth home.

Finaly, Wee should meditate vpon the resurrection of our bodies: So did Iob comfort himselfe against the feare of death, Iob. 19.26 when hee said, Though after my skinne wormes destroy this body, yet shall I see GOD in my flesh. And the Martyres were tormented, Heb. 11 and would not bee de­livered from death, that they might ob­taine a better resurrection.

Then shall wee sing that song of tri­umph, O death! where is thy sting? O graue! 2 Cor. 15.55 where is thy vistorie? Seneca al­so comforteth vs against the feare of death, by this same argument taken from [Page 23]the resurrection, saying, The day shall come againe, which shall repone vs in light: and the Apostle Paul saying IESVS CHRIST shall change our vile bodies, Philip. 3 that it may bee fashioned lyke vnto his glorious bodie.

The fifth Chapter. Remedies and comforts against the feare of death, procee­ding from ignorance, in­fidelity, or despaire.

ADrian the Emperour (of whom I spake in the second Chapter) was affrayed of death, because he knew not what should become of his soule after death. Clement the seventh of that name, when hee was dying, said, In speculo Pontifie. Hee should shortly try that which all his lyfetime he doubted off, whether there were any life after this: doubtlesse this doubting was joyned with feare, proceeding from ig­norance, if not from worse. Salomon [Page 24]speaking in the person of the Atheist, ac­cording to the judgement of a naturall man, said, Who hath marked the Spirit of man, which hath ascended vp, and the Spirit of the beast, Eccles. 3.21 which hath descended beneath the earth: And a little before hee sayeth, As the one dyeth, so dy­eth the other.

This ignorance in a man dying, must bee joyned with feare: the remedies of this feare, is the certaine persuasion of that which is revealed to vs in holy Scripture: namely, that the soule of man is immortall and eternall, and that the soules of good men goe to Heaven, that is so: namely, first that the soule is im­mortall, these holy places of Scripture testifie: Genes. 1.27. So GOD created man in his owne image, in the image of GOD created he him, which words put a difference betweene mankynd, and all living creatures mentioned, created be­fore, as more excellent than they, be­cause of this immortall soule in their comelie bodyes, which even the Eth­nick Poet acknowledgeth, when that hee sayeth.

That is to say,

And againe hee sayeth,

That is to say.

And GOD said to Abraham, Thou shalt goe to thy fathers in peace: Gen. 15.15 that is to [Page 26]say, Thy Spirit shall goe to the company of the Spirits of the faithfull, thy forbears, when it departs from thy body by death. In that same booke it is said after, And Abraham gaue vp the ghost, Gen. 25.8 and died and was gathered to his people, this must bee vnderstood of his soule, for his body was not buried among his forbears, but in the buriall place, which he bought in the land of Canaan: and so this speach in holy Scripture, spoken of godly men, that when they died, they were gathered to their fathers is to be vnderstood. David sayeth, Psal. 16.10 Psal. 26.9 Thou wilt not leaue my soule in the graue: And in an other place: Gather not my soule with sinners: And in an other place, Psal. 31.6 Into thy hands I commit my spirit: And in an other: Psal. 49 15 GOD will redeeme my soule from the power of the graue, for hee shall receiue mee.

Salomon speaking of death, Eccles 12.7 sayeth, Then shall the dust returne to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall returne to God who gaue it, Mat. 10.28 CHRIST sayeth, Feare not them who kill the bodie, but are not able to kill the soule: And in an other place, citing this place of Scripture, I am [Page 27]the God of Abraham, of Isaac, Math. 22.32 and of Iacob: subjoyneth these words, GOD is not the God of the dead, but of the living: which words import, that although the bodies of these Patriarchs were dead, & buried, yet their soules were living: And it is said Lazarus soule when hee dyed, Luke. 16 was caried by Angels to Abrahams bo­some: And CHRIST said to the penitent Thiefe, crucified with him: Luke. 23 33 To day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise: And a lit­tle after, hee Himselfe dying, said, Fa­ther into thy hands I commend my Spirit. Stephen dying said, Act 5.59 Philip. 1.23 LORD IESVS re­ceaue my spirit: And Paul said. I desire to bee dissolved and bee with CHRIST: And it is said. Heb. 12, 33 Yee are come to the spirits of just men and perfect, these Scriptures and others, proue the soules of men and women to bee immortall.

