are reputed seruants in Egypt and strangers in the wildernesse being vnhappy to wit in the opinion of worldly men till they come into their happy land and receiue those mansions which are prepared for them The wicked because they serue sinne in their members and short time are happie till they die being for that Lords in Egypt and Citizens here Here in pleasures after death in torments Here Lords of the earth hereafter brands of hell No maruell then if short life trouble the wicked as it comforteth the godly That which is added by Iob to his time of attendance followeth All Iob saith that hee would waite all his daies because he knew not the day nor houre when God would command his apparence by death and send him to his dust As if he should haue said Of my departure hence I know not the day nor houre or I know not when I shall die 1. Pet. 1.17 and therefore euery day shal be as my dying day and I will liue in continuall expectation of that which will come I know not how soone Doctr. This is the meaning And the point taught is though there bee nothing more certaine then death yet nothing is more vncertaine to vs then the houre in which we shall die For this cause the day of the generall as likewise the day of our particular iudgement in death is said to come suddenly vpon worldlings as the snare vpon the bird which commeth when it is not looked for Luke 21.35 And Mathew to shew how little wee know the comming of it till it come compareth it to a Master from home who returneth to his house in a day that the seruants looke not for him and in an houre that they are not ware of Mat. 24.50 And in the 43. verse of the same Chapter he compareth it to a thiefe in the night For as a thiefe giueth no warning so no more doth stealing death He that keepeth the house knoweth not when the thiefe will come and hee that looketh for death knoweth not when he shall die 1. Thes 5.2 The reasons If we knew the day of our death we would put off all till the comming of that day Secondly as it is the glorie of a King to know some things that no man else can know so it is a part of Gods glorie to hide from men and Angels the particular houres of mans death and this worlds doome which hee hath closed vp with the seale of secrecie and put in his owne power Now God will giue no part of his glorie to 〈◊〉 Thirdly if we knew the houre or certaine time of our death it would giue vs too great boldnesse to wallow in sinne till that time or houre came The whorish woman because she knew the rust time when her husband would returne who went into a far countrie did by such a certaine knowledge of the appointed time of his comming backe the more liberally poure out her soule to vice wantonnesse Prou. 7.20 Therefore it is counsell to vs when wee shall die that all the dayes of our appointed time we may wait for this day and in all our time looke for this last time To make good vse of this point Vse we must account of euery presēt day as the day of our death so liue now as if we were now dying doe those good duties euery day that wee would bee found doing at our last houre of the day Death doth come suddenly to many so it may to vs and some who haue promised to themselues many yeeres and long life haue not had a minute of warning giuen them to cal for mercie The houses of their bodies were presently digged thorow when they iudged their time endlesse and when they thought to haue runne a long race of scores Iob. 21.23.24.25 their graues haue met them in their setting out and they haue ended their act before they had plaide one full part on their stage The consideration hereof should make vs carefull to doe good while we haue time seeing we are so vnsure of it Gal. 6.10 The time of making peace with our Aduersarie is while wee are in the way Math. 5.25 And because we know not the day we should watch by doing good euerie day sitting with Abraham in our Tent doore Gen. 18.1 And watching death that watcheth vs. One light before doth more good then many carried after So one fore-thought is better then twentie after wits Death looketh for vs euerie where therfore as one saith wee should euery where looke for him Luke 12.35.36 But further to incite vs to this Christian watch let vs remember that where the tree falleth there it lieth in the East of life or West of second death where the Sunne of peace setteth vpon reprobates for euer Eccles 11.3 As the last day of our life leaueth vs so shall that last day the day of Christs comming August finde vs. How good were it therefore before we runne into desperate arrierages to cast our billes of account the rather because wee shall bee warned out of our office we know not how soone Luke 16.2 Some Emperors among the Heathen were woont as bookes say to bee crowned ouer the sepulchers and graues of dead men to teach them by the certaine but vnknowne end of their short life to vse their great roomes as men that must one day be as they then were whose graues they trode vpon The old Saints who liued in a continuall meditation of their short and vncertaine time were wont alway like wise Merchants to thinke of their returne homeward And therefore tooke vp their treasure by billes of paiment not where they were but where they would bee and meant to make their long aboad that is meant to be for euer And the Philosophers who saw not beyond the clouds of humane reason when they perceiued how much men did decline by course of yeares and wastes of time were woont to say that the life of a wise man was nothing but a continuall meditation of death And were it no more but that it is enacted as by an euerlasting Parliament that all must once die Heb. 9.27 This were inough to cast a cloud yea a whol dark sky ouer the fairest day we see here and passe in our fairest pleasures But when we shall consider that after death commeth the iudgement it must needes moue vs to turne our laughter into mourning and to thinke how to liue and die well in so short and certaine but vncertain time of our expectation of such a day a day of such dread and tertour to carelesse liuers a black hideous and dismall day But carelesse persons like those officers in the Kings house who hauing their allowance of lights consume them in wantonnesse and goe to bed in the dark doe consume on their lusts those good graces as it were lights which they haue receiued for saluation from the father of lights Iam. 4.3 which is cause that when their bodies must goe to
to all the persecutors of Gods Church and people Vse 2 who driue from their pastures and send to the slaughter-house the harmelesse lambes of Christs fold For Christ will come to iudgement against all those who in such manner and so cruelly smite their fellowes with imprisonment and death Math. 24.49 And the beast and false Prophet shall bee cast into the lake of fire and brimstone there to be tormented day and night for euermore Apoc 20.10 Men may not iudge the Antichrist of the West though he doe neuer so badly yet God will iudge him And such portion shall they haue from the Lord euery one that smiteth downe his people and vexeth his heritage So much for the first of those things for which the wicked shall be rebuked the second followeth And of all their cruell speakings which wicked sinners haue spoken against him The last of those things whereof the vngodly shall be iudged is their cruell speakings that is words proceeding from a cruell minde in all vngodly and railing tongues of euill men For men shall receiue according to that which is done in the bodie or any part of the bodie whether hands or tongue Doctr. 2. Cor. 5.10 The doctrine from hence is The wicked shall not onely answere for their euill deedes but for their bad tongues So saith our Sauiour Christ By thy words to wit if they be gracious thou shalt be iustified and by thy words if they bee wicked thou shalt be condemned Math. 12.37 Salomon did confesse as much when hee said that death and life are in the power of the tongue Prou. 18.21 as if he had said as a man ordereth his tongue well or ill so shall hee receiue his sentence from the throne that iudgeth right either vnto death or life And hee further saith He that keepeth his mouth his meaning is is considerate or wise in the words of his mouth speaking but when hee ought and what hee should keepeth his life that is prouideth well for his saluation hereafter as contrarily he that is carelesse of his tongue or cruell in talke shall come to destruction Prou. 13.3 The Prophet Dauid saith hee that desireth life and loueth good dayes let him keepe his tongue from euill Psal 34.12.13 Then they who keepe not there tongue shal neither see life nor the good dayes of life but inherit the euill that they haue paid for with their bad tongues And Saint Iames saith that a fierie tongue shall haue a fierie doome Iam. 3.6 For as it hath done so God will doe vnto it Iudg. 1.7 And it is iust that that which hath set on fire the course of nature should it selfe be set on fire by the curse of God The reasons If as we heard sentence must be giuen for euerie thing that is done in the bodie then for words which are vttered by the tongue a part of the body 2. Cor. 5.10 Secondly the mouth is the sin-hole of the vncleane heart for out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Mat. 12.34 And what is due to the one is payable to the other If the one deserue iudgmēt both deserue it and if one be punishable both are Thirdly cruell tongues are compared to sharp arrowes and coles of Iuniper to shew that as arrowes sent out of a bow by the hand of a strong man flye with great force and violence and as Iuniper-coles are not onely very hot but doe long continue so So cruell words forced out of an euill heart and wicked speeches fired by the malice of a spitefull soule doe not only pierce violently through the name of the innocent but leaue a long and incurable wound in it after the blow giuen And doe not such tongues deserue to be rebuked in iudgement Psal 120.4 Yea surely And therefore among the rabble of reprobates spoken off 1. Cor. 6.10 railing persons and railing tongues are in the number But shall cruell speeches and speakers be iudged to condemnation Vse 1 It shall be then an admonition to the godly patiently to suffer the reuilings of men and not to render euill for euill one euill word for another Rom. 12.17 Some giue reproch for reproch as if they would fight against an iniury not with the weapons of Christ who being reuiled reuiled not againe 1. Pet. 2.23 But with the Diuels weapons of impatiencie and reuenge The Prophet saith his enemies laid a snare for him Psal 119.110 Did hee therefore lay another for them No he would not shoote with Satan in his own bow recompencing sin with sin but stuck to the word committing all to him who saith Vengeance is mine I will repay Heb. 10.30 Rom. 12.19 This is written for our learning and therfore seeing that the reuiling tong shall be brought into iudgement let the Lord iudge it let not vs iudge it before the time And as our Sauiour saith resist not euill Mat. 5.39 So let vs bee so farre from fighting with the wicked at their owne weapons auenging our selues that we be ready rather to suffer two wrongs then to reuenge one ver 39.40.41 Dauids example is notable in this case who when Shemei that Cur-dog snarles fiercely at him being then King would suffer nothing to be done vnto him for it but with remembrance of his owne sinne and wicked sonne suffered him to goe on leauing him to a higher Iudge 2. Sam. 16.5.6.7.8.9.1.11.12 An instruction to looke carefully to the good ordering of our tongues Vse 2 seeing wee must bee brought to our account for speeches as well as for deeds Saint Iames saith be slow to speak and slow to wrath Iam. 1.19 As if hee should haue said If thou bee of an hastie minde keepe thy tongue long in thy mouth the scabbard thereof and draw not that sword hastily so shalt thou neither prouoke so much nor be prouoked so soone Salomon the Preacher giueth like good counsell bidding a Christian not to be rash with his mouth Eccles 5.1 His meaning is the Tongue is an edge toole that will cut where it should not if we handle it rashly and nimble and light tongues cannot but doe much harme and therfore we must keep the tongue in the sheath if we would not be cruell speakers and such as must come to our answere for bloud Set a watch before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lips was Dauids prayer and must bee our practise Psal 141.3 And why did the Prophet pray the Lord so earnestly to set his watch at the gate of his lippes but because he knew wel that without Gods watch ouer his words they wold rather pursue mischiefe then follow peace And shold we not fear more then he to let our tongues goe at such liberty without a keeper and watch man being nothing so able to guide them as he was This would be considered of those who turne their tongues loose and giue them leaue to vtter whatsoeuer the lusts or malice of their heart can inuent For lewd words do not only worke
