The safegard of the soule Declaring sundry soueraigne salues tending to the comfort and saluation of the same: very necessarie to bee learned and obserued of all men, and at all times, but chiefely in the extremitie of sicknes, and grieuous pangs of death. Composed by Lawrence Bankes, preacher of the word of God: and parson of Staunton, in the county of Glocester.

Examples of Temporall Questions.

Quest. 1. NOW, good Brother, God blesse you. How is it with you? How doe you? &c.

Answ. Well, Sir, I thank God, but I take no rest; by reason of the extremitie of my paine in this my sick∣nes,

and lacke of sleepe, my memory and vnderstand∣ing (I praise God for it) is yet perfect and good, but my body is sore visited and tormented: God of his mercy, in time when it shal please him, asswage it, and in the meane season grant mee patience to beare it.

Quest. 2. You say well, truely, and as becommeth a good Christian, and I am glad to heare such godly words proceed from you, as taste so sweetly of the Spirit of God, for they signifie how well you are affectioned & minded

to Godward: And there∣fore assure your selfe, that with the Omnipotent Phy∣sician, there is no disease or pain incurable. As God doth send it for your good, no doubt: So hee can as∣swage or take it quite away at his pleasure: wee are in the Lords hand, as the clay in the Potters, to doe with vs, whatsoeuer his pleasure is: for sicknes is the louing rod of our heauenly Fa∣ther, wherewithall he doth chastice our sinnes, that we may the better know our owne frailety, and our du∣tie towards his Maiestie; therefore you are to thinke

that this bodily griefe of Sicknes, after a time of tryall, shall turne to your greater ioy and comfort. Tell me, truely, are you not thus perswaded?

Answ. Yes verily, I haue alwayes beene of that minde, I thanke my hea∣uenly Father for it; and I pray God continue mee in the same to my liues end: for I wish not to liue lon∣ger, then I may acknow∣ledge my Maker to bee both an omnipotent Lord▪ and my mercifull God.

Quest. 3. I pray God pre¦serue you, and keep you in that mind to your liues end.

Sir, I vnderstand, and partly I know of my selfe, that you are a man whom God hath blessed with a∣boundance of worldly sub∣stance: But because lands and goods are oftentimes the cause of much strife and vnquietnes, by reason of the inordinate couet∣ousnes and greedy desire of man: it were good to set your house in order now, before your depar∣ture, like a good houshol∣der, which when he goeth from home any whither, he setteth all his things in or∣der among his Family and people, telleth them his

will, what is to bee done, and so commending them to God, taketh his leaue, and biddeth them farewell vntill his returne. So you beeing now taking your iourney towards Heauen a farre Country, bid adew to the world, and take your leaue thereat willingly and orderly as a good Christi∣an ought to doe: That is, dispose your Temporall goods as may be most to Gods glorie, the commo∣ditie and comfort of your Wife and Children, and others your friends, to whom you wish well, and to your own saluation and

discharge before God, at whose hands you haue re∣ceiued them, and to whom you must giue an account for them. So that this be∣ing done, your reckoning is the sooner made, your Conscience discharged, and the world satisfied: neither need you to be fur∣ther troubled with world∣ly matters, if God lay his hand more heauily vpon you, but onely thinke of heauenly things. Tell me therefore haue you made your Will?

Answ. I haue made none yet, but I purpose to doe hereafter, if I feele my

selfe farre wrong.

Quest. 4. O good Bro∣ther, you must thinke that you are already far wrong, and farre from right and reason too, if you deferre the disposing of your tem∣porall things vntill the last gaspe, when peraduenture both your speech and me∣morie shall faile you: now you may and will not, then you would & perhaps can∣not: many haue so done and repented too late, euen then when it had bin more fit to haue minded heauen∣ly things onely. Therefore (I beseech you) take the good time and occasion

which God presently offe∣reth: if hee giue you life and memory this day, or this weeke, you know not whether you shall haue it the next weeke or no: if you put the good time off, which GOD hath giuen you, and deferre your bu∣sinesse till this day, or that day, or vntill this friend come, or that kinsman be present; then peraduenture your friends shall come too late, and you your selfe be cut short of your pur∣pose: Therefore beware in the Name of God be∣time, for you know not whether God wil giue you

the like occasion againe or no: you may purpose, but God will dispose both you and your wealth as he will: when you are once gone, your riches are none of yours, but the worlds, and are at the disposition of o∣ther men, who by corruptiō may deale vnfaithfully, and so contrarie to your will, your substance which you haue swea•• for, may come to those that neither need them, nor did euer deserue well at your hands in your life time: too many at this day know this to bee true by experience, and haue la∣mented their state all too

late, when they could not remedie it: Therefore ne∣uer put that thing in doubt, which may be out of doubt.

