Moses that they vnderstood this that they would consider their latter end or that wee did conceiue the happinesse and felicitie of our end and this we should doe if we would thus meditate in this sort on our end When Salomon hath spoken of all the vanities of man at last he opposeth this Memorandum as a coūterpoyse against them all Eccle. 11.9 Remember that for all these things thou shalt come to iudgement As if he should haue said men would neuer speak as they speake thinke as they thinke nor doe as they doe if they were perswaded that their thoughts words and deeds should come to iudgement For surely if a man could perswade himselfe that this day were his last day as God knoweth it may bee hee would not deferre this meditation on Death If he could thinke that the meate now in eating is his last meat or his drinke now in drinking his last drinke he would not surfet nor be drunke therewith If he could beleeue that the words which he speakes this day shall bee the last that euer he shall speake Psal 39.1 he would with the Prophet take heed to his wayes that he offend not with his tongue in lying swearing rayling and blaspheming Pambus one without learning came to a certaine man to be taught a Psalme who when he had heard this first verse of the 39. Psalme would not suffer the next verse to bee read saying this verse is enough if I could practise it and when his teacher blamed him because hee saw him not in sixe moneths after he answered that hee had not yet done that verse And one that knew him many yeeres after asked him whether he had yet learned the verse I am saith he fortie yeeres old and haue not yet learned to fulfill it Now then the harder it is to rule the tongue the more care is to be had therein especially seeing the words wee speake may be the last words for ought wee know that euer wee shall speake If he were or would be perswaded that this were the last lesson admonition or sermon that euer God would afford him for his conuersion hee would heare it with more care diligence and profit then euer he had done before Let vs therefore remember our selues whilest it is called to day Psal 95.7.8 lest our meditation on Death come too late For which of vs all can assure himselfe of life till to morrow or what if he should liue one two three foure or fiue yeeres longer or what if twentie yeeres longer who would not liue like a godly Christian so many yeeres for to liue in heauen with Christ for euer Wee can be content to liue seuen yeeres Apprentise with great labour and toile to bee instructed in some trade that we may liue the more easily the rest of our dayes and about this we spend our thoughts and meditations and cannot we then be well contented to labour a little while in the matters of our saluatiō spend our thoughts endeauours and meditations therein that we may rest from all our labours for euer after in heauen Matth. 26.40 Our Sauiour Christ said vnto his Disciples when he had found them sleeping What could yee not watch one houre And so I say vnto all men What can you not meditate on Death some few houres Which meditation on Death we must not make a naked discourse or bare reading onely but a vehement application of the minde to the thing it selfe with an inward sence and feeling of the heart all the distractions of our thoughts being abandoned For meditation is an action or worke of the soule bending it selfe often earnestly and orderly to think vpon a thing and it is either of Gods word or works and Death is one of Gods workes euen a worke of mercy to his elect and chosen children but a work of iustice to the vngodly and reprobate Therefore that thou mayest meditate profitably on Death whereby it may proue a worke of Gods mercie vnto thee put thy selfe humbly in the sight of God who beholdeth thee in all thy actions and thus present begge of him that all thy thoughts words and works yea and all thy meditations may wholly be guided and directed to his glory and thy owne saluation and intreate thy God with heartie affections to giue thee grace that thou mayest take profit by the consideration and the meditation of thy last end And let vs not imitate foolish men who looke and thinke vpon present things only but let vs meditate on things to come and so by the grace of God we shall bring to passe that the same houre which to others that are inconsiderate is the beginning of sorrowes and miseries to vs shall be the entrance into all ioy and happinesse The end of the second Diuision THE THIRD DIVISION OF THE PREPARATION FOR DEATH NOw by way of preparation vnto death let vs obserue that the greatest worke we haue to finish in this world is to die well they which die well die not to die but to liue eternally That man doth finish his daies in his best sort that euery day esteemeth the last day of his life to be present or neere at hand and that a man may die well Gods word requireth a preparation for Death The Preparation for death is an action of a repentant sinner whereby he makes himselfe fit and ready euery day to leaue this life and to die well And it is a dutie very necessarie and of great waight and importance to which we are tied and bound by Gods Commandement and therefore it can in no wise bee omitted of him that desires to make a happie and blessed end Wherefore this preparation is two-fold Generall and particular Generall preparation is that whereby a man prepares himselfe to die through the whole course of his life The reasons are these viz. First Death which is certaine is most vncertaine I say it is certaine because no man can auoid it and it is vncertaine three wayes First in regard of the time for no man doth know when he shall die Secondly in regard of the place because no man knoweth where he shall die and thirdly in regard of the kind of death for that no man knowes whether he shall die of an ordinary or extraordinary death whether of a lingring or sodaine death whether easie or violent Therefore from thence it followes that we should euery day and in all places prepare our selues for death Indeede if wee could know when where and how wee should dye the case were otherwise but seeing we know none of all these but are ignorant therof therfore it stands vs greatly in hand to looke about vs to prepare our selues for our latter end A second reason seruing further to perswade vs to the performing of this duety is this that the most dangerous thing in all the world to the hazard of our soules is to neglect this preparation It must not be put off till sicknesse for then it
there is respect had amongst them and that worthily but when as the comedy shal be ended that is when the day of doome shall come when as the stage of this world shal be pulled downe that is when the earth shal be changed for the earth shal neuer be brought ad non-ens to nothing but onely the corruptiue qualities shal be consumed then there shal be no such respect of persons amongst men Yea it may be that the poore man shal be of greater respect before God then the great rich and mighty Thou camest lately into the world and hast found much that was thy good hap he came lately into the world and found little and yet his hap was not ill nay it may be better then thine And what were it to haue a purple Coate and a polluted conscience a gay gowne and a sicke heart a bed of gold and a diseased minde a full chest and an empty soule a faire face and foule affections to glister in iewels and to be filthy in manners to be in grace with men and in disgrace with God Luk. 16.15 He that hath much worlds wealth and dignity and but a small measure of grace is inferiour to him that hath a great measure of grace and but little or no worlds wealth For spirituall things among themselues admit comparison but betweene things spirituall and earthly there is none at all But tarry a while and nature will take away this ods Iob 1.21 Naked camest thou out of thy mothers wombe and naked shalt thou returne againe to the earth our common mother thou knowest not how soone If thou wert this day as faire as Absolon as sweete and louely as Ionathan as strong as Samson as glorious as Salomon in lesse then an hower Death will reprooue all these things of vanitie Eccl. 1.2 Vanitie of Vanities saith the Preacher all is vanitie A little sicknes a little head-ache one fit of an ague two spoonefull of phlegme distilling out of thy head into thy throate turneth all vpside downe and maketh a strange alteration in thee yea God in a peece of an houre can make as strange an alteration in thee 2 King 9.30 as was in Iesabel that proud painted-faced Queene of Israel who euen now looked out at the window in much brauery painted frizled and curled to please the eyes of Iehu and by and by she became as dung vpon the ground and the dogs did eate her vp And as was Goliah that mighty Giant 1 Sam. 17.51 who hauing challenged and reuiled the host of the liuing God straightway was laid vpon the ground groueling without a head There is nothing that can free any one from Death no not length of daies nor wisdome strength riches beautie nor talnesse of stature For if length of daies could then the auntient Fathers and Patriarches before the floud who liued some seuen some eight some nine hundred yeares and more as before could not haue dyed of all whom the conclusion is still after he had liued so many yeares he dyed If wisdome could then King Salomon the wisest that euer was who knew the nature of all simples from the very hysop to the cedar and therefore if any he surely could haue preserued himselfe from death And yet of him it is said in the end he dyed Iud. 15.15 If strength then Sampson who being indued with extraordinary strength at one time slew a thousand with the Iawe-bone of an Asse had not dyed If talnes of stature Saul higher then any of the people from the shoulders vpward had not dyed 1 Sam. 10.23 If riches Dines if beauty Absolon had not dyed Take a man in all his abundance of riches treasures greatnesse and pleasures flourishing in his greatest felicity brauery and prosperity yea let him be if he will another Policrates of this world what is he of himselfe but a carkasse a caitife a prey to death reioycing and laughing in this world but yet as one that laugheth in his dreame and waketh in his sorrow fraught full of feares and cares of minde not knowing to day what will happen to morrow mortall mutable miserable whose beginning is in trauell standing vncertaine his end corruption his body subiect to sicknesse his soule to temptations his good name to reproaches his honor to blastnesse his goods to losse and his flesh to rottennesse Nabuchadnezzar is but dust Alexander ashes Whereof should we be proud Certaine Philosophers earnestly beholding the Tombe of Alexander said one alas yesterday he did treasure vp gold and to day gold doth treasure vp him Another said Yesterday the world did not suffice him to day ten cubits are too much A third said Yesterday he did command others to day others command him A fourth said Yesterday he deliuered many from the graue to day he cannot free himselfe from Death A fift said Yesterday he led an armie to day an armie conducts him A sixt said Yesterday he did ouer-presse the earth to day the earth suppresseth him A seuenth said Yesterday he made many stand in awe to day not many repute of him The eight said Yesterday he was an enemie to his enemies and a friend to his friends to day he is equall yea all alike to all Then if Monarches be so momentary why should mortalls bee so proud It is true that one writeth wittily of the Grammarian of euery sonne of Adam that being able to decline all other nownes in euery case hee could decline Death in no case There was neuer Orator so eloquent that could perswade Death to spare him neuer Monarch so potent that could withstand him Nexus the faire Thersites the foule Zelyus the cruell Solyman the magnificent Crassus the rich Irus the poore Dametas the pleasant Agamemnon the Prince all fall downe at Deaths feet If he command we must away no teares no prayers no threatnings no intreatings will serue the turne so stiffe so deafe so inexorable is Death There are meanes to tame the most fierce and sauage beasts to breake the hard marble and mollifie the Adamant but not any one thing to mitigate Deathes rage Fire water the sword may bee resisted saith Saint Augustine and Kings and kingdomes may be resisted but when Death commeth who can resist it Death saith Saint Bernard pitieth not the poore regardeth not the rich feareth not the mightie spareth not any It is in mans power indeed to say vnto Death as sometime King Canutus said vnto the Sea when it began to flow Sea I command thee that thou touch not my feete but his command was bootlesse for hee had no sooner spoken the word but the surging waues dashed him so may many say vnto Death when it approacheth I command thee not to come neere mee but Death wil strike him notwithstanding And no more power hath man to keepe backe Death that it strike not then the mightiest King on earth to keepe backe the Sea that it flow not The Sea will haue his fluxe and Death
