and whatsoeuer is vilde which shee once disdained should touch her shall now tread vpon her Yea stinke and rottennesse shall so preuaile against that bodie which was once so proud that none may abide it like Herods and Antiochus but all men readie to get her into the ground to auoyd her noy some smel which once abounded with Pomanders and must-balls Thus wee see a foule fall of filthie Pride neuer thought vpon before it come of the most Like Diues who neuer remembred hell vntill hee was in it Then he cried But if thou once be there Luk. 16.24 then neuer hope for helpe for Ab inferno nulla est redemptic thou shalt neuer come out Amend then before death come Ambr. lib. de bono Mortis c. 2. et in oratione de fide resur Aug. in Io. Tract 42. lib. Q. 2.65 32. Oreg in Epist ad Rom. lib. 6. Of death the auncient and learned Fathers haue gathered from the holie scriptures as the painfull Bees dooth hony from the flowers not only for themselues but for others Sic vos non vobis fertis aratra boues Therefore because that which is written is written for our learning I haue gathered from them both foure kindes of death 1 The death of sin generall 2 The death Mysticall 3 The death Naturall 4 The death Eternall 1 The death of sinne as Saint Ambrose calls it is the depriuation or losse or darkening of the Image of God in man like vnto which hee was creared Thus Adam dyed so soone as he had eaten of the forbidden fruit as God promised vnto him hee should And in Adam All die 1. Cor. 15.22 like as the braunches of a tree doo wither when the roote is dead Therefore the Apostle saith Rom. 3.23 All haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God Ephe. 2.3 And were by nature the children of wrath and were dead in our sinnes Of this death many places testifie As Let the dead bury the dead Math. 8.22 Arise thou that sleepest stand vp from the dead c. See Galathians 3.22 Psal 14.1 Further search and thou shalt finde 2 Death Mysticall is to forsake sinne Quando quis peccato moritur deo viuit When one dyeth vnto sinne and liueth vnto God It is Qua a peccatis moriuntur whereby men die from sinne Of this Paule speaketh saying How shall wee that are dead vnto sinne yet liue therein Againe Ye are dead to sinne but are aliue to GOD in Iesus Christ our Lord. Of this death Christ speaketh saying The houre is come and now it is when the dead shall heare the voice of the sonne of GOD and liue Thus Paul dyed And so should we therefore hee saieth Mortifie your earthly members 3 Death Naturall S. Ambrose saith is Animae corporisque secessio The departing or seperating asunder of the body and the soule Thus Adam dyed and all we must die Only Elias those that shal be found aliue at Christs comming to iudgement die not thus but they shall be chaunged Which shall be in stead of death 4. Death eternall is the seperation of the soule and body from God and the kingdome of heauen and that for euermore Quae stipendium peccati nominatur Which is called the reward of sinne This Christ remembreth saying If a man keepe my word hee shall neuer see death Which the Euangelist calleth the Second death 1. The lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Into which the great Iudge of all the world will send all the wicked saying Go ye cursed into euerlasting fire Ioh. 8.51 which is prepared for the diuell and his angels Of these two last my text speaketh for Nabuchadnezzar and all the proud and abhominable of the world But know that wee all must to the first and third Math. 25 41. and they that come not to the second shall be sure of the fourth For the first the King cared not to the second he came not to the third hee was forced and in the fourth hee with all such shall neuer haue rest Cruciabuntur die ac nocte They shal be tormented day and night and that for euermore Now of these two last in order CHAP. IIII. What death is DEath naturall is described of many in seuerall maner but the sence or meaning is all one One saith death is Metoicesis tes psuches euthenthe eis allon topon A remoouing Translatio Abret ex Plat. Act. 7.59 Chrysos popu ad Antioch Hom. 7. Aug. in Iohn Ambr. li. de bono mort ca. 1 3. or translating of the soule from hence to another place An other Depositio sarcinae grauis An easing or vnlading one of a heauie burthen S. Ambrose saith death is Spirandi munere priuari To bee depriued of the benefite of breathing Againe Mors est absolutio animae corporis quaedam hominis seperatio Death is an absolution or discharge of the soule from the body and a certaine seperation of man It is like vnto a bill of diuorcement betwixt man and wife seperating that which before was one flesh Adultery is the cause of the one and the diuell sinne and thine owne consent thereto is the cause of the other But the most affirme that Mors aliud non est Aug. de cōso mort lib. 2. ca. 1. quam animae seperatio à corpore Death is nothing else but the seperation of the body and the soule It is like enuy that parteth friends asunder Therefore Ambrose vseth this saying of the Psalme he speaking of death Thou hast broken my bonds asunder Abr. li. de bono Mortis cap. 3. Because death breaketh open the prison of the soule Augustine saith That euen as famine is the defect of foode thirst the want of drinke and darknesse the absence of light c. euen so death is nothing else Aug. contra Pelag. Hyp. lib. 1. Nisi Nomen recedente vita But a name the life beeing gone To be short the Apostle Paul spake of death when he said I desire to be loosed So did Ionas when hee said Take my life from mee And Iob when he desired To be cut off This loosing taking away of life or cutting off is death By which the soule departing Paulatim saith Ambrose by litle and litle Ambr. de bono Mor. cap. 2. Soluat se vinculis carnis ore emissa euolat tanquam carcereo corporis huius exuta gurgustio She looseth her selfe from the bandes of the flesh and beeing got out at the doore of the mouth as the spies escaped through Rahabs windowe shee mounteth as being freed from the close darke dungion of the body as one bestirreth his heeles that is broke out of prison And this is death whither all must come But I thinke some scarce beleeueth it and therefore I wil proue it vnto them CHAP. V. That all men must die and when THat all men must die it is plaine for it is written Iosuah
2.15 What man liueth and shall not see death and shall hee deliuer his soule from the hand of the graue The woman of Tekoah hauing a sute to king Dauid the better to mooue him to graunt her request she put him in minde of his death saying Omnes We all must needs die c. for it is appointed vnto men that they shall once die Ortus cuncta suos repetunt Matremque requirunt The meaning is All things must to their mother from whence they were taken Gen. 3.19 Adam is earthy and therefore called Adam and must to the earth Eccl. 41.10 Coru. Gal. Aug. in Euch. ad Laur. cap. 93. de pecca Meri libr. 2. cap. 34. Aug. in Ps 38. as the wise man saith All that is of the earth shall turne to the earth againe Thnascomen homos hapantes Which the Poet doth well expresse saying Omnibus est eadem lethi via All die alike but seuerall meanes bring men to their end Of this thy very meate vpō thy table might put thee in mind For all things die for thy sustenance and thou shalt die for thy sinne The labourer is worthy of his hyer and the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6. Quo cunque te verteris incerta omnia sola mors certa Whatsoeuer thou shalt determin all things are vncertaine onely death is certain All flie at the sight of her whip as the dust before the winde She doth ransacke as wel the pallaces of Princes as poore cottages Both rich and poore young and old of what degree soeuer Ferentur shall packe with her there is no parlying about the matter But when shee comes as Iehu said to the messenger of Iehoram so will shee to thee Turne thee behinde me 2. Reg. 9.18 Follow thou me as Christ said to Peter Heu Heu quam surda miseros auertitur aure Boet. Et flentes oculos claudere saeua negat Which thus may be translated Alas ô woe from wofull men as deafe she turnes her eare And though they cry she doth deny any one of them to heare It is written of all Superiours Ps 82.6.7 I haue said you are Gods but a retreit is also sounded You shall die like men 1. Reg. 2.2 Cesar Hanniball Alexander Pompey many other the mightie Captaines and Monarkes of the world are dead King Dauid though the man after Gods owne heart said I go the way of all the earth 1. I die as all must Nay Iesus Christ was not exempted