glorie his peace his ioy his comforts his contentments all his portion is onely in this life Psal 17. saith the Prophet all the sweet he hath foregoeth death after he hath a portion indeed but it is a portion of fier and brimstone Psal 11. of stormes and tempests of anguish and tribulation of shame and confusion of horror and amazement in a firy lake from the presence of God in the middest of cursed spirits Thus death must needs be terrible to him but as comfortable to the godly for it makes his crosses as short as the others comforts the wicked cānot promise to himselfe comforts of an howres length nor may the godly threaten himselfe with crosses of an howres continuance death in an instant turnes the sinners glory into shame Anima absoluitur corpus resoluitur Ab. de bono vit e. c. 8. pleasure into paine comfort into confusion death in an instant easeth the godlies body of all paine his soule of all sinne his conscience of al feares and leaues him in an estate of perfect happinesse Let then the godly comfort himselfe in those thoughts which kill the wicked euen in thoughts of death let him for outward troubles resolue that death will be to him as Michal once to Dauid a meane to rid him of the hands of sorrow so that afflictions shall meete with none other then Sauls messengers did a dead trunke in stead of a liuing Dauid let him comfort himselfe in the thoughts of his owne death as once Esau in the thoughts of his fathers The dayes of mourning said he will shortly come then I will slay my brother but the day of refreshing let the Christian say wil shortly come and then I will slay my enemies pride vnbeliefe selfe-loue yea all corruptions all tentations all miseries which stand some aboue vs some about vs as the insulting Philistimes about Samson shall end with the same blow and fall with the same clap with our selues happie they whose miserie is no longer then life but woe be to the wicked whose iolity ends when death enters and whose torments suruiue death it self and so we leaue Samuel to his rest Well Samuel is well himselfe but in what case doth hee leaue his poore neighbours at Ramah that the Text now speakes and it is my trouble yet better one then al troubled that I must speake it so briefly Israel saith the Text Iacobs issue Gods people all Israel distributiuely taken that is of all forts some were gathered in great troopes either by publike command or of their owne voluntarie or both waies first to lament according to the then custome in most solemne manner Samuels end and their owne losse and next to honour him at his buriall in his Ramah Here you see we haue farre to goe and little time to spend the faster I hasten the more you will hearken and then I runne the points which in a passage or two must be touched from this part are two the first is this Samuel a publike and prositable man dieth Israel publikely mourneth you see what followeth Doct. 1 Great and publike losses must bee entertained with great and publike sorrowes sorrow must be suited to the losse as a garment to the bodie a shoe to the foote when the cause of griefe is great the measure of griefe must bee answerable This is one principle when a good man and neighbour dies there is cause of great sorrow this is another the inference will soone follow and result hence and that is our conclusion Good men of publike vse and place Doct. 2 should neuer passe to the graue vnlamented their death should be considered and be wailed Shall we proue this God complaines when it is not so in Isaiah The righteous perish Isaiah 57.1 and no man considereth it Next the Church hath practised euer this when Iacob died hee was lamented so Ioseph so Iosiah so Stephen Thirdly wicked men haue performed this for good men as Ioash for Elisha O my Father my Father 2. Kings 13.14 the Chariots of Israel and the Horsemen of the same Fourthly good men haue performed this for wicked men when vsefull Gouernours as Dauid for Saul 2. Sam. 1.19 Lastly 2. Sam. 1 19. Lastly reason calls for it we must mourne in respect of the cause of such mens deaths not priuate but publike sinnes too Reas 1 God neuer beheads a State a Countrie but for some treason If Samuel die it is because God is angrie with the people the sheepe be not thankfull nor fruitfull therefore the shepheard is smitten Secondly in respect of the consequents take away good men and good Magistrates and secret sinners grow open desperate the State lies open as a field vnfenced the godly either mourne with Israel or hide themselues with Dauid The righteous is taken away from the euill to come saith Isaiah Isay 57.1 ther 's a storme comming so soone as he is housed Thirdly in respect of the losse it selfe righteous men in the time of peace are the pillars of a State they vphold the Iland saith Iob In time of warre and peace the horsemen and Chariots of their Israel