such to bee renued in their mindes reformed in their liues Eph. 4.14 And though they haue beene children long hauing so long and much forgotten God in the ignorance of childhood and vanitie of youth should they alwaies be so or should they not grow to be men in Christ and strong men in the saluation of God wisdome being their gray haires and an vndefiled life their old age 1. Cor. 16.13 The Israelites gathered twice as much Manna the day before the Sabbath as they did any day before because on the sabath they might gather none Exod. 16.22 and should not the hoare head that looketh euery day for the last sabbath of mortalitie and long sabbath of glorie in an age and day so neare vnto it heare twice as much pray twice as much do twice as much good be more fruitfull then in all his life before vsing not legs as youth but wings of repentance yet as young men think they haue a long time so put off remembrance so old men doe hardly beleeue that their time is so shoâ—â— or end so neere but that they 〈◊〉 take leasure and doe that hereafter which they should doe presentlie And who is there almost though hauing liued verie long alreadie that thinketh not hee may liue one yeer longer we read that threescore and ten is a great age Psa 90.10 but when we our selues are past it we forget what we haue read and look not to that which is gone but as couetous persons who onely liue vpon that which they expect not which they haue doe onely number the yeeres to come and build vpon seuen yeeres when perhaps there are not seuen months behind peraduenture not seuen daies not houres Little thought hee to die before the morrow who promising many yeeres of ease to himselfe said hee would pull downe his old barnes and build new Luc. 12.18.19 The like condition in sudden death may steale vpon the like foolish numberers of their daies For hee â—as a young man that so reckoned â—misse and shall they that be old so â—ckoning thinke to reckon well We say commonly Yong men may â—e and when we turne it to old â—en we say with good warrant Old â—en must die And yet as men by â—a thinkes anothers ship goes fast â—nd their owne stands still where â—eirs maketh as great hast to the â—ort as the others doth so old men â—inke that other old men weare aâ—ace and goe a maine to death as if â—eir owne yeeres did neuer a whit â—reake nor moue to the waine of â—se where the truth is that they â—aue as swift a gale and flight to the â—ort of all the liuing as the other â—aue who seeme in their eyes not â—o moue softly but to flie to their â—nd So much for the first reason â—he second followeth Nor the yeares approach wherein â—hou shalt c. This secoÌ„d reason giâ—en for remembrance is drawne froÌ„â—n age in a neerer degree to death by â—oÌ„mon course then the age that was spoken of though it may wel be called old age coÌ„pared to the times 〈◊〉 yong men childreÌ„ For these yeeâ— take all pleasure from our life wheâ— in affliction followeth affliction 〈◊〉 the clouds returne after the raine Eâ—cles 12.2 The reason may be drawâ— from the lesse to the more thus 〈◊〉 if Salomon had said It is an vâ—â— time in old age to begin repeÌ„tance much more at these stooping yereâ— where euerie step is in death aâ—â— they may say with Barzillat whâ— are come vnto them How long hâ—â— I to liue Doctr. 2. Sam. 19.34 The Doctrine is If in old age then mucâ— more in that age it is verie late 〈◊〉 consecrate our time to God wheâ— our houses are turned into our prisons and we haue no taste in that 〈◊〉 eat or in that we drinke 2. Sam 19.35 Of Ephraim it was said Thâ— gray hayres were here and there vpâ—â— him yet he knew it not Hos 7.9 thaâ— is hee had the markes of age in 〈◊〉 face and vpon his head and yet 〈◊〉 one that would still be young heâ— considered not that hee drew neeâ— â—o the graue and had tokens vpon â—im of a blasted life What would â—t haue beene said if being readie to â—ye downe in the graue he had fared â—s one that had come into the world but yesterday And that he thought not of putting off sinne and putting on holinesse in an age when he could neither put off nor put on his owne clothes The reasons This â—s the last time or rather houre and how shall we hope to be good if we begin but now And if it be somewhat late where memory is stronger how can it bee but verie late where memorie is quite gone Secondly repentance should bee voluntarie not extorted as at these yeares by bitter griefe and the feare of hell Thirdly our repentance then will be late repentance and late repentance is seldom or neuer true repentance Also those repentances that men frame to themselues at the last houre are but false conceptions that come not to bearing For in such repentances men forsake not their sinnes but their sinnes forsake them A reproofe to those desperat sinners Vse who put off all care of turning to God by repentance till the graue be readie for them and till they be readie to make vp their bed in the darke But many deceiued with this charme sorcery of the last hours repentance haue knocked when there was no opening Luc. 13.25.28 The foolish Virgins that came not for mercy whiles the Lords doore was open that is whiles hee was before the doore to giue it and they in the way to receiue it did stand without had none to open vnto them Matth. 25.10.12 So he was taken away to damnation that prepared not his wedding garment before his comming to the wedding feast Matth 22.11.13 Let these examples of reprobate putters off mooue vs to preuent the diuels houre of turning to God which is the last houre of life an houre when Gods doore of mercy is made fast and all hope is cut off for entring It is an euâ—ll seruant that putteth off all his worke to the last houre Eccles 12 And who knoweth not that hath vnderstanding that when those yeeres approach and that gastly houre is come there is businesse and worke enough in the mind and externall man of deaths condemned prisoner to resist and prepare against the extremitie of that combat which because it is the last of the day is like to be the sharpest Besides the last sicknes bringeth trouble inough with it when death the diuell mans vnremitted sinnes Gods intolerable wrath and the gaping pit and deepe lake of hell doe altogether with greatest terror astonishmeÌ„t present themselues to mans sorrowfull and sore incumbred soule Obiect You will say that a theefe was saued at the very last cast of life or some short time before hee departed from the Crosse to Paradise Luke 23.43 Answ I confesse that the
not when they shall die and if they cease from attendance the Master will come in a day when they thinke not Math. 24.50 Therefore they should alway looke for that which whether looked for or vnexpected will most certainly though stealingly come Secondly Christ appeareth vnto saluation onely to those that looke for him Hebr. 9.28 that is that so liue as whether hee come in the second watch or in the third he shall find them waiting in their doore for Him by continuance in well doing But doe they looke for him who continually serue sin in their mortall bodies and continually and ordinarily are holden in those cursed lusts of the world and flesh wherein is nothing but death and hell I speake of fornicators couetous drunkards daily swearers and other monstrous sinners doe they looke for him or would they curse and sweare and riot on the Sabbath and steale and whore as they doe and drinke so many healths till they haue left no foundnesse in them if they thought presenttly to die and presently to come to their terrible account they may presently come vnto it Thirdly wee serue a prentiship of attendance for our worldly freedome and to reason from the lesse to the greater will we not attend seuen yeres perhaps we shall not wait seuen dayes to be free for euer For by the portall of death the godlie passe from bondage to libertie from the land of Aegypt to the land of righteousnesse from the vale of tears to mansions of glorie An instruction to keepe alwayes in mind the day of our death Vse 1 that it preuent vs not by carnall forgetfulnesse or come vpon vs vnlooked for as Iehu furiously came vpon Iehoram 2. King 9.23.24 bee made with al speed to his charet thinking to flie but the arrow that Iehu shot preuented him So some thinking to flie from the flying arrow of death by running to their accustomed refuges as it were Charets of vaine delayes and hopes further to auoide it haue presently receaued into their bodies the fatall dart of death and haue presently died That we may thus remember death we must not be carelesse to spend our short time well as they are whose comfort standeth rather in an vncertain delay of death then in anie certainety of life eternall after death Our care must be to liue well so shall we without our care haue good assurance to die wel If we continue and increase in goodnesse we are well prouided for death and need not to feare the bitter effects of second death Blessed is that Seruant whom the Master when hee commeth shall find so doing Mat. 24.46 The Apostle Paul might well say he was ready to be offered to wit by that end of all the liuing death seeing he had fought a good fight in the battell of his life finished a good course in the race of his pilgrimage and kept faith in a good conscience 2. Tim. 4 6. Hee considered his life as a woman with child reckons her time as neere as shee can because then shee hopes for deliuerance the nerer the day of his last Iubilee or last breath drew the more his ioy increased being sure that then he should goe out of prison Leuit. 