2.15 What man liueth and shall not see death and shall hee deliuer his soule from the hand of the graue The woman of Tekoah hauing a sute to king Dauid the better to mooue him to graunt her request she put him in minde of his death saying Omnes We all must needs die c. for it is appointed vnto men that they shall once die Ortus cuncta suos repetunt Matremque requirunt The meaning is All things must to their mother from whence they were taken Gen. 3.19 Adam is earthy and therefore called Adam and must to the earth Eccl. 41.10 Coru. Gal. Aug. in Euch. ad Laur. cap. 93. de pecca Meri libr. 2. cap. 34. Aug. in Ps 38. as the wise man saith All that is of the earth shall turne to the earth againe Thnascomen homos hapantes Which the Poet doth well expresse saying Omnibus est eadem lethi via All die alike but seuerall meanes bring men to their end Of this thy very meate vpō thy table might put thee in mind For all things die for thy sustenance and thou shalt die for thy sinne The labourer is worthy of his hyer and the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6. Quo cunque te verteris incerta omnia sola mors certa Whatsoeuer thou shalt determin all things are vncertaine onely death is certain All flie at the sight of her whip as the dust before the winde She doth ransacke as wel the pallaces of Princes as poore cottages Both rich and poore young and old of what degree soeuer Ferentur shall packe with her there is no parlying about the matter But when shee comes as Iehu said to the messenger of Iehoram so will shee to thee Turne thee behinde me 2. Reg. 9.18 Follow thou me as Christ said to Peter Heu Heu quam surda miseros auertitur aure Boet. Et flentes oculos claudere saeua negat Which thus may be translated Alas ô woe from wofull men as deafe she turnes her eare And though they cry she doth deny any one of them to heare It is written of all Superiours Ps 82.6.7 I haue said you are Gods but a retreit is also sounded You shall die like men 1. Reg. 2.2 Cesar Hanniball Alexander Pompey many other the mightie Captaines and Monarkes of the world are dead King Dauid though the man after Gods owne heart said I go the way of all the earth 1. I die as all must Nay Iesus Christ was not exempted from this death Looke in the booke of God and you shall finde this the Period of life as well to the holy Fathers the Patriarkes and Prophet as to young babes Mortuus est and he dyed and the childe dyed Thus we see what death is and that all must die Now know this that none shall die before their time appointed of God but euen when theyr time is come which they shall not passe This some of the vely Heathen did consesse saying Stat sua cuique dies breue irreparabile tempus omnibus est vitae The effect is euery mans time is appointed short and vnrepaireable But the scriptures are plaine proouing the same Holy Iob saith Iob. 14. Are not his dayes determined the number of his moneths are with thee thou 1. God hast appointed his bounds which he cannot passe Which Caluin confesseth writing vpon the same place As Ioseph was cast into prison and kept in the stocks yet when his time came the King sent and loosed him euen so will God do by thy soule For as the Egiptians could not keepe the Israelites in bondage after their time was come to be deliuered no more can the body the soule nor the graue the body when God sendeth for their deiluerance Almightie God speaking by his Prophet of the destruction of the Egiptians saith They could not stand Ier. 46.21 because the day of destruction was come vpon them And for the death and destruction of all the enemies of Gods Church Daniel saith which also was reuealed vnto the Euangelist Iohn There is a time appointed Dan. 11.35.36 the determination is made You know many times the Iewes sought to kill Iesus Christ but when they would they could not as the Apostle saieth No man laid hands on him for his houre was not yet come And Salomon saith To all things there is an appointed time c. A time to be borne and a time to die The very minute or instant thereof thou shalt not passe as before is shewed And this is the ordinance of the Lord ouer all flesh CHAP. VI. Whether any die before their time BVt here some will obiect and say with Dauid Ps 55.24 25 The bloudie and deceitful men shall not liue halfe their dayes Againe God added fifteene yeares vnto the dayes of Hezechias And Ionas preached to Niniuie Ionas 3.4 saying Yet fortie dayes and Niniuy shall be destroyed Fortie dayes came and Niniuy was not destroyed Therefore to some their time is shortned for a plague and to some their daies are prolonged for a blessing as God hath promised And the time of death and certaine end of mans life is not determined First to the threatnings as also to the promises of the blessings of almightie God I answere that both containe alwaies a condition sometimes expressed in Deut. 28.2.15 Isa 1.19.20 Ezech. 33.13.14.15 Sometimes not expressed as to Hezechiab 2. Reg 20.1 To Niniuy Ionas 3. And infinite other wicked people Gal. 5.21 Reu. 21.8 1. Cor. 6.9.10 And when God giueth grace to vs to do his will or leaueth man to his sin the condition is obserued or not obserued According vnto which the promise taketh place whether it be of a curse or of a blessing So that though we say commonly of them that kill themselues they shorten their daies or they die before their time indeed it seemeth so to the opinion of man yet in the decree of God it is not so But Gods iudgement was so determined vpon such a man and the like with Iob his children Malum paenae before the world was And his counsell shall stand for our instruction 1. Either to try or quicken our faith and expresse our patience to the example of other Iob. 1.22 as he did with the holy man Iob. 2. Or to expresse his owne power as hee did to him that was borne blinde The Disciples said to Christ Maister who did sinne this man or his parents that hee was borne blinde Ioh. 9 2.3 Iesus answered Neitther hath this man sinned nor his parents but that the workes of God should be shewed on him 3. Or else to shewe vs his high displeasure and punishment for sinne as he did against Nabuchadnezzar and the wicked of the world And with the Lord there is no shadow of chaunge So that through death punishments come vpon men by meanes ordinary and extraordinarie as Dauid effectually confesseth yet the time and houre and very instant thereof is
