in time make no delayes least afterward it be too late 3 The third circumstance to bee obserued in the text is the carelesse regard of the righteous mans death No man considereth it in heart It seemes that manie godly persons were already dead their death did declare that God had some speciall worke in hand yet the common people which were left behind them did little regard it This carelesse contemning of their death doth shew that the harts of the commō people were possessed with great securitie to make so small reckoning of such a strange worke of God All the workes of God are carefully to be regarded of vs who are set in this world to take a speciall view and to make an holy vse of them And therefore Dauid thought the wicked deserued to be broken downe and not built vp againe because they regarded not the workes of the Lord nor the operation of his hands Now the taking of the righteous away is one of his speciall workes For to him belong the issues of death It is he that turneth man to destruction The number of his moneths are with him he appointeth his bounds which he cannot passe If a sparrow shall not fall on the ground without our father in heauen then the righteous which are of more value then many sparrowes cannot perish without his will and appointment Certaine it is that none die sooner or later then he sends for them The works of Princes are much considered and often talked of among the people and ought not the Lords workes be much considered of vs Their works may be done foolishly rashly and vniustly but the works of God are done in number waight and measure in wisdome iustice and mercie Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of all his Saints and shall their death bee vile and contemptible in our eyes People most commonly do highly esteeme those things which are deare and precious among Princes and shall the death of the righteous which is so precious in the Lords sight the Prince of all Princes be lightly esteemed of vs his people None of them liueth to himselfe neither doth any die vnto himselfe Whether they liue they liue vnto the Lord or whether they die they die vnto the Lord whether they liue therefore or die they are the Lords Yea they do glorifie God both by life and by death And therefore we should not lightly passe ouer their life or their death But consider how they haue glorified God by their death and by their life and praise him for the same But why are we to consider their death What may we learne thereby We learne these foure things First the certaintie of death Secondly the nature of death Thirdly the cause of death and lastly the manner how we must die First by considering their death we may learne the certaintie of death in our selues that we must dye as well as they in which respect Salomon saith it is better to goe to the house of mourning then to goe to the house of feasting because this is the end of all men and the liuing shall lay it to his heart That is to say hee which remaineth aliue by seeing one dead shall consider in his heart that all men shall so die and that he himselfe shall die as well as others The death of others is as a looking glasse wherein we may clearly beholde the vncertaintie of our owne liues We may call their death as some doe the sacrament visible verbū a visible word or sermon teaching vs our owne mortality for we haue no better assurance of our liues then they had what we now are they haue beene and what they now are wee may be and we know not how soone He which hath taken them away now may within a while if it please him take vs also away and bring vs vnto them As death assaulted them so will it assault vs and we cā no more resist it then they could but must yeeld as they did We are ready to forget death and the forgetfulnesse of death maketh vs to forget our dutie vnto God let vs therefore consider the death of others thereby to be put in mind of our owne 2 Secondly by their death we may know the nature of death in al others for it deals with all alike We may there see how death doth deface that image of God which was in the bodie and how it doth destroy the bodie which was a temple for the holie Ghost to dwel in If one see a faire house of a noble man to bee much defaced fallen to ruine so as one stone is scarce left vpon another it will pitie his heart so should we be moued in our hearts to see the bodie of a righteous man which was an house for the holie ghost to dwel in to be so pitifully ruinated by death Againe we may see what strange separations death doth make The soule and the body which haue a long time liued together as two familiar cópanions are put asunder by death and no man knowes how long it shal be before they can meete together againe Besides this death makes a separation betwixt old louing friends The husband is separated from the wife of his youth with whom hee reioyced the wife is separated from her husband who was her vaile to shield and to saue her parents are taken from their tēder childrē which they leaue as orphans in the world not knowing what will become of them children are taken from their kind parents who could haue beene content to haue gone in their steed yea familiar friends whose soules were knit together in affectiō whose loue exceeded the loue of women as did the loue of Dauid and Ionathan are seuered one from another by death the knot of their friendship is broken their mutuall kindnes can be no more shewed by one to another W 〈…〉 griefe it is for louing friends to depart one from another we may see in Pauls friends and hearers when he tooke his leaue of them and told them that they must not see his face any more They wept all abundantly and fell on Pauls necke and kissed him being chiefly sory for the words which he spake that they should see his face no more We had need therfore by the death of others to be put in mind of this separatiō before-hand y◠when it comes we may be the better prepared for it Lastly death makes a separation betwixt the rich man and his wealth We brought nothing into this world neither must we carry any thing out of this world Yea men leaue their riches they cannot tell vnto whom If that question be asked many that are ready to die which was demanded of the rich man who had laid vp store for many yeeres This night shall thy soule be taken from thee then whose shall these things be which thou hast prouided they might truly answere that
mother Paula Let vs not mourne because we haue lost such a one but let vs rather giue thankes that we haue had such a one yea rather that we still haue such a one for all liue vnto God and whosoeuer returneth vnto the Lord is reckoned in the number of the fanstlie Let vs learne to imitate those good things which were in her let vs be stirred vp by her death both to consider the vncertaintie of our owne liues and also to prepare our selues for our last end that it may be the beginning of our euerlasting glory The Lord God graunt that euery one of vs may doe it Amen FINIS THE SOVLES SOLACE AGAINST SORROW A funerall Sermon preached at Childwall Church in Lancashire at the buriall of Mistris Katherin Brettergh the third of Iune 1601. in the afternoone of the same day By W. LEYGH Bachelor of Diuinitie and Pastor of Standish PSALME 126. 5. 6. 5 They that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy 6 They went weeping and caried precious seede but they shall returne with ioy and bring their sheaues IONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston 1602. To the reuerend man of God and faithfull Preacher M. William Leygh Bachelor of Diuinity and Pastor of Standish in Lancashire William Brettergh wisheth increase of all good graces for the gathering of Gods Saints and building vp of his Church and for his owne euerlasting saluation in Iesus Christ. GOod Sir after I had read with comfort that which I gayned from you with much intreaty I meane a copie of your Sermon preached at my wiues Funerall I was so ful and pregnant of the birth that I could beare no longer but must needs bring foorth the same and lay it in the lap of Gods children which how euer I vse it in the nursing was from your selfe a perâ—est birth Happily you will deem I do you wrong to publish the same without your futher warrantie indeede you may and my selfe should thinke none other but that fearing vpon a second intreaty you might either perswade me in your loue or ouer-awe me by your authority to desist from printing the same I haue thought good rather to venture vpon all carthly replies theÌ„ to hazard the want of so heauenly a solace Good sir pardon my boldnes for and if you would giue me your house full of gold I cannot keepe in what God will haue out nor can I bee silent where God will speake The best is I lacke no priuiledge The Lord hath giuen good success The Examiner full allowance The Learned good approuall And my conscience is cleare within I doe it neither to your praise or my own but with a single heart to set out the Lords glory And for the wantonnes of the world the iniquitie of the time and the multitude of malicious wreslers of whom you speake let them alone whilest they but pine themselues in feeding vpon our best things The Lord giue you grace countenance and continuance in the bleshed worke of the Ministery for his Sions sake London this 20. of Nouember 1601. Your assured in Christ Iesus William Brettergh The Soules Solace against Sorrow ISAIAH 57. 