and whatsoeuer liues t is sure to dye Nothing vnder the Sunne is immortall Death may claime his right vpon birth God permits it All haue their times dated in his booke of all disposing prouidence when the houre comes let none aske whence or why All should prepare for it The goodliest Cities haue beene equalled with the ground stateliest buildings leuelled with the earth greatest Empires brought to nothing Kings haue beene bound in chaines Nobles in fetters of iron Wee waxe olde as a garment dwell in houses of clay our breath goeth away and we all perish Mathuselah with his yeares Samson with his strength Absolon with his beauty Salomon with his wisdome they had a time of birth and a time of buriall Young men haue death at their backes and olde men before their eyes yet fewe desire to looke vpon it nay they cannot endure to heare that as they haue had a time to be borne so a time to dye VSE 1 Which may seeke to reproue many who neuer seriously thinke vpon their mortality and therefore are dead and buried in pleasures while they liue holding Repentance but an houres worke Faith fancie Religion a lip-labour of whom wee may say as Martha of Lazarus Iohn 11.39 He stinketh Would we thinke vpon our end we would not so offend but the forgetfulnesse of this causeth wisdome to be tainted with craft Iustice with corruption Faith with dissimulation Godlinesse with hypocrisie Friendship with hope of gaine Lending with vsurie Wee liue in a quarrelling age the most making ill vse of Gods mercies not enduring any correction Wee haue enioyed a long time of peace plenty aboue all the free passage of the Gospell yet our owne consciences doe accuse vs that we haue neither worthily esteemed nor sufficiently expressed the sweet comfort of the Gospell reuealed vnto vs but workes be changed into words walking in goodnesse into talking of God hands into tongues hearts into cares to cure superstition wee neglect true deuotion Some haue Israelitish stomacks and loath Manna the bread of heauen others Athenian cares itching after new Teachers and new Doctrines Men rather seeke for profound knowledge then for faith that worketh by loue Preach we death and iudgement men say blessing themselues in their hearts we shall haue peace though we walke in the imaginations of our hearts Deu. 29.19 to adde drunkennesse to thirst Hence Heu viuunt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur Et velut infernus fabula vana foret Many liue as if they should neuer dye and as if hell were but a gulle and fable But the Lord will not spare such his anger and iealousie shall smoake against them they shall haue sickenesses and wounds and the Lord will be vnto them as a moth as rottennesse Hos 5.12 Better a liuing Dogge then a dead Lyon so long as we liue wee may repent but after death Iudgement Heb. 9. ordinary arguments and the vse of them hath taken away the force of them but none so necessary Is a man perswaded that these are nigh It will easily dispatch that which no Law Prince prison Parents or punishment could doe they that before could take no counsaile now giue good counsaile Nothing so teacheth as the remembrance of death as not onely appeares in Ezekias his deuout meditations put vpon a perpetuall record by the holy Ghost when he had but a tallie of dayes left him but in Baltashazar who seeing the number of his dayes and that he was found too light began to quake learne wisdome Deaths remembrance brings horror O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liueth at rest in his possessions Ecc. 41.1 It comes with trouppes of sorrowes Dr. Haywatd in his Sanct of a troubled Soule the head shooting the backe aking the heart panting the throat ratling the tongue faltring the breath shortening the flesh trembling the veines beating the heart strings cracking the eyes waxing dimme the nose sharpe the browes hard the cheekes cold and wanne the lippes pale the hands numme the ioynts stiffe the whole body being in a cold-sweat the strength fainting the life vanishing the standers by like flesh flyes crying or crauing offering to molest the dying body Death separates the soule deuideth friends spoiles a man of worldly goods though he heapes vpsiluer as the dust and prepare raymēt as clay Iob. 27.16 Be not puffed vp with prosperity you knowe not what a day may bring forth the rankest corne is soonest layde I see that all things come to an end This we must teach as Dauid did Ps 119.96 and that surely men of lowe degree are vanitye Pl. 62.9 and men of high degree are a lye to belayd in the balances they are altogether lighter then vanity Tot quotidie occidimus quot ad mortem ire tacētes videmus Gr. lib. 