The conquest of temptations, or Mans victory over Satan especially, the great assaults, at the agony of death, full of very strong and effectuall consolations, to sustaine and comfort the weakest heart, in the greatest conflicts which can befall a Christian in the vvhole course of of life, and approach of death / gathered by the holy and deuout labour of Iohn Gerard, doctor of diuinitie, and superintendent of Heldburge ; newly Englished by Rich. Bruch, minister of Gods word.

The Comforter.

NOthing is too timely with GOD, which is ripe. Long life truly is the gift of God, yet short life is not alwayes a token of the wrath of GOD, séeing GOD sometimes also commands the godly, and those that are beloued of him to depart timely out of the house of this world, that being fréed from the danger of sinning, they may be set into the secu∣ritie of not sinning, neither be constrained to haue experience of publike calamities oft-times more grieuous then death it selfe. The people of GOD goeth, and enter into their Chambers, they shall shut the dores vpon them, they are hid∣den for a moment, till the indignation passe away. The iust man perisheth, and there is no man that considereth in his heart: the mercifull men are taken away, and there is none which doth vnderstand. The iust man is taken away from the face of euill: peace shall come vnto him, hee that walkes vprightly, shall rest in his Chamber. The iust man although hee be preuented by death, shall be in refreshing: For reuerend olde age stands not in the length of dayes, neyther is it reckoned in the number of yeeres. The vnderstanding of a man is his gray haires, and olde age is the vndefiled life. Hee plea∣sed GOD, and vvas beloued, and liuing amongst sinners, hee vvas translated. Hee

was taken away least vvickednesse should change his vnderstanding, and least fayning should deceiue his soule. For vvickednesse by bewitching obscureth the things that are good, and the vnstedfastnesse of concupi∣scence peruerteth the simple minde. Though hee was soone dead, yet fulfilled hee much time, for his soule pleased GOD, there∣fore hasted hee to take him away from wic∣kednesse.

The drye vnhappie Tree vvhich yeelds no fruit, Is hewen downe, and falling doth con∣demne Her barren boughes, they spare the fruit∣full Tree: The Law of Heauen's contrarie.

Therefore the godly man dies well, whether he die in a good age, or in the first flower of his youth. What other thing is our life, but strife? What is our car∣kasse, but a graue? What is our bodie, but bonds? What is our generation, but a thrusting forth into the earth? Wilt thou take it in euill part that thou art timely fréed from these euils and bonds? By how much the more timely the hea∣uenly Generall doth call thée backe out of the station of this life, by so much the soo∣ner doth he place thée into a place of rest, peace and victory.

Notes

• Esa. 26.20.
• Esa. 57.1.
• Vers. 2.
• Sap 4.7.
• Vers. 8.
• Vers. 9.
• Vers. 10.
• Vers. 11.
• Vers. 12.
• Vers. 13.
• Vers. 14.
• Sph. Phi∣los c. 36. p. 411.