shalt dye so hee saith to thee Set thine house set thine heart in order for thou canst not liue thou must dye nay thou canst not long liue and thou must soone dye certainely dye therefore it is wisedome for thee as in outward things so in this to doe that voluntarily which thou must doe necessarily and compulsorie thy life thou knowest is but a short life frayle and brittle as glasse As it is a flower for the mortalitie of it Esay 40.7 A smoake for the vanitie of it Psal 102.3 so it is a house of clay soone crusht downe Iob. 4.17 A tent or tabernacle soone pluckt vp 2 Cor. 5.1 A Shepheards Tent soone pulled downe Esay 38.12 A Shippe in the Sea Wisd 5.10 soone sliding soone ouer-throwne by the Rockes ouer-blowne by the windes nay as a Weauers Shittle Iob 7.6 for the volubilitie of it as a dreame Iob 20.8 as a shadow Iob 8.9 for the vanitie of it nay vanitie it selfe which is nothing it being in very deede nothing in respect of eternitie Learne therefore by this mirrour of dying Moses so to spend these thy dayes of vanitie that for shortnesse of dayes in this world thou maist with Moses and all the glorious Saints of God inioy eternitie of dayes in the world to come SIMEON'S dying-Song HANDLED IN sixe Sermons LVKE 2.29 Lord now lettest thou thy Seruant depart in peace according to thy Word IT is the Position of some that Examples moue more then Rules that Practise perswades or disswades aboue Precepts eyther in Imitation or Aemulation of Vertue or Detestation of Vice and aboue others wee are pronest to write after the Copies of great men and to tread in the steps of old men Therefore the Scripture propound vnto vs the patternes of the greatest of men euen Kings who were as good as great Dauid Ezekias Iosias Asa Iehosaphat c. that wee should follow their footings so farre as they followed Christ and walked with God Of the most aged amongst men as of Abraham Noah Methushalem Iob c. and here of old Simeon whose liues and deaths are so many pleading Orators and preaching Sermons to excite vs to Christian courses that like them wee may liue holily and dye happily and arriue at the common Hauen of all flesh peaceably and safely Now amongst the rest I haue called out and selected Simeon as a Candle set on a hill as a Beacon on fire to giue light to the world if shee will open her blinded and beetle eyes how to walke to Sion through this vaile of life euen in the darke and shadowie night of death Simeon a fit obiect for vs to reflect the eyes of our intellectuall powers vpon in the prosecution of this sad and sable subiect of death in which consider first the Title of the Text secondly the Text it selfe For the Title Antiquitie and our Church denominates it The Song of Simeon meerely Swan-like and Cygnean pious and propheticall I might easily runne Descant and Diuision vpon it sorting it out into his seuerall parts shewing 1. the Ditty 2. the Matter 3. the Manner 4 the Harmony 5. the Time 6 the Tune with all such obseruances in vocall Musicke substantiall and circumstantiall euen from the ground of this Scripture But my part now is rather to sigh then to sing vnlesse Dirges and Madrigals fitter for Heraclitus his part then Democritus yet I cannot but so farre condescend to this Cantion as to commend this diuine Canticle for the excellencie and to consider in it the ground of it nature and proprietie For the excellencie it is of that puritie and perfection that I wish it might be a rule and a square to our irrigular and vnlimited licentiousnesse in singing that our hearts were rightly tuned by the Spirit of God as was Simeons verse 25. that our tongues were the Pennes of this ready Writer in our Ditties that so wee might sing the prayses of the King but alas our Songs are commonly rather from Sodâ—me then from Sion rather sensuall then spirituall carnall then Christian Satanicall then sacred rather to the honour of Bacchus Priapus and Venus pleasing the Flesh the World and the Diuell the vvorlds worshipped Trinitie thâ—n to the glory of the immortall and indiuisible Trinitie witnesse the vaine vile wanton vicious loose licentious venerious Songs and Sonnets of Poets and Poetasters of our times 1. Which may not onely be seene extant 2. but euen are chaunted and carolled out by Fooles and Fidlers vnprofitable Moathes of the earth which liue eyther in no calling or in a sinfull calling 3. heard receiued applauded approued laughed at by all the licentious Prodigals loose gull-Gallants Epicures and Carnalists ordinarily in euery Ordinary Inne Tauerne Ale-houses and the like Oh therefore whose heart smites him in this kinde let him reforme this sinne whether actiue or passiue in delighting or desiring to say sing or heare these Organs of Sathan and those Bellowes of sinne and vncleannesse Turne now the streame another way let Iordan runne backe-ward If thou beest afflicted pray take out this rule so did Moses Manasses Dauid the Israelites and all Gods Saints Art thou merrily affected sing but what Psalmes Psal 119. Hymnes and Songs and spirituall Psalmes making melody to the Lord in your hearts therefore as I would propound Dauid and Ezekias as true patternes for all mourners so Simeon and Zachary as spectacles to all singers As in Instrumentall Musicke the strings that are out of tune must be set vp to those that are in tune so when thou singest vanitie thy heart and tongue which are distracted distempered and out of tune must be set in the right Key as was Simeons then thou shalt sing at thy departure out of this worlds Prison as Paul and Silas did in Prison Thou shalt sing Hosanna's in Heauen when thy Friends sing thy Funerall Neniae on earth The ground of this Song is Christ the Messias Sauiour and saluation of Israel the Redeemer of his people as the Word cals him as the Angell christens him from God which Sauiour as he was promised to Aâ—am the promise renued to Abraham prefigured in the Leuiticall Law and those Mosaicall Types and Ceremonies Aarons Rod the Pot of Manna the watry Rocke the scape-Goat the brazen Serpent the blood of sacrificed Beasts and Bullockes and the like prophesied of by all Prophets great and lesser from Moses to Malachie so being now reuealed and exhibited is the ground of Simeons Song and the matter of his inward mirth breaking forth like a fire long kept in into these outward Modulations His practise is our precept all our ioy must be in Christ and for Christ In Christ reioyced the Patriarkes when they did but see Christs day a farre off thorow the cloud and the vayle as did Abraham In Christ reioyced the Prophets Esay Ieremâ— Ezekiel c. in the
SEAVEN Helpes to Heauen Shewing 1. How to auoid the Curse 2. How to beare the Crosse 3. How to build the Consciencè 4. How with Moses to see Canaan 5. Simeons dying Song directing to liue holily and dye happily 6. Comforts for Christians against distresses in Life and feare of Death 7. Feruent Prayers to beare sicknesse patiently and dye preparedly The second EDITION much enlarged by Steuen Ierome late Preacher at S. Brides Seene and allowed IOB 14.14 All the dayes of my appointed time will I waite till my change come Nascentes morimur finisque ab origine pendet LONDON Printed for Roger Iackson and are to be solde at his Shop neare to the Conduit in Fleetsheete 1614. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE MY HONOVrable good Lord RALPHE Lord Eure Baron of Malton and Wytton and Lord President of his Maiesties Honourable Councell within the Principalitie of Wales and the Marches of the same all Blessings be multiplyed temporall and Graces spirituall MY Honourable good Lord it was once an Axiome in the Ethnicke Schooles that the whole life of a wise man should be a continuall meditation of Death which as it was a Principle amongst them so it was the practise not onely of the Saints and Seruants of GOD the auncient Patriarkes Primitiue Christians retyred Hermites mortified Anchorites and zealous professors of Religion but euen of the wisest and worthiest of the Heathens themselues The euidence of which will easily appeare to those that are studious in the Word diuine or conuersant in Authors Ecclesiasticall or humane Let vs reflect vpon Adam the first man as his name signifying Red earth the Command giuen him mixt with the curse of tilling the earth his Sinne the cause of the dissolution of that part which was earth his Garments made of the skins of dead Beasts cloathing his members which were like the rest of the Creatures nought but earth his Sickenesse and Distempers the fruits of his sinne and preambles of his death Gods Statute-Law that he should returne to his earth tolde him truely contrary to the Sâ—rpent and the Woman that he was a sinfull man and therefore mortall so it seemes these remembrancers not onely occasioned but caused his meditation of his death For though he called his eldest Sonne Caine or Possession yet he called his younger Sonne Abel or Vanitie as being now experienced and schooled in that misery in life and mortalitie in death which was incident to him and all his originally and actually sinning seede In this Meditation to omit Noah the worlds restorer Sem or Methushaâ—em that Prince of peace Enoch that walked with GOD with the rest Abraham the Father of faithfull men imitated Adam the Father of men who in his suite for Sodome confessed himselfe to be but dust and ashes Isaack who after the death of his Mother Sarah went out to meditate no doubt as of her death so of his owne Iacob that in his greatest crosse humiliation thinkes how his gray head should be brought to his graue and in the height of his earthly ioy and contentation speakes from the abundance of his heart of the few and euill dayes of his Pilgrimage Ioseph thaâ— amongst all his honours in Aegypt thinkes and tels of the carrying his dead bones into Canaan so the rest had their thoughts mortified from the world and fixed on their mortalitie which appeares as by other proofes so by two demonstrations in their Buildings in their Buyings The first being not seiled houses or gorgeous Pallaces like Nabuchadnezzars Babell Nimâ—ods Tower or Cyrus his House but silly Tents like Shepheards Cottages or Boothes in a Faire or Lodges in the Campes such as the Zwitzards vse ready euery instant for remouall The second being onely limited in a burying place for their dead for that is the greatest purchase that euer wee reade any of the Patriarkes made and the possessions which they most frequently mention What should I mention these Fathers that liued vnder the Law Ioshuah the sonne of Nun the Seruant of the LORD faithfull Caleb Aaron the Lords high Priest or Moses himselfe the greatest of Legall Prophets who mindefull of his mortalitie euen before the Lord tolde him as hee did Ezekias that hee should dye made that Prayer which the Fathers say the people of GOD vsed daily as a forme of Prayer pathetically inserting this Petition that God would so teach them to number their dayes that they might apply their hearts to wisedome the rest succeeding sympathizing in the like thoughts Iob wayting till his changing should come Dauid making no more reckoning of himselfe then of a Pilgrime and stranger here amongst men summoning others also to the consideration of their vncertaine condition and certaine end I might extend the line of this vnlimited practise from the Patriarkes to the Prophets from the Prophets to the Apostles Paul as oft desires as hee deliberates of his dissolution Peter counts his continuance here but as an abode in a Tabernacle Reflect backe to Christs Disciples hee no sooner speakes of the death of Lazarus but their thoughts worke vpon dying with him nay CHRIST himselfe as most frequently hee talkes and discourseth of his death in the Gospell so in that Transfiguration of his the reflection and Idea of his Glorification to strengthen his Disciples in their dying meditations hee not onely tels of his owne death when he comes from the Mount but euen in the Mount there appeares two dead men with him Moses and Elias And with the rest here old Simeon the subiect which in all obsequious dutie submisly I present to your Honour as desiring your Honourable patronizing and deseruing your holy practise euen when hee had in his armes the Lord of Life seeing Canaan with Moses and the Heauens open with Steuen to receiue his flitting soule as Abrahams bosome did Lazarus thinking of his death and dissolution to his dust hee sings that truely Cygnean and Swan-like song recorded Luke 2.29 Which Song I haue diuided into his parts and according to those talents and parts which Grace and Nature hath lent mee haue descanted vpon by Illustration Explication and Application to our secure sensuall and sinfull times wherein I haue reuealed to the world what GOD hath reuealed vnto mee by all meanes vsed speculatiue and practicall from Reading Study Meditation Conference with the Learned and Reference of the Labours of approued Authors both testimonially and exemplarily to the sacred Cannon of the Orthodoxe Truth but principally from that young yet true experience which GOD hath taught mee by obseruing as a Physitian his Patients the seuerall carriages and conditions of diuers men in their healths sicknesses liues and deaths occasioned by those frequent visitations of the sicke which by reason of my place I vsed these last yeeres in a great and populous Parish in which particulars the searcher of the heart and reynes and the intelligencer of all Spirits euen the Father of Spirits knowes that I haue not aymed at any base seruile or sinister
or full Points or seeming defect in not alwayes quoting the Chapter and Verse to which I haue reference testimonially or exemplarily which perhaps would haue stuft the Booke too full or in any such circumstances which my farre absence from the Presse might occasion I pray you let your loues make the best construction if any thing be amisse that is mine owne if ought here be good that is the Lords and his Grace in mee to which good Grace commending you and these my poore labours for you I rest as now so euer Yours in the best bond STEVEN IEROME MOSES His sight of Canaan With SIMEON his Dying-Song Directing How to liue holily and dye happily BY Steuen Jerome late Preacher at St. BRIDES Seene and allowed Nascentes morimur finisque ab origine pendet LONDON Printed for Roger Iackson and are to be solde at his Shop neare to the Conduit in Fleetstreete 1614. The chiefe Contents of the two subsequent TREATISES In Moses his sight of Sion these things are obseruable 1 THE Case of the Inheritance of Daughters propounded page 1 2 How Cases are wisely to be carryed before the Magistrate pag. 3 3 The true Rule of iudging Cases Consultation with God pag. 4 4 The Case adiudged and spiritually applyed pag. 6 5 Moses is forewarned to dye and how God forewarnes vs. pag. 9 6 All must dye 13 7 God prepares his Children to dye as hee did Moses by shewing them Canaan 14 8 Moses his obedience to Gods summons a patterne to vs. 15 9 Fifteene Resemblances of Death to Sleepe 16 10 Fiue Considerations to imbrace Death as willingly as we sleepe naturally 23 11 Sixteene Comforts against the feare of Death in these ensuing particulars 35 1 GOD who infused the Soule cals for it againe 36 2 Sinne the sting of Death is taken away by Christs death 37 3 God as a Father is present at the death of his Children 39 4 Death is no death but a dissolution to the godly 41 5 The Saints shall know and enioy their friends in glory 43 6 Death frees the soule from her spirituall enemies 44 7 It deliuers from euils present and to come 47 8 It ends Sinnes Conflicts with Heauens Tryumphs 48 9 It frees vs from conuersing with the wicked 51 10 It secures vs from corrupting by the wicked 55 11 It secures from the malice of the mighty 56 12 Our good name is cleared in Death which calumny ecclypsed in life 57 13 Death tryes and declares the sinceritie and measure of grace 63 14 It is the inheritance of the Saints as it is the terrour of the wicked 64 15 The Christian should in death desire Christ who by death desired him 71 16 Death is the common Inne of all flesh where the Saints are refreshed 75 In Simeons dying Song these are the chiefe Notes both from the Doctrines and the Vses THE force of Examples eyther for imitation of Vertue or detestation of Vice 77 The vaine Songs and Sonnets of our age iustly reproued 79 Our singing as corrected so directed 80 The ground of all our reioycing must be in and for Christ 81 The sensuall and sinnefull ioyes of worldlings iustly taxed 83.84 c. Wee must be truely thankefull for Christ 8â— Tenne Reasons to incite vs to the duty of gratulation with the vses 88.89 The great mistery and greater mercy of Christ incarnate 92.93 c. Wee must be borne againe to CHRIST and and hee borne in vs as hee was borne for vs 95 The glorious Name of the Lord must not be vsed vpon euery triuiall occasion 97 How bootlesse it is for the wicked in death to cry Lord Lord. 99 The godly haue diuers raptures and secret ioyes in life and death 101 These Ioyes demonstrated in sixe particulars 103 Three Reasons of these extraordinarie Rauishments 105 Worldlings farre wide that thinke Christians Melancholicques and comfortlesse 106 Foure Comforts of the Christian which the world neyther knowes nor feeles 107 All the Patriarkes and Prophets since the promise haue expected the Messias 110 Wee see