or councell love and prayers God I beseech who art the fountain of all goodnesse and the deep Sea of love requite your love into your bosomes God hath always used to be kind and good to them who do commâ—t â—hemselves wholly to his fatherly providence Obedience is a singular vertue and indeed such an one as all others have resplendency from it Patience is that one thing that is necessary for sick men Humility is an excellent jewell and conâ—empt of a mans own self Poverty is acceptable to Christ but the Queen of graces is Charity Yet amongst all these me thinks a sure confidence in God is of singular efficacie and a plenary resignation of a mans self unto the Divine Providence which Gods Word so highly commends which the Kingly Prophet so often speaks of which last of all Christ himself by so many arguments taken from the Flowers and the Fowles doth endeavour to perswade to None can ever know the streng h of this confidence nor that tranquillity which follows no nor can believe it but he who at all times in everything little or great fully hath believed in and trusted himselfe into Gods hand And I am perswaded that never was there man who did so referre himself wholly to God who hath not found singular and secret comfort within himself by it Let us trust to and rely on God And give our selves wholly to be disposed of by his infinite wisdom Hee will provide for us he will take care for us You see now how I am cited to appear at Gods Tribunall and must now give an account for 60 yeers carriage All mine deeds words thoughts are manifest and open to that Judge Noâ—hing ah nothing can be hid from him all the Acts of my passed life shall now be sentenced O how I tremble For it is a fearfull thing to stand before his Tribunall Yet in this great streight I have something to comfort me although I be an unjust and naughty servant yet I have a good Lord nay infinitely good which though I have bin sinfull yet I am his servant so commending my selfe inâ—o his hands and my soul to his mercy I bid adiew to you all wishing you al to have a care to your lives here that wee may once againe meet in the Kingdome of Glory Farewell § 24. What a dying man should always speak and meditate in his heart IN thy sicknesse ô good Christian being asked how thou doest how thou feelest thy selfe c. take heed to thy answers that thou utterest let them be such as these As God pleaseth as it seemeth good to the Lord so is come to passe according to Gods good will and pleasure I am well that is best so God sees it good Let his will be done in earth as it is in heaven and that ô sick man and dying man that thou mayest have this familiarly in thy mouth and heart use these three short Prayers 1 The Lord be blessed for ever and ever 2 Have mercy upon mee ô Lord after thy great goodnesse according to the multitude of thy mercies though I be lesse then the least of all thy mercies 3 O my Lord and my God I offer my self to thy good will and pleasure Thy will 〈◊〉 Lord be done Amen Some in the time of their sicknesse have had these prayers set before their faces in great Characters lying in their beds that night and day they might the more readily remember and use them Our Prayers are our Fore-runners to God let us our selves learn of our Harbingers the right way that so we may follow readâ—ly whensoever the Lord Eternall shall call us hence § 25. Things to be specially observed by a dying man 1 LEt hâ—m not rely upon but renounce his owne merits let him cast himselfe and all his sins into the boundlesse Ocean of Gods infinite mercy and compassion 2 Let him be sure to stand fast in the bosome of the holy Catholike Church and let him receive the blessed Sacrament seasonably it being his viaticum and the food of his soul 3 Let him withdraw all his affections and love from fading and transitory things and let his heart be united to God his heavenly Father Let him long for the promised Canaan that there hee may for ever offer prayse to God his Creatour 4 Let him offer up himselfe a lively sacrifice to the glory of God for his most blessed will to bear out of true love all the bitternesse and anguishment and all the pangs of death though for a long time and though hee might live longer yet for the love of God he refers himself to his wise disposing either for life or death 5 Let him never forget the bitter passion and death of Jesus Christ Let him not rest till hee be united to Christ in his death and let him in the depth of all his sufferings imitate our Saviour to commend his soul into his fathers hands that so as hee is made conformable to Christ in his death hee may be likewise in his Resurrection But above all it is most safe for the dying man that what hee would have to be his last words and actions that hee begin to doe them in the state of his health § 26. What a dying man must doe LVdovicus Blosius a man of a most holy life who refused an Archbishoprick when it was offered him by Charles the fiâ—th Emperour whose life may be seen by his works amongst many other worthy pieces hee gives a dying man these Instructions following Being asked what a dying man should doe if hee had liv'd long in grievous sinnes answered though I should have lived forty yeers in my sinnes and now my death approaching if I shall truly acknowledge them and be heartily sorry for them from the bottome of my heart and resolve against them all for time to come if I have but so much time to put my self into Gods hands and truly turn to him without all hypocrisie and dissembling I shall depart hence holy and innocent and shall finde God a mercifull Father unto me and adds a short sweet Prayer for a sick man O Lord I am that miserable wretch whom Thou of thy Fatherly goodnesse hast created and by the most shamefull death of thy onely begotten Son hast redeemed from the power of the Enemy Thou Lord Thou onely shalt rule in me save me therefore ô Lord for thy infinite mercy throuâ—h Jesus Christ in whom I do believe to have immortality and glory Amen These are Abridgments to die well hee who knows how to be ready for death comprizeth all § 27. Refreshments for a sick man GO my people enter inâ—o your chambers shut the dores to you hide your selves for a while for a moment untill my indignation be passed over Isa 26.20 In my anger have I hid my face from you for a moment but in everlasting mercies will I have compassion on you saith the Lord your Redeemer Isay 54.8 Why art thou so heavy ô my soule and
you see the summe and epitome of al our life Daniel Archbishop of Mentz Elector of the Sacred Roman Empire with his own hands writ these following admonitions 1 Life is short 2 Beauty deceitfull 3 Wealth uncertaine 4 Dominion hated 5 War is pernicious 6 Victory is doubtfull 7 Leagues are fraudulent 8 Old age is miserable 9 Death is felicity 10 The fame of true Wisdome is everlasting To wit of that wisdome which descends from above which establisheth Kingdomes shall never cease but is eternall §. 14. That God doth comfort those that weep HEare the voice of the Comforter and Promâ—ser together Ps 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee Ps 33.19 and thou shalt glorifie me And the Lord is nigh to all them that are of a troubled spirit and he will save the humble in heart Aug. in Tom. 8. in Psal 50. Most excellently Saint Augustine Feare not saith hee when thou art troubled as though the Lord was not with thee The Lord is neere to those that are of a troubled spirit Man may prepare a Crown for the Conquerour but hee knows not how to give him strength to conquer But GOD when he beholds the battaile hee strengthens his Champions for that is the voice of the Psalmist that valiant warriour If I said my foot was moved thy mercy O Lord helâ—t me up Assoone therefore as thou art troubled stirre up thy faith and thou shalt know Hee will not leave thee comfortlesse But thou mayst perhaps think thy selfe forsaken because thou art not delivered when thou wouldest Hee tooke the three children out of the fire but he which tooke those three left he the Machabees Far be it to think so He delivered the one as well as the other the one corporally that his and their enemies might bee confounded thesâ— spiritually that the faithfull might in all ages imitate their valour God is high Every good soule is lowly if yee would that the high God should come neere unto you bee humble these are great Mysteries my Brethren God is above all Doest thou lift up thy selfe thou commest not neere him Doest thou debase thy selfe he will come down to thee Call therefore this faithfull Helper to thy succour by prayer Hee will be propitious even at the first sigh if it be from the soule God wil wipe away all tears from their eyes Apoc. 21.4 neither shall there bee any more weeping or mourning or griefe or sorrow because all these are passed away Most truly said the same Father Aug. in Psal 127 circamed How pleasant are the sighs of the soule to God they are more acceptable than the laughter of Fools or Theatres §. 15. That our death may be as advantageous as our Birth EPaminondas the Theban being at point of death said Val Max. l. 3. c. 2. l. 2. c. 6 Iâ— was not so much to bee accounted the period of his life as the beginning For now fellow souldiers may your Epaminondas be said to be born because he so dyes For whether is better to be pampered under griefe in this life or by death to enter into immortality There are a people neer Thrace Herodoâ— lib. 5. Hist Valer. l. 2. c. 1. Quintil. l. 5. institut called the Trausi which agree with the Thracians in al customs save in this particular That the neighbours when an Infant is born doe with great lamentations rehearse the great calamity the Infant must suffer on the stage of his life And they celebrate the Funerals of their Neighbours with great rejoycing in regard they are by death freed from all the miseries incideÌ„t to this life This Nation of some in this very respect hath bin reputed wise and discreet because they celebrate Birth-dayes with teares and Obits with joy The Getes and Causians are said to doe the same Stobaus in Encomio Mortis and to speak truth let but the seeming pleasures which this life promiseth be but exempt which force and inveigle men to many hazards and inconveniences by their allurements and then our end is to bee judged more happy than our beginning Death is not to be accounted an evill Plin. in praf l. 7. Hist but the conclusion of all evils Plinius Secundus saith There have beene some who have judged it best not to have beene born and next to that an carly Death So Silenus when hee was taken by Midas being asked what was best for man was a good space silent but at last answered thus It is the best not be at all and next to that to be but for a moment I cannot omit that fare and seldome heard of passage pleasant to be related of one Ludovicus Cortusius a Counsellour living in Padua who in his Will at his death forbade all mourning for him at his Buriall and willed that all the Musicians and Minstrels should bee present some to goe before and fifty to follow the Clergymen and the Corps and allowed by Will to each of them for their attendance halfe a Ducat and willed further that his coffin should be carried by twelve beautifull Virgins cloathed in a fresh greene habit and that they should sing melodiously as they passed along and gave to all of them such large Legacies that they served for their Dowry and was attended by an hundred torches and in this manner was sumptuously interr'd in the Church of Saint Sophia in Padua with all the Clergy accompanying his buriall the Black Friers onely excepted whom hee debard by his Testament lest they by their fable weeds might move in some persons mourning or heavinesse so that his Funeral was celebrated with as much mirth as a marriage This merry conceited man dyed in the year of our Saviour 1418 Iuly the seventeenth De modo bene viv Serm 70. Idem de transit mal Saint Bernard spoke worthâ—ly saying Let those mourne for their dead which believe not the Resurrection those are to bee lamented who after their death are punished in Hell by Devils not those who are placed in Heaven with the blessed spirits Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Precious indeed as the period of their labours as the consummation of victory as the gate to life and the entrance into perfect rest and securitie Well spoke that wise Hebrew Eccles 7.4 Better is the day of our death then the day of our birth §. 16. That Death is every where THose Wretches who seeke by what means they shall die to whom death is more welcome then life may vex and distract themselves with griefe and anxious sollicitudes and disturbing encumbrances they may sharpen their swords prepare poysons catch at Gibbets looke out for steep Rocks to fall downe from as though the loving yoke and society betwixt the soule and body could not be parted without such exquisite preparation Death is alwayes laying his snares in all places to catch us wheresoever man passeth Death is alwayes
wee carry about us is not our dwelling but our June it must be left when once the Master is weary of our company Therefore ô my good Christian hasten to live holily and thinke every day an entrance into a new life Who so fits himselfe this way shall meet death with comfort That man never died ill who lived well § 35. That Procrastination is the greatest damage and blemish to our lives WE put off any thing but wickednesse that not onely takes up the present day but is likewise promised the morrow In sin wee are prompt actors in other things usuall promisers and fair-speakers then wee use to say to morrow it shall be done or next week or next yeere without delay so doe dayes moneths and yeeres slide away while we onely delay and promise but performe not Seneca speaks admirably in this point Lib. de Brev. vit c. 4. Many shall yoâ— heare saith hee who say at fifty 〈◊〉 will take mine ease the sixtieth yeerâ— shall discharge me from all encumbranâ—ces and what surety else desirest thoâ— of a longer life but who will suffeâ— things to goe at thy disposing Blushest not thou to reserve the refuse and the dregs of thy rotten yeeres to God and to destinate onely that time for his service which thou art not able to manage in any other manner It is too late then to begin to live when it is time to leave off work What senslesnesse is it to refuse to follow good counsell till a man comes to fifty or sixty yeeres of age and to resolve there to begin to live where most leave off Sigismund the second King of Poland for his delayings and slothfulnesse in matters of weighty consequence was called Rex Crastinus the delaying King such sure are we though wee know not that wee shall be to morrow yet we hazard the mainer work upon such uncertaine probabilities Wee put off all most willingly would weeâ— if wee could put off death too But death's businesse admits of no delay nor putting off when Death knocks the bars must speedily open Therefore as the Proverbe saith The onely way to be long an old man is to be such an one betimes The King of Macedon obtained such glorious Conquests by being speedy upon his actions Wee lose the best nay all by deferring and delaying Chrysologus said well Most men put off to do well Ser. 125. Med. untill death debar them of time Wee come to death by degrees as men who sleep walking The first day wee put off good duties the second day wee doe them slightly the third day wee forget them on the fourth we are not able to performe them O Mortals to morrows life is too late learn to live to day give earnest to day grieve to day for your sins For who except your owne conceits hath promised you the morrow that which may bee ought to bee done to day why should it be procrastinated to thaâ— which yet is not may perhaps not be time or if it be perhaps not thine to deferre good actions hath always prov'd dangerous Deferrings are obnoxious to our lives Iumb vet You seldome see the slothfull man that thrives Let us make hast therefore and let us but seriously thinke how speedily wee would foot it if wee were sure there was a destroying Enemy behind us Wee would strive to be formost that we might be furthermost from our pursuers It is so we are followed close to hasten is to escape so shall wee enter into eternall rest It is the greatest comfort against deaths approach to have done all our worke before he comes to call for us To the Sick A Winter 's at hand leaves fall Death 'gins to snatch His Ax and spies thy Glasse spent Sick man watch B What th' Presse to Grapes that Sicknes is to thee If thou be ripe as Grapes in Autumne be C The stouping Hern oft gores her towring Foe So outward grief oft frees from inward woe D Sicknes lays men along as hail doth corn Better fall well then stand with shame anâ— scorn E Just now 't was cloudy now Sol shew his face Now clouds again This is the Sick man case F To scape the Scorpions sting and th' Archers dart Sicknes and Death I know no meanes 〈◊〉 art G A Sick man 's like an Horse plunging iâ— sturdy waves Who knows if th' one shall scape the floodâ— the other the grave § 36. Deaths haunt WIlliam the third Duke of Bavaria a Patron of the poore and Protector of all religious and godly men being dead though all men should have held their peace yet the cryes and teares of the poore lamenting his losse would have been sufficient Trumpets to have blazon'd his Princely worth this prayse-worthy Prince I say when he He returned from the Councell of Basil where he in the place of the Emperour sate chiefe returning to Munchen dreamed such a dreame as this following Hee seem'd to see a lusty great Stag which carried upon one horne little bels and upon the other divers wax Tapers and Torches lighted there was a nimble Huntsman and a pack of hounds who withall swiftnesse and eagernesse had this Stag in chase at the last the Stag having no other way leapt into the Churchyard in which there was a Grave made for a Mans buriall which was open into which the Stag fell and there was taken and killed at the sight of this the Prince wakened and was wondrous desirous to know what this Dreame should mean on the next day he told it to his Lords and this Dreame was variously interpreted which when Duke William had heard presently replyed I am said he this great Stag which Death so eagerly hunts and will shortly and speedily take me and end my days and I will be buried in that Church All things were ordered accordingly and these presages had their events answerable For in short space after this worthy Prince did yield to Death and commended his soule to God piously and was there interâ—'d where hee desired A good Death is the introduction to a blessed Eternity § 37. Why though wee daily are Spectators of Burials yet we doe not meditate on Death THe Devill being skilful in the perspective art useth this cunning policy that those things which are furthest off hee makes them seem neer unto us and those which are neer unto us he makes seem a great way distant from us Thus he represents Death to us that though it be so neere us that it is ready to lay hold on us yet it appeares a great way off hence in a vaine security wee promise to our selves many yeares and put the evill day far from us to our great disadvantage Hence is it that wee looke upon other mens Burials as though ours were not to be this long time and though we are decaying daily yet for all that we fancy an eternity to our own souls Sir Thomas Moore our Countriman lest any age should promise him a long life and
