Ecclesiasticall histories The paines and pangs which the body doth endure before the soule be sundred may be likened vnto the paines and pangs of a woman in her trauell with child of whoÌ„ the holy Prophet speakes Her hands saith he on her loynes Iere. 30.6 Esai 13.7.8 her face turned to palenesse her heart weakened and melting with feare and anguish Yea the paines and pangs of death do well resemble the paines and torments of hell and therefore the first second death is but one selfesame with this difference onely the one is naturall and temporarie the other is supernaturall and euerlasting The feare of this death made our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ as he was a man to importune the Maiestie of his Father with teares that it might passe from him Mat. 26.39.40.41.42.43 being brought vnto it through the agonie thereof he was enforced to call and to crie vnto God his Father as if in part he had despaired O my Father why hast thou forsakeÌ„ me The like obliuion and desperate speeches are heard seene in the time of deaths torments euen from many of Gods deare children and canonized Saints Saint Paul saith that death hath a sting thereby inferring that death is venimous as all creatures which haue stings are noysome and hurtfull either more or lesse but death is like vnto the diuell himselfe stinging and poysonful therfore called a serpent the most noisome and the most pestiferous creature of all others Againe Saint Paul calleth death an enemie inferring thereby as out of the naturall disposition of a naturall enemie the greatest mischiefe that possibly he can deuise to the poore body of man specially being godly The torments of death must needes be held innarrable if we do but consider the combate and conflict that is betweene the soule and the body the one affecting cleane contrarie to the other and in nature quite opposite Which opposition and conflict may well be resembled vnto that dangerous tempest on the sea of Tarshish which was raised purposely by God himselfe for the arresting of Ionas who was as he thought secure The winds were sent into the seas which being an element light laboured vehemeÌ„tly according to the nature therof to ascend and the seas being an element heauy laboured mightily according to the quality thereof to descend so that the seas being violently kept vp by the winds and the winds being violently kept downe by the seas made such a storme such an outragious tempest as if heauen and earth had ratled and rang together or as if the shippe had bene still a rushing and a riuing in peeces vpon the rocks euen so is the soule and body of him who is in the hands of death The soule according to the nature and quality thereof being a spirituall an heauenly and holy creature of the Almightie vseth and enforceth all meanes thither to ascend but the body being of a cleane contrary disposition massie heauy and earthy according to the qualitie thereof in sort and kind labors thither to descend The one being of a cleane contrarie disposition to the other they become hindrances to the passage one of another meanes one against another of greater enduring passions And to conclude briefly the torments of death are as the hewing of Agag in peeces 1 Sam 15.33 Psal 50.22 as the irefull execution of God whereof Dauid speaks Although this tormeÌ„ting be the decree of the Almighty for the subduing of mans body and for the depriuation of his life yet it is euident that the variety and sundrie manners sorts and kinds of death whereunto his Maiestie hath left himselfe at large is the cause that many wicked men so well as the godly do depart this life with litle pangs or paines And at other times out of his Maiesties roiall and extraordinary fauor through Iesus Christ the paines and pangs of death in many of the godly are mitigated and diminished as may appeare out of manifold sentences and examples of Scripture For it is all one with him in regard of his power and mercie to abate or to annihilate the qualitie and the quantity of executing creatures or things appointed for torments as it is for him to increase and to multiply the same As the sauage and hungrie lions were so asswaged in their natures so mitigated Dani. 6.20.21.22.3.20.21.22 that they became as playfellowes vnto Daniel the fierie fornace being seuen times hotter then ordinary was vnto him and his companions but as a place of recreation So no doubt were the fiery tormeÌ„ts vnto the Saints of God who were cruelly executed in Queene Maries dayes After another sort most powerfully doth his Maiestie multiplie or increase the qualitie of bread and water for the good of the poore who otherwise could not possibly liue and abateth the extremitie of their cold in the winter Remember the augmentation of the 7. Mar. 8.8 Dan. 1.15 loues and few fishes so that more was taken vp then was layd downe and remember Daniels puâ—â—â— And albeit I should absolutely grant that there is no mitigation of paines in death for