Ecclesiasticall histories The paines and pangs which the body doth endure before the soule be sundred may be likened vnto the paines and pangs of a woman in her trauell with child of whoÌ„ the holy Prophet speakes Her hands saith he on her loynes Iere. 30.6 Esai 13.7.8 her face turned to palenesse her heart weakened and melting with feare and anguish Yea the paines and pangs of death do well resemble the paines and torments of hell and therefore the first second death is but one selfesame with this difference onely the one is naturall and temporarie the other is supernaturall and euerlasting The feare of this death made our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ as he was a man to importune the Maiestie of his Father with teares that it might passe from him Mat. 26.39.40.41.42.43 being brought vnto it through the agonie thereof he was enforced to call and to crie vnto God his Father as if in part he had despaired O my Father why hast thou forsakeÌ„ me The like obliuion and desperate speeches are heard seene in the time of deaths torments euen from many of Gods deare children and canonized Saints Saint Paul saith that death hath a sting thereby inferring that death is venimous as all creatures which haue stings are noysome and hurtfull either more or lesse but death is like vnto the diuell himselfe stinging and poysonful therfore called a serpent the most noisome and the most pestiferous creature of all others Againe Saint Paul calleth death an enemie inferring thereby as out of the naturall disposition of a naturall enemie the greatest mischiefe that possibly he can deuise to the poore body of man specially being godly The torments of death must needes be held innarrable if we do but consider the combate and conflict that is betweene the soule and the body the one affecting cleane contrarie to the other and in nature quite opposite Which opposition and conflict may well be resembled vnto that dangerous tempest on the sea of Tarshish which was raised purposely by God himselfe for the arresting of Ionas who was as he thought secure The winds were sent into the seas which being an element light laboured vehemeÌ„tly according to the nature therof to ascend and the seas being an element heauy laboured mightily according to the quality thereof to descend so that the seas being violently kept vp by the winds and the winds being violently kept downe by the seas made such a storme such an outragious tempest as if heauen and earth had ratled and rang together or as if the shippe had bene still a rushing and a riuing in peeces vpon the rocks euen so is the soule and body of him who is in the hands of death The soule according to the nature and quality thereof being a spirituall an heauenly and holy creature of the Almightie vseth and enforceth all meanes thither to ascend but the body being of a cleane contrary disposition massie heauy and earthy according to the qualitie thereof in sort and kind labors thither to descend The one being of a cleane contrarie disposition to the other they become hindrances to the passage one of another meanes one against another of greater enduring passions And to conclude briefly the torments of death are as the hewing of Agag in peeces 1 Sam 15.33 Psal 50.22 as the irefull execution of God whereof Dauid speaks Although this tormeÌ„ting be the decree of the Almighty for the subduing of mans body and for the depriuation of his life yet it is euident that the variety and sundrie manners sorts and kinds of death whereunto his Maiestie hath left himselfe at large is the cause that many wicked men so well as the godly do depart this life with litle pangs or paines And at other times out of his Maiesties roiall and extraordinary fauor through Iesus Christ the paines and pangs of death in many of the godly are mitigated and diminished as may appeare out of manifold sentences and examples of Scripture For it is all one with him in regard of his power and mercie to abate or to annihilate the qualitie and the quantity of executing creatures or things appointed for torments as it is for him to increase and to multiply the same As the sauage and hungrie lions were so asswaged in their natures so mitigated Dani. 6.20.21.22.3.20.21.22 that they became as playfellowes vnto Daniel the fierie fornace being seuen times hotter then ordinary was vnto him and his companions but as a place of recreation So no doubt were the fiery tormeÌ„ts vnto the Saints of God who were cruelly executed in Queene Maries dayes After another sort most powerfully doth his Maiestie multiplie or increase the qualitie of bread and water for the good of the poore who otherwise could not possibly liue and abateth the extremitie of their cold in the winter Remember the augmentation of the 7. Mar. 8.8 Dan. 1.15 loues and few fishes so that more was taken vp then was layd downe and remember Daniels puâ—â—â— And albeit I should