498 'The right way ofdying well. befhherefore is, before hand now while we A fome, whcnthellingisout, andwemaylet haue time, to fearch where the !lrength of death<recpc inroourbofome,&gripe vswith deathlies,which being once knowne,wemull his leg•, and !lab vs at the hcart,fo longas he with fpced cut olfhis S•mpfons locks, andbebrings not his venime and poyfon with him. rcauehim ofhis power,diliurne him, &make And becaufe the former duties arc fo nccefhim al'ogithcr vnable to preuaile again£! vs. fary,as none canbemore, I will vfe famereaNow to find outthismatter, we neede not to fans yet further to infurce them, Whatfoeuer· vfe thecouufell ofany'D•Iii•h, for wee haue aman would doe whenheis dying, thefame the word of God which teacheth vs plainely heought to doe euery day while beis lining: where the flrmgth ofdeathconfi!ls, namely, now the mo!l notortous and wicked perfon ~~.ourfinnes,asP••Ifaith, t.Cor.ts.s6. The thateuer was, when he isdying will pray and ngojdellthufm. Wcllthen,wc knowingcer-' defire othcrstof.ray for htm, and promift atainly thatthe power and force ofeucry mans r:1endment ofli e, protc!ling that ifhe JLight particulardcathlies inhisowne finncs, mull ltue, he would rccome aprallitioncr inal the fpend our time and lludy in vfinggood meanes good duties offaith,repeotance,and reformathat our finnes may bee remooued and parde- B tionoflifc, Oh theretorc bee carefuU to doe ned. And therefore wee mull daily inure our this euery day!Agdne, the faying is true,he felues inthe praaife ofcwo dutifs. One,isto that would liue whe he isdead,mulldie while humble our felue~ for all our finnes pa!l,parthe is aliae;namely,toha finne. Woulc/l thou lyconfefsing them again£! our felues,pardy in thenliueeternally? fuetoheauenfor thy parpra:•er crying te heauen for the pardon of don,and fee thatnow in thy life time thou die them. The other,is for time to come to turne to thine ownefinnes. La!lly, wicked 'lJAIMm Vnto God, and to carry a purpofe, refol"tion, would faine die the death ofthe righteous: and indeauour in all things to reforme both but alas,it was to fmall purpofe,for he would heart and life according to Gods word.Th<fe by no meanes liue the life of the righteous: are thevery principall8< properduties,wherFor his continual! purpofe and meaningwas by the llrength ofdeath is much rebated, and tofollow his old waies in forceries andcouehe is made ofa mighty ·aud bloodie enemic fo toufaelfe. Now the life of a righteous man urrc forth friendly &tracbble; that we may £lands in the humbling of himfelfe for his fins with comfort encounter witll him& preuaile pall, and in a carcfullreformation oflife to too. Therefore I commend thefe duties to come. Wculdefi thou then die the death of your Cbriflianconfiderations,& carefull pra. c the righteous? thenlookevntoit,thatthy life dife,defu:ingthat yee would fpend yourdaies be the life ofthe righteous; ifyee will needs euer hereafter ia doing of them. If a man liue the lifeofthevnrighteous, yemw!llooke were todeale with a.mighcy dragonor ferpent to die the deathofthe vnrighteous. Rememhand to hond , in fuch wifeas hee mu£! either ber this, and content not yourfelues to heare kill or bee killed , the befi thing were to bethe word,butbe doersofit: for yce learneno reaue himofhis lling,orofthatpartofhis bomoreindeed, what mrafure ofknowledge fo· 5pb,4; dy where his poyfun lies:nowdeath it felfc is eueryee haue, then ye practife. u,az.. akrpent,dt·afoon,or fcorpioo, and fitmeis the The third duty in ourgenerall preparation, !ling or p~y on whereby he wounds and kils is in this life to enter into the lirll degree vs. Wherefore without any more delay, fee oflife eternall. For as I haue faid, there be thatyec pull out his /ling: the practife ofthe three degrees oflife euerlalling, and the lir!t forefaidduties isasit were alit and worthy inofthem is in this prefent life. For hee that ftrumentto do the deed. Ha£! thou bin a perwould liue in eternal happinelfefor euer,mull fonignopntofGods w!ll, acontemner ofhis begininthis world torife out of thegraueof wordand worlhip,a blafphemerofhis name,a his ownc linnes,in which by naturehelies bu. breake' ofhis fabbath, difobedient to parents D rkd,and liue in newnelfe of life, as it is faid and Magi!lrates, amurderer, afornicatour, a in thereuelation, Reoel.2o.6. Hee thAtwill ifrailer,afi•nderer,acouetous perfon? &c. Re . cape the f<r:ond de•th, mNjl bte mlllk p•rt•k..er forme thefe thy finnes and all other like vnto •f tbe firft rtfomEliM. And P.ul f•itn to the them, pull them out by the ro0tes from thy Colofsians, that they were in this Iifedcliueheart, and call them olf. So many finnes as be red fromthe power ofdarkenclfe, a~~drranflainthee,fo many !lingsofdeath oe alfo in thee tedi•t• the k_ingdeme ojChrif/, (.I, I .I 3• And to wound thy foule to cternall death. ThereChri!l: f•ith to the Church ofthe Iewes, the forelet no one finue remaine, for which thou kf.•gdomt•,'huumu .,.ngftyou. Now thisn!fr hall not humbled thy felfe and repented feridegree of life is, when a man czn fay_ Wtth oufiy. Whendearhhurtsany man,it takes the Pt~lll:, GAI/I:. 2• 20· 1/iuenat~bNtChriftlmesm weapons whereby he is hurt, from his owne mee: that is, I findc partly by the teflimonie hand. Itcannot do vs the leafi hurt but by rhe of my fanctilied ccnfcience:, and partly by_ force of <>ur owue .finncs. Wherefore I fay experience, that Chrifl my redeemer by hts again and again, laythispoint to your hearts, f?irit guideth and gouerR<th my thoughts, and fpend your llrength,Iife, and health, that will aff«'lions,and all the powers ofbody and ye may before ye die, abolilh the Hrength of foul~ according to the blelfeddiretlion ofhis death. A m. n may put a ferpent in his boholy will•.Now that wee mtght bee aO!e to lay - --
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