from this death Looke in the booke of God and you shall finde this the Period of life as well to the holy Fathers the Patriarkes and Prophet as to young babes Mortuus est and he dyed and the childe dyed Thus we see what death is and that all must die Now know this that none shall die before their time appointed of God but euen when theyr time is come which they shall not passe This some of the vely Heathen did consesse saying Stat sua cuique dies breue irreparabile tempus omnibus est vitae The effect is euery mans time is appointed short and vnrepaireable But the scriptures are plaine proouing the same Holy Iob saith Iob. 14. Are not his dayes determined the number of his moneths are with thee thou 1. God hast appointed his bounds which he cannot passe Which Caluin confesseth writing vpon the same place As Ioseph was cast into prison and kept in the stocks yet when his time came the King sent and loosed him euen so will God do by thy soule For as the Egiptians could not keepe the Israelites in bondage after their time was come to be deliuered no more can the body the soule nor the graue the body when God sendeth for their deiluerance Almightie God speaking by his Prophet of the destruction of the Egiptians saith They could not stand Ier. 46.21 because the day of destruction was come vpon them And for the death and destruction of all the enemies of Gods Church Daniel saith which also was reuealed vnto the Euangelist Iohn There is a time appointed Dan. 11.35.36 the determination is made You know many times the Iewes sought to kill Iesus Christ but when they would they could not as the Apostle saieth No man laid hands on him for his houre was not yet come And Salomon saith To all things there is an appointed time c. A time to be borne and a time to die The very minute or instant thereof thou shalt not passe as before is shewed And this is the ordinance of the Lord ouer all flesh CHAP. VI. Whether any die before their time BVt here some will obiect and say with Dauid Ps 55.24 25 The bloudie and deceitful men shall not liue halfe their dayes Againe God added fifteene yeares vnto the dayes of Hezechias And Ionas preached to Niniuie Ionas 3.4 saying Yet fortie dayes and Niniuy shall be destroyed Fortie dayes came and Niniuy was not destroyed Therefore to some their time is shortned for a plague and to some their daies are prolonged for a blessing as God hath promised And the time of death and certaine end of mans life is not determined First to the threatnings as also to the promises of the blessings of almightie God I answere that both containe alwaies a condition sometimes expressed in Deut. 28.2.15 Isa 1.19.20 Ezech. 33.13.14.15 Sometimes not expressed as to Hezechiab 2. Reg 20.1 To Niniuy Ionas 3. And infinite other wicked people Gal. 5.21 Reu. 21.8 1. Cor. 6.9.10 And when God giueth grace to vs to do his will or leaueth man to his sin the condition is obserued or not obserued According vnto which the promise taketh place whether it be of a curse or of a blessing So that though we say commonly of them that kill themselues they shorten their daies or they die before their time indeed it seemeth so to the opinion of man yet in the decree of God it is not so But Gods iudgement was so determined vpon such a man and the like with Iob his children Malum paenae before the world was And his counsell shall stand for our instruction 1. Either to try or quicken our faith and expresse our patience to the example of other Iob. 1.22 as he did with the holy man Iob. 2. Or to expresse his owne power as hee did to him that was borne blinde The Disciples said to Christ Maister who did sinne this man or his parents that hee was borne blinde Ioh. 9 2.3 Iesus answered Neitther hath this man sinned nor his parents but that the workes of God should be shewed on him 3. Or else to shewe vs his high displeasure and punishment for sinne as he did against Nabuchadnezzar and the wicked of the world And with the Lord there is no shadow of chaunge So that through death punishments come vpon men by meanes ordinary and extraordinarie as Dauid effectually confesseth yet the time and houre and very instant thereof is
first and also of the Gretian Reue. 2.9 O the fearefull trembling that these and such like truthes of Gods holy word doo bring to a desperate soule at the remembrance of death Of which in their life time though they haue no feeling yet at the day of death they may bring a wofull griping Thirdly I omit to speake of the vnsatiable care worldly men haue to get their greedie desire to keepe and their loathsomenesse to depart from theyr Mamonisme worldly wealth and pleasure All which doth make them sorrie to see death and quake to thinke vpon it Ecclesi 41.1 Mat. 19.21 The worldling in the Gospell was loth and sorrowfull yea more he would not leaue his worldly pelfe to walk with Iesus Christ though hee was promised treasure in heauen And how wil those that be such grieue when they see they must in spight of their teeth goe with death of whome they are perswaded it neuer bringeth good vnto them but euil 1. Reg. 21.8 as Ahab was by the holie Prophet or messenger of the Lord Fourthly I would if any of my paines could preuaile with you to wring sinne from you shewe what reare God may strike into the hearts of wicked men at the remembrance of death when they call to mind 1. how they haue caused many to blaspheme Rom. 2.24 Mat. 18.7 and to commit sinne by their euil example And 2. do know that therefore their punishment shall be the greater As 3. to consider that the fathers wicked life shall be cast in their childrens teeth as Rom. 18.8 what was thy father but an Vsurer Extortionerâ—â— Drunkard Eccle. 41.7 Wisd 4 6. a whoremaster or such like Of which saith the wise man The Children complaine of an vngodly father because they be reproached for his sake Will not these thinke you with a thousand the like cogitations driue terrour and feare into wicked mens hearts at the sight of death Fift and lastly when such wicked men doo call to minde how they haue seen the poore to be afflicted many and sundry wayes and haue not comforted them but haue rather sought diuersly to vexe them and so haue brought the curse of the people vpon them And herewithall remember how the poore shall be comforted Luc. 16.25 Pro. 10.7 Psal 37.2.9.10 and themselues tormented and that their name shall rotte and their remembrance shall be cleane put out And also do perswade themselues that they be of the number of them of whom it is said Woe be to you that are full for ye shall hunger Woe be to you that now laugh for you shall waile and mourne Luk. 6.25 Then they may turne their faces to the wall with Hezechias but looke for small comfort and say What hath our Pride profited vs or what profit hath the pompe of our riches brought vs We sometimes haue had many in dirision and in a parable of reproach We fooles we counted their life madnesse and thought their ende would be without honour But they are reckoned among the children of God Wisd 5.3.4.5.8 and shall haue their portion among the Saints But with vs it is not so 1. Psal 1.5.6 Wisd 4.14 we are like the chaffe which the wind driueth away from the face of the earth therefore we shall not be able to stand in the iudgements neither in the congregation of the righteous O the consideratioÌ„ of these things to a distressed soule plunged in distrust is iust cause to sorrow and mourne Of such it may truly be said Nasci miseria viuere paena mori angustia est To be borne is miserie to liue is a plague and for to die is anguish and woe And thus much to shewe you some causes why death is a terror vnto the wicked people of the world CHAP. XII Who feare not death NOw there is an other sort of men vnto whom death is neuer terrible but most heartily welcome And these are those spirituall minded men the number whereof is but small Math. 7.14 which haue the seale of the liuing God in their foreheads Reue. 7.3 Whose names are written in the Lambes booke of life Which haue made their long robes white in the bloud of the Lambe These haue the spirit of the liuing God by which they are sealed vnto the day of redemption and are not in the flesh but in the spirit because the spirit of God dwelleth in them Which spirit beareth witnesse vnto our spirits Rom. 8.9.16 that wee are the children of God and heires annexed with Christ if so bee that wee suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him or else not For after death there is a seperation of the soule from God into hell onely Math. 7.23 Which the learned doo call the death of the soule and the Euangelist Iohn Luk. 16.26 The second death Quam omnes patiuntur qui periculorum metu fidem abnegant mundo sese conformes reddunt Gualt in Hos 14. Hom. 44. Mat. 10. 