THE RVLE
AND
EXERCISES
HOLY DYING.
In Vehich are defcribed
The Means and Instrum e nts
of preparing our felvcs, and others
rcfpeftively, for a bleded Peath:
and the remedies again ft the evils
and temptations proper to theftate
of Sicknelle»
Together with
Prayers and Afts of Vertue to be ufed by
fick and dying perfons, or by others
ftanding in their Attendance.
To which are added.
Rules for the vifitation of the Sick, and offices pro-
per for that Mi niftery.
to TiKdnHQcUf mivrnv «
To 5^ y.^KS( lAor Wif im\sIcuoif n
aTjiviiy-i. Ifoc. ad Demonic.
LONDON,
Printed for E. R. and are to be fold by
Edward Martin Booklcller in
Norwich. 16^1,
To the
Right Honourable
and
moft truly Noble
RICHARD
Lord
VAVGHAN,
Earl of Carbery , Baron
of Emlin , and Molin.-
GAR ; Knight of the Ho-
no arable Order of the
Bath.
Am treating your
Lordftiip as a Ro-
man Gentleman did
Saint Augujiim and
his Mother 5 I fliall
entertain you in a Charnel houfc,
A 3 and
iheEpiJile Dedicatory.
and carry your meditations a-
while into the chambers of death,
where you fhall finde the rooms p'
drefled up with melancholy arts,
and fit to converle with your moft
retired thoughts, which begin
with a figh and proceed in deep
confideration, and end in a holy
reiblution. The fight that S.
guftine moft noted in that houfe
of ibrrow was the body of C .gfar
clothed with all the dilhonours
of corruption, that you can fup-
pofe in a fix moneths burial. Put ^
I know that without point"ng,*
your firft thoughts vi ill rcmcm"
her the change of a greater beau-
ty, which is now drefling for the
brighteft immortality; and from
her bed of darknefle calls to you
to drefs your foul for that change
which fliall mingle your bones
with that beloved duft, and carry . '
your foul to the fame Quire,
where you may both fit and fing
for
The Epijite Dedicatory.
; forever. My Lord it is your dear
Ladies Anniverfary, and (he de-
ferved the higgeji honour^ and the
longeji memory^ and the faireji
loft moft folemne
• motirnings and in order to it give
me leave (My Lord) to cover
her Hearfe with thefe following
fheets 5 this book was intended
firft to ininifterto her piety ^ and
ftie defired all good people fhould
partake of the advantages which
are here recorded .* Ihc knew
Pm how to live rarely well, and fhe
■ , defired to know how to dye \ and
God taught her by an experi-
ment. But fince her work is done
j.|^g and God fupplyed her with pro-
om vifions of his own, before I could
minifiertoher, andperfedwhat
flie defired, it is neceflary to
„g5 prefent to yourXordfliip thofe
bundles of Cyprefle which were
jintended to dreflfe her Clofet, but
Ins now to drefie her Hearfe.
for -^4 (My
the Eprjile Dedicatory.
(My Lord) both your Lordfliip ir
and my felf have lately fcen and ft
felt fuch (brrows of death, and tl
fuch lad departure of Deareft ol
friends, that it is more then high d;
time we Ihould think our felves w
neerly concerned in the accidentsi tr:
Death hath come foneertoyou ch
as to fetch a portion from your
very heart; and now you can- cc
not choofe but digge your own
grave and place your colEn in
your eye when the Angel hath J"
drefledyourfceneoffbrrowand
meditation with fo particular and
foneer an objed; and therefore
asitismy duty, lamcometomi"
niller to your pious thoughts,
and to dired your Ibrrows that
they may turn into vcrtues and
advantages.
And fince I know your Lord-
ftiip to be fo conftant and regular
in your devotions 5 and fo tender
in the matter of juftice, ib ready
in i
i
7he Epijile Dedicatory,
liip in theexpreffionsof charity and
fo apprehenfive of religionj and
that yon are a perfon whofe work
of grace is apt, and muft every
day grow towards thofe degrees,
where when you arrive you fhall
triumph over imperfedion, and
choofe nothing but what may
pleafe God, I could not by any
compendium condud and affift
your pious purpofes fo well as
by that which is the great argu.
ment and the great inftrument of
holy living, the confideration and
exercifes of death.
My Lord, it is a great art to dye
well, and to be learnt by men in
health,by them that can difcourfe
and confider ; by thofe whofe
underftanding, and ads of reafon
are not abated with fear or
pains, and asthegreateftpartof
death is palled by the preceding
years of our life, fo alfo in thofe
A 5 years
*the Eprjile Dedicatory.
(My Lord) both your Lordfliip in
and my ftlf have lately fcen and fo
felt fuch forrows of death, and th
iuch fad departure of Dearel of
friends, that it is more thenhigli da
time we fhould think our felves w
sieerly concerned in the accidents; tri
Death hath come fo neer to yon ch
as to fetch a portion from youi pf'
very heartand now you can- co
not choofe but digge your owi
grave and place your coffin in
your eye when the Angel hatl J"'
dreffed your fcene offbrrow and
meditation with fb particular and
lb neer an objed and therefor*
as it is my duty, I am come to rat
niiler to your pious thoughts
and to direft your fbrrows thai
they may turn into vertues and
advantages,
And fince I know your Lord-
* ^ - dCi
fhip to be fo conftant and regulai
in your devotions 5 andfotendei
in the matter of jnfticCj fo ready
in
The Epijile Dedicatory^
[fliip in theexprcffionsof charity and
and fb apprehenfive of religion, and
and that you are a perfon whofe work
areii of grace is apt, and muft every
higl day grow towards thofe degrees,
dve< where when you arrive you fhall
entsi triumph over imperfed:ion, and
yen choofe nothing but what may
jroui pleafe God, I could not by any
can- compendium condud and affift
owt your pious purpolcs fo well as
jj jj by that which is the great argu.
jjajj ment and the great inftrument of
, gjjj holy living, the confideration and
J. exercifes of death.
My Lord, it is a great art to dye
) mi well, and to be learnt by men in
healthjby them that can difcourle
and confider 5 by thofe whofe
, underftanding, and ads of reafbn
are not abated with fear or
ord- asthegreatcftpartof
mlai palled by the preceding
nder of our life, fo alfo in thofe
:ady ^ 5 years
in
The Eprjile Dedicatory.
years are the greateft.preparation
to it : and he that prepares not
for death,before his laft ficknefle,
is like him that begins to ftud]
Philofophy when he is going tc
difpute publikelyin the faculty
All that a fick and dying man car
do is but to exercife thole ver
tues, which he before acquired,
and to perfeift that repcntancf
which was begun mere early
And of this (My Lord) my Bool
I think is a good teftimony, noi
onely becaule it reprelents th(
vanity of a late and fick-bed re
pentance, but becaufe it contain'
in it fo many precepts and medi
tations, fo many propofitions anc
various duties, fuch forms of ex
ercile, and the degrees and diffi
culties of lb many graces whict
are rreccflary preparatives to i
holy death, that the very learn
ingthe duties require ftudy am
ikillj> time and, uuderftanding it
♦Ti/
The Epijile Dedicatory^
the wayes of godlineffe j and it
^9'' were very vain, to fay fb much is
^ J®' necefiary , and not to fuppofe
more time to learn them, more
fkill to pradife them, more op-
^ y portunities to defire them, more
abilities both of body and mind
then can be fuppofed in a fick,
• ama^ed, timerous,and weak per-
fon; whofe naturall a61s are dif-
y, abled, whofe fenfes are, weak,
whofe difcerning faculties are
leflened, whofe principles are
™ made intricate and intangled, up-
on whole eye fits a cloud, and the
heart is broken with fickneffe,
and the liver pierced thorow
with fbrrows and the ftrokes of
deaths And therefore(my Lord)
J it is intended by the neceffity of
affairs, that the precepts of dymg
* me// be part of the ftudies of them
that live in health, and the dayes
^9' of difcourfe and underftanding:
3 which in this cafe hath ^another
A 6 degree
re
:ainj
ledi
The Epijile Dedicatory^
degree of neceffity fuperadded 5 tl
becaufe in other noticeSj an im-
perfeft ftudy may be fupplied by v(
a frequent exercife, and a renew- ft
cd experience: Here, if we pra- pi
ftife imperfeftly once, we fhall o]
never recover the errour: for we tf
die but once; and therefore it d<
will be neceftary that our Ikill be pi
more exaft, fince it is not to be m
mended by triall, but theaftions te
muft be for ever left imperfed, ne
unlcfle the habit be contraded pr
with ftudy and contemplation in;
before hand» nc
And indeed I were vain, if I to
fliould intend this book to be read m^
and ftudied by dying perfons; and ne
they were vainer that fliouId need to
to be inftruded in thofe graces bo
which they are then to exercile yc
andtofinifli, Forafickbedison- tu
Jy a fchool of ftvere exercife, in pe
which the fpirit of a man is tried, fat
and bis graces are rehearfed; and tht
the
The Epijile Dedicatory.
d j the affiftances which I have in the
m- following pges given to thofe
by vertues which are proper to the
w- ftateof fickneflcj arefuchas fup-
ra- pofe a man in the ftate of grace,
lall or they confirm a good man, or
we they fupportthe weak, or adde
: it degrees, or miniftcr comfort, or
be prevent an evil, or cure the little
be mifchiefs which arc incident to
)ns tempted perfons in their weak-
d, nefle 5 this is the lumme of the
ed prefent defignCjas it relates to dy-
on ing perfons. And therefore I have
not inferred any advices proper
f I to old age, but fuch as are com-
■ad mon to it and the ftate of fick-
nd nefle 3 for I fuppofe very old age
ed to be a longer jickpejj'e , it is la-
:es bour and forrow when it goes be-
ile yond the common period of na-
in- ture; but if it be on this fide that
in period, and be healthfull, in the
d, fame degree it is fo, I reckon it in
nd the accounts of life 3 and there-
he fore
The Epijile Dedicatory,,
fore it can have no diftinftconli- ag
deration. But I do not think it is m:
a ftation of advantage to begki th(
the change of an evil life in: It is pe
a middle ftate between life and an
death-bed^and therefore although tal
it hath more of hopes, then thts^ Hn
and lefle then that, yet as it par- ani
takes of either fiate: fb it is to be ar<
regulated by the advices of that agi
ftate, and judged by its fenten- an^
ces. tin
Onely this: I dcfire,that all old ^ h
perfons would fadly confider th(
that their advantages in that ftate ter
are very few, but their inconve- re|
niences are not few: Their bo- tri
dies are without ftrength, their rin
prejudices long and mighty, their it i
vices (ifthey have lived wicked- in
ly) are habituall, the occafions of hie
their vertues not many, thepof- thi
fibilities of fome (inthe matter re]
of which they ftand very guilty) wa
are pa ft, and fhall never return Jto
again
7he Epijile Dedicatory^
nfi" again (fuch are, chaftity, and
it is many parts of fetf-deniall;) that
gki they have fame temptations pro.
[tis per to their age, as peevifhaefle,
and and pride, covetoufnefle, and
lagh talking, wilfulneffc and unwil-
K HngnefTe to;'learn,
)ar- and they think they piacuit nbi ducunt,
, rv 1 1 Velquiatiirpeputantparere
) be are protected by minoribus,^ qu«
:hat age from learning f"'
;en" anew, or repenting
the old; and do not * i"e"eiifs adhuc infinttf fus
- - 3. - , , perfuanonibus m fenectuce.
old leave, but change pueraliunt Mamertus.
der their vices: And af-
tate ter all this, either the day of their
ive- repentance is pad:, as we fee it
bo- true in very many, or it is ex]pi-
heir ring and towards the Sun-fet, as
heir it is in all^ and therefore although
;ed- in thefe, to recover is very pofli-
sof ble, yet we may alfo remember
)of- that in the matter of vertue and
tter repentance, pojjibility is a great
Ity) way off from p»erfbrmanceand
ni-rj liow few do repent, of whom it
^ain K
The Epijik Dedicatorji.
is onely pojjibh "that they may;
and that many things more are ^nt
required to reduce their poffibi-^j,
lity to aft; a great grace, an affi- an<
duous miniftery, an cffeftive eal-is r
ling, mighty affiftances, excellent .{jec
counfell, great induftry, a watch-:^e)
full diligence, a well difpofedifl-a
mind, paffionate dcfircs, deep;ce{
apprchenfions of danger, quicime
perceptions of duty, and time,;
and Gods goodbleffing, andefvytK
feftuali impreffion and fecond-ihat
ing all this, that to will^ and to do^
may by him be wrought to great jjo
purpofcs, and with great fpeed, ©ni
And therefore it will not be gi^
amille, but it is hugely neceflary, are
that thele perfons who have lofl are
their time and their blefled op- be,
portunities fhould have the dili- fbj
gence of youth, and the zeal of ad'
new converts, and take account th<
of every hour that is left them, Ch
and pray perpetually, and be ad-
vifed
N
The EpjlleDedicatoryl
5 vifed prudently, ^nd ftudy the
- ^r^ lntereft of their fouls carefully,
with diligence, and with fear^
1 affi" and their old age which in efFeft
- eal- is nothing, but a continuall death-
■lie®'bed, drelfed with feme more or-
Itchier and advantages, may be a
(ofedtfljite of hope, and labour, and ac-
deep;ceptance, through the infinite
[uici .mercies of God in JefusChrift,
imc,; But concerning finners, really
def-under the arreft of death, God
ond'ibath m^de no death-bed cove-
iiant, the Scripture hath recorded
^reat uo promifes, given no inftrufti-
"d. ons 5 and therefore I had none to
}t be give, but bnely the fame which
^ry are to be given to all men that
loft are alive, becaufe they are fo, and
91^ becaufe it is uncertain when they
dili" fball be otherwife 5 But then this
1 of advice I alfo am to infert. That
>unt they are the finalleft number of
omj Chriftian men, who can be divi-
ad- ded by the charadcrs of a eertam
ifed holinejfe.
The Epijile Dedicatory,
holineJfe\, or an open villany : and
between thefe, there are many
degrees of latitude, and moft -ire f
of a middle fort, concerning^,'
which we are tied to make the. '
judgements of charity, and pof,
fibly God may do fo too^
however, all they are fuch to-,
whom the rules of holy dying. '
are ufefull and applicable, and, ^
therefore no feparation is to
made in this world 5 but '^bere^j^^^
the cafe k not evident, men are^^j^^
to be perm.ifted to the unerringj^^^
judgement of God, where it it
evident, we can rejoyce or
for them that die.
In the Ghurch of Rome they • ^
reckon otherwife concerning f cl
and dying Ghriftiansthen I have ^g^
done. For they make profeflion
that from death to life, from fin ,
to grace, a man may very certain^
ly be changed, though the ope-.g^j
ration begin not before his lall
hour .*
The Epijlle Dedicatory^
liour, and half this, they do napon
his death bed and theothe!^ half
when he is in his grave: andtftey
take away the eternal punfmtent
in an inftant,by a fchool diftinfti-
ByjonorthehandofthePriefli and
^^thetenporal punifimentihaW flick
• longer, even then when the man
no more meafured Toith time,
^ having nothing to do with any
thing of or under the fun ^ but that
they pretend to take away too,
. when the man is dead; and, God
""^knoweSjthe poor man for all this,
payes them both in helh The di-
'^^"{t'mitionoF temporal and eternal
, is a jufl: meafure of pains, when
it referres to this life and another j
but to dream of a punifhment
1^^' temporal when all his time k done,
and to think of repentance when
'. the time of grace is pafoare great
am'errours ^ the one in Philofbphy,
'P^ and both in Divinity, and are a
'•''"huge folly in their pretence, and
lur .* jjj.
TheEpiJile Dedicatory.
infinite danger if they are b»nd
lieved ^ being a certain deftruSidia*:
on of the neceflity of holy l^rii
ving, when men dare truft theijatei
and live at the rate of fuch dcPOt
drines. The lecret of thefe fh
foon difcovered : for by fucio ^
means though a holy life be not nifick
ceflaryj yet aprieji is j as if Cctipo
did not appoint the Prieft to
nifter to holy living, but to e:the
cule it; fo making the holy calli^^^
not onely to live upon the fins (tcrr
the people, but upon their ruind'^'^'j
and the advantages of their fliilChi
ftionto fpring from their eternlwhi
dangers. It is an evil craft to lerf^f"
a temporal end upon the death
fouls; that, is an intereftnot
handled but with noblenefle
ingenuity, fear and caution, dili
gence and prudence, with grea ®
skill, and great honefty, with re
verence and trembling, and feve^^^
rity ; a foul is worth all thai
ani
the Epijile Dedicatme,
c bflnd the need we have requires all
ruftithat j and therefore thofe do-
ly l ^rines that golefle then all this,
then^irenot friendly, becaufe they are
h doTot fafe.
lefe I know no other greatdifierence
r fucin the vifitation and treating of
r<7#n(fick perfons, then what depends
: Cctipon the article of late repen-
.onitance^ for all Churches agree in
o ethe lame ellcntial propofitions,
affift the lick by the fame in-
hnsJtcrnal minifteries; as for extern
•xxm^'^h I naean nnBion^ ufed in the
ir fyChurch of Rome» lince it is uled
ternlwhenthe man is above half dead,
) leif^hen he can exercife no ad of
ath(i?^t^derll:anding, it muft needs be
lot tf'^hing 5 for no rational man can
e ai)|think that ^ny ccremtMiie can
(jj )j ,make a fpircmal change without
gj.gj a fpiritud ad of him that is to be
ith re changed 3 nor work by way of
[fgyj nature, or by charme, but mo-
[ thai the manner of rea-
The Epijile Dedicatory.
fonable creatures 5 and t?iere^f/
fore I do not think that mini|nai
ftery at all fit to be reckonedfhal
among the advantages of ficktutf
perfons. The Fathers of thejno
Councel of Trent firft difpu^^^^e;
ted and after their manner atlaftjt, 1
agreed, that extreamnnUionvos^^-^x
injiituted by chrili. But after-pre
wards, being admonilhed by onefon-
of their Thcologues, that the A-gJe
pofiles miniftred unftion to in-jnvs
firm people before they werepor
Priefts (the Prieftly order ac-^fe,
cording to their dodrine beingg^ j
collated in the inftitution o^ul
the laft Supper) for fear thatjjj^d
it fhould be thought that thisi.^e
unftion might be adminiftred^^^
by hifti that was no Prieft, thcy^j^
blotted out the word [infti-^f
tuted3 and put in its ftead'ph
[infinuated^ this Sacrament 5 for
and that it was publified by
Saint James. Sa it is in their Df- of
Urine I
Concil.
Tnd.hift
lib 4,
jhe Epifile Dedicatory t
txt^rine: and yet in their anathe-
hnitnatifmeSsthey curfe all them that
'ne^all deny it to have been Qnfti-
ficlstuted^l hy Chriji. I fhall lay no
^h^more prejudice againftit, or the
fpu>T^eak arts of them that maintain
but adde this onely, that there
jri««beingbut two places of Scripture
'^^'''pretended for this ceremonie,
o^^ibme chief men of their own
" ^"fide have proclaimed thofe two
' '"^invalid as to the inftitution of it 5
Suarezi ftyesthat theunftion
?^"ufed by the AptL>ftlesin S.Mark
19. is not the fame with what
ufed in the Church of Rome >
that it cannot be plainly ga-
this^hered from the Epiftle of Saint
^;etts?«^a^firms, and that it'
did belong io the miraculous ^ft-
'^^* of healing,-hot to a Sacrament,
^^^ The fick mansexercifeof grace
5 formerly acquired, his perfedl-
h' ihg repentance begun in the daycs
of health, the prayers and coun-
fels
"The Epijile Dedicatory ^
fels of the Holy man that mini>(vvin
fters, the giving the Holy Sacra-and
mentjthe Miniftery and affiftanceten
of Angels, and the mercies offout
God, the peace of ccnfcience andtogc
the peace of the Church are alltren-
the affiftances and preparativethe
that can help to drefle hislampfchai
But if a man lhall go to buy oil^ ?
when the Bridegroom comes, ildo h
his lamp be not firft furnifti'd^andwas;
then trimmed, that in his lifejbelo
this upon his death-bed, his ftatitnini
on fhall be without doors, hicouL
portion with unbelievers, and thumon
undiion of the dying man fhallualj
no more ftrengthen his Ibul, thetmeni
it cures his body, and the prayeriutio
for him after his death (hall bttions
of the fame force as if they (houldnteri
pray that he (hould return to lifethat 1
again the next day, and live asOilhc
long as Laz,arus in his return, Butoneh
I conlider, that it is not well, tha^y tt
men (hould pretend any thingin al
The Epijile Dedicatofy,
nini'i^vill do a man good when he dies,
acra-'and yet the fame miniftcries and
anccten times more affiftances are
offound for fourty or fifty years
3 andtogethcr to be ineffcdualjcan ex-
e alitreme undiion at laft cure what
tivesthe Holy Sacrament of the Eu-
ampicharift all his life time could not
' oil^ ? Can prayers for a dead man
!s, ildo him more good then when he
t3an(iwas alive ? If alibis dayes the man
life|belonged to death and the do-
ftatitninion of fin, and from thence
hicould not be recovered by Ser-
d thfpons, and counfels, and perpe-
fhalkual precepts, and frequent Sacra-
theiiaients, by confeffions and abfo-
yeriutions, by prayers and advoca-
11 biions, by external minifteries and
DulcSnternal adts, it is but too certain
I lifdthat his lamp cannot then be fur-
e astiilbcdi his extreme undlion is
Butonely then of ufe when it is m ide
thatby the oil that burned in his 11 mp
^ingin all the dayes of bis cxpedfa-
wll * dons
The Epijile Dedicatory,
tion and waiting for the cominjb c<
of the Bridegroom. ;he
Neither can any fupply be mad^en(
in this cafe by their praftife ofeid
praying for the dead : thow^yfi
they pretend for this the faivSaji
precedents of the Church and <^th
the whole world. The Heathei»«?
they fey did it; and the Jews dibrts
it, and the Chriftians did itfomll I
were baptized for the dead
dayesof theApoflrks^ andveittrm
many were communicated for tiprs j
Tertui de Monog. * for luatty agcs aheir
ter: Tb true they w€^ tl:
fo, and did fo : the Hftfcd
thens prayed anenhod.
* crave and a perpetMuCc
*>41 iiiujoruni um- ^ )t
bris tenuem & fine fprin ^,that Saffron WOlklni
spirantBq ^CTcc^ & rife from their beds /orl
n. urna perpewum Thc JcWS ptayUrp
Ferf . Sat .7. that the fouls of thf^dl
dead might be in the garden an t
Eden, that they might have thttae,
part in Paradife, and in the wolop*
S. Cypriatll.i .ep.9
Sa.Athan q. 53.
S.Cyril, mylt cat. 5,
Epipnan HaereCyy.
Aug de harefic.; 3,
Concil.Garth# ],
• uii majorum um-
The Epijrle Dedicatory t
nin^ comejand that they might hear
;he peace of the fathers of their
nad^enerations fleeping in Hebron:
e ofeid the Chriftians prayed for a
ougl»y/«/ refurre&ion^fov mercy at the
\\xtiayof judgementy for the hajining
nd (ffthe coming ofchriji^bc the king-
t\ithm of God and they named all
dibrts of perfons in their prayers,
fomll I mean but wicked perfonSjall
in tfet them that liv'd evil lives^,they
1 veiiamed Apoftles, Saints, and Mar-
'^orWxsS) and all this isfonothirvgto
res aneir purpofe, or fo much againft
wet, that the prayers for the dead
2 Hdicd in the Church of Rome are
ueahod plainly condemned, be-
'peiaufe they are againft the do-
rpoifrine and praftiJes of all the
;ds TOrld 3 in other forms to other
)rayiorpofes, relying upon diftind
' thl)ftrines, until new opinions be-
Jen |n to arife about S. Augujiines
Q thtoe, and changed the face of the
•woiopoiition<Concernmg prayer for
a 2 the
\
The Epijile Dedicatory^
the dead the church hath ^fecew^^
no commandment from the
and therefore concerning it
can have no rules J nor pr^port^he
ons, but from thofe imperfefiru,g
velations of the ftate of departing
fouls 5 and the meafures of cl^p
rtty, which can relate onely Ljg
the imperfeftion of their pi|,g
fent condition , and the terrcfj^g,
of the day of judgement: Igjcjg
to think that any fuppletory ^ot
an evil life can be taken frtgeft
fuch devotions after the finn^aj-
are dead may incourage a bezant
man to fin, but cannot reli4lfe
him when he hath. jnd
But of all things in the wofit y
me thinks men (hould be mjphu
careful not to abufe dying pefee ,
pie not onely becaufe tli^g
condition is pitiable, but becaipf f
they fhall foon be difcover^hei
and m the feeret regions of foiiand
there fhall be an evil report c^jo;
cern^
mm
► The Epijlle Dedicatory.
ceiw^rning thofe men who have
f'"'"Jeceived them ^ and if we be-
^eve we fliall go to that place
[P^'^'^here fuch reports are made,
•^^Ve may fear the fbameand the
'^^^mazement of being accounted
'^'iTrpoftors in the prelence of An-
|els, and all the wife holy men of
^ Pme world. To be erring and in-
^^'"llocent is hugely pitiable, and in-
• Tident to mortali ty, that, we can-
lot help; but to deceive or to
,f'"flen:roy fo great an interefl: as is
innfiatof a foul, ortoleflen its ad-
^ Wantages by giving it trifling and
cli^l^lfe confidences, is injurious
and intolerable. And therefore,
woijt were very well, if all the
- n^Churches of the world would
■5 P^e extremely curious concern-
^^^^g their offices and m nifteries
ecaiit)f thevijitation of the that
'^er^llheir Miniffers they fend be holy^
fo%nd prudent 5 that their inffru-
ft c^ions be fevere and fafe, that
emit a 3 their
Hi' ^
■M
»■
l|
, Krl.
J '''■
I i
I
J
a
«
P®
iA
m
i
i
lyt
ifj
iHia
(Tri
,
!>*
i 1' ■ ^
! '
bnc
:
I if
The Epijile Dedicatory,
their fentences be merciful ar-
reafonable; that their offices Ired
fufficient and devout j thatthe<as i
attendances be frequent and lento i
that their deputations be fpeckpeo
and peculiar j that the dodrintthei
upon which they ground theties
offices be true, material and holjaloi
that their ceremonies be few^atlhe £
their advices wary 5 that their km
paration be full of caution ^theimy
judgements not remifle; theenn
remiffions not loofe and diffifirfi
lute 5 and that all the whole mfick
niftration be made by perfbns cmei
experience and charity 5 for in t
is a fad thing to fee our dead gChi
forth of our hands 5 they lifmai
incurioufly and dye without rfucl
gard, and the laft fcene of thetim
life, which fhould be dreffefull
with all fpiritual advantages, iaffil
abufed by flattery and eafie pr( yee
pofitions, and let go with earond
lefncfle and folly. kifi
Ur
liiil
K.IW<af
the Epijile Dedicatory^
il at' My Lord, I have endeavcu-
eeslredto curefome part of the evil
tthe^s well as I could ^ being willing
lloti|to relieve the needs of indigent
'cciapeople in fuch wayes as I can, and
^■rinnherefore have defcribed the du-
theties which every fick man may do
bobalone, and fuch in which he can
V5ailt)e affifted by the Minifter^ and
eir km the more confident that thefe
theimy endeavours wiH be the better
theentertained, becaufe they are the
Jiffc'firft intire body of direftions for
!e niiick and dying people that I re-
mstnernberto have been publifhed
for an the Church of England: In the
td ^hurch of Rome there have been
livimany, but they are drelied with
,t rffuch Dodrines which arc fome-
thetimes ufelefle, fometimes hurt-
eflefull, and their whole dcfigne of
IS, iaffifl-ance which they commonly
pr( yeeld, i^ at the beft impcrfeft,
cart and thereprefentment is too care-
kfle and lodfc for fo Icvere an
Rfe imployinent:
i
*
va
■E*
1
J
U
'Jthe Epijile Dedicatory.
iinploymcnt: So that in this aF the
fair I was alrnoft forced to wall in i
alone, onely that I drew the rules the
and advices from the fountains the
cf Scripture, and the pureft chan for
nels of the Primitive ChurchjaiK ftrc
was helped by fome experiencs Loi
in the cure of fouls. I fhallmeagiv(
fure the fuccefle of my labours and
not bypopulafnoifesorthe fen to51
tencesof curious perfbns, butbjlittl
the advantage which good peohad
pie may receive; my workherikno
is not to pleafe the Ipeculativffide
part of men, but to minifier t(con
praftife, to preach to the w^ary heir
to comfort the fick, to affift theft,
penitent, to reprove the confibou
dent, to ftrengthen weak handrail
and feeble knees, having fcarcffavc
any other poffibilities left me oiLor
doing alms, or exercifing thaiyou
charity by which ' we lhall b(hon
fudged at DoomlHay.lt is enougliten ■
forme to be an underbqilder iiany"
thc^
m
The Epjjile Dedicatory ^
• aP the Houfe of God, and I glory
vail in the imployment^ I labour in
■ulei the foundations, and therefore
cainithe work needs no Apology
han for being plain , fo it be
ijaiKftrong and well kid. But (My
end Lord) as mean as it is, I muft
nea give God thanks for the defires
)urs and the ftrength,and next to him,
fen to you for that opportunity and
3tb]little portion of leifure which f
peo had to do it in 5 for I muft ac-
henknowledge itpublikcly (and be-
afvvifides my prayers, it is all the re-
er ticompence I can make you) my
^ary being quiet I owe to your Inter-
t theft, much of myfupportto your qsalia fe-
onfi bounty, and many other collate-
landirall comforts I derive from your Jlrgu",.
cardfavour and noblenefle. ( My
le oiLord) becaufe I much honour
thaiyou, and becaufe I would do
II bnonour to my felf, I have writ-
ouglten your Name in the entrance of
er iiiBiy' Book, I am fure you will
thCi^ entertain
I'he Epijile Dedicatory^
entertain it becaufe the defigne
related to your Dear Ladyj
and becaufe it may minifter to
your fpirit in the day of vifitatiot
when God ftiall call for you to
receive your reward for youi
charity and your noble piety, bj
which you have not onely en
deared very many perfons, bui
in great degrees have obliged mi
to be
My Nobleft Lord
Tour Lordjhipf moji than\
full and moji humble
fervant
><iy, the table.
IV tc
CHAP. I.
A General freparatien towards a
holj and bleffed death by way of
yoUl conjideration, I.
§1. Conf deration of the vanity and
J en jhortnefe of mans Hfe^ ibid.
, bui § 11. The conf deration reduced to pra-
(3ii(
§ III. Rales andjpiritual arts of leng-
thening oar dayes, and to take off the
ebjeblion of ajhert life, 21.
§ IV, Confideration of the miferks of
mans life, 3J.
§ V. The conf deration reduced to pra-
M CHAP. II.
Jgeneral preparation to'^ards a holy
and bleffed death, by ^ay of exer-
cife, 48.
§ I, Three precepts preparatory to a
holy death to. be prablifed in our whole
life. ibid.
§ II. 0/ daily examination of our abli-
ons in the whole courfe of our health,
*• preparatory to our death bed, y y.
Reafons
-1<'
The tabic.
Reafons for adaily examination, ibid,
The benefits of thu exercife, jp,
§ III. Of exercifing charity during our
Xohole life, 6-j,
§ IV. General conf derations to infarct
the former praSiifes, 71,
The circumfiances of a dying mam
forroVeand danger, 72,
CHAP. III.
Of the temptations incident to the ftatt
of fcknejfe ^ith their proper remi-
dies, 77
§ I» Of the flate of fcknejfe, ibid
§ II. Of Impatience, 81
§ III. Confituent or integral parts «;
patience, 84
§ lY. Remedies againfi impatience h\
reay of conf deration, 87
§ V, Remedies againf impatience h]
^ay of exercije, gt
§ YI. Advantages of fcknefe, 104
Three appendant conf derations, iO;
121,122,
§ VII. Remedies againfi fear of death,
by way of conf deration, 127.
§ Y lll,Remedies againfi fear of death,
by way of exercije. I
§ IX. General Rules and Exercifti
wbereb]
m
The table.
"thereby our ficknejf t may become fafe
andfan£iified, 145.
C H A p. IV.
^ Of theprablife of the graceSy proper to
'am Jie\nejf ? which a fc^man
may praflife alone y 1J 6.
nan ^ pra6life of patience by ^aj
^ of Rule, 156,157.
' § II. ASls of patience by'^ay of pray er
and ejaculation, I67.
A prayer to be faid in the beginning of
a fickne (fe. 175.
An all of rejignation to be faid in all
the evil accidents of hisficknefs 174.
A prayer for the grace of patience 175,
A prayertebe faid at the taking Phy-
, . ^77-
g ^ § III, Of the pra&ife of the grace of
faith in time of ficknejfe, 178.
6 §IV. AUs of faith by Voayef prayer,
and ejaculation to be faid by fick^men
in the dayes of their temptation 1 84.
The fray erf for the grace & firengths
of faith, 18<5,
§ V. Of repentance in the time of fick:^
nejfe, 188.
§\T. Rules for the pralti/e of repent-
rcifti in fickneffe, I PI-
ereb]
bid
59'
' our
flat!
'emt*'
77
ibid
81
■ts C]
84
ice '
{.
ce k
pi
104
I 0;
,122,
leatk
12]
Means
The table,
Means of excitingcantrition^cfr-c. iofi^ il,
§ VII. kiis of repentance by '^ay «j
prayer and ejaculation
208,^ II
The prayerl^for the grace and perfebll
on of repentance 210,
A prayer for pardon of fins to be Jau'
frequently in time of ficknejfe 212,
An aU: of holy refolutien of amend-
went of life in cafe of recovery 214,'
§ YIII. An analyfis or refolutien of tk'^ IV
Decalogucy enumerating the duties'
commanded, and the fins forbiddeis-
in every Commandmentj for the help
ing thefick. man in making his con-
fejfion 21(5,
The fpecial precepts of the Gofpel env,-
merated dp, 227,
§ IX. of thefick^manspraSlife of cha-
rity and juH'ice by '^aj of Rule 2 j i,
S X. hbls of charity by way of prajet
and ejaculation which may alfo k
ufed for thanksgiving in cafe of re-
to very. 201
chap. V,
of vifitation of the fick^ or
§ I. The -afsifiance that is to be dene »
dying perfons by theminifiery of their
Clergy-Guides,
§ II.
The table.
200^ ir. Rules for the manner of viftati'
70/ ensof thefck^ 245,
5o8,i§ III. Of minirtring in the fiemans
eUi. confefsion of fins and Repentance 25 o
iio, J^rguments and exhortations to move
fait' the fick^ man to confefsion of fins ibid,
s 12, Infiruments by way of confideration to
end- aWakeu a carelefs perfon and a fiupid
114,' confcience 255',
tk'% IV. Of minifiring to the reflitution
'ititi and pardon, or reconciliation of the
dden- fick^ perfon by adminiftring the holy
lelp Sacrament 268.
con- § V, 0/ minifiring to the fick^perfon by
Sid the Spiritual man as he is the Phj-
enti- fitian of fouls 282,
'.ij, Confiderations againfl unreafonabh
cha- fearsconcerningforgivenejfe of fins,
t j I, and its uncertainty and danger 283,
ajet An exercife againji dejpair in the day
0 k of our death 293.
"rf. § VI. Confiderations againfl Prefurn-
138, ption 3°^»
§ Vil. offices to be fail by the Jidini-
Jler in his vifitation of the ficl^ god.
te ti The prayer of S. Euftratius the Mar-
heir tyr 310.
142, A prayer taken out of the Greeks £u-
II. chologioMf
The table. j
cholegien,c^c.
IT he order of recomweudation of tlM^S
foul in its agony J1
Prayers to be faid by the furviviiA
friends in behalf of them fetves 3 if
A frayer to be faid in the cafe of a fa&
den death, or frejfing fatall da{
ger 32I^ar
§ Ylll, A peroration concerning the corl^y \
tingencies, and treatings of ourdc
parted friends after death ^ inordh ~
to their wiH and burialL 3 zf
3i| CHAP. I.
general preparation to-
3 2i^ards a holy and blefled Death:
e ar^y way of confideration.
tr dti
ord^
32! SECT. .
'infideration of the vanity, and
JhortneJfeof Mam life.
' Man is a Bubble ( faid the Greek pja.jj
Proverb); which Lucianrepre-
V 'rt* fencs with advantages and its pro- g,
per ckcumftances, to this pur- '
pofc i faying, that all the world
_aftQrm ,and Men rifeiip in their feveral ge-
"prions like bubbles dcfcending ijove'^lw
B, from God, and the dew of Heaven, froca
l^ar and drop, of Man, from Nature and Pra-
dence: and fome of thefe inftantly fink inta
le deluge of their firft parent, and are hidden
pa fliect of Water, having had no other bufi-
iSTe in the world, but to be born that they
(ght be able to die : others float up and
?wn two or three turps, and fnddenly di&p-
6»r and give dieir place to others: and they
1
6hap. I. Generalcmrtderai'ms
that live longeft upon the face of
arc in perpetual motion, reftlelfc and nncaing pr
and being crulhcd with the great drop d jj
«loud fink into flatnefs and a froththe chaninyij
not being great, it being hardly poffiblcg^f^
fhould be more a nothing then it was
So is every man: He is born in vanity and
he comes into the world like morning
rotnes, foon thrufting up their heads into
air and convcrfing with their kinred of I j H j j
fame prodnftion, and as foon they turn
duft and forgetfulnefle 5 fomc of them
out any other intereft in the affairs
worlH,but that they made their parents a %coej,
glad, and very forrowful: others ride lo'^hte
in the florm j it may be until feven yeci|Qygj
Vanity be expired, and then peradventure||tf,o,
Sun fliiiicshot upon their heads and theyWtbe
into the fhades below, into the cover of deaoftt-r
and darkneffe of the grave to hide them, ^eari
if the bubble hands the ftiock of a biiothin
drop, and outlives the chances of a childe,]|g[j,a
eareleffe Nurfe, of drowning in a pail of ^lak
of being overlaid by a fleepy fcrvanr, or W pd
little acc dents, then the young man dji„i^,
like a bubble,empty and gay, and fhines lifn f,^
Doves neck or the image of a rainbow,
hath nofubffance,and whofe very imageryjf
colours are phantaffical 5 and fo he danccifij tj^j
thegayety of his youth, and is all thewfrejni,
in a ftorm, and endures, onely becaufe lil^e
not knocked on the head by a drop of bifc or
rain, or crnfhed by the preffure of a loa^ain,
indigefted rnear. or quenched by the difoie can:
of an ill placed humor : and toprcferveatian gc
sliye in tke niidft of fo many chances | g iij
r
r. preparatory to death. Sed. r. f;.
^^'^oftilicies,is as great a miracle as to create him;
preferve him firomrr fhing into nothing and
'P ®' at firft to draw him up from nothing were e-
^^lually the iffues of an Almighty power. And
I®*'therefore the wife men of the world have con-
°*^'®%endecl who lhallbeft fit mans condition with
'"'^''Jwords fignifying his vanity and fliort abode.
; ™ffemer cals a man a leaf,the fnialleft,theweakeft
intoiwjeceof afhoriliv'd, unfteady plant. Pindar
^*.iallshim dream of a jhadow : Another, the
'f" %eam of the fliadow of fmoak^ But S. James p
^'fcakeby a more excellent Spirit, faying. Our ,
^ is but a vapr'] drawn from the earth by |
:s a liiicceleftial influence J made of fmoak, or thCctV^V.
e '®'%hter parts of water,tofrcd with every winde,
yc'^'fioved by the motion of a fuperiour body,
'turt|^ithout vertue initfelf, lifted up on high, or
theyitfr below, according as icpleafesthe Sun its
'f dc^fttr father. But it is lighter yet. It is but
etn-Rearing. A phantaftic vapor, an apparition, ,
® birthing real; it is not fo much as a mift, not
ilde,ie matter of a fhower, nor fubftantial enough
of make a cloud; but i t is like Caffopeia s chair,
, or l| Ptlops fhoulder, or the circles of Heaven,
in for which you cannot have a word that
nes%n fignify averyer nothing. And yet the ex-
•t, wlkelTion is one degree more made diminutive : y,.
'?''''y|r vap^r, and phantafikal, or a meer appearance,
anceijhd this hut for a little vrhile neither .• the very
the\«|eani,the phantafm difappears in a fmail rime,
ufe ibe jl^adorv that departeth,0T like a tale that if
sf bijjd, or tsadreamrvhenone arvaketh: A man is
a lo»j(vain,fo unfixed/o perifhing a creature, that
edifoie cannot long laft iu thefceneof fancy: a
rveatum goes off and is forgotten like the dream
nce ?.f a difiraflcd perfon. The fumme of all is
hof' B a this
4 Cliap.i. Qenerdcmfidentim ^'^^-'Char
TO - Knfiikatet TOP xiyit, thW.that thou art a mrfn,then whoii j j-
«pSf.!r®- wtoSo- there is notin the world any
Kiu;Swi?si®e^'si/"'f®'5 erinftance of heights and declei,^^^^j^
fioHS, of lights and fhadows,
i)ps/ir\«iMSa)«. fery and folly,of laughter and teari
ofgroans and death. f
And becaufc this confideration is of gre|
itfefulneffeand great neceffity to many
fes of wifdom and the Spirit j all the fucc€fii»||^g
of time, all the changes in nature, all thetujjQC^
rieties of light and darkneffe, the
thoufands of accidents in the world, and
contingency to every man, and to every
ture does preach our funeral fermon, and
HS to look, and fee, how the old Sexton
throws up the earth, and digs a Grave whijju,g|
we muft lay our fins, or our forrows, and ^
our bodies till they rife again in a fair,
^iliilfibiquifgnamde »» intolerable eternity. E% -jj
fiituro debet promit- revolution whicli the fun n'al|® J
tete.idquoq;qiiodte- about the wotld, dividcs betwij-b, '
netur per n^anus exit, jjfg gnd death i and death poff^ '
dit. Volvitur tempus morrow; and we ate dead
mtis horaiDjCarus inci
dit. Volvitur tempu
rata quidem lege, fed thofe moneths which h^^'iputer
per obfeurum ready lived, and we fliall ncverL
Senec.
makes little periods of our age.Fitff we chUj
cur world, when we come from thewonibj ,
feel the warmth of the fun : Then
and enter into the image of death, in
flate we are unconcerned in all the chanp
^Ihave t
the world j and if our Mothers, or cur Ns. ,
die, or a wilde boar deftroy our vineyardit™
our
Thi
King be fick, we regard it not, but, dfc .
that ftate, are as difintereft, as if our ®
''^^■'iChap.r. preparatory to deitth.' Sedi.i. ^
,^^'^fclofed with the clay that weeps in the bowels
the earth. At the end offeven years, onr
^ r"Wth fall and dye before us, reprefenting a
"formal prologue to the Tragedie ; and hill
fcvery feven year it is-oddes but we lhall finifh
r (the laft fcene: and when Nature, or Chance,or
' 2'^*Vice takes our body in pieces,weakening fome
P"JI%3rts, and loofing others, we tafte the grave and
'the folennities of our own Funerals, firft in
thofe parts that miniftred to Vice, and next
theti
houfalj^^jhemthat fcrved (or Ornament', and in a
"^^''iiort time even they that ferved forneceffity
^y^Jjeccme ufeleffe, and intangled like the utmortemcftius
^heels of a broken clock. Baldneffe is but venire credas,
.on jrefling to our funerals, the proper or- Scito jam capitis
° J'!*Banient of mourning, and of a perfon en- P^'fleparttm.
"3. tred very far into the regions and poirtfTioncf
^^'^eath: And we have many more of the fame
'■ ^Signification : Gray hairs, rotten teeth, dim
" ""jye!, trembling joynts, fhort breath, ftiffe
JJiiihbs, wrinkled fkin, fliort memory, decayed
P appetite. Everydayesncceffitycalls for are-
"jparation of that portion which death fed on
3? ''all night when we lay in his lap, and flept in his
• ^Jputer chambersiThe very fpirits of a man prey
^*:y5%pon the daily portion of bread and
. ivery meal is a refcue from one death, and
^ layes up for another ■, and while we think a
^°"fjhought, we die; and the clock ffrikes, and
Ireckons on our portion of Eternity j we form
.'"^ feur words with the breath of ournoftrils, we
■^i^ve the lefie to five upon, for every word we
j^ak.
'^^.^.Thus Nature calls us to meditate of death
.ty thofe things which are the infiruments of
it J and God by all the variety of his
E J
Chap.i. General mftderatim Scft.i.|Qh3
Providence, makes Msfee death every whercj yen
in all variety of circmriftances, and drclfed upj con
for all the fancies,and the expeftation ofeverj| „ex
fingle perfon. Nature hath given us one har|turii
veft every year, but death hath two: and the notl
Spring and the Autumn fend throngs of Mei'; ther
and Women tocharnel houfes; and all the-whit
Summer long men are recovering from thtifioidi
evils of the Spring, till the dogdayes ccmel akii
and then the Syrian ftar makes the funinier|joy
'aidutf'v
deadly j And the fruits of Autumn are laid iip|' he
for all the years provifion, and the man thjif jnto
gathers them eats and furfets, and dies anf The
needs them not, and hinifelf is laid up for this
Eternity; and he that cfcapes till winter, onijf detij
ftayes for another opportunity, which the dii Guh
ftempers of that quarter minilfer to him wi® ken
great variety. Thus death reigns in all the pot| dalh
tionsof ourtime. The Autumn with its fruiti and
pro\^"des diforders for us: and the WintcnPdcni
cold turns them into fharp difeafes, andth|yet
Spriiig brings flowers to ftrew our herfe, anfnpoi
the Summer gives green turfeand brambles tojbe tl
foindeupon our graves. Calentures, and Surfetlcaft
Cold, and Agues, are the four quarters of tin' trad
year, and all miniftcr to Death i and you cai be a
go no whither, but yo« tread upon a deaf'fo at
mans bones. gcaltr
The wilde fellow in Fetronius thit efcap# care;
iqpon a broken table from the furies of aftiip aret
wrack, as he was funning himfelf upon th ihey
rocky Ihore efpied a man rolled upon his float feldt
ing bed of waves,ballaftcdw"" fand in the fold tere
ef his garment, and carried by his civil enem]'- B
the fea towards the fhore to finde a grave; ant piec
it «aft him into feme fad thou|ht8: that peradl A vt
itentBil
A.!.' (Shap.St. frepMoryto de«^. Seft.x.- 7
here, venture this mans wife in fome part of the
edut> Continent, fafe and warme looks ,
r , ' NaviiJationeN Joneas
everj^_ sextmoneth for the good mans re- g, pererratisiittorlbus
harfjturn', or it may be his fon knows alien.?,firosin patriam
d the nothing of the tempeft; or his fa- redicus propommus
"Mei" ther thinks of that affedionate kifs S:ca(iren(i.
II i-u • !• I /I'll ♦ u J nmlaboriamtardama-
11 the'Which ftlll IS warm upon the good nnpreti.,,procuratio-
tntitljold mans cheek ever fiace he rook nes, officiorumq- per
come,I a kinde farewel',and he weeps wi th offici i pr jceffiis, cnm
nimeiljoy to chink how blenedhefliall >ntsi'™adiatus ors
lidulbe when hfe beloved boy returns qu'^m''cog"tatur"n"i
n thai, into the circle of his Fathers arras. .,iienj, fubindc nobis
;s ani Thefe are the thoughts of raortais, ingeranmr ortaiita-
rp foi this is the end and fura of all their cxsnf.pla, nondiu-
■, onljl- detignes: a dark night, and an ill Senec'"™"
:he di|' Guide, a boyftcrous lea, and a bro-
n witi ken Cable, a hard rock, and a rough winde
le pot| dalh'd in pieces the fortune of a whole family,
s fruitii and they that lhall weep loudeft for the acci-
fintcil dent, are not yet entred into the florm, and
indthiiiyet have fuffered fhipwrack. Then looking
anJf!upon the carkafle, he knew it, and found it t*
bles ti^bc the Mafter of the fhip, who the day before
Sutfeilcaft up the accounts of his patrimony and his
of rill Wade, and named the day, when he thought t«
ou cai be at home; fee how the man fwims who was
a deal] fo angry two dayesfince ; his paffionsare be-
calm'd with the Iforra, his accounts caft up, his
ifcaptil cares at an end, his voyage done, and his gains
aftiip ,aretheftrangc events of death, which whither
xm tti they be good or evil, the men that are alive,
is float feldom trouble themfclves concerning the in-
lefold tereflofthedead.
eneffi • But feas alone do laot break our velfel la
re ', am ■ pieces; Every where we may be fhipwracked.
iperai A valiant General when he is to reap the har-
Kent®! 1 B 4
8 Chip.T. General confiieTit^^s Sefti, C?!S
veft of his crowns and trmmphs, fights unpro.
fpcrou%, or falls into a Feaverwith joy and
wincj and changes his Lawrel into Cyprcfie,
his triumphal chariot to an Hearfe j dyinj
»he night before he was appointed toperilhii l™P'
the drunkenneflc of his feftival joyes. Itwai
a fad arrefl: of the loofenefles and wilder feafti ■
of the French CoBrt,when their King[ Henrj 2. p""?'
was killed really by the fportire image ofir j
fight. And many brides have died under th i""^
hands of Paranymphs and Maiderrs drefiinj I®, "■
them foruneafy joy, the new and undifcernci
«hains of Marriage •" according to the fayinj 5®^ .f
of Benfnah the wife Jew, ' the Bride went m ^ j
'•her chamber, and kpew not whatffmid befallk
'there. Some have been paying their vom
and giving thanks for a profperous return k . '
their own houfe, and the roof hath defcendei
into I
upon their heads, and turned their loud religi ™
0n i nco the deeper filcnce of a grave: And hoj '!
many teeming Mothers have rejoyced ovei. ^ '
their fweiling wombs, and picafed themfelve
in becoming the chanels of blefTing to a fami
lie} and the Midwife hath quickly bomi'^^P
their heads and feet, and carrid
omncs them forth to burial ? Or elfe tlii r
Cemitum dare force fub birth day of an Heir hath feen tli^"r M
. Coffin of the Father brought intiJf",
So^^nataq; funera no- divided Mothef^d^
Alianainmortedolere. hath been forced to travel twictf.
Prud.hymn.excqniis with a painful birth, and a fadde P®" ®
dafunflor. death. i^o out
There is no ftate, no accident no circnti' P'"'^
ftance of our life, but it hath been fowred b) . J:'
fome fad inftancc of a dying friend : a friendlj
Meeting often ends in fome fad mifchance, and ® the
, Cfiap .r. preparattrjf ts (featb. Seft.i;
inpfj. makes an eternal parti ng: and when the Poet
y Efcbplus was fitting under the walls of his
prjflj [houfe, an eagle hovering over his bald head.
dyitj
rilhir
miftook it for a ftone, and let fall his oyfler,
hoping there to break the fticll, but pierced
i the poor mans fkull.
Death meets us every where, and is pr®-
2, Icnred by every inftrument, and in all chances,
g Qf'l land enters in at many doors: by violence,
gr jIji 'and fecret influence, by the afpeft of a ftar,
refiini 1®"'^ emiflions of a
.efi,(|fcloud, and the meeting of a vapor, by the fall
fayini 1®^® chariot, and the ftumbling at a ftone, by
afullmeal,oranemptyftomach, by watching
fallk 3tthewine, or by watching at prayers, by the
Sun or the Moon, by a Iteat or a cold, by fleep-
;urn tt ®'" keeping dayes, by water frozen "n'
endet i'"'® hardneffe, and ftiarpnefie of a dagger, eft fi ju-
relisi I®'' thawd into the floods of a river ; by a gulatii a-
jL }hair,oraraifin, by violent motion, cr fitting 1"^'.
J ftill, by feverity,or diflblution,by Gods mercy,
nfelvei anger, by every thing in providence,
r faint ?"c's^cry thing in manners, by every thing in
bonni f and every thing in chance. mortalibu,
■arriei manetres, we take sevum
ifeth'^®'"® "P things ufeful to N'ec nafcil-i^pofteda-
.g„(l,*]Durlifc, and get our death in the f"g'r bora, ra-
It intJpf ®hafe; and theperfon is fnatch •
doth(t*®®^®y' remain (.cum ferre fub um-
j^jjj-and all this is the law and conftitu* bras
r-jj .Jionof nature, it is a punifhment si qua .animo placaere
fo our fins, the unalterable event it ft 1 is>
ircntst*^ providence, and the decree of i. • . ■
J u heaven. The chains that confine us to this
ienjilfonditioB areftrongas deftiny and immutable
.J K tire eternal laws of God.
maka E5 I ^
Chap.i^ Qenerdlcmftderif^ons
I have converfed with fome men whot(,;ppjj
joyced in the death or calamity othajfcoj
and accounted it as a judgement upon theij^u^
for being on the other fide, and againfi:
1h the contention j but within the
of a few moneths the fame man met withjpp,
more uneafy and unhandfom death : whijfgpj
» va <1. ~ !■• • • when I faw,I wept,and was afrai4^„'j
. t ''C for I knew that itmnft be fo„*""'^
lor i Knew tiiiit iLuiuu uc io\ri.u^ -
J, the^
J ..r.lc
=. rr and end our quarrels and cont(*„ -
t.ti 'KHTshmH.Il.x. tiopsby paffingtoafinaIfenten(^gj.p
_Jiian,
and (
SECT. II. -
unct
ninig
The Confideration reduced to ' 4b wi
pra Slice. Hl'ey
with
I
T will be very material to our beft and ife.
blcft purpofes, if we reprefent this fctff
of change andforrowa little moredrefied
in Crcutnftances, for fo we Ihall be more
withe
^h
i|i°
|3e
one
ent
'4>iftui
to praftice thofe Rules, the doftrine of whitf
- ..u:,.. * T-unJCnc
is confequenc to this confideration. * Itiij
mighty change that is made by the dcadir'^'p
every perfon, and it is vifible to us who artL''"'^'
live. Reckon but from the rpritefulneflcj^®'''
youth, and the fair cheeks and full eyes
chifdehood, from the vigoroufncfle.and ftro
flexure of the joy nts of five and twenty, to i
toollownefle and dead palene!^, to the
fomneffe and horrour of a three dayes buri».'? .
and we fhall perceive thedifiancetobevcv''®
gaat, and very Arange. But fo have I feef
i/e.
ace I
nd 1
and I
an
M
prep^atory to death. Sefl. 2 ; I f
^°"; Rofe newly fpringing from the clefts of its
"^"^ood, and at firlf it was fair as the Morning,
full with the dew of Heaven, as a Lambs
, .'^eece; but when a ruder breath had forced
^ %pen its virgin modefty, and difmantled its
**''fj'|too youthful and unripe retirements, it began "
put on darkneife,and to decline to foftncfle,
'""fend the fymptomes of a fickly age j it bowed
J ^%he head, and broke its ftalk, and at nighc
having loft fortie of its leaves, and all its beau-
onttp^y, jj fgjj portion of weeds and out-
'"^^"Hvctn faces: The fame is the portion of every
^nian,and every woman j the heritage ofworms
and ferpents, rottennefle and cold dilhonour,
and our beauty fo changed that our acquain-
tance quickly knew us not, and that change
mingled with fo much horrcur, or elfe meets
9 fo with our fears and weak difcourfings? that
they who fix hours ago tended upon us, either
with charitable or ambitious fervices cannot
i^jj^without fonie regret ftay in the room alone
s ftripped of its life and
jj-gj^onour. I have read of a fair young Germaa
^^^i'|GentIeman, who living, often refufed to be
• ^[j'liiftured, hut put oft'the importunity of his
■ l^y giving way that after a few
l^^^ldayes burial they might fend a painter to his
jjvault, and if they fawcaufe for it, Ancepsform.i bonum
fl- iraw the image of his death unto the , ";»"aiibus.
Sr- They did fo, ami found his ^
his midnfie Utfulgor teneris qui
■ torf'"'^ hone full of ferpents, radi.=tget;is
'i-,.and fo he ftands piftiffed among Momento rapitiir;niiJi!
Kiiri h's armed Anceftours. So does the p '"'q ■, non Jies
Duri'r . A.t f For.) ofi ipolium cQf.
Devel®"^^"heamy change, and it will ponsabPslic,
feel' had with you and me j and senec..
B 4 then
then, what fervants ftiall we have to wait upoa tei
us in the grave, what friends to vific us, whsi far
©fficious people to cleanfe away the moift ani cei
unwholfom cloud refleded upon our facti de
from the fides of the weeping vaults,which art plr
«he longeft weepers for our funeral. an:
This difcourfe will be ufeful, if we confida ft;
and praftife by the following Rules and CoS' ha
fiderations refpetiivly. lay
I. All the Rich, and all the Covetous tnei tht
m the world will perceive, and allthewotli is;
will perceive for them, that it is but an ill re the
fonoere coiupence fot all their cares, that b]' cie
suter,pofficie, re' this time all that fhall be left will bt Go,
Jiaguendumeft. this, that the Neighbours fhall fay 1* tht
Martial died a rich man:and yet his wealth will' to
not profit him in the grave, buthugelj an<
fwell the fad accounts of Doonifday; ■ ful
i^nnos omnes And he that kills the Lords peopl( wa
prode'g ^tutexeo with unjuft or ambitious wars for ar mi
annus unus nu- unrewarding intereft, fhall have tlif' aii:
merctur, & per threw awav all tllf of
sKilIc indigmta- , r i . i-r t.
tes l.ibnravit in dayes of r»5 lite, that one yet we
skuluaifcpulchri might be reckoned with his Naitt eui
ienee, and computed by his reign, orco» cro
fulftip i and many men by great hi' iti
Jam eernm prres bors and aflronts,many indignities ana cer
tendas alii poffis crimes labour onely for a pompous £1 wh
dent, & ndcio ue pjtaph^ gnd a loud title upon thef wo
Qerfont"" Marble j whileft thofe into whofe por «ar
-.Me vettrum feffions their heirs,orkinred are entrei ' C
frequens arc forgotten, and lye unregarded« 'h;
Memphis Pyta- their alliesj and without concernmei 'tli
wrweift relation, as the turf upon the face of *hi
laiachryma their grave. A Kian may read a fci 'L
gleria, Bion, the beft and moft paffionate tb 'ft
«v«r nacn preached,- if he &ali but et
Chap. T. frefrnmpo death. Se ^.2.
upon ter into the fepulchres of Kings. In the projeaa ja,
what fame Efcurial where the SpanifhPrin- cetitiuni,palsi„,
fanj ceslive in greatnefle and power, and Perpopuios Bu-
face decree war or peace, they have wifely Quintium
:haic placed a ccemeterie where their allies jocuriaaatTci'
and their glories fhall deep till time neres' & proce-
ifidei fhall be no more: and where our Kings rum rogi
CoB' have been crowned, their Anceftours
lay interred, and theymuft walkover " '
i niei their Grandfires head to take his crown. There
worlt is an acre fown with royal feed, the copy of
ill re the greateft change, from rich to naked, from
rat b] cieled roofs to arched coffins, from living like
ill bt Gods to dye like Men. There is enough to coo!
ay bf the flames of liid,to abate the heights of pride,
:h will to appeafe the itch of covetous defires,to fuhy
lugel) and dafli out the dillembling colours of a luft-
fday; • ful,artificial,and imaginary beauty .There the
leoplf warlike and the peaceful,the fortunate and the
for at mirerable,the beloved arid the defpifcd Princes
e tbi' mingle their duff, and pay down their fymbol
.11 tin of Mortality, and tell all the world, that when
yei we die, our alhes fhall be equal to Kings, and
Maine, our accounts eafier, and our pains or our
rcoi' crowns fhall be lelTe. ^Toray apprehenfion
eat laij it is a fad record which is left by Athendus con-
esani cerning Ninns the great Afiyrian Monarch,
3US tl whofc life and death is fummed up in thcfe
1 the! words:'>77n«t the Affyrian had anOcean of gold,
fepor 'and other riches more then the fand in the
;ntre< ' Cafpian fea : he never faw the ftars, and per-
ledi 'hapshe never defired it j he never ftirred up
nmei 'the holy fire among the nor touched
Face 0? 'his God with the facred rod according to the
1 a fa ' Laws i he never offered facrifice, nor wor-
ce tb ' Ihipped the Deity,ii9r adBHniftrcd jBftice,nor
mt ct fpakc
.14
Chap .r. Seneful mftdertttmi Sefti
' fpake to his people, nor numbred them ; but
' he was moft valiaHC to eat and drink, and
'having mingled^his wineshe threw the reft
'upon the ftones: This man is dead Behold
'his Sepulchre, and now hear where Nims is,
' Some times I was A?'/nHf,and drew the breath
'of a living man, but now am nothing but
' clay. I have nothing, but what I did eat, and
' what I ferved to my felf in luft [that was and
'is all my portions J the wealth with whichi
' was [efleemed] blefled, my enemies meet.
' ing together fhall bear away, as the mad Thy-
' ides carry a raw Goat. I am gone to Hell, and
'when I went thither, I neither carried Gold,
'norHorfe, norfilver Chariot. I that wore a
' Miter,am now a little heap of dufl. * I know
- J- - -n: notanything that can better repre-'
lent the evil conditi on of a wicked ^
man, or a changing greatnefle.
From the greateft fecular dignity
to duft, and alhes, his nature bears
himand from thence to Hell his
fins carry him, and there he fhalb
be for ever under the dominion of;
chains and devils, wrath, and an intollerab/ei
calamity. This is the reward of an unfanftifiedl.
condition,and a greatnefle ill gotten, or illad-f
miniftred.
>n <n/M. 2. Let no man extend his thoughts, or let^
his hopes ■Winder towards future and far diftanl
(tit, events and accidental contingencies. This day
•^e^'u'iis mine and yours, hut ye know not what Jballk
*Uii en the morrow: and every morning creeps out
©f a dark cloud, leaving behinde it an igno-
ranee andfilence deep as midnight and un-
di&erHcd as are the phantafras that make a
Chiy
(U ovvetysty^s
rti I'
n , ii; fJuS'
Tit T?».
Menand.
efli Chaprr; pe^muryta death. Scft.s. j$
jbui ChryfoBiechildetofmile: fo thatwe ^uid fit futurum
, and cannot difcern what comes hereafter, t«ge gux-
■ reft unlefle we had a light from Heaven, i/qVmfor d"
hold brighter then the vifion of an Angel, erum
lar is, even the Spirit of Prophefie. Without Ctmq; datit,
reath revelation we cannnot tell whether we appone.
r but Ibal eat to morrow,or whether a Squin- Herat,
' and zy fhall choak us .* and it is written intheun-
s and revealed folds of Divine Predeftination, that
lich I many who are this day alive, lhall to morrow
leet. be laid upon the cold earth, and the women
Thy. fhall weep over their fhrowd, and drefle them
, and for their funeral. 5. /d»nerinhis Epiftlc notes
jcld, the folly of fome men his contemporaries, who
area were fo impatient of the event of tomorrow,
enow or the accidents of next year, or the good or
epre-r evils ofoIdage,that they would confnk Aftro-
eked'; logers and witches. Oracles and Devils what
lefle. fbould befall them rhe next Calends? what
gnity fliould be the event of fuch a voyage, what
bears f^od had written in his book concerning the
11 his fuccelTe of battels, the Eleftion of Emperors,
fhalb the Heir of families, the price of Merchan-
m of, t^ifci the return of the Tyrian fleet, the rate of
table,. Sidonian Carpets, and as they were taught by
rifiedjt the crafty and lying Da mons, fo they would
llad'l cxpeft the ilTue; and oftentimes by dilpofing
1 their affairs in order toward fuch events, really
orlei^ did produce fome litle accidents according to
ftanl their expectationand that made themtruft
s day the Oracles in greater things,and in all. Againft
all be this, he oppof«his Counfel, that we fhould
IS out not fearch after forbidden records, much lefle
gno- by uncertain fignificacions: for whatfoever is
un- difpofed to happen by the orderof natural cau-
ike a fias, or civil counfcls may be refckided by a pe*
Ihry* en-
i€ CJiap.t. General mftderaiim Sefl.j,
Ncc Eabylonios tenwnsnume- culiardccrce of providence!
ros or be prevented by the!
Vt meliusqnic<iuU erit, pati of (.^0 jncerefted per. , „ "
sir feir hSpJ !£
Inccrtam fruttra Mortales funw are full 5 and their cauies
ris horara conjoyned, and the woikf)j„|j
Qiixritis & qua fit mors adieu- brought forward, and the, p.i,
pocnrmino?certamrubitop«- '^^"^f iwhi:
ferre ruinam, and the firft fruits offered,I-
tuodtimeas gravius fufiinus andready to be eaten,event
iilediu. then if they put forth theitf ./Van,
caiul. eleg.i.ip. ba„^ jq an event that ffands ,^^0
but at the door, at that door their body may! j„g,
be carried forth to burial, before the expeda- ijjyjg
tion (hall enter into fruition. When
di the Widow of Albert Earl of Eberlbtrg had. bire
feafted the Emperour Henry III. and petiti- viflo
oned i n behalf of her Neph ew Welpho for fortie| jj, oi
lands formerly polfelled by the Earl her Huf-| jvjjn
band 5 juft as the Emperour held out his handj ajfo
to fignifre his confenr, the chamber-floor fud- bujf,
denly fell under them, and Rkhilda falling up-j.^jr'
on the edge of a bathing veffcl, was bruifed| jers'
to death, and ffaycd not to fee her Nephew.' jji^g
fleep in thofe lands which the Emperour wai|^rj{
mitrimus and placed at the door|'};aj^
dumin- of reftitution. bold
certa pes 3- As ourodfw muu be confined, fo mulll jjpf,
tinwjatq; our deftgtjes ■, let us not projeft long defignes i (ufj,
r pints, and diggings fo deep that the in- .(bat
We" cq; trigues of a defigne iball never be unfolded,
in«toIorf>till our Grand children have forgotten oHrjqyb,'
Bcmors vertues or our vices. The work of our foul is bed
sbrepat cut fhort,ficile, fweet and plain, and fitted
Wu™' 1™^" portions of our fhortcr life: and as <^be
Pftadi we Hieft not erouble ear inquiry, fo neither
Hiuftj
Chap.r, preparamy te death. Scft.2. s7
^^""1, muft we intricate our labour and purpofes
y with what we fhall never enjoy. 1 his rule does
J not forbid- us to plant Orchards whiclr fhall
"°P®f;feed our Nephews with their fruit j for by
caiifcs ifiich provifions they do foniething towards an
iiiiiaginary immortality, and do charity to their
jRelatives : But fuch projefts are reproved
'tveft)'jyjifjich (lifcompofe our prefent duty by long
[eredij-jnd future defignesj fuch which by calling
i,evenf'eur labours to events at di- ,,, .. . ,
rhfirt'/v i i jr oaid brevi fortes lacuIsiuBr
'•"e"Mtance, make us leffe to re- p
Itands member our death ftand- jam te premet nox, FabuUaj
(T may,-jng at the door. It is fit for Manes
)edfa- >j [yia„ jq ^ oc ] j jjts dayes doir .us exilis Plutonia,
l7c/;i/-|<^ages,or to cbnrrive for the Korat.
g had-|iire of a vretk, or to lay a train to makepro'
letiti- vifloBifor fuch a time as is within our eye, and
fomt m our duty, and within theufual periods of
Huh Mans life, forwhatfoeverismadenecelfary, is
hand' alfo made prudent j but while we plot, and
r fud- taify (juj. fdves in the toils of an ambitious
g "P' war, or the levies of a great eftate, Night en-
uifed ters in upon us, and tells all the world, how
phew jiide fools we lived, and how deceived and mi-
ir was Jerably we dyed. Seneca tells of Senecio Corne- Epift.f b1
"OOffiiHj, a man crafty in getting, and tenacious in
I liolding a great eftate, and one who was as di-
I multl Jigent in the care of his body,as of his money,
;nesi tufious of his health, as of his pofleffions j
'°"g attended upon his fick and
rldedl dying friend; but when he went away was
' 0®'quickly comforted, fupped merrily, went to
Dul 'Sfbed cheerfully, and on a fudden being furpri-
ed toj Ted by a Squinzy, fcarce drew his breath until
ndasptbe Morning, but by that time dyed, being
•I'"® foatched from the torrcat of his fortune, and
mufti. tvjc
|8 Chip.i. Gemdcenfi'dtmttm SeH.i,^ Cha
the fwelling tide of wealth, and a likely hopt this
bigger then the neceffities of ten men. Thii *^'"1
accident was ninch noted then in Rome, k-
caufe it happened info great a fortune, andii
themidftof wealthy defignesj and prefentlj
it made wife men to confider, how imprudeni ' thot
apcrfon he is, who difpofes of ten years to iheca
come, when he is not Lord of to morrow. rJ
4. Though we muft not look fo far oft", anJ pnov
exfutu™ abroad, yet we niuft be buifie ncer ai
fufpendt- hand; we muft with all arts of the Spiritfeizt,!* ter
tur.cui upon the prefent, becaufc it palfes from «j5''P!
irricutn while We fpeak, and becaufe in it all owp}'"
certainty does confift. We muft take our to
Senec. s as out of a torrent and fuddeii fhowttji^"''
which will quickly ceafc dropping from above,^^"''
and quickly ceafe running in our chanels
below; Thisinftant will never return again.^^«
and yet it maybe thisinftant will declare, a
fecure the fortune of a whole eternity. Th 1?"°
old Greeks and Romans taught us the prU'"^."'
dence of this rule: but Chriftianity teaches li
the Religion of it. They fo feized upon tit
JEtaoe prefent that they would lofc nothing of tk
ftuero, dayes pleafure. Let ut ett and drink, for tomt'f,'
r»f«fu- i that was their '
git.senec and ac their folenin feafts they would talk ol jV""?
death to heighten the prefent drinking, ant
that they might warm their veins with a fullif
chalice, as knowing the drink that was pourcf,
upon their graves would he cold and withoiij ^
Mattial. telifti. Brei^ the beds, drink your reine, cro^^^y '
11. epig. your heads with rofes, and befmear your curln '
59' locks with Hard; for God bids you to rememh ,
death fo the Epigrammatift fpeaks the tenceii.
sheir drunken principles. Something towari
tlii-
Chap.'r, preparmry te death. Sefl'.a. i#
[joCT this fignification is that of 5(/off!SB, 7i!iere w n;-
jl^ij thing better for a man thenthat he fioud eat and
bf. I drin\ ,and that he jhould makf hit [out etijoy gond in dup. u
ndi, ybh labour jfor that is his pcrtm^forwhnjhall bring n-.
:ntli ihimto fee that which jhallbe after him ? But al-
|thoughheconcludesall thistobeTanity, yet
rs to [bccaufeicwas the bcftthlng ♦ Airiic:dumvivimus,vivaT;U«.
_ Ithat was then commonly x/ja
^ a^jjtnown * tliat thcyfliould c5u'«««
er ai *ftizeupon the prefentwith •a.&sj-
(■gi2,,ia temperate ufe of permit-
m I* kdpieafures,! had reafon to Hoc cciaiu faciantubi dilcubs*-
I ovH that Chriftianity taught ere.terentg;
,-„a -|UStOturn this into religi- Poclafip homfnes, Sriniiio.
Ho, te .h„ bv.p,o.
bovel?"t ® conltant hohnefs froftu, homillis,
i hct! futures the prefent, and Jamfueritneq poftunquatnrt-
j.jji),(>iiakes it ufeful to his no- vocarelicebic
a f 'fh purpofes, he turns his i-ucret. lib. j.
_ •pl„|condition into his beft advantage, by making
' nru.'h'S unavoidable fate become his neceffary re-
hesffi hgion.
rntbt To the purpofe of this rule is that coIIcA
jj,,. of Tufcan hieroglyphics whifh we have from
'.0 «■ Simeon. 'Our life isvery (hort, beauty
iphy'is a cofenage, money is falfe and fugitive,
alk (T^'upirs is odious,and hated by them that have
, * it not, and uneafy to them that have, viiSory
fjilH-'is alwayes uncertain, and peace moflcona-
our^'juonly isbuta fraudulent bargain; old age
ithoiE * h miferable,dcath is the period,and is a hap-
one if it be not fowred by the fins of
' nut life: but nothing continues but the ef-
lemfe 'hat wifdom which imployes the pre-
nceK t'uie in the affs of a holy religion, and
*^I'^^®®U®®<'nlcience .* for rfaeymakeusto
tlii '■ liv?
$0 Chap.r^ General mpdertiims Scfl.s,
live even beyond our funerals, embalmed in
the fpices and odours of a good name, and en-
tombed in the grave of the Holy Jcfus whets
we ftiall be dreffed for a bleffed refurreftion to
the ftate of Angels and beatified Spirits.
5. Since we ftay not here, being people
butofa dayes abode, and our age is like that
of a flie, and contemporary with a gourd, we
niufl look fonie where elfe for an abiding citji
a place in another countrey rofixourhoufe
in, whofe walls and foundation is God, where
wemuftfindereftjorelfe be reflleffefor ever,
For whatfoever eafc we
^israpiensbono hayg qj- fancy here it
Confidat fragiii; <3am ^ Ihortly to be changed into
Tempwled ftdneffe, or tedioufncfle;
fubruit J hora it goes away too foon like
Stmpor przserita deterior the periods of our life j Ot
'"''u- , ftayes too long, like the
jpp©U forrows of a fmner : iti
«3wn wearineffe or a contrary difturbance is
its load j or it is eafed by its revolution into
vanity & forgctfulnefs; and where ei ther there
is forrow or an end of joy,therc can be no true
felieitytwhich becaufe it mnft be had by fonie
inftrument,and in fome period of our duratior,
we muftcarry up our affections to themanh-
ens prepared for us above, where eternity if
the meafure, felicity is their ftate, Angels are
the Company, the Lamb is the light, and Goi
is the portion, and inheritance.
SE6X
ca.5, Cliap.i,
ed in
id en-
where
ion to
prepitratery to death.
SECT. III.
