or Milo 2. Sam. 23.8 or Dauids three Worthiest when thou commest to graple with Death hee will quickly crush thee and cast thee into the dust For hee will admit of no composition with thee for Death hath feete of wooll but armes of iron it commeth insensible but it hauing once taken hold neuer loseth her prize Is it for thy bewtie These eyes of thine which now are as bright as starres Death will make a horror to the beholders These cheekes of thine wherein now the lilly and the rose striue for the preheminence Death will make pale and earthly these corall lippes of thine will Death change to black and wanne this mouth of thine which in sweetnesse yeelds a cynamom breath will send forth the stinking sauour of a Sepulchre Therefore the Lord saith by his Prophet Isa 3.24 It shall come to passe that in stead of sweete smell there shall be a stinke and in stead of a girdle a rent and in stead of well set haire baldnesse and in stead of a stomacher a girding of sack-cloath and burning in stead of beautie The substance of bodily beauty consisteth in naught else but in phlegme bloud moisture and gall or melancholie which are maintained by the corruptible iuyces of meates hereby the apples of the eyes glister the cheekes are ruddie and the whole face is adorned And vnlesse they be daily moistened with such iuyce which ascendeth out of the liuer incontinent the skinne is dried vp the eyes waxe hollow all ruddinesse and bewtie depart from the visage Now if thou consider what is hidden vnder that skinne which thou iudgest so beautifull what is shut vp within the nostrils what in the iawes and belly thou wilt protest that this brauery of body is nothing but a painted sepulchre which without appeareth faire to men Math. 23.27 but within is full of filthinesse and vncleannesse And if thou see in a ragged cloath the phlegme and spitle that proceedeth from the bodie thou loathest it and wilt not touch it with the typ of thy finger looking askew thereon Therefore this cell and seat of phlegme this bewtiful body will be so much altered that a man may say O how much is he or she changed from that they were And hereof it is that the Wiseman saith Fauour is deceitfull Pro. 31.30 and beautie is vaine But to digresse a little dost thou make thy selfe beautiful and art not contented with that beautie which God thy Creator hath bestowed vpon thee Then hearken to that excellent saying of Saint Cyprian that weomen which aduance themselues in putting on of silke and purple cannot lightly put on Christ and they which colour their lockes with red and yellow do prognosticate of what colour their heads shall bee in hell and they which loue to paint themselues in this world otherwise then God hath created them let them feare lest when the day of the resurrection commeth the Creator will not know them And besides know thou that there be aches feauers impostumes swellings and mortalitie in that flesh thou so deckest and that skin which is so bepainted with artificial complexion shal lose the beautie and it selfe You that saile betweene heauen and earth in your foure sailed vessels as if the ground were not good enough to be the pauement to the soales of your feet know that one day the Earth shal set her feet on your faire neckes and the slime of it shall defile your sulphured bewties dust shall fill vp the wrinkled furrowes which age makes and paint supplies Your bodies were not made of the substance whereof the Angels were made nor of the nature of stones nor of the water whereof the fire ayre water and inferiour creatures Remember your tribe Esay 51.1 and your fathers poore house and the pit whereout you were hewed Hannibal is at the gates death standeth at your doores be not proud be not madde You must die and then your finenesse shall be turned into filthinesse your painted beautie and strength into putrifaction and rottennesse Let him make what shew he can with his glorious adornations let rich apparel and paintings disguise him liuing seare-clothes spices balmes enwrap him lead and stone immure him dead his originall mother will at last owne him for her naturall childe and triumph ouer him with this insultation Hee is my bowels Psal 146.4 hee returneth to his earth His bodie returneth not immediatly to heauen but to earth nor to earth as a stranger to him or an vnknowne place but to his earth as one of his most familier friends and of oldest acquaintance Powders Liquors Vnguents Odours Ornaments deriued from the liuing from the dead palpable instances and demonstratiue ensignes of pride and madnesse to make them seeme beautifull such translations and borrowing of formes that a silly country-man walking in the Citie can scarce say there goes a man or there a woman Is it for thy youth If thou thinke so thou reckonest without thine hoste Ier. 8.11 Iudg. 4.21 Psal 49.14 For thy folly therin may happily cause thee to say Peace peace till with Sisera thou fall into thy last sleepe of destruction and to goe from thy house to thy graue But who can bee ignorant that on the stage of this world some haue longer and some shorter parts to play and who knoweth not though some fruits fall from the tree by a full and naturall ripenesse that all doe not so nay that the more part are pulled from it and doe wither vpon it in the tender bud or yong fruit then are suffered to tarry till they come to their perfect ripenesse and mellowing The corne falles of it selfe sometime is bitten in the spring oft troden downe in the blade but neuer failes to be cut vp in the eare when it is ripe Some fruite is plucked violently from the tree some drop with ripenesse all must fall so doe not more without comparison fall from the tree of time yong eyther violently plucked from it by a hastie death or miserably withering vpon it by a lingring death perishing in the bud of childhood or bea en downe in the greene fruit of youth then come to their full age of ripenesse by a mellow and kindly death Further doth not God call from his worke some in the morning some at noone and some at night For as his labourers enter into his vineyard Matth. 20.1 so they goe out that is in such manner and at such houres some die in the dawning of their life who passe but from one graue to another some die in youth as in the third houre some at thirtie and some at fiftie as in the sixt and ninth and some very old as in the last houre of the day Yet more die yong then old and more before ten then after threescore Besides all this the fresh life which the yongest haue heere is cut off or continued by the same decree and finger of God that the oldest and most blasted life is
