Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	call_v	moses_n	zion_n	21	3	8.8073	4	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08812	Meditations of death wherein a Christian is taught how to remember and prepare for his latter end: by the late able & faithfull minister of the Gospel, Iohn Paget.	Paget, John, d. 1640.; Paget, Robert.	1639 (1639)	STC 19099; ESTC S113906	110,470	273

pa. 413 Meditations of Death THE FIRST PART Of the remembrance of Death CHAP. I. How God calleth men to remember Death How God is sayd to wish the efficacy of this wish a Three Songs of Moses the arguments of them to reach men their end b in Paradise man called to remember death before in after the fall c The dayes of man shortened by halves at foure severall times d Why since Moses his time they continue at a stay e The multitude of violent untimely deaths in the old world the middle world this last age of the world O That they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end Deu. 32.29 O what love and tender mercies doth the blessed God declare in this affectionate speech concerning miserable man Though to speake properly God be without affections passions for whatsorver he willes in heaven or in earth that he doth that he hath Psal 115.3 1. Chro. 29. 11. he needs not wish for any thing he wants yet to shew us what we most waÌ„t what we should chiefly wish for what most pleaseth him in us he speakes as men according to their sense capacity He useth a passionate phrase of longing wishing which in propriety of speech agrees not with the Deity to shew there is an unspeakable matter in it which proper words cannot expresse to our understanding and therefore stooping downe unto us and as it were putting on our humanity speakes after the manner of men propoundes his wish to shew thereby what is principally to be wished for and what men would desire if they had the minde of God Looke what respect God shewes for the keeping of all his Commandements by wishing men had a heart to observe them alwayes Deut. 5.29 such respect he sheweth by the like wish expresseth for the remembrance of their latter end as being the way meanes to bring them to a more diligent observation of them all He sayth not simply Oh that they would thinke on their end but withall he sheweth their wisedome happines if they hearken by wishing that they vvere wise to doe it And by such an argument of comming to be accounted wise in the sight of God men he labours to draw his people even unto all obedience Deut. 4.6.7.8 Neither is the Lord content to speake once but doubling trebling his words with a loud voyce he calles them to be wise to understand to consider as if he had sayd be wise be wise be wise remember remember remember your latter end As the sheet was thrise let downe from heaven to shew the vision more plainly to imprint it more deeply in the minde of Peter Act. 10 16. so is the call of God inculcate upon Israel in this place Neither is the act onely but the object of this consideration is likewise repeated and poynted at by the finger of God with a double demonstrative even this their latter end a Three speciall Songs were written by Moses the man of God The maine argument of each of them is a remembrance of the latter end The first at the red sea entring into the wildernes shewes the latter end of their enemies both from whence they came Pharaoh the Egyptians perishing in the waters to whome they went the Canaanites others melting away for feare with the latter end of Jsrael to be planted in the mountaine of Gods inheritance Exod. 15. 1-20 And this triumphant Song was heard againe from heaven sung by them that had got the victory of the beast whereunto the remembrance of our end may bring us also to rejoyce among theÌ„ that have the harpes of God Rev. 15.1.2.3 The second Song shewes the vaine estate of all the shortnes of this present life how they hasten to their end that all might number their dayes apply their hearts to wisedome Psal 90. This is probably supposed to have bene written when Israel being come to the borders of Canaan for their murmuring were turned back againe into the wildernes till their carcasses were fallen their dayes consumed by the wrath of God Numb 13. 14. This third last was Moses Swan-song spoken written that selfe same day that he was commanded to goe up dye in the mount Nebo for his farewell when he had one foot in the wildernes an other in heaven Deu. 32.48.49 â—0 and is by many arguments commended unto us both before it was set downe Deut. 31 14-30 and in the preface Chap. 32.1.2 and after at the conclusion of it vers 46.47 And yet above all the sentences of this Song this streyne especially that calles us to the remembrance of our latter end is commeÌ„ded unto us by the most earnest wish of God himself And therefore if either the wish of God and such a wish as is made for keeping all the commandemeÌ„ts together or if the finding of true wisedome or if so many repetitions like so many knockes of the Lord upon our breast be of any regard in our eyes let us hereby conceive our owne blindenes negligence in this poynt let us awaken at this loud call and double treble our care in the remembrance of our latter end to finde that comfort which the Lord sees is to be gotten thereby b If we had no other call such a divine wish might suffice to make us remember our end And what godly heart would not answer to this call say Lord it is enough I will never ceasse to thinke of my end Yet the Lord sees it is not enough and therefore besides this his wish he calles againe an hundred wayes by his word his workes his ordinances proclaimes this lesson Remember your latter end And first of all Man was called of God even in paradise to remember his end before the fall Death was set before his eyes in the Tree of Death as well as life in the Tree of life Gen. 2.17 The first day he was called to thinke on the last day So soone as sinne was forbidden death was shewed before it was to keepe from sinne the tree of death was a visible frontlet hung before the eyes of man to preserve him in the feare of God Jf in the state of innocency a law of mortality was made and a memoriall of death was needfull before it came how much more in the state of corruption when death is come into the world walkes on every side have we need now to remember it to watch In the fall while Evah yet stood she resisted the temptation by remembring of the death that was threatned Gen. 3.3 but when the serpent insisted removed the remeÌ„braÌ„ce of death out of her minde then she fell The voyce of the serpent was Ye shall not surely dye vers 4. they remembred not their latter end came downe wonderfully So the very fall it selfe being on this manner serves for an other Call to

wisedome power goodnes of God shining in his creatures even the least of them the many profitable lessons which may be learned from them whereabout he had many singular observations and secondly the blessed condition of the Saints glorifyed touching which he had many divine and heavenly speculations towards his end spake so effectually of these things what appertaines thereunto that to them that were with him he seemed to be in heaven already insomuch as they wished themselves in the same way wherein he was carried on so cheerfully His sufficiency abilities for the worke of the ministery wherein he laboured above fourty yeares how mighty he was in the Scriptures how skilfully profound in expounding difficult places applying them to the benefit of soules with what evidence and power his preaching wrought into the consciences of his hearers how cleerly and fully he could refute convince an adversary of the trueth how prudent and judicious he was in mannaging Church affaires giving counsel advise in weighty businesses these the like pearles shining in that crowne of pastorall endowments wherewith he was qualifyed above many others are abundantly testifyed by those that have bene most interessed therein doe in great measure appeare in what is here and elswhere published may be in like manner further manifested as occasion serves if need were could be confirmed by the testimonies of the learnedest of our age For other maine helpes whereby men are fitted for the ministery his skill was rare in the languages that conduce unto the understanding of the Originall text of the Scriptures the severall interpreters thereof Besides what is ordinarily required in this kinde he could to good purpose with much ease make use of the Chaldean Syriack Rabbinicall Thalmudicall Arabick Persian versions commentaries Now whereas the station which God had appointed unto him was for the chiefe latter part of his time at Amsterdam yet as the godly learned have professed none hath more soundly oppugned that insolent sect for which that place hath bene so much reproached by many in our native country Witnesse his Arrow against the Separation of the Brownists which yet stickes in the sides heart of their cause though some impeniteÌ„t of their Schisme gnaw their tongues and cease not to blaspheme the Churches of Christ If he had bene as forward to send forth what he had done in those controversies as they are to trouble the presse with their pamphlets the world had seen at least thrice so much as it hath already of his paines in this kinde As for the unhappy differences raysed of later yeares in about the Church committed to his charge what ever some have deemed they that have bene rightly informed and impartially weighed what hath bene done have approoved his wisedome faithfulnes uprightnes in the whole carriage of those businesses We that have in great part bene privy to his retiredest thoughts demeanour at those times have had assured evidence of the integrity of his heart therein which he hath also witnessed unto the end For the controversies themselves God hath therein greatly pleaded his cause sundry wayes both at the very time of their rising since especially And as opportunity shall require others may in due time behold what he hath done in defence of himselfe the trueth against that which is published by others But of those and the like his paines in their season now somewhat must be sayd of this Treatise which is here put into thy hands It containes the summe of that which was delivered in divers sermoÌ„s to his owne flock in the yeare 1628. At the same time it was penned in such manner as we found it after his decease Divers passages especially towards the end were reserved for second thoughts when he might returne to a further survey Though he had bene often importuned by others to publish these his Meditations yet partly by his owne slownes to come abroad in that manner partly by the urgency of other occasions their desires could not then take place But being moved againe when his end drew neere his weaknes would not suffer him to review it and perfect what was wanting he was content I should set it forth in such manner as I could Albeit I have had some trouble in bringing together what was scatteredly set downe in some places extending into plaine words what was left in concise notes and short intimations yet I have purposely avoyded the adding of any thing that was not in the Authors Manuscripts though I should leave some abruptnes in the discourse and harshnes in the phrase I have onely adventured to set downe the contents at the beginning of every Chapter so as thou mayest with ease possesse thy minde with the whole matter of it readily turne unto what thou desirest I need not here discourse of the excellency usefulnes of this Treatise When thou hast read it attentively without prejudice then judge whether the matter intended be not carried along with all soundnes of judgement and demonstration of the spirit of life power whether here be not pithily comprised the summe of what the Scriptures afford of life death whether most poynts of Christian Religion be not here illustrated with some singular observations and in a word whether the whole doe not argue that he was a Scribe excellently instructed unto the kingdome of God The God of all grace glory make thee wise in closing thy thoughts with these Meditations happy in the enjoyment of that blessed end unto which they give directions Thine in the Lord R. PAGET The order observed in this Treatise The first part declareth How God calleth men to Remember Death in generall by the memorials of it in Gods shortening the dayes of man Cha. I. pa. 1 Persons times places of all sorts Cha. II. pa. 18 Man himself what appertaines to him Cha. III. pa. 44 The approch of death about the dead Cha IV. pa. 72 Particularly the death latter end of the Godly the happines of their condition Cha. V. pa. 93 compared with the primitive estate of the old world Cha. VI. pa. 112 Vngodly their woefull wretched end Cha. VII pa. 154 beheld in the visible memorials of Hell Cha. VIII pa. 188 The second part prepareth for death by Generall instructions touching Life and happines the Well fountaine of it in God Cha. I. pa. 229 Sure onely way unto it by Christ Cha. II. pa. 269 The motions of grace in the exercise of Mortification the Nature acts enemies of it Cha. III. pa. 303 Meanes whereby it is wrought Inward the Spirit of grace Cha. IV. pa. 326 Outward the Ordinances Workes of God Cha. V. pa. 349 VivificatioÌ„ the nature working of it Cha. VI. pa. 377 Particular directions concerning Peculiar preparatives unto death Cha. VII pa. 395 The feare of death helpes against it Cha. VIII