will haue his course they both keepe their old wont Since the first diuision of waters the Sea hath beene accustomed to ebbe and flow who hath euer hindered it And since the first corruption of Nature Death hath beene accustomed to slay and destroy who hath resisted it Other customes haue and may be abolished a King may command and it is done but what Monarch so absolute what Emperour so potent that can abrogate within his Dominions this custome of dying Nay there is no priuiledge no not spirituall neither can that grace and excellent gift of holinesse and pietie preserue a man from a naturall death viz. the first death out of no Court or Church can a man fetch a writ of protection against this Sergeant no place will preserue no person can bee priuiledged from it Esay 57.1 For heere the holy and good man the righteous and religious man is taken from the earth and dieth Iames 1.18 For if any should be spared he that is begotten againe of Gods owne will by the word of truth he that is borne againe of water and of the Spirit Iohn 3.5 and so borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh Ioh. 1.13 nor of the will of man but of God He that is borne a new not of mortall seed but of immortall by the word of God 1. Pet. 1.23 which liueth and endureth for euer A man I say would thinke that such if any should not die and yet behold the whole generation of Gods children they all die in their appointed time and vndergoe death not as a punishment but as a tribute as Seneca the Heathen man speakes which euery man must pay for his life The foole dies the wise-man the subiect the Soueraigne I haue said saith the Psalmist yee are gods Psal 49.10 Psal 82.6.7 and yee all are children of the most high but yee shall die as a man and yee Princes shall fall like others and so also the Prophets and holy men of God Dauid was a man after Gods owne heart and yet he died Moses saw God face to face and yet he died Zach. 1.5 The Prophets were indued with a great measure of sanctification yet the Prophet Zachary ioynes them all together in one state of mortalitie Your Fathers where are they And doe the Prophets liue for euer What say I the Prophets Nay Christ Iesus himselfe the Sonne of God the onely Sonne the Sonne in whom he was well pleased more faithfull then Abraham more righteous then Iob more wise then Salomon more mightie then Samson more holy then Dauid and all the Prophets though hee knew no sinne in himselfe yet for taking on him the burthen of our sinnes became subiect to the same condition of mortalitie with vs and he died also Examples of other times experience of our owne teach vs that all of all sorts die and are gathered to their fathers yea the dumbe and dead bodies cry this aloud vnto vs. As Basil of Seleucia saith of Noah he preached without words of Preaching for euery stroake vpon the Arke was a reall Sermon of repentance so euery corpse that wee follow and accompany to the graue preacheth really this truth vnto vs. All the worthiest of the first times and whomsoeuer else the word of God hath well reported of where are they Are they not all dead Doe they not all see corruption our Sauiour Christ excepted Are they not all gone downe into the slimie valley Haue they not long since made their bed in the darke None of them all our Sauiour Christ excepted was able to deliuer his life from the power of the graue Art thou better then Dauid and wiser then Salomon Nay art thou greater then our Father Abraham who is dead and the Prophets which are dead Whom makest thou thy selfe If thou thinkest thou shouldest not die Then surely if the holiest begotten and borne of man doe die then all must die And if holinesse must yeeld then prophanenesse cannot stand out And therfore whether holy or prophane Iew or Greeke bond or free male or female all must die If the tender harted woman that wept for Christ then the stony hearted men that scoffed at Christ If those that imbalmed him then those that buffeted him If shee that powred oyntment on his head then he that spat in his face If Iohn his beloued Apostle then Iudas that betrayed him Man is a little world the world a great man if the great man must die how shall the little one escape We must not thinke much to vndergoe that which all are enioyned vnto necessarily Equalitie is the chiefe ground-worke of equitie and who can complaine to be comprehended where all are contained For there is not a sonne of man in the cluster of mankinde but Eodem modo nodo vinctus victus is liable to that common and equal law of Death And although they die not one death for time and manner yet for the matter and end one death is infallible to all the sonnes of men Lift vp your eyes to the heauens saith the Lord and looke vpon the earth beneath Esay 51.6 for the heauens shal vanish away like smoake and the earth shall waxe old like a garment and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner But if any shall obiect that Enoch and Elias died not Gen. 23.24 Hebr. 11.6 2. King 2.11 I answere We know not I rather thinke they did and that Elias in his fiery Chariot had his body burnt and Enoch who in his yeares matched the dayes of the Sunne 365. was without paine dissolued when God tooke his soule to heauen or if they died not yet as Origen saith the generall is not therefore false because God hath dispenced in some particulers though one or two died not yet this is an vniuersall truth of all men to be receiued and duely pondered Heb. 9.21 It is appointed vnto all men that they shall once die from which there is no auoidance For the Lord of life and death hath so decreed it the decree was made in the beginning Gen. 3.19 For dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne If it be his decree it must needs haue a certaine effect The decree is certaine the euent is ineuitable Our God saith the Psalmist Psal 115.3 is in heauen and hee doth whatsoeuer hee will Gods will is the deede as saith Saint Cyprian if he hath once willed it it is as good as wrought If he haue decreed it it is as certaine as if it were done It is heauens decree and it cannot be reuoked Dan. 6.1 I haue beene somewhat too tedious in this first Diuision which is somwhat contrarie to the common prouerbe that he should not be tedious that reades a Lecture of mortality but because this is on the one side a matter worthy to be obserued and on the otherside a matter too too much neglected I haue beene somewhat the bolder to
but we our selues by our wicked mindes of our owne accord we haue drawne it on our selues which God did not at all forbid lest it should keepe in vs an immortall disease For he that made heauen and earth ayre and fire Sun and Moone all elements all creatures good surely would not make him euill for whom all these good things were made How comes he then thus bad The words of our royall Preacher teach vs to say This onely haue I found Eccl. 7.29 that God hath made man vpright but hee hath sought out many inuentions Man was created happie but he found out trickes to make himselfe miserable Theophrastus Aristotle wrangled with Nature her selfe as if in a malignant humor shee brought forth men borne to great affaires to be snatched away in a moment whereas to Rauens and Harts shee granteth many ages which can neither prize nor vse their time But the truth is our selues doe shorten our liues with ryot idlenesse dissolutenesse and excesse Kingly treasures committed to euill husbands are quickly wasted Life is short onely to the prodigall of good houres For to speake as the truth is and as the matter deserueth we liue not but linger out a few dolorous daies So much time only wee doe liue as is vertuously bestowed and no more And as Epiphanius brings in Methodius disputing with Produs the Originist saith God as the true Physitian hath appointed Death to be a physical purgation for the vtter rooting out and putting away of sinne that wee may be made faultlesse and innocent and that as a goodly golden image saith he sightly and seemely in all things and all parts if it be broken and defaced must bee new cast and framed againe for the taking away of the blemishes and disgraces of it euen so man the Image of God being maimed and disgraced by sinne for the putting away of the disgraces and repairing his ruines and decayes must by the meditation on death be renewed by weakning of sinne which is the cause of death in vs. As for example if the couetous man would seriously take a view of himselfe in this glasse of the meditation on Death then would hâ—e not so miserably torment himselfe with carking and caring moiling and toiling in the world by falshood deceit and oppression grinding the faces of the poor and all to get a handful of feathers or to catch at a little smoake of vanitie being euery houre in danger to heare this voice of the Lord. Luke 12.20 Thou foole this night they will fetch away thy soule from thee then whose shall these things be which thou hast thus scraped and gathered together Then would they consider that death will depriue them of all their treasures their houses which they haue builded by fraud their rents for which they haue made shipwracke of their soules their fields which they haue gotten by deceit their siluer and gold which they haue gotten by vsury and oppression their life which they haue so lewdly and vnprofitably spent making their pleasures their Paradise and their gold their god Then shall they perceiue their error that they haue chosen drosse for gold grasse for grace rust for siluer losse for gain shame for honor paine for rest yea for heauen hell Come also to this schoole of the meditation on Death you drunkards swearers whore-mongers blasphemers swaggerers prophaners of Gods Sabbathes and all carnall riotous and vngodly liuers small pleasures would you take in these vices nay soone would yee leaue and forsake them if you would giue your selues to this meditation The ancient Egyptians well knew the force of this medicine who in the middest of their mirth at their solemne Feasts were wont to haue the image of Death brought in and laid before them with these words Hoc intuens epulare beholding this Image eate and drinke but within the bounds of temperance for you must all be as this dead carcasse is wheresoeuer yee goe But if we carry not with vs the vglie picture of Death yet let vs carry in our hearts the true picture of our Death and then this meditation will correct and amend these vices in vs. It is written of those Philosophers called Brackmani that they were so much giuen to thinke vpon their end that they had their graues alwaies open before their gates that both going out and comming in they might alwaies be mindfull of their Death and latter end Dionysius the tyrant caused his notable flatterer Damocles who affirmed the life of a King to be most happie to be set in his regall Throne in stately robes and all Princely cheere and dainty fare before him and a naked sword tyed but with a horse-haire to hang ouer his head menacing him Death Could this Parasite thinke you take any delight in this princely fare and pompe No verily but as if he had sat amongst the greatest hagges of hell he durst not once touch the dainty dishes before him and shall not the meditation on Death either present or hard at hand and the sword of the wrathfull Iudge drawne and hanging ouer thine head restraine thee from immoderate and superfluous eating and drinking It is recorded also of a certaine King whose minde was so fixed in the deepe meditation on Death that thereby hee became more sober and modest in all his actions who being incited by his Iester or Parasite to be merry banquet and carowse hee commanded his Parasite to be set on a seate made with rotten wood fire to be put vnder and a sword to hang ouer his head and also princely dishes to be set before him and willed him to eate drinke and be merry but this stomacke would not serue him so much as to tast one of thefe dainty dishes and wilt thou O drunkard or glutton sinne in excesse and make thy belly thy God who sittest vpon a rotten body with the fire of naturall heat continually deuouring within it which the fire of the elementarie qualities on euery side disturbeth hauing the Etna of hell beneath and the sword of Gods wrath aboue Euen thus standeth our case a certaine diuine writer vseth this comparison A poore traueller pursued by an Vnicorne by chance in his flight slippes or falles into the side of a deepe pit or dungeon which is full of cruell serpents and in his fall catcheth hold by one small twig of the arme of a tree As hee thus hangeth looking downeward hee seeth two wormes gnawing at the roote of the tree and looking vpward he sees an hiue of sweete hony which makes him to climbe vp vnto it and to sit and feede vpon it While he thus feedeth himselfe and becommeth secure and carelesse of what may come the Vnicorne being hunger-bitten and byting and brusing on other boughes is each moment ready to crop of the twigge whereon this wretched man sitteth Now in what wofull plight is this distressed creature Then after this the two wormes gnawe in sunder the roote of the tree which falling downe
be the better prepared for it when it shall come indeed But some may heere obiect say how can this be done The Apostle Saint Paul doth answere it in giuing vs direction by his owne example when he saith 1. Cor. 15.31 By our reioycing which wee haue in Christ Iesus our Lord I die daily And doutlesse this Apostle died daily not only because he was often in danger of death by reason of his calling but also because in all his dangers and troubles hee inured himselfe to die For when men doe make the right vse of their afflictions and doe with their might endeauour to beare them patiently humbling themselues as vnder the Lords chastisement and correction then they are said to begin to die well And he that would mortifie his greatest sinnes must first begin to doe it in his smallest sinnes which being once reformed he shall with more ease be able to ouercome his master sinnes For this is the way to keepe sinne from raigning in our mortall bodies So likewise he that would bee able to beare the crosse of all crosses as namely death which is the end of all crosses must first of all learne to beare small crosses as sicknesses diseases troubles losses pouertie and the like which may fitly be tearmed little deathes and the beginnings of the greater death with which little deaths we must first acquaint our selues before wee can be able to incounter with great Death For as one well saith Death after the crosse is the lesse The world is set vnto vs as a house wherein we are but tenants at will out of which the Lord by sicknesse and crosses giueth vs warning and by death determineth his will and requireth it againe at our hands and willeth vs thereby to prepare our selues for a better house and the new house for which we are to prepare our selues is most pleasant and not so fraile ruinous and weake as our worldly house for the tiles doe sometimes fall off this house the walles doe reele the roofe doth drop the pillars doe leane the foundation doth sinke And what are these but so many warnings of the Lord to vs to depart hence and prepare for a better place Therfore when thou dost perceiue thy falling haires thy watering eyes thy trembling hands thy weake knees and thy stooping bodie what are these but onely the citations of Death which seemes to warne thee to prepare to packe vp that thou maist with more ease be able to goe out of this ruinous house of thine It is a fable but it hath a good mortall A certaine man did couenant with Death that he should neuer surprize him at vnawares or sodainly before that he had first sent a messenger to him to giue him warning that shortly hee would arrest him to which Death assented that though he could not alwaies forbeare him yet before hee did strike him hee would giue him warning Vpon Deaths promise thus past this man liued secure spending his time in all maner of riot and excesse and when he thoughtfull little of Death then came Death to take him away with whom this man expostulating for breach of promise Death in discharging of his fidelitie replied that with none no not those that violate all promises had he broken promise for saith he I