Apollo I would trauell farre on my feete to finde such a Phoenix For the other sort that liue eyther in no calling or in a sensuall sinfull calling such as riotous Prodigoes profane Esau's vaine Gentlemen gull Gallants retchlesse Ruffians licentious Lechers gracelesse Gamesters filthy Brothellers Queanes Curtizans and beastly Bawdes with all the rest of that restlesse and retchlesse crew alas what good doe they in the world what ayme they at but like Swine to feede like the rich Churle to goe brauely and faire deliciously with the Sabarites and Sardanapalus to inuent and wallow in polluting pleasures to feede their fancy please their owne humours content themselues delight the flesh and damne the soule liuing to eate eating to liue the life of sinne doing as much good to others as the Moath to the garment the Caterpiller to the fruit the Cantharides to the Oyntment spoyling and infecting like plaguy people vvhom thy liue amongst Therefore these and all these as they are vnprofitable burthens to the earth they shall be swept away from the earth like Iabin and Sisera and the Sodomites euen into hell Psal 9.17 As they glorifie not God which was the end of their Creation and Redemption which thy forget so God will neuer glorifie them Therefore let vs all both men with Simeon and women with Lidia Dorcas and Deborah c. doe good here in life that wee may receiue good in and after death liue and desire to liue onely to God and for God here that vvee may liue vvith God for euer hereafter Fourthly and lastly here wee are to take notice of that which wee haue obserued in Moses before namely that Simeon is willing to dye for the whole Text imports and carries it that there was in him no vnwillingnes to dye not so much as in show but a great willingnesse propensitie and disposition to his dissolution whether wee take his vvords here as Optatiue Oh that thou wouldest let thy Seruant depart as some doe or Indicatiue Now thou dost let c. or Precatory Lord now let c. or plainely as they are here all import perspicuously that hee dyed voluntarily From whence note that a good Christian is willing to dye wee may see this as in Simeon so in Paul Phil. 1.23 who desired to be dissolued and to be with CHRIST The like might be instanced in the death of Moses who at Gods command went as voluntarily vp to the Mount to dye and to be sacrificed himselfe as Abraham went to sacrifice his Sonne So if wee consider the death of the Patriarkes of Abraham himselfe of Iacob of Dauid c. that dyed naturally as also of Saint Steuâ—n of our Sauiour Christ himselfe in the Scripture as also of blessed Martyres that were put to death violently we shall finde that they went vnto their deaths and into the Graue as voluntarily as Noah into the Arke taking Gods stroke vpon themselues as patiently as Aaron did when God smote his two Sonnes Nahab and Abihu and as Eli did Samuels report of his houses ruine 1 Sam. 3 The Saints very last words being of the same straine and Dialect with Simeons import so much as wee may see Moses Deut. 32. with this good old man here concluding his life with a Swan-like Song So also Dauid 2 Sam. 23. So Babilas the Martyr feared not that his soule should returne vnto her rest neyther did Ignatius care when hee dyed or of what kinde of death hee should dye nay though hee were grinded by the teeth of Lyons because hee was the Lords Manchet and must be made cleane bread for Christ So Melancthon almost in the same words with Simeon If it be the will of God I am willing to dye and I beseech him to grant mee a ioyfull departure With many moe Now the Reasons which make the childe of God so willing to die are many the principall are these First because hee findes no good in this life no ioy no content more then a Prisoner in his bonds a bird in the snare or a beast in the ginne his ioyes being imperfect and mixed with a thousand sorrowes hauing for one Sunny day a hundred tempestuous stormes his best dayes being like Iacobs few and euill his worst many and miserable Secondly because there is nothing in this life which giues true and sollid satisfaction to his soule finding with Salomon all Sublunarie things to be vanitie and vexation of spirit as Honours riches wisedome vvealth knowledge Babels building Moses and Daniels Aegyptian and Caldean learning Cressus and Crassus his wealth Midas his gold Policrates good successe Ezekias his Treasure Nero's Musicke all other things which should doe good to the nature of man or delight the minde of man giuing him no more content then ayre and winde to an empty stomacke for as a Quadrangle cannot fill a Triangle but some corner will be capable of more so the whole circuit of this round Orbe this Quadrangular world cannot content the heart of man which Anatomists say is Triangular in the forme God onely Christ and his Spirit the blessed Trinitie that made the soule can fill it with true delights and fulfill the true desires In which respect the Christian to whom all things else are bitter but Christ is not quieted till hee inioy Christ no more then the animate or inanimate creatures are at peace till they haue their rest in that centre whitherto they moue his heart still trembling till it be with God like the Needle touched with an Adamant still quiuering and shaking till it looke directly to the North Pole and therefore as Noahs Doue sent out of the Arke found no rest to the sole of her foote till shee returned into the Arke againe so the true Christians the Lords mournefull Doues finde no resting place here till their soules returne to the Arke of their strength that God that sent them out into their bodies euen as the Iewish Tabernacle had no rest but was carryed from place to place till it entred into Canaan Exod. 26.1 33.7 Thirdly because of the crosses and afflictions which are incident vnto him in this life for as the whole humane nature is subiected to the Crosse so chiefely the Christian The world which is a Paradise to the carnall is a Purgatory to the Christian Many are the troubles of the righteous all that will liue godly in Christ must suffer affliction euery Disciple must take vp one crosse or other if hee vvill follow Christ which crosse-way is the way to heauen euery childe of God is corrected ere hee be receiued the purest Gold must be in the furnace the Lords owne Wheate is thrashed winnowed and grinded and Gods trees must be pruned Vt vnda vndam as waue succeedes waue so crosse succeedes crosse as Dauids Lyon succeedes his Beare 1 Sam. 17.37 and Goliah the Lyon 1 Sam. 18.27 and the Philistines Goliah and Saul the Philistines 1 Sam. 21. Now the Christians
to the dead or for the dead which is grosse Superstition This made euen Eâ—nius the Heathen Poet forbid that any should weepe for him after his death which Solon and others ambitiously haue desired Other Motiues might be vrged to moue thee to moderation in this point yet I would not so reforme this abuse in the excesse as though I condemned the meane in mourning this were to runne from one extreame to another let this therefore conclusiuely determine for thy judgement and direct thy practise that it is lawfull to deplore the departure of the dead as the Aegyptians lamented Iacob seauentie dayes and his Children seauen dayes as Abraham mourned for Sarah the Israelites for Moses for Aaron for Iosias for Samuel Dauid for Absolon for Ionathan for Abner the faithfull for Steuen the women for Dorcas c. yea the very cruell Scythians Hircamans Sabeans the sauage Indians Lothopagians c. howsoeuer they be not so curious in burying their dead is we some casting them on dunghils some vnto Dogges some into the Sea some into the fire c. yet they shew some motion and mourning for them Then if Iewes and Pagans mourne why not Christians And indeede as it is a curse to the vvicked as it was to Ieconiah that none shall say alas for them when they are dead Ier. 22.18 so the godly ought to be lamented First because they did much good in their places Acts 9.39 Secondly because the world was bettered and blessed by them Prou. 11.11 Thirdly wee may feare some Iudgements after their departure Esay 58.2 Fourthly because the wicked will be more ready to sinne and there are fewer left to pray for the vvicked and to stand in the gap as did Abraham Moses and Phinees Fiftly because they vvere worthy lights and ornaments in the Church or common-wealth where they liued Lam. 4.20 as was Iosias for which cause we may euen weare mourning apparrell to expresse our sorrow So the wicked to may be bewailed because for ought wee know they are gone downe into the bottomlesse pit of perdition the place for wicked men Psal 9.17 the place whither Corah and Dathan and Iudas and Absolon went vnto for ought that is to the contrary yet wee must mourne in that meane First that wee discouer not our owne selfe-loue because we haue lost some good by them Secondly nor hypocrisie in seeming to mourne Thirdly nor distrust as though there were no resurrection 1 Thes 4. Fourthly nor excesse knowing that they are but gone a iourney and wee shall quickely ouer-take them no for euer sent away from vs but for a time sent before vs. Comforts against the Crosse of sickenesse and diseases howeuer intollerable and incurable BEcause Sickenesse and Diseases which distresse and distemper euery part and power of the whole man are very burthensome to the flesh as besides their present paines being the Heraulds and fore-runners of Death tending to the dissolution of Nature let these Considerations be so many Cordials and spirituall lenitiues to mitigate and asswage the extremities or permanencie of thy dolours in eyther kinde For misery commeth not out of the dust neyther doth affliction spring from the Earth Iob 5.6 1 Consider that this visitation is the message of the Almightie God it comes not by chance or Fortune colds surfettings sweatings c. are but the meanes Gods hand throwes this stone at thee for it was hee that smit Pharaoh and the Aegyptians and the Philistines c. and cast Ezekias vpon his sicke couch Therefore storme not murmure not hee hath sent it and who hath resisted his will Rom. 9 19. 2 Consider the nature of this God vnder whose hand thou groanest that hee is rich in mercy of tender compassion abundant in goodnesse and truth and loueth thee in his CHRIST correcting thee of loue as a Father not punishing thee as a Iudge for though these sufferings be plagues to the wicked as were the plagues of Aegypt of Sodome and of Moab yet to thee and all the Elect in Christ they are but fatherly chastisements 3 Consider Gods gracious ends and purposes in these thy visitations First to draw thee to the sight and sense of thy sinnes the cause of this effect that so repenting of them thy soules sicknesse may be cured Secondly thou art iudged in this kinde and chastened of the Lord that thou shouldest not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11.32 Thirdly to breake and pull downe the pride of thy heart a sinne which the Lord abhorres and detests both in the wicked as hee did in Herod Acts 12. and in his owne children as in Ezekias 2 Chron. 32.25 for which cause he brings downe thy heart through this heauinesse because thou hast rebelled against the word of the Lord Psal 107. v. 11.12 Fourthly to trie thy Faith and Patience whether thou wilt kisse his rod and cleaue to him in aduersitie as thou promisest in prosperitie for God delights to try his like gold in the fire as a Master tryes the fidelitie of his Seruant and a Father the obedience of his Childe and therefore according to the sinceritie and measure of our graces in this life as wee see in Gods proceedings with Abraham Iob Dauid yea CHRIST himselfe shall our tryals and our afflictions be both inward and outward Fiftly to shake off thy carnall securitie for prosperitie makes thee forget God as did the Israelites Manasses Dauid c. but this visitation driues thee home by weeping-Crosse to thy Father as it did them and the prodigall Childe Luke 15. 4 Remember that thou worthily deseruest this Crosse of sickenesse as a punishment for thy sinnes the sinnes of thy youth and of thy age omissiue and commissiue sinne being the cause and originall of all diseases Agues Feauers Consumptions Plague-sores Leprosies and the like Leuit. 26. v. 14.15.16 Iohn 5.14 Therefore as God from time to time hath visited the sinnes of others both of the righteous and the reprobates so hee hath found out thee hee that punished the Israelites with diuers and sundry plagues for rebelling against Moses and Aaron and for murmuring against God hee that plagued Pharaoh with Frogs Lice Bloud Death of the first borne and Drownings for contempt of God hardnesse of heart and oppression of his people Hee that smit the Philistines with Emerods in their secret parts for their abuse of the Arke King Vzziah with Leprosie for abusing the Priests Office Gehezi for his Couetousnesse the Bethshamites with death for prying into the Arke the Corinthians with sickenesse and death for profaning the Lords Supper Asa with diseases in his feete for imprisoning the Prophet Domitian Hadrian Valerian Dioclesian Maximinus Iulian Aurelian Arnolphus Antiochus Herod and others vvith incurable diseases and death it selfe for their pride blasphemie persecutions of his Children and the like sins Cerinthus Arrius and
SEAVEN Helpes to Heauen Shewing 1. How to auoid the Curse 2. How to beare the Crosse 3. How to build the Consciencè 4. How with Moses to see Canaan 5. Simeons dying Song directing to liue holily and dye happily 6. Comforts for Christians against distresses in Life and feare of Death 7. Feruent Prayers to beare sicknesse patiently and dye preparedly The second EDITION much enlarged by Steuen Ierome late Preacher at S. Brides Seene and allowed IOB 14.14 All the dayes of my appointed time will I waite till my change come Nascentes morimur finisque ab origine pendet LONDON Printed for Roger Iackson and are to be solde at his Shop neare to the Conduit in Fleetsheete 1614. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE MY HONOVrable good Lord RALPHE Lord Eure Baron of Malton and Wytton and Lord President of his Maiesties Honourable Councell within the Principalitie of Wales and the Marches of the same all Blessings be multiplyed temporall and Graces spirituall MY Honourable good Lord it was once an Axiome in the Ethnicke Schooles that the whole life of a wise man should be a continuall meditation of Death which as it was a Principle amongst them so it was the practise not onely of the Saints and Seruants of GOD the auncient Patriarkes Primitiue Christians retyred Hermites mortified Anchorites and zealous professors of Religion but euen of the wisest and worthiest of the Heathens themselues The euidence of which will easily appeare to those that are studious in the Word diuine or conuersant in Authors Ecclesiasticall or humane Let vs reflect vpon Adam the first man as his name signifying Red earth the Command giuen him mixt with the curse of tilling the earth his Sinne the cause of the dissolution of that part which was earth his Garments made of the skins of dead Beasts cloathing his members which were like the rest of the Creatures nought but earth his Sickenesse and Distempers the fruits of his sinne and preambles of his death Gods Statute-Law that he should returne to his earth tolde him truely contrary to the Sâ—rpent and the Woman that he was a sinfull man and therefore mortall so it seemes these remembrancers not onely occasioned but caused his meditation of his death For though he called his eldest Sonne Caine or Possession yet he called his younger Sonne Abel or Vanitie as being now experienced and schooled in that misery in life and mortalitie in death which was incident to him and all his originally and actually sinning seede In this Meditation to omit Noah the worlds restorer Sem or Methushaâ—em that Prince of peace Enoch that walked with GOD with the rest Abraham the Father of faithfull men imitated Adam the Father of men who in his suite for Sodome confessed himselfe to be but dust and ashes Isaack who after the death of his Mother Sarah went out to meditate no doubt as of her death so of his owne Iacob that in his greatest crosse humiliation thinkes how his gray head should be brought to his graue and in the height of his earthly ioy and contentation speakes from the abundance of his heart of the few and euill dayes of his Pilgrimage Ioseph thaâ— amongst all his honours in Aegypt thinkes and tels of the carrying his dead bones into Canaan so the rest had their thoughts mortified from the world and fixed on their mortalitie which appeares as by other proofes so by two demonstrations in their Buildings in their Buyings The first being not seiled houses or gorgeous Pallaces like Nabuchadnezzars Babell Nimâ—ods Tower or Cyrus his House but silly Tents like Shepheards Cottages or Boothes in a Faire or Lodges in the Campes such as the Zwitzards vse ready euery instant for remouall The second being onely limited in a burying place for their dead for that is the greatest purchase that euer wee reade any of the Patriarkes made and the possessions which they most frequently mention What should I mention these Fathers that liued vnder the Law Ioshuah the sonne of Nun the Seruant of the LORD faithfull Caleb Aaron the Lords high Priest or Moses himselfe the greatest of Legall Prophets who mindefull of his mortalitie euen before the Lord tolde him as hee did Ezekias that hee should dye made that Prayer which the Fathers say the people of GOD vsed daily as a forme of Prayer pathetically inserting this Petition that God would so teach them to number their dayes that they might apply their hearts to wisedome the rest succeeding sympathizing in the like thoughts Iob wayting till his changing should come Dauid making no more reckoning of himselfe then of a Pilgrime and stranger here amongst men summoning others also to the consideration of their vncertaine condition and certaine end I might extend the line of this vnlimited practise from the Patriarkes to the Prophets from the Prophets to the Apostles Paul as oft desires as hee deliberates of his dissolution Peter counts his continuance here but as an abode in a Tabernacle Reflect backe to Christs Disciples hee no sooner speakes of the death of Lazarus but their thoughts worke vpon dying with him nay CHRIST himselfe as most frequently hee talkes and discourseth of his death in the Gospell so in that Transfiguration of his the reflection and Idea of his Glorification to strengthen his Disciples in their dying meditations hee not onely tels of his owne death when he comes from the Mount but euen in the Mount there appeares two dead men with him Moses and Elias And with the rest here old Simeon the subiect which in all obsequious dutie submisly I present to your Honour as desiring your Honourable patronizing and deseruing your holy practise euen when hee had in his armes the Lord of Life seeing Canaan with Moses and the Heauens open with Steuen to receiue his flitting soule as Abrahams bosome did Lazarus thinking of his death and dissolution to his dust hee sings that truely Cygnean and Swan-like song recorded Luke 2.29 Which Song I haue diuided into his parts and according to those talents and parts which Grace and Nature hath lent mee haue descanted vpon by Illustration Explication and Application to our secure sensuall and sinfull times wherein I haue reuealed to the world what GOD hath reuealed vnto mee by all meanes vsed speculatiue and practicall from Reading Study Meditation Conference with the Learned and Reference of the Labours of approued Authors both testimonially and exemplarily to the sacred Cannon of the Orthodoxe Truth but principally from that young yet true experience which GOD hath taught mee by obseruing as a Physitian his Patients the seuerall carriages and conditions of diuers men in their healths sicknesses liues and deaths occasioned by those frequent visitations of the sicke which by reason of my place I vsed these last yeeres in a great and populous Parish in which particulars the searcher of the heart and reynes and the intelligencer of all Spirits euen the Father of Spirits knowes that I haue not aymed at any base seruile or sinister
