and considered the shortnesse of their life so fraile so inconstant and transitorie and vpon Death so black and vgly how soone would they let fall their proud plumes forsake their arrogancy and change their purposes their manners their mindes their liues In that they tend and hasten as fast as they can to death some at one miles end some at two some at three and some when they haue gone a little further And thus it commeth to passe that some are taken out of this life sooner and some tarry a little longer Abhorre therefore thy haughtines auoid thy vanities leaue off thy lusts amend thy life For he that is godly wise vieweth his death present and by the meditation and remembrance thereof he armeth himselfe to amend If the greatest man in the world doe in a holy meditation strip himselfe out of his robes and ornaments of state and haue the scanning of this one poynt often in his minde hence I must as great as I am and whether then Like men who trauelling no sooner come to their lodging but they are talking of their next Inne the debating of this question in the minde would bring forth most excellent fruite and so likewise if euery man would thus meditate and reason I must remoue and whither then Hell is my desert how shall I escape it Heauen is the onely place I desire to goe to how shall I come to it And thus one good meditation and thought would make way for another and so lead vs on by degrees vnto the kingdome of God Marke the life and behauiour of the wicked to auoid their steps and of the godly to prouoke thy selfe to a holy imitation of the like course as a thing best pleasing to God It is one way whereby wee honor those that are departed in the faith when wee resemble them in those heauenly graces which like the stars of heauen did shine within them while they were aliue Mark also their death with like diligence think seriously vpon thy owne death how thou must shortly dye and lie downe in the dust and part with whatsoeuer delight thou doest here enioy that this may breede in thee a contempt of the world and a longing after a better life Gregory said that the life of a wise man must be a continuall meditation on Death and he onely is euer carefull to doe well who is euer thinking on his last end It were good that Christians which tender their saluation would among so many houres of the day as they mispend in idle vaine and wandring thoughts talke play or fruitlesse exercise imploy but an houre of the day after the example of a holy man in reading meditating and pondering of one little booke trium foliorum but of three leaues which I wil commit to your Christian cōsideration I haue read of a certaine holy man who at first had led a dissolute life and chancing on a time into the company of an honest godly man he in short time so wrought by his holy perswasions with his affections such is the force of godly societie that he vtterly renounced his former course of life and gaue himselfe to a more priuate austere moderate and secluse kinde of liuing the cause whereof being demanded by one of his former companions who would haue drawne him such is the nature of euill company to his vsuall riot hee answered that as yet he was so busied in reading and meditating on a little booke which was but of three leaues that he had no leisure so much as to think of any other businesse and being asked againe a long time after whether hee had read ouer these three leaues he did reply that these three leaues were of three seuerall colours red white and black which contained so many misteries that the more he meditated thereon the more sweetnesse he alwayes found so that he had deuoted himselfe to reade therein all the daies of his life In the first leafe which is red I meditate quoth he on the Passion of my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and of his precious bloud shed for a ransome of my sinnes and the sinnes of all his Elect without which we had been all bondslaues to Satan and fewell for hell fire In the white leafe I cheere vp my spirit with the comfortable consideration of the vnspeakable ioyes of the heauenly Kingdome purchased by the bloud of my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ a great motiue of thankfulnesse In the third leafe which is blacke I meditatate vpon the horrible and perpetuall torments of Hell for the wicked and reprobate prouided and kept in store who if they behold the heauens from thence they are iustly banished for their sinnes If they looke vpon the earth there are they imprisoned on the right hand they haue the Saints whose steps they haue not rightly followed on the left hand the wicked whose course they haue ensued before them they haue Death ready to arrest them behind them their wicked life ready to accuse them aboue them Gods iustice ready to condemne them and vnder them Hell-fire readie to deuoure them From which the godly are freed by the death of Iesus Christ This booke of three leaues if we would alwayes carrie in our hearts and meditate often therein assuredly great would be the benefit which we should make thereby to restraine our thoughts words and actions within the bounds and limits of the feare of God 1. Sam. 24.10.11 But we are on the other side so busied like Nabal about white earth and red earth and blacke earth in gathering and scraping of transitory trash and in vncharitablenesse and so deuoted vnto fleshly pleasures and deceitful vanities and spending our houres like Domitian in hunting of flyes others like little children in catching of Butterflies and playing with feathers the rest like fooles in toyes and leasings that we haue not leasure at all to reade and meditate on that booke of three leaues nor to thinke on death And so on the sudden the sunne of our pleasure setteth the day of our life doth end the night of our death commeth and we chop into the earth before we be aware like a man walking in a greene field couered with snow not seeing the way runneth on and suddenly falles into a pit Lam. 1.9 When the Prophet Ieremie had remembred all the calamities and sinnes of the Iewes at the last he imputed all to this Shee remembred not her end so if I may iudge why naturall and carnall men care for nothing but their pompe their honor and dignitie why couetous men care not for any thing but their golden gaine why voluptuous Epicures care for nothing but their pleasures and Delicates whose posie is that Death hath nothing to do with them I may say with Ieremiah They remember not their end And with Esay Thou diddest not lay these things to thy heart Esay 47.7 nor diddest remember the latter end of it Deut. 32.29 O that they were wise saith
to all kinde of sinne and wickednesse but not applyed our selues at all to wisdome godlinesse vertue and true piety Democritus was wont to walke amongst the graues that he might become a right Philosopher for true philosophie saith Plato is the meditation on death and thou which art instructed in the true Christian Philosophie how canst thou behold the bones of the dead but thou must needs fall into this patheticall meditation with thy selfe Behold these legges that haue made so many iourneyes this head which is the receptacle of wisdome remembreth so many things must shortly be as this bare skull and dry bones are I will therefore betimes bid worldly vanities adieu betake my selfe to repentance and newnesse of life and spend the rest of my dayes in the seruice of my God and continuall meditation on my ende As the last day of our life leaueth vs so shall that last day the day of Christs comming finde vs. How good were it therefore before we run into desperate arrerages to cast vp our bils of accompt and the rather because we shall be warned out of our office we know not how soone Luke 16.2 Some Emperors amongst the heathen as bookes say were wont to be crowned ouer the graues and sepulchers of dead men to teach them by the certaine but vnknowne end of their short life to vse their great roomes as men that must one day be as they are whose graues they tread vpon The old Saints who liued in a continuall meditation of their short and vncertaine time were wont alwayes like wise merchants to think of their returne