prolonged or finished For say that a man had in his keeping sundrie britle vessels as of glasse or stone some made fortie fiftie or threescore yeeres agoe and some but yesterday We will agree that the vessell will soonest be broken not that is made first but which is first striken or first receiueth a knocke So for these brittle vessels of our earthly bodies they that soonest receiue the blow of death though but made yesterday first perish not that were first made and haue longest liued What then is our life and how vaine and false is our hope of long life seeing no man can tell who he is that shall receiue the first stroke or knocke to the destroying of this his mortall tabernacle In a prison where are many condemned should some riot and forget death because they are not first drawne out to die or because one goes before another to execution Shall he that commeth last 1. Sam. 15.32 come forth pleasantly with Agag and say Surely the bitternesse of death is past because we die not so soone as others And we shall not all die at once shall we therefore count our selues immortall If wee bee old wee may be sure our turne is neere and if we be yong it may be as neere for they that are old may trauell long but they that are yong may haue a shorter way home For the short liuer runneth his race no faster then hee that liueth long both runne alike both make speed alike the difference is the first hath not so farre to runne as the latter It is one thing to runne further another thing to runne faster Hee that liues long runneth further but not a moment faster Euery man hasteneth to death alike though one haue a lesse way to goe then another Death is come vp saith the Prophet into our windowes Ier. 9.21 and is entred into our Pallaces to cut off the children from without and the yong men from the streetes Seeing then this hope of liuing till we be old is so vaine and deceitfull wee should make as great hast to God at twentie as at fourescore When we heare a solemne knell we say some body is departed Acts 5.9 and why should not we thinke that the feete of them who caried out that bodie is at the doore readie to carry vs out also He was not an old man and had much peace in his daies to whom it was said Luke 12.20 O foole this night they will fetch away thy soule so death worketh in vs whether we will or not Againe the strong constitution in a yong man perswadeth him that hee shall liue long but no constitution in a man can enlarge his charter of life one poore houre Indeed the good complexion of a man may be a signe of long life Exod. 20.12 but he that prolongeth our dayes on earth he only can make vs to liue long Againe the strength and beautie of youth maketh him beleeue that he hath many yeeres yet to liue Therefore the Wiseman saith Prou. 20.29 that the glory of yong men is their strength but how soone is this blighted strucken as the faire flower of grasse with an East-winde For beautie and strength is but a flower which if some sicknesse strike not suddenly yet the Autumne of ripe yeares impaireth and the winter of olde age killeth And what careth death which is indifferent to all for a faire strong and goodly complexion Is not a beautifull face as mortall as a foule hue The like may be spoken of health and stature of bodie for what are they and of what time In their owne nature they are fickle things and without good vse crosses For touching health the devouring vulture of sicknesse doth after some short time wast it to nothing Strength is common to vs with beasts and there are many beasts exceede vs in strength And for our comely stature it may as soone be brought downe to death and as deepely bee buried in the coffin of the earth as one of a meaner size And further if men haue not vsed these to Gods glory but to pride and vaine-glorie nor haue made them helpes to godlinesse but haue giuen them their head to sinne it will be said after death of such that a beautifull person a strong yong man a goodly tall fellow and one that neuer knew what sicknesse meant is gone to hell Therefore of beauty and her attendants as strength health and a goodly stature that may be spoken which vsually is spoken of fire and water that they are good seruants but ill Masters where they are ruled they doe good seruice but where they ouer-rule they make foule worke Or is it for the greatnes But that cannot priuiledge thee from death for Solomon who in wisdome excelled all other men who in riches exceeded euery man who in power as mighty as any man and who in birth was surpassed by no man who for his wisdome was admired of all for his riches beloued of all and for his power feared of all and honored of all for his birth euen he I say could not refraine to confesse for all his wisdome which was angelicall for all his riches which were innumerable for all his power so maiesticall and for all his birth so regall Wis 7.1 2.3.4 5.6 He I say could not chuse but cry out and say I my selfe am a mortall man like to all and the ofspring of him that was first made of the earth and in my mothers wombe was fashioned to be flesh in the time of ten months being compacted in blood of the seede of man and the pleasure that came with sleepe