rich prizes Old age is venerable youth is lusty but death reuerenceth not the gray hayres of the one for though Adam Enoch Sem Methusalem Malaleel Iaired Noah Heber and others in the primitiue times as also Arganton Nestor Valerius Coruinus Epiminedes Metellus Terentia Clodia Hipocrates Sybill and infinite others amongst Christians and Heathens liued so long that the Historians write and Poets sing that Tercentum Messes c. That they liued their one two and three hundreds yet though their lifes day were very long at last came Euening Song Neyther respecteth it the greene lockes of the young but like an Eagle and Vultur seazeth on the flesh of Infants as in the murther of Bethlems Infants and in the death of many Children younger then Dauids Childe that dyed Experience saith that Prima quae c. The houre that gaue them breath did end that houre in death as Seneca saith of others Yea Mista c. Both young and old Deaths cruell armes infold Et fugacem c. The man can neyther flie him nor the youth passe by him Hazael was as swift as a Roe and Atlanta was too swift for a woman yet Death ouertooke them Goliah was a great fellow but Death was greater Sampson was strong but Death was stronger it killed him that killed a thousand with the iaw-bone of an Asse it cut downe him that pluckt vp trees by the rootes That Enceladus that great darter could not shunne his darts neyther can any for it is like that Ramâ—ne which Daniel saw in his Vision that shakes his hornes against the East and the West the North and the South and the beasts are notable to resist him It is like a Haruester that with his Sickle cuts downe all Corne and Tares good and bad Mors resecat mors omne necat nullumque veretur What ere it meetes with vp it sheares For none it fauours none it feares It is a mad Dog that bites all as it hath his name like the Vsurer of biting so Morâ— mordet omnes c. It bites all yea euen the biting Vsurers and grindes those that grinde the faces of the poore It is a fire vnsatiable burning the greene Iuie and the cragged Oake young and old It is a Tyrant ouer Tyrants bringing them to their graues cum eaede vulnere as it did Nero and Domitian with bloudy heads It is like the Sea terrible not to be dramd not to be turned out of his channell carrying all away with it by as many wayes as there be wayes to the Sea all waters runne to the Sea and all men tend to their earth It is like the Lyon in the Fable to whose denne many Beasts went but none returned It accepts as many as comes like the Harlot in the Prouerbs but none returnes since like those Oxe-like beastly fooles that goe in to a whore they goe into the chamber of death like a couetous Niggard it receiues all but parts with none Spaires none neque moribus nec aetati Nay saith a Papist nec Matri vitae nec vitae neyther the Virgin Mary which they say is the Mother of life nor CHRIST the life it selfe then much lesse will it spare vs for Pallida mors equâ— pulsat pede c. With aequall foote it knockes the gate Both of the rich and poore estate And that so indifferently that as one saith if hee should make choyse of a Iudge in the whole world he would chuse Death it is not corrupted like a corrupt Officer but is as vnpartiall as imperiall Thus much for the necessitie of dying Now it is time by Vse and Application to bring home vvhat hath beene said vnto the heart of euery Reader First therefore from the necessitie of death let it teach vs not too much to be in loue with life or with any thing in this life What a folly is it for a man to set his heart vpon a strange woman in a strange Country whose face it is likely hee shall neuer see more If Sampson had knowne how soone he should haue beene taken from his Dalilah hee would neuer haue so doated on her if Sichem had knowne how speedily his lusting loue to Dinah would haue occasioned his destruction hee would rather haue loathed her before his folly with her as Ammon did Thamar after then haue loued her If wee did but ponder how soone vvee are to leaue these perishing pleasures and profits which will be our ruine and irreuocable destruction wee would cast them from vs as a menstruous cloath wee would hate them as wee doe a Toade detest them as wee doe the Diuell and flye from them as Moses from his rod when it turned into a Serpent Oh the thought of death may moderate euen lawfull affections and curbethem in their idolatrous exorbitancie from being immeasurable least by a violencie of desires they be carryed away after any outward thing that wee doe inioy and may cause vs as it did the holy Patriarks Prophets Apostles primitiue Christians ancient and moderne Martyres to leaue father and mother wife and childe house and land portion and pence for Christs cause voluntarily as Moses did the pleasures of Pharaohs Court since as Horace hath it Linquenda tellus c. Wee must leaue them will we nill wee Necessarily and sure if vvee ought to leaue in affection the good things that vvee liue by much more vvee ought to leaue both in Affection and Action the sinnes that vvee perish by ere vvee leaue the vvorld least wee dye as vvicked men haue dyed before vs as wretchedly as vvickedly Secondly since wee must all dye and that as wee haue heard because vvee haue sinned then if wee loue life as all doe naturally let vs hate sinne that depriues vs of life A man that loues his Wife dearely cannot loue him that would make a breach betwixt them or deuorce him from her hee that loues his life me thinkes should not loue the intentiue murtherer that plots and contriues his death This disturber this destroyer is Sinne It is a right Faux a plotter of thy perdition a right Cateline a conspirator of thy calamitie it watcheth opportunities as the Foxe doth the Hare as the Lyon doth the Dogge as Iael did Sâ—sera as Iudith did Holofernes and as Delilah did Sampson when to deceiue thee when to destroy thee yea euen when it fawnes vpon thee and flatters thee and playes with thee then like the Cars play with the Mouse it purposeth to prey vpon thee Thus it fawned and flattered vpon Adam and Eue and offered them as Witches and poysoners offer Children an Apple to play withall but by this Apple it killed them so hath it done all mankinde besides and wilt thou fauour it Zealous was his spirit that once expostulated with one as I now with thee Peccatum omnes maiores tuos occidit tu fouis Sin saith one hath slaine all thy Predecessors and Ancestors and wilt thou
