spent her youthful dayes amongst Ruffians and debauched Companions If thou thinkest the flower of thine Age too good to give God may justly think the dregs of it too bad to receive How canst thou reasonably think that God should take pleasure in those dayes of which thou thy self wilt say Thou hast no pleasure in them Eccles 12.1 2 Sam. 19.35 'T is task sufficient for old Age to bear up under the infirmities of it Preparation for Death in old Age or sickness is usually weak and sickly like the party and proceeds rather from fear than love How kindly doth God take it when we dedicate the firstling of our years to his service Jer. 2.2 I remember thee saith God the kindness of thy youth Youthful bodies are most active and strong and so most fit for the Service of God who is a Spirit a pure Act and a living God He whose Name is I Am Exod. 3.14 cares not for such as say They will be but are not Now Courteous Reader what I have here spoken is out of a good intent not to drive any to despair but to prevent presumption Well then as Abraham rose early in the morning to sacrifice his Son Gen. 22.3 so let us early in the morning of youth sacrifice our sins or dedicate our selves both Soul and Body to God's Service 2. Ardenter 2. Put the forementioned Directions into practice Earnestly This God calls for Luk. 13.24 Strive to enter in at the strait Gate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Cornelius a Lap. in locum Quasi in agone contendite extremas summasque vires velut agonizantes exerite Strive as Wrestlers do put to all their strength so the word signiffes We should give diligence to make our Calling and Election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 Yea all diligence v. 5. Thou hast commanded us saith David Psal 119.4 to keep thy Precepts diligently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valde that is with all diligence and watchfulness and earnest endeavour So Dr. Hammond in Loc. Nay we are not only to give diligence but to put forth holy violence Mat. 11.12 Luke 6.16 The twelve Tribes are said to serve God instantly day and night Acts 26.7 Orig. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a kind of extension or vehemencie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sig Omnibus viribus vehementer prolixe liberaliter toto animo Cornel. a Lap. in 1 Pet. 1.22 St. Paul tells you what he did Phil. 3.13 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Like a man running a race he press'd forward stretch'd forth his Neck and Arms and ran swiftly towards the Mark. True Christians are called lively stones 1 Pet. 2.5 They are compared to stones for solidity and stability but called Lively Stones for their Zeal and Activity Lazy wishes and luke-warm desires will not serve our turn Numb 23.10 He lies under the prophetick Curse that doth the Work of the Lord negligently Jer. 48.10 All that we do for God without zeal is but opus operatum meer performance of the Work which can no more ascend to Heaven than Vapours from the Still unless there be fire under it as a worthy * Mr. Ward in Serm. on Rev. 3.19 Divine tells us Dulness Drowsiness Luke-warmness is unsutable to the work of the Lord. We should serve him with most awakened affections and most serious intentions of Spirit Deut. 11 13. Mat. 22.37 God hath threatned to spue the luke-warm out of his mouth Rev. 3.15 16. Some say that Speech is drawn from warm-water which the stomach cannot by any means brook so God cannot away with luke-warm persons Gregory somewhere saith It is better to be cold than luke-warm in Religion not because the luke-warm person sins more hainously but because he is reclaimed more hardly Dum enim se sanum putet medicinae opem non quaerit Marlor A cursed formality or customary performance of duties without fervent love to them undoes many and renders the Times so perillous 2 Tim. 3.5 Having a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 form of Godliness but denying the Power from such turn away Let us then with Caleb follow God fully Numb 14.24 And as Barnabas exhorted Let us with full purpose of heart cleave unto the Lord Acts 11.23 As Peter and John strove which should come first to our Savious Sepulchre Joh. 20.4 so let us strive which should attain first to true mortification of sin Let us strive to out-strip one another in goodness * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is a commendable contention The greatness of the Work calleth for our greatest endeavours We have many Duties to perform many Graces to get many Sins to subdue and conquer The manifold opposition which we meet with in our way to Heaven from the World the Flesh and the Devil should make us active 1 Cor. 16.13 Ephes 6.10 11 12 13. 1 Pet. 5.8 9. Former mispence of time should put us upon a more diligent improvement of it for the future Ephes 5.16 1 Pet. 4.3 4. Vespatian an Heathen lamented the loss of a day wherein he had done no remarkable service Heu diem perdidi was his word Alas I have lost a day We have let slip many days without doing good squandred away many precious opportunities not to be regained Let us improve time whilst we have it with the best diligence we can shortly we would be glad to have it that we might improve it If God would but vouchsafe to the damned creatures a little time of tryal here on earth again how eagerly would they accept it how holily would they spend it like those Creatures mentioned Ezek. 1.14 They would run and return as the apperance of a flash of Lightning They would Angel-like be upon the Wing ready to fly upon the hardest Errand God should send them about But alas their Glass is run and shall never be turned more The Door of Mercy is shut against them their possibilities are ended Let us be wise in time and work whilst we may for when the Night of Death comes no man can work John 9.4 Stella in Luk. 13.24 Nunc ergà poenitentiam age nè praeoccupatus die mortis quaeras locum quando invenire non possis The wise Man makes this consideration a Whetstone to Industry Eccles 9.10 Whatever thy hand finds to do do it with all thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave whither thou goest If thy Work be not done when Death comes thou'lt be undone for ever for there will be no second Edition of thy Life to alter or amend what is done amiss Nicodemus's saying according to the flesh is true John 3.4 No man can enter the second time into his Mothers Womb and be born O then be not remiss and negligent in matters of such consequence Let us pray in good earnest repent in sober sadness let us put on Christ's Vertues by imitation and his Merits by application with as much diligence as may be Old men especially
19. Herod looked on it so sad to die unlamented that he gave express command that when he died one of every Noble Family in his kingdom should be slain Dr. Abbot 6th Lect. on Jonah p. 124.1 that by that means his death might of necessity be lamented if not for love of him as the Tyrant had no reason to expect yet for the loss of others Joseph Antiquit. The saying of Solon Dr. Willet on Gen. p. 251. Mors mea non careat Lachrymis and let not my death want tears so it be done temperately is to be preferred before that of Ennius Nemo me lachrymis decoret Let no man mourn for me He hath lived Tellius inutile pondus a very unprofitable wretch who being dead is carried forth as servants carry out the sweepings of the House or guts of Birds or entrails of Beasts without any shew of sorrow Tears then at death of Friends are silent expressions of the usefulness of our dead Friend whilest living and of our value and esteem of him And if we seriously consider losses of this nature how can we chuse but weep For a wife to lose her husband the Guide of her Youth Pro. 2.7 who was a shield to defend her or as the Sun to chear her Gen. 37.9 10. must needs be a bitter loss So for a Husband to lose his Wife the Wife of his Youth Prov. 5.18 or the Wife of his Bosom Mic. 7.5 the desire of his eyes Ezek. 24.16 18. must needs be a bitter loss So for Parents to lose Children who have their being from them and from whom they expect comfort in their old age must needs be a bitter loss So how can Children chuse but weep at death of Parents to lose a Father that begot them Prov. 23.22 and took pains to provide for them 1 Tim. 5.8 so to lose a dear Mother that bare them nine months in her belly twelve months in her arms and many years in her mind and care must needs be a bitter loss Yet the Apostle in the catalogue of offenders that should come in the last dayes and surely ours are the last tells us of some that shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 3.3 without natural affection unnatural to Relations whilst living and when dead as if their hearts were hewen out of a Rock they are unmoved they can with dry eyes and cheeks behold the Funeral Solemnities of Parents Children Husband Wife c. without any shew of sorrow Though God strikes them through their Relations yet they have not grieved Jer. 5.3 let such consider that of the Psalmist Psal 28.5 because they regard not the works of the Lord nor the operations of his hands he shall destroy them and not build them up God there threatens such as are affected with sad passages of his providence the chief of which we conclude are loss of Friends and Relations The Poet had observed an unnatural Son that before the time would be enquiring into his Father's age Filius ante diem Patrios inquiret in annos He would have his Father wrapt up in his winding-sheet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mixtus fletui risus Sphinx Philos p. 316. that he might rip open his Baggs would have him in his Coffin that he might enter into his Coffers And when the time of his Fathers interment is at hand which to him comes never sooner than expected or desired this unnatural Son it may be goes clothed in black having a light and merry heart under a sad and mournful habit So many Wives that have lived it may be too loosly and wantonly at their husbands death like that woman that Joab sent for 2 Sam. 14.2 feigh themselves to be Mourners and put on monring Apparel Thus Bathsheba's mourning for her husband Uriah 2 Sam. 11.26 is thought by some to be hypocritical for by his death she was freed from her husbands rage from shame and punishment which she justly deserved and withal she had hopes to become a Queen as indeed she did But let such hypocritical Mourners consider without repentance their portion will be with Hypocrites where Mat. 24.51 there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth In Hell there is weeping in good earnest And every tear shed is so far from quenching Hell-fire that like Oyl it will encrease the flame thereof and here I leave such unnatural wretches On the other side some there are that at death of Friends weep immoderately they weep till they can weep no more as the expression is 1 Sam. 30.4 they are so impatient that for ever after they lead disconsolate lives sitting daily inter suspiria lachrymas sighing sobbing and sorrowing they are so discomposed that they cannot as the Apostle commands attend upon the Lord without distraction 1 Cor. 7.35 They cannot pray nor meditate nor give thanks to God with that fixedness and composure as they ought to do Psal 57.7 And it may be they forbear going to Church because they cannot endure the sight of their friends grave Nay further they are not only inwardly pensive but outwardly passionate they fill Heaven and Earth with Exclamations Horrendis gravitèr Coelum pulsâsse querelis And many times passionate unsavory Speeches the scum of a discontented spirit proceed from them as from Jonah when his Gourd withered Jonah 4.8 9. He wish'd himself dead and tells God He did well to be angry even unto death St. Austin speaking of his Mothers Death said Aug. Confess lib 9 cap. 12. Oculi mei resorbebant fontem suum usque ad siccitatem His eyes had drained his very Fountains dry so excessive he was in weeping Indeed this hath been an infirmity in the best of men and women See Jacob at the supposed death of Joseph Gen. 37.33 34 35. He rent his clothes and put sackcloth upon his loins and mourned for his son many dayes and all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him but he refused to be comforted and he said For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning thus his father wept for him His mourning like the swelling of Jordan Jer. 12.5 impetuously passed the banks of Reason So if mischief saith he befal Benjamin by the way in which ye go then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave Gen. 42.38 So David hearing news of the untimely death of Absalom the text tells you ◠Sam. 18.33 The king was much moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and as he went thus he said O my son Absalom my son my son Absalom would God I had died for thee O Absalom my son my son David is too excessive in his grief and speaks things that were not fitting as passionate men use to do Would God I had died for thee Why David what would have become of the Kingdom what miseries would it have been involved in if Absalom had survived The violence of Passion here makes David forget himself Gods
whatever we deliver on this point comes as far short of the Truth it self as the Picture of the Sun in the Wall doth of the greatness and brightness of it in its Orbe Gaudium erit in fine sed gaudium erit sine fine Bern. It shall be joy in the end but joy without end Carnal joy of wicked men is bruitish and sensual Eccles 2.2 I said of laughter it is mad and of mirth what doth it It is neither true nor lasting It is not true for saith the same wise-man In the midst of laughter the heart is sorrowful Prov. 14.13 Nor is it lasting for The pleasures of sin are but for a season Heb. 11.25 But now heavenly joy is both true and lasting For Psal 16.11 In thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore And Psal 36.8 9. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house and thou shalt make them drink of the River of thy pleasures for with thee is the fountain of Life They shall lye at the fountain and be for ever bathing themselves in Rivers of Pleasures that flow from the everlasting Fountain The joy that comes streaming into the soul of a Believer that hath made his peace with God it passes all understanding Phil. 4.7 It is joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 Yet this is but a dark representation of heavenly joy God indeed gives his People here a little of the hidden Manna of joy but hereafter he will give into their bosoms good measure pressed down shaken together and running over as expression is Luke 6.38 Tanta est dulcedo coelestis gaudii saith St. Austin ut si una guttula diffluerit in infernum totam amaritudinem inferni absorberet The joyes of heaven saith * Mr. Strode's Anatom of Mortality p. 294 295. another are so many that God only can number them so great that he onely can aestimate them of such variety and perfection that this world hath nothing comparable unto them they are so great that they cannot be measured so long that they cannot limitted so many that they cannot be numbred so pretious that they cannot be valued yet we shall see them without weariness love them without measure and praise them without end It is such joy as our Lord and Master hath And because too great to enter into us he bids us enter into it Mat. 25.23 Well done good and faithful servant enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. O joy surpassing all other joy when shall I enjoy thee Thus courteous Reader I have like the searchers of Canaan brought thee a cluster of Grapes a taste as it were of the plentiful Vintage which thou mayest expect in the heavenly Canaan Now considering these manifold benefits that come by death both privative and positive we may conclude on better grounds than the heathen did that the dead are blessed Faelices nimiùm quibus est fortuna peracta Jam sua Blessed they are and that by a voice from heaven who dye in the Lord Rev. 14.13 In Domino i. e. in Domini favore Happy they are that dye in the Lords favour Death is so sanctified in Christs death that of a curse it is changed into a blessing Christ tasted deaths bitter Cup and suck'd out the venom of it Now then to conclude this Chapter if death be so advantagious to Believers upon the account of Christ Let us not sorrow as without hope for those that sleep in him 1 Thes 4.13 14. If the dead in the Lord could speak they would say as our Saviour did to the women that lamented him Luke 23.27 28. Weep not for me but weep for your selves and for your Children You and yours are in the valley of Bochim subject to sin sorrow devils assaults wicked mens rage suspensions of the light of Gods countenance c. weep then for your selves and your children that are thus tossed upon the waves of a troublesome world but weep not for us who are at rest in the Haven of Heaven Me-thinks dear Friends these several Considerations as Davids Harp should charm down all passions and distempers of spirit that arise at loss of Friends They may be called Eshcol for they are a whole cluster of Grapes Numb 13.24 Press them by Meditation and squeeze out the wine that is in them to your comfort CHAP. III. Several Apologies answered NOtwithstanding what I have said to make us patient at death of Friends me thinks I hear several complaining every one thinking their burthen greatest and they want not arguments and pleas to aggravate their sorrows Every sin hides it self under some Fig-leaf Excuse and this sin of Discontent at death of Friends hath several Apologies Let us discuss the chief of them I know most commonly sorrow stops its ears against the sweet charmes of Reason yet for father satisfaction of the discontented I shall give in Replys to several Pleas and according to my ability I shall faithfully debate the case And to begin first with complaints that Parents take up at loss of Children for they usually are most discontented One cryes out My Child was still-born or died presently after it was born 1. Apology answ and which most of all troubles me it died unbaptized Answer To have a Child still-born or suddenly expiring is matter of grief especially to the female Parent Our Saviour observes John 16.21 A woman when she is in travel hath sorrow because her hour is come but as soon as she is delivered of her child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is born into the world The sight of a living child is the best cordial that can be given to a fainting woman under her pain and travel but if the child be still-born or suddenly expiring the pangs of grief conceived hereat are greater to the tender mother than pangs of travel For the former pangs at most do but rend the flesh but these inward throes do tear the very soul Luk. 2.35 Yet for your comfort consider these ensuing particulars 1. Consider He that hath taken this Child away can give another God gave Eve another seed another son instead of Abel Gen. 4. last God took away Job's children as you reade Job 1. but he gave him as many more afterwards Job 42.13 God's hand is not shortned nor grows he infirm in the latter end of the world He can do the like for thee if it please him 2. Consider If your Child had lived Moses-like it had been exposed to the water of Affliction For as St. Austin saith Aug. Ser. de bono pat Infans nondum loquitur tamen prophetat The poor Infant that cannot speak yet by crying when it comes into the world prophesies of its future condition as very lamentable It cryes as soon as born and cannot laugh as some observe till it hath been forty dayes in the world And little cause it has God-wot to laugh then for
of the World out of a confused Chaos and made Clay and Spittle likely to put out sight a means to recover it this God I say can bring it to pass that what thou thinkest will undo thee shall be a means to promote thy eternal good Oh the admirable harmony of Divine Dispensations in reference to mans Salvation To shut up this you know several herbs have several qualities some of them very bitter yet if a skilful simpler have the mixing of them he will make you a pleasing and wholsom sallade so there are many interchangable passages of Providence and some of them very bitter to flesh and blood yet divine Wisdom and Goodness will so order the matter that they shall in the end be both pleasing and profitable Jam. 1.2 My brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations For vers 12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Indeed we read Psal 36.6 Gods judgements are a great deep And again Psal 77.19 Gods way is in the Sea and his path in the great waters and his footsteps are not known Which words some apply to the bringing of his People through the Sea and the waters returning to their course of which you read Exod 14.28 29. Others apply the words to the interchangable passages of Providence in reference to his Church the administration of the World and of every mans Salvation And so Rom. 11.33 How unsearchable are his judgements and his ways past finding out Gods wayes are many times cryptical full of Meanders we cannot trace them they are a compendious heap of intricacies oft going contrary to mans judgment and expectation and to our apprehended rules of common right Yet all his wayes are judgment that is justice and equity for he is a God of truth and without iniquity just and right is he Deut. 32.4 Much may be above us because our ignorance is such that we cannot see a reason of his wayes but nothing is unreasonable or evil that proceeds from an holy wise loving and just God I end this with that of the Psalmist Psal 25.10 All the pathes of the Lord how rugged and severe soever to flesh and blood are mercy and truth to such as keep his Covenant and his testimonies They may seem cruelty but indeed they are mercy though thou can'st not see it for the present yet thou may'st hereafter Another crys out 7th Apology answered This relation of mine dyed in the best of his age in the prime of his strength in the acuteness of his parts his Sun set at noon-day he fixed a Period where we made account of a Comma hoping at least half the Sentence of his Life was behind but it was broken off in haste and this troubles me Answ We do not much lament the death of Old persons because we know they could not live long Every mans Life as one saith is a Lease and an old mans Life is an old worn Lease ready to drop into the Land-Lords hand We expect a Taper should go out when the Wax is spent but to see the Lamp of a friends Life extinguished in its brightest and strongest lustre This troubles us But 1. Consid 'T is ordinary for man to dye in his full strength Job 21.23 24. One dyeth in his full strength being wholly at ease and quiet his breasts are full of milk and his bones are moistned with marrow c. King Edward the 6th that hopeful Prince fell asleep before noon and was laid untainted in the Bed of Honour So that good King Josiah died before he was 40 years of age as may be gathered from 2 Chron. 34.1 Nay Christ himself was cut off before he attained one half of the age of man described by Moses Psal 90.10 Nay David tells us Psal 39.5 Every man at his best state whether of age or honour is altogether vanity It being so ordinary for man to dye at or about the vigour of his age it should be the less troublesom 2. Consid If thy Friend had lived to old age what is that but an age of misery a stage of vanity an hospital of Diseases The dayes of Old Age are called Evil dayes by the Wise man Eccles 12.1 Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth while the evil dayes come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them q. d. The dayes of old age bring so many aches and troubles along with them that if they be lengthened into years yet a man can find no pleasure or content but whole years together shall be full of weariness and sorrow Nay the very strength of the years of an Old man is labour and sorrow saith Moses Psal 90.10 Old people are oft-times a trouble to themselves and others 3. And lastly consid Thy Friend must at last have died Man's Life is by some fitly compared to a Lamp which may be soon extinguished by some fall or violent blast but if it escape these there is but a set proportion of oyl which will soon be consumed and then it goes forth of its own accord The Clock though it goes slowly strikes surely at last And the Sun in the longest day of its perambulation at last goes out of sight He that walks longest over the graves of others comes at last to his own So that if thy Friend had not died now he must have dyed some other time And if another time why not now Another cryes out 8th Apology answered This Relation of mine was loth to die he died comfortless desperate words idle vain talk unseemly gestures and speeches proceeded from him and this troubles me Answ Was your Relation loth to dye 1. Consid Many of Gods dear Children have at some time or other been loth to depart So was David Psal 55.4 5. and Psal 102.24 And Hezekiah Isa 38.1 And Peter out of a sudden apprehension of death and fear of it denyed his Lord and Master The Godly cease not to be Men by becoming Christians as men they are sometimes afraid of Death which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Malum corruptivum destructive to nature God hath imprinted saith a Dr. Abbot Lect. 6. on Jonah p. 126 127. judicious Divine a passionate love betwixt the soul and the body that they grieve to leave one another So that the spirit may be willing yet the flesh is weak What man is he whom God's Spirit hath not in a great measure mortified that feels not in himself oft-times an horror and a quaking to think of his dissolution 2. Consid Thy Friend though he might fear the pain of death yet he might rejoyce at the gain of death as many a man desires the Haven yet trembles at the voyage The pangs of death might a little affright him yet being dead if a good man let us not question his happiness Christ
may read Heb. 11. that Chapter is a little Martyrology ver 35 36 37. how some were tortured scourged stoned sawn asunder slain with the sword c. Mr. Fox or Mr. Clark in his Martyrology will tell you that many Martyrs had their skins pulled off joynts racked bodies torn in pieces c. willing to endure for Christ's sake what the wit of man could invent or cruelty impose Now God might have called thy Friend to such a death which would have been far more sad cruel and painful as to outward appearance Well then consider God might have delivered thy Friend into the hands of cruel man which would have been very sad as appears by David's speech 2 Sam. 24.14 but God cast him on a soft Bed amongst Friends who did carefully attend him and minister unto him 3. Consid The greater thy Friends pain was the more fervent prayers were put up for him You find David in Psal 38. lying under God's afflicting hand what servent ejaculations he sent up towards the Throne of Grace So Asaph Ps 77.2 In the day of his trouble sought the Lord. So Jesus Christ in his Agony prayed more earnestly Luke 22.44 Great Miseries make the loudest Eccho's in the ears of Mercy And as the afflicted party himself so all that saw him or heard of his misery would be ready to pity and pray for him Methinks the sad groans of a dying Friend are sufficient to dissolve an heart of stone into prayers and tears especially godly Friends would pray fervently for him And these are most likely to prevail for Jam. 5.16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much That Ship saileth the surest to the haven of Heaven which is driven with the breath of godly mens prayers 4. Consid The greater the pain was the shorter was the continuance of it Dolor si gravis brevis si longus levis We reade how Aeneas kept his bed eight years and was sick of the Palsie Act. 9.33 We read of one that had an issue of blood twelve years Mat. 9.20 and had suffered many things of many Physicians and had spent all that she had and was nothing bettered but rather grew worse Mark 5.26 So John 5.5 there we read of one that had an infirmity thirty eight years Now if thy Friend's pain had not been so great he might have continued still a burden to thee and to himself but the greatness of his pain hastened death which put an end to all trouble and grief his great pangs and struglings as throes of a travelling woman made way for deliverance And therefore 5. And lastly Consider Thy Friend is now at rest Rev. 14.13 Let them die of never so cruel a death if they die in the favour of God they are blessed for they rest from their labours It may be thou grievedst but little whilest thy Friend laboured for rest and wilt thou grieve much when he rests from his labours Whilst thy Friend was ground with the Stone or burnt up with a Feaver and rouled upon his bed without sleep thou hadst cause to weep and it was thy duty to sympathize with him Rom. 12.15 but being dead he is at rest Isa 57.2 for death to a Child of God is but a sleep Joh. 11.11 12 13. so Act. 7.60 and being buried he hath laid his head upon the lap of his mother for so the Earth is called Job 1.21 to be awakened again at the last Trump to the everlasting comfort both of soul and body And shall we now weep Surely this sorrow is unseasonable We prayed or else we were to blame whilst our Friend was in pain that God would deliver him and therefore when God by death hath put an end to all his pain we should give thanks to God and rejoyce rather than weep The Church our careful Mother hath taught us as much in the Funerals of the Dead We give thee hearty thanks for that it hath pleased thee to deliver this our Brother or Sister out of the miseries of this sinful world Another cryes out 10th Apology answerd This Eriend of mine dyed of a sad mischance he fell into the Fire or Water or was kill'd of Lightning fell off a Horse or Cart or was shot in War or otherwise or he was kill'd by Thieves or wicked men c. or he fell suddenly sick groan'd sigh'd dyed And this troubles me that he dyed such a sudden violent and untimely death Answ From sudden death i. e. from death not thought-of and so not provided-for good Lord deliver us not only for our own sakes but for our Friends sakes too they 'l take it the less sudden it is the more patiently See how sadly Jacob takes the supposed death of his son Joseph upon the sight of his bloudy coat he too rashly concluded his son was dead that he was devoured by some cruel beast Significans inâ—ternum animi dilacerationem seu moestitiaeÌ„ And the Text tells you Gen. 37.33 34. He rent his cloaths in token as Pareus saith upon the place that his heart was rent through with sorrow and he put on sackcloth a coarse and sorry stuff which was the usual Mourning-Weed in those times And he refused to be comforted Thus his father wept for him for Joseph who dyed as he thought a sudden death David himself proclaimed a solemn and publick Funeral-Mourning for the death of Abner who was cowardly and suddenly slain when he did least suspect it by one that pretended peace and friendship And David himself laid aside his Royal Dignity and attended the Corps joyning with the People in that sad Consort as you may reade 2 Sam. 3. towards the latter end of the chapter So David weeps excessively for the space of three whole years because his son Amnon dyed so unnaturally untimely unexpectedly being kill'd by Absalom 2 Sam. 13.28 c. And we reade how the true Mother of the living Child had rather her Adversary should have the comfort of her Child than that it should dye a violent and untimely death 1 King 3.26 And in that appeared both the truth of her affection towards it and that she was the true Mother of it v. 27. Job hearing the heavy tydings of the sudden death of his Children could no longer contain but vents his grief in words being more affected with the sudden loss of his Children than all the rest of his Goods Job 1.18 19 20. But for your comfort 1. Consid It hath been the lot of some of Gods dear Servants to dye so Thus righteous Abel was suddenly butchered by his brother Cain Gen. 4.8 So old Eli though indeed he had his failings in not correcting and severely punishing his wicked Sons 1 Sam. 2.23 c. and 1 Sam. 3.13 as he should have done being chief-Magistrate as well as Parent yet questionless was a good man as may be gathered from sacred Story and the manner of his death was sudden he fell off from his seat backward and
