stinking sauour and in the ende is wholie turned into dust Which is the estate of all men yea euen of Dauid himselfe the bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ onely excepted which by a speciall prerogatiue sawe no corruption at all The vses to be made of the former consideratiōs of the bodies estate in by death Which beeing so what doe young gallantes meane both men women so to paint their faces and frownce their haire as they vse to doe seeing that baldnes shall couer their heads and their visages shall become so pale and fearefull that the strongest hearted yea they themselues if they could possiblie discerne it should not be able to beare the view thereof but they must needes quake tremble and abhorre themselues And what reason haue the Epicures delicates and belly-gods of the world excessiuelie to pamper and stuffe their bodies with the most daintie meates and drinks seeing they must of necessitie rot putrifie and consume to dust ashes And to what purpose doe a great manie carrie about them continuallie such excesse of sweete sauours and perfumes for as much as their carkasses are within a while after to cast forth such an horrible and contagious smell as the least part whereof were able to infect a whole citie or countrie All which expences therefore are but superfluous vanitie and lost labour Neuerthelesse the bodies of those that haue led a godlie life shall not continue alwayes in this senselesse deformed and abased estate But heere some man may demaund whether the bodies of the dead shall alwayes remaine in this estate without change and restitution which if it be so it seemeth that the soule is euill matched with such a bodie that there is no difference betweene the state of the bodies of bruite beasts and the estate of men who are by the dignitie of creation their Lords and Superiours The answere heerevnto is that the dead bodies of men shall be restored by the last and finall resurrection For by the vertue power spirit of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby his owne bodie was quickened and raised vp from the dead shall the bodyes of all the faithfull first of all bee quickened and raised vp their soules restored to them againe therewithall the qualities of their bodies shal bee changed from their former worse The bodies of the faithfull shall bee raised from death be made thenc forth glorious immortall to a better renewed estate to wit from mortall to immortall frō corruption to incorruption from earthly to heauenly frō weake to strong from base to glorious For why their bodies shal be conformed like to the glorious bodie of of our Lord Iesus Christ so that the iust shall shine as the sunne in the kingdome of their Father All which is very largely handled 1. Thes 4. 1. Cor. 15. Phil. 3.21 Mat. 13.43 and set forth 1. Thess 4. 1. Cor. 15. Phil. 3.21 Mat. 13.43 Wherein it appeareth that whatsoeuer wound or losse the bodie receiueth by death the same is healed and restored againe by the resurrection of the dead And therefore as the Scripture doth often make mention of the resurrection of the deade and all the faithfull doe earnestlie wish and longe after it Three vses to be made from the doctrine of the resurrectiō our beliefe in that respect so I beseech you let our meditations and thoughts be continually occupied about it For why the true knowledge and remembrance of it doth serue for many good and comfortable vses 1. we are more willing to die our selues whē the time appointed is cō◠First of all it causeth a man willingly to put off his earthly Tabernacle seeing hee shall resume and be clad with another from heauen farre more excellent and glorious 2. we haue cōfort in the death burial of our godly friends who dy before vs. Again it ministreth comfort to them that bestow and lay vp the dead bodies of their friends in the graues for why they know they doe not yeeld or deliuer them vp to destruction but lay them vp as it were in soft beds to the end that they may sleepe quietly till they be awaked by the sound of the last Trumpet 3 It stirreth vs vp to the care of a godly life that so we may haue comfort in death Finally if men thinke earnestly of the last resurrection it cannot but stir them vp so to liue and behaue thē selues in this life that they may haue a ioyfull and blessed resurrection For whie all shall not be raised vp to glorie and happines but many to shame and eternal confusion as appeareth Ioh. 5.29 Dan. 12.2 5. Ioh. 29 12. Dan. 2. All which being true and vndoubted let vs hold and maintaine the true doctrine of the resurrection The former doctrine concluded with a louing mild exhortation and continuallie set it before our eies to the end that wee may thereby stirre vp our selues to walke on and continue in such a holy conuersation that at the second cōming of Iesus Christ the Lord of the resurrection wee may not desire the mountains hills to fall vpon vs The estate of the soule after the death of the bodie but rather lift vp our heads and looke for the full accomplishment of our redemption Thus much of the state of the bodie after death It returneth to God Now followeth likewise the estate of the soule after death in these wordes The soule of man is immortall as it is proued by many reasons And all these make way verie profitably to the description of the estate of the soule folowing after The spirit returneth to him that gaue it From whence wee first obserue that the soule of man is not the naturall spirits of the bodie nor fire and heate nor breath vapor nor any accidētal qualitie which perisheth with death as wee see in bruite beastes but a spirituall immortal substance which remaineth after death 1 Because it vanisheth not but goeth to God For how can a vapor or rather that which is nothing remoue from earth to heauen Yea for further confirmation when our Sauiour saith to the repentant Thiefe Luc. 23.43 This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise that is in euerlasting ioy happines he could not possiblie meane the bodie for that was taken downe from the gibbet and laid in the earth but he must needes meane the soule diuorced and seuered from the bodie 2. Because the seruāts of God desier to haue their Soules loosened from the bodie In like manner the Apostle Paule desired to bee dissolued and to be with Christ he knew very well that his body should returne anone after to the dust and therefore desireth to be present with Christ not in bodie but in soule 3 Because they doe with comfort commend them to God when they dy Psal 31.5 Luke 23.46 Act. 7.59 Furthermore with what conscience and truth could the
