will worship which the Lord will not approve of who as it is most meet will be served as himselfe pleases again the knowledge of sin is by the Law Rom. 7. which in the nature of an exact rule shews both what is streight and what is crooked Sin being nothing else u Peccare est tanquam lineas transilire Cic. Paradox but as it were to passe the line to transgresse that rule of equity which is the bound of all our actions According to this Law the righteous man regulates himselfe in an universall constant full and finall obedience 1 He loooks to all and every precept I love all thy commandements and all false wayes I utterly abhor Psal 119.128 2. He hath not heats of Religion but is constant in his practice he worketh righteousnesse at all times 3 He takes the commondement in the full latitude and extent and looks to the letter and to the life of the Law 4 He continues and perseveres in this obedience unto his end perfecting holinesse in the feare of God Which end will discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not Mal. 3.18 Which we come to state the difference of the death of the righteous and the wicked the maine thing the Text drives at wherefore I passed the other more briefly as taking them upon a firme supposall cleerly granted this will discover the very soul of the desire and the height of the blessing of Balaams wish The carnall eye will scarce discerne the difference for as dyeth the wicked so dyeth the righteous as dyeth the foole so the wise Eccles 2.15 that is the end of all natures debt must be discharged by a dissolution and a generall guilt of sin layes all under an equall forfeiture Death passes upon all men in that all have sinned Rom. 5.12 So that death following ever upon sn and both of them being as generall as humane nature we must finde some speciall difference Hath the righteous man a better death but yet it is as questionable which is the best x Suet. in vit Iulius Caesar on all occasions when he little thought his own end to be so neere even the night before he was slain in the Capitoll prefers a sodain death y Idemin Aug. Augustus calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good death where the z Vbi moriendi sensumceleritas abstulit Cic. deam sodamnesse takes away the sense of dying and these two great Caesars according to their desires the last of them not violent yet both of them had a sodain death this they say he prayed against that he might dye a Nec morte violenta nec immatura quod Israelitis promissum fuerat Grot. ex Gemara neither a violent nor a sodain death which was promised to the Israelites to be sure this might be a wicked mans end how sodainly doe they perish they goe down quick into hell Psal 55.15 The Moralist thought to dye well b Bene mori est libenter mori Sen. Epist 61. was to dye willingly and c Optanda mors est sine metu mortis mori Sen. Trag. such a death was to be wished as was without the feare of death The good man may with Moses on the top of Nebo even see the Land of blisse yet be loth to depart the wicked may without any comfortable assurance of Gods favour without any ravishing apprehension of future happinesse and joyes after this life be willing to leave the world the very troubles and misery he may here meet with may move the man with the burthen at his back to call for death and to embrace it d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anacr hoping that may put an end to all his evills of which otherwise he cannot apprehend how to be acquitted for there the weary be at rest Iob. 3.17 Therefore they rejoyce exceedingly and are glad when they can finde the grave vers 22. when the sorrows of death may compasse about the good and they may finde trouble and heavinesse Psal 116.3 1 From the pangs of death which that expresse of humane feare speaks in my Saviour Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me 2 From the conscience of their own infirmity 3 From the feare of divine judgements at which the Prophet trembled Psal 119.12 Good Agathon death approaching being somwhat troubled his friends about said unto him and dost thou father feare to whom hee replyed f Doroth. doct 2 I have endevoured to keepe the Commandements but I am a man and how know I whether my workes please God for other is the judgement of God and other the judgement of men Some may thinke it a happy death to depart in a full age in a calme quietly upon their beds with their friends about them to have a solemne Funerall an honourable Interment a stately Sepulcher all these may a wicked man have when the good by some unhappy accident may be taken off the waters may swallow him up or the beasts devoure him the indiscriminating sword of the enemy or the noysome pestilence common calamities may sweepe him away the fury of persecution may uncaske his soule yet this makes not the end of the one happy or the other wretched the Divine must give us some more reall difference 1 The wicked man departs this life in the displeasure of the Almighty he laboured not to please him while here he lived and he must not looke to dye in his good pleasure he would live without Law and he must perish by the sentence of the Law he may expect no mercie at his death who contemned mercie while he lived if he hath m Psal 73.4 no bands in his death he hath no comfort having no hope to rest upon but what an evill life can afford which ever ends in misery if he be