expressed in the counterpane that which is presently and at all times due must continually be in readinesse Thirdly we must labour to meditate often and seriously of our death and of the state of the dead whereunto wee all hasten for rich poore shall lie down alike in the dust and the wormes shall couer them saith Iob. chap. 21. 23. to 26. but because our selfe-loue and world inesse is so great that wee account nothing so bitter and vntoothsome as the meditations of our departure as Ecclus. 41. 1. O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liueth at rest in his possessions vnto the man that hath nothing to vexe him and that hath prosperitie in all things yea vnto him that is able to receiue meate and therfore let vs strengthen this practice with prayer as did Dauid and Moses Psal. 39. 4. and 90. 12. so wee may bee inabled to resolue our selues of death continually for how soeuer by a generall speculation wee thinke sometimes something of our ends yet vnlesse the spirit of God be our Schoolmaster to teach vs this duty wee shall bee neuer able soundly to resolue our selues of the presence and the speedines of death for hee alone must lighten our mindes with knowledge and fill our hearts with his grace that wee may rightly consider hereof and so esteeme of euery day and houre as if it were the very day and houre of our death So the dangers foreseene will be lesse greeuous and we shall more easily contemn this world with the vanities thereof and keepe our selues in good fashion according to the Prouerbe Remember the end and thou shalt neuer doe amisse Ecclus. 7. 36. and approoue right Christians for as saith Gregorie The life of a Christian is nothing else but a continuall meditation of Death and as a watchman euer thinketh and looketh for the enemies comming and therefore will not sleepe so must wee often meditate of death and make account that euery present day shal be our dying day and euery night our bed to be our graue and so for that remnant of time wee haue to liue euer walke in the feare of God and so hee shall neuer need to feare Death who by a godly life hath giuen due entertainment to the feare of God We must not onely be euery day willing to die but bee ready with oyle in our Lamps esteeming euery day the last day of our liues which that wee may the more cheerefully doe we must endeuour before death come to pull out the stings of death that is the power strength thereof by true repentance and faith in Christ Iesus Sampson was soone vanquished when the Philistines found where his great strength lay and thou mayest put safely a serpent in thy bosome if thou pull out his sting so take sinne away which is the sting of Death then may Death as a Bee without a sting hum and buzze about thine eares but not harme thee wherefore if wee would liue when we are dead wee must die to sinne and to the world and flesh while we are aliue and not omit these duties 1. To humble our selues for all our sinnes past confessing them wholly against our selues and in prayer crying instantly to God for pardon of them 2. For the time to come to turne to God and to carry a purpose resolution and endeuour in all things to reforme both heart and life according to Gods word 3. We must euer beleeue in Christ by whom the sting of death is taken out for they onely feare Death who feare and doubt whether Christ died for them if then Death hath bin slaine by Christ Iesus then now to the faithfull it is no death but a sleepe a separaration a passing from the world and a going vp to God a disioyning of the soule from the body Philip. 1. 22. 23. Ioh. 13. 3. and a consecration as if wee said it is a solemne ceremony by which the faithful are wholly consecrated and dedicated vnto God to the end that hereafter they should render vnto him no other sacrifice nor exercise but to sing and set forth the prayses of God to sanctifie his holy name and so it is called Baptisme also for that by Death we passe as Israell through the red Sea and Iordan to the Holy Land of the liuing for the thing that maketh vs most feare death is that we behold it in the myrrour of the Law which sets it forth vnto vs vnder a shape and shew that is very fearefull to looke vnto and vnder the forme of a Sergeant armed with the anger and wrath of God and accompanied and guarded with all the threats and curses of the Law against all those that violate transgresse the same who commeth violently and implacably to serue his writ to arest vs to appeare before Gods high Tribunall all excuses set apart and to receiue the sentence of damnation to hel fire eternally without ease or release baile or maine-prize which dealing of Death is so terrible to the flesh and soule of a sinner that the very remembrance of it is exceeding bitter to a man that is sowsed and soaked in the pleasures of this world for it now flattereth none regardeth no persons weigheth not friendship careth not for rewards to looke vnto but in imagination is very grimme ougly and cruell and killeth downe-right without mercy where it hitteth and who can abide his comming Now to free vs from this sight fright and feare we are to behold Death in the myrrour of the Gospell stinglesse disarmed and conquered by Christ and so swallowed vp in victory for vs his Beloued and Elect. 5. Seeing then that the sting of death is sinne and that the power and force of euery mans particular death and iudgement lieth in his owne sinnes wee must heerein be exceeding watchful to spend our time and study in vsing all good meanes that our sinnes may be remoued and pardoned for see how many sinnes be in thee so many stings of sinne be in thee also which wound thy soule to death therefore let not one sin remain for which thou hast not humbled thy selfe and repented seriously and if we will liue eternally let vs begin to liue that eterna'l life before wee die which is the first degree of eternity Let vs now rise to a new life by the first resurrection that we may haue part in the latter Reuel 20. 6. and now labour for sauing knowledge that we need not be Catechized on our death-bed Now labour we for true peace of conscience that we be not to agree with our aduersary when we are arested and when it is too late we hauing nothing to pay yet we see to our sorrow that of all businesse this is least respected much care is for the tenement the body little for the tenant the soule and least for the Landlord Christ Iesus But such as hasten not their worke shew they looke not for their Master and they that
he now extenuate his mercy and presse his iustice to draw him to desperation so that now all his sinnes vvhich hee in his life-time committed vnrepented vvith so great facility shall violently at once rush vpon him as an armed host of bloudy enemies vvhich vvith open eyes hee shall novv to his shame and damnation behold oh how heauy and grieuous vvill they then seeme to bee vvhich formerly vveâ—â—-so sweet pleasant Thus the soule fighteth vvith painefull sickenesse heauy temptation and feare of Gods iudgement with many moâ— troubles temporall as spirituall at one instant on man a sicke and a dying man not vvoting vvhether to turne himselfe nor yet vvhat shift to make for if hee looke vpvvard hee seeth the sword of Gods iustice if downe-vvard his sinnes accusing him if to the time past all his vanities past like a shadow if to the time to come eternity it selfe and vvhat shall he doe recoyle to the body he cannot longer to abide in this sort he shall not be permitted but forsaking God in his life time shall be forsaken of God in Death if repentance preuent not and thus in the end the soule remoueth to his place and the body to the earth whence it came now this is thy case and therefore though we cannot escape Death yet let vs escape the sting and bitternesse of this Death for the true vvisdome of man is to measure all his actions by the squire of his short life and so to goe through all temporall affaires that he lose not the eternall and if some small losse of goods or preferment take away our sleepe what should the meditation of assured death doe should vve not doe as in games of actiuity at Olympus exercise our selues some fiue yeares before that in the day of triall we might winne the prize so we should now consider al inconueniences in death and against the game day be sure to get the prize and goe to heauen let fore-warned be fore-armed The fift Vse serues for comfort for Gods elect who take vvarning betimes hasten to prepare themselues against this fearefull guests comming to take away all frights feares he brings with him meet him halfe the vvay not to entreat for their liues as Shemei did Dauid but to iustle vvith him ere he come to his full strength to pull out all his stings while hee as Sampson sleepeth and as vve see vvhen bloudy vvarres bee at hand such as doubt of the victory betake themselues either to a forrein countrey a farre off or to some noble mans seruice vvho is the generall and commander of the vvhole field so escape And so vse vvise men seeing it vnpossible for them to escape death and iudgement they take godly courage and with all carefulnes prepare for his comming and vvhen all this is done seeing hee is like to be too hard for them in this combat they in time betake themselues vnto the seruice of the Lord of life and death vvho vvill not see his seruants at any hand miscarry and if they beleeue in him though they were dead yet should they liue and whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in him shall neuer die Iohn 11. 25. 26. for though death as an armed man assault them to the separating of their soules from the bodies yet all this shal to them turn to the best for Death now hauing no further Dominion nor power ouer them departeth as a dastard curre that hath bit one of his Masters sheepe yet not slaine it whereby the sheepheard tendereth it the more and man thus torne is not slaine but dismembred a little but the sheepheard of our soules will recouer and fully cure it and in the meane while the body freed of all fears and troubles shall be honourably buried and the Lord of life will see it shall not be awaked abused nor miscarry vntill he awake him vp to life neuer to die any more and as for the soule his Angells shall carry him to Abrahams bofome and what looseth hee now by this combat for though he be ouer come of death as Christ his Lord and Master was yet he getteth the victory and by dying conquereth death and thus the day of Death is the master day iudge of all other dayes the triall and touch-stone of our life the last Act of the worlds comedy for if wee die a godly death it honoureth all our actions but if an euill then it defameth and deformeth them all yea the death of the righteous that is of euery beleeuing and repentant sinner is a most excellent blessing of God and brings with it many worthy benefits for 1. Death is to vs conuerted into a sweet sleepe and our bodies shall lye in our graues as in a doulne bedde freed from all dangers cares vexations and temptations and is the complement of the mortification of our flesh and wee now are freed from sinne 2. They are blessed that die in the Lord they rest from their labours and their works follow them Reuel 14. 13. 3. It separates vs from the company of the wicked 4. It seateth vs in heauen where we shall see God face to face Iesus Christ in his glory which sight so rauisheth the holy Angels that it is the fulnesse of their contentation as Psal. 16. 11. Thou will shew me the path of life in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore Yea this farre surpasseth Salomons royalty commended by the Queene of Saba 1. King 10. 1. 8. 9. 5. It puts vs in possession of all these benefits that Christ hath purchased for vs Psal. 126. 5. 6. for so ong as wee are in this world wee are saued but by hope Rom. 8. 24 but when we die we shall fully enioy them a ioy it was to the Israelites after their long bondage in Egypt to enter into the land of promise so to a Prentice to be made free much more to vs to bee set at the liberty of the sonnes of God in heauen 6. If there were no death sin would neuer end with vs but wee should be euer filled with iniquity our sorrowes and labours would neuer forsake vs but wee should bee euer in soule and body most miserable if wee died not who would regard the death of the soule nor prepare against the day of doome 7. It openeth vnto vs the gate of heauen euer since we were borne we haue beene sailing to this Hauen and now being within sight of it we rowe backward from it yet no Sailer beaten with tempestuous waues but would be at the hauen no traueller passing dangerous waies but would bee at home and no godly man but would be at rest If an old aged man would make true relation of his life from his conception to his dissolution and declare all the sorrows he passed through and the heart vtter all her greefes and gripings it sustained all this while I suppose that not onely wee our selues
to render vp to the Lord our speciall callings and talents with their well-occupied encrease And lastâ—y as to the best keeper our bodies life and soules beseech his Grace as he in mercy and of his vnspeakeable loue gaue them vs and all temporall and spirituall good things with them hee will now in like fauour and mercy receiue them againe and keepe them safe for vs vntill the day of iudgement and then bestow them and himseâ—fe vpon vs grant we may euer be with him and he with vs. 8. In the last agony of death we must draw vnto vs al strength of body and soule now in this â—ast combat quit vs like men As 1. we are to rest by faith vpon the preseÌ„t fauour mercy of God in Christ perswading our hearts soules that now Neyther death nor life nor Angells nor Principâ—lities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be abie to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord Râ—m 8. 38. 39. and so plucking vp â—â—r broken hearts shew our selues to be that which long we laboured for viz. to be true Christians 2. Then let heart tongue and voyce bee imployed onely in prayer to God for patience in our anguish for comfort in this our greatest distress for strength in our temptations and for wished and victorious deliuerance from them for a godly end and a ioyfull receiuing and conducting of vs by his holy Angels vnto Abrahams bosome yea endeauour to dye praying for now our weapons be but prayers teares sighes and groanes misery must caâ—l for mercy and let our last words be Lord be mercifull to me a sinnâ—r Lord Iesu receiue my soule Come Lord Iesu come quickly And thus with our â—iues let vs breake vp our watch And thus farre of our watch against Death yet there bee that for better keeping of a true watch and performing of this most necessary necessity thoroughly contriue this preparation vnto a weekes worke or weekely Diarie sorting for euery day of the weeke vnto themselues certaine deuout exercises and meditations so as though they were to die presently that day as thus The first day of the weeke they wholly spend in this meditation that they are mortaâ—l and must die and therefore they so vse and dispose of the commodities of this life and their callings as though before night they must hence labouring to obey that coÌ„mandement of Christ Luk. 12. 35. 36. Let your loynes be gâ—rt about your lights burning And ye your selues like vnto men that wait for their Master when he will returne from the wedding that when he commeth and knocketh they may open vnto him immediately Blessed are those seruants whom the Lord when he commeth shall find waking c. and so set their house in good order for they must die The second day they spend in meditating vpon death the precedents and horror thereof to whom they willingly yeeld yet so that by faith in Christ true repentance and renued obedience they sweeten the taâ—t sharpnesse thereof whereby they shall be able they doubt not cheerefuâ—ly comfortably to drinke of this cup Math. 20. 22. 23. The third day they thinke vpon their sins and with broken and contrite hearts confesse them to the Lord. Psal. 32. 5. 6. 7. and that with such vehement feruency of spirit earnest sweating agonie in soule as if within that day or houre they shuld by death be attached The fourth day with their greatest deuotion and most careful preparation they come to the holy Communion which they call viaticum and so victuall themselues therewith for reliefe in their iourney to heauen ioyning therevnto the reading and preaching of Gods sacred word applying the same to the present purpose so nye as may be suting and agreeing with Christs last Sermon in the Chamber before his death Iohn 13. and 14. 15. and 16. not without prayer and praise to the holy Trinity I he fift day they spend in meditation and prayer for the more liuely and effectuall working of Gods holy Spirit in their harts the better entertainment of Gods sacred word in their soules and opening of their eyes to see their weakenes wickednesse and accursednesse and for wished power to ouercome all temptations assaulting their soules specially at their death-time The sixth day in all humblenesse of heart and feruentnesse of deuotion they pray for a spirituall death wholly heauenly free from all doubtings greefe temptations or fears with an infallible sight of the Sonne of God in some though small manner most comfortable feeling apprehension of the ioyes of heauen contempt of this world with the perfect fulfilling to them of all Gods promises made to them for the life to come and that whatsoeuer holy duty is in them wanting by ignorance or weakenesse the holy spirit of God would suggest vnto them and supply that so the whole glory might be the Lords and to them in life and in death Christ should be aduantage Phil. 1. 21 and that walking through the valley of the shadow of death they should feare nothing for the Lord would be with them and his Angels safely conduct them to Paradise The seuenth day they giue hearty thanks to Almighty God for the innumerable benefits bestowed vpon them spiritually and temporally beseeching his maiesty to continue the same so far forth as hee seeth expedient for them vowing to make the rest of their life if any part be remaining a perpetuall Sabbath vnto the Lord vntill they bee translated to his kingdome where with all his Angels and Saints they shall solemnize an euerlasting Iubilie then this day they vse a deepe meditation and repetition of all the exercises of the sixe daies going before and to euery of these dayes they select certaine fit Psalmes and praiers c. And thus according to my skill haue I charged my watch-man in the best manner I could deuise to prepare for death and when I haue done all I find my selfe vnable to finde the depth of this principle for want of experience which I cannot learne vntill I dye my selfe Onely this I know that albeit this watch be vnreprooueable and necessary for all Christians yet as we see in a Master of Fence if a strong champion set vpon him he will soone set him out of all his fence and make a foole of him so if Death assaile vs aboue our nature and strength wee will soone forget all these instructions and fall to cursing blaspheming and no man woteth with what violence death will assault him therefore would I wish him euer to lead a godly life and keepe a carefull watch annexing to the first obseruations this weekely Diary and that circularly that is weeke after weeke to renew it to our dying day and then to both to desire the Lord himselfe to watch ouer vs else all will be in
