2.15 What man liueth and shall not see death and shall hee deliuer his soule from the hand of the graue The woman of Tekoah hauing a sute to king Dauid the better to mooue him to graunt her request she put him in minde of his death saying Omnes We all must needs die c. for it is appointed vnto men that they shall once die Ortus cuncta suos repetunt Matremque requirunt The meaning is All things must to their mother from whence they were taken Gen. 3.19 Adam is earthy and therefore called Adam and must to the earth Eccl. 41.10 Coru. Gal. Aug. in Euch. ad Laur. cap. 93. de pecca Meri libr. 2. cap. 34. Aug. in Ps 38. as the wise man saith All that is of the earth shall turne to the earth againe Thnascomen homos hapantes Which the Poet doth well expresse saying Omnibus est eadem lethi via All die alike but seuerall meanes bring men to their end Of this thy very meate vpō thy table might put thee in mind For all things die for thy sustenance and thou shalt die for thy sinne The labourer is worthy of his hyer and the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6. Quo cunque te verteris incerta omnia sola mors certa Whatsoeuer thou shalt determin all things are vncertaine onely death is certain All flie at the sight of her whip as the dust before the winde She doth ransacke as wel the pallaces of Princes as poore cottages Both rich and poore young and old of what degree soeuer Ferentur shall packe with her there is no parlying about the matter But when shee comes as Iehu said to the messenger of Iehoram so will shee to thee Turne thee behinde me 2. Reg. 9.18 Follow thou me as Christ said to Peter Heu Heu quam surda miseros auertitur aure Boet. Et flentes oculos claudere saeua negat Which thus may be translated Alas ô woe from wofull men as deafe she turnes her eare And though they cry she doth deny any one of them to heare It is written of all Superiours Ps 82.6.7 I haue said you are Gods but a retreit is also sounded You shall die like men 1. Reg. 2.2 Cesar Hanniball Alexander Pompey many other the mightie Captaines and Monarkes of the world are dead King Dauid though the man after Gods owne heart said I go the way of all the earth 1. I die as all must Nay Iesus Christ was not exempted from this death Looke in the booke of God and you shall finde this the Period of life as well to the holy Fathers the Patriarkes and Prophet as to young babes Mortuus est and he dyed and the childe dyed Thus we see what death is and that all must die Now know this that none shall die before their time appointed of God but euen when theyr time is come which they shall not passe This some of the vely Heathen did consesse saying Stat sua cuique dies breue irreparabile tempus omnibus est vitae The effect is euery mans time is appointed short and vnrepaireable But the scriptures are plaine proouing the same Holy Iob saith Iob. 14. Are not his dayes determined the number of his moneths are with thee thou 1. God hast appointed his bounds which he cannot passe Which Caluin confesseth writing vpon the same place As Ioseph was cast into prison and kept in the stocks yet when his time came the King sent and loosed him euen so will God do by thy soule For as the Egiptians could not keepe the Israelites in bondage after their time was come to be deliuered no more can the body the soule nor the graue the body when God sendeth for their deiluerance Almightie God speaking by his Prophet of the destruction of the Egiptians saith They could not stand Ier. 46.21 because the day of destruction was come vpon them And for the death and destruction of all the enemies of Gods Church Daniel saith which also was reuealed vnto the Euangelist Iohn There is a time appointed Dan. 11.35.36 the determination is made You know many times the Iewes sought to kill Iesus Christ but when they would they could not as the Apostle saieth No man laid hands on him for his houre was not yet come And Salomon saith To all things there is an appointed time c. A time to be borne and a time to die The very minute or instant thereof thou shalt not passe as before is shewed And this is the ordinance of the Lord ouer all flesh CHAP. VI. Whether any die before their time BVt here some will obiect and say with Dauid Ps 55.24 25 The bloudie and deceitful men shall not liue halfe their dayes Againe God added fifteene yeares vnto the dayes of Hezechias And Ionas preached to Niniuie Ionas 3.4 saying Yet fortie dayes and Niniuy shall be destroyed Fortie dayes came and Niniuy was not destroyed Therefore to some their time is shortned for a plague and to some their daies are prolonged for a blessing as God hath promised And the time of death and certaine end of mans life is not determined First to the threatnings as also to the promises of the blessings of almightie God I answere that both containe alwaies a condition sometimes expressed in Deut. 28.2.15 Isa 1.19.20 Ezech. 33.13.14.15 Sometimes not expressed as to Hezechiab 2. Reg 20.1 To Niniuy Ionas 3. And infinite other wicked people Gal. 5.21 Reu. 21.8 1. Cor. 6.9.10 And when God giueth grace to vs to do his will or leaueth man to his sin the condition is obserued or not obserued According vnto which the promise taketh place whether it be of a curse or of a blessing So that though we say commonly of them that kill themselues they shorten their daies or they die before their time indeed it seemeth so to the opinion of man yet in the decree of God it is not so But Gods iudgement was so determined vpon such a man and the like with Iob his children Malum paenae before the world was And his counsell shall stand for our instruction 1. Either to try or quicken our faith and expresse our patience to the example of other Iob. 1.22 as he did with the holy man Iob. 2. Or to expresse his owne power as hee did to him that was borne blinde The Disciples said to Christ Maister who did sinne this man or his parents that hee was borne blinde Ioh. 9 2.3 Iesus answered Neitther hath this man sinned nor his parents but that the workes of God should be shewed on him 3. Or else to shewe vs his high displeasure and punishment for sinne as he did against Nabuchadnezzar and the wicked of the world And with the Lord there is no shadow of chaunge So that through death punishments come vpon men by meanes ordinary and extraordinarie as Dauid effectually confesseth yet the time and houre and very instant thereof is