like Salomons waiters for safety and honour as needeful in a State as the head in the body a stake in a hedge Now should it be thus when vsefull persons die Vse what then shall we say to these times wherein men haue not put off pietie onely but nature also No maruell if the Prophet complaine the righteous perish and no man considereth it in heart The wife perisheth and the husband doth not consider it the parents perish and the children do not consider it the children perish and parents do not consider it few such brethren as Dauid to Ionathan such husbands as Abraham such children as Isaac Blind Polydor could taxe this de iuuen l. 6. c. 9. in vs of England such fathers as Iacob These long and long felt the losse of their dearest friends but now one month is enough to weare out al thoughts of a brother nay of a child nay of a mother nay of a wife nay in the nearest tyes one in that space may bee buried a second woed a third married Now when nature dies shall we looke for any life of grace When these so neere be forgotten can we hope that the righteous shal be remembred The righteous said I nay his death is some mans life they sit like Ahashuerosh and Haman drinking when all Israel is lamenting ◅st 3.15 they shoote with Gath and Askelon as in the day of haruest like impure Philistimes sport themselues with others miseries But stay your selues prophane mockers died Samuel like a foole as Dauid speakes of Abner or is his death any aduantage to you No his death is his owne gaine but your losse his death tels you that you must die those soules of yours must bee torne from your bodies those bodies of yours must be mangled by death after death you must be iudged after
not die he goes to bed but cannot sleepe he tastes his meate but it will not downe he shifts his roome but not his paine death saith the conscience would end and amend all wert thou prepared for death but to die before were to loose those comforts one hath and to fall vnder those curses that are vnsufferable c. But as yet we are but in the way to death After sicknes hath for a time entertained vs with sharpest conflicts it deliuers vs vp to death it selfe then the armies of feare display themselues and stabbe the vnprouided soule through his thickest shield then two powerfull officers seize vpon a maimed man at once death vpon the body terrour vpon the soule death hales much like Salomons officers and the soule holds as Ioab the altar so she the body 1. King 2. loth they be to part but death will rend them in twaine the conscience the whilest that meditates feare that quakes that trembles Whither am I going So Adrian dying Animula vagula blandudula c. where must I lodge this night where shall I liue hereafter Oh that I might liue Oh that I might die Oh that I might doe neither and knowes not what to chuse meane while what case is this man in whilest death thus rips him vp and thrusts his hands into his bowels to pull out his heart Ah beloued wee may intimate somewhat of his miserie but it falles not within our thoughts to conceiue what his feare be who hangs between life and death earth and hell thus forthwith ready to drop into flames at euery stroke of death and to sinke downe downe downe till he be gone for euer And yet this is not all when I am dead saith the carnal wretch all the world is done with me he saith truth al the world and all the comforts of the world haue done with him indeed he shal neuer laugh more he shal neuer haue a monieÌ„ts ease more but though the world hath done with him yet God hath not done with him he sends for his soule hauing first taken order that the body be forth-comming conuents that and doomes that casts that from him with greatest indignatioÌ„ into such a place such a coÌ„pany such a condition as would make the heauens sweat and the earth shrinke to heare it Well then beloued sith die wee must sith we must be sicke be in paine in feare in tentation whilest here sith we must to iudgement when we go hence sith that is most true of death which antiquitie hath faigned of the Wolfe and Basiliske if wee see death before it comes to see vs we shall then preuent the sting and poyson and fiercenesse of it if it steale vpon vs vnseene it leaues vs dumbe nay dead bee wee entreated by all the mercies of God as we would please him and pleasure our selues to take into our thoughts the often meditation of death and to make due preparation for the same Tell thy heart euery day when thou takest it alone in the words of Iob When a few yeeres Iob 16.22 or as the text runnes when the yeres of number which are allotted me namely are come then I shall goe the way whence I shall not returne say with him Iob 17.1 the graue is ready for me indeed graues I must die I must from all these profits these pleasures these friends I must answere for all these deeds these words these thoughts I