and whatsoeuer is vilde which shee once disdained should touch her shall now tread vpon her Yea stinke and rottennesse shall so preuaile against that bodie which was once so proud that none may abide it like Herods and Antiochus but all men readie to get her into the ground to auoyd her noy some smel which once abounded with Pomanders and must-balls Thus wee see a foule fall of filthie Pride neuer thought vpon before it come of the most Like Diues who neuer remembred hell vntill hee was in it Then he cried But if thou once be there Luk. 16.24 then neuer hope for helpe for Ab inferno nulla est redemptic thou shalt neuer come out Amend then before death come Ambr. lib. de bono Mortis c. 2. et in oratione de fide resur Aug. in Io. Tract 42. lib. Q. 2.65 32. Oreg in Epist ad Rom. lib. 6. Of death the auncient and learned Fathers haue gathered from the holie scriptures as the painfull Bees dooth hony from the flowers not only for themselues but for others Sic vos non vobis fertis aratra boues Therefore because that which is written is written for our learning I haue gathered from them both foure kindes of death 1 The death of sin generall 2 The death Mysticall 3 The death Naturall 4 The death Eternall 1 The death of sinne as Saint Ambrose calls it is the depriuation or losse or darkening of the Image of God in man like vnto which hee was creared Thus Adam dyed so soone as he had eaten of the forbidden fruit as God promised vnto him hee should And in Adam All die 1. Cor. 15.22 like as the braunches of a tree doo wither when the roote is dead Therefore the Apostle saith Rom. 3.23 All haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God Ephe. 2.3 And were by nature the children of wrath and were dead in our sinnes Of this death many places testifie As Let the dead bury the dead Math. 8.22 Arise thou that sleepest stand vp from the dead c. See Galathians 3.22 Psal 14.1 Further search and thou shalt finde 2 Death Mysticall is to forsake sinne Quando quis peccato moritur deo viuit When one dyeth vnto sinne and liueth vnto God It is Qua a peccatis moriuntur whereby men die from sinne Of this Paule speaketh saying How shall wee that are dead vnto sinne yet liue therein Againe Ye are dead to sinne but are aliue to GOD in Iesus Christ our Lord. Of this death Christ speaketh saying The houre is come and now it is when the dead shall heare the voice of the sonne of GOD and liue Thus Paul dyed And so should we therefore hee saieth Mortifie your earthly members 3 Death Naturall S. Ambrose saith is Animae corporisque secessio The departing or seperating asunder of the body and the soule Thus Adam dyed and all we must die Only Elias those that shal be found aliue at Christs comming to iudgement die not thus but they shall be chaunged Which shall be in stead of death 4. Death eternall is the seperation of the soule and body from God and the kingdome of heauen and that for euermore Quae stipendium peccati nominatur Which is called the reward of sinne This Christ remembreth saying If a man keepe my word hee shall neuer see death Which the Euangelist calleth the Second death 1. The lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Into which the great Iudge of all the world will send all the wicked saying Go ye cursed into euerlasting fire Ioh. 8.51 which is prepared for the diuell and his angels Of these two last my text speaketh for Nabuchadnezzar and all the proud and abhominable of the world But know that wee all must to the first and third Math. 25 41. and they that come not to the second shall be sure of the fourth For the first the King cared not to the second he came not to the third hee was forced and in the fourth hee with all such shall neuer haue rest Cruciabuntur die ac nocte They shal be tormented day and night and that for euermore Now of these two last in order CHAP. IIII. What death is DEath naturall is described of many in seuerall maner but the sence or meaning is all one One saith death is Metoicesis tes psuches euthenthe eis allon topon A remoouing Translatio Abret ex Plat. Act. 7.59 Chrysos popu ad Antioch Hom. 7. Aug. in Iohn Ambr. li. de bono mort ca. 1 3. or translating of the soule from hence to another place An other Depositio sarcinae grauis An easing or vnlading one of a heauie burthen S. Ambrose saith death is Spirandi munere priuari To bee depriued of the benefite of breathing Againe Mors est absolutio animae corporis quaedam hominis seperatio Death is an absolution or discharge of the soule from the body and a certaine seperation of man It is like vnto a bill of diuorcement betwixt man and wife seperating that which before was one flesh Adultery is the cause of the one and the diuell sinne and thine owne consent thereto is the cause of the other But the most affirme that Mors aliud non est Aug. de