miseries incident to the seueral ages of man are from the first comming vp vpon the stage of this world to the last act of going downe Eccles 1.14 in al parts of the life full of vanitie and vexation of spirit For the first entrance is our infancie when wee are in our nurses armes and doth not that begin with teares and feares And is not all that time vnhappie sauing that we want reason that is the vse thereof to apprehend that happinesse When we come out of our nurses armes to goe in their hands or to goe by our selues in our next age doe we not weepe long vnder the rod falling into the subiection of a teacher Amongst the ancient Romanes this was their manner and custome for their youth They let their children suck vntill they were two yeers old till they were foure yeeres old they let them play till sixe they taught them to reade till eight to write till ten they learne the Grammer When a boy was once ten yeeres old he was set straight way to some good trade and occupation or else sent to the warres which was a thing the Romanes gloried in most to bee good souldiers In all which ages they sustained great miseries being all this time vnder Tutors and Gouernours When we come out of the prison of boyes and girles and are set at some more libertie in a yong mans life are wee not tossed as vpon a sea of vnquietnesse sailing betweene reason and passion as between two contrary waters and crosse winds Then commeth perfect age or mans age and what haue wee heere but blastes and stormes of greater vnrest then in any age before From one trauaile we passe to another neuer ending but changing our miseries And when we come to old age and haue liued so long that we are come to dotage is there any thing in these ages exempt from miserie and trauaile that is vnder the Sunne Surely our infirmities do then come vpon vs in multitudes yea so loade vs with their waight and number that they make vs to bowe and goe double vnder them vnto the earth And can there be any comfort in these diseases as I may call them and dayes of euill wherein doe meete and flocke together so many vultures of life the weakenesse of infancie the seruitude of childehood the sicknesse of youth the cares of mans age All which come againe and come all together as many stormes vpon one poore old ruinous house that is sore shaken alreadie by death violently to ouerthrow it for euer Heere the excesse and ryot of youth is exercised with gouts palsies and sundrie fearefull aches the watching and cares of manhood are punished with losse of sight of hearing and of sence except the sence of paine There is no part of man which death in that age of yeares doth not take in hope to be assured of him as of a bad pay-master which greatly feareth and would gladly put off his dayes of payment And therefore it bringeth him low in all parts that he may haue power in none to auoid his Creditor and end so neere And touching the miseries incident to the seuerall ages of man the Prophet Ieremie crieth out How is it that I came out of the wombe to see labour and sorrow Ier. 20.18 that my dayes should be consumed with shame How much more cause haue we miserable creatures to crie out of our calamities and miseries who were conceiued and borne in sinne seeing the Prophet complained so much 51.5 Ier. 1.5 being sanctified in his mothers wombe O vaine miserable and vnhappie men before we sinne we are straite fastened to sinne and before we can offend wee are fast bound with offence Consider O man from whence thou camest blush whither thou goest and feare where thou liuest We are begotten in vncleannesse brought foorth with paines and throwes and nourished in darknesse Wee begin our tragedie with nakednesse and weeping we continue with paine and vexation and take our farewell with sorrow and miserie Our beginning is lamentable our continuance wretched and our departure grieuous The whole life of man is beset and incountred with three capitall enemies Paine Care and Sorrow Paine pincheth vs Care consumeth vs and Sorrow endeth vs. There is no age of man free from affliction calamitie and miserie And to begin againe with the miseries of infancie behold in his birth intollerable is his mothers paine and infinite are the infants calamities who commeth into the world crying and weeping poore and naked weake and miserable without speech without knowledge or strength no sooner is the babe borne but straight is hee bound hand and foote and cast into a cradle as into a prison prefiguring the seruitude hee is to suffer In his childhood he beginneth to warre with the lacke of reason and to fight against his owne folly not knowing what hee is where hee is whence nor for what hee came into the world Now must he be kept vnder the feare of the rod and learne some Liberall Science or some Mechanicall Arte or Trade whereby to maintaine his fraile life hereafter if hee continue it Then commeth youth rash head-strong voluptuous ventrous foolish prodigall passionate In this age he commeth into great dangers fighting against the desires of the flesh against fond affections and vaine imaginations which cause the minde to wauer and bee inconstant and to bee carried away with sundrie phantasies In this age hee becommeth a drunkard a gamester a quarreller a loose liuer and oftentimes to be cast into prison to bee hanged and to lose all that hee hath and to be a great griefe vnto his parents Gen. 42.38 in causing them thereby to end their dayes in sorrow in the sence and feeling whereof the Prophet crieth vnto God saying Psal 25.7 Remember not the sinnes of my youth Afterward as he hath to encounter with manhood to which age is incident the charge of wife children the maintenance of family and care of posterity He that is maried saith the Apostle careth for the things that are of the world 1. Cor. 7.33 how he may please his wife Sometimes he is besieged with a desire and carking care and couetousnesse somtime with feare to lose his goods and other infinite such vanities and afflictions Then lastly commeth old age stealing on vnperceiued yea gray haires saith the Prophet are heere and there vpon him Hos 7.9 Ioel 1.2 yet hee knoweth it not In this age man receiues many incurable wounds as baldnesse bleared eyes deafe cares wrinckled browes stinking breath trembling hands faint spirits leane cheekes corruption of stomacke with like miseries innumerable which neuer leaue to wound the bodie disquiet the minde and torment the conscience And thus are wee tossed all the dayes of our life with griefe compassed with cares and ouerwhelmed with miseries and calamities And therefore Plato well obserued that a man is Arbor inuersa a tree turned vpward his haire of his head the root the
daily bread as if wee should reckon the continuance of our life no longer then a day or a few daies And againe the Lord by his prophet calling vpon sinners saith To day if yee will heare his voice Psal 95.7.8.9 harden not your hearts noting thereby that if we liue this day we are not sure to liue the next Where it is said in the Prophecie of Zacharias That we should serue the Lord without feare Luke 1.74.75 in holines and righteousnes before him all the daies of our life We are to note that the Holy Ghost defines life not by yeares or Moneths or weekes but by dayes shewing thereby that our life is nothing else but a composition of a few dayes which how soone they may bee swallowed vp by that long night of death we cannot tell Psal 19.6 but it will be sooner perhaps then we are aware The Sunne arising in the East and falling in the West and all in one day sheweth our rising and falling our comming and going foorth of this world all which may bee done in a day Ier. 6.4 Woe vnto vs saith the Prophet for the day goeth away And a day consisteth but of a morning and euening and a noone Euening and morning and at noone saith the Prophet will I pray and cry aloud and hee shall heare my voice Psal 55.17 Some are taken away in the morning of their life many feele not the heate of the day he that drawes out the line of his life till the