1. Ioh. 2.15 Which all soules do fuffer that for feare of daungers doo denie the faith and fashion themselues like vnto the worlde But the Saints of God are free being iustified by faith and are at peace with God through Iesus Christ our Lorde And they do shewe forth their faith by their workes being borne anew not of mortall seed but of immortall by the word of God who liueth and endureth for euer And these beeing strong in the Lorde and in the power of his might doo cast away the workes of darknesse and put vpon them the armor of light euen the whole armour of God by which they are able to resist in the euill day and hauing finished all things they stand fast For their heart as the Prophet saith beleeueth in the Lord and they are not afraid to meete with their enemie in the gate Therefore if death come or the diuel or whatsoeuer they feare not For who shall laie any thing to the charge of Gods elect Rom. 8.33 It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne And so these are as willing to welcome death Luk. 2.25.28 Colloss 1.21 Psal 120.5 as Simeon was ioyfull to imbrace Christ because death is to them aduantage Therefore the Princely Prophet Dauid said Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell with Meshech and to abide among the tents of Kedar And againe Bring my soule out of prison Ps 142.7 1. Reg. 2.2 And a little before his death quietly hee said I goe the way of all the earth that is I know death is at hand Iob. 6.8.9 Ien. 4.3 This holie Iob wished for and Ionas praied O Lord take I beseech thee my life from me for it is better for me to die then to liue Paul knowing the same Rom. 7.24 saide O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death And writing to the Philippians hee saith Phil. 1.23.24 To abide in the flesh was needfull for them but
will and so should death our life Therefore it is said Ecclesiast 7.36 Aug. lib. 2. de doctr Christ. Remember thy end and thou shalt neuer do amisse And so Timor de futura morte mentem necessario contulit quasi clauus carnis omnes motus superbiae ligno crucis affigit The feare of death to come of force fretteth or disquieteth the minde and as a naile of the flesh it fasteneth or pinneth all the motions of Pride to the stocke or altar of the Crosse But the forgetfulnesse of death and that woe that followeth together with the contempt of godly patience and long suffering maketh men forget that the bountifulnesse of God is to leade vs vnto amendment of life And therefore with the slothfull beast they are euen fatted against the day of slaughter wallowing in their sinne as the sow in the myer like the sluggard who rowles himselfe vpon his bed saying Yet a little sleepe a little slumber a little foulding of the handes to sleepe In like manner those that be proud with the vsurer the whore-maister the extortioner and oppressor c. say with themselues one day after an other Yet a little more Pride a little more vsurie whoredome extortion oppression c. yet a little more nay a little more yet So they haue neuer inough lyke Hell which cannot bee satisfied And as they thirst after sinne so Hell gapeth after them And deare bretheren bought with the blood of the immaculate Lambe of GOD without repentance destruction shall come vpon them and euerlasting death shall gnaw on them Then shall they see what a faire thred they haue spunne Nothing could content them but Hell will containe them Therefore aright remember thy ende and let that mooue thee to applie thy heart vnto wisedome Take the counsell of the holie Ghost Walke whilest it is called to day While ye haue the light beleeue in the light that yee may be the children of the light And behold now the accepted time behold now the day of saluation the night commeth when no man can walke And these may be causes why the time of death is not reuealed CHAP. VIII Of those that deferre to repent and think they shall not die yet BVt notwithstanding this heere is a certaine fellowe called Shall that all this while lyeth lurking in the text which carrieth along a great deale of filth and still he is at all hands readie and sets his foote before men to keepe them from this resolution And makes them thinke yet it is but a sleight of the diuel that if they may haue him their friend if they may haue that day giuen them then they will doo bad ynough You thinke I should say well inough But read the second Chapter of Wisedome and you shall see what these Atheists both say and doo And surely this same presumptuous fellow Shall or some other his bastarde brother vndoubtedly brings men into some one or into all these wicked opinions 1 With the foolish bodie to say in their heart Psal 14.1 There is no God 2. Or else neuer to remember or regarde death with the rich man in the Gospel who said to his soule Luk. 12.19 Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeares liue at ease cate drinke the poore would if they had it and be mery or take thy pastime 3. Or else they thinke that after death there is no woe Wisd 2.5 And so they say desperately Surely wee will walke after our owne imaginations and doo euery man after the stubbornnesse of his wicked heart and practise it because our hand hath power 4. Or else they put farre away the euil day I. They thinke they shall not die yet and so approach to the seate of iniquitie Thus shewing themselues to be of the number of those mockers whereof S. Peter speaketh which say Where is the promise of his comming Such things do they imagine and goe astray for their owne wickednes hath blinded them But to answere this fellow and your backe friend Shall be ye well assured that he stands not in my Text to note the deferring or prolonging of iudgement but to shewe the certaintie and necessitie of an intollerable plague to come vpon Nabuchadnezzar and all such that are proud Therefore ô wicked man Be not deceiued that is Gal. 6.7 deceiue not thy selfe God is not mocked 1. Thou canst not mocke with God but Whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he reape This is true Thou shalt die thy time is set and it shall not tarry long though thou presume neuer so much vpon this Shall Which for to prooue the holie Scriptures are plaine And many men haue written long and large discourses heereof and daily experience doth manifest the same And a short Epitomie of all thus briefly may be shewed CHAP. IX What time men may account off to liue THe oldest men that euer liued in this world neuer sawe a thousand yeares Gen. 5. Psal 90.4 2. Pet. 3.8 And if they had Athousand yeeres with the Lord are but as yesterday seeing that is past as a watch in the night In agnitione diuinae virtutis Et preterita presentia Glos ord in Pet. ibid. futura aequaliter praesentia constant With the Almightie times past present and to come are all present alike And therefore it is saide onely of him Reu. 22.13 I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end the first and the last And Christ saith Before Abraham was I am But come thou to thy selfe ô man looke of what time thou canst bee assured and of that thou mayest boast The time that is past thou canst not recall of that which is to come thou must not presume measure that that is present and take that for thine owne And this is the very instant and moment of time shorter then can be spoken of and therefore a short time will serue for to measure it But put all together and because thou shouldest not be imboldened to sinne neither expect by presumption any time to come the most sacred word of God sheweth that it is but short Holy Iob saith Iob. 14.1 Man that is borne of a woman hath but a short time to liue Which Paul confirmeth saying 1. Cor. 7.29 This I say bretheren because the time is short c. The shortnesse whereof is further made manifest by diuers Similitudes For mans life is compared to a Flower of the field To a grasse To a shadow To a vapore A vapore vanisheth a shadow fadeth grasse withereth the flower falleth all are soone gone and the dayes of man consume apace and passe verie swiftly Therefore they be compared vnto a thought To wind To a Weauers shittle To a poste To most swift ships and to an Eagle Then which what is swifter and then man what is britler Psal 39.5 Wherefore he is called an earthen vessell which is suddenly broken Therefore Dauid measuring out manlife he saith 2.