Christ more clearely then the primitiue Saints 111 How Christ came to them how to vs. 112 How wee should entertaine Christ with Redargution and Commination of the Iewes and our ingratitude 113 Our desire of long life must be simply to glorifie God 116 Reproofe of the worlds practise in Ministers Magistrates Masters and all sorts ayming at themselues not God 120 The better Christian the more willing to dye 126 Twelue Reasons which cause this willingnesse 127 The point applyed by examination 133 Christ most willing to dye of all the Sonnes of men 135 Seauen Reasons why Death is vnwelcome to the wicked 136 Wicked men may die willingly for sinister respects as Heretiques haue done 143 Fiue meanes to be vsed to make vs willing to our dissolution 144 God manifests his presence at the death of his three wayes 148 How God workes in sinne permissiuely disposingly c. but neuer workes sinne 151 Euery death for Time Place Matter Manner is determined by God 153 Iust inuectiues against Heathenish Fortune 157 The rash censures of men concerning diuers deaths condemned 160 Comforts in that God sees the cause and effect of euery mans maladie 161 Patience perswaded in that it is Gods rod which strikes 162 No meanes can protract or detract from our dayes besides their limits 164 Foure maine Obiections answered 165 Meanes must be vsed both for life temporall and spirituall notwithstanding Gods decree 168 Vnlawfull for any priuate man to take away life from himselfe or others 170 Twelue disswasiue arguments against Selfe-murther 171 The sinne reproued and the frequencie of it deplored 174 Twelue things from experience and Heathenish examples occasioning selfe-killing 179 How to preuent this sinne 188 Euery obstinate sinner from causes naturall and supernaturall accused of selfe-murther 189 * The chiefe delight and desire of euery man must be to be Gods Seruant with foure reasons why 196 Multitudes that liue vnder the meanes are ignorant how God should be serued 201 Multitudes reproued that haue as little will as skill to serue God 202 How few ayme at Gods seruice in all their wayes expostulated in particulars 210 Ciuill honest men most enemies to Gods true Seruants and sincere seruice 216 Many in the rancke of Christians serue the Diuell and their owne lusts 218 All the members that haue serued sinne directed to serue God 221 Sixe Motiues perswading to serue God 1 From the end of our Creation 227 2 From our Preseruation 231 3 From our Vocation 233 4 From our Redemption 235 5 From our Profession 237 6 From the Reward ibid. First Reward of Gods seruice Wealth and Riches 238 Second Honour and Dignitie 239 Sinne brings shame and all other iudgements 240 Gods hand vpon his enemies in many iudgements 243 Holinesse is the way to Honour 245 God is most liberall of all Masters 246 Gods seruants best rewarded and regarded in eight particulars 248 God grants the suites of his seruants 252 The
Angels Arch-angels Patriarkes Prophets Apostles and all the holy company of Heauen our fathers our mothers our sisters and brothers our friends and deare ones that are gone before vs O glorious sight O inestimable comfort worthy to make vs cry with the Apostle I desire to be loosed and to be there Come Lord Iesus come quickely Death is an end of all misery and the beginning of all blisse an eternall dwelling with God againe and an aduantage as the Apostle nameth it a sweet sleepe a comfortable rest Vitae via the way of life saith Ambrose Nomen tantum fidelibus death is onely a bare name and no death indeed to the faithfull saith Chrisostome Nemo timet mortem nisi qui non sperat viuere post mortem No man feareth death but hee that hopeth not to liue after death the Lord gaue and the Lord taketh away life as well as goods and shall not wee say with Iob Blessed be the Name of the Lord. If wee hold for tearmes of yeeres or at the will of the Lord must not we be content to relinquish it when our tearme is expired Wee our selues doe looke for it at the hands of our Tenants and would be much offended if they should be disobedient shall wee not performe to God what wee looke for at men Grudge not at the losse but be thankfull for the Ioane wee are Gods Tenants and we ought to giue him his owne when it is due to him Would you keepe a pledge from the true owner that committed it to you for a time Our life is Gods pledge hee hath left it with vs now so long he euer entended to call for it againe and will you not restore it gladly and willingly without murmuring and repining thinke how you would like that at mans hands to keepe your pledge Heathens haue beene strong and shall Christians be weake The Swan is said to sing most sweetly when shee must die and shall Gods Children weepe Blessed blessed are the dead that die in the Lord saith the holy Ghost Reu. 14.13 and will we not beleeue him O ignaros malorum suoruÌ„ c. O ignorant men of the miseries of this life that doe not esteeme and prayse death as the best inuention of nature yea let vs say rather it is the great mercy and goodnesse of God towards man for first it expelleth calamitie secondly it includeth felicâ—tie thirdly it preuenteth the perils of youth fourthly it finisheth the toyles of age Omnibus finis multis remedium nonnullis votum to all an end to many a remedie to some a wish deseruing better of none then of them to whom hee commeth before hee be called for As children feare their friends when they are disguised but when their vizards are plucked off are glad of them so of death Ignorance makes feare and Knowledge ioy Cleambrotus saith Cicero after hee had read Platoes Booke of the happy estate of the dead cast himselfe head-long off from a wall into the Sea that hee might come to that happinesse the same Author speaketh of another Philosopher that so disputed of the contempt of death that many willingly killed themselues whereupon Ptolomy the King forbad him any more to speake of that matter in his Schoole Now alacke what comparisons be betwixt Philosophicall Comforts and Diuine out of the Treasure of Gods owne Wisdome taken from his written Word Shall wee then with our light feare that which they in their darknesse so little regarded God forbid The day of our birth wee neuer feare and The day of death saith God that is euer true is better then the day that one is borne Eccles 7.3 That resemblance of death to sleepe in Scriptures 1 Cor. 15.51 is most fit if you marke it and full of pleasure for 1 As no man can euer wake but of necessitie must sometimes sleepe so no man can euer liue but must needes haue a time to die 2 Be a man neuer so strong sleepe will tame him and so will death as it did Goliah Sampson Milo and others 3 As sleepe maketh vs put off our cloaths and Iewels and that willingly that we may take our rest so dealeth death with vs it taketh away all our pompe and port and layeth vs downe in our beds till the waking time to arise 4 As sleepe commeth of eating so came death also to our first Parents by intemperancie in eating the forbidden fruit Gen. 2.17 5 As our dayes doings be our nights troubles by the working of the phantasie so are our lifes sinnes our deaths griefes by the gnawing of the Conscience as appeareth in Iudas Antiochus and Francis Spira 6 Sleepers haue no stormes nor dead men know the worlds woes for Abraham is ignorant of and Israel knowes not the Iewes woes the first things being past c. Reu. 21.4 7 Some fall sodainely or quickely into sleepe and some are long according to the moistnesse or drynesse of their braines euen so some dye sooner as young Iosias and some later as olde Methusalem according to the temper of their radicall moysture as it pleaseth God 8 Some sleepe in their owne houses and some in other mens as did Sisera in Iaels some in the fields some at Sea some here some there in sundry places so doe wee dye some at home and some abroad some by land and some by Sea as God appointeth 9 No man can tell the very time that hee falleth asleepe but onely feeleth it comming and his body disposed to it so no man can tell the very moment of his death but onely feeleth his body faint and his spirits drawing to an end 10 Suanius dormiunt qui relinquunt c. They sleepe much better saith one that leaue all their cares in their shooes which they put off and goe to rest with a quiet minde euen so doe they dye better that haue disposed of all their worldly matters by Will or otherwise whereby they are not troubled or distracted by them 11 They sleepe well againe that haue laboured and taken paines all the day time and so they die well that in their vocation haue not beene idle but imployed both body and minde to doe good 12 As Assuerus when he could not sleepe called for the Chronicles of his kingdom to be read vnto him so assuredly whilst wee wake in this world and the sleepe of death commeth not vpon vs it shall be a most profitable thing to reade or cause to be read vnto vs the chronicle of GOD the sacred and holy Scriptures the treasures of all Comfort and good instructions 13 When the body sleepeth the soule sleepeth not no more dyeth the soule when the body dyeth 14 No man goeth to bed to sleepe but with a certaine hope and purpose to wake and rise againe so must wee dye in assurance of that great and generall Resurrection 15 And as our voyce and calling vpon men awake them so shall that sounding Trumpet doe in that day Our Bed saith another is the Image of
which case you shall obserue that the desire to liue or not to liue to dye and not to dye hath oftentimes ebbed and flowed according to the measure of grace or corruption of sinne or of sanctification Euery man may finde this in his owne heart vsually vpon the search Hence it was that our Sauiour Christ hauing the greatest measure of grace was most willing to dye amongst all the sonnes of mortall men as appeares in the Gospell by his often speaking of his death as desiring it Mat. 10. â—8 So 16.21.17.22.23 by his hastning Iudas the actor in it Iohn 13. in calling Peter Sathan that disswaded him from it Mat. 13.23 yea in accounting it his Baptisme Luke 20.50 yea his meate that he was to eate Iohn 4 32. yea his exaltation ver 28. yea a thing that hee desired Luke 22. And when hee came to act the bitter part in this dying Tragedy how voluntarily did he send out his soule Hee gaue vp the Ghost saith the Euangelist the spirit was not taken from him for no power could doe that but hee gaue vp his Spirit into the hands of GOD his Father Emisit non amisit Spiritum hee sent out his Spirit as Noah sent the Doue out of the Arke willingly it was not taken from him compulsorily Now that which holds in the Head Christ in some proportion holds in the Saints his Members who are conformed into the similitude both of his life and death the nearer they come vnto Christ by the vnion of Faith the more they participate of the Spirit of Christ in life the more willing they are to goe to Christ and to haue a further communion with him in and after death Note 2 It is not so with the wicked for the further they runne from God in life the lesse ioy they haue to be fetcht before him by death the lesse grace the more griefe to dye the more vile sensuall and sinfull their dayes the more they desire to prolong them being as vnwilling to dye as the Beare to the stake or the Bull to the ring The reasons are these First because they haue their pleasures in this world to which they are wedded and with which they are intoxicated and bewitched as Vlisses and Diomedes companions with Circes charmes and Calipsoes Cups till they be turned into beasts Now what delight hath the beast but in fayre feeding and carnall companying according to his kinde neyther they being as loath to leaue these pleasures as the childe his bable or the foole his folly Secondly Death depriues them of their worldly promotions it throwes Herod from his seate and Baltazar from his Throne it expulleth Monarchs from their Countryes and with as great a sway as that Antichristian man of Rome kickes off their Crownes deposing Kings disposing Kingdomes laying their honours in the dust And therefore no maruell that the proud Impes of Lucifer feare it as hautie Hammon did the Gallowes Thirdly it pluckes them from their profits it takes Nabal from his Sheepe Ahab from his vsurped Vineyard and Midas from his Gold which worldlings are as vvilling to leaue as the dogge the Flesh-pot as the hungry Kite the sauory carrion to liue in the earth alwayes it is their desire as much as the water is desired of the fish and the Ayre of the Bird and the earth of the Moale they are as content to build tabernacles here as Peter was vpon the Mount Mat. 17. but to goe into the earth that is dâ—rus sermo a harsh vvord they are as willing to leaue the world as the Bird the Beast and the Fish are to forsake their nourishing Elements as the starued childe is to part with the desired dugge Oh Death how bitter art thou to a man whose portion is in the world saith the Wise-man Ob mors mordens bitter indeede as gall and wormewood Fourthly Death depriues the wicked not onely of their goods but of their Gods what euer they make their Idols and giue their hearts vnto whicâ— Idols they as vnwillingly leaue as Mâ—â—hay did his and as the Papists their Idolatrous Masse as Rachel did her Fathers Idols vvhich shee concealed and couered Fiftly Death takes them away from their pleasing companions which they are as loath to part fro as Elisha was to leaue Elias as Ruth to leaue Naomi but most vnwilling to exchange them for the company of Diuels and Hell-hounds Sixtly they are vnfitted and vnprepared for Death they haue not made their accounts straight they haue not Oyle in their Lampes they haue abused their Talents of gifts externall and internall and therefore they quake to be brought by Death to render an account of their Stewardship with the wicked Steward to meete the Bridegrome with the foolish Virgins to be called in eoram before their great Master with the wicked Seruant that smote his fellow-seruants and with the other vnprofitable Seruant Seauenthly they haue no hope in death except a vaine and wanne hope such as perisheth like the vntimely fruit of a woman Death like Michay to Ahab neuer prophesieth any good to a wicked man and therefore he is as vnwilling to dye as a Theefe and Malefactor to be brought before the Iudge as a bad debtor before his creditor as a Swine to the slaughter for as the Swine by a naturall instinct knowes that hee is good for nothing but the Shambles so the wicked by the rage of his owne conscience which is like the flash before hell fire and by an Historicall Faith whereby hee beleeues there is a hell and euerlasting fire for such as hee is Fornicators whoremongers drunkards wantons theeues couetous impenitent vnbeleeuers and all other workers of iniquitie hee knowes that hee is good for nothing but to be burned and to be stubble and fuell for that flame And therefore as the Swine shewes his dislike of the Shambles and his slaughterer by whining and crying and repining so the hoggish Epicurish carnall man shewes his discontent and disobedience vnto God and to his summons by death by muttering murmuring barking against heauen and blaspheming If wee apply this poynt by vse vnto our times wee shall finde infinite millions and multitudes of carnall and wicked men swarming like the Aegyptian Locusts and Grashoppers amongst vs for alas how many are there which beare vp their heads high and set vp their crests exalt their hornes and prancke vp their Peacockes plumes lifting vp themselues aboue others in the pride of their harts boasting like Braggadochies of their birth valour learning wit wealth parts and prowesse shewing much drunken and swaggering and irefull and reuengefull valour in their base and bruitish passions and yet the same at the imagination and apprehension of death shew themselues as arrand cowards as the Arcadians Clineas or Dametas altogether daunted and dismayed like Gorgon at the sight of Medusaes head they quiuer and quake like an Aspen-leafe shake and tremble like the Aguish sicke man at the