first and also of the Gretian Reue. 2.9 O the fearefull trembling that these and such like truthes of Gods holy word doo bring to a desperate soule at the remembrance of death Of which in their life time though they haue no feeling yet at the day of death they may bring a wofull griping Thirdly I omit to speake of the vnsatiable care worldly men haue to get their greedie desire to keepe and their loathsomenesse to depart from theyr Mamonisme worldly wealth and pleasure All which doth make them sorrie to see death and quake to thinke vpon it Ecclesi 41.1 Mat. 19.21 The worldling in the Gospell was loth and sorrowfull yea more he would not leaue his worldly pelfe to walk with Iesus Christ though hee was promised treasure in heauen And how wil those that be such grieue when they see they must in spight of their teeth goe with death of whome they are perswaded it neuer bringeth good vnto them but euil 1. Reg. 21.8 as Ahab was by the holie Prophet or messenger of the Lord Fourthly I would if any of my paines could preuaile with you to wring sinne from you shewe what reare God may strike into the hearts of wicked men at the remembrance of death when they call to mind 1. how they haue caused many to blaspheme Rom. 2.24 Mat. 18.7 and to commit sinne by their euil example And 2. do know that therefore their punishment shall be the greater As 3. to consider that the fathers wicked life shall be cast in their childrens teeth as Rom. 18.8 what was thy father but an Vsurer Extortionerâ—â— Drunkard Eccle. 41.7 Wisd 4 6. a whoremaster or such like Of which saith the wise man The Children complaine of an vngodly father because they be reproached for his sake Will not these thinke you with a thousand the like cogitations driue terrour and feare into wicked mens hearts at the sight of death Fift and lastly when such wicked men doo call to minde how they haue seen the poore to be afflicted many and sundry wayes and haue not comforted them but haue rather sought diuersly to vexe them and so haue brought the curse of the people vpon them And herewithall remember how the poore shall be comforted Luc. 16.25 Pro. 10.7 Psal 37.2.9.10 and themselues tormented and that their name shall rotte and their remembrance shall be cleane put out And also do perswade themselues that they be of the number of them of whom it is said Woe be to you that are full for ye shall hunger Woe be to you that now laugh for you shall waile and mourne Luk. 6.25 Then they may turne their faces to the wall with Hezechias but looke for small comfort and say What hath our Pride profited vs or what profit hath the pompe of our riches brought vs We sometimes haue had many in dirision and in a parable of reproach We fooles we counted their life madnesse and thought their ende would be without honour But they are reckoned among the children of God Wisd 5.3.4.5.8 and shall haue their portion among the Saints But with vs it is not so 1. Psal 1.5.6 Wisd 4.14 we are like the chaffe which the wind driueth away from the face of the earth therefore we shall not be able to stand in the iudgements neither in the congregation of the righteous O the consideratioÌ„ of these things to a distressed soule plunged in distrust is iust cause to sorrow and mourne Of such it may truly be said Nasci miseria viuere paena mori angustia est To be borne is miserie to liue is a plague and for to die is anguish and woe And thus much to shewe you some causes why death is a terror vnto the wicked people of the world CHAP. XII Who feare not death NOw there is an other sort of men vnto whom death is neuer terrible but most heartily welcome And these are those spirituall minded men the number whereof is but small Math. 7.14 which haue the seale of the liuing God in their foreheads Reue. 7.3 Whose names are written in the Lambes booke of life Which haue made their long robes white in the bloud of the Lambe These haue the spirit of the liuing God by which they are sealed vnto the day of redemption and are not in the flesh but in the spirit because the spirit of God dwelleth in them Which spirit beareth witnesse vnto our spirits Rom. 8.9.16 that wee are the children of God and heires annexed with Christ if so bee that wee suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him or else not For after death there is a seperation of the soule from God into hell onely Math. 7.23 Which the learned doo call the death of the soule and the Euangelist Iohn Luk. 16.26 The second death Quam omnes patiuntur qui periculorum metu fidem abnegant mundo sese conformes reddunt Gualt in Hos 14. Hom. 44. Mat. 10. 1. Ioh. 2.15 Which all soules do fuffer that for feare of daungers doo denie the faith and fashion themselues like vnto the worlde But the Saints of God are free being iustified by faith and are at peace with God through Iesus Christ our Lorde And they do shewe forth their faith by their workes being borne anew not of mortall seed but of immortall by the word of God who liueth and endureth for euer And these beeing strong in the Lorde and in the power of his might doo cast away the workes of darknesse and put vpon them the armor of light euen the whole armour of God by which they are able to resist in the euill day and hauing finished all things they stand fast For their heart as the Prophet saith beleeueth in the Lord and they are not afraid to meete with their enemie in the gate Therefore if death come or the diuel or whatsoeuer they feare not For who shall laie any thing to the charge of Gods elect Rom. 8.33 It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne And so these are as willing to welcome death Luk. 2.25.28 Colloss 1.21 Psal 120.5 as Simeon was ioyfull to imbrace Christ because death is to them aduantage Therefore the Princely Prophet Dauid said Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell with Meshech and to abide among the tents of Kedar And againe Bring my soule out of prison Ps 142.7 1. Reg. 2.2 And a little before his death quietly hee said I goe the way of all the earth that is I know death is at hand Iob. 6.8.9 Ien. 4.3 This holie Iob wished for and Ionas praied O Lord take I beseech thee my life from me for it is better for me to die then to liue Paul knowing the same Rom. 7.24 saide O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death And writing to the Philippians hee saith Phil. 1.23.24 To abide in the flesh was needfull for them but