Sefl.j. al
Rules and Spritml ans of lengthening
J '^'1 ourdajes^ and to take off the objellioit
»citji of a Jhort life,
houfe
where t accounts of a mans life we do not
J reckon that portion of daycs in which wc
arefhutupin theprifon of thewomb : wetell
our years from the day of our birth: and the
, '5® fame reafon that makes our reckning to ftay fo
" j!'' long, fayes alfo that then it begins too foon.
on iiH For then wc are beholding to others to make
tlie account for us: for we know not of a long
, time, whether wc be alive or no, having but
■ • '? feme little approaches and fyniptoms of a life,
ince li -po and deep, and move a little, and im-
)n into perfeftiy^ is the ftate of an unborn childe;
rthert 3,,^ no more for a
10 trut good while; and what is it that fliall make
y icjnit jjjfo JO be efteemed to live the life of a man ?
iratiM, jojj (P jj U that account begin ? For we
manli- fhould be loath to have the accounts of our
nity li age taken by the meafures of a beaft •• and
els ® fools and diftrafted perfons are reckoned as
id Gw civilly dead i they are no parts of the Com-
tnon-wealth, not fubjeft to laws, butlecured
by them in Charity, and kept from violence as
a man keeps his Ok ; and a third pirt of our
EG" i life isfpent, before we enter into a higher
®fder, into the ftate of amau.
a. Neither
Chap.J. 9enerd mfderatim
2. Neither muft we think, that the life oft
Man begins when he can feerfhimfelf or wall
alone, when he can fight, or beget his likejfoi
fohe IS contemporary with acainel, or a cow;.
but he isfirft a man when he comes to a cer.
tain, fteddy ufe of reafon,according to his pro.
portion, and when that is,all the world of met
cannot tell precifely. Some are called at age,i\
fobrteen,fome at one and twenty, fome never;
but alimen.lace enough", for the life of a man'
comes upon him fowly and infenfibly. Butas'
when the Sun approaches towards the gates of.
the morning, he firfl opens a little eye
of Heaven, and fends away the fpirirs nfdark-
iiefle,and gives light to a cock,and calls up the,
lark to Mattins, and by and by gilds the
fringes of a cloud and peeps over the Eaflera
hilb, thrufling out his golden horns, like thofe
which decked the hr"owes of Mofes whcnhe
was forced to wear a vail, becaufe himfelf had
feen the face of God ^ and ftill while a mat
tells the ftory, the fun gets up higher, till ht
fliowes a fair face and a foil ligh", and then he
ftines one whole day, under a cloud often, and
fometimes weeping great and litt'e fliowffi,
and fees quickly : fo is a mans reafon and hii
life. He firft begins to perceive himfelf to fee
or taffe , making link reflexions upon hi:
aXions of fetife, and can difcourfe of flicf
and dogs, fiieJls and play, horfes and liberty!,
but when be is ftrong enough to enter into art!
and little inffiturions. he is at firff entertained
with trifles and'impt rt'nent rhfogs, nor be-
caufe he needs them, bur becaufe his undet
ftanding is no bigger j and little images of
things are laid before him, like a cock-boat te '
a wfealt;
&hi\
awl
man
goui
ache
foil
but
bcfc
callt
foul,
cefla
tine
caye
tob
man
, 3
new
tliei
ten I
of V
and
the I
And
whi(
mar
bon
fcip
by t
to a
conl
tod
app,
man
is a]
firif
goo
Icav
lit
0iap.r. peparatory to deith. Seft.3.
feofi' 3 whale onely to play withall: but before a
^j|j man comes to he wife he is half dead with
g.fj, gouts andconfumptions, with Catarrhes and
aches, with fore eyes, and a worn out body;
J ggfl fo that if we muft not reckon the life of a man
jj pfj, but by the accounts of his reafon, he is long
before his foul be drefled 5 and he is not to be
J, called a man without a wife and an adorned
lever j foul, afoulatleaftftirnilhed with what is ne-
a mail oelfary towards his well being; but by that
Butai t'o'ohis foul isthusfurniflied, his body is de-
itcsof then you can hardly reckon hins
g to be alive, when his body is poffeffed by fo
darli- "isoy degrees of death,
up the . ? ^'^ore is yet another arreft. At firft
Is the ''0 wants ftrength of body, and then he wants
aflera the ufe of reafon", and when that is come, it is
•thofe ten to one, but he hops by the impediments
icnhe ®tid wants the ftrengths of thefpirit ■,
If haJ '"t* know that Body and Soul and Spirit are
a mai theconflituent parts of every Chriftian man.
•ill he "°w let us conlider, what that thing is,
ienhe *thlch we call year/o/dryiretion? The young
„ man is palfed hk Tutors, and arrived at the
Dwefii 'bondage of acaytivefpiric", he is run from di-
ndhii foiphnc, andis let loofe topafhon; the rr.aa
tof« Myth's, time hath wir enough tochufc his vice,
on tiji 'tis lufi, to court his Miftreffe, to talk
f fjjji confidently, and ignorantly, and perpetually,
lertyi. todefpife his betters, ro deny nothing to his
-o art!' appetite,to do things,thac when he is indeed a
•aincl - ft^themuflforcvcr lieafhamedof i for this
It he- t't<^ difcrerion that moft men fhow in the
indet- of their M/nhood they can difccra
ICS of from evil •, and ihey rrovetheirIkd! by
oatt« ■ ^swing all that is good, and wallowing in the
whale ■ evils
Ck
evils of folly, and an unbridled appetite. And fee j
by this time, the young man hath contrafted jhe
vitious habits, and is a bcaftin manners, and jj^,
therefore it will not be fitting to reckon tilt jjjn
beginning of his life; he is a fool in his un- trif!
derftanding, andthatisafaddeathjandheii j
dead in trefpalfes and fins,and that is a fadder; thei
fo that he hath no life but a natural, the life of alfo
abeaftor a tree; in all other capacities heii jjfe,
deadj he neither hath the intelleftual, noii i
the fpititual life, neither the life of a man, na bacl
of a Chriftian j and this fad truth lafts toe intc
long. For old age feizes upon nioft men whik trjfl
they ftill retain the minds of boyes and vitioiii whl<
youth, doing aftions from principles of greai /tjan
' folly, and a mighty ignorance, admiring thinp the L
ufelelTcandhurtfuIl, and filling up all the di ther(
menfioBs of their abode with bufinefles of own
empty affairs, being at leafure to attend no Jnft,
rertue: they cannot pray, becaufe they art ofS:
bufie, and becaufe they are paffionate: thcj are d
cannot communicate becaufe they havequar- die i
rels and intrigues of perplexed caufes, com- Iwd
plicated hoftilities, and things of the world) poifc
and therefore they cannot attend to the things ,ti]ltl
of God,little confidiring,that they muft findi ■rcovei
time to die in; when death comes,they mull ,as gc
be at leifure for that.Such men are like Sailers and t
loofingfrom a port, and toft imnicdiatly witis ita!, a
a perpetual tempeft lading till their cordagei^hyfi
•rack,and either they fiflk,or return back again ,^wes
to the fame placerthey did not make a voyagfi une
though they were long at fea. The bufinOTfprinc
and impertinent aftairs of moft men, fteal all .bflice
their time, and they are reftlelfe in a foolifttthtm
motion y but this is not theprogrefs of « man; rich i
licjbaths
chap.'. freparattryu death. SeA.3. as
And he isnofurtheradvanc'dia Bis jam conful trigefimut
afted ihj courfe of a life: though infiat
, and he rccHon many years: for Et numerat pauces vise
•a At ftiil his foul ischildilh,and tm vita dies.
isun. trifling like an untaught boy.
Iheii If the parts of this fad comp'alnt finde
dder; their remedy, we have by the fame iuArunicnts
lifeo! alfo cured the evils and the vanity of a fhort
heii life. Therefore»
1, tiof I. Be infinitely curldDs you doe not fee
n, nc! back your life in the accounts of God by the
:s toe intermingling of criminal aftions, or the con-
while trading vitious habits. There are fomevices
itioui which carry a fword in their hand and cur a
gtai man oft before his time. There is a fmrd ef
ehinp the Lord, and there is a fword of a Matt', and
le di- there is a fword of the Devil. Every vice of our
fles ol own managing in the matter of carnality, of
id no Jnft, or rage, ambition or revenge is a fword
eyare of Sathan put into the hands of a man: Thcfe
thej are the deftroying Angels, fin is the Apollyon,
quar- the deftroyer thar is gone out, not from the
com. 'Lord, but from the fempttr •, and we hug the
■orld) :poifon, and twift wilhngly with the vipers,
thing! jtillthey bring us into the Regions of an irre-
finda-coverableforrow. We ufe to reckon perfons
f mull ,as good as dead if they have loft their limbs
iaileri and their teeth, and are confined toan Hofpi-
f will! ital, and cotivcrfe wi th none but Surgeons and
irdagt:;fhyficians, Mourners and Divines, thofe poUin-
agaisi^ore/, the Drelfers of bodies and fouls to
!ya?fi:?''^"ural: But it is worfe when the foul, the
finOTtPtinciple of life is imployed wholly in the
;al alldjflices of death : and that man was wcr.e
'ocliftjj'fit" dead of whom Seneca tells, that being a
luani iich fool, when he was lifted up from the
k! and fet into a foft couch, afked his llavcs
C M
96 Chap.i. Semdconfideratms Seft.j, cf]j
An ego]mfedeel Do I now fit.The beaft was fo fx p
drownd in fenfuality and the death of his foul, ]
that whether he did fit or no, he was to be- tod
lie*e another. Idlenefle and every vice isas jnd
much of death asalongdifeafe is, or theej- gree
pence of ten years : and fhe that lives ii p|jij
pleafures is dead while Ihe iiveth ( faith tht muc
Apoffle ), and it is the ftilc of the Spirit pam
concerning wicked perfons, they are dead ii nigh
trefpajfes and fins. For as every fcnfual pleafut out <
and every day of idlenes and ufelefs living lop ,bcca
off a little branch from our (hort lifefo ever)- of tl
deadly fin and every habitual vice does quit conii
deftroy us :buc innocence leaves us in ournt Xegj,
rural por tions, and perfeft period ; we lofe nt the 1
thing of our life, if we lofe nothing of our fori whet
health i and therefore he that would live afi Mm
age muff avoid a fin , as he would decline tb Sut i
Regions of death,& the difhonors of the gran be fp
2. If we would have our life lengthenei to fci
iEdepol let us begin betimes to live in the accoM fliorc
proinde of teafoB and fobcr counfels, of rcl frint
at bene gjQ^ Spirit, and then we fhall hi pure!
di"'^vivi reafon to complain that our abode on ear a vaii
tur.flautisfolhort: Many men finde it long enoii|tneir
Trinum, and indeed it is fo to all lenfes. But when'forth
Konac fpj-nd in wafte, what God hath given usifobrii
bre™m ^hen we facrifice our youth to fci'fion
vtam cur manhood to luff and rage, our old age -tie oj
fed feci- covetoufneffc and irreiigion, not begirnii Is, or
Bius, nee tQ Jive tiU we are to die, defigiiing that timt'Jhe c
Vertue which indeed is infirm to every tli! fee in
prodigi and profitable tonothing, then we maket^ r.
fumuf. lives fhort, and luff runs away with all thc'ty a
Senec. gorous and healthful part of it ; and OToly
and animofity ffeal the manly portion, Wnce
eraftincflc and wtercff poffeflc old age j mWate,
mtsssssms^ifS
eft.?' chap. t. prefaratery to deah. Seft.?,
vasfo fxyknofy ahmdiintiperdimus-, wefpendasif
ifonl, we had too niuch time, and knew not what
:obe. todowithit: We fear every thing like weak
is Si ,and filly mortals i and detire ftrangely and
tiecx- greedily as if we were immortal : we com-
ves ii pjjin our life is Ihoit, and yet we throw away
iththt niuch of It, and are weary of many of its
Spirit parts: We complain the day is long, and the
lead ii ;iiight is long, and we want company, and feek
leafffi cut arts to drive the time away, and then weep
ng lopt tbecaufe it is gone too foon. But fo the treafure
) evai 'of the Capitol is but a fmall eftate when Cafar
i quit! 'comes to finger it, and to pay with it all his
DuriiJ legions; and the Revenue of all Egypt and
ofei*> the Eaflern provinces was but a little fumme
ur fell when they were to fupport the lu'Xury of
reafi aWarc. Antony, and feed the riot of Cleopatra :
ioe tl Sut a thoufand crowns is a vaft proportion to
egrari tefpent in the cottage of a frugal perfon, or
then# Co feed a Hermit. Juft fo is our life; it is too
ccoui fhorc to ferve the ambition of a haughty
)f rtl frince, or an ufurping Rebel,too little time to
all hi' dmrchafe great wealth, to fatisfie the pride of
on ear. « vain-glorious fool, to trample upon all the
enou^ fenemies of our juft, or unjufh interefl; but
vhent for the obtaining vertuc ; for the purchafe of
■n us i fobriety and modefty, for the aftions of Reli-
to fcl'-gion God gave us time fufficient, ifwcwakf
d age- tht outgoings of the Morning and Eveningy that
eginiii'ls, onr infancy and old age to be taken into
t timifthe computations of a man. Which we may
:ry thifeein the following particulars,
nake^^ I. If our childhood being firftconfeaated
II tht'^y a forward baptifme, it be feconded by a
education, and a complying obedi-
If our youth be chaft and tempe-
modeft and induftrious, proceeding
C 2 through
27
'P'V
iliiri:
28 chap, I. tfemal mftdeuihns SeA; Ch
Sed potes, Publi, geminate 2 pFudcnt ai); vol
magna lobtT Manhood to a Be as l
Secula fama. ligious old age, then »i (a
Quern iui raptum geniuere have lived our whole dotl- djv
EicTuvi .it. Sibi qiufqifa- 5'®"' and never dit pi,
H^ani Imc be changed in ajcf cell
Senbat hsrcdem: rapiunta- time to the preparationsc hoi
vata a better, and an imniora oth
CateraLuna..
2. If befirks the ordinary retnrns of cort
prayers and periodical and fthival folemnitii; Dor,
andourfcldom communions we would alli» and
to religion & the ftudies of wifdom,rhofe grti pra
fhares that are trifled away upon vain forroi the
fcolifhmirth,troublefomeanibirron, buifytt life,
vercufnefTe, watchful lufl, and impertinemi amo
mours, and balls and revclilngs and barqufi ffoii
all that which was fpent vitioufy&all tl at ti,i fand
that lay iallow & without imployment,, urii beat
would quickly amount to a great fum. tcjim into
Abulenfis was a very painful pcrfon and a git by n
Cleark, and in the dayesof his manhood 1 tedii
wrote fo many books, and they nor ill one daye
that the world computed a fheet for eve bya
day of his life ; I fuppofe they meant, aft daye
he came to the life of reafon, and the hate! draw
a man and j^ohn Scotus died about the t» form
and thirtieth year of his age j and yet li foon
fides his publike difpetations, his dayly I' fbort
6turesof Divinity in publike and pr vate, t' tbeh
Books that he wrote being lately collcdf ^tion
and printed at Lyons do equal the number' flill,a
volumes of any two the mrft vcluminousf the j
thers of the Latine Chii ch. Every mait^ griev,
norinabled to fuch imploymeRts, but erfi,<nian
man is called and inabled to the works of,'huge
fohcr and a religious life; and there)filcyret
Biany Saints of God that can recktnasnij.
voM
5eft,i Chap.I. prepdWory to death. Seft. 3.
It an volumes of religion and mountains of piety,
a B( as thofe others did of good books. S Ambroje
itn wi ( and I think from his example, S. Auffifiine )
cdtur divided every day into three tertia's of im-
er dir ploymcnc: eight hours he fpent in the ne-
lajii celTitics of nature and recreation, eight
ionsi h!)urs in charity and doing afTiftance to
morn others, difpatching their huifinelfcs, recon-
cili ig their enmities, reproving their vices,
of01 correrSing their errors, inflrufling their ig-
anitie norances, tranfafling the affairs ofhis Diocelfe,
I allu and the other eight hours he fpent in ftudyand
"e grt prayer. If we we^e thus minute and curious in
'orrot. the fpending our time, it is inipoffibic but our
jify (! life would (tern very long For fo have I feen an
nent! amorous perfon tell the minutes of his abfcnce
rquB from his fancied joy, and while he told the
at til fands ofhis hoor-gl afie, or the throbs and little
,(urlii beatings ofhis watch, by dividing an hour
Tijift into fo many members, he fpun out its length
agre by number, and fo tranflated a day into tiie
oodl tedioufnefle of a moneth. And if we tell our
II CM ■ dayes by Canonical hours of prayer, our weeks
r evf byaconflant revolution of faffing dayes, or
t, alt dayes of fpecial devotion, and over all thefe
fate draw a black Cyprefie a veil of penitential
hen forrnw, and fevere mortification, we fliail
iTet it foon anfwer tlie calumny and ohje^fion of a
ylyl fhort life. He that eoverns the day and divides
ite, E the hours haftens from the eyes and obferva-
)lleft ^tion of a merry finneri but loves to hand
Tiber: ftill,and hehold,and tell the flghs,and number
loust the groans, and fadly delicious accents of a
man grieved penitent. It is a vaft work that any
It erf tnan may do if he never be idle; and it'S a
rks cl huge way that a man may go in vcrcue if he
lere > iicver goes out of his way byavitious habit,
as nr. C 3 .or
CJiap.i. General cmjidmtiont Sefl.j,
or a great crime, and he that perpetually read!
good books, if his parts be anfwerable, will
have a huge flock of knowledge. It isfoii
all things elfe. Strive not to forget your time,
and fuffer none of it to paffe undifcerned,
and then nieafure your life, and tell m
how you finde the meafnre of its abode. HoW'
ever, the time vee live, is worth the money we}ii
for it : and therefore it is not to be throwni
way.
3. when vitious men are dying, and fcat 'i
with the affrighting truths of an evilconfci
ence, they would give all the world for a yeai
for a moneth ■, nay we read of fome that calk
out with amazement inducias vf'f ad mm
truce but till the morning: and if that year,o
fome few moneths were given, thofe me
think they could do miracles in it. And leu
a while fnppofe what Dives would have don
if he had been loofed from the pains of W
and permitted to live on earth one ye>
Would all the pleafures of the world ba«
kepthim one hour from the Temple? woiif
he not perpetually have been under the hand that
of Priefls, or at the feet of the Doftors, orlf he c
Mofescbiir, or attending as neerthe Altari who
he could get, or relieving poor Lax^trs , 1 hunc
praying to God, and crucifying all his ft with
I have read of a Melancholy perfon whoft agre
hell but in a dream or vifion, and the amaa the ;
rnentwas fuch that he would have chofenK h to
times to die, rather then feel again fo muchi
that horror: and fuch a perfon cannot be fai our f
cied but that he would fpend ayear in fw betw
holineffe, that the religion of a few monetl Bece
would equal the devotion ofmany years, eve and
11 little
Cfi»p.i. prepiratoryto death. Seft.?. 31
'readi of agood man. Let us but compute the pro-
?, wil portions. If we fhould fpend all our years of
s fo ii reafon fo as fuch a pcrfnn would fpend that
r timt, one, can it be thought that life would be fhort
erned, and trifling in which he had performed fuch a
11 nil religion, ierved God with fo much holineffe,
Ho» mortified fin wi th fo great a labour, purchafed
rcepij vertue at fuch a rate, and fo rare aninduftry?
ownj It muft needs be that fuch a man nmftdye
when he o ght to die, and be like ripe and
Ifcar'l plcalant fruit falling from a fair tree and ga-
confci thered into bafkers for the planters ufe: He
a yen tbarhath done all his bufi-
CCallei neflc, and is begotten to a Huic neq; defiindvifum cB,
gtorio,, hoptby Ac feed crrri,™,™, «C*
ear,o or anunniorral Spirit, can mori.
"c ma never die too foon,nor live
i letii too long.
te do« Xerxes wept fadly when he faw his army of
, of M 2300000 men, becaufe he confidered that
e yea within a hundred years all the youth of that
Id hai army fhould be drift and afhes: and yet as
wod Seneca well obferves of him, he was the man
ehati that ihould bring them to their graves > and
?, orl» he confumed all that army in two years, for
Altari whom he feared, and wept the death after an
hundred. }uftfo we do all. We complain that
his fn within thirty or fourty vears, a little more, or
whofi agreatdeal lelTewe fhall defcend again inta
amaB the bowels of our Mother, and that our life
ofenK 'is too fhort for any great imploymentj and
niuchi 'yet we throw away five and thirty yeers of
be fti our fourty, and the remaining five we divide
in fut hetweersart and nature, civility and ciiftoms,
nonetl 'Beceffity and convenience, prudent counfels
irs,evt.^aud religion j but the portion of thelaft, is
i IKttle and ccmtemptibie, and yet that little is
€4 all
3 a Chap.r. General csnjideTatms Seft.j, C
all that we can prudently account of our lives; to
We bring that fate and that death neer us, an
©f whofe approach we are fo fadly appte. be
hcnfive.
4. In taking the accounts of your life do nr:
MOt reckon by great diftances, and by the 'p
periods of pleafure, or the fatisfaftion of you tic
hopes, or the ftating your defires : but la jai
erery intermedial day and hour paffe wi tb ol)'
fervation. He that reckons he hath lived but 'oi
fo many harvefts, thinks,
In fpe viventibns, proximam
gaodq; tempu. elabitUE fub- „oygh and that thev SO a- me
«q, aviditas temporis, &mi. ^ 6"' .
ierrirHSjatq; miferrima omnia Way too ibon, Sorue Iflft
efliciens, roetus mortis . the day wirh longing fa nis
ftthacautepindigentiatimor the night, and the night il <
»arcirur ,&a,piditatfotariex. tvaiting for the day. Hopt ani
.der«anunam. Sencc.
ons fpend much of our lives i and while witli eap
paffion we look for a coronation, or the deaiS ^e
of an enemy, or a day of joy, pafTing from
fancy to polTcffion without any intermc' Jet
dial notices, we throw away a precious year, ean
and ufe it but as the burden of our time, fit ti ^
be pared oflj and thrown away, that we nuji
come at thofe little pleafures which firft fieal *"'■
®nr hearts, and then ffeal our li fe. ' ^
$. A ftri^l courfe of piety is the way te ^
prolong our lives in the natural fenfe, and a
adde good portions to the number of out ^ mi
years i and fin is fometimes by natural caufa- ^
lity, very often by the anger of God, and the
Divine judgement, a caufe of fudden and
^ untimely death. Concerning which I fhall ;"P
r^ift nothing (to what I have fotiie where clfc v ■
Part J. *faid of this article) but onely the obferva- 1°"
Pift. 14. tion of E^ijihams; diat for 3 3 32 years, eve# '
te
Sefl.j, Gftap .r. preparatary to (feat6. Sefl .g.' H
lives', to the twentieth age, there was not one ex..
er US, ample of a fon that died before his Father,
ippre- but the courfe of Nature was kept, that he
whowasfirft born in the defcending line didsj^j.^^
ife do fitft die ( I fpeak of natural death, and there-
ly the fore AM cannot be oppofed to this obferva-
f yout tion) till that Jerah the Father of Abraham
,ut lei taught the people a new religion, to make
tbob' images of clay and worfhip them ; and
tdboi concerning him it was firft.remarked, that
hinks, died before his Father terah in the land of
en fr tis biativity : God by an unheard of judge-
go a. ment, and a rare accident punifhing his newly
e lofi invented crime : by the untimely death of
Tg fot his fon. .
ghtii d. But if I fhall defcribe a living man;
Hopt a man that hath that life that dift'nguilhcs him
e^ti' from a fool or a bird, that which gives him a
evntli capacity next to Angels j we fhall finderfiat
death even a good man lives not long, becaufe it is
fron fou? before he is born to this life, and longer Seneca
emit' yet before he hath a mans growth. He that
iyear, can look upon death, and fee its face with the ,o» '
fiitj 'fame countenance with which he hears its
e maf ' frory; that can endure ail the labours of
geal 'fr's life with his foul fupporting his body ;
' that can equally defpife riches when he hath
ay t9 'them, and when he hath then not; that is
ndta 'uut ladder if they lye in his Neighbours
)f out * trunks, nor more brag if they fhine round
caufa- ''bout his own walls ; he that is neir
d the 'tbct moved with good fortune coming to
I and ' b"Ui nor going from him; that can look
fhall ' "Pnu another mans lands evenly and pleafed-
e elfc ' ss if they were his own ; and yet look up-
'erva- 'nubis own, andufethemtoo, jnftasif they
eve# another mans; that neitherfpend his
tt C 3 ' goods
Chap.i. fenetaleonftdermom Sefl.j,
* goods prodigally, and like a fool, nor yet
*■ keeps them avaritioufly and like a wretch;
' that weighs not benefits by weight and num.
* ber, but by the mind fecircumftancesofhim
*that gives themi that never thinks hischa-
* rity expcnfive if a worthy perfon be tht
•receiver^ he that does nothing for opinioa
'fake, but every thing for confcience, beitij
'as curious of his thoughts, as of his aftin^
in markets and Theaters, and is as muchia
awe of himfclf, as of a whole affembly s he
that knowes God looks on, and contrives his
fccrct affairs as intheprefenceof God and his
holy Angels; that eats and drinks becaufeht
needs it, not that he may fcrvealuftorld
his belly; he that is bountifulland chcerfi
to his friends, and charitable and apt to for'
give his enemies; that loves his countreyanJ
obeyes his Prince, and defires and endcavom
nothing more then that he may do honourto
God, this perfon may reckon his life, to hi
the life of a man, and compute his monethi,
not by the courfe of the fun, but the Zodis
and circle of his vertues: becaufe thefe an
fuch things which fools and children, id
birds and beafts cannot have: Thefe are thert
fore the aftions of life, becaufe they are thi
feeds of immortality. That day in whichw
have done fome excellent thing, we mays
truly reckon to be added to our life, as wefi
the fifteen years to the dayes of Hes^ekjib.
(Aap.r. frepmtory te ieith, Scft4. jj
>r yet
■etch, ^^
uch ii K S our life is very fiiort foic is very mi-
y> lit inferable, and therefore it is well it is
es hit Ihort: God in pity to mankinde, left his
indhii burden ftiould be infupportable and his nature
lufelit an intolerable load, hath reduced ourftate
3r load of mifery to an abbreviature; and the greater
eerfull our mifery is, the leffe while it is like to laft i
to fot' die furrows (rf a mans fpirit being like pon-
eyad derous weights which by the grcatnclfe of
avoui their burden make a fwifter motion and de-
lourti fcend into the grave to reft and eafe our wea_
to b( tied limbs; for then oncly we (hall fleep
uetliSi quietly when thofe fetters are knocked olf
todi* which not oi?ely bound our fouls in prifon,
;fe art butalfo eat the fleth till the very bones open'd
, ad thefecret garments of theircartilages, difco-
thert' vering their nakednefle and furrow,
re tilt 1 Here is no place to lit down in, but you
ich« Biuft rife as loon as you are fet .• for we have la
mayii gnats in our chambers, and worms in our terrisj
s w0! gardens, and fpiders and flies in the palaces of '"'■g'"
lb. the greareft Kings. How few men in the world
are profperous ? what an infinite number of hiceitlo'-
laves and beggers, of perfecuted and op-cas puJi-
prelled people fill all corners of the earth
E CT' groans, and Heaven it felf with weeping
prayers, and fad remembrances ? how many
Provinces and Kingdoms are afflifted by a
of him
ischa-
)e tht
pinion
beinj
iftiuji
Conjideration of the miferies ef
Aians life.
SECT. IV.
e 6
violent
Chap.t. General mfidmmtis Seft.4.
violent war, onrade defolateby popular dif-
eafes ? feme whole countreyeb are remarked
with fatal evils, or periodical ficknefles. Om
Cairo in Egypt feels the plague every three
years, returning like a Quartan ague, andde-
ftroying many thoufands of petfons. All the
inhabitants of Arabia the defert are in con.
tinuall fear of being buried in huge heaps of
land, and therefore dwell intents and anbu-
Jatery houfes or retire to unfruitful mounraini
to prolong an uneafy and wilder life : and all
the Countreyes round abort the Adriatic
fea feel fuch violent convullions by Tempefts
and intolerahle Earthquakes, that fometimcs
whole cities finde a Tombe, and every ma#
finks with his own houfemade ready to b^
come his Monument, and his bed is crulheJ
Into the difbrders of a grave. Was not all the
world dfowaed at one deluge, and breach of
the Divine anger ? and
fliall not all the world* a-
gain be deftroycd by fire!
Are there not many thou-
fands that die every night)
and that groan and weep
&dly every day Bur whatfhall we think of
that great evil, which for the fins of men, God
hath fuflered to poffefs the greatcft part of
Mankinde ? Moft of the men that are no«
alive, or that have been living for many ages,
are Jews, Heathens, or Turcs: and God was
pleafed to fuft'er a bafe Epileptic perfon, >
villain and a vitious tofetapa religion whidi
hath filled almoft all Afia,and Ah ica,and foitc
parts of Europe j. fo that the greatcft number
®f men- and women born in fo many kinf
i^rasand provinces are infallibly made Mr
Smme
SibyM. Orm
ehip»i." ptepamory H demb. SeQ.4. y
humetanS) Grangers and enemies to Chri(\>
by whom alone we can be laved. This confi-
deration is exti cmely fad, whci. we renien;bef
how univerfal, and how great an evil it is, that
fo many millions of fons and daughters arc
born to enter into the poffeffion of Defilsto
eternal ages. Thefe evils are the miferies of
great parts of niankinde, and we cannot ealily
confider more particularly, the evils which
happen ro us, being the infeparableafledion^
er incidents to the whole nature of man.
2. We findc that all the women in the world
are either born for barrennelTe or the pains of
Child-bii th, and yet this is one of our greateft
bklTings j but fuch indeed are the blefsings of
this world : we cannot be well with, nor with"*
out nuanythings.Perfunies make our heads ake,
tofesprick our fitters, and in our very blood
where our life dwells is the Scene under which
nature ads many lharpFeavers and heavy f'ck-
Htffes.Ic were too fad if I fhould tell how many
prrfons are afflided with evil fpirits, withfpe-
drcsandillufionsof the night j and that huge
multitudes of men and women live upon mans
flelh: Nay worfe ycr,upon the fins of men,up-
on the fins of their fons and of their daughters,
and they pay their fouls down for the bread
they ear,buying this dayes meal with the price
of the lafi nights fin
?. Or if you pleafe its charity to vifit are
Hofpital. which is indeed a map of the whole
Wot Id, there you (hall fee the effeds of Adams
fin and the ruines of humane natare, bodies
laid up in heaps like the bones cf a dtftroyed
town, homines precariifpirinis,^ male, harenm,
me« wlvife fouls feem to be borrowed, and are
kept there by art and the force of Medicine^.
whofe
3«
Chap.r. General csnjidmiim SeS.^,
whofe miferies are fo great, that few people
have charity or humanity enough to tifit
them, fewer have the heart to dreffe them,
and we pity them in civility or with a tranfient
prayer, hot we do not feel their forrows by
the mercies of a religious pity, and therefore
as we leave their forrows in many degrees un-
relieved and uneafed, fo we contraft by cut
nnmercifulneffe a guilt by which our felves
become liable to the fame calamities. Thofe
many that need pity, and thofe infinites of
people that refufe to pity are miferable upoa
a feveral charge, but yet they almoft make up
all mankinde.
4. All wicked men are in love with diat
whichintangles them in hugevariety oftrou-
bles, they are flaves to the worft of Mafters,
to fin and to the Devil, to a paffion, and to an
imperious woman. Good men are for ever
perfecuted, and God chaftifes every fon whom
he receives, and whatfoever is cafy is trifling
and worth nothing, and whatfoever is excel-
lent is not to be obtained
without labour and forrow,
and the conditions and
ftates of men that are free
from great cares, are fnch as
have in them nothing rich
and orderly, and thofe that
have are ftiick full of thorns
and trouble. Kings are full
of care; and learned men
* in afl ages have been ob-
fcrved to be very poor,
honeSas mrfertds acrufant;
they coraplsfin of the r ho ■
neft mileries.
5 BM
• Vilis adulator pidlo iacct e#
briusoftro
Et qui Iblicitat niiptas, ad |)r.s»
mia peccac.
Sola prHinolishorret ficundia
pannis
Acq; inopi lingua defertasin-
vocat artes»
Petron.
Hinc & jocnsapud Arillopha,
nem inavibus;
/ t ,%- fjf/i
Tf
Chap.r. frefarmry to death. 3t9..\,
5. But thefe evils are notorious and con-
felled j even they alfo whofe felicity men ftare
at and admire, befides their fplendour and
the Iharpneffe of their Kght, will with their
appendant forrows wring a tfar from themoft
refolved eye. For not only the winter quarter
is full of ftorms and cold and darknelTe, hot
the beauteous fpring hath blafts and lliarp
frofts, the fruitful teeming fummer is melted
with heat, and burnt with the kiflcs of the
fcn her friend, and choaked with duft,
and the rich Autumn is full of ficknefle, and
we are weary of that which we enjoy, becaufc
forrow is its biggeft portion: and when we
remember that upon the faireft face is placed
one of the worft finks of the body, ri>e mfc,
we may ufeit, not only as a mortification to
the pride of beauty, but as an allay to the
faireft outfide of condition which any of the
fons and daughters of Adm dopolTeffe. * For
look upon Kings and conquerours: I will not
tell that many of them fell into the condition
of fervants, and their fubje^ts rule
^ver them, and ffand upon the ^ilisCervushafeetra-
mines of their families» and that
to fuch perfons, the forrow is feftam Ro -
Digger then ufually happens in mulcamqjcaiar.
fmaller fortunes: but let us fup- . Petron,
pofe them ftill conquerers, and fee '.'"".nia aede r, ihi e-
what a goodly purchafe they get
by all their pains and amazing
fears, and continual dangers. They carry their
arms beyond Ifter, and pafte the Euphrates,
®od binde the Germans with the bounds of
the river Rhyne: ITpeak in the ftile of the
Roman greatneifc: for now adayes,the biggeft
Jortiine (Wells not beyond the limics of a petty
pro-
ir
4« Chap.t, General mfiderat'mt Sefl.4,
province or two, and a hill corifines the pro-
greife of their profperity, or a river checks it;
But whatfoevtr tcnipts the pride and vani ty of
ambitious perfonsisnot lb big as thcfmalkft '
ftar which we fee fcattered in difordcr, and
unregarded upon the pavemc nt and floor of
Heaven. And if we would fuppofe the pifmircs
had but our underfiandings, they'alfo would
have the method of a Mans greatnclle, and
divide their little Mole-hils into Provinces
and Exarthats: and if they alfo grew as vi-
tious and as miferabie, one of their princes
would lead an army out, and kill his neigh-
bour Ants that he might reign over the next
handfull of a T urfe. But then if we confider
at what price, and with what felicity all this is
purchafcd, the fling of the painted fnakc will
quickly appear, and the faireft of their for-
tuiieswill properly enter into this account of
humane infelicities.
We may gueffeat it by the conffitutionof
Augu^us fortune v who (Irugled for his power,
firft with the Roman Citizens, then with
Brums and Caffius and all the fortune of the
Republike ; then with his Coliegue A/art.
Anthony then with his kinred and nee reft
Relatives » and afrer he was wearied with
flaughter of the Romans, before he could (it
down and reft in his imperial chair he was
forced to carry armies intoMactdonia,Galatia,
beyond Euphrates, Rhyne, and Danubius;
And when he dwelt at home in grcatneffe and
within the circles of a mighty power. h> h.itft-
]y efcaped the fword of the Egnstii, of Lepid^
Capio, and Murana ; and after he had entirely
reduced the felicity and Grandeur into his ovn
family, his Daughter, his ontly childe con-
^ireJ
chap.I. prepmtory to death. Seft.4. 41
fpired with many of the young Nobility, and it adiil-
being joyned with adulterous coniplicarions t'"" *«-
aswithan impious facranient they aftrighred '
and dcftroyed the tortuae of the old man,
and wrought him more forrow then all the acjt.
troubles that were hatched in the baths and Plutq &
beds of Egypt, between Anthony and Cleopatra, '"rum cm
This was the greatefl fortune rhat the world
had then, or ever fince, and therefore we can- t„njo
not expcft it to be better in a Icllc profperity. n uikc.
6. The profperity of this world is fo in-
finitely lowred with the overflowing of evils,
that he is counted the mott happy who hath
the feweft j all conditions being evil and
' niiferablc, they are onely diftinguifhed by the
Ntimber of calamities. The Colleftor of the
Roman and forreign examples, when he had
reckoned two and twenty inflances of great
fortunes every one of which had been allayed
with great variety of evils j in all his reading
or experience he could tell but of two who
had been famed for an intrre profperity
Quintut JUetellus., and Oyget the King of LydU;
and yet coiKerning the one of them he tells
that his felicity was fo inconliderable ( and
yet it was the bigger of the two) that the
Oracle faid that Aglaus Sophidiut the poor Ar-
cadktt Shepherd was more happy then he,
that is, he had fewer troubles j for fo indeed
We are to reckon thepleaf :resof this lik', the'
limit of our joy u the ahfence of feme degrees offuyi^'xe
and he that hath the leaft of this, is the -niFiic/i-
niolt prnfperous perfon.But then we muft look ™»; otw -
for profperity, not in Palaces or Courts of7J;ii«K-
Princes, not in the tents of Conquerers, or in Inm uo~
gaieties of fortunate and prevailing fin- t^ai^ntk
Bcrs) but foaething rather in the Cottages of '
honeft
42 Chap .r. General eonftieratim Seft .4,
honeft innocent and contented perfons,whofe
Hiindc is no bigger then their fortune^ nor
their vertue lefie then their feciirity. As for
others whofe fortune looks bigger, and allures
fools to follow it like the wandiing fires of
the night, till they rim into rivers or arebro-
ken upcn rocks with flaring and running af-
ter them, they are all in the cotidition of
Marim, then whofe condition mthing wm
unemfi more confiant, and nothing tnore tmtahle ; if
inter rai- j/ve reckon them amongfl the happy, they are tk
Iteri mT reckpn them amongfl tfr
itrnmus, mijferable, they are the moji miferable- Forjuli
interfcli- as is a mans condition, great or little, fois
ces, feii- the flare of his niifcry; All have their fharei
ciisimus Kings and Princes, great Generals ani
bTur! Confuls, Rich men and Mighty, as they have
the biggeft bufinelle and the biggeft charge,
and arc anfwerable to God for the greatell
accounts, fo they have the biggeft trouble)
that the uneafinelie of their appendage may ■
divide the good and evil of the world,
making the poor mans fortune as eligiWf*
as the Greateft } and alfo reftraininj
the vanity of mans fpirit which a greai
Fortune is apt to fwell from a vapour to a fiub
ble; but God in mercy hath mingled worm-
wood with their wine, and fo rellrained the
drnnkcnnefie and follies of profperity.
7, Man never hath one day to himfeif of en*
tire peace from the things of this world,bBtel'
therfomthing troubles him,or nothing fatitfiti
him, or his very fulnelfe fwells him and makti
him breath fhort upon his bed. Mens joyfi
are troublefome, andbefides that the fear of
lofing them takes away the prefent pleafwt
( and a man had need of anotheg feUcity to
Cfiap.i. pepurateryto dmh. Seft.s. 41
preferve this) they are alfo wavering and full
of trepidation, not onely from their incon-
ftant nature, but from their weak founda-
tion: They arife from vanitv, and they dwell
upon ice, and they convtrfe with the winde,
and they Iiave the wings of a bird, and are
ferious but as the refoiutions of a childe, com-
mencedby chance,and managed by folly,and
proceed by inadvertency, and end in vanity
and forgeifulnelfe. So that as Lmus Drufui
faidof himfelf, be never had any play, dayei, or
diyes of quiet when he was a hoy, for he was
troublefome and bufic, a reSleffe and unquiet
titan, the fame may every mm obferve to
true of himfelf: he is alwayes reftleffe
uneafy, he dwells upon the waters and leans gifte»
Upon thorns, and layes his head upon a lharp s Jirio-
ftone.
rogmsfi
SECT. V.
ThisCanJlderatien reduced to
p^ailke.
!• ' I ^HeefTeftof this confideration is this,
JL That the fadnelfes of this life help to
fweeten the bitter cup of Death. For let our
life be never fo long, if our ffrength were
great as that of oxen and camels j if ourfinews
were ftrong a« the cordage at the foot of an
Oke, if we were as fighting and profperous
people as Siceius Dentatw,who was on the pre-
wiling fide in 120 battels, who had giapub-
like rewards afligned him by his Generals and
Wiiccs for hk valour, and condoft in fiege*
and
'■ Wi<i'"6v<W'S'si;trsfiZS3&''
44 Chap.i. Genetdanfiieraxms Seft.j
and fhort enconnters, and betides all this bad
his (hare in nine triumphs, yet (till the pe-
riod (hall be, that all this ftiall end in death,
and the people (hall talk of us a while,
good or bad, according as we dcfcrve,o(
as they pleafe; and once it (hall come to
* paffe, that concerning every one of us it (hall
be cold in the Neighbourhood that we arc
dead. This we are apt tothinkafadftoryj
but therefore let us help it with a faddcr,-
For we therefore need not be nincli
troubled that we (hall die, becaufe we are
not here in eafe, nor do we dwell in a fait
condition. But our dayes are full of for-
row and anguidi, difhonoured and made
Unhappy with many fins, with a frail and a
foolifh fpirit, intangled w'th difticult cafes
of confcience, infn.ired with palTions, atna-
zed with fears, full of cares, divided with
ciiriofities and contradictory interefts, made
aery and impertinent with vanities, abufed
with ignorance and prodigious errours, made
ridiculous wirh a thoufandweaknefies, worne
away with labours, loaden wirh difeafes, dailj
vexed wirh dangers and reinptations, and
in love w'th niiferyi we are weakned with
delights, afflicted with want, with the evils
of my fcif, and of ail my family, and with
the fadneflfes of all my friends, and of all
good men, even of the whole Church j and
therefore me thinks we need not be trou-
bled that God is pleafed to put an end to
all thefe troubles, and to let them fitdows
in a natural period, which if we pleafe, may
be to us the beginning of a better lifci
■When the Prince of Perfia wept becaufe his
army (bould all die ia the revolution of J»
ft.) Chap.i. frefantoryu death. Seft.J. 4^
''S'f age, Artabanus told him, that they ftionld
pe- all meet with evils fo many and fo great,
"'''' that every man of them fhonld wifh him-
Iti't) feif dead long bcfcre that. Indeed it were
a c a fad thing to be cut of the ftone i and we
le to that are in health tremble to think of it}
but the man that is wearied with the dif.
'tt eafe, looks upon chat fliarpncfle as upon his
fty i Cure and remedic: and as none need to have
t'tti a tooth drawn, fonone could well endure
It"''' it, but he that hath felt the pain of it in
^ his head; fo is our life fo full of evils, that
a rait therefore death is no evil to them that have
felt the fmart of this, or {tope for the joyes
made ^ better.
' 2. But as it helps to eafe a certain for-
cafes ag a (Jrawes out fire, and a nail
aiM- drives forth a nail ■, fo it inftru/is us in a
wiiii prefent doty; that is; that we fhould not
be fo fond of a perpetual ftorm, h r doat
jufei upQ[, jfig tranfient gaudes and gilded
thorns of this world. They are not worth
torm a paffion, not worth a figh or a groan, not
of the price of one nights watching ; and
therefore they are niiftaken and miferable
perfons who fince Adam planted thorns round
about Paradife, are more in love with that
with hedge, then all the fruits of the garden,
'f fottilh admirers of things that hurt them, of
1 aal fweetpoifons.gildeddaggersandfilkcn halters.
•J™" Tel! rhem rhcy have loft a bounteous friend,
a r ch purchjfc. a fair farm.a wealthy donative,
i"*" and you diffolve t heir patience; it is an evil
*efr ''igger then their fpirit can bear, it brings
" "/r' fickncfle and death, they can neither care
fat ® forrow But if vou
• f«prefent to them the evils of a vicious ha-
aS"! bit.
45 Chap.i. Qemd cmfid^itms Se3.$, ' ch
bit, and the dangers of a (fate of fin > if
you tell thena they have difpleafed God, and
interrupted their hopes of heaven, it may be
they will be fo e vil as to hear it patiently,
and to treatyou kindiy,and firft commend,and
then to forget your ftory, becaufe they prefer
this world with all its forrowes, before the
pure unmingled felicities of heaven. But itis
ftrange that any man lliould be fo paffionateiy
in love with the thorns that grow on his own
ground,that he Ihould wear them for arnielets,
and knit them in his (hirt, and prefer them
before a kingdom and immortality. No iran
loves this world the better for his being poorj
but men that love it, becaufe they have great •
pofleflions, love it becaufe itis troublefome
and chargeable,full of noife and temptation;
becaufe it is unfafe and ungovcrned, Mattered
and abufed: and he that confiders the troii'
foles of an overlong garment, and of a cram,
med ftomach, a trailing gown and a loaden
Table, may juftly uhdcrftand that all that foi
which men are fo paffionate, is their hurt and;
their objedtion, that which a temperate nm
would avoid, and a wife man cannot love.
He that is no fool, but can conCder wifely!
if he be in love with this world ; we need noi
defpair hut thata witty man might reconcilt|
him w'th tortures, and make him rhinkchari-
tably of the Rack, and he brought to dwell
with Vipers and Dragons, and cntertainbis
Gucfts with the fhrikes of Mandr-.kes, Cjb
and Scrich Owls, with the fling of iron, anil;
the harlhnelfe of rending filkj ortoadmirfj
the harmony that is made by a herd of E'j
vening wolves when they mille their draugfc!
©f blood in their midnight Revels. The gtoanj;
wiMiMumiL jj uuuiiiJimBiy uBUMyy y y m
C!iap .r. preparatory to deah. Seft.S.
of a man in a fit of the ffone are worfe then
all thcfcand the diftraftions of a troubled
confcicncc are worfe then thofe groansjandyet
a careleffe merry (inner is worfe then all that.
But if we could from one of the battlements
of Heaven efpie how many men and women
at this time lye fainting and dying for want of
bread, how many young men are hewen down
by the fword of war •, how many poor Orphans
are now weeping over the graves of their
Father,by whofe life they were enabled to eat.
If we could but hear how many Mariners,
and Paffengersare at this prefent in a (form,
and fhrikc out becaufe their keel dafhes a*
gainff a Rock, or bulges under them •, how
many people there are that weep with want,
and are mad with opprefTion, or are defperate
by too quick a fenfe of a conftant infelicity,
in all reafon we fhould be glad to be out of
thenoifeand participation of fo many evils.
This is a place of forrows and tears, of great
eyjls and a conhant calamity j let us remove
from hence, at leaft in afr'edions and prepa'
tadon of minde.
47
CHAP,
48 Chap. 2.
9enerd exerdfet
Seft.r.
CHAP. II.
A general preparation to
wards a holy and blefled Death;
by way of exercife.
SECT. I,
Three precepts preparatory to a holy
death J to be praciifed in our
whole life,
I. T "W E thatrvdulddie welimuflalmyei
Ptofteri i i loonk.for death, every day knockjni
vive<c,Sc i 1 at the gates of the grave, and then
the gates of the grave fliall never
gliUs 'vi prevail upon him to do him mfchief This
tas was the advice of all the wife and go^-d men of
Niiijlin the world; who efpecialiyin tnedayesand
di '" of their joy and fcffival cgrefhofe
chofe to throw fome afhes into their chalices,
foiiie fober remembrances of their fatal pe-
riod. Such was the black
fhirt of Saladine, the tomb-
flone pre'ented to the Em-
perour of Conftaotinople
01
&-!ecu
lum*
si fip SjUtaristotis Coline di«
ebti 5
sxtremu rqj tibifemper adefTe
pute.» iViartial*
Heii, Hcu ! nos miferos, quam
tctushomuncio niidl
Sic erimus cundi pollquam
nos aw'crct Orcus:
£rgo vivamns lium licet efife,
bene.
Ctiap. 2- preparatory to death. Seft. r.
on his Coronation day the Bifhop of Romcs
two reeds with flax and wax taper, the E-
gyptian fkeleton fcrved up at fealts, and Tiz-
mdcms banquet in Petronius, in which was
brought in tfie image of a dead mans bones
I of filver with fpondiks exaftly turning to
every of the Guefts, and
faying to every one, that
you,and youmuft die, and
look not one upon an-
I other, for every one is e-
qually concerned in this
j fadreprefentment.Thefe in
j phantafticfemblances dcclarea fevere cdiinfel
and ufefut meditation; and it is not cafy for
1 a man to be gay in his imagination, or to be
1 drunk with joy or wine, pride or revenge,
who confiders fadly that he muft ere long
I dwell in a houfe of darkneffe and diflionour,
i and his bodie muff be the inheritance of
1 worms, and his foul niuft be what he pleafes,
even as a man makes it here by his living
I good or bad. I have read of a young Hermit
jwho being pafTronately in love with a young
^ , Lady could not by all the arts of religion and
then j mortification fupprefle the trouble of that
fsncy, till at hft being told that fhe was dead
and had been buried about fourteen dayes,
ke went fecretly to her Vault, and with the
ftirc of his mantle wiped the moifture from
the Carkafie, and flillat the return of his tern-
ptation laid it before him, faying, Behold
Ais is the beauty of the woman thou didft
'0 much defire; and fp the man found his
<^ure. And if we make death as prefent to us.
Out own death, dwelling anddrefTcd inallits
pomp of fancy and proper circumffances, if
D any
A9
5o
——Ccrte populiquos dcfpicit
Arflos
Felices crrore fuo, quos ille tf-
morum
Maiimus baud tirgct Lethi tr.< f
tus——
Inderuendi
In ferruni mens prona viris,
animxq; capaccs
Mortis, & i^navum ttditura
par cere vic2
aret
grac
by t
of p
agn
pro\
and
wait
theii
paffi
lutiq
tienc
of tf
forti
with
fortf
Chap.I. General exercifes Scd.i,
any thing will quench the heats of luftj or tht
defires of money, or the greedy paffionate
affeftions of this world, this muftdoic. But
withall, the frequent ufeof this meditation,
by curing our prefent inordinations will make
death fafe and friendly, and by its very coftom
will make that the King of tetrours fhall come
to us without his affrighting dreffes } and
that we fliall fit down in the grave as we com'
pofe our felves to f!eep,and
do the duties of nature and
choice. The old people
that lived neer the Ripha-
an mountains, wereraugiit
to converfc with death,
and to handle it on all fidci
and to difcourfe of it,
of a thing that will cet'
tainlycome, andoughtfo ftjH
to do. Thence their mindi
and refolutions became capable of death, aail
they thought it a difhonourable thing, witllto
greedineffe to keep a life that muff go frofcrafti
us, to lay afide its thorns, and to returna- ^yeihi
gain circled with a glory and a Diadem. ! be wi
2. He that would die well tnufi all the ourpi
of his life lay up againjl the day of death, ntf wbicl
only by the general provifions ofholineffeanl 'a thin
, a pious life indefinitely, bnr,provifions propaj and o
wdievicseto the neceffities of that great day of t^Tferabli
jti,* ma pence, in which a man is to throw his laft cfeuch
polbi"' for an eternity of joyes or forrows ; evaipfGo
II n indi-remembring, that this alone well perforni«lpcrfc^
gettem- is not enough to paffe us into Paradife, M is the i
pore. alone done foofifhly is enough to fend f td wit
to hell", and the want of either a holy life,") fears,
deathj makes a man to fall ftvorc of the mig"^
;hea
Whei
Cjui quo-
Inftre nunc Mellbse pyros,
poneordinevites.
c5.1,
or the
onaw
But
ation,
make
uftoai
. come
i and
; com-
:p,and
re and
people
\ipha-
taught
death,
11 fides
' it, as
11 cer
ughtfo
minds
h, ajid
r, wiiif to turn our former difcourfes into prefent
o fioiijfpradlife,and to feel what we never felt before,
tutni-i wefhall finde it to be quite another thing to
I be willing prefently to quit this life, and all
te dtjii cur prefent poflefiions for thehopes of a thing
tth, ntt which wc were never fuffered to fee, and fuch
effeani a thing of which we may fail fo many wayes,
proj" and of which if we fail any way we are mi-
of fcble for ever. Then we Ihall finde how
laft f' ^nuch we have need to have fecured the Spirit
j ev8 pf God, and the grace of faith by an habitual,
fotfflW pcrfedlunmovablerefolution. ^ The fame alfo
fe, it' Is the cafe of patience, which will be alfeult-
fend« tdwith ftiatp pains, difturbed fancies, great
life,jl/tars, want of a prefent minde, natural weak-
mig"lTelfcs, frauds of the Devil, and a thoufand ac-
Cdiap. s. freparatory to dentb.
price of our high calling.
*111 order to this rule we
are to confider what fpecial
graces we fhali then need to exercife, and
by the proper arts of the Spirit, by a heap
of proportioned arguments^ by prayers, and
a great treafure of devotion laid up in Heaven,
proyide before hand a referve of ftrength
and mercy. Men in the courfe of their lives
walk lazily and inptirioufly as if they had both
their feet in one fhoe, and when they are
paflively revolved to the time of their diffo-
lution they have no mercies in ftore, no pa-
tience, no faith, no charity to God, or defpite
of the world, being without guft or appetite
for the land of their inheritance, which Chrift
with fo much pain and blood had purchafed
tot them. When we come to die indeed, wc
(hall be very much put to i t to ftand firm upon
the two feet of a Chriftian,/ait/i and patience.
■When we our felves are to ufc the articles.
cldentt
in
fto
1113
eri
zee
Chap.2. General exercifes SeS.i,
accidents and impcrfcdions. It concernsus
therfore highly in the whole courfe of oiir
lives, not onely to accuftome our felves to a
patient fuffering of injuries and affronts, of ^
per fecutions and lofles, of crofle accidents and j f"'
unneccflary circumffances j but alfo by ro' '
prefcnting death as prefenttous, to confidet
with what arguments then to fortifie our pa-
tience; and by affiduous and ferve»t prayer
to God, all cur life long call upon God to give
ns patience, and great affiflances, a fironj
faith and a confirmed hope, the Spirit of God,
and his Holy Angels alTiftantsatthattimejto: ^ ,
rcfift and to fubdue the devils temptations and' -
aflaultsj and foto fortifie our hearts thati:
break not into intolerable forrowS and itiipi'
tience, and end in wrevchlefTenelTe and inf
delity. * But this is to be the work of efll
life, and not to be done at once •, but as Gcd
gives us time by fucceflfion, by parts and littli
periods. For it is very remarkable that God
who giveth plcnteoufly to all creatures,!*
hath fcattered the firmament with ftars asijl
man fowes corn in his fields, in a multituli
bigger then tire capacities of humane ordeti
he hath made fo much varietie of crearurei.
and gives us great choice of meats and drinks
IS
i crol
Ol)f(
fels,
cauf
coni
mife
fecui
ly 3!
ail
although any one of both kindes wouldta'
ferved our needs j and fo in all inftan®.
of nature •, yet in the diftribution
time, God feems to be ftratt-handed, andgi^i, '
it to us, not as Nature gives us Rivers, cnonJi
to drown us, but drop by drop, minute afU!
minute,fo that we never can have two minntsj
together, but he takes away one when !*( .|,^
gives us another. This fhould teach us rot'
lueour time, fince God fo values it, an<";jinftru
chap.2. freparatory to death. Seft.i.
hisfofmalldiftributionof ir, tells us, it is the
nioft precious thing we have. Since therefore
in the day of our death, we can have but ftill
the fame little portion of this precious time,
let us in every minute of our life, I mean,
in every difcernable portion lay up fuch a
flock of reafon and good works, that they
may convey a value to the imperfeft and fliort.
craftions of our death-bed j while God re-
wards the piety of our lives by his gracious
acceptation and benediftion, upon the adions
preparatory to oiir death-bed.
3. He that deftres to die well and happily,above
dl things mud be carefull, that he do not live a
fift, a delicate and voluptuous life ; but a life
fevere, holy, and under the difciplineof the
crofle; under the conduft of prudence and
obfei vation, a life of warfare and fobcr coun •
feis, labour and watchfulnelTe. No man wants
caufe of tears and a daily forrow.Let every man
confider what be feels and acknowledge his
mifery ; let him confefie his fin and chaftife it;
let him bear his croffe patiently, and his per-
' fecutions nobly, and his repentances willing-
'' ly and conftantly; let him pity the evils of
L all the world, and bear his lhare of thecala-
What Brother -, let him long and figh
ft iitf .^®''f''^joyesof ffeaven; let him tremble atid
{(ui becaufe he hath defcrved the pains of
J J hell; let him commute his eternall fear with
temporal! fuffering, preventing Gods judge-
jf^ticnt by paffing one of his own; let hina
uj gFoaaforthe labours of his pilgrimage, and
^ |j! ■the dangers of his warfare; and by that time
J "5't^th furamed up all thefe labours; anddu-
■ fi«, and contingencies, all the proper caufes,
jj| inftramentsand ads of forrow, hewilifinde.
57
and'li
D 3
that
94 Chap.!.' General exenifes Sefli, Cl
that for a fecular j oy and wantonnefle offpitit, of
there are not left many void fpaces of his life, , faf
Ch 4.V 5 It was Saint James's advice j B'e afiiSedyUti be
mourn, and weep j let your laughter be turned it- m
to mourning, and your joy into veeeping: Anil tna
Bonaventure in the life of Chrilf, reports that fm
the H. Virgin Mother faid to S. Elis;abetb, Tk fof
. Grace does not defcendinto the fiulof a monk , die
prayer and by affiiBwn. Certain it is, thata | thi.
uiia re mourning fpirir,and an afifiided body are greii ; lity
periniie infftuments of reconciling God to a finaer,
atq; cor. they alwayes dwell at the gates of atone. ^
nient and reftitution. * But befides this j
concilia- a delicate and profperoiis life is hugely con.
tur.Nai. trary to the hopes of a blelfed eternity. Ki
Orat.18. be to them that are at eafe in Sion j fo it wasfaiJ
Amo 6,1 of old j and our B. Lord faid, Wo be to p Of
luk.t.J5 that laugh, for you fltall weep: but Bleffed at
Mat, $,4 fbey tbatmourn, for they Jhall be comforted- Here
or hereafter we muft have our portion of fa. -
Pfs us. rows. HethatnoW goethon his way weepingtd
beareth forth good feed with him , fltall dotk- T
lefe come again with joy, and bring his jhemi j
with him. And certainly, he that fadly conf. fcrp
ders the portion of Dives, and remembers tliii wat
the account which Abraham gavehimfortlf hou
nnavoidablenelTe of his torment, wasbecarfe this
he had his good things in this life, muft ii"l!, fity,
reafon, with trembling run from a courfeol
banquets, and faring delkioufly every day-, t
being a dangerous eftate, and a confignatioi
to an evil greater then all danger, the pairi
and torment of unhappy fouls. If either In ever
* patience or repentance, by companion or pf'I the
fecution, by choife or by conformity, bjH the
verity or difcipline, we allay thefeftival «ur
•^C5 of a fofc life, and profefle under the Cfoj j holy
chap-2. preparatory to deitb. Seft.a. SS
of Chrift, we {hall more willingly and more
fafely enter into our grave; But the death-
bed of a voluptuous man upbraids his little
and cofening profperities , and exads pains
made * {harper by the paf-
fing from foft beds, and a - * lo"g> fortHna
Ibftermind. He that would d
I- , rr Jt •/ /I- a miltro, qii* taiito
die khly and happily, muft in pondere fams
this world love tears, humi- Res pre.ric adverfas, fatirqiie
lily, folitude and repentance. rriodtus urget.Lucan.i. a
SECT. II.
Of dailjj examination of our allions^.
in the whole courfe of our healthy
preparatory to'our death-hed.
He that will die well and happily, muft
drelTe his foul by a diligent and frequent
fcrntiny: He tuuft pcrfcdly underftand, and,
watch the ftate of his foul ■, he muft fet his
houfe in order before he be fit to die. And for
this there is great reafon, and great necef-
ficy.
Reafons far a daily examination.
I. For if we confider the diforders of
etrery day,the multitude of impertinent words,
the great portions of time fpent in vanity»
byM the daily omifTiOHScf duty, the coldnefleof
al f'l ^r prayers, the indifterence of our fpirit in
JI uncertainty of our fecrec
©4 purpo-
56 Chap.2. Gemdexerclfes Seft.a,
purpofcs, our infinite deceptions and hypocri.
fie,fometimes not known, very often not ob-
fcrved by our felves v our want of charity, our
not knowing in how many degrees of aftioa
and purpofe every vertue is to be exercifed,
the fecret adherencies of pride, and too for.
ward ccmplacencie in our beft aftions, our
failings in all our relations, the niceties of dif-
ference between fbrae vertues and foine vices,
the fecret undifcernable paflages from lawful!
to unlawfull in the firft inftances of change,
the perpetuall miffakings of permifTions for
duty, and licentious praftifes for permiflions,
our daily abufing the liberty that God gives
us, our unfufpefted fins in the managing a
conrfe of life certainly lawfull, our little gree-
dinelfes ineating, ourfurprifes in the propor-
tions of our drinkings, our too great freedoms
and fondnefies in lawfull loves, our aptneile
for things fenfual, and our deadnefle and tc-
dioufneffe of fpirit in fpiritual employments,
befides infinite variety of cafes of confcience
that do occur in the life of every man, and
in all entercourfes of every life, and tliai
the produ8ions of fin are numerous and ii>
creafing , like the families of the Northers
people? or the genealogies of the firft Patri-
arks of the world ? from all this we lhall find
that the computations of a mans life are builit
as the Tables of Signes and Tangents, and in-
tricate as the accounts of Eaftern Merchants'
and therefore it were but reafon we Ihonld
fumme up our accounts at the foot of ever;
page, I mean, that we call our felves to fcruti-
ny every night when we compofe our felves to
the little images of Death.
a. For if we make but one General! ac-
cgEUt)
Chap.2. frtparatsry tB death. Seft.2. 57
count, and never reckon till we die, either
we lhall onely reckon by great fummes, and
remember nothing but clamorous and crying
fins, andnever confider concerning particulars,
or forget Tcrymanyjor if we could confider
ail that we ought, we niuft nt eds be confoun-
ded with the multitude and variety. But if
we obferve all the little pafiages of our life,
and reduce them into the order of accounts
andaccufations, we fliall findethem multiply
fo faff, that it will not onely appear to bean
eafe to the accounts of our death- bed, but by
the inffrument of fhame will reftrain the in-
undation of evils i it being a thing intolera-
bleto humane modefty to feefins increafe fo
faft, and vermes grow up fo flow; to fee every
day ftained with the Ipots of leprofie, or
fprinkled with the marks of a leffer evil.
?. It is not intended, we fhould takeac-
counts of our lives onely to be thought reli-
gioiis, but that we may fee our evil and amend
it, that we dafh our fins againft the ftones,
that we may go to God, and to a fpirituall
Guide, and fearch for remedies and apply
them- And indeed no man can well obferve
his own groweth in Grace, but by accounting
feldonier returns of fin, and a more frequent
viftory over temptations; concerning which
every man makes his obferiations according
as he makes his inquiries and fearch after him-
felf: In order to this it was, that Sinn Paul
wrote', Before receiving the Holy Sacrament
let a man examine himfelfi, and fo let him eat.
This precept was given in thofe dayeswhen
they communicated every day, and therefore
a daily examination alfo was intended,
4^ And it will appear highly fitting, if we
D 5 remaBi-
p Chap.a. ^mrd exerdfes Sc^i. 2,
icmcnibcrthatat the day of judgement, bo
onely ehe gtearcft lines of 1 fe, but every
branch and circumftancc of every aftion, eve-
ry word, a ^d thought ftiall be called tofcruth
ny and fevere judgementinfonjiich that it
was a great tru'h which one faid > Wo bet)
tiietmfi Innocent life if God fiiouldfearchimoit,
without tnixturesof mercy. And therefore we
arc here to follow S. Pnult advice; Judgeytm
[gives and you jhall not be judged of the Lord,
The way to prevent Gods anger is to be angry
with our felves, and by examining our afti-
ans and condemning the Ctiniinal, by being
Ailffotsin Gods Tribunal, at leaft we fhall
obtain the favour of the Court- As therefore,,
^ery. night nte niuff make our bed the menrori dlof
mr grave, fo let our Evening thoughts, be an.
mage of the day of judgment.
5. This advice was foreafonable and pro-
;g«r inllrmiient of. vertue, that it was taught
aven. to the Scholeis of Pythagoras by their
Jyi'afler.: Let not fleep feity. upon the Regions of
^yonx fenfes^ before you.have three times recalki
^ihe converfation and. accidents of the. day: Ex-
"•amine whar you have committed againfl the
®ivine Law, what you have omitted of. your
duty,, and in whar you have made ufe of the
Uivine Grace to the purpofes of vertue and
'St^od' teitginn, joyningthe Judgereafonto the legijla-
rive mind or conference., that God may reigne
there as a Law-giver and a. Judge. Then
Chriffs kingdom is fet up in our hearts *, rfien
we alwayes live in the Eye of our judge,and
Hke by the mcafures ofreafon, religion, and
fcber c.ounfels-
T?ie benefits wc ffisllrccdveby praflifmg
2, Chap.s. frepmory n death. Seft,2. 5?
BO this advice, in order to a blefled death,
:ry will alfo adde to the accx}unc of reafon
re- and fair inducements.
iti-
: it The Benefits of this exereife.
it, I, Eyadaily examinatioti of our aflions
wc we fhall the eatier cure a great fin and pre-
m vent its arrival to become habitual. Forf la
ird. extin.ine ] we fuppofe to be a i elative duty and
gry inftrunientall to fomethiiig elfe. We examine
Si- our felvcs that wc may finde out our failings,
ing and cure them: and therefore if we ufe our
lall remedy when the wound is frefh and Weed-
ire, ing, wc fhal! finde the cure more certain,
Uof and leffc painfull. Forfo a Taper when its
an crown of flames is newly blown off, retains a
nature fo fymbolical to light, that it will with
TO- greedinelTe reenkindle and fnatcha ray from
ght, the neighbour fire: So is the foul of Man,
leir when it is newly fallen into fin", although
•sof God be angry with it, and the ftate of Gods
Hei favour, aud its own gracioufneffs is interrupt-
Ex- td, yet the habit is not naturally changed j
the and ftill God leaves fome roots of vertue ffan-
our ding, and the Man is niodeft, or apt to t>e
the made afhamed, and he is not grown a bold
and fimier; but if heflceps on it, and returns a-
■fld- gain to the fame fiii, apd by degrees growes in
gne love with it, and gets the cuffome. and the
hen ftrangenelfe of it is taken away, then iris his
hen Mafter, and is fweld into a he.tp, and is abet-
and ted by ufe, and corroborated by newly enter-
and tained principles, and is infinuated into his
Nature, and hath pofTelfed hisaftetfions, and
tainted the will and the underftanding v ®"d
fing by this time a man is in the ffate of a decay-
ilw a 6 ing
chap.?. &enml exerdfes Sefl.i.
ing Merchant, his accounts are fo great, and
fo intricate, and fo much in arrear, that to ex-
amine it will bebuttoreprefent the particu-
lars of his calamity : therefore they think it
better to pull the napkin before their eyes,
then to ftare upon the circumftances of their
death.
2. A daily, or frequent examination of the
parts of our life will interrupt the proceeding,
and hinder the journey of little fins into a
heap. For many dayes do notpafle the heft
perfons in whicli they have not many idle
words, or vainer thoughts to fully the fait
whitenelTc of their fouls: Some indifcreet
paffions, or trifling purpofes, fome iniperti-
nent difcontents , or unhandfome ufages of
tbeir own perfons or their deareff Relatives.
And though God is mt extreme to mark, whit
hi done mijfe, and therefore puts thefe upon
the accounts of his Mercy, and the title of
theCrofle, yet in two cafes, thefe little lias
combine and clufterj and we know that grapes
were once in fo great a bunch, that one cluftet
was tlie load of two men: that is, i. When
either we are in love with fmall fins j ot
2. When they proceed from a carelelfe and
incurious fpirit into frequency and continn*
ance. For fo the fmalleft atomes that dance
in all the little eels of the world, are fo tri-
fling and immaterial that they cannot trouble
an eye, nor vex the tendered part of a wound
where a barbed arrow dwelt v yet when by
their infinite numbers ( as Afelijfa and far-
sr-emc/gr. affirm ) they danced firfi into order,
then into little bodies, at laff they made the
matter of the world: So are thelittleindif -j
fits tions of our life j theji are. alwayes inconftdt- j
a, .• Uh
Cliap .2. ptpmwpo death. Seft .2. 6i
uble if thq be conjidered, and contemptible if
the) be m de(pifed, and God does not regard them
ifm do. We may eafily keep them afundcr
by cur daily or nightly thoughts, and pray-
ers, and feverefentences; But even the leaft
fand can check the tumultuous pride, and be-
cornea limit to the Sea, when itisina heap
and in united multitudes ; but if the wind
featterand divide theni, the little drops and
the vainer froth of the water begins to invade
the Strand. Our fighes can fcatter fuch little
ofttnces ■, but then, be fure to breath fuch
accents frequently, leaft they knot, and com-
bine, and grow big as the Ihoar, and we pe-
rijh in fand. in trifling inftances. He thatde- eccIus.
fpifeth little things, jball perijh by little and ig,u.
little. So faid the fon of Sirach.
A frequent eyamination of our affions
will inttnerate and foften our confciences, fo
that they fhailbe impatient of any rudenelfe
or heavier load: And he that is nfed „ ., •
^ n . , , , . yy , . 1 Qtn levi comTini*
tolhrmk whcn hcis preifedwitha tu.nereilicur, non
branch of twining Oficr, will not opu eft utfoititin
willingly hand in the ruines of a dme & rmi^inva.
houfe, when the beam dafhes upon Senec,
the pavcmenr. And, provided chat our nice
and tender Ipirit be not vexed into fcruple,
nor rhefcruple turn into unreafcnahle fears,
nor the fears into fuperllirion; he that by
any arts can make his fpirit tender, and apt
for religious impreffions, hath made thefairefl:
feat for religion, and the unapteft and uneali-
eft entertainment for fin, and eternal death, in
,die whole world.
4- A frequent eyamination of the fmalleft parrs
of our lives is the heft inflrument to make
our repentance paideular,. and a fit remedy,
te)
#1 > Chap. 2.- General exmifes Seft
to all the members of the whole body of fin,
For our examination putoff to our death-bed
of neceffity biingsusinto this condition, that
very manythoufandsof our fins niiift be(ornot
be atal)walbcd oft'with a genera] rcpentancej
which the more general and indefinite it is,itis
ever fo much the worfe: And if he that repenti
the longeft and the oftneft,and upon the moll
inflances, is ftill during his whole life, butan
imperfeft penitent, and there are very many
referves left to be wiped oft by Gods mercies,
and to be eafed by collateral affiftances, or to
fee groaned for at the terrible day of judge-
Hient •, it will be but a fad ftory to confider,
that the fins of a whole life, orof very great
portions of it, Iballbe put upon the remedy
of one examination, and the advices of one
difcourfe,aiid the aftivities of a decayed body,
and a weak and an amazed Spirit. Let us do
the beft we can, we lhall finde that the meet
fins of ignorance, and unavoidable forgetful-
nefe will be enough tobeintrufted tofuch
a bank, and th.it if a general repentance will
ftrve towards their expiation, it will be an
infinite mercy-• bur we have nothing tnwar-
rant our confidence, if wefhall think it to be
enough on our death bed to confclfe the no-
tnrioiis aflions of our lives, ( and to fay " Jli
Lord he mercijul to me for the inknite traofgrejji-
tnsof my life-) vphich I have wUfntly or carekflj
firgot ] for very many of which, the repea-
taiice, thediflinift, particular, ciciumftantiate
isepentance of a whole life would have been
too little, if we could have done more.
5. After the enumeration of thcfe advaui
ranges I (ball not need to adde that if wede'
eliac or. refufe to call oar felves frequently w
afe
»
Chap.K prepitrtaoty to death. St^.2.
accoiintj and to ufe daily advices concerning
the ftate of our fouls, it is avery illfi^iie, that
our fouls are not right with God, or that they
do not dwell in religion. But this I fhall fay^
that they who do ufe this excrcife frequently
will make their confrience much at eafe by
calling out a daily load of humor and furfet,
the matter of difeafes and the inftruments of
death, ffe that does not. frequently fearch his. con'
fcknce, isahoufe without a window, and like a
wilde untutored fonof a fondand undifcern-
ing widow..
But if this exercife feeni toogrearatrou*
ble, and that by futh advices, religion wifl
fecm a burden, 1 have two things to oppofe
againftit.
r. One is; that we Iiad better bear the
burden of the Lotd, then the burden of a bafe
and polluted confcicnce. Religion cannot be
great a trouble as a guilty foul i and what-
foever trouble can be fancied in this or any
other afl^ion of religion, it is oncly to unex-
perienced perfons. It may be a trouble at
firH, !u)> as is every-change, and every new vJv
accident: bur if you doit frequently and ac-
cuftom your fpirit to it, as the cuRom will
niake iteary,fothe advantageswilmakeitde- tudoCi,
ledableiibitt will make it facile as nature, t^/e ciet,u-
will make it as pleafant and eligible as reward.
2. The other thing 1 have to fay is this:
That to examine our lives will be no trouble
if we do not inti icate it with bufinelfes of the:
world, and the Laby-
finths of care and im- Securs Sr Ipiietat mentireftin
pertinent aflairs. A man partem <i.1cur,-ere;
K,j I 1 . occupatoiuni anipni vehit feb-
need have a quiet ^.,0^ re'pjcere mm poi-
Ma drhncanglcd life, who futiB, Ssnecai.
eomes.
^4 Cliap .2. General exerdfes Seft .2,
comes to fearch into all his aftions, and to
make judgement concerning his errors and his
needs, his remedies and his hopes. They that
have great intrigues of the world Jiave a yoal^upon
their necks,& cannot look.back:,3ndhe that covets
many things greedily, and fnatches at high
things atiibitioufly,that defpifes his Neighbour
proudly,and bears his crofles peevifhly, or
his prcfperity impotently and paflionately j
he that is prodigal of his precious time, and
is tenacious and retentive of evil pnrpofes, is
not a man difpofed to this exercife, he hath
reafon to be afraid of his own memory, and
to dafh his glafle in pieces, becaufe it mnft
needs reprefent to his own eyes an intolerable
deformity. He therefore that refolves to live
well whatfoever it cofts him j he that will go
to Heaven at any rate, fhall beft rend this duty
by neglcfting the affairs of the world, in all
things where prudently he may. But if wedo
otherwife, we fhall finde that the accounts of
our death- bed and the exa mination made by a
difturbed underffanding will be very empty
of comfort and full of inconveniencics.