come out of the earth but onely that they loue the earth too well being desirous euer to liue vpon the earth but neuer to lye in the earth Why list not worldlings returne to their dust but onely that as true children of the old Serpent the curse of the Serpent is vpon them to licke the dust minding earthly things here their end being damnation hereafter Phil. 3.17 Secondly when this is performed in breaking off thy desires from the world which is Terminus à quo the place which thou leauest then fixe thy eye vpon another world Terminus ad quam the place whither thou goest Looke not too much at the grisly face of Death which will agast thee but at the end of it where thou shalt see as many comforts as Elishaes Seruant saw to encourage thee Euen as hee that is to passe ouer some great and deepe Riuer must not looke downe-ward to the water but must cast his eye to the bancke on the further side so looke ouer the waues of death and fixe the eye of thy faith vpon eternall life Looke not at Death in the glasse of the Law in which it is set out as a curse and the downe-fall to the gulph of destruction but in the Christall Glasse of the Gospell as it is changed and altered so by the death of CHRIST that it is a sweet sleepe and resting coole harbour First therefore consider how there is a blessing accompanies and attends thy death pronounced by the Spirit it selfe Reu. 14 13. which is alone sufficient to stay the rage of thy affections in the ordinary feare of death for who feares blessings since euen profane Esau sues for a blessing and euen the very Heathens so much desired that blessednesse which their Philosophers of all sorts so much disputed but neuer so soundly determined as God doth here Secondly the same Spirit cals it A resting from thy labour Now euen the Oxe Horse and Asse desire resting from labour to be vntyed from their taskes vnloden from their Burthens all the creatures and the Elements which groane vnder vanitie desire cessation from motion euery thing aymes at his quiet and rest and dost not thou Now death I pray thee what is it but a buster of bonds a destruction of toyle an arriuing at the Hauen a Iourney finished thy coâ—summatum est thy qâ—ietus est thy laying away of an heauy burthen euen sin it selfe which as Erasmus wittily is heauier then Gold Siluer Lead and Iron in that the weight of it weighed and pressed downe the Angels of light into the pit of hell and payned Christ our Sauiour our substitute on the Crosse What I say is this death but the shaking off of gyues and an end of banishment a period of griefe an escape of dangers a destroyer of all euils Natures due Countryes ioy Heauens blisse Woes Hauen the Key to ope the dore to Christians as it did to CHRIST Luke 24 26 of blessednes rest and immortalitie dignifying nay almost Deifying whom God hath elected and called in grace and called to the graue this is the right partition of it into his parts and passages as Antiquitie hath christned it and our age hath called it and the godly haue found it Oh then why shouldest thou boggle at it since there is as little hurt in death to the good as there is little good in life to the bad as we shall further proue in some particulars hereafter Thirdly let this cogitation animate thee to sing Simeons Song in being at least willing if not desirous to depart because God takes thy part in thy departing if thou beest his thou hast as the Promise so the Performance of his comfortable presence It hath beene the Lords constant and continuated custome to be with his Children like a friend at neede in their distresse whose exigents and extremities haue beene his opportunities Thus hee was present with Noah in the Floud Gen. 7. with Lot in Sodomes flames Gen. 19. with Iacob in his flight from Esau Gen. 33. with Ioseph in Dodons pit and Putiphars prison vvith Moses when hee went to Pharaoh when he was with Pharaoh and sled from Pharaoh with Israel in the Red Sea Exod. 14. vvith Dauid in Sauls pursuite 1 Sam. 19. with Eliah in the Desart 1 Kings 19. with Elisha vvhen the Syrians came against him 2 Kings 6. with Hezekiah in his sicke-bed Esay 38. with the three Children in the fire Dan. 3. with Daniel in the denne of Lyons Dan. 6. with Ioseph and Mary and the wise Magi flying from Herod Mat. 2. with Christ in his combat with Sathan Mat. 4. and hee will be vvith thee in thy last conflict and tryall for this is his Promise which he keepes more inuiolably then the Decrees of the Medes and Persians to be with thee when thou passest through the waters and through the riuers through the fire that thou shalt neyther be ouerflowne nor ouerblowne in any temptation Esay 43.2.3.4 5.6 c. Now God will manifest his presence with thee these three wayes eyther in moderating or mitigating thy paines as the words of that Propheticall promise doe import making death no more dolorous to thee then many ordinary crosses and afflictions which haue befallen thee in life as some of the Saints haue tryed it Or by the inward and ineffable comfort of the Spirit which occasioned Paul to reioyce in tribulation since euen then the loue of God was shed abroad in his heart by the holy Ghost Rom. 5.35 yea euen in his grieuous sickenesse it seemes when hee had receiued the sentence of death as the suffrings of Christ did abound in him so his consolations did abound through Christ 2 Cor. 1.5 God is the chiefe Physitian and chiefe visitor when any of his Patients are afflicted in his owne person ministring vnto them staying them with flagons comforting them with apples vvith his right hand holding vp their heads and vvith his left imbracing them Cant. 2.9 Thirdly he sends a victorious Host a guard of Angels to be keepâ—rs and Nurses vnto his Seruants to hold them vp and beare them in their armes as Nurses doe young Children and to be their champions and guards against the Diuell and his Angels Psal 30. All these comforts with many moe going along vvith thee like the Cloud and the fiery Pillar with the Israelites should cause thee to march valiantly euen through the Pikes â—f death to thy appointed Possession And so wee passe in this passage of Simeon to the third Point His acknowledgement of the Diuine Permission In these words Lettest thou IN which phrase obserue that what euer comes to passe is by the letting and permission of God whether in life or death for there is nothing done in the world but that which the Almightie will haue done eyther by permitting it to be done or by doing it himselfe Or as the same Augustine All things are eyther done by Gods helpe or suffered to be done by his permitting Domino
murthered their Masters as Zimri slew Elah his Lord 1 Kings 16.9.10 Or apostate Subiects vile Traytors that haue effused the bloud of the Lords Annoynted as Iaques Clements and Rauallack in their assarsinations and massacrings of the two renowned French Henries c. Or lastly one man killing another eyther sodainely as Ehud slew Eglon with his Dagger Iudg. 3.21 or treacherously as Ioab did Abner and Amasa as Rehab and Baanah did Ishbosheth 2 Sam. 4.5.6 or combatingly in a Duellie in the field or any other vvayes in all these with all the rest of this nature wee must say as the Apostles said of Pilate Herod and the Iewes concerning the death of Christ that these murtherers haue done whatsoeuer the Lords hand and councell had determined before to be done Acts 4.28 For who is he that saith it commeth to passe and the Lord commanded it not Lamen 3.37 For euen all things that are and that happen Deus disponendo praesciuit praesciendo disposuit saith Tertullian God hath fore-knowne them fore-seene them and disposed of them If of all things then of the liues and deaths of men yea euen of murthered men for though God prohibite and forbid murther Exod. 20. yet hee decrees that act which in man is murther but in God is but an act of Iustice Againe the very materiall part or subiect is of God I say the naked act of murther as it is an act as it is from the liuing soule as it is from the motion of the hand is from God without whom neyther the hand nor any part could moue in any naturall motion but the formall part and deformitie of the act vvhich makes it properly murther that is from the Diuell and from corruption yet not without Gods permission by the substraction of his grace which Hugo cals the cause of all sinne from the Agent and for some righteous ends in respect of the Patient The life of this point like the bloud in the veynes lyes in the vse if meetes with the corruption of these that referre not death vnto his true cause and ground erring not knowing the Scriptures for is any man strangely afflicted with wondrous and wofull diseases as the Gout Stone Stranguillio Sciatica c. Is any infected with the plague smit with Leprosie wounded or slaine by his enemie bruized by falling from his Horse or the like but chiefely is he taken away sodainely in his full strength in his case and prosperitie when his breasts are full of milke and his bones full of marrow Iob 22.24.25 Presently we breake our into these tearmes Sure he had ill lucke hee had bad chance hee had ill Fortune or else wee shoote our fooles bolts as the Listrians against Paul when the Viper stucke to his hand Acts 14. Sure this man was a great sinner c. or as the Iewes of those vpon whom the Tower of Silo fell and vvhose bloud Pilate mingled with their Sacrifices Sure he was a greater sinner then the rest or as others of the blinde man Iohn 9. wee must needes know whether he or his Parentâ— haue sinned For the first it is a pittifull thing that Christians liuing so long in the heate and light and Sunne-shine of the Gospell should be so darkened in their vnderstandings and so vaine in their imaginations like the once vnconuerted Gentiles as to turne the glory of the immortall God into a vile and abhominable Idoll to attribute that which is proper and peculiar vnto God vnto Heathenish Fortune a word which as Augustine and Lactantius in their dayes banished to the Pagans from whence it came so I wonder that the light of Preaching hath no more discouered the blindnesse of it and no more reformed the errour of it that it is no more rooted out of our hearts and vnsetled our of our heads but that wee must needes make it as the Ephesians their Diana some great Goddesse as the Sorcerer Simon made himselfe some great man I wonder that with the Romanes wee must build Temples and sacrifice vnto it in disgrace and despight of God and disparagement of his prouidence taking the Crowne from the Creators head and placing it on an Idoll vvhich is a meere Idaea a fiction and Chimera in nature not knowing or at least not acknowledging with the Scripture with Antiquitie with Ierome Augustine and others called now Fathers as Iames and Iohn were called Pillers that there is no euill in the Citie that is euill of punishment in which predicament Death is which the Lord hath not wrought that nothing comes to passe fortuito casu sed iudicio Des by chance but by choyse nothing happens by hap-hazzard but by the peculiar preuidence and prouidence of God that the will of God is the supreame cause of all things that are Not a hayre falling from our heads not a Sparrow falling to the ground much lesse a sickenesse or a disease growing vpon our bodies much lesse a day or an houre or a minute falling from our life without the determination and permission of him that hath numbred our dayes and set downe the period of our age Therefore let vs banish all thought and opinion of Fortune vnto the very Getes and Sauromatanes Let vs also suspend our thoughts and our opinions of our Brethren when God doth sore afflict them in life or sodainely inflict vpon them some strange death let vs not iudge least wee be iudged let vs not enter into rash and precipitate censures of others wee may be further deceiued in Gods mercies towards them or his proceedings with them then was Eliphaz Bildad and Zophar in the case of Iob then the Disciples were in the case of the blinde man Iohn 9.12 For it may be that this man whom thou seest lying sicke a Lazar by the high-way begging with those blinde men in the Gospell him whom thou seest groaning in an Hospitall rauing in Bedlam c. nay whom thou seest drowned in the waters stabbed in his bowels led to execution to be topt off like a fruitlesse Tree at Tyburne is not a greater sinner then thou neyther hee nor his Parents haue sinned more then thou and thine but that the glory of God might be made manifest that he might be an example vnto thee that thou maist take warning by his harming least thou also perish for Gods workes as his Word are for thy instruction whether they be workes of Mercy or of Iustice Vse 2 Secondly is it so that death is by the permission of God Nay is it so that thy death and so the death of euery childe of GOD is not onely fore-seene but fore-appointed of God then the consideration of this speciall prouidence of God must be a motiue amongst others which wee haue vsed and are to vse to incheare vs against death Oh how ought this to adde life and spirit vnto thy faintings that God considers euery circumstance of thy death as the time when and the place where and the
outragious both in the quantitie and qualitie of sinne so it confirmes my hope in Christs second comming concerning the propniqiutie and nearenesse of the last expected day of the worlds dissolution seeing not onely Iniquitie doth abound and Sinne Sathans daughter is more fruitfull then euer euen in monstrous births but the Diuell the Father rageth Lion-like and like Iehu marcheth against man more vehemently with redoubled force and fury knowing that his time to rauen in is but short These premisses pondered because Sathan is as wilie as euer hee was as powerfull as potent as politique more malicious as thou art more weake then those which hee hath assaulted and vanquished in this kinde for Saul and Iudas in all outward respects were in all probabilitie stronger then thou as thy nature as wicked as theirs for all branches that come from Adams stocke are naturally corrupted and as it is most likely that thou shalt be tempted by this Serpent euen to this very sinne of letting out thine owne bloud which like other sinnes is in thine ownâ— power for what man amongst many can say that he hath not had many thoughts and motions iniected and darted into his heart by Sathan for to perpetrate this sinne So in Gods feare let euery Christian arme himselfe against it euen with a constant resolution like good Iob by whom Saint Iames patternes vs to trust in GOD though hee kill him to fall rather into the hands of God with Dauid 2 Sam. 24.14 then to fall vpon his owne sword vvith Saul Discusse Dauids prohibiting argument when he was prouoked to kill Saul Shall I lay mine hand saith hee vpon the Lords Annointed Surely no The Lords hand shall be vpon him not mine hee shall stay his day Thou as a Christian art the Lords Annointed what euer Sathan importune the worlds crosses occasionedly vrge yet lay not thine hand vpon the Lords Annoynted it is more vnlawfull for thee to slay thy selfe then for Dauid to kill apostate Saul stay thy day wayte the Lords leasure in rest and confidence shall be thy strength GOD will relieue thee in the crosse or release thee from the crosse Labour for the Spirit of Grace against the impatiencie of Nature and the Spirit of Prayer against Sathans Temptations and the Spirit of Patience against the worlds crosses learne out of Epictetus his Schoole sustinendo abstinendo by abstaining from the euill of sinne by sustaining any crosse the scourge of sinne not to mutter against thy Creator not to marre his Image in thee his chiefe creature Lastly that thou maist preuent this sinne it selfe as a point of instruction neyther vnpleasing nor vnprofitable I thinke good to acquaint thee with the causes at least the occasions of this sinne of Selfe-murther so farre as I can gather them Historically is matter of fact euen from the very Heathens from whose Candles wee must borrow a little light to see into this poynt that so as is the Maxime both of Philosophie and Physicke sublaâ—a causa â—ollitur effectus the cause being remoued the effect may cease Vse 3 The first and chiefe cause of this crimson sinne of Selfe-murther besides the Diuell tempting and triumphing ouer his conquered vassals is rage of conscience for some haue beene so stung with Hellish furies as vvas Nero after hee had murthered his Mother Agrippina slaine his Brother his Friends his Masters as Suetonius reports that they haue constrainedly attempted the quenching of this fire with the effusion of their owne bloud chiefely when there is ioyned with it despayre of mercy as in Pilate whom Gregory Turoâ—ensis relates to haue killed himselfe after hee had condemned Christ The like whereof Iosephus records of Herod after hee had butchered his three Sonnes Alexander Aristobulus and Antipater The Scriptures instance in Saul after his Apostacie from God and in Iudas after he had betrayed CHRIST c. 2 Others some haue beene ouercome by madnesse or Frenzies as Lucretius that Philosophicall Poet about the forty yeere of his age saith Politian Hercules that burnt himselfe being madded with his inchanted shirt that was dipt in the bloud of the Centaure Aiax that died inraged when Achilies armor was adiudged from him to Vlisses to which are to be added such as being surprised vvith passions of loue or hatred oppressed vvith Melancholy ouer-heated in their spirits by studie or the like haue beene madded and so murthered 3 Others haue killed themselues in the violencie of their diseases as Silius the Poet Festus the friend of Domitian Indignas premâ—ret pestis quum rabida fauces c. Messula Coruinus the Orator that by reason of an vlcer in his mouth pined himselfe to death as Celius testifies 4 Others in pride of heart and discontent as Homer because hee could not resolue the riddle of the Fishermen Aristotle because hee could not finde out the reason of the frequent ebbing and flowing of Euripus So Brotheus that burnt himselfe because he was deformed 5 Others to preuent the luxurious desires and designes of Lechers and to preserue their owne chastitie as Sophroâ—ia that Christian Lucrece as Eusebius cals her that by killing her selfe freed her chastitie from the continuall assaults of Dâ—cius Damocles the beautifull Boy that escaped the Sodomie of Demetrius by Selfe-drowning 6 Others being ashamed to liue haue not beene ashamed by selfe inflicted death to depriue themselues of life as chaste Lucrece after she was defiled by proud Tarquin whose death not onely Claudian Stroza Sabellicus and many of the Heathen bewayle but euen some Christians speake and write of it vvith remorse So Cornelius Gallus that excellent Poet Virgâ—ls friend that for shame killed himselfe being accused and it seemes guiltie of misdemeanours in his gouernment being President of Aegypt saith Ammianus or as Tranquillus writes because hee was interdicted Caesars house because he was too tongue-sawcy saith Ouid that makes it his blemish Se linguam nimio non tenuissâ— mero 7 Others to preuent that shame and further blame which their misdemeanours or the preuailing of their enemies had brought them too thus Cleopatra when Anthony was ouercome least shee should be carryed captiue applyed Serpents to her breasts which Plutarch and Horace say shee kept for that purpose whom her Maides Neaera and Charmiâ— accompanyed in the like death So Dioclesian the Emperour fearing an ignominious death from the threates of Lacinus and Constantine dranke poyson saith Aurelius So Oppia a vestall Virgin defloured kils her selfe for feare of further punishment The like did Fanius Cepio when he was apprehended in a Conspiracie against Augustus The like is related of Cardinall Wolsey to haue poysoned himselfe in the High-way betwixt Cawwood and London when hee was sent for to answere such Articles as were against him neyther was Achitophels wittie folly awanting in this kinde who thought by hanging himselfe to be rid both of present shame his counsell being despised and future blame
