first comfort the godly in that their liues lie not in the power of men or malice of Satan for these indeed would swallow them vp quicke when they are displeased at them and the godly neuer want the wicked or the Diuels displeasure you shall see some of the Iewes band together and binde themselues by an oath that they will neither eate nor drinke till they haue killed Paul but their plot shall bee preuented and Paul preserued till the time appointed of God Tyrants may take away the life of the godly but they cannot cut off the lappes of their coats nor touch the skirts of their garments without Gods permission and he will neuer permit them before the appoynted time Pharaoh would haue taken away Moses his life often but God had not appointed it so for Moses died in the land of Moab Saul thought to make sure worke with Dauid when he ran at him with a speare but God had appointed that Dauid should die a naturall death in his bedde as he did wee see such men as are grieuously wounded oftentimes doe not die as on the contrary the cutting of a corne doth kill some what is the cause but the performance of Gods appoynted time in both Asaph was but sick in his feet farre from the heart he ◅s to seeke helpe of the Phisition yet dies of the disease Hezechiah was sicke at the heart and at the poynt of death yet liues many yeares after because his time determined by God was not yet come when he should die though in regarde of his disease in the sight of man the day was come that hee should die One lies long sicke yet recouers because his time is not come another as hee walkes in his chamber or sits in his chaire drops downe and neuer riseth because his time is come To conclude this Vse for the comfort of the godly though their enemies that seeke to spill their blood be many and those mighty and malicious withal yet all these cannot diminish one day of this life which the Lord hath decreed Secondly this may serue for reproofe of such as dreame dote only vpon second causes and neuer looke to Gods councell and decree This makes these men cry out and say when their friends are taken away Oh it was for want of learned Phisitians about him yet died of no dangerous diseases while hee looked to second causes and not to the Lord without whose appointment nothing can come to passe A Sparrow cannot fall to the ground without Gods guiding prouidence nor a bird fall into a snare where no fouler is In the pestilence they cry out of the infection of the ayre in consumptions of sorrow and griefe in feuers of cold in famine of foule weather in warre of the malice of the enemies but Moses would haue men to looke to a higher hand in all these For it is the Lord saith hee that shall smite men with consumptions and with the feuer and with the burning ague and with feruent heat and with the sword and with drought with the mildew The second causes I know that is such meanes as God hath appointed for the preseruation of life must not bee despised yet they must not be doted vppon vse these carefully but commit the successe to God who onely can blesse these meanes and will whensoeuer they may serue for the performance of his purpose and his time appointed which can by no meanes be either preuented or auoyded Thirdly this may teach vs to waite with patience expecting when our changing shall come It is not for vs to know the time and season the yeere or moneth of our appointed time which God hath kept secret to himselfe It is comfort enough and powerfull to perswade a patient expectation of our change to thinke how happy a change we shall haue Christ shall change our vilde bodies that they might be like vnto his glorious body when we haue the world at will and nothing comes crosse vnto vs we can be content wee say to liue as long as the Lord hath appointed but when we are pinched with pouerty or surcharged with sickenesse or vexed with sorrow and griefe then most impatiently we pray and wish that wee were out of the world and wee will not waite the Lords leisure but with the King of Israel we wickedly resolue be hold this euill is of the Lord what should I wait for the Lord any longer In these cases we can alledge Scripture that it is better to die then to liue because Salomon saith that the day of death is better thē the day of our birth Salomon doth not say that the day of death is good simply but by way of comparison better then the day of birth and yet this may seeme in humane sence and reason to be absurd for there is ioy when a man is born into the world The number of the children of God is increased life is the gift of God How thē can the day of death be better then the day of life The meaning of Salomon is that life is attended with many miseries for we are borne to labour and trauell subiect to sickenesses and sorrow and sinne nothing but death can deliuer vs from all these and therefore better is the day of death then the day of birth yet be it neuer so good be it better then life yea be it best of all to be with Christ Though we haue here no abiding Citie Though we be strangers and pilgrimes Though soiourners as all our