6. For hence it comes that men dye fori-
moroufly, and uncomfortably, as if the)' were
forced out of their lives by the violencics of
an executioner. Then, whhmt much exanim-
tion they remember how wickedly they have
lived, without religion, againft the laws of
the covenant of gtzce^rmthout God in the world-,
then they fee fin goes off like an amaxed,
wounded, afifighced perfon from a loft battel,
without honour, without a veil, with nothhg
but fhame & fad remenibrances.Then they can
confider that if they had lived vertooufly, all
the trouble and objedion of that would now
be
diap. 2. preparatory tt death. Se&. 2.
bepaft, and all that had remained fhould be
peace and joy, and all that good which dwells
within the houfeof God, and eternd////e. But
now they finde they have dene amiffe and dealt
wickedly^ they have no bank of good works,
but a huge treafure of wrath, and they are
going to a ftrange place, and what lhall be
their lot is uncertain j ( fo they fay, when
they would comfort and flatter themfelves}
but in truth of religion their portion is fad
andintollerable, without hope, and without
refrelhmentjand they muff ufe little filly arts,
to make them go oif frorn their ftage of fins
with fome handfom circumftances cf opinion:
They will in civility be abufed that they may
die quietly, and go decently to their executi-
OH, and leave their friends indiffereutly con-
tented, and apt to be comforted, and by that
time they arc gone awhile, they fee that they
deceived themfelves all their dayes, and were
by others deceived at laft.
Let us make it our own cafe •, we fliall come
to that ftateand period of condition, in which
we (lull be infinitely comforted, if we have
lived well, er elfe be amazed and go off trem-
bling, becaufe we are guilty of heaps of un-
repented and unforfaken fins. It may happen
We (hall not then underffand it fo, becaufe
moil: men of late ages have been abufed with
falfe principles, and they are taught ( or they
are willing to believe) that a little thing is
enough to fave them, and that heaven is fo
cheap a purchafe, that it will fall upon them
whether they will orno. The mifery of it is,
they will not fuft'er themfelves to be confuted,
till it be too late to recant their errour. In the
atterim, tihey arc impatient to be examined,
as
6i
If
■ JyU
46 Chap. 2. General exercifet Seft.t,
as a leper is of a comh, and arc greedy of the
world, as children of raw fruitand they
hate a fevere reproof, as they do thorns in
riieir beds i and they love to lay afide religion,
as a drunken perfon does to forget his forrow;
and all the way they dream of fine things, and
their dreams prove contrary, and become the
hieroglyphics of an eternal forrow.Thc daugh-
ter of Polycrates dreamed rhat her Father was
lifted up, and that Jupiter wafhedhim and the
Sun anointed him i hut it proved to him but
a fad profperity; for alter a long life of con-
ftant profperoiis fuccefies he was furpri-
zed by his enemies, and hanged up till the
dew of heaven wet his checksi and the Snn
melted his greafe. Such is the condition of
thofe perfons who living either in the de-
fpight, or in the negleft of religion, lyewal-
lowing in the drunkennefTe of profperity, or
worldly cares j they think themfelves to be
exalted , till the evil day overtakes them;
and then they can expound their dream of
life to end in a fad and hopelefle death. I re-
member that C/eomenea that was called a God
by theEgyprians,becaufe when he was hang'd,
aferpent grew out of his body, and wrapt it
felf about his head, till the Phrlcfophers of
Egypt faid, it was natural that from the mar'
row of feme bodies fuch produftions lliould
arife : and indeed it repreients the condition
sf fome men, who being dead are efteemed
faints and beatified perfons when their head is
encircled with dragons, and is entered into
the pofleflion of Devils, that old ferpent and
deceiver j For indeed their life was fecretly
fo corrupted, that fuch ferpents fed upon the
rwnes of the fpirit, and the decayes of grace
Chap- 2. freparamy to dentk. Seft .5.
aiidreafon. To becofened in making judge-
nients concerning our finall condition is ex-
tremely eafie, but if we be cofened, wearcio-
finitely miferable.
SECT. III.
Of exercijing Charity > during ear
W/2»/f life.
Retpice quid prodeft prafetiiie
ten>poris;evum,J
O: nequodeft, nihileft, prae-
ceramare Deum,
He that would die well and happily mut
in his life time according to all his capa-
cities exercife charity j and becaufe Religion
is the life of the foul, and
charity is the life of religi-
on, the fame which gives
life to the better part of
man which never dies,may
obtain of God a mercy to the inferiour part of
man in the day of its diffolution.
I. Charity is the great chanel through
which God palfes all his mercy upon man-
kinde. For we receive abfoluti on of our (ins
in proportion to our forgiving our brother:
this is the rule of our hopes, and the raeaftire
of our defire in this world j andin the day of
death and judgement the great fenrence upon
uiankinde (hall be tranfafted accorditig to our
almes, which is the other part of Charity. Cer-
tain it is that God cannot, wiU not,
never did rejeft a charitable man
in his greateft needs, and in his
mod paiTionate prayers j f-r Ood
bimftlfislove,3.nA every degree of
rfiaritythat dwells in us, is the participation
of
Qjod expend! habiif^
Q;^oddon.ivi la ibeo,
d nejrjvi piinior,
CJ^od (c.vaviperdidii
—I" j
I ■
^8 Chap .2. Gentrd exerafes Seft.5,
of the divine nature > and therefore whtn
upon our death bed; a cloud covers out
heads, and we are enwrapped with furrow;
when we feel the weight of a fickneffe, and
do not feel therefrefliing vifitations of Gods
loving kindnefie ; when we have many things
to trouble us, and looking round about us, we
fee no comforter i then call to minde what
injuries you have forgiven, how apt you were
to pardon all aftroiita and real perfccutions.'
how you ennbraced peace when it was offered
you ? how you fotlowed after peace, when it
run from you ? and when you are weary of
one fide, turn upon the other j and remember
the alms, that by the grace ©f God, and his
afhftances yon have done, and look up to
God, and with the eye of faith behold him
coming in the cloud, and pronounci ng the fen-
fence < f dooms day according to his mercies
and thy charity.
2. Chirity with its Twin-daughters, almii
and forghenejfe is efpecially effeflual for the
procuring Gods mercies in the day and the
manner of our death: a/mes deliver from death,
faid old Tobias, and almes make an atonemsnl
/"'■ /("A of Sirach : and fo faid
Daniel, and fo fay all the wife men of the
Ecclus. world. And in this fence alfo is that of S. Tf-
?. 5 o. ter, Leve covers a muhhude of jlns ; and * S. C/f-
fp"^ 8 Conftitutions gives this counfelli
larM?. ^'^"ds, give it that
* Lib! n, "tap work, to the remiffion of thy fins ■, for by
cap. ij. faith and alms fns are purged. The fame alfo is
txt thecounfel of Sa/uian, who wonders that men
who
chap. 2. prepantory to death. Seft?.
who are guilty of great and many fins, will
not work out their pardon by alms and mercy.
But this alfo rnuft be added out of the words
of LiBantius, who makes this rule compleat
and ufeful 5 But think not, that because fins are
token amy by alms, that by thy money thou mayefl
prchafe a licenfe to fin. For fins are abolished, Ag«re
if becaufe thou haft finned thougiveft to (sod, that autem
is, to Gods poor fervants and his indigent, ne-
ceflitous creature : But if thou finneft upon j
confidence ofgiving,thy fins are not abolilhcd.
For God defires infinitely that men fhould be pjo ,teri
purged from their fins, and therefore com- & aMr,
mands us to repent. But to repent is nothing
elfe, but to profeife and affirm (that is, to pur- " g^
pofe and to make good that purpofe) that they caturunu
will fin no more.
Now almes are therefore effeftive to the
abolition ai>d pardon of our fins, becaufe
they are preparatory to , and impetratory of
thegrace of repentance, and are fruits of re- o,* 1.
pintonce and therefore S. Chryfoftom afl5rmcs,,dep(inu
that repentance without almes is dead, and
without wings, and can never foar upwards
to the element of love. But becaufe they are
a part of repentance, and hugely pleafing to
Almighty God, therefore they deliver us from
the evils of an unhappy and accurfed death j mcmmi
for fo Chrifl: delivered his Difciples from the me!«side
fea, when he appeafcd the ftorm, though they
ftill failed in the chanel: and this S. Hierome mor;".
"verifies with all his reading and experience, umqui
faying, I do not remember to have read, that ever libcnter
any charitable perfondied an evil death : andal- .
though a long experience hath obferved Gods exercai"*
niercies to defcend upon charitable people Nepo",
like the dew upon Gideons fleece when all the
world
smumii
70
Chap.2- Genenlextrcifes Seft.j.
world Jwas dry, yet for this alfoj we have a
promife, which is, notonelyan argument of
a certain number of years ( as experience is)
but a fecurity for eternall ages. Makeyefrmds
■' of the mammon of mnghteoufnejfe, that lohenyt
»}«$;- receive you into everlafting habita-
" ^tions: When faith fails, and chaffity is ufeleffe,
and temperance fliall be no more, then cha-
'j""/'■' rity (hall bear you upon wings of cherubins,
'. a ' eternall mountain of the Lord. I have
luyjiiJti- gjr ^fikinde, and a friend, and met-
iM Ko/iM- fjgyf, J gxpeS to communicate in that
»iii!K(^7x kjndnefewhich hejbem, that is, the great
«/i(ij4isr- Father of men and mercies: faid Cym
at- Perlian, on his death-bed.
Sfmrres. J Jq not mean this (hould onely be a death-
bed charity, any more then a death-bed re-
pentance; but it ought to be the chatity of
Da dum tc:.pns h.bas, tibi out life, & healthfullyears;
propria fitJranusl^res; ^ partingwith portions of
Auferec, hoc ne -o quod ujabis our goods then, when WC
■ipfe Deo. Goner in voce can keep them : we mull
adamant. not firft kindle our lights,
when we are to defcend into our houfes of
darknelfe, or bring a glaring torch fuddenly
to a dark room, that will amaze the eye and
not delight it, or inflruft the body; but if
our Tapers have in their conftant courfede-
fcended into their grave crowned all the way
with light, then let the death-bed charity be
doubled, and the light burn brightcft when it
is to deck our hearfe. But concerning this I
fhall afterwards give account.
sect,
Chap.2.
preparatory to death. Seft.4, yj
r S E C T. IV.
General conjideraiions to enforce
the former fratlifes.
THefe are the gencrall inftruments of pre-
paracion, in order tea holy death. It
will concern us all to ufe them diligently and
fpeedily j for we tnuft be long in doing that which
mfi be done but once ; and therefore we muft
begin betimee, and lofeno time; efpecially
linccit is fo great a venture, and upon it de-
pends fo great a ftate. Seneca faid well. There
is no Science or Art in the world fo hard as
to live and die well; The profeflbrs of other
arts are vulgar and many, but he that knows
how to do this bufinefle is certainly inftruft-
ed to eternity. Burthen let me remember
this, that a wife perfon will alfo put moftup-
on the greateft intereft. Common prudence
will teach us this. No man will hire a Gene-
rail to cut wood, or (hake hay with a Scepter,
or fpend his foul and allhis faculties upon the
purchafe of a cocklefliell i but he will fit in-
ftruments to the dignity and exigence of the
defigne; and therefore fince heaven is fo glori-
pus a ftate, and fo certainly defigned for us,
if we pleafe , let us fpend all that we have,
all our paflions and affeflions, all our ftudy
and induftry, all our defires and ftratagems,
ail our witty and ingenuous faculties toward
*he arriving thither, whither if we do come,
every
Quod l»^
pe fieri
nonp»-
teftfiat
diu,
Seaee*
Nulliu?
rei quatn
vivere
diffidlior
eit (cien-
ti.r. Pro<
fenores
aliarum
artium
vulgo
multiq;
funt.
senec*
Nunc ra-
tio nulla
eft res ran
di nulla
faculcas
Sterna?
qitoniar*
pccnasin
morte ti-
mendum.
Lucret,
a
■ iiiiO
72 chap 2. Generdexercifes Seft.4.
virtutem every minute will infinitely pay for all the
yideant, troubles of our whole life ; If we do not, we
cantq^- rewatd of fools, an unpitied
teUitll upbraided mifery.
To this purpofe I lhall reprefent the ftate
of dying and dead men in the devout words
of fome of the Fathers of the Church, whofe
fenfe I (hall exaftly keep i but change their
order, that by placing fome of their difperfed
meditations into a chain, or fequell of di-
(coiirfe, I may with their precious (tones make
an Union, and compofe them into a jewel; for
though the meditation is plain and eafie, yet
it is afiedionate, and materiall, and true, and
necefiary.
The circumfiances of a dying mans
ferrow and danger.
When the fentence of death is decreed,
and begins to be put in execution, it is forrow
enough to fee or feel refpeflively the fad ac-
cidentsof the agony, and laff contentions of
the foul, and the reluffancies and unwilling-
■effes of the body. The forehead wafh'd
with a new and ((ranger baptifme, befmearcd
with a cold fwear, tenacious and clammy, apt
to make it cleave to the roof of his coffin;
the nofe cold and imdifcerning, not pleafed
nBus , ^"h perfumes, nor fuftering violence with
a cloud of unwholfome fmoak J the eyes dim
as a fullied mirror, or the face of heavem
when God (hews his anger in a prodigious
ftorm the feet cold, the hands ftiffe, the
Phy(itians defpairing, our friends weeping,
the rooms dreifed with darkne(Te and forrowi
and the exteriour parts betraying what are the
violences
Chap.2. prepnratory to death. Seft.4. 73
violences which the foul and fpiricfuffer j the
nobler part like the lord of the houfe, being^'®®®*
aflaulted by exterioiir rudenefles, and driven
from all the oat-works j at laft, faint and wea-
ry, with fhorr and frequent breathings, inter-
rupted with the longer accents of fighes,
without moifture, but the excrefcencies of a
fpilc humour, when ihe pitcher is broken at
the cifterneit retires to its laft fort, the hearty
whither it is purfued and ftbrmed , andbea-
ten out, as when the barbarous Thrarian fack-
ed the glory of the Grecian Empire. Thenca-
hmity is great, and forrow rules in all the
capacities of man: then the mourners weep>
ktaufe it is civil, or becaufe they rveed thee>
otbecaufe they fear, but whofuft'ers for thee
withacompifTion (liarpas is thy pain ? Then
thenoife i.5 like the faint eccho of a diffant val-
ley,& few heare, and they will nor regard thecy
jwhofc, iiieif like a perfon voidof underffand-
[ing,andof a departing interell. Veik tremen~
h-:\ eft mortis fscrmentum. But thefc acci-
denrs are common to all char die, and when
jfpeciall providence fhall diOinguifh them,
[they (hall die with cafie cireumflancesbur
its no piety can fecure ir, fd' tntiff no confi-
denceexpeft it, but wait for the time,and ac-
KM the manner of the d Eblution. But that
whichdiningu'flies them is this.
He char hath lived a wicke I life, if his
wnfcience be alarmed, and that he does not
lie like a Wolf, or a Tigre without ft-nfe or
emor'e of all his wildneffe, and his injury,
'is heaftjy nature, and dcfcrt, and untilled
'anncrs, if he have but fcnfe of what he is
ping to fuffer, or whtc he u'ay eypeft to be
"s portion, then w'e n.ay imagine the terrour
E of
ing fhapes, and becaufc they fear them, they
feel the gripes of Derils, urging the unwil-
ling fouls from the kinder and faft enibracei
of the body> calling to the grave, and haftlng
to judgement, exhibiting great bills of un.
eaucelied crimes, awaking and amazing the
confcience, breaking all their hope in pieces,
and making faith ufelefle and terrible, be-
caufe the malice was great and the charity
». chry- was none at all. Then they look, for fome tt
fcftomus, havepity en them, but there U no man. No man
dares be their pledge, N» man can redeem their
foul, which now feels what it never feared.
Then the tremblings and the forrow, the rae-
jnory of the paft fin, and the fear of future
pains, and the fenfeof an angry God, and the
prefence of fome Devils configne him to the
eternal! company of all the damned and accur-
fed fpirits: then they want an Angel for their
guide, and the Holy Spirit for their comfor-
ter, and a good confcience for their teftimony,
amd Chrift for their Advocate, and they dii
and are left in prifons of earth or air, in feaci
and undifccrned regions to weep and trembk)
and i nfini tely to fear the comi ng of the day of
Chrift i at which time they fhall be brouglii
forth to change their condition into a worfci
where they fhall for ever feel more then we
can beleeve or underftand. ,
Butwhenagoodraandies", one that
lived innocently or made joy in Heaven at hii
*phr«m
Sjrus.
tWi
fins
the
ee0
die
Mi
and
foir
and
Ml
fiini
the!
irft
isbu
&ie
nighi
thev
porti
witiy
batii
allth
Wdoi
tionc
thief
himc
intert
oftha
in the
lalks
mtrin
fimely and effeftive repentance, and in whofe
behalf the Holy jefus hath interceded profpt-
rouffy, and for whofe intereff the Spirit maks
interpellations with groans and fighs unuttt'
wbk, and in whofe defence the Angels dri«
avnj
u
ghc-
hey
Wil"
aces
\iHg
un-
the
:ces,
be-
(irity I
w t«
Iran
thtit
ared.'
me-
uture
dthe
othe
ccur>
theii
iifo».
(tony,
y die'
feffc!;
libit,
layol
auglii
votfe
snWt
: hath
at hit
whoft
rofpt'
Chap.*. frepaTm^ r» death. Seft .4. 7^
away the DeWia on his death-bed, becaufe hie
fins arc pardoned, and bccaufe he refifted
the Devil in his life time, and fought fuc-
eeflefully, and perfevered unto the end, thai
the joyes break forth through the clouds oE
ficknelfe, and the confcience ftands upright,
and confeffes the glories of God, and owns
fomuch integrity that it can hope for pardon^
ind obtain it too: Then the lorrowes of the
ficknelfe, and the flames of the Feaver, or the
hintnefle of the confumption do but nntye
the foul from its chain, and let it go forth,
fcft into liberty, and then to glory i for it
is but for a little while that the face of the
fkie was black, like the preparations of the
night, but quickly the cloud was torn and rent,
the violence of thunder parted it into little
portioi s, that the Sun might look forth with a
watry eye, and then Ihine without a tear V
butit is an infinite refrelhmcnt to remember
•11 the comforts of his prayers, the frequenC
viftory over his temptations, the mortifica-
tionof his luft, thcnobleft faaifice to God in
I which he inoff delights, that we have give*
I him our wills, and killed our appetites for the
intereft of his fervices i then all the trouble
pfthat is gone, and what remains is a portioR
in the inheritance of ]cfus, of which he now
'slks no more as a thing at diftance, but i>
tntring into the poffetTion. When the veil is
tent, and the prifon doors are open at the 5
prefence of Gods Angel, the foul goes forth ['rius,"
mil of hope, fometimes with evidence, but s Euiira-
•Iwayes with certainty in the thing, and in- tiu«Ma«
"antly ic paffes into the throngs of Spirits,
jjnere Angels meet it finging, and the Devils
with malitious and vile purpofes,dcfiring
£ 2 t9
€hry(b-
ftonins,
dfi~
Tit3tO-
cT-'C^a (fiv
Miu'dwru
"St^iTUj »
•Ivxii.
Philo.
Chap.2. General exercifes,^e. Sefl,4,
to lead it away withthcni into their houfcs
of forrowj there they fee things which they
never fa w, and hear voices whi(^ they never
heard:- There the Devils charge them with
many fins; And the Angels remember thai
themfelves rcjoyced when they were repented
of. Then the Devils aggravate and defcribeall
the circumfiances of the fin, and adde calum
nies, and the Angels bear the foul forward
flil), becaufe their Lord doth anfwer for them
Then the Devils rage andgnafh their teeth:
they fee the foul chaft and pure, aivd they are
afhamed ; they fee it penitent, and theyde-
fpair; they perceive that the tongue was re-
frained and fanftified,- and then hold their
peace: Then the foul pafi'es forth and re-
Joyces., paflrng by the Devils in fcom and
triumph, being fecurely carried into th ■ bo-
fome.of the Lord, where they (hall reft till
their crowns are finilhed, and their manfions
arc prepared, and then they fhall feaft and
fing, rejoyce and worfhip for * ever and
ever. Fearlul and formidable to unholy per-
fons is the firft meeting with fpirits in their fe-
paration. But the vidiory which holy fouls re-
ceive by the mercies of Jefus Chrifl, and the
condua of Angels is a joy that we mnft
not ur.derftarid till we feel it: and yetfuch
which by an early- and a perfevering piety we
may fecure : but let us enquire after it «o
further, becaufe it is feaet.
CHAP. III.
Of the hate of ficknefle, and the
temptations incident to it with
their proper resKedies»
SECT. I.
Of the Jfate of Jtckneffei
Dms fin brosght death into the
world.and man did die the fame day
in which he finned, according as
God had threatned : He did not
die, as death is taken for a ftpa-
ratioM of foul and body > that is not death
properly; but the ending of the laft aft of
death: juft as a man isfaid to be bsrn, when
heceafesany longer to be bsrn in his mothers
womb. But whereas to man was intended a
life long and happy, without ficknelfe, forrow
or infelicity, and this life fiiould be lived
here or in a better place, and the paffage frona
one fc) the other fhould have been eafy, fafe
and pIeafant,now tharman fanned, he fell from
that ftate toa contrary.
If Adam had ftood he: fhould nst almyet
have lived in this world j for this world was
E s Bat
5# Ch^.g. thermeiksof tmfMioiu. 5eft,i,
Bota place capable of giving a dwelling»
all thofe myriads of men and women which
ftould have been born inall thegcneratioBi
®f infinite and eternal ages; for fo It mull
Iwve been, if man had laot dyed at all, nor
yet have removed hence at all: Neither is it
•likely that mans innocence Ihould have loft
to him allpoffibilityof going thither, wherr
the duration is better, meafured by a better
time, fubjeft to fewer changes, and which li
BOW the reward of a returning vertue,which ii
all naturil fcnfes is lefle then innocence, five
that it is hcighrned by Chrift to an equality
®f acceptation with the ftate of innocence;
But fo icmirflhavc been thath $ innoccncr
fiioufd have bee* pnnllhtd with an eterml
confinement rothislbte, which in all reafoi
is the lelTe perfe^, the ftate of a traveller, not
of one pofTelTed of his inheritance. It is thcrfr
fore Certain Man (hould hare changed iih
abode: for fodrd Enochs and fo did Elks, anl
fo fliall all the world thatlliallbe aliveattk
day of judgement: They Jhall not die, kt ikj
flillc/MBge their place, and their abode, theit
duration and their ftate, and all this withoiii
death.
That death therefore which God threatneJ
»o Adam and which paflfed upon his pofterity,
is not the going out of this world, bm (h
manner of going. If he had ftaid in innoceucr.
he Ihould have gone from hence placidly, iti
ItitM feirly, without vexations and affliftive circuat'
qnavi- ftances; he fhould not have dyed by fickne^
misfortune, defeft, or unwillingnefle j ta
•arpfic" hegsH to tlie i the /«*
WcrcuU d^,(fo&id God : ) and that muft: needs'"
Tat. ttne: asd therefore itsBaftmean, thatu)""
ihi
Oiap.?. prtper to pckpefe. Seft.i. 7^
that very day he fell into an evil and danger-
ous condition j a ftate of cliangc and afflifti- ^
OB j then death began, that is, the man began "
to die by a natural diminution, and aptneffe to rimur'fit
difeafe and mifery. His firft Hate was and nirq;3b
fcould have been (fo long as it lafted) a hap- origme
py duration i His fecond wasadaily and mi- P'"''*''*
ferable change i and this was the dying pro-
perly.
This appears in the great inftance of dam-
Mtim, which in the ftile of Scripture is called
eternal death; not becaufe it kills or ends
the duration» it hath not fo much good in it;
but becaufe it is a perpetual infelicity. Change
or feparation of foul and body is but acci-
dental to death. Death may be with, or with-
cut either: but the formality, the curfe and
the fting of death, that is, mifery, forrow,
fear, diminution, defeat, anguilh, dilhonour,
a»d whatfocver is miferable, and affliftive in
nature, that is death: death is not an aAion,
huta whole fiate and condition; and this was
firft brought in upon us by the offence one
ttan.
But this went no further then thus to fub-
left us to temporal infelicity. If it had pro-
ceeded fo as was fuppofcd, Man had been
"luch more miferable; for man had more
then one original fin in this fence: and though
rfiis death entred firft upon us by Jldanu faulty
yet it came necrer snto us, and increafed
upon us by the fins of more of our forefathers.
For Adams fin left us in ftrength enough t«
eoBtend with humane calamities for almoft a
IfiOTfand years together. But the fins of bis
ftiildren, our forefathers, took off from is
luff the ftrength about the time nf die flood;
E 4 miii
!C IS ainioit come to Ro-
th ng. But by the fins of men in the feveral
generations of the worlrf, death, that is, mi-
fery and difcafc, ishaftned fo upon us, tiiatwe
are of a contemptible age •, and becaufe we
are to die hy fufilring evils, and by the daily
IcfTening cf our ftrcngth and health; this death
is fo long a doing, that it makes fo great a
part of cur fliortlife ufelefleand uufervicea-
He, that we have not time enough to get the
perfc^ion of a fingle manufifturc; but ten
cr twelve generations of the world mud go
to the making up of one wife man, or one ex-
cellent Art: and in the fucccflion of thofe
ages, there happens fomany changes and in-
terrnptions, fo many warres and violencies,
that feven years fighting fets a whole Kingdom
back in learning and vertue, to which they
were creeping, it may be, a whole age.
Andthusalfowedo eviltoour pofterity,
as >lifamdidtohis, and Cliitw did to his, and
Eli to his, and all they to theirs, who by fins
caufed God to fhorten the life, and miiltipfy
the evils of mankinde: and for tbis rcafon it
is, the world grows worfe and wcrfe, becaufe
fo many original fins are multipl ed, and fo
many evils from Parents defcend upon the
fucceeding generations cf men, that they de-
rive nothing from us but original mifery.
But he who reffored the law of Nature, did
alfo reftore us to the condition of Nature;
which being violated by the introdudlinnof
death, Chrift then repaired when he fullered
and overcanie d«th for us: that is, he hath ta-
ken away the HBhappiHcffe of ficknefle, and
Chap.?. proferU fcknejfe.1 Seft.s.
the fting of death, and the difhonoursof the
grave, of dilTolution and wcaknelfe, of decay
and change; and hath turned them into afts
of favour, inco inftances of comfort, intoop-
portanicies of Vertne; Chrift hath now knit
them into rofaries, and coronets, he hath
put them into promifes and rewards, he hath
made them part of the portion of his eleft ;
they are inftrumms, and etrnefts, and fecuri'
ties , and parages to the greatcft perfeftion
of humane natiife, and the Divine promifes.
So that i t is pbffibiefor its now to be reconci-
led to-dicifrtefiej ft cme in by fin, and there-
feie is cured'^hen' it is turned inte vertue j and
although it may have in it the uneafinefle of
labour, yet it wiH not be uneafie as fin, or the
reftieffeneffe of a dHcompofed confcience: If
therefore \ve can well'manage our Hate of
ficknefle, that me may not fall by pain, as we
nfuilfy da by pleafure, we need not fear; for
no evil Stall happen.to us.
ft
SECT.' II.]
Of the firfi temptation proper to the
ft ate offtcknefte • Impatience.
MEn that are in health are fevere exaftors
of patience at the hands of them that
■are fick,and they ufually judge it not by terms
«f relation, between God and the fuffering
man; but between hina and the friends that
Sand by the bed-fide. It will be therefore
Beccflary that we truly underftand to what
E 5 duties
MMMmm
§2 Cfep.?. ' ef Imfiiitnti. Sea.s.
duties *ndaflions the patience of a fickman
«nght to extend.
1. Sighes and groans, forrow and prayers,
hintible complaints , and dolorous exprefli-
ons are the fad accents of a fick mans Ian.
ortftiT' ^ expefted that a
^mitu, n'®" ftioold aft a part of patience with
f remiti- a countenance like an Orator, or grave like
bus reio- a Dramatick perfon. It were well if all men
TOultum exteriour decencie in their
ficbiie" f^knefle, and regulate their voice, their face,
voces their difcourfe, and all their circumftances^
lefert, the meafurcs, and proportions of conilinelfc
©iofTufc and fatisfaftion to all the handers by. But this
wonld better pleafethem then affiif him; the
fick man would do more good to others, then
he would receive to himfelf.
2. Therefore, filence and ftill compofores,
and not complaining, are no parts of a fick
mans duty j thw are not neceflary parts of
Cone*- patience: We find that David roared fortht
^endu n "wry difquietneffe of his fickpefe ; and he lay
eft ge- chattering likf a frvaUow, and his throat mas is)
KeDci, ypjff, calling for help upon his God. Thats tht
proper voice of fickneflc *, and certain it is,
that the proper voyces of fjcknefTe are ex-
preflely vom/, and petitory in the eares of God,
and call for pity in the fame accenr, as the
eryes and oppreffions of Widows and Orphans
do for vengeance upon their perfccutors,
though they fay no Collcft againft them. For
there is the myce of man, and there is thevojci
of the difeafe, and God hears borhAnd the
louder the difeafe fpeaks, there is the greater
need of mercy and pity, and therefore
will the fooner hear if. Abefs blood had a ridte
and cried to God, and humlity b»ih a void
and
~Flagrantior aqao
dk>«t dglor cfle vki nec
vultKre'raajor.
Ju.
chap.3. #/ JtKfatitnct. SeS.i,
and cries fo load to God, that rt perces the
clouds j and fo hath every forrow, and every
fickneflc: and when a man cries out, and
complains but according
to the forrowcs of his pain,
it cannot be any part of a
culpable impatience, but
anargumentfor pity.
3. Some fenfes are fo fubtiie, and thck
l»crceptions fo quick and full of relifh, and
their fpirits fo aftive, that the fame load is
double upon them, to what it is to another
perfon i and therefore comparing the expref-
lions of the one to the filence of the other, a
different judgement cannot be made concern-
ing their patience: Some natures are quern-
lous, and melancholy, and foft, and nice, and
tender, and weeping, and expreffive» others
are fallen, dull, without apprehenfion, apt to
tolerate and carry burdens i and the crucifix-
ion of our Bleflcd Saviour falling upon a de-
licate and virgin body, of curious temper,
and ftrift, equall compofition, was naturally
more full of torment then that of the ruder
theeves, whole proportions were courferand
Bneven.
4. In this cafe it was no imprudent ad-
vice which Cicero gave: No-
thing in the world is more a-
miable then an even temper
in our whole life, and in eve-
ry aftion: but this evennefle
cannot be kept unlefle every
man follows his own nature,
without ftriving to imitate
the circumftances of another: and what is fo
w the thing it fclf, ought to be fo in our
E d jadge-
<5ninino fi quicquam eft dt
onita nihil eft profett#
magis, quar. xquabilicas
tiniverlaevKS, turn fingula-
rium aftionum : quam su-
tem con'crvare non poffis
ft aliorum naturam imitani
omittas tuam«
m
;
■'m
1,5' K
^4 Chap.?. 0f impatience. Seft.?,
judgemenfs concernins; the things. Wcnmft
not call any one impatient if he be not filew
in a feavtr as if he were afleep, or as if he
were dull, as Herods (on ci Athens.
5. Nature in fonie cafes hath made cry-
ings out, and exclamations to be an enter-
tainment of the fpirir, and an abatement or
diverfion of the pain. For fo did the old
champions when tliey threw their fatall nets
that they might load their enemy with the
fnares and weights of death, they groaned
^iapio- aloud, and fent forth the anguifli of their fpi-
fiindenda fit into the eyes and heart of the man tiiat
voce o 1:: ftood againfl them: fo itisin the endurance
pu in-"^ of fome fharp pains, the complaints and
tenditfir fttikiugs, the fharp groans, and the tender
venicq; Eccents fcud fotth the afflifted fpirits and
plaga force a way that they may eafe their opprefii-
on and their load, that when they have fpent
ft fome of their forrows, by a faliy forth, thty
may returne better able to fortifie the heart.
Nothing of this is a certain fgne, much left
an aBion or pan of impatience; and when
our bleffed Saviour fufiered his laft, and fharp-
cfl pang of forrowjdte crjed out with a loud vokt,
and rcfolved to die, and did fo.
SECT. in.
Cenfiituent er integrail parts of
patience.
*.'^Hat we may fecure our patience, w£
JL muff take care that our cmplaintsit
vitbout defpair, Defpair fins againft therepu-
tttici«
chap.?. 0/ Impamnee, Seft.?.
tationof Godsgoodnefle, and the efficacy of
all our old experience: By defpair we dc-
ftroy the greateft comfort of our forrowes,
and turn our ficknefleinto the ftate of Devils,
and perifhing fouls. No affli^fion is greater
then defpair, for thatis it which makes hell
fire, and turns a natural evil into an intole-
table; it hinders prayers, and fills up the in-
tcrvalls of licknelTe with a worfe torture; it
makes all fpiritua! arts ufelelfe, and the office
of fpiritual comforters and guides to be imper-
tinenc.
Againft this, hsfe is to be ©ppofcd; and
its proper affs as it relates to thevertue and
exercifeof patience are; i Praying to God
for help and remedy; 2 fending for the guides
offouls; 5. ufingarll holy exercifesand affs
of grace, proper to that ftate; which whofo
does hath not the impatience of defpair; every
man that is patient hath hope in God in the
day of his forrows.
2. Our complaints in ficknefie muff be
vitbout tmmure. Murmur fins againft Gods
providence and government: by it we grow
rnde,and like the falling Angels, difplcafed at
Gods fupremacy : and nothing is more un-
teafonable: it talks againft God, for whofe
glory all fpeech was made; it is proud and
phantaftic, hath better opinions of a finner-
then of the Divine juftice, and would rather
accnfe God then himfclf.
Againft this is oppofed that part of patience
which refigoes the man into the hands ,of
God; faying with old E/i, It is the Lord, let
him do what he will ; and thy will be done in
earth as it is in heaven ^ittd (d by admiring Gods
juftice and wifdom, does alfo difpofe the fick
n
mnm
riie
chap. 4.
Se&, I,
Chip.;. §f Infttienee. Scft.j,
pcrfon for ftceiving Gods mercy ; and fe.
cures him the rather is the grace of God. The
proper afts of this part of patience are, i. To
confcfie our fins and our own demerits. 2. It
increafes and exercifes humility. ;. It loves
*0 fing praifes to God, even from the loweft
abyfle of humane mifery.
;. Our comp!»nts in ficknefie ranft be
mthout feevijbnejfe- This fins againft civility,
and that neceflary decency, which niuft be
tried toward the minifters and afiiftants. By
peevifhneffe we increafe our own forrowes,
and are troublefome to them that (land there
aocafe ours. It hath in itharfhnelfe of nature,
and ungentlenefle, wilfulnefle, and Phantaftie
•pinions, morclity and incivility.
Againft it are oppofed obedience, traflai
feility, eafiiieffe of perfuafion, aptnefle to take
counfel. The afts of this part of patience
are, i. To obey our Phyfitians. 2. To treat
our perfons with refpeft to cur prefent neccffi.
ties. 5. Not to be ungentle, and uneafyto
the minifters, and nurfes that attend us j But
to take their diligent and kinde offices as
fweetly as we can, and to bear their indifcre.
tions, or unhandfornc accidents contentedly, ([
and withont difquietnefle within> or evil Ian-
gnage, or angry words without. 4. Nottoufe
xmlawful means for our recovery.
J f we fecure chefe particulars# we are not
lightly to be judged of,by noifes and pofturet,
fey Colours and images of things, by palcnclfe,
or roflings from fide to fide. For it were a
hard thing that thofe perfons who are loar'ea
with the grcatsefle of humane calaniititSj
fhould be ftridly tyed to ceremonies and
ferras of things. He is patient that calls t^on
God
Cfap.5- Retntitts agiinfl htlfiiime. S^.4. ^
God, that hopes for health or heaven, that be-
lieves God is wife and juft in fending him af_
fliflions; that confeffes his fins and accufes
himfelf, and juftifies God j that cxpefis God
will turne this into good i that is civil to his
Phyfitians and his fervantsjthat converfeswith
the guides of fouls, the minifters of religion }
and in all things fnbniits to Gods will; and
would ufe no indireft means for his recovery ;
but had rather be fick and di-e, the* enter at
aHinto Gods difpleafurc.
SECT. IV.
Remedies againfl intpatieHce^ bj
of confideration.
AS it happens concerning death J fo it ft
in ficknelfe which is deaths handmaid.lt
hath the fate to fnffer calumny and reproach,
and hath a name worfe then its nature.
!• For there is no ficknelfe fo great bnr
children endure it, and have natural ftrengths
to bear them cut quite through the calamity,
what period foever nature hath allotted it.
Indeed they make no reflexions upon their
fufferings and complain of ficknelfe with an
Bneafy figh, or a natural groan, but confider
not what the forrows of ficknelfe mean; and
fo bear itby a direft fufferance, and as a pillar
bears the weight of a roof : But then why
cannot we bear it fo to ? For this which we
rail a reflexion upon, or aconfideringof our
feknclfc, fs nothing buc aperfcftinftfumenr
/
CJiap.j. RmedhtagatnSImpatknce. Seft.^
ef trouble, and confequently a temptation to
impatience. It ferves no end of nature, it maj
be avoided, and we may confider itonelyai
an cxpreffion of Gods Anger, and an emit
, fary, or procurator of repentance. But all
other confidering it, except where it ferra
the purpofes of medicitt
Prastuferim de lyrus inersq; vi - and art, is nothi ng, but ffl.
J, - , der the colour of reafoi
Dati mea deleSant mala me, „nrpafonaKIe devifp t
veldeniquefallanc, an unreaionabie device ti
Qjiam lapere 8c ringh heighten the ilCKIielXj atit
Hor.tib, a.ep. i. increafe the torment. Em
then , children want this
ad of reflex perception, or reafonablefenft
whereby theirfickneflc becomes lefle pungem
and doloroirsfo alfo do they want the helps
of reafon, whereby they fhould be able to
fupporc it. For certain it is, reafon was as well
given lis to harden our fpirits and ftiftcn then
in paffions and fad accidents, as tomakeii
bending and apt for aftion: and if in aici
God hath heightned the faculties of appre-
henfion, he luth increafed the anxiliariescl
reafonable ftrengrhs j that Gods rod, and Gods
ftafle might go together, and the beatn of Gods
countenance may as well refrefli us with is
. light, asfcorch iis with its heat. But poorchll-
dren that endure fo nriuch, have not inward
fupports and refrefli men ts to bear then)
through it j they never heard the fayings of
old men, nor have been taught the principl«
■of fcvere philofophy, nor are afFifled with the
refults of a long experience, nor know they
, how CO tuni a fickneffe into verruc, and aFea-
rer into a reward;nor have they any faife offr
vet's, the remembrance of which may alleviate
tlicir burdenjand yetaatore hathia them teeth
aid
SiSS- ©- 3 ^)•^ »fii< i«-
JrWTTS
T6T\u3i efV)
rtMOToTirXi^f.
Vfyjfes apud Homf
Chip.?. Remediet ags'mfl impatience. Seft .4.
and naiis enough to fcratch, and fight againft
the ficknefs, and by ftich aids as God is pleafed
to give thcrn, they wade thorough thcftorra,
and iTiurmur not : and bcfidcs this yet, al-
though infants have not fuch brifkperceptions
upon the ftock of reafon, they have a iiiore
tender feeling upon the accounts of ftnfe,
and their flefii Is as uneafy by thek natural
foftnefie and weak fhoulders, as ours by our
too forward apprehenfions. Therefore bear
up; either you or I, or
fome man wifer, and many
a woman weaker tlien us
both, or the very children
have endured worfe evil
then this that is upon thee
now.
That forrow is hugely tolerable which gives
itsfmartbut by inftants and fmallcft proper-
tionsof time. No man at once feels the lick-
ncfe of a week, or of a whole day y but the
fmartcf aninfiant: and fiill every portion of
aminure, feels butits proper fhare; and the
'aftgroan ended ali the forrowcf its peculiar
burden: and what minute can that be, which
can pretend to be intolerable? and the next
fflinute is but the fame as the laft: and the
pain flowes like the drops of a river, or the
little llareds of time : and if we do but take
care of the prtfcnt minute, it cannot feem a
great charge, or a great burden i; but that care
will fecurc cur duty, if we fiill will but fecure
^cprefentminiire-
a. If weconfiderhowmuch men can fuffer
if tbey lid, and how much they do fuffer for
great and little caufes, and that no caufes arc
Peater then the proper c^fes of patience in
£cknefie
mmnmmmmaBm
J# Chap.5; Reme^es gimfi Impmence. Seft,4,
fickncfle (that is ncceffity and religion) wj
cannot without huge ftiamc to our nature, to
ourperfons, and to our manners complain of
this tax and impoft of nature. This experi-
ence added fonnethingtothe old Philofophy,
When the Gladiators were expofed naked to
each others fhort fwords, and were to cut eadi
others fouls away in portions of fle/h, as if
Spcaarc!! forms had been as divifihle as the life of
feantur worms; they did not ligh or groan, it wast
iflHs to decline the blow, but according to
cet, the juff meafures art. The women that faw the
wouads (hrike out j and he
<t:ii mediocra Radiator inge- receives itholdshii
Biuit? Qiils vuituin mutavic . ~t ... . ,
unquam ? Quis non morfo Thcy did not only
fieric, tcrum i-uam deciibuit fi^nd bravely, but would
tarpitcr? Tufc, Qii.lib,*. alfo fall fo; and when ht
was downjfcorn'd to fhrink
his head, when the infolent conquerer came to
lift it from his Ihoulders: and yet this manii
his firft defigne, onely aimed at liberty > aijil
the reputation of a good fencer; and whei
he funic down, he faw he could oncly receive
the honour of a bold man j the noife of
which he fhall never hear, when his afhes |
were crammed in his narrow Urne. And what
can we complain of the weaknelTe of out
ftrengths, or the prefTures of difeafes, whet
we feea poor fouldier hand in a breach alinol
ftarved with cold and hunger j and his cold
apt to be relieved oncly by the heats of An-
ger> a Feaver or a fired mufket ? and bis him-
ger flacked by a greater pain, and a huge fear?
thh man ftall ffand in his arms and woutidi,
pitietu liminitat^ folis, pale and faint, weji]f
and watchful; and at night fhall have a bnllfl
palled OBt af bis fieSi, and fiiivers from hit
hancij
chap.?' Jtemediet againftimpaiienee. Seft.4.
bones, and endure his month to be fewed up
fromayioknt renttoitsowndimenfioix, and
all this for a man whoiti he never faw, or if he
dill, was not noted by him ■, but one tha*
lhall condemn him to the gallows if he runs
from all this inifery. It is feldomc that God
fends fuch calamities upon men, as men bring
upon themrelves,and fuffer willingly. But that
which is moft confiderable, is, that any paffio»
and violence upon the fpirit of man makes
him able to fufler huge calamities, withaccr-
tain conftancy and an unwearied patience.
Scrph Afrkams was wont to commend thai
laying in Xenophon-, that the fame labours of
warfare were eafier far to a General then to a
common fouidier, becaufe he was fupportcd
by the huge appetites of honour, which made
his hard marches nothing but fteppings for-
ward, and reaching at a triumph. Did noe
the Lady of Sabimts hr others intereft bear
twins privately and without groaning.'^ Are
not the labours and cares, the fpare diet, and
the waking nights of covetous and adulterous,
of ambitious and revengful perfons, greater
forrowes and of more fmart then a Feaver,
or the fliorc pains of childebirdi? what will
not tender women fuftr to bide their fhame ?
And if vice, and paffion, luft, and inferi-
eiir appetites can fupply to the tendcreft
perfons ftrengtht more then enoiig!^ for the
fulferance of the greateft natural violences,
can we fuppofe that ftonefty and religion,
and the grace of God are more nice, tender,
and effeminate ?
4- Sickneffe is the more tolerable becaufe
it cures very many evils, and takes away the
of all the crofifc fortunes which amaze
A*
$2 Chap.?. Remedies agmfi Impitience. Sefl.|
the fpirits of fonic men, and tranfpott that
certainly beyond all the limits of patienct
Here all lofts and difgraces, domettick carti
and piiblick evils, the apprehenfionsof pitj,
and a fociable calamity, the fears of waHCani
the troubles of ambirion, he down and
upon the fick mans pill rw.Onefitof the fione
takes away from the fancies of men, all rcli-
tions to the world and fecular intereftsij;
leaft they are made dull and flat, withoui
fharpnefle and aa edge.
And he that (hall obferve theinfinitevi.
riety of troubles which afflirSs feme bufieptt.
fons, fcalmoft all men in very bufic times,wi
think it not much amilTe thit thofc huge num.
bers were reduced to certainty, to method,
and an order; and there is no better com.
pendium for this, then that they iie reduced
to one. And a fickraan feems fo unconcern-
cdinthe things of the world, thatalthougl
this reparation be done with violence; yetii
is no otherwife theia all noble contentions ate,
and all honours are purchafed, and all vertufi
.are aicquired, and all vices mortified, andall
appetites chaflifed,and all rewards obtained:
there is infallibly to all thefe a difficulty and
a fharpnefle annexed, without which there
could bene proportion between a work aid
a reward. To this adde, that ficknefle doei
not take off the fenfe of fecular trouble!
aiad worldly cares from us, by imployingaii
the perceptions, and apprehenfions of Hieir,
by filling all faculties with forrow, and let
ving no room for the leftr inftances of fr<"'
bles; as little rivers are fwallowecl up in tk
Sea; But fjcknclfc is a aiefienger of Cd
, , , Iflii
[Chip.?. ReivedhsagaMImpatience. Sefl'.4. fg
M festwith purpofes of abfiraiSionand feparati-
witha fecret power and a proper effica-
itienct,! jij [Q draw us off from unproficable and ufe-
f forrows: and this is cflt^ed partly by
P'"; reafon that it reprefents the ufelelfenelle of
the things of this world, and that there is a
portion of this life in which honours and
things of the world cannot fcrve us to many
purpofes, partly by preparing us to death, and
telling us that a man fliall defcend thither
whence this world cannot redeem us, & where
the goods of this world cannot ferve us.
5. And yet after all this, ficknelfc leaves
iausappetitesfofirong, and apprchenflonsfo
fenfible, and delights fo many , and good
tilings info great a degree, that a healthlefle
body, and a fad difeafc do feldome make men nebi.'em
weary of this world j but (fill they would fain hcico-
lindaneKCufc to live. The gout, the ftone, i anu<ie<
and the toothach, the fcktica, fore eyes, and
_ an aking head, arc evils indeed; But fuch,
' which rather then die, moftnienare willing quate
tofulfirr, and Mecenas added alfo a wifh, ra- jEnces,
to be crucified then to die", and though via dum
I' his wifh was low, timerous, and bafe, yctwc d
tainei find thefame defircs in moff men, drelfed up _
hyi" I with better circun ffances. It was a cruel! j™"'
'k T T'tfcrlan who commanded all thcac'ca ■,
tk 11 leprous perfons to be put to death, as we u dt.s,(u-
knock fome beafts quickly on their head, to dmeo
put them out of paiiJ, and It ft they fliotild
livcniiferably. The poor men would rarhcr
haveendtiredanoiher lcprofie,and have more
wllingly rakent .vo difcafcs then one death i
therefore Cafar wondred that the old craved
fouidier th It begged leave he might kill him-
•elf, and afkcd him, Doefi thou think, ^hen to be
more
ancaiiii
nd reli
e flout
all tell.
?fts i J!
vithoBi
nitevi.
ifieptt.
ies,wi3
enum.
■lethoil,
r conu
eductJ
^nccrfr
thouji
Chap.?* Kimdies agitvSlmpmtnce. Seft.4.'
wore dive then now thou art? We do not die
liiddenly, but we defcend to death by fteps,
and flow paflkgesj and therefore men (fe
long as they are fick ) are nnwiliing to pro.
ceed and go forward in the finilhing that fad
imploymcnt. Between a difcafc and death,
there are many degrees? and all thofe are like
die referves of evil things, the declining cf
every one of which is jnftly reckoned amongft
diofe good things, which alleviate the fick-
Hefic and make it tolerable. Never account
that ficknefle intolerable, in which thou hadft
rather remaine, then die; And yet if thoi
hadft rather die then fufferit, theworftof it
that can be faid is this, that this ficknelTeis
worfe then death? that is,it is worfe then that
which is the beft of all evils, and the end of
all troubles y and then you have fad ao great
harme againftit.
6. Remember that thou art under a fu-
pervening neceffiry. Nothing is intolerable tha
ts neceffary 5 and therefore when men are to
fuller a fliarp incifion, or what they are plea-
fed ro call intolerable, tie the man down to it?
Impro- and Ji - endures it. Now God hath bound
Twret ficknefle upon thee by the condition of
indul.* N .ture C for every flower muft wither and
gent pa droop ) it is alfo bound upon thee by fpe-
•ientiam ciall providence, and with a defigne to try
nageiio. ^ purpofes to reward and to
crown thee. Thefe cords thou canft not
break j and therefore lie thee down gently,
Impiger hand of God to do what he
&forcis pleafe, that at leaft thou mayeft fwallowan
vircute advantage, which the care and fevere mer-
«oa£la, cies of God forces down thy throat.
7. Remember that all men have pafled
tki!
chap.?. Kmdietagiinftlmpt^ence. Sedi.^, 9$
this way» the braveft, the cemo equidcm gemina can-
wifeft,& the beft men,have ftratot morte Aiiippos
binfubieftcoficknes&fad rogos & functa
difeafesianditisefteemed
i prodigy,that a man fhould live to a long agp
and not be lick: and it is recorded for a wo*-
der concerning Xenophiks the Mufitian, that
he lived to 106 years of age in a perfeA and
coHtinual health: No ftory tells the like of a
Prince, or a great or a wife perfon; unleffe we ^
have a minde to believe the tales concerning in nooi-
Keflor and the Euboean Sibyl. Old age and litatefw
healthfull bodies are feldome made the appen- "v<3u'»
dages to great fortunes: and under lb great,
andfouniverfal precedents, fo common face tempi-
of men, he that will not fuffer his portion, tiuntur
deferves to be fomething elfe then a man, but
aothing that is better. "*■
8. We finde in ftory that many Gentiles
who walked by no li^t but that of reafon,
opinion, and humane examples, did bear
their Cckneffe nobly, and with great contempt
ef pain, and with huge interefts of vcrtne.
When Powpey came from Syria and called at
Rhodes, to feeFo/tdomM/thePbiiofophcr, he
found him hugely afBi/ted with the gout,
and exprefled his forrow, that he could not
hear his Leftures from which by this pain h«
muft needs behindred. Fofidonius told him,
lutym may hear me for all thuisuid he difconrs'd
oxcellencly in theniidftof his tortures, even
then, when the torches were put to his feet, that Tufr.!.!,
nothing was good but what was honeft j and cum f»
therefore nothing could be an evil, if it were not
triminal, andfunimed up his Lertures with this
c,..' t r, t mover«®v.
laying > 0 pain, tn vain doea thou attempt me i
fori y/ill never confe^e thee tehe an evil as long
M4
^6 Chap.^. Remedies agmji hre^iuence. Seft .4.
iw I (an hneftly bear thee. And when Powfe)
himfelf was defperately fick at Naples, the
Neoj/olitans wore crowns and triumphedand
the men of Pnteoli came to congratulate his
ficknefie, not bccaufe they loved him no',
but bccaufe it was the cuftome of their couh-
trey to have better opinions of fickntlfe then
we have. The boyes of Sparta would at their
Altars endure whipping till their very entrails
faw the light thorow their torn fiefii j and
fome of them to death, without crying or
complaint. Cafar would drink his potions of
Rhubarb rudely niixt, and unfitly allayed
with little fippings, and taftcdthe horror of
the medicine fpreading the loathfoninelfe of
his phyfickfo, that all the parts of his tongiie
and palate might have an incite fhare: and
when C. Marius fufi'cred the veins of his leg
to be cut out for the cut ing his gout, and ytt
fiirunk nor, he declared not onely die rude-
neflc of their phyfick, but the hrength ofa
mans fpiric, if it be contradied and united
hy the a ds of re.afoH or Religion , by re-
folurion or any accidentali harflintfic, againft
a violentdifeafe.
p. All impatience howfoever exprefied,
is perfedly urtlcfle to all pnrpofes <f eafe,
1,...,. L. £1- fl* . 1 , . , . 1
Tatitnm hugely tflclive to the multiplying the
dolue- trouble; and the inipiricnce and vexation is
quannm another, but the fhtrper difeafe of the two;
runr,
3
tiolwilu it does mifchiif byitfelf, and xtdfMei hy the
Jeiiife difeafe. For men grieve therrfelves as rtuch at
plecfe., and when by impatience tbey put
themfclves into the retinue of forrows, they
become folemne mourners. For fo have I
Virgil. therayesof the Sun or Moon da fh upon
" ^*a brazen vcifcl whofe lips kiffcd the face of
thofe
Chtp.^' Sefl'.4. pf i
chofe waters that lodged within its bofome,
but being turned back and
fentoffvrithits fmoorh pre- 'if
'*■" . , cuncrigui tnltid flet>bus
tenceSjOr rougher waitings, Urget I xhrjinaljehrymani
it wandrcd about the room Fecundufque lui fe numcra#
and beat upon the roof,and
ftili doubled its heat and
motion: So is a (icknefle "J^.^degcn.rcm lumme
and a forrow entertained iKum rape ferit,-.
by an unquiet and a difcon-
tented man, turned back either with anger, or
withexcufes; but then the pain paffes from
the ftomack to the lirer, and from the liver to
the heart, and from the heart to the head,
and from feeling to confideration,from thence
to forrow, and at laft ends in impatience,
and ufeleiie murmur, and all the way the man
was impotent, aud weak ; but the fickncfie
vras doubled and grew imperious and tyran-
nicall over the foul and body. Majfurius Sabi-
•wtels, that the image of the goddelfe .dnge-teviusfie
rm was with a mufler upon her mouth pla-parientu
cedupon the Altar of Volupia, to reprelent, ^uicquid
that thofe perfons who bear their ficknelTes
and forrows without murmur, fhall certainly
palfe from forrow to pleafure, and the eafe
and honours of, felicity j but they that with
|ite and indignation bite the burning coal, or
■hake the yoak upon their necks, gall their
fpirits, and fret the ikin, and hurt nothing but
thcmfclves.
lo. Remember that this ficknefle is boi
for a ftiorttime; If it be Iharp it will not laft
longi If it be long, it wiil beeafieand very
tolerable. And although S. Eadjtne Archbi-
Ihop of Cmerbury had twelve years of lick-
nefie, yet all that while he ruled his Church
F prudently.
Chap'i?. Remedies egainji Impatuiwe,. Seft.j,
prudently, gave example of many vertnes,
and after his death was enrolled in the Caiet.
der of Saints, who had finiflied their ccutfe
profperoufly. Nothing is more unreafonabit
then to intanglc our fpirirs in wildncfle, atd
amazement, like a Partrich fluttering in a net,
which Ihe breaks not, though ihe breaks be
wings. i ,
Remedies Impatience bj
Veay of exercife.
T
He fitteft inftrument of efteeming licb
nefle eafily tolerable, is to rtmernte
that which indeed makes it fo j and that
that God doth minifter proper aids and la
ports to every of his fervants whom hevil
with his rod. He knowsour needs, he pities on
forrows, he relieves our miferies, hefuppt®
our weaknefle, he bids us afk for help, andl*
promifes to give us all that,' and he ufuallj
gives us more, and indeed it is obfervablti
that noftory tells of any godly man, wh"®!
ving in the fear of God fell into a violcntajl
unpardoned impatience in his natural) &»•
nefle, if he ufed thofe means which Godaii
his holy Church have appointed. We fee''
mod all men bear their laft lickncfle reithp
nwes indeed, hut without violent pajjionsii^
unlefle they fear death violently, they W'
theficknelTe withfomeindiflerency j andi"
arm
a rai
fon
fgne
whet
^comt
iniiri
they
fnfler
fickii'
eft.S.
rtues,
3a!cii.
Ccutft
mabic
Chap.?. Rmedtes agahfi ItHfat'uncei Seft.5.
a rare thing to fee a man who enjoyes his tea-
fon in his ficknefle, to exprefle the proper
(ignes of a direft and folemne impatience. For
when God layes a fickneffe upon us, he feizes
commonly on a mans fpirits, which are the
laneuinftrumentsofaffion and bufineffei and when
ksheilthey are fccured from being tumultuous, the
fufferance is much the eafierj and therefore
ficknefie fecures all that, which can do the
man mifchief. It makes him tame and pafFive,
apt for furtering, and confines him to an un-
aftive condition. To which if weadde, than
God then commonly produces fear, and all
ibofe palTions which naturally tend to humili-
tyand poverty of fpiric, we fhall foon perceive
by what inftruments God verifies his promife
tons, ( which is the great fecurity for our pa-
tience, and the eafineffe of our condition )
that God will kf no more upon us then he will, cor.
mk.e HI able to bear, but together with the affli- 10,1/.
Sill he will finde a way to efcape: Nay, if any
thing can be more then this •, we have two p,
or three promifes, in which we mar fafely
lodge our fclres, and roul from off our thorns lami
and finde eafe and reff: God hath promifedto P.a. 51
kudih us in our trouble, and M be with us in
sprayers, and to be with us in our hope and
"Wence. aijia*
2. Prevent the violence and trouble of
|hy fpirit by an aft of thankfglving •, for which
ia the worft of fickneffes thou canff not want
taiife, efpecially if thou remembreft that this
pain is not an eternall pain. Blejfe God for thaf,
hilt take heed alfo leff you fo order your af-
'fi that you palTe from hence to an eternall
^tow. If that be hard,this will be intolerable,
iat as f or the prefcnt evi!, a few dayes will end
' F 2 3. Re-
gficli.
einte
thatii,
td
le
■.ieson
ippcra
andk
ufualif
rvablii
vholi
:ntani
il fict
odaal
.feeai
ntbl*
ijiak
I fufa
ndk'
ars
1*0 Chiip.?. Remedies againfl Impitknce. Seft.5,
9. Remember that thou art a man and a
Chtiftian : as the Covenant of nature hath made
it necejfary^ fo the covenant of grace hath made it
to be chefen by thee, to be a fuftering perfon;
either you muft renounce yoar religion, or
fubmit to the impofitions of God, and thy
Ch
file
ma
for
if]
and
portion of fufl'erings. So that here we fee oor
advantages, and let us ufe them accordingly,
The barbarous and warlike nations of olcl,
could fight well and willingly, but could not
bear fickneffe manfully. The Greeks were
cowardly in their fights, as moft wife men are,
but becaufe they were learned and well
taught, they bore their fickneffe with pari
cnceand fcverity. The Cimbrians and Celii.
berians rejoyce in battail like Gyants, but io
their difeafes they weep like Women. Thefe
according to their inftitution and defignes
had unequal courages, and accidental forth
tude j but fince our Religion hath made <
covenant of fufferings ; and the great bufinefi
of our lives is/(<^ti*£r, and moft ofthever-
tues of a Chtiftian arc pajjive graces, atidiil
the promifcs of the Gofpefare pafled upotmi
through Chrifts crojfe, we have a neceffitytip-l
on us to have an equal courage in all thew-
riety of our fufferings: for without an nni- ^
verfal fortitude we can do nothing of off
dutie.
4. Refolve to do as much as you can: for
certain it is, we can fufier very much, if w
lift j and many men have afifli<ffed themfel'fi
unreafonably by not being fkiiful to confido
how much their ftrength and ftate could pfl'
mit i and our flefh is nice and imperioiiii
crafty to perfwade reafon that fhe hath moh
rieceflities then indeed belong to her, and
Ne
For
not
one
alfo
fdf.
tog
rigf
and
S
cxai
he <
eithi
that
gwd
fcnf(
fuffe
to hi
ings
that
corn
out I
fore
peny
may
conn
Chap.?. Remedies ugmji Im^atienue. Seft.S;
fhe demands nothing fuperfluous •* fuffer as
tnnch in obedience to God as you can fuffer
for neceffity, orpaffion, fear, ordefire. And
if you can for one thing, you can for another,
and there is nothing wanting but the minde.
Never fay •, / cm do no more, I cannot endure this.
For God would not have fent it, if he had
not known thee ffrong enough to abide it i
onely he that knows thee well already, would
alfotake this occafion to make thee know thy
felf. But it will be fit that you pray to God
to give you a difcerning fpirit, that yon may
rightly diftinguifh juft necelfuy from the jittery
andfondncfi'cs of flefh and blood.
5. Propound to your eyes and heart the
example of the holy ]efus upon the crofle;
he endured more for thee then thou canft
either for thy felf or him : and remember
that if we be put to fuffer, and do fuffer in a
iooicmfe, or in a good manner, fo that in any
fenfe your fufferings be conformable to his
fuffcrings, or can be capable of being united
to his, we fhall reign together with him. The
high way of the Crofe which the King of fufler-
ings hath troden before us, is the way to eafe^
to a kingdom, an d to felicity.
6. The very fufcring is a title to an excel-
lent inheritance : for, God chaftens every fan
fhom he receives, and if we be not chaftifed,
tte are baftards and not font : and be confident,
that although God often fends pardon without
correflion,yet he neuer fends correftion with-
out pardon, unlefs it be thy fault: and there-
fore take every or any afHiftion as an earneft
peny of thy pardonjand upon condition there
may be peace with God, let any thing be wel- ,
come that he can fend as its inftrument or '
F 3 con- i
ici
m
102 Chap. J. Remedies asmnfl Impitknce. SeA$,
condition. Suffer therefore God to choofeliii
own circuniftances of adopting thee, and be
content to be under dilcipline vifhenthere>
ward of that is, to become the fon of God: and
by fuch infliftions he hewes and breaks thj
body, firft: drefling it to funeral, and then pre-
paring it for immortality : and if this be the
effeft or t he defigne of Gods love to thee; lei
it be occalion of thy love to him; and re-
member that the truth of love is hardly knom,
but by fomeWhat that puts us to pain.
7- Ufe this as a punihmient for thy fini;
and fo God intends it moft commonly tfiit
is certain, if therefore thou fubmittcft toit,
thou approvefi of the divine judgement: and
no man can have caufe to complain of an;
thing, but of himfelfi if either he believes
God to be juft, or himfelf to be a (inner: if
he either thinks he hath deferved Hell, or
that this little may be a means to prevent th
greater, and bring him to Heaven.
8. It may be that this may be the tail in-
fiance, and the lalt opportunity that ever
God will give thee to exercife any vertue, lo
do him any fervice, or thyfelf any advantage;
be careful that thou lofeft not this 5 for to
eternalages, this never fhall return again.
p. Or if thou peradventure (halt here-
ftored to health, be carefull that in the day of
thy thankfgiving, thou mayeft not be afhamed
of thy felfj for having behaved thy felfpoorly
and weakly upon thy bed: it will be a fenfible
and excellent comfort to thee, and double
upon thy fpirit, if when thou fhalt worfliip
God for refloring thee, thou fhalt alfo remeni"
ber that thou didfl do him fervice in thy fof-
ffring,and tell that God was hugely gracio®
chap;3- Remdks agiin^ impvtmct. Sefl'.?,' 103
to thee in giving thee the opportunity of a
Yfttue, at fo eafie a rate as a licknefle, from
vrh ch thou didft recover.
10. Few men arc fo lick, but they believe
that they may recover; and we fhal feldom fee
a man lie down withaperfeft perfuafion that
it is his laft hour; for many men have been
ficker, and yet have recovered ; but whether
thoudoeftorno, thou haft a vertue to exer_
cife, which may be a handmaid to thy pati-
ence. Epaphndiiut was fick, fick unto death,
and yet God had mercy upon him; and he
hath done fo to thoufands, to whom he found
it ufefui in thegrcat orderof things, and the
events of univerfal providence. If therefore
thou defireft to recover, here is caufe enough
of hope; and hope is delignedin theartsof
God and of the Spirit, to fupport patience.
But if thou recovereft not, yet there is fome--
thing that is matter of joy naturally, and very
much Spiritually if thou belongeft to God,
and joy is as certain a fupport to patience, as
ttpe; and it is no fmall caufe of being pleafed,
when we remember that if we recover nor,
cur licknefle lliall the fooner fit down in reft:
and joy. For recovery by death, as it is eafier
and better then the recovery by a fickly
health, fo it is not fo.Iong in doing; it fuffers
not the tedioufneflfe of a creeping reftitution;
nor the inconvenience of Surgeons and Phy-
litians, watchfulnefle and care, keepings in,
and fuffering trouble, fears of relapfc and the
liltle reliques of a ftorm.
11. While we hear, or ufe, or think of thefe
temedieSjpartof the fickne^ is gone away,
3nd all of it is pafllng. And if by liich inftru-
we ftand armed and ready drcfledbe-
F 4 fore
104 Chap-g- Remedies agmfiimpntienee, Sea.«.
fore hand, we (hall ayoid
Nulla mihi nova nunc ftcies mifchiefs of amaZe-
©innTp4%"«q; animonie, "'C"" 3"^ '""rprijSwhile
cum anterevolvi, the accidents of fickneft
VirgU. lib, 6. are fuch as were espefted,
and againft which we hood
inreadlnefle with curfpirits, contracted, in-
ftrufted and put upon the defenfive.
12 But our patience will be the betterfe-
cured, if we confider that it is not violently
tempted by the ufual arreftsof fickneffe i for
patience is with reafon demanded while the
licknelfe is tolerable j that is fo long as the
evil is not too great; but if it be alfo eligible,
and have in it fome degrees of good, our
tience will have in it the leffe difficulty,;
the greater neceffity. This therefore will be a
new ftock of confidcration. Skkjieffe is inm)
degrees eligible to many men, and to many jw-
fojes.
SECT. VI.
^Advantages of Sickysefe.
T Confider : one of the great felicitlei
1 of heaven confifts in an imuiuuity from
fin .♦ then we fhall love God without mixturs
of malice; then we lhall enjoy withoutenvyi
then we lhall fee fuller veffcls running over
with glory, and crowned with bigger circles;
and this we fhall behold without Ipilling from
onreye5( thofeveffels of joy and grief) any
figne of anger, trouble or a repining fpirit'
car
chap,?. Remediesagatidlmpatmce. Se&.6. loj
our paffions fhall be pure, our charity without
fear, our defire without luft, our pofieffions
all our own, and all in the inheritance of ]e-
fu5, in the richeft foil of Gods eternall king-
dom. Now half of this reafon which makes .
heaven fo happy by being innocent, is alio in
the ftate of fickneffe, making the furrows
of old age fmooth, and the groans of a fick
heart apt to be joyned to the mufick of An-
gels; and though they found harfh to our
untuned ears and difcorapofed Organs, yet
thofe accents mlift needs be in themfelves ex-
cellent which God loves to hear, and efteems
them as prayers and arguments of pity, inftru-
ments of mercie and grace, and preparatives
to glory.
In ficknelle, the foul begins to drefTe her
felf for immortality; and firft fhe unties the
ftrings of vanity that made her upper garment
cleave to the world and fit uaeafily. Firft file
puts off the light and phantaftic fummer robe
of luft, and wanton appetite, and as foonas
thitCejfw that lafcivious girdle is thrown a-
way, then the reins chaften us and give us warn-
hin the night: then that which called us for-
nierly to ferve the manlinejfe of the body, and the
'bildifinejfe of the foul, keeps us waking, to di-
'ide the hours vrith theintervals of prayer,and
to number the minutes without penitential
groans; Then the flefh fits uneafily and dwells
infprrow, and then the fpirit feels it felf at
C'fe, freed from the petulant follicitations of
Aofe paffions which in health were asbuifie
sodas reftlefie as atonies in the fun, alwayes
d'ncing and alwayes bnfie and never fitting
down till a fad night of grief and uneafinelfe
draws the vail, and lets them dye alone in fe-
ctet difhonour. F 5 2- Nest
to6 Chap.?. Remedies agahfl JmpnUnce, SeS.g,
2. Next to this i the fmlly thehelpof fick.
nelfe k?ockj of the fetters of pride end laim
tomplacencies. Then (he drawes the curtains,
and ftops the lights from
Nunc fefiinatos nimium tibi coming in, and takes the
Syl. pi«"res down, thofe phan-
lana .uventa. "ft'C images of fclf-lovf,
Lucin. lib, 2. and gay remembrances of
vain opinion, and popular
noifes. Then the Spirit ftoops into the fobric-
ties of humble thoughts and feels corruption
chiding the forwardnefle of fancy,and aliaying
the vapours of conceit and faflious opinions.
For humility is the fouls grave into which he
enters, not to die, but to meditate and ir terre
fome of its troublefome appendages. There
file fees the duft, and feels the difhonours of
the body, and reads the Regifter of all its
fad adherenciesand then fhe layes by all
her vain reflexions, beating upon her Chryftall'
and pure mirrour from tbe fancies of ftrength
and beauty,& little decayed prettinefles of the
body. And when in ficknelTe we forget all out
knotty difcourfes of Philofophy, and a Syllo-
gifme makes our head ake, and we feel our f
many and loud talkings ferved no laAing end
of the foul, no purpofe that now wemufta.
bide by i and that the body is like to defcend
to the land, where all things are forgotteui
then (lie layes afide all her remembrances of
applaufes, all her ignorant confidences, and
cares onely to know Chrijl Jeftis and him md-
fed, to know him plainly, and with much
heartinefTe, and (impliciry. And I cannot
think this to be a contemptible advantage;
for ever (ince man tempted himfelf by his ini-
patient defires of knowing, and beingas God,
^ Man
chap.?. Remediesagmfiimpatience. Sc&.6. iQf
Man thinks it the fineft thingin the world to
know much, and therefore is hugely apt to
eiieem himfelf better then his brethren, if he
knowes forae little impertinencies, and them
imperfeftly,and that with infinite uncertainty}
But God hath been plcafed with a rare art to
prevent the inconveniencies apt to arife by
this paffionate longing after knowledge } even
by giving to every man a fufficient opinion of
his own underftanding} and who is there in
the world that thinks himfelf to be a fool, or
indeed not fit to govern his brother ? There
are but few men but they think they are wife
enough, and every man believes his own opi-
nion the foundeft, and if it were otherwifc,
men would burfl themfelves with envy,or elfe
become irrecoverable flaves to the talking and
difputing man. But when God intended this
permifTion to be an antidote of envy, and a
fatisfaftion and allay to the troublefome appe-
tites of knowing, and made that this univer-
fa! opinion by making men in fome propor-
tions equal Ihould be a keeper out, or a great
reftraint to flavery, and tyranny refpeftively,
Man ( for fo he ufes to do ) hath turned this
into bitterneffe: for when nature had made
fo juft a diftribution of underftanding, that
every man might think he had enough, he is
Tiot content with that, but will think he hath
more then his brother: and whereas it might
well be imployed in reftraining flavery, he
hath ufed it to break off the bands of all obe-
dience, and it ends in pride andfchifmes, in
herefies and tyrannies: and it being a fpiri-
tual evil, it growes upon the foul with old age
and flattery, with health and the fupports of a
prnfperous fortune. Now befides the direft
F d operi^
lo5 6hap.3. Remedies ugakfi fmpttienee. Sefl^
operations of the Spirit, and a pcwtrfcil
grace? there is in nature left to us no remedy
for this evil', but a fharp ficknclTc, or an
equaliforrow, and allay of fortune j and then
we are humble enough to aflc counfell of a de.
fpifed Fricil', and to think that even a com-
mon fentence from the
mouth of an appointed
Corpus 8c obtuHs ceciderunt comfortcr ftrcanis forth
viribiis artHS more refrelhnient thenai
Chudicae ingenium, delirat our own wifer and mote
lin^paquen-enfqiie, reputed difcoutfes. Then
Xwr. /. 3. om- undcrftandings and our
bodies peeping thorow their own breaches fee
their fhame and their difhonour, their dange*
rous follies, and their huge deceptions, and
they go into the clefts of the rock, and evq
little hand may cover them.
3. Next to thefej Asti^e foul is fttlhf
dreffing, ffte takfs of the roughnefe of her gftel
and little angers, and animofities, and receives
the oil of mercies, and fmooth forgiveneffe,
fair interpretations, and gentle anfwers, de-
fignes of reconcilement, and Chriftian atone-
ment in their places. For fo did the wraftleis
in OlytnfuSfdney ftrippcd thcmfelves of all their
garments, and then anointed their naked bo
dies with oil, fmooth and vigorous, with cols'
trafted nerves and enlarged voice, they con-
tended vehemently, till they obtained their
viftory, or their eafe, and a crown of Olivft
®r a huge pity was the reward of their fierce
contentions. Some wife
tiuatenus excidi penitusviti- men have faid, that anger
Cmerrieti nequeune ftahis f
tveoAa infeparably as other vices
Jlor, /. i/at.f. to the manners of fools,
and that anger Is ne«f
Chap,?. Remedies aioinfl Tmfmence. lof
quite cnred; but God that hath found out re-
nacdies for all difeafcs, hath fo ordered the cir-
cutnftances of man, that in worfcr fort of men,
anger and great indignation confume and
fhrivell into tittle peevilhneiTcs and uneafie
accents of ficknelTc, and fpend themfelves
in trifling inftances: and in the better and '
more fanftified, it goes olf in prayers,
and alms, and folemn reconcilement: And
however, the temptations of this ftate, fuch
I mean which are proper to it, are little and
inconfidcrable: The man is apt to chide a
fervant too bitterly, and to be difcontented
with his nurfe, or not fatisfied with his Phy-
hcian, and he refts uneafily and ( poor man}
nothing can pleafe him; and indeed thefe
little uhdecencies muft be cured and flop-
ped, left they run into an inconvenience. But
licknefle is in this particular a little image of
the ftate of blefled Souls, or of Aditms early
morning in Paradife, free from the troubles
of luft, and violencies of anger, and the in-
tricacies of ambition, or the reftlefneffe of
covetoufnefle. For though a man may carry
all thefe along with him into his fickneire,ye«
there he will not finde them, and indel^pite
of all his own malice, his foul (hall finde
feme reft from labouring in the galleys, and
bafcr captivity of (in: and if we value thofe
moments of l^ingin the love of God, and in
the kingdom of grace, which certainly are the
beginnings of felicity, we may al(b remember
that the not finning aSually, is one ftep of
innocence i and therefore that ftate is not in-
ttlerable, which by a fenfible trouble, makes
it in raoft inftances impolTible to commit thofe
great fins, which make death, and hell, and
horrid
iia Chip^, Remedies oiainfi Impatiencei Seft.g
horrid dantinations. And then let us but addt
this to it i that God fends fickneffes, but he
never canfes fin j that God is angry with a
finning perfon, but never with a man for be-
ing fickj that fin caufes God to hate us, and
ficknefle caufes him to pity usi that all wife
men in the world choofe trouble rather then
dilhonourj affliftion rather then bafeneife;
and that ficknefle ftops the torrent of fin,
and interrupts its violence j and even to the
Worfh men, makes it to retreat many degrees)
we may reckon ficknefle amongfh good things,
as we reckon Rhubarb, and Aloes, and child-
birth, and labour, and obedience, and difci-
pline: Thefe are unpleafanr,and yet fafe; they
are troubles in order to bleffings, or they
are fecurities from danger, or the hard choices
of a lefle and a more tolerable evil.