2. Peace shall come they shall rest in their beds euerie one that walketh before him IT was the preparation day before the Saboath when Ioseph of Arimathea with Nichodemus and the women that came from Galile begg'd of Pilate the bodie of Iesus wrapt it in sindon imbalm'd it with spices buried it and so gaue him the last dutie of eternall obsequie As that was honourable in Christ the head so is it not dishonourable in vs his members And for that I hold this day you haue done well who haue followed the hearse of this our deare sister to giue her the last honour of buriall though last I say yet not the least of Christian duties All which on your behalfes blessed preacher and blessed people how readily and religiouslie hath beene performed I rather ioy to feele in my heart then can finde the way to expresse with my tongue howbeit in lieu of my vnfained loue to her that resteth now in peace as also of you my deare brethren who yet a while must indure the warres of this wofull world giue me leaue in respect of both to charge my selfe with a dutie more particular more abounding For as the Maries could not bee satisfied with al that was done by Ioseph and Nichodemus for their maister Christ vnlesse their poore balme went withal so can I not content my self with al you haue done though most sufficient vnlesse I bring some sindon of mine owne and buy some balme to bestow vpon this Saint As loue is full of labour so it spareth no cost and for that I say with Dauid I will not offer burnt offerings vnto the Lord my God of that which cost me nothing so then being called vnto this place by him who may commaund me much for that his praise is in the Gospell I meane the saddest Saint in all the assemblie I did not consult with flesh and blood but haue as you may see most willinglie obeyed the heauenlie call Desirous by my best endeuours sweetest balme to comfort the liuing by commending the dead so did Isaiah in this place as you haue heard from the former Angell who tooke the commination to himselfe out of the verse going before of Gods peremptorie summons of all by death iust and vniust righteous and vnrighteous faithfull and faithles and hath left the consolation for me thereby to raise you vp from deepe despaire and put you in a place of peace lay you in a bed of rest with the Saint that gone is and all such as walke before the Lord. That all must die as hath bin told you there is no remedie for wee come by the wombe and goe by the graue and ere you come to the sweet running waters of Shilo that runneth softlie you must passe the turbulent waters of Iordan that goe roughlie Death is the Lady and Empresse of all the world her seasure is without surrender and from her sentence there is no apple It is not the maiestie of the Prince or holines of the Priest strength of bodie feature of face learning riches or any such secular regard can pleade against death or priuiledge any person against the graue nay I say more be thy dayes neuer so few or thy yeeres neuer so full count with Adam and tell with Methusalem 969. yeares truelie told yet die thou must be they many or be they few all is one yeeres are no priuiledge against the graue For the generall then I thus conclude statutum est omnibus semelmori The decree is out all must die Balthashars embleme is vpon euerie wall and his imprese is vpon all flesh Mene Mene Tekel Vparsin Numerauit appendit diuisit God hath numbred thy dayes he hath laid thee vpon the ballance thou art found wanting thy kingdome is diuided and giuen to the Medes and Persians Say
a resurrection when the time of refreshing shall come It is an improper speech to say hee resteth who neuer riseth It may be some go to bed who neuer rise strooken with a deadly sleepe or lâ—thargie but none to the graue but out he must at the generall sommons of all the world for the trumpet shal sound and the dead shall rise If a man dye shall he liue againe Then all the dayes of mine appointed time will I watch till my changing do come Againe for the second If after our death we rest in our beds and as it is in another place such blessednes accompanteth saints who dâ—e in the Lord that ther rest from their labours then after death no place of paine no punishment no Purgatory Is there light in darkenes is there truth in error Is there life in death Is there fire in water Is there ease in paine rest in labour good in euill sweete in sowre Is there a purging fire in hell must fyne vs for heauen Sweete Christ where then is thy bloud which alone say we nothing else and none other purgeth our sinne pleadeth our cause and purchaseth our place We neede no other sacrifice we neede no other aduocate wee neede no other key to open to vs the pâ—rt of the paradise of God And if the bloud of Iesus pleade better things then the bloud of Abel for the bloud of Abel cryed reuenge but the bloud of Christ cryed pardon pardon then stay your bulles and drops of your leaden diuinity downe with your Dagon and Babel of all confusion by shrift shrine merit or medall all too light to ballance with the bloud of the Lambe for what is chaffe to corne It pities my heart to see the desolations of Christendome of this my deare Country in many places where millions of souls are â—illily lead by bad and blinde guides factious Iesuits and seditious seedsmen lead I say from the bloud of Christ to the bloud of Hales and Becket from the fire vpon the Mount to the painted fire of Purgatory Poets sayes and heathenish helps Romish institutions decretals apostaticall lying oracles illusions and flattering diuinations This they doe and this they dare doe without care of conscience feare of God of faithfulnes to his cause which wittingly and willingly I verely thinke they do betray to make good their hellish Hierarchie and Babel of all confusion For what grosnes is this besides the impiety to thinke a people euer so foolish as should take out this lesson to carry to their graues from the liuing to the dead yea and that in plea of saluation to from the liuing God to dead idols from the liuing word to dead traditions from the liuing bread in heauen to a dead â—alfe or cake at Dan and Bethel from the bloud of Christ that giueth life to the fire of Purgatory that bringeth death When Christ bleeding vpon the tree had vttered this voyce consâ—mmatum est it is finished he gaue â—â— the ghost Thâ—n he said and 〈…〉 hee â—ustered not for himselfe is a priuate person but for vs his members a publicke good Shall he say it is finished and shal we say it is not finished The Lyon hath rored who will not be afrayd The Lord hath spoken who can but tremble O tremble for feare ye faithles generation who dare yet say it is not finished Pray saints in heauen help fire in hell Purgatory play thy part purge to the full and thou Pope president of this Limbo lake rule at thy pleasure help in help out and if vpon displeasure thou thrust Myriades of soules into hell yet let none be so bold as to aske Why doest thou so It is enough ò it is inough to make good with this all your doctrine Sic volo sic iubeo stet pro ratione voluntas Aske no questions search no scriptures seeke no reasons I haue sayd is inough my pleasure is a precept counsell a commaund and my will is a reason And now mee thinks whilest I heare them say without worde of God or warranty of reason Heare heauen help purgatory pardon pope that is to say pray saints purge fire speake indulgence for the rest and ease of soules departed a check to the bloud of my Christ to the truth of my text quiet of the saints that gone arâ— I cannot but say as Iob sayd of his friends Miserable comforters are ye all Suffer me a little to speake and when I haue spoken mocke on 1 I say the saints in heauen vpon whom you call to whom you pray and before whose images you so prostrate your selues I say they heare you not and for that they help you not they rest from their labours and their works follow them and not yours I say no such works of wickednes as your prayer to them is whereby you rob God to cloth a Saint To the proofe wherof for that you say our doctrine is new and of yesterdayes birth The dayes shall speake and the multitude of yeares shall teach wisedome Saints in heauen heare not Saints in heauen help not Saints in heauen haue no sense of our miseries it is no new doctrine it is ancient it is heauenly and hee that hath eares to heare let him heare Augustine in his booke de cura habenda pro mortuis teacheth Animas Sanctorum in coelis esse nec interesse nostris his terrents negotijs That the soules of the blessed are in heauen nor doe they respect our affaires here on earth as and if he should say cease your praying for no more doth their affection reach yours then your prayer doth reach them And this doth hee proue by these reasons sound and good vnanswerable if truth might preuaile when it pleadeath on earth as wheÌ„ it iudgeth in heaueÌ„ And first he beginneth with his mother Monicha dead and gone whose affection towards him in life was euer such as hee thought could not but reach him from heauen if Saints had feeling of our miseries here on earth Vt volet accipiat quisque quod dicam sayth the Father Let men iudge of my words as they please for that I may say nothing of others yet dare I say of her Si rebus viuentium interessent animae mortuoruÌ„ me ipsum pâ—a mater nulla nocte desereret quem terra marique sâ—cuta est vt mecum vineret If the soules of the dead did respect the affaires of the liuing then my deere mother would neuer faile me night or day who by sea and by land followed me in this life to liue with me Absit enim vt facta sit vita foeliciore crudelis c. Be it farre away that a blessed life should make her more vnkind or cruel so as in all yâ— anguish of my soule I neuer felt her solace who whilest shee liued could neuer abide to see me sad But without al doubt quod sacer