fathers were Dust and ashes Wormes of the earth Though wee were worse then all these yet we must wait Gods appointed time Though the euer-liuing God hath condemned mankinde to death which is the wages of sinne and to the graue which is the house appointed for all the liuing yet may we not either hasten our death or digge our own graues and descend into them before we be dead Though our bodies bee but houses of clay earthly houses or tents rather yet may wee not pull downe these houses ouer our heads or remoue these tents before our Generall giue command but waite till our changing come In a word God hath determined that we must die and therefore death should be welcome when it doth come but he hath determined withall when we must die and therfore nothing should make vs weary of waiting till it doe come Fourthly this point duly considered may reprooue such that goe about to shorten their liues these men presume to appoint their own time with a fals key to open this prison of their body and let their soules depart before God call for it or giue them any commission vnto it It is true that God hath appointed this time for these mens deaths in his secret counsell but it is more then they know and for ought that they see they might liue longer if
As God hath appointed how long euery man shall liue of which time he cannot come short if hee would nor go beyond it So it is Gods pleasure that they shall finde little pleasure this short shall not be sweete but as a warfare wherein hee must fight against his enemies the Diuel the World and his owne Flesh neither may hee giue ouer when he sees good for as he that is hired must looke to doe some worke for his wages for that short time that he hath vndertaken so must we in the dayes of our liues they may not bee spent vainely and idely but in doing good I must yet come nearer the words Is not time determined of warfare to man vpon earth Some reade theÌ„ thus The life of man is a warfare vpoÌ„ earth Some thus Is there not a certaine time of warfare determined vnto man vpon earth Som thus Is there not a day of warfare to mortall man vpon earth Others thus Is not time determined to man vpon earth The world signifies an Armie a wâ—rfare an end or determinate time as God hath appointed that men shall die So he hath determined a time how long to liue and then to die Are not mans dayes determined the number of his monethes are with thee thou hast appointed his time which if hee would hee cannot passe All the dayes of my appointed time will I wait till my changing come Iob 14. 14. Hencâ— then we may draw this Doctrine Thâ—t God hath decreed how long euery man shall liue no man can liue beyond the time determined by God Dauids childe doth die young but God had determined it should then die Methusâ—â—laâ— doth die aged and God had determined hee should not die till then The one in his infancie the other in his old age both in the time determined by God To all things saith Salomon There is an appointed time and a time to euery purpose vnder the Sunne a time to be borne and a time to diâ— Let men vse what meanes they will to bring matters to passe purpose and plot all is to small purpose for bâ—…ore the time they shall be frustrate but if the time be come wherein God will haue his will and worke effected it is neither force nor fraude neither power nor pollicie neither money nor might that can hinder it The Israelites could not bee deliuered from Egypt before the time appointed Foure hundred years they must be in bondage but when the date of this indented time is out Pharaoh cannot keep them one day longer for euen the selfe same day that it came to passe That all the hoast of the Lord went out of the land of Egypt yea for the performance of Gods purpose at his appointed time the course of nature shall giue way to the cause of nature I meane the God of nature The deep Sea shall become dry Land and the liquid waters shall become a wall to make way for Gods people to passe at their appointed time Of this miracle Asaph may sing O God thy way is in the Sea and thy pathes iâ— maine waters and thy footsteps are not knowne a like maruelous worke was at the riuer Iordan when Israel entred into Canaan then the waters that came downe from aboue stayed and rose vpon an heap so the people went right ouer Iericho Iosh. 8. 16. The Israelites wandred vp and downe in the wildernesse forty yeares being oppressed of their enemies Et in ipso articulis teÌ„poris In the very instant of time which God had decreed they were deliuered Dauid was tossed hither and thither yet could not obtaine the kingdome before the time appointed came The Iewes could not bee deliuered from the Babylonish captiuitie til the seuenty years were expired The godly expected the comming of Christ as was foretolde by the Prophets but he came not till the fulnesse of time was come when our Sauiour taught and wrought Myracles the Scribes and Pharisees sought to take him but they could not till the time appointed of God The people tooke vp stones to cast at him they gaue a Commandement that if any man knewe where hee was