homeward and therfore tooke vp their treasure by bils of payment not where they were but where they would be and meant to make their long aboade that is meant to be for euer And the Philosophers who saw not beyond the clouds of humane reason wheÌ„ they perceiued how much men did decline by course of yeares wast of time were wont to say that the life of a wise man was nothing else but a continuall meditation on death the remembrance whereof made the world which wee for want of this meditation so willingly embrace vile and contemptible vnto them and auayled greatly to guide them in all godlines So a Christian mans life is or should be nothing els but a continuall meditation on death All that is within vs and without vs are so many remembrances of Death all things crye out vnto vs that we must hence Ioh. 8.23 as Christ cryed I am not of this world The apparrell which we weare vpon our backs Ioh. 17.14 the meate disgested and egested and returning to putrefaction the graues shrouding so many corpes vnder our feete time the mother of all things and the changeable state of times euen winter and sommer cold and heat seede time and haruest all doe crie vnto vs that wee shall weare away and dy and corrupt As they who were liuing are now dead and lye in the dust first we wax dry then old then cold then sicke then dead So that euery thing doth serue to put vs in minde that our bodies which wee beare about vs are mortall for even on our table we haue moments of Death for we eate not the creatures till they be dead our garments are either the skinnes or excrements of dead beasts we often follow the dead corps to the graue and often walke ouer their bodies and in Churches Church-yards especially men that doe vse to walke there shall doe well to remember that they treade vpon the dead and others shortly must tread vpon them Moreouer in great Citties wee haue almost euery day Death rung in our eares the deadly bell telleth vs that dust wee are and to dust wee must goe againe To this perhaps the old Oracle hath reference of whom the Philosopher Zeno being desirous to chuse the most honest and best rule for the direction of this life demaunded as the manner then was his opinion therein and receiued this answer That if he would frame the course of his life aright he should vse the commerce society of the dead And the Church-yards which are the howses of Christians and as it were the chambers or beds to sleepe in they are the places to which wee may resort to be put in minde of our mortalitie and future mutability But we Christians haue in stead of commerce and societie with the dead Luk. 16.29 Moses and the Prophets to put vs in minde of our death and if we will not heare them Ezeck 3.7 neither will we be perswaded though one rise from the dead to tell vs of our death Adam knew all the beasts called them by their names but his owne name he forgot Adam of earth What bad memories haue wee that forget our owne names and our selues that we are the sonnes of men corruptible and mortall Proud man I say forgets this sentence that earth is his natiue wombe when he was borne and that being dead the earth is his tombe When we looke to the earth it should put vs in minde that earth we were earth we are and earth we shall be the earth prouides for our necessity and feeds vs with her fruits neither in life nor death doth she forsake vs while we liue she suffers vs to make long furrowes on her back and when we dy her bowels are digged vp and she receiueth vs into her bosome here now a pit is digged seuen or eight foote long and so as it may serue for Alexander the great whom liuing the world could not containe And how loftie soeuer men looke death onely shewes how little their bodies are which so small a peece of earth will containe whom before nothing would content and therein the dead carkasse is content to dwell whom at his comming the wormes doe welcome and the bones of other dead men are constrained to giue place And in this house of obliuion and silence the carcasse being woond in a sheete and bound hand and foote is shut vp though it neede not to haue so great labour bestowed vpon it for it would not run away out of that prison though the hands and feete were loose And now if we doe but consider a little of the tombes of noble men and Princes whose glory and maiestie wee haue seene when they liued here on earth and doe behold the skill and sillie formes and shapes which they now haue shall wee not cry out as men amased Is this that glory that highnesse and excellencie Whether now are the degrees of their waiting seruants gone Wheâ—e are their ornaments and iewels Where is their pompe their delicacy and nicenesse All these things are vanished away like the smoake and nothing is now left but dust horror and rottennesse such is mans body now become yea though it were the body of an Emperor King or Monarch where is now that maiestie that excellencie and authoritie which it had before time when men trembled to behold it
ending he is the way in our peregrination truth in deliberation life in remuneration the way whereby our pathes are directed the truth whereby our errours are corrected and the life whereby our fraile mortalitie is eternized Therefore you may not looke to leape out of your mothers warme wombe into your fathers hot ioy Matt. 10.24.25 For the disciple saith our Sauiour is not aboue his master nor the seruant aboue his Lord you must for a while endure death that you may be dignified I had almost said deified and surely you shall be neere it Iohn 1.13 For we are borne of God saith the Euangelist and we shall be fashioned like vnto the glorious bodie of Christ for hee shall change our vile bodie Phil. 3.21 that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie and we shal follow the Lambe saith the holy Ghost Reuel 14.4 whithersoeuer hee goeth And now tell me in lieu of all I haue said if death doeth thus diuide vs from all euill and bring vs into all good if death bee like vnto the gathering hoste of Dan Numbers 2.31 Numb 10.25 Ioshua 6.9 that commeth last to gather vp the loste and forlorne hope of this world that they may bee found in a better whether is it better to liue in sorrow or to die in solace Let Agamades and Trophonius assoile the doubt of whom it is writen by Plato in his Axiaco that after they had builded the temple of Apollo-Delphick they begged of God that he would grant to them that which would bee most beneficiall for them who after this suite made went to bed and there tooke their last sleepe being both found dead the day after in token that the day of death is better then the day of life this being the entrance into all misery and that the end of all misery yea our dissolution is nothing else but aeterni natalis the birth day of eternitie as Seneca calles it more truly then he was aware For this dissolution giues to our soules an entrance and admission into the most blessed societie of eternall glorie with God himselfe for what other thing is death to the faithfull but the funerall of their vices and the resurrection of their vertues Christians therefore one would thinke need not as pagans consolations against death but death should serue them as a consolation against all miserie But you will here obiect and say me thinkes I am called backe too timely out of this life Psal 102.24 God snatcheth me a way in the midst of my dayes I might yet liue longer for I am young and in my blood I feare therefore lest this be a signe of the wrath of God Psal 55.23 seeing it is written Bloudie and deceitfull men shall not liue out halfe their dayes I answere there is no time now to consult with flesh and blood but readily to obey the heauenly call And for your few yeeres Seneca saith well He that dieth when he is young is like him that hath lost a dye wherewith hee might rather haue lost then wonne more yeeres might haue ensnared you with more sinnes and haue hardened you in your impenitencie to the hazard of your life in this world and your soule in another And for the flower of your youth if you compare it with eternitie whether now you are going and ought to long after it indeed all are equally young and equally