and his inheritaunce bragging in your talke with swords in your mouthes Ps 59 6.7.8.9.10 and warre in your hart yet our trust is in the name of the Lord who at his pleasure will haue you in derision and laugh you to scorne for he is strong Therefore wee will wait vpon him for God is our defence and a very present helpe in trouble and as his good pleasure is hee will let vs see our desire vpon our enemies Ps 76.15 For hee shall cut off the spirit of Princes hee is terrible to the Kings of the earth That is to such as are earthly minded Therefore be we strong and he will comfort our hearts Thus loe we see how God casteth out the counsell of Princes and maketh the deuices of the people to be of none effect thus bringing them downe by confounding their enterprises for there is no counsell against the Lord but it must come to nought 3. Ps 7.15 Againe God bringeth downe the proud and wicked men by driuing them into the pit they digge for others That is looke what euill one man pretends against an other into such they shall fall themselues For proofe the crueltie of Chush Sauls kinsman was so great and outragious against Dauid without any iust cause that Dauid was forced to cry vnto God against him saying Ps 7 9. Pro. 26 27 Ps 34.21 Iob. 15.35 Ps 7.14 Isay 59 4.5 Ps 7.16 O let the malice of the wicked come to an end An other place of holy scripture saith Malice shall slay the wicked Againe it is said of them They conceiue mischief and bring forth vanitie and their belly hath prepared deceit they doo euen hatch Cockatrice egges That is they are altogether set vpon wickednesse But their mischiefe shall returne vpon their owne head and their crueltie shall fall vpon theyr owne pate So that any Saint or soule of the righteous may in confident boldnesse say with the Psalmist The Lord is my refuge Ps 94.22 23. and my God is the rocke of my hope and he will recompence them their wickednesse and destroy them in their owne malice yea the Lord our God shall destroy them And againe it is written The wicked haue drawne their sword and haue bent their bowe to cast downe the poore needie and to slay such as be of an vpright coÌ„uersation But how shall they prosper their sword shall enter into their owne heart and their bowes shal be brokeÌ„ For the Lord shall helpe them and deliuer them he shal deliuer them from the wicked and shall saue theÌ„ because they trust in him And thus the Iudge of all the world doth exalt himself and render a reward to the proud Proud Haman would haue hanged meeke Mardoche but hee was hanged himselfe Pharao with the Egiptians pursuing the Israelites through the red sea said Exod. 15.9.19 I will pursue I will ouertake them c. my hand shall destroy them But they were destroyed themselues The most valiant men in Nabuchadnezzars army bound and cast Sydrach Misach and â—bednego the seruants of the liuing God into the hot siery fornace but these were preserued those were burned and conâ—â—med After this because Pride alwaies enuieth superioritie through her ambition like Corath Dathan and Abiram and the Pope I will spare the Puritane The Princes of Babilon ouer whom Daniel was preferred by the King as Moyses by God got by subtiltie a decree of the King confirmed against Daniel and cast him into the Lyons denne but Daniel by Gods prouidence was deliuered from the power of the Lyons at the commaundement of the King those men which had accused Daniel were brought and cast into the denne of Lyons they their children and their wiues and the Lyons had the masterie of them and brake all their bones in peeces or euer they came at the ground of the dâ—â—â—â— Thus these that would haue destroyed others were themselues destroyed of the destroyer Then let vs learne to beleeue that hee which loueth cursing so shall it come vnto him And he that loueth not blessing so shall it be far from him And eueÌ„ he that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore so hee shall cry himselfe eueÌ„ to God in his distresse and shall not be heard For it is written With what measure you mete it shall bee measured to you againe saieth Christ Mat. 7.2 Therefore when Adonibezecke was taken in warre by the Israelites they cut off the thumbes of his hands and feete as he had done by others Then said Adonibezecke Seuentie Kings hauing the thumbes of their hands and of their feete cut off gathered bread vnder my table Iudg. 17. as I haue done so God hath rewarded me Samuel in like manner vsed king Agag 1. Sam. 15 37. and said As thy sword hath made women childlesse so shall thy mother be childlesse among other women And Samuel hewed Agag in peeces before the Lord in Gilgal This should terrifie men froÌ„ pretending hurt against their neighbours Therefore to end this point I counsell you from wise Salomon Robbe not the poore because he is poore neither oppresse the afflicted in iudgement For the Lord will defend their cause and spoile the soule of those that spoile them And thus we see they shall be brought downe 4 Fourthly almightie God often bringeth downe the Pride of many by spoiling them of those things whereof they be proud so sending the to shame and making them a derision vnto the people Iob. 11.20 Therefore holy Iob saith The eies of the wicked shal faile their refuge shall perish and their hope shall be sorrow of minde Thus God promised he was as good as his word to pull down the Pride of the daughters of Sion bring theÌ„ to shame Thus thy pomp shal be brought down as the worldling with his wealth for thy glorie is but dung and wormes to day thou art set vp and to morrow thou shalt not bee found Therefore looke to thy learning thy wisdome and wealth be not proud of thy honour beautie or strength as Paul was of his reuelations 2. Cor. 12. For Inquinat egregios adiuncta superbia mores Pride staineth the best vertues There saith Saint Augustine Sola superbia etiam in recte factis est cauenda Onely Pride in our good deeds must be auoyded This I take to be the cause euen for that we are proud of those things we haue that holy Iob and the Prophet Isay doo say in effect Many rich become poore many strong weake the wise foolish and the beautifull vgly c. Because God will bring downe proud men and send them to shame and confusion by that which is their glorie Isay 20.5 and whereof they be proud 5. Fiftly To humble men and bring them downe God dooth further not only whet his sword and bend his bowe and prepare infinite instruments of death but hee hath shot his arrowes and wounded his persecutors and proud rebels enemies