33. epi. ad Venantium Ac. 20.26 In this point wee must not be silent so many we kill as we suffer to runne on to death without warning St. Paul would keepe nothing backe from the Ephesians and shunned not to declare vnto them all the counsaile of God because he would be pure from the blood of all men I haue heard that Newes came to a certaine Towne that AN ENEMIE was approaching yet he came not herevpon a Lawe was made that none should bring such rumours of warres and newes of an Enemie Not long after the enemie came besieged assaulted ruinated the Towne and thence grew a Prouerbe THAT PLACE WAS DESTROIED BY SILENCE Let vs lift vp our voyces as Trumpetes herein and though men be as gods vpon earth Let vs preach Mans mortality and presse for fruites worthy amendment of life that there may be comfort in death Hath God made thee a little world and aboue all earthly creatures giuen to thee an immortall soule foreseing things to come remembring things past iudging of things present bearing the image of God made thee erect to behold the Heauens promised a resurrection of thy body and life euerlasting and wilt thou abuse the goodnesse of God which leadeth to repentance If he be prouoked he is a consuming fire He which in health hath beene diligent to feare God and to doe good shall feele in sickenesse an vnspeakable comfort which he will not misse for all the whole world and a mighty boldenesse to speake vnto God But he which whiles the world prospered with him neuer thought vppon God nor regarded his word when the visitation of the Lord is vpon him when his soule is ready to bee taken from him his heart being hardned in sin he hauing made no preparatiō for DEAEH terrour shal take hold on him as waters a tempest shall steale him away in the night a storme shall hurle him out of his place men shall clappe their hands at him shall hisse him out of his place Iob. 27.22.23 VSE 2 An Instruction for vs to haue our accounts in a readinesse that whensoeuer the
Lord shall call vs by his Bayliefe Death he may find vs prepared that we may keepe a Kalender and Ephemerides of our time how it passeth away that as our bodies stoop downwards by yeares and infirmities so our soules soare vpward that we may haue our Loyns girt our Lamps burning While we are in the world we are in a Sea of troubles we saile as Pilgrimes tossed by the tempests of aduersity oppressed by three Pyrates the Flesh World Deuill Yet by the Barke of a liuely Faith this Marriner Death may transport vs from Aegipt to Canaan For howsoeuer death to the Reprobate be the Curse of God Suburbes of Hell Pyrate of life the Diuels Serieant to arrest and carry them without bayle to a Prison of vtter darknesse his Cart to bring them to execution from which there can be no repriuement Yet to the Godly it is not exitus but transitus a departure but a passage Cyp. sc de mortal Fratres mortui non sunt amissi sed praemissi Our dead Friends are not lost they are but sent before Profectio est quam putas mortem that thou thinkest death Au. ep 6. is but a iourney to them Tert. de Patientia to the Land of the liuing The key to vnlocke from misery and send abroade to liberty A Bridge to passe from a vale of teares to a paradise of joyes Like the Brazen Serpent so farre from hurting true Israelites that it healeth them The beginning of joy first fruites of pleasure Prince of delight and a Massenger of glad tydings A passage from labour to rest Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord Reu. 14.13 that they may rest from their laboures From vilenesse to glory Lazarus was carryed by the Angels into Abrahams bosome From feare to security The wicked is driuen away in their wickednesse Luk. 14.22 but the righteous hath ioy in his death Pr. 14.32 From trouble to peace as olde Tobit prayed cōmaund my spirit to be taken from me Tob. 3.6 that I may be dissolued that I may be deliuered out of this distresse and goe into the euerlasting place From an vncertain commorancie to a setled habitariō an eternall house in the Heauens 2. Co. 5.1 From captiuity to liberty therefore St. Paul wished O wretched man that I am Ro. 7.24 who shall deliuer mee from the body of death From vanitie to glory which made the same Apostle so confident To me to liue is Christ and to dye is gaine Ph. 1.21 To the Godly it is a coast for them banished out of this world a landing at the Hauen a laying downe of a heauy burthen of the body the consumption of all diseases the escaping of all perills breaking of all Bonds returne to our owne home Est vitae virtus maxima posse mori Mat. 24.42 THIS we should often thinke vpon because the greatest worke we haue to doe is to dye well