not in some sort humour and applaud you Here I end this matter desiring God to enlarge your affections more more vnto the obedience of his word An answer to the 2. obiection concerning the generalitie of death Herein I will be briefe because indeed this sort of people are lesse worthy of further instruction who hold that this so goodly a frame of the world should not or cannot be destroyed Of whom Saint Peter speaketh thus 1. Pet. 3.3 There shall come in the last dayes mockers who will walke after their owne lusts and shall say Where is the promise of his coming for since the Fathers died all things continue alike vnto this day There needeth no other answer for them then that which S. Peter maketh them in the verses following let them looke to it vpon their perill This doctrine concerning the generalitie of death serueth to reproue three sorts of people The first are those who wholly or for the most part do set their loue and liking vpon the things of this world as if they were to tarrie in it for euer or as if they were to chuse they would not change this world no not for the kingdome of heauen ioying and reioycing as Amos the Prophet said Amos. 6.13 in a thing of nought like vnto the tribes of Ruben and Gad and halfe the tribe of Manasses Num. 32.1.2 who chose the towns and lands on this side Iordan because there were goodly habitations and fertile soyle rather then the townes and lands in Canaan which for the fertilitie therof was said to flow with milke and honey and for the innumerable pleasures thereof like vnto the kingdome of heauen Saint Paul blaming such and seeking to draw them vnto better choise exhorteth saying Seeke ye the things which are aboue Col. 3.1 where Christ sits at the right hand of God and set your affections on heauenly things and not on earthly The second sort who are to be reproued by the generall doctrine of death Are they who murmure much or rather do mourne too much for the deceasse of their neare friends as though God had not done well to take one and not another to take this and not that or as if death had surprised them before their time and for euer or else that death had casually lighted on thē more then others Saint Paule comforting himselfe and others concerning this complaint 2. Cor. 5.1 sayd We haue a building giuen of God that is an house whose builder and maker is God The children of God die but one Luk. 20.36 they taste not of that second death in hell as the reprobates do This once to die is but a short interiection betweene two eternities to wit election and glorification with a kingly and a kindly passage as it were by calling and iustification vnto eternall saluation Rom. 6.9 Christ died once but in that he liueth he liueth for euer So ye likewise saith the holy Apostle are dead to sinne Rom. 6.9 but aliue to God through Iesus Christ The third sort who are to be reproued by this generall doctrine of death Are those who not minding their mortalitie nor accompts which they must make do treasure vp sinne vpon sinne being driuen as it were with the swinge of their nature set on fire of hell defile their bodies and the whole course of nature resolued with themselues to vndergo any sinne so as it may bring them either pleasure or profite Alwayes saying in their hearts and many times with their tongues If we must die for sinne as Preachers say and that as well for one sinne as for a thousand why then let vs eate and drinke and be merrie while we may Salomon out of his owne experience and specially from the holy Spirit of inspiration faith of such one a after this maner Eccles 10.9 Reioyce ô thou yong man in thy youth let thine heart cheare thee walke in the wayes of thine owne heart and in the sight of thine eyes But what followeth God will bring thee to iudgement Although his Maiestie be inclined to mercie yet when he is moued to iustice it is ineuitable it is innarrable it is intollerable To that effect said Dauid as if it were in the proper person of almightie God vnto all such desperate and gracelesse wretches that do abuse his holy patience Psal 50.17 I will set thy sinnes in order to wit thy sins in the night thy sinnes in the day thy sins in thy youth and thy sins in thine age thy sins against me and thy sinnes against thy brethren I will so muster and so ranke them together so place them by rowes and in euerie ranke and row such and so many as shall seeme to be more odious shamefull and detestable euen vnto thine owne selfe And what shall follow I will teare thee in peeces that is thy torments shall be more terrible and farre more horrible to nature then as if thou wert racked tormented peece-meale These are they who although in deed sinne is too too generall yet they rifle and runne ragingly after it in a more particular manner not minding their mortalitie or at least not regarding the accompts that they must make do maligne enuie vtterly hate yea and seeke the whole ouerthrow of vs the Preachers of his holy word and others the deare children of God who runne not into the same excesse of riot and damnable behauiour but with zeale do frequent the ministerie of his word with reuerence do keepe his Sabbaths with all care do keepe themselues vnsported of the world Therefore they esteeme them not worth their societie nor worthie to liue vpon the earth Ioh. 15.19 We are not of the world therfore the world hatethvs saith S. Iohn The manifold plagues to the Egyptians the fierie Serpēts to the Israelites and the Emerods to the Philistims were not so troublesome and tedious as these heathenish Atheists prophane Iewes are to vs. We liue not as enemies in an hostile manner among them but modestly and mildly and benignly as Christian cōforters bringing peace offering reconciliation The words of our commission are of 3. emphaticall and publicke narrations The first is Benedicite blesse ye the second is Benefacite do ye good and the third is Orate pray ye Thus are we enioyned to behaue our selues amongst many other religious duties towards God and good mē yea towards our enemies Where in so euer we do faile through frailtie it is not indifferent nor iustice for them being our enemies to iudge what we should do but rather out of charity to iudge what we would do Neither is it for them to reuenge themselues vpon vs it is his holy Maicstie to whom we must answer vpon our accompt We are whatsoeuer they say bringers of peace and we are peaceable 2. King 10.17 Come see said Iehu to Iehonadab so it were to be wished that these men would zealously and religiously
