the power and the glory for euer and euer Amen A Consolation or Remedie against the Mourning that may befall vs by the decease of our friends IT is a commendable custome that after any buriall the neerest friends returne to the Funerall house to comfort those that suruiue Wee in like manner hauing giuen some admonitions to the departing would faine heere minister some comfort to the liuing Not that we can imitate those prouident comforters who like Spirituall Physitians first diligently feele the pulse of their Patient and as by it they discerne and finde the disease prescribe accordingly some remedies for we know no mans disease in particular But wee will onely endeauour as faithfull Apothecaries to prepare some good matter out of the which the afflicted may chuse what they suppose most needfull for themselues Lamentation ouer the dead First then I say that it is neither vnseemely nor vngodly to be sorrowfull at any ones departure and to lament for the same Wee haue the examples of our Fore-fathers Gen. 23.2 Abraham mourned for Sarah and wept for her Iacob put on sackcloath Gen. 37.35 and mourned for his sonne many dayes when hee supposed his Ioseph had beene dead 2 Sam. 2.32 King Dauid and all the people wept at the Graue of Abner Yea Israell penned mournfull Ditties 2 Chro. 35.25 at the death of their Kings And among the first Christians the deuout men made great lamentation for the death of Stephen Acts 1.2 Euen the Sonne of God whether the death of Lazarus moued him Ioh. 11.35 or rather his sisters sorrowes wept with the weeping Rom. 2.15 Wee reade likewise Num. 20.29 that the lamenting for Moses and Aaron lasted each of them thirty dayes Deut. 34.8 On the embalming of Iacob they beslowed fourty dayes Gen. 50.3 Yea the Egyptians mourned threescore and tenne dayes And very fitly doth a man take the time of certaine dayâ—s to ease his heart of the burthen of griefe it surchargeth it by lamenting and weeping For this disease hauing so passed the worst is then the easier to be cured The sorrowfull finding himselfe wearied out by ouerlong mourning giues way the more willingly to comfort Which indeed ought not in due time be neglected but willingly accepted For though the first grâ—efe be not condemnable yet is the continuance thereof hurtfull For of heauinesse commeth death Ecclus 38.18 and the heauinesse of the heart breaketh strength sayes Iesus Syrachs sonne Remedies against sorrow The Remedies to bee vsed against this are either externall or internall The externall are foure-fold To wit a new ioy as Isaac after the death of his moâ—her conceiued at the fiâ—st approaching of his bride Rebecca Gen. 24.64 Or otherwise greater vnexpected sorrowes as when a woman doth lament the decease of a childe and presently after is bereaued of her dearely beloued husband Where neither of these two fall out there at last is all sorrow by time it selfe at length consumed or at the last vndoubtedly by death which is a sure Physitian for all diseases But these things are not within our power or reach And therefore the internall remedies are most profitable for vs which are two-fold to wit humane reason and the word of God The one teacheth vs not to be amazed at the losse of any kinde of thing which we knew could bee taken from vs at any time The other witnesses vnto vs that we say dayly and ought to say contentedly Our Father thy will be done Math. 6.10 This will of our heauenly Father if so be we be his children must bee the guide and gouernour of all our affections Wee must consider that whatsoeuer pleases him is best for his childrens welfare He hath appointed for each one his Mare in wedlocke his louing Parents his deare children his comfortable friends his trusty seruants and hath linked them in loue together But when when hee knew that it was needfull for them For how long time for so long as it was conuenient for them both And he that hath created all continueth Lord of all Hee giueth not his right to man euen in the smallest creature Hee doth but lend vs one to another Whensoeuer therefore hee shall demand his owne whether it bee wife childe or friend wee ought as to the owner willingly to surrender it vnto him againe And if we haue on them so set our affection which ought to be limited by Gods appoinâ—ed time as to things perpetually to continue wee ought to lament not any mans departure but our owne misreckoning Doe wee not know that Gods verdict Dust thou art Gen. 3.19 and vnto dust thou shalt returne must stand firme and be made good vpon Adam and all his posterity If any body should take great delight in the greene boughes and flourishing fruit of his Orchard would wee not esteeme him a very simple and silly person if he should vexe and pine away for griefe when the Winters frost came and destroyed them How then can hee be deemed very wise that troubles himselfe when he sees this earthly flesh which as the Prophet cries out is all but grasse Esay 40.6 to wither away This is the only difference of the Winters frost the certaine time is knowne where of Deathes approach the certaintie is well knowne but not the time When it pleaseth GOD but to call and say Returne Psal 90.3 we must on and finish our course in this world Wee then that heare and see this and also know that although the body wither yet the soule of the faithfull enters into eternall blisse ought to take heede we sorrow not 1 Thes 4.13 euen as others doe which haue no hope But considering that we haue beside this woâ—ted sorrow many other particular occasions also of griefe and sorrow and that euery one doth iudge his owne the greatest we will in briefe touch some of them and endeauour withall to finde out some special remedies for them Especiall occasions of sorrow The occasion then of our mourning is two-fold to wit either in respect of the deceased or in respect of our selues In respect of the deceased we sorrow for three reasons either because hee dyed in his childhood or because hee was taken away and brought vnto his end by some mischance or thirdly because we feare he dyed in his sinnes That which respecteth our selues hath also three reasons To wit either because his company was deare vnto vs Or because his helpe was very necessary vnto vs Or lastly because we had not sufficiently reconciled our selues vnto him First 1 Occasion wee bewaile our children as fruites not yet ripe too soone plucked from the tree as though this did not agree with Gods ordinance Yet we know that our Gardners doe not set all plants to the intent they should all bring their fruites to maturitie neither is it fitting they should so doe They let the Mustard and the Fennell stalke produce
