helpe himselfe in his old age he must be holpen the helper of other creatures must haue his helpe from God the Creator Other creatures can shift for themselues but man is so weake that he must bee fed warmed nurced and nourished by others Hee is subiect to sicknesses to diseases to troubles to sorrowes to the famine to the plague to warre and to many more miseries man is borne vnto trauaile Iob. 5. 7. This life is full of the griefe of things past of labour and paine of things present and of feare of things to come The ingresse into life is lamentable because an infant begins his life with teares as it were foreseeing the euils to come the progresse weake because many diseases afflict vs and many woes vexe vs and the egresse fearefull if we be not in Christ and haue put him on Rom. 13. 14. man beginneth his race with crying and endeth it with grieuing nay all mans dayes are sorrowes Eccles. 2. 23. it is It is full of sorrowes both of body and minde Abraham had in the land of Canaan no ground of his owne to dwell in but onely the inheritance of a sepulchre so man shall haue no more in this life after a fewe yeeres nay moneths it may bee dayes but a plot of lodging This life is rather a death because euery day wee die seeing euery day we consume somewhat of our liues The entrance into life is straight wayes the beginning of death This life is an expectation of death for euery day we looke for death a scene of mockeries a Sea of miseries one onely viall of bloud which euery light fall breakes euery light ague corrupts Though man be fraile and weake yet God loues him dearely and doth regard him and doth respect him hence is it that Dauid saith Lord what is man that thou regardest him Psal. 144. 4. Man is the slaue of death a traueller that passeth away for here wee haue no abiding cittie Heb. 12. 14. We are strangers and pilgrimes 1. Pet. 2. 11. Soiourners as all our fathers were Psal. 39. 12. Lighter then a bubble shorter then a moment vainer then an image frailer then a venice glasse which is soone broken more changeable then the winde more inconstant then a shadow and more deceiueable then a dreame God doth also prouide for man foode and raiment What is here in man to moue God to loue him he is conceiued in sinne and borne ininiquitie Psal. 51. 5. and vnlesse he be borne againe he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Ioh. 3. 5. His heart is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things Ier. 17. 9. And the imaginations of the heart euill Gen. 8. 21. The eyes are casements of Lust as to Dauid 2. Sam. 11. 2. The throate is an open sepulchre Psalm 5. 9. The mouth is full of cursing and deceit Psalm 10. 7. The feete swift to shed blood Esa. 59. 7. The hands are extended to all vnmercifulnesse Hee doth breake the yoake and burst the bonds Ier. 5. 5. Hating to be reformed Psal. 15. 17. Saying The Lord shall not see Psal. 94. 7. It is in vaine to serue God and what profit is it if we keepe his commandements Malach 3. 14. By nature man is the child of wrath Ephes. 2. 3. The sonne of disobedience Collos. 3. 6. Nay a beast by his owne knowledge Ier. 51. 17. Yet God loues man and will make him coheire with Christ Rom. 8. 17. Yet not all but the Elect God doth giue to vs we can giue nothing to him nothing doth come to him if we stay in him nor nothing doth depart if wee stay not in him on either side he is our profit whether he stay in vs or we in him To the sicke and weake he is a keeper turning their bed in their sicknesse Psal. 41. 3. To the man of the Palsie he was health Mat. 9. 2. To Lazarus that was dead he was life Ioh. 11. 44. To the blinde he was sight Ioh. 9. 9. To the lost sheep he was saluatiō Luk. 15. 4. 5. 6. To such as goe astray he is the way home Ioh. 14. 6. The second vse may iustly reproue such as neuer minde their weake and fraile condition Wee should meditate on death in life then death would not be so ghastly and fearefull In the morning wee should thinke this may be the last day of our life and in the euening often we goe to bed we should thinke this may be our last night on earth so thinking on death at all times In all our actions we should consider with our selues would we doe such and such like things if we were to die instantly and then come to iudgment We should consider our liues are but lent vs they are no free-hold We came into the world vpon this condition that we should goe out againe yeelding vp all into the Lords hand most men neuer thinke on death but put that day farre from them when there is nothing nearer life then death it alwayes dogges a man at the heeles As the shadow followeth the body so doth death follow life If we die to our selues in life we shall liue in death to God Before wee die sinne must die in vs. Let vs leaue sinne before sinne leaue vs. God will neuer forgiue that we will not forgiue Let the olde man die in vs in this life then Christ will liue in vs in death none are exempted from death of what estate or condition soeuer Salomon for all his wisedome died 1. King 11. 