his neck brake and he dyed 1 Sam. 4.18 So that good King Josiah 2 King 22.19 20. was suddenly cut off in War 2 King 23.29 30. So the Prophet that came out of Judah whether Shemaiah mentioned 1 King 12.22 or some other Prophet I know not neither ought we curiously to enquire or positively determine any thing where Scripture is silent yet he was a true Prophet as appeareth by his title 1 King 13.1 call'd a Man of God by the Message it self and confirmation thereof by miracles ver 4 5 6. And as a true Prophet so questionless a pious Man yet because he was too credulous in believing the lie of the old Prophet and did eat and drink contrary to God's Command a Lion met him and slew him v. 24. So blessed Stephen stoned in a popular fury was put to a sudden and violent death Act. 7.57 59. Let us not conclude any to be in a damnable state meerly because they die suddenly Indeed God threatens the Wicked with sudden destruction as Job 15.32 33 34. so Job 22.15 16. Psal 37.35 36 38. 55.23 Prov. 10.27 Eccl. 7.17 and elsewhere And I know that wicked men many times are suddenly cut off in their wickedness when they might have lived much longer as to the course of nature But all that die suddenly are not to be reputed wicked men For the Godly as you have heard may dye sudden violent and untimely deaths And the Wise-man tells you Eccl. 9.1 2. No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before him All things come alike to all there is one event to the Righteous and to the Wicked c. The Barbarians seeing the Viper on Pauls hand thinking the venom would presently have invaded his heart and vital spirits so that he would have died presently rashly concluded him to be a Murtherer and that Divine vengeance would not suffer him to live Act. 28.3 4 6. Let not Christians like these Barbarians be rash censurers of any that dye suddenly seeing that Gods dear and peculiar People may dye so 2. Consid A sudden death is best if we be prepared for it Octavius Augustus as oft as he heard of any man that had a quick passage out of this world with little sense of pain he wished for himself and his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Similem Sueton. such an easie death Suddenness saith that Prodigy of Learning Mr. Hooker because it shortens grief Eccles Polit. pag. 277. should in reason be most acceptable and therefore Tyrants use what art they can to encrease the slowness of death That monster of cruelty Caius Caligula would not permit those that he put to death to be speedily dispatched his command was this Ita feri ut se mori sentiat Sueton. Strike so that they may feel themselves dying and endure the pains of an enduring death Quick riddance out of Life is often both requested and bestowed as a benefit We read Judg. 8.20 21. that Zeba and Zalmunna chose rather to fall by Gideon than by Jether his son either because it was more honorable to be killed by a man like themselves rather than by a boy Mr. Fuller in his Coment on Ruth 1 Chap. Or rather as a learned Divine observes Because the Childs want of strength would cause the more pain And he adds Better to be speedily dispatched by a violent Disease than to have ones Life prolonged by a lingring torture And Erasmus somewhere saith Si pio homini deligere fas esset mortis genus nullum arbitror magis optandum quà m subitum If it were lawful for a godly man to choose the manner of his death I think a sudden death most to be desired and he gives this reason of it because Non potest malè mori qui benè vixerit he cannot dye ill that hath lived well For though death be sudden in its self yet in regard of his preparation for it and expectation of it to him it is not sudden Improvisa nulli mors cui provida vita Sad indeed it is to dye as Onan Absalom Amnon Ananias and Sapphira and several others that we read of in Scripture who were suddenly snatcht away in their wickedness From such a sudden death Good Lord deliver us For it is a speedy downfall to the bottomless-pit of Hell But if a man live as he ought to do in continual expectation of death and so set his house and his soul in order surely sudden death is best for him for it prevents much torturing pain which others met with upon their beds of languishment and besides this it is a speedy passage into Life Eternal 3. And lastly Consid Be thy Friends death never so sudden and violent it is that death which God in his providence hath allotted him God ordaineth our end by an immutable decree See Jer. 43.11 When he commeth Dr. Abbot on Jonah 4.3 4. Lect. 26. pag. 543 he shall smite the Land of Egypt and deliver such as are for death to death and such as are for captivity to captivity and such as are for the sword to the sword This intimates that by the Providence of the Lord who did set that King on work several persons in their times are determined to their several ends We must not attribute any friends death as the Philistines would their destruction to Chance 1 Sam. 6.9 Homer speaking of Achilles that slew many worthy Grecians saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iliad α. v. 5. Joves will was fulfilled Homer though blind as some report yet saw the hand of God in their destruction And Mr. Fuller in his Coment on Ruth 2.3 4. some observe the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Fortune is not used in all his Works It was only the ignorance of true causes that made the name of Fortune Nullum numen abest si sit prudentia sed te Nos facimus fortuna Deum Juven Sat. 10. For there is nothing fortuitous in it self seeing Gods Providence orders all events Indeed some things are said to happen in Scripture Ruth 2.3.4 Luke 10.31 but this is spoken not in respect of God but in respect of us because oft-times they come to pass not only without our purpose and forecast but even against our intentions and determinations but yet those things which thus fall out are ordered by the secret working of Gods providence We read 1 Kings 22.34 A certain man drew a Bow at a venture or according to the Orig. in his Simplicity 2 Sam. 15.11 not intending to bit Ahab yet God's purpose was to have Ahab slain and accordingly it came to pass for he smote the King of Israel between the joynts of the harness and the King dyed vers 37. Thus providence orders even casual events Christ's death with the manner was decreed by God Acts 4.27 28. Of a truth against thy holy Child Jesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and People of Israel were gathered together
whole Town and Country too will have a loss of him for the streams of his goodness flowed abroad plentifully to the refreshing of many Answ Indeed the loss of a good man is a great loss if we consider 1. Good men are very scarce See Psal 12.1 Help Lord for the godly man ceaseth the faithful fail from among the children of men So Ps 14.1 2 3. The fool hath said in his heart There is no God they are corrupt they have done abominable works there is none that doth good The Lord look'd down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God They are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one So Rom. 3.10 c. Good men are as the shaking of an Olive tree and as the gleaning Grapes when the Vintage is done as it is Isa 24.13 So Mic. 7.1 2 3 4. The Church there complains of her small number Christ's flock is called a little flock Luke 12.32 Orig. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little little flock They are indeed little in their own eyes little in the eyes of the world and little or few in number In God's field there are many Tares little good Corn In this great house of the World many Vessells of dishonour but few there are of honour Salvian Salvian de Gub. Dei lib. 3 pag. 87. crys out Ipsa Dei Ecclesia quae in omnibus esse debet placatrix Dei quid est aliud quà m exacerbatrix Dei aut praeter paucissimos quosdam qui mala fugiunt quid est aliud penè omnis coetus Christianorum quà m sentina vitiorum So then they can ill be spared they are so few 2. Good men are blessings to the places where and persons among whom they live See Exod. 32.9 10 14 compared God oft spared Israel at the prayer of Moses The Righteous keep off God's Judgments as these places shew Job 22.30 Prov. 29.8 Jer. 5.1 Ezek. 22.30 31. Had there been but ten righteous persons in Sodom it had not been destroyed Gen. 18.32 And God tells us he would not destroy it till righteous Lot was gone forth Gen. 19.22 And God oft-times for the sake of the Righteous removes Judgements inflicted see Psal 106.23 29 30. so Isa 65.8 It is an extraordinary case when God will not spare for the sake of Moses and Samuel Jer. 15.1 so when Noah Daniel and Job shall deliver but their own souls Ezek. 14.14 The Tares are usually spared till the Harvest for the Wheat 's sake A cursed Cham was preserved in the Ark with Noah Gen. 7.1 St. Paul saved the lives of all that sailed with him in the Ship two hundred threescore and fifteen souls see Act. 27.22 23 24 37 compared Indeed the Righteous are Conduit-pipes of Blessings the greatest Benefactors to the places where they live See what Jacob saith to Laban Gen. 30.30 It was little that thou hadst before I came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it is now encreased to a multitude since my coming or according to the Original at my feet Blessings are sent to every place where the Saints feet tread So God blessed the Egyptians house for Joseph's sake Gen. 39.5 Wicked men are beholden to the Godly for their Lives Liberties estates c. In a word the Righteous are the Equites cataphracti the Chariots and horsemen of Israel 2 King 2.12 They are the glory and safety of a Nation they are instruments of doing much good by their purses prayers counsels reproofs and good example They like Lamps spend themselves for the good of others and when such Lights are extinguished by death how can we choose if we seriously consider it but be overcast with darkness and sorrow 3. And lastly The loss of a good man is great if we consider that the death of good men bodes misery It is a sad symptom or prognostication of approaching Judgments The people of Rome when they heard Germanicus was recovered of his sickness they sang it about the streets Salva Roma salva Patria salvus est Germanicus While that good man was well they thought it could not be ill with them And indeed a good man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Greg. Nazianzene Gregor Nazian Orat in laudem Patres calls him a crutch prop or pillar to support the Church when these pillars are taken away the building of frame of outward prosperity continues not long It is like Sampsons pulling down the pillars whereupon ensued a great destruction as you may read Judg. 16.29 30. A man intending to break up House removes his goods and truly God usually removes his People which are his peculiar treasure Exod. 19.5 either into some other place of the World or out of the World when he intends to leave a sinful people naked and destitute of defence and safety When Noah was housed in the Arke the storm came and the whole world save some few with him were buried in a watry winding-sheet Gen. 7. When Lot entered into Zoar the Sun was risen upon the Earth Gen. 19.23 The Sun was risen and the wicked Sodomites thought they should have had a fair day on 't but it was presently overclouded and there followed a fearful showre of fire and brimstone vers 24. Then when Lot was removed the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven After the death of good Josiah evil ensued upon Israel 2 King 22.20 And this was a chief reason why Jeremy and others made such sad moan at the loss of that good man and ever after in their doleful Elegies made mention of his death as you see they did 2 Chron. 35.25 After the death of St Austin Hippo was sack'd by the Vandals when Luther was dead then the civil wars broke out in Germany So then as the Prophet speaks Isa 57.1 The Righteous are taken away from the Evil to come And he there complains of a peoples stupidity when they do not lay to heart the death of righteous and merciful men We should weep if not for them yet for our own sakes who may justly fear miserys coming upon us Yet we must not weep immoderately or murmur at God's handy-work To this end let us consider 1. Consid Good men must dye as well as others It is said Gen. 47.29 The time drew nigh that Israel must die The godly must of necessity dye one time or other All the Patriarchs and godly Prophets are dead Zach. 1.5 John 8.52 The Apostles and Ministers are Earthen vessels 2 Cor. 4.7 like those Pitchers of Gideon Judg. 7. they are Earthen pitchers and have a Lamp in them they are chosen Vessels to bear the name of Christ to witness to his truth Acts 9.15 but earthen pitchers still and must shortly be broken by death We are all made of the same clay Isa 64.8 And as rich gilding upon an earthen pot keeps it not from
had a notional knowledge of God and his Laws yet they had not a spiritual practical saving knowledge You may read of their wickedness and how God threatned to cut off Eli's posterity Samuel tells him this sad news 1 Sam. 3.11 12. What saith Eli vers 18. It is the Lord let him do what seems him good Job's Children were no better than they should be they used to feast much and Job was afraid lest they should sin much at such a time Job 1.5 he feared lest at such a time of feasting they should offend God as we are apt so to do by excessive mirth immodest gestures luxury intemperance forgetfulness of the poor c. or by having irreverent thoughts of God and at a feast his Children were suddenly swept away by a great wind in the midst of their jolity vers 18.19 Yet see Jobs patient carriage vers 20 21 22. He charged not God foolishly but thought well of him and his providence notwithstanding the manifold miseries that befel him 3. Consid Weeping though never so excessive cannot recall them either from the gates of death or hell Incestuous Amnon being slain when drunk 2 Sam. 13.28 David bewailed him for a great while together vers 37 38 39. but as you may there read David at last ceased mourning because it would not fetch him again He was comforted concerning Amnon seeing he was dead 4. Consid God is glorified even in the destruction of the wicked Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself yea even the wicked for the day of evil So Job 21.30 God got himself glory by wicked Pharaoh Exod. 9.16 So Exod. 14.4 17. Moses told Aaron even now mentioned that God would be glorified and this made Aaron hold his peace when his sons were cut off in their act of sin Levit. 10.3 See Rom. 9.21 22 23. 