by their words whē as the viper fell vpon Pauls hand Act. 28.1.2.3 c. Sure said they this man is a murtherer who although he hath escaped the seas yet vengeance hath not suffered him to liue Gen. 4.10.11 The bloud of Abel cried for vengeance And to conclude Murther is so detestable in Gods sight and so abhorring nature as for what cause soeuer one man shal or doth wittingly willingly kill another if it be secretly done Deut. 21.1 to 10. as doth appeare by diligent inquisition made for the finding out of the murtherer the hainousnesse of the sinne also appears by the greeuousnesse of the punishments which are no lesse then death Leui. 24.17.21 Deu. 21.8.9 It endangereth the whole congregation with the plagues of God how guiltlesse soeuer they be of that fact Gen. 4.10 Re. 6.9.10.11 It calleth and crieth out from earth to heauen for vengeance the soules of the Saints in heauen do call and crie vnto God for instice The holy man Dauid who by his regall authoritie also in his martiall affaires was to shed the bloud of many yet he prayed that God would deliuer him from bloud-guiltinesse Now concerning the killed to wit why God doth suffer innocent blood to be shed wilfully or to be subiect to the will of the wicked The answer is twofold The first answer concerning the killed is to manifest Gods secret decree concerning the time of mans departure and as for the manner how it is all one with God and so is it with a righteous man The manner of death maketh nothing against the matter of saluation Christs Iesus speakes comfortably and verie directly to this purpose vnto his Apostles and disciples and so vnto all true Christians You shall be betraid of your brethren Luk. 21.16.17.18.19 and kinsmen friends some of you they shall put to death ye shall be hated of all men yet there shal not one haire of your heads perish possesse your soules in patience The second answer concerning the killed It makes the iustice of God the more manifest vpon the killer As Salomon said concerning Ioab who had murthered Abner and Amasa 1. King 2.32.33 The Lord shall bring his bloud vpon his owne pate for he slue two men causlesse and more righteous then he their bloud shall returne vpon the head of Ioab The Prophet Habacuck questions to that purpose with God concerning the innocent that were slain so vniustly O God Hab. 1.13.14.15.16.17 saith he thou art of pure eyes and canst not see euill wherefore dost thou looke vpon the transgressours and holdst thy tongue when the wicked deuoureth the man that is more righteous thē he Shal they therfore spred forth their net not spare continually to slay the nations This is answered by the same Prophet in the same chapter after this manner Art not thou ô Lord my God 12. my holy one we shall not die O Lord thou hast ordained them for iudgement and ô God thou hast established them for correction As if he had said Thou wilt not suffer these lewd and gracelesse ones any longer then vntill thou hast accomplished thy will in mercie vpon vs then thy heauy wrath shall consume them Saint Luke affirmes interrogatiuely the same after this maner Shall not God auenge his elect which crie day and night vnto him Luk. 18.7.8 though he suffer long I tell you he will auenge thē quickly As Christ said concerning the man that was borne blind Ioh. 9.1.2 It was not his sinne nor his parents but that the worke of God might be seene euen so these whom the monsters of the world do kill and destroy is not in respect of that which they pertinently or properly haue deserued but that the iustice and vengeance of God might be seene iust vpon such as kill them There are many wayes and diuers manners by the which the deare children of God do depart this life but no way nor manner can preuent their preparatiō to die well how sudden and how vnusuall soeuer it seemes to be vnto others And seeing the case so standeth let all men beware of rash iudgement and vncharitable censuring of such as are slaine Let the manner of death be rather an occasion to forewarn others to be readie also as not knowing the time nor the manner of death It is commonly alike both to the iust and to the vniust for the outward manner of death but the inward is nothing so nor so As we may reade of the two theeues the one vpon the right hand Mat. 27.38 the other vpon the left hand of Christ the outward maner of their death was alike but the inward was not so for the one died faithfull and therfore Christ said This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise the other being vnpenitent inwardly went vnto the dāned Againe the suffering or permission of God is alway the meanes of his secret decree no man can kill another no not iniure his brother in the least measure but by the will of God because no sinne can be committed against his will nor any otherwise will God permit and suffer a sinner to outrage then in that maner so far forth as may stand well