Iesus Christ Mors Christs mors mortis meae The death of Christ is the death of my death saith Bernard O Death I will be thy Death saith hee by the Prophet And Hierome vpon it Illius morte tâ— mortua es c. By his death thou art dead by his death wee liue thou hast deuoured and art deuoured thy selfe oh Death Death maketh dust returne to the earth as it was and the Spirit to returne to God that gaue it saith the word of God and shall not wee be glad of this Shall it grieue vs to returne to God to haue the Spirit goe from whence it came to walke with God to enter into life to goe to the Marriage of the Lambe Is the brute Oxe grieued to be vnyoaked Were Abraham Isacc and Iacob holy men or holy women euer vnwilling Wherefore if men desire naturall sleepe in regard of the good that commeth by it so doe you death and cherefully from your heart say with olde Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy Seruant depart in peace according to thy Word c. Luke 2.29 Sect. 4. The fourth Consideration Note 4 A Fourth cause making men willing without feare to sleepe naturally is that assured hope which they haue to awake and arise againe and shall not you arise from the sleepe of death why then should we shrinke more at the one then at the other wee shall rise againe for Christ our Head is risen and the Members must follow If the dead be not raised then is Christ not risen c. as you read in that singular Chapter 1 Cor. 15.20 The Sunne riseth and setteth againe the Moone waineth groweth againe Of the ashes of the olde Phoenix commeth another the leafe falleth and the sappe descendeth yet both sappe and leafe returne againe Sarahs wombe though dead yet beareth a Sonne when the Lord will so shall the resurrection be of dead bodies The hand of the Lord was vpon mee saith the Prophet and carried mee out in the Spirit of the Lord and set mee downe in the midst of the field which was full of bones And hee led me round about by them and behold there were very many in the open field and loe they were very dry And hee said vnto mee Sonne of man can these bones liue And I answered O Lord God thou knowest Againe hee said vnto mee Prophesie vpon these bones and say vnto them O yee dry bones heare the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God vnto these bones behold I will cause breath to enter into you and yee shall liue And I will lay sinewes vpon you and make flesh grow vpon you and couer you with skinne and put breath into you that yee may liue and ye shall know that I am the Lord. So I prophesied as I was commanded and as I prophesied there was a noyse and behold there was a shaking and the bones came together bone to his bone And when I beheld loe the sinewes and the flesh grew vpon them and aboue the skinne couered them but there was no breath in them Then said hee vnto mee Prophesie vnto the wind prophesie sonne of man and say to the winde Thus saith the Lord God Come from the foure windes O breath and breathe vpon these slaine that they may liue So I prophesied as hee had commanded mee and the breath came into them and they liued and stood vp vpon their feet an exceeding great armie Such another excellent place is that in the Apocalypse And I saw a great white throne and one that sate on it from whose face fled away both the earth and the heauen and their place was no more found And I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the Bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the Booke of life and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the Bookes according to their workes And the Sea gaue vp her dead which were in her and Death and Hell deliuered vp the dead which were in them and they were iudged euery man according to their workes Thus you see that as from our naturall sleepe so from death wee shall awake againe and therefore no cause to feare the one more then the other Resurrectio mortuorum spes Christianorum The Resurrection of the dead is the hope of the Christians Faith So Tertullian meaning their ioyfull hope that wipeth away all teares and vnwillingnesse to dye Credo Resurrectionem carnis I beleeue the resurrection of the body and life euerlasting Therefore care away Though I dye yet I dye not but onely sleepe in my Graue as in my Chamber till my GOD send his Angels to awake me with his Trumpet that I may enter into ioy that nâ—uer shall haue an end till which time I rest free from all sorrow and paine not troubled with any of the worlds woes but as a man in his bed fast asleepe most free from all offences and vexations Yea euen the selfe same body shall arise to our vnspeakable comforts teach the Scriptures Iob 19.25 Iohn 5.29 1 Cor. 15.42.43 and many other places euen as Christs body arose the same that it was before the same eyes mouth feet hands c. Dixeâ—â—nt tactis corproibus c. They said saith Tertullian of auncient Christians touching or laying their hands vpon the bodies wee beleeue the resurrection