A Golden Chain

And if this be true, that strange diseases, and thereupon strange behaviours in death, may befall the best man that is, we must learn to reform our judgements of such as lie at the point of death. The common opinion is, that if a man lie quietly and go away like a lamb (which in some diseases, as consumptions and such like, any man may do) then he goes straight to heaven: but if the violence of the disease stir up impatience, and cause in the party frantic behaviours, then men use to say, there is a judgement of God serving either to discover an hypocrite, or to plague a wicked man. But the trueth is otherwise. For indeed a man may die like a lamb, and yet go to hell: and one dying in exceeding torments and strange behaviours of the body, may go to heaven. And by the outward condition of any man, either in life or death, we are not to judge of his estate before God.

And if this be true, that strange diseases, and thereupon strange behauiours in death, may befall the best man that is, wee must learne to reforme our iudgements of such as lie at the point of death. The common opinion is, that if a man lie quietly and goe away like a lambe (which in some diseases, as consumptions and such like, any man may doe) then he goes straight to heauen: but if the violence of the disease stirre vp impatience, and cause in the partie franticke behauiours, then men vse to say, there is a iudgement of God seruing either to discouer an hypocrit, or to plague a wicked man. But the trueth is otherwise. For indeede a man may die like a lambe, and yet go to hell: and one dying in exceeding torments and straunge behauiours of the bodie, may goe to heauen. And by the outward condition of any man, either in life or death, wee are not to iudge of his estate before God.

The fifth objection is this. When a man is most near death, then the devil is most busy in temptation, and the more men are assaulted by Satan, the more dangerous & troublesome is their case. And therefore it may seem that the day of death is the worst day of all. Ans. The condition of Gods children in death is twofold. Some are not tempted, and some are. Some I say are not tempted, as Simeon, who when he had seen Christ, brake forth & said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, &c. foresignifying no doubt, that he should end his days in all manner of peace. As for them which are tempted, though their case be very troublesome and perplexed, yet their salvation is not further off, by reason of the violence and extremity of temptation. For God is then present by the unspeakable comfort of his spirit, and when we are most weak, he is most strong in us: because his manner is to show his power in weakness. And for this cause, even in the time of death the devil receives the greatest foil, when he looks for the greatest victory.