lie is taken you all do well know which haue any experience in the world whither he is brought the Apostle teacheth when hee saith Ye are come to the mount Sion and to the citie of the liuing God the celestiall Ierusalem and to the companie of innumerable Angels And to the congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the iudge of all and to the spirits of iust and perfect men and to Iesus the mediatour of the new testament Who would be vnwilling thus to be taken away And why should the righteous be afraid of death by which they are thus taken away Had the Israelites anie cause to be vnwilling or to feare to be taken out of the land of Egypt the house of boÌ„dage and to bee caried as it were vpon Eagles wings into the land of Canaan a land that flowed with milke and honie No more cause haue the righteous to feare death which would carie them from the bondage of this world to the heauenly Canaan a place of eternall rest And why then should we mourne immoderately for the death of the righteous WheÌ„ Ioseph was taken from prison to be made a chief ruler in Egypt if his father Iacob had bin in prison with him and had beene acquainted with his preferment should he haue had anie iust cause to be grieued So soone as hee heard of it he reioyced and was willing to go vnto him When Saul was takeÌ„ froÌ„ seeking his fathers asses and annointed to be king ouer Israel had his father Kish any reason to lament WheÌ„ Dauid was taken from following the Ewes great with yong ones and ordained King to feed the Lords people had his father Ishai anie iust occasion of sorrow No more cause haue anie of vs to bewaile the death of the godly seeing they are as highly preferred as any of theÌ„ When Hester was takeÌ„ from Mordecai who had brought her vp as his own daughter to be maried vnto king Ahashuerosh and crowned as Queen did he lament it was he not most willing to leaue her Why then should anie man be so vnwilling to leaue either daughter or wife though neuer so deare vnto him seeing that shee is but taken vp into heauen there to be maried vnto Christ the husbaÌ„d of his Church and there to be crowned as a Queene to raigne in glorie with him But in this taking away there is great difference betwixt the godly and the wicked They are also taken away but why The godly are taken out of the world because the world was not worthie of them but the wicked are taken away because they are vnworthie to liue in the world Those are taken away in mercie these in iudgement those in the Lords fauour and these in his displeasure And whence are these taken or whither They are taken from the practise of sinne to suffer punishment for sinne from ease to torment from the first life to the second death from men to diuels from earth to hell from prison to the place of execution In a woful taking shall they be when they are thus taken away Their lamentable taking away is described in him that will not in time be reconciled to his brother The iudge deliuereth him to the sergeant the sergeant takes him and casts him into prison whence he must not come till hee haue paide the vtmost farthing Likewise in him that would not forgiue his fellow seruant an hundred pence his master being wroth deliuered him to the iayler who tooke him and cast him into prison till he should pay all that was due Also in him that wanted the wedding garment at the marriage feast of the kings sonne the king saith to his seruants binde him hand and foote take him away and cast him into vtter darkenes there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Likewise in the vnprofitable seruant which would not imploy his maisters talent the talent must be taken from him he must be taken and cast into vtter darkenes where is weeping and gnashing of teeth Lastly in them which would not suffer their king to raigne ouer them he shall say those mine enemies which would not that I should raigne ouer them bring hither and slay them before me It is a grieuous thing for one that is making merrie among his companions to be sodainely apprehended by a sergeant or officer for a traitour theefe or murtherer and presently without baile or mainepâ—ise to be taken from his companie and carried to prison and from thence to the place of execution As grieuous is it for a wicked man that liues in the pleasures of sinne to be taken away by death which is the Lords sergeant to apprehend him and bring him to the prison of hell As his entrance into the world was euill and his continuance in the world was worse so his taking out of the world shall be worst of all Oh then let vs take heede least we be thus taken away Let vs learne to liue in the world as the righteous doe and then shall we be taken away as the righteous are Balaams wish is vsed by many Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his And yet they will not liue the life of the righteous but few of these obtaine their desire Looke what way a tree boweth while it stands and groweth the same way it commonly falleth when it is cut downe euen so looke how men are inclined in their life time to righteousnes or vnrighteousnesse so shall they fall at their death Men can hardly begin righteousnesse at their last end Late repentance is seldome sound repentance Men drawing neere to their end shall be so affrighted with death so troubled with paine and grief that they shal not be able to set themselues to repent soundly They shall then rather seeke ease for their bodies then mercie for their sins or grace for their soules The beginning of euerie thing is hardest and therefore he which hath begun wel is said to haue done halfe his worke As it is in other things so is it with repentance it is a harder matter to begin repentance at the first then to renue it afterward therfore the fittest time should be taken for the beginning of it that is rather the time of our life then the time of our death rather the time of our health then the time of our sicknesse In the time of our life and of our health we be scarse able and fit to begin serious repentance but much more vnable and vnfit shall we be in the time of sicknes death We read in scripture but of one which became righteous at his last end the theefe on the Crosse wee reade of one that no man might despaire though hee haue deferred his repentance so long we reade but only of one that no man might presume to deferre it so long The surest and safest way is to begin
they cannot tell Men heape vp riches and cannot tell who shall enioy them they bequeath them to some and others goe away with them We had neede to thinke of this before hand that we may vse this world as if we vsed it not and when we haue foode and rayment to be therewith content and to be more willing to leaue these things when death approcheth If a man doe not in his heart deeply and seriously consider of these things a long time and often before death he shall be as vnwilling to leaue all these things at the howre of death as the young man was to sell his goods and giue them to the poore when he was commaunded by Christ. In things that be of waight and importance and yet very difficult it is needful to vse preparation before hand for without it we shal be vnfit when we come to the pinch Souldiers which be chosen and appointed for the wars do exercise themselues with their weapons before hand and are content to be trained by others which haue better skill experience that so they may learne in time of peace how to behaue themselues in time of war So had we need in time of our life to learne how to die and to be taught by others which die before vs what we must do at the howre of death 3 Thirdly we must coÌ„sider the cause or end of their death Some of the righteous are taken away in iudgement and some in mercie In iudgemeÌ„t when God in displeasure doth strike them with death to correct them for their sinnes Thus was the man of God taken away which came out of Iudah and cried out against the Altar in Bethel that Ieroboam had set vp because he beleeued the lie of an old prophet in Bethel and did eate and drinke with him there contrarie to Gods commandement a Lyon met him by the way and slew him Thus also were many of the Corinthians taken away for abusing the Lords supper For this cause many were sicke and weake and many did sleepe yet they were righteous persons as Paul before had testified of them Ye are washed yee are sanctified yee are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God afterward he reputeth them which were sicke and did so sleep to be iudged of the Lord because they should not be condemned with the world The Lord is sometimes so sharp with his owne children that for the example of others hee will inflict a bodily death vpon theÌ„ as a correction for their sinnes That should be regarded of all others that their harmes may make them wise moue them to speedie repentance least they be more sharpely dealt withall For as Christ saith If these things be done to a greene tree what shall be done to the dry And as Peter saith If iudgement first begin at the house of God what shall the end be of theÌ„ which obey not the Gospell of God If the maister of a family do sharpely correct his owne children for their faults let not the seruants thinke that they shal escape vnpunished if they coÌ„mit the like faults If any one which sitteth at table with vs by eating of some dish or drinking of some cup do surfet or fall sick or into a swoune or die presently it will greatly moue vs and we cannot bee perswaded by anie to tast of that dish or drinke of that cup for feare of the like Euen so when we see Gods children that liue amongst vs to bee taken away by death for practising of some sinne it should greatly moue vs and wee should so abhorre that sinne that nothing in the world could perswade vs to practise it Againe others are taken away in mercy for their benefite and for a reward of their righteousnes to free theÌ„ from those iudgements which the Lord intendeth to bring vpon the world and thus were these righteous men taken away which here are mentioned Their death should be considered as a warning giuen vnto men of some fearfull iudgement to come therfore should cal theÌ„ to repentance that they might preuent the iudgement but of this I wil speake more afterward in the last circumstance 4 Lastly we must consider the manner of their death for thereby we may learne how to die it may be as a patterne or example to direct vs in our death The wicked die either sottishly or impatiently or else desperatly Sottishly like blocks idiots hauing neither penitent feeling of their sins nor comfortable assurance of saluation Being like vnto Nabal whose heart ten daies before his death died within him and he was like a stone Such men die like lambes and yet shall be a pray for the deuouring Lion they go quietly like fooles to the stocks for correction Others dye impatiently who doe not willingly beare the Lords correction deserued by their sinnes but rage fret and murmure as if God dealt too rigorously with them and through impatiencie will vse vnlawfull meanes for their recouery as Ahaziah did who being sicke sent messengers to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron if he should recouer of his disease Others dye desperately their consciences accusing them most terribly for their sins without any hope of pardon as Caine who said my sinne is greater then can be forgiuen or Iudas who despairing of pardon for his sin in betraying our Sauiour went and hanged himselfe The consciences of many wicked men lye quietly and neuer trouble them all their life time but are stirred vp at their death and then rage and torment them like a mad dog which is lately awaked out of sleep But the righteous die most comfortably they beleeuing in Christ and hauing repented of their sinnes are assured in their owne soules that all their sins are pardoned in Christ they will make confession of their faith and giue testimonies of their repentance vnto others for their comfort and example They will patiently indure all the paines of their sicknes â—s Iob did knowing that al comes from the Lord and that it is his fatherly correction and a signe of his loue because he chasteneth whom he loueth yea they receiue their sicknesse as the Lords messenger speaking to their soules as the Prophet Isaiah did to Hezekiah Put thine house in order for thou shalt dye and not liue and therefore they prepare themselues for another world Yea further in their sicknes they can pray most feruently as king Hezekiah did Isai 38. and then they will giue most fruitfull and comfortable instructions to those which they leaue behinde As the Swan sings most sweetly a little before his death so the righteous speake most diuinely a little before their end Whosoeuer searcheth the scriptures may reade the diuine prophecy of Iacob vnto the twelue Patriarches Gen. 49. the holy blessing of Moses vpon the twelue tribes Deut. 33. the godly exhortation of Ioshua to the people of Israel placed by him
liue are subiect vnto these as wel as others yea oftentimes more then others He which will bee Christs Disciple must take vp his crosse daylie and follow him Through manie tribulations wee must enter into the kingdome of heauen Iudgement begins at the house of God The Lord doth chastise his children by his iudgements least they should be condemned with the world A father hath two sons the one offends and is corrected the other also offendeth is not corrected why is the one corrected and not the other because the father hath hope of his amendment and reserues the inheritance for him but he hath no hope of the other and therefore will not correct him but doth disinherite him and cast him off so doth God deale with men Those which hee seeth incorrigible hee letteth alone though they offend yet he seldome correcteth them but casts them off but others which may by correction bee brought to repentance and kept in awe he often correcteth and for them is reserued an inheritance immortall and vndefiled in heauen yea the world hateth them because they are not of the world yea among men they shall oftentimes suffer euill for righteousnes sake And God hereby will make triall of their faith of their patience constancie and herein make them examples vnto others so that they must looke for afflictions so long as life lasteth but death makes an end of them al. Life and miserie are two twins which were borne together must die together And therefore Iohn heard it from heauen was commaunded to write it for the comfort of men on the earth blessed are the dead which die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their works follow them Then shall God wipe all teares from their eyes then shall there be no more sorrow nor crying nor paine Then shall they haue euerlasting rest and no labour continuall ioy and no sorrow perpetuall pleasure and no paine great plentie of all good things and no want all manner of happines and no miserie The spirituall euils from which they are freed by death are three First their combat with the diuell Here we are in continuall warfare this is the militant Church so long as wee liue and abide in it wee must fight as the Lords souldiers not against flesh and bloud but against principalities against powers and against worldlie gouernours the Princes of the darkenesse of this world and not for a naturall or temporall but for a spirituall and eternall life not for an earthlie but for an heauenlie kingdome And in this battell there is no time of truce If the diuell be ouercome at one time he will on a sodame and none knowes how soone giue a fresh assault againe but death ends tho battell not as if the diuell got the victorie by our death as it is commonly seene among warriours on the earth if the one die in fight the other getteth the vpper hand but the faithfull at their last end get a finall conquest and then ascend to heauen there to triumph The diuell cannot assault them there He may compasse the earth but he cannot enter within the lists of heauen He neuer came thither to assault any since he was first cast out though he tempted Adam in the earthly Paradice and got him thrust out of it yet can he not tempt any in the heauenly Paradice to cause them to be thrust thence And therefore as a souldier which hath endured an hard and dangerous battell a long time doth greatly reioyce when he hath gotten the victorie so may the faithfull reioyce at the houre of their death because then they make a finall end of their spirituall enemies and begin their triumph ouer them 2 Another miserie from which they are freed is the practise of sinne Who liueth and sinneth not as Salomon saith In many things we offend all Though we be â—ruely sanctified yet it is but in part and therefore we may say with S. Paul I allow not that which I doe for what I would that I doe not but what I hate that doe I. And further I delight in the law of God concerning the inner man but I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde and leading me captiue vnto sinne And nothing is more grieuous vnto a true Christian heart then the practise of sinne and therefore euerie one in this case will cry out with the same Apostle O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death But death destroyes sinne Sinne brought in death and death driues out sinne After death all the righteous shall be perfectlie sanctified and made like the Angels to do the will of the Lord readilie willinglie and cheerefullie As herbs and flowers breed wormes in them yet those wormes at last will kill the hearbes and flowers so sinne bred death in it selfe but at last death will kill sinne And as Sampson could not kill the Philistims who were his greatest enimies but by his owne death no more can the righteous kil sin which is not their least enimie but by their own death At the first death was ordained as a punishment for sinne but now it is vsed as a meanes to stop the course of sin It was then said vnto man if thou sinne thou shalt die the death but now it is said thou must die least thou sinne that which theÌ„ was to be feared that men might not sin must now be suffered least they should sinne Sinne hath taken such deepe roote in our bodies that it cannot be destroyed vnlesse the bodie be as it were quite plucked vp by the roots least any roots remaining new buds of sinne doe sprout from the same If a wild figgetree doe grow in the walles of a faire temple and spread the roots of it al along ouer all the stones of the whole building it will not cease from springing till all be pulled downe if the stones be pulled downe they may afterward bee set vp a gaine in their owne places and the temple made as faire as euer it was and so the fig-tree may be pulled vp by the rootes will grow no more this comparison haue the learned vsed In the same manner the Lord a skilfull workeman hauing made man for his temple there sprung sinne in him like a wilde figtree which was spread wholie ouer all parts of man and it could not be destoryed vntill the bodie was destroyed by death and God hauing destroyed the bodie by death that so hee might quite roote out sin will build it vp againe to be a new temple vnto him yea mans bodie was in this respect like vnto a faire and beautifull picture of gold which an enuious and ill disposed person doth so mangle and disfignre as that it cannot be brought vnto the same forme and beautie vnlesse the owner doe melt it againe and fashion it all a new 3 Furthermore it
in Canaan Iosh. 23. the wise counsell of Dauid vnto Salomon who was to succeede him in the kingdome 1. King 2. Whosoeuer readeth the Ecclesiasticall histories may not onely see the vertuous liues but also the christian like ends of the Saints and Martyrs in the Church And whosoeuer will be present at the death of those which truly feare God may thereby learne how they themselues ought to dye for when the outward man doth decay the inward man is renewed more and more They shew that the neerer they do approch vnto their end the neerer they draw toward heauen But in these our dayes many may bee found who either do not at al consider the death of the righteous or else do consider it amisse Though it be a matter worth consideration yet some do not consider it at all because they see so many die they make the lesse reckoning of it til death knock at their owne doores they neuer regard it they must needes die themselues before they can be brought to consider of death they care not who sinck so they swimme nor how many die so they may liue yea this is greatly to be lamented that some do regard the death of a Christian no more then they regard the death of a dog But seeing we may learne so many profitable instructions by their death let vs now begin to consider it better then euer we did before Others do consider it but yet amisse eyther fondly or frowardly Fondly through naturall affection arising from kinred affinitie or familiaritie If a stranger dye it nothing moues them but if one of their owne friends dye they sigh and sob they howle and lament If the father lose his sonne hee cryes most pitifully as Dauid did for Absolom O my sonne Absolom my sonne my sonne Absolom would God I had dyed for thee O Absolom my sonne my sonne If the mother lose her children she behaueth her self like Rachel weeping for her children and would not be comforted because they were not If children lose their parents they cry after them as Elisha did after Elias wheÌ„ he was taken vp my father my father If a sister lose her brother she weepeth for him as Mary did for Lazarus If the husband lose his wife he weepeth for her as Abraham wept for Sarah Yea he mourneth like a Turtle Doue which hath lost his marrow If the wife lose her husband she dealeth like Naomi who would not be called Naomi that is beautiful but Mara that is bitter because the Lord had giuen her much bitternes If one familiar friend lose another he lamenteth his death as Dauid did the death of Ionathan wo is me for thee my brother Ionathan very kinde hast thou been vnto me thy loue to me was wonderfull passing the loue of women Indeede I can not deny but yâ— we ought in a speciall manner to consider the death of those which are neere and deare vnto 〈…〉 for it may be they are takeÌ„ from vs because we were vnworthy of them or because we gloryed trusted ouer-much in them and were not so thankfull for them as we ought If we had any help by them we must consider whether God haue not depriued vs of them for the punishment of our sins as the widow of Sarepta did at the death of her son saying vnto Eliah Art thou come vnto me to call my sinne to remembrance and to slay my sonne Yet this consideration must be ordered by wisdome it must not be ioyned with excessiue sorrow Neither must we consider their death alone but also the death of others which dye in the Lord and to learne to make an holy vse thereof For as Sampson found sweete hony in the carkas of a dead Lyon so we may finde some sweet instructions in the dead corps of euery righteous man yea the more righteous that they are which do dye the more should their death be considered because it may yeeld greater store of instruction vnto vs. And it may be that God doth take away those which are neere vnto vs because we doe carelesly regard the death of those which be farre off Againe some consider the death of the righteous very frowardly and peeuishly yea I may say malitiously preposterously For if any of them be taken away by a sodaine and extraordinary death they presently censure them as plagued of God and coÌ„demne their former profession thinking that God would not haue so dealt with them if he approued either of them or their profession But they must be instructed in this point by wise Salomon who sayth that no man knoweth loue or hatred of all that is before him All things come alike to all and the same condition is to the iust and the wicked to the good and the pure and to the polluted to him that sacrificeth to him that sacrificeth not Eli was a Priest and a good man yet brake his neck by falling backward from his â—eate Ionathan was a sworne brother vnto Dauid a godly and faithfull friend yet was he slaine in battaile by the hands of the Philistines That Prophet of God which came out of Iudah to Bethel to speake against Ieroboam and the altars which he had built for idolatry was no doubt an holy man yet was he killed in yâ— way by a Lyon Iosiah was a good King like vnto him there was no King before him neither after him rose any like him yet was he slaine in the valley of Megiddo by Necho King of Egypt Iobâ— children were wel brought vp by their godly father and it is sayd that before Iob offered sacrifice for them they were sanctified yet within a while after as they were eating and drinking in their eldest brothers house a violent wind ouerthrew the house and killed them all We must not therefore iudge of men by their death but rather by their life Though sometime a good death may follow an euill life yet an euill death can neuer follow a good life Correct thine euill life and feare not an euill death he can not die ill that liues well saith Augustine And afterward answeres the obiections of these men and makes this the foote of his song Thou wilt say vnto mee haue not many iust men perished by shipwracke Certainely hee can not dye ill which liued well Haue not many iust men beene slaine by the enemies sword Certainly he can not die il which liued well Haue not many iust men been killed by theeues Haue not many righteous men bin torne in pieces by wild beasts Certainly hee can not die ill which liued wel c. But I wil say vnto such as censure the righteous for their strange and violent death as Christ said of those eighteen vpon whom yâ— tower of Siloam fell and flew them Thinke ye that these were greater sinners then others I tel you nay but except ye repent ye all shall likewise perish