any and that it must needes be concluded that the verie Saints and seruants of God shall suffer the most grieuous torments of naturall death equally with the reprobates which cannot be truly agreeed vnto and which God forbid yet considering that the guiltinesse of sin is cleane taken away in Iesus Christ that these torments of death are but as it were momentanie or as the twinckling of an eye in comparison of the euerlasting torments of the reprobates what man or woman hauing any hope thereof hauing any feeling of faith or hauing any one motion of Gods spirit but would most willingly endure the torments of bodily death were they yet greater yea before it come to coÌ„memorate and withall to celebrate the remembrance of death by which there is an end of all sorrowes and the possessing of all ioyes and immortall happinesse If the person dead or dying be an husband Then the matrimoniall association which by Gods ordinance was made singularly and plurally two in one and one in two the better to be helpfull one vnto another is now by death dasht as it were into powder and violently parted a sunder and seuered one from another for euer into two distinct places which deuision to the husband or wife is so naturally grieuous as it is for one limbe being cut off from another as Ruth doth impart out of her most singular affection to Nahomie her mother in law in these words Ruth 1.17 The Lord do so to me and more also if ought but death part thee me euen so is the loue of a wife fearing God towards her husband that she concludeth in her heart from the first houre vnto the last that nothing shal infringe her faith towards him but death which when it cometh exceedingly moueth her to mourne This also appeares vpon the wofull and lamentable experience
liue so long as he can The answer or reason is fourefold The first reason thereof is to declare that he is the principall maister of times and according to his diuine presciēce he is an exact performer of promises through all ages of the world He obserues the time when a man comes into the world and when he goeth out of the world The Maiestie of this eternall God considerately and renownedly beginneth samous actions and ends them memorably by periods places full of weighty consideration accounting vpō the yeares of holy men Gen. 5. Gen. 1. to Gen. 7. Gen. 8 to Gen. 12. Gen. 12. to Exod. 19. Exo. 12. to Ios 1. Ios 1. to Iudg. 1. Iudg. 1. to 1 Sam. 1. 1 Sam. 1. to Nehe. 1. Nehe. Esra Hester Daniel As by the liues and deathes of the first ten holy Fathers how many yeares there was from the creatiō to the floud viz. 1656 yeares From the floud to the promise made to Abraham 427. yeares From the promise to the giuing of the law 430 yeares From their going out of Egypt to their entrance into Canaan 40. yeares From their entrance into Canaan to their quiet possession 7. yeares From thence to Saul the first King 450. yeares Thence to their captiuity in Babylon 490 yeares From their captiuity to their restoring againe to build the Temple at Ierusalē 70. yeares From thence to their generall libertie by Christ Iesus 490 yeares Almighty God is so seuere and so soueraigne an obseruer of time for the beginning ending of all famous actions and specially the coming of mā into the world and his going out that he standeth vpon the performance of his word and promise euen to a day Moses speaking of the Egyptian captiuity said Exo. 12.41 that whē the 430. yeares were expired euen the selfesame day departed all the hoast of the Lord out of Egypt Yea and farther his Maiestie obserues the verie name of the day in which he doth performe his word and promise as he speaketh plainely by his Prophet Eze. 14.1.2 Sonne of man saith he write the name of the day euen of this same day for the King of Babell set himselfe against Ierusalem the selfesame day So God ordereth all things in measure Wisd 11.17 in mumber and weight The second tenne holy Fathers in whom it pleased God to multiplie a new Church after the floud Gen. 11.10 to the end are exactly accounted by euerie full yeare in which they liued according to the determinate will of God and that for diuers causes but specially to declare that the life of man is not at randome nor at rouers And here also obserue that at the floud the ages of men were halfed as may appeare by the ages of those holy men who liued not aboue halfe so long as they liued before the floud Againe the fame age was halfed at the building of Babel againe it was halfed vpon the going of Israel out of Egypt And at euery of these ages his holy Maiesty had a speciall hand that neither the one nor the other good nor bad should haue either more or lesse then was in his will As of these holy men before and immediatly after the flood so withall God computates the ages verie directly of all and euerie of the twelue Patriarchs Gen. 49.50 also how long euery Iudge of Israel hued and how long euerie oppressor was to liue He also kept a register and did diumely chronolize