euening liues but all the day What pleasure saith one is there in this life when night and day we cannot but thinke that we must passe away It is but a carkas now which yesterday liued yesterday a man to day none The saying of Chrysostome the Lord hath promised pardon to him that repenteth but to liue till to morrow he hath not promised When Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron to intreat the Lord for him Exod. 8.8 that hee might take away the Frogges from him and his people and Moses asking him when he should intreate for him he said to morrow So many with Pharaoh deferre matters of greatest waight and moment still till to morrow not knowing what may happen to vs before to morrow euen death it selfe for ought we know Is to morrow in thine owne power Canst thou challenge any such promise at Gods hand Happie is that man which of the safetie of his soule can say with himselfe as that olde man Messodamus did who being inuited to dinner the next day answered why inuitest thou me for to morow who of al the yeares I haue liued haue not to morrow day but haue euery houre expected death which alwayes lyes in waite for me The Rich man in the Gospell gathered much possessed much enlarged his garners and promised to himselfe securitie Luk. 12.19.20 with a retired farewell to the world Soule saith hee thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeeres take thine ease eate drinke and be merrie But God said vnto him Thou foole this night shall thy soule be taken from thee then whose shall those things be which thou hast prouided Alas this was it seemeth the first night of his rest and must it be the last too Yes Esay 57.21 Esay answereth them There is no rest to the vngodly He that hath a long iourney to goe in a short time maketh hast and he who remembreth euery day runneth away with his life cannot sit still But where men promise to themselues long life and much time there they waxe wanton and become secure and put farre away the euill day as the Prophet speaketh Amos 6.3 Therefore the Lord doth commend our life vnto vs in all these Scriptures which we haue heard and in other places in a short abstract of dayes and not in a volume of yeeres So Christ saith to Ierusalem If thou hadst knowne Luke 19.42 euen thou at least in this thy day the things which belong to thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes 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 be our last day and therefore to do that this day as in our tine which we are not sure to doe the next day as in the time that God hath taken to himselfe and from vs as being more properly his then our day Therefore boast not thy selfe saith the Wiseman of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Prou. 27.1 And there is one more this day of thy number spent and thou art now nearer to thy end by a day But if any man doth think that he may liue as yet many yeeres his yeares may lacke moneths his moneths may lacke weekes his weekes may lacke daies his daies may lacke houres nay his houres may lacke minutes an houre is but a short time But while one houre by continuall succession is added to another the whole course of our life is finished euery houre runneth away with some part of our life and euen then when our bodies grow and increase our liues fade and decrease yea euen this day wherein we liue wee diuide and part with death There is none saith Saint Augustine but is nearer death at the yeares end then at the beginning to morrow then to day to day then yesterday by and by then iust now and now then a little before Each part of time that we passe if time haue parts cuts off so much from our life and the remainder still decreaseth When childhood commeth on infancie dieth when adolescencie commeth childhood dieth when youth commeth adolescencie dieth when old age commeth youth dieth when death commeth all and euery age dyeth So that looke how many degrees of ages we desire to liue so many degrees of death we desire to die Aske an old man where is his infancie where his childhood where his adolescencie where his youth shall he not say true if he answere alas all these are dead and gone What speake I of ages Euery yeare moneth day houre of our life that we haue liued is dead to vs and wee are dead with them What therefore is our whole life but a long death What is euery day therof but as Petrach saith a degree of death what is euery moment thereof but a motion vnto death Againe that the daies of man are but few and his life very short experience and that which we see in daily vse doth shew besides the word of God which for this speaking of mans short time vseth to take the shortest diuision in nature to expresse it As that it is the life of yesterday as in the Psalme Psal 90.4 For a thousand yeeres in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past a life which is gone as soone as it comes a life of few houres as a watch in the night the life of a thought wherof there may be
answered with thankes thou onely hast looked on me with open and true iudging eyes Saint Ambrose saith How far will ye great men stretch your couetise Will ye dwell alone vpon the earth and haue no poore man with you Why put you out your fellow by kinde and challenge to your selfe the possession common by kinde in common to all for high and lowe rich and poore the earth was made Why will ye rich change proper right herein Kinde knoweth not riches that bringeth forth all men poore for we be not got with rich cloathes and borne with gold ne with siluer naked he bringeth them into the world needy of meat and drinke and cloathing naked the earth taketh vs as she naked brought vs hither She cannot close with vs our possession in sepulcher for kinde maketh no difference betweene poore and rich in comming hither ne in going hence All in one manner he bringeth forth and in one manner he closeth in graue Who so will make difference between poore and rich abide till they haue a little while lyen in graue then open looke among dead bones Lam. 4.5 who was rich and who was poore but if it be thus that more cloathes rot with the rich then with the poore and that doth harme to them that are then liuing not profiting them that be dead And it may be that the wormes shall feede more sweetely on the rich Iob. 24.20 then on the poore But thou wilt say saith Saint August I am not such a one as he is God forbid I should be so he is base and beggerly I am high honorable and rich tell me not saith Saint August The ods of your apparell or other externall things but marke ye the qualitie of nature remember the day of your birth and the day of your death There is no difference in the one or the other both weake both miserable for all of all sorts and conditions are made of one mold and one matter of clay and earth whose foundation is in the dust which shal be destroyed before the moth It is true that as there is difference of starres though all made of the same matter and difference of mettals some gold Iob. 4.19 some siluer some lead some tinne but all made of one earth and differences of vessels some gold some siluer 2 Tim. 2.20 some wood some earth and some to honor and some to dishonor but all made of the same mould so are there differences of bodies some more excllent then other and made of purer earth but yet all subiect to corruption as the