will carry the snake in their bosomes without any feare Euen so although we cary death about vs in our mortall bodies yea in our bosomes and bowels yet sinne which was her sting being pulled out by the death of Christ shee can onely hisse and make a stirre and ordinarily looke blacke and grimme but can no wayes annoy vs. Which will be the more manifest if we well weigh how Christ our head and Captaine hath quelled and conquered this mightie Gyant for vs whereby none that are Christs members need stand in feare thereof Death saith the blessed Apostle is swallowed vp in victory and Christ was dead and now liueth 1. Cor. 15.54 Reu. 1.18 and that for euer And he hath the keyes of hell and death as he testifieth of himselfe in the booke of the Reuelation Now he that hath the keyes of a place hath the command of that place It is as much then as if it had been said he had the command of death and power to dispose of it at his pleasure And will Christ then that hath such an enemie at his mercie let him hurt and annoy his deare friends nay his owne members and so in effect himselfe Noe noe he conquered death for vs not for himselfe seeing death had no quarrell to him By his vniust death then hee hath vanquished our iust death as Saint Augustine very excellently saith Death could not be conquered but by death therefore Christ suffered death that an vniust death might ouercome a iust death and that he might deliuer the guiltie iustly by dying for them vniustly Whereunto agreeth that speech The vniust sinneth and the iust is punished the guiltie transgresseth and the innocent is beaten the wicked offendeth and the godly is condemned that which the euill deserueth the good suffereth that which the seruant oweth the master payeth that which man committeth God sustaineth For although because he was man he could die and did so yet because he was iust hee ought not to haue died and hee that had no cause to die for himselfe in reason and equitie should not die for others vnprofitably neither did he surely but to the greatest purpose that the Sonne of God dying for the sonnes of men the sonnes of men might thereby bee made the sonnes of God yea that they of bad seruants might bee made good sonnes And this glorious mystery of our Sauiours Incarnation and Passion must needs bring forth glorious effects this strange and vnspeakable loue of God that his onely Sonne should die for vs that the Lord should dye for disobedient seruants the Creator for the creature God for man this strange loue I say must needs bee of strange operation as it is euen to make of sinners iust men of slaues brethren of captiues fellow-heires and of banished persons Kings and to make of death as it were no death but a very easie passage to eternal life for the death of Christ is the death of our death sith hee died that wee might liue and how can it be but that they should liue for whom life it selfe died Surely Death by vsurping vpon the innocent forfeited her right to the guiltie and while shee deuoured wrongfully shee her selfe was deuoured Yea in that Christ hath vanquished death we may be truely said to vanquish it Rom. 8.37 Ephes 5.30 For in this saith the Apostle we are more then conquerours through him that loued vs he being our head and wee his members and where the head is conqueror the members cannot bee captiues Let vs then reioyce that wee haue alreadie seized on heauen in Christ who hath caried our flesh thither in his owne person as an earnest peny and pledge of the whole summe that in time shal be brought thither Wee may then boldly say that there is somewhat of ours aboue already yea the best part of vs as namely our head from which the members cannot be farre yea we may assure our selues that wee being members of such a head yea bodie to it we are in effect where our head is For S. Augustine saith This bodie cannot be beheaded but if the head triumph for euer the members also must needs triumph for euer And that we haue this benefit by Christs ascension into heauen aforehand for vs Bernard excellently sheweth Be it saith he that only Christ is entred into heauen yet I trow whole Christ must enter and if whole Christ then the body as well as the head yea euery particular member of the bodie For this head is not to be found in the kingdome of heauen without his members In a word the head being aboue water the bodie can neuer be drowned although it bee neuer so much beaten and tossed in this world with waues and tempests Oh but life is sweet and death is fearefull how then may I bee prepared against that houre to vndergoe it in a Christian patience without earthly passions I answer this is indeed the infirmitie of our flesh and the propertie of our corrupt nature that we are more desirous of this life fading then of the life to come that is not flitting and hence comes that feare and terror of death Iohn 10.28 Death in it selfe and out of Christ is as we haue heard very dreadfull and we haue reason to feare it as it is an effect of sinne But we speake not of death considered out of Christ or considered in it selfe but of death altered by the death of Christ for so it is no dreadful thing but much to be desired he is our Pastor we need not feare to be taken out of his hands our Aduocate 1. Iohn 2.1 1. Tim. 2.5 Iohn 8.12 Psal 91.1 Iohn 5.22 therefore we need not dread damnation our Mediator therfore we need not feare the wrath of God our light wee neede not feare darknesse our shadow wee need not feare the heat of hell fire our Iudge we need not feare that sentence shall be denounced against vs our life and therefore wee need not feare death Well may the brute beasts feare to die whose end of life is their end of being well may the Epicure feare and tremble at death who with his life looketh to loose his felicitie well may the faithlesse and impenitent sinner feare and quake whose death is the beginning of their damnation well may the voluptuous worldling whose felicitie consists wholy in the fruition of these transitorie things greatly feare death as that which depriueth him of his pomp and preferment of his honours and high calling robbeth him of his iewels and treasure spoileth him of his pastimes and pleasures exileth him from his friends and country and vtterly bereaueth him of all his expectations solace and delight Which Iesus the sonne of Sirach noting said Eccles 41.1 O death how bitter is thy remembrance to the man that liueth at rest in his possessions vnto the man that hath nothing to vexe him and that hath prosperitie in all things yea vnto him that is yet able to receiue
shalt not be purged till I haue caused my wrath to light vpon thee Marke this Place well which may terrifie our hearts if we carry not the hearts of Tygers in which the Lord testifies not onely to them but to vs then when by all kinde meanes and louing allurements hee offereth his fauour and we obstinately refuse it let vs be sure then when wee would haue mercy and fauour from him though wee begge it crying and howling he will deny vs. For there is a time set in which we may repent but being despised and outrun there is after no houre to obtaine mercy The reasons whereof are speciallly three viz. The first taken from God who because it proceedes from his loue to offer mercy it must needs stand with his iustice to punish the wilfull contempt of it with a perpetuall deniall of mercy The second from Sathan who by contemning and neglecting the Lords gratious offer of mercy gets great aduantage of vs and hereby makes a way for such sinnes as hardly in time we can repent vs of The third is from the nature of this sinne which hatcheth three horrible sinnes for delay breeds custome custome breeds securitie and security breedes impenitencie A drunkard wee see is more easily reclaymed from that sinne at the first then when hee hath gotten the custome of it and so it is of all other sinnes And hence it is that the Lord by his Prophet doth note it a thing impossible in respect of humane power to leaue those sinnes which are customably committed saying Can the black-more change his skin Ierem. 13.23 or the Leopard his spots then may yee also doe good that are accustomed to doe euill Oh beloued let vs take heede of despising the Lords kind offer of mercy lest hee bee angry Psal 2.13 and so wee perish in his wrath For which cause let vs call to remembrāce these foure motiues to mooue vs to accept of the time of grace 2. Cor. 6.2 this acceptable day of saluation viz. First how mercifull the Lord hath beene to vs who might haue cut off our time in our youth in which it may be wee were vnthriftie or in the midst of some grieuous sinne that we commited heretofore or of late daies and so haue sent vs to hell Secondly consider how many good motions of his holy spirit wee haue let slip and made light accompt of and sent him away from vs with griefe which it may be we shall neuer enioy againe Thirdly call to thy minde how hee hath this day offered thee his Maiesties gratious pardon vpon thy willing accepting of it which for ought that either I or thou know he will neuer offer againe vnto thee Fourthly consider that at the Lord hath giuen thee a time so he hath giuen thee thy sences thy wittes thy memory which hee hath depriued others of and may thee also for ought thou knowest because thou hast made no better vse of them for his glory and thy owne saluation Therefore say Lord turne mee vnto thee and deliuer my soule enlighten my vnderstanding from this grosse darkenesse free my desires from these iron chaines from these massie fetters of sin that I may turne vnto thee in the seasonable time of health and strength and not deferre the great and waightie worke of my repentance vntill either by long custome of sin or by debility of body or minde or both I shall not be able