saith S. Iude with ten thousand of his Saintes to execute judgement vpon all and to conuince all that are vngodlie among them of all their vngodlie deeds which they haue vngodly commited and of all their hard speeches which vngodlie sinners haue spoken against him The sicke Man After what forme thinke ye that Christ shal come downe from Heauen at doomes-day that great judiciall day The Pastour In the most glorious forme that is possible to him with whom nothing is impossible That glorious King shall bee accompanied with all the Armies of heauen Before him in die illo decritorio in that judiciall day shall bee heard a shout a voice of an Archangell The most shrill Trumpet of heauen shall sound so high with a rebounding noise that the dead in their Graues shall awake and arise out of their beddes like sleeping men that are wakened in the morning with the sound of the Drumme or fift houre Bell At that sound all the dead must come out of their Graues as men after sleepe arising out of their beddes None then must lye still with the Sluggard who turning himselfe on his bed as a doore on its hinges saith Yet a little sleepe a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleepe No not At the first shout at the first voyce of the Archangell at the first blast of the Trumpet all shall arise and compeare before the face of that Iudge in the day of that great general Assemblie wheÌ„ God shal comfort his owne and mak a speedie riddence of the wicked whom he shall denoure by the fyre of his jealousie None shall bee able in that day to award his blowes There shall bee such paines which no damned Soule shall bee able to auoide or abide But the Godlie most gladly like Eagles about dead bodie shal flock about their Lord. The sicke Man I heare by your discourse that the LORD shall come downe in great pompe and magnificence After that hee is come downe into his Charet with his thousand thousands what shall bee done next The Pastour Daniel saith that the Iudgement shall bee set and the Bookes shall bee opened After that Christ by his power hath cast downe all the little thrones of Emperours and Kings he himselfe shall sitte downe vpon a Throne of infinite Majestie His Garments shall bee white as snow and his Haire like pure wooll This is said by Daniel for to let vs see that the Iudge of the world shal be vpright spotlesse in his Iugdement To this is subjoyned by the Prophet That the judgement was set The sicke Man I vnderstand not well these last words What is that to say That the Iudgement was set The Pastour It is in the Hebrew Dinaiethib In the Latin Iudicio considonte or as Arius Montanus hath turned it Iudicium sedit that is The Iudgement sat downe that is as who would say The Session sat downe By this Iudgement some of the Learned vnderstand Christ and his Saints with him as Assessours in that jurie all sitting Christ for to judge they for to approue his Iudgement This then know That when the Sonne of man shall come in his Glorie not with a scornefull Reede in his hand but with a celestiall Scepter hee shall separate the Godlie and the wicked one from another His God head which in the dayes of his flesh did lurke shall in that Session most ardentlie appeare with such a brightnes as shall make the eyes of deuils to dazle The Iudgement beeing thus orderlie set the Bookes shall bee opened The sicke Man What Bookes are these which shall bee opened The Pastour S. Iohn speaking of that last Session day saith I saw the dead great and small standing before God and the Bookes were opened and the dead were judged out of these thinges that were written in the Bookes according to their workes Your desire is to knowe what Bookes these bee which shal be opened in that great Day In my judgement there shall bee two Bookes opened that day The first is that golden Booke of the Godlie called The Booke of life which in the Chapter following is called The Lambes Booke of life These whose names are written in that Booke are said in Isaiah to be written among the liuing in Ierusalem This is that Booke whereof Moses spake when hee said to God If thou wilt not forgiue this people blotte mee I pray thee out of the Booke which thou hast written This may bee called The predestination Booke which is kept in Heauen Rather reâ—…oyce said Christ to his Disciples that your names are written in Heauen The sicke Man Thinke yee Sir that God hath anie matteriall Booke wherein the names of his Saintes are written The Pastour No not But as one saith well Infallibilis Dei memoria aeterna ad vitam electiò liber dicitur That is The infallible memorie of God and his eternall electioÌ„ vnto life is called a Booke Wherefore that Will ye say because that which is written in our Booke is most surelie kept If we haue a thing to day in our memorie wee may forget it incontinent But if it bee well written in our Booke wee are sure of it According to this God for to shew vnto his deare Ones how well hee remembereth them hee saith That hee hath written them vpon the palmes of his hands This is that Booke of rememberance whereof speaketh Malachie One of the Learned calleth well the Booke of Life Symbolum electionis the signe or badge of our election This is that which the Prophet Ezekiel calleth The writting of the house of Israel and secret of the Lord. The sicke Man But how is it said That this Book shall bee opened The Pastour The Book of Life or of predestination is said to bee opened when it shall appeare to all the world who they are whoÌ„ God hath predestinate So long as the Godlie are heere they are Gods secret Ones no more knowne to the world than a man is able to read that which is within a closed Booke While it shal be seene by all what they are then that Booke is said To bee opened When these off-scourings of the world the most despised among men shall bee seene vpon Thrones shining like Sunnes about their God the Sunne of righteousnesse then shall all the wicked read as in an open Booke that these whom they once did despise were truelie the Saintes of God The Booke of predestination is like that Booke of the Reuelation which was so fast sealed that no man could open it but the Lyon of the tribe of Iudah without the force of a Lion such seales could not bee lifted vp The sicke Man I haue heard concerning the Book of the Godlie Now let me know what be these Bookes wherein were written all the workes of the wicked according to which S. Iohn saith that they shall