vsually both in this and other things The life before and the profession and confession of a true Faith ought to giue all men satisfaction if not let them remember that saying well Who art thou that iudgest another mans Seruant hee standeth or falleth to his owne Master and Lord. To the wicked indeede that haue wallowed in sinne without feeling sodaine death is fearefull eyther in warre when the bullet taketh him or at Sea when hee is drowned or any other way whatsoeuer when Ammon is nailed to the wall by his Brother Absolon 2 Sam. 13.28.29 when Pharaoh and his Companie be sodainly drowned in the Seas Ezod 14.27.28 Corah Dathan and Abiram sodainely swallowed vp of the earth Numb 16.32 When Zimry and Cosbee the Israelitish and Moabitish wantons be sodainely destroyed by Phineas Speare or Gods plagues in their filth or after Numb 25.4.8 The old Worldlings and Sodomites sodainely consumed by fire or water Baltazar Antiochus Herod the rich Churle with others sodainely swept away like dung from the face of the earth with the besome of Gods wrath and strucke with Gods reuenging hand in the midst of their drunkennesse crueltie pride couetousnesse and such sins their case is fearefull Sect. 2. That all must die BVt though Moses be not sodainely taken away yet away hee goeth it is very true and so must all flesh therefore let vs reckon of it The reward of sinne is death Rom. 6.21 And since all flesh is sinfull to all is appointed once to die Heb 9.27 hodie an cras c. whether it be to day or to morrow it must be it will be a debt it is and must be paid saith S. Augustine Hodie mihi cras tibi I to day you to morrow till wee be all gone nothing more vncertaine then the time nothing more certaine then the thing They that liued so many hundred yeeres as Adam Methusalem Noah Sem and the other Patriarkes of euery one it is said Et mortuus est and hee dyed the longest time had an end and at the last death knocked for him hee must away And as no time so no vertue can auoid death but euen Moses himselfe as worthy a man as the earth hath carried as the Word testifies of him Iosh 1.2.13 Heb. 3.2.5 yet this Moses must die But if a man maruell at this why such men should dye since sinne which is the cause of death is pardoned forgiuen them through faith in Christ let him know that this is done for two causes First for those reliques of sinne and corruption which hang vpon and by death must be purged and taken cleane away God then perfecting that sanctification which was begun before Secondly that wee might be made conformable to our Head Christ Iesus who as hee by death ouer-came death and rose from death to life so must wee by him both which ends yeeld vs great comfort because they shew that death is not laid vpon the elect as a punishment but as a mercy vouchsafed by a sweet father for the ends named Sect. 3. God prepares his children to dye as hee did Moses by shewing them Canaan BVt before hee dye and passe this way of all flesh God will haue him goe into the Mountaine and see the Land of Promise this was done in sweet goodnesse that with more ready will hee might make an end And assuredly thus dealeth God with his louing children at their latter ends euen giue them a glympse a sight and taste of the true Land of Promise that heauenly Canaan which hee hath prepared for them after death But as Moses to see this pleasant sight must ascend vp into the Mountaine so must wee raise vp and lift vp our hearts our soules our thoughts and the eyes of our mindes as it were aloft to an high Mountaine that so wee may see what will make vs most willing to depart that our ioy may be full and endlesse as in Peter That Moses entered not into Canaan but onely saw it it had two ends first the punishment of his Incredulitie when hee strucke the Rocke spoken of here in the 14. Verse of this Chapter and secondly for mysterie Vt significet nos per Legem cuius Minister c. that it might signifie that by the Law whereof Moses was Minister wee may see as it were afarre off eternall life and saluation but neuer enter into it that way because through corruption of our natures wee are not able to performe it which being not performed shutteth vs out and subiecteth vs to a curse Sect. 4. Moses obedience to Gods summons a patterne to vs. THat Moses went vp into the Mountaine to dye Deut. 34.1 is an example before our eyes of most singular obedience for hee grudged not hee grieued not he shrunke not backe but yeelded to Gods blessed pleasure and was most willing and ready to dye O that wee may finde grace and mercy with God so to doe when time commeth saying with tongue and saying with heart behold here am I thy seruant be it vnto mee as thou my blessed God wi lt Is my time come and must I away Lord then I come and desire to be loosed and to be with thee Againe that Moses endured so patiently the deniall of him to enter into the Land which no doubt hee much desired let it euer teach vs and strengthen vs to doe the like when God denieth vs our desires for assuredly God will doe better for vs as here he did for Moses if vvee rest on his good pleasure It is a true saying it is a good saying let it neuer goe out of our mindes Semper Deus suos exaudit c. God alwayes heareth his Children if not vnto their will yet vnto their saluation and good CHAP. III. The nature of death sweetned to the Saints with fifteene resemblances of death to sleepe OBserue it againe carefully that death is not mentioned vnto Moses in any terrible words but in sweet wordes Ibis ad Patres Thou shalt goe to thy Fathers and so still is the death of Beleeuers spoken of in the Scriptures that we might draw sweet comfort from it against any feare that fraile flesh may conceiue of death For there is a death which most men feare and that is the seperation of body and soule our naturall death and there is a death which too few feare and that is the seperation of the soule from God Vita carporis anima vita animae Deus the life of the body is the soule and the life of the soule is God Against this naturall feare oppose this and the like phrases in Scriptures You goe to your father therefore feare not Socrates a Heathen was much comforted at his death that hee should goe and meete with those learned Poets Orpheus Homer Hesiod and such like how much more may wee ioy to meete with God the Father and God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost with
of death and blesse God for it tenne thousand times following the foot-steps of worthy Fathers and Saints in the Church whose feeling of this point God hath directed them to leaue behinde them in their writings O tu vita quam praeparauit Dexs ijs qui diligunt eum vita vitalis vita beata vita secura vita tranquilla c. O thou life saith Augustine prepared of God for them that loue him thou liuing life thou blessed life thou secure life thou quiet life thou beautifull life thou life that knowest no death thou life that knowest no sadnesse thou life without blot without sorrow without care without corruption without perturbation without any varietie or change Would God that laying aside this burthen of my flesh I might enter into thy ioyes O quam fortunatus ero si audiuero c. O how happy shall I be if I might heare those sweet Songs of thy Citizens and those honey sweet verses but O more happy if I my selfe may finde grace and fauour to sing a song vnto the Lord Iesus Christ of the sweet Songs of Sion O verè foelices qui de Pilago c. O truely happy they that come out of the Sea of the World to the Hauen of Heauen out of Banishment to their owne Country and out of a foule Prison to a glorious Palace O Coelestis domus luminosa ad te suspirat c. O Heauenly House full of glorious light to thee tendeth my pilgrimage that he may possesse mee in thee that made both mee and thee Inter Brachia Seruatoris mei viuere volo mori cupio In the Armes of my Sauiour I wish to liue and desire to dye Many such feeling speeches I could repeate from the auncient militant warriours in this mortalitie whom we call Fathers when they went to the Father of Spirits shewing how farre they were from any vnwillingnesse to die which if wee make vse of as wee ought assuredly they will vvorke in vs through the blessing of God the same effect To shut vp this the godly cry come Lord Iesus come quickely Now they are in the world then they shall come to their owne now they are in the skirmish then shall they be in their victory now in the tempestuous Sea then in the quiet Hauen now in the heate of the day then in rest and coole euening now in place absent from Christ then with him following wheresoeuer hee goeth Now their life is hid with Christ but then shall they appeare with him in glory and that glory for euer and euer without change or end 1 Iohn 4.2 Comforts against the feare of Death by which the Christian Soule may be made willing to her Dissâ—lution CHAP. V. THE feare of death is not one of the least temptations to a weake Christian for Death is not onely fearefull to a naturall man whose hope is in this world being in it owne nature the most terrible of all terribles as Heathen men haue tearmed it for which cause wicked men are agast at the apprehension of it as appeares in the example of Bâ—ltazar of Hamon and others being as vnwilling to dye as the Beare vnto the Stake and the Swine vnto the Shambles but euen the godly themselues haue some combats and conflicts in this kinde as had our Sauiour Christ himselfe Ezekias and Dauid c. by reason that Nature abhorres her owne abolishion and feares the dissolution of the soule and body which are naturally as vnwilling to be seuered and sundered as two friends that haue beene borne and bred and brought vp together are loath to depart and to take their long leaue eyther of other therefore to make that easie and facile vnto thee which of it selfe is harsh and difficult that thou maist submit thy selfe willingly to that which all flesh haue vndergone and must vndergoe of necessitie Arme Grace against Nature and the Spirit against the Flesh with these comfortable considerations 1 Consider that by corporall death God onely cals againe for that soule which at the first hee created and infused into the body to informe and animate it and that this Soule of thine flits not out of her terrestriall tabernacle by chance or hap-hazard or casualtie or fortune or by the Climactericall yeere the reuolution of seauens and nines or by the position of the Heauens or course of the Starres or by thy disease or sicknesse occasioned by bad dyet superfluities of meates or drinkes ouer-great heates or taking of cold or the like accidents which are but meere instruments of thy mortalitie but looke at the superiour Agent GOD himselfe who hath now determined and disposed thy death Hab. 9.27 who hath numbred thy dayes and appointed thy limits who turnes thy dust into his dust Gen. 3.19 thou being a Sonne of Adam and cals for thy Spirit to returne to him that gaue it Psal 90.3 Eccles 12.7 And therefore seeing it is the Lord that cals be thou as willing to sleepe with thy Fathers as Samuel was to awake out of his naturall sleepe at Gods call 1 Sam. 3.10 Thinke that thy Soule is giuen vnto thee as a precious pledge to be safely kept and therefore grudge not to returne thy holy pawne to God the chiefe owner when hee requires it but commit it to him as into the hands of a faithfull Creator and louing Redeemer Why should the Tenant at will stand out with his Land-lord for an old rotten Cottage when he would remoue him to a better Mansion why should the Souldier be refractorie to leaue his station and place to be otherwaies disposed of by his Generall and Commander Now thou art here but a Tenant at will thou hast no fee-simple of thy life thou art a war-faring Souldier professed in Baptisme therefore like the Centurions Souldiers be willing to goe when thy Captaine bids thee goe Mat. 8.9 2 Let this comfort thee that thy sinnes the cause of thy death is taken away by the Messias Christ in whom thou beleeuest by whom thy sinnes being pardoned thou art blessed Psal 32.1 his death being the death of Sin and the conquest of Hell Hos 13. 1 Cor. 15. And therefore comfort thy selfe with Dauids holy Meditations encouraging thy soule to returne vnto her rest because the Lord hath beene bountifull vnto thee since he hath deliuered thy Soule from death euen the second death thine eyes from teares and thy feete from falling and since thou shalt walke before the Lord euen with the foure and twentie Elders in long white roabes in the Land of the liuing Psal 116.7.8.9 For all thy bitter griefe in corporall death which yet is sweetened to the Elect the Lord will deliuer thy soule from the pit of corruption for hee hath cast all thy sinnes behinde his backe as hee did Ezekiahs Esay 38.17 And therefore as there is no danger in handling an Adder or Viper or any other Serpent when her sting is taken away so there is no perill in Death since Sinne which is
Cranmer Latimer Ridley c. amongst our selues at home what filthy blots and aspersions were cast vpon their good names how were their doctrine and doings misconceiued their liues and learnings questioned and censured their workes and writings wrested and misse-interpreted all that they said or did preuerted or corrupted by the malicious enemies of the truth both within and amongst themselues and abroad amongst the Papists insomuch that it was one of Melancthons dying Comforts that by death hee should be freed as his words are from the barkings and bitings of some dogs in the forme of Diuines which was the measure that the rest found as indeede in the whole course of Scriptures the greatest enemies that euer the Church and zealous Teachers in the Church had were of their owne rancke and profession false Priests false Prophets Scribes and Pharisies and false Apostles in which respect as the same Melancthon once hoped and in a manner prophesied that the after-Ages would iudge more candidly and sincerely of him and his Workes after his death euen so hee and others now finde it for notwithstanding the Blasphemies which Romish Rabshakeh's Feuerdentius Cocâ—leus Bolserus and others belch out against these Germaine and Belgicke Lights and the rest of the Host of God whose tongues are no slanders how hath the Lord honoured famoused those worthy labourers in his Vine-yard euen in their good names since their dissolution all of them being accounted pillers notwithstanding the detraction of these Romish Caterpillers in the house God all of them in their zealous and learned Labours like Oecolampadius as his name imports shining as precious Lights in the Church which neuer shall be wholy obscured til he that is the light of the world come againe to Iudgement This wee daily see verified that to the comfort of the suruiuing though zealous Pastors men of exquisite parts and paines haue beene in the day of their Ministrie torne and reuiled amongst these Swine and Dogs to whom they haue giuen holy things counted as fooles and deceiuers as the Iewes and Christs Country-men accounted Christ mad men as Festus thought Paul and rauers and ragers in the Pulpit as the Iewes held Ieremie yet after the setting of their Sunne they haue beene longed for their losse lamented chiefely of the houshold of Faith and their names honoured in the harts and mindes and mouthes of multitudes when the wicked in all their power and pompe being magnified of their fawning Parasites for a time in the sodaine dampe of death haue had the glimmering of their glory put out their honour laid in the dust and their names like their rotten carkasses rotting and smelling and stincking in the nostrils of God and good men as may beseene in the life and death of Herod Antiochus Nero and others For I pray you who is now more famous after death Nero or the persecuted Christians Iulian or the poore Saints which he butchered Herod or Iohn whom he beheaded Pashur or Ieremie whom hee imprisoned Gardiner Bonner and such bloody Butchers or our English Martyrs whom they burned Surely the candle of the wickeds glory is put out and there remaines the impure filthy stincking snuffe of an euill name their glory is their shame Phil. 2.19 but the memoriall of the righteous is precious smelling like Balme and Spikenard diffused yea their name shines like the Starres in the shady night of death or rather like the Sunne the cloud being remoued flourishing in the storme of death like the Laurell which is greene when the Winter is foule Though CHRIST himselfe be counted a Samaritan an imposter one that vvas Belzebubs friend a poore Carpenters poore Sonne in his life yet in and at his death hee is iustified approued and famoused as a righteous man as an innocent as a iust man as the Sonne of GOD by the testimonie that was giuen of him first by Pilate secondly Pilates Wife thirdly the Passengers that smote their breasts fourthly the teares of the Daughters of Ierusalem fiftly the Centurion sixtly and Iudas himselfe seauenthly yea 1. the vaile of the Temple 2. the stones 3. the Sunne 4. the Elements 5. the raised bodies of the dead Saints giue a reall and an honourable testimonie of him 6. thus shall it be with thee if thou beest a member of Christ though thou beest misse-reported and sinisterly censured as Iob was of his friends 7. yet in thy dissolution principally thy name shall be raised like the fire from vnder the ashes of ignominie It was the Heathens Comfort that hee should leaue a good name behinde him so let it be thine it being one of the greatest earthly blessings aboue Gold and Siluer Prou. 22.1 yea as a precious Oyntment Eccl. 7.3 this Oyntment smels the sweetest when the boxe of thy body is broken thou carryest this Oyntment as dead bodies are annoynted euen to the graue with thee and it liues when all other earthly things dye to thee and thou to them Therefore be thou cheared vvith the thought which comforted the Pagan Nemo me c. Let none be-moist my Hearse with helplesse teares From Learnings mouth Fame flyes to vulgar eares 14 In death thou shalt haue an excellent and notable both tryall and demonstration as also exercise of thy graces as first of thy Faith secondly thy Patience thirdly thy Constancie fourthly thy Christian Courage fiftly Fortitude sixtly and the Spirit of Prayer by which first others shall be strengthened secondly the weake shall be confirmed thirdly and all that are present with thee and amongst whom thou liuest incouraged in their Christian courses fourthly thy sinceritie in thy profession approued fiftly Gods graces in thee magnified sixtly and aboue all his name glorified 15 In thy death thou shalt be distinguished from a carnall and a prophane man for commonly the sicke bed shewes the sicknesse or the health of the soule the death shewes the life diuiding and iudging the estate of the visited as Gidâ—on diuided his company by lapping of water Iudg. 7.1 and as the Ephramites were distinguished from the Israelites by pronouncing Shibâ—lâ—th For looke at the godly from time to time and the last acts they did and the last words they spake were the most sacred seasoned and sanctified of their whole life but it hath beene contrary in the wicked and God is the same God to thee that hee was to them if thou beest a beleeuer Looke into particulars the last speeches of dying Saints as they haue beene full of grace so they are worthy relating and remembring and applying The last period of S. Steuens life was prayer for his enimies and for his owne soule the last words of Dauid holy exhortations to his Sonne Salomon to obserue the Statutes and Ordinances of the Lord and the disposing of some particulars of which hee gaue him cautions the last acts of old Iacob Prayer and prophecying concerning his sonnes and posteritie the like