most terrible to remember sometimes by the sword of one neighbour against another This was his promise against the Egiptians Isay 19.2 2. Chro. 20.22.23 This hee dealt in iudgement with the Ammonites Moabites and Idumeans They slew one an other and euery one helped to destroy an other Such was his vengeance vpon the Midonites Iudg. 7.22 Isay 9.4 2. Sam. 13 See Exod. 32.27.28 The Lorde set euery mans sword vppon his neighbor Absolon slew his brother Ammon and in the end of the world Amons enemies shal be those of his own household But good Lord defend vs from ciuill warre and domesticall blood-shead through one neighbour against an other by which thou hast promised to destroy them that tread thine inheritance vnder their feete Isai 49.29 saying I will feed them that spoile thee with their owne flesh and they shall be drunke with their owne blood as with sweete wine and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Sauiour and thy Redeemer the mightie one of Iacob If I should step to other histories I could shewe you that it was saide to King Cyrus Herodotus Thou hast thirsted after blood and thou shalt drinke thy belly full of blood Calippus would haue stabbed his friend Dion but with the same dagger hee was stabbed in himselfe of his owne friends This alas is most lamentable when almightie GOD to bring downe our Pride doth stirre vp one friend to destroy an other to execute his fearce wrath vpon them that dwell on the face of the earth 6 Lastly when the Lord God hath gone thus farre with the children of men that are abhominable hee will not here rest so filthie vilde is Pride and sinne in his sight but their memoriall shall perish with them their posteritie shall be cut off and their name shall be cleane put out Therfore saith the Prophet Dauid Psal 34 16. The face of the Lorde is against them that do euil to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth And Eliphash saith in the booke of Iob of such men Their braunch shall not be green Iob. 15.32 c. but shall be cut off before his day God shall destroy him c. and the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate Againe Psal 37.28.35.36 The seed of the wicked shall be cut off saith Dauid Thus the Lord dealt with the house and posteritie of Ieroboā and Baasha and fulfilled the like iudgement vpon wicked king Ahab all his posteritie by the sword of Hasaell Iehu and Eliza. And what is become of all the Tribes of Israel Alas they haue drunke of the like cup of Gods heauie wrath displeasure though they were the chosen peculiar people of God And hath God dealt in truth of iudgement against them Then thou which art but a wilde Oliue braunch Be not high minded but feare But who euer thinketh that it is for their sin and wickednes that God giueth them no children and againe taketh away those that they haue because hee will roote out their remembrance from off the earth But nill they will they as men say in spight of their teeth thus God bringeth man downe and layeth their Pride in the dust like water that is powred vpon the earth which cannot be gathered vp againe 2. Sam. 14.14 Then vnderstand ye vnwise among the people Psal 94 8. What need I tell you further of Gods infinite armies which going foorth at his commaundement runne verie swiftly to execute his will When he commaunded the water obeyed and drowned the world When he commaunded the fire hasted consumed Sodome To destroy Synacharibs campe hee armed an Angel To some he sent Lyons to some fierie Serpents to some he sent Beares and to Herod Wormes and all these destroyed without any pittie for God had so commaunded Moreouer Some the earth swallowed some the Sea drowned Others laughter hath killed as Sophocles Dionisius the Tyrant of Sicilia Some died with gluttony or surferting as Valentinian and Iouinian the Emperours Some haue died with drinking and bousing as Anacreon and Archesilaus And many wofully pined away with famine in the siege of Ierusalem In the siege of Casilinum and in that great famin of Sagunthus in Spaine Infinite are the diseases and extraordinary meanes as Dauid in some sort sheweth whereby the Lord fighteth his battels destroyeth man Mille modis miseros mors rapit vna homines In so much then as all the hoasts of men neuer so proud and loftie are not able to withstand the least of Gods armies euen of silly wormes and such like vermine but they will preuaile against vs when God sends them forth O fooles that we are why will we not be wise O we of vncircumcised hearts eares let vs not forget how God hath cast some downe we know not what will become of our selues our sinnes call for vengeance and the Lord is not slacke in comming as some men count slacknesse But inough of this point Thou shalt be brought downe And how this promise is effected it doth plainely appeare CHAP. III. Whither proud men shall bee brought downe The Text saith First to the graue then to the side of the pit Of death I obserue 1. The diuision 2. The description 3. The necessitie 4. The certaintie 5. Why some men do tremble and quake Other do ioy at the comming of death 6. Whether we are to mourne for our friends that be dead VVHen Death hath seized vpon man Ier. 16.3.4 then the graue is a meet habitation for the carkasse Aug. de cura pro Mor. Her l. ca. 3. lib. 1. de de Ciuit. dei cap. 12. c. And when this may not be had it is a great plague of God as it is a blessing to attaine vnto Christian buriall which of dutie those that liue ought to performe to the dead corpes after the examples in these places of the word of God Gen. 23.19 and 25.8.9 50.13 with many other And when Moses was dead Deu. 34.6 Iud. 9. God sent an Angel and buried him Thus his maiestie regarded the buriall of the dead And when wicked Iezabel died a most cursed death 2. Reg. 9.34.35.36 yet Iohn said Visit now yonder cursed woman and bury her And some went but before they came the dogges had eate her Loe though she were the cursed of God it was thought meet that she should be buried Then I condemne the light opinions of those that say It is no matter what becomes of the bodie being dead and I wish them to correct their folly that denie to bury the dead and that they would not cease to doo good to them that are dead Well to the graue with Nabuchadnezzar those that be proud must come Which in my Text I take to be spoken Nomine to scorne Pride because shee would be aboue the cloudes shee shall be brought vnder the earth Insomuch that todes serpents and dogs and swine and wormes