must bee ashamed cast cursed damned burned plagued as long as God liues if I prepare not I shal be spared saued blest crowned and be as neere to God as a creature can be to his maker if I doe prepare therefore I must I must I will prepare for death This done without all delayes as a man that is now dying as well as he for whom the bell toles though not happily so neere to death set vpon two things First set thy house in order next thy soule For the first thou hast persons and things to looke vnto to begin with persons so liue with thy wife being a husband with thy seruants being a master with thy children being a father exercise such wisedome kindnesse faithfulnesse mercy euery day as thou wouldest doe if thou knowest it to be the last day And for things marke me wel â—…ken not to Satan who disswades all seasonable willes because hee would administer the goods by being timely in this errand thou shalt not shorten thy dayes but hauing taken thy leaue of the world shalt better attend on death Things therefore vnlawfull restore I say againe restore Things lawfull dispose of and as in a iourney hastie and vncertaine wait the call But what auailes it to set house in order with Achitophel and to forget ones selfe In the second place therefore nay in the first looke to thy selfe and sith the places be but two and they so different go not to hell so long as heauen may bee had there is no man so forlornely wicked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Basil but if he repent wee may warrant him heauen if he will not who can helpe him But what must he doe first he must repent that is see his life and nature confesse mourne hate sinne and leaue all in practice or allowance Secondly he must beleeue that is acquaint himselfe with the Word and yeeld consent vnto it apply it to his owne particular and dwell vpon it hee must threaten himselfe in euery threat curse himselfe in euery curse blesse himselfe in euery promise Thirdly he must die daily to sinne and the world he must liue daily in the constant practice of al duties religious towards God righteous towards man priuate in his place calling And so if he doth in truth vprightnesse though in much weaknesse there is no heauen if he go not to heauen if he do not thus out of a presumption of mercy of life and I know not what there is none in hell if he be not one Vp then my brethren and foreslow no time now the wind serues hoyse vp saile now is the market make your prouision now is the seeds-time sowe apace as yet you haue all aduantages from grace and nature Word Sacrament wit memory sense strength c. Now apprehend the opportunity repent and be pardoned beleeue and be saued obey and be for euer blessed if any hath perswaded himselfe otherwise my soule shall weepe in secret for his destruction which I know will be as certainly effected as now it is plainly threatned Be entreated then let God entreat you and once ouer-rule you you must die you must die but once being once dead you returne not to make a new preparation doe that once well which being once wel done will make you men nay more then men then Angels for euer And this is the vse for our selues A second respects our friends Must all die is there no remedie then must we haue patience in our friends departure a common lot
we put it vpon our backes and into our mouthes and cannot bee ignorant of it Yea the dead proclaime this lesson and in this respect like Abell are liuing Prophets when dead men Goe to the Word Heb. 11.4 goe to the earth and they that make their beds in darkenesse and sleepe in the dust will tell you that it s neither wisdome nor power nor strength nor friends nor place nor grace nor any thing else that can exempt from this tribute of nature Death as darkenesse could call it our Abel here dead speakes this to all his friends If greatnesse of estate feature of body gifts of mind chastenes of life sobernes in diet diligence in a calling prayers of the Church would haue giuen any aduantage against death darkenesse and blacknesse had not at this time couered vs sith the strong is become weake let vs with Sampson out of the strong gather meate Reason and see first whence this is and next how it may be improued for vse that there is no prescription against death For the first the holy Ghost referres vs to a threefold reason of mans mortalitie each of which hath place in all men as well as any The first of which is taken from the decree of God it s a statute enacted in that highest Court the voyce of heauen that man should once die this statute we reade in Pauls ninth to his Hebrews and in the entrance into Gods booke which as it was laid vpon mankind in Adams so hath it euer hitherto and shall hereafter for euermore lay hold on his posteritie No man as yet hath breathed but he hath had his death or translation no man is yet to come but he must see either death or an alteration so hath heauen concluded it and who can possibly reuerse it The second is taken from the matter whereof all men are made the Scripture compares man to a house whose foundation is laied in the dust whose walles are made of clay the whole is but a tabernacle and that of earth and that of mans building 2 Cor. 5.1 〈◊〉 19. 