to think vpon thee But some will obiect what is there no hope of saluation for him that repenteth at the last houre Answer I will not say saith Saint Augustine he shall be saued I will not say he shall be dāned You wil say the theefe was saued at the very last cast of life Luke 23.43 or some short time before he departed from the crosse to paradise Answer I confesse that the scripture speaketh of such a one crucified at the right hand of the son of God who crauing with faith mercy to saluation receiued this answer to day shalt thou be with me in paradise Hee was called at the eleuenth houre at the poynt of the twelfe when hee was now dying and drawing on and therefore his conuersion was altogether miraculous and extraordinary And there was a speciall reason why our Sauiour Christ would haue him to be then called that while he was in suffering he might shew forth the vertue of his passion that all which saw the one might also acknowledge the other Now it is not good for any man to make an ordinary rule of an extraordinary example and besides the scripture speakes but of one that was so saued and it speakes of another in that very place and at that very instant that was damned And herevpon a father saith we reade of one that no man should despaire and but of one that no man should presume And vpon this also Origen writeth thus there is no man hath cause to despaire of pardon seeing Christ said vnto the theefe verily this day thou shalt be with me in paradise and yet may not too much presume of pardon because Christ said not verely this day shall yee be with me in paradize This example therefore is a medicine onely against desperation and no cloake for sinne And therefore let vs remember before we sinne that Christ pardoned not the multitude and thereby feare his iustice and after wee haue sinned let vs remember that Christ pardoned the theefe and so hope for mercy Etsi poenitentia est sera tamen indulgentia non est fera Saith Lombard Gods mercy is aboue our misery and an euening sacrifice is accepted by him yet on the other side we neuer reade that Christ cured one blind man often that hee healed the same leapers diuers times that he raised Lazarus twice Marke well saith one what I say that a man which repenteth not but at his latter end shall be damned I doe not say so what then doe I say He shall be saued No. What then doe I say I say I know not I say I presume not I promise not will thou then deliuer thy selfe out of this doubt Wilt thou escape this dangerous poynt Repent thou then whilst thou art whole for if thou repent whilst thou art in health whensoeuer the last day of all commeth vpon thee thou art safe for that thou didst repent in that time when thou mightest yet haue sinned but if thou wilt repent when thou canst sinne no longer thou leauest not sinne but sinne leaueth thee One being demaunded when it was time to repent answered one day before our Death but when it was replyed that no man knew that day he said begin then to day for feare of fayling and boast not of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth many pretend to mend all in time and this time is so deferred from day to day vntill God in whose hands onely all times consist doth shut them out of all time and send them to paines
him to be released and if your selfe belong to God it is best for you also at this time to loose him best I say in the wisdome of God and to some end although not so in your owne reason which seeth not so farre and in all respects best Now thinke with your selfe thus much if you had done good to one and pleasured him much and all the friends he hath or any of them should crie out for it would it not grieue you surely it would grieue you so much the more by how much that vnthankefull dislike should be more vehement and last long So it is with God and therefore see what you doe and whom you moue to anger The Apostles words are plaine All things worke for the best vnto them that feare God if you beleue it and also thinke of your dead friend and your selfe God the holy Ghost who cannot lye concludeth that the same was best both for him and you which now is come to passe When good is done we should not grieue and when the best is done much lesse should we grieue for God calleth him out of this life when he is at his best if he be good that hee turne not to euill if euill that hee waxe not worse Away then with sorrow and sowre lookes and let the Lord for his mercie receiue your thankes from faithfull content and not murmuring and repining from vnbridled affections not onely good is done but the best euen the very best by the best that onely knowes what is best and it should appease and satisfie you God is no lyer neither can he be deceiued but if one houres life might haue been better either for him or you then is not the best done and then the Apostles words are not true but that were wicked once to imagine so Therefore no longer life would haue profited him or you but the very best is done blessed therefore be God for his goodnesse euer Fourthly I consider what the same Apostle saith in another place I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 which is best of all And I aske of you whether your selfe do not the like as you are able if you doe not you are yet ouer earthly and further in loue with this wicked and sinfull world then you should be If you doe it why then grieue you that your friend hath obtained that which you desire this will seeme rather enuie then loue in you to conceiue dislike for ones well doing What againe if your friend wish as the Apostle doth long before he obtained his request and now the Lord hath granted what he so heartily wished this is mercie to be reioyced for and not any miserie to bee wept for A true friend acknowledgeth a debt for the pleasuring of his friend and is not mooued with anger or griefe for the same stay then your teares if you will bee iudged a friend and neither grudge to God the companie of his child nor to the child the presence of his God because this is wicked Thinke of the glorie company immortalitie and ioy and comfort with the blessed Trinity and all the hoste of heauen that now your friend enioyeth thinke of the woes and miseries in this wretched vale of teares from which he is freed and then iudge you if the Apostle say not true that it is best to be loosed and to be with Christ If this best bee now at this instant fallen to your good friend by Gods good mercie blesse God for it and comfort your self that your friend enioyeth such endlesse ioy and comfort and thereby shall you shew your selfe a friend indeed and all that are godly and wise cannot but thinke well of you Againe the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 5.6.8 That we know that whilest wee are at home in the bodie we are absent from the Lord therefore we loue rather to remoue out of the bodie and to dwell with the Lord. From which absence from God your friend is freed and by presence and dwelling with God he is now blessed a true cause and a great cause as hath beene said of good content Then doe not you prouoke the Lord with vnthankfull teares sighes and groanes but stay that course which offendeth greatly and tread the steppes of all such as vpon the like occasion haue walked rightly by their discreet mourning Who are euer patient and moderate in sorrow repressing and ruling their affections and gaue them not a loose reine and so ought you Againe in the first Epistle to the Thessalonians it is said I would not haue you ignorant brethren concerning them that sleepe that yee sorrow not 1. Thess 4.13 as they which haue no hope Reade the place and examine your owne course whether you hope or no. First that your friend is well and then that Almightie God will supply his want to you some other way for both these are necessarie our friends are our comforts if they be good But if I tie God to them and thinke all is gone when they are gone where is my hope what pleasure to God so to trust in him that I trust more in my friends and cry out when they goe how shall I doe how shall I liue what ioy can I now haue Is this hope is this trust is this faith fie that euer affections and passions should carie any good child of God so far from his dutie and from true knowledge I say againe our friends are our comfort while the Lord lendeth them and when our friend returneth to his earth yet the Lord is in heauen where he euer was if I haue lost my father to be my father mother sister friend yea all in all to me whatsoeuer I want Therefore while he liueth which is and shall bee for euer I cannot be friendlesse though my friends die or depart from me but that either for one he will raise me vp another or himselfe supplie the place which is best of all Mourne not then I pray you as one without hope but hearken vnto the Apostle and shew foorth your faith hope and obedience vnto God to the glorie of God and your owne praise Againe wee read in the booke of Leuiticus Leuit. 10.3 that the sonnes of Aaron Nadab and Abihu were slaine by the Lord in his anger for their sinnefull presumption in offering vp strange fire which the Lord commanded them not which was a fearefull sight and spectacle to the fathers eyes to see two sonnes at once and in such sort dead Yet what did Aaron I pray you marke the text I will saith the Lord bee sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the people I will be glorified And Aaron saith the holy Ghost there held his peace And what an example is this if any thing may mooue you to stay your affections for the death of your friends Againe it is said in the booke of the Reuelation And I heard a voyce from heauen Reu. 14.13