absolutely grant that there is no mitigation of paines in death for any and that it must needes be concluded that the verie Saints and seruants of God shall suffer the most grieuous torments of naturall death equally with the reprobates which cannot be truly agreeed vnto and which God forbid yet considering that the guiltinesse of sin is cleane taken away in Iesus Christ that these torments of death are but as it were momentanie or as the twinckling of an eye in comparison of the euerlasting torments of the reprobates what man or woman hauing any hope thereof hauing any feeling of faith or hauing any one motion of Gods spirit but would most willingly endure the torments of bodily death were they yet greater yea before it come to coÌ„memorate and withall to celebrate the remembrance of death by which there is an end of all sorrowes and the possessing of all ioyes and immortall happinesse If the person dead or dying be an husband Then the matrimoniall association which by Gods ordinance was made singularly and plurally two in one and one in two the better to be helpfull one vnto another is now by death dasht as it were into powder and violently parted a sunder and seuered one from another for euer into two distinct places which deuision to the husband or wife is so naturally grieuous as it is for one limbe being cut off from another as Ruth doth impart out of her most singular affection to Nahomie her mother in law in these words Ruth 1.17 The Lord do so to me and more also if ought but death part thee me euen so is the loue of a wife fearing God towards her husband that she concludeth in her heart from the first houre vnto the last that nothing shal infringe her faith towards him but death which when it cometh exceedingly moueth her to mourne This also appeares vpon the wofull and lamentable experience
that euer were Iud. 16.28.29 of Sampson the strongest man in all the world and yet they died 1. King 11.43 Dan. 4. Of SalomoÌ„ who was the wisest man in all the world and yet he died Nabucadnezzar was the richest man in all the world and yet he died Peter and Paul were as holy as euer any before or since and yet Peter and Paul died Gen. 23.1.2 Hest 9. Sarah and Hester were two beautiful Ladies as euer were and yet Sarah and Hester died To conclude there was neuer any time nor place nor person that could exempt any man from death For Sem called Melchizedech was before the flood he out liued all that knew him Gen. 14.14 Heb. 7.1 to 7. and so long that no man knew his kindred euen when Lot was taken prisoner and a great grandfather of eight degrees in Abrahams time whence he was said to be without father and without mother and in part a figure of Christ whose Godhead had no mother and whose manhood had no father without beginning of dayes or end of life in respect of whom also he was said to be king of righteousnesse king of peace and a Priest for euer of the most high God yet for all this Melchizedech died Iob said If God set his heart vpon man Iob. 34.14 and gather his spirit vnto himselfe then man shall returne to dust As though he had said more plainly No man in all the world that liueth but liueth to die wheÌ„ God will because mans life consisteth of that which is Gods Salomon saith The desire of death cannot be satisfied Eccles 8.8 he gathereth vnto himselfe all nations doth heape vnto himselfe all people Hab. 2.5 Iob speaking to this purpose concerning all mankind and more particularly of himselfe said thus Iob. 6.11 What power haue I that I should endure is my strength the strength of stones or is my flesh of brasse To wit What did men thinke of me when I was at the best or what could I euer thinke of my selfe was I a man like to liue alwayes And what man may be named that now is that euer was or euer shall be so strong or so enduring as that he shall be able to surcharge death The sundrie examples and the common experience euen of our owne time hath told vs and doth still forewarne vs of death which is so due to vs as to them who are gone before The most vnlikeliest do longest liue the most likeliest do soonest die which argueth plainly that there is no stability no certainty nor true token of coÌ„tinuance in any maÌ„ whatsoeuer Also S. Paul said to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15.51 we shal not all die Indeed we shall all once die inrespect of our outward estate ourelementarie inclination and naturall affections but in respect of Gods diuine maiestie innarrable power and secret will they which shall liue at the last day shall be changed they shall not be the same which formerly they were as men in the world I haue aduisedly considered of ten holy motiues or diuine reasons of Scripture why all men must die The first reason why all men must die It is the decree of almightie God which ordereth all inferior causes and binds theÌ„ to the obedience of his will No king can produce so ancient a right to