The whole treatise of the cases of conscience distinguished into three bookes: the first whereof is revised and corrected in sundrie places, and the other two annexed. Taught and deliuered by M. W. Perkins in his holy-day lectures, carefully examined by his owne briefes, and now published together for the common good, by T. Pickering Bachelour of Diuinitie. Whereunto is adioyned a twofold table: one of the heads and number of the questions propounded and resolued; another of the principall texts of Scripture vvhich are either explaned, or vindicated from corrupt interpretation.

Sect. 3.

The Second particular distres, is bodily and temporarie Death, which consisteth in the se∣paration * 1.1 of the soule from the bodie. And touching this affliction, it is demanded, How any seruant of God, may be able to indure with comfort, the pangs of death?

For the answer hereof, two things are re∣quired: a preparation to death, and helps in the time of death.

Concerning preparation, there are three * 1.2 duties to be performed.

The first and most principall, is commen∣ded vnto vs in the booke of Psalmes, where Dauid praies vnto God, Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my daies. And * 1.3 Moses in like manner, Lord, teach me to num∣ber my daies, that I may applie my heart vnto wisdome. In which places, is remembred a * 1.4 notable dutie of preparation: to wit, that a man should resolue himselfe of death con∣tinually, and before-hand number his daies. This is done, by esteeming of euery day, as the day of his death, and accordingly do∣ing * 1.5 alwaies that, which he would doe, if he

were now to giue vp the ghost.

Secondly, in way of preparation, we must endeauour to disarme and weaken death, who is as an armed man, that hath his wea∣pons, whereby he seekes to destroy vs. And in this case, we must deale with death, as the Philistims dealt with Sampson. They saw by experience, that he was a mightie man, and by his power and strength, had giuen them many foyles; and therefore they laboured to know, in what part of his bodie his strength did lie. And after inquirie, finding it to be in the haire of his head, they neuer rested, till they had spoiled him thereof. And questionlesse, the time will come, when we all must encounter, with this strong & pow∣erfull Sampson, Death; In the meane while, it is a point of wisdome, to inquire wherein his power and might consisteth. When this search hath bin made, we shall finde that his weapons, are our manifold sinnes, and cor∣ruptions, both of heart and life. For as Paul saith, The sting of death is sinne. Therefore, that we may spoile him of this his furniture, * 1.6 we must exercise our selues in the practise of two duties.

First, vse all meanes for the cutting off of the locke of our sinnes, whereby alone Sa∣tan hath the vantage of vs; and these means are the duties of humiliation, inuocation, and true repentance. We must therefore humble our selues before God, be instant in

praier, for the pardon of our sinnes past, and present, and in this point giue the Lord no rest, vntill we haue obtained in our consci∣ences, the sweet certificate of his fauour and mercie in Christ, whereby our mindes may be staied and comforted.

This done, it stands vs in hand to turne vnto God, to be carefull to leaue sinne, to en∣tertaine in our hearts, a resolued purpose and intention of new obedience, and conformi∣tie to the will, and commandement of God in all things. And this is the onely way in the world, to bereaue this our enemie of his ar∣mour, to pull the sting out of the mouth of this serpent, and consequently, euen in death to prèuaile against him.

Thirdly, in way of preparation, our dutie is, euen before-hand (while we liue in this world) to indeauour, to haue some true taste of life euerlasting, and the ioyes of heauen. The due consideration whereof, will be of great vse. For it will stirre vp in our hearts, a desire and loue of perfect happines in heauen, yea a feruent expectation of Christs comming to iudgement: and it will further cause vs to say with Simeon, Lord, now let thy seruant de∣part in peace: and with the Apostle, I desire to be dissolued, and be with Christ.

Touching this spirituall ioy and comfort in the holy Ghost, these Questions of Con∣science are mooued.

I. First, how may we in this life haue and

nourish in our hearts, a true tast of eternall happinesse, and of the ioyes of the world to come?

Ans. First, by a serious consideration of the euills that doe hinder, or preiudice our hap∣pines: and they are principally foure.