of this body this body that I touch and lay my hands vpon for the goodnesse of God will giue glory to that body that hath giuen glory to him the selfe-same eye the selfe-same mouth the selfe-same eare feet hands c. What an encouragement is this to doe well if you marke it and what an argument to make vs willing to dye being assured of this as weare Sect. 5. The last Consideration The bodyes freedome and the soules Glorification Note 5 THE fift and last cause that maketh vs willing to goe to our naturall rest without feare muttering or any discontent is the chearefulnesse and liuelinesse of body and minde that vseth to follow after sleepe both to body and minde being refreshed thereby so greatly let the same cause make vs willing to dye for there is no comparison betweene the comfort and refreshing that naturall sleepe worketh and that which followeth after death when Christ shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body according to the working whereby hee is able to subdue all things vnto himselfe when this corruptible hath put on incorruption and this mortall hath put on immortalitie If that small glimpse which the Disciples saw made them wish for three Tabernacles and an eternall being there Mat. 17.4 O how shall the whole glory of heauen and heauens blisse rauish vs and make vs glad that wee haue attained to it O no such refreshing can come from our earthly beds and naturall sleepe here Wherefore with ioy let vs welcome the houre
like the barren Fig-tree and throwne into Hell fire yea as they are called dead coales Psal 17. and God a consuming fire Deut. 9. Hebrewes the last c. so they are as sure to burne vnlesse quenched by repentance as they are fit to burne Neyther doth the Lord take such avvay ordinarily by a naturall and peaceable death as hee did Simeon here but oft-times in the whirlewinde of his wrath by some vnnaturall and violent and sodaine death as the fruit of their prouoking sinnes 1. Sometimes for their abuse of his worship as hee did Nadab and Abihu so Iudas that came from the Communion and hanged himselfe as also the Corinthians who dyed for their vnworthy receiuing the Sacrament 2. Sometimes for rebellion against Magistrates as Corah Dathan and Abiram Numb 16. 3. Sometimes for abusing the Seruants Prophets and Ministers of God as the two and fortie Children whom the two shee Beeres slew the two Captaines with their fifties that came to lay hands on Elias 4. So for murthering the Saints as Achab and Iezabel So the tenne persecutors infamously famous for the abundance of Christian bloud which they shed came all to fearefull ends according to the curse threatned Psal 56. Psal 139. Math. 26. that Bloudy men shall not liue out halfe their dayes and They that smite with the Sword shall perish by the Sword 5. For gurmundizing gluttonie and drunkennesse as Iobs Children Iob 2. Baltazar Dan. 5. and the Israelites slaine whilst the Quailes were in their mouthes Numb 11. 6. For couetousnesse as Ananias and Saphira Acts 5. 7. For Lust and Luxury as Cosâ—ee and Zimri and the vncleane Israelites Numb 25. 8. For Tyrannie and oppression as Pharaoh and his Hoast Exod. 14. 9. For Pride against God as Herod Acts 12. 10. For the effect of pride and malice Blasphemie against heauen as Senacharib and his pestilent Parasite Rabsekah 2 Kings 19. as also for other sinnes But now wee are to hoist vp sailes into a Sea of matter which flowes eyther necessarily from the Text or by consequence of this last proued point and by argument from the greater to the lesser from the better to the worse that if Simeon and the Saints must dye then vnsanctified sinners and so from the specials and by inductions from all particulars the generall may be concluded that all must dye So much the Text giues vs leaue to touch for if we be here as Tully intimates Tanquam in diuerserio as guests lodged in an Inne or as those that come to a Mart a Market or a Faire or as those that come to visite their friends not to inhabite long here but to depart as Simeon here imports Then hoc commune malum this departure is the designed lot to all the worlds passengers Wee here giue no reasons of the point omitting or pretermitting them till we come to distill some comforts against death onely for explanation or further satisfaction Ponder the premises that since the godly which haue no sinne I meane with Dauid and the Augustane Confession out of Augustine no imputed sinne must die since children that haue no actuall sinne doe dye because the staine of the roote is propagated to the branches as Augustine Anselme and Ambrose haue in moe phrases explained if Adam himselfe did dye not so much as hee was a created man but as hee was a corrupted sinner Then sure as life was the fruit of his obedience if he had stood à Deo donante from Gods free giuing so death is inflicted vpon his fall à Deo vindicante from God punishing And as now it is Gods Statute-Law enacted that