his crowne as euerie man hath out of this most ancient decree to chaleÌ„ge after death the crowne of glorie Salomon said Eccles 3.14 I know that whatsoeuer God hath done he hath done it for euer to it can no man adde and from it can no maÌ„ diminish Esai the Prophet as in the proper person of God himselfe saith The Lord hath sworne saying Esa 14.24 surely as I haue purposed so shall it come to passe and as I haue consulted so shall it stand Againe he saith Seeke ye the booke of the Lord and reade none of these things shal faile none shall want his mouth hath commanded it Mal. 3.6 Malachi said to that purpose I am the Lord that changeth not The Author to the Hebrewes saith Heb. 6.17.18 That God more abundantly to shew the stablenesse of his counsell bound himselfe by an oath wherin it is impossible that God should lie that we might haue strong consolatioÌ„ Dan. 6.8 As the lawes of the Medes Persians were vnrepealable so is the decree of almighty God concerning death vnrepealable and in regard of the euerlastingnes of it Ieremy said Ier. 17.1 It is written with an iron pen and with the point of a diamond and grauen vpon the tables of the heart The second reason why all men must die Is drawne from the vprightnesse of Gods iustice Sinne being so generall in all men his Maiestie hath decreed to punish it by death in all men yea in his owne deare children who although the guilt of sinne be remoued and taken from them yet sinne remaining in their mortall bodies is to be punished with death and perishing of that substance so subiect to sinne Saint Paul said Death went ouer all men Rom. 5.12 in as much as all men haue sinned As by the law euerie husband may put away his wife for alienating her body to another man euen so sinne by the law doth alienate put away the soule from the body of eueric man Iob. 34.11 Elihu spake most diuinely to this purpose with his friends God will render vnto man according to his work and cause euery man to find according to his way And as sinne increased from age to age so did the anger of God as appeared by the shortning of their dayes Though Christ hath forgiuen vs yet sinne is not out of vs. There is stil in man that will keep him froÌ„ soaring and a Quis me in his mouth extending lamentably with Saint Paul from men to Angels with a violent interrogation enforcing an answer who shall deliuer me from the bodie of death The third reason why all men must die All men must die in respect of Gods generall purpose for the changing and renewing of mankind from one substance into another for the transubstaÌ„tiating of one body into another a transmitting of one life into another This purpose of the Father in Christ Iesus made Iob to say Iob. 14.14 I wil waite mine appointed time till my changing come S. Paul relating the verie same amongst many other things of great weight vnto the Corinthians said We shal all be changed And in another place 1. Cor. 15. at another time Flesh bloud saith he 35 â—4 cannot inherite the kingdome of heauen mortality must be swallowed vp of life 2. Cor. 5.4 And in his epistle to the Philippians he writes the same in effect being occasioned otherwise thereunto and that in these words God shall change our vile bodies Phil. 3.21 that they may be like vnto his glorious bodie The fourth reason why all men must die is That there may
of God in Christ Iesus by whom the guilt of sinne and the condemnation of the law together with the sting of death is qualified and in a sort done away leauing indeed no more to do nor to say against such as can take hold of his promises but onely the perishing and destroying of that body so naturally subiect to sinne According as Paule proclaimed in a most comfortable manner in these words Death went ouer all men Rom. 5.11 in as much as all men haue sinned as if he had said Such was the infinite mercie of God and yet mingled with his iustice that he would lay no more to the charge of his chosen then he must needes by the open rules of religion reuealed word Moses in his defence to the people of Israel concerning that open rebellion of Corah and his company speakes most diuinely and most plainely of this kinde of death in these words Numb 16.29 to 36. If these men die the common death of all men or if these be visited with the generall visitation of all men then the Lord hath not sent me As if he had said There is a sort or kind of death which is naturall which is vsuall and which is rightly appertayning vnto the nature of mankinde and that which most commonly falles out vpon good and reasonable deliberation vpō orderly disposing of worldly affaires vpō due bequeathing of the body to be buried This naturall death which he calles the common death and the general visitation of all men Iob saith it is as a ricke of corne Iob. 5.26 which comes into the barne in due time As if he had said This is the death indeede that is full of maturitie and seasonablenesse