the Kings Daughter which is all glorious within Make Her a Mother in Israel a Nurse Mother to thy Church an happie Mother of blessed Children Be mercifull to all the Nobilitie of our Land fixe fast their heartes vpon the thinges that are aboue Blesse our Pastours make them painefull Faithfull at thy Seruice that they may gaine with the Talents which thou hast committed to their keeping Make them to striue more then for states to bee in thy fauour Let their chiefest care bee to winne and wooe manie Soules to the loue of Iesus the blessed Bridegroome of the Church Good LORD bee mercifull to vs that are heere humbled before thee Encrease our Faith and better our feeling and apprehension of thy loue Look graciously vpon this our euening sacrifice which wee doe heere render vnto thy Majestic perfumed with the merits of thy Sonne in that prayer which hee by his most sacred wisedome hath taught vs saying Our Father which art c. The sicke Man Before the market time of my life be ended O my deare God let me haue a rich pennie-worth of thy mercie Thou who biddeth vs buy without money giue vs grace to tak the aduantage of the Market before the Sunne of our life bee set O that in this our day wee could know the things belonging to our peace that in an holie zeale the corruptions of our affections wherewith our hearts heere bee in◅hralled and sold vnder sinne may bee justled out and tread vnder foote THE EIGHTH DAYES Conference A Conference with a carnall Friend concerning his Buriall Concerning Funerall Sermons Diuerse prayers Death approaching A Soliloque◅ betweene the Soule and the bodie in a trance their last adewes The last gaspes Michael and Sathan disput for the Soule The sicke Man THE troublous toyles of this world are the bane of Mans life they surfet his minde with car◅s My Spirit is much wearied Oh that I had wings lik a Doue then would I flie away and rest O with how manie rootes are wee fastened vnto this earth The World Wife Life and Children but most of all our owne corruptions are burdens which hang so fast on that none hand but that of the Almightie is able to shake them off So long as wee haue health and wealth wee stalke in our vanities like Nebuchadnezar in his palace of confusion Wee neuer perceiue that wee dwell in Bable till one judgement or other bring vs to confusion Wee will not suffer to bee reproued while the time is fittest for repentance Wee are offended at the word except that it glyde by our faults Wee will not with Peter bee with-stood to the face The Preacher must whisper his reproofes behind our backes or he must speake vnto vs as vnto Princes into Parables Wee heare like stones and goe like snailes Fye vpon vs Oh that wee were wise A carnall Friend What are yee now doing Sir In all appearance yee are shortlie for to leaue this world yee haue said all your adewes and haue turned your backe vpon all worldlie things as Hezekiah did when hee turned his face to the wall I desire Sir to knowe of you but one thing Where would yee bee buried Were it not expedient that your Corps lye into the Church where are buried these which are in greatest account in this world The sicke Man What haue I to doe with this world or with the fashions of this worlde which passe away Wherfore should I make the glorious House of my God a flesh pot of corruption Fye vpon our folie Should it be conuenient that my stinking bones cast vp anie noysome vapours for to trouble the liuing at the seruice of the euerliuing What aduantage shall it be to my Soule to come and fetch this bodie out of a Church more than out of a Church yeard What prerogatiue shall it bee to my bodie in that day that it hath beene buried into Gods House Gods House in Scripture is called An House of prayer but in no place is it called A place of buriall Let no mā mak me an euill example after my death What is this How long shall foolish man goe round in his course and compasse of vanitie like a blind horse in a Mill The carnall Friend But would yee not at least haue a Tombe Sir and your name written vpon it with this Heere lyeth such a man The sicke Man Vaine man is glutted with vanitie euen vnto the gorge pype Why trouble ye me with vanitie in death who is now mourning for the vanitie of my life mine accoūt is cast vp for another world My name is written into the Booke of life what care I for Letters into stones away with such Banners of pride Such things are but cold comforts to a wearied Conscience Such thinges are but vanities of none abode Where are nowe the Mausels and most glorious Tombes of Emperours It was well said by a Pagan Sunt etiam sua fata Sepulchris That is for to giue a glosse to these words Tombes wherein the dead are buried will bee buried themselues Nothing is heere permanent Triumphs haue their Tombes and Crownes haue their compasse O my God faste◅ and fixe the eyes of my Soule vpon that which is eternall O the folies of mens hearts who vainelie and needleslie waste vpon their dead vanities that which might builde houses for the poore But let proud men lye vnder their statelie Towers such lifted vp stones must at last fall downe as he fell who now lyeth vnder them I like well of Beza his answere on his death bed to one that spak to him of a Tombe Sub cespi◅e viridi said he That is Lay mee vnder the greene Turfe A notable word of humilitie Good Deborah was buried vnder an Oke tree Manie may lie vnder painted stones whose Soules are pined into Hell God will neuer inquire of a mans Soule where was thy bodie buried But how hast thou liued into that bodie shall he say Lay mee then vnder the greene Turfe How manie Martyres haue beene burnt into ashes which haue beene cast vp into the winde and scattered vpon the waters Coelo tegitur qui non habet vrnam Hee is couered with the Heauens who wanteth a graue Facilis jactura Sepulchri est The losse of buriall is no great losse O that my Soule were truelie humble I haue alas in the dayes of my vanitie beene too much pined with the prid of life scādalously appearing without but O O O Si trabes in oculo strues in corde a litle beame of pride in the eye telleth that there is a stake of it in the heart And yet in this Turfe of humilitie which I cry for I spy a lurking pride Pride is a secrete thing so small spun that hardlie can it bee discerned A man will bee proude that hee is not proude or rather because hee will not seeme to bee proude This is priuie pride
