the ready way to die well as men liue so they for the most part die A blessed life shall haue a blessed death Such as expect for comfort in death must be obedient to God in life If men will liue till they be dead they must die while they liue a good life here bringeth a good death hereafter That his life was godly appeared by his hospitalitie how many of the Saints hath he fed and lodged insomuch as if he was a Gaius for them how did he relieue the poore daily at his doores and in time of sicknes how prouident was he for them He was a peace-maker amonge his neighbors composing controuersies and ending many needlesse suites which either pride or tyranny or selfe-will or enuy had begun Hee had a great loue to the meanes of his owne saluation I meane the preaching of the word frequenting it often if his health did serue him countenancing supporting the Lecture where he was a continuall hearer How kinde and affable hee was to Gods Ministers they will be ready to witnesse In his sicknesse he was very penitent and sorrowfull confessed his sinne desiring God to forgiue him nay assuring himselfe that all his sinnes were pardoned and forgiuen for Christs sake In his sicknesse he was patient weary of the world desirous to goe home forgiuing and forgetting all wrongs and iniuries done him His talke for the most part in his sicknesse was of heauenly matters and such as came to comfort him might receiue comfort from him He did often pray and ioyne in praier and which was worthy obseruance did pray for a blessing on Phisicke before hee would vse it He vsed all lawfull meanes commending the successe to God So liued he and thus died he leauing an earthly possession and a house of clay but now enioying an heauenly inheritance a mansion a resting place of eternall glory leauing louing friends but now enioying such as are more louely leauing children and yet gone to his children All did not speake well of Christ some saide hee was a deceiuer some a glutton some a wine-bibber some a company keeper of wicked men so all may not speake well of this Gentleman there be cursing Shimeries and rayling Rabshakethes some that will speake good of none As the red dragon cast out water after the woman that had brought foorth a man child to drowne it so such as are the dragons young will cast out slanders lies false reports and cursed speeches after those which die in the Lord to disgrace them The liues of such men as loue to disgrace the dead we mayknow their death God knowes FINIS Eccles. 12. 12 Tenet insanabile multos scribends cacoethes Epainetixâ—s Gen. 2. 7. Gen. 3. 19. Eccles. 12. 7. Puluis in pulneâ—ena Humus in humum Nâ—scimur vtâ— moriamur Eccles. 1. 7. The metaphrase Text. Pagin Lingua Hebraica Adam ab adamach terra madida apta ad formas recipiendas Merce Gen 4. 2. Psal. 39. 5. Psal. 144. 4. Psal. 62. 4. Hommes sunt 〈…〉 Gen. 4. 26. Doct. 1. 1. Tim. 6. 7. Iob. 5. 7. Rom. 13. 14. Eccles. 2. 23. Vse â—â— Psal. 144. 4. Heb. 13. 14. 1. Pet. 2. 11. Psal. 39. 12. Psal. 51. 5. Ioh. 3. 5. Ier. 17. 9. Gen. 8. 21. 2. Sam. 11. 2. Psal. 5. 4. Psal. 10. 7. Esa. 59. 7. Ier. 5. 5. Psal 50 17. Psal 94. 7. Mala. 3. 17. Ephes. 2. 3. Col. 3 6. Ier. 51. 17. Rom. 8. 17. Psal. 41. 3. Mat. 9. 2. Ioh. 11. 44. Luk. 15. 4. 5. 6. Ioh. 14. 6. Vse 2. 1. Kin. 11. 43. Iudg. 16. 30. 2. Sam. 18 11 2 Sam. 17. 23. 2 Sam. 12. 18. Gen. 5. 27. Luk. 16. 22. Luk. 12. 20. 2. Kin. 9. 33. Gen. 23. 2. Hebr. 9. 27. 2. Cor. 5. 10. Icâ—â— Esa. 4. 6. â— Pet. 1. 14. Doct. 3. Ion. 4. 6. Iob. 17. 4. Iob. 21. 26. Esa. 51. 8. Act. 12. 13. Ion. 6. Iob 141. Gen. 47. 9. Psal. 90 10. Iob. 7. 1. Iob. 14. 5. Iob. 14. 14. Vse 1. Luk. 16. 19. Iob. 15. 27. Esa. 3. 15. Amo. 8. 4. Mich. 3. 3. 1. Ioh. 2. 17. Eccles. 1. 2. Iob. 1. 