of God in Christ Iesus by whom the guilt of sinne and the condemnation of the law together with the sting of death is qualified and in a sort done away leauing indeed no more to do nor to say against such as can take hold of his promises but onely the perishing and destroying of that body so naturally subiect to sinne According as Paule proclaimed in a most comfortable manner in these words Death went ouer all men Rom. 5.11 in as much as all men haue sinned as if he had said Such was the infinite mercie of God and yet mingled with his iustice that he would lay no more to the charge of his chosen then he must needes by the open rules of religion reuealed word Moses in his defence to the people of Israel concerning that open rebellion of Corah and his company speakes most diuinely and most plainely of this kinde of death in these words Numb 16.29 to 36. If these men die the common death of all men or if these be visited with the generall visitation of all men then the Lord hath not sent me As if he had said There is a sort or kind of death which is naturall which is vsuall and which is rightly appertayning vnto the nature of mankinde and that which most commonly falles out vpon good and reasonable deliberation vpō orderly disposing of worldly affaires vpō due bequeathing of the body to be buried This naturall death which he calles the common death and the general visitation of all men Iob saith it is as a ricke of corne Iob. 5.26 which comes into the barne in due time As if he had said This is the death indeede that is full of maturitie and seasonablenesse lo thus we haue inquired of it and so it is Againe he saith to the same effect Iob. 34.14.15 As a rush cannot grow without mire and as grasse without water can grow no longer but withereth though it be not cut euen so man by nature liueth vntill nature be quite worne and wholly extinguished and then dieth though he were not touched nor medled withall in any sort which death is nothing so nor so as the penall The man of God intimating such a kinde of death said to Hezckiah King of Iudah Esai 38.1 Thou shalt not die with the sword but thou shalt die in peace To wit thou shalt not die the penall death which is terrible and painefull nor an vnwonted death but the common death the generall visitation of all men to wit the naturall death This naturall death which is also called the common death and the generall visitation of all men hath by the reuealed word of God foure other inferior sorts or kinds of death whereof I must dispose for methods sake after this manner 1. Some do die In their old age 2. Some do die In their nonage 3. Some do die Languishingly 4. Some do die Suddenly The first reason why some liue long Is drawne from the singular fauor of almightie God in granting vnto some one amongst many that which in his heart he specially desireth For amongst all things that man specially desireth there are principally these two to wit health and wealth For wealth a man will bestow all his wits all his indeuor all his labour all his friends and whatsoeuer else he possibly can deuise but for health and that he may liue long he will bestow all his wealth that was so industriously so laboriously gotten and be contented to be counted a foole yea a forlorne wretch and to be indeede a begger at euerie mans doore all the dayes of his life To be breefe as chastity is a singular gift of God to one amongst ten thousand so long life is a singular guift of God to one amongst ten thousand Salomon therefore said Pro. 16.31 Old age is a crowne of glorie wherein are two goodly and godly respects one is that a man may the better the more abundantly gather riches by looking more respectiuely into the workes of God and the end of his creation For the longer a man lines in a reasonable kind of husbandrie the more his gaine and getting must needes be Although his reuenewes be but small yet if he get and spare here a litle and there a litle in continuance of time according to the old prouerbe Many a little makes a mickle following the example of that little poore pismire who according to her small strength and yet being diligent Pro. 6.6 hath against winter a great heape of prouision and being also prouidident she painefully nibleth the heads of euery graine lest they should grow and so her labor lost The Maiestie of God to set forth his renewed loue towards Iudah and Ierusalem said thus Zach. 8.4 Their men shall liue so long as that they shall go by a staffe As there is no commandement that hath any promise but the honouring of parents so there is no such reward pleasing to any man as to liue long therefore God made promise thereof to thē that keepe his commandement What temporal blessing did the Lord bestow on Dauid 1 King 3.14 for a reward who was a man according to his owne heart but long life as the holy Ghost testifieth he liued so long that he could liue no longer 1 King 1.1 nature was quite extinguished in him This was also a reward specially bestowed vpon the ten holy Fathers Gen. 5.1 to the end before the floud Thus shall men be enabled with their hands to performe the desire of their hearts in contributing vnto the necessitie of the Saints Abraham also had for his temporarie blessing Deut. 31.2 an hundred and twenty yeares life euen in his old age he was carefull to fulfill the worke of the Lord so long as he said that he could go no more out and in Length of life Deut. 11.9 saith Moses is a reward for keeping of Gods cōmandements they then that keepe not Gods commandements shall be guilty of Gods iudgmēts for the same and also for the time which they haue mis-spent The other speciall and most principall respect of long life is that such men might also gather spirituall riches For as by little and little men come to be stored with the things of this world specially if it be long continued euen so by the continuall keeping of the Sabboth by the often reading and hearing of Gods word by vsual praiers by often reiterating with thankefulnes the mercies of God such like men may grow increase most richly and abundantly in the things that concernes a better life If the increase be but as Esai the Prophet saith here a line and there a line Esai 28.10 to wit a little at one time and a little at another either gotten or saued To which purpose Iob saith Iob. 12.12 In length of dayes there is wisdome and amongst the ancient there is vnderstanding Therefore the holy man Dauid all his life long
be a performance and a seisure vpon Gods promises for the perpetuall good of his Saints after death which in this life can not be obtayned and also for the ineuitable destruction of the wicked With the godly Esai 23.18 saith Esai shall be ioy and gladnesse slaying of oxen kiling of sheep eating flesh and drinking wine reioycing and triumphing By which words is meant all spiritual heauenly plenty of immortal melodies and vnspeakable alacrities the father ioying and reioycing in the sonne and the sonne in the father and both the father and the sonne in other the Saints in the Angels and specially in the Lambe Christ Iesus The same Prophet continueth his speech as being halfe rauished with the meditation thereof in the behalfe of his fellow brethren who saith Awake thou that sleepest in the dust Esai 25.9 in that day men shall say Lo this is our God we haue waited for him he will saue vs we will reioyce and be ioyfull in his saluation Againe the Lord himselfe speakes by the same Prophet Esa 26.19 The dead men shall liue euer with my body shall they arise awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust Saint Paul said to that effect 1. Cor. 5.10 We must all appeare before the iudgment seate of Christ that euerie man may receiue the things which he hath done in his body As it was with Christ the head so is it with his members Except the wheate corne die and fall into the ground it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth much fruite Concerning the seisure of Gods iudgments vpon the wicked according to Gods promises these ioyes these preparations and these exultations are turned vnto weeping and gnashing of teeth Then saith Esai Esa 23.9 that the noise of them that reioyce endeth intimating the wicked then their mirth ceasseth they shall not eat and drinke with mirth 24.8.26.21 and good things shall be bitter vnto them Lo then the