warne every one that would stand in the evill day never to forget their latter end After the fall then God calles againe by a Sentence of mortality which he pronounced on man Dust thou art to dust thou shalt returne Gen. 3.19 to make men with new care to thinke upon death And this was a generall day of judgment in the beginning of the world as there shall be an other Generall judgment in the end of the world Then were we all in Adam Evah presented before the Tribunall judgment-seat of God receyved the sentence of the first death universally pronounced upon all men righteous or unrighteous elect or reprobate as there shal be a sentence of second death pronounced on the reprobate at last After this Sentence the Lord calles againe by the execution thereof from time to time while death being entred into the world reignes among men devouring all bringing all to dust yet so that the execution of this Sentence is revealed in manifold diverse degrees according to the great patience long their language but cut of their dayes from foure or five hundred to two hundred od yeares Gen. 11 18-32 And so with the ruine of Babel the life of man was ruinated The lofty tower of mans age that before ascended to so great an height by the steps of so many yeares was now throwne downe made lower by the halfe The noyse crash of this downefall sounded through many generations from Peleg to Terah warning all to be more watchfull because the execution of this sentence of death with double speed was brought upon them After this in the time of Abraham the generations following from two hundred od we finde the yeares of the Patriarkes brought to an hundred od Gen. 25.7 35.28 47.28 c. So was the reprive of man shortned againe And wheÌ„ the Lord called Abraham his seed into his covenant he withall called both him the world by a new summoÌ„s as by sound of trumpet to repentance amendment of life by remembrance of their latter end which now pressed upon them with double hast to that it had done And lastly in the time of Moses the Lord being provoked by a new rebellion did againe halfe the age of man reduced the number of his yeares to seventy or eighty Psal 90.10 Then was the execution of the Sentence of death hastned more then ever before thereby the Lord called them still calleth us to remember our end Lord let thy call be effectuall unto us bring our hearts to true wisedome establish thou the worke of our hands fill us with thy mercy in the morning that we may seeke thee early be glad in thee all our dayes d If God should once more have halfed the age of man as he did before then can we not conceive how the world should have subsisted If our dayes upon a new provocation had bene shortned from seventy to five thirty if weaknes of old age had prevayled as much upon us at thirty as now it doth at sixty if at fifteene yeares men should have bene at their full strength then have begun to decline as now many doe at thirty being then in the height vigour of their age how manifold defects in learning practising would theÌ„ have ensued what wisedome experience could men have learned in so short a time how could liberall or mechanicall arts sciences have bene learned or what continuance of streÌ„gth could have bene to have wrought exercised such trades sciences what a world of children old folkes yea what a world of fooles impotent persons should we have had though it be so already yet how much more then But the Lord will not conteÌ„d for ever though he be now provoked as much as ever before for the spirit would faile before him the soules that he hath made Esa 57.16 Therefore hath the terme of mans age continued at this stay from Moses to our time for about three thousand yeares together so as it was never settled in the former generations And therefore in speciall is this worke of God to be considered of us as being the last call warning of God in this kinde to make us remember our latter end Now though God doe not againe shorten halfe the dayes of man by such certaine determinate limits as formerly he hath done yet after another manner he doth not ceasse to cut them off prevent the course of nature for our warning as effectually as in the former judgemeÌ„ts For still the Lord being provoked by the wicked cutts them off before their time they are brought downe to the pit they live not out halfe their dayes Psal 55.23 the number of their moneths is cut off in the middest Iob 21.21 as the vine shakes off his unripe grape the olive his flower Iob 15.33 And not the wicked alone but the elect the beloved of God as Henoch Gen. 5.23.24 are also taken away in the midst of their dayes though sometime they live to seventy or eighty yeares come to their grave in a full age as a shock of corne commeth in in his season Iob 5.26 yet oft they are taken away before Esa 57.1 in infancy childhood youth middle age c. Vpon every step of life death waites and thousaÌ„ds are dayly translated on every yeare of mans life some the first yeare that they are borne some in the second some in the third so forward every yeare thousands ten thousands even to the last and so a thousand calles hereby we receyve from God to remember our latter end with greater hast e The multitude number of these uncertaine untimely deaths are innumerable We may observe it in three worlds The old world perished all together strong men with their women children were smitten with the sword of Ioshuah Ios 11.4 How many did the sword of Gideon of David other Kings of Israel devoure Who can recount how much flesh those foure beasts or Monarchies devoured Dan. 7.3 c. Not to speake more of the heathens what untimely deaths did overtake Israel their infants were drowned in Egypt Exo. 1.22 Six hundred thousaÌ„d of their carcasses fell in the wildernes And as the childreÌ„ especially were before destroyed in Egypt so now in the wildernes the meÌ„ especially A decree was made a bound set unto the murmurers that they which were tweÌ„ty yeares old should not live longer then sixty yeares accordingly for the rest whereas their childreÌ„ might live to seveÌ„ty or eighty yeares Num. 14 29-33 How many were slaine in the time of their Iudges Kings In Ahaz his time an hundred tweÌ„ty thousand valiant men were slaine in one day two hundred thousand captived 2. Chron. 28.6.8 In Ieroboams time five hundred thousand chosen men fell downe slaine at once 2. Chro. 13.17 And by innumerable such examples hath death

raigned raged in those times In this last age of the world violeÌ„t bloody deathes seeme to have abounded more then ever before both on Iew GeÌ„tile PagaÌ„ ChristiaÌ„ What destruction massacre from the beginning of the world unto that time might be coÌ„pared with that of the Iewes by the Romanes for the contempt of Christ his Gospell Mat. 24.21 How many rivers of ChristiaÌ„ blood have bene shed by Romane authority of Heathenish Emperours Antichristian Popes The Harlot drunkeÌ„ with the blood of the Saints is still blood-thirsty Rev. 17.6 The Kings of the earth drunkeÌ„ with the wine of her fornication do give their strength power unto her even to this day and are become her butchers to kill slay for her Rev. 17.2.13 Whereas there are foure beasts mentioned in Dan. 7.4.7 a lyon beare leopard monster with ten hornes the beast Rev. 13.1.2 is compounded of all foure so devoureth as many as all the former what should we speake of Turkes Tartares other Barbarous nations among whome by whome death reignes so stroÌ„gly Rev. 9.17 18. This all is well knowne but not well regarded In all this we have a cal froÌ„ God to remember our latter end But we have eyes see not eares yet heare not his call resist sinners by threatning death by executing death on malefactours Gen. 3.24 with Rom. 13.4 The Princes Iudges of the earth are as Angels of God set to keepe the garden watch the city of God to cut off the workers of wickednes Psal 101.8 and so become the messengers of death unto wicked men Prov. 16.14 Every IudgmeÌ„t Hall is the Tabernacle of death there Death dwelles there he oft shewes his terrible countenance from thence utters his voyce roares as a Lyon There be the monuments of death in many already dead in others threatned Every such place is a pillar of remembrance whereon Deaths name is engraven And if in time of peace the house of Iustice be such a monument of Death much more is the Campe in time of War as Hazarmaveth the Court of Death There Death displayes his banner the sound of Drumme Trumpet are the proclamations of death the Mounts Bulwarkes Batteries are the scaffolds where Death actes his part the Trenches Approches Galleries Mines are the vallies of the shadow of death and all the weapons warlike Engines are so many darts of death whereby the dead are multiplyed And seing by divine providence besides the many armies marching abroad in other countries the Camp is now preseÌ„tly so neere unto us in our borders by s' Hertogen-Bosch our duety is to observe this Alarum of death from theÌ„ce to hearken unto the speciall calling of God for remembrance of our latter end The Lords voyce cryes unto the City Heare the Rod who hath appointed it Mic. 6.9 and not onely to the City beseeged that it may shake off the yoke of Antichrist but unto us our cities that are within the souÌ„d that we may walke more worthy of Christ his Gospell which we professe He that regards not this call of God shall beare his iniquity b In the calling of Ministers we have an other Memoriall of death that many wayes Ministers are called of God to call others to remember their latter end And this is noted as a maine worke of their calling Esa 40.6.7.8 A voyce sayd Cry And he sayd what shall I cry All flesh is grasse all the goodlines thereof is as the flovver of the field The grasse withereth the flovver fadeth because the spirit of the Lord blovveth upon it surely drawing out shaking that sword against the breast of sinners by making life or death to be evermore the foot or burden of their song and the effect of all is they are the savour of life or the savour of death to all that heare them 2. Cor. 2.16 c And this which hitherto we have heard of Angels Magistrates Ministers is spoken of the good come we now to speake of the evill The Lord calles us as lowd by them to remember our end that we may gather good out of evill Evill angels what are they els but professed murderers murderers from the beginning going about as roaring lyons seeking whome they may devoure Ioh. 8.44 1. Pet. 5.8 They have power of death Heb. 2.14 dayly bring thousands to death of body soule for ever Wicked Magistrates persecuting rulers that compell men to Idolatry false religion force men to take the marke of the beast as also the false teachers blinde guides that bring in damnable errours even both these are like the servaÌ„ts that dance on the threshold fill their masters house with spoyle prey Zeph. 1 9. Both these are the blood-hounds of the Divell by which he hunteth soules Hos 5.1 Both these are as ranging beares ravenous woolves that wory yong old drive them into the slaughterhouse of Satan Prov. 28.15 Mat. 7.15 These help him dayly to thrust sinfull men into the ditch into the bottomles pit of Hell All these therefore are the Grand-champions standard-bearers of death have Death written in their foreheads The sight of these or the mention of them their enterprises should cause men with horrour to thinke of death And seing the world is full of these how many are the calles warnings that God by them gives us to thinke of death to stand upon our watch d As for the times severall also are the warnings which are thereby given us to remember our end sometimes by the red horse marching in our borders trotting galloping rushing into battell sometimes the pale horse ambling up downe in our streets Rev. 6.4.8 both warre pestilence bringing massacre upon massacre calamity upon calamity Ier. 9.21 Ezek. 7.25.26 are as so many proclamations of death in our eares sounding at some times more louder then other according as these judgments are more grievous universall Who doth not see the axe layd unto the root of the tree in these dayes both the bloody axe of warre black axe of pestilence in some times places continued in others threatned Besides time it selfe is a sythe an axe Night day are two axes at the root of our life when one is up the other is downe without rest every day a chip flyes away and every night a chip and so our bones ly scattered at the graves mouth as when one cutteth or heweth wood on the earth Psalm 141.7 Though every day giving us so manifold examples of death do thereby serve to put us in minde thereof yet in a speciall manner is the Sabbath-day set apart by the ordinance of God that on it we should consider the latter end of man That is the time especially when the voyce cryeth in the Congregation All flesh is grasse c. And therefore in the Psalme that is entitled