is that they are suddenly taken at vnawares and vnprouided and this makes them vnpatient and to cry for some respit to make them ready for Death that is the Lord must stay for them stil but let them watchfully prepare for Death and wait for the Lord as is meet and say Come Lord Iesu come quickly 2. The vnprepared want faith for had they neuer so little faith it would free them from this feare and would animate them against all terrors as Psal. 46. 1. c. for as the body so long as the soule remaineth therein liueth so man so long as Faith abides in his soule needeth not feare Death no more then we feare sickenesse whiles wee enioy perfect health or pouerty while wee abound in wealth 3. There is no feare of death where there is no sinne for sinne is the cause that God depriueth vs of life but the vigilant and godly in time pull out the stings of Death and in Christ their sins are couered and not imputed vnto them Psal 32. 1. 2. Rom. 4. 7. and they sinne not 1. Iohn 3. 9. yea now to them death it selfe is slaine and swallowed vp in victory by the death of Christ 1. Cor. 15. 54. 55. 56. foreseeing that the prick or sharpnesse of Death is sinne and the power of sinne is death Iesus Christ hath accomplished the Law for vs and thereby taken away the sting of Death so that it shall neuer hurt vs any more and so to vs death now is no death but an entrance to life 4. God is euer with the Elect in their troubles and will not for sake them and though they walke in the valley of the shadow of death they will feare nothing Psal. 23. 1. 4. Gen. 46. 4. Luke 22. 43. hee being with them how can they feare to say nothing that he is in league and couenant with them to doe them all good and to remooue from them all harmes and hurts as Isa. 43. 1. c. Feare not I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by name thou art mine when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the riuers they shall not ouerflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not bee burnt neyther shall the flame kindle vpon thee c. 5. Death is but a passage or vvay to life which now is so broad and smooth beaten by all Gods Saints that a man may blindly in the darke tread it without stumbling 6. Such as die in the Lord rest from their labors and their workes follow them and what labouring man after his dayes toyle and trauell would not rest from his labours and betake him to his bed and sleep so we by death shall rest from all the miseries whereunto this life is subiect and shall sleepe as in our beds and what a blisse is this specially to the godly who of all others in this life bee most miserable for they are subiect not onely to the common calamities of this life as of sicknesse pouerty losses c. but also besides these the world doth hate reuile persecute them that so bitterly and extreamely that many of them be imprisoned racked and tormented and cruelly put to death as Heb 11. 36. c. and 2. Cor. 11. 23. c. So that to them it is a great happinesse to rest from their labours and yet to rest from their labors by Death is but a part and not perfect blisse or happines for then a labouring Oxe or trauelling Horse were happy when they died yet they loath tremble to die but they that die in Christ haue another increase of happinesse for they enter into glory and their workes that is the reward of their workes follow them for they shall bee in euerlasting ioy why then should Gods children feare death seeing it is an end of present euills and a beginning of felicitie eternall 7. Death bringeth vs in glory to see God our Father and Iesus Christ our sweet Sauiour and the Holy Ghost our sanctifier of whom wee haue seene nothing hitherto but his pourtrait described by the Prophets Apostles which one thing ought to moue vs more then any thing to desire our dissolution for if the Queen of Saba came so farre to see Salomon and to heare his Wisedome how farre should wee goe to heare a greater then Salomon Luke 11. 31. Saint Austin wished he had liued to see Roman triumphantem Paulum praedicantem Christum in carne but those sights were nothing to these in the highest Heauens wher Christ with all his Angels Saints triumph in glory for now shall that blessing of our Sauiour in Luke 10. 23. be perfectly in vs fulfilled viz. Blessed are the eyes that see the things that ye see for I tell you that many Prophets and Kings haue desired to see these things which ye see and haue not seene them c. the only contemplation of whom will make vs fully content and will dampe and take from vs the remembrance and sense of all other profits and pleasures whatsoeuer Then with him wee shall see all the Angells Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Saints of God who haue in all ages excelled in vertue and godlinesse with all the holy Preachers who shine as the Sunne and Starres in the firmament of Heauen a sight surpassing that which Socrates hoped after his death to see to wit the Noble Heathens that liued before him as Agamemnon Aiax Vlisses c. 8. By Death our soules shall be separated from our bodies and made more free and capable of the profound mysteries of Gods Hierarchy and Heauenly Kingdome for then the vaile being remoued from our eyes and as Nazianzen writeth Our heauenly soules no longer pressed downe by our earthly bodies wee shall see the Lord face to face and know him as wee are knowne 1. Cor. 13. 2. and plainely behold that which we now worship for them shall we enter into the sanctuary of our God euen to the Holy of Holies there will God shew vnto vs as to his intire friends the whole glory and riches of his house and blessed kingdome and keepe nothing backe from vs. Blessed Death wilt thou not make hast to come and conduct vs thither for thou art the wholesome Physicke which curest vs of all diseases and afflictions and by casting vs into and vnder the earth liftest vs to the highest heauens to liue with God for euer 9. Death is to vs the beginning of life which Epaminondas a Heathen at his Death could see saying to his frends Be merry for now I begin to liue and so Ignatius Now I begin to be Christs Disciple so then in truth death is life and the life wee heere lead is but a limping death onely the one and the other are masked vnder false visages for as writes Chrysostome Our life which is full of misery hath a faire visour on which causeth fooles to loue it and Death which is the beginning
but the very Angels would be astonied and wonder thereat and euery man would take it an high blessing of God to be quickly rid therefrom Hegesias a Cyrenian Philosopher did with such eloquence dilate of the miseries of this life that many of his hearers desired wilfull death whereupon Ptolomy the King forbad him to dispute further therof in the Schooles Cicero in Orat. lib. 1. â—uscul quaest Yet will you obiect by dying the godly lose many a good thing and the doing of many excellent workes then to the godly Death is still an enemy filleth vs with terrors and diseases renteth the soule from the body most grieuously causeth our bodies to rotte in their graues and be conuerted to wormes meat and then to dust and ashes then the graue is the land of darkenesse and solitarinesse then death driueth vs out of our vocations out of Gods Church and depriue vs of all worldly comforts and brings vs to iudgement all and euery of which are distastefull and fearefull to Gods Saints Answ. All this is true and wee may thanke Sinne and Sathan for it for had wee not sinned and yeelded to Satans temptation Gen. 3. we should not haue tasted of Death nor misery but Sinne brought Gods curse into the world and specially this for the reward of Sinne is Death and doe we maruell that it as a cursed shippe is ouer-laden with cursed marchandize nay wee all may thanke God it is no worse with vs yet see Gods mercy wrapped secretly in his heauie curse for 1. though Death be our implacable enemy yet is he disarmed and vanquished and swallowed vp of life and though bodily death remaines vnto Gods children for the exercise of their faith patience c. yet all that makes it fearefull or greeuous are remooued preuented or changed and altered to the better for none of these can hinder vs from seruing the Lord and calling vpon our God 2. Neither can our dissolution diuorcing soule and body impair our blisse nor seuer vs from Christ and this parting is but for a time the while it resteth in hope 3. Though the body see corruption yet neuer destruction but euer we expect a day of restitution 4. Though we lye buried yet the memoriall of the righteous shal be blessed 5. Though we be out of our earthly calling yet are wee in an higher and more honourable seruice among Gods Angels and Saints in the Church triumphant 6. And though we be depriued of earthly contentments yet our exchange is with greater aduantage in heauen 7. Death cannot be vncertaine to them that know they must die and daily prouide for it and as for iudgement we will watch and prouide for it but woe to the vnprepared The last Vse serues for thankfulnesse to God for this vnspeakeble mercy to vs as in all other so namely in this that whereas we all the sonnes of Adam had violated Gods sacred Law Gen. 2. 17. and brought death eternall vpon our soules and bodies Rom. 5. 12. c. so vnspeakeable was the loue of our heauenly father to vs that to deliuer vs from this body of Death he gaue his onely begotten Sonne to suffer Death for vs and to be made a curse for vs to redeeme vs from the curse of the Law Galath 3. 13. and changed this second eternall Death to a temporall momentany death making it now the gate of eternall life and albeit that so also this temporall death seemeth and is the greatest and most greeuous and terrible of all temporall plagues and torments and the strength and end thereof so that thus yet it is intollerable to all the sonnes of Adam the Lord heare also for his sonnes sake mitigateth to vs his Elect this first death also giueth vs his spirit and grace to pull out by degrees the stings thereof that it shall not hurt vs no more then a Scorpion that embraceth vs about the sting beeing pulled out and withall giueth vs Christian fortitude in this last combate to gripe with and ouercome death the terrors thereof and which is chiefest of all not onely sendeth his holy Angels in that agony to comfort vs and to be about our beds and paths as he did to his owne Sonne Luk 22. 43. but is with vs himselfe in this troble to comfort and to deliuer vs. Psal. 23. and 41. 3. and often to the greater comfort of such as surviue filleth our hearts while we be heare with ioy gladnes and with an vnspeakable heaueÌ„ly light and feeling of the very ioyes of heaven wherby Gods blessed Saints are in this case so farre from feares terrours that having faithfully and blessedly past all temptations of Satan and relikes of sin which be their afflictions they as men and woemen rapt to the third heaven desire and cry for death pray heartely to be dissolved and be with their Christ their Lord and their God and when death commeth with his last stroake to finish his worke then is he most welcome and most ioyfully receiued and entertained by them The Lord heereby putting a playne difference at this time betweene the death of his holy and elect saints and the reprobates as Psal. 37. 37. Marke the vpright man and behold the iust for the end of that man is peace c. and the end of the wicked shall be cut off The Lords name be glorified euer for this vnspeakable gift and all others in Christ Amen And so farre as now of our watchfulnes for and against Deaths comming The third kinde of watching concerneth our preparation against the day of iudgement and how to be then vvith comfort discharged and so enioy life euerlasting which depends indeed vpon the other two former watches for if we during our abode heere liue godly and depart hence well prepared in the feare and fauour of God it cannot be but we shall be well prepared for iudgement which is nothing else but the iust reward or due punishment in the life to come for the things acted or committed in the time we liued heere And this care likewise must be thought vpon in this life and as our preparation for death so this for life eternall is a forcible motiue to lead a godly life and faithfully to occupie our talents vntill our Masters returne from receiuing his kingdome Luke 19. 13. 15. as we see in faithfull and trusty seruants who in their Masters absence will be carefull to giue the seruants their portions in due season and themselues to be found well occupied Luke 12. 42. c. but if they heare of their Masters returne shortly they will afresh see that all things be in good order that they be not blamed in any respect but if they receiue tidings that hee approacheth and is at the doores now they vse a third on-set oh how now they bestirre them 〈◊〉 how they sweepe the house though swept againe againe before they make vp the beds dresse and
very Deuils how hard-hearted gracelesse soeuer tremble and quake heere all springs of mercy are locked against such as shewed no mercy no one word of comfort to such as denied comfort to the comfortlesse heere Lazarus the beggar scornes to be at a gentlemans command to reach him a droppe of water for that hee denied him the crunmeâ— that fell from his table which now to his cost he rues it and feeles the wants and heauy heart of a poore man and iust it is that such as stop their eares at the cry of the poore should then cry and not be heard Oh dolefull place that yeelds no comfort and oh more wretched people that foresee not this misery to preuent it but most miserable that now hearing and knowing it no warning will serue them no calling will awake them no threatnings no not hell fire will terrifie them and therefore such as haunt mischeefe shall fall into it But O ye holy watchmen and sheepheards of the people for Christs sake cry out aloud lift vp your voyces like a trumpet giue thosee sleepers no rest vntill they bee awaked from their deadly sleep and you godly Christians exhort one another whilest it is called to day lest your hearts be hardened by the deceitfulnesse of sinne and this day come suddenly vpon you and take you away when a mans house is set on fire all the towne and country will forthwith arise to helpe to quench the fire and it is very well done but heere mans soule and body is set on hell fire yet to preuent this danger which is more then the burning of an house or towne no man helpes the watchman is asleepe the gentleman though the house of his soule be all fired snorts in his sinne and must not be awaked the neighbors help to rocke him in the cradle of security vntill death comes and arests him to come to iudgement and then the man and his workes fall in the fire and what misery findeth he not there the guilty conscience the neuer-dying worme the flames vnquenchable the darkenes frightfull comfort no where paines without and terrors within The holy Martyrs burning heere in the flames of fire felt no such matter they died in a good cause had a good conscience towards God and man vvere very cheerefull forgaue their enemies prayed for the Church exhorted one another to patience and constancie perswaded comforted and confirmed the people in the truth reioyced in spirit sang prayses to God prayed instantly to the very last gaspe committed their soules to God in full hope of a ioyfull resurrection and finally as in a burnt sacrifice more then Conquerers ascended vp to Heauen which should animate all men to retaine a good Conscience leade a godly life and be sure of a blessed comfortable death and resurrection vvhereas contrarily a bad Conscience and the guilt of a wicked life portendeth a fearfull death an heauy resurrection to be executed in hell fire But heere the wicked coyne obiections and demand how it is that the mercifull God can finde in his heart thus strangely and seuerely to punish any sinner seeing our sinnes cannot hurt him nor our piety benefit him Iob. 35. 