Take Up the Cross

Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.
— Ecclesiastes 4:2

The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.
— Isaiah 57:1-2

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
— 2 Corinthians 5:1

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
— 2 Corinthians 5:8

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
— Philippians 1:21-23

And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
— Revelation 14:13

The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
— Psalm 116:3-4; Psalm 16:10, Psalm 116:15

A Salve for a Sick Man, Or, A Discourse Detailing the Nature, Variations, and Types of Death; As Well As the Appropriate Way to Meet Death, by William Perkins.

It may also serve as spiritual guidance for:

1. Sailors embarking on sea voyages.
2. Soldiers preparing for battle.
3. Women about to give birth.

1595.

And the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
— Ecclesiastes 7:1b

So far, we have discussed the two-fold preparation needed before death. Now let’s move to the second part of dying well, namely, the disposition during death. This disposition is nothing more than a religious and holy conduct, especially towards God, when we are experiencing or near the pain of death. This conduct includes three key duties. The first is to die in or by faith. To die by faith is when a person, in the time of death, wholly relies on God’s special love, grace, and mercy in Christ, as revealed in His Word. Even though no part of a man’s life lacks just occasions for practicing faith, the most significant time is the throes of death, when friends, wealth, pleasures, outward senses, temporal life, and all earthly aids abandon us. True faith then makes us completely forsake ourselves, despair of comfort and salvation in regard to anything earthly, and with all the power and strength of our hearts, rest solely on God’s pure mercy. This realisation led Luther to both think and say that people were best Christians in death. We have an example of this faith in David, who, when facing certain death, took comfort in the Lord his God. This comfort came from his faith, applying the merciful promises of God to his own soul.

True faith, however, isn’t lifeless; it must be manifested through specific actions, the primary one being invocation, whereby prayer or thanksgiving is directed towards God. When death gripped Jacob’s body, he raised himself, turned his face towards the head of the bed, leaned on the top of his staff due to weakness, and prayed to God, a remarkable fruit of his faith. In the midst of Job’s affliction, his wife told him to bless God and die. Though these words are often translated as “Curse God and die,” I believe the former interpretation is better. It seems unlikely that in such a pious family, anyone, let alone the matriarch, would give such ungodly advice, which even the wickedest person on earth, guided merely by natural light, would not give but rather abhor and condemn. Her counsel implies acknowledging God’s hand in affliction due to sins, confessing them to Him, asking for their pardon, and ending one’s days. This advice is sound and should be followed by all, although its application, as Job rightly perceived, may be mixed with folly.

It may be argued that in the throes of death, men lose their senses and the ability to speak clearly, rendering them unable to pray. Yet, the sighs, sobs, and groans of a repentant and believing heart are as potent prayers before God as those articulated by the most eloquent voice. Prayer resides in the heart’s affection; the voice is merely its external messenger. God doesn’t regard speech but the heart. David says,”God hears the desire of the poor,” and He will fulfil the desires of those who fear Him. Indeed, even their tears are powerful and resonating prayers in His ears.

Furthermore, faith can be demonstrated in one’s final words, which for those who have genuinely served God, are often extraordinary, comforting, and full of grace. I’ll share some notable examples for educational purposes and as models to follow.

Jacob’s last words were prophetic, predicting blessings and curses on his children. Notably, he said,”The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes,” and,”O Lord, I have waited for your salvation.” Moses’s last words were his remarkable song recorded in Deuteronomy chapter 32. David’s final words were,”The spirit of the Lord spoke through me, and His word was on my tongue. The God of Israel spoke to me, saying,’Rule over men,’ etc.” When Zacharias, the son of Jehoiada, was stoned, his last words were,”The Lord look upon it and require it.”

The last words of our Saviour Christ, as he died on the cross, are incredibly noteworthy, filled with abundant spiritual grace:

1. To his Father, he said,”Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
2. To the thief,”Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
3. To his mother,”Woman, behold your son,” and to John,”Behold your mother.”
4. In his agony,”My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 5. Expressing his desire for our salvation,”I thirst.”
5. Upon accomplishing his mission,”It is finished.”
6. As his body and soul were separating,”Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”

Stephen’s last words were:

1. “Look, I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
2. “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
3. “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”

Polycarp said,”You are a truthful God, so in all things I praise, bless, and glorify you through the eternal and High Priest, Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, through whom, with whom, to you, and the Holy Spirit, be all glory now and forever.”

Ignatius declared,”I do not care what kind of death I die. I am the Lord’s bread and must be ground by the teeth of lions, so that I may be pure bread for Christ, who is the bread of life for me.”

Ambrose said,”I have not lived among you as though I were ashamed to live, nor do I fear death, because we have a good Lord.”