nor cannot long be deferred nor delayed for as rauening Time this old deuouring Saturne hath already swallowed downe all former ages so he comes with as swift a foote to deuoure vs and all the earths children in his gurmundizing iawes Swiftly indeede for as an Arrow out of a Bow as a ship on the Sea as a Bird in the Ayre nay as our thoughts so swift is our time and how euer wee runne on in sinne yet euery day runnes on with vs to our graues marching vehemently with Iehu our life sliding away whether wee eate drinke walke or talke like the Ship that sailes how euer the Passengers perceiue not nay Tune quoque cum crescimus vita decrescit euen when wee grow and increase then our life doth decrease Yea so mortall are wee and so momentanie our life that euen whilst vvee liue wee may be said to be dead not onely potentially dead as hee that is poysoned or the theefe condemned is said to be but a dead man though the one be yet wrastling for life and the other vnexecuted because the one is potentially the other ciuilly dead in Law euen so wee are dead in Law as Adam and Eue were because wee haue sinned like them but vve are for the greatest part euen actually dead For let vs take the life of man as it is diuided into seauen parts Infancie Childe-hood Adolescencie Youth Man-hood Old age and the Decrepit olde age Now in these successiue ages what is the latter alwayes saue the death of the former as both Inchinus and Seneca haue wittily noted What is Childe-hood but the abolition and death of Infancie what Adolescencie but the death of Childe hood Youth of Adolescencie Man-hood of Youth Old age of Man-hood and Decrepit age of Old age and of Decrepit age Death it selfe is the Death Which truth though our eyes be blinde to see and our hearts dead to ponder yet our tongues like Caiaphas his prophecying against our wils confesse it For I pray you when an old man or a man of middle yeeres findes an vnaptnesse and vnablenesse in himselfe to performe that which in his youth he did and delighted to doe what is his phrase Oh saith he that whorld is past with me intimating that he is dead and departed from the world in respect of that age Oh then how had euen the very Childe neede to prepare for his finall departure since one part of his life is dead already his Infancie how the youthfull Ephebus that hath two parts dead and but fiue at furthest to liue how the youth that hath three parts dead in him and but foure to liue how the lusty man that hath foure parts of time spent certainely and hath but three parts to liue and those vncertaine how the old man chiefely that hath acted fiue parts of his life already and hath but two to act vncertaine by reason of his faultring tongue and dryed braine whether hee can act these or no before Death strike him non plus But chiefely the Decrepit gray-headed man who is dead sixe times and now hath but one age vpon his weake and wearyed backe about to rest him in his graue How should these premeditations excite our preparations that as we are compared to fruit in the Scripture being called the fruit of the wombe the fruit of the loynes c. so betimes to bring forth fruit worthy of repentance ere we fall like mellow fruit from the tree of life If wee haue past some ages wee are dead to those euen as in fruit the flower is the death of the bud and the fruit is the death of the flower Therefore let vs be fruitfull in doing good ere vvee be pluckt away and be no more Oh how soone fruit perisheth How soone doth it ripen how soone rot How doe the Wormes that breede of it and in it consume it The North and East winde blasts it the Mill dew infects it Caterpillers spoyle it now by violence it is pluckt from the tree now rotten-ripe it fals and so festers So it is with all the seede of man the fruit of woman wee haue all one manner of grafting and of growing but a thousand different wayes of decreasing and decaying Omnibus est eadem laethi via noâ— tamen vnus Est vitae cunctis exitijque modus All haue one way to life one way to death Yet many wayes doth stint our vitall breath Moe wayes lead to the Sepulcher then to any Princely Palace Molle patent adiâ—us c. Meanders Labyrinth had not so many windings as Death hath wayes Hos Bellâ— hos aequora poscunt c. Warres waters fancies frenzies loue mad lust Besides diseases doe dissolue our dust As Seneca and Silius once sung as pithily as Poetically Histories of all times places and persons Sacred and Humane consort and confirme this experienced truth The old World wee know was drowned so was Pharaoh with his Aegyptians Sodome and Gomorrah Ziglah the two Captaines and Companies of fifties that came against Elias Nadab and Abihu Achan and his familie burned Herod eaten with wormes Daniels accusers deuoured with Lyons the mocking children vvith shee Beares the Philistines smit with Emerods the Israelites cut off many thousands in the dayes of Moses and Dauid by Plague and Pestilence Bethlems Children and the Sichemites butchered by the Sword Ierusalem and Samaria by the sword and Famine Er and Onan killed by the Diuine power Ananias and Saphira throwne downe dead by an Apostolicall Spirit Simon Magus his necke broke by Peters Prayers Iulian killed with a Dart by the Prayers of the Church If wee would wade into Heathenish Stories vvee might adde to the Catalogue vvithout number such as haue perished by vvater as Hylas in his Colchos voyage Orontes Lucaspis Palinurus Iearus Laeander Sappho Menander c. whom Virgil and Ouid so oft mention by fire as Sardanapalus Empedocles in Aetna Phaeton Dido in the Poet. Some destroyed by wilde beasts as many Martyres in the Primitiue persecution as Saturâ—einus by a Bull Ignarius Policarpus by a Lyon Felicitas by Leopards Milo the wrastler by a Wolfe Baâ—ilâ—ns slaine by a Hart Hatto the Bishop of Mentz eaten with Mice louely Adonis cunning Dedalur prophecying Idmon torne in pieces by Bores Some by Dogs as Euripides the Poet dogged Diogenes weeping Heraclitus Philosophers apostate Lucian c. How many haue beene strangled vpon the Crosse not onely Martyres as Andrew Peter Gorgonius Simeon the Son of Cleophas Peter Aulanus c. following their head Christ but euen many Kings as Policrates the Spartan Leonides Sindualdus Arnulphus Hanno of Carthage c. Besides Malefactors such as Helen the Graecian Whore Daphitas the Grammarian c. and such as haue hanged themselues as Iudas Achitophell Phillis Erigone Biblis Some haue beene stoned to death by others or shot with arrowes as Achillis by Paris Procris by Cephalus Acron by Romulus Hyrene by Sisinnius yea a stone from a wall as vpon Abemelech out of a