The immortalitie of the soule verie Ethnicks did acknowledge, Numb. 23 10. with Bala­am, when hee said, Let my soule die the death of the righteous, and my latter end bee as his. Socrates being condemned to die, Vita Socra. before his death disputed much and well of the immortalitie of the soule, a­mongst [Page 28]his speaches, this was one to his friends: My children GOD will care for, who gaue them to me: when I shall goe hence, I shall finde friends before mee, like vnto you, or better. When Crito his friend asked him after hee had drunk his poison, if hee desired to bee buried. Hee answered, Alas what labour haue I lost; that could not persuade Crito that I shall flee away from hence all whole. Plato wrote a booke of the immortality of the soule, And hee believed, that after this world ended mens soules should returne to their owne bodies. The Sto­ickes said, this should bee after the con­summation of the world by fire. Cleom­brotus when he had read over Plato his booke of the immortalitie of the soule, Cicero Tusculan. quaest. lib. 1 precipitated himselfe into the sea, being filled with the desire of that better life after this, Plut. in vi­ta Catonis. which Plato described. Cato being resolved to slay himselfe, red all the day & night before that same booke of Plato. Epist. 103 Seneca in one of his Epistles, hath many notable speaches concerning the immortalitie of the soule: amongst the which the feare: I shall leaue the bo­dy [Page 29]where I found it, I shall deliver my selfe to GOD: A great and generous thing to the soule of man, it can suffer no bounds to bee prescribed to it, but with GOD. When Socrates had drunke the poyson forced vpon him, and had de­livered his garment to his servant, as readie to die, jesting with cry to his friend said: I pray thee remember to sacrifice a cocke to Aesculapius: which was then vsuall when a man had drunke a wholesome drinke; thereby there was in him no feare of death.

Christians then should bee ashamed to feare death through ignorance, What shall become of the soule after death? se­ing death is inevitable: the feare of it argues want of fortitude. And this much of the feare of death, which proceeds of ignorance,

Now follow remedies and comforts against the feare of death, which pro­ceede from infidelitie or despaire: Let such as feare death, through infidelitie or despaire, imitate the counsell follow­ing: Acknowledge all good, helpe, com­fort to come from GOD: Repent, and be [Page 30]sorie for all thy sinnes in geuerall, and for everie one in particulare, as thou canst remember them, confesse them to GOD, and forsake them, Pro 28.19 Psal. 32.5 Isa. 28.17 then shall thou sind mercie. Bee oft and earnest in prayer to GOD for mercie and comfort, and desist not, albeit thou get no answere; but ra­ther insist the more, Luke. 18 remembering the doctrine of CHRIST by parables that we should doe so: Iames. 5 Desire the counsell and prayers of the faithfull; aboue all things studie to know CHRIST, and the power of his resurrection, Philip. 3.10 and the fellowship of his sufferings: for CHRIST hath swal­lowed vp death in victorie, Isa. 25, 8 so that after this digestion of death, it hath lost the sting of it against all true Christians: yea, CHRIST changed the name of death, and called it a sleepe, to teach vs that the nature of death is changed to those that beleeue in him, Iohn. 11.11 saying to his Disciples, Lazarus our friend sleepeth.

