A Golden Chain

But some will say, it shall suffice if I prepare my self to pray when I begin to be sick. Ans. These men greatly deceive themselves, for the time then is most unfit to begin a preparation, because all the senses and powers of the body are occupied about the pains and troubles of the disease: and the sick party is ex•rcised partly in conference with the Physician, partly with the Minister about his souls health and matters of conscience, and partly with friends that come to visit. Therefore there must some preparation go before in the time of health, when the whole man with all the powers of body and soul are at liberty. Again, there be some others which imagine and say, that a man may repent when he will, even in the time of death: and that such repentance is sufficient. Ans. It is false which say they: For it is not in the power of man to repent when he himself will; when God will he may. It is not in him that willeth or runneth, but in God that hath mercy. And Christ saith, that many shall seek to enter into heaven and shall not be able. But why so? because they seek when it is too late, namely when the time of grace is past. Therefore it is exceeding folly for men so much as once to dream that they may have repentance at command: nay it is a just judgement that they should be condemned of God in death, that did contemn God in their life: and that they should quite be forgotten of God in sickness, that did forget God in their health. Again I answer, that this late repentance is seldom or never true repentance. It is sick like the party himself, commonly languishing and dying together with him. Repentance should be voluntary (as all obedience to God ought) but repentance taken up in sickness, is usually constrained and extorted by the fear of hell, and other judgements of God: for crosses, afflictions, and sickness will cause the grossest hypocrite that ever was to stoop and buckle under the hand of God, and to dissemble faith and repentance and every grace of God, as though he had them as fully as any of the true servants of God: whereas indeed he wants them altogether. Wherefore such repentance commonly is but counterfeit. For in true and sound repentance men must forsake their sins; but in this, the sin forsakes the man; who leaves all his evil ways only upon this that he is constrained to leave the world.

But some will say, it shall suffice if I prepare my selfe to pray when I begin to be sicke. Ans. These men greatly deceiue themselues, for the time then is most vnfit to begin a preparation, because all the senses and powers of the bodie are occupied about the paines and troubles of the disease: and the sicke partie is exrcised partly in cōference with the Physitian, partly with the Minister about his soules health and matters of conscience, and partly with friends that come to visit. Therefore there must some preparation goe before in the time of health, when the whole man with all the powers of bodie and soule are at libertie. Again, there be some others which imagine and say, that a man may repent when he will, euen in the time of death: and that such repentance is sufficient. Ans. It is false which say they: For it is not in the power of man to repent when he himselfe will; when God will he may. It is not in him that willeth or runneth, but in God that hath mercie. And Christ saith, that many shall seeke to enter into heauen and shall not be able. But why so? because they seeke when it is too late, namely when the time of grace is past. Therefore it is exceeding follie for men so much as once to dreame that they may haue repentance at command: nay it is a iust iudgement that they should be condemned of God in death, that did contemne God in their life: and that they should quite be forgotten of God in sicknes, that did forget God in their health. Againe I answer, that this late repentance is seldome or neuer true repentance. It is sicke like the partie himselfe, commonly languishing and dying togither with him. Repentance should be voluntarie (as all obedience to God ought) but repentance taken vp in sicknesse, is vsually constrained and extorted by the feare of hell, and other iudgements of God: for crosses, afflictions, and sicknes will cause the grossest hypocrite that euer was to stoope and buckle vnder the hand of God, and to dissemble faith and repentance and euery grace of God, as though he had them as fully as any of the true seruants of God: whereas indeede he wants them altogether. Wherefore such repentance commonly is but counterfait. For in true and sound repentance men must forsake their sins; but in this, the sinne forsakes the man; who leaues all his euill waies onely vpon this that he is constained to laue the world.