calling to minde how religiouslie and iustly he had behaued himselfe in the former course of his life and hereby carried awaie a most renowned victorie The 6. reason is the discomfort of conscience in time of sicknes specially at the hour of death for neglect of leading a godly life Furthermore manie in sicknes and great extremitie speciallie at the houre of death are troubled and doe lament for that they haue suffered the former parte of their life to passe a way without doeing any good duties either toward God or their neighbour but all in vaine For oftentimes the season beeing past and death oppressing them their breath is shut vp in horrible despaire whereupon insueth eternall miserie and destruction The doctrine cōcluded vvith an earnest exhortation Fronte capillata pòst est occasio calua Let all persons therefore olde and young men and women of what estate degree qualitie whatsoeuer lay holde vpon fitte time and oecasion remembring what the verie heathē haue sayd that occasion weares a bushe before but is balde behinde so that beeing gone it cannot be layd hold one afterward Oh that christians had wisedome to consider the exceeding goodnes of God who wher as he might haue cut of their life so soon as they were borne he graunteth them longer time and fit opportunitie to prepare themselues for the obteining of euerlasting life and happines Which metcie of God if they lightlie passe ouer they shew themselues most vnthankeful to God and enemies vnto their owne soules And thus much for the reason why the argument of the death and dissolution of man followeth in the last place and now The text diuided into tvvo parts let vs come to the Text it selfe which conteineth two parts 1. A description of death The 2. is the estate of the two generall and principall parts after death The first part of the text vvhat death is Death then is nothing els but a separation of the soule and bodie a sunder or a seuering and diuorce of the soule and bodie This description is not expressed plainlie and in so manie wordes but it is necessarilie concluded from the Text. For if death do separate the soule and bodie as farre one from the other as the heauens are distant from the earth thē doth it follow necessarilie that death is a separation of the soule and bodie Which is also manifest by diuers phrases formes of speach in holie Scripture by which we may by the way clearely see that death is not a small or light punishment of sin Death a great punishment of sinne but great heauie and terrible For is not that a great and mightie Tyrant that doth rend a sunder things that are knit ioyned together with so strong and wonderfull a band as is the bodie with the soule And is not that a heauie fearefull thing that doth part two deare friends one from an other who shuld haue liued in an eternall vnion of ioy and happines had not sinne bene Death iustly terrible to all flesh In regard whereof it is no maruell if all flesh euen the best of Gods children doe tremble and are astonished at the remembrance of death 1. Cor. 15. as being a terrible enemie and a very cruell Tyrant Death commō to all men and the reason vvhy 1. For all haue sinned But whatsoeuer death be it is certainely a state and condition common to all the posteritie and generation of Adam All men must die and none can auoyd the stroke of death For if death be the fruite or effect of sinne as it is most certaine as appeareth Gen. 3. then seeing all men haue sinned partly in Adam partly in themselues it followeth of necessitie that death raigneth and hath dominion ouer all mankinde Rom. 5.12 Which thing may yet be proued and made more cleare First of all from the Scriptures Secondly by continuall experience From the Scriptures two waies 2. It is Gods decree and iust sentence First by the sentence of God pronounced vpon all mankinde 3. God is faith full in executing his sentence as experience confirmeth Againe by the execution of that dreadfull sentence For proofe of the first It appeareth that the Lord gaue charge to Adam in his innocencie that hee should not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and euil threatning that if hee did eate The proofe and amplification of the first and second reason or taste thereof he should die the death But Adam did eate of the tree forbidden and so trespassed against the Commandement and therefore God foorth with gaue sentence in these words Earth thou art and to earth thou shalt returne That is I haue decreed appointed as a punishment for thy sinne that both thy selfe and all thy posteritie conteined in thy loynes shall not only be subiect to eternall misery but also shall suffer a corporal or natural death Wherevpon it followeth that death is most certaine and ineuitable For why all men must of necessitie taste of death it cannot be shunned or auoided And as the sentence it selfe is certaine and vnrepealeable proceeding from the mouth of him that is truth it selfe and vnchangeable so the execution of that sentence is so certaine and infallible that no meanes or prerogatiue can resist or preuaile against it The proofe and amplificatiō of the third reason Neither length of dayes nor wisdome nor riches nor honour nor strength no not that excellent gift of regeneration The auncient Fathers The Patriarks though they liued long yet are long since dead Salomō thogh most wise yet is dead Samson thogh most strong yet he is dead Dauid Moses all the Prophets though most holy in their times are dead and Patriarkes before the flood liued verie long some 700. some 800. some 900. yeares yet it is said of euery one hee died and was gathered to his Fathers Salomon was wise and excelled all Kings before him and since his time in riches glory Sampson was endued with extraordinary strēgth Dauid was a man after Gods owne heart Moses sawe God face to face The Prophets were endued with a great measure of sanctification yet the Prophet Zachary ioynes them all together in one state of mortalitie in the first Chap. verse 5. Your fathers where are they and doe the Prophets liue for euer Zach. ◠5 Vpon this ground the Holy Ghost in diuers places of the Scripture affirmeth that man borne of a woman is of short continuance and full of trouble that he shooteth forth as a flower and vanisheth also as a shadow and continueth not That a man can by no meanes redeeme his brother that he may liue still and not see the graue Yea as a thing commonly knowne death in a prouerbiall manner is called the way of all flesh So loude cryeth the holy Scripture that all men are subiect to death But if this voyce were silent yet experience doth speake out the matter so plainly that