43. Sampson for all his strength Iudg. 16. 30. Absolom for all his beautie 2. Sam. 18. 11. Ahitophel for all his craft 2. Sam. 17. 23. Dauids childe for all his youth 2. Sam. 12. 18. Methushelah for all his age Gen. 5. 27. Lazarus the begger died Luke 16. 22. And the rich couetous cormorant died Luk. 12. 20. Proude Iezabel died 2. King 9. 33. Sarah which was ful of modest humilitie humblemodesty died Gen. 23. 2. Kin. are not exempted from death for Saul Dauid Iosiah died Preachers are not exempted for Paul Peter and many such like haue died Phisitians which kill many though cure some die themselues as sicke Souldiers the cause of many mens deaths die themselues as Cornelius As it is most true some of all sorts shall be saued so it is no lesse true that all of all sorts shall die Death is a port or hauen whereunto we all must saile through the troubles of this world whervnto the sooner we come the sooner wee shall be deliuered It is appointed all shall die Heb. 9. 27. decreed in the Parliament in heauen and Gods decrees are vnchangeable It is but a minute of time which we liue and somewhat lesse then a minute wee are in this world as in another mans house and therefore wee should alwaies minde death If meanes could free men from deaths
vncertaine fraile and brittle condition censuring them all with one iudgement vanitie of vanities all is vanitie Eccles. 1. 2. Came not Craesus the rich Prince to misery for all his wealth Xerxes the King of Persia for all his pompe and glory discomfited Did not Dionisius the King of Siracuse fall from a King to be a schoolemaister Did not Bellisarius fall from a giuer to bee a receiuer from a rich man to be a begger Came not Iob from great riches to miserable pouertie for a time Doe not many florish to day in wealth and to morrow come to extreame pouertie Are we all as grasse and wormes meate why then doe wee make so much of the flesh which shall perish and doe not adorne and decke the soule with vertues which shall be presented to God in the day of iudgement We doe not regard our soules but prefer our bodies before them It is a great abuse when the mistresse shall become an handmaide and the handmaide mistresse so it is a great abuse when the soule is not regarded and the body preferred before the soule Seeing our bodies shall perish as grasse let vs say Christ is to mee in life and death aduantage Phil. 1. 21. When we die we shall be deliuered out of two prisons at once the one so much worse then the other as it is worse to be with-held from perfect blisse then from the libertie of a most painfull and tedious pilgrimage We now liue to die but then wee shall die to liue for euer now liuing we are continually dying but then once dying neuer to die more Wee shall leaue a ruinous and base cottage passe to a most glorious and blessed pallace whose pauement is pure gold and whose gates are pearles Reuel 21. 21. By this wee may ghesse what roomes wee are like to finde where our Sauiour prepareth the place Ioh. 14. 2. Had the Prodigall sonne cause to sorrow when he was to depart from this dirtie village and the company of swine to his fathers house Who would not bee able to cast off a sacke of dunge to receiue long white robes Reuel 7. 14. I hope we shall haue neither oxen to try nor farme to see nor wiues to with-hold vs from going Luk. 14. 18. 19. 20. Wee haue had toile enough in the seruitude of Egypt we haue wandred long enough in the desert in continuall battaile with Gods our enemies and in death the time is come to take our repose and inioy the felicitie of the land of promise Wee haue beene in the mount Sinai with Moses when thundrings began to be heard lightnings to flash and a thicke darke cloude to couer the mount but wee shall come to enioy his glory whose terror we haue already sustained This may reproue such as feare death The sting of death is taken away O death where is thy sting 1. Corint 15. 55. Some would die but they would not die a violent death What cause haue we to feare death wee haue but one life and but one can we loose Goliah was as much hurt by Dauids litle stone 1. Sam. 17. 50. as Sampson by the waight of a whole house Iudg. 16. 30. Ely had as much harme by falling backward in his chaire 1. Sam. 4. 18. as Iezabel by being thrown downe from a high window 2. King 9. 