Angels Arch-angels Patriarkes Prophets Apostles and all the holy company of Heauen our fathers our mothers our sisters and brothers our friends and deare ones that are gone before vs O glorious sight O inestimable comfort worthy to make vs cry with the Apostle I desire to be loosed and to be there Come Lord Iesus come quickely Death is an end of all misery and the beginning of all blisse an eternall dwelling with God againe and an aduantage as the Apostle nameth it a sweet sleepe a comfortable rest Vitae via the way of life saith Ambrose Nomen tantum fidelibus death is onely a bare name and no death indeed to the faithfull saith Chrisostome Nemo timet mortem nisi qui non sperat viuere post mortem No man feareth death but hee that hopeth not to liue after death the Lord gaue and the Lord taketh away life as well as goods and shall not wee say with Iob Blessed be the Name of the Lord. If wee hold for tearmes of yeeres or at the will of the Lord must not we be content to relinquish it when our tearme is expired Wee our selues doe looke for it at the hands of our Tenants and would be much offended if they should be disobedient shall wee not performe to God what wee looke for at men Grudge not at the losse but be thankfull for the Ioane wee are Gods Tenants and we ought to giue him his owne when it is due to him Would you keepe a pledge from the true owner that committed it to you for a time Our life is Gods pledge hee hath left it with vs now so long he euer entended to call for it againe and will you not restore it gladly and willingly without murmuring and repining thinke how you would like that at mans hands to keepe your pledge Heathens haue beene strong and shall Christians be weake The Swan is said to sing most sweetly when shee must die and shall Gods Children weepe Blessed blessed are the dead that die in the Lord saith the holy Ghost Reu. 14.13 and will we not beleeue him O ignaros malorum suoruÌ„ c. O ignorant men of the miseries of this life that doe not esteeme and prayse death as the best inuention of nature yea let vs say rather it is the great mercy and goodnesse of God towards man for first it expelleth calamitie secondly it includeth felicâ—tie thirdly it preuenteth the perils of youth fourthly it finisheth the toyles of age Omnibus finis multis remedium nonnullis votum to all an end to many a remedie to some a wish deseruing better of none then of them to whom hee commeth before hee be called for As children feare their friends when they are disguised but when their vizards are plucked off are glad of them so of death Ignorance makes feare and Knowledge ioy Cleambrotus saith Cicero after hee had read Platoes Booke of the happy estate of the dead cast himselfe head-long off from a wall into the Sea that hee might come to that happinesse the same Author speaketh of another Philosopher that so disputed of the contempt of death that many willingly killed themselues whereupon Ptolomy the King forbad him any more to speake of that matter in his Schoole Now alacke what comparisons be betwixt Philosophicall Comforts and Diuine out of the Treasure of Gods owne Wisdome taken from his written Word Shall wee then with our light feare that which they in their darknesse so little regarded God forbid The day of our birth wee neuer feare and The day of death saith God that is euer true is better then the day that one is borne Eccles 7.3 That resemblance of death to sleepe in Scriptures 1 Cor. 15.51 is most fit if you marke it and full of pleasure for 1 As no man can euer wake but of necessitie must sometimes sleepe so no man can euer liue but must needes haue a time to die 2 Be a man neuer so strong sleepe will tame him and so will death as it did Goliah Sampson Milo and others 3 As sleepe maketh vs put off our cloaths and Iewels and that willingly that we may take our rest so dealeth death with vs it taketh away all our pompe and port and layeth vs downe in our beds till the waking time to arise 4 As sleepe commeth of eating so came death also to our first Parents by intemperancie in eating the forbidden fruit Gen. 2.17 5 As our dayes doings be our nights troubles by the working of the phantasie so are our lifes sinnes our deaths griefes by the gnawing of the Conscience as appeareth in Iudas Antiochus and Francis Spira 6 Sleepers haue no stormes nor dead men know the worlds woes for Abraham is ignorant of and Israel knowes not the Iewes woes the first things being past c. Reu. 21.4 7 Some fall sodainely or quickely into sleepe and some are long according to the moistnesse or drynesse of their braines euen so some dye sooner as young Iosias and some later as olde Methusalem according to the temper of their radicall moysture as it pleaseth God 8 Some sleepe in their owne houses and some in other mens as did Sisera in Iaels some in the fields some at Sea some here some there in sundry places so doe wee dye some at home and some abroad some by land and some by Sea as God appointeth 9 No man can tell the very time that hee falleth asleepe but onely feeleth it comming and his body disposed to it so no man can tell the very moment of his death but onely feeleth his body faint and his spirits drawing to an end 10 Suanius dormiunt qui relinquunt c. They sleepe much better saith one that leaue all their cares in their shooes which they put off and goe to rest with a quiet minde euen so doe they dye better that haue disposed of all their worldly matters by Will or otherwise whereby they are not troubled or distracted by them 11 They sleepe well againe that haue laboured and taken paines all the day time and so they die well that in their vocation haue not beene idle but imployed both body and minde to doe good 12 As Assuerus when he could not sleepe called for the Chronicles of his kingdom to be read vnto him so assuredly whilst wee wake in this world and the sleepe of death commeth not vpon vs it shall be a most profitable thing to reade or cause to be read vnto vs the chronicle of GOD the sacred and holy Scriptures the treasures of all Comfort and good instructions 13 When the body sleepeth the soule sleepeth not no more dyeth the soule when the body dyeth 14 No man goeth to bed to sleepe but with a certaine hope and purpose to wake and rise againe so must wee dye in assurance of that great and generall Resurrection 15 And as our voyce and calling vpon men awake them so shall that sounding Trumpet doe in that day Our Bed saith another is the Image of