with his diuine purpose yet for all that such a will purpose and permission of his cannot be said to be the immediate cause of such an outrage or iniurie done howsoeuer but rather out of mans will who for his owne part respects not the fulfilling of Gods will so much as his owne which proceedeth from his corrupt nature being inuegled by the diuel And when as almightie God doth withdraw his helpes his gifts and graces which he may because properly they are his owne Ezod 7.4 thence it is said that God hardened the heart of Pharaoh that Sihon king of Heshbon would not let Israel passe by Deut. 2.30 for the Lord had hardned his spirit and his heart Further it must be granted that almighty God might verie well and most fitly if he would haue restrained and withholden that murther and shedding of innocent bloud and so the wrong and killing of other his Saints but it was not his wil it pleased him not so to do he foresees it not to be for his honor and a further good As may plainly be euidenced by a speciall difference betweene the purpose of God and Gods election for it is certaine that election was before the purpose of God to saluation or damnation because in election there is the holy will of God without regard either of good or euill to be found in man or before he had done either good or euil The concurrence and the prosecution whereof stands in these three most holy asseuerations of the Almightie the first being vocation the second iustification and the third glorification To which effect and purpose the holy man Dauid being preuented of his murthering mind said with all holy consideration
not in some sort humour and applaud you Here I end this matter desiring God to enlarge your affections more more vnto the obedience of his word An answer to the 2. obiection concerning the generalitie of death Herein I will be briefe because indeed this sort of people are lesse worthy of further instruction who hold that this so goodly a frame of the world should not or cannot be destroyed Of whom Saint Peter speaketh thus 1. Pet. 3.3 There shall come in the last dayes mockers who will walke after their owne lusts and shall say Where is the promise of his coming for since the Fathers died all things continue alike vnto this day There needeth no other answer for them then that which S. Peter maketh them in the verses following let them looke to it vpon their perill This doctrine concerning the generalitie of death serueth to reproue three sorts of people The first are those who wholly or for the most part do set their loue and liking vpon the things of this world as if they were to tarrie in it for euer or as if they were to chuse they would not change this world no not for the kingdome of heauen ioying and reioycing as Amos the Prophet said Amos. 6.13 in a thing of nought like vnto the tribes of Ruben and Gad and halfe the tribe of Manasses Num. 32.1.2 who chose the towns and lands on this side Iordan because there were goodly habitations and fertile soyle rather then the townes and lands in Canaan which for the fertilitie therof was said to flow with milke and honey and for the innumerable pleasures thereof like vnto the kingdome of heauen Saint Paul blaming such and seeking to draw them vnto better choise exhorteth saying Seeke ye the things which are aboue Col. 3.1 where Christ sits at the right hand of God and set your affections on heauenly things and not on earthly The second sort who are to be reproued by the generall doctrine of death Are they who murmure much or rather do mourne too much for the deceasse of their neare friends as though God had not done well to take one and not another to take this and not that or as if death had surprised them before their time and for euer or else that death had casually lighted on thē more then others Saint Paule comforting himselfe and others concerning this complaint 2. Cor. 5.1 sayd We haue a building giuen of God that is an house whose builder and maker is God The children of God die but one Luk. 20.36 they taste not of that second death in hell as the reprobates do This once to die is but a short interiection betweene two eternities to wit election and glorification with a kingly and a kindly passage as it were by calling and iustification vnto eternall saluation Rom. 6.9 Christ died once but in that he liueth he liueth for euer So ye likewise saith the holy Apostle are dead to sinne Rom. 6.9 but aliue to God through Iesus Christ The third sort who are to be reproued by this generall doctrine of death Are those who not minding their mortalitie nor accompts which they must make do treasure vp sinne vpon sinne being driuen as it were with the swinge of their nature set on fire of hell defile their bodies and the whole course of nature resolued with themselues to vndergo any sinne so as it may bring them either pleasure or profite Alwayes saying in their hearts and many times