Answ. Lord, Lord, see how forgetfull men bee of their dutie in time of their Sicknes! I beseech you Sir, beare with my weaknesse: I confesse I was out of the way in this point, but you haue brought me vnto it, and to a further considera∣tion of my state: I must needs say your counsell is good and comfortable: and therefore I were a ve∣ry vnreasonable person, if I should not be ordered by you to mine owne good.

Wherefore I purpose now (God willing) to do as you haue said, with your better aduice, and others of my friends. And therefore I pray you take paines to set my minde downe in wri∣ting: and so that matter beeing dispatched, I will then commend my selfe both bodie and soule vnto God the giuer of all good∣nes, and the Author of life.

Heere the Minister may perswade the Testator to impart some portion of his substance to the Poore, to Schooles, exhibition of Schollers, Churches, Col∣ledges,

Bridges, High∣wayes, and other publike commodities, as shal seeme to him most expedient for the time, the place, the a∣bilitie, and state of the person; for hereupon in times past haue proceeded such workes of Charitie, and large liberalitie to∣wards the Church and godly vses, which now is pilled, and little regarded.

Quest. 5. Here (good Brother) you are further∣more deepely to consider and ponder with your selfe, how you haue come by your wealth, directly or

vndirectly, lawfully or vn∣lawfully: if honestly and according to your Vocati∣on or Art, you are the more to reioyce in Con∣science, & your account be∣fore God is sooner made: if not, but that you haue gotten them by fraude, de∣ceit, lying, forging, flatte∣ring, swearing, forswea∣ring of your selfe, briberie, polling and pilling of the poore, crueltie, Vsury, Ex∣tortion or Oppression, ga∣ming, cheating and the like, as too many doe at this day: Then you are the more deepely charged be∣fore the Iudgement seat of

God, and the testimonie of your own Conscience, and you must endeuour your selfe to make satisfaction so neere as you may: for that ancient rule of the Fa∣ther is true, Non remittitur peccatum, nisi restituatur ab∣latum: That is, the sinne is not pardoned, except re∣stitution bee made, as Za∣cheus did, who heard not that sweet sentence of Christ, This day is Saluation* 1.1 come to this house, before he had made restitution.

Tell me therefore (good Brother) are you willing to recompence euery one whom you haue wronged

or deceiued, and to restore your euill gotten goods with iust Zacheus, to the vt∣termost of your power, and validitie of your wealth?

Answ. God forbid else, for it is meet and right that all men should so doe; but I know not any whom I haue in such sort defrau∣ded: if any man finde him∣selfe iniured by me, I am willing euen with all my heart to satisfie him to the vttermost farthing: And therefore my desire is, that notice be giuen thereof to the whole Congregation in the Church this next Sunday, with my hearty

request that they would commend mee to God in their faithful Prayers: And if any debt be due, either to bee payed by mee to them, or by them to mee, whereof we haue no spe∣cialtie, that they would come to me, because I am now Gods Prisoner, and am not able to repaire to them. And I pray you (good Sir) publish my minde herein, and aduer∣tise mee in all other things which you thinke necessa∣rie for the saluation of my Soule, and my full dis∣charge before God and the world.

Quest. 6. You haue well done (good Brother) and haue shewed your selfe a faithfull Steward of Gods blessings, in disposing your selfe and your substance so well towards God and the world: for here you found them, and here you must leaue them.

Furthermore, seeing all things here on earth are but fickle; as Offices, Dignities, Wife, Chil∣dren, Friends, Goods, Gold and Possessions; are you not willing to forsake these worldly vanities, and transitorie trash, and to change the same for hea∣uenly

ioy and felicitie?

Answ. Yes verily; for I neuer made them my God, neither did I euer re∣pose any confidence in them, but vsed them for the time, knowing alwayes that they were not mine, but lent me to vse for a sea∣son; and the time beeing now expired, I willingly resigne and surrender the same to the world, and where I had them, there I leaue them; committing my selfe to the Mercy-Seat of God, and rendring him most heartie thankes for the vse and commoditie I haue reaped thereby in

my life time, and for all o∣ther his benefits, his name be praised for euer, who is the preseruer of men and louer of soules, and his holy will and pleasure bee fulfilled in mee euery way, whether it bee in life or death: God grant it may be to his glory, and then I haue my hearts desire.

Quest. 7. Your words are comfortable to mee and the hearers, and you haue hitherto playd the part of a good Christian, in re∣nouncing the vanities of this wicked world, and cōmitting your selfe whol∣ly both body and soule to

Gods carefull tuition, whose armes of mercie (no doubt) are now spred wide open, readie to embrace you.

But because you an∣swere so directly, I will be bold to put moe questions vnto you.