25.41.54 Thus had he ioy in death who had so well and long prepared himselfe to die A charge therefore vpon carelesse persons who Vse 2 as if they should say with the euill Seruant spoken of Math. 24.48 My Master doth differre his comming fall into a deep sleepe of false peace without all regard of awaking to righteousnesse 1. Cor. 15.34 till death come to cut them off with sinners Christ speaking of the dayes of Noah doth not say that the Men then were vnmercifull extortioners or idolatours but that they are they drank they married till the flood came that is were first drowned in securitie and after in water Luc. 17.26.27 Further speaking in like manner of the daies of Lot he saith of the men of that time that they ate they dranke they bought they sould they planted they built verse 28. but were these things vnlawfull No not in themselues but in their manner of vsing them for they entended nothing else till God rained fire and brimstone from Heauen vpon them and destroied them verse 29. That is nothing could warne them till death came that giues no warning And here our Sauiour setteth downe three sorts of men the first followed their pleasures onely they ate they dranke The second followed their profit onely they bought they sould The third and worst of all followed both their pleasure and profit for they builded for their pleasure and planted for their profit And doe not some of these or all of these lusts of the world hold carelesse Christians if we may call such Christians so in the loue of earthly things at this day that there is no remembrance of death in their waies Doe not worldlings entring into a dreame of an Heauen vpon Earth dote so vpoÌ„ things that perish with the vse that they neuer thinke of things eternall whether life or death euerlasting till they must no remedie passe from this world to another The foolish Virgines thought not of their oile till the Bride-groome came and there was no opening Mat. 25.8.11.12 And foolish sinners so flatter themselues with a slumbering opinion of preparing time â—inough for death when they goe on their last houre that they will know nothing till the flood come Mat. 24.39 nor looke toward heauen till they bee in hell Luc. 16.23 nor haue oile in their vessels and repentance in their hearts with it to meete the bride-groome Christ till the gate of mercie and of all hope be shut Math. 25.10 Meane while what doe they but follow the pride couetousnesse whoredome drunkennesse and lusts of their owne heart not remembring Ioseph But pray we beloued for a waking conscience and let not this keeper of the house in a heart past feeling so drowse and sleepe in vs that our house be broken digged through and rifled before we haue time or will to say Lord haue mercie on vs. So much for the attendance spoken of the term or continuance followeth Al the daies of mine appointed time c. The time of Iobs attendance or waiting on God for his helpe is the whole terme or act of his life which he calleth not yeeres but daies So hee measureth his short time by the inch of daies rather then by the span of moneths or long ell of yeeres Doctr. Which is to teach vs that the daies of man are few his life short vpon earth And that it is so experience and that which we see in daily vse doth shew besides the word which for this speaking of mans short time vseth to take the shortest diuision in nature to expresse it by as that it is the life of yesterday Ps 90.4 A life which is gone as soone as it comes vers 9. a life of few houres as a watch in the night vers 4.
the life of a thought whereof there may bee a thousand in an houre vers 9. a life of nothing Psal 39.5 that is of no time or of vanitie which is next to nothing Iacob in his time brought it to a short account that is from diuers hundreds to an hundred and thirtie Gen. 47.9 But Moses comming after him gathereth it into a shorter summe or account euen to an account or count or totall of threescore and ten or of fourescore at the most with labour and sorrow Psal 90.10 Dauid measureth it with his short span Psal 39.5 and this excellent Saint compareth man borne of a woman â—o a flower that is soone cut downe and to a shadow that continueth not Iob 14.2 Finally our vncertaine short life is in Scripture compared to a thought that is presently gone Psal 90.9 to a dreame in the night that is forgotten in the morning to a bubble vpon the water to a ship vnder saile and to a weauers shuttle So soone passeth our life and it is gone The reasons First Iniquity now aboundeth and more in these latter times then in formeâ— ages Math. 24.22.2 Tim. 3.1.2 which must needs prouoke God to cut shorter these our dayes then those better daies wherein our fathers liued who liued more simply and in fewer sinnes then wee their children doe at this day Secondly our time is short that our short time might moue vs not to deferre to doe good as the manner is seeing euen the Diuel himselfe is busie because his time is short Apâ— 12.12 17. Thirdly our life is as nothing that Gods Children might sooner be deliuered from their burthens and from those that burthen them in this life and that the wicked the children of this world might haue a shorter time to keepe in bondage and vnder the whip of malice those poore ones who desire to sacrifice their life to God in a conscience of his seruice and to walke in faith before him For if mans life might now extend to the yeares which were before the floud when men liued six seuen eight nine hundred yeares This cruell age in which wee liue would too long torment and too vilely deale with Gods faithfull ones there being no hooke of short time in the iawes of the wicked to keepe them in feare as now when death is such a tyrant and short life such a curbe vnto them that they dare not or cannot doe as they would And indeede how can they doe that in their fortie and vnder their fourescore which they might doe and would be hold to doe being men of might in their hundreds Also how could the poore Church hold vp the head and continue in good case that should haue so strong and long-liued enemies to encounter with An admonition to run the way of Gods commandements Vse 1 while he enlargeth our hearts and not to put off our conuersion in so short a life Hee that hath a long iourney to goe in a short time will make hast and he who remembreth that euery day runneth away with his life cannot sit still But where men promise to themselues long life and much time there they wax wanton and become secure as Amos 6.3 2. Pet. 3.4 Therefore the Lord doth commend our life to vs in this Scripture and in other Scriptures in a short abstract of daies and not in a volume of yeares as in the booke at large So Christ saith to Ierusalem in this thy day Luke 19.42 not granting a longer terme then the terme of one poore day vnto her Which was to teach her and vs in her to thinke euery day to bee our last day And therefore to doe that this day as in our time which wee are not sure to doe the next day as in a time that God hath taken to himselfe and from vs as being more properly his then our day A worthy Souldiour warring long vnder Adrian the Emperour after that long time returned to his house and liued Christs souldiour Where and in which manner after he had liued seuen yeeres he yeelded to death and beeing readie to die commanded that it should bee written on his tombe Here lieth Similis for that was his name a man who was many yeares and liued but seuen counting that hee liued no longer then hee liued a Christian How many warre after the flesh vnder the Emperor of the aire not vnder Adrian who yet I cannot say seuen yeeres I would I could say that seuen dayes or houres before their death they did cast away these weapons of sinne that it might bee engrauen vpon their graue stone for their Epitaph that seuen daies before their last day or seuen houres before their dying houre they not onely had a being but a life in the world and not onely were but liued Such desire not to remember but to forget their short time nor to heare of their end but to suppresse it because the remembrance of it will make them sparingly to offend and the feare of it alter affections And from hence it is that hee who hath peace in his dayes and is besotted with the flumber of long life being loath to leaue his possession for an vncertaintie or to liue be where hee cannot assure himselfe that hee shall or can either liue or be as here he may and doth saith to death as Ahab to Eliah Art thou here mine enemie 1. King 21.20 When the preferment of it considered in the sweet peace of the righteous and happie death of the Saints hee should rather say Welcome my friend or the welcom day of death come neere Vse 2 A reproofe therefore to those who put off the time of amendment to some long time hereafter not remembring their short time and few dayes here Though here they be but Tenants at will in their Clayforme whose foundation is in the dust whose strength is a few bones tyed together with sinewes as with small strings whose life is in a little breath quickly stopt and which howsoeuer we patch and peece it with helpes of Art and supplies of Nature for a time will they know not how soone fall into the place of darknesse when the winde of death hath passed ouer it Yet they thinke not of their enduring house and house from heauen or they so much delight in the momentanie gourd of their short life which yet hath her worme of speedie corruption that they forget the dayes euerlasting and change that is to come Ion. 4.6 Of such wee reade Chapter 21. of this booke Who because theiâ— houses were peaceable to them without feare their wealth came in vnto them without faile and they were great in their posteritie Therefore their hearts were all set in pleasure and they reioyced in their dayes and substance that was so great not remembring their time how short it was till they suddenly went down to the graue When the Disciples were in the Ship and the Ship was in the middes of the Sea tossed with windes and couered with