Lord commeth out of his place to visite the inhabitants of the earth The earth shall disclose her bloud and shall no more hide her slaine Then the Lord hath decreed to staine the pride of mās glorie and to bring into contempt all them that be glorious vpon earth Here the glorie of the wicked endeth and euen here the glorie of the godly beginneth as by the example of Diues and Lazarus And as Abimelech hauing fought against the city Sechem fiercely and exceedingly wrathfull he slue all the people that were therein left none aliue and afterwards in signe that it should neuer be inhabited he sowed salt in it euen so is the Lord in his wrath against the wicked of the world at that day The fifth reason why all men must die It is drawne from the matter or substance whereof man was made to wit of earth and therefore subiect to perishing earth cannot continue long out of its spheare whence it was exhausted Earth how cunningly and how curiously soeuer it be built as earth vpon earth it will descend and presse downward according to the nature thereof vnto the place whence it came and by little and little in short time much wil come to nothing According to the which God said vnto Adam Thou art dust Gen. 3.19 and into dust thou shalt returne Man is built vpon a bad foundation Iob. 4.19 therfore Iob said that the soules which came from heauen do dwell in houses of clay and their foundation is in the dust which shall be destroyd before the moath Eccles 3.20 And Salomon said that the spirit shall returne to God that gaue it The sixth reason why all men must die It is drawne from the matter or substance whereof the woman was made or for her immediate conuersion from one substance to another to wit from earth to flesh which being rightly considered in it selfe is a matter or substance lesse durable and more momentanie then the former For flesh how fine soeuer it be in it selfe and how curiously or costly so euer it be preserued yet if it be not vsed and taken in season it will putrifie and become exceeding noisome of it selfe specially the flesh of a woman for by how much more excellent braue beautifull she is in the constitution of her body then the man by so much the more foule filthy stinking her body will become shortly after she is dissolued following therein the nature of other pure and purified creatures which in their time and right vse are much to the prayse of God and to the comfort of man but being abused or not vsed as they ought are the most vile and the most venimous things of all others The flesh of beasts are good for men and the flesh of men good for something but the flesh of women when they are dead is good for nothing Iob therefore being borne of a woman said of him selfe of all others of that kinde My flesh is meate for wormes Job 7.5 my flesh is clothed with wormes and filthinesse Man both by father mother is a stigmaticall note a word of disdaine or an appellation of anger therefore Dauid saith What is man that thou art mindfull of him Ye are all but men the sons of men S. Paul said O wretched man not ô wretched Apostle nor ô wretched Christian but ô wretched man the cause of his wretchednesse was in him selfe a man miserable because a man The seuenth reason why all men must die It is drawne from the vigour and virility of mans nature which being growne vnto the height declineth fadeth and falleth It weareth waneth like the Moone and like Nabucadnezzars image Dan. 3.31.32.33 which being raised from the earth to iron from iron to brasse from brasse to siluer and from siluer to gold the head and highest perfection then it declined it returned and abated from gold to siluer from siluer to brasse from brasse to iron and from iron to earth euen to that indeede whence first it came When nature is quite decayed thē the body extinguisheth as in the example of that renowned man Dauid 1 King 1.1.2 King of gods peculiar people he was so old that he died when nature was quite worne out of him This is also variably to be proued euen by the nature of naturall things which hauing their licour moisture or iuice dried and worne away do decay and perish presently To which purpose God said by the mouth of the Prophet Esai in part touching the desolation of Israel They shall be as an oake Esai 7.30 whose leafe falleth and as a garden without water So likewise saith Iob interrogatiuely Can a rush grow without dirt Iob. 8.11 or can grasse grow without water As if he had said Take dirt water away then neither the rush nor the grasse but will presently wither and come to nothing Saint Peter likens mankind to the flower of the field 1 Pet. 1.24 and to grasse which being growne to the
harsh kind of doctrine to wise men and it is very distastfull to all men for it is a melancholy kind of teaching and of no such necessity Ye might rather in steed thereof stirre vp men to be merrie and to endure their miseries patiently Preachers do nothing more then fright and astonish men in the name of God let vs be merrie whiles we may sorrow comes fast inough The other sort reasoning and expostulating with flesh and bloud cannot determine vpon the generality of death They see not they say how it may be nor how it can stand to be true because then it is questionable say they who shall haue the dominion ouer other creatures in the world which are innumerable and most admirable 2 Pet. 3.1 1.3.4 Saint Peter saith these beleeue not that the world shall be destroyed with fire An answer to the first concerning the generalitie of death Interrogatiuely do you know this to be true by any sentence or example of holy Scripture No no you do not For if you did so know it the hearing of the same againe and againe would rather haue bene comfortable thē tedious vnto you That knowledge which is not grounded vpon the Scriptures of truth is nought worth meerly vnperfect True it is that men may know and be induced to beleeue that they which are a dying will die and that they which are in eminent dangers and perils present shall die But truly to beleeue and certainly to know that all men shall die or who or how many shall die flesh and bloud cannot reueale vnto men For the sense of hearing and seeing by the which men are brought to know and to beleeue reacheth no further then vnto things present because light which is the obiect of seeing and the aire which is the obiect of hearing vpon diuers occasions are sometimes giuen and sometimes taken away Therefore to see and to know certainly as an article of beleefe that all men shall die which is my generall doctrine no man can apprehend nor yet comprehend but by the knowledge of the holy Scriptures and by the holy influence of Gods diuine spirit because in verie truth the same reacheth vnto the apprehension of things in time to come and vnto that which is cleane out of sight and out of hearing Saint Paul speaketh directly of two sorts of seeing 2. Cor. 4.18 the one proper to the spirituall eyes or eyes of the vnderstanding in these words We looke not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene As if he had said We who are the children of God do not esteeme of that which we may apprehend with our natural eyes in cōparison but we esteeme and allow specially of that which we may comprehend and apprehend by faith And in that verie place he verifies the same calling the one in a sort an obiect temporall the other an obiect eternall The same Apostle saith to the like purpose We