miserable life in vvhich wee are bound and fettered death being our vnloosing Fiftly that our naturall death is but one and once which is our dismission from the earth Sixtly that the soule is immortall not dying vvith the body onely departing out of the body For the first point it is plaine that godly men dye sanctified Simeon that spoke this is dead it needes no confirmation but experience as hee that will not beleeue that the fire is hot let him put his finger to it if any beleeue not that the godly dye as well as the wicked let him looke at their Sepulchres amongst vs as Peter tels the Iewes that the Patriarke Dauid was dead and his Sepulchre was amongst them The Reasons why the godly dye are these first because they are inuolued and vvrapped in the common sincke of originall sinne with the rest of Adams posteritie and therefore they must participate of death the common punishment from which no persons orders or degrees are excepted or exempted no not infants themselues Eccles 3.1 Psal 49.10 Heb. 9.27 To explaine this It is confessed by all Diuines that GOD which is called the God of the liuing onely created life and not death which being a priuation of life was neuer in the number of those Ideaes and formes which were from all eternitie in the minde of the Creator but was brought in by sinne for which it is now imposed penarilie vpon all flesh Rom. 5.12 so Ch. 6.23 1 Cor. 15.21 From whence it is consequent that if man had not sinned man had not dyed I say not man could not haue dyed for his body being compounded of the foure Elements and so of foure contrary qualities heate cold moysture and drynesse in themselues repugnant was naturally mortall yet hee should not haue dyed if hee had not sinned but should haue beene preserued and vpheld by a speciall singular and supernaturall grace Which grace of originall Iustice being lost by originall sinne man also lost the priuiledge of immortalitie and became mortall Euen as to vse the Schoole-mens Similies a Ship vpon the Sea her saile hoist the winde blowing the waues working must needs naturally follow the motion and working of the Sea but if this Ship be tyed to an Anchor by some strong Cable shee is held fast and fixt without any far fluctuation but if this Cable be cut shee goes whither the windes and the waues driue her Or as a mans hand is subiect to be wounded by sword dagger or dart but if he haue on a good Gantlet the hand is safe which Gantlet being pluckt off or broken the hand is exposed to danger So Man being naturally mortall yet being armed with originall righteousnesse against the stroke of death being tyed and chained with the golden chaine of speciall grace should not haue moued in the naturall course of death but as soone as euer man by the instinct of Sathan tyed himselfe with the cords of sinne God tooke away that other chaine of Grace disarmed him of munition and armour and exposed him to be carryed through the swift torrent of this present life by the violence of the contrary qualities of the Elements euen into the dead Sea or Sea of Death Secondly because of the reliques and remainders of their originall sinnes and corruption which are still resident and fixed in them howsoeuer pardoned by Christ the godly must dye that so these remnants may be quite taken away and abolished and the root of old Adam absolutely stocked vp Thirdly flesh and bloud of which they partly consist cannot inherit the Kingdome of God but must first be changed 1 Cor. 15 vers 50. Fourthly that as by other crosses and afflictions so by dying they may in some sort be made conformable to their head Christ in his death and sufferings Rom. 8.29 Sixtly that the godly might haue experience of Gods power in the resuscitation and raising vp of their dead bodies Seauenthly that the godly may haue sweet and comfortable experience of the difference betwixt this mortall life and that immortall glory in the life to come which will be so much more ioyous as they shall taste their prepared ioyes through the iawes of death as Sampson did his Honie in the Lyons belly for as it is a misery to haue beene happy so it sets a better edge and relish on any mercy when it comes by an exemption from a former experienced misery euen as deliuerance was more gratefull to the Israelites after their Aegyptian yoke and as hony is more sweet to him that hath beene dyeted with Aloes so ioy in glory shall be more ioyous extracted out of the paines of life and pangs of death vnto the godly Hence let the Saints sing clap their hands and reioyce let the ioyfull shout of a King be amongst them in the sweet contemplation of the vnlimitted mercies of God towards them that whereas in Adam as they were branches of his stocke and so fruitfull in vnrighteousnesse in his sinne so indammaged and indangered by their originall corruptions besides their actuall transgressions that God might in iustice haue punished them both with the first and second death according to that menace in Paradise to our Protaplasts In that day which you eate of the forbidden fruit you shall dye the death as Augustine interprets it in that day which you forsake me by rebellion I will forsake you by my iust iudgements execution yet it hath pleased God so farre to mitigate both the guilt and the punishment of both that in and by Christ they being redeemed from that second that eternall sempiternall death of the soule the temporall death which is onely a change of a worse life for one infinitely better is so farre inflicted or rather imposed as makes for Gods glory and their owne greater good Secondly let this withall terrifie the wicked which are out of CHRIST and as yet haue no more part in him then the Diuell and Iudas by reason of their witting and willing sins by which voluntarily and frequently they crucifie him againe to themselues that if the godly must haue their teeth set on edge in dying the first death of the body for these sweet fruits which proued sower Grapes that Adam and Eue tasted in the Garden by reason of these remainders and reliques of corruption that are in them how much more shall they as they are threatned as God hath decreed and denounced drinke the dregs of Gods wrath euen to the bottome not onely in tasting the first death but the second not onely that which is the separation of the soule from the body but which separates both body and soule eternally from God at they are corrupt and fruitlesse trees twise dead so if the godly which are trees of righteousnesse planted by the riuers of Grace be pluckt vp that they may be transplanted in glory much more shall they by stockt vp by the Axe of death cut downe in wrath
like the barren Fig-tree and throwne into Hell fire yea as they are called dead coales Psal 17. and God a consuming fire Deut. 9. Hebrewes the last c. so they are as sure to burne vnlesse quenched by repentance as they are fit to burne Neyther doth the Lord take such avvay ordinarily by a naturall and peaceable death as hee did Simeon here but oft-times in the whirlewinde of his wrath by some vnnaturall and violent and sodaine death as the fruit of their prouoking sinnes 1. Sometimes for their abuse of his worship as hee did Nadab and Abihu so Iudas that came from the Communion and hanged himselfe as also the Corinthians who dyed for their vnworthy receiuing the Sacrament 2. Sometimes for rebellion against Magistrates as Corah Dathan and Abiram Numb 16. 3. Sometimes for abusing the Seruants Prophets and Ministers of God as the two and fortie Children whom the two shee Beeres slew the two Captaines with their fifties that came to lay hands on Elias 4. So for murthering the Saints as Achab and Iezabel So the tenne persecutors infamously famous for the abundance of Christian bloud which they shed came all to fearefull ends according to the curse threatned Psal 56. Psal 139. Math. 26. that Bloudy men shall not liue out halfe their dayes and They that smite with the Sword shall perish by the Sword 5. For gurmundizing gluttonie and drunkennesse as Iobs Children Iob 2. Baltazar Dan. 5. and the Israelites slaine whilst the Quailes were in their mouthes Numb 11. 6. For couetousnesse as Ananias and Saphira Acts 5. 7. For Lust and Luxury as Cosâ—ee and Zimri and the vncleane Israelites Numb 25. 8. For Tyrannie and oppression as Pharaoh and his Hoast Exod. 14. 9. For Pride against God as Herod Acts 12. 10. For the effect of pride and malice Blasphemie against heauen as Senacharib and his pestilent Parasite Rabsekah 2 Kings 19. as also for other sinnes But now wee are to hoist vp sailes into a Sea of matter which flowes eyther necessarily from the Text or by consequence of this last proued point and by argument from the greater to the lesser from the better to the worse that if Simeon and the Saints must dye then vnsanctified sinners and so from the specials and by inductions from all particulars the generall may be concluded that all must dye So much the Text giues vs leaue to touch for if we be here as Tully intimates Tanquam in diuerserio as guests lodged in an Inne or as those that come to a Mart a Market or a Faire or as those that come to visite their friends not to inhabite long here but to depart as Simeon here imports Then hoc commune malum this departure is the designed lot to all the worlds passengers Wee here giue no reasons of the point omitting or pretermitting them till we come to distill some comforts against death onely for explanation or further satisfaction Ponder the premises that since the godly which haue no sinne I meane with Dauid and the Augustane Confession out of Augustine no imputed sinne must die since children that haue no actuall sinne doe dye because the staine of the roote is propagated to the branches as Augustine Anselme and Ambrose haue in moe phrases explained if Adam himselfe did dye not so much as hee was a created man but as hee was a corrupted sinner Then sure as life was the fruit of his obedience if he had stood à Deo donante from Gods free giuing so death is inflicted vpon his fall à Deo vindicante from God punishing And as now it is Gods Statute-Law enacted that all Adams Sonnes partaking of Adams sinnes must die so it must be executed nay wee see it is executed Philosophers and Poets and the learned Heathens who themselues since their workes and writings haue felt the smart of deaths stroke haue acknowledged it Christians haue confessed it Experience hath ratified it in the consumption and consummation of all ages all sects all sorts persons and professions that all must dye omnia peribunt c. I thou hee they and euery man besides that are were shall be this way slides Wee haue Gods statutum est for it that as in Heauen all liue and none must or can dye in Hell all dye an eternall death and none must or can liue so in earth all must dye and none can for euer liue This is an ineuitable yoke imposed on all flesh Nam rigidum ius est c. the Law is strict vnalterable to striue against the streame vnauaileable Lanificas nulli tres exorare Puellas Contigit c. The vnpartiall Fates to whom we all are vnder With rule imperiall cut lifes thread asunder Many meanes haue Galenists and Physitians vsed for the preseruation of life many Workes and elaborate Bookes are extant of the conseruation of health but neuer none writ or disputed of the exemption from death because it were in vaine If any Physitian could administer such a simple that vvould perpetually prolong life if any Lawyer could plead the case with Death not to enter violently vpon their bodie which is his tennant-right and preuaile If any Diuine did preach that sinners should not dye and performe it the first should haue moe Patients the second more Clyents the third moe Auditors then euer had any of their fellowes in their functions But to teach or plead or practise this point which the Diuell guld our first Parents with in Paradise You shall not die were to be a Lyar like him it were to build Castles in the Ayre to sow the winde and reape the whirlewinde for Omnes vna maâ—et nox c. Deaths tract wee all must tread our life 's faire light Must be obscur'd and set in Deaths darke night How many glorious Lights in the vvorld Kings Kefars Emperours Popes Potentaâ—es Dukes Earles Lords Barons c. Learned wise prudent potent c. haue already perished and vanished like Comets and blazing Starres leauing no more tract behinde them then a Serpent that goes ouer a stone of whom wee retaine nothing but the Images corporeall of their bodies or mentall of their mindes by the help of some Painters or their owne or others pens that haue onely shewed to posteritie that such men there once were but now are not What haue wee sauing the Images of moe then an hundred famous Emperours of the East and West Christian and Heathen Amongst the rest vvhere are the seauen Henries the sixe Constantines the fiue Ottoes the fiue Charleses the fiue Lodouicques the foure Leo's the three Theodosij the three Fredericques the three Tiburiusses the two Clandij the two Alberts the two Anastasij the two Martians the two Rodulphs the two famous Caesars for warre and peace Iulius and Augustus with the rest Is not the lampe of their life extinct Those whose voyces commanded the Nations are they now able to speake as it was said of Alexander those that vvere able once to
bed with thee I meane in the earth looke not at thy white feathers and proud plumes with the Swanne and the Peacocke but at thy blacke feete the earth thy originall Quid superbis puluis cinis Why art thou proud dust and ashes what art thou but dust If Honourable Noble Worshipfull Witty Wealthy Learned Beautifull thou art but honourable dust noble dust worshipfull dust witty dust learned dust beautifull dust This is the proper adiunct to all the best and the rest of thy Epithites What is one piece of dust of sand of slime better then another Why boasts thou of thy Babell of any thing within thee or without thee thy best things being none of thine but Gods thy worst the Diuels and thine owne not worth a proud thought thou thy selfe being the earths and none of thine owne Neyther let the holy humble pious poore man-be too-too much deiected eyther at his owne meannesse or at the greatnesse of the insolâ—nt insulting debashed men of this world who ouer-toppe them and ouer-droppe them to as the high Oakes doe the lowly shrubs but let them haue patience a-while and they shall euery way paralell them As men in the Scripture are compared to Trees so the Comparison holds well Goe into a Wood and Forrest thou shalt see as great difference of Trees in their kinde as of the Starres in their kinde some Ash some Oake some Cedar some tall some small some straight some crooked some young some old but now marke these Trees cut downe and burnt in the Furnace in the Iron-workes or the like and tell mee if thou canst distinguish betwixt the ashes of one tree and another Looke at the accounts of the Merchant one Compter stands for an hundred pound another for twentie pound another for twelue-pence another for a Cypher this for more this for lesse but when the account is done shuffle them all together and who can tell the difference betwixt this Compter and that they are all but base mettall So in this life there is difference betwixt man and man in respect of inferioritie or Superioritie Magistracie or Ministerie Prince and Subiect Master and Seruant one man is of more value as Dauids Souldiers said of him then a thousand others one spreads out his boughs like Nabuchadnezzar as Daniel interprets his Vision farre and neare one is high in place like a tall Cedar another like a lowly shrub one is a Figure another a Cypher But now when the Axe of Death cuts all downe when like Compters we be all shuffled together and put in the common boxe the Graue then who can say here are the ashes of Alexander here of poore Irus Besides thou seest a Stage-play as it is to be doubted thou seest too many there thou obseruest one acts the part of a King