cōso mort lib. 2. ca. 1. quam animae seperatio à corpore Death is nothing else but the seperation of the body and the soule It is like enuy that parteth friends asunder Therefore Ambrose vseth this saying of the Psalme he speaking of death Thou hast broken my bonds asunder Abr. li. de bono Mortis cap. 3. Because death breaketh open the prison of the soule Augustine saith That euen as famine is the defect of foode thirst the want of drinke and darknesse the absence of light c. euen so death is nothing else Aug. contra Pelag. Hyp. lib. 1. Nisi Nomen recedente vita But a name the life beeing gone To be short the Apostle Paul spake of death when he said I desire to be loosed So did Ionas when hee said Take my life from mee And Iob when he desired To be cut off This loosing taking away of life or cutting off is death By which the soule departing Paulatim saith Ambrose by litle and litle Ambr. de bono Mor. cap. 2. Soluat se vinculis carnis ore emissa euolat tanquam carcereo corporis huius exuta gurgustio She looseth her selfe from the bandes of the flesh and beeing got out at the doore of the mouth as the spies escaped through Rahabs windowe shee mounteth as being freed from the close darke dungion of the body as one bestirreth his heeles that is broke out of prison And this is death whither all must come But I thinke some scarce beleeueth it and therefore I wil proue it vnto them CHAP. V. That all men must die and when THat all men must die it is plaine for it is written Iosuah
our doores and the sharpe sword of samine and hunger with many other diseases one presently after an other What haue these wrought in our hearts where is any reformation of manners Pride encreaseth c. Christ told the Iewes when an vncleane spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through drie places seeking rest and finding none Then he saith 〈◊〉 wil return into mine house frō whence I came and when he is come he findeth it emptie swept and garnished The◠hee goeth and taketh vnto him seuen other spirits worse then himself they enter in and dwell there and the end of that man is worse thē the beginning Euen so shall it be with this wicked generation Pharao his heart was hardned to his owne destruction Is yours think you to saluation You should not forget that Esau Heb. 12.17 when hee would haue inherited the blessing hee was reiected for hee found no place to repentance though he sought the same with teares But what may wee looke for among whom I feare for our sinnes teares are as plentifull as snow in sommer There are none Corazin Bethsaida Sodome Math. 11.20 Gomor with Tyre Sydon Capernaum c. are in the lake of torments that burneth with fire and brimstone for contemning the word of God Diues would haue had Abrahā when he could get no helpe for himselfe to send Lazarus to warne his brethren Least saith he they come into this place of tormēts But Abraham answered againe saying Luk. 16.23 They haue Moses and the Prophets with whom we haue Christ his Apostles also let thē heare them As if he should say if they will not heare thē for such is that place of torments and woe prepared Peraduenture thou dost thinke to haue repentance at thy call as the Centurion had his seruants Thou seest by Esau thou mayest be deceiued Can an Ethiopian or Blackmoore change his blacke skin or the Leopard his spots and can you do well hauing learned all the dayes of your life to doo euill Who can bow a full growne Oake And who can repent when himselfe list What might bee said here of this matter without wearinesse But I will onely send you to one place more Then consider with your selues what cause wicked men haue to tremble at the sight or remembrance of death when they shall bee plagued for abusing the time of saluation and repentance offered and the counsell of the Lord with his louing correctiō 1. Pet. 5 7 God at at all times carefully as before calamitie specially called Israel from their sinnes by his holy Prophets And whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning Zach. 7.11 But they refused to hearken and obey therfore God denied to heare help them though they cryed when destruction fell vpon them When thou thinkest that God will do so by thee O how fearefull will the rememembrance of death bee Secondly as the remembrance of death is terrible vnto vs when we think that God will not heare vs 2. Chro. 24.20 lying on our beds crying and howling because we haue despised to heare him when his holie maiestie cried called for vs so also to consider that God is true in his promises that to them that cannot repent he fulfilleth his threatnings that he therefore is iust that hee is the God of vengeance 1. vnto whom vengeance belongeth that as hee is crowned with mercie so he is armed with iustice and in truth he will shew himselfe to plead against vs and to plague vs. And when thou O man doest call to minde vpon thy bed of death that thy life hath bene spent in vsurie extortion oppression Pride couetousnesse whoredome drunkennesse malice enuie and such like sinnes for which the curse of God is due this will make thee say of death as Israel did to Moses of God saying Let not God talke with vs least we die Exo. 20.19 So thou Let not death apprehend vs least we goe to hell Here now we may see euen what the feare of death is Ludelp Sax. in Mat. 10. Idem Ex Chris ibid. Non dolor exeundi de corpore sed disperatio vitae post mortem timet Idest mortem qui non putat se viuere post mortem The feare of death is not sorrow to die but the dispairing of life after death That is He feareth death that cannot tell what will become of