all have sinned A worthy Divine of our own doth solidly though briefly state that question viz. Whether man had not died if he had not sinned Or whether death be natural or accidental and doth evidently prove that mans life should have lasted as long as his obedience that man had never fallen into his grave if he had never fallen into transgression Hâ— died not because his nature was subject to corruption but because sin had corrupted his nature If he had not turned from God he had not returned to dust Man was wholly a stranger to death till acquainted with sin If he had continued in a state of innocency he had continued in a state of immortality Though Adam died not actually assoon as he fell yet he presently became mortal and liable to death for immediately upon his fall sentence was passed upon q Gen. 3.19 him Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return according to that r Gen. 2.17 Some say the Pope hath a book called Taxa camerae Apostolicae shewing the rate of every sin At what rate one may be drunk or swear or keepe an Whore law In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die As the Malefactour is a dead man in Law when the sentence is pronounced upon him though there be some time between his Condemnation and Execution so was man dead both in the decree and threatning of God when the sentence of death was denounced against him This word death alone implyeth at what rate man may sâ—n Death temporal which is the separation of body and soul death spirituall which is the separation of God and the soul in part and for a time eternal which is everlasting and total perdition from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power are the rate of sin and the sad fruits that grow on this root of bitterness Sin is the father of death but death like Senacherib's issue will at last destroy its Parent Sin in the body is like the Leprosie in the house which will not out till it be pulled down but when the body of the Saint shall be dissolved that body of death shall be wholly destroyed though there was some respite between it and his actual dissolution Now Magistrates sin therefore must die If you perform but that duty of much difficulty yet of absolute necessity of communing with your own hearts looking somtimes back upon your lives without question you will find beside your original depravation a numberless number of actual provocations I believe the best of you are too like the Egyptian Temple without fair and beautiful but within full of Serpents and Crocodiles Your lives possibly may be unblameable as to the eye of man but are there not seven abominations in your hearts 2 Cause is Physical the corruptibility of mans body Contraria inter se pugnant mutuo se destruunt Gen. 3.19 The second Cause of death is the corruptibility of Magistrates bodies this is the natural cause your bodies are corruptible It s now common to all Creatures mixt of Elements to be resolved into that out of which they were made Contrary qualities will for a time contend and at last destroy each other In the third of Genesis we read mans exodus viz. that he was dust in regard of his original production and shall be dust in regard of his ultimate resolution As the finest garment breedeth a moth and that moth eateth up the garment Physitians have a rule Vltimus sanitatis gradus est morbo proximus As the strongest tree breedeth a Worm and that Worm devoureth the tree So the fairest and strongest bodies breed such diseases as will at last consume them Eliphaz speaking of the highest men assureth us that their foundation is in the dust Now the stability of a building dependeth on the strength of its foundation Job 4.19 The Church is therefore immoveable because Christ her foundation is invincible Matth. 16.18 but our natural foundation being in the dust we cannot hold out long The house of mans body is walled and roofed with Earth and founded upon no better then dust The bodies of Magistrates have the same foundation The Psalmist speaking of a Prince saith Psal 146.4 that he returneth to his Earth As if his body could challenge no alliance to or propriety in any thing but Earth L. Cur. and Plut. in vit It is His earth Alexander the Great being wounded at the siedge of an Indian City said I have been told I am the Son of God but I see now I am liable to wounds and death as well as others 3. The supernatural cause of death is the appointment of Heaven It is appointed for all men once to die Heb. 9 27. 3 The Metaphysical cause is God's decree Some men yea most in the World die twice the second death hath power over them but all must die once The exception of one or two that were translated and of them that shall be found alive at the comming of Christ The greatest Landlords are but Tenants at God's will in these houses of clay will not make void this general rule Magistrates that Execute the Statute-law of men die by a standing Law of God When God is pleased to give sickness a warrant under the great Seal of Heaven it quickly executeth its Office and turneth men into Earth It is thus ordered in God's high Court that Judges and Justices who now sit on the Bench shall die and appear at his Bar. The Turkish Historian observeth that when the great Bassaes are feasting oftentimes there commeth a Messenger by order from the great Sultan and casteth a black Mantle over them and they are presently forced to submit to strangling So the proudest Potentates in the midst of their mirth are often surprized by a sudden distemper commissionated by God and sent to their long homes Vse by way of Inference that nothing can free from death I shall now draw some Inferences from the Doctrine First If Magistrates are mortal observe hence deaths prevalency and power above all the Priviledges and Prerogatives of nature Lib. 5. in conclusion of cap. ult It is a memorable Speech of Sir Walter Rawleigh Though God who loveth men is not regarded yet death which hateth men is quickly obeyed O mighty death O eloquent death whom no man could advise or perswade thou canst prevail with Take notice from hence that nothing in this World can priviledge a man against the arrest of death 1. Strength cannot First strength cannot all the strength and power which the gods have cannot free them from death Magistrates have civil strength as they are Magistrates the Command of whole Counties Kingdoms yea Empires in this respect it is that Magistrates are called Å¿ Tiâ—us 3.1 Principalities and Powers yet death hath power over them that hath power over others Alexander and Cesar that Conquered Countries and Kingdomes were conquered by
