earth wee sometimes lose our Seruices sometimes our Lords and Masters but Nullum tempus occurrit Deo his tenure holds throughout all Generations It s true Nor Servus Meus nor Amicus noster will serue for Priviledge in the case of death but Servus Meus Mortuus Amicus noster dormit onely remember this if Servus Meus and Amicus noster and hee whom Christ loued bee dead Iohn 11.3 why should any man bee afraid If death were a Scorpion Servus Meus and Amicus noster should not bee endangered by it then let sinne raigne to death so Grace also raigne vnto righteousnesse thorow Iesus Christ vnto eternall life Rom. 5. So then nor Servus nor Servus Meus exclude Mortuus But if Death bee not afraid like Aaron and Miriam to set vpon my Seruant dare it aduenture vpon Moses may not hee bee priuiledged whose life was a booke not of Lamentations and mournings and woes Ezek. 2. though euen of these it had reasonable store of marginall notes but a booke of Priuiledges and Miracles and strange obseruations such as set him aside the world neuer had among the Sons of men Begin at his birth In the Edict against the male Children hee was priuiledged and preserued from death When Pharaoh sought his life for slaying the Egyptian then was hee likewise priuiledged Exod. 2. yea in those Wonders which hee wrought in Pharaohs Court hee was so priuiledged that the wrath of the King was not onely no messenger of death but he did fawne vpon Moses as if he would licke the dust of his feet I haue sinned against GOD and against you and I pray you forgiue mee this once Exod. 10.17 Aaron was great yet was Moses his God Exod. 4. Pharaoh was a great King yet was Moses his God too Exod. 7. And as God hee not onely receiued but gaue priuiledges Was it not a great priuiledge that hee gaue vnto the Israelites that they should not wet their feet where Pharaoh was drown'd and all his hoast Exod. 14. No maruell if hee made the Sea a Wall to the Israelites that drew water out of the Rocke for the Israelites The Sea nothing more fluid the Rocke nothing more hard and the Rocke againe a Riuer that still Moses life was a succession of priuiledges Nor was his Power confined to the Earth or Sea it reached to Heauen where it brought downe Manna for their bread and Quailes for their food And may not this Man of priuiledges bee priuiledged to goe some other way but by the gates of death euen Moses must passe to life Hee that had beene so long entertained by Angels food in the Mount that when hee came downe his face did shine as if hee had beene transfigured so as they were afraid to looke vpon him may not He bee translated to heauen body and soule together but that skinne once so bright must bee eaten with wormes GOD intreated Moses Let mee alone as if without his leaue hee could doe nothing that I may consume them hee offers him faire conditious so indulgent was GOD to Moses that hee would buy his consent Let mee consume them and I will make of thee a mighty people Exod. 32.10 And Moses preuailed with GOD but GOD could not preuaile with Moses for Moses prayed and chid verse 11 Why doth the wrath of my Lord waxe hot against his people And pleads verse 12. Lest the Aegyptians say hee brought them malitiously out of Aegypt to destroy thē Yea in the same verse hee importunes GOD yet further Turne from thy fierce wrath nay challenges GOD of his word verse 13. Remember Abraham Isaac and Iacob yea charges him with his oath which thou swarest vnto them Then after all this the Lord changed his minde from the euill he meant to bring vpon them You see his Priviledges and you see his power but neuer a word on Gods part that he shall not die neuer a word on his owne part that hee may not die Hee that would not let GOD alone for his people lets him alone for himselfe neuer opens his mouth but hearing of death as a thing that neuer troubled him hee addresseth himselfe to dispatch such businesse as was fit for a man of his qualitie and place And being ready to depart out of the world hee blessed the people went vp to the mount and there hee dyed I said before if Seruus Meus dye why should any man feare Now if Moses bee dead none shall escape One example we haue before the Law Gen. 5. Enoch was taken away and was no more seene and the same GOD that dispensed with one before priuiledged one other in the time of the Law but long after in the times of Iehoram King of Iuda Elijah in a whirewinde was caried vp to Heauen 2 King 2. GOD vouchsafing to those seuerall ages of the world demonstrations of our immortality But this was extraordinarie two there were and but two to shew that wee are bound and hee is not but hath a transcendent power ouer all the workes of his hands Nor was hee frequent in making such grants lest any man should challenge and those rather to good than to great men And though in Elijahs time when devotion grew cold