4. Sicknefle is in fome fenfe eligiblej bo
caufe it is the opportunity and the proper
fcene of exercifing * fome
*Noio quodcupio ftatlute- vertues. It is that agony in
N«c viaor a mi place: pa- men are tried for a
raw. crown; and if we remem-
Petm. ber what glorious things
are fpoken of the grace if
faith, that it is the life of juft: men, the refti-
tiitton of the dead in trefpajfes and fins, the
jufiification of a linnet, the fupport of the
weak, the confidence of the firong, the ma-
gazine of promifes, and the title to very glo-
rious rewards', we may eafily imagine that it
muff have in it a work and a difliculry, in fome
proportion anfwerable to fo great effefts. But
when we are bidden to beleeve ftrange prr*
pofitions, we are put upon it when we cannot
judge, and thofe propofitions have pofleffeif
out
chap.?. Remedies dimfi Impatience,
our difccrning faculties, and have made a par-
ty there, and are become domeftick before
they come to be difputed, and then the articles
of faith are fo few, and are made fo credible,
and in their event and in their objeS are fo
nfefull and gaining upon the afteftions, that
he were a prodigie of man, and would be fo
efteemcd, thit ihould in all our prefentcir-
cuujftances difbeleeve any point of faith : and
all is well as long as the Sun fhines, and the
fair breath of heaven gently wafts us to our
own purpofes. But if you will try the excel-
iency, and feel the work of faith, place the
man in a perfecution, let him ride inaftorm,
let his bones be broken with forrow, and his
eyelids loofenedwith ficknefle, let his bread
be dipped in tears, and all the daughters o£
Mufick be brought low', Let God commence
aquarrell againft him, and be bitter fn the
accents of his anger or his difcipline, then
God tries your faith. Can you then truft his
goodneffe, & beleeve him to be a Father when
you groan under his rod? Can you rely upon all
the ftrange propofitions of Scripture, and be
content to perifh if they be not true ? Can you
receive comfort in the difcourfes of death
and heaven, of immortality, and the refurre-
ftion, of the death of Chriff, and conforming
to his fufterings Troth is j There arc but
^0 great periods, in which faith demonftrates
itfelf to be a powerfull, and mighty grace j
>nd they arc, ferfecmion and the approaches of
fleatb, for the paffivepart: and a temptation, for
theaSive. In the dayes of pleafure and the
night of pain, faith is to fight her agoniflicon,
toccijtend for maftery: and faith overcomes
3'Ulluring and fond temptations to fin? and
faith
iia Chap.3^ Rmedies agmfiImpatience, Seft .i,
faith overconies all our weakneflesanAfaint,
ings in our troubles. By the faith of the pro.
inifes we learn to defpife the world, chooling
thofe objefts which faith difcovers; and by
expeftation of the fame promifes, we are com.
farted in all our forrowes, and enabled to look
thorow and fee beyond the cloud; but the
vigor of it is preffed, and called forth, when
all our fine difcourfes come to be reduced to
praftice. For in our health and clearer dayes,
it is eafy to talk of patting truft in God;
we readily truft him for life
Mors ipfi beatior inde eft when we are in health; fc(
.Tt,s.rl:dT'S r-"'"''"'
& ad afira doloribus itur. fair revenues j and fordc-
Frud.hymn.mexeq.de- liverance when we arc
ftin^. newly efcaped, but let us
come to fit upon the mar-
gent of our grave, and let a Tyrant lean hard
upon our fortunes,and dwell upon our wrong,
let the florm arife, and the keels toffe till the
cordage crack, or that all our hopes bulge
under us, and defcend into the hollowncife
of fad misfortunes ; then can you believe,
when you neither hear, nor fee, nor feel any I
thing but objeflions ? This is the proper
VirtHtes work of ficknelfe; faith is then brought into
ayidrepe- the theatre, and fo exercifed, that if it abides
.riculi. but to the end of the contention, we may fee
that work of faith which God will hugely
^uam crown. The fame I fay of hope, and of charit),
non poe- or the love of God, and of patience, which is a
niteat grgcg produced from the mixtures of all rhefe:
venues which are greedy of dangtt.
rnaffev.'rj And no man was ever honoured by any wife
tutem. or dlfcerning perfon for dining upon Perfian
Senec. Carpets, nor rewarded with a crown for being
at
"5
Non cnim hilaritate ncc IiJci-
via, nccrfi!, aut joco*comite
levkaiis, ftd faepe aiijin trifles
firroitate & conftantia funt be<
ati.
Cker. de^n.
I.
chap.?. Remedies aiatnJUmpatience.
at eafe. It was the fire that did honour to
Mums Scevok, poverty made Fabrnius fa-
mous, Rutilius was made
excellent by banifhment,
Reguks by torments. So'
ctstes by prifon, Cuto by
his death: and God hath
crowned the memory of
with a wreath of glory
becaufe he fate upon his dunghil wifely and
temperatly : and his potfheard and his groans
mingled with praifcs and jiiftifications of God,
pleafed him like an Anthem fungby Angels in
the morning of the refurreftion. God could
not choofe but be pleafed with the delicious
accents of Martyrs, when in their tortures
they cryed out nothing but Holy Jefus 3 and
[Wejfed be CrodJ and they alfo thcmlelves who
with a hearty refignation to the Divine plea-
furecan delight in Gods fevere difpenfation,
will have the tranfpoitations of Cherubins,
when they enter into the joyes of God. If
God be delicious to his fervants when he
fmites them, he will be nothing but ravilh-
ments and extafies to their fpirits when he
refrefhcs them with overflowings
of joy, in the day of recompences, .infelicias eo;
tt manis more miferable then be that '"i-
kih ni aiverfityi that man is not c'u1t"i/feexpert
tryed whether he be good or bad i Senec, ' '
and God never crowns thofe ver-
tucs which are onely faculties, and difpojitms:
but every aS of v.ettue is an ingredient into re-
ward. And wefee-inany children fairly plant-
cd, whofe parts of nature were never drefled
oy art, nor called from the furrowes of their
fifft poflibilitics by dircipline ,and inliitution,
and
Si
Jl^;
>•%
114
•—Ilia feges votis refpondet
avari ■
Agricol®, bi^ qu?e folem, bis
irigora fcnfic*
Virgil. Georg. r.
languentjner in-
crciam (aginata,
nec labors tan-
turn fed mole &
ipfofui onerede-
ficiunt, Senec«
Ghap.?. Remedies agmfi Im^atienct. Sed.^i
and they dwell for ever in ignorance, and
converfe with beafts; and yet if they had
been drclfed and exercifed, might have flood
at the chairs of Princes, or fpoken parables
amongff the rulers of cities? Our vertnesare
but in the feed, when the grace of God
comes upon us firfl: but this grace mnllbe
thrown into broken fur-
rowes, and niuft twice fed
the cold, and twice feel the
heat, and be foftned with
(forms and fliowers, and
then it will arife i nto fruit-
fulneffe and hatvefls: And what is therein
the world to diflinguifh vertues from difho-
nours, or the valour of Cicfar from the foft-
nelfe of the Egyptian Eunuchs, or that can
make any thing rewardable, but the labour
and the danger, the pain and the difliculty!
Vertue could not be any thing but fcnfuality,
if it were the entertainment of our fenfes and
fond defires ; and Apicius had been the
nobleft of all the Romans, if feeding a great
appetite and defpiling the feverjties of tern-
perance had been the work and proper im-
ployment of a wife man. But otherwifedo
fathers, and otherwife do mothers hatidle
their children : Thefe foften them withkiffes
and imperfeft noifes, with the pap and brcall
milk of foft endearments, they re-
(cue them from Tutors, and fnatch
them from difcipline, they defire to
keep them fat and warm, and their feet
dry and their belliesfull ; and then the
children govern, and cry, and prove
fools, and troublcfome, fo long as the
fe-
mm
chap.?. Remediet agakft Tmpatunce. Se&.d. iiS
feminine republike docs eVidure. But fathers,
becanfe they defigne to have their
children wife and valiant, apt for conn- Callum per in ju-
fel, or for arms, fend them to fevere ^^caut.
governments, and tyethem to ftudy, utfitluminisatq;
to hard labour, and afiiiftive contin- aquv eakilis
gencies. They rejoyce when the hold pa.iens latus,
boy ftrikes a lyon with his hunting . .
fpear, and (brinks not when the beaft dell'lantu"!
comes to affright his early courage. veinur<rum U
Softnelfe is for flaves and beaffs, for centia He camim
minflrels and ufelefle perfons, for fiic h pneroruni.
who cannot afccnd higher then the
(fate of a fair oy, or a fervant entertained for
vainer olTices: But the man that defignes his
fon for noble imployments, to honours, and
to triumphs, toconfulardigniries and prefi-
denccs of counfels, loves to fee him pale with
ftudy or planting witit labour, hardned with
fufferance or eminent by dangers: and fo God
drelfes us for heaven. He loves to fee us flrug-
ling with a difeafe,and refifling the Devil,and
contefting againft the weaknelTes of nature,
and againft hope to believe in hope, refigning
ourfelves to Gods will, praying him to choofe
for us, and dying in all things hmfntthmd
^ttbleffed confequents, Ht aiofficium cum ferkuh
ffius promptt ; and the danger and the
rtftjiance (bail endeare the office, Ventusntamlttit
For fo have I known the boyfterous vires mfi robov
north-winde paffe thorough the yiel- o"cnrru« fiiv,
fling aire which opened its bofomc, fpacio aitti.r.. .
and appeafed its violence by enter- inani.
taining it with eafie compliance in Lucan. '
all. the regions of its reception.
Eut when the fame breath of Heaven hath
been '
mmmsmmmBmsmm
Sl^
Marcet
finead-
*eri3tio
rirtus.
lascius
neftum.
Chap.?. Remediei agmjl Impatience. Sefl.^,
been checked with the ftifl'nelTc of a towcti
or the united ftrength of a wood > it grew
mighty, and dwelt there, and made the high,
eft branches floop, and make a fmooth path
for it on the top of all its glories: Soisiick-
neft, and fo is the grace of God. When fick-
neffc hath made the difficulty, then Gods
grace hath made a triumph, and by doubling
its power hath created new proportions of a
rewardi and then Ihews its biggtft glory,
when it hath the greateft difficulty toMafler,
the greateft weakneffes to fupport, the moft
»ft qiioti. bnfie temptations to conteft with : For fo
esraagno God loves that his firength jhould be feen in
ilat ho"" and our danger. Hsippy is that
ftate of lile in which our fervices to God are
tfte deareft, and the moft expcnfive.
5. Sickneffe hath fome degrees of eligi-
bility, atleaftbyan after-choice j bccaufeto
all perfons which are within the poffibilicies
and ftate of pardon, it becomes a great in.
ftrument of pardon of fins. For as Godfel-
dom rewards here and hereafter too: So it is
not very often chat he punifhes in bothftates;
In great and finall fins he doth fo; but we
findeiccxprefled onelyin the cafe of the fin
againft the Holy Gholt) which /hall never it
forgiven in this world, nor in the world to aw,
that is, it fhall be punifhed in both worlds,
and the infelicities of this world fhall but
ufher in the intollerable calamities of the
next. But this is in a cafe of extremity, and
in fins of an unpardonable malice: In thofe
lefler ftages of death which are deviations
from the rule, and nota dcftruftion and per-
feft antinomy to the whole inftitutionGod
rcry often fmites with his rod of fickneffe, that
he
chap.?* Remeiiet agmjl Impmence. SeS,6. 117
he may not for ever be flaying the foul vvith
etemall death. I will viftt their offences with Pf,8p,3}
the rod, and their fin with (courges: Nevertheleffe
my loving kindeneff'e will I not utterly takg from
him : nor fuffer my truth to fail. And
there is in the New Teftament a delivering
ever to Satan, and a confequent buffeting for iCor.j.y
the mortification of the flefh indeed i but
that the foul may be faved in the day of the Lord. ^
And to fo.me perfons the utmoft procefle of * *
Gods anger reaches but to a fharp ficknefle,
oratmoft, but to a temporal! death, and theta
the little imwentany anger is fpent, and expires
in reft, and a quiet grave. Origen, S. Auftin,
Digni erant in hoc fxculo recit
pete peccaturii fuum, ut,mun-
diores eneant ab hac vit«,rtiun<
daci cdliig:»tione fibi illaca
psr mortem commiinem, quo-
niam credentes eramin chri«
ftam.
Origen S.rlug. l.'i.c. j.contr.
Parmen, & Caffian. colkt,
6.C.11,
and Caffian fay concerning
Ananias and Sapphira, that
they were flain with a fud-
den death, that by fuch a
judgement their fin might
bepunifhed,and their guilt
expiated, and their per-
fens rcferved for mercy in
the day of judjge ment. And
God cuts oft many of his
children from the land of
the livingj and yet when they are numbred
amongft our dead, he findes them in the book
of life, written amongft thofe that fliall live
to him for ever: and thus it happened to
niany new Chriftians in the Church of Co-
rinth for their little undecencies, and difor-
ders in thecircomftances of receiving the holy
Sacrament. S. Paul fiyes", [ that many amongjf,
them were fich., many were weak, and fame were 11.30,
fallen ajleep 3 He expreftes the divine
anger againft thofe perfons in no louder
accents j which according to the ftile of
the
1^
m
' w
i
118 chap. 3. Rmedia agmft Impittence. SeS.^.
the New Teftament, where all the great
tra«faftions of daty and reproof are generally
made upon the ftock of Heaven^ and Hdl
is plainly a referve, and a period fee to the decia-
ration of Gods wrath. For God knowesthat
the torments of hell are fo horrid, fo infup-
portable a calamity, thatheisnoteafy and apt
to caft thofe fools, which he hath taken fo
much care, and hath been at fo much expence
tofave, into the eternal never dying flames of
Hell, lightly, for fmaller fins, or after a fairly
begun repentance, and in the niidft of holy
defires tofinifhit; But God takes fuch pe-
nalties, and exafts fuch fines of us, which we
may pay, fnho centenemento faving the main
ftakeof all, even our pre«OMr/o«fi. And there-
fore S. Auguftine prayed to God in his peni-
tential forrowes. Here 0 Lord bmn andcutm)
flejb that thou myeft fpareme for ever. Forfo
faid our bleffcd Saviour, Every facrifice tnuS be
feafoned with fait, and every facrifice tnuft be bunt
with fire, that is, we muft abide in theftateof
grace,' and if we have committed fins we muft
expeft to be put into the ffate of affiiftion,and
yet the facrifice will fend up a right and un-
troubled cloud, and a fweet fmell to joyn with
the incenfe of the Altar, where the eternal
Prieft offers a never ceafing facrifice. And now
I have faid a thing againff which there can be
no exceptions, and of which no juff reafon
can make abatement. For when ficknefle
which is the condition of our nature is called
for, with purpofes of redemption; when we
are fent to death tofecure eternal life, when
God ftrikes us that he may fpare us, it fhewes
' that we have done things which he elTentially
hates, and therefore we muft be fmitten with
the
chap.?. RemediesagtinfiImpatience. Seft.tf. ii9
the rod of God: but in midji of judgement
God -remembers Tvercy and makes the rod to be
medicinal, and like the rod of God in the
hand of Aaron to (hoot forth buds, and leaves,
and Almonds, hopes, and mereies and eter-
nal recompences in the day of reflitution.
This is fo great a good to us, if it be well con-
duftedin all the chanels of its intention and
defigne, that if we had put off the objections
of the flcfh with abftraftioHS, contempts and
feparations, fo as we ought to do, were as
earneftly to be prayed for, as any gay blefling
that crowns our cups with joy and our heads
with garlands and forgetfulneSic. But this was
it which I faid, that this may, nay that it ought
to be chofen, at leaf! by an after-eleHkn : for
fo faid S. Paul, If we judge our felves we Jlsall .
not be condemned of the Lord, that is, if we
judge our felves worthy of the ficknelTe j if
We acknowledge and confelTe Gods juflicein
fmitingusjif we take therod of God in our own
hands,and arewilling to imprint it in the flefh.
We are workfrs together with God, in the inflidi-
on,and then theficknefs beginning,and being
iMnaged in the vertue of repentance, and pa-
tienceandrefignation and charity,will end in
peace and pardon and juftification, and con-
fignation to glory. That I have fpt^en truth
1 have brought Gods Spirit fpeakingin Scri,
pture for a witnelle. But if this be true, there
ate not many dates of life that haye ad-
Vantages which can out-wtigh this great in-
ftrument of fecurity to our final condition, djuc ,
Mofes dyed at the muthof the Lord-, faid the 44,5.
ftory; he died with the kjfes of the Lords mouth,
(fo the Chaldee Paraphrafe)it was the greateft
ad of kindefle that God did to his fervant
Jfo /wj he hi fed him and he died ; But I have
fome-
SiO chap?. Remedies aimfl Itrpathnce. Sea.5..
fome things to obferve for the better finifhing
this confideration.
I. All thefe advantages and leflcnings of
«v!l in the ftate of fickneffe are onely upon the
ftock of vertue, and religon. There is no.
thing can make fickneffe in any fenfe eligible, I
or in many fepfes tolerable but cncly |
Hac clemeBoa grace of God j that onely turns
Sed ^norunc^cBi ^^kneffe into eafinelle and felicity,
ferviunt leones, which alfo turncs it into vertue. For
whofoever goes about to comfort a vi.
morbo tenta" pctfon when he liesfick upon his
tur acuto. bed, can onely difcourfe of the neceffi.
Oi.s-e fuoam nature, of the unavoidablenefs
^rbi.vis refte of the fufleting, of the accidental
vivere ? quis vexations and inctcafe of torments by
nop? impatience, of the fellowfhip of all the
Si virtus hoc una Adam, and fuch other little
confideracions, which indeed if fadly
Hoca.;edeliciis, reflcfted Upon and found to ftanda-
Hot. li. ep.d. lone, teach him nothing, but the de-
ghee of his calamity, and the evil of
bis condition > and teach him fuch a patience
and miniftcrtohim fuch a comfort which cats
only make him to obfcrv decent geftufes in his
fickneffe, and to converCs with his friends and
ftanders by foas may do them comfort, and
eafe their funeral and civil complaintsbut
do him no true advantage! For all that may be
fpoken to a beaft when he is crowned with
hairlacFs and bound with fillets to the Altar,
to bleed to death to appeafe the anger of the
Deity, and to eafe the burden of his Relatives.
And indeed what comfort can he receive,
whofe fickneffe as it looks hack is an effefi of
Gods indignation, and fierce vengeance, and
if it goes forward and enters into the gates of
the
121
Chap.?. Remedies agiinjt Inspitience.
the grave is a beginning of a forrow that (hall
(hall never have an ending. But when the (ick-
nefleis a melTenger fent from a chaftifingFa-
ther; when it firlt turns into degrees of inno-
cence, and then into vermes, and thence into
pardon, this is no mifery, but fuch a method
of the Divine (Economy, anddlfpenfation, as
refolves to bring us to heaven witliout any
new impofitions, but meetly upon the ftock
and charges of nature.
2. Let it be obferved that thefe advan-
tages which fpring from ficknefle, are not in
all inftances of vertue, nor to all pcrfons.
SicknefTe is the proper fcene for patience,
and refignation, for all the paffive graces of
a Chriftian, for faith and hope, and for feme
fingle afts of the love of God. But fickneffe
h m it fit fiation for a penitent^ and it can
ferve the ends of the grace of repentance but
eaidmtaHy: Sicknefiemay * begin a repent-
'c A \ • IT I T rrtnpos
ante, if Gcd continues lire, and if we coope-
rate with the Divine grace; or ficknelfe may .jd rem
help to alleviate the wrath of God and to fa- psrtinere
cilitate the pirdon, if all the other parts of
this duty be performed in our healthfull (fate; ql-oj pi-,
fothat it may ferve at the entrance in, or at cuerat nt
the going out. ButficknelTe at no hand is a
good (fage to reprcfent all the fubffantiali
parts of this duty ; i. It invites to it, 2. It
1 makes it appear neceffary, 9. It takes off the
fincies of vanity, 4. It attempers the fpirir,
5. Itcureshypocrifie, 6. It tames the fumes
tf pride, 7. It is the fchool of patience.
And by taking us from off the briflcer re-
lifhes of the world, it makes us with more
gift to taPie the things of the Spirit: and all
'his, onely when God fits the circumftances of
G the
*■ Nec zs*
iiiHH
J22 Chap.3. Remedies ttgainii Impatience. SeS.f
thefickneffe, foas to confift with a(Jts of rca.
fon, contldtration, choice, and aprefentand
retlcfting minde: which then God fends when
he means that theficknefs of the body fliould
be the cure of the foul. But let no man fo rc-
iy upon it, as by defigne, to truft the begin-
ning, theprogrefle, and the confumniationof
our piety to fuch an eftate which for evei
leaves it unperfeft; and though to fome per-
fons it addes degrees, and minifters opporiu-
nities, and exercifes fingle afts with grea;
advantage, in pajjive graces, yet it is never an
intire or fufficient inftrument for the change
of onr condition, from the hate of death 11
the liberty and life of the fons of Oed.
g. It were good if we would tranfafttlie
affairs of our fouls with nobleneffe and inge-
iiuity, and that we would by an early and for-
ward religion prevent the neceflary arts of
the Divine providence. It is true, that God
cures fome by incifion, by fire and tornientS)
but thefe are ever the more obftinate and
ay'rii""" more unrelenting natures. Gods providenct
unqtia n is not fo afiljffive and full of trouble as thai
videbitur; ithath placed fickneffe and infirmity aniongll
ab ope e things limply neceflary j and in moft perfoni
'"dentia ^ effeminate vettnt
ut debil s which is imprinted [upon ourfpirits with fcai
MS inter
and the forrowes of a feaver, or a peev lli
optima confumption. It is but a miferable remedy
inventa
to be beholding to a fickneffe for our hcalilii
■ and tliough it be better to fufter the loffed
a finger, then that the arm and the whole ho-
dy fiiouid putrifie, yet even then alfo it h'
trouble, and an evil to lofe a finger. He the
mends with fickneffe p^res the nails ofth
beaft, when they have already tern ofl P"i
Chap.?. Remediesctgainft Impitimce. Se&.6.
^ of the flefh:' But he that would have a
It and fjckneffe become a clear and an entire blefling,
a thing indeed to be reckoned among the
1 good things of God, and the evil things of the
'■ fforid, muft lead an holy life, and judge him-
ji fell with an early fentence, and fo order the
ionolli jfijii-j of fijj fouj^ that in the ufuall method
! of Gods faving us, there may be nothing left
to be done, but that fncb vertues fhould be
exercifed which God intends to crown : and
then, as when the Athenians upon a day of
battellwith longing and uncertain fouls fate
in their Comnton-hall expedting what would
be the fentence of the day, at laft received a
melfenger, who onely had breath enough left
' I h'm to fay, [ We are conquerours J and fo died.*
■' So (hall the fick perfon, who hath fought a
fght, and kept the faith, and onely waits
for his diifolution, and his fentence, breaths
forth his (pirit, with the accents of aconque-
roiir, and his fickneffe and his death (hall one^
ly make the mercy and, the vertue more il-
Inftrious.
But for the ficknefie it fclf j if all the ca-
jnmnies were true concerning it, with which
itis afperfed, yet it is fir to be preferred he-
fwc the moft pleafantfin, and before a great
fecular bufineffc, and a ttmporall care*, and
foaie men wake as much in the foldings of
fofteft beds, as others on the croffe: and
fometimes the very weight of forrow, and the
"wrinelfe of afickncffe preffes the fpiritin-
to (lumbers and the images of reh, when the
^temperate or the luftfull perfon rolls upon
Jisuneafie thorns, and fleep is departed from
J's eyes. Certainly it is, foirte jtckpefe is a
"iftig. Indeed, hlindneffe were a moft ac_
G 2 curfad
: ever
e per-
poriu<
great
:ver an
:hange
lath I)
aft the
inge
id for-
arts o(
ttGoil
aienti,
re ani
idence
as thai
Chap.g. Remedtes a^ainjii^rc. Seft.7. 12S
as the violent fear of ficknerie makes us i mpa .
d, bt; tientj fo it will make our death without com-
"es,8 fort and without religion, and we fhall go
waysi off from our ftage of aftions and fufterings,
:c toa with an unhandfome exit, becaufe we were
willing to receive the Kindnefle of God when
he expreifed it as we lifted •' But we would
not fuller him to be kinde and gracious to us
in his own method, nor were willing to ex-
ercife and improve our vermes at the charge
of alharpFeaver oralingring confumption.
Ifoe be to the man that hath lojl patience, fir
vbat willhe do rvhen the Lord fitall viftt him.
I hii{(
to his
nts, to
tnerq,
le tero
font
lever i
wewi!
t into:
leffeh
ideai
is, tl(
be vtij
t intti'
be hfr
nay It
oOit-
lofli'
eflioaii
2* 44«
ifrailo
d
sicncei
n is»
ifferii?
to to
ewhoi
ive»'
ie fc
rioJ
es;
fit
V
SECT. VII.
The fecond temptation proper to the
fiate of Jiekjtejfe I Fear of death,
'^ith its remedies.
THere is nothing which can make ficknefle
unfanftified, but the famealfo will give
us caufe to fear death. If therefore we fo
order our affairs and fpirits, that we do not
fear death, our ficknefs may eaflly become our
advantage, and we can then receive coiinfel,
and confider, and do thqfe afts of vertue,
which are in that ftate the proper fervices of
God: and fuch which men in bondage and
jwr are not capable of doing, or of advices
now they fhould, when they come to the ap-
pointed dayes of mourning. And indeed if
®nn would but place their defigne of being
reCp "Wy in the nobleneffe, courage and perfeft
■ ' G 3 refo-
-kT'
?
Pi
-J
*!r^
I2<5
Chap.?. Remedies againS Seft.7,
refolucions of doin-g handfome thfngs, and
paffiiig thorough our unavoidable neceffitiei;
in the contempt and defpite of the things of
this world, and in holy living, and the per-
fc<flive defires of our natures, the longings
and purfuances afcer Heaven, it is certain
they could not be made miferable by chance
and change, by fickneffe and death. Butwc
are fo foftned and made effeminate with deli-
eate thoughts and meditations of eafe, and
brutilh fatisfaftions, that if our death comes
before we have feized upon a great-fortune,
or enjoy the promifes of the fcwtune tellers,
We eftcem our felves to be robbed of onr
goods, to be mocked, anJ
miferable. Hence it comes
that men are impatient of
the thoughts of death;
hence comes thofe arts cf
protraction and delaying
the fignifications of old
" Mentiris, jjvcnem tinflis
Lentine, capillis
Tarn fubtto corvus qui modo
cygims eras.
Iv^on omncsfallis, fcit te Pros
ferpinacannn^,
Peribnatn capiti detrahec ilh
cuo.
Mar.I. 3. r]).43-
age *; thinking to deceive
the world men cofen them-
felves, and by reprefenting themfelves youth-
full, they certainly continue their vanity, till
Proferpna pull the perruke from their heads,
We cannot deceiveGcd and naturcjfor a coiiin
is a coffin, though it be covered with a pom-
pousveil; and the minutes of our time firike
on, and are counted by Angels, till the period
comes which muft caufe the paffing bell to
give warning to all the neighbours that then
art dead, and they muft be fo; and nothing
can excufe or retard this: and if our death
could be put off a little longer, what advan-
tage can it be in thy accounts of nature or
felicity ? They that 3000 years agone dye<i
Uil-
m
Chap.?. fear of death, Sed.7. 127
unwillingly, and flopped death two dayes,
orftaid it a week, what is their gain ? rvhere k
ttit week. ? and poor fpi-
rited men ufe arts of pro. numewrq; fpa-
Q.. lit-' tio<J,vlarum v
traaiOHj and make their Met.mrvitcmjtorquetur mor-
perfons pitiable, but their te futur e
condition contemptible ; Hot . lib. ^.Od. 1.
beeing like the poor fin- T) ■)&'
nets at Noahs flood? the /juyf^^on
waters drove thetii out of o
their lower rooms, then !>%(. Soph.
they crept up to the roof, NiliiUttmsiciius dubic.iti/me
having lafted half a day volutaiui.miq;i.,rlumtvadanr,
longertand then they knew
not how to get down tfome ' Seneca l.n. ep. 102.
crept upon the top branch
ofa tree, and feme climbed up to a mountain,
andftaidit maybe three dayes longer i-but
all that while they endured a worfe torincnt
then death j they lived with amazement,
and were dillrafted with the ruines of man-
Mnde, and the horrour of an univerfal de-
luge.
Remedies agalnjl the fear of death
b) vaaj of conf deration.
' I. God.havmgin this world placed us in a
fea, and troubled the fea with a continual
dorm, hath appointed the Church for a ftip,
and religion to be the ft erne'• but there is no
kven or port, but death. Death is that harbonr
whither God hath defigned every one, that
there he may finde reft from the troubles of
theworld. How many of the nobleft Romans
nave taken death for fanduary, and have eftee-
G 4 med
128 Chap.g. Rmediisagmfi Scft.7,
med it lefs then fliame or a mean difhonour!
And Cisfcir was cruel to Domuius Captain oi
Corfinium,when hehadtaken thetown
>—Hea qiunto from, him, that he refufed to fignebii
iwcliiis vtl cede petirion of death. Death would have
P^cereRomaBO Y" honow, but thai
potuic fortuiia cruel mercy referved him to the lhame
pudori. of furviving his difgraee. The Holj
Lucan. Scripture giving an account of the
reafons of the divine providence ta-
king Godly men from this world i and (liut-
tingthemupinahaflygravej fayes, thatthey
are taken from the evils to come : and con-}
■cerningour felves it is certain, if we had ten
years agonc taken feizure of our portion of
dufl,death had not taken us from good things,
but from infinite evils, fuch which the fun
ITicom hath feldomfecn. Did not Priamuswee^ok-
nia vid:t net then Troilus ^ and happy had he been if
in ams he had died when his fons were living, andhis
viraiam fafe^ and houfes full, and hig citie
fanguine unburnt. It was a long life that made hin
tarpari. miferable, and an early death onely could
have fecured his fortune.
Eedrnie inganerSoIT and it hath happened manj
virafuperflesj times that petfonscf a fat
Imaerio nili fumma dies cun life and a cleat reputation,
..a of a good fortune, and an
AWmt&celeripraiycrtjttriftia honourable name, have
Dedecori eft fortuna prior. l^«n tempted in their age
lucan.lib. 3. to folly and-vanity, have
fallen under the diigracecf
dotage, or into an infortunate marriage, ci
have befottted themfelves with drinking, 01
outlived their fortunes, or become tedious to
their friends, or are afflifted with lingrrag
and vexatious difeafes, or lived to fee theii
excel'
chap.?. feir of death. Sedi.%. 129
excellent parts buried, and cannot underftand
the wife difcourfes and produftions of their '1®
younger years i In all thefe cafes and infinite
more, do not all the world fay but it had been conSiuk
better this man had died fooner ? Eu t fo have quidem.
I known paflfionate women to fhrike aloud —qui -
when their neereft relatives were dying, and
that horrid fhrike hath ftayed the fpirit of the Trader®
man, awhile to wonder at the folly, and repre- fe&tis
fent the inconvenience, and the dying perfon audetni-
hath lived one day longer,full of pain,amazed ''"'°"®
with an undeterniinate fpirit, diftorted with j
convulfions, and .oneJy come again to a^t one
fcene more of a new calamity, and to die with
lefs decency: fo alfo do very many men, with
paffion and a troubled intereft, theyftriveto
continue their life longer,'and it may be they
cfcape this ficknefs, and live to fall into a dif-
grace; they efcape the ftorm and fall into the
hands of pyrats, andinftead of dying vvith li-
bertyjthey l^ve likellaves,miferableand defpi-
fed,fervants to a litle time,and fottifh admirers
of the breath of their own lungs. Pauhs ^milu
wdid handfomly reprove the cowardice of the
king oiMacedon, who begged of him for pities
fake and humanity,that having conquered hitn
and taken his kingdom from him he would be
content with that, and not lead him in tri-
iimpha prifoner to Rome. .dEmi/mi told him
be need not be beholding to him for that:
binifelf might prevent that in defpite of him.
But the timorous King durft not die: But
certainly every wife man will eafily believe
chat it had been better the Macedonian Kings
Jhould have dyed in battel, then protraft their
life fo long, till fome of them came to be
Scriveners and Joyners at Rome; or that the
G 5. tyrant
I go Chap.?. Remedies agm^ Seft.y,
Tyrant of Sicily better had perifhed in th<
Adriatic, then to be wafted to Corinth fafely
and there turn Schoolaiafter. It is a fad cala.
niity that the fear of death fhall fo imbtciil
mans courage and undcrftanding, that he
dares not fufier the remedieof all his calami-
Himirumf^it he lives to fay as iiieriw did,
hacdie ' hnget then Ipouli',
una plus either therefore let us be willing to die when
tixi n ihi God calls, or let us never more complain of
qaamvi calamities of our life which we feelfo
yem urn numerous. And when God fends
Hoc Kg . his Angel to us with a fcroll of death, fetus
mo nor- look On it as an aft of mercy, to prevent
te lucra- many fins and many calamities of a longs
mLim ' downfoftly, and go
eff.tim without wrangling like babies and
morraie. froward Children. For awin( atleafl^getstUi
jNani. death, that his calamities are not immortal.
But I do not onely confider death by the
advantages of comparifon, but if welookon
it in it felf it is no fiich formidable thing, if we
view it on both fides and handle it, and con-
lider; J1 its appendages.
2- It is neceffary arid therefore notintolerdkI
. . . . and nothing is to be effeemed etil
r,',? n.fa natute have fixed with
fitaDiisimmor eternal fanftions. It is a /aw of GiJ,
talibus vel a na- it is a punijhment of OUT fins, and it is ^
tura pareiite otn- the confiitutm of our nature. Twodif-'
raumj cnftitu- fcring fubftances were joyncd toge-
ther with the breath of God, and
Concre. when that breath is taken away they part s-
turn fuit, funder, and return to their feVeral principles-
turn eft F^fher, the body to the
rediitq;unde vencrat; terra deoifunijfpirEti'; turfyjut Qn
e.-Hnibus iniquum «ft ? nihi • cjicbar. ,
earth
1*;
I
f
chap.?. fear of death. Seft.7. 13*
earth our Mother: and what in all this is
evil ? Surely nothing, but that we are men j
nothing but that we were not born imnior-
tall : but by declining this change with great
paffion, or receiving it with a huge natural]
fear, we accufe the Divine Providence of
Tyranny, and, exclaim againft our naturall
conftitution and are difcontent that we are
men,
?. It k a thing that is no great matter in it felf:
if we confider that we die daily, that it meets
us in every accident, that every creature car-
ties a dart along with it and can kill us. And
therefore when Lyftmaehus threatned Theodoras
to kill him, he told him , that was no great
matter to do, and he could do no more then
the Cantharides could j a little flie could do as
much.
4. It is a thing that every one
fullers, even perfons of the loweft
refolution, of the meineft vcrtiie,
of no breeding, of no difcourfe.
Take away but the pomps of death,
the difgttifes and folemn bug-bears,
thetinfell, and the aftingsbycan-
die-light, and proper and phantaftic
ceremonies, the minftrels and the
noife-makers, the women and the
(veepers, thefwoonings and the fhrikings,the
Nurfes and the Phyficians, the dark room and
the Miniflers, the Kinred and the Watchers,
8nd then to die is eafie, ready and quitted
from its troublefome circumftances. It is the
fame harmclefle thing, that a poor fhepherd
fuffered yeftei day, or a maid fervant to dayi
and at the fame time in which you vit^e eft avi<!us
010) in that very night, a tboufand "ciMir ^is nonvwlt
G 6 creatures
Natura dedit u lr-
ram vitx tanquam
pecani«, quid e!fe
ergo quodqiserpre
fi rcpecatciim vuk?
eadem enim lege
acceperas*
Senec,
1^32 Chap.?.
mundo (ecum pe-
r«unce mori*
Sen.
Ti^S 5^' ht
Pat I ft moriti; nee
que eft melius mor-
te in malis rebus
miferir.
Flmt. Rud.
Atitfuit,aiit vcniet
nihil elt praslen-
tis in ilia.
Morfq; minus poe-
n;% quam tr.cra
Biorcii babec.
Remedies agamft Sefl .7,
creatures die with you, feme wife
men, and many fools j and the wif.
dom of the firft will not quit him,
a'nd the folly of the latter does not
make him unable to die.
S. Of all the evils of the world
which are reproached with an evil
charafter, death is the moft inno-
cent of its accufation. For when it
is prefenr, it hurts no body; and
when it isabfent,'tis indeed tron.
blefome, but the trouble is owing
to our fears, not to the affrighting
and miftaken objeft: and befidts
this, if it were an evil, it is fo tran-
fient, that it paffes like the inftani,
or undifcerned portion of the pre-
fenc time; and either it is pafl, or itii
not yet j for juft when it is, no man
hath reafon to complain of fo in-
fenfible, fo fudden, fo undifcerned
change.
6. It is fo harmelefle a thing, that no good
man was ever thought the more miferable for
dying, but much the happier. When men faw
the graves of Caktinus, of the Servidj, the
Scipio's, theMetelli, did ever any man among
the wifeft Romans think them unhappy!
And when S. Paul fell under the fword of
Nero, and S. Peter died upon the crolTe, and
S- Stephen from an heap of hones was carried
into an eafier grave, they that made great la-
mentation over them, wept for their own in-
•ereff, and after the manner of men ■, but the
Martyrs were accounted happy,and their dayes
kept folemnly, and their memories prefervad
tK
vil 1
10.
ghap.?. fear of death. Seft .7. ^ 1?$'
in never dying honours. When S. Hilary Bi-
ftiop of Poiftiers in France went into the Eaft
to reproove the Arian herefie, he heard that
a young noble Gentleman, treated with his
daughter Abra for marriage: The Bifhop
wrote to his daughter, thatfheihouldnot in-
gage her promife, nor do countenance to that
requeft, becaufe he had provided for her a huf-
band fair, rich, wife and noble» farre beyond
her prefent offer. The event of which was
this: She obeyed, and when her father reiur-.
ncd from his Eaftern triumph to his Wcftcrn
charge, he prayed to God that his daughter
might die quickly, and God heard his pray-
ers,and Chrift took her into his bofome, enter-
taining her with antepafts and careffes of holy
love, till the day of the marriage Supper of
the Lambfhall come. But when the Bifhops
I wife obferved this event, and underftood of
the good man her hufband what was done,
and why, fhe never left him alone till he ob-
tained the fame favour for her j and flie alfo
at the prayers of S. Hilary went into a more
early grave and a bed of joyes.
7. Itisa fottifh and an unlearned thing
to reckon the time of our life as it is. fhortor
long, to be good or evil fortune j life in it
felf being neither good nor bad, but juft as
we make it, and therefore fo is death.
8. But when we confider, death is not
tnely better then a miferable life, notonely
'n eafie and innocent thing iii it felf, but alfo.
that it is a fiate of advantage, we fliall have
teafon not to double the fharpneffes of our
fickneffe by our fear of death: Certain it is,
death hath fome good upon its proper ftocke
134 Chap.?.' Rmdiesagmfi Seft.J,
Virtatem incoluncm odiirus " f(Uf tnemoiy, j
Stiblatam ea cculis qu^rimus
invidi
Horat.
Et landas nullos nifi morttros
poetas.
Mart.
reverence and religion to-
ward them fo great, thjt
it is counted difhoneft to
fpeak evil of the dead;
then they reft in peace and
are quiet from their labours
and are defigned to immortality. Cleobis and
Biton, throfhanius and Agameies had an early
death fent them as a reward, to the former for
their piety to their Mother, to the latter for
building of a Temple. To this, all thofe ar-
guments will minifter, which relate the ad-
vantages of the ftate of reparation and refur-
reition.
SECT. VIII.
infifear of deaths bj M]
of exercife.
I.
h:
E that would willingly be fearkfe ij
death, muft learn to defpife the world i
he mufk neither love any
thing paffionately, nor be
proud of any circumftance
of his fife. 0 death hon
bitter is the remembrance sj
thee to a man that Ihieth at
reB in his pofefions , to a
man that hath nothing to va
him, and that hath profferit}
in all things,yea unto him that
is yet able to receive meat I faidthefonof St-
tm
'E/ Tis o\C97
*Ep} di^Xotciv iTTi'
)y7tXiv}AV yaV-O^liOJXs"
Pindar.
Eeclus.
f.
chap.?. fearefDeith: Sefl. 8. ijj
rich. But the parts of this excrcife help each
other. If a man be not incorporated in all his
pafTions to the things of this world, he will
kffe fear to be divorced from them by a fuper-
vening deathj and yet becaufehe muftparc
with them all in death, it is but reafonable he
Ihould not be paffionate for fd fugitive and
tranfient intereft. But if any man thinks well
of himfelf for being a handfome perfon, or
if he be ftronger and wifer then his neigh-
hours, he muft remdmber that what he boafts
of will decline into weakneffe and difho-
nour; but that very boafting and compla-
cency, will make death keener, and more un-
welcome, becaufe it comes to take him from
his confidences and pleafures, making his
beauty equal to thofe Ladies that have flept
feme years in Charnel honfes, and their
ftrengthnot foftubborn as the breath of an
infant, and their wifdom fnch which can be
looked for in the land where all things are
forgotten.
2. He that would not fear death, muft ftreng-
then his fpirit with the proper inftruments of
Chrijiianjortiiude. All men are refolved upon
this, that to bear grief honeftly and tcmpe-
rately and to dye willingly and nobly is the .
duty of a good gnd of a valiant man : and they
that are not fo, are vitious,
ini fool's, and cowards. All
tneopraife the valiant, and
honeS, and that which the
tery Heathen admired in
their nobltfk examples,
is efpecially patience and
cintempt of death. Zeno Eleates endured tor-
fflents rattier then difcover his friends or be-
tray
Amittejida rorcitucJo eft aut
fepeliendtis doior* Ck.
Forcem polce animum mortis-
tetrore carente ti
Qui fpjtium vit,? exsremuiu
inter munera ptonat.
ISS
6
J
M e
chap.?; Remedies agamff Seft.8
tray them to the danger of the Tyrant: and
Calanus the barbarous and unlearned Indm
willingly fuffered himfelf to be burnt alive;
and ail the women did fo, to do honour to
their Hufbands Funeral, and to reprefent and
prove their, affedions great to their Lords.
The religion of a Chriftian does more com-
niand fortitude, then ever did any inftitution j
for we are commanded to be willing to die
forChrift, to dye for the brethren, todyera-
ther then give offence or fcandal j the effed
of which is this i that he that is inftruded to
do the neceflary parts of his duty, is by. the
fame inftrumeat fortified againft death; As
he that does his duty need not fear death: fo
neither fhall he; the parts of his duty, are
parts of his fecurity. It is certainly a great
bafeneife and pufillanimitie of fpirit that
makes death terrible and extremely to be a.
voided.
3. Chriftian prudence is a great fecurity a-
gainft the fear of death. For if we be afraid
of death it is but reafonable to nfe all fpiritual
arts to take off the apprehenfipn of the evil ■"
but therefore we ought to remove our fear,
bccaufefear gives to .death wingsand fpnrres,
and darts. Death ha liens to a fearful man;
if therefore you wouMmake death harmklfe
and flow, to throw off fear is the way to do
it; and prayer is the way to do that. If there*
fore you be afraid of death, confider you will
have lefle need to fear it,by how much the lefs
you do fear it; and fo cure your direfi fear by
a reflex aft of prudence, and confideration.
Fannius had not dyed fo foon, if he had not
feared death: and when Cneius Carbo begged
ipftperes (fjg pcfpite cf a little time forabafe imptoy*
BMC, Mar. B^nt
Hoftem
cum fti-
geret fe
Fannius
Chip-S' fear of Death. Seft.S.
mentof the fouldiers of Pompey, he got no-
thing, but that the bafeneffe of hisfear difho-
nourcd the dignity of his third Confulfliip;
and he thofc to dye in a place, where none
but his meaneft fervants fhould have feen him,
I remember a ftory of the wraftler Pslydamas
that running into a cave to avoid the ftorm,
the water at laft fwelled fo high, that it began
to prefle that hollowneffetoa ruine; which
when his fellowes efpied they chofe to enter
into the common fate "of all men, and went
abroad: but Polydamas thought by his ftrength
to fupport the earth till its intolerable weight
craflied him into flatneffe and a grave. Many
men run for fhelter to a place, and they onely
finde a remedie for their fears by feeling the
worft of evils: fear it felf findes no fanftuary
but the worft of fufferance •, and they that
fiye from a battel are expofed to the mercy
and fury of the purfuers, who if they faced
about, were as well difpofed to give laws of
life and death,as to take themjandat worft can
but die nobly; but now even at the very beft,-
they live fhamefuily or die timoroufiy. Cou-
rage is the greateft fecurity •, for it does moft
commonly fafeguard the man, but alwayes
tefcnes the condition from an intolerable c-
til.
4. If thou wilt be fearlefle of death, en-
deavour to be in love with the felicities of
Saints and Angels: and be once perfwaded
to believe that there is a condition of living
better then this; that there are creatures more
noble then we j that above there is a countrey
better then ours i that the inhabitants know
niore and know better j and are in places of
fcft and dcfire; and firft learn to value it, and
dten
138 Cliap.3. Remedies ngttinS Seft.8.
then learn to pur chafe it i and death cannet
be a formidable thing, which lets us into fo
much joy &fo much felicity. And indeedwho
would not think his condition mended if lie
palTed from converfing with dull mortals, with
ignorant and foolifli perfons, with Tyrants
and enemies of learning, to converfc with
Homer and Plato, with Socrates and Cicero,with
Plutarch and Fabrkius ? So the Heathens fpc-
culated but we confider higher. The did
that die in the Lord fhall converfe with S. Pml,
and all the Colledge of the Apoftles , and all
the Saints and Martyrs i with all the good
men whofe memory wepreferve in honour;
with excellent Kings and holy Bifbops, and
with the great Shepherd and Bijhop of our fiuli
Jefus ChriU, and with God himfelf. For Chrift
dyed for us, that whether we wakp or Jleef m
might live together with him. Then we lhallbe
free from luff and envy, from fear and rage,
from covetoufneffe and forrow, from tears and
cowardice; and thefe indeed properly are
the onely evils that are contrary to felicity
and wifdom. Then weftall
tionumerimusexpertesquodq; propollClonS, and
Dwnc racimus,cum Jaxatiq; ct:? things in another msniicr,
rts fumusjuc fpeftare aliqwid and to higher purpofes.
yelimui&vi ere. ckombrottis was fo taken
u cu . Qu. ^.^1^ fpeculation, that
having learned from Plato s Phsidon the fouls
abode, he had not patience to ftay natures
dull leifure, but leapt from a wall to his pot'
tion of immortality. And when Potnptti^
Attkus refolved to die by famine, to cafe
great pains of his gout, in the abftinence ol
two dayes found his foot at cafe: But wh®
chap.?- fear of death. Seft.8. isf.
he began to feel the pleafures of an ap-
proaching death, and the delicacies of that
cafe he was to inherit below, he would
not withdraw his foot, but went on and ft-
nifhed his death', and fo did Cleanthesj
and every wife man will defpife the little
evils of that flate, which indeed hthedaugb'
ter of fear , but the mother of reji, and peace,
and felkity.
5. If God (honld fay to us, • Calf thy
felf into the Sea (as Chrift did to S.Peter, or as .
God concerning Jonas J I have provided for
thee a Dolphin, or a Whale, or a Port, a fa-
fety or a deliverance, fecurity or a reward,
were we not incredulous and pufillanimous
perfons if we (hould tremble to put fiich a
felicity into a(t, and our felves into poffeffion ?
The very duty of refignation, and the love of'
our own intereft are good antidotes againft
fear. In fourty or fifty years we finde evils
enough, and arguments enough to make us
Weary of this life: And to a good man there
'te very many more reafons to be afraid of life
then death, this having in it lefleof evil and
more of advantage. And it was a rare wifh of
Ajt Roman, that death might come
onely to wife and excellent per- Mor.Htma^paTi'
fons, and not to fools and cowards,
that it might not be a fanftuary for sed'iirtBs tefola
the timerous, but the reward of the fdaret-
'ertuous; and indeed they onely Lucan.
ctn make advantage of it.
d- Make no excufes to make thy defircs
of lifefeem reafcnablei neither cover thy fear
'nd pretences, but fuppreife it rather, with
arts of feverity and ingenuity- Some arc not
iwi lling to fubmit to Geds fentencc and arreft
of
' 140 Chap.3. Remedies agakfl ScS.?,
Waneant of death, till they have fiiiiflted fuch a deCgnc,
opera in- or made an end of the lafi paragraph of theit
terrupta, Jjook, Of raifed fuch portions for their chil-
Mmoritai ^0 many fermonSj or built
ingentcs. their houfe, or planted their crchafifl, or ct-
dered their eftate with fuch advantages j Itisi
well for the modefty of thefe men that the ex-1
ciife is ready j but if it were not, it is certain
they would fearch one out: for an idle man
is never ready to die, and is glad of any ex.
cufcj and a bulled man hath alwayes fomo
thing unfiniflied, and he is ready for evetj
thing but death: and I remember that Ft-
tmtius brings in Eumolptts compofing verfes
in a defperate ftorm, and being called upon
to fhift for himfelf .when the fhip dafteil
upon the rock, cried out to let him alone till
he hadfinifhed and trimmed his verfe,vthicii
was lame in the hinder legj the man eitki
had too ftrong a delire to end his verfe, ct
too great adefircnotto end his life. Butm
muft know Gods times are not to be meafa-
red by our circumftances; and what I valuti
God regards nor, or if it be valuable in tii(
accounts of men, yet God will fupply it will
other contingencies of his providence: aril
if Epaphroditushsd died when he had his grai
ficknefle S. Paul fpeaks of, God would have
fecured the work of the Gofpel without bim
and he could havcfpared Epaphrodhusaw'i
as S. Stephen, and S.Peter, as well as S.famt
Say no more, but when God calls, lay aBiie
thy papers and firlfdrefle thy, foul, andtbei
drelTe thy hearfe.
Blindnefle is odious, and widow -hood ij
fad, and deffitution is without comfort, ™
perfecutioH is, full trouble, and famintii
Ghap.?. "f death. Seft.8. 141
intolerable, and tears are the fad eafe of a
faddcr heartbut thefe arc evils of our life,
not of our death. For the dead that die in the
Lord are fo farre from wanting the commo-
dities of this life) that they do not want life
icfelf.
After all this, I do not fay it is a fin to
be afraid of death: we find the boldeftfpirit
that difcourfes of it with confidence, and
dares undertake a danger as big as death,
yet doth fhrink at the horrcnr of it when it
conies dreffed in its proper circumffances J
And Brutus who was as bold a Roman to ^
undertake a noble aftion, as any was fince
theyfirft reckoned byConfuls, yet when F«-
riwame to cut his throat after his defeat by
Anthony, he ran from it like a girl, and being
admonifhed to die conftantly, be frvorebyhis
life, that he would fhortly endure death. But
what do I fpeak of fuch imperfcft perfons ?
Our B. Lord was pleafed to legitimate fear
to us, by his agony and prayers in the gar-
den. It is not a fin to be afraid, but it is a
great felicity to be without fear, which feli-
city our dearcft Saviour refufed to have, be-
canfe it was agreeable to his purpofes to fuffer
anything that was contrary to felicity, every
thing but fin. But when men williy a//mertnf
avoid death) they are like thofe who at any
hand refolveto be rich: The cafe may hap-
pen in which they wil blafpheme)and difhonor
providence, or do a bafe aftion, or curfe God,
and die: But in all cafes they die miferable
and infnared, and in no cafe do they die the
lelfe for it. Nature hath left us the key of the
Churchyard) and cuftome hath brought Cas-
Bicteties and charnell houfes into Cities and
Churches
142 Chap.3. Remedies agiin^ SeftJ,
Qu.m pd:unc lachryma: fo- Churches, pkces ITJoft frc
vent for'cmj duranegant ce- ^UCntcd^ thiit we ITilgnt not
dere moliibus, carry our felves ftrange-
lyin fo certain, fo expe.
Sicca? fi ^fed, fo ordinary, fo unavoydablean aici.|
gena^ detic. All rtluftancy or u willingnelfe to'
Dur«ccd, ®hey the Divine decree, is but a fnaretoocr
ct helies felves, and a load toouripirits, and iseithe
fcrs pari, an intire caufe, or a great aggravation of tlie
enti£. calamity. Who did not fcorn to look upoi
Xerxes when he caufed 300. ftripes to be givei
to the Sea, and fent a chartell of defiance a-
gainft the Mountain Atho ? Who did not
Woto / 01 fcorn the proud vanity of Cyrus when he took
z»>i t*ni fo goodly a revenge upon the river Cyttdti
for his hard paffage over it? or did not it-
ride or pity the Thracians for fhooting at-
Ilo. rowes againff heaven, when it thunders ? To
Et cum he angry with God, to quarrell with the Divine
nihil im- providence, by repining againft an unaltera-
minu.n bje, a naturall, an eafie fentence, is an argU'
car f u!' ® parent of a great
ftra tur- troubleas man is bafe and foolifh to no pur-
pes die pofe, he throwes away a vice to his own mi-
volumus? fery and to no advantages of eafe and pleafure.,
Senec, fgur l^eps men in bondage all their /i/e,faith Saint
Paul, and patience makes him his own man,
vac mTe. iutereif and perfon There-
roj doior ^°re poffeffe your felves in patience, with reafcn,
and religion, and you (hall die with eafe.
If all the parts of this difcourfe be trnti
if they be better then dreams, and unlelTe
virtu:ein vertue be nothing but words, as a grove is ahetl
MS uTw Phantafmes of by-
camligna' pochordriacall perfons, and defignes upon the
intereftof men, and their perfwalions to evil
purpofes j then there is no reafon, but that
we
i
■ IP'T ■ -«•»: -i-'t,'a'«
chap.?. " of death. Se&.ei.
we (hould really defire death, and account it
among the good things of God, and the fowrc
and laborious felicities of man. S. Paul un-
derftood it well, when he defired to be diffol-
ved: he well enough knew his own ad van-
tages, and purfued them accordingly *, But it
is certain that he that is afraid of death,I mean,
with a violent and tranfporting fear, with a
fear apt to difcompofe his duty, or his pari-
ence, that man either loves this^world too
much, or dares not truft God for the next.
SECT.
IX.
14?
General rales and exercifes "^herehj
our fickneffe may become fafe
and fanfltfed.
I. I care that the caufe of thy ficknefe be
I fuch at may not fowreit in the principle
and original caufes of it. It a fad calamity to
pafle into the houfe of mourning through the
gates of intemperance, by a drunken meeting,
or the furfetsof a loathed and luxurious Ta-
ble; for then a man fuftcrs the pain of his own
folly, and he is like a fool fmarting under the
whip which his own vitioufnclfe twifted for
his back; then a man payes the price of
his fin, and hath a pure and an unmingled for-
row in his fuffering ; and it cannot be allevia-
ted by any circumfiances j for the whole af-
fair is a mcere proceffe of death and forrow.
Sin is in the head, fickneffe is in the bodv,
and death and an eternity of pains in the rail,
and nothing can make this condition intolera-
fcle unlcfle the miracles of the Divine mercy
wifl
X44 Chap.ji General rules to nuke Seft.j.
Solatium will be plcafed to exchange the eternal anger
dipro for the temporal. True it is, that in all fufte-
dura to- it noble or ignoble,
lerare & honour or Ihame^tokrable or intolerable. For
ad can when patience is aflaulted by a ruder violence,
(am a pa-and byablow from heaven or earth, from a
"rmft unjuft man, patience
I Pet! a. forth to the doors which way fhe may
If. ' cfcape, and if innocence or a caufe of religi.
Heb .ii. on keep the firft entrance, then whetherIhe
5^' efcapes at the gates of life or death there isa
good to be received, greater then the evils
of aficknelTe-, but if finthruft in that fickneffe,
and that hell ftands at the door, then pa-
tience turns into fury, and feeing it impofTible
to go forth with fafety, rouls up and down
with a circular and infinite revolution,makinj
its motion not from, but upon its own centre;
it doubles the pain and increafes the for-
. row, till by its weight it breaks the fpirit and
agonies of infinite and eternal
patitur If we had feen S.Polkarp burning to
vexac death, or S. Laurence rolled upon his gridiron,
caufa pa- or S. Ignatius expofed to lions, or S. Sebsftim
tKudi, pierced with arrowes, or S. Attains carried
about the theatre with fcorn unto his death
for the caufe of Jefus, for religion,for God and
a holy confcience.we fhould have been in love
with flames, and have thought the gridiron
fairer then the fponda, the ribs of a maritdl kd:
and we fhould have chofen to converfe with
thofe beafls rather then thofe men that brought
thofe beafts forth j andeftimated the arrows
to be the rayes of light brighter then the
moon ■, and that difgrace and miftaken page-
antry were a folemnity richer and mere mag-
ficent then Mordecai's proceflion upon' the
Kings
with
light
'ows
the
age-
nag-
the
iiigs
Cfiap.?. ficl^nefejifeandhfy. Se&.p. 145 !
Kings horfe, and in the robes of majeftyi
for fo did thefe holy men account them: they
kifledtheir ftakes, and hugged their deaths>
and ran violently to torments, and counted
whippings and fecular difgraees to be the en-
amel of their perfons, and the ointment of
their heads, and the embalming their names,
and fecuring them for immortality. But to
fee Sejams torne in pieces by the people, or
A'era crying or creeping timoroufly to his
death when he was condemned to dye more
mjorumyto fee Judas pale and trembling,full of
anguilh, forrow and defpair, to obferve the
groanings and intolerable agonies of Herod
and Antiochus, will tell and demonftrate the
caufesof patience and impatience to proceed
fromthccaufes of the fufferingi and it is fin
onelythat makes the cup bitter and deadly j
when men by vomiting meafureop the drink
they took in, and lick and fad do again
tafte their meat turned into choler by Hi qaicqHid tii-
intemperance, the fin and its punifh- vomitun,
• 1 I r ! n. remecjCBCur tri-
ment are mingled fo, that fhameco- ^ biiemfu-
Vers the face, and forrow puts a veil a!n'ret uft.!ntes.
ef darkneffe upon the heafc, and we Senec,
fcirce pity a vile perfon that , is haled
to execution for murder for treafon, but we
fiy he deferves it, and that every man is con-
tcrned in it that he fliould dye. If luft brought
theficknelfe or thelhamej if we truly fuffer
tkereward of our evil deeds, we nrnft thank
ourfelves; that is, we are fallen inroan evil
tondition, and are the facrifice of the D vine
loftice. But if we live holy 1 ves, and if we'
tnterwell in, we are fure to paflecn fafe, and
'? goe forth with advantage, if rre lifi our
;,ms,
H 2 To
Ghap.?. treneral rules ts rnakf Sefl.),
2. To this relates, that wySoHW not«««(«.
feitpckpe^e j For he that is to be carefulloi
hispaflage intoafickncffe will think himfelt
concerned that he fail not into it '
trap door: for fo it hath fometimes happend.
Cha;
fides
eoer
ieu
and I
and I
that fuch counterfeiting, to light and evil pnt-
pofcs hath ended in a real fufterance: jippk
tells of a Roman Gentleman, who to efca[«
the profcription of the Triumvirate, fled, ami
to fecare his privacy counterfeited himfel
blinde on one eye, and wore a plaifter upGnii,
till beginning to be free from the maliceof
the three prevailing princes, he opened li
hood, but could not open his eye, but f»
ever loft the ufe of it, and with his eye piii
''ii"""'"- hypocrific. And Ctb
teftVars counterfeited the gout, and all its circumftii.
dolorii ces and pains, its dreffings and arts of remcJl, taught
defiitcs and complaint, till at laft the gout really et not i
1ms fin- fpoiled the pageantry. His arts d ^
^rai^ diflimulation were fo witty that theyputi meren
Mart. 1*7 and motion into the vefy image of the 1 n-hich
«p» cafe J h« made the very pifture to fighd of Goc
was a
fens (
aded
adde
holy I
prece
bya t
limpli
amouj
tcryn
titular
many
groan. Mjfu
It is eafie to tell upon theintereftof win iccoyn
vertue, fuch counterfeiting istobereprovti s,|,y
But it will be harder to fnatch the politicksij i,( j,?
the world from following that which theyoU
acanonizedand-authentickprecedentl; ad |,f
counterfeiting himfelf mad heforetj
King of Oath,to fave his life and liberty, wlls
fufficient to entice men to ferve an end upH
the ftock & charges of fofmall an irregulariij
Slot in the matter of manners, but inthertJ
and decencies of natural or civil deportmej
I cannot certainly tell what degrees of exw |(j, j
Pivrds aflion might put on. This onciy t«
ier, had Icfle of feverity and more of libercy i
and towards enemies had fo little of reftraint*
and fo great a power, that what amongft them
wasadired: fin, if nfed to their brethren the
fons of facoh, was lawfull and permitted to be
aftfd againfi enemies. To which alfo E
adde this general caution, that the aftkms of
holy petfons in Scripture are not alwayes good
precedents tous Chriftians, who are to walls
fhya rule and a greater ftridnefle, with more
fimplicity and heartineflc of piirfuit. And
amongft them, fandity and holy living did in
tcry many of its inftances incrcafe in new par-
titulars of duty •, and the prophets reproved
things which the law forbad not, and
taught many duties which prcfcribed
noti and as the time of Chrifts approach
came, fo the fermons and revelations too
Were more evangelical, and like the patterns
vthich were fully to be exhibited by the 5on
of God. Amongft which it is certain, that
Mjfitn limplkity and godly fincerhy is to be
ofwW iccounted, *and counterfeiting of fickncfle
provtl iahuge enemy to this; * it is an upbraiding
iticKSi he Divine providence, * a jefting with fire,
J aplayingwith a thunderbolt, * a making
t'.' ® he decrees of God to ferve the vitious or
foret (tuiji. it is a temptit^ of a
^ accufation of God, * a
id up ireftallihg and antldating hit anger., '^itis
h Ij tiy making a God party
heW 1 the fraud j and therefore if the coufenage
'"""j "tirns upon the mans own head, he enters
1 % I'o s fox into his fickneffe, and perceives
V cached in a trap, or earthed in the
^ Ha in-
J48 Chap.?, Geneulrules to make Seft.j,
intolerable dangers of the grave.
3. Although we mnft be infinitely careful to
prevent it, that fin does not thruft us intoj
ficknefle, yet when we are in the houfe of
forrow, we fhould do well to take Phyficli
againft fin, and fuppofe that it is the caufe
of the evil i if not by way of natural caufa.
lity and proper elfeft, yet by a moral inflii-
cnce, and by a juft demerit. We can eafily
lee when a man hath got a furfet > intempe-
ranee is as plain as the hand writing upo* tht
■wall, andeafiertoberead: but eovetoufnefi
may caufe a Feaver as well as drunkenneffi,
and pride can produce a falling ficknefs aswdl
as long wafhings, and dihuiotB of the brain,
and intemperate lull: and we findc it record-
ed in Scripture that the contemptuous and un-
prepared manner of reception of the Holy
Sacraments caufed ficknefle and death; and
Sacrikdge and Vow-breach in Amnras and Sit
fhira made them to defcend quick into theit
graves. Therefore when ficknefle is upon is,
let us cad about, and if we can, let us findt
out the caufc of Gods difpleafure, that it bt-
ing removed, we may return into the liealtli
and fccurities of Gods loving kindnelfe. Th»|
in the three years famine David enquiredof
the Lord what was the matter ? and God an-
fwcred, it is for Saul, and his bloody beufe '■
then David expiated the guilt, and the pM'
pie were full again of food and blelTing: ail
when Ifrael was fmitten by the/JmoritM, j''
fimh call, about, and found out the accurfed
thing, and call it out, and the people afo
that fought profpcroufly. And what God in
thn cafe fuid to-^ojhua, he will alfo verifie®
Iwillnotbt with you any tvsreunlejfe you
p:;
chap.?. pckrteffefife und holy.
frty the accmfed thing from among yoH. But in
purfoance of this we arc to obferve that al-
though in cafe of loud and clamorous fins the
difcovery is eafy and the remedic not diffi-
cultj yet becanfe Chriftianity is a nice thing,
and religion is as pure as the (uu, and the foul
of maB is apt to be troubled from more prin-
ciples then,the intricate and curiofluycom-
pofedbodie in its innumerable pafts, it will
often happen that if we go to enquire into
the particular, we fhall never finde it out:
and.we may fufpeS drunkennefle when it may
be alfo a morofe deleflation in unclean
thoughts, mt, covetoufnefic, or oppreffion, or
a crafty invafion of my neighbours rights,or my
ffantof cb^ricy orrny judgin g unjuftly inniy
own catife, or my cenfuring my neighbours,
Ota fecret pride, orabafe hypocrifie, or the
purfuance of little ends with violence and'
paffion, that may have procured the prefent
meflenger of death. Therefore aflt no more
after any one, but heartily endeavour to re- ,
form all : :j/n no more lefig worfe thing happen,
for a fingle; fearch or accufation may be the
defigne of an imperfeft repentance; but no
•flan does heartily retarn to God, but he that
decrees againff every irregularity y and then _
onely we can be rcftored to health or life,
when we have taken away ihe caufes of
ficknelTeand a curfed death.
, 4- He that means to have his fickuefTc turn
into fafety and life, into health and vertue,
"luft makg religion the imployment of his ficktiefe,
nd prayer the imployment of his religion. For
there are certain c«/!pfnt/i«mr or abbnviitures
'ad fhortnings of religion, fitted to fdyeral
ft'tes. They that firft gave up their names to
H 3 Glirift
mmamgamsm
Chap. ? €tnerd rules M make Scft.j;
Chrift, and that turned from Paganifmio
Chriftianity had an abbreviature fitted fa
them ■> they were to renounce their falfe wot.
ftippings, and give up their belief, and voi
their obedience unto Chrift, and inthevcri
profcflion of this they were forgiven in Ea.
ptifm. For God haftens to fnatch them from
the power of the Devil, and therefore (horteiii
the paflage, and fecures the eftate. In the calt
cf poverty God hath reduced this durie o(
man, to an abbreviature of thofe few graces
which they can eytrcife > fach as are pati
cnce, contentedneflfe, t nth, and diligencei
and the reft he accepts in good will, and the
•haritics of the foir!, in prayers and the adjpii
®f a cheap religion. And to moft men Aril;
IS alfo an abbreviamre. And as the love ol |
God fhortens the way to the purchafe of all
rertues, fo the cxprclTion of this to the poor,
goes a huge way in the requifitcs, and towards
the confummation of an excellent religion;
and Martyrdom is another abbreviature: aid
fo is every aft of an excellent and heroicil
vertue. But when we are fallen into the ftatc
of licknefle, and that our underftanding lif
weak and troubled, our bodies fick and tiff ■
leffe, our paffions turned into fear, and tkt
whole ftate into fuffering,God in compiyawt
and mans infirmity hath alfo tnrned ourrcll'
gionintofuch aduty, which a fick man can di
moft pafTionately, and a fad man and a tiraO'
rous can perform effeftually, and a dying man
can do to many purpofes of pardon and
cy, and that isj prayer. For although a fck
man is bound to do many afts of vertue of f'*
veral kindes, yet the moft of them are to bt
done in the my of prayer. Prayer is not one'f
msmm
diap.?. fickpefff fife and holy. Std :.9.
the religioH that is proper to a lick mans con-
dition, but it is the manner of doing other
graces which is then left, and in his power.
For thus the fick man is to do his repentance,
and his mortifications, his temperance and his
chaftity, byafiftionof imagination bringing
the off ers of the vertue to the fpirit, & making
an aftion of elcftion, and fo our prayers arc
a d'reft aft of chaftity when they arc made in
the matter of that gracei juft as repentance for
our cruelty, is an aft of the grace of mercie;
and repentance for uncleannefte is an aft of
chafiiry, is a means of its purchafe, an aft in
Older to the habit: and though fuch afts of
terriie which are oncly in the way of prayer are
ineffciffivc to the intire purchafe, and of them-
felves cannot change the vice into vertue,
yet they are good renewings of the grace, and
proper cxercife of a habit already gotten.
The purpofe of this difcourfe is to repre-
fent the excellency of prayer, and its proper
advantages which it hath ia the time of fick-
Hefle. For befides that it moves God to pity,
piercing the clouds & making the Heavens like
a pricked eye to weep over us, and refrelh us
with Ihowers of pity it alfo doth the work of
the foul, and exprefles the vertue of his whole
life m e^igiet in piftures and lively reprefent-
luents, fo preparing it for a never ceafing
crown, by renewing the aftions in the con-
tinuationof a never ceafing, t never hindred
affeftion. Prayer fpeaks to God, when the
tongue is ftiffned with the approachings of
death: prayer can dwell in the heart and be
fignified by the hand or eye, by a thought or a
groan j prayer of all the aftions of rerigionis
•he laft alive, and it feryesGod without cir-
U 4 cum-
1
h
iSi
jfs Chap. 3. €em»l nlesumtkf Sefl.f
cutiiftances, and exercifes material graces by
abftraftion from matter, and feparation, and
makes them to be fpiritual: and therefore
fceft drefles our bodies for fmeral, orrecoinj,
for the mrcies of reflkmon, or the mercies ij
the grave.
S. In every ficknefie whether it willot
will not be fo in nature and in the event, yn
in thy fpirit and preparations refolve upon it,
and treat thy felf accordingly as if it were
• a ficknejfe unto death. For many men fuppon
their unequall courages by flattery and falft
hopes, and becaufe ficker men havereccve-
red, beleeve that they fhalldofo; but there-
fore, they neglcftto adorn their fouls, orfei
their houfe in order j befides the teniporall
inconveniences that often happen by fccli
■ perfwafions and putting off the evil day, fucli
as are, dying Intefiate, leaving ejiates intangki,
and feme Relatives miprevided fevt they ftf-
fer infinitely in the intereft and aftairs of theit
Ibul, they die carelefly and furprized, their
burdens on, and their fcruples unremoved,
and their cafes of confcience not determined,
and like a fheep, without any care taken con-
cerning their precious fouls. Some men will
never beleeve that a villain will betray then,
though they receive often advices from fof-
picious perfons and likely accidents, till
they are entered into the fnare, and then they
beleeve it when they feel it, and whenthq
cannot return} but fo the treafonentred,aiid
the man was betrayed by his own folly, ph-
cing the fnare in the regions and advantages
of opportunity. This evil looks like WAe/t
and a confident jjirr;V, but it is the grcateft
time-
chap.;. fickpefe fafe andhly.- S0.f,
timeroiifitefle and cowardile in the world.
They are fo fearfullto die, that they dare not
look upon it as poffible j and think that the
making of a Will is a mortall figne, and fend-
ing for a fpirituall man an irrecoverable di-
feafe, and they are fo afraid left they fhould
think and beleeve now they mufl die, that they
will not take care that it may not be evil in
ctfe they fhould. So did the Eaftern flaves
drink wine, and wrapt their heads in a vail,
that they might die without fenfe or forrow,
and wink hard that they might lleep the eafi-
er. In purfuanceof this rule let a man con-
lider, that whatfoever muft be done in fick-
ncfle ought to be done in health; onely let
him obferve that his ftckneffeas a good mo-
nitor chaftifes his negleft of duty, and forces
him to live as he alwayes fhould i and then all
tkfe filemnities and drefjings for death, are no-
thing elfe but the part of a religious life,'wh\ch
he ought to have exercifed all his dayes ■, and
if thofe cireumfiances can affright him, let
him pleafehis fancy by this truth, that then
he does but begin to live. But it will be a
huge folly if he fhall think that confcfhon of
his fins will kill him, or receiving the holy
Sacrament will haften his agony, or the Prieft
ftall undo all thehopefull language and pro-
niifes of his Phyfitian. Ajfure thy felf thou canjl
tot die the fooner". But by fuch addrejfei thou
ftayejl die much the better.
6. Let the ftck^ perfon be infinitely carefull
that he do mt fall into a fate of death upon a new
ttcomt ■, that is, at no hand commit a delibe-
fate fin, or retain any affeftion to the old y
for in both cafes he falls into the evils of a
H 5 furprize
>54 <Iiap.3'. eencrdruksumah
fnrprize, and the horrors of a fudden death,
For a fudden death is but a fudden joy, ii
it takes a man in the ffate and exercifes d
Tertue: and it is onely then an evil when ii
finds a man unready. They were fad depat.
tures when tegUlims > Carnelm Gdlus tht
Prattor, LetvU the fon of Qmz<ig<t Vukg if
Afantua, Ladijlms kjng of Naples, Speufippm,
Guchettus of Geneva, and one of the Pops
died in the forbidden embraces of abufcd
women i or if Job had turfed God andfo
died J or when a man fits down in defpair,
and in the accufation and calumny of the Di-
vine mercy i they make their night fad, ami
ftormy and eternall. When /ferod began to
fink with the fhamefull torment of his boweli,
and felt the grave open under him, heimpii-
fbned the Nobles of his Kingdom^ and com-
manded his Sifter that they fhould be a facii-
ice to his departing ghoff. This was an
cgreflc fit onely for fuch perfons who mean!
to dwell with Pevils to eternall ages, and that
man is hugely in love with fin who cannoi
forbear, in the week of the Affixes, and when
bimfelf ftood at the barre of fcrutiny and
prepared for his finall, never to be reverfed
lentence. He dies fuddenly to the worftfeafe
and event of fudden death, who fo manage
bis ficknefle that even that ftatcfhall not be
innocent, but that he is furprized in the guilt i
arf a new account. It is a figne of a repreAaie
fpirir, aitdanhabituall prevailing, ruling fiOi
which evads obedience when the judge-
ment looks him in the face. At leaft go ta
God widi the innocence and fair deport-
SJacBt of thy pcrfo* ii the laft fccne of thy liff)
dui
* OT 0 fo
aitttoarufeaJiaoft
KoUJifrarDttiBereto flit
fKombeatmto ^6epit
#rom pit tmto pain
l^atnerti^aH ceafeasaw
S?e iBouia not Oo one Hn
|[Uti&etoo?lotoS»m.