the good mans death but what is profitable and excellent In the third to the Philippians vers 21. the Apostle calleth this alteration by death not the losse of our body but the change of our vile body that it may bee facioned like to the glorious body of Christ And is there any thing in this but what is excellent and worthy if any thing be worthy our trauell best paines here Iohn speaking of the Saints glorified saith All teares shall be wiped from their eyes Apoc. 21.4 His meaning is that as soone as death shall let them out of the world they shall haue no more sorrow that is sorrow that causeth teares And the same Iohn saith Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord Apo. 14.13 that is they who hauing liued righteously die wel in him are in the hand by the helpe of death leade presently to blessednesse The Saints militant did alwaies with the eyes of faith in the Gospell behold this great honour and preferment by death in the happy ends of the righteous and therefore sighed desiring their house from Heauen 2. Cor. 5.2 for they knew that if it were an honour to be remoued from a base cote to a Princes court it could not but be a double that is singular honour to bee translated from the Cotes of the Earth to the Court of Heauen Therefore they sighed that is could not be merrie till that change should come Paul saith that to be losed to wit from the bonds of his corruptible bodie was best of all Philip. 1 23. which hee would not haue said if any preferment had beene better then that by death which is from basenes into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God The reasons And further that there is so much good in the godlie mans death which is his change may be and is euident First by the things to which that their happie and blessed change by death is compared as to a hauen that after they haue passed the troublesome waues of the sea of this world carrieth them to their owne key or backe in the which they ride safely to their iourneys end after which they come home to their owne house being strangers here 1. Pet. 2.11 to the medicine that cureth most perfectly the sicknesse of life to the messenger that biddeth them to the marriage dinner of their great King Mat. 22.2.3 to their returne from banishment into their owne countrey and naturall land to their deliuerance from the gaole of sorrow where they are taken with Ioseph out of prison to be set with Princes to the laying downe of their tabernacle and to the putting on of their house from Heauen to a deliuerance like that out of Egypt from the bondage of corruption to the libertie of saints from a land of darknesse to a land where the sunne neuer goeth downe and from a land of destruction to the land of the liuing Now what is there in all these that is not perfitly good and desirable Secondly death abolisheth in the faithfull departed all power of sinning and sting of sinne Thirdly the bodie feeleth no more paine nor shal euer againe be sensible but of that which is excellently good desireable and comfortable and for the soule it shall presently be glorified Luc. 16.22 Fourthly death is but the dore of the soule out of an earthly dungeon such as the bodie is that must be destroied before the wormes into an heauenly kingdome or passage from death to life from a short death to a long life Lastly God executeth his iudgements vpon the damned and purgeth his Church by death An instruction to correct all vnreasonable and faithlesse weeping for our godly friends and brethren departed in the faith of Christ Vse 1 The Apostle to the Thessalonians exhorteth Christians if they sorrow for such not to sorrow for them as men that haue no hope 1. Thes 4.13 When Hester was taken from Mardochay who had brought her vp as his owne daughter to be married to King Assuerus and to receaue the crowne of Queene in the kingdome did he either bewaile or enuie that her great preferment the faithfull are taken from sorrowfullmen to be espoused to Christ and to receaue the crowne of glorie and shall they that liue by such vnmeasurable sorrow and taking on as is too commonly vsed at the graues of their friends vnwish to them in a sort so great happinesse Will a father be sorrie or can he without imputation of enuie repine that his sonne or daughter is with Ioseph taken out of prison to be set with Princes when thou giuest forth thy child to nurse and shee hath kept it long inough should shee because thou takest it home againe complaine thou wilt say she hath no reason for it Then what reason hath any father to murmure against the owner of the child hee taketh for taking of his owne Parents that so lose their children if they may be called lost that are so found are but nurses to them in their absence from their owne fathers house to nurse them with the milke of the Gospel and religiously to nurture them for the Lord who by death sends for them home to himselfe when he seeth time and when he so doth haue they cause to complaine of wrong father mother sonne wife husband brother are but lent goods which we must restore when the creditor and hee that owneth them calleth for them And shall we count our selues spoiled or vndone because they are required If one should lend vs a thing of price or thing that is costly would wee for a recompence of the vse of it vpbraid the owner because he sendeth for it or if we should might not he who was the lender iustly say is this my thanks and shall I be recompenced with so great impatiencie for my so great good will So if God should lend vs tenne deare children as he did to Iob and we should be made to part with them all in one day would it become vs with rough words to receaue that supposed losse or would we complaine of wrong where none is offered and where our good is sought and our childrens gaine be vnthankfull if we should may not the Lord of them and of vs iustly taxe our vnthankfulnesse and complaine of wrong May he not say did Iob my seruant so from whom I tooke ten children in one day and in a few daies all the honour and substance that he had did he not rather confesse my vnquestionable right in such moueables and say the Lord giueth the Lord taketh away blessed be the name of the Lord. Iob 1.21 If a great Lord should call vs and our child promising to both much honour and great wealth would we weepe and take on because our child is gone before and we our selues must shortly follow after would we not rather with much ioy so order our iourney and affaires that we also might with as great dispatch as might be receaue such preferment as wee know
repaire from deformitie to fashion and from corruptible to eternall So death was Saint Pauls aduantage and how can it bee our losse if wee make Saint Pauls end If we had no hope after death wee might feare indeed But GOD hauing made their first Adam a liuing soule not a dying soule and all the sonnes of the second glorious soules not reprobate spirits Why should wee dread or feare to receiue our crown and glorie Or why should we be vnwilling with a ioyfull shout to salute our port and hauen after so many tiring stormes as wee haue endured vpon the raging sea of this world And why be sorie that we are going to our house of peace and home of long life which is at the right hand of God where is fulnesse of ioy and pleasures for euermore Psal 16.11 Doth any man feare to fall a sleepe at night that hath laboured hard all day What is the death of the faithfull but their sleepe of refreshing after the toiles of their life when the night is come in which no man can worke Ioh. 9.4 To this blessed sleepe of peace the Lord for his mercies sake lay euerie one of vs whom hee hath purposed to take to rest from labour in his time appointed Amen The end of the second Sermon THE THIRD SERMON ESA. Chap. 57. Vers 2 He shall enter into peace and they shall rest in their beddes euery one that walketh before him or that walketh in his righteousnesse THis scripture is a scripture of much comfort bringing a Gen. 8.11 an oliue leafe of peace in the mouth of it to the righteous that perish and to mercifull men that are shut vp with the flood of death in the Arke of their graues that they might not see the euill the great euill to come when they should see their enemies in the habitation of the Lord and Iuda with her King and inhabitants lead in Chaines of bondage to Babylon The words particularly and those of the fiue verses immediately before foure of them in the former Chapter the fift and sixt at the beginning of this containe two things as a complaint and comfort The complaint which is ioined with a threatning concerneth the vngodly that liued in their sinnes the comfort pertaineth to those that should be taken away in peace walking before the Lord that is in pathes of righteousnesse before him In the complaint the Prophet speaketh of a lamentable and very vniuersall destruction or plague that the Lord was preparing to send shortly vpon that wicked Rebell Iudah which was come to such a brimme of sinne and senslesse wickednesse and that is he would call for the wild beasts of the field and forrest of Babel meaning those Gentils and Nebuchadnezar their King to deuoure them and to execute the Lords iudgements vpon them eating their flesh and inuading their land Therefore where in a figuratiue speech at the 9. verse of the former chapter he calleth the beasts together as to some royall feast hee meaneth to forwarne the people of some grieuous iudgement prepared for them and comming toward them euen a iudgement of desolation and slauerie entended against them by the King of Babel and his great hoast The like we reade Ier. 9.22 Ezech 39.18.19 And because it might appeare that the Lords iudgements are euer righteous as he himselfe is most righteous and holy in the three verses that follow he speaketh of one maine cause that moued the iust God to send so great a storme of affliction and death in the captiuitie then threatned and that was their watchmen who should haue told them of their sinnes and giuen them warning with the Lords trumpet at their mouth of a plague so neere neither kept watch nor gaue warning but liued delicately and fed without feare being also couetous and greedie dogges that could neuer haue inough And indeed when a kingdome is ouer-runne by such in the forme and calling of Teachers it is a blazing-starre to that people and kingdome of some alteration at hand For if the Sun be set vpon the Mountains what shew can it make in the valleys or if the blind lead the blind must not both of them by the darknes that is in them of sinne and ignorance fall into the ditch of the condemnation of the Lord. Mat. 15.14 But all the fault though the greatest was not in those dumme and greedie Dogs the not teaching and ill ruling Ministers of that time the people them selues had their sinne also spoken of in the first verse of this Chapter and that was a carelesse regard of the deaths of the righteous beside their festrednesse and more then stand in sinne and wickednesse wherein they continued and went on carnally not feeling any stroke of Gods hand in that iudgement which he begunne at his owne house by taking away suddenly his best men And now if this complaint may bee vrged against vs and our coldnesse in a like case at this day as it was against them and if it shall make vs no wiser to God nor more carefull of our last end then it could them let vs prepare our selues to a like iustly deserued miserie and to pledge these in the cup in which they haue drunke before vs or begun vnto vs to destruction Thus farre the complaint The comfort entended only to those who should walke before God in their goodnesse fidelitie and truth for such should be sure vpon the remoue of their soules in soule to enter possession of an euerlasting and present peace and in bodie to rest most sweetly in the common bed and house of the earth till the last great day hath two things to be considered in it as a promise made and the persons to whom the promise is made The promise is in two things peace to the soule and rest to the bodie so soone as the soule goeth out of the bodie The persons to whom this promise is made are iust men and mercifull men that walke before the Lord that is that doe his commandements that they may liue Luc. 10.28 and keep his sayings that their part may bee in the tree of life Apoc. 22.14 The text may be resolued thus as a learned man resolueth it He that is the righteous shal enter into peace or vpon peace and they namely the godly shall rest in their beddes to wit immediately and presently vpon their deaths for as their bodies goe to rest so their soules shall enter into peace as Apoc. 14.13 Luc. 16.22 Euerie one that is euery godly one God is no accepter of persons and there is a generalitie of giuing in him as their must be a particularitie of receauing in vs that walketh before the Lord that is that hath his conuersation in the Lord walking in no way but by him nor in any course but after him This being as I take it the true both resolution and sense of this verse the first thing in it promised to the righteous is peace by which as was said