haue sent many messenger vnto you from time to time to giue you warning of my comming thou wast sixe yeares since taken with a grieuous Feuer within these two yeeres sore troubled with Rhumes and distillations since that taken with the cough and paine in the head then troubled with the consumption of the Lungs And did I not lately send my brother Germaine vnto thee the drousie sleeping disease veturnosum soporem in which thou didst lye for a while like a dead man All these were fore-runners of my comming to warne thee to make thy selfe ready for mee who was neere at hand Is there any amongst vs that is not sometimes admonished of Deathes approaching by some of these his Apparators that hee must shortly depart The Poet saith truely Mille modis lethi miseros mors vna fatigat A thousand kinds yet but one death Hath death to take away our breath From whence let all men learne that haue care of their saluation what they ought to doe and be warie to prepare themselues for Death before Death doth end their life Often we ought to prepare for Death and doe not at last wee die indeed and would then and cannot Therefore while our feete are at liberty and before we be bound hand and foote let vs runne the way of the Lords Commandements and while we haue tongues and before we become speechlesse let vs vse our tongues well and not suffer them to sinne Mat. 22.12.13 And while we haue hands and armes and before our armes not from our shoulders Ephes 4.28 let vs worke with our hands the things that are good and procure things honest in the sight of all men Psal 150.6 and while wee haue breath before God stop our breath let vs praise the Lord. And while we haue eares Eccl. 12.4 before these daughters of singing bee abased let vs lift vp our eares to heare the word of God and not to vanitie Gal. 6 10. All we therefore saith the Apostle haue opportunitie to doe good vnto all men especially to them that are of the houshold of faith All this is a good preparation for death and by our patience in suffering afflictions it will make Death when it comes the easier for vs and the lesse able to afflict vs. For he that dyeth saith one before hee die shall not dye when he doth die In a temporall building the stones must be broken cut hewen and squared ere they be fit to make vp the worke The corne must bee cut downe bound vp carried into the barne threshed winnowed clensed and grinded before it be ready for good bread And the whirlewinde must first blow 2. King 2.11 before Eliah be rapt vp into heauen And wee must be cut hewen and squared with a number of Deathes messengers before wee can bee made fit for the Lords building We must be tossed with the winde and weather before wee can arriue in the hauen of heauen The very victualls which wee eate must first from life be brought to the fire and bee cleane altered in losing their propertie from the fire to the table from the table to the mouth so to the stomacke and there be concocted and disgested before they can nourish and worke their perfection in vs. Euen so Gods children must be mangled and defaced in this world which is the mill to grinde vs the kitchin to receiue vs and the fire to boyle roast and bake vs to alter the propertie from that wee were at the first that we thereby may bee made fitte to be brought to the Lords table For as raw flesh is wholesome meate for men so vnmortified men bee no creatures fit for God By
of Death against them that are aboue vs that is against our ancestors elders and betters and now one while he shooteth at them that be right against vs that is at our equals another while hee hitteth such as be very neere vs as our neerest and deerest friends on the right hand hee woundeth our friends on the left hand our enemies and vnder vs such as are our inferiors and yongers And if among so many arrowes of death wee in the meane time shall become secure and carelesse and neuer prouide nor prepare for our end as though we should euer escape who would not say that we were worse then lunatike O then let vs vnderstand thus much that wee are fast bound to the stake of mortalitie and that it is not possible for vs to escape Gods arrowes and darts of Death but that at one time or other wee shall be as deadly wounded therewith as others that so by the right vnderstanding of these things we may prepare our selues against the time that it shall happen vnto vs Psal 91.5.6.7 and then thou shalt not as the Pslmist saith be afraid for the terror by night nor for the arrowe that flyeth by day nor for the pestilence that walketh in the darknesse nor for the destruction that wasteth at noone-day a thousand shall fall at thy side and â—en thouâ—and at thy right hand but it shall not come nigh thee Let vs therefore be wise but in what Moses in another place telleth vs in what Psal 90.12.10 Lord saith he teach vs so to number our daies that we may apply our hearts to wisdome So that this wisdome consisteth principally in numbring of our daies which may be done foure waies First the account which Moses maketh the dayes of our life are threescore yeares and ten and though some be so strong that they come to fourescore yeares yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow for it is soone cut off and we fly away Therefore the summe of our yeares whereunto neuerthelesse all doe not attaine is threscore yeares and ten But this number euery childe can tell Secondly by comparison of three times first past which being â—…ee gone and past is nothing now it is past were it a thousand yeares it is but as a thought secondly future which being to come is but vncertaine whether it will be to vs or no thirdly present and know that the same is onely ours which is but a moment or instant Thirdly deduction or abstraction as thus take from threescore and ten yeares thirty fiue spent in sleepe and fifteene yeeres for our childhood the time of our vanitie for this part of a mans life is spent before hee knowes what time is and ten yeares allowed for eating and drinking tricking and trimming moiling and toyling recreating and sporting idle talking and complementing such like then there will bee found but ten yeares remaining to bee well spent whereof Lord how little is spent in thy seruice these three waies of numbring may be taught vs of men The fourth way God onely can teach vs by a Christian and heauenly Arithmaticke that is so to number as wee may by due consideration of the shortnesse and vncertaintie of our life applie our hearts vnto wisdome And so wee should learne to prouide what To prouide with Ioseph for the dearth to come and imitate the Ant who prouideth her meate in the sommer and gathereth her food in the haruest for the winter to come As the wise man saith Gen. 41.33 Goe to the pismire O sluggard behold her wayes and be wise For she hauing no guide gouerner nor ruler prepareth her meat in the summer and gathereth her foode in haruest Prouer. 6.8 Saint Austine saith that in this our pilgrimage wee must thinke of nothing else but that wee shall not bee euer here that here we should prepare for our selues that place from whence we shal neuer depart Damascene reporteth an excellent historie touching this purpose There was a certaine countrey saith he where they chose their King of the poorest and basest sort of people and vpon any dislike taken they would depose him from his throne and exile him into an Island where he should be starued to death Now one more wise theÌ„ the rest considering hereof sent mony before hand into that Island into which hee should be banished which comming to passe to him as to others before him he went and was receiued into that Island with great ioy triumph Euen so against thou be banished by Death from this world Iob 1.21 without pennie or farthing for naked thou camest and naked thou shalt returne thou must prouide and prepare for it whilest thou art in this life whereby thou maist bee receiued into Heauen heereafter with great ioy and triumph And as a Merchant being to trauell into a farre countrey doth first deliuer here his money vpon the exchange that so hee may bee sure to receiue it againe at his arriuall in that countrey euen so for as much as we must passe from hence hauing here no abiding nor continuing Cittie being out of our owne Countrey Hebr. 13.14 but wee seeke one to come let it therefore be our care wisdome and prouidence to passe by these things which will passe from vs and to lay vp something that may serue vs beyond the graue against our arriuall there Matth. 6.19.20.21 Luke 12.33 which is heauen To which purpose tendeth that exhortation of our Sauiour Christ in the Gospels of Saint Matthew and Luke Lay not vp for your selues treasures vpon earth where moth and rust doe corrupt and where theeues breake through and steale but lay vp for your selues treasures in heauen Sell that yea haue and giue almes prouide your selues bagges which wax not old a treasure in the heauens that faileth not c. For wheâ—e your treasure is there will your heart be also So that we must send our substance our treasures before hand to our standing house and to our continuing countrey as Chrysostome speakes and our Sauiour Christ doth aduise vs here For we loose them if we lay them vp here where we must leaue them and can neither tarry with them nor carry them hence but we keepe them if we send them to heauen as it were by bils of exchange by the hands of Christs poore member where wee shall receiue interrest for them of the Lord himself Pro 19.17 He that hath pitty on the poore saith the wiseman lendeth vnto the Lord and that which he hath giuen will he pay to him againe So that the godâ—y prouident man like wise Bias either carries all with him or rather hath sent them before him to his heauenly habitation Therefore I say vnto you saith our Sauiour make to your selues friends of MaÌ„mon of vnrighteousnesse that when yee faile Luke 16.9 they may receiue you into euerlasting habitations So that wee may say when the world is on a fire I haue left
of all is in the pangs of death when friends riches pleasures the outward sences temporall life and all earthly helpes forsake vs. But put thy trust confidence faith in God which neither fadeth nor vanisheth Psal 118.8.9 but abideth continueth for euer Psal 146.3.4 For if thou bee in amity with God the night will bee short and thy sleepe sweete thy graue wil be to thee as a bed of doune there to rest till the day of resurrection thy prayers at that time wil smel as perfume and thy praises sound in thy soule as the harmonie of the heauens where thou shalt raigne for euer and euer And then true faith will make vs to goe wholly out of our selues and to despaire of comfort and saluation in respect of any earthly thing and to rest and rely wholly with all the power and strength of our heart vpon the pure loue and mercies of Iesus Christ When the Israelites in the wildernesse were stung with fiery Serpents and lay at the point of death they looked vp to the brasen Serpent Num. 21.8.9 which was erected for that purpose by Gods owne appointment and then were presently healed euen so when any man feeles death to approach and draw neere with a fiery sting to pierce his heart hee must then presently fixe the eyes of a true and liuely faith vpon Christ his Sauiour exalted lifted vp Iohn 3.14.15 and crucified vpon the Crosse which being done he shall by death enter into eternall life It is recorded by the Author to the Hebrewes Heb. 11.13 that the holy Fathers of the old Testament died in faith and so entred into glory And if wee will looke to be glorified with them then must we follow their steps in dying in the same faith with them And because true faith is no dead thing it must be expressed by speciall actions as namely by the last words which for the most part in them that haue sincerely and truly serued God are very excellent and comfortable and full of grace some choyce examples whereof I will rehearse for instructions sake and for imitation viz. The Last words of Iacob Gen. 49.18 O Lord I haue waited for thy saluation The last words of Moses his most excellent song set downe in Deuteronomy Deut. 32. The last words of Dauid 2. Sam. 23.1.2 The Spirit of the Lord spake by me and his word was in my tongue The last words of Zacharias the son of Iehoiada the Priest when he was stoned to death by King Ioash 2. Chro. 24.22 The Lord looke vpon it and require it The last words of the conuerted Theefe vpon the Crosse Luke 23.40.41.44 first rebuking his fellow for railing on Christ then confessing his and his fellowes guiltinesse thirdly his iustification of Christ that he had done nothing amisse and lastly his sweete prayer Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome The last words of our Sauiour Christ himselfe Luk. 23.34.43 when hee was dying vpon the Crosse are most admirable and stored with aboundance of spirituall graces First to his Father concerning his enemies hee saith Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe Secondly to the Theefe vpon the Crosse with him Iohn 19.26 I say vnto thee this day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradise Mat. 27.46 Thirdly to his Mother Woman behold thy Sonne and to Iohn his beloued Disciple Behold thy Mother Iohn 19.28.30 Fourthly in his agonie he said My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Luke 23.46 Fiftly he earnestly desiring our saluation said I thirst Sixtly when he had made perfect satisfaction for vs he said It is finished And seuenthly when his bodie and soule were parting hee said Father into thy hands I commend my spirit and hauing thus said hee gaue vp the ghost Act. 7.56.59.60 The last words of the Martyr Saint Stephen at his stoning First Behold I see the heauens open and the Sonne of Man standing at the right hand of God Secondly as they were stoning of him hee called vpon God and said Lord Iesus receiue my spirit And thirdly hee kneeled downe and cried with a loud voice saying Lord lay not this sinne to their charge and when he had said this he fell a sleepe By these and such like examples wee see what a blessed thing it is to learne to die well which is to die in faith at which end true wisdome wholly aymeth and he hath not spent his life ill that hath thus learned to die well For the conclusion of our life is the touch-stone of all the actions of our life which made Luther both to thinke and say that men were best Christians in death and Epamynandas one of the wise men of Greece being asked whom of the three he esteemed most viz. himselfe Chabrius or Ephicrates answered Wee must first see all die before we can answere that question for the act of dying well is the science of all sciences the way whereunto is to liue well contentedly and peaceably But what must we thinke if in the time of Death such excellent speeches bee wanting in some of Gods children and in stead thereof idle talke be vsed Answ We must consider the kind of sicknes whereof men dye whether it bee more easie or violent for violent sicknes is vsually accompanied with frenzies or vnseemely motions or gestures which wee are to take in good part in this regard because we our selues may be in the like case 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 sharp disease he dyeth of no impeachment of the faith he dyeth in and these may depriue his tongue of he of reason but cannot depriue his soule of eternall life One dyeth saith holy Iob in his full strength being whole Iob. 21.23.24.25.26 at ease and quiet his breasts are full of milke and his bones are full of marrow another dyeth in the bitternes of his soule and neuer eateth with pleasure they shall lye downe alike in the dust and the wormes shall couer them Wherefore in this case we must iudge none by the eye nor by their deathes but by their liues The second dutie is to dy in obedience otherwise our death cannot bee acceptable to God because else we seeme to come vnto God vpon feare and constraint as slaues to their Master and not of loue as children to their father And thus to dye in obedience is when a man is ready and willing to goe out of this world without murmuring grudging and repining when it shall please God to call him Death is the feare of rich men the desire of poore men but surely the end of all men to this step man commeth as slowly as hee can trembling at this passage and labouring to settle himselfe here the sole memory of Death