lo thus we haue inquired of it and so it is Againe he saith to the same effect Iob. 34.14.15 As a rush cannot grow without mire and as grasse without water can grow no longer but withereth though it be not cut euen so man by nature liueth vntill nature be quite worne and wholly extinguished and then dieth though he were not touched nor medled withall in any sort which death is nothing so nor so as the penall The man of God intimating such a kinde of death said to Hezckiah King of Iudah Esai 38.1 Thou shalt not die with the sword but thou shalt die in peace To wit thou shalt not die the penall death which is terrible and painefull nor an vnwonted death but the common death the generall visitation of all men to wit the naturall death This naturall death which is also called the common death and the generall visitation of all men hath by the reuealed word of God foure other inferior sorts or kinds of death whereof I must dispose for methods sake after this manner 1. Some do die In their old age 2. Some do die In their nonage 3. Some do die Languishingly 4. Some do die Suddenly The first reason why some liue long Is drawne from the singular fauor of almightie God in granting vnto some one amongst many that which in his heart he specially desireth For amongst all things that man specially desireth there are principally these two to wit health and wealth For wealth a man will bestow all his wits all his indeuor all his labour all his friends and whatsoeuer else he possibly can deuise but for health and that he may liue long he will bestow all his wealth that was so industriously so laboriously gotten and be contented to be counted a foole yea a forlorne wretch and to be indeede a begger at euerie mans doore all the dayes of his life To be breefe as chastity is a singular gift of God to one amongst ten thousand so long life is a singular guift of God to one amongst ten thousand Salomon therefore said Pro. 16.31 Old age is a crowne of glorie wherein are two goodly and godly respects one is that a man may the better the more abundantly gather riches by looking more respectiuely into the workes of God and the end of his creation For the longer a man lines in a reasonable kind of husbandrie the more his gaine and getting must needes be Although his reuenewes be but small yet if he get and spare here a litle and there a litle in continuance of time according to the old prouerbe Many a little makes a mickle following the example of that little poore pismire who according to her small strength and yet being diligent Pro. 6.6 hath against winter a great heape of prouision and being also prouidident she painefully nibleth the heads of euery graine lest they should grow and so her labor lost The Maiestie of God to set forth his renewed loue towards Iudah and Ierusalem said thus Zach. 8.4 Their men shall liue so long as that they shall go by a staffe As there is no commandement that hath any promise but the honouring of parents so there is no such reward pleasing to any man as to liue long therefore God made promise thereof to thē that keepe his commandement What temporal blessing did the Lord bestow on Dauid 1 King 3.14 for a reward who was a man according to his owne heart but long life as the holy Ghost testifieth he liued so long that he could liue no longer 1 King 1.1 nature was quite extinguished in him This was also a reward specially bestowed vpon the ten holy Fathers Gen. 5.1 to the end before the floud Thus shall men be enabled with their hands to performe the desire of their hearts in contributing vnto the necessitie of the Saints Abraham also had for his temporarie blessing Deut. 31.2 an hundred and twenty yeares life euen in his old age he was carefull to fulfill the worke of the Lord so long as he said that he could go no more out and in Length of life Deut. 11.9 saith Moses is a reward for keeping of Gods cōmandements they then that keepe not Gods commandements shall be guilty of Gods iudgmēts for the same and also for the time which they haue mis-spent The other speciall and most principall respect of long life is that such men might also gather spirituall riches For as by little and little men come to be stored with the things of this world specially if it be long continued euen so by the continuall keeping of the Sabboth by the often reading and hearing of Gods word by vsual praiers by often reiterating with thankefulnes the mercies of God such like men may grow increase most richly and abundantly in the things that concernes a better life If the increase be but as Esai the Prophet saith here a line and there a line Esai 28.10 to wit a little at one time and a little at another either gotten or saued To which purpose Iob saith Iob. 12.12 In length of dayes there is wisdome and amongst the ancient there is vnderstanding Therefore the holy man Dauid all his life long