giuen warning of it should touch Mount Sinai Exod. 19.4 while the Lord was on it should cast himselfe into the mouth of death Euen as now if any man of set purpose commits some haynous offence lyable to punishment of death by the lawes of the land is it not his owne fault that hee is bereaued of life Hee can accuse no body for it but himselfe And therefore the holy Scripture so oft repeates it His blood be vpon his owne head 2 Sam. 1.16 that is to say the fault is his owne and it is good reason hee should suffer for it Wherefore also God doth not iudge or examine our workes whether they be good or bad by that his secret counsell which hee hath not reuealed vnto vs. But his Iustice requires that hee should reward the well-doers and punish the offenders according to that law and that his good pleasure which hee hath reuealed vnto vs all Hee hath manifestly commanded Exod. 20.15 Thou shalt not kill According to which law he wills also that who so slayes a man Deut. 27.24.25 shall be put to death And withall he causeth him to be accursed that takes reward to slay an innocent person If God then cause the murtherer to be executed as guilty of another mans death who dares oppose and say that Gods decree of the dead mans time could suffer him to liue no longer Should wee not rather say that he is pittifully deceased before his time Not before that time which the omniscient GOD in his secret counsell hath appointed for euery one in particular but before that time which hee hath ordained for humane nature in generall Which time was before intimated vnto vs out of the ninetieth Psalme Hence that Iesus Syrachs sonne dares say Ecclus. 50.24 That enuie and wrath shorten the life and carefulnesse bringeth old age before the time Thus also was it told Iob that wicked men are cut downe out of time Iob 14.5 though hee himselfe was certaine that God had appointed man his bounds But it is not for vs saith the Apostle to know the times and seasons Act. 1.7 which the Father hath put in his owne power For indeed to speake properly according to the nature of God his de-vnitie hath no partition of times Wee must behold one yeare after another and when wee haue attained to the second the first is fled away from vs. But all our times and all things that are done in euery one of them stand and abide perpetually together in Gods sight So that betweene his ordering and our accomplishing there is before him no succession nor starting away of any time With him there is neither yesterday nor to morrow but eternally to day Yet will we not here deale further with these mysteries but learne of Moses Deut. 27.29 That the things that are reuealed belong vnto vs and our children And it is fitting that wee submisly containe our time-accounts within the limits of our owne apprehension Our Lord Iesus when the Romane Gouernour told him that he had power to crucifie him and power to release him Ioh. 19.11 did not oppose him but in his answer confessed that this power was giuen him from aboue All this then being pondered wee must iudge according to Gods law and freely conclude that a man may sometimes prolong or shorten his owne or another mans life And in that respect following the phrase of Iob Dauid and the sonne of Syrach we may well say that such a man is departed before his time If the our life and death be in our power and if affections haue thus their free course how is Gods decree then fulfilled at his appointed time Surely most precisely and euen by our owne deedes though oftentimes without our knowledge yea sometimes against our will Whereupon the Euangelist sayes after the rehearsall of the slaughter of the Infants at Bethleem that then was fulfilled that which was spoken by the Lord. Math. 2.17 And as touching this matter it is with vs euen as with a streame that retaines his naturall and free course though by the Miller it be vsed to driue his Mill which hee conueniently grindes his wheat by which within dores he hath thereunto ordered Yea if any body should wickedly pâ—wre out a deale of stinking water into this streame or should altogether poyson the same this offence deserues punishment yet the naturall descent of this durtie and poysoned water will grinde the Millers corne and not infect his meale with any kinde of pollution Euen so doth God vse and steere all our both good and bad actions to his preordained though in respect of vs concealed from vs intents Gods prouidence doth not excuse mans wickednesse But doth not this preordination of God then patronize all mans misdeedes God forbid Gods prouidence is no cloake for mans iniquity If a Fencer should finde his skilfull Scholler at his weapon with some vnskilfull Clowne he soone could perceiue that hee would be the death of him Yea he sees the stroke falling as wee may say and therefore he sharply prohibits and threatens his Scholler Howbeit the Scholler notwithstanding waâ—ching for his best opportunity findes it and giues the other his mortall wound Shall this make him guiltlesse to his Master if hee tell him that this of necessity must so chance because hee vndoubtedly foresawe it Yea moreouer if hee vpbraide his Master that it was in his power to haue laide him fast in fetters and so if it had pleased him to haue hindred that murther might not his Master deseruedly answer him thus If thou hadst beene a beast I would haue curbed thy body with chaines but I would vse thee like a man that ought to keepe his Spiriâ— in orderly subiection and to this intent haue I vsed all manner of conuenient meanes with thee as by entreaties by lawes by threatnings Hast thou neglected all those and wilt â—hou not be ruled vnlesse thou be curbed as a wilde Beare I will lay hands then on thee and punish thee as a beast Should not this young Fencer be faine to confesse that he had deserued this fierce vsage Indeede much lesse can any man excuse his misdeeds by laying the fault on GODS prouidence or conuinencie Or say that God out of our euill can extract good yet is man forbidden Rom. 3.2 to doe euill that good may come thereof For behold though the enuie of the Pharises the betraying of Iudas and the iniustice of Pilate were meanes of bringing to passe by the cruell death that they put Christ vnto mans reconciliation in such a manner and at such a time Act. 4.28 as Gods counsell had before determined it should bee done Yet doth our Sauiour neuerthelesse cry Mar. 14.21 Woe vnto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed He was not onely punished according to his deserts but was also most miserably his owne executioner But was not this also Gods worke It was and