in mundum per quem factus est mundus a Mercy neuer enough to be magnified of men and Angels that for our sakes hee should come into the world which made the world that the Creator of Mary should be borne of Mary that Dauids Lord should be Dauids Sonne hee which was long before Abraham the seede of Abraham the Maker of the earth made of the earth that as in the nonage of of the world man was made after the Image of God so in the dotage of the world God should come in the similitude of sinfull man that God should be made man that man should be as a God that God should descend downe to the earth that man should ascend vp to the heauen Oh wonder at this you that wonder at nothing for my part saith Cyprian I doe not admire the beautie of the Sunne the colours of the Raine-bow the glory of the Moone the motion of the Heauens the fixed stabilitie of the earth the ebbing and flowing of the Sea the varietie of the Creatures the alteration and succession of times and seasons nor any thing else amongst all the Creatures Celestiall and Sublunarie but this I admire and for euer will Deum in vtero Creatorem in creatura c. God made man the Creator borne of the Creature and for the Creature yea the mighty God before whom the heauens shake and the Mountaines tremble a little Infant in the armes of a Virgin Mother in the armes of old Simeon an aged Father this is such a worke such a wonder that I say with S. Ierome Quod natura non habuit c. that which Naure had not which Vse knew not which Reason was ignorant of mans Minde vncapable of which the Cherubins conceiued not the Angels till reuealed vnderstood not which all the Powers of created nature vvere amazed at came to passe when CHRIST by his Incarnation did vnite the Humanitie to the Diuinitie in a true naturall reall and Hypostaticall vnion Oh therefore let vs reape the fruit of this Vine since he is come from heauen to earth to marry vs in our owne nature Nam vt Sponsus Sponsa in Thalamo c. for as man and wife are one in the Bride-chamber so God and man one Christ in the wombe of the Virgin Oh let vs labour by faith to be vnited and marryed vnto him to be made members of this Head Branches of this Vine Buildings vpon this Corner-stone parts of his Body Spouses of this Bridegrome that with the vvise Virgins being contracted by faith vnto him here in grace the Marriage may be solemnized in Glory Then shall wee truely be kissed with the kisses of his loue Oh foelix osculum c. Oh happy kisse which is not a ioyning of lips but a ioyning of loues betwixt God and man Secondly was this Lord borne man for vs let vs labour to be borne againe to him in that spirituall new-birth and Regeneration which the Scriptures call a new Creation a holy turning change and conuersion of the whole man in the renouation of all the Powers and faculties of body and soule superiour and inferiour both in the intellectuall parts as in memory will vnderstanding c. as also in the lower faculties irascible and concupiscible this new birth which the Prophets haue continually vrged which Iohn Baptist and the Disciples haue preached which Paul and the Apostles haue continually pressed in their Sermons and writings which our Sauiour Christ himselfe both in his publique preaching and priuate conference with Nichodemus hath so doctrinally explained and by application inforced to be performed of all vnder paine of damnation it is so needfull nay of such absolute necessitie to be practised of all Christians chiefely that till a man bring forth the fruits of it worthy repentance and amendement of life he is but like the barren Figge-tree corrupt and twise dead without either sap of Grace or blossome of goodnesse fit to be hewen downe and cast into the fire nay a beast and no man a foxe a Viper a Dogge filthy and vncleane as were Herod the Iewes and the Cretians nay a horse and Oxe nay worse then the Oxe and Asse then the Horse and Mule without vnderstanding vnwise disobedient rebellious fooles blinde men naturall men without God in Christ aliants from God and strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel miserable naked and wretched men for whom is reserued Hell and the second death wrath and vengeance fire and Brimstone storme and tempest exclusion out of heauen and intrusion and eternall inclusion in the bottomlesse pit with the Diuell and his Angels insomuch that as Augustine well Nasci non renasci generari non regenerari for a man to be borne and not to be borne againe to haue the nobilitie of the first birth without the new birth be hee what hee will be Prince or Potentate King or Kesar or the worlds Monarch a second Alexander if hee haue onely generation from Adam without regeneration from the Spirit of Christ the second Adam if hee be not borne to him by water and the Spirit that was borne and dyed for him comming by water and by bloud hee had better as the Scripture saith of Iudas that hee had neuer beene borne nay that a Milstone had beene hung about his necke and hee throwne into the Sea the first houre hee was borne for then he should haue bene damned for his originall sinnes but his damnation shall now be aggrauated for his actuall sinnes chiefely for this sinne of Omission in liuing so long within the Church without the life of grace like a rotten Bough or woodden Legge No part of the root of Iesse or body of Christ without regeneration in not beleeuing in or liuing like that light which for that end came into the world those which before sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death being illuminated should cast off the workes of darkenesse and walke like the children of the light like Disciples of this Lord who was made man to redeeme Sathans slaues into the libertie of his owne Sonnes Secondly in Simeons Compellation Lord let it rectifie our practise wee vse or rather abuse this great and glorious Name in our mouthes at our pleasures not onely in rash vaine and false swearing and forswearing to which sinnes there belongs a swift curse but without reuerence respect or regard in our ordinary and customary talke which at euery word and vpon euery triuiall and friuilous occasion is stuffed out with foolish and vaine admiration as oh God oh Lord oh Iesus oh Christ tossing like a Tennis ball this great and fearefull Name the Lord our God the mighty Iehouah which the very Iewes feare and tremble to nominate at this day Others
againe in their Pharisaicall Orisons Paganish Prayers Heathenish Bablings vse this word Lord in their Tantologies and repetitions as the Papists the word Iesus euen like a Superstitious Popish charme thinking to be heard for their much babling nay imagining which is the grosse and foggy ignorance of our both vulgar and vicious common and carnall people that if euen in the houre of death like the Theefe on the crosse or in their old age with Simeon they cry Lord Lord if they can haue time but to say Lord haue mercy vpon them they are cocke-sure of heauen it is no matter how they liue Ans It is true indeede if they had the Faith of Simeon and the penitent Theefe if they had the Spirit of God and zealous hearts like them they should be heard and helped yea inter Pontem Fontem crying betwixt the Bridge and the Riuer betwixt the Axe and the necke for Velox Spiritus sancti gratia the Spirit is nimble and speedy like the winde in breathing grace and Penitentia vera non sera True Repentance is neuer too late and hee that cals vpon the Lord shall be saued But alas then thou must call vpon the LORD with such an heart as did Simeon for the Lord reiects and abhors all prayers that come not from the heart as hee did Caines Sacrifice as execrable and abhominableh. But now thou that hast liued in sinne in health and in youth in thy old age and in sickenesse by these sinnes art likely to be depriued of Gods Spirit and of thine owne heart For as Sinne quencheth the Spirit as vvater quencheth fire so it takes away the heart Ose 4. verse 11. therefore Nabal vvhen hee dyed hee vvanted his heart it was dead like a stone Now thou Nabal thou foole thou stony heart what profit wilt thou haue in crying Lord Lord thou maist cry so till thy tongue cleaue to the roofe of thy mouth thou maist howle vpon thy bed like a Wolfe and yet the Lord stoppe his eares from hearing and folde vp his hands from helping The foolish Virgins knocked and cryed Lord open vnto vs yet were shut out so shalt thou Mat. 25. For not euery one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Math. 7.21 But hee that doth the will of God as Simeon did now the will of the Lord is that thou shouldest repent betimes call vpon him pray vnto him and prayse him but all from a touched heart His desires Limitation In this word Now. THE second thing obseruable here is his Desires Limitation in this word Now which denotates the Time present Which word like all the rest in the Scripture hath his weight for as S. Ierome once obserued Nulla Littera nulla Syllaba c No Letter no Syllable nay no Tittle no Pricke wants his energie and force or is vnsignificant in the originall Here Simeons minde may be thus expressed Lord it hath pleased thee of thy mercy not my merit to giue mee a reuelation that I shall not see death vntill I see the Annoynted of the Lord verse 26. now by the motion of thy Spirit comming into the Temple verse 27. I perceiue that this Babe that is brought in hither to be done vnto according to the custome of the Law by his Parents is annoynted and appoynted to be the Prince and Priest and Prophet of his Church therefore Lord now I am willing nay desirous to depart in peace since I haue in mine armes the Prince of peace in my heart the spirit of peace in my conscience inward peace thou hast kept touch and performed what thou hast promised I haue my expectation satisfied my desires accomplished therefore I desire not to liue any longer I am an aged man and ready to be gathered to my Fathers A ripe apple fit to fall from the tree I cannot liue long by the course of nature I desire not to liue long by the instinct of grace it is better for mee to remoue out of this Tabernacle then to runne further in the Pilgrimage of my few and euill dayes better to depart in peace then continue in this worlds Prison I know I must dye neuer so well neuer so willingly as now euen now when I haue in mine armes the conquerour of death the Lord of life Wee see in Simeon that the godly haue oftentimes diuers raptures and sweet ioyes as in life so chiefely in their dissolutions So had Steuen when about to be stoned hee saw the Heauens open and the Sonne of man standing at the right hand of God Acts 7.56 Such feelings diuers of the Martyres haue had at the Stake nay euen in the heate of flames and fires so experimentally that Mr. Glouer knew as well when Gods Spirit came to him as a cold body feeles externall heate or warmth so comfortably that good Craâ—mer indured the burning of his once guilty hand with lesse motion then some abide the Goute or Tooth-ach Many such rauishments and inward comforts diuers of the Saints haue felt how euer at other times with perplexed Iob and penitent Dauid so deiected as though they were reiected of God that they haue desired the Lord a while to with-draw his presence the weake vessels of their fraile nature not being able to containe that fulnesse of the Spirit which they haue felt Such an extasie was Paul in when rapt vp into the third heauens hee heard Verba ineffabilia words not to be vttered himselfe transposed from himselfe whether in the body or without the body hee wist not hee was more then in an ordinary rauishment in his sure Sanctuary that he had against Principalities and Powers life and death c. built vpon the sure anchor and Corner-stone of Gods loue to him in Christ so in his annihilating and vilifying all things as Pharisaicall learning birth knowledge riches and the like as drosse and dongue in respect of the excellent knowledge of Christ IESVS and him crucified so when hee was ready not onely to goe to Ierusalem to bee bound but to dye for Christ so in his expectation and assurance of that Crowne vvhich Christ that righteous Iudge would bestow vpon him hauing fought a good fight and finished the Faith his affections were inflamed his Spirit wondrously reioyced his heart ouer-ioyed and his desires transcendent The like Iubilies haue many of Gods Children kept with their God in such extasies of ioy as haue shewed themselues like the Sunne-beames through a cloud through the vaile of the flesh euen in outward alterations and Symptomies Some in their Meditations hauing their thoughts so sequestrated and their spirit so abstracted from all earthly things that their corporall senses haue not perceiued outward obiects no not so much as the sound of Bels neare ringing Others haue forgot their repast and feeding the loue of Christ being better then wine and the taste of the Spirit sweeter then honey and the honey-combe such things the Papists write
vet adiuuante c. yea euen those things which are done contra voluâ—tatem against the will of GOD yet are not done praeter eius voluntatem besides his will by which will with Hugo I meane his good pleasure his operation and permission yea euen in Sinne it selfe the cause of death God hee hath a worke God workes in euery euill but he workes not euill nor euilly as the Papists slander Caluin to teach Agâ—t in malo c. hee workes in the euill first by permitting secondly by disposing by permitting I say not by prouoking For though God offer the sinner obiects to vse Augustine and Bellarmines Similitudes and leaues a man to himselfe yet hee inclines not his will to euill and therefore is not the cause of euill no more then the Shepheard by setting hay or grasse before the Sheepe is the cause of the Sheepes feeding or the Huntsman by shewing the Grey-hound the Hare or Deere is the cause of his running but onely the dispositions and inclinations of both to runne and to feede Secondly by ordering and disposing sin for this is the propertie of the diuine vvisedome saith Clemens Vti vtiliter c. to vse those things profitably which are done peruersely De malo opere c. God out of euery worke that is euill workes that which is good euen as in the first Creation he brought light out of darkenesse and as a wise Physitian out of poysoned Serpents and venemous beasts extracts a preseruatiue against poyson Thus hee disposed of the Treachery of Iosephs Brethren and the Treason of Iudas against Christ to his owne glory and the good of his Church in the preseruation of old Iacob and his Seede and the saluation of his owne Elect Israel Therefore as in one act of the death of Christ 1. God 2. Christ 3. the Diuell 4. the Iewes and 5. Iudas wrought but not from one cause the Diuell suggestingly the Iewes maliciously Iudas couetously Christ executiuely in deliuering himselfe God decretorily in decreeing and dispositiuely in disposing the death of his Sonne to the sauing of the Elect and condemning of the Reprobate being the rising and falling of many in Israell The like is seene in other sinnes wherein there are diuers agents some sinfull but GOD alwayes sinlesse for Peccatores in quantum peccatores c. God makes not sinners so farre forth as they be sinners but onely ordereth and disposeth them being as the best Creator of those wils that are good so a most righteous disposer and orderer of those wils which are euill But as for Death which it the punishment of sinne not the condition of Nature God is not onely the permitter and prouident disposer but the iust inflicter of it yea vitae necisque arbitrer the author and ordayner as of life so of death for it is he that formes the light and creates darkenesse hee makes peace and creates euill Esay 45.7 What euill Not the euill of sinne but the euill of sorrow of sicknesse of troubles banishment famine yea Death it selfe Leuit. 26. This poynt is worthy our further inlargement namely that all death for the Time of it the Place of it the Matter the Manner the Cause the Occasion of it is immediately from God operatiuely penarâ—ly or permissiuely For the Time if death come in the morning or mid-day in the euening or Cocke-crow of life in the Infancie or childe-hood or nonage or youth or adolescencie or perfect age or decaying declining or decrepit old age of our yeeres if it crop vs in the sprout or the Spring or the Summer or the Autumne or the Winter of our time God that is Palmoni a secret numberer hath numbered our dayes and measured our time for the LORD makes our dayes as it were an hand-breadth Psal 39.5 eclipsing our lifes light as it pleaseth him in the Sunne-rising or in the meridian of our dayes as hee did vvith good Iosias the vertuous Prince Edward the 6. that worthy spirit Picus miramdula our English Iosias Prince Henry with diuers others Againe sometimes hee addes vnto our dayes as hee did fifteene yeeres to the raigne of Ezâ—kias Esay 38. extending and drawing our the thread of our life to a large extent as hee did the yeeres of Abraham Iob and Dauid who dyed all in a good age full of dayes going to their graues as a Ricke of Corne commeth in due season into the Barne Iob 5.26 For the Place whether we dye in the fields with Saul and Ionathan or in our beds vvith old Iacob Gen. 49.33 or on our beds vvith Sisera and Ishbosheth 2 Sam. 4.5 or in the wars with the Amorites and Amalekites or in time of peace as did Salomon or by land or by sea as did the Aegyptians God hath appoynted that place for vs to lay downe our bodyes in and no other euen as hee appointed a dying place for Moses in the land of Moab Deut. 34.1.5 So for the Manner of death whether it be naturall when wee fall from the Tree of life like ripe Apples or if it be violent when we are by force shaken downe like greene Apples God gathers vs to our Fathers God shewes himselfe in this act not onely when immediately hee strikes by himselfe with his owne hands as hee did Dathan and Abiram whom the earth receiued Nadab and Abihu whom the fire consumed Leuit. 10.2 with others for which cause the Lord is said to raine from the Lord fire and Brimstone vpon Sodome Gen. 19. As also to haue smit Naball for his churlishnesse towards Dauid 1 Sam. 25. â—8 but euen those that are cut off by an externall agent whether by Sathan himselfe as vvere Iobs Children or by others voluntarily or involuntarily they are executed by the decree of the supreame essence Thus whether wee consider Children murthered by their Parents as was the Sonne of Constantine the great of Antoninus Caracalla of Brutus of Darius of Cambyses and Medea if wee beleeue Histories Or Parents slaine by their Children as was Senacherib by his Sonnes Esay 37.38 Fredericke by his Sonne Manfrede Agrippina by Nero Semiramis by Ninus Vlisses by Thelegon Phocas by his Sonne Heraclus c. Or the bloud of Brothers effused by Brethren as Abels by Caine Ammons by Absolon Teâ—cles by Polymies Remus by Romulus Argeus by his Brother Ptolomie Philadelphus c. Or if vvee consider Husbands slaine by their Wiues as the Husbands of the fiftie Daughters of Danaus so the Husbands of those thirtie Sisters of Albina slaine by their wiues Agamemnon by Clitemnâ—stra King Sarematar by Circes Antoninus the Emperour by his Wife Luulla Or if wee ponder Wiues butchered by their Husbands as Poppea was by Nero Queene Glosinda by Chilpericus Fausta the Empresse by Constantine as also the Wife of Mithridates the King of Pontus of Egnatius Calphurinus Periander and diuers others who haue perished by the mischiefe of their Mates Or if wee reflexe vpon Seruants that haue