another of a Captaine another of a Reueller another of a Gentlemen another of a Gourtier another of a Pander a Knaue a Clowne a Foole thou wouldest thinke some vaine fellow in his borrowed brauery to be a King or in his acted knauery and folly as is most likely to be a very Knaue and a Foole but when the Play is done they are all alike Rogues by Statute if they wander or silken Beggers howsoeuer In this our life wee act diuers parts some Comicall some Tragicall some in this kinde some in that vpon the Stage of this world in the time of acting one is by his place and office a King another a Baron a third a Knight a fourth a Squire another a Physitian Lawyer c. one a great man another a poore Mechanicall Artificer according to our seuerall ranckes and callings But now vvhen the Stage shall be dissolued the world burned our parts acted wee shall be all alike in respect of our interred bodies and wee shall be iudged all alike in our particular or generall iudgement according to the workes which we haue done in the body therefore since wee are all earth as like as one Egge to another since all of one mettall and like Leaden pellets cast in one mould since all of one cloath differing a little in the shape since all must goe alike to the earth and all be alike in the earth let vs not be too much exalted with greatnesse like the Horse which is proud of his trappings which must be pulled off vs when wee are stabled in our Graues nor let vs be too much deiected with our meannesse of place and condition since Death will bring the two vnequall lines of the high and low estate to be paralell in the center of our earth at which time Seâ—aâ—s Epitaph will fit the Tombes of both rich and poore Hic seruus dum vixit erat nunc mortuus idem Non quam tu dari magnâ— minora potest c. This poore man whilst he liu'd a seruant was Now dead the rich in nothing doth surpasse Thirdly since we must all dye it behooues all of vs and euery one of vs to meditate of Death and to prepare our selues for Death euen as hee that is to take a iourney or to depart into some forraigne coasts thinkes of it contriues it and fits and furnisheth himselfe for it especially if hee be vpon going and that his voyage must presently be vndertaken Thus the case stands with vs our long Voyage called here our departing must be vndergone it is vnauoydable vndisspensable for the matter vnlimited vncertaine where when and how for the manner yet hastning and approaching for the time therefore it stands vs in hand to prouide wee must bestirre our selues to prepare our viaticum The fatall and imposed necessitie of this departing we haue manifested and might further manifest the necessitie of dying 1. From Gods Decree which is immutable Heb. 9.27 Esay 14.24 Mal. 3.6 2. From mans sins deseruing Rom. 5.12 3. From the change that GOD by Death vvill make in our bodies Phil. 3.21 1 Cor. 15.35 Iob 14.14 4. That the godly may be rewarded Esay 23.18 Ch. 26. v. 19. and vengeance rendred on the wicked Esay 24.8 26.21 5. Because wee are formed onely of dust and clay which cannot last Gen. 3.19 Iob. 4.19 6. From the nature of all flesh yea euen of the long keeping Peacocke which will not keepe for any long time from rotting and corrupting 7. From the defect of radicall moysture Iob 8.11 Esay 7.10 All which are so strong inducements to warrant that we shall dye that in respect of the premises man aboue all other creatures is said to be mortall as both the Psalmist cals him and Philosophie defines him An Epithite appropriated to him aboue the rest of the creatures though they dye as well as hee to put him in minde of death more then them of which it seemes hee is forgetfull But a great many moe Motiues wee haue of our setled and serious preparation for this vnwelcome guest Death from the consideration as of his forcible so of his speedy entrance which will not
Crosse hee crossed the lusts of it in his innocent and spotlesse chastitie in being borne also of a chaste Virgin so thou if thou be a right Christian after him if one of his Church despise these terrestriall things seeke for celestiall Col. 4.1.2.3 c. tromple the Moone these momentanie things vnder thy feete vse the world as though thou vsed it not looke at it and the things of it as at a Lyon in a grate subiect not thy selfe to it be not the slaue of it come not within the reach of it it will teare thee and as the Panther and Hiena deale with Beasts by fawning deuoure thee looke at it therefore and like it as a Pilgrime a strange Country as a Traueller his Inne onely to lodge in it for a few dayes or nights alwayes be in readidesse with old Sâ—meon to depart as the Israelites were ready in a trice to depart out of Aegypt loue this life so that thou wilt willingly lay it downe as thou puttest off thy garments when thou goest to bed when GOD cals thee to sleepe in thy graue Thirdly both from these premisses vvee may gather an vse of Instruction as also from the Text wee may ground a doctrinall obseruation concerning the nature of death comfortable to the godly to whom all things yea death it selfe happens for the best chiefely if they grone vnder the Crosse for if life be so burthensome death must needes be beneficiall that vnlooseth our yoake and takes the burthen from our vveakened natures vvearyed shoulders Therfore death comes to the good man to the crossed Christian as Moses to the Israelites in Aegypt to deliuer him it comes to the godly as Pharaohs Daughter to Mâ—sos fluctuate on the waters as the Arke to Noah as Obediah to the persecuted Prophets to preserue them as the Angell to Lot in Sodome as Abraham to Lot in captiuitie as Dauid to his captiue Wiues to rescue them as the Angell to Peter in Prison to set them free as the Angell to CHRIST in his Agonie as Ionathan to Dauid to comfort them in extremitie as Iosephs Chariots to old Iacob to reioyce them nay as Gods Chariot to Elias to carry them into the place of ioy as the Angels to Lazarus to carry them into Abrahams bosome What shall I say more as Ionas his Gourd to coole Ionas in his excessiue heat like Saul to those of Mount Gilead to help them in time of distresse like the yeere of Iubilie to the Bond man like the long lookt for husband to a louing wife like newes from a farre Country like meate to the hungry and drinke to the thirstie like a messenger from GOD with this message Afflâ—xite non-affliâ—am amplius I haue afflicted thee I will afflict thee no more as God said in effect to Abraham faith Augustine thou hast had tentationem fides the tryall of thy Faith now receiue benidictionem pro fide a blessing for thy Faith blessing vs as the Angell did Iacob after we haue wrastled with the worlds woes Therefore the godly dead as the Latine beares it as is well obserued are not so much said to be dead as deliuered as remoued as redeemed from the worlds warfare Therefore Plutarch cals death Malorum remedium portus humaniâ— calamitatibus euils relieuer and calamities calmer vitae ianua saith Bernard perpetuae securitatis ingressui the gate of life and ingresse to a sempiternall securitie the onely Physitian that askes no fees not so much as thankes and yet cures all cares inward all diseases outward better then Homers Moli then the Balme of Gilead or that marueilous Linguists Mithridate yea it cures all Dat cunctis legem recipit cum paupere Regem It spareth none and yet be friends euen Kings And cures the cares of poore meane vnderlings And therefore God oft-times as our Prouerbe is takes them away soonest whom hee loues best as many Parents know that oft-times lose their Iosephs euen that child whom by the appearance of graces in them God and they loue the best the rest being left them whom they doe not so deseruedly loue Hence it is that when there were but foure in the world Adam Eue Caine Abel God tooke away Abel the best of them for hee permitted his death though Caine gaue the stroke and hee suffered the worst of them to liue still saith Ambrose as the greatest blessing to the one and for a continuated plague and punishment to the other Yea Christ himselfe the spiritual Abel whose bloud speakes better things for vs then Abels was cut downe like a flower in the prime of his yeeres at the age of three and thirtie in the midst of his age which hee might haue liued by nature though hee was beloued of his Father aboue all creatures Angels and Mâ—n Lazarus was not a little loued of Christ as the Iewes noted Iohn 11. in his resuscitation yet hee dyed young and though hee wept when hee raised him vp againe to shew his power hee wept saith Granatensit because hee was reduced and brought backe againe to the miseries of life Hence it is not altogether a Fiction in Herodotus if his Workes as they are defended are no Fables that when the Father of Leobis and Biton intreated the Gods for the greatest blessing vpon these his two Sonnes in the morning they were found both dead in their beds The like Boone was graunted to Trophomius and Agamedes that built the Delphicke Temple to Apollo the Morrall at least of all which and such like is this that to many a speedy death is better then a prolonged miserable life nay that wee neuer beginne truely to liue till wee dye Iustus non viuit c. The iust man neuer liues as hee would till he come to that place where he cannot dye Therefore let the Meditation of these things comfort vs in death and encourage vs against the terrors and feare of death I confesse as wee haue already inlarged another poynt that death is fearefull to all flesh both man and beast much more to a wicked man stout stomacks haue beene agast and turned crauens at his griefly face euen as all the Troopes of Israell were affrighted when they saw Pharaoh behinde them and the red Sea before them the two Iawes of death ready to swallow them And surely euen a resolued Christian cannot free his soule from reluctation when hee lookes onely at the corruption of the flesh the palenesse of the face the dissolution of the members the obscurenesse of the graue the lodge with wormes the solitarinesse of the sepulcher and lastly the dissipation and annihilation of euery part but when hee considers againe Natures course Gods Injunction his disposing Prouidence Christs Passion the bodyes Resurrection the freedome and exemption of the soule from her inclosing prison the Iubilie of the body from all bondage and seruitude Faith preuails and Feare flyes Euen as those that come from a Citie to a Country
Village Tradesmen or the like when their businesse is well dispatcht saith Chrisostome returne into the Citie with ioy againe so the Christian soule that comes from the new Ierusalem the heauenly Citie to traffique here in the low Countryes of this earth by the Organs of the body if it haue well executed the duties of Pietie Charitie and Christianitie to GOD and man may with ioy returne like a Ship Royall loaden with precious Marchandize from whence it came for such a man dyes not but departs From whence we slide into the third point briefely concerning the Epithite which Simeon here giues to death hee cals it a Departure From whence we may see partly into the nature of that which wee call Death it is onely a Departure a going or transmigration from one place to another Therefore vvhen Abraham speakes of his barrennesse he vseth this phrase Ego vadā absque liberis I depart this life or goe away without Children Chrysostome notes his phrase and thereupon implies Ecce iustus ille vt philosophatur c. That Abraham doth truely in that word going away philosophize and dispute of death which Basil applying to the auncient Martyres cals Migratio quaedam ad meliora c. A migration to a better habitation Philosophy cals it The priuation of all heate so Plutarch or Priuatio vitae the priuation of life so Sealiger Exercit. 307. Sect. 23. All which titles and tearmes may still hearten the Christian to confront it in the very face couragiously according to Bernards counsell Volo mortem si non effugere c. That since they cannot flye it they should not feare it Iustus mortem etsi non caue◠c. since the iust man is not cautelous to preuent it let him not be too timerous to encounter it nay rather let him enter the lists as the Persians went to battell ioyfully and with a shout since it is but a Bugbeare or a shadow without substance a Serpent without a sting a superficies no positiue thing of it selfe but the corruption of the subiect that God and Nature subiects vnto it at the worst to the worst an Executioner of a Rebell good to the godly a rewarder of a faithfull Seruant Iosephs Chariot to bring good Iacob from the Land of penurie to the Land of plentie Et qu◠non ad meliora festinet saith Cyprian in his Sermon vpon death Who will not hasten to exchange for the better Lastly me thinkes here is notably implyed the immortalitie of the Soule for what is it which departs but the soule out of the body which flyes out when Death opens the doore that held it in like a Bird out of the Cage liuing else where in pleasure or in paine in act◠seperato in a seperated act as also the Resurrection of the body may not vnfitly be concluded for in a departure betwixt man and wife friend and friend there is a constant hope of meeting againe so these two friends which liue and loue together like Ionathan and Dauid the soule and body shall meete together at the Resurrection both which poynts of Christianitie as Simeon beleeued and taught his Schollers being a great Rabbi and a Master in Israel so hee seemes to mee to allude here vnto both and to professe his faith in both To beginne with the baser part the body that it shall rise againe howeuer it be a Mysterie scoffed at because vnknowne of the Iewish Saduces scoffing Athenians Braine-sicke Philosophers stupid Stoickes hoggish Epicures disputing Peripaticians howeuer denyed by all the rabblement of these Hereticall Valentinians Simonians Carpocratians Cerdonians Seuerians Basilidians Hierarchites and all the Libertines yet it was the faith of all the Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles from the first houre that by reuelation of the Spirit or by the Word it was manifested to the Church of God it was the faith of Dauid of Daniel of of Ezekiel of Esay Iob Paul Martha Iohn the Diuine of all the Saints and so of Simeon Let these Arguments confirme thine first Christ thy head is risen hee is the first fruits of them that sleepe and the pawne that thou shalt rise being a member of his 1 Cor. 15.20 where my flesh and bloud is there shall I be saith Cassiodorus our Ioseph is in Aegypt before vs. Secondly the redemption by Christ extends to thy body as to thy soule vvhich body must rise againe else Christs Passion were fruitlesse and forcelesse Thirdly the body which like Simeon and Leui was brother here in sinning vvith the soule must in Gods equall remunerating Iustice be raised to suffer in an equall measure and proportion as it hath sinned Fourthly Gods promises which hee hath signed with the finger of his Spirit sealed with the bloud of the Lambe to the Elect of peace and Immortalitie cannot be of vigour and vertue vnlesse their bodies rise Fiftly the inseperable vnion twixt Christ and his Church should be disioyned if the body rise not Sixtly many absurdities vvould follow which Paul addes 1 Cor. 15.14.15.16.17 whither I referre you as that all preaching professing and practise of Christianitie vvere else in vaine Seauenthly if in other cases witnesses be to be beleeued then those fiue hundred Brethren mentioned 1 Cor. 15.5.6.7.8 Cephas and the twelue Iames and the Apostles Mary Magdalene Paul that testifie Christs resurrection by necessary consequence confirme ours Rom. 8.13 which depends vpon Christs Eightly these that haue beene brought to life againe after their departure eyther by the Prophets as the widdow of Sarepta's Son by Elias 1 Kings 17.22 or the Shunamites Childe by Elizeus 2 Kings 4.35 And the dead Souldier by touching Elisha's bones 2 Kings 13.21 or by the Apostles as Dorcas by Peter Acts 3.40 Eutichus by Paul Acts 20.10 or by Christ himselfe as the widdow of Naims Son Luke 7.15 Iairus Daughter Mat. 9.29 Lazarus the brother of Martha and Mary Iohn 11.44 and those which appeared in the holy Citie when Christ rose and ascended vp to heauen with him as Augustine thinkes are all Praeludia Resurrectionis types and figures of our resurrection Ninthly we haue many resemblances both in the great Booke of Nature and the little Booke of Grace in the word and in the world Isaacks suruiuing in sacrificing whom Abraham receiued in a figure Heb. 11.19 Aarons dry Rod that budded and blossomed Numb 17.8 Ezekiels dry bones that came together bone to bone flesh to flesh Ezek. 37.8.9.10 Ionas deliuery out of the Whales belly are instances in the Word In Nature the Summer liuing of Trees Hearbs Plants c. yea of Corne it selfe in their seeming Winters death when their sap is in the route these beasts as some Beares and Mice c. which sleepe all Winter and seeme to reuiue in the Spring Swallowes Bats Flyes Gnats c. which by the Sunnes heate seeme to reuiue out of their cold sowne the Arabian