the age of euerie king and how long he did reigne in Israel and in Iuda as may be sound in euerie of their stories Dan. 1.2.3.4.5 The seuentie yeares captiuitie was ended exactly vpon the particular death of three kings to wit Nebucadnezzar who liued 45. yeares Euilmerodech who liued 22. yeares and Baltashar who liued three yeares neither one day more nor one day lesse The second answer or reason concerning the timelinesse of death to wit why God hath so exactly determined it It is to set foorth the incomprehensiblenesse of Gods wisedome and prouidence in that he doth gouerne all the generation of mankind throughout the world as one common weale or as one priuate family or as if it were one particular person registring and chronolizing euerie man by his name by the place of his habitation by the manner of his conuersation and by the time specially of his departure out of this life as a wise maister of a familie taking in some letting others forth So did Ahashuerus the king of Persia put forth Vasthi Hest 1.19 and tooke in Hester so doth the Maiestie of God in due time take in some into the world and lets others depart 1. King 10. 1. to 11. The Queene of Sheba hearing of the maruellous wisedome of Salomon for the ordering and gouerning of his house and kingdome came from farre to see and to heare more therof after the which she said Happy are these thy seruants which stand before thee to heare thy wisedome Behold here faith the holy Ghost a greater then Salomon to wit a God more admirable then Salomon for his gouernment in Church and cōmon weale The holy Prophet Dauid entring into some consideration of his maruellous Maiestie concludes most admirably of it saying O Lord our gouernour how wonderfull art thou in all thy workes thy knowledg is too wonderful for me Psal 139.1 I cannot attaine vnto it Ezra said that God numbred all the vessels that were to be returned from Babylon to Ierusalem euen vnto the meanest sort Ezra 1.7.8 And he doth account the people euen by their names and by the names of their fathers intimating thereby Ezech. 9.7 that none went to Babylon but such and so many as had receiued his expresse name nor any that were to returne but such as he had reserued to build the Temple and to reedifie the wals of the citie and to plant the religion of their fathers Gods wisedome and prouidence is innarrable and infinite euen to a sparrow Luk. 12.6 Barnabas and Paul said Act. 15.18 From the beginning of the world God knew his workes Moses to the end he might fasten the sure knowledge and the euerlasting remēbrance therof in the harts of the people of Israel said Remember the dayes of old Deu. 32.7.8 aske thy father and he will shew thee thine elders and they will tel thee When the most high God deuided the nations their inheritance when he separated the sons of Adam he appointed the borders of the people according to their number The third answer or reason concerning the timelinesse of death why God hath so exactly determined vpon the same It is to manifest the prerogatiue the priuiledge and supremacy that his holy Maresty hath and holdeth ouer all principahties and powers captiuating and subduing them and all the generation of man to the obedience of his will that neither the one nor the other can possibly lengthen or shorten his own life much lesse the
parents soules and bodies Gen. 4.10 As the bloud of Abel did call and crie from earth to heauen for vengeance against his brother Caine 2. Kin. 1.12.13 to 15. and as Eliah called cried that fire might come from heauen to the earth vpon all the captaines of Ahaziah euen so is there an interchangeable entercourse from heauen to earth frō earth to heauen of Gods irefull plagues to fall vpon such children The holy man Dauid although he vnlawfully longed to drinke of the water at Bethlehem yet vpon better consideration he wold none of it when the three Worthies brought it vnto him but poured it for an oblation to the Lord and said Let not my Lord God suffer me to do this 2 Sam 23.15.16 Be it farre from me that I do this is not this the bloud of these men which went in ieopardie of their liues 1. Chron. 11 17.18.19 shall I drinke the bloud of these mens liues So that by this it appeareth were there no other proofe how dangerously ill gottē goods are kept how more dangerously they are to be spent and how damnably such children do liue in this world indeed as it were without God yea the very damned in hell shall rise in iudgement against thē Luk. 16.27 For the gluttō in torments was perplexed with griefe for the state of his brethren which liued in sin would not haue them come to that place to aggrauate his torments Whereas these vngracious children haue no remorse or sorrow for their distressed parents which died in sinne and liue in death And what may not be said of another sort of gracelesse children who after the deceasse of their godly religious parents are so far from mourning after them or for them as that they indeed do