old For the most extended age of a man in this world is but as a point or minute and the most contracted can bee no lesse And Iesus the sonne of Sirach saith Eccl. 41.13 A good life hath but few dayes nothing is too timely with God which is ripe Long life truly is the gift of God and the hoarie head a crowne of glory saith the Wiseman if it be found in the way of righteousnesse Pro. 16.31 Yet short life is not alwaies a token of the wrath of God seeing God sometime commands the godly also and those that are beloued of him to depart timely out of the house of this world that beeing freed from the danger of sinning they may be setled in the securitie of not sinning neither be constrained to haue experience of publike calamities more grieuous oftentimes then death it selfe An immature and vntimely death for a man to be taken away before he be come to the full period of his life that by the course of nature and in the eye of reason he might haue attained vnto is a thing that may betide good men and not be a curse to them Esay 57.1 The righteous man perisheth and no man layeth it to his heart saith the Prophet the mercifull man is taken away namely vntimely For if they died in a full age it were not blame-worthy for a man not to consider it in his heart Iacob knew this full well that vntimely death belongeth to Gods children for when Iosephes party-coloured coat was brought to him all bloudie it is said that he knew it Gen. 37.33 It is my sonnes coate saith hee some euill beast hath deuoured him Ioseph is without doubt rent in pieces So Abiah Gen. 44.28 the sonne of Ieroboam falling sicke Ieroboam sending his wife to the Prophet Abiiah with presents 1. Kings 14.1.2.3.6.12.13.17.18 to tell her what should become of the childe when shee was come the Prophet told her that he was sent to her with heauie tidings Arise thou therefore saith he get thee to thine owne house and when thy feete enter into the Citie the childe shall die and all Israel shall mourne for him bury him for he only of Ieroboam shall come to the graue because in him there is found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Ieroboam Now this truth is confirmed vnto vs by two arguments the one drawne from the malice of the wicked against the godly the other from the mercie of God to the godly For the first the wicked through their malice seeke by all meanes to cut off the godly because their wickednesse and sinfull life is reproued by their godly conuersation neither can they follow their sins so freely as they would nor quietly without detection or checke The Apostle saith Cain 1. Iohn 3.12 that wicked one cut off and slew his brother Abel and wherefore slew he him because his owne workes were euill Gen. 37.2 and his brothers good The Patriarches sold Ioseph their brother and sent him out of the house of his Father because hee was a meanes that they were checked for their euill sayings And this is that we haue in the booke of Wisdome Therefore the vngodly men say let vs lye in wait for the righteous Wisd 2.12.14.15.16.18.19.20 because he is not for our turne but is cleane contrary to our doings he vpbraideth vs with our offending the law and obiecteth to our infamie in the transgression of our education Hee was made to reproue our
euen against God himselfe I know you will hearken vnto these things Consider saith the Apostle what I say 2. Tim. 2.7 and the Lord giue thee vnderstanding in all these things It is sufficient to waigh these matters with the waights of the Lords Sanctuarie and not needfull to try them by fetching helpes of humane reason Yet to giue them ouer measure that will not rest satisfied with the comforts which the holy Scripture doth affoord let it bee first considered what humane wit and reason hath said in this case And touching this matter which now is mooued I haue read and you may see what Heathens by learning and naturall light haue said to themselues and their friends in such losses but this did I neuer read neither shall you finde that all their comforts haue counteruailed one promise out of Gods booke I confesse the bookes of heathen Writers doe promise comfort in this case but alas they performe it not but are like a brooke that swels in winter when there is no need of it and is dry in Summer when the passenger fainteth and panteth for heat no if we will haue good gold we must goe to Ophir if good balme to Gilead if good wine to Christ at the wedding of Cana and if good tidings to the booke of God They did say well in many things but neuer like this word that is from the Lord. Iohn 7.46 For neuer man spake like this man as the officers told the chiefe Priestes and Pharisies concerning Christ They considered the necessitie of death the miseries of life the examples of great men that had gone before them and such like But what are these to those that the word of God will shew vs our safety in Christ our resurrection in immortality in the presence of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost with such like yet both good vnto a sanctified mind First the necessitie of death is a true comfort against death be it of our selues or of our friends no liuing flesh but must die as we haue heard in the first Diuision What man is hee saith the Psalmist that liueth and shall not see death Psal 89.48 And shall we feare that in our selues or bewaile immoderatly that in our friends which cannot be auoided This were with witlesse wil to disturbe the peace of our whole life and with a seruile dread of the last houre to bereaue of comfort all the rest of our houres that we are to liue in this present euill world which in your iudgment conceiue how fond a thing it were The carefull view of natures course doth shew vs degrees from age to age till we come to a full and a like decrease by step after step till we come to the change againe Youth followeth childhood and age followeth youth by assured necessitie if we liue But when we are children wee feare not to be men neither when we are men to become olde but many rather wish it why then should we either feare in our selues or lament in our friends death to follow age in his course appointed more then age to follow youth as was said before Surely the one must bee receiued as well as the other without choice And whereas Christ said in the Gospel touching man and wife Matth. 19.9 What therefore God hath ioyned together let no man put in sunder it may be more peremptorily said of this What God hath ioyned or coupled together no man can separate nor put asunder And therfore a wise content both in our friends and in our selues shall become vs best Who will not die let him neuer liue for we receiue the one to endure the other when God appointeth and we must all die both friend and foe to wise men necessitie is a comfort and so I hope to you Secondly the miseries of this life is another head from whence heathen men haue deriued comfort against death be it of our selues or of our friends Consider then with your selfe from the first age vnto the last houre the diseases incident to our bodies to vexe vs with woe according to their seuerall natures some more some lesse and yet the least too much All the changes and chances of this most wretched sinfull world whereunto whilst we liue wee must lye open will we nill we from all which our death doth free vs and our friends Therefore how should wee either feare or sorrow for our selues or for our friends for that which doth so befriend vs If we conceiue hereof as we ought we must needs be of the same iudgment with Seneca and in some sort approoue his speech O men most ignorant saith hee of their owne miseries who praise not death as the best inuention that euer nature had which includeth felicity excludeth miserie finisheth the toyles of age preuenteth the perils of youth to many is a remedie to some a wish to all an end and deserueth better of none then them to whom it commeth before it be called Yea we must confesse these things beeing well considered that it befalleth to men concerning death as vnto young children concerning their friends Litle children if their friends bee disguised with some strange shewes they are afraid of them and crying