fifty sonnes of the Prophets were allowed to bee witnesses it was not yeelded to in Enoch's time none were then suffered to bee present yea it is deliuered in obscure tearmes Enoch was taken away not taken vp so wary was GOD in passing such grants The best then must die Servus meus and Amicus noster GODS seruants and friends all are dead and the greatest cannot escape For if Moses so great and besides all ye haue heard so honored that many ages after GOD reviueth his memory and saith Though Moses stood before mee I would not bee intreated Ier. 15.1 If Moses so famous to posterity and whose memory is so frequent in the Scriptures that it is mentioned aboue an hundred and twenty times in the old Testament after his death and almost as often in the new and that by many honourable testimonies euen from our Sauiour Christ himselfe if hee might not be spared let all generations submit themselues to that condition which the best and greatest haue vndergone Then let not strength presume hee whose eye was not dimme nor naturall force abated when hee was an hundred and twenty yeeres old is dead Deut. 34. Let not courage he that so brauely slew the Egyptian in the defence of his Country-man is himselfe dead Let not beauty the glorious Countenance of Moses 2 Cor. 3.7 is now become dust and ashes Let not power magnifie it selfe hee that destroyed Pharaoh and all his people euen Moses is laid downe and cannot rise vp Let not wisdome and learning boast his thoughts are perished that was learned in all the knowledge of the Aegyptians Acts 7. Let not authority and pre-eminence Pharaohs God and Aarons God a man greater thē the Pope wold be thought to be aboue Prince aboue Priest is now
dissolued into dust Let not the fauor of the multitude they can mourn thirty dayes for Moses ' death they cannot fetch him againe once dead In a word suppose a man's miracles and priviledges be neuer so many so as his life seem a continued miracle a miraculous Funerall he may haue but he must die for Moses is dead And if present examples moue more King IAMES is dead too in whom many of these priuiledges met and a number of other excellencies which diuided giue honour to others euen Gods seruant Moses and our late Soueraigne King IAMES both are dead Then what may this Mortuus be that thus incroacheth There is a threefold death a death by sin a death to sin and a death for sin The first is the death of the Soule the second the death of sin in the soule the third is the parting of the body and soule The first is alwaies euill the second alwayes good the third is somtimes euill sometimes good according to the quality of him whom it doth surprise The first that cannot be good and the last which may be euill are both repayred by the second which is euer good and not euill The first is deserente Deo when God forsakes a man's soule the second subveniente gratiâ when Gods grace sustaines a mans soule the third is recedente animâ when the body is forsaken by the soule The first is the cause of the last for Mors mortem antecessit voluntaria necessariam One death vshered forth another the voluntarie death of sinne the necessary death of the body And this third is here meant when hee saith Moses is dead Plato said of death that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a loosing and separating of the soule from the body Two friends haue long liued together and now they must part and goe seuerall wayes the one to earth the other to heauen For wee are not destroyed by death but dissolued to bee else-where placed And this is cleare in this History of Moses death Thou shalt die saith God and sleepe with thy Fathers Deut. 31.16 And Thou shalt bee gathered to thy people Deut. 32. So that death is our sleepe and restitution to that place from whence wee descended For when the soule leaues the body GOD then gathers vs as ripe Corne into his Barne And these considerations that by death wee sleepe with our Fathers and are gathered to the Saints as they did prepare him so should they satisfie vs as carying in them secret reasons and consolations against the terrours of death So as now it is no strange thing that Servus Meus and Servus Meus Moses should dye who thereby sleepeth and is gathered to his people Iust Simeon looked vpon death and esteemed it Nunc Dimittis quasi necessitate teneretur in hac vitâ non voluntate Indeed death seemes not so to all but that is not death's fault for Mors aut suae quietis bono vtitur aut malo alieno laborat The reason is Mors mala non est nisi vbi vita mala Yea to such it is better to dye than to liue It may seeme a Paradox but it is none for quò vita diuturnior culpa numerosior and therefore to that comfort which Seneca giues against death Desinam aegrotare posse alligari c. I shall no more be sicke no more imprisoned no more tormented wee may adde this as the principall Desinam