manner how the beginning of sickenesse cause originall continuation and end that euery fit in thy sickenesse nay the very pangs of death are particulerly set downe in the counsell of God Did God so as hee did Dauid when thou wast an Embrio without forme in thy mothers wombe when thou wast made in a secret place and fashioned beneath in the earth Psal 139.15.16 and doth he not now thinkest thou behold thy trouble Will he not strengthen thee in the bed of languishing and make all thy bed in thy sickenesse Psal 41.2.3 In the 56. Psalme v. 8. Dauid prayes that the Lord would put his teares into his bottle Now consider with thy selfe hath God a bottle for the teares of his Seruants much more hath hee bottles for their bloud and much more doth he respect their paines and miseries with all the circumstances of sickenesse and death How did this comfort the Church of Ierusalem in the death of Christ in that nothing came to passe in it but that which the fore-knowledge and eternall counsell of GOD had appoynted Acts 4.28 Thirdly the Meditation of this point must teach thee to possesse thy soule in patience to kisse Gods Rod to subiect thy selfe like an obedient childe to his correcting hand to couch downe like Issacar vnder thy burthen what miserie soeuer in life what manner of mortalitie in death doth befall thee because it is the Lords doings it is a message from thy King an errand from thy Father a summons from thy Iudge a Loue-token from thy Bridegrome a warning from thy Generall therefore to be receiued with all loue and loyaltie submission and subiection without muttering and murmuring belching and barking against God as the manner of some is Oh consider the practise of Dauid Psal 39.10 I held my tongue saith hee and said nothing Why so because thou Lord aidst it The same consideration sealed vp the lips of Aaron when two of his owne Sonnes were consumed with fire Leuit. 10.3 So Eli when hee considered it was the Lord that threatned him and his house was content that he should doe what seemed him good 1 Sam 3.18 Ioseph thus reuiues his brethren when their harts failed them in a great perplexitie Gen. 43. Feare not saith hee for it was the Lord that sent mee before you Oh obserue how the very meditation of Gods permissiue prouidence armes him and his against griefe impatience and discontent open thou the boxe and apply thou these Cordials and Mithridate to thy owne particular I warrant you who euer had a window into Simeons Soule had seene no small Iubilie of ioy in his inward man arising euen from these very thoughts that it was the Lord that let him depart in peace after hee had imbraced the Prince of peace to whom that thou maist conforme thy selfe let this one motiue moue thee besides many moe Namely the greatnesse of this sinne of impatience a sinne not onely condemned in the Word Prou. 14 29. 19. vers 19. if it be but against man much more if against God as that of Iobs was Iob 3.1.2.3 c. but also punished most seuerely in the Lords owne people as yee may see at leasure in euery Chapter almost of Exâ—dus and Numbers it neuer scaping scot-free but bringing a greater iudgement with it then that which did occasion it As doe the people murmure for Quailes for Water c. against God against Moses and against Aaron they shall be plagued vvith Pestilence and Serpents and Death and Murraine and mortalitie Oh then if thou wilt be angry be angry with thine owne sins the occasion of all crosses and of all curses the causer of Terâ—ours and Consumptions and Burning Agues and Biles and Botches and Plague-sores yea of Death it selfe Leuit. 26.16 22. Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sinnes Lament 3. Sinne was the cause of Ezekias botch of Gehesies and Miriams Leprosie of the Philistines Emerods of the Aegyptian plagues and therefore Christ bids the blinde man sinne no more least a worse thing befall him Iohn 5.14 For Death by Sinne entered into the world Rom. 5.12 which Sinne still continueth Deaths sting wee carrying that sting in our bosomes that vvill kill vs oh then plucke this sting out drowne Sin in the salt Sea of repentant sorrow as the Marriners cast Ionas into the Sea and the cause being remoued the effect will cease The tempest shall turne to calme when thou turnest to Christ though thou hast outward paine thou shalt haue inward peace and shalt depart in peace Secondly in that God limits and lets and permits our departure it teacheth vs that the dayes of man are so determined as that no man no meanes can protract them or detract from them beyond and besides their limits for God which hath appoynted the seasons and times for euery thing Acts 1.7 ch 17. hath determined also the dayes of euery mans life as hee did Iobs Iob 14.5 which life as it is like a weauers Lombe Esay 38.10 so it must last till the last thread thereof be wouen like an Houre-glasse running till the last minute of time be expired before which time this thread cannot be cut by the power of men and Angels this Glasse cannot be broken all externall created power cannot cause the Lord to alter what hee hath written in the numbring of our dayes no more then Pilate would change what hee had vvritten vpon Christs Crosse Obiect 1. But here a scruple may arise concerning Ezekias who was told from God that hee should presently dye Esay 38.1 yet after there were fifteene yeeres added to his dayes 2 Kin. 20.1 Answ First Gods will is alwayes one in it selfe like God himselfe how euer in respect of vs it may seeme contrary or contradictory as it is secret and reuealed Secondly there was no change of will or decree in God but in Ezekias himselfe who receiued the sentence of death like the Niniuites conditionally as the Theefe may receiue the sentence of death from the Iudge vnlesse hee carry himselfe after more carefully or get the Kings Pardon presently For all Legall Threats as also Euangelicall Promises haue their relation and reference vnto the condition of Faith or Infidelitie of Repentance or Impenitencie by the performance or not performance vvhereof wee auoid or incurre the curses denounced or are capable of or not capable of the promises propounded therefore when God staid the execution and as it were repriued this good King hee did nothing but what hee determined for hee decreed by this threatning to bring him to the sight of his sinnes and so to repentance that hee might liue Obiect 2 Obiect 2. Iob complaines that his breath is corrupt that his dayes are extinct and that the graue is ready for him Iob 17.1 So Dauid complained that the Lord had weakened his strength in the way that he had shortened his dayes yea hee feared that God would take him away in the midst of
like the barren Fig-tree and throwne into Hell fire yea as they are called dead coales Psal 17. and God a consuming fire Deut. 9. Hebrewes the last c. so they are as sure to burne vnlesse quenched by repentance as they are fit to burne Neyther doth the Lord take such avvay ordinarily by a naturall and peaceable death as hee did Simeon here but oft-times in the whirlewinde of his wrath by some vnnaturall and violent and sodaine death as the fruit of their prouoking sinnes 1. Sometimes for their abuse of his worship as hee did Nadab and Abihu so Iudas that came from the Communion and hanged himselfe as also the Corinthians who dyed for their vnworthy receiuing the Sacrament 2. Sometimes for rebellion against Magistrates as Corah Dathan and Abiram Numb 16. 3. Sometimes for abusing the Seruants Prophets and Ministers of God as the two and fortie Children whom the two shee Beeres slew the two Captaines with their fifties that came to lay hands on Elias 4. So for murthering the Saints as Achab and Iezabel So the tenne persecutors infamously famous for the abundance of Christian bloud which they shed came all to fearefull ends according to the curse threatned Psal 56. Psal 139. Math. 26. that Bloudy men shall not liue out halfe their dayes and They that smite with the Sword shall perish by the Sword 5. For gurmundizing gluttonie and drunkennesse as Iobs Children Iob 2. Baltazar Dan. 5. and the Israelites slaine whilst the Quailes were in their mouthes Numb 11. 6. For couetousnesse as Ananias and Saphira Acts 5. 7. For Lust and Luxury as Cosâ—ee and Zimri and the vncleane Israelites Numb 25. 8. For Tyrannie and oppression as Pharaoh and his Hoast Exod. 14. 9. For Pride against God as Herod Acts 12. 10. For the effect of pride and malice Blasphemie against heauen as Senacharib and his pestilent Parasite Rabsekah 2 Kings 19. as also for other sinnes But now wee are to hoist vp sailes into a Sea of matter which flowes eyther necessarily from the Text or by consequence of this last proued point and by argument from the greater to the lesser from the better to the worse that if Simeon and the Saints must dye then vnsanctified sinners and so from the specials and by inductions from all particulars the generall may be concluded that all must dye So much the Text giues vs leaue to touch for if we be here as Tully intimates Tanquam in diuerserio as guests lodged in an Inne or as those that come to a Mart a Market or a Faire or as those that come to visite their friends not to inhabite long here but to depart as Simeon here imports Then hoc commune malum this departure is the designed lot to all the worlds passengers Wee here giue no reasons of the point omitting or pretermitting them till we come to distill some comforts against death onely for explanation or further satisfaction Ponder the premises that since the godly which haue no sinne I meane with Dauid and the Augustane Confession out of Augustine no imputed sinne must die since children that haue no actuall sinne doe dye because the staine of the roote is propagated to the branches as Augustine Anselme and Ambrose haue in moe phrases explained if Adam himselfe did dye not so much as hee was a created man but as hee was a corrupted sinner Then sure as life was the fruit of his obedience if he had stood à Deo donante from Gods free giuing so death is inflicted vpon his fall à Deo vindicante from God punishing And as now it is Gods Statute-Law enacted that all Adams Sonnes partaking of Adams sinnes must die so it must be executed nay wee see it is executed Philosophers and Poets and the learned Heathens who themselues since their workes and writings haue felt the smart of deaths stroke haue acknowledged it Christians haue confessed it Experience hath ratified it in the consumption and consummation of all ages all sects all sorts persons and professions that all must dye omnia peribunt c. I thou hee they and euery man besides that are were shall be this way slides Wee haue Gods statutum est for it that as in Heauen all liue and none must or can dye in Hell all dye an eternall death and none must or can liue so in earth all must dye and none can for euer liue This is an ineuitable yoke imposed on all flesh Nam rigidum ius est c. the Law is strict vnalterable to striue against the streame vnauaileable Lanificas nulli tres exorare Puellas Contigit c. The vnpartiall Fates to whom we all are vnder With rule imperiall cut lifes thread asunder Many meanes haue Galenists and Physitians vsed for the preseruation of life many Workes and elaborate Bookes are extant of the conseruation of health but neuer none writ or disputed of the exemption from death because it were in vaine If any Physitian could administer such a simple that vvould perpetually prolong life if any Lawyer could plead the case with Death not to enter violently vpon their bodie which is his tennant-right and preuaile If any Diuine did preach that sinners should not dye and performe it the first should haue moe Patients the second more Clyents the third moe Auditors then euer had any of their fellowes in their functions But to teach or plead or practise this point which the Diuell guld our first Parents with in Paradise You shall not die were to be a Lyar like him it were to build Castles in the Ayre to sow the winde and reape the whirlewinde for Omnes vna maâ—et nox c. Deaths tract wee all must tread our life 's faire light Must be obscur'd and set in Deaths darke night How many glorious Lights in the vvorld Kings Kefars Emperours Popes Potentaâ—es Dukes Earles Lords Barons c. Learned wise prudent potent c. haue already perished and vanished like Comets and blazing Starres leauing no more tract behinde them then a Serpent that goes ouer a stone of whom wee retaine nothing but the Images corporeall of their bodies or mentall of their mindes by the help of some Painters or their owne or others pens that haue onely shewed to posteritie that such men there once were but now are not What haue wee sauing the Images of moe then an hundred famous Emperours of the East and West Christian and Heathen Amongst the rest vvhere are the seauen Henries the sixe Constantines the fiue Ottoes the fiue Charleses the fiue Lodouicques the foure Leo's the three Theodosij the three Fredericques the three Tiburiusses the two Clandij the two Alberts the two Anastasij the two Martians the two Rodulphs the two famous Caesars for warre and peace Iulius and Augustus with the rest Is not the lampe of their life extinct Those whose voyces commanded the Nations are they now able to speake as it was said of Alexander those that vvere able once to
deliuer others from death could they free themselues Besides where are now more then two hundrâ—d of Romaine Bishops and triple Mitred Popes some of whose roaring Buls made once all Christendome quake and shake Where are now the twelue Gregories the nine Bonifaces eight nocently Innocents the seauen Clements the sixe Alexanders sixe Vrbans sixe Adrians twelue Benidicts the fiue Celestines the fiue Nicholasses the foure Sixtusses the foure Sergij the foure Anastaâ—ij the foure Foelixes the foure Eugenij the three Siluesters the three Victors the three Lucij the three Iulij's with the rest Doe they not all know now that which some of them Atheistically in words in writings and in life haue denyed that their bodies were mortall their soules immortall that there is a Heauen for the godly a Hell for the vvicked but no Purgatory passage to eyther the one place or other for eyther sort Besides where shall wee seâ—ke but amongst the dead for all the Romane Caesars the Aegyptian Ptolomies the Latine Murrhanes the Albane Siluies the Syrian Antiochusses the Arabian Arabarcques the Argiue Abantiades the Persian Achaminedes the Theban Labdacides the Lybian Lybiarcques and all the rest of those renowned Kings which had such diuers denominations from their worthy Predecessors and from those Countries ouer which they ruled Nay to come nearer home where are all our English Kings that haue awfully swayed the Brittaine Scepter since the Conquest Where are the two Conquering couragious Williams our three Richards our sixe Edwards our eight Henries Hath not Death made a Conquest of them Haue we any remnants of them sauing their Westminster Monuments their Ensignes their Vertues Could their Scepters Crownes Coulours Honours Miters Power or pompe of these Potentates resist Deaths all-subduing all-subiecting rod which brings vnder moe then Mercuries charming wand in the Poet No verily Non ducis imperium non regia Mitra coronae Pontificis summi c. Both conquering Dukes and Princely Crownes The mitred Popes proud Cardinals Imperiall Scepters Prelates Gownes Death vassalizeth and inthrals So if wee should continue in this Quere and demand what is become of all those worthy Generals Ioshuah Gideon c. Achilles Hector Aiax Melciades the Gracchies Camillies Fabians Asdrubal Hannibal c. Or those tryumphing Conquerours Cyrus Alexander Scylla Marius Cassius Scipio Metellius Valerius Pompey Caesars Antonie Octauian Claudian Aurelius Death hath carryed them in tryumph as they others Abstulit c. For speedy Death stopt stout Achilles breath So where are those huge and vast Gyants the Sonnes of Anack the Nimrods of the world Tipheus Anteus Enceladus Titius Polypheme Atlas Hercules Cacus Orestes c. as terrible in their times as Goliah was to the Israelites Now it is a wonder no terrour to see their ashes and their bones now fearefull Hares leape ouer dead Lyons as the Grecians scoft at dead Hector So if wee should reflexe vpon these learned Lights and Lampes in Diuinitie or Humane Learning the Fathers of the Greeke and Latine Church graue Tertullian learned Origen wittie Bernard eloquent Chrysostome zealous Augustine iudicious Ierome and the rest Or vpon these wise Heathens deepe Philosophers Aristippus Empedocles Democles Zenocrates Anaxagoras Pithagoras Diogenes Socrates Plato Aristotle the seauen Grecian Sages c. Or vpon these famous Orators Pericles Isocrates Alcibiades Gorgias Pollio Lucius Crassus Zenophon Hortensius Demosthenes Cato Cicero Quintillian Or vpon these Laureate Poets Eschilus Pindar Euripides Aristarchus Hesiod Menander Simonides Sophocles Anacraeon Eunius Statius Persius Claudian Varro Plautus Lucan Homer Terence Ouid Virgil c. Or vpon these famous Legifers and Law-giuers Mercurie amongst the Aegyptians Licurgus amongst the Lacedemonians Solon amongst the Athenians Numa amongst the Romanes as also vpon Androdamus