of God in Christ Iesus by whom the guilt of sinne and the condemnation of the law together with the sting of death is qualified and in a sort done away leauing indeed no more to do nor to say against such as can take hold of his promises but onely the perishing and destroying of that body so naturally subiect to sinne According as Paule proclaimed in a most comfortable manner in these words Death went ouer all men Rom. 5.11 in as much as all men haue sinned as if he had said Such was the infinite mercie of God and yet mingled with his iustice that he would lay no more to the charge of his chosen then he must needes by the open rules of religion reuealed word Moses in his defence to the people of Israel concerning that open rebellion of Corah and his company speakes most diuinely and most plainely of this kinde of death in these words Numb 16.29 to 36. If these men die the common death of all men or if these be visited with the generall visitation of all men then the Lord hath not sent me As if he had said There is a sort or kind of death which is naturall which is vsuall and which is rightly appertayning vnto the nature of mankinde and that which most commonly falles out vpon good and reasonable deliberation vpō orderly disposing of worldly affaires vpō due bequeathing of the body to be buried This naturall death which he calles the common death and the general visitation of all men Iob saith it is as a ricke of corne Iob. 5.26 which comes into the barne in due time As if he had said This is the death indeede that is full of maturitie and seasonablenesse lo thus we haue inquired of it and so it is Againe he saith to the same effect Iob. 34.14.15 As a rush cannot grow without mire and as grasse without water can grow no longer but withereth though it be not cut euen so man by nature liueth vntill nature be quite worne and wholly extinguished and then dieth though he were not touched nor medled withall in any sort which death is nothing so nor so as the penall The man of God intimating such a kinde of death said to Hezckiah King of Iudah Esai 38.1 Thou shalt not die with the sword but thou shalt die in peace To wit thou shalt not die the penall death which is terrible and painefull nor an vnwonted death but the common death the generall visitation of all men to wit the naturall death This naturall death which is also called the common death and the generall visitation of all men hath by the reuealed word of God foure other inferior sorts or kinds of death whereof I must dispose for methods sake after this manner 1. Some do die In their old age 2. Some do die In their nonage 3. Some do die Languishingly 4. Some do die Suddenly The first reason why some liue long Is drawne from the singular fauor of almightie God in granting vnto some one amongst many that which in his heart he specially desireth For amongst all things that man specially desireth there are principally these two to wit health and wealth For wealth a man will bestow all his wits all his indeuor all his labour all his friends and whatsoeuer else he possibly can deuise but for health and that he may liue long he will bestow all his wealth that was so industriously so laboriously gotten and be contented to be counted a foole yea a forlorne wretch and to be indeede a begger at euerie mans doore all the dayes of his life To be breefe as chastity is a singular gift of God to one amongst ten thousand so long life is a singular guift of God to one amongst ten thousand Salomon therefore said Pro. 16.31 Old age is a crowne of glorie wherein are two goodly and godly respects one is that a man may the better the more abundantly gather riches by looking more respectiuely into the workes of God and the end of his creation For the longer a man lines in a reasonable kind of husbandrie the more his gaine and getting must needes be Although his reuenewes be but small yet if he get and spare here a litle and there a litle in continuance of time according to the old prouerbe Many a little makes a mickle following the example of that little poore pismire who according to her small strength and yet being diligent Pro. 6.6 hath against winter a great heape of prouision and being also prouidident she painefully nibleth the heads of euery graine lest they should grow and so her labor lost The Maiestie of God to set forth his renewed loue towards Iudah and Ierusalem said thus Zach. 8.4 Their men shall liue so long as that they shall go by a staffe As there is no commandement that hath any promise but the honouring of parents so there is no such reward pleasing to any man as to liue long therefore God made promise thereof to thē that keepe his commandement What temporal blessing did the Lord bestow on Dauid 1 King 3.14 for a reward who was a man according to his owne heart but long life as the holy Ghost testifieth he liued so long