psalmus personat veruÌ„ est quoniaÌ„ pat 〈…〉 s mater mea dereliqueruÌ„t me Dominus â—â—tem assumpsit me because my father my mother haue forsaken me the Lord haue taken me vp If then our fathers do forsake vs how can they care for vs and if our fathers do not care for vs qui sunt illâ— mortuorum qui nor unt quid agamus quidue patiamur who are they amoÌ„g the dead that know what we do or care what we suffer 2 A second reason is taken out of Isaiah the Prophet who moued in misery after a deliuerance and greatly complayned of mercies with-holden and compassions restrayned gayned at no hand but at the hand of God nor was pitied of any but of himselfe and for that he â—â—ith doubtlesse thou art our father though Abraham be ignorant of vs and Israel know vs not yet thou Lord art our father and our redeemâ—r thy name is for euer Whereupon the father concludeth with an argument drawn froÌ„ the stronger Si tanti Patriarchae quid â—rga populum ex his procreatum ageretur ignorauerunt c. If two so great Patriarches were ignorant what should become of that people themselues had begotten and froÌ„ whose straine should spring by promise Christ the father of all the faithfull If Abraham being the friend of God yet could neuer enter into that secret nor Israel as preuayling with God yet neuer obtayned such a blessing as once dead either to know to ease or help their posteritie in life or death then hush to heauen and to all that therein is except God al are ignorant none can know none can help none can heare none can ease our plaint or paine either in earth or elswhere 3 His third argument is drawne from the memory of blessed Iosiah vnto whom Huldah the Prophetisse pronounced this blessing from God that he should dye and be gathered vnto his fathers before he saw the euils which the Lord had determined vpon that place and people Her words be these Thus saith the Lord because thine heart did melt and thou hast humbled thy self before the Lord when thou heardest what I spake against this place and against the inhabitants of the same to wit that it should be destroyed and accursed and hast rent thy clothes and wept before me I haue also heard it saith the Lord. Behold therefore I will gather thee to thy fathers and thou shalt bee put in thy graue in peace and thy eyes shall not see all the euil which I will bring vpon this place Hereupon I inferre with the father hos put amus quietos quos inquieta vita viuorum solicitat May we think them at quiet whom the troublesome sturs of this world may vexe I trow no for doe but suppose that the Saints in heauen did behold the miseries here on earth Princes the subuersion of their kingdomes Noblemen of their houses Gentlemen of their lands line and families did fathers see the sinnes of their sonnes and mothers the shame of their daughters clad with pride fed with idlenes and shod with bloud to the destruction both of their bodies and soules finally did heauen but heare see or feele with passion how Sion is wasted her stones lye buryed in the dust and there is none to pitie her desolations did they but see the grasse of the earth dieperd with the bloud of the saints by Antichrist in the east and Antichrist in the west banding themselues together against the Lord and against our Christ the one to destroy the honor of his person the other of his offices I say if Saints in heauen had a sense and feeling of these miseries woes and calamities small were their rest liâ—tle were their ease and heauen were no hold for happines If the presence of God were vpon hell as on saith infernus in amoenum conuerteretur Paradisum it would become the port of Paradise so contrarily it may be sayd if the presence of our sinnes woes and calamities should pâ—ster heauen if earthly miseries hellish horrors and as our aduersaries wil haue it Purgatories plaints should reach the saints then should heauen bee turned into hell rest into toyle peace into warre and blessednes into bane Iob saw this when hee sayd of the dead he changeth his face when thou castest him away and he knoweth not if his Sonnes shall bee honorable neither shall be vnderstand concerning them whether they shall be of low degree Whereunto accordeth Augustine in another place The sonnes of them that are dead are there where they do not see nor heare what things are done or chaunceth in this life such is their care for the liuing that they know not what we do euen as our care is for the dead that we know not what they do For conclusion of this point that I bee not tedious say no more eyther for your selues or ouer your dead Heare heauen help saints send peace giue rest they see you not they heare you not nor haue they feeling of your miseries Your ora pro nobis is out at doores and your Missa requiem is a pregnant idoll Popes pardons are bables for Pagans to sport withall and like the mad Gaderen you hunt the graues of the dead to grieue the liuing taking vp these and such like stones to wound your selues and build vp your Babel of all confusion But of you my brethren I am perswaded better things and such as accompany saluation though thus I speake for God is not vnrighteous that he should forget your worke and labour of loue which you shew towards his name giuing him alone the sacrifice of your prayers and praises saying with holy Iob my witnes is in heauen And with the sweete Psalmist Whome haue I in heauen but thee and whom haue I in earth besides thee As also with blessed Hester O my Lord thou only art our King helpe me desolate woman which haue no helper but thee And for the dead take this from Siracides for a memento Forget it not seeing he is at rest let his remembrance rest cease thy prayers thou shalt do him no good but hurt thy selfe 2 Now to come to the second support I meane our aduersaries bath to supple and ease their dead before they come to heauen and for that they cry help Purgatory purge fire heathenish in deuise hellish in practice and Romish for gaine That I may say no more I can say no lesse of that popish puddle if I say the truth but as the Apostle sayd of an idoll Idolum nihil est so say I of Purgatory Purgatorium nihil est it is none of Gods creatures it is none of Gods ordinances it was neuer in his counsell and for that it can neuer stand with his prouidence Nay if you reade the approuers of it who loue it most and like it best you shal finde theÌ„ like Sampsons foxes tyed by the tayles but deuided in the
godlines Much like vnto many wantons in these our dayes who deeme that diuinitie may goe by the drum whilest they vrge pyping to bring on preaching and minstrilsie to grace our ministerie with multitudes in the afternoones of many our wofull and solitarie Saboaths But to the matter in hand and point of pardons I say with Augustine O vanitie selling vanities to them that will heare vanitie and vaine are they that will beleeue it Nay rather beleeue your owne Poets who durst freely say If wee haue any thing from Rome they be trisles it receiueth our gold and deceiueth our soules Say with Veselus one of your owne Doctors Among vs in Rome Churches Priests Altars Masses Crownes Fire Incence Prayers and Heauen are set to sale yea and God himselfe among vs may be had for money Say with Budaeus The Popes Canons seeme not now to guide mens liues but if I may so say they rather serue to make a banke and to get money Say with Becket one of your owne Bishops Rome our mother is become an harlot for money reward laieth her selfe to sale If then for coÌ„clusion my deere brethreÌ„ beloued in the best loue that euer was which is of Iesus Christ if Saints helpe not for that they heare not if Purgatorie case not for that it is not and lastly if pardons preuaile not for that they reach neither quicke nor dead why doe wee listen to these vngodly Sirens who blacken the ayre with the fogge of their dearne diuinitie and driue away al comfort from distressed soules with these wofull outcryes and doubtfull voyces Helpe Saints Purge fire Pardon Pope Away away get you hence for who euer required these things at your hands saith my God Let onely the price of the bloud of my Lord auaile me vnto the perfection of my deliuery He is my peace he is my rest in life and in death Christ is to me an aduantage O death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victorie Pope where is thy pride Purgatorie where is thy gaine Thankes be vnto God who hath giuen vs victorie peace and rest thorough our Lord Iesus Christ. And now who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that iustifieth who shall coÌ„demne it is Christ which is dead yea rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God maketh request also for vs. And what shal diuide vs froÌ„ his loue Shall tribulation or anguish or persecutioÌ„ or famine or nakednes or perill or sword shall life or death In all these we are more then conquerours in him yâ— loued vs. And I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come neither height nor depth Pope nor Purgatorie shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Venâ—endo veniet Peace shall come they shall rest from their labours euery one that walketh before him Thus you haue heard I hope to your comfort of peace after war rest after toile life after death and a blessed being after a miserable bondage to all Gods children vpon the last farewell with this wofull world It now remaines we come to the second part and declare out of the text to your further comfort who are partakers of the blessing euen all such as are parties to the cause and none but such as haue walked before him All haue not faith so saith Paul All haue not peace so saith the Prophet Not euery plant is for this Orchard Not euery tree is for this building each peeble stone may noy lie with the Carbuncle Topaze or Chrysolite in the habitation of his holinesse For without shall be dogges and inchaunters and whoremongers and murtherers and Idolators and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lyes But blessed are they that doe his commandements that their