peccare posse I shall no more sinne And it is no small aduantage to be freed from Sinning It troubled S. Paul Wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death Rom. 7.24 where you see the Apostle as much troubled that hee must liue as others are when they must dye For as S. Augustine obserues some that would liue yet cùm patientiâ moriuntur so others would dye but cum patientiâ vivunt For Anima absolvitur corpus resolvitur quae absolvitur gaudet quod resolvitur nihil sentit So that this is one comfort wee haue by the sleepe of death we rest from sinne wee rest from sorrow But this is not all Hee that lyeth downe to sleepe makes account to awake Vt cùm dormientes audimus evigilaturos minimè desperemus For as it is true that per vitam fit ad mortem transitus so per mortem fit ad vitam reditus Then let vs not be dismayed with the maske and vizard of death but rather joy and comfort our selues in so happy a passage vnto life Bona vita absoluto certamine that is the life we should looke after wherein the law of our members rebelleth no more against the law of our minde where we shall haue no more strife with this body of death but shall haue victory ouer it Thus slept and rested Moses when hee was gathered to his people For while wee are in this world wee are scattered vp and downe as Pilgrims and strangers death brings vs home Wee reade of Socrates that hee thirsted after death that hee might meet with those braue spirits Orpheus and Hesiod and Homer let not vs be weake and irresolute that shall bee gathered to the Patriarches Prophets and Apostles troopes of Martyrs and Confessors yea Christ himselfe in his flesh in his glory sitting at the right hand of God It is true to flesh and blood the shell of death seemes hard but to him that hath the spirituall relish of the Apostle it containes a sweet kernell How shall wee doe then to get S. Pauls taste there is but one way and that is to keepe S. Pauls dyet by accustoming our selues to dye daily and by bearing about in our bodies the death of the Lord Iesus 2 Cor. 4. For then the life of the Lord Iesus should bee made manifest in our mortall flesh If thus wee could frame our selues to welcome death adeò mors non esset timenda vt ejus beneficio nihil anteponendum So then it is well with Moses happy is hee that euer hee was borne to dye in such a case What shall become of the people who shall goe in and out before them they are as sheepe without a shepheard who shall gather them that they may heare and learne and feare and obserue the Commandements of GOD and keepe the Law of the Lord Deut. 31.12 Moses is gone who shall smite the rocke that the people may drinke who shall bring downe Manna for them when they are hungry who shall now hold vp his hands that they may preuaile against their enemies nay when the people shall haue made GOD himselfe their enemy who shall stand in the gap betwixt GOD and them or if they be at peace with GOD who shall sit in iudgement to make peace among them from the morning to the euening Exod. 18. Moses loued the people of GOD better then his owne soule Spare them or rase me out of thy booke Who shall care for them now Moses offered his soule for their bodies who will now offer his body for their soules
THE LAST SERMON PREACHED BEFORE HIS MAIESTIES Funerals at Denmark house On Tuesday the third of May. BY PHINEES HODSON Dr of Diuinitie one of his Maiesties Chaplaines LONDON Printed by M. F. for Hannah Barret 1625. IOS 1.2 Moses my Seruant is dead now therefore arise HEE that might not see GOD in the fiery bush but he must put off his shooes Exod. 3. might not see him as hee is till hee had put off the sinfull body of his flesh Coloss 2. yea and the flesh of his body too the apparell of his soule his shooes must off then because the place where hee stood was holy ground No maruell if his body must off now before hee enter into the Sanctum Sanctorum the Kingdome of Heauen Numb 20.12 GOD told Moses and Aaron that for their vnbeleefe they should not bring the people into the Land which hee had promised them and shortly after euen at the next remoue from Cades to mount Hor Aaron must vp to the mount and there die Moses is repriued till he come to the other side of Iordan but not pardoned and GOD will let him see that Land which he may not possesse Nor is he therefore secure he forgets not his summons but finding himselfe by account to be an hundred and twenty yeares old Deut. 31. and therefore hee could not liue long that he was come to the side of that Riuer which he might not passe and therfore in all likelihood hee drew very neere he prepares himselfe to welcome the good will of GOD. When Moses is readie but not before GOD calls again and Deut. 32. Vp he must to mount Nebal and there die Deut. 34. Vp he goes and when GOD had let him see the Land he died ver 5. was buried ver 6. and