will and so should death our life Therefore it is said Ecclesiast 7.36 Aug. lib. 2. de doctr Christ. Remember thy end and thou shalt neuer do amisse And so Timor de futura morte mentem necessario contulit quasi clauus carnis omnes motus superbiae ligno crucis affigit The feare of death to come of force fretteth or disquieteth the minde and as a naile of the flesh it fasteneth or pinneth all the motions of Pride to the stocke or altar of the Crosse But the forgetfulnesse of death and that woe that followeth together with the contempt of godly patience and long suffering maketh men forget that the bountifulnesse of God is to leade vs vnto amendment of life And therefore with the slothfull beast they are euen fatted against the day of slaughter wallowing in their sinne as the sow in the myer like the sluggard who rowles himselfe vpon his bed saying Yet a little sleepe a little slumber a little foulding of the handes to sleepe In like manner those that be proud with the vsurer the whore-maister the extortioner and oppressor c. say with themselues one day after an other Yet a little more Pride a little more vsurie whoredome extortion oppression c. yet a little more nay a little more yet So they haue neuer inough lyke Hell which cannot bee satisfied And as they thirst after sinne so Hell gapeth after them And deare bretheren bought with the blood of the immaculate Lambe of GOD without repentance destruction shall come vpon them and euerlasting death shall gnaw on them Then shall they see what a faire thred they haue spunne Nothing could content them but Hell will containe them Therefore aright remember thy ende and let that mooue thee to applie thy heart vnto wisedome Take the counsell of the holie Ghost Walke whilest it is called to day While ye haue the light beleeue in the light that yee may be the children of the light And behold now the accepted time behold now the day of saluation the night commeth when no man can walke And these may be causes why the time of death is not reuealed CHAP. VIII Of those that deferre to repent and think they shall not die yet BVt notwithstanding this heere is a certaine fellowe called Shall that all this while lyeth lurking in the text which carrieth along a great deale of filth and still he is at all hands readie and sets his foote before men to keepe them from this resolution And makes them thinke yet it is but a sleight of the diuel that if they may haue him their friend if they may haue that day giuen them then they will doo bad ynough You thinke I should say well inough But read the second Chapter of Wisedome and you shall see what these Atheists both say and doo And surely this same presumptuous fellow Shall or some other his bastarde brother vndoubtedly brings men into some one or into all these wicked opinions 1 With the foolish bodie to say in their heart Psal 14.1 There is no God 2. Or else neuer to remember or regarde death with the rich man in the Gospel who said to his soule Luk. 12.19 Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeares liue at ease cate drinke the poore would if they had it and be mery or take thy pastime 3. Or else they thinke that after death there is no woe Wisd 2.5 And so they say desperately Surely wee will walke after our owne imaginations and doo euery man after the stubbornnesse of his wicked heart and practise it because our hand hath power 4. Or else they put farre away the euil day I. They thinke they shall not die yet and so approach to the seate of iniquitie Thus shewing themselues to be of the number of those mockers whereof S. Peter speaketh which say Where is the promise of his comming Such things do they imagine and goe astray for their owne wickednes hath blinded them But to answere this fellow and your backe friend Shall be ye well assured that he stands not in my Text to note the deferring or prolonging of iudgement but to shewe the certaintie and necessitie of an intollerable plague to come vpon Nabuchadnezzar and all such that are proud Therefore ô wicked man Be not deceiued that is Gal. 6.7 deceiue not thy selfe God is not mocked 1. Thou canst not mocke with God but Whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he reape This is true Thou shalt die thy time is set and it shall not tarry long though thou presume neuer so much vpon this Shall Which for to prooue the holie Scriptures are plaine And many men haue written long and large discourses heereof and daily experience doth manifest the same And a short Epitomie of all thus briefly may be shewed CHAP. IX What time men may account off to liue THe oldest men that euer liued in this world neuer sawe a thousand yeares Gen. 5. Psal 90.4 2. Pet. 3.8 And if they had Athousand yeeres with the Lord are but as yesterday seeing that is past as a watch in the night In agnitione diuinae virtutis Et preterita presentia Glos ord in Pet. ibid. futura aequaliter praesentia constant With the Almightie times past present and to come are all present alike And therefore it is saide onely of him Reu. 22.13 I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end the first and the last And Christ saith Before Abraham was I am But come thou to thy selfe ô man looke of what time thou canst bee assured and of that thou mayest boast The time that is past thou canst not recall of that which is to come thou must not presume measure that that is present and take that for thine owne And this is the very instant and moment of time shorter then can be spoken of and therefore a short time will serue for to measure it But put all together and because thou shouldest not be imboldened to sinne neither expect by presumption any time to come the most sacred word of God sheweth that it is but short Holy Iob saith Iob. 14.1 Man that is borne of a woman hath but a short time to liue Which Paul confirmeth saying 1. Cor. 7.29 This I say bretheren because the time is short c. The shortnesse whereof is further made manifest by diuers Similitudes For mans life is compared to a Flower of the field To a grasse To a shadow To a vapore A vapore vanisheth a shadow fadeth grasse withereth the flower falleth all are soone gone and the dayes of man consume apace and passe verie swiftly Therefore they be compared vnto a thought To wind To a Weauers shittle To a poste To most swift ships and to an Eagle Then which what is swifter and then man what is britler Psal 39.5 Wherefore he is called an earthen vessell which is suddenly broken Therefore Dauid measuring out manlife he saith 2.