walke not by sight but by faith 2. Cor. 5.7 to wit We iudge not so highly nor so truly of that which the light or the aire doth manifest vnto our senses as of those things which the word of faith doth manifest vnto our soules The effects and fruites of the one and the other shewes the difference As the vertue attractiue was not in Noahs Arke Gen. 7.7.9.10 that drew famous and most worthy creatures and of all sorts into it nor the vertue attractiue was not in Elias cloke that drew Elisha frō his plowing 1. King 19.19 but both in the effectuall vse of Gods word Euen so the vertue of hearing seeing and beleeuing the general doctrine of death and life proceedeth not from any matter in nature nor from worldly reason nor yet from the wisest humane narration but from the holy Spirit of the liuing God who worketh in vs by faith which is grounded vpon the written word of God As for example briefly 2. King 6.18.19 Elisha his man as he was a naturall man saw onely an armie of the Aramites who were come to take his maister but when the eyes of his vnderstanding were opened vpon the prayers of his maister he saw a farre greater army of Angels that were come to protect them This made S. Paule to pray Ephes 1. That the eies of the Ephesians vnderstanding might be opened which was in effect that God would be pleased to inflame to kindle their hearts and their affectiōs with the splendor of his word and Spirit As the same host of the Aramites was led with blindnesse 1. King 6.18.19 vnto their mortall enemie the king of Israel at Samaria the eyes of their vnderstanding being shut vp and as the Sodomites did strike at Lots doore with blindnesse Gen. 19.10.11 when their naturall eyes were open or as Saule and his company 1. Sam. 26.12 being in the iustice of God striken into a dead sleepe euen so all such as haue not their sight and their knowledge for spirituall things out of Scripture they weare out themselues with wearisomnesse and in the end do bring thēselues as through ignorance into that ineuitable gulfe of perdition Labour you therefore ye seruants of the Lord labour ye the Scriptures and know you for certaine that ye know nothing as ye ought to know vnlesse ye know it by the Scriptures and beleeue it by the same Spirit that wrote the Scriptures As the light of the body is the eye Luk. 11.34 so the light of the inner man is the word of God and consider I pray you consider in due time I aduise you If I be to be blamed for this long discourse concerning the generalitie of death why then did the holy Ghost so largely discourse thereof Why did his holy Maiestie so often particulate one and the same matter so variably and in so many places of Scripture How can this be answered If you say fewer places would haue suffised thē you do directly blaspheme which God forbid Then you charge the holy Ghost with superfluities and tediousnesse where as through Gods mercies with such and so many iterations he doth importune you to remember your mortalitie and to make prouision for the same accordingly If you say this doctrine was not so needfull because you knew it long since out of your owne words you proue this doctrine of all others to be most needfull and my selfe of you most carefull And whereas you know alreadle as you say that you shall die neuerthelesse it is questionable whether you be readie prepared to die euerie houre for the testimonie of a good conscience as his Maiestie hath commanded yea or no. And it is questionable whether you be willing and desirous to die You wil say peraduenture you are of that mind you trust euer to be so that there is nothing vainly spoken in Gods word and you will count them vaine and friuolous that shall speake any thing out of this word that doth
hands to do with him as they would euen as Pontius Pilate deliuered Iesus into the hands of the Pharises to do with him as they would 2. Sam. 26.8.9.10 Let me smite him but once said Abishai to Dauid I will smite him no more intending by those words with one blow to kill Saule Shall I lay mine hands vpon the Lords annointed said Dauid No I will not God shall smite him There he plainly related the penall death Or his day shall come to die There he plainly related the naturall death Or he shall descend into battell There he plainly related the vnnaturall death First the Penall death is that which almightie God did vsually inflict vpon those with whom he was wrathfully displeased as appeared by the ineuitablenesse thereof It was most commonly miraculous and publikely powerful that it might be for an euerlasting remembrance among all nations Such was the punishment of Adam for the transgression of Gods commandement Gen. 3.17.18.19 as did appeare by many particular denuntiations and afterwards concluded with his death and with the death of all his posterity irrecouerable in thēselues for euer Iob to this purpose said Iob. 34.14.15 If God set his heart vpon man and gather vnto himselfe his spirit and his breath all flesh shall perish together and man shall returne to dust As if he had said If God be once wrathfully displeased with any man how shall he liue how can he or they endure the hand of him who so penally powerfully punisheth vnpenitent sinners Druine motiues or reasons why God doth so penally so miraculously and so powerfully punish some and not others with a sixefold answer thereunto The first Motiue why God punished penally First God punished penally with water when men were publikely and generally growne to be tirannous cruell and sauagely disposed one towards another as the people of the old world Thē did the windows of heauen open Gen. 6.11.12.13 Gen. 7.4.10 11 to the end and the foundations of the great deepe breake vp so that the waters preuailed exceedingly vpon the earth and couered all the hie mountains of the world Likewise the Egyptians Exod. 1.11 to 16.5 to 14.7.8.9.10.11.14 who dealt tirannously cruelly with Gods people this Maiestie taking speciall knowledge thereof did penally and powerfully punish thē with manifold plagues in their own land and afterwards with the inundations of waters wherein their king and many thousands more were miraculously drowned The second Motiue why God punished penally Secondly God punished penally with fire Gen. 19.5.15.16 to 17 when he saw that men were grown so generally and so publikely carnall sensuall fleshly vnnaturally defiling their owne bodies taking the louing admonitions and godly perswasions of his Saints but as iests and mockes as he did the Sodomites The third Motiue why God punished penally Thirdly by changing the nature and qualitie of the earth when as particular persons being in place of preheminence did offer indignity disloyaltie to such as were in authoritie as did Corah Dathan Num. 16.29.36 and Abiram with their companions whom God did penally powerfully and miraculously destroy by opening the earth to swallow them vp aliue The fourth Motiue why God punished penally Fourthly with sauage beasts whē as his holy and welbeloued people are disdained mocked and scorned 2. King 2.23.24 as two and fortie that mocked Elisha the Prophet of the Lord and were penally destroyed with Beares The fifth Motiue why God punished penally Fifthly with Angels when as men in authoritie do publikely and incorrigibly offend his holy Maiestie as did Dauid in numbring his men of warre 2. Sam. 24.1.15 and trusting in them whom God did penally and publikely punish with the death of