a Tragedy of transitory shewes and disguised persones Sometimes to a birds nest made of straw and dung that the winter soone dissolueth There is another calleth it a childs game that buildeth houses of sand on the shore where euery waue washeth them away Is our life so short then it is better to die then to liue and the day of death is better then the day of birth Eccles. 7. 3. The day of death is not a perishing but a parting The soule is not lost to the body but onely sent before it to ioy If the soule bee painefully laid off it is ioyfully laid vp Through our natiuity wee come to the race through death to the reward through birth to the floud through death to the hauen through birth to the fight through death to the victory through birth to labour through death to rest by birth to sorrow by death to ioy by birth to life which is full of all sorrowes and troubles by death to life eternall which is free from all sorrows Death is rather the flight of sinne then the detriment of man dying because to the iust death is not the end of nature but of sinne as a Father saith To leaue this world and inherite a better should seeme nothing Death is a passage from sinne and corruption to glory and immortality from this earth to heauen from the company of sinners to the company of Saints from sorrow to solace from paine to peace from sicknesse to safety from persecution to triumph from the bondage of Pharoah to the liberty of the sons of God The consideration heereof made Salomon who for wisedome might seeme a God for gouernement deseruedly might be King and for learning might bee a Prophet to say All things vnder the Sunne are vanity and vexation of spirit Eccl. 2. 11. Seeing all things in the world are vanity better is a good death then a bad life and the day of death better then the day of birth When we are borne wee are mortall but when wee shall rise againe wee shall bee immortall wee are aliue in the wombe to die in the world but dead in the graue to liue in heauen Our life is not compared to an ell or yard to a pace or to a cubite to a mile or to a furlong to a fathome or to a foote but to an hand bredth a very short measure Man that is borne of woman is of short continuance Iob. 14. 1. Few and euill haue the daies of my life bene Gen. 47. 9. The time of our life is three score yeares and ten if a man come to foure score then there is nothing but weaknesse As Ionah his gourd was soone come and soone vanished Ionah 4. 6. so man is soone borne and soone dead This world is as a Stage and man as an Actor when he hath plaid his part hee is gone Our liues shorten as if the booke of our daies were by the pen-knife of Gods iudgement cut lesse Before the Floud they were in Folio they liued almost a thousand yeares Methushelah liued nine hundred sixty and nine yeares Gen. 5. 27. the whole chapter will shew vs how long the men liued before the Floud After the Floud in Quarto then they liued an hundred and twenty and an hundred and seuenty Gen. 25. 7. In Dauids time in Octauo three score and foure score yeares but with vs in the daies of the Gospell in Decimo sexto in the least volume now at forty fifty or sixty yeares old men and so we are dying almost so soone as we beginne to liue The Elements are more mixed drossie and confused our new sins call for new plagues the aire is more infected and contagious and our sinnes of drunkennesse and surfeiting do not want to second all the rest we may obserue that neither planers aboue nor plants below yeeld vs expected comfort So God for our sinnes doth cause the heauen to be as Brasse and the earth as Iron and the aire with the winds to bee tempestuous and so almost euery thing which was created for mans vse is become his enemy and all because wee turne all things to vices corruption which were giuen for natures protection and therefore what wee haue diuerted to wickednesse God hath reuerted to our reuenge Wee are sicke of sinne and therefore the world is sicke of vs. How soone doth the sand runne downe in the houre-glasse how quickely doth the Sunne beginne to set so speedily doth our time passe away Future things are alwaies beginning present things alwaies ending and things past are dead and gone while wee liue we die and then we leaue dying when we leaue liuing Better it is therefore to die to life then to liue to death because our mortall life is nothing but a liuing death and life continually flyeth from vs and cannot be with-held and death hourely commeth vpon vs and cannot be with-stood No armour resisteth no threatning preuaileth nor no entreaty profiteth against deaths assault If all perils spare our life yet time and age in the end will consume it As a riuer that riseth in the Forrest passeth by many rockes runneth and tumbleth and maketh a noise yet in the end entreth into the sea so fareth it with mans life he commeth into the world with paine and beginneth his course with pittifull cries and is daily molested with sicknesses and neuer ceaseth running till in the end he fall into the sea of death As euery man hath his Genesis so hee must haue his Exodus and as we are borne to liue so we are borne to die Our dying on earth is but the taking of our iourney to heauen Why are we vnwilling to loose that which cannot be kept The good Pilot sitteth at