bee judged By this it would appeare that all the sinnes which they in their life did commit vnder the curtaine of darknesse shall then bee set in open view O the deepe displeasure of our God Happie they who are highlie in his fauour I would gladlie know what a blacke bible is that which is called the Book of the wicked The Pastour When Christ the Ancient of dayes sitting vpon his Throne readie for to judge the wicked shall bee vpon the touch of their tryall the Books of accounts shall bee laide open The Book of the Godlie is but one Book called The Booke of the Lambe and the Booke of Life But as for the wicked while the Scirpture speaketh of them it speaketh of Bookes in the plurall number The Bookes were opened saith S. Iohn And the dead were judged out of these thinges that were written in the Bookes By these Bookes some vnderstand the Law of God and their own Conscience Their bosome Booke like Vriahs Letters containing their own death Let mee also add◅ vnto these two a third Booke ei◅en the Booke of the Gospel First of all the Lord shall open his Law Book vnto the wicked where they shall see what they haue done that God hath forbidden and what they haue not done that hee hath commanded At the breach of euerie command they shall see curles of Woe woe woe annexed like the reekie taile of a Comet which are nothing but the smoke of Gods wrath After that with sore sighing griefe of minde they haue read through all the Book of the Law haue clearlie seene what filthie breaches they haue made to them shall bee presented the Booke of the Gospel wherein they shall see that they haue sinned against the reemeede of sinne by refusing grace offered vnto them and by treading vnder their vncleane feete the precious Blood of the Lambe the price of their Redemption Thogh the wicked shall indeed be judged according to their workes yet the maine cause of their condemnation shall bee because they would not belieue in the Son of God For this cause the Gospel which is that Book of Faith shal be Gods chiefe Booke of Iudgement according to this S. Paul plainelie saith That in that day God shall judge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ according to my Gospel Nowe lest the wicked should thinke God anie wise to bee vnrigh teous while hee judgeth the third Booke like Iosephs Cup where by hee did diuine shall bee produced euen their bosome Booke the Booke of their owne Conscience the Booke of Nature and of Nations which euerie one of them had in keeping within their brest since they could discerne good by euill What euer they haue spoken wrought or thought there shall they finde it written in most black Characters as it were subscribed with their owne hand so that they shall not be able to haue a face for to deny no more thā a man can denye his owne hand write The Letters of that Booke shall be printed with so great a Character that all the Godlie who shall bee Christs Assessours in that Iurie for to passe their Verdict vpon them shall see easilie a farie off all the shame of the wicked which was once closse couered vnder vanished colours of great godlinesse O in that day all their filthy thoghts and craftie conueyances and secret conspiracies and hidde murthers and adulteries and all other mischiefe the vnhappie cockle darnell of their heartes whereof they were secretlie guiltie shall be sette in open view before GOD Angels and men All their faces shall be couered with the filthinesse of their menstruous clouts All their sins both knowne and secret shall God set in order before them that all eyes of men and Angels may beholde their abominations O short so◅r sweete pleasures with long euerlasting tailes of sorrow O but the Saintes of God shall wonder in that day to see so manie whom they while they liued iudged in Charitie to bee godlie and well set persons O say I but they shall wonder to see them in ba◅e bondage among the blacke band hauing the Books of their Consciences blotted with so many Items of i◅lle and wicked thoughtes which in this life could neuer be taken within the walk of humane justice After the Items of their vile thoughts shall appeare the Items of idle and wicked words After all shall bee seene the most filthie Items of their most vile abominable works which they thought had beene buried in eternall obliuion The dashing tempest of Gods wrath shall wash out all the varnished paintings of their hypocrisie Mercifull GOD what shame in that day shall come with confusion vpon all the faces of the wicked When such secret sinnes as hid murthers by Sword or by poyson hid adulteries incest stollen inches false weights all other such iniquities whereof this world is full and that vnder a faire colour and shewe of godlinesse when all these hid sianes say I shall bee singled out and shall come to light the Godlie whome they once reputed precise fooles and simple Fellowes shall wonder at the sight thereof Then shall they point at such persons saying among themselues Fye fye out vpon him out vpon her Ohshame who could haue thought that euer hee had beene such a man or that shee had beene such a woman was this the life that these dapper delicate persons did leade vnder the faire colour of such a glorious profession Ah stinking hypocrites formall Pharisees with your sodered shewes to whom poore poore Publicans seemed to bee no bodie because while yee sinned God kept silence yee thought that hee was altogether such a one as your selfe But now hee shall reproue you and shall set all your sinnes in order before you It shall bee clearlie proued vnto your faces false hearts that ye were but painted Tombes and whited walls The Lord in his furie shall hurle you out of your place Hee in his rage shall push you all downe like a rotten and tottering wall Nothing shall bee able to dazele or deceiue the eyes of your Iudge The sicke Man The Lord bee mercifull to my sillie Soule The Lord cast all my sinnes behind thy backe and burie them in the bottome of the Sea It is euident then as I see that all secret sinnes shall come to light in that day and shall bee seene written with Letters great like mountaines for to be seen by the eyes of all these that euer tooke life and that to the euerlasting shame and infamie of these who in the dayes of Gods patience turned his grace into wantonnesse The Pastour It is most certaine that there is nothing which shall not bee seene that day All the closse corruptions where with the wicked were stuft and swelled shall bee sette in open view all the wicked shall be known yea euerie mothers sonne of them shal be