his soule after death And so Aug. de vera innocen Qui malae conscientiae est semper pucillanimis timidus est hee that is of an euil conscience is alwayes faint-harted and fearfull of death because they tremble to thinke Moriendo quo ire rogantur whither God in vengeance will sende them when they bee dead And beleeue me thereof is great cause For we reade that Esdras prayed Mat. 44. as we are taught saying Let it not be thy will to destroy them that haue liued like beasts and worse then beasts Esdr 8.28 Answer is made I will not verily consider the workes of them before the death before the iudgement before destruction As if it were saide But then God will Math. 13.29.41.42 These are they that haue their portion in this life these are such like as of whom Christ saide Verily I say vnto you they haue their reward Math. 6.5 euen pleasure in this life for paine in the life to come Luk. 16. with Diues Then woe be vnto you O ye vngodly which haue forsaken the lawe of the most high God For though you increase yet shall ye perish If ye be borne ye shall be borne to cursing If ye die the curse shall be your portion Ecclesiast 41.8.9 Knowe yee not that the vnrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome GOD Be not deceiued for neither fornicators adulterers vncleane wantons Idolators Witches they that liue in hatred debate wrath and enuie they that are proud emulators contentious seditious heretickes murtherers drunkards gluttons Infidels lyars buggerers Theeues couetous raylers extortioners backbyters haters of GOD dooers of wrong proud boasters couenaunt breakers disobedient to parents and such like These Gods word saith shall not inherite the kingdome of GOD. Rom. 1.29.30 1. Cor. 6.9.10 Gal. 5.19.20 Reu. 21.8.27 For they goe the way that leadeth to destruction Math. 7.13 Thus we see the workes of the flesh are manifest And if yee liue after the flesh ye shall die Ro. 8.13 Then feare for if the righteous scarcely shall be saued where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare 1. Pet. 4.18 Whose iudgement long agoe is not far off and their damnation sleepeth not 2. Pet. 2.3 But euerie one shall receiue according to his workes Psal 62 12. When it shall be said Depart from me ye workers of iniquitie Luk. 13.27 Ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuel and his angels Math. 25.41 Where indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish shall bee vpon the soule of euery man that dooth euill of the Iew
most terrible to remember sometimes by the sword of one neighbour against another This was his promise against the Egiptians Isay 19.2 2. Chro. 20.22.23 This hee dealt in iudgement with the Ammonites Moabites and Idumeans They slew one an other and euery one helped to destroy an other Such was his vengeance vpon the Midonites Iudg. 7.22 Isay 9.4 2. Sam. 13 See Exod. 32.27.28 The Lorde set euery mans sword vppon his neighbor Absolon slew his brother Ammon and in the end of the world Amons enemies shal be those of his own household But good Lord defend vs from ciuill warre and domesticall blood-shead through one neighbour against an other by which thou hast promised to destroy them that tread thine inheritance vnder their feete Isai 49.29 saying I will feed them that spoile thee with their owne flesh and they shall be drunke with their owne blood as with sweete wine and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Sauiour and thy Redeemer the mightie one of Iacob If I should step to other histories I could shewe you that it was saide to King Cyrus Herodotus Thou hast thirsted after blood and thou shalt drinke thy belly full of blood Calippus would haue stabbed his friend Dion but with the same dagger hee was stabbed in himselfe of his owne friends This alas is most lamentable when almightie GOD to bring downe our Pride doth stirre vp one friend to destroy an other to execute his fearce wrath vpon them that dwell on the face of the earth 6 Lastly when the Lord God hath gone thus farre with the children of men that are abhominable hee will not here rest so filthie vilde is Pride and sinne in his sight but their memoriall shall perish with them their posteritie shall be cut off and their name shall be cleane put out Therfore saith the Prophet Dauid Psal 34 16. The face of the Lorde is against them that do euil to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth And Eliphash saith in the booke of Iob of such men Their braunch shall not be green Iob. 15.32 c. but shall be cut off before his day God shall destroy him c. and the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate Againe Psal 37.28.35.36 The seed of the wicked shall be cut off saith Dauid Thus the Lord dealt with the house and posteritie of Ieroboā and Baasha and fulfilled the like iudgement vpon wicked king Ahab all his posteritie by the sword of Hasaell Iehu and Eliza. And what is become of all the Tribes of Israel Alas they haue drunke of the like cup of Gods heauie wrath displeasure though they were the chosen peculiar people of God And hath God dealt in truth of iudgement against them Then thou which art but a wilde Oliue braunch Be not high minded but feare But who euer thinketh that it is for their sin and wickednes that God giueth them no children and againe taketh away those that they haue because hee will roote out their remembrance from off the earth But nill they will they as men say in spight of their teeth thus God bringeth man downe and layeth their Pride in the dust like water that is powred vpon the earth which cannot be gathered vp againe 2. Sam. 14.14 Then vnderstand