And because Christ commaundeth watch for yee know not what houre your Lord will come what I say vnto you I say vnto you all watch Mar. 13.37 Like vnto men that waite for their Lord when he will returne from the wedding Luk. 12.36 that when he commeth and knocketh yee may open to him immediatly It is too late to recall the Bargaine the Bond being sealed to defend the Walles when the Citty is ouercome to sound a retraite when the Battaile is fought to send for a Physitian when the sicke party is dead When time is past it cannot be recalled Therefore saith the wise man whatsoeuer thy hand findeth to doe doe it with thy might for there is no worke nor deuise nor knowledge Ecl. 9.10 nor wisedome in the Graue whether thou goest Guil. paris p 5. de vitijs tr de accidia Gr. Ho. 13. in Eua. Bonau Sanchez in Ecles Hereafter is no time of working but rewarding Hereafter Aristotles arguments will not serue to excuse or defend but rather to accuse If we feare death before it come we shall conquer it There is no deliberating hereafter There shall be no profit of the knowledge of Diuine or Humane things hereafter vnles wee vse it well in this life God hath giuen a Talent to exercise euery man some worke for euery one against his comming into the world Skill and knowledge is long and difficult life is short and sickly we should as oportunity serueth performe our duty towards our God Ars longa vita breuis Hipocr towards our Neighboures towards our selues The time of Working ceaseth in the graue None can be benifited by our workes wisedome skill counsell when we are dead We cannot praise God nor glorifie him in the graue Now is the time of vsing and bestowing those gifts that God hath giuen for his glory in this life And this time saith Iob is swifter then a Poste passeth away as the swift Ship and as the Eagle hasteth to her pray Nothing so swift in the Land Sea Ayre Iob. 9.26 as a shadow so passeth our time or as when an Arrowe is shot at a Mark it parteth the ayre which immediatly commeth together againe Wis 5.9.12.13 so that a man cannot knowe where it went through Euen so we in like manner as soon as we are born begin to draw to our end Our Bodyes too and froe we shall not bee that to morrow which we are to day Nostra quoque ipsorum semperequieque sine vlla Corpora vertuntur Ou. Metam l. 1. nec quod fuimusque sumusque Cras erimus Let vs not till the day of death delay our conuersion when sicknesse summoneth and bindeth vpon the Alter for the sacrificing of the Soule wicked actions words thoughts will appeare armed with Gods anger and with the Curses of of the Law heaped together agrauated to the vttermost giuing the Conscience many a colde pull and lying vpon the heart as heauie as Lead The Conscience will accuse the Memory giue bitter euidence Reason will sit as Iudge Feare shall stand as executioner Let vs now therefore get a good life that it may be an vsher to a good death Let vs drawe good out of euill and prouide for immortallity in the time of mortallity Let vs dye willingly seeing we must dye necessarily we shall liue eternally Let not the worlds pleasures detaine vs but rather draw our affectiōs to those things which are aboue knowing that if there be such delight in any thing of this mortall life Giselbertus in li. Altere c. 3. Hic vel accipienus vel amittimus vitam eternam Cyp. which consists in the presence of the Soule in a corruptible body what immortall pleasure shall there be when the presence of the Godhead shall fill the reasonable Soule Now is the time to get this assurance here we may win or lose it Gal. 6.7 Let vs not be weary in well doing As we sowe so we shall reape Quod sibiquisque serit praesentis tempore
a time of trouble such as neuer was since there was a Nation Ezek. 7.7 euen to that same time Da. 12.1 Man knoweth not his time As the fishes that are taken in an euill net and as the birds that are caught in the snare so are the sonnes of men snared in an euill time when it falleth suddainly vpon them Ecles 9.12 The fish is cheerefull deuouring the bayt not seeing the hooke but the fisher-man drawing him vp torments the bowels and dragges it to destruction August de agone Christi cap. 7. So many runne away with presumptuous sinnes but the time shall come that they shall feele the plagues of it when time shal be no longer One woe shall be past and another woe come quickly from death to iudgement from iudgement to hell Reu. 10.11.14 They may come vp as flouds their waters may moue as the riuers they may saye we will couer the earth they may rage with their Charets but when the day of vengeance commeth in vaine shall they vse many medicines for they shall not be cured their crye shall fill the land they shall be swept away when the Lord driueth them they shall appeare to haue beene but a noyse when they haue passed the time appointed Jer. 46.17 Vse 2 Our Instruction must be not to walke as fooles but circumspectly as wise redeeming the time because the dayes are euill wee are borne of women Ep. 5.16 of few dayes full of trouble Ioh. 14.1 Let vs remember how short our time is what man is hee that liueth and shall not see death Ps 89.47.48 Be not ouermuch wicked neither bee thou foolish why shouldest thou die before thy time Eccles 7.17 Stat sua cuique dies Euery mans dayes are determined Virgil. 