harsh kind of doctrine to wise men and it is very distastfull to all men for it is a melancholy kind of teaching and of no such necessity Ye might rather in steed thereof stirre vp men to be merrie and to endure their miseries patiently Preachers do nothing more then fright and astonish men in the name of God let vs be merrie whiles we may sorrow comes fast inough The other sort reasoning and expostulating with flesh and bloud cannot determine vpon the generality of death They see not they say how it may be nor how it can stand to be true because then it is questionable say they who shall haue the dominion ouer other creatures in the world which are innumerable and most admirable 2 Pet. 3.1 1.3.4 Saint Peter saith these beleeue not that the world shall be destroyed with fire An answer to the first concerning the generalitie of death Interrogatiuely do you know this to be true by any sentence or example of holy Scripture No no you do not For if you did so know it the hearing of the same againe and againe would rather haue bene comfortable thē tedious vnto you That knowledge which is not grounded vpon the Scriptures of truth is nought worth meerly vnperfect True it is that men may know and be induced to beleeue that they which are a dying will die and that they which are in eminent dangers and perils present shall die But truly to beleeue and certainly to know that all men shall die or who or how many shall die flesh and bloud cannot reueale vnto men For the sense of hearing and seeing by the which men are brought to know and to beleeue reacheth no further then vnto things present because light which is the obiect of seeing and the aire which is the obiect of hearing vpon diuers occasions are sometimes giuen and sometimes taken away Therefore to see and to know certainly as an article of beleefe that all men shall die which is my generall doctrine no man can apprehend nor yet comprehend but by the knowledge of the holy Scriptures and by the holy influence of Gods diuine spirit because in verie truth the same reacheth vnto the apprehension of things in time to come and vnto that which is cleane out of sight and out of hearing Saint Paul speaketh directly of two sorts of seeing 2. Cor. 4.18 the one proper to the spirituall eyes or eyes of the vnderstanding in these words We looke not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene As if he had said We who are the children of God do not esteeme of that which we may apprehend with our natural eyes in cōparison but we esteeme and allow specially of that which we may comprehend and apprehend by faith And in that verie place he verifies the same calling the one in a sort an obiect temporall the other an obiect eternall The same Apostle saith to the like purpose We walke not by sight but by faith 2. Cor. 5.7 to wit We iudge not so highly nor so truly of that which the light or the aire doth manifest vnto our senses as of those things which the word of faith doth manifest vnto our soules The effects and fruites of the one and the other shewes the difference As the vertue attractiue was not in Noahs Arke Gen. 7.7.9.10 that drew famous and most worthy creatures and of all sorts into it nor the vertue attractiue was not in Elias cloke that drew Elisha frō his plowing 1. King 19.19 but both in the effectuall vse of Gods word Euen so the vertue of hearing seeing and beleeuing the general doctrine of death and life proceedeth not from any matter in nature nor from worldly reason nor yet from the wisest humane narration but from the holy Spirit of the liuing God who worketh in vs by faith which is grounded vpon the written word of God As for example briefly 2. King 6.18.19 Elisha his man as he was a naturall man saw onely an armie of the Aramites who were come to take his maister but when the eyes of his vnderstanding were opened vpon the prayers of his maister he saw a farre greater army of Angels that were come to protect them This made S. Paule to pray Ephes 1. That the eies of the Ephesians vnderstanding might be opened which was in effect that God would be pleased to inflame to kindle their hearts and their affectiōs with the splendor of his word and Spirit As the same host of the Aramites was led with blindnesse 1. King 6.18.19 vnto their mortall enemie the king of Israel at Samaria the eyes of their vnderstanding being shut vp and as the Sodomites did strike at Lots doore with blindnesse Gen. 19.10.11 when their naturall eyes were open or as Saule and his company 1. Sam. 26.12 being in the iustice of God striken into a dead sleepe euen so all such as haue not their sight and their knowledge for spirituall things out of Scripture they weare out themselues with wearisomnesse and in the end do bring thēselues as through ignorance into that ineuitable gulfe of perdition Labour you therefore ye seruants of the Lord labour ye the Scriptures and know you for certaine that ye know nothing as ye ought to know vnlesse ye know it by