flie from them Exod. 4.3 as some that would hurt them as Moyses fled from his rod of death when it was turned into a Serpent But take off these vizards that their friends may appeare as they are and then by and by they are comforted and reioyce and imbrace them gladly againe euen so it is of death when we are misled it appeareth vnto vs disguised and couered by ignorance of the truth and his approaching maketh vs shrinke but plucke off that vizard of supposed euill and behold it as it is to vs in Christ and it is then but a painted death and we see him then our great friend that cutteth the thrid that we do weaue and then we neither flie nor feare any more but are truely comforted and imbrace him most willingly as we ought and loue him as Ionathan loued his friend Dauid 1. Sam. 18.1 as his owne soule Thirdly the heathen considered againe the famous and worthy men that died before them and what they endured and could not auoid and therevpon thought great shame either to feare or flie to lament in themselues or in their friends The greatest lights that euer were amongst them died all Socrates Demosthenes Plato Pompey Caesar Cicero learned martiall or whatsoeuer yea what wisedome and knowledge what valour and prowesse what act what gouernement soeuer they had all gifts and graces all pompe and power all empire and maiestie were it ouer thousands or thousand thousands yeelded to death death had his place when his time was come and as well these great lights and loftie gallants as the lowest wretches and poorest wormes the high okes as the small shrubs drunke of deaths cuppe when they were inuited and inioyned Shall it not then euen in reason seeme
were reprobate or saued Of which matter saith he it is not for me to determine Our Iudge is his Iudge who will lay all thinges open when the time commeth This in the meane time is certaine that the deede of the man ought in no wise to bee allowed If wittingly I discommend his reason if in a phrenzie as one out of his wit then doe I greatly lament and pitty his case Yet notwithstanding seeing Gods iudgements be secret and wee be likewise in doubt vpon what intent he did thus punish himselfe nor any man can be certaine whether he repented or not before the last breath I think their opinion herein is more indifferent who doe rather disallow the example of the dead then despayre any way of his saluation Otherwise if we will adiudge all these to hell that haue departed the World after this sort how many examples haue we in the first persecutions of the Church of those men and women who being registred in the Works of worthy Writers haue notwithstanding their prayse and commendation For what shall wee thinke of those young men who being sought for to doe sacrifice to heathen Idols did cast down themselues headlong and brake their neckes to auoyde such horrible pollution of themselues What shall I say of those Virgins of Antioch who to the end they might not defile themselues with vncleannesse and with Idolatrie through the perswasion of their mother casting themselues headlong into a riuer together with their mother did for doe themselues though not in the same water yet after the same manner of drowning as this M. Hales did What shall I say of other two sisters which for the selfe same quarrell did violently throw themselues headlong into the Sea as Eusebius doth recorde In whom though perchance there was lesse confidence to beare out the paines that should be ministred of the wicked vnto them yet that their good desire to keepe their faith and religion vnspotted was commended and praysed Another like example of death is mentioned by Nicephorus in another Virgin likewise whose name is expressed in Ierome to bee Braessila Diraehima who to keepe her Virginity fayned her selfe to be a Witch and so conuenting with the yong man which went about to deflowre her pretended that shee would giue him an hearbe which should preserue him from all kind of weapons and so to proue it in her selfe layde the hearbe vpon her owne throat bidding him smite wherby shee was slain so by the losse of her life saued her Virginity Hereunto may bee ioyned the like death of Sophronia a Matron of Rome who when shee was required of Maxentius the Tyrant to be defiled and saw her husband more slacke then he ought to haue been in sauing her honesty bidding them that were sent for her to tarry a while till she made her ready went into her Chamber and with a weapon thrust her selfe through the breast and so dyed Likewise Achetes biting off his owne tongue did spit it in the face of the harlot Which examples sayth M. Fox I doe not here alledge as going about to excuse or mainetaine the hainous fact of M. Hales which I would wish rather by silence might bee drowned in obliuion But yet notwithstaÌ„ding as touching the person of the man what soeuer his fact was because we are not sure whether hee at the last breath repented againe for that wee doe not know nor are able to comprehend the bottomles depth of the graces and mercyes of God which are in Christ Iesus our Sauiour Wee will therefore leaue the finall iudgement of him to the determination of him who is appointed the onely Iudge of the quicke and dead And thus far M. Fox Touching the Cases wherein it is lawfull to desire death they may bee reduced principally into fiue The first is that if God can bee more honoured and glorified by our death then by our life then in such a case it is lawfull to desire death Iudg. 16.28.29.30 In which case Sampson desired death knowing wel therby that he should slay more of the vncircumcised Philistines the enemies of God at his death then he slue in his life In this case Moses the seruant of God desired to dye yea he went further for hee desired not a temporall but an eternall death for the glory of God in the saluation of his people For when Moses perceyued that the Lord was greatly offended with the people for making and worshipping the golden Calfe and that the Lords wrath waxed hote against them and that hee meant to consume them for the same Exod 32.31.32.33 It is sayd that Moses returned to the Lord and sayde Oh this people haue sinned a great sin and haue made them Gods of gold yet now if thou wilt forgiue their sinne and if not blot mee I pray thee out of the booke which thou hast written Also in this case the Apostle Saint Paul went as farre as Moses in desiring the same death for the like cause as Moses did which was for the glory of God in the saluation of his people Who being exceeding much sorrowfull for the Lords reiecting and casting off the Iewes sayth Rom. 9.1.2.3.4 I say the truth I â—…e not my Conscience also bearing mee witnesse in the holy Ghost that I haue great heauinesse and continâ—al sorrow in my heart for I could wish that my selfe were accursed or separated from Christ for my Brethren my Kinsemen according to the flesh who are Israelites to whom pertayneth the adoption and the glory and the couenants and the giuing of the Law and the seruice of God and the promises whose are the Fathers and of whom as concerning the Flesh Christ came Who is ouer all God blessed for euer Amne In this case also the holy Martyres greatly longed after and desired death and ranne most ioyfully and gladly vnto it Well knowing with Sampson that they should slay more at their death then they slue in their Life as first that they should slay their last enemie by death which is not slaine but by dying And secondly that by dying they should kill the spawne of all enmitie sinne that causeth death and thirdly they knew that God should be more glorified and honoured by their death then hee could be by their life in that it would thereby bee an occasion of daunting his enemies and of the increasing and flourishing of his Church and Children For the death of the Martyrs was the seed of Gods Church Acts and Monuments 113. In which respect M. Foxe in his Acts and Monuments sayth that in old time Martyrdome was more desired then Bishoprickes be now Secondly it is lawfull to desire death in respect of the wicked through zeale to Gods glory to the end that wee may bee freede from their society whereby wee might not bee eye-witnesses nor eare-witnesses of theyr dayly blaspheming and dishonouring of God In which case Rebecka desired death Gen. 26.34.35 for when Esau had taken