repentance Dan. 4.24 Turne to the Lord with all thine heart in fasting weeping and mourning Ioel 2.12 Turne from the wickednesse thou hast committed with the Niniuites Ionah 3.7.8 Wash thee and make thee cleane Esay 1.16 Cleanse thy heart from euill thoughts Ier. 4.14 Leaue thy formalitie in Religion and worship the Lord in truth and spirit Iohn 4.24 Get faith and learne to liue by faith Hab. 2.4 and to dye by faith Be a Nathaniel in thy dealings with men let thy heart be vpright as thy hand Ioh. 1.47 Remember the poore and needy then the Lord will remember thee in the day of thy sicknesse Christ will visite thee as hee did Iairus Daughter and Peters wiues Mother he shall be thy Physitian when the simples of Nature and the arme of Flesh faile his Angels shall pitch their tents about thee and carry thy flitting soule as they did Lazarus his into the seates of the blessed Make vse of this and the LORD giue thee vnderstanding in all things 16 As the examples of the Saints of God that hauing liued conscionably and dyed comfortably must comfort thee in this houre so their willingnesse to dye must encourage thee willingly to drinke of that cup which the Lord offers thee without resisting or relucting Looke vpon old Simeon singing that Swan-like song prophecying his death Lord now leâ—tâ—st thou thy Seruant depart in peace Luke 2.29 But especially of Saint Paul vveary of this mortalitie desirouâ— to be disburdened of the burthen of his corruptions to be deliuered from the body of sinne Rom. 7. to be present with the Lord to be dissolued and to be with CHRIST 2 Cor. 5. Phil. 1. But the best president that wee haue in life and death as the best comfort is the practise of Christ who although hee feared death as man desiring conditionally the passing of that bitter cup yet neuerthelesse wee shall see in him a great alacritie chearefulnesse propensitie and willingnesse to dye for besides his often conference with his Disciples about his death the frequent nomination of it vpon all occasions which shewes how vehemently hee was affected towards it the tongue speaking from the hearts abundance all his words and acts declare it for to shew his desire to dye hee counts it but a Baptisme or as it were a sprinkling of cooling water Mat. 20.22 nay it is meate and drinke to him to doe his Fathers will which was that hee should dye hee counts it a Iourney to goe which hee was willing to vnder-goe nay hee was euen payned vntill it was past when it came to the push that his houre was come hee seekes death as it seekes him hee goes forth to meete and welcome it as his friend as Abraham and Lot to meete and entertaine the Angels hee offers himselfe to the instruments of his death his backe to the smiters and finally his soule is not taken from him compulsorie but as hee commended it so hee resigned and gaue it vp to his Father willingly hee gaue vp the ghost hauing power to lay downe his life sending out his spirit as Noah did the Doue out of the Arke which after three dayes returned againe to quicken the body from heauen from whence also Lazarus his soule returned after foure dayes Now apply this to thine owne particular art not thou a Christian so denominated of CHRIST then euery one of Christs actions ought to be thy instruction chiefely in his death all whose dying gestures are worthy to be writ in thy heart in letters of Gold Did hee then vnder-goe such an extraordinary vnnaturall painefull shamefull cursed death the worst that euer was for therefore Christ dyed the worst death that euer was both for the ignominie of it and the exquisite tortures in it that a Christian should not feare any death since euery death is sanctified vnto him in the death of Christ Did Christ not onely indure his pangs and paines in death so patiently as a Lambe before the shearer but was euen desirous of this bitter pill for the ioy that was set before him and the loue hee bore to redeeme thy enthralled soule and art thou scrupulous and timerous of a naturall and an ordinary passage from life to life through this dead Sea Wilt thou mutter and murmure and shew thy selfe refractory to come to the Kings Court when thou art so gently summoned by such a sweet messenger as a lingring sickenesse Hast thou so little longing to goe to him by the rupture of a weake thread of life who was so desirous to come to thee from heauen to earth from the earth to the Crosse from the Crosse to the Graue euen through a red Sea of blood thorow Pikes and Speares and nayles and thornes being dieted in this his bloody march with the bread of affliction and the water of teares with gall vinegar oh hast thou so little delight in him so little desire towards him so small liking of him so little loue to him that thou list not step ouer the narrow bridge of this life to meete him to greete him and to inioy him Expostulate with thy soule how it comes to be so dull so dead so lumpish so leaden how it is that thou professest thy selfe to be a Spouse of Christ a member of Christ a branch of Christ which thou must beleeue and professe if thou hast any part in him and yet hast no desire to put off the outward mantle of this bodies couering to be inseparably imbraced in the armes of this Bridegroome not to leane with Iohn but for euer to rest in his bosome to be ioyned to thy Head to be fixed in this vnion But if Christs loue and desire to dye and to dye for thee be too high a pitch for thee to soare to which yet ought to be aymed at yet imitate the desires and the patience of the Saints in this kinde so farre as the Apostle speakes of himselfe as they imitate Christ for as the examples of the wicked are recorded for our detestation 1 Cor. 6.10 so the examples of the godly are written for our comfort and consolation Rom. 15.4 You haue heard saith Iames of the patience of Iob and what end God made with him You haue heard of the desires of Paul and Simeon of the graces that appeared in Dauid Iacob Steuen c. Ambrose Augustine c. Caluin Luther c. and vvhat ends they made vvith God Then thou vsing the same meanes that they did euen Faith and Repentance why shouldest thou demurre or be vnwilling to goe that Iourney vvhich they haue gone 17 Yet if examples and presidents of others as of Christ and Christians set not an edge on thy desires to dye yet let the mutabilitie breuitie and vncertaintie of life with the certaintie of death cause thee to make a vertue of necessitie as Esay said from God to Ezâ—kias thou must dye and as God to Moses thou