taken away in his green years yet his sins are ripe if he hath filled his dayes and lives while he be an hundred years old he shall be accursed Isay 65.20 He hath heaped up wrath against the day of wrath and God takes him away as with a whirlewinde both living and in his wrath Psal 98.9 2 The wicked goe down into the inward chamber or the closet of the chambers of death Prov. 7.27 that dungeon or prison where they are fast locked up in misery and iron reserved in everlasting chains untill the judgement of the great day Jude 6. the Prophet sayes they goe down into hell Psal 55. the second interpretation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is there in chiefe their grave is hell not onely the outward courts but the very depth of hell Prov. 9.18 3 The grave hath dominion over them Psal 49.14 They sold themselves slaves under sin and now death hath power over them the first transmits them to a second death and eternall misery the worme doth not onely feast upon them but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 death feedeth or banquetteth
upon them and is never satisfied nor they consumed 4 They have not rest in their death n Nec mihi mors gravis est posituro morte dolore Ovid. Metam 3. that which men looke upon as the end of troubles is to them but the beginning of misery the soule of my Lord shall be knit in the hundle of life but the soule of my Lords enemies shall be in a sling 1 Sam. 25.19 The soules of the enemies of God as in a sling are ever restlesse their good things are at an end their Sun is set and a darke night over-spreds them If hell be their grave though there be horrid darknesse and eternall night yet no sleepe there they rest not who here slept when they should have watched The death of the righteous far otherwise 1 He lies down in peace he hath been long travelling a tedious pilgrimage and he is now arrived at his journies end he is come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to his long home Eccles 12.5 and is quiet the spirit returns to him that gave it Eccles 12.7 as may be read in the letters of that o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacred name they are all quiescent so the good man returning to him his originall in him rests as in his center Marke the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace Psal 37.37 he lyeth down and nothing can make him afraid he is confident of the favour of God p Anima mea quid dubitas sexaginta annis servisti Christo mortem times Hilar. apud Hier. as whom he hath faithfully served in a holy endeavour keeping the Law with his whole heart Psal 119.34 and where he hath fallen short of his obedience he hath returned by repentance and supplication to his God 1 Kings 8.47 and hee hopes that he whose paths are mercie and truth unto such as keepe his Covenant and Testimonies Psal 25.10 will shew mercie unto them that love him and keepe his Commandements Exod. 20.6 2 The death of the righteous puts an end to his sin he hath been in a constant endeavour of deading sin in his mortall body and now it is done he hath gained a state of innocency in perfection then man had a power not to have sinned but now he shall have no power or rather not so much weaknesse or imperfection that he may further sin a great blessing which onely the pious soul is truly apprehensive of Who hath observed the perversnesse of his will and the frowardnesse of his affections Who hath felt the reluctancy of the flesh against the spirit and the motions of sin mutining in his mortall body Now to be translated into such a condition as he cannot further displease God but freely and faithfully serve him not being carryed away with any temptations unto sin Excellent is that passage in Nazianzen Adam sinning against God though he were rejected Paradice yet he doth gain thereby death and the cutting off of sin lest the evill should have been immortall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q Naz. Orat. 42 so the punishment it selfe became to man a mercie and he is well seconded by his comment r Nicetas after man was fallen had he not been obnoxious to a necessity of dying he had incurred the greatest misery viz. sin working here therefore he hath a benefit which is death because it stops and breakes off sin for although death hath the nature of a punishment yet it became a mercie not suffering the sinner to be immortall for how should we without any either feare of God or dread of judgement have added sin to sin if wee had been immortall who are so sinfull to day dying to morrow with the immortall devill we should even have vyed offences without either endeavour of new obedience or remorse by humble repentance ſ O munde immunde si sic me tenes breviter transeundo quid facere diu permanendo Bern. If the unclean world so entangle us so soon passing what would it have done long remaining if our vile affections so entise us while we are but pilgrimes what would they have done had we been of constant abode here Cicero spake well t Mihi non à diis immortalibus vita erepta est sed mors donata est Lib. 3. de Orat. if he understood what he sayd Life is not taken away from me by the immortall gods but death is given unto me for as it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chim Sca. Pad Gr. 6. a powerfull act of God so is it likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an act of grace and favour a