5. Consid If thy Child had lived longer he might have been a greater grief and burthen to thee He might with the Prodigal have spent thy substance in riotous living Luke 15.13 30. and so he would have brought shame to thee for he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his Father Pro. 28.7 Yea thy whole family might have fared the worse for him he might have taken such courses as would have brought him to the gallows which would have been a greater shame and grief to thee nay farther yet if he had lived longer he might have gone about to take away thy life from all which frights fear and shame God by cutting him off hath delivered thee It was sure a great weakness in David so pathetically to lament the death of Absalom 2 Sam. 18.33 who went about to take away his life 2 Sam. 16.11 and was a continual grief and vexation to him 6. Consid If he had lived longer he would have multiplied his sin here and sorrow hereafter Impenitent wretches as it is said of the Crocodile quà m diu vivit crescit daily add something to their stature in sin Job 36.13 The hypocrites or as it is in the Orig. Prophane men in heart heap up wrath So Isa 1.5 Why should ye be smitten any more ye will revolt more and more Jer. 9.3 They proceed from evil to evil and they know not me saith the Lord. 2 Tim. 3.13 Evil men and Seducers shall wax worse and worse It was a sad curse wherewith David did imprecate some of God's implacable enemies Psal 69.27 Add iniquity unto their iniquity q. d. Give them over to a Reprobate sense as a punishment of their incorrigibleness that so they may encrease their sin here and sorrow hereafter Such as these do treasure up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 They do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heap up wrath in manner of a treasure which you know encreaseth by daily addition Forbearance we say is no acquittance God suffers some to run their race to the utmost length as the Amorites were suffered to make up the full measure of their offences to the full Gen. 15.16 He lets some wicked men live become old c. Job 21.7 but it is for their greater punishment at last For God will more severely punish these Psal 50.21 These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest saith God to the impenitent wicked wretch that I was altogether such a one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Confusion will cover that mans face whose sins God sets in order before his eyes Lasa patientia fit furor The longer the hand is in lifting up when it strâ—kes the greater will the blow be when it falls The Water-course the longer it is stopped the more violently it breaks foâ—th The Justice of God as one saith whilst dormant is crescent and though couchant will be rampant Psal 50.22 Consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces saith God and there be none to deliver you Well then consider if thy Child had lived longer it might have been worse for him 7. And lastly consider If he be damned who can help it Religion cannot be conveyed to Children as House and Lands c. it descends not from Father to Son John 1.12 13. What the Apostle speaks of Ministers may be here applied 1 Cor. 3.6 7. Paul may plant Apollos water but God gives the increase so then neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giveth the encrease The Husbandman may plant and sow yet he cannot bring down the early and latter rain to bring seed to perfection So Parents may instruct reprove exhort correct pray for Children and go before them by good example but it is God that must reform them It is God that quickneth such as are dead in trespasses and sins as we are all by nature Eph. 2.1 2 3 5. Regeneration is Creation-work v. 10. which is only proper to God A Parent can but shew the way wherein a Child should walk It is God that must draw him that way Cant. 1.4 John 6.44 It is God that delivers from the power of darkness and translates us into the Kingdom of his dear Son Col. 1.13 It is he that effectually calls us out of darkness into his marvelous Light 1 Pet. 2.9 It is God that gives Faith Phil. 1.29 Ephes 2.8 He gives Repentance Act. 5.31 2 Tim. 2.25 He sanctifies us Jude 1. He saves us Eph. 2.5 8. Rom. 8.30 Well then if we have done our duty and yet fail of our end and desire viz. the conversion of our Children or any other Friends and Relations let us rest contented assuring our selves 1 Cor. 3.8 Every one shall receive his own reward according to his own labour not according to our success but according to our labour We may say Liberavimus animas we have freed our souls from the guilt we might have contracted through negligence Ezek. 3.18 19 20 21 And so the Will of the Lord be done Why should we vex our selves for what
thou hast magnified thy mercy which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life Oh then let death of others put thee upon blessing and praising God for sparing thee and not only praise him with thy Lips but with thy Life too Love him obey him cleave to him for he is thy Life and the length of thy dayes Deut. 30.20 Use 6 6. Let death of Friends teach you not to trust in the arm of flesh God would not have us by any means to put our trust in man as these places shew Isa 2.22 Isa 30.23 Isa 36.6 Jer. 17.5 7. So Psal 118.8 9. Luther on that place It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man c. calls it Artem artium mirificam sacrificium omnium gratissimum suavissimum cultum omnium pulcherrimum To trust in God and not in man is the Art of Arts the wonderful and great Art a most excellent Sacrifice and commendable piece of Religion He that builds his hopes on so weak a foundation as the life of Man he is like that foolish Man in the Gospel that built his House on the Sand Mat. 7.26 Or like a foolish Merchant that ventures all his substance in a crazy Vessel The Psalmist tells you Men of low degree are a vanity and men of high degree are a lie he gives great ones the lie Psal 62.9 He means all Friends both of high and low degree are lying vanities and perform not what they seem to promise so that whoever trust in any Friends as it is said in another case Isa 28.15 They have made lies their refuge and under falshood they have hid themselves And these Friends that they trust in like Absaloms Mule 2 Sam. 18.9 many times give them the slip when they have most need of their support and assistance for if they fail them not through willful treachery as many times they do Psal 55.12 Mic. 7.5 6. Luke 21.16 yet they may through unavoidable mortality as Jonathan failed and disappointed David of whom he saith I am distressed for thee my Brother Jonathan 2 Sam. 1.26 27. Mr. Duguard's Sermon on Psal 89.48 p. 17 18. Caesar Borgia that wicked Son of a more wicked Father Pope Alexander the sixth grounded many designs on his relation to the Pope but the Pope suddenly dies and dashes all And Borgia when he heard of his death cryed out I never dreamed of such an accident now all my purposes and projects are stifled and come to nothing He that knows man well enough knows him better then to trust in him Wherefore as it is Psal 146.3 4. Put not your trust in Princes nor in the Son of man in whom there is no help his breath goeth forth he returneth to his earth in that very day his thoughts perish His thoughts and designs of doing thee good if he had any die with him and thine hopes and expections are buried in his Grave therefore as it follows vers 5. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help whose hope is in the Lord his God He casts Anchor amiss that casts it any where else save on the Rock of Ages Use 7 7. Let death of Friends teach you not to set your affections too much upon any Relation We see Friends stay but a short time with us who would be too fond of them We may love and rejoyce one in another Husband in Wife Wife in Husband Parents in Children Children in Parents c. But it must be moderately as though we rejoyced not seeing the time of enjoying is short and will quickly be expired 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. The rivolet of our affections may run to other things but the full stream must run towards God Luke 14.26 If any man come to me saith Christ and hate not that is loveth not less then me Mat. 10.37 Father and Mother Wife and Children Brethren and Sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple Say then with the Psalmist Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee And there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee God is called the Living God Psal 42.2 Let therefore the life and vigour of your affections as love joy delight c. be for ever set upon him and not upon mortal Friends which like Noah's Dove however they bring an Olive Branch promising peace and comfort yet they are upon the Wing and presently fly from us Or like Thorns under a Pot though they give a little blaze shining and comfort for a while yet they presently drop into ashes When you too fondly set your affections on them and think to hold them fast they give you the slip as Juno did Ixion or as Joseph did his Mistress when she laid hold on his Coat Gen. 39.12 13. Let therefore these perishing comforts have perishing affections Use 8 8. Let death of Friends put a stop to covetousness and immoderate desires after the riches of this World The wise man saith Prov. 23.4 Labour not to be rich And the Prophet Jeremiah saith to Baruch Jer. 45.5 Seekest thou great things for thy self Seek them not And David saith Psal 62.10 If riches increase set not your heart upon them Riches indeed are a very uncertain tenure 1 Tim. 6.17 Orig. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Silver and Gold those refined parts of the Earth are but corruptible things 1 Pet. 1.18 Worldly possessions are nothing certain Prov. 23.5 If they leave not us which they may do for they are subject to many casualties Fire may burn them Thieves steal them c. yet we must ere long leave them Death gives a Bill of Ejectment It divorceth from Gold and Silver Houses and Lands c. It squeezeth those Spunges that have suckt themselves full and leaves them as dry and empty as they were at first Job 1.21 Eccles 5.15 16. Psal 49.10 17. comp Luke 12.20 1 Tim. 6.7 8. Death that surly Serjeant as you see daily will not be bribed to put off his Arrest In a word you may be sick and die and be turned to dust yea and be damned too for any thing your riches can help you Prov. 11.4 And therefore project not for time to come as if this life would never be done Use 9 9. Let death of Friends be a curbing-bit to restrain intemperance in eating and drinking and an eager prosecution of sinful pleasures Many in the last dayes of this Worlds continuance Jehu-like drive on furiously in sinful pleasures They are lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God 2 Tim. 3.4 but God would not have us to indulge our selves in rioting and drunkenness in chambering and wantonness he would not have us to make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lust thereof Rom. 13.13 14. And methinks the meditation of death of Friends should be a means to prevent intemperance As I have read of one who had continually amidst the multitude of his dainties a Deaths Head served up in a Charger to
Tent-maker compares the Body to a Tent or Tabernacle which is speedily taken down and removed St. James catechizing us in this point asks us a question and answers it himself Jam 4.14 What is your life it is even a vapour that appears for a while and then vanisheth away It is a vapour and that is such a thing as is next to nothing an apparition rather than reality and that apparition vanishing out of sight Moses tells us Psal 90.9 We spend our years as a tale that is told A tale is not long in telling Thus the Life of Man is short considered in it self but very short compared with the existence of God For as the same Moses tells us v. 4. A thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past and as a watch in the night which is but three hours continuance Christ calls it an hour John 5.25 The Wiseman calls it a moment Prov. 12.19 so doth St. Paul 2 Cor. 4.17 Our life-time here is but as a watch in the night as an hour yea but a moment compared with the existence of God and duration of eternity David sets out Man in his fading colours Psal 39.5 Mine age is as nothing before thee verily every man in his best state is altogether vanity Selah Or according to the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Original it may be rendred All vanity every man living or every living man is every vanity Universa vanitas omnis homo subsistens by th Or Universa vanitas omnis homo stans Pagnin Take man standing on his Pantofles in all his beauty and bravery and he is no other than a compendium of all vanities under the Sun Name what vanity you can or will man is that call him any thing but vanity and you call him too much Some have comprized the vanity of man's life in these verses Somnus bulla vitrum glacies flos fabula foenuÌ„ Umbra cinis punctum vox sonus aura nihil Man is not only vain but vanity in the abstract et abstracta sunt significatiora not vanity in the worst but best state nay not vanity only but altogether vanity There is not a verier vanity than vain man is And that we may not doubt it he ushers it in with a Verily and concludes it with Selah Which word growing of a root which signifies to lift up being added a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 elevavit by th shews we should lift up our minds seriously to consider the vanity of man Nay not only every man but all Nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him less than nothing and vanity Isa 40.17 Yet though Man be so vain his life so short some are loth to acknowledge it Agnoscere nolumus quod ignorare non possumus Cyp. de mort David prayes Put the Heathen in fear that they may know themselves to be but men Psal 9.20 It seems they took themselves to be more than men So did Empedocles Deus immortalis haberi Dum cupit Empedocles Horat. Arte Poet. Dr. Prideaux his Introduction to Histories p. 198. And Domitian the Emperor arrogated to himself Divine Honours and would be stiled Dominus et Deus noster Our Lord and God to which afterwards the Canonists entitled the Pope But the Pope hath little reason to admit this title for as Dr. Prideaux observes else-where one year Introduc History p. 151. four months and three dayes made an end of four Popes viz. Sextus the 5th Urbane the 7th Gregory the 14th and Innocent the 9th Most know they must die but they seldome think of it Thoughts of the last end are the last end of many mens thoughts Witness that prophane Proverb which is much in use amongst us when we would express that we never thought of such a thing we say we thought no more of it than of our dying-day Most sad it is that where spectacles of Mortality are most frequent as in Cities and Corporations and great Towns there they are the least regarded Mr. Fuller tells us of a Bird peculiar to Ireland called the Cock of the Wood these Birds will fly many together in Woods and if one of them be shot the rest remove but to the next bough or tree at the furthest and there they stand staring at the Shooter till the whole company be destroyed As foolish as the Bird is it is wise enough saith he to be the emblem of most in point of mortality Death sweeps away one and one and one and the rest remain nothing moved at it or minding of it till at last a whole generation is consumed When we are in health we put Death far from us And when we are sick we are apt to say as our Saviour did of Lazaru's sickness Jo. 11.4 This sickness is not unto death Thus men spend their days in wealth or mirth for the Orig. will bear either and in a moment when they little think of it they go down into the Grave Job 21.13 We read of some Isa 28.15 that said They had made a covenant with Death and with Hell or the Grave were at agreement A League or Covenant is made betwixt Parties consenting but merciles Death makes a League with none so that there is no Covenant made indeed but only in the wicked mans imagination who without any ground for it thinks Death will not yet seize on him So those Epicures said Isa 56.12 They would fetch Wine and fill themselves with strong Drink and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant It is said of Jerusalem Her filthiness is in her Skirts she remembreth not her last end Lam. 1. â—9 So the rich Farmer sang a Requiem to his Soul Luke 12.19 20. Soul take thine ease thou hast Goods laid up for many years eat drink and be merry He reckoned on many years but reckoned without his Host and so was brought to a second reckoning far more sad than he thought on for God said to him Thou Fool this night shall thy Soul be required of thee He is branded with the name of a Fool for so doing to succeeding Generations So there were some in St. James's time James 4.13 That said To day or to morrow we will go into such a City and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain We read Isa 40.6 the Prophet was to cry All flesh is Grass This crying doth intimate that men drowned in security forget their own mortality Now the reason why many presume upon long life is either 1. Because they would have it so for facilè credimus quod volumus We are apt to believe what we would have come to pass Or 2. Because they reckon by false * See Mr. Patrick's Serm. on Ps 90.12 rules as 1. Some reckon by their Age They are young healthful and strong of good Constitutions and so think to live many dayes Whereas according to what a worthy * Dr. Walker in his Serm.