come out of the earth but onely that they loue the earth too well being desirous euer to liue vpon the earth but neuer to lye in the earth Why list not worldlings returne to their dust but onely that as true children of the old Serpent the curse of the Serpent is vpon them to licke the dust minding earthly things here their end being damnation hereafter Phil. 3.17 Secondly when this is performed in breaking off thy desires from the world which is Terminus à quo the place which thou leauest then fixe thy eye vpon another world Terminus ad quam the place whither thou goest Looke not too much at the grisly face of Death which will agast thee but at the end of it where thou shalt see as many comforts as Elishaes Seruant saw to encourage thee Euen as hee that is to passe ouer some great and deepe Riuer must not looke downe-ward to the water but must cast his eye to the bancke on the further side so looke ouer the waues of death and fixe the eye of thy faith vpon eternall life Looke not at Death in the glasse of the Law in which it is set out as a curse and the downe-fall to the gulph of destruction but in the Christall Glasse of the Gospell as it is changed and altered so by the death of CHRIST that it is a sweet sleepe and resting coole harbour First therefore consider how there is a blessing accompanies and attends thy death pronounced by the Spirit it selfe Reu. 14 13. which is alone sufficient to stay the rage of thy affections in the ordinary feare of death for who feares blessings since euen profane Esau sues for a blessing and euen the very Heathens so much desired that blessednesse which their Philosophers of all sorts so much disputed but neuer so soundly determined as God doth here Secondly the same Spirit cals it A resting from thy labour Now euen the Oxe Horse and Asse desire resting from labour to be vntyed from their taskes vnloden from their Burthens all the creatures and the Elements which groane vnder vanitie desire cessation from motion euery thing aymes at his quiet and rest and dost not thou Now death I pray thee what is it but a buster of bonds a destruction of toyle an arriuing at the Hauen a Iourney finished thy coâ—summatum est thy qâ—ietus est thy laying away of an heauy burthen euen sin it selfe which as Erasmus wittily is heauier then Gold Siluer Lead and Iron in that the weight of it weighed and pressed downe the Angels of light into the pit of hell and payned Christ our Sauiour our substitute on the Crosse What I say is this death but the shaking off of gyues and an end of banishment a period of griefe an escape of dangers a destroyer of all euils Natures due Countryes ioy Heauens blisse Woes Hauen the Key to ope the dore to Christians as it did to CHRIST Luke 24 26 of blessednes rest and immortalitie dignifying nay almost Deifying whom God hath elected and called in grace and called to the graue this is the right partition of it into his parts and passages as Antiquitie hath christned it and our age hath called it and the godly haue found it Oh then why shouldest thou boggle at it since there is as little hurt in death to the good as there is little good in life to the bad as we shall further proue in some particulars hereafter Thirdly let this cogitation animate thee to sing Simeons Song in being at least willing if not desirous to depart because God takes thy part in thy departing if thou beest his thou hast as the Promise so the Performance of his comfortable presence It hath beene the Lords constant and continuated custome to be with his Children like a friend at neede in their distresse whose exigents and extremities haue beene his opportunities Thus hee was present with Noah in the Floud Gen. 7. with Lot in Sodomes flames Gen. 19. with Iacob in his flight from Esau Gen. 33. with Ioseph in Dodons pit and Putiphars prison vvith Moses when hee went to Pharaoh when he was with Pharaoh and sled from Pharaoh with Israel in the Red Sea Exod. 14. vvith Dauid in Sauls pursuite 1 Sam. 19. with Eliah in the Desart 1 Kings 19. with Elisha vvhen the Syrians came against him 2 Kings 6. with Hezekiah in his sicke-bed Esay 38. with the three Children in the fire Dan. 3. with Daniel in the denne of Lyons Dan. 6. with Ioseph and Mary and the wise Magi flying from Herod Mat. 2. with Christ in his combat with Sathan Mat. 4. and hee will be vvith thee in thy last conflict and tryall for this is his Promise which he keepes more inuiolably then the Decrees of the Medes and Persians to be with thee when thou passest through the waters and through the riuers through the fire that thou shalt neyther be ouerflowne nor ouerblowne in any temptation Esay 43.2.3.4 5.6 c. Now God will manifest his presence with thee these three wayes eyther in moderating or mitigating thy paines as the words of that Propheticall promise doe import making death no more dolorous to thee then many ordinary crosses and afflictions which haue befallen thee in life as some of the Saints haue tryed it Or by the inward and ineffable comfort of the Spirit which occasioned Paul to reioyce in tribulation since euen then the loue of God was shed abroad in his heart by the holy Ghost Rom. 5.35 yea euen in his grieuous sickenesse it seemes when hee had receiued the sentence of death as the suffrings of Christ did abound in him so his consolations did abound through Christ 2 Cor. 1.5 God is the chiefe Physitian and chiefe visitor when any of his Patients are afflicted in his owne person ministring vnto them staying them with flagons comforting them with apples vvith his right hand holding vp their heads and vvith his left imbracing them Cant. 2.9 Thirdly he sends a victorious Host a guard of Angels to be keepâ—rs and Nurses vnto his Seruants to hold them vp and beare them in their armes as Nurses doe young Children and to be their champions and guards against the Diuell and his Angels Psal 30. All these comforts with many moe going along vvith thee like the Cloud and the fiery Pillar with the Israelites should cause thee to march valiantly euen through the Pikes â—f death to thy appointed Possession And so wee passe in this passage of Simeon to the third Point His acknowledgement of the Diuine Permission In these words Lettest thou IN which phrase obserue that what euer comes to passe is by the letting and permission of God whether in life or death for there is nothing done in the world but that which the Almightie will haue done eyther by permitting it to be done or by doing it himselfe Or as the same Augustine All things are eyther done by Gods helpe or suffered to be done by his permitting Domino