our doores and the sharpe sword of samine and hunger with many other diseases one presently after an other What haue these wrought in our hearts where is any reformation of manners Pride encreaseth c. Christ told the Iewes when an vncleane spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through drie places seeking rest and finding none Then he saith 〈◊〉 wil return into mine house frō whence I came and when he is come he findeth it emptie swept and garnished The◠hee goeth and taketh vnto him seuen other spirits worse then himself they enter in and dwell there and the end of that man is worse thē the beginning Euen so shall it be with this wicked generation Pharao his heart was hardned to his owne destruction Is yours think you to saluation You should not forget that Esau Heb. 12.17 when hee would haue inherited the blessing hee was reiected for hee found no place to repentance though he sought the same with teares But what may wee looke for among whom I feare for our sinnes teares are as plentifull as snow in sommer There are none Corazin Bethsaida Sodome Math. 11.20 Gomor with Tyre Sydon Capernaum c. are in the lake of torments that burneth with fire and brimstone for contemning the word of God Diues would haue had Abrahā when he could get no helpe for himselfe to send Lazarus to warne his brethren Least saith he they come into this place of tormēts But Abraham answered againe saying Luk. 16.23 They haue Moses and the Prophets with whom we haue Christ his Apostles also let thē heare them As if he should say if they will not heare thē for such is that place of torments and woe prepared Peraduenture thou dost thinke to haue repentance at thy call as the Centurion had his seruants Thou seest by Esau thou mayest be deceiued Can an Ethiopian or Blackmoore change his blacke skin or the Leopard his spots and can you do well hauing learned all the dayes of your life to doo euill Who can bow a full growne Oake And who can repent when himselfe list What might bee said here of this matter without wearinesse But I will onely send you to one place more Then consider with your selues what cause wicked men haue to tremble at the sight or remembrance of death when they shall bee plagued for abusing the time of saluation and repentance offered and the counsell of the Lord with his louing correctiō 1. Pet. 5 7 God at at all times carefully as before calamitie specially called Israel from their sinnes by his holy Prophets And whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning Zach. 7.11 But they refused to hearken and obey therfore God denied to heare help them though they cryed when destruction fell vpon them When thou thinkest that God will do so by thee O how fearefull will the rememembrance of death bee Secondly as the remembrance of death is terrible vnto vs when we think that God will not heare vs 2. Chro. 24.20 lying on our beds crying and howling because we haue despised to heare him when his holie maiestie cried called for vs so also to consider that God is true in his promises that to them that cannot repent he fulfilleth his threatnings that he therefore is iust that hee is the God of vengeance 1. vnto whom vengeance belongeth that as hee is crowned with mercie so he is armed with iustice and in truth he will shew himselfe to plead against vs and to plague vs. And when thou O man doest call to minde vpon thy bed of death that thy life hath bene spent in vsurie extortion oppression Pride couetousnesse whoredome drunkennesse malice enuie and such like sinnes for which the curse of God is due this will make thee say of death as Israel did to Moses of God saying Let not God talke with vs least we die Exo. 20.19 So thou Let not death apprehend vs least we goe to hell Here now we may see euen what the feare of death is Ludelp Sax. in Mat. 10. Idem Ex Chris ibid. Non dolor exeundi de corpore sed disperatio vitae post mortem timet Idest mortem qui non putat se viuere post mortem The feare of death is not sorrow to die but the dispairing of life after death That is He feareth death that cannot tell what will become of his soule after death And so Aug. de vera innocen Qui malae conscientiae est semper pucillanimis timidus est hee that is of an euil conscience is alwayes faint-harted and fearfull of death because they tremble to thinke Moriendo quo ire rogantur whither God in vengeance will sende them when they bee dead And beleeue me thereof is great cause For we reade that Esdras prayed Mat. 44. as we are taught saying Let it not be thy will to destroy them that haue liued like beasts and worse then beasts Esdr 8.28 Answer is made I will not verily consider the workes of them before the death before the iudgement before destruction As if it were saide But then God will Math. 13.29.41.42 These are they that haue their portion in this life these are such like as of whom Christ saide Verily I say vnto you they haue their reward Math. 6.5 euen pleasure in this life for paine in the life to come Luk. 16. with Diues Then woe be vnto you O ye vngodly which haue forsaken the lawe of the most high God For though you increase yet shall ye perish If ye be borne ye shall be borne to cursing If ye die the curse shall be your portion Ecclesiast 41.8.9 Knowe yee not that the vnrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome GOD Be not deceiued for neither fornicators adulterers vncleane wantons Idolators Witches they that liue in hatred debate wrath and enuie they that are proud emulators contentious seditious heretickes murtherers drunkards gluttons Infidels lyars buggerers Theeues couetous raylers extortioners backbyters haters of GOD dooers of wrong proud boasters couenaunt breakers disobedient to parents and such like These Gods word saith shall not inherite the kingdome of GOD. Rom. 1.29.30 1. Cor. 6.9.10 Gal. 5.19.20 Reu. 21.8.27 For they goe the way that leadeth to destruction Math. 7.13 Thus we see the workes of the flesh are manifest And if yee liue after the flesh ye shall die Ro. 8.13 Then feare for if the righteous scarcely shall be saued where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare 1. Pet. 4.18 Whose iudgement long agoe is not far off and their damnation sleepeth not 2. Pet. 2.3 But euerie one shall receiue according to his workes Psal 62 12. When it shall be said Depart from me ye workers of iniquitie Luk. 13.27 Ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuel and his angels Math. 25.41 Where indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish shall bee vpon the soule of euery man that dooth euill of the Iew