for the land of the liuing an earthly tabernacle for an house eternall in the Heauens 2 Cor. 5.1 For who is so improuident or imprudent that desires to stay in an old smoakie decayed Cottage ready euery day to fall on his head when the Land-lord offers to reedifie it and to make it better since euen Mise Rats by Natures instinct flye from an house that is inclining to fall Now this clayie Cottage of thy body which is vpheld by the weake prop of breath and vapour is euery day declining blesse the prouidence of the Worlds great Architect that when it fals by resuscitation will raise the frame and the fabricke a thousand times both fairer and firmer then the first Secondly let the thought of the Resurrection be as a consolation to thy heart so a direction to thy life Must body and soule meete together and eyther be blessed together or else for euer burne together after their departure and doth their euerlasting weale or woe blisse or bane depend vpon thy good or euill life here Oh then spinne the short thread of thy abridged life well and worthily that so it may tye a blessed peace to thy soule runne thy short race here well that thou maist obtaine an eternall Crowne hereafter passe the time of thy dwelling here with feare think as once S. Ierome that zealous spirit thought Quoties commedo c. as oft as I eate or drinke or walke or talke or rise vp or lye downe I alwayes heare the Trumpe sounding Surgite mortui c. Arise yee dead and come to Iudgement Thinke of dying and liuing againe of departing and returning of reuiuing and strict vnpartiall iudging which thoughts let them not perish like abortiue fruit but fixe them by these effects First euery day awake out of the sleepe of some sinne ere the darke night of death come now in this lifes light that God lends thee Secondly let it be a spurre to pricke thee to all good and gratious actions Thirdly a bridle to restraine thee from sin both in the action and affection Fourthly let them be meanes to rouze thee from the bed of securitie and to set thee on thy feete as the Angell did Elias in thy iourney toward heauen Fiftly as water poured out to coole the furnace of thy furious affections euen in thy youthfull and burning bloud Sixtly a Diall or watch to direct thee how to spend thy time well Seauenthly as a Fanne to winnow thee from the chaffe of sinne Eightly as a winde to scatter and disperse thy inordinate passions Ninthly as paile or Parke to keepe thee within thy limits and bounds Tenthly as a Counseller to redeeme thy time Lastly a holy director as if was to Paul himselfe to cause thee in euery thing to endeuour to keepe a good conscience towards God and man Acts 24.15.16 Thus wee haue seene that the body must returne to take part with the soule after the dissolution the same foundation vvill beare this truth that the soule is dissolued it dyes not for which cause Paul cals his death a dissolution Phil. 1.23 it departs it dyes not therefore Simeon cals death onely a Departing and in the mouth of these two witnesses it is euicted that the soule is immortall Death kils not the soule but onely lets it out as Noahs Doue was let out of the Arke at a man is let out of prison and fetters for Plato cals the body Ergastulum animae the Prison of the Soule as Luther cals it the Asse of the Soule and Erasmus Sepulchrum animae the sepulcher of the Soule Now death onely breakes open this prison doore vnties the fetters of the senses vnlooseth this Asse roules away the stone from this Sepulcher le ts out the soule sends graue deâ—rsum leue sursum the grosse body downeward the soaring soule vpward the soule is put here in saccis vilibus in a base sacke as Ioseph put his golden Cup and siluer treasure in Beniamins sacke Now Death like Iosephs Steward opens the sacke naturally or rips it vp violently takes out the treasure vntoucht if any thing perish the sacke is vnripped the body destroyed the soule is as safe as Iosephs siluer for it cannot die being vnmateriall and a forme abiding in it selfe which forme cannot be taken away like roundnesse or squarenesse from a Table because it subsists not in the matter but in it selfe Secondly the soule is impenitrable insufferable it suffers not of any externall agent from the fires heate or ayres coldnesse it receiues no hurt from the frozen Ice of Norway or the scorching Sands of Affricke therefore receiuing nothing whereby it should decay it cannot corrupt or marre or dye since nothing in the whole world is contrary to it Thirdly man is desirous of immortalitie Now how could hee desire it and discusse of it how should man so labour and seeke for immortalitie some by skill and policie some by martiall exploits as Hercules Thesus c. some by Soueraigntie as Alexander and Caesar some by Bookes nay some by villanies as the burners of Diana's Temple vnlesse mans soule were immortall for Ignoti nulla cupido Fourthly God by creation infusing it or by infusing creating it gaue vnto it in the first originall the gift of immortalitie Fiftly the rage of conscience in the wicked their soules accusing them of secret sinnes as Caine and Nero and Herod of their murthers Iudas of his Treason c. their inward horrour appearing by their pale faces trembling ioynts deiected lookes as was seene in Baltazzar and Felix Dan. 5.6 Acts 24.25 their consciences like Magistrates commanding them to execute themselues shewes they are more then mortall Sixtly the effects of the soule in numbring diuiding discussing discoursing remembring affecting knowledge desire of blessednesse respect to glory c. shew it immortall Seauenthly if the Soule were not immortall man should not resemble GOD neyther in Creation or Regeneration haue any part or participation of the Image of God or any reuelations from God or communications with the Spirit of God and our spirit Eightly else there should be no difference betwixt vs and Beasts whose soules are in their bloud Gen. 9.4.6 Ninthly else there should be no vse of Iudgement of the day of doome or of Christs second comming Tenthly else were the godly of all men most miserable if their hope were onely in this life 1 Cor. 15.19 the Sonnes of Belial whose portion is oft greater in this world then the Lords owne Saints as Dauid Iob Ieremie in their times haue complained should else be in better case then they But since the Sunne of this truth shines clearely in the Scriptures why should I giue any moe Reasons which are infinite both in Philosophy and Diuinitie so adding light to the Sunne and water to the Sea First is not the argument that our Sauiour Christ vsed against the Sadduces from Exod. 3.6 authentique against Atheisme God is the God of Abraham Isaack and Iacob
because they haue dyed of the Plague Suppose it be an accursed death did not Christ the penitent Theefe Peter and Paul which were crucified by Nero with their heads downewards dye an accursed death euen the death of the Crosse Fourthly besides is it not Gods visitation like other diseases Fiftly is it not oft-times sent as Cyprian well notes as well for the sinnes of those that liue it of those that dye as appeares in the Plague sent vpon Dauids Sheepe when he the Shepheard sinned in numbring of them Sixtly is it not a disease though sharpe yet short and more tollerable then the Stone Dropsie Gout Palsie or the French disease Seauenthly did not Dauid desire this kinde of death rather then eyther Famine or Warre Eightly nay haue not Gods Saints as namely Iob for many moneths together beene troubled with a more grieuous maladie Ninthly is not God very mercifull to many that dye of the Plague that haue their senses and memories till the last houre are not those blew spots which appeare Gods tokens as they are called fore-warning them that haue them as God did Ezekias to prepare themselues for they must dye Lastly is their any death much lesse this can hinder the soule after her dâ—arting from Gods present and immediate fellowship or the body from a glorious Resurrection and what if none visit the afflicted in this sort the fewer that gaze on them the fitter they are to looke vp to God And what if they dye and vvant solemne buriall what preiudice is that to the bodies resurrection or soules saluation Obiect 7. But some of the godly dye of Famine as did Lazarus from which God promiseth to preserue them Psal 34. Answ First it is vncertaine whether Lazarus dyed for want of food or the violence of his disease Secondly this death is rare and seldome fals out God prouiding for his as hee did for Iacob and Elias euen in Famine but if this happen God armes his with patience and strengthens them with the assured hope of life eternall as hee did the persecuted Hebrewes who were exposed to nakednesse and hunger Heb. 11.38 Thirdly the Promise is conditionall as all others are that concerne these outward things which fall alike to all Ecclâ—s 9. Fourthly some vnderstand the place in the Psalmist concerning the soules of Gods Saints which are fed with the hidden and precious Manna of the Word to life eternall Iohn 6. Apoc. 2.17 Obiect 8. But some are slaine by their enemies these dye not in peace Ans Yes for no death can seperate Gods Children from his loue Rom. 8.38 Secondly though they kill the body as Cain did Abels the Philistines Ionathans yet as Zwinglius said in the like case as you haue heard they cannot kill the soule Thirdly it is a priuiledge if they dye in Gods cause and procures them a greater increase of glory Apoc. 14.13 Mat. 5.8 Obiect 9. Lastly it is obiected that some of the godly as Sampson and Rasis haue killed themselues others haue done the like in our dayes How haue these dyed in peace Ans For Rasis it was a weakenesse in him if hee were a good man or a wickednesse if he were not For Sampson what hee did was typicall as he prefigured Christs death that ouercame dying Secondly it was by a speciall instinct and motion of Gods Spirit inimitable no more then Abrahams sacrificing his Sonne for those which our experience instanceth in I confesse it is a ticklish point and the knot is hard to be loosed I know that Saul Achitâ—phel and Iudas that killed themselues are noted in the Scripture for reprobates And it seemes that those which doe this inhumane deede doe not for the instant thinke of hell torments yet vvhat then God neuer forsakes his chosen Secondly his mercy is bottomlesse from the Ocean of which mercy hee may distill some drop of grace at the last point of time Thirdly this act is done commonly in some Frenzie or predominant Melancholy when they are not themselues Fourthly Sathan is a wilie Serpent that obserues his aduantages and the Lord knowing his malice and wickednesse and mans frailtie and weakenesse punisheth this sinne as he did the first sinne wherein this Serpent vvas chiefe actor more in Sathan the agent then in man the patient Fiftly many Selfe-murtherers liue after the selfe inflicted fatall stroke and repent ere they dye Let vs iudge the best of them and pray to GOD to giue vs grace neuer to yeeld to the like temptations Amen And now these Doubts discussed these Obiections remoued we come to the Vses The first is this is it so that the Seruants of the Lord doe dye in peace wee must then if wee meane to dye well as the Lord shall inable vs learne to liue well If wee will dye in peace wee must liue the life of grace for it is not â—am vetus quam verum so prouerbiall as true Qualis vita finis ita as is the life so is the death Instance in all particulars in the Scripture from the first line in Genesis to the last Letter of the Reuelation and wee shall neuer see otherwayes excepting one example of the Theefe vpon the Crosse which is particular miraculous vpon a speciall occasion to magnifie the effect of Christs bloud and the power of his Passion to eternize his mercy that gaue life euen at his death and to shew and demonstrate his Deitie that at the lowest ebbe of his crucified Humanitie was able to saue a soule to strengthen the Disciples and allure the vnbeleeuing Gentiles I say excepting him which is an extraordinary example and not to be propounded as a president by any presumptuous soule wee shall not finde any one that liued ill and dyed well but that had the Prologue of their euill life shut vp with the Tragedie of a damned death Looke vpon Cain the murtherer that desperate Runne a-gate on the licentious Worldlings on Lamech the seauentie time auenged Polygamist on polluted Onan and wicked Err on vncleane Sodome with her Sister Gomorrha Gen. 19 25. on rebelling Israel hard-hearted Pharaoh obdurate superstitious and irreligious Aegypt Exod. 6.7.8 ch 14. on disobedient Saul 1 Sam. 15. on lying Iesuitically aequiuocating Gehezi 2 Kings 5. on theeuish Achan treacherous Achitophel traiterous Iudas adulterous and murtherous Herod bloudy Ioab couetous Ahab persecuting Iezabel deluding Ananias deceiuing Saphira cruell Antiochus proud Hamman vsurping Athalia rebelling Absolon with millions moe looke at their liues obserue their deaths peruse their Stories paralell their doings with their sufferings and tell mee if they haue not sealed vp and concluded sensuall and sinfull liues with cursed deaths nay as the Prophet saith Goe yee to Calneh and see and from thence goe you to Hamath the great then goe to Gath of the Philistines looke vpon Ioppa behold Tharsus wonder at Niniuie the pride of Assur gaze vpon Babilon the beautie of all the Chaldees honour And
the Tyde is past and the Sea is rough therefore prepare a medicine before the wound Sero Medicina paratur Heare not the voyce of the Serpent Eritis sicut Dij you shall be like Gods to puffe you vp with pride but feare and beleeue the voice of God Moriemini yee shall dye like men for this death prepare betimes now is the acceptable time now is thy time thy day thy houre thy visitation now the voyce cals Christ knockes the Angell moues the waters Moses and the Prophets perswade the shortnesse of thy life multitude of thy sinne difficultie of repenting thy Houre-glasse running time spending thy former fruitlesse liuing danger of deferring death approaching all vrge moue pleade for a conuerted soule a holy heart a renued life that thou maist dye a blessed death finde a ioyfull resurrection and inioy a happy glorification Lastly to conclude this Text for this time and so this Worke hauing exceeded my purposed and proposed breuitie let mee onely offer vnto your considerations this meditation that there is a direct and a certaine method and rule as of liuing so of dying well so plaine so perspicuous that some haue vvrit vvhole Tractaites of this subiect from whose Haruest I will not be ashamed to gleane something as Ruth out of the field of Booz and insert their eares into this Garland borrowing some few grounds of him whom I heard as a Master out of Moses Chaire liuing and reuerence dying If any therefore demaund in this great and maine poynt of all poynts what course hee is to take that with old Simeon he may die in peace for Resolution of this case of Conscience I say that to dye well there are two things requisite A preparation before death and A right disposition in death This Preparation is two-folde generall and speciall generall is that whereby a man prepares himselfe to dye throughout the whole course of his life to this the Scripture continually exhorts when it inioynes vs straitly to watch and pray to awake from sleepe to prepare to meete the Bridegroome to be in a readinesse euery day like Souldiers that expect their Generall against the second comming of CHRIST to Iudgement not to haue our hearts oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse and the cares of the world least that day come vpon vs vnprouided as the theefe vpon the carelesse housholder as the snare vpon the Bird as the Floud vpon the old world as fire vpon Sodome as desolation vpon Ierusalem A thing that stands vs all much vpon as a dutie not to be omitted First because of that vncertaine certaintie that is in death certaine for the matter as before we haue proued vncertaine both in respect of the Time when which none knowes whither morning euening midnight or Cocke crow in Winter Summer Spring or Autumne Secondly in respect of Place for none knowes where whether at home or abroad by Sea or by Land in his bed or in the field Dauid dyed in his bed Ionathan in the field the deceiued Prophet and Amasa in the high-way Abner at the Court Icarus Helle Aegaeus by Sea from whom the Aegean and Icarian Sea and Hellespont were named three Popes Iohn the first Iohn the foureteenth and Caelestine the fift dyed in prison nay some haue dyed in the very Priuies as Arius and Heliogabalus two Monsters and there had Saul dyed had not Dauid spared Therefore Mors omni loco te expectat tu expecta eam since Death expects thee in euery place expect thou it Thirdly for the Manner no man knowes how hee shall dye whether of a naturall or violent death Iosias was shot by the Archers and dyed Eglon was thrust in at the fift rib so was Abner so was the late French King some sodainely as Fabius the Romane Gandericus the Vandall some of a lingring disease some of a burning Feauer some of a colde Collique some this way some that according to the phrase Vt moriar scio nescio vbi quomodo quando I am assur'd to die yet doe not know The way that leads to death when where or how Therefore wee are speedily to prepare for this iourney of death since it must be gone and wee know not how soone we shall be inforced to trauell in other matters morrall the Axiome may beseeme the most politique Deliberandum est diu quod perficiendum semel that wee should determine that deede with deliberation which wee purpose to put in execution but in this weightie worke the lesse wee are in demurring and the more in action and doing the better it is to learne to dye is Ars Artium an Art of Arts which all the Schooles of the Gentiles could not teach without Theologie great Rabbies in humanitie are meere Ideots in this heauenly Science It stands vs in hand then euery day as the Pythagoreans in Philosophy to be proficients in this Mysterie for therefore is the last day vnknowne that wee should prepare our selues euery day and the rather because our last day is the inchoation of our perpetuated sorrow or solace the day of our Marriage with the Lambe or of our massacring vvith the roaring Lyon Vt in illo die Mors inueniet Dominus iudicabit as the Tree fals so it lies as death at that day shall leaues vs so shall Iudgement finde vs many changes and conuersions from euill to good but at that day there is no change no conuersion Nulla remissio nulla redemptio no remission no redemption If Death finde vs barren Trees so it cuts vs downe so Hell-fire burnes vs in that Tophet prepared of old If death ceaze vpon vs impenitent sinners as it did on Cain and Iudas so Iudgement findes vs so Hell holds vs so the vncleane Spirits torment vs there wee shall continue more millions of yeeres then be Atoim or moates in the Sunne then Bees in Hybla then there were Locusts in Aegypt nay moe then there be Sands on the Sea-shore pyles of Grasse on the Ground or Starres in the Heauens in such exquisite torments that Perillus his Bull Diomedes his wilde Horses Maxentius his tying the liuing to the dead till they dye with stincke and Famine the French Burning-Chamber Spanish Inquisition tearing with Lyons boyling in Oyle pinching vvith burning Pincers and the like are pleasing Baths cooling Harbors and refreshing recreations in comparison neuer to be relieued neuer to be released not to be ransomed vvith thousands of Goates and Rammes with riuers of Oyles not with all the Masses Trentals Dirges c. and trumpery of Romish Superstition nay not with all the Prayers of the Saints in earth or heauen nay if Noah Dauid and Daniâ—l should intreate if the Virgin Mary should mediate if all the Angels should supplicate eyther the remission of their sinnes or intermission of their sorrowes and plagues it were bootlesse and fruitlesse Oh then how much doth this mature and preparatorie repentance concerne euery soule that by it the vnion being made