In the true knowledge of CHRIST is our comfort, Iohn 17.3 Act. 4.12 both in life and death: The two Cherubims looked to the Mer­cie-seare: the two Testaments looked vnto CHRIST: Hee is the propitiatorie [Page 31]that covereth the Law, the Pillar of fire to giue light in darknesse; the clowde to comfort and refresh in all temptations: Rely vpon the mercie of GOD in IESUS CHRIST, and resolue to say with IOB, in thy greatest terrours, Iob. 13.15 Though he slay mee, yet will I trust in him. Reade often the holy Scripture, and meditate there­vpon: Bee never idle, not too solitarie. If melancholie trouble thee, take phy­sicke from a skilfull and godly physitian: reade and meditate vpon GODS pro­mises of mercie to penitent sinners; and consider his dealing with them, how many sinners hee hath made righteous, and enemies friends; & oft read and me­ditate vpon these places of Scripture. Exod. 34 4. Deuter. 4.31. Proverb. 28.3. 2 Chron. 7.14. Isaiah 1.18.19.20. Ezek. 18.27. Hosea 14.3.4.5. Psal. 103.13. Math. 5 6. and 11.28. Iohn. 3.14. Rom. 5.20. 2 Cor. 12.9 Rom. 16.20. 1. Timoth. 2.4.

Meditate likewayes vpon the mercie of GOD to penitent sinners: as Moses, Aaron, Iob, David Salomon, Manasses, Hezekiah, Iosiah, Marie Magdalene, the [Page 32]forlorne sonne, Peter, the thiefe vpon the Crosse with CHRIST, Paul: for these examples may serue to teach vs, though wee sinne, yet not to goe on still, and proceede in wickednesse; also not to despaire of GODS mercie more than they: Rom. 10.12 for the LORD is rich over all that call vpon him, and repent: therefore no man ought to despaire: for this is a true saying, and by all meanes worthie to bee receaved, 1 Tim. 1 15.16. that CHRTST IESUS came in the world to saue sinners, whereby ma­ny haue obtained mercie, Math. 9.15 vnto the ex­ample of them which shall in tyme to come belieue in him vnto eternall lyfe. Mark. 2.17

If Sathan or thy owne conscience trouble thee with these doubts and ob­jections following, answere thus.

The sixth Chapter. Of the desire of death, and how that wee may die both peace­ablie, and likewayes well.

THere bee only two causes for the which wee may lawfully desire to die: The first is, a longing to bee with IESUS CHRIST our Saviour: this cause moved Paul to desire to die, Philip. 3.23 when hee said, I desire to depart, and that I may bee with CHRIST. The other causes why wee may lawfully desire to die, is, that wee may cease altogether from sinning against GOD, which we can not doe, so long as we are in this body of sinne, and of death. This also moved Paul to de­sire to die, when hee said, Rom. 7.24. O miserable man that I am! who shall delyver me from this body of death? All desire of death, flowing from other causes, as griefe, trouble, paine, povertie, miscontent­ment, &c. are all vnlawfull: for GOD hath put vs in a warrefare, and hath ap­pointed everie one of vs a station, which [Page 36]wee should keepe as obedient Souldiers, vntill GOD, our great Captaine, and commander call vpon vs, and remoue vs. Wherefore are wee to follow the exam­ple of Elias, 1 King. 19.14 who out of great griefe said: Now LORD take away my life: Nor the example of Ionas, when he said, It is bet­ter to mee to die than to liue: Ion 4.6 But rather the example of David, Psal. 101.2 who said: I will behaue my selfe wisely, in a perfect way, vntill thou come to mee: And aboue al we should follow the example of CHRIST our Saviour, Heb. 12 Who for the joy so set before him, indured the crosse, despised the shame; and is set at the right hand of the Throne of GOD.

Therefore those Ethnicks who com­monly are accounted magnanimus, that for miscontentment slew themselues, as Dido, Lucrotia, Cato, and others, are truely to bee accounted verie cowards, that left their station, not keeping their place, vntill hee that had placed them there had called them from it. Albeit Seneca giveth too great way to a man to kill himselfe; yet hee was better advised when hee said: I esteeme most of them [Page 37]who come to death, without hatred of life, and admitteth death when it com­meth, but draweth it not vpon them

Now that wee may die peacablie and well: First, let vs often meditate vpon death, following the counsell of Seneca: In epist. Thinke ever of death, so shall thou not bee affrayed of it: the Poet giveth a rea­son heereof, saying, ‘Nam levius laedit, quicquid praevi­dimus ante.’