that he could liue no longer 1 King 1.1 nature was quite extinguished in him This was also a reward specially bestowed vpon the ten holy Fathers Gen. 5.1 to the end before the floud Thus shall men be enabled with their hands to performe the desire of their hearts in contributing vnto the necessitie of the Saints Abraham also had for his temporarie blessing Deut. 31.2 an hundred and twenty yeares life euen in his old age he was carefull to fulfill the worke of the Lord so long as he said that he could go no more out and in Length of life Deut. 11.9 saith Moses is a reward for keeping of Gods cōmandements they then that keepe not Gods commandements shall be guilty of Gods iudgmēts for the same and also for the time which they haue mis-spent The other speciall and most principall respect of long life is that such men might also gather spirituall riches For as by little and little men come to be stored with the things of this world specially if it be long continued euen so by the continuall keeping of the Sabboth by the often reading and hearing of Gods word by vsual praiers by often reiterating with thankefulnes the mercies of God such like men may grow increase most richly and abundantly in the things that concernes a better life If the increase be but as Esai the Prophet saith here a line and there a line Esai 28.10 to wit a little at one time and a little at another either gotten or saued To which purpose Iob saith Iob. 12.12 In length of dayes there is wisdome and amongst the ancient there is vnderstanding Therefore the holy man Dauid all his life long
liue so long as he can The answer or reason is fourefold The first reason thereof is to declare that he is the principall maister of times and according to his diuine presciēce he is an exact performer of promises through all ages of the world He obserues the time when a man comes into the world and when he goeth out of the world The Maiestie of this eternall God considerately and renownedly beginneth samous actions and ends them memorably by periods places full of weighty consideration accounting vpō the yeares of holy men Gen. 5. Gen. 1. to Gen. 7. Gen. 8 to Gen. 12. Gen. 12. to Exod. 19. Exo. 12. to Ios 1. Ios 1. to Iudg. 1. Iudg. 1. to 1 Sam. 1. 1 Sam. 1. to Nehe. 1. Nehe. Esra Hester Daniel As by the liues and deathes of the first ten holy Fathers how many yeares there was from the creatiō to the floud viz. 1656 yeares From the floud to the promise made to Abraham 427. yeares From the promise to the giuing of the law 430 yeares From their going out of Egypt to their entrance into Canaan 40. yeares From their entrance into Canaan to their quiet possession 7. yeares From thence to Saul the first King 450. yeares Thence to their captiuity in Babylon 490 yeares From their captiuity to their restoring againe to build the Temple at Ierusalē 70. yeares From thence to their generall libertie by Christ Iesus 490 yeares Almighty God is so seuere and so soueraigne an obseruer of time for the beginning ending of all famous actions and specially the coming of mā into the world and his going out that he standeth vpon the performance of his word and promise euen to a day Moses speaking of the Egyptian captiuity said Exo. 12.41 that whē the 430. yeares were expired euen the selfesame day departed all the hoast of the Lord out of Egypt Yea and farther his Maiestie obserues the verie name of the day in which he doth performe his word and promise as he speaketh plainely by his Prophet Eze. 14.1.2 Sonne of man saith he write the name of the day euen of this same day for the King of Babell set himselfe against Ierusalem the selfesame day So God ordereth all things in measure Wisd 11.17 in mumber and weight The second tenne holy Fathers in whom it pleased God to multiplie a new Church after the floud Gen. 11.10 to the end are exactly accounted by euerie full yeare in which they liued according to the determinate will of God and that for diuers causes but specially to declare that the life of man is not at randome nor at rouers And here also obserue that at the floud the ages of men were halfed as may appeare by the ages of those holy men who liued not aboue halfe so long as they liued before the floud Againe the fame age was halfed at the building of Babel againe it was halfed vpon the going of Israel out of Egypt And at euery of these ages his holy Maiesty had a speciall hand that neither the one nor the other good nor bad should haue either more or lesse then was in his will As of these holy men before and immediatly after the flood so withall God computates the ages verie directly of all and euerie of the twelue Patriarchs Gen. 49.50 also how long euery Iudge of Israel hued and how long euerie oppressor was to liue He also kept a register and did diumely chronolize the age of euerie king and how long he did reigne in Israel and in