blessing rather then a curse as if it had been given rather for a x Non pro poena mortem dedit Deus sed pro remedio Ambr. de side res remedy then a punishment while viper like it kils its mother sinne and destroys our destruction 3 Death puts an end to the miseries of the righteous thus the divine goodnesse turns all to the best for them that love him as mans punishment to his benefit by stopping of his sin so to his greater happinesse by ending of his misery Augustine from a passage in Plato or Plotinus that father Jupiter having compassion on men made their bands soluble draws this collection y Lib. 9. de Civ Dei c. 10. that the Philosopher thought that this very thing that men are mortall in body proceeds from the mercie of our divine Father lest they should alwayes be held with the misery of this life Thus far the Text of Scripture is plain that after Adam had tasted of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evill whereby I am sure he became accursed God thrust him out of Paradice and set a guard upon the Tree of life lest man should taste of that fruit and live for ever Gen. 2.22 and so in that he shortened his dayes he ended his misery which there at once hath its period from whence that custome tooke its stirt of planting a lawrell Crown at the head of the dead mans cossin in token of triumph and victory obteined over the troubles and miseries of this life for to be sure in the other he shall meet with none Paradice would not admit of pain much lesse will heaven Sorrow was part of the curse misery was inconsistent with the state of innocencie it cannot then stand with eternall happinesse God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes there shall be no more sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for former things are passed away Rev. 21.4 the presence of God shall be our joy our delight to doe his will z Paris de Rhet div our constant worke the praise of our Creator to sing eternall hallelujahs unto our God and the Lambe that sits upon the Throne 4 The death of the righteous is their birth day a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oec in
Faith hath been the sure means of salvation to so many as have obteined it The promise of faith the law which was after given could not disanull Gal. 3.17 The object of faith though not so cleerly exhibited untill these latter ages of the World yet faith in the promise did bear date and that of grace was after the fall the first if not the onely covenant without question the onely possible means of obteining justification before God Order therefore thy life as if there were no Gospel but dye as if there were no Law live as if there were not anothers righteousntsse to plead for thee but dye in the confidence of thy Saviours merit Walk towards Heaven in that t Nihil crit incommodi sivitae sanctitatem existimemus esse viam non quidem quae aditum aperiat in gloriam coelestis regni sed qua clecti à Deo suo in eius mâ—nisestationem ducantur quando haec bona eius voluntas est glorificari quos sanctificavit Calvin In stit l. 3. c 18. Sect. 4. perfect way a strict obedience to GODS Law but let faith open for thee the gate to blessednesse let such be thy life that such may be thy last end 2 Dye the death of the righteous There is 1 a death for sin 2 a death in sin 3 a death to sin A death for sin that is that we all suffer a just punishment for our offences u Aug. de haeres c 88. It was a branch of the Pelagian Heresie that Adam though hee had not sinned yet he should have dyed not by the merit of sin but by a necessity of nature Such a principle might better be allowed in a x Mors naturae finis est non poena Sen. sual 7. Moralist then a Christian For though Adam were a mortall y Ideo factum est per peccatum non mortale quoderat sed mortuum quod non sicret nisi peccaret Lomb. Sent. li. 2. dist 19. creature yet had hee kept his innocency by grace hee had been conserved from death For the body is dead because of sin Rom. 8.10 and so my Saviour while hee would stand in our stead to answer for us he dyed for the ungodly Rom 5.10 2 A death in sin so we dye yea daily dye and will not consider it The drunkard that drinks down iniquity swils himself into the condition of a beast thinks not that there is death in the pot 2 Kings 4. The lustfull Wanton that awayts the twylight and then slips to his carrion considers not that the harlots house is the way to hell going down to the chambers of death Proverbs 7 27. The doubling tongue that dallies with the heart feels not when it kils its own soul Thus too many Felons play with their own destruction 3 A death to sin this is the Saints death who mortifie their members on earth and kill sin in their mortall bodies Prâ—cious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his Saints Psal 16.15 z Vbi homo occiditur mundo non terminatione sensuum sed fine vitiorum Leo Ser. in nat Machab. When men dye unto the World not by an end of being but by an end of sinning forsaking those former accustomed ways of wickednesse and living in godlinesse which before they did not which is a kind of death and resurrection in us Blessed and holy is he who hath his part in the first resurrection of such the second death shall have no power Apoc. 20.6 If the consideration of that blessed life which follows upon the death to sin may nothing affect us wee might rayse I think arguments from the other