6. 7. and 32. 3. If all be in heauen hee is not the richer nor if they be all in hell is he the poorer I answer 1. God is almighty whose infinitenesse of power wisedome and iustice makes him willing and able to inflict vpon sinners the most exact and sharpest punishment as pleaseth his Maiesty and therefore as he is a God and mighty in all his workes that is to say great wonderful terrible Nahum 1. 1. c. Cant. 8. 6. 7. Deut. 29. 20. so specially sheweth he the same in punishing Reprobates and for that cause is called the God of righteousnesse and the God of vengeance Psal. 94. 1. 2. and seeing all his other workes be wonderfull and full of Maiesty we may be assured hee is so in smiting the wicked 2. As his mercy patience is vnspeakable great in inuiting waiting for sinners repentance Rom. 2. 4. so is his iustice impatience as great if he be contened for in God mercy and iustice are termed Gods two armes therefore must be of equall length and bignesse as well in punishing the wicked as pardoning the godly 3. Sinne is a most odious and impudent aduersary to God and to all his workes prouoking his iustice in the highest degree labouring to bring the Author of all Being to a none being and all his creatures with him and therfore must God be reuenged vpon it and his fauourites as vpon the greatest enemies to his glory in the highest degree 4. This is Gods ordinance that such as feare and obey him in this life should to heauen and the others to hell this is the principall condition of his gracious couenant and therefore it must bee so 5. All transgressions against the Kings person or bloud royal are high treason to be punished with the extreamest tormens as can be deuised but the Reprobate sinne against the King of Kings in crucifying and killing his Sonne and heyre apparent within his owne Court raigning in heauen and therefore no punishment is great enough for such as crucifie the Sonne of God to death to say nothing how they coÌ„spire with Satan to disturb and persecute his Church to robbe the Lord of his honour and glory and to bring all to confusion 6. A Reprobate is an heart-murtherer of God himselfe and a destroyer of all his ordinances wishing there were no God no Iudge no heauen no hell no resurrection nor life immortall and therefore should be seuerely punished 7. The godly cry against them and so doe their bloudy sinnes and therfore the râ—ghteous Iudge must doe iâ—stice vpon them according to their demerits 8. In sinning there passeth through euery mans hart a practicke discourse of the vnderstanding laying before the sinner as it were in the one scale of the ballance the delight ease pleasure or profithe reapes by sinning and in the other the wrath of God if he sinne and hell torments with the losse of Gods fauour kingdome and all his goodnesse which all in respect of his greedinesse to sinne he renounceth maketh a couenant with death and hell and now is turned to it and receiueth his owne madde choyce The next Vse then is for vs not for lust and lustinesse in sinne thus to set at naught the Lord and his regalities for though this bee but the first degree to the paines of hell and as it were the suburbs thereof yet all the teares spent in hell are vnsufficient to bewaile the losse of Heauen and of Gods presence and yet we see millions preferre the losse of their least commodities before it but they shall finde this a greater losse when without delay they must after the sentence denounced trudge the black way to perdition with many a deepe sigh and comfortlesse sobbe from God and all the
of their resurrection 211 5. from the generality of the iudgement 219 6. from the manner of their appearing p. 240 7. from the place where they shall appear 243 8 of two special signes foregoing his comming 252. 9. of Christs comming to iudgement 285. 10. of separating the elect from the reprobates 269. 11. of Christs proceeding in iudgement pag. 282. 12. of denouncing the sentence vpon both 297. 13. of the execution of the sentence with the Vses of euery of of these thirteene Motiues in their proper places ibid. Sect. 20. The conclusion of the whole with an exhortation to watch pag. 364. A prayer ibid. THE CHRISTIANS WATCH PREPARING HOW TO LIVE how to die and to be discharged at the day of Iudgement and so enioy life eternall Mark 13. 37. Watch WOnderfull and euery â—â—ay fearefull was the sleepy and carnall security 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King of Babilon described 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who being on euery sidâ— i 〈…〉 with dangers 〈◊〉 as first 〈◊〉 in the high d 〈…〉 of Almighty God for his cruelty oppressing of Gods Church people 〈◊〉 14. 6. whose City and Temple his grandfather had spoyled destroyed 〈◊〉 King 25. and 〈…〉 c. Ier. 5◠〈◊〉 Then 〈◊〉 for giuing his people and himselfe to idolatry superstition Iâ—râ—m 51. 44. 52. Dan. 5. 4. As also to DiuinatioÌ„s Sorceries Enâ—chantments Don. 2. 2. Isa. 47. 9. and lastly for his Sacriledge and his prophaning of the holy vessels of the Temple and blaspheming the Lord Dan. 5. 3. 23. Then besides hee had Darius and Cyrus besieging the Citty without and ready to take it and within had his owne subiects ready for his tyranny ouer them to cut his throat and of them his principall Courtiers as Gadata whom he had caused a little before to be gelded and Gobryas whose s 〈…〉 hee had slaine in hunting who to be reuenged conspired against him b 〈…〉 yed the 〈◊〉 and brought in 〈◊〉 Aâ—my â—et 〈◊〉 this case and danger 〈…〉 ring â—othing 〈◊〉 confident in the strength and defence of the City which was compassed â—oth with high walls and with the great riuer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also they had prouision â—ayd vp in the Cittie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 y 〈…〉 and more which made him so 〈◊〉 that â—ee made a great feast to a thousand of his Princes and to 〈◊〉 against God his people whoâ—â—ee kept captiue in his drunken vaine â—â—e commanded to bring him the golden and siluer vessels which his Father Nâ—buchadnezzar had brought from the Temple in Ierusalem that the King and his Princes and his Concubines might drinke therein not for any necessary and sober vse which had beene too much Leuit. 27. 28. but in this drunken and lasciuious feast to aduance himselfe his power aboue God and that before his druncken companions and harlots and thereupon which was the greatest impiety of al they praysed their gods of gold and siluer brasse iron wood and stone not onely giuing them the honor of their plenty and feasting as was the manner of the Heathen in the beginning of their feasts to sacrifice vnto their Gods but they ascribed also this victory vnto their Idols when these vessels were taken from the Temple in Ierusalem as though their filthy Idols were stronger and more mighty then the God of Israel Whereupon his iudgement was immediatly written ouer against the Candlesticke vpon the plaster of the wâ—ll of the Kings Pallace and the King saw the palme of the hand that wrote And according to the contents of this writing read and expounded by Daniel was Balthazar that same night slaine and the City vtterly destroyed Dan. 5. Isa 14. 4. 22. and 47. 11. and 21 41 And that by this stratageme while they were feasting Cytus caused the riuer Buphrates to be diuided into diuers channels and so made it pasable and then his army passed ouer and by the guiding of Gadata and Gobrias they entred into the Cittie and these two Courtiers slew him See what security and slouth bringeth vpon men and whole kingdomes when no danger and warning as Daniel telleth Balthasar will serue Dan. 5. 22. and therefore his vanie glorious feast became his funerall feasts and as of this Balthasar so it fareth with all brutish and secure worldlings and sensuall liuers this day who though they liue in their sinns end thereupon in the Lords danger and hatred and wot not how soone for their domerits the Lord will by death take them away then bring them to iudgment yet in this deadly taking are they so sleepy and secure so full of ioy and gladness when they should giue themselues to fasting weeping mourning to preuent Gods iudgements that they put farre from them the euill day and approach to the seate of iniquitie as though no euill could happen to them giue themselues to feasting ryot excesse that the Lord in the midst of their drunkenness taketh them suddenly away most fearefully vnprepared for death or finall iudgment but as they liued beastly so they dye strangely Wherefore purposing the holy Trinitie assisting mee to deliuer vnto you my brethren holy and beloued in the Lord some word of exhortation and considering in respect of the premises that the chiefest things euery one ought to be most careful of as long as they liue are first how to liue according to Gods holy will during our life heere Secondly how to leaue this life in Gods feare and fauour and full hope of a better life and Thirdly how to be discharged before Gods tribunall in the day of iudgement and so enioy life eternall In which 3. poynts wholly standeth the glory of God and mans welfare so much as of man can be sought for whervpon for effecting of the premises 〈◊〉 at this instant can thinke of nothing more behoofull then to stirre vp your hearts to Christian watchfulnes for the time present and for the day of death and of our appearing before the Sonne of God at the generall iudgement Which taske if we faithfully perform we shall be blessed in life happy in death yea and for euer after death dwell with God in heauen Now for the fundamentall ground of this exhortation I chuse this Scripture which directeth vs to examine 1 The occasion of this exhortation 2 The meaning and parts thereof 3 The instructions and vses for knowledge and conscience wee are to gather hereof And for the first the occasion may be gathered out of Math. 23 where our Sauiour denouÌ„ceth woes against the Scribes Pharises threatning them destruction and desolation Whereat his Disciples being much astonied thinke it vnpossible that their Temple should be destroyed vnlesse the whole world should come to an end and be destroyed with it wherefore as they departed out of the Temple one of his disciples shewed him how fortified the Temple was how great were the stones and strong the buildings and indeed it was the stareliest strongest
be and therefore must be obayed 3. There is not a more effectuall doctrine to rouse the sluggard then to heare the drumme of death and Gods iudgement sounding in his secure soule and eares 4. Watchfulnes is profitable to stirre vs vp to serue God sincerely without Hypocrisie 2. It will cause vs to suruey our liues and iudge our selues 3. It will pull downe our pride and cause vs loath the least thing that troubleth or hindereth our reckoning in that day whether of the first or latter iudgement 4. It will cause vs make no account of this world then of an Inne or baiting place but ioy to depart from iâ— for heere can I goe about no good thing but Satan or the world or my â—â—sts molest me and many excellent â—en haue fallen sorely for want of watching 5. If I can watch without ceasing I shall get in each action the peace of conscience which is an vncomparable iewel I shall be as a good steaward accountable to God of my talents without distrust I shall stop the mouths of my aduersaries and cause my religion to be well spoken off by my godly conuersation and be ready when death summoneth and God cals me to iudgement The first vse we are to make heereof serues for admonition to all men that seeing watchfulnes is thus necessarie profitable that we awake from the sleepe of sinne and death and trimme vp our lampes to meete our blessed bridgroome and no longer with the sluggard plead for sleepe yet a little sleepe a little slumber a little foulling of the hands to sleepe c. Prou. 24. 33. Least pouerty commeth vpon vs as on that trauelleth by the way and necessity like an armed man 2. Seeing this doctrine concerneth all men generally rich as poore wise as foolish all men are speedi y to watch and awake betimes we see how euery man is ready and wise to coine excuses to draw their neckes from vnder Christs yoake and burthen how easie and light so euer vsing all exceptions and exemptions and so shift of this Mandate as not appertaining vnto them as now at least and wi I not seeme to them so peremptorie but in some cases admits relaxation a common but a pestilent sicknes infecting all the sonnes of Adam we see how Adam and Euah had their peraduentures and excuses Gen 3. 3. The recusant ghuests had their vnmannerly demurres and made light to come to the wedding Luke 14. 24. Martha was busie in prouiding Christs dinner Luke 10. 42. A good worke doubtles but on thing was necessarie the Lawyers could not abide to be rebuked Luke 11. 45. And when our Sauiour exhorted all to watch Peter expecting exemption to some asketh if he spake to all Luke 12. 41. So likewise heere it is like they looked for a prerogatiue but our Sauiour preuents them saying Those things that I say vnto you I say vnto all watch Therefore beloued let vs all as one man buckle our selues to this weighty worke and know that all men must die and come to iudgement and therefore happy is he that is best prepared for it this is a more precious worke then to purchase lands or buy oxen yea then to dine Christ himselfe or flee to Tharsus as Ionah from the face of the Lord. O Lord open we beseech thee our drowsie eies that we sleepe not in death least the enemie say I haue preuailed against him or where is now thy God and thus farre as now of the necessity of this Text and of watchfulnes The next point is to seeke out the nature of this watchword which I suppose is more euidently apparant as colours of contrarie die or hue by the contrary sense or speech Now the contrary tearme to watchfulnes is to be sleepy carelesse or secure how matters fare or fall well or ill Therefore in saying watch our Sauiour meaneth sleepe not as we read in Mar. 13. 35. 36. Watch therefore c. least he find you sleeping And in 1. Thess. 5. 6. Let vs not sleepe but watch and be sober Now whereas there is a naturall sleepe a deadly sleepe or sleepe in death and a spirituall sleepe heere the spirituall sleepe is only ment which is a kind of dulnes of spirit a satiety and vnaptnes to any godly exercise as drowned in prosperity or carnall contents and besotted in sinne whereby he looseth all feeling in heauenly things as if he were in a naturall sleepe or sicke of a lethargie whereof men die sleeping or without feeling and this sleepe our Sauiour Christ Iesus impliedly vnder this word watch as being the Antithesis therof commandeth vs to a voyd as the sorest enemie to watchfulnes whereof I raise this doctrine If we intend to lead godly liues and to prepare our selues for death and for Christs appearing in iudgement we must not sleepe in sinne nor fuffer our selues to be ouertaken with carnall security or carelesse satietie in heauenly things the doctrine is proued out of the afore named testimonies in Mar. 13. 36. and 1. Thess. 5. 6. Where the Apostle teacheth that the Thessalonians were not now in darknes that that day should come vpon them as a theefe but were the children of light and for that cause were not to sleepe but to watch and be sober this sobriety also is a spirituall temperance and moderation in the vse of the things of this life least we become fettered and drunken as it were with the allurements and delights thereof so Rom. 13. 11. He sheweth that howsoeuer formerly they slept in security and sinne without remorse or regard whether to please or displease the Lord yet now being conuerted to Christ and euery moment expecting both for death and his comming to iudgment it was time to awake from this sleepe to cast away all stupidity of minde all security of life all pampering of the flesh and to awake to God to put of the old man and to put on Christ Iesus the like places we haue in Ephes. 5. 14. out of Isai. 60. 1. Examples shewe what harme security bringeth as to the old world Sodomits and men of Laish Luke 17. 26. 28. Iudg. 18. 7. and Deut. 29. 19. 20. Psal. 10. 6. 12. 36. 2. 49. 7. c. And as no disease is so desperate or past recouery as that which groweth vpon a man so extreamly that he hath no sense or feeling thereof or which ouerwhelmeth him with a sweetnes delight or sleepines as doe the Lethargie consumptions and strong poisons so is there no sinne so pernitious as that which pricketh not the conscience as this sleepie security and such as we take to be small or no sinnes as sinnes of custome gainfull sinnes as vsury cunnicatching c. sinnes of sport negligences sinnes of omission and of ignorance c. or such as we feele a holines in the doing thereof as in all sorts of idolatry and superstitions worships humaine inuentions in Gods seruice as in praying and praising