That is to say, ‘The lesse is everie sore, that we haue seene before.’

And Gregorie said well: Death when it commeth is overcome, if before it come it bee feared: And Seneca, In epist. No man receiveth death gladly, but he who hath prepared himselfe a long time before it. And in an other place: The entrie of the doore of death is troublesome. if wee make it troublesome with torment of minde, and a troubled spirit with fleeting thoughts, comming to it without reso­lution; by the contrare, if we come with a calme spirit, death is most like to a sleepe when wee feare not.

Next that wee may die peaceablie and well, follow the counsell of Salomon: Re­member thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth, Eccles. 12.1 before the dayes of olde age and death come.

Thirdly; that thou may die peaceably and well, stryue to walke with GOD, while thou art living, follow the exam­ple of Enoch, Noah, Abraham, so death when it commeth shall doe no harme; but thereby shalt thou bee gathered to thy Father in peace.

Striue to bee godly and righteous, and follow the example of Simeon, and the LORD shall let thee depart in peace.

Bee not like Balaam, who wished to die the death of the righteous, but would not liue the life of the righteous: for hee received not his wish. But lay thy ac­count, that thou liuest now that thou may die, and art content to die when GOD pleaseth, that thou may liue happi­ly for ever: liue now the life of the righ­teous, and keepe a good conscience so farre as thou can, and thou shall die in the LORD, bee blessed, rest from thy la­bours, Rev. 14.13 & thy good workes shall follow thee.

Now if thou sinne, (as no man living sinnes not) and bee sensible of thy sinnes and manyfold infirmities, and imperfe­ctions: then be instant in prayer to GOD, in the name of his Sonne IESUS CHRIST that hee would forgiue thee thy sinnes, which thou hast committed, supplie that which thou hast omitted, restore what thou hast lost, heale what is sicke in thee, cleanse what is vncleane in thee, inlighten what is darke in thee, asswage that which swelleth in thee, inflame that which is quenched in thee, repare that which is broken in thee, recover what is neglected by thee, amend what is gone astray in thee, make plaine which is rugged in thee, restraine that which is curious in thee, call home againe that which wandereth, place aright all which is out of order, sanctifie that which is whole by his holy Spirit, vntill hee crowne grace in thee with glorie heereafter.

To conclude this point, one sayeth truely, Kemps i­mitation of CHRIST. he who hateth the world per­fitely, and followeth godlinesse zea­louslie, and will bee admonnished wil­lingly: [Page 40]and indevoureth to mend his lyfe seriouslie, and can obey his Supe­riours gladly, and deny himselfe through­lie; and take affliction for CHRIST IESUS sake patiently, giveth notable tokens he will die a good man.

Finallie, that thou mayest die both peaceablie and well: In the midst of the agonie of death, Psal. 51.5 say with that Princelie Prophet DAVID, Into thine hands O LORD 1 commend my Spirit: Luke 23 46 and with our Saviour IESUS CHRIST, Father in thine hands 1 commend my Spirit; Act. 7.59 and with STEVEN, LORD IESVS receaue my Spirit. If at that tyme Sathan, or thine owne conscience trouble thee, in respect of thy guiltie­nesse of sinnes, and of GODS justice, close thine eares at these cryes in the agony of death, and answere nothing, but commend thy cause vnto GOD: Close lykewayes thine eyes in the houre of death, and CHRIST shall send his Angels to convoy thy soule.

This is the counsell of M ^r. Luther, If thou feele great paine in thy bodie before thy dissolution, then say with [Page 41]the Prophet DAVID, I will hold my tongue O LORD, Psal. 36.9 because thou hast done it: This was M ^r. Calvins practise, when hee was dying.

GOD grant we may so liue, that in the houre of death we may rejoice, through CHRIST IESUS our LORD. AMEN.