members of the division to move us Death in sin is the soul of death a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. Orat. 19. the death of the soul it divides GOD from the soul who is the life thereof How circumspect if wee observe it are men to preserve bodily life and the life of life how do they neglect Wee will avoid the infected house and the b 1 King 8.38 plague of our heart wee cherish in our bosome If our body be wounded wee run to the Chyrurgeon and we wound our souls by our sins which cut deeper then any two edged sword killing that which is immortall and yet we are senslesse of the misery If nature or art could help us we would preserve our bodies everlasting and our souls shall we voluntarily murther Oh! what pity is it to see how men trifle away life soul salvation and imbezle eternall blisse for a thing of nought They dote upon and humour every vile affection though to their endlesse destruction Man drinketh iniquity like water Job 15.16 like hungry Rats that raven down their own bane wee thirst wee drink wee dye Again for sin wee dye that it is which hath caused all those sorrows and vexations troubles and infirmities hath brought all that inundation of evils that hath broken in upon mankinde That it is which hath separated the soul from the body and layed in its dust c Peccatum mortis pabulum Lact. li. 4. Sin is that whereby death lives and wee dye it procured the death of the Son of God Hee dyed for our sins that wee should dye unto sin that as Christ was raysed from the dead by the glory of the Father so we also should walk in newnesse of life Rom. 6.4 Oh let not that precious bloud of the Son of GOD be spilt in vain he gave himself for us that hee might redeem us from all iniquity Titus 2.14 and he reedeemed us by such a price that hee may worthily possesse us I cannot read that passage in d Serm. 1. de elem Cyprian without a moved passion nor take it into deeper meditation without a melting heart where hee brings in the Devill at the day of judgement as it were insulting over my ever blessed Saviour I says he for those whor thou seest with me have neyther been buffeted nor scourged nor born the crosse nor shed my bloud nor redeemed them by the price of my passion neyther do I promise unto them an heavenly Kingdom neyther do I recall them to Paradise restoring immortality yet what precious and great gifts gotten in a long time and by large expence by pawning and imbezelling their goods even while they are scorned and derided at and somtime by a popular fury even ready to be stoned shew mee the like president in the pale of thy Church those rich men flowing with abundance are they so free towards thee will they give so much to thee though they might thereby translate their possessions into everlasting treasures Yet in these expences for me none are fed none are clothed none are comforted but all things are prodigally and foolishly wasted In thy poor thou art clothed in thy hungry thou art fed thou dost promise eternal life to them that labour in thy service yet thine whom thou dost honour with the recompence of
BALAAMS BETTER WISH Delivered in a SERMON BY WILLIAM ROSE PROV 14.32 The wicked shall be driven away in his wickednesse but the righteous hath hope in his end MAY 8. 1647. I Have perused this fruitfull and profitable Sermon on Numb 23.10 and judge it worthy to be printed and published JOHN DOWNAME LONDON Printed by R. L. for SAMUEL MAN at the signe of the SWAN in Pauls Church yard 1647. To the RIGHT WORSHIPFULL Sir EDMOND BACON Knight and Baronet Right Worshipfull IT pleasing GOD in a gracious dispensation of mercy to lay his hand of visitation upon me so as I have been disenabled to that publike function of the Ministery to which I am set apart I boldly adventured on this more publick course willing to give some testimony of my desire to do my GOD the best service I was able though with the hazard of mine own repute being never such as I fear to be a loser May it please my good GOD to accept of these my weak endevours whose glory and his Churches good be ever my ayme and may you daigne them a gracious patronage for the unweighed censures of the many I passe not much Mine own sicknesse first pitched me on this subject and while I considered your body so enfeebled through infirmities and your many years the two most certain fore-runners of approching death it emboldned mee to tender this Dedication hoping you would willingly entertain such a wish and make it yours The ship that draws water but at one leak may be repayred but when it breaks in on all sides it threatens speedy wrack when the crazed aged body is become a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lucian a living sepulchre it portends the grave is neer We are at best but of b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. ad Apoll. a days continuance and you by the blessing of GOD have lived to the evening of age to the Sun-set of mans life it is now high time to think on sleep and making your bed in the dust I am confident diviner thoughts have long since deaded your affections unto the world Length of days c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pind. Olym. Od. 1. the cleèrest witnesses of wisdom have given you experience of the Wisemans conclusion Vanity of vanities and you who in your yonger years have had a care to live well now make it your chiefe to dye so It is