persons in appearance lik shooting starres fall downe in diuerse places with their blazing profession from Heauen vnto Earth a most sure token of a tempest to come Too manie alas shame goodnesse by seeming good like Frogges infroâ—…kes Vice in the habite of Vertue While inwardlie the heart is rotten nowe or then corruption must burst out into scab scandel Many with their faire profession are like Rowers in a Boat who look one way but goe the cleane contrarie For this cause I intreat thee to studie the substance of godlinesse and not to bee like these whose chiefest care is spended vpon shewes S. Paul speaking of the life of the Godlie saith That it is hidde with Christ in God It is so hidde there that none shall bee able to find it for to steale it away or to take it by force but not so hidde but that it must also appeare in all the effects of godlinesse When God commanded Ezekiel to pâ—…each vnto the drye bones that they might liue hee ordained for him this Text Thus saith the Lord God come from the foure windes O breath and breath vpon these slaine that they may liue For to apply this where there is a life after slaughter I speake of a spirituall life a life hid in God theâ—…e must appeare foure effectes from the foure winds From the East the Orient of that life there must bee an arising from sinne From the West there must bee a dying to sinne euen a setting and going downe of wickednesse From the South must come the heat of zeale moisted with showers of teares of true repentance At last from the North must come a chill colde of trembling feare to offend God whereby wee make an end or worke out the worke of our Saluation with feare and trembling These bee the foure partes of godlinesse wherein all Christian Soules must bee carefullie exercised In this is the substance of true godlinesse It is better to bee starke naught than to double our sins by seeming good It is easie to juggle the outward eye of flesh but that inward Eye which seeth our thoughts a farre off nothing shall escape There is not a Crowne of life for carnall liuers Hearken vnto mee mine heart Bee busie in prayer joyne fasting therevnto lest that the high feeding of the flesh make the bodie to kicke against the Soule which is too farre in loue with the bodie Of a pampered bodie may the Soule often say in some measure as Christ said of Iudas He who hath eaten bread at my table hath lift his heele against me All fleshlie pleasures are both vaine and vile They are like blisters which beginne with itching but end in swelling sores Beware of such succred poyson My counsell is that often thou reade the holie Scriptures and particularlie the thirtie one Chapter of the Prouerbes where thrift and godlinesse are joyned together Bee carefull and painefull in thy managâ—… Think surely that Idlenesse is the mother of all mischiefe Seeke Gods grace both earnestlie and earelie A little with Gods blessing is a rich heritage An handfull of meale and a little oylein a cruse was sufficient for the Prophet and the Widow of Sareptâ—… till the famine was past That blessed handfull was better than the best prouided Barne or Girnell in the Land The grace of God is an heritage of greatest and surest rent Vnsanctified prosperitie is but a seeming Sun-shine which vnauoidablie must perish Blessed is the woman who with Marie in some measure is receiued in grace Tak good heed to thine heart watch well ouer thy thoughtes though thoughts be called light the sinne of thought is heauie from the inward thoughts spring and sprout all outward mischiefes As for thine outward carriage meddle not in other mens matters Curious searchers of the life of others are often carelesse correcters of their owne Manie neglecting the hudge beame in their owne ye must needs bee tampering with the little mots that are in others A slacked tongue and a slacke hand keepe other companie An idle woman must bee a pratler when the hand cannot practise the tong must prattle To such it is scorne to preach that for euerie idle word wee must all bee answerable My deare Spouse I must tell thee all that I thinke concerning thy wel for I desire thy Soule to bee knitte with mine into the bundle of life Take good heede to thy selfe these who in this world haue a name to liâ—…e haue great neede to rule well their life The nearer a bodie bee to a lighted Candle the greater is the shadow thereof so the nearer the bodie of sinne bee to one that is inlightened the greater is the Scandale thereof Put the breadth of thy finger hard neere to the Candle it shall make a shadow greater then all your bodie but the farder it be remoued the lesse it will appeare Remember I pray thee how neare thou art to the Candle of a bright glorious profession a little Mot of euill will bee called a mountaine in thee because thou was my wife and because wee haue liued with good report The wicked are most faine to take the Godlie but tripping in a lesser fault of their infirmities they make bucklers for the defence of their maliciousnesse Vâ—…e my counsell for feare of scandale and for to flee all appearance of euill Hatte the verie garment spotted with the flesh Watch well ouer thy selfe both alone and in companie Striue neuer to seeme to bee that which thou art not indeede Many haue much more than they shew but moe shewe much more than they haue The Religion of the greatest part for all their pretences is but a smoke a shadow a blast or a sound Substance without appearance is better than appearance without substance The Soule which hath but a forme of godlinesse is most deformed in Gods sight Ordinarlie shee who is most farded is most filthie Vices are most vile when they are shrouded and ouer-cast with a countenance of Vertue a vizard of pietie maketh one a monster in Gods eyes There is no such villanie as that which is varnished ouer with colours of godlinesse Sinners may cloake sinne and couer it for a space but they cannot stand long for wickednesse shal be broken as a tree Let therefore thy Faith within appeare in thy life without All the Faithfull should be like the roule of that Booke which Ezekiel saw in a vision which was written within and without If there bee no Letters of life written without there is no liuing Faith within but a dead carion of Faith for Faith without works is dead For this cause flee the foggie lithernesse of the flesh and striue for the fruites of Faith Aboue all be earnest in prayer the preseruer of honestie Heare Gods word with reuerence as good newes from a farre Countrey Let this word be a