so worke security in him exercised the thoughts of Death in himselfe by this fit similitude As man saith he who is led from prison to the place of execution though hee be led about and seems to go slowly yet he feares Death and is as sure of it as he that goes a neerer way and though his legs be strong his eyes quick-sighted his heart lusty though his stomacke be able for digestion yet this one thought turns all into bitternesse that hee is in the way to a certaine execution And what man is not a prisoner in this kind we are all going on towards our long home we are all in the way and parted but by small distances those which are dead have not so much left us onely they are gone before us but perhaps thou mayst say I am healthy and lusty and finde not nor feele any the least sence of sicknesse nor apprehension of Death well flatter thy selfe if thou wilt for certain thou art in the way and wee all are in the way with thee But thou mayst say thou art not yet thirty years old what then thou wast in the way at twenty at ten at five at three nay even at the first yeare and in the first houre goe on perhaps thou mayst a little further but thou wilt shortly come to thy end but yet thou wilt say thy sleepe is sound thy meat and drinke doe excellently well relish and digest Oh fond man Death regards not such things Wee are in the way looke to thy selfe presently thou wilt perceive the place of execution thou art led on there 's but a little time for thee to breath in shortly shall all thy pompe luxury and strength expire as well as thy selfe all our life is but the pathway to death That Death may happy be to live learn I That life may hâ—ppy be I 'le learne to die § 38. To day for mee to morrow for thee Delrii adag Tom. 2. p. 576. FRancis the first King of Francâ— being taken by Charles the fifth comming to Madrid upon a wall he read the Motto of Charles which was Plus ultra Still further and writ under it Hodie mihi cras tibi Mine to day yours to morrow The Conquerour was not offâ—nded nor angry but gave notice that hee understood the meaning for hee writ this in answer to it I am but a Man and know my selfe subject to mortalitie Elegantly spoke Greg Nazianzen My head saith he begins to be an Almond tree flourishing and therefore my Summer of Age is neer the Sickle is made sharp for work all my feare is lest that terrible Mower should crop me off and cut me downe while I sleepe securely and am not ready for his stroke But thou mayst say Old men indeed may feare but I am yong and green be not thou deceived Death is not limited to any certaine age The same Bier to day may carry an old carcasse to morrow a yong one to day a strong aâ—â—e â—n an to morrow a yong Virgin or 〈◊〉 Child Seneca speaks to the purpose Death saith he stands at the door of a yong man as well as at the threshold of an aged man for all men are registred and inrolled in Deaths Records all must pay their tributes when Death cals forth all must goe out no exemption from his Edict This is the last warning and admonishment that dying men groan forth To day for me too morrow for thee and this is the Graves sentence I fell yesterday thou mayst this day Remember Death Oh remember Eternitie which thou mayst either to day or to morrow begin but never End §. 28. If to morrow why not to day THere is a Chaine and that a weâ—ghty one that holds us bound fast to wit the Love of this Life which as it is not to be utterly cast off yet it is daily to be weakned and the vigour of it abated that when it shall be required at our hands to surrender nothing may withhold us but that we be ready presently to doe that which at one time or other must be performed Saint Augustine the Bishop of Hippo went on a time to visit another great Prelate and Father of the Church lying very sick and at the point of Death who had been formerly his familiar friend at Saint Augustines comming the sick man lift up his hand and said that he was departing this world and going into Heaven Possidonius in vita Aug. c. 27 Saint Augustine replyed that the Church would stand in great want of him and prayed that God would lend him a longer life The sicke mâ—n answered again if he never could be well spared but if at any time he should depart why not now The Death of all men is even and alike but the wayes by which it comes are divers one dyes at supper another in his sleepe a third in the commission of some sin One dyes by the sword another is drowned a third is burned some are poysoned and stung to death by Serpents others are kild by some fall and some Consumptions rid away some are cut off in the flower and beauty of their age some are destroyed in their swathling clothes and some in their decrepit years Others onely salute the World and are gone One mans end is commendable anothers dishonorable but let Death come never so gently or favourably yet it never comâ—s without some horrour and affrightment But that which most of all estrangeth us from liking Death is that wee know the things present and delights in them but whither wee are passing by Death and what things wee shall behold in the bowels of the grave wee know not and wee usually tremble at the report of strange sights therefore are our mindes to bee hardned with the daily exercise and meditation of eternity Eternity I say is to be thought upon night and day as he that will learn to endure hunger must attaine to it by fasting by degrees so the mind must be transferd from transitory things that ever will be expert in the study of Eternity Let him every moment salute and imbrace the threshold of Eternity let this one be the onely square of all his actions I read I write I meditate I watch I speak I worke always to Eternity Hee that ever intends to triumph eternally let his meditation be alwayes fixed and setled upon it § 40. Death is suddain yet comely AS Palladius the Bishop of Helenople testifies Cheremon died sitting as hee was at work Hist c. 92. and well Hee was found sitting with his worke in his hand onely hee was dead Any kind of Death is credited by a vertuous life Philemon an ancient Writer of Comedies as hee rehearsed his Comedies with Menander on the Stage Mad. Philos in Florid p 579 and strove with him for the Bays he was not in any thing reputed inferiour to him He acted a part of a play which he lately had made and being come to the second Scene
find free pardon â—nd forgiveness that when I shall die I may live with thee in life everlasting Amen Almighty mercifull and kind Father I do humbly entreat thee by the death of thy Son my Saviour Jesus Christ to grant mee a quiet and blessed departure out of this miserable life whensoever thou shalt please to call me hence Anoâ—her for the same purpose Mâ—st mercifull Lord Jesus knowing how great and grievous the paines of dying men are and with what great discomforts the souls of such are in the Agony of deâ—th Whither should I flee but to thee ô Lord my God Deliver thou my soule that it neither faile nor faint at that dreadful hour Deal with me I intreat thee ô Lord according to the multitude of thy never failing mercies and according to that boundlesse love which made thee lay downe thy life for mee who art life â—t selfe gâ—ant that I may always have the houre of my dissolution before mee that I may doe that while I am in health which may give me comfort in the pangs of death Let my whole care and study be to learn Mortification and to subdue all my passions and rebellious affections so that I may live witâ— thee in glory in thy heavenly Kingdome Amen A Prayer that the Communion of the Body and bloud of Jâ—sus Christ may be effectuall to his soule at the houre of Death taken out of Hugo de S. Victore O Most sweet and loving Jesus grant unto mee miserable sinner that my soul may be refreshed by thy most precious body and bloud that I may always speake of thy most glorious name Amen Gâ—ant that I may always thinke off and apply thy sufferings to my sick soul that so I may be refreshed in the evill day Amen Grant â—hat I may always have a care to imitate thy holinesse and obedience by patience and meeknesse that so all my words thoughts and works may be sanctified Amen Grant mee likewise O sweet Jesus a stedfast hope in thee that though the outward man decay yet the inward man which is created in holinesse m y be strongthened so that when I shall die thou mayst be my hope and my portion for ever Amen The conclusion of the first Book to the Reader THus doe thus â—hink ô Man and while thou are in health prepare for sicknesse and leâ—â—â—â—e to die either of them is of excellent skill and art ignorance of both these may cast thy soule into utter destruction if thou failest in the performanâ—e of these thou deprivest thy self of that Eternity which the Faithfull shall enjoy never canst thou amend an errour past this way this shall be punished whh Eternity Wherefoâ—e always manage thy affaires so as if thou wert at all times deparâ—ing Dwell most familiarly with thy selfe and search daily all the secret passages of thy conscience those things which thou hast about thee esteeme of them as a Travellers Cloak-bag but let them not be thy clog Thou must carry no more out then thou broughtest in Therefore be satisfied with little and approve thy selfe to God Thou must passe hence Each moment think thou standest at the doore of Eternity Thou must be gone Eternity is alwayes at hand Pleasures are short punishments are without end The labour is but little the reward everlasting These are the instructions wee have prescribed to healthy and able men Wee admonish them not to feare death yet never to lay down the thought of it So now we proceed to instruct the sick and weak To the Sick A Winter 's at hand leaves fall Death 'gins to snatch His Ax and spies thy Glasse spent Sick man watch B What th' Presse to Grapes that Sicknes is to thee If thou be ripe as Grapes in Autumne be C The stouping Hern oft gores her towring Foe So outward grief oft frees from inward woe D Sicknes lays men along as hail doth corn Better fall well then stand with shame and scorn E Just now 't was cloudy now Sol shews his face Now clouds again This is the Sick mans case F To scape the Scorpions sting and th' Archers dart Sicknes and Death I know no meanes no art G A Sick man 's like an Horse plunging in sturdy waves Who knows if th' one shall scape the floods the other the grave The second Book § 1. The remembrance of Death is commended to the Sick Wherein is contained an Introduction to the foâ—lowing Discourse and whithâ—r sickn sse beâ— evill or not CAunus is a Town in Caria situated in a pestilent ayre and insecâ—ious to the inhabitaÌ„ts Whâ—ch place when a merry conceited fellow called Stratonicus a Musician beheld hee presently rehearsed that Verse in Homer Iliad 6. Men like to falling leaves are found But green ere-whiles now fall'n to ground He taunted their pale and wanne countenances but when they of that place had afforded him but course entertainment because hee had disparaged their City Hee wittily againe told them Indeed I cannot fitly terme your towne sickly or diseased where I behold so many dead men walking this was more pleasant and smart then the former But why deny we it or why are we lift up with pride when indeed wee are but leaves Iob speaks it plainly Iob 13.25 Wilt thou saith he break a leafe driven to and fro as if hee had said I being but a leafe subject to all inconveniences which feare all storms and winds which tremble and am blowne with one blast farre away Doe not ô doe not ô God speedily make an end of me in thy fury Thou knowest that I shall at once fall of my self Are not men truly to be compared to leaves when as their instability exceeds and out strips them May they not have this title added deservingly seeing that diseases sicknesses of severall sorts doe interchangably drive them to ruine Thus did Clemens Alexandrinus juâ—ge Go to saith he ô men of an obscure and fraile life like to the generation of leaves Weake a workmanship as wax like to shadow Vaine fleeting having a life of a dayes continuance Certainly we are leaves and no better when as one little fit of a Feaver distempers alters weakens endangers us What said I a fit of a Feaver nay a little Cough a Crum of bread a Drop of water are able to effect our ruines But what is not health good and sicknesse evill no ô man if you will credit Epictetus What then it is good to use health well it is ill if used ill It is possible by sicknesse to gather fruits meet for thy God nay is it not to be done like wise by death it self whâ—t thinkest thou of sicknesses I will shew thee his nature I will grow better by it I will be quiet under it I will think my self well dealt with all I wil not flatter with my Physician nor will I wish for death What wouldest thou more What is given to me I will account it happy prosperous honorable desirerable But some may dâ—ny
this and say take heed of sicknesse it is ill to be under it to whom Epictetus answers judiciously It is all one as if one should say and faigne to make three to be foure It is no ill if I rightly esteem of it it cannot then hurt me but rather profit mee So the like use may be made of poverty sicknesse war May not a man gather benefit by any by all of these the same I may say of Death is it not my appointed Steeresman into rest is it not the Messâ—nger that opens the gaâ—e to Eternity is not Death that which takes off all our burthens and easeth us from labour from misery Let Truth honour thee Epictetus how true are all these and squaring with the Law of Christianity This foundation being laid we shal learn to remember Deaths Agony and not to be affrighted at his comming But oh my Reader I would have thee know that these Documents were not onely written for thy use in the time of thy sicknes but I would have thee read these in the time of thy health that they may stand thee in some stead when thou shalt be visited with sicknesse § 42. The sickman speaks to his friends to the Diseasâ— to the entrance into Death it selfe to Christ our Lord. DEpart I pray you as unseasonable with your vaine and fruitlesse mourning Here is no place either for Complaints or Petitions You may thinke I goe from you to soon Too soon look that you bee not deceived I was fit for Death's sicle as soone as I was born nay before I was born Why should I complaine I know what I was born Was I not a weak frail body Cast forth to contumelies the food of Diseases Deaths object whosoever thou art take hâ—pes to thee or undergo thy burthen perhaps thou mayest be dejected to morrow or if no remov'd from hence To the disease ANd is Deaths Harbingâ—r approach'd must I now lie under sicknesse the time is now come I must put my selfe to the triall Valour is not onely seene in a storme or in a batâ—aile Courage may be tried upon a pillow in a bed of affliction I must be sick therefore It cannot be avoided Well I shall either end my Feaver or it me Wee cannot be always together Hitherto I have onely trafficked with health Homil. 13 in Evang. now I must exchange some time with my disease Saint Gregory tels it to me piously and truly The Lord saith he knocks when hee signifies to us that death is neere us by troublous sicknesses to whom we readily open if wee receive with comfort his chastizements Some relations may cause mee to give admittance to this serious Embassadour It is reported of a certaine old man who lay grievous sick and when as Death made an approaâ—h to take him away the sick old man entreated Death to forbeare his blow a little while untill he could make his Will and set things in readines for so long a journey To whom Death replyed ô crooked old man couldst thou not prepare thy selfe in so many years being so often warn'd by me to whom the old man said again I beseech thee lend me thy faith for I doe not remember that ever thou didst admonish me but Death answer'd briefly then I perceive that old men will lie An hundred six hundred a thousand warnings hast thou had from mee when I daily in thy sight to thy griefe not onely tooke away thy equals of which for years there are few left but also before thy eyes young men and little infants Nay I will appeale to thy own soul forgetfull old man didst thou want admonishments when thy eyes grew dim thy haires wax'd white were fâ—lne off thy nose lost its smell thy eares grew deafe and all thy other sences and members grew defective in their performances and thy whole body languish'd wasted these all these were Messengers from me and shoulâ— have been as so many warning pieces to prepare thee to march on These all have knock'd at thy doors though thou wouldst not acknowledge thy selfe to be within Often enough and long enough hast thou bin admonish'd I stay not Come away and enter the Dance of Death now presently He seldome prepares himselfe well which prepares so extraordinary late To his Death-bringing sicknesse WHen I meditate on my life consider the multitude of my sins and the smalnesse of my good duties Alas alas oh my God how am I straitned and how am I beset and encompassed with sorrow but it is better to fall into the Hands of the Lord for great are his mercies and his compassions faile not then that I should adde more days to my years and more sin to my days What an one I would have prov'd thou onely ô Lord knowest Perhaps I might have Apostated and falne from life Since ô death thou art present doe thy message unto me rid mee from misery and the malice of men I am ready and willing to part wi h life onely let me retaine thy Grace ô Lord or rather let it preserve me which I doe earnestly with all my heart beg of thee ô sweet Iesus Christ and through thee Amen To Deaâ—h it selfe DEath why in so long wastings dost thou like What needs there such great charge I doe yield strike What need'st thou empty all thy quivers when One blast w ll drive one puffe will stroy most men For indeed what is man but a tossed and leaking ship which one lusty wave sends to the bottome There needs no furious charge of tempests wheresoever thou ô Death placest thy murthering Ram it will force passage Mans bodie is wove up of weake and fluid materials glistering in outward lineaments impatient of heat cold or travail of it's own inclination apt to languishments gathering corruption even from his sustentation sometimes hurt by want sometimes by excesse his nutriment wants not discommodity a brittle piece of mortalitie preserv'd and upheld with griefe and anxietie holding his very spirit and breath at anothers disposing which easily departs full of innumerable diseases and though he should want diseases to ruine him yet of his own accord he would fall perish and descend to Death Can wee wonder to see that die in which Death is fed and nourish'd and hath a thousand places to enter possesse and if man doth fall is it any such remarkable losse his very smell and taste his wearinesse and watching his humours and food without which he cannot live are all mortiferoâ—s and deadly To Iesus Christ I Would not Death but life hee seeks it right O Christ who in thy love departs to light I am not afraid with them whom thou speakest o in wrath Goe c. I will follow thee ô loving Saviour with will with delight and what should I doe else when as thou thy self callest me to come and approach neerer to be dissolv'd and to be with Christ is much the better This is the height of my desires 1 Phil 1.23
for Chrâ—st is to mee both in life and death advantage § 3. Not always sweet things IN times past as Pliny reports on the Latines solemne dayes when as they strove for victory in their Charâ—ots in the Capitoll Who conquered drunke Wormwood be thou willing to take downe a cup of this bitter drinke that thou maist conquer He scarce deserves to tast the sweet Who with the sowre did never meet § 4. To contemne Death is Christian valour NO man rightly governs his â—ife but he that knows how to leave it Wee cannot be so stupid but thâ—t we must needs know some time or other we must die Yet when Deaâ—h comes wee are frighted tremble grieve But would not hee seeme to be a very Ideot that would weepe because he liv'd not untâ—l a thousand yeers and is not hee his equall who would liâ—e beyond a thousand Thou wast not thou shalt not be Past and future tiâ—e are both at anothers Regimen Wast not thou born to diâ— Diâ— no this happen to thy Father to thy Ancestors to all that were before thee Shall it not be laid upon all that come after thee why should thy shoulders be exempted from the coÌ„mon burthen Thou wouldest not fear to drink to eat to play to sleep with others why then fearest thou to die with others Look but upon the long troop of those before thee of those that follow thee and those that goe along with thee in the same houre with thy self This is a faire prospective View the known and unknown World and it is certain that thousands each moment are born and die and by the same kinde of Death Death perpetually hath bin a safe passage to rest And there is nothing ill in Death but the feare of Death If therefore we would be in quiet hereafter it is best to have our souls ready Shall I feare my end when I know I am not without end But you will say it is an hard thing to bring a mans minde to such an high passe to slight his own soule It is easie to him who knows to live as he sung well A just man's first or last Comes not too slow or fast We deny not but death hath some terrour in it but therefore we are to learne how not to feare it This is an infallible signe of a truly couragious soule not to feare his going out Hee truly knows whither he goes with comfort that knows from whence hee came in teares Theodosius of whom Saint Ambrose makes mention was such an Emperour who used to say I love that man who when he is to die is grieved more for the Churches hazard then for his own dissolution That therefore thou mayst never feare Death always think on it §. 