a mound of Earth The consideration that ye shall be turned into Earth should dead the Cannons of temptation which Satan shoots against yoir souls 1 Pet. 2.11 Plut. As pilgrims and strangers abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul Lycurgus made the first law that the dead should be buried about the temples intimating thereby that they which are dying should be very religious Nihil facit mortem malam nisi malum quod praecedit vel sequitur Nothing maketh death evil but the evil that goeth before it for without that no evil could follow after it I have read of one that gave a Ring with a deaths head to a young Ruffan upon this condition that he should meditate on it one hour every day for seven days together which he did and through the help of God it wrought a blessed change in him Take a turn or two daily in Golgotha walk often among the Tombs ponder frequently your own frailty it may much quicken you to walk exemplarily Your high places call for holy practices It s esteemed one of King Alphonsus his sayings That a great man cannot commit a little sin I must tell you As Cesar said That Cesar's wife should be without all suspition of fault ye have many following you either to Heaven or Hell in the narrow or broad way ye had need to choose a right path Great mens vices are as seldom unaccompanied as their persons Dives was a great man and a bad pattern and he had many brethren following him to the place of torment Vivitur exemplis potius quà m legibus Mâ—n are led more by the eye then by the ear and follow rather the doings of Magistrates then the sayings of Ministers * Claudian Componitur orbis Regis ad exemplum nec sit inflectere sensus Humanos edicta valent quà m vita regeniûm Sin indeed commeth in at first by propagation Many say to such as Tiberius to Justinus Si tu volueris ego sum Si tu non vis ego non sum but is much encreased by imitation Ye are the heads of the people Numb 7.2 Mich. 3.11 If the head be giddy the body must needs reel Ill humours from the head destroy and consume the vitals in the body Isa 49.23 Ye are the Nurses of the people and our Naturalists observe that what disease Nursts have the Children will partake of Josh 24.15 It is a great praise that Melancthon ascribeth to George Prince of Anhalt His Bed-chamber saith he was Academia curia tenplum And Xenophon of Cyrus that a man might winke and choose among his Courtiers he could not misse of a good man 3. Walk humbly with God Now how will it gall your consciences when ye come to die if ye have been ringleaders in iniquity and not patterns of piety believe it ringleaders in a rebellion will be most severely punished and with those whom ye have made wicked without repentance ye will be made eternally woful Take up the practice of dying Joshua who was going the way of all the Earth I and my house will serve the Lord. Theodosius the Emperour being asked how a Prince might promote good abroad answered By ordering all well at home If ye cannot rule your family well ye are unfit to rule Cities and Counties Let me request you to follow David's pattern I will walk in the midst of my house with a perfect heart until thou come unto me Psal 101.2 or O when wilt thou come unto me lest when ye come to die ye have cause to cry out as she did They made me keeper of others vineyards but mine own vineyard have I not kept Cant. 1.6 Thirdly As your frailty calleth upon you to be faithful in your places holy in your practices so likewise in the third place to walk humbly with God I would have others to have high thoughts of you because Ye are gods but I desire you to have low thoughts of your selves because ye must die like men A Magistrate should be like a star or spire-steeple the higher he is the lesser he should seem to be Pride as one observeth is the shirt of the soul put on first and put off last it is a weed that will grow in the best soil but men that are highest in place are usually highest in spirit It s rare to see a man great in others eyes and little in his own Honour is often the stinking breath of the vulgar which being blown into the bladder of a graceless heart causeth it to swell But here is a Pin in the Text to prick this bladder and take down its swelling Did you but spiritually consider the brittlenesse of your bodies it would abate the swelling of your spirits I should think the evil disposition of your souls and the frail condition of your bodies should keep you low while ye live Alas notwithstanding all your powers places or preferm nts what are ye but clods of clay a little refined earth moving slime enlivened dust breathing ashes Some Naturalists observe of Bees that when they rise and buz on high if you throw dust upon them they will house and be quiet When your thoughts are lifted up on high because of those places in which God hath set you I pray cast some dust on those thoughts rememember ye shall be laid as low as the worms are Abraham was a Prince a great man but how much did this thought humble him Gen. 18.27 Lo I have undertaken to speak unto the Lord who am but dust and ashes I have read of Agathecles King of Sicily that being a potters son he would be always served in earthen vessels to mind him of his original There was one Willigis Bâ—shop of Ments who being son to a Wheelwright caused wheels to be hanged on the walls up and down his Pallace with these words written over them Willigis Willigis Recole unde veneris 4. Act zealously for God Some write of a Bird so light and feathery that it is forced to flie with a stone in its mouth lest the wind should carry it away The truth is men that are high in place are apt to be carried away with the wind of high mindednesse they had need therefore to have earth in their minds I mean their frailty and it may prove through the blessing of Heaven a singular preservative O that you who are Judges and Justices would but take the length of your bodies in the dust where ye must ere long lie and believe that a little dstemper will kill you a little sheet will wind you a little grave hold you little worms feed on you and a little time quite consume you could ye then be great in your own eyes Remember that your remembrance is like unto dust and your bodies are bodies of clay Job 13.12 Fourthly Must ye die and would ye prepare for it then be active for God whilst ye live the serious thoughts of death