21. Dominâ—n ancillari et ancillam dominari magna â—â—t abusis Reuel 21. 21. Iohn 14. 2. Luk. 15. 17. 18. Reuel 7. 14. Luk. 14. 18. 19. 20. 1. Cor. 15. 55. 1. Sam. 17. 50. Iudg. 16. 30. 1. Sam. 4. 18. 2. Kin. 9. 33. Act. 7. 59. Luk. 16. 19. Philip. 1. 23. Luk. 12. 40. Mark 13. 37. â— Pet. 3. 10. Text. Psal. 39. 5. Psal. 102. 11. Iob. 10. 1. Hos. 13. 3. Iob. 7. 6. Iob. 7. 9. Iam. 4. 14. Doa 3. Dam. 2. 37. Prou. 23. 5. 1. Tim. 6. 17. Prou. 11. 4. Ezechi 7. 19. Mat. 13. 7. Eccles. 5. 9. Pro. 27. 20. Luk. 12. 17. Psal. 49. 12. Eccles. 6. 2. Ioh. 3. 8. Ier. 4. 23. Vse 1. Colos. 3. 2. Mat. 6. 24. Iam. 4. 4. I. Ioh. 2. 15. Psal. 39. 11. Reuel 3. 16. Reuel 2. 4. Esa. 55. 6. Amo. 5. 14. Mat 6. 33. Psal 34. 14. Philip. 2. 15. Luk. 13. 24. Rom. 5. 2. Col. 3. 4. I. Cor. 15. 53. 1. Cor. 15. 43. 1. Cor. 15. 44. Psal. 24. 7. Reuel 21. 27. 1. Pet. 4. 14. 2. Cor. 1. 12. Psalm 3. 3. Text. Doct. â— Luk. 13. 4. Iob. 21. 13. Sam. 4. 6. Iudg. 4. 21. Iudg. 16. 30. Esa. 37. 38. Es 138. 12. Fabius Senator Anacreon Adrianus Papa â—anat in 27. Prouerb Iohan. stow 44. ann Elrâ—a Hos. 9. 11. â—e 2. Psal 39. 4. Psal. 90. â—â— Iere. 4. â— Heb. 3. 1â— Mica 2. 1â— Colloss 4. 5. Math. 3. 7. Eccles. 12. 1. Deut. 32. I. Lament 1. 9. 2. Pet. 1 10. 1. Pet. 4. 3. 1. Cor. 15. 58. 〈◊〉 sapienâ—ium vita est 〈◊〉 meditaâ—â—â— Psal. 49. 16. 17. 2. Tim. 4. 10. Mat. 26. 15. Luk. 12. 20. Amo. 5. 5. Esa. 55. 6. Gen. 49. 14. Luk. 5. 6. Haba 2. 6. 1. Cor. 4. 2. Mat 23. 3. Text. Doct. 5. Iob. 7. 7. 8. 9. 10. 1. Kin. 8. 27. Luk. 23. 43. Psal. 19. 5. Eccles. 12. 7. Gen. 3. 19. Iob 14 7. 8. 9. 10. Iob 7 6. Io 1 14. 14. Vse 10 Luk. 6. 35. 2. Cor. 1. 3. Luk. 16. 2. Eccles. 9. 10. â—â—ccrris actio in calis contemplatio â—â—â—monles Reuel 14. 13. Ioh 9 4. Ioh. 12. 35. Gal. 6. 10. Nallus poenitentiae ln us nullus satisfaclionis effetlus Cypria ad deâ—â—ctr Perk. Hebr. 3. 7. 8. Quotidie est ho. he Heb. 3. 13. Mica 6. 10. 2. Cor. 11. 14. Ioh. 13. 27. Act. 5. 3. Ephes. 2. 1. Act. 13. 10. Ioh. 8. 44. Reuel 12. 12. Reuel 20. 3. 8. Reuel 2. 24.
man being dead can returne to his naturall life no more My dayes are swifter then a vveauers shittle and they are spent vvithout hope Iob 7. 6. A weauers shittle is soone from one ende to another so wee are soone from the day of birth to the day of death and our dayes are spent without hope euer to liue a naturall life If a man die shall he liue againe Iob 14. 14. When the soule is separated from the body the body lieth as a stocke or blocke terrible to behold if it lie a while vnburied it wil putrifie and stincke Wee loue no man so much in his life as wee loath him after death for then wee cannot see him dead whom wee were neuer weary beholding when he was aliue To desire or wish him liuing that is dead is in vaine The liuing shall goe to the dead but the dead not come to the liuing First it may warne and admonish men to doe good whiles they liue and to set all things in order before they die If thou hast wronged make restitution in thy life time for thou shalt not come againe to restore If thou wilt giue doe it in thy life time for thou shalt not come againe No doubt the rich man would haue beene more pittifull and mercifull if hee had liued againe on earth Mercifull giuers shall be the children of the highest Luk. 6. 35. And bee like God their father who is the father of mercies 2. Cor. 1. 3. They shall bee his Stewards to dispose his goods Luk. 16. 2. And his hands to distribute his almes All that thy hand shall finde to doe doe it vvith all thy power for there is neither worke nor inuention nor knowledge nor vvisedome in the graue vvhither thou goest Eccles. 9. 