all Adams Sonnes partaking of Adams sinnes must die so it must be executed nay wee see it is executed Philosophers and Poets and the learned Heathens who themselues since their workes and writings haue felt the smart of deaths stroke haue acknowledged it Christians haue confessed it Experience hath ratified it in the consumption and consummation of all ages all sects all sorts persons and professions that all must dye omnia peribunt c. I thou hee they and euery man besides that are were shall be this way slides Wee haue Gods statutum est for it that as in Heauen all liue and none must or can dye in Hell all dye an eternall death and none must or can liue so in earth all must dye and none can for euer liue This is an ineuitable yoke imposed on all flesh Nam rigidum ius est c. the Law is strict vnalterable to striue against the streame vnauaileable Lanificas nulli tres exorare Puellas Contigit c. The vnpartiall Fates to whom we all are vnder With rule imperiall cut lifes thread asunder Many meanes haue Galenists and Physitians vsed for the preseruation of life many Workes and elaborate Bookes are extant of the conseruation of health but neuer none writ or disputed of the exemption from death because it were in vaine If any Physitian could administer such a simple that vvould perpetually prolong life if any Lawyer could plead the case with Death not to enter violently vpon their bodie which is his tennant-right and preuaile If any Diuine did preach that sinners should not dye and performe it the first should haue moe Patients the second more Clyents the third moe Auditors then euer had any of their fellowes in their functions But to teach or plead or practise this point which the Diuell guld our first Parents with in Paradise You shall not die were to be a Lyar like him it were to build Castles in the Ayre to sow the winde and reape the whirlewinde for Omnes vna maâ—et nox c. Deaths tract wee all must tread our life 's faire light Must be obscur'd and set in Deaths darke night How many glorious Lights in the vvorld Kings Kefars Emperours Popes Potentaâ—es Dukes Earles Lords Barons c. Learned wise prudent potent c. haue already perished and vanished like Comets and blazing Starres leauing no more tract behinde them then a Serpent that goes ouer a stone of whom wee retaine nothing but the Images corporeall of their bodies or mentall of their mindes by the help of some Painters or their owne or others pens that haue onely shewed to posteritie that such men there once were but now are not What haue wee sauing the Images of moe then an hundred famous Emperours of the East and West Christian and Heathen Amongst the rest vvhere are the seauen Henries the sixe Constantines the fiue Ottoes the fiue Charleses the fiue Lodouicques the foure Leo's the three Theodosij the three Fredericques the three Tiburiusses the two Clandij the two Alberts the two Anastasij the two Martians the two Rodulphs the two famous Caesars for warre and peace Iulius and Augustus with the rest Is not the lampe of their life extinct Those whose voyces commanded the Nations are they now able to speake as it was said of Alexander those that vvere able once to
may testifie thus much truely that I haue not beene penurious in paynes For since I vndertooke this taske in as many weekes as Virgils Poems yeeres I haue polished it as I could as the Beare her Whelps by licking pervsing some Authors for this purpose drinking deeply at their Wels where I thought the waters sweet decking this for Gods Israell with Aegiptian Iewels euen some Heathenish Illustrations as is lawfull and laudible in this kinde For the manner of penning you haue my good will if not skill in cooking what is catered if I adde sometimes sowre Sauce let it relish the better with you what is vntoothsome to a fleshly palate will proue wholesome to a sound soule For my words I haue not beene very curious though cautelous God and Nature haue administred them to my Pen as to my Tongue without martyring my selfe about them if I haue erred it is rather on the right hand then the left in the excesse then defect as some haue taxed the one in Osorius others the other in Lipsius rather chusing to flow and ouerflow as Tully once did before Athens brought him within his banckes that I may be intelligible in expressing the notions of my soule then with an affected concise Lipsian and Laconian breuitie to be obscure as is said of Aristotle Theophrastus and others who for their stiles are said to write to torment their Readers I haue laboured to giue a good garment to a good body to clothe a good subiect in words fitted not affected For the matter you haue here not what Sathan shewed Christ the World with her glory and her pompe but a Map of mans Miserie a Modell of his Mortalitie of the Worlds Vanitie Lifes Breuitie so brittle so briefe so short so certainely vncertaine in his flitting in its fading that the Word intitles our life in this