for himselfe he sheweth his minde euen that hee desired to be loose hand to be with Christ which is best of all Thus holie men after they once beginne with Henocke to walke with GOD Wis 4.10 that is in godlinesse to please God as he did they iudge none blessed before their death Which the verie Heathen confessed Dicique beatus Ante obitum nemo supremaque funera debet Ouide li. 3. Met. The meaning is to be accounted blessed none should before their last end TheÌ„ though the righteous be preuented with death Wisd 4.7 Luk. 16 22 23.43 Luk. 2.28 yet shall he be at rest in Abrahams bosome in Paradice with Christ that is in the kingdome of heauen Therefore when death commeth these do say ioying with Simeon when hee had seene Christ Psal 4.8 Lord now lettest thou thy seruaunt depart in peace according to thy word Or with Dauid Psa 116.7 I will late me downe and sleepe in peace for thou Lorde onely makest mee dwell in safetie therefore returne vnto thy rest ô my soule Thus peaceably and ioyfully of such faithfull men death is louingly imbraced And euery day the Apostles desire to bee with Christ How death is and is not to be wished for is preferred to any worldly consolation or ioy Not as wishing the determinate decree of God concerning our end to be altered as those blasphemous people do who vpon euery occasion or crosse wish themselues out of the world or that they had neuer bene borne with such like like kinde of cursed speaking but expressing our choyse and loue betwixt life temporall and death 2. Cor. 5.8 and therein submitting our selues vnder the mightie hand of God Thus death is imbraced and louingly entertained of the children of God for diuers considerations CHAP. XIII Why death is neuer feared of the godly FIrst because with that aged Father the Patriarke Iacob Gen. 47.9 Heb. 11.13 1. Cron. 29.15 Ps 39.12 1. Pe. 2.11 Gen. 15.13 47.4 we make account that our life is but as a pilgrimage and our selues straungers Pilgrimes or soiourners on the earth as the seed of Abraham were in a land that was not theirs Straungers continue not in a place and we looke for a better home For as the Tabernacles of the Israelites were to be remooued euen so are ours Exo. 33.7 2. Cor. 5 5. Num. 15.2 2. Cor. 5.4 Their abiding place hoped for was the land of promise and ours is the kingdome of heauen figured by theirs where mortalitie shall be swallowed vp of life Therfore it is written Heb. 13.14 Here we haue no continuing citie but we seeke one to come For we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle be destroyed we haue a building giuen of God eâ—â— an house not made with hands but eternall life in the heauens So that whilest we are strangers in the body 2. Cor. 5.1.6 we are absent from the Lord. Therfore we forget that which is behind Phil. 3.13 14. and indeuour our selues vnto that which is before and followe hard towardes the marke vnto which death guides vs as is before shewed Therefore it is called a Waye 1. Reg. 2 2. Iob. 16 22. Aretius de Morte that brings vs vnto God A quo in hunc mundum sumus peregrinatum missi of whom we are sent into the world to abide there as straungers vntill death come And then Anima ad caeleslia colligitur corpus suis restituitur elementis ad suuÌ„ vsque tempus The soule is taken into the heauens and the bodie is dissolued into his elements vntill his appointed time An other writer saith that death Oslij instar est Gualt in Has 13. Hom. 44. aut viae per quam nos ex hac vita mortali in immortalitatem transire oportet is like vnto a doore or a waye through which wee must passe out of this mortall life into immortalitie And it may not amisse be compared vnto the starre Mat. 2.9 10. that guided the wise men till they came to the stable where the blessed babe Christ lay in the manger and death brings vs to behold Christ glorified in the heauens at the right hand of his father Ioh. 20.20 When they saw the starre they reioyced with an exceeding great ioy like the Disciples which were glad when they had seene the Lord. And shall we be sorrie to meeâ—e with death that brings vs vnto God Christ healing one lying vpon his bed sick of the palsie Mat. 9.6 said Arise take vp thy bed and goe to thine house Euen so when death commeth she may say to our soules in our bodies sick vpon our beds as the Prophet of God did to Israel in an other matter Arise and depart for this is not your rest Mich. 2.10 He that had bene sicke arose and departed to his owne house And beloued why should not we at the commaundement of God when he saith by death come Loue to remoue out of the bodie and to dwell with the Lord 2. Cor. 5.8 being here but strangers in a vaile of miserie One saith Vita quid est hominis nisi vallis plena malorum Principio medio fine dolenda suo What is mans life but a vaile of griefe still tumbled in strife His springtime's woe Autumne is so Winter hath sorrow as rife And therfore Mors pro remedio data est quasi finis malorum Ambr. in orat de fide resue Chris de popu Antioch Hom. 7. Death is giuen vs for a remedie as the end of all troubles it being A vitae curis absolutio The absolution froÌ„ the cares of this life And therefore carefully to be expected and willingly imbraced without any feare Secondly we haue great cause to reioyce at the comming of death because by it we passe from infinite troubles to the end of our faith euen the saluation of our soules long hoped for Which is an inheritance immortall and vndesiled that fadeth not away reserued in heauen for vs. 1. Pet. 1.9 c. Vnto the hope whereof wee are begotten by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead So that we account of death but as of an happy hauen wherin we do arriue and are at ease from infinite turbulent stormes which we haue suffred in the surging seas of this wicked world Morborum vltimus medicus mors Aret. Stella Chrysost vt ante tantum corporis tollit mala Death is the last Phisitian or helper of our paineâ— which onely riddeth away the griefes of the body Portus est mortalibus mors Of Chrysostome it is called Tranquillus portus Death a calme hauen for mortall men where they arriue to behold the faire beautie of the Lord and to visit his Temple In many places of holy scripture Death is called a Sleepe Because that euen as sleepe and quiet rest is to a painfull honest labouring man at night most sweete and comfortable so lkewise is Death to a
faithfull soule garnished with good workes like a Bride-chamber adorned ending all things with ioy like a Comedie And therefore why should she not bee welcome Thirdly death most willingly wee embrace because it being come we attaine to that perfection of knowledge which we do desire which in this life we cannot attaine vnto All men desire to be expert in their science or profession and the Saints of God in the true knowledge of their saluation and when death is come then this is obtained Euen then when we shall all meet together in the vnitie of the faith and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Christ saith This is life eternall Ioh. 17.3 that they know thee to be the only very God him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Now this knowledge we haue being in the body and absent from the Lord by faith and not by sight Through which we all behold as in a myrror or glasse the glory of the Lord with open face Marl. ex Cal. in 1. Cor. 13 Fides ergo nostra deum nunc intuetur tanquam absentem Our faith therefore now doth see God yet as being absent For wee know in part and we prophesie in part But when that which is perfect is come then Id est post mortem After death that which is in part shall be abolished Which Paul the Apostle prooueth by a double argument one taken from the example of himselfe the other is a similitude Which is thus much briefly The vnderstanding of an Infant is far inferiour to the vnderstanding of a mā And through a glasse we cannot see so clearely as without This life is like to Infancie Amb. ibid. And the life to come is our perfect age then our knowledge shall be made perfect The glasse through which we now see God is faith which being done away we shall see clearely Which doth confirme this truth That not now but after death we shall see God face to face Marl. ex Pet. Mart. in 1. Cor. 13. O endlesse felicitie By which Denotatur perspicuus planus atque clarissimus diuinus aspectus is noted a manifest plaine and most cleare beholding of the diuine nature after death Of face to face see Aug. writing profoundly Epist 3. Epist 6. Tome 2. Moyses as the glory of the Lord passed by him sawe his backe parts darkly and imperfectly But after death we shal see euidently Diuinā essentiam The essence of God For by the face of God Manifestatio eius intelligenda est An open manifestation