the greatest dullard and rude person may vnderstand For to what ende serue so many Funeralls of all sorts All sorts of mē die euery day olde young rich poore noble and base To what ende so many Graues and Sepulchers in the places of buriall so many drie bones cast out of the Graues but to set forth visiblie before our eyes the mortall estate of mankinde Whereby is discouered and laide open the extreame blindnes and dulnesse of the most part For although they be conuinced both by the testimony of God and nature that all men must die yet reape they little or no benefite by it The greater more grosse is the sinne of all that profit not by the cōsideration of death in the care of a godly life For some lye rocked so fast a sleepe in securitie and in the pleasures of this worlde that they thinke no more of death then the bruite beast that is without vnderstanding Other can discourse finely of death to make shew of their eloquence and learning and yet will not by serious meditation applie the remembrance of death to their hearts Finally verie many doe quake and tremble at death who yet for all that vse no meanes that they may die well I will not at this time recite the causes and reasons hereof which are diuers and manifold only I may conclude that all these sorts are in a miserable case The duties of all Christians in respect of their mortalitie For auoyding whereof we must take a cleane contrary course which standeth herein that we do seriously meditate of death and as it were continually set it before our eyes and that not for discourse or speculation but for more weigntie profitable endes 1. We are to vvithdravv our hearts from all inordinat loue of this vvorld and the transitory thinges thereof And first of all to the end we may withdraw and weane our hearts from too much delight in this naturall life and in the things that belong therevnto And there is great reason thereof For seeing that both life and the things of this world are fraile transitorie and vncertaine true felicitie cannot consist in them How much better then were it for men by the consideration hereof to set their affections not on things belowe but vpon things that are aboue and to laie vp their treasure in heauen where neither rust nor moath can consume nor theeues breake through and steale 2. We are to humble our selues vnder the mightie hand of God and his fearefull sentence of death against sinne The second ende is to beate downe the pride and insolencie of men whereby they are puffed vp as though they were Gods immortall heere vpon earth From which conceipt as from a cursed sinke doe flowe blasphemies against God outrages doe flowe blasphemies against God outrages iniuries and violences against men yea a thousand mischiefes and abhominations whereat the Sunne in heauen doth as it were stand amazed For which cause the hand of the Lord doth strike the world with infinite calamities and iudgements 3. We are to lead our liues in godlines vse all good meanes there of that we may die with comfort The last and speciall ende is that men may be induced to apply their hearts vnto wisedome that is that by diligent and carefull vsing the holie and good meanes which God hath set vp in the church as the ministery of the word and Sacraments c. they may thereby attaine such a measure of faith repentance and holines that they may not tremble at the terrible face of death but knowing and beeing perswaded that his sting is pulled out and his weapons broken by the vertue of the death of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ they may entertaine him as a friende and yeeld to him as to a Porter or Harbinger appointed by GOD to make a waye for all the faithfull vnto the place of euerlasting happinesse Againe that they may not die in trouble or vexation of conscience but in such a sweete tranquillitie of minde that they may with Simeon say Lorde now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace Luc. 2.29 Finallie that they may not see the mouth of hell gaping to deuoure and swallow them vp but by the eies of faith behold with Stephen the heauens open and the Lord Iesus Christ standing at the right hand of God his Father readie to receiue their soules It is a speciall grace of God which teacheth men to make the former good vses frō the consideration of our mortalitie We see here the singular fruits that growe from the seriours meditation of death and the due preparation for it Which yet is not a worke of nature but proceedeth from God and his holie spirit without whose vertue and operation nothing be it neuer so cleare neuer so great and forcible can work effectuallie in the hearts so great and forcible can work effectuallie in the hearts of men Which thing was so well knowne to Moses that in the 90. Psal he crieth out And therefore wee ought to praye earnestly to God for so speciall a grace Psal 90.12 Teach vs O Lorde so to nomber our dayes that we may applie our hearts vnto wisedome Which example euery one of vs are to follow not onely because it is recorded in Scripture but because that sodaine and vnprouided for death doth bring so manie euills with it to wit such feare and trembling such horror anguish despaire that manie wish at the first assault thereof that they had neuer beene borne nor seene the light of the sunne as we haue had too manie examples in these our dayes Well therefore did these two worshipfull persons who long before their death and dissolution The godlie couple late departed were notable examples right worthie our imitation herein had not onely the name of death and of the ende of this life often in their mouthes but by all good meanes fitted themselues for the comming of the Lord. Which manie neglecting death commeth sodenlie vppon them before they can prepare oyle for their lamps and so are they shut out of the Tabernacles of eternall life happines and cast down into an estate most miserable and to be trembed at of all Christians And thus much of death with the certaintie and vniuersalitie thereof The second part of the Text. Now let vs come to the second pointe of the Text namely of the estate of the generall and principall parts of man after death The parts are two The estate of man after death both in bodie and soule The Soule and The Bodie Of which the holie Ghost speaketh seuerallie and distinctlie But because the bodie is more visible and best knowne The estate of the bodie The originall of the bodie is from the earth And this consideration tēdeth very aptlie to the illustration folowing after both in and by death Gen. 2.7 hee beginneth first with that which he describeth two wayes First in