with all the Inhabitants Annâ— 14â—1 A flood drowned in Holland threescore and twelue Villages with whole housholds inhabiâ—ing the same And shall we then for our selues bee so grieued whereas each of vs is but one silly man And yet aboue all 4 Reason Death is Gods will we haue no reason to disturbe our selues in that which is Gods will and pleasure Hee hath set a law to all his creatures which they must obay Psal 148.6 Immediatly after the Creation he spake to man and said Earth thou art and to earth thou shalt returne Gen. 3.9 Therefore well saith Salomon All liuing know that they shall dye Eccl. 9.5 When God onely saith Returne yee children of men singeth Moses they are carried away as with a flood Psal 90.3.5 as a sleepe and as grasse that is withered Feare not death saith the sonne of Sirach for remember that this is the sentence of the Lord ouer all flesh Eccl. 41.5 of them that goe before thee and of them that come after And why art thou against the pleasure of the most high Let it suffice vs to know that it is Gods commandement and that he is alwayes entirely good 1 Sam. 15.22 and that obedience to him is better then Sacrifice This is the fourth reason why wee ought not to shunne death Especially because though wee neuer so much shunne it yet cannot we escape it but must some time or other will we â—ill wee fall into its clawes If there be then a necessity what folly is it to wrastle against God and his ordinance It must needes bee easier quietly to walke towards our end then to suffer our selues to bee dragged to it by force And although we see the yeares of antient folkes sometimes prolonged and of the younger sort shortned or by misfortune as it may seeme cut off yet must we not therefore wrangle with our Creator about it as if it were contrary to reason and nature But say with Christ when hee thanked his father that hee reuealed to children that which he kept secret from the wise and prudent which seemes both to oppose nature and humane reason Euen so Father because it seemed good in thy sight Luk. 10.21 That then which is pleasing vnto him who is onely wise and good and our father also must needes seeme good vnto vs. He that hath brought vs into this world Selfe murther is vnlawfull not when it seemed good vnto us but when it pleased him hath also good reason to take vs from hence when it shall be so pleasing vnto him We are all his creatures and belong vnto him and euery one from him possesseth his body as a needfull and pretious pledge of his loue committed on trust vnto him for a while And although we must alwayes be ready to restore the same when the owner shall please to demand it yet in the meane while ought we not either carelesly to loose or vnthankfully to cast away this creature of God Although the Stoical Philosophers doe terme a mans killing of himselfe the opening of a doore through which euery one may freely out-runne the miseries of this life Lib. 3. Yet did Aristotle better consider this matter who shewes that the murthering of a mans selfe to eschew any calamity or sorrow doth not argue any valour but cowardise rather If God by many trialls here will haue vs trained to fortitude let vs then not resemble peeuish children who as soone as they are but chidden in their first Schoole runne presently whining out of dores Wee must shew our selues men and as valiant Souldiers stand on our guard in this world against all dangers As also continue constant in cold heat hunger thirst as long as it shall please our Generall to place vs there None of vs saith the Apostle liueth to himselfe Rom. 14.7 therefore whether wee liue or dye we are the Lords If all of vs then are the Lords it is a point of great iniustice for any of vs according to our owne will to kill himselfe Which sinne is therefore iustly deemed the more damnable for that the man that murdereth himselfe after the committing of the sin hath not any time of repentance It is our duty therefore wholy to referre the length of our life and did meanes of our death to the will of God that so in both wee may alwayes with a good conscience say vnto him Math. 6.10 Our Father thy will be done Yet many doe not shunne death in respect of dying but in respect of the condition wherevnto death bringeth them Let vs likewise therefore consider this their future estate foure manner of wayes and ponder each of them seuerally 1. Obseruation concerning the body First some feare the future misery of their body when it shal be separated from the soule We must to this purpose vnderstand that the dead in holy Writ are sometimes said to sleepe and sometimes to rest The one seemes to be in respect of the body the other of the soule Iob ioyneth them together wheÌ„ he wisheth that his mothers wombe had bin his tombe For now should I saith hee haue luine still Iob 3.13 and bene quiet I should haue slept then should I haue beene at rest And very fitly is the death of the body compared to sleepe for euen as man at euery finishing of the Sunnes compasse is subiect to this short sleepe euen so when his life hath compassed his course the long sleepe of death scases on him And as our bodies perceiue no vnquietnesse in the dayly sleepe in like manner shall they feele none in this long and last sleepe Hence Cato said very well Dist Cat. that sleepe is the image of death Apoph Eras Diogenes learned of Homer to call sleepe and death brothers If then they bee like the one to the other wee haue no reason to shunne the one more then the other And whosoeuer vnwillingly doth forgoe this body may well bee resembled vnto little children that are very loath to be vndrest that they might bee had to bed by times but being easily laide downe soone fall into a sweet sleepe If sleepe then be sweet to the body while wee sleepe and if a man sleâ—ping counts no time nor tells any houres but those wherein hee commit himselfe to sleepe and those wherein her doth awake what neede he to care how much â—â—n he spend in sleeping whether they he shall sleepe seauen houres in his bâ—d or seauen ages in his graue And whilest hee thus counes no time there remaines for him betweene death and sleepe no difference at all Wherfore then should he abhorre the one more then the other Now concâ—rning the corruption of our body it is an old saying the corruption of one thing Aristotle is the generation of another Our body is but changed againe into the same elements whereof it was at first created by GOD when by him a liuing breath was blowne into it