with their tongues If we must die for sinne as Preachers say and that as well for one sinne as for a thousand why then let vs eate and drinke and be merrie while we may Salomon out of his owne experience and specially from the holy Spirit of inspiration faith of such one a after this maner Eccles 10.9 Reioyce ô thou yong man in thy youth let thine heart cheare thee walke in the wayes of thine owne heart and in the sight of thine eyes But what followeth God will bring thee to iudgement Although his Maiestie be inclined to mercie yet when he is moued to iustice it is ineuitable it is innarrable it is intollerable To that effect said Dauid as if it were in the proper person of almightie God vnto all such desperate and gracelesse wretches that do abuse his holy patience Psal 50.17 I will set thy sinnes in order to wit thy sins in the night thy sinnes in the day thy sins in thy youth and thy sins in thine age thy sins against me and thy sinnes against thy brethren I will so muster and so ranke them together so place them by rowes and in euerie ranke and row such and so many as shall seeme to be more odious shamefull and detestable euen vnto thine owne selfe And what shall follow I will teare thee in peeces that is thy torments shall be more terrible and farre more horrible to nature then as if thou wert racked tormented peece-meale These are they who although in deed sinne is too too generall yet they rifle and runne ragingly after it in a more particular manner not minding their mortalitie or at least not regarding the accompts that they must make do maligne enuie vtterly hate yea and seeke the whole ouerthrow of vs the Preachers of his holy word and others the deare children of God who runne not into the same excesse of riot and damnable behauiour but with zeale do frequent the ministerie of his word with reuerence do keepe his Sabbaths with all care do keepe themselues vnsported of the world Therefore they esteeme them not worth their societie nor worthie to liue vpon the earth Ioh. 15.19 We are not of the world therfore the world hatethvs saith S. Iohn The manifold plagues to the Egyptians the fierie Serpēts to the Israelites and the Emerods to the Philistims were not so troublesome and tedious as these heathenish Atheists prophane Iewes are to vs. We liue not as enemies in an hostile manner among them but modestly and mildly and benignly as Christian cōforters bringing peace offering reconciliation The words of our commission are of 3. emphaticall and publicke narrations The first is Benedicite blesse ye the second is Benefacite do ye good and the third is Orate pray ye Thus are we enioyned to behaue our selues amongst many other religious duties towards God and good mē yea towards our enemies Where in so euer we do faile through frailtie it is not indifferent nor iustice for them being our enemies to iudge what we should do but rather out of charity to iudge what we would do Neither is it for them to reuenge themselues vpon vs it is his holy Maicstie to whom we must answer vpon our accompt We are whatsoeuer they say bringers of peace and we are peaceable 2. King 10.17 Come see said Iehu to Iehonadab so it were to be wished that these men would zealously and religiously
puissant and how outragious soeuer he be making him in despite of his heart wholly against his will to do that to himselfe which shal be to his owne destruction and against nature To which purpose God speakes by his Prophet vnto the wicked in these words Ier. 20.21 I will make thee to be a terror vnto thy selfe and to thy friends And by a phrase of speech as from him who hath suffered great indignitie saying to the wrong doer I will make thee vndo that again which thou hast don vnto me although thou diddest it by another I will make thee vndo it thy selfe and with thine owne hands After this manner it is said that God doth surcharge the wicked who sometimes haue ouerruled and surcharged his people As for example Paul and Silas hauing bene wrongfully imprisoned and sorely whipped by the gouernors of Philippi a famous citie in Macedonia they sent their Sergeants Act. 16.35.36 saying Let these men go Nay verily said they we haue bene beaten openly vncondemned and now would they put vs away priuily but let them come and bring vs out So they came and brought them out and prayed them and desired them to depart Likewise he saith by his Prophet Ieremie to the people of Israel Ier. 5.9 As ye haue worshipped strange gods in your owne land so shall ye worship strange gods in another land As if he had said Whereas in your owne country you would worship idols whether I would or not now I will make you do the like in another laÌ„d whether you wil or not how hurtfull and loathsome soeuer it be vnto you yet I will enforce you Absolon 2. Sam. 18.9.10 who was a publike enemie to the crowne of Iudah a deadly enemie to the king his father by his owne act and