5. Examples of Death contemned NInachetus a great Ruler in Malaca in the Indyes being commanded to leave off his office hee took it for so great a disgrace being ignorant of true honour vertue that forthwith he of Aloes and other sweet precious wood builded a great funerall-fire hard by his seat of judgment all covered with rich Arras from whence hee shining in his Robes of gold and decked with Jewels discoursed to the multitude abouâ— him of all the actions and passages of his life and having laid open and declared the benefits which hee had done for and conferâ—'d on the Portugals in their extremitie he complained that without any demeriâ— on his â—art he was deprived of his dignity then detesting the Portugalls plots such Fire-brands doth ambition inject into the souls of men hee as a contemner of their injuries and of his own death cast himselfe into the fire Aelian l. 5. Var. Hist c. 6. Aelianus records another example not unlike to this former saith hee the end of Calanuâ— is not onely strange but to be counted a wonder which was on this manner Calanus an Indian Philosopher who had bidden adieu to Alexander to the Macedonians and to this life built him in the large Suburbs of Babylon a funeraâ—l Pile of costly sweet wood as Cedar Cypresse Myrrhe anâ— Lawrell and having finâ—shed his daily constant exercise went into the Pile and stood there encompassed with the wood and the Sun shining bright upon him Which dâ—ne he intreated the Macedonians to kindlâ— the fire which burning Calanus stood still and fell not untill hee was dead It is reportâ—d that Alexandâ—r should say of him That Calanus had overcome stroâ—ger enemies than himselfe For Alexander had onely wâ—ged warre and conquered Porus Taxita and Darius but Calanus had overcome travell and Death And shall there be such courage in vain men against Death and shall Christians assisted by God droop their sâ—irits Let us but examine the mat er narrowly if we will believe Seneca Death is Natures best devise the sure remedy of all evils And therfore let us make that a vertue that otherwise will be necessity Certainly every wise ChristiaÌ„ wil do nothing unwillingly hee doth avoid all necessities pressures who is willing to doe what he must Let us therfore with a good heart expect our end or rather our beginning Hee is always of an upright heart who knows how to despise Death § 6. A minde ready for Death ZEno the Stoick as Suidas records it dasht his foot and wounded one of his toes as he went out of Schoole but hee supposing that he had beene called by others struck his hand upon the earth with this word I am comming why ô earth doest thou call me and so without any sicknesse at ninety six yeeres of age the old man died Zeno had so accustomed himselfe to hunger that hee would say hee would eat but little that he might â—ie the easier and sooner This did Zeno that his old age might be the freer from diseases and griefs Hee obtain'd both according to his desired wish Wee need not wonder that our lives are so short and our health so uncertain when as wee wast both health and life at feasting and drinking Large Suppers may please the appetite but they make work for the Physician a ful gluttonous belly is the Embleme of a swelling moving grave O fools by that way wee should prolong wee cut off and shorten our days And it proceeds from hence that wee will not be perswaded of the vertue of a Christian abstinence Vid. Leon. Less Hyg But experience pronounceth that saying to be true the lesse thou eatest the lonâ—er is â—hy life but to the purpose this by the way Vrsinus as Saint Gregory relates it being comforted with heavenly Meditations would often in his sicknesse cry out I come ô I come I give thanks to thee ô God and as hee related to those that were about him the joyes of Heaven and the beauty of those Celestiall souls he reiterated the same words Behold I come and so surrendred up his soule and died A mind willing to surrender to Death speaks in the present tense I doe come without any demurring or delays It is too late to
and suffer it Seest thou what thy sister endures and wilt thou connive at it wilt not thou defend her wilt not thou vindicate her wrong Behold here ô sick man Thy Saviour sends to thee two Handkerchiefs all be-dyed with bloud one he garnished in the Mount of Olives most liberally with his bloud in the other from Golgotha thou mayst behold how his face with sweat with spit with bloud teares and blows was abused by sinfull men both these Jesus sends to thee all be-purpled with his precious bloud and may speak these words to thy soul Your sins ô mortals have caused this sweat these stripes this bloud Can yee behold these and can you but leave of your wicked lives ô would wee were true Childeberts and that wee would take an holy speedy revenge upon our selves Certainly there is no man doth more truly grieve at the sufferings of Christ then hee which begins to hate those things for which Jesus suffered §. 19. The sickmans Bed THe sickmans Bed torments him though it be as soft as that of Sardanapalus though it be as that of Smindyrides upon Roses the base and effeminatish Sybarite a young man given up to all wantonnesse and luxury Who when hee had tryed how easily hee could lie upon the softest feathers complained that they made his sides sore and so made him a Bed of Rosie leaves but this perfumed Gallant also complain'd of them as too hard for his tender flesh Although the sick person have a bed all of Hares Wooll or down of Partridges yet he will judge it uneasie Well he must be excused it is his anguish that forceth these complaints yet wee can shew you harder lodgings then these Saint Lawrence had a Grid-iron red fire hot to lie on so Vincentius the Martyr and many others have been laid in smart lodgings and yet the love they bore to their Lord and the care they had of salvation made them to repute them easie and honourable The Persians in times past exercised a cruell kind of torment upon Christians which was called Scaphismus because the poore Christians which were to be thus tortured were laid betweene two boats as in an hollow and long streight chest with their faces upwards their head their hands and feet were left out onely for their food it was mingled with honey which was poured into their mouth against their wils onely to prolong their life and augment their torments For at certaine times they were expos'd to the heat of the Sunne and had their eyes shut down their head hands and feet were all anointed with milke and honey so by this meanes whole swarms of Flies and Gnats did cover these parts so that they seemed as a blacke cloath and the drink liquour poured into their mouthes preserved life and because it did easily run from their entrails it caused a noysome putrifaction in the lower boat and Wormes were ingendred so that the men that were thus laid were stung without with Hornets Wasps and Flyes and eaten within with infinite companies of Wormes Hence when their bodies came to be opened they were found most miserably gnawn with these Wormes and this unheard off and most cruell torment would let the parties live to fifteen or seventeen days and some more Consider my sicke friend this bed this miserable lodging so full of torture invented for the Christians Oh how favourable are thy sufferings to these how soft is thy Bed to this thy disease is not to be reckoned any thing compared with these tortures Be silent therefore and be patient without murmuring who partakes of the Crosse shall inherit the Kingdome and Salvian spoke well it seems to me a kinde of health Epist. 5. not to be alwayes in health § 20. The hope of a better life asswageth our misery I Demand of thee ô my sicke friend with Seneca why Wondrest thou at thy miseries Thou art born to this to losses to crosses to perishings to hopes to feares to disquietings to fear yet to desire death and what is worse not to know thy own condition never to be in a durable state Ingenuous spirits strike off delays they desire earnestly to bee gone and break prison They accustome their thoughts to sublime objects and so easily despise these baser subjects Therfore Plato cryes out A wise man always sets death before him this he wils this he meditates on this takes up his thoughts how wel is that saying of Plato concerning a better life I saith he esteem him a wise man whose study is to die in hope and confidence being filled with certainty of hope that hee shall be enriched with great rewards when he is dead This the Ancients saw in the dark and can'st thou choose but see them in the Sun-shine Why therefore ô my sick friend doe these terrene things molest thee When as shortly Heaven shall be thy Mansion let thy thoughts be there fixed and what ever thy misery is thou wilt lesse feel it § 21. The true hope of a most blessed Life I Trouble thee not here with Poets or Philosophers the businesse is serious I will draw most pure waters out of the fountaine of holy Writ let therefore sorrow be gone and confidently say it with the Doctor of the Gentiles I know whom I have believed 2 Tim 12 and I am sure that he will keep and is able to keepe that for mee untill that day What fearest thou ô man of short hope Heare what Syrach's sonne saith also Hee which feareth the Lord shall not need to be daunted Ecclus 34 16. usque ad 21. because the Lord is his hope The soule of him that feareth the Lord is blessed For the Lord is his hope and his strength The eyes of the Lord are upon them that feare him hee is their mighty protection and strong stay a defence from heat and a cover from the Sunne at noon a preservation from stumbling and a helpe from fallâ—ng he raiseth up the soule lightneth the eyes he giveth healâ—h life and blessing The Kingly Prophet even then when he saw his own death how valiantly and resolutely did hee expresse himselfe Psal 4 9. I will lie downe saith he and take my rest for it is Thou Lord onely that makest mee dwell in safety now what that was he speaks elswhere saying for thou hast beene my hope and a strong towre against the enemy Psal 61.3 4. I will dwell in thy Tabernacle for ever and my trust shall be under the shadow of thy wings but thou wilt reply my impatience makes me distrust take then with King David another remedy Psal 71.5 For Thou art mine ô Lord God even my trust from my youth up Neither did King David use this as a medicine for himself but exhorts others to apply it to themselves Psal 62.8 Trust in him alway all yee people poure out your hearts before him for God is our hope Why canst not thou follow Him who hath so often
Armour of the sick is Patience being guarded with this hee will not much fear pains diseases nor death it selfe Hee may encounter with all these Enemies and come off a Victor For Patience overcommeth all evils § 24. We are but guests at length we must be gone OUr life is but a way-faring and pilgrimage Wee are in a strange place and at anothers disposing We are often dismissed before we be well entertain'd and our remembrance departs with us We are but of yesterday as a Post that passeth away and is gone most richly Saint Augustine in this kinde All of us are Pilgrims and strangers Hee is a Christian which at home doth acknowledge himselfe a Pilgrime our Countrey is above there wee shall not be strangers For here every one at home is but a guest Will hee nill hee hee is but a stranger Buâ— hee leaves his house to his children What then as one guest his lodging to the next commer Thy Father left room for thee thou must leave it to the next generation Neither while thou wouldst stay doest thou nor while thou wouldst stay shalt thou If we must all be gone let 's doe something here that may abide hereafter That when wee shall passe away and shall come thither from whence wee shall not depart we may finde some good treasured up Seeing therefore that wee are but guests let it not trouble us to set onward to our travell A traveller goes no way so merrily as when hee goes homeward § 25. The terme of life is certain THe number of his moneths is with thee Iob 14.5 Thou hast appointed him his bounds which hee cannot passe Whatsoever thou doest ô man whatsoever thou endevourest the days of thy life are numbred unto thee Summon and convocate all the Physicians to thee about thee Podalyrians Machaonists Aesculapians Hippocratists and command all the Galens to revive not all these can put one part of a short minute to thy yeares beyond Gods appointed time Empty all the Apothecaries shops swallow up Gold and Pearles to extend thy life Yet thou shalt not promote the termes which thou canst not exceed be thou never so wary decline from all dangers thou canst suppose hinder the growth of diseases yet thou shalt not increase the number of thy moneths Thou mayest wish vow desire it 's nothing the limits are appointed and what stirre soever thou makest thou canst not enlarge them Thou thinkest perhaps the sand of the sea to be innumerable but he hath that numbred which hath thy yeares moneths dayes houres minutes reckoned from Eternity Whatsoever thy skill or industry may promise thee they cannot enlarge thy space of time not a moment Let there be provided for thee the choice and most excellent diet and let it be never so rarely drest drinke the Creame of wine never labour but for health sleep just so long as thy Doctour prescribes thee and as thy health invites thee Be cold and hot to a just proportion notwithstanding all these things thou shalt prove mortall and when thou art come to the marke which God hath set up and foreseen from all Eternitie Then thou mayest bid Adieu to all humane things and all worldly affaires and prepare thy selfe to give in account for the Tribunall calls thee to Appearance Seeke no delay here no truce no putting off thou must goe slinke not backwards The account must be given doe not excuse thy selfe all delay is cut off request not lingring ô God the number of all mens moneths is with thee his bounds are set which cannot cannot I say be past Seneca was not ignorant of this who said No man died too soon Consol ad Marciam c. 20. who was never intended to live longer then he did He hath arrived at his set mark And now must lie alas i th' dark Every man hath his prefixed stint hee shall remayne for ever in his Stanza Let an hundred Physicians six hundred friends a thousand Kinsmen attend or hedge in thy bed yet not one of them can helpe thee One onely God can doe the deed It is concluded ô man it is fully concluded concerning thee ô if God be thine Enemy it is concluded upon thee for ever Thou perâ—shest for ever if in this moment of death thou beest not received into grace and favour the last moment of thy life pronounceth sentence of thee as thy death as thy fall is so shall thy resurrection so shall thy life be to all Eternitie ah begin to be wise and live to God and whatever thou doest remember Eternitie § 26. The first Objection of the sick man I Could easily have comforted my selfe when I was healthy and lusty I then provoked these evils when they were absent behold now the sorrow that so often I have pronounced tolerable behold the death against which I have spoken many great words I thought otherwise while I stood healthy and strong I think not so now being cast down upon my bed of sicknesse It is no hing to provoke an absent Enemy but it is a matter of difficulty to retaine stou nesse of spirit to his face We usually contemne death but it is when wee think and believe our selves free from his reaching darts It is one thing to fight in thought another thing to fight really The Coward may performe the first â—ut none but Christian Champions the latter What saist thou ô my sick man why doest thou complain against thy selfe why changest thou thy yesterdays minde though it was good what as though it were the part of a Champion to be wise and valorous in the dark onely but when hee enters the lists to be sottish and cowardly A good Fencer will not reject counsell when hee is entred the Theatre though before hee wanted it Stand ô man and be bold thou hast overcome if thou wilt onely despaire not Behold Iesus Christ thy rewarder looking on thee he is not onely a Spectatour but an Helper And hee reaches to thy hands all the weapons which thou needest use but perhaps they are to thee as Sauls were to David not fit thou refusest the scourge the thorns and the Crosse yet take the shield of Patience under this thou mayst fight safe secure Commit the rest to thy good GOD. Thou knowest that of Abraham to his sonne God will provide § 27. Another Objection BEhold I die which might have liv'd longer Truly thou couldst not For if thou couldst why doest thou not but â—his thou mayst say I hoped or desired to live longer And in this I b lieve â—hee What if thou hadst lived longer thou hadst but then lived awhile the spaces of this life are unequal and uncertain yet they are all short Some men have lived 80 yeers what have they now more then he â—hat lived eight Unlesse you put cares and labours and griefs and toyâ—ings as advantages into he bâ—rgaine and what more had hee had heâ— liv'd eight hundred unlesse wee can reckon his vertues as we l as his yeeres
to your house as you commanded me but said the other all my servants and houshold know nâ— s ch matter Come along with mee good man replyed Iacoponus and I will make it appeare to be true before your owne eyes So hee forthwith brought him into the Church and to his owne Sepulchre and having removed a little stone hee said and friend is not this your house so the Citizen was struck with the Action and received his Chickens with this witty admonition Iob spoke most truly I know thou wilt deliver mee to death where every man living finds his house § 9. Nine formes of wils or Testaments PLinius Iunior said true that what was commonly reported for truth was false that every mans will was the looking glasse of his life and manners 1 Ziska a Bohemian Leader a great Souldier and a resoluâ—e Commander by his Will bequeathed his body to Birds or Beasts and hee wish'd his Souldiers to make a Drum head of his skin and wish'd them not to spare the Couents or Monasteries which they did accordingly He died in the yeer 1424. 2 A certaine foolish woman gaue by Will to her Cat five hundred Crowns that her Cat might have means to feed upon Oh the madnesse oh the folly of divers folks It was Caesar Augustus that said of Herod It was better to be Herod Hog then his Son and who may not as well say of this foolish woman It is better to be her Cat then her Servant 3 A great Usurer being about to die having cald the Scrivener and witnesses was desirous to make his last Will which hee did in form following Let my â—oâ—y be laid into the earth from wheÌ„ce it was taken and let my soule be given to the Devils at the hearing of which words his friends and all that were about him bebegan to wonder and began to admonish and to chide him but he repeated iâ— againe and againe Let my soule said he be given to Devils because I have gotten my Goods by unjust means as by oppression extortion and the like and let the Devils likewise take the souls of my wife and children because they forc'd me to take so much usury to maintain their pride and clothing and banketting and luxury and he said it and dyed ô wretched man thou madest these thy heires fearfull to thinke of thy estate 4 Saint Hierome doth stop the greedy covetousnesse of heires with this Apologie A little Hog seem'd to grunt and repine at his Sires death but when hee had heard the Will read and perceived that hee had a great heape of Acorns and certaine measures of Corn bequeath'd to him hee was still being asked why hee did so suddenly refraine his teares and griefe Answered the Acorns and the Corne had stopt his Cry Truly here is the Weeping of many Heires even to this day but when they heare what portions what houshold stuffe what moneys and other legacies are bequeath'd to them they are presently glad and care not much for the life of the Testator 5 Hieron a Martyr the fourth day before hee was brought out to suffer bequeath'd all his goods to his mother and sister and his hand which was to be cut off to Rusticius of Ancyra 6 Hilarion at the age of 80 yeers appointed by Will to be his Heire Hesychius who was absent in this manner following All my wealth to wiâ— my Bible my Coat and my Hood I bequeath to my loving friend Hesychius this was the catalogue of all his houshold-stuffe 7 Anthony the Great made his will in this manner No man knows the place of my Tombe but your hearty love but for my vestments let them be thus divided my Hood and my worn Coat I giue to Athanasius which he gave to mee new S. Athan. in vit Aâ—â— â— 58 let Serapion have my other Hood and you my Goats haire garment and so farewell ô yee my bowels for Anthony is going from hence Hee had scarce ended these words and his Schollers embraced him stretching out his feet a little he imbraced death with a cheerfull countenance 8 Iohn Patriarch of Alexandria called the Elemosynary writ his last Will in Tables in these words I thank thee ô my God that thou wouldst not let mee have of all my treasure but onely one piece left when I was named Patriarch of Alexandria I found 80 hundred of Gold and to them my friends added almost an innumerable sum of mony which all because they were Gods I did give them to God for I bestowed them on the poore and so shall even that one piece that 's left be likewise given to them Here that is most true That the most expedite and quickest way to make a Will is to give all the rest to the poore 9 Here shall bee added the forme of a Wil for any Christian onely let the name year and day be only altered all things else will suit and fit to all sorts of men I Achatius Victor do make speâ—d to Eternity from the yeer 1581 from the 15 day of the moneth of August I have had my mind fixâ—d on Eternity Now I commend my spirit to God and because I cannot but commit my substance to the World I doe commit my body to worms and corruption of all worldly goods none are mine onely â—y good will which I carry with me to the Tribunal of Goâ— my other things I thus dispose 1 I forgive all mine Enemies with all my heart 2 I am heartily sorry for all my sins and offences 3 I believe in Jesus Christ my most loving Redeemer and I desire to die in the faith of hâ—s Church 4 I doe hope to have eveâ—lasting life by the infinite goodnesse of God 5 I doe love God with all my heart and above all things and I do wholly resigne my self into the most holy will of God 6 I am fully prepared to be well or sick to live or die whensoever it shall seem good to God Let Gods will be done Unlesse every Christian doe so dispose of his life and death hee may be censured to die worse then he ha h lived The last houre perfects and consummates but it makes not death § 10. Nine Epitaphs AVlus Gellius propounds to be read the proud Epitaph of Naevius the most vaine one of Plautus A. Gellius l. 1. c. 24. the modest one of Pacuvius but we passe to others 1 In one of the prime Cities of Germany there are two Tombs neer to one another one of an old man another of a young man many would think at the first reading their Epitaphs to be the same The old mans Tombe bears this Inscription Et mortuus est i.e. And hee is dead which is the Epitaph of Adam and divers others and the same words are upon the Tombe of the young man Et mortuus est And is he dead Now the Reader in the Latine must obserue that the old mans is with a period but the young mans with an Interrogation So that