sowed whether it be corruption Gal. 6.7 or euerlasting life If so be then that any one feares that heauenly Iudge by whom the dead are Iudged according to their workes Apoc. 2â— 1â— what is this to death To sowe and to worke are properties of life not of death and therefore ought euery one to tremble at his life not at his death Yet may some say it is naturall with Adam in Paradise for a man to hide himselfe so long as he can from Gods voyce It may be naturall but it is not auaileable For first we cannot by running so out-runne death but that it will ouer-take vs. Secondly though wee could here on earth prolong our life some fourty or fifty yeares yet it were but to small purpose Though a man liue sayes Syrachs sonne a hundred yeares Ecclus. 18.6 it is but as a drop of water vnto the sea and a grauell stone in comparison of the sand so are a thousand yeares to the day of eternity Therefore Iacob called his dayes of a hundred and thirty yeares Gen. 47. fewe and euill Thirdly the longer a worldling who chiefly dreads death with vexation shunnes it he doth not onely the longer liue here in paine but the more also he encreaseth the number of his sins and consequently drawes on him the fearefuller Iudgement Yea the burthen of dayly sinnes doth so graciously ouer-load the consciences of godly men that it euen makes them weary of this life and causeth them with St. Paul to cry out Miserable man that I am Rom. 7.14 who shall release me of this body of death But if any man shunne death and feareth the Iudgement as desirous of further time to amend his life hereafter let such an one know that he that deferres his amendment may as well growe worse aâ— better The first world obtain'd of God a hundred and twenty yeares toward their conuersion yet it nothing auayled them they were almost all drowned in the floud Gen. 6.3 Yea Enoch in the meane while he walked before God Gen. 5.24 God tooke him and hee was seene no more saith Moses lest that wickednesse should alter his vnderstanding or deceit beguile his soule sayes the booke of Wisedome So that the taking away of Enoch out of this world was a more certaine way for him to auoyde the fiercenesse of Gods Iudgement then if he had liued longer in danger of being misled Thus wee see then that death cannot be any hinderance vnto vs at the day of Iudgement and that in that respect wee haue no reason to feare it Seeing then that death is naturall and generall Conclusion and according to the will of God seeing that of its owne nature it can hurt vs neither in soule nor in body nor will suffer vs to long after terrestriall things nor shall be any hinderance vnto vs at the day of Iudgement We suppose that it is hereby sufficiently demonstrated that by nature it is not euill nor can any way preiudice vs. Therefore ought wee more to shunne the feare of death then death it selfe For once more and for the last to vse the words of a Philosopher commonly when we feare the death of the body and by all meanes shunne the same wee neglect altogether the death of the soule I conclude therefore with the fore-named words of Christ our Sauiour Feare not those that kill the body How our time is ordained by God and accomplished by man With which couragious speech we would faine here conclude but being that death doth assaile vs diuers manner of wayes and that it is a question ready almost in euery mans mouth whether a man can shorten his life or dye before his time wee will touch this in a word or two as an addition vnto our former discourse We say then with Iob Man hath his appointed time Iob 14.5 the number of his moneths is with God He hath set a limit that he must attaine and that he must not passe This diuine decree and immutable will is hid from mens eyes yet remaines constant and comes to passe at his due time Sometimes publiquely by the reuealed hand of GOD. Whereby he prolonged Lots Gen. 16.19 and his daughters liues by withdrawing them out of the Citie which he meant to consume with fire Sometimes by that which wee call chance though the hand of God be in it too For thus an arrowe shot at a uenture by a Syrian 1 Reg. 22.34 lighted betweene the ioynts of his harnesse and shortned the life of that King Of whom GOD had fore-told that hee should not returne home aliue Commonly through mans nature that causeth the weake in their youth to dye by sicknesse 2 Sam. 22.15 and sustaines the life of the strong till like a sheafe of corne they come into the barne in their season Iob 5.26 And likewise by diuers other meanes Sometimes God doth effect his secret decree by a publique prolonging or else a contracting of time When he granted time to the corrupt men of the first world which he would bring to naught of an hundred and twenty yeares Gen. 6.3 then this prolonging of time brought them to the vniuersall flood as it was before appointed by God Againe if for the Elects sake the dayes shall be shortned as many doe conceiue then shall this shortning bring the world to the vniuersall fire appointed by God Math. 24.22 And according to this reckoning of time man himselfe may sometimes be the meanes of prolonging his life Doth not God speake by Moses and to Salomon also Deut. 5.23 If you walke in my wayes so that you keepe my commandement 1 Reg 3.14 I will giue you long life Yea God puts the meanes of prolonging our life in our owne hands This was apparent in the wildernesse by the fierie Serpents whereas they were only saued and healed of their venomous bites that beheld the brazen Serpent The King Ezekias likewise obtained by his prayers and teares Numb 21.8 that God added vnto his dayes fifteene yeares 2 Reg. 20.6 Was not then his last day certainly preordained of God Yea but it was also his immutable good pleasure that the King should euen thus entreat and begge of him these last fifteene yeares And now also whosoeuer he be that through prayers Physick is releas'd of any sore disease hee ought not foolishly to boast that he should haue liued out his time that was appointed for him though he had not vsed the meanes but he ought rather freely to acknowledge that by these meanes his life hath beene prâ—serued Secondly man is sometimes also occasion of the shortning his dayes Hence it is that the Kingly Prophet said Bloudie and deceitfull men shall not liue out halfe their dayes Psal 55.23 And who will not say Sam. 31.4 that Saul and his Armour-bearer who stabbed themselues were an occasion of shortning their owne liues As also that whosoeuer after Moses had