vet adiuuante c. yea euen those things which are done contra voluâ—tatem against the will of GOD yet are not done praeter eius voluntatem besides his will by which will with Hugo I meane his good pleasure his operation and permission yea euen in Sinne it selfe the cause of death God hee hath a worke God workes in euery euill but he workes not euill nor euilly as the Papists slander Caluin to teach Agâ—t in malo c. hee workes in the euill first by permitting secondly by disposing by permitting I say not by prouoking For though God offer the sinner obiects to vse Augustine and Bellarmines Similitudes and leaues a man to himselfe yet hee inclines not his will to euill and therefore is not the cause of euill no more then the Shepheard by setting hay or grasse before the Sheepe is the cause of the Sheepes feeding or the Huntsman by shewing the Grey-hound the Hare or Deere is the cause of his running but onely the dispositions and inclinations of both to runne and to feede Secondly by ordering and disposing sin for this is the propertie of the diuine vvisedome saith Clemens Vti vtiliter c. to vse those things profitably which are done peruersely De malo opere c. God out of euery worke that is euill workes that which is good euen as in the first Creation he brought light out of darkenesse and as a wise Physitian out of poysoned Serpents and venemous beasts extracts a preseruatiue against poyson Thus hee disposed of the Treachery of Iosephs Brethren and the Treason of Iudas against Christ to his owne glory and the good of his Church in the preseruation of old Iacob and his Seede and the saluation of his owne Elect Israel Therefore as in one act of the death of Christ 1. God 2. Christ 3. the Diuell 4. the Iewes and 5. Iudas wrought but not from one cause the Diuell suggestingly the Iewes maliciously Iudas couetously Christ executiuely in deliuering himselfe God decretorily in decreeing and dispositiuely in disposing the death of his Sonne to the sauing of the Elect and condemning of the Reprobate being the rising and falling of many in Israell The like is seene in other sinnes wherein there are diuers agents some sinfull but GOD alwayes sinlesse for Peccatores in quantum peccatores c. God makes not sinners so farre forth as they be sinners but onely ordereth and disposeth them being as the best Creator of those wils that are good so a most righteous disposer and orderer of those wils which are euill But as for Death which it the punishment of sinne not the condition of Nature God is not onely the permitter and prouident disposer but the iust inflicter of it yea vitae necisque arbitrer the author and ordayner as of life so of death for it is he that formes the light and creates darkenesse hee makes peace and creates euill Esay 45.7 What euill Not the euill of sinne but the euill of sorrow of sicknesse of troubles banishment famine yea Death it selfe Leuit. 26. This poynt is worthy our further inlargement namely that all death for the Time of it the Place of it the Matter the Manner the Cause the Occasion of it is immediately from God operatiuely penarâ—ly or permissiuely For the Time if death come in the morning or mid-day in the euening or Cocke-crow of life in the Infancie or childe-hood or nonage or youth or adolescencie or perfect age or decaying declining or decrepit old age of our yeeres if it crop vs in the sprout or the Spring or the Summer or the Autumne or the Winter of our time God that is Palmoni a secret numberer hath numbered our dayes and measured our time for the LORD makes our dayes as it were an hand-breadth Psal 39.5 eclipsing our lifes light as it pleaseth him in the Sunne-rising or in the meridian of our dayes as hee did vvith good Iosias the vertuous Prince Edward the 6. that worthy spirit Picus miramdula our English Iosias Prince Henry with diuers others Againe sometimes hee addes vnto our dayes as hee did fifteene yeeres to the raigne of Ezâ—kias Esay 38. extending and drawing our the thread of our life to a large extent as hee did the yeeres of Abraham Iob and Dauid who dyed all in a good age full of dayes going to their graues as a Ricke of Corne commeth in due season into the Barne Iob 5.26 For the Place whether we dye in the fields with Saul and Ionathan or in our beds vvith old Iacob Gen. 49.33 or on our beds vvith Sisera and Ishbosheth 2 Sam. 4.5 or in the wars with the Amorites and Amalekites or in time of peace as did Salomon or by land or by sea as did the Aegyptians God hath appoynted that place for vs to lay downe our bodyes in and no other euen as hee appointed a dying place for Moses in the land of Moab Deut. 34.1.5 So for the Manner of death whether it be naturall when wee fall from the Tree of life like ripe Apples or if it be violent when we are by force shaken downe like greene Apples God gathers vs to our Fathers God shewes himselfe in this act not onely when immediately hee strikes by himselfe with his owne hands as hee did Dathan and Abiram whom the earth receiued Nadab and Abihu whom the fire consumed Leuit. 10.2 with others for which cause the Lord is said to raine from the Lord fire and Brimstone vpon Sodome Gen. 19. As also to haue smit Naball for his churlishnesse towards Dauid 1 Sam. 25. â—8 but euen those that are cut off by an externall agent whether by Sathan himselfe as vvere Iobs Children or by others voluntarily or involuntarily they are executed by the decree of the supreame essence Thus whether wee consider Children murthered by their Parents as was the Sonne of Constantine the great of Antoninus Caracalla of Brutus of Darius of Cambyses and Medea if wee beleeue Histories Or Parents slaine by their Children as was Senacherib by his Sonnes Esay 37.38 Fredericke by his Sonne Manfrede Agrippina by Nero Semiramis by Ninus Vlisses by Thelegon Phocas by his Sonne Heraclus c. Or the bloud of Brothers effused by Brethren as Abels by Caine Ammons by Absolon Teâ—cles by Polymies Remus by Romulus Argeus by his Brother Ptolomie Philadelphus c. Or if vvee consider Husbands slaine by their Wiues as the Husbands of the fiftie Daughters of Danaus so the Husbands of those thirtie Sisters of Albina slaine by their wiues Agamemnon by Clitemnâ—stra King Sarematar by Circes Antoninus the Emperour by his Wife Luulla Or if wee ponder Wiues butchered by their Husbands as Poppea was by Nero Queene Glosinda by Chilpericus Fausta the Empresse by Constantine as also the Wife of Mithridates the King of Pontus of Egnatius Calphurinus Periander and diuers others who haue perished by the mischiefe of their Mates Or if wee reflexe vpon Seruants that haue