deed vnwillingly and against his heart and mind hung himself King Pharaoh hauing drowned many of Goâ—s people in Egypt by the iustice of God vpon him vnwittingly and vnwillingly drowned himselfe and his host euen by his own act and deed Exo. 14.26 The Moabites mistaking the element of water for bloud became secure and carelesse 2. King 3.22.23.16.17 and therfore vnwittingly and vnwillingly and yet by their owne act deed they fell vpon the sword of their enemies Wherin God shewed that eueÌ„ by the selfe same matter wherwith the Israelites were comforted and relieued their enemies were confounded and discomfited where with a man sinneth Wis 11.13 euen by the same God vsually punisheth And as Samuel said vnto Agag the king of Amalek As thy sword hath made many women childlesse 1. Sam. 15.33 euen so shall thy mother be childlesse of thee amongst other women The second answer concerning the godly who vnwittingly and vnwillingly do by their owne act and deed kill and destroy themselues is threefold The first sort are those who being surprised with sorrowes and anguish of heart as Eli who hauing hauing heard that both his sonnes were slaine by the Philistims 2. Sam. 4.19.20.21 and specially that the Arke was taken he fell back out of his chaire and brake his necke Likewise Phineas wife when she heard such newes of the Arke pained died So Nabal hauing heard by his wife what Dauid had intended 1. Sam. 25.37 with sorrow his hart died within him and he was like a stone The second sort mistaking the vse of the good creatures of God and their owne strength do vnwittingly vnwillingly destroy theÌ„selues 2. King 4.18.39.40 2 King 3. so did the Shunamits sonne with ouermuch heate in his head So did the children of the Prophets who in stead of pothearbs gathered wilde gourds and therewith had poysoned themselues had not the Prophet miraculously and speedily holpen them The third sort being ouercome with drowsinesse and stupiditie of nature do vnwittingly vnwillingly euen by their owne act and deed kill theÌ„selues so did Eutychus Act. 20.9 who sleeping at Saint Pauls sermon fell out of an high window so that he was dead The second question Why some kill and destroy themselues so diuersly and so many wayes and that wittingly and willingly as by their owne act and deede The answer is of foure sorts The first sort who kill and destroy themselues wittingly and willingly Are those who through the ignorance of God that is in them do not know whether there be an hell or a heauen Of which ignorance Saint Paul speaketh thus 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man perceiueth not the things that be of God they are spirituall but he is carnall It may be said vnto them as Christ said vnto Peter Mar. 8.33 Thou sauorest not the things that be of God but the things that be of men The second sort who killand destroy themselues wittingly and willingly Are those who in the iustice of God for their vnpenitencie and reprobate manner of behautour hauing the eyes of their vnderstanding shut vp their senses taken away for the time their wittes not their owne their memory gone Of which kind of benumming Saint Paul speakes to the Romans Rom. 1.24 to the end Ephe. 1.18 and prayeth for the restoring of the Ephesians to wit that the eyes of their vnderstanding might be opened The Aramites being in this reprobate sense hauing their eyes of vnderstaÌ„ding shut vp 2 King 6.18.19 weÌ„t into Samaria where was their mortall enemie the King of Israel when as they thought to haue gone home vnto their master and King In like manner Nebucadnezer the King of BabyloÌ„ Dani. 4.30.31 being also in this teÌ„per by the vpright iustice of God went out of his pallace from amongst his Nobility vpon his hands and feete into the fields amongst his beasts where he continued as a beast 7. yeares Saul as he thought was safe 1 Sam. 26.11.12 to 18. hauing his speare at his head with Abner the Lord Generall and the people guarding him round about but God sent a dead sleepe vpon them whereby Dauid went in and brought forth the Kings speare might haue slaine him No man saw it nor marked it neither did any awake so bewitched they were of their sense The third sort who kill and destroy themselues wittingly and willingly Are those who from an exceeding distrust of Gods mercies hauing long lauished in an abominable life neglected al the meanes of their faith they conclude desperately with themselues Much like the foure leprous men 2. King 7.3.4.5 at the gates of Samaria who said one to another If we tarie here we shall die if we go into the citie we shall die come let vs go into the the tents of the Aramits if they saue our liues we shall liue and if they kill vs we are but dead and as the King of Israel shamefully said This euill comes from the Lord 2 King 6.33 shall I attend vpon the Lord any longer To them and to all such it may be said as Elias said to Ahab King of