is meant the peace of their soules as by rest is vnderstood the resting of their bodies in their chambers of peace and this peace as by the knitting of this sentence to the former with the tie of reference may appeare doth come presently vnto them vpon their going hence The meaning is righteous persons so soone as they die and mercifull men vpon the instant of their change enter into a more excellent state both of peace and rest then euer they had here Doctr. The Doctrine gathered from hence is Vpon our going hence by death we are presently happie not before So saith the spirit blessed are the dead from that time that is they are immediately and presently vpon their death blessed not some time after nor at any time before but so soone as they die who die in the Lord or for the Lord. Apoc. 14 13. And this we haue confirmed by that which we reade of Lazarus Luc. 16.22 who was carried imme diately vpon his death into Abrahams bosom before his end no man regarded him at it the Angels came from Heauen to fetch him Iob calleth the daies of man that is his daies on earth the daies of an hireling Iob 7.1 as if hee should call them daies of labour and wearines and speaking of the life of man his life here he cals it a life of short continuance and much trouble Iob 14.1 Months of vanitie and nights of sorrow Iob 7.3 Salomon saith all things are full of labour Eccles 1.8 that is all things here And he that is greater then Salomon hath said speaking of the righteous in the world that is so long as yee walke in it as men and soiourne in it as Pilgrimes ye shal haue affliction Ioh. 16.33 The words are plaine and the meaning is there is nothing in it to or for Gods children but sorrow and misery The reasons of this doctrine are First the spirit saith so Apoc. 14.13 the spirit of truth and the spirit which is truth Secondly there is continuall enmitie as it were daggers drawing betweene vs and Satan and betweene Gods children and his cursed children Gen. 3 1â— Apoc. 12.13 Now what may be looked for in the field of a life full of deadly braules skirmishes and battels Surely as it is said there is no peace to the wicked Esa 57.21 So we may say truly nor peace to be had with the wicked Thirdly experience in all the ages of mans life teacheth this truth For from the first scene of our comming vp vpon the stage of this world to the last act of our going downe what part of our life is not full of vanitie and vexation of spirit Eccles 1.14 The first scene is of our infancie when we are in our nurses armes and doth not that beginne with teares and is not all that vnhappy saue that we want reason that is the vse thereof to apprehend that happinesse when we come out of our nurses armes to goe in our nurses hands or to goe by our selues in our next age doe we not weep long vnder the rod and presently fall into the subiection of a Teacher when we come out of the prison of boyes and girles and are set at some more libertie in a young mans life are we not tossed as vpon a sea of vnquietnesse sailing betweene reason and passion as betweene two contrarie waters and crosse winds then commeth perfect age or mans age and what haue wee here but blasts and stormes of greater vnrest then in any age before from one trauell we passe to another neuer ending but changing our miseries And when we come to old age or haue liued so long that we are come to dotage is there any thing in these ages exempt from miserie and the trauell that is vnder the Sun Surely our infirmities do now if in any age before come vpon vs in multitudes yea so load vs with their weight and number that they make vs to bend and goe double vnder them to the earth And can there be any comfort in these diseases as I may call them and daies of euill wherein doe meete and flocke together so many vultures of life the weakenesse of infancie the seruitude of childhood the sicknesse of youth the carkes of mans age all which come againe and come all together as so many stormes vpon one poore old house that is sore shaken already violently in death to ouerthrow it for euer Here the excesse and riot of youth is recompenced wiâ—â— goutes palsies and sundry fearefull aches the watchings and carkes of manhood are punished with losse of sight losse of hearing and losse of all senses except the sense of paine There is no part in man which death in that age of yeeres doth not take in hope to be assured of him as of a bad pay-master which greatly feareth and would put of his daies of payment and therefore it bringeth him lowe in all parts that he may haue power in none to auoid his creditor end so neere Quest But is there no peace in this life Answ Yes a kind of peace there is in this life but it wanteth two things which should make it sound and happy to wit perpetuity and wholenesse For it is not long not entire but by fits and with mixture of crosses and so may be called a kind of truce rather then true peace And good it is for vs that wee haue these outward good things thuâ— scanted and as it were weighed out vnto vs. For the mind cloyed with them would lothe euen the honiâ— combs of peace Besides all earthly things are full of variablenesse and change which hauing no peace in themselues how can they giue any to vs I speake of outward peace or peace in these outward thinges For the peace which the children of god haue is in inward matters and euery way sound though imperfect many waies This is that peace of their consciences whereby they receaue contentment and practise patience in all their troubles by it they are all one with God and with themselues at one with the good Angels and with good men and haue peace with all the creatures The reason is In the flotes of this life they cast their anchor as deepe as heauen finding no fastning for it vpon the earth The peace they haue or seek to haue is in God and from him in the comfortable testimonie and peace of their consciences which they desire to lay vp as a treasure in all the worlds frownes 2. Cor. 1.12 Therefore whatsoeuer commeth their heart is not moued And hereby they take sieson below of which they shall not fully be possessed of till they receiue their inheritance An instruction to the faithfull Vse 1 to looke for no peace here other then that they haue with God in the peace of their consciences with Gods people in the peace of his Church And here let it be noted that the drunken peace of hypocrites is a dreame of peace and no peace indeede For it can
neither pacifie conscience nor reconcile God A kinde of lumbring peace worldly men haue in their accursed fraternitie and riches and they that wallow in pleasures haue a kinde of pleasure in that loathsome filth But the couetous person when the crosse lighteth vpon that which he conceiued to bee his heauen and peace here his wealth hath nothing within but pettishnesse and hellish melancholy The carnal Epicure natural man when hee is crossed in his health with disabilitie to follow that life of excesse which before he most intemperately followed is presently altered from happie to miserable He that rose vpon the wheele of honour when it turneth it turneth him out of his heauen of peace into a hell of shamefull and raging vnquietnesse And the fellowship that the world maketh so much of and calleth good when it is euill what is it and what strength hath it of sound continuance in the whole band of it when death hath vnloosed it When it is sicke and dying the pleasures of it are they not either forgotten as vaine or remembred as grieuous Loe therefore the peace of worldlings and what is that they leane vnto who make not God their stay and therefore are they chaffe which euery winde of change scattereth Psal 1.4 where the peace of Gods children is not in these crakling blazes of corrupt happinesse but in Angelicall ioies and ioyes of the palace nor earthly but such as the Saints haue which passeth vnderstanding And if that peace which standeth vpon stronger proppes and likelihoods then any which is carnall and meerely of the world doth be many times broken off by the vnquiet blasts that come from this earthly skie how shall that peace that is set but vpon rotten posts of casualtie and brittlenesse bee able to stand in so continuall a tempest of trouble and alteration as day and night beates vpon it Therefore our rest is placed in the things which are aboue the sphere of changeable mortalitie and not in transitorie matters All is vanitie and vexation vnder the Sunne Eccle. 2.11 And there is no perfect peace till we dwell before the God of peace Honours haue galles in them and riches prickes In labour there is no profit and ease slayeth fooles Prou. 1.32 After mirth commeth heauinesse as a cloud after a faire sunne-shine In laughter the heart is sad and there is much errour in laughing Eccles 2.2 The difference then betweene this life which wee haue and that which we looke for standeth in this that this life is our sea and the other our hauen and that here we ride vpon tempestuous waters and there at anchor in our roade and port of peace For here we sowe in teares there wee reape in ioy Here we are burthened there we lay downe our burthens Here we are abroad in our Inne there at home in our fathers house Luk. 15. Here are our yeares of bondage there our yeares of Iubilee and perpetuall redemption Here is our leading into captiuitie there our going out Here is the battell there the Crowne Here the Church trauelleth there shee is deliuered Here shee crieth out there shee remembreth her paine no more Hee that here begun saying to his Church I haue afflicted thee will there make an end and say vnto her but I will afflict thee no more Naum. 1.12 And how is the day of death better to vs then the day in which we are borne Eccles 7.3 and why doth the voice that came from heauen say they that die in the Lord rest from their labours and why doth the spirit in the hearts of Gods children say as much for euen so saith the spirit that is it is iust of the same mind Apoc. 14.13 if they who goe hence come not out of labor but exchange it Nor better their estate but alter it Nor end their miserie but to remoue onely from such miseries A confutation of that Legend of Popish purgatorie Vse 2 which as a painted sepulcher is more builded for the liuing then for the dead A lie and fancie the gainefullest in all Poperie For from this supposed lake and imaginate hell of the temporarie chastisement of soules in the fire of purgatorie came all their markets of Masse Dirges and other trentals for the dead But how doe the godly rest from their labours immediately vpon their death or saith the spirit if they must continue for some yeares after their blessed death in burning fire as terrible as the fire of hell saue in respect that the one is eternall the other but for a time And not end their miseries but prolong them Or is there any rest in the fire or peace in the fire and water Or remission of punishment in a place of punishment Or ease in labour Or blessednesse in miserie Hath Christ said It is finished Ioh. 19.30 and shall men say nay but we shall feele more of it in Purgatorie He hath done it and shall any vndoe it Or thinke to doe it better The blood of Christ is our purgatorie 1. Ioh. 1.7 It and nothing but it purgeth our sinne and prepareth places for vs in heauen