holy seruants of God say Father into thine hand I commend my spirit if the soule did immediatly after death perish and vanish into the aire Lastly how is it possible that empty aire and a thing without essence should be endued with such affections 4 Because they are indued with pure and earnest affections after that they are sundred from the bodie as that in heauen and eternall glory they should wish desire the accomplishment perfect felicity of all the elect as the Euangelist doth attribute to the soules of the seruants of God which are departed in the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ 5 The immortalitie of the soule hath many famous testimonies from many of the heathen Wherevpon it followeth that the soule of man is an immortall substance Which was a thing well known also to the heathen by the light of nature whose iudgment and sentences it weare an easie matter here to recite but that the holy Scriptures are so cleare and sufficient in the point as in all other that he which will not credit them will not beleeue nor be perswaded though one should rise again from the dead And yet some of the sayings of heathen men are here set down to the view of those that haue a mind to see them First of Plato of whose disputation of the immortalitie of the soule this is the summe Psuche ara athanatos c. The soule thē is immortal cānot perish c Phocylides Psuchaigar mimnousi acerioi c. The soules remaine in corruptible or immortall c. Cyrus apud Xenophōt in his Oration to his children a little before his death Plutarch citeth an Oracle for this purpose vttered to one Corax Naxus in these words Ouc hosionesti tes psuches catagnonai thanaton It is a wicked thing to acknowledge any death of the soule See also the disputation of Tullie in the first booke of his Tuscul questions Hetherto doe pertaine the fancies of Hell of the Elysian fields c. described in Homer Virgill Hether the honourable and carefull burials of the deade the imagined walking of Ghostes or spirits after death such like to make some vse of them against all prophane and hellish Atheists that liuing vnder the Gospell go not yet so far in this point as they did nay come verie far short of them to their great shame From all which reasons it may be concluded that in vaine doe the Atheists whereof we haue too manie examples puffe out a little warme breath in scorne and derision saying there goeth my soule he being therein fowlie deceiued and sheweth himselfe vtterlie impudēt and shamelesse It were a blessed thing for thee oh thou Atheist if thou wert in the estate of a bruit beast But alas thou art indued with an immortall soule which can neuer die wherof thou art euen convinced in thy selfe but that the diuell hath blinded thine eyes and strongly possessed thy heart For what is the reason that thou doest so tremble at death and art so loth to die Is it because this life is a paradise full of all pleasure and happines to thee that cannot be for rather it is a Sea fraught and tossed vp and down with such extreame miseries woes and calamities which doe oftentimes cause thee to grone and complaine And therefore the cause is the guilt and accusation of an euill conscience from which thou doest conclude that immediatly after death thou shalt suffer euerlasting torments and confusiō in hel fire which doth plainely proue to thy shamelesse face that a principall part of thee doth still remaine after death and that is thy soule The estate of the soule of man after the departure frō the bodie But to omit these graceles Caitifs let vs in thesecond place consider what becomes of the soule after death For answer herevnto it doth not wander vp and downe from place to place nor yet remaineth in a third place as Papists Pagans haue dreamed without warrant of gods word but presently as our text saith it returneth vnto God that gaue it Gen. 2. or created it as appeareth Genes 2. which speach if it be not warily vnderstoode doth first of all seeme to fauour the opinion of them that affirme that not one of them which God hath created shal be condemned And secōdly profane Epicures and vngodlie persons will thereof conclude that they may liue as they list For howsoeuer they tumble and wallow in all manner of sinne and abhominations yet all is verie well For whie as they imagine after death their soules and spirits shall enioye the presence and glorie of God for euer and euer insomuch as they returne to God The estate of the soules of the godlie and wicked are exceeding differing yea cleane cōtrary thogh the soules of all doe goe vnto God For preuenting and answering of both which sorts wee are to vnderstand that in this place the holie Ghost meaneth not that the soules of all men without exception shal be saued or enioy the mercifull presence of God for euer but that the soules of euerie one shall immediately after death appeare before God their creator Iudge who will reward thē according to that they haue done in the bodie whether it be good or euill 2. Cor. 5. For confirmation wherof it is said Heb. 9.27 that after death cōmeth iudgement And the truth thereof we see Luc 16. in poore Lazarus and the rich glotton Luc. 16.22.23 The soules of the godlie are blessed happie for euer after this life ended So that the soules of them that that haue beleeued in the Lord Iesus Christ and obeyed the will of his heauenlie Father doe presentlie meete with the Lord Iesus in Paradise are gathered into the bosom