make answere Oh but I am pressed with an heaui◅ hand I feare much my last houre My Soule is sore troubled The Pastour Learne of Christ in his trouble Now said hee is my Soule troubled and what shall I say Father deliue◅ mee from this houre But for this cause came I into this houre Father glorifie thy Name As hee did so doe yee Hee fearing the houre was earnest with God in prayer for to bee deliuered from it and yet most humblie submitted himselfe vnto his Fathers will So doe yee If ye feare greatlie that houre pray feruentlie that God deliuer you from it and yet notwithstanding let God haue all his will of you His will shall eu◅r bee your well The Sicke Man But alas my paines are grea◅ my breach is like the sea Gods rod vpon mee is torne with stripes and worne to the stomps In my torments I both feare and feele his wrath If hee loued mee would he scourge mee with such scorpions The Pastour Whom God loueth hee chasteneth and scourgeth euerie Sonne whom hee receiueth By this yee see plainelie that hee will receiue none to himselfe but those whom hee is minded to scourge This scourging whereof yee complaine is Gods loue-token telling you that hee is minded for to receiue you Woe ◅o the Childe whom the Father will not correct God commandeth louing Fathers to chastise their children till they cry His command is also that they bee not hindered for their cryes Chasten thy Sonne said God while there is hope and let not thy Soule spare for his crying So long as there is life there is hope While God chasteneth you it is a token that there is hope Woe to that man whom GOD disdaineth to strike It is a sore word when a Father or a Master saith to a Childe I despaire of him there is none hope I giue him ouer will strik him no more It was a fearefull vvord that God said to the rebellious Israelites I will not visite your Daughters when they are harlotes nor your Spouses when they are whoores That is I will correct them no more but let them runne head-long to their owne destruction Woe to him vvhom God vvill not correct Certe tunc magis irascitur Deus cum non irascitur God is most angrie when hee seemeth least to bee angrie The wicked are most fearefullie plagued when God spareth them most Let not therefore your sore paines discourage you but rather comfort you as beeing a speciall token that God will receiue your Soule What reckes what this Carion suffer if so be that God receiue the Soule Shall I not drinke of my Fathers Cup said Christ * To drinke of a Kings cup it vvould bee thought an honour See then vvhat honour is in the affliction of the godlie thereby they drinke of the King of Heauens cup This is also a token of our friendship vvith Christ vvhen wee drinke vvith him of one cuppe Men will not drinke of one cuppe with their enemies Rejoyce then Sir to drink vvith Christ in your Fathers cuppe Though this cuppe bee bitter at the brimme the bottome will haue a pleasant farewell Thinke vvell vpon this Sir and possesse your soule in patience despare neuer of Gods mercie though hee seeme to bee angrie depend vpon him trust into him though hee should slay you In confidence of h◅s Loue rest and sleepe in his bosome hang on him saue his honour by trusting in him If this yee doe I assure you that yee shall dye sweetlie resting into his armes The sicke Man I finde Sir my paines greatlie to increase The Pastour Bee of good comfort If your paines increase God will increase your patience with your paines he is mercyfull and will surelie strengthen you in the weakest houre Gods strength is made perfect in weaknesse In the meane time bee fighting out the good fight manfullie Hold vp your hands with Moses against Amaleke Pray feruentlie to your God that hee would cast into your memorie all the good thinges that euer yee heard or reade wherewith your Soule as with a rempart may bee guarded against the houre of temptations Pray oft-ten with Christ Father deliuer mee from this houre What say yee Sir It appeareth that there bee some thing into your mind yet that vexeth you The sicke Man This Soule of mine is verie loath to depart from this bodie They be of olde acquaintance haplie long shall it be before they meete againe Friendes cannot bee but sorie while they shedde The Pastour That is naturall to all But grace in the Godlie must rule Nature Wee must gladlie leaue all for to goe liue with Christ we must deny our selues for to confesse him we must desire to be dissolued for to bee with him hee who loueth any thing better than him shall not bee found worthie of him Your Soule say ye is sorie to goe from the body What are our bodies for the present but prisons of clay Let them goe to clay till the day of the Resurrection come when those painefull prisons shall bee turned into pleasant Palaces What reckes of an inch of time heere on Earth in respect of eternitie in Heauen Should a mans heart so itch after an inch of Earth that hee would desire to tarrie from Heauen but an houre The Soule must turne its backe vpon the bodie for to turne its face vnto the God of Glorie This is but a childish temptation It is for women children to weepe at the taking of adewes chiefelie while these that depart are going to a better condition of life Because the day draweth towards Euening it is now time for mee to remoue I hope God willing to come againe the Morrow and to visite you that I may minister vnto you some Spirituall comforts In the meane time seeing your minde hath bene so perplexed with carnall temptations concerning Life Lāds Children and Riches Cause read vnto you this night in mine absence the Book of Ecclesiastes from the beginning vnto the end where ye shall see as in a glasse the vanitie of all these things wherewith your Soule now is most enamoured If ye haue time cause also reade vnto you Iob 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Before I goe Sir it shall bee best that I recommend you vnto God by prayer The first Prayer for the sicke Man O LORD in whose hands is the gift of the Spirit of groanes inspire our heartes at this time that with an heauenlie disposition wee may fall downe before thee vpon the knees of our Soules quicken our dead and drowsie heartes to the performance of this duetie of calling vpon thy Name Thou is not close handed to these that seeke thee in sinceritie wee are ashamed O LORD euen wee all who are heere before thee on the Earth thy Foote-stoole wee are ashamed for to face the Heauens the Throne of thy Majestie Our heartes are