wiser sort knowing that the Physitian thereby doth endeauour to recouer their health swallowe them without tasting them and let them worke in their body Euen so the Reprobates consider in their diseases nothing but the externall troubles and onely take care how they may be deliuered from them They are alwayes impatient murmuring against God if they looke so high at least or against them onely which God doth vse as instruments of their punishment Neither are they mollified hereby that they may returne vnto their God Though you should bray a foole in a Morter Pro. 27.22 yet will not his foolishnesse depart from him sayes the wise King And this was apparenâ— in the hard punished yet stil hard hearted Pharaoh Exâ—d â— 32 And Ahaz sayes the Scripture in his troubles trespassed yet more against the Lord. 2 Chro. 28 23. But the children of God on the contrary receiue thâ— blowe as from the hand of their Father and blame nothing more then their sinnes that deserue punishments as the cause thereof They know that God doth all things for their best and so haue their eyes fixed on the heavenly blisse promised to the patient that they thereby endure or swallow downe their paines much the easier And therefore they rather turne themselues to their God for the same King saith When the wise is rebuked he receiueth knowledge Pro. 21.11 Hee perceiueth that hee must part from his misdeedes Ion 2.2 Hee cryes vnto the Lord with Ionah in his affliction 2 Chro. 35.12 He beseecheth the Lord his God with Manasses in his distresse and humbleth himselfe greatly and his supplication is heard I haue sinned saith he with Dauid 2 Sam. 24.17 in his pestilence or in any other sicknesse And with the same Dauid hee is not ashamed afterwards to confesse that before hee was afflicted he went astray Psal 119 64. but now hee keepes GODS word To be short the visitations of the Lord be oft one and the same both to the good and to the bad but the euent is cleane contrary and may well be resembled vnto the accursed water which the Priest vpon occasion of the husbands iealousie gaue the women sometime to drinke This water was bitter in the mouth vnto all but being taken sayes the Scripture the defiled did swell of it Num. 5.27.28 but it could not hurt those that were cleane Yea the chaste ones gaue their husbands occasion by this triall to loue them better then before Wee reade in one selfe-same Chapter Act. 12.7 23 that the Angell of the Lord smote Peter and the Angell of the Lord smote Herode But the one was thereby raised vp and deliuered from death and the other gaue vp the ghost Euen so are the better sort by the hand of God raised vp out of the sleepe of sinne to be deliuered from eternall death and the wicked are consumed by their endlesse grudgings euen till their dying day This is then the difference Gods enemies endure the crosse indeede but reape no benefit thereby but paine and domage whereas Gods friends take their crosse from him and so beare it that these bodily paines turne to their good Rom 8.28 Now concerning the soule though we speake of it last Preparation of the soule yet ought we in our sicknesse first to begin with it following the example of the afore-named King Hee in his weakenesse did not first consult with the Physitians but turned his face from the people to the wall Esa 38.2 and there betweene God himselfe began to pray and ro rip vp his offences and to bewayle them And after that hee committed him to bee cured Dauid also first prayeth Deliuer me from my transgressions Psal 39 8.11 and afterwards remooue thy stroke away from me This order doth the sonne of Syrach fitly set before vs in foure parts Pray vnto the Lord. Cease to sinne Ecclus. 38.9 12. Make a fat offering and then giue place to the Physitian St. Iames the Apostle saith also Iam. 5.16 Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another that you may be healed Wee ought therefore in the first place yea before we can offer vnto God with a good conscience the calues of our lips as Christ by St. Mathew teacheth vs to endeauour to be reconciled to our brother who hath ought against vs. Math. 5.24 And to be ready to forgiue our neighbours all offences committed against vs. Secondly wee must also openly confesse our manifold transgressions as occasions of all sicknesses and say with Paul Rom. 7.15 What I would that doe I not but what I hate that doe I. And with Dauid wee must pray vnto God continually Psal 38. and promise with Ezechias vprightnesse of life Esay 38.10 Concerning the sacrifice Dauid confirmes it saying Blessed is hee that considereth the poore Psal 41.1 the Lord will deliuer him in the day of trouble This must the soule ruminate when man is surprized with sicknesse Moses knew well enough how much it behooued well to prepare the soule against death when hee said So teach vs to number our dayes Psal 90.12 that we may apply our hearts vnto wisedome That hee must dye and that his dayes were numerable nature taught him but considerately to meditate on death or day by day euen numbring them to prepare himselfe against the same that God must teach him of whom he requested it by prayer Our Lord Iesus Christ knowing how needfull this meditation would be vnto vs Necessity of speedy repentance and considering that many times we are so suddainly snatcht out of this world that wee haue no time once to thinke on ought ceaseth not to admonish vs that wee should be continually busied hereabout Teaching vs sometime by fore-warning vs as where he sayes Be yee ready Math. 24.44 for in such an houre as you thinke not the sonne of man commeth Sometimes by way of instruction Be yee your selues saith hee like vnto them that waite for their Lord Luk. 12.36 that when he commeth and knocketh yee may open vnto him immediatly And sometimes by similitudes as that of the fiue foolish Virgins Math. 25.10 that neuer went about to fuâ—nish their Lampes with oyle before they heard that the Bridegroome was comming And finally by fearefull examples of the dayes of Noah and Lot In which sayes the Scripture men were so busied with eating and drinking Luk. 17.26.28 marrying of wiues buying and selling planting and building that they did not thinke on their end vntill that first the flood of water and after that the fire rained downe from heauen and destroyed them all Which admonitions though they haue an eye to the suddaine comming of the day of Iudgement yet seeing that the temporall deaâ—h bringeth vs to that estate wherein the Iudge at the last day shall finde and confirme vs we are warned by Christ to be so well prepared against the