world or for the losse of his life here in which losse hee shall haue abundant comfort he shall haue eternall life in the Kingdome of heauen Here are comforts for thee if thou haue or shall come in these cases into danger if thou retaine this resolution to lay downe thy life for God and his glory for Iesus Christ and his truth But there was neuer in thee any such resolution thou didst not loue God so well and thy selfe so ill as to dye for the truth for the glory of God for the name of Iesus thou didst neuer esteeme the Gospell true Religion and Righteousnesse at so high a price O vile man O vnworthy sinner wouldest thou not gratifie God with contempt of life and wilt thou gratifie the Deuill with it Wouldest thou not loose it for him that is the Trueth and wilt thou loose it for the Father of Lyes Was he not worthy in thy sight to bee serued with this manly resolution that gaue thee this life and for the losse of it is ready to recompence it with eternall life and is he worthy to bee serued with it that was euer an enemy to it and when hee hath spoyled thee of this life makes thee amends with a higher mischiefe to plunge thee in eternall death O monstrous absurditie to bee admitted amongst the professors of Christianity Pause a while and consider of this point that if it bee possible thou mayest bee recouered from this desperate purpose Thinke what it is to haue helde God off at the staues end and neuer to haue yeelded in thine heart to dye for his loue though hee gaue thee life to lose one drop of bloud for his sake though he filled thy veines to haue thy breath stopped for his glory though it was hee that breathed into thy nostrels the breath of life and made thee a liuing soule yet to embrace the Deuill in thy bosome as if he were thy God to tell him that hee shall haue thy life thy bloud shall flowe for his sake if thou gette a sword or knife that thou wilt strangle thy selfe and stop thy breath for his loue If thou canst get a halter Where is thy wisedome that resoluest so foolishly thy Iustice to resolue so iniuriously thy loue to God and thine owne soule to whom thou owest thy loue to God to procure his glory to thy soule to procure the saluation of it that dost resolue so hatefully For more foolishly for himselfe more iniuriously against God and more hatefully against both himselfe and God Did euer any man conclude and resolue in any thing then thou doest in this most foolishly determine for thy selfe that runnest into that destruction from which thou shouldest flie with all possible speed as the Israelites fled from the tents of Korah and his company when the earth swallowed them vp and most vniustly thou dealest with God to take that which is his without his leaue for wee are his and not our owne they are the words of the Apostle Paul 1. Cor. 6.19.20 Yee are not your owne and a little after speaking of our bodies and spirites he sayth they are Gods And before his face without any feare or reuerence of him to destroy them both at one instant For thou destroyest the body in killing it and thou destroyest thy soule that must perish for that murther and most hatefully thou proceedest against God and thy selfe in this resolution hatefully against God in destroying his Creature and hatefully against thy selfe in destroying thy selfe The Fact of the Philistines in stopping vp the wels that Abraham had digged to the end that Isaacke his son should not vse them for his cattle is interpreted to bee an euidence of their hatred Isaacke saying vnto them Gen. 26.27 Wherfore come yee vnto mee seeing yee hate me How much more must thy fact be interpreted to bee an euidence of hatred against God and thine owne soule that fillest vp and choakest the Well of life that God digged and opened for thy vse and desirest to water at the pit of death and hell where thou shalt not obtaine one droppe of water to coole thy tongue when thou art in torments Luk. 16.24 How commeth it to passe among deceyued men that when as in the case of suffering for God where death is accompanied with comfort and rewarded with glorie they shrinke and feare as for their liues withdrawing them selues which then are sweet vnto them and death bitter and in this case of laying violent hands vpon themselues where death is accompanied with terrour and shall bee rewarded with eternall damnation here they step forth are desperately bold life being bitter vnto them death sweet This is a daungerous errour wherein the Deuill the ancient Murderer hath beene their Counsellour the Giuer of Life neuer perswaded thereunto the very fact bewrayeth from what head that sinne came euen from him that laboureth by all meanes the destuction of mankind Lay these things together and I hope the thing that thou art resolued to doe will appeare so foule and odious before thee that thy resolution will alter and vanish away And the most mighty preseruer change thy minde by his sanctifying Spirite and blesse thee from this fearefull ruine Obiect But what if one that hath professed sincerely the true Religion of the Gospell should through terrour of conscience and for very anguish of heart despayre and in that case should make away himselfe What may bee thought of the estate of such a one Master Foxe in his booke of Acts and Monuments Acts and Monuments 1708. 1709. in the lamentable Storie of Master Iames Hales a Iudge sayth that this iudge graunting to something by the assault and craftie perswasion of Stephen Gardiner Bishoppe of Winchister and of the rest of the persecuting Prelates beeing by theyr greatnesse and importunitie ouercome did shortly after call him selfe to better remembrance and with extreame griefe and anguish of heart hee was ready with his Pen-knife to haue killed himselfe in prison and had no doubt so done had not the mercifull prouidence of the Lord rescued him miraculously at that time After that Winchester hearing that hee had sore wounded himselfe taketh occasion thereby to blaspheme the Gospell calling it openly in the Starre-Chamber the Doctrine of Desperation But the sayd Iudge within a while after recouering of those wounds and deliuered out of prison gets himselfe home to his house in Kent where hee eyther for the greatnesse of his sorrow or for lacke of good counsell or for that hee would auoide the necessity of hearing Masse hauing all things set in an order a good while before that appertained to his Testament casting himselfe into a shallow riuer was drowned therin which was in Ianuary or February 2555. which vnhappy chance of this so worthy a Iudge as M. Foxe sayth was surely the cause of great sorrow and griefe to all good men and it gaue occasion besides to some Diuines to doubt with themselues whether he
and shunne him because he would else soone make his filth cleaue vnto vs. So wicked and vngodly persons do set their sinnes as markes vpon those with whom they company and disperse and scatter their filth where they come and leaue a print or badge of their prophanesse behind them and shall wee sit so close vnto them who haue so plunged themselues in the myre of sin who should rather labour eyther to draw them out of filthinesse or withdraw our selues that we proue not as loathsome and filthy as they are Should we not rather say If any will be filthie let him be filthy still by himselfe If any will bee vniust let him be vniust still by himselfe If any will be beastly let him be beastly alone The filthie person and beastly man shall not haue me for a companion Heb. 10.38 My soule shall haue no pleasure in him And as saith the Prouerbes of the Ancients Wickednesse proceedeth of the wicked 1 Sam. 24.13 but mine hand shall not be vpon thee We cannot alwayes withdraw our selues and auoyde those that bee such yet we must in affection separate from them when we cannot in place but not delight to sitte downe with them on one stoole that is wee must not bee as they are Dauid had an eye to this blessed hope of being one of Christs attendants hereafter and therefore would not bee for all companies but professed himselfe to bee a companion onely of such as feared God Psal 119.63 I am a compani sayth he of all such as feare thee and of them that keepe thy precepts Hee would not hazard his fraile potsheard vpon the rocke of euill company for any thing And wherefore did Dauid say in one of his Psalmes Psal 26.4.5 I haue not sitten with vaine persons neyther will I goe in with dissemblers I haue hated the congregation of euill doers and will not sit with the wicked but because hauing fellowship with God he feared to haue any fellowship with the contemners of God and was perswaded that as God will not take the vngodly by the hand as Iob speaketh so none of Gods company should Iob. 8.20 Also he was loath to make them his companions on earth of whom he could haue no hope that they should bee his companions in heauen Wee are more inclinable to vice then to vertue so vice is more strong in the wicked then vertue in the good whereby it followeth that the societie of euil men is dangerous to the good and that as a hundred sound men shall sooner catch the plague from one infected person then hee recouer his health by them so the good are more often peruerted by the wicked then the wicked conuerted by the good and for this cause GOD loueth not to see his children amongst the wicked for this cause hee commanded his people to destroy the Inhabitants of the Countrey which they were to possesse Numb 16.26 lest by their societie they should bee drawne into their sinnes as afterwards they were indeede He commaunded also not to touch any creature that was vncleane and that whosoeuer toucheth a dead body should bee vncleane but no Creature is so vncleane as a sinner no death like to the death of sinne And therefore I will avoyde wicked men as the most vncleane of all liuing creatures and as the most loathsome of those which are dead I speake to the faithfull whom I would not haue to go out of the world to auoide the wicked that are in it 1 Cor. 5 9.10 11. but intreat by the tender mercies of â—od and of Christ to bee as carefull as they can to auoide them and their wicked assemblie and if they must vse them for necessity not to vse them as companions neyther to draw with them in any yoake of affection but rather to draw backe when the wicked are in place that they may not bee eye or eare-witnesses of their dayly dishonouring of God We are commaunded in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Thess 3.6 to withdraw our selues from euery brother that walketh disorderly All this may be done when we loue the men and hate the vices when we suffer them to haue no quietnesse in their sinnes and yet liue quietly and offer quietnesse to themselues Hee that will wholy abandon the company of them that are euill must as the Apostle sayth get himselfe out of the world 1 Cor. 5.10 and therefore Saint Ambrose sayeth fitlie to this purpose Wee ought to flie the company of wicked men in respect of priuate fellowshippe and not in respect of publike communion and that rather with our hearts and affections then with our bodies and outward actions wee may not hate our brother but loue him yet if we loue the Lord Leuit. 