is some euill for the righteous to dwell among ill neighbours It greatly greeueth them to see others commit sinne and dishonour God Lot being righteous and dwelling among the Sodomites in seeing hearing their vnlawfull deeds vexed his righteous soule from day to day And Dauid said Mine eyes gush out with riuers of water because they keep not thy law And also woe is me that I remaine in Meshech and dwell in the tents of Keaar Hee which is truelie grieued for sin in himselfe wil also be grieued for sinne in others Now the world is so fraught with sinners that if a man would not keepe companie with fornicators or with the couetous or with extortioners or with idolaters then as Paul saith he must go out of the world Death therefore frees men from this euill because it taketh them out of the world and suffereth them not to behold eyther the sinnes which men commit against God or the euils which God doth bring vpon them yea death doth carrie them into heauen to the holie angels and spirits of iust and perfect men which sinne not at all but fulfill the will of God in all perfection They shall haue cause to reioyce for them and not to be grieued at them There be also extraordinarie euils from which the righteous are deliuered by death and those are extraordinarie iudgements which the Lord bringeth vpon the people and countrie where they dwelt for some late and grieuous sins Thus was a young child of Ieroboam dealt withall The Lord threatned to bring euill vpon the house of Ieroboam and to sweepe off the remnant of his house as a man sweepeth away dung til it be all gone Yea the dogs should eate him of Ieroboams stocke that died in the Citie and the foules of the aire should eate him that died in the field yet that childe should die in his bed and all Israel as it is said shall mourne for him for he onlie of Ieroboam shall come to the graue because in him there is found some goodnes toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Ieroboam Thus also was good king Iosiah dealt withall The Lord told him before hand because thine heart melted and they hast humbled thy selfe hast rent thy clothes and wept before mee behold therefore I will gather thee to thy fathers and thou shalt be put in thy graue in peace and thine eyes shall not see all the euill which I will bring vpon this place And thus was Luther dealt withall as some haue obserued who was taken away in peace not long before the Lord brought that miserable calamitie vpon Germanie which he had often foretold would come vpon that people for the contempt of the Gospel Who also desired that hee might be called out of the world before he saw those grieuous punishments which hee greatly feared Though this be no perpetuall law for sometime the righteous perish in the common destruction among the wicked as Ionathan did with Saul other Israelites in battell against the Philistims And in the Pestilence Christians haue dyed with the Infidels Sometime God spareth the wicked for the righteous mens sake which liue among them The Lord promised Abraham that if he could finde ten righteous men â—n Sodome hee would not destroy the citie for those tennes sake And Iob sayd The innocent shall deliuer the yland and it shall be preserued by the purenes of his hands Yea wheate and tares must grow together till the haruest that is good and bad must liue together in the world vntil the end of the world Yet oftentimes God pluckes his children out of fire which shall consume the wicked and prouides a place of safety for them in heauen before he powre forth his iudgements vpon the earth Lot was commaunded to make haste vnto the citie of Zoar to saue him there because the Lord could doe nothing vnto Sodom till hee was come thither And when the Lord would destroy Ierusalem for the abominations committed in it he shewed to the Prophet in a vision the destroyers comming forth with their weapoÌ„s to destroy yet they must not touch any vntill they were all marked in their fore heads which mourned for all the abominations done in the midst of it And the destroying Angels must not hurt the earth neither the sea nor the trees till the seruants of God were sealed in their foreheads As the righteous are carefull to serue the Lord so is he carefull to preserue them As they haue not bin partakers with the common sort in the practise of sin so shall they not bee partakers with them in suffering punishment He takes them from among the wicked and then executeth his iudgements vpon the wicked alone The Egyptians did vse to gather their corne out of the fields and laid it vp in their barnes and then caused the Israelites to gather the stubble to make bricke withall and in some Countreys Farmers first carry the corne into their barnes and then burne the stubble in the field where it growes so the Lord first gathereth the righteous into the kingdome of heauen and then consumeth the wicked on the earth It is farre from the iudge of all the world to slay the righteous with the wicked 1. In this respect those which suruiue the righteous haue iust cause to feare some present euils and labour by vnfained repentance if it be possible to preueÌ„t them Their death is a plaine prognostication of some euils to come and should be as a trumpet to awaken others out of the sleepe of sinne Many of the wicked reioyce when the godly are taken away froÌ„ them they loue their roomes better then their company they hated them and their profession in their life time because as they say they are not for our profit and they are contrary to our doings they checke vs for offending against the law it grieueth vs to looke vpon them for their liues are not like other men and therefore at their death they are glad that they are rid of them when indeede they haue greater cause to howle and weepe for the miseries that shall come vpon them The righteous need not to imitate the vngodly practise of Herod who being ready to dye thinking that his death would be a great ioy to many shut vp in prison some noble men of euery towne and required his sister Salome her husband Alexa that so soone as he was dead they should kil those noble men and then all Iudaea would lament his death The Lord himselfe doth often make the death of the righteous to be lamented by sending of extraordinary iudgements immediatly after their death When Noah enters into the Arke the world is drowned with the floud when Lot departs out of Sedome it is burnt with fire 2 In this respect also yâ— righteous haue no cause to feare death but rather to desire it for what is it
but an ending of some troubles and a preuenting of others They may with Paule desire to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of all It is true which Salomon saith That the day of a mans death is better then the day of his birth For the day of a godly mans birth is the beginning of his misery but the day of his death is the end of his misery Indeede the day of a wicked mans death is the most wofull day that euer befell him for hee is not taken away from the euill to come but he is taken vnto euill to be tormented in hell for euermore And therefore he feares death as much as a malefactour feareth a Sergeant that commeth to carry him to prisoÌ„ where he is like to abide till the day of execution That is true in them which the Diuell sayd Skin for skin and all that euer a man hath will he giue for his life And as the Gibeonites were content rather to bee bondmen and hewers of wood and drawers of water then to be killed by the Israelites as other nations were So they had rather indure any kinde of misery then to die as others doe because they feare a worse estate after death and therefore must bee pulled from the earth with as great violence as Ioab was pulled from the hornes of the altar vnto which he had fled as to a place of refuge But the godly knowing what an happy exchange they make by death they desire to dye so soone as it pleaseth the Lord. Indeede none ought for the ending of present calamities or preuenting of future miseries to shorten their own dayes as Saul did by falling on his owne sword nor yet for the present enioying of eternal happines procure their own deatâ— as Cleombrotus did who reading Plato his booke of the immortalitie of the soule cast himself headlong from a wal that he might change this life for a better He onely who gaue life must take it away and the Lord may say to such I will receiue no soules which against my will haue gone out of the body the Philosophers which died so were martyrs of foolish philosophie Yet seeing that death freeth the righteous from present and future miseries they may be most willing to dye so soone as the Lord calleth for them and when death approacheth may say with Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace 3 Lastly in this respect we must learne not to mourne immoderately for the death of the righteous Though we receiued great comfort and inioyed some benefit by them while they were aliue yet seeing that death is an aduantage vnto them we should be content patiently to beare our owne losse in respect of their great gaine If two friends should lye in prison together or should dwell together in a strange countrey where both of them were hardly vsed were many wayes iniured endured great want and sustained much miserie though they loued one another dearely and the one were an helpe and comfort to the other yet if the one should be taken from the other and brought to his chiefest friends and among them be not onely freed from all such miseries as before he had endured but also be aduanced to great preferment will the other which is left behind him be discontented at it Will he not rather wish himselfe to be there with him in the like case then desire that either he had stayed with him or might returne againe This our life is as a prison or straunge countrey in which we indure great miserie and may euery day looke for more if therefore our deerest friends be taken from vs freed from these miseries and aduanced to great glorie with Christ and his Saints in the kingdome of heauen we haue no cause to wish that either they had stayed longer with vs or might returne againe vnto vs but rather desire that we might quickly go vnto them to be glorified in like sort Though we may thinke that they dyed too soone for vs yet they dyed not too soone for themselues for the sooner they come to rest and happines the better it is for them Their condition is farre better then ours for they are freed from misery we are reserued for further misery they are already arriued at the hauen of eternall rest and we are stil tossed on the sea of this world with troublesome waues and dangerous tempests they haue ended their iourney with lesser trauaile and making a shorter cut and wee are yet trauailing with wearâ—â—omnesse in our iourney If any one of them could speake after their death he would say vnto those which weep for him as Christ sayd to the daughters of Ierusalem Weepe not for me but weepe for your selues and for your children because of the dangerous dayes which shall ensue Or as Christ said vnto his disciples If ye loued me ye would verily reioyce because I go vnto the Father But if examples do moue any thing at al I may apply al that hath bin spoken to our present occasion A righteous woman is perished a mercifull woman is taken away let vs lay it to our hearts and consider that she is taken away from euill I am fully perswaded that she is deliuered from ordinary euils and it may be her death hath in her self preuented some extraordinarie iudgements which remaine for vs that are left behinde Sin is now so riâ—e and ripe among vs that we may iustly feare some strange future euils God graunt that as she hath preuented them by her death so we may preuent them by our vnfained repentance I know that she being receiued into the society of the Saincts in heauen neither careth for nor seeketh mans praises she neither needeth our prayers nor yet our prayses if she desire any thing it is our imitation Yet to praise the dead is a thing lawfull in it self and profitable vnto the liuing If it had not bin a thing lawfull neither Dauid would so highly haue commended Ionathan for his feruent and constant loue 2. Sam. 1. 26. neither would the holy Ghost haue commended king Iosiah for his integrity aboue all others 2. Chro. â—5 23. Neither would the author to the Hebrews haue so greatly praised the Patriarchs and Prophets for their excellent works of faith Nâ—ither would Christ haue commaunded that wheresoeuer the Gospell should be preached throughout all the world that which the woman had done in â—anointing him should be spoken of for a memoriall of her God would not haue the vertuous deedes and holy examples of the righteous to bee buried with them but to bee kept in remembrance for the imitation of others Christ commended some while they were aliue as the Centurion for the greatnes of his faith Math. 8. Iohn Baptist for his constancie his â—obrietie in his apparell and the dignitie of his office Math. 11. May we not then praise the dead For
so great a cloud of witnesses wee doe not cast away euerie thing that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth so fast oâ— tunning with patience the race that is set before vs and looking vnto Iesus the authour and finisher of our faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame and is set at the right hand of the throne of God And here me thinks vpon the sense and sight of sin which swarmeth euerie where to the subersion of states and destruction of soules I finde no cause of such so great excesse as that with men there is no passion of their mortalitie there is no impression of their eternitie For and if there were assuredlie then oderunt peccare 〈…〉 i virtutis amore oderunt peccare mali for midâ—ne poenae The good they would not sinne in loue of vertue and the euill they durst not sinne for feare of punishment Did the sinner but think of this that Tophet is prepared of old and that euen for the mightie as well as the meanâ— it is prepared That the gulfe thereof is deepe large and tâ—e burning is fiâ—â— much wood with the breath of the Lord like a riuer of bâ—imstone still to kindle it I say had hee but a passion of these things little do I doubt but his heart would fall his soule would shrinke and he would leaue sinne for feare of punishment To passe ouer a due regard of these things and to come to the tenth of our lost time and carelesse dayes pittifullie spent and wasted in wofull securitie Did we but affoord out soules though extraordinarie yet any the least meditation of the shortnes of our life more brittle theÌ„ glasse more light then smoke more swift then winde 2. Of the day of our death sure in the end vnsure in the time and bitter when it commeth 3. Did we but with feare foresee diem Deum vltionis a day and a God of reuenge by a iudge infallible for his wisedome inflexible for his iustice infugable for his power when to cal vpon the mountaines cadite cadite fall vpon vs fall vpon vs will be too late 4. And finallie to close with hell to the horrour of all hellish hearts could we but feele in heart and semblance the intolerable paines of hell endles easeles and remediles in the damned would much abate the heate of our sinning strike it in the blade breake it in the head and kill it at the heart But alas and woe vnto vs that euer wee liued to see such excesse of sinning with all states in all securitie Hanibal ad portas Imminet mors iudicium det infernus omnia horrenda et quasi nihil ad nos ridemus ludimus peccataque peccatis adiâ—cimus Death is at our doores iudgment is oueâ— our heads hell is at hand all horrible and yet without horror we laugh we leape we daunce we play we lie vpon beds of iuorie and stretch our selues to the full of our follie wee eate the lambs of the flocke and the calues our of the stall â—e sing to the sound of the viollvaine delights and we inuent to our selues instruments of musicke like Dauid as hee to the seruice and honour of his God so we to please our vnsanctified affections and extrauagant lusts But good Lord how long how long without measure shall wee prouoke thy maiestie How long without repentance shall wee behold our miserie How long without compassion shall we looke vpon him whom wee haue pierced how long by swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring shall sinne breake out and blood touch blood Oh Lord thou knowest Pedibus timor addidit alas feare forceth flight Oh set thy feare Lord before our face so settle it in out hearts as henceforth wee doe no more consult with flesh and blood but readilie obey thy heauenlie call by flight from sinne for feare of iudgement 2 As for the second cause of our excessiue sinning to wit the insensibilitie of peace to come of future rest of heauenlie being passions of our ioy and impressions of our eternitie I say the want is wofull but the feeling is of force to beate backe Sathan with all his retinue either of sinne death hell or doome It made Paule to forget not only sinne but himselfe to and say whether in the bodie or out of the bodie I cannot tell God he knoweth but I feele things that are vnutterable It made the Disciples in the transfiguration vpon the mount to translate their thoughts from mortall mould say in sense and feeling of that heauenlie being Bonum est esse hic It is good Lord for vs to be here let vs make tabernacles It made Simeon say with solace wheÌ„ hauing layd in his heart what hee lapt in his armes euen sweet Christ the rauishment of his soule Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peâ—ce according to thy word mine eyes haue seene thy saluation I feare no sinne I dread no death I haue liued enough I haue my life I haue longed enough I haue my loue I haue seene enough I haue my light I haue serued enough I haue my Saint I haue sorrowed enough I haue my ioy sweet Babe let this Psalme serue for a lullabie to thee and a funerall for mee Oh sleepe in my armes and let me sleepe in thy peace And here out of Simeon would I raise a doctrine Simeon had it by reuelation from God that hee should not taste of death till hee had seene the Lords Christ nor doe I thinke but that God in like lenitie doth and will deale with al his Saints and neuer suffer the good and righteous to depart out of this world comfortles Moses saw the land of promise before he died Aaron saw his sonne Eleazar in his roome before he died Dauid saw Salomon his successor ere he died Ezekià s saw his house in order ere he died Christ was glorified vpon the holy mount ere he dyed Stephen saw yâ— glorie of God and Iesus standing at the right haÌ„d ere he died And Simeons sight of Christ ere he died shall be to me and I hope to all the Elect of God an assured symboll or sacrament of the certaintie of our saluation by faith in and by the sight of our sweet Sauiour whom wee shall behold in soule and spirit ere we leaue this life Amor transit in amatum nec sinit amantem esse sui ipsius sed amati Loue doth symbolize and the minde is not where it liues but where it loues Terram diligis terra es aurum diligis aurum es Deum diligis non audeo dicere Deus es audi tamen scripturam dicentem an non ego dixi quod dij eâ—â—is Dost thou loue earth thou art earth Dost thou loue gold thou art gold Dost thou loue God I dare not say thou art God yet heare
the Scriptures speaking haue not I said ye are Gods As and if the authour should say out of the familiaritie we haue with God wee are made partakers of the diuine nature according as his diuine power hath giuen vnto vs all things that pertaine vnto life and godlinesse thorough the knowledge of him that hath called vs vnto glorie and vertue Good Ignatius confirmed this doctrine as in life so in death for qualis vita finis ita Of whom it is reported that being opened they found in his heart the fruit of his faith and daylie meditation written in letters of gold to this effect Amor mens crucifixus est my loue is crucified Learned Cruciger confirmed the same when dying he said Inuoco tâ— Deus fiducia filii tui licet languida tamen aliqua fide Oh God I call vpoÌ„ thee in confideÌ„ce of thy son thogh with a faint faith yet with some faith and I am encouraged so to doe for I see him in glorie whom I haue followed in grace Nor can I passe in silence what fel out in experience not long sithence at the memorable death of a memorable Saint in this our countrie a Gentleman Scholler and Preacher rarelie qualified both in life and death Oxford will witnes the one and Heaton hall the other where it pleased God to call to his mercie that worthie man and powerfull preacher maister Iohn Holland batchelor of diuinitie a burning lampe consuming it selfe to lighten others for God in mercie called him by a lingring sicknes which staid till hee was readie and pared him to such an end as seldome I haue heard but yet neuer saw the like in any To passe the course of his sicknes in much patience yet with great passion and to come to his end when he put in practise the fruit of his godly life It pleased him the day before he dyed as formerly often so then more egerly to call for the holy Bible with these very words Come O come death approcheth let vs gather some flowres to comfort this howre and turning with his owne hands to the 8. Chapter of Paules Epistle to the Romaines he gaue me the booke and bade me reade at the end of euery verse he made a Selah or pause and gaue the sence in such sort and feeling as was much wee saw to his owne comfort but more to our ioy wonder Pity it were those speeches with other his writings should bee buried with him and kept in priuate from the publicke good of many Hauing thus continued his meditation exposition for the space of two howres or more on the sodain hee sayd O stay your reading what brightnes is this I see Haue you light vp any candles To which I answered no it is the Sunne-shine for it was about 5. a clock in a cleere Summers euening Sunne-shine sayth he nay my Sauior shine now farewell world welcome heauen the day-starre from an high hath visited my hart O speake it when I am gone and preach it at my Funerall God dealeth familiarly with man I feele his mercy I see his maiesty whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God he knoweth but I see things that are vnutterable So rainshed in spirit he roamed towards heauen with a chearefull looke and soft sweete voice but what he said we could not conceiue At last shrinking downe againe he gaue a sigh with these words Ah yet it wil not be my sins keepe me from my God Thus that euening twise rising and twise falling with the Sunne in the morning following he rise then neuer to fall when againe raysing himselfe as Iacob did vpon his staffe hee shut vp his blessed life with these blessed words O what an happy change shall I make from night to day from darkenes to light from death to life from sorrow to solace from a factious world to a heauenly being O my deare brethren sisters friends it pitteth me to leaue you behinde yet remember my death when I am gone and what I now feele I hope you shall â—â—idâ—ere you dye that God doth and will do â—â—â— familiarly with men And now thou firy Chariot that came donne to fetch vp Eliah carry me to my happy hold and all ye blessed Angels who attended the soule of Lazarus to bring it vp to heauen beare me O beare me into the bosonâ— of my best beloued Amen Amen come Lord Iesus come quickly and so he fell a slâ—ope I say the truth my brethren I lie not my conscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost with an appeale from my own credit to the right worshipfull his brother and all the standers by to iustifie what I haue sayd in comfort of their owne soules and warrantie of the doctrine â—ayme at which is to proue That God neuer suffereth his elect to depart this life comfortlesse nor wil I am perswaded call them hence till they haue seene with Simeon the Lords Christ either in soule spirit body or both The life of this perswasion is the death of sinne and such hope of eternity is the reuenge of iniquity Fie vpon sinne whilst I behold my Sauiour fie vpon shame whilst I behold my glory Heauen is my hope the visions of my hart are the imprâ—â—sions of my ioy and reuelations are expâ—ations to all Gods children they haue bin they are and they will be neuer wanting in supplementum fidei to helpe faith And for conclusion of this point remember Lots wife was Christ his aduertisement to inure vs with a forgetfulnes of our owne people and our fathers house that the Lord might haue pleasure in our beawty But so to looke vpon Zoar and flee thither was Lots sanctuary O it is but a little one and my soule shall liue What is Sodome other then this sinfull world And what is Zoar other then that heauenly being O let me take you by the hand bring you out and say with the Angell Escape for thy life looke not behind thee neither tarry thou in all the plaine escape into the mountaine least thou be destroyed And let this suffice for the first circumstance of my text as balme from heauen to sweeten our miseries in this life and to bury our iniquities in the graue Now passe we from the peace of the soule to the rest of the bodie and quiet of both vrged by the spirit in the second place as an Antidote to preuent a poyson much infecting all flesh who without all comfort of future blessednes do to the hazard of their soules stand doubtfull of the resurrection as also of the rest of their soules after they be departed The one sort are the Atheists the other are the Papists of these dayes times But the text is powrefull to put back both Iordans that the Israel of God may enter Canaan without crosse or feare For if the Lords elect shal rest in their beds they shal rise from their beds Rest implyeth