Philolaus Beceorus Carneades c. Or vpon these profound and famous Lawyers Vlpian Iason Drusus Bartolus Baldus Iustinian Dâ—cius Or vpon these expert Physitians Hermogenes Disippus Celsus Nicomachus Eschulapius Hippocrates Auicen Galen c. Skilfull Astronomers Astrologers and deepe Mathematicians Thales Manethes Promethius Eudosius Protagoras Berosus Archites Zoroaster Ptolomie Anaximander c. Or subtill Geometricians Polemon Pausanius Marinus Theodorus Diâ—aearchus Nicephorus Euclides Or these accurate and faithfull Historiographers Thucidides Iosephus Herodotus Diodorus Egisippus Isodore Eutropius Liuie Salust Plutarch Appian Plinie Suetonius â—'ossiâ—onius Orosius Eusebius Tacitus Iustin c. Or these exquisite Musitians Zenophocles Himenaeus Amphion Chiron Arion Linus Philades Orpheus c. Or these famous Painters and Caruers Timantes Aristarchus Timagoras Pirasius Zeuxis Apelles Phidias our English Michael and Raphael with infinite moe of worthy spirits eyther inuenters or perfecters of Arts and Sciences whether Liberall or Mechanicall such as haue beene Eupaters well-willers and Benefactors to humane Societies which Antiquitie hath dignified liuing as more then men accounting them as Heroes and Semidians and Deified as Gods are they not all dead like men Haue they not gone the way of all flesh as Dauid saith of himselfe 2 King 2. Yea though some of them were Metaphoricall and terrestiall Gods as Dauid prophesieth of all Princes they are dead like men their honour is laid in the dust an Epitaph writ vpon a marble stone a Monument or Statue erected to them or for them an Enchomiasticque Verse in the numericall lines of some Poet or a narration vvhat they haue beene or what they haue done good or euill in the workes of some Historian is all which is left of them euen as a linnen shirt was that remained of that victorious Saladine yea these whom wee haue deseruedly called worthy spirits as Alexander Tamberlaine Iulius Caesar Prince Arthur in former times as also the rest of those nine Worthies amongst the Heathens and those other nine amongst Christians in former times as also that Noble Sidney that ingenious Picus Mirandula that subtill Scaliger in our times haue now their earthly tabernacles the lodges and organs of such purified spirits and heauenly inspired soules dissolued their bodies descending as their better part ascending and so it shall be with vs and with all of vs. Tendimus huc omnes â—etam properamus ad vnam c. Th' Earth is our common Hauen thither saile we Deaths bonds to breake alas how small preuaile we That which was said to Adam is said to euery one of vs Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne Gen. 3.19 Michael Glyeas amplifies it thus as hee is alledged by Bramamiâ—lerus the Germane Puluis es ex puluere es c. Dust thou art of dust thou art and into dust thou shalt returne As if one should say of the congealed Ice Aqua es ex aqua es in aquam redibâ— water thou art of water thou art and into water thou shalt be resolued for the Ice is an excellent embleme of our bodies which are more brittle then Ice Neyther is it any otherwayes vvith our terrestriall bodies in some proportion then with the celestiall For as all the Starres how euer glistering and glorious
nor cannot long be deferred nor delayed for as rauening Time this old deuouring Saturne hath already swallowed downe all former ages so he comes with as swift a foote to deuoure vs and all the earths children in his gurmundizing iawes Swiftly indeede for as an Arrow out of a Bow as a ship on the Sea as a Bird in the Ayre nay as our thoughts so swift is our time and how euer wee runne on in sinne yet euery day runnes on with vs to our graues marching vehemently with Iehu our life sliding away whether wee eate drinke walke or talke like the Ship that sailes how euer the Passengers perceiue not nay Tune quoque cum crescimus vita decrescit euen when wee grow and increase then our life doth decrease Yea so mortall are wee and so momentanie our life that euen whilst vvee liue wee may be said to be dead not onely potentially dead as hee that is poysoned or the theefe condemned is said to be but a dead man though the one be yet wrastling for life and the other vnexecuted because the one is potentially the other ciuilly dead in Law euen so wee are dead in Law as Adam and Eue were because wee haue sinned like them but vve are for the greatest part euen actually dead For let vs take the life of man as it is diuided into seauen parts Infancie Childe-hood Adolescencie Youth Man-hood Old age and the Decrepit olde age Now in these successiue ages what is the latter alwayes saue the death of the former as both Inchinus and Seneca haue wittily noted What is Childe-hood but the abolition and death of Infancie what Adolescencie but the death of Childe hood Youth of Adolescencie Man-hood of Youth Old age of Man-hood and Decrepit age of Old age and of Decrepit age Death it selfe is the Death Which truth though our eyes be blinde to see and our hearts dead to ponder yet our tongues like Caiaphas his prophecying against our wils confesse it For I pray you when an old man or a man of middle yeeres findes an vnaptnesse and vnablenesse in himselfe to performe that which in his youth he did and delighted to doe what is his phrase Oh saith he that whorld is past with me intimating that he is dead and departed from the world in respect of that age Oh then how had euen the very Childe neede to prepare for his finall departure since one part of his life is dead already his Infancie how the youthfull Ephebus that hath two parts dead and but fiue at furthest to liue how the youth that hath three parts dead in him and but foure to liue how the lusty man that hath foure parts of time spent certainely and hath but three parts to liue and those vncertaine how the old man chiefely that hath acted fiue parts of his life already and hath but two to act vncertaine by reason of his faultring tongue and dryed braine whether hee can act these or no before Death strike him non plus But chiefely the Decrepit gray-headed man who is dead sixe times and now hath but one age vpon his weake and wearyed backe about to rest him in his graue How should these premeditations excite our preparations that as we are compared to fruit in the Scripture being called the fruit of the wombe the fruit of the loynes c. so betimes to bring forth fruit worthy of repentance ere we fall like mellow fruit from the tree of life If wee haue past some ages wee are dead to those euen as in fruit the flower is the death of the bud and the fruit is the death of the flower Therefore let vs be fruitfull in doing good ere vvee be pluckt away and be no more Oh how soone fruit perisheth How soone doth it ripen how soone rot How doe the Wormes that breede of it and in it consume it The North and East winde blasts it the Mill dew infects it Caterpillers spoyle it now by violence it is pluckt from the tree now rotten-ripe it fals and so festers So it is with all the seede of man the fruit of woman wee haue all one manner of grafting and of growing but a thousand different wayes of decreasing and decaying Omnibus est eadem laethi via noâ— tamen vnus Est vitae cunctis exitijque modus All haue one way to life one way to death Yet many wayes doth stint our vitall breath Moe wayes lead to the Sepulcher then to any Princely Palace Molle patent adiâ—us c. Meanders Labyrinth had not so many windings as Death hath wayes Hos Bellâ— hos aequora poscunt c. Warres waters fancies frenzies loue mad lust Besides diseases doe dissolue our dust As Seneca and Silius once sung as pithily as Poetically Histories of all times places and persons Sacred and Humane consort and confirme this experienced truth The old World wee know was drowned so was Pharaoh with his Aegyptians Sodome and Gomorrah Ziglah the two Captaines and Companies of fifties that came against Elias Nadab and Abihu Achan and his familie burned Herod eaten with wormes Daniels accusers deuoured with Lyons the mocking children vvith shee Beares the Philistines smit with Emerods the Israelites cut off many thousands in the dayes of Moses and Dauid by Plague and Pestilence Bethlems Children and the Sichemites butchered by the Sword Ierusalem and Samaria by the sword and Famine Er and Onan killed by the Diuine power Ananias and Saphira throwne downe dead by an Apostolicall Spirit Simon Magus his necke broke by Peters Prayers Iulian killed with a Dart by the Prayers of the Church If wee would wade into Heathenish Stories vvee might adde to the Catalogue vvithout number such as haue perished by vvater as Hylas in his Colchos voyage Orontes Lucaspis Palinurus Iearus Laeander Sappho Menander c. whom Virgil and Ouid so oft mention by fire as Sardanapalus Empedocles in Aetna Phaeton Dido in the Poet. Some destroyed by wilde beasts as many Martyres in the Primitiue persecution as Saturâ—einus by a Bull Ignarius Policarpus by a Lyon Felicitas by Leopards Milo the wrastler by a Wolfe Baâ—ilâ—ns slaine by a Hart Hatto the Bishop of Mentz eaten with Mice louely Adonis cunning Dedalur prophecying Idmon torne in pieces by Bores Some by Dogs as Euripides the Poet dogged Diogenes weeping Heraclitus Philosophers apostate Lucian c. How many haue beene strangled vpon the Crosse not onely Martyres as Andrew Peter Gorgonius Simeon the Son of Cleophas Peter Aulanus c. following their head Christ but euen many Kings as Policrates the Spartan Leonides Sindualdus Arnulphus Hanno of Carthage c. Besides Malefactors such as Helen the Graecian Whore Daphitas the Grammarian c. and such as haue hanged themselues as Iudas Achitophell Phillis Erigone Biblis Some haue beene stoned to death by others or shot with arrowes as Achillis by Paris Procris by Cephalus Acron by Romulus Hyrene by Sisinnius yea a stone from a wall as vpon Abemelech out of a
sling as Dauids against Goliah or throwne with the hand as that which Patroclus threw vpon Câ—brion in the Troyan warre besides the fall of wals such as that of the Tower of Shilo hath beene the death of many I cannot reckon all the meanes of our mortalitie Hoc opus hic labor So many Creatures as I contemplate nay so many things inanimate as I see me thinkes I see so many Actors in the Tragicke fall of man The Thunder in the heauens hath slaine many in earth if that which Virgil writes in the first third and sixt of his Aeneidos of Enceladus and other Gyants slaine by Iupiter Aiax by Pallas Ouid of Typheus Propertius of Semele be a fiction yet the report receiued of the death of Anastatius the Emperour Zoroastres the Magitian Tullius Hostilius by Thunder and that which wee haue heard and seene in this kinde is Authenticke What heapes and hauocke the Sword hath made in warre let these millions speake that haue perished not onely in the vvarres betwixt the Kings of Israell and Iudah in which in one battell there sell fiftie thousand betwixt Ahas and Ieroboam saith Iosephus as also betwixt the Iudges and Kings of Israell vvith their enemies when Achab slew an hundred thousand Syrians Gideon an hundred and twentie thousand Midianites But euen in thâ—se amongst Christians when Charles Martill in one battell slew three hundred and fiftie thousand Gothes In those amongst Pagans Caesar bragging of an eleauen hundred and nintie thousand that had fallen vnder his conduct besides those in ciuill warres betwixt him and Pompey Scylla and Marius c. besides those that fell in Tamberlaines Trophies ouer the Medes Albanes Mesapotamians Persians Parthians Armenians Turkes c. In Sicinius Conquests in fortie fiue set battels of Hannibals ouer Cornelius Scipio Sempronius Flamminius Aemillius and Terentius where there were slaine at once fortie Senators of Alexander ouer Darius slaughtering an eleauen hundred of Crassus killing twelue hundred of Spartacus Armie Lucullus two thousand of Mithridates Troupes Ptolomie fiftie thousand of Demetrius hoast Others moe in many maine battels recorded by Sabellicus Liuie Plutarch Volateran testifie how much humane bloud the sword hath effused how many Tragedies poyson hath acted not onely the sodaine and frequent fals of so many Mitred Popes out of Peters supposed vsurped Seate doth declare but the dismall deaths of famous Emperours and Kings as of Constantine the Sonne of Heraclius Zimisces after one yeeres raigne of Carolus Caluns of Henry of Lucelburge Lothar of France Lodouicus Balbus Dioclesian of Dalmatia Lucullus of whom Pliny nay of Alexander himselfe with infinite others who were as certainly poysoned as Socrates and Pope Victor Nay so easily is the thread of our life cut so soone our web vntwisted like Penelope's or rather swept away with the Spiders that euen in our meates and drinkes wee may suspect that Mors in â—lla Death is in the pot haue we not the testimonie of Sextus Aurelius that ingurgitation of meate and too much repletion not being concocted in the stomacke occasioned the deaths of Septimius Seâ—erus and Valentinian Emperours Doth not Ignatius ascribe the fall of Iouinian to the same cause as also Gâ—egory Turonensis imputes the sodaine death of Childericus the Saxon being found dead in his bed to the same crudities and suffocations by intemperancie The like censure giues Eusebius of Domitius Apher that ouercome of his meate dyed at Supper Neyther doth Hermippus indite any thing for the death of Archisilaus but his excessiue ingurgitating of Wine As I my selfe once in Cambridge saw a drunken dogge in forme of a man vent out his soule with disgorging his exonerated stomacke Neyther are wee onely subiected to our dissolution by too much repletion occasion of so many diseases yea of death it selfe that plures gula quam gladio the panch destroyes moe then the sword but the defect of meate and drinke hath contracted the liues of many in all parts and those no lesse mighty Millions haue tryed wofully the massacres of famine in the siege of Ierusalem and Samaria Narriners by Sea Cities in siege Souldiers in the Campe and the poore in dearth yea this hath beene the cruellest death that Tyranny and Ielousie could inuent Thus was Richard the second dispatcht of his Countrimen thus was Boniface the eight plagued by Phillip Boniface the sixt by one Cincius a Romane Citizen Aristo the Poet by the Athenians Earle Vgoline by his vngratefull Countrimen thus were Orator Fortunatus Foelix and Silinus Martyres pinched at Alexandria and perished Nay so soone wee are and are not that God doth not onely sometimes with his owne stroke immediately from himselfe cut vs short sometimes mediately by man for and in the midst of our lawlesse lusts as Cosbie and Zimbri were slaine of Phinees Arcibiadeâ— of Lysander saith Plutarch Iohn the twelfth by the Husband of a Whore in the midst of their filth as it is reported by Tertullian that Spensippus the Platonist by Pontanus that Beltrand Herrerius by Paulus Diaconus that Rodoald King of the Longobards by Cornelius Tacitus that Tigillinus the Ruler of the Watch by Celius that fayre Phaon by Pliny lib. 7. that Cornelius Gallus and Heterius Romane Gentlemen and by other Authors that others haue perished in their pollutions in the very venerious act but we perish sometimes euen in and by our lawfull affections euen the ouermuch opening and dilating of the heart in ouer-ioying and the too much contracting of the same againe by ouer-sorrowing hath brought thousands to their graues without gray hayres How many Authors haue we to testifie that which seemes more incredible that an ouer-ioying may presently depriue vs for euer after inioying any of the ioyes of life What vvas the reason that Sophocles and Dionisius both of them being victorious in the censure of the Critticques for their exquisite Tragedies dyed sodainely saith Plinie lib. 7. c. 37. euen of an ouer-ioy as Valerius and Volateran also think how euer Lucian and Sotades alledged by Crinitus thinke contrary The like is reported of Chilo imbracing his Sonne crowned at the Olympicke games of a Romane woman at the safe returne of her son which she thought was slaine in the wars at Canna of Philippides when his Laureat Poems were preferd of Diagoras of Rhodes when his three sonnes saith Gellius lib. 3. nott at or his two sons saith Tullie lib. 1. Tusc were victorious in the publicke Wrastlings of Philemon when hee saw an Asse eate Figges prepared for the table all who tell vs that euen this affection of Ioy with a sweet tickling like that stinging of the Serpent Dipsas may kill much more may sorrow as Iacob confesseth and Iudah intimateth in Genesis hasten our heads to the graue ere our haires be very gray Griefe being to the heart vnlesse it be godly griefe for sinne which neuer hurts but heales 2 Cor. 7.10 that the Moath is to the garment the Catterpiller to the fruit eating the heart like