in Reuel 16. 15. Christ againe calleth them blessed who watch and keepe their garments least they walke naked and men see their filthtnesse c. Reasons enforce the doctrine as first God commands vs to watch which he would not were it not behoouefull and needfull for vs. Secondly the imminent dangers we stand in perswade thereunto as the corruption of our nature prone to sinne and to all mischiefe Sathans manifold assaults and temptations certaine vncertaine death Gods wrath and vnsupportable iudgements the baits and allurements of this life as with so many cartropes pulling vs to sinne and damnation crosses and death in euery creature we vse and vnder euery stone lurketh a Scorpion ready to sting vs to death if wee bee not vigilant and constant in prayer Thirdly the benefites redounding to vs hereof should set vs forward to this dutie as namely first we shall liue righteously and glorifie God in all our dealings secondly we shall be as in compleate harnesse appointed against Sathan the world sinne and our owne concupiscences thirdly be helpfull to men fourthly hurtfull to none fifthly Blessed of God in this life sixthly most happie in the life to come c. which the Lord of glory grant vs all to doe The first vse we are to make of this sad doctrine serues to instruct vs wherein we are not to watch and wherein according to our Sauiours will we must watch where we are to vnderstand that our Sauiours minde is not in watching we should forbeare naturall sleep which is as needfull and profitable for vs as is our food vnlesse it be for some part of the night that we awake to God and in that silent and solitarie time giue our selues to prayer So Dauid saith he remembred God in his bedde and thought vpon him when he was waking Psal. 63. 1. 7. At midnight rose vp to giue God thankes Psal. 119. 62. And euery night washed his bedde and watered his couch with teares Psal. 6. 6. and good reason had he so to doe For this was the most conuenient time to speake without interruption and talke at large and most familiarly with his God which worke in truth was to be preferred before any sleepe Then in the day time He was so taken vp with the affaires of the kingdome that he often had no time to call vpon God in priuate and therefore would rise at midnight to pray praise the Lord. So our Sauiour when for the presse of the people and his indefatigable labour in preaching and teaching the people and working of miracles he could not talke with his God in prayer He would goe out to the mount to pray and spend the whole night therein Luk. 6. 12. and 21. 37. And so shou'd we doe for the night is the fittest time for this holy worke for then may wee haue elbow roome inough without any disturbance of wife children family or friends nor yet of secular affaires to examine our hearts if Christ called vs at midnight to iudgement or at cocke-crowing or in the dawning Mark 13. 35. we might euery way be ready prepared and waking yea walking with our God and also to powre out our hearts to our good and mercifull God in prayer and be heard And yet this is no warrant for swinish wretches who if they pray at all neuer pray but in their beds and that so drunken drowsiely and sleepingly that in the middest of their lip-labour deuotion they fall asleepe and withall ioy and comfort themselues yea bragge it out that they euer fall asleepe in a good worke that is as if they said they were ouertaken with sleepe in abusing Gods Maiestie with their lippe-labour prayer taking his name in vaine and offering vnto him the sacrifice of fooles Eccle. 5. 17. and 6. 1. But by watching the Lord warneth vs to be vigilant and carefull ouer our whole liues and euery part thereof that Satan with his subtilties and sleights nor yet the world with the enticements thereof nor sinne with his deceitfulnesse nor our owne nature with the lusts and corruptions therof draw vs from our faith and profession or from our loyall obedience to the Lord and so defeate vs of our ioyfull victory and hopefull triumph in that great day ouer all gods and our enemies and withall depriue vs of our vncorruptible crowne of glory and for this cause must wee euer imitate the Hare who though shee sleepeth yet neuer closeth her eyes together but euer pricketh vp her cares to listen if any dog barke or trace after her so though wee sleepe our hearts euer must bee awake and with Iob must feare and examine all our waies and know that in this holy worke we haue no greater enemy then our selues and therefore as our houshold and euer flattering foe we must watch and distrust all our actions and as vnder an yron locke keepe in and vnder all our thoughts words and workes else they will lay broad open the gates of our soules for Sathans complices to enter in and robbe vs of all graces temporall and spirituall and then woe woe shall be vnto vs. Neither is this all our charge though this bee more then well we can discharge but wee must further watch ouer such as God chargeth vs withall as first the Husband ouer his wife that as before she was married to him she was ospoused to a better husband euen in Baptisme to Christ Iesus and at his hand receiued her to be his helper vpon condition to see her keepe faith and truth to her first husband So must he carefully watch ouer her that shee breake not faith nor promise in any case but daily walke more and more worthy of the Lord in all sinceritie good conscience faith vnfained and all loyall and renewed obedience and seeing shee is the chiefest of her heauenly Fathers goods be sure to respect and keepe her in all honestie pietie and honour as the chiefest iewell of price committed to his safe custodie and in due time be readie to restore her to God her Father a pure and chast Matrone without spot or wrinckle For hauing vndertaken a charge hee must beautifie and adorne the same and say of her as Augustus of Rome I found it of bricke I leaue it of Marble which he may well and easily performe beeing first godly religious himselfe and know that his wife is his sweete garden wherein he must continually walke and his most gainfull vineyard wherein he is euer to be imployed neither will any I trow bee so fond as to thinke to reape commoditie from his vineyard if he plant not therein continually the choisest vines whatsoeuer they cost which set will quite cost and prune and dresse his trees nor to take delight and comfort of his garden if he be not carefull to weede it of all vnsauoury herbes and set therein the most vertuous and sweetest plants as are to bee found else madde were he that would
shall be the more sanctified and they will learne sooner and with greater facilitie the on of an other then of an elder instructour 5. And if the father perceiueth him to be of ready and quicke capacitie he may acquaint him as hee thinketh best with his booke which shall keepe him from bad company or being idle and ill occupied then let him drop into him by familiar tearmes the name and right meaning of God his Creator of Christ his Redeemer of the holy Ghost his sanctifier then of the holy Trinitie in the Vnitie of the Dietie in as plaine easie and briefe manner as possible he can neither shall he labour in vaine for God will giue a wished blessing and comfort to his owne worke 6. Thus the sixth yeere of his age compleatly passed and the seauenth current then must hee prouide him a faithful godly schoolemaster to traine him further on in learning vertuous educatiō yet so that he forget not himselfe that still he is his father and therefore is to watch ouer him and must teach him priuately as his Master publikely to know and loue the Lord and to render some reasons thereof as thus we children must loue God aboue all because he loueth vs he made vs of nothing then God loueth vs for he gaue his Sonne to die for vs and gaue vs his Spirit and word to sanctifie vs and bring vs to him and therefore must wee obay the same and loue and praise God for by these meanes he gathereth vs to the mysticall vnion of his sonnes body and to the communion of his Elect Church Finally God loueth vs for after death he will raise vs to life and we shall euer liue with him in heauen and therefore must we loue and glorifie him in euery thing Then teach him to feare and abhorre sin in thought word and work And first to know as much as conueniently may be by the ten commandements what sin is and the temporall and spirituall penalties thereof As thus also wee must not sinne for then God will be angry with vs then wil he take his grace and peace from vs then will he send vs troubles sicknesses death and cast ve to hell with the diuell and reprobates And let him learne to doubt of his doing and demand of his parents if this should be done or vndone if the Lord bid or forbid it if he loue or hate it and to conclude that if God will it I will doe it if not to die rather then doe it 7. The seuenth yeere complete and the eight current acquaint him with the Bible and the principall stories therof as of the creation fall and recouery of man of the deluge and burning of Sodome of Israels departure out of Aegypt of the whole acts and life of our Sauiour Christ c. Then with other parts thereof and withall to make some vse thereof as we must not breake Gods commandement for this brought sinne and misery vpon the world wee must nor mocke the ministers for this caused God to send Beares to kill the children of Bethel maids must not be gadding about so Dinah was defloured we must not breake the Sabbath for he that gathered stickes that day was stoned to death nor blaspheme the Lord for the blasphemer must die the death nor with Absolon dishonor our parents nor with Cain commit murther c. Only be carefull not to ouercharge him with too many things at once nor yet to cloy or ouer weary him for there is nothing more pernitious then sacietie in well doing this will cause him forsake all but let his labours be workes of libertie freedome and sport knowing that the schoole-house is called not Carnificina a butcherie but Ludus a sporting and playing place where all things bee taught and learned with ease and delight Thus let him proceede till he be readie for some calling but euermore the parents must be watchfull that he be not carried away with ill company or infected with the sinnes of the time place or his age but that euer he proceede according to these beginnings and while the parents bee parents let them watch and command ouer their children and they euer obay c. Then thirdly Masters are to watch ouer their families with as great care for the time being as ouer their children and also ouer their kindred and friends and euery one ouer another that their hearts be not hardened with the deceitfulnesse of sinne and at no hand bee of Cains humour to say or thinke am I my brothers keeper Gen 4. 9. But because it were an endlesse labour to speake of all sorts of people and of all duties belonging to them and to euery period of mens ages where of their be already intire volumes extant I will surcease and speake of on or two more and referre the rest to euery godly mans consideration The next vse serues only for a memento to the godly Ministers not to forget their names but as in Scripture they be called watchmen Ezech. 3. 17. and 33. 2. 6. 7. So must they carefully and faithfully watch ouer the poore sheepe and lambes of Christ Iesus And howsoeuer most men take this to be no labour at all and that such as are in this worke most wakefull to be busie bodies taking more vpon them then neede for these sheepe are as wise and carefull for their saluation as they else it were pitty of their liues c. Yet Gods seruants finde it an Art of Arts and a Science of Sciences to ouersee and superintend this wily flocke euer distrustfull and suspecting all plaine dealing taking their friendly louing watchman euer to be their greatest and most malitious enemie and at euery bray laboureth to hide themselues from him or to escape out of his fould so that they may be resembled to fish which bee so sharpe sighted fearefull and distrustfull that were it not there be so many fishes in euery brooke and riuer Gen. 1. 20. and 48. 16. The fisher could hardly catch any and so if the Lord wrought not miraculously by his word and spirit with his painefull Minister he should neuer catch on of them so wilde and vntractable they be nay hee shall be so farre from catching them be he an vsurer a Church robber an oppressour c. that vnlesse he well see to himselfe the fish will catch the fisher and make him more the childe of hell then themselues and therefore no tongue is able to expresse his care vigilancie labour and trauell neuer at rest that whereas all others worke the sixe weeke daies yet they rest from their labours vpon the Lords day but this poore shepheard is to expect no rest but as the Sunne running his course laboureth all the weeke but most of all vpon the Lords day and what remedie but that as Ierem 10. 19. It is their sorrow and they will beare it Episcopius Printer in Basill had this Embleme in the first page of the bookes
and yearely pay the Minister so much as thou reapest aboue thy paines and charges in gathering the fruits And faile not to binde thy posteritie in all ages to pay the Church this yeerely anuitie and holy tribute but if thou doe neither be assured thou shalt not long prosper for this is a crying sin against thee and thine And I doubt not but the Lord beholding the affliction of his Ministers the crueltie and vnmercifulnesse of these transgressors and the famine and oppression of the poore blind and â—ame of this land will in time stirre vp the heart of some Noble Nehemiah or godly Ebed-Melech to speake to our most gracious Soueraigne for redresse of this Maladie and so farre of this vse and remedie Hauing proceeded thus farre in the first member of watchfulnesse for this life present which in deede is most difficult and of largest scope and without which the other two are to small purpose and seeing that this weighty work concerneth all men all women all ages all functions and all dealings in the world yea in euery thought word and worke we must carefully watch for vnder euery stone lyeth a scorpion ready to sting vs to death and yet to enter to euery of these particulars were infinite I therefore for better discharging of the whole thought to annexe a few helpes to further you the more cheerefully to vndertake this watch with vndoubred assurance the Lord assisting to effect it to Gods glory your comfort Whereof the 〈◊〉 helpe to watch in all our affaires is for euery man to betake himselfe to a calling which will keepe him from idlenesse and many sinnes this calling is two-fold generall and speciall first the generall calling of a Christian is by all godly meanes ordained by God to endeauour to become truly religious according to the Lords gracious couenant made and sealed at our Baptisme the reasons why wee must make this our calling and daily exercise is first for that we are full of impietie originall and actuall and so liable to eternall damnation by due desert vnlesse we labour to abolish it and become godly and the nature and powerfull working of Gods religion is such that as a precious oyntment it perfumeth sweetneth sanctifieth with the graces of Gods Spirit the whole man otherwise is no better then an vnsauory carrion in the nostrils of the Almighty 2. Then the doctrine of eternall life is so heauenly profound and ample that we cannot in any sufficient measure be furnished therewith vnlesse we make a continuall labour and practise thereof so throughly are we inuenomed by the stingings of the old serpent and ouercouered with the leprosie of sinne that we are wholly vnnaturalized and vnapt for any good thing vnlesse we betimes enter into this holy trade of life this is our plough wherewith we must manure the Church gleebe of our hearts else it ouergrowes with bryers and weeds this is our paradise wherein we must euer be occupied in dressing it else it will become a desart full of Serpents heare must wee euer be learning else wee forget euer watching else our enemy preuaileth no sleeping in sinne then the enuious man soweth tares among our wheat no truce with Satan for then he conquereth no looking backe then vnfit for Gods kingdome The second helpe is for euery man to set and settle himselfe in a speciall calling and honest trade of life whereby he may get a sufficient maintenance both for himselfe his family and the Church and poore to Gods glory and good of his Church and this is Gods ordinance Gen. 3. 19. that all creatures should be of some speciall calling but man aboue all the rest else that he should not eate 2. Thess. 3. 6. to 13. And the law of equitie requires it that as wee enioy the fruits of other mens callings they should likewise of ours and so increase vnitie and amitie as bretheren and this is our paradise wherein we should euer be occupied else we walke not in the way of all creatures Satan excepted who is of no calling yet neither idle nor well occupied we walke inordinately busie-bodies troublers of such as walk in the callings open to all temptations and vanities and yet therein so conceited and wiser then seuen that can render a reason Prou. 26. 16. And such as at no hand can keepe true watch but euer disturbing and persecuting the watchmen of their soules excluded from the protection of Gods Angels a gracelesse generation and if you obserue what heauie iudgements befall the wicked you shall finde that they are cast vpon them by the hand of God when they ranged out of their callings as to Sampson by Dalila to Dauid in the matter of Vriah to Iâ—â—as going to Tharsus to Peter at the high Priests fire c. And contrarily that most of mens wealrh prosperitie commeth to them by their godly and painefull walking in their vocations But because worldlings would cast of their generall vocation to embrace this speciall only and idlers would not labour but pretend walking in their generall calling both complaine they cannot discharge both vocations in on day and therefore take it sufficient to serue God on the Lords day and themselues all the weeke daies I for satisfaction herein thus as in a diary digesting order both callings together and what is spoken of on daies worke may bee meant and applied to euery day First then so soone as thou awakest out of thy sleepe stand vpon thy watch and awake to God for the tempter with his vncleane suggestions is at hand and know that if our first thoughts be holy after our sleepe we be such if vnpure we be wicked then offer to God the sacrifice of prayer for thy sleepe and life and thine that so the Lord being first in account with thee may graciously hold with thee all the whole day 2. Then thinke of all thy sinnes thou canst call to minde and the punishments due to them temporall as eternall pray for pardon for them and be thankefull for thy happy deliuerance from them by Gods mercies Christs merits and working of Gods Spirit in thee which thou shalt the readier performe if thou think of thy death of Gods iudgement day of the paines of hell and ioyes of heauen of the vanities and afflictions of this life as of the momentanie pleasures thereof and how blessed are such as furthest estranse themselues from them and draw nightest to God in all Christian obedience 3. This done thinke vpon the discharging of thy speciall calling this day to Gods glory thy soules health and good of all men and the furthering of thy peace at thy death and of thy reckoning in the day of iudgement These meditations will first keepe thy minde from bad thoughts and Satanicall temptations secondly will sanctifie thy soule thirdly will be forcible motiues to prayers and thankes giuing and fourthly will cause the Lord draw neere thee and