a resurrection when the time of refreshing shall come It is an improper speech to say hee resteth who neuer riseth It may be some go to bed who neuer rise strooken with a deadly sleepe or lâ—thargie but none to the graue but out he must at the generall sommons of all the world for the trumpet shal sound and the dead shall rise If a man dye shall he liue againe Then all the dayes of mine appointed time will I watch till my changing do come Againe for the second If after our death we rest in our beds and as it is in another place such blessednes accompanteth saints who dâ—e in the Lord that ther rest from their labours then after death no place of paine no punishment no Purgatory Is there light in darkenes is there truth in error Is there life in death Is there fire in water Is there ease in paine rest in labour good in euill sweete in sowre Is there a purging fire in hell must fyne vs for heauen Sweete Christ where then is thy bloud which alone say we nothing else and none other purgeth our sinne pleadeth our cause and purchaseth our place We neede no other sacrifice we neede no other aduocate wee neede no other key to open to vs the pâ—rt of the paradise of God And if the bloud of Iesus pleade better things then the bloud of Abel for the bloud of Abel cryed reuenge but the bloud of Christ cryed pardon pardon then stay your bulles and drops of your leaden diuinity downe with your Dagon and Babel of all confusion by shrift shrine merit or medall all too light to ballance with the bloud of the Lambe for what is chaffe to corne It pities my heart to see the desolations of Christendome of this my deare Country in many places where millions of souls are â—illily lead by bad and blinde guides factious Iesuits and seditious seedsmen lead I say from the bloud of Christ to the bloud of Hales and Becket from the fire vpon the Mount to the painted fire of Purgatory Poets sayes and heathenish helps Romish institutions decretals apostaticall lying oracles illusions and flattering diuinations This they doe and this they dare doe without care of conscience feare of God of faithfulnes to his cause which wittingly and willingly I verely thinke they do betray to make good their hellish Hierarchie and Babel of all confusion For what grosnes is this besides the impiety to thinke a people euer so foolish as should take out this lesson to carry to their graues from the liuing to the dead yea and that in plea of saluation to from the liuing God to dead idols from the liuing word to dead traditions from the liuing bread in heauen to a dead â—alfe or cake at Dan and Bethel from the bloud of Christ that giueth life to the fire of Purgatory that bringeth death When Christ bleeding vpon the tree had vttered this voyce consâ—mmatum est it is finished he gaue â—â— the ghost Thâ—n he said and 〈…〉 hee â—ustered not for himselfe is a priuate person but for vs his members a publicke good Shall he say it is finished and shal we say it is not finished The Lyon hath rored who will not be afrayd The Lord hath spoken who can but tremble O tremble for feare ye faithles generation who dare yet say it is not finished Pray saints in heauen help fire in hell Purgatory play thy part purge to the full and thou Pope president of this Limbo lake rule at thy pleasure help in help out and if vpon displeasure thou thrust Myriades of soules into hell yet let none be so bold as to aske Why doest thou so It is enough ò it is inough to make good with this all your doctrine Sic volo sic iubeo stet pro ratione voluntas Aske no questions search no scriptures seeke no reasons I haue sayd is inough my pleasure is a precept counsell a commaund and my will is a reason And now mee thinks whilest I heare them say without worde of God or warranty of reason Heare heauen help purgatory pardon pope that is to say pray saints purge fire speake indulgence for the rest and ease of soules departed a check to the bloud of my Christ to the truth of my text quiet of the saints that gone arâ— I cannot but say as Iob sayd of his friends Miserable comforters are ye all Suffer me a little to speake and when I haue spoken mocke on 1 I say the saints in heauen vpon whom you call to whom you pray and before whose images you so prostrate your selues I say they heare you not and for that they help you not they rest from their labours and their works follow them and not yours I say no such works of wickednes as your prayer to them is whereby you rob God to cloth a Saint To the proofe wherof for that you say our doctrine is new and of yesterdayes birth The dayes shall speake and the multitude of yeares shall teach wisedome Saints in heauen heare not Saints in heauen help not Saints in heauen haue no sense of our miseries it is no new doctrine it is ancient it is heauenly and hee that hath eares to heare let him heare Augustine in his booke de cura habenda pro mortuis teacheth Animas Sanctorum in coelis esse nec interesse nostris his terrents negotijs That the soules of the blessed are in heauen nor doe they respect our affaires here on earth as and if he should say cease your praying for no more doth their affection reach yours then your prayer doth reach them And this doth hee proue by these reasons sound and good vnanswerable if truth might preuaile when it pleadeath on earth as wheÌ„ it iudgeth in heaueÌ„ And first he beginneth with his mother Monicha dead and gone whose affection towards him in life was euer such as hee thought could not but reach him from heauen if Saints had feeling of our miseries here on earth Vt volet accipiat quisque quod dicam sayth the Father Let men iudge of my words as they please for that I may say nothing of others yet dare I say of her Si rebus viuentium interessent animae mortuoruÌ„ me ipsum pâ—a mater nulla nocte desereret quem terra marique sâ—cuta est vt mecum vineret If the soules of the dead did respect the affaires of the liuing then my deere mother would neuer faile me night or day who by sea and by land followed me in this life to liue with me Absit enim vt facta sit vita foeliciore crudelis c. Be it farre away that a blessed life should make her more vnkind or cruel so as in all yâ— anguish of my soule I neuer felt her solace who whilest shee liued could neuer abide to see me sad But without al doubt quod sacer
the comming of the holie Ghost for so dainelie it fell and shall we surmise a delay after the dissolution after wee haue fought the good fight finished our course and kept the faith No â—o there is a crowne of righteousnes laide vp for thee Paul and for all them that loue his appearing I meane Christ who standeth readie with a crowne in his hand ouer the head of all his saints euen when the flesh is off to put it on To goe by the streame of all the Fathers to wash out this errour would carrie me to a sea of matter for the time impasâ—ible and therefore I am enforced of much to take a little and of manie a few Leonem ex vnguibus Ignatius bath these verie wordes truelie translated Alwaies reasoÌ„ requireth that whilest we haue space and time wee should amend and correll our faults whilest in this life wee haue occasion giuen of repentance for it is truelie said after death there is no place nor time to confesse our sinnes whereunto accordeth that of Ierome Whilest we are in this present world either by prayer counsel or comfort we may help one another but after not Iob not Daniel or Noah shall obtaine by any intreatie but euery one shall beare his owne burden Chrysoâ—lâ—â—e giueth the reason of both hoc eniâ— cunaorum tempus est illud verò coronarum retributionum praemiorum this is the time of swadles bands and bickeâ—ings but that of crownes rewards and garlands Cyprian in his first treatise against Demetrian doth fullie subscribe to the same truth where hee saith that after we be once departed our of this life there is no more place of repentance there is no more effect or working of satisfactions life is here eyther lost or won euerlasting saluation is here prouided for by the due worshipping of God and fruits of faith Augustine vpon his first conuersion sauouring of gentilisme was doubtful said of purgatory it may be there is such a place and it may be there is none but being further grounded in doctrine and confirmed in faith is resolute at the last and said Let no man deceiue himselfe there are but tâ—â— places and as for anie third pâ—â—â—â— there is noâ— at all he that reigneth not with Christ shall perish with the diuell without all â—â—â—â—â— And in his booke Hypognosticon he is yet more plaine morefull more abounding in the â—â—â—ting backe of that deuised 〈…〉 be these The first place the 〈…〉 by Gods authoritie beleeueth to be the 〈…〉 of heaueÌ„ the second place the 〈…〉 faith beleeueth to bee hell where al runnagates whosoeuer to without the faith of Christ shall tast euerlasting punishment As for any third place we vtterly know none neither shal we find in the holie Scriptures that there is any such And as if he would neuer off this grouÌ„d till he had built vp the truth and remoued all rubbish he is yet vpon that againe and againe There be two habitations or dwelling places the one in fire euerlasting and the other in the kingdome that neuer shall haue end There is no other place to correct our manners and conditions but onlie in this life for after this life euerie man shall haue that that hee hath purchased vnto himselfe in this world So then with these few to shut vp the streame of the rest that still runne in the same current and to close with their rectified spirits in triall of the truth I conclude with themselues In quo quemque inuenerit suus nouissimus dies in hoc comprehendeâ— mundi nouâ—ssimus dies quontam qualis in die isto quisquis moritur tales in die illo iudicabitur And againe vnusquisque cum causa sua dormit cum causa sua resurgit Wherein euerie mans last day shall leaue him therein Gods day shall finde him as we die so shall we be iudged and euerie man shall sleepe and rise againe with his owne cause As for that our aduersaries straynd distinction of good to heauen bad to hell and meanely mannerd to purgatorie it is a heathenish help a Panâ—â—s Poêm found in the Schoole of Plato and there first forged vpon the anuill of errour who maketh by the report of Eusebius himselfe in his booke of the soule three degrees of men Some in the Elisian fields who liued well and vertuouslie blessed soules in blessed places Others in Tartaro whom he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 past hope of amendement cursed soules in cursed places But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as are curable and veniall he casteth into burning flouds there to make perfect their repentance and after their purgation receiue absolution Virgil describeth it at large in his sixt booke of his AEneidos Alijs sub gurgite vasto infectuÌ„ eluitur scelus aut exuritur igne Donec long a dies perfecto temporis orbe concretam exemit labem c. Englished thus Some fleeting bin in floods and deepe in gulfes themselues they tire Till sinnes away be washt or clensed cleare with purging fire Till compassâ— long of time by perfect course hath purged quite Our former cloddred spots and pure hath left our ghostly sprite c. And hereat no doubt Augustine aymed when hee said that purgatorie was one of Platoes doctrines as also some of their greatest Clarkes and Iesuits who doe not let to confesse that purgatorie is found there And for conclusion of all these points of doctrine controuersed betwixt vs and our aduersaries I say of popish pardons and indulgences which lastly they pleade in releefe of their dead and ease of soules departed that rest should come by theÌ„ I say though they be nearest to their true game yet are they furthest from their due proofe as may appeare by their owne Doctors to too doubtfull yet doting vpon the doctrine ex ore tuo c. Siluester Prierias hath these very words Pardons saith he are not knowne vnto vs by the authoritie of Scriptures but by the authoritie of the Church of Rome and of the Popes which is greater then the authority of the scriptures Desinat in piscem mulier formosa superne A milde beginning but a wild and woodie ending Iohn Maior is no lesse doubtfull when he aâ—oucheth that of pardons little may bee said of certaintie for the Scripture expresly saith nothing of them Touching that Christ said vnto Peter Vnto thee will I giue the keyes c. We must vnderstand this authoritie with a corne of salt Alphonsus de Castro in his eight booke of pardons saith There is nothing in the Scriptures lesse opened or whereof the olde Fathers haue lesse written then pardons of pardons there is no mention Let Bernard of Clunice blaunch the deuise and tell the truth of this toy The deuising of pardons saith he is a godly guile a hurtlesse deceit to the intent that by a deuoâ—â— kinde of errour the people may be drawne to
professors In Sionis gaudium Anglo-Papistarum luctum Amen Amen FINIS A BRIEF DISCOVRSE OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE and death of Mistris Katherin Brettergh late wife of Master William Brettergh of Bretterghoult in the Countie of Lancaster Gentleman who departed this world the last of May. 1601. With the manner of a bitter conflict she had with Satan and blessed conquest by Christ before her death to the great glorie of God and comfort of all beholders Micha 7. 8. Reiovce not against me O mine enemies though I fall I shall rise againe And when I sit in darkenes the Lord shall be a ligâ—â— vnto me Psalm 37. 37. Marke the vpright man and behold the iust for the end of that man is peace LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston 1602. TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader grace and peace in Iesus Christ. WHen Achimaaz the sonne of Zadoc requested that he might be the messenger to bring Dauid word of Absoloms death Ioab would not suffer him Thou shalt not saith he be the messenger to day but thou shalt cary newes another time but to day thou shalt cary none for the Kings sonne is dead He knew Dauids affection was such that the newes of his childs death would be most heauie to him and the messenger himselfe not welcome for his message sake This is all our infirmity no tidings more grieuous to vs then when wee heare of the death of those whom wee loue The Parent bewayles his Child the Husband his Wife the Friend laments the death of his Friend and we thinke it the losse of another friend to depart with this our griefe Iacob mourned for Ioseph his son that he would not be comforted of a long season but thought he would weepe for him as long as he liued When the Amalekites had burned Ziklag and led away captiue the mens wiues and their children Dauid and his company wept till they could weepe no more When Lazarus dred his sisters Martha and Mary were much discomforted for him Gâ—egory Nazianzen reports that when Basil the great died euen the wisest men in the city stroue to exceede one another in weeping and complaining for his death And as for my selfe saith he now I am bereaued of the fellowship of such a man what shall I do but either dye or liue in miserie Which way shall I turne me What shall I do What counsell shall I take now I haue lost him that was my comfort So heauy a thing we see it is to be seuered for a time from those that are deere vnto vs. One only thing there is which is able in this case much to temper our affections when we see our friend to die in the Lord that is in comfort of conscience assurance of saluatioÌ„ through Christ. And this his comfort he expresseth outwardly vnto vs by performing those duties which are required of a man when he dyes and so he makes a ioyfull and a holy end When our friend departeth this life in this maner we haue iust cause to take his death the more comfortably And thus it pleaseth God many times to stirre vp some especiallie such as in their life time haue a care to pursue Religion and to keep themselues vndesiled of the world at their death to expresse wonderfull comfort of spirit and to shew forth such fruit of Religion that we wonder at it and acknowledge the extraordinary worke of Gods spirit in them They wrastle against temptations they confesse their faith feele the assurance of their saluation condemne their sinnes exhort the beholders praise God sing Psalmes wish to dye that in their death they are better Christians then euer they were in their life This blessed departure God giues to many for diuers good purposes 1. That the world may know that peace is the end of the iust and comfort in death is the portion of the righteous 2. That his eternall truth in our holy profession may appeare to be able to comfort vs not onely in our life but in our death also when all other comforts forsake vs. 3. That our enemies may see our faith is not in vaine 4. That the weake by their example may be incouraged to a holy life when they see it bring with it so happie a death and that they may be strengthened against the feare of death seeing it is alwaies comfortable to those that leade a godly life 5. and finally that the friends of the departed by their heaueÌ„ly departure may be admonished not to mourne so much for their death as to reioyce for their life and to thanke God that euer it was their lot in any degree to be ioined or matched with so blessed seruants of God This Gentlewoman Mistresse Katherine Brettergh was one of this number her life as long as God continued it was deere to those among whom she was as the life of a friend might be Her husband friends kinsfolks brethren sisters and all the godly that knew her inioyed a great blessing of God of her and her death no doubt was grieuous to her husband as the death of a vertuous yoke-fellow And if worldly affection would haue holpen it it was the same in him that Dauids was to Absolom his sonne when he mourned for his death O my sonne Absolom my sonne my sonne Absolom would to God I had dyed for thee ô Absolom my sonne my sonne But sure her death was such her behauiour in her sicknes so religious her heart so possessed with comfort her mouth so filled with the praises of God her spirit so strengthened against the feare of death her conquest so happy ouer her infirmities that such as loued her most haue greatest cause to reioyce in her death and by seeing the wonderfull worke of God in her to learne to renounce their owne affections This is the thing I thought with profit might be presenâ—â—d to the view of others also that knew her not for when I had for my own priuate vse and the vse of my friends faithfully collected out of the fresh memories of those that were present and eye-witnesses as wel as my selfe and set downe the manner of her sicknes and death I considered that the knowledge thereof could not but be welcome to al those that desire to die the death of the righteous And so the same causes that moued me to collect it gaue me also occasion to publish it I remembred the saying of one That it is great pietie to set foorth the vertues of the departed if they haue excelled therein yea it is a meanes to increase grace in our selues I thought so great mercie of God shewed to one among vs ought not to be forgotten but should remaine to vs our childre an example to teach vs how good God is to them that loue him and to assure vs that he will neuer forsake vs but in like manner as he did her helpe and comfort vs when we shall by death be called vnto him I considered the vngodly
had plentifull gifts and continually vsed the same at such times as were fitting for her state sex and calling At the exercises of Religion as prayer and instruction in her familie she would not be wanting besides priuate prayer and meditation which she omitted not but vsed daily both in her chamber as also abroad secretly and solitarily in the orchard garden or fields as Isaacs manner was In reading the Scriptures she vsed euermore to taske her selfe eight chapters a day at the least and for the time which she saw euill or idlely spent without doing some good she vsed to call the time of temptation Many times also she would reade some godly writer or expositer of Scripture or in the booke of Martyrs and was seene to weepe most bitterly when either shee had read of that which touched her affections neere or of the cruell matyrdome which the deere children of God were put vnto by the cruell and wicked tyrants of former daiâ—s For Poperie she saâ— it â—o grosse and foolish that shee would not one name it except it were to argue against â—â— but neuer for it so zealous was she of Gods glorie and loued the truth so intirely that shee would not once open her mouth to pleade for Baal Sinne aboue all things was hatefull vnto her for there at she would haue grieued as well when shee had seene it in others as in her selfe O 〈…〉 or two examples I cannot omit wherein she bewrayed a worthie spirit sanctified by the spirit of God and prepared for all the assaults of Satan On a time as her husband and shee were riding toward the Church he was angry with his man Alas husband quoth she feare your heart is not right towards God that can bâ— thus angry for a trifle And weâ—ping she said further you must pray against this your affection and alwaies bee sure your anger be of God 〈…〉 else how dare you appeare this day before his minister And offer vp your prayers in the publike congregation of the saints of God Another time a tenant of her husbands being behinde with his rent she desired him to beare yet with him a quarter of a yeere which he did and when the man brought his money with teares she said to her husband I feare you doe not well to take it of him though it bee your right for I doubt he is not well able to pay it and then you oppresse the poore So great a compassion had she of other mens wants that all things being duly considered and rightly weighed mee thinkes I may say of her as Paul said of Timothie I know none like minded Thus after she was maried she continued in the things she had learned and held her profession with such sinceritie that the common enemies to our religion the verie Papists had nothing to say against her but confessed her life was vnreproouable And as for the godly that knew her they alwaies acknowledged that modestie and vertuous carriage in her ioyned with knowledge and practise of all the duties of religion that they had iust cause to report of her as of a sound and faithfull professor of the Gospell Two yeeres and something more she liued with her husband till about Whitâ—ontide it pleased God to send her that sicknes whereof on Whitsunday 1601 she died Her sicknes tooke her in the manner of a hot burning Ague which made her according to the nature of such diseases now and then to talke somewhat idly and through the tempters subtiltie which abused the infirmitie of her bodie to that end as he oftentimes vseth to do in many from idle words to descend into a heauie conflict with the infirmitie of her owne spirit from the which yet the Lord presently and wonderfully deliuered her giuing so ioyfull an issue to the temptation that shee might well vse the words of the Prophet as afterwards shee did For a moment O Lord thou diddest hide thy face from me for a little season but with euerlasting mercie thou hadst compassion on me On Saturday seuenight before Whitsunday what time she sickened she began to feele some little infirmitie and weaknes of faith more then she had wont to shew but shee soone ouercame it On Munday night it increased vpon her and the assault of the enemie began to be sharp and so continued till the next day at afternoone what time God deliuered her and sent her peace and comfort of conscience and so increased the same in her continually till she died The manner of her affliction was this First the seueritie of Gods iustice and the greatnes of her sinnes began to come into her minde which much afflicted her and she would often speake of it Then shee accused her selfe of pride that she had delighted too much in her selfe and her beautie Afterwards shee thought shee had no faith but was full of hypocrisie and had not imbraced religion so earnestly nor glorified God so worthily especially with her tongue which oft she repeated nor loued him so sincerely as she ought to haue done Sometime she would â—ast her Bible from her and say It was indeede the booke of life but she had read the same vnprofitably and therefore feared it was become to her the booke of death Sometime she would say her sinnes had made her a pray to Satan a spectacle to the world a disgrace to religion and a shame to her husband kinred and all true Christians and here shee would weep bitterly Sometime the originall corruption wherein shee was borne troubled her and the sinnes of her parents and the common parents of all the eaters of the forbidden fruite as if that had made her vnworthie of God and were then laid to her charge Many times she accused her selfe of impatience bewailing the want of feeling Gods spirit and making doubt of her election and such like infirmities She wished that she had neuer been borne or that shee had beene made any other creature rather then a woman She cried out oftentimes Woe woe woe c. a weake a wofull a wretched a forsaken woman and such like pitifull complaints against her selfe with teares continually trickling from her eyes She complained of grieuous thirst such as all the water in the sea could not quench and yet when drinke was giuen her sometimes refused it sometimes tooke a very little of it Sweate burst out vpon her exceedingly and sometime her bodie burned extreamely So it seemed the sorrowes of death hemmed her in and the griefes of hell laid hold vpon her Sometimes she was very dull in prayer and once when she should haue said Leade vs not into temptation shee made a stop saying I may not pray I may not pray being interrupted as she said by Satan so shewed much discoÌ„fort howbeit she was not left till she could both pray and make confession of her faith with speciall application to her self Besides these firie darts of Satan
C. BRETTERG DEATHS ADVANTAGE LITTLE REGARDED AND THE soules solace against sorrow Preached in two funerall Sermons at Childwal in Lancashire at the buriall of Mistris Katherin Brettergh the third of Iune 1601. The one by William Harrison one of the Preachers appointed by her Maiestie for the Countie Palatine of Lancaster the other by William Leygh Bachelor of Diuinitie and Pastor of Standish Whereunto is annexed the Christian life and godly death of the said Gentlevvoman The second Edition corrected and amended PHIL. 1. 21. Christ is to me both in life and in death aduantage REVEL 12. 17. Then the dragon vvas vvroth vvith the VVoman and vvent and made vvarre vvith the remnant of her seede vvhich keepe the commaundements of God and haue the testimonie of Iesus Christ. AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston 1602. TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader grace and peace in Christ be multiplied IF any doe wonder why I would presume to publish this rude Sermon in these bright Sun-shine daies of the Gospell wherein so many learned bookes profitable treatises be alreadie set forth by others and yet are little regarded by the people I wish them to vnderstand that I was drawne hereunto by the importunitie of some who hearing it preached earnestly desired to haue it printed their request being importunate and yet reasonable I could not well deny it And yet I hope it wil not be hurtful to any but profitable to sorâ—e I know that speaking hath alwaies been accounted more powerfull than writing and therfore Papias a companion of Polycarpus thought he did not profit so much by the writings and bookes of the Apostles followers as by the authoritie of the persons and the liuely voyce of the speakers And Hierome said that the liuely voyce had a secret force and being powred from the mouth of the speaker into the eares of the hearer hath a stronger and more powerful sound Whereupon Aeschines when he had read the oration which Demosthenes had made against him and perceiued that the people did greatly wonder at the force and excellencie of it answered them What would you haue thought if you had heard him pronounce it with his owne mouth Yet writing hath his vse and profit both for the instruction of those which did not heare the doctrine deliuered by liuelie voyce and also for the helpe of their memories which before heard it Our Sermons are like an vntimely fruite which dieth so soone as it is borne they are forgotten so soone as they are heard And therefore as Paul was not grieued to write the same things to the Philippians but thought it a sure thing for them so wee neede not to be ashamed to write those things which before we preached that the people may the better vnderstand and remember the same Moreouer I was willing to giue a publike testimonie of that godly Gentlewomans death at whose buriall it was preached to cleere her from the slanderous reports of her popish neighbors who will not suffer her to rest in her graue but seeke to disgrace her after her death It is not vnknowne to them which either reade the histories of these later times or are acquainted with popish practises that the religioÌ„ of Papists was first set vp and is still maintained by crueltie and lyes By crueltie in murthering the Martyrs in persecuting the Protestants and now of late in these parts in beating and wounding the bodies in killing spoyling the cattell of those which withstand them by publike authoritie By lyes in teaching forged miracles to confirme their owne doctrine and in spreading abroad false reports against our best professors to hinder our doctrine as they haue bitterly reuiled them for the course of their liues so haue they most shamefully slaundered them for the manner of their death It would make a mans eares to tingle to heare what malitious slaunders and manifest vntruths some of the Romish faction haue published concerning the death of Luther of Caluine and Bucer worthie instrumeÌ„ts of Gods glorie and faithfull teachers of his truth As also concerning the death of the Lord Cobham of Richard Hunne of Thomas Bilney and of Perotine Massie holie Martyrs which sealed the truth of Christ with their owne blood Yea haue not some of that sect scattered abroad slaunderous Libels of Master Beza his reuolting at his death when he was liuing and able to answere them with his own hand-writing No marueile therefore though their followers treading in their steps do now vniustly reproch them which professe the same doctrine and being dead indeede cannot answere for themselues It were better for them with Balaam to desire to die the death of the righteous then thus to slander them after their death I will not blame them with cursed speaking seeing Michael the Archangell would not so deale with the diuell but I shall pray vnto the Lord to forgiue them and to open their eyes that they may see his truth And God grant that we which now professe his truth may so liue and die as that we may giue them no occasion to speake euill of it Amen Thine in the Lord WILLIAM HARRISON Analysis of Deaths aduantage little regarded Concerning the death of the godly meÌ„tioned Isai 57. vers 1. these 4. points may be obserued 1. The persons which dyed who are described by two titles 1. The righteous where wee may consider 1. The causes by which they are made righteous namely by 1. Faith applying Christs merits to make them righteous before God 2. Sanctification and the fruites thereof to make them righteous before men 2. The markes whereby they may bee knowne to bee righteous which be foure 1. The generalitie of their obedience if it extend it selfe to the whole course of their life 2. The end of it if it be directed to Gods glory 3. Their perseuerance if they continue therein vnto the end 4. Their affection to righteousnesse in others which is shewed in Labouring to make them righteous which yet be not Louing them which be alreadie righteous 2. Mercifull men so called Passiuely because God hath receiued them to mercie Actiuely because they shew mercie vnto others both to their Bodes and Soules 2. The manner of their death expressed by two phrases 1. Doe perish which must be vnderstood Not in regard of their soules for they are immortall and incomptible But in regard of their bodies for they perish yet only for a time and during that time remaine members of Christs mysticall bodie by vertue whereof they shallrâ—e againe 2. Are taken away and that is in respect of their Soules anâ— so their death differeth much from the death of he wicked Bodies anâ— so there is no difference betwixt them and the vicked 3. The careles regarde in others which is declared by two seuerall sentences 1. No man coÌ„sidereth it in heart 2. No man vnderstaÌ„deth it Concerning which consideratioÌ„ 3. points are obserued 1. The reasons why all
should consider their death 1. Because it is Gods worke 2. Because it is a thing precious in Gods sight 3. It tends to Gods glorie 4. It serues for the instruction of theÌ„ which remaine aliue 2. The matter what thinges we should coÌ„sider at their death 1. The certaintie of our owne death 2. The nature of death in all defacing Gods image and making a separation betwixt them and those things which they loued most deerely 3. The cause of their death for they are taken away either in Iudgement or Mercie 4. The manner of their death for thereby we may learne how to dye 3. The abuse of it which is committed by Not considering their death at all CoÌ„sidering it amisse and that Fondly through naturall affection when our friends and kinsfolke are taken away Frowardly thinking theÌ„ to die il because 1. Their death is sudden and extraordinarie 2. They are strangelie assaulted with temptations 3. They speake idlâ—e and blasphemously by reason of their disease 4. The ende of their death to free them froÌ„ euils to come which euils be Ordinary and that either Corporall as diseases losses and all maner of crosses Spirituall in their soules namely 1. Their combat with the diuell 2. Their practise of sin 3. Their societie with the wicked Extraordinarie to wit those iudgements which for some late and grieuous sinnes the Lord was readie to bring vpon the people amongst whom they liued W. Harrison Deaths aduantage little regarded ISAI 57. 1. The righteous perisheth and no man considereth it in heart And mercifull men are taken away and no man vnderstandeth that the righteous is takeÌ„ away from the euill to come THe holy Prophet of the Lord in the 9. verse of the Chapter immediatly going before hath fore-told of a fearefull iudgement which was like to fall vpon the Iewes He calles for the wild beasts of the field and the forest to come and denoure them meaning thereby the Gentils which should bee the executioners of the Lords iudgements vpon them And because the Lords iudgements are alwayes righteous hee afterwards shewes the causes which would prouoke him to inflict them The first cause is set downe at large in the rest of the verses following in the same Chapter the blindnes idlenes couetousnes and securitie of them which were appointed for teachers among them the neglect of their dutie being a speciall occasion of the peoples sinne is alleadged as the first cause of the iudgement ensuing The second cause was in the common people set downe in the first verse of this Chapter and that was their carelesse regard of the death of righteous men though many of them were taken away to forewarne them of some strange iudgement to come yet they regarded it not but still proceeded forward in their sins and therefore were like to caste of some miseries from which the righteous were freed by their speedy death In these words foure seuerall circumstances are to be obserued 1. The persons who did dye 2. The manner of their death 3. The contempt and carelesse regard of their death 4. The end of their death 1. The persons which dyed are described by two properties 1. the righteous 2. mercifull men 2. The manner of their death is set foorth by two seuerall tearmes perisheth are taken away 3. The contempt and carelesse regard of their death is also set downe by two phrases no man considereth it in heart and no man vnderstandeth it Lastly the end wherefore they dyed was to preuent future euils the righteous is taken away from the euill to come of these in order 1. For the persons which dyed the Prophet saith the righteous perisheth Concerning whom two things are to be considered first the meanes by which men are made righteous secondly the markes by which wee may know who are righteous For the former you must know that by nature all are corrupt and vnrighteous but yet may be made righteous by iustification and sanctification for there is a righteousnes of imputation and also a righteousnes of sanctification the one to make vs righteous before God the other to make vs righteous before men The righteousnes of imputation is the righteousnes of Christ imputed vnto vs by faith for our iustification Our owne inherent righteousnes is not sufficient to make vs truely and perfectly righteous before God and therefore this Prophet saith afterward in the name of himselfe and of all the people All our righteousnes is as filthie cloutes And Daiud one of Gods faithfull seruants thus framed his prayer vnto the Lord Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth bee iustisted And Paul thus speaketh of himselfe in regard of his Apostleship I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified Nothing can satisfye the iustice of God and make vs appeare righteous in his sight but onely the righteousnes of Iesus Christ imputed to vs. And therefore the same Saint Paul said I haue counted all things losse and do iudge them to be dung that I might winne Christ and might be found in him not hauing mine owne righteousnes which is of the lawe but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnes which is of God through faith The same doctrine he taught vnto others whose saluation he desired as well as his owne As by one mans disobedience saith he many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many bee made righteous Whence we may reason as Augustine and others haue done against the Pelagians that as Adams eating of the forbidden tree was imputed to all his posteritie though they neuer tasted of the fruit with their lips so the righteousnes and obedience of Christ shall make all them which are of him righteous before God though they themselues haue as yet practised no righteousnes Againe hee saith that God hath made him sinne for vs which knew no sinne that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him As therefore Christ was made sinne for vs not by infusion of sinne into his person but by imputation of our sinnes vnto him so must we be made righteous before God not by infusion of righteousnes into our owne persons but by imputation of Christs righteousnes vnto vs. As the Moone and all the Starres borow all their light from the sunne so the Church and euery member of it borow all their righteousnes from Christ the sunne of righteousnes If this he true then the heathen Philosophers and wise men which liued most vprightly in the sight of men and yet wanted the knowledge of Christ and faith in him could not be righteous before God They wanting the law did by nature many things contayned in the law yet could not be made righteous thereby that was but a righteousnes by which an vngodly man is lifted vp that he might fall into punishment And in this respect the Iewes which reiected Christ how holy soeuer their
well Isaac sonne of the free woman as Ishmael sonne of the bond woman as well Iacob whom God loued as Esau whom God hated as well chast Ioseph as incestuous Ammon as well meeke Moses as rayling Rabshekah as well zealous Phineas as the luke-warme angell of Laodicea as well Dauid a man according to Gods owne heart as Saul from whom God tooke his spirit and mercy as well Salomon the wise as Nabal the foole as well tender hearted Iosiah as hard harted Pharaoh as well the humble Publican as the proude Pharisie as well poore Lazarus to bee caried into Abrahams bosome as the rich glutton to be caried into hell as well Iohn the beloued disciple as Iudas the traytour as well Simon Peter the Apostle as Simon Magus the sorcerer Mercilesse death doth exercise her crueltie vpon all alike Why should this be so Hath not Christ dyed for the righteous why then should they dye Death is the reward of sinne Christ hath satisfied for all their sinnes wherefore should they beare this penaltie of sinne The righteous must dye the first death though Christ haue died for them and suffered for their sinnes His death shall free them from the second death but not from the first death which is the separation of soule and body He hath onely altered the nature and vse of the first death but not quite taken it away Whereas at first it was ordained for a punishment of sinne he hath made it a passage into heauen it was threatned and inflicted as a curse but he hath turned it into a blessing It did at first depriue men of good but now it putteth them in possession of good Christ hath taken away the sting of it and therefore Paul saith O death where is thy sting So as it can no more hurt vs then a Bee which hath lost his sting It doth not hurt vs but help vs not hinder vs but further vs in obtaining of glory Iacob not long before his death pronounced this as a curse from the Lord vpon the tribe of Simeon and Leui for their crueltie I will diuide them in Iaakob and scatter them in Israel Yet when the children of Leui shewed their zeale and obedience in killing the idolaters at Moses commandement the Lord turned this curse into a blessing Their scattering was a furtherance vnto them to make them more fit to teach the people in euery citie and receiue the tythes of euery tribe So at the first the Lord threatned death at the punishment of sin but by faith in Christ it is made the end of sinne and beginning of glorie He who could at the beginning bring light out of darkenes could afterward bring a blessing out of a curse If Phisicians by their arte can extract an antidote or preseruatiue against poyson out of poysonfull things why may not God by his infinit power and wisdome drawe good out of euill a mercy out of iudgement and a blessing out of curse Yea and as Augustine teacheth death remaineth still for the righteous to exercise their faith withall If immediatly vpon remission of sin there should follow immortality of the body faith should be abolished which waiteth in hope for that which is not yet enioyed Yea the Martyrs could not testifie their faith their patience their courage their constancie and loue vnto Christ in suffering death for his sake But now let vs more particularly consider the titles giuen to the death of the righteous First it is said that he perisheth which must not so be vnderstood as if he were quite destroyed brought to nothing and had no more being as it befalleth bruite beasts at their death whose soules being traduced with their bodies are mortall and perish with their bodies the righteous hath a being euen after death yet may be said to perish in regard of outward appearance in the iudgement of flesh and blood he seemeth to perish Yet we must know that the righteous consists of soule and bodie his soule being immortall cannot perish by any meanes it can liue out of the bodie as well as in the bodie When it leaues the bodie it goes vnto the Lord. This Salomon taught Dust returnes to the earth as it was and the spirit returnes to God that gaue it This Paul wished desiring to bee loosed and to be with Christ. This Lazarus enioyed at his death being carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome And this Iohn in a vision saw performed to the Martvrs vnder the Altar hee sawe the soules of them which were killed for the word of God But the bodie of a righteous man may bee saide to perish because it loseth the forme the nature and propertie of an humane body It is within a short space eaten vp of wormes and turned into dust and ashes so as there can appeare no signes of a body Though wee make neuer so much of our bodies yet can wee not keepe them from perishing though we feed them most daintilie clothe them most costly and cherish them most carefullie yet at last they will become a thing of naught the beautie of them will fade they shall be deformed and most ougly to behold The strength of them will be taken away so as they shall not stirre an hand or a foote the agilitie of them will be lost they shall remaine stiffe and be nummed the parts and members of them shall perish and fall away one after another The flesh blood and bones shall be so strangely turned to dust and earth that there shall not remaine any propertie or qualitie of them and a man if he knew it not before would neuer iudge that dust and earth to haue been flesh and blood and bones of a liuing man yea so greatly shall our bodies be altered that men shall not be able to discerne which dust came of them and which came of the earth Yet one thing I must needs adde for the comfort of the righteous that although his body seeme thus to perish in the iudgement of men yet it still hath a being in the sight of God and doth euen at that time and in that case remaine a member of Christs mysticall body For the vnion betwixt Christ and the faithfull is not of soules only but also of bodies the body of euery faithfull man and woman is truely vnited to Christs bodie And this vnion cannot be broken death cannot dissolue it though death doth breake the vnion betwixt man and wife yet it cannot breake the vnion betwixt Christ and the faithfull As death did not make a separation betwixt the two natures of Christ at the time of his suffering but his soule and bodie being farre distant the one in heauen the other in the graue were at that time and in that case personally vnited to his godhead no more can death make a separation betwixt Christ and the faithfull though their bodies doe putrifie and lie rotting in their graues yet stil they remaine
in time make no delayes least afterward it be too late 3 The third circumstance to bee obserued in the text is the carelesse regard of the righteous mans death No man considereth it in heart It seemes that manie godly persons were already dead their death did declare that God had some speciall worke in hand yet the common people which were left behind them did little regard it This carelesse contemning of their death doth shew that the harts of the commō people were possessed with great securitie to make so small reckoning of such a strange worke of God All the workes of God are carefully to be regarded of vs who are set in this world to take a speciall view and to make an holy vse of them And therefore Dauid thought the wicked deserued to be broken downe and not built vp againe because they regarded not the workes of the Lord nor the operation of his hands Now the taking of the righteous away is one of his speciall workes For to him belong the issues of death It is he that turneth man to destruction The number of his moneths are with him he appointeth his bounds which he cannot passe If a sparrow shall not fall on the ground without our father in heauen then the righteous which are of more value then many sparrowes cannot perish without his will and appointment Certaine it is that none die sooner or later then he sends for them The works of Princes are much considered and often talked of among the people and ought not the Lords workes be much considered of vs Their works may be done foolishly rashly and vniustly but the works of God are done in number waight and measure in wisdome iustice and mercie Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of all his Saints and shall their death bee vile and contemptible in our eyes People most commonly do highly esteeme those things which are deare and precious among Princes and shall the death of the righteous which is so precious in the Lords sight the Prince of all Princes be lightly esteemed of vs his people None of them liueth to himselfe neither doth any die vnto himselfe Whether they liue they liue vnto the Lord or whether they die they die vnto the Lord whether they liue therefore or die they are the Lords Yea they do glorifie God both by life and by death And therefore we should not lightly passe ouer their life or their death But consider how they haue glorified God by their death and by their life and praise him for the same But why are we to consider their death What may we learne thereby We learne these foure things First the certaintie of death Secondly the nature of death Thirdly the cause of death and lastly the manner how we must die First by considering their death we may learne the certaintie of death in our selues that we must dye as well as they in which respect Salomon saith it is better to goe to the house of mourning then to goe to the house of feasting because this is the end of all men and the liuing shall lay it to his heart That is to say hee which remaineth aliue by seeing one dead shall consider in his heart that all men shall so die and that he himselfe shall die as well as others The death of others is as a looking glasse wherein we may clearly beholde the vncertaintie of our owne liues We may call their death as some doe the sacrament visible verbū a visible word or sermon teaching vs our owne mortality for we haue no better assurance of our liues then they had what we now are they haue beene and what they now are wee may be and we know not how soone He which hath taken them away now may within a while if it please him take vs also away and bring vs vnto them As death assaulted them so will it assault vs and we cā no more resist it then they could but must yeeld as they did We are ready to forget death and the forgetfulnesse of death maketh vs to forget our dutie vnto God let vs therefore consider the death of others thereby to be put in mind of our owne 2 Secondly by their death we may know the nature of death in al others for it deals with all alike We may there see how death doth deface that image of God which was in the bodie and how it doth destroy the bodie which was a temple for the holie Ghost to dwel in If one see a faire house of a noble man to bee much defaced fallen to ruine so as one stone is scarce left vpon another it will pitie his heart so should we be moued in our hearts to see the bodie of a righteous man which was an house for the holie ghost to dwel in to be so pitifully ruinated by death Againe we may see what strange separations death doth make The soule and the body which haue a long time liued together as two familiar cópanions are put asunder by death and no man knowes how long it shal be before they can meete together againe Besides this death makes a separation betwixt old louing friends The husband is separated from the wife of his youth with whom hee reioyced the wife is separated from her husband who was her vaile to shield and to saue her parents are taken from their tēder childrē which they leaue as orphans in the world not knowing what will become of them children are taken from their kind parents who could haue beene content to haue gone in their steed yea familiar friends whose soules were knit together in affectiō whose loue exceeded the loue of women as did the loue of Dauid and Ionathan are seuered one from another by death the knot of their friendship is broken their mutuall kindnes can be no more shewed by one to another W 〈…〉 griefe it is for louing friends to depart one from another we may see in Pauls friends and hearers when he tooke his leaue of them and told them that they must not see his face any more They wept all abundantly and fell on Pauls necke and kissed him being chiefly sory for the words which he spake that they should see his face no more We had need therfore by the death of others to be put in mind of this separatiō before-hand y◠when it comes we may be the better prepared for it Lastly death makes a separation betwixt the rich man and his wealth We brought nothing into this world neither must we carry any thing out of this world Yea men leaue their riches they cannot tell vnto whom If that question be asked many that are ready to die which was demanded of the rich man who had laid vp store for many yeeres This night shall thy soule be taken from thee then whose shall these things be which thou hast prouided they might truly answere that
As for sodaine death it is euill to them which lead an euill life because it findes them vnprepared it carries them away â—odainelie vnto torment but it is not euill to them which liue well because it finds them prepared it frees them from much paine which others endure through long sicknes and carries them forth-with to the place where they desire to be The righteous doe so dispose of themselues in the morning as if they might dy before night and at night as if they might die before morning and therefore whensoeuer death comes it finds them prepared and is a benefit vnto them 2 Againe if the righteous a little before death be dangerouslie tempted by Sathan and shew their infirmitie by vttering some speeches which tend to doubting or desperation though after ward they get victory and triumph ouer the diuell carnall people think there is no peace of conscience and therefore no saluation to bee had by that religion and so speake euill of it Let such consider the estate of Iob in his miserie who cursed the day of his birth saide that the arrowes of the almightie did sticke in him the venome whereof had drunke vp his spirit that the terrours of God did fight against him that the Lord was his enimie did write bitter things against him and did set him as a butte to shoote at As also the estate of Dauid through terrour of conscience while hee concealed his sinne His bones consumed he rored all the day long his moysture was turned into the drought of sommer Againe let him know that the diuell doth most tempt the best He then tempted Christ when he was baptized and filled with the holie Ghost so will hee most tempt Christians when they haue receiued greatest gifts of Gods spirit As theeues labour to breakedowne and rob those houses onlie where great store of treasure or wealth is laid vp and as Pyrats desire to take that ship which is best loden with the dearest merchandise so the diuell doth most seeke to make a pray of them which are endued with the greatest measure of spirituall graces When the strong man armed keepeth the house the things that he possesseth are in peace but when a stronger then he ouercommeth him then hee gathereth greater forces and makes a new assault to enter againe In any commotion whom doe rebels kill and spoile not those which submit themselues vnto them and ioyne with them in their rebellion but those which are faithfull to their Prince fight for their Prince against them as hath appeared of late in the rebell of Ireland Now the diuell is as a rebell in the Lords kingdome whome then will he most trouble and assault not the wicked which submit themselues vnto him and ioyne with him in rebellion against God but the godlie which abide faithfull and fight vnder the Lords banners against him Whosoeuer would raigne with Christ in heauen must ouercome the diuell on earth for he promiseth To him that ouercommeth will I graunt to sit with mee in my throne euen as I ouercame and sit with my father in his throne How can there be a victorie wherothere is no battaile And how can there be any battaile where there is not assaulting and resisting And no meruaile though the diuell do most assault the righteous at their death for hee taketh the opportunitie of the time his wrath is theÌ„ great knowing that he hath but a short time He must either ouercome theÌ„ at that instant or els not at all yea hee takes the aduantage of their present weakenesse and those sinnes which before hee perswaded people to bee small and light at the time of death he maketh great and heauie Euen as a tree or peece of wood while it swims in a riuer seemeth to bee light and one may easilie draw it but when it comes to the shore and is laid vpon drie ground can scarcelie be drawne by ten men so sin is made light by the diuell so long as men liue that so hee may still encourage them to practise it but when it comes to the shore of death then he makes it heauie and begins most to trouble their consciences with it that if it were possible they might by it bee brought to desperation In the midst of the temptation when the godlie seeme most to be ouercome they are but like to a man in a traunce who lies as though he were dead yet he hath life in him and therfore as Paul saw that life was in Eutiches embraced him and deliuered him aliue when the people tooke him vp for dead so God seeth life in the righteous being tempted when men take them for dead and hee will at last so restore them as that they shall liue for euer with him 3 Lastlie others beholding them which were reputed righteous to die very stranglie to raue to blaspheme to vtter many idle and impious speeches to be vnrulie and behaue themselues verie foolishlieâ— they begin to suspect their profession but let them know that these things may arise from the extremitie of their disease For in hote feuers and burning agues the choler ascending into the braine will hinder the vse of their vnderstanding and so cause theÌ„ thus to misbehaue themselues rather like madmen then Christians And therefore as Paule said of himselfe after regeneration it is no more I that doe it but the sinne that dwelleth in me so may I say of them it is not they which doe it but the disease which is vpon them All sinnes committed by the righteous in those extremities are but sins of ignorance because they want the vse of reason to iudge of sinne they are also sins of infirmitie arising from the frailtie of their flesh and for them they will afterward repent if they recouer the vse of reason and be able to know them to be sins or if they doe not they are freelie pardoned in the death of Christ as well as other such sins be Wherefore I say to those which censure them vncharitablie for that their end as Christ said to the Iewes fontheir carnall censure of him Iudge not according to the appearante but iudge righteous iudgment yea iudge not that yee be not iudged 5 In the last place the finall cause and end of their death is to bee considered They be taken away from euill to come The speciall euils from which these righteous persons were taken are mentioned in the former Chapter to be deuoured in a cruell manner by the wilde beasts of the forrest But we must further vnderstand that the euils from which the righteous are taken are either ordinarie or extraordinarie The ordinarie euils are those which eyther all men or most men doe suffer And these are eyther corporall or spirituall corporall as sicknes and diseases aches and paines in their bodies griefe and sorrow toyle and labour crosses and losses outward troubles and persecution Gods children so long as they
we may best commend saylers whē they arriue at the hauen and souldiers when they haue gotten the victorie These praises may profit the liuing they may comfort the friends of the deceased assuring them of their happie exchange by death And for this cause the Fathers in their consolatorie letters written to them which lost their friends haue inserted large praises of them they may stirre vp others to praise the Lord for them and likewise prouoke thē to follow their good example As fire whē it is raked into wil cast forth some heate and light and precious oyntment if it be stirred wil cast forth a sweete smel to thē which be neere so y◠praises of Saints departed being mentioned will yeeld some comfort and profit to those which heare them I may the more boldly speake somewhat of this godly Gentlewoman whose soule I doubt not God hath taken vnto himselfe and whose body is now to bee committed vnto the earth because I knew both the course of her life and the manner of her death It pleased God betime to season the vessel of her heart with heauenly liquour whereof it did alwayes tast afterward good seede was sowne in her soule at the beginning which budded and brought forth good fruite vnto the ende She was by nature very humble and lowly not disdaining any very louing and kind shewing courtesie to all very meeke and milde in forbearing euery one so as they which did daylie conuerse with her could neuer see her angrie and hereby she got the loue of all For matters of religion few went before her She gaue her selfe much to reading as Paula did traine vp her maides to read and learne euery day some thing in the Scriptures so did she accustome her selfe to reade euery day eight chapters in the bible and would not suffer any occasiō to hinder her in that taske yea and moreouer at conuenient leasure would reade ouer other godly bookes for her further instruction She was also much giuen to prayer for besides that shee would both morning and euening ioyne in prayer with the family she was espyed to seeke out solitary places for priuate prayer and meditation She did most dutifully frequent the publick exercises in the Church had a speciall care to sanctifie the Sabboth and was greatly grieued if shee might not heare one or two Sermons on that day Although she dwelt farre from the Church yet would she neuer be absent if shee were able either to goe or ride Yea she might be found in the Church when others which dwelt neerer and were able to haue come might haue bin found in their houses or vnfit places for that time By these meanes shee did greatly increase in knowledge not being like those women which are euer learning but are neuer able to come to the knowledge of the truth But rather like Dauid who vnderstoode more then the ancient She had a very tender conscience and would often weepe not only for her owne sins but also for the sins of others especially if she espied a fault in those which were neere vnto her whom she loued dearely had a dangerous conflict yet a ioyfull conquest Not long after the beginning of her sicknes being a weeke before her death I comming to visit her found her some what troubled in conscience the enemy had then begun to assault her but within a while by conference with me and others and also by prayer she was comforted But after our departure the enemy did more strongly strangely assault her againe as might appeare to them which were present for she neither would nor yet could conceale it Though I was not present at this conflict yet was I present at the conquest I comming to her the day before her death found her exceedingly rauished with the ioyes of heauen praysing God most cheerefully for his great mercies and wonderfull works of God toward her repeating many verses of the Psalmes and other places of Scripture to expresse the worke of the Lord vnto her and to set forth her thankfulnes vnto him She said the path was smooth and strowed with flowers where she did treade that she was as it were in Paradice and felt a sweete smell as in the garden of Eden that the ioyes which she felt were wonderfull wonderfull repeating that word oftentimes together I cannot rehearse the least part of those heauenly speeches which then shee vttered She often desired others to pray and to praise God for her and when I had once ended prayer within a while after she would desire me to pray againe The next morning which was the day of her death I saw her continue in the like sort though not able by reason of her weakenes to speake so much she then desired our prayers againe for her and when prayer was ended and I gone out of the house toward the Church she caused mee to bee called backe to pray once againe with her and whē I departed wished some faithithfull Minister to help me and thus continued in godly speeches and prayers vntill her last end This was the manner of her death I haue heard that some speake very vncharitably of her by reason of her temptation and thereupon mutter much against religion it selfe but such should remember that which I haue spoken before that the Deuill most assaulteth them which be most godly thinking to hinder all religion if he may preuaile with such and if you yet doubt of this point I could shew the testimony of the best learned to approue it And in temptation the best may quaile to shew how weake wee are and to keepe vs from presumption Yet seeing that as Iacob spake of the tribe of Gad An host of men shall ouercome him yet he shall ouercome in the end so it came to passe in her her enemie for a while seemed to preuaile but in the end was troden downe vnder her feete Wee should rather praise God for the victory then speake euill of her for the combate feare least he who tempted her so strōgly will also tempt vs and therefore let vs put vpon vs armour of proofe that we may be able to stand in the day of tryall I pray God that those which speake euill of her death doe not die worse then shee did Howsoeuer it was I will say with Paul Who art thou that iudgest another mans seruant the standeth or falleth to his owne maister I hope she resteth with the Lord and therefore let ill tongues rest and speake no more against her Although her mother haue lost a dutifull childe her husband a chast a louing and discreet wife her brethren a deare and kind sister her nighbours a peaceable and courteous neighbour her friends a religious kinswoman her familiar acquaintance a vertuous companion the poore a charitable relieuer and I my selfe one of my best hearers Yet I will say to all as Hierom did to Eustochium concerning her
Princes say Pesants say all corruption thou art my father rottennes thou art my mother wormes and vermine yee are my sisters yee are my brethren say graue thou art my bed sheet thou art my shrine earth thou art my couer greene grasle thou art my carpet death demaund thy due and thou gathering host Dan come last sweepe all away And now my brethren that all is gone where is the remaine of our religious hope spes in olla nay spes in vrna There is hope in the graue â—o saith Isaiah the sonne of Amos in this place of all the Prophets most Euangelical and of al the Euangelists most Propheticall In which Scripture for the better carrying away of the whole you may obserue these special points First gladsome tydings from heauen and what it is peace to the soule and rest to the bodie Secondly gladsome tidings from heauen and to whom it is to all such as walke before him Euerie word if you weigh well truely Euangelicall I meane good newes from a farre countrie gladsome tidings of heauenly things What more acceptable then the welles of sweete water to a thirstie soule what more pleasing then to heare of peace in the time of warre what so to be desired in this moyling world as after toyle to heare of rest And what so comfortable to check all miserie as to heare of mercie And fully to be assured that in the middest of death we are in life and that peace shall come This impression of immortalitie and assured hope of deliuerance from daunger death and miserie hath euer possessed the hearts of Gods Saints and beene as it were a naile of the sanctuarie to keepe them in life and fasten them to a further hope of future perfection Thus peace shall come Iob in the plea of all his miseries as hee thought endles easeles and remediles to the weake and sillie eye of flesh and blood yet vpon a better suruey with the single eye of faith helde by this verie hope and none other Peace shall come For when hee had grieuouslie complained that the Lord had hedged vp his waies that hee could not passe and set darkensse in his paths when hee had spoiled him of his honour and taken the Diadem from his head when he had destroyed him on euerie side and remooued his hope like a tree when his armies of afflictions came together made their way vpon him and camped about his tabernacle when his brethren were remoued farre from him and his acquaintance were strangers vnto him when his neighbours had forsaken him and his familiars had forgotten him when his houshold seruants both men maides tooke him for a straunger and would not answere him though hee prayed them with his mouth when his breath was straunge vnto his wife though he besought her too for the childrens sake of his owne bodie when the wicked despised him his secret friends abhorred him and those whom he loued were turned against him finallie when beside these great losses and most cruel vnkindnesses he was tucht in his own person so as his bone claue to his flesh and he onlie escaped with the skin of his teeth yet in all these dolours thus he demurred Peace shall come though in different words yet in equall sense hee made it the issue of all his maladies Scio quod redemptor meus viuit I know that my redeemer liueth and hee shall stand last on the earth and though after my skin wormes destroy this bodie yet shall I see God in my flesh peace shall â—ome Oh that these wordes were now written Oh that they were written euen in a booke grauen with an iâ—on pen in lead or in â—â—one for euer to the â—â—lace of al distressed Saints I know that my Redeemer liueth that peace shall come Dauid euen distressed Dauid anchored vpon this hold when tossed vpon the â—eas of worldlie woes he felt the froth and furie of Saules rage and Doegs despite the rebellion and incest of his owne children besides the horror of his proper sinnes which night by night caused him to water his couch with teares all these surges had sunke his soule had not his eyes been fixed vpon this prâ—montorie bonae spei Peace shall come which vndoubtedly he felt in his heart when he spake with his mouth and said to the solace of his shrinking soule I should vtterly haue fainted but that I beleeued verely to see the goodnes of the Lord in the land of the liuing O tarrie then the Lords leasure be strong and he shall comfort thy heart Paul is powerfull in this kinde of pleading and if you marke it well in the course of all his Epistles you shall finde that euer as afflictions were multiplied his ioyes were increased Death was to him an aduantage dissolution was his desire and to be with Christ was best of all Peace shall come was his plea against all the issues of death and doome When in labours more abundant in stripes aboue measure in prison more plentiously in death often when of the Iewes fiue times he had receiued fortie stripes saue one when thrise beaten with roddes once stoned thrise hee had suffered shipwracke and beene in the deepe sea both night and day when in iourneyings often in perils of water in perils of robbers in perils of his owne nation in perils among the gentiles in perils in the citie in perils in the wildernes in perils in the sea in perils among false brethren in wearines and painefulnes in watchings often in hunger and thirst in fasting often in cold and nakednes and to conclude when beside the things that were outward hee was combred day lie and had the care of all the Churches yet here was his hold and to this hope was hee fastned I account that the afflictions of this present time are not worthie of the glorie which shall be shewed vnto vs. Therefore we faint not saith the blessed Apostle vpon the like plea but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed daylie for our light afflictions which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and eternall waight of glorie while wee looke not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not scene for the things which are seene are temporall but the things which are not seene are eternall Peace shall come â—â—ul Paul this issue of life and soule-solace his heauenlie hold and spirituall rauishment hath made thee to forget all that is behind and to hold hard vnto that marke which is before euen Iesus Christ the authour and finisher of thy faith Here in grace thy life was hid in Christ and for that now in glorie it doth appeare in Christ happie place happie Paul happie shrine happie Saint so to bee blessed both in life and death woe vnto vs vpon whom the ends of this world are come if being compassed with
psalmus personat veruÌ„ est quoniaÌ„ pat 〈…〉 s mater mea dereliqueruÌ„t me Dominus â—â—tem assumpsit me because my father my mother haue forsaken me the Lord haue taken me vp If then our fathers do forsake vs how can they care for vs and if our fathers do not care for vs qui sunt illâ— mortuorum qui nor unt quid agamus quidue patiamur who are they amoÌ„g the dead that know what we do or care what we suffer 2 A second reason is taken out of Isaiah the Prophet who moued in misery after a deliuerance and greatly complayned of mercies with-holden and compassions restrayned gayned at no hand but at the hand of God nor was pitied of any but of himselfe and for that he â—â—ith doubtlesse thou art our father though Abraham be ignorant of vs and Israel know vs not yet thou Lord art our father and our redeemâ—r thy name is for euer Whereupon the father concludeth with an argument drawn froÌ„ the stronger Si tanti Patriarchae quid â—rga populum ex his procreatum ageretur ignorauerunt c. If two so great Patriarches were ignorant what should become of that people themselues had begotten and froÌ„ whose straine should spring by promise Christ the father of all the faithfull If Abraham being the friend of God yet could neuer enter into that secret nor Israel as preuayling with God yet neuer obtayned such a blessing as once dead either to know to ease or help their posteritie in life or death then hush to heauen and to all that therein is except God al are ignorant none can know none can help none can heare none can ease our plaint or paine either in earth or elswhere 3 His third argument is drawne from the memory of blessed Iosiah vnto whom Huldah the Prophetisse pronounced this blessing from God that he should dye and be gathered vnto his fathers before he saw the euils which the Lord had determined vpon that place and people Her words be these Thus saith the Lord because thine heart did melt and thou hast humbled thy self before the Lord when thou heardest what I spake against this place and against the inhabitants of the same to wit that it should be destroyed and accursed and hast rent thy clothes and wept before me I haue also heard it saith the Lord. Behold therefore I will gather thee to thy fathers and thou shalt bee put in thy graue in peace and thy eyes shall not see all the euil which I will bring vpon this place Hereupon I inferre with the father hos put amus quietos quos inquieta vita viuorum solicitat May we think them at quiet whom the troublesome sturs of this world may vexe I trow no for doe but suppose that the Saints in heauen did behold the miseries here on earth Princes the subuersion of their kingdomes Noblemen of their houses Gentlemen of their lands line and families did fathers see the sinnes of their sonnes and mothers the shame of their daughters clad with pride fed with idlenes and shod with bloud to the destruction both of their bodies and soules finally did heauen but heare see or feele with passion how Sion is wasted her stones lye buryed in the dust and there is none to pitie her desolations did they but see the grasse of the earth dieperd with the bloud of the saints by Antichrist in the east and Antichrist in the west banding themselues together against the Lord and against our Christ the one to destroy the honor of his person the other of his offices I say if Saints in heauen had a sense and feeling of these miseries woes and calamities small were their rest liâ—tle were their ease and heauen were no hold for happines If the presence of God were vpon hell as on saith infernus in amoenum conuerteretur Paradisum it would become the port of Paradise so contrarily it may be sayd if the presence of our sinnes woes and calamities should pâ—ster heauen if earthly miseries hellish horrors and as our aduersaries wil haue it Purgatories plaints should reach the saints then should heauen bee turned into hell rest into toyle peace into warre and blessednes into bane Iob saw this when hee sayd of the dead he changeth his face when thou castest him away and he knoweth not if his Sonnes shall bee honorable neither shall be vnderstand concerning them whether they shall be of low degree Whereunto accordeth Augustine in another place The sonnes of them that are dead are there where they do not see nor heare what things are done or chaunceth in this life such is their care for the liuing that they know not what we do euen as our care is for the dead that we know not what they do For conclusion of this point that I bee not tedious say no more eyther for your selues or ouer your dead Heare heauen help saints send peace giue rest they see you not they heare you not nor haue they feeling of your miseries Your ora pro nobis is out at doores and your Missa requiem is a pregnant idoll Popes pardons are bables for Pagans to sport withall and like the mad Gaderen you hunt the graues of the dead to grieue the liuing taking vp these and such like stones to wound your selues and build vp your Babel of all confusion But of you my brethren I am perswaded better things and such as accompany saluation though thus I speake for God is not vnrighteous that he should forget your worke and labour of loue which you shew towards his name giuing him alone the sacrifice of your prayers and praises saying with holy Iob my witnes is in heauen And with the sweete Psalmist Whome haue I in heauen but thee and whom haue I in earth besides thee As also with blessed Hester O my Lord thou only art our King helpe me desolate woman which haue no helper but thee And for the dead take this from Siracides for a memento Forget it not seeing he is at rest let his remembrance rest cease thy prayers thou shalt do him no good but hurt thy selfe 2 Now to come to the second support I meane our aduersaries bath to supple and ease their dead before they come to heauen and for that they cry help Purgatory purge fire heathenish in deuise hellish in practice and Romish for gaine That I may say no more I can say no lesse of that popish puddle if I say the truth but as the Apostle sayd of an idoll Idolum nihil est so say I of Purgatory Purgatorium nihil est it is none of Gods creatures it is none of Gods ordinances it was neuer in his counsell and for that it can neuer stand with his prouidence Nay if you reade the approuers of it who loue it most and like it best you shal finde theÌ„ like Sampsons foxes tyed by the tayles but deuided in the
heads burning the corn of the Philistims whilest Israels sheaues staÌ„d vpright I meane consuming themselues whilest they cauill with vs about a birth of no being for if they could but agree at home ere they warre abroade 1. where the place is 2. when it began 3. how long it shall continue 4. who is there punished 5. what is the paine 6. and lastly who be the tormentors happily it might make vs to sound a retreate and moue a parley But when in all or most of these they are at ods with themselues I trust by the grace of God they shall neuer be at euen with vs or with any that feare the Lord in truth It would require a longer discourse then now I can stand vpon to descend into each of these particulars beeing limited with the time mine owne weakenes and your wearines yet if any man doubt let him demurre with mee vpon a further tryall and conference when I shall if God will satisfie him to the full that in all these seuerall points they doe nothing else but agree to disagree in the meane time I dare auouch as first I did that purgatorie is not at all 1 That is was neuer knowne in the Church of Israel or a doctrine sprinkled vpon that people with the blood of the old couenant by Moses who was faithfull in Gods house and deliuered all hee saw vpon the mount 2 That purgatorie hath no foundation in the new testament and that the blood of Christ neuer taught it in that couenant but was of it selfe sufficient to purge and preserue tam à poena quam à culpa though our aduersaries say contrarie 3 That neither the Primitiue Church nor the Fathers of the same for the space of manie ages did euer acknowledge the purgatorie of the Church of Rome I say God neuer ordained Scripture neuer taught spirit neuer guided father neuer agreed vpon such a doctrine but as they that were conuerted to Christ at the first whether from Iudaisme or froÌ„ Paganisme did bring with them eyther their ceremonies or their opinions so in this errour as in others Plato taught it in his schooles Virgil in his rythmes both Pagans Papising Bonauenture at all aâ—enture and Durand not dangerous of the doctrine haue taken it vp both Papists Paganising To iustifie what hath bin said of old Pictoribus atque poetis quidlibet audendi semper fuit aequa potestas To Painters to Poâ—ts to Papists of skill Hath euer bâ—â— graunted to same what the will For the proofe of al these assertions I referre you to the worthie writings of that noble Berrean Lord Phillip of Mornay lumen Galliae maâ—tix Romae in his treatise of purgatorie laid downe in his third booke of the sacrifice pretended in the Masse And now for conclusion of this point in clearing of the truth pitifullie dearned with these clouds of errour let these few Scriptures and Fathers dispell the fogge so as the sunne of righteousnes may shine in your hearts and beget you to a better hope A voice from heauen hath said it you may beleeue it Blessed are the deaâ— that die in the Lord Amodo euen now for they rest from their labours In blessednes is no pain in rest is no toyle if this happinesse be Amodo Euen straight vpon the dissolution there is no daunger by the way there is no delay by purgatorie Paul hath said it you may beleeue it Christ is to me both in life and in death aduantage desiring to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of al as if he should say neuer can I lose by Christ in life hee is my grace in death he is my glorie when I am gone I shall bee where he is not in paine but in blis where no fire shall purge nor water wash hauing alreadie dipt my stole in the blood of the lamb Christ hath said it you may beleeue it his word is a warrant to your wearie souls Father I will that they which thou hast giuen me be with me euen where I am that they may behold my glorie which thou hast giuen me It is his will and who dares wrest it the head will haue his members the bridegroome his spouse God his elect and Christ his redeemed and where will he haue them but where he is and that is in heauen Popish purgatory is no Palace for Christ his abode ergo no place for Christians to behold his glorie Nor hath Christ said it but sworne it to in supplementum fidei to help faith that by two immutable things wherein it is impossible that God should lie First promise and Secondlie oth wee might haue strong consolation His oth is this neuer to be reuersed Verilie verilie I say vnto you he that heareth my words and beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life O happie hearers but thrise happie beleeuers for whose cause the Lord hath sworne in certaintie of your saluation and speedie passage from death to life without tuch of fire meede of merit or need of Popish indulgence One saith well velox est sermo dei velocem desiderat habere sequentem The word of God is swift and it requireth a speedie follower if speed in following much more in attaining if speed in the bodie much more when it hath put it off if vnder the crosse we grone and goe forward with how much more speede shall wee haste to the crowne when teares shall bee wiped from our eyes and wee shall be translated out of this world to raigne with God for euer And if it bee true of a glorified bodie that Augustine hath corpus est vbi volet animus The bodie is straight where the minde will how much rather shall a sanctified soule disburdened of the bodie passe with speed to him that gaue it Lazarus died and was straight waies caried into Abrahams bosome The theefe vpon the crosse died was that verie day in Paradise Stephen called and said Lord Iesus receiue my spirit and shall we doubt of his desire euen then answered Christ cryed vpon the tree father into thy hands I commend my spirit and gaue vp the Ghost not downe the ghost speedily and without delay yea and I am perswaded that it is with euerie Saint of God in his particular death as it shall be at the generall doome all shal be chaunged at the twinckling of an eye at the last trumpe for the trumpet shal blow and the dead shall rise so all shall be changed at the last gaspe euen in the twinkling of an eye shall the bodie turne to earth from whence it came and the soule to God that gaue it Nescit tarda moliâ—â—â—a spiritus dei gratia The gifts and graces of God are without delay no delay in the creation no delay in the redemtion no delay in
godlines Much like vnto many wantons in these our dayes who deeme that diuinitie may goe by the drum whilest they vrge pyping to bring on preaching and minstrilsie to grace our ministerie with multitudes in the afternoones of many our wofull and solitarie Saboaths But to the matter in hand and point of pardons I say with Augustine O vanitie selling vanities to them that will heare vanitie and vaine are they that will beleeue it Nay rather beleeue your owne Poets who durst freely say If wee haue any thing from Rome they be trisles it receiueth our gold and deceiueth our soules Say with Veselus one of your owne Doctors Among vs in Rome Churches Priests Altars Masses Crownes Fire Incence Prayers and Heauen are set to sale yea and God himselfe among vs may be had for money Say with Budaeus The Popes Canons seeme not now to guide mens liues but if I may so say they rather serue to make a banke and to get money Say with Becket one of your owne Bishops Rome our mother is become an harlot for money reward laieth her selfe to sale If then for coÌ„clusion my deere brethreÌ„ beloued in the best loue that euer was which is of Iesus Christ if Saints helpe not for that they heare not if Purgatorie case not for that it is not and lastly if pardons preuaile not for that they reach neither quicke nor dead why doe wee listen to these vngodly Sirens who blacken the ayre with the fogge of their dearne diuinitie and driue away al comfort from distressed soules with these wofull outcryes and doubtfull voyces Helpe Saints Purge fire Pardon Pope Away away get you hence for who euer required these things at your hands saith my God Let onely the price of the bloud of my Lord auaile me vnto the perfection of my deliuery He is my peace he is my rest in life and in death Christ is to me an aduantage O death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victorie Pope where is thy pride Purgatorie where is thy gaine Thankes be vnto God who hath giuen vs victorie peace and rest thorough our Lord Iesus Christ. And now who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that iustifieth who shall coÌ„demne it is Christ which is dead yea rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God maketh request also for vs. And what shal diuide vs froÌ„ his loue Shall tribulation or anguish or persecutioÌ„ or famine or nakednes or perill or sword shall life or death In all these we are more then conquerours in him yâ— loued vs. And I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come neither height nor depth Pope nor Purgatorie shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Venâ—endo veniet Peace shall come they shall rest from their labours euery one that walketh before him Thus you haue heard I hope to your comfort of peace after war rest after toile life after death and a blessed being after a miserable bondage to all Gods children vpon the last farewell with this wofull world It now remaines we come to the second part and declare out of the text to your further comfort who are partakers of the blessing euen all such as are parties to the cause and none but such as haue walked before him All haue not faith so saith Paul All haue not peace so saith the Prophet Not euery plant is for this Orchard Not euery tree is for this building each peeble stone may noy lie with the Carbuncle Topaze or Chrysolite in the habitation of his holinesse For without shall be dogges and inchaunters and whoremongers and murtherers and Idolators and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lyes But blessed are they that doe his commandements that their right may be found in the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the citie Blessednesse with the Apostle is to such as doe his commandements Peace and rest with the Prophet is to such as walke before him Both absolute in the promise of God both defeaseable on the condition of man It is an ouerruled case in schoole diuinitie Comminationes promissiones diuinae sunt hypotheticae comminations promises from God are conditionall euer limited within the bounds of our obedience or disobedience Yet fortie dayes and Niniue shall be destroyed if Niniue repent not and I am perswaded that yet not many yeares the whole world shall bee destroyed if the world amend not Excellent things were spoken of thee thou Citie of God but now execrable things are done to thee for that thou art fallen from God Bethel is become Bethauen the house of God the house of iniquitie Heudomus antiqua quam dispari domino dominare Thy ruines are relickes of thy sinne and iudgements of thy God God promised a Priesthood of continuance with an eternall couenant and said he would neuer faile Salomon of a sonne to succeed in that throne of gouernmeÌ„t if his children would doe right and walke in his waies but when they failed in the condition the Lord failed in his promise that they might know his promises are conditionall and his mercies euer with limitation Aske and ye shall haue seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you so saith Christ a mercifull Messias but with this implication if yee aske not yee haue not if yee seeke not yee finde not if yee knocke not it shall not be opened vnto you And I pray you what is implied in all the titles and dignities of Christ where either he saith of himselfe or others of him that he is the way the truth and the life but that we should walk in him shine through him and liue by him or what of this that he is the doore the shepheard and the vine but that wee should enter be guided and grow together in him A Priest hee is to please our God A Prophet to instruct our soules and a king to conquer our enemies All defeaseable on our behalfe if we yeeld him no sacrifice no care no obedience I say for conclusion whatsoeuer Christ is to me I am nothing to him if Eccho-like and by reflexion I doe not answere to his holie and heauenlie call with my true faith and due obedience Qui fecit te sine te non saluabit te sine te Hee that made thee without thee will neuer saue thee without thee We are his workemanship created to good workes that we should walke in them In which walking I doe further obserue out of the text that God is no respecter of persons but euerie one that walketh shall haue peace and finde rest whether Iew or Gentile circumcised or vncircumcised man or woman rich or poore bond or free master
or seruant saint or sinner if he beleeue hee shall haue life if hee walke before him Peace shall come Nescit Religio nostra personas nec conditiones hominum respicit Our religioÌ„ taketh no knowledge of persons nor respecteth the coÌ„ditions of men Old Simeon in the temple yong Iohn in the wombe poore Bartimeus begging rich Zacheus climing the hard hearted Centurion standing by the tree the theefe hanging vpon the crosse confessing the trueth and walking in the sunneshine of their Christ all indifferentlie receiue his die gaine peace and finde rest This Peter sawe in vision from heauen and this he preached powerfully on earth when vpon the sight he opened his mouth and said of a truth I perceiue now that God is no respecter of persons but in euery nation he that seareth him and worketh righteousnes is accepted with him Againe I gather out of the text that as God is generall in his gifts so must we be particular in our receite Euery one shall be saued but by his owne faith Euery one shall haue peace and finde rest but by his owne walking Anothers faith though neuer so pretious is not sufficient anothers walking though neuer so righteous is not auaileable to my rest The iust man shall liue by his owne faith so saith Habacucke 2. 4. Euery one shall heare his owne burden and euery one shal haue his owne honour And as we sow so shall we reape not anothers mouth to kisse not anothers teares to wash not anothers haires to wipe the feete of thy Christ but thine owne mouth thine own teares thine own haires must kisse wash and wipe with Marie the feete of thy Sauiour All that thine hand shall finde to doe doc it with all thy power thine hand not anothers hand â—â—y prayers not anothers prayers thine hearing not anothers hearing thy feete not anothers feete shodde to the preparation of the Gospell of peace yea and thy communicating of Christ with all the benefits of his passion not anothers shall benefit thee to thine euerlasting saluation Quid tibi de alterius dono si tu non dederis why art thou proude of another mans gift and thou giue nothing Anothers clothes will not warme me anothers meate will not feede me anothers golde will not enrich me anothers heart will not cheere me no more say I can anothers faith saue me Onely my faith in my Christ whom I haue put on my walking mine obedience must warme me must feede me must cheere me must enrich me and therefore I say with Thomas vpon mine owne tuch My God my Lord. Not God in generall but my God in particular mine by promise mine by stipulation mine by oth mine by free gift mine by purchase mine by participation of giftes and graces my Shilo mine Emmanuel my Iesus Of this particular faith and application spake Isaiah the Prophet when he said Razili Razili Secretum meum mihi Secretum meum mihi My secret to my selfe my secret to my selfe And this is the spirit of application by which the children of God both can and doe applie the medicine to the maladie for what is the sweetest balme if it be not broken The best receite if it be not taken Or the soueraigndst plaister that can be deuised by arte or cunning if it bee not applied to the wound or sore From this spirit of application spake Dauid when he said O God thou art my God as Mary also in the garden when she said Rabboni my master yea and Iohn too whose head lay neere his masters heart euen the Disciple whom the Lord loued when hee sayd We know that wee are of God though all the world lie in wickednes But the sonnes of Beliall and the reprobate from God if you mark them well you shall find that they are seared with a brand and so as neither they caÌ„ nor do apply the mercies of God vnto themselues Caine could make no vse of it when he said My sinne is greater then can be pardoned Nay saith Augustine not so Mentiris Caine mentiris maior est dei misericordia quà m omnium peccatorum miseria Thou lyest Caine thou liest the mercies of God are aboue all mans miseries Pharoah was â—bdurate and could make no vse of God either in maiesty or mercie when he said Who is the Lord that I should heare his voyce let Israel goe I know not the Lord. Iudas that sonne of perdition when he cast in the â—0 pence a goodly price whereat he was valued though he mourned much yet had he no helpe for that he was hopelesse when he could not applie mercie vnto his miserie but said I haue sinned in betraying the innocent bloud The innocent bloud not mine as if he had no portion in his Christ. And for the Diuels they are so farre from challenging any good by Christ that they disclaime his mercies person all whilest they say Ah what haue wee to doe with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth art thou come to destroy vs Such disclaime be farre from you my brethren and from all the Saints of God both in life and death nay rather clamate prore vestra claime your due and say with blessed Paul Christ is become vnto vs wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption Yea and be bold to say yet more his bodie is in heauen there shall I finde it mine his diuinitie is on earth there do I feele it mine his word is in mine eares to beget him mine his sacrament is in mine eyes to confirme him mine his spirit is in my heart to assure him mine Angels mine to camp for me Prince mine to rule for me Church mine to pray for me Pastor mine to preach for me All mine whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death whether they be things present or things to come euen all are mine I am Christs and Christ is Gods Of all this I inferre and conclude with my text that euery one must walke if he wil haue peace and who wil be cured must care to apply his sweete Sauior vnto his sinfull soule Thine owne gaine must buy balme to bury thy Christ nor must thou send it but bring it with the deuout Maryes to the sepulcher The Queene of Saba though a Queene yet she sent not but came her selfe to heare the wisedome of Salomon And the wisemen of the East herein shewed their wit that after they had seene his starre they turned not but hasted to the place of the babes abode with this inquiry Where is he which is borne King of the Iewes vidimus stellam eius in oriente we haue seene his star in the East and are come to worship him venimus personaliter we come our selues we acknowledge our misery venimus adorare humiliter we adore him our selues we acknowledge his maiestie and we worship eum singulariter him alone