hee should shew it that they might take him but when the time appointed by God was come hee offers himselfe saying Whom seeke yee The Souldiers could not keepe the body of Christ in the graue beyond the appointed time and then notwithstanding watch and warde and stone and seale they see and an Angell sayeth it He is not here for hee is risen Why doe the Sunne and the Moone keepe their true turnes and times of rising and setting the Summer and Winter and Atumne and Spring their settled seasons but because God hath appointed them And can wee doubt then but that God himselfe doth keepe his due times or may wee thinke that that is not the most due time which God hath determined The very plough-man is taught by experience to take his time when to plough when to sow when to reap and when to gather into the barne and shall not God that great Husbandman of the whole world both know and keepe his time to plant and plucke vp as hee hath determined or hath hee not determined a time for man both to be borne and to die or hath hee left it in the power of man to liue when he list and die when he will doubtiesse no. The time of death none can preuent before it come none passe it when it doth come The shortnesse of mans life THou hast numbred my steps saith Iob wheÌ„ Dauid desires of God to teach him that heauenly Arithmatick to number his dayes hee did not doubt but God had done it hee knowes not the number onely but the measure both how many and how long the dayes are which wee must liue as you may see yea hee that hath numbred the haires of our heads hath numbred not onely the yeares of our life but the monethes of our yeares the weekes of our monethes and the dayes of our weekes and the houres of our dayes the minutes of our houres which point wee cannot passe Indeed God doth diuers waies take men out of this life Some by murther as Abel Some by drowning as the olde world Some by burning as the Sodomites Some by stoning as the Sabbath breakers and Achan Some by being cut in peeces Some by the fall of an house as the Philistims and such as they vpon whom the Tower of Siloam fell Some by a nayle as Sisera Some by Lyons as the young Prophet Some by Beares as the scoffing children Some sawen to death as Esay Some hanged as the good Theefe Some crucified as Christ But none of these sooner or later then the Lord hath appointed The same God that hath determined the manner how the meanes where had likewise determined the time when they should die The consideration of this may
themselues were not the cause and so they crosse the reneiled will of God which onely can bee our warrant in all our actions Againe though they were so much of Gods secret Counsell as to know that God had appointed this to be the time yet they know that God hath not appointed either themselues or such violent meanes to make good his purpose at his appointed time No no it is misery that makes these men weary of their liues and therefore like the foolish fish they will leape out of the frying-Pan into the fire out of short trouble here into eternall torments hereafter He that will liue godly must suffer persecution hee that will come into heauenly Canaan must passe through this earthly Egypt Through many afflictions we must enter into heauen and shal we then cut off the thred of our life because wee finde some knots in it Abimelech cut off his owne life so did Saul so did Ahithophell so did Iudas and so doe many in their desperate humour now a dayes by the cunning of Satan but not without the secret vnsearchable and iust iudgement of God Fiftly and finally if our time be determined and that time known to God vnknowne to man certaine to him vncertaine to vs we must prepare against that time come we are men and therfore mortall weake men and therefore secure for we are euery day dying and cannot long liue as old men haue death before their eyes so yong men haue him behind their backs and betwixt old and yong I desire no other difference but this that yong men may die quickly and old men cannot liue long and therefore all must be prepared Be ye prepared therefore for the Sonne of man will come in an houre when ye thinke not All must prepare old and yong rich and poore great and small noble and ignoble old men must prepare for they must shortly die they should put their houses in order they should with sence and sorrow confesse their sinnes to God saying Against thee against thee onely haue we sinned they should labour for life to be at peace with God and their owne consciences and if it be possible to haue peace with all men Yong men should prepare for they may die before those that goe crooked with age they haue no Charters of their liues It is not policie nor gay and gorgeous apparell not eloquence of an Angels tongue not strong Castles and stately houses not pompe nor promotion can take day with death or perswade the wormes to pitty them nor preserue their names from perpetuall infamy These things may procure honour on earth but no happinesse in heauen If all were not subiect to death yong men might hope to be exempted but a new ship may as