betwixt Christ and their soules their sinnes being washt away in the bloud of the Lambe the Lord at that day may freely accept them and seeing no iniquitie in Iacob nor transgression in Israel may couer their offences and not impute their sinnes to their deserued condemnation In omitting or pretermitting of which dutie wee may iustly blame and exclaime against wicked and secure worldlings that neuer thinke of this waightie worke till by sicknesse they be summoned to their dissolution then with the vnrighteous Steward they beginne to shuffle and bussle a little to make all straight in some superficiall and hypocriticall Repentance like Ahab Which preparation of theirs for their Passe-ouer out of this world is at that time very preposterous because then all the senses and powers of the body are occupyed about the paines and troubles of the disease Besides Physitians to be consulted with Friends to be conferred with Houshold affayres to be set in order a Will to be made order taken how debts must be eyther paid or receiued neighbours comming to visit oh how doe they diuide how distract the sicke party Is that a fit time of this preparation When so many Irons are in the fire it is likely this great one will coole much lesse is it conuenient to deferre it till the houre of death as is the practise of carnall and carelesse men imagining that if they haue but time to say God forgiue me Lord haue mercy on mee with the Publican but especially to runne ouer the Lords Prayer and the Creede which they vse in ignorance and superstition as Popish Charmes without any faith feruencie and feeling they holde themselues cocke-sure of saluation though their preparation be not so good as the Iewes for their Passeouer as a Christians is or ought to be for his ordinary hearing the Word and receiuing the Sacrament Doe not these men presumptuously thinke like blinde Bayards that they haue God and his Grace and his Mercie at commaund that they can repent when they list the contrary experience whereof improues their folly discouers their delusions and shewes that they build on the sand and rest on a broken staffe for was there not a time when Esau sought the blessing with teares and found it not Would not Iudas faine haue repented as appeares by his hypocriticall confession Mat. 27.3.4.5 and yet a Halter was all the comfort he got Would not Antiâ—chus Epiphanes had mercy when notwithstanding his expired life ended in miserie Would not the foolish Virgins haue entered the Bridegroomes Chamber when it was past time but were excluded And doth not the Lord threaten that many shall seeke to enter in at the straite gate but shall not be able Why so Because they seeke too looke when the time of grace is past And indeede it is iust with God to reiect them in aduersitie that haue reiected him in prosperitie not to heare when they call though they howle on their beds like Wolues that would not heare when hee called by his Word and the motions of his Spirit to forget them in death that would not remember him in life to harden those that would not be softned Consider with thy selfe what reason there is to the contrary is it reason that God should accept the Winter of thy life thy barren and frozen soule when thou hast offered vp the Spring Summer and Autumne of thy yeeres to Sathan that he should receiue the euening Sacrifice when Mammon or Lust hath had the morning that he should be pleased with thy lees and dregs when thou hast giuen the best wine of thy bloud to the Diuell will hee pledge Sathan in such a cup will he take the refuse and offals and leauings of Sinne It is possible hee may I doe not limit the vnbounded Ocean of his mercy but it is not probable hee will Make it thine owne case wouldest thou entertaine an old decrepit Seruant that is able to doe thee little or no seruice and giue him great wages that hath spent his youth and strength in the seruice of thine enemie I trow not Will any Generall admit of a lame Souldier past seruice that hath serued all his life against him in his enemies Campe will God admit thee into his seruice entertaine thee into his Campe receiue thee into his House reward thee in his Kingdome when thou hast spent the prime of thy yeeres in the seruice nay in the seruitude and slauery of Sathan I say as Augustine said to such a deferrer as thou Non dico saluabitur non dico damnabitur I will not say thou shalt be saued I dare not determine thou shalt be damned I leaue thee in the hands of God that hath thee as the Potter hath the Clay as the Smith his Iron as the Carpenter his Wood as the Creator his Creature to harden or soften thee to make thee a vessell of honour or dishonour to glorifie himselfe in his Mercy in thy conuersion or in his Iustice in thy confusion But thy heart tels thee and Sathan tels thy heart that thou maist repent at thy last houre Thou maist indeed if God will but to driue thee from this false holde it is not likely thou shalt repent truly and sincerely It is said Iudas repented in his death so the Word is Mat. 27. verse 3. hee had a Legall sorrow in him yet hee is called a reprobate for all that it is too true that Poenitentia sera raro vera late Repentance is seldome true Repentance It is commonly as sicke and weake as is the partie it is not voluntarie and free as that is which brings saluation 2 Cor. 7.10 but vsually constrained and extorted by the feare of hell and other Iudgements of God for crosses and afflictions and sicknesse will cause the grossest Hypocrite that euer was to stoope and buckle vnder the hand of God as did Pharaoh twise and to dissemble Faith and Repentance and euery other Grace of God as did Ahab as though they had Gods graces as fully as any of Gods Seruants whereas they are altogether destitute of them naked and blinde like the Laodiceans And that such repenters commonly counterfeite it appeares by this demonstration True Repentance is a turning to God so the Word cals it Ioel 2.12 an auersion from sinne which is his Terminus à quo a conuersion to God Terminus ad quem so most Diuines hold it Now where is the turning from sinne in such repenters They forsake not sinne but sinne forsakes them they leaue their euill wayes because they must leaue the world they leaue sinne in action but hugge it still in affection if they had a new Lease of their liues they would beginne new sinnes Nay Si nunquam morirentur nunquam peccare desinerent If they should neuer dye they would neuer desist from sinne as appeares in the practise of these pretended repenters for if God doe recouer them from their sicke-beds and take his hand off them doe
they goe their wayes and sinne no more Iohn 5.14 Nay doe they not returne to their former bias Canis ad vomitum like Dogges to their vomit againe and Swine to their wallowing insomuch that though the world say they are mended yet Christians can see no amendement in them but they keepe their worst wine vnto the last and their end is worse then their beginning Yet for all this which hath beene said the Theefe on the Crosse stickes much on the stomackes of many Why may not they liue as ill as hee did and yet deferre their repentance till the last and be saued as hee was I haue vnloosed this knot before But to giue still further satisfaction First it may be nay it is likely the Theefe was neuer called before that time so much as outwardly that hee neuer heard Christs Sermons before then that hee saw him which thou doest or maist doe in this light of the Gospell therefore if hee had dyed impenitently hee should haue beene more excused then thou Secondly as his example is extraordinarie so it is particular now particulars are not to be vrged for a generall practise Thirdly his example is singular wee haue no moe late repenters saued but hee We haue him indeede saith Augustine that we should not despaire if wee doe deferre and yet wee haue but onely him him and no moe in the whole Scripture that we should not presume You know his other fellow-theefe that liued as hee did dyed not as hee did but impenitently scoffingly and desperately so haue all other obdurate wicked ones dyed as we haue proued out of the Word If then Sathan and Nature perswade thee still to liue in sinne thou maist repent at last with the good Theefe and so be saued thinke that it is more probable thou shalt dye impenitently with the bad Theefe if thou continue thy courses and so be damned Thou knowest amongst many Traytors the King pardons some but for one that is pardoned an hundred are deseruedly executed were it not folly to attempt treason vpon hope of pardon because some one is pardoned amongst many but it is greater folly to liue impenitently till death because one Theefe was in that case saued when as wee haue instanced in Cain Iudas Herod c. and an hundred moe that as they liued in iniquitie dyed in impenitence and now are damned eternally Therefore to conclude let mee heate thy heart a little and inflame thy affections to prepare speedily for thy dissolution to take time before thee it is bald behinde to worke whilst it is day ere the night of death comes harden not thy heart any longer but to day heare his voyce that cals thee as it did Samuel and Dauid to awake and to seeke his face Cry not with the Crow Cras Cras to morrow to morrow but this day with Noahs Doue come into the Arke yet Ionas cryes in the streetes Ionas 3.4 yet the Angell stayes Sodomes flames Gen. 19. yet the weather is fayre to build an Arke in Gen. 7.5 yet the Prophet cryes Oh Iudah how shall I intreate thee Hos 6.4 yet the Bridegroome tarries and stayes the Virgins leasures Mat. 25.7 yet the Apostle beseecheth for Christs sake that thou wouldest be reconciled 2 Cor. 5.20 Oh therefore prepare oyle betimes vvith the wise Virgins enter whilest the gate is open seeke the Lord whilest hee may be found call vpon him whilest hee is nigh waite for thy Masters comming with the good Seruant build the Arke ere the Floud come prepare thy soule ere Death come this is thy time thy day tempus tuum Death is Gods day tempus suum and his time Now is the time to repaire the Ship of thy soule in the Hauen but the tempestuous Sea of Death is no fit time the breach is to be made vp in the time of peace not in time of warre Now make peace in the day of peace with the God of peace that with old Simeon thou maist dye and rest in peace and remaine in glory Thus much for preparation Now the manner of this Preparation consists in some particulars which wee meane to prosecute The first whereof is Meditation Memento mori must be euery mans Motto a point that as the Scripture inâ—oynes so the Saints haue practised and the Heathens haue approued this principle that Toâ—a hominis vita mortis meditatio the whole life of a man ought to be the meditation of death the best Schollers that euer were in the Schoole of Christianitie haue beene taken vp in this thought Adam was no sooner created but God his Schoolemaster catechizeth him in this point of death hee cals him Adam rubra terra red earth hee casts him into a sleepe the Image nay as the Cynicke cals it the Brother of death hee tels him if hee sinne hee shall dye the death When hee had sinned he fore-warnes him that hee shall returne to his dust from which hee came hee makes him garments of Beasts skinnes that had dyed for sacrifice to shew him that hee was mortall like those Beasts whose skinnes hee woâ—e hee sets him to dig and tyll the Earth to put him in minde both of the dustie matter whereof hee vvas made and into which hee and all his posteritie must be dissolued Adam it seemes tooke out these Lessons and taught them his Children for though hee called his eldest Sonne Possession yet hee called his Brother Abel Vanitie when hee had more experience of the vanities of life and life it selfe In this Meditation the Patriarkes were wonderously taken vp the very forme and fabricke of their Mansions not dwelling in seiled houses as wee doe though they were both greater men and of greater meanes but in Tents and Tabernacles such as they vse in the warres ready vpon all occasions to be remoued euen like the Boothes in Sturbbish-Faire shew that they did constantly ponder of their owne remouals nay their tongues expressed the abundant thoughts of their hearts in this kinde Abraham confest himselfe but dust and ashes Gen. 18.17 Iacob acknowledgeth his life a Pilgrimage Ioseph giues order for the buriall of his bones Gen. 50. The greatest purchases which wee reade the Patriarkes made or that euer they spoke of was onely a place to bury their dead in Moses so thought of his mortalitie that hee makes a Psalme wherein he both acknowledgeth mans frailtie and inferres this Petition pathetically that the Lord would teach him and the Israelites to number their dayes which Psalme the auncient Fathers vsed in forme of a Prayer Iob waites till his changing come Iob 10.14 Dauid makes no other reckoning of himselfe then of a Pilgrime Psal 120.3 and Peter accounts his continuance here but his abode in a tabernacle 2 Pet. 1.3 Oh that such thoughts did possesse vs they would make vs more familiar with Death and it more welcome vnto vs for Iacula praeuisa minus faeriunt Darts fore-seene doe the lesse harme Oh how many sinnes would they cut