mournefull funerals and the reading of inscriptions ingrauen on sepulchers doe make the the very haire to stare and stand on end and strike many with an horror and apprehension of it which is a reproofe to those who can see nothing in their owne deaths but what is dreadfull beyond measure and simplie the end of man Such conceiue Death not as it is to the righteous and as Christ hath made him to bee by his glorious death but as fooles iudge of him who behold him through false spectacles as he is in his owne vncorrected nature considered out of Christ Amos 6.3 that is most vgly terrible hideous so did they behold him in Amos who put the euill day of his comming that which they call euill and the godly long for and iudge happie as farre from them as they could by carnall delicacie and wantonnesse So did Baltashar looke vpon him Dan. 5.5.6.30 whose heart would not serue him to read the hand writing of his owne end so neere 1 Sam. 25.37.38 And Nabal who had no heart to dy when hee must needes dye dyed like a stone that is dyed blockishly and so faintly that he was as good as slaine before Death slue him He had no comfort in Death beeing churlish and profane and no maruell for this aduersary Death armed as Goliah 1 Sam. 17.10.11 and vaunting as that proud Giant of Gath commeth stalking toward such in fearefull manner insulting ouer weake dust and daring the world to giue him a man to fight withall Therefore at the sight of him the whole host of worldlings bewray great feare turning their faces and flying backe as men readie to sinke into the earth with abated courages and deiected countenances stayned with the colours of feare and Death trembling like leaues in a storme and striken with the palsie of a sodaine and violent shaking through all the body But the true child of God armed as Dauid with trust in God and expectation of victory by the Death of Christ who by Death ouercame Death as Dauid cut off the head of Goliah with his owne sword dares and doth boldly and obediently incounter with this huge Philistime Death supposed inuincible and seeming great but neither with sword nor speare but in the name of the God of the host of Israel by whose might onely he woundeth and striketh him to the earth trampling vpon him with his feete and reioycing in the returne of his soule to the place from whence it first came he singeth this ioyfull and triumphant song of victory O Death where is thy sting c. 1 Cor. 15.55 he hath the eyes of Stephen to looke vp into heauen and therefore in obedience and a willing minde he dyeth But a wicked man dying may say to Death as Ahab said to Eliah hast thou found me O mine enemie 1 King 21.20 but when it is told the child of God that Death is come within his dores begins to looke him in the face he to shew his courage and obedience may say as Dauid saith of Ahymaaz 2 Sam. 18.27 let him come and welcome for he is my friend and a good man and hee commeth with good tidings so he Death is my friend let him come he is a good man and bringeth good tidings As for the wicked they doe with Felix tremble Acts 24.26 if they doe but heare of death and of iudgment and are like vnto Saul hauing no strength in them but fall into a sound when they heare of death and if they could but see it they would cast a jauelin as Saul at Dauid 1 Sam. 18.11 to slay it But the children of God doe willingly welcome Death as Gods seruant and messenger and applaud it as Iacob applauded the Chariots that Ioseph his sonne sent for the bringing of him out of a Countrey of misery into a land of plenty Gen. 45.27.48 where he should haue food enough the best in the land So the hope and expectation of the Saints is that they shall see God and come to Christ by Death presently in their soules and in their bodies at the last day So they may say of Death as Adoniah said vnto Ionathan the sonne of Abiathar the Priest come in for thou art a valiant man 1 Kings 1.42 and bringest good tidings Cruell and vnmercifull Death makes a league with no man Esay 28.15 and yet the Prophet Esay sayth that the wicked man doth make a league with death how may this be There is no league made indeede but onely in the wicked imagination of man who falsely thinkes that Death will not come neere him though all the world should be destroied And therefore the seperation of the soule from the body will be bitter to the wicked which cannot bee seperated without great griefe woe and lamentation As the Oxe doth commonly lowe and mourne when his yoke-fellow wont to draw with him is taken away so the wicked then mourne when the soule shall be seperated from the body then will the soule and the bodie with teares repeat againe and againe dost thou thus seperate vs bitter Death O Death c. Then griefes follow griefes and sorrow comes vpon sorrow and then what a wound doth the heart of the wicked receiue which loueth this present life When the Physitian saith vnto him thou must from henceforth thinke no more on life but of Death at the hearing of which heauie newes the body shall dye once whether he will or no but the heart shall dye so often as the things and sinnes be in number which he loued Then shall the most cleere light be turned into darkenesse because those things which aforetime were occasions of great ioy shall now become most horrible vexations and torment which will make the wicked set their throates vpon tainter hookes and lift vp their voyces like trumpets and cry out at that time vpon Death as the deuils did vpon Christ in the Gospell saying what haue we to doe with thee O cruell Death Mat. 8.29 Iob 2.4 art thou come hither to torment vs before the time And therefore well said the deuill pellem pro pelle skin for skin and all that euer a man hath will hee giue for his life so that he may enioy that although but for a moment longer As Pharaoh said to Moses depart from among my people so say the vngodly to death bee banished from vs thy presence thy shadow the very remembrance of thee is fearefull to vs to heare Saint Paul speake of Gods terrible iudgment to come is too trembling a doctrine for their delightfull dispositions to heare with Felix they are not at leasure for this is iarring musicke which sounds not arright in the consort of their worldly pleasures to thinke of death is Aceldama saith one euen a field of blood but if any Physition would take vpon him to make men liue euer in this world what a multitude of patients should he haue And
we shall enioy the fellowship of the Angels the societie and company of the Saints and where wee shall liue eternally obey God perfectly and raigne with him triumphantly And besides all this if we spend the time of our health of our sicknesse and of our death in this sort we shall leaue a good name and report behinde vs Eccles 7.1 which is better saith the Preacher then pretious oyntment and is rather to be chosen saith the Wiseman then great riches Prou. 22.1 and it will be like the coates and garments which Dorcas made Acts 9.36 that will remaine behinde vs after that wee are dead and gone for the good example and incouragement of all others which are to follow vs. The end of the fourth Diuision THE FIFTH DIVISION THE COMFORT AT OVR OWNE DEATH THe Preacher saith Eccles 7.1 That the day of our death is better then the day of our birth In which parcel of holy Scripture for our comfort at death three points are to be considered First what is death that is heere mentioned Secondly how it can be truely that is heere mentioned said that the day of our death is better then the day of our birth Thirdly in what respect it is better For the first Death is a priuation of life as a punishment ordained of God and imposed on man for his sinne It is a priuation of life because the very nature of death is an absence or defect of that life which God vouchsafed man by his creation I adde further that death is a punishment more especially to intimate the nature and qualitie of death and to shew that it was ordained as the meanes of the execution of Gods iudgement and iustice Furthermore in euery punishment there bee three workers the ordainer of it the procurer and the executioner The ordainer of this punishment is God in the estate of mans innocēcy by a solemne law then made in these words In the day that thou eatest thereof Gen. 2.17 thou shalt die the death The Executioner of this punishmēt is also God himselfe as himselfe testifieth in the Prophet Esay in these words I make peace and create euill And this is materiall or naturall euill Esay 45.7 to the latter of which Death is to be referred which is the destruction and abolishment of mans nature created The procurer of this punishment is not God but man himselfe in that man by sinne and disobedience did put vpon himselfe this punishment Therfore the Lord in the Prophet Osea saith O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe Hosea 13.9 but in me is thy helpe Against this it may be obiected that man was mortall in the estate of his innocencie before the fall Answere The frame and composition of mans body considered in it selfe was mortall because it was made of water and earth and other elements which are of themselues alterable and changeable yet if we respect the grace and blessing which God did vouchsafe mans bodie in his creation it was vnchangeable and immortal and so by the same blessing should haue continued if man had not fallen and man by his fall depriuing himselfe of this gift and the blessing became euery way mortall And hereof it is that the Preacher saith Loe this onely haue I found that God made man vpright Eccles 7.29 but they haue sought out many inuentions Againe before the fall mans bodie was but subiect to death and could not then be said to be dead but after the fall it was then not only subiect to death but might also be said to bee dead And therefore now in this respect the Apostle saith Rom. 8.10 The body is dead because of sinne Againe mans bodie in his innocencie was like vnto the bodie of Christ when he was vpon the earth that is onely subiect vnto death for he could not be said to bee dead because in him there was no sinne and this was mans case in his innocencie before his fall Thus it appeares in part what death is And yet for the better clearing of this point wee are to consider the difference betweene the death of a man and a beast The death of a beast is the totall and finall abolishment of the whole creature for the body is resolued to the first matter and the soule rising frō the temperature of the body is but a breath and vanisheth to nothing But in the death of a man it is otherwise For though the bodie for a time be resolued and turned into dust out of which it came yet it must rise againe at the last day and become immortall but the soule subsisteth by it selfe out of the body and is immortall The reason of which difference is for that the soule of man is a spirit or spirituall substance whereas the soule of a beast is no substance but a naturall vigour or qualitie and hath no being in it selfe without the body on which it wholly dependeth The soule of a man contrariwise being created of nothing Gen. 2.7 it is said God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and then man became a liuing soule and so as well subsisting forth of it as in it But when God made the beasts of the earth he breathed not such matter into them but their bloud is as their soule Leuit. 17.14 and their life for the life of all flesh is the bloud thereof Psal 49.20 So that when beasts die they perish as the Psalmist saith and that is their end and their spirit goeth downeward to the earth Eccles 3.21 but the spirit of man goeth vpward saith the Preacher Saint Ambrose takes occasion by this difference from the shape of mans bodie to aduertise our minde what our affections should be It is well ordained saith he that man hath onely two feete with birds and not foure feete with beasts for by this he may learne to flye aloft with the birds and not with beastes encline and decline to the grosser and earthly things of this world Heere then we see that since the fall of man man is not only subiect to death but also may be said a dead man because he shall as surely die as if he were dead already whereas notwithstanding he hath a forme and shew of immortalitie Other things so long as they retaine their forme so long they doe remaine A house falleth not all the time that his forme and fashion lasteth the brute beast dieth not except he first forgoe his life which is his forme but man hath a forme which neuer is dissolued as namely a minde endued with reason and yet he liueth now but a very short time in respect that his bodie by reason of sinne and disobedience is become mortall whereby man is the procuter of his owne death and punishment Therefore it is a true saying of Saint Gregory Man is the worke of God sinne is the worke of man let vs therefore discerne what God hath made and what man hath