is come to the dregges The image of the worlds vanitie is like that of Nebuchadnezars all gold and siluer in the vp most parts but in this last most corrupt age wee are come to the clay If wee bee wise we must seeke a new world in this olde world for this will neuer grow a better As the loue of Venisō wan Isaac to blesse one for another so if we loue this world with a blind loue for a morsell of its Venison wee will preferie it to Gods blessing All the dayes of this wretched life wee remaine in a fooles paradise But I leaue this I desire your earnestlie Sir that yee would let mee heare something more concerning olde Age which is a thing that euery man desireth to come vnto as if it were the best time of life The Pastour In this point appeareth the vanitie of man the weaknes of his wit Euery man would liue to be old and yet no man desireth to bee olde Let men say what they will I speake of naturall men all men desire to liue long which is to bee olde and yet they desire to remaine young * Their wrinkles their gray haires the companions of olde Age the end of their desires are vn welcome vnto them Then would they turne backe againe that with the Eagle they might cast their Bill whereby they might renew their youth Heare old Nestor who as Poets record had liued three ages a surfet of yeares Heare him with his wish O miht praeteritos referat si Iupiter annos Like a foolish Pyla◅ while hee is at the mouth of his Harberie hee would raise vp the Sailes for to turne to the tempestuous sea againe See howe the olde man if hee get but a faire Sunne blinke of a weekes health after cloudes returning after the raine how hee will rejoyce as though it shuld neuer be foule weather againe Men may pyne themselues with desire of dayes But doe what they can their life is like one that saileth whether hee standeth or hee sitteth whether hee watch or sleepe hee is euer vpon his course The sicke Man Let it please you Sir to continue in that discourse The Pastour Solomon in the last lecture of the Booke of his preaching letteth the young man see the vanitie of many yeares In that place is most clearelie set downe how olde Age the end of our appointed time is enwrapped with a cloud of miseries as beeing a time wherevnto like waues in a Sea one trouble ariseth vpon the necke of another the latter beeing euer worse than the former till at last fluctus decumanus the last and the greatest waues of Death come and sweepe the man away The imaginarie sweetenesse of all earthly contentmentes is closed and concluded with a bitter Farewell In that Lecture the Preacher bringeth in the old man like a Skellet whereat in the presence of all yong men hee pointeth out all his infirmities saying vnto the young Ones Beholde if such a life bee so much to bee desired First of all hee pointeth at his dayes calling them The euill dayes 2. Hee toucheth his yeares calling them Yeares without pleasure 3. He speaketh of the moyst raw rainie winter of his colde old Age the dayes of sorrow vvherein clouds returne after the raine As one defluxtion hath rained downe another is arising like a cloude 4. Hee pointeth out all the imperfections of his bodie When olde Age is come then the keepers of the house tremble that is the handes which keepeth the bodie become sicke of the palsie they tremble so that they can not carry the cuppe to their heade Then the strong men bow themselues their legges are not able to beare them Then the grinders cease their teeth rotte and become mouldie so that they can eate no bread Then they waxe darke that looke out at the windowes their eyes become bleared and blind Then the doores shall bee shut in the streetes when the sound of the grinding is low when the teeth the mouthes grinders are rotten the lippes which are the doores of the streete of the mouth are shut so that the old man cannot speak so distinctlie as of before Then shall hee rise vp at the voyce of the Bird olde men cannot sleepe hee muste rise so soone as the Birds beginne to sing or his sleepe is so vnfound that the chirpe of a little Bird will w◅ken him Then shall all the daughters of singing bee abased neither can an olde man sing himselfe for lacke of voyce neither can hee heare others sing for deafenesse so both his wind pipes and his eares the daughters of singing are abased Thē shall he be afraide of the high thing he dar climbe no more hee is no more for Stares and vpper Chambers * Then feare shall bee in the way while they walke they tremble as one that is afraide to fall Then the Almond tree shall flourish their gray haires growe white like the flourishes and blossomes of an Almond Then a Grasse Hopper shall bee a burden they are so weake that they can beare nothing their knees are weak as water so that they are a burden vnto themselues See howe the weight of a grasse hopper which is little greater than a Bee is a burden to the man of yeares Then shall the siluer cord bee loosed and the golden bowle shall bee broken his Sinewes shall become slacke and his Gall shall breake Then shall the pitcher bee broken at the well the vaines shall draw no more blood out of the well of the Leuer Then shall the wheele bee broken at the Cisterne his Lightes become so ◅otten and riuen that he can no more draw any breath with his broken Bellowes See howe Death stealeth vpon vs with insensible degrees Behold O young man the anatomie of thy selfe when thou shal◅ haue gottē thine hearts wil of years Heere is thy portrature drawen before hand Painters can portray but according as they see but tymes to come are present vnto God Heere is thy portrature for the dayes of olde age that is to come Beholde thy selfe in it before hand a receptacle of maladies See there thy balde head and thy bleared eyes and thy deafe eare and thy wrinkled face and thy rotten teeth and thy stinking breath hauing thy body bowed and crouched with thy third foote into thine hand Of thee may bee put out a Riddle What is it which hauing three feete walketh with one foote into its hand I shall assoile it It is an olde man going with a staffe To this let mee subjoyne another What is it that hath his stomacke into a Booste and his eyes into his pocket It is the same viz. An olde man fedde with boost Confections or cured with cōtinuall purgations hauing his Spectacles his eyes of glasse into a case His dayes are dayes of drousinesse
