The rtgbt way fufficeWI preparemy felfe topraywhen I begin tobe (Ickes Avfv. There men greatly decetue themfelues,for the time then ismoll Ili fit to begin a preparation, becaufeall the fenfes and powers ofthe body are occupieda- bout thepainesand troubles of the difeafe: and the ficke panic is excrcifed partly inconference with thePhyftian, partlywith the Minifter about his foules healthandmattersofconícience, andpartly with friends that come to via. Therefore there Trutt force preparation goe before in thetime of health,when the whole man with all thepowersofbodyand foule are at iia bertie. Againe,there be forceothers which imagine and fay,that amämay repent whenhewill,euen in the time ofdeath: and that fuch repentance is fufficient..A It is falfewhich they fay:For it isnot in the power ofman to repent whenhe himfeifewill;wlrenGod will he may. It is not in him that.. vvillethor runneth,but in God that hath mercie.AndCrhrifl faith that many (hail fake to enter into heauen and (hall not be able. But why fo?becaufe they tèeke when it is too late,namelywhen the timeofgrace ispall. There- fore it is exceeding follie for men fo much as once to dreame that they may haue repentance at commaund : nay it is a iuft judgement that they (bould becondemned ofGod in death , that did conremneGod intheir life : and that they fhould quite be forgotten of God in fickenes, that did forget God in their health. AgaineI anfvver, that this late repent anceisfeldomeorne- ucr true repentance. It is ficke like the partie himfelfe, commonly languifh- ing and dying togicher with him. Repentance fhouldbe voluntarie(as allo. bedience to God ought) but repentance takenvp in ficknes, isvfually con- flrained and extorted by the fèareof hell, and other judgementsof God: for croffes , afflictions, and fickneffe will caute thegroffefl hypocrite that euer was to floope and buckle vnder the handof God, and todiffemble faith and repentance and euery grace ofGod as though he had them as fully as any ofthe true feruants ofGod : whereas indeede he wants them altogether. VVherefore fuch repentance commonly isbut counterfaite. For in true and found repentance menmuff forfake their firmest but in this, the finne forfakes the man; who leaues all his cuill waits onely vp- on this that he is conftrained to Ieaue the world. Wherefore it is a thing greatly tobe wifhed , that men would repent and prepare themfeluesto die in the timeofhealth before the day ofdeath or fickne(te come. Laff- lyitisalleadgedthat one ofthe theeues repented vpon thecroffe. sffiJ[vv. The chide was called after the eleuenth houre at the point ofthe twelfth, when he was now dying and drawing on. Therefore his conuerfion was altogether miraculous and extraordinarie: and there was a fpeciallreafon why Chritl would haue him tobe called then, that while hewasinfuffe- ringhe might Phew forth thevenueofhis paffion; that all which faw the one , might alfò acknowledge the other. Now it is not good for men to make anordinarie rule ofan extraardinarie example. Thus then this point beeing manifca thata generali preparation muff be
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=