of him is to be vnderstood Which is the truth by Christ himselfe expressed who saith speaking of Gods deare adopted children See that ye despise not one of these litle ones Math. 18.10 Th. Aquin. in Heb. 11 1. Lects prima for I say vnto you that in heauen their Angels alwaies behold the face of my Father which is in heauen Then we see that Vltimus finis simpliciter ipsius fidei quam intendimus ex fide est beatitudo quae in aperta dei visione consistit The last end simply of faith which we expect by faith is the blessednesse which consisteth in the open and plaine sight of God Aug. de cinit dei ibid. Praemium itaque fidei nobis visio ista seruatur This sight therefore the reward of faith is kept for vs. And we shall know as we are knowne of God Note by the way that this word As Non importat aequalitatem cognitionis sed similitudinem tamen longinquam Lyra. Pet. Mart. ibid. doth not import an equalitie of knowledge betwixt God and vs but a certaine likenesse yet ours is far inferiour to his Marler ex R. ibid. Simplex ergo sensus est cognoscam sicut cognitus sum hoc est perfectissimè certissime The true meaning of this I shal know as I am known Ambr. ibid. is most perfectly truly I shal see my selfe to be present with God where Christ is This is that which the Euangelist Iohn hath saying We shall see him as he is This Then know beloued that now in this life wee haue many schoolemaisters to teach vs this imperfect knowledge of God that wee haue As. 1. Gods creatures The heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handie worke Againe the Apostle Paul saith His eternall power and godhead are seene by the creation of the world being considered in his workes Psal 19.1 2. His punishments of the contempt whereof God by Salomon complaineth saying They haue despised all my correction Pro. 1.30 3. The holy scriptures Therefore saieth Christ Search the scriptures for in them ye think to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of me Iohn 5.39 4. Faith of which saith the holy Ghost Faith is the ground of things which are hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene Heb. 11.1 Now all these shall cease to teach vs when death comes like the ceremonies of the lawe at the coming of Christ Heb. 10.1.9 For what needeth a candle in the cleare and open sunne light Then we shall not need to say one to an other know the Lord for all shall know him from the least vnto the greatest Therefore welcome death and come Lord Iesus come quickly Fourthly though death set vpon thee as thine enemie and do bring thee downe to the graue yet shalt thou not feare to buckle with her because in the end thou shalt get the maistrie of her as Michael did of the dragon Reue. 12.9 And triumph ouer her by the power of God Rom. 6.4 through faith in the death of Christ Who by his rising from death hath ouercome these thy most mightie enemies Sinne Death and Hell Rom. 8.32.33.34 and thereby assureth thee of the conquest ouer them through him at the resurrection 1. Cor. 15.12 For in that hee suffered and was tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Heb. 2.18 And that hee will the scriptures affirme plainely of Christ the seeed of the woman that he shall breake the head of the serpent Gen. 3.15 Hee shall destroy death for euer Isai 25.8 And the Lord God saith by the Prophet Hoseas I will redeeme thee from the power of the graue I will deliuer thee from death O death I will be thy death O graue I will be thy destruction And Paul saith Rom. 6.9 Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more power ouer him Who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortalitie to light through the Gospell Againe it is written 2. Tim. 1.10 For as much as the children were partakers of the flesh and bloud hee also 1. Christ himselfe likewise tooke part with them that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the diuell And that he might deliuer all them which for feare of death were all
their life time subiect vnto bondage Heb. 2.14 Well therefore say the learned Marl. ex Pet. Mart in 1. Cor. 15.17 Ipse bellum nostrum pugnauit nos victoriae illius per fidem redditi sumus perticipes Hee hath fought our battaile and through faith wee are made partakers of his conquest So that we may say and not vse the Apostles words much amisse Wee know that hee which hath raised vp the Lord Iesus shall raise vs vp also 2. Cor. 4.14 Euen when Christ which is our head shall appeare then shall we appeare with him in glory Collos 3.4 Then Sciant fideles se ex mundo migrare Calu. in 1. Thess 4. vt tandem colligantur in regnum dei The faithfull doo know that they depart out of the world that at the last they may bee receiued into the kingdome of God And then God shall wipe away all teares from our eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there be any more paine for the first things are passed Reue. 21.4 So that euen in this world Insultare morti licet Seb. Mai. in 1. Co. 15. tanquam subactae quia Christi victoria nostra est Wee may triumph ouer death as conquered because the victorie of Christ is ours Then to end this thankes bee vnto God which hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord lesus Christ Therefore my deare brethren be ye stadfast and vnmooueable and alwaies rich in the workes of the Lord. Why shuld you tremble at the remembrance of death Further there may be added a sift consideration which may make death comfortable vnto vs and though it be here last in order yet see thou too it as to one of the first chiefe which must goe before the rest And this is in thy whole life time carefully to expresse the truth and soundnesse of thy faith by thy good workes Iam. 2.20 Which GOD hath ordained that wee should walke in them Ephe. 2.10 because the bloud of Christ hath purged our conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God Heb. 9.14 Which seruice of good workes must be done not as causes but as fruites that follow iustification Quia opera bona ex ipsius iustificatione operamur Aug. de Gram. Nobi Test ad Honorat ca. 30. Aug. ad Simpl. li. 1. Quest. 2. because our good workes doo spring from our iustification as light from the sunne And whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne And without faith it is impossible to please God But if thou haue this oyle in thy Lamps of faith and keepe not thy conuersation in the lusts of thy flesh fulfilling the will of the flesh and of the mind thou shalt be redaie for the Bridegroome with the fiue wise Virgins and death can doo thee no harme Nisi peccatum habueris non est quod mortem timeas Stella in Luk. 12. Tom. 2. fol. 73. c. except thou haue sinne thou needest not feare death but when thou doost transgresse the commaundement of the Lord then doest thou arme death and make it able and strong to fight against thy selfe Stella in Luk. 12. Tom. 2. fol. 37. But Mors sinullum adsit peccatū imbecillis inarmis venit Death where sinne is absent comes weake and vnarmed as I hope the Spaniard will if we haue no Traytors at home Well Amb. de bono mort cap. 5. Qui vicerit non laedetur a morte secunda He that ouercommeth to wit by the blood of the Lambe shall not be hurt of the second death Therefore Quod eam timeamus quae animae nocere non scleat Why should we be afraid of her that vseth not to hurt such a soule Feare ye not them saith Christ that kill the bodie but are not able to kill the soule Can the Bee hurt thee haue lost her sting And can death wound thy soule without thine owne sin The sting of death is sinne Resist the diuel and he will flie from thee and keepe death from thine owne sword of sinne and she shall not hurt thee