assault of this death that we through the same may not passe into the second and euerlasting death But if so be that those which spent their time in buying and selling and other lawfull affaires were so consumed in GODS wrath what may others expect that spend euen their whole time in things vtterly vnlawfull If those missed the right way how shall these enter into that gate which leades vnto eternall life which is so straight Math. 7.13 that fewe there be that finde it Or doth a man in his extreamity thinke to find some precious thing which in his strong health hee neuer looked after Doth hee thinke after his departure Royally to be entertained by that King with whom in his life time hee neuer sought to be acquainted This is somewhat too late and chanceth very seldome Let no man therefore continue in his impietie in hope to conuert himselfe to God on his death-bed This presumption is the most dangerous poyson that the deuill can minister to any man We must learne out of the holy Scripture that he that all his life-time hath beene a thorne-Bush or a Thistle doth not vsually afterwards bring foorth Figges or Grapes And that the tree that bringeth not forth good fruits Math. 7.16.19 is hewen downe and cast into the fire Therefore let vs with Iesus Syrachs sonne while wee are yet young ere euer we goe astray Ecclus. 51.13 desire wisedom openly in our prayers Humble thy selfe saith hee also before thou be sicke and in the time of sinnes shew repentance Let nothing hinder thee to pay thy vowes in due time and deferre not vntill death to be iustified Before thou prayest Ecclus. 18.21 c. prepare thy selfe and be not as one that tempteth the Lord. For it will not auaile a man afterwards with Balaam to wish to dye the death of the Righteous Num. 25.10 who hath not before with Iacob endeauoured to leade the life of the righteous Therefore Isaiah warnes vs and sayes Seeke you the Lord while he may be found Isaiah 55.6 For that words be but winde is here a true prouerbe Not euery one saith the Iudge himselfe that saith vnto me Math. 7.21 Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen but hee that doth the will of my Father which is in heauen Wherefore it seemes we may sooner in Christian charity feare the end of a carelesse man that onely calls and prayes to GOD at his last houre then of a godly man who in his extreamity by reason of a burning Feauer dyeth in a raging phrensie But is there no hope then of a sinfull mans repentance towards the last period of his life Yes certainly and that out of the very words of the afore-named Iudge Hee doth not shut out all those that haue not done his Fathers will as if it were too late to doe it at the last houre but those onely which doe not the will of the Father which is in heauen pointing as with his gracious finger to this that it is neuer too late to doe his Fathers will And this is his will that the wicked forsake his way and the vnrighteous man his thoughts Isaiah 55.7 and that hee returne vnto the Lord. That is that by earnest repentance hee continually striue to attaine vnto sincere conuersion which consisteth in an vnfained loathing of our deparauâ—d nature and hatred of all our transgressions and euill lustes And withall an earnest longing to be by Christ our onely Sauiour receiued sanctified and iustified And lastly to haue a constant purpose to vse all meanes throughout the whole course of our life though it yet should last-an hundred yeares to obserue all occasions for keeping Gods commandements And that not for feare of that punishment which shall befall all transgressours but out of that meere loue and affection which like good children wee beare vnto our heauenly Father And then saith the Prophet Will God be mercifull vnto vs Ier. 1â— â— for with him is much forgiuenesse We must then follow the example of the valiant Champions and wrastlers in olde time who for many dayes together before hand caused their bodies to be rubbed annointed and exercised yea tyed themselues to a certaine strict course of dyet and then they presented themselues so prepared in the famous Olympian games to fight or wrastle in open view for honour In like manner must wee long afore prepare our soules couragiously to fight with Death at the appointed time that when it assaile vs it may not hurt vs. 2 Point The armes or sting of death But how may we secure our selues against it By two manner of meanes Wee must disarme it and arme our selues We must diligently enquire wherewithall it can hurt vs and hauing found it out seeke to bereaue it thereof The Philistims were subtill enough to giue Sampson no rest till they had vnderstood wherein his great strength consisted As soone as his Philistine darling heard that it consisted in his haire she presently plaid the Barber and cut it off Then was Sampson weake as another man saith the Scripture Iudg. 16.17 Now wherein the power of Death consisteth the Apostle hath shewed to vs to wit in the sting this is the dart wherewithall Death peirceth our soules 1 Cor. 15.56 And this sting faith he are our sinnes Whosoeuer then will deale prudently and prouidently must endeauour to bereaue Death of this sting Not when it comes to struggle with him and when hee lyes on his death-bed for then it stingeth too deepe But hee must doe this before it comes to assaile him The ancient Poets faigned Faith in Christ that Pallas the Goddesse of wisedome bore a shield that turned all those that gazed on it into stone But wee know that the holy Apostle Paul who was a seruant of the Sonne of God the true wisedome of his heauenly Father hath shewed vs the true shield Eph. 6.16 wherewith wee may bee able to quench all the fierie darts of the wicked to wit in trusting in Iesus Christ This faith then is termed and is really the right shield against which the force of the hellish sting of death shall not bee able to preuaile though it assaile vs with as much fury as may bee For to commence at the beginning when the first man through infidelity did transgresse his Creators ordinance hee with all his future Progenie lost the right of being termed the Sonne of God And so cast himselfe and vs all who resemble him in dayly disobedience out of Gods mercy into his eternall wrath Wherein we should also haue remained for euer had not the diuine wisedome otherwise prouided This alone hath deuised a remedie and hath ordained that the eternall Sonne of God as the fittest person in Trinity to restore man vnto his lost title of a Sonne should assume humane nature And this not onely that therein hee might yeeld perfect obedience vnto God but for this end chiefly that he