right may be found in the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the citie Blessednesse with the Apostle is to such as doe his commandements Peace and rest with the Prophet is to such as walke before him Both absolute in the promise of God both defeaseable on the condition of man It is an ouerruled case in schoole diuinitie Comminationes promissiones diuinae sunt hypotheticae comminations promises from God are conditionall euer limited within the bounds of our obedience or disobedience Yet fortie dayes and Niniue shall be destroyed if Niniue repent not and I am perswaded that yet not many yeares the whole world shall bee destroyed if the world amend not Excellent things were spoken of thee thou Citie of God but now execrable things are done to thee for that thou art fallen from God Bethel is become Bethauen the house of God the house of iniquitie Heudomus antiqua quam dispari domino dominare Thy ruines are relickes of thy sinne and iudgements of thy God God promised a Priesthood of continuance with an eternall couenant and said he would neuer faile Salomon of a sonne to succeed in that throne of gouernmeÌ„t if his children would doe right and walke in his waies but when they failed in the condition the Lord failed in his promise that they might know his promises are conditionall and his mercies euer with limitation Aske and ye shall haue seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you so saith Christ a mercifull Messias but with this implication if yee aske not yee haue not if yee seeke not yee finde not if yee knocke not it shall not be opened vnto you And I pray you what is implied in all the titles and dignities of Christ where either he saith of himselfe or others of him that he is the way the truth and the life but that we should walk in him shine through him and liue by him or what of this that he is the doore the shepheard and the vine but that wee should enter be guided and grow together in him A Priest hee is to please our God A Prophet to instruct our soules and a king to conquer our enemies All defeaseable on our behalfe if we yeeld him no sacrifice no care no obedience I say for conclusion whatsoeuer Christ is to me I am nothing to him if Eccho-like and by reflexion I doe not answere to his holie and heauenlie call with my true faith and due obedience Qui fecit te sine te non saluabit te sine te Hee that made thee without thee will neuer saue thee without thee We are his workemanship created to good workes that we should walke in them In which walking I doe further obserue out of the text that God is no respecter of persons but euerie one that walketh shall haue peace and finde rest whether Iew or Gentile circumcised or vncircumcised man or woman rich or poore bond or free master
and vncharitable tongues of the Papists abiding in our countrey who since her death haue not ceased to giue it out that she died despairing and by her comfortles end shewed that she professed a coÌ„fortles Religion Wherein they bewray their malice madnes and shew themselues of what generatioÌ„ they are euen a people as the Prophet Ieremy saith which bend their tongues like bowes for lyes and as Dauid saith make readie their arrowes to shoote at them which are vpright in heart And lastly when I remembred the censure giuen by our Sauiour Christ of the woman that poured costly ointment on his head a little before his Passion though some of his Disciples vniustly blamed her for the same saying What needed this wast yet he himselfe did not only excuse her for that fact saying she did it to bury him but also commaunded that wheresoeuer the Gospell should bee preached throughout the worlde there also that which she had done should be spoken of for a memoriall of her Euen so seeing this vertuous Gentlewoman hath bin vniustly accused by some popish persons I thought it sit that she should not onely be iustly excused and cleered from their false and slaunderous reports but also that a true historie of her holie life and christian death should be annexed to those learned Sermons which were preached at her Funerall by two godly Preachers and are now published in print that where soeuer they going before as the Gospell preached there also this briefe historie may follow after to be seene and read for a memoriall of her These reasons moued me both to collect and publish this treatise the doing whereof I trust as it will be acceptable to many so can it bee hurtfull to none vnlesse possible it be to the kingdome of darknes If there be any vnsatisfied and yet desire any other reasons I tell them further it is to burie her and the last balme that euer I can powre vpon her head it is my farewell and the last duty which I can performe vnto her and therefore I hope both excusable in me and also profitable to others because many things here spoken of her deserue imitation And this I assure the Reader that howsoeuer I may sometimes misse the for me of words which possibly the Gentlewoman vsed in her speech yet haue I faithfully set downe the substance of the matter and for the most part also faithfully related the words themselues and reported nothing but that which is most true and testified by persons of good and honest report as they are named in the margent out of whose fresh memories the substance of that which I publish was presentlie set downe This I humbly desire thee good Christian Reader to accept I had no other odours wherewith to imbalme her I am but the pen-man the thing it selfe was her owne wrought in her by Gods spirit and therefore not costly to me though more comfortable to me and all that heard it then I can now expresse and I doubt not but it shall yeeld thee also the same comfort and giue thee occasion both to praise God and imitate her wel-doing which the Lord graunt Amen A Post-script to Papists PEace and truth to as many of you as pertaine to God I am moued in conscience to deale with you by this manner of writing because of the false and slanderous reports which I heare some of your faction haue blazed and diuulged abroade concerning the death of Mistresse Katherin Brettergh a Christian Gentlewoman whose life indeed was holy and death most comfortable It is no noueltie or new thing to heare a lye from a Papist but rather a principle of your religion Therefore if you pleade antiquitie as a marke infallible to know your Church by for that point tak 't you you haue it from the Diuell your father by tradition diabolicall holding the same still in these succeeding ages so succinctly that for ought I know you will not leaue it till you be shut foorth of the heauenly Ierusalem and cast into Tophet which is prepared of old for liers and inchanters Yet it pities me to thinke of some of your poore sillie seduced soules how simple they be in Gods causes and yet malicious for the most of my popish neighbors what others be I know not flye but a very low pitch being people altogether void of learning wit and ciuilitie The furthest drift of their religion is to say the Pope is a good man to say it is safest to doe in religion as most doe to thump hard their breasts when they pray to crosse them when they meete a Protestant and to spit out when they name the Diuell to gallop ouer a Pater noster or Ladies Psalter vpon their beades and to say it was a good world when Masse was vp for then all things were cheape finallie some of them will say I beleeue as my father beleeued God baue mercie on his sweete soule and I hope to go to him when I die This is the very length broadth and depth of most part of Popery where I dwell euery one can reach this marke and few can goe beyond it Another opinion of these sottish people is to say If a man dye like a lambe and passe out of the world like a bird in a shell he is certainely saued although neither holines were in his life nor God in his mouth grace in heart nor yet repentaÌ„ce faith or feeling at his death Such blockish ends a reuerend man doth count fearefull saying such men excepting their fetherbeds and pillowes dye liker beasts then Christians Againe if the violence of any disease stirre vp impatience in a muÌ„ at his death straight say our country-Papists there is a iudgement of God seruing either to discouer an hypocrite or plague a wicked man especially if they proteste the truth of Iesus Christ as this Gentlewoman did then they cry and shout see the effect of this religion see the end of these men where as indeede the truth is farre otherwise as a learned writer doth notably determine It seemeth you Papists or who els so euer doe iudge thus are little acquainted with Scripturos nor yet were euer of Salomons minde who speaking of outward things happening to man doth say The same condition is to the iust and to the wicked both one to the pure and polluted Dauid saw the wicked without bands in their death noitâ—er were they troubled like other men and yet were they ropnobates and the children of Satan But if you Bapists had Dauids spirit which the Diuell would not that you had for Dauids kingdome you would iudge more charitably of Christians deaths especiallie such whose liues were holy notwithstanding any outward accident that might happen at the least you ought rather to mourne and conceale it then to laugh and deride the same for when Saul was dead in mount Gilboa who was a notorious wicked man and his death fearefull indeede