murthered their Masters as Zimri slew Elah his Lord 1 Kings 16.9.10 Or apostate Subiects vile Traytors that haue effused the bloud of the Lords Annoynted as Iaques Clements and Rauallack in their assarsinations and massacrings of the two renowned French Henries c. Or lastly one man killing another eyther sodainely as Ehud slew Eglon with his Dagger Iudg. 3.21 or treacherously as Ioab did Abner and Amasa as Rehab and Baanah did Ishbosheth 2 Sam. 4.5.6 or combatingly in a Duellie in the field or any other vvayes in all these with all the rest of this nature wee must say as the Apostles said of Pilate Herod and the Iewes concerning the death of Christ that these murtherers haue done whatsoeuer the Lords hand and councell had determined before to be done Acts 4.28 For who is he that saith it commeth to passe and the Lord commanded it not Lamen 3.37 For euen all things that are and that happen Deus disponendo praesciuit praesciendo disposuit saith Tertullian God hath fore-knowne them fore-seene them and disposed of them If of all things then of the liues and deaths of men yea euen of murthered men for though God prohibite and forbid murther Exod. 20. yet hee decrees that act which in man is murther but in God is but an act of Iustice Againe the very materiall part or subiect is of God I say the naked act of murther as it is an act as it is from the liuing soule as it is from the motion of the hand is from God without whom neyther the hand nor any part could moue in any naturall motion but the formall part and deformitie of the act vvhich makes it properly murther that is from the Diuell and from corruption yet not without Gods permission by the substraction of his grace which Hugo cals the cause of all sinne from the Agent and for some righteous ends in respect of the Patient The life of this point like the bloud in the veynes lyes in the vse if meetes with the corruption of these that referre not death vnto his true cause and ground erring not knowing the Scriptures for is any man strangely afflicted with wondrous and wofull diseases as the Gout Stone Stranguillio Sciatica c. Is any infected with the plague smit with Leprosie wounded or slaine by his enemie bruized by falling from his Horse or the like but chiefely is he taken away sodainely in his full strength in his case and prosperitie when his breasts are full of milke and his bones full of marrow Iob 22.24.25 Presently we breake our into these tearmes Sure he had ill lucke hee had bad chance hee had ill Fortune or else wee shoote our fooles bolts as the Listrians against Paul when the Viper stucke to his hand Acts 14. Sure this man was a great sinner c. or as the Iewes of those vpon whom the Tower of Silo fell and vvhose bloud Pilate mingled with their Sacrifices Sure he was a greater sinner then the rest or as others of the blinde man Iohn 9. wee must needes know whether he or his Parentâ— haue sinned For the first it is a pittifull thing that Christians liuing so long in the heate and light and Sunne-shine of the Gospell should be so darkened in their vnderstandings and so vaine in their imaginations like the once vnconuerted Gentiles as to turne the glory of the immortall God into a vile and abhominable Idoll to attribute that which is proper and peculiar vnto God vnto Heathenish Fortune a word which as Augustine and Lactantius in their dayes banished to the Pagans from whence it came so I wonder that the light of Preaching hath no more discouered the blindnesse of it and no more reformed the errour of it that it is no more rooted out of our hearts and vnsetled our of our heads but that wee must needes make it as the Ephesians their Diana some great Goddesse as the Sorcerer Simon made himselfe some great man I wonder that with the Romanes wee must build Temples and sacrifice vnto it in disgrace and despight of God and disparagement of his prouidence taking the Crowne from the Creators head and placing it on an Idoll vvhich is a meere Idaea a fiction and Chimera in nature not knowing or at least not acknowledging with the Scripture with Antiquitie with Ierome Augustine and others called now Fathers as Iames and Iohn were called Pillers that there is no euill in the Citie that is euill of punishment in which predicament Death is which the Lord hath not wrought that nothing comes to passe fortuito casu sed iudicio Des by chance but by choyse nothing happens by hap-hazzard but by the peculiar preuidence and prouidence of God that the will of God is the supreame cause of all things that are Not a hayre falling from our heads not a Sparrow falling to the ground much lesse a sickenesse or a disease growing vpon our bodies much lesse a day or an houre or a minute falling from our life without the determination and permission of him that hath numbred our dayes and set downe the period of our age Therefore let vs banish all thought and opinion of Fortune vnto the very Getes and Sauromatanes Let vs also suspend our thoughts and our opinions of our Brethren when God doth sore afflict them in life or sodainely inflict vpon them some strange death let vs not iudge least wee be iudged let vs not enter into rash and precipitate censures of others wee may be further deceiued in Gods mercies towards them or his proceedings with them then was Eliphaz Bildad and Zophar in the case of Iob then the Disciples were in the case of the blinde man Iohn 9.12 For it may be that this man whom thou seest lying sicke a Lazar by the high-way begging with those blinde men in the Gospell him whom thou seest groaning in an Hospitall rauing in Bedlam c. nay whom thou seest drowned in the waters stabbed in his bowels led to execution to be topt off like a fruitlesse Tree at Tyburne is not a greater sinner then thou neyther hee nor his Parents haue sinned more then thou and thine but that the glory of God might be made manifest that he might be an example vnto thee that thou maist take warning by his harming least thou also perish for Gods workes as his Word are for thy instruction whether they be workes of Mercy or of Iustice Vse 2 Secondly is it so that death is by the permission of God Nay is it so that thy death and so the death of euery childe of GOD is not onely fore-seene but fore-appointed of God then the consideration of this speciall prouidence of God must be a motiue amongst others which wee haue vsed and are to vse to incheare vs against death Oh how ought this to adde life and spirit vnto thy faintings that God considers euery circumstance of thy death as the time when and the place where and the