power of godliness A man may live by a form but he cannot die by a form An heart not ballanced with grace may hold out in the calm of life but when the boisterous winds of sicknesse blow and the storm of death cometh it will suffer shipwrack When death cometh when that damp ariseth the Candle of Profession separated from the Power of Religion will first burn blew and then go out The bellows of death will blow the spark of sincerity into a flame and the blaze of hypocrisie into nothing O therefore get that saying of our Saviour written on your hearts Verily John 3.3 verily I say unto you except a man be born again he can never see the Kingdom of God Pious Mr. Strong on Heb. 12.14 p. 39. vid. A worthy Divine now in Heaven observeth four things from this verse 1 The manner of the assertion Verily verily 2. The matter asserted except a man be born again Non unius partis correctionem sed totius naturae renovationem designat Calvin He that is born but once dieth twice He that is born twice dieth but once 3. The universality of the assertion it is equivalent to an universal proposition though he be a man civil in his conversation a Saint in his generation yet he must be born again 4. The necessity of it without regeneration no salvation he cannot see the Kingdom of God You know what the Pharisees were how strict in their lives a Phil 3.6 according to the Law blamelesse how abundant in b Matth. 23.14 duty they made long c Matth 6. prayers gave much d Luke 18.12 alms fasted twice a e Matth. 23.15 week compast Sea and Land to make Proselytes Nay they were so holy that the Jews would speak commonly That if but two in the world went to Heaven the one should be a Scribe and the other a Pharisee Yet our Saviour speaketh expresly Matth. 5.20 Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of God Pharisaical holinesse will never evidence your right to eternal happinesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Duo negativae apud Graecos vehementius negant He that considereth how great their priveledges how seemingly gracious their practices were will at first wonder why Christ should set a double bolt on Heavens gate to keep them out But their chief falling was in this which I am exhorting you to namely in the want of the power of godlinesse their actions to the eye of man good but their affections were bad their practices did not proceed from renewed and gracious principles Whatsoever civility was without in the life there was no real sanctity within in the heart You that are Magistrates may probably be free from scandalous enormities none can taxe you it may be with swearing drunkennesse whoredome or the like nay I hope you go farther that ye perform duty in secret by your selves in private with your wives and children in publike with the Congregation that ye instruct your families in the things of God and be earnest with all under your power to mind their eternall good these things are commendable and the Lord increase the number of such Magistrates but I must tell you that though this reformation in your lives be good yet without an alteration and change in your hearts it is not sufficient I may say to you as Christ to the young One thing lackest thou yet As the rude Satyre in Plutarch who strove to make a dead man stand upright had so much wit as to say Deest aliquid intus There wants something within So I say to you if ye go no further there is spiritual life the seed of God the divine nature the new creation the power of godlinesse wanting within without this all other things will come to nothing Alchimy Gold may shine brighter then true Gold but as some observe it will neither cheer the heart as a Cordial nor passe the seventh five A dram of true grace will be of more worth to you when ye come to die then a Sea of gifts Heaven is the Father's house and none can come thither but his own children such as are born of God 6. Apply the death of the Saviour to your own souls Lastly If ye must die to prepare your selves for death make sure of an interest in Christ in the death of the Lord Jesus There is no shroud to this namely to be wrapt in the winding sheet of Christ's righteousnesse I would request â—ou to discharge your trusts so faithfully to work for Heaven so industriously to walk with God so humbly to live among men so exactly and exemplarily to mind the renovation of your natures so carefully out of thankfulness to God for his Son out of affection to him that hath loved you and washed you in his blood out of a desire to cleer up your title to the Covenant of grace as if ye were to be justified by your works to purchase Heaven by your holiness Isa 64.6 but when ye have done all throw them away as filthy rags as a menstruous cloth as dung and drosse in comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ Phil. 3.8 9. He that is to incounter with this grand enemy death had need to have Armour of proof Joh. 11.25 26. And as David said of Goliah's sword so I of this death of Christ There is no weapon like it That which makes a man die with true courage and step with an holy boldnesse unto the grave is to remember that Christ died not only before him but for him and hath conquered and vanquished the King of terrors upon his own dunghil I desire saith the Apostle to know nothing but Christ and him crucified All the mercies that believers enjoy come streaming to them in the blood of Christ though there be much attribued to his intercession * Calvin observeth on 1 Joh. 2.1 that Christs intercession is nothing else but a perpetual application of his death Christ intercedeth by shewing to his Father his wounds in his hands and side quot vulnera tot ora to plead for sinners yet that like the King's stamp on silver addeth no real value to it only maketh it currant By his death a Eph. 1.7 sin is pardoned God's justice satisfied his wrath c Col. 2.14 15. Heb 2.14 appeased Satan vanquished d Gal. 3.13 the curse of the Law endured e Tit. 2.14 Heb. 9.14 grace purchased for the Saints here f John 14.2 1 Cor. 15.55 56. and an eternal weight of glory hereafter b Eph. 1.6 5 2. The whole Ring of Christ's Mediatorship surely takes its value not only from the Diamond of his Divinity but also from the Passion of his Humanity It s out of the carkasse of this Lion of the Tribe of Judah that the true Sampsons get so much honey of comfort Thence it