10. Aeneid the number of his moneths is with God he hath appointed him his bounds that he cannot passe Ioh. 14.5 this is a measure of his dayes in respect of Gods prescience and prouidence Psal 39.4 but in respect of the course of nature the threed of life which might haue beene lengthned is cut off by Gods command for sinne and men liue not out halfe their dayes Psal 55.23 as that Bishop applyed this texte in his time Bernardinus to 2. in Qua. dragesimali de Euang. oetern Do. 2. quadra serm 17. a. 3. cap. 1. when in Catalonia a citty neare Valentia a strippling of 18. hauing beene disobedient to his parents and so fell to robbing and being executed on the tree and thus remaining for a spectacle to disobedient children on the next morrow a Beard and gray haires appeared on him which the people hearing of and wondring how suddainely these should come to a young dead body and vrging how young he was at his death the Bishop said he should haue liued to be so old as hee appeared then had he not beene disobedient Thus the Lord threatneth the family of Eli all the increase of thine house shall dye in the flower of their age 1. Sam. 3.33 He dyeth before his time who dyeth vnwillingly not prepared not rype in yeares though rype in sinne which hasteneth death and destruction as God threatned to the Amorrhites when their iniquity should be full Gen. 15.16 Happy is he who can triumphe with that flagge of defiance against all enemies as St. Paul Herein doe I excercise my selfe to haue alwayes a conscience voyd of offence toward God and toward men Act. 24.16 Happy is he who euery night thinketh with himselfe a day is gone a part of my time is cut off so much lesse haue I left of a short and miserable life God hath appointed the time of life short in respect of prosperity and aduersity in this world that our appetite may be stirred to future things whereof here we haue but a taste as were the trees in Paradise and Manna If these pleasures belowe delight vs how much more shall those aboue Punishments here are but essayes of those hereafter ordained for the wicked as those vppon the Sodomits Chorah and his complices and if the short plagues of this life are feared how much more those of another A little time we haue that by little consolations we may be inuited to glory and by small troubles feare greater A little time is giuen vs least our troubles being ouer long we should despaire onour ioyes we should neglect God Aduersity sometimes must exercise vs else prosperity will pull vs down There are but foure times a time of deuiation as from Adam to Moses when death reigned Rom. 5.14 a time of Reuocation from Moses to Christ the Lawe being added because of transgressions a time of Reconciliation from the birth of Christ to the sending of the holy Ghost Gal. 3.19 the spirit it selfe bearing witnesse with our spirit that wee are the children of God a time of Peregrination from the sending of the holy Ghost till the day of Iudgement Rom. 8.16 while wee are at home in the body 2 Cor. 5.7 vve being absent from the Lord. 2. Cor. 5.7 In this Pilgrimage we must walk by faith The times are dangerous in regard of troubles which must fail out such as neuer were since the begining of the world Mat. 24.21 Of Sathans libertie Reu. 20.8 who being loosed deceaued the Nations of the foure quarters of the earth of the multitude of many false Prophets rising and deceauing many Math. 24.11 of the rarenesse of good men Math. 24.12 iniquity abounding the loue of many waxing cold Let not the time runne away without obseruation Thinke vppon time past and be thankefull for benefits receaued Creation Redemption Iustification repent for sinne committed imitate the godly Think vppon the time present the opportunity vrging vs to worke while we haue time the breuity compelling vs to be instant the irreuocability stirring vs vp to constancie Thinke vpon the time to come and prouide to giue a faire account Barn de trip custodia 1. Cor. 4.7 Nothing ought to be of so pretious esteeme as