33. All they that stoned Stephan to death tooke no more from him Act. 7. 59. then an ordinary sicknesse did from Lazarus Luk. 16. 19. One death is no more death then another and as well the easiest as the hardest taketh our life from vs. Let vs bee willing to leaue this sinfull world desiring to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ Philip. 1. 23. Why should wee feare that which cannot be auoided The very necessitie of death should make vs not vnwilling to die and the remembrance of our mortalitie should make vs litle feare when experience sheweth vs that we are mortall Liue well and die well we may if please God but liue long not die we cannot We should not thinke our life shortened when it is well ended He dieth olde enough that dieth good and life is better well lost then euill kept Wee goe but that way the which all the world before vs hath gone and all that come after vs shal follow beare vs company 4 If we bee not warned neither will take it for a warning that we are as grasse death may come before we are aware and surprise vs when wee shall not haue time to learne to die Wee must be prepared Luk. 12. 40. We must watch Mark 13. 37. How soone is the grasse cut downe and so how soone doth man die The day of death will come suddenly as thiefe in the night 2. Pet. 3. 10. A thiefe giueth no vvarning vvhen he vvill come but commeth vvhen men are asleepe so the day of the Lord commeth suddenly vvhen men are altogether vnprouided Before a ruinous house fall the rafters cracke and giue warning At a strangers comming the dogge barkes and giues warning before a storme the cloudes giue vvarning and the trumpet biddeth men prepare to battell but the day of death commeth suddenly all the time from the birth to death is a time of preparation When the bird thinketh her selfe safe then is she nearest to death when the ship-master is in sight of land hee may be in greatest danger for commonly in the range or harbour is the Shippe lost the want of care drowneth the Shippe the want of skill is the ruine of the souldiers the want of foode starueth the sheepe and the want of preparation to die casteth thousands into perdition As a flower of the field so florisheth hee Mans life is compared in the Scripture to a span for the shortnesse thereof Psal. 39. 5. To a shadow Psal. 102. 11. First for the cause for as the shadow is formed oflight and a body so is man of an intellectuall soule and a humaine body Secondly for the figure and likenesse as the shadow is sometimes long and sometimes short so some men liue long some but a short time Thirdly for the flight the shadow is changed with the moouing of the body so is the life The shadow in the morning is not as it was at night and the health of the body in the morning is not as it was at night The shadow flieth from a man following it and it followeth a man flying from it hee that looseth his life shall saue it he that will saue his life shall loose it Fourthly for the measure the longer the day the shorter the shadow and the shorter the day the longer the shadow so the higher the day of prosperitie the shorter the life and the shorter prosperitie is the longer mans life seemeth to be Iobs prosperitie was short therefore his life seemed long I will saith hee speake in the bitternesse of my
man being dead can returne to his naturall life no more My dayes are swifter then a vveauers shittle and they are spent vvithout hope Iob 7. 6. A weauers shittle is soone from one ende to another so wee are soone from the day of birth to the day of death and our dayes are spent without hope euer to liue a naturall life If a man die shall he liue againe Iob 14. 14. When the soule is separated from the body the body lieth as a stocke or blocke terrible to behold if it lie a while vnburied it wil putrifie and stincke Wee loue no man so much in his life as wee loath him after death for then wee cannot see him dead whom wee were neuer weary beholding when he was aliue To desire or wish him liuing that is dead is in vaine The liuing shall goe to the dead but the dead not come to the liuing First it may warne and admonish men to doe good whiles they liue and to set all things in order before they die If thou hast wronged make restitution in thy life time for thou shalt not come againe to restore If thou wilt giue doe it in thy life time for thou shalt not come againe No doubt the rich man would haue beene more pittifull and mercifull if hee had liued againe on earth Mercifull giuers shall be the children of the highest Luk. 6. 35. And bee like God their father who is the father of mercies 2. Cor. 1. 3. They shall bee his Stewards to dispose his goods Luk. 16. 