Hell the higher their exalation is the greater and lower their damnation will be The words of the Prophet are Emphatical i Isa 30.33 Ingentia beneficia ingentia flagitia ingentia supplicia Kings saith one are fair marks for traytors to shoot at Tra. on Esth 2. Tophet is prepared of old yea for the King it is prepared The greater mens preferment is the greater their defilement and the greater their punishment 2. Others understand them of a fall by a violent death So many Princes fall In that bloody way Saul Abner Ahab and many other Princes mentioned in Scripture went to their long homes The Roman Historian observeth that the Cesars got little by their places nisi ut citius interficerentur Some mens honour hath been the Knife to cut their throats Horat. ad Licin Saepius ventis agitatur iugens Pinus celsae graviore casu Decidunt turres feriuntque summos Fulmina montes 3. A third sort Expound the words of falling as the Princes of other Nations Deodati in loc though ye are the Princes of God's people yet ye are not thereby priviledged from the arrest of death For as the sun of prosperity shineth as well on the briars in the Wildernesse as on the roses in the Garden so the frost of adversity falleth as well on the fruitfull corn as on the hurtful weeds The most notorious sinner liveth as well as the most gracious Saint and the most gracious Saint dyeth as well as the most notorious sinner Grace is an Antidote against the poyson of death but not a preservative from undergoing death 4. The words are construed thus Like the Princes that have been before you Ye know that your Ancestours who were as high in honour and as great in power as your selves yet submitted to death so must ye doe as they have done Etiam muta clamant cadavera Their graves amongst you do read a Lecture of mortality to you The term whereby the Spirit of God describeth death is considerable it s called a fall and fall like one of the Princes * Rom. 14.13 Sin is called a fall and so is death Death is the first-born of sin and therefore no wonder if the Child be called after the name of its Parent Death is to every man a fall from every thing but God and godliness Ye that are Magistrates fall more stairs yea more stories then others the higher your standing while ye live the lower your falling when ye die Death to some is a fall from Earth to Hell to all from the society of men to the company of worms To you that are great men it will be a fall from your richest treasures from your delightful pleasures from your stateliest possessions from your loveliest relations Job 7.7 from whatsoever is called the good of this world Your eyes shall no more see good Hor. ad Posth Linquenda tellus domus placens Vxor neque harum quas colis arborum Te praeter invisas cupressos Vlla brevem Dominum sequetur Death is called an uncloathing 2 Cor. 5.4 because it will strip you of all your places of honour of all the ornaments of nature As ye came naked into the World Job 1. ult so ye must go naked out of the World Nothing will follow you when ye die but your works Rev. 14.13 When the good Magistrate dyeth that hath been zealous for the Lord's honour and studious of his souls welfare his works follow him through free grace into an eternal weight of glory When the evil Magistrate dyeth who hath been careless of his Conscience and unfaithful in his calling his works follow him through divine severity into a boundless Ocean of endless misery Doctrine After this brief Explication of the words I proceed to the doctrinal Observation That Magistrates are mortal or they who live like gods must die like men the most potent Emperour must take his leave of this life as well as the poorest beggar Death is called * Josh 23.14 the way of all the Earth because all flesh on Earth go this way Is the greatest road in the World never without many travellers of all sorts ranks and degrees The grave is the Inn or resting place whither this way tendeth and Job telleth k Job 3.19 us that The small and the great are there The mortal sythe of death is Master of the royal Scepter and moweth down as well the Lillies of the Crown as the grasse of l Isa 40.6 7. the Field At one end of the Library in Dublin was a Globe at the other end a Skeliton to shew that though man were Lord of all the World yet he must die All flesh is grasse and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field The grasse withereth the flower fadeth As Athanasius speaketh of Julian so I may say of the greatest King in the World Nubecula est quae citò transibit Do we not find by experience that the greater Candles consume and burn out as well as the lesser And that the boysterous wind of sickness bloweth down and rooteth up as well the tall Cedars of Lebanon and the strong Oaks of Bashan as the lower shrubs and weaker trees of the Vallies We Ministers that preach the Word of life must ere long submit to m 2 Cor. 4.7 death ye have the Heavenly treasure in earthen vessels And you Magistrates that are the Bulwarks of the Countrey under God to preserve us from the shot of a violent death must necessarily your selves undergoe a natural death Ye are called n Psal 47.9 Scuta terrae sunt terrea scuta the shields of the Earth yet ye are but Earthen shields Ye are called the o Isa 44.18 As at a game at chess when done not only pawns but Kings Queens and Knights are tumbled into the bag so when the race of life is finished noble as well as ignoble are tumbled into their graves shepherds of the people but this Wolf of death will seise as well on the shepherd as on the sheep I shall not stand to prove it any further at this present there is not one of you either Judge or Justicâ—s that hear me this day but within a few days shall be the proof of the text I shall only give you the causes of the Doctrine and then make some Use of it But why do the gods die like men There are three Causes of it as they are men * Grounds of Doctrine 1 Ethicall cause of death is sin Rom. 5.12 Rom. 6. ult Stipendium peccati mors First the moral or meritorious cause of death is sin Sin and death like Jacob and Esau were brought forth at one birth they were twins and came into the World together As the thread followeth the Needle so death followeth sin Wherefore as p by one man sin entred into the World and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that