world a Pilgrimage Gen. 47.9 a Flower Esa 40.7 a Smoke Psal 102.3 a Weauers shittle Iob 7.6 a House of clay a Shepheards Tent Iob 4.19 Esay 38.12 a Shadow Iob. 8.9 a Dreame Iob 20.8 Vanitie nay Nothing Psal 39.5 All which points with sundry moe I haue according to my Talent laid open at the full with sundry incouragements euery where inserted against such feares as the thoughts of these things naturally possesse men withall It was my purpose also to haue added some comforts as against the feare of death naturall so of death spirituall and eternall in the corroberation of the weake Christian against Sathan the wounds of Conscience and terrours of his owne Soule but the length of these Lines already extended beyond their propounded limits ioyned with weaknesse of body cause me to omit or pretermit this till some other occasion where I shall if it be requisit reueale what I know in this practicall part of Diuinitie in the meane space I referre you to draw cooling waters from those Springs of Israel to whom the Lord hath giuen the tongue of the Learned to speake a word to him that is weary in due season in perusing the Workes of the worthy Perkins D. Sparkes Espmes good old Linakers Comforts for afflicted Consciences Hughes Troubled mans Medicine The Pensiues Practise the Consolatory Letters of that zealous Greenham D. Hil Wilcox c. Ferrarius vpon 51. Psalme Mr. Knox vpon the 6. Psalme Mr. Downams Christian Warfare Luthers Consolations The sicke mans Salue chiefely that best sixe-penny Manuel that I know in English Mr. Fremans Comforters Wolcomb his Sinners salue with all those that haue strengthened the soule directly against desperation Besides if you desire further satisfaction in any point eyther positiue or controuersall concerning death naturally in which these my poore paines doe not content you the zealous learned Lucubrations of men of good parts and paines offer themselues as Mr. Perkins and Lupset Mr. Sutton with D. Hill by their printed Workes as their titles are will teach you how to die well Mr. Draxe lends the sicke man a Guide another a Salue Sr. Thomas Eliot lends a preseruatiue against Death Mr. Bradford writes against the feare of Death Mr. Caue out of French shewes how to remoue that feare Wolcombe lends Armour against Deaths assaults Erasmus shewes Deaths chances Mr. Foxe exhorts the sicke Deaths generall Proclamation is extant in Print with his Trophies and Conquests Couerdaile out of Dutch hath translated a Booke of Death Ars moriendi the Art of dying hath bin long extant Also the learned know what not onely the Fathers but Papists haue writ of this Argument as Pontanus Inclinus c. as also some Germane Protestants as Bibembachius and Brandmillerus in their Funerall Sermons with others both in Latine and English all which I haue seene most of which before and vpon this occasion read and in many of them omitting the principals found small satisfaction so that none by comparing mee with them shall finde me seruilely tyed to any of them or taking any thing so verbally or by sentences from them as it is not mine owne by method digestion and application Neyther I hope will it be more blame-worthy in me to write after these then it was in Curtius to write the life of Alexander in Baptista Egnatius to write the liues of Emperours in Platina to write the liues of the Popes after that seauenteen approued Authors had writ of the same subiect before the first thirteene before the second and fifteene before the third as a warrantable Writer reckons them And now hauing acquainted you what I haue done how and why I send all vnto you as Abraham sent his Seruant away with a blessing euen such a one as I desire and intend With which thought now the custome of all Epistlers cry it is time to conclude least it be too tedious yet beare I pray you with mine error of loue which still extends my lines being vncertain when or whether euer to see all your faces againe in earth by reason of that mortalitie we speake of or to speake to you by audible voyce to commend vnto you as a departing father would some things to his children as dying Dauid did to suruiuing Salomon onely these two things first that you would spend well the time of your short life secondly that you would prepare your selues for death The first makes way to the second as the Needle for the Thread the second for a third euen a dignitie amongst liuing Angels as Grace sits for Glory First therefore because the daies of your pilgrimage are as few as euill as short as sinfull that euen for that cause as the Apostle counsels you would redeeme the time account of it as not onely Christians but euen the Heathens Theophrastus Seneca with others haue prized it as the greatest treasure yea aboue your patrimonies and inheritances from which you will not suffer your selues to be disinherited Beware the losse of it as Lodouicke Blosius and that mysticall Thaulerus counsell amongst the rest of their documents as of the most pestiferous poyson that is knowing that one