Inlcript. marmori in Ecclsl*
paroch de FevcrQiam in a-
gro (Santianot
Chap.?." ^ckpeffeftfe and holy. Scd.p. i^S
that when thy foul breaks
iflto the ftatc of reparation,
it may carry the reliflies of
religion and fobriety to the
places of its abode and
fentence. *
7. when thefc things
are taken care for, let the
lick man fo order his af-
fairs that he have but very
little converfation with the
world, but wholly ( as he can ) attend to re-
ligion, and antedate his converfation inhea-
ven, alwayes having entcrcourfe with Cod,
and ftill converfing with the Holy Jefus, kif-
finghis wounds, admiring his goodnefle, beg-
inghis mercy, feeding on him with faith, and
drinking his blood, to which purpofe it were
vety fit (if aHcircumftancesbeanfwerable)
that the narrative of the paffion of Chcift be
read or difcourfed to him at length, or in
brief according to the ftile of the four Gofpels.
But in all things, let his care and fpcieq be
as little fccular as is poffible.
E' 6
€ H_A Pi
i$6 6hap.4. the firhiM peiiife of puces Sefl,!. 1
CHAP. IV.
Of the praftifc of the graces, pro-
per to the ftate of fickncffej
which a lick man may pradife
alone»
SECT. I.
Of the praUife ef Patience.
NOw we fuppofe the man cntring up
on his Scene of forrows, and Jm /-
five graces: It may be he weni
yelferdayto a wedding, merry anJ
briffc , and there he felt his feiv
tcncc, that he muft return liomeand die. For
men very commonly enter into the fnare
fingiog, and confider not whither their &te
leads them j nor feared that then theAngd
Was to ftrike hisftroak; till his knees kilTeii
the earth, and his head trembles with tla
weight of the rod, which God put into tilt
liand of an exterminating Angel. But what-
foever the ingrelTe was, when the man feels
his blood boil, or his bones weary, or hisfleft
difeafei
Chap.4* «/f'ckxli' SeS:. i.' • rS9
difeafedwith a loadof a difperfed anddifor-
dered humour, or his head to ake, or his facul-
ties difcompofed, then he muft confidcr that
all thofe difcourfcs he hath heard concerning
patience and rcfignation, and conformity to
Chrifts furterings, and the melancholy Icftures
of the Croffe, muft all of them now be redu-
red CO praftife, and paffe from an ineffeftive
contemplation to fuch an exercife as will re-
ally try whether • we were true difciples of
the Croffe, or onely beleeved the doftrines
of religion when we were at cafe, and; that
they never paffed thorow the ear to the heart,
and dwelt not in our fpirits. But every man
Ihould confider God does nothing in vain,
that he would not to no purpofe fend us
Preachers, and give us rules, and furnifh us
with difcourfe, and lend us books, and pro-
vide Sermons, and make examples, and pro-
mife his Spirit, and defcribe the bleffednefle
of holy fufierings, and prepare us with daily
alaramsj if he did not really purpofe to or-
der our affairs fothatwe Ihould need all this,
andafe it all, there were no fuch thing as the
grace of patience if we were not to feel a fick-
neffe, or enter into aftatcof fufferings j whe-
ther when we are entred, we arc to praflife by
the following fqleSo
The praSiife and aEls of patience
by way of rule,
r. At the firft addreffeandprefenceof
fickneffe, ftill and arrefi thy (pirit, that ic
tiay without amazement, or affright confider
that this was that thou lookcdft for, andwert
alwayes
Chap.4. the prtHift oftkt grate Sefti
alwayes certain ihouM happen, and that now
thou art to enter into the adionsof a new re.
ligien, the agony of a ifrange conAitntion;
but at no hand fvfer thy fpiritsto bcdifper-
fed with fear, or wildnefle of thought, but
ftay their loofenefle and difperfion by aferi.
Ous confidttation of the prefcnt and futurt
imployment. For fo doth the Lybian lioii
fpying the fierce huntfraan, firft beats himfdf
witb the ftroaks of his tail, and curies up his
fpirits, making them ftrong-with union and
recolleftion, till being ftrook with a Mauti-
tanian fpear, he rufiies forth into his defence
and nobleft contention j and cither fcapes in-
to the fccrets of his own dwelling, or elft
dies, the bravcft of the forreft: Every mat
when fhot with an arrow from Gods quiver,
■luft then draw in all the auxiliaries of reafon,
and know, that then is the time to try his
ftrength, and to reduce the words of his reli-
sion into aftion, and confider that if he be-
naves himfelf weakly and timeroufly, hcfuf-
fcrs never the lefle of^ficknelTc i but if he turns
to health he carries along with him the mark
«f a coward and a fool^ and if he defcends
into his grave, he enters into theftateoftht
fahhlejfe and unbeleevers. Let him fet his heart
firm upon this refolution, Imufibtar hineviu-
Hj i and I mil by Gods grace do it nobly.
2. Bear in thy fickneffe all along the fttm
thoughts , proportions, and difceurfes concmht
thy perfon, thy life, and death, thy foul andrili-
gion, which thou hadfi in the heft dayes of tl^
health, and when thou didji difcoutfe wifely ««•
cerning thinp fpirituall. For it is to be fuppo-
fed ( and if it be not yet done, let this rule
remind thee of it, and dkeftttec) that th^
Chap-4' ofpsthnceinficftfieffe Seft.i
haft caft ab*ut in thy health and confidcred
concerning thy change, and the evil day^ that
thou Hiuft be fick and die, that you niuft need
a comforter , and that it was certain thoa
Ihooldft fall into a ftate in which all the cords
of thy anchor Ihould be ftretched, and the
very rock and foundation of faith Ibould be
attempted; and whatfoevcr fancies may di-
fturb yoo, or whatever weaknelfes may invade
you, yet confider, when you were better, able
to judge and governc the accidents of your
life,you concluded itnecefiary to truft in God,
and poffeffe your fouls with patience. Think
ctf things as they think that Hand by yon, and
as you did when you (food by others, that it
is a blefled thing to be patient,, that a quiet-
nelTe of fpirit hath a certain reward, that ftil!
there is infinite truth and reality in the pro-
mifesof the Gofpel, that ilill thou art in the
tare of God, in the condition of a fon, and
warhing oat thy fdvation with labour and pain,
mh fear and tremilingj that now the Sun is
under a cloud, but itftill fends forth the fame
influence; and be furetomake nonewprin-
ciplesupon thefiockof a quick and an impa-
tient fenfe,or toobufie an apprehenfion: keep
your old principles, and upon their ftock
d^courfe and praAife on towards your con-
clufion.
9. Refelve to bett pttr fciinefe like e
(Hid, that is, without confideiing the evils
and the pains, the forrows and the danger j-
but go ftraight forward, and let thy thoughts
caft about for nothing, hut how to make ad-
vantages of it by the inftruntient of religion.
He that from a high tower looks down 'upon
the precipice and mcafiires die fpace through
wJsic^
l6o Cfiap.4. The praSifioftk grdce Seft.i.
which he niuft defcend, and confiders what a
huge fall he fhall have, fliall feel more by
the horror of it, then by thelaftdafliontbe
pavement: and he that tells his groans and
numbers his fighs, and reckons one for every
gripe of his belly , or throb of his diftent-
percd pulfe, will make an artificiall fickflefe
greater then the Mturall i and if thou beeft
afliamed that a childe fhould bear an evil
better then thoU, then take his inftrument
and allay thy fpiritwith it. j refleft notnpon
thy evil, but contrive as much as you can for
duty, and in all the reft, inmfideration will eafe
your pain.
4. If thou feareft thou Ibalt need; ob'
ferve and draw together all fuch things as are
apt to charm thy fpirit, and eafe thy fancy in
, „ the fufferance. It is the connfell oi Socrates:
he) a great danger, and you mflhy
rnuy u- ^jr jnchant it into fun-
K!, m J moved
much to fee a perfon of honour to die nn-
timely; or thou didft love the religion of
»,<znf r and it was dreffed npincir-
f" cumftances fitted to thy needs, and hit thee
where thouwert moft fenfiblei
or fome little faying in a Sermon, or paffage
of a book was chofen and fingled out by a
peculiar apprehenfion, and made confent
lodge a while in thy fpirit, even then when
thou didft place death in thy meditation, and
didft view it in all its dreffe of fancy: what-
foeverthat was which at any time did pleafe
thee :in thy moft padionate and fantaftic
part, let not that go, but bring it home at
that time efpeciallybecanfe then thou art
in thy vvcakneffe, fuch little things will eafier
ffiOTfi
diap.4. «/potie/ice in ficknefe. ' Sc&.i.
move thee then a more fevcrc difcourfe and "
better reafon. For a lick man is like a fcru-
palous: his cafe is gone beyond the cure of
arguments, and it is a treuble that can onely
be helped by chance, or a lucky faying; and
Ludovko Corbitidli was moved at the death r-f
Eenrj the fecond more then if he had read the
ftddeft Elegy of all the unfortunate Princes
in Chriflendom, or all the fad fayings of
Scripture, or the thrcnesof the fiincrall pro-
phets. I deny not» but this courfe is nioft
proper to weak pcrfons» but it is a ftate of
weaknelfe for which we are now providing re-
medies and inftruftion j a ftrong man will not"
need it: But when cur ficknefle hath rendred
usv/eak in all fenfes, it is not good to refiife
a remedy, becaufeit fuppofes us to be lick.
But then if to the Catalogue of weak perfons
weaddcall thofc who are ruled by fancy, we
fliall find that many per/nw in their hedth, and
me in their JicknejJi^sre vndee the dominion
of fancy, and apt to be helped by thofe liti-
tie things, which themfelves have found fit- •
ted to their apprchenfion i and which no o-
therman can minifler to their needs, unlefle
by chance, or in a lieap of other things- But
therefore every man fhould remember by
what inftruments he was at any time much
moved, and try them upon his fpirit in the day
of his calamity.
5. D« not cheofe the kjnd of thy ftchpefey
tr the manner of thy death'y but let it be what
God pleafe, fo it be no greater then thy fpirit,
otihy patience: and for that, you are to re-
Upon the promife of Goi 5 and to fecurc
% felf by prayer and induftry 5 but in all
things clfe, let God be thy choofcrj and let
k
<1^2 Chap.4. tht praSife $f the graee SeS.i,
it be thy work to fnbmit indifferently, and at-
tend thy duty. It is lawfnil to beg of God
that thy fickneffe may not be lharp, or noy-
^ fotre,infedious or unufuall, becaufe thefeare
circum ff ances of eti 1 which are alfo proper in-
^ ftruments of tempration J and though it may
. well concern the prudence of thy religion to
fear thy felf, and keep thee from violent teni.,
j ' ptations, who haft fo often fallen in little
S , ones; yet even in thefe things be fure to keep
^ fome degrees of indifferency •, that is, if God
e® : will not be intreated to eafe thee, or to change
thy triall, then be imporrunate that thyfpirit
; and its inrertft be fecurcd, and let him do ttki
1 feemethgood in his eyes-, but as in the degnes
~ of fickiieffc thou art to fnbmit to God ; foin
the kind of it, ( fuppofing tquall degrees)
thou art to be altogether inciirious", whether
God call thee by a confnmption or an aflh-
nia, by a dropfey or a palfey, by a feaver in
thy humours, or a feaver in thy fpirits, htcanfc
all fuch nicety cf choice is nothing buraco-
lour to legitiniate impatience, and to tnakean
excufe to nii'rnriure privately, and for circum-
fiances, when in the fummeof affairs we dutft
not owne impatience. 1 have known fome ptr-
Kg!, fons vehemently wifh that they might die ofa
confumption,and fome of thefe had aplotup
^ i «n heaven, and hoped by that means to fecure
it after a carelefle life; as thinking a lingrini
^ fickneffe would certainly infer a lingringand
^ f protrafted repentance; and by that means
they thought they fhould be fafeft ; othersof
them dreamed it would be an eafier deati;
and have found themfclves deceived, and tW
patience hath been tired with a weary fpkj
and a irfclefffbody, by ofcejicoavetfingwitli
hcaitli"
Ch3p.4' •/potience in ficknefe. SeA.i.
heslthfull perfons and rigorous neighbours,
by uneafineflc of the fleft, and the fharpnefle
of his bones, by want of fpirits and a dying
lifei and in concJufiou have been direftly
debauched by peevifhnefleand afretfuil lick-
refle, and thefe men had better hare left it
to the tfifdcm and ioodnej^eoi God, for they
bothareinfinite.
6. Be patient in the deftres $f reliikn, and
lake care that the forwardnejfeef extefmr aSiont
do not difcompofe thy fpirit: while thou fearefl
that by tefe ferving God in thy difability, thou
nnneft backward in the accounts of pardoa and
the favour of God. Be content that the time
which was formerly fpent in prayer be now
fpent in vomiting, and carefulnclfc and atten-
dances: (ince God hath pleafed it fbould be
fo, it does not become us to think hard
thoughts crncetning it: Do nt t think that
God isoneiy to he found in a great prayer,or
afolemn office; he is moved b^y a figh, by a
groan, by an affiof lovei and therefore when
your pain is great and pungent, lay ail your
ftrength upon it, to bear it patiently; when
the evil isfomething more tolerable, let your
aiitid think fonie pious, though ffiort medi-
tation*, let it not he very bulie, and full of
attention; for that will be but anewtempta-
tion to your patience, and render your reli-
|ion tedious and hatefull; But record your
defires,and prefent your felf to God by generaH
afts of will and underftanding, and by habi-
tnall remembrances of your former vigoronf-
Belle, and by verification of the fame grace,
rather then proper exercifes: if you can do
®ore, do it 5 but if you cannot, let it not be-
«Offle a fcruple to tfeee i wc muft not think
i:i j;;:|f:
ms ii
i
Wi
Ipfi ceu vi Deo nullo efl:opuS3"
apud Senecam. Scaiiger
emcndat; Ip(5 ceu Uej Sec,
Ex Grajcolcilicec
flMOf Qilt •eur'-
mmmm
1^4 C3iap.4. fkpraHife of tht grace SeS.l
man is tyed to the forms of health, or thatiw
whofwoonsandfaintsj is obliged to hisufcal
forms and hours of prayer j if we canmk
bour,yet let us love. Nothing can hinder us from
thatj but our own uncharitablcneffe. [
7. Be obedient unto thy Phylitian intliofc '
things that concern him, il
he be a perfon fit to mini,
fter unto thecj Qod ii ti
onely that needs no help j and
God hath created the Phy-
litian for thine : therefore
ufe him temperately,withmt
tiolene confidences j and fweetly without un-
civil diftruftings, orrefufing his prefcriptions
npon humors or impotent fear. A man may
refufe to have his arme or leg cut oft, or to
fufter the pains of Marius his incifion: and if
he believes .that to dye isthe leffc evil, he
may compofehimfelf to it without ha?ardii^
his patience, or iBtroducing that which he
thinks a worfe evil > but that which in this
article is tto be reproved and avoided, is, thit
fome men will choofe to die out of fear of
death, and fend for Phyfitians, and do what
themfelves lift, and call for counfel and follow
none. When there is reafon they fhould de-
dine him it is not to fee accounted to the ftock
of a fin; but where there is no yuft
there is a direft impatience.
Hither is to be reduced that we be not
too confident of the Phyfitian or drain our
hopes of recovery from the fountain, througii
fo imperfeft chanelslaying the wells of God
dry, and digging to our felves broken cifterui.
Phyfitians are the Miniftersof Gods mercies,
and providence, in the matter of health and
cafe
M
i
ehap.4. 9f pii'tence inficknejfe. Seft.s. tSi
cafe, of refficudon or death j and when God
ftiall enable their judgements and direft their
counfels, and profper their medicines, they
fliall do thee good, for which you muftgive
God thanks, and to the Phyfitian the honour
ofableffedzn/frament. But r^r-,-
this rannnt alwaves be I--Cornel, legatus fub Fabta
tnis cannot aiwajes oe Confui^ namram *
done 9 flnd Lucius Coftie-* ^nimamfervavi, quo-
Bhj the Lieutenant in For- adanimam efflavl; & tan-
tugal under Pabius the dem difertus ope medicoratn
Conful, boaftedinthein- & Efculapudei ingrati cui me
a. . ^ Yovcram iodale:n-perpetuo
fcnption of his monument, Pm-urum fi fila aliqnantulum
that he had lived a health- optataprotniifTer,
fuland vegete age till his Veins infcripthin Lufl',
laft ficknefle, but then tania,
complained he was for-
ftken by his Phyfitian, arid railed upon Efcu-
hptus, for not accepting his vow and pafTio-
nate defire of preferving his life longer:
and all the efteft of that impatience and ' f
thcfolly was, that it is recorded to following
ag^s, that he died without reafon and with-
out religion. But it was a fad fight to fee
the favour of all P ranee confined to a Phy-
iltian and a Barber, and the King ( Lewis
the XI. ) to be fo much their fervant that
he fhould acknowledge and own his life
from them, and all his eafe to their gentle
drefling of his gout, and
friendly miniftcries ; for Nunc omnibus anxiu'i arb
the King thought himfcif iHachnmac fignatq; fores Se
»d M if> ,r£T2rr„»,.,««
mould die j his portion e,o;abiIenome;i. . lit
here was fair: and he was ,
loth to exchange his pof- Fiipin.l,$i | ||
feffion fortheintercftofa t i
bigger hope. ^ j |!!
Treat
. ■■■J.I
■f crArii .-1
i ^iS Chap .4. tkepraSifeofthegrtce SeftiJ
8. Treat tfynurfesandfeTvaHtsfweetlygndu
it becomes m obliged and a necejjitous perfon j t(.
Hiember that thou art very troublefome »
thenr,that they trouble not thee willingly,that
theyftriveto do thee cafe and benefit, that
they wilh it and figh, and pray for it, and are
glad if thou likelt thek attendance ; that
whatfocver is amifle is thy difeafe, and the un-
eafinefle of thy head or thy fide, thy diftem>
er or thy difafieAions •, and it will be an un.
andfome injuflice to be troubltfometo then
bccaufe thou art fo to thy felf i to make them
feel a part of thy forrowes that thou mayeft
not bear them alone i evilly to requite tntit
care by thy too curious and impatient wrang-
ling, and fretful fpirit. That tenderneffe ii
vitious and unnatural that (hrikes out under
the weight of a gentle cataplafm i and he
will ill comply with Gods rod, that cannot
endure his friends greateft kindnejfe: And he
will be very angry (if he durft ) with Godi
fmiting him, that is peevilh with his fervanti
that go about to eafe him.
p. Let not the fmart of your fickpeffe nuke y«
to call violently for death » you are not patient,
Gmi y™ be content to live. God hath
To*ant wifely ordered that we may be the better re-
eum rors conciled with death, becaufe it is the period
popter of many calamities. But where ever theGe-
hath placed thee, ftirre not from thy
ktur/' ftation until thou beeft called oft, but abide
fo, that death may come to thee bythede-
figneof him who intends it to be thy advan-
tagc i God hath made fufferance to be thy
work, and do no: impatiently long for even-
ing, left at night thou findeft the reward of
him that was weary of his work j for he that
is
thap.4. efpttteminficknejfe. Seft .2. lif
isweary before his rime is an uprofirable fer-
wnt,and is either idle or difeafcd.
19 That which remains in the praftifc of
this grace is that the fick man Ihould do afts
of patience by way of prayer and ejacnlati-
CDS. In which he may ferve himfclf of the
ftllowing eolleAion.
SECT. II.
ji^s ef fatience by of prayer
and ejaculation.
I Will feek unto God, unto God will I eom-
mitmycaufe which doth great things and
Bnfearchable : marvellous things without Job
number. 8, lo. V.
To fet upon high thofe that be low, that
thofe which mourn may be exalted to fafety. ,
*■^80 the poor have hope and iniquity ftop-
peth her mouth. * '
Behold, happy is the man whom God cor-
redeth: therefore dcfpife not thou the cha-
fening of the Almighty. 17.
For he maketh fore and bindeth np, he
Woundeth and his hands make whole. 18,
Hefhall deliver thee in fix troubles, yea;.»
feven there fhall no evil touch thee. Thou
fhtltcome to thy grave inajuft age, like as a
fiiockof corn comethinhis feafon, '
I remember thee upon tr y bed, and medi- Ffalnfj
tate upon thee ia the night watches. Beeanfe ^3'
tkou haft been my help, therefore under the
ftiadow
innnHKf
7,3.
Cap.4. HeproBifeof tkegrdce Sefl.!,
fhadow of thy wings will I rejoyce. My foul
followeth hard after thee, for thy right hani
hath upholden me.
God reftorcth my foul: he leadeth me it
the path of righteoufnefle for his names fake,
Yea though I walk thorough the valley of the
Pfaltn R fliadow ©f death, I will fear no evil: for thou
22.2,4, 3rt with me, thy rod and thy ftaff, they com-
fort me.
Pfalm
27.5.
In the time of trouble he lhall hidemein
his pavilion: in the fecret of his tabernacle
ihal he hide me,he fhal fet me up upon a rock,
The Lord hath looked down from the
height of his fanftuary, from the heaven did
the Lord behold the earth. To hear the groan*
_ - . '"8 of his prifoners, to loofe thofc that are
Pral .!02 appointed to*death.
v.ip,20 I cryed unto God with my voice : even
unto God with my voice, and he gave car
unto me j In the day of my trouble I fought
the Lord j my fore ran in the night and ceafcd
not j my foul refufed to be comforted. * I re-
member God and was troubled : I complain-
ed and my fpirit was overwhelmed i thou
holdeft mine eyes waking: I am fo troubled
that I cannot fpeak} will the Lord caft me off
for ever, and will l^e be favourable no mere!
Is his promife clean gone for ever ? doth his
promife fail for evermore? Hath God forgot*
Pfalm ten to be gracious ? hath he in anger fhut up
77.1,&c his render mercies ? And I faid, this my infir-
mity .• but I will remember the yearsof the
right hand of the moft High.
No temptation hath taken me. but fuch as
is common to man ; but God is faithful who
will not fuller me to be tempted above what I
am able j but will with the temptation alfo
nrake
7^
Mylir
memb
formv
in
pie. 1
Ikave
It is
futned.
Irenes
telTe.
tlierefc
The
Him, t
iund
le in
fake,
F the
thou
:oni.
ncii)
lacle
ock.
I the
did
oan-
tare
jQ j ■ehap.4. ef pdtienceinfickneffe. Seft.2;
Kouif i^o^fcape thac I may be able to 1 Cor.'
karit. 10.15.
Whatfocver things were written afore time,
were written for our learning, that we through
pitience and comfort of the Scriptures might Rom.
have hope. Now the God of peace and con-
folation grant me to be fo minded.
It is the Lord, let him do what feemeth c „
good in his eyes. ^ g
Surely the word that the Lord hath fpoken 5- * •
is very good : But thy fervant is weak j O re-
member mine infirmities j and lift thy fer-
vant up that leaneth upon thy right hand.
There is given unto me a thorn in the flcdi
tobuffet me. For this thing I befought the
Lord thrice, that it might depart from me i
and he faid unto me,Mygraceis fufficient for
:ven For my ftrength is made perfeft in weak-
ear ick- Moft gladly therefore will I glory in
jghi tyinfirniities, that the power of Chrift may ^
afed f'ftuponme. For when I araweakthcnam 2 Cor.'
re- Iftrong.
ain- 0 Lord thou halt pleaded the caufes of my
hou W; thou haft redeemed my life. And I faid.
My ftrength and my hope is in the Lord, re-
tembrhag my affliftion and my mifery y the -
mrmwood and the gall. My foul hath them
'illin remembrance, and is humbled within
This I recall to my minde, therefore
'have hope.
It is the Lords mercies that we are not con-
fuined, becaufe his compaflions fail not. They
•renew every morning, great is thy faithful-
TO. The Lord is my portion faid my foul, i&'A
•netefore will I hope in him.
The Lord is good unto them that wait for
r*) to the foul that feeketh him It Is good
I that
ded
? off
•rel
his
50t'
tup
ifit-
the
las
/ho
It I
ifo
ike
170 Chap.4. thepraHifeofthe grtce Se5,j,
that a man fhould both hope and quietly wait
for the falvation of the Lord. For the LotJ
will nor caft oft for ever. But though he cauft
grief, yet will he have compaffion accordin;
md. to the multitude of his mercies. For he dotk
notafflift willingly nor gtieve the children of
men,
wherefore doth a living man complain!
a man for the punifhment of his fins ? Othat
thou wouldeft hide me in the grave [of ]efui]
that thou wouldeft keep me fecret until tly
Job 14. wrath be paft, that thou wouldeft appoint iM
J?• a fet time and remember me!
Job 2, Shall we receive good at the hand of Gcd,
I o, and ftiall we not receive evil ?
Chaf
it wi
Di
for tl
weep
Th
lord
Bli
praye
mc.
Jtck^ man may reeke er hear recitd
the following Ffalms in the intervals
ef his Agony.
I.
OLord rebuke mc not in thine aager,
iNtl
i my
Th(
tliron(
lids tr
Pre
roytr
Otr
thou :
not to
Th(
tance
lot,
I w
connfe
Ffal. 6. KJ neither chaften me in thy hot dif-
pleafure.
Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for larajftafons
weak, O Lord heal me, for my bones are m- I ha
ed.
My foul rs alfo fore vexed, but thoU) 0
lord how long ? Return O Lord, deliverroj
foul: Ofave me for thy mercies fake-
For in death no man remembreth thee: ii
the grave who fhall give thee thanks.
I am weary with my groaning: all the nigl"
make I my bed to fwim: I water my coucli
with my tears.
Mine eye is confirmed becaufe of gfi'y
canfe 1
moved
The
rejoya
Tho
prefcm
hand tl
A.f
oiifneP
"hylik
Chap.4- tf patience in ^ckrtjfe. 17 » ;
it waxeth old becaufe of all my fforrowes.
Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity,
fw the Lord hath heard the voice of my
weeping.
The Lord hath heard my fupplication; the
Lord will receive my prayer.
Blefled be the Lord who hath heard my
prayer; and hath not turned his mercy from
mc.
ri.
TN the Lord put I my truft j how fay ye to
1 my foul, flee as a bird to your mountain P ,
The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lords pfjLu'
throne is in heaven, his eyes behold, his eye-
lids try the children of men.
Preferveme OGodi for in thee do I put pr,i
mytruft.
0 my foul thou haft faid unto the Lord:
thou art my Lord, my good nefle extendeth
not to thee.
The Lord is the portion of mine inheri-
tJnce and of my cup : thou maintaincft my
lot.
1 will blefle the Lord who hath given me
wunfel, my reins alfo inftruft me in the night
' fcafons.
I have fet the Lord alwayes before me: be-
cjufe he is at my right hand I ftiall not be
moved.
Therefore my heart is glad and my glory
mjoyceth, my flefh alfo fhall reft in hope.
Thou wilt fhew me the path of life : in thy
prefence is the fulnefle of joy, at thy right
Mid there are pleafiares for evermore.
A forme I will behold thy face inrighte- pfahxy
mifnelTe: lihall be fatisfied when I awake with
®y!ik«aefie.
1 a Have
t7S Chap.4; fbeptSifetf thenTAce Seft.2.
III.
Pfalm r TAve mercy upon me, OLord, for I am
31.0. 1 X in trouble : mine eye is confamedwitk
grief j yea my foul and my belly.
For my life is fpent with grief,and my years
with fighing: my ftrengch faileth becaufe of
mine iniquity and my bones are confumcd.
I am like a broken veffel.
But I truftcd in thee O Lord, I faid thoi
art my God.
My times are in thy hand: make thy face
to fhine upon thy ferrant: fare me for thy
mercies fake.
When thou faidft, feek ye my face, my
heart faid unto thee, thy face Lord will I
feek.
Hide not thy face from me y put not thy
fervant away in thy anger: thou hadft beei
my help, leave me not, neither forfake mc,
O God of ray falvation.
I had fainted unlefle I had beleered the
goodnefle of the Lord in the land of the
living.
0 how great is thy goodnefle, which thou
31. haft laid up for them that fear thee: which j
thou haft wrought for them that truft in thee,
before the fons of men.
Thou ftialt hide them inthefecretof thy
prefence from the pride of man, thou lhalt
keep them fecrecly in a pavilion from the lltife
of tongues [from the calumnies andaggriva*
tion of fins by Devils.]
1 faid in my hafte, I am cut off from
before thine eyes .* neverthelefie thou heardeft
the voice of my fupplication, when 1 crka
Etrto thee.
O love the Lord all ye bis Saints; 'for the
loril
The Prayer : to be faid in the be
ginning of a fcl^efe.
0 Almighty God merciful] and gracious,
who in thyiuftice didftfendforrow and
tears, ficknefle and death into the world as a
panilhment for mans fins, and haft compre-
liended all under fin and this fad covenant
of fufterings, not t» deiiroy us, but that thou
miikeft have mercyupon all j making thy juftice
to minifter to mercy, fitort afhiiSions to an
eternal! weight of glory j as thou haft turned
»y fins into fickneffe, fo turn my fickneffe to
the advantages of holinelTc and religion, of
mercy and pardon, of faith and hope, of
jrjceand glory: thon haft now called me ts
ii fellmjhip of fufferings'. Lord by the inftru-
meat of religion, let my prefcnt condition be
fofanftified that myfufferings maybe united
w the fufferings of my Lord , that fo thou
mayeft pity roe , and aflift mci relieve my
forrow and fupport my fpirif, direfl: my
thoughts, and fanftifie the accidents of my
hdinelTe; and that the punifhtnent of my
ho may be the fchool of vcrtuej In which
nncc]thou haft now entred me , Lord make
a holy proficient that I may be-
We my felf as a fon under difcipline, hum-
and obediently, evenly, and penitently*
I 2 that
17?
Chap.4. »/ papence in fckjiefe. Seft.2.
Lord preferveth the faithful], and plenteoufly
rcwardeth the proud doer.
Be of good conrage,and he fhall ftrengthen
your heart: all ye that hope in the Lord.
1^4 Chap.4. Thepa^ife of the grace Seft,i
that I mav come by this means neerer unto
theej that if I fliall go forth of thisfickneffe
by the gate of life and health, I may return to
the world with great Aretrgths of fpirit,toruna
*ewrace of a Arid^er holinelTe, and a mort
fevere religion ; Or if I pafle from hence witli
the out-let of death, I may enter into the bo-
fome of my Lord, and may feel the prefeni
joyes of a certain hope of that j'ea of plea-
furesin which all thy Saints and fervantsM
be comprehended to etcrnall ages. Grant thii
for jefus ChriA his fake, our DeareA Lord and
Saviour. Amen.
Cha
thy
mei
wen
let I
the
Vim
(ion,
thou
thee
dbe
. I L
jin of refgnation to be ftld bj a ■
jtck, ferfon in all the e vil accidents«/
his Jtckncfe,
thep
eda
fie tl
the i
porti
my 1
hum
thrst
Iknt
OEternall God, thou haft made meand
fuftained rue, thou haft bleffed me in all
the dayes of my life, and haft taken care of
me in all variety of accidents j and nothing
happens to me in vain •, nothing without thy
providence; and I know thou fmiteft thy fer-
rants in mercy and with defignes of the great-' 's gti
eft pity in the world: Lord I humbly lie sjent
down under thy rod 5 do with me as thou 'kd
pleafeft > do thou choofe for me, not oneiy
the whole ftace and condition of being, but
every little and great accident of it. Keep me
fafe by thy grace, and then ufe what inftru-
ment thou pleafeft of bringing me to thee:
Lord I am not follicitousof the paffage, fol
may get thee. Onely,OLord, remember my
infirmities, and let thy fervant rejoyce in tkee
alwayes, and leel and coHfefle- and glory i"
thy
ty:
rious
mifer
thou
lis a
for t
tatioi
betl
«ie
(Jiap.4" ' of patience in fickjiejfe. Sea.2. 17$
thy goodne'ie. O be thou as delightfull to
me in this my medicinal fickneffe, as ever thou
wertinany of the dangers of my profperity,
let me not peevifhiy refufe thy pardon at
the rate of a fevere difcipline. I am thy fer-
vant and thy creature, thy purcbafed poffef-
iion, and thy fon, I am all thine, and becaufc
thou haft mercy in ftore for all that truft in
thee, I cover my eyes, and in filence wait for
ihc time of my redemption. Amen.
A Prayer for the grace of Patience'
MOft Merciful! and Gracious Father, who
in the redemption of loft Mankind by
the paflion of thy raoft holy 5on haft eftablifh-
ed a Covenant of fufferings,! blefie and magni-
fie thy Name that thou haft adopted me into
the inheritance of fons, and haft gitenwiea
portion of my elder Brother: Lord, the croffc
falls heavy and fits uneafic upon my Ihoulder^
my fpirit is willing, but my flefli is weak, I
humbly beg of thee that 1 may now rejoyce in
this thy difpenfation and cft'edt of providence}
I know and am perfwaded that thou arc then
>s gracious when thou fmiteft us for amend-
ment or trial!, as when thou rcleeveft our wea-
tied bodies, in compliance with ourinfirmi-
ty: I rejoyce O Lord in thy rare and myfte-
'ipus mercy, who by fufleringshaft turned our
ifirery into advantages unfpeakable; fcpr fo
thou makeft us like to thy Son, and giveft
is a gift that the Angels never did receivej
for they cannot die in conformity to, and imi-
tation of their Lord and ours} but bleffed
he thy Name", we can, and dcareft Lord, Ltt
Amen.
I 4 II.
Ckap.4. ThspuSife of the grace Sea.2,
IF.
THoa who art the God of patience atij
confolation ftrengthen me in the insft
jnan, that I may bear the joak. and burdsn tf
the Lord without any uneafieandufekffcimir-
murs, and ineffectiveunwillingneffe. Lord,!
am unable to ftand under thecrofle, unable of
my feif, but thou, O Holy ]efus, who didii
feel the burden of it, who didft fink undo
it, and wert pleafed to admit a man to bear
part of the load when thou underwenteft all
lor him i be thou pleafed to eafe this load by
fortifying my fpiritj that I may be ftrongeft
when I am weakeft, and may be able to do
and fuffer every thing thou pleafeft through
Chrift; which ftrengthens me. Lord, if thou
wilt fupport me, I will for ever praife thee;
If thou wilt fuflfer the load to preffe me ytt
aiore heavily; I will cry unto thee and com-
plain unto my God, and at laft: I will lie dowa
and die, and by the mercies and interceffioii
of the Holy ]efus, and the conduft of thy
blefled Spirit, and the miniftery of Angels,
pafle into thofe manfions where Holy fouls
reft and weep no more. Lord pity me j Lord
fanCfifie this my ficknefie Lord ftrengthen
me; Holy Jefus fave me and deliver me j thou
knoweft how fliamefully I have fallen with
pleafure; in thy mercy and very pity, let me
not fall with pain too. O let me never charif
God foolijlifyy nor offend thee by my impati-
cnce and iineafie fpirit, nor weaken the hands
and hearts of thofe that charitably minifter to
my needs: but let me pafle through the val-
ley of tears, and the valley of the fhadow of
death
Stisp.4- ofp4tiencemficl^efe. Se^.a,
death with fafetyand peace, with a meekfpi-
tit, aiid a fenfe of the divine mercies j and
though thou breakeft me in pieces, my hope
is, thou wilt gather me up in the gatherings
of eternity. Grant this eternall God, Graci-
ous Father, for the merits and interceffion of
out mercifull high Prieff, who once fuftcred
for me, and for ever intercedes for me, our
nioft gracious and ever Blelfed Saviour ]efas.
A Prajer to be faid Vehen the Jick^
mantuks^
OMoft blelfed and eternall Jefus, thou
who art the great Phyfician of our fouls,
and the Sun. of righteoufnefle arifing with
healing in thy wings; to thee is given by thy
heavenly Father the Government of all the
world, and thou difpofeft every great and lit-
tie accident to thy Fathers honour, and to the
good and comfort of them that love and ferve
thee: Be pleafed to blelfe the miniftery of thy
fervant in order to my eafe and health, dirett
his judgement, profper the medicines, and
difpofe the chances of my ficknelle fortunate-
ly> that I may feel the bieffing and loving
kindnefle of the Lord, in the eafe of my pain,
and the reftitution of my health.-, that 1 teing
teftored to the fociety of the living, and to
thy folemn Alfemblies, may ptaife thee and
thy goodnelfe fecretly among the faithfull,
and in the Congregation of thy redeemed
ones, here in the outer-courts of the Lord,
nnd hereafter in thy eternall temple for ever
'nd ever. Amen.
I 5 SECT.
I Chap.4. thepu^rfeof Sefl.jj
SECT. III.
Of the fraEtife of the grace of Fxhli
in the time of fcknefe.
NOw is the time in which faith appears
moft neceflary and moft difficult. Itis
the foundation of a good life; and the foon-
dation of all our hopes* it is that withow
which we cannot live well, and without which
we cannot die well j it is a grace that thenwt
Stall need, to fupport our fpirits to fuffain oor
hopes, to alleviate our fickelle, to refill: tem.
ptations, to prevent defpair: upon the belief
of the articles of our religion we can do the
works of a holy life j but upon belief of the
promifes, we can bear our ficknelfe patiently
and die cheerfully. Thefick man may praffile
it in the following inftanccs.
I. Let the fick^man be careful that he do to)
admit of any doubt concerning that rahich he be'
leeved, and received from common confem in hit
beft health and dajes of eleBion and religion- For
if the Devil can but prevail fofaras totinfix
and unrivet the refolution and confidence or
fulnelTc of aflent, it iseafie for him fotoun-
winde thefpirir, that from toby to whether a
m, from whether or no, to fcarcely not, from
Scarcely not,to abfohtely not at all are ftepsofa
dcfcending and falling fpirit : and whatfo-
ever a man is made to doubt of by the weak-
ncfle of hfs underflanding in a ficknelfe, it will
i>c hard to get an inftrument ftrong or fubrf<
Chap.4. int'mtf Skkpejfe. I'jf
enough to rcenforcc and enfure; For when
the ftrengchs are gone by which faith held,
and it does not ftand firme by the weight of
its own balk and great conftitution, nor yet
by the cordage of a tenacious root, then it is
prepared for amine, which it cannot efcape in
the tetiipefts of a ficknefle and the alTaults of a
Devil. Difcourfe and argument, * the line
of tradition, and a never * failing experience,
^theSpiritof God and the* truth of mira-
ties, * the word of prophecie, * and the
blood of Martyrs, * the excellencie of the
doftrine and * the neceffity of men, * the Non fjm
riches of the promifes, * and the wifdcm
the revelations, * the reafonablenefle and h«^ns
* fublimity, the * concordance and the * ufe- Ponders
fulneffe of the articles, and * their comply- 'ho-
ance with all the needs of man, * and the go-
rerment of common wealths, are like the
firings and branches of the roots, by which
faith hands firm and unmoveable in the fpirit,
andunderftandingof a man. But in ficknefle
the underftanding is fhaken and the ground is
removed in which the root did grapple, and
fiipport its trunk, and therefore there is no
way now, but that it be left to ftand upon the
old confidences, and by the firmament of its
Own weight; it muft be left to ftand becaufe
italwayes flood there before •* and as it flood
all his life time in the gmndof underftanding,
fo it muft now be fupported with will and a reveren-
fixed refolution. But difputation tempts it, and tiusvi-
fiiakes it with trying, and overthrowes it with "j™ ''f
Above all things in the world,
thefick man fear a propofition which his fick- credere
nefs hath put into him, contrary to the difcour- quam CcU
f« of health, and a fober untroubled rcafon. re, i acic
15 2. Let
■ -"J",'
theftaliifeof fahb. SeS.5;
2. Let the fick ma
mingle the recital of his
Creed together with his
devotions, and in that let
him account his faith ■, not
in curiofity and faflions,
in the confeffions of parties
andintereftsj for fomeo-
ver froward zeals are fe
earneft to profefle their
little and uncertain arti-
cles,and glory fo to die in
a particular and divided
communion» that in the
profeffion of their faith
they lofe or difcompofe
their charity j let it be e-
nough that we fecureout
intereft of heaven, though
we do not go about toap-
propriate the manfions to
our fed: jfor every good man
hopes to be favcd as he is a
180 €hap.4.
Fides tua te falvum faciet; non
exercitatitfcnptururam.Fides
in regula pofica eft ^ (fcil» in
lymbolo qaod jsm recitaverat)
habctlegem, Sc falutem deob;s
lervatione legi; t exercitatio
aucem in ciiriofitate coniittit,
habens gloruin folam de peri,
tia; ftudio ; Cedac curioGtas
dSdei J cedac gloria faluti,
Tert. deprsfcript,
S, Augiiftiiitts v»cat lymbolam
comprehenGonem Gdei veftrse
acq; perfeaionem. Cordis Gg-
JiacoIUtn, & indftr® militis i'si
cramentHm. Amb lib. 3. de
veland. virgin, Aug, ftrin, 115.
Won per difGciles nos Deus ad
beatam vicaai quseftionesvocat.
In abfoluto nobis 8c fadli eft
^terniras: jefum fufdcacuma
Hiertuis per Deum credere &
jpfum cfTe Domimim conf!-
leii, S, Hilar, lib. 10. de
Trinic,
Tfsc eft Gdes Catholica (de
JymbolofHo dixit AthanaGus, • Chriftiau, and not as he is a
rrelquxupxq; autlioreft.S. A- Lutheran or of anocherdi-
jhanali dc fide Mcena,,
3^ las S-Waj jfaqsaf SrwXiijx-
^ist'TfOTnv srescTjif unCei'oit
awranj a® ibtrr^ei'es i>XPf^.
E$ ad Ep9,
vifion. However thofe arti"
cles upon which he can
bnild the exercife of any
vercue in his ficknelTe, or
Upon the flock of which
he can improve his prefait
condition, are fuch ascofl"
fift in t^e greatneffe andgid-
tiefe, theyerachy and mr<y of God thorough
JefasC3irift; nothing of which can be con-
cernedin the fond difputations which faftie®
and intereft |jath too long (naiawined in Chti-
Itendom. Lif
?37f-Ynfc.«
ehap.4. M time of ficknejje. i8f
3. Let the{ick.miins faith efpecMly he aSive
dmt the fromifes of grace, and the excellent
things of the goffel thofe which can com-
fore his forrowes, and enable his patience 4.
thofe upon the hopes of which, he did the
duties of his life, and for which he is not un-
willing to dye j fuch as the intercefflon and
dvocation of ChriH, remiffion of fins, the re-
furredion, the myfterious arts and mercies
ef mans redemption, Chriffs triumph over
death, and all the powers of hell, the cove*
nant of grace, or the bleffcd ilTues of re-
pentance, and above all, the article of e- '
ternallife, upon the firength of which nooo
virgins went cheerfully together to their
martyrdome, and 20000 Chriftians were bur-
ned by Dioclejian on a Chriftmas day, and
whole armies of Afian Chrifikns offered
themfelves to the Tribunals of Arius Antho- _ .
ms, and whole colledges of fevere perfons
were inffituted, who lived upon religion,
whofe dinner was the EuchariHj whofe [upper
yfispraife, and thdrnights-werc watches, and
^eir dapes were labour ■, for the hope of which "
then men counted it gain to lofe their e-
ftates and gloried in their fufferings, and re-
joyced in their perftciitions, and were glad at
their difgraces i this is the article that hath
Made all the Martyrs of Chrift confident and
glorious, and if it does not more then fuffi-
ciently ftrengthen our fpirits to the prefent
fiiflering it is becaafe we underftand it nor,
but have the appetites of beafts and fools.
But if the fick man-fixes his thoughts and lets
bis habitation to dwell here,he fwells his hope
and mafters his fears, and eafes his forrows,
and evercoraeshis temptations.
4. Les
, LTAzu a "A* g .'^v ■
kt2 Ch4p.4' ' praBife of faith SeS.j^
4. Let the fck. man endeavour to turn hii
faith of the Articles into love of them", and that
will be an excellent inftrument , not onely
to refrefli his forrows, but to confirm his faith
in defiance of all temptations. , For a fick
man and a difturbed underftanding are not
competent and fit inftruments, to judge con-
cerning the reafonableneffe of a propofition;
But therefore let him confiderand love it, be-
canfe it is ufefull and neceflary, profitable and
gracious', and when he is once in love with it,
and then alfo renews his love to it, whenhe
feels the need of it j he is an interefied per-
fon, and for his own fake will never let it go,
and pafleintothefhadowscf doubting, or the
utter-darkneffe of infidelity. An aU of Im
will make him have a mind to it, and we cafi-
ly beleeve what we love, but very uneafily
part with our belief which we for fo great an
intereft have chofen, and entertained with a
great alfeftion.
5. Let the fuk. perfon be infnitely carefil
that his faith be not tempted by any man, or itty
thing, and when it is in any degree weaknei, kt
bim lay faft hold upon the conclujion, upon the
Article it felf, and by earnefl: prayer beg of
God to guide him in certainty and fafety. For
let him confider that the Article is better then
all its contrary or contradiftory, and he is con-
cerned that it be true, and concerned aJfo that
he do beleeve it; but he can receive no good
at all, if Chriftdidnot die, if there be note-
furreftion, if his Creed huh deceived him :
therefore all that he is to do is to fecure his
hold, which he can do no way but by prajet
and by his interefi. And by this Argument or
inftrumeut it was that Socrates refrelhed the
CYB
Chap.4' inmeef ftekpeffe. SeA.?. itj
efil of his condition, when he was to drink
his aconite. ' If the foul be immortal!, and
'perpetual! rewards be laid up for wife fouls, phoeJii;
•then I lofe nothing by my death; but if
'there be not, then I lofe nothing by my opi-
'nion, for itfupports my fpirit in ray palTage,
'and the evil of being deceived cannot over-
'take me when I have no being. So it is
wiih all that are tempted in their faith. If
thofe Articles be not true, then the men arc
nothing; if they be true, then they are happyi
and if the Article fails there can be no punilh-
nient for beleeving •, but if they ,be true, my
a« beleeving deftroyes all my portion in them
and pofTibility to receive the excellent things
which they contain. By faith we quench the
ferj darts of the Devil', but if our faith be
quenched , wherewithal! fhall we be able to
endure the aflault ? therefore feiz upon the
Article, and fecure the great objetlf, and the
great inftrument, that is, the hopes of pardon^
md eternall life through fefus Chrifi, and do
this by all means and by any inftrument arti-
ficiall, or inartificiall, by argument, or by ftra-
tagem, by perfeft rcfolution, or by difcourfe*
by the hand and ears of premilfcs, or the foot
of the conclufion, by right or by wrong, be-
caufe we underftand it, or becaufe we love ir,
fnper totam materiam, bccaufe I will, and be-
caufe I ought, becaufe it is fafetodo fo, and
becaufe it is not fafe to do otherwife, becaufe
if I do I may receive a good, and becaufe if
.1 do not I am miferable j either for that I
fhall have a portion of forrows, or that fcao
have no porrion of good things.
SECT,^
; i 84 C3jap.4> tbefrt^ifeaf fdtb Sea.4;
SECT. ly.
AHs of faith by way of frayer ant
ejaculation to be faid by fck^ men i»
fe'-i the dayes of their temptation.
u
Ord whither lhall I go ? thou haft the
/ words of eternall life ?
I bcleeve in God the Father Almighty,
and in Jefiis Chrift his onely Son our Lord,
Ssc.
And I beleeve in the Holy Ghoft, &c.
Lord I beleeve •, help thou mine unbelief.
I know and am perfvaded by the Lord Je-
fits J that none of us llveth to himfelf, and
no man dieth to himfelf. For whether we live,
we live unto the Lord, and whether we die,
roib. we die unto the Lord: whether we live there-
14.4. fore or die, we are the Lords.
If God be for us, who can be againft us!
He that fpared not his own Son but deliver-
ed him up for us all: how lhall he not with
him give us all things
Who lhall lay any thing to the charge of
Gods eleft ? It is God that juftifieth 5 who
is he that condemneth ? It is Chrift that died,
yea rather that is rifcn again, who isevfflat
Rom.8. "''fiht hand of God, who alfo maketh in-
31.&c. terceffion for us.
If any man fin we have an A.dvocate with
1 ]oh. Father, jefus Chrift the righteous, and he
2^1, is the propitiation for our fins.
This is a faithfull faying, and worthy of
Cliap.4* in time ef fichpcfe. '
all acceptation, that Jefus Chrift came into
the world to fave finners. o grant, that I may
obtain mercy, that in me jcfus Chrift may j
(hewforth all long-fuffcring, that I maybe-
leevc inhim to life everlafting.
I am bound to give thanks unto God al-
way, becaufe God hath from the beginning
chofen me to falvation, through fanftificati-
on of the Spirit, and belief of the truth
whereunto he called me by the Gofpel, to ^
the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jefus ^ j,
Chrift. ' ,
Now our Lord Jefus Chrift himfelf, and
God even our Father which hath loved us,
and hath given us everlafting confolation, and
good hope through grace. Comfort my heart jy
and ftablifh me in every good word and 15
work. '
The Lord direft my heart into the love ^ The!^,
of God, and into the patient waiting for ,
Chrift.
O that our God would count me wor-
thy of this calling, and falfill all the good
plcafure of his goodnelfe, and the work of
faith with power. That the Name of our Lord 2 Thef,
Jefus Chrift maybe glorified in me, and I in
him, according to the grace of our God and
the Lord Jefus Chrift.
Let us who are of the day be fober, put-
ting on the brcft-plate of faith and love,
and for an helmer, the hope of falvation. For
God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to
obtain falvation by our Lord Jefus Chrift, who
died for us, that whether we wake or fleep,
wc fhould live together with him. Where-
fore comfort your felves together and edific ' TnelS
another.
There
Ghap.4. IbepaSifeoffmh Sefl:,4.
There is no name under heaven whereby
we can befavedj butonely the Name of the
Lord Jefus. And every foul which will not
Aft.j. hear that Prophet fhallbe deftroyed from a.
25. mong the people.
God forbid that I fhould glory, faveinthe
Crofle of jefus Chriff. I dcfire to know no-
thing but Jefus Chrift and him crucified. Fm
to me to live is Chi iff,and to dieis gain.
Ceafe ye from man , whofe breath is in
ifa.2.22 his noffrils: for wherein is he to be ac-
counted of? But the juft fhall live by
faith.
Lord, I belceve that thou art the Chrift,
the Son of God, the Saviour of the world, the
_ . refurredion and the life j and he that belce-
Jon.il. ygjf, though he were dead, yet fliail
he live.
Jefus faid unto her, Said I not to thee, that
Ibid, if thou wouldeft beleeve thou flioultift fee the
vcr, 40. glory of God ?
O death where is thy fling ? O grave where
is thy viSory ? the fling of death is fin, and
the flrength of fin is the Law. But thanks
be to God which giveth ns the viftory
I Cor. through our Lord Jefus Chrifl. Lord make
15.55. nie ftedfaft and unmoveable alwayes a-
bounding in the work of the Lord; For I
Ibid, know that my labour is not in vain la
Lord.
The Prayer for the grace and
ftrengths of faith*
Holy and eternall Jefus, who didft d't
for Hie and for all manlund, abolifhioS
cut
Chap.4. htmeof ftcktielfe.
our fin, reconciling us to God, adopting us
into the portion of thine heritage, and efta-
blKhingwith us a covenant of faith andobe-
dience, making our fouls to rely upon fpiritu-
all ftrengths, by the fupports of a holy belief,
and the expectation of rare promifes, and
the infallible truths of God: O let me for
ever dwell upon the rock, leaning upon thy
arm, beleeving thy word, truftingin thy pro-
Hiifes, waitingfor thy mercies, and doing thy
commandements,thac the Devil may not pre-
vail upon me,and my own weaknefles may not
abufeor unfettle my perfwafions, nor my fins
difconipofe my juft confidence in thee and thy
tternall mercies. Let me a I way es be thy fer-
vaiK and thy difciple, and die in the comma-
nion of thy Church, of all faithfull people i
Lord I renounce whatfoever is againft thy
truth, and if fecrctly I have or do beleeve any
falfe propofition, I do it in the fimplicity of
tny heart and great weaknefle; and if I could
difcover it, would dafiiit in pieces by a fo-
lemn difclainiine itfor thou art the Way,th«
Truth, and the L'fe", and I know that what-
foever thou haft declared that is the truth of
God, and I do firmly adhere to the religion
thou haft taught, and glory in nothing fo much
3s that I am a Chriftian, that thy name is called
Upon me: O my God, though I die yet will I
put my truft in thee. In thee O Lord have I
tufted, let me never be confounded. Amen.
SECT.
.icra<>
*§8 Chap.4. JhepuSifeof repentance Seft.y.'
SECT. V.
Of ths praBife of the Grace ef Kepeit-
tance in time ef the Sicknefe,
M'
I En generally do very mnch dread fud-
/.!, den death, and pray againft it paflio*
nacelyj and certainly it hath in it great in-
conveniences accidentally to menseftates, to
the fettlement of families, to the culture and
trimming of fouls, and it robs a man of the
bleffings which may be confequent to ficknefs,
and to the paffive graces, and holy contentions
Befccndi of a Chriftian, while he defcendsto bis grave
^i^'! without an adverfary or a tryaJ : and a good
Udnet o ® difadvantage,
prscer te: that a fudden death would be a great evil,
coronain even to the moft excellent perfon, if it ftrikes
him in an unlucky circnmffance : But thefe
am non confiderations are not the onely ingredients
habcs, into thofe mens difcourfe, who pray violently
againlf fudden deaths for poffibly if this
were all, there may be in the condition of
fudden death fomething to make recompence
for the evils of the over-hafly accident. For
certainly, it is alefle temporal evil to fall by
the rudenefle of afword, then the violences
of a Feaver, and the axe is much a lefie afffi-
ftlon then a ftrangury j and though a ficknefle
tries our vermes, yet a fudden death is free
from temptation: a ficknefle may be more
glorious and a fudden death more fafej
the deadeji deaths are befi , the ftorteft icd
lah
Chap.4- jmhetitmof fcknefe. Scft.J. i8p
lesft premeditate j fo Ci«-
/• • J - Wlim roU^A Micius ille pent fublta qu
/kr faid j asd called ^ergmfrunda;
a fhoft death the £TeAteJt Quamfaaquiliqtiictis brachia
fortune of a mans life. For laflacaquis,
even good men have been Ovid.
forced to an undecencie of
deportment by the violences of pain: and Edami®*
Ckert obferves concerning Hercules, that he JJ,"",.;"®
was broken in pieces with pain, even then
when he fought for immortality by his death, dolor,
being tortured with a plague knit up in the jpg^uj,
lappet of his Ihirt. And therefore as a fudden g.uut
death certainly lofes the rewards of a holy pcftvin-
(icknelie, fo it makes that a man fhall not fo tenmor
much hazard and lofe the rewards of a holy
life.
But the fecrct of this aflair isa worfe matterj
men lire at that rate j either of an habitual
wickednefle, or elfe a frequent repetition of
fingle afls of killing and deadly fins, that a
fudden death is the mine of all their hopes,
tnd a perfect confignation to an eternal for-
row. But in this cafe alfo, fo is a lingring fick-
ficlfe j for our laft ficknefle may change us
from life to health, from health to ftrength,
from ftrengh to the firmneffe and confirmation
of habitual graces; but it cannot change a
man from death to life, and begin and finifh
tbat proceflc which fits not down but in the
iiofom of blelfednefTe. He that wafhes in the
morning when his bath is feafonable and
bealthful is notonely made clean, but fpright-
ly, and the blood is brifk and coloured like
tire flift fpringing of the morning; but they
that wafh their dead, cleanfe the fkin, and
leave paleneffe upon the cheek, andfiiffneffe
Wall the joy nts. A repentance upon our death-
bed
1^0 Chap.4.
lavor hoHefta hora & falubri
qiiaroihi & calorem 8c fanguis
nen fervet. Rigere & pal'ere
poftl.ivacrum mortiiuspoflum
Tertul. Afel. e. 42.
IthtpaBfe of repentanee Seft, 5,
bed is like wafhing the
coarfe, it is cleanly and ci-
Yil; but makes no change
deeper then the Ikin j But
God knowes, it is a cuftotn
fo to wafh them that are
Kxii* feit fjBnt
WE6|»«t JTOJITW TCP ittyjWt 0Ul*
x) ytuirrai }y Vkjto -
^n^.- JEJian. lib. 4. var.
hijl.cap. I.
Co nat Soing w dwell with dufi, and to be buried
feelt ^ the lap of their kinred, earth; but all their
fulti. lives time wallow in pollutions without any
wafhing at alitor if they do it is like that of the
Dardani who walhed but
thrice in all their life time;
when they are born, and
when they marry,and when
they die *, when they are
baptized, or againfl a fo-
lemniry, or for the day of
their funeral: but thefe are
but ceremonious wafhings, and never piirifie
the foul, if it be ftained and hath fullied the
whitenelTe of its baptifmal robes.
* God intended wc fliould live a holy life,
* he contraded with us in
Jefus Chrift for a holy lifoj
* he made no abatements
of the (irifteft fenfe of it»
but fuch as did neceffarily
comply with humane in-
firmities or pofsibilitics,
that is he underfiood it in the fenfe of repen-
tance,which ffil is fo to renew our duty, that it
may be a holy life in the fecond fenfethat is,
fome great portion of our life to be fpent in
living as Chriftians fhould, * a refolving to
repent upon our death-bed is the greateft
mockery of God in the world, and the moll
perfeft contradiftory to all his excellent de-
fignes
Vide Auguft lib. 50. Horn.
Horn. 4. Scferm. ly. dete.n-
pore* Fau {lum ad Paulitiun},
jEp. I. in Biblioth.pp. to.-n. ■.
vet. ed't. Concil, Arelat. i.
«. 5, Carthag. 4. c 7. S,
II
Chap.4- intbetimeffftckriejfe. Seft-J. iji
fignesof mercy and holincflc', for therefore he
threatned us with hell if we did not, and he
promifed heaven,if we did live a holy life: and
a late repentance promifes . ,
heaven to us upon other ""r ^
... ' , Dimitifle meablero noniiiffe«.
conditions, even when we mithoras,
have lived vvickedly. * It
renders a man ufelefle and
intolerable to the world j taking off the
great curb of religion, of fear, and hope,
and permitting all impiety with the greateft
impunity and incouragement in the world}
* by this means we fee fo
Sic contra r rum Hatursmo.'
nera nou
Corvus maturis frugibii* ova
reftrt.
m^ny as
PMo calls them, or as the
prophets pueros centum an-
mm, children of almoft
an hundred years old, up- _ .,.
on whofe grave we may Adrian. ^
write the infcriptions xm-mi swum,
which was upon the tomb
of Stmilis in Xiphilin. Here
he lies who vatts fo many years, but lived but
feven; * and thecourfeof nature runscoun-
ter to the perfeft defignes of piety, and * God
who gave us a life to live to him is only ferved
atour death, when we die to all the world }
* and we undervalue the great promifes made
by the Holy Jefus, for which the piety, the
ftrideft unerring piety of
ten thoufand ages is not a
proportionable exchange }
yet we think it a hard bar-
gain to get heaven, if we
be forced to part with one
luff, or live foberly twenty
years; But like a Demelr'ms cavimus
Vide life of Chrift, Dift of
repentance Rule of holy Ijving
chap.4. Seft. of repentance;
and volume of Serm* fcrrn; t
a N e pamen ad ftvgia- famulus
defGCnderct umbrae'
Ureret implicitniii -cum fteloe
rata lues
Afer
m
-ay?
if
iSM
i ■ ■
Lttf:' 7jaM
■ Izx.
mik
1^2 Chap.4* thepaSife of repentance S€a.5
Afer who having lived a flave all his life time,
yet defired to defcend to his grave in freedom,
begged manumiffion of his Lord ) we lived in
the bondage of our fin all our dayes and hope
to dye the Lords freed man: * but above all,
this courfc of a delayed repentance muft cf
ncceflicy therefore be inetfeftive, and cer-
tainly mortal, becaufe it is an intire deftruftj.
on of the very formality and eflential conftltu
ent reafon of religion i which I thus demon-
ftrate.
When God made man and propounded to
him an immortal and a blcfled ftate, as the
end of his hopes and the perfeftion of his
condition, he did not give it him for nothing,
but upon certain conditions, which although
they could add nothing to God,yet they were
fuch things which man could value, and they
were his beft; and God had made appetites
of pleafure in man, that in them the fcene
of his obedience Ihould lye. For when
God made inftances of mans obedience,
Jhe I. either commanded fuch things to be
cione, which man did naturally defire, or
2. fuch things which did contradift his
natural defires, or 5- fuch which were indiffe-
rent. Not the firft and the laft. For it could
be no effeft of love or duty towards God fori
man to eat when he was impatiently hungry,
and could not ftay from eating ■, neither was
it any contention of obedience or labour of
love for a tjian to look Eaftward once a day,
or turn his back when the North windebleiv
fierce and loud. Therefore for the trial and
inftance of obedience, God made his laws fo,
that they fhould lay reflraint upon mans ap-j
petites i fo that man might part with feme-
thing
wrnsmmmmmmmmmm
Chap.4. mthetimeif fckpejfe , Scft.S. xp^ ■
thing of his own, thjc he may give to God his
wi!l,anddcny it CO himfelf for the inccreft of
his ftfvlcei and chaltity is the denyall of a vio-
lent defire, and juftice is parting with money
that might help to inrich nie,and meekncfs is a
huge conrradiiliion to pride and revenge j and
thewandi ingof our eyes, attd the grcatnelfe
ofour fancy,and our imaginative opinions are '
to be leflened, that we may fcrve God i there
isno other way of ferving God, we have no-
thing elfe to prefenc unto him i we do not
elfegtvc himany thing or part of our felves,
but when we forliis fake part with what we
iwturally defire y and, difficulty is elfential to
Tfftue,and without choice there can be On re-
*Jrd,&in rhe farisfattion ofournaCural dcfires
there is no cledionjwe run to them as beafts to
theriver or the crib. If therefore any man fliall
teach or pra^fife fuch a religion that fathfies all
our natural defires in the dayes of defire and .
paffion,of luft and appetites, and only turns to : i
God when his appetites are gone,& his defires i
Kafe, this rtian hath overthrown the very be- 1
Sgof vertues, and the elfential conftitutioii
•fteligioiij Religion is no religion, and ver- j i
®e isno of choice, and reward comes by j',
thance and wi hout condition, if we onely k
'e teligious when we cannot choofe, if we i' ,
l^tt without money when we cannot keep it,
tithoiir luff when we cannot aft it, with our
res when they have left
dmthis acertammorti- cogimur afueds animum fuC.
»ri bmthatraortificaciotl Atri^vivamu'vivere defiw. :
Satadly, not ufeful to the mm
"•■pofes of a fpiritual life. Corn.Oalks, \
fliei) we are compeld to
'1
from our evii cuffoms and leave to live, \
K • that ,[
t
chap. 4. theprdhfeofrepentdnce Sefl,;.
that we may begin to live, then we dye to
dye i that life is the prologue to death and
thenceforth we die eternally.
S. C>rz/fpeaks of certain .people thatchofe
to worlhip the fun becaufe he was a day God;
for believing that he was quenched everj
night in the fea, or that he had no infiuenct
upon them that light up candles and lived b|
the light of fire, they were confident tiiq
might be Athcifts all night and liveasthej
lift. Men who divide their little portion d
time between religion and pleafures, between
God and Gods enemy, think that Godisto
rule, but in his certain period of time, ad
that our life is the ftagc for paffion and folly,
and the day of death for the work of our life,
but as to God, bath the day and night are alk
fo are the firft and the laftof our dayesy
are his due, and he will, account feverely w
US for the follies of the firft, and the evild
the laft j The evils and the pains are .
which are rrferved for thdi
Cneflins liac Rhadamanthus who defer their reftitutioi
habetduriffimaregna jq Gods favour till thtif
therefore A.
Qu« qtifc apud I'upsroS forto laid Well J /f w*'
Ixtatub inani the happy death, but thehs§
Biftulic iHfer,imcoinnii(r3pi- Hfg jjjakes man ki§.
acula mortem. jjj pj^^y j|,j
^neid. 6. reputation : he fecurei«
good name but looiely rw'
—Cineri g oria lera venit. trufts his fame and celcbn'
tie onely to his afhes:
it is more a civilicie then the bafe of'
firm reputation, that men fpeak hononr fl
their departed relatives; but if their lift I*
Tertuous it forces hoHoar from contempt, zk
fnatclie
Chai
fnatc
of e
trad:
the 1
iteir
pren
ifck
abe^
miirit
Chril
whici
bcga:
we a
wem
of di
the ti
fincei
Rh
I
wth
iwtelj
erime
in the
looce
fnlfers
notth
lythe
Tu mihi qiiod rarum eff, viro
lublimc dediiii
Nomen ab exequiis qaod dara
fama folet;
s: a
q ol
lour
life if
3t, ani
iatci»
Chap.4. time of fickpejfe.
fnatchcs it from the hand
of envy, and it fhines tho-
rough the crevifcs of de-
traflion, and as kanointed
the head of the living, fo
it embalms the body of the dead. Fromthcfe
premifes it followes that when we difcourfe of
jfickmitsrepentancc, icis intended to be, not
abeginning but the profecution and confum-
mation of the covenant of repentance, which
Chrift ftipulated: with us intBaptifme, and
which w« needed all.our life, and which we
began long beforethis laftarreft, and in which
we are now to make further progreffe, that „
we may arrive to that integrity and fulnelTe
ofdutie, that ottr fmsmay be blotted outy.vehen
tie tmts of refrefhing (hall come from the we-
[toce of the Lord,
' '■ SECT.V VI. ' ■
KhUs for the fraBife of Repentance
in Jicknefe.
■i
I. T Et the ftck. man confder at what gate thtt
i -j jtckpeffe entred i and if he can difco-
W the particular, let him inffantly, pafTio-
Wely, and with great cot»trition dafh the
ftime in pieces, leflhe defcend into his grave
'othemidftof a (in and thence remoTcinto
"1 ocean of eternal forrcwes; but if he oncly
fuffers the common fate of man, and knowes
Jot the particular inlet, he is to be governed
'y the following meafures.
K a 2. Inqttire
Cliap .4. thepaStifeofrepmmce Sefti,
2. Inquire into the repentance of thy firnei
life, particularly ; whether it were o{ a great
and perfeft grief, and produftive of fixed re-
folutionsof holy living, and reduftive of thcfe
to aft ? How many dayes and nights, have we
fpent in forrow or care, in habitual a.id aftml
purfuances of vertoe ^ what inftriiment we
nave chofen and ufed for the cradicationof
fin ? how we have judged our Selves, and ho»
punifhed ? and in fumnae whether we have bj
the grace of repentance changed our life from
criminal to vertur.iis, from one habit to an-
other? and whether wc have paid for tlie
pleafure of our fin by fmart, or forrow, by
the ertufioH of alms, or pcrnoftations or a-
bodes in prayers, fo as the fpirit haih ben: nieaf
fcrved in our repentance , as carneftly, our 1
and as greatly as our appetites have been
provided for in the dayes of our lhame and
folly ?
3. Supply the imperfeftions of thy repte-
tance by a general or univerfal forrow, fortl*
fins notonely fince the laftcomniunion orab-
folution, but of thy whole life i for all fM
known and unknown, repented and unrt-
petired, of ignorance or infirmity, whici
thou knoweft, or which others have accis
fed thee of; thy clamorous and thy wbif
pering fins , the finnes of fcandall, and th
finnes of a fccret eonfcience, of the flc®
and of the fpirit : for it would be bt:
a fad arreft to thy foul wandring in ftranjt
and onufuall regions to fee a fcrol! of ui-
cancelled fins reprefented and charged upM
thee for wantof care and notices, and thatih
repentance (hall become invalid, bccaufc'"
its imperfeftions.
own
tical,
on ii
fiiran
good
and (
our (
of G
of C
propi
being
the (
when
4e d
cannt
BOt g|
turni
wasu
feknt
for h
ingil
Chap.4* intbetmeoffickjujjf. Sedi.6. i6i
4, To this purpofe k is ufualiy adrifed
by fpiritiiall perfons, that the fick_ man make
m miverfal confeffion, or a renovation and re-
petition of all the particular confefsions and
accufations of his whole life i that now at
the foot of his account he may reprefent
the fumnie totall to God 5 and his confci-
ence, and make provilions for their reme-
die and pardon according to his prefcnt pof-
fibiiities.
5 Now is the time to make reflex a&
if repentance j that as by a general repentance
we fupply the want ofthejuft estenfion of
parts; fo by this we may fupply the proper
aieafures of the intenfion of degrees. In
our health we can confider concerning our
own ads whether they be teal or hypocri-
tical, eflfencial or imaginary, fincere or up-
on inrereft, integral! or impcrfeft, coninien-
fiirate er dcfedfive, and although it is a
good caution of ftcnrities after all our care
and diligence flill to fufpeft our felves, and
our own deceptions, and for ever to beg
of God pardon and acceptance in die unioH
of Chrifis pafsion, and interccfiion i yet in
proper fpeakiug, reflex ads of repentance,
feng a fuppletory after the inip>erfedioii of
tile dired, ace then n oft fit to be ufed
when we cannot proceed in, andprofecute
ihe dired adions. To repent becaufe we
cannot repent, and to grieve becaufe we can-
sot grieve, was a device invented to ferve the
Sirn of the mother of Peter Gratian ■, but it
Was ufed by her, and fo advifed to he in her
feknefle, and laft adions of repentance :
w in our perfect health and underftand-
if Wc doc not underftand our firft act,
K 3 we
Chap,4. Tht praWft of npenunce SeS.^,
we cannot difcern our fecondj and if we be
not forty fer our fins, we cannot be ferry for
want of fbrrowE j it is a contradiftion to &)
we can; bccaufe want of forrow to wliicli
we are obliged h certainly a great fin; and
if we can grieve for that, then alfo for tlii
reft; if not for all, then not for this; but in
the dayes of weaknelTe the cafe is otherwife,
for then onr aftions are imperfeft, our dif.
courfc weak, ourinternallaftions notdifcera-
able, our fears great, our work to beabbrt.
viated,.and our defefts, to be fupplied by fpi-
rituall arts; and therefore it is proper and
proportionate to our ftate, and to ourneceffi-
ty, to beg of God pardon for the imperfedi-
ons of our repentance, acceptance of our
weaker forrows, fupplics out of the treafurfi
of grace, and mercy; and thus repenting of
the evil and unhandfome adherencies of on
repentance, in the whole integrity of tbe
duty, itwill becomea repentance nottokru
pentedof.
6. Now is the time beyond which tk
fick man muft at no hand defer to maks rejfim-
tm of all his unjuft pofeffms, or other men;
Onpsn- rights, and fatisfadions for all injuries, and
rend°e' according to his obligation, and
cu iJ' poftibilitiesfor although many circuniftan-
piines ces might impede the afting it in our lives-
denfers time, and it was permitted to bedeferred'in
attenare. jpgny cafes, becaufe by it, jnftice was no'
hindred,and oftentimes piety and equity were
providedfor; yet becaufe this is the laft fceit
of our life, he that does not aft it fo far ask
can, or put it into certain conditions and or-
der of effeftihg, can never do it again* ®d
therefore then to defer it, is to otnit it,»
l£a«i
Chap.f intbe time of ficlkpefe. SeSt.6.
leaves the repentance defedivc in an integrall
and conftituent part.
7. Let the fick man be diligent and watch-
^11, that the principle of his repentance be
mtriim, or forrow for fins, coninienced up-
on the love of God. For although forrow for
fins upon any motive may lead us to God by
many intermedial! paflagcs , and is the thre-
fholdof returning finners, yet it is not good,
nor effeflive upon out death-bed; becaufe
repentance is not then to begin, but tnUfl then
befinilhcd, and completed , and it is to be a
fupply and reparation of all the iniperfefii-
ons of that duty: and therefore it niuft by
that time be arrived to contrition, that is, it
muff have grown from fear to love, from the
pafTions of a fervant, to the affeft ions of a fon;
The reafon of which ( beiides the precedent)
is this, becaufe when out repentance is in this
hate, it fuppofes the man alfo in a ffate of
grace, a well grown Chriftian; for to hate fin
out of the love of God is not the felicity of a
new convert, or an infant grace ( or if itbe»
that love alfo is in its infancy ) but it fuppofes
' good progrefle, and the man habitually ver-
tuous, and tending to perfeftion; and there-
fore Contrition, or repentance fo qualified, is
afefull to great degrees of pardon, becaufe the
man is a gracious pcrfon, and thatvercoeisof
good degree, and confequently afitimploy-
fflent for him that fhall work no more, but is
to appear before his judge to receive the hire
of his day. And if his repentance be coHtri-
tion, even before this ftate officknefle, let it
ke increafed by fpiritual! arcs; and the proper
Kercifes of charity.