2. And his hands to distribute his almes All that thy hand shall finde to doe doe it vvith all thy power for there is neither worke nor inuention nor knowledge nor vvisedome in the graue vvhither thou goest Eccles. 9. 10. Here wee must repent here we must giue for after death these actions shall haue no place In this life doe good after this life receiue good here labour hereafter rest In earth action in heauen contemplation The dead are saide to rest from their labours Reuel 14. 13. And although the soule thorough death doeth not loose his faculties notwithstanding she doth not exercise her operations The action of the godly after this life is a perpetuall fruition of eternall happinesse put in the contemplation of diuine glory Our Sauiour saith I must doe the vvorkes of him that sent me vvhile it is day the night commeth vvhen no man can vvorke Ioh. 9. 4. Worke vvhile yee haue haue light Ioh. 12. 35. While we haue time let vs doe good to all men Gal 6. 10. As all time is not fit to sow and plant so all time is not to doe good for after death there is no place of repentance nor no effect of satisfaction Hard dealing men giue gifts to the poore after death but too late Funerall beneficences is not free but formal not chearfull but extorted Because the time of repentance satisfaction restitution and such like will not long last and continue let vs now repent and turne to the Lord to day if yee will heare his voice harden not your hearts Hebr. 3. 7. 8. Exhort one another daily while it is called to day Hebr. 3. 13. Make satisfaction to those men whom thou hast wronged and restore such goods lands and possessions as thou doest detaine from any man there can be no true repentance while the treasures of wickednesse are in the houses of the wicked Mica 6. 10. Secondly it may reproue many who affirme that they haue seene and heard dead men to walke and talke to frequent their promises and to say I am the soule of this man or of that woman I am tormented grieuously in Purgatory for this or that which I haue done I might be deliuered if so many Masses were said for mee If they be not popish which make such false apparitions for gaines sake they are certaine euill spirits Satan can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light 2. Cor. 11. 14. Why not into a soule He entred into Iudas Ioh. 13. 27. He filled Ananias heart Act. 5. 3. He worketh mightily in the sonnes of disobedience Eph. 2. 2. Hence it is that they are called the children of the diuell as Paul said to Elimas and full of all subtiltie and all mischiefe the child of the diuell and enemy of all righteousnesse wilt thou not cease to peruert the straight wayes of the Lord Act. 13. 10. Such were the Iewes to whom Christ spake Yee are of your father the diuell and the lustes of your father yee will doe Ioh. 8. 44. Hence is that the holy Ghost saith Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea for the diuell is come downe vnto you which hath grtat wrath knowing that hee hath but a short time Reuel 12. 12. He is a deceiuer of the people Reuel 20. 3. 8. And his sleights and deceits are called the deepenesse of Satan Reuel 2. 24. The diuels perloaps cannot assume dead mens bodies for they are more vnfit for motion then dead instruments that neuer had life It is a peculiar worke of Gods power to raise the bodies of men out of the graue The Scripture doth not mention that euer euill spirits did appeare with true bodies Seeing mans dayes are few fraile and fickle few for fourescore yeares is a long time now though foure hundred were not much in time past fraile for the strongest man is but weake and fickle for we are speedily from the wombe our liuing mothers to the wombe of our dead mother earth Mans dayes are not onely few fraile and fickle but short and so his liuing death is changed to an euerlasting life and the end of a temporall is the beginning of an eternall life Mans dayes are not onely short but also full of trouble notwithstanding the sorrowes of a bitter life shall bee recompenced with a blessed death and the going out of a bad is the beginning of a better world Mans dayes pompe glory birth blood are but as vanishing flowers this world is transitorie and when man dieth he shall leaue all behind him hee shall carry no more with him going then he brought comming no more out of the world then hee brought into the world whereof he shall haue any vse and when a man is dead he shall returne no more If a man wrong or deceiue oppresse and goe beyond the seas at his returne hee may right those he hath wronged and relieue those he hath oppressed but man that wrongeth oppresseth and iniureth in this life and dieth in the sinne shall not returne to liue on earth to repent for it neither to satisfie for it therefore while we liue let vs so liue that we may liue in death I haue hitherto spoken of life and death now I must speake something of the life and death of this Worshipfull Gentleman whose body standeth before vs ready to be interred To liue well is