heauenly habitation Augustine writing vpon Genesis sayth That the blessed shall haue a three-fold sight of God in heauen To wit they shall first haue a spirituall or they shall see the blessed spirits Angels next a body or corporall sight of the blessed redeemer And thirdly a supernatural or intellectuall sight and a fourth may be added that they shall likewise see the holy Chost For the first their spirites and soules shall behold and see with great comfort and ioy the blessed Angels and Spirites of all the faithfull departed They shall see the bright Court of Angels Math. 18.10 Cherubins Seraphins alwaies beholding the face of our father which is in heauen attending the Dyetie and euer pressing to doe his will faithfully speedily willingly neuer wearie of watching because they are neuer wearie of well-doing They shall see the faire assembly of the Saints of God the Patriarckes Prophets and Apostles Luk. 13.28 with Abraham Isaacke and Iacob in his glorious Kingdome they shall bee tyed vp with them in the bundell of liuing 1 Sam. 25.29 neuer to bee loosed any more As they before them haue done so shall they returne into their rest as into a retiring Campe after the day of battell This is the greatest ioy vpon the first sight And if as Chrysostome sayth to see the Deuill and euill Spirits bee a horrible punishment and a kind of hell then to see good Angels and good Spirites must be a great ioy and the beginning and entrance into heauen Psal 45.1 The second is that corporall and bodily beholding of our Sauiour Iesus Christ standing at the right hand of God the Father 1 Pet. 1.12 and his comfortable face and countenance fayrer then the sonnes of men and whome the very angells desire to behold and whereby in their Spirites the Saintes doe presenly see the naturall and humane bodie of Christ Iesus at the right hand of God the Father from whose glorious sight doth arise a greater measure and degree of comfort and ioy Cant. 3.11 Then come the godly to see in substance that which was spoken of the type by Salomon Math. 12.42 Come foorth O yee daughters of Sion and behold the King Salomon with the Crowne To see then this true Salomon more great then Salomon euen our Redeemer thus standing crowned in glory and haue accesse to him must needes bee a second and higher measure of ioy to the beholders It is sayd when Salomon was crowned 1 Kin 1.40 the people reioiced exceedingly that the earth rent with the sound of thē Oh what ioy and greater ioy is it then to see Christ Iesus thus crowned with glory in Gods Kingdome at home When the Wise-men came a farre iourney seeking Christ anst found him new borne lying most meanely basely in a Cratch amongst the beasts yet did they reioice seeing him in the Cratch and did offer to him Oh how much shall yee reioyce Math. 2.10,12 seeing him that was in the Cratch cloathed with great glory and wearing an immortall Crowne The third sight is that intellectuall and glorious sight supernaturall of Gods essence face to face as Paul nameth it yea God himselfe of so great Maiesty might beauty goodnesse mercy and loue 1. Cor. 13.12 as if a man were filled with all other blessings temporall and eternall and yet without this as Plotin sayth all were but misery and accursednes And this is such a sight in such a manner and after such a measure which notwithstanding shall be infinite as is or can bee possible for the glorified Creatures to beholde the glorious Creator And as the Apostle Saint Peter sayeth to bee made partakers of Gods diuine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 farre beyond that sight of Moyses or Peters when being clogged with mortality they yet did see that was glorious to behold Of this sight of God Iob. 19.23.24,25,26.27 the holy man speaketh in his Booke Oh sayeth he That my wordes were now written O that they were printed in a Booke that they were grauen with an yron penne and layde in the Rocke for euer For I know that my Redeemer liueth and that hee shall stand at the latter day vpon the earth and though after my skin wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see GOD whom I shall see for my selfe and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my raines be consumed within me Yet this sight shall exceed and goe beyond that of our Forefathers before the fall or that of the Apostle Pauls for it is sayde by him that we shall see him face to face And by the Apostle Peter being made partakers of his diuine nature more then euer man could haue dreamed off then shall the Elect see so◠as they shall bee with him for euer yea and serue him continually in singing praises vnto him Which sight is called the spirituall life not in respect of substance but qualities in so farre that after those sightes the elect shall spiritually liue and that without any naturall or bodily helpes or meanes as in this present transitory life In that Life shall bee no neede of meate drinke light artificiall or naturall Candle Starres Sunne or Moone For God shall bee all in all By which sight and supernaturall knowledge it shall come to passe That Philip. 3,21 these our mortall bodies shall bee like to his glorious body Dan 12,3 and shall shine like the Sunne in the firmament and be made like Angels Fulgentius speaking of this most glorious and supernaturall sight sayth thus In a looking glasse wee may see three different things the glasse our selues and what is neere vs So by the glasse of Gods diuine clearenes wee shall see him our selues Angels and saints beside vs yea we shall see God face to face not as now through the glasse of his word but we shal know him as we are known of his Maiesty As a man standing vpon the shore of the Sea seeth not the bredth or depth of it so the Angels in Heauen and the elect on earth may see God really and yet not comprehend the depth of his greatnes nor the height of his euerlasting essence The fourth sight is that we shall likewise see the Holy Ghost proceeding from them both and breathing vpon our saued soules like a gentle soft ayre vpon a garden and more sweet then all the trees of Incense Againe the Apostle sayeth Now I know in part 1 Cor 13,12 but then shall I know euen as I am knowne The Apostle is bolde here to say that all the knowledge wee haue here is as the knowledge and stuttering of a young child yea that his owne knowledge too was such although he were an Apostle and a principall Apostle and thereby hee insinuateth that our knowledge here is as farre inferiour to the knowledge we shall haue there as the knowledge of a childe that stuttereth and stammereth and yet cannot speake plaine is to the
knowledge of the greatest Clearke in the world The very heathen thought this to bee one great benefite that men especially wise men had by death that their knowledge was perefected in the other world and that none could possibly attaine to perfect wisedome knowledge vntill they came thither How much more should wee count this an inestimable glorie and benefite that in the life to come wee shall haue the perfect knowledge of heauenly things yea and of all things in the Kingdom of Heauen yea we shall know God with a perfect knowledge so farre as Creatures can possibly comprehend the Creator Wee shall know the power of the Father the wisedome of the Sonne the grace of the holy Ghost and the indiuisible nature of the blessed Trinity And in him we shall know not onely all our friendes who dyed in the faith of Christ with vs but also all the faithfull that euer were or shall bee For first our Sauiour Christ tells the Iewes in the Gospell of Saint Luke that they shall see Abraham Isaacke and Iacob Luk. 13,28 and all the Prophets in the Kingdome of God and you your selues thrust out Then if the wicked shall know the godly much more shall we know them Gen. 2.23 Secondly Adam in his Innocency knew Eue so soone as hee awaked out of his sleepe to bee bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh much more then shall wee know our kindred and friendes in the faith when wee shall awake and bee