their bodies the Divels may be laughing over their souls O unspeakable folly to make much of the Cabinet and disesteem of the Jewel to trim the Scabbard and let the sword rust like Shimei to seek their servants and lose themselves Man in regard of his body claimeth kinred with the beasts of the field in regard of his soul with the Angels of Heaven and yet this beastial part is pampered whilst the Angelical is starved It is storied of Archimides that when Syracuse was taken by the Romans he was secure in his Closet Plut. in vit Marcell drawing circles with his Compasse in the dust and was then and there slain So these men ordinarily leave the Earth when they are most busie about it How did the fool in the Gospel promise himself a long and a comfortable life Soul take thine ease Luke 12.20 thou hast goods laid up for many years If he had said Soul take thine ease thou hast a treasure in Heaven or thou hast Christ who will doe thee good to eternity it had been somewhat like but thou hast goods saith he Alas how irrational is this you may assoon satiate or content corpus aura as animam auro the body with wind as the soul with wealth But I beseech you consider he that thought then to begin to take his ease is forced that night to make his end He was but a little before flourishing exceedingly his mind full of mirth his heart full of hope and his soul full of expected satisfaction But on a sudden he is departed and all his high hopes frustrated If you ask me whither he is gone his estate to men his body to the grave his soul to Hell Poor wretch little did he dream when he was asleep in sin How many die like those that are stung of the Tarantula a viper in Italy that even diâ— laughing though they are going to the place where is nothing but weeping of going from a bed of feathers to a bed of fire But too too many like him go from carnal pleasures to eternal pains Take notice how secure this rich fool was and yet his security was but the forerunner of his future calamity When the Wind lyeth then the great rain falleth When the Air is most quiet then commeth the great Earth-quake When Sisera was asleep then his Head was nailed to the ground Pharaoh in his Chariot Belshazzar in his bowls Haman at his banquet Herod in his robâ—s are secure but not safe when they least looked for it death surprized them When they cryed peace peace then sudden destruction seized on them as travail on a woman with child 1 Thes 5.3 which they could not escape Ambitious like the Jay They are pruning and priding themselves on the top of some high tree when suddenly a shot from a Fowler tumbleth it down dead to the Earth Covetous like Ants How busie are they like a company of Ants about white and yellow Earth when death like the feet of the next passenger crusheth them to pieces Voluptuous like the little Fish that swims merrily down the silver streams of Jordan till they empty themselves into the dead Sea and there perish The worlds greatest darlings are in no better condition then the Bull that goeth to be sacrificed with a Garland on his head and Musique before him when suddenly he feeleth the stroke of the murdering Axe and is knockt down dead Job 21. ver 7. to 13. They spend their days in wealth and end their days in endless wo. I shall conclude this Use with Job's Character of this rich sinner who flourishing for a time and perisheth to eternity The wicked live become old yea are mighty in power They send forth their little ones like a flock and their children dance They spend their days in wealth and in a moment go down to Hell Vse by way of advice Prepare for your dying hour Isa 38.6 Doe it speedily Exam. Are Magistrates mortall Let me then in the fear of the Lord beseech you that are Magistrates now presently to make preparation for the hour of your dissolutions My counsel shall be with a little alteration in the words of the Prophet Isaiah to King Hezekiah Now set your house in order for you must die I must tell you all the time ye have is little enough for a work of this weight If Seneca can say all a mans life is little enough for Philosophy etiamsi a paeritia usque ad longissimos humani aeviterminos vita protendatur though the silver-wyre of life should be drawn out to the longest thread I am sure then that all your time is little enough for Christianity Ye have a great work to doe a great journey to go and a little time will not be sufficient Make much of time saith Aquinas especially in the weighty matters of Salvation O how much would he that now lyeth frying in Hell rejoyce if he might have the least moment to get God's favour in The sun of your lives Blessed be God is not yet let the gate of mercy is not yet shut I request you before the bridge of divine grace be drawn in this day of God's patience mind the things that concern your eternal peace Austin professeth he would not be an Atheist one quarter of an hour for a world because he did not know but in that time God might cut asunder his thread of life and so let him drop into Hell Let me perswade you and the good Lord prevail with your hearts to set your selves speedily about this necessary work Delays are dangerous especially in a business of infinite concernment Mat. 24.44 Ideo latet unus dies ut observentur omnes How earnestly doth our blessed Saviour exhort you to be always ready because ye know not at what hour your Master will call you Cesar would never acquaint his Souldiers with the time of removing his Campe that they might be always prepared to march Consider that on this moment dependeth eternity Petrach relateth an answer of one who being invited to dinner a day after said A mu tis annis crastinum non habui Quam serum est tunc vivere incipere cum desinendum est Sen. ad Paulin cap. 4. God hangeth heavy weights on weak wyers And how dolefully have many complained and mournfully lamented their losse of time when it hath been too late That story of a great Lady of our land which several speak of may awaken secure onâ—s when on her death-bed she dreadfully screeched out A World of Wealth for an inch of time A world of wealth for an inch of time And I have read of Chrysorius a man as full of wickedness as of wealth when he commeth to die cryeth out Inducâ—as usque ad mane Domine Truce Lord but till morning Truce Lord but till morning and with these words he breathed out his last Alterius perditio tua sit cautio Let that which was a murdering piece to