Iuda as may be sound in euerie of their stories Dan. 1.2.3.4.5 The seuentie yeares captiuitie was ended exactly vpon the particular death of three kings to wit Nebucadnezzar who liued 45. yeares Euilmerodech who liued 22. yeares and Baltashar who liued three yeares neither one day more nor one day lesse The second answer or reason concerning the timelinesse of death to wit why God hath so exactly determined it It is to set foorth the incomprehensiblenesse of Gods wisedome and prouidence in that he doth gouerne all the generation of mankind throughout the world as one common weale or as one priuate family or as if it were one particular person registring and chronolizing euerie man by his name by the place of his habitation by the manner of his conuersation and by the time specially of his departure out of this life as a wise maister of a familie taking in some letting others forth So did Ahashuerus the king of Persia put forth Vasthi Hest 1.19 and tooke in Hester so doth the Maiestie of God in due time take in some into the world and lets others depart 1. King 10. 1. to 11. The Queene of Sheba hearing of the maruellous wisedome of Salomon for the ordering and gouerning of his house and kingdome came from farre to see and to heare more therof after the which she said Happy are these thy seruants which stand before thee to heare thy wisedome Behold here faith the holy Ghost a greater then Salomon to wit a God more admirable then Salomon for his gouernment in Church and cōmon weale The holy Prophet Dauid entring into some consideration of his maruellous Maiestie concludes most admirably of it saying O Lord our gouernour how wonderfull art thou in all thy workes thy knowledg is too wonderful for me Psal 139.1 I cannot attaine vnto it Ezra said that God numbred all the vessels that were to be returned from Babylon to Ierusalem euen vnto the meanest sort Ezra 1.7.8 And he doth account the people euen by their names and by the names of their fathers intimating thereby Ezech. 9.7 that none went to Babylon but such and so many as had receiued his expresse name nor any that were to returne but such as he had reserued to build the Temple and to reedifie the wals of the citie and to plant the religion of their fathers Gods wisedome and prouidence is innarrable and infinite euen to a sparrow Luk. 12.6 Barnabas and Paul said Act. 15.18 From the beginning of the world God knew his workes Moses to the end he might fasten the sure knowledge and the euerlasting remēbrance therof in the harts of the people of Israel said Remember the dayes of old Deu. 32.7.8 aske thy father and he will shew thee thine elders and they will tel thee When the most high God deuided the nations their inheritance when he separated the sons of Adam he appointed the borders of the people according to their number The third answer or reason concerning the timelinesse of death why God hath so exactly determined vpon the same It is to manifest the prerogatiue the priuiledge and supremacy that his holy Maresty hath and holdeth ouer all principahties and powers captiuating and subduing them and all the generation of man to the obedience of his will that neither the one nor the other can possibly lengthen or shorten his own life much lesse the
as though that they which die naturally in their beds or they themselues which liue in the good appearance of the world were not as guiltie of condemnation for euery small sinne which they commit without faith in Iesus Christ as they who are hanged burned beheadded or pressed or as those vpon whom the tower of Siloam fell Here I conclude asking pardon of the learned wherein soeuer I haue erred or haue wanted in the disconise of the common lawes of this land Knewing the profunditie thereof to be passing the reach of all men and withall acknowledging it to be a meere subiect out of my element and therefore as a man hauing spoken nothing in effect of that which it deferueth I am cōtent to be condēned without replication vpō a nihil dicit if reason require it The third instruction concerning the timelinesse of death Not withstanding there are such variable and sundry sorts or manners of death as hath bene formerly enlarged and howsoeuer almightie God hath bene occasioned in his iustice to punish sinne yet none of the generation of mankinde departs this life before his appointed day so that no man by diligence can lengthen his life nor any man by negligence shorten his life The holy Prophet Dauid hauing Saul his enemie in his hand would not be perswaded to lay his hands on him but said His day shall come to die 1 Sam. 26.8.9 I will not smite him As if he had spoken more plainely It is not for me to kill him for God hath appointed him his time in which he shall die To this purpose said the iust man Iob by way of two interrogations Iob. 7.1 Is there not an appointed time for man vpon