the rest of the Chapter containes a Funerall Sermon made by Ioshua in the commendation of Moses Now after Moses ' death and buriall the LORD spake vnto Ioshua the verse before my text in my text Moses my seruant c. Moses is dead buried by an Angel mourned for by the children of Israel panegyrically commended by Ioshua and that which he said of him is recorded to posterity that all ages may know that none is like to Moses Yet this is not enough GOD vndertakes the matter himselfe for when an Angel beares the Coffin and that by Gods owne appointment and for ought we know made his Graue too No wonder if the same GOD vouchsafe to reuiue his memory and not so much as name Moses without honourable mention Moses my seruant Yea being dead hee referres and as it were appeales to Moses As I said vnto Moses v. 3. and if he will comfort Ioshua hee will be with him as he was with Moses v. 5. for that will serue yea hee cals his owne Law the Law which Moses my seruant commanded v. 7. And surely much was it that a man but it was the man of GOD Moses Deu. 33.1 that a man I say should receiue such testimonie from his Maker But wel it was for them whom he left behind him well it was for Ioshua to whose charge they were left little enough it was that he that was the Seruant of the Lord in Gods mouth should be the seruant of the Lord in Ioshua's mouth v. 13. And if GOD will call his own Law Moses ' Law Ioshua would be bold to call Gods Land Moses ' Land vers 14. And if GOD promised to be with Ioshua as hee was with Moses they will aske no more they will pray for no more but the Lord be with thee as hee was with Moses So then well it was with Ioshua it got him authoritie well it was with the people it taught them obedience for if GOD will be with Ioshua as he was with Moses they will obey him as they did Moses The words are deliuered by GOD to Ioshua and haue two parts first Gods testimony of Moses secondly his Commission to Ioshua The testimony in these words Moses my seruant is dead the Commission Now therefore arise In the testimony are two generall parts considerable first the Author secondly the Matter the Author is expresly set downe in the first verse Secondly In the Matter are foure circumstances first Servus secondly Meus thirdly Moses fourthly Mortuus In the Commission are two things first the connexion Now therefore secondly the tenor of the Commission Arise Now therefore Not before thou receiue warning till then lie still take not vpon thee when I say the word Arise While hee liueth thou art his Minister v. 1. and at his command no rising then without his direction with his life his power ceased My people lacke an head and I haue made choice of thee Now therefore Arise To returne The Author of this Declaratorie Commemoration and honourable recognition is GOD himselfe he commemorates him for hee names Moses though dead hee declares his worth in calling him his Seruant And a recognition it is Ioshua had done it before GOD now againe by a postliminious solemnization of his Funerals Nor may it seeme strange Funerall Sermons are ordinarily made by such as are neere to those that are deceased and haue some interest in their memories then who should rather doe this office to Moses then his gratious Master who had before testified of him that he was faithfull in all his house Numb 12. Others heard GOD Moses heard and saw him and talked with him as a man talkes with his friend Exod. 33. yea face to face Deut. 34.10 Hence he continues to honor him dead as he did aliue liuing he was his seruant and being dead from Gods owne mouth he receiues the same testimony Moses my seruant is dead For his person was not ordinary There arose not a Prophet like vnto Moses Deut. 34.10 His Buriall was not ordinary other men had Sepulchers as monuments of their mortality Moses had none lest his body should haue beene abused to Idolatry Others haue Sepulchers to shew they haue beene Moses had none lest he should haue beene thought that which hee was not and adored for a Diety And more honorable it was for Moses he had none then for others when they are most sumptuous as Tacitus obserued Praefulgebant Iunius Blaesus eo ipso quod effigies eorum non visebantur And though it bee true which Saint Augustine sayes that these solemnities at Funerals are rather Solatia vivorum then Subsidia mortuorum yet whether we call it an act of civility as from men to mē or an act of loue to prosecute with honor those that are dead to whom we gaue respect while they were liuing or an act of necessitie to free the liuing from the contagion of the dead or an act of discretion to remoue their bodies from our sight and thereby sorrow from our hearts or an act tending to mortification as being Remonstrances of our frailty and mortality or an act of hope as implying their resurrection whom with so much care and respect we