matter is whereof they are made It being the body then that dyeth and seeth corruption one must dye as well as an other For as great men haue no priuiledge from error nor protection from reproofe for their faults blameable so haue they no priuiledge from Death For all men haue one entrance into the world a like danger in life the same necessity of death respect cannot change nature nor circumstance alter substance a great man is a man a man hath a body and a soule both haue their diseases which greatnesse can neuer diminish but oftentimes augments And therefore in a bodily infirmitie of some noble personages the Phisition takes them in hand not as noble men but as men Physick they must haue although with better attendance more exquisite and costly medicines and skilfuller Doctors then the poorer sort haue Therefore doe they thinke because they liue better and are in better estate and haue better meanes to preserue life then poore men that therefore they shall liue longer and what difference concerning death betweene a noble man and a begger when both goe to one place All goe to one place saith the Preacher all are of dust Eccl. 3.20 and all turne to dust againe When in these acts and scenes of seeming life as at a game at chesse the highest now vpon board may presently be lowest vnder board And the breath in the nostrels of the rich man may as soone be stopped and they as soone turne to the dust as other men Deaths cold impartiall hands are vsed to strike princes and pesants and make both alike Therefore in this respect the case of the rich and poore great and small high and low may be resembled to the play or game at Chesse Heare this therefore all ye people giue eare all yee Inhabitants of the world both low and high Psal 49.1.2 rich and poore together For while the play indureth there is great difference in the men greater respect had to some then to others but whē the Check-mate is giuen play ended then the men are tumbled together and put vp into the bag frō whence they were taken out and the lesser men vppermost many times there being no difference And so it is in this world There is great differēce in men greater respect had to some then to others as it is meet to be but when death cōmeth as surely it will come to all sorts then there will be no such differēce in the graue neither doth Death know any such difference for hee spareth none the yong as well as the old dyeth the Lambes skinne is brought to the market as well as the olde Crones the rich as well as the poore the Prince as wel as the subiect for there is no difference in the mould from the rich Crowne of Kings to the poore beggers crutch from him that sitteth on a Throne of glory vnto him that is humbled in earth and ashes from him that weareth Purple and a Crowne Eccle. 40.3.4 vnto him that is cloathed with a linnen frocke Reu. 20.12 Saint Iohn in his vision in the booke of the Reuelation saw the dead arraigned at the barre of the great Iudge both great and small Matth. 27.33 olde and young In Golgotha are skulls of all sizes saith the Hebrew prouerbe Death attendeth youth behinde vshereth old age and walketh before it and it is hard at hand to all and to all sorts All must grinde to greete Princes are old cold and chillerie Princes as well as others must decay and weare away Againe in this respect they may be resembled to Actors of a Comedy vpon a stage wherein one acteth the part of a prince an other of a Duke another of an Earle another of a Nobleman another of a Gentleman another of a Magistrate another of a Merchant another of a Countreyman another of a seruant euery one acteth a seuerall part And so long as they are vpon the stage so long there is respect according to their parts had one of another but when the Comedy is ended and the stage pulled downe then there is no such respect had amongst them Yea many times he that plaies the basest part is the best man So likewise so long as men doe act sundry parts vpon the stage of this world that is so long as men doe liue in seuerall vocations and callings so long
this may bee well and wisely done if the last will and testament be vnmade in the time of our health which is a great fault it is with godly aduice and counsell to be then made in the time of sicknesse according to the practise of ancient and worthy men Gen. 25.5.6 Gen. 27. Gen. 49.1 Abraham before his death makes his will and giues Legacies so did Isaak and Iacob in whose last will and testament are contained many worthy and notable lessons blessings and prophecies of the estate of his children And our Sauiour Christ Ioh 19.25 when he was vpon the Crosse prouided for his Mother especially in remembring her vnto Iohn his welbeloued Disciple And indeed this dutie of making a Will is a matter of great consequence for it cuts off much hatred and contention in families and it preuents many troubles and suites in Law It is not therefore alwaies a matter of indifferencie which may or may not be done as many falsely imagine who vpon blinde and sinister respects abstaine from making their last Wills Some because they feare they shall die the sooner and others for such like carnall respects but all such are greatly deceiued For by disposing thy worldly goods in thy will and testament thou shalt not thereby die the more quickly but the more quietly and shalt thereby preuent the jarres and brawles that otherwise when thou art gone may arise amongst thy children kindred and friends And herein remember that thou partest from earthly possessions and art going to take possession of heauenly And in the bestowing of their possessions and goods it must be principally vpon their wines and children This man saith God vnto Abraham Gen. 15.4 of Eleazar a stranger shall not bee thine heire but the sonne which shall come forth of thine owne bowels shall be thine heire Therefore it is vtterly a fault in any man to alienate his lands or goods wholly and finally from his bloud and posteritie it is a thing which the very law of Nature it selfe hath condemned Againe it is vtterly a fault to giue all to the eldest and little or nothing in respect to the rest as though the eldest were borne to be the gentleman onely and the yonger brethren borne to beare the wallet Yet in equity the eldest is to haue more then any of the rest Deu. 21.17 because vnto him there belongeth by the law of God a double portion and because Stockes and families in their persons are to bee preserued and maintained and because also there must alwayes bee some that must bee fitted thereby to doe some speciall seruice for the good both of Church and Common-wealth In the second place in the will there must bee prouision made for the godly preaching Minister and poore of the place and for others well deseruing the same according to euery mans abilitie Num. 27.1 Num. 36.1 and especially for want of children the next of kinne must be remembred in their stead The second dutie of the gouernour and master of the family concerneth the good of the soules of all those that are vnder their charge and gouernment And this consisteth in teaching and instructing of them in the feare of the Lord and to giue them charge that they may perseuere and continue in the same after the example of faithfull Abraham whom the Lord himselfe commendeth to his euerlasting praise and commendation for the