K 4 Afeartf
Jfso diap.4. "the pra ^ife of repentance Seft.!/
M.ea.ns of exciting contrition^ or repent-
ance offns^ proceeding from the
love of Godt
TO which purpofe thefick man may coa-
fider, and to be reminded (if he docs
»ot) that there are in God, all the motives and
caufes of amabiliry in the world j that God is
foinfinitely good* that there are fomeof the
greateft and molt excellent fpirits oi heaven,
whofe work, and whofe felicity, and whole
pctfeftions, and whofe nature it is, to flame
and burn in the brightelt and moft excellent
love * that to love God is the greateft glory
of Heaven, that in him there are fuch excel-
lencies, that the fmalleft rayes of them com-
aiuiiicated to our weaker underftandnigs are
yet fufticient to caufe ravilhrrents and tran-
fportations, and fatisfaftions, and pjes m-
fpeakeable, and full of glory * that all ihe wife
Chriftians of the world know and feel ftch
catjfes to love God that they all profelTe them-
fclves ready to die for the love of God * and
the Apoftles and millions of the Martyrsdid
die for him * And although it be harder to
live in his love then to die for it, yet all the
good people that ever gave their names to
Chrift did for his love endure the crucifying
their lufts, the mortification of their appe-
tites, the contradi<3ions and death of their
moft paflionate, naturall defircs * that Kings
and Queens have quitted their Diadems> and
many married Saints have turned their mBta-
all vowes into the love of Jefus, and married
bim onely, keeping a virgin chaftity in a mar-
^ap,4. hthetitttf cf fickne^e. SeS.iS.
rid life, that they may more tenderiy exprefle
their love to God * that all the good we have,
derives from Gods love to us, and all the gooti
we can hope for is the effeft of his love, and
can defcend onely upon them that love hira
* that by his love it is that we receive the
holy jefus * and by his love we receive the
Holy Spirit, * and by his love we feel peace
and joy within our fpirits *and by his love
we receive the myfterious Sacrament * And
what can be greater, then that from the good-
nefle and love of God , we receive
Chrift, and tlie Holy Ghoft, and Adoption,
and the inheritance of fons, and to be co-
heirs with jefus-, and to have pardon of our
fins, and a divine nature, and retraining grace^
and the grace of fanftification, and a reft and
peace within us, and a certain expeftati-
on of glory, * who can choofe but love him,
who when we had provoked him exceeding-
ly, fent his Son to die for us. that we might
live with him •, who does fo defire to pardon
iisand fave us,that he hath appninred his Holy
Sob continually to intercede for us ? *Thathis
love is fo great that he offers us great kind-
nefle, and intreats us to be happy, and makes
many decrees in heaven concerning the inter-
eft of our foul , and the very provifion and
fiipport of our perfons * That he fends an
Angel to attend upon every of his fervants,
and to be their guard, and their guide, in all
their dangers and hoftilities * That for our
fakes he reffrains the Devil , and pots his
mightineflc in fetters and reftra'ints, andcha-
ftifes his malice with decrees of grace and
fafety * Jliac he i c is who makes all che crea-
tares fcrve us, and takes care of our lleeps,
K 5 and
ft©s Cffl»p.4. "fhe prailife of repentance Seft.J
and preferves all plants and elements, all mi-
retails and vegetables, all beafts and birds,
all fillies and infers for food to us, and for
ornament, for phyfick and inffruftion,forva.
riety and wonder, for delight and for religi.
on * That as God is all good in hitnfelf,
and all good tons, fo fin isdireftly contrary
to God,, to reafon, to religion, to fafety and
pleafure, and felicity * That it is a grett
dilhonour to a mans fpirit to have been made
a fool, by a weak temptation, and an empty
luft j and to have rejefled God, who is fo rich,
£0 wife, fo good, and fo excellent, fo dclici-
ous, and fo profitable to us * That all the
repentance in the world of excellent men
does end In contrition, or a forrow for fins
proceeding from the love of Godbecaufe
they, that are in the ftateof grace do not feat
Jiell violently, andfo long as they remain in
Gods favour, although they fuffer the infir-
mities of men, yet they are Gods portion,
and- therefore all the repentance of juftand
holy men which is certainly thebcff, is a re-
pentance not for lower ends, but becaufe they
are the friends of God, and they are full of in-
dignarion that they have done an aftagainft
the honour of their Patron, and their deareft
tord and Father * That it is a huge imper-
feftion and a ftate of weaknelle, to need to
be moved with fear or temporall refpefts,
and rhey that are fo, as yet are either im-
merged in the affections of^ the world, or o£
thetnfelves j and thofe men that bear fuch a
eharaCfer, are not yet effcemcd laudable per-
fons, or men of good natures, or the fons of
vertue. *■ That no repentance can be lafting,
tbgt relics upon any thing but the love of
Godj
mm
Chap4. inthetimeof fickpefft, Seft.i?.
God;for temporalmotives inayceafe,andcon-
trary contingencies may arife, and fear of hell,
may be expelled by natural or acquired hard-
nelfesj and is alwayes the leaft when we have
moft need of it, and moft caufe for it j for the
more habitual our fins are, the more caute-
rized our confcience is, the lefle is the fear of
hell, and yet oar danger is much the greater,
* that although fear of hell or other temporal
motives may be the firft inlet to a repentance,
yet repentance in that conftitution and under
thofe circuinftances cannot obtain pardon t
becaufe there is in that no union with God,
noadhefion to Chrift, no endeermtntof paf-
fion, or of fpirir, no fimilitude , or con-
formity to the great inftruraent of our
peace, our glorious Mediatour: for as yet a
man Is turned from his fin, but not converted
to God; the firft and laft of our returns to
God being love, and nothing but love ; for
obedience is the firft part of love, and fruition
is the laft, and becaufe he that does not love
God cannot obey him, therefore he that does
not love him cannot enjoy him.
Now that this may he reduced to praftife,
the lick man muft be advertifed that la the
aSions of repentance *' he feparate low,
temporal, fenfual, and felf ends from his
thoughts, and fo do his repentance * that he
may ftill refleft honour upon God * that he
tonfeffe his juftice in punifhing, that he ac-
knowledge himfelf to have delcrved the worft
of evils, * that he heartily believe and pro-
fclTc, that if he perifti finally, yet that God
ought CO be glorified by that fad event, and
thathe hath truly merited fo intolerable a ca-
lamity, * that he alfo be put to make adfs of
K 6 eleftion
203
I'vt:
, I ••
.• \\
i:
I
ac4 Chap.4. UjepraBife of repentance
eleftion and preference •, profefTmg that he
would willingly endure all temporal evils ra-
ther then be in the disfavour of God or in the
ftate of fin; for by this laft inftance he will
be quitted from the fufpicion of leaving fin,
for temporal refpefts, becaufe he by an aft of
imagination or faiiied prefencc of the objed I
tohim, entertains the temporal evil thathe
may leave the fin i and therefore unlefle he
fee a hypocrite does not leave the fin to be
quit of the temporal evil. And as for the other
motive of leaving fin our of the fear of hell,
bccaufe that is an evangelical motive convey-
edto us by the fpirit of God,, and is immedi-
ate to the love of God v if the Schoolmen had
pleafed, they might have reckoned it as the :
band-maid, and of the retinue of comitm', \
but the more the confideratious are fuhlimed '
above this, of the greater effefl' and the more
immediate to pardon will be the repen-
«ance.
8. Let the ftck. perfons do frequent oB-
ms of repentance by rvay of prayer, for all theft
fins which are fpiritual, and in which no refim
dion or fatisfaSion material can be made, and rrkft
aiontrary alls cannot in kinde be. exercifed. For
penitential prayers in fpme cafes are the only
Mifiances of repentance that can be. An en-
vious man, if he gives God hearty, thanks foi
i3ie advancement of his broth< r, hath done
an aft of mortification of his envy, as direftly
ascorproral aiifierities are an aft of chjftity,
and an enemy to unrleannefs: and if I have ft'
dueed a perfon that is dead or abfcnt, iff can-
apt reftore him to fober counfels by my dif-
iSonrfe and undeceiving him, I can onely fc-
Ipenr of that by way of prayer e and incempe- j
raace
fiisS
Chap.4. inthetimeef jicknejfe. Sc8:.6. 20$
lancc is no way toJbc refcindcd or punifhcd
b}ii ijing mm buc by be.'cty prayers. Prayers
are a great help in all cafesin feme they
are proper afts of. vtrtue and direft enemies
to fin •, but although alone and in long con-
tinuance, they alone can cure fome one or
feme few little habits,yet they can never alone
change the ftate of the man j and therefore
are intended to be a fuppletory to theimper-
feftions of other afts i and by that reafon are
the proper and nioft pertinent imploymcnt pf
a ClmkhjoT death bed penitent,
9. In thofe fins whofc proper cure ismoi^
li^Mtm corporal, the fick man is to fupply that
part of his repentance by a patient fubmifsion
to the rod of ficknelfe: t or fickneffe does
the work of penances or (harp affliftions»
and dry dipt, perfettly well; to which if we
alfoput our wills, and make it our aflbyan
after eieftion , by confeffing the juflice of
God, by bearing it fweet'y, by begging it may
be medicinal, there is nothing wanting to the
petfeftionof this part, but that God confirrne 'oent 1«I5
our patience and hear, our prayers. When the a .erew-
guilty man ru is to punilhment, the injured " tti ad
perfunis prevented and hath no whither to
go but to fprgiveneffe. * unt ? '
to. I have learned hut of one fuppletory
more, for the pcrfeOion and proper exerdfe
of a lick mans repentance j hut it is fuch a
one as will go a great way in the abolition of
our paft finnes, and making our peace
with God, even after a lelTe fevere life :
and that is,.that the fick man do fome heroical
adieus in the matter of charity, or religion,
of juftice or feverky. There is aftoryof an
afamottt thief who hanng begged his pardon
of
M
i
r iC Sf
20d Chap.4. T%epra^ife ef repentance Seft/
of the Emperor Mauritius was yet put Into
the Hofpital of S. Sampfon where he fo plenti-
fully bewailed his fins in the laft agonies of his
death, that the Phyfitlan who attended found
him unexpeftedly dead, and over his fare a
handkerchief bached in tears, and foon after
fome body or other pretended to a revelation
of this mans beatitude. It was a rare grief
that was noted in this man, which begat in
that age a confidence of his being faved, and
that confidence (as things then went) was quick-
ly called a revelation But it was a ftranger fe.
Verity which Is related by Thomas Cantipratams
concerning a young Gentleman condemned
for robbery and violence, who had fodeepa
fenfeof his fin, that he was not content with
a fingle death, but begged to be tormented
and cut in pieces joynt byjoynt, with inter-
medial fenfes, that he might by fuch a fniart
fignifie a greater forrow j Some have given
great eftates to the poor and to religion;
lome have built colledges for holy perfons,
many have fuffered martyrdom, and though
thofe that died under the conduit of the Mac-
cahees in defence of their countrey andreii-
gion, had pendants on their brcafts confe-
crated to the idols of the JfamnenJes, yet that
they gave their lives in fuch a caufe withfo
great a duty, (thebiggeft things they could
do or give ) it was efteemed to prevail hugely
towards the pardon and acceptation of their
perfons. An heroic aftion of vertue is a huge
compendium of religion j for if it be attained
to by the ufual meafores and progrefTe of a
Chriftian, from inclination to a<!f, from aft to
habit, from habit to abode, from abode to
reigning, from reigning to perfefl poffeflion,
from
£hap.4* »/ fichfffe. Sedi.4.
from poflefsion to extraordinary emanations,
that is, toheroickaftions, then it raitft needs
do the work of man, by beipg-fo great to-
wards the work of God } but if a man
comes thither per faltum, or on a fudden
(which is feldome fecn ) then it fuppofes
the man alwayes well inclined, butabufcdby
accident or hope, by confidence or ignorance i
then it fuppofes the man for the prcfent in a.
great fear of evil, and a pafiionate defireof
pardon i it fuppofes his apprehenfions great,
and his time little j and what the event of
that will be, no man can tell; but it is certain
thatM fame pwpofes God will account for our
religion on our death bed, not by the mea-
fares of our time, but the
etninency of affeftion ( as
faid Ceknin the firft) that
is, fuppofing the man in the
ftateof grace, or in the re-
tealed pofsibiPty of falva-
tion, then an heroical aft
hath the reward of a longer feries of good
actions, in an even and ordinary courfc of
rertue.
t r. In what can remain fir the perfeSing a
f'ck_mans repentance, he u to be helped bp the mini*
fieries of a fpirmd Guide,.
io%
Vera ad Deum converfio in
ulcimis pofitorum mence po-
tius ed sdimanda quan:^teni«
pore. Cel. p. ep. » c. . vera
cotivetfio) fcil. ab infi delitate
ad fidcm chnfti per
mum#
SECT.
SECT. VII.
of repentame b) Wajf of prayer
and ejaculation • to be ufed efpecia^j
by old men in their age j and by ali
men in their fcknejfe.
LEt us fearch and try our wayes> and turnt
V again to rhe Lord : let us lift up our
hearts with out hands unto God inthehei-
vens. "We have tranfgrefled and rebelled and
thou haft not pardoned: Thou haft covered
Lamen. vyith ^nger and perfecuted us *, thou haft (lain,
3* 4'* thou haft not pitied, O cover not thy felf with
a cloud » but let our prayer palfe thorough.
I have finned what lhall I do unto thee, 0
thou preferver of men I why haft thou fet me
as a mark agaiiift thee, fo that Tarn a burden
to my felf ? and why dotft not thou pardon
tny tranfgreftion,and take away mine iniquity?
job 7. fQi- j flecp in the duA,and thou fhalc
20. fegjj in [he morning, but I fliall not be.
The Lord is righteous for I have rebelled
againft his comn.andmcnts. Hear I pray, all
ye people, behold n;y forrow, behold 0 Lord
Lamen. I amindiftrefle, my bowels are troubled, my
J.i8,20. heart is turned within me, for I have grie-
Toufly rebelled.
Thou O Lord remaineft for ever, thy throne
jrom generation to generation : wherefore
docft thou forget ns for ever, and forfake us fo
long ri me? turn thou us unto thee,0 Lord, and
fo Stall we be turned: renew our daycs as of
olfl
' i®8 Chap.4. thepraSife of repentance SeAf
ehap ,4. intimeof Sicknefe. Seft.7. zap
old; O rejelf)' me not utterly, and be not ex- Lamen.
ceeding wroth againft thy fervant. 5, |p,
0 remember not the fins of my youth, nor
my tranfgrcffions, but according to thy mercies
remember thou me for thy goodnefie fake O
Lord : Do thou for me O God the Lord,
fcr thy Names fake, becaufe thy mercy is Pfaira
good, deliver thou me , for I am poor and 25. 7.
needy, and mv heart is wounded within me j I Pfalrn .
am gone like the fhadowthat declinetb,lam iop ,2r.
toffid Hp and down as the locufl.
Then Zacheus (food forth and faid. Behold
Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor,
and if I have wronged any man I reffore him
fourfold.
Hear my prayer O Lord, and confider my
defire, let my prayer he fet forth in thy fight
as the incenfe, and let the lifting up of my
hands be an evening facrifice. And enternot Pfalrn
into jndgement with thy fervant, for in thy 143.
fight (hall no man living be juftified. Teach
ine rodo the thing thatpleafeth thee, for thou
art my God, let rhy loving fpirit lead me forth
into the land of righreoufnelfe.
1 will r fpe tk I of mercy and judgement.
Into thee OLord will I make my prayer; I
*ill behave my felf wifely in a perfeft way. : !
p when wilt thou come unto me, I will walk |
in my houfe witii a perfeiS heart. I will fet |
no wicked thing before my eyes y 1 hate the PfaJm
workof them that turnafide,it (hall notcleave loi. r, '
to me.
Hide thy face from my fins, and hlot out fill
wine iniquities; create in me a clean heart O
God,and renew a right fpirit wirhin me. Deli-
ferme from blood guiltinelle O God, ' from
filice, envy, the follies of luft and violences i
of , '•
' s.
210 Cliap.4. tkepailife ef repentance. Seft.7,
pfalm of pafrion,fec.]] thou God of my falvation and
5. I* ray tongue (hall fing aloud of thy rightccuf-.
neffe.
The facrifice of God is a broken heart, a
broken and a contrite heart, O God thou wilt
not delpife.
Lord I have done amiffe j I have been de-
ceivedjlet fo great a wrong as this be removed.
The prajerjfer the grace and per'
fe£lion of Repentance.
I.
O Almighty God, thou art the great Jndgt
of all the world, the Father of our Lord
Jefus Chrift, the Father of mercies, the Father
• of men and Angels, thou lovcff not that a
fianer fhould perifh, but delighteft in our con-
verfion and falvation, and haft in our Lord ]e-
fusChrift edablifbed the Covenant of repen-
tance, and promifed pardon to all them that
confefTe their fins and forfake themO niy
God be thou ple.tfed to work in me what then
haft commanded fhou'd be in me. Lordlam
a dry tree who nei ther have brought forth fruit
unto thee and unto holinefle, nor have wept
out falutary tears» the inftrumentof lifeaud
reftitution, but have behaved my felf likean
unconcerned perfon in the ruins and breaches
of my foul: But O God, thou art my God,
carneftly will I feekthee; my foul rhirfteth
for thee in a barren and thirfty land where uo
water is; Lord give me the grace of tears and
pungent forrow, let my heart be as a land of
rivers of waters, and my head a fountain of
tears; turn my fin into repentance, and let my
repentance proceed to pardon & refrefhment.
Suppo"
6 LA'KSkw.'a 2-E
Ghap.4. I inthetimeoffickneffe^
II.
Scft.7. 211
Support mc with thy graces, ftrengthen mc
with thy Spirit, foften my heart with the
fire of thy love, and the dew of heaven, with
penitentiall fhowers; make my care prudent,
and the remaining portion of my dayes like
the perpetuall watches of the night, full of
caution and obfervance, ftrong and refolute,
patient and fevere, I remember O Lord, that
I did fin with greedineffe and paflfion, with
great defires and an unabated choice j O let
niebe as great in my repentance as ever I have
been in my calamity and fhame; let my ha-
tred of fin be great as my love to thee, and
both as neer to infinite, as my proportion can
receive.
III.
OLord, I renounce all affefiion to fin, and
would not buy my health iior redeem my
lifewith doing any thing againft the Lawesof
my God j bat would rather die then offend
thee. O deareft Saviour have pity upon thy
fervant, let me by thy fentence be doomed to
perpetuall penance during the abode of this
life J let every figh be the expreffion of a re-
pentance,and every groan an accent of fpiritual
life, & every ftroke of my difeafe a punifhment
of my fin, and an inftrumentof pardon, that
at my return to the land of innocence and
pleafure I may eat of the votive facrifice of the
(upper of the Lamb, that was from the be-
ginning of the world flain for the fins of every
forrowful and returning finner. O grant me
forrow here, and joy hereafter through Jefus
Chrift, who is our hope, the refurreftion of the
rlead, the iuftifier of a finner, and the glory
of all fiiithful fouls. Amen.
Aprajiff
IE
m
k
IS
pi
k
Is
I
£12 Chap.4. Thefraiiifeofrepentme, SeS,?,
A prayer for fard»n of fins to he faii
frequently in time of ficknejfe ■ and
in ail the portions of eld age.
OEremal and moft gracious Father, I
humbly throw my felf down at the foot
of thy mercy fear, upon the confidence of thy
ellenria! mercy, and thy comHiindment, that
We (hould come boldly to the throve of grace, thit
we ntayfinde mercy in time of need O my God,
hear the prayers and cries of a finner, who
calls earnefily for mercy i Lord my needs are
greater then all the degrees cf my delirecan
be; unlcfTe thou haft piry upon me lperilli
infinitely and inrolerably and then there
will he one voice fewer in the quire of fingers,
who fhall recite rhy prades ro'eternal ages.
But O Lord in mercy deliver my foul. Ofare
me for ihy mercy fake. For in the fecond
death there is no remembrance of thee, i»
tiiat grave who fhail give thee thanks ?
II.
O Jnft and dear God, my fins are inna-
merahle, they are upon my foul in mul-
titudes,they are a burden too heavy for me to
bear j they already bring forrow and fickneffc,
ftiame and difpleafure, guilt, and a decaying
fpirit, afenfeof thy prefent difpleafure, and
fear of worfe, of infinitely worfeBut it is
to thee fo ePential, fo delightful, foufual, (o
defired by thee to fliew mercy, thatalthougli
my
CfMp.4' inthetime^f fickflefe, Seft .7,
Biy fin be very great and my fear proportio-
nabie, yet thy mercy is infinitely greater then
ill the world, and my hope and my comfort
rife up fn proportions towards ir, thatltruft
the Devils (hall never be able to reprove it,
nor my own weakncfTe difconipofe it. Lord
thou haft fent thy Son to die for the pardon
of my fins; thou haft given me thy holy Spi-
tit, as a feal of adoption to configne the ar-
tide of remiflion of finsj. thou haft for all
my fins ftill continued to invite me to con-
ditionsof life, by thy minifters the prophets j
and thou haft with variety ofholy adts foftned
my fplrir, andpoffeflcd my fancie, and in-
fttuded my underffanding, and bended
and inclined my will, and direfted or
Overruled my pafiions in order to repen-
tar.ce and pardon, and why fhould not thy
fervanc beg yafsionatcly, and humbly hope
for the cfleft of all thefe thy ftrangc and mira-
culons ads W loving kindnefie? Lord Ide-
ferve it nor, but I hope thou wilt pardon all
my fins, and I beg it of thee for Jefus Chrift
his fake, whom thou haft made the great en-
dearnficntof thy promifes, and the founda-
tion of our hopes, and the mighty inftrument,
whereby we can obtain of thee, whatfoevet
we need and can receive.
III.
OMy God, how ftiall thy fervant be difpo-
fed to receive fiich a favour, which is fo
great that the ever blefled Jefus did die to
purchafe for us; fo great that the falling an-
gels never could hope,and never ftiall obtain ?
larrf / do from my foHlfirgive dlthat have finned
agmft
■■■I
214 Chap.4. the fra^ife ofrepenunce Seft.^.
againft me. O forgive me my fins, as I for-
give them that have finned againft me 5 Lordl
confejfe my fins unto thee daily, by the accufati.
ons and fccret afts of confcience; and if we
confefle our fins thou haft called it a part of
juftice to forgive us our fins, andtocleanfe
us from all unrighteoufnelfe. Lord, I put ti^
trufi in thee, and thou art ever gracious to
them that put their trult in thee. 1 cdlupni
my God for mercy, and thou art alwaya more
ready to hear then we to pray. But all thati
can do, and all that lam, and all thatlknow
of ray felf is nothing but fin, and infirmity,
and mifery, therefore-1 go forth of my felf,
and throw my felf wholly into the arms of
thy mercyi, through .]efus Chrift i and begiof
thee far his death and paffions fak^ by his
refurredion and afcenfion, by all the pattsof
our redemption ,. and thy infinite mercy hi
which thou pleafeft thy felf above all.the works
of the creation, to be piirifull, and compaffiO'
nate to thy ferrant in the abolition of all ray
fins j fo ftiall I praife thy glories with a tongue
not defiled with evil language) and a heart
purged by thy grace, quitted by thy mercy,
and abfolved by thy fentence,ftom gcneratioB
to generation.
Amen.'
An aU »f holy refolution of amend'
mcnt of life in cafe of recovery.
OMoft jnft and moft mercifull Lord God,
who haft fent evil difeafes,forrow,& fe'')
trouble and uneafineffe, briars and thorns into
the world, and planted them in our houfcs;
and
...A
Chap.4' inthe trme of jickpeffe. Seft .7.
and round about our dwellings to keep fin
from our fouls or to drive it thence, I hum-
bly beg of thee that this my fickneffe may
ferve the ends of the Spirit, and be ameflen-
get of fpiiituall life, an inftrument of redu-
cing me to more religious and fober courfes j
I know O Lord, that I am unready and unpre-
pared in my accounts, having thrown away
great portions of my time in vanity, and fet
my felf hugely back in the accounts of eter-
aity •, and I had need live my life over again,
and live it better", but thy counfelsarein the
great deep, and thyfootffeps in the water;
and I know not what thou wilt determine of
me. If I die, I throw my felf into the arms
of the Holy Jefus, whom I love above all
things: and if I perifli, I know I have deferved
if, but thou wilt not rejed him that.loves
thee,; But if I recover, I will live by thy
grace and help to do the work of God,and paf-
Bonately purfue my intercft of Heaven, and
fare thee in the labour of love, with the char
rities.of a holy zeal, and the diligence of a
firm and humble obedience; Lord I will
dwell in thy temple, and in thyfervice, reli-
gion fliall be my iniployment, and alms fhall
be my recreation, and patience fiiail be my
reft, and to do thy will fhall be my meat and
drink, and to live fhall be Chrift, and then to
die lhall be gain.
O fpare me a little that I may recover
"ly ftrength before I go hence and be no more
jeen. Thy will be done on earth as it is in
heaven. Amen.
SECT.
2X5 Ciigp.4> ^ anitfyfis sr exflkatm SeS.?,
jix Analyjis or refolution oftheDecti-
logue, and the jpeciallprecepts ef tlx
Gojpel- defciibing the duties injoynei
and theJinsforbidden rejpebliuelj-for
the ajfifiance ef fck^ men in makiny^
their cenftffions to God and his Aditii.
jbersf and the rendring theit repent'
ance tmre particular and ferfeH.
X Hok Jhait have none other O'ods hut me.] I
"Duties commanded are. i. To love God
above all things. 2. To obey him, and fear
him. 3. To worfh'phi III with prayers, vows,
thankfgivings, .prefcnring to him our fouls and
bodies, and all fuch aftiors and expreffions
which the con'cnt of Nations, or the Lawes
andCuftomsof the place where we live have
appropriated to God. 4. To deligne all to
Gods glory. 5. To enquire after his will,
5. To bcleeve all his word. 7. Tofiibmitto
his providence. 8. To proceed toward all our
lawfull ends by fuch means as himfelf hath ap-
pointed. 9. To fpcak and think honourably
of God, and recite his praifes, and confelK
his Attributes and perfedfions.
They fmagtdnji this Commandement. t. Who
»ve rhcmfelvcs or any of the creatures in-
ordinstclj} j
Chap.4. •/ 'Decalogue.'' Seft.S.
ordinately, and intCKiperately. 2. They that
defpifeornegleftany-of the Divine precepts.
3, They that pray to unknown, or faife gods.
4. They that disbeleeve or deny there is a
God. 5. They that make vows to creatures.
Or fay prayers to the honour of men or
women, or Angels, as Pater nofters, to the ho-
nourof the Virgin jWary, or S.Peter, which is
itaking a part of that honour which is due to
God, and giving it to the creature, it is, a re-
ligion paid to men and women out of Gods
proper portion, out of prayers direded to
God immediately j and it is an aft contrary to
that religion which makes God the Jaft end of
all things: for this through our addreffes to
God, paffes fomething to the creatures, as if
they ftood beyond him ; for by the interme-
diall worfhip paid to God , they ultimately
tBie.J do honour to the man, or Angel. 7, They
that make confumptive oblations tothecrea-
God as the Collyridians who oftered cakes,
d feat '"dthofc that burn incenfe or candles to the
vows, "itgin alfary, 8. They that give themfclves to
If and 'h« Devil, or make contrafts with him, and
;ffioiis Itfephantafficconverfation with him. 9 They
Lawei confult Witches and Fortune-tellers,
e have They that rely upon dreams and fuper-
ail to obfcrvances. 11 That ufe charmes,
will Ws^bperftitioiis words and chira^ters^verfes
nit to jf Pfalms; the confecrated elements to cure
ill out fefts, to be fhot free, to recover ftolne
thap' Ns, or inquire into fccrets. 12. That are
irablY ignorant of thelawesof God, or love
infefic "he deceived in their perfwafions; that they
"y fin with confidence, ig. They that neg-
who ®pray to God. 14. They that arrogate
•es in- ^ '"emfelves the glory of any aftion or power
latelf) L and
217
218 Chap.4, An amlyfis or explication Seft,8,
and do not give the glory to God, as Hmi
15. Tiiey that doubt of or difbcleeve a
article of the Creed, or any propofition
Scripture, or put falfe glofles to fervc fstcular
or vitiqus ends, againfl: their confcience, or
with violence any way done to their reafon,
16,. They that violently or paffionately purfijc
any temporall end with an eagerncffe greater
then the thing is, in prudent account. 17 They
that make religion to ferve ill ends,or do good
to cxil purpofes, or evil to good purpofes,
18. They that accufe God of injufticc, or
unmcrcifulnefle, reraiffeneflc or cruelty 5 fall
as are the prefumptuous, and the dcfperate.
19. All hypocrites and pretenders to religi
on, walking in forms and fhadows, butde
nying the power of godlineffe. 20, All in-
patient perfons, all that repine or murmur J-
gainfl; the profperities of the wicked, or the
calamities of the godly, or their own afBlffi-
ons. 21. All that blafpheme God, orfpuk
difhonourable things of fo Sacred a Majeftf.
22. They that tempt God, or rely upon lii
proteftion againft his rules and without Mi
promile, and befides reafon , entring imo
danger, from which without a miracle they
cannot be refcued. 23. They that are boldM
the raidft of judgement, and fearlefle intk
midft of the Divine vengeance, and the acceis
of his anger.
II. Comm. thou Jhalt nottnake tothylj
any graven image, nor
"the morall duties of this commandement
I. To worfhip God with all bodily wot
and externall forms of addrefle, according®
the cuftomof the Church we live in. J. Tol*
let"
Chap-4» «f the Decalogue. Se^t.8. 21 J,
leeve God to be a fpiri tuall and pure fubftance
wirhoucanyvifibleform,orfhape. 3. Towor-
IhipGodin wayesof his own appointing, or
by his proportions or meafures of nature,
and right reafon, or publike'and holy cu- ' ^
ftomes.
They fin againjl this Cotmandement. t. That
make any image or pifturesof the Godhead,
or fancy any likenelTe to him. 2. They that
ufe images in their religion, defigningorad-
dreffing any religious worfliip to themFor
if this thing could be naturally tolerable, yet
itistooneer an intolerable for a jealous God
tofuher. 3. They that deny toworfhipGod
with lowly reverence of their bodies, accord-
ing as the Church exprefles her reverence to
God externally. 4. They that invent or pra-
ftife fuperftitious worfhippings, invented by
nun againft Gods word, or without reafon,
or belides the publike cuftomes or formes of
wotfhipping, either foolifhlyor ridiculoufly,
without the purpofe of order, decency, pro-
portion to a wife or a religious end, in profc-
ration of fome vertne or duty.
III. Comm. thou fhalt not take Gods Name
in vain,
duties of this Comm are-, i. To ho-
Hour and revere the moft holy Name of
God. 2. ToinvocatehisNamedireftly,orby
•onftquence in all folcmn and permitted ad-
Iptions, or publike oaths. 3. To ufe all
'™gs and perfons upon whom his Name is
"lied, or any wayes imprinted with a regard-
. and feparatc manner of ufage, diflerenc
t'om common, and far from contempt and
4« To fweat in truth and judgement.
L a they
4
4
4
*5
m
m.
w
^1
^kfe-K
&20
ehap.4. Ah analyjii »r explkmon
they fin tgainft this Commandment •, i.who
fwear vainly and cuftomarily, without ji
caufe, without con:4)etent authority. 2. Thej
that blafphem or curfe God. 3. They tint
fpeak of God without grave caufe or folcimi
occafion. 4. They that forfwcar themfelvssi
that is, they that do not perform their vows to
God; or that fwear, or call God to witneft
to a lie. 5. They that fwear ralhly, or
cioufly, to commit a fin, or an aft of revenge,
6. They that fwear by any creature falfelj, ot
any way but as it relates to God, andconfe,
quently invokes his tcftiniony. 7. Allcurioiis
inquiries into the fecrets j and intruders into
the myfteries and hidden things of God.
8. They that curfe'God, or curfe a crcatnte
by God. 9. They that prophane Churclies,
holy Utenfils, holy perfons, holy cuftonies,
holy Sacraments. 10 They that provoke 0
thersto fwear voluntarily, and by defigne,or
incurioufly, or negligently, when they miglit
avoid it. 11 They that fwear to things uncei'
tain, and unknown.
Chap
and a
holy
like 1
lieari
readi
conci
of of
office
anotl
fervit
ceffar
toon
T
orcoj
witho
beefl
dentt
to CO
Churc
intirei
IV. Comm. Remember that
the S. day~]
the duties of this Comm. are ; i. To fe
apart fome portions of our time for the inrait-
• diate offices of religion, and glorificationef
God. 2. This tobedoneaccordingas Godot
his holy Church hath appointed. 3. OnediJ
in fcven is to be fet apart. 4. TheChrifta
day is to be fiibrogated into the place of il*
Jewesday : the refurreftion of ChriftaiJ
redemption of man was a greater blefling tboi
then to create him. 5. God on that day tol*
worlhipped and acknowledged as our Creatot,
aftion
fell wi
t
tkata,
Mtke
omit t
daybt
croffe
ftotiie
or uh
tkey I
.tlieLt
fiivall
Chap.4" t>f the Decithgue Seft.8. 221
and as our Saviour. 6. The day to be fpent in
holy offices i in hearing Divine fervice, pub-
like prayers, frequenting the Congregations,
hearing the word of God read or expounded^
reading good books, medications, alms, re-
conciling enmities V rcmiffion of burdens,and
of offences, of debts, and of workfriendly
offices, neighbourhood, and provoking one
another to good-works and to this end, all
fertile works muft be omitted, excepting nd;-
ceffary and charitable offices to men or beafts,
to our felves, or others.
They fin agamli this Comm. i. That do,
orcompe!l,or intice others to do fervile works
without the cafes of neceffity or charity, to
beeftimated according to common and pru-
dent accounts. 2. They that refufe or negled;
to come to the publike affemblies of the
Church, to hearandaffift at the divine offices
intirely. g. They that fpend the day in idle-
nelfe, forbidden or vain recreations, or the
aftions of fin and folly. 4. They that buy and
fell without the cafes of permiffion. S. They
that travell unneceffary journeys. 6 They
that aft or afliftin contentions, or law-fuites,
markets, fairs, fee. 7. They that on that day
oniit their private devotion tanlelfe the whole
day be fpent In publike. 8. They that by any
OolTe or contradiftory aftions againft thecu-
ftomes of the Church dopurpofcly defecrate
ft unhallow and make the day common: as
tjey that in defpite and contempt, faft upon
A Lords day, left they may celebrate the fe-
"ivall after the manner of the Chriftians.
L 3 V. Com.
S22 Chap.4' analysis er explkit'm Seftj,
V. Com. Homm thy father and thy mother]
The ^duties are-, i. To do honour and rc.
verence and to love our natural parents. 2. To
obey all their domeftic commands ; for ii|
them the fcene of their authority lies. 5. To
give them maintenance and fuppcrt in thcit
needs. 4. To obey Kings and all thatarciii
authority. 5. To pay tribute and honours,
cnftome and reverence. 6. Ta do reverence
to the aged and all our betters. 7. To obey
ourMahers, fpi ritual governours and Guides
inthofe things which concern their feveralrc'
fpeftiveintereft and authority.
They fm againft this commandment, i. Thji
defpifc their parents age, or infirmity. 2. That
are afhamed of their poverty and extraflion,
3. That publilh their vices, errours and infir.
mities to fhame them. 4. That refufeandre-
jeft all or any of their lawful commands.
5. Children that marry without or againli
their confent when it may bereafonably ob-
tained. 6. That curfe them, from whom they
receive fo many bleffings. 7 That grieve the
fouls of their parents by not complying is
their defires, and obferving their circum-
fiances. 8. That hate their pcifons, that modi
them or ufe uncomely jeftings. 9. Thatdif-
cover their nakednefle voluntarily. 10. Ttet
murmore againft their injunctions, and obev
them involuntarily. 11. All Rebels agaitijl
their Kings or the fupream power in which it
islegally and juftlyinvefted. 12. Thatrefule
to pay tributes and impofitions impofed It-
gaily. 13. They that difobey their Mafters*
murmure or repine againft their commands,
abufe or deride their perfons, talk rudelyi^'.
14. TAey
1!
a'j; ypip"
mm
Cliap.4- of the Decalogue. Scft.8. 225
14.Theythat curfe the king
in their hearr, or fpeak evil c redebant hoc grande nefa^ Sc
of the ruler of their people. pandum,
. - It Si ruvenis veciilo non allur-
15. Ail that are uncivil and r„erat & ii
rude towards aged perfons, Earbam cuicu! <j p"er
mockers and fcorners of Juven.Sat.
them.
V I. Com. thoH Jhalt do no murder.
the duties are. 1. To preferve oor own
lives, the lives of our relatives and all with
whom we converfe (or who can need us, and
we affift) by prudent reafonable and wary de-
fences, advocations, difcoveries of fnares,&c.
2. To prefeive our health, and the integrity
of our bodies and mindes, and of others,
g. To preferve, and follow peace with all
men.
They Jin agamfi this Commandment. 1. That
deftroy the life of a man or woman, hiiufelf
or any other. 2. That do violence or dif-
meuber, or hurt any part of the body with
evil intent. 5. That fight duels or commence
unjuft wars. 4. They that willingly haften
their own or others death. $. That by opprcf-
Hon or violence imbitter the fpirits ef any,
fo as to make their life fad, and their death
hafty. 6. They that conceal the dangers of
their neighbor) which they can fafely difcover.
7. They that fowftrife and contention among
neighbours. 8. They that refufe torefcucor
preferve thofe whom they can and are obliged
to preferve. 9. They that procure abortion,
lo They that threaten, or Ireep men in fears;
or hate them.
L4 VII.
'■ait Chap,4. An amlyftj or exflkatim SeftJ
VII. Com. thottfiah not commit
aduliery.
"The duties Are. 1. To preferve our bodies in
the chaftityof a fiugle life, or of marriage,
2. To keep all the parts of cur bodies in the
care and feverities of chaftity j fo that we be
reftrained in our eyes as well as in our feet.
Theyftn agiinft this Commandment^ i. Who
arc adulterous, inccftuous, Sodomitical, ot
commit fornication. 2, They that commit
folly alonedifhonouring their own bodies
with foftnefleand wantmneffe. 4. They that
immoderately let loofe the reins of their bol-
der appetite, though within the proteftiond
»arri ge. 4 They that by wanton gcftiires,
wandring eyes lafcivious drefsings, difcovery
of the nakedneffe of themfelves or others,
filthy difcourfe, high diet, amorous fongs, balls
and revellings, tempt and betray themfelves,
or others to folly. 5. They that marry awO'
man divorced for adultery. 6. They thatdl
vorce their wives, except for adaltery, and
marry another.
VIII. Com. 7hoHjhaltnotj}eal.
The duties are. i. To give every man his
due. 2. To permit every man to enjoy his
j own goods and eftate quietly.
They fin againfi this Commandment, i. That
injure any mans eftate by open violence, or by
fecret robbery, by ftealth or coufenage, fey
arts of bargaining or vexatious law-fuits. !.
That reftife or negleft to pay their debts,when
they are able. 3 That are forward to run into
debt knowingly beyond their power, without
hopesorpurpofcsofrepaiment. 4. OpprelTors
X. Thou Jhah not C6vet.
The duties are., i. To be content with the
portion God hath given us. 2. Not to be co-
vetous of other mens goods.
The) ftn agmfi this commandment, i. That
L 5
simmroBmimssirowi
chap 4. of the Decalogue, Seft.S. 33}
of the poor. 5. Thatexaftnfury ofneccfst-
tous perfons, or of any beyond the permifsi-
ons of equity as determined by the laws. 6. All
facrilegious perfons j people that rob God of
his dues, or of his poflefsions. 7. All that
game, viz^. at Cards and Dice,&c. to the pre-
judice and detriment of other mens eftates.
8. They that imbafe coyn and mettals and ob-
trudethcm forperfeftand natural. 9. That
break their promifes to the detriment of a
third perfon. 10 They that refufe to ftand
to their bargains. 11. They that by negli-
gence imbccil other mens eftates, fpoiling or
letting any thing perifh which is intrufted to
them. 12. That refufe to reftorethe pledge
IX. Com. ihou jbalt not bear falfe
witneffe.
The duties are. i. To give teftimony to truth,
when we are called to it by competent autho-.
rity. 2. To preferve the good name of our
neighbours. 5. To fpeak well of them that
defervcit. i
The) fin againbi this commandment, r. That
fpeak falfe things in judgement aecuiing their
neighbors unjuftlyor denying his criroe pub-
lickly when we are afked, and can be comman-
(led lawfully to tell it. 2. Flatterers, and 3.
flanderers, 4. backbiters, 5. and detrafters. '
d. They that fecrctly raife jealoufies, and fit-
fpitionof their neighbours caufelefly.
i'fC: p
m
Ijy W
«||
I
4iS Chap.4. the Analyftsor nilm'm Sefl.a.
envy the profperities of other men. 2. They
that defire paffionately to be pcflelTed of what
istheirneighbours. 3. They that with gree-
dinefle purfue riches, honours, pleafures and
curiofities. 4. They that arc too careful,
troubled, diftrafted or amazed, affrighted and
afflifted with being follicitous in thecondaS
of temporal bleflings.
Thefe are the general lines of duty by
which we may difcover our failings, and be
humbled, and confeffe accordingly: oneiy
the penitent perfon is to remember, thatal-
though thefe are the kindes of fins defcribed
after the fenfe of the Jewifli Church, which
confifted principally in the external aftion,or
the deed done 1 and had no reftraints upon the
thoughts of men, fave onely in the tenth coin-
mandmcnt, which was mixt and did relate
as much to action as to thought (as appears in
the inftances) yet upon us Chriftians there
are many circumftances and degrees of obli-
gation, which endear our duty with greater
feverityandobfervationi and the penitentit
to account of himfelf and enumerate his fins,
not onely by external aftions or the deed dotit,
but by words & by thoughts ■, and fo to ree-
kon if he have done it directly or indirectly,
if he have caufed others to do it, by tempting
or incouraging, by afsifting or counfelling,
by not difTwading when he could and ought,
by fortifying their hands or hearts, or not
weakning their evil purpofesi if he have de-
figned or contrived its action, defined iter
loved it, delighted in the thought, remem-
bred thepaflfin with pleafureor without for*
row, thefe are the by-veayes of fins, and thi
tyoe^edimes in which a man may wander and
by
chip. 4.- of the Tiecalogue. Scft.8. 227
be loft as certainly as in the broad high wayes
of iniquity.
But befides this, our bleffed Lord and his
Apoftles have added divers other precepts;
feme of which have been with fome violence
reduc'd to the Decalogue,and others have not
bin noted at all in the catalogues of confefsion,
Ifhall therefore defcribe them entirely, that
the lick man may difcover his failings, that by
the mercies of God in Jefus Chrift, and by
the inftrument of repentance he may be pre-
fented pure and fpocleffe before the throne
of God.
Thejpecialprecefts of the
Gojpel, r J Thef, L17.
I. T ^Rayer, frequent, fervent, holy, i®" '*
1 and perfevering. 2. Faith, < i''*
3. Repentance, 4. Poverty of fpirit, *
asoppofed to ambition, high delignes, < ^ '
5. and in it is humility, or fitting if
down in the loweft place, and ingi- rr''^
ting honour to go before another, .^Buke 14.10.
d. meekneffe, as it Is oppofed to way. if''t"
wardnefle, frctfulneffe, immoderate „ j
grieving, difdain and fcorn, 7. con- ^
tempt of the world, 8. prudence, or ij
the advantagious conduct of religi- ' "
on, 9. fimplicity orfinccrity in words ^
andactions, pretences andfubftances, if." ^ '
10. hope, II. hearing the word, 12. 44-
Reading, 15, Alfenibling together, 14. „ 4-^?-
obeying them that have the rule over
lis in fpirirual affairs, ij. Refufing to ^ J*
2 Thef, z.6.2 ep. John lo. Titus 3.10.
L 6 Com-
plp
!
^1
d.
n
wS
f§
»^l
B'
S^i
4
t<J
sa
f^,
S'it
1^
m
aaS Chap.4. Jhtfieculpteeeits Seft.t.
"Colof. 9.14. communicate with perfons excommti.
"►i Tim. I. S. nicate; whither alfomay be reduced,
16 Charity,
nicace
)iTim .2.22. TorejeftHereticks.
^Mark 12.90. love to God above all things, bri
Matth. 6. 14. therly kindnefle, or profitable love to
1 John 9 .15. our neighbours as our felves, to be
Matth. 18.9. expreffed in almes, forgivenefie, and
Matth. 18 .15. to dye for our brethren, 17 Topluclt
{James i. 4. out the right eye, or violently to re-
Luke 21.19. fcindalloccafioHSof fin, though dear
{Heb 12.9, to us as an eye, 18 To reprove our
Gal. 5. 9. erring brother, ip To be patient in
^ Ephef. 5 20. afifliftions, and longanimity is referred
•< 2 Thefl". 1 .9. hither, or long fufferancci which is
C Luke 5.92. the perfcrfiion and perfeverancc of pa-
2 Tim. 9.2. tience j and is oppofed to haftineffe
■Ci Thef.5.i<5. and wearinefle of fpirit, 20 To bt
•<; Philip .9 .1. thankful to our benefaffors, butabove
< 4. 4. all, in ill things to give thanks to God,
{tTher5.i9. 2r. To rejoyce in the Lordalwayej,
Ephef .4 .90. 22. No: to quench, not to grieve,
Acts 7. 5i. not to refill the Spirit, 29 To love
Ephef. 5. 99. our wives as Chrift loved his Church,
'iTim. 5.8. and to reverence our hiifbands, 24
)Colof. 9. 2T. To provide for our families, 25 Not
)Ephef. d. 4. to be bitter to our children, 2d. To
,1 Thef .5.20. bring them up in the nurture and
2Tim .2.24. admonition of the Lord, 27. Not to
{Matth. 18.7. defpife prophefylng, 28. To be
I C0r.10.92 gentle and eafie to be intreated,
Heb. 12.14. 29. To give no fcand'al, or offence,
1 Cor. 6. I. ?<>. To follow after peace with ail
Philip. 4. 8. men and to make peace, 91. Not
2 Cor. 8. 21. to go to law before the unbelievers,
J Thef. 5, 92. 32. To doallthings thatareof good
report, or the adfions of publickho-
Bcfty j abltaining ftom all apearances
of
Chap.4. »/ the Oofpel. Seft.8. s2f>
of evil, 3? To convert fouls or turn James 5.1^,20.
iiuners from the errour o£ their
wayes. 34. To confeflc Chrift before Matth. 10.32,
all the world, 35. To refift unto Heb. 12.4.
blood if God calls ns to it, ^6. To Matth. 5 .12;
rejoyce in tribulation for Chrifts blames i. 2.
fake, 37. To remember and Ihew Luke 22. ip.
forth the Lords death till his fecond CJ0h .20.30.3a
coming, by celebrating the Lordf )ActS3.23.
fupper, 38. To believe all the New SM-itk 1.1.
Ttftament, 39. To adde nothing to cLukeio.id^
S. Johns laft Book, that is, to pre- Revel. 22. if,
tend to no new revelations, 40. To
keep the cuftoms of the Church, her
feftivals and folemnities, left we be
reproved as the Corinthians were by
S. Paulf we have m fuch ctSoms net i Cor. ii. 16.
the Churches of Ood, 41. To contend Jude 3.
eanieftly for the faith. Not to be Rom .14 .13 .2'2
contentious in matters not concern-
ing the eternal intereft of our fouls j
but in matters indifferent to have Rom. 15. 17.
faith to our fclves, 42. Not to make Mat .23.8,9,10.
fchifms or drvifions in the body of i Pet. 5. 3.
the Church, 43. To call no man Ti John 4. i.
Mailer upon earth,but to acknowledge (_i Thef. i.21.
Chrift our Mafter, and law giver. 44. f i Cor. 9. 25.
not to domineer over the Lords heri- \Titus2, 2.
tage, 45 To try all things, and keep Matth. 16.24.
that which is beft, 46 To he tern- CCoIof 3. 5.
perate in'all things, 47. To deny our "^Rom.S. 13.
fdves, 48. To mortific our lufts and Luke 6. 34.
their inftruments, 49. To lend looking f Mark 13 .35.
fornothingagain,nothingbyway ofin- Matth. 24,42
creafe,nothing by way ofrecompence. ( & 25.1 3.
JoTowatch&ftandinreadinesagainft CMatth. 3 22.
the coming of the Lord, Si. Not to be "(.Ephef. 4.2^^,
angry
ago Chap .4. ThefpecklprecepSf&c. Sefl,8,
{I Cor. 10. angry without caufe ,52 .not at al tore,
Matth. 5-22, vile, 53. nottofwear, 54 not torefpect
Matth. 5. 34. perfons, 55. to lay hands fuddenlyon
James 2. i. no man [ This efpecially pertains to
J Tim. 5.*22. * Biihops. * To whom alio, and to all
a Tim. 4. 12. the Ecclefiaftical order i t is en joyned,
that they preach the word, that they
be inftantin fcafon, and out of feafon,
that they rebuke, reprove, exhort witli
Mllong fuffering and doctrine. 55. To
keep theLords day(derived into an oh-
ligation from a practife Apoftolical)
i Cor. 10. 31. 57. to do all things to the glory d
Natth. 5 .5. God, $8. to hunger and thirft after
Titus 3 .9. righteoufnefle and its rewards, 59. to
{Matth. 5.44. avoid foolilh queftions, 5o toprayfot
Rom .12.14. perfecuters, and to do good to them
that perfecute us, and defpitefullynfe
I Tim. 2 .1. us, dr.topray forallmen,52.tomain-
Titus 3.14. sain good works for necelfary ufes. dj,
Ephef. 4.28. to work with our own hands that we be
not burdenfome to others, avoiding
Matth. 5.48. idlenefie, 54 to be perfect as our hea-
Ci Pet. 3. 8. venly Father is perfect, 55. tobeli-
JaPet.i.d,?. beral and frugal j for he that willcall
,^2 Cor. 8.7. us to account for our time, will alfo for
^2 Cor. 9. 5. tliefpendingourmoney, 55 nottonfe
Ephef. 5-4. uncomely jeffings, 57. modefty, as
J Tim. 2. 9. oppofed to boldnefle, to curiofity, to
James 1 .9. undecency, 58. to be fwift to hear,
Philip.2. lo. flow to fpeak, 6p-. to worfhip the holy
QefusJ at the mention of his holy
name *, as of old God was at the men'
tion of f Jehovah.
Thefe are the ftreight lines of fcripture, by
which we may alfo meafure our obiiquities,
and difcovcr our crooked walking*, if thefck
roan
Cliap.4' fhepa^ife of charity, ((^c. Seft.j. m
man hath not done thefe things, or if behave
done contrary to any of them in any particular,
he hath caufe enough for his forrow,and matter
for his confefsion : of which he need no other
forms, but that he heartily deplore and plainly
enumerate his follies, as a man tells the fad
ftories of his own calamity.
SECT. IX.
Of the Jick^ mans fraSiife of chanty
and jufiice, by "ieay of rule.
I. T Et theJck manfet his hofein order be-
1—' jore he ate , Irare his cafes of confci- ca verba
ence, reconcile the Iraftures of his family, re- mors pro*
unite brethren, caufe right underftandings, peadmo-
and remove jealoufies j give good counfels
for the future conduift of their perfons, and ^e,
cftates, charm them into religion by the au- T3S voces
thority and advantages of a dying perfon: de-
becaufe the laft words of a dying man are like 'r""'
the tooth of a wounded Lion, making a deep-
er impreflion in the agony, then in the moft uswr-
vigorous ftrcngth. Lncret.
2. Let the fick man difcover every fecret
of art, or profit, phyfick, or advantage to
roankinde, if he may do it without the prejn-
dice .of a third perfon. Some perfons are fo
uncharitably envious that they are willing that
afecret receipt Ihould die with them, and be
huried in their grave j bke trcafure in the fe-
pulchre of David. But this which is a defigne
of charity muft therefore not be done to any
mans prejudice; and the Mafon of HmdoMs
the King of j®.gyptvv!Bo kept fecret his notice
of the Kings treafure, and when he was a dy-
jng
-532 Chap.4> The pnllife of ehuritji^ Scft.j,
ing told his fon, betrayed his trnft then when
he ftiould have kept it moft facredly forhis
own intereft. In all other cafes let thy chari.
ty out-lire thee, that thou miyeft rejoyce in
the manfion of reft, bccaufe by thy means ma-
ny living perfons are eafed or advantaged.
3. Let him make his will with peat juftlce
and piety, that is, that the right heirs be not
defrauded for collateral! refpects, fancies or
indirect fondneffes 5 but the inheritances de-
fcend in their legal! and due channel! i and in
thofe things where we have a liberty, thatwc
take the opportunity of doing vertuoully,
that is, of confidering how God may be bell
ferved by our donatives, or how the intereft of
any vertue may be promoted} in which we
arc principally to regard the necclTities of our
neereft kinred, and relatives, fervants and
friends.^
4. Let the Will or Tf.
yfitmew be made with inge-
Au'jiyrltM [" fd»_ nuity, opennefle, and plain
ift, expreffion,that he may not
lAi entail a law-fuit upon hit
uuh poftetity and relatives,and
Cyrus apud Xenoph. 1. 8. make them lofe their cha-
infttut. rity, or intangle their e-
ftates,or make them poorer
Vitic chap J, Seft.'I, by (he gift. He hath done
me no charity, but dies in ny
debt that maKesme fue fan
legacy.
5. It is proper for the eftate of fickneffe,
and an excellent aneaKng us to buriall, that
we give alms in this ftate, fo burying treafure
in our graves, that will not perifh but rife
again in the refurreilion of the juft- Let the
difpenfa-
I
Chap,4. tind juftke in ftckne^e S /
difpenfation of our alms be as little intruded
to our Executors as may be, excepting ti. Ujl-
ing and fucceffive pirtioru ; * bu c wi th our own
prefent care let us exercife the cha-
rity, and fecure the ftervardfiip. It
was a ciihome among the old
Greeks, to bury hoifes, clothes,
armes, and whatfoever was dear
to the deceafed perfon, fuppoling
they might need them, and that
without clothes they fhould be
found naked by their Judges; and
althe friends did nfe to bring gifts;
byfuch liberality thinking to pro-
mote the intereft of their dead.
But we may offer our : ?«?(!« our
felves heft of all; our doles and fu-
Detail meals if they be our own
early proviffons, will then fpend
the better ;& itis good fo to carry
our palling penny in our hand, and
by reaching that hand to the poor
make « friend in the everlafiing ha-
thmns. He that gives with his own hand lhall
befure to find it, and the poor fhall find it:
but he that trufts Executors with his charity,&
the Oeconomy and ilfoes of his vertue, by
which he muff enter into his hopes of heaven
& pardon,lhall find but an ill account,when his
®an thee hthoheth oft to hahe tljio in ininat ( ffntj wriu-eii
Pat thou giaeth mitl) thme I)ana,tl)atfljalt thoit anon a
forintaouje he flcfiribana tittiaren beth imSina? wall ih s,
wenitoto bcth cooetoits» 9ketpanthatthepfiita> Bdmnnds
Jit ail!? hoBp ask mhere tht ataas gooaa became church
I hey anlwer =„ trca-
SO ©oB me help 9 l^aliaamyhe Bit a a poof matt, hard-
Think on this fireet,
executors complain he died fooi.Tbink.on thif.
To
Lucicin deliftu,
' V id. reg. ^»paulo inf?
Herod t.-Vlufa.s.
Plin 1 .4. c. 11.
Xiphilin. in Seyero,
cil^c'Z Treuii
plfS-llKf
Scffta' /J" 4 "XP'
itpvu y.6^7%
Kicarclm.
Fall.i* liepe fides, te-
ftacaqne votapeii.
buriB;
Conftitnes tuaiulu:a
li iapis ipfetuu.Ti,
lif
L
J iJ.
I?9
Ig
■s, )l
cTA't t > A" 8 .'>^18^
m\
^1'
0
1
254 Chap.4. ThepraSife of charity Seft.j,
To this purpofe wife and pious was the couii'
Contra fell of i'a/wtin j 'Let a dying man who hatl,
avaiit am tfjQjfjjjjg which he may make an ef-
'fefiive oblation, offeriip to God of hisfub.
'fiance j Let him offer it with compunfiioi
' and tears, with grief and mourning, as know,
'ing that all our oblations have their value,
* not by the price, but by the aflcftion: aud
' it is our faith that commends the money,
' fince God receives the money by the hani
'of the poor, but at the fame time gives,anc
'does not take the bleffing; becaufe he re
'ceives nothing but his own, and man give:
' that which is none of his own, that, ofwhicl
' onely he is a fteward, and fhall be accouii!'
'able for every lliilling. Let it therefore be
' oftered humbly as a Creditor payes his debt:
'not magnifically as a Prince gives a donativq
' and let him remember that fuch doles do
* pay for the fin, but they eafe the piinifhmenii
' they are not proper inflruments of redeH'
'ption, butinftancesof fupplication, andai
' vantages of prayer; and when we have doit
' well remember that we have not payed fl
'debt, but fhowen our willingneffe to give
'little of the vaft fumweowe: and he th
' gives plentifully according to the meafuret
' his cftate, is ftill behind hand according
* the meafure of his fins; let him pray tow
' that this late oblation may be accepted, ai;
' fo it will, if it fails to him in a fea of ptt"
' tentiall tears or forrows, that it is fo lin^
•and that it is fo late.
6, Let the lick mans charity be foorafl
ed that it may not come onely to deck®
funerall and make up the pomp; charity w'i'
ing like one of the folemn mourners; butk®
Chap.4' tnd juftice in ficknejfe. Seft.p, 25$
be continued, thatbefide the alms of health
and ficknefle, there may be a rejoycing in
God for his charity, long after his funeralls,
foas to become more beneficial and lefle pub-
like-, that the poor may pray in private and
give God thanks many dayes together. This is
matter of prudence: and yet in this, we are
to obferve the fame regards which we had in
the charity and alms of our lives v with this
onely difference, that in the funerall alms al-
fo of rich and able perlons, the publike eu-
Homes of the Church are to be obferved, and
decencie and folemnity, and the expeflations
of the poor, and matter of publike opinion,
and the reputation cf religion j In all other
cafes, let thy charity eonfult with humility
and prudence, that it never minifters at all to
vanity i but be as full of advantage and ufeful-
jiefle as it may.
7. Every man will forgive a dying perfon,
and therefore let the fick man be ready and
fare if he can, to fend to fiich perfons whom
he hath injured, and beg their pardon and do
them rightFor in his cafe, he cannot hay 5,
for an opportunity of convenient and advan-
tageous reconcilement 5 he cannot then fpin /
outa treaty, nor beat down the price of com-
pofition, nor lay afnareto be quit from the
obligation and coercion of lawes j but he *
tnufi: aflc forgivenefie down-right, and make
liim amends as he can, being greedy of ma-
liing ufe of this opportunity of doing a du-
ty, that muft be done, but cannot any more,
if not now, untill times return again, and tels
the minuts backward , fo thatyefterday fhall
•to reckoned in the portions of the fu-
•ore.
«. In
23^ Ghap.4. The praSife of charity Seft.j,
8. In the hitervalls of fharper painS) when
the lick man amaffes together all the argn-
ments of comfort and teftinionies of Gods
Jove to him, and care of him, hemuft needs
find infinite matter of thankfgiving, andglo-
rificatioB of God: and it is a proper aft of
charity and love to God, and juftice too, that
he do honour to God on his death-bed feral!
the bleflings of his life, not onely in general!
communications, but thofe by which he hatii
been feparate and difcerned from others, or
fupported and blelled in his own perion:
5uch as aref In all my life time I never
broks a bone, I never fell into the hands ofnii-
bersnever into publike fbame, or into noyfm
difeafes: I have not begd my bread, nor ben
temptedby great and unequall fortunes: Godgm
me a good underftanding, good friends, or deli-
vered me in fuch a danger, and heard my prajeti
in fuch particular prejfu res of my Jpirit. J This
or the like enumeration and confequent afis
of thankfgiving are apt to produce love to
God, and confidence in the day of trial!for
he that* gave me bleffings in proportion to
the fiate and capacities of my life, I hope
alfo will do fo in proportion to the needs of
my ficknefle, and my death-bed. This we find
praftifedas a mofi: reafonable piece of piety
^ the wifefl: of the Heathens. So Antipatr
Tarfenfis gave God thanks for his profperoos
voyage into Greece; and Cyrus made a hand-
fom prayer upon the tops of the mountains,
when by a phantafme he was warned of hisap*
proaching death. Receive [ 0 God J my Fathit
thefe holy rites by which I put an end to man)
and great a fairs: and I give thee thanks forth
{ilefliall ftgnes and prophetic notices, wherth
Ctiap.4- attdjuflke in ficktiejfe. Sefl'.?.
thm haji ftgmfed to me whut I ought to do and
vkt 1 ought not: Iprefentalfo very great thanks
that I have perceived and acknorvledgedyour care of
m, and have never exalted my felf above my con'
iitim for any profperoHs accident. And Ipray that
ym rvill grant felicity to my vrife, my children,
md friends, and to me a death, fuch as my life
hath been. But that of Phtlagrius in Gregory
Htfianxen is euchariftical), but it relates more
efpecially to the bleffmgs and advantages
which are accidentally confequent to fickneflc.
I thank, thee 0 Father and maker of all thy chit-
ken, that thou art pleafedto blejfeandto fanblifie
as even againfi our mils, and by the outward man
prgeft the inward, and leadeft us through crojfe
rrayes to a blejfed ending, far reafons beft known
unto thee.'] However when we go from our
hofpitail and place of little interniediall reft in
our journey to heaven, it is fit that we give
thanks to the major domo for our entertain-
ment. When theie parts of religion arefinifh-
ed, according to each mans neceffity, there is
nothing remaining of perfonall duty to be
done alone, but that the fick man aft over
thefc vertacs, by the renewings of devotion,
and in the way of prayer; and that is to be
continued as long as life, and voice, and rc«-
/radwcllwith us.
237
SECT.
mi
agS Chap.4. thepuSifeof cbmty Seft.jo,
Pfal.i(5.
Sj&C,
Pfal.18
30,31
SECT. X.
.ABs of charitj by nay of prayer ani
ejaculation, which may ulfo be ufei
for thanksgiving, in cafe of recovery
OMy foul thou haft fald unto the Lord,
thou arc nrty Lord: my goodnqfie ex-
tendeth not to thee: But to the faints that
are in the earth, and to the excellent in whom
is all my delight. The Lord is the portion of
' my inheritance and of my cup,thoti maintain-
eft my lot.
As for God, his way is perfeft t the word
of the Lord is tried, he is a buckler to all thofe
that truft in him. For who is God favethe
Lord ? or who is a rock fave our God ? It is
. God that girdeth me with ftrength, and ma-
kethmy wayperfeft.
Be not thou far from me O Lord: O my
ftrength, hafte thee to help me.
Deliver ray foul from the fword, ray dar-
ling from the power of the dog, fave ine from
the lions mouth: and thou hafi heard me al-
fo from among the horns of the U nicorns.'
I will declare thy Name unto my brethren,
in the midft of the Congregation will I praifc
thee.
Ye that fear the Lord, praife the Lord ye
fons f of God J Glorifie him and fear before
hitn all ye fons f of men. For he hath not
defpifed nor abhorred the afHiftion of the af-
fiifted, neither hath he hid his face from him,
but
I
I
i
ifR'niiic^
Chap .4. and juflke in fickneffe. Seft.io. 25?
hut when he cryed unto him he heard. Pf .22 .i3t
As the hart panteth after the water brookSj
(0 longeth my foul after thee O God.
My foul thirfteth for God, for the living
God, when lhall 1 come and appear before the
Lord.
0 my God, my foul is caft down within me ;
all thy waves and billows are gone over me;
as with a fword in my bones I am reproached;
yetthe Lord will command his lovingkind-
nefle in the day time, and in the night his fong pfjj ^
fliall be with me, and my prayer unto the God
of my life.
Elelfe ye the Lord in the congregations,
even the Lord from the fountains of Ifrael:
My mouth fhall fhcw forth thy righteoufnclTe
and thy falvation all the day, for I know not ^6. Be
the numbers thereof. Pfal.?!.
1 will go in the ftrength of the Lord God,
I will make mention of thy righteoufnelfe,
even of thine onely. O God thou haft taught
me from my youth. And hitherto have I de-
dared thy wondrous works. But I will hope
continually, and will yet praife thee more Ffal.7i»
and more.
Thy righteoufnelfe, O God is very high,
who haft done great things. O God who is
like unto thee thou which haft fhewed me
great and fore troubles lhalt quicken me again,
and fhalt bring me up again from the depth of
the earth.
Thou fhalt encreafe thy goodneife towards
me, and comfort me on every fide.
My lips fhall greatly rejoyce when I ling
vinto thee. And my foul which thou haft re-
deemed. Blelfed be the Lord God, the God of
Ifrael, who only doth wondrous things. And
blelfed
'■I
■t
msm
Ghap
ever!
and I
cies,
founi
theai
kedo
perfo;
tiona
diftui
the C
thou§
Chrill
evil d
Chrift
fiK, ai
jivetr
tbrcti;
publik
the C
tpany
: ai
lerof rr
untE
240 Chap-4. The paBife ef charity Seft.io,
blefled be his glorious name for ever 4 and let
»lab72thc whole earth be filled with his glory,
Ainen.Amen.
i love the Lord, becaufe he hath heard my
i/oice, and my fupplication. The forrows of
death compaffed me, I found trouble and
forrow. Then called I uprn the na reof the
Lord, O Lord I befeech thee deliver my foul.
Pfal.iid Gracious is the Lord and righteous, yea our
God is merciful.
The Lord prcferveth the fimple, I was
brought low, and he helped me Return to
thy reft O my foul, the Lord hath dealt bou#-
ibid, tifully with thee. For thou haft delivered my
foul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my
feet from falling.
Precious in the fight of the Lord is the
death of his faints 4 O Lord, truly I am thy
tbid. fervant, I am thy fervant and the fon of thine
handmaid, thou (halt loofcmy bunds.
He that loveth not the Lord Jefus, let him
be accurfed.
O that I might love thee, as well as ever
any creature loved thee. He that dwelleth in
love dwelleth in God. There is no fear in
love.
The frajer.
OMoft Gracious and eternal God and
loving Father, who haft powred out
thy bowels upon us, and fcntthefonof thy
love unto us to die for love, and to make us
dwell in love,and the eternal comprehenfions
of thy divine mercies, O be pleafed to in-
flame my heart with a holy charity 4 towards
thee and all the world. Lord I forgive all that
ever
Ghap.4. tmdjufikein^ckne(fti. Seft.io.
erer have offended me and beg that both they
and I may enter into the poffeffion of thy met-
ties, and feel a gracious pardon from the fame
fountain of grace: and do thou forgive me all
theaffs of fcandall, whereby I have prove-
ktdor tempted, or Icflened, ordiflurbedany
perfon; Lord, let me never have my por-
tionamcngftthofe that divide the union, and
difturb the peace, and break the charities of
the Church, and Chriffian communion j And
though I am fallen into evil time«, in which
Chrilfendom is divided by the names of an
evil divifion, yet 1 am in charity with all
Chriftians, with all that love the Lord Je-
fns, and long for his coming: and I would
give my life to fave cftc foul of any of my bre-
thren; and I humbly beg of thee that the
publike calamity of the fcverall focieties of
the Church, may not be imputed to my foul,
tdany evil purpofes.
n.
LOrd prefervc me in the unity of the holy
Church, in the love of God, and of my
teighbours j let thy grace inlarge my heart to
leitiember, deeply to refent, faithfully to ufe,
fifely to improve, and humbly to give thanks
tu thee for all thy favours, with which thou
htft enriched my foul, andfupported my e-
t'te, and preferved my petfon, and refcued
He from danger, and invited me to goodnefle
jiialithe dayes and periods of my life. Thou
led me thorow it with an excellent con-
: and 1 have gone affray after the man-
)fmen; but my heart is towards thee. O
unto thy fervant as thou ufeft to do unto
M thofc
245 Chap.S. Of vifitationof fick^erfons. Sea.i.ii
thofethat love thy Name: let thy truth com.
fort me, thy mercy deliver me, thyftaffefup.
port me, thy grace fanflifie my forrow, and
thygoodnefle pardon all my fins: thy Angels
guide mewithlafety inthisfhadowof death,
and thy moft holy Spirit lead me into the land
of righteonfneffe, for thy Names fake which is
fo comfortable, and for jefus Chrift his fake,
our Deareft Lord and moft Gracious Savionr.
Amen.
CHAP. V.
Of vifitation of the lick:
the affiftancethatistobedone
to dying perfons, by the mini'
ftery of their Clergy Guides.
SECT. I.
God who hath made no new Cort.
nant with dying perfons diftinS
from the Covenant of the livil
hath alfo appointed nodiftinftS'
craments for them, no other mai;
nerof ufages, but fuch as are common to»
the fpirituall neceffities of living and heal
from
, very ^
rants
nally
wifeh
lyGl
upon
minifi
sin tec
in cer
mr fa.
dinati
&k, i
puted
ourlif
ains el
winifti
oi)rne(
cannot
Holy 1
'I thi
jet)
the Mil
hyhis
and tui
!. If'
(din t'
the He
fpeci,
porpofc
ten ar
that m
and dri
drefle (
thatfla
teach it
Cott
livinji
nftS"-
ern®
II to
heal'';
ft.'
.•*«■*» «■*».« »-s «-tf w ^.« V Of
Chap.5. Ofvifitatm of {ick.perfons. Seft.T. 243
full perfoHS. In all the dayes of our religion,
from our baptifme to the refignation and deli-
very of our foul, God hath appointed his fer-
rants to minifter to the necefTities, and eter-
nally to bleffe, and prudently to guide, and
wifely to judge concerning fouls and the Ho-
ly Ghoft that anointing from above, defcends
upon us in feverall effluxes, but ever by the
minifteries of the Church. Our heads ate m-
einted with thatfacred unftion Baptifme ( not
ill ceremony, but inreall and proper efteft )
mr foreheads in confirmation, our hands in or-
dinations all our fgifes in the vifiration of the
Sck, and all by the miniftery of efpecially de-
putedand inftrufted perfons; and we who all
our life time derive bleffings from the fount-
ainsof grace, by the channels of Ecclefiaftical
minifteries, muff do it then efpecially, when
oat needs are moft pungent and aftuall. i. Wc
cannot give up our names to Chriff, but the
Holy man that minifters in rcligiommuften-
toll them and prcfent the perfons, and con-
igne the grace: when we beg for Gods Spirit,
tkeMinifter canbeft prcfent our prayers, and
liyhis advocation hallow our private dt (ires,
and turn them into publike and potent offices,
a. If we defire to be effablifhed and confirm-
cdin the grace and religion of our Baptifme,
tlic Holy man, whofe hands were anointed by
1 fpeciall ordination to that and its fymbolieal
pnrpofes, layes his hands upon the Catechu-
dilfi"' men and the anointing from above defcends by
that miniftery. 3. If we would eat the body
'od drink the blood of our Lord, we muff ad-
Jteffe our felves to the Lords Table, and he
that ftands there to bleffe and to minifter, can.
teach it forth, and feed thy foul y and without
M 2 his
1 si44 Chap. 5. Of vifitatka of fick.perp}ns. Sefi
his tniniftcry thou canft not be noiirifhed with
that heavenly feaft, not thy body configned
to immortality, nor thy foul refrefhed with
the Sacramentall bread from heaven, except
by fpirituall fuppktories, in cafes of necefTi.
ty and an impoffiblc communion- 4. If we
have committed fins, the fpirituall man hap,
pointed to reftore us, and to pray for us, and
to receive our confcffions, and to enquire into
our wounds, and to infufe oil and remedy,
and to pronounce pardon. J. If we be cut
ofl" from the communion of the faithful! by
our own demerits, their holy hands muft re-
concile us, and give us peace they are our
appointed comforters, our inftrufters, our or-
dinary Judges ; and in the whole: what the
children of Ifrael bcg'd of Mofes , that W
Exod. would no more (peak_to them alone, bmbyhisf-
30.1 p. yunt Mofes, left they Ihould be confumed
God in compliance with our infirmities hat!
of his own goodnefle eftabliftied as a pctpe-
tuall law in all ages of Chriftiani ty *, that Gcd
will fpeak to us by his Minijiers, and our fo-
Jcmn prayers fhall be made to him by tha
advocation, and his bleffings defcend from
heaven by their hands, and our offices return
thirherby their prefidencies, and our repent'
ancefliall be managed by tiem, and our par-
don in many degrees miniftred by them ; God
comforts us by their Sermons, and reproves ns
by their Difcipline, and cuts off fome by their
ft verity, and reconciles others by their gen-
tleneffe, and relieves us by their prayers, and
inftrufts us by their difcourfes, and heals out
ficknelfes by their intcrceffion, prefented to
God and united to Chrifts advocation ; and in
ail tiiis, they are no caufes, but fervms of 1^'
Chap.5. the wanner of vijitatm,<fy'c. Se&.2. 24<'
mil of God, inftruments of the Divine Grace
and order, flerrards and difpenfers of the my ft e-
ties, and appointed to our fouls to ferve and
lead, and to help in all accidents, dangers,and
neceflities.
And they who received us in our baptifme,
arealfo tocary us to our grave,and to take care
that our end be as our life was, or fhould have
ken; and therefore, iris
eftabliftied as an Apoftoti- i'"'r-j-
cal rule Is any man fscf a- % nXiti-dm^ e ura;. Ac-
moiyou, let him fend f$r the I'b- 8.
Elders of the Church, and let thempray over him, Jam.?,
iyc. The fum of the duties and offices refpe- 14.
flively implied in thefe words is in the follow-
iiig rules.
SECT. II.
Rules for the manner of vifitathns of
fick. perfons.
I. T Et the Minifter of religion be fenc
to, not onely againftthe agony of
teh, hut he advifedwichintliewholccon-
M of the ficknelTe; for in ficknefte indefi-
"itely, ai^ therefore in every ftcknejfe, and
therefore in fuch which are not mortall, which
end in health, which have no agony, or final!
temptations, S. James gives the advife: and
the fick man being bound to require them, is
'Ifo tied to do it, when he can know them,
'ltd his own necefllty. It is a very great evil
hath in the matter of prudence and piety,
that they fear the Prieft as they fear the Em-
halmer, or the Sextons fpade; and love not
toconverfe with him, unleflehecan converfe
M S with .j
m
Chap.S. The manner of vjjiut'm Seft .2,
with no man elfe; and think his office fo
much to relate to the other world, that he is
not to be treated with, while we hope to live
in this j and indeed that our religion be taken
careo^ onely when we die j and the event is
this, (of which I have feen fome fad experi-
ence) that the man is deadly fick, and his
reafon is ufeleife, and he is laid to feep, and
his life is in the confines of the grave, fo that
he can do nothing towards the trimming of
his lamp j and the Curate fhall fay a few pray
ersby him, and talk to a dead man, and the
man is not in a condition to be helped; but
inacondition to need it hugely. He cannot
be called upon to confeffe his fins; and he
is not able to remember them, and he cannot
underhand an advice,nor hear a free difcourfe,
nor be altered from a paflion, hot cured of
his fear, nor comforted upon any grounds
of reafon or religion, and no man can tell
what is likely robe his fatei or if he does,
he cannot prophecie good things concerniiij
him, but evif; Let the fpiritual man ccine
when the lick man can be converfcd withall,
and inftrufted; when he can take medicine
and amend; when he underffands, or can he
taught to nnderffand the cafe of his foul, and
the rules of his confcience; and then his ad-
vice may turn into advantage; It cannot o-
therwife be ufcful.
The entercourfes of the Minifterwitli
the fick man have fo much variety in them,
that they are not to be tranfaff ed at once: and
therefore they do not well that fend once to
fee the good man with forrow, and hear him
pray, and thank him and difmiffe him civillyi
and defire to fee his face no more; To dreft ^
nam
chap?. of lick.perfons. Sed.2. 247
foul for funeral is not a work to be difpatchcd
at one meeting : At once he needs a comfort,
and anon fomething to make him willing to
die; and by and by he is tempted to impati-
cnce, and that needs a fpecial cure, and it is
a great work to make his confeffions well, and
vrith advantages", and it may be the man is
carelefle and indifferent, and then he needs
tounderftand the evil of his fin, and the dan-
ger of his perfon ; a*d his cafes of confci-
ence may be fo many and fo intricate, that
he is not quickly to be reduced to peaceand
one time the holy man muft pray, and an-
other time he muft exhort j a third time ad-
niinifter the holy Sacrament ; and he that
ought te watch all the periods and little por-
tions of his life, left he fhould be fuprized
and overcome, had need be watched when he
isfickjandaffifted, and called upon, and re-
minded of the feveral parts of his duty, in
every inftant of his temptation. This article
was well provided for among the Eafterlings j
for the Priefts in their vifitations of a fick per-
fon did abide in their attendance and mini-
ftery for feven dayes together. The want of
this makes the vifitations fruitleffe and the
calling of the Clergy contemptible, while it
is not fuffered to imprint its proper cffefts
upon them that need it in a lafting mini-
ftery.