soone be dasht in pieces meeting with a rocke as one that is old and weather-beaten a yong tree may be ouerturned with a whirlewind as soon as that which is old and blasted many old men haue out-liued these thaâ— were yong but neuer any yong or olde that liued and did not die Doth not euery man beare about him in his own bosome that which will bring him to his end are wee not all sick of the same disease euen the consumption of our daies Time pretious time passeth away swiftly and with it wee passe towardes our end and like those in a ship we perceiue it not and therefore prepare not for it or thinke not of the danger of it for as death leaueth vs so the day of Iudgement shall finde vs. They that build faire and sumptuous houses are not certaine how long they shall hold them they that purchase lands and liuings cannot tel how long they shall possesse them they that haue gathered in a great haruest cannot tell whether they shall bee better by it they that plant cannot tell whether they shall eate of the fruit of it yet all these men are prouident to prepare for life that is vncertaine and forget death which is most certaine shall come more vncertaine when it shall come Prepare then in health for it may hardly bee done in sicknesse or at the houre of death Sicknesse may be so full of extreame sorrowe and paine and death so sudden and present that thou canst not prepare thy selfe if thou would or if thou doe yet not so well as thou wouldest many neglect to prepare themselues when they may and when they would cannot So the fiue foolish Virgins might haue had Oyle in their Lamps if they had lookt to it in time but afterward when willing they would could neither buy nor borrow any These men consider not how dangerous it is to procrastinate and pâ—…â—ff their repentance from day to day aâ—… that for two causes First God doth leaue the wicked destitute of diuine helpe in that howre I haue called saith the Lord but ye refused ye were in health in the prime of your time in the flower of your age in the heat of lust hauing by nature corrupt hearts and carnal affections liuing in pleasure passing the time in mirth subiect to youthfull wantonnesse and to vnstaidnesse of affection full of loosenesse which is the way to lewdnes of weakenesse which is the way to wickednesse then you would not heare now in your death-bed ye shall call but I will not heare but laugh at your destructioÌ„ They that forget God liuing God will forget them dying Secondly in the time of death men are more grieuously tempted and therfore it is dangerous to deferre repentance to the dying day Remember saith Salomon thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth why should wee remember God in youth because if youth be spent in vanity commonly old age will end in prophanenesse The Prophet speaketh of Crimson sinnes sinnes of a double die if it bee right Crimson or Purple it is dyed in thred in the wooll and that is euer a deepe dye so if Satan dye vs in our wooll in our youth before we be men before wee be made cloath it is like to sticke by vs and to go with vs to our graue If Sathan make thy youth vnprofitable of all the ages after there can hardly any good be hoped for if the blossome be nipt where is the hope of the Autumne Thus much for the first point that God hath determined the dayes of man how long hee shall liue A Christians combat against 1 Sathan 2 The World 3 The Flesh. 4 Sinne. THe second point of Doctrine which doth arise froÌ„ these words is this That the time appointed by man to liue vpoÌ„ earth is a time of warfare Men must liue Souldiers and die Conquerours liue fighting and die ouercomming from the cradle to the graue is a time of warfare wee haue many enemies all fierce and furious 1. The Diuell 2. The VVorld 3. The Flesh. 4. Sinne. All these we must encounter and ouercome too if it goe well with vs and woe is vnto vs
feare God IIII. His hatred of Mammon COuetousnesse Contentednesse can no more agree together then fire and water how could he but bee content whose delight was in the Lord which as Dauid saith wil bring a man his hearts delight Godlinesse is great gaine with contentation not if a man can bee content for that brings contentation with it wheresoeuer it comes And as impossible it is for a Godly man not to bee contented as it is for a contented man to be couetous his feare of God therefore frees him from this breeding sinne of couetousnesse Couetousnesse is cruell so was not hee but kind hearted towards all What Tenant can complaine that hee did ouer rack their rents what neighbour can iustly accuse him that hee did ouer-beare them in their right or ouer-burden them with his might Couetousnesse is alwaies complaining of some thing that it wants so was not hee but most thankefully acknowledged Gods goodnesse for that hee had Couetousnesse keepes no hospitality hee did and that not onely vpon good dayes like some that will kill an Oxe or two at Christ-tide that scarce kill a Sheepe all the yeare after but all the yeare long yea many yeares together without euer seeking to liue in some corner of a City