19.17 Psal 97.16 Rom. 12.18 wee must hate that which is euill where the Apostle sayth If it be possible as much as lyeth in you liue peaceably with all men We may haue no peace with the manners yet we must liue peaceably with the men Thus then in a word out of the words of the Apostle the controuersie may be decided If it bee possible so farre forth as may stand with our faith and profession as much as lyeth in you let vs doe our part and performe our best endeauour to liue peaceably if we cannot haue peace yet let vs liue peaceably with all men with the bad to reforme them with the good to conform our selues vnto them with our enemies to shunne them with our friends to keepe them And here is comfort for the children of God whom the wicked thrust out of their company and would if they could thrust out of the world because of their conscience to God Psal 38.20 and because they follow the thing that good is And hereof it is that the Wiseman saieth that Hee that is vpright in the way Prou. 29.27 is abomination to the wicked And hence it is also that the Prophet sayeth Hee that departeth from euill maketh himselfe a prey and the Lord saw it and it displeased him Esay 59.15 And though they bee not accepted where euill men beare sway which is no disparagement to them but glorie nor losse but gaine yet they are esteemed of the good and admired of the euill though not followed of them Doe the wicked hate them they shall loose nothing by such hatred for God and good men will loue them Will not the vnrighteous haue any fellowshippe with them It is so much the better for them for they are in lesse daunger of corruption and in more possibility of grace goodnes And where meÌ„ that be euil auoid them Christ his thousands of Angels wil stick close vnto theÌ„ Heb. 11.38 Those Worthies of whom wee reade in the Epistle to the Hebrewes were most cruelly dealt with all and persecuted in the World Of whom the world was not worthy for the wicked did driue them out of their companies by sharpe
miseries incident to the seueral ages of man are from the first comming vp vpon the stage of this world to the last act of going downe Eccles 1.14 in al parts of the life full of vanitie and vexation of spirit For the first entrance is our infancie when wee are in our nurses armes and doth not that begin with teares and feares And is not all that time vnhappie sauing that we want reason that is the vse thereof to apprehend that happinesse When we come out of our nurses armes to goe in their hands or to goe by our selues in our next age doe we not weepe long vnder the rod falling into the subiection of a teacher Amongst the ancient Romanes this was their manner and custome for their youth They let their children suck vntill they were two yeers old till they were foure yeeres old they let them play till sixe they taught them to reade till eight to write till ten they learne the Grammer When a boy was once ten yeeres old he was set straight way to some good trade and occupation or else sent to the warres which was a thing the Romanes gloried in most to bee good souldiers In all which ages they sustained great miseries being all this time vnder Tutors and Gouernours When we come out of the prison of boyes and girles and are set at some more libertie in a yong mans life are wee not tossed as vpon a sea of vnquietnesse sailing betweene reason and passion as between two contrary waters and crosse winds Then commeth perfect age or mans age and what haue wee heere but blastes and stormes of greater vnrest then in any age before From one trauaile we passe to another neuer ending but changing our miseries And when we come to old age and haue liued so long that we are come to dotage is there any thing in these ages exempt from miserie and trauaile that is vnder the Sunne Surely our infirmities do then come vpon vs in multitudes yea so loade vs with their waight and number that they make vs to bowe and goe double vnder them vnto the earth And can there be any comfort in these diseases as I may call them and dayes of euill wherein doe meete and flocke together so many vultures of life the weakenesse of infancie the seruitude of childehood the sicknesse of youth the cares of mans age All which come againe and come all together as many stormes vpon one poore old ruinous house that is sore shaken alreadie by death violently to ouerthrow it for euer Heere the excesse and ryot of youth is exercised with gouts palsies and sundrie fearefull aches the watching and cares of manhood are punished with losse of sight of hearing and of sence except the sence of paine There is no part of man which death in that age of yeares doth not take in hope to be assured of him as of a bad pay-master which greatly feareth and would gladly put off his dayes of payment And therefore it bringeth him low in all parts that he may haue power in none to auoid his Creditor and end so neere And touching the miseries incident to the seuerall ages of man the Prophet Ieremie crieth out How is it that I came out of the wombe to see labour and sorrow Ier. 20.18 that my dayes should be consumed with shame How much more cause haue we miserable creatures to crie out of our calamities and miseries who were conceiued and borne in sinne seeing the Prophet complained so much 51.5 Ier. 1.5 being sanctified in his mothers wombe O vaine miserable and vnhappie men before we sinne we are straite fastened to sinne and before we can offend wee are fast bound with offence Consider O man from whence thou camest blush whither thou goest and feare where thou liuest We are begotten in vncleannesse brought foorth with paines and throwes and nourished in darknesse Wee begin our tragedie with nakednesse and weeping we continue with paine and vexation and take our farewell with sorrow and miserie Our beginning is lamentable our continuance wretched and our departure grieuous The whole life of man is beset and incountred with three capitall enemies Paine Care and Sorrow Paine pincheth vs Care consumeth vs and Sorrow endeth vs. There is no age of man free from affliction calamitie and miserie And to begin againe with the miseries of infancie behold in his birth intollerable is his mothers paine and infinite are the infants calamities who commeth into the world crying and weeping poore and naked weake and miserable without speech without knowledge or strength no sooner is the babe borne but straight is hee bound hand and foote and cast into a cradle as into a prison prefiguring the seruitude hee is to suffer In his childhood he beginneth to warre with the lacke of reason and to fight against his owne folly not knowing what hee is where hee is whence nor for what hee came into the world Now must he be kept vnder the feare of the rod and learne some Liberall Science or some Mechanicall Arte or Trade whereby to maintaine his fraile life hereafter if hee continue it Then commeth youth rash head-strong voluptuous ventrous foolish prodigall passionate In this age he commeth into great dangers fighting against the desires of the flesh against fond affections and vaine imaginations which cause the minde to wauer and bee inconstant and to bee carried away with sundrie phantasies In this age hee becommeth a drunkard a gamester a quarreller a loose liuer and oftentimes to be cast into prison to bee hanged and to lose all that hee hath and to be a great griefe vnto his parents Gen. 42.38 in causing them thereby to end their dayes in sorrow in the sence and feeling whereof the Prophet crieth vnto God saying Psal 25.7 Remember not the sinnes of my youth Afterward as he hath to encounter with manhood to which age is incident the charge of wife children the maintenance of family and care of posterity He that is maried saith the Apostle careth for the things that are of the world 1. Cor. 7.33 how he may please his wife Sometimes he is besieged with a desire and carking care and couetousnesse somtime with feare to lose his goods and other infinite such vanities and afflictions Then lastly commeth old age stealing on vnperceiued yea gray haires saith the Prophet are heere and there vpon him Hos 7.9 Ioel 1.2 yet hee knoweth it not In this age man receiues many incurable wounds as baldnesse bleared eyes deafe cares wrinckled browes stinking breath trembling hands faint spirits leane cheekes corruption of stomacke with like miseries innumerable which neuer leaue to wound the bodie disquiet the minde and torment the conscience And thus are wee tossed all the dayes of our life with griefe compassed with cares and ouerwhelmed with miseries and calamities And therefore Plato well obserued that a man is Arbor inuersa a tree turned vpward his haire of his head the root the