the Scriptures and beleeue it by the same Spirit that wrote the Scriptures As the light of the body is the eye Luk. 11.34 so the light of the inner man is the word of God and consider I pray you consider in due time I aduise you If I be to be blamed for this long discourse concerning the generalitie of death why then did the holy Ghost so largely discourse thereof Why did his holy Maiestie so often particulate one and the same matter so variably and in so many places of Scripture How can this be answered If you say fewer places would haue suffised thē you do directly blaspheme which God forbid Then you charge the holy Ghost with superfluities and tediousnesse where as through Gods mercies with such and so many iterations he doth importune you to remember your mortalitie and to make prouision for the same accordingly If you say this doctrine was not so needfull because you knew it long since out of your owne words you proue this doctrine of all others to be most needfull and my selfe of you most carefull And whereas you know alreadle as you say that you shall die neuerthelesse it is questionable whether you be readie prepared to die euerie houre for the testimonie of a good conscience as his Maiestie hath commanded yea or no. And it is questionable whether you be willing and desirous to die You wil say peraduenture you are of that mind you trust euer to be so that there is nothing vainly spoken in Gods word and you will count them vaine and friuolous that shall speake any thing out of this word that doth
begger why then should any man mourne or murmure at the death of his dearest friends and why should he not be moued to yeld himselfe with al willingnesse contentment to die Why should any one man thinke himselfe worthy of that prerogatiue and priuiledge as not to die yea rather willingly then of constraint Iosua the Lord Generall of Israel at his death tooke this as a strong forcible argumēt to perswade with his people to liue well and that they might die willingly therefore emphatically he said Iosua 23.14 This is the way of all the world to wit Although I be a man as ye know in an extraordinary acceptation with God yet I must die so must you and so must all mankinde that liue and are yet to be borne looke not you to be exempted from this sentence but prouide accordingly A voyce said vnto Esai Crie Esai 40.6 What said he That all flesh is grasse the grace thereof as the flower of the field This holy Prophet being suggested and instigated by the Spirit of God to prepare the way of Christ in the hearts of the people he receiues as from the Lord also the manner how to moue them effectually thereunto euen by telling them that they were all subiect to death and that the most wise and most excellent amongst them was subiect to the same end The second cause mouing willingnesse to die It is drawne from a threefold exchāge that we make with the Almighty the first is the exchange that we make of our bodies 1 Cor. 15.25.54 Phili. 3.21 Esai 49.10.25.8 for this corruptible body which is subiect to manifold miseries and to fall from God we shall haue incorruptible and immortall bodies For these our bodies subiect to hunger to thirst to cold to heate to manifold diseases to sundrie passions and other such like calamities we shall haue celestiall and glorified bodies euerie way freed of all those perturbations The Lambe which is in the middest of the throne Reue. 7.15.16.17 shall gouerne his people and shall leade them vnto the liuely fountaines of waters and God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes 21.3.4 The tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himselfe shall be their God with them There shall be no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither paine Euery Christian is alwaies longing and desiring this exchange yea senselesse creatures do alway straine with a feruent desire to be vnburthened to be discharged of this life how much more euery good man As he that is in prison desires and longs to go abroad or as Hagar in her bondage so miserable is man liuing in the flesh as a liuing soule in a body subiect to death The second exchange that we make is of our goods as when we change earthly riches for heauenly momentanie and transitorie treasures for euerlasting and that which neuer fadeth To which purpose the holy Ghost saith Mat. 6.19.20 Lay not vp treasures where moath or canker corrupteth and where theeues breake through and steale but lay vp treasures for your selues in heauen As if it were to say The best things of this life are subiect to corruptiō to manifold casualties but the treasures which are in heauen are not subiect either to mutability or yet to decay And our sauiour Christ saith by way of a parable Luk. 12.15.10.22 that the abundance of worldly wealth auailes nothing for the time prefent which is but momentanie neither doth it any way minister comfort vnto the distressed