One is, the Miserie of our liues, in respect of sinne, and the consequents thereof. For there is no man in the world, be he neuer so righteous, that can truly say of himselfe, I am cleane from my sinne, Prov. 20. 9. Yea, ••uen the regenerate, that haue receiued grace to be∣leeue, to turne vnto God, and to liue accor∣ding to the Spirit, doe finde by experience, * 1.7 corruption & rebellion in their minds, wills, and affections, which daily affordeth matter of sinning against God: and on the other∣side, hindreth and quencheth, all the good motions of the Spirit, that are in them. A∣gaine, such is the irreconciliable malice of Satan, that he takes vantage of mans corrup∣tion, and neglectes no time or opportunitie, to intrappeth•• children of God, in the snares of his temptations. And hence it is that man, by reason of his owne corruption, and the wicked suggestions of the Deuill, is at conti∣nuall strife with himselfe, hath daily occasion of sorrow, worketh out his saluation with feare and trembling, wading (as it were) euen while he liueth, in a sea of many miseries.

The second euill, is the Vanitie of all things that are in the world. For whether we

consider the world it selfe, or the things therein contained, done, or suffered, there is nothing so sure and steadie, whereunto man hauing attained, can possibly rest fully satis∣fied, and contented; or which in the ende, will not prooue to be most vaine vanitie. And the truth hereof appeareth, in the expe∣rience of Salomon himselfe; who (beeing king ouer Israel) wanted neither authoritie, nor abilitie, and opportunitie, to take know∣ledge and triall, of all worldly things in all estates and conditions. And hauing euen of set purpose, carefully and earnestly searched into them all, at length he concludes, that the issue of all was vnprofitable vanitie, and vex∣ation o•• minde, as we may read in his Eccle∣siastes.

The third euill is, the Changeable condi∣tion of our life in this world, whereby it comes to passe, that we are alway in a flee∣ting and transitorie state. For we are (as Saint Peter speaketh) but strangers and Pilgrimes, that wander to and fro in the earth, as in a * 1.8 strange countrey, and still are making for∣ward to our owne home. We haue here no abiding citie. The houses wherein we dwell, * 1.9 are but Innes, in which we sojourne for a time: yea the bodies which we haue, are but ••ents and ••abernacles, alway readie to be shifted, and our selues to be translated into another place.

Fourthly, by remembring, that Christ our

Head, beeing now in heauen, and we his members vpon the earth; during our life, we are in presence separated from our Head, and consequently, from that happie and glorious fellowship, which we shall inioy with him, and all the Saints our fellow-members, in the kingdome of heauen. This S. Paul no∣teth, when he saith, Whilst we are at home in the bodie, we are absent from the Lord: and * 1.10 thereupon himselfe desired to be dissolued, and to be with Christ. * 1.11

Hauing thus entred into the due conside∣ration of the aforesaid euills, we must in the second place, exercise our selues in the fre∣quent meditation, of the blessed estate of Gods chosen, in the kingdome of glorie: who beeing translated out of this life, into the bosome of Abraham, are fully and per∣fectly freed from sinne, from Satan, from va∣nitie and miserie: haue all teares wiped from * 1.12 their eyes: doe behold the face of God; are made like vnto Christ in holines and ho∣nour: * 1.13 and doe with him inherit the king∣dome, prepared for them, from the founda∣tions * 1.14 of the world.

In the third place, hauing throughly con∣sidered of these things, we must Compare the estate of this present life, in the respects before-••amed, with the estate of that, which is to come in the kingdome of heauen: and laying them in a paralell together, we shall sinde the one, infinitely farre to excell the o∣ther

in regard of true ioy and comfort. And this will make vs, though liuing in the world, yet to vse it, as if we vsed it not: to haue our conversation in heauen: to thinke, * 1.15 with Paul, that to be loosed, and be with * 1.16 Christ, is best of all for vs: to haue a true and * 1.17 liuely tast of the ioyes of the world to come, and accordingly with Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, to looke for a citie that hath founda∣tions, whose builder and maker is God. * 1.18

II. Secondly, it is demanded, how a man may truly discerne, whether this ioy of the Spirit, be in him yea or no? For answer here∣unto, it is to be remembred, that there are sundrie properties wherby it differeth from carnall ioy. And these are principally fiue.