done and neither for the error committed by man let vs hate man whom God made nor for the man that is Gods worke loue the sinne that man hath committed And againe here note we must hate none in respect of his creation but in respect he peruerteth the vse of his creation for they beare the Image of God which is louely but they deface and scratch it out to their owne damnation so that we must hate not virum but vitium the wickednesse of the man and not the wicked as he is man The kinds of death as we haue heard in the first Diuision are three-fold Naturall Spirituall Eternall but they may be reduced into two only as the kinds of life are that is bodily and spirituall Bodily death is nothing else but the separation of the soule from the body as bodily life is the coniunction of body and soule And this death is called the first because in respect of time it goes before the second Spirituall death is the separation of the whole man both in bodie and soule from the gratious and glorious fellowship of God Of these two the first is but an entrance to death and the second is the accomplishment of it for as the soule is the life of the bodie so God is the life of the soule and his Spirit is the soule of our soules Againe this spirituall death hath three distiâ—ct and seuerall degrees The first is when it is aliue in respect of temporall life and yet it lies dead in sinne Of this degree the Apostle speakes when he saith 1. Tim. 5.6 Shee that liueth in pleasure is dead while shee liueth and this is the estate of all men by nature who are said to be dead in sinne Ephes 2.5 The second degree is in the very end of this life when the bodie is laid into the earth then the soule descends into the place of torments Luk. 16.22.23 as the soule of the rich man in the Gospell The third degree is in the day of Iudgement when the body and soule at the resurrection of the last day meete together againe and shal goe to the place of the damned there to bee tormented for euer And this is called by the name of the second death Mat. 25.41 which doth belong onely to the Reprobate Hauing thus found the nature differences and kinds of death it is more then manifest that that place of the Preacher is to be vnderstood not of the spirituall death but of the bodily death because it is opposed to the natiuitie and birth of man The words then must carry this sence The time of bodily death in which there is a separa ion of the soule of man from the body either naturall or violent being called a bodily or worldly death is better to the childe of God then the time in which one is borne and brought into the world Now followeth the second point and that is how this can bee true which the Preacher saith That the day of ones death is better then the day of birth I make not this question to call the Scriptures into controuersie which are the truth it selfe but I doe it to this end and purpose that we might without doubting or wauering bee resolued of the truth of this which the Preacher heere auoucheth for the comfort of all the children of God at their death For there may be sundrie reasons brought to the contrary of this which the Preacher heere auoucheth Therefore let vs now handle the questions reasons and obiections which may be alledged to the contrary which all may be reduced vnto sixe heads The first is taken from the opinion of wise men who thinke it the best thing of all neuer to bee borne And the next best to die quickly as soone as he is borne For Cicero an Heathen man and renowned for his eloquence and learning complaines that nature hath brought man forth into the world not as a mother but as a stepmother with a body naked weake and sickly and with a minde distracted with cares deiected with feares faint with labours and addicted to lusts and pleasures And hence grew this coÌ„mon speech amongst the Gentiles related by Aristotle repeated by Cicero and Plutarch and fathered vpon Sylemus by all three That the best thing in the world was not to be borne at all and the next best to die soonest Now if it be the best thing in the world not to be borne at all then it is the worst thing that can be to die after a man is once borne Answ There be two sorts of men the one that liue and die in their fins the other that doe vnfainedly repent and beleeue in Christ the one goates the other sheepe the one good the other euill Now this sentence and speech of those Heathen men may be truely applied auouched to the first sort of whom we may say as our Sauiour Christ said of Iudas Mat. 26.24 It had beene good for that man that he had neuer beene borne But the saying applied to the second sort is most false For to them that in this life turne to God by true and vnfained repentance the best thing of all is to be borne because their birth is a degree of preparation vnto all ioy and happinesse and the next best for them is to die quickly because by death they doe enter into the possession and fruition of the same ioy and happinesse for their birth is an entrance into it and their death the accomplishment of the same And this was the cause that made Baalam so desirous to die the death of the righteous and to wish that his last end might be like theirs Num. 23.10 And therefore in this respect the Preacher in this place preferres the day of death before the day of birth vnderstanding thereby that death which is ioyned coupled and accompanied with a godly life and this is called the death of the righteous The second obiection is taken from the testimonies of the holy Scriptures and namely these Rom. 6.20 1. Cor. 15.26 Death saith the Apostle is the wages of sinne Death is an enemie of Christ Death is the curse of the Law Gal. 3 13. Hence it seemes to follow that in and by death men receiue their wages and payment for their sinnes and so thereby the day of death is become the dolefull day in which the enemie preuailes against vs for that he which dieth is cursed Answ We must distinguish heere of death it must be considered two wayes first as it is in it selfe in his owne nature secondly as it is altered and changed by the death of Christ Now death by it selfe considered is indeed the wages of sinne the enemie of Christ and of all his members and the curse of the law yea the verie suburbs and gates of hell and so it is still vnto the wicked yet in the second respect it is not so for by the vertue of the death of
Christ it ceaseth to bee a plague or punishment and of a curse is made vnto vs a blessing and become vnto vs a friend and a passage or middle way betweene this life and eternall life and is become as it were a little wicket entrance or doore whereby we passe out of this world into heauen And then in this respect this saying of the Preacher is most true for in the day of birth men are brought forth and borne into the vale of misery but afterward when the children of God goe hence hauing death altered vnto them by the death of Christ they enter into eternall life and happinesse The third obiection is taken from the example of most worthy men who as it should seeme haue made their prayers against death Mat. 26.39 as our Sauiour Christ We reade when our Sauiour Christ was borne it was a ioyfull time at whose birth there was great ioy and mirth Simeon and Anna Luke 2.10.13.28.38 Luke 19.41 Marke 16.10 Luke 23.28.45 Matth. 27.51 yea and the Angels of heauen did sing and they bid the Shepheards sing because they brought them glad tidings of great ioy which should be vnto all the people But when our Sauiour Christ suffered death then it seemed that it was a dolefull time for then there was as much lamentation and weeping Our Sauiour Christ himselfe wept whom we reade to haue wept three times at the destruction of Ierusalem Iohn 11.35 at the raising of Lazarus and in his agony the disciples wept the daughters of Ierusalem wept Heb. 5.7 the Sunne was darkened the vaile of the Temple was rent the stones were clouen in sunder Yea all these and all sencelesse creatures in their kind did weepe and lament the death and passion of their maker And so it should seeme that our Sauiour Christ prayed against death on this manner Psal 6.4.5 Father if it be thy will let this cup passe from me Wee reade also that the Prophet Dauid prayed against death Returne O Lord saith he deliuer my soule O saue me for thy mercies sake for in death there is no remembrance of thee in the graue who shall giue thee thankes Againe Esay 38.1 wee reade that King Ezechiah prayed against death for when the Prophet brought him word from the Lord that hee should die and not liue this good king at this newes wept very sore and prayed for further life Now by the examples of these most worthy men yea by the example of the Sonne of God himselfe it should seeme that this should not be true which the Preacher doth heere auouch That the day of death should bee better then the day of birth but rather that the day of death should be the most dolefull and terrible day of all Answ We are heere to vnderstand that when our Sauiour Christ prayed in this sort as we haue heard he was in his agonie and he then as our Redeemer stood in our roome and stead to suffer and endure all things which wee our selues should haue suffered in our own persons for our sins if he himselfe had not vouchsafed to suffer for vs and therefore hee did not pray simply against the bodily or naturall death but against the cursed death of the Crosse for he feared not death it selfe which is the separating of soule and bodie but the curse of the Law which went with death as namely the vnspeakeable wrath and iudgement of God which was due for our sinnes The first death troubled him not but the first and second ioyned together Therefore the Author to the Hebrewes saith Heb. 5.7 That Christ in the daies of his flesh wheâ— he had offered vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death that he was heard in that he feared By which place it appeareth that Christ did not pray simply against the naturall death but against the cursed death of the Crosse which was the second death Concerning Dauids praying against death we are to vnderstand that when he made that sixt Psalme hee was not onely sicke in bodie but also perplexed with the greatest temptation of all in that hee wrastled in conscience against the wrath of God as appeares by his owne words For hee there saith Psal 6.1 O Lord rebuke me not in thy anger c. Wherein wee may see that he prayed not simply against death but against death at that instant when hee was in that grieuous temptation for at other times he had no such feare of death And therefore in another Psalme he saith Psal 23.4 Yea though I walke through the valley of the shadow of death I wil feare none ill c. Wherefore he prayed against death onely in that sixt Psalm as it was ioyned with apprehension of Gods wrath as our Sauiour Christ did Lastly touching king Hezekiah wee are to vnderstand that he prayed against death not onely because hee desired to liue and to doe seruice to God in his kingdome but also it was vpon a further and more special regard because when the Prophet brought him this message of death he was then without issue hauing none of his owne body to succeede him in his kingdome But then it wil be obiected What warrant he had to pray against death for this cause Answ His warrant was good for God had made a particular promise vnto Dauid and his posteritie after him 1. King 2.4 that as long as they feared him and walked in his commandements with all their heart and with all their soule there shal not faile thee saith he a man on the throne of Israel Now this good king Hezekiah at the time of the Prophets message of death remembring what promise God had made to Dauid and to his seed and how that he for his part in some poore and weake measure had kept the condition in that he had walked before God with an vpright heart and had done that which was well pleasing and acceptable in his sight as he himselfe saith in the same place Isay 38 3. therefore hee prayed against death not for that he feared it but he desired to haue issue of his own to succeed him according to the Lords promise to his seruant Dauid Which prayer of his was so well accepted of God that hee gaue him his request and added vnto his daies fifteene yeeres and three yeeres after God gaue him Manasses Isay 38.5 Againe beside these examples it will be further obiected that the godly haue feared death 1. Kings 19.30 or esse why did Eliah flie from it in the persecution of Iezabel and Christ teach his to flie it in the persecutions of men Mat. 10.23 and Christ himselfe as we haue alreadie heard did pray against the bitter cup of it in his agonie Mat. 26.39 and before his apprehension Answ Those Saints did not nor were to flie from death as it is the end of life and a most blessed end