NOW followes the last part of this holy Hymne Simeons Quletâ—s est or his Pacification God suffering him to depart in peace Caluin and Bucer renders Simeons minde thus Nunc libenter sedato quieto animo moriar Lord now I depart willingly with an appeased heart and a setled soule since I haue seene thy Christ From whence I gather that a good man that liues piously alwayes dyes peaceably It appeares here in Simeon so in the rest of the Saints as in Abraham to whom it was promised Gen. 15.15 that hee should goe vnto his Fathers in peace and should be buryed in a good age which promise was plentiously performed to Abraham for he yeelded the spirit dyed in a good age an old man and of great yeeres Gen. 25.8 So Isaack the Sonne of Promise gaue vp the ghost and dyed peaceably being old and full of daies Gen. 35.29 Neither was the death of good Iacob that preuailing Israel discrepant to his holy life for he dyed quietly making an end of his charge vnto his Sonnes hee pluckt vp his feete into his bed and gaue vp the ghost Gen. 49.33 After the like manner was the death of chaste and mercifull Ioseph Gen. 50.26 of penitent and patient Iob after hee had seene his sonnes and his sonnes sonnes euen foure generations Iob 42.16 Of zealous and sincere Dauid 1 Kings 2. after hee had counselled and charged his Sonne Salomon to walke in the wayes and Statutes of the Almightie Of Moses the faithfull Seruant of the Lord who dyed when his eye was not dimme nor his naturall force abated though he were an hundred and twentie yeeres old God himselfe being present at his death and buriall So Ioshuah that couragious Leader of Israel Iosh 24.29 Aaron the Lords Priest who dyed before the Lord in the Mount Hor Numb 20.28 Eleazar Aarons Sonne Iosh 24.33 Samuel the Lords Prophet 1 Sam. 25.1 with all the rest of Gods Children Patriarkes Prophets Iudges Kings Martyres Confessors the learned Lights of the Church such as Ambrose Augustine c. as they haue liued holily they haue dyed happily of which in their seuerall Histories they haue giuen demonstrations most of them if not all in these three particulars First that they were gathered to their Fathers in a mature and full age full of yeeres reaped like a Ricke of ripe Corne into the Lords Barne taken like mellow Apples from the Tree of life in which full age Abraham Isaack Iacob Ioshuah Iob with the rest before mentioned as also the Patriarkes before the Floud which out-liued them with others of the faithfull did blessedly yeeld their spirits and quietly slept in the Lord which blessing of long life being the promise annexed to that fift Commandement of Obedience is peculiarly incident to the godly rather then the wicked whose sinnes as the Iuie kils the Oake ordinarily abbreuiate their dayes or if any of the faithfull dye young or in their middle age before they haue attained to the yeeres of their Fathers eyther by a naturall dissolution as Iosias or by a violent death as the auncient and moderne Martyres eyther they are taken away from the euill to come as Augustine was immediately before the siege of Hippo by the Gothes and Vandals or else because they are ripened already in grace and come to that maturitie which GOD in his fore-seeing wisedome knowes they would or could attaine to and so are fitted for glory or else they testifie the truth here to others confirmation Gods glory and their owne consolation Secondly the Elect vsually haue their wishes and the fruition of their desires ere their departure to the great satisfaction of their soules the contentation of their hearts the corroberation of their faith and the sealing pledge of Gods speciall loue vnto them thus Simeon ere his death had CHRIST in his armes which was the desire and longing of his heart So Abraham saw Christs day before his death in the spirit and reioyced what did old Israel so long after in the whole world except the sight of Shiloh the Messias in the flesh as to see his darling Ioseph which longing of his the Lord satisfied at the full ere his death for his dying eyes did not onely see Iosephs face but his seede Ephraim and Manasses Gen. 48.11 What did Moses desire more then the fruition of Canaan the promised Land Now euen before the Lord shut his dying eyes the Lord tooke him vp into a mount and as a rellish and a taste of his fauour gaue him a sight of Canaan Deut. 34. ver 1.4 In what could Dauids heart be more setled then to see his Throne setled in Salomon his Sonne which his desire was accordingly accomplished for his eyes did see what his heart desired for which hee blessed God 1 Kings 1.48 And the like ordinarily fals out as many aged Christians at this very day can bring in their experienced probatum est as many that are fallen a-sleepe before them could haue testified how the Lord hath heard their requests and granted the desires of their soules in these and these particulars before their deaths Thirdly the godly expresse the hidden ioy and inward peace which they finde within their soules by their seasoned and sanctified words of grace which they breathe out as a sweet Perfume from holy hearts to the refreshing of others vpon their sicke beds with which they vsually winde vp the thread of their life words so good so gracious that they are worthy to be writ in Letters of Gold and for euer to be remembred as they are recorded in the sacred Cannon and collected by holy men from the Saints of latter times For example vvhat a sweet gratulatory speech is this of Simeons in his farewell to the world Lord now lettest thou thy Seruant depart in peace c. Euery word hauing his waight and Emphasis Ponder the last Sermons that Moses and Ioshuah and Samuel these faithfull Seruants of the Lord made immediately before their deaths vnto the Israelites Gods chosen people how zealously they perswade to the seruice of the true God disswade from Idolatrie and false Gods enumerate Gods speciall mercies exhort to obedience dehort from rebellion against God and their Superiours proclaime the promises to the obedient pronounce mercies to allure denounce iudgements to terrifie the disobedient blessing GOD by gratulatory Songs for his benefits and blessing the people in their Tribes Deut. 32. ch 33. Iosh 12. 1 Sam. 12. and a man shall see the peace they had in their hearts by the grace of their lips The last words of Iacob were blessings and prophecies Of Ioseph were admonitions and cautions the one to his Sonnes the other to his Brethren Gen. 49. Gen. 50. The last words of Dauid were his charge to Salomon his Son concerning Gods worship and the gouernement of his Kingdome 1 Kings 2. vers 3.4.5.6 c. The last words of Steuen the first Martyr after CHRIST were prayers for his
because they haue dyed of the Plague Suppose it be an accursed death did not Christ the penitent Theefe Peter and Paul which were crucified by Nero with their heads downewards dye an accursed death euen the death of the Crosse Fourthly besides is it not Gods visitation like other diseases Fiftly is it not oft-times sent as Cyprian well notes as well for the sinnes of those that liue it of those that dye as appeares in the Plague sent vpon Dauids Sheepe when he the Shepheard sinned in numbring of them Sixtly is it not a disease though sharpe yet short and more tollerable then the Stone Dropsie Gout Palsie or the French disease Seauenthly did not Dauid desire this kinde of death rather then eyther Famine or Warre Eightly nay haue not Gods Saints as namely Iob for many moneths together beene troubled with a more grieuous maladie Ninthly is not God very mercifull to many that dye of the Plague that haue their senses and memories till the last houre are not those blew spots which appeare Gods tokens as they are called fore-warning them that haue them as God did Ezekias to prepare themselues for they must dye Lastly is their any death much lesse this can hinder the soule after her dâ—arting from Gods present and immediate fellowship or the body from a glorious Resurrection and what if none visit the afflicted in this sort the fewer that gaze on them the fitter they are to looke vp to God And what if they dye and vvant solemne buriall what preiudice is that to the bodies resurrection or soules saluation Obiect 7. But some of the godly dye of Famine as did Lazarus from which God promiseth to preserue them Psal 34. Answ First it is vncertaine whether Lazarus dyed for want of food or the violence of his disease Secondly this death is rare and seldome fals out God prouiding for his as hee did for Iacob and Elias euen in Famine but if this happen God armes his with patience and strengthens them with the assured hope of life eternall as hee did the persecuted Hebrewes who were exposed to nakednesse and hunger Heb. 11.38 Thirdly the Promise is conditionall as all others are that concerne these outward things which fall alike to all Ecclâ—s 9. Fourthly some vnderstand the place in the Psalmist concerning the soules of Gods Saints which are fed with the hidden and precious Manna of the Word to life eternall Iohn 6. Apoc. 2.17 Obiect 8. But some are slaine by their enemies these dye not in peace Ans Yes for no death can seperate Gods Children from his loue Rom. 8.38 Secondly though they kill the body as Cain did Abels the Philistines Ionathans yet as Zwinglius said in the like case as you haue heard they cannot kill the soule Thirdly it is a priuiledge if they dye in Gods cause and procures them a greater increase of glory Apoc. 14.13 Mat. 5.8 Obiect 9. Lastly it is obiected that some of the godly as Sampson and Rasis haue killed themselues others haue done the like in our dayes How haue these dyed in peace Ans For Rasis it was a weakenesse in him if hee were a good man or a wickednesse if he were not For Sampson what hee did was typicall as he prefigured Christs death that ouercame dying Secondly it was by a speciall instinct and motion of Gods Spirit inimitable no more then Abrahams sacrificing his Sonne for those which our experience instanceth in I confesse it is a ticklish point and the knot is hard to be loosed I know that Saul Achitâ—phel and Iudas that killed themselues are noted in the Scripture for reprobates And it seemes that those which doe this inhumane deede doe not for the instant thinke of hell torments yet vvhat then God neuer forsakes his chosen Secondly his mercy is bottomlesse from the Ocean of which mercy hee may distill some drop of grace at the last point of time Thirdly this act is done commonly in some Frenzie or predominant Melancholy when they are not themselues Fourthly Sathan is a wilie Serpent that obserues his aduantages and the Lord knowing his malice and wickednesse and mans frailtie and weakenesse punisheth this sinne as he did the first sinne wherein this Serpent vvas chiefe actor more in Sathan the agent then in man the patient Fiftly many Selfe-murtherers liue after the selfe inflicted fatall stroke and repent ere they dye Let vs iudge the best of them and pray to GOD to giue vs grace neuer to yeeld to the like temptations Amen And now these Doubts discussed these Obiections remoued we come to the Vses The first is this is it so that the Seruants of the Lord doe dye in peace wee must then if wee meane to dye well as the Lord shall inable vs learne to liue well If wee will dye in peace wee must liue the life of grace for it is not â—am vetus quam verum so prouerbiall as true Qualis vita finis ita as is the life so is the death Instance in all particulars in the Scripture from the first line in Genesis to the last Letter of the Reuelation and wee shall neuer see otherwayes excepting one example of the Theefe vpon the Crosse which is particular miraculous vpon a speciall occasion to magnifie the effect of Christs bloud and the power of his Passion to eternize his mercy that gaue life euen at his death and to shew and demonstrate his Deitie that at the lowest ebbe of his crucified Humanitie was able to saue a soule to strengthen the Disciples and allure the vnbeleeuing Gentiles I say excepting him which is an extraordinary example and not to be propounded as a president by any presumptuous soule wee shall not finde any one that liued ill and dyed well but that had the Prologue of their euill life shut vp with the Tragedie of a damned death Looke vpon Cain the murtherer that desperate Runne a-gate on the licentious Worldlings on Lamech the seauentie time auenged Polygamist on polluted Onan and wicked Err on vncleane Sodome with her Sister Gomorrha Gen. 19 25. on rebelling Israel hard-hearted Pharaoh obdurate superstitious and irreligious Aegypt Exod. 6.7.8 ch 14. on disobedient Saul 1 Sam. 15. on lying Iesuitically aequiuocating Gehezi 2 Kings 5. on theeuish Achan treacherous Achitophel traiterous Iudas adulterous and murtherous Herod bloudy Ioab couetous Ahab persecuting Iezabel deluding Ananias deceiuing Saphira cruell Antiochus proud Hamman vsurping Athalia rebelling Absolon with millions moe looke at their liues obserue their deaths peruse their Stories paralell their doings with their sufferings and tell mee if they haue not sealed vp and concluded sensuall and sinfull liues with cursed deaths nay as the Prophet saith Goe yee to Calneh and see and from thence goe you to Hamath the great then goe to Gath of the Philistines looke vpon Ioppa behold Tharsus wonder at Niniuie the pride of Assur gaze vpon Babilon the beautie of all the Chaldees honour And
as you passe by cast your eye vpon Ierusalem that virgin Daughter Sion And if you please reflexe vpon proud Troy renowned Carthage famous Constantinople learned Athens rich Thebes warrelike Numantia populous Samaria ancient Rome old Antwerpe and when you haue viewed them all in the Map of your retyred Meditations tell these renowned places these wonders of the vvorld that sinne hath sackt them that pride hath beene their period that their faults haue caused their fals that they haue beene miserable because vnmindfull of God and of themselues that they with their inhabitants because they haue wanted grace haue wanted peace But if these be to generall for thy application descend into particulars runne ouer Histories read the Tragicke parts that wicked men haue acted vpon the Stage of this world and marke their ends when Death hath struck them Non-plus Leaue all other sinnes and sinners looke on these that eyther haue broached errours Heretically or resisted or persecuted the truth obstinately and cruelly and you shall see them dying horribly you shall see blasphemous Cerinthus killed with the ruines of an house as he was sitting in a Bath at Ephesus Manes the Father of the Manichees exposed to the teeth of Dogs with his skinne flaine off by the command of a Persian King Arius that hellish patrone of the Arians voyding out his bowels with his excrements Olimpius strucke with Thunder by a three-fold Dart from Heauen for his blasphemies against the Trinitie Nestorius perished in Aegypt by the rotting of that tongue of his which denyed Christs humanitie Tandemus that Gygantean and profane contemner of the Word and Sacraments clouen to the braine by a sailing Priest Michael Sernetus burned at Geneua Maximinian the Tyrant smit with a sodaine plague from GOD his eyes swelling his whole body burning so dyed Cruell Domitian the next persecuter after Nero slaine by his Wife and Seruants and buryed like a Dogge Lucius Verus cut off by an Apoplexie the eleauenth yeere of his cruell raigne Maximinus the Thracian murthered by his Souldiers Decius drowned in a puddle Valerian King Sapors slaue after his persecutions had his skinne pluckt off his rotten carkasse Dioclesian with his Collenge butchering seauenteene thousand Christians in thirty dayes consumed miserably in his Frenzie by a lingring disease and his fellow hanged himselfe Valeâ—s the Arrian Emperour burned in his Inne by his pursuing enemies What neede I giue Coale-worts twice sod and set before you againe those dishes that haue beene cooked by all authentâ—cke Ecclesiasticall Authors that are of credit concerning the miserable death of Iulian the apostate whose bloud his owne hands threw into the ayre of Aurelian smit with a Thunderbolt Commoduâ— strangled of Paulinus possessed with a Diuell after hee had martyred Martinian and Processus with diuers others in which the Antichristian Popes as they haue acted the chiefe parts in filthinesse blood-guiltinesse and superstition so if wee obserue their ends as they are recorded by Platina Onuphrius c. and their owne Writers wee shall see they haue dyed fearefully and desperately as they haue liued damnably as may be instanced in Siluester the second Alexander the sixt Heldibrand c. and others all which instances with all other examples that Iewes or Gentiles the Christian or Pagan world afford vnto vs are nothing else but comments vpon that Maxime which S. Augustine drawes from his owne experience when hee saith Nunquam memini male mortuum c. I neuer remembred any to haue dyed ill that haue liued well and hardly doth hee dye well that hath liued ill Therefore to extract another Vse from these premisses Is it so that onely the Seruants of God the Lords Simeons dye in peace and none else then the madnesse of those men is to be mourned as Samuel mourned for Saul and their ignorance or obstinacie is to be pittied that flatter their owne soules and secure themselues they shall dye happily when they haue no care nor conscience to liue holily Faine would they with Balaam dye the death of the righteous but they will not liue the life of the righteous they would act Simeons part in death but they will not labour for Simeons Spirit they would dye like Iude but liue like Iudas dye like the Sonnes of God liue like the sonnes of Belial dye like Saints liue like sinners dye like Dauid but liue like Diues in chambering and wantonnesse in surfetting and drunkennesse in delights and dalliance in pleasures and pompe they would be vvith Christ on Mount Sion but they will not follow him to Mount Caluarie they will not be crucified with him nay they will not crucifie one lust nor sacrifice one sinne nor mortifie one member for the loue of Christ for the loue of their owne soules they will not plucke out their right eies cut off their right hands throw away those sinnes that are as deare to them as eyther eyes or hands for gaining of God for purchase of Paradise for conquest of a crowne nay they will rather carrie both their eyes and both their feete all their deare and darling sinnes whither Iudas carryed his Hypocrisie and Herod his Lust euen to death with them euen to the graue with them euen to Iudgement with them then cast them off as the wilde Beast hunted casts away his stones for which hee is pursued to saue their life by dying nay to saue their soules by dying to sinne Doe these men beleeue the Scripture that tels them as they sow so they shall reape Nay doe they beleeue Experience that in euery Garden Field and Seede-plat shewes it Doe they credit the holy Oracles that if they liue after the flesh they shall dye but if they mortifie the deedes of the flesh by the Spirit they shall liue Rom. 8.13 And doe they nay dare they then goe on in sinne and thinke notwithstanding to reape saluation Are they but dead men all their life euen dead in sinne and trespasses without the quickning Spirit Ephes 2.1 ver 5. and doe they thinke to be liuing men in death Doe men vse to gather grapes of Thornes and figs of Thistles they know to the contrary and thinke they that a good death will grow of a bad life let them neuer hope it I aske such men as Iezabel asked Iehu 2 Kings 9.31 Iehu Iehu did Zimri prosper that slew his Master I trow no. So I aske euery licentious loose sinner Did euer any sinner dye well without repenting that offended God his heauenly Master by treasonable sinning Apply all these precedent examples to thine owne soule and make them thy presidents read them ouer againe and remember them and paralell thy selfe with them Art thou a Theefe looke how Achan dyed that was a Theefe Iosh 7. Art thou a Whore-master looke how the Sodomites dyed how Er and Onan dyed Hophni and Phinees that were vncleane A Whore looke how whorish Iezabel dyed A Swearer looke how blasphemous Rabsakeh