Cor. 4.7 Thou 1. God hast made my dayes as an hand breadth and my age is nothing in respect of thee Surely euery man liuing is altogether vanitie yea lighter then vanitie it selfe Now if I did shewe you what great consideration the verie heathen haue had of the shortnesse of mans life and the condition thereof I should not speake it without as great shame to those that do so lightly regard it as I may shew it to the praise of them that so truly thought of it Shall not they condemne thee They made account assurance of it but like a buble of water which is suddenly vp and suddenly downe Pindarus called man the dreame of a shadow And what is that Sophocles a breath and a shadow onely Horace Puluis vmbra dust and a shadow That this is true thou canst not denie and yet thy wilfull infidelitie thy deeds doo descrie For men liue as though there were no death or as though they cared not for any reckning to be had after death as if there were neither God to consume them in his wrath nor diuell or hell to torment them in the flame with Diues But thou mayest see that our time is short which to the glory of God should bee spent And no further assurance to bee made of any time temporall but that which is present and therein to prepare for the houre of death Which some dooing do ioy at death comming others omitting doo tremble and quake Now heare who these bee and why this is so CHAP. X. To whom death is fearefull ALl those men which are the wicked and abhominable from euery good worke reprobate may think in soule conscience that death comes vpon them as the watchmen in the Tower of Iezarell did see Iehu hasting towards the Citie marching furiously then they imagine with themselues sure it brings no good vnto vs as Ahab said by the Prophet of God I hate him 1. Reg. 22 8. for he doth neuer prophesie good vnto me but euill And when they see that death is come indeed then they say as the wicked King did to Elias 1. Reg. 21.20 Math. 8.29 Exod 10. Art thou come to torment vs before the time As the diuels said to Christ What haue wee to doo with thee Get thee from vs as Pharao said to Moyses Moyses then departed but death will not saying to the soules of such 28. Luk. 4.35 Hold thy peace and come out of him As Christ said to the diuell in one that was possessed Then they hang downe their heads their countenance is changed their thoughts are troubled and happily their knees trembling knocke one against an other for feare like Balthazers when he saw the hand writing vpon the wall against him Therefore well saith the wise man Eccles 41 1. O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liueth at rest in his owne possessions CHAP. XI Why is death bitter FIrst because men doubt of their reconciliation to God who in their life-time haue contemned his cousell and set his correction at nought So that neither the word of God preached his mercie and long suffering offered nor his iudgements powred vpon them haue taken any effect in them But they haue followed their owne waies and one after their owne wicked imaginations willingly refusing to know stopping their eares like the deafe Adder at the voyce of the wise charmer spurning forward their soule to iniquitie as Balaam did his Asse against the Lord. Numb 22.25 Such men are condemned by the Oxe and the Asse The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his maisters cribbe but Israel what if I said England nay Leweis hath not knowne my people hath not vnderstood Isai 1.3 The reason is for they would not O Ierusalem Ierusalem saieth Christ which killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent vnto thee how oft would I haue gathered thy children together as the henne gathereth her chickens vnder her wings and ye would not Luk. 13.34 Math. 23.34 That is euen when ye might therefore ye shall not when ye would For it is written I will laugh at your destruction saieth God by Salomon and mock you when your feare commeth when your feare commeth like sudden desolation and your destruction shall come like a whirlewinde when affliction and anguish shall come vpon you Then shall they caâ— vpon me but I will not answere they shall seeke mee early but they shall not finde me because they hated knowledge and did not chuse the feare of the Lord They would none of my counsell but despised all my correction Pro. 1.26 Therfore I will surely coÌ„sume theÌ„ saith the Lord. Ier. 8.13 The consideration of this is a wounding woe which if thy conscience tell thee cannot be helped it forceth thee to this out-cry with Caine Gen. 4.13 My sinne is greater then can be forgiueÌ„ Then the diuell will be ready to perswade thy conscience that thou art partaker of that great offence which is if we sinne willingly that is Gloss ordin Ibid. Nobis in voluntate peccandi manentibus Wee continuing in desire to sinne and forsake Iesus Christ as Iudas Saul Arrius Iulian the Apostate did Geneua note Ibid. After we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire which shall deuour the aduersary And this also know that as the candle stinketh more beeing blowne out then if it had neuer bene a light so they that once haue had the truth and wilfully reiect and turne away from the truth shal haue greater iudgement and are more odious in the sight of God then if they had neuer knowne the truth For it is written It had bene better for them not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then after they haue known it to turne from the holy commaundement giuen vnto theÌ„ 2. Pet. 2.21 This doubtlesse doth make men tremble quake to remember death when they consider how farre they haue gone into sin and can finde no way out Then perhaps they begin to flee and to runne like the Egiptians pursuing the Israeâ—es through the redde sea but the waters ouerwelmed them before they could get out Exod. 14.35.28 And so may death thee for it is written Thou hole this night will I fetch away thy soule from thee Luk. 12.20 Then remember this my deare brethren and forget not how plentifull Gods word hath bene among you and praise his name for it with prayer to coÌ„tinue it and know how greatly it hath bene contemned Whoredome is haunted and be not some of those curres heere that do vse to this carrion the Saboath is polluted the name of God is blasphemed vsurie and enuy with such like abhomination is vsed and yet will you say Gods word is regarded Bee not blinde but see how God hath warned our Towne by fire fearefull to behold with the plague of pestilence beating at