the ready way to die well as men liue so they for the most part die A blessed life shall haue a blessed death Such as expect for comfort in death must be obedient to God in life If men will liue till they be dead they must die while they liue a good life here bringeth a good death hereafter That his life was godly appeared by his hospitalitie how many of the Saints hath he fed and lodged insomuch as if he was a Gaius for them how did he relieue the poore daily at his doores and in time of sicknes how prouident was he for them He was a peace-maker amonge his neighbors composing controuersies and ending many needlesse suites which either pride or tyranny or selfe-will or enuy had begun Hee had a great loue to the meanes of his owne saluation I meane the preaching of the word frequenting it often if his health did serue him countenancing supporting the Lecture where he was a continuall hearer How kinde and affable hee was to Gods Ministers they will be ready to witnesse In his sicknesse he was very penitent and sorrowfull confessed his sinne desiring God to forgiue him nay assuring himselfe that all his sinnes were pardoned and forgiuen for Christs sake In his sicknesse he was patient weary of the world desirous to goe home forgiuing and forgetting all wrongs and iniuries done him His talke for the most part in his sicknesse was of heauenly matters and such as came to comfort him might receiue comfort from him He did often pray and ioyne in praier and which was worthy obseruance did pray for a blessing on Phisicke before hee would vse it He vsed all lawfull meanes commending the successe to God So liued he and thus died he leauing an earthly possession and a house of clay but now enioying an heauenly inheritance a mansion a resting place of eternall glory leauing louing friends but now enioying such as are more louely leauing children and yet gone to his children All did not speake well of Christ some saide hee was a deceiuer some a glutton some a wine-bibber some a company keeper of wicked men so all may not speake well of this Gentleman there be cursing Shimeries and rayling Rabshakethes some that will speake good of none As the red dragon cast out water after the woman that had brought foorth a man child to drowne it so such as are the dragons young will cast out slanders lies false reports and cursed speeches after those which die in the Lord to disgrace them The liues of such men as loue to disgrace the dead we mayknow their death God knowes FINIS Eccles. 12. 12 Tenet insanabile multos scribends cacoethes Epainetixâ—s Gen. 2. 7. Gen. 3. 19. Eccles. 12. 7. Puluis in pulneâ—ena Humus in humum Nâ—scimur vtâ— moriamur Eccles. 1. 7. The metaphrase Text. Pagin Lingua Hebraica Adam ab adamach terra madida apta ad formas recipiendas Merce Gen 4. 2. Psal. 39. 5. Psal. 144. 4. Psal. 62. 4. Hommes sunt 〈…〉 Gen. 4. 26. Doct. 1. 1. Tim. 6. 7. Iob. 5. 7. Rom. 13. 14. Eccles. 2. 23. Vse â—â— Psal. 144. 4. Heb. 13. 14. 1. Pet. 2. 11. Psal. 39. 12. Psal. 51. 5. Ioh. 3. 5. Ier. 17. 9. Gen. 8. 21. 2. Sam. 11. 2. Psal. 5. 4. Psal. 10. 7. Esa. 59. 7. Ier. 5. 5. Psal 50 17. Psal 94. 7. Mala. 3. 17. Ephes. 2. 3. Col. 3 6. Ier. 51. 17. Rom. 8. 17. Psal. 41. 3. Mat. 9. 2. Ioh. 11. 44. Luk. 15. 4. 5. 6. Ioh. 14. 6. Vse 2. 1. Kin. 11. 43. Iudg. 16. 30. 2. Sam. 18 11 2 Sam. 17. 23. 2 Sam. 12. 18. Gen. 5. 27. Luk. 16. 22. Luk. 12. 20. 2. Kin. 9. 33. Gen. 23. 2. Hebr. 9. 27. 2. Cor. 5. 10. Icâ—â— Esa. 4. 6. â— Pet. 1. 14. Doct. 3. Ion. 4. 6. Iob. 17. 4. Iob. 21. 26. Esa. 51. 8. Act. 12. 13. Ion. 6. Iob 141. Gen. 47. 9. Psal. 90 10. Iob. 7. 1. Iob. 14. 5. Iob. 14. 14. Vse 1. Luk. 16. 19. Iob. 15. 27. Esa. 3. 15. Amo. 8. 4. Mich. 3. 3. 1. Ioh. 2. 17. Eccles. 1. 2. Iob. 1. 21. Dominâ—n ancillari et ancillam dominari magna â—â—t abusis Reuel 21. 21. Iohn 14. 2. Luk. 15. 17. 18. Reuel 7. 14. Luk. 14. 18. 19. 20. 1. Cor. 15. 55. 1. Sam. 17. 50. Iudg. 16. 30. 1. Sam. 4. 18. 2. Kin. 9. 33. Act. 7. 59. Luk. 16. 19. Philip. 1. 23. Luk. 12. 40. Mark 13. 37. â— Pet. 3. 10. Text. Psal. 39. 5. Psal. 102. 11. Iob. 10. 1. Hos. 13. 3. Iob. 7. 6. Iob. 7. 9. Iam. 4. 14. Doa 3. Dam. 2. 37. Prou. 23. 5. 1. Tim. 6. 17. Prou. 11. 4. Ezechi 7. 19. Mat. 13. 7. Eccles. 5. 9. Pro. 27. 20. Luk. 12. 17. Psal. 49. 12. Eccles. 6. 2. Ioh. 3. 8. Ier. 4. 23. Vse 1. Colos. 3. 2. Mat. 6. 24. Iam. 4. 4. I. Ioh. 2. 15. Psal. 39. 11. Reuel 3. 16. Reuel 2. 4. Esa. 55. 6. Amo. 5. 