their deaths they must be catechized as Christ did Nicodemus and Philip the Eunuch euen in the maine doctrines of Faith and Repentance like as some new conuerted Pagans were in the Primitiue Church There be few Ministers acquainted vvith visiting the sicke but they shall finde that men that haue beene vnder the meanes twentie thirtie or fortie yeeres doe at the end of all beginne to inquire as the Iewes of Peter Acts 2. and the Iaylor of Paâ—l Acts 16. what they should doe to be saued not yet knowing the meanes and the way to saluation which argues the great securitie of our age and contempt of God oh take thou heede betimes vse all good meanes before-hand that thou maist be able in sickenesse to put in practise these spirituall exercises of Repentance and Inuocation The second branch of the sicke mans preparation concernes himselfe and that eyther his soule or his body for the soule First the sicke partie must arme himselfe against the feare of death and feeling of sicknesse Death is very fearefull to all men euen to the godly as one obserues well in Dauid for all who though hee were neyther daunted with Sauls malice nor the Philistines hatred nor Absolons Treason nor Achitophels treachery nor in grapling with a Lyon nor in fighting with a Beare nor incountring Goliah yet when Death beganne to close vvith him and lay holde on him then hee cryes out Oh I am troubled aboue maesure Oh spare mee a little Psal 6.3 39.13 Therefore thus incourage thy present feeling and greater feare First that sicknesse and so death is the rod of a Father not the whip of a Iudge the correction not destruction of a Sonne Heb. 12.6 Secondly since it is the Lord say with Eli Lâ—t him doe what seemes good 1 Sam. 3.18 His will be done on mee in mee and by mee on me in suffering in me by his grace working by me in obeying Thirdly Christ thy high Priest and Intercessor is euen touched with a fellow-feeling of all thine infirmitiâ—s Heb. 4.15 Fourthly against deaths feare 1. consider the estate of thy life which life is but a vanishing Vapour Iames 4.14 a Weather-cocke which turnes at euery blast a Waue which surgeth at euery storme a Reede blowne vvith euery winde a Warfare as doubtfull as dangerous feare not the vanishing of a Vapour the turning of a Weather-cocke 2. Consider thy body as a body of sinne Rom. 7.24 the soules prison the mindes iayle the spirits cage no Bocardo dungeon sincke puddle pit is so noysome to the body as it selfe is to the heauenly inspired soule Now since death is the leauing of this body of sinne as Augustine cals it it is not to be eschewed but imbraced saith Chrisostome Other incouragements I leaue to their due places The second dutie which concernes the soule is this thou must set in order thy soule reconciling and recommending vnto God this desolate darling of thine after the manner afore said for as the sickenesse of the body oft comes from the sinne of the soule so the curing of the one oft procures the health of the other but if thy sicknesse be to death by this course 1. thou shalt dye more quietly 2. more comfortably 3. giue good example to thy visitors 4. leaue a comfort to thy suruiuing Friends Now for the performance of these things the better others ought to assist thee as others brought the sicke of the Palsie to CHRIST Marke 2. Iames tels thee that the Elders of the Church must be sent for Iam. 5.14 which Elders were not onely Apostles but auncient men endued with the spirit of Prayer and gift of Miracles a gift which not onely many Parents had but euen Christian Souldiers saith Tertullian de corona militis c. 11. In these times S. Iames his rule still holds though then those gifts cease yet make thou choyse of such Christians as haue the spirit of Admonition Exhortation Prayer c. for to their prayers for thee a blessing is promised Iames 5.15 their prayers if they be feruent may preuaile for the restoring of thy spirituall life or corporall health as the prayers of Elias Elizeus Paul and our Sauiour Christ preuailed for whom they prayed but chiefely send for thy Minister or some faithfull Preacher for hee will play the part of a spirituall Physitian 1. hee can vnrip thy vlcers search thy sores better then thou thy selfe 2. set before thee thy sinnes 3. cast thee downe by the Law 4. raise thee vp by the Gospell 5. comfort 6. direct 7. instruct thee 8. speake a word to thee in due season from God 9. be thy mouth to speake from thee and for thee to God 10. pronounce thy pardon on earth vvhich shall be ratified in heauen vpon tryall of thy Repentance Iohn 20.23 The practise of the world and worldlings is condemnable in this case for alas instead of sending for knowing and zealous men which could comfort them with such consolations wherewith they themselues haue beene comforted 2 Cor. 1.4 and in some measure restore them Gal. 6.1 they send for their carnall friends entertaine and welcome profane men that come to visit them from whom they receiue as much comfort as Iudas did of the Scribes and Pharisies when hee was in despayre Mat. 27.3.4 First eyther they say nothing to them like Iobs friends that were silent seauen dayes Iob 2.13 and in silence looke vpon them like a Deere at gaze Secondly or else they speake to little or no purpose saying to the sicke partie they are sorry to see him in such a case they would haue him take that which themselues want a good heart and be of good courage and comfort but wherein and by what meanes they cannot tell Others more vainely and profanely that they doubt not but hee shall doe well enough and recouer and that they shall be merry and drinke and carouse together as they haue done before c. and they will pray for them if they will when alas all their prayers are nothing else but the Apostles Creede or the tenne Commandements and the Lords Prayer vttered without Faith Feeling and Vnderstanding and this is the common comfort that sicke men get of their neighbours and friends when they come to visite them alas we may say as Iob of his friends miserable comforters be they all Secondly herein many men are also culpable 1. that they eyther send not for a Minister at all 2. or else for such a one as is as good as none a cloud without raine a dry pit without water such a one as wants the tongue of the learned to speake to him or the heart of the humble to pray for him vnlesse in saying as they say some set prayers which good Sir Iohn is as farre from truely praying as the sicke Patient is from profiting by them Or thirdly if they send for a Minister it is preposterously when it is too late in some maine exigent
Lords Tribunall vvhither it is approaching that so as it is said of the Doue and the Eagle that when they haue plunged their vvings in the water they are better fitted for their flight thou plunging thy selfe into the troubled Bethesda poole of thy repentant teares distilling from the Limbecke of a remorcefull heart thy soule may take the wings of a Doue and flye out of the Cage and Coate of thy body to her eternall rest in Abrahams bosome Now with Simeons heart sing Simeons Song now awaken all thy powers to praise the Lord so as in singing wee ascend to higher notes thy soule leauing the earth of thy body shall with the Larke mount still higher and higher nay it shall be carryed vp on the wings of wayting Angels till it be transcendent amongst the Quires of those heauenly Hierarchies that sing continuall Halleluiah's vnto the once incarnate now deified Lambe euen Simeons Lord that sits vpon the throne To whom with the Father and the eternall Spiriâ— a Trinitie in Vnitie and Vnitie in Trinitie as his due and our duty from the ground of our hearts and soules be ascribed all Honour Glory Power Maiestie and Mercy of vs and all Churches now and for euermore Amen Necessary Incouragements and Comforts against the grieuances of seuerall Crosses Because that many are too much deiected and disconsolate at the death of their friends Parents for Children Children for Parents Husbands for Wiues and Wiues for Husbands Brother for Brother and Friend for Friend mourning like Rachel for her Children and will not be comforted let these Motiues moue thee to take truce with thy teares and not to sorrow as did the Heathens without hope 1 KNOW and acknowledge that it is GOD that hath taken away thy friend the pleasure of thine eyes thy Wife or the like therefore as God said to Ezekiel in the like case Mourne not nor weepe neyther let thy teares runne downe cease from sighing and make no mourning for the dead Ezek. 24.16.17 Murmure not as did the rebellious Israelites when their Brethren were taken away Numb 16.41 Kicke not against the pricke Act. 9.5 resist not God with a stiffe and vncircumcised heart Act. 7.51 but like an obedient childe imbrace the stroke of thy Father and kisse the rod. 2. The Saints of God haue beene patient spectators of the deaths of as neare and deare friends as any thou hast parted withall whose Patience in this crosse I propound vnto thee to imitate as Iames propounds Iobs Patience to be imitated in euery crosse Iames 5.11 Thus Adam and Euâ— saw the death of their sonne Abel Gen. 4. Noah the destruction of the whole world by the Deluge Gen. 7. Abraham of Terah his Father Gen. 11.32 so of his deare Wife Sarah Gen. 23.2 Lâ—t of his Wife Gen. 19 26. Isaack of his Mother and of Abraham his tender Parents Gâ—n 25.8.9 Iacob of his Father Isaack Gen. 35.29 of his beautifull and beloued Rachel Gen. 35.19 Thus when Aaron saw his two sonnes Nadab and Abihu deuoured with fire from the Lord hee held his peace Leuit. 10.2.3 Iob blessed God as well when his Children were slaine as his goods imbezeled Iob 1.21.22 for Eli lamented the losse of the Arke rather then the slaughter of Hophni and Phinees for which his Daughter in-Law also was more moued then for the death of her Husband 1 Sam. 4. v. 18.19.20.21.22 Dauid more bewayled the spirituall death of the soules of Ammon and Absolon then the corporall deaths of their bodies thy dying in their sinnes of Incest and Treason 2 Sam. 14.14 Lastly the Virgin Mary and Iohn the Disciple stood by the Crosse of Christ in his Passion onely with compassion without that outward lamentation which Christ condemned in the Daughters of Ierusalem and in them immoderate mourning in all Mat. 27.56 Luke 23.28 which particulars chiefely the last as Ambrose applyed them in his Funerall Oration of Valentinian the Emperour so they must be laid to heart in our application and imitation in euery Funerall 3 If hee dyed in the Faith of Christ hee is translated like Enoch from this life to a better from this vaile of misery to eternall glory hee is a Citizen of Heauen an inheritor of a Kingdome Sorrow not for his triumph he is gone to possesse a Crowne in Glorification which was granted him in Predestination promised him in Vocation 4 Hee is blessed being dead in the Lord Apoc. 14. 5 Hee is returned home to his Fathers house hee is gone to his better friends euen to the companie of innumerable Saints and Angels and to the Spirits of the iust Heb. 12.22.23 Mat. 22.30 Reu. 15.11 Mat. 8.11 1 Thes 4.17 6 Hee is inseperably vnited vnto GOD the chiefe and perfect Good first whom to see is Tranquillitie secondly whom to rest in is Securitie thirdly to enioy is Felicitie Being incorporated into that Citie first whose King is Veritie secondly the Lawes Charitie thirdly the Dignities Equitie fourthly the Life Eternitie in which hee shall be sempeternally blessed ioying in and inioying first a certaine Securitie secondly a secure Tranquillitie thirdly a safe Iocunditie fourthly happy eternitie fiftly an eternall felicitie 7 He is now married vnto his Bridegroome CHRIST to whom his soule was contracted in earth and the Marriage-feast is now solemnized in Heauen now thy mirth not thy mourning becomes a Marriage Hos 2.19 Mat. 22. Phil. 1.23 Iohn 12.26 17.24 Luke 33.43.46 Reu. 7.17 8 Consider that his warre-fare is now at an end his iourney is finished and his worke is accomplished if GOD had had any more worke for him to haue done hee should haue liued longer for as God sweepes away the wicked when they are at the height of sinne as hee did Er and Onan Gen. 38. the Sodomites Hophni Phinees and Absolon so the godly in the height of Grace 9 He was here a Pilgrime and a stranger as were the Patriarkes Abraham Isaack Iacob Dauid and the rest now he hath hoyst vp sailes hee is gone home into his owne Country therefore why shouldest thou grieue at his happy voyage and safe arriuall 10 Thou hast not lost him but left him hee is not dead but departed nay as Christ said of Iairus his Daughter and Lazarus thy Friend thy Damzâ—ll thy Daughter be it hee or shee is not dead but sleepeth and as Martha beleeued there shall be a time when they shall waken Now what mother grieues that her vnquiet childe sleepes and takes the rest many weepe because their Children will not or cannot sleepe few because they doe sleepe 11 Hee shall be restored vnto thee againe at the Resurrection of the iust euen in his body Psal 17.15 Iob 19.25 Iohn 5.29 as his soule is now immediately gone to God as did the soule of Lazarus Luke 16.22 of Stephen Acts 7.69 of the penitent Theefe Luke 23.43 yea of CHRIST himselfe verse 46. where it remaines in ioy Mat. 25. v. 21. 23.
heate of their persecutions being refreshed with the vision of that incarnate Babe Prince of peace branch of Iesse eternall Counsellor which they did preach and of whom they did prophesie In Christ reioyced the Apostles Peter Iames and Iohn yea Paul himselfe in the midst of stripes whips and imprisonment In Christ reioyced the ancient Martyres Policarpus Ignatius Cyprian euen like the three Children in the middest of the fire In Christ reioyced the ancient Fathers Augustine Ierome Bernard c. witnesse their words works and writings amongst the rest of him that could say Deus meus omnia my Christ and all things Wife Childe Friend Father ioy sufficient efficient in life and death Nay lastly as with Christ so in Christ and for Christ reioyced the Angels in earth and in heauen be glad then oh yee righteous and reioyce ye that feare the Lord as the Angels to the Shepheards as Esay to the Church For vnto vs a childe is borne and a Sonne is giuen For to vs is borne a Sauiour in the Citie of Dauid which shall deliuer all his Israel from their sinnes Matth. 1.21 Luke 19.10 Many and manifold are the ioyes of the sonnes of men as dangerous as diuers few with those sonnes of God by Creation and Adoption Angels and Saints reioyce in or for Christ but sinners according to the diuersities of their darling sinnes solace their soules in such contents as I may call meerely Antichristian and against Christ and the Lords annoynted in which they please themselues and displease him content their flesh but crucifie CHRIST and grieue his Spirit Nabal and Baltazar the Epicure and Drunkard hath ioy enough in his feasts and festiuals the colour of the wine delights his sight the relish his deuouring sense like a base Bagge-pipe hee makes such Musicke as the Diuell daunceth at when hee is full The Vsurer the worldling and the miserable able miser hath his heart rauished when his eye reflexeth vpon his glittering Idoll and golden God the Calfe that this beast bowes too The impure Onan filthy Fornicator and inexcusable Adulterer which like to Salomons foole goes into the harlots house and like Ieremies neighing horse without vnderstanding runnes after his neighbours wife like the Oxe to the slaughter to his owne destruction delights himselfe as the Swine in the miâ—e as the Toade in the puddle as the Panther with excrements as the Scarabean Flye with ordure and filth as the Diuell his Father amongst filthy Hogs with his vncleane courses and discourses feeding his appetite with strange flesh as the lusting Israelites with loued and loathed Quayles v as the Italian Pselli and Mersi feede on poyson his chiefe ioy is to touch and taste Sodomes Apples and the forbidden fruit his onely Paradise the ioying in and inioying here which hee dreames of hereafter a Turkish Heauen a Mahumetaine portion of Wine and Women as for Christ hee hauing no heart at all Hosea 4.11 can haue no heart to him neyther in delighting in him or desiring him no more then the very Diuels themselues who quaked and trembled and made out cryes and exclamations at the very sight of him Luke 8.28.29 so all other Libertines amongst vs haue some Herodias or other some one beloued sinne which they more loue and like and ioy in then in the worlds Sauiour As some in their carnall companions and vvicked associates vvith whose dispositions and conuersations as they receiue as much infection in their soule as their bodyes from a Pest-house so they haue their refections as Baltazzar and Sardanapalus had with their Queenes and Concubines and so in the rest Well these carnall and common Christians which haue as much zeale to Christ and loue for Christ as common women plainely demonstrate that they haue the spirit of Sathan and not the Spirit of GOD as had Simeon And therefore as they ioy not in Christ neyther doth he ioy in them no more then a chaste Bridegrome in a whorish Spouse as they desire not him he desires not them nor their company in his Chamber no more then hee did the foolish Virgins as they delight not in him he delights not in them no more then a man delights in his crucifier and tormenter as they loue not him so hee loues not them no more then he doth Cain and Esau whom the LORD hated As Peter said to Simon Magus so I say to them They and their money perish together they and their lustfull pleasures perish together as did Zâ—mri and Cosbee they and their Gold perish together as did Achan and his wedge they and their Idols perish together as did the Israelites and their Calfe they and their sinnes perish together as did the murmuring Rebels in the Wildernesse they and their companions perish together as did Corah and his complices cursed be their sinnes and their Societies like Simâ—on and Leui brethren in iniquitie So let them perish Lord that are thine enemies like the vntimely fruit of a woman If any loue not the Lord Iesus let them be accursed Anathema Maranatha If any reioyce not at the birth of a Sauiour here with Simeon let the Sunne of all their carnall ioyes sâ—t and be eclipsed in the cloud of death Secondly as wee must ioy in Christ so wee must ioy and reioyce and be thankefull for Christ yea for all the blessings and the benefits that wee receiue in and from Christ temporall and spirituall externall internall or eternall so was Simeon here his song is Eucharisticall and gratulatory for the reuelation of Christ hee blesseth God that hee liues to see the conduit and the fountaine of all blessings to his Church Christ the Messias And since his Deuotion is our Instruction Christians must be thankefull for Christ Thus all the faithfull and beleeuers when Christ was borne offered vp their tributarie prayses the sacrifices of their soules breaking out into holy Hymnes and Songs The Angel did caroll out Glory be to God on high so the Easterne Magi the zealous Shepheards glorifie God the blessed Virgin magnifies the Lord Elizabeth and the prophecying Babe within her wombe leape and reioyce Anna Zachary and Simeon are not behinde with their parts in continuing their prayses and so must wee with our best hearts and affections make vp the Quire since wee haue no lesse interest in nor no fewer priuiledges by Christ then they The Reasons to inforce this duety are these First if the Saints of God in the old Testament were so thankefull for their temporall protection preseruation and redemption from their outward enemies the Egyptians Amalekites Canaanites Ammonites Moabites Philistines c. by temporall Sauiours Moses Ioshua Gideon Iaphte Sampson Dauid c. as may be seene in the spirituall Songs of Moses and Aaron and Miriam and Deborah and Baruch