C. BRETTERG DEATHS ADVANTAGE LITTLE REGARDED AND THE soules solace against sorrow Preached in two funerall Sermons at Childwal in Lancashire at the buriall of Mistris Katherin Brettergh the third of Iune 1601. The one by William Harrison one of the Preachers appointed by her Maiestie for the Countie Palatine of Lancaster the other by William Leygh Bachelor of Diuinitie and Pastor of Standish Whereunto is annexed the Christian life and godly death of the said Gentlevvoman The second Edition corrected and amended PHIL. 1. 21. Christ is to me both in life and in death aduantage REVEL 12. 17. Then the dragon vvas vvroth vvith the VVoman and vvent and made vvarre vvith the remnant of her seede vvhich keepe the commaundements of God and haue the testimonie of Iesus Christ. AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston 1602. TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader grace and peace in Christ be multiplied IF any doe wonder why I would presume to publish this rude Sermon in these bright Sun-shine daies of the Gospell wherein so many learned bookes profitable treatises be alreadie set forth by others and yet are little regarded by the people I wish them to vnderstand that I was drawne hereunto by the importunitie of some who hearing it preached earnestly desired to haue it printed their request being importunate and yet reasonable I could not well deny it And yet I hope it wil not be hurtful to any but profitable to sorâ—e I know that speaking hath alwaies been accounted more powerfull than writing and therfore Papias a companion of Polycarpus thought he did not profit so much by the writings and bookes of the Apostles followers as by the authoritie of the persons and the liuely voyce of the speakers And Hierome said that the liuely voyce had a secret force and being powred from the mouth of the speaker into the eares of the hearer hath a stronger and more powerful sound Whereupon Aeschines when he had read the oration which Demosthenes had made against him and perceiued that the people did greatly wonder at the force and excellencie of it answered them What would you haue thought if you had heard him pronounce it with his owne mouth Yet writing hath his vse and profit both for the instruction of those which did not heare the doctrine deliuered by liuelie voyce and also for the helpe of their memories which before heard it Our Sermons are like an vntimely fruite which dieth so soone as it is borne they are forgotten so soone as they are heard And therefore as Paul was not grieued to write the same things to the Philippians but thought it a sure thing for them so wee neede not to be ashamed to write those things which before we preached that the people may the better vnderstand and remember the same Moreouer I was willing to giue a publike testimonie of that godly Gentlewomans death at whose buriall it was preached to cleere her from the slanderous reports of her popish neighbors who will not suffer her to rest in her graue but seeke to disgrace her after her death It is not vnknowne to them which either reade the histories of these later times or are acquainted with popish practises that the religioÌ„ of Papists was first set vp and is still maintained by crueltie and lyes By crueltie in murthering the Martyrs in persecuting the Protestants and now of late in these parts in beating and wounding the bodies in killing spoyling the cattell of those which withstand them by publike authoritie By lyes in teaching forged miracles to confirme their owne doctrine and in spreading abroad false reports against our best professors to hinder our doctrine as they haue bitterly reuiled them for the course of their liues so haue they most shamefully slaundered them for the manner of their death It would make a mans eares to tingle to heare what malitious slaunders and manifest vntruths some of the Romish faction haue published concerning the death of Luther of Caluine and Bucer worthie instrumeÌ„ts of Gods glorie and faithfull teachers of his truth As also concerning the death of the Lord Cobham of Richard Hunne of Thomas Bilney and of Perotine Massie holie Martyrs which sealed the truth of Christ with their owne blood Yea haue not some of that sect scattered abroad slaunderous Libels of Master Beza his reuolting at his death when he was liuing and able to answere them with his own hand-writing No marueile therefore though their followers treading in their steps do now vniustly reproch them which professe the same doctrine and being dead indeede cannot answere for themselues It were better for them with Balaam to desire to die the death of the righteous then thus to slander them after their death I will not blame them with cursed speaking seeing Michael the Archangell would not so deale with the diuell but I shall pray vnto the Lord to forgiue them and to open their eyes that they may see his truth And God grant that we which now professe his truth may so liue and die as that we may giue them no occasion to speake euill of it Amen Thine in the Lord WILLIAM HARRISON Analysis of Deaths aduantage little regarded Concerning the death of the godly meÌ„tioned Isai 57. vers 1. these 4. points may be obserued 1. The persons which dyed who are described by two titles 1. The righteous where wee may consider 1. The causes by which they are made righteous namely by 1. Faith applying Christs merits to make them righteous before God 2. Sanctification and the fruites thereof to make them righteous before men 2. The markes whereby they may bee knowne to bee righteous which be foure 1. The generalitie of their obedience if it extend it selfe to the whole course of their life 2. The end of it if it be directed to Gods glory 3. Their perseuerance if they continue therein vnto the end 4. Their affection to righteousnesse in others which is shewed in Labouring to make them righteous which yet be not Louing them which be alreadie righteous 2. Mercifull men so called Passiuely because God hath receiued them to mercie Actiuely because they shew mercie vnto others both to their Bodes and Soules 2. The manner of their death expressed by two phrases 1. Doe perish which must be vnderstood Not in regard of their soules for they are immortall and incomptible But in regard of their bodies for they perish yet only for a time and during that time remaine members of Christs mysticall bodie by vertue whereof they shallrâ—e againe 2. Are taken away and that is in respect of their Soules anâ— so their death differeth much from the death of he wicked Bodies anâ— so there is no difference betwixt them and the vicked 3. The careles regarde in others which is declared by two seuerall sentences 1. No man coÌ„sidereth it in heart 2. No man vnderstaÌ„deth it Concerning which consideratioÌ„ 3. points are obserued 1. The reasons why all
in Canaan Iosh. 23. the wise counsell of Dauid vnto Salomon who was to succeede him in the kingdome 1. King 2. Whosoeuer readeth the Ecclesiasticall histories may not onely see the vertuous liues but also the christian like ends of the Saints and Martyrs in the Church And whosoeuer will be present at the death of those which truly feare God may thereby learne how they themselues ought to dye for when the outward man doth decay the inward man is renewed more and more They shew that the neerer they do approch vnto their end the neerer they draw toward heauen But in these our dayes many may bee found who either do not at al consider the death of the righteous or else do consider it amisse Though it be a matter worth consideration yet some do not consider it at all because they see so many die they make the lesse reckoning of it til death knock at their owne doores they neuer regard it they must needes die themselues before they can be brought to consider of death they care not who sinck so they swimme nor how many die so they may liue yea this is greatly to be lamented that some do regard the death of a Christian no more then they regard the death of a dog But seeing we may learne so many profitable instructions by their death let vs now begin to consider it better then euer we did before Others do consider it but yet amisse eyther fondly or frowardly Fondly through naturall affection arising from kinred affinitie or familiaritie If a stranger dye it nothing moues them but if one of their owne friends dye they sigh and sob they howle and lament If the father lose his sonne hee cryes most pitifully as Dauid did for Absolom O my sonne Absolom my sonne my sonne Absolom would God I had dyed for thee O Absolom my sonne my sonne If the mother lose her children she behaueth her self like Rachel weeping for her children and would not be comforted because they were not If children lose their parents they cry after them as Elisha did after Elias wheÌ„ he was taken vp my father my father If a sister lose her brother she weepeth for him as Mary did for Lazarus If the husband lose his wife he weepeth for her as Abraham wept for Sarah Yea he mourneth like a Turtle Doue which hath lost his marrow If the wife lose her husband she dealeth like Naomi who would not be called Naomi that is beautiful but Mara that is bitter because the Lord had giuen her much bitternes If one familiar friend lose another he lamenteth his death as Dauid did the death of Ionathan wo is me for thee my brother Ionathan very kinde hast thou been vnto me thy loue to me was wonderfull passing the loue of women Indeede I can not deny but yâ— we ought in a speciall manner to consider the death of those which are neere and deare vnto 〈…〉 for it may be they are takeÌ„ from vs because we were vnworthy of them or because we gloryed trusted ouer-much in them and were not so thankfull for them as we ought If we had any help by them we must consider whether God haue not depriued vs of them for the punishment of our sins as the widow of Sarepta did at the death of her son saying vnto Eliah Art thou come vnto me to call my sinne to remembrance and to slay my sonne Yet this consideration must be ordered by wisdome it must not be ioyned with excessiue sorrow Neither must we consider their death alone but also the