ye vnwise among the people Psal 94 8. What need I tell you further of Gods infinite armies which going foorth at his commaundement runne verie swiftly to execute his will When he commaunded the water obeyed and drowned the world When he commaunded the fire hasted consumed Sodome To destroy Synacharibs campe hee armed an Angel To some he sent Lyons to some fierie Serpents to some he sent Beares and to Herod Wormes and all these destroyed without any pittie for God had so commaunded Moreouer Some the earth swallowed some the Sea drowned Others laughter hath killed as Sophocles Dionisius the Tyrant of Sicilia Some died with gluttony or surferting as Valentinian and Iouinian the Emperours Some haue died with drinking and bousing as Anacreon and Archesilaus And many wofully pined away with famine in the siege of Ierusalem In the siege of Casilinum and in that great famin of Sagunthus in Spaine Infinite are the diseases and extraordinary meanes as Dauid in some sort sheweth whereby the Lord fighteth his battels destroyeth man Mille modis miseros mors rapit vna homines In so much then as all the hoasts of men neuer so proud and loftie are not able to withstand the least of Gods armies euen of silly wormes and such like vermine but they will preuaile against vs when God sends them forth O fooles that we are why will we not be wise O we of vncircumcised hearts eares let vs not forget how God hath cast some downe we know not what will become of our selues our sinnes call for vengeance and the Lord is not slacke in comming as some men count slacknesse But inough of this point Thou shalt be brought downe And how this promise is effected it doth plainely appeare CHAP. III. Whither proud men shall bee brought downe The Text saith First to the graue then to the side of the pit Of death I obserue 1. The diuision 2. The description 3. The necessitie 4. The certaintie 5. Why some men do tremble and quake Other do ioy at the comming of death 6. Whether we are to mourne for our friends that be dead VVHen Death hath seized vpon man Ier. 16.3.4 then the graue is a meet habitation for the carkasse Aug. de cura pro Mor. Her l. ca. 3. lib. 1. de de Ciuit. dei cap. 12. c. And when this may not be had it is a great plague of God as it is a blessing to attaine vnto Christian buriall which of dutie those that liue ought to performe to the dead corpes after the examples in these places of the word of God Gen. 23.19 and 25.8.9 50.13 with many other And when Moses was dead Deu. 34.6 Iud. 9. God sent an Angel and buried him Thus his maiestie regarded the buriall of the dead And when wicked Iezabel died a most cursed death 2. Reg. 9.34.35.36 yet Iohn said Visit now yonder cursed woman and bury her And some went but before they came the dogges had eate her Loe though she were the cursed of God it was thought meet that she should be buried Then I condemne the light opinions of those that say It is no matter what becomes of the bodie being dead and I wish them to correct their folly that denie to bury the dead and that they would not cease to doo good to them that are dead Well to the graue with Nabuchadnezzar those that be proud must come Which in my Text I take to be spoken Nomine to scorne Pride because shee would be aboue the cloudes shee shall be brought vnder the earth Insomuch that todes serpents and dogs and swine and wormes
first and also of the Gretian Reue. 2.9 O the fearefull trembling that these and such like truthes of Gods holy word doo bring to a desperate soule at the remembrance of death Of which in their life time though they haue no feeling yet at the day of death they may bring a wofull griping Thirdly I omit to speake of the vnsatiable care worldly men haue to get their greedie desire to keepe and their loathsomenesse to depart from theyr Mamonisme worldly wealth and pleasure All which doth make them sorrie to see death and quake to thinke vpon it Ecclesi 41.1 Mat. 19.21 The worldling in the Gospell was loth and sorrowfull yea more he would not leaue his worldly pelfe to walk with Iesus Christ though hee was promised treasure in heauen And how wil those that be such grieue when they see they must in spight of their teeth goe with death of whome they are perswaded it neuer bringeth good vnto them but euil 1. Reg. 21.8 as Ahab was by the holie Prophet or messenger of the Lord Fourthly I would if any of my paines could preuaile with you to wring sinne from you shewe what reare God may strike into the hearts of wicked men at the remembrance of death when they call to mind 1. how they haue caused many to blaspheme Rom. 2.24 Mat. 18.7 and to commit sinne by their euil example And 2. do know that therefore their punishment shall be the greater As 3. to consider that the fathers wicked life shall be cast in their childrens teeth as Rom. 18.8 what was thy father but an Vsurer Extortionerâ—â— Drunkard Eccle. 