of the Sabbath Psa 92. title wherein the exercises of the Sabbath are described there God calleth teacheth his people to remeÌ„ber the latter ends both the end of all the workers of iniquity who though they spring as grasse flourish for a season shall yet in the end be destroyed perish for ever ibid. vers 7.9 and againe the latter end of the godly whose horne though it be abased to the dust for a while yet in the end shall be exalted like the horne of an unicorne their heads anoynted with fresh oyle c. vers 10. c. On the Sabbath therefore are we called of God to sit downe consider talke sing of our latter end and mutually to exhort and comfort ourselves with the remembrance of it e Now for the place where we live this whole world and every part thereof doth fitly represent unto us our transitory estate for the fashion of this world passeth away 1. Cor. 7.31 and we passe away with it The mooveable heavens that are above us are tossed and swong round about the world every day both the firmament of the fixed starres the spheres of the seveÌ„ planets one under another are rolled about with their manifold variety of motions The Sunne in the middest of them goeth forth as a giant to runne his race from one end of heaven to an other Psa 19.5.6 Eccl. 1.5 the circle of the earth which he dayly compasseth f And as the heavens so all under the heavens runnes on wheeles also The comets fiery meteores in the highest regioÌ„s of the ayre are caryed about the earth according to the motion of the Sunne The wind whirleth about continually returneth according to his circuits Eccl. 1.6 The waters of sea rivers run their courses as in a circle from land to sea from sea to their springs againe vers 7. the sea in it self is tossed up downe ebbing flowing according to the course of the Moone or violence of the windes The earth though it remaine in her station change not her place yet is it changed in estate more then the rest insomuch that God hath made the sundry rankes of the creatures therein to be so many mappes of mortality pictures of our vanity similitudes of our transitory estate that by the sight of ech of them he might call us to remeÌ„ber our latter end And which way so ever we turne us the monuments of our vanity are presented unto us of God g Stay we in the house sit by the fire side the sparkes that fly up are presently extinct Iob 18 5. 2. Sam. 14 7. the smoke that goes out of the chimney suddenly vanisheth Hos 13.3 the ashes that remaine are streightway cast out on the dunghill Iob. 13.12 Gen. 18.27 are ech of them appoynted of God to shew us what we are how soone we come to our end while he hath compared our lives to ech of these The candle that is set upon the table to give light unto them that are in the house is also ordained of God to represent our life that shines for a time untill it have coÌ„sumed our native moysture and then goeth out of it selfe Iob 18.6 And as we see the oyle of this lamp decaying the more are we to seek that oyle of grace that will not decay before the comming of the Bridegroome Matt. 25.4 The earthen pots wherein our meat is sod prepared at the fire the eartheÌ„ pots dishes out of which we eat drink at the table for preservation of our life are noted by the holy Ghost to be types and similitudes of our brittle fraile life Ier 19.1.11 Lam. 4.2 that so oft as we use them eat drink out of theÌ„ we might remember our end The shelfs or benches wheron women for ornament of their kitchin do set up these pots dishes are like faire pourtraiturs of humane fragility the whole houshold it self all the persons Esa 37.27 hath thereby bound them as in a bundle for a wholesome posie or nosegay that from thence we might learne to smell our mortality Go we forth againe from the garden into the corne-fields looke upon the corne every part of it by the roote that comes of seede which is not quickened except it dye God teacheth us to thinke of death to looke for death before true life be found 1. Cor. 15.36 Ioh 12.14 By the top of the eares of corne cut downe with sickles the Lord calles us to consider of Death by whose sickle we are all cut downe in like manner Iob 24.24 Rev. 14.15 By the stubble which is the middle of the stalke betwixt the roote the eare of corne as being a most vaine thing easily scattered by the winde Ier. 13.24 Esa 40.24 and devoured by fire whereunto it is reserved Ioel. 2.5 Esa 5.24 the vanity of man perishing as stubble is often described unto us And above the rest when the Lord calles sinners to thinke of their end he takes the light chaffe upon the graines of corne in the eare shewes that unto theÌ„ affirming that they also are but as chaffe before the whirlewind or the fire Psa 1.4 Iob 21.18 Esa 17.13 yea the multitude of them their princes as the chaffe of the summer threshing-floores where it most abouÌ„deth Da. 2.35 i From the lesser plants let us go to the greater from herbes to trees The trees of the orchyard those in speciall that were in election above others to reigne as kings over the rest Iudg. 9.8 c. are called of God to call us to think of our latter end In them by them the Lord teacheth us how we passe away as the vine shakes of his unripe grape as the olive casts of his flower Iob 15.33 as the figtree casteth her untimely figs being shaken of a mighty winde Rev. 6 13. as the bramble or thornes in the hedge of the orchyard greene or dry are taken away by force Psa 58.9 as the crackling of thornes under the pot a flash and presently out Eccl. 7.6 Psa 118.12 so is the life and glory of sinners suddenly at an end and these plants are memorialles thereof unto us From the trees of the orchyard proceed we on to the trees of the forrest and by the way consider the mists and morning cloudes above our heads and the morning dew under our feet both suddenly vanishing away Hose 13.3 by them the swift when she hasteth to the prey serves by the counsell of God herein to represeÌ„t the swiftnes of our dayes how we hast to our end to be a prey for the grave Iob 9.26 The Moth as little weake as the Eagle is great strong serves yet to teach us the same lesson as well as the king of birds Though the moth be so fraile that by touching it is coÌ„sumed the substaÌ„ce left behinde upon the fingers yet mortall meÌ„ are crushed before

the moth Iob 4.19 even their beauty consumes away like the moth Psa 39.11 the moth of consumptioÌ„ eates them up Esa 50.9 51.8 Hos 5.12 As the Lord rides upoÌ„ the Cherubims flyes abroad upoÌ„ the wings of the winde so upon the wings of the moth used for his service made his Embassadour to deliver unto man a message of his mortality that he might remember his end l Thus doe all kinde of creatures made for man serve to warne him of his vanity And it is not simply the mere volubility of the heavens instability of the earth that give us this warning but this whole globe of heaven earth is created giveÌ„ unto us of God for a Watch or Clock whereby we might learne to number our times our passing away in them The severall lights of the firmament are ordained of God for signes for seasons for dayes for yeares Gen. 1.14 The Sunne by his height motion doth plainely declare the time of the day being looked on to that end by the variation of his shadow in the degrees of the diall as in that of Ahaz Esa 38.8 doth more exactly distinguish determine the houres unto us Yea the window in every mans house staÌ„ding against the Sunne serves for a diall to shew the houre of the day more or lesse and to them that are abroad in the streets or field in the sunne-shine eveÌ„ the shadow of their owne persons the stature of their owne body serving for the gnomon of a diall doth shew the difference of houres according to the variety of the shadow stretched out declining in divers degrees Ier. 6.4 Men that have bene a while intent unto their work eftsoones looke up see the declining of the shadow the sight of this declination is as the sound of a voyce unto them saying The Time passeth The end draweth on Man walketh in a shadow sleeth away as a shadow Iob 14.2 Psa 109.23 and so giveth him occasion to try himselfe his wayes what good he hath bene doing that while And as plainely doe the starres also by sundry wayes declare the houre of the night unto us and teach us the same lessons Neither doe the lights of heaven declare unto us the houres of the day night onely in regard of their diurnall motions but the planets by an other oblique motion entring into the signes of the Zodiak successively finishing that course some in a moneth some in a yeare of the superiour planets the highest in thirty yeares the next in twelve the next in two yeares do hereby very plainly distinguish both the moneths of the yeare the yeares of longer periods of time for which we have no proper names As the Greeks of old had their Olympiads with other reckonings and as the Prophets described their stories not onely from the raigne of their Kings after one reckoning but from many different poynts termes of time in respect of Gods judgments or mercies or mens defection or repentance Exod. 12.41.1 Kin. 6.1 Ier. 25.1 Ezek. 1.1 4.5 Amos. 1.1 Hag. 2.18.19 so the Lord in his unsearchable wisedome hath given unto us many heavenly dialles instruments of numbring our dayes all of them witnesses how our time passeth and God calleth us by so many that if one or two signes would not prevaile with us yet more might Exo. 4.9 one comming into our sight after another teaching us to examine our selves our estate both for shorter longer times to be prepared for the worke of God as the Angels for an houre a day a yeare Rev. 9.15 But that which is yet more wonderfull these coelestial bodies doe not onely declare signe out the times unto us but they alter change the times make the seasons to differ one from another As the cartwheeles on the earth where they goe leave a track or furrow behinde theÌ„ so the wheeles of these planets stars in their conversions make a deep impression upon the earth according to the diversity of their motions and some of them bring the spring some the summer some autumne some duely draw on winter as with bands cords Iob. 38.31.32 9.9 This their operation is manifested in great variety in such manner that thereby they produce many new reall dialles upon the earth And from hence in divers flowers we have a plaine distinction of the houres in the day while some still turne their face unto the Sunne from the rising to the setting as Heliotropium or Turnsol some declare the approch of the evening by shutting their flowers before as the Daysies Marigold Dandelion others some are so strangely affected that they shew it to be high noone by closing up themselves just at that time as we see dayly in the flower that is called Goates-beard or the starre of Ierusalem Others againe distinguish the moneths of the yeare some springing flourishing in one moneth some in others successively in order as we see in the Primerose Violet Rose Gilloflower others which follow even unto the winter moneths Thus the plaÌ„ts of the earth together with the planets of heaven become monitors of the time passing away Neither is this to be observed in the plants onely but in the sensitive creatures also the fowles fishes fourefooted beasts the birds shew us the time of the day some sing at a certaine houre of the night before day Mar 13.35 some little birds at the day-break Eccl. 12.4 some at noone some nightbirds in the evening They distinguish also the times of the yeare sometimes revived sometimes drooping and decaying againe in great variety They know the times of their comming and going some in one moneth and some in another as the Stork the Turtle the Crane and the Swallow Iere. 8.7 and the fishes likewise have their appointed seasons as is dayly observed by the fishmongers All these shall rise up in judgement against them that know not the acceptable time nor learn to redeeme it though the Lord call them so many wayes and shew them the time passing by so many devises CHAP. III. Monitors of Death in about a mans ovvne selfe His Breath a Pulse b Dayly food the necessity preparation of it in the earth c by the death of the creatures d Apparell the originall matter necessity of it e Labour in generall sundry vocations in particular f Sleep a lively image of death g Sinne the cause of death feared of some desired of others h Extreme dangers threatning death i Age the changes thereof manifested by the face stature k Old age described by the decay of strength l of sense m and of health HItherto we have heard the call of God sounded out unto us in and by other creatures by heaven and earth and the things therein that were made for man now we are to consider how God comes neerer unto man and from the