stewardship It behoveth you when you sit on the Bench of men to act faithfully that when ye shall appear at the Bar of God ye may answer comfortably Remember when ye are passing sentence of life or death on others that Christ ere long will passe a sentence far more weighty even of eternal life or death on you Isid It s reported concerning the Emperours of Constantinople that on their Coronation day a Mason is appointed to present unto them certain Marble stones saying these Verses Elege ab his saxis ex quo invictissime Cesar Choose Mighty Sir under which of these stones your pleasure is ere long to lay your bones Ipse tibi tumulum me fabricare velis If ye that now are in robes would consider death will levell you with them that are in rags if ye would with the eye of your meditation behold your Coffins standing before you on the table in the place of judicature it might be an excellent curb to iniquity and spur to fidelity 4 Requisites in a good Magistrate 1. Magnanimity Now there are four things requisite in a Magistrate that would discharge his trust faithfully First courage and magnamity Every magistrate should be a man of mettle not daunted with dangers nor frighted with frowns He should so carry himself that others should fear him as a terror to evil doers but he should fear nothing but sin Like Chrysostom who when a threatning Message was sent him from the Empresse Eudoxia go tell her said he to the Messenger Nill timeo nisi peccatum Ye are called the shields of the people Psal 47. ult and shields ye know are ventrous weapons they are made to bear many blows Be thou strong and very couragious Josh 1.7 saith God to the chief Magistrate of Israel 2 Chron. 9.18 Durescito Durescito O infelix Lantgravie said the poor Smith to the Lantgrave of Thuringia who was more mild then stood with his peoples profit The sword of justice saith one ought to be furbished with the oyl of mercy But there are cases wherein severity should cast the scale The throne of Solomon was underpropped with Lions and a Lion is part of the Royal arms both speaking that a Lion-like spirit is becomming him that is in a publike place Deut. 1.17 Secondly uprightness and integrity 2. Integrity It s reported of a King of Persia that he would come of from his horse upon the way to doe justice to a poor man A Magistrate as he should not be frighted with fear so not swayd by favour Ye should be like a Boul without a byas running on fairly and evenly not leaning on this side or on that side like the Sun which affordeth as gracious influences to the low violets as to the tall cedar to the poorest beggar as to the most potent Emperour like a publike Conduit in a City whence justice should run down like water as freely and as fully to the meanest as to the greatest But it was a bad speech of Cesar Causa Cassii melior sed Bruto nil denegare possum Plut. in vit Ces Laws were never made to be Nets only to catch the little Fish and to let the great ones break through The great Judge of Heaven is no respecter of persons neither should Justices on Earth Deut. 1.17 That Edict of Constantine was worthy to be written in letters of gold If any of my Friends Courtiers or Servants have wronged any let them come to me I wil not only right them but reward them Plut. in vit Public And that act of Brutus memorable who commanded his two sons to be executed and saw it done for conspiring with Tarquin's Ambassadors against the Commonwealth Thirdly bounty and liberality 3. Liberality Exod. 18.21 Exod. 23.8 A Justice should not only not be covetous but hate covetousness It s the dust of money that is blown up into the Judges eyes that hindreth their sight into causes It was a witty speech of a pious * Vines on 1 Pet. 2.13 14. p. 25. person He is the best Magistrate that is good for nothing Ye must neither take bribes your selves nor by your servants for Optimus maximus venderetur imperator There is not a gift ye take but will be as a dagger at your hearts another day like Achans wedge of Gold it will cleave your souls in sunder It will in this particular be happy for him that when he commeth to die 1 Sam. 12.2 3. can say as dying Samuel Behold here I am witnesse against me before the Lord and before his Anointed Whose Oxe have I taken or whose Asse have I taken or whom have I defrauded whom have I oppressed or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes And they said Thou hast not defrauded nor oppressed nor taken ought of any mans hands 4. Ability The fourth Thing requisite in a Magistrate is ability A Magistrate must be not only a man of piety but a man of parts quick-sighted uf a deep apprehension knowing the laws exactly because if he be not he will sometime or other condemn the innocent and justifie the wicked And the rather every Judge ought to be able There are they that can make Candida de nigris de candentibus alba in regard he hath to deal with men that can draw a fair Glove over a foul hand blanch over a bad cause with specious pretences as Ziba against Mephibosheth I honour the Profession of the law and I wish that some men did not dishonour their profession who indeed value their substance above their Consciences not believing that of the father In die judicii plus valebit conscientia pura quam marsupia plena Beza telleth us that he once saw on a table the Pictures of four sorts of Persons and their several Posies 1. The Courtier with this Posie By my sword I defend you all 2. The Clergy man with this Posie By my prayers I preserve you all 3. The Countrey-man with this I feed you all 4. The Lawyer with this I devour you all I request Lawyers to consider that of God to Moses Exod. 23.2 Thou shalt not speak in a cause to wrest judgement and that speech of the Apostle I can do nothing against the truth 2 Cor. 13.8 but for the truth But I have digrest too far already Secondly If ye would fit your selves for death live among men exemplarily You that must die shortly Live among men exemplarily August had need to live strictly Must you ere long fall then whilst you stand be holy to admiration to imitation Nihil sic revocat à peccatis sicut frequens meditatio mortis Some say the stroaking of the belly with the hand of a dead man will cure the Tympany I am sure the thoughts of death seriously laid to the heart are a good Medicine for an evil heart Nothing in the War will so much dead the Cannon as