And when I was borne I drew in the common ayre and fell vpon the earth which is of like nature and the first voyce which I vttered was crying as all others doe I was nursed in swadling cloathes and that with care If then Salamon who was begotten by a King and borne to be a King and one whose liuing and conuersation before he fell to Idolatry seemed rather diuine then humane if he I say were subiect to such imbecillity and had no more fauour shewed him by nature then so to what misery and imbecility then should all wee be subiect or what may wee say that are made of a baser stuffe fashioned in worse mould and more obscurely and poorely brought into the world For as much weaknes and feeblenesse in birth by nature is incident to a Prince as to a peasant For sayth Salomon in the same place there is no King that had any other beginning of birth for all men haue one entrance into life and the like going out Iob 31.15 Did not he that made me in the wombe saith Iob make him and did not one fashion vs in the wombe A certaine man desired to see Constantine the great whome intentiuely beholding he cryed out I thought Constantine had bene some great thing but now I see he is nothing but a man Constantine
miseries incident to the seueral ages of man are from the first comming vp vpon the stage of this world to the last act of going downe Eccles 1.14 in al parts of the life full of vanitie and vexation of spirit For the first entrance is our infancie when wee are in our nurses armes and doth not that begin with teares and feares And is not all that time vnhappie sauing that we want reason that is the vse thereof to apprehend that happinesse When we come out of our nurses armes to goe in their hands or to goe by our selues in our next age doe we not weepe long vnder the rod falling into the subiection of a teacher Amongst the ancient Romanes this was their manner and custome for their youth They let their children suck vntill they were two yeers old till they were foure yeeres old they let them play till sixe they taught them to reade till eight to write till ten they learne the Grammer When a boy was once ten yeeres old he was set straight way to some good trade and occupation or else sent to the warres which was a thing the Romanes gloried in most to bee good souldiers In all which ages they sustained great miseries being all this time vnder Tutors and Gouernours When we come out of the prison of boyes and girles and are set at some more libertie in a yong mans life are wee not tossed as vpon a sea of vnquietnesse sailing betweene reason and passion as between two contrary waters and crosse winds Then commeth perfect age or mans age and what haue wee heere but blastes and stormes of greater vnrest then in any age before From one trauaile we passe to another neuer ending but changing our miseries And when we come to old age and haue liued so long that we are come to dotage is there any thing in these ages exempt from miserie and trauaile that is vnder the Sunne Surely our infirmities do then come vpon vs in multitudes yea so loade vs with their waight and number that they make vs to bowe and goe double vnder them vnto the earth And can there be any comfort in these diseases as I may call them and dayes of euill wherein doe meete and flocke together so many vultures of life the weakenesse of infancie the seruitude of childehood the sicknesse of youth the cares of mans age All which come againe and come all together as many stormes vpon one poore old ruinous house that is sore shaken alreadie by death violently to ouerthrow it for euer Heere the excesse and ryot of youth is exercised with gouts palsies and sundrie fearefull aches the watching and cares of manhood are punished with losse of sight of hearing and of sence except the sence of paine There is no part of man which death in that age of yeares doth not take in hope to be assured of him as of a bad pay-master which greatly feareth and would gladly put off his dayes of payment And therefore it bringeth him low in all parts that he may haue power in none to auoid his Creditor and end so neere And touching the miseries incident to the seuerall ages of man the Prophet Ieremie crieth out How is it that I came out of the wombe to see labour and sorrow Ier. 20.18 that my dayes should be consumed with shame How much more cause haue we miserable creatures to crie out of our calamities and miseries who were conceiued and borne in sinne seeing the Prophet complained so much 51.5 Ier. 1.5 being sanctified in his mothers wombe O vaine miserable and vnhappie men before we sinne we are straite fastened to sinne and before we can offend wee are fast bound with offence Consider O man from whence thou camest blush whither thou goest and feare where thou liuest We are begotten in vncleannesse brought foorth with paines and throwes and nourished in darknesse Wee begin our tragedie with nakednesse and weeping we continue with paine and vexation and take our farewell with sorrow and miserie Our beginning is lamentable our continuance wretched and our departure grieuous The whole life of man is beset and incountred with three capitall enemies Paine Care and Sorrow Paine