time it is Gods gift we haue nothing but what we haue receaued wee are answerable for it and must deliuer backe all things in number and weight we must gaine according to the talentes deliuered vnto vs Ecc. 42.7 wee must growe in grace Math. 25.20 And to this end as in bodily growth there are 4. helpes so in a spirituall There is nourishment in the wombe here is a proficiencie of knoweledge there we are brought into the light of the world here we shewe forth some fruits of the illumination of Baptisme there is milke giuen vnto vs here the word of God deliuered out of both Testaments there wee are carryed to our Parents table here we come to the Supper of the Lord our heart and our flesh reioycing that Nowe is the accepted time 2. Cor. 6.2 now is the day of saluation wherein God the Father begetteth vs the
though he had Giges ring to walke without the controlement of any eye to walke vprightly He was often desired not to trouble himselfe so much in his place of Iudicature but to suffer Surrogates to dispatch businesse for him which hee seldome did saying I will do what I may possible by my selfe I and not they must answer if wrong be done And when I shall be vpon my death Bed clamoures will trouble me if any be iniured He laboured to make his House a spectacle of deuout discipline to others Hier de Nepotiano Domus eius erat magistra publicae disciplinae humbling himselfe and his whole family before God with Riligious praiers often three times a day A Method which he learned from holy King Dauid Euening and morning and at noone will I pray and crye aloud and he shall heare my voyce Ps 55.17 Which the Fathers ascribe to the Mysterie of the Passion Resurrection ascention of Christ Aug. Hier. Ruff Bed Remig. Three times a day the Apostles inioyned that the Lords Prayer should be vsed Cle. 7. Constit 25. Mr. hist schol in Daniel c. 9. Three times a day the Iewes prayed the third houre because the Law was then giuen the sixt because the Brazen Serpent was then erected the ninth because then water came out of the Rocke Three times a day the Church of the antient Christians had praiers because at the third houre the holy Ghost was giuen the sixt Christ was crucified the ninth he was pierced through with a speare Dan. 6.9 Three times a day Daniel kneeled vpon his knees and prayd and gaue thankes before his God Three times a day Prayers haue beene enioyned either in honour of the holy blessed glorious three persons of the Trinity or because we should get the practise of the three Theological Vertues Faith Hope Charity or because we should haue a watch ouer three doors the heart mouth action or three Tempters the lust of the Flesh pride of the eyes pride of life or our three great Enemies the Flesh World Deuill or because nothing doth so adorne man in the three parts of his life Childhood Youth Olde age This learned and reuerend Iudge had the sixe Properties required in a Iudge Skill Goodnes Diligence Nuizanus ex Ioh. Pirrho in l. imperia ff de regul iur Barbatus in Capit Quoniam s in alijs Eloquence constancie Prudence Hee had salem scientiae conscientiae conscience to season his knowledge without which the minde of a Iudge is diabolicall and vnsanory Hee was truely Miles Christianus a Christian Knight in whom it is esteemed no lesse greatnes of heart to resist vice then to fight against enemies the goodnes of a Knight consisting not in Pompe and great magnificence Guenara but in the tranquillitie innocencie of a good conscience For he that walloweth in the wealth of Craesus and sleepeth not in the bosome quietnesse of Abraham holdeth no more then if he were Lord of a goodly vessell replenished with corrupt and poisoned liquor To haue rich tapistrie massie plate great horses and other preparations to sportes and pleasures be things rather to get honourable names then to keep Soules in safety My wish is that as the trophees of Miltiades wold not suffer Themistocles to sleep til by the like acts he had purchased to himselfe the like glorious name Val. Max. l. 8. c 15. Plut. so all of that hourable professiō of the Law would looke into this glasse make him a Canon of their Ciuill Christian imitation Vitam caelestem egit in terris Hi◠vita Pauli Eremitae following him as he followed Christ in a heauenly course If I should spend many words more about him I should but strike wounds into their mindes whom I desire to comfort His hearty deuotion to God tender compassion to pouerty affable kindnesse to his friends In illo vno non vnum sed plures amissos requirimus Amb. de excessu Satyr milde affection to his seruants harmelesse behauiour and meaning to all make vs complaine that In his losse