soule Thus he saith take heed of couetousnesse for though a man haue abundance yet his life standeth not in his riches Saint Paul seeing and perceiuing the inordinate desire of riches which was in his time and knowing that the like would be continued he speakes by way of comparison verie disdainefully and contemptuously of worldly riches 1 Timo 6.17.18.19 and charges men to prouide for better things and to build vpon a better foundation In heauen is all kinde of plentie maturitie and satietie Iudg. 18.9.10 As the Spies said vnto the children of Dan their brethren concerning Laish Arise and let vs go vp we haue seene the land and surely it is verie good it is a place lacking nothing that is in the world be not slothfull to possesse it for God hath giuen it into your hands euen so do innumerable sentences and examples of holy Scripture say and assure vs as touching the kingdome immortall ioyes of heauē The third exchange that we make by dying willingly and well is of our societie of our companie as when we change the societie fellowship and cōpanie of men for the company and societie of Angels Heb. 12.22.23.24 Reuel 14.1 to 6. the company of whoremongers drunkards liers swearers oppressors and such like for the company of the Saints the company of children on earth for the company of children in heauen the company of husband or wife for the company of Iesus Christ himselfe As a virgine that is affianced to a man thinkes it long before the solemnization thereof so is euery one that is affianced with Christ euermore desiring his full fruition and holy fellowship The third cause mouing willingnesse to die It is the mitigations cōforts helpes that almightie God yeelds against the torments of death to such as do commemorate their mortality with prayers and intercessions vnto almightie God that they may be faithfully prepared Of which gracious qualifications of sicknesses and diminishing of deaths torments the holy Prophet Dauid speakes Psal 41.3 most plainely The Lord will strengthen him vpon his bed of sorrow thou Lord saith the Prophet hast turned all his bed in his sicknesse as if it were to say God wil enable a mercifull religious man to endure all that he will lay on him or else will diminish the qualitie or quantitie of the disease To whom also Christ Iesus saith I am the physition as if it were in effect to say I am a present discharge for the soule that is surcharged with sinne and also a present qualification of bodily griefes and naturall diseases as was manifoldly and plainely experimented by Christ vpon diuers poore people who were miserably and mortally distressed with both The second instruction Concerning the manner sort or kind of death to wit how diuersly and how many wayes death seizeth on all the generation of mankind I will distinguish into foure sorts The which for assignations sake I must call by foure names vnder the which the holy Ghost comprehends as in a close narration dispersed ouer the Bible all maners sorts and kinds of death whatsoeuer howsoeuer and wheresoeuer which are these 1. the Penall death 2. the Naturall death 3. the Vnnaturall death 4. the Politicall death These three are comprehended in that answer of Dauid the selected man of God to Abishai concerning Saul the king whom God deliuered into their
be a performance and a seisure vpon Gods promises for the perpetuall good of his Saints after death which in this life can not be obtayned and also for the ineuitable destruction of the wicked With the godly Esai 23.18 saith Esai shall be ioy and gladnesse slaying of oxen kiling of sheep eating flesh and drinking wine reioycing and triumphing By which words is meant all spiritual heauenly plenty of immortal melodies and vnspeakable alacrities the father ioying and reioycing in the sonne and the sonne in the father and both the father and the sonne in other the Saints in the Angels and specially in the Lambe Christ Iesus The same Prophet continueth his speech as being halfe rauished with the meditation thereof in the behalfe of his fellow brethren who saith Awake thou that sleepest in the dust Esai 25.9 in that day men shall say Lo this is our God we haue waited for him he will saue vs we will reioyce and be ioyfull in his saluation Againe the Lord himselfe speakes by the same Prophet Esa 26.19 The dead men shall liue euer with my body shall they arise awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust Saint Paul said to that effect 1. Cor. 5.10 We must all appeare before the iudgment seate of Christ that euerie man may receiue the things which he hath done in his body As it was with Christ the head so is it with his members Except the wheate corne die and fall into the ground it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth much fruite Concerning the seisure of Gods iudgments vpon the wicked according to Gods promises these ioyes these preparations and these exultations are turned