performing of this duty as appeareth in the booke of Genesis Gen. 18.19 For I know him saith the Lord that he will command his children and his houshold after him that they shall keepe the way of the Lord to doe iustice and iudgement that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him And after the example likewise of King Dauid 1. King 2.1.2.3.4 who gaue his sonne Salomon on his death-bed a most excellent and solemne charge And this dutie is also commended vnto vs in the second booke of Esdras 2. Esdr 14.13.14.15 where it is said Now therefore set thy house in order c. Thus if masters and gouernours of families shall so carefully dispose of their estate and giue such a godly charge to them whom they shall leaue behinde them then they shall hereby greatly honor God dying as well as liuing O that they were wise saith Moses Deut. 32.29 that they vnderstood this that they would consider and prudently prouide for their latter end Wherin foure things are commēded vnto vs to wit knowledge vnderstanding wisdome and prouidence whereby it is apparant that God would haue vs to know vnderstand and wisely prouide for our end But first to know what This our life to be both short and dangerous stuffed with miseries subiect to vanities defiled with sinnes corrupted with lusts and desires and euer slyding toward an end Likewise God wisheth vs well to vnderstand what Our owne fraile estate that as naked as we came out of our mothers wombe so naked we must returne againe and as earth we are so to earth eftsoone we are to be conuerted Well may wee be compared vnto men scaling the walles of a beseiged Citty Ecle 5.15 at whom the Citizens discharging their peeces encounter their assault with darts stones other munition the better to defend themselues and to offend their enemie Who as they be wounded fall downe some from the top some from the midst and at the bottome of the wall some being wounded with gun-shot some with darts and some with stones some with one thing some with an other euen so it fareth with the men of this world if we wel vnder stood it who while they labour to climbe vp to the top of honor wealth are tumbled downe by death some frō the highest degree of honor some from a midle estate some frō a low poore estate some in their old age some in their midle age some in their youth and some in their infancie If a man were tyed fast to a stake at whom a m◅ cunning archer did shoote wounding many about him and neerer him some aboue some vnder and some against him and the poore wretch him selfe so fast bound to the stake that it were not any way possible for him to escape would it not be deemed madnes in him if in the meane while forgetting his misery and danger he should carelesly fall to bibbe and quaffe to laugh and be merry as though he could not be touched at all Who would not iudge such a man beside himselfe that would not rather in this case prouide for his end And are not we much rather to be accounted starke mad who doe or should know and vnderstand that the most expert Archer that euer was euen God himselfe hath whet his sword Psal 7.12.13 and bent his bow as the Prophet saith and made it ready and hath also prepared for him the instruments of Death and ordained his arrowes Yea he hath already shot forth his darts and arrowes
not in the fadom of mans head to tell or heart to know how neere or farre off the day is onely God knoweth and Christ as God in what yeare month day and moment this frame shall goe downe In an age long since the day was neere now the houre is neere but curiositie is to be auoided in a coÌ„cealed matter in this forbidden tree of knowledge For secret things saith Moses Deut. 29.29 belong vnto the Lord our God Many men beate their heades about friuolous matters some saith Chrysostome being more busie to know where hell is then to auoide the paines of it others pleasing themselues in pelting and needlesse questions as this is to seeme singular amongst men neglecting in the meane time this dutie of their preparation for their end and such necessary things But when they come to their departing they shall finde that they haue beaten their braines about fruitlesse matters and wearied themselues in vaine It is sufficient for vs therefore to know that such a day will come and it shall bee wisdome in vs alwaies to bee readie for it that it come not vpon vs as the snare vpon the bird vnlooked for Therefore our Sauiour Christ saith Luk. 12.34.35 take heede to your selues lest at any time your hearts be ouercharged with surfetting and drunkennes and cares of this life and so that day come vpon you vnawares for as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the earth Thirdly if wee knew the day houre or certaine time of our death wee would put off all tiâ—l the comming of that day and it would giue vs too great boldnes and incouragement to wallow in all manner of sinne till that time or houre came The whorish woman because shee knew the iust time when her husband would returne who went into a farre Countrey did the more liberally power out her soule to sinne and wantonnesse Pro. 7.19.20 For the good man saith shee is not at home hee is gone along iourney hee hath taken a bagge of money with him and will come home at the day appoynted Fourthly and lastly It is therefore vnknowne to vs when wee shall dye to the end that all the dayes of our appoynted time wee may waite for this day and all our time looke for this last time and prepare our selues for it Argus as is fained had his head inuironed with an hundred watching eies signifiing thus much vnto vs that he was euery way indued with great wisedome prouidence and singular discretion Therefore if a pagan and Heathen man so excelled in wisedome and prouidence how much rather ought a Christian man to be well furnished with wisedome circumspection for his latter end Be thou therfore an other Argus nay more wary then he more wise and prouident then he more watchfull circumspect then hee that thou mayst learne to know to vnderstand and finally to prouide for thy last end Gregory vpon the watches mentioned by our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell of Marke in these words Mark 13.35.36.37 Watch yee therefore for yee know not when the Master of the house commeth at euen or at midnight or at the cock-crowing or in the morning lest comming suddenly he finde you sleeping and what I say vnto you I say vnto all watch he saith that there be foure watches in a mans whole life wherein it behoueth him to be vigilant and carefull and as a wakefull and warie watchman to keepe his watch and so prepare himselfe for his end The first is childhood the second youth the third manhood the fourth old age In all which ages he must prepare himselfe for death but he which remissâ—ly passeth ouer his childhood without this preparation and watchfulnesse let him be more carefull of his watch in his youth and pray as it is in Ieremie Ier. 3.4 My father be thou the guide of my youth If he hath passed his youth dissolutely let him be more carefull of his watch in his manhood And if hee hath passed ouer his manhood carelessely let him in any case looke to his last watch of his old age Nay if we prepare not for death before we come to this last watch of old age to which verie few doe attaine it is so fraile weake and feeble and decayed by the custome of sinne that it is an age not so fit for this preparation and watchfulnesse For at such an age men for the most part are like to the Idols of the Heathen Psal 115.4.5.6.7 which haue mouthes but speake not eyes but see not eares but heare not c. Therefore put not off this preparation and watchfulnesse to thy old age which is thy dotage but be thou watchfull and prepared in thy childhood youth manhood Eccl. 12.1 Remember now thy Creator saith the Preacher in the daies of thy youth while the euill dayes come not nor the yeares draw nigh when thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them Wherfore not without cause our Sauiour Christ crieth so often in the Gospell Matth. 