10 9 13.12 c. as Paul after Iob tels vs this is the estate of man of all men some are more painted then some but all earthen vessels some more cleare then some but all glasses all built of earth all borne of women and therefore all short of continuance Chap. 14. as Iob inferres The third is taken from the proper cause of death Sinne sinne is poyson to the spirits rottennes to the bones where it comes and where doth it not come who can say his heart is cleane 1 Epist chap. 1. ves 8.10 Nay who can wash either heart or hand Iohn answers the question negatiuely no man can acquit himselfe from sinne if growne either actuall or originall and therefore not from death Shall wee then summe vp all and conclude all vnder death with the same breath thus it stands It is impossible for any liuing wight to frustrate the voyce and sentence of God to be a man or earth and not to haue a body of earth to be borne of the vncleane and not to bee vncleane therefore it s impossible for him to auoide death Indeed had Christ vndertaken our freedome from all deaths as well as from some or were there any power counsell c against the Lord or could any place priuiledge any from being borne of women or made of dust or tainted with sinne then such might contest with death and impleade corruption but sith the former is impossible the latter must be deemed vnauoidable And theâ—efore now what 's to be done Surely as men that must trauell Vses stand not to dispute but arme themselues for all weather so must we die wee must that 's alreadie concluded young and old good and bad c. Whatsoeuer wee bee now wee must bee dead anon so saith God let vs say the same and prepare for it nay let 's not say it but think it nay not think it but conclude it with greatest affirmations you will thinke strange perhaps my paines in this kind whilest I perswade a mortalitie but the argument is both needfull and vsefull needfull in regard of our insufficiencie to assume and vnwillingnesse to apprehend death in our selues for howsoeuer wee can all say in the generall we are mortall nothing so suer as death yet when it comes to our owne particular we dreame of an immortalitie in nature we neuer set any bounds to life we do not resolutely conclude I must die shortly I may instantly this day may be the last that I shall see this hower the last that I shal spend this word the last that I shall speake this deed the last that I shall performe this place the last that I shall breathe in and so liue by the day by the hower but wheÌ„ we enter the hower the eldest of vs thinks to end it nay the day nay the week nay the yere Hence the most haue a yeeres work to do when they haue not an howers space to liue needefull then it is to force this meditation of death vpon our harts and as needful so most vseful this will mind vs of the wofulnes of sin which turnes strength into weakenesse beautie into ashes life into death a breathing man into a liuelesse carcasse this will assure vs of the iustice and truth of God who is so pure that he cannot but threaten sinne so true that all the world cannot shift his threats this wil worke humilitie when the goodliest man must be twice a childe and runne in a round beginning with the earth and ending in the earth being at last what he was at first not able to dresse himselfe to feede himselfe to helpe himselfe or speake for helpe this in a word wil work repentance towards God modestie towards man diligence in our callings patience vnder crosses watchfulnesse in all places moderation in all cases and therefore this this must be thought vpon Nor must our thoughts be as most mens be short and sudden fleeting and vncertaine but we must be daily in these contemplations particularly we must consider what it is to die what goes before it what comes with it what followes vpon it for first before we come to the very gate of death we are to passe through a very strait long heauie lane Amariâ—…ita quam moâ—s Amb. de bono mortis cap. 7. sicknesse first tameth vs which many times is worse then death it selfe that renders vs vnfit for all religious seruices prayer repentance c as being a time not of getting but of spending that cleaues the head and paines the heart and wounds the spirits and leaues vs so distressed that meate is no meate the bed no bed light no light to vs that makes vs catch at death for help but alas what help in death if not fore-thought of Oh the miserie of a poore creature that is so pained that he cannot liue so vnprepared that he dares