ioy and reioyce in their hearts at their departure If they sorrow any thing at all it is for that they died not sooner according as many times they wished for their lands and goods sake Shall they escape for their wickednes No the Maiestie of our eternall Father will shorten their dayes diminish their store and from their gracelesse stocke shall spring vngracious impes to requite disobediēce seuen fold into their bosomes Mat. 7. For the measure saith our Lord which you mete to others shall be heaped vpon you againe When good king Iosiah was dead we reade not that his sonne Iehohaz mourned for him or followed his good examples either in the continuance of religion administration of iustice or godly conuersation Wherefore his dayes were shortned his life miserable and his kingdome was left to the disposition of his enemie His posteritie was yet more miserable for his sonne being dead was not lamented Ier. 22.18.19 neither did any mourne for him saying Ah Lord or ah his glory he shall be buried as an asse euen drawne and cast forth without the gates of Ierusalem This serueth necessarily to instigate and to call vpon all suruiuors of their parents and friends carefully to commemorate the heauy hand of God vpō themselues for that priuate depriuation of friends if they were godly with the acknowledgement of their owne sinnes chiefly in the omission of many reuerent duties towards them and specially in thankfulnesse vnto God for those helpes which they receiued from them It serues for the accomplishment of other holy duties towards the dead in taking care in making conscience to do good vnto those whom their friends being dead entirely loued whiles they liued Whereof we haue a famous example in Dauid toward his faithful friend Ionathan who was dead Is there any man 2. Sam. 9.1 to 8. said he of the house of Saul that I may shew mercie vnto him for Ionathans sake to whom was brought Mephiboseth Ionathans son Dauid said vnto him Feare not for I will surely shew thee kindnesse for Ionathan thy fathers sake who is dead and I will restore thee all the fields of Saul thy father and thou shalt eate at my table continually Againe he said 2. Sam. 10.1 I will shew kindnesse vnto Hanun as his father shewed kindnesse vno me There was a solēne law in Israel which was to be performed to the widow of him which was dead if she had no son to comfort her which law Christian commemoration for the dead was memorably performed by Boaz towards Ruth Ruth 4.10.21 If the person dead were wicked in his life and at his death then there is more cause of mourning and lamentation and calling earnestly vnto God by his kindred and by his allied friends for the auoiding of Gods iudgements which they most iustly haue deserued in that they did not more carefully and more conscionably instruct such a man or such a woman vnto a better life whereby he or she might haue made a better death According to which purpose Saint Iames speaketh after this maner Iam. 5. v. 19.20 If any of you haue erred frō the truth and some man hath conuerted him let him know that he which hath conuerted the sinner from going astray out of his way shall saue a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sinnes If the partie dead or dying be publicke spirituall or temporall and iust Then consider the present euill that hath happened to particular persons to priuate families to publike congregations and to whole kindomes after the deceasse of such a man or such a woman Which is drawne from that good which almightie God vouchsafeth for the time present wherein they liued who being dead it incontinently ceasseth As Salomon saith By the blessing of the righteous Pro. 11.11 cities are exalted to wit the whole inhabitants of that towne and countrie where a righteous person liueth shall fare and prosper the better and shall haue the iudgements of God which they haue deserued withholden from them And it is certaine Iosua 7.1 to 6. as for the sinnes of one many haue bene in the anger of God destroid and brought to nothing so for the true godlinesse of one or more 2. Sam. 24.15 many hundreds and thousands haue bene most miraculously preserued God promised Abraham that if in all Sodome and Gomorrah there were found but ten righteous persons Gen. 18.24 to 33.19.18 to 26 he would spare all the rest for their sakes The same was experimented in Zoar at Lots request for all the people therein were miraculously preserued from the fire which abundantly fell from heauen round about them There was three yeares dearth in all the land of Israel for Sauls sinnes onely in slaying the Gibeonits 2. Sam. 21.1 to 11. Dauid the King did therfore importune the Gibeonits for their fauour vnto God in their behalfe which being obtayned the plague ceassed On the contrarie so long as Ioseph liued King Pharao and all his subiects prospered but when Ioseph died Exo. 1.6.7.8 to the end 9.1.33 Exo. 9.27.28 2 King 24.2 to the end Dan. 11.1.2 then their plagues reuiued and fell thicke