unlearned rich and poore at length have all one Epitaph which Moses hath writ for them Gen. 5. sapius Et mortuus est i. e. hee is dead Emperours at their first Inauguration were asked what kinde of stone they would have their sepulchre made off The same thing almost doe I ô Reader enquire of thee Choose what forme of Epitaph pleaseth thee best Wilt thou nilt thou some or other will doe this for thee though against thy will and will speak of thee when thou art dead though living thou haddest rather be silent then write Funerall Elegies or Epitaphs I will here exhibit a forme of a sepulchrall Inscription which I doe think profitable for mee for thee ô Reader and for most Christians at least for meditation onely change but a few things and this it is Whosoever thou art ô Reader I have somthing to seek out of thee 9 Knowest thou who may dwell in this narrow prison under ground I am the sonne of corruption and the brother of wormes This is my stock aske not after my name that 's vanished with my life which I spent after many teares and weak endeavours in books which almost I shut up with my life ô Guest would I had now given my selfe more to vertue lesse to vices ô would I had before my death dyed more in my affections now thou mayest I cannot perform it Whosoever thou art for I cannot see in this darknesse whilest thou canst be ripe for death before thy death by this means thy life wil be more comfortable by how oftner thou art in this exercise Farewell Reader till the Trumpet shall sound from Heaven at which time I do expect a joyfull resurrection But least we should be ignorant that it is not purple adornments funerall pompe nor the silken covering nor the long traine of mourning friends nor the brave Coats of Arms nor the greatnes of Kinred nor the prayses of the vulgar not the wives lamentations nor the funerall Sermon nor the title of the dead though seeming to live in Marble for they have their Obitâ— too nor all these make an happy death but grace and vertue and a minde not broken nor terrified withall the threatnings of death to have lived well and uprightly is the fairest Epitaph of all others § 11. Nine Reasons to prswade us to die with a resolved minde ABove all things meditate and seriously thinke on the death of thy Saviour 1 Reas and thou wilt then beare thine comfortably Compare I beseech thy Bed to his Crosse thy Couches with his Crown of thornes thy meat with his gall thy drinke to his Vineger thy griefs with his torments Thou art amongst thy Friends Kinred he in the midst of his enemies thou art among all the hands for help but he was left of all land so died for the recovery of thy health what medicines and helps are not used but hee had nothing to quench his thirst Yet he was Lord and chiefe thou but a servant the lowest the vilest all things that were laid upon him he was guiltlesse off and deserv'd them not All things that thou sufferest thou standest guilty off and more Wherefore thou hast no just cause to complain 2 Cause 2 The chiefest favour of the greatest King is a good death but to die well is to avoid the danger of living ill Now he dyes well who dyes willingly Who would not willingly rise from a rough hard bed onely they refuse it who are laid warme in a soft Feather-bed if thy life here had been full of grievances evils and miseries how willing wouldst thou be to passe to a better if thy life hath bin prosperous and rich it is high time that thou shouldst end for fear prosperity which hath destroyed so many should also ruine thee Death is the most unwelcome to riâ—h men Croesus had not come to the fire but for his wealthy old age Many slaves had they died in their youth had died free-born Ah! how many and how great men who are condemned in eternall flames whom if death had taken from hence in their infancy or youth had enjoyed glory and immortality 3 It is the joy of all the Angels and Saints to have us with them but say you then must wee leave all our friends and associats here O improvidently Thou art going to them Thy parents where are they Hopest thou not that they are in Heaven And that thou shalt also come thither Doest thou not also believe tâ—at many of thy Kindred and acquaintance are in joy Coelestiall And doest not thou live here in hoâ—e to passe from hence to them but these things are not certaine they are onely in hope 't is true neither doth any man hope for what he fecth or possesseth therefore God hath afforded thee matter to exercise this Vertue He hath commanded thee to hope for Heaven never did he will thee or promise thee security but thou mayest certainly know thy self to be carried thither in hope whereinto yet thou canst not see The Creditor hath no reason to distrust a faithfull debtor I say it affirmatively that God hath made himselfe the debtor to thee Consider seriously whose Creditor thou art did not he speak it with joy who said I know whom I have trusted 2 Tim. 12 4 Thinke also ô man whose spirit droops or fails that admirable alacrity and ardent study and prompt willingnesse of the holy Martyrs for death who lightly despised all the great preparations to death who underwent the most cruellest torments even with smiling and rejoycing countenances Surely nor death nor the pain of it is terrible onely the feare of both makes both dreadfull Wherefore wee prayse him who said Death is not an evill but it is evill to die naughtily Children are afraid of Vizards and Spirits because of their unskilfulnessâ— is Death a Vizard turne the inside outwards and thou shalt know it to be so Yet neither Infants nor Children nor distracted folks fear Death It is most absurd that reason cannot perform that resolvednesse in us which folly and childishnesse leads us too Death is a Tribute and Custome that all men must pay Why therefore art thou sad and disconsolate when as thou payest no more then thou owest and doest no more then every man else performs No man here can plead exemption or priviledge No man hitherto hath gone scot-free none ever shall this is that hard Battle where none none I say escape The World saith Saint Basil is mortall In Ps 115 and the Region of dying creatures 5. What is the continuation of the feare of Death but the prolongation and extent of torment Doest thou live long Thou art long under pain but say you I cannot but feare the danger that is imminent although it comes on but with a slow pace Then therefore cease to feare when as there is in it that good that may remove and will for certain take away all feare Tertullian spoke admirably That is not to be
entertained with an undaunted spirit Whither it sets upon us violently or easily A vertuous life never thought ill of death and that man loses nothing who gets all things § 13. How the Saints of God may desire yet feare Death LEt us behold Saint Paul saiâ—h Saint Gregory how hee loves that which hee avoyds and how hee avoids that which hee loves Behold hee desires to die and feares to put off the tabernacle of flesh Why so Because although the victory makes his heart to rejoyce yet the paine doth trouble him for the present As a valiant man who is to fight a Combate though he be armed yet he pants and trembles and by his palenes discovers feare yet hee is mainly prick'd forward by valour and courage So a godly and holy man being neer to his death and passion is struck with the infirmity of his nature yet is he strengthened with the firmnesse of his hope and doth rejoyce that by dying hee shall live for ever For he cannot enter into that Kingdom but by the interposition of death yet hee doubts and hopes and rejoycing feares and fearing is glad because hee knows hee cannot attain to the prize unlesse he passeth this midway obstacle Hence it is that even the holiest men have in some measure feared deaths encounter King Hezekiah in the increase of his sicknes doth yet in teares lament Esay 38.10 That in the midst of his days he shall go to the gates of Hell What did not the feare of death cause David to utter that speech Psal 102 25. Take mee not away in the midst of mine age What shall we say of Abraham Iacob Elias Who as we are instructed by holy Writt did something feare death Elias flying from death 3. Reg. 19. yet did entreat for it under the Juniper tree Arsenius a man of an hundred twenty yeers old never assaulted with any disease having served God fifty five yeers in a most austere life being now at his dâ—parting began to feare and weâ—p Those that were present wondring at it said And doe you ô Father lâ—kewise fear death to whom he answered ever since I entred into the state of Religion I have always fâ—ared Seneca spoke excellently often is it seen that even the stoutest man though armed yet at the first entrance into the Combat feares so the resolutest Souldier at the signall of Battle his knees and joynts tremble so it is with the greaâ—est Commander as also wiâ—h the famousest Orator at the composing himself to speake This was observed in Charles the fifth Emperour who though hee was couragious in all warlike Expeditions though hee was not overcome with the greatest dangers nor frighted with the furiousnesse of warlike Chariots nor ever shrunke his head out of the maynest hazards yet for all that at the putting on of his Armour hee would something quake and shiver and shew signes of some feare but when once his head piece was on his sword girded to his thigh his Coat of Maile upon him hee was as a Lyon and like a mighty man of valour would set upon the Enemy Even so the best of men do desire and feare death they would be gone out but they tremble at it But it is better to die with Cato then to live with Anthony Hee is Deaths conquerour who quietly gives up his Spirit when he is câ—ld from hence §. 14. An ill death follows an ill life EVen as a tree falls that way when it is cut downe as it leaned when it stood so for the most part as we have livâ—d and bent our courses so doe we depart As we begun to goe so wee continue a commendable death seldome shuts up a dishonest life What things were pleasurable to us in the course of our lives ee seldome dislike at the time of our deaths A great Courtier of King Cenreds who studied more to please his Sovereigne then his Saviour being at point to die he did not onely seeme to neglect the care of his soule but also to put off the time of his death but hee saw before him a great many wicked Spirits expressing the Catalogue of all his hainous sins before him at which sight in horrour for them in despaire he dyed While wicked Chrysaorius called out for a space even for time but till the next morning he departed Herod Agrippa as his life was full of all impieties so his death was miserable So Herodias aâ— History reports who by dancing g t off Iohn Baptists head had her owne head cut off by the ice So Iezabel and Athaliah Queenes so â—ing Benhadad Balihazar and Antiochus with 600 more as their lives were naught and wicked so were their ends w etched and odious The death of wise men is to be lamented but much more the lives of the foolish Psal 34.22 the death of sinners is the worst It being an irrevocable ingresse of a most wofull eternity of torments Foolishly doth he feare death who neglects life He who lives to luxury and rio is dead while alive § 15. A good death follows a good life MOst truly said Saint Augustine That cannot be reputed for a bad death when as a good life hath always preceded For nothing but the sequell of death proves it ill A good crop of Corn doth seldome or never faile a plentifull sowing A good life is the Kings high way to a good Death That is the beginning middle and end I may compare life and death to a Syllogisme The conclusion is the end of the Syllogisme so death of life but the conclusion is either true or false according to the nature of the Antecedents So is Death always either good or bad according to the quality of our precedent lives So Saint Paul doth most severely pronounce it Whose end saith he shall be according to their works 2 Cor. 1. â— 15. It is reported of a certain man of a most devout life who was found dead in his study with his body so seated that his finger was upon the holy Bible and upon that place where it is said if the just man shall be taken away by Death hee shall be in his refreshing Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints whither it be slow or sudden The mellifluous Saint Bernard being now neere to his dissolution Thus spoke to his Schollers because quoth he I leave you no great examples of Religion yet three things I doe seriously commend to you which I have specially at all times observed 1 To trust my own sences lesse then others 2 That being hurt or injured by any I never fought after revenge 3 I never did willingly offend any man whatsoever fell out cross and thwart I pacified as I could Now being nere Death He wâ—it a Letâ—er to Arnaldus of Good-dale to this effect The spirit is ready but the flâ—sh is we k. Pâ—ay you to our Lord Jesus not to defer my exit but keep me when I shall go have
a care to preserve with prayers your very footsteps that when the betrayer shall come he may find every part so well guarded that he may have no place to fasten in you to wound you Gerardus both by nature Religion the brother of S. Bernard did publickly demoÌ„strate the same which we here affirme that a good death is always joyned to a pious life but let us hear Bernard himself in this point whom siâ—knesse made wise Would to God I had not lost thee but only had sent thee before Would to God at last though slowly I might follow thee wheresoever thou art gone for no doubt but thou art gone after them whom about the midst of thy last night thou didst invite to prayses as well in words as countenance of gladnesse and didst presently break out into that of the Prophet David to the wonder of those that stood about thee Prayse the Lord from Heaven prayse him in the highest ô my brother thy day sprung forth in the midst of thy night that night was a time of illumination and indeed thy night was turned to day I was called to behold that wonder to see a man rejoycing in death and triumphing over death O Death where is thy victory Death where is thy sting Now thy sting is turned into a Jubilee of mirth Now there was a man who dyed singing and sung dying Thou art now ô daughter of sorrow turn'd into gladnesse Thou enemy of Glory art used for glory and the gate to Hell and the pit to destruction are made the inlet into the Kingdome of Glory and to the finding out of salvation and that of a sinner and justly too for that thou rashly didst use thy power against an innocent and just man ô Death thou art dead and caught with the same hooke thou so greediâ—y swallowedst down which voice is to be found in the Prophet O death I will be thy death and will be thy destruction strucke through I say with that hook the faithfull pâ—ssing through thy loins there is opened through thy sides an happy and joyfull way to life Gerard my bro her fears thee not thou meagre Effigies Gerard my brother passeth through thee to hiâ— heavenly Countrey not onely securely but joyfully and cheerfully with prayses When as I was come and he had come to the end of that Psalme with a loud voice lifting up his eyes unto Heaven said Father into thy hands I commend my spirit and often repeating the same word Father Father and so turning himselfe with a cheerfull countenance to mee what a dignation is it of God to vouchsafe to be our Father What a glory is it to man to bee the sonnes and heires of God Hee so sung that he turnd my weeping into mirth and beholding his comfortable joy it made me almost forget my own misery He cannot die ill who hath liv'd well § 17. Like life like death WHen as the weary Huntsman's laid to sleep Yet doth hee dream how 's chase and game to keep To wit what things we have been busied about all day those usually we dream on at night in like manner to what we have accustomed our selves to through our lives those like us best in death Hence is it that for the most part as wee have acted our parts here so wee goe off from this stage of mortality There is an History of a Goldsmith who was so excessively covetous that lying upon his death-bed he dreamt still of gold insomuch that hee neglected the advice of Divines and other his Friends concerning his salvation and hourely had his heart fixed upon his money O wretched man hadst thou but one point of an houre to work out thy salvation and yet couldst thou not think upon it as our dayes have beene employed so will even our last of time therefore those who have made Gold their God or pleasures or other vanities their last end are selâ—ome pious or comfortable How much better did Socrates who even at last gaspe could not forget himself nor vertue Antiochus King of Syria did most miserably vex the Iews and Maximinus the Emperour with cruell Edicts and most bitter tormen s resolv'd to put out the name of Christianity but both of them by the divine Justice fell into a most lamentable and grievous disease and when as neither of them had any hopes of life left them the one besought the Iews the other the Christians that they would pray for them unto their God Both of them like to Asops Crow which when shee was very ill spoke to her Mother not o lament for her but by her prayers to the Gods she entreated her to pray for her health to whom the other answered which of the Gods is it from whom thou hopest to be recovered when as there is none from whose Altars thou hast not stole some part of a Sacrifice Hence even as wee live so wee die and so we shall be judged at last either to punishment in hell or to everlasting happinesse in Heaven § 17. The wish for a good death Num. 23.10 LEt mee dye the death of the righteous and let my last end be like to his Cals out the Prophet Balaam How much righter had hee spoken had hee said Let mee live the life of the righteous that my death may then be like his It is ridiculous to desire to have a good death and yet to shun a pious life to live well is laborious to die well happinesse but the latter depends on the former Hee which refusâ—th to passe through the Red Sea shall never eat Manna Hee which loves Egypts slavery shall never enter into the Land of the living Piously and elegantly in this respect doth S. Bernard speak Vtinam inquit hac morte frequenter cadam God grant I may often fall by that death that so I may escape the sâ—ares of death that I may not be entangled in the mortiferous flatteries of a luxurious life that I may avoid the sense and deceitfull pleasures of lust that I be not overcome with covetousnesse that I be not stirr'd and mov'd to anger to impatience that I be not overwhelm'd with the vexings and distraction of worldly cares and sollicitudes That death is good which takes not life away but changes it onely into a better This for certain is that death that he expects and waits for with all his desires who eagerly pursues that life which shall never know death To be dead to sinnes before death comes is the best death of all § 18. Sleep is the brother of death PAusanias relates that in the City Olympia he saw a Statue called Night in the forme and habite of a woman This held in her right hand a white youth a sleep and in her lâ—ft hand a black youth as if hee were sleeping the one of these she called sleep the other death both of them were counted the sons of Night hence Virgill makes sleep to be Deaths Kinsman Gorgias Leontinus being very old and