We neede no other sacrifice but it nor aduocate but him A pitifull digression therfore from the bloud of Christ to the bloud of Hales From the fire vpon the mount to the painted fire of purgatorie from the liuing to the dead Esay 8.19 Purgatorie then what is it but an impudent checke to the merit of Christ and quiet of the Saints And for these who stand for the Kitchin in which it burneth and chimney whereout it smoketh or rather Kitchin for which it burneth and chimney that it makes to smoke let them tell vs where the place is when it began how long it must continue who are there punished what is there punishment and who the tormentor that wee may beleeue them In these points they are at oddes with themselues and how then can they be at euen with vs or with the truth But this is more largely discouered by a worthy preachor vpon this very place in print And so for this lie of Purgatorie let vs leaue it to the inuentors to the Mowles and to the Buckes Esay 2.20 that is to the Egyptians from whom it came and the old Greeke Poets of whom Plato first receiued it and Virgil after him and diuers heathen Philosophers and Poets after them and let vs come to the first of these comforts that are expressed here Peace c. By peace the Prophet meaneth the peace of the righteous in the full ioy of their soules after death As if hee should haue said they shall then in their soules receiue immediately perfect prosperitie and consummation of blisse So much the word translated peace Doctr. will beare From whence the doctrine is In heauen there is not onely true happinesse but perfection of happinesse nor sound ioy onely but fulnesse of ioy The ioies prepared for the Elect are so absolute and strange that neither eye hath seene to wit eye mortall
more pleasures then at feasts this estate of heauenly life is both a kingdome and a feast A kingdome for they that are in it haue ouercome and shall sit on thrones Apoc. 2.7 A feast yea the marriage feast of the sonne of God in which he shall euer be espoused to the Church his wife The contract is made below the marriage shall be consummate aboue with solemnities vnspeakeable But if these excellent things spoken of the citie of God cannot winne our loue thither remember we the rich man in torments Luc. 16.23 and by this burnt child learne to dread the fire of hell The places are contrarie and all things contrarie that be in them As therefore Heauen is a place of ioyes and honour eternall so hell is a kingdome of shame and perpetuall contempt Dan. 12.2 And now if so great glorie and pleasures so many and so endlesse cannot please you doe but a litte cast downe your eyes into that deepe lake where are nothing but flaming fire palpable darknesse and perpetuall burning and nothing but teares shrikes and outcries of hopelesse and reprobate consciences and nothing but torments and places of torment prepared for damnable sinners where is no intermission of complaints nor end of paine as farre from ease millions of yeeres to come as at their beginning The rich man in torments craued but one drop of water when whole riuers of water would not quench those riuers of brimstone that fed that fire and could not haue it Luc. 16.24.25 And if the rods wherewith God chastneth his children in this life be so smart and galling that they haue brought them downe to the brimme of despaire and so low in affliction that they haue wished for death what smart and galling plagues doe the damned suffer in the torments of hell who are beaten not with rods of chastisement but with an iron rod of destruction in whose confusions remedilesse the Lord will say euen he whom here they despised I will ease me of mine adâ—ersaries and auenge me of my fees Esa 1.24 And thus the feare of hell may be reason inough to draw our affections from these things below if the loue of heauen cannot But neither the loue of heauen nor feare of hell can worke in some any little distast of this worldly Egypt that they may eat of this Manna that is hidden Apoc. 2.17 That is of the bread of heauen in the kingdome of heauen A reproofe therefore to those who altogether mind the earth and earthly things Vse 2 not caring for that kingdome that cannot bee shaken Some haue an eye still in Sodome and hoofe in Egypt and so sticke to the place of their banishment in which they take case purpose coÌ„tinuance that they neuer mind their countrey nor affect their remoue vnto it They cloy their stomacks with the grose dinners of this present world and so haue no appetite to the Lambs dinner where Christ being gouernour keepeth his best things last Ioh. 2.10 When we speake to them of peace they prepare themselues to battell Ps 120.7 In heauen is peace and here on earth is nothing but warre within and without within in our selues without in the world and yet men had rather liue in a field thus swimming in blood then by walking before God dwell in tabernacles of peace A signe that heauen is not there citie nor Christ their head For they that belong to the citie of peace will seeke heauens peace and they that belong to Christ desire to bee with him Colos 3.1 Where the head is there would the body be If then we doe not ascend to heauen by a spirituall life but digge downe to the hels by a carnall if couetousnesse hold vs in the world and the loue of God cannot draw vs out if to be thus absent from Christ be our happinesse and we count it our greatest vnhappinesse to come vnto him by going hence Christ is not our head but he that hath the Dragons head the world is our citie and heauen our strange citie to which either we meane not to come or would not willingly but by the violence of death when we can liue no longer For can Christ bee our head whom wee care no more for and heauen our countrey which we seeke no sooner after Therefore while we are on the earth in our bodies if we will be the members of Christ and the citizens of heauen let vs dwell before God in our soules framed in the forme and manner of a ship which is close downeward and shut to the world but open aboue enlarged to heauen where our treasure is and expectation ought to be So did our fathers who walked with God to whose righteous soules this peace is come and who now are most safe vnder the shadow of their Altar Christ vpon whom whiles they liued they offered all their spirituall sacrifices and now being taken vp to heauen in their soules praise him with ioifull lips continually and follow him in white whether soeuer he goeth A comfort to those Vse 3 who for this peace-sake fight lawfully in all the warre of the world against it They who in such a presse of worldly affaires beeing with Zacheus vpon too low a ground to see Christ doe therefore climbe vp in their affections aboue earthly matters and worldly desires treading the Moon vnder their feete shall heare one day perhaps this present day their sweet Sauiours voice saying Come to mee at once for this day is saluation come to your houses Luk. 19.5.9 And then as God said to Abraham Arise and walke about this Land this is the countrey that I will giue thee Gen. 13.17 So he will one day say to euery child of Abraham Behold thy heauenly land that is the place of thy perpetuall aboad come to it walke about it and liue in it for euer Then wee shall haue that blessing that all our prayers hearing readings in the word and other godly striuings like that of Iacob with the Angell before hee blessed him laboured vnto Gen. 32.26 Herod promised much when he promised halfe his kingdome Mark 6.23 But Christ both promiseth will giue a whole kingdome Math. 25.34 And where among men the elder onely doth inherit here all sons are heires and all receiue not some few Manors and small Lordships but crownes of righteousnesse Rom. 8.17 O then what should let our desires with the tribes of Renben Gad to passe ouer this Iordan of death by the parting not of waters but of soule body to come to our Land of promise Num. 32.3.4.5.6 Iacobs 7. yeeres seemed light vnto him in regard of Rahel for whom he serued Ge. 29.20 And why should the labour trauel not of 7. yeares for it may be as was said we shall not serue 7. dayes we serue not a churlish Laban but a most bountiful redeemer I say why shold this short labor of ours trauell of so short time seeme any thing in respect of that faire
God hauing giuen eyes to vs to see his truth and the light of iudgement to see it by let vs not walke in so great darknesse as they who know not the truth nor whether they goe Here also we learne to put difference betweene the condition of the righteous Vse 2 and the state of the vngodly in their graues and buriall the godly hauing their graues for their beddes of rest the wicked contrarily for their prisons out of which they shall come to the resurrection of death Ioh. 5.29 as malefactors to their execution And where the godly as honest men of the countrey shall stand before the Iudge without feare they shal stand as the guilty Prisoner at the barre of shame to receaue the sentence of their iust condemnation in soule and bodie And what comfort can this be to shamelesse sinners in the night of the putting off of their tabernacle seeing they goe not to their beddes as doe the righteous but to their dungeons of darknesse and horrible feare For as if a man should be bidden to goe to his rest that after he had slept and was risen the punishment of some terrible death might be inflicted vpon him So is the state and condition of all impenitent sinners in their death For they must lie downe for some time in their beddes of dust and rise againe that a second fearefull death may be inflicted vpon their soules and bodies Now could any poore man goe comfortably to his bed that is bidden so as we haue heard to goe vnto it with what comfort then can desperate sinners remember their graues of earth from which they must passe to their graues of fire for euer Indeed as a man that is out-lawed may take his pleasure and walke at large for a time but whensoeuer or wheresoeuer he is taken he must yeeld to the punishment that law hath awarded so the wicked vpon whom sentence of damnation is past alreadie by an out-lawrie and iudgement that cannot be reuoked may for a season goe vntaken taking their libertie and fetching their friskes as if it would neuer be otherwise or as if that iust God who is their creditour and must be their Iudge would neuer serue an execution vpon them by death his Minister but the time will come when they shal be arrested and after some short repriuie of their bodies in the gaole of the graue be violently haled to the prison and pit of hell from which there is no redemption It were well for such if they had beene cast into their graues as a dogge into a ditch for though his buriall be homely yet his case is much better then theirs who are buried gorgeously and goe to hell The dogge endeth his misserie with his death but when such die they beginne their miserie and end their â—oyfull daies for euer For man shall not die like a beast though he liue like a beast nor be senslesse of paine hereafter though here he was senslesâ—e of sinne free from paines and smart that others felt As before in respect of their soules that presently enter into peace Vse 3 so here in regard of their bodies which sleepe in their beddes of rest the godly may be comforted for their godly friends departures at least it may stay all sorrowing without hope For who