to saue charges as too many far more able then he daily doe Couetousnesse is â—unning and crafty so was not hee but like a true Nathaniel in whom there was no guile hee louing nothing better in others nor practised nothing more carefully in himselfe then plaine downe-right honest dealing V. His loue of the Truth ANd this is not ouely the worde of truth as the Gospell is called as heere it is taken that is true dealing both in word and deed Hee who knew that Dauid would not endure a lyer to tarry in his sight and that God will not suffer a lyer to come in his kingdome made it his Christian 〈◊〉 that neither his tongue might belie his heart by speaking otherwise then he thought nor his hands belie his tongue by doing otherwise then hee spake Liâ— not one to another saith the Apostle for you are members one of another VI. His loue ANd indeed such was his loue to his fellow meÌ„bers that he took as tenderly what did touch theÌ„ as if himselfe had felt it his sympathie fellow-seeling of his brethrens wrongs made him ready to heare any poore mans complaint and to helpe them if hee could sometimes speaking for them sometimes writing for them with his owne hand alwayes in his heart pittying the poore and oppressed Hee knew how fatall it is for members of the same bododie to fall out amongst themselues and therefore hee was alwaies busie in that blessed worke of making peace Composing controuersies and ending sutes of Law sometimes by faire words intreating sometimes by giuing counsell aduising sometimes by plaine and and pregnant places of Scripture conuincing the wilfull there were not many dayes in the whole yeare excepting the Sabbath wherein hee was not sought vnto and many times would hee sit from morning till night hearing and examining such matters as came before him being demanded by some why hee would sit so long so tyring out himselfe spending his spirits and endangering his health his answer was that by his place and calling and good of his countrey hee was to doe it and for himselfe hee said hee was as a Candle wasting himselfe to giue light to others disquieting himselfe to quiet others and troubling himselfe to free others from trouble To conclude this particular there are more then many that can witnesse that as it was said of Iob so wee may say of him that he was eyes to the blind feet to the lame a father to the poore and a friend to all Finally for his good name the sweet sauour of it spread it selfe further then himselfe was knowne and begins now after his death to grow stronger and stronger Iacobs body was neuer embalmed with so sweet spices as this mans name and memory is seasoned with the sauour of his vertues and euer shall be honoured with variety of fresh praises which not only his godly life which you haue heard but his gracious death which in a word you shall heare will alwaies afford It is the nature of naturall motions that the nearer they come to their end the swifter they are surely we may easily imagine that this mans motion to heauen was come naturally such haste he did make thither now towardes his end Hence it was that he professed that he was wearie of this world wherein he neuer found any sound comfort or content that hee was desirous to goe to his owne home for here hee sayde he was but a stranger and pilgrim not long before he fell a sleep he cited two verses of the 39. Psalme The words are these Heare my prayer O Lord and hearken vnto my cry keepe not silence at my teares and with those wordes wept for I am a stranger with thee and a saiourner as all my fathers were stay thine anger from me that I may recouer strength before I goe hence and bee no more seene What shal I say of his humble ConfessioÌ„ that hee was a great sinner his strong Considence in Christ his Sauiour that sweete peace of conscience which hee did finde in his foule by the assured remission of his sins and that infallible assurance of saluation that hee should lâ—â—e for euer with God of which and other points he sweetly discoursed fiue dayes before his death not without sighes and teares the true messengers and best Oratâ—rs of a penitent soule Thus might he at his death make as bolde a profession as that good Bishop I haue so liued that I am neither affraid to die quickly nor ashamed to liue lâ—nger hee need not indeed for a good life is the forerunner of a good death As Iâ—râ—â— saith I haue not read nor heard but that hee who liued well died well Thus wee know this Worshipfull Knight and worthy Gouernour in his Country liued and thus we doubt not but he died in the Lord and liueth with the Lord. The Lord grant vs all grace to liue and die in him Amen FINIS a Iob. 1. 1 b Iam. 5 11 c Iob. 1 â—1 d Iob. 14 1 e Gen. 47 9 f Gen. 25. 7 g Gen. 35 28 h Iob. 10. 28 i Iob. 1 12 k Ver. 4. l Vâ—â— 17. m Iob. 2 7 n Iob. 2 9 o Iob. 16. 2 p Heb. 9 27 q Iob. 14 5 r 2 Sâ—m 12 18 s Gen. 5 27 t Eccl 3 12 u Gen. 15 13 x Exo. 12 41 y Psal. 77 19 z Gal. 4 4 a Ioh 8 59 b Ioh. 11 57 c Ioh. 18 4 d Mat. 28 6 e Gen. 8 22 f Iob. 14 16 g Psal. 39 4 h Mat. 10 30 i Gen. 4 81 k Gen 7 21 l Gen. 19 24 m Num. 15 36. n Iudg. 19 29 o Iug. 16 30 p Luk. 13 4 q Iug. 4 21 r 1 King 13 24 s 2 King 2 24 t Luk. 23 39 Vse 1. u Act. 23. 