14. Mat 6. 33. Psal 34. 14. Philip. 2. 15. Luk. 13. 24. Rom. 5. 2. Col. 3. 4. I. Cor. 15. 53. 1. Cor. 15. 43. 1. Cor. 15. 44. Psal. 24. 7. Reuel 21. 27. 1. Pet. 4. 14. 2. Cor. 1. 12. Psalm 3. 3. Text. Doct. â— Luk. 13. 4. Iob. 21. 13. Sam. 4. 6. Iudg. 4. 21. Iudg. 16. 30. Esa. 37. 38. Es 138. 12. Fabius Senator Anacreon Adrianus Papa â—anat in 27. Prouerb Iohan. stow 44. ann Elrâ—a Hos. 9. 11. â—e 2. Psal 39. 4. Psal. 90. â—â— Iere. 4. â— Heb. 3. 1â— Mica 2. 1â— Colloss 4. 5. Math. 3. 7. Eccles. 12. 1. Deut. 32. I. Lament 1. 9. 2. Pet. 1 10. 1. Pet. 4. 3. 1. Cor. 15. 58. 〈◊〉 sapienâ—ium vita est 〈◊〉 meditaâ—â—â— Psal. 49. 16. 17. 2. Tim. 4. 10. Mat. 26. 15. Luk. 12. 20. Amo. 5. 5. Esa. 55. 6. Gen. 49. 14. Luk. 5. 6. Haba 2. 6. 1. Cor. 4. 2. Mat 23. 3. Text. Doct. 5. Iob. 7. 7. 8. 9. 10. 1. Kin. 8. 27. Luk. 23. 43. Psal. 19. 5. Eccles. 12. 7. Gen. 3. 19. Iob 14 7. 8. 9. 10. Iob 7 6. Io 1 14. 14. Vse 10 Luk. 6. 35. 2. Cor. 1. 3. Luk. 16. 2. Eccles. 9. 10. â—â—ccrris actio in calis contemplatio â—â—â—monles Reuel 14. 13. Ioh 9 4. Ioh. 12. 35. Gal. 6. 10. Nallus poenitentiae ln us nullus satisfaclionis effetlus Cypria ad deâ—â—ctr Perk. Hebr. 3. 7. 8. Quotidie est ho. he Heb. 3. 13. Mica 6. 10. 2. Cor. 11. 14. Ioh. 13. 27. Act. 5. 3. Ephes. 2. 1. Act. 13. 10. Ioh. 8. 44. Reuel 12. 12. Reuel 20. 3. 8. Reuel 2. 24.
the worme of conscience Let men and women bee neuer so richly attired without Christ they are naked with what iewels and ornaments soeuer they are set foorth without Christs beautie they are deformed howsoeuer their faces are painted and their beautie blazed without grace they are vgly and monstrous nay they carry about them their owne funerall while their body is a filthy tombe of a more filthy soule not onely dead but almost rotten in sinne Noah must not follow the fashions of the olde world Lot must not follow the fashions of Sodome Iob must not follow the fashions of Vz. Wee must not follow the fashions of our corrupt age but as Paul exhorteth in the middes of a crooked and naughtie generation we must be pure and blamelesse shining euen as lights in the world Philip. 2. 15. Shining euermoreto walke in the narrowe path and enter in at the straite gate Luk. 13. 24. Wee must account spirituall things our chiefest glory This spirituall glory is either in the world to come or in this world that in the world to come is the greatest Reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5. 2. When Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall yee also appeare with him in glory Coloss. 3. 4. The glory which shall be conferred may be considered either on the bodies or on the soules of the godly The glory which shall bee giuen to the bodies of the Saints is threefold first the bodies of the Saints shall bee immortall they shall die no more for mortalitie shall put on immortalitie 1. Corinth 15. 53. Secondly they shall be incorruptible they shall rot and putrifie no more they shall be free from infirmitie and deformitie It is sowen in weakenesse and shall be raised in power 1. Cor. 15. 43. Thirdly they shall be spirituall 1. Cor. 15. 44. The glory vpon the soule shall bee the perfection of Gods image in all the faculties of it then shall the memory will and affection bee made conformable vnto God The glory in this world is first Christ He is the King of glory Psal. 24. 7. Wee must bee much in the duties of mortification before wee can enter into the kingdome of glory for no vncleane thing shall enter into the kingdome of heauen Reuel 21. 27. Wee are vncleane till we be washed in the blood of Christ by iustification and bathed in teares of true repentance by mortification Secondly the spirit of adoption is the spirit of glory if this rest vpon men they cannot bee miserable 1. Pet. 4. 14. Thirdly our soules are our glory Fourthly the testimony of a good conscience is our glory 2. Corinth 1. 12. In a word God is our glory Psalm 3. 3. For the winde goeth ouer it and it is not The word is taken for winde for the sperit for the intellectuall soule for the will and for the aire but most expositers read it the winde goeth ouer it The Prophet doth not say it is burned with the heate of the Sunne or destroied with the cold of the winter or cut downe with the hand of the mower but the winde goeth ouer it and it is not that is the winde goeth ouer the flower and it is not for it is withered As a flower is destroyed by the passing of some winde so mans life doth faile with a light occasion That mans life and glory are soone gone First mans life is soone gone how many at vnawares haue beene burnt vp in their owne houses how many slaine by beastes in the field how many deuoured by the same how many consumed in common pestilences murthered by thieues slaine by their enemies killed by the fall of an house as those on whom the tower in Siloam fell Luk. 13. 