their latter end continually before their eyes thereby f As labour toyle in the day so sleep rest from labour in the night season is also a necessary help to preserve this mortall life This sleep is a lively image of death For in sleep men ly downe as dead men without sense and motion ceassing from their workes and taking no knowledge of the things that are done by others and therefore the holy Ghost often describeth death by the name of sleep or lying downe to sleepe Genes 47.30 Deuter. 31.16 1. King 2.10 Iob. 3.13 and ch 14.12 Psalm 76.5 Matt. 27.52 Iohn 11.11 Actes 7.60 1. Corinth 11.30 1. Thessal 4.13 By this marvellous work of God in breaking off the course of life and making Sleepe like an Half-death to invade us continually to come upon us like an unresistable Giant every day and to throw us downe and then by his manner of speech in calling death a Sleepe he calleth us by consideration of our sleepe to consider our death by the sight of our bed to remember our grave to looke upon it as a Tombe or Sepulchre every night before we goe into it to labour for reconciliation with God at the end of the day to seeke new sense of his love in Christ as we would doe at the end of our life that so we may lie downe sleep safely Had any man some speciall disease as of the falling sicknes Apoplexie Palsie Lethargie or the like terrible passion whereby at a certaine time of the day he should duely fall downe like a dead man and ly snorting at the gates of death for an houre or two untill the malignant humour were discussed and the force of the fit were over would we not thinke that man warned of God thereby to remember his end 7.8.9 but with the faythfull there is another remembrance of death by occasion of sinnes as comfortable to them as the former is terrible to the wicked For in sight of sinnes that greeve them they call to minde what shall quite free them from those sins and what is that but death Thereupon they set death before their eyes and are taught of God so to doe longing for their redemption and desiring to remoove out of the body which is by death Rom. 8.23 2. Cor. 5.8 And how many wayes then is death propounded unto us which way can we looke on the right hand or on the left before us or behinde us but every way the memorialles of death are before us Transgressions past sins present feares of the wicked desires of the godly all lead to the thought of death and to the remembrance of our latter end h Againe the afflictions sicknesses dangers wherein death is threatned unto men are likewise meanes of death and by them also we are called of God to remember our latter end It pleaseth God for the warning of secure men to bring men to the gates of death before they enter Psal 19.13 and though he bring them back againe yet is this done of God for a memoriall of death God brings men into such extremity that they make full account to die they receive the sentence of death in themselves despaire of life 2. Cor. 1.8.9 and are free among the dead in their owne and others judgement Psal 88.4.5 and this many times they are in deaths often 2. Corint 11.23 and such things God worketh oftentimes that men might renounce the world Iob. 33 22-29 and set their house in order their heart in order to die that being delivered they might then remember what thoughts desires what prayers purposes they had in their soules and recall them often for their preparation against the time of their finall departure out of this world Esa 38.1.15 c. As Iehosaphat having cryed out in the danger of death 2. Chron. 18.31 was bound to remember that very cry and disposition of his heart afterward so forasmuch as there is almost no man which hath not seene the face of Death and his dart shaken against him in being pale withered and wrinckled the shadow of death sitting upon their eye-lids and some in divers degrees betwixt both and especially in the sight of friends long absent and changed in that time we are called to thinke how the fashion of this world passeth away As the face so the stature of man growing up as a plant according to the divers measures and degrees of his growth appointed of God Psalm 144. 12. Luk. 1.80 and 2.52 is another testimony of his changeable estate even from the childe of a span long unto those that have their full growth Lam. 2.20 Though some be of low stature as Zaccheus Luke 19.3 and some againe higher then the common sort by the head as was Saul 1. Sam. 10.23.24 yet even in these compared with themselves the proportion of their growth is an evidence of their age to such as know them Though men being come to their full stature stand at a stay and loose not their stature by such degrees as they attained unto it in their youth yet many times we see in experience that crooked old age bowing downe their heads more more to the earthward they doe hereby after a sort loose their stature by degrees grow into the ground againe And thus the wheele of mans age visibly sensibly turning about according to the variation of his stature is another admonition to remember the latter end approching k Beside the face stature the Lord hath set sundry other markes upon the bodies of young and old for memorials of their time passing away at the changes of their age The younger people have the time of love described of God by divers markes and tokens thereof Ezech. 16.7.8 but especially old age hath the tokens of neere-approching death imprinted upon them whereby they are warned of God to prepare for it The decay of strength the decay of sense the decay of health are all forerunners of death and summon them to their end Through decay of strength the armes and hands the keepers of the house beginne to tremble Ecclesi 12.3 and the legges that are as pillars thereof do bow themselves and the help of a staffe as a third legge to rest on is sought of the aged person Zach. 8.4 and with that woodden legge at every step he goes he strikes upon the earth raps at the gate of the grave untill it be opened unto him By this weaknes death comes puts his manicles upon their hands his shackels upon their legges for remembrance of their end This weaknes is further signifyed by the ceassing of the grinders in the mill Eccles 12.3 both the upper the nether milstone which are called the life of man Deut. 24.6 These teeth fayling life begins to fayle From this weaknes the doores of the lips are shut without the sound of the grinding is low the voyce hoarse and so whether the old persons worke with

their hands or walke with their feet or eate with their teeth or speake with their lips the memoriall of death is in each of these set before them And as in the outward parts of the body so the like weaknes decay of strength is to be observed in the inward parts and as a cause of that which is in the outward The silver coards of the sinewes which carry the faculty of sense motion from the head in old age are loosed Eccles 12.6 that cable of the marrow in the backbone which was wont so firmely to hold stay the fraile barke of our body tossed with so many motions and by those many conjugations of nerves like so many paire of oares on each side did row the gally up and downe begins now to dissolve The head which is the golden bowle wherein is emboxed the brayne that ministers that faculty of sense motion through age is broken becomes crazie The many pitchers of the veines which carry the nourishing blood from the well of the liver unto each part of the body become like unto broken vessels And the wheele of the arteries which by the reciprocall motions pulses doe convey the vitall spirits from the cisterne of the heart into the furthest coasts of the little world for the quickening of the whole flesh even to the toes fingers ends through languishing age begins to turne returne slowly weakely And all these faint operations are so many memorials of death and doe plainely portend the approch of our latter end every one of them admonisheth us to watch Againe from this weaknes decay of strength both in the outward and inward parts ariseth an other memoriall of death to be seene in that which is esteemed no taste what he eates or what he drinkes 2. Sam. 19.35 old Isaac by his touch cannot feele the difference betwixt the hands of his son the skinne of a beast Gen. 27.16.21.22.23 old David is covered with clothes feeles no heat 1. Kings 1.1 concupiscence departs Eccle. 11.5 Abishag the faire virgin lies in his bosome he knowes her not 1. Kin. 1.4 Yea the inward senses beginne to faile also memory decayes the understanding is diminished old men some times in their decrepite age come to be little children againe not able to discerne betwixt good evill 2. Sam. 19.35 How inexcusable are they that live securely thinke not of death whereof they have so many warnings before hand m With decay of strength sense comes the decay of health Old age is many times a continuall sicknes when the dayes of man are multiplyed they are but labour sorrow even the strength of them Psa 90.10 Then is the time when the evill dayes approch and the yeares of which man sayth I have no pleasure in them Eccle. 12.1 Then is the light of Sunne Moone starres obscured and then the clouds returne after the raine one infirmity after another v. 2. Through decay of naturall heat ariseth indigestion crudity of stomack thereupon follow rheumes catarrhes and from thence comes ach in the bones manifold paines diseases whereby the Lord as with an yron pen writeth our lesson engraveth this sentence deep in our flesh bones Remember your latter end approaching In all the paines of old age the finger of God nippeth pincheth men to make them think of his call prepare for death upon God shewes that then he exspects a speciall act of humiliation when at our end he visites us with such paines that we are to mourne for sinnes committed in the world before we depart out of it when he sends such sorrow unto us at that time especially Then are we called to stirre up the grace of God within us and to rayse up our spirits with all love reverence to meet the Lord that we may receyve his blessing and enter into his gates with joy into his courts with thanksgiving a Againe this paine prevayling at the approch of death causeth men to ly downe to fall flat along upon their beds Iob. 33.19 Act. 5.15 and to let all the affaires of the world alone with the works of their calling Through infirmity of the body God forceth them to stoope calleth them to remember their frailety their end as if he should command them to couch downe before him and require them to prostrate their soules at his footstoole in seeking his favour mercy in Chirst even as their bodies are prostrate by his hand This very position of the body represents unto us how the grasse withers the flower falls and admonisheth us in our soules to worship fall downe before the Lord our maker and by faith to enforce our bodies also leaning on our staffe to worship upon the beds head Heb. 11.21 Gen. 47.31 and 48.2 that he may straightway lift us up for ever As Iacob bowed himselfe to the ground seven times at the approch of his brother Esaw Gen. 33.3 so the Lord himselfe by sicknes thrusts us downe seven times we are often up downe we lift up our selves but cannot hold up our heads God teacheth us there by to come submissively creeping into his presence humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt us 1. Pet. 5.6 b An other warning to thinke of the end at hand is that distast of meat and want of appetite in sick persons when their life abhorreth bread their soule dainty meat Iob. 33.20 When the staffe of bread failes the stay of naturall life is withdrawne then God calles the sick persons to remember their end to double their care for eternal life to seeke the hidden manna unknowne unregarded of the world Rev. 2.17 to feed upon the bread of God which commeth downe for their end This yron sleep is a black cloud of death a night-shade a particular darkenes of which in its measure is verifyed that more generall saying of our Saviour The night comes when no man can work Ioh. 9.4 and therefore while there is light liberty of minde in the time of health the end is to be remembred provided for before the houres of oppression doe come upon the minde e Sometimes in sicknes though sleep oppresse not there is a kinde of raving distraction caused by phrensie or melancholy or other distemperatures which doth overwhelme the minde as Nebuchadnezzars once was by the stroke of God Dan. 4. so that it is unfit to thinke of death or to seeke any comfort against the danger thereof And froÌ„ hence therefore it doth likewise appeare how unwise they are that deferre the time of their repentance unto the time of death when it is uncertaine whether they shall be masters of their owne wits naturall understanding not to speake of supernaturall grace which is further above the reach of man yet necessary to salvation f Sometimes the very vehemency extremity of paine