the sterne to guide his ship and so a good Christian to direct his life must thinke on death death is the dore whereby we must go out of bondage and therefore as he that is in prison taketh great comfort to sit vpon the threshold that when the doore is opened he may the sooner get out so we must alwayes haue our mindes fixed vpon death for passe wee must but how or when wee know not Emosinarius hauing his Tombe in building commaunded that it should bee left imperfect and that his seruants euery day should put him in minde to finish the same that so hee might prepare to dye The vse of this doctrine is forasmuch as our life is short and nothing almost shorter let vs prepare for death for we must dye Bee yee prepared for the sonne of man will come at an houre when yee thinke not Luk. 12. 40. All estates of men are exhorted to prepare old and young rich and poore Prince and Peasant the danger is great if men be found vnprepared as death leaueth men so the day of iudgement shall finde them If the tree fall toward the South or toward the North in the place that the tree falleth there it
shall be Ecâ—le 11. 3. As Ishbosheth being found asleepe was killed by Rechab Baanah 2. Sam. 4. 6. 7. euen so if we be asleepe in sin and vnprepared we shall be killed by Sathan Because the fiue foolish virgins had not oyle to maintaine their lampes the Bridegroome said I know you not Mat. 25. 12. Because the man which came to the wedding was not prepared he was cast into vtter darknesse Mat. 22. 13. As he is left behind that is vnprepared when the winde serueth and the ship vnder saile euen so he is left in damnation that is not prepared for the Lord when death commeth Many men prepare for life which is vncertaine and forget death which is certaine I say vnto all men Watch Mark 13 37. The day of the Lord will come as a thiefe in the night 2. Pet. 3. 10. a thiefe as well for stealing on vs as stealing from vs he comes in the darke when no body sees treades on wooll that no body heares watcheth an houre that no body knowes It may be he will come when men are banqueting as on the old world Luk. 17. 27. Or when they are drunken as on Belshazzer Dan. 5. 25. Or when they are committing filthinesse as on the Israelitish man and the Moabitish woman Num 25. 8. Or when they are coueting as on the rich man Luk. 12. 20. Or when they are gormandising as on the glutton Luke 16. 22. Or when they are lying as on Ananias Acts 5. 5. No thunder now can beat into them a feare of that which then no power shall ease them of We know Christ will come let vs prepare for his welcome We are all housholders our bodies are our houses our soules our goods our sences are the doores and windowes the lockes are faith and prayer The day of our death will come as a thiefe a thiefe commeth when men do not looke for him so the day of death commeth suddenly A thiefe commeth not when the maister of the house is watching but when he is asleepe so many times the day of the Lord commeth on men not when they seeme to watch but when they are secure and carelesse let our repentance watch let it neuer sleepe least we perish But men now put farre away the euill day and they flatter themselues with the remotenesse the vision that he seeth is for many dayes to come and he prophesieth of the times that are farre off Ezek. 12. 27. Surely there is no peace to the wicked Esa. 57. 21. Their rose buds are not withered their dances are not done sleepe conscience lye still repentance they will not prepare for death God made garments for Adam of dead beasts skins Gen. 3. 21. to put him in minde that he was condemned to dye and to make the remembrance of death familiar vnto him that the losse of life might not affright him who alwayes ware the liuery of death vpon him so we feed daily vpon dead creatures this should teach vs to prepare to feed dumbe creatures Secondly because our liues are short and sinfull it should worke in vs a willingnesse to dye Blessed are they which die in the Lord. Reu. 14. 13. First they are blessed in respect of the place for if we consider the world wherein we liue it is a vale of misery a prison and a place of vexation and trouble as the Apostle saith Wee know that euery creature groaneth with vs also and trauelleth in paine together vnto this present Rom. 18. 22. But heauen is a place of ioy rest and of comfort This place is of no certaine continuance here we haue no abiding Citty but wee looke for one to come Heb. 13. 14. But heauen is of continuance for the foundation thereof is God Secondly they are blessed in regard of their company for here we liue among the wicked and sinfull men but there we shal enioy the company of innumerable Angles Heb. 12. 22. It was an excellent change when Dauid was called from a Sheepheard to be a King so was it an excellent change in Saul when hee was called from seeking his fathers Asses to be a King yet this is nothing in respect of their estate which are called from this world to heauen where there is light without darknesse wisedome without ignorance vnderstanding without error reason without obscuritie memory without obliuion and ioy without sorrow where whatsoeuer shall be desired shall be present neither shall any thing bee desired which is not comely where God shall be seene without end loued without lothing and praised without wearying Thirdly in regard of their condition they are blessed for they rest from all their labours for they which dye in the Lord or for the Lord are with the Lord. Paul desireth to be dissolued and to be with Christ Phil. 1. 