the earth And are not his dayes determined Iob. 14.5 The number of his moneths are with thee thou hast appointed him his bounds ouer which he shall not passe As if it were to say Certainely there is an appointed time for mans departure out of this world euen by the diuine ordinance sacred decree of the Almightie which cannot be shortened nor lengthned no not so much time more as to go ouer a meere or baulke nor so much time lesse as to come vnto it Againe he saith verie emphatically and affirmatiuely beleeuing in the promise of God therin after this manner I will waite my appointed time as though he had said Iob. 14.14 My God hath determined and set downe the day and houre of my dissolution it is hid from me I will therefore attend I will be looking for it from day to day Salomon after his conuersion amongst many excellent most diuine instructions he particulateth this secret decree of God most plainly after this manner Eccl. 3.12 To all things there is an appointed time And from this generall he descendeth into a more particular thus There is a time to be borne and a time to die to wit as there is a most certaine time inclosed in euery womans wombe in which she shall bring forth into the world euen so there is a certaine and an appointed time in which he that is borne of a woman shall go out of the world Saint Paul said to the Athenians Act. 17.26 God hath assigned the times that were ordained before and the bounds of their habitation By that saying the time of mans departure is decreed and vnreapeable why because there is no alteration nor change in Gods diuine Maiestie that which he is he was the same he will be for euer Iehoida said 2 King 11.15 He that comes within the ranges let him die the death euen so it may be said Whosoeuer comes within the compasse of the time which God hath decreed let him die without delay there is no hope nor helpe for him there will be no partiality or fauourable respects The liues of the 10. Gen. 5.3 to the end Fathers were twise exactly reckoned and their death once for diuers causes but specially that thereby euerie man thenceforth might be able to know the age of the old world before the floud The ages of these holy men being computated and layd together do amount iustly to 1656. yeares In which obseruance or sure rule for numeration and multiplication the holy Ghost deliuereth plainely that God doth strictly seuerely recken the liues of all men yea from their verie beginning to the verie day of their death Saint Iohn and other the Euāgelists affirme out of their owne knowledge that the Iewes vsed all cunning meanes practised diuers wayes to apprehend our Lord and Sauiour but all was in vaine something or other went betweene and why his houre was not yet come Ioh. 8.30 the time which his holy Father had decreed was not when they would To this effect Moses by a large measure of inspiration spake of an holy woman the wife of the Patriarch Abraham who had a particular and gracious respect before God specially for the time of her life the time of her death Gen. 23.1.2 When Sarah saith he was 127. yeares old so long liued shee then Sarah died That is as much to say Shee liued iust so long indeede and no whit longer when her appointed time was come then she died and not before Likewise Moses doth computate the age of Abraham her husband and saith Gen. 25.7 This is the age of Abrahams life which he liued 175. yeares Then Abraham yeelded the spirit died in a good age As if he had said This 175. yeares was the full time in which God had appointed him to liue When as Moses himselfe was to depart this life almightie God called him saying Thy dayes are come Deu. 31.14 thou must die to wit my decree is certaine towards thee my louing and my faithfull seruant as towards all the generation of mankinde As in an hoast of men furiously in fight so in the world some shall die now because God hath so appointed and some shall not die then because God hath not so appointed To which effect he spake by the mouth of his Prophet Eze. 9.4.5.6 Set a marke vpon the foreheads of thē that mourne And cōcerning others he said vnto him Go and smite destroy vtterly the old and the young Gen. 4.15 So likewise God was said to set a marke vpō Caine but touch no man vpon whom the marke is set shewing therein that euen amongst furious and outragious men in martiall affaires and in the determinations of malicious men life and death is euen then particularly in Gods hands and also the verie time thereof Here arise two necessary questions One why hath God so exactly determined the time of death the other why God doth conceale the time The first whereof is Why hath God so exactly determined the verie time of euery mans departure out of this world so that no man can go beyond it nor come short of it Why did he not rather resolue vpon this Let euery man shift for himselfe and