12 x Den. 34 5 y 1 Kin. 2 10 z 2 Chro. 〈◊〉 12 Use 2. a Mat. 10 29 b Amos 3 5 c Deut. 28. 21. 3 Vse d Iob 14. 14. e Phil. 3. 21. f 〈◊〉 Kin 6. 23. g Eccles 7. 4 h Ioh. 16 21 i 1. Sam. 2. 6. k Phil. 1. 23. l Heb. 13. 14. m 1 Pet. 2. 1. n Psal. 39. 12 o Gen. 18 27 p Psal. 22. 6. q Rom. 6. 23 r Iob 30. 23 s Iob 4. 19. t 2 Cor. 5. 1. 4 u 2 Tim. 3. 12. x Acts 14 22 y Iug. 9 54. z 1 Sam. 31 4. a 2 Sam. 17. 23. b Mat. 27. â— 5 c Luk. 12. 40. d Isa. 38. 〈◊〉 e Psal. 51. 4. f Rom. 12. 18 g Pâ—o. 1. 24. h Eccles. 12 1. Doct. 2. i 1 Pet. 5 8 k Gen. 3. 1 l Mat. 4 3 m Luk. 4 2 n Eph. 6. 15 o 1 Pet. 5 9 p 1 Iob. 5. 4 q 2 Cor. 16 13 r Luk. 22 31 s Rom. 1 16 t Heb. 4 11 u Psal. 119 105 x Tim. 3. 15 y 2 Kin 20 2 z Iona. 2 1. a Psal. 50. 15 b Luk. 18. 13 c 2 Tim. 4 10 d Iam. 4 4 e 1 Ioh 2. 15 f Luk. 1 52 g Psal. 1 3 7 8 h 1 Ioh 2 19 i Iob. 1. 10 k Ioh 14. 1â— l Ioh. 16 8 m 1 Cor. 1â— 20 n Ioh. 17 9 o Ioh. 18. 36 p Rom. 12. 2 q 1 Cor. 7 31 r Gal. 5 17 s Pro. 16 32 t 2 Pet. 2 19 u 1 Pet. 2. 11 x 1 Cor. 9. 27 y Col. 3. 5. z Rom. 7. 25 a 2 Cor. 5. 21 b Iosh. 10. 27 c Reu. 5. 5. d Heb. 2. 14 e Iug. 16. 3. f Iude 23. g Acts. 15. 9. Vse 1. h Matth. 24. 42. i Mat 26. 4 k 1 Cor. 〈◊〉 34. l 1 The. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 m Mat 26 46. n Reu. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 o Pro. 8. 33. p Isa. 32. 18. q Mat. 26. 38. r Luke 12. 40. Use 2. s Gen. 7. 23. t Gen 19. 24. u â—ug 16. 21. x Ion. 〈◊〉 â—5 y Luâ— 12. 1â— z 1 Thess. 5. 3. a Reu. 2. 17. b Reu. 2. 26. c Reu. 2. 7. d 2. Tim. 4. 7 e 2 Tim 2. 34. f 1 Cor. 9. 25 g 2 Cor. 4. 17. h Psal. 66. 12 i Nah. 1 12 k 2 Cor. 1 7 l Esa. 38. 1 m Ioh. 14 〈◊〉 n Re. 16. 10 o Mat. 3 12 p Iob. 10 21 q Heb. 10 17 r Reu. 9 20 s Reu. 20 10 t Iudg. 1 6 u 1 Tim. 2 8 x Mat. 22 13 y Reu. 〈◊〉 6â— z 2 Tim. 4 8 a Iam. 1. 12 b 1 Pet. 5 4 c Gen. 5 29 d Iob. 21 15 e Rom. 6 23 f Rom. 1. 6 g Eph. 2 8 h 1 Chro. 29 14. i Rom 11. 35 k Coll. 1. 10. l Acts 26. 20 m Tit. 2. 14 n Ioh. 15. 5â— o Iam. 3. 13 p Heb. 10. 24 r Pro. 1 7 s Eccl. 12. 13 t Eph. 4. u Iob 24 15 16.
men Commonly the meats that are forbidden by the Phisitian are a kind of sauce to prouoke appetitite in the patient most of all to desire these meats As swelling waters the more they are barred their course the more they rage and swell and ouerflow and beare downe all before them so the more the Law doth seeme to barre and bolt the current of committing sinne and to set the bounds which they should not passe the more is sinfull mans nature enraged and the more the swelling waues of wickednes do ouerflow make their fultide the more shold be our care courage to encounter it and set our selues to fight against it Of our selues indeed we cannot ouercome it but if we follow our Captaine Christ Iesus it shall neuer ouercome vs. Saint Paul had experience both of his conflict with sinne and conquest ouer sinne O wretched man that I am saith he who shall deliuer me from the body of this death I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord He it was that was made a sacrifice for sinne as Ioshua shut vp Kings and Princes in Caues of the earth and rolled great stones on the mouth of the Caues So sinne shutteth vp greatest Emperours prisoners and rowleth stones and layeth great stumbling blocks in their way and as none could ouercome the roaring Lyon but the Lyon of the tribe of Iuda So none could free men out of the prison whereinto sinne had cast them but onely Christ For this cause Christ tooke flesh vpon him that so hee might die in his flesh through death destroy death and him that had the power of death that is the diuell So that Christ hath carryed away the gates of death as Sampson sometime did the gates of Azzah and hath by his power preuailed ouer those vncircumcised Philestims euen sinne and death and the diuell and hell and though we be too weake of our selues to conquer sinne yet we must follow our Captaine Christ as fast as we can and as farre as wee may First by flying from sinne Secondly by dying vnto sinne Thirdly by hating all sinne yea the very garments spotted with the flesh Fourthly by true faith for that doth purifie the heart And thus much for the fourth Enemie now take a view of all these together consider their malice their might and the multitude of souldiers which fight vnder them and we shall plainly see the truth of the point proposed that while we liue in this world wee must looke to fight and prepare our selues for this Warfare A preparation how to die well The first Vse is for instruction in that we haue so many Enemies to stand vpon our guard let vs keep watch and ward continually let vs be as carefull to resist as our aduersaries are to assault A carefull watch is the chiefest point in Warre and therefore this is often commanded in the Word of God Watch for you know not what houre your master will come VVatch and pray Awake to liue righteously Be sobâ—r and watch Vnto this command God had for our incouragement annexed a promise of no lesse then blessednesse Blessed is the