not in the fadom of mans head to tell or heart to know how neere or farre off the day is onely God knoweth and Christ as God in what yeare month day and moment this frame shall goe downe In an age long since the day was neere now the houre is neere but curiositie is to be auoided in a coÌ„cealed matter in this forbidden tree of knowledge For secret things saith Moses Deut. 29.29 belong vnto the Lord our God Many men beate their heades about friuolous matters some saith Chrysostome being more busie to know where hell is then to auoide the paines of it others pleasing themselues in pelting and needlesse questions as this is to seeme singular amongst men neglecting in the meane time this dutie of their preparation for their end and such necessary things But when they come to their departing they shall finde that they haue beaten their braines about fruitlesse matters and wearied themselues in vaine It is sufficient for vs therefore to know that such a day will come and it shall bee wisdome in vs alwaies to bee readie for it that it come not vpon vs as the snare vpon the bird vnlooked for Therefore our Sauiour Christ saith Luk. 12.34.35 take heede to your selues lest at any time your hearts be ouercharged with surfetting and drunkennes and cares of this life and so that day come vpon you vnawares for as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the earth Thirdly if wee knew the day houre or certaine time of our death wee would put off all tiâ—l the comming of that day and it would giue vs too great boldnes and incouragement to wallow in all manner of sinne till that time or houre came The whorish woman because shee knew the iust time when her husband would returne who went into a farre Countrey did the more liberally power out her soule to sinne and wantonnesse Pro. 7.19.20 For the good man saith shee is not at home hee is gone along iourney hee hath taken a bagge of money with him and will come home at the day appoynted Fourthly and lastly It is therefore vnknowne to vs when wee shall dye to the end that all the dayes of our appoynted time wee may waite for this day and all our time looke for this last time and prepare our selues for it Argus as is fained had his head inuironed with an hundred watching eies signifiing thus much vnto vs that he was euery way indued with great wisedome prouidence and singular discretion Therefore if a pagan and Heathen man so excelled in wisedome and prouidence how much rather ought a Christian man to be well furnished with wisedome circumspection for his latter end Be thou therfore an other Argus nay more wary then he more wise and prouident then he more watchfull circumspect then hee that thou mayst learne to know to vnderstand and finally to prouide for thy last end Gregory vpon the watches mentioned by our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell of Marke in these words Mark 13.35.36.37 Watch yee therefore for yee know not when the Master of the house commeth at euen or at midnight or at the cock-crowing or in the morning lest comming suddenly he finde you sleeping and what I say vnto you I say vnto all watch he saith that there be foure watches in a mans whole life wherein it behoueth him to be vigilant and carefull and as a wakefull and warie watchman to keepe his watch and so prepare himselfe for his end The first is childhood the second youth the third manhood the fourth old age In all which ages he must prepare himselfe for death but he which remissâ—ly passeth ouer his childhood without this preparation and watchfulnesse let him be more carefull of his watch in his youth and pray as it is in Ieremie Ier. 3.4 My father be thou the guide of my youth If he hath passed his youth dissolutely let him be more carefull of his watch in his manhood And if hee hath passed ouer his manhood carelessely let him in any case looke to his last watch of his old age Nay if we prepare not for death before we come to this last watch of old age to which verie few doe attaine it is so fraile weake and feeble and decayed by the custome of sinne that it is an age not so fit for this preparation and watchfulnesse For at such an age men for the most part are like to the Idols of the Heathen Psal 115.4.5.6.7 which haue mouthes but speake not eyes but see not eares but heare not c. Therefore put not off this preparation and watchfulnesse to thy old age which is thy dotage but be thou watchfull and prepared in thy childhood youth manhood Eccl. 12.1 Remember now thy Creator saith the Preacher in the daies of thy youth while the euill dayes come not nor the yeares draw nigh when thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them Wherfore not without cause our Sauiour Christ crieth so often in the Gospell Matth. 24.42 Mar. 13.32.33 Take yee heed watch and pray because yee know not the day nor the houre nor when the time is the which is as much as if he had more plainely said because yee know not that yeere watch every yeere because yee know not that moneth watch euery moneth because yee know not that day watch euery day and because yee know not that houre watch euery houre That is to say watch continually yeares moneths dayes houres yea all your life if you haue a care of euerlasting life And let your loynes saith our Sauiour Christ be girded about and your lights burning Luke 12 35.36.37.38 and yee your selues like vnto men that waite for their Lord when he will returne from the wedding that when he commeth and knocketh they may open to him immediately Blessed are those seruants whom the Lord when he commeth shall finde watching Verily I say vnto you that hee shall girde himselfe and make them to sit downe to meate and will come forth and serue them And if he shall come in the second watch or in the third and finde them so blessed are those seruants Prou. 19.20 Therefore heare my counsell and receiue instruction that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end The end of the third Diuision THE FOVRTH DIVISION OF THE RIGHT BEHAVIOVR IN DEATH THis behauiour is nothing else but a religious and holy behauiour especially toward God when we are in or neere the agonie and pangs of death Which behauiour containes foure especiall duties The first is to die in or by faith And to die by faith is when a man in the time of death doth with all his heart wholly rely himselfe on Gods especiall loue fauour mercie in Christ as it is reuealed in his holy word And though there be no part of mans life void of iust occasions whereby he may put faith in practise yet the speciall time
of the wicked Barbarians as we may reade in the Acts of the Apostles Act. 28.3 4.5.6 This rash censuring and iudging was also the sinne of the wicked Iewes as we may reade in the Gospell of Saint Luke Luke 13.1.2.3.4.5 wherein they did vtter a secret corruption naturally ingendered in all men that is very sharpely to see into the sinnes of others and seuerely to censure them but in the meane time to flatter themselues and be blind-fold in seeing their owne for these men thought because the like iudgements did not fall on themselues that therefore they were safe enough and not so great sinners but rather highly in the fauour of God euen as many in the world doe now adaies falsely imagine and suppose that they are alwayes the worst sort of people whom God doth most strike and presse with his punishing hand hauing forgotten that God doth not keepe an ordinary rate heere below to punish euery man as he is worst or to cocker and fauour him as he is best but onely taketh some example as hee thinketh good for the instruction and aduertisement of others and to be as it were looking-glasses wherein euery man may see his owne face yea and his owne cause handled and that God is a seuere reuenger of sinne that all men may learne by the example of some to tremble and beware lest they bee constrained in their owne turnes to know and feele the punishment they haue deserued Whereupon our Sauiour Christ is iustly occasioned to correct their erroneous and sinister iudgement and to teach them that they must not reioyce at the iust punishment of others For this is the propertie of the wicked as appeareth in the book of the Lamentations where it is said All mine enemies haue heard of my trouble Lam. 1.21 they are glad that thou hast done it but he that is glad saith the Wise-man at calamities Prou. 17.5 shall not be vnpunished but he should rather be instructed thereby to repent And to all such barbarous vnchristian and vncharitable censurers of the children of God the Lord by his Prophet saith Loe I begin to bring euill vpon the Citie which is called by my name Ier. 25.29 and should yee be vtterly vnpunished Ier. 49.12 Yee shall not be vnpunished And againe Behold they whose iudgement was not to drinke of the cup haue assuredly drunken and art thou he thou he that shalt goe altogether vnpunished Thou shalt not goe vnpunished 1. Pet. 4.17.18 but shalt surely drinke of it And the Apostle saith The time is come that iudgement must begin at the house of God And if it first begin at vs what shall the end be of them that obay not the Gospell of God Therefore iudge not thus rashly of those that are thus grieuously handled in this manner but think thy selfe as bad a sinner if not worse and that the like defects may befall thee and thinke some great temptation befell them and that thy selfe shouldest be worse if the like temptation should befall thee and giue God thankes that as yet the like hath not happened vnto thee The fift obiection is this When a man is most neere death then the deuill is most busie in temptation and