will carry the snake in their bosomes without any feare Euen so although we cary death about vs in our mortall bodies yea in our bosomes and bowels yet sinne which was her sting being pulled out by the death of Christ shee can onely hisse and make a stirre and ordinarily looke blacke and grimme but can no wayes annoy vs. Which will be the more manifest if we well weigh how Christ our head and Captaine hath quelled and conquered this mightie Gyant for vs whereby none that are Christs members need stand in feare thereof Death saith the blessed Apostle is swallowed vp in victory and Christ was dead and now liueth 1. Cor. 15.54 Reu. 1.18 and that for euer And he hath the keyes of hell and death as he testifieth of himselfe in the booke of the Reuelation Now he that hath the keyes of a place hath the command of that place It is as much then as if it had been said he had the command of death and power to dispose of it at his pleasure And will Christ then that hath such an enemie at his mercie let him hurt and annoy his deare friends nay his owne members and so in effect himselfe Noe noe he conquered death for vs not for himselfe seeing death had no quarrell to him By his vniust death then hee hath vanquished our iust death as Saint Augustine very excellently saith Death could not be conquered but by death therefore Christ suffered death that an vniust death might ouercome a iust death and that he might deliuer the guiltie iustly by dying for them vniustly Whereunto agreeth that speech The vniust sinneth and the iust is punished the guiltie transgresseth and the innocent is beaten the wicked offendeth and the godly is condemned that which the euill deserueth the good suffereth that which the seruant oweth the master payeth that which man committeth God sustaineth For although because he was man he could die and did so yet because he was iust hee ought not to haue died and hee that had no cause to die for himselfe in reason and equitie should not die for others vnprofitably neither did he surely but to the greatest purpose that the Sonne of God dying for the sonnes of men the sonnes of men might thereby bee made the sonnes of God yea that they of bad seruants might bee made good sonnes And this glorious mystery of our Sauiours Incarnation and Passion must needs bring forth glorious effects this strange and vnspeakable loue of God that his onely Sonne should die for vs that the Lord should dye for disobedient seruants the Creator for the creature God for man this strange loue I say must needs bee of strange operation as it is euen to make of sinners iust men of slaues brethren of captiues fellow-heires and of banished persons Kings and to make of death as it were no death but a very easie passage to eternal life for the death of Christ is the death of our death sith hee died that wee might liue and how can it be but that they should liue for whom life it selfe died Surely Death by vsurping vpon the innocent forfeited her right to the guiltie and while shee deuoured wrongfully shee her selfe was deuoured Yea in that Christ hath vanquished death we may be truely said to vanquish it Rom. 8.37 Ephes 5.30 For in this saith the Apostle we are more then conquerours through him that loued vs he being our head and wee his members and where the head is conqueror the members cannot bee captiues Let vs then reioyce that wee haue alreadie seized on heauen in Christ who hath caried our flesh thither in his owne person as an earnest peny and pledge of the whole summe that in time shal be brought thither Wee may then boldly say that there is somewhat of ours aboue already yea the best part of vs as namely our head from which the members cannot be farre yea we may assure our selues that wee being members of such a head yea bodie to it we are in effect where our head is For S. Augustine saith This bodie cannot be beheaded but if the head triumph for euer the members also must needs triumph for euer And that we haue this benefit by Christs ascension into heauen aforehand for vs Bernard excellently sheweth Be it saith he that only Christ is entred into heauen yet I trow whole Christ must enter and if whole Christ then the body as well as the head yea euery particular member of the bodie For this head is not to be found in the kingdome of heauen without his members In a word the head being aboue water the bodie can neuer be drowned although it bee neuer so much beaten and tossed in this world with waues and tempests Oh but life is sweet and death is fearefull how then may I bee prepared against that houre to vndergoe it in a Christian patience without earthly passions I answer this is indeed the infirmitie of our flesh and the propertie of our corrupt nature that we are more desirous of this life fading then of the life to come that is not flitting and hence comes that feare and terror of death Iohn 10.28 Death in it selfe and out of Christ is as we haue heard very dreadfull and we haue reason to feare it as it is an effect of sinne But we speake not of death considered out of Christ or considered in it selfe but of death altered by the death of Christ for so it is no dreadful thing but much to be desired he is our Pastor we need not feare to be taken out of his hands our Aduocate 1. Iohn 2.1 1. Tim. 2.5 Iohn 8.12 Psal 91.1 Iohn 5.22 therefore we need not dread damnation our Mediator therfore we need not feare the wrath of God our light wee neede not feare darknesse our shadow wee need not feare the heat of hell fire our Iudge we need not feare that sentence shall be denounced against vs our life and therefore wee need not feare death Well may the brute beasts feare to die whose end of life is their end of being well may the Epicure feare and tremble at death who with his life looketh to loose his felicitie well may the faithlesse and impenitent sinner feare and quake whose death is the beginning of their damnation well may the voluptuous worldling whose felicitie consists wholy in the fruition of these transitorie things greatly feare death as that which depriueth him of his pomp and preferment of his honours and high calling robbeth him of his iewels and treasure spoileth him of his pastimes and pleasures exileth him from his friends and country and vtterly bereaueth him of all his expectations solace and delight Which Iesus the sonne of Sirach noting said Eccles 41.1 O death how bitter is thy remembrance to the man that liueth at rest in his possessions vnto the man that hath nothing to vexe him and that hath prosperitie in all things yea vnto him that is yet able to receiue
meate Yea it is for wicked and vngodly men to feare death exceedingly because death in them is not ioyned with a godly and wel reformed life they haue not done that good for which they came into the world and therfore it is for them to feare to die They apprehend death as a strong enemy finding in it through their continuall wickednesse and infidelitie no likelihood of saluation no signe of peace and therefore it is for them to feare to bee dissolued and to think death to be no other change then a plague death to them is a beginning of eternall death and no path-way to Christ but a portall-doore to destruction and therfore they may iustly feare death But seeing the Lord hath vouchsafed you a penitent and beleeuing heart goe on boldly Psal 116 9 and receiue your portion in the land of the liuing and although the assault of death bee very violent bitter and strong to the triall of your faith yet call to mind that our Sauiour Christ hath ouercome death and hell as we haue heard he hath broken the strength of this battell confounded the Captaine of this host and set vp the songs of triumph to all true beleeuers that they may haue the fulnesse of ioy So now it remaineth that you do as one that hath his house on fire burning all in a flame that it is vnpossible to bee quenched who will throw out from thence and fetch his treasures and iewels that so hee may with them build another house euen so must you doe Let your owne ruinous house burne let it perish seeing it may not bee otherwise Onely thinke and bestirre your selfe how you may saue your treasure and iewels I meane your soule and that is by a true and liuely faith in Iesus Christ that so at the resurrection of the iust you may come vnto a new house that cannot fade nor perish but remaine immortall for euer Onely let vs be faithfull and couragious for so hath our Captaine Iesus Christ beene who alreadie is proued the Conqueror and if we faint not nor turne backe hee will also make vs conquerors Therefore let not the violence and multitude of torments affright vs we haue but one life and we can loose but one and wee shall finde eternall life and blessednesse by loosing it 1. Sam. 17.49 Iudg. 16.30 1. Sam. 4.18 2 Kings 9.33 2. Kings 4.19,20 Iudg. 9.53 Acts 7.59 Luke 16.22 Goliah that mightie Gyant was as much hurt by Dauids litle stone as Sampson by the waight of a whole house Ely had as much hurt by falling backward as Iezabel by falling downe out of a high window The Shunamites sonne had as much harme by the headache as Abimelech by a peece of a milstone cast vpon his head And they that stoned Stephen to death tooke no more from him then an ordinarie sicknesse did from Lazarus and doth daily from vs all One death is no more death then another and as well the easiest as the hardest take our life from vs. And therefore the foure leprous men said one to another 2. Kings 7.3,4 Why sit we here till wee die If we say we will enter into the Citie the famine is there and we shall die and if we sit still heere we die also Now therefore let vs fall into the hoast of the Syrians if they saue vs aliue wee shall liue and if they kill vs we shall but die And indeed our torments how great and grieuous soeuer cannot be so great and so grieuous as those which the Martyrs and Saints of God in former ages haue sustained and suffered Of the Fathers in the old Testament the Author to the Hebrewes saith That some were racked and tortured Heb. 11.35.36.37.38 others had triall of cruell mockings and scourgings of bonds and imprisonments c. of whom the world was not worthy c. And of the Saints and Martyrs of God in the Primitiue Church in the ten persecutions they were thrust out of their houses spoiled of their patrimony loaded with irons locked vp fast in prisons and dungeons burned with fire beheaded hanged and pressed to death rosted on spits broiled on gridirons boyled in hot oyle and scalding lead throwne downe from high and steepe mountaines vpon sharpe stakes torne with wilde horses rent in sunder with the violence of bowed trees condemned to toile in the mettal mines thrust thorow with speares brayned racked pricked with pen-kniues their eyes bored out their tongues cut out their bowels ripped out of their bellies their bodies dismembred with varitie of punishments some whipped to death others famished to death some stabbed in with forkes of iron some drowned in sackes some their skins plucked off aliue some killed with cold and left naked to the open shame of the world Cities lay full of dead mens bodies and the bloud ranne streaming in the streets their torments were so great that the lookers on were amazed and they were so mangled that the inward veins and arteries appeared and the very entrailes of their bodies seene they were set vpon sharpe shels taken out of the sea and made to go vpon sharpe nailes and thornes and rolled vp and downe in vessels full of sharpe nailes plates of iron were laid red-hot to their arme-pits they were torne and pulled in peeces strangled in prisons gnawne with the teeth of cruell sauage beasts tossed vpon bulles hornes their bodies were laid in heapes and dogges left to keep them that none might come to bury them they were put into beares skins and baited by dogges and yet were not dismaid at any kinde of torment or crueltie the tormented were more strong then the Tormentors and their beaten and torne members ouercame the beating scourges and tearing hookes the tormentors were wearie with tormenting and being ouercome were faine themselues to giue ouer And in truth what is it that we suffer being compared with their sufferings Heb. 12.4 euen nothing in a manner Yee haue not saith the Author to the Hebrews yet resisted vnto bloud And why then should we feare death in the least degree seeing all those holy Martyrs and Saints of God feared it not at the highest degree 1. Cor. 6.3 Nay why should we feare men that are our selues feared of the Angels for wee shall iudge the very Angels Luk. 9.1 We were feared of the diuels for ouer them God giueth vs authoritie yea that are feared of the whole world 1. Cor. 6.2 for we shall iudge the world Let vs therefore with our whole might arme our selues for this combate of death The persecuters when they wound vs most are deepeliest wounded themselues and when they think most of all to be conquerers then are they most conquered Ignatius going to his martyrdome was so strongly rauished with the ioyes of heauen that he burst out into these words Nay come fire come beasts come breaking of all my bones rackings of my body come all the torments of the diuell together vpon me come
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
vniust and vnequall if any of lesse merit yea of no merit in comparison of such men shall grieue for themselues or any friend of theirs to indure that which these indured Surely not onely to grieue but not most willingly to welcome what all these men imbraced is tendernesse intolerable folly vnfitting and a fault no way to bee excused Yea the fault is so much the greater by how much either you or your friend are inferiour to these men in seruice and vse vnto the common state Thus did the heathens seek to salue the sore which grew by death of any and to this end many things of like perswasion they heaped vp which I passe ouer as hastening to the word of God without all comparison the fountaine of all comfort This onely I say and pray you to obserue concerning the mention made of the heathen that it is meant only to shew that they were ashamed to feare death in themselues or immoderately bewaile it in any friend and will you faile of the strength of an heathen shall they fight better against foolish affections by the light of nature then you by the power of grace and the most bright Sunshine of Gods word God forbid and as you tender your credit to be iudged truly a souldier that answereth the promise made in baptisme that you would fight manfully vnder Christes banner and not yeeld to your foe and Gods enemy and yours let not Sathan ouercome you in this to make you worse then an heathhen more passionate more impatient more subiect to wil and lesse subiect to reason nay more disobedient to God and of lesse reputation before men for gouernment of your mind then they were You know more performe not lesse then they did you haue seene a light that they neuer saw nor many other worthy men Luke 10.23.24 Blessed are the eyes saith our Sauiour which see the things which ye see for I tell you that many Prophets and Kings haue desired to see those things which ye see and haue not seene them and to heare those things which ye heare and haue not heard them Walk therfore in that light as a child of light that you may bee more comforted for the death of your friends then the very heathen were Seneca saith He that laments that a man is dead laments that he was a man And now to come to the word of God to the Law Isay 8.20 and to the testimony saith the Prophet euen to the sweet fountaine of Israel that cooles indeede the scorching heat of all sorrowes and by name of this when God taketh away any of our friends by death if Moyses and the Prophets will not comfort vs in this case then as Abraham told Diues in another case nothing can perswade Luke 16.31 nor preuaile with vs. Many are the places of holy Scriptures when comfort arise and flow if they be wel and duly considered but meaning onely to giue you a taste some few shall serue at this time to which may be added by your owne diligence some more at your best leisure Iob 1.21.22 The Lord gaue saith Iob and the Lord taketh away blessed be the name of the Lord. Where I pray you consider well what Iob lost when he said thus and consider what you haue lost now at this time and you shall finde your caâ—es farre differing Iob had his Oxen and Asses taken away by strangers and his seruants slaine with the edge of the sword This was his first newes The fire of God fell downe from heauen and burnt vp his sheepe and his seruants and consumed them This was