41.7 Wisd 4 6. a whoremaster or such like Of which saith the wise man The Children complaine of an vngodly father because they be reproached for his sake Will not these thinke you with a thousand the like cogitations driue terrour and feare into wicked mens hearts at the sight of death Fift and lastly when such wicked men doo call to minde how they haue seen the poore to be afflicted many and sundry wayes and haue not comforted them but haue rather sought diuersly to vexe them and so haue brought the curse of the people vpon them And herewithall remember how the poore shall be comforted Luc. 16.25 Pro. 10.7 Psal 37.2.9.10 and themselues tormented and that their name shall rotte and their remembrance shall be cleane put out And also do perswade themselues that they be of the number of them of whom it is said Woe be to you that are full for ye shall hunger Woe be to you that now laugh for you shall waile and mourne Luk. 6.25 Then they may turne their faces to the wall with Hezechias but looke for small comfort and say What hath our Pride profited vs or what profit hath the pompe of our riches brought vs We sometimes haue had many in dirision and in a parable of reproach We fooles we counted their life madnesse and thought their ende would be without honour But they are reckoned among the children of God Wisd 5.3.4.5.8 and shall haue their portion among the Saints But with vs it is not so 1. Psal 1.5.6 Wisd 4.14 we are like the chaffe which the wind driueth away from the face of the earth therefore we shall not be able to stand in the iudgements neither in the congregation of the righteous O the consideratioÌ„ of these things to a distressed soule plunged in distrust is iust cause to sorrow and mourne Of such it may truly be said Nasci miseria viuere paena mori angustia est To be borne is miserie to liue is a plague and for to die is anguish and woe And thus much to shewe you some causes why death is a terror vnto the wicked people of the world CHAP. XII Who feare not death NOw there is an other sort of men vnto whom death is neuer terrible but most heartily welcome And these are those spirituall minded men the number whereof is but small Math. 7.14 which haue the seale of the liuing God in their foreheads Reue. 7.3 Whose names are written in the Lambes booke of life Which haue made their long robes white in the bloud of the Lambe These haue the spirit of the liuing God by which they are sealed vnto the day of redemption and are not in the flesh but in the spirit because the spirit of God dwelleth in them Which spirit beareth witnesse vnto our spirits Rom. 8.9.16 that wee are the children of God and heires annexed with Christ if so bee that wee suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him or else not For after death there is a seperation of the soule from God into hell onely Math. 7.23 Which the learned doo call the death of the soule and the Euangelist Iohn Luk. 16.26 The second death Quam omnes patiuntur qui periculorum metu fidem abnegant mundo sese conformes reddunt Gualt in Hos 14. Hom. 44. Mat. 10. 1. Ioh. 2.15 Which all soules do fuffer that for feare of daungers doo denie the faith and fashion themselues like vnto the worlde But the Saints of God are free being iustified by faith and are at peace with God through Iesus Christ our Lorde And they do shewe forth their faith by their workes being borne anew not of mortall seed but of immortall by the word of God who liueth and endureth for euer And these beeing strong in the Lorde and in the power of his might doo cast away the workes of darknesse and put vpon them the armor of light euen the whole armour of God by which they are able to resist in the euill day and hauing finished all things they stand fast For their heart as the Prophet saith beleeueth in the Lord and they are not afraid to meete with their enemie in the gate Therefore if death come or the diuel or whatsoeuer they feare not For who shall laie any thing to the charge of Gods elect Rom. 8.33 It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne And so these are as willing to welcome death Luk. 2.25.28 Colloss 1.21 Psal 120.5 as Simeon was ioyfull to imbrace Christ because death is to them aduantage Therefore the Princely Prophet Dauid said Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell with Meshech and to abide among the tents of Kedar And againe Bring my soule out of prison Ps 142.7 1. Reg. 2.2 And a little before his death quietly hee said I goe the way of all the earth that is I know death is at hand Iob. 6.8.9 Ien. 4.3 This holie Iob wished for and Ionas praied O Lord take I beseech thee my life from me for it is better for me to die then to liue Paul knowing the same Rom. 7.24 saide O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death And writing to the Philippians hee saith Phil. 1.23.24 To abide in the flesh was needfull for them but
faithfull soule garnished with good workes like a Bride-chamber adorned ending all things with ioy like a Comedie And therefore why should she not bee welcome Thirdly death most willingly wee embrace because it being come we attaine to that perfection of knowledge which we do desire which in this life we cannot attaine vnto All men desire to be expert in their science or profession and the Saints of God in the true knowledge of their saluation and when death is come then this is obtained Euen then when we shall all meet together in the vnitie of the faith and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Christ saith This is life eternall Ioh. 17.3 that they know thee to be the only very God him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Now this knowledge we haue being in the body and absent from the Lord by faith and not by sight Through which we all behold as in a myrror or glasse the glory of the Lord with open face Marl. ex Cal. in 1. Cor. 13 Fides ergo nostra deum nunc intuetur tanquam absentem Our faith therefore now doth see God yet as being absent For wee know in part and we prophesie in part But when that which is perfect is come then Id est post mortem After death that which is in part shall be abolished Which Paul the Apostle prooueth by a double argument one taken from the example of himselfe the other is a similitude Which is thus much briefly The vnderstanding of an Infant