The fire flameth and fumeth like a tyrant whilest it hath matter and the Diuell hath great wrath knowing that he hath but a short time But as God hath set the sea boundes which it cannot passe though it rage and swell horribly and as the strong winde may shake off the leaues from the greatest Oake but the stocke standeth firme euen so death the diuel and the world may a little trouble nature experience heerein hath taught me something but they cannot beate downe faith As examples of many doo teach Of holie Iob Sydrach Misach and Abednego Daniel the Prophet the Apostles and holie Martyrs Therefore saith the Apostle Paul I am perswaded Rom. 8.38.39 that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lorde But flie thou from sinne as from a Serpent the matter of this sire the baite of the Diuel and the sting of death by which thy soule is so wonnded that without the mighty worke of God thou canst not be saued Then cease to doo euill learne to doo well Proue your owne workes take the brest-plate of righteousnesse the shield of faith and helmet of saluation c. and fight a good fight None is crowned except hee striue lawfully Non datur Nobilitati palma sed cursui There is no respect of persons with God he seeth not as man seeth Therefore so runne that ye may obtaine do well and haue well For God rewardeth euerie man according to his workes not of due debt but of his louing and free mercie This is briefe One droppe of the Sea dooth taste the saultnesse of the whole and by this thou maiest sauour the truth Which beeing not to be withstood what maner of men ought we to be in holie conuersation and righteousnesse Why do we not shewe forth our faith by our good works Ambr. li. de Nab. Iezr cap. 14. Qui dines est in misericordia diues est in deo He that is rich in the workes of mercy is rich in God and this sacrifice pleaseth him But he that hath this worlds goods and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him as the mysers of the world doo that will not abate one penny in a bushell of corne to helpe the poore how dwelleth the loue of God in them Euen as Christ abode among the Gargesens he departed out of their coastes Therefore let not your Religion be in words as of most it is but in deeds as of all it should For pure Religion and vndefiled before God euen the Father is this to visite the fatherlesse and the widow in their aduersitie and to keep himselfe vnspotted of the world This beloued is Comes defunctorum Ambrose A
vnto it How many do shunne this Hydra or mightie monster chusing rather to be a doore-keeper in the house of the Lord or to goe into the horte fierie fornace and resuse to obey her commaundement to cleaue fast vnto the liuing God In the Prouinces of Babilon among the Nobles Princes and Dukes the Iudges the Receiuers the Councellors the Officers and all the Gouernours of the people wee read but of three that worshipped the Lord and refused the commandement of Pride to fall downe and worship the golden Image that Nabuchadnezzar the King had set vp (g) Dan. 33.7 In the old world there were but eight reserued and in Sodome Lot (h) Gen 7. 19. that bowed not their knees to this Idoll Pride and abhomination Happie are our dayes that do not thus complaine yea blessed bee the people that bee in better case O my deare bretheren the sunne dares not shewe her light (i) Mat. 27 45. the mountaines tremble the earth dooth shake the hills melt the diuels quake when God is angry and at the presence of the Lord euen the mightie God of Iacob And darest thou thou dunghill bird Pride presume to be like God or get the praise from him to exalt thy selfe and looke to be magnified this indeed is thy desire But to the nextt Secondly Pride will be like God in taking vengeance vpon whom she list wringing the sword out of Gods hand and those vnto whom he hath committed it Therefore the Pope setteth himselfe against God his Church wherof Christ Iesus is the head and sauiour of the whole body 1. Proclaiming rebellion incouraging subiects to treason against their Prince 2. By ratling his excommunications 3. By dispearsing his Bulles to depose Princes 4. By priuate practising to murther Princes 5. By coniuring and poysoning to effect these diuellish purposes 6. To teach periurie to subiects and dispence therewith by the pardons of their Agnus Dei c. And this he dooth onely because his heart saith being poisoned with Pride Vengeance is mine Come from him to Ahab the king let Elias reproue his sin and Iezabel will vow his death (k) 1. Reg. 18. Ahab told Iezabel all that Elias had done and how he had slaine all the Prophets of Baal with the sword Then Iezabel sent a messenger vnto Elias saying The Gods do so vnto me and more also if I make not thy life like one of their liues by to morrow this time As if she had said the diuell take me and all the diuels in hell if I be not reuenged vpon thee by taking away thy life as thou hast done theirs by to morrow this time But she died vnreuenged and the diuels had their legacie Learne then not to punish without cause neither let them handle the sword vnto whom it doth not belong as Zedikiah did (l) 1. Reg. 22.4 and other Likewise if the man of God displease Ieroboam then cryeth he Lay hold on him (m) 1. Reg. 13.4 but men should suffer rebuke and that gladly for open rebuke is better then secret loue saith Salomon (n) Prouer. 27.5 Yet for all that if Mardoche despise Hamans Pride then Mardoche his blood will not quench Hamans thirst but his wrath will haue the death of all the Iewes (o) Hest. 3. like the Pope c. Pride slew Abell (p) Gen. 4.1 and sent Micheah to the prison So shee dealt with the Prophet Ieremy (q) Ier. 20. and sent Iohn Baptist to the blocke (r) Math. 14 What should I speake of Iesus Christ and all his holy Martyrs whose blood the earth hath kindly receiued which bloodie tyrants haue cruelly shead All which do teach vs that vengeance fleeeth from Pride to destroy the Saints of God as the floud of water flowed out at the mouth of the Dragon to ouerthrow the woman that bare the man child (ſ) Reu. 12.15 Onely because she thinkes vengeance is hers to abuse it as she list To turne iudgement into gall and the fruit of righteousnesse into wormwood (t) Amos. 6.12 Thus patience and long suffering at this day is turned into furie and Christian charitie doth suffer shipwracke being driuen vpon the craggy rockes of contentious trouble by the boysterous storms foming flouds and wandering waues of euery mans haughtie humour This is contrary to the commaundement of Christ saying Loue your enemies blesse them that curse you doo good to them that hate you and pray for them that hurt you that you may be the children of your father which is in heauen (v) Math. 5.44 Now then to conclude this point remember that it is written Vengeance is mine and I will recōpence saith the Lord. (w) Deut. 32.35 What Pride thou hast nothing to doo with it and therefore must not meddle vengeance to whom vengeance belongeth euen as custome to whom custome is due that is to God and Caesar Cannot the Pope such like tyrants see this They might know that as he which killeth with the sword 1. vniustly shall perish with the sword so thou that louest to take vengeance shalt drinke of the cup of Gods vengeance and that in double measure (x) Reu. 18.6 Heere is the patience and faith of the Saints (y) Reu. 13.10 And thus much of the second proprietie which Pride would filch or rather wring from God Yet beloued Pride cannot be contented thus to be like God which is too bad allowance of the diuel for her but she dooth often vsurpe most blasphemously the holy glorious and fearfull name of God which ought not