would be sorrie for his friend because after his hard labour he goeth to his rest in a bedde of much ease prepared for him or to vse an other comparison A man locketh vp his best apparrell in a chest meaning hereafter to weare it will he mourne and be sorrie that it is so kept till there come a high daie to weare it So the faithfull concerning their bodies which are the vesture of their soules are shut vp by death in the coffers of the Earth And shall their friends take on because their friend hath his best clothing so preciously laid vp that euerie soule vpon the highest day of the daies of the yeere may haue the seuerall robe and vesture of it owne body to be put vpon it or will any man thinke much that his friend hath put off his old rags to put on robes of glorie This is the very case of the righteous when they lay downe their bodies They put off vile bodies to put on glorious and their bodies are but chested in the earth when they returne to their dust that in the solemne and high day of resurrection they may be brought forth againe and restored but with farre greater beautie and shining to the soules that were owners of them So much for the comforts promised The persons follow to whom such comforts are promised Euerie one that walketh c. The persons whose soules shall enter into peace and bodies be put in their sepulchers no otherwaies then if they should be laid in their beds of rest so soone as they goe hence are they who walke before the Lord or walke that is liue as in his sight And here the Prophet setteth downe two things the generality of the promise euerie one and condition vnder which it is made that walketh before Him that is the Lord. For the generalitie and where the Prophet saith euerie one his meaning is that neither countrey nor parentage nor diuersitie of sexe and calling nor any outward thing shall make his end vnhappy whose life by reason of his godly life is happie where learn That Doctr. God is no accepter of persons that is respecteth not the person of man but his grace in man Whosoeuer beleeueth in him or hath receaued the grace of faith to put faith in him and to liue vnto him let him be borne wheresoeuer and let his degree be whatsoeuer such an one saith Amen shall not perish But so it may be that is one may not perish and yet misse of peace therefore it is added and haue euerlasting life as if it had beene said he shall not be miserable and he shall be happie euer he shall not die and he shall liue eternally in glorie Ioh. 3.16 Peter perceiued this and in a vision comming from heauen saw this and therefore as God opened the vision Act. 10.15 so hee opened his mouth and said Of a truth I perceiue or to say the truth I now know that God is no accepter of persons or God doth giue his grace indifferently to one and other whether born in Iewrie or fearing God in Caesarea and therefore in euerie nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse no matter what countrey-man so he be a good man he that reuerenceth him shall haue his part in him Act. 10.34.35 whether Iew or Gentil circumcised or vncircumcised rich or poore bond or free he shall haue life if he walke before the God of life Blessed is euerie one that feareth the Lord and walketh in his waies Psal 128.1 All that walke in the sunne-shine of Christ shall receaue the die of his fauour as all that walke in the Suâ— are tanned They shall gaine peace and find rest
fill in them they haue Gods blessing inwardly in the peace of a contented minde outwardly in so much as is sufficient The wicked who haue them in greater measure haue them not vnder Gods hand nor as his blessings but as stolne wares that they shall answere for because they haue no right vnto them by Christ nor hold them in Capite that is in him Therefore their table is a snare vnto them and their prosperitie their ruine They liue to the encrease of their damnation and they die to take possession of it Fourthly they who with the glorified virgins wait for Christ in the life of the righteous are alway prepared for death when it knocketh Mat. 25.10 to open vnto it And what is a prepared death but an happy death And what followes an happie death but an happy life neuer to die againe Such goe in with Christ to his marriage of euerlasting life We see then that the last houres repentance the common refuge of worldlings as it commeth short of a sanctified life Vse so it seldome reacheth to an happy death or life after death For as the tree boweth before it bee cut downe so it falleth and in the place where it falleth there it shall be Eccles 11.3 That is as we liue so wee commonly die Or shall we thinke that men can easily begin righteousnesse at their last houre and that repentance in that houre is ordinarily good and sound repentance Let them well consider this who put off their conuersion to God and send away by hope of repenting old all those good motions that knocke at the doore of their hearts for a sanctified life One saith well While the Lord speaketh to thee make him answere and while he calleth let there bee an eccho in thy heart such as was Dauids who when God said seeke yee my face presently answered thy face will I seeke Psal 27.8 The Lord hath promised pardon to him that repenteth saith another but that hee or any other shall liue till to morrow he hath not promised Many in their puttings off fare as if they should say Lord let me sinne in my youth and pardon me in mine age But where in the meane season is their walking before God yong that peace may come when they are old And is it not a iust thing that men dying should forget themselues who liuing neuer remembred God Surely let them looke for no better who watch not the stealing steps of death in their tower of repentance in the life of the righteous And if moe things belong to repentance then can bee done in an houre and well in a mans life as to bring forth the buds of it young to beare fruits of it at more yeares to ripen it being man and to gather it toward death in the autumne of fruits how can they thinke one poore houre to be sufficient to bring the seednesse the spring the summer the autumne and full crop of these things together in so short time and how can they hope in such a span of life to prepare themselues for the Lord when so many els of long lâ—fe afford so scant measure to the best men to set them in a readinesse for him Let vs therefore while wee haue time laying vp treasures in heauen for our soules store vp in the summer of life for the winter of death which will come Prou. 6.8 In our last sicknesse and vpon our death-bed we are fitter to seeke ease for our bodies then mercie for our faults and grace for our soules Besides how fearefull will it be to be taken then by sudden death as by some vnexpected Officer without baile or warning and by it to bee brought to the goale of the earth in the bodie and in the soule to perpetuall prison in the torments of hell Of this more was spoken in the first Sermon and vse of the last doctrine there But shall they who liue well here Vse 2 liue well hereafter that is blessedly then their desperate and cursed errour is confuted who blaspheme the way of righteousnesse saying that it is to no purpose to bee so deuout godly and that they are most wise who giue themselues most libertie in the pleasures and iollitie of life So say the wicked in Malachy it is invaine to serue God Mal. 3.14 And the wicked in Iob say what profit to pray vnto him Iob 21 15. As if they should haue said we may serue God and we may pray to God but there is nothing gotten by it or they speed as well and are as wise that are cold in these matters as they who kindle and are hottest in them But they Prophet here saith that peace shall come that is they shall see the peace of God in heauen who make peace with God here and they that serue him shall raigne before him The wicked are as the chaffe which the wind driueth away Psal 1.4 That is so soon as God punisheth them with the wind of death their hope is gone But the godly haue a sure foundation and no storme either of death or of mans ill will can blow them to destruction whose house beeing builded by God not on the sand of time but vpon a rocke vnmoueable standeth fast in all changes Math. 7.25 The builder vp of Sion is the wise God whose worke abideth for euer Let the vngodly oppose themselues neuer so much they shall not be able to beate down Gods house and death is their aduantage Phil. 1.21 Or if the Princes Palace be safely guarded we must not think that any of Gods houses shall be left without their keepers sufficient watchmen and the righteous shall flourish when the hornes of the vngodly shall be broken And thus it is no vaine labour nor gamelesse seruice to serue the Lord. Doth a good life bring a good death Vse 3 Then the despairing words of Gods children in a troubled skie and when the waters enter into their soul as that God hath forsaken them that God hath cast them off in displeasure that God will not saue them and such like are words of distemper not of reason and iudgement For will God cast away his people The answere is Godforbid The meaning is hee will not Rom. 11.1 Neither can mans changeable tongue alter the decree of God that is vnchangeable Rom. 3.3.4 And we must not iudge of the estate of any man before God by his behauiour in death or in a troubled soule For there are many things in death which are the effects of the sharpe disease he dieth of and no impeachments of the faith he dieth in And these may depriue his tongue of the vse of reason but cannot depriue his soule of eternall life Which may bee spoken also of a troubled soule For as in a troubled water the face in the water cannot bee perceiued which when it commeth to be cleare is manifest so in a troubled spirit the face of Gods mercie seemeth to be changed against vs and to