Doe you from the bot∣tom of your heart, ask for∣giuenes of all those whom you haue offended in this world, by thought, word, or deede: and are you in heart sorrie for the same?

Answ. I am heartily sor∣rie for my offences, both towards God and Man: I must needs confesse, I haue

not once, but often offen∣ded both; and therefore I humbly craue pardon of both whom I haue often a∣bused: and I must desire you to signifie so much to the Congregation, among other remembrances of mee.

Quest. 8. Doe you your selfe for Christs sake vn∣fainedly and from the bot∣tome of your heart forgiue all those, that by any means haue iniured and offended you, either in speeches, thought, or actions?

Answ. I willingly and freely forgiue al the world, euen as I looke to bee for∣giuen

my selfe at the hands of my heauenly Father, whom many times and sundry waies I haue offen∣ded: Or otherwise I know I could neuer with a good conscience repeat that Pe∣tition of the Lords Prayer, Forgiue vs our trespasses, as* 1.2 wee forgiue them that tres∣passe against vs.

And furthermore our Sauiour Christ saith: If you doe not forgiue men their* 1.3 trespasses, no more will your heauenly Father forgiue you your trespasses, &c. And therefore I know assuredly, if I had a stout and stonie stomake, and not a fleshy

and tender heart, apt and prone to forgiue, I could not die in loue and chari∣tie with the world, and then not in Gods fauour: For as Saint Iohn saith; If* 1.4 God haue so loued vs, wee ought also to loue one another. Which we cannot doe, ex∣cept we forgiue one ano∣ther, and that dayly; for in many things we offend all:* 1.5 and who knoweth how oft he offendeth? And there∣fore it remaineth, seeing the case so standeth, that if wee will be beloued, wee must loue: if wee will bee forgiuen, we must forgiue: if we will be blessed, wee

must blesse, and not curse: and if we will haue mercie, we must shew mercy. God grant vs his mercie, and giue vs grace so to do, and so to liue, that wee may make a godly and quiet end, and so die the death of the righteous.

Quest. 9. I pray God both now and euer shew the light of his countenance vpon you, and continue this good which hee hath begunne in you euen to the end: for most Christi∣anly and like a good ser∣uant of God, you haue ta∣ken your leaue of the world, in disposing your

selfe and yours towards God and Man: And I find you so furnished and fit for God, that you may boldly assure your selfe of his fauour & loue towards you, if you continue in so good and godly a minde to the end.

And truely I am glad, and so are all your wel-wil∣lers here present this day, to heare and see in you so good fruits of a Christian, whose end is commonly according to his life.

If any other thing be in your mind that you would haue done touching world∣ly matters, I pray you ad∣uertise

me thereof, and I will doe my diligence to haue your minde and will fulfilled therein, so farre forth as is requisite.

Answ. Sir, I am at a point with the world, and all worldly affaires, and I haue no more to say or to deale with such matters, but leaue them and their ap∣purtenances to those that come after: And I re∣nounce here (before you and the rest) all worldly wealth, pleasures, goods, lands, and liuings; I yeeld and surrender them vp to the longest liuer, and now resigne my selfe whol¦ly

to God that made mee and saued mee: And my heartie desire is now to dwell with the Lord, in the Land of the liuing. My faith is there fixed, and I hope assuredly to attaine vnto it, by the bloud of the In∣nocent Lambe of God, Ie∣sus Christ my Redeemer.

Quest. 10. The Lord in∣crease your faith, and God grant you your hearts de∣sire, and that Land which you long for; you are in the high-way towards it, God keepe you in it: for if you liue and die as you haue professed, assure your selfe the gate is open alrea∣die,

and you are longed and looked for: it was pre∣pared for such as you are, from the beginning: and that you may be the better perswaded hereof, I will put forth vnto you a few spirituall questions; which being answered as before, you shal sufficiently satisfie me and all that heare you this day, that you are the Child of God, and an In∣heritour of his heauenly Kingdome, and so we will proceed to Prayers. But I feare I am too tedious and troublesome vnto you.

Answ. No, good Sir, thinke not so hardly of me

(I beseech you) though I be wearie of sicknes; yet I am not wearie of well-do∣ing and of good counsell, I had neuer more neede of it, neither can it come in a better time, and I take great pleasure therein, be∣ing now past the pleasure of the world: therefore (I pray you) in Gods name say on: for my earnest de∣sire is to be prepared and made readie for the good houre that God hath ap∣pointed for my deliue∣rance out of this wretched world, and I looke euery moment for the comming of the Bridegroome; I am

ready with my Lamp bur∣ning, and my trust is, he is ready to let me in.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Luk. 19. 8.
• * 1.2

  Math. 6. 12
• * 1.3

  Math. 6. 15
• * 1.4

  1. Ioh. 4. 11
• * 1.5

  Iam. 3. 2.