so much as to bee thought vpon without most high renerence fear (z) Deut. 28 58. though men women children so lightly regard it and by horrible blasphemie so much abuse it by their vsuall swearing contrary to Gods commaundement (a) Exod. 10 7. But it is plaine that Pride entring into man as the diuels did into the heard of swine (b) Mat. 8 31. it carrieth him headlong into the redde sea of sin makes man beleeue he is a God and so he suffereth himselfe to be called Thus Nabuchadnezzar was called God of Olyfernes saying Who is God but Nabuchadnezzar (c) Iudith 6.2 And the king himselfe said to Sydrach Misach Abednego Who is that God that can deliuer you out of my hands (d) Dan. 3.15 When he ment to burne them as the Papists do the Christians as if hee were God alone And the Samaritanes said of Symon Magus This man is the great power of God (e) Act. 8.10 And we read that this Symon by his cōiuring myracles got himselfe such credit about the Citie of Rome that there was set vp in the I le Tyberina an Idolor Image betwixt two bridges perhaps because none shuld passe by but behold it to his shame in honour of him with this inscriptiō Symoni deo sancto To Symon the holy God (f) Riuius li. 3. de my redemp ex
certaine as is shewed Now for Hezechias The fifteene yeares are said to be added not that his time to die appointed from the beginning was then come for though the Prophet told him Thou shalt die and not liue It is true yet hee told him not when and at his repentance and contrition those fifteene yeares were added as a blessing not to the definite time of his age which was vnchangeable but to that time of his sicknesse Then what vse is there of phisicke 1. Euen to preserue health and to prolong thy daies in ease which else should be consumed in paine For as thy end is appointed of God certaine so are the meanes vnto the same end and they must not be despised 2. To helpe nature to ouerthrow that disease in short time which she her selfe will ouercome by good order and dyet in the end Therefore saith the wise man Eccles 38.4.7 Honour the Phisitian with that honour which is due vnto him because of necessitie For the Lord hath created him and the Lord hath created medicines of the earth and hee that is wise will not abhorre them For with such doth he heale men and taketh away their paines In ipso corpore alia praecipitur medicina ne bona valetudo amittatur alia verò vt amissa recuperetur Aug. lib. 80. Quest q. 45. In mans body one medicine is giuen to preserue health an other to recouer that which is lost But we see wicked men liue long a grieuous burthen to the poore c. Their long life is to them a curse and the same is their reward the poore must trust in God for God will be their deliuerer if they fight firme in faith Secondly such wicked men haue their pleasure in this world to make them most inexcusable and their damnation sure in the life to come with Diues CHAP. VII Why wee know not when wee shall dye WEll if our end be so certaine why is it not made knowne vnto vs when it shall bee Why Dixit dominus the Lord hath so determined and that should suffice thee Deut. 28.66 For hee saith Thou shalt haue no assurance of thy life And to this end it is said 1. Thes 5.2 The day of the Lord shall come euen as a theefe in the night Againe hee which hath the seuen spirites of GOD saieth I will come vpon thee as a theefe Reue. 3.3 and thou shalt not knowe what houre I will come vpon thee This then beeing so why shouldest thou aske any moe questions Secondly for the knowledge of thy end it is not opened in the word of God and therefore it appertaineth to his vnreuealed will and thou must not seeke further and busie thy selfe in the secrets of God as coniurers and figure-flingers and starre-tooters doo Therefore I answere thee as Christ did his Disciples enquiring of him to know the like matter saying Act. 1.7 It is not for you to knowe the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power Thirdly the knowledge of our last end is hidden from vs to the ende men should not encourage themselues to sinne and presume of repentance a litle before their end Therefore well saith Augustine Aug. in Ps 34. conc 1 Diem nobis nouissinum mortis nostrae abscondit ne nobis de futuro aliquid promittamus The effect is God hath not reuealed vnto vs the last houre of our death least wee should sinne of presumption Againe hee saith Ne de speveniae peius viuerent Idem in Ps 101. fecit diem mortis incertum God hath made to vs the day of death vncertaine least vpon hope of pardon we should liue the worse Fourthly it is most certaine that GOD hath kept from vs the knowledge of our dying day because wee should continually watch and be prepared for it with the oyle of good workes in our Lampes of faith clearely burning to light in the Bridegrome whensoeuer hee knocketh Therefore it is written 1. Pet. 1.13 Math. 24.42.44 Luk. 12.35 to 47. 2. Pet. 3.1 Gird vp the loynes of your minde awake and be ye also readie with your lights burning and ye your selues like vnto men that waite for theyr maister And Peter the Apostle saith Seeing that all things must be dissolued what maner of persons ought wee to be in holy conuersation and righteousnesse Againe 1. Pet. 4.7 8.9 The ende of all things is at hand bee yee therefore sober and watching in prayer but aboue all things haue feruent loue among you O some of you cannot abide this but loue couereth the multitude of sinnes Bee you harberous one towards an other without grudging These and such like good workes done in and for Christ are those garments which wee must keepe Our lights that must shine before men to glorifie our father which is in heauen and that same treasure which wee must lay vp for our selues in heauen And blessed shall that seruant bee whom his maister when hee commeth shall finde so doing Moyses doubtlesse knowing this hee euen reproouing the stubberne negligence of the Iewes and beeing desirous that they should make right vse of the consideration of theyr owne deathes saith Deut. 32.29 O that they were wise then they would vnderstand this they would consider their latter ende Euen by it to bee kept and guided from sinne as Israel was from the sight of the Egiptians in the day time by the pillar of a cloud Againe Moyses knowing that to all those that bee wise and haue any true feare of God in them the remembrance of death dooth effect the same thing Ps 90.12 hee prayeth saying O teach vs to number our dayes that wee may apply our hearts vnto wisedome Therefore Aug. de discip Christ Latet vltimus dies vt obseruentur omnes dies Serò parantur remedia quum mortis imminet periculum Our last end or dying day is kept secret from vs because wee should watch and be readie euery day For the medicine comes too late when death is knocking at our gate This is that which the Apostle meaneth and would haue vs to doo when hee saieth Eph. 5.15.16 Take heed therefore that yee walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wise redeeming the time for the dayes are euill And againe Gal. 4.5 Walke wisely towards them that are without and redeeme the time So that Moses the man of God praieth that we may be taught to nūber our daies And the holie Apostle of Iesus Christ would haue vs To redeem the time That is to remember consider how vainly we haue spent yesterday and to day to make amends for it by walking in Holines and righteousnes before God all the dayes of our life To this the consideration of death should guide vs. And therfore it is compared of some to the stern of a ship which though it be in the hinder part of the ship yet it guideth the whole whither soeuer the lust of the Gouernour