pincheth vs Care consumeth vs and Sorrow endeth vs. There is no age of man free from affliction calamitie and miserie And to begin againe with the miseries of infancie behold in his birth intollerable is his mothers paine and infinite are the infants calamities who commeth into the world crying and weeping poore and naked weake and miserable without speech without knowledge or strength no sooner is the babe borne but straight is hee bound hand and foote and cast into a cradle as into a prison prefiguring the seruitude hee is to suffer In his childhood he beginneth to warre with the lacke of reason and to fight against his owne folly not knowing what hee is where hee is whence nor for what hee came into the world Now must he be kept vnder the feare of the rod and learne some Liberall Science or some Mechanicall Arte or Trade whereby to maintaine his fraile life hereafter if hee continue it Then commeth youth rash head-strong voluptuous ventrous foolish prodigall passionate In this age he commeth into great dangers fighting against the desires of the flesh against fond affections and vaine imaginations which cause the minde to wauer and bee inconstant and to bee carried away with sundrie phantasies In this age hee becommeth a drunkard a gamester a quarreller a loose liuer and oftentimes to be cast into prison to bee hanged and to lose all that hee hath and to be a great griefe vnto his parents Gen. 42.38 in causing them thereby to end their dayes in sorrow in the sence and feeling whereof the Prophet crieth vnto God saying Psal 25.7 Remember not the sinnes of my youth Afterward as he hath to encounter with manhood to which age is incident the charge of wife children the maintenance of family and care of posterity He that is maried saith the Apostle careth for the things that are of the world 1. Cor. 7.33 how he may please his wife Sometimes he is besieged with a desire and carking care and couetousnesse somtime with feare to lose his goods and other infinite such vanities and afflictions Then lastly commeth old age stealing on vnperceiued yea gray haires saith the Prophet are heere and there vpon him Hos 7.9 Ioel 1.2 yet hee knoweth it not In this age man receiues many incurable wounds as baldnesse bleared eyes deafe cares wrinckled browes stinking breath trembling hands faint spirits leane cheekes corruption of stomacke with like miseries innumerable which neuer leaue to wound the bodie disquiet the minde and torment the conscience And thus are wee tossed all the dayes of our life with griefe compassed with cares and ouerwhelmed with miseries and calamities And therefore Plato well obserued that a man is Arbor inuersa a tree turned vpward his haire of his head the root the
left being obedient It was neuer beautifull and cheerefull since it waxed old in youth through manifold attaxes and disorders and at this day lyes bedrid waiting for the comming of the Son of God And we full well know and are taught by the reading of the Scripture and also by experience that men are not so long liued nor of that goodly tall proportion or strong constitution of bodie as in former ages For the world as a voice out of a bush telleth Esdras 2. Esdr 14.14 hath lost his youth and the times beginne to waxe old and we are borne weaker and more feeble then all creatures and had we not some body to receiue vs when we come into the world woe were it with vs wee might make a short and wofull stay or tragedie to bee borne to weepe to die We haue no cause to perswade vs that this is the golden age but rather that according to the dreame of Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 2. The golden head the siluer breasts the brasen thighes are long since past and wee now liue in the time of the Iron legges the feete whereof are partly yron partly clay In the fortunate Islands beyond the Atlantick seas in the vttermost borders of Ethiopia where the people that liue there are called Macrobij for their long life a man perhaps may liue a long life but what countrey may bee found where a man may auoid the sickle of Death Hence it was that Hormisda did answere the Emperour Constantine demaunding him of the bewtie of Rome stately buildings goodly Statues and sumptuous Temples if he thought that in all the world were any such Citie Surely saith Hormisda there is indeede none comparable vnto it yet hath it one thing saith hee common to all other Cities for men die heere as they die in all other places And what doth it profite to liue long and wickedly and die at length It were better like Cadmus progeny to die the same houre wee were borne What Duellum is this betweene death and nature And if God should not suffer vs to die alas what a miserable life would this be when we come to be old and full of sorrowes Eccle. 11.1 aches sicknesses diseases and griefes When our sences are gone and we haue no pleasure in any thing And when as the Psalmist saith Psal 90.10 our life is but a labour and a sorrow In which age we had need if we haue our sences then to pray hartily to the Lord. Psal 71.9.18 Cast me not off in the time of old age forsake me not when my strength faileth me And also When I am old and gray headed O God forsake me not And alas if we should not then die we would wish to die and say it were better a thousand times to die then to liue For death saith Iesus the sonne of Syrach is better then a better life Eccle. 