death of others which dye in the Lord and to learne to make an holy vse thereof For as Sampson found sweete hony in the carkas of a dead Lyon so we may finde some sweet instructions in the dead corps of euery righteous man yea the more righteous that they are which do dye the more should their death be considered because it may yeeld greater store of instruction vnto vs. And it may be that God doth take away those which are neere vnto vs because we doe carelesly regard the death of those which be farre off Againe some consider the death of the righteous very frowardly and peeuishly yea I may say malitiously preposterously For if any of them be taken away by a sodaine and extraordinary death they presently censure them as plagued of God and coÌ„demne their former profession thinking that God would not haue so dealt with them if he approued either of them or their profession But they must be instructed in this point by wise Salomon who sayth that no man knoweth loue or hatred of all that is before him All things come alike to all and the same condition is to the iust and the wicked to the good and the pure and to the polluted to him that sacrificeth to him that sacrificeth not Eli was a Priest and a good man yet brake his neck by falling backward from his â—eate Ionathan was a sworne brother vnto Dauid a godly and faithfull friend yet was he slaine in battaile by the hands of the Philistines That Prophet of God which came out of Iudah to Bethel to speake against Ieroboam and the altars which he had built for idolatry was no doubt an holy man yet was he killed in yâ— way by a Lyon Iosiah was a good King like vnto him there was no King before him neither after him rose any like him yet was he slaine in the valley of Megiddo by Necho King of Egypt Iobâ— children were wel brought vp by their godly father and it is sayd that before Iob offered sacrifice for them they were sanctified yet within a while after as they were eating and drinking in their eldest brothers house a violent wind ouerthrew the house and killed them all We must not therefore iudge of men by their death but rather by their life Though sometime a good death may follow an euill life yet an euill death can neuer follow a good life Correct thine euill life and feare not an euill death he can not die ill that liues well saith Augustine And afterward answeres the obiections of these men and makes this the foote of his song Thou wilt say vnto mee haue not many iust men perished by shipwracke Certainely hee can not dye ill which liued well Haue not many iust men beene slaine by the enemies sword Certainly he can not die il which liued well Haue not many iust men been killed by theeues Haue not many righteous men bin torne in pieces by wild beasts Certainly hee can not die ill which liued wel c. But I wil say vnto such as censure the righteous for their strange and violent death as Christ said of those eighteen vpon whom yâ— tower of Siloam fell and flew them Thinke ye that these were greater sinners then others I tel you nay but except ye repent ye all shall likewise perish
is some euill for the righteous to dwell among ill neighbours It greatly greeueth them to see others commit sinne and dishonour God Lot being righteous and dwelling among the Sodomites in seeing hearing their vnlawfull deeds vexed his righteous soule from day to day And Dauid said Mine eyes gush out with riuers of water because they keep not thy law And also woe is me that I remaine in Meshech and dwell in the tents of Keaar Hee which is truelie grieued for sin in himselfe wil also be grieued for sinne in others Now the world is so fraught with sinners that if a man would not keepe companie with fornicators or with the couetous or with extortioners or with idolaters then as Paul saith he must go out of the world Death therefore frees men from this euill because it taketh them out of the world and suffereth them not to behold eyther the sinnes which men commit against God or the euils which God doth bring vpon them yea death doth carrie them into heauen to the holie angels and spirits of iust and perfect men which sinne not at all but fulfill the will of God in all perfection They shall haue cause to reioyce for them and not to be grieued at them There be also extraordinarie euils from which the righteous are deliuered by death and those are extraordinarie iudgements which the Lord bringeth vpon the people and countrie where they dwelt for some late and grieuous sins Thus was a young child of Ieroboam dealt withall The Lord threatned to bring euill vpon the house of Ieroboam and to sweepe off the remnant of his house as a man sweepeth away dung til it be all gone Yea the dogs should eate him of Ieroboams stocke that died in the Citie and the foules of the aire should eate him that died in the field yet that childe should die in his bed and all Israel as it is said shall mourne for him for he onlie of Ieroboam shall come to the graue because in him there is found some goodnes toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Ieroboam Thus also was good king Iosiah dealt withall The Lord told him before hand because thine heart melted and they hast humbled thy selfe hast rent thy clothes and wept before mee behold therefore I will gather thee to thy fathers and thou shalt be put in thy graue in peace and thine eyes shall not see all the euill which I will bring vpon this place And thus was Luther dealt withall as some haue obserued who was taken away in peace not long before the Lord brought that miserable calamitie vpon Germanie which he had often foretold would come vpon that people for the contempt of the Gospel Who also desired that hee might be called out of the world before he saw those grieuous punishments which hee greatly feared Though this be no perpetuall law for sometime the righteous perish in the common destruction among the wicked as Ionathan did with Saul other Israelites in battell against the Philistims And in the Pestilence Christians haue dyed with the Infidels Sometime God spareth the wicked for the righteous mens sake which liue among them The Lord promised Abraham that if he could finde ten righteous men â—n Sodome hee would not destroy the citie for those tennes sake And Iob sayd The innocent shall deliuer the yland and it shall be preserued by the purenes of his hands Yea wheate and tares must grow together till the haruest that is good and bad must liue together in the world vntil the end of the world Yet oftentimes God pluckes his children out of fire which shall consume the wicked and prouides a place of safety for them in heauen before he powre forth his iudgements vpon the earth Lot was commaunded to make haste vnto the citie of Zoar to saue him there because the Lord could doe nothing vnto Sodom till hee was come thither And when the Lord would destroy Ierusalem for the abominations committed in it he shewed to the Prophet in a vision the destroyers comming forth with their weapoÌ„s to destroy yet they must not touch any vntill they were all marked in their fore heads which mourned for all the abominations done in the midst of it And the destroying Angels must not hurt the earth neither the sea nor the trees till the seruants of God were sealed in their foreheads As the righteous are carefull to serue the Lord so is he carefull to preserue them As they haue not bin partakers with the common sort in the practise of sin so shall they not bee partakers with them in suffering punishment He takes them from among the wicked and then executeth his iudgements vpon the wicked alone The Egyptians did vse to gather their corne out of the fields and laid it vp in their barnes and then caused the Israelites to gather the stubble to make bricke withall and in some Countreys Farmers first carry the corne into their barnes and then burne the stubble in the field where it growes so the Lord first gathereth the righteous into the kingdome of heauen and then consumeth the wicked on the earth It is farre from the iudge of all the world to slay the righteous with the wicked 1. In this respect those which suruiue the righteous haue iust cause to feare some present euils and labour by vnfained repentance if it be possible to preueÌ„t them Their death is a plaine prognostication of some euils to come and should be as a trumpet to awaken others out of the sleepe of sinne Many of the wicked reioyce when the godly are taken away froÌ„ them they loue their roomes better then their company they hated them and their profession in their life time because as they say they are not for our profit and they are contrary to our doings they checke vs for offending against the law it grieueth vs to looke vpon them for their liues are not like other men and therefore at their death they are glad that they are rid of them when indeede they haue greater cause to howle and weepe for the miseries that shall come vpon them The righteous need not to imitate the vngodly practise of Herod who being ready to dye thinking that his death would be a great ioy to many shut vp in prison some noble men of euery towne and required his sister Salome her husband Alexa that so soone as he was dead they should kil those noble men and then all Iudaea would lament his death The Lord himselfe doth often make the death of the righteous to be lamented by sending of extraordinary iudgements immediatly after their death When Noah enters into the Arke the world is drowned with the floud when Lot departs out of Sedome it is burnt with fire 2 In this respect also yâ— righteous haue no cause to feare death but rather to desire it for what is it