of religion executed by his Minister for his saluation shall become distastfull and loathsome vnto him for which contempt the Lord will bring an heauy curse vpon him for treading vnderfoot his ordinance and who wil then absolue him and therefore to preuent all mischiefes and Apostacie or Atheisme let him instantly pray the Lord against this rupture and straine himselfe against all dislikes or reports to loue his pastour as his father to honour him as Gods seruant to reuerence him as his guide to eternall life and thinke nothing he possesseth to good for him no more then did the Galatians who receiued Paul as an Angel of God yea as Christ Iesus and if it had beene possible would haue plucked out their own eyes and haue giuen them to him Gal. 4. 14. 15. And sure it is that neuer was their godly man that hated his owne Minister but euer his feete were beautifull to him neuer was bad man that loued him and therefore deserued the dust of their feete to be shaken against him and so let my watchman preferre his owne Pastour and in heart sincerely as a chast matrone her husband embrace him abone all other how learned or godly soeuer and neuer depart from him to heare any whiles he teacheth let him haue his due honour and desert for deseruing best meete it is he should be best respected it is meete it is that he that hath the wintering of them should haue the summering for in time of plague or greatest troubles when the flatterers forsake thee yea and in death it selfe he must sticke vnto them and that the gifts which his parishioners in a pharisaâ—call spirit bestow vpon strangers who doe them lâ—tle good be giuen as an ouerplussadge vnto him to cheere vp his heart and encourage him in his vocation and so euer in all his meetings let him haue the chiefest place and acceptance and so should you winne the Pastours heart and cause him cheerefully watch ouer you for your good and be carefull with all his cunning and power to direct you in your priuate watchings so that if you slept in sinne hee would awake you whereas your strange teacher will rocke you on in the cradle of securitie if you strayed from Christs fold he would turne you home and not runne with you if he followed noysome lusts hee would sharpely reprooue you and not winke thereat or glaunce a farre of that you should not perceiue it if you sinned of ignorance he would instruct you if of negligence he would call vpon you if of infirmitie he would direct you if of malice hee would rebuke you and so meete you at euery style that you should not depart from the Lord if he conferred with you it should be about our sinnes if he aduised and perswaded you any way it should be to your saluation where you did well he would commend you if amisse be sorry with you if things fell out crossely with you he would aduise you he would reioice at our prosperity in your aduersitie he would comfort you in your sicknesse and deepest disdresse he would be our faithfull phisition if ye mourned hee would weepe with you if ye liued he would liue with you if yee died to doe you good hee would die with you and would euer as well by night as day pray God for your peace and praise the Lord for appointing him watchman ouer so gracious and thankfull a people when as by forsaking and contemning him and his Ministery and following strangers you shall cause him neglect you and the rest of his flocke eate vp his heart with sorrow leaue you open to all assaults of Satan the world and sinne and finally draw Gods iudgements vpon him and you But of this more else-where But to draw to an end for endlesse would it be to me to recite all the helps the Lord prouideth to assist and vphold vs in this holy watch for who seeth not how God watcheth ouer vs in euery good worke to prosper vs therein then his Angels attend vpon vs all his creatures in heauen and earth fauour and to their power helpe vs the law directeth vs the Gospel comforts vs the Magistrate whose life the Lord preserue shieldeth vs the Ministers instruct vs the godly conferre with vs all Gods Saints pray for vs the time inuiteth vs being peaceable so that we may safely repaire vnto the house of the Lord and euery of vs in these halcion daies the Lord be highly praised for it are freed from all lets and perturbations so that we neede not goe in feare of the enemy nor reade in feare nor pray in feare as in the Marrian daies when none could reade a good booke but still at euery period they must be looking about to spie if any came to looke and to accuse them so that their state was not vnlike the Iewes returning from captiuitie Who were faine to build with their trowels in the one hand and their swords in the other as is in Neh. 4. 17. But now if thou be not afraid of thine owne shadow thou maiest securely sit vnder thy vine and picke vp the foode of thy soule in peace and worke leisurely with both hands because the Lord himselfe protecteth and watcheth ouer thee so that no sooner art thou tempted by Satan or alluréd to sinne by his members to leaue or forsake thy watch but forthwith the Lord of Hosts sendeth forth his spirit his Angels his graces and all his creatures as troopes of souldiours and an armie royall to aide and assist thee yea with vnited forces to fight for thee and so to compasse and keepe thee that thou shalt not giue ouer thy watch nor disgrace thy holy profession And to giue instance in some on temptation as for example in whooredome If as was Ioseph thou be sollicited to adultery and so to cut thy selfe from the Lord 1. Cor. 6. 15. And depart from thy watch and to open the gates of thy soule for sinne and Satan to enter in and robbe thee of thy chastitie and all other graces and so make thy soule an habitation for diuels Matth. 12. 45. Thy danger is great and heare as a virgin in danger to be defloured Deut. 22. 24. 27. must thou mightily crie to the Lord for present help else thou art vndone now the Lord hearing thy prayer forth-with sendeth out his armie royall to rescue thee as thus Before thou yeeld to the temptation he granteth thee time sufficient to deliberate whether to yeeld or not In which time steppeth in Gods law as thy chiefe counsellour to disswade thee condemning adultery to hell and commending marriage as honorable next in the necke thereof all to minde Gods plague the executioners of the sinne threatning Gods curses in this life death and eternall damnation in the life to come this past Gods feare frighteth and terrifieth thy very soule and spirit which causeth the soule with all the powers thereof to quake and mourne within thee
kill vs neither booteth it vs to waste our goods on Physitians to keepe vs froÌ„ it for albeit they promise faire yet they their babes die as soon as others our Lawers cannot in this book-case plead no not for their owne liues no King so welthy no Sampson so stout no horse so swift no spear so long no armor of proof so sure but as the Behemoth Leuiathan he scorneth all Therefore to preuent all the hurts harms that accoÌ„pany Death such as die vnprepared I gather this doctrine All Gods children must whilest they liue heere seeing they know they must die bee exceeding carefull to watch and wake for Deaths comming whensoeuer it be least it come suddenly vpon them and so surprise and take them away vnawares and vnprepared the proofes be in Isa. 38. 1. The Lord said to Hezekiah by Isaiah Put thine house in order for thou shalt die and not liue And this did all the godly Fathers before their death as Abraham disposed and prouided for his children before his death Gen 25. 5. 6. Isaak Iacob blessed their children Gen. 27. and 48. and 49. so did Moses blesse the twelue Tribes exhorting them also to serue the Lord and the like did Ioshua Deutr. 33. Iosh 23. and 24. and Dauid did the like prouiding further for the Temple and the functions thereof 1. Chron. 22. to the end of that booke that God might bee serued after his death better then while he liued Abraham Iacob and Ioseph had an holy care for their buriall Gen. 23. and 49. and 50. Simon and Paul desired to die in peace and bee with Christ our Sauiour and Steuen commended their soules to God forgaue and prayed for their enemies c. Then Moses desired God to teach him to number his dayes that he might apply his heart to wisedome Psal. 90. 12â— This also by a voyce from heauen is confirmed to be a blessed thing as Reu. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead which hereafter die in the Lord euen so saith the Spirit for they rest from their labors and their works follow them And contrarily how fearefull it is to die vnprepared we see in that Corne hoorder who when hee made most account to eat drinke take his ease and be merry that night his soule was taken from him Luk. 12. 15. to 23. Reasons ratifie this truth likewise 1. All our former watchings ouer all our life is lost labour if in this point we become sleepy and secure 2. To die is one of the greatest works and most dangerous roâ—kes mans life is subiect vnto if heere wee make shippewracke wee are vndone for euer for what auaileth it to liue godly and die wickedly not one iot as Ezech. 18. 24. 3. At our death time Satan is most subtle busie and fierce to ouerthrow our faith for if now hee preuaileth against vs he hath gotten his wished desire but if now he be vanquished he is out of hope euer to preuaile and so layeth downe the bucklers at our feete for euer therefore stands it vs much on hand to watch and for want hereof many goe meerely to the pit of perdition 4. Death by this premeditation and preparation will be more welcome vnto vs for dangers foreseene are lesse greeuous 5. I shall more easily contemne this world by often thinking that I am a stranger in it and abstaine from many sinnes which otherwise I would commit and will repent of all my sins committed and omitted and the rather because all Gods Elect did so and were saued and so shall I. 6. God commands vs to watch for commanding vs to watch for the day of iudgement he will haue vs make a godly death for as wee die so shall wee be iudged and therefore must bee watchfull and pray much for a godly end 7. If we performe this duty many commodities accompany it if not vndoubted damnation to all that die in sin vnrepented for death in it selfe is the way to hell to the wicked but to the godly a portall by which the soule passeth out of the fraile body to heauen or is as the Angell that guided Peter out of prison and sets them at liberty Acts 12. 8. 9. whereas to the wicked it is a cruell Sergeant to arest and cast them into prison The first vse serues for instruction for my vigilant Christian how hee is to watch generall and speciall for death The first generall care whereof is in leading a godly life and then shall hee be sure of a godly and blessed death for eternall life hath three degrees one in this life when a man leades a new sanctified heauenly life and can say truely that now hee liues not but Christ liueth in him Galath 2. 20. and this all such can say as doe vnfainedly repent beleeue and obey iustified from and sanctified against their sinnes and haue the peace of Conscience with other good gifts graces of the holy spirit which are the earnest penny of their saluation The second degree is in the end of this life at our death when the body goeth to the earth and soule to God the third at the last iudgement when body and soule revnited doe ioyntly enter into eternall blisse and of this first watch I haue spoken in the first part before Then secondly we must watch and be in readinesse for the second degree of eternall life euen for death for man goeth to the house of his age as Eccles. 12. 5. that is towards his graue and therefore must prepare for it and labour to pluck out of our hearts that erroneous imagination wherewith euery man naturally blesseth himselfe thinking so highly of himselfe that though hee had one foot in the graue yet beleeues hee shall not yet die and what a folly is it for man to stumble thus at the threshold ere they be aware of the house many charge and chide olde age to come vpon them vnexpected but who compelleth them thus falsly to conclude So if any complaine of Deaths vnlooked-for approach wee may answer Who bade them bee so foolish as not to looke for him Cruell and vnmercifull Death makes league with no man though as Isai saith chap. 28. 15. 18. The wicked make a league with Death that is in the fond imagination thinking that Death will not come neere them though all the world should be destroyed and seeing this naturall corruption is in euery mans heart we must daily fight against it and expell it out for so long as it preuailes we shall be vtterly vnfit to make any preparation for death but will bee like the foolish debtor that keepes no account of his debt and then maruells how the Creditor should remember to demand it thou hast owed this debt euer since thou wast borne and before thou wast borne and is it strange that now after some yeares past thou art called vpon for it what if the day of payment be not
take no care of paying their rent shew they despise their Landlord to their own losse hurt and confusion 6. Study and exercise daily the Art of dying most men lay how to liue in the world but a Christians care should be how to die well out of this world and that master-care carrieth about all the inferiour and subordinate cares and affaires of this life therefore let vs invre and accustome our selues daily by little and little to die before death come for hee that leaues the world before the world leaues him reacheth the hand to death as to a welcome messenger and with Simeon departs in wished peace and as men that are appointed to runne a race exercise themselues before in running that they may get the victory so should we begin to die now while we are liuing that we might die well in the end so Paul 1. Cor. 15. 31. said that hee died daily not so much for that hee was daily in danger of death by reason of his calling but for that in all his dangers and troubles hee inured and exercised himselfe to die for when men do make the right vse of their afflictions and endeuour to beare them patiently humbling themselues as vnder the correction of God then they begin to die well and to doe this indeed is to take an excellent course He that would mortifie his greatest sinnes must begin to doe it with small sinnes which when they are once reformed a man shall be able more easily to ouercome his miseries so likewise he that would beare the crosse of all crosses namely death it selfe must first of all learne to beare small crosses as sickenesse troubles losses which may fitly be tearmed little deaths and the beginning of death it selfe and wee must first of all acquaint our selues with these little deaths before wee can be able to beare the greatest death of all Against the afflictions and calamities of this life are as it were the Harbingers and Purueyors of Death and we must first learn how to entertaine these messengers that when the Master shall come wee may in better manner welcome and cheere him 7. As many as bee able to doe any good seruice eyther for Gods glory or his Church or Common-wealth or to any priuate man or woman because his departure hence is vncertaine and the night of his day draweth on hee must hasten with all speed to doe it lest death preuent him and it be laid to his charge so that hee loose his reward for this point note Eccles. 9. 10. Iohn 9. 4. Galat. 6. 10. And hee that hath care to spend his daies in well-doing shall with much comfort peace of conscience end his life for he that labours for the good of others shall be beloued while he is here and lamented when he is gone but such as onely make worke for themselues as hogs at the trough both liue without being desired nor beloued and dying are neuer missed nor lamented Let vs then doe all to Gods glory and mens good and thus farre of our generall watch Next followes our particular vvatch for death as thus So soone as wee feele sickenesse seize vpon our bodies then is it high time to begin our particular watch and preparation for death where 1. Wee must consider whence our sickenesse commeth euen by the speciall prouidence of God and the cause of this affliction is our sinne as Lam. 3. 