24.42 Mar. 13.32.33 Take yee heed watch and pray because yee know not the day nor the houre nor when the time is the which is as much as if he had more plainely said because yee know not that yeere watch every yeere because yee know not that moneth watch euery moneth because yee know not that day watch euery day and because yee know not that houre watch euery houre That is to say watch continually yeares moneths dayes houres yea all your life if you haue a care of euerlasting life And let your loynes saith our Sauiour Christ be girded about and your lights burning Luke 12 35.36.37.38 and yee your selues like vnto men that waite for their Lord when he will returne from the wedding that when he commeth and knocketh they may open to him immediately Blessed are those seruants whom the Lord when he commeth shall finde watching Verily I say vnto you that hee shall girde himselfe and make them to sit downe to meate and will come forth and serue them And if he shall come in the second watch or in the third and finde them so blessed are those seruants Prou. 19.20 Therefore heare my counsell and receiue instruction that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end The end of the third Diuision THE FOVRTH DIVISION OF THE RIGHT BEHAVIOVR IN DEATH THis behauiour is nothing else but a religious and holy behauiour especially toward God when we are in or neere the agonie and pangs of death Which behauiour containes foure especiall duties The first is to die in or by faith And to die by faith is when a man in the time of death doth with all his heart wholly rely himselfe on Gods especiall loue fauour mercie in Christ as it is reuealed in his holy word And though there be no part of mans life void of iust occasions whereby he may put faith in practise yet the speciall time
haue at large obserued in the first diuision Matth. 25.6 The foolish Virgins supposed the Bridegroome would not come like a bat in the night there is time enough said they to repent what needs all this hast But poore fooles they were excluded Many thousands are now no doubt in hell who purposed in time to haue repented but being preuented by death are fallen into the burning lake there to be tormented for euer Therefore let vs esteem it as an imminent danger to liue in that estate wherein we would be loath that death might finde vs. Secondly bad customes are dangerous and greatly to be feared Hee that from his youth hath wickedlie in his old age shall haue sinne in his bones Iob 20.11 his bones saith Iob are full of the sinnes of his youth which shall ly downe with him in the dust Sinnes are not like diseases in the body the older the sorer but saith Saint Augustine the older the sweeter and yet the more toothsome the more troublesome The Disciples of Christ could not cast out a foule spirit that had remained in one from his childehood Mark 9.18.21 hee that hath had long possession will plead prescription a custome long retained is not quickly changed and therefore it is very dangerous not to repent before we can sin no more Thirdly we must remember that the longer we continue in sin without repentance the further wee runne from God And there is no great likelyhood that hee that hath beene running from God forty fiftie or perhaps three or foure score yeares together and with the Prodigall runneth into a farre Countrey can returne againe in the space of six dayes six howers six minutes for it may bee his sicknes vnto which time he deferreth his repentance will not be so long as the shortest of these times how then is it possible to turne in time to our God by repentance Neither is this a worke of one day or two as it is said in the book of Ezra in another case Salomon giueth a young man counsell to remember his Creator in the daies of his youth Ezra 10.13 earely to begin repentance that is in the prime and bud of his life Eccle. 12.1 while hee is fresh and gallant and not to tarry till the dead winter of age cause his buds to fade and leafe to fall or till the brawne of his strong armes fall away or till the keepers of the house the hands which defend the body tremble or til euery thing bee a burthen feeing euen then the grasse-hopper shall bee a burthen or till they wax darke the eyes that looke out at the windowes or till the grinders cease that is his teeth fall out of his head or till the doores of his lippes bee shut and iawes fallen or till the daughters of singing the eares be abased being not able any longer to heare the voice or sound of Instruments or till it bee too late to knocke Eccle. 12.3.4 when the Lords doore is made fast Mat. 25.10.12 and there shall bee no more opening And lest this young man should thinke the terme of his age which Salomon cals the euill day or time to be the most conuenient time and terme of beginning repentance in the verses following he brings the old man deafe blinde lame short-winded full of aches and diseases in his body trembling vpon his staffe his lippes and hands shaking without memorie and almost robbed of his sences as if hee should say looke my sonne is this man fit to learne or repent who cannot heare speake see goe nor remember Thus Salomon schooleth his young man Exod. 2.22.29 Further God requiring the first borne for his offering and the first fruites for his seruice doth no doubt require the prime and maiden-head of euery mans worke Leuit. 23.10 and that we should repent betimes and serue him with our first and best meanes It is for yong men to beleeve And therefore the ordinary Creede which is both for yong old saith I doe beleeue In the Leuiticall temple there was a morning offering as well as an euening sacrifice And when the Angell of the couenant stirreth the poole that is offereth saluation not he that is oldest Iohn 5.2 but he that steppes in first yong or old is healed Eph. 5.16 Colos 4.5 Some say that youth must haue a time but Christians must redeeme the whole both of youth and yeares For here God will not be satisfied with the first fruits as in the legall Priest-hood but must haue the whole crop of time offered to him in his seruice and performance of his commandements Elisha could say to his seruant is this a time to take rewards And amidst the pangs of death is that a time to thinke of amendement of life Againe let vs remember that in time of sicknesse wee thinke most vpon that which wee most feele Death doth besiege vs sinne affrighteth vs our wiues grieue vs our children with-draw vs being many waies distracted how shall we then repent and amend Being then at the weakest how can we resist Sathan who is then at the strongest Our repentance then will be late repentance and