Village Tradesmen or the like when their businesse is well dispatcht saith Chrisostome returne into the Citie with ioy againe so the Christian soule that comes from the new Ierusalem the heauenly Citie to traffique here in the low Countryes of this earth by the Organs of the body if it haue well executed the duties of Pietie Charitie and Christianitie to GOD and man may with ioy returne like a Ship Royall loaden with precious Marchandize from whence it came for such a man dyes not but departs From whence we slide into the third point briefely concerning the Epithite which Simeon here giues to death hee cals it a Departure From whence we may see partly into the nature of that which wee call Death it is onely a Departure a going or transmigration from one place to another Therefore vvhen Abraham speakes of his barrennesse he vseth this phrase Ego vadā absque liberis I depart this life or goe away without Children Chrysostome notes his phrase and thereupon implies Ecce iustus ille vt philosophatur c. That Abraham doth truely in that word going away philosophize and dispute of death which Basil applying to the auncient Martyres cals Migratio quaedam ad meliora c. A migration to a better habitation Philosophy cals it The priuation of all heate so Plutarch or Priuatio vitae the priuation of life so Sealiger Exercit. 307. Sect. 23. All which titles and tearmes may still hearten the Christian to confront it in the very face couragiously according to Bernards counsell Volo mortem si non effugere c. That since they cannot flye it they should not feare it Iustus mortem etsi non caue◠c. since the iust man is not cautelous to preuent it let him not be too timerous to encounter it nay rather let him enter the lists as the Persians went to battell ioyfully and with a shout since it is but a Bugbeare or a shadow without substance a Serpent without a sting a superficies no positiue thing of it selfe but the corruption of the subiect that God and Nature subiects vnto it at the worst to the worst an Executioner of a Rebell good to the godly a rewarder of a faithfull Seruant Iosephs Chariot to bring good Iacob from the Land of penurie to the Land of plentie Et qu◠non ad meliora festinet saith Cyprian in his Sermon vpon death Who will not hasten to exchange for the better Lastly me thinkes here is notably implyed the immortalitie of the Soule for what is it which departs but the soule out of the body which flyes out when Death opens the doore that held it in like a Bird out of the Cage liuing else where in pleasure or in paine in act◠seperato in a seperated act as also the Resurrection of the body may not vnfitly be concluded for in a departure betwixt man and wife friend and friend there is a constant hope of meeting againe so these two friends which liue and loue together like Ionathan and Dauid the soule and body shall meete together at the Resurrection both which poynts of Christianitie as Simeon beleeued and taught his Schollers being a great Rabbi and a Master in Israel so hee seemes to mee to allude here vnto both and to professe his faith in both To beginne with the baser part the body that it shall rise againe howeuer it be a Mysterie scoffed at because vnknowne of the Iewish Saduces scoffing Athenians Braine-sicke Philosophers stupid Stoickes hoggish Epicures disputing Peripaticians howeuer denyed by all the rabblement of these Hereticall Valentinians Simonians Carpocratians Cerdonians Seuerians Basilidians Hierarchites and all the Libertines yet it was the faith of all the Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles from the first houre that by reuelation of the Spirit or by the Word it was manifested to the Church of God it was the faith of Dauid of Daniel of of Ezekiel of Esay Iob Paul Martha Iohn the Diuine of all the Saints and so of Simeon Let these Arguments confirme thine first Christ thy head is risen hee is the first fruits of them that sleepe and the pawne that thou shalt rise being a member of his 1 Cor. 15.20 where my flesh and bloud is there shall I be saith Cassiodorus our Ioseph is in Aegypt before vs. Secondly the redemption by Christ extends to thy body as to thy soule vvhich body must rise againe else Christs Passion were fruitlesse and forcelesse Thirdly the body which like Simeon and Leui was brother here in sinning vvith the soule must in Gods equall remunerating Iustice be raised to suffer in an equall measure and proportion as it hath sinned Fourthly Gods promises which hee hath signed with the finger of his Spirit sealed with the bloud of the Lambe to the Elect of peace and Immortalitie cannot be of vigour and vertue vnlesse their bodies rise Fiftly the inseperable vnion twixt Christ and his Church should be disioyned if the body rise not Sixtly many absurdities vvould follow which Paul addes 1 Cor. 15.14.15.16.17 whither I referre you as that