expecting that hee was come to the mark of his life was suddenly snatcht away by a contrary sicknesse before his death one of his friends gave him a Visit and found the good old man falne into a sleepe When hee wakened hee asked him how hee did find himself to whom Gorgâ—as replyed this sleep begins to deliver mee up to his brother meaning death Whosoever is a good Christian will never permit sleepe to passe upon him before he hath convented his own conscience and haâ—h washed away his offences by a godly sorrow many have begun to sleepe and to die at once and have ended their lives with their sleep and therefore we are to look well to sleep which is deaths brother and as strictly as we can not to go to it warily onely but also chastly Hee which sleeps not in chastity shall not rise in chastity § 19. The Fore-runners of Death DEath is the fore-runner of Eternity dolours and diseases are the most knowne Harbingers of deaâ—h If wee will credit Pliny one manifest signe of death is in the height of sicknesse to laugh in some diseases an unequall and prickling striking of the veins and the eyes and the nose afford to us certain signes of death according to Plinies experience these are Indexes of approaching death when the sick party discourseth of journeys when hee will not abide in his bed when he folds the coverlid or when he puls haires out of it There are beside these many other signes of death not counted vain or false Augustus the Emperour a little before he died complained that he was taken away by forty young men That was rather a presage as Suetonius reports of death then of a distracted mind for when he was dead hee was brought forth by forty Pretorian Souldiers When Alexander the Great was about to saile to Babylon there was a great winde which took away the ornament of his head and the Dia em bound to it the tire fell into the water and the Diadem hung unto a Fen-cane one of the Saylors went to fetch this and because he would not have it wet put it upon his head and so brought it to Alexander the Saylor had a Talent given him for a reward but presently after by the advice of the Chaldees his head was struck off nor did Alexander long escape death which the Diadem taken from his head portended In the yeer of Christ 1185 when that great and last overthrow was neer to Andronicus Cominaeus the Emperour the Image of S. Paul placed by the Emperour in a Temple in Constantinople wept abundantly nor were those teares false presages for presently after the Emperours bloud was shed Moreover Princes and great men have had strange presages of their deaths as the howlings of Dogs unusuall the roaring of Lions the strangnesse of the striking of Clocks Nightly noyses in Towers and many other infallible signes of ensuing deatâ— How innumerable are the signes of death saiâ—h Pliny and certain but not one of security or health What do al they teach us but this one thing let us remeÌ„ber that we are but men Thinke on Eternitie whi her thou art poasting thou must be gone shortly thou art but a guest Enquire the way Looke thou beest ready fit hy selfe for to appeare before the Lords Tribunall How thou hast lived so even so shalt thou be judged § 20. What we must answer to Deaths Messenger BLessed Sainâ— Ambrose having received the Embassadour of death when as his friends wept and sorrowed and desired him to pray to God to spare him a longer life he answered them I have not so liv'd as that it shames mee to live longer nor do I feare to die because wee have such a Good Lord. Saint Augustine did much regard this wise saying and commended them to his Schollers as pure and savoury words And S. Augustine himselfe was nothing troubled at the hearing of death but said what great man can conceit any proud or great thing when as men do die well as trees do fall and other creatures That golden-mouthed Father Saint Chrysostome a little before his death when he was in banishment writ thus to Innocentius this now is the third yeere that wee have endured banishment being exposed to pâ—stilence famine war to continuall incursions to unspeakable solitarinesse to daily death to the Heathens swords and being about to die hee fairely pronounced these words Glory be to thee ô Lord for all things Saint Cyprian being condemned to death for Christian Religion with a noble spirit said thus Thanks be given to God who vouchsafeth to take me out of the bonds of this boâ—y Let the dying man imitate these holy Fathers let him often say this God be thanked Glory be to God for all things I have watch'd long enough amongst thorns I have fought enough with beasts I have toild enough in tempests Now because I see an end of my watâ—hings of my fightings and of my labour God be thanked Glory be to God for all things For certain Death is an advantage to the wise and a gain to them whose lives are irksome § 21. A sweet death but the worst death of all GEorge Duke of Clarence was by his brother Edward the fourth King of England for suspition of aâ—eâ—ting the Crown commanded to die yet he had liberty given to choose his owne death and hee chose a most sweet death for hee caused a Butt of Malmsey to be filled and so placed himselfe in it and others softly and leasurely let him bloud and hee all the while â—ucking in leasurely the sweet liquour So hee left this life being at last drowned in this sweâ—t but fatall ba h. If wee look but upon the manners of men alas how many by ingurgitating themselves with pleasures intemperately by drinking and gluttony do even drown themselves but while they so doe sucke in with eagernesse while they give their whole souls to draw in these vaine short filthy irksome delights alas wretches as they are they doe by little and little drinke downe their own destruction making themselves slaves to their bellies and filthy lusts and by how much the more greedily they doe swallow downe these sugred baits the sooner goe they to the land of darknesse aâ— Iob hath it They spend their days in mirth and in a moment goe down to Hell Most elegantly S. Augustine all things saith he are utterly uncertain but death a child is coÌ„ceived perhaps it is born perhaps not but perisheth an abortive if it be borne perchance it groweth perchance not it may be old perhaps not it may be rich it may be poore it may be honoured it may be an abject It may marry perhaps not it may have children perchance none it may bee sicke it may be devoured by beasts it may escape But amongst all these perhaps and perchances â—in we truly say perhaps or perchance it shall die It is recorded in the Machabees of Alexander 1 Mac. 1 6. and his fate is
THE Fore-runner of ETERNITIE OR Messenger of DEATH sent to Healthy Sick and Dying Men by H. DREXELIUS 1643 â—NA 〈◊〉 HIS â—SA â—NIS MORE â—UNDâ—â— AEGRIS W. Marshall Sculpsit THE FORERUNNER OF ETERNITY OR MESSENGER OF DEATH Sent to Healthy Sick and Dying Men By H. DREXELIUS LONDON Printed by J. N. and are to be sold by John Sweeting at the Angel in Popes-Head-alley Ann. Dom. 1642. ¶ To the worthy and most virtuous Gentlewoman Mistresse MARGARET DRAPER Widow of Mr. ROBERT DRAPER Esquire MADAME WOnder not that I presume to thrust this Tractate into your hands as not having that Relation to your self usuall in all such Dedications yet finding so great an affinity betwixt your Goodnesse and the Tractate it self so great unitie betwixt your Meditations daily express'd in your Practice and these here imprinted I thought it not onely fit but necessary to prefix your name unto it For it is most just That in whom these Meditations have been continually imprinted she at last should be imprinted in these Meditations Take therefore this Book reade it your self and explain it to others least that Gulf in the Title ETERNITY catch and involve those at unawares that might fore-run it Let the Reader know that it is alwayes to be thought on though never to be understood Let him believe that every moment we travell unto it and shall quickly come to our journeys end that vast place of entertainment the Inne of Eternitie Let him look he bespeaks good Lodging and good Company for the next morning as soon as the Sunne of Righteousnesse appears he shall begin a journey that shall never have end in which he shall still move on yet never proceed for going forward is but as standing still in that motion to which no period is allotted But this you know in a word therefore Take this book now your owne for though your lesse skill in the Latine tongue may deny you to have made the Originall yet the zeal and piety of your Life is the best Translation Shew it therefore to the world that its Meditations whilest you live may be a Pattern for others and when you are dead the Historie of yours So I have brought this Book and you together I know you will quickly be acquainted and talk out the rest therefore now ceasing to trouble you I steal away in silence remaining Yours in all humble service W. CROYDEN ¶ The severall Sections of the three ensuing Books The first Book 1 AN Introduction to the work pag. 1 2 That the remembrance of Death should be daily pag. 3 3 The remembrance of death a medicine against all sinnes pag. 5 4 Of the conclusion of a good life pag. 8 5 That every man is nothing pag. 9 6 Of the short continuance of men pag. 11 7 The same larglier insisted on pag. 13 8 The vanity of the desire of long lise pag. 15 9 That man is dust pag. 1â— 10 That every man is truly miserable pag. 21 11 What man is pag. 24 12 Instruction to the haters of funeralls pag. 27 13 That our life is nothing but weeping pag. 29 14 That God comforteth those that weep pag. 30 15 That our death may be as advantagious as our birth pag. 33 16 That death is every where pag. 36 17 Every mans house is deaths home pag. 38 18 The inexorablenesse of death pag. 40 19 The certainty uncertainty of death pag. 42 20 The suddennesse of death pag. 44 21 An antidote against sudden death pag. 54 22 Our dayes are few and eâ—ill pag. 57 23 How dying young we may be said to be old pag. 59 24 That any one that will may live long pag. 62 25 That we must all die pag. 63 26 The remembrance of death ought to be renewed pag. 66 27 A discourse of Assan Bashaw pag. 73 28 That each day is to be regarded pag. 78 29 The throne of all our pride is our bier pag. 80 30 What our life is pag. 86 31 Our life is a Play pag. 89 32 A type of mans life pag. 91 33 The Prologue Narration Epilogue of mans life pag. 93 34 That the longest life is but short pag. 96 35 Of procrastination pag. 98 36 Deaths haunt pag. 103 37 Of our negligence in meditating of death pag. 105 38 That the present is onely ours pag. 108 39 That we should not rely on to morrow pag. 110 40 The suddennesse comelinesse of death pag. 113 41 That we must watch and pray pag. 116 42 Eight verses out of the Psalms used by S. Bernard for the time of death pag. 119 The second Book 1 THe remembrance of Death recommended to the sick pag. 127 2 The sick mans dâ—scourse wâ—th his friends pag. 131 3 Pleasant things not alwayes best pag. 138 4 Christian valour seen in the contâ—mpt of death pag. 139 5 Examples of death contemned pag. 141 6 Of a mind ready for death pag. 144 8 Three things grievous in sicknesse pag. 147 9 Sicknesse is the school of vertue pag. 150 10 Sicknesse the monitor to eternity pag. 151 11 Of prayer in sicknesse pag. 152 12 What ought to be our thoughts and actions in sicknesse pag. 155 13 The difference of our thoughts in sicknesse and health pag. 158 14 In all our sicknesse we must send holy sighs to God pag. 160 15 Faults of sick men pag. 161 16 Rules to be observed by the sick pag. 166 17 How the sick man should quench his thirst pag. 168 18 The sick mans napk n pag. 170 19 The sick mans bed pag. 172 20 The hope of a better life asswageth our misery pag. 175 21 True hope of a most blessed life pag. 176 22 Tranquillity flows from true hope pag. 180 23 Patience the whole armour of a Christian pag. 182 24 That we are but guests on earth pag. 186 25 The term of our life is uncertain pag. 187 26 A first objection of the sick man pag. 191 27 A second objection pag. 193 28 The sick mans complaints pag. 195 29 The sick mans discourse with himself pag. 199 30 His discourse with God pag. 201 31 His sure confidence in God pag. 207 32 Of constancy in sicknesse pag. 211 33 Severall prayers to be used by the sick pag. 215 The third Book 1 THe Art of dying pag. 233 2 How to redeem the time pag. 237 3 How to make a short life long pag. 238 4 An end of all things but eternity pag. 239 5 Considerations of a dying man pag. 245 6 We ought to prepare for death pag. 246 7 Examples of such as buried themselves pag. 248 8 A consideration of our grave pag. 252 9 Nine forms of Wills pag. 255 10 Nine Epitaphs pag. 261 11 Nine reasons to perswade us to die with a resolved mind pag. 273 12 Death not to be feared pag. 282 13 How the Saints of God may desire yeâ— fear death pag. 285 14 An ill death follows an ill life pag. 289 15 A good death follows a good life
pag. 291 16 Like life like death pag. 296 17 The desire of a good death pag. 298 18 Sleep the brother of death pag. 300 19 The forerunners of death pag. 302 20 How we must answer the messenger of death pag. 305 21 A sweet death the worst death pag. 307 22 Deaths blessednesse pag. 312 23 A dying mans farwell to the living pag. 315 24 What should be the words and meditations of a dying man pag. 319 25 Things specially to be observed by a dying man pag. 321 26 What a dying man should do pag. 323 27 Consolation for a sick man pag. 325 28 Holy ejaculations for a dying man pag. 329 29 The dying mans confidence in God pag. 333 30 The last words of a dying man pag. 336 31 Of the conforming our will to Gods will pag. 338 32 The dying mans emulation of the good thief pag. 339 33 Of the Heliotropium pag. 342 34 Prayers for a dying man pag. 345 A YE think DEATH sleeps Take heed he 'll wake ye'll mone B Health makes you skip and dance while sick men grone C Quails shower down to please the gluttons tongue D Sweet Zephyr strows his Flowres Alas how long E Yet Phoebus smiles and walks with goodly grace But clouds ere long will mask his radiant face F When Virtue moves Health gives you stubborn backs Like Rammes when Vice pliant as Virgin-wax G Feast frolick gallants feast drink-swagger rore and kisse But think how on this Point hangs endlesse we or blisse THE FORE-RUNNER of ETERNITIE Or Messenger of DEATH sent to healthy sick and dying men The Remembrance of Death propounded to the Healthy §. 1. Instructions to the Reader and an Introduction to the Work MAny have written comfortable Antidotes against Diseases and Death I determine the same and they are so far from discouraging me that they rather incite my Penne. Some of them with leave be it spoken are too long so that they burthen a sick man with their too too many precepts Others not so much forgetting brevity as a Methodicall Order doe make it too accurate They had not so much offended had they kept their Pens from paper as Apelles desired in Protogenes Plin. l. 35 c. 10. post initium Many have discours'd excellently but as I may say not satisfactory for Practise Theorie is to be commended but here wee must doe and in stead of words set forth action There are others that propose nothing to sick and dying parties but meere terrors and feares and so astonish them yet living I know my Reader that thy desire is to be prepared for Death with small expences I will endeavour to answer thy expectation and Briefly Orderly and Cheerefully I will lead thee to Deaths dore so as thou shalt scarce perceive it 1. Briefly Briefly for I write not a volume but a short Treatise which may be thy dayly companion 2. Orderly I will not observe a strict Order but rather a mixt the way that is plesant seems streight though there be many windings Cheerefully for I will not only treat of Religion 3. Cheerfully but will mix with it verses and fit old Epigrams so that my style shall not only be plaine but relishing of sanctified mirth Thus I thought fitting to admonish thee at the entrance into this subject §. 2. That the Remembrance of Death should be dayly HAppy is that man that spends every day as if it were his last Epictetus doth wisely teach Epictet Enchir. cap. 28. Death saith hee and Banishment and all other evills should be daily before our eyes especially Death So shall our thoughts never be too base nor too ambitious Wretched men why possesse you such large hopes why undergoe you such a great weight of disturbances who to morrow perchance may be dust and ashes Stand sure O man for the sable Goddesse Death daily stands over thy head and when the little remnant of sand in thy houre-glasse shall be runn'd out with a vigilant and undrousie eye expects thy arrivall and canst thou but expect Her as he sung Ortum quicquid habet finem timet i. e. All that a beginning have Doe expect and feare a grave Ibimus omnes i. e. We all must goe To the earth below Nor can any age bribe Death As soone as we are borne we pay tribute and are Deaths hirelings Nay as soone as greedy eyes the first light see Then doe wee even begin to die Death kills the Empresse as well as the Handmaid As the Poet well Horat. lib. 1. ep 4. Because wee dye so fast Think every day thy last Say every Evening This day I stand at the dore of Eternity §. 3. The remembrance of Death is a Medicine against all sinnes THE serious remembrance of Death shakes off all sense of Pleasure and turnes the sweetest hony to Wormwood S. Chrysostome saith Chrysost in his 5. Sermon of wickednesse repulsed pag. 678. The expectation of Death to come will scarcely suffer or give admittance to any carnall delights And truly what doth not the sense of Death work if but entred into the fingers or the pores of the Head much more when it seises upon the whole body it spareth no age no dignity one young man dies another Infant another old man One dies by the sword another by poyson a third by a fall one departs lingringly another suddenly as overtaken with some violent storme or thunder clap Now amongst so many doubtfull changeable and suddain events what security can be expected What courage can there be to sinne amongst such uncertainties And why because we die daily Think of thy houre-glasse though slowly to sense yet certainly by degrees the sands doe runne from the uppermost to the nethermost Cell Apply this to thy fleeting life Every moment some parcell of our life slides away Here 's nothing safe one houre deceives another one moment steales somewhat from another Happy is hee which makes every day his last more happy hee which reckons every houre but most happy that man who accounts every moment He will abstaine from sinne that counts this present moment to be his determined time Oh deceitfull Hopes how many have you deluded While you promise to many the end of their journey old age and yet cut them off in the middest of it in their youth You make men beleeve that may happen to them which many have enjoyed the flourishing of the Almond tree what a number have fallen with innocent hands yet peccant hearts How many have been overtaken by Death whilest they have beene in meditating of wickednesse How many sinners and sinnes hath Death cut off in the middest of their acts How many have smarted for their endeavours to sinne being examples of rashnesse presumption Have not many put a period to their lives and sinnes together What if thou shouldst be one of this number Or why shouldst thou be priviledged beyond others Oh! Scriban in Polit. Christ lib. 1. c. 27. who would think