vnto weeping and gnashing of teeth Then saith Esai Esa 23.9 that the noise of them that reioyce endeth intimating the wicked then their mirth ceasseth they shall not eat and drinke with mirth 24.8.26.21 and good things shall be bitter vnto them Lo then the Lord commeth out of his place to visite the inhabitants of the earth The earth shall disclose her bloud and shall no more hide her slaine Then the Lord hath decreed to staine the pride of mās glorie and to bring into contempt all them that be glorious vpon earth Here the glorie of the wicked endeth and euen here the glorie of the godly beginneth as by the example of Diues and Lazarus And as Abimelech hauing fought against the city Sechem fiercely and exceedingly wrathfull he slue all the people that were therein left none aliue and afterwards in signe that it should neuer be inhabited he sowed salt in it euen so is the Lord in his wrath against the wicked of the world at that day The fifth reason why all men must die It is drawne from the matter or substance whereof man was made to wit of earth and therefore subiect to perishing earth cannot continue long out of its spheare whence it was exhausted Earth how cunningly and how curiously soeuer it be built as earth vpon earth it will descend and presse downward according to the nature thereof vnto the place whence it came and by little and little in short time much wil come to nothing According to the which God said vnto Adam Thou art dust Gen. 3.19 and into dust thou shalt returne Man is built vpon a bad foundation Iob. 4.19 therfore Iob said that the soules which came from heauen do dwell in houses of clay and their foundation is in the dust which shall be destroyd before the moath Eccles 3.20 And Salomon said that the spirit shall returne to God that gaue it The sixth reason why all men must die It is drawne from the matter or substance whereof the woman was made or for her immediate conuersion from one substance to another to wit from earth to flesh which being rightly considered in it selfe is a matter or substance lesse durable and more momentanie then the former For flesh how fine soeuer it be in it selfe and how curiously or costly so euer it be preserued yet if it be not vsed and taken in season it will putrifie and become exceeding noisome of it selfe specially the flesh of a woman for by how much more excellent braue beautifull she is in the constitution of her body then the man by so much the more foule filthy stinking her body will become shortly after she is dissolued following therein the nature of other pure and purified creatures which in their time and right vse are much to the prayse of God and to the comfort of man but being abused or not vsed as they ought are the most vile and the most venimous things of all others The flesh of beasts are good for men and the flesh of men good for something but the flesh of women when they are dead is good for nothing Iob therefore being borne of a woman said of him selfe of all others of that kinde My flesh is meate for wormes Job 7.5 my flesh is clothed with wormes and filthinesse Man both by father mother is a stigmaticall note a word of disdaine or an appellation of anger therefore Dauid saith What is man that thou art mindfull of him Ye are all but men the sons of men S. Paul said O wretched man not ô wretched Apostle nor ô wretched Christian but ô wretched man the cause of his wretchednesse was in him selfe a man miserable because a man The seuenth reason why all men must die It is drawne from the vigour and virility of mans nature which being growne vnto the height declineth fadeth and falleth It weareth waneth like the Moone and like Nabucadnezzars image Dan. 3.31.32.33 which being raised from the earth to iron from iron to brasse from brasse to siluer and from siluer to gold the head and highest perfection then it declined it returned and abated from gold to siluer from siluer to brasse from brasse to iron and from iron to earth euen to that indeede whence first it came When nature is quite decayed thē the body extinguisheth as in the example of that renowned man Dauid 1 King 1.1.2 King of gods peculiar people he was so old that he died when nature was quite worne out of him This is also variably to be proued euen by the nature of naturall things which hauing their licour moisture or iuice dried and worne away do decay and perish presently To which purpose God said by the mouth of the Prophet Esai in part touching the desolation of Israel They shall be as an oake Esai 7.30 whose leafe falleth and as a garden without water So likewise saith Iob interrogatiuely Can a rush grow without dirt Iob. 8.11 or can grasse grow without water As if he had said Take dirt water away then neither the rush nor the grasse but will presently wither and come to nothing Saint Peter likens mankind to the flower of the field 1 Pet. 1.24 and to grasse which being growne to the