the Apostles time Act. 2.29 having bene preserved in the time of the Babylonian captivity even then when both city temple were destroyed with many the like These monuments are in Scripture called Memorialles Mnemeia Matth. 23.29 Iohn 11.38 and 19.41 and 20 1. by which whatsoever others intended the godly are taught to remember their latter end The garnished tombes and the sumptuous sepulchers are but so many scaffolds stages theaters of humane frailety and so many pulpits out of which our mortality is preached and all the common graves of the people are the coffers of death the sight whereof should teach us to lay up our treasure in heaven And thus though the touch of a grave defiled the body with a ceremoniall pollution in the time of the Law Numb 19.16 yet the sight of a grave may serve to cleanse the soule by a spirituall consideration of our end even as the sight of the Leviathan raised up did bring men to purify themselves fearing lest the whale might be their grave Iob. 41.25 with Iob 3.8 m The grave being prepared for the dead corps then men proceed with their may obtaine n Having bene at the grave performed the last duety to the person of the dead we then returne come from the dead to the living to the friends of the dead to mourne with them to comfort them and as the kinred speciall friends of old used to eat drink with them give them the cup of consolation Rom. 12.15 Ier. 16.7.8 Gen. 37.35 1. Chro. 7.22 Ioh. 11.19 and in this action we have an other call to remember our end While we minister consolation to others we are to take an exhortation to our selves The house of mourning is the schoole of mortification and therefore better to enter into it then into the house of feasting for there is the end of all men which the living will lay unto his heart so be made better in his heart by the consideration of the dead by the sadnes of the countenances waiting on that consideration Eccles 7.2.3.4 o When the comforters of them that mourne are departed from the mourning house gone every one to his owne yet still the friends of the dead even while they live on earth so often as they misse their friends departed want the help benefit which they were wont to enjoy from them so often are they called to remember death that makes such separatioÌ„s La. 4 18-20 The widowes orphanes desolate parents oppressed subjects scattered sheep that are deprived of their loving husbands parents children rulers pastours or any friend neighbour that misseth the company of an other are by this want called to remember both that death past which took away their friends that death to come which shall againe restore them bring them together 1. Thess 4.13.14 2. Sam. 12.23 And in this remembrance they are withal warned to make themselves ready for death not to be glewed unto this world from whence their comforts are taken away When the shepheard takes up the young lamb the ewe followes him of her selfe and needs no more calling or driving when the great shepheard of the sheep takes away the soules of young old of dearest friends from one another it is to make them runne after the Lord to long after his presence in whom they shall finde all more then all that ever they lost in this world So often as we thinke of a mother a father or other intire serve to make a deeper impressioÌ„ into the soule and to keep the memory of it self in the minde more then a thousand other memorials beside A strange thing it were if a man that were to be judged the next day of life death and to receive sentence eitheir of a most cruell shamefull death or of a rich honourable estate during his life if this man could not keep in minde the judgment approching untill the next morrow without tying stringes about his fingers for remembrance or writing some caveats upon the posts of the prison or procuring some watchmen to come every houre whispering in his eare to tell him of the danger imminent of life or death And as strange or more is it that these great maine matters of Eternall Salvation or Eternall Condemnation should not by their owne greatnes presse the heart of man with the weight thereof unto a continuall remembrance of them without other warnings when as we know not whether we shall have one dayes respite before they come a The last end of the godly is eternall life This life consists especially in fellowship with God the Saints By fellowship with God men come to see God Matt. 5.8 even to see him as he is 1. Ioh. 3.2 to see his face which living man was never able to see on earth Exo. 33.20 to see him before whom the glorious Seraphims doe cover their faces with their wings Esa 6.2 to see the holy Trinity the blessed Father Sonne H. Ghost clothed with the sacred robes of their severall beauty and majesty shining distinctly as the pure Iasper the carnation Sardine the greene Emerald Rev. 4.3 Then the Sonne will shew himselfe unto his elect Ioh. 14.21 and they shall see his glory Ioh. 17.24 and the Father shall be seene in him Ioh. 14.9.10 and with them both the seven Spirits which are before the throne even that one and the same Spirit enlightning with his sevenfold graces and gifts that bright sevenfold lamp of his Church Rev. 1.4 with 4.5 1. Cor. 12.11 With this vision shall the soule be satisfyed wheÌ„ they awake Psal 17.15 The pleasure of this surmounts the joy of all pleasant things seene by any eye If all the pleasure that all the most ardent lovers receyved at any or at all times from all the most beauteous amiable countenances of their dearest spouses fairest loves in the like promises Therefore is that end ever to be remeÌ„bred longed after TheÌ„ especially shal it appeare how the elect remaine as lambs in the bosome of the Lord their shepheard Esa 40.11 TheÌ„ will it be further revealed how God dwelleth in theÌ„ they in him 1. Ioh. 4.15.16 therefore need not feare being kept far off as meÌ„ on earth that were kept from the bodily presence of Christ being in the house because of the throÌ„g at the doore Mar. 2.2.4 The incomprehensible Lord filling heaven earth Ier. 23.24 is himself a house where they shall dwel and they a mansioÌ„ wherein he will make his abode Ioh. 14.23 By this heavenly conjunction cohabitation with God shall the elect be one even as the Father the Sonne are one Christ in them and the Father in him that they may be perfect in one Ioh. 17.22.23 This thrise blessed most glorious union is that greene bed of Christ his Spouse Sol. song 1.16 an eternall paradise of comfort and garden of pure delights Oh

what madnes is it to forsake that greene bed for any bed of pleasure in the world By this communion the Lord embraceth his elect with both armes of his love putteth them in his bosome Sol. song 2.6 8.3 and in this divine embracement there is felt more happines heavenly joy then all the love fruits of love or whatsoever went under the name of the teÌ„drest and stroÌ„gest affection in this world could ever yeeld unto the heart of man For if the first fruits of spirituall joy now at this present in the middes of tribulation be an hundred fold more then all the pleasure of houses lands fathers mothers wife children the most desirable things of this world Mark 10.29.30 then how can it be but more then an hundred thousand fold pleasure to enjoy the beauty face of God in heaveÌ„ to inherit the fulnes of joy in his presence pleasures for evermore at his right hand If the infinite blessednes of the glorious persons in the holy Trinity doth appeare in their mutuall union so that they were an allsufficient eternall delight unto themselves in enjoying one an other continually before the world was before men or angels were made Prov. 8.30 then may we well think how our vessels shall be filled and overflow with heavenly comfort 1. Ioh. 1.4 when we come to drinke of that divine fountaine and enter into our Masters able to bring to passe And therefore as in the transfiguration of Christ his face did shine as the Sunne Matt. 17.2 even so shall the righteous shine forth as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father Matt. 13.43 As the raiment of Christ through the brightnes of his body did shine as the transparent light Matt. 17.2 was exceeding white as snow Mark 9.3 and withall white glistering Luk. 9.29 so the whole person of the elect made whiter then snow in their transfiguration shall shine glister sparkle with a radiant beauty heavenly brightnes yea then shall the Moone be abashed the Sunne ashamed before the Lord his ancients when the Lord shall reigne in Zion Esa 24.23 when he shall be glorifyed in the Saints and made marvellous in all them that beleeve 2. Thes 1.10 If the face of Moses while he was yet clothed with corruption when he had seene but the back parts of the Lord and that but for a moment in one vision did yet shine so gloriously that men fled away amazed from him durst not behold the brightnes of his countenance Exo. 34.30 with c. 33.23 what then shall be the glory of the faithfull when being clothed with immortality they shall see God face to face and that in a perpetuall vision for evermore d From this transfiguration of the Saints made so glorious by the sight of God fellowship with him ariseth the glory of their fellowship one with another which is also an unspeakable felicity of the second life to enjoy all the beauty all the love of all the glorified soules bodies in heaven As Ionathan seing the grace of God in David his worthines was knit unto him loved him as his owne soule 1. Sam. 18.1 so here the Saints beholding the glory of God revealed in each other shall be linked together in the neerest bonds of intire affection They that first give themselves to God doe then give themselves unto one an other by the will of God 2. Cor. 8.5 They are all one in Christ Iesus Gal. 3.28 There is one body one spirit Eph. 4.4 all are gathered together in one under one head whether things in heaven or in earth men Angels whether they be thrones or principalities or powers Eph. 1.10.22 All things are the Saints whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present of her and embraced in her armes for ever The loving society of godly men even in their present weaknes is magnifyed as a good pleasant thing as a precious oyntment as the dew of Hermon Zion Psal 133.1.2.3 how good pleasant then is the heavenly conversation and cohabitation of the Saints even as the dew of Paradise where God hath appointed the blessing for ever to make those beauteous blossomes therein to flourish eternally As oyntment perfume rejoyce the heart so doth the sweetnes of a mans friend by hearty counsell Prov. 27.9 and what then is the sweetnes and joy of that communion where every heart is a severall closet replenished with al store variety of divine oyntments perfumes for the mutuall delight of the Saints The consolation of Christ is there most perfect the comfort of love fellowship of the spirit are compleate full and so the joy of every one is fulfilled in being like minded having the same love being of one accord of one judgment Phil. 2. 1.2 there is no crying nor complayning Rev. 21.4 no curse no angry word no countenance of dislike or disdaine no evill no occasion of evill no appearance of evill no suspicion of evill no want of good in themselves no envy of good in others but every mans joy doubled for anothers salvation and glorifyed in anothers glory The principall delight is that God is found in them all each being the temple of God and his love the fire burning upon the altar of every heart in each of them there is a vision of God an image of his glory he is seene in each shines in them and so at every turne they meet with God who is all in all in every one of them 1. Cor. 15.28 And they never powre out their hearts to one another but withall they powre out prayse unto God with streames of pleasure to themselves And how infinitely manifold are their pleasures where there are so many spirits of just perfect men Heb. 12.22.23 so many millions of Angels thousand thousands ten thousand times ten thousand standing before the Lord Dan. 7.10 Rev. 5.11 If Peter thought it so good to be there where but two of the Saints Moses Elias appeared in glory with Christ Luk. 9 30-33 how good is it to be there where all appeare together in glory with Christ where the glory of every one shall appeare more clearely and be better discerned where every one shall be the precious jewell and treasure of another O who are they which remembring this end will not be content to make an end of their sinfull courses to enjoy this communion How unworthy a thing is it that the thoughts of vanity should thrust out of our mindes these pleasant remembrances of our latter end and the comforts therein If I forget thee O Ierusalem let my right hand forget it selfe if I doe not remember thee let my tongue cleave to the roofe of my mouth if I prefer not Ierusalem above my chiefe joy Psalm 137.5.6 e It is further to be considered that in all the maine parts acts