10. Here wee must repent here we must giue for after death these actions shall haue no place In this life doe good after this life receiue good here labour hereafter rest In earth action in heauen contemplation The dead are saide to rest from their labours Reuel 14. 13. And although the soule thorough death doeth not loose his faculties notwithstanding she doth not exercise her operations The action of the godly after this life is a perpetuall fruition of eternall happinesse put in the contemplation of diuine glory Our Sauiour saith I must doe the vvorkes of him that sent me vvhile it is day the night commeth vvhen no man can vvorke Ioh. 9. 4. Worke vvhile yee haue haue light Ioh. 12. 35. While we haue time let vs doe good to all men Gal 6. 10. As all time is not fit to sow and plant so all time is not to doe good for after death there is no place of repentance nor no effect of satisfaction Hard dealing men giue gifts to the poore after death but too late Funerall beneficences is not free but formal not chearfull but extorted Because the time of repentance satisfaction restitution and such like will not long last and continue let vs now repent and turne to the Lord to day if yee will heare his voice harden not your hearts Hebr. 3. 7. 8. Exhort one another daily while it is called to day Hebr. 3. 13. Make satisfaction to those men whom thou hast wronged and restore such goods lands and possessions as thou doest detaine from any man there can be no true repentance while the treasures of wickednesse are in the houses of the wicked Mica 6. 10. Secondly it may reproue many who affirme that they haue seene and heard dead men to walke and talke to frequent their promises and to say I am the soule of this man or of that woman I am tormented grieuously in Purgatory for this or that which I haue done I might be deliuered if so many Masses were said for mee If they be not popish which make such false apparitions for gaines sake they are certaine euill spirits Satan can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light 2. Cor. 11. 14. Why not into a soule He entred into Iudas Ioh. 13. 27. He filled Ananias heart Act. 5. 3. He worketh mightily in the sonnes of disobedience Eph. 2. 2. Hence it is that they are called the children of the diuell as Paul said to Elimas and full of all subtiltie and all mischiefe the child of the diuell and enemy of all righteousnesse wilt thou not cease to peruert the straight wayes of the Lord Act. 13. 10. Such were the Iewes to whom Christ spake Yee are of your father the diuell and the lustes of your father yee will doe Ioh. 8. 44. Hence is that the holy Ghost saith Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea for the diuell is come downe vnto you which hath grtat wrath knowing that hee hath but a short time Reuel 12. 12. He is a deceiuer of the people Reuel 20. 3. 8. And his sleights and deceits are called the deepenesse of Satan Reuel 2. 24. The diuels perloaps cannot assume dead mens bodies for they are more vnfit for motion then dead instruments that neuer had life It is a peculiar worke of Gods power to raise the bodies of men out of the graue The Scripture doth not mention that euer euill spirits did appeare with true bodies Seeing mans dayes are few fraile and fickle few for fourescore yeares is a long time now though foure hundred were not much in time past fraile for the strongest man is but weake and fickle for we are speedily from the wombe our liuing mothers to the wombe of our dead mother earth Mans dayes are not onely few fraile and fickle but short and so his liuing death is changed to an euerlasting life and the end of a temporall is the beginning of an eternall life Mans dayes are not onely short but also full of trouble notwithstanding the sorrowes of a bitter life shall bee recompenced with a blessed