day But alas what can the earth affoord simile aut secundum that is like vnto that joy which shall fill ouerflow all the hearts of the godly whē Christ shal bring vp to the Heauens his Church which is his Wife his faire Loue hauing Doues eyes within her Locks being cloathed and crowned with the glorie of himselfe what tong cā expresse nay what heart can conceiue what joy glorie shal be there where the Lambes Wife shall bee dected with her Husband Christ who shall enliue Her with marchlesse joye and glorious immortalitie This is that great wonder which S. Iohn in his Reuelations saw in Heauen viz. A woman cloathed with the Sun and the Moone vnder her feete and vpon her head a crowne of twelue Stars Behold consider the Lambes Bride all enuironed with Light clothed with Christ her Sunne and crowned with glistring starres of glorie heauenlie jewels diuine Dyamonds Behold her making a foote-stoole of the Moone the second great Light of Heauen See how shee treadeth vnder her feete that most inconstant creature for to declare that constancie of her loue toward her Lord which shall last for euer without anie change O the beautie of that Bride whose cheekes shall bee comelie with rowes of Iewels whose necke shall bee dected with the chaines of Christs merites The Angels themselues beholding this Bride so royallie attyred shall wonder at her beautie When these Noble Spirits shall see and consider that great familiaritie that shal be betweene Christ his Spouse they shall wonder shall say one to another Who is this that commeth up out of the wildernes leaning vpō her wel-beloued After that the Church the Lambs Wife who on earth was betrothed by grace shall in the Heauens bee maried by glorie and conuoyed vnto his euer greene bed all Eternitie shal be in the Heauens lik a mariage day decored trimed with all sortes of Flowers of Fruits of feastings of Musick and of all contentment that can be conceiued heard seene sauoured or touched by a creature There our wants shall bee turned into wishes That which there shall bee least shall bee many thousand degrees aboue all that anie mortall heart heere can desire All our senses shall be possessed and filled with pleasures our mind shall bee enlightened Our will shall bee contented All our affections shall bee satisfied The Angel in the Reuelation gaue a command vnto Iohn to write in a Booke concerning the Lambes feast prepared for his Mariage in the day of the gladnesse of his heart but not being able neither hee to indite nor S. Iohn to write all the dainties of that Feast he desired him to write that all were blessed which were called vnto it Write said hee Blessed are they which are called vnto the Mariage Supper of the Lambe Lest Iohn should haue doubted whether it was so indeed or not the Angel subjoyneth these are the true sayings of God Let vs conceiue this much of these pleasures that they cannot bee conceiued All that wee can conceiue shall bee lesse by manie degrees than the least thing wee shall receiue Then all our desires shal be enlarged made wider Open thy mouth verie wide I shal fill it vnto thee God himselfe beeing All in all all our desires shall bee fullie satisfied and though they shall bee alwayes satisfied they shall neuer bee cloyed All wordes heere are full of wants for these bee things which passe all humane sight and search The sicke man The consideration of such things enliueth my Soule looseth mine heart wonderfully frō the loue of all worldlie things and draweth my heart with a feruent desire of a sight of that day It is no wonder that the whole creation groaneth and trauelleth in paine together vntill now If wee had hearts to belieue we should finde into our hearts an earnest expectation and a waiting for the manifestation of the Sonnes of God Alas that our deuotion should bee so rotten and vnsound If wee could gette but a glimpse of our God heere behinde it should stirre vp all our desires to see his Face The Pastour That is most certaine By this desire shall a man know whether he bee a spirituall man or a carnall Hee that is but carnall neuer desireth to goe out of this world It is good for vs to be heere will he say as ◅eter said on Tabor But hee that hath receiued the Spirit will finde better motions in his heart Wee our selues saith S. Paul which haue the first fruites of the Spirit euen wee our selues groane within our selues waiting for the adoption to wite the redemption of our bodie The sicke Man Alas wee all are heere naturallie of a temporising temper wee linger and delay to returne to our God O Lord of eternitie be fauourable to vs that we may feare thee let thy grace worke such groans in our hearts that thereby we may know that wee haue certainelie receiued the first fruites of the Spirit So long as wee are heere make the current of our affections to runne the way of thy Commandements There is a difficultie now come in my minde whereof I gladlie desire to be cleared It is concerning Christ himselfe of him it is said That hee shall deliuer vp the Kingdome to God his Father after hee hath subdued all his enemies The Pastour I remember well where these wordes are written The Apostle speaking of the Resurrection of the last judgement saith Then commeth the end when hee shall haue deliuered vp the Kingdome to God his Father when hee shall haue put downe all rule authoritie and power For hee must reigne till hee haue put all his enemies vnder his feete c. And when all things shall bee subdued vnto him then shall the Sonne also himselfe bee subject vnto him that put all thinges vnder him that God may bee All in all The sicke Man These bee the wordes indeede of my difficultie I pray you to make mee vnderstand them What is that to say That hee shall deliuer vp the Kingdome to his Father and that after he hath subdued all things he himselfe must become subject to him that put all things vnder him It would seeme that Christ our Lord shall lose by this meanes For first it is said That hee must deliuer vp the Kingdome and rule no more Secōdlie that he must become subject to God the Father I desire you Sir to loose this knottie difficultie These who plowe with Gods Hyfer may easilie finde out the darkest Riddles The Pastour I shall loose these knots easilie By that change the Lord shall bee no loser As for that it is said That he shall deliuer vp the Kingdome to his Father after that hee hath put downe all rule authoritie and power It is not to be vnderstood absolutely that Christ there after shall reigne no more but that hee shall reigne