seruant whom the Master when he commeth shall finde watching Blessed is he that watcheth Blessed is the man that watcheth daily at my gates Christ will cause them that watch to sit downe at Table with him where they shall be at ease from paine at rest from labour full without hunger healthy without sickenesse and haue fulnesse of â—irth and solace without any mixture of sorrow or mourning God is the Center of the soule as euery thing doth rest in his Center so our soules shall rest in God My people saith God by his Prophet shall dwell in the Tabernacle of Peace and in sure dwellings in safe resting places Thirdly as we haue precept to watch and promise of blessednesse if we doe watch so wee haue a patterne and example of watching worthy to be imitated for it is Christ himselfe What Souldier will not be glad to watch with his Captaine what Christian will not runne to watch when they heare Christ thus kindly calling them Could ye not watch with me one houre VVatch Behold the easinesse I bid you not fight for mee or die with me but watch onely and that an houre Behold the easinesse not a yeere or a weeke or a day but an houre Lastly by watching as wee follow Christs patterne so we shall be prepared hereby for Christs comming which will be in an houre that we know not The second Vse serues to teach vs to cast off all carnal security seeing we haue so many enemies to encounter withall The Diuell is another Herod the World is a flattering Pharasie the Flesh a treacherous Iudas and Sinne a seditious Iebusite And therefore little cause haue wee to walke without our weapons or sleep in security WheÌ„ the old world was secure it was drowned When Sodome and Gomorrha were secure they were burned WheÌ„ SampsoÌ„ was secure his eyes were put out When Ionah was secure and slept in the side of the ship hee is shaken with the waues and the loâ— doth designe him to bee cast into the Sea When the rich man was secure his soule was taken from him As Bankrupts neuer care to pay their debts till the Serieant bee vpon their backs so many secure men neuer thinke how farre they runne daily in arrerages with God till they be arrested by death at the suite of the great Iudge and so be cast into prison This security is the Mother of negligence and high way to destruction for as the oxe when he is driuen to the slaughter goeth willingly because his hope is if I may so speake it that he shall goe to grasse in some better pasture and neuer feare till the axe be ready to fall vpon his head or as a foole when he is led to the stoakâ— goeth cheerefully and neuer shrinketh vntill his feet bee fast snared therein euen so many men goe securely forward wandring in the broad way without remorse of conscience perswading themselues they are safe when indeed they are secure and neuer perceiue their owne folly till they be insnared in destruction many are carefull for others but secure for theÌ„selues they looke on other mens faults with both eyes but scarcely with one on their owne either they will not see their sinnes or if they see them they wil slightly passe them ouer without any serious consideration They cry Peace Peace when destruction is at their doores They that finde themselues in good health neuer seeke or send to the Phisitian and they also that are soule sicke and dangerously diseased but feele it not doe neuer cry after Christ they seeke little after him and set lesse by him Thirdly the hope of a happy reward should encourage vs to wage Warre against those our enemies He that neuer comes forth to fight
formally good till he be ingraffed into Christ and therefore it should be our wisedome and comfort to shew by good conuersation our works and our loue to prouoke one another to good works A faith busie in obedience and fruitfull in good works is the fruits of profitable Preaching and conscionable hearing a godly life is the Christians badge whereby he is knowne it is the Ensigne shewing whose Souldier he is and to whom he belongeth As the pleasant and delghtfull fruit which the Spies brought out of the promised land shewed that that was pleasant and profitable so a godly conuersation sheweth that a man is the child of God and seruant of Christ. Last of all let this serue to exhort all true Christians to liue godly in this present life alwayes to look for yea and long for death to welcome and embrace it when it doth come for there is no other meanes to put an end vnto our troublesome Warfare and to put vs in possession of our promised reward but onely death The poore Apprentice counts when the date of his Indentures ende that hee may bee made free the Day-Labourer lookes when the Sunne will set that he may leaue worke The Seafaring man and Passenger is faine when they come within kenne of land that they may attaine the Hauen and shall not we whose Indentures end not but by death who must not leaue working till the Sunne of our life be set and who can neuer come within ken of the Hauen of Heauen till we see some signes of death welcome it with all our hearts It is no wonder indeed if the wicked looke pale and wanne at the