First, this ioy is brought forth (as it were) of sorrow for sinne, and for the want of Christ. Ye shal sorrow, (saith our Sauiour Christ to his Disciples, meaning for his departure,) * 1.19 but your sorrow shall be turned into ioy. These words, are not onely meant of his Disciples, but of all beleeuers, who vpon considerati∣on of their sinnes, and the spirituall want of Christ Iesus, doe mourn and lament. For not onely they, but all true beleeuers, are there opposed vnto the World. Againe, blessed are they that mourne: that is, being touched with * 1.20 causes of exceeding griefe, doe withall mourn for their sinnes: for they shal be comfor∣ted. On the other side, carnal ioy, as it hath his beginning from the flesh, & ariseth of things

pleasing thereunto, so it ends in sorrow and heauinesse. In the end, reioycing is turned into mourning, saith Solomon. And, Woe ••e to you * 1.21 that now laugh: for ye shall weepe. * 1.22

Secondly, the ioy of the Spirit, is a fruit of righteousnes: that is, it issueth and floweth from Christ knowne and beleeued, to be made vnto vs of God, wisdome, righteous∣nes, * 1.23 sanctification, and full redemption. For from hence, followes peace of conscience, and from peace, comes ioy in the Holy Ghost. Contrariwise, the ioy of the flesh, ari∣seth only from the sudden feeling of some worldly delight: and therfore cannot bring any sound peace, vnto the conscience of the man possessed of it.

Thirdly, spirituall ioy is founded in the holy vse of the Word, Sacraments, and Prai∣er: and in the practise of Christian duties of mercie, ••oue, iustice, &c. The other is not so. For the world conceiueth a ioy besides the word, o•••• of the exercises of inuocation and repentance: which stands in the practise of crueltie, malice, oppression, iniustice, and all manner of impietie. And hence it is, that ha∣uing spēt their daies in such matter of reioy∣cing, at length in a momēt they go down to hell. * 1.24

Fourthly, heauenly ioy is so fixed & roo∣ted in the heart, that it cannot be remooued thence. Your ioy shal no man take from you, saith * 1.25 Christ. It must needes therefore be true and sound, yea able to swallow vp all matter of

griefe, and heauinesse: whereas the other is neuer sincere, but with the sweetnes thereof, hath alwaies mingled some bitternes. Euen in laughter (saith Salomon, speaking thereof) the heart is heauie. When the face of the wic∣ked * 1.26 man shineth, and his countenance is pleasant, euen then is he inwardly sorrow∣full, and his minde is troubled.

Lastly, the ioy of the Spirit is eternall: abi∣ding in the mind of man, not onely for the terme of this life, but for euer, in the world to come. So is not the reioycing of the world in earthly things: for it is fading and deceit∣full, as the things themselues be, wherein it is placed: it hath the beginning in corrupti∣on, and endeth with this present life. The * 1.27 examples of the two rich men in the Gos∣pel, doe manifest this truth. And to this pur∣pose, is the speech of Zophar, in the booke * 1.28 of Iob, that the reioycing of the wicked, is very short, & the ioy of hypocrites is but a momēt, &c.

By these fiue properties, may we put a true difference, betweene earthly and heauenly reioycing, and consequently discerne of them, euen in our seleues. And if we perceiue this ioy of the Spirit, (rightly con••ceiued and grounded in the right vse of the word, and Sacraments; as also in the exerci∣ses of inuocation, faith, and repentance,) to take place in our soules and consciences, we shall finde it of force, to moderate and alay the very terrours of death. And so

much for Preparation. * 1.29

Now the helpes to be vsed in the time of death, are manifold: the summe of all may be reduced to two heads; Meditations, and Practises.