the second newes His Camels were taken by the Chaldeans and his seruants slaine This the third newes all of them bitter and grieuous to happen at once You will confesse this was sore and any one of them falling by it selfe alone vpoÌ„ many of vs in these daies would plunge vs very sore Yet see farre greater his fourth and last newes was that his sonnes and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brothers house and there came a great winde from the wildernesse and smote the foure corners of the house and the house fell vpon them and they all died yea all and all at once by this sudden meanes to the vtter amazing and astonishing of all that should see or think of it Yet for all this saith the holy Ghost Iob did not sin to wit by rauing and railing impatiently nor did he charge God foolishly as dealing vniustly or cruelly with him but considered with himselfe who had giuen and who had taken and weighed with himselfe that they were Gods and not his and should he forbid the Lord to doe with his owne what was his good pleasure Is it not lawfull saith our Sauiour Christ in another case for me to doe what I will with mine owne Mat. 20.15 Therefore sweetly and meekely patiently and peaceably he cast vp his eyes his heart his soule his minde his affections and all vnto the Lord and said Blessed be the name of the Lord of which Lord surely of this Lord that had thus dealt with him and taken away all that euer he had God hath not dealt thus with you by many and many degrees with you at this time and will you then take on and as it were bid battell to the Lord by weepings and wailings by sobbings and sighings by groanings and crying by mutterings and murmurings and by such like testimonies of a discontented and offended minde aboue that which can stand with a dutifull childes behauiour to his heauenly Father If your losses were as great as Iobs was yet you see what he did and this was Gods Spirit in him much more in a farre lesse losse must you doe it if you bee endued with the same spirit Thinke with your selfe as you see Iob did what estate you had in this friend of yours that now you haue lost you held him not in fee but for a terme and what terme no certaine terme but during the Lords good will and pleasure Now your terme is out and the Lord will haue his owne againe Grieue not for the losse then but be thankfull for the loane so long Againe I warrant you Iob did carefully ponder with himselfe what the Heathen and strangers to religion about him would say If he should be impatient and outragious they would say see euen thus the man that feared God and was so religious that he taught others and rebuked many when they did offend that spake so much of the Lord and had his will so euer in his mouth that gaue such testimonies sundry wayes to the shew of man of a reformed life now where is all become Now see this mans practise how it answereth his speeches before he was tried what doe we see now in him more then in many others that made not halfe the shew Is there but so much in him as in many Heathen that knew not his religion Haue they not
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
and earth Maiestie and basenesse Excellency and pouerty hee hath matched together What is higher then the Spirit of life what baser then the slime of the earth his soule it was infused into him the Spirit of life his body was made of the dust of the earth This was that which made Gregorie Nazianzen to breake into that exclamation of himselfe What great and wonderfull Miracle was within himselfe I am little sayeth he and yet I am great I am humble and yet exalted I am mortall and yet immortall I am earthly and yet heauenly little in body but great in soule humble as being earth and yet exalted aboue the earth mortal as hee that must dye and immortall as he that shall rise againe earthly as whose body was taken from the earth heauenly as whose soule was breathed from aboue Nay more then this sayeth the Prophet Dauid in one of his Psalmes Ps 8.4.5 6.7.8.9 What is man that thou art mindfull of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him for thou hast made him a little lower then the Angels and hast crowned him with glorie and honour thou madest him to haue dominion ouer the workes of thy hands c. Therfore no man no beast can destroy this excellent Creature in this fashion framed and bee innocent before God It belongeth onely to him that gaue life to take it away Where hee takes it away none can restore it nor ought to take it away being giuen but only by him that gaue it So that the whole rule of life must remaine in the hands of the Lord of Life who of himselfe sayth I kill and giue life except thou canst doe both Deut. 32.39 doe not attempt to doe eyther First make a liuing man if thou canst and then kill him to whom thou gauest life thou shalt then herein hurt no worke but the worke of thine owne hands but if thou canst not giue life presume not to take away life thou shalt therein violate the worke of another And if thou mayest not kill another thou mayest much lesse kill thy selfe One God made thee them and if thou shalt bee guilty of bloud in killing thy neighbour thou shalt bee guilty of bloud in killing thy neerest neighbour thy selfe When Elias was weary of his life being persecuted by Iezabel he sayde vnto God It is inough O Lord take my Soule for I am no better then my Fathers 1 King 19,4 He was wearie of his trauels and dangers and desired to be out of this vvorld but hee did not lay violent hands vpon himselfe or let out his owne Soule Hee remembreth that God had placed his soule in this earthly Tabernacle and he intreateth God to set his Soule at liberty He held his hands howsoeuer his heart was affected So hold thou thy hands from any fact of violence lifting them vp with thy heart vnto God in heauen desiring him to take thy soule when he thinks good When Saint Paul was in a straight betweene two Phil. 1 23. and vvist not vvhether he should desire life or death because his life should bee profitable to the Church but death gainefull to himselfe he expressed the inclination of his heart to death for his owne aduantage in these vvordes desiring to bee loosed and to bee with Christ which is best of all His reward was in heauen vvhich he desired to obtaine his Redeemer in Heauen with vvhom hee vvished to be And because he could not come to enioy the same except by death he should passe out of this world hee was vvilling to depart and for that end to bee loosed and set at liberty from his flesh but did hee encline to set himselfe at liberty to loose the bondes of his owne life by which his soule was tyed and fast bound to the fellowshippe of his body No hee desired to bee a Patient not an Agent a Sufferer not a Doer in this businesse his vvords are desiring to be loosed not desiring to loose my selfe this he longed for and in time obtained it In these men behold and see how to craue and how to demeane thy selfe Learne of Eliah and Paul to feare God and not of Saul and â—udas Learne not of wicked men that went astray in their doings And tell mee if at any time thy life were so vile in thy sight and the glorie of God so deare vnto thee that thou wert desirous or content to giue thy life vnto God and to put it in hazard for his name and for his truthes sake Where hast thou despised the threatnings of Tyrants Where hast thou contemned the sword the fire or any other death hast thou been cast into the fierie furnace or into the Lyons denne or imprisoned or stoned or suffered rebuke or losse of goods for the name of Christ as diuers the Saintes of God haue done before thee In these cases if thy life had been vile in thy sight it had beene honourable and Christian-like because thou dost not take it thy selfe but yeeld it vp for his sake that gaue it Wherein thou hast the Prophets of God and Apostles of Iesus Christ to bee thy Paterne who were euer ready and willing to lay down and loose their liues in the seruice of God but did not kill themselues to bee deliuered from the furie of Tyrants but they yeelded themselus to the cruell will of Tyrants as Ieremie tolde them that went about to kill him for preaching Ierem. 26.14 as God had commaÌ„ded him As for mee behold I am in your hand doe with mee as you thinke good and right It was all one to him and equally welcome to dye or liue so that hee might faithfully doe his office Of the like mind was Saint Paul saying to the Elders of Ephesus Act. 20.22 Behold I goe bound in the spirit to Ierusalem and know not what things shal come vnto me there saue that the Holy Ghost witnesseth that in euery City bondes and afflictions abide mee but I passe not at all neyther is my life deere vnto me so that I may fulfill my course with ioy c. Heere was a most godly contempt of frayle life If thou hadst resolution in any like quarrell to yeeld thy life when there should bee any attempt to take it thou hast the Prophets of God and the Apostles of Christ thine example and thou hast also the promise of the Lord Iesus to recompence that losse of life with the gaine of eternal life saying Hee that will saue his life shall loose it Math. 10.39 and hee that looseth his life for my sake shall saue it That is if any shall to saue his life deny to confesse mee before men his life shall be taken from him by some such iudgement of God as that hee shall haue no comfort in the losse of it but shall dye eternally but if any constantly confesse me putting his life in danger eyther God shall most miraculously deliuer him and saue his life in this
the world vnited together if it were possible into one and that which the Apostle calleth the glory which shall bee shewed hereafter Better it is with a kinde of silent astonishment to admire it then to take on vs eyther to discribe it or to comprehend it in particular Yet giue me leaue to set before you for the furtherance of your priuate meditations a little shadow or glympse thereof euen as it were but the backe-parts thereof which Moses was permitted to see betwixt which and it notwithstanding there is as much difference Exod. 33.23 as betweene one droppe of water and the maine Ocean sea A word fitly spoken sayth the Wiseman is like apples of gold and pictures of siluer Prou. 25.11 Wee reade in the booke of Deutronomy that when Moses went vp from the playnes of Moab vnto the mountaine of Nebo Deut. 34.1.2.3.4 to the toppe of Pisgah that is ouer against Iericho that there the Lord shewed him all the land of Gilead vnto Dan and all Nepthacy and all the land of Ephraim and Manasses and all the land of Iudah vnto the vtmost sea and the South and the playne of the land of Iericho the Citie of Palme trees vnto Zoar. And this is the land which I sware sayth the Lord vnto Abraham and vnto Isaacke and vnto Iacob saying I will giue vnto thy seed and I haue caused thee to see it with thine eyes And this was that earthly Canaan euen that promised land which is so much commended in the holy Scriptures Euen so if we will take a little paines to goe vp to the mountaine of the Lorde which the Prophet Esay speaketh of Esa 2.2 then there in in some small measure may we take a sight and view not of the glory of the earthly Canaan but of the glory of the heauenly Canaan and where the Deuill as it is sayd in the Gospell tooke Iesus vp into an exceeding high mountaine Mat. 4.8 and shewed him all the Kingdomes of the world and the glory of them Here vpon this mountaine of the Lord there is shewed vnto vs the Kingdome of God and the glory of the same All which the Lord will giue vs being the right owner thereof if we feare serue and worship him and wee neede not with Moses to clime vp to any earthly mountaine to see and behold the Kingdom of God and the glory therof Deut. 30.12.13.14 It is not in heauen sayth Moses in another case that thou shouldest say Who shall goe vp to heauen for vs and bring it vnto vs that wee may heare it and doe it neyther is it beyond the sea that thou shouldest say Who shall goe ouer the Sea for vs and bring it vnto vs that we may heare it and doe it But the word is verie nigh vnto thee in thy mouth and in thine heart and there we may behold this glory Search the Scriptures sayth our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell of Saint Iohn for in them yee thinke to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of mee Iohn 5.39 And we may adde further also that they are they which testifie of this glorious estate of the children of God after death Ioseph gaue his brethren prouision for the way but the full sackes were kept in store vntill they came to their Fathers house God giues vs here a taste and assay of his goodnesse but the maine sea of his bounty and store is hoorded vp in the kingdom of heauen It is an vsuall thing in the Scripture to represent spirituall and heauenly things by bodily and earthly things that therein as in glasses we may behold heauenly thinges although obscurely which notwithstanding we cannot otherwise perceiue and see immediatly being too glorious and vehement obiects for our eyes Therefore as we can not behold the light of the Sunne in the Sunne but by reflection thereof in the Moone in the Starres in the water or other bright body or else by refraction thereof in the mistie ayre so the soule while it is in the body heareth seeth vnderstandeth imagineth with the body and in a bodily manner and therefore is not capable of such hearing seeing vnderstanding imagining as it shall bee when it is separate from the body hence it is that the Apostle sayth 1. Cor. 13.12 Wee now see through a glasse darkely Wee conceyue of heauen by a Citty whose walles pauements and mansions are of gold pearle Christall Emeralds as it is described in the booke of the Reuelation Reuel 21.10 which wee shall afterwards heare more at large And to beginne first of all with the comfortes and benefites of this life euen they although miserable doe argue that a far better estate is reserued for vs in heauen We see that God euen here vpon earth notwithstanding our manifold sinnes wherby we dayly offend him and which may iustly cause him as the Prophet speaketh Ier. 5.25 to withhold good things from vs yet he in great mercy vouchsafeth vs many pleasures and furnisheth vs not onely with matters of necessity who dayly sayeth the Psalmist Psal 68.19 loadeth vs with benefites but also of delights There is a whole Psalme spent onely in this matter which is the 104. Psalme Psal 104. a Psalme worthy to bee written in letters of gold and as Moses speaketh in Deuteronomy Deut. 11.20 vpon the dore postes of thine house and vpon the gates yea vpon the Table of thine heart as the Wise-man speaketh Pro. 7.3 for the admirable excellency thereof God causeth sayth Saint Ciprian the Sunne to rise and set in order the seasons to obey vs the elements to serue vs the windes to blow the spring to flow the corn to grow Ps 147.18 the fruites to shew the gardens and orchardes to fructifie the woods to rastle with leaues the meadowes to shine with varietie of grasse and flowers And Chrysostowe very excellently handling the same point with Cyprian further shewes that God hath in a sorte made the night more beautifull then the day by infinite varietie of bright and glittering starres and that hee hath beene more mindfull and mercifull then man would haue bin of himselfe who through the greedinesse of the World would haue ouertoyled himselfe but that God made the night of purpose for his repose and rest In a word hee sayes and that truly euen of these earthly benefites and commodities that although we were neuer so vertuous nay if wee should dye a thousand deathes wee should not be worthie of them And the very heathen Poet considering this could not choose but breake out into an admiration saying O how many things hath God created for mans delight heaped ioyes vpon him with a bountifull hand Nay the Prophet Dauid considering this could not chuse but breake out into this wonderful admiration Psal 144.3 Lord what is man that thou takest knowledge of him or the son of man that thou makest accoūt of him And al this hath