is far inferiour to the vnderstanding of a mā And through a glasse we cannot see so clearely as without This life is like to Infancie Amb. ibid. And the life to come is our perfect age then our knowledge shall be made perfect The glasse through which we now see God is faith which being done away we shall see clearely Which doth confirme this truth That not now but after death we shall see God face to face Marl. ex Pet. Mart. in 1. Cor. 13. O endlesse felicitie By which Denotatur perspicuus planus atque clarissimus diuinus aspectus is noted a manifest plaine and most cleare beholding of the diuine nature after death Of face to face see Aug. writing profoundly Epist 3. Epist 6. Tome 2. Moyses as the glory of the Lord passed by him sawe his backe parts darkly and imperfectly But after death we shal see euidently Diuinā essentiam The essence of God For by the face of God Manifestatio eius intelligenda est An open manifestation of him is to be vnderstood Which is the truth by Christ himselfe expressed who saith speaking of Gods deare adopted children See that ye despise not one of these litle ones Math. 18.10 Th. Aquin. in Heb. 11 1. Lects prima for I say vnto you that in heauen their Angels alwaies behold the face of my Father which is in heauen Then we see that Vltimus finis simpliciter ipsius fidei quam intendimus ex fide est beatitudo quae in aperta dei visione consistit The last end simply of faith which we expect by faith is the blessednesse which consisteth in the open and plaine sight of God Aug. de cinit dei ibid. Praemium itaque fidei nobis visio ista seruatur This sight therefore the reward of faith is kept for vs. And we shall know as we are knowne of God Note by the way that this word As Non importat aequalitatem cognitionis sed similitudinem tamen longinquam Lyra. Pet. Mart. ibid. doth not import an equalitie of knowledge betwixt God and vs but a certaine likenesse yet ours is far inferiour to his Marler ex R. ibid. Simplex ergo sensus est cognoscam sicut cognitus sum hoc est perfectissimè certissime The true meaning of this I shal know as I am known Ambr. ibid. is most perfectly truly I shal see my selfe to be present with God where Christ is This is that which the Euangelist Iohn hath saying We shall see him as he is This Then know beloued that now in this life wee haue many schoolemaisters to teach vs this imperfect knowledge of God that wee haue As. 1. Gods creatures The heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handie worke Againe the Apostle Paul saith His eternall power and godhead are seene by the creation of the world being considered in his workes Psal 19.1 2. His punishments of the contempt whereof God by Salomon complaineth saying They haue despised all my correction Pro. 1.30 3. The holy scriptures Therefore saieth Christ Search the scriptures for in them ye think to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of me Iohn 5.39 4. Faith of which saith the holy Ghost Faith is the ground of things which are hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene Heb. 11.1 Now all these shall cease to teach vs when death comes like the ceremonies of the lawe at the coming of Christ Heb. 10.1.9 For what needeth a candle in the cleare and open sunne light Then we shall not need to say one to an other know the Lord for all shall know him from the least vnto the greatest Therefore welcome death and come Lord Iesus come quickly Fourthly though death set vpon thee as thine enemie and do bring thee downe to the graue yet shalt thou not feare to buckle with her because in the end thou shalt get the maistrie of her as Michael did of the dragon Reue. 12.9 And triumph ouer her by the power of God Rom. 6.4 through faith in the death of Christ Who by his rising from death hath ouercome these thy most mightie enemies Sinne Death and Hell Rom. 8.32.33.34 and thereby assureth thee of the conquest ouer them through him at the resurrection 1. Cor. 15.12 For in that hee suffered and was tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Heb. 2.18 And that hee will the scriptures affirme plainely of Christ the seeed of the woman that he shall breake the head of the serpent Gen. 3.15 Hee shall destroy death for euer Isai 25.8 And the Lord God saith by the Prophet Hoseas I will redeeme thee from the power of the graue I will deliuer thee from death O death I will be thy death O graue I will be thy destruction And Paul saith Rom. 6.9 Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more power ouer him Who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortalitie to light through the Gospell Againe it is written 2. Tim. 1.10 For as much as the children were partakers of the flesh and bloud hee also 1. Christ himselfe likewise tooke part with them that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the diuell And that he might deliuer all them which for feare of death were all