late repentance is neuer or very seldome true repentance according to this saying sera poenitentia rarò est vera sed vera poenitentia nunquam est sera late repentance is seldome true but true repentance is neuer too late Also those repentance◠that men frame to themselues at the last houre are but false conceptions that come not to bearing for in such repentance men forsake not their sinnes but their sinnes forsake them It will be too late to come to the kay when the ship is launched too late to transplant trees when they be many yeares growne too late to season flesh when it crawleth with wormes too late to mend a house when it is on fire so stands the case with him that hath liued long in sinne without repentance Such as by their prophannesse doe wilfully refuse the offer of Gods mercy and do prefere their pleasures and profits before it may runne so farre that all the meanes they can vse shall neuer obtaine mercy at the hands of God I say as there is a time in the which the Lord will wooe vs yea he sends his Ministers to intreat vs hee will chide and expostulate the matter with vs why we will not accept of his mercy O Ephraim saith the Lord what shall I doe vnto thee Hos 6.4 O Iuda what shall I doe vnto thee So there is and will be a time that after the refusing of grace and contemning of mercy offered the Lord will shut vp and bolt the gate of mercie so as he will not be entreated at our hands any more This is proued vnto vs by the Prophet Dauid in one of his Psalmes Psal 95.7.8 where he exhorts the people that they will take and accept the time the Lord offers them lest it come to passe by their
euen against God himselfe I know you will hearken vnto these things Consider saith the Apostle what I say 2. Tim. 2.7 and the Lord giue thee vnderstanding in all these things It is sufficient to waigh these matters with the waights of the Lords Sanctuarie and not needfull to try them by fetching helpes of humane reason Yet to giue them ouer measure that will not rest satisfied with the comforts which the holy Scripture doth affoord let it bee first considered what humane wit and reason hath said in this case And touching this matter which now is mooued I haue read and you may see what Heathens by learning and naturall light haue said to themselues and their friends in such losses but this did I neuer read neither shall you finde that all their comforts haue counteruailed one promise out of Gods booke I confesse the bookes of heathen Writers doe promise comfort in this case but alas they performe it not but are like a brooke that swels in winter when there is no need of it and is dry in Summer when the passenger fainteth and panteth for heat no if we will haue good gold we must goe to Ophir if good balme to Gilead if good wine to Christ at the wedding of Cana and if good tidings to the booke of God They did say well in many things but neuer like this word that is from the Lord. Iohn 7.46 For neuer man spake like this man as the officers told the chiefe Priestes and Pharisies concerning Christ They considered the necessitie of death the miseries of life the examples of great men that had gone before them and such like But what are these to those that the word of God will shew vs our safety in Christ our resurrection in immortality in the presence of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost with such like yet both good vnto a sanctified mind First the necessitie of death is a true comfort against death be it of our selues or of our friends no liuing flesh but must die as we haue heard in the first Diuision What man is hee saith the Psalmist that liueth and shall not see death Psal 89.48 And shall we feare that in our selues or bewaile immoderatly that in our friends which cannot be auoided This were with witlesse wil to disturbe the peace of our whole life and with a seruile dread of the last houre to bereaue of comfort all the rest of our houres that we are to liue in this present euill world which in your iudgment conceiue how fond a thing it were The carefull view of natures course doth shew vs degrees from age to age till we come to a full and a like decrease by step after step till we come to the change againe Youth followeth childhood and age followeth youth by assured necessitie if we liue But when we are children wee feare not to be men neither when we are men to become olde but many rather wish it why then should we either feare in our selues or lament in our friends death to follow age in his course appointed more then age to follow youth as was said before Surely the one must bee receiued as well as the other without choice And whereas Christ said in the Gospel touching man and wife Matth. 19.9 What therefore God hath ioyned together let no man put in sunder it may be more peremptorily said of this What God hath ioyned or coupled together no man can separate nor put asunder And therfore a wise content both in our friends and in our selues shall become vs best Who will not die let him neuer liue for we receiue the one to endure the other when God appointeth and we must all die both friend and foe to wise men necessitie is a comfort and so I hope to you Secondly the miseries of this life is another head from whence heathen men haue deriued comfort against death be it of our selues or of our friends Consider then with your selfe from the first age vnto the last houre the diseases incident to our bodies to vexe vs with woe according to their seuerall natures some more some lesse and yet the least too much All the changes and chances of this most wretched sinfull world whereunto whilst we liue wee must lye open will we nill we from all which our death doth free vs and our friends Therefore how should wee either feare or sorrow for our selues or for our friends for that which doth so befriend vs If we conceiue hereof as we ought we must needs be of the same iudgment with Seneca and in some sort approoue his speech O men most ignorant saith hee of their owne miseries who praise not death as the best inuention that euer nature had which includeth felicity excludeth miserie finisheth the toyles of age preuenteth the perils of youth to many is a remedie to some a wish to all an end and deserueth better of none then them to whom it commeth before it be called Yea we must confesse these things beeing well considered that it befalleth to men concerning death as vnto young children concerning their friends Litle children if their friends bee disguised with some strange shewes they are afraid of them and crying flie from them Exod. 4.3 as some that would hurt them as Moyses fled from his rod of death when it was turned into a Serpent But take off these vizards that their friends may appeare as they are and then by and by they are comforted and reioyce and imbrace them gladly againe euen so it is of death when we are misled it appeareth vnto vs disguised and couered by ignorance of the truth and his approaching maketh vs shrinke but plucke off that vizard of supposed euill and behold it as it is to vs in Christ and it is then but a painted death and we see him then our great friend that cutteth the thrid that we do weaue and then we neither flie nor feare any more but are truely comforted and imbrace him most willingly as we ought and loue him as Ionathan loued his friend Dauid 1. Sam. 18.1 as his owne soule Thirdly the heathen considered againe the famous and worthy men that died before them and what they endured and could not auoid and therevpon thought great shame either to feare or flie to lament in themselues or in their friends The greatest lights that euer were amongst them died all Socrates Demosthenes Plato Pompey Caesar Cicero learned martiall or whatsoeuer yea what wisedome and knowledge what valour and prowesse what act what gouernement soeuer they had all gifts and graces all pompe and power all empire and maiestie were it ouer thousands or thousand thousands yeelded to death death had his place when his time was come and as well these great lights and loftie gallants as the lowest wretches and poorest wormes the high okes as the small shrubs drunke of deaths cuppe when they were inuited and inioyned Shall it not then euen in reason seeme