the Lord and therefore if yee would please good men or haue good men for to please you walke in the wayes which will please the Lord All mens hearts are in his hands like riuers of water Hee can make a foe of a friende and a friende of a foe If yee neglect this counsell yee shall at last be forced to stand at staues end with the whole world Hee who is at variance with his God will neuer agree with himselfe and so shall bee in discord with all for as the Pagan said well Conveniet nulli qui secum dissidet ipse Hee who is not good to himselfe can bee good to none Though commonlie men say of some Hee is or was euill to none but to himselfe A wise man in this land hath made a good replye to that speach viz. It were almes to hang him that is not good to himselfe Now yee are young yet breath is in the bodie Worke while it is light Bee carefull to keepe a Callender as it were of your dayes which may call vpon you hourelie bee diligent for the time is short By years dayes and houres our life is continuallie cut and sklised away What shall I say more The Lord giue you wisedome in all thinges Godlinesse is true wisedome Best spirited men are not euer most spirituall As for you striue truelie to bee religious Nathanaels Israelites indeed Euerie night before ye goe to bedde set before your eyes the mercies of that day Muster them orderlie and take a view of them carefullie that vpon your knees from your heartes yee may giue God his praise While ye are gone from the publick prayer of the Familie vnto your priuate bed Chamber remember Gods mercies afresh While yee remember them let this bee your last collation drinke before yee goe to bedde take with Dauid the cup of Saluation and call vpon the Name of the Lord As trades men haue a day Booke for daylie receites it were expedient that all the godlie haue a register wherein may bee written the noble actes of the Lord for to helpe ou◅ weake memorie lest wee suffer his mercies to slippe out of our minde If yee either forgette your sinnes or Gods mercie remember that yee haue a Conscience which is a daylie obseruer a night watch and a secret spye into your Soules In all your adoes striue to be righteous before God and vpright before men See in a short verse what shall bee the end both of the godlie and wicked The memorie of the just is blessed But the name of the wicked shall rotie O my deare Children lay vp carefullie these wordes into your hearts which I your olde Father haue spoken with much paine Thinke vpon this one day Death will inquire what Life hath beene doing As for my worldlie affaires as Rents or Goods if they bee great lippen not to them If they be little little with Gods grace is enough If yee bee godlie God shall bee your Father and your feeder If yee abound bee not prodigall Make not a god of your Bellie Beware to tipple or quaffe or with the glutton to feede delicatelie Care not for panch pleasures Iohn liued on locusts It is better to liue on Cake and water with a godlie Elias than to feast royallie with a foolish Nabal Though feasts bee pleasant they are dangerous When the dayes of feasting were ended Iob sent sanctified his children rose vp earelie in the morning for to offer burnt offerings for them al for Iob said It may be that my sons haue sinned cursed God in their heart Single feasting is fittest for the Soule and most wholesome for the bodie God sendeth sluggardes to the Pismire as to a Master of worke for to direct them from loitering to labour Let gluttons whose dearest delightes are in panch-pleasures from morning vntill euen learne of the Swallowes who sit not down to dine but feede while they flee As they feede on flees so they flee while they feede What should man doe with his Bellie but feede it as in a flight Let the winges of sobrietie carrie you from glutting plentie before yee bee ouer-taken with that which shall make you to be ashamed to morrow While yebegin to drinke beware of after-clapes Men by a litle distemper at the fi◅st contract easily an habit of sine S. Augustine speaking how his Mother MONICA learned to tipple ◅aith Primoribus labijs sorbebat exiguum Itaque ad illud modicum quotidi◅na modica addendo in eam consuetudinem lapsa erat vt prope jam plenos mero calices inhianter hauriret That is At the first shee began but to kisse the cuppe and to sippe a little of the wine while shee filled the Cup to her Parents but anone shee came to this that shee made no bones to sucke drie full Cups of wine See how from sipping at last shee came to carousing Oh but that is a deare drink which costeth a man a Spot in his name a blot in his conscience Experience telleth that pleasures is more dangerous than paine and feasting thā fasting Remember Iobs children see in what a feare that godlie Father was concerning their ◅easting Certainelie his feare was not a foolish feare without anie ground It is set down in Scripture for to teach men feare in feasting Too manie at such times turne themselues into barrels and beastes swinishlie ouerturning all reason judgement that is within them As for you be yee sobber if yee would bee holie God will not tarie into that heart which hath a god in the bellie Hee who would lodge the Arke must chasse Dagon to the doore like a dogge Manie who neglect the bellie haue pride printed in great capitall Letters vpon their backe Bee yee not sumptuous in apparrell Let God giue you the coat according to the cold Follow not new fashions Beware of euill example Woe to the world for scandales As yee should not bee prodigall bee not also misers pinch-pennies Defraude not your selues of your graunted good Bee thankfull to God for all his giftes Away with these who after they haue receiued that which they sought haue done with God till they neede him againe In all the course of your life striue to hold the Ballance equall vertues in the midst Extremities are like Border Theeues not subject to the Lawes Bee neither too nice nor too pert too scurrile nor too silent In worldlie wealth trye before yee treasure If yee bee rich glorie not in your riches if yee bee poore pray God to keepe you from the extremitie of pouertie lest that yee put foorth your hand to steale If God send pouerty be not discouraged Though it bee sore it is no sinne Lazarus with his ragges was welcomer to God than Diues with his purple Hee who begged from that rich man on earth saw the rich man a begger into Hell Hee is rich enough