all preaching professing and practise of Christianitie vvere else in vaine Seauenthly if in other cases witnesses be to be beleeued then those fiue hundred Brethren mentioned 1 Cor. 15.5.6.7.8 Cephas and the twelue Iames and the Apostles Mary Magdalene Paul that testifie Christs resurrection by necessary consequence confirme ours Rom. 8.13 which depends vpon Christs Eightly these that haue beene brought to life againe after their departure eyther by the Prophets as the widdow of Sarepta's Son by Elias 1 Kings 17.22 or the Shunamites Childe by Elizeus 2 Kings 4.35 And the dead Souldier by touching Elisha's bones 2 Kings 13.21 or by the Apostles as Dorcas by Peter Acts 3.40 Eutichus by Paul Acts 20.10 or by Christ himselfe as the widdow of Naims Son Luke 7.15 Iairus Daughter Mat. 9.29 Lazarus the brother of Martha and Mary Iohn 11.44 and those which appeared in the holy Citie when Christ rose and ascended vp to heauen with him as Augustine thinkes are all Praeludia Resurrectionis types and figures of our resurrection Ninthly we haue many resemblances both in the great Booke of Nature and the little Booke of Grace in the word and in the world Isaacks suruiuing in sacrificing whom Abraham receiued in a figure Heb. 11.19 Aarons dry Rod that budded and blossomed Numb 17.8 Ezekiels dry bones that came together bone to bone flesh to flesh Ezek. 37.8.9.10 Ionas deliuery out of the Whales belly are instances in the Word In Nature the Summer liuing of Trees Hearbs Plants c. yea of Corne it selfe in their seeming Winters death when their sap is in the route these beasts as some Beares and Mice c. which sleepe all Winter and seeme to reuiue in the Spring Swallowes Bats Flyes Gnats c. which by the Sunnes heate seeme to reuiue out of their cold sowne the Arabian
Latomus and Hoffmeister haue tryed it in their despayring deaths so the inioying of a good conscience is the greatest ioy Hugo cals it the Temple of Salomon the Field of Benediction the Garden of delight the treasurie of the King the house of God the habitation of the holy Ghost the Booke sealed and shut to be opened in the day of Iudgement the very thing saith Ambrose that makes a blessed life yea and I may adde withall a blessed death for to vse the words of Bernard as hee prepares a good dwelling for God whose Will hath not beene peruerted nor Reason deceiued nor Memory defiled so God prepares a dwelling for him that is pure in heart and soule Psal 15.1.2 and in whose spirit there is no guile Psal 32.2 Of which blessed mansion they haue some taste euen in death that keepe a good conscience in life Hence is it that the godly take there deaths patiently like sheepe sing ioyfully like the Swanne as Martyres haue done at the stake and as did our good Simeon when the wicked dye like Swine repiningly like the Hiaena ragingly Naturalists write that the warme sweet bloud recoyling to the heart of the Swanne tickleth her with such a secret delight that it makes her sing euen in her death Contrariwise when the Hiaena is in dying the blacke and distempered bloud gathers to her heart which makes her sad and mournefull This is worth applying the conscience of holy actions so warmes the hearts of Gods Seruants with that inward ioy that they dye singing their Hosanna's tryumphing and reioycing in spirit but the consciousnesse of wicked wayes and workes of darknesse oathes vncleannesse profanenes c. like streames of blacke bloud recoyles backe vpon and clogs the hearts of the Sonnes of Belial which makes them dye as wofully and cursedly as they haue liued retchlesly and wickedly oh therefore good Readers who euer you are Ministers or Lay-men keepe a good conscience I intreate you with God and with man in all your wayes and walkings in your courses callings functions and tradings that in your deaths you may shew your selues the Lords Sheepe the Lords Swannes like Simeon not the Diuels Swine and Hels Hiaena's Now thou art to be directed in some dueties in thy sicknesse the probable summoner of thy death for though God onely know when death is nearest he hauing as the keyes of the heauens and the keyes of the heart so the keyes of the earth and of the graue of life and of death 1 Sam. 2.6 yet it is probable that life is nearest expiring when sickenes is approaching as the wals are nearest ruine when the Cannon is laid to batter them Now these Directions I referre to these three heads First respect God secondly thy selfe thirdly others In respect of God first renue thy former repentance seeke earnestly to be reconciled to God in CHIRST get more assurance of the Mercy Fauour and Loue of God towards thee gather together all thy spirituall forces striue and wrastle couragiously against Diffidence Distrust Infidelitie and Despayre like an actiue runner shew some brunts as it were of inward strength euen when thou seest the Goale and art nearest the end of thy race Now for strengthening thy Faith and renuing thy Repentance