learned Father compareth conscience which is the knowledge that we haue with our selues of some good or euill to water in a Well which when it is troubled sheweth no image of any face but waxing cleare doth So if we suffer this christall of our conscience to bee mudded with foule trespasses of habit or impenitencie wee shall neuer see our naturall face in it neither perceiue how deadly we sinne against God and our owne soules Where if we purge daily for our daily offences and greatly for our greater sinnes if we haue an eye alway to the Lord and his proceedings in vs making good vse of those priuie secret pinches that our consciences giue vs when we doe amisse wee shall in so cleare a fountaine of our good conscience as in a true glasse behold with sanctified profit the many faultes of our life and so the sooner and more conueniently bee humbled for them Or if when our consciences reproue vs of our waies wee listen vnto them and make present good vse of the strokes of our heart for euill deedes and that while we be tender and sensible of sinne wee shall auoide the plague of a foolish heart or heart past feeling Ephes 4.19 and not goe desperately on with bold sinners in the way that leadeth to destruction Thus may wee profit greatly by the iudgement that is begunne in vs in these mulcts of our consciences or mid-hearings preparing vs with comfort to the hearing of the last day A confutation of all Atheists Vse 1 whether Atheists in iudgement or in life Atheists who deny the iudgement to come or liue as if there should bee none Of such we reade who slandering the footesteps of Christs comming said where is the promise of that day 2. Pet. 3.4 that is what is become of it and of all this talke about it So there were in Esay who said when they heard of such a day Let him make speed let him hasten his worke that wee may see it as if they should haue said if it shall bee at all let it be now Or he had need to hasten it if we shall beleeue it Esay 5.19 And in Amos time there was a large fellowship of these mates who put the euill day the day of their death and iudgement which they called euill farre off Amos 6.3 But haue we none of this knot and conspiracie in our own time Yes too many whom I leaue to the mercie of God to be amended or as the drosse of the earth to bee consumed with the fire of his comming who will come with fire and his chariots like a whirlewinde Esay 66.15 A reproofe of their securitie Vse 2 who by certaine slumbering delaies and puttings off walke in no reuerence of the Lords comming or remembrance of their owne death For the yong man presumeth that he shall liue long and the oldest that he may liue one yeare longer But knowing these terrours of the Lord what care should bee in vs presently to set our house and nature in some good order for the comming of Christ the iudge or for our own last end in which we shall be iudged 2. Cor. 5.11 Schollars who come to render to their Master the lesson or part giuen them doe it not without feare and shall we not feare to thinke of that day in which wee must giue account to Christ the iudge for all the things that hee hath put in our hand and keeping When Paul willed the men of Athens to repent it was vpon this ground that the Lord had appointed a day wherein hee would iudge the world in righteousnesse Act. 17.31 As if he had said yee shall be sure to be iudged and therefore repent And yet wee liue in sinne and our hearts are not turned If we were sure that Christ would come to iudgement the next May day what an alteration would it worke in many of vs and how would it change vs and moue vs who would set his heart vpon riches who would deceiue and oppresse who would spend so much in apparell and so many daies in vanitie who durst be drunke who durst sweare and lie and commit adulterie what would become of our May-games dauncing greenes and bowres and such conuenticles of spirituall fugitiues from God on his Sabbaths who would not rather passe the time that remaineth in Gods seruice and run to sermons and reade and pray deuoutly and bestow good houres well and not spend time in chambering and wantonnesse But we are not sure that that day shall tarrie till May next And we know not that Christs day will come this weeke or the next or this present day and houre or while I am speaking of it and yet we walke in as great security and as desperately in sinne as if we were certaine it would not come in our time If we heare a sudden crie of fire fire we are astonied out of measure and yet hearing by our Preachers the Lords trumpets so many and fearefull threatnings by the word concerning the fires of hell and iudgement when not a few houses but the whole world shall burne like an ouen we are not moued Euerie one almost will giue his best helpe for the quenching of a materiall fire but who regardeth to saue himselfe or to preserue others from the vnquenchable fire of hell and terrible fire of the Lords comming that will most certainely we know not how soone flame out to the burning of this great Sodom of the Earth in the which the heauens shal passe away with a noise the elements shall melt with heat and all things corruptible shall be dissolued most speedily as if they did flee away 2. Pet. 3.10 Apoc. 20.11 Christ euen now standeth at the doore of thy Christian heart to wit as a guest and stranger that would be entertained Apoc. 3.20 and thou by continuing in sinne deniest to receaue him He threatneth by the law he reproueth by the law and condemneth by it all impenitent sinners By these he knocketh ernestly and crieth vehementlie at the dore of thy heart to open vnto him and wilt thou tarrie till by thy death he breake in or by his particular comming If a great man should knocke at our doore what stirring would there bee to receiue him presently and as is meâ—te Is there any greater or more worthy guest then Christ who knocketh by the ministerie of the Gospell at the gate of our heart who reacheth forth the hand of his threatnings to beate vpon our consciences day and night that we might turne with all speed which is our opening to the sonne of God and shall we giue him no entrance after so long a time of waiting at our hearts for our conuersion A great man will not be so abused and shall we thinke that the mighty God will take it well that after so many knocking 's and long standing without he should finde no dore of admission into vs or opening by vs and should still be deferred and put off or can these
as the darkning of the Sunne and Moone the roaring of the Sea and waters not by an ordinary but strange vnquietnesse the failing of mens hearts the generall palsey or shaking disposition that shall be in all the heauenly powers which shall be so violent and with such perturbations of all lights and elements that the starres shall fall that is shall seeme to fall from heauen and the signe of the Sonne of Man which I take to be the burning of the high heauens and this lower earth which at the instant of his comming shall be set on fire these and the like signes not of peace but of warre to the world and not of fauour but of great wrath to sinners how can they but pierce with feare all such as shal come before the Lord in their sinnes without repentance at this day If the winds keepe vs in some awe when they be high and loud and if we feare the sea when it is but a little mooued if euerie sudden noise and cracke at mignight fright vs and if the thunder make vs afraid what shall their feare be and how great the confusion of their faces who shall stand in no faith and therefore with no boldnesse before the Sonne of God when all these matters of intolerable feare shall come together and meete vpon the then firie stage of this world and be ready to execute in their fiercest wrath and greatest power the law and will of their most excellent Creator against all faithlesse reprobates Fourthly this will be a day not of mercie but of rebuke to all Gods enemies and therefore intolerable to such For if the Lord doe straitly marke what is done amisse who shall abide it Psal 130.3 An admonition Vse 1 seeing it shall be thus to all the enemies of Christ presently to make our peace with Him while we are in the way Mat. 5.25 Our Sauiour doth exhort all the faithfull to this wisdome by the example of a King going to warre who being wise confidereth if hee be able with tenne thousand to meere him that commeth against him with twenty thousand or if he be not will send an ambassage and desire conditions of peace Luc. 14.31.32 Haue we our ten thousands to incounter with Christ who commeth that is will come with thousands of his Saints to giue iudgement vpon all men Surely as the men of Samaria reasoned concerning Iohn two Kings could not stand before him how then shal we stand 2. King 10.4 so we may more truly and better say concerning Christ not two Kings but not all the Kings of the earth though they banded themselues and assembled in troupes against him could yet euer preuaile or stand before the fierce wrath of his comming Psal 2.2.4.9 and shall we poore wormes when Christ will come to rebuke sinners thinke to abide or stand against the chiding voice of his iudgement so intolerable and righteous therefore yeeld we must or be broken in peeces Should we not therefore while this King is I cannot say a great way off for he may be neeter then we are aware but in his way yet toward vs by his singular patience send forth an ambassage of humble supplication and teares and present amendment of life desiring peace and that he would not turne against vs but to vs in mercy that we may be saued Therefore while our feet are at libertie and before wee bee bound hand and foot let vs runne the way of the Lords commandements while we haue tongues and before we become speechlesse Mat. 22.12 let vs vse our tongues well and not suffer our mouthes to sinne and while we haue hands and before our hands fall from our arme and arme rot from our shoulder let vs worke with our hands the thing that is good Ephes 4.28 and procure things that bee honest in the sight of all men and while wee haue breath before God stop our breath let breath and all praise the Lord and while we haue eares and before our eares these daughters of singing bee abased Eccles 12.4 let vs lift vp our eares to the word and not vnto vanitie For if here we stop our eares against the trumpet of the Gospell we shall heare to our griefe the trumpet of the last iudgement which whether wee sleepe in the ayre or fire or sea or holes of the earth will awake vs. Some nay many like some players at the game of cardes who though the night be farre spent will not giue ouer till their candle faile them will not leaue off to doe wickedly till the candle that Iob speaketh of bee put out And some flatter themselues with an imagination of a longer day then God hath set vnto them or perhaps to the world for the last houre thereof But let such know that thogh the day of iudgement were far of yet the day and houre of euery mans particular iudgement in death cannot be it being a common and true saying to day a man to morrow none And for the day of the generall death of this languishing world he that wisely considereth the waines and declinings that haue been found in it within these few yeares and how like a woman with child which hath many panges fits before the throwes of her great labour come it is now in paine till it be deliuered hauing much complained in those signes and alterations that are gone before I say hee that well obserueth to the true purpose of his saluation these such like throws or rather downe throwes of things in the womb of this old and sickly world so neare to the trauell and time of her appointed end by fire cannot but say that it cannot continue long and that the Lord will come shortly among vs. When wee see a man in whose face wearing age hath many wrinckles and deepe surrowes we say This man can not liue long so when we see the furrowes of old age to appeare and bee manifest in so many wastes and consumptions as this feeble world is entred into why doe we not see that the death of it is neare More particularly and specially as there is no greater signe that a man is drawing towards death then that hee is alway catching at the sheetes and blankets and alway snatching and pulling at somewhat so seeing that euerie one catcheth what hee can in this griple and couetous age and seeing that there is so insatiable a minde of hauing in all conditions and callings of people now it is a sure signe to the heart of a wiseman that this world is sicke vnto death and so as it cannot hold out long And if there be no greater signe of death then that the bodie is so cold that no heate will come vnto it surely the cold charitie of the world mens no zeale to religion our nullitie of faith or poore growth in faith insomuch as Sermons are seldom heard or with small amendment can not but testifie that the world it selfe came to be of no long life