of Abraham doe enioy vnspeakeable happines and glorie But contrariwise the soules of such infidells as haue contemned Christ and his Gospel The soules of the wicked are for euer most accursed and miserable and haue shewed themselues disobedient they doe forth with without stay passe into a place of torments where the worme neuer dieth their fire neuer goeth out yea where they liue in anguish paine and affliction till the bodie for the further increase of their miserie be restored to the soule againe The doctrine is doubled to shevve the certaintie and to cause the more deep impression in the hearers From whence it followeth that as the estate of infidels is most cursed and fearefull so is the estate of those that die in the Lord most blessed happie For why saith the Spirit they rest from their labours their works follow them all teares shal be wiped from their eyes being not onely deliuered from all matter of griefe sorrowe heauinesse and calamitie but also doe enioy at the right hand of God pleasures for euermore to wit they are partakers of such comfort peace and felicitie as the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither hath
A VERIE GODLIE and Learned Sermon treating of Mans mortalitie and of the estate both of his bodie and soule after death Preached at Denham in Suffolke AT The celebration of the solemne and mournfull funerals of the right worshipfull Sir Edward Lewkenor Knight and of the vertuous Ladie Susan his wife both at once By M. Robert Pricke their beloued and faithfull Minister now also since that time to the encrease of our sorow for the losse of so excellent a light departed this life Man goeth to the house of his age and the mourners goe about in the streete Eccles 12.5 Yet Christians must not mourne as other which haue no hope 1. Thess 4.13 For To be loosened and to bee with Christ is best of all Philip 1.23 LONDON Printed by Thomas Creede 1608. ¶ To my louing friend M. Timothie Pricke Minister of the word of God heartie Salutation in the Lord. MY welbeloued and verie deare friend in the Lord as God of his great goodnes and aboundant mercie hath vouchsafed you no small fauour in that you are not onely the naturall sonne of a good man but also the sonne of a verie faithfull Minister of his holy word thereby also a spirituall Father vnto you in the Gospell of Iesus Christ euen to you a sonne of his best desires and most comfortable hope an heire to manie his earnest prayers and supplications to God a behoulder witnes of his holie life a sheepe of his deare flocke and nowe a pastor of those who were lately his sheepe so I beseech you for the Lords sake to indeuour after no small and vulgar fruits of dutie and thankes to God your heauenly Father nor of imitation in respect of the excellent vertues of your both naturall and spirituall Father Lay sure and fast hold I pray you on the blessing of his holie feruent prayers wherein with great wrestlings he intreated God often that hee would make you an instrument of greater glorie to him in foyling the diuell and furthering the saluation of his people much more then hee thought himselfe to haue attained vnto though in truth hee quitted himselfe exceedinglie well and greatlie prospered in that spirituall fight and dangerous battell and in promoting the saluation of verie manie Thus comfort you vs deare friend the deare and louing friendes of your worthy Father thus reioice you the hearts of Gods people and thus tēder the good peace of your owne conscience I heartely intreat you Where much hath ben bestowed there much may iustly bee looked for and therefore as good ground hauing receiued the best seede yeeld you your best endeuor that you may bring foorth fruite after the fullest measure euen to an hundred fold Among other prouocations and incouragements let the present Sermon of your Father be as the lift of a strong shoulder to further you as longe as you shall liue in the care of a godly life as he cōstantly liued that growing to like perfection and ripenes of all holy ministery you may after māy yeares dy the like death of the righteous that he died In the meane season giue me leaue to commend it vnto you as a most artificiall picture better representing to the view of your inward sight the spiritual image of your Father then any the skilfullest Limmer could haue drawne his outward shape to the beholding of your bodilie eye Esteeme it deare friend as a verie worthy and memorable monument of that pure and pithie manner of preaching which he vsed and as a notable president set before you and before vs all let vs follow it with as prosperous a pursuite as we may And if we cannot attaine vnto it yet let vs presse toward it as neare as we can Wee all knowe what a blessing God gaue to his sincere and faithfull dealing that is so plentifull a blessing as is seldōe to be seene vpon the ministerie of any in a far greater congregation Now further that which remaineth ioine with me in request to the right worshipfull to whom your Father did both with hand and heart while yet hee was liuing dedicate this memorable gift a testimony of his speciall loue from a most parentlike and pastorall affection toward them that they will accept it as one little siluer streāe of pure and precious water deriued vnto them from that more full and liuing springe which was wont to flow dailie more plenteously to the sweete refreshing and comfortting of their soules And albeit his person be now gone and his pastorall care ouer them hath had an end which if they had continued to this day would surely haue procured their most ready and thankfull accepting of the same let vs be sutors that the thing it selfe being of great worth may be neuer the lesse regarded of them remembring still that they must giue an account vnto God how they haue profited by his holy ministery In which hope let vs for conclusion omitting all complements wanting beseech God the only full supplier of all defects to blesse the holy doctrine of this one blessed Sermon to as manie good endes and purposes both to them and to our selues and to many other as any one Sermon may be blessed and sanctified vnto And thus with my most hearty prayer I doe commend both your selfe and that right worshipfull familie and all of the families of the Church of God at your and their little Denham to all further