companion for the dead Their workes follow them Euen to testifie before the eternal Iudge how with Henoch they haue walked and pleased God If ye know these things blessed are you if ye do them Mat. 25.35 and 7.23.24 But the contempt of thus doing in deare yeares do send vp many greeuous groanes of the poore members of Christs body into the eares of God And thinke you that the crying of the poore shall goe for nought No no He that made him will heare him But I will lament and pray for that which I cannot helpe And though the waters would now flow yet I will stop their course and ende with an excellent sentence of S. Ambrose all one in effect with these of the holie Ghost Let vs cast away the workes of darknesse Ambr. li. de bea Mort. c. 5. that is Sinne that hangeth on so fast Abducamus nos a corporis nexu relinquamus omnia quae terrena sunt vt cum venerit aduersarius nihil in nobis inueniat suum The meaning is Let vs withdraw our selues from the bondage of the flesh let vs forsake all things that are earthly and full of sinne that when the aduersary commeth he may finde in vs nothing of his owne This if we doo then let death doo what shee may shee cannot hurt our soules Aug. de Ciuit. Dei lib. 1. ca. 11 So that Mala mors putanda non est quam bona vita praecessit Death it neuer to be accounted euill to him that hath liued well And therfore no cause at all why the seruants of God should once be afraid of it though it be most wofull to the rest And thus much to teach you for what causes death shuld be welcome vnto you CHAP. XIIII Whether Christians should mourne for their friends that are dead BVt now to correct a fault that may be seene among some if death be so ioyfully to be accepted of why should we mourne for them that are at rest nay is it lawfull to weepe for them that be dead I answere Gen. 23.2 when Sarai was dead Abraham mourned wept for her Whē the Patriarch Iacob thought Ioseph had bene dead Gen. 37.34.35 he sorrowed wept greatly And when this aged Father had blessed his children Learne this you parents and made an end of giuing charge vnto them to serue God he plucked his feete vp into the bed and gaue vp the ghoast Then his louing child Ioseph fell vpon his fathers face Gen. 50.1 and wept vpon him and kissed him Num. 20.29 When Aaron was dead all Israel wept for him thirtie dayes And so they did when Moses died Deu. 34.8 1. Sam. 16.1 I might shewe you how Samuel mourned for Saul and all Israel for Samuel Dauid and those that were with him for the death of Saul and Ionathan 1. Sam. 25.1 So did Dauid for Absolon So did the old Prophet for the man of God 2. Sam. 1.11.12 that was slaine of the Lyō What need I tell you of Martha and Mary 2. Sam. 18 33. 19.1 1. Reg. 13.30 and our Sauiour Christ that wept for Lazarus being dead And many other that made lamentation for the blessed Martyr S. Stephen As other widowes Ioh. 11.33 that mourned for that godly woman Dorcas with many other which for briefnes Acts. 8.2 as a thing needlesse here I omit All which may seeme to teach vs to mourne for the dead Now on the other side when Samuel wept for Saul Cyril being cut off from the fauour of God 1. Sam. 16 1. the Lorde as being angry with him reproued him for his sorrowing When King Dauid perceiued that his childe was dead for which hee fasted and sorrowed greatly whilest it laic sicke hee arose vp and mourned no longer Thē his seruants maruelled why hee so sorrowed when it liued and left off whē it was dead and they asked him the cause Dauid answered While the child was yet aliue I fasted wept for I said who can tel whether God wil haue mercie on me that the childe may liue But now it being dead wherfore shuld I fast Can I bring him againe any more I shall goe to him but he shall not returne againe to me And so hee did not mourne for his dead Christ comforting the widdow of Naim ouer her sonnes corpes which shee with her neighbours were going for to burie he said Weepe not Luk. 7.13 And Christ himselfe the Lambe of God going to be offered a sweete smelling sacrifice for the sinnes of the people euen to be crucified there followed him a great multitude of people women which women bewailed and lamented him euen because hee was going to death But Iesus turned backe vnto them and said Daughters of Ierusalem weepe not for me but weepe for your selues and for your children Luk 23.27 S. Aug. saith of Christs mourning for Lazarus Aug. de Cosol mort lib. 1 cap. 4. Fleuit plane dominus Lazarum iam sepultum non vtiquè vt flendi mortuos formam daret c. I know what Cyril saith The Lord wept indeed ouer Lazarus that was buried but not to teach vs how to mourne for the dead But either to shewe by his teares that he had a true humane body or else hee did lament of sincere loue to the Iewes Qui nec dei signo monstrato Aug. ibid. erant in cum credituri which would not beleeue in him though hee shewed them the mightie power of God And thus it seemeth that wee should not mourne for the dead Here now you see is a great controuersie what will you determine Who thinke you will haue the foyle or what dayes men shall wee finde to end the contention Let vs not goe to lawe for there the greedinesse of money will deferre our cause And the Goose will scarce be left whilest there is a feather on her backe And in the end the countrie must trie conscience To reconcile all and keepe peace without any great losse or harme to either partie our good neighbours at home which are the holy scriptures well marking the matter determine that in mourning for the dead there be two things to be noted That in mourning for the dead there be two things to be noted 1. What is to be obserued 2. What is to be auoyded That which must be obserued is 1. Faith 2. Charitie Faith to moderate vs Ne nimium doleamus sine spe resurrectionis That we mourne not too much as men without hope of the resurruction Therfore the Apostle Paul instructeth the Thessalonians saying 1. Thes 4.13 I would not brethren haue you ignorant concerning them which are a sleepe that ye sorrowe not euen as others which haue no hope That is of the immortalitie of the soule and resurrection of the body like Infidels For we looke for the Sauiour the Lord Iesus Christ who shall change our vilde body that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious