first comfort the godly in that their liues lie not in the power of men or malice of Satan for these indeed would swallow them vp quicke when they are displeased at them and the godly neuer want the wicked or the Diuels displeasure you shall see some of the Iewes band together and binde themselues by an oath that they will neither eate nor drinke till they haue killed Paul but their plot shall bee preuented and Paul preserued till the time appointed of God Tyrants may take away the life of the godly but they cannot cut off the lappes of their coats nor touch the skirts of their garments without Gods permission and he will neuer permit them before the appoynted time Pharaoh would haue taken away Moses his life often but God had not appointed it so for Moses died in the land of Moab Saul thought to make sure worke with Dauid when he ran at him with a speare but God had appointed that Dauid should die a naturall death in his bedde as he did wee see such men as are grieuously wounded oftentimes doe not die as on the contrary the cutting of a corne doth kill some what is the cause but the performance of Gods appoynted time in both Asaph was but sick in his feet farre from the heart he ◅s to seeke helpe of the Phisition yet dies of the disease Hezechiah was sicke at the heart and at the poynt of death yet liues many yeares after because his time determined by God was not yet come when he should die though in regarde of his disease in the sight of man the day was come that hee should die One lies long sicke yet recouers because his time is not come another as hee walkes in his chamber or sits in his chaire drops downe and neuer riseth because his time is come To conclude this Vse for the comfort of the godly though their enemies that seeke to spill their blood be many and those mighty and malicious withal yet all these cannot diminish one day of this life which the Lord hath decreed Secondly this may serue for reproofe of such as dreame dote only vpon second causes and neuer looke to Gods councell and decree This makes these men cry out and say when their friends are taken away Oh it was for want of learned Phisitians about him yet died of no dangerous diseases while hee looked to second causes and not to the Lord without whose appointment nothing can come to passe A Sparrow cannot fall to the ground without Gods guiding prouidence nor a bird fall into a snare where no fouler is In the pestilence they cry out of the infection of the ayre in consumptions of sorrow and griefe in feuers of cold in famine of foule weather in warre of the malice of the enemies but Moses would haue men to looke to a higher hand in all these For it is the Lord saith hee that shall smite men with consumptions and with the feuer and with the burning ague and with feruent heat and with the sword and with drought with the mildew The second causes I know that is such meanes as God hath appointed for the preseruation of life must not bee despised yet they must not be doted vppon vse these carefully but commit the successe to God who onely can blesse these meanes and will whensoeuer they may serue for the performance of his purpose and his time appointed which can by no meanes be either preuented or auoyded Thirdly this may teach vs to waite with patience expecting when our changing shall come It is not for vs to know the time and season the yeere or moneth of our appointed time which God hath kept secret to himselfe It is comfort enough and powerfull to perswade a patient expectation of our change to thinke how happy a change we shall haue Christ shall change our vilde bodies that they might be like vnto his glorious body when we haue the world at will and nothing comes crosse vnto vs we can be content wee say to liue as long as the Lord hath appointed but when we are pinched with pouerty or surcharged with sickenesse or vexed with sorrow and griefe then most impatiently we pray and wish that wee were out of the world and wee will not waite the Lords leisure but with the King of Israel we wickedly resolue be hold this euill is of the Lord what should I wait for the Lord any longer In these cases we can alledge Scripture that it is better to die then to liue because Salomon saith that the day of death is better thē the day of our birth Salomon doth not say that the day of death is good simply but by way of comparison better then the day of birth and yet this may seeme in humane sence and reason to be absurd for there is ioy when a man is born into the world The number of the children of God is increased life is the gift of God How thē can the day of death be better then the day of life The meaning of Salomon is that life is attended with many miseries for we are borne to labour and trauell subiect to sickenesses and sorrow and sinne nothing but death can deliuer vs from all these and therefore better is the day of death then the day of birth yet be it neuer so good be it better then life yea be it best of all to be with Christ Though we haue here no abiding Citie Though we be strangers and pilgrimes Though soiourners as all our fathers were Dust and ashes Wormes of the earth Though wee were worse then all these yet we must wait Gods appointed time Though the euer-liuing God hath condemned mankinde to death which is the wages of sinne and to the graue which is the house appointed for all the liuing yet may we not either hasten our death or digge our own graues and descend into them before we be dead Though our bodies bee but houses of clay earthly houses or tents rather yet may wee not pull downe these houses ouer our heads or remoue these tents before our Generall giue command but waite till our changing come In a word God hath determined that we must die and therefore death should be welcome when it doth come but he hath determined withall when we must die and therfore nothing should make vs weary of waiting till it doe come Fourthly this point duly considered may reprooue such that goe about to shorten their liues these men presume to appoint their own time with a fals key to open this prison of their body and let their soules depart before God call for it or giue them any commission vnto it It is true that God hath appointed this time for these mens deaths in his secret counsell but it is more then they know and for ought that they see they might liue longer if
THE PATRIARCHS PORTION OR The Saints best Day Deliuered in a Sermon at the Funerall of Sir THOMAS REYNELL of Ogwell in Deuon Knight Aprill 16. 1618. Wherein may be seene 1 The shortnesse of mans life 2 A Christians combat against 1 Sathan 2 The World 3 The Flesh. 4 Sinne. 3 A preparation to die well 4 The reward of glory after Warfare By Iohn Preston Preacher of Gods Word at East-Ogwell in Deuon LONDON Printed by A. M for Roger Iackeson and are to be sold at his shop in Fleetstreet neere Fleete Conduit 1619. TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull Richard Reynell Esquire and Thomas Reynell and Walter Reynell his brethren Grace happinesse and Peace c. Right Worshipfull THe world may well woonder what winde hath driuen these Papers of mine to the Presse or what should presse me to send these vnpollished meditations 〈◊〉 the Censure of the world which â—ere conceiued and brought forth in fewer dayes then a weeke affords but being sent abroad why I should bequeath them to your protections none need to wonder considering the many encouragements and continuall kindnesses I receiued froÌ„ your worthy father whose Funerals these are and vnto whose fauour next vnder God I ascribe the greatest part of my worldly wel-being I am â—otâ— to râ—bbe vp and open 〈◊〉 â—ound of griefe which oâ—r coâ—ntrey receiâ—â—d but you most of all by the death of the Right Worshipfull your deare father The griefe will bee the lesse to you for the losse of his Person if you follow his footsteps in that Religious course of life which he hath trodde forth before you For I may say of him as Austinâ— o◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quidem â—…ma in â—ocieta 〈◊〉 fidelium câ—â—tâ—ruÌ„ recepta laudes nec curat nec quaerit humanus imitationeÌ„ tantuÌ„ quaerit The imitation of his vertues will be more pleasing and praise-worthy then either my commendation of his life or your lamentations for his death Children wil most willingly writè after their father's Copy and few fathers can set fairer Copies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 childre◠〈◊〉 yours hath done to you if you write not well the world will wonder But â—old on as you haue begun you â—il make it doubtful 〈…〉 whether 〈…〉 happy the children who had such a father 〈…〉 them or the 〈◊〉 who had suchâ— children to follow fast after him My due respect for that vndeserued loue which I haue alwayes found from your 〈…〉 these papers â—â—to your hands wherein you may find something which may helpe forward your happy course towards heauen it hath pleased God to set some of you in places of Authority to serue 〈…〉 Countrey others he hath sent to serue his Prince at the Court and you haue need both of good heads and good hearts too that you may hold out in these high places If these poore meditatioÌ„s of mine may serue as Phillips boy to put yoâ— in mind of your mortality which it mâ—y make you diâ— the happier but neuerâ— whit the sooner I shoulâ— thinke my smal labor ful ly recompenced and mâ— maine end which is God glory somwhat furthered To your honorable acceptance therfore I commeÌ„â— these short meditations and both you and them tâ— Gods blessing Yours in the Loâ—d I. P. THE PATRIARCHS PORTION Or The Saints best day IOB 71. Is not time determined of warfare to man vpon earth And are not his dayes as the dayes of an hireling THat which God somtime said of his Holy City Ierusalem Many excellent things are spoken of thee thou Citie of God the same we may say of holy Iob many excellent things are spoken of thee thou seruant of God yea more many excellent things are spoken by thee His Piety and his Patience are most remarkeable For the former is praised by God The other proposed as a patterne to bee practised by men Hee spake of mans entrance into the woâ—lde Naked came I into the world and of his passage out of this world Naked shall I go out againe of mans short continuance in this world and of the many miseries that meete him while hee doth continue Man that is borne of a woman is of short continuance and full of tâ—oubl That profession which the good Patriarch Iacob makes before Pharaoh Few and â—uill are the dayes of my pilgrimage might Iob as truely take vp few in comparison of his Fathers For Abraham liued 175. yeares Isaack liued 180. yeares whereas â—â—cob liued but 130 yeares And are not my dayes few saith Iob and as for the quantity they were few so for the quallity they were euill in regarde of the misery and sorrow which in these few dayes he indured For who more exercised in miseries then Iob was who was harder held vnder the correcting hand of God then hee For first God deliuered all that hee had into the hands of Sathan who did not abate him an inch of all the ill he could doe him but by degrees brings him to the height of misery The Sabeans tooke away his Oxen and Asses which we must needes grant was a great losse The fire burned his sheepe and seruants and this was more fearefull then the former Then the Caldeans fell vpon his Cammels a greater crosse in his commodity then all the former Then a wind from beyond the wâ—ldernessâ— blowes downe the house ouer the heads of his Sonnes and Daughters and they are all dead in one day a greater heart â—reake then all the rest and yet the Diuels spite doth not rest but gets leaue from the Lord to fâ—nite Iob with boyles from the sole of his foot to the crowne of his head Whether it were a Lâ—prosie as some say or the French disease as others thinke or some other more loathsome disease and such as neuer man before him felt doubtlesse it was fearefull and foule In all these it was not the least part of his misery that these come so thicke one in the necke of another before the former haue done his full spite But what comfort hath hee in the midst of these crosses a man would imagine his wife should comfort him but alas shee addeth vnto his crosse and prooues the sharpest corrasiue vnto his soule when shee bids him blaspheme God and die and what comfort he had from his friends we finde Miserable comforters are you all Hereby I hope you see what cause Iob had to say Is there not a time of warfare appointed to man vpon earth and are not his dayes as the dayes of an hireling as wee haue it in my Text In which words Two things are obseruable 1. The sharpnesse of mans life subiect to many troubles in these words Is there not a time of warfare to man vpon earth 2. The shortnesse of mans life in these words Are not his daies as the daies of an hireling For the meaning of the words you may conceiue them better if wee enlarge them a little as if Iob had in more words said thus
themselues were not the cause and so they crosse the reneiled will of God which onely can bee our warrant in all our actions Againe though they were so much of Gods secret Counsell as to know that God had appointed this to be the time yet they know that God hath not appointed either themselues or such violent meanes to make good his purpose at his appointed time No no it is misery that makes these men weary of their liues and therefore like the foolish fish they will leape out of the frying-Pan into the fire out of short trouble here into eternall torments hereafter He that will liue godly must suffer persecution hee that will come into heauenly Canaan must passe through this earthly Egypt Through many afflictions we must enter into heauen and shal we then cut off the thred of our life because wee finde some knots in it Abimelech cut off his owne life so did Saul so did Ahithophell so did Iudas and so doe many in their desperate humour now a dayes by the cunning of Satan but not without the secret vnsearchable and iust iudgement of God Fiftly and finally if our time be determined and that time known to God vnknowne to man certaine to him vncertaine to vs we must prepare against that time come we are men and therfore mortall weake men and therefore secure for we are euery day dying and cannot long liue as old men haue death before their eyes so yong men haue him behind their backs and betwixt old and yong I desire no other difference but this that yong men may die quickly and old men cannot liue long and therefore all must be prepared Be ye prepared therefore for the Sonne of man will come in an houre when ye thinke not All must prepare old and yong rich and poore great and small noble and ignoble old men must prepare for they must shortly die they should put their houses in order they should with sence and sorrow confesse their sinnes to God saying Against thee against thee onely haue we sinned they should labour for life to be at peace with God and their owne consciences and if it be possible to haue peace with all men Yong men should prepare for they may die before those that goe crooked with age they haue no Charters of their liues It is not policie nor gay and gorgeous apparell not eloquence of an Angels tongue not strong Castles and stately houses not pompe nor promotion can take day with death or perswade the wormes to pitty them nor preserue their names from perpetuall infamy These things may procure honour on earth but no happinesse in heauen If all were not subiect to death yong men might hope to be exempted but a new ship may as soone be dasht in pieces meeting with a rocke as one that is old and weather-beaten a yong tree may be ouerturned with a whirlewind as soon as that which is old and blasted many old men haue out-liued these thaâ— were yong but neuer any yong or olde that liued and did not die Doth not euery man beare about him in his own bosome that which will bring him to his end are wee not all sick of the same disease euen the consumption of our daies Time pretious time passeth away swiftly and with it wee passe towardes our end and like those in a ship we perceiue it not and therefore prepare not for it or thinke not of the danger of it for as death leaueth vs so the day of Iudgement shall finde vs. They that build faire and sumptuous houses are not certaine how long they shall hold them they that purchase lands and liuings cannot tel how long they shall possesse them they that haue gathered in a great haruest cannot tell whether they shall bee better by it they that plant cannot tell whether they shall eate of the fruit of it yet all these men are prouident to prepare for life that is vncertaine and forget death which is most certaine shall come more vncertaine when it shall come Prepare then in health for it may hardly bee done in sicknesse or at the houre of death Sicknesse may be so full of extreame sorrowe and paine and death so sudden and present that thou canst not prepare thy selfe if thou would or if thou doe yet not so well as thou wouldest many neglect to prepare themselues when they may and when they would cannot So the fiue foolish Virgins might haue had Oyle in their Lamps if they had lookt to it in time but afterward when willing they would could neither buy nor borrow any These men consider not how dangerous it is to procrastinate and pâ—…â—ff their repentance from day to day aâ—… that for two causes First God doth leaue the wicked destitute of diuine helpe in that howre I haue called saith the Lord but ye refused ye were in health in the prime of your time in the flower of your age in the heat of lust hauing by nature corrupt hearts and carnal affections liuing in pleasure passing the time in mirth subiect to youthfull wantonnesse and to vnstaidnesse of affection full of loosenesse which is the way to lewdnes of weakenesse which is the way to wickednesse then you would not heare now in your death-bed ye shall call but I will not heare but laugh at your destructioÌ„ They that forget God liuing God will forget them dying Secondly in the time of death men are more grieuously tempted and therfore it is dangerous to deferre repentance to the dying day Remember saith Salomon thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth why should wee remember God in youth because if youth be spent in vanity commonly old age will end in prophanenesse The Prophet speaketh of Crimson sinnes sinnes of a double die if it bee right Crimson or Purple it is dyed in thred in the wooll and that is euer a deepe dye so if Satan dye vs in our wooll in our youth before we be men before wee be made cloath it is like to sticke by vs and to go with vs to our graue If Sathan make thy youth vnprofitable of all the ages after there can hardly any good be hoped for if the blossome be nipt where is the hope of the Autumne Thus much for the first point that God hath determined the dayes of man how long hee shall liue A Christians combat against 1 Sathan 2 The World 3 The Flesh. 4 Sinne. THe second point of Doctrine which doth arise froÌ„ these words is this That the time appointed by man to liue vpoÌ„ earth is a time of warfare Men must liue Souldiers and die Conquerours liue fighting and die ouercomming from the cradle to the graue is a time of warfare wee haue many enemies all fierce and furious 1. The Diuell 2. The VVorld 3. The Flesh. 4. Sinne. All these we must encounter and ouercome too if it goe well with vs and woe is vnto vs
help doth come they will cut off our hands that wee shall not lift them vp in prayer vnto God as the Apostle exhorteth They will pull out our tongues that we shall not speake to God in prayer and they will binde vs hand and foot that we shall not be able to helpe our selues or goe to other to seeke for helpe Thus wee haue seene the quality of mans daies how they are sharpe The second generall point notes the quantity of our dayes that they are short in these words Are not his dayes as the daies of an hireling The Christians Crowne of glory after warfare ARe not his dayes as the dayes of a â—ireling an hireling hath a time appointed and limited how long hee shall labour and then to haue his wages so man hath a time appointed to warre and fight and then to haue his reward which is promised by him that diâ— neuer deceiue any the grand Captaine Christ Iesus who will confesse such as serue him before his Father and before the holy Angels an hireling looketh and waiteth when his day will end that hee may haue his hire so the godly desire to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ that they may receiue the Crown of glory prepared for theÌ„ Many profitable points might hence bee collected but the time will not giue me leaue to stand vpon all onely this I will briefly vrge That man shall then receiue his rewarde when hee hath ouercome when he hath done his worke God will not denie his wages this rewarde is not carnall but spirituall not earthly but heauenly not mans but Gods not merited but giuen of mercy This reward is layd vp and it is a Crowne not of thornes as on Christs head nor of gold as on earhly Kings heads but a Crowne of righteousnesse so Paul cals it a Crowne of life so Iames names it a Crown of glory so Peter stileth in yea a Crowne incorruptible and euerlasting When thou hearest of a Crowne conceiue a triumph for Crownes are layde vp for them that after victory triumph ouer the enemy There is no garland where there is no gole to runne to there is no victory where there is no enemy there is no hire where there is no labour and there is no happinesse where there is no tryall by temptation and rather then such as fight the Lords battels against sin and Sathan the world and the flesh shall want either Credit or Comfort God himselfe shall be their Crown In that day shall the Lord of hostes be for a Crowne of glory and for a Diademâ— of beauty vnto the residue of his people Esa. 28 5. So runne that you may obtaine this Crowne Such as wrastle or runne in a race will diet themselues before hand and endure much when they come to fight or runne euen sweate and pant and blow and bleed how much more should Christians in this course conflict of Christianitie especially considering the enemies with whom wee are to fight and wrastle are farre mightier for they wrastle but with men made of the same mould and mettall that wee are wee with principalities and powers and wicked spirits the time that we are to fight is farre longer they but for an houre or two but we al the daies of our life the Crowne for which wee striue is farre better they did wrastle for the applause and commendation of men or for a garland of flowers which did fade in a day we for an incorruptible Crowne of glory which God shall giue vs in his kingdome Let no man looke for his reward in this world but in the end of the day that is after death then the wages shall bee paid when wee rest from our worke As Lâ—…ch called his sonne Noah because he should comfort him and make all his labour and sorrow to eease and end Euen so all iust and righteous men may call death their Noah the sonne of their rest and end of there labours and sorrowes and sicknesses and sinne and shame for then these and all other miseries shall bee done away and shall neuer be againe and then shall hee be crowned that hath ouercome This may serue to let Christians see what a gracious Master they serue who will not see their worke vnrewarded The wicked indeed in a powâ—ing and repining humour will say as Iob settes it downe VVhat is the Almighty that we should serue him and what profit should we haue of we pray vnto him But the Christian will gladly confesse that their wages is farre beyond their worke for if wee ouercome the Crowne is not due of debt heauen is no purchase of ours but a free inheritance giuen to the godly for Christs sake Eternall life it the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord Euery man shall receiue according to his workes but not for the worth and merit of his workes The Crowne is of mercy not of merit and where there is need of mercy as what man doth not need it there is no standing vpon merit The Apostles reason in this point is plaine If saluation bee of grace it is no more of workes for else were grace no more grace and if it be of workes it is no more of grace for else were workes no more workes But saluation is of grace as the same Apostle hath plainely deliuered By grace are you saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes least any man should boast Indeed we are created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes that wee should walke in them as it followes in the same place that we should walke in them not that we may merit by them For good workes are the way wherin wee must walke to the Kingdome of Heauen but they are not the cause that wee are Crowned when wee come there Good workes wee all know proceed from the grace of God and therefore God cannot any way be indebted to vs for his owne which he giues vs. Doth not Dauid say all things come of thee and of thine owne hand we haue giueÌ„ thee Who hath giuen vnto him first and hee shall be recompenced We are borne to doe good and our whole course must be to walke in Gods commandements and a speciall commandement is to bee fruitfull in good works As hirelings are busied all day so must wee as long as we liue here exercise our hands vnto good works These are the best apparell of Christians and their most durable riches and treasures What one point doth God more presse vs vnto then this duty of doing good workes bring forth workes worthy amendment of life Be zealous of good workes And this wee cannot be till we be in Christ without me saith our Sauiour ye can doe nothing As a graft can bring forth no fruit which is not set into a stocke so no man can possibly turne his hand to any thing that is truely and
formally good till he be ingraffed into Christ and therefore it should be our wisedome and comfort to shew by good conuersation our works and our loue to prouoke one another to good works A faith busie in obedience and fruitfull in good works is the fruits of profitable Preaching and conscionable hearing a godly life is the Christians badge whereby he is knowne it is the Ensigne shewing whose Souldier he is and to whom he belongeth As the pleasant and delghtfull fruit which the Spies brought out of the promised land shewed that that was pleasant and profitable so a godly conuersation sheweth that a man is the child of God and seruant of Christ. Last of all let this serue to exhort all true Christians to liue godly in this present life alwayes to look for yea and long for death to welcome and embrace it when it doth come for there is no other meanes to put an end vnto our troublesome Warfare and to put vs in possession of our promised reward but onely death The poore Apprentice counts when the date of his Indentures ende that hee may bee made free the Day-Labourer lookes when the Sunne will set that he may leaue worke The Seafaring man and Passenger is faine when they come within kenne of land that they may attaine the Hauen and shall not we whose Indentures end not but by death who must not leaue working till the Sunne of our life be set and who can neuer come within ken of the Hauen of Heauen till we see some signes of death welcome it with all our hearts It is no wonder indeed if the wicked looke pale and wanne at the warning of death because they discry beyond death a day of Iudgement and beyond that they behold hell well may they be deiected when they feele sicknesse and almost desperate when they finde the pangs of death vpon them for besides the paine of death euery sinne serues as a Fury to torment the soule and to make it loath to depart out of the prison of the body But the godly who haue wrastled and made Warre here with their spiritual enemies are glad to heare that the time is come when they shall be crowued It was a cleare heart nothing els could doe it that gaue so bold a fâ—rehead to that good Bishop who durst on his death-bed professe I haue so liued as I neither feare to die nor shame to liue for if we so lâ—… as alwayes looking when we shall die we shall so die as not doubt but be Crownâ—d with Christ in his Kingdome The Commendations of the deceassed Partie ANd now blessed and beloued Brethren That little Boxe of oyntment which I haue brought for the buriall of this worthy and Worshipfull Knight I hope you will giue mee leaue to powre forth for a good name is like a pretious oyntment powred out and I doubt not but to fill the house with the sauoure of it and though I cannot sufficiently set forth his commendations yet I dare not so much wrong him that deserued it or you that expect it or my selfe that owe it as to be altogether silent lend me your patience then a little till I discharge this due debt of deserued praise not to be denyed vnto the dead To liue well and to die well as they are inseperable companions so they are the most certaine tokens of a true Christian and the greatest commendations that in fewest words can bee giuen a man which whether they bee not due to the deceassed Partie those that knew him best can well witnesse and you will confesse when you shall haue heard the particulars which I can but onely point at The Hebrew Doctors say of their meanest Magistrates whom they call the Court of three men that there must be in euery one of them these seuen properties VVisedome Meekenesse The feare of God Hatred of Mammon Loue of the Truth Loue of their fellow Creatures that is of other men and that they be men of good name and these seuen are indeed the same in effect with those that we finde mentioned in Exod. 18. 21. and Deut. 1. 13. And did sweetly concurre in this Man menaging the affaires of the Common wealth wherevnto he was called and did carefully and consciouably discharge I. His wisedome FOr first his wisedome was well tryed and prooued to be sound in his singular dexterity to search into and his happy successe in putting an ende to such Causes and Controuersies as were committed to him which commonly were as many and materiall us to any one man and what was it but his wisedome and mature iudgement which made cunning and crafty Companions by all meanes feare to come before him lest they should be detected and poore ignorant and innocent people so fast to flocke vnto him that they might be directed by his direction II. His Meekenesse ANd how could hee chuse but bee wise who was so meeke and so mildely and calmely did he â—â—rry himselfe that as the Heathen Hitâ—ites when they saw Abrahams meeke and milde carriage towards them saide surely thou art a Prince of God amongst vs so stubberne and sturdy Malefactors were almost well pleased with those punishments he inflicted vpon them so sweetly tempered with meeke and soft answers to their doubts and admonitions for their well doing Thus did he carefully practise that precept of the Apostle which as it concernes all Christians so particularly Ministers and Magistrates Gal. 6. 1. Brethren if a man be fallen by occasion into any fault ye which are spirituall restore such one with the spirit of meekenesse considering thy selfe least thou also bee tempted III. His feare of God ANd how could he chuse but be both â—ise meeke whose soule was seasoned with the fear of God which is both the beginning of Salomons Prouerbs The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome And the end of Salomons preaching Heare the end of all feare God and keepe his Commandements for this is the whole man without this I know not whether men be more foolish or fierce by this they are made both wise and meeke and for his feare of God though this be a sparke which the firy eyes of God can discerne the fleshly eyes of men may be deceined yet those that knew him how duely and daily he obserued his Deuotions both for prayer and reading How willingly and feelingly hee would conferre of matters of Religion how deepely hee detested all Poperie and superstition how diligently he frequented the gates of Gods house how attentiuely hee hearkened to the preaching of Gods Word and for the helpe of his memory would note downe many worthy sayings deliuered by diuers Preachers which were found in his studie after his death how wisely he made choyce of such bookes as may help forward our mortification wherein hee could not too much commend Master Perkins Workes the Deceitfulnesse of the heart and the Practice of Pietie must needs confesse that hee did indeed truely
feare God IIII. His hatred of Mammon COuetousnesse Contentednesse can no more agree together then fire and water how could he but bee content whose delight was in the Lord which as Dauid saith wil bring a man his hearts delight Godlinesse is great gaine with contentation not if a man can bee content for that brings contentation with it wheresoeuer it comes And as impossible it is for a Godly man not to bee contented as it is for a contented man to be couetous his feare of God therefore frees him from this breeding sinne of couetousnesse Couetousnesse is cruell so was not hee but kind hearted towards all What Tenant can complaine that hee did ouer rack their rents what neighbour can iustly accuse him that hee did ouer-beare them in their right or ouer-burden them with his might Couetousnesse is alwaies complaining of some thing that it wants so was not hee but most thankefully acknowledged Gods goodnesse for that hee had Couetousnesse keepes no hospitality hee did and that not onely vpon good dayes like some that will kill an Oxe or two at Christ-tide that scarce kill a Sheepe all the yeare after but all the yeare long yea many yeares together without euer seeking to liue in some corner of a City to saue charges as too many far more able then he daily doe Couetousnesse is â—unning and crafty so was not hee but like a true Nathaniel in whom there was no guile hee louing nothing better in others nor practised nothing more carefully in himselfe then plaine downe-right honest dealing V. His loue of the Truth ANd this is not ouely the worde of truth as the Gospell is called as heere it is taken that is true dealing both in word and deed Hee who knew that Dauid would not endure a lyer to tarry in his sight and that God will not suffer a lyer to come in his kingdome made it his Christian 〈◊〉 that neither his tongue might belie his heart by speaking otherwise then he thought nor his hands belie his tongue by doing otherwise then hee spake Liâ— not one to another saith the Apostle for you are members one of another VI. His loue ANd indeed such was his loue to his fellow meÌ„bers that he took as tenderly what did touch theÌ„ as if himselfe had felt it his sympathie fellow-seeling of his brethrens wrongs made him ready to heare any poore mans complaint and to helpe them if hee could sometimes speaking for them sometimes writing for them with his owne hand alwayes in his heart pittying the poore and oppressed Hee knew how fatall it is for members of the same bododie to fall out amongst themselues and therefore hee was alwaies busie in that blessed worke of making peace Composing controuersies and ending sutes of Law sometimes by faire words intreating sometimes by giuing counsell aduising sometimes by plaine and and pregnant places of Scripture conuincing the wilfull there were not many dayes in the whole yeare excepting the Sabbath wherein hee was not sought vnto and many times would hee sit from morning till night hearing and examining such matters as came before him being demanded by some why hee would sit so long so tyring out himselfe spending his spirits and endangering his health his answer was that by his place and calling and good of his countrey hee was to doe it and for himselfe hee said hee was as a Candle wasting himselfe to giue light to others disquieting himselfe to quiet others and troubling himselfe to free others from trouble To conclude this particular there are more then many that can witnesse that as it was said of Iob so wee may say of him that he was eyes to the blind feet to the lame a father to the poore and a friend to all Finally for his good name the sweet sauour of it spread it selfe further then himselfe was knowne and begins now after his death to grow stronger and stronger Iacobs body was neuer embalmed with so sweet spices as this mans name and memory is seasoned with the sauour of his vertues and euer shall be honoured with variety of fresh praises which not only his godly life which you haue heard but his gracious death which in a word you shall heare will alwaies afford It is the nature of naturall motions that the nearer they come to their end the swifter they are surely we may easily imagine that this mans motion to heauen was come naturally such haste he did make thither now towardes his end Hence it was that he professed that he was wearie of this world wherein he neuer found any sound comfort or content that hee was desirous to goe to his owne home for here hee sayde he was but a stranger and pilgrim not long before he fell a sleep he cited two verses of the 39. Psalme The words are these Heare my prayer O Lord and hearken vnto my cry keepe not silence at my teares and with those wordes wept for I am a stranger with thee and a saiourner as all my fathers were stay thine anger from me that I may recouer strength before I goe hence and bee no more seene What shal I say of his humble ConfessioÌ„ that hee was a great sinner his strong Considence in Christ his Sauiour that sweete peace of conscience which hee did finde in his foule by the assured remission of his sins and that infallible assurance of saluation that hee should lâ—â—e for euer with God of which and other points he sweetly discoursed fiue dayes before his death not without sighes and teares the true messengers and best Oratâ—rs of a penitent soule Thus might he at his death make as bolde a profession as that good Bishop I haue so liued that I am neither affraid to die quickly nor ashamed to liue lâ—nger hee need not indeed for a good life is the forerunner of a good death As Iâ—râ—â— saith I haue not read nor heard but that hee who liued well died well Thus wee know this Worshipfull Knight and worthy Gouernour in his Country liued and thus we doubt not but he died in the Lord and liueth with the Lord. The Lord grant vs all grace to liue and die in him Amen FINIS a Iob. 1. 1 b Iam. 5 11 c Iob. 1 â—1 d Iob. 14 1 e Gen. 47 9 f Gen. 25. 7 g Gen. 35 28 h Iob. 10. 28 i Iob. 1 12 k Ver. 4. l Vâ—â— 17. m Iob. 2 7 n Iob. 2 9 o Iob. 16. 2 p Heb. 9 27 q Iob. 14 5 r 2 Sâ—m 12 18 s Gen. 5 27 t Eccl 3 12 u Gen. 15 13 x Exo. 12 41 y Psal. 77 19 z Gal. 4 4 a Ioh 8 59 b Ioh. 11 57 c Ioh. 18 4 d Mat. 28 6 e Gen. 8 22 f Iob. 14 16 g Psal. 39 4 h Mat. 10 30 i Gen. 4 81 k Gen 7 21 l Gen. 19 24 m Num. 15 36. n Iudg. 19 29 o Iug. 16 30 p Luk. 13 4 q Iug. 4 21 r 1 King 13 24 s 2 King 2 24 t Luk. 23 39 Vse 1. u Act. 23. 12 x Den. 34 5 y 1 Kin. 2 10 z 2 Chro. 〈◊〉 12 Use 2. a Mat. 10 29 b Amos 3 5 c Deut. 28. 21. 3 Vse d Iob 14. 14. e Phil. 3. 21. f 〈◊〉 Kin 6. 23. g Eccles 7. 4 h Ioh. 16 21 i 1. Sam. 2. 6. k Phil. 1. 23. l Heb. 13. 14. m 1 Pet. 2. 1. n Psal. 39. 12 o Gen. 18 27 p Psal. 22. 6. q Rom. 6. 23 r Iob 30. 23 s Iob 4. 19. t 2 Cor. 5. 1. 4 u 2 Tim. 3. 12. x Acts 14 22 y Iug. 9 54. z 1 Sam. 31 4. a 2 Sam. 17. 23. b Mat. 27. â— 5 c Luk. 12. 40. d Isa. 38. 〈◊〉 e Psal. 51. 4. f Rom. 12. 18 g Pâ—o. 1. 24. h Eccles. 12 1. Doct. 2. i 1 Pet. 5 8 k Gen. 3. 1 l Mat. 4 3 m Luk. 4 2 n Eph. 6. 15 o 1 Pet. 5 9 p 1 Iob. 5. 4 q 2 Cor. 16 13 r Luk. 22 31 s Rom. 1 16 t Heb. 4 11 u Psal. 119 105 x Tim. 3. 15 y 2 Kin 20 2 z Iona. 2 1. a Psal. 50. 15 b Luk. 18. 13 c 2 Tim. 4 10 d Iam. 4 4 e 1 Ioh 2. 15 f Luk. 1 52 g Psal. 1 3 7 8 h 1 Ioh 2 19 i Iob. 1. 10 k Ioh 14. 1â— l Ioh. 16 8 m 1 Cor. 1â— 20 n Ioh. 17 9 o Ioh. 18. 36 p Rom. 12. 2 q 1 Cor. 7 31 r Gal. 5 17 s Pro. 16 32 t 2 Pet. 2 19 u 1 Pet. 2. 11 x 1 Cor. 9. 27 y Col. 3. 5. z Rom. 7. 25 a 2 Cor. 5. 21 b Iosh. 10. 27 c Reu. 5. 5. d Heb. 2. 14 e Iug. 16. 3. f Iude 23. g Acts. 15. 9. Vse 1. h Matth. 24. 42. i Mat 26. 4 k 1 Cor. 〈◊〉 34. l 1 The. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 m Mat 26 46. n Reu. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 o Pro. 8. 33. p Isa. 32. 18. q Mat. 26. 38. r Luke 12. 40. Use 2. s Gen. 7. 23. t Gen 19. 24. u â—ug 16. 21. x Ion. 〈◊〉 â—5 y Luâ— 12. 1â— z 1 Thess. 5. 3. a Reu. 2. 17. b Reu. 2. 26. c Reu. 2. 7. d 2. Tim. 4. 7 e 2 Tim 2. 34. f 1 Cor. 9. 25 g 2 Cor. 4. 17. h Psal. 66. 12 i Nah. 1 12 k 2 Cor. 1 7 l Esa. 38. 1 m Ioh. 14 〈◊〉 n Re. 16. 10 o Mat. 3 12 p Iob. 10 21 q Heb. 10 17 r Reu. 9 20 s Reu. 20 10 t Iudg. 1 6 u 1 Tim. 2 8 x Mat. 22 13 y Reu. 〈◊〉 6â— z 2 Tim. 4 8 a Iam. 1. 12 b 1 Pet. 5 4 c Gen. 5 29 d Iob. 21 15 e Rom. 6 23 f Rom. 1. 6 g Eph. 2 8 h 1 Chro. 29 14. i Rom 11. 35 k Coll. 1. 10. l Acts 26. 20 m Tit. 2. 14 n Ioh. 15. 5â— o Iam. 3. 13 p Heb. 10. 24 r Pro. 1 7 s Eccl. 12. 13 t Eph. 4. u Iob 24 15 16.