might suffer that wrath and punishment which man by sinne had deserued and so satisfie Gods Iustice for mans transgressions All which in due time being fulfilled Ioh. 19 36. so many are now still acquitted before God as come to beleeue in him For he that beleeueth in him is not condemned Ioh. 3.18 but he that beleeueth not is condemned already This Sonne of God as a Lambe without blemish and without spot hath offered vp his pretious blood vnto God for vs 1 Pet. 1.19 saith St. Peter And thereby taketh he away the sinne of the world Ioh. 1.29 saith St. Iohn and consequently the sting of death 2 Tim 1.10 Yea death it selfe is abolished by his appearanee sayes St. Paul Whosoeuer then is thus armed with faith in his Sauiour Christ how caÌ„ death or its sting hurt him Hee that beleeueth on the Sonne 1 Ioh 3.36 hath euerlasting life as St. Iohn witnesseth Death indeed doth retaine its force to kill our naturall flesh with a dart but this Shield or Buckler so defends our soule that this dart cannot touch it Now what a comfort is this for a dying man that now wee may freely vse the words of the Apostle O Death where is thy sting 1 Cor. 15.55.57 O Graue where is thy victorie But thankes be to God which giueth vs the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ But many a one findes himselfe 3 Point but faint in faith Confirmation of weak faith How shall I know certainly thinkes hee whether I be one of those which God hath called chosen to enioy his gracious promises or of those thaâ— haue nothing to doe wiâ—h them A man mighâ— indeede here answere the Lord knoweth his 2 Tim. 2.29 And he that as St. Paul farther â—eacheth doth certainly feele the testimonie of the holy Ghost within him Rom. 8.15 may vndoubtedly assure himselfe of his saluation This is certaine and he that feeles this can haue not better inâ—â—ruction Yet will we endeauour to set these in the way to find true Christian comfort who through weaknesse of faith doe not feele such a testimonie in their sicknesse First then the Sauiour of the world giues vs this certaine token He that belceueth and is baptized shall be saued Mar. 16. â—6 but he that beleeueth not shall be damned Whosoeuer therefore findes himselfe to haue beene baptized in the name of God and besides hath often beene present at publique prayers and preaching of the word of God and beene inuited to the holy Sacrament may already hope that he thereby is called to the vniâ—ersall or at lâ—aâ—t to the visible Church of Christ And whosoeuer doth further perceiue in his heart that Gods spirit hath called him to his Church and doth beleeue that Christ his blood is sufficient for the wiping out of all his sinnes yea doth conceiuâ— that GOD himselfe doth proffer him his redemption if onely hee can but embrace it with stedfast faith the same though he cannot yet vndoubtedly beleeue it must know that God hereby sets saluation before his eyes And if we haue further found a continuall inclination in our selues to heare the word of God to obserue his commandements and as we said before to a true repentance of our negligence we may safely beleeue that wee are in the way which leades to Christ his sheepe-fold For he sayes himselfe My sheepe heare my voyce Ioh. 10.27 and I know them and they follow me Yea if we endeauour to imploy our selues in all good workes to be obedient to Christ we haue already some fruites of faith And if we haue the fruits wee must also haue the roote though yet couered with earth or with our earthly thoughts For we must assure our soules that the good Lord will 2 Chro. 30.19 pardon euery one that prepareth his heart to seeke God As King Hezekiah prayed for those Israelites that did eate the passeouer without due purification according to the Law As also St. Paul comforts and encourages the Corinthians saying If there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath 2 Cor. 8.12 and not according to that hee hath not Besides if wee feele in our conscience that God loues vs we may certainly conclude out of St. Iohns words that we are of those vnto whom God hath sent his Sonne to be a propitiation for our sinnes 1 Ioh. 4.10 And if besides we finde that we loue God we may also vpon St. Pauls word expect the things which God hath prepared for them that loue him 2. Cor. 2.9 And what is this but a token of our faith Wee may then yea must still cry out and pray with the childs father in the Gospell Mâ—r. 9.24 Lord I beleeue helpe thou mine vnbeliefe Assuredly trusting that as Iesus restored that mans Childe to his corporall health hee will also worke vpon our soule that cure that shall be effectuall to procur the saluation of it And if euer wee haue felt in our prayers especially being at deathes dore that the Spirit did beare witnesse with our spirit Rom. 8.16 that we were the children of God We may freely bee confident that this God his mercy remaines constant towards vs. For hee still continues the same towards them that doe not willingly for sake him Yea though our very conscience do witnesse against vs that with desire and greedinesse wee haue since that time committed many sinnes yet is it no small comfort if shee can also witnesse vnto vs that after the committing thereof we haue often cast our selues downe at Gods feete with true sorrow and repétance For this is indeed the fault condition of Gods children Nor can this true repentance proceede from any but from God who is the fountaine of all good If then he send vs true repentance hee endeauours our Saluation if hee endeauour it he will performe it God in his word bids vs Comfort the feeble minded 1 Thes 5.14.15 wee may therefore well beleeue that hee himselfe will doe it Let vs then as it followes there pray without ceasing 1 Pet. 1.13 and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought vnto vs at the Reuelation of Iesus Christ Comfort against the temptation of the deuill But if any man there be that cannot perceiue or feele in his soule a stedfast hope that his prayer is heard of GOD but finds himselfe deprest by meanes of his riotous and vnruly life he must not therefore giue himselfe ouer to despaire It is true indeede that Sathan our enemie who assaults euen the holiest minded men oft in their extreamitie hath sufficient matter to torment this miserable creature withall But shouldest thou marke iniquities Psal 130.3 O Lord who shall stand But there is forgiuenesse with thee The Lordour God is a mercifull God If we be sinners Deut. 4.31 wee are those that Christ came to redeeme For he came not to