seuenty thousand of his chosen men by the stroke of an Angell Act. 12.23 Likewise Herod the king was striken vnto death publikely by an Angel because he took that glory to himselfe which was due to God 1. King 13.1.2.3.2 King 23.17 So was Iehoram most penally and miraculously destroyed for his idolatrie according to the saying of the man of God The sixth Motiue why God punished penally Sixthly where it may be demanded why God doth punish some so penally and so miraculously and not others it is drawne from his established rule and generall order of gouerning kingdoms and nations holding it sufficient in his godly wisedome to punish publikely some in stead of many that one example so publike and so penally powerful should serue for many hundred yeares in a whole nation or kingdome When the Church began to spread through Gods mercies there were many miracles signes and wonders as that in Egypt as that in their iourney through the wildernesse and as that their conquering of Canaan and so vntill the temple of Ierusalem was built and religion established But afterwards as it drew nearer and nearer vnto Christ they grew to be fewer and fewer The first vse of this doctrine concerning the penall death Serueth to forewarne Landlords and Patrons who most tyrannously liue vpon the spoile of the poore the one fleecing the Church the other fleecing the commonweale and both robbing God of his honour so much as they may or as it doth bring them either pleasure or profite As in the old world wherein crueltie did ouerrun the whole earth so it is now in the glorious Sun-shine of the Gospell If the examples of those whom God so powerfully so penally punished will not serue it may well fall out euen in the iustice of God that for the same crueltie their oppression and grinding of the poore and selling them for old shooes that they shall be made examples for such as do come after The second vse of this doctrine concerning penall death It may well serue to forewarne dissolute and loose liuers yea all such as liue according to their own lust giuing themselues ouer according to the swing of their own nature lest they also neglecting the vse of Gods holy word and the vse of these fearefull examples do in a time when they thinke not fall into some ineuitable and damnable iudgements of God in a miraculous manner The third vse of this doctrine concerning penall death Forewarneth all such as are subiects to submit themselues vnto such as are in authoritie ouer them as vnto the diuine ordinance of God The fourth vse of this doctrine concerning penall death It may serue to admonish all sorts of people to demeane themselues reuerently and conscionably towards all the zealous professors of the Gospell The fifth vse of this doctrine concerning the penall death It admonisheth all those that are in auctoritie to submit themselues dutifully and euery way religiously towards God as they wold their subiects should do vnto them The second manner sort and kind of death to wit The naturall death is more moderate more milde and more alluding to the fauour of God then the penall death because indeede it hath reference to the promises
at deathes doore the wicked parteth with all ioyes and there the godly receiues it The third vse concerning the naturall death It serueth to reproue all such parents who hauing a sonne or a daughter taken from them by death in his minority they do not take to heart nor thinke the extraordinary care the greedy griping the intollerable shiftes and the manifold deuices which they vsed to get worldly wealth and preferments for him So that they euer kept from their heart or for the most part all conscionable care of trayning him vp in the feare and nurtour of the Lord so as he might be a necessary member in Church or comon wealth They consider not neither can they be made to thinke much lesse to beleeue that God tooke him away for their punishment And for this cause also God takes away another and so another of their best and dearest children leauing such parents either none at all or else such as are gracelesse and without hope to be any comfort vnto them If parents out of their naturall affection or out of Gods word would but imagine what a dolefull day what a sorrowfull sight and a galling griefe it would be vnto them to see one child after another suffer the bitter paines and pangs of death then being dead to be doubtfull of their saluation such parents might the better and the sooner see take knowledg of their sinnes towards their poore children and so by true repentance be turned vnto the Lord. The fourth vse concerning the naturall death It serueth to reproue those who out of their ouer abounding naturall affection towards their children are neuer prepared to part with their children no not though they be to change their company for the company of God himselfe and the company of others their brothers and sisters for the company of the holy Saints and Angels in heauen And their worldly riches for the true treasures purchast by the precious bloud of Iesus Christ And this because that either they want knowledge or faith The fift vse concerning the naturall death It serueth to reproue those who liue so securely and so carelesly as if they had made a couenant with death vntill an appointed day or as if they could keepe death away so long as they would or at least giue themselues lawfull warning Vpon these comes the day of the Lord suddenly not in respect of God but in respect of themselues being vnprouided By how much they want of that they should haue against his coming or by how little they feare death by so much the more terrible and fearefull death is vnto them The sixth vse concerning the naturall death It serueth to reproue those who arrogate to much vnto the worthinesse of the meanes attributing that vertue vnto them which indeede is due vnto God as in the time of sicknesse to physicke surgery and such like No maruell though they languish in their diseases and no man able to helpe thē What was the ouerthrow of so many thousands of the Israelits the taking away of the Arke of God by the Philistines 1. Sam. 4.5 was it not because they relied to much vpon the arke as appeared by their shooting and loud reioycing as though heauen and earth rang together Ieremie speaketh of them at another time how they vanted and boasted of their temple saying Ier. 7.4 The temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord therefore the Lord gaue their Temple to be ransacked and ruinated by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon Dan. 1.1.2 Ieremie likewise speaking of the pride and presumptusnesse of the Egyptians who in their strength and multitude of their men concluded most infallibly the vtter ouerthrow of the people of Israel Ier. 46 7. They come saith he like floods and riuers with raging horses swift chariots Blackemores and Libians to shoote and to beare shields yet all in vaine The seuenth vse concerning the naturall kind of death It serueth to reproue those who do derogate from the worthinesse of the meanes which God in his mercie hath ordained in his Church and common-wealth to be in him and for him or as in his stead helpers comforters vnto his people as in the time of sicknesse not to seek to the Physitiā they rather scoffe and scorne them and they deride their profession These indeed as the former are accessarie to their owne cōtinuall diseases languishing maladies and