perfected and glorified in the Resurrection Mat. 27.52.53 Thirdly the Apostles knew Christ after his resurrectioÌ„ and the Saints which arose with him and appeared in the holy City Mat. 17.4 as is recorded by the Evangelist S. Mathew therefore we shall know one another then Fourthly Peter Iames and Iohn knew Moses and Elias in the transfiguration of Christ much more shall wee know one another in our glorification Luk. 16.23 Fiftly Dines knew Lazarus a farre off in Abrahams bosome much more shall one child of God know another in the Kingdome of God Sixthly our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell of S. Mathew sayth vnto Peter Mat. 19.28 and the rest of his Apostles verelie I say vnto you that yee which haue followed me in the regeneration when the son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory yee also shall sit vpon twelue thrones iudging the twelue Tribes of Israel But this place of Scripture being somewhat obscurely vttered Our Sauiour Christ there alluding to the present state of things the number of the twelue Tribes of Israel and of the twelue Apostles the Apostle Saint Paul in his first Epistle to the Corinthians expresseth more plainely and clearely applying it in generall to all the faithfull vnder the New Testament Affirming that the Saints shall iudge the World 1 Cor. 6,2,3 Yea euen the Angells that is to say Wicked and Vngodly men and wicked and vngodly Spirites And hence Tertullian notably comforteth and encourageth the Martyres that were in durance dayly expecting the Iudges comming to receiue sentence of death perhaps saith he the Iudge is looked for yea but you shall iudge your Iudges your selues But heere by the way wee are to vnderstand that the authoritie of iudgment doth not belong either to the Apostles or Saints and that in their manner of iudgement they resemble Iustices who at an Assise are in a manner Iudges and yet giue no sentence but onely approue the sentence that is giuen The Iudges for the time haue the whole authoritie the Iustices on the Bench are but Assistants and witnesses the definitiue Iudgement is proper to our Sauiour Christ Acts 10.42 who is the supreme Iudge himselfe For he it is 2. Tim. 4.1 saith the Apostle Saint Peter that was ordained of God to bee the Iudge of the quicke and the dead and he it is saith Saint Paul that shall iudge the quicke and the dead at his appearing and in his kingdome The Apostles and Saints are not Iudges but as Iudges hauing no voice of authoritie but of consent So that although our Sauiour Christ our head principally and properly shall be the Iudge yet we that are his members shall haue a branch of his authoritie and shall be as it were ioyned in commission with him so the Bench and not the Barre is our place there in heauen which is part of our glory and ioy Then if the Saints shall be assisting in iudging wicked men and wicked spirits it then followeth that they shall know the wicked from the good the goats from the sheep and then much more shall they know their fellow-Iustices and Commissioners And the Apostle Paul confiâ—meth this in these words before alledged saying But then shall I know 1. Cor. 13.12 euen as I also am knowne And Augustine out of this place comforteth a widow assuring her as in this life shee saw her husband with external eyes so in the life to come she should know his heart and what were all his thoughts and imaginations Then husbands and wiues looke to your thoughts and actions for all shall one day be manifest Seuenthly Gen. 25.8 Gen. 35.29 2. King 22.20 The faithfull in the old Testament are said to be gathered to their Fathers therefore the knowledge of our friends remaineth Eightly The Apostle Saint Paul saith 1. Cor. 13.8 That loue neuer falleth away therefore knowledge one of another being the ground thereof remaines in another life Rom. 2.5.6 Ninthly The Apostle saith That the last day shall be a declaration of the iust iudgement of God who will render to euery man according to his deeds Eccles 12.14 And the Preacher saith That God shall bring euery worke to iudgement with euery secret thing whether it be good or euill And in the booke of the Reuelation it is said Reuel 22.12 Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to giue to euery man according as his workes shall bee Then if euery mans worke shall be brought to light much more the worker Matt. 12.36 And if as it is in the Gospell wicked men shall account for euery idle word much more shall the idle speakers themselues bee knowne for if the persons bee not knowne then in vaine shall their workes be made manifest and knowne then if the wicked shall be knowne as well as their wicked works much more shall the Saints know one another Tenthly and lastly it is said in the booke of Wisdome Then shall the righteous man stand in great boldnesse Wisd 5.1,2,3,4,5,6 before the face of such as haue afflicted him and made no account of his labours when they see it they shall be troubled with terrible feare and shall be amazed at the strangenesse of his saluation so farre beyond all that they looked for and they repenting and groaning for anguish of spirit shall say within themselues This was hee whom we had sometime in derision and a prouerbe of reproach We fooles
heard in mine owne land of thine acts and of thy wisedome how bee it I beleeued not the words vntill I came and mine eyes had seene and behold the one halfe was not told mee thy wisedome and prosperitie exceedeth the fame which I haue heard Happy are thy men happy are these thy seruants which stand continually before thee and heare thy wisedome Now if the queene of Sheba could say so much that the one halfe was not told her and that his wisedome and prosperity exceeded the fame which shee before had heard of him then much more may the child of God truly say when he commeth in his owne person to behold a farre greater then Salomon nay Mat. 12.42 not so much as one quarter of the glory and ioyes of heauen was told him and that the glory and ioyes thereof farre exceed the report fame and description which he hath heard For all the ioyes which we haue heard or can heare of when they are put all together they are all but as one poore drop of water to the maine Ocean sea in comparison of the ioyes which the Saints of God shall behold and enioy in their owne persons in the kingdome of glorie For no man knoweth them but such as enioy them according to that which is said in the booke of the Reuelation To him that ouercommeth Reu. 2.17 I will giue to eate of the hidden Manna and will giue him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth sauing bee that receiueth it Let me but shew you now what S. Augustine speaketh of the ioyes of heauen Wee may sooner tell you saith hee what they are not then what they are And hence it is that the euangelical Prophet Esay saith Isay 64.6 That since the beginning of the world men haue not heard nor perceiued by the eare neither hath the eye seene O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him For there we shall see light that passeth all lights which no eye hath seene there wee shall heare a glorious sound or harmonie which passeth all harmonies which no eare hath heard there wee shall smell a most sweet sent and sauour that passeth all sweet sents and sauours which no sense hath smelt there wee shall taste a most pleasant and delightfull taste that passeth all pleasant tastes which no tongue hath tasted and there we shall finde such pleasure and contentment as passeth all contentments and pleasures which no body euer had Nay I can not hold my heart for my ioy yea I cannot hold in my ioy for my heart to thinke vpon this ioy and glorie and to think that I that am now a silly poore worme vpon earth shall hereafter be a glorious Saint in the kingdome of glorie where is not onely true happinesse but perfection of happinesse not sound ioy onely but fulnesse of ioy which are so absolute and strange that neither eye hath seene to wit eye mortall nor eare hath heard 1. Cor. 2.9 that is eare of man hath not heard the like neither can they enter into our heart though all our hearts were as large euery one 1. King 4.29 as the heart of