with his left hand hee imbraceth them Psal 41.3 yea the Lord saith the Psalmist will strengthen them vpon the bed of languishing and he will make all their beds in their sicknesse The third meanes of Gods presence is the ministerie of his good Angells whom he hath appointed as keepers and nurses for his seruants Psal 91.11 12. to hold them vp and to beare them in their armes as nurses doe their young infants and babes and to be as a strong guard vnto them against the diuell and his wicked Angels And all this is obserued especially in the time of sicknes at which time the holy Angells are not onely present with the children of God to succor theÌ„ but they are ready aâ—so to receiue their soules at their last gaspe and carry them into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16.22 And thus much of the first dutie of a sicke man and the meanes to arme him against the feare of Death Now followeth the second dutie concerning the body and that is that all sick persons must be carefull to preserue health and life till God doe wholy take it away Therefore we must referre our life and our death to the goodwill and pleasure of the Lord. And touching this temporall life it is a pretious iewell and as the common saying is life is very sweete being giuen to man to this end that he might haue some space of time wherein he might prepare himselfe for his happie end and vse all good meanes to attaine vnto eternall life In the preseruation of life two things must be considered the meanes and the right vse of the meanes The meanes is good and wholesome physick which must be esteemed as an ordinance and blessing of God We read that King Asa is blamed for seeking to the Physitians in the extremitie of his sicknes 2 Cor. 16.12 Whereupon a question may rise whether it be lawfull when necessitie of sicknes constraineth to fly to the remedies of Physick whereunto the answere is easie Asa is not here blamed for seeking the ordinary meanes of physick but because he sought not the Lord in his disease but onely to the Physitians Iam 5.14 Is any sicke amongst you saith Saint Iames let him call for the elders of the Chu ch and let them pray ouer him and that is in the very first place bfore all other helpe be sought Whâ—re the diuine ends thâ—re the Physitian must begin and it is a very preposterous course that the Diuine should there begin where the Physitian makes an end for vntill helpe be had for the soule and sinne which is the roote of sicknesse be cured Physick for the body is nothing worth therefore it is a thing much to be misliked that in all places almost the Physitian is first sent for and comes in the beginning of the sicknes the Minister coÌ„es when a man is halfe dead and is then sent for oftentimes when the sick partie lyes drawing on and gasping for breath as though Ministers of the Gospell in these dayes were able to worke miracles The art of Physick therefore nor the Physitian is here disallowed but ouer much confidence in Physick and in the Physitian without relying vpon God the soueraigne Physitian without whose blessing no Physick nor potion can be auaileable to the curing of any maladie or disease neither can the Physitian any wayes profit the sick and diseased patient except the Lord in mercy giueth a powerfull working and operation to the medicine against the disease to predominate ouer it for the curing of the same The doctrine then from hence is that the helps of physick are not to be despised not too much to be depended on but our chiefest hope is to bee fixed vpon God who as hee onely puts the soule into the body so he onely can take it away againe when it pleaseth him Yea these ordinary meanes which God hath appoynted are not to be contemned or neglected lest we seeme thereby to tempt God especially in dangerous diseases Eccle. 38.1.2.3.4.56.78.9.12.13.14 Hereof Iesus the son of Sirach saith Honor a Physitian with the honor due vnto him for the vses which you may haue of him for the Lord created him for of the most high commeth healing and he shall receiue honor of the King the skill of the Physitian shall lift vp his head and in the sight of great men he shall be in admiration The Lord hath created medicines out of the earth and he that is wise will not abhorre them Was not the water made sweete with wood that the vertue thereof might be knowne and he hath giuen men skill that he might be honored in his meruellous workes With such doth he heale men and taketh away their paines of such doth the Apothecary make a confection and of his workes there is no end and from him is peace ouer all the earth My sonne in thy sicknes be not negligent but pray vnto the Lord he will make thee whole then giue place to the Physitian for the Lord hath created him let him not goe from thee for thou hast neede of him There is a time when in their hands there is good successe for they shall also pray vnto the Lord that he would prosper that which they giue for ease remedy to prolong life And hereof also Iesus the son of God saith they that bee whole neede not the Physitian but they that are sicke which speach of our blessed Sauiour commendeth that art Matth. 9.12 and the good seruice done thereby This commendaâ—ion aâ—so the Prince of Poets giueth to the Physitian The Physitian alone saith hee is to be equalled with many other in honor Gen. 17.12 Againe whereas God did not command circumcision of children before the eight day hee followed a rule of physick obserued in all ages that the life of the childe is very vncertaine till the first seuen dayes be expired And vpon the very same ground the Heathen men vsed not to name their children before the eight day 2. Sam. 12.18 And that Physiâ—k may be wel applied to the maintenance of health speciall care must be had for the choosing of such Physitians as are knowne to be well learned and men of experience as also of a good conscience of sound religion in the profession of the Gospell of Christ and of vpright life and conuersation Now touching the manner of vsing the means these rules must be followed First of all he that is to take physick must not onely prepare his bodie as Physitians doe commonly prescribe but he must also prepare his soule by humbling himselfe vnder the mercifull hand of God in his sicknesse for his sinnes and making earnest prayers vnto him for pardon before any medicine come in his body The second rule is 1. Tim. 4.5 that when wee haue prepared our selues and are about to vse the physick we must sanctifie it as wee doe our meate and drinke by the word of God and prayer The
third rule is that wee must carry in minde the right and proper end of Physicke lest we deceiue our selues We must not therefore thinke that Physicke serueth to preuent old age or death it selfe for that is impossible neither doe we eate drinke and sleepe that we may neuer die but that we may prolong our lâ—fe for a few dayes and to spend those dayes in the seruice of God preparing our selues to die For life câ—nsists in a certaine temperature and proportion of naturall heate and radicall moisture which moisture being once consumed by the heate is not by all arte reparable and therefore Death must needs follow But the true end of physicke is to continue and lengthen our life to his full natural period which is when nature which hath beene long preserued by aâ—l possible meanes is now wholly spent Now this period though it cannot be lengthened by any art of man yet may it easily be shortened by intemperance in dyet by gluttony by drunkennesse by violent diseases and such like But care must be had to auoide all these euils and the like that the little lampe of corporall life may burne till it goe out of it selfe by Gods appoyntment and vntill God hath fulfilled the number of our dayes Exod. 23.26 And this very space of time is the day of grace and saluation And whereas God in his iustice might haue cut vs off and vtterly destroyed vs long before this day yet in his great mercie he doth giue vs thus much time that we might prepare our selues for our end Which time when it is once spent which may be neerer then we are aware if a man would redeeme it with the price of ten thousand worlds Mat. 16.26 it caÌ„not be obtained For what is a man profited saith our Sauiour if he shall gaine the whole world and lose his soule And hauing thus seene what bee the duties of the sicke man to himselfe now let vs see what be the duties which he oweth to his neighbour And they are two First the dutie of reconciliation whereby hee is freely to forgiue all men and to desire to bee forgiuen by all In the old Testament when a man was to offer a Bullocke or a Lambe in sacrifice to God Matth. 5.23.24 He must leaue his offering at the Altar and first goe and be reconciled to his brother if he had ought against him and then come and offer his gift much more then must this bee done when wee are dying to offer vp our selues soules and bodies as an acceptable and reasonable seruice and sacrifice to God in forgiuing of all men And if the partie bee absent or will not bee reconciled yet the sicke partie by forgiuing hath discharged his owne conscience and God will accept his will for the deede in such a case For if yee forgiue men their trespasses saith our Sauiour your heauenly Father will also forgiue you Matth. 6.14.15 but if yee forgiue not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgiue you The second dutie is that those which are Rulers and Gouernours of others must haue great care that they which be committed to their charge and gouernment may be left in good estate after their death wherein are three duties to be handled the first of the Magistrate the second of the Minister of the Gospell and the third of the Master or Gouernour of the family The Magistrates dutie before his death is to prouide as farre forth as he can for the godly and peaceable state and gouernment of all such as are vnder his charge and gouernment and that is done partly by procuring the maintenance of pietie godlinesse and sound religion and partly by establishing of good and wholesome lawes for their safetie peace and quietnesse Whereof there are examples of the practise of these duties in Gods word Deut. 31.1 When Moses was an hundred and twentie yeeres old and was not longer able to goe in and out before the people he called them before him and signified that the time of his departure was at hand and therefore he tooke order for their welfare after his death And first of all hee placed Iosua ouer them in his stead to be their guide to the promised Land Secondly he gaue speciall charge to all the people to be valiant and couragious against all their enemies and to obey the Commandements of their God And Ioshua followes the same course Ioshua 24.1 for he called the people together and telles them that the time of his death is at hand and giues them a charge to bee couragious and to worshippe the true God which being done he ends his dayes as a worthy Captaine of the Lord. And so when King Dauid was to go the way of all flesh 2. King 1.1 and lay sicke on his death-bed he placed his owne sonne Salomon vpon his throne and gaue him charge both for the maintenance of true religion and for the execution of ciuill iustice Touching the dutie of Ministers of the Gospell when they are going out of the world they must cast about and prouide as much as in them lies that the Church of God ouer which God hath made them ouerseers may flourish after they are gone An example whereof we haue in Saint Paul Take heede therefore saith he vnto your selues Acts 20.28.29.30.31 and to all the flocke ouer which the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers to feed the Church of God which hee hath purchased with his owne bloud For I know this that after my departure shall grieuous wolues enter in amongst you not sparing the flocke Also of your owne selues shall men arise speaking peruerse things to draw away disciples after them Therefore watch and remember that by the space of three yeeres I ceased not to warne euery one night and day with teares If this dutie had been well obserued and performed there could not haue beene such abundance of errors and heresies in the Church of God as hath beene and are at this day But because men haue had more care to maintaine personall succession then the right succession which stands and consists in the wholesome word and doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles therefore Wolues and vnprofitable teachers haue come into the places and roomes of faithfull and painfull Pastors and teachers not sparing the flocke of Christ but haue made hauocke of the same the Apostacie whereof hath ouerspread the face of the Church Thirdly housholders and masters of families must haue great care to set their houshold and family in good order before they die Which dutie the Lord himselfe by his Prophet Esay doth command that good King Ezechiah to performe Isa 38.1 Thus saith the Lord set thy house in order for thou shalt die and not liue And for the procuring good order in the family after death two things are to be done The first concerning this life and that is touching the ordering and disposing of lands and goods And that
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