4. They spend their dayes in wealth and suddenly they goe downe to the graue Iob 21. 13. Sodome was destroied in a moment Lam. 4. 6. Sisera soone slaine by Ioel Iudg 4. 21. The Philistims by Sampson Iudg. 16. 30. Saneherib by Adramelech and Sharezer Esa. 37. 38. Man can take life away but he cannot giue life There is great paines and paiments bestowed before one come to mans estate and then a small thing taketh away his life As when a bladder is blowne great with great paine a pricke of a pinne will giue vent for all the winde so when man is growne vp a litle thing will depriue him of life a stab with dagger or knife will take from him his life because life it selfe is fraile brittle vnstable and of all things most vncertaine As the Spiders webbe which is long time spinning is swept away and destroyed vpon a sudden so mans life which hath continued many moneths and yeares in a moment ceaseth I haue cut off like a weauer my life Esa. 38. 12. One is choakt with an haire in milke another strangled with the stone of a grape another with a flie some crushed and troden to death Man continueth not in one stay hee is of fewe dayes in his body and full of trouble in his estate Secondly mans glory is soone gone The Prophet saith the glory of Epraim shall flie away like a bird from the birth and from the wombe and from the conception Hos. 9. 11. By glory is meant riches power honour and renowne As a bird doeth not long stay in a place so glory as riches and such like doe not long continue The smoake ascending vpward from the chimney at the first is great and thicke but it is quickly scattered and out of sight so the glory of the men of this world by litle and litle is obscured and vanisheth cleane away The first vse wee must remember our ende how fraile and fickle a thing our life is hence is it that Dauid saith Lord let mee knowe my ende and the measure of my dayes what it is let mee knowe how long I haue to liue Psal. 39. 4. Thy life is as the palme of thy hand if it be compared with eternitie and it may bee more truely called the shadow of death then life It is decreed that the death of all is a certaine houre but the houre of death vncertaine It is better the houre of death be vnknowne then knowen Moses saith Teach vs to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts vnto wisedome Psalm 90. 12. That wee may haue the fewnesse of our dayes in memory that vvee promise to our selues no great things in this world but that our mindes bee set vvholly on the study of heauenly wisedome Let vs consider how many yeares vvee haue liued in the vvorld how many of them vvee haue spent in sleepe and eating how many in childhood and vanities how many in vvorldlinesse and vvickednesse and how few in pietie and godlinesse vvhy doe I speake of yeares I may speake of moneths nay of dayes nay of houres vve neede not the Art of Arithmeticke to number the houres
that many of vs haue spent in reading praying meditating examining hearing and practising holy and Christian duties Let vs now returne to the Lord Iere. 4. 1. Let vs heare his writ while it is to day Heb. 3. 13. Let vs arise and depart for this is not our rest Mich. 2. 10. Let vs be more frequent in prayer more carefull in hearing more conuersant in meditation more painfull in seeking more diligent in examining and more studious in doing Let not God the author of time haue the least part of time spent in his seruice Let vs redeeme the time Coloss. 4. 5. Buy it with repentance vvatching fasting praying and with strong cries let vs make our peace fly from the anger to come Math. 3. 7. Let vs remember our Creator in the dayes of our youth Eccles. 12. 1. God vvill haue the first fruites and the first borne are due to him Let vs consider our latter ende Deut. 32. 29. and how quickly our life vvill be gone Our sinees cleaue so fast vnto vs that wee doe not remember our latter ende Lament 1. 9. Wee are carelesse in making our calling and election sure 2. Pet. 1. 10. It is sufficient for vs that wee haue spent the time past of our liues after the lustes of the Gentiles walking in wantonnesse lustes drunkennesse in gluttonies drinkings and in abominable idolatries 1. Pet. 4. 3. Our gray haires our sickly bodies our weakenesses and infirmities the shortnesse of our liues the iudgements of God on others and his mercies toward vs should make vs alway aboundant in the workes of the Lord 1. Cor. 15. 