the more man is assaulted by Sathan the more dangerous is his case and therefore it may seeme that the day of death is the worst day of all Answ The condition of Gods children in earth is twofold some are not tempted and othersome are Some are not tempted I say as Simeon Luk. 2.29,30 who as we read in the Gospel of S. Luke when he had seene his Sauiour Christ brake foorth into these words Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation foresignifying no doubt that hee should end his dayes in all maner of peace And as Abraham Gen. 15.15 For thou shalt goe as God said vnto him vnto thy fathers in peace and be buried in a good old age And as Iosiah that good king Behold therefore saith the Lord vnto him I wil gather thee vnto thy fathers 2. Kings 22.20 and thou shalt be gathered vnto thy graue in peace and thine eyes shall not see all the euill which I will bring vpon this place And as for them that are tempted as diuers of Gods children are subiect thereunto though their case be very troublesome yet their saluation is not the further off for God is then more specially present by the vnspeakable comfort of his holy Spirit and when we are most weake he is most strong in vs because his maner is to shew his power in our weaknesse An example whereof we haue in the Apostle S. Paul who was greatly assaulted and tempted by Sathan And lest I should saith he be exalted aboue measure 2. Cor. 12.7,8,9 through the abundance of the reuelation there was giuen to me a thorne in the flesh the messenger of Sathan to buffet me lest I should bee exalted aboue measure For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me and hee said vnto mee my grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weaknesse And for this cause euen in the time of death the deuill receiueth the greatest foile when he lookes for the greatest victory The sixt and last obiection is this that violent and sudden death is a grieuous curse and of all euils which befall in this life none is so terrible therefore it may seeme that the day of such a kind of death is most miserable I answere It is true indeed that such death as is sudden is a curse and grieuous iudgement of God and therfore not without good cause feared of men in this world Yet all things considered we ought to be more afraid of an impenitent and euill life then of sudden death For though it be euill as death it selfe in it owne nature is yet wee must not thinke it to be simply euill because it is not euill to all men nor in all respects euill I say it is not euill to all men considering that no kind of death is euill or a cursâ— vnto them that are ingrafted in Christ for that they are free in him from the whole curse of the lawe Reu. 14.13 Blessed are they saith the Sonne of God that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Whereby it is signified that they which depart this life being members of Christ Iesus of what death soeuer they die yea though their death be neuer so sudden and violent doe enter into euerlasting ioy and felicitie Psal 116.15 Againe Precious in the sight of the Lord saith the Psalmist is the death of his Saints Their death therefore be it neuer so sudden or otherwise must needes be precious yea though death commeth vpon the children of God neuer so sharpely Prou. 14.32 and suddenly yet the righteous
saying vnto me Write Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their workes follow them Your friend is dead in the Lord and therefore blessed will you then weepe and lament for him his workes follow him and the Lord in mercie hath crowned his obedience according to his promise and will you looke awry at it God forbid Againe consider with your selfe that your friends walk with God and are gone to their heauenly Father in peace they are gathered vnto their people they are not dead but sleepe and their flesh resteth in hope they are gone the way of all flesh and doe now behold the face of God in heauen and what cause of sorrow is this to any friend that loueth them If your friend were discharged and released out of prison and miserie and preferred to the palace of an earthly prince and to his Court to his great and exceeding ioy and content would you shewe your loue and contentment toward him in bewailing the same how much lesse then should you lament his preferment into Gods euerlasting Court and kingdome to his vnspeakable ioy and comfort Thus may you gather many places of holy Scripture and on this sort meditate on them For sweet is the word of God against all sorrowes and griefes and by name against this But it may happily be obiected it is your child that is dead and it died before it could well be baptized this grieueth me more then otherwise it would and so you feare your childs estate Answ God forbid that we should either speake or think so seeing the Lord neuer said so but contrariwise the Scripture witnesseth that they are in the Couenant of God and so in state of saluation so soone as they are borne and Baptisme doth not make them Christians that were none before but is the Sacrament the seale the signe the badge of them that are Christians before Besides it is not the want of the Sacrament that depriueth a man of Gods fauour for the children of the Israelites were not circumcised all those fortie yeeres which they liued in the wildernesse the reason whereof was because they were euer to remoue and iourney whensoeuer the pillar of the cloud that was their guide ascended and went forward Numb 9.18 c. so that they were alwaies to attend vpon the cloude both night and day not knowing when it would remooue and therefore could not circumcise their children in the wildernesse as yee may read Iosh 5.2 c. but it is the contemning or despising of the Sacrament that depriueth men of Gods fauour when they make no more account of it then Esau did of his birth-right Gen. 25.32 then Ahaz did of the Lords helpe Esay 7. and it is also the neglecting of it when God offereth time and opportunitie that we might haue it Againe the Lord neuer said that whosoeuer died vncircumcised or vnbaptized should be wiped out of the booke of life but hee hath said Gen. 17.12.14 that whosoeuer contemneth or carelesly neglecteth the Sacraments shal be cut off from among his people And so read you the notes vpon that seuenteenth chapter of Genesis and I hope they shall content you for this matter God is not tyed to the Sacrament nor euer was The contempt hurteth but not the want when it is against your will Obiect Happily your child was of ripe yeeres and withall so toward that it could not be but that he should come to some great place and preferment if he had liued both for the good of himself and his friends and that he in his youth and the flower of his age should thus bee taken away is a great losse say you Answer True it is that the losse is great in respect of the world but what is that if we consider God God is also able to supplie all that some other way if we take it well This is apparant that what good or preferment could haue come to him any way or to his friends if he had liued the Lord for some purpose as yet happily hidden hath preuented but yet his arme is not shortened as I said to doe vs good some other way but it might perhaps prooue otherwise contrarie to our expectation if he had liued longer and then it would haue beene a great griefe vnto vs. But admit that it would haue beene as you hope if he had liued longer yet he is more highly preferred euen to the highest heauens and to the presence of God and this no earthly preferment can match And except we be wholy earthly our selues we cannot but sauour this and not let his youth grieue vs for no youth nor age is too good for God when he is pleased to take them A foole or a child seeing a goodly cluster of grapes thinketh it pitie to put them into the presse to deface them but he that is wise knoweth that thereby the liquour which is in them is preserued and that this timely gathering is a meanes to keepe them from corruption So we thinke sometime Oh it is great pitie such a one should die so soone so towardly a youth so good a creature can hardly be spared but God in his wisedome knoweth it to be good And if he cut off the life of that good and godly king Iosiah as it were in the middle of the stemme 2. Kings 22.20 doubtlesse it is for this cause that his eies may not see the manifold euils to come If you will be ruled to weigh things with reason you may well see mercie euen in this timely death for many are the perils both of bodie and soule that young men auoid when they are taken hence false doctrine heresies errours and many grieuous sinnes wounding the very conscience with a biting worme that euer gnaweth publike calamities and ruine of state many priuate miseries great and grieuous which no man can thinke of beforehand more bitter to good men then any death from all which this happie deliuerance in time of youth doth free your child and set him safe that you shall neuer mourne with him nor for him that way And herein we haue Dauid an example of godly fortitude who hauing a child sicke did while it liued afflict his soule besought God for the child and fasted and wen◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and lay all night vpon the earth and would not be comforted Thus while there was hope of remedie he gaue way to the sorrow of his heart 2. Sam. 12.16 but when Dauid perceiued that the child was dead then he arose from the earth and washed and anointed himselfe and changed his apparell and came into the house of the Lord and worshipped and after came to his owne house and bad that they should set bread before him and he did eate His sorrow ended when he once saw there was no hope of enioying any longer the companie of his child Now this course seemed vnto