on Luk. 7.12 13. p. 13. Dr. saith Their less confirmed constitution is sooner discomposed and out of temper Their fresher blood is more susceptive of infection their warmer and agil spirits more easily blown up into a feaverish heat and flame Infectious Distempers as Plague Measels Small-Pox c. soonest seize on the purest Complexions and speedily overturn the best-built structures of Nature The purest Fruit soonest perisheth When Jonah's Gourd was fullest of Sap and Verdure then the Worm smites it and it is gone Strong Cedars sturdy Oaks are hewen down when Death layes the Ax to the Root of the Tree Great Zerxes wept to think that the strength of his Army could not keep Death out of his Quarters If thou beest as strong as Sampson or David's three Worthies whom you read of in 2 Sam. 23.8 yet sickness may soon weaken thee and Death lay thee flat on thy back 2. Some measure their life by the lives of others as their Neighbours and their own Kindred They see many Neighbours older than they by many years and besides their Father is alive and Grandfather lived long Their Generation used to be long-liv'd and therefore they reckon on many years But this is deceitful reckoning for young men die as well as those that are striken in years see Job 21.23 24 25 26. So Job 36.14 They die in youth So Jer. 9.21 Death is come up into our Windows and is entered in at our Palaces to cut off the Children from without and the young Men from the streets Old Age is a Distemper that very few in comparison die of And though your Father be alive and your Grandfather lived long yet many times Children die before their Parents Gen. 11.28 Haran died before his Father Terah Absalom out-lived all his Children Naomi lived to see her Children buried as well as her Husband Ruth 1.5 So did Job Job 1.18 19. To end this The Sons of Jacob as * Mr. Fuller in his Comment on some of Ruth one observes when they came to the Table of Joseph sat down the eldest according to his Age and the youngest according to his Youth Gen. 43.33 But Death observes not this method he takes not Men in seniority but sometimes sends them first to their Burial that came last from the Birth and those that came last from the Womb first to their Winding-sheet 3. Some think they shall live long because they are temperate and chast Intemperance doubtless destroys many Plures gulâ quà m gladio More perish by gluttony than by the Sword Multos morbos multa fecerunt fercula Seneca Epist 95. And drunkenness is destructive to the bodies of those that delight in it Prov. 23.29 30. Whence come Dropsies Gouts Feavers Rheums and such like Distempers but usually from excess in eating and drinking Lasciviousness and excessive wantonness is likewise an impairer of strength Prov. 5.11 so Prov. 31.5 But yet the most temperate and chast men may die soon For these are very subject to infectious Maladies neither are they priviledged from manifold chances and unexpected surprisals which may suddenly put an end to life 4. and lastly Others because they have been sick and are recovered they hope to see many dayes But alas how ordinary are relapses into the same distemper that men think they are recovered of And those relapses as Physitians say and Experience doth witness most dangerous But if a man be perfectly recovered of one distemper how ordinary is it for that man to fall irrecoverably into another Ambros. de Obitu fratris 3 Tom. p. 16. Satyrus St. Ambrose's Brother returned from Africk by a perilous Voyage for he suffered shipwrack and escaped drowning very narrowly by swimming yet having escaped so great a danger within a short t me after his arrival and return to his Friends fell sick and died amongst them If you escape one danger you know not how soon you may fall into another If you recover of one distemper you are but reprieved for how short a time God only knows O courteous Reader deceive thy self no longer Death like a Mole is secretly undermining thee Thou art far nearer Death and the Grave than thou art aware of Consider 1. How many Diseases thou art subject to which like so many Worms lie gnawing at the Tree of Life The very eye as some Oculists observe hath above sixty Diseases attending it Innumerable then must the diseases be which the whole body is subject unto This Body of ours which is fearfully and wonderfully made Psal 139.14 like a curious Watch is soon out of order and oft-times Physicians with all their skill cannot mend it again Non est in medico semper relevetur ut aeger Ovid de Pont. Lib. 1. Eleg. 4. Interdum doctá plus valet arte malum Some mens Bodies are ground to pieces with the Stone some destroyed with the Epilepsie See Mr. Ley's Sermon on Jam. 4.14 or an Imposthume which insensibly gathers to an head breaks in a moment and stops the breath of mans Bosom or stifles the spirits of his Brain Some Bodies are blown up with the Cholick or Illiaca Passio Some eaten up insensibly by a Consumption some drowned with the Dropsie some burnt with a Feaver And indeed many new Diseases break forth amongst us which puzzle Physitians not only how to cure them but how to call them These bodily Distempers are as so many warning-pieces which God many times shoots off before he send his murdering-piece 2. De civit Dei lib. 22 cap. 22. Consider the manifold chances which may befal thee Quid de innumeris casibus qui forinsecùs corpori formidantur Aug. There are casual mishaps as well as Diseases innumerable which may prove destructive to life We all receive life but one way viz. by Generation but we may lose it many * Mille modis morimur Sen. l. 7. 1. Controvers wayes As we see in a Garden-Pot the Water is poured in but at one place viz. the narrow mouth but it runs out at an hundred holes If we ride on Horseback the Horse may start or stumble and cast us that we may rise no more Absaloms Mule running from under him hastned his destruction 2 Sam. 18.9 c. If we walk on foot we may take immoderate heats and colds which may bring with them incurable Distempers Thieves and Robbers may surprize us wound us and leave us for dead Luke 10.30 Some Beast or other may kill us as the disobedient Prophet was slain with a Lyon 1 Kings 13.24 Or a Drunkard worse then a Beast enraged by strong drink Prov. 20.1 may speedily dispatch us Walking in the streets a piece of Timber a Stone or Tile from an House may suddenly fall upon thee and strike thee dead As a piece of a Mill-stone thrown from a Tower broke the Skull of Abimelech Judg. 9.53 D. Stuarts Catholick Divinity p. 163. Martial makes mention of one that was kill'd with the fall of an Ice-sicle which caused
the Poet to melt into tears saying O ubi Mors non est si jugulatis aquae What cannot make an end of us if a little congealed Water can do it Aeschylus the Tragedian was killed by a Crab-fish which fell from an Eagles talons who mistook as it was thought his bald Head for a Stone If thou stayest within doors thou art not there safe neither The House may fall upon thee as upon Job's Children Fire may burn thee a Spider may poyson thee Or thou mayest have a deadly fall from some upper Room As Ahaziah falling through a Lattess in his upper Chamber fell sick and died 2 Kings 1.2 17 compared And Eutychus falling into a deep-sleep fell down from the third lost and was taken up dead Acts 20.9 Pliny Plin. Nat. Hist lib. 7. cap. 53. reports of Emilius Lepidus that he did but hit his Toe upon the Door-sil yet though the hurt was so far from his heart he died upon it And the same Author tells us That Anacreon the Poet was choaked with the Kernel of a Grape And an Hair in a mess of Milk choaked Fabius See Dr. Abbot on Jonah 4.3 4. Lect. 26. p. 543. And we read elsewhere how a Fly in the Cup choaked Pope Adrian the 4th And Pope Victor was poysoned with Wine and one of the Emperors with the Bread he received in the Sacrament When we lie down to rest we are not sure we shall arise again in safety Sisera slept but never awaked more in this World Judg. 4.21 Benhadad being sick was confined to his Bed yet his sickness was not so destructive to take away his life therefore Hazael that treacherous Servant under pretence of doing him a kindness cunningly stifies him as you may read 2 Kings 8. chap. Furthermore we read in Scripture how Joab was slain at the Altar Zachariah in the Temple Amnon at his Table And prophane stories tell us That Carus the Emperor was slain by a Thunder-bolt so was the Emperor Anastatius Antiochus was murdered in his Coach Domitian in his Chamber Caligula in the Theatre Caesar in the Senate-house and Caracalla was put to death whilst he was about to case Nature Thus we are not safe by Land much less by Sea for there men are within a few inches of Death Qui nescit orare discat navigare The Poet said Illi robur as triplex circa pectus qui fragilem commisit pelago ratem Hor. He was a very bold man who first exposed himself to the Seas in so frail a Vessel as a Ship is How soon may it be split upon a Rock and cast forth its burden So uncertain a thing is Life that it is like a Candle carried in the open Air which every blast is ready to extinguish Thus as Seneca saith Mors ubique nos expectat tu si sapiens eris ubique eam expectabis Death waits upon us every where both at Sea and Land at home and abroad let us in every place and at all times wait for it sure I am it will be our wisdom so to do Deut. 32.29 O that they were wise that they would consider their latter end The Servants of the Lord expect it and look upon themselves as dying Creatures Abraham counts himself but Dust and Ashes Gen. 18.27 Jacob lookt upon himself as an Individuum Vagum as a Stranger or Pilgrim here to day and gone to morrow Gen. 47.9 So did the rest of the Patriarchs 1 Chron. 29.15 St. Paul durst not presume on much time but said He would do this and that if the Lord permit or if the Lord will as you may read Acts 18.21 Rom. 1.10 1 Cor. 4.19 1 Cor. 16.7 he thought himself Tenant at Will in the Clay-farm of his body So did St. James James 4.13 14 15. St. Peter lookt not to dwell long in his earthly Tenement 2 Pet. 1.14 Joseph of Arimathea erected his Tomb in his life-time in the midst of his Garden as some gather from Mat. 27.60 compared with John 19.41 that in the midst of his delights and pleasant walks he might think of Death The Heathens some of them have been very careful to preserve in their minds the thoughts of Death Plato one of the chief defined Life to be Meditatio Mortis a Meditation of Death And truly Death as the Philosopher writes of the Heart * Cor est primum vivens ultimum moâ—iens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot should be the first thing that lives and last that dies in our meditation Some †Manchest Al. Mond p. 51. Philosophers had their Graves alway open before their Gates that going out and coming in they might alway think of Death And we read of one * Ibid. p. 139 140. Philostrates that lived seven years in his Tomb that he might be acquainted with it against his Bones came to lie in it And though Lewis the XI King of France of that Name gave a strict charge that none should dare to name Death within his Court Yet Philip the Father of Alexander and King of Macedon every morning had a Monitor of Mortality for a Trumpet every morning was sounded at his Chamber and these words uttered with a loud Voice by one whom he had appointed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Remember thou art a mortal Man He was willing every day to hear of Death which might any day rush in upon him Shall we by putting the thoughts of Death from us prove our selves to be worse than Heathens God forbid God as you have heard hath compared our Life in Scripture to things of short continuance And to such things as are oft in our eye that so we might not forget Death The two first Books of Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nativitas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exitus called Genesis and Exodus should mind us of that of the Poet Nascentes morimur finisque ab origine pendet At Birth begin we life to end This end doth on that Birth depend Every Dish of Meat that comes to our Table stands as a dead Corps So true is that of Seneca Mortibus vivimus We live by the death of other Creatures The four Seasons of the Year the Garments we wear scarce any thing that we behold but may mind us of our change for all things here below ring Changes The Sun setting may mind us that ere long the Sun of our Life must set Our very houses may mind us of our long homes When we are in Bed and darkness round about us we should consider that ere long we must lie in the Grave that House of Darkness for so it is called Job 17.13 Furthermore for I would fain convince the Reader of the shortness and uncertainty of his life every degree of Life is a step to Death one day added to our lives brings us nearer unto death Your life is shorter to day than it was yesterday God threatned Adam Gen. 2.17 That in the day that he did eat the
unclean Beasts No there enters in nothing that defileth Rev. 21.27 and Rev. 22.15 see 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. and Gal. 5.19 20 21. There is a Catalogue of sins mentioned I pray you observe them and learn to avoid them if you expect to have a better life when this is ended He that dies to sin when he lives shall live when he dies and may say upon his death-bed as Myconius said to Luther his Friend that came to visit him Dr. Boreman's Sermon on Phil. 3.20 p. 47 48. This sickness is not unto Death but unto Life for when he dies to nature he shall live with God unto all eternity Let us therefore as the Author to the Hebrews exhorts Heb. 12.1 lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us As Racers lay aside things burthensome and troublesome so do you lay aside sin which is a burthen and hinders you in your spiritual Race * See Crit. sacra in vocem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some say the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a casting off as a man doth a long worn sute that begins to do him discredit to wear it or rather as a man coming out of Prison having filthy rags about him and full of Vermine hurls them away into a Dunghill or Ditch and never purposeth to touch them more It is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sin that doth beset us or wrap us about A Metaphor taken from a long Garment Deal with the old worn Garment of sin as Elijah did by his Mantle 2 Kings 2.13 lay it aside if ever you think to ascend to Heaven 4. Preparation for Death consists in doing good works 4. Dir. Benefaciendo Negative Holiness will not bring with it Positive Happiness Many build their hopes of future happiness upon this sandy Foundation That they are no Drunkards Whoremasters Swearers Lyars c. Because they are not guilty of open scandalous miscarrages therefore they bless themselves in their condition as the Pharisee did Luke 18.11 God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican It is good indeed to keep our selves unspotted from the World but this is not sufficient we must do good works visit the Fatherless and Widows in their affliction This is pure Religion and undefiled before God as St. James tells us Jam. 1.27 It is not enough not to do evil but we must likewise do good Ps 34.14 Isa 1.16 17. Rom. 12.9 Sinful omissions are not to be looked upon as bare negations or privations but as breaches of a positive Law which commands the contrary so that omission of duty is as damnable as commission of sin God cursed Meroz not for fighting against the People of God but because they did not come out to their help against the Mighty Judg. 5.23 It was as true a fault in them Hag. 1.2 c. not to set up the House of God as in others to pull it down The Tree that bears not good fruit is fuel for the fire as well as the Tree that bears evil fruit Mat. 3.10 Mat. 7.19 The unprofitable Servant was cast into utter darkness not for spending but for not improving his Masters Talent Mat. 25.30 So the five foolish Virgins as you may read before vers 3. and 10. compared were shut out of doors not for abusing in wasting but for wanting of Oil So you may read afterwards in that Chapter many will be doomed to Hell because not active in works of charity vers 41 42 c. It is not said ye took away my Meat Drink and Cloaths from me but ye gave me no Meat Drink Cloathing c. therefore depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire c. So * Luk. 16.19 Dives was cast into the place of torment non quòd abstulit aliena sed quòd non donavit sua not for robbing Greg. Hom 40. but for not relieving poor Lazarus Good works are necessary Salvation is not ordinarily obtained without them as these places shew Mat. 25.34 c. Luk. 16.9 Rom. 2.6 7 8 9 10. Gal. 6.9 10. 