warning of death because they discry beyond death a day of Iudgement and beyond that they behold hell well may they be deiected when they feele sicknesse and almost desperate when they finde the pangs of death vpon them for besides the paine of death euery sinne serues as a Fury to torment the soule and to make it loath to depart out of the prison of the body But the godly who haue wrastled and made Warre here with their spiritual enemies are glad to heare that the time is come when they shall be crowued It was a cleare heart nothing els could doe it that gaue so bold a fâ—rehead to that good Bishop who durst on his death-bed professe I haue so liued as I neither feare to die nor shame to liue for if we so lâ—… as alwayes looking when we shall die we shall so die as not doubt but be Crownâ—d with Christ in his Kingdome The Commendations of the deceassed Partie ANd now blessed and beloued Brethren That little Boxe of oyntment which I haue brought for the buriall of this worthy and Worshipfull Knight I hope you will giue mee leaue to powre forth for a good name is like a pretious oyntment powred out and I doubt not but to fill the house with the sauoure of it and though I cannot sufficiently set forth his commendations yet I dare not so much wrong him that deserued it or you that expect it or my selfe that owe it as to be altogether silent lend me your patience then a little till I discharge this due debt of deserued praise not to be denyed vnto the dead To liue well and to die well as they are inseperable companions so they are the most certaine tokens of a true Christian and the greatest commendations that in fewest words can bee giuen a man which whether they bee not due to the deceassed Partie those that knew him best can well witnesse and you will confesse when you shall haue heard the particulars which I can but onely point at The Hebrew Doctors say of their meanest Magistrates whom they call the Court of three men that there must be in euery one of them these seuen properties VVisedome Meekenesse The feare of God Hatred of Mammon Loue of the Truth Loue of their fellow Creatures that is of other men and that they be men of good name and these seuen are indeed the same in effect with those that we finde mentioned in Exod. 18. 21. and Deut. 1. 13. And did sweetly concurre in this Man menaging the affaires of the Common wealth wherevnto he was called and did carefully and consciouably discharge I. His wisedome FOr first his wisedome was well tryed and prooued to be sound in his singular dexterity to search into and his happy successe in putting an ende to such Causes and Controuersies as were committed to him which commonly were as many and materiall us to any one man and what was it but his wisedome and mature iudgement which made cunning and crafty Companions by all meanes feare to come before him lest they should be detected and poore ignorant and innocent people so fast to flocke vnto him that they might be directed by his direction II. His Meekenesse ANd how could hee chuse but bee wise who was so meeke and so mildely and calmely did he â—â—rry himselfe that as the Heathen Hitâ—ites when they saw Abrahams meeke and milde carriage towards them saide surely thou art a Prince of God amongst vs so stubberne and sturdy Malefactors were almost well pleased with those punishments he inflicted vpon them so sweetly tempered with meeke and soft answers to their doubts and admonitions for their well doing Thus did he carefully practise that precept of the Apostle which as it concernes all Christians so particularly Ministers and Magistrates Gal. 6. 1. Brethren if a man be fallen by occasion into any fault ye which are spirituall restore such one with the spirit of meekenesse considering thy selfe least thou also bee tempted III. His feare of God ANd how could he chuse but be both â—ise meeke whose soule was seasoned with the fear of God which is both the beginning of Salomons Prouerbs The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome And the end of Salomons preaching Heare the end of all feare God and keepe his Commandements for this is the whole man without this I know not whether men be more foolish or fierce by this they are made both wise and meeke and for his feare of God though this be a sparke which the firy eyes of God can discerne the fleshly eyes of men may be deceined yet those that knew him how duely and daily he obserued his Deuotions both for prayer and reading How willingly and feelingly hee would conferre of matters of Religion how deepely hee detested all Poperie and superstition how diligently he frequented the gates of Gods house how attentiuely hee hearkened to the preaching of Gods Word and for the helpe of his memory would note downe many worthy sayings deliuered by diuers Preachers which were found in his studie after his death how wisely he made choyce of such bookes as may help forward our mortification wherein hee could not too much commend Master Perkins Workes the Deceitfulnesse of the heart and the Practice of Pietie must needs confesse that hee did indeed truely