and more full blessing of God Your louing friend and brother in the Lord. ROBERT ALLEN London this 2. of May. 1608. To the right vvorshipfull and Christian posteritie the Sonnes and Daughters of the right worshipfull Sir Edward Lewkenor Knight and of the vertuous Ladie Susan Lewkenor his wife Grace and peace in Christ Iesus THE Prophet Isaiah by the motion of Gods holie spirit did long since in great zeale vtter this holy saying The righteous perisheth Isa 57.1 and no man considereth it in heart and mercifull men are taken away and no man vnderstandeth that the righteous is taken away from the euill to come Which as it hath in former times bene true so is it prooued most true in these our miserable and desperate daies as may hereby appeare for that although the Lord withdraweth and taketh out of this world by death many of his principall and excellent seruants thereby setting vp as it were prodigious Comets to premonish all men not only of the vncertainty of this natural life but also that his iudgements are neare hand yet few doe so much as once turne their eyes toward this hand of God and fewer doe make vse thereof and applie it to their heart for the increase of true godlinesse and reformation of life Against which estate disposition gracelesse and more then brutish some what was vttered at the Funerall of your said worthie Parents which although it hath hetherto lyen in silence and beene whollie suppressed yet nowe by the grace of God it is come to light The discourse I confesse is homely
it selfe Secondlie by relation that is by reference to the place to which it belongeth or wherevnto it is to be committed In it selfe by this word dust in the originall He gnaphar noting out the matter whereof the body is made agreeable with the hystorie of the Creation Gen. 2.7 in these words The Lord also made man of the dust of the earth where the selfe same Hebrew word is vsed The reason why it pleased God to make the bodie of man of the earth The reason why God mad the bodie of man of such base matter doth so often mention it in holie Scripture was no doubt to humble man and to represse that insolencie wherewith hee might easilie haue bene puffed vp in regard of his excellent estate in cōparison of other creatures if he had not set before his eyes both his originall also what manner of mansion place or dwelling that is It is a most effectuallmeanes to humbleman wherein th soule is still to be lodged For these are verie forcible Arguments to abase and cast downe the loftie hearts of all men which otherwise might as was said haue bene more easilie puffed vp As for example if his bodie had proceeded frō the glorious matter of the sunne and the heauens aboue Iob. 37.18 which Iob compareth to moulten glasse for the puritie and brightnes and so consequentlie his soule had dwelt in a stately pallace sutable to the excellent nature thereof he had had as might haue seemed some greater occasion to lifte vp himselfe aboue other creatures But now when as earth and dust is his mother which he daily treadeth vpō dwelleth in Iob. 4.19 as Iob saith in an house of Clay there is small cause why he shuld conceiue highlie of himselfe If a man which comes of a Noble parentage dwells in a house agreeable to his estate it is as wee would thinke some peece of an excuse though hee should be something high minded But if a poore creature who is descended of base parentage and withall dwelleth and lodgeth in a poore cottage built and framed of mudde clay should neuerthelesse hautilie exalte himselfe aboue others The pride of man is the more monstrous and finnefull it would iustly be counted so much the more monstrous and intollerable pride How monstrous then and absurd is the pride of man who being but a wretched worme and dirt it selfe doth yet exalte himselfe not only aboue all other creatures but euē against the mightie Lord his Creator whose seate is the glorious pallace of the whole heauens From whence we may gather a double vse And first of all that whensoeuer wee feele our selues conceited with anie speciall gift or qualitie which wee lifte vp and spread abroad as peacocks feathers that we presently looke vpon our vile and fraile bodies as vpon black feete which wil easilie cause our glorious taile to sincke and fall downe Secondly hereby we may see the extream madnes and more then diuellish Luciferian pride of Atheists and profane worldlings The pride of mā is the more foolish vaine and pernicious to himselfe who doe so swell and are puffed vp with such a vaine conceite of their owne excellencie that they doe not onely contemne God their Lord and Creator but as Giants doe make open warre against him Which persons seeing that the sight of their owne basenesse will not humble them assuredlie the hand of God with some fearefull thunderbolt of his wrath wil one day so represse them and crush them that they shal be inforced to confesse will they nill they their base estate condition in comparison of their Lords and Creator Which they may see by an example verified in Nebuchadnezzar Examples of who because hee would not acknowledge God and stoope to him as to his Superiour Gods iudgementes against proud persons was by the iust iudgement of his mighty Lorde and Soueraigne stript spoiled of his kingdom Dan. 4.30 liued the space of 7. years in the state of a bruit beast that eateth grasse till he did acknowledge himselfe a mortall man 2. Chro. 32.10 They may see it likewise in Sancherib the great King of Assyria who was lifted vp so high in the pride of his heart that hee durst blaspheme the Eternall But what got he thereby 21. The Lord made hauock of his huge Armie put a hooke in his nose caused him to returne home againe with shame and confusion anone after stirred vp his two sonnes who most vnnaturallie slew him in the temple of his false Gods What shall I speake of Herod the King Act. 12. vlt. Act. 12. who could finde in his heart to arrogate to himselfe the worship and honour due vnto God which was giuen vnto him by his wicked flatterers but the Lord by his Angell stroke him with a lowsie and loath-full disease A zealous and godlie admonition to all that they beware of pride whereof hee miserablie perished Wherefore Oh earth earth earth humble thy selfe and stoope downe before him whose glorious Maiestie not onely the Elect Angels