professors In Sionis gaudium Anglo-Papistarum luctum Amen Amen FINIS A BRIEF DISCOVRSE OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE and death of Mistris Katherin Brettergh late wife of Master William Brettergh of Bretterghoult in the Countie of Lancaster Gentleman who departed this world the last of May. 1601. With the manner of a bitter conflict she had with Satan and blessed conquest by Christ before her death to the great glorie of God and comfort of all beholders Micha 7. 8. Reiovce not against me O mine enemies though I fall I shall rise againe And when I sit in darkenes the Lord shall be a ligâ—â— vnto me Psalm 37. 37. Marke the vpright man and behold the iust for the end of that man is peace LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston 1602. TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader grace and peace in Iesus Christ. WHen Achimaaz the sonne of Zadoc requested that he might be the messenger to bring Dauid word of Absoloms death Ioab would not suffer him Thou shalt not saith he be the messenger to day but thou shalt cary newes another time but to day thou shalt cary none for the Kings sonne is dead He knew Dauids affection was such that the newes of his childs death would be most heauie to him and the messenger himselfe not welcome for his message sake This is all our infirmity no tidings more grieuous to vs then when wee heare of the death of those whom wee loue The Parent bewayles his Child the Husband his Wife the Friend laments the death of his Friend and we thinke it the losse of another friend to depart with this our griefe Iacob mourned for Ioseph his son that he would not be comforted of a long season but thought he would weepe for him as long as he liued When the Amalekites had burned Ziklag and led away captiue the mens wiues and their children Dauid and his company wept till they could weepe no more When Lazarus dred his sisters Martha and Mary were much discomforted for him Gâ—egory Nazianzen reports that when Basil the great died euen the wisest men in the city stroue to exceede one another in weeping and complaining for his death And as for my selfe saith he now I am bereaued of the fellowship of such a man what shall I do but either dye or liue in miserie Which way shall I turne me What shall I do What counsell shall I take now I haue lost him that was my comfort So heauy a thing we see it is to be seuered for a time from those that are deere vnto vs. One only thing there is which is able in this case much to temper our affections when we see our friend to die in the Lord that is in comfort of conscience assurance of saluatioÌ„ through Christ. And this his comfort he expresseth outwardly vnto vs by performing those duties which are required of a man when he dyes and so he makes a ioyfull and a holy end When our friend departeth this life in this maner we haue iust cause to take his death the more comfortably And thus it pleaseth God many times to stirre vp some especiallie such as in their life time haue a care to pursue Religion and to keep themselues vndesiled of the world at their death to expresse wonderfull comfort of spirit and to shew forth such fruit of Religion that we wonder at it and acknowledge the extraordinary worke of Gods spirit in them They wrastle against temptations they confesse their faith feele the assurance of their saluation condemne their sinnes exhort the beholders praise God sing Psalmes wish to dye that in their death they are better Christians then euer they were in their life This blessed departure God giues to many for diuers good purposes 1. That the world may know that peace is the end of the iust and comfort in death is the portion of the righteous 2. That his eternall truth in our holy profession may appeare to be able to comfort vs not onely in our life but in our death also when all other comforts forsake vs. 3. That our enemies may see our faith is not in vaine 4. That the weake by their example may be incouraged to a holy life when they see it bring with it so happie a death and that they may be strengthened against the feare of death seeing it is alwaies comfortable to those that leade a godly life 5. and finally that the friends of the departed by their heaueÌ„ly departure may be admonished not to mourne so much for their death as to reioyce for their life and to thanke God that euer it was their lot in any degree to be ioined or matched with so blessed seruants of God This Gentlewoman Mistresse Katherine Brettergh was one of this number her life as long as God continued it was deere to those among whom she was as the life of a friend might be Her husband friends kinsfolks brethren sisters and all the godly that knew her inioyed a great blessing of God of her and her death no doubt was grieuous to her husband as the death of a vertuous yoke-fellow And if worldly affection would haue holpen it it was the same in him that Dauids was to Absolom his sonne when he mourned for his death O my sonne Absolom my sonne my sonne Absolom would to God I had dyed for thee ô Absolom my sonne my sonne But sure her death was such her behauiour in her sicknes so religious her heart so possessed with comfort her mouth so filled with the praises of God her spirit so strengthened against the feare of death her conquest so happy ouer her infirmities that such as loued her most haue greatest cause to reioyce in her death and by seeing the wonderfull worke of God in her to learne to renounce their owne affections This is the thing I thought with profit might be presenâ—â—d to the view of others also that knew her not for when I had for my own priuate vse and the vse of my friends faithfully collected out of the fresh memories of those that were present and eye-witnesses as wel as my selfe and set downe the manner of her sicknes and death I considered that the knowledge thereof could not but be welcome to al those that desire to die the death of the righteous And so the same causes that moued me to collect it gaue me also occasion to publish it I remembred the saying of one That it is great pietie to set foorth the vertues of the departed if they haue excelled therein yea it is a meanes to increase grace in our selues I thought so great mercie of God shewed to one among vs ought not to be forgotten but should remaine to vs our childre an example to teach vs how good God is to them that loue him and to assure vs that he will neuer forsake vs but in like manner as he did her helpe and comfort vs when we shall by death be called vnto him I considered the vngodly
but an ending of some troubles and a preuenting of others They may with Paule desire to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of all It is true which Salomon saith That the day of a mans death is better then the day of his birth For the day of a godly mans birth is the beginning of his misery but the day of his death is the end of his misery Indeede the day of a wicked mans death is the most wofull day that euer befell him for hee is not taken away from the euill to come but he is taken vnto euill to be tormented in hell for euermore And therefore he feares death as much as a malefactour feareth a Sergeant that commeth to carry him to prisoÌ„ where he is like to abide till the day of execution That is true in them which the Diuell sayd Skin for skin and all that euer a man hath will he giue for his life And as the Gibeonites were content rather to bee bondmen and hewers of wood and drawers of water then to be killed by the Israelites as other nations were So they had rather indure any kinde of misery then to die as others doe because they feare a worse estate after death and therefore must bee pulled from the earth with as great violence as Ioab was pulled from the hornes of the altar vnto which he had fled as to a place of refuge But the godly knowing what an happy exchange they make by death they desire to dye so soone as it pleaseth the Lord. Indeede none ought for the ending of present calamities or preuenting of future miseries to shorten their own dayes as Saul did by falling on his owne sword nor yet for the present enioying of eternal happines procure their own deatâ— as Cleombrotus did who reading Plato his booke of the immortalitie of the soule cast himself headlong from a wal that he might change this life for a better He onely who gaue life must take it away and the Lord may say to such I will receiue no soules which against my will haue gone out of the body the Philosophers which died so were martyrs of foolish philosophie Yet seeing that death freeth the righteous from present and future miseries they may be most willing to dye so soone as the Lord calleth for them and when death approacheth may say with Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace 3 Lastly in this respect we must learne not to mourne immoderately for the death of the righteous Though we receiued great comfort and inioyed some benefit by them while they were aliue yet seeing that death is an aduantage vnto them we should be content patiently to beare our owne losse in respect of their great gaine If two friends should lye in prison together or should dwell together in a strange countrey where both of them were hardly vsed were many wayes iniured endured great want and sustained much miserie though they loued one another dearely and the one were an helpe and comfort to the other yet if the one should be taken from the other and brought to his chiefest friends and among them be not onely freed from all such miseries as before he had endured but also be aduanced to great preferment will the other which is left behind him be discontented at it Will he not rather wish himselfe to be there with him in the like case then desire that either he had stayed with him or might returne againe This our life is as a prison or straunge countrey in which we indure great