to Adam to see how he would name them Ge. 2.19.20 so might Adam shew them to his childreÌ„ according to the wisedome given him at the first coÌ„ferre againe of their natures the reason of their names with those his childreÌ„ created in the same image of God with him taught of God that he might rejoyce in them also as they with him Though Solomon spake of trees from the cedar in Lebanon to the hyssope on the wal also of beasts fouls creeping things fishes was wiser theÌ„ all the philosophers in the degenerate corrupt world 1. Kin. 4 29-34 yet was his wisedome but ignorance in comparison of that primitive estate the wisedome given to Adam at the first After this a multitude of other pleasures they might have returned loaden with blessings filled with comfort as much as their heart could hold And if at any time Adam Evah would in like manner have gone abroad on progresse to have visited their children what comfort should this have bene unto their children to have entertained that most royall honourable person above all others that right Catholick King or universal Monarch father of the whole world with Evah their Queene-mother therefore to have bene reverenced loved obeyed by all How would they have receyved him as an angel of God to the unspeakable joy both of him them mutually m And as the glory of this communion might thus be observed in the persons allyed in a right line both descendeÌ„t ascendent so also in the collaterall line extended on each side both farre neere to brethren sisters an hundred other degrees of kinred further off among all which if man had continued in his estate wherein the Lord placed him there should then have bene a most loving pleasant conversation more then can be imagined It had bene as easy for these to have travelled a thousand miles to embrace their friends as it is now for us to goe one small dayes-journey While there was no evill of sinne there should have bene no evill of paine or trouble in any of their labours And besides in the state of innocency great help comfort should have bene afforded unto man by the service of other creatures as hath bene shewed before Even in this corrupt degenerate estate of man beast all kinde 2. Cor. 6.18 behold my spouse my wife my bride Ioh. 3.29 Rev. 19.7 21.2 All the speciall bands of love union whether in the root of marriage or in the branches of kinred whether in the degrees ascending descending or any way extending themselves either in the right line or in the side line they are all found in Christ all meet together are combined in him He alone the new Adam is instead of all the fathers mothers brethren or sisters sonnes or daughters the comfort of all more fruits of love then all the kinred of the old world could have afforded unto us is to be enjoyed in the kingdome of Christ And looke how Christ esteemes of his elect so shall they be esteemed loved of all others there where his word requiring it must needs be performed Ioh. 13.34 15.12.13 And therefore looke how many Saints Angels there be in heaven so many sweet fountaines of loving communion there be for every soule to drinke at farre passing all the love of friends ever tasted in the lower world From every one shall flow rivers of water of life Ioh. 7.38 Christ Iesus being the headspring of all for then shall that all the rest of his promises be fullfilled in the highest degree It is matter of more joy even now to sit at the table of the Lord to receive the Sacrament of the New Testament then it was to pluck apples from the tree of life in paradise greater benefits are sealed even Christ is herein exhibited unto us a gift more excellent then all those that were confirmed unto Adam by the tree of life but then especially shall the difference appeare when the faythfull shall partake in the marriage supper of the Lambe in heaven when they shall be brought before the Lord the ancient of dayes the everlasting God before whom Adam though alive at this day should be as a child of yesterday a thousand yeares being but as one day in his sight when they shall heare him speake tell of his eternall love of us before the world in his decrees of election and predestination so often poynted at in Scripture and the like precious thoughts of his grace to us ward this shall be the fullnes of joy infinitely exceeding all the supposed delights of the old world As for the pleasant journeys motions we may not thinke that the godly shall be there as in a prison together in heavenly places in Christ Iesus Eph. 2.6 CHAP. VII Hovv God calleth men to remember the latter end of Reprobates The fearfulnes greevousnes of the second death set forth by a The deserving cause Sinne which is especially aggravated by the wisedome authority goodnes other attributes of God b The inflicting cause the wrath of God from which the whole misery all the circumstances of the second death have their denominations c compared unto fire yet different from common fire unquenchable most piercing largely extending it selfe taking hold on the greatest in the world d This fire the fiercenes of it made plaine by the observation of sundry fires already kindled in the bowels of the earth in vegetative sensitive creatures in the body of man in the aire firmament in the angels e but chiefly in the course of Gods just indignation against sinners seriously to be considered of all that desire to escape it f The effects dolefull cryes lamentations of the tormented of the Devils themselves yea even of our blessed Saviour in his sufferings g Particular manifestations of Gods wrath against particular sinnes transgressions of every commandement both of the first second table THe end of all flesh hath bene represented unto us of God by a basket of summer fruit ripe for the harvest ready to be gathered The blessed end of the godly hath bene shewed in the basket of good figs very good there remaines yet the basket of rotten figs very naught to be marked of us for that sight is also propounded unto us of God he calles us to remember the end of the wicked thereby whiles that basket was in vision also set before the Temple of the Lord. Ier. 24.1 It is an hideous fearefull sight to opeÌ„ the graves where the greene carcases of dead men doe lye to behold the grieslines lothsomnes of death in them and who doth not flie from it But much more horrour it is to looke upon the dead soules in Hell their torment lothsome estate being an hundred times more worse to be endured then the sight of any rotten carcasses in the grave Yet

the outward borders of the holy land teturne we to the inward parts these on both sides of the river Iordan On this side above many other places Ierusalem the city of the great king offers it selfe to our consideration which though it were a type of heaveÌ„ Gal. 4.26 Heb. 12.22 yet round about it there were signes set of the fearfull judgmeÌ„ts of God of the last end of the wicked And first of all by the entry of the East-gate they had the vallie of Hinnom the high places of Tophet therein as it were a visible Hell Ier. 19.2 with Iosh 15.8 They there burned their children in the fire unto Baal Moloch with great impiety against God and cruelty to hornes their hoofes their haire well might that lake be this same pit As by the descent of an Angel into the poole of Bethesda those that first entred after the stirring of the waters were made whole of what disease soever they had Ioh. 5.4 so no wonder if after the stirring of these waters in Gadara by a legion of uncleane spirits together they were made unwholesome caused disease to those that drank thereof So often as men beheld or thought upon this devilish lake they had a spectacle of Hell before them they tooke the name of God in vaine if they did not learne hereby to watch fight against the wicked spirits to seeke the helpe of Christ that conquers them not to love their swine more then Christ nor to become as swine by wallowing in the mire of sinne 2. Pet. 2.22 left they also by the Devils should be carryed headlong into the lake of brimstone prepared for those that hearkeÌ„ not unto the call of God e These were the markes tokens given to the Iewes but the Iewes themselves are given for signes warnings unto us for wheÌ„ these many other memorials of the latter end were giveÌ„ unto the Iewes despised of them then at last they themselves by the righteous judgment of God were made as signes and wonders unto the beleeving Gentiles called into their place to this day they remaine as memorials of Hell under the power of darknes their hearts being hardened their eyes darkened and covered with the spirit of slumber Rom. 11.7.8.10 Their state of rejection wherein they presently are is described in such phrase as the estate of those in Hell they are now in utter darknes while they are without Christ if they knew the misery of their estate then should they weep gnash their teeth Matt. 8.12 In this hell of utter darknes have they continued now these sixteen hundred yeares are scattered abroad among all nations for a warning unto them So often as we meet these obdurate Iewes in our streets consider how they are broken off from their olive the kingdome of God being taken from them given to others Matt. 21.43 so often are we to be mooved with compassion to theÌ„ as if they did weep howle before us as we are to pray for the day of their visitation so are we to worke the whole earth turning round about it continually even as the first flaming sword was about the garden of God in Eden This middle Zone though in comparison of Tophet it be an heaven yet in respect of other temperate Zones inhabited by us it is in many things like unto Hell As Hell is described by the burning heat that is therein Esa 30.33 Matt. 25.41 so in this Torrid Zone men are grievously afflicted tormented with heat men dwelling there under the Aequinoctiall line the climates on each side neere the same the Sunne burnes them by day and the beames thereof beating directly upon their heads doe strike them with a vehement heat round about the world even from the East unto the Westerne India in Aethiopia betwixt them both insomuch that some of them curse the Sunne every morning that it riseth As Hell is described by the blaknes of darknes that is there reserved for reprobates 2. Pet. 2.17 black being the colour of sorrow feare Psa 38.6 in the orig which make all faces to gather blacknes Ioel. 2.6 so under the hote Zone there dwell the black Moores the Aethiopians or burnt-faces as the word which the holy Ghost useth for them doth signify Act. 8.27 Their bodies visages are blacker then a coale some have bene frighted at the fight of them as if they had come out of Hell As in Hell men are under the vexation of the Devill that is called the prince of darknes Eph. 6.12 hath the power of death Heb. 2.14 so it is generally testifyed that the Indians both East West the Guineans betweene both in this hote Zone doe both worship the Devill that often appeares personally unto them are often beaten tormented by the immediate hand of the Devill in those visible apparitions with many other vexations to their unspeakable misery therefore in this regard there is not so much a shadow of Hell as a very Hell it selfe a kingdome of darknes As the state of those in Hell is described by a worme that torments them never dyeth Esa 66.24 Mark 9.44.46.48 so those that live in this Torrid Zone in Guinea have often ordinarily a worme of strange incredible length that breedeth in their flesh as those that travell thither have both seene and felt and in their flesh have brought home apparitions are imagined to ascend up out of the earth 1. Sam. 28.13 even so a man that should see these all-black naked impes come swarming up out of their holes from under ground each of them both at mouth nostrils breathing out the smoake of that Indian herb which is a part of their ordinary dyet it were no wonder if he thought the picture of Hell to be before him In fine as many for MaÌ„mon or riches doe sell themselves and loose their soules goe downe to Hell for ever 1. Kin. 21.20 even so many for the love of that treasure that is to be found in this hote Zone are content to adventure their lives in travelling thither in this journey there be multitudes that from time to time doe loose their mortall temporary lives and so in this regard also there is some consimilitude betwixt these two places And now if we doe well observe this strange work of God we shall therein perceive how unsearchable his judgements are his wayes past finding out in permitting this forlorne people that are so black in their bodies more black in their soules through their worship of the Devill to lye so long enthralled under the dominion of Satan that for so great a compasse round about the whole earth under the Aequinoctiall circle Seing the Lord hath made this visible Hell like a broad black belt or girdle to environ the very heart middle of the world how ought this to warne all the inhabitants