Augustine said:

1. “He is not a great man who thinks it a great deal that trees and stones fall and mortal men die.”
2. “You are just, O Lord, and your judgement is righteous.” Bernard gave his brothers the following advice:
3. Anchor your faith and hope in the safe and secure harbour of God’s mercy.
4. “I haven’t left any notable examples of religion, but I do leave these three principles that I’ve followed as best I could in my journey:
5. I gave less heed to my own sense and reason than to those of others.
6. When I was hurt, I didn’t seek revenge.
7. I tried not to offend anyone, and when I failed, I made amends.”

When Zwingli was wounded in battle, he said,”What luck is this? Go on, they may kill my body, but they cannot harm my soul.”

Oecolampadius advised:

1. Church ministers should maintain pure doctrine, display an honest and godly life, and remain constant and patient under persecution.
2. About himself: “I don’t care if I’m accused of being a corrupter of the truth. I am going to face the judgment of Christ with a clear conscience, thanks to God’s grace. It will be clear there that I have not led the Church astray.”
3. To his children: “Love God the Father.”

Luther said: “My heavenly Father, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and God of all comfort, I thank you for revealing your Son, Jesus Christ, to me. I have believed in Him, proclaimed Him, loved Him, and praised Him. The Bishop of Rome and the entire company of the wicked persecute and revile Him. I pray, Lord Jesus Christ, receive my poor soul. My heavenly Father, though I must leave this life, and my body is to be laid to rest, I know for certain that I will remain with you forever, and no one can pull me out of your hands.”

Hooper said,”O Lord Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me and receive my soul.”

Annas Burgius said,”Do not abandon me, Lord, lest I abandon you.”

Melancthon said,”If it is God’s will, I am willing to die, and I pray that He grants me a joyful departure.”

Calvin said:

1. “I held my tongue because you, Lord, have done it.”
2. “I mourned like a dove.”
3. “Lord, you grind me to powder, but it suffices me because it is your hand.”

Peter Martyr stated that his body was weak but his mind was well. He professed that he acknowledged no life or salvation but only in Christ, who was given by the Father to be the redeemer of mankind. After confirming this by the Scripture, he added,”This is my faith in which I will die: God will destroy those who teach otherwise.”

These are just a few examples. The essence of what godly men say in death often includes some enlightened by a prophetic spirit predicting the future, as did the patriarchs Jacob and Joseph. Some demonstrate a remarkable memory of the past, stirring up holy affections and gratitude to God. Others, correctly assessing the imminent change from their present state to a better one, rejoice greatly. They speak of the vanity of this life, the anticipation of the sorrows of death, the beginnings of eternal life, the comfort of the Holy Spirit they feel, and their departure unto Christ.

Question: What should we consider when someone fails to articulate profound words during their time of death and instead resorts to idle talk?

Answer: We need to consider the nature of the illness leading to death, whether it is more tolerable or severe. For violent sickness usually accompanies delirium, and unusual movements and gestures, which we must interpret kindly, considering we ourselves may find ourselves in a similar situation.

We’ve discussed the first duty: to die in faith. The second is to die in obedience; otherwise, our death won’t be acceptable to God. It might seem that we’re approaching God out of fear and obligation, like slaves to a master, rather than out of love, like children to a father. To die in obedience means to be ready and eager to leave this world whenever God calls, without grumbling or resisting, whenever and wherever God pleases. Whether we live or die, as Paul says, we don’t do it for ourselves but for God. Therefore, it’s our duty to be obedient to God in death as in life. Christ is our example in this respect, who in his agony prayed,”Father, let this cup pass from me,” yet with submission,”not my will, but thy will be done”, teaching us to surrender ourselves to God’s will, even in the throes of death. When the prophet informed King Hezekiah of his impending death, he promptly turned to prayer without any hint of grumbling or resisting. We are commanded to present ourselves to God as free-will offerings, without any limitation of time, and therefore as much in death as in life. I conclude, then, that we must be as conscientious in showing obedience to God in accepting death as we are in living our lives.

The third duty is to surrender our souls into God’s hands, the most faithful guardian of all. This is the last duty of a Christian, as demonstrated by Christ on the cross, who in the throes of death, as his body and soul separated, said,”Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit,” and so gave up the ghost. Stephen did the same when he was stoned to death, saying,”Lord Jesus, receive my spirit”. And David, during his lifetime, when in danger of death, used the very words that Christ spoke.

Thus, we see what the duties are that we must perform in the throes of death to attain eternal life. Some people may think,”If all that’s required is to die in faith and obedience and to surrender our souls into God’s hands, we don’t need much preparation beforehand, or to worry too much about how to die well. We have no doubt that when death comes, we will easily fulfil all these duties.” To them I say: don’t deceive yourself with any false conviction, thinking that the practice of the aforementioned duties is easy. Ordinarily, they cannot be performed in death without substantial preparation in life. Whoever wants to die in faith must first live by faith. There’s but one example in the entire Bible of a man dying in faith who lived without faith: the thief on the cross. The servants of God who are gifted with a high degree of grace find it incredibly difficult to believe during times of affliction.