and Dauid and Iudith how much more ought wee to burst forth into prayses for our spirituall deliuerance from the Flesh the World the Diuell that Pharaoh and from his Aegyptian yoake from Hell Death and Damnation by that Messias of whom these earthly and terrestriall Sauiours were Types and figures Secondly gratulation and thankefulnesse is a duety commanded Psal 50.15 1 Thes 5.18 therefore wee must not be immorigerous and disobedient to Gods commaund no more then Paul was to the heauenly vision vnlesse vve be found fighters and rebels and traytors against God Thirdly it is a species and part of Prayer and so of Gods spirituall worship Phil. 4 6. Ephes 6. Fourthly by this duety wee glorifie God which is the end of our Creation Psal 50.23 Fiftly 1. It is a seemely thing and becommeth the Saints to be thankefull Psal 33.1 2. It is a very good thing to praise the Lord Psal 92.1 3. It is a pleasant thing and praise is comely Psal 147.1 Sixtly the very Heathens haue commended it and the beasts haue performed it in their bruitish manner to their benefactors as appeareth in Androdius his Lion Seauenthly an vnthankefull man is hated of men accounted as a Viper and an vnprofitable burthen to the earth the very light of Nature and common humanitie cryes out vpon it Eightly God vpbraydes and brands his dearest Children for the omission of this duetie 2 Chron. 32.25 Ninthly the omission of this is a signe of a proud heart and brings downe Gods wrath Ibidem Tenthly this is the conuersation vvhich wee shall haue in heauen euen to praise God especially for the redemption of the world by Christ Phil. 3.20 Reu. 5.9 Reu. 19.1.3 This is the life that the Angels leade therefore vvee ought speedily to inure our selues to it This must excite vs to be more carefull in performance of this duety It is a blame and a blemish to be vnthankefull to man as Iudas was to Christ as the Iewes and Abimelech to Gideons Children as Pharaohs Butler to Ioseph much more to God It is a sinne and an abhomination to be vnthankefull to God for temporall and outward blessings as health wealth life libertie children c. so for the vse of the Creatures Christ vpbraydes the nine Lepers for this sinne Luke 17.17 18. And sure those that vse the Creatures prophanely as Dogs and Swine and beasts neuer looking to the holy and religious vse of them as sanctified by the Word and Prayer they are worse then the Doues and Elephants that at least looke vp to heauen when they eate their meate but if we be vnthankfull for the Incarnation Death and Passion of the Creator that in his humanitie was made a creature and subiected to death to redeeme vs the slaues and vassals of sinne and Sathan from the first and second death our sinne is in a higher die and graine of ingratitude wee are more not onely vnchristian but viperous and inhumane then the sauage Getes and Sauromiataines Alas then how many are vnlike to thankefull Simeon hour many are seemingly and hypocritically thankefull for outward things they are ready in euery company to thanke God oft times in the Pharisaicall pride of their hearts for full basquets and rich store-houses abundance of Talents fruitfull wife for their Oliue branches their children but the same men are neyther vocally nor really in words or workes thankefull vnto God for Christ Iesus for the benefits vvee haue by him 1. of Election 2. Vocation 3. Iustification 4. Redemption 5. Sanctification and title to 6. Glorification for his 7. Word 8. Gospell 9. Sacraments 10. Ministers 11. Ministerie for these ne verbum quidem not a word there is altum silentium as mute as fishes All naturall and morall men in this are Mutes and not Consonants as it is most consonant they should be Or if they speake a gratulatory word their hearts are as farre from it as heauen from earth at least their workes proclaime open warre and hostililie against the Lords Christ kissing him with Iudas in outward profession crying Aue and all haile with the Iewes when their liues being all hell they cry Crucifie him in their conuersation Psal 3.17 And thus much for the Title now to the Text Lord now lettest c. Euery word hath his waight without torturing the Text these things are obseruable 1. Simeons Compellation Lord 2. his desires Limitation Now 3. the acknowledgement of the Diuine Permission Lettest thou 4. his proper Appellation Thy Seruant 5. his desired Dismission Depart 6. his hoped Pacification In peace 7. his grounded Resolution According to thy Word of which in order Simeons Compellation In this word Lord. SOme take Lord essentially for the whole Trinitie Iehouah Elohim some personally for one of the Persons for indeede the vvhole Trinitie and euery Person in the Trinitie is oft in the Scripture tearmed by this vvord Lord. Some appropriate it here to God the Father some to Christ the Sonne so Theophilact and Euthumius some to God the holy Ghost so Athanasius Apply it vnto Christ and then you haue to consider a great Mysterie a great Mercy God manifested in the flesh iustified in the spirit seene of Angels preached vnto the Gentiles beleeued on in the world and receiued into glory for that incarnate Babe vvhich Simeon hath in his armes in respect of his humanitie hee cals him Lord in respect of his Diuinitie From whence wee see demonstratiuely what all Orthodoxe Antiquitie affirmes the testimonie of Scriptures harmony of all reformed Churches Generall and Prouinciall Concels seuerall Creedes both Apostolicall and Nicene confirme that Christ the Messias the Sonne of God is both God and Man Christus Deus de Patre Homo de Matre c. God of his Father Man of his Mother of his Fathers immortalitie of his Mothers virginitie of his Mother without Father of his Father without a Mother a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech without Father as hee was Man without Mother as hee was GOD of his Father without time of his Mother without seede not borne without eyther man or woman as was Adam nor of man without a woman as was Eue nor of both man and woman as are wee the posteritie of Adam and Eue but of a woman without a man Patrem habuit in Coelis Matrem quesiuit in Terris hauing a Father in Heauen hee sought for a Mother in earth yea such a Mother as made the Mystery so miraculous as all things in heauen and earth cannot paralell or patterne it for these three things in this one are accomplished of GOD admirably singular and singularly to be admired Deus Homo Mater Virgo Verbum Caro to wit God and Man a Mother and a Maide the Word and Flesh vnited in one A Mystery neuer sufficiently to be admired Vt propter nos veniret
Promethius his Vultur bringing death as the Apostle also saith 2 Cor. 7.10 But if these things be able to ouercome this Microcosme this little world of Man if Fire and Water and Famine and Fulnes and Thunder and Stones be able to sunder vs from halfe our selues our bodies as the furnace can the Mettals if all the Creatures the Lyons paw Bores tuske Buls horne nay the least of the Lords hoast the Gnat the Flye the Louse the Mouse be armed against vs as against Pharaoh and Hatto be able to giue vs our parting-blow to set vs packing hence nay if our owne affections be sufficient to infect vs how much more are wee indammaged and indangered by diseases and sicknesses to which as man is more subiected then any other Creature as Galen and Hipocrates haue obserued because hee hath sinned more then they which sinne of his is the cause of all maladies in the outward man Leuit. 26. Deut. 28. Iohn 5.14 So there is not the least sicknesse or disease but it hath conquered where it hath assailed How many hath the Feuer extinguished men of fame Emperours and Kings as Antonius Autipater Vespasian Leo Goâ—fred Tacitus c. Antonie and Columbanus Monkes were forced by it the one sort to leaue their Crownes the other their Cels. As others by other diseases some by the Fluxe as innumerable common Souldiers in seuerall Campes yea Traian the Emperour saith Platina some by the Gout as Septimius Seuerus and Iustin the yonger c. Some by vnknowne diseases running betwixt the flesh and the skin as Heraclius Michael Paphlago c. Some by Apoplexies as Paul the second Pope Valentinian the Emperour saith Diaconus Lucius Ami. us verus saith Aurelius as also Francis Petrarke Some by aches in their bones and sides as Crassus the Orator Boniface the ninth as Gregorie the cleauenth by a paine in the belly nay vvhat member is there in man wherein Death rules not by the helpe of diseases in the head by Apoplexies in the eares by Wormes in the eyes by Inflamations in the nose by Fluxe of bloud in the mouth by Cankers and Putrifaction in the tongue by Vlcers and Tumours in the braine by Frenzies in the temples by Contusions in the brest by Stoppings and Impostumes in the hands and feete by the Gout in the legs by Swellings in the belly by Collickes in the reynes by stony and grauelly matter in the armes by dolour of the Arteries nay in the heart it selfe by Feares Palpitations Convulsions Dilatations and Contractions by varietie of Passions What shall I say more Mille modis lethimiseros mors vna fatigat This Tyrant Death by many a fatall dart Doth wound and wreake each liuing mortall part A Flye is able to choake vs as it did Pope Adrian a Pinne or a Needle or a pricke with a Knife to destroy vâ— the fall from an horse to crush vs as it did Selenchus the Syrian Lego the French-man Earle Fulke Nipheus Leucagus Remulus Thymetes Amicus in Virgil Aeneid 10. Agenor in Ouid. The sting of a Serpent is sufficient to kill vs as it did Laocoon the Troyan mad Orestes desperate Cleopatra Demetrius Ptolomies Librarie keeper vvith others Yea as our life is but a breath and a vapour so the very smoake and vapour is sufficient to choake vs as it did Minos of Creet Luctatius the Orator Zoe the wife of Nicostratus yea Thurinus that sold smoake saith Erasmus in his Adage perished by smoake If I should recite all the casualties incident vnto this dying life of ours and amplifie out of Histories how one hath beene killed vvith the fall of a stone vpon his pate out of the clawes of an Eagle as Eschilus the Poet some by the fall of the house others by the fall of their beds as Eupolis the Poet some by dust blowne into their throates as Iohanna vvife to Andrew Brother to the Sicilian King and the like accidents If I should but recite the multitudes that Gods hath swept away by the deuouring Plague and destroying Pestilence which I thinke since the beginning of the world hath killed moe then there be now in the world or relate the late devastations that it hath made in Belgia Italie France England and other places Or if I should set downe how many haue dyed sodainely euen in their seeming health as Fabius Maximus Volcacius the Senator Alaricus the Emperour some in their iourney as Alphonsus of Spaine some doing the worke of nature as Arrius the Heretique and Carbo the Romane some in their superstitious Orizons and Deuotions as A. Pompey and M. Iunencius vvhen they were sacrificing some in sacking the Temples as Gaudericus the Vandall some in writing Letters as Cardinall Orescence from the Councell of Trent and Terentius Corax some in the first day of their inuesting to Honour as Caninius the Consull some in their mirths some in their meates as Manlius Torquatus and Osilius the Actor others in their Bathes as Sauseius the Scribe besides these that daily experience addes in this kinde it would make the securest Soule meditate of his ineuitable dying and prepare his soule for her speedy departing especially considering that Quid cuiquam contigit id câ—iuis that which happens to any one may happen to euery one All these recited examples of abbreuiated life and approching death being glasses for vs now suruiuing wherein to see the face of our mortalitie euery mans graue shewing vs this Motto Hodie mihi craâ— tibi To day to mee to morrow to thee Death being pictured on euery Tombe to be seene with an vnderstanding eye in forme of an Archer now shooting ouer vs at our enemies now short of vs at our acquaintance now on the right hand at our friends and bloud now on the left hand on our Seruants and attendants with his bow bent and his arrowes drawne and his ayme taken at our owne hearts onely staying till GOD bid him shoote which how soone it will be GOD knowes Quis scit an adijciant c. Who of vs all the sonnes of sorrow Knowes that his life shall last to morrow Nonne fragiliores sumus quam si vâ—trei essemâ—s Are wee not more brittle then glasse saith Seneca nay Vitrum etsi fragile tamen seruatum diu durat Epist â—3 Glasse if it be safely kept continues long but all the dyet and keeping in the world though wee should eate Pearles with Cleopatra bathe daily in new milke with Poppea fare daily deliciously with the rich Churle consult with a Physitian in euery act wee did yet wee could not long continue All the meanes wee can vse will hardly draw out our life to that length that Birds and Beasts liue for Ousels Eagles Harts c. that fulfill their hundreds occasioned Theophrastus to complaine of Nature as a step-dam to man whose limits as Dauid notes are threescore yeeres and tenne for the rest of his life is eyther a death or disease in his decrepit dayes The Patriarkes liued their nine hundreds and
aboue as Adam and so Eue their nine hundred and thirtie Seth nine hundred twelue Enos nine hundred and fiue Caynan his sonne nine hundred and tenne Malalehel nine hundred sixtie and two Iayred nine hundred sixtie and fiue Methusalem nine hundred sixtie and nine Noah nine hundred and fiue c. but wee hardly attaine to our nintie but if a man liue past nintie to nintie and seauen or nintie and eight with Liuia and Perpenna or to nintie and nine with Statilia if hee passe his Climactericall of sixtie and three wee count him an old man but if hee attaine to his hundred as did Valerius Coruinus and Metellus Abbot Paconius and Titus Pauls Scholler wee account him very aged but if hee exceede his hundred as Heroditus writes of some of the Aegyptians and some of Masinissa the Numedian King to an hundred and foure as did Hipocrates or an hundred and fiue with Xenâ—philus or an hundred and seauen with Terentia or an hundred and eight with Homer or an hundred and tenne with Guarinus and Helias the Abbot or an hundred and twelue vvith Cyrus a Bishop but chiefely to an hundred and twentie with Romualdus the Hermite we admire and wonder at him as much as former times wondred at their Hermites And vvell wee may since our life seemes to be but the Epitome and Compâ—ndium of former yeeres so short so momentanie that as the Scripture compares it to a flower to grasse to smoake to clay to dust and chaffe which the vvinde scatters to a bubble a blast a breath a vapour a dreame a shadow a Weauers shittle and such fading things so Antiquitie hath called it a winged woman fruitfull of sinnes yet swift Ambrose saith it is like the glory of the world which the Tempter shewed CHRIST in the twinckling of an eye like the Vision which Esdras saw vanishing in a moment Esdras 1.8 like Ierusalems Temple that was soone destroyed for as one stone was not left vpon another in that materiall Temple so shortly one bone will not be left vpon another in the temple of the best compacted body liuing which saith Inchinus is nothing else but Carneâ—-glacies fleshie Ice or Icie flesh soone thawed and dissolued a clayie frame saith Pontanus standing on the pillers of a little breath ready euery day it is so ruinous to fall in manus Domini into the Lords hands of whom wee haue it as tennants at will The largest limits of our Lease being but a day for so Dauid and Moses when they play the holy Geometricians and Arithmetitians in measuring and numbring their time goe not by yeeres and moneths but by dayes yea and to some it is but a short Winters day to the longest that liued a Summers day in which hee that hath the most prosperous Sunshine may be compared to those Flyes that breede in the Sunne neare the Riuer Hipanis which appeare in the Morne are in their full strength at Noone and dye at Night Whence came the Prouerbe Hominem esse Ephimeron that man is a continuer for a day beyond which determined day hee cannot here abide Other things are continued long by extrinsecall meanes or intrinsecall qualities vvithin themselues some by their extreame cold as all sorts of Mettals some by their exceeding heate as Pepper Ginger and the like some by motion as Water and Wine that by motion are kept from putrifaction some by continuation of the parts with the whole as the Sea that corrupts not in the whole but in the parts as may be seene and felt in the creekes in Essex that come from the Sea but man being made mortall and so hauing that Epithite more fitly appropriated to him then any other creature neither by his naturall composition can nor in the wise Gods disposition must continue long vpon the earth neyther can any Physicall meanes preserue him vnlesse a Metaphysicall power doe vphold him and cause him to hold out to his old yeeres as Simeon here did Is Death so certaine and Life so short then let vs learne to bestow it well so long as God lends it Absolon after a long time knew not how to pacifie and appease his Father we haue but a short time allotted to pacifie and appease our displeased GOD therefore let vs speedily labour our reconciliation let vs worke out our saluation with feare and trembling As Abigall speedily met Dauid and appeased his wrath 1 Sam. 25. and as Dauid speedily met the Lord by repentance after his numbring the people 2 Sam. 24.10 and as Peter went out presently and wept bitterly after the denying his Master Mat. 26. So let vs who in the whole course of our life haue as much displeased as wee haue dishonoured our GOD instantly haue recourse to the throne of grace that the Lord may smell the sweet sacrifice of our broken hearts ere wrath goe from the Almightie to our destruction Oh our dayes are few and our sinnes many wee haue beene barren in good fruitfull in euill plentifull in sinning penurious in sorrowing If Dauids sinnes were moe then the hayres of his head ours are moe then the sands in the Sea and if hee washt his couch vvith teares vvee had neede wash our soules with flouds of vvaters turning like Niobe into fountaines and like that old conuert Pelagia be Pelagus lachrymarum a Sea of sorrow as wee haue beene vncleane sinckes of sinne nay if wee should now for euer shake hands with sinne and haue no more commerce with the flesh and the world but liue retyredly mortifiedly piously and penitently as the old Hermites pretended and if we should liue Noahs and Nâ—stors yeeres and euery day weepe as much as Mary Magdalene did at her spirituall marriage vvith Christ as much for our selues as the Daughters of Ierusalem did for Christ nay if we should weepe out our eyes like some penitents that Cassianus mentions remembring with Ezekias our former vanities in the bitternesse of our soules it were not a sufficient recompence for our fore-past rebellions nor a satisfactorie sacrifice for our former sinnes But what shall wee say to those that in this short life make a long and a continuated custome of sinne neuer redeeming the time or thinking of their few and euill dayes or of the reckoning they must make when they are expired but passing their time in iollitie singing to the Tabret and the Harpe letting the reynes loose to all licentiousnes making their bellies their God planting here their Turkish Heauen of Wine and Women wallowing like Swine in all lusts like Sardanapalus amongst his wantons seruing no other God then Mammon or Goddesses then Venus making Dogs and Horses or such base Creatures their beloued Idols They thinke no more of death then the stiffe-necked Iewes that made a league with the graue and a Couenant vvith Hell such as some lazy Pastors make vvith their people that if these will neuer trouble them they would neuer thinke of these