3. S.yamet advifes that when a man is fick
he (hould fend for the elders: one fick man ,4,
for many Prelbytersj and fodid theEaftern Gabael
Churches, they fent for feven: and like a col- V'*'™'*
lege of Phyfitians they miniftred fpiritual
remedies, and fent up prayers like a quire of
fjnging Clerks. In cities they might do fo,
M 4 while
248 Cliap.5* "themmtTof vtfuatm Seft2
while the Chriftians were few and the Priefts
many. But when they that dwelt in the
or villages ceafed to be Pagans, and were
baptized, it grew to be an impoffible felicity,
nnlefie in few cafes, and toibme morecmi-
nent perfons; but becaufe they need it moll,
God hath taken care chat they may heft have
it i and they that can, are not very prudent, if
they negled it.
4. Whether they bemanyor few thatare
fent to the fick perlon, let the Curate of his
Parifh or his own Confeffor be aniongfl them
»hat is, let him not be wholly advifed by
ftrangers who know not his parc-cular neceflV
tiesi but he that is the ordinary Judge, can-
not fafely be pafled by in his extraordinary
neceffity, which info great portions depends
upon his whole life part; and it is a matter
of fufpicion when we decline his judgement
that knowes usbeff,and with whom we for-
merly did converfe,either by choice or by law,
by private eleftion or publike conftitiition.
It concerns us then to make fevere and pro-
fitable judgements, and not to confpire againft
our felves, or procure fuch affiftances which
may handle us foftly,or comply with our weak"
nelTes more then relieve our neceflities.
5- When the Minifters of religion are
come; firft let them do their ordinary offices,
that is, pray for grace to the fick man, for pa-
tience, for refignation, for health (if it fcems
good to God In order to his great ends.) For
that is one of the ends of the advice of the
ApofJle; and therefore theminifferistobe
fentfor, not while the cafe is defperate, but
before the ficknefle iscomctoitscrijfrorpe-
riod.) Let him difcourfc concerning the caufes
of
mmsmsmmmmmmmwm
' M
Chap.5. of ftckperfons. Sed:.2. 24?
of ficknefie,and by a general infttument move
him to confidcr concerning his condition. Let
him call upon him to fet his foul in order, to
trim his lamp, to dreffe his foul, to renew afts
of grace by way of prayer, to make amends in
all the evils he hath done, and to fnpply all
thedefcftsof duty, as much as hispaff con-
dition requires, and his prefent can admit.
6, According as the condition of the ficknefs,
or the weaknefle of the man is obferved, fo the
exhortation is to be lefs and the prayers more*
becaufe the life of the man was his main pre-
paratory, and therefore if his condition be full
of pain and infirmity, the fhoftnefle and fmall
number of his own afts is tobefupplied by
the afl of the Miriillers and ftanders by j who
are in fuch cafes to fpeak more to God for him,
then to talk to him. For the prayer of the
righteous when icis fervent hatha pronnifeto
prevail much in behalf of thefick perfon. But 5-,
exhortations muft prevail with'their own pro-
per weight, not by the pafsion of the Speaker.
But yet this afsiftance by way of prayers is not
to be done by long ofiices, but hy frequent, ^
md. fervent, zMholy; in which ofiices, if the .
fek man joyns, let them be fhort and apt to ^
comply with his little ftrength, and great in-
firniities", if they be faidinhis behalf with-
out his conjunftion, they that pray maypru-
dently ufe their own liberty, and take no mea-
fures, but their own devotions and opportu-
nities and the fiek mans neceflities.
When he hath nwde this general addrefie
and preparatory entrance to the work of ma-
ny dayes arid periods, he may defcend to par-
titulars by the following inftEunuents and di-
fcourfes.
MS SECT,
HBiiiiiiililiiliiHlil
Chap.5. Of mimfirmgattbeftckmm SeS.^.
SECT. nr.
of miniftring in the Jick^ mans con'
fejfion of fins and repentance.
THe firft neceflity that is to be fervedh
that of repentance, in which the Mi-
Bifters can in no way ferve him but by firft
exhorting him to Cfln/ej/jono/ his fins, and de-
claration of the ftate of his foul. For unlefle
they know the manner of his life, and the
degrees of his reftitution, either they can do
nothing at all, or nothing of advantage, and
certainty: His difcourfes like Jonathans arrows,
may Ihoot Ihort, or fhoot over, but not wound
where they Ihould, nor open thofe humours
that need a lancet or a cautery. To this pur-
,pofc the fick man may be reminded.
Arztsntents and exhortations to mve
o
the fckjnan to confejfien of fns.
ProT.sS That God hath madeafpecialpromife
J John confeffioQ of fins. He that confefeth his fm
i,g. And forfaketh them fiidl have mercy; and if m
confefe our fins, God is righteous to forgive us wr
fins, and to cletmfe us from all unrighteoufrnft.
*That confefsion of fins is a proper aft and
S- introduftion to repentance. * That when the
Jews being warned by the fermons of theBi-
• ptift repented of their fins, they confcffed
Watch. fufception of Baptifni.
gi. , * That the converts in the daycs of the Apo-
files
chap,J. confejjionof fim. Seft.?. 251
ftles returning to Chriftianity inftantly de-
dared their faith, and their repentance, by •
confefsion znd declaratm of their deeds which
they then renounced, abjured, and confelTed
to the Apoftles. * That confefsion is an aft
of many vertues together. * It is the gate of V
repentance, * an inftrument of lhame and
conderanation of our fins, * a gkrification «/ ©'
Cod, fo called by Jojhmh particularly in the *
cafe of Achm , * an acknowledgement that „ ,
God is juft in punifhing j for by confefsing
of our fins, we alfo confeffe his juftice, and
are alfeflbrs with God in this condemna-
tlon of our felves. * That byfuch an aft of
jadging our felves we efcape the more angry j
judgement of God. S.Piul exprefly exhort- jj
ing us toit upon that very inducement. * That jj
confefsion of fins is fo neceflary aduty, that
in all Scriptures it is the immediate preface
to pardon, and the certain confequent of godly
fomrv, and an integral or conftituent part of
that grace, which together mth faith, makes
up the whole duty of the Gofpel. * That in 12^
all ages of the Gofpel, it hath been taught
and praftifed refpeftively, that all the peni-
tent made confefsions proportionable to their
repentance, that is, publike or private, gene-
ral or particular. * That God by teftimonies j _
from heaven, that is, by his word, and by a ''
confequent rare peace of confcience hath gi-
ten approbation to this holy duty. That by 14,
this inftrument thofewhofe office itis to apply
remedies to every fpiritual ficknefie, can beft
perform their offices, * that it is by all
Churches efteemed a duty neceflary to be
done in cafes of a troubled confcience. * That
whatisnecel&ry to be done in one cafe, and
M 6 con-
mtm
3$2
17.
i8.
19.
ao.
si
Chap.i. Ofmmftr7ngatthtftck.mans Seft.g-
convenient in all cafes is fit to be done by all
perfons. *Thac without confeffion it cannot
eafily be judged concerning thefick perfon
whether his confcience ought to be troubled
or no, and therefore it cannot be certain that
it is not ncceflary. * That there can be no rea-
fon againft it but fuch as confulcs with flcfh
and blood, with infirmity and fin, to all which
confeflion of fins is a direft enemy. ^That
now is that time when all the itnpeffeftions of
his repentance and all the breaches of his duty
are to be made up,and that if he omits this op-
portunity, he can never be admitted to a falu-
tary and medicinal confeflion. * That ?.Jmes
gives an exprelle precept, that we ChrifliatiS
fliould confeffe our fins to each other, that-is,
Chrifiian to Chriftian, brother to brother, the
people to their Minifter, and then he makes a
fpecification of that duty which a fick man is
to do when he hath fent for the elders of the
Church. * That in all this there is no force,
lies upon him, but if he hides his fins he fiiell
not be direiied, ( fofaid the Wife man) but ere
long he muft appear before the great Judge of
men and Angels; and his
Spirit will be more amazed
and confounded to be feen
among the Angels of light
with the fliadowes of the
works of darkneffe upon
him, then he canfufferby
confefsing to God in the
prefenceof him whom God
hath fent to heal him. How-
Si tacueritqtiispcrcufliiseft 8c
noncgerit pcsnitemiaiTi) nec
vulnHstuUiT) fratri & magiftro
voluerit confittrijraagifter qui
liniuam hahet ad cmran-.ium
£iC!leei prode^enon poteriu
Si enim erubefcat sgrotus vh I -
ausmedicoconfiiteri, quodig
norat medicina npn curat S.
Himm. ad caput lo. Ecclef.
Si enim hoe fecerimus & reve.
laverimtis peccatianoHra, non
foluBi Deo, fed 8c his qui pofftint mederi vulneribiis noftris atq;
pecutis, dtlebumurpeceatanoflra, Oogen horn, i^.hi Lucnm.
ever
> 1!*3G
Chap.5. mfejjion of fins. Seft.?. 25?
ever, it is better to be afhamed here, then to a plant,
be confounded hereafter.* pol pudereprsifiat riinnm#
jMtn pjgere, midem Uteris. ''' That confeffion j
being in order to pardon of fins, it is rery ^ ^
proper and analogical to the nature of the cile'&^'
thing, that it be made there where the par- promma
don of fins is to be adniinifired; and that, eftfiipe.
of pardon of fins God hath made the Minifter
the publilher and difpenfer; and all this is
befides the accidental advantages wich accrue simorca-
to the confcience ■, which is made afhamed, ii« idem_
and timorous, and reftrained by the mortifi- n«mo'a-
cations and blufhingsof difcovering to a man
the faults committed in fecret. * That the
Minifters of the Gofpel are the Minifiers of
recandliation, are commanded to reftore fuch
ptifons as are overtaken in a fault , and to that
purpofe, they come to ofier their Miniftery,
if they may nave cognizance of the fault and
perfon. * That in the matter of prudenceit is
not fafe to truft a mans felf in the final condi-
tion and laft fecurity of a mans foul, a man
being no good judge in his own cafe. And
when a duty is fo ufeful in all cafes, fonecef-
fary in feme, and encouraged by promifes E-
vangelical, by Scripture precedents, by the
example of both Teflaments j and prefiribed
byinjunftions Apoftolical and by the Canon
of all Churches, and the example of all -gcs,
and taught us even by, the proportions of
dutie, and the Analogic to the power Mi-
nifterial,and the very neccflitiesof every man j
he that for ftnbbornnefle or finrul 11/ame-
fac'dneffe, or prejudice, or any other criminal
WeaknclTe fhall decline to,do it in the dayes of
his danger, when the vanities of the world are
worn off, and all aftedion to fm are wearied,
and
24.
4
if.
yggaamm
5S4 ChaP'S* Ofmimflmiatthefick.i<&'c, Seft.j,
and the fin it felf is pungent and
grierous, and that we are certain we
«2u! homo culpam fiial not efcape (hame for them here-
aftctjunlefle we be afhamed of them
xus dt cscR pflrvi • ^
pretij quin pude- "cre, and ufe all the proper inftni.
at.quinpurgetfefe ments of their pardon i this man 1
Flout. Aulul. fay is very neer death, burvery fir
off from the kingdom of heaven.
2. The fpirituall man will find in the con
dudt of this duty, many cafes and variety of
accidents, which will alter his courfe and
forms of proceedings, i. Moft men are of
a rude indiferency, apt to'excufe themfelver,
ignorant of their condition, abufed by evil
principles, content with a generall and inde-
finite confefTion, and if you provoke them to
Verum it by the foregoing confiderations, left their
ampledli 'P'rits fhould be a little nneafie, or not fecu-
turuno I'd in their own opinions, will be apt to fay,
Hoc a- they are ftnners., as every man hath his infirmi^,
mat, hi>c i]g Iff ffigii Iff uny . gyt God be thanked,
matroi bear no ill will to any man^ or are no adulterers,
na 11 nuia"" rebels, or they have fought on the right ftky
lam ego and God be mercifull to them for they are fnners.
taogo. But you fhall hardly open their breft further)
Hor.Ser, [ q enquire beyond this, would be to do
office of an accufer.
But which is yet worfe > there are very
many perfons, who have been fo ufed to an
habitual! courfe of a conffant intemperance)
or diffolution in any other inffance, that he
crime is made naturall and neceffary, and the
confcience hath digcfted all the trouble, and
the man thinks himfelf in a good efface, and
never reckons any fins, but thofe which are
the egreflioHS and paflings beyond his ordina-
ry and daily drunkenneffe. This happens in
the
Chap.5* Means ef Mcakfn'mga Seft.j*
the cafes of drunkennefle, and intemperate
eating, and idleneffej and uncharitablenefle,
and in lying and vain jeftings, and particular-
Ij in fuch evils which the lawcs do not punilh,
and publike cuftoms do not fliame, but which
are contenanced by potent linnets, or evil cu-
ftoras, or good nature > and miftaken civi-
lities.
ass
Injiruments- by yvaj of confideration^tt
avpakena care/ejfe perforsy and a
fiupid confcience.
JN thefe and the like cafes, the fpirituall man
tnuft awaken the Lethargy, and prick the
confcience byreprefenting tohim. i. *That
Chriftianity is'a holy and a ftrift religion.
2. ^ That many are called but few are cho-
fen. * That the number of them that are to
be faved are but very few in refpcft of thofe
that are to defcend into forrow and everlaft-
ing darkneffe. * That we have covenanted
with God in baptifme, to live a holy life.
* That the meafures of holinefle in Chriftian
religion are not to be taken by the evil pro-
portions of the multitude, and common fame
of loofer and lelfe fevere perfons, becaiife
ihe imltitude is that which does net enter into
heaven, but the few, the elelf , the holy fer-
vants of ]efus. * That every habituall fin
does amount to a very great guilt in the
whole, though it be but in a fmall inftance.
* That if the righteous fcarcely be faved,
then
if
pw
maiSR
5^
I
n
Cfwp.s, Meant »f dwakenkia Seflj
then there will be no place for the righteous
and the finner to appear in, but places of her-
rot and amazement. * That confidence hath
deftrojed many fouls, and many have had
a fad portion who have reckoned themfelvcs
in the Calendar of Saints. * That the pronii-
fes of heaven are fo great, that it is notrea-
fonabie to think that every man, and every
life, and an eafie religion fliall pofleffe fnch
infinite glories. * That although heaven is a
gift, yet there is a great feverity and ftrift
exaftingof the conditions on our part tore-
ceive that gift. * Thatfome perfons who have
lived ftriftiy for 40. years together, yet have
mlfcarried by fome one crime at laft, or fome
fecret hypocrifie, or a latent pride, or a cree-
ping ambition, or a phantaftic fpirit j and
therefore much lefTe can they hope to receive
fo great portions of felicities, when their life
hath been a continuall declination from thofe
feverities which might have created confi-
dence of pardon and acceptation, through
the mercies of God and the merits of Jefus.
* That every good man ought to be fufpici-
ous of himfelf, and in his judgement con-
cerning his own condition to fear the worft,
that he may provide for the better. * That
we are commanded to work out our falvati-
on with fearSt trembling. * That this precept
was given with very great reafon, confidering
the thoufand thoufand wayesof mifcarrying.
™m.dk * ThatS. Paul himfelf, and S.Arfenius, and
aj-.iepc E.lxearms, and divers other remarkable
Saints had at fome, tim« great apprehenfions
of the dangers of failing of the mighty price
ef their high calling. * That the ftake that
is to be fecured is of fo great an interelf,
that
iiiiiiii
wmrnmrnmrnrnmsmm
" ^
Cbap.S. ttfleepingconfcknce. Scft.3.
that all our induftry, and all the violences we
Can fuffer in the proiecution of it are not con-
fiderable, * That this affair is to be done but
once, and then never any more unto eternal
ages. * That they who profefie themfelves
fervants of the inftitution and fervants of the
law and difciplincof Jefus wi!lfind,thatthey
niuft ]udge themfelves by the proportions of
that law by which they were to rule them-
felves. * That the laws of fociety and civility,
and the voices of my company are as \\\judges
as they arc ; but we are to ftand or fall
by his fentente, who will not conlidtr or value
the talk of idle nten, or the peifuafion of wil-
fully abufed confciences y but of him, who
hath felt our infirmity in all things, but fm, and
knowes where our failings are unavoidable,
and where and in what degree they are ex-
cufable j but never will endure a fin fhould
feize upon any part of our love , and delibe-
ratechoice, or carelefle cohabitation. ' That
if our mfcience accufe us mt, yet are we rtot here- i John
hjuSijied, for God is greater then our mfdences. 3.20.
"■fhat rhey who are moft innocent have their i Cor.
confciences moft tender and fenfible. * That 4.4.
fcrupulous perfons arc alwayes moft religious,
and chat to feel nothing, is not a figne^ of life
but of death. * That nothing can be hid from
the eyes of the Lord,to whom the day and the
»ight,publike and private,words and thoughts,
aftions and defignes are equally difcernable.
* That a lukewarme perfon is onely fe-
cared in his own thoughts, but very un-
fafe in the event, and defpifed by God.
* That we live in an Age in which that
which is called and efteemed a holy life-,
in the dayes of the Apoftlcs and holy
primi-
258 Chap,5.' JHeansof AWikening Sefl .j,
primitives would have been efteenied indiffi-
rent, fomet'mes fcanddm , and alwayes all
That what was a truth of God then,is fo now;
and to what feverities they were tyed, for the
fame alfo we are to be accountableand hea-
ven is not now an eafier pnrchafe then it was
then. ^ That if he will caft up his accounts,
even withafoperficialeye, Let him confidcr
how few good works he hath done, how in-
confiderable is the relief which he gave to
the poor, how little are the extraordinaries
of his religion, and how unaftive and larae,
how polluted and difordered, how unchofen
and unpleafant were the ordinary parts and
periods of it.' and how many and great fins
have ftained his courfe of life, and until ht
enters into a particular fcrutinic, let him only
revolve in his minde what his general rouifc
hthbcen", and in the way of prudence, let
him fay, whether it was laudable and holy, ot
onely indiflerent and excufable j and if he can
think it onely excufable-, and fo as to hope for
pardon by fuch fuppletories of faith, and arts
of perfuafion, which he and others nfe to
take in, for auxiliaries to their unrealonable
confidence, then he cannot but think it very
lUi mon fit; i;hat he fearch into his own ftate, and take
'"'j a Guide, and ereft a tribunal, or appear be-
notus ni- fofc that which Chrift hath erefted for him on
irisom. earth, that he may make his accefle fairer
mbus ig- when he fhall be called before the dreadfoll
niorimr Chrift in the clouds. For if be
can be confident upon the ftock of an ««-
praifed, or a bofer life, and ftiould dare to veif
ture upon wilde accounts, without order,
without abatements, without confideration,
without conduct, without fear, without fcruti-
aies
chap. 5. ejleeping confcience. Scft.?.
nies and confefsions, and inftruments of a-
mends or pardon, he either knows not hh
danger, or cares not for it i and little under-
hands how great a horrour that is, that a man
Ihould reft his head for ever upon a cradle of
flames, and lye in a bed of forrows, and never
lleep, and never end his groans, or the gnafh-
ing of his teeth.
This is that which fome fpiritual perfons
call a wakening the ftnner by the terrours of the
kw, which is a good analogic or Tropical ex-
prefsion to reprefent the threatnings of the
Gofpel, and the dangers of an incurious and a
finning perfon: but we have nothing elfe to
do with the terrours of the law, for, hieffedbe
God, they concern us not j the terrours of the
law were the intermination of curfes upon all
thofe that ever broke any of theleaft Com-
mandetnents; once,or in any inSance : And to it
tberighteoufnefe of faith is oppofed: the terrors ,||
(/ the law admitted no repentance,nopardon,
no abatement s and were fo fevere, that God
never inflitfted them at all according to the
letter, becaufe he admitted all to repentance,
that defired it with a timely prayer, unlefTe in
Very few cafes, as ofMcftan. or Corah, the gathe-
m of flicks upon the Sabbath-day, or the
like: but the flate of threatnings in the Go-
fpel is very fearful, becaufe the conditions of
avoiding them are eafie and ready, and they
happen to evil perfons after many warnings,
fecond thoughts, frequent invitations to par-
don and repentance, and after one entire par-
don configned in Baptifm: and in this fenfe
it is neceffary that fuch perfons as we now deal i e m
withall Ihould beinftrufted concerning their if!If
danger.
4. When
M
ffj
i6o Chap. 5. Of mimiiriniittheftckmins Seft.^i
4. when thefick man is either of himfeif,
or by tbefe confidcrations fee forward with
purpofes of repentance, and confefsion of his
fins in order to all its holy purpofes, andef-
fefls, then the Minifler is toafsift him in the
underftanding the number of his fins, that is,
the feveral kinds of them,and the various man-
ners of prevaricating the divine command-
mentsfor as for the number of the parti-
culars in every kinde, he wi.ll need lelfe help;
and if he did, hecan have it no where but in
his own confcience, and from the witnefles of
his converfation : Let this he done by prudent
infinuation,by arts of remembrance,and feciet
notices,and propounding occafions arid inflru-
ments of recalling fuch things tohisminde,
which either by publike fame he isaccufedof,
or by the temptations of his condition it is
likely he might have contrafied.
5. If thep. rfon be truly penitent and for-
ward to confefTe all that are fet before him
or offered to his fight at a half face, then he
may be complyed wirhall in all his inno-
cent circumflances, and bis confcience made
placid and willing, and he be drawn forward
by good nature and civilitie, that his repen-
tance in all the parts of it, and in every Hep
of its progrefle and emanation, may be as
voluntary and chofen as it can. For by that
mcaps if^ the fick perfon can be invited to do
the work of religion, it enters by the door of
his will and choice, and will paffe on to-
ward confummation, by the inftrument of
delight.
€. If the fick man be backward and with-
out apprehenfion of the good natur'd and
civil way j let the Miniftcr uke care that
by
Chap.5» mfefion of fins. Scft.g" zdj
by fome way or other the work of God befe-
cored j and if he will not underftand, when
be is ferretly prompted, he mnft be hollowed
to, and afked in plain interrogatives concern-
ingthe crime of his life. He muft be told of
theevil things that are fpnken of him in mar-
kets and exchanges, the proper temptations
and accuflomed evils of his calling and con-
dition, of the anions of fcandal, and in all
thofc aflions which were publike, or of which
any notice is come abroad, let care betaken
that the right lide of the cafe of confcience
be turned toward him", and theerrourtruly
reprefenred to him, by which he was abufed j
as the injuflice of his contrafls, his oppreflive
bargains,his rapine & violenceand if he hath
perfwaded himfelf to think well of a fcanda-
lous aftion, let him be inftrufted and adver-
tifed of his folly and his danger.
7. And this advice concerns the Minifler
of religion to follow without partialitie or
fear, or interefl; in much fimplicity and
prudence, and hearty fincerity *, having no
other confideration, but that the intereft of
the mans foul be preferved, and no caution
ufed, but that the matter be reprefented with
jufl circumftances, and civilities fitted to the
perfon with prefaces of honour and regard j
but fo that nothing of theduty be diminilhed
by it, that the introduftion do not fpoil the
fermon.and both together mine two fouls [" of
!hefpeal(er and the beam.'] For it may foon be
confideredjif the fick man be a poor or an in-
different perfon in fecular account, yet his foul
is equally dear to God, and was redeemed
with the fame hi ghefl price, and therfore to be
highly regarded ; and there is no temptation,
but
a62 Chap.5. of mmMng at the fick mans Seft.?,
but that the fpirituall man may fpeak freely
without the allayes of intereft, or fear, or mi-
ftaken civilities j but if the fick man be j
Prince, or a perfon of eminence or wealth
let it be remetnbred it is an ill expreffionof
reverence to his authority j or of regard to his
perfon, to let him perilh for the want of an
honeft, and juft, and a free homily.
Let the fick man in the fcrutiny of his
confcience and confeffion of his fins, be care-
fully reminded to confider thofe fins which
are onely condemned in the court of confcience,
and no where elfe. For there are certain fe-
crecies and retirments, places of darkneffe,
and artificiall veils, with which the Devil ufcs
to hide our fins from us, and to incorporate
them into our afleftions by a conliant unin.
terrupted praftife, before they be prejudiced
i, or difcovered. i." There are many fins
which have reputation and are accounted ho-
nour, as fighting a duel, anfmring a blow with
a blow, carrying armies into a neighbour comtrey,
robbing with a navy, violently feizing upon a king-
2a dom. z. Others are permitted by law; as
VJury in all countreys; and bccaufe every
excefleof itisa certain fin, the permiflion of
fo fufpefted a matter makes it ready for us,
and inftrufts the temptation. 9. Some things
are not forbidden by lawes, as lying in ordi-
nary difcourfe , jeering, fcoffing, intemperate
eating, ingratitude, felling too dear, circumvent-
ing another in contrails, importunate intreaties, and
temptation of perfons to many inHances of fin, pride,
f. and ambition. 4. Some others do not reckon
the fin againff God> if the lawes have feized
upon the perfon; and many that are imprifo-
■ ned for debt, think theoifelves difobliged
from
Chap.5. mfefion of fws. Seft.;,
from payment j and when they pay the penal-
ty, think they owe nothing for the fcandal and
difebedience. 5. Somefins are thought not
confiderable, butg© under the title of fins of
infirmity? or infeparable accidents of morta-
lityy fuchas idle thoughts, foolijh tdkjng, loofer
mellings, impatience, anger, and all the events
evil company. 6. Laftly, many things
are thought to be no fins ; fuch as mifpending
of their time, whole dayes or moneths of ufe-
lefe and impertinent imployment, long ga-
Sling, winning mens money in greater porti-
ons, cenfuring mens aftions, curiofity, tcqui-
vocating in the prices and fecrets of buying
and felling, rudeneffe, fpeaking truths envi-
oufly, doing good to evil purpofes, and the
like: Under the dark lhadow of thefe unhap-
py, and fruitle'i'e Yew-trees, the enemy of
mankind makes very many to lie hid from
themfelves, fewing before their nakedneflc
the fig-leaves of popular and idol reputation,
and impunity, publike permijpon, a temporallpe-
rdty, infirmity, prejudice, and direfi errour in
judgement, and ignorance. Now in all thefe
cafes the Minifters are to be inquifitive and
obfervant, left the fallacy prevail upon the
penitent to evil parpofesof death or dirainu-
tion of his good ; and tha^ thofe things which
in his life palled without obfervation, may now
he brought forth and paffe under [awes and
harrows, that is, the feverity and cenfure of
forrow and condemnation.
To which I addefor the llkenelle of
the thing, that the matter of omijjion be confi-
deredj for in them lies the bigger half of our
failings •, and yet in many inftances they are
undifcerned, becaufe they very often fit down
by
2^3
^4 Chap.?. Ofminifimgatthefickmans SeS.^.
by the confcience, bat never upon if, and they
are ufaally looked upon as poor men do up-
on their not having coach and horfes, or as
that knowledge is miffed by boyes, and hindet
which they never had > it will be hard to
make them underftand their ignorance *, it re.
quires knowledge to perceive it; and there-
fore hethatcan perceive it, hath it not. But
by this preffing the confcience with omiffions,
I do not mean, receflions or diftances, from
ftates of eminency orperfeffion ; for although
they may be ufed by the Minifters as an in-
ftrument of humility, and a chaftifer of too
big a confidence, yet that which is to be con-
felled and repented of, is oniiffion of duty in
direft inftances and matters of commande-
ment, or collaterall, and perfonall obligati-
ons, and is efpecially to be confidered by
Kings and Prelates, by Governours and rich
perfons, by Guides of fouls, and Prefidents
of learning in publike charge j and by all o-
thersin their proportions.
lo. The minifters of religion mnft take care
that the fick mans confeffion be as minute and
particular as it can -• and that as few fins as
may be, be entruftcd to the generall prayer
of pardon for all fins : for by being particular
and enumerativeof the variety of evils which
have difordcred his life, his repentance is dif-
pofcd to be more pungent and affliftive, and
therefore more falutary and medicinall; it
hath in it more lincerity, and makes a better
judgementof the finall condition of the man;
and from thence it is certain, the hopes of the
fick man can be more confident and rea-
fonable-
I r. The fpirituall man that affifts at the
repentance
26s
chap. 5. mfejjisn of fins. Seft.?/
repentance of the fick muft not be inquiiitive
into all the circumftances of the particular
lins, but be content with thofe that are di-
reft parts of the crime, and aggravation of
theforrow; Such as frequency, long abode,oLnd
mneji choke in afting them, violent defirest
imt expenfet fcmdill of others, dijhonour to
ik religion, dayes of devotion and religious fo-
Imnities, holy places, and the degrees of boldnejfe
and impudence, perfe^l refolution, and the habit.
if the fick perloii be reminded or inquired
into concerning thefe, it may prove a good
inftrument to increafe his contrition, and per-
left his penitcntiall forrows, and facilitate his
ibiution, and the means of his amendment.
But the other circumftances, as of the rela_,
live perfon in the participation of theciime,
meafures or circumftances of the impure
iSion, the name of the injured man or wo-
man, the quality or accidental! condition i
tbefe and all the like are but queftions fpring-
iig from curiofity, and producing fcruple»
indapt to turn into many inconveniendcs.
11. The Minifter in this duty of repent- Nunc (i
incemuft be diligent to obferve concerning depofi-
perfon that repents, that he be not im-
pofcduponby fome one excellent thing that amicus li
MS remarkable in the fick mans former life, reduacve.
For there are fome people ef one good thing, teremcunt
Fome arc charitable to the poor out of kind-
brtedneffe, and the fame good-nature makes fe^'pr^"
ibem eafie and compliant with drinking per- digiofa
fons, and they die with drink, but cannot live Sc
Kith charity : and their alms it may be fhall p"''"
fek their monument, or give them the re- *"
*ard of loving perfons, and the poor mans Juyejf,
■li'nks for alms, and procure many temporal! ,2'
N bleffings,
mmi
2^(5 Chap.S. @f mmifiringwthefick^mns Sefl.5,
bleffings, but it is very fad that the reward
fhould be all fpent in this world : fome are
rarely juft perfons, and pundtuall obferves
of their word with men, but break their pro-
mifes with God, and make no fcruple of that,
In thefe and all the like cafes, the fpitituall
man muft be carefull to remark, that
proceeds from an intire and integrall caufe,
evil from every pan: That one licknelfe cai
make a man die ; but he cannot live and bt
called a found man, without an intire healtlij
and therefore ifany confidence arifes upon thii
flock, fo as that it hinder the ftriffnefsoftln
repentance, it muft be allayed with the reprt.
fentment of this fad truth j That he who referm
one evil in bis choke, hath chofen an evil porti,
on, md colliquintida and death is in the pot;aaJ
hethat worlhipsthe God of Ifrael withafre-
quent facrifice, and yet upon the anniverfai)
will bcwinthe houfe of Venus, and loves to fet
the follies and the nakedneffe of Rmm'i
may eat part of the flefh of the facrifice,
fillhis belly, butfhall not be refrefhed bytlii
holy cloud arifing from the altar, or thedc
of heaven defcending upon the myfteries.
12. And yet the Minifter is toefiiniatt
that one ( or more good things) is to bet
ingredient into his judgement, concerningik
ftate of his foul, and the capacities of hisn
flitution, and admiffion to the peace of ife
Church; and according as the excellency as:
ufefulnefle of the grace hath been, andacct;
ding to the degrees and the reafons of its f
fecution,'fo abatements are to beniadeistb
injunfiions and impofitions upon the pes
tent. For every vertue is one degree of
proach to God j and chough in refpeft of iH
acceptat'tf-
Seft.j,
■ewatd
Tie are
fervoi
ir pro-
f that
iiituall
It
fe, id
ire CM
and Ik
healtl^
on thai
5 of the
repre.
refervii
:/ foili'
ot; anl
chafie.
verfai)
stofei
ce,
lbytf.1
thedn
es.
flimatt
to be!!
ningi^
f hisrt
; of th
ncyaii
d acffi
itspB
lein*
le pet
e of a!
iof
ptatit!
Chap .S. mfefflon cf jini. Seft.?.
acceptation, it is equally none at all, that is,
it is as certain a death if a man dies with one
mortall wound, as if he had twenty, yet in
fuch perfons who have fome one or more cx-
ceiiencies, though not an incite piety, there is
jatutaily a neercr approach to the eftate of
grace, then in perfons who have done evils
and are eminent for nothing that is good. But
in making judgement of fuch perfons, it is to
be inquired into and noted accordingly, why
the fick ptrfon was fo eminent in that one
thing j whether by choice and apprehen-
Son of his duty, or whether it was a vertue
frnm which his ftate of life minifired nothing to
itkrt or difcourage htm, or whether it was
Miely a confequent of his naturall temper ancC
mjlitution. If the ftrft, then it fuppofes him
in the neighbourhood of the ftate of grace,
and that in other things he was ftrongly tem-
pted. the yccsHcl is a felicity of his education,
and an efted of providence, the third is a
felicity of his nature and a gift of God in or-
tier to fpirituall purpofes. But yet of every
one of thefe, advantage is to be made. If the
confcience of his duty was the principle, then
be is ready formed to entertain all other gra-
cesuponthe famercafon, and his repentance
null be made more fliarp and penallbecaufe
beisconvinced tohave done againft his con-
fcicnce in all the other parts of his life; but
^e judgement concerning his finall ftate
ought to be more gentle, becaufe it was a
buge temptation that hindred the man and
obufed his infirmity ; but if either his culling
or his nature were the parents of the grace,
be is in the ftate of a morall man, (in the juft:
"id proper meaning of the word ) and to be
N 2 handled
aS.8 Chap. 5. OjabfoMng and communicating Seft,
handled accordingly: thac vercue difpofd
him rarely well to many other good things
bnt was no part of the grace of fanftifica.
tion> and therefore the mans repentance ii
to begin anew, for all thatj and is tobefi'
Mifhed in the returns of health, if God grants
it, but if he denies it, it is much, very mucli
the worfe for all that fweet natur'd vertue.
13. When the confeffion is madej the
fpirituall man is to execute the office of 1
Refiorer and a Judge in the following particU'
lars and manner.
' S E C T. 1111.
Of the miniftring to the reflitution
■pardon, or reconciliation of the fic{
perfoHy by adminifrittg the Holy Si-
crament.
TF any man be overtakfn in a fault, ye which ei
fmmal uftore fuch a one in the fpirhj
meekpeffe. Thats the CormjjJm: and let tin
Elders of the Church fray over the fick, man, tii
Jam. 5. if he have committed fms, they jhall be ftrgm
15. him, that's the effell of his power and his a;!'
nifiery. But concerning this, fome fcwthinji
are to be conlidered.
J I. It is the office of the Prefbyters
Minifters of religion to declare publike cri-
minals and fcandalous perfons to be fuch, thii
when the leprofie is declared, the flock ntaj
avoid the infcftion and then the man is tx-
communicate j when the people are warnd
to avoid the danger of the man, or the tf
proach of the crime, to withdraw from hii
fociety, and not to bid him God [feed, not n
jeat and celebrate fynaxes and Church-meetitf
tfiii'
Cha]
with
gero
very
and
faidi
had
fon;
the :
in tl
iiorr
diltk
Magi
But
Chut
epB
hotnii
ablci
fities
of
hisri,
2,
the }
holy
alfo,
he e:
OB C
the r
thori
lb tr
them
bapti
fon,
of al
rifdii
thatl
Com
chap.?. the ftcktenhent. Seft.4.
with fuch who are declared criminal and dan-
gerous: and therefore excommunication is in a
very great part, the aft of the Congregation jCor.5,
and conimiinities of thefaithfull, indS. Paul ^ 12 '] 2
faid to the Church of the Corinthians, that theji 2 Cor
kd jnflrSed the evil upon the inceftuous per- 2,5, '
km that is, by excommunicating him: all
the afts of whicii, are, as they are fubjefted
in the people', afts of camion and liberty, but
no more afts of direft, proper fomr or juris-
iillm, then it was when the fcholers of Simon
jl/itgHt left his chair and went to hear S.Peter.
But as they are aftions of the Rulers of the
Church, fo they are declarative, mimjlerial and
efeSive too by morall caufdity, that is, by perfwa-
fm, and difconrfe, by argument, and prayer, by
homily, and materiall reprefentment, by reafon-
abkneffe of order, and the fuperinduced necef-
fities of men ; though not by any rcall change
of hate as to thepeifon, nor by diminution cf
hisnghc,or violence to his condition.
2. He that bapttfes, and he that miniflers a.
the Holy Sacrament, and he that prayes, does
holy offices of great advantage, but in thcfc
alfo, jufl as in the former
he exercifes no jurifdifti- FoTiines in rerciffioBe pec-
1 . catorum n imUerium luum ex-
on or prehem.nence after p„.
the nidnneror lacuwr au* teftitisexercent: Nequecnim
thority ; and the fame is al- in fiio ted in nomine Patri-,
fo true if he fhould deny ! & Spiritu* Sanai pec.
them. He thatrefufethto catadimittumur:lUi rogant,
1 . • t'r r ^ divinitas uonac-
baptize an indifpofed per-
fon, hath by the confent S.AmirJefpir.S. I.3.C.19
of all men no power or ju-
tifdiftion over the nnbaptized man; and he
that for the like reafon refufeth to give him the
Communion, preferves the facrednclfe of the
N 3 myfte-
470 Chap.?. Of ahfohiingandcmmnimmg Seft .4,
myfteries, and does charitie to the undifpo.
fed man, to deny that to him which will do
him mifchief j and this is an aft of fepara.
tionjuftasitis for a friend or Phyficiantode-
ny water to an Hydropic perfon, or Italian
winestoahefticfeaver, or as if Caio Ihonid
deny to falute Biiulus, or the Cenfor of maneii
to do countenance to a wanton and vitioiis
perfon: and though this thing was expreffed
by words of power, (ucbzs feparatton^ ahjfenti.
m, excommmkatm, depofnion, yet thefe wordi
We underhand by the thing it felf, which was
notorious and evident, to be matter of pru'
dence, fecurity and a free, unconflrained di-
fciplineand they pafled into power by con.
fent and voluntary fubmifsion; having the
fameeffeft of conftraint, fear and authority,
which we fee itifecular jurifdiftion, not be-
caufe ecclefiaftkal difcipline hath a natural pro<
per coercion zi lay-Tribmals hive, butbecaufc
men have fabmittedtoit, znd are bound to it
fo upon the intereft of two or three Cbrifm
graces.
In purfuance of this caution and pro
vifion the Church fuperinduccd times and
manners of abUentm,znA exprcffions of forrow,
and canonical punifhments which they tyed
the delinquent people to fufl'tr before they
would admit them to the holy Table of the
Lord. For the criminal having obliged hini<
felf by his fin, and the Church having declared
it when fhe could take notice of it, he is
bound to repent, to make him capable of
pardon with God, and to prove that heispe-
nitent, he is to do fiich aftions, which the
Church in the vertue and purfuance of re-
pentance lhall accept as a teftimony of if;
fuffi-
Chap.5.' fickpenhent. Sed:.^.
fufficient to inform her; for as fhe could not
binde at all (in this fence} till the criitie was
pubiike, though the man had bound himfelf
infecret: fo neither can fliefet him free till
the repentance he as publike as the fin; or fo
as file can note it and approve it : Though
the man be free as to God by his internal ad,
yet as the publication of the fin was acciden-
tal to it,and the Church cenfure confequent to
it, fo is the publication of repentance and
confequent abfoJution extrinfccal to the par-
don, but accidentally and in the prefent cir-
cnmftanCes neceffary. This was the fame that
the Jews did, (though in other infiancesand
expreffions) and do to this day to their pre-
varicating people ; and the ElTenes in their
aflembliesand private Colleges of fcholars,
and publike Univerfities. For all thefe being
alTemblies of voluntary perfons, and fuch as
feek for advantage, are bound to make an
artificial authority in their fuperiours, and fo
to fecure order, and government by their own
obedience and voluntary fubordination,
which is not effential and of proper jurifdiSi-
on in the fuperiour *, and the band of it is not
any coercitive power, but the denying to
communicate ftch benefits which they feek in
that communion and fellowfhip.
4. Thefe I fay were introduced in the fpecull
tmtiners and injiances by pofitive authority >
and have not a divine authority commanding
them •, but there is a divine power that vercfies
them, and makes thefe feparations effeftual
and formidable: for becaufe they are deck-
rathe andminifterkl in thefpirituall man,and
fuppofe a delinquencie and demerit in the o-
ther, andafinagainftOod, our blefled Savi-
N 4 our
272
Chap. 5. Of abfelvmgandcommnkatmg Seft .4,
our hath declared, that what they binde in emh
jhali be bound in heaven, that is in plain fignj.
firation ; The fame fins and finners which tht
Ckrgie condemns in the face of their allera-
blies, the fame is condemned in heaven be-
fore the face of God and for the fame tea-
fon too. Gods law hath fentenced it, and thefc
are the preachers and publifhers of his law, by
which they (har.d condemned and thefe laws
are they that condemn the fin, or acquit rlie
penitent there and herey rvhatfoevertheybkiit
herejhall be bound there, thi
is, the fentenceof God «!
the day of judgement fliall
fentence the fanse nien
whom the Church does
rightly fentence here j itis
fpoken in the (utwejjitjhdl
be bound in heaven'^ not bui
that the finner is firft bouod
there, or firft aMblved
there but becaufe all
binding and loofing in the is-
terval is imperfcfl andre-
lative to the day of judge-
ment ■, the day of the great
fentence: therefore it is fet
down in the time to come,and fayes this only;
The Clergie are tyed by the word and laws of
God to condemn fuch fins and finnersand
thatyoumay not think it ineffective, becaufe
after fuch fentence the man lives and growes
rich,or remains in health and power, therefore
be fure it fhall be verified in the day c f judge-
ment. This is hugely agreeable with the words
of our Lord, and certain in reafon y for that
the minifler does nothing to the final altera-
rion of the fiatc of the nia»s foal by way of
Siimmum futuri jtidiciip^ s us
diciumeil, fi quis it-i dthque-
ric ut a tommunKatiouc ora-
tionis & convenrui Sc o i.nis
ialiflico mercii 1 ele ,ecur.
l et tut piiS. c. 19,
Acq. hoc idtm innuitur per
rummam Apo:-oJi cenfuran',
an raos na »mi cricninis, ih
fMpet 9 id e{l,
uricdtui rca|ori e.<-
ccmmumcarione J icoir.inus
*eniet ; icil ad Judicandum
eiim adqbiod iut^iciu' h.ucceps
fura f'cclefia ert relaifva, ^-in
ordin?* ium dcmumpena^ da-
bit; ad qua, niii r< fipifcat, hie
conlignatur*
IW'
'Ifc
Chap.5. tbt/ickfrnm, Sea .4. a??
fentencc is demonftratively certain, becaufe
he cannot binde a man, but fuch as hath bound
himfelf, and who is bound in heaven by his fin
before his fentence in the Church: as alfo be-
becaufe the binding of the Church is meerly
accidental, and upon publication only j and
when the man repents he is abfolved befor.e
God, before the fentence of die Church,upon
his contrition and dereliftion only j and if he
were not, the Church could not abfolve him; tl
The confequent of which evident truth is this,
that whatfoever impofitions the Church offi-
cers impofe upon the criminal, they are to a-
void fcandal, to teftifie repentance, and to
exercife it,to inftruft the people,to make them
fear, to reprefent the aft of God,and the fecret
and the true ftate of the finner; and although
they are not effentially necefiary to our pardon,
yet they are become necejfary when the Church hath
fe!x,ed upon the ftnner by publike notice of the crimes ;,
necefiary (I fay) for the removing the fcandal,
and giving teftimony of our contrition, and for the
receiving all that comfort which he needs, and can
derive from the promifes of pardon, as they
arepublifhed by him that is commanded to
preach them to all them that repent: and
therefore although it cannot be necefiary as to
the obtaining pardon,that the Prieft fhould in
private abfolve a fick man from his private fins,
and there is no loojing where there was no pre-
cedent binding, and he that was only bound be-
fore God, can before him onely be loofed,
yet as to confefs fins to any Chriftian in private
may have manygood ends,and to confefs them
to a Clergy-man may have many more -, fo to
hear Gods fentence at the mouth of the Mini-
Hers,pardon pronounced by Gods embafiador ,'S
cf hugs comfort to them,that caanot otherwife
N 5 be
^0
S74 Chap.S. Of ahfolvhgtndcommuntcatitig
be comforted, and whofe infirmity needs it j
and therefore it were very fit it were not neg.
leded in the dayes of our fear and danger,
cf our infirmities and forrcw.
5. The execution of this miniftery, being
an ad of prudence and charity, and therefore
relative to changing circumftances it hath
been and in many cafes may, and in fome mji
be refcind^ and altered i the time of fepara-
tion may be lengthned and Ihortned, the con-
dition made lighter or heavier, and for the
fame offence the Clergy man is depofed, but
yet admitted to the communion, for which
one of the people who hath no office to lofe,
is denyed the benefit of communicating; and
this fometimes when he might lawfully re-
ceive it; and a private man is feparate when
a multitude or a prince is not, cannot, ought
not; and at laft, when the cafe of fickneffe
and danger of death did occur, they admitted
all men that deflred it j fometimes without
fcruple or difficulty,fometimes with fomelittle
reftraint in great or infolent cafes ( as in the
cafe of Apoftacie, in which the Councel of
AreUt,! -Aflsdenyed abfolution, unleffe they received
foj. and gave pnblike fatisfaffion by adfs cf re-
pentancej and fome other Councels denyed at
any time to do it to fuch^erfons) according as
feemed fitting to the preleht necefsities of the
Church: all which particulars declare it to be
no part of a divine commandment, that any
man fhould be denyed to receive the Commu-
nion if he defires it, and if he be in any pro-
bablecapacitie of receiving it.
ViJe t Since the feparation was an aft of li-
*°s»Cy°- ® direft negative, it followes that
priancp, reftitution was a meet doing that which
73.. they rcfufed formerly, and to give the holy
CotE'
11
Chip-S' the ficktenitent, Sea.4.
Communion was the forraality of abfolution,
and all the inftrument and the whole| matter
of reconcilement, the taking off" thepunijbment,
isthepardoning of the fin i for this without the
other is but a word 5 and if this be done I
care not whether any thing be faid or no. Vi-
mm Dominkum miniftratorit gratia eft : is aJfo
true in this fence: to give the chalice and cup
is the grace and indulgence of the Minifter i
and when that is done the man hath obtained
the peace of the Church j and to do that is
all the abfolution the Church can give; and
they were vain difpiites which were com-
menccd fome few ages fince, concerning tie
forms of abfolution, whether they were indica-
live or optative, by way of declaration, or by
way of fentence j for at firft they had no forms
at all} but they faid a prayer, and after the
manner of the Jews laid hands upon the pe-
nitent, when they prayed over him, and fo
admitted him to the holy Communion; for
lince the Church had no power over her
children, but of excommunicating and deny-
ing them to attend upon holy offices and mini-
fteries refpeftively, neither could they have
any abfolution, but to admit them thither
from whence formerly they were forbidden }
whatfoever ceremonie or forms did fignific,
this was fuperinduced and arbitrary, alter-
able and accidental, it had variety, but no
necefsity.
7. The praflife confequent to this is, that
if the penitent be bound by the politive
cenfures of the Church, he is to be recon-
ciled upon thofe conditions which the laws
of the Church tye him to, in cafe he can
perform themi if. he cannot, he «an no
longer be prejudiced by the cenfure of the
M fi Church
'""tiri lO
87?
:l
if
■j'ri
f'lii
diap
natio
ment
by tl
port!
whicl
we c
all t
need
Coui
of tl
dead
hp I
fnpp
Chui
inch
in tl
mitt(
nanc
cuff(
very
repe
intrc
life:
is s
ayd Chap.?. Ojabjolving ttndcmmnmcatmi Sedc.^.
Church, which had no relation but to the pec-
cauf - 6, whom the dying man is no longer to
G^6 & * converfe j for whatfoever relates to God, is
q /. to be tranfafted in fpirituall wayes, by con-
trition, and internail graces j and the mercy
of the Church is fuch, as to give him her
peace and her blcfling upon his undertaking
to obey her injundion, if he fhall be able;
which injundions if they be declared by pub-
like fentencc, the Minifter hath nothing to
do in the affairs but to remind him of his ob-
ligation, and reconcile him, that is, give him
the Holy Sacrament.
8. If the penitent be not bound by
publike fentence , the Minifter is to make
fiis repentance as great, and his heart as con-
trite as he can; to difpofe him by the repe-
tition of ads of grace in the way of prayer,
and in reall and cxteriour infbances where he
Can, and then to give him the Holy Com-
tnuniorj in all the fame cafes, in which he
ought not to have denied it to him in his
health, that is, even in the beginnings of fuch
» repentance, which by humane lignes he
beleevesto be real! and holy; and after this,
the event muff he left to God. The reafcn
of the rule depends upon this; Becaufe
there is no Divine commande.tient dircdly
forbidding the Rulers of the Church to give
the Communion to anv Chriftian that de-
fires it, and profefles repentance of his fins.
And all Church difcipline in every inffance,
and to every fingle perfon was impofcd up-
on him by men, who did it according to the
ueccffities of this ftate and conftitntion of
our affairs below ; but we who are but Mi-
aifters and delegates of pardon andcondem-
uatioB,
Ciiap.5. ftcktemmi. Se&.^. iii.
nation, muft refigne and give up our judge-
nient when the man is no more to be judged
by the fentences of man, and by the pro-
portions of this world, but of the other j to
which if our reconciliation does advantage,
we ought in charity to fend him forth with
all the advantages he can receiver for he will
need them j all t and therefore the N'cone
Councel commands, that no man be deprived vide eti*
of th s necejfary pufport in the article of his am Cone.
death, and cails ih s the ancknt and canonkaU c.
kw of the Chunk: and to minifter it, onely
fuppofts the man in the communion of the *
Chutvh, not alwayes in the (late, but ever
inthe poffihilities of fanflification. They who
in the article and danger of death were ad-
mitted to the communion, and tied to pe-
nance if they recovered (which was ever the
cuftonie of the ancient Church, nnleffe in
Very few cafes ) were but in the threfliold of
repentance, in the commencement and firft
introduiftions to a devout
life: and indeed then it
is a fit miniftery , that it o racnimfconvivium in
be given in all the periods quo cnriftus fumicur, re-
of time in which the par. oieraotk pasfi nis
J e r ' eius, mens impletur gratia
don of fins IS working, ^ 'fumr^e gLw nobis
lince It IS the Sacraraeat pignus datwr*
of that great myftery,&: the
exhibition of that blood
wircb is fied for the remif-
fm of ftns.
9. The Minifter of religion^ ought not
to give the Communion to a fickperfon, if he
retains the affeftion to any fin, and refufesto
difavow it, or profelTe repentance of all fins
whatfocvcr, if he be required todoir. The
rcafoE,
S?$ chaps. §faBfilvingmdmmnimini Sefl.4,
reafon is, becaufe it is a
Ita videDt profit ilii! ignofci cefwin death to .him, and
quos ad poenamipie Deus de- an increafe of his tiufery if
duiitj qnodad n eattinetnon Jig fhall fo ptophane the
fur, crudeiir, fed vereor ne {jodyand blood of Chrift,
quod remifero patiar, f „ r '
rryphana dixicapud Petro- i n* 1" J ^
Biu». holy abreaft,whereSachaD
reignes, and fin is princi-
pall, and the Spirit is extingnifhed j and
Chrift loves not to enter, becaufe he is not
que 'o inhabite. But when he profeffes
piacabi- repentance and does ,fuch afts of it as his
lej Domh prefent condition permits, he is to be pre-
ni crude, fptned to intend heartily what he profeffes
fuamlm- » ^nd the Minifter is oncly the Judge
p"diuntli of outward ad, and by that onely he is to take
quando information Concerning the inward. Butwhe-
peniten- thet he be fo or no, or if he be, whether that
tiafi^iti- timely, and effeftuall and fufficient toward
drnfitde- patdon of fins before God, is another
dititijs confideration, of which we may conjedfure
hoftibus here, but we fhall know it atdoomfday. The
pareimus. fpfrituall man is to do his miniffery by the
rules of Chrift, and as the cuftoms of the
Church appoint him; and after the manner of
men 5 the event is in the hands of God, and
is to be expefted not directly and wholly ac-
cording to his niiriiftery but to the former
life, or the timely * mtermll repentance and
amendment; of which I
*Qnzcunque ergo de pani. have already given ac-
tentia jubendodiaa fimc,non eounts. Thefe minifteries
ad extcnorem fed ad wterio- -f
rem referenda funt, fine qua order and great
BuUasunquam Deureconcili afllftances, butthc lum 01
aripoterit affairs does not relieupon
Gratian. de penit.d, 1. Qnis them. And if any man puts
ahquan do. ^ whole repenunce upon
jhis
Chap.S- Jtckpemtent. Sea.4. tllf-,
this time, or all his hopes upon thefe minifte-
ries, he will find them and himfelf to fail.
10. It is the Minifters office to invite
fick and dying perfons to the Holy SacrameBti
fuch whofe lives were fair, and laudable, and
yet their ficknelTe fad and violent, making
them lift'lefle and of flow defires, and flower
apprehenfions; that fuch perfons who are in
theftateof grace, may lofenoaccidentallad-
vantages of fpirituall improvement, but may
receive into their dying bodies the fymboles
and great confignations of the refurreftion,
and into their foules the pledges of immorta-
lity *, and may appear before God their Father
in the union, and with the imprefles and like-
nelTe of theT elder Brother. But if the per-
fons be of ill report, and have lived wicked-
ly, they are not to be invited, becaufe their
cafe is hugely fufpicious, though they then re-
pent and call for mercy; but if they demand
it, they are not to be denied; onely let the
Minifter in generall reprefent the evil confe-
quentsof an unworthy participation; and if
the penitent will judge himfelf unworthy lee
him hand candidate for pardon at the hands
of God, and ftand or fall by that unerring
and mercifullfentence; to which his fcverity
of condemning himfelf before men, will make
the eafier and more hopcfull addrefle. And
the flri^feft among the Chrifiians, who denied
to reconcile lapfed perfons after baptifmc,
yet acknowledged that there were hopes re-
ferved in the court of heaven for them, though
nothere; fince we who are ealily deceived by
the pretences of a reall return, are tied to
ilifpenfe Gods graces as he hath given us com-1 Coi
Biiffion, mtb fear and trembling, and without 2.
too
k
n.
wmm
fiSo Ghap.5. Of ahfolvingandcmmracathg Seft.4,
too forward confidences, and God hath mer-
cies which we know not of, and therefore
becaufe we know theui not y fuch pcrfons
were referred to Gods Tribunal, where he
would finde them, if they were to be had
at all.
II. when the holy Sacrament is to be
adniiniftred, let the exhortation be made
proper to the niyftery 5 but fitted to the
man > that is, that it be ufed for the ad-
vantages of faith or love, or contrition; let
all the circumftanccs and parts of the Di-
vine love be reprefented ; all the myfteri-
ous advantages of the blefled Sacrament be
declared, * That it is the bread which
, came from heaven, * That it is the reprc-
fentation of Chrifts death to all the purpo-
fes and capacities of faith, * and the real
exhibition of Chrifts body and blood to
all the pupofes of the Spirit, * That it is
the earneft of the refurreftion, * and the
feed of a glorious immortality, * That as
by our cognation to the body of the /rji
Adm we took in death, fo by our union with
the body of the fecond Adaniy we fhall have
the inheritance of life j for as by Adam cam
death, fo by Chrijl cometh the refurreblm cf
the dead, * That if we being worthy Com-
^5. 22, Hiunicants of thefc facred pledges be pre-
fen ted to God with Chrift within us, out
being accepted of God is certain even for
the fake of his well beloved that dwells
within us, * That this is the Sacrament of
the body which was broken for our finnes,
of that blood which purifies our fouls, by
which we are prefented to Qod pure and holy,
in the beloved, * That now we may after-
tain
't Cor.
hirnxmsmMrni^Okritm
Ghap.S. the pck. penitent. Seft.4. 281
tainour-hopes and make our faith confident>
for he that hath given us his Son, how jbould not
he with him give us all things etfe ? Upon thefe
or the Jike confidtrations, the lick man may Rom.
be afsihed in his addrclTei and his faith fireng- 8. 32.
thened, and his hope confirmed, and his cha-
rlty be enlarged.
12. The manner of the lick mans recepti-
on of the holy Sacrament hath in it nothing
differing from the ordinary folemnities o( the iderule
Sacramt nc, fave onciy rhat abatement is to
be made of fuch accidental! circnmftances,
as by the lav/cs or cufiomes of the Church
healthfiill perfons are obliged tofuch as % Hift
falling, kneclingi&c. though I renieniber that of the life
it was noted for great devotion in the Le.
gate that died at Trent, that he caufed uifc.Ts
himfelf to be fuftained upon his knees, when
he received the viaticum or the holy Sacra-
ment before his death, audit was greater in
Hmniades that he caufed himfelf to be carried
to the Church, that there he might receive his
Lord, irjhis Lords houfe", and it was recorded
for honour, that lTr//iirrn the pious Arch-Bi-
fiwpof Bourges, a fmall time before hisla.fi;
agony, fprang out of his bed at the prefencc
of the holy Sacrament, and upon his knees and
his face recommended his foul to his Saviour.
But in thefe things no man is to be prejudiced
or cenlured.
J?. Let not the holy Sacrament be admi-
Biftred to dyi ng perrons,when they have no ufe
of reafon to make that duty acceprable,and the
myfteries effeflive to the purpofes of the foul.
For the Sacraments and ceremoniesof the go-
fpel operate not without the concurrent adi-
ons and moral influences of the fufcipient.
To
s82 Chap.S. Vifitatmof Jtck.perf>ns. Se&.f,
To infufe the chalice in to the cold lips of the
Clinick may diflurb his agony, but cannot
relieve the foul, which onely receives im-
provement by aiSs of grace and choice, to
which the external rites are apt and appointed
to minifter, in a capable perfon. All other
perfons, as fools, children, diftrafted perfons,
lethargical, apopledical, or any wayes fenfe.
lefle and uncapable of humane and reafonable
afts, are to be affifted onely by prayers i for
f/;ey may prevail even for the abfent, and for
enemies, and for all thofe who joyn not in the
office-
SECT. V.
Of Minifiring to the Jtck^ perfon b]
the Spiritual man, as he is the Fhj-
Jitian of fouls.
IN all cafes of receiving confelslons ol
lick men, and the affifting to the ad>
vancement of repentance, the Minifter is to
apportion to every kinde of fin fuch fpiritual
remedies which are apt to mortifie and cure
the fin,fuch as abftincnce from their occafions,
and opportunities, to avoid temptations, to
refift their beginnings, to punifh the crime by
afts of indignation againft the perfon, faftings
and prayer, alms and all the inftances of chJ«
rity, afking forgivenefs, reftitution of wrongs,
fatisfadion of injuries, affs of vertue con-
trary to the crimes: and although in great and
dangerous licknefles they are not directly to
l»e impofed, unlelfc they are direA matters of
duty,
Chap.S. Vijitationof ficf^perfons. Sefl:.5, 285
duty) yet where they are medicinall they are
tobe infinuated, and in general fignificatioti
remarked to him, and undertaken according-
]y: concerning which when he returnes to
health he is to receive particular advices j and
this advice was inferted into the penitential
of England in the time of Theodore Arch-Bi-
fhop of Canterbury, and afterward adopted ?ngnnis»
into the Canon of all the Weftern Churches.
2. The proper temptations of fick men for
which a remedieis not yet provided; are h / i -
mfonable fears, and unreafonable confidences^
which the Minifter is to cure by the following
confiderations.
Conjldemtions againfi mreafonablt
fears of not having our fns
pardoned.
Many good men, efpccially fuch who have
tender confciences, impatient of the lealf fin,
to which they are arrived by a long grace and
a continual obfervation of their aftions, and
the parts of a lading repentance, many times
overaft their tendernelie, and turn their cau-
tion into fcruple, and care of their duty into
inquiries after the event, and afkings after the
counfelsof God, and the fentcnces of dooms-
day.
He that afks of the danders by, or of the
Minifter, whether they think he fhall be faved
or damned, are to beanfwcred with the words
of pity and reproof. Seek not after new light
for the fearching into the privateft records of
God; look as much as you lift into the pages
«f revelation» for they concern your duty>
but
384 Chap.S. Confidewmsagahjl Seft.s,
but the event is regiftred in heavcn» and we
can cxpeft no orher certain notices of it, but
that it (hall be given to them for whom it is
prepared by the Father of mercies; we have
light enough to tell our duty-, and if m do that
we need not fear what the ilfuewillbe; and
if we do not, let us never look for more light,
or inquire after Gods pleafure concerning our
fouls, fi.xe we fo Irttle ferve his ends in thofe
things where he hath given us light. But yet
this I adde, that as pardon of fins in the old
Matth. Teftament was nothing but removing the pu-
p. 6. nifhment wh ch then was tenipcal, and there-
fore many times they could tell if their fins
were pardoned , and concerning pardon of
fins they then hjd no fears of confcience, but
while the punifhment was on them, for fo long
indeed it was unpardoned, and how long it
would fo remain it was matter of fear, and of
prefent forrow; Belides this, in the Gofpel,
pardon of fins is another thing. Pardon of fm
„ isafanSiificationt Chriji catne to take away our fm
Afts 3. ly turning every one of us from our iniquities. And
2^- there is not in the nature of the thing any ex-
peftationof pardon, orfigneor fignification
of it, butfo far as the thing it felf difcoversit
fclf*, As we hate fin and grow in grace, and
arrive at the (fate of holinefTe, which is alfo
a (fate of repentance and imperfe(fion ; but
yet of fincerity of heart and diligent endea-
vour, in the fame degree we are to judge con-
cerning the forgivencfs of (ins',for indeed that
is the Evangelical forgiveneffe, and it fignifies
pur pardon, becaufe it efleds it, or rather it
isinthe nature of. the thing j fo that we are to
enquire into no hidden records: forgiveneffe
- fins is not a fccrct fentence, a word or a re-
cord
28 s
£ll modus glotiandi in confci-
tntia ut novens fidem tuara
eUc finceram, (pem cuam dfc
cercam.
Au£uJI . Pfal. 14?.
Chap-5.' unreafomhte fewts in fickpeffe. Seft. 5.
cord: but it is aftate of change and effefted
upon usand upon our felvcs we are to look
for it, to read it, and underffand it. We are
!me/> M be cmious of our duty, and confident of
the Article of remifTion of
fins, and theconclufion of
thefe . premifes will be »
that we fhail be full of
hopes of a profperous rc-
fntreflion : and our fear
and trembling are no inffances of our cala-
mity, but parts of duty, we fhall fure enough
be wafted to the (lioref although we be toflcd
with the winds of our fighs,3nd the unevenuefs
of our fears, and the ebbings and flowings of
ourpafsions, if we failina rightchanel, and
fteere by a perfeft compalTe, and look up to
God, and call for his help, and do our own
endeavour. There are very many reafonswhy
men ought not to defpair: and there are not
very many men that ever go beyond a hope,
till they paffe into poffefsion j if our fears
have any mixture of hope, that is enough to
enable and to excite our duty,and if we have a
ftrong hope,when we caft about,we fhall finde
reafon enough to have many fears: ht not this
fm weaken our * hands,^nd
if it allay our gayeties and
our confidences, it is no
harm. In this uncertainty
we muft abide, if we have
committed fins after baptifme ; and thofe
confidences which feme men gbrie in, are
not rcall fupports or good foundations. The
fearing man is the fafeft, and if he fears on
his death-bed, it is but what happens to moft
confidering mcn,and what was to be looked for
aH
^Unaelnobilitas, argumsn;
tumq coloris
Inj^enui, timiilas non habuifle
manus*
s?5
1 Tim,
l.iS.
Ezck.
3?. II,
Luke
15.7.
I John
2.1.
I Cor.
5.20.
Chap. 5. Ctttfidemhns againfi Seft.j.
all his. lifetime, he talked of the terrours of
death, and death is the king of terrours: and
therefore it is no ftrange thing if then he be
hugely afraid: if he be not it is either a great
felicity or a great prefumption: but if he
wants fome degree of comfort or a greater
degree of hope, let him be refrelhed by con-
fidering.
I. That Chrtft came into the mrld to favt
finners. 2. That God delights not in the confu^
fion and death of firmers. 3. Thit in heaven there
is great py at the converfton of a ftnner. 4. That
Chrift is a perpetual advocate daily intetceding
with his Father for our pardon. 5. That God
ufes infinite arts, inffruments and devices to
reconcile us to himfelf. 6. That he prayes tu
to be in charity with him, and to be forgiven.
7. That he fend? Angels to keep us from vio-
lence, and evil company, from temptations
and furprizes j and his holy Spirit to guide us
in holy wayes, and his fervants to warn us
and reminde us perpetually; and therefore
fince certainly he is fo defirous to fave us, as
appears by his word, by his oaths, by his very
nature, and his daily artifices of mercy, it is
not likely that he will condemn us without
great provocations of his Majefty, and per-
feverance in them. 8. That the covenant of
theGofpelisa Covenant of grace, and of re-
pentance, and being eftablifhed with fo many
great folcmnities and miracles from heaven,
muft fjgnifiea huge favour, and a mighty
change of things, and therefore that repen-
tance which is the great condition of it isa
grace that does not expire in little accents and
minutes, but hath a great latitude of fignifi-
cation, and a large extenfion of parts, under
the
Chap.S. unreafonablefears in fukpeffe. Seft.S/
the proteflion of all which perfons are fafe,
even when they fear exceedingly. 9. That
there are great degrees and differences of glory
in heaven j and therefore if weeftimateour
piety by proportions to the more eminent
perfons and devoutcr people, we are not to
conclude we fliall not enter into the fame ftate
1/glory^ but that we (hall not go into the fame
degrees. (9) That although forgivenelTe of fins
is configned tons in Baptifm, and that this
Baptifm is but once, and cannot be repeated,
yet forgivenefle of fins is the grace of the
gcfpel, which is perpetually remanent upon
us, and fecured unto us fo long as we have
not renounced our BaptifmeFor then we
enter into the condition of repentance i and
repentance is not an indivifiblegrace,ora thing
performed at oncebut is working all our
lives, and therefore fo is our pardon, which
ebbesand flowes according as we difcompofe
or renew the decency of our Baptifmall pro-
mifes j and therefore it ought to be certain,
that no man defpair of pardon, but he that
hath voluntarily renounced his Baptifm, or
willingly eftranged himfelf from that cove-
nant: He that (ticks to it, and ftil( profeifes
the religion, and approves the faith, and
endeavours to obey and to do his duty, this
man hath all the veracity of God to alfure
him, and give him confidence that he is not
in an impoffibic ftate of falvation, unlelTe God
cuts him off before he can work, or that he
begins to work when he can no longer choofe.
10. And then let him confider : the more he
fears, the more he hates his fin, that is the
caufe of it, and the lelTe he can be tempted
»o it, and the mere defirous he is of heaven,
and
288 Chap.?. Conftdmiknt againfi Seft.4,
and therefore fuch fears arc good inflruments
of grace, and good fignes of a future pardon.
II. That God in the old law, although he
made a Covenant of perfeft obedience, and
did not promife pardon at all after great fins,
yet he did give pardon, and declared it fo to
them for their own, and for our fakes too : So
he did to David, to Manaffet, to the whole Na-
tion of the Ifraelies ten times in the wilder-
neffe, even after their Apoftacies, and Idola-
lizek. tries", and in the Prophets, the mercies of
18. God and his remiflions of fins were largely
Joel 2. preached > though in the Law God put on
the robes of an angry Judge, and a fevere
Lord." but therefore in the Gofpel, where he
hath cftablifhcd the whole fumme of affairs
upon JiriA and repentance', if God fhouldnoc
pardon great finners that repent after ba-
ptifme, with a free difpenfation, the Gofpel
were far harder then the intolerable Covenant
of the Law. 12. That if a Profelyte went
into the Jewifh communion and were circum-
cifed and baptized, he entred into all the
hopes of good things which God hadpromi-
fed, or would give to his people, and yet that
was but the Covenant of veerks- If then the
Gentile Profelytes by their circumcifion and
Jegall baptifme, were admitted to a ftate of
pardon to laft fo long as they were in the Co-
venant, even after their admifhon", for fins
committed againfi Mofes law which they then
undertook to obferve exaflly. In the Gofpel
which is the Covenant of Faith, it muft needs
be certain, that there is a great grace given,
and an eafier condition entred into, then was
that of the Jewifh law; and that is nothing
clfe, but that abatement is made forourinfir-
mi ties j
5. umafinable fears in fickpe^e. Seft.5.
mities, and our fingle evils, and our timely re-
pented and forfaken habits of fin, and our
Tiolent paflTions, when they are contefted
ifithall, and Saught with,and under difcipline,
wd in the beginnings and pregrefles of mor-
tification. i?. That God hath erefted in his
Church a whole order of men, the main pare
ind dignity of whofe work it is to remit and
Ktiin fins by a perpetual! and daily miniftery*
iiid this they do, not onely in baptifme, but
all their offices to be adminiflered after-
wds: in the Holy Sacrament of the Eucha-
rift which exhibits the Symbols of that blood
vhkh was Jhed fer pardon of our fins, and
iherefore by its continued miniftery and re-
petition declares that all that while we are
within the ordinary powers and ufuall difpen-
fitions of pardon, even fo long as we are in
my probable difpofitions to receive that Holy
Sacrament. And the fame eflfeft is alfo figni-
lied and exhibited in the whole power of the
Keyes, which if itextends to private fins, fins
done in fecret, it is certain it does alfo to pub-
likcj but this is a greater teftimony of the
certainty of the remifTibilicy of our greateft
lins; for pablikefins as they alwayes have a
fling and afuperaddcd formality of fcandall
ind ill example, fo they are moft commonly
the greateft i fuch as murder, facriledge, and
others of unconcealed nature, and unprivate
jftion; and if God for thefe worft of evik
hath appointed an office of eafe and pardon,
which is and may daily be adminiftred, that
will be an uneafie pufillanimity, and fond
fcfpicion of Gods goodneffe to fear, that our
repentance fhall be rejefted, even although
*e have hoc committed the greateft, or the
d »oft:
apo Chap.S^ Conftdemhnsigmji
moft of evils. 14. And ic was concerning ba.
prized Chriftians that Saint Jfohn fiid^
man fin we have an Advocate with the Father,
and he is the profitiation for our fintj and con-
cerning lapfed Chriftians S. Paul gave inftrn-
ftion, that if any man be overtaken in a fault,
pe which are fpiritual reftere fuch a man, in ihi
fpiritof meekneffe, confiaeringleft yealfo be tent'
ted: the Corinthian Chriftian committed in<
eeft, and was pardoned i ind\Smon Mapistl-
ter he was baptized offered to commit his owj
fin of Simony, and yet Saint Peter bid him
pray for pardon i and S. fames tells, that i
the fich^ man fends for the Chinch, and they pnj
ever him, ana he confejfe his fins they Jhafl k
ftrpven him. 15. That onely one fin is dfr
dared to be irremiflible, the fin againfi the Ht-
iy GhoS, the fin unto death, as S. f^ohn calls it,
for which we are not bound to pray, for all othen
we are: and certain it is, no man commits a
fin againft the Holy Ghoft, if he be afraid lie
hath, and defires that he had not} for f«li
penitentiallpallionsare againft the definitio#
of that fin. 16. That all the Sermons in die
Scripture written to Chriftians feDifciplesd
lefus, exhorting men to repentance, tobeaf.
nifted, to mourn and to weep, to confefiioa
©f fins, are fure teftimonies of Gods purpofe
and defire to forgive us, even when we fall
after baptifme} and if our fall after baptifme
were irrecoverable, then all preaching were i«
vain, and our faith were aljo vain, and we could
not with comfort rehearfe the Creed,in whidi
as foonas everweprofeffe Jefus to have died
for our fins, we alfo are condemned by oa
©wn confcienceof a fin that fliall notbefot'
givm} and then fill exhortati«ns, and com-
foft%
force
and
wee
ly ae
ons
fore
unde
17.
were
were
their
from
fore'
of tl
ptatic
or el
Hotel
enten
iheFi
ufera
pat
fettirn
Sod (
'enty
latlili
w
Ibthe
ao. T
land til
Our B
Ptay f(
apd pe
jafeof
ipflidfe
Pr
M
igbs.
Ifm
'athe^
1 con<
nftra<
/««/(,
in tbi
ie tm-
:ed iii<
guul-
is own
id him
:hat i
f; W
tall
1 is dfr
be Hi'
;allsit,
othoi
mits a
aid k
r fsli
inition
in tk
plesd
)beaf'
ifefljfn
«rpoft
fve "
ptita
vere
; COUU
whidi
e dieJ
by otf
be fa-
i cofff
fafi
fihap.S. meafonabU fears in fckpeffie. Se'^.J,
forts, and fafls, and difciplincs were ufelefle»
and too late; if they were notgivcn us before
we can underftand thetn » for nioft common-
ly as foon as we can we enter into the regi-
ons of fin •, For we ciimmit evil aSions be-
fore we underftand, and together with our
nndtrftanding they begin to be imputed.
17. That if it could be otherwife, infants
were very ill provided for in the Church who
were baptized, when they have no ftain upo*
their brows, but the mifery they contrafled
rem Adam-, and they are left to be Angels
forever after, and live innocently in the midft
of their ignorances and weaknefle, and tern-
ptations, and the heat and follies of youthj
or elfe to perifh in an eternall mine: we can-
not think or fpeak good things of God, if we
entertain fuch evil fufpicions of the mercies of
the Father of our Lord fefus. i8. That tbe long-'
bferance and patience a/ Gad is indeed wonder-
liill; but therefore it leaves us in certainties
of pardon, fo long as there is poflibilitie to
teturn, if we reduce the power to aft. 19. That
5od calls upon us to forgive our brother fe-
tenty times feven times, and yet all that is
but like the forgiving a hundred pence for his
fte who forgives us ten thoufand talents; for
fcthe Lord profefled that he had done to him
was his fervant and his dotricftlc,
10. That if we can forgive a hundred thou-
find times, it is certain God will dofoto usj
Oor Bleffed Lord having commanded us to
iny for pardon as we pardon our oftending
md penitent brother. 21. That even in the
afe of very great fins, and great judgements
nMed upon the finncrs, wife and good men
■ ' Prefidemt of Religion have declared their
O 2 fenfc
fe92
Jaraes
3.2.
I joh.