1 Tim. 6.18 19. Heb. 6.10 10.24 Nemo malâ morte unquam moriebatur qui libentèr opera charitatis exercuit Jerom. Bona opera sunt praedestinationis occultae indicta futurae foelicitatis is praesagia via regni Bern. Tractat. de gratia non causa regnandi Bernard Actus boni Christianae fidei quasi testes quia Christianus nisi bona opera fecerit fidem suam penitus approbare non possit Salv. Salvian de gub Dei lib. 4. p. 99. Now when I speak of good Works I do not only mean works of Charity for works of Piety and of our particular Callings are also good works Be much then in praying reading hearing meditating alms-deeds and the like To shut up this Particular we read how Jacob when he went to his own Countrey sent his Droves before him Gen. 32.16 and he followed after them Heaven is a Christians Countrey send droves of duties thither afore-hand as Prayers Meditations Affections Longings Alms-deeds c. that so when you depart this Life you may follow after them 5. Preparation for Death consists in putting on the Vertues of Christ 5. Dir. Virtutes Christi induendo You set your Watch not by the Clock but by the Sun order your motion according to that of Christ the Sun of Righteousness Christ propounds himself an Example and commands us to learn of him Mat. 11.29 1 Pet. 1.21 22. He sets himself as a Pattern for us to work by or as a Copy for us to write after I 'll name some Vertues that shined forth with greatest lustre in the Life of Christ and should likewise be conspicuous in the lives of all such as expect Salvation by him 1. There was in Christ Spiritual Wisdom Christ when he was a Child was sitting among the Doctors and was able to pose them Luke 2.46 47. He was sitting among the Doctors both hearing them and asking them questions and all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers Orig. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were out of themselves with admiration It was beyond their understanding what they heard from him in the praeludium of his Ministry And he is said to encrease in Wisdom Luk. 4.22 ver 52. In respect of his humane nature he did so but as God he was absolutely perfect in knowledge Solomon who was the Oracle of his Age 1 Kings 4.29 30 31. was a Type of Christ in whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Col. 2.3 A Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding of Counsel and Knowledge did rest upon him Isa 11.2 Let us resemble him in Wisdom Labour to be filled with the knowledge of God's Will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding increasing in the knowledge of God Col. 1.9 10. The New
therefore actions issuing thence cannot be perfect and consequently not meritorious Yet a true iustifying Faith is ever accompanied with purity and charity Acts 15.9 Tit. 3.8 Jam. 2.14 c. Jude 20. * Maccovius's Distinct cap. 13. de Justif Fides sola justificat non solitaria Faith alone doth justifie yet that Faith which justifies is not alone as the Eye alone seeth in the body yet the Eye which seeth is not alone in the body without the other senses Good Works are the Pulse and Breath of a lively Faith Mr. Abraham Wright's Serm. on Luk. 16.9 It is as impious to deny the necessity as to maintain the merits of good Works God hath joyned good Works and Salvation together in his Word and what God hath joyned together let no man put asunder But when we have done all we can do let us confess our unprofitableness and cast our selves upon Gods Love and Favour as the surest hold Let us build our hopes of happiness upon Christ's satisfaction only for indeed there is no other way then by this Ark to escape drowning The Church is described Cant. 8.5 leaning on her Beloved which as it betokens infinite familiarity within so likewise faithful dependance upon him Well then as Joseph said to his Brethren Ye shall not see my face he means with safety and favour except your Brother Benjamen be with you Gen. 43.5 So neither shall we comfortably see God's Face hereafter except we bring the Lord Jesus that Benjamin the Son of his right Hand Col. 3.1 Rom. 8.34 with us in the Arms of Faith Let us then act Faith upon the Lord Jesus who alone delivereth us from wrath to come 1 Thes 1.10 Thus much for the matter wherein preparation for Death consists I shall now shew you how you ought to put these Directions into practice CHAP. III. Shewing how we ought to put the forementioned Directions into practice OUR Saviour saith Luke 13.24 Many will seek to enter in at the strait Gate and shall not be able Stella on Luk. 13.24 And Stella gives this reason Quia tardè insufficientèr quaerunt because they seek not after a right manner Right means are to be used after a right manner Put then the forementioned Directions into Practice First Early Secondly Earnestly Thirdly and lastly Constantly 1. Festinanter First Early or speedily whilst young healthful and strong This God calls for Eccles 12.1 Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth God's Adverb is manè betimes or early the Devil's Verb is mane tarry till afterwards Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto the Devil more than unto God judge ye Acts 4.19 O do not put off preparation for Death till sickness Thou mayest perhaps die suddenly An Imposthume Squinancy Apolexy or some such Distemper may suddenly dispatch thee in so much that thou shalt not have time to call upon God for mercy Some that have gone to bed in good health as they thought have been found dead the next morning dead they were before they could tell what ailed them But in case God exercise thee with sickness thou wilt be very unfit to go about this great Work thy thoughts will be upon thy pain and they enquieries will be after a Remedy proper for the removing the Malady Friends about thee without any ground for it will be ready to tell thee what thou art glad to hear and willing to believe that there is great hopes of thy recovery These flatterers are miserable comforters for in case thou growest deadly sick as thou may'st do of a sudden then it is ten to one thy Will is to make Worldly things are to be disposed of for men generally are too too blame herein putting this off to extream sickness and this making thy Will takes up a considerable part of that little time allotted thee Upon this follow exclamations and outcries of near Relations together with the clamour of thy sins if Conscience be awakened enough to distract thee Impertinent visits of Friends which come only with an How do you I am sorry to see you in this condition c. do rather hinder than further Devotion And perhaps by this time through want of sleep and extremity of pain thou wilt be light-headed unfit to listen to any good counsel if given to thee as the Israelites who hearkned not to Moses for anguish of Spirit Exod. 6.9 Do not then put off this great Work till sickness no nor till old Age neither for Life is uncertain as I have shewed We know not how soon our Pulse may leave beating We can call no time ours but the present 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This day is mine and thine whose to morrow may be we know not To day then cannot be too soon to set upon this Work because to morrow may be too late I have read of Archias the Lacedemonian that whilst he was in the midst of carnal Jollity quaffing with his Companions one presented to him a Letter wherein was signified that some did lie in wait to take away his life and desired him to peruse it presently for it was a Letter of serious concernment but he carelesly replyed Seria cras let serious things alone till to morrow and that very night he was slain Oh! then reckon not of many years seeing thou art not Lord of to morrow Prov. 27.1 But if God should grant thee longer space to repent in yet he may deny thee the means of Grace or he may deny his Grace to make a good improvement of the means See what is said of Jezebel I gave her space to repent of her Fornication but she repented not Rev. 2.21 Repentance is not in our own power to be performed at pleasure it is God's-Gift Jer. 10.23 Acts 11.28 2 Tim. 2.25 And if we slight God calling upon us now who in the seasons of Grace is willing to be found of us 2 Cor. 6.2 Isa 66.5 Prov. 8.17 he may justly slight us in sickness and old age when his judgements break forth upon us We may then seek early and that early be too late to find him Prov. 1.24 c. As Jeptha said to the Elders of Gilead Judg. 11.7 Did not ye hate me and expel me out of my Fathers House And why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress So may God justly say to such as defer preparation for Death till sickness or old Age Did not ye hate me in your youthful time whilst healthful and strong and say unto me Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Job 21.14 Why do you now forced through fear or pain come to me in your distress Do we think God will be pleased with the Devils leavings What King will receive a cripled Rebel that hath spent the best of his strength and time under his Enemies Colours Cum nemine obtrudi potest itur ad me Ter. What Husband will receive his Wife that hath
should bestir themselves who have as we say one foot in the Grave already A * Omnis motus naturalis velotior est in fine Stone the nearer it comes to the Center the swifter it moves The nearer any come to Death the greater should their preparation be for it It is * Abel Rediv in life of Mr Perkins observed of the Birds of Norway that they having in Winter very short dayes fly swifter than other Fowl in other Countries as if principled by the instinct of Nature thriftily to improve the little light allowed them and by the swiftness of their Wings to regain the shortness of their time How speedy and earnest should old men especially be in preparing themselves for Death who if they have neglected God in their youthful dayes have a great deal of work to do in a very short time 3. Constanter 3. And lastly Prepare your selves for Death Constantly so long as life shall last This God calls for 1 Cor. 15. last verse Be constant and immoveable alway abounding in the Work of the Lord. This was David's resolution Psal 119.112 I have enclined my heart to keep thy Statutes alway even unto the end So it was Job's Job 14.14 All the dayes of my appointed time will I wait till my change come So Job 27.5 6 Till I die I will not remove my integrity from me My Righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live The like did Saint Paul as you may read Acts 20.24 Phil. 3.13 14 15. 2 Tim. 4.6 7 8. God hath promised to give the Crown of Glory or Eternal Happiness to such as persevere in a Christian course of life see Rev. 2.10 so Rev. 3.11 12. Heaven is not got per saltum at one sudden leap you must set out betimes and advance forward in the race of Christianity so long as you live You must run and not be weary walk and not faint Isa 40.31 Charles the fifths Motto Ulterius becomes every Christian he must advance still forward for he that runs half the Race and then gives it over Ioseth the Wager as well as he that never set forth See what is said Ezek. 18.24 When the Righteous turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall he live All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespass that he hath trespassed and in his sin that he hath sinned in them shall he die If any man draw back saith God Heb. 10.38 my Soul shall have no pleasure in him and again ver 39. They draw back unto perdition Let Christians then who expect the Crown fight manfully under Christ's Banner against the World Sin and the Devil and continue Christ's faithful Souldiers and Servants unto their lives end Let them do that in their Spiritual what Caesar is said to do in his Temporal-Warfare Nil actum credens siquid superesset agendum Lucan Pharsal Lib. 2. Be still doing as though they had done nothing till all be done Now there will be alway something for a Christian to do till Death give him his Quietus est a Writ of Ease Rev. 14.13 Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord they rest from their labours There must be no resting till death We should be Volunteers in God's Service till Death disband us When William the Conqueror landed his men in Sussex he caused all Ships to be sunk that all hope of flying back might be taken away We are here landed saith an ingenious * Dr. Boys in his Postils on Rev. 12.7 Divine in this Valley of Tears we must neither faint nor fly but fight it out valiantly till Death the last Enemy be destroyed 1 Cor. 15.26 Good Christians are like Wine full of Spirits that continues good to the last drawing yea the older they are like good Wines the better they be Lâ—k 5.39 They are compared to Trees in Scripture Psal r. 3. so Isa 61.3 called Trees of Righteousness because filled with the Fruits of Righteousness Phil. 1.11 These Trees are never past bearing They shall bring forth Fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing Psal 92.14 It is an honour to be thus gray-headed in Religion Prov. 16.31 The hoary-head is a Crown of Glory if it be found in the way of Righteousness God highly prizeth a Mnason an old Disciple as he was Acts 21.16 that hath served him from his youth upwards Well then let us put the former directions constantly into practice Let us pray continually 1 Thess 5.17 Let us have our * Stata tempora set-times for Prayer and at least morning and evening let us offer unto God the sacrifice of Prayer Let us daily mourn for the sins we daily commit Nay those sins which God hath pardned we should reflect upon with grief of heart and pray for a farther manifestation of pardoning Grace so did David For the one and fiftieth Psalm was pen'd by David after he had gone into Bathsheba and after Nathan had brought him the news of a Pardon 2 Sam. 12.13 Some * Mr. Smith in his Doctrine of Repentance p. 105. observe after God had cast Adam out of Paradise he set him e regione Horti over against the Garden in the very sight and view of the place where he had offended that so oft as he lookt towards the Garden he might remember his sin and lament for it Let us constantly avoid such sins as we do lament So did St. Paul Acts 24.16 Herein do I exercise my self to have alway a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards men Let us do good works constantly Gal. 6.9 2 Thes 3.13 Let us constantly put on the vertues of Christ growing in number measure and exercise of grace Let us daily act faith upon Christ If we do thus not only begin well but continue in thus doing until death we shall when we have acted the last part of our life upon the Stage of this World every one of us apart here that joyful Sentence pronounced by Christ himself Eugè bone serve Well done thou good and faithful Servant Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Matth. 25.21 Thus you see the forementioned Directions are to be practised Early Earnestly and Constantly these three Ingredients make our Services a sweet Perfume But because we are so backward to these things I shall in the next Chapter lay down a few Considerations to quicken us to the performance of the whole and so conclude CHAP. IV. Containing certain Motives to move us to prepare for Death NO Man can truly say of mine advice touching preparation for Death as Hushai said of Ahitophel's 2 Sam. 17.7 It is not good at this time Sure I am advice to it or practice of it is never unseasonable for this is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the main business that we come into the World