30. Mich. 7. 9. Math. 9. 2. Iohn 5. 14. Wherfore is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sinne and though there be no other causes of our death yet sickenesse comes ordinarily and vsually of sinne and therefore speedily must we make a new examination of our hearts and all our liues passed say with Israell Let vs search and try our wayes and turne againe vnto the Lord Lamen 3. 40. and so labour to bee reconciled vnto him in Christ though wee haue formerly beene long assured of his fauour 2. Wee must make a new confession vnto God of our new and particular sinnes not forgetting the old specially the sinnes of our youth and ignorance before our calling and thereto Thirdly make new prayers and more earnest then euer before with vnexpressed sighes and grones of the spirit and that for pardon of the same sinnes and for full reconciliation with God in Christ. In the exercise of these three duties stands the renouation of our faith and repentance whereby they are increased quickened and reuiued and the more sickenesse preuailes in the body the more should we be carefull to put them in vre that spiritual life might encrease as temporall life is decayed then are we to forgiue and desire to be forgiuen of all the world specially of our owne Minister 4. If our paines and sickenesse discourage vs wee are to set speedily our house in order and then send for our Parish Minister who if it may be must not be absent from vs while breath is in our bodie but to exhort perswade encourage answere our doubts pray with vs and for vs help vs in our feares and temptations and as a Bride for her Bridegroome make vs ready attyring vs in the wedding garment and robes royall for the marriage of the Sonne of God neyther must their godly neighbours be now absent but as they haue been formerly privy to our godly liues so if we accuse and condemne our selues they must testifie the truth of vs further then the Ministers knowledge extends and so comfort and set them as eye and care-witnesses of our former life in assured hope of vndoubted saluation 5. And because no godly meanes must be omitted to preserue life till God take it away the Physitians skill is not to be refused obseruing this order that where the Diuine ends there the Physitian must begin and not contrarily for let vs neuer look for health in body vntill wee haue a faithfull and sanctified soule desiring God to blesse the meanes he vseth for vs which we truely cannot doe vntill our Consciences perswade vs of the pardon of our sinnes 6. This done let vs set our soules in order and see how wee stand in the fauour of God and so shall wee die more voluntarily quietly and patiently and let vs labour that our sinnes die in vs before we die in the world and consider we what an excellent thing it is for vs to end our liues before our deaths and in such sort that at that houre wee haue nothing to doe but to die and that then we haue need of nothing no not of time nor of our selues c. but sweetly and comfortably to depart this life 7. This sanctified preparation will cause vs not onely ioyfuâ—ly and cheerefully to depart this life but withall in ful and hopeful assurance of a glorious resurrection First to commit our wiues and children and people vnto the protection of Almighty God to receiue them at his hand in his bâ—essed Kingdome againe Secondly then
vaine when we haue done all we are so weake and corrupt yea and ignorant of this way by Deaths doore to Heauen but if the Lord assist vs with his holy spirit wee shall not misse of a prosperous voyage for if God be with vs who can be against vs and questionlesse he will be with vs if wee carefully keepe this watch and though wee know not the way further then with our eyes we see it yet he knowes it and euery balke and temptation and stumbling stone and will both put in our hearts how to answere euery temptation and as Peter out of prison will lead vs safely that nothing shall let vs for his owne Names sake And therefore let vs confidently sticke vnto the Lord and he will sticke vnto vs for hee hath said I will not faile thee neyther forsake thee Iosh. 1. 9. Heb. 13. 5. Luk. 22. 43. The second Vse serues to put vs in minde of Death for seeing it is thus conuenient profitable for vs to watch against Death and so dangerous and pernitious to forget death vntill it sodainly taketh vs away vnprepared we must subscribe to the iudgement of the godly and also of Heathen writers who would haue mans life to be but a meditation of Death because it meeteth both young old at euery stile and for that nothing is more dangerous nor comfortlesse to any then at an vnawares full of sinne and full of the world to be arrested by Death for if thou look about thee thou shalt finde Death painted in euery place and worke thou doest And therefore thinke vpon it not as thou wouldest of a thing that were to come or some deuised figment but euen as Gods messenger now present and withall not as a thing appertaining onely to others but belonging to thy selfe The Indian Gymnosophists called Brachmanes were so carefull to make their liues a continuall meditation of Death that they had their graues alwaies open before the gates of their houses to the end that at their going out and comming in they might euer be mindfull of their passage to death and this house of earth to wit our graues is the schoole of true wisedome where God teacheth those that be his the misery and vanity of this life and whereas the world considereth no more but the painted face of Iezabel shining gaily at a window and not the miserable and extreame parts of her which after her body was eaten vp of dogges God would haue to remaine whole that thereby as in a figure vvee might see that the world is another manner of thing indeed then it appeareth in shew and that we should in such wise consider the face of it as also to be mindfull also of the extreame griefes sorrowes wherein the glory of it endeth 2. King 9. 30. 1. Let vs then preuent this misery and thinke on our death for this will first make the proudest Peacocke â—ay downe his fairer feathers so often as hee thinketh vpon it though hee pricke them vp againe when hee draweth his eye from this glasse 2. It will make vs serue God sincerely the feare of whom is the beginning of wisedome Marriners while they saile peaceably giue themselues to all riot and disordered excesse but when the tempest beateth into their shippe and death is before their eyes they cry mightily to God so we rocked in the cradle of security as in a ship glutte the forbidden fruit but stricken in aduersity loath this life and labor for a better 3. The memory of Death causeth vs to know that none of these things can be called ours which wee cannot carry with vs out of this world and therfore while we haue time wee should doe all good with them we can 4. In what calling soeuer a man bee hee cannot choose but deale vprightlie in most things if he doe but remember hee must die for what ambitious man would be proud of his honour and offices seeing he must die when all honor wealth and glory shall forsake him and another shall step in his roome as proud as he and when his glasse is runne out another shall succeed him c. vntill Death catch all as fish in his nette and to what purpose should I hoord money or purchase Lands c. seeing that Nakednesse shall be my last end Iob 1. 21. Of the want of this consideration arise all errors deceits for vvho vvouâ—d haue a sparke of presumption to sinne that knevv his end shortly to bee dust and ashes or would make his belly his God that were sure shortly his belly should become worms meat or would bestow one penny in building that were perswaded the graue should become his Pallace or braue himselfe in braueries considering hee shall be turned hee knowes not how soone out of all yea out of house and home in a poore winding sheet Therefore beloued let vs adhorre all vanities which doe but make vs vnwilling to die and open the gates of our soules to all our spirituall enemies a rule in policy it is to vvatch and ward that City which is beseeged round about and such as vvould keepe their cities in flourishing estate must euer be watchfull as if their enemies were at the gates so our Sauiour seeing that wee haue enemies on euery side and that Death the terriblest enemie knocketh at our gates foreseeing the danger might come of our sleepie security commendeth to his Church and commandeth watchfulnesse and therefore let vs not bee wanting to our own saluation but euer desire the Lord to grant vs this grace to number our daies aright and aboue all to perswade our faithlesse hearts that wee cannot heere long continue but must die The next Vse serues for comfort against the feare of Death for 1. If against the comming of Death wee be watchfull and euery way prepared as is aboue said then need wee not feare Death for then we shall die in the Lord and the Angell and Gods Spirit pronounceth from Heauen that such are blessed as is Reucl. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them If then it be a blessed thing to die in the Lord we need not feare it for all manner of seare presupposeth some euill and danger for we are not afraid of a good thing but affect it offered vs and receiue it cheerefully If then wee be not in danger of the second death as none that die in the Lord are it is folly to dread it seeing it is a blessed thing If a towne be well furnished with victualls as was Babilon which was prouided for twenty yeares as writ Xenophen and Herodotus though the towne be besieged the people within are secure but being vnstored quaketh for fear whence we may iudge of what importance it is to preuent dangers and be well prepared in time for that which astonisheth many at their death
of life hath a foule visage to fright boyes and fooles which causeth it to be feared and hated for want of wisedome and true iudgement but take off the maske and thou shalt see Death very amiable and life odious and terrible 10. Death is to be desired before life and the day of our decease before the day of our Natiuity I meane in respect onely of temporall good and euill prosperity aduersity else not for by our birth wee enter to sorrow and by death end it and goe vp to God wherefore in olde time Sepulchers were built in Gardens as Ioh. 19. 41. not only among our sports to put vs in mind of our ends and so to vse the same moderately but also to teach vs that ioy and pleasure is a consequence of death and an entry to Gods Paradise of pleasure and therefore let vs liue to God and Death shall not hurt vs. The fourth Vse serues for terror to the wicked who hearing of this early watch and preparation for death will none of it they bee not so foolish as to defraud themselues of the comforts and delights which God gaue them with the frightfull thoughts of gastly death this would bee able to fright a fearefull simple body out of his wits and to draw honest neighbours to desperation and what needs this pudder shall not wee be saued as our neighbours and vvhat doe wee desire more doth euery man so as you say or shall all that prepare not so as you prescribe be damned our fathers nor forefathers euer taught vs any such matters and we will not nor desire to bee better then they as for you ye be vncharitable men God forgiue you I answer here is a great deale of good stuffe pact together if wee had time to vndoe and consider it But in the meane while know ye that wee desire nothing of you more then the Lord exacteth of his dearest children and therfore not to be trodden vnder foote by you for we liue not by examples but by the Lawes of the Almighty whereunto all men ought in all humility bee obedient before father or life it selfe neyther is heere any thing pressed but what your selues know to be requisite and could wish ye did if you as many and most men doe and you must lay vpon your death-beds knowing feeling what they miserable men doe Yet if you refuse this diet as ouer tart take then your owne no man will blame me for giuing you good counsell and because I giue you ouer yet follow wise Salomons aduise and that the rather for that without compulsion you often of your owne accord vse it viz. Goe to the house of mourning for there is the end of all men and hee that is liuing taketh it to heart Eccles. 7. 2. where hee would haue all men bestow sometime daily to think what pressures and agonies shall assault vs at the houre of death and for the better consideration hereof hee would haue vs goe to the house of mourning and not of banqueting and there behould a man dying and that we should marke the heauy accidents and painfull passions of that houre and take it to heart for as it fareth to day with him so shall it tomorrow fare with thee and with all the world this thou canst learn without his or any further direction for comming to the house to visit thy neighbours there shalt thou see a very sick man forsaken now of naturall heat his senses without much mouing his face like lead the bowles of his eyes sunke in his head his mouth full of fleame and some his throat ratling his tongue swollen his necke winding euery side his breast beateth and panteth for life ready to burst for paine the veynes still all infallible tokens of death Now take this to heart and take the case to be thine own for this is the way of all the world and then now seeing and viewing such perplexed extremities in others reflect and represent the like image to bee shortly in thy selfe Imagine that thou lay vpon thy death-bed that thy Physitions had now giuen thee ouer thy friends and kinsfolke stood weeping wringing their hands about thy bed vnable to help or comfort thee but rather augment the greefe of thy departure and thou the while speechlesse and helpelesse O how dreadfull shall this departure and last farewell be to thee and to them where wealth shall not asswadge thy woe but plunge thee deeper in the gulph of calamity neither honours assist thee for thou must leaue them with like vehement smart as thou gottest them with greedy desire and badde conscience thy wonted delights breed within thy soule that neuer-dying worme and neuer-quenched fire what counsell wilt thou heere take who formerly hast refused all good connsell couldest not abide to heare of death no more canst now to goe out of thy body will bee too intollerable to abide within is vnpossible to deferre the time to end thy will but vntill to morrow will not bee granted death is in poast-haste now art thou abashed that thou diddest not watch and prepare for this houre Oh hadst thou wist but it is too late now thou cryest fye fye vpon thy brutish behauiour and now for feare horror wouldest flee from thy selfe for then shalt thou see thy selfe beset with horrible monsters that is with thine owne sinnes which as furies pursue and hedge thee in all the time past shall seeme vnto thee as the twinkling of an eye but the time to come endlesse pittilesse and remedilesse so that thou maist truly say The snares of Death compasse me round about and the pangs of hell got hold vpon mee and I shall finde trouble and heauinesse c. Psal. 116. 3. 4. But returne wee to our sicke man againe whom vnexpected Death frustrateth of all his counsels and could not come in a worse time for now hee curteth off violently the webs of all his deuises and with one pellet ouerthroweth all his castles built in the ayre then commeth in the Physitian with his It will not be thinke good sir no longer of life you must be gone These be heauy tidings then his sorrowes shall bee vnspeakeably encreased when he recounteth with himselfe that his body which now hath some life in it shall after an houre be depriued of sense life spirit soule for if it be an hard matter to bee pulled away from these things which no doubt so neerely toucheth man how bitter I pray you will be the separation of the body from the soule for such two louing familiar friends which haue alwaies liued sweetly together cannot be diuided without vnspeakable griefe if the Oxe doe commonly low and mourne when his yoke-fellow which was wont to draw with him is taken away how will euery one of vs mourne when the soule shall bee separated from the body and as Sathan in our life time set forth to him Gods mercy nothing but Mercy hiding his Iustice so vvill