1.8.
Rom.
ir.32.
Chap.5. Cmftdmtuns againji, (^c. Sefl.5
fenfeto be, that God fpentall his anger,
made it expire in that temporall mifery > and
fo it was fuppofed to have been done in
cafe of Anmas j but that the hopes of anj
penitent man may not rely upon any uncer.
tainty, we find in holy Scripture, that thot
Chriftians who had for their fcandalous crime
deferred to be given over to Sathan to.lx
buffetted, yet had hopes to be faved in tin
day (rf the Lord. 22. That God gloriesii
the titles of mercy andforgivenelfc, and wJ fa
not have his appellatives lo finite and limi om
not have his appellatives fo finite and limi onely
ted as to expire in one aff, or in a feldom foUy,
pardon. 23. That mans condition were dt the da
Iperate and like that of the falling Ang4 and al
equally defperat, but unequally oppreflei any tl
confidering our infinite weaknefles, and igno and al
ranees, ( in refpeft of their excellent unda being
handing and perfeft choice ) if he could i)
admitted to nof cpentance after his infant Ei
ptifme: and if he may be admitted to o«
thereis nothing in the Covenant of the Gofjx
but he may alfo to a fccond, and fo for even
long as he can repent, and return and lives' twc
God in a timely religion- _ 24. Th« ere: j ^.j
man is a finner: In many things m nffend i
and if rae fay we have no fm we deceive s i - k J f,
felves i and therefore either all muft perifii, ,f
elfe there is mercy for all *, and fo there is,a j ,
on this veity ftock, becaufe ChriS- died forf 5
ners, and God hath comprehended all under fintl
he might have mercy upon all. 25. That if e« he wo
God fends temporall punilhments into i obe i
world with pnrpofes of amendment,and ifib j
be not all of them certain confignations to h ii^
and unleffe every man that breaks his leg, hat th
in pimifliment lofcsa child, or wife bec neto ;
Ui
amen
cure,a
he th
ktak.
feftio
ven H|
repen
the Vi
iefl.5
r, ani
> and
in tin
3f anj
uncer-
: tholt
crime
to,If
in tin
jricsii
nd wil
id limi
eldom
ere
\ngd
jreflei
d igM
undtf
3uld Ik
ant El
CO out
Gofpi
r even
d livei
It fKi
fend
give It
Ckp.?. An exerc'tjeagmftdefpak. SeS.j. 29?
tainly damned, it is certain that God in thefe
cafes is angry and loving, chaftHesthe fin, to
amend the perfon, and fmites that he may
cure,and judges that he may abfolve. 26. That
he that will not quench the fmoaking flax, nor
heakthe bnifed reed, will not tie us to per-
feflion, and the lawcs and meafures of hea-
ten upon earth ■, and if in every period of our
repentance he » pleafed with our duty, and
the veyce of our ktart, and the hand of our de-
fires, he hath told us plainly that he will not
onely pardon all the fins of the dayes of our
folly, but the returns and furprifes of fins in
the dayes of repentance, if we give no way,
and allow no afteftion, and give no peace to
any thing that is Gods enemy i allthepafl fins,
and al the feldom returningmd ever repented eviU
being put upon the accounts of the Crofle.
exercifs ag^infi defpair in the
' of our death.
T^O which may be added this fliort exer-
i cife, to be ufed for the curing the tern-
itation to direft defpair, in cafe that the hope
' ind faith good men be aflaulted in the day
;nfn,i )f calamity.
I confider that the ground of my trouble
- , . my fin j and if it were not for that 1 fhould
r fini lot need to be troubled» but the help that all
.tifaj he world looks for, is fuch as fuppofes a man
0 be a finner. * Indeed if from my felf I
iere to derive my title to heaven, then my
IS tori ins were a juft argument of defpair j but now
bat they bring me to Chrift, that they drive
be inj {0 an appeal to Gods mercies, and to take
fs'T O J fanduary
[i
I ! ■
Chip.!:'. Anexerdfeagm^ deffdr, SeS.^
fandiwry in the Croffe, they ought not, thej
cannot infer a juft caiiie of defpair. * I a®
fare it is a ftranger thing that God ftiould takt
Hpon him hands and feet, and thofe hands
and feet fhonld be nailed upon a erode, then
that a man fhould be partaker of the feiici.
ties of pardon, and life eternal! j and it were
ftranger yet, that God fhonld do fo much for
Man, and that a man that defires it, that h-
boars fortt, that is in life and pofTibiliticsof
working his falvation, fliould inevitably mii
that end, for which that God fuffered fo
much. For what is the meaning,, and whatis
the extent, and what are the fignifieationsof
the Divine mercy, in pardoning finners/ If
it be thought a great matter that I am charged
with originallfin: I confelfe I feel the weiglii
of it in loads of temporal! infelicities, and
proclivities to fin. But I fear not the g »ili
of it, fincc I am baptized ; and it cannotdo
honour to the reputation of Gods mercy, thai
it fhould be all fpent in remidions of whai
I never chofe, never afted, never knew ofi
could not help, concerning which 1 recei
ved no commandement, no prohibition:
But (blelfed be God)it is ordered in juft met'
fares that, that originall evil which I contra-
ftcd without my will, fhould he taken awaj
mthout my knowledge ; and what I fuffered be-
fore I had a being, was cleanfed before I
had an ufcfull underftanding. But I an
taught to beleeve Gods mercies to be inftniit^
Boir oneiy in himfelf, but to us, for mercy is
<t relative terme, and we are its eorrefpondenli
of all the creatures which God made, we one*
ly in a proper fenfe are the fubjefts of mer*
fy and reniiffion* Angels have mote of Gdt
kutiil
An exerdfe aiatnft defpatr. Sefl-;5. ajS
hmty then we have, but not fo tmch tf his
mtrcy » and beafts have little raya of his
kindneffe, and effeftscf his wifdom and gra-
cioHfneffe in petty donatives j but nothing
of mrcy for they have no lawesj and there-
fore no fins, and need no mercy, nor are ca-
pable of any: Since therefore man alone is
the correlative or proper objeftandvefiellof
reception of an infinite mercy, and that met-
cyis in giving and forgiving, I have rcafonto
hope that he will fo forgive me that my fins
fiiall not hinder me of heaven j or becaufe
it is a gift, I may alfo upon the ffock of the
fame infinite mercy hope he will give heaven
tomei and if I have it either upon the ti-
tie of giving, or forgiving , it is alike to me,
and will alike magnifie the glories of the Di-
vine mercy. * And becaufe etemall life is the Rost,
gift of God, I have leffe reafon to defpairj 6.23.
for if my fins were fewer, and my difpropor-
tions towards fuch a glory were Iclfe, and my
evenntlTe more, yet it is ftill a gift, and I
could not receive it, but as a free, and a gra-
cious donativeand fo I may ftill j God can
ftill give it me i and it is not an impoffible ex-
pedation to wait and look for fuch a gift at
the hands of the God of tnerey, the beft men
delerve it not, and I who am the worft,
may have it given me. * And I confider,
that God hath fet no meafures of his mcr-
cy, but that we be within the Covenant,
that is, repenting perfons, endeavouring to
ferve him with an honeft fingle heart; and
that within this Covenant tnere is a very
great latitude, and variety of perfons, and
degrees and capacities', and therefore that it
cannot ftand with the proportions of fo infi-
O 4 nice
^55 efwp.s. AnexercifengainftDefpah, Seft.j;
nite a mercy that obedience be exafled to
fuch a point (" which he never exprefled ) un-
lefle it fhould be the leaft, and that to which
all capacities though otherwife nnequail are
fitted, and fufficiently enabled. * But bow-
ever I finde that the Spirit of God taught the
writers of the New Teftament to apply to us
all in general, and to every fingle perfonin
particular fome gracious words which God in
the Old Teftament fpake to one man upona
fpecial occafion in a fingle and temporal in-
fiance : fuch are the » srds which God fpake
to Joflmah, 1 will never jail thee nor forfaits thee,
Tiebr. and upon the ftock of that promife S. fad
aj.j, forbidscovetoufnefle, and perfwades conten-
tednefle becaufe thofe words were l^oken by
God to/c/f'KaA in another cafe. If the graci-
ous words of God have fogreatextenfionof
parts, and iatenfion of kinde purpofes, then
how many comforts have we upon the ftock
of all the excellent words which are fpoken
in the Prophets, and in the Pfalms ? and I
will never more queftion whether they be fpo-
kenccHicerningme, having fuch an authentic
precedent fo to expound the excellent words
of God; all the treafures of God which arc
In the Pfalms are my own riches, and the
wealth of my hope} there will I look, and
whatfoever lean need, that I will depend up-
on: for certainly if we could underhand iti
that which is infinite (as Godis)^ muft needs
be fome fuch kinde of thing; it muft go whi
ther it was never fent, and fignifie what was
not firft intended, and it muft warm with its
fight, and fhine with its heat, and refrefti whea
it ftrikes, and heal when it wounds, and afcer«
sain where it makes afraid, and intend all when
H
Chap.S. .Anexetcifeagmnftdefpak. Seft.S.
it warns one, and mean a great deal in a fmall
word i and as the Sun pafTing to its Southern
Tropic looks with an open eye upon his fun-
bnrnt Ethiopians, but at the fame time fends
light from its pofterns and collateral influen-
ees from the backfide of his beams, and fees
the corners of the Eaft, when his face tends
towards the Weft, becaufe lie is a round body
of fire, and hath fome little images and re-
fetnblances of the infinite j fo is Gods mercy;
when it looked upon Mofes it relieved S. Pau!,
and it pardoned David, and gave hope to Ma'
najfes, and might have reftored "Judas, ii he
would have had hope and ufed himfelf accord-
ingly. * But as to my own cafe, I have finned
grievoufly and frequently. But I have repent- ^
ed it, but I have begged pardon, I have con- cavi'p®
felfed it and forfakenit, I cannot undo what nitin,na
was done, and Tperifh if God hath appointed t" a; ctlli
no remedie j if there be no remiflion :■ but
then my religion falls together with my hope j
and Gods word fails as well as I; but I be*
lieve the article of forgivenefeof jins-, and if
there be any fach thing I may do well i for, I
have, and do, and will do that which all good
men call repentance, that is, I will be hum-
bled before God, and mourn for my fin, and
for ever aflc forgivenelfe, and judge my felf,
and leave it with hafte, and mortifie it with di-
ligence, and watch againft it carefully j and
this I can do but in the manner ofa man, I can
but mourn for my fins, as I apprehend grief in
other inftanccs', but I will rather choofe to
fuffer all evils then to do one deliberate aft of'
find know my fins are greater then my forrow,
and ttx) many for my memory ,&too infinuating
to be prevented by all my caretbut I know aifo
O 5 shac
y» T,
i: s
3j8 Chap.J. AntxerdfeagilnSiefprnf. SeS.^,
that God knowes and pities my infirmities j
and how far that will extend, I know not, but
that it will reach fo far as to iatisfie my needsj
is the matter of my hope. * But this I am fure
of, that I have in my great necefsity prayed
humbly and with great defire, and fometimes
I have been heard in kinde, and fometimes
have had a bigger mercy inftead of it, and I
have the hope of prayers, and the hope $f my can.
feffion,ond the hope of my aideavour, and the hope
of many promifes and of Gods ejfentialgoodneffei
and I am fore that God hath heard my prayers
and verified his promifes in temporall in-
fiances: for he ever gave me fufficient for my
life, and although he promifed fuch fupplies
and grounded the confidences of them upon
our frfi feektng the kingdom of heaven and its
righteoufneffe, yet he hath verified it to me, who
have not fought it as I ought : But therefore I
hope he accepted my endeavour, or will give
his great gifts and our great expeftation even
to the weakeft endeavour, to the lead, fo it be
a hearty piety. * And fometimes I have had
fomechearful vifitations of Gods Spirit, and
my cup hath been crowned with comfort,
and the wine that made my heart gkd danced
in the chalice, and I was glad that God would
have me fop and therefore I hope this cloud
may pafle i for that which was then a real
saufe of comfort is fo ftill, if I could difcern
it j and I lhalj difoern it when the veil is taken
from my eyes,*(andblefred be God)I can ftill
remember that there are tetnptations to defpair',
and they could not be temptations if they were
Botapttoperfwadfej and had feeming proba-
Mity on their fide p and they that defpiir
tiiink they do it wi th greateft reafon) for if
they
"fW
Chap. 5. An txercifc agAnfi defpSr. SeS.S.
they were not confident of the reafon, but
that it wercfuch an argument as might be op-
pofed or fufpefted, then they could not de-
fpair » defpih ajfents as firmly and firongly as
faith it felf-, but becaufe it is a temptation,
anddefpair isa horrid fin, therefore it is cer-
tain thofe perfons are nnreafonably abufed,
and they have no reafon to defpair,for ail their
confidence j and therefore alchoagh 1 have
ftrong reafons to condemn my felf, yet I have
more reafon to condemn my, defpair, which
therefore is unreafonable, bccaufe it is a fin,
and a difhonour to God, and a mine to my
condition ', and verifies it felf, if I do not
look to it ■, for as the hypochondriac perfon
that thought himfelf dead, made his dream
true when he ftarved himfelf, becaufe dead
people eat not: fo do defpairing linners lofe
Gods mercies by refufing to ufe,and to believe
them. * And I hope itisadifeafeof judge-
ment, not an intolerable condition that I am
falling to, becaufe I have been told focon-
cerning others, who therefore have been affli-
fted, becaufe they fee not their pardon fealed
after the manner of this world j and the affairs
of the Sp'ritaretranfafted by immaterial no-
tices, by propofitions and fpiritual difcourfes,
by promifes which are to be verified here-
after; and here we muff live in a cloud, in
darkneffe under a veil, in fear and uncertain-
ties, and our very living by faith and hope,
is a life of myffery and fecrefie,!the onely part
of the manner of that life in which we fhail
live in the ftate of reparation y and when a
diflemper of body or an infirmity of minde
happensin theinftances of fuchfecretandre-
feryed affairs, we may eafiiy miftake the man-
O 6 net
m
his
mamammsmumm
joo Chap.S. An exerctfe tigainji deffair. Seft.j
ner of our notices for the uncertainty of the
thing i and therefore it is but reafon I fhould
ftay, till the ftate and manner of my abode
fee changed before I defpair i there it can be
no fin, nor error, here it may be both j and if
it itii idf) this f and then a man may
perifh for being miferable, and be undone for
being a fool, in conclufion, my hope is in
God, and I will truft him with the event,
which I am fure willbe jufl, and I hope full of
Biercy. * However, now Iwiilufeall thefpi-
litual arts of reafon and religion, to make me
more and more to love Gods that if I mifcarry,
Charity alfo Jhallfidl, and fbmething that loves
God fhall perilh, and be damned j which if
it be impoflible then I may do well
Thefe confiderations may be ufeful to men
•/ little hearts and of great fiety •, or if they be
perfons who have lived without infamy, or be-
gun their repentance fo lace, that it is very
imperfeift, and yet fo early that it was before
the arreft of death. But if the man beaviii-
ous perfon and hath perfevered in a vitious
life till his death-bed, thefe confiderations are
Boc proper. Let him inquire in the words of
the firft Difciples after Pcnrecoff: Men and
brethren what jltall we do to befaved l and if
they can but entertain fo much hope as to en'
able them to do fo much of their dutie as they
can for the prefcnr, it is all that can be pro-
vided for them, an inquirie in their cafe can
have no other pttrpofes of religion or pru-
idence : and the Minifter muft be infinitely
careful that he do not go about; tc^ comfort
vitious perfons with the comforts belonging
toGodseleft, left he proftiture holy things,
and make them aommon, and his fermons de-
ceitful,
IT!
(!bip.$.CoHfideratmsigamJfprefumftm.Se!R.S.
ceitfnl, and vices be incouraged in otherSj and
the man hitnfelf findethathe was deceived,
when he defcends into his houfe of forrcw.
But btcaufe very fei> men are tempted with
too great fears of failing, but very mmy are
tempted by confidence and prefumption }
the Miniftersof religion Had need be inffruft-
ed with fpiritual armour, to refift this fiery
dart of the Devil, when it operates to evH
-purpofes.
SECT. VL
C'onfiderations againfl I'refnmftiotf,.
I Have already enumerated many particulars
to provoke a drowzy confcience to a fcrotr-
nie, and to a fufpicion of himfelf, that by fee-
ing caufe to fufpeft his condition he might
more freely accufe himfelf and attend to the
neceffities and duties of repentance; but if
ei ther before or i n his repentance he grow too
big in in hisfpirit, fo as cither he doesfome
little violence to the modeftiesof humilitie,
or abate his care and zeal of his repentance,
thefpirkud man tmh allav his forwardnefie by
reprefentingtohimy t. That the growths in
grace are long, difficult, uncertain, hindred, of
many parts and great variety. 2. That an in-
fant grace is foon dafti'd anddifcountenanced,
often running into an inconvenience and the
evils of an imprudent conduft, being zea-
Ions, and forward, and therefore confidenr,
but alwayes with the leaff reafon, and the
gtcateft danger ; Kke children and young
fellows
^02 Chap.S. Remedies agoiiS Seft.!
fellows whofe confidence hath no other rea.
fon, but that they underftand not their dan-
gcr and their follies. 3. That he that puts on
his armour ought not tt boaft^ as he that pits it off i
and the Apoftle chides the Galatians, for
ending in the flefi after they had begun in the fpi-
sit: 4. that a man cannot think too meanly
cf himfelf, but very eafily he may think too
high. 5 That a wife man will alwayes in a
Hiatter of great concernment think the worft,
and a good man will condemn himfelf with
hearty fentence. 6. That humility and mo-
deftyof judgement znd of hope, are very good
inftruments to procure a mercie and a fair re-
cepcion at the day of our death; but prefum-
ption or bold opinions ferve no end of God or
man; and is alwayes imprudent, ever fatal,
and of all things in the world is its own great-
eft enemy; for the more any man prefumes,
the greater reafon he hath to fear. 7. That a
mans heart is infinitely deceitful, unknown
to it fclf, not certain in his own afts, praying
©ne way, and defiring another, wandring and
imperfeft, loofe and various, worfhipping God
and entertaining fin, following what it hates,
and running from what it flatters, loving to be
tempted and betrayed, petulant like a wanton
girle, running from, that it might invite the
: fondnefleandenragethe appetite of the fool-
ifli young man or the evil temptation that fol-
lowesit; cold and indifferent one while, and
prefently zealous and pafTionate, furious and
indifcreet; not underftood of it felf or any
one elle, and deceitful beyond all the arts
and ngmbers of obfervation. 8, That it is
certain we have highly finned againft God,
kat we ate not lb ccrtaiB that our repentance
is
Ghap.S. Frt/mfthn. SeS,6.
is reall and effeSive, integral and fufficient.
J. That it is not revealed to us whether or
no the time of our repentance be not paft,
or if it be not, yet how far God will give us
pardon ; and upon what condition, or after
what fulFcrings or duties, is ftill under a
cloud. 10. That vertue and vice arc often-
times fo neer neighbours, that we pafle in-
to each others borders without obfervation,
and think we do jnftice when we are cruel,
or call our felves liberal when we are loofe
and foolifh in expences j and are amorous
when we commend our own civilities, and
good nature, it. That we allow to our
felves fo many little irregularities, that in-
fenfibly they fwell to fo great a heap, that
from thence we have reafon to fear an evil j
for an army of frogs and flies may deftroy
all the hopes of our harveft. 12. That when
we do that which is lawful, and do all that
we can in thofe bounds we commonly and
eafilyrun out of our proportions. 13. Thar
it is not eafie to diflinguifh the vertues of
our nature from the vertues of our choice j
and we may expeft the reward of temper-
ance, when it is againft our nature to be
drunk i or we hope to have the coronet of
virgins for out niorofe difpofition, or our
abftinence from marriage upon fecular endsi
14. That it may be we call every little
figh or the keeping a fifti-day the dutie of
repentance, or have entertained falfe prin-
ciples in the eftimate, and meafures of
vermes > and contrarie to the Steward
in that Gofpel, we write down fourfcore
when we fhould fet downe but fifty. 15,
That it is better to truft the goodncfie.
304 CJiap .s. Remedies ttgmfi SeS :.6,
and juftice of God with our accounts then
to oifcr him large bits. id. That we are
commanded by Chrift to fit down in the hwefi
place, till the Mafter of the houfe bids us
fit up higher. 17. That when we have dene
all that we can we are unprofitable fervants
and yet no man does all that he can do;
and therefore is more to be defpifed and
undervalued. i8. That thefelf-accufingPub^
lican was juftified rather then thethankfgiving
and confident Phatifec. ip. That if Adam
in Paradife, and David in his heufe, and
Solomon in the Temple, and Peter inChrifis
family, and Judas in the College of Apo-
files, and Nicholas among the Deacons, and
the Angels in heaven it felf did fall fo foully
and diftioneftly, then it is prudent advice
that we be not high minded, but fear, and
when we ftand moft confidently take heed
left;we fall, and yet there is nothing fo
likely to make us fall as pride and great
opinions j which'ruined the Angels, which
God rcfifts, which all men defpife, and which
betrayes us into carelefnefle and a wretchlefie,
undifcerning and an unwary fpiri t.
4. Now the main parts of the Eccleii-
aftical miniftery are done ; and that which
remains is, that the Minifter pray over him,
and reminde him to do good attions, as he
is capable, * to call upon God for pardon,
* to put his whole truft in him, * to refigne
himfelf to Gods difpofing, * to bepatient and
even, * to renounce every ill word or thought,
orundecentaflion which the violence of his
ficknefie may caofe in him, * to beg of God
to give hira his holy Spirit, to guide him in his
agony
diap.$. pefumpmn'.' SeS.6. 304
agony, and * his holy Angels to guard him in
his palTage.
5. Whatfoerer is befides this, concerns the
ftanders by ^ that they do all their niinifteries
diligently, and temperately, * that they joyn
with much charity and devotion in the prayer
of theMinifter, * that they make no outcries
or exclamations in the departure of the foul,
* and that they make no judgement concern-
ing the dying perlon, by his dying quietly or
violently, with comfort or without, with great
fears or a cheerful confidence, with feme or
without, like a lamb or like a lyon, with con-
vuIfioBs or femblances of great pain, or like
an expiring and a fpent candle ; for thefe
happen to all men, without rule, without any
knownreafon, but according as God pleafes
todifpenfe the grace, or thepunifhmentfor
reafons oncly known to hirafelfj Let us lay
our hands upon our mouth, and adore the
myfteries of the divine wifdome and
providence, and pray to God to give the
dying man reft and pardon, and to our felves
grace to live well, and the bleffing of a holy
and a happy death.
SECT.
Chisp .s.' ffujers attht
SECT. YII.
Offees to he faid hj the Af inifier in hk
vijltation of the ftck-
I
N the Name of the Father, of the Scm and
of the Holy Ghoft.
Our Father which art in Heaven,&c.
Let the Priest faj this fra}er fecretly.
O Eternal Jefus, thon great lover of fonis:
who haft conftitnted a miniftery in the
Church to glorifie thy Name, and to ferve in
the afsiftance of thofe that come to thee, pro-
fefsing thy difciplinc and fervice j give grace
to me the unworthieft of thy fervants, that I
in this my miniftery may purely and zealoufly
intend thy glory, and effeftually may minifter
comfort and advantages to this fick perfon,
(whom Godaflbil from all his ofl'ences} and
grant that nothing of thy grace may perifh to
him by the unworthineffe of the Minifter i
but let thy Spirit fpeak by me, and give me
prudence and charity, wifdom and diligence,
good obfervation and apt difcourfes, a certain
judgement, and merciful difpenfation, that
the foul of thy fervanc may pafle from this
ftate of imperfeftion, to the perfedtions of
the ftate of glory, thorough thy mercie% O
Sfernal Jefus. Amen.
The
Chap.s. Kfttti'moftbefickt S€fl.7. go?
The Tfalm^
Otit of the depths have I cryed unto thee Pfaliaa
O Lord: Lord hear my voice: let thine i go.
ears be attentive to the voice of my fuppli-
cations.
If thou Lord fliould mark iniquities : O
Lord, who fliall ftand ? but there is forgive-
nefle with thee, that thou mayeft be feared.
I wait for the Lord, my foul doth wai t, and
in his word do I hope: my foul waitethfop
the Lord more then they that watch for the
morning.
Let Ifraei hope in the Lord, for with the
Lord there is mercy, and with him is pleuteoui
redemption: and he fliall redeem his fervants
from all their iniquities.
Wherefore Ihould I fear in the dayes of
evil, when the wickednelTe of my htels lhall
compafle me about ? No man can by any
means redeem his brother, nor give to God a
ranfome for him ( for the redemption of their
foul is precious, anditeeafeth for ever) that
he fliould ftill live forever, and not fee cor-
ruption.
But wife men die, likewife the fool and the
brutifh perfon perifh, and leave their wealth
to others : but God will redeem my foul
from the power of the grave, for he fliall re-
ceive me.
As for me, I will behold thy face in righte-
otrfneffe: I fhall be latisfied when I awake i*
»hy likencffe,
Tkow
r[' "! i I
mm
foi Chap.S, Prayers At the vi/itamn Seft.y,
Tfalii. Thou flialc fliew mcthe path of life, ia
J 5. t'Jy prefence is the fulncfle of joy, at thy right
hand there are pleafures for evermore.
Glory be to the Father, Skc. As it was
in the beginning, &c.
Let us Fray.
ALmighty God, Father of mercies, the
God of peace and comfort, of reft and
pardon, we thy fervants though unworthy to
pray to thee, yet in duty to thee and charity
to our brother, humbly beg mercy of thee
for him, to defccnd upon his body and his
foul; One finner, O Lord, for another, the
Hiiferable for the afflifted, the poor for him
that is in need j but thou giveft thy graces and
thy favours by the meafures of thy own mer-
cies, and in proportion to our neceflltieswe
humbly come to thee in tthe Name of Jefus,
for the merit of our Saviour, and the mercies
of our God, praying thee to pardon the fins
of this thy fervant, and to put them all upon
the accounts of the Crofle, and to bury them
in the grave of Jefus, that they may never rife
up in judgement againft thy fervant, nor bring
him to fhamc and confufion of face in the day
of final! inquiry and feutence. Amen.
II.
Give thy fervant patience in his forrows,
comfort in this his fickneffe, and reftorc
him to health if it feem good to thee, in order
to thy great ends,and his greateft intcrcft. And
however thou ihalt determine concerning
him in this affair,yet make his repentance per-
fe^, and his palfage, and his faith ftrong, and
his
ehap.S. $fthefick, I Seft.?.
his hope modeft and confident,that when thou
ftalt call his foul from the prifon of the body,
it may enter into the fecurities and reft of the
foHS of God, in the bofome of bleflcdnclfej
and the cuftodies of Jefos. Amen.
III. ?
TH ou , O Lord, knoweft all the neceflities,
and all the infirmities of thyfervant, for-
tifie his fpirit with fpirituall joyes and perfeft
refignation, and take from him all degrees of
inordinate or infecure affeftions to this world,
and enlarge his heart with defires of being
with thee, and of freedomc from fins, and
fruition of God.
IV.
Lord, let not any pain or paffion difcom-
pofe the order and decencie of his
thoughts and dutyi and lay no more upon
thy fervant then thou wilt make him able to
bear, and together with the temptation do
thou provide a way to efcape; even by the
mercies of a longer and a more holy life, or by
the mercies of a blclfed death, even as it plea-
feth thee, O Lord, fo let it be.
V.
LEt the tendernefle of his confcience, and
the Spiri t of God call to mind his fins,thac
they may be confelfed and repented of.* be-
caufe thou htft promifed, that if we confefle
cur fins, we fhail have mercy; Let thy mighty
grace draw out from his foul every root of
Ins f
JOJ
{16 Chapi$. Prtytrsat the wfmatn Sca,7;
bitternefle, left the rem»ins of the old man be
accurfed with the referves of thy wrath > but
in the union of the Holy Jefus, and in the
charities of God and of the world, and the
cominunion of all the faints let this foul be
prefented to theeblamelefle and intirely par-
doned, and thorowly wafhed through Jefut
, Chrift our Lord.
Here alfo may he inferted the prayert
fet do^n after the Holy Commftnieit
is admimfired.
The Prayer of S. Eujframs the Martyr to
be ufed by the fick or dying man, or by
the Pnefts, or afliftants in his behalf,
which he faid when he was going to mar-
tyrdom.
I Will praife thee O Lord, that thou haft con*
lidered my loweftate, and haft not Ihutme
np in the hands of my enemies, nor made my
foes to rejoyce over me: and now let thy right
hand proteft me, and let thy mercy come up-
on me, for my foul is in trouble and anguilh
becaufe of its departure from the body. O lec
not the aifembiies of its wicked and cruell
enemies meetic in thepafling forth, norhin-
der me, by reafon of the fins of my palTed life.
O Lord be favourable unto me, that my fo 1
may not behold the hellifh countenance of
the fpirits of darkneffe, but let thy bright
and joyfull Angels entertain it. Give glory
to thy Holy Name and to thy Majcfty -, place
me by thy mercifull arm before thy feat of
judgement, and let not the hand of the
princ »
T
ghap.S. •/M- ' ^e^t-7. SH
prince of this world fnatch me from thy pre-
fence) or bear me into hell. Mercy fweet
Jefu. Amen,
A Prayer taken out of the EHchhgton of
the Greek Church, to be faid by or
in behalf of people in their danger,
or neer their death.
Tall a/MtfnmsjScOi
I.
BEmired with (ins and nalred of good
deeds, I that am the meat of worms cry
Tehemently in fpirit} Caft not me wretch
away from thy face J place me not on the left
hand who with thy hands didft fafhron me>
but give reft unto my foul, for thy great met-
<y fake, O Lord.
II.
CUpplicate with tears unto Chrift, who is t«
judge my poor foul, that he would deliver
me from the fire that is unquenchable. I pray
you all my friends and acquaintance make
mention of me in your prayers, that in the
day of Judgement I may find mercy at that
dreadfull Tribunall.
III.
"fhen may the by-flanders pray.
WHen in unfpeakable glory thou doft
come dreadfully to judge the whole
world, vouchfafe O gracious Redeemer that
this
IC
mmum
fr2 diap.s. Fuyers atthevijitat'm Seft.'y.
this thy faithful! fervant may in the clouds
meet thee cheerfully. They who have been
dead from the beginning, with terrible and
fearful! trembling ftand at thy Tribunal! wait-
ing thyjuft, O Bleffed Saviour }efus. None
(hall there. avoid thy formidable and meft
righteous judgement. All Kings and Princes
with fervants ftand together and hear the
dreadfull voyce of the Judge condemning the
people, iWhich have finned, [into hell, from
which fad fcntence, 0 Chrift -deliver thy fer-
vant. Amen.
Then let the fick man be called upon to
rehearfe the Articles of his Faith j or
if he be fo weak he cannot, let him
(if he have not before done it) be
called to fay Amen, when they are
recited, or to give fomc teftimony
of his faith and confident aftent to
them.
After which it is proper (if the perfon be
in capacity ) that the Minifter examine him,
andinvitehimto confeflionj and all the parts
of repentance, according to the foregoing
rules; after which, he may pray this prayer
of abfolution.
Ur Lord Jefus Chrift who hath given
Commiffion to his Church in his Name,
to pronounce pardon to all that arc truly pc-
nitenc, he of his mercy pardon and forgive
thee all thy fins, deliver thee from all evils
paft, prefent, and future, preferve thee in
the faith and fear of his holy Name to thy
Sves end, and bring thee to his everlafting
Kingdom,
Chap.J. ' of the fick'-i' Seft.7. 313
Kingdom, to Iiv£with him for ever and eva.
Amen.
Then let the fick man renounce all he-
relies, and whatfoever is againft the truth of
God, or the peace of the Church, and pray
for pardon for all his ignorances and cnors»
known and unknown.
After which let him ( if all other cir-
cumflances be fitted ) be difpofed to receive
the Bleffed Sacrament, in which the Curate
is to nainifter according to the form prefcribed
by the Church.
When the rites are finilhed, let the fick
man in the dayes of his ficknefie be
imployed with the former offices and
exercifes before defcribed j and
when the time drawes neer of his
diflblution, the Minifter may affift
by the following order of recom-
mendation of the foul.
r.
OHoly and moll: Gracious Saviour Jefus,
we humbly recommend the foul of thy
fervant into thy hands, thy moft merciful!
hands 5 let thy BielTed Angels ftand in mini- --
fiery about thy fervant, and defend him from
the violence and malice of all his ghoftlyene-
mies, and drive far from hence all the fpirits
of darkneffe. Amen.
II.
IOrd receive the foul of this thy fervantj
_/ Enter not into judgement with thy fer-
Want 5 fpare him whom thou baft redeemed
with
914 Chap.5. PrajieTS atthtvjfitatm Seft.7
with thy moft precious blood , deliver him
from all cvil,and itiifchief i from the crafts and
aflaults of the Devil, from the fear of death,
and fromeverlafting death. Good Lordde-
liver him. Amen.
I
III.
Mpute not unto him the follies of his youth)
^ nor any of the errors and mifcarriages o(
his life, but ftrengthen him in his agony, let
not his faith waver, nor his hope fail, nor
his charity be difordered : Let none of his
enemies imprint upon him any affliftive or
evil phantafme j let him die in peace, and rel
in hope, and rife in glory. Amen.
iiir.
LOrd, we know and beleeve afluredly, that
whatfoever is under thy cuftody, cannot
be taken out of thy hands, nor by all the
violences of hell robbed of thy protedi-
on; preferve the work of thy hands, refcm
him from all evil, for whofe fake thou didit
fuffer ail evil: Take into the participation of
thy glories him to whom thou haft given the
feal of Adoption , the earneft of the inheri'
tanceof the Saints. Amen.
V.
LEt his portion be with Abrahm, Ifiic,
and ^acob, with ^ob and David, with the
Prophets and Apoftles, with Martyrs and all
thy holy Saints, in the arms of Ghrift,inthe
bofonie
Chap.S. tfthefick, Se(i.%
bofome of felicity, in the Kingdom of God
toeternall ages. Amen.
Thefe following prayers arc fit alfo to be
added to the foregoing offices in
cafe there be no communion or en -
tcrcourfej but prayer.
Let us Priy.
O Almighty and eternall God, there is no
number of thy dayes or of thy mercies,
thou haft fcnt us Into this world to fervc thee
and to live according to thy lawes j but we
by our fins have provoked thee to wrath, and
we have planted thorns and forrows round
about our dwellings, and our life is but a fpan
long, and yet very tedious becaufe of the ca-
lamities that inclofeus in on every fide: the
dayes of our pilgrimage are few and evil: we
have frail and fickly bodies, violent and di-
ftempered ;pa(rions, long defignes and but a
Ihort ftay, weak underftandings, and ftrong
enemies, abufed fancies, perverfe wils: O
Dear God, look upon us in mercy and pity ;
let not our weakneffes make us to fin againft
thee, nor our fear caufe us to betray our duty,
nor our former follies provoke thy eternall
anger, nor the calamities of this world vex us
into ted'oufneffe of fpirit and impatiencebut
let thy Holy Spirit lead us thorow this vally of
mifery with fafety and peace, with holinefs and
religion, with fpirituall comforts and joy in
the Holy Ghoft, that when we have ferved
thee in our generations, we may be gathered
Unto our Fathers, having the teftimony of a
P 2 holy
o;
<1$ chap.?. Prayers at the vifitat'm Scfl.y
holy confcience , in the communion of the
Catholike Church, in the confidence of a ccr
tain faith, and the comforts of a reafonable,
religious and holy hope, and perfeft charity
with thee our God, and all the world 5 that
neither death nor life, nor Angels, nor prin.
cipalities, nor powers, nor things prefenc, nor
things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any
other creature may be able to feparate us
from the love of God which is in Chrift jefus
our Lord. Amen.
II.
. Holy and moft gracious Saviour Jefii!,
_ ' in whofe hands the fouls of all faithfull
people arc laid up till the day of recompence,
have mercy upon the body and foul of this thy
fervant, and upon all thy eleft people who
love the Lord Jefus, and long for his coming,
Lord refrefh the imperfeflion of their con.
dition with the aids of the Spirit of grace,
and comfort, and with the vifiration and guard
of Angels, and fupply ito them all their ne-
ceffities known onely unto theej let them
dwell in peace and feel thy mercies, pityinj
their infirmities, and the follies of their flelh,
and fpeedily fatisfying the defires of theit
fpirits; and when thou (halt bring us allfortli
in the day of Judgement, O then fhew thy fell
to be our Saviour Jefus, our Advocate, and
our Judge. Lord then remember that thci
haft for fo many ages prayed for the pardo«
of thofe fins which thou art then to fentence.
Let not the accufationsof our confciences, not
the calumnies and aggravation of Devils, noi
the effedhs of thy wrath prcfle thofe fonii
which thou loveft, which thou didft redeem
whici
Cliap S. ef the fick. Seft.?/
which thou doeft pray for, but enable us all
by the fupporting hand of thy mercy to ftand
upright in judgement. O Lord have mercy
upon us, have mercy upon us, O Lord let thy
mercy lighten upon us as our truft is in thee.
0 Lord in thee have we trufted, let us never
be confounded. Let us meet with joy, and
for ever dwell with thee, feeling thy pardon,
fupported with rhy gracioufnefle, abfolved by
thy fentence, faved by thy mercy, that we may
fing to the glory of thy Name eternal! Alle-
lujahs. Amen. Amen. Amen.
Then may be added in the behalf of all
that are prefent thefe ejaculations.
O fpare us a little that we may recover our
ftrength, before we go hence and be no more
feen. Amen.
Caff us not away in the time of age, O for-
fake us not when ftrength faileth. Amen.
Grant that we may never fleep in finjor death
eternall, but that we may have our part of the
firft refnrteftion, and that the fecond death
may not prevail overns. Amen. J
Grant that our fouls may be bound t!p in
the bundle of life, and in the daywhenthou
bindeft up thy jewels, remember thy fervants
for good and not for evil, that our fouls may
be numbred amongft the righteous. Amen.
Grant unto all fick and dying'Chriftians,
mercy and aids from heaven j and receive
the fouls returning unto thee, whom thou
haft redeemed with thy moft precious blood.
Amen.
Grant unto thy fervants to have faith in the
Lord jefus, a daily meditation of death, a
P 3 contempt
Sir
3i8 thap.5. Prayen at the vijitatm Seft.y,
contempt of the world, a longing defire after
heaven,patience in our fGrrows ,comfort in oui
fickneffes, joy in God, a holy life and a bleffed
death, that our fouls may reft in hope and ray
body may rife in glory, and both may be be-
atified in the communion of Saints» in the
kingdom of God and the glories of the Lord
Jefus. Amen.
The bleffing.
Now the God of peace that brought agaia
from the dead our Lord Jefus that great fticp-
Heb. Qf jjig fheep thorough the blood of the
13. 20. everlafting covenant make you perfeft in eve
ry good work, to do his will, working in you
that which is pleaftng in his light, to whom be
glory for ever and ever. Amen.
The doxology.
To the blefled and onely Potentate, the
King ofkings,and the Lord of Lords,who only
hath immortality, dwelling in the light which
I Tim. approach unto, whom no man
^ jj 1^^ htth feen nor can fee, be honour and powei
' * everlafting. Amen.
After the ftek. man is departed, the Mini-
fler if he beprefent, or the Mayer domo^
or any other ft perfon may ufe the folhrvini
prayers in behalf of themfelves,
I.
Almighty God, with whom do live the
fpirits of them that depart hence in the
Lord, we adore thy Majefty, and fubmit to
thy
Chap.S. tfthefick. Sea.7.
thy providence, and revere thyjuftice, and
niagnifie thy mercies thy infinite mercies, that
it hath pleafed thee to deliver this our brother
out of themiferies of this finful world. Thy
connfels are fecret, and thy wifdom is infinite i
with the fame hand thou haft crowned him
and fmittcn us: thou haft taken him into re-
gions of felicity, and placed him among Saints
and Angels, and left us to mourn for our fins
and thy difpleafure, which thou haft fignified
to us, by removing him from us toabetrer,
a far better place •• Lord turn thy anger into
mercie, thy chaftifements into vertues, thy
rod into comforts, and do thou give to all his
ueereft relatives comforts from heaven, and
areftitution of bleffings equall to thofe which
thou haft taken from them. And we humbly
befeech thee of thy gracious goodnelTe Ihortly
to fatlsfie the longing defires of thofe Holy
fouls who pray, and wait and long for thy fe-
cond coming. Acconiplifh thou the number
of thine eleft, and fill up the Maniions in
heaven which are prepared for all them that
love the coming of the Lord Jefus; that we
with this our Brother, and all other departed
this life in the obedience and faith of the
Lord Jefus, may have our perfeft confumma.
tion and bliffe in thy eternall glory, which
never fhall have ending. Grant this for Jefus
Chrift hisi fake our Lord and onely Saviour.
Amen.
II.
O Merciful! God, Father of our Lord Je-
fus, who is the firft fruits of the refur-
P 4 region
3i9
320 Chap.J. Prayers at the vifimm Se&.f.
reftion and by entring into glory hath opened
the kingdom of heaven to all the beleevers,
we humbly befeech thee to raife us from the
death of fin to the life of righteoufnefie, that
being partakers of the death of Chrift, and
followers of his Holy life, we may be parta-
kers of his Spirit and of his promifes thlt
when we fhall depart this life, we may reft in
his arms, and lie in his bofom, as our hope is
this our brother doth. O' fufier us not for any
temptationofthe world, or any fnaresof the
Devil, or any pains of death to fall from thee.
Lord let thy H. Spiritcnable ns with his grace
to fight a good fight with perfeverance,tofinilh
our courfe with holinefs, and to keep the faith
with conftancie unto the end; that at the day
of judgement we may ftand at the right hand
of thethrone of God, and hear the bleffed fen-
tence off Come ye bleffed children of my Fa-
ther, receive the kingdom prepared for you
from the beginning of the world] O bleffed
Jefus thou art our Judge, and thou art our Ad-
vocate 5 even becaufc thou art good and gra-
cious never fulfer us to fall into the intolerable
pains of hell, never to lye down in fin; and
never to have our portion in the everlafting
burning. Mercy fweet ]efu: Mercy. Amen,
Th
Cbap.S.
of the ftcks
Sea.7. 32t
A payer to be [aid in the cafe of a fudden furprife
by death, as by a mortal wound, or evil accidents
in childebirth, when the forms and fokmnities
of preparationcannot be ufed.
OMoft gracious Father* Lord of heaven
and earth. Judge of the living and the
dead, behold thy fervants running to thee for
pity and mercy in behalf of our felves and
this thy fervanc whom thou haft fmitten with
thy haftyrod,andafwifc Angel", if it be thy
will preferve his life, that there may be place
for his repentance and reftitution", O fpare
him a little that he may recover his ftrength,
before he go hence and be no more feen : but
if thou haft otherwife decreed,'let the l ira-
cles of thy compaffion, and thy wonderfull
metcy fupply to him the want of the ufual
nieafures of time, and the periods of repen-
tanceand the trimming of his lamp: and let
the greatneffe of the calamity be accepted by
thee as an inftrument to procure pardon for
thofe defefts and degrees of unreadinefs which
may have caufed this accident upon thy fer-
vant. Lord ftirre up in him a great and effe-
final contrition that the greatneffe of the for-
row, and hatred againft fin, and the zeal of his
love to thee may in a ftiort time,do the work
of many dayesj and thou who regardeft the
heart and the meafures of the minde more then
the delay and the meafures of time, let it be
thy pleafure to refcue the foul of thy fervant
from all the evils he hath delerved, and all the
evils that he fears, that in the glorifications of
eternity and thefongs which to etemarages
thy Saints and holy Angds Ihall flng to the
P 5 honour
HttUAfiiA
^22 Chap.5. Ofthe'contingencUSf Seft.S
honour of thy mighty Name, and Invaluable
mercies, it may be reckoned among thy glo-
ries, that thou haft redeemed this foul from
the dangers of an eternal! death, and made
him partaker of the gift of God, eternalllife,
through jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.
Jf there be time^ the prayers in the
feregeing offices may be added ac-
cording as they can be fitted to the
prefent circumjiances.
SECT. VIII.
ai peroration concerning the contingent
cies, and treatings of oar departed
friends after death, in order to their
bmiall, c^c.
7" \ 7"^®" have'received
\/ \/ the laft breath of our
eifJS'oTtn ' friend and clofed his
jiiSiA®- »£*»«• eyes, and compofed his body for the
Iliad. 4- grave, then feafonable is the counfell
of the fon of Syrach: Weep bitterly and
Ecplus. make great man, and ufe lamentation as he is
§8.17.2 teorthy, and that a day or wo, left thou be evil
fpoken of-, and then comfort thy felf for thy hea-
meffie. But take no grief to heart i for there is
m
* di ^£A</^xo;i(4 U* }
duic Socracei de Ergaltiilatio
lugente.
Nemo me lachtymis decoree
nec (unera fletu
Faxic j cur ? volito vivus per
era virum*
Emm.
Chap.S. mi trming m dead. Seft.S. t 523
to turning again, thou /halt not de him good, but
hurt t yfelf. Solemn and appointed mourn-
ings are good expreflions of our dearnefle to
the departed foul, and of his worth, and our
Talue of himand it hath its praife in nature,
and in manners ^andpu<
biiko cuftomsi but the praife
of it is not in the Gofpel, that
is, it hath no direft and
proper ufcs in religion.For
if the dead did die in the
Lord, then there is joy to
him, and it is an ill expref-
lion of our affeffion and
our charity to weep un-
comfortably at a change
that hath carried my friend
to the ftate of a huge feli-
city. But if the man did
perilh in his folly and his
fins, there is indeed caufe
to mourn, but no hopes of
being comforted j for he
lhall never return to light,
otto hopes of reftitutionj
therefore beware left thou alfo come into the
fame place of torment} and let thy grief fit
down and reft upon thy own turf, and weep
till a flower fprings from thy eyes to heal the
wounds of thy fpirit; turn thy forrow into
caution, thy grief for him that is dead, to thy
care for thy felf who art alive, left thou die
and fall like one of the fools whofe life is
worfe then death, and their death is the con- S.Chry-
fummation of all infelicities. * The Church foft.hom,
in her funeralls of the dead ufed to ling rp.Hebr,
P 6 Pfalms,
nifJttf fJlilttil TTW'W 1*
S(ft) IsWi at iji yjixit
voi^eiv fMTih J*'
Cyrus apudXenop.
lasmmammtaSiM
324 Chap.5. Of the contingencies, Seft.8.
Pfalms, and to give thanks for the redemption
and delivery of the foul fronn the evils and
dangers of mortality. And'S. Chryfojiome afks
to what purpofc isitthat thou fingeft. Return
unto thy reft, O my foul,&c. if thou doeft not
believe thy friend to be in reft? and if thou
doeftjwhy doeft thou weep impertinently and
Unreafonably ? Nothing but our own lolle can
juftly be deplored j and him that is,paftionate
rnfanXor for the lolTc of his money or his advantages,
^cua>(4' we efteem foolilh and imperfeft and there-
I jj' ^fcts fore have no reafon to love the immoderate
forrows of thofe, who too earntftly mourn for
wrjl.4. their dead, when in the laft rcfolutionof the
inquiry, it is their own evil and prelent or
Morsop/'^®'"^'^ inconveniences they deplore) the beft
till a elt that can be faid of fuch a grief is, that thofe
perire mourners love themfelves too well. Something
la- is to be given to cuftom, fomething to fame,
fuT.'nlpanature, and to civilities,and to the honour
pol Sen.of the dceeafed friends; for that man is eftee-
med to dye mifei able, for whom no friend or
relative fheds a tear or
lintfs iMi SavaToc payes a folemn figh.I defire
fco\oi s/ko Tct to dye a dry death, bur am
Sxta, Ajva 55- not very defirous to have a
dry funeral : fome flowers
fprinkled upon my grave
would do well and comely j and a foft Ihower
to turn thofe flowers into afpringing memory
or a fair rehearfal, that I may not go forth of
my doors as my fervants carry the entrails of
beafts.
But that which is to be faulted in this par-
ticular is, when the grief is immoderate, and
anreafonable j and Ftaik Remana deferred to
have
52?
Clwp.5. andtreatin^ our dead- Seft.8
have felt tbe weight of S. Hieroms fevere re-
proof, when at the death of every of her chil-
dren, Ihe almoff wept her fclf into her grave:
But it is worfe yet when people byananibi-
tious and a pompous iorrow , and by eere- ]
monies invented for the
aoftentation of their grief
fill heaven and earth with
b exclamations and grow
troublefome becaufe their
friend is happy, or them-
felves want his company.
It is certainly a fad thing in
nature to feeafriend trem-
bling with a palfie, or fcor-
ched with feavers, or dried
up tikf a potjheard with im-
moderate heats, androwl-
ing upon his uneafie bed
without fleep which cannot be invited with c Non
c mufick, or pleafant murmurs, or a decent siailxdw
ftillneflc j nothing but the fervants of cold pesdul-
a Erpeaavimus lachi ymas ad
olUntationetn doloris paratas
uc ergoambitiofuidetonsit
toitfupeibnm palho caput
mmibus inter (e ufq^, ad articu-
lonim ftrepi'um contritiSj&Ci
Petron.
b flfi 55 Tntnif K ^cTfts
Heuuv
05 7» tTefXs; dvcl-
TSV^KOth,
death, poppy and marineffe can tempt the eyes
to lettheircurtairasdowBjand then they fleep apore , .
onely to taft of death, and make an effay of non avi-
the fhades below ; and yet we weep not here: >"»
the period and opportunity for tears we 'barxa; ^
choofe when our friend is fallen afleep, when fo num
he hath laid his neck upon the lap of his mo- reducent
ther, and let his d head
down to be raifed up to ~7~ d Tremulumque caput
heaven : this grief is ill iBColum&Ionsammanantja
placed and undecent. But labra falivam.
many times it is worfe
and it hath been obferv'd that thofe greater
and ftormy paflions do fo fpend the whole
ftock.
iggggggamumBBmmBaaamumiM
Chap.S. Of thtcontingemtSf Seft.S.
ftock of grief,that they prefently admit a com-
fort and contrary afledion, while a forrow that
is even and temperate goes on to its period
with expeftation and the diftancesof ajuft
time. The Efhefian Woman that the fouldier
told of in Petromus, was the talk of all the
town, and the rareft example of a dear afledi-
on to her hulbandj Ihe defcended with the
corps into the vault, and there being attended
with her maiden refolved to weep to death,
or dye with famine, or a diftempered forrow:
from which refolution nor his, nor her friends,
nor the reverence of the principal citizens,
who ufed the intreaties of their charity and
their power, could perfwade her. Bnt a foul-
dier that watched feven dead bodies hanging
upon trees juft over againft this monument,
crept in, and awhile flared upon the filent
and comely diforders of the forrow : and ha-
ving let the wonder a while breath out at each
others eyes, at laft he fetched his fupper and
a bottle of wine with purpofe to eat and drink,
and flill to feed himfclf with that^fad pretti-
neffe j His pity and firft draught of wine made
him bold and curious to try if the maid would
drink, who having many hours fince felt her
refolution faint as her wearied body, took his
kindnefle, and the light returned into her eyes
and danced like boyes in a feftival y and fear-
ing left the pertinacioufnelfe of her MiftrelTe
forrows Ihould caufe her evil to revert, or her
fhame to approach, affayed whether Ihe would
endure to hear an argument to perfwade her
to drink and live. The violent paffion had
layed all her fpirits in wildnefs and diliblutioii
and the maid found them willing to bega-
thered
chap. 5. and treating our dead. Seft.8. 327
thercd into order, at the arrtft of any new
objeft j being weary of the firft, of which like
leeches they had fucked their fill, till they fell
down and burft. The weeping woman took
her cordial and was not angry with her maid,
and heard the fouldier talk, and he was fo plea-
fed withihe change,that he who firft lov'd the
filence of the forrow was more i n love with the
mufick of her returning voice,elpecially which
himfelf had fining and put in tune; and the
man began to talk amoroufly, and the womans
weak heart and head was foon poflefled with a
little wine, and grew gay, and calked, and fell
in love, and that very night in the morning of
her paffion, in the grave of her hufband, in the
ponipes of mourning, and in her funeral
garments,married her new and ftranger Gueft*
For fo the wilde forragers of Lybia being fpent
with heat, and diffolved by the too fond kilTes
of the fun, do melt with their common fires,
and die with faintncffe, and defcend with mo-
tions flow and unable to the little brooks that
defcend from heaven in the wildernefle; and
when they drink they return into the vigor of
a new life, & contraft ftrange marriages; & the
Lionefs is courted by a Panther, and fhe liftens
to his love, and conceives a nionfter that all
men call unnatural, and the daughter of an e-
qui vocal paffion and of afudden refrefhment:
and fo alfo it was in the Cave at Ephefus: for
by this time the fouldier began to think it was
lit he fhonld return to his watch, and obferve
the dead bodies he had in ch rge; but when
he afcended from bis mourning bridal cham-
ber,he found that one of the bodies was ftolne
by the friends of the dead, and that he was
fallen
LSVS<fcAiC.'71 IWC'lv3i|'n -Jl IC'^V
5s8 Chap.5. Of the mtingencies. Seft.?.
fallen into an evil condition, becaufe by the
laws of Ephefus his body was to be fixed in
the place of it. The poor man returns to his
woman,cryesout bitterly, and in her prefcnce
refolves to dye to prevent his death, and infe-
cret to prevent hii ft)ame but now the womans
love was raging like her former fadqeffe, and
grew witty, and flie comforted herfouldicr,
and perfwaded him to live, left; by lofing him
who had brought her from death and a more
grievous forrow, fhe ftiould return to her old
lolemnities of dying and lofe her honour for
a dream, or the reputation of her conftancy
without the change and fatisfadfion of an en-
joyed love. The man would fain have lived
if it had been poftible, and fhe found out this
way for him, that he fhould take the body of
her firft hufband whofe funeral fhe had fo
ftrangely moarned, and put it upon the gal-
lows in the place of the ftolne thief he did
fo and efcaped the prefent danger to polfeffe
a love which might change as violently as her
grief had done ■ But fo have I feen a croud of
difordered people rufh violently and in heaps
till their iitmoit border was refirained by a
wa !I ,or had fpent the fury of the firft fluftuati-
on and watry progrefs, and by 6c by it returned
to the contrary with the fame carntftnefs,only
becaufe it was violent & ungoverned j a raging
pafTion if this croud, which when it is not un-
derdifcipiineand the conduft of reafon, and
the proportions of temperate humanity, runs
pafTionatly the way it happens, and by and by
as greedily to another fide, being fwayed by
its own Weight, and driven any whither
by chance, in all its purfuits having no
rule,
chap. 5. and treatwg our dead. Seft.8. 329
rule, but CO do ail it can, and fpend itfelf in
hafteand expire with feme ftiameand much
undecency.
When thou haft wept a while compofe the
body to burial ■, which that it be done gravely,
decently and charitably, we have the example
of all nations to engage us, and of all ages of
the world to warrant; fo that it is againft com-
mon hornfiy, and publike fame and reputation not
to do this office.
It is good that the body be kept vailed and
fecrec, and not expofcd to curious eyes, or
the diftionours wrought by the changes of
death difcerned and ftarcd upon by imperii-
nent perfons. When Cyrus was dying he called
his fons and friends to take their leave, to
touch his hand, to fee him thelaft time, and
gave in charge, that- when he had put his veil
over his face, no man fliould uncover it; and
Epiphanius his body was refcued from inquifi-
live eyes by a miracle; Let it be in-
terred after the manner of the coun- stnlftnc imaai
trey and rhc laws of the place, and
the dignity of the ptrfon. 3 For fo
Jacoi) was buried with great folemni- riuinf
tie, and fofephs bones were carried Tnni-
into Canaan after they had been em-
balmed and kept four hundred years:
and devout men carried S. Stephen to his
burial making great lamentation over
him. And tells that thofe who bTib. variat
Were the moff excellent perfons were hiftor. cap, 6,
buried in purple : b and men of rtxla-c aga-
an ordinary courage, and fortune, eximSof itfti.
had their Graves onely trimmed tiuifi wfwa/,
with branches of Olive* and mourn-
3go Chap.S. Of the csnttngencieJ, Se&.S.
ing flowers. But when Afarc. Anthony gave the
body of Brutus to his freed manr to be buried
honeftly, he gave alfo his own mantle to be
thrown into his funeral pile: and the magni-
ficence of the old funeral we may fee largely
defcribed by Virgil in the obfequies of Mife-
«Kx,andby Homer tn the funeral of Patroclus,
It was noted for piety in the men of Jubefts-
Gikad that they (hewed kindnefs to their Lord
Saul and buried him j and they did it honour-
ably. And our blelfed Saviour who was tem-
perate in his expence,and grave in all the parts
of his life and death, as age and fobriety it
fclf; yet was pleafed to admit the coft of Ma-
ties ointment upon his head and feet, becaufe
fhediditagainft his burial i and though (he
little thought it had bin fo nigh,yet becaufe he
accepted it for that end, he knew he had made
her apologie fufficient: by
Nam quid fibi faxa cavata which he remarked it to be
Quod pulchra voliint menu- ^ great aft of piety,and ho-
Res qdd"nifi creditur illis notable to inter our friends
Non irortua fed data fomno. and relatives according to
PrHd.hym'inexeq.defun^. the proportions of their
condition, andfo to give a
teftimony of our hopes of their refurreftion.
So far is piety: beyond it may be the oftenta-
tion and braging of a grief,or a defigne to ferve
worfe ends; fuch was that of Herod when he
made too ftudied and elaborate a funeral for
Ariftobulut whom he had murdered *, and of
Regulus for his boy, at whofe pile he killed
dogs, nightingales, parrots, and little horfes;
and fuch alio was the expencc of fome of the
Romans, who hating their left wealth gave
order by their Teftamcnt to have hugeporti-
ons
Cupit omnia ferre
Prodigus & Eotos melior fuc-
cendere ccidus,
Deferta^ e ofii- opt s ;
Stdtiju lib. 2. Silvir.
Ctiap.S. andneatmgmdeid. Seft.8. 33J
ons of it thrown into their fires, bathing their
locks which were prefently
to pafle thorough the fire
with Arabian and Egypti-
an liquors, and balfam of
Judea. In this as in every
thing elfe,as our piety muft
not pafle intofuperftition orvain expence, fo
neither muft the txcefle be turned into p.uci-
mony and chaftifed by negligence and impiety
to the memory of their dead.
But nothing of this concerns the dead in Totas
real and effedive pnrpofes •, nor is it with care
to be provided for by themfelves. But it is
the duty of the living. For to them it is all eft m no-
one whether they be carried forth upon a cha- bis, non
riot, or a woodden bier, whether they rot in negligen-
theair, or in the earth, whether they bede-
voured by fillies or by worms, by birds or by
fepulchral dog^ by water or by fire, or by de-
lay; when Chriton afk'd Socratef how he would Jg
be buried, he told him j I think I lhall efcape
from you , and that you cannot catch me} credu
But fo much of me as you can apprehend, curare
life it as you fee caufe for, and bury it j but '<=pultos?
however do it according to
the laws. There is nothing
in this but opinion and the
decency of f^^e to be fer-
ved. Where it is efteemed
an honour and the manner
of blefled people to de-
fcend into the graves of
their Fathers, there alfo it
is reckoned as a citfe to be
buried in aftrange land, or
etSiwf ett <nt
ea niuf/at Vf).
Fiigientibus Trojmis minatus
eft He^ior At/V« 0/
%cnnsu^ iJi' tu -at j«
T%i} Tl X«\aw
11 ,6,
that
IfWV KIM M .Jt iCTlti
^ w w ^ ^ ^
432 Chap.5. Of the cmmgencies, Seft.8.
that the birds of the air devour them. Some
Nations ufed to eat the bodies of their friends,
and efteemed that the moft honoured fepul-
ture, but they were barbarous: the Magi ne-
ver buried any but fuch as were torn of beafts;
the Perfians befmeared their dead with wax,
and the jEgyptians with gummes, and with
great art did condite the bodies, and laid
them in charnell houfes: But Cyrus the elder
would none of all this, hut
Ti }£' -rira tS gave command that his bo-
yi TO dy fhould be inteired, not
jajj jn a cofhn of gold or
fijet, Xenop.'Ots'mS-. lilver, but juft into the
earth, from whence all living creatures receive
bir h and nou.ilhment, and whether they
niulf return. Among Chriftians the honour
which is valued in the behalf of the dead is
that they be buried in
Sir tibi terra levi. molliq; te- holy ground, that is in ap-
garis arena pointed coemitaries,in pla-
Me tuanonpoffintertiere ofia e - i. iT
<ane. Marc religion, there where
*Kam quod requieTcere corpus the field of God is fowen
vactiUTi fine mente vnlemas with the feeds of the refur-
Spaciu breve rclht uc al:i re. region, * that their hodies
'If.«""i;!?
in pifrtdi ur^ Chrmians^with whom.their
Prudent, hymn, inexeq. hope and their portion is
defunc. and fhall be for ever. Quk-
quid feceris, mnia hac eodem
Ventura funt. That we are iWeof; our bo-
dies (hall all hereftorcd to our fouls hereaf-
ter, and in the intervall they fhall all be turned
into dufV, by what way foever you or your
chance fhall drelTe them. Lkinus the freed
manfleptin a Marble Torabe, but Cm in a
, little
Ciiap.S. and tmting our dead. Seft.8,
little one, Pompey in none,
and yet they had the beft
fate among the Romans,
and a memory of the big-
geft honour. And idmay
happen that to want a Monument may beft
preferve their memories, while the fucceeding
ages lhall by their inftances reniember the
changes of the world, and the dilhonours of
death , and the equality of the dead j and
* James the fourth K of the
Scots obtained an Epitaph
for wanting/of a Tomhej
And K. Stephen is remem-
bred with a fad ftory, be-
caufe 4GO. years after
his death, his bones were
thrown into a river, that
evil men might fell the leaden coffin. It is all
one in the finall event of things. Ninus the Af-
fyrian had a Monument efefted whofe height
was nine furlongs, andthebredth ten (faith
Dkdons ) but John the BaptiSi had more honor
when he was humbly laid in the earth between
the bodies of Ahdks and Eli^eus. And S. fgna-
tins who was buried in the bodies of Lions,and
S.Polycarpe who was burned to afhes,(hall have
their bones, and their flefh again, with greater
comfort then thofe violent perfons who flcpt a-
tnongftkingsHavingufurped cemit ibi msillos & ir.onis
their thronswhen they were honore carentes.
alive;", and their fepulchres leucafpim & tyci^dudorem
when they were dead. dafsii Oromem. iEneid,«,
. Concerning doing-honor to the dead; the
■ confideration is not long.Anciently the friends
. ofr the dead ufed to make their funeral Orati-
and what they ipake luftravitquev'rosai.^itq; no-
33?
Marmoreo Lrcinus tumuio ja-
cet,att.ai:oparvo,
PompcHisnuIIo, crcdi .us eflc
Deos,
Varro Atackus,
* Fatna orbem reple't, mortem
for occuUr» at tu
Define ftirucai i quod tegit ofta
rdurr#
Si mihi dent animp non
par fata tepulchium
Atlgufia eft tnmulo terra Brir
tanna meo.
,,ons
of greater commendation vifsima v-evb.-i, J.ncui.
i ^
S34
Chap.S. Of the contingencies,' Scft.?,
was pardoned upon the accounts of friend,
fhip; but when Chriftianity feized upon the
poflefTion of the world, this charge was de-
volved upon Priefts and Biftiops, and they
firft kept the cuftoms of the world, and ador-
ned it with the piety of truth and of religion;
but they alfo fo ordered it that it fhould not '
be cheap: for they made funerall Sermons
onely at the death of Princes, or of fuch ho-
ly perfons, who /hall judge the Angels ; the
cuftome defcended, and in the channels min-
gled with the veins of earth thorow which
it pafled j and now adayes men that die are
commended at a price; and the roeafureof
their Legacy is the degree of their vertue ;
but the(e things ought not fo to be: The reward
of the greateft vertue ought not to be pro-
ftitute to the doles of common perfons, but
preferved like Laurell and Coronets, to re-
mark and encourage the nobleft things. Per-
fens of an ordinary life ftiould neither be
praifed publikely nor reproached in private:
for it is an office and charge of humanity to
fpeak no evil of the dead, ( which I fuppofe
is meant concerning things not publike and
evident) but then neither fhould our chariry
to them teach us to tell a lie, or to make
a great flame from a heap of rufhes' and
mufhrooms, and make Orations crammed
with the narrative of little obfervances and
afls of cTO/,and necelfary,znd externall religion..
But that which is moft con-
fiderable, is that we fhould
dofomething for the dead,
fomething that is reafl aiid
of proper advantage. That
we
Koufi ^<0/ }i.€iycL'f
eAtO
milW JVt 7%\idO 7?t S7W-
eariji)?. II,
Chap.J. end tretting otir dead. Seft.8. gjJ
we performe their will the lawcs oblige us»
and will fee to it •, but that we do all thofe
parts of perfonall duty which our dead left
unperformed, and to which the lawes do not
oblige us, is an aft of great charity, and per-
feft kindneffe: and it may redound to the
advantage of our friends alfo, that their debts
be payed even beyond the Inventary of their
moveables.
Befides this, let us right their caufes, and
affert their honour; When Marcus Kegulus
had injured the memory of Herenmus SeneciOj
Metius Carus afked him, What he had to d»
with his dead? and became his advocate after
death, of whofe caufe he was Patron when
he was alive: And David added this alfo,
that he did kindnefle to Mephibofieth for Jo-
Mthans fake, and ^o/omon pleaded Ws Fathers
caufe by thcfword againh Joab etadShimei.
And certainly it is the no-
bleft thing in the world to
do an aft: of kindneffe to Xfii t^-nSr
him whom we fhall never % tti
fees but yet hath deferved f<»A'
it of us, and to whom we £«=<«• Ijoc. Flataica.
would do it if he were pre -
fent *, and unleffe we do fo,
our charity is mercenary, in bttore Ten«
and our friendlhips are di- g, cineri ingtato fu-
reft merchandize, and our prema ferebant.
gifts are brokage j but what Eneid.tf.
we do to the dead, or to
the living for their fakes, is
gratitude and vertue for vertues fake, and the «s-
blefi portion of bumanitie.
And
I'fl
: :i
335 Chap.5. Of theconiingmies, 'Sea.8;
And yet I remember that the mofl: exceb
lent Prince Cyrus inhh laft exhortation to his
fons upon his death-bed, charms them into
■peace and union of hearts and defignes, by
telling them that his foul would be ftill alive,
and therefore fit to be revered and accounted
as awful and venerable as when he was alive j
and what we do to our dead friends is not
done to perfons undifcerning as a fallen tree,
but to fuch who better attend to their rela-
tives, and to greater purpofes though in other
manner, then they did here below. And
therefore thofe wife perfons who in their fu-
neral orations made their doubt, with an [a
n: cii^Tjf thko-T? <ofeiT&)v r,
If the dead have any perception of what is
done below] which are the words of IfocrateSf
in the funeral encomium of -Evagorus , did it
upon the uncertain opinion of the fouls im-
mortality, but made no queftion if they were
living they did alfo underftand what could
concern them. The fame words Ncts^unzen
ufes at the exequies of hisfifter Gorgonk, and
in the former invcftire againit fulkn i but
this was upon another reafon; even becaufe
it was uncertain what the ftatcof feparation
was, and whether our dead perceive any thing
of us till we (hall meet in the day of judge-
ment: If it was uncertain then, it is certain,
fince that time we have had no new revelation
concerning itbut it is ten to one, hut when
we dye we (hall find the ftate of affairs wholly
dilTering from all our opinions here,and that
no man or feft hath guelfed any thing at all
of it as it is. Here I intend not to difpute,
but to perfwade, and therefore in the general,
if
Chap,;. ■ Of themthgmus^fye. Sefl 8. 337
if it be probable that they know or feel the
benefits done to them, though but by are-
flex revelation from God, or fome
communication from an Angel, or the ftock
of acquired notices here below, it may the
rather endear us to cur charities or duties
to them refpefiively j (ince our vertues ufe
sot to live upon abftracti-
ons, and Mctaph^ficalper- 'H'Ss
fedions, or inducements; (r«^«7a
but then thrive when they —itaiuh
hjve materiall arguments; Ifiero
fuch which are not too far
from fcnfe. However it be aatiilor, II, 4.
it is certain they ate not
dead, and though we no ir ore fee the fouls of
our dead friends then we did when they were
alive, yet we have teafon to beleeve them to
know more things and better: And if our
fleep be an image of death, we may alfo ob-
fetve concerning it, that it is a flateof life fo
feparate from communications with the body,
that it is one of the wayes
of Oracle, and prophecy,by " h ^ to 4'';t»
which the foul beft de- tfVi'Stn ■S'tdantTM yy^xet'FSii.cuHiztJ,
dates her immortality,and
the nobleneffeof heradL TOTi}S'»t ioiKi Usi/_
ons, and powers, if fhe ScpTa/. Cpns afud Xenof.
could get free from the Hb.S.inftit.
body, (as in the hate of
feparation ) ora clear dominion over it, (as
in the refurrcdion ): To which alfo this con-
fidtration may be added, that men longtime
lived the life of fence, before they ufe their rU
reefim and till they have futnilhed their head «•,
with experiments and notices of many things,
"X' % dViiXtr «Vitg gfliic & Ml sm'fiOTt,, lUiad. 4-
they
53? Cftap.S, Of the contingencies, (^c. iSeft.Si
they cannot at all difcourfe of any thing,
but when they come to ufe their reafon, al
their knowledge is nothing but rmembjanK\
and we know by proportions, by finiilitude
anddiffimilitndfs, by relations and oppoliti
<^s, by caufes and effefts, by comparinj
things wirh things i all which are nothing,
but operations of underftanding upon tht
fVock of former notices, 'of (bmething wi
knew before; nothing but remembrances i all th
heads of Topicks which are the (lock of ai
arguments and fciencesin the world are a cet'
tain demonftration of this: And he is tb
Wifeft man that remembers moft, and joyn
thofe remembrances together to the bcft put
pofesof difcourfe. From whence it may noi
be improbably gathered,that in the ftate of fc
paration if there be any aft of underflanding
thatis, if the under/landing be alive, itmu
be relative to the notices it bad in this world
and therefore the afts of it mufl he difcourfe
upon all the parts and perfons of their con
verfation and relation, excepting onelyfuc
new revelations which may be communicated
to if, concerning which we know nothing
But if by feeing Socrates I think upon PktOi
and by feeing a pifture I re member a MaOi
and by beholding two friends I remembci
any own, and my friends need, ( and he ii
wiftft that drawes moft lines from the fame
Centre, and moft difconrfes from the fame
Notices) it cannot but be very probable to
bcleeve, fincc the feparate fouls underftand
better, if they underftand at all, that from
i^e Notices they carried from hence, and what
ahey find there equal! or unequall to thofe
NoticeSj
hlBg:
Chap.s. and treating our dead. Scft.8.
Notices, they can better difcover the things
of their friends then we can here by our con-
jeftures, and craftieft imaginations: and yet
many men here can gueffc fhrewdly at the
thoughts and defigucs of fuch men with
whom they difconrfc, or of whom they have
heard, or whofe charafters they prudently
have perceived. I have no other end in this
difcourfe, but that we may be ingagedtodo
our duty to our Dead j left peradventure they
fhould perceive our neglect, and be wirnef-
fes of our tranfient aftcdions, and forgetful-
nefle. Dead perfons have religion palled up-
on them, and a folemn reverence j and if we
think a Ghoft beholds us, it may bt we may
have upon us the impreflions likely to be
made by love, and fear, and religion. How-
ever, we are fure that God fees us, and the
world feesus; andifitbe matterof duty to-
wards oar Dead, God will exiH it.- if it be
matter of kindnefle, the world will; and as
Jleftgttn is the band of that, {o fame and repu-
tation is the endearment of this.
It remains, that we who are alive fhould
fo live, and by the aftions of Religion at-
tend the coming of the day of the Lord, that
we neither be furprized, nor leave our du-
ties imperfeft, nor our fins uncanceld, nor
our perfons unreconciled, nor God unap-
peafed: but that when we defcend to our
graves we may reft in the boforae of the Lord,
till the manfions be prepared, where we lhall
fing and feaft eternally. Amen.
thofj
ticefj
THE END.
"D Elides this Ri^e of Holy Djf-
the Author hath in Print,
1. The Rule of Holy Living,
2. The Liberty of Prophefyingi
g. Epilcopacie alTerted, 4*^
4, TheHiftory oftheLifeand
Death of the ever blefled J'fnf
Cbriji^ 4®^
5, An for Authorized
and et forms of Lytu^'gie. 4°
6, A Sermon Preached at
Oxon. on the Anniverfary of the
li: th of November. 4®
7, Together with 28»Sermons
Vicached at Golden grove, fid*
Lately puhlilhcdj
SErmoH 1 .2. Of the Spirit of Grace. Aom.
S.ver. 9.10.
Stmnon 3. 4. The defcending and entailed
curfe cut off. E xoc I ks 20. part ef the i .verfe.
Strmon 5. d. The invalidity of a late, or
death-bed repentance, yer. ij.d.
Sermoa
Sernaon 1.9. The dcceitfulneffe of the heart.
Jerm.ii.^.
Sermon p. io. ji. The faith and patience(rf
the Saints: Or the righteous caufe oppref«
fed. I
Sermon 12.13. The mercy of the Divine
judgemeHCSi or Gods method in curing
finners. Asm. 2.4.
Sermon 1-4.13; Ofgroweth in grace, with its
proper inftrnments and fignes. 2 Pet.g.iS.
Sermon i6h 17. Of growcth in fin, or the fe-
verall ftates and degrees of finners, with
the manner how they are to be treated.
Jiide Epjft.ver, 22,23.
Sermon 1B.19. The foolHh exchange.
16. ver. 26.
Sermon 20. 21. 22. The Serpent and the
Dove, or a Difcourfe of Chrifiian Prudence.
Matth. 10. htterpurt ef ver. 16.
Sermon 23. 24. OfChriftian fimplicitie. Afatt.
10. latter part of ver. t6.
Sermon 2^.26. 27. The Miracles of theDi-
vine Mercy. Pfal. 26. $■
A Funerail SermoH, Preached at the Obfe-
quies of the right Honourable the Conn-
telTe of Carbery. 2 Sam. 14.14.
A Djfconrfe of the DivineInftitution,necefnty,
iacrednefle, and feparation of the Office
Minifieriall.
Printed for Richard Royjion at
the Angel inlvie-Lme,
ii
^»ifl
i$Mi
iWilWil