We’ve seen Job’s faith waver during his afflictions. At first, he said, “Though the Lord kill me, yet will I trust in him,” but later, with his faith obscured as if by a cloud, he claimed that God had become his enemy and had set him as a target. He expressed doubt and distrust on several occasions. So how can those who have never lived by faith or practised belief rest upon God’s mercy in the throes of death? Also, whoever wants to die in obedience must first live obediently. Those who have lived in disobedience cannot willingly and obediently appear before the judge when summoned by death, the sergeant of the Lord. They do indeed die, but out of necessity, submitting to the natural order as all creatures do.

Thirdly, whoever wants to surrender their soul into God’s hands must be certain of two things: that God can, and will, receive their soul into heaven and preserve it until the Last Judgment. And only those who have the spirit of God to reassure their conscience that they are redeemed, justified, sanctified by Christ, and will be glorified can be sure of this. Whoever is not so persuaded cannot dare to surrender and present their soul to God. When David said, “Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit,” what gave him such boldness? It was nothing but the conviction of faith, as his next words suggest: “for thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, God of truth.” Therefore, it’s clear that no one can perform these duties at the time of death unless they’ve practised them in life.

Given this, I reiterate my previous exhortation: I implore you to practise the duties of preparation in your life’s journey, leading a life of faith and obedience, and entrusting yourselves to God’s care time and again, and relying on His providence for all your deeds. Those who have done this have had the most fortunate and blessed ends. Enoch walked with God in faith, as one who was always in His presence, leading an upright and godly life, and the Lord took him so that he didn’t experience death. What happened to Enoch will, in a way, happen to those who live in faith and obedience, for death won’t be death to them, but a sleep, and not an enemy but a friend to body and soul.

On the contrary, let’s consider the wretched and miserable ends of those who’ve wasted their lives in sin, without keeping faith or a clean conscience. The people of the old world were drowned in the flood; the debauched inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed with fire from heaven; Dathan, Abiram, and Korah’s followers were swallowed up by the earth, Korah himself apparently burnt with fire. Wicked Saul, Ahithophel, and Judas took their own lives. Herod was devoured by worms and died. Julian the Apostate, struck by an arrow on the battlefield, died, vomiting blood into the air and blaspheming Christ’s name. Arius the heretic died on the toilet, literally expelling his intestines. This very age offers numerous similar examples.

Hoffmeister, a staunch Catholic, as he was on his way to the Council of Ratisbon to debate against the defenders of the Gospel, was suddenly struck down by God on his journey and died miserably, roaring and crying out. At the University of Louvain, a learned Catholic named Guarlacus fell ill. When he realised death was inevitable, he was consumed by a horrible anxiety and spiritual unrest. He cried out about his sinful life, expressing his fear of God’s judgment, and in his desperate final words claimed that his sins were too great to be forgiven. He died in this state of despair. Jacobus Latromus of the same university, after making a fool of himself before the Emperor and being laughed at by almost the entire court, descended into open madness during a public lecture. His desperate and blasphemous rantings were so severe that the other theologians present had to carry him away raving and lock him in a room. From that moment until his last breath, he continually declared that he was damned and rejected by God, and that there was no hope of salvation for him because he knowingly and deliberately resisted the clear truth of God’s word.

Crescentius, the Pope’s legate and vice-regent at the Council of Trent, saw a gigantic black dog with flaming eyes and ears hanging low almost to the ground appear before him as he was working late into the night. Startled by the sight, he immediately fell ill and died, despite the best efforts of his physicians. Stephen Gardiner, when reminded of Peter’s denial of his master by a certain bishop, retorted that he had denied with Peter, but never repented with Peter, and so he died, to quote Foxe, in an unrepentant and foul way. More examples could be added, but these should suffice.

To encourage us further in the practice of these duties, let’s remind ourselves of the uncertainty of our existence. Even though we are alive now, who can assert with certainty that they will still be alive the next day or the next hour? No one has a guaranteed tenure of life. Pay attention to this: as death finds a man, so too shall the last judgment. Therefore, if death overtakes him unprepared, eternal damnation follows without recourse.

Consider a thief brought from prison to be arraigned before the judge or to the place of execution – he will lament his past transgressions and vow to reform his life, if only he might be released, no matter how notorious a thief he may be. We find ourselves in a similar position as felons or thieves, as we are daily summoned to God’s judgement bar with no room to halt or stand in the way. Like a ship at sea that continues on its course day and night, whether the sailors are awake or asleep, we should all prepare ourselves and reform our lives ahead of time, so that we may meet a blessed end in death.