Touching Meditations, we must in the first place, consider Death in a double re∣spect; one, as it is in it owne nature, and ano∣ther, as it is changed and qualified by the death of Christ Death in it owne nature, is a Curse, or fore •…•…er of comdemnation, the very gates and suburbs of Hell it selfe: but beeing qualified by Christ, it is a blessing, an end of all miseries, a full freedome from all dangers, a short passage vnto ioy, an en∣trance into euerlasting life, a quiet sleepe, voide of all annoyance, by dreames and fan∣tasies. And the graue a resting chamber, yea a bed perfumed by the death of Christ, for the bodies of all the Elect, out of which when they awake, they shall be admitted & receiued into the presence of God in hea∣uen.

Secondly, we are to consider, that there be three degrees of eternall life. The first whereof, is in this world before we die, and it is then, whē we begin to repent & beleeue in Christ, and to be assured in conscience that God the father is our father, Christ our redeemer, & the holy Ghost our comforter. For this is eternall life, to know God and him * 1.30 whome he hath sent Iesus Christ. The next de∣gree

is in death: for death cuts off al sin, origi∣nall & actuall: death frees vs from al wordly miseries: death prepareth the bodie, that it may be fit to enter into eternall happinesse together with the soule, which is alreadie in heauen. The last degree is, when bodie & soule reunited, goe both together into eter∣nall and euerlasting glory.

Our third meditation is, that that there is a mysticall vnion and coniunctiō, betweene Christ and euery beleeuer, & that not onely in regard of soule, but of bodie also; which beeing once knit, shall neuer be dissolued, but is eternall. Wherevpon the dying, dead rotten, and consumed bodie remaineth still a member of Christ, abideth within the co∣uenant, and is and shall be euer, a temple of the Holy Ghost. Thus Adam, and Abraham, which are dead, so many thousand yeares a∣goe, yea euery true beleeuer, from them to the end of the world, shall arise at the last day in body to glory, by the power of their coniunction with Christ. In the winter sea∣son, we see the most trees voide of leaues, buddes, and blossomes: so as they seeme to vs to be dead, and yet neuerthelesse there is a sappe in the roote of them, which in the Spring wil ascend, & reuiue the decaied brā∣ches. Euen so it is with our bodies, which though they be corrupted, rotten, burnt or eaten with wormes, or deuoured by wild beasts, so as they may seeme to be vtterly

perished, yet there is (as it were) a secret and hidden sap in them, (by reason of their vni∣on with Christ) by which they shall be rai∣sed, reuiued, and quickned, being made like vntothe glorious bodie of Christ their head, with whome they shall raigne, and liue for euermore.

Helpes in practise are two; First, he that will beare with comfort the pangs of death, must labour that he may die in faith: and that is done, by laying hold of the promise of God, touching forgiuenes of sinnes and life euerlasting by Christ. All these (saith the * 1.31 holy Ghost) died in faith, namely, Abel, E∣noch, No••, Abraham, and Sarah, all laying hold of the promise of life by Christ. When Iacob on his death-bed, was blessing of his children, he brake forth into this heauenly * 1.32 speach, O Lord, I haue waited for thy saluation. In which words it is plaine, that his faith re∣sted on the mercie of God, and by hope he waited for his saluatiō, & our Sauiour Christ saith, As Moses lift vp the serpent in the wilder∣nesse, * 1.33 so must the sonne of man be lift vp, that whosoeuer beleeueth in him, might not perish, but haue life euerlasting. Out of which words the forenamed duty may be learned, that looke as the childrē of Israel, being stung with fiery serpēts, & that vnto death, we•• healed by loo∣king vp to the brasē serpēt erected by Moses: so whē we are stūg with sin & death, we must euer remēber by faith to looke vpon Christ.