not the thought of your end will draw it neerer nor the meditation of death will one minute shorten your life if so who might not feare a publick odium that should move you to such a thought For You d Deus amorem viri quem diligit in animos hominum dignanter resudit Malm. de reb gest Aug. lib. 4. who by the goodnesse of GOD have lived so generally beloved cannot dye but much lamented though there be neyther solemne Funerall to rayse the pomp nor mourning women e Horat. de art Poet. ut quae conductae plorent in funere Your endeared friends the poor whose wants have been by You relieved and widows will make lamentation In that desires cannot prolong your days on earth here shall be my Amen When the set period of your life is come may you lye down in comfort rest in peace arise to glory be happy to eternity So prays Your worths true honourer and humble servant in Christ William Rose BALAAM'S better Wish Numb 23.10 Let mee dye the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his THe LORD being now about to settle Israel in the land of Canaan the lot of their inheritance which he had entayled upon them by promise to their father Abraham their Prince and Priest Moses and Aaron for tempting the LORD at Meribah and the whole number of the men of strength for their infidelity must not take possession so he wears them out by long journeys for forty yeers in the Wildernesse and consumes them by fatall wars while they were wasted Yet to make his word good to their posterity hee drived out and destroys the Amorites before Sâ—hon and then King with Og the King of Bashan their army coasting about the Wildernesse did now verge upon the borders of Moab Balaac being somwhat surprised with feare as successe strikes dread into the hearts of adversaries casts about to secure himself Poore man had he been quiet he might have been secure but his feare which made him forecast to prevent might betray him to a future ruine The LORD had not said it Israel had no commission signed against Moab but if he will oppose himself an enemy to them he may justly provoke GOD and them against him Hee sends to the Midianites with whom hee was inleague to consult for their future safety Who together sent Elders with the Ambassadours of Balaac to Balaam on whom they so doted as if he had commanded the power of Heaven and could curse and blesse whom he pleased Foolish thoughts the mannage and order of men and their affairs is from no other but from the wisdom and order of an eternall providence who giveth victory to some and layeth the honours of other in the dust Who is pleased to reveal the purpose of his proceedings to particular men which neither yet are principalls in the successe nor any way carry on the designe though he gives them to foreknow the event To Balaam GOD gives to foresee the happy and flourishing estate of Israel under the grace of divine protection and their successe ordered by Heaven which caused him to break forth into this patheticall peroration Let me dye c. The wicked man as wicked men may have had good words in his mouth the Wizzâ—rd had a good wish I dare joyn with him in his prayer praying it may be with a better spirit and affection My hearty desire to Heaven shall be when I shall have accomplished as an hireling my dayes and shall return unto my dust I may dye the death of the Righteous in the mean time the LORD grant mee the guidance of his grace I may so live that my last end may be like his The text presents us with Balaams wish concerning his end of this present life and the happinesse of his future being When we shall have premised somthing of this Balaam what hee was and a word or two of the phrese of speech wee shall fall upon these three mayn quaeries of the text 1 Who is the righteous man 2. What is the difference between the death of the righteous and the wicked 3 The ultimate end of either which will fully discover unto us the reason and cause of this his desire 1 To derive his pedegree to describe his countrey to descant on his name were but a dry discourse which would have more of pomp then weight more bulk then substance I shall onely touch at his condition to term this Balnam a Prophet is a better character then the Scripture yields him which entitles him at best but a Divinour
cannot die evill who liveth well Now as that is a good and wel-led life which is passed in holinesse and vertuous actions that an evill one which is led in wickednesse answerably the death is to be weighed from the forepassed actions of life so that if the life be led in a religious observance of God his Law in a holy obedience to his will the death cannot be bad for it is a translation to immortality But if otherwise it is necessary it must be evill for it transmits to eternall misery how comfortably could a good old Simeon pray that hymne and sing while he prayed Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace with what a religious confidence could old Hilarin farewell with his soule d Hier. de Hilar who had served his God sixty years the conscience of that faithfull service satisfied that his future being could not bee unhappy A heavenly life here on earth must needs give security of a happy life in heaven he that lives here hath no cause to feare to die hereafter e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doroth. doctr 8. for indeed I call the holy the onely life the wicked man hath a being