death and the going out of a bad is the beginning of a better world Mans dayes pompe glory birth blood are but as vanishing flowers this world is transitorie and when man dieth he shall leaue all behind him hee shall carry no more with him going then he brought comming no more out of the world then hee brought into the world whereof he shall haue any vse and when a man is dead he shall returne no more If a man wrong or deceiue oppresse and goe beyond the seas at his returne hee may right those he hath wronged and relieue those he hath oppressed but man that wrongeth oppresseth and iniureth in this life and dieth in the sinne shall not returne to liue on earth to repent for it neither to satisfie for it therefore while we liue let vs so liue that we may liue in death I haue hitherto spoken of life and death now I must speake something of the life and death of this Worshipfull Gentleman whose body standeth before vs ready to be interred To liue well is
TO THE WORSHIPFVL AND MY VERY GOOD FRIENDS M r. IOHN VPTON Esquire and to his vertuous and religious wife Mistresse Dorothy Vpton all prosperous welfare tending to eternall safetie AS one not ambitious but desirous to set foorth the glory of God to declare his truth and publish his mercies I haue presumed to present this small Treatise to your viewe wherein is handled the shortnesse and fewnesse of mans dayes the frailtie and vncertaintie thereof how he is mortall euery day dying because euery day life shortneth the rather because it was preached at the Funerall of your deare Father I knowe Salomon findeth fault with writing many bookes saying there is no end in writing many bookes but they are such doe defend false doctrine and vaine opinions which he taxeth such as set foorth the glory of God he commendeth This inconsiderate age of ours is more willing to entertaine idle Pamphlets vaine toyes with fond inuentions haue excogitated then to embrace such laudable enterprises which further the kingdome of God or perswade the truth of Religion among the sonnes of men I knowe some will not spare to barke at this but I will passe by the Sâ—â—llean dogges and stop my eares as Ierome speakes esteming Zoilus nothing at all nor much regarding 〈◊〉 as carpe at each monument of pietie and in a prejudiâ—â—e 〈◊〉 reiect and discharge their paines who shall 〈◊〉 crosse the watch of their wicked delights I doubt not 〈◊〉 with you and with all good Christians it will finde acceptance It is vnworthy the worlds view being the fruits of a short conception the effect of a distracted study oft hindered and perturbed by sinister courses Thus thankefully remembring my selfe doe commend your wayes to the Lord that they may be prosperous your sorrowes easie your comforts many your vertues eminent your consciences quiet your liues holy your deaths comfortable your election sure and your saluation certaine remaining Yours in all Christian affection IOHN PRESTON A SERMON PREACHED AT THE FVNERAL OF ARTHVR VPTON Esquire in Denon PSAL. 103. 15. 16. Mans dayes are as an herbe as a flower of the field so florisheth he For the wind goeth ouer it and it is not and the place thereof shall know it no more THis Psalme is laudatiue wherein Dauid doth praise God for diuers benefits partly in particular bestowed on him partly on all man kinde and partly on the people of Israel The first part of praise he propoundeth vnder the forme of an ex ortation in the first and second verse The benefits besâ—â—â—ed on him he setteth downe to be fiue 1. remission of sinnes 2. regeneration 3. deliuerance from dangers 4. giuing victuals and necessary foode 5. strength of body all which are contained in the 3. 4. 