But specially when we are dying, then it is our part, to sixe the eies of our soules, by faith vpon him; and thereby shall we escape death and be made partakers of eternall life and happinesse. Notable is the example of Christ, who as he was man; alwaies fixed his trust and considence in his fathers word, e∣specially at his end. For when he was dying, and the pangs of death seazed vpon him, he cries vnto the Lord, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? and againe, Father into thy hands I commend my spirit: which words are full of faith, and doe bewray what great affiance he placed in his fathers loue, &c. When Dauid in an extremitie, saw nothing before his eies but present death, the people in tending to stone him, at the very instant (as the text saith) he comforted himselfe in the Lord his God; but how? by calling to minde * 1.34 the mercifull promises, that God had made vnto him, and by applying them vnto his heart by faith. And Paul saith of himselfe, & the rest of the faithfull, that they receiued the sentence of death in themselues, that they might * 1.35 not trust in themselues, but in God.

From these examples it followes, that they which desire with comfort to beare the pangs of death, must die by faith; that is, they must set before their eies, the promise of remission of sinnes, and life euerlasting, and depend vpon it, wrapping (as it were) & infolding thēselues in it, as in a close & warm

garment, that will keepe them safe and sure, against the winde and weather of temptati∣on.

The second Practise in the time of death is, to die in obedience; which is nothing else, but willingly, gladly, and readily, without murmuring, to submit our selues vnto Gods will, in bearing the paines of death. A most worthie president of this obediēce, we haue in our Sauiour Christ, when he said vnto his father, Not my will, but thy will be done; thereby submitting his will, to his Fathers wil, touch∣ing the death which he then suffered. Yea when he was dying, it is said of him, that he gaue vp the Ghost; that is, he did most willingly surrender vp his soule into the hands of God his father. And this his exāple at the time of his departure, must be a rule of directiō vnto vs, vpon the like occasion. Hence it is, that in the third petitiō of the Lords praier, amōgst other things, we pray for obedience to the will of God in suffering afflictions, yea euen in the last and greatest, which is death it self. True it is, that obedience to God in death, is against corrupt nature; and therefore our dutie is, the more to inure our selues, to the performing of it: and that which the blessed Apostle said of himselfe, I die daily, ought to be continually our resolution and pra∣ctise.

If we shall inquire, howe this may be done; the answer is, whē God layeth afflicti∣ons

vpon vs, in our life time, then by endea∣uouring to beare them with patience, meek∣nes, and lowlines. For euery affliction, is (as it were) a pettie death: and if we doe in it, subiect our selues to the hand of God, wee shall the better obey him, in the great death of all: and thus doing, whensoeuer God striketh vs with death, we shall with comfort endure the same.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Temporarie Death.
• * 1.2

  I. Preparation to death.
• * 1.3

  Psal. 39. 4.
• * 1.4

  Psal. 90. 12.
• * 1.5

  Account death present.
• * 1.6

  1. Cor. ••5. 56.
• * 1.7

  Rom. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 14. 2••. &c.
• * 1.8

  1. Pet. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 11.
• * 1.9

  Heb. 13. ••4.
• * 1.10

  2. Cor. 5. 6.
• * 1.11

  Phil. 1. 13.
• * 1.12

  Apoc. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 4.
• * 1.13

  1. Ioh. 3. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.14

  Math. 25. 34.
• * 1.15

  1. Cor. 7. 31.
• * 1.16

  Phil. 3. 20.
• * 1.17

  Phil. 1. 23.
• * 1.18

  Heb. 11. 10.
• * 1.19

  Iohn. 1••. 20.
• * 1.20

  Matth. 5. 4.
• * 1.21

  Prou. 14. 13.
• * 1.22

  Luk. 6. 25.
• * 1.23

  Rom. 14. 17.
• * 1.24

  Iob. ••1. 13, 14, ••5.
• * 1.25

  Io••. 1••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.26

  Prou. 14. 13.
• * 1.27

  Luk. 12. 20. and 16. 22.
• * 1.28

  Iob. 20. 5.
• * 1.29

  II. Helpes in time of Death.
• * 1.30

  Iohn 17. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.31

  Heb. 1••. ••3.
• * 1.32

  Gen. 49. 18.
• * 1.33

  Ioh. 3. 14. 15.
• * 1.34

  1. Sam. 30. 6.
• * 1.35

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. Cor. 1. 9.