the better take this course First when Sickenesse or Infirmitie ceazeth on thee consider that it ariseth not from 1. Chance 2. Fortune 3. Rawnesse of Weather 4. Ill Ayre 5. Bad Dyet 6. Catching of cold or the like which are eyther no causes at all or else onely secondarie but by an immediate prouidence Secondly search out the cause for which God afflicts thee and thou shalt by the light of the word and of thine owne conscience find that the cause is thy sin other causes there may be as CHRIST shewes in the case of the blinde man who neyther sinned nor his Parents Iohn 9.2 As 1. tryall of Faith 2. of Patience as in Iobs case 3. exciting to Prayer and Repentance as in Ezekias case Esay 38.1 4. to preuent sinne to which Nature and corruption inclines 5. the Humiliation of pride 6. manifestation of the workes of God oft cause the Lord to visit euen his owne sonnes with sicknesses and diuers diseases but in Gods reuealed will sinne is the ordinary cause as appeares Deut. 28.21 Leut. 26. c. Sinne caused the Aegyptians Botches Exod. 9.10 the Philistines Emerods 1 Sam. 5.6 the Widdow of Sarepta's Sonnes sickenesse 1 King 17.18 and therefore when CHRIST cured the bodies of his Patients hee first remits the sinnes of their soules so remoues the cause Mat. 9.2 Iohn 5.14 as in the blinde man and the sicke of the Palsie Thirdly when thou hast felt thine owne pulse and laid the finger on the right cause which is sinne then by examination of thine owne hart find out what speciall sin causeth thy present scourge oh search thy selfe thorowly Zeph. 2.1 examine thy soule narrowly Psal 4.4 Play the selfe Constable make priuie search in euery roome within the house of thy heart for thy secret sinnes as for priuie Traytors Fourthly when thou hast found them out confesse them bring them to the strict barre of Gods Iustice arraigne them nay be thy selfe a Witnesse against them yea a Iudge to condemne them as Paul prescribes the Corinthians in the like case 1 Cor. 11.30.31 and as Dauid practised in his owne particular Psal 32.5 Fiftly supplicate and intreate the supreame Iudge of Heauen that may condemne thee or repriue thee to pittie thee and pardon thee Ieremy and Hosee will direct thee how to put vp thy supplications in forma pauperis as a poore penitent and what words to vse that will plead and preuaile for pardon Lam. 3.40.41 Hosee 6.1 Dauid sets thee an holy President most beseeming thy imitation who when hee was sicke at least vpon the occasion of his sickenes penned speciall Psalmes of repentance as namely Psal 6. the 22. the 38. the 29. which I prescribe to be read of thee repeated and applyed with Dauids heart also as spirituall Physicke 1. to purge the ill humours of thine heart 2. to quicken thy dulnesse 3. to excite thy deadnesse 4. to inflame thy desires 5. to comfort thy conscience 6. to strengthen thy faith 7. to prepare thee to Prayer reade seriously the History of Christs Passion recorded Luke 22.23 Chap. the 29. Psalme the 42. Psalme the 51. Psalme the 143. Psalme the 14. Chapter of Iob the 11. the 14. the 17. Chapter of Saint Iohn Ecclesiastes Chap. 1. Dan. Chap. 9. Romanes Chap 8. the 7. Chap. of the Apocalypse 1 Cor. 15. Chap. these will giue thee some holy heate Thus thou hast the true preparatiues in thy sickenesse in respect of God they are the more worthy remembrance because so few follow them for alas how many that haue liued long in the bosome of the Church are so farre from renuing their Faith and Repentance that when they lye sicke and are drawing to
Seruants 4 Part of this Vse of Redargution Many that liue amongst Christians are the deuils seruants Phil. 3.17 The Iewes Ier. 18.12 â—i tu nolis iste rogitat Vse of Exhortation Rom. 12.1 Sinnes of the eyes How all the members that haue serued sinne must and may serue God Twelue Sinnes of the tongue Sinnes of the eares Sinnes of the hands Sinnes of the feete Motiues perswading to Gods seruice 1. From the end of our creation 2 Cor. 3.16 Ch. 6. v. 19. 2 Cor. 6.16 Or homini sublime dedit c. Et refert quaelibet herba Deum 2. Motiue from out Preseruation 3. Motiue from our Vocation 4. From our Redemption 5. From our profession 6. From the reward of Gods seruice First reward vvealth and riches Secondly Honour· Quoscunque qualescunque vbicunque Lex Talionis Sin brings shame and other iudgements Nimrodians Nabuchadnezzar Erostratus Rebellions and Treasons 1 Kings 20.28 Dan. 3.15 2 Kings 19. Gods hand shall be vpon his enemies in many iudgements Theod. lib. 3 c. 11. Euseb lib. 7. c. 20. Lib. 7.14 Holinesse is the way to Honor. God is most â—â—herall of all Masters Gods Seruants best regarded and rewarded True Peace GOD grants the suites of his Seruants The godly haue a tast of heauen here Tom. 10. ser 1. lib. Medit. c. 18 Dicere quaÌ„tum volo non valeo God blesseth the wicked oft for his Seruants cause These ruling sinnes are damnable without repentance The case of Sathans captiues opened Why the