but also the diuels adore and tremble at And alwayes remember thou that God of all other sinnes cannot abide the pride and loftinesse of Man It is the vsuall way dealing of God to take vengeance vpō proud persons 1. Pet. 5.5 Luc. 2.52.53 as may appeare by sundrie speeches in diuers places of the holie Scripture which testifie that God resisteth the proude that Hee beholdeth the proude a farre off that Hee filleth the hungrie with good things and sendeth the rich emptie away and such like Which all doe serue to bring all men to true humilitie which is a sweete and amiable vertue opening a way for all excellent graces of God into the soule of a man that is trulie humbled But this which wee haue spoken hetherto of the matter whereof the bodie is made was the estate of man before sinne should haue continued though man had not trangressed That is he should haue consisted of an earthly body a spiritual foule Nowe that which followeth in the next wordes of our Text came in by sinne and therefore is farre worse and more miserable in these wordes returne to the earth as it was For thereby is signified not onelie the simple buriall of the dead bodie The estate of mans earthly bodie in and after death It may be considered in three degrees 1. It is voyd of sense motion 2. It is vtterlie defaced 3. It putrifieth and turneth againe to base earth but also the estate thereof after it is buried and layd in the earth Which consisteth of diuers effects For first of all the bodie lyeth in the graue senseles and without motion euen as a blocke or stone Againe the maiestie and beautie of the face and whole bodie departeth and a pale deformed and vglie forme succeedes Thirdlie the bodie putrifieth and rotteth and from thence proceedes a most horrible and
The vertues of the right christiā knight to manifest confirme the truth of his sanctification but thou surmountest them all Fauor is deceitfull and beautie is vanitie but a woman that feareth the Lord shall be praised Giue her of the fruite of her hands and let her owne workes praise her in the gates The outward conuersation likewise of her worthy Husband was very Christian vnblameable and without iust note of reprehension An example worthy to bee followed of all men specially of persons in special dignitie authority aboue the rest For first of all whereas all men know hee was indued with excellent ornamēts of nature and learning yet knew he how to make himselfe equall to thē of the lower sort And whereas hee could haue made many affraid as it is said of Iob yet was hee continuallie fearefull to offend the meanest An excellent vertue the true valour of great mighty mē In which respect if he had at any time ouerseene himselfe his soule was neuer at rest till hee had remoued the offence and satisfied the party Hee bare a feruent loue zeale toward the truth which hee was ready at all times to defend against Papists Atheists Hereticks c. as diuers do well knowe who haue felt the force and weight of his argumēts in disputation He was bountifull and liberall according to the measure of that portion and reuenewes that GOD had bestowed vpon him as the poore round about him can and wil testifie whose sides were warmed with the fleece of his sheepe and their empty and hungry stomackes relieued satisfied of his owne prouision How he carried him selfe in his publick calling concerning the administration of Iustice the worshipfull magistrates both here and els where in this country can both know and iudge Yet thus much I know and dare affirm that he was carefull to do his duty A conclusion not forced but very wel applied And that which is more and a very special grace of God in a magistrate hee hated and auoided priuy bribes and rewards 1. Sam. 13. least his eies should bee blinded therewith and his heart corrupted God graunt vs many such good Maiestrates euen for the Lord Iesus sake and blesse these excellent examples to helpe forward so gratious a worke of his so necessarie for his church Amen and so turned aside from iustice and equity So that he might if hee were aliue make his iust Apologie for himselfe as Samuel did 1. Samuel 13 in these words Behold here I am bare record of mee before the Lord before his annointed whose Oxe haue I takē or whose Asse haue I taken or whom haue I done wrong to or whome haue I hurt or of whose hand haue I receiued a bribe to blinde mine eies there with I will restore it you All this and the rest I speake God knoweth not in the way of flattery to gratifie the eares of anie as it is the manner of too many in assemblies vpō such occasions as this is The common abuse of funerall Sermons iustly taxed to make their tongus saleable in decking them with ornaments of commendation which are most vnworthy of any great commendation I haue abhorred flattery since I knewe the Gospell and rather runne into the contrarie Neither need I in this case to vse flatterie seeing I may appeale to the consciences of al them that knew them Yet did they not want their blemishes and infirmities all which I doubt not are couered and washed away in the precious blood and death of our Lord Iesus Christ And therefore seing that they both drew in one yoke of obediēce The vses of the former sonotable an exēplification not only walked hand in hād in the waies of righteoussnes while they liued but also were not much diuided in the act instant of their death 1. For christiā consolation comfort what enuy of man what rage of Sathan what power of hell can let but that both of their soules are now in heauē amongst the Angels soules of the righteous triūphing against the deuill the world the flesh all their spirituall enemies singing praise to God with the whole Church for their creation preseruatiō herevpon earth specially for their redemptiō saluation by the blood of the Lambe wishing the accomplishmēt of the number of Gods elect that the miseries of the faithfull might haue an end standinge at the fountaine of liuing waters wearing longe white roabes washed in the blood of Iesus Christ fedd and nourished continuallie with the fruit of the tree of life beholding the glorious face of their sweet Lord and Sauiour whose presence in their life time they wished and longed for with teares and earnest praiers Finally they liue remaine in such fulnes of ioy and happines as to the perfection thereof