the violaters thereof 6. as that day waâ— for the good of the Elect so will this be to Reasons enforce this Doctrine 1. Because the Iudge himselfe commandeth vs so to doe Luke 11. 28. 2. Gods iustice mercy calls for this day to punish the wicked and crowne the godly 3. The Lord sundry times and after diuers manners forewarned vs heereof as 1. by pronouncing the sentence of Death for sinne before it was committed Gen. 2. 17. 2. by often repeating the same sentence in the Law Deutr. 27. 26. 3. by the euidence of euery mans conscience summoning as it were all men to appeare at the day appointed before the great Iudge of all the world Ioh. 8. 7. and 1. Iohn 3 20. 21. Rom. 2. 15. 16. 4. by his speciall temporall iudgements that figure it as vpon the old world Sodom Babel Canaan c. 5. by many signes and tokens fore-running and presaging the same 6. by deliuering his talents to bee occupied vntill his comming againe Luk. 19. 12. 7. 7. by the word of God warning all to iudgement 4. The ends for which Christ commeth to iudgement iustifie the same as 1. for the glory and praise of his Iustice for all eternity 2. inrespect of the compleat fulfilling of Christs three offices And then shall he deliuer vp the kingdome to his father when hee hath put downe all power rule and authority 1. Cor. 15. 24. e. 3. for the crowning of the Elect with immortality in heauen for hauing abolished Sinne and Death and reconciled the Elect hee shall deliuer them to his Father to be crowned with eternall glory and shall triumph ouer all his enemies for euer 4. In respect of men that euery man may receiue his iust desarts be they good or euill 5. for the deliuerance of the creatures from the slauish bondage of corruption whereunto it is subiect Rom. 8. 20. 6. meet and right it is that the Lord should bee reuenged vpon Satan and all his complices for troubling his Elect and consequently vpon all the world for persecuting and afflicting any manner of way his holy Church who now as the bloud of Abel cry against their oppressors Reuel 6. 9. â—0 Luk. 18. 7. and with their prayers hasten the Lord to iudgement and so likewise do the cries of the poore of the hireling the stranger widdow and fatherlesse Deut. 24. 14. 15. Gen. 18. 20. and 4. 10. 6. 5. 6. 7. Iam. 5. 4. the complaint of the Angels of Satans sowing tâ—res Mat. 13. 27. the accusations of Sathan Reu. 12. 10. and the sins of all the world crying to God all which hasten his comming to this great assises and the while he stayeth and delayeth his comming for causes best knowne to himselfe as the complement of the Elect c. also he is faine by strange fearefull and extraordinary iudgements to punish the world when for want of executing Iustice men hiding their eyes Leuit. 20. 1. and to visit countries and people vvith strange plagues and calamities and that for the peace of his Elect else the world would grow out of frame Satan and his kingdom become ouer-insolent and the poore and weake be trodden vnderfoot and therefore there must be a day of generall iudgement The Doctrine thus proued it followeth to giue some vses for the edifying of the conscience whereof the first serues for confutation of all Atheists Sadduces Epicures ignorant Sotts Mockers and whosoeuer besides of that cursed crue and litter who impudently desperately deny there shall be any day of iudgement and therefore without reremorse giue the raines of liberty to all sensuality and abhominations Math. 22. 23 and Acts 23. 8. and 1. Cor. 15. 12. Phil. 3. 18. 19. and 2. Pet. 3. 3. 4. The reasons of these foolish-witty sinners be these the whole world stands of beleeuers and vnbeleeuers but there is no general iudgment day for neyther of these for the beleeuer hath life euerlasting and shall not come to iudgement but passeth from death to life Ioh. 5. 24. as for the vnbeleeuer hee is condemned already Iohn 3. 18. and needs no further iudgement and therefore there shal be no iudgement at all for it is needless I answer By iudgement is meant sometimes absolution as Math. 25. 34. other while condemnation Iohn 5. 24. now God will iudge the iust and the wicked Eccles. 3. 17. the beleeuer shall not come to the iudgement of condemnatioÌ„ yet shal he come to the iudgement of absolution Math. 25. 34. 40. 41. they reply that all men at their seuerall deaths and departure out of this world are iudged and what needs the generall I answer That notwithstanding this particular iudgement granted onely vpon mens soules there must and shall be a generall Sessions and that for the aboue recited reasons as also 1. Because in the first particular iudgement the soule onely is iudged and the body is interred in the graue therefore meet it is that as soule body honoured or dishonoured God together both should be paid or pained together and therefore must both appeare that day to be iudged according to their workes 2. The Lord in pronouncing his sentence of absolution as of condemnation will be iustified and glorified in the face of all the world 3. The Lord will haue this to bee a day of generall triumph ouer sinne and Satan and there must a day be assigned for it and therefore are wee to watch for it The second Vse serues for instruction for Gods children to bee wise and watchfull for seeing there must bee a generall day of iudgement wee must without delay or procrastinations prepare for it which I take we shall performe the better if wee vse the few motiues offered to your considerations to stir vp your hearts for this work wherof I raise my first motiue from the very names and attributes of that fearefull day for the names in part shew the nature thereof whereof some be fearefull to rouse the sleepy sluggard others comfortable to encourage forward the godly and both in time to regard their saluation as 1. This day is called the day of iudgement Math. 12. 36. Luk. 10. 14. and who knoweth not that to iudge meaneth properly to doe iustice vpon malefactors for it is contrary to the name of sauing deliuering or redeeming Ioh. 12. 47. 48. and therefore thereby is meant a day of damnation which implyeth thus much that in that day Christ the Iudge will bee so offended with his enemies that hee himselfe will sit in iudgement vpon them to condemn them to hell we know that Monarchs sit not in iudgment for toyes howsoeuer reprobates make but a sport of sin Pro. 4. 19. though they tread vnder foot the very bloud of Christ the Iudge himselfe 2. It is called a snare Luk. 21. 35. because as birds when they fare best misdoubt no danger are vnawares caught in a snare so when the wicked are most secure this
for husbands and parents impiety separated from God and stand in the same transgression If to thy Minister he it is whom thou hast euer hated robbed persecuted and which is another vexation hee shall anon sit in iudgement vpon thee If to the Saints they haue not oyle enough for themselues If to thine own good workes they as smoake vanish being all done in hypocrisie and for vaine-glory and from an vnregenerate heart If to thy former life behold a blacke cloud of trecherous inditements against thee If to Satan thy suggester he now stands in the like condemnation If to the Angells they are the haruest-men sent to gather the tares and to cast them into the fiery furnace If to the Iudge himselfe he calls thee to surrender thy talents and stewardship If to carnall shifts and helpes the Iudge will not be corrupted with bribes nor mooued with flattery nor deluded any longer with promises nor terrified with threats nor touched with pitty thy threats will not bee respected wringing of hands pulling of hayre tearing of thy flesh weeping howling and endlesse lamenting will not be regarded praiers be but babling vowes past date no truce no sureties no appeale no repriuing no delay no repentance a wicked life calleth for iustice sin for death contempt of God for finall damnation turne thee what way thou wilt there is no cōfort euery creature proclaims that the mighty must be mightily tormented and woe is to the wicked for now it shall goe euill vvith him for the reward of his hands shall bee giuen him What shalt thou doe looke vp to heauen it is shut against thee to the Iudge hee commeth to denounce the sentence vnder thy feete hell gapeth for thee within thee is a condemning conscience without thee the bookes opened about thee the reprobates mourning to goe forward is vnpossible to goe backward is not permitted to stand still thou canst not to runne away is bootlesse no remedy but miserably to sustaine and vndergoe all torments and extremities of this fearefull day and place vnlesse now thou repent ioyne with Gods Church forsake thy former wickednesse and that thou maist die the death of the iust liue the life of the godly and if thou vvilt haue a wished place in iudgement and after in heauen with Gods Elect get thee a place heere vpon earth with Gods Church bee not now separated from them in the exercises of religion and holy communion of Saints and thou shalt not be diuided from them in the enioyments of the fruits thereof both in death iudgement and glory eternall in heauen for looke what place and profession thou choosest heere now among the godly or wicked and the like place shalt thou find with the like company in iudgement and euer after Behold I set before thee life and death good and euill c. as in Deut. 30. 15. to the end And thus farre of the second Motiue The eight Motiue to watchfulnesse is the consideration of the glorious comming of the Son of God to iudgement immediately after the whole world is assembled to the appointed place but so that first two euident signes shall goe before the one immediately before his comming or as I may say at his setting forth which is this 1. There shall be signes in the Sun c. as in Luk. 21. 25. The Sea and the Waters shall rore and mens hearts shall faile in them for feare for the powers of Heauen shall be shaken Luke 21. 25. 26. As for the signes in the Sunne Moone and Starres Math. 24. 29. saith they shall be darkened that is to say as the learned expound it Christs comming vnto iudgement shall be with such resplendant and vnspeakeable glory that euen the most excellent creatures shall bee thereat astonied so that the Sunne and Moone shall bee darkened and the starres as if they fell from heauen giue no light that is these most glorious and bright-shining creatures shall be clouded obscured and damped by the vnconceiuable brightnesse of Christs comming to iudgement whereat the wicked shall despaire for feare as Reuel 6. 12. to the end which place is an euident fore-running figure hereof as that also in Exod. 19. 16. to 20. Then the sea and waters shall for feare roare least now they shall bee turned to nothing such as dwell by the Sea side obserue that against tempestuous weather the Sea roareth but this being a most fearefull day in respect of Gods inquisition for sinne and sinners and all other accessaries therevnto and no storme to the tempest of Gods wrath they not onely roare but as it were set out their feare with all the strength and power they can that so the Lord might respect and preserue the miserable sencelesse creatures abused by mans sinfulnesse and the powers of heauen shall be shaken as threatning a downefall by reason of mans sinne and the Lords indignation and punishing of all sinners As when the Father of a family punisheth and whippeth in his anger any one of the seruants all the house as the very children and seruants will feare and so is it heere when the Lord in his vvrath commeth to punish all workers of iniquity the Angells the Heauens and Saints of God all subiect and guilty of their infirmities compared vvith Gods holinesse and perfection cannot but tremble and quake as we read the Prophets did in all their visions much more in this So likewise when the Master of a great family dieth the whole house is troubled the wife taketh on the children weep the seruants lament the retainers mourne the house is turned vpside-downe hospitality giuen ouer and all come to ruine and desolation so heere when man the center and glory of this world draweth to his end and triall and is like to bee vtterly confounded in hell fire Oh Lord What shall become or to vvhat vse serues this world the heauens the earth the sea and all the powers thereof but vvith man to be turned to nothing or set vpon a light fire to bee consumed to dust and ashes if the Lord in mercy do not otherwise determine and dispose of them and is it any maruell that they tremble quake and roare for feare and how much-more should man the cause hereof seeing and knowing all these things tremble weepe and howle for his sinnes now while time serueth and he may be heard but in these great water-flouds of misery they shall not come nigh him nor be heard Wee see that onely an earth-quake if it bee any thing vehement is exceeding fearefull the least extraordinary inundation of waters very terrible but now when the vvhole massie globe of this world shal thus totter and shake the mightiest seas and waters rore and rage for feare and the glorious heauens become darke and dusky how shall the hearts of men be appalled with dread and terror to behold the same and the cause thereof wise men preuent dangerous diseases lest they take away their colour and kill them
and shall they be damned too and so it is now but we are to learne that most excellent gifts will not auaile to saluation vnlesse we haue true faith sincere repentance and new obedience whereby we doe the will of God and this is a point of great weight and moment and worthy of obseruation that men not onely in this life and in death but euen at the last day shall thus plead for themselues and yet not be regarded because that all was done in hypocrisie and not in sincerity and this should teach all men to beware of sprituall pride selfe flattery and selfe-loue delighting in their externall gifts as Pharisees Luke 18. 11. Isa. 65. 5. whereby they flatter themselues in their estate ouer-weening the good things they haue and falsely thinking they haue that blessing of God which they haue not whereas in truth vve should labour to be purged of this pride and euer suspect the worst of our selues to iudge our selues seuerely and strictly in regard of our vnbeleefe and hollownesse of heart for this will be a meanes to make vs escape the iudgment and condemnation of the last day and this is the property of Gods Elect to thinke worse of themselues then God doth as we see in Math. 25. 37. but the reprobates haue euer better perswasion and opinion of themselues then God hath as Math. 25. 44. To conclude then let vs bee vpright and sincere both in profession and practise and in continual prayer for grace and bountiful willing hearts to do good works for this is the meere gift of God and without praier cannot be obtained for we are naturally so couetous so didistrustful in Gods prouidence and promises such louers of our selues hard-hearted to others that without his speciall loue and fauour to vs it is vnpossible for vs to get this great victory ouer our selues to bee mercifull no not to Christ himselfe nor to his Ministers that maintained his honour and glorie and therefore of all others ought most to be respected and releeued and yet I wote not how as a field vine subiect to euery of winde and tempest they be of euery body most reiected and least regarded as the out-scowring of the world and sheepe appointed for the slaughter neyther can we afford the crums from our tables to Christs poore members but rather giue them to dogges hawkes horses whoores and for Tobacco to vrge drunkennesse to make vs sober and circularly able to bee drunken so that it cannot be but the Lord hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the Land because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the land but stealing and lying and whooring swearing and killing Hos. 4. 1. 2. Ranulphus Cestrensis in his Polichronicon lib. 5. cap. 10. and anno 610. writeth of Iohn Patriarch of Alexandria that being at his prayers vpon a time as is said there appeared vnto him a comely virgin hauing on her head a garland of Oliue leaues which named her selfe Iustice saying vnto him and promising that if hee would take her to wife hee should prosper well whereupon he after became so liberall to the poore that he assayed to striue in a manner with the Lord whether the Lord should giue him more or he should distribute more of that which was giuen and I would the maid Mercy should bee maried to more then this Almoner for so after he was surnamed that the maid Mercy should not liue so long a Virgin as that a few or none will marry her yet our Sauiour commands to sell what ye haue and giue almes make ye bagges which waxe not olde a treasure which can neuer faile in heauen Luke 12. 33. and to take heed that your hearts be not oppressed with surfeting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and lest that day come on you at vnawares for as a snare it shall come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth Watch therefore and pray continually c. Luke 21. 34. c. And so farre of this twelfth Motiue The last and thirteenth Motiue to watchfulnesse is the consideration of the execution of the sentence vpon the Reprobates for these shall goe into euerlasting paines Math. 25. 46. In vvhich words wee may see two expresse torments inflicted vpon the wicked First a departing from Christ in these words and they goe from Christ according to those words of the sentence in vers 41. Depart from mee ye cursed And secondly the place which is to eâ—erlasting pains agreeable to the iudge to euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuill and his Angells These two members of the execution of the sentence point out two sundry punishments to be inflicted vpon the Reprobates the one priuatiue the other positiue The priuatiue is a depriuing of them from Christ their head and from all goodnesse from Christ so that they haue nothing left in them but sin as a boulter when the flowre is boulted out there remaineth nothing in it but brannes so they depriued of all Gods graces and life haue nothing left in them but the brannes of sinne and the second death And thereupon as formerly the badde Angells are made or rather become as diuells incarnate This priuatiue paine some terme the paine of losse or the losse of all blisse which although it inflicteth no external sensible punishment yet hath it within it a positiue effect for as the absence of the Sunne causeth and bringeth darkenesse and the want of foode death so the absence of Christ Iesus the Sonne of righteousnesse bringeth darkenesse to the soule and the want of the food of life death eternall then which what torment greater then vtter darkenesse and euerlasting death for as the fulness of ioy is gotten by inioying his presence Psal. 16. 12. so the fulnesse of sorrow is attained by his absence and as he is the life quickening all creatures so the want of him is the depriuation of life and a second death So then this priuatiue punishment is a violent cutting of man from Christ his head and center of his life and blisse and a remoouall from all goodnesse whatsoeuer euen the smallest and this sorrow of want of God and all goodnesse is euerlasting because the Iudge is infinitely angry and for euer absent from all helpe to sinners for heere all light is away all the candles of comfort quite and for euer put out and nothing remaining but vtter darkenesse and gnashing of teeth all plenty wanting all scantnesse abounding not so much as one drop of cold water can bee obtained from Abraham sometime rich in good workes all springs of mercy be close locked against such as shewed no mercy not one word of comfort to him that would not comfort heretofore the poore comfortlesse no friend in â—heape-side no friend in Court poore rich Lazarus now scorneth the rich poore glâ—tton heere gentlemen be beggars and cannot be heard and beggers gentlemen and scorn their scorners who