saying vnto me Write Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their workes follow them Your friend is dead in the Lord and therefore blessed will you then weepe and lament for him his workes follow him and the Lord in mercie hath crowned his obedience according to his promise and will you looke awry at it God forbid Againe consider with your selfe that your friends walk with God and are gone to their heauenly Father in peace they are gathered vnto their people they are not dead but sleepe and their flesh resteth in hope they are gone the way of all flesh and doe now behold the face of God in heauen and what cause of sorrow is this to any friend that loueth them If your friend were discharged and released out of prison and miserie and preferred to the palace of an earthly prince and to his Court to his great and exceeding ioy and content would you shewe your loue and contentment toward him in bewailing the same how much lesse then should you lament his preferment into Gods euerlasting Court and kingdome to his vnspeakable ioy and comfort Thus may you gather many places of holy Scripture and on this sort meditate on them For sweet is the word of God against all sorrowes and griefes and by name against this But it may happily be obiected it is your child that is dead and it died before it could well be baptized this grieueth me more then otherwise it would and so you feare your childs estate Answ God forbid that we should either speake or think so seeing the Lord neuer said so but contrariwise the Scripture witnesseth that they are in the Couenant of God and so in state of saluation so soone as they are borne and Baptisme doth not make them Christians that were none before but is the Sacrament the seale the signe the badge of them that are Christians before Besides it is not the want of the Sacrament that depriueth a man of Gods fauour for the children of the Israelites were not circumcised all those fortie yeeres which they liued in the wildernesse the reason whereof was because they were euer to remoue and iourney whensoeuer the pillar of the cloud that was their guide ascended and went forward Numb 9.18 c. so that they were alwaies to attend vpon the cloude both night and day not knowing when it would remooue and therefore could not circumcise their children in the wildernesse as yee may read Iosh 5.2 c. but it is the contemning or despising of the Sacrament that depriueth men of Gods fauour when they make no more account of it then Esau did of his birth-right Gen. 25.32 then Ahaz did of the Lords helpe Esay 7. and it is also the neglecting of it when God offereth time and opportunitie that we might haue it Againe the Lord neuer said that whosoeuer died vncircumcised or vnbaptized should be wiped out of the booke of life but hee hath said Gen. 17.12.14 that whosoeuer contemneth or carelesly neglecteth the Sacraments shal be cut off from among his people And so read you the notes vpon that seuenteenth chapter of Genesis and I hope they shall content you for this matter God is not tyed to the Sacrament nor euer was The contempt hurteth but not the want when it is against your will Obiect Happily your child was of ripe yeeres and withall so toward that it could not be but that he should come to some great place and preferment if he had liued both for the good of himself and his friends and that he in his youth and the flower of his age should thus bee taken away is a great losse say you Answer True it is that the losse is great in respect of the world but what is that if we consider God God is also able to supplie all that some other way if we take it well This is apparant that what good or preferment could haue come to him any way or to his friends if he had liued the Lord for some purpose as yet happily hidden hath preuented but yet his arme is not shortened as I said to doe vs good some other way but it might perhaps prooue otherwise contrarie to our expectation if he had liued longer and then it would haue beene a great griefe vnto vs. But admit that it would haue beene as you hope if he had liued longer yet he is more highly preferred euen to the highest heauens and to the presence of God and this no earthly preferment can match And except we be wholy earthly our selues we cannot but sauour this and not let his youth grieue vs for no youth nor age is too good for God when he is pleased to take them A foole or a child seeing a goodly cluster of grapes thinketh it pitie to put them into the presse to deface them but he that is wise knoweth that thereby the liquour which is in them is preserued and that this timely gathering is a meanes to keepe them from corruption So we thinke sometime Oh it is great pitie such a one should die so soone so towardly a youth so good a creature can hardly be spared but God in his wisedome knoweth it to be good And if he cut off the life of that good and godly king Iosiah as it were in the middle of the stemme 2. Kings 22.20 doubtlesse it is for this cause that his eies may not see the manifold euils to come If you will be ruled to weigh things with reason you may well see mercie euen in this timely death for many are the perils both of bodie and soule that young men auoid when they are taken hence false doctrine heresies errours and many grieuous sinnes wounding the very conscience with a biting worme that euer gnaweth publike calamities and ruine of state many priuate miseries great and grieuous which no man can thinke of beforehand more bitter to good men then any death from all which this happie deliuerance in time of youth doth free your child and set him safe that you shall neuer mourne with him nor for him that way And herein we haue Dauid an example of godly fortitude who hauing a child sicke did while it liued afflict his soule besought God for the child and fasted and wen◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and lay all night vpon the earth and would not be comforted Thus while there was hope of remedie he gaue way to the sorrow of his heart 2. Sam. 12.16 but when Dauid perceiued that the child was dead then he arose from the earth and washed and anointed himselfe and changed his apparell and came into the house of the Lord and worshipped and after came to his owne house and bad that they should set bread before him and he did eate His sorrow ended when he once saw there was no hope of enioying any longer the companie of his child Now this course seemed vnto