in the end to their owne death not because that they thereby do directly shorten their liues but because that they do frustrate so much as in thē lieth the holy ordināces of God which are ioyned with his decree The eight vse concerning the naturall death It serueth to reproue those who run into eminent dangers places of contagion they auoid not when they may conuemently outragious elements as fire water and such like or enterprise to performe actions which stand not either with their wits or with their abilities The 3. generall sort manner or kind of death to wit the vnnaturall death The vnnatur all death is that which is more violent more abhorring nature more crosse and contrarie to the lawes ordinances of God A kind of death which proceedeth from mans selfe or rather a death instigated by the diuell meerely derogatiue to the Maiestie of Gods gouernment dishonourable to his name by the reuealed word impeachfull to the saluation of the soules of such An vntimely and an vnseasonable death Vnder this kind of death there are 4. other inferior sorts First when a man killeth himselfe vnawares or against his will as Ahaziah king of Israel did with a fall 2. King 1.6 Secondly when a man kils himselfe wittingly and willingly 1 Sam. 31.4 2. Sam. 17.23 1. King 16.18 as Saul did with his owne sword as Achitophel hanged himselfe and as Zimry did that burnt himselfe Thirdly when a mā is killed by another vnwittingly and vnwillingly not hauing hated him before Nu. 35.22 Ios 20.1.2.3 for whose saftetie God appointed cities of refuge Fourthly when a man is wittingly and willingly killed by another 2. Sam. 3.27 2. Sam. 20.10 as Abner was by Ioab and as Amasa was The first question concerning the maner of the vnnaturall death Why it is or how it comes to passe that some vnwittingly and vnwillingly do kil and destroy themselues yea with their act and deed some hang themselues some burne themselues some drowne themselues and such like manner of vnnaturall death This kind of vnnaturall executions happeneth many times on the iust as well as on the vniust vpon the wise as vpon the foolish vpon the rich as vpon the poore The answer therefore is twofold one concerning the vngodly the other concerning the godly That which concernes the vngodly is when any such man or woman vnwittingly puts or brings himselfe into perillous places puts himselfe to death by his owne act and deed It proceedeth from the vpright iustice of God ruling and ouer-ruling man how
by their words whē as the viper fell vpon Pauls hand Act. 28.1.2.3 c. Sure said they this man is a murtherer who although he hath escaped the seas yet vengeance hath not suffered him to liue Gen. 4.10.11 The bloud of Abel cried for vengeance And to conclude Murther is so detestable in Gods sight and so abhorring nature as for what cause soeuer one man shal or doth wittingly willingly kill another if it be secretly done Deut. 21.1 to 10. as doth appeare by diligent inquisition made for the finding out of the murtherer the hainousnesse of the sinne also appears by the greeuousnesse of the punishments which are no lesse then death Leui. 24.17.21 Deu. 21.8.9 It endangereth the whole congregation with the plagues of God how guiltlesse soeuer they be of that fact Gen. 4.10 Re. 6.9.10.11 It calleth and crieth out from earth to heauen for vengeance the soules of the Saints in heauen do call and crie vnto God for instice The holy man Dauid who by his regall authoritie also in his martiall affaires was to shed the bloud of many yet he prayed that God would deliuer him from bloud-guiltinesse Now concerning the killed to wit why God doth suffer innocent blood to be shed wilfully or to be subiect to the will of the wicked The answer is twofold The first answer concerning the killed is to manifest Gods secret decree concerning the time of mans departure and as for the manner how it is all one with God and so is it with a righteous man The manner of death maketh nothing against the matter of saluation Christs Iesus speakes comfortably and verie directly to this purpose vnto his Apostles and disciples and so vnto all true Christians You shall be betraid of your brethren Luk. 21.16.17.18.19 and kinsmen friends some of you they shall put to death ye shall be hated of all men yet there shal not one haire of your heads perish possesse your soules in patience The second answer concerning the killed It makes the iustice of God the more manifest vpon the killer As Salomon said concerning Ioab who had murthered Abner and Amasa 1. King 2.32.33 The Lord shall bring his bloud vpon his owne pate for he slue two men causlesse and more righteous then he their bloud shall returne vpon the head of Ioab The Prophet Habacuck questions to that purpose with God concerning the innocent that were slain so vniustly O God Hab. 1.13.14.15.16.17 saith he thou art of pure eyes and canst not see euill wherefore dost thou looke vpon the transgressours and holdst thy tongue when the wicked deuoureth the man that is more righteous thē he Shal they therfore spred forth their net not spare continually to slay the nations This is answered by the same Prophet in the same chapter after this manner Art not thou ô Lord my God 12. my holy one we shall not die O Lord thou hast ordained them for iudgement and ô God thou hast established them for correction As if he had said Thou wilt not suffer these lewd and gracelesse ones any longer then vntill thou hast accomplished thy will in mercie vpon vs then thy heauy wrath shall consume them Saint Luke affirmes interrogatiuely the same after this maner Shall not God auenge his elect which crie day and night vnto him Luk. 18.7.8 though he suffer long I tell you he will auenge thē quickly As Christ said concerning the man that was borne blind Ioh. 9.1.2 It was not his sinne nor his parents but that the worke of God might be seene euen so these whom the monsters of the world do kill and destroy is not in respect of that which they pertinently or properly haue deserued but that the iustice and vengeance of God might be seene iust vpon such as kill them There are many wayes and diuers manners by the which the deare children of God do depart this life but no way nor manner can preuent their preparatiō to die well how sudden and how vnusuall soeuer it seemes to be vnto others And seeing the case so standeth let all men beware of rash iudgement and vncharitable censuring of such as are slaine Let the manner of death be rather an occasion to forewarn others to be readie also as not knowing the time nor the manner of death It is commonly alike both to the iust and to the vniust for the outward manner of death but the inward is nothing so nor so As we may reade of the two theeues the one vpon the right hand Mat. 27.38 the other vpon the left hand of Christ the outward maner of their death was alike but the inward was not so for the one died faithfull and therfore Christ said This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise the other being vnpenitent inwardly went vnto the dāned Againe the suffering or permission of God is alway the meanes of his secret decree no man can kill another no not iniure his brother in the least measure but by the will of God because no sinne can be committed against his will nor any otherwise will God permit and suffer a sinner to outrage then in that maner so far forth as may stand well with his diuine purpose yet for all that such a