30.17 or continuall sicknesse And therefore we reade of a certaine Islâ—nd where they liue so long that they are faine to bee carried out thence that they might die And God hath prouided wonderous well for mankind that whereas any man may take our life from vs yet there is none that can take Death from vs who can stoppe the winde that it blow not Who can hinder death that it come not If Iacob counted his time but short Gen. 47.9 hauing already liued an hundred and thirty yeeres what reckoning may we make of our time which is farre shorter Gen. 5.5.27 In the time before the Floud the age of man was great Adam liued nine hundred and thirtie yeeres Noah nine hundred and fiftie Gen. 9.29 Methusalem nine hundred sixtie nine yeeres but after the Floud in Terahs dayes who was father to Abraham Gen. 11.32 Gen. 25.7 Deut. 34.7 Iosh 24.29 the age of man was a great deale shortned from nine hundred brought downe to two hundred and twentie and vnder For Terah liued two hundred and fiue yeeres Abraham his sonne not so long one hundred seuentie fiue yeeres Iacob in his time brought it to a shorter account one hundred and thirty Moses 120. and Ioshua one hundred and ten yeeres And yet are wee not truely said to liue any one of these yeeres vnlesse it be religiously and holily in Christ as a certaine worthie souldier seruing in the warres a long time vnder Adrian the Emperour yet in the end returned to his house and liued Christs souldier where and in which manner after he had liued seuen yeares he departed this life and being readie to die commanded that it should be written on his tombe Heere lyeth Similis for so was his name who was a man many yeeres and liued but seuen accounting that he liued no longer then he liued a Christian How many spend their daies in war after the flesh vnder the Emperour of the Ayre not vnder Adrian who yet I cannot say for seuen yeeres I would I could truely say seuen daies or seuen houres before their death cast away these weapons of sinne that it might be written vpon their grauestone for their Epitaph that seuen dayes or seuen houres before their last houre they not only had a being but a life in the world and not onely were but also liued Therefore it is our duetie to liue well that at the day of death we may speede well and to liue well should be the delight and sweete perfume of euery Christian Thus liue well that thou mayest die well and after death eternally speed well Psal 90.12 Yea So teach vs to number our daies saith the Prophet that we may apply our hearts vnto wisdome Where we are to obserue that he speaketh heere not of weekes or moneths or yeeres but of daies noting thereby the shortnesse of our life in this word Daies And the same phrase is vsed of all the holy men of God vpon the like occasion Iacob being asked by Pharaoh how old he was Gen. 47.8.9 tould him That few and euill were the dayes of his pilgrimage speaking of the time to note the shortnesse of the time or of his life he names not yeeres but daies and speaking of the toyles and troubles of life he calles it a pilgrimage as to be euery day hastely iourneying towards our end Iob 9.25.26 Iob 14.14 Iob in like manner numbring his dayes My dayes saith he are more swift then a post and swifter then the ships And againe he saith All the daies of my appointed time will I waite till my change come The time of Iobs attending or waiting on God for his helpe is the whole terme or acte of his life which he calleth not yeeres but dayes so hee measureth his short time by the inch of dayes rather then by the span of moneths or long ell of yeeres teaching thereby that the dayes of man are few and his life short vpon earth Our Sauiour Christ teaching vs to pray Matth. 6.11 bids vs to pray thus Giue vs this day our
mee and rise with mee and lyeth all day in my bosome these things considered what comfort can I haue in death dying in such a case Answ Still be patient I pray you and drinke often of the Lords Fountaine some sweete water to refresh you in this case I know this you speake of is a very great griefe and biteth the heart and that euen this maketh many a man and woman more loath to die then otherwise they would bee and because diuers men haue diuers means to rid their debts by some by leases liuings in reuertions some by discharging euery yeere a portion by such helpes as alreadie they enioy euery man wisheth as his case is some to liue till those leases and reuertions come to them and theirs till they may by such yeerely parcels acquit the whole and so forth euery one wisheth life trembling and shaking to thinke on death till these things be so To all which mindes thus grieued and pinched I say this you cannot commit your wife and children into the hands of a more faithfull guardian and ouerseer then God is for he will take them into his charge and protection And therefore hearken and giue eare what the Spirit of comfort speaketh with great comfort in the first Epistle of Saint Peter 1. Pet. 5.6.7 Humble