for himselfe he sheweth his minde euen that hee desired to be loose hand to be with Christ which is best of all Thus holie men after they once beginne with Henocke to walke with GOD Wis 4.10 that is in godlinesse to please God as he did they iudge none blessed before their death Which the verie Heathen confessed Dicique beatus Ante obitum nemo supremaque funera debet Ouide li. 3. Met. The meaning is to be accounted blessed none should before their last end TheÌ„ though the righteous be preuented with death Wisd 4.7 Luk. 16 22 23.43 Luk. 2.28 yet shall he be at rest in Abrahams bosome in Paradice with Christ that is in the kingdome of heauen Therefore when death commeth these do say ioying with Simeon when hee had seene Christ Psal 4.8 Lord now lettest thou thy seruaunt depart in peace according to thy word Or with Dauid Psa 116.7 I will late me downe and sleepe in peace for thou Lorde onely makest mee dwell in safetie therefore returne vnto thy rest ô my soule Thus peaceably and ioyfully of such faithfull men death is louingly imbraced And euery day the Apostles desire to bee with Christ How death is and is not to be wished for is preferred to any worldly consolation or ioy Not as wishing the determinate decree of God concerning our end to be altered as those blasphemous people do who vpon euery occasion or crosse wish themselues out of the world or that they had neuer bene borne with such like like kinde of cursed speaking but expressing our choyse and loue betwixt life temporall and death 2. Cor. 5.8 and therein submitting our selues vnder the mightie hand of God Thus death is imbraced and louingly entertained of the children of God for diuers considerations CHAP. XIII Why death is neuer feared of the godly FIrst because with that aged Father the Patriarke Iacob Gen. 47.9 Heb. 11.13 1. Cron. 29.15 Ps 39.12 1. Pe. 2.11 Gen. 15.13 47.4 we make account that our life is but as a pilgrimage and our selues straungers Pilgrimes or soiourners on the earth as the seed of Abraham were in a land that was not theirs Straungers continue not in a place and we looke for a better home For as the Tabernacles of the Israelites were to be remooued euen so are ours Exo. 33.7 2. Cor. 5 5. Num. 15.2 2. Cor. 5.4 Their abiding place hoped for was the land of promise and ours is the kingdome of heauen figured by theirs where mortalitie shall be swallowed vp of life Therfore it is written Heb. 13.14 Here we haue no continuing citie but we seeke one to come For we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle be destroyed we haue a building giuen of God eâ—â— an house not made with hands but eternall life in the heauens So that whilest we are strangers in the body 2. Cor. 5.1.6 we are absent from the Lord. Therfore we forget that which is behind Phil. 3.13 14. and indeuour our selues vnto that which is before and followe hard towardes the marke vnto which death guides vs as is before shewed Therefore it is called a Waye 1. Reg. 2 2. Iob. 16 22. Aretius de Morte that brings vs vnto God A quo in hunc mundum sumus peregrinatum missi of whom we are sent into the world to abide there as straungers vntill death come And then Anima ad caeleslia colligitur corpus suis restituitur elementis ad suuÌ„ vsque tempus The soule is taken into the heauens and the bodie is dissolued into his elements vntill his appointed time An other writer saith that death Oslij instar est Gualt in Has 13. Hom. 44. aut viae per quam nos ex hac vita mortali in immortalitatem transire oportet is like vnto a doore or a waye through which wee must passe out of this mortall life into immortalitie And it may not amisse be compared vnto the starre Mat. 2.9 10. that guided the wise men till they came to the stable where the blessed babe Christ lay in the manger and death brings vs to behold Christ glorified in the heauens at the right hand of his father Ioh. 20.20 When they saw the starre they reioyced with an exceeding great ioy like the Disciples which were glad when they had seene the Lord. And shall we be sorrie to meeâ—e with death that brings vs vnto God Christ healing one lying vpon his bed sick of the palsie Mat. 9.6 said Arise take vp thy bed and goe to thine house Euen so when death commeth she may say to our soules in our bodies sick vpon our beds as the Prophet of God did to Israel in an other matter Arise and depart for this is not your rest Mich. 2.10 He that had bene sicke arose and departed to his owne house And beloued why should not we at the commaundement of God when he saith by death come Loue to remoue out of the bodie and to dwell with the Lord 2. Cor. 5.8 being here but strangers in a vaile of miserie One saith Vita quid est hominis nisi vallis plena malorum Principio medio fine dolenda suo What is mans life but a vaile of griefe still tumbled in strife His springtime's woe Autumne is so Winter hath sorrow as rife And therfore Mors pro remedio data est quasi finis malorum Ambr. in orat de fide resue Chris de popu Antioch Hom. 7. Death is giuen vs for a remedie as the end of all troubles it being A vitae curis absolutio The absolution froÌ„ the cares of this life And therefore carefully to be expected and willingly imbraced without any feare Secondly we haue great cause to reioyce at the comming of death because by it we passe from infinite troubles to the end of our faith euen the saluation of our soules long hoped for Which is an inheritance immortall and vndesiled that fadeth not away reserued in heauen for vs. 1. Pet. 1.9 c. Vnto the hope whereof wee are begotten by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead So that we account of death but as of an happy hauen wherin we do arriue and are at ease from infinite turbulent stormes which we haue suffred in the surging seas of this wicked world Morborum vltimus medicus mors Aret. Stella Chrysost vt ante tantum corporis tollit mala Death is the last Phisitian or helper of our paineâ— which onely riddeth away the griefes of the body Portus est mortalibus mors Of Chrysostome it is called Tranquillus portus Death a calme hauen for mortall men where they arriue to behold the faire beautie of the Lord and to visit his Temple In many places of holy scripture Death is called a Sleepe Because that euen as sleepe and quiet rest is to a painfull honest labouring man at night most sweete and comfortable so lkewise is Death to a