will purpose and permission of his cannot be said to be the immediate cause of such an outrage or iniurie done howsoeuer but rather out of mans will who for his owne part respects not the fulfilling of Gods will so much as his owne which proceedeth from his corrupt nature being inuegled by the diuel And when as almightie God doth withdraw his helpes his gifts and graces which he may because properly they are his owne Ezod 7.4 thence it is said that God hardened the heart of Pharaoh that Sihon king of Heshbon would not let Israel passe by Deut. 2.30 for the Lord had hardned his spirit and his heart Further it must be granted that almighty God might verie well and most fitly if he would haue restrained and withholden that murther and shedding of innocent bloud and so the wrong and killing of other his Saints but it was not his wil it pleased him not so to do he foresees it not to be for his honor and a further good As may plainly be euidenced by a speciall difference betweene the purpose of God and Gods election for it is certaine that election was before the purpose of God to saluation or damnation because in election there is the holy will of God without regard either of good or euill to be found in man or before he had done either good or euil The concurrence and the prosecution whereof stands in these three most holy asseuerations of the Almightie the first being vocation the second iustification and the third glorification To which effect and purpose the holy man Dauid being preuented of his murthering mind said with all holy consideration
life of another As a king that is to gouern a kingdom must be powerful and seuere in the execution of instice against the mightie and readie to minister mercie to the needie and distressed euen so the Maiestie of this eternall King hauing the whole world to guide and to gouerne must be powerful and seuere To which effect he faith by his Prophet Ier emie Feare ye not him faith he Ier. 5.22 who hath placed the sand for the bounds of the sea by a perpetuall decree that it cannot passe Againe he said Cannot I do with you ò Israel as this Potter Ier. 18.6 The holy Prophet Ezekiel speaking of his predomināt power ouer the wicked faith after this manner Ezech. 6.7 I will take the bloud out of his mouth his abhomination frō amongst his teeth The same prerogatiue our Sauiour Christ manifesteth himselfe to haue in his speech to his Disciples If any man saith he Mar. 11.3 do say vnto you Why loose ye the Colt say ye vnto them The Lord hath need and they will straight way let it go As if he had said Do but tell them of me vse but my name and they shall haue no power to withstand you The second question why God doth conceale the time of mans departure out of this life Why doth he keepe it secret to himselfe This seemes to be hard iustice that a matter of so great importance should be hid Eccl. 9.12 No man knoweth his time saith Salomon but is suddenly taken as a fish or as a bird Dan. 12.4 It is shut vp and sealed vnto theend of the time appointed said Daniel Gen. 27.2 I know not the day of my death said the holy Patriarch Isaac And as Saint Luke said to the disciples concerning the restoring of Christs kingdome It is not for you to know the times seasons which God hath rescrued in his owne power Act. 17. euen so is it not for any man to know the time and season of his departure out of this life I conclude this question with the forewarning of Saint Paul to Timothie in these words Put away foolish and vnlearned questions knowing that they ingender strife There are three speciall and diuine reasons why the time of death is concealed The first reason is That euerie man should stand vpon his guard lest the enemie come suddenly Watch and pray therefore said our Sauiour Christ Iesus Saint Luke knowing the manner of death exhorts to watchfulnesse in these words Luk. 12.35.36.37.38 Let your loynes be girded about and your lights burning and ye your selues like vnto men that wait for their maisters God told Moses where he should die but he told him not the time and why because he as all other men should stand vpon his watch or guard Deu. 28.66 Thy life saith the Lord shall hang before thee and thou shalt feare both day and night and shalt haue none assurance of thy life The second reason why the time of death is concealed It is for the continuall good of all succeeding ages that the one ought to prouide for the other Therefore specially it is said by Salomon Eccl. 1.4 One generation passeth and another cometh as of heauenly so in some proportion of earthly which made Christ to say One soweth and another reapeth Ioh. 4.37 Were it that some might know the time of their departure they would not renue any thing that might be for them that should come after partly through malice and enuie and partly through extreme idlenesse or superfluous expences The third reason why the time of death is concealed That all men should carefully conueniently vse the meanes for life which God hath appointed in his Church Whereas if they knew the exact time of their departure they wold hold it friuolous to vse any of those good means which his holy Maiesty hath inserted annexed to the decree for the time of mans departure So should the ordinance of God concerning the vse of his creatures be made frustrate and those his exceeding good creatures stand of none effect The fourth reason why the time of death is concealed If the time of death were knowne to some they would liue very desperately and damnably for many yeares and the more neare to the time of their death they would grow the more sad sorowfull and heauy and into such intollerable passions as would driue them into desperation or at least into an vnwilling and a most gracelesse striuing with death in a sort against God himselfe Therefore Moses said Deu. 29.29 Secret things belong to the Lord our God but the thing reuealed belong vnto vs and to our children for euer Besides these two questions which formerly you haue heard there arise out of this doctrine concerning the timelinesse of death three obiections First if God haue so resolutely decreed vpon the verie day and houre of euery mans departure To what end shall a man vse indeuor or any of the best meanes for the preseruation of life The first answer for the vse of meanes to preserue life As almightie God hath decreed the time of death so withall he hath annexed and commanded religious and pertinent meanes for the preseruation of life vntill the time come As for example The people vnder Moses and Aarō might haue perished in a naturall contagion of the leprosie therefore God commāded that the whole might be singled and seuered from the sicke and infected Leuit. 13.1.2.3.4 The same people might haue bene destroyed in the iudgment which God had prepared for others therefore God commanded some saying Separate your selues from the tents of Corah Numb 16.1.2 2 King 10.23 Dathan and Abiram Iehu the King said Search see whether there be any of the Lords seruants amongst the seruants of Baall lest they be also destroyed with them Good men may perish in the outrage of the wicked Mat. 2.12.13 therefore God forewarned the wise men to depart home another way And Saul said to the Kenites 1 Sam. 15.6 Depart from amongst the Amalekits lest I destroy you with them That vertuous woman so highly in the fauor of God might haue bene famished in that seuen yeares of dearth 2 Kings 10.23 had not God forewarned her by his Prophet that she should shift for her selfe and her houshold in due time All men by the iustice of God for their sinne might lawfully be destroyed together in this or that plague or vengeance yet he hath in his mercie forewarned some and so doth to saue thēselues with the vse of meanes which he hath commended and commanded in his Church And withall in the vse of the same meanes or the like to preserue very reprobates frō the plagues which falle vpon their fellowes to the end they may liue vnto the time which he hath decreed for their death in which their sinnes will be full ripe As may appeare in the foure recited examples The second