in your hearts will put life into your hands This life is all your day of working death is the night of resting * Rev. 14.13 the dead rest from their labours When ‖ Psal 104.23 the sun of mans life ariseth he goeth forth unto his labour until the evening of death The heavenly bodies are ever in motion though the earth stand still and the more pure any being is the more active it is Deus est actus purus Fire is the most active of creatures without life Angels of creatures that have life O shew your selves to be as Angels amongst men by walking humbly with God the Angels vail their faces in his presence by working diligently for God Angels are ever employed in the service of God Work industriously in your general callings as Christians John 12.35 yet a little while the light is with you walk while ye have the light The task of Christianity is great the time ye have is little the time ye have lost is much O now bestir your selves in redeeming time and improving every opportunity to the best advantage of your souls How fervently should ye pray as not knowing but that every prayer ye pray may be your last prayer that ye may never have another season to beg mercy in for your souls for your relations for the afflicted members of the Lord Jesus How attentively and how hungerly should ye hear the word of life even as for life How carefully and how conscientiously should ye keep the Sabbath considering ye may be very neer your eternal Sabbath How sedulously should ye hang on every Ordinance as Bees on Flowers never leaving them till ye have sucked some honey Praecipita tempus mors atra impendet agenti some sweetness from them Ponder this there can be but a few days and ye shall never pray more never hear more never sanctifie Lord's day more never enjoy Ordinances more I that am now Preaching and ye that are now hearing must shortly be carried on mens backs and laid in the belly of the earth and can we do too much in so little time especially in a work of such infinite weight Rev. 12.12 The Divel is the more busie because his time is short and therefore striveth in a quick dispatch of the works of darknesse to out-wit the children of light The time is short therefore be indifferent about earth 1 Cor. 7.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 7.29 the time is short therefore be diligent about Heaven the word is The time is rolled up it 's a Metaphor from Mariners the Sails that were spread before when they draw nigh to the Haven are then rolled up You know not how soon the sails of your lives may be rolled up how nigh ye are to your eternal haven O bestir your selves carefully ply the Oars diligently that the vessels of your souls may not miscarry eternally Whatsoever thine hand findeth to do Eccles 9.10 do it with all thy might for there is no work nor knowledge nor device in the grave whither thou goest Work industriously in your particular callings as Magistrates because ye must die Be active for the punishment of iniquity for the encouragement of piety Let the practise of Christ be your pattern John 9.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 8.9 Phil. 2.6 I must work the work of God while it is day the night cometh when no man can work To work a work noteth the strong intention of his spirit about the work Christ though he was rich and for greatnesse the Lord 's equall yet did not as many rich and great men do play his work he did sweat at work yea he sweat drops nay clods of blood Luke 22.44 Now be ye followers of Christ as dear children Magnarum rerum tarda molimina and think you can never do enough for that Saviour which hath done so much for your souls How sad is it that great bodies should move so slowly How many talents hath God committed to you Nothing more sads the heart when a man comes to die then his neglect of such opportunities which God's providence or his own place have put into his hands of doing or receiving good nor is there a sharper corrosive then the reflection upon those days that have passed over him Male aliud nihil agentem Vines Ess Fun. p. 19. Phil. 2.7 when others have one ye have ten A talent is any thing that a man is betrusted with to glorifie God and it 's called a talent because of the great price that is in the least opportunity to honour God Ye have many such talents ye may hinder much wickednesse further much holinesse be a great terror to evil doers a great praise to them that do well let it not be said of you that ye do the work of the Lord negligently Did not Christ humble himself for you Magistrates are custodes utriusque tabulae Socrates was adjudged to death by the Athenians for a dishonorable speech concerning their gods and shall you think it below you to search Alehouses those head quarters of Hell to enquire into mens observation of God's day to use all means whereby ye may know mens prophanation of God's name by hellish oathes and cursed blasphemies and abuse of God's creatures by drunkennesse that so they may be severely punished Alas a few dayes will come and the best of you shall have no such opportunity to discover your love to God for his abundant mercies Plut. in vit Nici Vid Lev. 24.16 Job 31.26 27 28. your thankfulness to Christ for his precious merits do therefore now act to the utmost of your power for the glory of God and your Saviour Be not like the tallest trees which bring forth either no fruit Matth. 25.26 30. or that which is only for Swine Remember God puts no difference betwixt nequaquam nequam an idle and an evil servant the unprofitable servant is for utter darknesse Do but consider the time of your departure may be at hand and should not this resolution be in your hearts to act vigorously and strenuously for God The neerer ye are to your centre the faster ye should move The setting Sun shineth most brightly The dying Swan sings most sweetly The approaches of a Needle are so much the more quick by how much it draweth neerer to the Loadstone The Rivers run with a stronger stream Oportet imperatorem stantem mori Vespa when they are about to empty themselves into the Ocean Ye are neerer death then ever be quicker in your motions for God then ever that it may be said of every one of you how young soever ye may die as one said of Juel Diu vixit si non diu fuit 5. Mind the power of godlinesse Fifthly Must ye die and would ye prepare for death labour to find some inward work of grace wrought upon your hearts be not contented with forms but mind the