who coming thither wrought many Miracles taught the Gospel and converted many to the Faith and Knowledge of Christ as you may read Acts 16. From * See Dr. Hammond his Preface in Annot. on 2 Epist Corinthians hence St. Paul wrote his second Epistle to the Corinthians and sent it to Corinth by Titus and Luke which was saith an †See Itiner Tot. S. Scrip. 540. Author 292 Dutch miles He wrote also this Epistle to the Philippians from Rome to the Inhabitants of Philippi and sent it by the hands of Epaphroditus which was saith the same †See Itiner Tot. S. Scrip. 540. Author 628 miles and he reckons by common Dutch miles whereof four thousand paces make a mile p. 3. The occasion of this Epistle was this The Philippians hearing that St. Paul who had planted a Church among them was imprisoned at Rome sent Epaphroditus to visit him and supply his wants From whom the Apostle having received the testimony of their kindness and constancy and with-all hearing that false Apostles were crept in amongst them who were enemies to the Cross of Christ and perverted the Doctrine of the Gospel he writes back this Epistle as a necessary Antidote against these Seducers and as an acknowledgment of their favours for Christianity doth not abolish civility and good manners * Heming in argumentum Epist ad Phil. Cùm ut futuro periculo occurrat tùm ut suam erga Philippenses animi gratudinem declaret hanc scribit Epistolam Heming Paul in the front of this Epistle joyns Timothy with him because as he had formerly been at Philippi with him as you read Act. 16. so he was now at Rome with him Phil. 2.19 being his constant companion and assistant This Epistle he sent back by the hands of Epaphroditus who was as you may see vers 25. a faithful Minister of the Gospel and their Messenger that ministred to his wants bringing that which the Philippians sent to the supply of his necessities Perferens ad ipsum quae Philippenses miserant Heming in locum The Apostle thought fit to send him back having faithfully performed his Message Epaphroditus himself was willing to return as you may see vers 26. for he longed after you all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies a longing desire as impatient of delayes Epaphroditus would stay no longer from his People than he needs must he was detained by sickness or else he had sooner returned And he was full of heaviness because that they had heard that he had been sick He was not so much troubled because that he was sick as because that they had heard of his sickness Zanchius in Phil. 2.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 privat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui prae tristitiâ animi populi frequentum fugit The word signifies He sat solitary as men in extream sorrow love to be alone He was exceedingly disquieted to think what sorrow the report of his sickness brought to them But good God! how are people otherwise affected in these sinful times towards their faithful Ministers wishing them sick and transported with joy to hear of their sickness So that it is matter of grief to many Ministers in their sickness to think that others do insult and by their rejoycing add affliction to affliction But the Philippians love towards their faithful Pastour was so great that they were even sick to hear of his sickness nay Epaphroditus feared lest this sad news would be their death Fuit anxius animi propter Philippenses nè niminâ tristitiâ conficerentur Muscul in locum He was grievously afraid lest they should wear away with over-much grief at the sad tydings of his sickness For indeed saith the Apostle in the words of my Text he was sick nigh unto Death but God had mercy on him In the words we have two parts 1. Epaphroditus's Sickness where observe first the Patient Epaphroditus he was sick Secondly The manner of his sickness it was very grievous for he was nigh unto Death In the second part we have Epaphroditus his Recovery set down wherein observe 1. the Physitian that was God 2. The cure wrought by him he had mercy on him To begin with the first part Epaphroditus was the Patient and his Distemper very grievous for he was sick nigh unto death The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to be very weak and sick even at deaths door 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infirmis viribus sum langueo gravitèr aegroto Joh. 11.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 privat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 robur Omnibus viribus destitutus tum sibi tum aliis prorsus inutilis sicut cadaver Beza in Rom. 5.6 He had faciem cadaverosam Death had taken possession on this sick mans countenance He was grown so weak and it was matter of grief to them * Muscul in locum Quod Apostolo amplius subministrare non poterat that he was a burden and not an help to the Apostle But to shew yet further how near death he was the Apostle adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which some render vicinus morti so Marlorat And Musculus who adds Corripitur morbo tà m gravi ut ad ipsas portas mortis usque pervenisse videretur Proximè mortem Piscator Hemingius Proximè ad mortem Beza Usque ad mortem Tremel Aquinas Osiander Estius who adds Lethali morbo laborabat ita ut moriturum metuerem He was a Neighbour to Death or neighbouring upon Death He was even upon the confines of the King of Terrours If every Man in his healthful state be like a Mariner as some say in the Sea of this World Digitis amor tu remotus Quatuor aut Septem Juven within a few inches of Death Surely languishing Epaphroditus was within a hairs breadth of it But if you ask me what his particular Distemper was I must tell you I know not The Physitian may be will say Non erat assuetus mari ideoque inter navigandum contraxit corporis sui debilitatem Muscul in loc that he was Sea-sick Heming in Phil. 2.30 And indeed as Hemingius observes that long journey by Sea might be an occasion of his sickness and the Apostle seems to insinuate as much vers 30. But what his particular Distemper was we must be content to be ignorant seeing the Holy Ghost doth not reveal it Contenting my self with what the Text holds forth that he was sick yea nigh unto death I take up this Point of Doctrine Doct. That the best of God's dear Servants whether Ministers or others may be very sick or sorely visited with sickness Hinc liquet vel sanctissimos adversa affici valetudine Bulling in Phil. 2.27 Epaphroditus was a good Christian as well as a good Minister Many are the afflictions of the Righteous saith the Psalmist Psal 34.19 Diseases amongst other afflictions are the portion of
healed of it but afterwards he felt many bad motions and sinful lusts stirring in him then he earnestly desired God to return to him the Head-ach again rather than suffer the peace of his Soul to be disquieted with those lusts So that you see bodily Pains and Diseases are sent by God to prevent or purge out sin But more particularly God sends sickness to prevent or purge out these following sins to name a few 1. Pride See 2 Cor. 12.7 Some by the Thorn in the flesh understand some extream pain as the Head-ach so Theophilact Some refer it to the Iliaca Passio or Wind in the small Guts See Mr. Leigh's Annot. on 2 Cor. 12.7 so Aquinas Some to the Gout or pain in the Stomach as Nazianzene and Basil are said to interpret it These or the like bodily Distempers may be well compared to a Thorn in the flesh because they are as painful to the body as if a Thorn or Splinter was thrust into the flesh This Thorn was sent o let out the wind of Pride Lest saith the Apostle I should be exalted above measure Job under his sores and sickness and other afflictions that God exercised him with confessed his vileness and abhord himself in Dust and Ashes Job 40.4 42.6 2. Worldly-mindedness God sends sickness to withdraw their heart and affections from things here below and to cause them to mount up and aspire more unto Heaven The best are apt to fall in love with this wretched world as Peter said Luke 9.33 Master it is good for us to be here God in sickness makes his servants willing to remove They see Riches and Friends cannot ease them of their pains and therefore they desire to be gone Phil. 1.23 and to be translated into the new Jerusalem where no Inhabitant shall say he is sick Isa 33.24 3. Security In health and prosperity the best are apt to forget God As David said Psal 30.6 7. In his prosperity I shall never be moved Lord by thy favour thou hast made my Mountain to stand strong but when God did hide his face and left him to the dangerous assaults of his Enemies or fury of some sickness then he was troubled and cryed to the Lord and pleaded with him in prayer as you may read in the following verses 8 9 10 11. When he casts his people on their backs in a sick-bed then especially they look upward 4. Insensibleness of others sufferings under sickness Most men are insensible of the sufferings of others like those voluptuous Epicures as if unconcerned in others miseries they are not affected with their Brethrens calamities Amos 6.3 4 5 6. Even the best are too too stoical herein whilst in Health not sufficiently sensible of the miseries that others lie under by reason of sickness But when God hath visited us with sickness then we pity those that lie under the same or the like sufferings The Poet Virgil brings in Dido speaking thus Non ignara mali miseris succurrere disco She being in misery did pitty those that were in misery David whom God had much exercised with sickness had learnt to pity others as you may see Psal 35.13 14. 5. Unthankfulness We do not whilst we are healthful and strong rightly prize health nor are we duly thankful for so great a mercy Carendo magis quà m fruendo We know the worth of things best by the want of them As God threatned to take away Corn and Wine and Oyl from Judah because she did not know i. e. thankfully acknowledge them to be Gods good Gifts Hos 2.8 9. So God many times deprives his People of health that they may learn to prize it the more and to improve it more to his glory when he sends it again 6. The sixth and last sin that sickness sent by God is a means to purge out or prevent is Forgetfulness of Death Jerusalem in prosperity remembred not her last end Lam. 1.9 The best of us in times of health too too seldom think of Death which made Moses cry out Deut. 32.29 O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end God therefore sends sickness which is Ante-ambulo Mortis the fore-runner of Death to mind them that the King of Terrors is not far off they at such a time expect Death and look upon it as that which will certainly come Abel Redivivus in his life Bishop Andrews said oft in his sickness It must come once and why not here David in sickness saw the vanity of Man in his best state Psalm 39.5 Surely every man at his best state is altogether vanity Selah And vers 11. he warbles it over again on his doleful Harp Surely every man is vanity Selah So Moses under God's afflicting hand Psalm 90.7 saw the frailty of Man's life and therefore prayed vers 12. So teach us to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom Thus you see God sends sickness for the purging out or preventing of several sins in his People 2. The other end that God hath in such passages of his providence towards his Servants is for the tryal and exercise of their Graces Affliction is sent to try us Psal 66.10 11. Jer. 9.7 1 Pet. 4.12 It is both the Touchstone and Whet-stone of Grace A Feaver or some such like Distemper is as a fiery Tryal to try the truth of God's Graces in us and to set them awork in so much as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 12.10 I take pleasure in infirmities for when I am weak then am I strong When he was weak in Body he was strong in Grace But more particularly God sends sickness to try and exercise these following Graces 1. Faith and Hope I put them both together for they are nigh of kin The Apostle speaks of God's suffering his People to be in heaviness through manifold temptations that is afflictions for the tryal of their Faith as you may see 1 Pet. 1.6 7. Job's Faith was seen and set awork under his sufferings Job 13.15 Though he slay me yet will I trust in him It is Faith indeed to trust in that God that seems to frown So hope is seen and set awork in a tempest It is compared to an Anchor Heb. 6.19 whose use is best seen in a storm 2. Patience In times of affliction there is matter for patience as well as faith to be exercised about Rev. 13.10 so 2 Thess 1.4 The Apostle saith Tribulation worketh Patience Rom. 5.3 He means It occasions the exercise of Patience James 5.11 Ye have heard of the Patience of Job saith Saint James Ye had not heard so much of his Patience had it not been for his sickness and such like afflictions which God exercised him with Sickness is the School of Patience 3. Love to God Jer. 2.2 I remember thee saith the Lord the kindness of thy youth the love of thine espousals when thou wentest after me in the Wilderness in a Land that was
Rejoyce not when thine Enemy falleth and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth lest the Lord see it and it displease him Job 31.29 and he turn away his wrath from him and lay it upon thee See Obad. 12.13 14 15. God there threatneth the Edomites for rejoycing at the calamity that befel the Israelites This sin call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was condemned by the Heathens It is most opposite to the rule of charity which rejoyceth not in iniquity 1 Cor. 13.6 It maketh not others evil be it of sin or suffering matter of rejoycing 14. Take heed of innovating in God's Worship Nadab and Abihu for offering strange fire by fire from the Lord as with lightning were destroyed as you may read Levit. 10.1 2. 15. Take heed of invading the Ministers Office without a Call See Numb 16.35 You read there of two hundred and fifty men that offered Incense usurping the Priests Office were punished by fire wherein they offended So Vzziahs rash adventure to do the like was punished with the Leprosie as you read 2 Chron. 