his seruants a new and strange kind of Philosophie that he shold mourn in the danger of death and yet reioice or at least comfort himselfe with any content in death And therefore his seruants said vnto him What thing is this that thou hast done 2. Sam. 12.21 thou diddest fast and weepe for the child while it was aliue but now he is dead thou doest arise and eate meat And what reason had hee for this strange and vnwonted behauiour He said While the child was aliue I fasted and wept for I sayd Who can tell whether God will haue mercie on me that the child may liue but now being dead wherefore shall I fast Can I bring him againe any more I shall goe to him but hee shall not returne to mee any more Behold the same thing that maketh thee to mourne namely that thy dead shall not returne to thee the very same consideration Dauid made the ground of his quiet and content And thereupon he comforted his heart and would not continue in heauinsse for that which could not bee helped So that it is to a right vnderstanding man ground inough to build content and quietnesse of heart vpon that God hath done his worke which thy sorrow cannot reuoke But peraduenture it will be here obiected that afterward when Dauid heard of his sonne Absolons death hee did so greatly lament and bewaile the same that hee would in no sort bee comforted quite contrarie to that which before hee practized for it is said that he was much mooued 2. Sam. 18.33 and went vp to the chamber ouer the gate and wept as he went saying O my sonne Absolon my sonne my sonne Absolon would God I had died for thee O Absolon my sonne my sonne For the answering of this obiection and your better satisfaction herein wee are to vnderstand that Dauid knew that he had a wicked and rebellious sonne of the estate of whose saluation he had great cause to doubt because he died in rebellion which indeed may seeme to bee the principall cause of his exceeding sorrow and lamentation and not so much for the death of his sonne as for that cause But of his childe he beleeued that he died in the state of grace and so was made partaker of saluation which was the cause that he was comforted presently after his death saying that his son should not returne but that he himselfe should goe to him Euen so in like manner if we feare the estate of our childe or friend that is dead then indeed haue wee great cause to weepe mourne and lament for him as Dauid did heere for Absolon but if we haue no such feare and do hope well and the best of the estate of our childe or friend then must wee with Dauid comfort our selues and say But now he is dead wherefore should I fast and weepe can I bring him back againe I shall goe to him but he shall not returne to me Let them mourne for their dead that know not the hope of the dead and suppose them extinct that are departed But let them that in the Schoole of Christ haue learned what is the condition hope of the dead how their soules doe presently liue with Christ and that their bodies shall be raised vp in glorie at the last day let them reioyce on the behalfe of their dead Amos 8.10 and throw off that burden of sorrow which is so heauie vnto them But you will say he was my onely childe and therefore his death must needs be grieuous Zach. 12.10 Indeed the death of an onely childe is very great and grieuous to parents and a cause of great heauinesse and lamentation yet remember that Abraham was readie to haue sacrificed his only sonne Isaak Gen. 22.3.10 the promised seede at Gods commandement Iohn 3.26 And God gaue his only Sonne Christ Iesus to death for our saluation And to comfort you to the full as Elkanah said to Anna so also much more may the Lord say to vs 1. Sam. 1.18 Am not I better to you then ten sonnes Then though hee bee your only childe and all that you haue there is no iust cause of complaint and griefe seeing the Lord hath taken but his owne and also seeing in his taking of him you giue him but as your pledge and earnest to binde vnto you the right of that inheritance that you expect or as your feoffee in trust gone before to take possession and keepe a place for you in heauen Trust me now or else the time will come when you shall trust me that you haue cause and cause againe to lament and mourne not for them who dying in the Lord are happie with the Lord and rest from all their labours and miseries but as Christ said in the Gospell to the woman that followed him Weepe not for me but weepe for your selues and your children Luke 23.28 so we for our selues and our children for hauing been safe by them and strengthned through them they are taken away from the plague wee lye open to it and it commeth the faster because they which kept it from vs are remoued And the greater our losse is the greater is their gaine and the more cause haue we to sorrow for our selues although to reioyce on their behalfe and to lament for our sinnes that haue depriued vs of their graces goodnesse prayers and holy company and let vs follow them in their faith vertue pietie godlinesse and good workes And yet if for all this their losse the want of their presence be grieuous vnto you and that you still desire their presence and would see them let me speake to you as Chrysostome did to some that were so affected Doe you desire to see them then liue a like vnto them and so you shall soone enioy their holy and comfortable presence but if you refuse so to doe neuer looke to enioy or see them againe It is written of Ierome that when he had read the life and death of Hillarion and saw that after he had liued religiously he died most comfortably and happily said Well Hillarion shall be the champion whom I will imitate euen so let vs say with Ierome Well this godly friend of ours which is deceased shall be our champion whom we will imitate we will follow his chastitie iustice pietie and godlinesse And so if you endeauour and doe say and performe you shall be sure to enioy that in future time which hee possesseth in the present that is heauenly and eternall blisse and happinesse What Pilgrime doth not make speed to returne home into his owne countrie Who hasting to saile homewards doth not wish for a prosperous winde that he may speedily embrace his long desired friends and parents and what are we but pilgrimes on earth what is our country but Paradise who are our parents but the Patriarkes Why make we not hast to runne vnto them that we may see our countrie salute our parents an
vngodly wiues it is sayd that they were a griefe of mind vnto Isaack and her because they knew that God was greatly dishonoured thereby Gen. 27.46 therefore Rebecca sayde to Isaacke I am wearie of my life because of the daughters of Heth and if Iacob take a wife of them such as those that are of the daughters of the land what good shall my life doe mee In this case also the Prophet Eliah desired death for he seeing the Idolatrous practises of the Israelites and the strange cruelties of Ahab and Iezabel against the Prophets and seruants of the Lord and how they had forsaken the Lords couenants 1. Kin. 19.3.4 cast downe his Altars and slayne his Prophets with the sword and that they did also seeke his life to take it away therefore through the greate zeale which he had to the glorie of God that hee might not see these abominations wherewith the Lord was so much dishonoured by them It is sayde That hee requested for himselfe that hee might dye and said it is inough now O Lord 2 King 2.11,12 take away my life for I am not better then my Fathers And afterwards as we reade God graunted vnto him more then he did desire for the Lord tooke him away vp into Heauen in a whirlewinde which taking vp of Eliah after this sort into heauen was farre better and more easie for him then the ordinary common death of all men Who can expresse what a griefe it is to the childe of God to bee inclosed and compassed about with wicked and vngodly miscreants by whom God is all the day long blasphemed and dishonoured What a torture and torment it is to such as feare the Lord and are godly minded to liue in the midst of a froward peruerse and crooked generation continually prouoking Gods wrath by reason of their wicked liues and deedes It would make a mans heart to bleed to heare consider how swearing blaspheming cursed speaking rayling slandering quarrelling contending ieasting mocking scoffing flattering lying dissembling vaine corrupt filthy scolding scurrilous loose and idle talking that ouerflow in all places so that men that feare God had better bee any where then in the company of most men This made the Prophet Dauid to crie out and say Ps 120.5.6.7 Woe is mee that I soiourne in Mesech that I dwell in the tents of Kedar my soule hath too long dwelt with him that hateth peace I am for peace but when I speake they are for warre Lot was fore vexed and grieued with the vncleane conuersation of the wicked and therefore it is sayd that the Lord deliuered iust Lot vexed with the filthy conuersation of the wicked 2. Pet. 2.7.8 for that righteous man dwelling amongst them in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their vnlawfull deeds As the World in all ages heretofore hath not knowne the pure and straight paths of God so in these present euill dayes of ours the true and right Profession of Christianitie is counted of many Puritanisme and precisenesse phantasticall affectation of singularitie and popularitie and hipocrisie True it is indeede that as there are true Preachers and true Beleeuers so Sathan stirres vp counterfeits that haue an outward shew and resemblance of them but are not purged from their inwarde filthinesse Pro. 30.12 These are they that Worldlings stumble at concluding thus Euen so are they all therefore their profession is but a kind of Sect and to follow the common course practise of the