to find sin in that minde which expects Death with the sinne and punishment by that Death No wise man will play in a storme at sea who in such dangerous precipices will or dare meditate transgressions No man unarm'd can be merry in the middest of an Enemies Armie But much more foolish is hee who knowing every houre every moment to be uncertaine and living in a perpetuated feare of Death yet dares doe those things which for ever will make Death to be most miserable Oh unwise men that we are why doe wee plunge our selves into everlasting punishment and why obey we not good counsels Eccles 7.40 In all thy works saith Solomon remember thy end and so thou shalt no sinne § 4. The conclusion of a good life is of great esteeme TEll me ô Seneca whom doth that great Pliny in his Testimoniall worthy to be envied Plin. l. 14. c. 4. medio call a Prince Say what thinkest thou of Death especially of untimely Death Heare ô young men give eare ô old men so full of complaints Seneca ep st 77. in the end our life is as a tale that is told it matters not how long it is but how well it is performed It is not of any consequence in what place thou doest end end where thou wilt only let thy conclusion be well Epictetus in the same manner saith Euch. c. 23. Remember that thou art but an Actor of a play as thy Master appointeth thee if he sets thee a long part thou must performe it if a short one thy dutie is the same to doe it well Varro speakes not in dissonant termes from these two They live not best who live longest but they who doe live the uprightest Our lives are not valued by the duration of time but by the qualification of our actions Goodnesse in mans life is a quality not a quantity It matters not therefore either where or when or by what means wee die for as God our Master pleaseth so vve must depart Only let us pray that vve die vvell § 5. That every man is nothing Heu heu nos miseros quam totus Homuncio nil est i. e. What wretches ah alas are we All men are nothing verily IN truth it is so But much more wretched are wee in that wee know it not Man is nothing said an ancient Satyrist but I dare say wee begin then to be something when wee acknowledge our selves to be nothing O man know thy selfe know and be wise for Death crops off Lilies as soon as thornes or thistles Oh how vaine and wretched are vve what are vve our learning and Honour is but smoake our selves but dust the one is but a fancie the other but a blast And wee which now speake in the present tense we doe live we are strong and doe flourish in a trice all will be chang'd in the praeter-perfect tense viximus wee have liv'd Here all have the same way Our very life in the encrease decreaseth and we may divide the present day with Death There is a dayly diminution in some part of our lives Our glasse may be turn'd but it 's alwayes running The first sand as well as the last may be said to empty our glasse and the last houre in which we die doth not onely make Death but doth really consummate it §. 6. All men are but of a short time and continuance THe Lily is a flower vvhose life and beauty lasts but a day On the Banks of Hiparis Pliny l. 11. c. 36. a River in Scythia there is a bird called Hemerobios which lives not beyond the compasse of one day but ends her life with the same light she first receiv'd it at sunne-setting In the same shee hath experience of youth and old age shee springs up in the morning flourishes at noone growes old and dies at night but that which is most to be admired in that bird is shee doth in that space provide as much sustenance as if shee should live as long as the Raven Mans life is not unlike to this creature It alwayes is by the flood of flying time and more swift then any bird or arrow And oftentimes hath all his honour and worldly pomp terminated to a day sometimes to an houre and often to a moment Why doe wee then so fondly dreame of yeares and ages when wee are but as the flowers or their shadowes or what can be reckoned to be more vaine or short then either Hee that vvas thirty yeares in making curiously the forme of a man in Glasse had in a twinkling of an eye his vaine labour dash'd to peeces with this vvise answer As I have done to this brittle glasse so may Death doe either to you or my selfe in as short a space how vaine therefore are you in your thoughts But it is most wonderfull that though this life hath by so many learned Divines in all ages been proved to be so swift and short and though all Writers in all times have confirm'd the same yet wretches that we are vve heare not all these loud voyces King Hezekiah cries in the Prophesie of Esay From morning untill night thou will make an end of me Esay 38 1◠The Kingly Psalmist cries out Psal 102 17. My dayes are past away as a shadow And that great man in the land of Huz Iob 14.2 Man commeth forth as a flower is wasted and flieth away as a shadow Behold Oh man thou art but a bubble all thy life is but as the passing of a shadow and expectest thou here an abiding place or a quiet habitation Why doest thou heape up thick day oh thou covetous vvretch When as this night they shall fetch thy soule Why thinkest thou on carking and caring as though thou shouldest live Nestors age When as Death is at thy elbow thou shalt be gone from hence before thou thinkest of thy departure hasten the thought of it early Eternity is before thee §. 7. The same point more largely insisted on and confirmed No mans life but is short theirs is shortest vvho forget things past neglect things present feare not things to come Iob saith excellently And they which have seene him shall say where is hee like a dreame that passeth away and flieth hence Iob 2.7.8 so shall he not be found A dreame is vaine a flight is swift Yet man shal passe away as a vision by night Hee speaks of himselfe thus Iob 9 25.26 My dayes are swifter then a post they are gone and have seene no good This uttered that rich man of the East They are passed by as ships of burthen and as an Eagle to the prey For wee be but of yesterday Iob 8.9 and know nothing are not our dayes as a shadow upon earth truly they are so and tarry not We feast banquet dance yet they tarry not Wee are most secure and sleepe till high-noone and yet our dayes tarry not Wee sport away our time prodigally in trifles
ready where is hee not working whom doth not he meet and strike with his fatall dart How many sorts of deaths are there and all to ruine one poore wretch'd man so that it may be said truly why are so many sorts of deaths assailing Lib. dâ— honest vitae Idem in medit cap. 3. de dignitat animae When all our lives are bubbles quickly failing Heare but Saint Bernard let the daily meditation of death be thy chiefe wisdome for there are divers kinds of death always pinching thee What ever happens to other men saith he may also happen to thee because thou art a man thou art made and composed of earth and art but dust of dust thou takest thy descent and pedigree from earth thou livest of earth and shalt at one time or other bee reduc'd to earth when that last and terrible day shall come which shall come suddenly and perhaps to morrow or this day It is â—ertain that thou shalt dy but when or how or where is altogether uncertaine Seneca saith It is uncertaine in what place Death looks for thee therefore doe thou expect it in every place §. 17. Every mans House is Death's home WE sport and put Death farre too far away And yet it secretly in us doth lurke Yet from our first breath doe our lives decay And Death begins even then ' gainst us to work Each hour doth strive to cut our threds in twain Each moment Death doth somthing from us gain Wee always dye and in one moment passe Vnto Deaths darkest Cels as lights put out Death cuts off time in which our hopes we place Frustrates our hopes with time which wheels about So short oft times are both our hopes and time That oft Death takes them both even in their prime In the Northern Ocean towards Moscovy there is a certaine fish whose name is Death this great devourer of fishes is mightily arm'd with teeth Hie. Cardan l. 10. de subtilitate pag. 336. and as Cardanus reports it sword-hilts are made usually of his teeth Oh mortals our owne bodies are ponds in which this great Devourer Death is nourished wee need not therefore go farre to find it when it is bred in our own bowels In each 〈◊〉 Home Death keeps a Roome §. 18. That Death is inexorable not to be intreated THough Rocks be deafe and Tigres fell And boystrous Seas doe rage and swell Sometimes these are calme quiet pleas'd And all their furies are appeas'd But death nor threats or friendship doth regard But is than Seas Tygres or Rocks more hard Antiquity feignes the three Ladies of destinies to be all inexorable to whom all the power of life and death is only entrusted to whose distaff spinning thread sheares the Gods have transferd humane actions as it is said When Fates in order come Then every one must run Without delay to his home Those Fates are said not to defer the determined time but keepe it exactly Death by Painters is delineated with a Dart in his hand impartially striking Kings Scepters as they that grinde at mill without eares because hee is not mov'd with mortals cryes hee wants eyes so that hee looks not upon mens miseries hee wants a forehead and cheeks so that hee cannot blush hee wants a tongue lips lest he might afford to men some little comfortable syllable Hee wants flesh all over to shew that hee cannot be touched with any sence of humanity onely you shall see him with nerves limbs muscles bones with his arrows and darts ready to strike downe wretched men suddenly and if at any time above all the rest Death showed his cruelty and inexorablenesse it was then when without all pity or compassion hee struck the Prince and Authour of life Iesus Christ with his deadly dart though at this attempt of his the stones rent the earth shooke the stars hid their beauties the Sun was darkned nay the very Angels seem'd to mourne as not willing to behold Life it selfe brought to death Whosoever thou art thou shalt find death inexorable therefore live always mindful of it the time flies as a Post and what I say may instantly come to passe Pers Sat. 5. Settle every day as it may be thy last or first leading to Eternity § 19. As nothing is more certain so nothing more uncertain than Death De Conviv ad Clericos c. 14. SAint Bernard learnedly crys out What is more certaine in all humane affaires than death and yet what can be found more uncertain than the time of it It shews it self in old men it layes ambushments in yongmen therefore wisely said King Salomon Prov. 27.1 Boast not thy selfe of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth so sings that Horace Who knows if Fates will spare us our next breath or aire Hor. l. 4. Od. 7. Saint Iames the Apostle speaks most truly Iam. 4.13.14 Behold you which say to day or to morrow we will goe into such a citie for a yeere and there wee will buy and sell and get gaines when as you know not what may be on the morrow foâ— what is your life but a vâ—â—our which now is and suddâ—nly passeth away whereas you shâ—uld rather say if the Lord will or if wee live we will doe this or that Wee all all of us must passe to the grave for it is said Wee all die 2 Kings 14.14 and are like water spilt on the earth which cannot be gathered up againe Neither can any man plead ignorance of the Law which faith Thou must returne the spirit to him whâ—ch gave it and as no man can die which never did live so no man that ever lived but did die onely the time and date is uncertain Therefore Christ hath stâ—rr'd us up by a wise admonition Watch and pray saith hee for you know not the day and houre and so repeating the words againe Mark 13 33 35 36 37. Watch yee therefore for yee know not when the Lord of the house will come whether at the dawning or at midnight or at the third watch or in the morning lest when he comâ—s he finde you slâ—eping therefore what bee saith Hee saith unto all men VVatch. § 20. Death comes suddenly to many unlooked for almost to all WHo will not watch against the assaults of death who is ready at all houres for execution who never acquaints us with the time hee intends to invade us who sometimes comes creeping sometimes flying sometimes furiously in the twinkling of an eye hastily arrests us unprovided without the least giving us notice without cause without caution in sicknes in health in danger in securitie so that there is nothing free or priviledged from his talons or destroying assaults Was not Tarquinius healthy and merry Pâ—â— l. 7. Nâ—â— Hist c. 7. and suddenly choaked with the bone of a little fish Fabius likewise waâ— well and lusty when presently a small haire which he drunk with his milke
with his mouth open which partly upheld one of the Pillars Hereupon hee with jesting and laughter told his dreame to his fellows Behold saith hee this is the Lion that kild mee in my dreame with that saying Hee put his hand into the hollow place of the stone-lions mouth and said Oh fierce Lion here is thy enemy shut thy mouth if thou beest able and bite off my hand hee had scarce made an end of speaking but hee received his fatall blow for in the bottome of that hollow place lay hid a Scorpion which feeling his hand put forth her sting touch'd him and he forthwith fell downe dead Is it so that stones can sting and poyson lurke in a Lion of stone Where may wee then not justly feare deaths stroke in the like manner did Hylas perish whom a lurking Viper in the chops of a Beare of stone did kill which is express'd by Martiall in his third Book and nineteenth Epigram What need I to mention the young man who was kild as hee was going into an house by an Icesicle which fell upon his head from the House-eaves Whom Martiall laments in his Epigrams Lib. 4. Ep. 18. So that you see many are the passages that Death hath to set upon us and usually he is then nearest when we least think of him §. 21. An Antidote against sudden Death GOod Reader here is annexed a short Prayer that I propose unto thee as a pattern for thee to use daily to entreat the Lord JESUS CHRIST to preserve thee from sudden death It is at thine owne liberty whether thou wilt use that or some other every day I made it that thou mightst on thy knees beg this great blessing of thy Saviour and know thus much such is the danger and so common that no man can be too wary or carefull over himself A Prayer O Most loving and bountifull Lord Iesus my Lord and my GOD I most ardently dâ—sire thee by thy most precious bloud shedding by thy last words upon the Crosse when thou cryedst My God my Godâ— why hast thou forsaken mee by those bl ssed words of thine when thou saidst Father into thy hands I commend my spirit that thou wouldst not take mee away by violent death Thy hands oh blessed Redeemer made me and fashioned mee oh give me understanding and I shall live oh make not so soon aâ—end of me give me I beseech thee time of Repentance grant that I may end in thy favour that I may love thee with all my heart and prayse and blesse thy Name for ever AMEN NEverthelesse all things good Lord are in thy disposing neither is there any that can resist thy will my life depends upon thy good pleasure neither doe I will as I please but resigne my wil to thy most godly governance in what place time or by what sicknesse thou wilt strike mee Thy will be done I doe commend all these to thy fatherly goodnesse and providence I except no place no time no disease though bitter and grievous because Thou of very faithfulnesse hast caused mee to be troubled onely this one thing do I crave of Thee not to take me away in my sins by some hastie Messenger but how ever not my will but thine O Lord be done if it seemes good to thy heavenly wisdome quickly to make an end of mee I submit thy will Oh God be done in all things For even then I hope through thy tender mercies to depart in peace and in thy favour in which though I do die by the hand of sudden death yet nothing shall separate thy love from my soul The just though taken away by death goes but to his rest Sap. 4.7 Death is not sudden to him that is alwayes provided Which if there be not a longer space and time left to me in which I may commend my soule to thee which is onely knowne to thee behold then now I doe it and doe ardently and heartily call unto thee O Lord Lord heare my voice and let my cry come unto thee Have mercy upon me O Lord according to thy infinite mercies Let thy will be done in earth as it is heaven Into thy hands O Lord doe I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed it O Lord God of truth All things living prayse and blesse thee O God In thee O Lord have I put my trust let mee not be put to confusion §. 22. That our days are few and evill HOw old art thou Sixty how many yeeres aged art thou seventy tell mee also oh man how old art thou fourescore Alas good men where are these yeeres where are thy sixty where hast thou left thy threescore and ten and where oh man wilt thou find thy fourescore why number yee those that are lost and spent Elegantly said Laelius that wise man to a man that said I have sixty yeeres in hold thou doest said he reckon that which thou hast not neither those that are past nor what is to come is thine wee depend upon a moment of fleeting time and even a little time is of great consequence Gen. 47.8 9. Pharaoh the Egyptian King asking the Patriarch Iacob how old hee was old Iacob answer'd The dayes of the yeeres of thy servants pilgrimage are few and evill Hearken you earthly Tantalussâ—s which so eagerly thirst after the extended yeeres of a perishing life Know that you are strangers here not inhabitants passengers not dwellers travellers not natives nor are you travellers in a long continuing journey your way as it is evill so it is short short it is perhaps to be ended before the conclusion of the next houre which you divide with death evill any knows it to be that are in it It offers more braâ—bles than Roses to go upon Miserable and vaine that we are what advantage is it for a stranger to load himselfe with pâ—bbles and fading flowers and for them to lose his heavenly inheritance what hinderance or losse is it to leave these if we get immortalitie and glory to labour in the way to provoke to good workes to sweat in them to endure any troubles or molestation is to bee counted gaine The more harsh our banishment is the more welcome will our Country be §. 23. That a young man may die old AS old men at length become as children so there may be many young may be said to be old men Old Balaam a man of threescore yeers and ten answered Josaphat the King asking him how old he was that hee was fortie and five and told the King wâ—ndring at his woâ—ds that hee had beene quiet at his study twenty five yeeres as for the rest which hee had spent upon worldly vanities hee did verily believe all those to be utterly lost so one Similius which was as it were buried in Court affaires had rather liv'd for his Emperour than for himself caused this to be engraved upon his Sepulchre Here lyes buried Similius an old man of seven yeeres of age
1 Reg. 13.1 In the sacred Writ it is recorded of King Saul that he began to reigne when hee was one yeere old and hee reigned two yeeres over Israel Saul when hee began to reigne was as pure from sin as an Infant of a yeere old and he kept this his uprightnesse and integrity but one compleat yeere although in all hee ruled twenty yeeres Many get to old age before they be so Many never see the flourishing of that worke but in their old and decrepid age they too often reteine the sinnes of youth holy Iob doth speak it His bones are filled with the sins of his youth Sen. Epist 49. ad finem et l. de tranquill c. 3. A life is not counted good for the duration of it but the use it may be so and hath come to passe that hee who hath lived a long time may be said to have lived but a short moment there is nothing more grosse than an old man that hath no other argument to prove himselfe old by than his age and multitude of yeeres Saint Ambrose spake elegantly of Agnes a Virgin Serm. 90. qui est de S. Agnes In yeeres shee was a child but in gravity and sobriety of minde shee was an ancient Matron the sacred Scriptures proclaim that old age is reverend and the hoary head when they are furnished with wisdome Wisd 4 8 9. It is therefore that old men are reverenced not for their antiquity and multiplicity of days but for their holinesse of life and abundance of wisdome Whosoever therefore is ancient in wisedome though yong in yeers is as a Daniel and deserves respect an upright life is the best seniority Hee hath liv'd long enough who hath liv'd wel He hath fought enough who hath got the victorie §. 24. A Paradox That any man that will may live long TVlly saith that a short time is long enough to live well Lib. 1. Tusâ— qâ— Hee never dies too early that if hee had liv'd longer would not have liv'd better That youngling hath lived yeeres enough who hath liv'd to get Vertue to get Eternity Hath not he spoke well that perswades his Auditours by one short sentence or beckning Hath not he run well who hath gain'd the prize Hath not he sail'd far enough that is come happily to his desired Haven Onely have a care that death prevents not our meditations and then the swifter our course the happier it is Curt. lib. 9 c. 12. Mod. Truly I say as the King of Macedon said in Cuâ—tius Hee which numbers not my yeeres but my victorious Conquests computes my husbandâ—y of Fortunes gifts exactly will finde I lived long time but much more trulier Hc who hath consecrated his whole life to God and hath onely studied to please and serve him may say with confidence and comfort if my yeers be not numbred but my manifold desires of pleasing God and Gods great and infinite mercies bestowed upâ—n mee in that time I have lived long §. 25. That wee must all die AVgustus the Emperour having taken the City of Perouse in Hetruria observed many Snâ—â—on in Aug. c. 15 how they beg d their pardons or desired to excuse themselves hee answered them all in this short sentence Dio saith 400. We must all die Thereupon hee forthwith commanded three hundâ—ed of them to be sacrificed upon the Altar built to Iulius Caesar Iust Maâ— in Trip. â—ren l. 5. cont Harâ—seâ— Iustinus Martyr and Ireneus famous writers amongst the Primitive times have wittily observ'd that after the sentence pronounc'd of death against our first parents there was never any mortall man according to Gods sacred account that did ever live out one whole day compleat For the Prophets and Apostles beare record Ps 90.4 2 Pet. 3.8 That a thousand yeeres in Gods fight are but as one day and one day as a thousand yeeres But yet never vvas that man found whose life attaind to such a large extent as to a thousand yeeres therefore according to Gods reckoning never did any live a day outright Thou must dy though thy life goes beyond the compasse of 900. yeeres All those registred in the word of God of whom some lived so many hundred and others so many hundred yeeres yet the finall clause of all of them is this and He dyed This will appeare to be most certain by the sacred oracles by reason and experience Gods word hath in the old and new Testament mentioned this 600. times Moriendum We must die Reason convinceth the same by most evident demonstrations because man is compos'd of contraries and obnoxious to ruine and so of consequence at one time or other Moriendum est He must die Experience the Schoolemistris of wise unwise points as it were with her finger at the immeÌ„se heaps of dead corpses and shews by daily examples that yet there was never man that deluded or shifted off deaths wound it is as manifest as the sunne at noon day Moriendum est that man must goe to his long home This word Death sounds in the eares of all as loud as thunder no man can in this thing bee either blind or deafe will we nil we this voice will peirce our ears Deaths thunder will bee Moriendum est we must all die Even divine Justice and divine mercy herein agree in one all men must die Aeschilus said of old Nat. 99. l. 6. in fine Death only refuseth to be bribed by the very deities The Goddesses with their guifts could not asswage Death It admits not the sweetest and fairest hopes and therefore Seneca said wisely let us have that always fixed in our minds let us always apply this to our souls Moriendum est we must die when thou shalt never know better than presently Death is the Law of Nature and thou must pay this â—ribute when death by law requires it wherefore laying aside all other things meditate seriously this one lest when death comes thou shouldest feare his approach Make death by a frequent meditation thy familiar that when it shall so fall out that death shall call thou mayest willingly and readily salute it with cheerfulnesse § 26. The remembrance of Death is divers ways to hee renewed 1. IT is reported that a dead mans scul dryed in an oven and beaten to powder in a morter and so mixt with oile doth speedely heale the Gangrene and Canker To bruise the braine pan and other the bones of dead men by an holy Meditation and Contemplation doth perfectly cure the Gangrene of the Soule 2 Plato is said to out-strip the sages in this respect S. Hiero. hu ut meminit in C. 10. Maâ— in that with vivacity and courage he did contemplate upon death and read lectures to his Schollers of it Therefore he gave this as a law to his Schollers that being entred on their journey they should never stand still or stop their couâ—s he wisely intimated by this that there departure out