your selues therefore vnder the mightie hand of God that hee may exalt you in due time cast all your care vpon him for he careth for you As if he should say I know your woe and carefull thoughts bee not discouraged nor faint in feare vnder the Crosse you haue care in your heart cast it vpon mee and I will discharge it what you cannot I can and of my will be assured I doe care for you O my God what sayeth thou Dost thou care for me and shall I remoue it from my selfe to thy Maiestie and lay it all vpon thee So indeed thou speakest mine eyes see and mine eares heare Why then will I indeed both beleeue and doe most deare Father heere grouelling in the dust before thee humble my soule and blesse and praise thee for easing me of so grieuous a burden my care be hereafter my sweet God cast wholly vpon thee and as thou hast spoken so do for mee and mine I hunbly beseech thee for Iesus Christ his sake Consider the Rauens saith our Sauiour Christ Luk. 12.24.27.28.29 how they neither sow nor reape which haue neither store-house nor barne and yet God feedeth them Psal 147.9 Hee giues to the beast his food saith the Psalmist and to the yong Rauens which crie Psal 104.27 These waite all vpon thee that thou mayest giue them their meat in due season How much more saith our Sauiour are yee better then beasts or fowles Math. 6.26 Consider also saith our Sauiour of the lyllies of the field how they grow they neither labour nor spinne and yet Salomon himselfe in all his royalty was not cloathed like one of these c. What concludeth then our Sauiour there Surely euen this your heauenly Father knoweth that you haue need of all these things As if he should say let this stay and strengthen you and satisfie and content you euermore that God yea God your heauenly Father knoweth your case what you and yours from time to time and euer are in need of O strange and strong comfort drawne from Gods mercie loue and knowledge how ouerwhelmeth it all that euer fearefull and distrustfull man can obiect Gen. 32.10 I am vnworthy it is true for so wee must acknowledge with the Patriarch Iacob that wee are not worthy of the least of all Gods mercies My debts be great be it so that they are ten thousand talents the Creditors are very cruell and mercilesse yea so cruell as that mercilesse Creditor which our Sauiour Christ speaketh of in the Gospell Mat. 18.28,29,30 Psal 88.18 my selfe void of friends and the like Be it so that all thy louers friends and acquaintance are put farre from thee as the Prophet Dauid complaineth in the Psalme yea let al thy brethren hate thee as Ioseph was of his brethren Prou. 19.7 let all thy friends goe farre from thee and be wanting vnto thee as it is in the Prouerbs or whatsoeuer else it bee put it all off with this saith our blessed Sauiour that your heauenly Father knoweth the same and despaire you of helpe when hee faileth to know and not before I charge you but take it at my hands as a sequele sure he knoweth and therefore he will prouide in fit time for all things and his care shall doe what yours neuer can Psal 10.14 Psal 68.5 both for you and yours if you commit it vnto him It is God which calles himselfe the Father of Orphans and defender of the Widowes commmend them therefore to his patronage and defence Euer in such griefes as these are we should remember the promise of the Lord which hee made to Abraham and to his seed Gen. 17.7 And I will establish my couenant betweene thee and me and thy seed after thee in their generations for an euerlasting couenant to be a God vnto thee and to thy seed after thee All soules are mine saith the Lord both the soule of the father and of the sonne are mine God which is thy God Ezech. 18.4 will also be the God of thy seed thy children are not only thine but also Gods yea more Gods then thine therefore doubt not of the fatherly care of God towards them The Prophet of the Lord doth testifie that hee hath beene yong and also old yet neuer did he see the righteous forsaken Psal 37.25 or his seede to beg their bread not meaning that it was impossible that the childe of a righteous man should go a begging but that it is a thing very rare and that he was now fourescore years old yet did he in all his life neuer see it and so haue many men liued till they haue beene of great yeares and yet seldome or not at all haue they seene any such thing come to passe And againe he saith Psal 112.2 The seed of the righteous shall bee mightie vpon earth the generation of the vpright shall be blessed God hath promised to thy children the heauenly treasures he will not suffer them to perish for hunger hee hath giuen them life and will not deny them maintenance for life he hath giuen them a body which he hath wonderfully framed he will also kindly sustaine hee will neuer forsake his owne nor giue ouer to nourish them whom hee hath created and hitherto by our selues through his blessing prouided for Therefore feare not at Death for if he take you away he will giue some other good meanes to performe his promise by He is your God and their God after you and will not faile them for he hath said it I will neuer leaue thee Heb. 13.5 nor forsake thee In the very matter we speake of see the