way he hath trode the wine-presse alone and there was none is helpe The cup of bitter affliction whereof he tasted agonizing in the garden for no intreatie with his Father could passe from him to any other Oye Papists at last in the name of God be wise and warned leaue off your mixtures away with your medleys and if you desire either peace to your soules or rest to your bodies only walke before him Meddle with no merit of man pardon of Pope meede of Martyrs or pride of your owne workes vnwisely wrought Make no mixtures of the sacred water and bloud which flowed froÌ„ the side of Christ with the bloud of Hales and Becket or with the inchanted holy water of an vnhallowed Priest Neuer match your triple crowne of gold and diamonds glittering with the single crowne of thorne piercing And neuer thinke the puriâ—ie of the word will abide the mixtures of your traditions the text your glosses the Church your Idols the arke of God your Dagon nor the poore priesthood of Christ your papall pride and Popedome Looke for none other but that the bodie and soule of your religion like the image Nebuchadnezzar saw pâ—tcht together of gold siluer brasse iron and clay will and shall â—inner when the stone cut out without hands shall smite the same Your coate is of â—iâ—â—ie woolâ—ie not for our wearing Your familie like Micha of mount Ephraim and not for our dwelling for as he had so haue you an house of gods an Ephod and a Teraphim he would serue both God and Idols and so doe you And as for vs who beleeue and looke after better things we say with the poore Paralyticke in disclaime of all others helpe it is Iesus that made vs whole And we say with Abraham when we go to sacrifice thou seruant stay here I and the childe will walke alone And now for conclusion by the Lords commaund that wee are for Bethel we haue with Iacobs familie put away the strange gods that were among vs we haue clensed our selues and chaunged our garmeÌ„ts pluckt off our earings and put all into the hand of our Iacob our Elizabeth who faithfully for her God and graciously for her people hath buryed Popâ—rie with it execrable things vnder an oke at Shechem neuer to be reuiued neuer to be found out Amen Amen Lastly for an end sith the time is past and I feare much I haue wearied your patience ouer-long From the proper obiect of our faith walking come we to the progresse and increase of both contayned in this word walketh Where you may see as in a glasse chrystaline that a christian life is not a standing still but a walking on and growth in the doctrine of faith and practice of godlines The first blessing that euer God gaue after the creation was increase and multiplie which tooke it effect not only in the creatures by propagation of kinde but also in his gifts graces by renouation of minds new birth growth in knowledge true faith and godlines All the trees in Paradise did grow and all the floods in Paradise did flow to teach vs that we must not staÌ„d still at a stay lest either wee be fruitles and so accursed or become puddle water and so vnprofitable The finest cloath will weare if it be not vsed the purest gold will rust if it be not handled the sweetest balme will corrupt if it be not broken and the cleerest fountaine will stincke if it runne not So are the graces of God and doctrines of the beginnings of Christ though of themselues pure as gold sweete as balme cleere as a fountaine yet in respect of vs vnprofitable if we proceed not further but there stand still Foundations they are I graunt for the scripture hath said it Hebr. 6. 1. But what of that and what is the foundation be it of Beryll Topaze or Chrisolite if you build not vpon it proceed no further in the work In the first of Ezechiel where the vision of gifts and graces are described it is said that the beasts winds and wheeles went as the spirit lead them and they returned not when they went foorth and if at any time they stood they let downe their wings as vnprofitable then vntill the Lord had put power in them of further proceeding And in the same Prophet againe where the like gifts are described by another vision you may finde that from vnder the threshold of Gods sanctuary the waters issue out and they runne East West North and South Theâ—maÌ„ with the line measured a thousand â—ubiâ—s and the waters were to the anckles Againe he measured a thousand and they were to the knâ—os he measured againe and they were to the loynes after he measured againe and it was a riuer impossible signifying that the graces of God should neuer decrease but euer abound in his Church The fishers should spread out their nets froÌ„ En-gedi to En-eglâ—um The trees shuld grow vpon the brinke of the riuer on this side and on that side with leaues not fading fruit not failing leaues for medicine fruite for meate and fruite euer new according to his moueths As for the miry places thereof saith the Prophet and the marisâ—ies which stand still they shall not be holesome but they shall be made â—alt pits You may remember when Aarons Priesthood should be confirmed all the tribes with their names cast their rods into the mercie-â—eate and none blossomed but Aarons You are a kingly people and a royall Priesthood ò bud bloome blossome and bring foorth fruit worthy amendment and newnes of life Dauid said of his Saints Ibant de virtute in virtutem they went from strength to strength and from faith to faith as it is written from the faith of the promise to the faith of the performance from the faith of the letter that killeth to the faith of the spirit that giueth life from the faith of Christ his humiliation in misery to the faith of his exaltation in glorie from the faith of the first resurrection from sinne to the faith of the second resurrectioÌ„ from death from the faith of the law wounding to the faith of the Gospell curing from the faith of the Prophets â—owing to that faith of the Apostles reaping from the faith of the old sacrifice giuing to God to the faith of the new sacraments receiuing from God in a word from the faith of the old couenant wherein God speaketh to the faith of the new restament wherein Christ bleedeth Of al which I may conclude with Haymo Ex side qua coÌ„cipitur corde profertur ore exhibetur opere iustus viuit By faith conceiued in the hart professed with the mouth practised with the hand the righteous man liueth Paul is plentifull in this doctrine and hauing once laid the ground of faith hee vrgeth nothing more then the increase of faith He tels the Romanes That by the Gospell
the righteousness of God is reuealed from faith to faith He tels the Ephesians that they must grow vnto perfect men euen vnto the age of the fulnes of Christ As also that they must know the loue of Christ which passeth knowledge and so be filled with all fulnes of God He tels the Philippians how he longeth after them from the very heart roote in Iesus Christ and in longing falles a praying and what is the matter of his prayer but that their loue might abound yet more more in all knowledge and in all feeling With whom I will conclude and close with my text As you haue receiued Christ Iesus the Lord so walke in him rooted and built in him and established in the faith as ye haue beene taught abounding therein with thanksgiuing Where obserue my brethren that not rooting building establishing teaching nor abiding in the faith is sufficient without abounding for frustra nititur qui non innititur And he that continueth not to the end shall not be saued Take heed then my brethren and be not high minded but feare you that are come out of Sodome Remember Lots wife go not back nay looke not back you are of Iudah tribe and haue taken a profession vpoÌ„ you and be not like the children of Ephraim which being harnessed and carying bowes turned themselues backe in the day of battell Iames said well Ye aske and haue not because ye aske amisse So may I say many walke obtaine not for that they walke amisse Some in such idolatrous and superstitious heresies some in such clyming and presuming ambition some in such greedie and vnsatiable couetousnes some in such biting gnawing vsurie some in such swearing and forswearing of themselues some in such extrauagant and vagabond lusts of the flesh some in such rebellions conspiracies of harts and hands as of whom I may say as I haue told you often and now tell you weeping they are enemies to the crosse of Christ their end is damnation their bellie is their god their glorie is their shame and they but mind earthly things As for such as creepe with the Crab and slow it with the Snayle I say they walke amisse for creeping Christians are no Christians And cursed â— be that doth the worke of the Lord negligently An Aldermans paâ—e is too solemne for a Saint of God O that Iehu his walking might be a mirrour to all Magistrates Ministers and people how to walke of whom it was said vpon the sight The marching is like the marching of Iehu the sonne of Nimshi for he marcheth valiantly or that Caesars faculty of performance were in the most of vs of whom Lucian thus writeth Caesar in omnia praeceps nil actum credens cum quid superesset agendum Instat atrox Which I may english thus Caesar is forward to all good and thinketh nothing well done whilest any thing is left vndone And so for the conclusion of all Now way the fruit this tree benreth and consider the crop this haruest yeeldeth I meane the blessing they gaine who are faithfull to their Christ and walke before him Is it â—mperiall rule in this world Is it wealth riches or aboundance of earthlie happinesse Is it health strength or beauty These haue their times but they perish with the possessor nor to this end came Christ into this woful world that he might giue to the faithfull walkers fading and vanishing delights but an abiding solace euen life and life in abundance with peace to the soule and rest to the bodie I meane eternall blessednesse to both wherein is the auoydance of all euill the fruition of all good the societie of all Saints the fulfilling of al desires with vnspeakable glory which neuer shall cease whither God bring vs for his Christs sake to whom bee honour and praise both now and euer Amen Amen And now brethren beloued and longed for I say now that I haue finished my course ended the text and closed vp the booke giue me leaue a little to turne me to the dead and to say vnto you on her behalfe this Scripture is fulfilled in your eyes and eares this day Peace shall come nay Peace is come For she entertained in her heart the father of Heauen which is the God of Peace and she loued Christ the King of Peace and in braced in her soule the Comforter which brought that Peace to her that passeth all vnderstanding And for that I may say no more I can say no lâ—sse she kept the condition of my text on earth and therefore her estate is vndefeasable in heauen She did walke before him in life therefore she hath Peace nor did she forsake him in death and therefore now hath she found rest to her wearie soule To walke in the word is to walke with him and to goe by the light thereof is to walke before him Let her painfulnesse in reading and practise in following euen from a child speake to her commendation in that behalfe You heard in the former Sermon how eight chapters a day was her taske each daies reading a full weeke of Sabboths to sanctifie a Saint So sanctifie vs good Lord with thy truth thy word is the truth And to make good the practise I haue crediblie heard that not eight but many eights a day haue been her sighes sobbes and gronings for the breaches of the lawe she read both by her selfe and others euer opening the booke with these words A good God a bad people much mercie offered little receiued for euery one seekes his owne and fewe the things that are of Iesus Christ And still clasping the booke thus The glorie of God is to conceale a thing secret but the Kings honour is to search it out And what are wee but a kingly people and a royall priesthood Besides her priuate reading I might heere speake of her priuate prayer and much meditation with Isaac in the field with Dauid in the night I might tell of her weekely repayre to heare the word in the great congregation of her monthly communicating with his Saints there with her feete euer shodde to the preparation of the Gospell of peace and neuer well but when she was â—o walking before him But I leaue her life and come to her death whereunto as I am tolde she walked as Christ did to Caluary with much care and many agonies compelled with Simon of Cyrene to beare his crosse thereby to helpe out the sufferings of her sweete Sauiour and to beare in her bodie and soule the markes of Christ Iesus like spangles of golde to grace her in her triall whereby in the end she became more glorious both to God and man It is said of the kings daughter that she is all glorious within and that her rayment was of needle worke peace within but prickings without Multi vident punctiones sed non vident vnctiones Many see
and vncharitable tongues of the Papists abiding in our countrey who since her death haue not ceased to giue it out that she died despairing and by her comfortles end shewed that she professed a coÌ„fortles Religion Wherein they bewray their malice madnes and shew themselues of what generatioÌ„ they are euen a people as the Prophet Ieremy saith which bend their tongues like bowes for lyes and as Dauid saith make readie their arrowes to shoote at them which are vpright in heart And lastly when I remembred the censure giuen by our Sauiour Christ of the woman that poured costly ointment on his head a little before his Passion though some of his Disciples vniustly blamed her for the same saying What needed this wast yet he himselfe did not only excuse her for that fact saying she did it to bury him but also commaunded that wheresoeuer the Gospell should bee preached throughout the worlde there also that which she had done should be spoken of for a memoriall of her Euen so seeing this vertuous Gentlewoman hath bin vniustly accused by some popish persons I thought it sit that she should not onely be iustly excused and cleered from their false and slaunderous reports but also that a true historie of her holie life and christian death should be annexed to those learned Sermons which were preached at her Funerall by two godly Preachers and are now published in print that where soeuer they going before as the Gospell preached there also this briefe historie may follow after to be seene and read for a memoriall of her These reasons moued me both to collect and publish this treatise the doing whereof I trust as it will be acceptable to many so can it bee hurtfull to none vnlesse possible it be to the kingdome of darknes If there be any vnsatisfied and yet desire any other reasons I tell them further it is to burie her and the last balme that euer I can powre vpon her head it is my farewell and the last duty which I can performe vnto her and therefore I hope both excusable in me and also profitable to others because many things here spoken of her deserue imitation And this I assure the Reader that howsoeuer I may sometimes misse the for me of words which possibly the Gentlewoman vsed in her speech yet haue I faithfully set downe the substance of the matter and for the most part also faithfully related the words themselues and reported nothing but that which is most true and testified by persons of good and honest report as they are named in the margent out of whose fresh memories the substance of that which I publish was presentlie set downe This I humbly desire thee good Christian Reader to accept I had no other odours wherewith to imbalme her I am but the pen-man the thing it selfe was her owne wrought in her by Gods spirit and therefore not costly to me though more comfortable to me and all that heard it then I can now expresse and I doubt not but it shall yeeld thee also the same comfort and giue thee occasion both to praise God and imitate her wel-doing which the Lord graunt Amen A Post-script to Papists PEace and truth to as many of you as pertaine to God I am moued in conscience to deale with you by this manner of writing because of the false and slanderous reports which I heare some of your faction haue blazed and diuulged abroade concerning the death of Mistresse Katherin Brettergh a Christian Gentlewoman whose life indeed was holy and death most comfortable It is no noueltie or new thing to heare a lye from a Papist but rather a principle of your religion Therefore if you pleade antiquitie as a marke infallible to know your Church by for that point tak 't you you haue it from the Diuell your father by tradition diabolicall holding the same still in these succeeding ages so succinctly that for ought I know you will not leaue it till you be shut foorth of the heauenly Ierusalem and cast into Tophet which is prepared of old for liers and inchanters Yet it pities me to thinke of some of your poore sillie seduced soules how simple they be in Gods causes and yet malicious for the most of my popish neighbors what others be I know not flye but a very low pitch being people altogether void of learning wit and ciuilitie The furthest drift of their religion is to say the Pope is a good man to say it is safest to doe in religion as most doe to thump hard their breasts when they pray to crosse them when they meete a Protestant and to spit out when they name the Diuell to gallop ouer a Pater noster or Ladies Psalter vpon their beades and to say it was a good world when Masse was vp for then all things were cheape finallie some of them will say I beleeue as my father beleeued God baue mercie on his sweete soule and I hope to go to him when I die This is the very length broadth and depth of most part of Popery where I dwell euery one can reach this marke and few can goe beyond it Another opinion of these sottish people is to say If a man dye like a lambe and passe out of the world like a bird in a shell he is certainely saued although neither holines were in his life nor God in his mouth grace in heart nor yet repentaÌ„ce faith or feeling at his death Such blockish ends a reuerend man doth count fearefull saying such men excepting their fetherbeds and pillowes dye liker beasts then Christians Againe if the violence of any disease stirre vp impatience in a muÌ„ at his death straight say our country-Papists there is a iudgement of God seruing either to discouer an hypocrite or plague a wicked man especially if they proteste the truth of Iesus Christ as this Gentlewoman did then they cry and shout see the effect of this religion see the end of these men where as indeede the truth is farre otherwise as a learned writer doth notably determine It seemeth you Papists or who els so euer doe iudge thus are little acquainted with Scripturos nor yet were euer of Salomons minde who speaking of outward things happening to man doth say The same condition is to the iust and to the wicked both one to the pure and polluted Dauid saw the wicked without bands in their death noitâ—er were they troubled like other men and yet were they ropnobates and the children of Satan But if you Bapists had Dauids spirit which the Diuell would not that you had for Dauids kingdome you would iudge more charitably of Christians deaths especiallie such whose liues were holy notwithstanding any outward accident that might happen at the least you ought rather to mourne and conceale it then to laugh and deride the same for when Saul was dead in mount Gilboa who was a notorious wicked man and his death fearefull indeede