soule so enlarge thy thoughts why doest thou possesse so much why gapest thou still after more whom so many Provinces and Kingdomes could not hold this little Cabinet must include and why thinke you he desired to have lime and chalke for his nostrils mouth and eares behold the costly Odours and Unguents in which he would be laid downe Oh Maximilian great once thou wert and thy actions and these very things at thy death speake the same Baron Tom. 3. An. 326. â— 96. What shall I speake of the Coffin of Ablavius which was a Praefect and a great Prince amongst other of Constantine the Great his Courtiers an insatiable devourer of gold who meditated more of gold than his grave or heaven Constantine on a time taking him by the hand spake thus unto him How long how long said he shall we heape together wealth of this kind And as hee had spoke the words with a Speare which hee held in his hand he drew the description of a Coffin on the ground Hadst thou said hee a world full of such treasure yet after thy death thou shalt not have a greater place than this perhaps lesse then this forme which I have drawne out Constantine in this prov'd a Prophet for this Ablavius was cut in small peeces so that there was nothing left of him to put into a Sepulchre Charles the fift Emperour of Germany did imitate Maximilian whoÌ„ I named ere-while long before his death he sequestred himself from administring the affaires of the Empire and having transferr'd the government and management of it to his Sonne who was able for his yeares and of judgement sufficient hee himselfe went into Spaine with 12. followers onely into the Monastery of St. Justus to give himselfe wholly to Gods service and forbade any to call him by any other name or title then Charles onely putting farre off the title of Caesar Augustus with the Imployment and contemned all honours whatsoever And moreover it is registred of him that before he relinquish'd the Empire he commanded his Tombe to be made with all furniture belonging to his buriall and had it carried with him whithersoever he went but privately Hee had this funebrious accoutrements five yeares with him wheresoever he was I even when he went to Millaine against the French and had it diligently every night placed in his bed-chamber Some that were about his Person thought that therein hee kept his treasure others judged that in it he kept some rare books containing some ancient Historys Others thought there was some great matter in it but he himselfe knowing for what purpose he carried it would smiling say He carried it about for the use of something which was deare unto him So did this Charles daily meditate of death that at every night he should say Vixi I have lived and so every morning rise with profit and comfort Many others have piously imitated this Emperour Zach. Lippol tom 3. in vit S. Re. 1. Octob. that for long time together have carried their Coffins the monuments of their death with them for contemplation Genebaldus for seven whole yeares together had his bed made like a Coffine in which for that space he lived austerely and exercised himselfe in Mortification There was one Ida Idem tom 3. in vita S. Idae 4 Sept. Hier. Epist 103. a woman famous for holinesse which had likewise her Coffin made long before her death which she filled twice a day with food and nourishment and so often distributed it to the poore liberally The study of piety is the preparatory for death No death pollutes a vertuous soule he will easily despise all earthly things who hath his thoughts fixed upon his dissolution § 30. What our life is IT is as a flower as smoake as a shadow and as the shadow of a shadow It is a Bubble Dust froth It is as deaw as a drop as brittle ice As the Raine-bow a blazing Taper a bag full of holes A ruinous house deceitfull ashes a spring-day a constant Aprill as a dash in musick a broken vessell As a bucket for a Wel a Spiders web As a drop to the Ocean weake stubble A Summers herbe a short Fable a flying sparkle A darke cloud a bladder full of wind as a little Dove a taking her slight a brittle Glasse a fading Leafe a fine weake thred a Sodemes Apple c. And if a shadow bee nothing tell me what is the dreame of a shadow wee may make sixe hundred thousand of such similitudes of frailty and inconstancy and all like to mans life Me thinkes of all others he spake wittily that calls it a very short dreame of a shadow in briefe let us see what life is it is as one hath described it in this distich Somnus umbra vitrum glacies flos fabula foenum Vmbra cinis punctum vox sonus aura nihil i. e. Life 's like a dreame a bubble ice or glasse Like fading flowers vaine fables with'ring grasse It is a shadow dust a point a voice a sound It 's empty ayre well look'd too Nothing found Ah wretches how seeme we to heape up wealth to get honours to follow and hunt after pleasures when all these are as soone vanished as our selves Any of these all of them are but as a dreame and how short and vaine is that Psal 76.5 true is that saying of the Psalmist the proud are robbed they have slept their sleepe and all the men whose hands are mighty have found nothing they dreamt that they were mighty and rich but what have they retain'd or kept of all they gaped after or hoped for these are but meere dreames and fancies indeed and wakening they shall find their losse and grieve in their punishment What therefore is life I will declare it compendiously the time and length of our life is a point our nature is inconstancy our senses are obscurity Our whole body is but a rotting Concretion our mind vagrant Honours are but smoke Riches are thornes Pleasures are poysonâ— And that I may summe up all in word All things belonging to the body are but a passing streame all the minds endowments are emptinesse our life is a warre the loâ—ging of a traveller in a strange City the shop of all miseries and our fame after death is but oblivion Ausonius delivevers this well unto us Mieremur periisse homines Epigr. 3. momenta fatiscunt Mors etiam saxis nominibusque venit i. e. Men being as moments no wonder though they 're gone Death makes our names to faile and Marble-stone It 's a vertue to consummate our life before death knocks at our doores §. 31. That our life is a play OUr life is a Comedy we the stage-players one acts a King another a Beggar a third a Prince another a Physitian another a Clowne What part is imposed upon us we must performe we get no Plaudite unlesse we act well Well said Epictetus Euch. c. 23 Thou art called upon
hast the power of judging and â—iscerning and thou knowest best the medicines to cure our diseases Oh my most loving Saviour reprove correct and chastize me burn me cut me in pieces onely save me everlastingly Let not the flames of hell lay hold upon me I know thy rod comforts as well as thy staffe thou doest I know chastize thy beloved sons and by chastizements doest purge exercise and provest them before thou puttest upon them the crowne of glory My heart my heart ô Lord is ready how and when thou wilt be pleased to prove my patience and subject mee under the rod. My trust is in thee let me not be confounded for ever I submit my selfe and wholly resigne my self to thy heavenly will and pleasure though thou kill yet wil I trust in thee My lot is in thy hands to dispose let it fall to me in a good ground Amen 3 A Prayer to obtaine patience O Almighty GOD Thou knâ—wâ—st what a weake frail and vile piece of earth I am yet the worke of thy hands who was framed of â—he dust who am blown and withered by every blast of winde and shall at last again returne to dust there is nothing that I have wherein I can trust for I have within mee the spirit striving against the flesh and about me the flesh against the spirit I find motions of Anger Impatience Fearfulnes Dissidence and divers other perturbatiâ—ns to rise within mee if thou onely doest but touch me with thy hand I desire therefore thy helpe ô heavenly Physician and that heavenly medicine of thine called Patience to be communicated to me ô Patience it is the easement of all diseases Give mee ô Lord in all estates to carry my selfe orderly submissively and to beare prosperity without pride adversitie without repining whither thou sendest health or sicknes I may entertain them as proceeding from thy fatherly hands and so being assured they are good because they come from thee thou makest all things worke for the best to them that feare thee Amen Let thy holy Spirit teach and instruct me And so much the rather O Lord help because there is none fighteth for mee but onely thou ô God and thaâ— thy strength may be perfected in my weaknesse So that I may truly say Thy rod and thy staffe have comforted me and thy good grace assisting me I may look upon thy Son and my Saviour Jesus with comfort which shewed himselfe a pattern of all patience to all patient men grant this I beseech for tâ—y mercy sake in Jesus Christ Amen 4 A Prayer for the increase of Patience OUr life ô Lord is a pilgrimage from Exile and Baâ—ishment to our Countrey and lest the pleasantnesse of the way should detaine or keepe us back from comming speedily and comfâ—rtably to thee ô God thou stirrest us up by Goads and hast ns us by pricks in our sides that so we may the more eagerly desire rest and to bee at our journeys end therefore diseases griefs teares mournings sorrows are as so many spurs to hasteÌ„ our dull natures and to encourage them to make speed to their quiet repose Cauâ—e us ô Lord to forget the tediousnesse of the way and to remember our Countrey and if thou pleasest to lay on load upon our shoulders lay on strength lâ—kewise and patience to carry it quietly and cheerfully having all our intentions and hopes fixed upon thee but seeing all things are at thy disposing Make all things ô Lord worke together in thy unsearchable wisdome that I may never prove an enemy to thee Amen 5 A Prayer containing a full resignment of the sickman into Gods hand and will O Most comfortable and sweet Lord God be mindfull I prâ—y thee and mercifully consider mee thy poore creature but thou Lord art my creatour behold ô Lord I doe wholly give and resigne my self unto thy disposing and ordering I am ready and prepared ô Lord to endure what thy fatherly hand shall lay upon mee Deal with mee as thou pleasest in time and for Eternity Whatsoever thou ô heavenly Father hast determined upon me and of me with all Humilitie I am resolved to beare I will take all things well at thy hands whither Good or Evill sweet or sowre joy or heavinesse and will for all give thanks unto thee Keepe me ô Lord from all sin and so I will neither feare death nor hell Because thou wilt not destroy the work of thine owne hands nor blot me out of the booke of life no tribulation shall be grievous unto mee be present ô sweet Jesus with me at all times in all places and let mee comfort my selfe in this that thou only art my comfort and consolation and if at any time thou shalt be pleased to withdraw thy comfortable presence from me yet then I will be comforted in thy tryall of me because it is for my good Thy holy Name be now and ever above all things ô Saviour magnified and blessed Amen 6 Another shâ—rt Prayer to the same purpose O Love ineffable ô sweet Jesu my God if thou wouldest give me my desire and wouldest promise to give what I should request I would not desire any thing but what I suffer This this I would desire and request a thousand time that thy most gracious will according to thy good pleasure may be always done in me of me by me for evermore Amen A Prayer for conformity of our wils to the divine will O Sweet Jesu I neither desire Life nor Death but onely thy will be done I wait upon thee If it be thy good pleasure sweet Jesu that I shall die I doe humbly intreat thee to receive my spirit and though I come in at Evening one of the last amongst the Workmen grant yet that I may be with thee and receive everlasting rest in and through thee but if thou so pleasest ô sweet Jesu that my life shall be prolonged I purpose then and resolve and for this I do intreat thy suffrage and the assistance of thy grace that the residue of my life may be amended be offered up to thee wholly as a pleasing sacrifice to thy glory and according to thy good will Amen Another Prayer to obtain the same thing as onely necessary O Lord Jesus Christ I beseech thee by thy love whiâ—h invited thee so willingly to take all our burdens upon thee that thou wouldest make me to take my visitation patiently and thankfully as comming by thy Fatherly providence and according to thy good will and proceeding out of thy love and affection towards me give me assistance to take it quietly to beare it patiently to resigne my selfe to thy goodnesse and well liking and give mee that strengh and growth in grace that I may not offend thee in the least nor ever depart from or dislike thy godly will and ô Saviour unite my will with thy most holy Bâ—neplacite that what I wish may please thee Amen A Prayer to obtain Patience O Lord my God I confesse I
of his fore-head hard and rough with wrinkles his countenance is wanne and pale with some yellows sometimes like lead blacke blew hâ—s lips are loosed hanging with weaknesse whitish his teeth are blacke his neck is consumed and growne lean all things are changed so that hee seems as it were to be another person so when God hath changed a mans countenance he sends him to his long home Passe on ô man passe on to thy house of eternity from such a little-little point of time so many Volumes of Ages depend which are not to bee reckoned up by any date of time § 6. We ought to prepare for Death before it comes IT was a wise man saying Moriendum esse antequam mori cogaris i. e that thou shouldst die before thou be compelled to die S. Paul did â—ot onely do so once or often but daily affirming that of himself I die daily 1 Cor. 15 3. Gregory the Great the higher hee gained preferment in the Church the more glorious beams of Sanctity did he send forth this most vigilant Pastor did seem to be dead before death for not long before his Obit hee himselfe described his own condition Such bitternesse of spirit such an assiduous grievance such molestation of the Gout doe afflict mee that my body is as even dryed up already in the grave so that I cannot rise up from my bed Cosmus Medâ—ces being at the pâ—int of death wheÌ„ as he was ask'd of his wife why he shut his eyes before he was dead Answered I do accustome them to that that when they shal be shut up by death they may bear it well This is an excellent kind of death then to shut our eys especially when any deadly pleasure doth intice them be sure thou doest die lest thou shouldst die ô shut them betimes Wisely did Seneca advise Lucilius Doe that before the day of thy death let thy sins be dead before thy selfe § 7. Those that buried themselves PAcuvius being Governour in Syria for Tiberius Caesar did daily so give himselfe to wine and feastings that as hee was carried to his bed from Supper his servants wiâ—h great applause sung these words to him Vixit vixit i. e. He hath liv'd he hath liv'd What was this but every day to be carried about to his buriall Seneca said well of him That saith he which hee did daily out of an ill conscience let us doe by a good one that when wee are gone to bed and about to sleep with comfort and rejoycing we may say Wee have liv'd if God shal lend us the next morning let us entertaine it with cheerfulnessee His a blessed and secure Possessor of himselfe who expects the next morning without distrust or distraction Labienus the Historian for his inveighing writings termed Rabienus was so hated that all his Books were burnt Labienus not enduring this and not willing to out-live his wit did desire to be carried out and buried in the Sepulchre of his Ancestors where he did end and bury himselfe and what is wonderfull liv'd when he was buried and was buried while he liv'd Storax a Neâ—politan not long since a very rich man delicate and a prouâ— Governour or Overseer for the yeerly pâ—ovision of Corne having got this office by base and indirect means the common people hated him exceedingly so that being overcome with hunger they fell violently upon the man he seeking to esâ—ape their fury and rage did hide himself in a Sepulchre in a Church but at last being found and beaten with stones was cut into small Gobbets and his very bloud was lickt up of many so that his bones wanted a Grave Hee had this Epitaph made upon him Storax qui vivus subjit sepulchrum Mirum defunctus caruit sepulchro i.e. Storax who living went into his grave Strange that being dead no sepulchre could have Albertus the Great leaving Ratiâ—bonâ— came to Collen where though strictly being devoted to Mortification and Contempt of this World so that hee forgat all worldly delights yet would hee continually visit the place of his intended buriall Severus President of Ravenna while hee was healthy went into his Tombe and placing himselfe in the middle betwixt his wife which he had had and his daughter there died Philoâ—omus of Galata is said to dwel six yeers amongst the graves of the dead Palladius c. 13. that by this meanes hee might overcome the feare of death Polemon of Laodicea Suidas V. Pole as Suidas witnesseth the Scholer of Timocrates the Philosopher the Master of Aristides the Orator being 56 yeers of age cast himselfe into a deepe Sepulchre being urged thereunto by the bitter paines of the Gout and there died of hunger and before his death his friends and neighbours lamenting his case desired him to come forth by their help it is reported of him that hee answered them thus Provide me a more healthy body and I will come up Wee may wonder at these but not imitate them unlesse in this manner Colos 3. as Saint Paul speaks ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God That Philosophers counsell is good Vive latens i.e. live hid For as another said Hee lives well that lives retiredly This man may be said to be profitably dead and buried the private life is freest from incumbrances and inconveniences Whose life is to publick often dyes unknowne to himself The private life is fullest of quietnesse § 8. A consideration of our Sepulchre Phthia pro sepulchro TErtia me Phthiae tempestas laeta locabit Englished The third great sicknesse shall Give me a glad funerall Thus said Socrates presaging of his own death this word Phthia is meant for nothing else but the Coffin or the grave to which all must come No house may so truly be said to be ours as our graves This Iacoponus a religious man and pleasant taught by a witty Act of his A Citâ—zen of Todi in Vmbria had bought two young Chickens being about to send them home by chance he espyed Iacoponus in the Market to whom he turning said I pray you doe mee that favour and kindnesse as to car y â—hese two Chickens home to my house and be sure you leave them there and doe not deceive me Trust me saith he I will doe as you have bidden me and I wâ—ll carry them indeed unto the house and so forthwith taking them went directly to his Parish Church and came to his Sepulchre which was reserved for him and in that as well as hee could hee hid the two Chickens Well the Citizen comming home to his house presently asked for his two Chickens his servants all deni d flatly that they saw no such thing brought thither so the Citizen going againe into the Market met Jacoponus again And said to him I thought indeed that thou wouldst not doe as thou shouldst and that thou woulâ—st deceive me but tell me in earnest where are my Chickens to whom Iacoponus replyed I carried them