here but onely the righteous man lives We use to count our dayes and number our years according to the time we are on earth Deceive not thy self who ever thou art Compute thou hast only lived that day in which thou hast denyed thine own will in which thou hast resisted thy corrupt affections in the which thou hast not transgressed the rule of equity Compute thou hast onely lived that day which malice and wickednesse envy or pride hath not clouded which hath not been wasted in sin in which thou hast stood upon thy guard and hast not been foyled by fleshly temptations Compute thou hast only lived that day which pious meditation and holy practice hath enlightned not which the darknesse of sin hath turned into a night apply only unto thy life that day the benefit of which by a holy conversation hath redounded unto thy soul The rest is but idle pastime a phrase which humours most men well but such empty cyphers will prove nothing but reall woes at heavens account Shall we compute that a day of life in which men consume eternity and heape unto themselves punishments never to have an end such a life tends unto and ends in death and is in truth but a death live therefore while here thou art sow the seeds of holinesse that thou mayst reape happinesse Bud forth in the blossomes of a future life that thou mayst gather the fruit hereafter the present must answer to the future the worldly lusts subdue thy corrupt appetites let the spirit of God rule in thy heart set thy affections on things above let thy conversation be in heaven and hope well one day thou mayst come thither as Cicero said of Hercules he had never been inrolled among the gods in heaven if he had not laid out his way thither while he lived so if we walke not in that holy way while here we live we shall never be registred with the Saints in blisse f Beru There is no way unto the Kingdom without the first-fruits of the Kingdome neither may they hope to reign there as Kings who have not here ruled over their properlusts If yee looke God should take you as he did Enoch you must as he walke with God a holy ever ushers in a happy life It was a bold and sharpe reply of those Philosophers to Alexander an exemplary Prince for Armes and Arts who passing some territories where his conquering sword had made him master hearing of learned men as his manner was sent for them and propounded to them many questions they giving him good resolution as an argument of his royall satisfaction he would have them aske him what they pleased that hee might grant it to them they joyntly asked of him immortality the Prince began to smile before sayes he I thought you wise men but now I thinke you fools to aske of me immortality who my selfe am mortall While I consider the condition and manners of the most of men I may make the like demand give me immortality if nature prompts them or Religion hath better taught them that they are mortall I make my reply with them to Alexander why then doe you live evill letting loose the reynes of all kinde of sin and wickednesse as if you were immortall as if you had no thought of death or feare of judgement For if we weigh well the actions of the most can we judge any otherwise of them for where is he who lives according to the decorum of heaven whose practice answers to that holy faith he would be accounted to make profession of Philosophy tels us that naturally men desire the chiefest good eternalll happinesse But all this while Religion hath been preached in the world it cannot worke so much upon mens affections as to win them to the right means of gaining of it they would obtein the chiefe good yet they would not be good g Aug. Ser. 12. ae verb. Dom. Doest thou not see how thou oughtest to blush at thy selfe who wouldest have all things good yet thy selfe wouldest not be good thy house thou wouldest have filled with goods and shall it have thee an evill master What is it that thou wouldest have ill not a wife not a childe not a servant not a house not a garment not thy shoos and yet thou carest not though thy selfe be evill thinke better of thy life then of thy shoos All things about thee if they be elegant and faire please and wilt thou be vile and filthy in thy selfe if thy good things could speake unto thee which thou enjoyest would they not say unto thee as thou wouldest have us good so doe we desire thee to be and may they not secretly murmur to God against thee behold thou hast given so many good things to this man yet he himselfe is evill Cannot he who gave these good things and makes them good unto thee if thou displease him take away the comfortable enjoyment of them turne the blessing into a curse thy prosperity into thy destruction get therefore with them his good will by doing his good will that at last he may give thee better and more reall the true goods Conjoyne thy selfe to the fellowship of Saints be of the holy Church here below that thou maist be one of the Church triumphant in glory Labour according to the grace of God given unto thee to doe the will of God here on earth as they doe in heaven that so thou maist doe it more perfectly hereafter with them h Cum quibus fuerit vobis consortium devotionis erit communio dignitatis Leo Ser. 5. de Epip For with whom we have a consort devotion we shall have a community of dignity If thou wouldest have the righteous mans end live as doe the righteous let it be thy delight to