Ministers of the Gospel call us to fulfil this duty every day, but where can we find its consistent application and obedience in people’s lives and actions? Regrettably, it is common to lend our ears for an hour to hear God’s will, but it is rare to commit our hearts and hands to fulfilling it. This lack of commitment stems from the unfortunate fact that we are all significant sinners, and every sinner, in biblical terms, is a fool. A major part of his foolishness is to care for worldly things while neglecting the kingdom of heaven, providing for the body and not the soul, planning and preparing for a life of wealth, honour, and comfort, but not taking the slightest effort to prepare for a good death.

Our Saviour Christ observed this folly in the rich man who took great care to expand his barns but had no care at all for his end or the salvation of his soul. An example of such a person was Achitophel, who the Scripture describes as an oracle of God for counsel, a man of great wisdom and foresight in matters of the commonwealth and his private worldly affairs. Despite this, he didn’t have the common sense or reason to consider how he might die a righteous death and attain everlasting life. The Holy Spirit has pointed out this folly in him. The text states that when he saw his counsel was rejected, he saddled his donkey, rose, went home to his city, put his household in order, and hanged himself. The five foolish virgins contented themselves with the bright lamps of empty profession, never seeking the lasting oil of genuine, vibrant faith that could maintain and trim their lamps in life and death.

Let us cast off this destructive folly in the fear of God, first seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and living our lives in faith and obedience so that we may die accordingly.

This covers the first point of doctrine, that there is a definite way for a person to die well. Now let’s move on to the second point. Solomon states that the day of death is better than the day of birth, teaching us further that those who truly believe themselves to be God’s children should not excessively fear death. I say ‘excessively’ because their fear should be partly present, but not wholly.

There are two reasons why we must fear death. Firstly, because death is the destruction of human nature in one’s self and others. In this regard, Christ feared it without sin; we should not fear it any more than we fear illness, poverty, famine, or other physical and mental sorrows, which God wants us to acknowledge and not despise or disregard lightly. We should feel some pain because they are corrections and punishments for sin. God imposes pain and torment upon us so that we may fear and avoid them, and by avoiding them, we may also learn to avoid the cause of them, which is sin. Through the experience of pain, we come to recognize that God is a judge and an enemy of sin, exceedingly angry with it. The second reason to fear death is the loss of the Church or the Commonwealth. When we or others are deprived of those who could have been a help, support, and comfort to either of them, and whose death has caused some public or private loss.

However, we are not to fear death alone but also to rejoice in it for many reasons. Firstly, in death, we have an opportunity to demonstrate our submission and obedience to God when He calls us out of this world, as Christ said,”Father, not my will, but thy will be done.” Secondly, death abolishes all sin, and we cease to offend God as we have done before. Thirdly, the dead body enters a better state than it ever was in life. Through death, it becomes insensible, freeing it from the miseries and calamities of life. It ceases to be an active or passive instrument of sin, whereas in life, it fulfills both roles. Fourthly, death grants the soul passage to rest, life, and celestial glory. In heaven, we shall see God as He truly is, have perfect knowledge of Him, and praise His name eternally, enjoying an uninterrupted eternal Sabbath. That is why Paul said,”I desire to be dissolved and be with Christ, for that is best of all.” Fifthly, God executes His judgments on the wicked and purges His Church through death. In all these respects, the righteous have cause not to fear and grieve but to rejoice in their own death and the death of others.

Thirdly, if the day of death is so excellent, indeed a day of happiness, then it is permissible to desire death, and men do not always sin by wishing for death. Paul said,”I desire to be dissolved,” and again,”O miserable man, who shall deliver me from this body of death?” However, this desire must be tempered with certain considerations. Firstly, death should be desired to the extent that it frees us from the corruption of our nature. Secondly, it should be desired as a means to bring us into immediate fellowship with Christ and God in heaven. Thirdly, death may be lawfully desired in view of the troubles and miseries of this life, with two caveats in mind: first, the desire must not be excessive, and second, it must be accompanied by submission and subjection to God’s good pleasure. If either of these conditions is lacking, the desire is faulty. Job, Jeremiah, and Jonah failed in this regard because they desired death out of impatience.

On the other hand, a person may also desire a continuation of life. Hezekiah prayed and wished to live when he received the news of impending death, so that he could continue to serve God. And Paul desired to live for the sake of the Philippians, that he might strengthen their faith, even though he personally saw death as an advantage.

Lastly, if death, accompanied by a reformation of life, is so blessed, then the death of an unbelieving and unrepentant sinner is utterly cursed and most horrifying. The reasons for this are as follows: Firstly, it is the destruction of their nature and the wages of their sins. Secondly, in it, there is no comfort for the spirit, no alleviation of pain, and no good thing to counterbalance its miseries. Thirdly, and most fearfully of all, bodily death is the beginning of eternal death, despair, and infernal torment, without hope of deliverance. Therefore, as I began, so I conclude: take care to live well and die well.

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