alone we haue not lost him alone but in him many a worthy one He liued like a Doue dyed like a Lambe when God stroke him abroad and summoned him to death by sickenesse From Grausende he was perswaded to returne by water where how sweetly did he sing Psalmes as knowing that a Psalme is mirth of the minde trāquility of the soule an Ambassadour of peace a ruler of the affections a procurer of charity reconciler of loue Bas homil in Psal 1. neither is any so troubled in minde and disturbed in thought but if he takes the Psalmes he may be straight appeased Dyon c. 3. de diu nom p. 3. The Psalter is a briefe of all the mysteries of the Bible A Psalme sung with the intention of the heart maketh way for the soule to God Greg bom 1. in Ez. Innoc. 3. proe in Ps 7. poenit Hier. ep 17. Next to the Lords prayer there cannot be better formes of prayer vsed then out of the Psalmes Ierome commended the Plough-men of Bethlehem for singing Psalmes while they followed the Plough In Epitaph Paulae Conc. Nannetense cap. 4. the Lady Paula for singing the Psalms A Counsaile inioyned that the seauen poenitentiall Psalmes which are the 6.32.38.51.102.130.143 should be sung by the Priest at the visiting of the Sicke Christ and his Apostles sung a Hymne after the Sacrament Mat. 26.30 Paul Burge in Marc. 14. the Iewes sung seauen Psalmes after the eating of the Paschall Lambe Baro. Annal. p. 1. Hier. from the 112. to the 119. and one of these it is probable Christ sung Cantator Cygnus funeris ipse sui Martialis and some thinke the 113. though others thinke it were the 21. He sung as a Swan before his death Philo Iud. l. de supplicum virtutibus singing of Psalmes was vsed by the primitiue Christians Vpon his returne to his house he being lodged vpon his bed of sickenesse in a burning feuer the disease of the time which the right hand of the Lord remoue from vs how did he possesse his soule in patience and a humble submission to the hand of God acknowledging Gods great mercies which he had receaued and found nowe continued and herein gratiously that God had chastised him but without extraordinary sensible payne and so had no heauier a burthen vppon him then hee coulde beare He sent for me being his poore Pastour but my occasion of Attendance had called mee abroad yet another Messenger of Gods word came to him He welcomed him with all respect confessed his sinnes his sorrowes his faith prayed earnestly and feruently with sighes and grones and often cryed out Lord IESVS be mercifull vnto me and receaue my soule and so as he had a time to be borne so a time to dye He slept in the Lord Extremity of paines hath chased his soule out of his body and I assure my selfe Angels haue carryed it into the bosome of Abraham Currum conscendit non est iam trepidare ne cadat Bar. in transitu Malachiae He is Now secure where he cannot fall He is in the Quire of the Saints his body is gone to earth his soule to Christ Happy he taken away not to see the continuance of sinnes and consequents of punishments Sanctorummixtus est choris corpus terra suscepit Anima Christo reddita est Foelix qui haec non vidit foelix qui haec non audit Nos miseri attamen viuere volumus Quem corpore non valemus recordatione teneaemus cum quo loqui non possumus de co loqui non esinamus Hier. ad Heliodor Epitaph Nepotiani Ecc. 39.2 Wretched men that we are who desire nothing but life His body wee cannot hold yet let him not be forgotten in our mindes We cannot speake with him Let vs often speak of him how he gaue his minde to the Lawe of the highest sought out the wisdom of the Antient was able to powre out wise Sentences and therefore his Memoriall shall not depart away from vs Blessed is he in his happy change from night to day from darkenesse to light from death to life from sorrowe to solace from a factious world to a Countrye of peace new Ierusalem where our God shall at the last day keepe his great Sessions for eternall peace conscience being the Clarke of that peace an Angell the cryer of peace the MESSIAS the Iudge of peace Saints the Iury for peace Innocent the verdit of peace Come ye Blessed of my Father the Oye of peace Receaue the Kingdome the Sentence of peace Let vs waite for the Redemptiō of the body lift vp our heads after our Home aboue Let vs labour to be found without spot and blamelesse Let vs learne to liue well that we may dye well Let vs lament our losse of our worthies but reioyce for their gaine Let vs comfort our selues in hope of a ioyfull Resurrection through Iesus Christ our Resurrection and life To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost bee ascribed all honour and glory nowe and euermore Amen FINIS