for he killed himselfe what did Dauid reioyce or lament Though Saul in his life time was alwaies his deadly enemie yet mourned hee and wept for Saul and Ionathan saying Tell it not in Gath nor publish it in the streetes of Askelon least the daughters of the Philistims reioyce and the vncircumcised triumph This did Dauid which was a man after Gods owne heart though you as it should seeme rather delight to solace your selues with the falles and infirmities of Gods children then once to be touched as feeling members of one bodie with an inward sighing and sorrow for the same But now touching the death of this Gentlewoman whereat some of your Romish faction haue bragged as though an oracle had come from heauen to proue you Catholicks and vs Hereticks Blessed be God and our Lord Iesus Christ the Diuell and you are all deceiued and God euen our mightie Iehouah hath you in derision and shall laugh you to skorne who hath not only frustrate your fond expectations but made your follie manifest to all men This Gentlewomans life being more holie and her death more comfortable then possiblie any of yours can be so long as you continue Papists The trueth whereof I haue compendiously set foorth in this present treatise following as will be testified by persons of honester note and condition then any of your generation And thus for this time I end praying God to forgiue you your sins because you know not what you doe and to open your eyes that you may see your errors and come out of Babylon Amen That by some taste of the truth of that which befell the vndoubted child of God Mistris Katherin Brettergh in the time of her sicknes neere before and at the instant of her death the mouth of the sclanderer which was soone opened might be some deale stopped the expectation of the godly in part satisfied and preiudice in all happilie suspended one both an eye and eare-witnesse thereof caused these few lines as an Epitaph to be fixed nigh her Hearse Id est Katherina quia Christi sanguine mundata igneaque teâ—tationum exploratione purgata Mundis eodemqus modo purgandis omnibus tum quae passa est tum etiam eorundem exitum testatissim cupit TRue it is I strone But 't was against mine enemie Strongly I struggled It was my strongest aduersarie Strongly not in my selfe but in my euer-helper strong Strongly alas weake woman weakely strong Strongly though faintly which was fleshes infirmitie Strongly and doubtfully through my soes lying subtiltie Strangely I grant till streÌ„gth it selfe in weakenes was sâ—eâ—â— strong And Sauiour mine did in the battailes throng Plainely display his banner-booke in open field VVhich seene mine aduersaries all gan shrinke fall yeeld So Christ the victor searching the spoiâ—e taking his pray Me found for him tooke to him So I past from you away VVitnes hereof my often'pplied faith's confessions VVitnes my prayers plainâ—s tearefull eyes hart yearning meditatioÌ„s VVitnes my sweate strong trembling thirst my biâ—ning â—caâ—e Peace ioy passage all harts that present then with mine did beate But be all silent One for me the truth will tell My witnes now in heauen with whom I crowned dwell And learne by me with God and 's word your childhood to acquaint Then aged finally though hap's at times you shall not saint Si non testantis side Monentis charitate Moueamini Anâ—iphonicâ—s eidem IT 's not vnlike Christ's deaâ—e such conflict you endur'de The members must be like the head vve are assur'de 'T vvas not amisse you did so fiâ—rce hot sirie triall bide To haue pure gold some seauen times is tride It were vnmeete the seruants better then their Lord should finde The Captaine passe the pikes the souldiers stay behinde 'T is meete for vvhom Christ dranke off all that bitter cup They of the same vvith him a little dram should sup And though your life your birth your vertuous education Your holy course in Reading Prayer Meditation Meekenes patience pitie and religious chastitie Both in your maried state and free virginitie Did vvorthilie import you vvere the same You did professe and as did sound your name Yet that your death prou'd cleerer seuen fold You t'he Christ's member seruent souldier and gold Noutheticon LEarne all by this and others more iust Abrahams breede Borne in the Church nurst of her brests begotteÌ„ of immortal seâ—d Learne you that stand haue peace feele ioy see light Partake God's spirit tasting his grace and heauenly gift The time may come that you may fall war rise peace seeme straÌ„ge You ioy vvith anguish light for deaths shadovv may exchange Satan may buffer Gods spirit driue you to the vvildernes The booke mouth sweetning be to your bellies bitternes Learne ye that in these heauie changingâ— be God changeth neuer neuer doe his graces die Graces fountaine runneth euer it floweth aboundantly We doe not alwaies thirst seeld called come oft drinke we sparingly Learne you that in these blessed feelings haue no pâ—â—t Nor of the bitter changings feele the smart Your wretched state who liuing are as dead withouten sence Who dead shall euer liue tormented going hence Learne all iudge not before the time happie and bless'd is he VVho of the sillie humbled poore doth iudge aduisedly Edw. Aspinwall Katherina Pura Christo quâ—â—â— purgata Vita Christo praparata Morte Christo dedicata Coelis Christo coniâ—gata W. F. The holie life and Christian death of Mistris Katherin Brettergh THis Gentlewoman was borne in Cheshyre the daughter of Iohn Bruen of Bruenstapleford Esquire well descended and of an auncient house Her education before her marriage was such as became the profession of the Gospell in godlinesse and puritie of life and Religion and well beseemed the house where she was brought vp The Scriptures she knew from a childe and by reading thereof gained such knowledge that she was able readilie to applie them when occasion was offered as wee may see at the time of her death and that so fitly and effectually that she seemed to haue made them her daily meditation For the things of this world she was moderate and sober and by her Christian life and death she might teach many Gentlewomen how vaine the pleasures and fashions of this world are and how farre vnable to bring that peace to a distressed heart that the embracing of true Religion can She vsed not to gad abroad with wandring Dinah to dancing greenes markets or publike assemblies but rather with Hannah did chuse to tread vpon the dust of the sanctuarie and walke in the waies of Sion yea with Dauid rather to be a doore keeper in the house of God then to haue societie with the wicked or to dwell in the tents and Tabernacles of the vngodlie The Sabbaoth day was alwaies deere and welcome to her what time she would not be without the word preached though many times she went farre for it Her delight was still to
consecrate it glorious to the Lord. And as it is said of Iosiah his heart melted when he heard the law so may it be said of her her heart was so tender and full of compassion that oftentimes she was seene to heare Sermons reade pray and meditate with teares She made conscience of all sinne yea of the least sinne such as worldlings count no sinne she neuer vsed to sweare o th great nor small nor yet to abuse her tongue with vaine or vnseemely speeches no not so much as a iest-lye or immodest word neither durst she name the name of God or take his titles in her mouth without great reuerence In priuate speech where shee might speake with profit she did it so well that her speeches might haue been deliuered by a stronger vessell then her selfe her words being so well seasoned and proceeding from such a sanctified heart did alwaies minister grace to the hearers To reade to pray to sing to meditate was her daily exercise and her chiefest delight was in the holie societie of the Saints vpon earth which I say not for any cause but only to shew the fountaine froÌ„ whence her godly end flowed and that the world may see some there be which chuse rather to be ioyned with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season and these I doubt not haue chosen the better part Finally the precepts of the Lord were precious vnto her for from her childhood she feared God and walked before him both knowledge and sanctification did ioyne in her the fruits effects whereof did appeare in her life and was seene at her death to the glorie of God and comfort of all beholders She was not like the simple Popish women of our daies which are euer learning and neuer able to come to the knowledge of the truth but rather like the noble men and women of Berâ—a which receiued the word of God with readines and were able to discerne of Paul and Silas preaching But why doe I speake of Popish women whose vnderstandings are darker then the darkenes of Aegypt Let vs come and examine many other which seeme to detest Poperie and aske them a reason of their faith they can tell you a tale of their ruffes and their pride and their vanitie but for Religion it is the least thing they regard or seeke to know which I speake not so much to solace my selfe in the sinnes and simplicitie of others as earnestly desiring all Gentlewomen that either knew this holy saint of God or hereafter shall heare of her insteed of your glasses at home wherein you prick and prune and pin your selues to looke into this glasse before your eyes that so her life and death may be an example for you to follow When she was about twentie yeeres old by the consent of her selfe her friends shee was married to a young Lancashire Gentleman Master William Brettergh of Bretterghoult neere Liuerpoole one that likewise embraced Religion sincerely and for the same indured many grieuances at the hands of Papists Two yeeres and more she liued after she was married and had issue only one daughter during which time this couple liued together in such mutuall ioy and comfort as well beseemed the children of God which make profession of his trueth And although this Gentlewoman came from the habitations of Abraham to dwell in Sodome amidst the tents of Kedar that is to say among inhumane bands of brutish Papists induring many temporal grieuancos from them yet her knowledge patieâ—nâ—â— mild inclination and constancie for the trueth was such as that her husband was farther builded vp in Religion by her meanes and his face daily more and more hardened against the diuell and all his plaguâ—â— agents the Popish Recusants Church Pâ—pists prophane Atheists and carnall Protestants which swarmed together like Hornets in those parts It is not vnknowne to Lancashire what horses and cattell of her husbands were killed vpon his grounds in the night most barbarously at two seuerall times by Seminarie Priests no question and Recusants that lurked thereabouts And what a losse and hinderance it was vnto him being all the stocke hee had on his grounds to any purpose This fell out not long after shee was married to him yet this was so farre from disâ—laying her or working such passion in her as are common to her sex that she rather reioyced then sorrowed turning it into matter of praising God and submitting her selfe to his good prouidence Oft she would haue 〈…〉 It is good that such things be but wâ—â— be to them that doe them It is good in God there by to chasten his children and preuent some sinne which he sawe vs like to fall into It is good in respect of Gods Church that the weake may be confirmed in the trueth and that Papistrie may be disgraced when the world shall see such wickednesse flow from it It is good in God that so the wicked may bee without excuse at the day of iudgement when their consciâ—ncâ— shall tell them that howsoeuer God suffers them to doe such villaniâ— for some iust cause knowne to himselfe yet they commit it onely of malice and reuenge Oftentimes also in these vexations she would haue said the mercies of God are infinite who doth not only by his word but also by his iustice make vs fit for his kingdome Little doe our enemies know what good by these things they doe vnto vs and what wrack they bring to their owne kingdome while they set foorth the wickednesse thereof Many times she would pray that God would forgiue them which had done them this hurt and send them repentance and she would call vpon her husband that he would doe the like and blesse them that cursed him And for feare least her husband should faile in that poynt through infirmitie and weakenes as it is said of Iob who offered sacrifice for his sonnes least peraduenture they should sinne and blaspheme God in their hearts so she neuer failed but daily prayed vnto the Lord to sanctific her husbands thoughts and direct his heart aright only to seeke Gods glorie without either desire of reuenge or satisfying his owne affections So humble was her spirit so carefull to auoyde and preuent sinne both in her selfe and others and so mild of nature that as Iacob with his mildnes softened the malicious heart of Esau his brother and Dauid by his kindnes in the caue chaunged the furie of Saul into weeping and confessing that Dauid was more righteous then heâ—so she by her meeknesse humilitie and vnspotted carriage in the world forced some of the aduersaries to Religion to speake well of her For her life she was well reported of all that knew her Pitifull and bountifull was she to the poore and slacked no opportunitie to doe good wherein she could but constantly held her course and kept her times of praying reading and meditating wherein she
portion of mine inheritaâ—â—â— The place where I now am is sweet and pleasant oh how pleasant is the sweete perfume of the place where I lye It is sweeter then Aarons composed perfume of principall spices how comfortable is the sweetnes I feele It is like that odour that proceedes from the golden censor that delights my soule The taste is precious do you not feele it Oh so sweete it is yea sweeter then mirrh the hony or the hony combe Let me therefore sing againe and againe vnto my Lord and my God Then she did sing the 19. Psalme beginning at the 7. verse how perfect is the law of God c. and so on to the end of the same And after yâ— spirituall reioysing in singing of Psalmes she then prayed vnto God faithfully and praised the Lord againe ioyfully And being still full of these and such like heauenly consolations she did sing againe most hartily vnto the praise of God the 136. Psalm Praise ye the Lord for he is good for his mercy indureth for euer c. In which Psalme for his mercie indureth for euer is 26. times repeated A christian friend comming in at the same time which was about sixe of the clock in the euening marueiling to see her exceeding ioyes and heauenly harmonie wherein she continued with such words and phrases that were so spirituall prayed for the continuance of the same vnto the end whereupon she then burst out relating further of her ioyes saying Oh the ioyes the ioyes the ioyes that I feele in my soule oh they be wonderfull they be wonderfull they be wonderfull And after that she prayed for increase of faith and that God would strengtheÌ„ her against temptations with continuall crauing of remission of sinnes euer meditating of heauenly matters as by her sudden and often breaking out into heauenly speeches and praises did appeare for the same euening she lying still and silent for a while one prayed her to remember the Lord Iesus and that she would in her heart pray for constancie in her ioyfull course whereunto she answered with a delightsome cheerefull countenance and comfortable voyce Oh said she so I doe for the Lord is my light and my saluation whom then shall I feare Though an host pitch against me yet my heart shall not be afraid for the Lord hath said I will not leaue thee nor forsake thee Indeede I should verily haue fainted but that I beleeued to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the liuing And now my heart is readit my heart is readie and prepared yea it panteth after thee O God as the Hart brayeth after the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God my soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing God When Lord when shall I come and appeare before thy presence c. Saying then further Lord sith it hath pleased thee to prepare my heart whether to life or death thy will be done dispose of me to thine owne glory I am thine Lord worke thy blessed pleasure and good will vpon me And after this she fell into a short slumber awaking said as the spouse said vnto Christ in the Canticles Oh come kisse me with the kisses of thy mouth for thy loue is better then â—ine Oh how sweet the kisses of my Sauiour be Then one said vnto her alluding to that place of S. Iohn Reuel 3. 8. and praying that the Lord would annoint her with the eye-salue of his grace that she might see and behold his glorie To whom she answered Mine eyes are opened mine eyes are opened though for a while they were closed vp and shut yet now I thank my God mine eyes are opened and I do feele and see the euerliuing mercies of my Christ saying then further as it is in the 27. Psalme Thou saidst seeke my face my heart answered to thee O Lord I will seeke thy face O hide not therefore thy face from me nor cast thy seruant away in displeasure thou hast been my succour leaue me not nor forsake me O God of my saluation And being willed to commit her soule into the hands of Christ she said O Lord Iesus thou hast redeemed me pleade thou my cause for into thy hands alone doe I commit my spirit O thou God of truth And then feeling more ioy to abound one praising God with her for his great mercies shewed toward her she further said I giue thee thankes O father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them vnto me thy poore handmaid which am but dust and ashes O how mercifull and marueilous gracious arâ— thou vnto me yea Lord I feele thy mercie and I am assured of thy loue and so certaine am I thereof as thou art that God of truth euen so sure doe I know my selfe to be thine O Lord my God and this my soule knoweth right well and this my soule knoweth right well which speech of her assuraÌ„ce she ofteÌ„ repeated Presently after this sitting vp in her chaire she sung the fourth Psalme and then being laide downe againe in her bed she confidently spake these words I am sure that my redeemer liueth and that I shall see him at the last day whom I shall see and mine eyes shall behold and though after my skin wormes destroy this bodie yet shall I see God in my flesh with these eyes and none other Then came in to see her toward euening Master William Harrison the Preacher praising God for her continuance in that her ioyfull and most happy course and perswading her to an holie perseuerance in the same she thanked him and desired him to reioyce in Christ with her and to praise God for his mercies to her and said Oh Master Harrison my soule hath been compassed about with terrors of death feare within and feare without the sorrowes of hell were vpon me knots and knorres were vpon my soule which twice or thrice she repeated and a roring wildernesse of woe was within me but blessed blessed blessed be the Lord my God who hath not left me cofortles but like a good shepheard hath he brought me into a place of rest euen to the sweete running waters of life that flowe out of the sanctuarie of God and he hath lead me into the greene pastures where I am fed and exceedingly comforted yea he hath restored my soule and lead me into the plaine and easie paths of righteousnes The way that now I goe in is a sweete and easie way strowed with flowers and as a fine sandie way yea it is more easie and soft then the sand for I goe and tread vpon wheate euen vpon the finest flower of wheate Oh blessed be the Lord O blessed be the Lord that hath thus coforted me hath brought me now to a place more sweeter vnto
me then the Garden of Eden Oh the ioy the ioy the delight some ioy that I feele Oh how wonderfull how wonderfull how wonderfull is this ioy O praise the Lord for his mercies and for this ioy which my soule feeleth sulwel praise his name for euermore And these praises of God she sounded forth like Dauids harmonie being indued with Dauids spirit to the praise of the eternall and mercifull God continuing all night in such like prayers and praises to God except some small time that she was silent and quiet Master Harrison praied twice with her that euening as also in the morning being Whit sunday After hee had prayed once with her going then toward his publike charge she sent for him to pray once more with her before he went which he did to the ioy and gladnes of heart both of her and all that were present and so he tooke leaue of her and departed Another faithfull man or two came presently in that morning and diuers other well affected who were with her at the time of her death and often prayed with her that forenoone she still abounding in spirituall comforts and consolations sometimes as one awaking out of sleepe shee would say the Lord was her keeper and deliuerer Againe one saying vnto her the Lord blesse you Yea said she and the Lord Iesus blesse vs all And so seeming to sleepe a little while and awaking againe she said Lord I trust in thee haue mercie vpon me giue me strength to praise thee defend and preserue me in the houre of temptation and lay no more vpon me then thou wilt enable me to beare Afterwards being asked if she would haue them ioyne in prayer together againe with her O yes said she for Christs sake I desire it saying thus to her selfe Heare O Lord and haue mercie vpon me Lord be thou my helper thou hast loosed my sacke and garded me with gladnes therefore will I praise thee O Lord my God I will giue thankes to thee for euermore With that all that were present did ioyne in prayer with her and in conclusion vsing the Lords Prayer which she said with them to thine is thy kingdome her strength then being gone her tongue failed her and so she lay silent for a while euery one iudging her then to be neere death her strength and speech failing her yet after a while lifting vp her eyes with a sweet countenance and still voyce said My warrefare is accomplished and my iniquities are pardoned Lord whoÌ„ haue I in heauen but thee and I haue none in earth but thee my flesh faileth and my heart also but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for euer He that preserueth Iacob and defendeth his Israel he is my God and will guide me vnto death guide me O Lord my God and suffer me not to faint but keepe my soule in safetie And with that she presently fell a sleepe in the Lord passing away in peace without any motion of body at all and so yeelded vp the Ghost a sweete Sabboaths sacrifice about foure of the clocke in the afternoone of Whit sunday being the last of May 1601. This was the death of that vertuous Gentlewoman happily dying in the Lord and reaping the benefit of a holie profession wherein we cannot but acknowledge and reuerence the mercie of God who in our greatest infirmitie makes his grace to shine most cleerely A sure testimonie of the truth of our profession seruing to incourage vs therein and to moue vs to a godly life It must needes be a diuine Religion and a truth comming from God that thus can fill the heart and mouth of a weake woman at the time of death with such admirable comfort And a wretched conceite and meere antichristian is that religion which so hateth and persecuteth this faith which is thus able to leade the true-hearted professors thereof with such vnspeakeable peace vnto their graues Her funerall was accomplished at Childwal Church on Wednesday following being the third of Iune 1601. And now for conclusion seeing this blessed Gentlewoman is taken from among vs and receiued into the holy habitations of the heauenly Ierusalem there to remaine in ioye glorie and blessednes for euermore let vs lament for our losse but reioyce for her gaine and let vs pray that in heart wee could as willingly wish to bee with her as she is now vnwilling to be with vs. Salomon saith The memoriall of the iust shall be blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot Prou. 10. 7. FINIS a Rernard epist. 314. b Euseb. eccles hist. lib. 3 cap. 39. c Habes nâ—scio quid latentis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viua vox in aures discipuli de authoriâ— ore transfusa fortius sonat Hier. Paulinâ— d Quid si ipsam audissetis bestiam sua verba resonantem Hier. ibid. Philip. 3. 1. e Bellarm. de not Eccles. 4 17. ex Cochleo Lindan c. f Bellarm. dâ— not Eccles. 4. 8. g Lindan de sug Idol cap. 11. h â—ox Act. mon. p. 520. ex Alan Cope dial i Alan Cope â—iaâ—og More dial Act. mon. sag 743. k More praefat contra Tindal l Harding reioynd against Iuel fol. 184. See Act. mon. p. 1766. Iude 9. 1 Isal. 646. Psal. 143. 2. 1. Cor. 4. 4. Phil. 3. 9. Rom. 5. 19. Sicut ille ex semesips nascentibus licès non man â—â—cauerint de ligno factus est causa mortis ita Christus qui ex ipso sunt tametsi nihil iusâ—e egerunt factus est proâ—isor iustitiae quâ— per crtiâ—em nobis omnibus condâ—naâ—is August cont â—ulian Pelag. lib. 1. cap. 2. ex Ioh. episcâ—p Delicta nostra sua delicta â—ecit vt iustitiam suam nostram iustitiam facâ—res August in Psal. 21. Bernard in Cant. ser. 71. lla est iustitâ—â— per quaÌ„ impâ—uâ—erigitur vt cadat in poenam â—ulgent de incar grat Chri. cap. 27. Rom. 10. 3. Quod lex operum minaâ—do inperat lex fidei credendo impeirat De spirit lit cap. 13. Rhem. Test. 2. Cor. 8. sect 3. 2 1. Ioh. 3. 7. Iam. 2. 21. Vers. 24. Th. Aquin. in hunc locum Ro. 3. 20 28. 2 Pro. 30. 1â— 1 Luk. 1. 6. Iam. 2. 10. 2. King 5. 18 Mar. 6. 20. Greg. mag moral 11. 19. cap 17. Eccles. 10. 1. 2 Matt. 5. 16. 1. Cor. 10. 31 Matth. 6. 3 Rom. 11. 29. Ezek. 18. 24 Hes. 6. 4. Phil. 3. 13. 4 Psal. 16. 3. Psal. 51. 13. Luk. 22. 32. 2 1. Tim. 1. 13 Rom. 9 23. Prou. 28. 13 Rom. 4. 6. Vers. 7. Prou. 11. 17. Matth. 5. 7. Math. 18. 33 Iam. 2. 13. Math. 9 36 37. Math. 15. 32 Tho. Aquin. secunda secunda qu. 32 arâ— 2. â— Heb. 9. 27. Iosh 23. 14. 1. King 2. 2. Eccles 7. 4. Eccles. 2. 15. Eccles. 3. 19. Question Answere Morâ— minimè quidem adhuc abesse cogitur sed cogitur non obesse Bernard in trans