5. verses The benefit bestowed on the people of Israel were these the opening of his word the remission of sinnes and the moderation of chastisements from the 7. to the 13. then hee amplifieth this moderation from the fragilitie of humaine nature saying God knoweth whereof wee are made hee made vs therefore he knoweth vs he made vs of dust Gen. 2. 7. and he remembreth that we are but dust thou art dust Gen. 3. 14. and dust shall returne to the earth as it was Eccles. 12. 7. And so euery man shall become no man for that which is taken from the earth shall returne to the earth dust shall returne to dust and earth to earth wee are borne that we might die and wee must die that we may liue by dying to reuiue by leesing life to winne the goale of eternall felicitie There is litle cause either to loue life or to feare death and motiues to perswade vs to mourning that our inhabitancels prolonged and our decease adiourned As all riuers goe into the sea Eccles. 1. 7. So all men must goe into the graue Death is the tribute of all the prison of all the mistresse of all and the receptacle of all Mans dayes are as an hearbe as a flower of the field so flourisheth he For the winde goeth ouer it and it is not and the place thereof shall know it no more in which words 2. things are remarkable 1. The fragilitie of humaine nature in the 15. v.  2. A reason at the 16. v. The fragilitie of humaine nature is expressed by a twofold comparison 1. Compairing mans dayes to an hearbe mans dayes are as an hearbe 2. To a flower of the fielde as a flower of the field so florisheth he It is as much as if the Prophet had saide though man be an excellent creature litle inferior to the Angels yet he is a fraile creature soone come and soone gone his dayes are like the hearbe which is the life of the earth and a flower of the fielde which is the glory of the hearbe as the hearbe groweth and as the flower florisheth so now groweth and florisheth and as the hearbe and flower soone wither so man soone fadeth away if the winde blow on the hearbe or grasse it is gone and it commeth not to his place againe so if death blow or depriue man of breath hee is dead hee is gone and the place wherein hee liued hee shall liue no more and the eye which hath seene him shall see him no more Mans dayes The word is Enosh man which is a common name and sometimes particular As Homo is a common name to all men in one tongue so Enosh is a common name of all men in the holy tongue God named the first man Adam let vs make man Gen. 1. 26. Let vs make Adam that is man Adam from Adamah which is moist earth fit to receiue formes and impressions he was so named that he might keepe in memory that he was but earth Our first Parents called their second sonne Habel Gen. 4. 2. or Hebel which is vanitie vanitie is a matter which is nothing or that which soone vanisheth away as the breath which goeth foorth from the mouth Man is vanitie Psal. 39. 5. Like to vanitie Psal. 144. 4. The children of men are vanitie the chiefe men are lies to lay them vpon a ballance they are altogether lighter then vanitie Psal. 62. 4. The sence is if men should bee put in one scale of the ballance vanitie in the other scale men would ascend vanitie descend that is men would be found lighter then vanitie men are vainer then vanitie it selfe He was so named that he might keepe in minde the vanitie of his humaine condition Zeth named his sonne Enosh Gen. 4. 26. which is to be weake or fraile that hee might keepe in memory the frailtie and infirmitie of humaine condition and so it is a common name of man That all men both by name and by nature are fraile and weake mans name doth bring so much to mans remembrance Man brought nothing with him into the world 1. Tim. 6. 7. In his infancy he cannot