'504 h h 'I er~ t wayofdying well. - c:ue!uU meditation of rhis one point is ano~ A though the foule goe from tlie bodie , and the rable meanes to arme vs againft feare and dibody it.felferotin the graue, yet both are frill firufi:, and impatience in the time ofdeat}1; as tn Chnft,both mthe couenam, both in the fafome examples in this cafe wil caftly manifeft, uourofGod asbefore death, and b0th!hall aJheldmy tong~<eanJfoidnothing, faith 'Dauid, gaine be ioyned togithcr,the body by the verPlalm. 39· 9- but what was it that caufed this tuc ofthe former con.umClion being raifed~o patience in him? the caufe followes in the next cternallhfe. Indeede tfthiSvnionwith Chrill words; becaufethou Lorddiddeft h. And rofeph were dillolued as the coniun<lion ofbody and· faith to his brcthren,Gen.45 ·). Feare not 1 for it foule ts,lt nught be fame matterofdifcomfort wa> the Lordthat{ent me beforeyou.Marke here and feare, but the foundation and fubftance of how lofeph is armed again{\ impatience and our myfticall coniunClion with Chrift both in gricfe and difcontentment by the very confirefpect ofour bodies and foules enduring for deration of Gods prouidence : and fo in the euer,muftneedes be amatter ofexceedingioy (,me manner !hallwe be confirmed againft all andcomfort. feares and forrowes,and fay withDa•id,P{al. The fcurth meditation, is that God bath Il6• 15. PretiominthejightoftheLordihhe B promifcd his fpeciall,bleffed,andcomfortable death ofhu Samts: if this perfwafiou bee once prc£ence vnto his foruants when they are fick fetlcd in our hearts, tharall things in ficknelle ordying,or any waydiftreffed.When thoup4Jijl I and death come to paffe vnto vs by the pro· through thnvarer,J will bee with thee (faith the luidence ofGod, who turnes all things to the Lord,Ifa·43•2•) .ndthroughthefloodJ thatthry goodofthem thatlone him. doenet o•trfl•we thm when 1 houwalk!ftthrough The fecond meditation is to be borrowed 1,/a: veryfire theuJhalt not beb11rnt,neither}halthe from the excellent promife t~at God bath me /,indlevpon thee.Now the Lord doth maI made to the deatoofthe righteous: which is, nifeit his prefence three waies: the firft is,by BlejJcdare they that aleinthe Lord: for they reft moderating and ltffening the paincs and torAp~c.1;. ·from their!t:zbours , andtheirJVorkSJfo/lorv them. ments offtcknesand dcath,as the very words 1 4• The authoroftruththatcannotli• hath fpoofthe for.mer protnife doe plainely import. ken it.Now then let aman but throughly conHenceit comes to paffe,that to many men the fidcr this, that death ioyned with a reformed forrowes and pangs ofdeath, are nothing fo life hath a promife of bleffednes adioyned vngrieuous and troublefo11o1e, as the affliaions tO>it,and italone will be aJufficient meanes to & croffes whichare laid on them in the courfe llaythe rageofour affeaions,& all inordinate c oftheir liues. The fecond way of Gods prefeare ofdeath:& the rather,ifwemarkewher· fence is by an inward and vnfpeakable corn. in this blelfcdnelfe confifts. In death we are fort ofthe fpirir,as'1'a•lfaith,Rom.5 ·3•5•We indeede thruft out ofoor old dwelling places, reioiceintribHlation,k!owingthat tribuf~ttion brinnamely,thefc houfes ofclay andearthly taberf,"hforth patiece,&c.butwhyisthisreioycing? nacles ofour bodies, wherein we haue made ecao_[e (fairh he in rhe nextwords) theloueof long aboad:but whatis the endI furelythat liGodu j1J<dabroadin our heartJ bytheholy Ghoft. uinganddyingin Chriftwe mighthaueabuilAgaine, Paulhauingin fome grieuous fickoes ding giuen ofGod, that is, an houfe not made receiued the fentcnce ofdeath, faith ofhim· ,..cor. with hands, but eternal intltc heaueMs, which felfe,o.Cor.r. 5.that,.uthefo!feringo[Chrift did 1'·•· is vnfpeakable and immortall glory.Ifapoore aboundinhim,fo huconfelationdida,boundthrough manlhould be commanded by a prince to put Chrift. Here thenwee fee, that when earthly offhis torneand beggerly garments,& iHllead comforts faile, the Lord himfelfe draws neere therof to put on royall &coftly ro~es,it would the bed of the ficke, as it were vifitingtl1em be a great rei<iycing to his hearc:ohthen what in his owne perfon, and minifiring vnto them ioyfull new<s muft this be vnto all repentant refre!hing fortheir foules: With bulift handhe •nd forrowfull fitmers, when the King ofhea· D holds vptheir htads, •nd withhu right h<ndh" uenandearth comes vmo them by death, and 11nbraceth them, Cant. 2. 6. The third meanes b.ids themlay downtheirbodies as ragged and of Gods prcfence, is the miniftcrie of good patched garments, and prepare themfelues to Angels, whom the Lord hath appointed as Nd.9t. put on the princely robe ofimmorralitie? No keepers and nources vnto his feruaRts to kold u.u. tongue can be able to exprcfforhe excellencte them vp and to beare them in their armes as ofthis moll bleffed and happie cllate. nources do young children, & to be as aguard Thethird meditation is borrowed from the vnto them againfr the diucll and his angels, eftate ofall them that are in Chrift 1 whether And all thisis verified fpeciallyin fickneife,at lining or dying. Hee that dieth beleeuing in whichtime the holy Angels are not only pre· Chrifr, dieth not forth ofChrift, but in him, fem withfttch as feare God, bitt readyalfo to hauing both his body and foule really coureceiue and to carry their foules into heauen, pled to Chrift according to the tenour ofthe , asappeares by the example ofLaZftrm, couenant ofgracc:andthough after death boAnd thus much of the firft dutie which a dyand foulebe feueredone from another, Y.,et rick manis to perform: vmo himfelf,namely, neitherofthem arefcnercd or disioyned from thathemuitby allmeanes pofsiblearme and Chrift. Theconiunllion whichis once begun ftrengthenhimfelfe againit the fearc ofdeath: in thislife rcmaines etcrnally. And dtcrefore now followcth the fecond duti< which is con...
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