thus there described and after all these things he fell downe on his bed and knew that hee should die Oh what force and energie is there in the words post haec After all these things and in this decidt he fell specially in those morreâ—tur that he should die Alexander had in hopes conquered a World already nay worlds He thought he had done things worthy of everlasting Annals and yet after all these so many so great Trophies hee fell downe not onely into his bed but to his grave he must be content with a small Coffin Petius Alphonsus relates iâ— that Alexander being dead Many Philosophers met to speake some thing to be engraven on his Monument One hee utterd this En modo quatuor ulnarum spacium ei satis est cui spatiosissimus terrarum orbis non suffecerat i.e. behold now foure cubits is room enough for h m whoâ— while ere the whole World would not suffice ano her added yesterday Alexander could have freed any from death now noâ— himself One beholding his golden Châ—st spoke thus Yesterday saiâ— he Alexander of Gold made treasure now change turns and gold makes treasure of Alexander Seâ— the wise men exprest themselves but they all concluded with that of the Machabees Afterward he fell down into his bed and dyed Juvenal sings thus of him Vnus pellaeo Iuveni non sufficit orbis ... i.e. The whole World though 't be was Will not content Philips great son But marke the largnesse of our thoughts while wee prove forgetfull of our own condition oh did we meditate on heavenly immortall things while wee vainly dispose these transitory ones to our Nephews and Kinred Alas all this this while we are extending our thoughts death oppresseth us and this thing which is called old age is but a short circuit of a few yâ—ers Why should wee therefore trust death Consider but for what small matters wee lose our lives It is not our meat nor drink nor watching nor sleep used intemperately but prove deadly our foot hurt a little the griefe of the eares a rotten tooth meat offending the stomach a drop of an ill Humour any of these may open the gate to death Is it a matter of any great consequence or profit whither we live or die Ill sents savours tastings wearinesse nay nourishment it selfe without which we cannot live may bring in and usher in death The body of man is weak fluid rotten diseased wheresoever it moves it is conscious of it's own infirmity It endures not every Climate the Sea alters it the change of ayre infects it the least cause hurts it Let us believe him therefore who said Therefore ô men death is better then a bitter life and eternall rest then continued travell Therefore I say It is better to dwell in heaven then to travell on earth § 22. Death's Blessednesse WRite Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord even so saith the Spirit that they rest from their labours and their works follow them to die in the Lord is to die the servant of the Lord as the holy Scriptures speake of Moses Moses my servant is dead as if the Lord should say although hee sinned sometime and by sin made himself not my servant yet hee died my servant He died in my service Whatsoever hee was whatsoever he did it was mine for all the servants work is the Lords and such a joyfull Verse in that Song waâ— that of old Symeon Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy Word In peace altogether at whose entrance all the wars of the righteous men are ended never for all eternity to be begun again Such servants of God do all die in the Lord which dying do as it were rest in his bosome and so resting sweetly are said to sleep in death So blessed Stephen in the midst of that storm and showre of stones in such a great tumult and fury of those that stoned him slept in the Lord. Acts 7.60 Ioh 11.11 So our Lord spoke of Lazarus that h e did but sleep So Moses the servant of the Lord died when God bade him or as some expound it at the Lords speech as if the Lord had kissed him in this sence as a Mother takes her Infant in her Arms and kisseth him being a sleep and so lays him into bed smilingly no otherwise did God with Moses but by sweet embraces and smiles did lay him being falne asleepe into Abrahams bosome Where hâ—e shall give his children peace saith the Psalmist Blessed yea for ever blessed are all they that so die because they shall never be miserable as Saint Bernard saith The death of the righteous is good for the rest Secondly for the newnesse of it Thirdly for the security of it Blessed yea thrice blessed are all such for their works follow them they shal follow them as servants their Lord as sonnes their father as Schollers their Master as Souldiers their Generall as Nobles do their Sovereigne They shall follow us to Gods Tribunall They shall be brought into the highest Courts of the Great King and there shall be admitted for noble Courtiers And as every one which is able for wealth and Nobility is known by the number and adornment of his followers so who desires to appeare before the King of Glory let him be wel and richly furnished with such servants And let him set them before him and look that they be many and richly apparelled and though our good works go before us in some kinde yet they follow us in reward The labour which we spend on them and in them goes before The reward which we have from them follows He never can want comfort that is well stored with such followers § 23. A Dying mans farewell to the living who must follow him the same way MAny are the things for which I am sorry Especially the neglect of grace and the time that I have ill spent Oh how should I how ought I to have beene more patient more submisse more mindfull of my death ô how few and small sparkles of divine love have had irradiations in my soul Have mercy upon me ô God have mercy upon me according to the multitude of thy great mercies ô infinite goodnesse by the precious bloud of thy deare Son be mercifull to mee a sinner and ô you whomsoever I have offended in words or deeds Forgive and pardon mee You have mee now heartily confessing my selfe guilty and sorrowfull and deny not to mee before I goe hence this viaticum even the free forgivenesse of all my offences towards you Doe not I pray you let your courage fall in the time of sicknesse by my example because I am weak Set your eyes upon the actions of holier men and conform your selves to them Emulate with ardency their patience humility obedience And I cannot but give you hearty thanks for all the good offices you have performed towards â—ee either by your hand and work care
so great a multitude does open his mouth in his cause The mayntenance of Christs Cause is therefore devolv'd to the defence of this Thiefe One Thief plâ—ads against another for Christs innocence he mayntains it takes of the others scandals reproves the infinite multitude of paâ—ricide Did not the Son of God blush to have his Cause defended by a Thief No! hee was so farre from being ashamed at his Oratory that hee praysed him in publick nor was his Rhetorick defective in Gods Cause And wee indâ—e justly therefore wee receive the due reward of our deeds but this man hath done nothing amisse Lu. 23.4 O how justly may I say the same of my self And I do justly die for my offences for I doe but receive the wages of my works but my Saviour What had hee done nothing at all worthy of death nor of such torments Let mee therefore ô God be heard when I use this forme of prayer Lord remember me for now thou art come into thy Kingdome and because thou art in thy Kingdome looke upon mâ—e now languishing and decaying and admâ—t mee to thy self when I depart I beg this of thee ô Jesus by thy scourging Thorns and Crosse by all thy â—orments and by thy precious â—eath What therefore remaynes but â—hat I should for ever cast my soul â—nto his bosome whose dolour and â—ains hee onely weighs and consiâ—ers He knows what conduceth â—o the health of our souls and â—ee from all eternity ha h deterâ—ined by what way wee shall return to him O Lord I have waited for thy salvation § 34. The Heliotropium or Turn sole against all diseases and death the onely Medicine THis Herbe as experience shews it turns with the Sun both at his rising and setting nay even in cloudy weather hee shews his love to the Sun by night as it were for grief he shuts up himself for want of her beautifull Lover Oh could mans will alwayes so follow and attend upon Gods will that at all times it should be conformable to it and and follow it through all afflictions and adversities and not to turn aside in that great cloudy day of death Upon this set day let the dying man imitate this flower and let him fâ—x the eyes of his faith upon that glorious Sun of righteousnesse especially then This doe our Saviours owne words teach us Even so Father Math. 11.26 for so it seemed good in thy sight so even so my â—ying friend speak you In all things that ever you doe in all evils to be endured or suffered by the example of our Lord say always So Father even so good Father so be i◠ô my Father with often ingeminations and specially when the pangs of death doe rage most violently then even then subject thy will in all things to his pronounce these watching in health in sicknesse but at the pinch of death never forget them Lord thou knowest my heart command it Lord I have hoped in thee I have said thou art my God thou shalt mayntaine my lot my heâ—lth my disease prosperity and adversity my life and my death are in thy hands as thou wilt so let all things be It shall be pleasant to me eiâ—her to live or die according to thy good will because thou art my Father Therefore ô Father as thou wilt order dispose permit all things to be done in mee and of mee as may be pleasing to thee let not any thing in mee crosse or thwart thy heavenly disposing So even so good Father let thy will be done from hence-forth and for ever This herb is of wonderfull vertue to all sicknesse evils and death Hee is farâ—e from feare of destruction that is in will so united to his God FINIS Prayers to be said of or to be read to a man dying OH holy Jesus my strength my â—efreshing my defender and my deliverer in whom I have hoped on whom I have believed whom always I have loved who art my chiefe pleasure the fortresse of my strength my hope even from my youth up Lead me forth ô â—hou that art the leader of my life and I will follow thee stretch forth thy right hand of mercy to the worke of thine own hands which thou the Creatour of all things didst make of the dust of the eâ—rth and strengthenedst with bones and sinews to whom thou by death gavest life The time is at hand that dust must return to dust and my spirit to thee my Saviour and blessed Redeemer who gavest it me Open good Lord to mee the gate of life for for mee wretch didst thou the Lord of life hang on the tree and wast reckonâ—d amongst transgressors receive me ô mercifull God according to the multitude of hy tender mercies thou didst kindly and speedily entertain the penitent thiefe upon the Crosse begging of thee I am sick and sore smitten to whom should I run for cure but tâ— thee ô gracious Physician heal thou mâ—e ô Lord and I shall be whole and those that put their trust in thee shall not be confounded in thee ô Saviour have I trusted let me no therefore be put to confusion But who or what am I most glorious God that I should with such boldâ—esse speak to thee I am a sinner borne nay and conceived in transgression a rotten carcasse an uncleane vessell food for wormes Spare mee forgive mee good God what conquest wouldest thou have to contend or sâ—t thy selfe against me who â—m weaker and lighter then the stubble before the winde then the dust or the chaff driven too and fro with every blast Passe by ô Lord all my transgressions and rayse up thy poore dejected servant from the Dunghill Stand up ô Lord and for my defence rayse up thy self and reject not the supplication of thy poore weak servant Let my prayers enter into thy presence and stretch forth thy hand and comâ— and help I am the man that travelling from Hierusalem am taken and wounded of thieves and left half dead be thou thou ô my Saviour the good Samaritan and c mfort me I have grievously sinned in the whole course of my life and my sins are ever before thee From the crown of my head to the sole of my foot there is not one sound or clean member O if thou by thy precious death on the Crosse hadst not helped my soule I should have for my sins deserved eternall perdition I even I am partaker ô sweet Iesu of that inestimable Redemption thou didst shed that most precious bloud for my sake ô thou preserver of men and therefore put me not away from thee I am that sheepe which wandred and lost it self seek mee ô thou great Shepheard and take mee and conduct me into thy fold that thou mayest be true in all thy sayings Thou that hast promised that whensoever a sinner shall repent and return thou wilt have mercy upon him Truly Lord I am not worthy to be called thy son because I have sinned against heaven and before thee
of the second Act thinking in it to stirre up more delight and liking in the people On a sudden there fell such a violent storme that the people could not stand to heare him at that time but he promised the people that on the next day they should heare it all finished So on the next day there was a mighty company of people assembled every one strove to place himselfe in the fitted seat either for sight or hearing they that came something late beckned to their friends to make roome for them they that came last were mainly streightned for room The whole Theatre was cram'd with Auditors and there was a wonderfull throng their discourse was divers some talked of what had bin acted the day before others that knew not the former action came to behold the sequell Nothing now was expected but Philemon well the time past on yeâ— no Philemon appeared some blamed his stay others excused it but when as most did thinke they had stayed longer then was fit and yet so no appearance of the actor they sent some speedy Messengers to call him but they that went found all their expectations frustrated for Philemon was dead in his bed and stiffe and lay in his bed as if hee had bin meditating his part with his hand on his Book but his soule was fled out and so his Auditory failed The Messengers that entred were struck at first with astonishment of this sudden alteration yet wondred much to see how comely hee was laid In his bed Well they returned to the people and told them that Philemon who should have acted a fained part had acted at home a true Play for hee had to all worldly things given his farewell and Plaudite Whereupon divers did grieve amd lament the showre the day before was now seconded with a showre of teares and the Comoedian was now turned Tragoedian If wee looke onely on our present life a then Death will be wished for and that man dyes well who dyes without the feare of Death but yet happier by far is he that is found of Death so doing and who dyes in his worke So that Death it self shal find him busie St. Cyprian the Martyr wisht Hippo. 4. Septemb. p. 920. that hee might be offered to God by Death as he was in preaching he is worthy of prayse whom never the Devill or Death cuts off in their idlenesse § 41. We must watch and pray BEcuse yee know not the time in which the Sonne of man will come The Romans watched in their Armes though sometimes without their shieid because they would have nothing to leane upon because they would prevent sleep Thou must watch oh man and it is profitable to watch with the armour of God upon thy soule the ardent prayers of Christians are their Armour of proof Hope of long life is the leaning stocke that too many sleep upon The usual words of the Romans when they watched were these Vigila vigila Mars vigila Marc. 13.33 35 37. i. e. Watch oh souldier watch By the usuall termes they stirr'd up one another to watch By the same words oh my soule doth God incite thee to watâ—hfulnesse The very heaven it self by his incessant motion and constant course night and day adviseth thee to rouze up thy selfe Wilt thou grow deafe to such a Lecturer and give thy selfe to sleep heare Christ himselfe saying Watch and pray as Saint Marke testifies Christ at the end of one Sermon did thrice repeat this clause in these words 1 Goe to watch and pray 2 Therefore watch and pray for you know not when the Lord will come in the Evening or at Midnight or at Cock-crowing or in the Morning Lest if when he should come suddenly be should find you sleeping 3 What therefore I say to you I say unto all watch S. Matthew often speaks the same Mat. 24.42 25.13 c. 26.41 Watch therefore for ye know not what houre the Lord will come And repeats it againe Watch therefore for yee neither know the day nor the houre And our Saviour inculcates the same at the Mount of Olives Watch and pray that yee enter not into tentation Hee publisheth the same by Saint Luke Watch therefore and continue in prayers Luke 21.36 that same very word Watch how often is it doubled by Saint Paul all these is thunder-claps may serve to rowze up our drowzie souls Wee are deafe nay dead if we startle not at all these quickning voyces Who ever thou art if thou hast bin lulled asleep in thy sins awaken Awake thou that sleepest arise and stand up and Christ shall give thee light Knowest thou that fatall blow of Egypt in the middle of the night the destroying Angell smote all Egypt Remember the Lot of the ten Virgins There was at midnight a great cry made and those Virgins which were ready were admitted into the Bride-chamber but those that slept were excluded Canst thou but remember that gluttonous abusive servaÌ„t Did not his Lord come in a time that he looked not for and in an houre that he dream't not off Canst thou but consider that good Master of the Family He watched at all houres lest at any houre the Thief should enter and spoyle his goods Canst thou oh canst thou but think on thy Saviour Was not he borne in the middle of the night The same as many think will about the same time come at the time of the general judgment Watch therefore oh watch and thinke every day to be thy Exit from hence § 42. Eight Verses out of the Psalmes of David selected by Saint Bernard which he himself used for the time of Death COnsider and heare me ô Lord my God lighten mine eyes lest I sleep the sleepe of death Lest mine Enemies say I have prevailed against him Psal 13.3 4. Into thine hand I commit my spirit thou hast redeemed mee ô Lord God of truth Psal 31.5 Then spake I with my tongue Lord make mee to know mine End and the measure of my days What it is that I may know what time I have here Psal 39 3 4. Shew me a token for good that they which hate me my see it and be ashamed because thou Lord hast holpen me and comforted mee Psal 86.17 Thou hast loosed my bonds I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call upon the Name of the Lord. Psal 116.17 Refuge failed me no man cared for my soul I cryed unto thee ô Lord I said Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living Psal 142.4 5. A Prayer for an happy departure out of this life O Almighâ—y and Everlasting God who didst give unto thy servant King Ezechiah length of days when as hee in teares besought thy goodnesse Grant I beseech thee to mee thy unworthy servant before my death such a space and time in which I may heartily deplore and lament all my sins and that for them all I may by thy infinite mercies