nothing cā be added or desired So that they neede no outward solemnities of Buriall although it bee agreeable to their estate and serueth very well for the auoyding of Anabaptisticall confusion For why in their life time they reared vp to themselues a Tombe in heauen not perishing or corruptible but euer during and eternall not polished by the art and cunning of man but grauen and commended by the hand of Gods spirit And therefore so glorious as it is not only pleasant and acceptable to God and his Angells but also maketh cōtinualie for the encrease of their owne comfort 2. For christiā sorrow and mourning yet with godly moderation All which notwithstanding this their great happines yet is there cause why their death and departure should bee lamented and bewailed It is the duty of al sores moderatelie to mourne at the death buriall of their friends specially of such as were of best imploiment vse not only generally but also by particular persons Generally the Church militant hath great cause to lament that two such excellent and profitable members are rent from it Particularly their chlidren haue cause to mourn and sorrow for that they want two such excellent Parents who did so tender and loue them as their own souls Children and therefore sought both by exāple al good meanes to procure their comfort and good estate in this life and in the life to come Seruants for that they haue lost the gouernmēt and direction of such a Master Lady Seruantes as continually expressed no lesse loue and care ouer them then if so be they had ben their naturall children so that by their death they are bereft of many sweete comforts and helps which many a yeare some of them inioyed Let the ministery of this congregation mourn sorrow Ministers for that it is disappointed and left destitute of such worthy Patrons Let students and fauorers of Learning Students ioine with the fotmer in mourning seeing they shall all see thē no more in this world by whome before times the receiued cōfort incoragemēt in
their studies Let the Noble and worshipfull race of Gentry Magistrates lay to heart the losse of two such familiars as were most faithfull and dutifull to them Poore of Den. ham and in the townes adioyning But O yee poore and miserable of these partes howle yee and cry out seeing they are taken from you whose hands in times past were alwaies open to relieue your necessities The Minister himselfe then a chief mourner for them on earth but now achiefe reioicer with them in heauen And would to God mine eies would gushe out teares yea riuers of teares seeing the place and seats open now empty and without them whose presence in times past was comfortable to my heart where vnto they alwaies bent themselues as did appeare by their readinesse and willingnesse to repaire to this place Finally there is cause that all should mourne for the death of such persons according to the laudable custome and manner of the Church The causes of comfort are resumed more fully amplified because they are greater and therfore ought to receiue the deeper more durable impression chiefly in the heartes of those that are most subiect to passe boundes in mourning in all times Yet least we should passe measure and runne into the excesse of mourning wee want not iust cause to moderate and temper our mourning and sorrowe and that not only for that we are not without hope as were the heathē but for far better more agreable causes And first of all although they be gōe yet haue they left behind them many persons equall to thē in degre dignity who are not ōly indued with excellent gifts but ready prest to performe the same duties which they in their life time performed As namely to professe and maintaine the Gospell The 1. cause of comfort sincerely to worship serue the Lord and to go before other in a holy christian example of life A 2. cause of comfort Againe it ought not a little to mitigate our sorrowe in regard of their departure because as they honoured God in their life so God hath now honored thē in their death as appeareth this day not ōly by the solemnities of their buriall but also in the great concurse of all sorts who are come together euery one according to his place to testifie what honorable and louing affections they bare toward them A 3. Cause of comfort both in life and in death The last full cause shuttinge vp perfecting all our cōfort against all our mourning Lastly that we may at lēgth conclud the greatest matter of comfort is that although they haue left vs for a time yet ere it bee longe wee shall meete with them in the Kingdome of God For which purpose because wee know not howe sodenly the Lord will come either by death And thus a sweete conclusion of a verie sweete godlie learned and fruitfull Sermon To God be all the praise honour glory to vs much benefit spirituall edificatiō through his most gratious blessing or at the last iudgement as we haue good cause to bethinke vs thereof by the present occasion let vs not driue off as the slouthfull seruant in the Gospell or as the foolish virgins but let vs fit our selues before hand for his glorious comming that is let vs get oyle in our lamps with the wise virgins and euerie one of vs behaue our selues faithfully in our place and calling by imploying such gifts as we haue receiued of our Soueraigne Lord and Maister to the glory of God and the benefit of our brethren And then no doubt as the second death shall not hurt vs so shall wee enter into our Maisters ioy where we shal with the soules of the righteous crie continuallie Lord Iesus come quicklie Reu. 22.21 as the soules of these two persons doe And in the end we shal doubtles heare those sweet words of heauenly entertainement which Christ our Lord Sauiour from his glorious throne shall pronoūce to the vnspeakeable comfort of all the elect saying Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you Math. 25.34 from the foundation of the world Which the Lord of his infinite mercie hasten speedily put an an end to the miseries of this world vnder which we doe continually sigh and groane 2. Cor. 5.4 And that euen for Iesus Christ his sake our onely Redeemer and Sauiour to whom with the Father the holie Ghost be rendred and giuen for euer and euer both in heauen and earth all possible praise honour glory immortalitie Amen And thus an ende Let vs pray