are afflicted as well vpon the outward senses of the body as vpon the inward faculties of the soule and these paines are twofold the one remote or vvithout man the other propinque neere and vpon mans soule and body the outward paines remooued from the whole man are such externall torments as are accidentall and seize vpon him by reason of the place or prison it selfe and the company therein As for the place where the wicked shal bee tormented is called Hell the names thereof expresse the nature of the same and first the Heathen illuminated onely by the light of nature and rules of equity call it first a forgetting of all goodnesse 2. a desire of euil 3. the waters of greese and renouncing of all ioyes 4. weeping and lamenting 5. a Lake of misery and euerlasting loathing of the former workes 6. a darke place 7. darkenesse it selfe 8. a place of terror trouble and vexation vvhere dwelleth no order but confusion and euerlasting horror 9. wringing 10. an infectious hole 11. a place breathing exhalations of brimstone 12. a botttomles pit c. where we see how nature iustifieth the Lord in mens consciences how naturall wittes deuise acknowledge iudge of diuersities of torments due for sinners though they neuer were taught them out of Gods Word yet they iudge these to bee the worthy reward of sinne and sinners Secondly the Scripture termes the place by these names Hell Math. 10. 28. Euerlasting perdition 2. Thes. 1. 9. A Lake burning with fire and brimstone which is the second death Reuel 21. 8. the deepe Luke 8. 31. Gehenni or the valley of the sonnes of Himmon Ier. 7. 30. and 19. 6. Math. 23. 23. Tophet Isa. 30. 33. and 2. King 23. 10. vtter darkenesse Math. 23. 13. vnquenchable fire Mat. 3. 12. and 13. 25. a place without Reuel 22. 15. which names as fearefull as they bee expresse not the thousand part of the ineffable paines thereof onely as in a figure by these names the Scripture lispe to our capacity rather then in expresse termes doe vtter the full effect of Gods wrath vpon sinners and therefore in speaking of these torments we must carefully beware that that which is figuratiuely spoken in Scripture be not taken not expounded litterally as some doe but learne and aduertise our hearers that whereas vve cannot conceiue nor vtter the extremity of these torments nor the fulsomenesse of this horrible prison yet the Scriptures expresse them by the sharpest and most intollerable punishments we know or can conceiue as fire brimstone darkenesse weeping c. and yet when wee haue heaped together all the attributes and names we know all are insufficient to declare it being incomprehensible onely let vs beleeue what wee cannot vtter and carefully auoid that cursed place betimes lest then wee bee made to feele that which now wee will neither beleeue nor eschew which God forbid and so farre of the names thereof Secondly the nature of the place teacheth what shall be the tortures and torments of such sinners as shall be cast into it neither will I bee curious in this bloudy point which nature abhorreth to bee prolixe in but onely by some few circumstances referre the deeper consideration thereof to euery mans secret meditation praying Almighty God to worke in them and me heereby such effects that we may euer auoid the the things that bring vs to it as for the nature of the place 1. Hell is described to be a prison or dungeon prepared for the Deuili and his Angelis Math 25. 4. Christs his and our aduersaries must not God be reuenged vpon his enemies and the more Christ powreth the vengeance of his reuenge vpon Satan and all reprobates the more is he glorified and his power magnified and therefore hell must be such a wide place as shall containe the whole wrath of God in the highest and extremest degree and therefore the place must be terrible where is nothing but vexing and tormenting iustruments of Gods wrath 2. The best places and sweetest vpon earth if they be not kept cleane and sauoury will soon become fulsome much more will hell made a place of dishonor and of the execution of his wrath for wee see how all places wherein God inflicteth the iudgement of his wrath are full of horror as Ierusalem Math. 23. 37. Babel Isa. 13. 19. Bozra in Edom Isa. 34. 11. 12. Niniueh Zâ—ch 2. 13. 14. c. much more hell wherevpon light all Gods curses 3. If worldly prisons and dungeons become so fulsome that in short time men lose therein their health and liues for the stinch want of contentments much more in hell for all prisons be paradises to this and the horror thereof passeth all horrors so that the very deuils desire respit not to be sent thither Luke 8. 31. 4. Here are all the torments of Gods wrath as fire brimstone and such fire as burneth euen spirits surpassing all fires Oh what anguish and torment sustaineth he that is subiect to these instruments 5. This further aggrauateth the terror and horror of the place in that it containeth not onely all the tortures and instruments of Gods fearfull vengeance but is a place of vtter darkenesse and blackenesse that is voyd of all comfort farre beyond Pharachs plague of 3. daies palpable darkenesse Exod. 10. 21. but this for euer the soarest punishment that can be inflicted vpon man is to cast him to a dungeon or darke place and yet this is nothing to that a plague of plagues fitting such as sinne in darknes and that call darkenesse light Iohn 3. 19. Ezech. 8. 12. Isa. 5. 20. Ephes. 5 8. 11. c. 6. Then the company they finde there be the Deuill and his Angelis all Reprobates and badde people as full of malice hatred and all villeny as euer they were when they liued vpon earth albeit the close prison keepes them from practising it and what a death is it for a man to bee constrained to liue euer in such a company where Satan and his Angells hatred to man is now greater then euer it was for now to their eternall confusion they feele the full reward of their wickednesse wrought to man who might haue stood in their Angell-like state had it not beene for man and therefore ceaseth not in all they can to maligne all Reprobates and the like do one Reprobate to another as agents of one anothers misery 7. Their exercise in hell is weeping and gnashing of teeth so that they cannot speake nor thinke any one good thing Thus we see both the name nature and circumstances of this fearefull place and therefore being so terrible it were wisedome for all men to beware of it and labour for heauen to dwell in euer The other sort of the paines positiue bee called the internall paines inflicted vpon both soule and body which may bee guessed partly by that which hath beene spoken of the prison and partly by the
owne destruction And mans happinesse consisteth in 3 things 1. The Temple the statliest building in all the world Read Iosephus The wonderfull care that Christ hath ouer his The cause of the destructioÌ„ of the temple Note No power can withstand when the Lord comes with power to destroy Vse A good obseruation for worldlings Doct. 1. We should not set our hearts on worldly things Eccles. 1. 2. 12. 13. 14 1. Ioh. 〈◊〉 15 16. 17. Vse 1. The world Vse 2. Riches Dainty fare Luk 16. 25 Buildings no outward priuiledges can free the wâ—eked 〈◊〉 Gods wrath Apparell the figue of mans shame Note Apparell The bodies of the wiâ—â—d are fuell for hell Iam. 2. 19. Remember the day of iudgment the diuels tremble feare A simily Heb. 11. 10. Mat. 17. 4. Vse 3. Ierem. 45. 3. c. Why we were sent to the world Application § 4. 2. Parte This distribution of this Text. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. The subdiuision Three watches 1 2 3 What is it to watch Of watching in generall The necessity of watching Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit â—tite 〈◊〉 Doct. 〈◊〉 Which teacheth it is most necessarie to watch Proofes of the doctrine by Scripture and by reasons § 6. Vse 1. For admonition to all men The sense of this word watch Doct. 3. against carnall security Proofes by Scripture What sobriety is Exhortation Vse 1. To bee watchfull Psal. 30. 6. Luk. 18. 8. Vse 2. For comfort for such as watch Part. 1. Of watching in speciall Doct. 4. To watch for the leading of a godly life in this world Proofes by Scripture By reasons 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Vse 1. Is to declare how weare to watch When we are to watch We must watch ouer our selues Cant. 5. 2. Iob 9. 28. We must watch ouer 〈◊〉 family 1. As fâ—st ouer his wife 2. Ouer his children A good president for all parents to traine vp their children in the feare of God Prou. 25. 1. Similiâ—â— Example of Origent training vp of a childe Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 2. Ruffinus l. 2. cap. 5. Vse 2. To nurture their children in the feare of God 2. Reasons Satans spite to little children * Anâ—â—logia Papa pag. 779. Act Mon pag. 125. 14. The institution of a child from his cradle 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Ouer his seruants Vse 3. For Preaching Ministers A simile Vse 4. For vnpreaching watchmen Ioh. 24. 15 16 17. Vse 5. For robbers of the watchmen Gen. 4. 10. 11. and 9. 5. 6. Preachers and writers against sacrilege * Samuel Gardiner against sacriledge Obiect Contra 〈…〉 liud A dilemma 2. Cor. 3. 7. 8. Heb. 12. 22. and 10. 28. 29. Abbey lands due to the Ministers Reasons Prouiding it Obiect Math. 5. 19 De simplie Plator A prouerbe Mel in orâ— verba lactis fel in corde fraus in pactis cauek A subtill and false teacher Men wil be demned rather then forsake any one sweete sinne Epist. 54. ad Maccd 〈…〉 um Obiect Leuit. 10. Obiect 2. Sam. 17. 7. A remedie against sa 〈…〉 ledge Sect. 12. Helpe to watch The first helpe to walke in a generall calling Reasons 1. The second helpe to walke in a speciall calling A diâ—y for Christian watchfulnesse In both callings 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 4. 4. 5. 6. 7. 3. 4. 5. 1. 2. 3. 4. 1. Pet. 5. 9. 1. Sam. 17. 36. 45. 1. Sam. 11. 5 6. 5. 6. 7. 8. The fourth helpe To make mutuall coniuncton betweene pastour and flocke Satans subtiltie that preaching shall do the people no good Ionah 1. Ier. 9. 1. 2. Sam. 15. 6. Ioh. 16. 2. The fift helpe All things helpe vs to watch Gen. 39. Gregorius Nazianzeus Orat. in Cyprianum Exod. 20. 14. Heb. 13. 4. Sect. 13. The second part of Death Transitio Orpheus in 〈◊〉 Iob. 40. 41. Doct. 5. To prepare for Death Proofes by Scripture Reasons 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Sect. 15. Vse 1. 1 Obseruations for preparatioÌ„ to die well 2. 4. Duties 1. 2. 6. 7. The particular watch for death 1 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 1. 2. 8. 1. 2. A Diarâ— oâ— Weâ—keâ—worke for prepaâ—â—tioÌ„ to die 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6 7. Acts 1◠〈◊〉 Vse 〈◊〉 To put vs in mind of Death A good example The commodities of thinking vpon our death Hannibal adportas Vse 3. Not to fear Death Plato in Apol Socrat. Cicero Tuscul quest lib. 1. Nazianzens saying of the ioyes of heauen Epaminondas his saying Ignatius Vse 4. Of terror Obiect Goe to the house of mourning Eccles. 12. 2 to 8. Vse 〈◊〉 To pul out the stings of Death 2. Sam. 19. 18. The benefits by Death Hâ—â—esias hâ—s excellent exam 〈◊〉 for Christians to follow Obiect Answ. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Vse 6. For thankfulnesse in deliuering vs from the second Death Sect. 16. The third part The sense Sect. 17. Doct. 6. Prepare for Christs comming The necessity of his doctrine Nâ—te Satans policy to hinder the said 〈◊〉 full Ier. 34. 16 2. Pet. 2. 22. Proofes Reasons 1 2. 3. 4. Sect. 18. Vse 1. To confute Atheists Tremel Vse 2. Is to vse motiue for instruction to the Saints Sect. 19. The first Motiue froÌ„ the names of that day The secoÌ„d Motiue 〈◊〉 the signes of his comming Vse Similie The third Motiue 〈◊〉 the vncertainty of the day A Similie A Similie Similies of Christs â—econd comming to iudgement Obiect The fourth Motiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manner of the reâ—urrection Vse Gen. 41. 14 The fifth Motiue 〈…〉 oÌ„ the generality of thiâ— iudgement See Euseb. Eccles hâ—st lib. 5. c. 1. Reu 14. 13. Obiect Obiect A Petition for no day of iudgement Answere to the worlds pention Similie A great dâ—fference between the Elect and Reprobate Numb 24. Means that there shall be no day of iudgement Similie A Similie A Similie Vse Psal. 27. 11 Isa. 49. 15. A ioyfull day to the Elect. We shal see and know one another at the resurrect 〈◊〉 The Reasons 1 2. Vse 2. The sixt Motiue froÌ„ the manner of his coâ—ming to iudgement The Vse The seuenth Motiue The place where the Iudgement shall be Mira narrant 〈◊〉 Aquila historiâ—â— Aristotel de histor animal lib 9 cap 32. Aâ—â—anus de animal hâ—st lib. 1. c 44. Plini lib. 10 cap. 13. Gualter in Math. 24. â—om 279. in Luc. 17 37. hoâ—il 165. 1. Thes. 4. 17. Vse 1. To be readily prepared to meet the Lord auoid security Plurima pessima presiosa non vniuersa Vse 〈◊〉 For terror to coÌ„mers vnprepared No help any where for the wicked Two signes for 〈…〉 g Christs comâ—ing Similie Similie The world shall be fired Mat. 24. 30 Vse to watch against this fire Dan. 3. 19. The ninth Motiue Christs sitting in iudgement vpon the throne of his glory Salomons Throne coÌ„pared with Christs whereof it was a figure Pet. Martyr Mar. â—orchaus in 1. Kin. 10. 18. Gen. 28. 12 13. The ReasoÌ„s why Christ is said to sit vpon the Throne Ioâ— 1. 51. Mors â—hristi suff 〈…〉 sed â—os efficiens omnibus The whole Trinity iudgeth Vse The figure of this Throne opened Caluin Hugo Card. Quintus Pererius Lyra. Glossa inter Polanus Eâ—â—olampadius â—ugo Polaâ— Iunius The Vse for terror The â—enth Motiue Of Christs separating the Elect from the Reprobate Iohn 8. 9. Esa. 65. Wisd. 5. Vse To repent in time Remedies to escape Hell Vse 1. Vse 2. Cicero lib. 1. Tusc. qu. Thom Moor. in Vâ—opia Math. 13. 4â— 45. G 〈…〉 25. 33 Reuel 22. Vse 3. Is for warning to the wicked Mat. 25. 34 Gen. 20. 7. 17. Iob 42. 8. 9. The 11. Motiue The 〈◊〉 â—ner of Christs proceeding in iudgement The manner two-fold What meant by opening the booke What and how many bookes be opened 1. The booke of Gods word 2. The booke of conscience The book of Life and Election The booke of Gods workes The 1. vse of these 4. bookes The vse for Gods word Vse 2. â—or Conscience Tenera res conscientia quae â—ec tangi nec angi potest To Vse for Gods election Vse 4. For Gods workes The secoÌ„d Vse for terror Their worksmust tried to be good or euill Vse for admonition to the ignorant The 12. Motiue The denouÌ„ cing of the definitiue sentence The necessity to know Christs iudgement vpon the wicked Heâ—viuunt bomines taÌ„quam â—ors nulla futura est aut velut inferaus fabula vanaforet Mors tuâ— mors Christi fraus muÌ„di gloria coeli dolor inferni sunt medi 〈…〉 da tibi finis ciâ—â—s coelum â—on solum The first part of the sentence vpon the Elect. Similie The Reasons why the Elect sit to iudge the wicked Obiect Or question how the Elect are iudged according to their works Vse Object The secoÌ„d part of the sentence vpon the Reprobate Mat. 10. 33 Vse Luk. 4. 29. Act. 21. 28. Psalm 2. Note this ye hypocrites Note here O you that forget God Vse Thom. Aqu. The benefits by doing good workes Pauper via et pâ—â—ta coeli Vse 1. 1 Chro. 29 9. â—0 20. Vse 2. For terror to the wicked Psal. 105. 18. Deut. 23. 17. 18. Ranulphus worthy example The 13. Motiue The â—â—â—cution of the sentence vpon the Reprobate The priuâ—â—iâ—e paiâ—â— Similies What this priuatiue punishment iâ— The paines of losâ—e The vse to consider what losse it is to be separated from God A Similie Theodoret. l. 5. c. 16 17. Sozom. lib. 7. cap. 24. Tripart l. 9. cap. 30. Niceph. l 12 cap. 41. Vse 2. Chro. 15. The posiâ—â—ue pains These pains aâ— twofold outward inward The names of Hell 1. Letâ—â— 2. Piegeton 3. Atheron 4. Coâ—itus 5. Stygia palus 6. Elâ—ades 7. Sopâ—â—s 8. Tartarus 9. Orcus 10 Plutoâ—iâ—â— 11 Auernus 12 Abyssus 13 Infe 〈…〉 A Caution The nature of hell The inward positiue paines Vse 1 Reaâ—ons prouing it necessary to know that 〈…〉 re is an hell Vse 2. There is an hell Vse 3. ExhortatioÌ„ to the Ministers to warne the people hereof Obiect Reasons why sinners torments be so great in hell Heb. 10. 29 Reuel 9. 9. Vse 4. The secoÌ„d part of the coÌ„tinuance of the torments vpon the reprobates Reasons why reprobâ—tes be punished eternally Obiect Vse 1 The execution of the senteÌ„ce vpon the Elect. Reasons why I speak sparingly of heauenly ioyes Vse 〈◊〉 Vse 2. Vse 3. Of the ioyes of heauen Sect. 20. The Conclusion Mat. 26. 40 A prayer