possesse vs that are now liuing of our ineuitable dying that it may worke in vs the same effects that it did in them Oh let vs thinke of it in our prosperitie in our pleasures let vs meditate of it in our Orchards in our Gardens as did Ioseph of Aramathia who Iohn 19.41 had his Sepulcher in his Garden euen the place of his recreations let vs thinke of it in our beds those Embleames of our graues in our Closets in our Cloisters in our Walkes and Galleries that so remembring it in euery place expecting it at euery houre it may not come vpon vs vnprouided as the storme vpon the Marriner as the enemie vpon the drowsie Centinel as Dauids Companie vpon the drunken Amalekites as the politique Graecians vpon the secure Troyans Death is like the Basiliske it hurts not if it be spyed betimes if Death spye vs first it kils vs as the Basiliske doth the Traueller if wee spye it first wee kill it as the Traueller doth the Basiliske as Ambrose makes the Application and therefore as Aristotle writes of two Fountaines the one whereof if a man drinke it makes him laugh so much till he dye if of the other it both hinders laughter and preuents death these two fountaines are the Remembrance and the Obliuion of death the last is like poysoned water to kill vs the first like strong distillatorie waters to reuiue vs. Yet alas for all this who thinkes of death there is such a generall crust of Securitie growne ouer this Land that it is to be feared wee are exposed to the same dangers that Ierusalem was the cause of all whose plagues was shee knew not her visitation she remembred not her end Lament 1.9 Oh how few number their dayes that they may apply their hearts vnto wisedome How few thinke of their ends till sicknesse end them till Death say to them as GOD to Ezekias Thou must dye and as the Prophet to Ahaziah Thou shalt not come downe from thy bed to which thou art gone vp 2 Kings 1.4 How few looke into hell ere they leape into it How many Arithmeticians are in the world that number all things but their dayes their corne cattle sheepe stocke money wares and the like that are as wise Serpents in euery thing excepting in fore-seeing their death How many like carelesse debters still runne into the debts and arrerages of former sinnes with GOD their patient Creditor neuer thinking of the day of account the strictnesse of the Iudge the closenesse of the Prison the Serieant at their backes Death ready to arrest them How many sleepe out their time like Salomons sluggard How many cry Soule take thine ease eate drinke and be merry singing to the Tabret and the Harpe stretching themselues vpon their Iuory Couches saying like these Epicures which Tertullian blames in his Bookes of the Soule Oh Death what haue we to doe with thee trouble not thou vs and wee shall not trouble thee yea though wee haue so many Monitors euery day in all the things of Nature the Sunne setting ouer vs the graues vnder vs though wee see many Tombes euen in our Churches and Monuments as the word signifies to admonish vs Crosses and Sicknesses Deaths summons that tell vs Death is approching vellicat haec aures atque ait en venio yet neuerthelesse as the sight of one obiect or colour takes away the eye from beholding another the thought of the world and the lusts thereof takes away the thought of death And as Absolon carryed on his Mule whilest hee hung by the haire of the head was thrust through three times by Ioab so our soules being carryed here vpon our flesh vvhich Augustine Hugo and Luther call the Asse of the soule whilst our thoughts are climing and fixt vpon the high Tree of Honour Pleasure Preferment Death like Ioab comes and kils vs with a triple Dart that wee see not Time past present and to come neuer thinking of these darts till wee feele them no more then the fish of the hooke till it hold her yea though wee see daily wiser wealthier holier healthfuller and younger then our selues goe to their graues yet this thought still raignes in vs that we shall not dye till we be old as Seneca notes Non patemus ad mortem c. yea euen such as thinke they shall be happy after death thinke little of the day of death Tantum vim habet carnis animae dulce consortium saith Augustine such force hath that sweet consort betwixt the soule and the flesh But it is more which Tully notes that there is no man so old but hee thinkes hee may liue one yeere longer though hee vse his third foote when one of his other feete is in the graue already and this makes euen old so encline in their thoughts and desires vnto the Marriage-bed who in the course of Nature haue but a few steps into their graues yea to associate themselues with such young yoake-fellowes that if Sophocles were liuing hee would blush once againe for shame to see them and Cato should haue more matter to laugh at then to see an Asse eate Thistles in which we verifie Christs prophesie that as in the dayes of Noah wee marry and are marryed neuer thinking of death till the Floud come This makes such an invndation of sinne as delights Sathan who takes as great delight to steale away our hearts from the thought of Death as Absolon did to steale away the hearts of the people from his Father Dauid for he knowes full well that if wee should thinke of Death wee should not practise sinne hee knowes that as the Serpent when shee stops the one eare with her taile the other with the earth shee will not harken to the voice of the Charmer so the Lords Doues that are as wise as Serpents laying their eares to the earth remembring their mortalitie will not be deluded with the charmes of his temptations he knowes that his hooke bayted with riches will not be bit vpon if a man remember himselfe breuis incertique huius iteniris of this his short and vncertaine iourney hee knowes hee will not sinne that knowes after death hee shall inherit Serpents and Wormes For which cause when hee would haue vs to sinne hee hides the griesly head of Death casting the scumme and mist of some deceiuing pleasure before our eyes as they say Iuglers doe in their trickes shewing vs onely sinnes pleasure as the Panther shewes his pleasing spots to the Beasts to deceiue hiding his head that hee may deuoure vs. Therefore to conclude this Part as our Sauiour Christ said Remember Lots Wife as Nazianzen saith to oppressors Remember Naboths Vineyard so I bid those that are terrigenae Brutigini the sonnes of the earth Remember their earth nay God wâ—isheth thee to remember thy earth Oh that they were wise saith God of Israell and woul'd remember the latter things Deut. 32.29 Oh that wee
plentie ebd to pouertie Iob 1. 2. and did flow againe to plenty Iob 42. So the Disciples of Christ were indifferent prosperous till Christs death after which they vvere in stormes Luke 22.35.36 So Ieremy for eighteene yeeres had comforts in his Ministry but after whips imprisonments and pouertie thou art not exempted from drinking of these cups neyther needest thou feare to pledge the Saints FINIS To the READERS FRiendly Readers these Errours with others whether in words or syllables in misse-quoting or wrong pointing of some places which haue past the Presse in my absence by reason of the close writing of my Copie I pray you censure fauourably and correct friendly Also I desire you to take notice that as I haue added more then I did preach some Historicall Amplifications from pag. 273. to 278. as also from pag. 305. to pag. 318. so I haue left out the Merginall Quotations as needlesse for the vnlearned that neyther read nor regard them as for the learned I referre them to Zwinger his Theatrum humanae vitae Lonicer his Theatrum Historicum Grosij Historicae Tragicae Osiander his Epitome of the Centuries Textor his Officina Diogenes Laertius Valerius Maximus Fulgosus c. From all whom I haue epitomized these Histories as they from others ERRATA PAge 60. line 20 for Bolserus read Bolsecus p. 123. l. 23. for dispertment r. disportment p 133. l. 13. for Segor r. Sâ—or p. 169. l. 17. for renijs r. remis p. 182. l. 8. for Licinus r. Licinius p. 283. l. 12. for Cressus r. Cresus p. 314. l. 11. for Gods r. God ibid. l. 28. for Oreseence r. Crescence p. 456. in mergine for Heidou r. Chambers FINIS To a hominis vita mortis meditatio Gen. ch 1. ch 2. ch 3. Gen. 4.1.2 Gen. 3.19 Gen. 18.17 Gen. 24 63 Gen. 37.35 Gen. 47 9. Gen. 50 25 Gen. 18 9 Gen. 23.4 5. Psal 90.12 Iob 10.14 Psal 120.3 Psal 49.1.2.3 Phil. 2.23 2 Pet. 1.3 Iohn 11.15.16 Mat. 17. v. 4. v. 9. Deut. 32.49 Act. 7.56 Luke 16.22 Acts 17.11 Heb. 3.2.5 Luke 2.25 Zanc. de sacr Scrip. See the Iewes Talmud in the Treatise Iomach cap. Tereph Bâ—calphi See Morneyes truenesse of Religion Pag. 500. Mâ—lton in Yorkeshire Dente Thaeâ—ino Aristotle apud Val. Max. lib. 7. c. 2. Also see Mr. Vauhams and Mr. Tukes Bookes of the same subiect Printed Anno 1506 Textâ—r in Epistola ante suam Officinam Gen. 47.9 Eph. 5.16 De vitae breuitate sic Epistola 1. ad Lucil. Sermone ad Schol. Luke 21.18 Nihil agendo aliter agendo male agendo Seneca Rom. 12.13 Prou. 21.17 Mat. 12.36 Iob 6.12 Mat. 26.41 Quod caret alterna requies durabile non est Arist in Eth. Iohn 11.35 Luk. 19.41 See Mr. Perkins in Cases of Conscience Dearing in Hebraeos in initio Aquinas 22â— q 168. Psal 9.17 Luke 16.24 Gal. 6.10 Mat. 20.1.2 Plutarke Lu. 19.13 2 Cor. 6.2 Ioh. 9.4 Pro. 6.6 Dion Carthus in opusculo 1 Sam. 13. Dion Carthus Susturâ—a de Barl c. 18. Hier. in Aggeum cap. 1. Luke 12.38 Iohn 3.8 Luke 3 9.10 1 Kin 21 v. 19. v. 27.28 Acts 24.26 2 Kin. 1.13 Psal 90.12 Eccl. 1.40 Iohn 19.41 In Apocryph Dan. c. 14. Lam. 1.9 See the last Sermon in Simeon his desired Pacification Cramba bis cocta B. B. Expostulat Rom. 6.21 Psal 2.10 Iames 1.5 1 King 3.6.7 Verse 7. Ver. 8. c. Ezech. 18.23.32 Esa 55.6.7 1 Tit. 2.1.1 Act. 10.34.35 Psal 90.12 Mat. 26.41 1 Pet. 4.7 Iohn 3.15.1 18.36 Iohn 10.29 Rom. 8.1 Ver. 35. Ver. 38. Esa 57.1.2 2 Chron. 34.28 a Why we are to pray against sodain death Rom. 14.4 b The fearfull estate of the wicked by sodain death c Gen 7.21 d Gen. 19.24 e Dan 4.30 f 2 Mach. 9 5.6.7 g Act. 12.23 h Luke 12. Rom. 5.12 Obser Mat. 17.14 Numb 20.12 Gal. 3.10 Iames 2.10 Mat. 5.19 Ver. 13. Gen. 15.15 Phil. 1.21 Iohn 11 1â— Iob 1.21 Ester 6.1 1 King 19.4 1 Cor. 15.55.56.57 Osee 13.14 Ezech. 37.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Reue. 20.11 12 13 Luk. 34.32 1 God cals for thy soule 2 The sting of death is taken away 3 Ionas 4.2 Exod. 34. God is present at thy death Pro. 14.32 Iames 2.23 4 Death is no death to the godly Vita vix vitalis Somnus Imago mortis Frater mortis Homer 5 Wee shall know and inioy our friends in glory a Gen. 1.15 Numb 27. Deut. 32. Gen. 2.23 Mat. 17.4 6 Death frees from sinne and from thy soules enemies Theophrastus 7 It deliuers from the euils present and to come 8 It secures thee from the fight with Sin to triumph with God a Deu. 44.45 b Iudg. 10.10 Iudg. 3.8 c Exod. 14. 9 It frees thee from conuersing with the wicked Psal 31.15 Gen. 19.16 22.23 10 It frees thee from corrupting by the wicked Gen. 42.15 Gen. 12. Gen. 20. 11 It secures thee from the malice of the mightie 13 It cleares thy good name Iames 3.6 Psal 31.20 Esay 58.8 Iosh 1.2 Heb. 3.2 Deut. 34.10 11 Num. 11.1 Psal 78. Num. 16.3 and 41.42 Acts 26.28 Ier. 18.18 Ier. 20.7.8.10 Acts 12.23 Prou. 10. Psal 112.9 a Mat. 27.24 b ver 19. c Luke 23.48 d Mat. 27.54 e Mat. 25 4 f ver 51.53 g Iob. 15. ch 22.33.34 14 It tries and declares thy graces 15 It is the good inheritance of the godly and the horrour of the wicked Acts 7.60 1 Kings 2. v. 1. to 11. Gen. 48. Gen. 49. Gen 25.8 Iob 42.17 Luke 2. Vide cent Magd. sic Grin in Apotheg morientiuâ— Eccles 2.16 2 Chron. 35 23 Ar. in probl de cruce Mat. 27.3 2 Mach. 9.13 Luk. 23.43 Psal 66 2â— Phil. 2.12 Iohn 1.47 Psal 41 1. Luk. 16.22 16 In death desire Christ as hee by death desired thee Mat. 10.38 and 16.21.17 22.23 Luk. 18.31 Iohn 4.32 Ioh. 18.4.7 Gen. 18.2 Ioh. 19.30 Gen. 8.8 Esay 53. a Eph 5.21 Ose 2.19 b Ephe. 5.30 c Ioh. 15.5 d Ioh. 15.6 Iam. 5.11 17 Death is the common Inne of all flesh where thou shalt be refreshed Esay 38.2 Numb 27.13 Plus exempla quam praecepta Regis ad exemplar totus componitur orbis a 2 Sam. 15.31 Ch. 23. 1 Kin. 2.10 b 2 Chro. 31.1.2 c Chro. 34.3.4 d Chr. 15.8 e 1 King 22.41 f Gen. 25.8 g Gen. 9.28.29 h Gen. 5.27 i Iob 42.17 k Psal 22.4 Cantiâ— Cygnea Redargution Psal 45.1.2 Iames 5.13 a Acts. 16.21 b Luke 2.69 c Mat. â— 21 d Gen 3 15 e Gen. 15.5.17.6 Gen. 12.3 Gal. 3.8 f Act. 3.24 g Deut. 1.15 and 7.37 Vse h Iohn 6.56 Heb 11.13 i Esay 53. ch 5â— ch 55. k Ierâ—4 â—4 5 l Esay 9.6 a 1 Cor. 15. Ch. 5.41 c Dan. 3.23 d Luke 2.14 e Reu. 5.11.12 f Luke 2.10 g Esay 9.6 Redargution h 1 Sam. 15 i Daniel 5. Sibilaâ— mâ— ropulus c Horace k Gen. 38. l Pro. 7.7 m Ier 5 8. n Pro. 6.32 o Pro 7.22 p Pro. 6.32 q Gesner Plinie
Seruants 4 Part of this Vse of Redargution Many that liue amongst Christians are the deuils seruants Phil. 3.17 The Iewes Ier. 18.12 â—i tu nolis iste rogitat Vse of Exhortation Rom. 12.1 Sinnes of the eyes How all the members that haue serued sinne must and may serue God Twelue Sinnes of the tongue Sinnes of the eares Sinnes of the hands Sinnes of the feete Motiues perswading to Gods seruice 1. From the end of our creation 2 Cor. 3.16 Ch. 6. v. 19. 2 Cor. 6.16 Or homini sublime dedit c. Et refert quaelibet herba Deum 2. Motiue from out Preseruation 3. Motiue from our Vocation 4. From our Redemption 5. From our profession 6. From the reward of Gods seruice First reward vvealth and riches Secondly Honour· Quoscunque qualescunque vbicunque Lex Talionis Sin brings shame and other iudgements Nimrodians Nabuchadnezzar Erostratus Rebellions and Treasons 1 Kings 20.28 Dan. 3.15 2 Kings 19. Gods hand shall be vpon his enemies in many iudgements Theod. lib. 3 c. 11. Euseb lib. 7. c. 20. Lib. 7.14 Holinesse is the way to Honor. God is most â—â—herall of all Masters Gods Seruants best regarded and rewarded True Peace GOD grants the suites of his Seruants The godly haue a tast of heauen here Tom. 10. ser 1. lib. Medit. c. 18 Dicere quaÌ„tum volo non valeo God blesseth the wicked oft for his Seruants cause These ruling sinnes are damnable without repentance The case of Sathans captiues opened Why the godly dye Simile Mare â—â—â—tuum Miserum est fuisse foelicem Vse of Consolation Aug lib. 3. de ciu Dei Qua die me deserueritis per inobedientiam ego vos deseram per iustitiam c. 2. Vse of Commination Phil. 3.17 Câ—m coâ—ritur Cedruâ— Paradisi quid faciet Virga Desâ—rti Doctrine All must dye Psal 32.1.2 Non vt non sit sed vt non imputetur De praed c. 2. lib. cont â—ortunatum cap. 2. In Lucam Moriendum est omnibus Tullie Tus 9. lib. 1. Hom. lib. 2 od 3. sic od 12. od 28. c. * As Alexander 6. Iohn 11. Ioh. 22. c. The deaths of the worlds Worthies of al kinds epitomized Hor. lib. 2. cap. 16. Ouid ad Liuiam A true deâ—cant of death Naturall causes of death Psal 82.6 Silius lib. 3 de Argant Ouid. lib. 14 de Syb. Propertius lib. 2. de Nestore Sic Iuuen. Sat. 10. Seneca in Her sur Hor. carm lib. 1. od 28 Hor. carm lib. 3. od 11 Iudg. 15. Enceladus Iaculator audax Hor. lib. 3. od 4. Dan. 8. Mors à mordendo Vel à morsu vetiti pomi Iunenal Sat. 10. Me vestigia torrent omnia te aduersum spectantia nulla reâ—rorsum Prou. 7. Vse 2. Vse of Instruction Those that loue life must hate sinne the cause of death 3. Vse of Mitigation Death onely makes the Prince the Peasant equall Aspice diuitum tumulos c. Diogenes Seneca in Agamemnon Similes illustrating Deaths effect in aequalizing all Seneca in Agam. 3. Vse of Direction Homo est animal rationale mortale Sen. Epist 24. De 4. Nouissimis pag. 90. How inliuing wee dye Nay are dead in part By how many meanes we dye Diuers examples of seuerall sorts of deaths Plinie Iosephus lib. S. ant Lib. 23. c. 3 Ipse senectuâ— morbus The long liues of the Patriackes The shortnes of our present dayes demonstrated In Lucam Aristot de hist animalium Homo Ephimeron Foure causes of the long continuation of things Vse 4. Of Instruction Our many sins are to be mourned for and why Vse 5. Of Redargution The profane mans practise Exhortat Hovv vvee must sovve in teares in this short seede-â—â—me of life What vse we are to make of our short time * When the Abbies were visited in king Henrie the 8. time Life is laborious Miserable No place is priuiledged from foure things Examples of humane calamities De conditione vitae humanae De contemptu mundi Vse 1. Of Instruction Twelue meanes of true peace Vse 2. Of Redargution The vanitie of life with all the things in life truly discouered Maelum culpae malum pâ—nâ— Vnicuique sua cupiditas est tempestas The world anatomized by sundry Similies 3 Vse Rom. 8. The benefits of death to a Christian vnder the crosse Aug. Mortui iâ— est emeriti quia rude donaâ—t absoluti à militia De conâ—o ad Apol. Lib. de Cain Abel * By Mr. Stephens in his World of wonders Aug. de ciu Dei lib. 14. c. 25 Exhortat Hom. de Diuite Lazaro Death is onely a departure out of life not a finall destroyer Hom. 36. in Genes Hom. de Martyrio Compar aquae â—gnis Epist 10â— Mâ—rs bona bonis malâ— malis The body departing shall returne againe at the Resurrection a Psal 17.16 Psal 49 15. b Dan. 12.2 c Ezek. 37.10 d Esa 26.19 e Iob 19.25.26 f Act. 24.15 Acts 17.32 g Iohn 11. Arguments to proue the Resurrection of the body Semi de Passione Illustrations from nature that our bodies shall rise 1 Cor. 15.36 37.38 Pompon Mela de situ orbis lib. 3. c. 9. See the Book vvrit of the Silke worme Origen periarct lib. 3. Esa 65.20 Vse Of Consolalation In his Sermon called The Christians Watch. The Christians comfort in the Resurrection De ciu dei lib. 22. c. 20 Vse 2. Of Direction Let vs liue holily to rise ioyfully The immortall soule dyes not but departs SómaÌ„ i. Sémá. Reasons prouing the soules immortalitie D. Willet his Hexapla in Daâ—iâ—lem Mat. 17. Vse 5. Of Consolation Chris What death is to the godly lib. 2. de morte Vse 3. Of Redargution Iosephus antiq lib. 8 c. 2. de bello Iud. lib. 2. c. 7. Doctrine Godly men alwayes die in peace Deut. 34. Three things demonstrate that the godly dye in peace The godly oft haue their desires before at and in their deaths The last words of holy men are holy See 1 Sam. 22. 23.1 Gregorie De Passione Mons Calâ—â—riae What speeches the Saints haue vttered in their deaths Apotheg morientium How to dye well Euseb lib. 3. cap. 30. Idem lib 4 c. 15. Paulin. in eius vita Possidon in eius vita Oswaldus Mâ—conius de Zwingliâ— anno 153â— Obijt anno Christi 1564. * See a little Book from the Martirologie gathered called The deaths of holy Martyres How great men haue liued and dyed good men Reasons why the godly depart in peace Cauils remoued that blemish the deaths of the Saints Mat. 26.39 Heb. 11.17 Quest ad Dulc. c. 24. Numb 25. 2 Sam. 24. Vide pag. 30.38.45.54.92.36 Hinningi Grosij Lib. de Mortalitate Vide Polani Synt. de inter Scrip. Lelius de expresso dei verbâ— Adams sin in Paradise Vse 1. Of Instruction Hee that would die well must liue well Gen. 4. Gen. 7. Gen. 4.24 Gen. 38.8 â—0 Those that haue liued wickedly died wretchedly Examples Amos 6.2 Esay 13.19 The fearefull ends of Heretiques and Persecuters in euery