godly dye Simile Mare â—â—â—tuum Miserum est fuisse foelicem Vse of Consolation Aug lib. 3. de ciu Dei Qua die me deserueritis per inobedientiam ego vos deseram per iustitiam c. 2. Vse of Commination Phil. 3.17 Câ—m coâ—ritur Cedruâ— Paradisi quid faciet Virga Desâ—rti Doctrine All must dye Psal 32.1.2 Non vt non sit sed vt non imputetur De praed c. 2. lib. cont â—ortunatum cap. 2. In Lucam Moriendum est omnibus Tullie Tus 9. lib. 1. Hom. lib. 2 od 3. sic od 12. od 28. c. * As Alexander 6. Iohn 11. Ioh. 22. c. The deaths of the worlds Worthies of al kinds epitomized Hor. lib. 2. cap. 16. Ouid ad Liuiam A true deâ—cant of death Naturall causes of death Psal 82.6 Silius lib. 3 de Argant Ouid. lib. 14 de Syb. Propertius lib. 2. de Nestore Sic Iuuen. Sat. 10. Seneca in Her sur Hor. carm lib. 1. od 28 Hor. carm lib. 3. od 11 Iudg. 15. Enceladus Iaculator audax Hor. lib. 3. od 4. Dan. 8. Mors à mordendo Vel à morsu vetiti pomi Iunenal Sat. 10. Me vestigia torrent omnia te aduersum spectantia nulla reâ—rorsum Prou. 7. Vse 2. Vse of Instruction Those that loue life must hate sinne the cause of death 3. Vse of Mitigation Death onely makes the Prince the Peasant equall Aspice diuitum tumulos c. Diogenes Seneca in Agamemnon Similes illustrating Deaths effect in aequalizing all Seneca in Agam. 3. Vse of Direction Homo est animal rationale mortale Sen. Epist 24. De 4. Nouissimis pag. 90. How inliuing wee dye Nay are dead in part By how many meanes we dye Diuers examples of seuerall sorts of deaths Plinie Iosephus lib. S. ant Lib. 23. c. 3 Ipse senectuâ— morbus The long liues of the Patriackes The shortnes of our present dayes demonstrated In Lucam Aristot de hist animalium Homo Ephimeron Foure causes of the long continuation of things Vse 4. Of Instruction Our many sins are to be mourned for and why Vse 5. Of Redargution The profane mans practise Exhortat Hovv vvee must sovve in teares in this short seede-â—â—me of life What vse we are to make of our short time * When the Abbies were visited in king Henrie the 8. time Life is laborious Miserable No place is priuiledged from foure things Examples of humane calamities De conditione vitae humanae De contemptu mundi Vse 1. Of Instruction Twelue meanes of true peace Vse 2. Of Redargution The vanitie of life with all the things in life truly discouered Maelum culpae malum pâ—nâ— Vnicuique sua cupiditas est tempestas The world anatomized by sundry Similies 3 Vse Rom. 8. The benefits of death to a Christian vnder the crosse Aug. Mortui iâ— est emeriti quia rude donaâ—t absoluti à militia De conâ—o ad Apol. Lib. de Cain Abel * By Mr. Stephens in his World of wonders Aug. de ciu Dei lib. 14. c. 25 Exhortat Hom. de Diuite Lazaro Death is onely a departure out of life not a finall destroyer Hom. 36. in Genes Hom. de Martyrio Compar aquae â—gnis Epist 10â— Mâ—rs bona bonis malâ— malis The body departing shall returne againe at the Resurrection a Psal 17.16 Psal 49 15. b Dan. 12.2 c Ezek. 37.10 d Esa 26.19 e Iob 19.25.26 f Act. 24.15 Acts 17.32 g Iohn 11. Arguments to proue the Resurrection of the body Semi de Passione Illustrations from nature that our bodies shall rise 1 Cor. 15.36 37.38 Pompon Mela de situ orbis lib. 3. c. 9. See the Book vvrit of the Silke worme Origen periarct lib. 3. Esa 65.20 Vse Of Consolalation In his Sermon called The Christians Watch. The Christians comfort in the Resurrection De ciu dei lib. 22. c. 20 Vse 2. Of Direction Let vs liue holily to rise ioyfully The immortall soule dyes not but departs SómaÌ„ i. Sémá. Reasons prouing the soules immortalitie D. Willet his Hexapla in Daâ—iâ—lem Mat. 17. Vse 5. Of Consolation Chris What death is to the godly lib. 2. de morte Vse 3. Of Redargution Iosephus antiq lib. 8 c. 2. de bello Iud. lib. 2. c. 7. Doctrine Godly men alwayes die in peace Deut. 34. Three things demonstrate that the godly dye in peace The godly oft haue their desires before at and in their deaths The last words of holy men are holy See 1 Sam. 22. 23.1 Gregorie De Passione Mons Calâ—â—riae What speeches the Saints haue vttered in their deaths Apotheg morientium How to dye well Euseb lib. 3. cap. 30. Idem lib 4 c. 15. Paulin. in eius vita Possidon in eius vita Oswaldus Mâ—conius de Zwingliâ— anno 153â— Obijt anno Christi 1564. * See a little Book from the Martirologie gathered called The deaths of holy Martyres How great men haue liued and dyed good men Reasons why the godly depart in peace Cauils remoued that blemish the deaths of the Saints Mat. 26.39 Heb. 11.17 Quest ad Dulc. c. 24. Numb 25. 2 Sam. 24. Vide pag. 30.38.45.54.92.36 Hinningi Grosij Lib. de Mortalitate Vide Polani Synt. de inter Scrip. Lelius de expresso dei verbâ— Adams sin in Paradise Vse 1. Of Instruction Hee that would die well must liue well Gen. 4. Gen. 7. Gen. 4.24 Gen. 38.8 â—0 Those that haue liued wickedly died wretchedly Examples Amos 6.2 Esay 13.19 The fearefull ends of Heretiques and Persecuters in euery