doe the Gobbelines resort the schrich-owles the night-raveÌ„s night-walkers together make a cage of uncleane birds When men passe by such houses they are to looke upon them as the very Types of Hell the dennes of destruction where many are dayly overthrowne They are as deep pits that swallow up soule body goods good name of their bewitched guests both health of body wealth of estate credit of name salvation of soule doe there consume perish together And therefore with many pluckes doth the Lord seeke to divert men from such places Enter not into the path of the vvicked goe not in the way of evill men Avoyd it passe not by it turne from it passe away Prov. 4.14.15 l From private houses come we to private particular persons to see how many Helles may be found among them If we looke upon Gods judgments for sinne we see some possessed with Devils persons that procure these judgements of God in them also there are many Hells to be seene Their thoughts their words their deeds practises doe represent the same unto us The large heart of man his capacious thoughts are like unto a huge vessel wide deep greater theÌ„ the whole Globe of the earth which caÌ„not fill the same The eye is not satisfyed with seeing nor the eare filled with hearing Eccles 1.8 Though a moate in the eye doe trouble it yet the world cannot fill it The reason is because the minde of man is an immeasurable gulfe the outward senses are but tunnels or conduits leading into it Immoderate desire whether it be the lust of the eyes the lust of the flesh or the pride of life is an insatiable whirlpoole that is still gaping devouring but never satisfyed Eccles 5.9.10 Hab. 2.5 Esa 56.11 The ignorance that is in the minde makes it to be as darke a dungeon as it is deep Eph 4.18 Matt. 6.23 wherein the thoughts doe blindely range roame up downe with pernicious wandrings The violence fervency of inordinate lust inflames the heart makes it to burne Rom. 1.27 like the bakers oven that is overheated till it burne as a flaming fire Hos 7.6.7 And to shew that the wicked heart is a more compleat Hell it is sayd that Satan enters into it Ioh. 13.27 filles the heart Act. 5.3 dwelles in it Matt. 12.45 reignes in it as a prince over his subjects Ioh. 14.30 or as a God over his people 2. Cor. 4.4 The mouth of a wicked man is like the mouth of Hell whiles the envy hatred lust that is kindled in the heart doth breake out in the words as it were flame out at the mouth The slanderous evill tongue is a fire is set on fire of Hell setteth on fire the whole course of nature Iam. 3.6 The body the whole person of wicked men is as it were the shop work-house of Satan wherein the uncleane spirits doe worke in the children of disobedience Eph. 2.2 all their members are the instruments tooles of the devils to worke all manner of sin unrighteousnes therewith Rom. 6.13.19 And now seeing the Lord hath set so many visions of Hell before us in this life whereby he calles men to remember the latter end let him that hath an eare to heare hearken to the call of God let him that hath an eye to see come open his ã€ˆâ€¦ã€‰ the godly would sometimes have him to be more severe He is more desirous of the salvation of them that are saved then they themselves AS God calles us many wayes to remember our latter end so the due remembrance of our end calles us to remember God the thought of death serves to urge admonish us of seeking the way of life True life is to be found with God alone He is the living God Iosh 3.10 Ier. 10.10 Hos 1.10 He giveth unto all life breath all things Act. 17.25 With him is the well of life Psa 36.9 From this well doe flow a thousand rivers of life of life naturall of life spirituall of life eternall in the heavens a With him is the fountaine of naturall vegetation the rivers of vegetative life are all propagated from him In every plaÌ„t in every least seed of tree or herb God hath planted a vitall juyce digged a welspring of life from which spring life floweth out flourisheth is spread abroad Gen. 1.11.12 Psa 104.14 the living things are multiplied according to their kinde in such unspeakable abundance that the increase thereof throughout the world might in few yeares serve to replenish an hundred worlds The seeds that one garden in one yeare affordeth are so many as might in short time serve to fill an hundred garden-plots while some one herb oft yeeldeth more then a thousand seedes at once So a thousand akehornes that fall from one Oake might serve to plant a whole grove of oakes The apples of some one tree yeeld more then a thousand kirnels therfore the kirnels together with the rootes graffes or shootes that one orchard affordeth in one yeare might well serve to be the seminary of an huÌ„dred more Thus have we yearely the matter of many worlds layd before us though more new worlds be not dayly formed yet the living God shewes us hereby how easily he could doe it The glory of this well of life is to be considered not onely in the abundance of life which gusheth out floweth from it but likewise in the excellency thereof while the living things the herbs fruits that are thence produced doe not onely live themselves but serve to sustaine uphold the life of other creatures both man beast both in the maine dayly Gen. 1.22.28 as by a seed of seeds hath multiplyed life as from a well of life hath made the streames of naturall life to flow forth with a continuall current of succession to runne freshly from the beginning of the world unto this day Hereby we see how the Lord powres life out of his treasure at his word life swimmes in the waters flyes in the aire walkes on the earth scralles in the dust turned into living creatures at his command Exo. â— 16.17 A cleare vision of this power of life that is in God is shewed unto us even in the least sort of creatures in the Bees the Flyes and in speciall in the manifold swarmes of innumerable Gnattes in summer-time suddainly produced in some countries as if they were so many drops of life flying abroad round about us as if the whole aire were dissolved into living creatures not onely living but all endued with a most lively life all nimble active mounting above our heads and every one of them carrying with them a Trumpet wherewith they humme aloud sound an Alarum to us to awaken us unto the praise of their Creatour the living God And because we are so

the servants of my Lord 1. Sam. 25.41 David himselfe of his marriage with Sauls daughter Seemeth it to you to be a light thing to be a kings sonne in law seeing that I am a poore man and lightly esteemed 1. Sam. 18.23 then what may we say of our exaltation and of the divine benefits bestowed upon us All the mercies and blessings which we receive from God if we compare them with our sinfull nature are like so many coales of mortification coales of indignatioÌ„ heaped on our heads Rom. 12.20 and therefore doth God let us know how good he hath bene unto us even when we were his enimies that by that meanes we might be mortifyed and burne in just hatred and indignation against ourselves Rom. 5.10 with 2. Sam. 12.7.8 Esa 5.1.2 Deut. 32 6-15 And in summe even the least good done to us should make us thinke how little we are and ever lesse then the least of Gods mercies farre unworthy of them Gen. 32.10 so take occasion thereby of being humbled before the Lord. As all the good that by divine providence is done to us so all the good done by us should ever give us occasion of further mortification of abasing ourselves in the sight of God Thus it was with David in his free offerings for the Temple 1. Chron. 29.14 Solomon when the Temple was built 1. Kin. 8.27 Such is the greatnes of the Lord above our works that in respect of the infinite reward we may say as Barzillai to David Thy servant will goe a little way with the King why should the King recompense it me with such a reward 2. Sam. 19.36 All that we have and doe for God is of his owne that he hath first given us 1. Chron. 29.14.16 these gifts of his in our best use of them in the best workes we doe are still so polluted that we have ever cause to acknowledge with shame the filthines of our righteousnesses Esa 64.6 Phi. 3.8.9 ever have a gracious respect unto them that sigh cry for the abominations committed by other men Ezek. 9.4 This was observed by Lot 2. Pet. 2.7.8 by Moses Exod. 32 19-32 Num. 16.4 and others with him Num. 14.5.6 by David Psal 119.136.139.158 by Ezra chap. 9.2.3 by Nehemiah ch 13.7.8 by Paul Rom. 9.1.2.3 2. Cor. 11.29 12.21 by Christ Iesus Mark 3.5 Luk. 19.41.42 And the contrary is made a signe of a wicked man no man is truely greeved for his owne sinne that is not touched with greefe for the sins of others for seeing God is dishonoured our neighbour wounded thereby it must needes be a signe that such have neither love of God nor pity of their neighbour Ier. 36.23.24.25 Prov. 14.9 k Thus doe the evils of sinne call for greefe and sorrow besides these the evils of punishment the afflictions calamities tribulations in the world doe also lead unto mortification Thereby God breakes the pride of man withdraweth him from his evill course Iob 33.16.17 by his chastisements God humbles the heart of men makes them submit unto his yoke Ier. 31.18.19 theÌ„ is the case most miserable when they are least regarded Prov. 27.22 Men are warned of God to mortify sin not onely by greater afflictions but even by the lesser sort also for there are two kindes of them a light touch a heavy hand Esa 9.1 There is a wonderfull variety in Gods dealings this way sometimes the touch is so easy gentle that it is scarse felt men are scarse able to say whether there be a paine in it or no they have such light aches of the head the belly the bones such small reproches and losses that they are hardly sensible of them As a loving mothersmites her child sometimes so softly gently that it doth not appeare whether she be angry or not even so doth our most loving God deale oftentimes with his children Iob 33.14.15 with ch 7.14 Mat. 10.30 but though the stroke be most milde gentle yet they that are wise will make use of it Prov. 17.10 Though there be an hundred degrees of difference in Gods visitations some of them like a fillop onely or a lifting up of the hand yet no stroke a striking but yet no smart or easy to be borne as it were with a rod of rushes yet all of them are a push or thrusting with the finger for our admonition and at every such thrusting or pinching we are called unto the acts of pride of life Looke upon death see how it layes the heads of the proudest men in the world they that were before as starres the sonnes of the morning have then the wormes spread under theÌ„ over them become like broken vessels in the land of oblivion Esa 14.11.12 What availeth it to be praysed a while by the stinking breath of flatterers when afterwards their names shall rotte among men Pro. 10.7 like those bones of the great meÌ„ in Israel that should be for dung upon the face of the earth Ier. 8.1.2 or if they be praysed by men after their death in their writings chronicles what will this profit them when their sins are written with a pen of iron with the point of a diamond Ier. 17.1 when those bookes shall be opened in the secoÌ„d death Rev. 20.12 what though their sepulchers be paynted covered with golden letters when at the second death their soules shall be cast into the bottomlesse pit into the oven of hell where the proud they that doe wickedly shall be burned up consumed Mal. 4.1 CHAP. VI. Touching Vivification or quickening of the new man The nature necessity thereof in generall a Six degrees of vivification 1. A new disposition or habit of quickening grace 2. Motions of spirituall life in the understanding judgment memory 3. Affections of love joy desire c. 4. Renewing of the will 5. Workes of righteousnes true holines 6. Ioyful thanksgiving in the apprehension of all the former graces of life b The inward meanes of vivification The Spirit of God bringing us unto Christ working in us the graces of Faith Hope Love c The outward meanes The primary ordinances the Word Prayer Sacraments Discipline d The secondary a holy Feast and a holy Watch e Ordinances of a third degree Vowes and Covenants f The workes of Creation Providence FRom the Mortification of the old man come we now to the Vivification of the new man It is not possible that these two can be severed if any man be in Christ he must be a new creature 2. Cor. 5.17 Gal. 6.15 borne againe of the Spirit by this new birth made partaker of a new spirituall life Ioh. 3.3.5 The Lord that is rich in mercy through his great love wherewith he loveth his elect quickeneth them together in Christ Eph. 2.4.5 The feeling of this new life is a preparative unto death and a preservative against all the terrours thereof and