Salomon which God gaue vnto him euen as large as the sand that is on the sea-shore to conceiue and vnderstand them if they were told vs which are reuealed by the spirit and but lisped out by S. Iohn in those earthly similitudes of gates of pearles of walles of iasper Reu 21.18.19.21,22 and of a street whose pauement is gold as we heard before Dan 12.3 But it may be here obiected But in heauen saith the Prophet Daniel they that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many vnto righteousnesse shall be as the starres for euer and euer Now the firmament hath not so much light as the starres which lighten it and the starres haue lesse light then the Sun that lightneth them from whence therefore it seemeth that in heauen also there should rather be some want then such fulnesse of heauenly ioyes and glorie I answer though in this condition of our heauenly life there may be degrees of glory In my fathers house saith our Sauiour Christ Iohn 14.2 are many mansions yet there shall be no want of glory some may be like the skie some the starres of the skie yet all shall shine some vessels may hold more some lesse and yet all bee full so one may haue more ioy then another there are sundry measures of more or lesse glory in heauen There is one glory of the Sunne saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 15 41 another of the Moone and another glory of the starres for one starre differeth from another in glory but no measure shal lacke his fulnesse of life and glory there where shall be a measure of ioy heaped vp shaken together pressed downe and running ouer And as Bernard very excellently speaketh Luke 6.38 a measure without measure where we shall be filled with ioy yet being filled wee shall still desire lest our fulnesse procure a loathing and in desiring we shall alwaies be filled lest our desire beget a grieuing neither can God giue more nor man receiue more then we shall there enioy for there we shall be replenished and satisfied with such a fulnesse of life glory and happinesse so as wee shall not bee able to desire or to haue any more euen as vessels cast into the water being so filled with water that they can desire or hold no more and he that hath least shall haue enough The reasons hereof are these Hell is contrarie to heauen In hell there is a fulnesse of torment in heauen therefore there must be a fulnesse and perfection of glory and happinesse Secondly earthly kingdomes and the kings therof haue as great an absolutenesse as earth can affoord and giue them and shal we thinke that heauen which can giue an entire wil giue an impefect crowne of righteousnesse and glorie Wil the kings of the earth dwel in base cottages and not in royal Courts and Pallaces and shall these kings of a far better kingdome want ioy and glorie wheras mortall kings haue so great glorie and power Princes on the earth dwell in royall palaces sometimes of Cedar and Iuorie but they whom the Sonne of God hath made kings and priests vnto God his Father Reu. 1.6 as it is in the booke of the Reuelation shall raigne in a glorious citie and pallace whose twelue gates are twelue pearles Reu. 21.18 whose wall is of Iasper and building of gold and whose streetes shine as cleare glasse So said he that saw all this glorie but darkely or as Moyses saw the land of Canaan in a very short mappe or card afarre off as it doth appeare in the booke of Deuteronomie Deut. 34.1,2.3.4 We see but the outward wall of this heauenly Court and City and yet how glorious is it and
him to be released and if your selfe belong to God it is best for you also at this time to loose him best I say in the wisdome of God and to some end although not so in your owne reason which seeth not so farre and in all respects best Now thinke with your selfe thus much if you had done good to one and pleasured him much and all the friends he hath or any of them should crie out for it would it not grieue you surely it would grieue you so much the more by how much that vnthankefull dislike should be more vehement and last long So it is with God and therefore see what you doe and whom you moue to anger The Apostles words are plaine All things worke for the best vnto them that feare God if you beleue it and also thinke of your dead friend and your selfe God the holy Ghost who cannot lye concludeth that the same was best both for him and you which now is come to passe When good is done we should not grieue and when the best is done much lesse should we grieue for God calleth him out of this life when he is at his best if he be good that hee turne not to euill if euill that hee waxe not worse Away then with sorrow and sowre lookes and let the Lord for his mercie receiue your thankes from faithfull content and not murmuring and repining from vnbridled affections not onely good is done but the best euen the very best by the best that onely knowes what is best and it should appease and satisfie you God is no lyer neither can he be deceiued but if one houres life might haue been better either for him or you then is not the best done and then the Apostles words are not true but that were wicked once to imagine so Therefore no longer life would haue profited him or you but the very best is done blessed therefore be God for his goodnesse euer Fourthly I consider what the same Apostle saith in another place I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 which is best of all And I aske of you whether your selfe do not the like as you are able if you doe not you are yet ouer earthly and further in loue with this wicked and sinfull world then you should be If you doe it why then grieue you that your friend hath obtained that which you desire this will seeme rather enuie then loue in you to conceiue dislike for ones well doing What againe if your friend wish as the Apostle doth long before he obtained his request and now the Lord hath granted what he so heartily wished this is mercie to be reioyced for and not any miserie to bee wept for A true friend acknowledgeth a debt for the pleasuring of his friend and is not mooued with anger or griefe for the same stay then your teares if you will bee iudged a friend and neither grudge to God the companie of his child nor to the child the presence of his God because this is wicked Thinke of the glorie company immortalitie and ioy and comfort with the blessed Trinity and all the hoste of heauen that now your friend enioyeth thinke of the woes and miseries in this wretched vale of teares from which he is freed and then iudge you if the Apostle say not true that it is best to be loosed and to be with Christ If this best bee now at this instant fallen to your good friend by Gods good mercie blesse God for it and comfort your self that your friend enioyeth such endlesse ioy and comfort and thereby shall you shew your selfe a friend indeed and all that are godly and wise cannot but thinke well of you Againe the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 5.6.8 That we know that whilest wee are at home in the bodie we are absent from the Lord therefore we loue rather to remoue out of the bodie and to dwell with the Lord. From which absence from God your friend is freed and by presence and dwelling with God he is now blessed a true cause and a great cause as hath beene said of good content Then doe not you prouoke the Lord with vnthankfull teares sighes and groanes but stay that course which offendeth greatly and tread the steppes of all such as vpon the like occasion haue walked rightly by their discreet mourning Who are euer patient and moderate in sorrow repressing and ruling their affections and gaue them not a loose reine and so ought you Againe in the first Epistle to the Thessalonians it is said I would not haue you ignorant brethren concerning them that sleepe that yee sorrow not 1. Thess 4.13 as they which haue no hope Reade the place and examine your owne course whether you hope or no. First that your friend is well and then that Almightie God will supply his want to you some other way for both these are necessarie our friends are our comforts if they be good But if I tie God to them and thinke all is gone when they are gone where is my hope what pleasure to God so to trust in him that I trust more in my friends and cry out when they goe how shall I doe how shall I liue what ioy can I now haue Is this hope is this trust is this faith fie that euer affections and passions should carie any good child of God so far from his dutie and from true knowledge I say againe our friends are our comfort while the Lord lendeth them and when our friend returneth to his earth yet the Lord is in heauen where he euer was if I haue lost my father to be my father mother sister friend yea all in all to me whatsoeuer I want Therefore while he liueth which is and shall bee for euer I cannot be friendlesse though my friends die or depart from me but that either for one he will raise me vp another or himselfe supplie the place which is best of all Mourne not then I pray you as one without hope but hearken vnto the Apostle and shew foorth your faith hope and obedience vnto God to the glorie of God and your owne praise Againe wee read in the booke of Leuiticus Leuit. 