world is the surest and safest way And here Sathan hath his desire Againe if any godly man that hath alwayes made conscience of his wayes shall offend although of meere infirmity or occasioned by some strong temptation but yet so as hee may iustly be taxed why then the matter is out of all doubt both he and all his ranke are hypocrites and none else Such is the blindnesse of the world and their preiudicate opinion of the children of God But to you that are of this vncharitable opinion giue mee leaue to speake thus much You boast your selues to bee the children of God and the true members of Christ though carelesse of your wayes but as for others who make conscience of their wayes you make mockes on them with your mouthes and you deuise termes for them to make them accounted factious sectaries hypocrites and I know not what they are your gazing stockes and taunting Prouerbes Concerning which sect Act. 28.22 we know that euery where it is spoken against but where is your deuotiō where is your zeale where is your repentance where is your feruency sobrietie prayer thanksgiuing humilitie What fruites of the Spirit appeare in you what loue of God in zealous exercises of Gods worshippe what contempt of the worlds pompe pride pleasure vanity in your moderate liuing conuersation What regard of the afflictions of Ioseph Yea your bodies are your Idols and your soules like drudges doe homage to your bodyes this appeareth in your excessiue fare costly apparrell varieties of fashions in your curiositie in the putting on thereof in your wanton sports daliances pleasures and such like But for a conclusion let me leaue this as a bone for you to gnaw on That stumbling blockes shall euer bee cast before the feet of the wicked yet shall the Lanthorn of Gods word shine vnto them to guide them without stumbling or erring notwithstanding stumble they will and fall downe euen to the breaking of their neckes for their owne wickednes blindeth them yea and they wilfully out of the hardnesse of their hearts close their eyes against the wayes of truth because the wayes of error death and destruction are more pleasant vnto them Furthermore woe shall bee to them that wrong by word or deede or writing the least of Gods little ones who are so deare to the Lord as the apple of his eye Zac. 2.8 Therefore let the scorners and enemies of good men remember That Israel is as a thing hallowed to the Lord Ier. 2.3 all they that eate it shall offend Euill shall come vpon them saith the Lord Men may dippe their tongues in venome Reu. 22.11 and their pennes in poyson and keepe the garments of such as stone Stephen but the Lord will auenge the cause of his poore ones he will not alwayes hold his peace nor hide his face Therefore in the meane time till wee can haue our desire in this case We must take great care that we delight not in their euill company and if it be our hap sometime to bee amongst them let vs take heede wee be not polluted and defiled by their company for it is a common and a true saying that hee that toucheth pitch shall bee defiled therewith so he that doth conuerse with them must looke to be defiled with their company If a man that had wallowed in the myre and tumbled in the filthie channell should offer to company with vs wee would loath
God done sayth Cyprian to good and bad to the harmlesse and the harmefull Eccles 9.2 to the religious and irreligious to the holy and prophane to the swearer and to him that feareth an oath And hee maketh as our Sauiour Christ sayeth in the Gospel of Saint Mathew Mat. 5.4.5 His sunne to shine on the euill and on the good and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust Whence wee may well reason thus that if GOD dealeth so graciously with vs on earth hee will do much more for vs and to vs in heauen if he bestowed such benefites vpon strangers nay vpon enemies he hath better things in store for his owne househould yea for vs which are his friends If he dealeth so liberally and bountifully with slaues hee will be much more liberall and bountifull to vs which are his sonnes in heauen Againe the excellencie of the creatures of God argues a greater yea incomparably greater excellency in the Creator himselfe as well doeth Barnard obserue Thou wondrest sayeth hee at the brightnesse of the Sunne beautie in the flowers sauorie relish in bread fertility in the earth Now consider that all are the gifts of God and there is no doubt but that hee hath reserued much more to himselfe for thee in heauen then he hath communicated and imparted to the Creatures here vpon earth Againe we may conceyue of these ioyes of heauen Luk 12.27.28 by taking a view of the inferiour beauties Consider sayth our Sauiour Christ the Lillyes of the field how they grow and flourish I say vnto you that Salomon in all his glory was not like to one of these All Salomons glorie not like to one Lillie Hath God put such glorie and gladnesse vpon the grasse of the field hath he so gorgeously attired them which to day haue a being and to morrow are cut downe and cast into the furnace How much more then shall be the glory and ioy of you in heauen O yee of little faith Therefore when wee meete with any thing that is excellent in the Cteatures we may say to our selues how much more excellent is hee that gaue them this excelâ—ency When we finde admirable wisedome in men how they rule al creatures by cunning ouercome them that are farre stronger then themselues ouertake them that are farre swifter then themselues out-runne the Sunne and Moone in discourse telling many yeares before hand what courses they must hold when they shall be eclipsed Let vs say to our selues how wise is that God which gaue such wisedome vnto men Againe when we see any thing strong as the Lyon or the Elephant Act. 40.15.16 Iob. 41.1 1 King 19.11 whose strength is described in the booke of Iob or the whale whose strength is also there described or the winde which is sayd in the first booke of the Kings to bee so great and strong that it rent the mountaines brake in peeces the rockes or the thunder or such like at the huge noyse whereof as it is sayde in the booke of Exodus it made all the people in the Campe to feare and tremble Ex. 19 16. Let vs then say how strong is that God that giueth this strength vnto them Againe when wee see rare beauty in men or women or most glorious colours in flowers birdes and other creatures Let vs then say how farre more beautifull and amiable is that God that giueth this beauty and comelinesse vnto them And when wee taste things that are exceeding comfortable and sweet as honey and such like Let vs then say how sweete and comfortable is that GOD that giueth that sweetenesse Now from al this let vs conclude that if the creatures can affoord such pleasure comfort contentment and delight what will the Creator himselfe doe when we shall immediately enioy his glorious presence after death In thy presence sayth the Psalmist Psal 16.11 is fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore Surely this world compared to the world to come is as it were but a little village to the greatest and most spatious City nay it is but as it were a gatehouse or Porters lodge to the most wide glorious and magnificent Pallace of the greatest Prince in the World and if the Gatehouse bee so fayre how fayre and glorious is the Pallace it selfe Moreouer consider what great ods there is between Gods mediate and immediate presence to enioy him in the creatures and to enioy him in himselfe The creatures yea the most excellent creatures are as it were but a vayle or curtaine drawne between God and vs which vayle or curtaine being drawne aside wee shall see God face to face and then how glorious will that sight bee And though we know not what it is to behold the face of God yet herein consisteth the highest degree of our happinesse Isa 33.17 Therefore are the ioyes of the Saints in heauen super superlatiue because theyr eyes doe alwayes behold their King in the excellency of his beauty and glory It is a pleasing sight and delightsome to the eye to behold the Sunne but that is sayth Bernard the true and only ioy indeed which is conceyued from the Creator not from the creature Iohn the Baptist leaped in his mothers wombe Luk. 1.41 when but the mother of his Maker came neere vnto him The Wise men reioyced exceedingly when they saw but his Starre The Bethshemites reioiced greatly at the sight of the Ark. Math 2.10 Were these causes of great and vnwonted ioy and gladnesse 1 Sam. 6.13 theÌ„ much more are the Saints of God rauished with ioy in heauen where they shal continually see and behold God face to face Wee are to consider that there is a twofold vision or sight of God the one called by some of the learned visio viae the sight of the way and means that bringeth home to God the other visio patriae the sight of tâ—e Countrey where God is that is his home and habitation with his Saints and Angels They are happy that see the way that bringeth and leadeth home to God but more happy that are at home in heauen dwelling neuer to bee remoued out of his presence and Country Of these two sortes of visions meaneth the Apostle Saint Paul When hee sayth 1 Cor 13.12 for now wee see through a glasse darkely but then wee shall see face to face Touching the first kind of the sight of God which is termed visio viae or as Saint Paul in a glasse darkly in a word this sight consisteth in true faith and knowledge of God And thus to see God by sound and sauing knowledge grounded vpon his word and by a true and liuely iustifying faith from this knowledge arising This I say is onely proper to Gods elect children who in time shall come to see him at home face to face in the fulnes of ioies for euer And touching visio patriae a seeing of God in his Country or his home or