if we performe the like offices of love respect unto the poore servants of Christ we shal be fitter to goe with comfort into the society of Angels They that thus goe out of the world beforehand by leaving the fashions thereof become childreÌ„ againe shall have a more comfortable entrance into the kingdome of heaven Matt. 18.3 As new borne babes here on earth are first taken up by one then by another are delivered from one friends armes to another every one striving to have them in their armes to kisse them so the souls that are borne into heaven are translated by death first into the bosome of Angels carying theÌ„ then into the bosome of Abraham the Saints receiving them every one imbracing them with kisses of heavenly love above all into the bosome of the Lord of glory there to be satisfyed with his love in fulnesse of joy for evermore Esa 40.11 Psal 16. l. VI. Another work whereby men are prepared to die with comfort is the visitatioÌ„ of the sick others that are in misery For the promise is that he that considers the poore or visits the afflicted shall himself be preserved and delivered in time of trouble the Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing he wil make all his bed in his sicknes Psal 41.1.2.3 By visiting the sick men both minister comfort unto others receive comfort themselves First they give comfort and minister a blessing unto those that are in distresse Thus to visit the fatherlesse the widowes in their affliction is pure religion undefiled before God and the Father Iam. 1.27 Onesiphorus is commeÌ„ded for this Paul prayes heartily for him because he sought him out when he was in prison refreshed him ministred many things unto him 2. Tim. 1.16.17.18 Iob noteth the excellency of this wheÌ„ he joineth him that coÌ„forteth the mourners with a king even in the army when he useth greatest authority Iob 29.25 Whatsoever is done unto the least member of Christ in this kinde he takes it as done unto himself therefore such shall be remembred honoured by him at the last day Matt. 25 34-40 Secondly by visiting those that stand in need of comfort men doe also receive instruction comfort unto themselves Eccl. 7.2.3.4 2. Kin. 13.14.15 c. Though we may not inquire at the dead Deut. 18.11 yet at the dying we may learne many wholesome lessons as of repentance from their complaints of their sins bewailed of faith from their joyfull professions of their hope the examples of their constancy and of our owne mortality frailety from their strength languishing their pale countenances their dimme eyes their faltering tongue their ratling throat their panting heart their short breaths their painfull convulsions the last pangs sneckes of death all the symptomes of death are so many warnings unto the living to watch and prepare for their end Whosoever would be well prepared for death let them often repaire to such mourning houses let them so visit others in these cases that withall they see learne themselves that which God doth there so plainely teach them That which Elias sayd unto Elisha wheÌ„ he had prayed for a double portion of his spirit If thou see me when I am taken from thee it shall be so unto thee 2. Kin. 2.9.10 may in some measure in another respect be sayd unto us wheÌ„ seeing others taken away that very act with the circumstances of their departure is a meanes to increase the spirit in us yea to double our care comfort in looking for our end VII Lastly it is also a work preparatory unto death to have our testament Wil in readines that we need not be troubled therewith at last When the message of death was sent unto Hezekias he was called upon to set his house in order Esa 38.1 Abraham was carefull to settle the affaires of his house and family before his death as appeares by his disposing of Isaak in marriage Gen. 24.1.2 c. his giving gifts to the sonnes of Keturah his second wife sending them away Gen. 25.6 But the cheef part of testaments legacies are godly exhortations charges and blessings which parents give unto their children This was Isaaks care long before his death though he forgot the oracle that had assigned the blessing unto the younger Gen. 27 1-4 Isaak was then an hundred yeares old Gen. 25.26 with ch 26.34 he lived in all an hundred fourscore yeares Gen. 35.28 so that his testament his blessing was giveÌ„ fourescore yeares before he dyed Iacob gave speciall charges blessings unto his sonnes before he died Gen. 47.29 48. 49. ch Thus did Moses with the children of Israel Deut. 33.1 c. and Ioshua Iosh 23. 24. ch Thus David also in a solemne assembly exhorteth the people especially his sonne Solomon to feare the Lord encourageth him unto the work that was to be done after him 1. Chron. 28.1.8.9.10 Solomon had also received instructions from his mother to the same purpose which he himself hath recorded Prov. 31. ch In speciall the more to affect children friends by exhortations promises and comforts I would commend unto fathers friends the example of Elijah the Prophet who in his life time made a writing which he procured to be delivered unto Iehoram after his death 2. Chron. 21 12-15 with 2. King 3.11 thus there may still be a prophesying after death though not by way of foretelling things to come yet by charges admonitions consolations which being left with executours or speciall friends together with other devises noted in the Scriptures together with the grounds thereof their faith hope love Simeon rejoyceth at the approch of his end Luk. 2.29.30 where we may observe the reasons before named mooving him thereunto his faith in having seen the salvation of the Lord which was grounded upoÌ„ the word of promise produced peace of conscience his hope when he calleth death a departing or loosing froÌ„ bonds for it is the same word that elswhere signifyes to loose or release a prisoner Mat. 27.15.17 his love of God when he calles himself his servant Paul also had a desire to depart upon these three grounds his hope Phil. 1.23 his faith love 2. Tim. 4 6.7.8 And as these so other faithfull servants of Christ have also for the same causes earnestly desired to be absent from the body to be present with the Lord. 2. Cor. 5.1.2.8 2. Tim. 4.8 with Rev. 22.20.17 a Yet for the better understanding of this poynt somewhat must be further coÌ„sidered to prevent a double danger both of some that seeme not to feare death of others that confesse they feare it The first sort are those that despise their life cast it away without being calld of God These deny the Lordship of Christ because that as no man should live to himself so none should die to himself but to the

Lord that whether we live or die we may be the Lords Rom. 14.7.8.9 This murder of a maÌ„s self is a grievous sin of which are guilty not onely such as lay violent hands on themselves but even those also that rashly expose themselves to unnecessary dangers combatants rash adventurers such as without a calling or any necessity goe to infectious places which are as the shadow of death As souldiers set to keep watch may not leave their station till the time appointed of their Captaine no more may we offer to depart hence untill we be dismissed or called away of our Commander Every man is bound to preserve life so long as by good meanes he can doe it or els he breakes the sixth coÌ„mandemeÌ„t In like manner doe many offend by impatience vaine wishes of death Ion. 4.3.8.9 whether they doe it without sense having obdurate and feared coÌ„sciences or with extremity of seÌ„se without faith as in thoughts of despaire b Secondly this poynt of doctrine touching the feare of death is wisely to be considered in respect of many weake and infirme persons which have true faith hope love and yet are not so ready to selves feeling some present unpreparednes for the recovery of their strength that they may in better manner be fitted to appeare before God Psa 39.13 As a faithfull loving wife having had her husband long absent in a farre countrey or a spouse her bridegroome though she cannot but long for his returne yet if it should so fall out that about the time of his returne she should have the yellow jaundies or some greevous sore and deformity in the face would wish that her bridegroome might stay a week or two loÌ„ger till her sores were healed her strength recovered or as a Nobleman that unfainedly desires that his Prince should come to his house may yet in respect of some want of reparations in his house desire and wish in his heart that the Kings comming might be deferred a while till his house were repaired even so the spouse of Christ and his faythfull servants though they love him dearely desire nothing so much as to enjoy his presence to the full may yet sometimes wish that his comming might be prolonged for some space of time till they be in better plight to entertaine him Secondly they may be loth to depart this life in respect of others for their benefit insomuch that though for their owne part they have an unfained desire to be dissolved yet for the good of others they are content desirous to live as a parent for his childrens education a Prince for the reformation a Minister for the instruction of the people in dangerous times Thus it was with Hezekiah Esa 38.18.19 Paul Phill. 1 21-24 d And yet even in all these distresses when death approcheth God calles meÌ„ away there is comfort against every want Christ makes supply of all if there be any blemish sore or deformity he is such a bridegroome as suddenly heales all and presents us to himself without spot or wrinckle or any such thing Eph. 5.27 He is the father of the fatherlesse the great Shepheard of the sheep Heb. 13.20 he will gather feed defend his flock he hath abundance of spirit whereby to fulfill all his good pleasure he is all in all Hezekias had great desire to live to see his children to teach them and yet behold when God had prolonged his life added unto his dayes fifteen yeares presently he offeÌ„ds heares a woeful threatning of judgmeÌ„t Esa 39.6.7 Yea Manasses his sonne whom he got three yeares after his recovery and who entred into the kingdome when he was twelve yeares old Hezekias his fifteeÌ„ yeares being expired became a most abominable Idolater murderer witch c. 2. Kin. 21.1.2 c. Had Hezekias knowne so much wheÌ„ he desird to live loÌ„ger to teach his children it is not likely that he would have bene so desirous of life Therefore if God call us away we must be content to depart whatsoever inconveniences be in the way consider how great a fault sin it is to be unwilling to goe at his call e To this end it will be profitable to think often of the greatest hindrances and encumbrances in death yea to consider of them as if we were now upon our death-bed lay presently a dying gasping for breath that we may learne to arme ourselves against all lets difficulties that make men unwilling to leave this world For example Obj. I. Some are happily loth to leave the world because of their friends kinred children acquaintance c. whose company they still desire to enjoy Ans For one friend whom we leave here we finde a thousand in heaven For I. Of men in this world we see but one as it were our owne generation and of this generation not the thousandth person we never saw all the countries of the world scarce heard of them much lesse their cities townes particular persons II. Of those we have seen we know not one city much lesse are we acquainted with all the inhabitants there are many from whom we receive no love nor any fruits of love yea some that proove our enimies from whom much evill is received III. For that small number of those that are our true friends indeed how weake are they in comparison not so amiable in soule or body by an hundred degrees as those to whom we goe IV. If men on earth were as gracious vertuous unblameable as in heaven yet in this earthly condition our communion with them is most imperfect defective lame in respect of present necessities layd upon us as 1. Our drossy nature whereby we are like snailes cannot travell about the world in such swift and glorious motions as in heaven 2. Our many trades and vocations binding men like prisoners to sit the whole week at their work confining them to their severall imployments The world is like a Rasp-house or Bridewell where by the rod of necessity men are made to work the twigs or cords of this whip are hunger thirst cold nakednes the smart and shame of these doth scourge force men to labour thus it is with men here in respect of heaveÌ„ where there is no hindrance from continuall making of acquaintance 3. Our wearines sleepy nature making us spend our nights in the shadow of death as dead men whereas in heaven there is no night no shadow of the earth which reacheth little further theÌ„ the sphere of the Moone and therefore is farre from causing any darknes in the third heaveÌ„s in the paradise of God What darknes or night can approch thither where al the righteous shine as the Sun for ever Matt. 13.43 4. The weaknes of our senses bodily communion whereas here two soules sitting together caÌ„not impart their mindes to one another without the outward organs instruments of sense there the spirits

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