faithfull soule garnished with good workes like a Bride-chamber adorned ending all things with ioy like a Comedie And therefore why should she not bee welcome Thirdly death most willingly wee embrace because it being come we attaine to that perfection of knowledge which we do desire which in this life we cannot attaine vnto All men desire to be expert in their science or profession and the Saints of God in the true knowledge of their saluation and when death is come then this is obtained Euen then when we shall all meet together in the vnitie of the faith and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Christ saith This is life eternall Ioh. 17.3 that they know thee to be the only very God him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Now this knowledge we haue being in the body and absent from the Lord by faith and not by sight Through which we all behold as in a myrror or glasse the glory of the Lord with open face Marl. ex Cal. in 1. Cor. 13 Fides ergo nostra deum nunc intuetur tanquam absentem Our faith therefore now doth see God yet as being absent For wee know in part and we prophesie in part But when that which is perfect is come then Id est post mortem After death that which is in part shall be abolished Which Paul the Apostle prooueth by a double argument one taken from the example of himselfe the other is a similitude Which is thus much briefly The vnderstanding of an Infant is far inferiour to the vnderstanding of a mā And through a glasse we cannot see so clearely as without This life is like to Infancie Amb. ibid. And the life to come is our perfect age then our knowledge shall be made perfect The glasse through which we now see God is faith which being done away we shall see clearely Which doth confirme this truth That not now but after death we shall see God face to face Marl. ex Pet. Mart. in 1. Cor. 13. O endlesse felicitie By which Denotatur perspicuus planus atque clarissimus diuinus aspectus is noted a manifest plaine and most cleare beholding of the diuine nature after death Of face to face see Aug. writing profoundly Epist 3. Epist 6. Tome 2. Moyses as the glory of the Lord passed by him sawe his backe parts darkly and imperfectly But after death we shal see euidently Diuinā essentiam The essence of God For by the face of God Manifestatio eius intelligenda est An open manifestation of him is to be vnderstood Which is the truth by Christ himselfe expressed who saith speaking of Gods deare adopted children See that ye despise not one of these litle ones Math. 18.10 Th. Aquin. in Heb. 11 1. Lects prima for I say vnto you that in heauen their Angels alwaies behold the face of my Father which is in heauen Then we see that Vltimus finis simpliciter ipsius fidei quam intendimus ex fide est beatitudo quae in aperta dei visione consistit The last end simply of faith which we expect by faith is the blessednesse which consisteth in the open and plaine sight of God Aug. de cinit dei ibid. Praemium itaque fidei nobis visio ista seruatur This sight therefore the reward of faith is kept for vs. And we shall know as we are knowne of God Note by the way that this word As Non importat aequalitatem cognitionis sed similitudinem tamen longinquam Lyra. Pet. Mart. ibid. doth not import an equalitie of knowledge betwixt God and vs but a certaine likenesse yet ours is far inferiour to his Marler ex R. ibid. Simplex ergo sensus est cognoscam sicut cognitus sum hoc est perfectissimè certissime The true meaning of this I shal know as I am known Ambr. ibid. is most perfectly truly I shal see my selfe to be present with God where Christ is This is that which the Euangelist Iohn hath saying We shall see him as he is This Then know beloued that now in this life wee haue many schoolemaisters to teach vs this imperfect knowledge of God that wee haue As. 1. Gods creatures The heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handie worke Againe the Apostle Paul saith His eternall power and godhead are seene by the creation of the world being considered in his workes Psal 19.1 2. His punishments of the contempt whereof God by Salomon complaineth saying They haue despised all my correction Pro. 1.30 3. The holy scriptures Therefore saieth Christ Search the scriptures for in them ye think to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of me Iohn 5.39 4. Faith of which saith the holy Ghost Faith is the ground of things which are hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene Heb. 11.1 Now all these shall cease to teach vs when death comes like the ceremonies of the lawe at the coming of Christ Heb. 10.1.9 For what needeth a candle in the cleare and open sunne light Then we shall not need to say one to an other know the Lord for all shall know him from the least vnto the greatest Therefore welcome death and come Lord Iesus come quickly Fourthly though death set vpon thee as thine enemie and do bring thee downe to the graue yet shalt thou not feare to buckle with her because in the end thou shalt get the maistrie of her as Michael did of the dragon Reue. 12.9 And triumph ouer her by the power of God Rom. 6.4 through faith in the death of Christ Who by his rising from death hath ouercome these thy most mightie enemies Sinne Death and Hell Rom. 8.32.33.34 and thereby assureth thee of the conquest ouer them through him at the resurrection 1. Cor. 15.12 For in that hee suffered and was tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Heb. 2.18 And that hee will the scriptures affirme plainely of Christ the seeed of the woman that he shall breake the head of the serpent Gen. 3.15 Hee shall destroy death for euer Isai 25.8 And the Lord God saith by the Prophet Hoseas I will redeeme thee from the power of the graue I will deliuer thee from death O death I will be thy death O graue I will be thy destruction And Paul saith Rom. 6.9 Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more power ouer him Who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortalitie to light through the Gospell Againe it is written 2. Tim. 1.10 For as much as the children were partakers of the flesh and bloud hee also 1. Christ himselfe likewise tooke part with them that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the diuell And that he might deliuer all them which for feare of death were all