26.16 c. 16. Lastly Take heed of sins of the tongue as Lying Swearing Forswearing Cursing False-accusing Backbiting Brawling Blasphemy c. See Prov. 17.20 He that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief And Prov. 13.3 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction So Prov. 18.21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof The Psalmists words shall shut up this Point Psal 34.12 13 14. What man is he that desireth life and loveth many dayes that he may see good Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile Depart from evil and do good seek peace and ensue it I might add to these sins which endanger health and life bold and audacious attempts as leaping Hedges swimming Waters c. when there is no necessity for either This is called properly a tempting of God when men without any warrant from God's Word make tryal of his Wisdom Power and Goodness which is expresly forbidden Deut. 6.16 Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God as ye tempted him in Massah whereof you read Exod. 17.2 where they are said to tempt God by requiring a miraculus evidence of his presence among them Our Saviour did beat back the Devil with this Text out of Deuteronomy when he would have had him to cast down himself from the * Doctor Hammond Annot. on Mat. 4.5 Pinacle i. e. out-wing or battlement of the Temple Mat. 4.7 If Christ had cast himself down into a needless danger God might have justly left him to destruction without breach of his Promise God indeed hath promised to keep us but it must be in all our wayes Psal 91.11 which necessary part of the Sentence the Devil left out Mat. 4.6 God hath promised to keep us in all our wayes or warrantable courses but not in our wanderings The Israelites fell in the Wilderness when they tempted God 1 Cor. 10.9 Object But some may say Are not they that tempt God delivered Mal. 3.15 Do not we daily see many wicked men that are disobedient to Superiours drunkards lustful impatient envious ambitious c. live become old and are mighty in power yea and the Rod of God is not upon them Job 21.7 9. Did not the Psalmist see such were not in trouble like other men nor plagued like other men that made conscience of their wayes Psal 73.5 Answ Indeed it may so fall out that a wicked man may prolong his life in his wickedness Eccles 7.15 God may bear long with some such notorious offenders to shew his own patience and long suffering to exercise the faith and patience of his Servants To teach that there is a day of judgment wherein he hath appointed to judge the World in Righteousness Acts 17.31 God may bear with them to leave them inexcusable that they may fill up the measure of their sins and for their greater damnation at last Rom. 9.22 For these and other reasons best known unto himself he may suffer some wicked men to live and prosper But let not us let loose the reyns to sin and make the impunity of some few an encouragement to wickedness It is folly and madness to be careless because some few have escaped shipwrack Certainly as the Apostle saith after he had told us of several punishments befalling several Offenders for several sins 1 Cor. 10.11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the World are come And as an Heathen Author said Felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum Happy is he whom other mens harms do make to beware Well then life being so great a mercy let us avoid all such sins as may be a means to shorten it and let us use all lawful means to preserve it as Food and Physick which God hath appointed Let us not through discouragement of Spirit because of deadly dangers which we meet with in our Christian Callings Numb 10.14 15. as weary of life wish for death which was an infirmity in that good Man Elijah 1 King 19.4 Much less ought we through discontent as Jonah did Jonah 4.3 8. wish for death But most prodigiously to blame are they that lay violent hands upon themselves Man's breath saith a worthy Bishop is put into his body as a Tenant at Will into an house Dr. Abbot on Jonah 4.3 4. Lect. 26. p. 543. whereinto it may not enter without the good will of the Land-lord and being once in it must keep there and hold the building upright till it have its discharge to remove somewhere else Yet after all this that I have spoken concerning the care you should have to maintain health and preserve life Give me leave to put in a Caveat or cautionary Proposition to prevent a mistake And it is this Caution That you ought to hazard health and life for the Churches sake and for Christs sake to witness to his Truth if called to it 1 John 3.16 We ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren St. Paul was willing to spend and be spent 2 Cor. 12.15 for the propogation of the Gospel and good of God's Church and People see Acts 20.24 and 21.13 Truth hath been sealed with the blood of many Martyrs An Heathen set such a price on Truth that he thought it worth our lives Vitamque impendere vero Nec propter vitam vivendi perdere causam What saith the Apostle of Epaphroditus see Phil. 2.30 For the work of Christ he was nigh unto death not regarding his life to supply your lack of service towards me Epaphroditus undertook a great Journey to minister to Pauls necessity which is here called the Work of Christ for what is done to his Members he takes it as done to himself Mat. 25.40 This Journey occasioned his
the Righteous when the night of Death approachcth after all their hardship and sore labours have their bodies laid down to rest in the Grave where they sleep quietly until the Resurrection Chear up then ye Servants of the Lord under all your Grievances your Afflictions cannot continue long because your life is short See 1 Cor. 7.29 30. Weep as if you wept not for it will be shortly better with you than now it is God will wipe away all tears from your eyes Rev. 7.17 21.4 As Athanasius said of his Banishment so may you of your Affliction what ever it be * Bp. Pilkington on Neh. 4.16 it is but Nubecula cito transitura a little Cloud that will soon be dissipated and blown over Niceph. 10. cap. 19. Thus as the Psalmist saith Psal 30.5 Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning After a wet night of Affliction comes a bright morning of Consolation which no night shall ever overtake Though Spectacles of Mortality administer Comfort to the Righteous under Affliction yet they may strike terror into the hearts of impenitent Wretches for they may reade their own death in the death of their Friends They must shortly die aswell as others Job 24.24 Psal 37.35 36. 49.10 And though Death put a period to the sorrows of the Righteous yet it is an inlet to the wicked man's misery See Job 20.5 6 c. The Lord laughs at the cruel wicked man for he seeth that his day is coming Psal 37.13 The day of vengeance is drawing on therefore envy him not v. 1 2. Neither be afraid of him Isa 51.12 To end this we read Dan. 5.5 6. There came forth fingers of a mans hand and wrote over against the Candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the Kings Palace and the King saw the part of the hand that wrote These fingers did not snuff the Candle of Belshazzars joy to make it burn the brighter but quite put it out for the King's countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joints of his bones were loosed and his knees smote one against another Methinks every Spectacle of Mortality should be to wickedmen as this Hand-writing upon the wall to Belshazzar It should make them crest-faln stand in fear For Death like Israels Pillar of the Cloud Exod. 14.20 as it brings Light to the Godly so Darkness to the Wicked Prov. 13.9 The Light of the Righteous rejoyceth but the Lamp of the Wicked shall be put out Use 12 12. Let death of Friends make us careful to do all good with as much speed as we can It is said Gen. 47.29 The time drew nigh that Israel must die So the time of thy Departure draws nigh therefore whatever thine hand finds to do do it with all thy might Eccl. 9.10 hide not thy Talent in a Napkin thou knowest not how soon thou mayest be called to an account assure thy self when a night of Death comes no man can work John 9.4 Why stand you idle the day of your life being for ought ye know well-nigh spent A man cannot think to have his money when he hath spent it you cannot spend your time and have it As you have therefore opportunity do good to all especially to them of the houshold of Faith Gal. 6.10 Make to your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness that when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations Luk. 16.9 and as Solomon adviseth Withhold not good from them to whom it is due when it is in the power of thine hand to do it Say not to thy neighbour Go and come again and to morrow I will give when thou hast it by thee Prov. 3.27 28. Be provident to lay up something for Wife and Children Prov. 13.22 1 Tim. 5.8 We hold our life with great uncertainty be careful as may be with a good conscience to lay up something for posterity to live upon Joseph in a time of plenty laid up against dearth and scarcity Gen. 41.48 especially labour to promote the spiritual welfare of Relations and others whom you converse with lead an exemplary life reprove rebuke instruct and pray for them Ministers should do so ex officio they are called and appointed hereunto Isa 58.1 2 Tim. 4.2 Private Christians should likewise do it ex charitate out of christian care and charity Levit. 19.17 so 1 Pet. 4.10 And for encouragement consider Prov. 11.30 He that winneth souls is wise And Dan. 12.3 They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and they that turn many unto righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever So Jam. 5.19 20. Brethren if any of you do err from the truth and one convert him let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins Furthermore if we endeavour the conversion of souls and do not effect it yet the Apostle tels us for our comfort we shall not lose our reward 1 Cor. 3.8 Every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour It is not said according to success but according to labour Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love This comforted the Prophet Isa 49.4 Then I said I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for nought and in vain yet surely my judgment is with the Lord and my work or reward with my God However as another Prophet shews Liberavimus animas Ezek. 3.17 18 c. we free our selves from that guilt which we might have contracted through negligence Well then hast thou a treasure of spiritual Wisdom and Grace labour to communicate it betimes for Death ere long may stop either your mouth or the ears of others and then it will be too late to make Dives's motion to forewarn your Brethren lest they come into the place of torment Luke 16. latter end The Apostle Peter was diligent in putting people in remembrance of good things knowing that shortly he must put off his tabernacle 2 Pet. 1.13 14 15. And St. Paul is earnest in his exhortations and spiritual directions to Timothy especially knowing the time of his departure to be at hand 2 Tim. 4.5 6. Mr. Perkins his Motto was Hoc age do the business you are about what concerns you most Abel-Redivivus in Life of Mr. Perkins do it speedily exactly And truly that good man as if presaging that his life was likely to be short for he dyed at the 44th year of his age husbanded his time with double diligence to God's glory and the good of many others Oh then let us consider the taper of our life may be almost spent and therefore tanquam ultimus lucernae fulgor let us now shine most gloriously to the good of others And truly as some think if there were grief in Heaven it would be most of all for this that Believers did no
more for their God who now doth so much for them that they did not glorifie him more on Earth who glorifies them so much in Heaven Use 13 13. Let death of Friends put us on to get what good we can by living Friends we see they die soon We hold our Friends but durante beneplacito Dei how soon he may call for them we know not And therefore as one saith let us do with them as with some Books which we borrow let us reade them presently and take out thence profitable lessons as soon as we can for we know not how soon the owner may take them from us Books of our own lye by us and we may reade them at leisure Thus if Friends were so our own that we might have them by us at our own command we might be the more careless but in regard they are but lent us and may speedily be call'd for again It is good to improve their company whilest we have them and gather from them what may make for our profit both temporal and spiritual especially let us improve their society to our eternal advantage The old World was to blame in not being better'd by the good example of Enoch Methuselah Noah and some other few good persons that were amongst them And the wicked Sodomites to blame for not improving the society of Godly Lot to their spiritual advantage Gen. 19.7 8 9. 2 Pet. 2.5 6 7. Let the patience of good men check thy impatience their zeal thy luke-warmness their charity thy cruelty their temperance thy luxury their strictness thy loosness Yet a little while saith Christ is the Light with you walk while ye have the Light Joh. 12.35 The Light of God's Word is principally to be followed Psal 119.105 Gal. 6.16 yet the light of good Example is not to be neglected Mat. 5.16 Heb. 12.1 Walk and work by the Light of both and that with all possible speed that may be To shut up this Death silenceth the best Preachers breaks up the best Company and therefore deal with gracious Companions and faithful Guides as Elisha did by Elijah who would not leave him till he had gotten his Spirit doubled upon him 2 Kings 2. from ver 1 to 16. Or as Jacob dealt with the Angel who would not let him go until he blessed him Gen. 32.26 27 28. So let us be careful so to improve their company that before they leave us we may get a blessing from them Use 14 14. Let death of Friends mind us of our own death Eccles 7.2 It is better to go to the House of Mourning than to the House of Feasting for that is the end of all men and the living will lay it to heart The house of Feasting is apt to put out of our minds the thoughts of goodness Deut. 8.12 Job 1.5 but the house of Mourning may seriously affect the heart with good thoughts as of the greatness of God's Power who taketh away our breath Psal 104.29 and with thoughts of our own frailty and mortality for as it is said of Abel he being dead yet speaketh Heb. 11.4 So the dead corps in the house of Mourning seems to speak our inevitable mortality We may call the death of a Friend or Neighbour saith a worthy * Mr. Harrison in his Serm. on Isa 57.1 p. 42. Divine as some do the Sacrament Visibile Verbum a visible Word a Sermon teaching us our Mortality for what we are they were and what they are we may be and we know not how soon Quod tueris tu eris dost thou behold a dead corps carried forth thou shalt shortly be such an one thy self Alas Alas what is this life that we make such account of that we so much talk of It is rapidissimus cursus a tumulo ad tumulum a very swift motion from the womb of our Mother to the womb of the Earth Natures dim eye saw the shortness of it Will you hear what it is One compares it to an Herb green now See Mr. Ambroses Serm. on Gen. 47.9 and presently withering Ut Herba Solstitialis Plaut Another calls Life the Image of Death Mortis Imago Cato Another calls Man a Dream of a Shadow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pindar Another a shadow of Smoak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aeschyl Another compares it to Leaves on Trees soon falling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tale genus hominum quale foliorum Homer Iliad 3. Another saith Our whole life is but a point of time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch which Seneca well interprets saying Punctum est quod vivimus adhuc puncto minus The time we live is but a point yea less than a point It is but an instant for what is past we enjoy not and what is to come is uncertain so that the present instant is the time we live and that gone as soon as spoken You have heard some of the Heathens speak of the Life of Man I pray you hearken to what the holy Ghost speaks of it in Scripture Job compares it to a Weavers Shuttle Job 7.6 which being thrown by the hand of the Weaver speedily passeth from one end of the Web to the other and v. 7. compares it to the Wind that passes speedily away what more swift or uncertain than the Wind he compares it to a Shadow that passeth away Job 8.9 so doth David Psal 102.11 so doth Solomon Eccles 6.12 Job likewise compares his Life to a Post that runs or rides swiftly on the Earth to a Ship that moves swiftly on the Waters and to an Eagle hastning after her prey that moves swiftly in the Air Job 9.25 26. David compares the Life of Man to Grass * Muscul in Gen. 1. p. 13. Manè quidem floridum vesperi vero aridum and to the Flower of the Field which soon withereth and fadeth away Ps 103.15 16. So doth Moses Psal 90.5 6. So doth the Prophet Isaiah Isa 40.6 7. David likewise compares it to Smoak which is quickly dispersed Psal 102.3 He likewise compares it to an †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 palmus est mensura 4 digitorum junctorum by th Hand-breadth Psal 39.5 which is one of the shortest of measures the breadth onely of four fingers put close together Our Saviour would have us look upon our Life but as a Day Mat. 6.11 and Moses reckons by Dayes Psal 90.12 so did Jacob before him Gen. 47.9 And indeed vita nostra non est diuturna Propera vivere et singulos dies singulas vitas puta nihil interest inter diem seculum Sen. sed diurna every day is a little Map of our Life for as the poor Hireling when the day is spent goes home with his wages with him so when the day of man's life is spent with his wages about him he returns to his long-home the Grave St. Paul calls our Bodies Earthen vessels 2 Cor. 4.7 and 2 Cor. 5.1 The earthly house of this tabernacle Here the Apostle who was a