vitalis an imaginarie life and a reall calamitie in which annâ— paues aeruâ—â—nae multae the yeeres are few the griefes many yea so many so manifold so constant so continuated by successiue crosses which follow one another like the waues of the sea like the Messengers that came one after another to Iob and Dauid to bring ill newes of the death of their Children euery day hauing suam malitiam militiam his wrath and his warre-fare that euen the very childe entring the lists into this militarie world as soone as it comes from the mother cryes and weeps the first note it sings is Lachrymae taught onely by prouident Nature The Males saith a wittie Popish Postiller from Adam cry a and the Females from Eue cry e e which put together make a Note of sorrow Nondum loquitur at tamen prophetat Augustine Before it speakes it prophesies as though at the birth it had that prognosticating spirit which Carden saith some men haue at their death as though it did see some euill present fore-see and feare moe to come I might goe along with Innocentius in this subiect and shew the seuerall maladies and miseries incident to euery seuerall age from Infancie to Decrepit old age how like seuerall Beasts wee carry our selues till Death bring vs to the Shambles how pittifully Childe-hood wallowes like a little Pigge in dirtie places and like Duckes and Geese swattles and dabbles in wet and filth How Youth is a lasciuious Goat Adolescencie an vntaimed Heiffer Man-hood a sterne Lyon Old age a sluggish Asse that onely beares a more precious thing then Isis euen that which beares it an immortall soule I might anatomize man further in all his parts and weakened powers shewing the seuerall diseases that cease vpon euery member where they challenge their seates and thrones I might inlarge the crosses incident to euery Function and Vocation but referring you to the Fathers chiefely Bernard and Fulgentius and to zealous Papists chiefly Innocentius and Stella besides him that in English hath vvrit the miseries of mans life leauing you to their vintage I onely rest with the taste of these Clusters vvhich we now further presse forth by vse Is it so that this life which wee liue is so laborious as the world wherein wee liue is wicked then the lesse good that wee finde in the life naturall wee must labour to counterpoyse it by purchasing the life spirituall the more discontent wee finde in the life of Nature the more comfort and content wee must seeke and search for in the life of Grace which like Elishaes salt cast into Iordan seasons all the maladies of life Now if thou wouldest liue the life of Grace and haue peace and ioy euen by a drie passage as it were in the red Sea of this World then doe those things that concerne thy peace First abstaine from sinne for where it raignes there is no life of Grace Sin quencheth Grace as water fire Sinne vvill kindle a fire vvithin thy soule to burne vvith secret flames for the wicked are like the raging Sea Secondly as one of Christs true Disciples subiect thy will and soule to Christ it is his promise thou shalt haue peace in him and he will send thee the Comforter Thirdly frequently confesse thy sinnes to God more balme of inward ioy thou shalt haue from the chiefe Physitian the more thou dost lay open the vlcers of thy sicke and wounded soule Fourthly vse frequent and feruent prayer shut thy Chamber-dore play not the Pharisaicall hypocrite and Christ shall enter in and say Peace be to thee as hee did to the Disciples Fiftly keepe the Lords day strictly neyther doing thine owne works and will nor Sathans nor speaking thine owne wordes nor his but Gods word and will in publique and priuate duties this brings much familiaritie vvith God and hath the answere of many hidden ioyes from his Spirit It is a spirituall rest to euery Christian as it was promised a rest to the Israelites Sixtly reade and meditate in â—he Word of GOD They shall haue much peace that delight in thy Law saith the Psalmist Seauenthly suffer iniuries patiently sustaine and abstaine and thou shalt feele within thine owne heart God taking thy part for Qui patitur est victor c. He that suffers ouercomes himselfe the world his enemies and is Christs friend Eightly contemne earthly vanities they deuide and distract the heart Ninthly be imployed in a Calling the idle are tossed with a multitude of foolish fancies and fond desires Tenthly be meeke so shalt thou enioy the earth with ioy Mat. 5. Eleauenthly get an humbled and a contrite heart that is the seate of Grace and throne of God Esay 57.15 Twelfthly doe righteousnesse the fruit whereof is peace and ioy These things belong to thy peace which if thou practise thy light shall shine to the darke world and thou shalt haue a lightsome Goshen in the life of Grace euen in the darkesome Aegypt of this wretched world Secondly is life so laborious are our dayes so dolorous Then these come within the compasse of a iust Redargution that are so drenched and drowned in the things of this life so besotted and bewitched with the painted beauties of this earthly Iezabel the World that they can neyther spirare nor spâ—nare coelestia that they haue as small hopes as they vse small helps for Heauen in a better life but setting vp here their rests stinting their aimes at earth they desire as Peter vpon the Mount to build tabernacles here in this vaile below neuer caring for that building not made with hands eternall in the Heauens 2 Cor. 5.1 Alas let such know that in their aerie hopes they feede but on the winde with the Camelion they imbrace but a cloud with Ixion in stead of Iuno they touch Sodomes Apples and are deluded vvith beautifull-dust they imbrace shadowes for substances and place their desires vpon such obiectsâ— as are vnworthy of an immortall soule and a heauenly inspired spirit For I pray you what is life it selfe yea long life which they so doate vpon and long after but a most irkesome and tedious pilgrimage enuironed with infinite perils and vpon most light occasions lost or what is any thing in life worthy our liking and affections What is the body it selfe which we so pamper but coagulated dust guilded ouer in the out couering with colours and set vp with the props of proportion the slaue of the minde and prison of the soule sperma fetidum cibus vermium mans excrement wormes nutriment What is the Beautie of the body but a well coloured skinne farre inferiour to the beauties of the Sunne and Moone these heauenly bodies Besides if we could see within we should see a filthy Golgotha and rotten dung-hill What is Strength when Sampson is bound by a woman since the greatest things and most worthy of a man are effected by the sinewes of wit not by the strength of sinewes are