a kinde mother her onely daughter whose affection is so exceeding that God makes it a question whether it be possible that a woman can forget her childe Es 49.15 It is really her owne flesh and blood And notwithstanding though shee dearely loue it if some good match bee offered though it were in a forraine Country howsoeuer out of a motherly affection she may seeke some delay and desire that the damsell may remaine with her yet some tenne dayes yet after mature consideration the answere is commonly Gen. 24.50.55 this thing commeth from the Lord take her and goe For she supposeth that shee shall bestowe her on a good husband If so bee then that a weake woman can let her liuing daughter that yet is and remaines flesh of her flesh depart from her because shee is desired of some earthly Bridegroome with more reason ought a man of spirit willingly to forgoe his deceased wife that now is no more called his flesh when her heauenly Bridegroome hath taken her vnto him Let vs then leaue off mourning and beare our solitarinesse patiently Which if it seeme hard vnto vs and that we loue our wife as our selfe Eph. 5.33 then must it bee more acceptable vnto vs that this estate of widdowhood is of the twaine rather befalne vs who by nature are the stronger and may seeke more pastime abroad then if the said condition had lighted on our wife on whom it would lye more heauy because that decencie constraines her to sit lamenting within dores But be it man or woman Let euery one in this estate say with Iob God hath giuen and God hath taken Iob 1.21 blessed bee the name of the Lord. Trusting that wee shall finde the comfort that we misse of our bed-fellow in GOD who hath taken him or her from vs. 5 Occasion Besides my loue may a widdow say I complaine of want For I with my children cannot be without the helpe of my deceased husband This indeede is a bitter sorrowe and therefore God himselfe seemes to haue compassion on her who commends her diuers times vnto vs in his word Yet not that then he first begins to take care of her for it is he alone that hath maintained her and her husband throughout the whole course of their liues And her husbands death hath not shortned his mercy Psal 118.1 â—36 1 for it endures for euer Yea it may be hee thus will demonstrate vnto vs that hee is cursed that trusteth in man Ier. 17.5 by this meanes to draw our hearts wholly to himselfe This wee learne in Ioseph when hee was forsaken yea banisht from all his kindred and friends for then euen then came he to be exalted and prouided for abundantly with all things And how chanced this The holy Scripture diuers times repeates the reason For the Lord was with Ioseph Gen. 39.2.21 sayeth it Let then the sorrowfull widdowes so behaue themselues as those that trust and surely beleeue that God is with them and they shall by diuers signes really perceiue Gods care ouer both themselues and their children Psal 34.10 for they that seeke the Lord shall not want any good thing saith Dauid Though the earthly father of her children be dead their heauenly Father liues yet Heb. 12.9 who hath called himselfe Psal 68.6 A Father of the fatherlesse and a Iudge of the Widdowes cause And did not hee prouide for that poore widdow of Sarepta 1 Reg. 17.14 abundance of sustenance euen when the richer sort were feeling witnesses of scarsitie Did not he marrie a poore Ruth vnto a rich famous Boos Ruth 4.10 and a wise Abigail to King Dauid 1 Sam. 25.41 To what end hath the holy Ghost left vs these and the like examples in holy writ Certainly for to teach all sorrowfull Widdowes and Orphanes that God can want no meanes to assist them and that they might laying their mourning aside wholly and stedfastly comfort themselues in his fatherly and prouident care Trust in GOD saith Dauid and hee will bring it to passe Psal 39.5 Lastly some man may finde himselfe troubled in conscience 6 Occasion by occasion of the death of some party because hee hath not reconciled himselfe with him This indeede is a pittifull and a heauy burthen in that therein we haue to deale with God for neglecting that which hee earnestly commandeth And yet is it not so heauie but that it may be lightned For though we had confessed our fault to the deceased the most that we could haue obtained from him was that he had forgiuen vs our offence with all his heart Now this indeede had beene good for himselfe For by forgiuing vs he should haue receiued forgiuenesse of his heauenly Father Math. 6.14 But doe we thinke hee could absolutely haue forgiuen vs No it is GOD himselfe onely that can remit vnto vs all our transgressions I euen I Is 43.25 am he that blotteth out all your transgressions saith he by Isaiah and to seeke to him it is neuer too late Wee doe not reade that Dauid made any moane because hee had neglected to reconcile himselfe vnto Vrias though it is like he did that too but the principall thing he minded was to call vpon God Wash me cleanse me Psal 51. against thee onely haue I sinned Let vs then confesse our sinnes vnto him and entreate forgiuenesse and be reconciled vnto him and so take away the occasion of this our heauinesse But we may yet come nearer home and make satisfaction to his heires for that wherein wee haue offended the deceased Besides if wee haue offended our deceased Parents in words or deedes wee haue a remedie at hand to wit that after the afore-said reconciliation made with God we doe good to their children That is that wee behaue our selues so religiously that our Parents may haue brought foorth in this world heires of the Kingdome of heauen And this is it that would not onely please God and our Parents best if yet they were aliue but that which is also most profitable for our selues Wherwith also we end Common comforts Yet ere we leaue wee would entreat euery one in generall that though it seeme harsh vnto them to be without the louely fellowship of their friends they would willingly submit themselues to Gods will and ordinance Wee must say with Ely It is the Lord 1 Sam. 3.18 let him doe what pleases him And if wee will be his seruants whatsoeuer hee doeth wee must like Againe we must neither expect nor desire to haue all things heere on earth according to our owne minde If this should be granted vnto vs these earthly things would cause vs to neglect the heauenly Our heauenly Father warnes vs by aduersity that wee should not fasten our mindes on earthly matters If hee did not visite vs in this manner wee should it may bee grow unmindfull of him who ought to be alone and alwayes