miserie and may euery day looke for more if therefore our deerest friends be taken from vs freed from these miseries and aduanced to great glorie with Christ and his Saints in the kingdome of heauen we haue no cause to wish that either they had stayed longer with vs or might returne againe vnto vs but rather desire that we might quickly go vnto them to be glorified in like sort Though we may thinke that they dyed too soone for vs yet they dyed not too soone for themselues for the sooner they come to rest and happines the better it is for them Their condition is farre better then ours for they are freed from misery we are reserued for further misery they are already arriued at the hauen of eternall rest and we are stil tossed on the sea of this world with troublesome waues and dangerous tempests they haue ended their iourney with lesser trauaile and making a shorter cut and wee are yet trauailing with wearâ—â—omnesse in our iourney If any one of them could speake after their death he would say vnto those which weep for him as Christ sayd to the daughters of Ierusalem Weepe not for me but weepe for your selues and for your children because of the dangerous dayes which shall ensue Or as Christ said vnto his disciples If ye loued me ye would verily reioyce because I go vnto the Father But if examples do moue any thing at al I may apply al that hath bin spoken to our present occasion A righteous woman is perished a mercifull woman is taken away let vs lay it to our hearts and consider that she is taken away from euill I am fully perswaded that she is deliuered from ordinary euils and it may be her death hath in her self preuented some extraordinarie iudgements which remaine for vs that are left behinde Sin is now so riâ—e and ripe among vs that we may iustly feare some strange future euils God graunt that as she hath preuented them by her death so we may preuent them by our vnfained repentance I know that she being receiued into the society of the Saincts in heauen neither careth for nor seeketh mans praises she neither needeth our prayers nor yet our prayses if she desire any thing it is our imitation Yet to praise the dead is a thing lawfull in it self and profitable vnto the liuing If it had not bin a thing lawfull neither Dauid would so highly haue commended Ionathan for his feruent and constant loue 2. Sam. 1. 26. neither would the holy Ghost haue commended king Iosiah for his integrity aboue all others 2. Chro. â—5 23. Neither would the author to the Hebrews haue so greatly praised the Patriarchs and Prophets for their excellent works of faith Nâ—ither would Christ haue commaunded that wheresoeuer the Gospell should be preached throughout all the world that which the woman had done in â—anointing him should be spoken of for a memoriall of her God would not haue the vertuous deedes and holy examples of the righteous to bee buried with them but to bee kept in remembrance for the imitation of others Christ commended some while they were aliue as the Centurion for the greatnes of his faith Math. 8. Iohn Baptist for his constancie his â—obrietie in his apparell and the dignitie of his office Math. 11. May we not then praise the dead For
we may best commend saylers whē they arriue at the hauen and souldiers when they haue gotten the victorie These praises may profit the liuing they may comfort the friends of the deceased assuring them of their happie exchange by death And for this cause the Fathers in their consolatorie letters written to them which lost their friends haue inserted large praises of them they may stirre vp others to praise the Lord for them and likewise prouoke thē to follow their good example As fire whē it is raked into wil cast forth some heate and light and precious oyntment if it be stirred wil cast forth a sweete smel to thē which be neere so y◠praises of Saints departed being mentioned will yeeld some comfort and profit to those which heare them I may the more boldly speake somewhat of this godly Gentlewoman whose soule I doubt not God hath taken vnto himselfe and whose body is now to bee committed vnto the earth because I knew both the course of her life and the manner of her death It pleased God betime to season the vessel of her heart with heauenly liquour whereof it did alwayes tast afterward good seede was sowne in her soule at the beginning which budded and brought forth good fruite vnto the ende She was by nature very humble and lowly not disdaining any very louing and kind shewing courtesie to all very meeke and milde in forbearing euery one so as they which did daylie conuerse with her could neuer see her angrie and hereby she got the loue of all For matters of religion few went before her She gaue her selfe much to reading as Paula did traine vp her maides to read and learne euery day some thing in the Scriptures so did she accustome her selfe to reade euery day eight chapters in the bible and would not suffer any occasiō to hinder her in that taske yea and moreouer at conuenient leasure would reade ouer other godly bookes for her further instruction She was also much giuen to prayer for besides that shee would both morning and euening ioyne in prayer with the family she was espyed to seeke out solitary places for priuate prayer and meditation She did most dutifully frequent the publick exercises in the Church had a speciall care to sanctifie the Sabboth and was greatly grieued if shee might not heare one or two Sermons on that day Although she dwelt farre from the Church yet would she neuer be absent if shee were able either to goe or ride Yea she might be found in the Church when others which dwelt neerer and were able to haue come might haue bin found in their houses or vnfit places for that time By these meanes shee did greatly increase in knowledge not being like those women which are euer learning but are neuer able to come to the knowledge of the truth But rather like Dauid who vnderstoode more then the ancient She had a very tender conscience and would often weepe not only for her owne sins but also for the sins of others especially if she espied a fault in those which were neere vnto her whom she loued dearely had a dangerous conflict yet a ioyfull conquest Not long after the beginning of her sicknes being a weeke before her death I comming to visit her found her some what troubled in conscience the enemy had then begun to assault her but within a while by conference with me and others and also by prayer she was comforted But after our departure the enemy did more strongly strangely assault her againe as might appeare to them which were present for she neither would nor yet could conceale it Though I was not present at this conflict yet was I present at the conquest I comming to her the day before her death found her exceedingly rauished with the ioyes of heauen praysing God most cheerefully for his great mercies and wonderfull works of God toward her repeating many verses of the Psalmes and other places of Scripture to expresse the worke of the Lord vnto her and to set forth her thankfulnes vnto him She said the path was smooth and strowed with flowers where she did treade that she was as it were in Paradice and felt a sweete smell as in the garden of Eden that the ioyes which she felt were wonderfull wonderfull repeating that word oftentimes together I cannot rehearse the least part of those heauenly speeches which then shee vttered She often desired others to pray and to praise God for her and when I had once ended prayer within a while after she would desire me to pray againe The next morning which was the day of her death I saw her continue in the like sort though not able by reason of her weakenes to speake so much she then desired our prayers againe for her and when prayer was ended and I gone out of the house toward the Church she caused mee to bee called backe to pray once againe with her and whē I departed wished some faithithfull Minister to help me and thus continued in godly speeches and prayers vntill her last end This was the manner of her death I haue heard that some speake very vncharitably of her by reason of her temptation and thereupon mutter much against religion it selfe but such should remember that which I haue spoken before that the Deuill most assaulteth them which be most godly thinking to hinder all religion if he may preuaile with such and if you yet doubt of this point I could shew the testimony of the best learned to approue it And in temptation the best may quaile to shew how weake wee are and to keepe vs from presumption Yet seeing that as Iacob spake of the tribe of Gad An host of men shall ouercome him yet he shall ouercome in the end so it came to passe in her her enemie for a while seemed to preuaile but in the end was troden downe vnder her feete Wee should rather praise God for the victory then speake euill of her for the combate feare least he who tempted her so strōgly will also tempt vs and therefore let vs put vpon vs armour of proofe that we may be able to stand in the day of tryall I pray God that those which speake euill of her death doe not die worse then shee did Howsoeuer it was I will say with Paul Who art thou that iudgest another mans seruant the standeth or falleth to his owne maister I hope she resteth with the Lord and therefore let ill tongues rest and speake no more against her Although her mother haue lost a dutifull childe her husband a chast a louing and discreet wife her brethren a deare and kind sister her nighbours a peaceable and courteous neighbour her friends a religious kinswoman her familiar acquaintance a vertuous companion the poore a charitable relieuer and I my selfe one of my best hearers Yet I will say to all as Hierom did to Eustochium concerning her