10.3 that the sonnes of Aaron Nadab and Abihu were slaine by the Lord in his anger for their sinnefull presumption in offering vp strange fire which the Lord commanded them not which was a fearefull sight and spectacle to the fathers eyes to see two sonnes at once and in such sort dead Yet what did Aaron I pray you marke the text I will saith the Lord bee sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the people I will be glorified And Aaron saith the holy Ghost there held his peace And what an example is this if any thing may mooue you to stay your affections for the death of your friends Againe it is said in the booke of the Reuelation And I heard a voyce from heauen Reu. 14.13
saying vnto 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 workes follow them Your friend is dead in the Lord and therefore blessed will you then weepe and lament for him his workes follow him and the Lord in mercie hath crowned his obedience according to his promise and will you looke awry at it God forbid Againe consider with your selfe that your friends walk with God and are gone to their heauenly Father in peace they are gathered vnto their people they are not dead but sleepe and their flesh resteth in hope they are gone the way of all flesh and doe now behold the face of God in heauen and what cause of sorrow is this to any friend that loueth them If your friend were discharged and released out of prison and miserie and preferred to the palace of an earthly prince and to his Court to his great and exceeding ioy and content would you shewe your loue and contentment toward him in bewailing the same how much lesse then should you lament his preferment into Gods euerlasting Court and kingdome to his vnspeakable ioy and comfort Thus may you gather many places of holy Scripture and on this sort meditate on them For sweet is the word of God against all sorrowes and griefes and by name against this But it may happily be obiected it is your child that is dead and it died before it could well be baptized this grieueth me more then otherwise it would and so you feare your childs estate Answ God forbid that we should either speake or think so seeing the Lord neuer said so but contrariwise the Scripture witnesseth that they are in the Couenant of God and so in state of saluation so soone as they are borne and Baptisme doth not make them Christians that were none before but is the Sacrament the seale the signe the badge of them that are Christians before Besides it is not the want of the Sacrament that depriueth a man of Gods fauour for the children of the Israelites were not circumcised all those fortie yeeres which they liued in the wildernesse the reason whereof was because they were euer to remoue and iourney whensoeuer the pillar of the cloud that was their guide ascended and went forward Numb 9.18 c. so that they were alwaies to attend vpon the cloude both night and day not knowing when it would remooue and therefore could not circumcise their children in the wildernesse as yee may read Iosh 5.2 c. but it is the contemning or despising of the Sacrament that depriueth men of Gods fauour when they make no more account of it then Esau did of his birth-right Gen. 25.32 then Ahaz did of the Lords helpe Esay 7. and it is also the neglecting of it when God offereth time and opportunitie that we might haue it Againe the Lord neuer said that whosoeuer died vncircumcised or vnbaptized should be wiped out of the booke of life but hee hath said Gen. 17.12.14 that whosoeuer contemneth or carelesly neglecteth the Sacraments shal be cut off from among his people And so read you the notes vpon that seuenteenth chapter of Genesis and I hope they shall content you for this matter God is not tyed to the Sacrament nor euer was The contempt hurteth but not the want when it is against your will Obiect Happily your child was of ripe yeeres and withall so toward that it could not be but that he should come to some great place and preferment if he had liued both for the good of himself and his friends and that he in his youth and the flower of his age should thus bee taken away is a great losse say you Answer True it is that the losse is great in respect of the world but what is that if we consider God God is also able to supplie all that some other way if we take it well This is apparant that what good or preferment could haue come to him any way or to his friends if he had liued the Lord for some purpose as yet happily hidden hath preuented but yet his arme is not shortened as I said to doe vs good some other way but it might perhaps prooue otherwise contrarie to our expectation if he had liued longer and then it would haue beene a great griefe vnto vs. But admit that it would haue beene as you hope if he had liued longer yet he is more highly preferred euen to the highest heauens and to the presence of God and this no earthly preferment can match And except we be wholy earthly our selues we cannot but sauour this and not let his youth grieue vs for no youth nor age is too good for God when he is pleased to take them A foole or a child seeing a goodly cluster of grapes thinketh it pitie to put them into the presse to deface them but he that is wise knoweth that thereby the liquour which is in them is preserued and that this timely gathering is a meanes to keepe them from corruption So we thinke sometime Oh it is great pitie such a one should die so soone so towardly a youth so good a creature can hardly be spared but God in his wisedome knoweth it to be good And if he cut off the life of that good and godly king Iosiah as it were in the middle of the stemme 2. Kings 22.20 doubtlesse it is for this cause that his eies may not see the manifold euils to come If you will be ruled to weigh things with reason you may well see mercie euen in this timely death for many are the perils both of bodie and soule that young men auoid when they are taken hence false doctrine heresies errours and many grieuous sinnes wounding the very conscience with a biting worme that euer gnaweth publike calamities and ruine of state many priuate miseries great and grieuous which no man can thinke of beforehand more bitter to good men then any death from all which this happie deliuerance in time of youth doth free your child and set him safe that you shall neuer mourne with him nor for him that way And herein we haue Dauid an example of godly fortitude who hauing a child sicke did while it liued afflict his soule besought God for the child and fasted and wen◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and lay all night vpon the earth and would not be comforted Thus while there was hope of remedie he gaue way to the sorrow of his heart 2. Sam. 12.16 but when Dauid perceiued that the child was dead then he arose from the earth and washed and anointed himselfe and changed his apparell and came into the house of the Lord and worshipped and after came to his owne house and bad that they should set bread before him and he did eate His sorrow ended when he once saw there was no hope of enioying any longer the companie of his child Now this course seemed vnto