of Nahomie who by death was violently rent from her husband which made her as out of a sorrowfull heart to crie out saying Ruth 1.20.21 The Almightie hath giuen me much bitternesse I went full I returne empty the Lord hath humbled me and brought me to aduersitie By which words and by many daily examples it is plaine that the parting of an husband from a wife ministreth many occasions of weeping mourning and calling vpon God If she be old then is she void of hope and the farther from helpe in her greatest neede if she be young then is she the more subiect to vtter vndoing by her choise which standeth so in generall amongst all men in the world In the meane time she is in danger by her singularity to the subtill temptations of the diuell and so to the prouocations of diuelish men together with the breaking vp of her houshold and the dispersing of her fatherlesse children All which dolefull dangers should be sufficient matter to moue her to commemorate her husbands death and by the diuine ordering of her selfe in the same to solemnize her owne If the partie dead be priuate and a wife the husband in like manner is occasioned to commemorate her death with much mourning The more godly and wise the husband is the more is his griefe with the consideration of that danger which is to come in the choise of another and in step-daming and mother-lawing his little young children and when as specially he shall endanger religious exercises in his house amongst his familie and in himselfe the decay of Gods seruice by meanes of a wife who perhaps will crosse and contrarie all The consideration of these and such like disturbances no doubt together with natural affection being powerfull in Abraham although a man highly in the fauour of God it wrought in him exceeding great passions which made him to mourne much with heartie grife Gen 23. vers 3. not able to abide the sight of his corps Here a complaint may well be raised against husbands who most carelesly and most vnconscionably do passe ouer the deceasse of their wiues and in like manner the wiues passing ouer the deceasse of their husbands sauing onely for the present time the matter seeming irkesome they burst out passionatly into some few funerall teares saying with admiratiō what is he dead or is she dead what dead alacke what dead who would haue thought it With clapping of hands and striking of thighes as if death were vnwōted they still for a few dayes speake admirably Such a man is dead the onely honest husband is dead or the onely honest wife that euer man had is dead wel this is the world there is no remedy weeping will not serue we shall all die or else dissemblingly they mourne on their backs but ioy in their hearts making an outward shew of that which is not inward Sam. 14.1 to 13. Like the woman of Tekoha who with her mourning apparell with her heauy countenance and with her lamentable cries made Dauid the King though a great wife man to beleeue that her husband her two sonnes were dead in deede as she said which was nothing so Or else most vnnaturall of whom S. Paul speaketh Rom. 1.23 who are nothing moued to mourne being in sort a people forsaken of God and branded with the marke of vnnaturall affection To yeeld no naturall affection is so much abhorring nature and so contrarie to pitie and so voyd of pietie as it is to denie the buriall of the dead so that before God it is all one kinde of prophanenesse and so much as that husband or that wife can do to condemne them that are graciously dead in the Lord to be in state of damnation and therefore not any way worthy of commemoration whom the Prophet Ezechiel reproueth after this manner Crueltie is risen vp Eze. 7.11 a rod of wickednesse none of them shall remaine nor of their riches nor any of theirs neither shall there be lamentation for them And Esay saith Esai 57.1 The righteous perisheth and no man considereth it in heart and mercifull men are taken away and no man vnderstandeth that the righteous is taken away from the euill to come If the person dead or dying be priuate and a sonne or daughter the inherent qualitie and the vnanswerable affections of parents towards their children whiles they are aliue doth sufficiently discouer their continuall mourning their griefe and their hearty sorrowes whē the children are dead And now I call to minde out of my owne tormented heart and fatherly afflicted soule my sorrow for many sonnes specially forone Parents cannot be included within this account of reproose but rather truly be reckoned amongst those who mourne too much and ouerlong being drawne thereunto as out of their vnanswerable affections deriued no man knowes whence nor how sauing that which is in respect of children begotten in mariage to which the exceeding diuine affection of God the Father in Christ Iesus hath relation and perfect reference If the person dead or dying be priuate and a father or mother What exceeding great cause haue the childrē continually to commemorate and religiously to celebrate his or her death with mourning with fasting and with calling heartily vpon God for these two speciall causes One is for their continuall care of parents tending onely for their welfare in the world the other their Christian conscience for the saluation of their soules in the world to come where parents faile in the one they exceed in the other according to the common prouerbe Happie is the child whose father goes to the diuell As if it were to say more particularly and more plainly The father and the mother are so vnsatiable in their coueting so infidell-like pinching their backes their bellies and so diuellishly oppressing the poore yea many times so atheistlike hazarding their owne liues by vnlawfull getting and so directly opposing themselues against God for to enrich their children as that indeed they make whole shipwrack of their soules The truth whereof is so cleare and the matter it selfe so probable as if there were neither many millions of godly witnesses neither the wicked liues and wastfull behauiour of their children yet their owne conscience to their own condemnation would manifestly declare it And haue not such children great cause to mourne yea alwayes to bewaile the deceasse of such parents specially because of the hellish torments and the ineuitable paines which they do endure Me thinks I heare and see the same or greater torments which God in his vpright instice doth prepare for such children not onely because of their vnnaturall and vndutifull behauior towards their parents being dead and whiles they were aliue but also for that they do so ioy and so reioyce in their goods being so gathered and so left vnto them which is indeed no other then the price of bloud and I may say more plainly the price of their