23. Death considerd in Christ and ioyned with a good life is to Gods elect an aduantage Phil. 1. 21. nothing else but a bridge ouer this tempestuous sea to Paradice Gods mercy made it so not by making death in it selfe good but an instrument of good to his Why is any man vnwilling to dye Death doth not separate vs from God but it maketh vs draw neere to God then doe wee draw neere to God when we are separated from the body As Pharaohs Butler could not see the face of the king when hee was in prison but beeing loosed from his bonds he both saw him and gaue the cup into Pharaohs hand Gen. 40. 21. So as long as we are in the prison of our bodies we cannot see the face of God but being loosed we shall see God face to face 1. Cor. 13. 12. and enioy that vnspeakable good which God hath prepared for them that loue him 1. Cor. 2. 9. Hast thou feared God in life then do not feare death for the sting of death is taken away by Christ so that as hony is not truely hony when it hath lost its sweetnesse nor vinegar truely vinigar when it hath lost its tartnesse nor Aloes truly Aloes when it hath lost its bitternesse so the death of the righteous is not truly death hauing lost his sting fearfulnesse and terrors in the godly The dying out of this world is not a death but a life rather and therefore as Iulian said to Christ O Galilean thou hast ouercome me so may death say to them O Christian thou hast ouercome me What is death that thou fearest it it is a departure from this wicked world a dissolution of the bodies of the godly from bonds that they may be with Christ it is a returning to our heauenly Countrey from this pilgrimage it is a deliuerance from the misery of the world it is a returne from banishment to our fathers house it is a preparation for the glory of the resurrection Why dost thou feare death Death hath onely the name of death not the
so much learning should goe to the graue and such good parts as were in him should be buried in the earth Secondly his life was answerable to his learning he was sober in his carriage affable in company gentle and of an humble spirit towards all not couetous for he was dead to the world not proud no quarreller no drunkard and for any thing I can speake or any other charitable Christian blamelesse from all great enormous and scandalous offences being full of the workes of the spirit he was a peace-maker he would perswade such as did contend and take paines to compose strife he would giue of his owne to end that which malice had begunne hee was charitable to the poore and pittifull to the distressed His brethren sisters haue lost for a time the company of a deere and comfortable brother his kindred a good Counseller the poore an almes-giuer and other Ministers my selfe a kind friend and I doubt not but God hath receiued his soule Lastly touching his sicknes death his sicknes was Morbus haereditarius as himselfe would call it accompanied with a feuer In his sicknes he was patient willing to leaue this miserable world And as his life was quiet so he died quietly Now the Lord grant vs grace so to spend all our dayes in his feare that at length we may dye in his fauour and receiue the reward of euerlasting life FINIS 1. Sam. 13. 14. Psal. 78. 70. Acts 7. 46. Psalm 89. 20. Acts 2. 25. Math 1. 1. 2. Sam. 23. 1. Psalm 34. 19. Psalme 39. 4. Psalm 90. 12. Esay 7. 14. Reuelat. 21. 5. Luk. 2. 10. Marke 16. 6. Mal. 4 5. Psalme 52. 7. Reuelat. 3. 20. Doctr. Esay 42. 23. Reuel 3. 6. Vse 1. Psalme 58 4. 5. Gal. 3. 1. Phillip 3. 18. 2. Tim. 2. 15. 2. King 4. 5. Luk. 2. 51. Acts 16. 14. Hos. 10. 12. Heb. 9. 27. 2. Sam. 14. 14. 2. Sam. 12. 18. Luk. 7. 12. Gen. 49. 33. Iob. 7. 1. Iob. 14. 5. Gen. 4. 8. 1. Sam. 4. 18. Esay 37. 37. 1. King 2. 34. Iob. 1. 19. 2. King 2. 24. Num. 16. 31. 32 2. King 1. 10. Doctr. Esa. 40. 6. Psal. 102. 11. Hos. 13. 3. Iob. 7. 6. Iob. 7. 9. Iob. 14. 2. Iames 4. 14. Iob. 7. 7. Eccles. 7. 3. Per natiuitatem ad stadium per mortâ—m ad breuium peruenimus Eccles. 2. 11. Iob. 14. 1. Gen. 47. 9. Psal. 90. 10. Ionah 4. 6. 7. Gen. 5. 27. Gen. 25. 7. Vse 1. Luke 12. 40. Eccles. 11. 3. 2 Sam. 4. 6. 7. Matth. 25. 12. Matth. 22. 13. Marke 13. 37. 2. Pet. 3. 10. Luke 17. 27. Daniel 5. 25. Numb 25. 8. Luke 12. 20. Luke 16. 22. Acts 5. 5. Amos 6. 3. Ezek. 12. 27. Esay 57. 21. Genes 3. 21. Reuel 14. 13. Rom. 8. 22. Hebr. 13. 14. Hebr. 12. 22. Philip. 1. 23. Philip. 1. 21. Genes 40. 21. 1. Cor. 13. 12. 1. Cor. 2. 9. Vicisti Galilae Vicisti Christiane Numb 21. 9. 1. Cor. 15. 55. 1. Thess. 2. 19. Psalm 27. 13. Prou. 8. 31. Iohn 14. 2. Psal. 32. 18. 19. Psalm 116. 15. Matth. 6. 21. Doctr. 2. Pet. 3. 8. Reuelat. 1. 11. Gen 2. 7. Gen. 3. 19. Vse 1. 1. Cor. 2. 9. Reuel 31. 23. 24 25 Ioh. 14. 6. Ioh. 10. 9. Ioh. 15. 1. Ioh. 6. 51. Math. 28. 20. 2 Eccles. 1. 4. Eccles. 11. 7. Math. 6. 20. Eccles. 1. 2. Psal. 62. 9. Psal. 144 4. Doctr. Iob. 1. 21. 2. King 4. 19. 2. King 1. 2. 2 Chr. 16. 12. Esay 38. 1. Psalme 42. 1. Prouerb 23. 5. Ier. 17. 11. Vse Iudg. 7. 6. 1. Sam. 14. 43. Discent Education Learning Life Death The stone