is that the Apostle rings such a challenge in the ears of death O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Vide Mr. Herberts temple-dialogue between the Christian and death p. 164. Lenietur mortis damnum non enim est invicta ut antea cum Christus illam superavit ac in suo certamine crucis faelicissime vicit Pet. Martyr loc comm de Luct pro mort Gen. 46.30 The sting of death is sin But thanks be to God which hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ The Apostle speaketh as alluding to a souldier that having fought with and disarmed his adversary triumpheth O Sir where is your sword wherewith you threatned so bitterly where is your pistol with which you would wound me mortally O death where is thy sting with which thou threatnedst to make me smart eternally O grave where is that victory of which thou boastest so exceedingly Thanks be to God that hath given us the victory through Christ Christ died not only in bonum fidelium sed in loco eorum not only for their good but in their stead now death like a Bee left its sting and lost its sting in Christ that now it may make a noise but cannot sting the believer Surely If Jacob could say when he had seen Joseph Now let me die since I have seen thy face The soul that with the eye of faith hath seen this son of Joseph may with greater boldness dare death and encounter the grave How sweetly doth old Simeon sing out his souls requiem having saith one laid in his heart that holy Child Jesus Luke 2.29 30. The soules solace whom he lapt in his armes sings his Nunc dimittas I fear no sin I dread no death I have lived enough I have my life I have longed enough I have my love I have seen enough I have my light I have served enough I have my saint I have sorrowed enough I have my joy Sweet babe let this Psalm serve for a lullaby to thee and for a Funeral to me Oh do thou sleep in my armes and let me sleep in thy peace Valde protest atus sum me nolle sic a Deo satiari Luther Melch. Adam in vit Luth. Be not contented with any gift from God beneath his son Say as Abraham Lord what wilt thou give me if I go Christlesse Lord thou hast given a plentiful estate comfortable kinred a goodly dwelling lovely children much honour from men many lawful pleasures and delights But Ah Lord what are these to a Christ Give me Christ or I die yea Lord give me Christ or I die eternally View thy Saviour on the Crosse fighting with this last enemy for thy sins for thy soul See his arms stretched out to embrace thee his head hanging down to kisse thee his feet nailed that he cannot run from thee his side opened to shew thee how nigh thou liest to his heart and take him down with the arms of faith and lay him in the sepulchre of thy soul O be not faithlesse but believing Cry out My Lord and my God I tell thee couldst thou heap up mountains of prayers couldst thou pray so frequently that thy heart even bled within thee and so frequently that thy knees were as hard as Camels knees as is reported of James the brother of our Lord couldst thou weep as some speak of Mary Magdalen in Balba thirty years together couldst thou fast as many Millions of years as there have been moments since the Creation yet without an interest in this death of Christ it would all be of no worth of no value to no purpose at all Motives I shall in the next place annex some motives that the former particulars may have the deeper impression on your affections 1. Other things are unprofitable Honour is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An opinion Matth. 4.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A fancy 1. Consider how vain and unprofitable all other things wil be to you when ye fall Do but ponder that word fall when ye die 1. Ye fall from the highest pinacle of honour and reputation The place of Magistracy which knoweth you now will know you no more One of the Ancients standing by Cesar's tomb cryeth out Vbi nunc pulchritudo Cesars quo abiit magnificentia ejus Where is now the beauty Acts 25.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A mathematical figure a meer notion 1 Cor. 7.31 One was appointed at the Popes inthronization to burn a wad of Straw and running before the Pope to cry out Sic transit gloria mundi Gen. 25.32 what is become of the magnificence where are the Armies now where the Honours the Triumphs the Trophies of Cesar All was gone when Cesar was gone Your honours and your worships your power and your places all die with you if not before you Titles of honour glister like Glow-worms in the dark night of this life but in the day of death they all vanish and disappear It s probable some of you may be nobly born finely bred highly advanced but when ye come to die ye may say of all these as Esau of his birthright Behold I am at the point to die and what profit shall this birthright do to me What good will my honour my credit do me Christ will do me good when I come to die so will the power of godliness but none of my places or preferments will 2. Ye fall from your greatest treasures and possessions 1 Tim. 6.7 All the Cains of Adam are Abel's all the possessions of man are vanity Mr. Broughton As ye brought nothing into the world so it 's certain ye shall carry nothing out of the world Saladin the mighty Monarch of the East is gone and hath carried no more along with him then ye see i. e. a shirt hung up for that purpose said the Priest that went before the Bier The holy Ghost observeth well that rich men are by their wealth a 1 Tim. 6.17 rich only in this world and they are b 1 John 3.17 this worlds goods For as the Martyr said I am going to the place where money beareth no mastery In another world Gold and Silver are not currant coyn Holy Mr. Burroughs A Divine now with Christ giveth me two stories of dying rich men The one is of a Miser that being to die called for his bags and hugging them crieth out Must I leave you Must I leave you The other is of one that being on his death-bed called for some pieces of Gold and layed them to his heart but presently said I find them cold Take them away They will not do They will not do The unsearchable riches that are in Christ will do His warm blood applied by faith will not be cold to thy heart 3. Ye fall from all your friends and relations when ye die they that were neer and dear to you will leave you Ye may when ye lie on your death beds