58. That is we must proue our constancy in faith and our loue to God and our neighbour by earnest study endeauour and zeale not that our workes can bee superogatory and more then due but that we ought to excell in the things that are due Let vs double our imploiment in reading the Scripture Prayer must bee sent before vnderstanding desired the continuance of meditation giuen that the Scripture might transforme vs into it selfe after a sort In reading the Scripture the guide oft to be the grace of God study and diligence must be giuen that all may be referred to edification In meditation which putteth life and strength into all other duties Wee must meditate on Gods maiestie aboue vs on our nature within vs on the vanitie of the world without vs on the shortnesse of life behinde vs and on heauen which is set before vs. In hearing of the word preached which is the meanes of knowledge and faith and of all grace with the blessed and prosperous grouth and increase thereof In conference in mortification and in mercy The life of all wise men is the meditation of death Is outward glory soone gone I for the glory of man endeth with the life of man It is hard to bee gotten short of continuance and sorrowfull to be left It is giuen to men not that they should giue themselues to it or to affect it too much Be not thou afraid saith the Prophet when one is made rich and when the glory of his house is increased For hee shall take nothing away when he dieth neither shall his pompe descend after him Psalm 49. 16. 17. Salomons glory ended with his life so did Hamans Herodes and Neroes The affecting of outward glory doeth cause many to fall from God The loue of the world made Demas for sake Christ 2. Tim. 4. 10. The loue of money made Iudas sell Christ Math. 26. 15. The loue of riches made the couetous man loose Christ Luk. 12. 20. And the seeking of vaine glory maketh many men neglect Christ. Seeke Christ and yee shall liue Amo. 5. 6. Seeke him while hee may bee found Esa. 55. 6. He that hath I sachar his burden must needes couch Gen. 49. 14. He that hath rent his net will take nothing Luk. 5. 5. They which are laden with thicke clay cannot mount vp before the Lord Habak 2. 6. They can neuer bee faithfull disposers that are faithlesse workers 1. Cor. 4. 2. They will say and doe not Math 23. 3. So they which labour much for vaine glory will hardly attaine to true glory And the place thereof shall knowe it no more When the flower is cut off or withereth the roote is greene in the earth but man when hee is once dead shall liue no more here hee shall liue no more vpon earth Hee shall bee seene no more here hee shall liue no more in this world The place where a flower hath growne shall know it no more so the place shall know no more where man hath liued That man being onee dead shall liue no more on earth Who of all our fathers departed this life haue liued againe a naturall life wee shall goe to them they shall not com to vs they triumph wee fight they at their iourneyes ende wee trauailing they in the hauen wee on the sea they at rest wee in trouble Remember that my life is but winde and that mine eyes shall not returne to see pleasure The eye that hath seene me shall see me no more thine eyes are vpon me and I shall be no longer As the cloude vanisheth and goeth away so hee that goeth downe to the graue shall come vp no more He shall no more returne to his house neither shall his place knowe him any more Iob. 7. 7. 8. 9. 10. As if Iob had said after death I shall not liue here on earth enioying my riches my dignities and power I shall not come againe to eate and drinke to haue children and to be restored to my former estate I shall not command seruants nor bee commanded by any higher power on earth my life shall bee a communion with the blessed Trinitie my ioy the presence of the lambe my exercise singing my dittie praise yee the Lord my consorts Saints and Angels the place the heauen of heauens 1. Kin. 8. 27. The Paradise Luk. 23. 43. The bridegromes chamber Psal. 19. 5. They which now see me shall see me no more on earth my soule at the time of dissolution shall returne to God that gaue it Eccles. 12. 7. and my body to the dust dust I am concerning my body Gen. 3. 19. There is hope of a tree if it be cut downe that it will yet sprout and the branches thereof will not cease Though the roote of it waxe olde in the earth and the stock thereof be dead in the ground Yet by the sent of the water it vvill bud and bring forth houghes like a plant But man is sicke and dieth and man perisheth and vvhere is he Iob 14. 7. 8. 9. 10. Hee that is once dead naturally cannot bee repaired againe hee cannot returne to liue on earth An house that is fallen may bee built againe a tree that is fallen may bee vnderpropped and staied vp againe but