grant that we may all do what he requireth at your hands Do not ye grieve too much that I am so near my rest For it is the Decree of my God and the longing expectation of my wearied self The Lord give you patience to endure this Affliction and the Lord give me patience and perseverance unto the end 1 King 2. 2 3. Now I go the way of all the Earth Keep ye the charge of the Lord your God to walk in his ways to keep his statutes and his Commandments and his judgments and his testimonies as it is written in the Sâ—…riptures that ye may prosper â—…n all that ye do and whithersoever ye turn your hands Deut. 33. 7. The Lord give you the blessing of Judah and hear your voices and let your hands be sufficient for you and let him be an helper to you from your Enemies And the Lord give you the blessing of Benjamin vers 12. The Lord cover you all the day long and dwell between your shoulders And the Lord give you the blessing of Joseph v. 13. Blessed of the Lord be your Land for the precious things of Heaven for the dew and for the deep that coucheth beneath v. 14. and for the precious Fruits brought forth by the Sun v. 16. and for the precious things put forth by the Moon and for the precious things of the Earth and 〈◊〉 thereof and for the good will of him that dwelt in 〈◊〉 bush v. 27. The eternal God be your Refuge and underneath you the everlasting Arms. 2 Sam. 7 â—…6 29. And now O Lord God let it please thee to bless the House of thy Servant and with thy blessing let the Family of thy Servant be blessed for ever Deut. 26. 15. â—…ook down from thine holy Habitation from Heaven and bâ—…ss them Psal. 67. 1. O my God be merciful unto them and bless them and cause thy face to shine upon them And now with Iâ—…ob I have made an end of commanding you and ready I am to gather up my Feet into the Bed and to yield up the Ghost and to be gathered unto my Fathers Gen. 49. 33. Only come ye near my dear ones that I may kiss you and that my cold and clammy hands may be laid upon your heads that I may once more bless you and die Fare well my pretty ones farewell the children of my dear affection I must leave you and I hope I shall leave my God with you who will be unto you a Father of mercies and a God of all consolation 2 Cor. 13. 11. Once more farewell Love as brethren and the God of love and peace be with you 1 Pet. 3. 8. The Lord Jesus Christ be with your Spirits Grace be with you all Amen 2 Tim. 4. 23. Man giveth up the Ghost and where is he AMong the many serious and weighty Questions which a sober considering Person may propound unto himself that is of none of the least concernment which is mentioned by the Holy Man Job Chap. 14. verse 10. Yea Man giveth up the Ghost and where is he We may take the words asunder and consider them apart Yea and as much as to say it is a Truth past all doubt there is no nay to be said to it it is sealed with Yea and Amen for it shall certainly come to pass at some time or other that Man must give up the Ghost and as much as to say his Soul shall be separated from his Body Those two loving twins being at the point of Death to go several ways they must part at last And for as much as it is evident to sense that the body returns to the dust what way the Soul taketh is the great Question as followeth Man giveth up the Ghost and where is he Or what becometh of his Soul when it hath once taken its leave of the body This Question may more easily than comfortably be answered by most thus every separated Soul goes either to Heaven or Hell But alas those two places are not more distant than different in their Natures Heaven is a place of eternal happiness Hell is a place of everlasting Misery And therefore O my Soul it is both good and necessary that thou shouldst think before hand what will be the place of thy future abode The Body which is the Souls present habitation it is not as Job speaketh a body of Brass but a body of Clay and therefore when the stroke of death shall knock that earthen Vessel in pieces where then Oh my â—…oul â—…il be thy next lodging Either thou must lye down in everlasting burnings or else rest upon the Mountain of Myâ—…rh and the Hill of Frankinâ—…nse with sweet Jesus Man when he hath a an hireling accomplished his day ought seriously to consider of the approaching Night And seeing it may be said as of Ephraim thou hast here and there a gray hair upon thy head and the shadows of the Evening are lengthened out it is neither safe nor prudent Oh my Soul to be serious about triâ—…es or to trifle about serious things Before the great and terrible day of account therefore Oh my Soul do thou call thy self to account and ask these questions of thy self Canst thou think of going to Hell with comfort Or can the thoughts of Heaven be any otherwise comfortable than as thou believest it to be thy Heaven Canst thou rejoice when thou thinkest how many shall put on Crowns of Glory and yet thy self have no part or lot in that matter Art thou deeply convinced Oh Man what a glittering and a glorious Divine Ray doth quicken actuate and ennoble that Lump of Atoms which thy Body is composed of And when that Body of thine shall be crumbled into Ashes by one touch of the Almighty hast thou forethought what shall become of that immortal In-mate which for a little season hath been cloystered up in thy clay Breast And dost thou soundly believe that there is a future state of Infinite joy and eternal Sorrow And hast thou throughly pondered the certain uncertainty of all temporal Enjoyments And art thou heartily perswaded that Heaven is only worth the looking after What sayest thou to these things Oh my Soul Let the matter be urged home is everlasting damnation by all means possible to be prevented Or may Hell be supposed to be a tolerable Habitation Or can a poor guilty Worm endure with ease the burden of infinite Wrath Or is endless glory no whit desirable Or will it not repent thee Oh my Soul hereafter when it is too late if thou now neglect so great Salvation as is freely offered to thee in Christ Jesus Dost thou know Oh Man that thou must shortly give up the Ghost And yet hast thou not had one serious deep thought what place of entertainment thy naked Soul shall find in another world when it is stript of its present fleshly case and cloathing Oh press thy Soul hard with these thoughts how it is like to go with thee when
it Prov. 10. 22. Take heed therefore to your selves and let him be in all your thoughts for even for them ye must account at his great Tribunal Take heed unto your Words that they give none offence either to God or Man There is a sort of people who bless with their mouths but they curse in their inward parts Psal. 62. 4. I would not have you be of the number of them for as they love cursing so it shall happen unto them they delight not in blessing therefore shall it be far from them Psal 109. 17. As they cloath themselves with cursing like as with a Garment so it shall come into their Bowels like Water and like Oyl into their Bones vers 18. Take heed also unto your Actions that there be not wickedness in the intent nor sin in the prosecution of them for howsoever they shall appear in the Eye of the World they will be strictly and justly examined by the righteous judge First be ye sure that ye bless your God and then ye may expect a blessing from him When ye have eaten and are full then ye shall bless the Lord your God Deut. 8. 10. Remember the Congregation of Israel how they blessed the Lord God of their Fathers and bowed down their heads and worshiped the Lord 1 Chr. 29. 20. Remember how the Levites encouraged the People unto it and said unto them Stand up and bless the Lord your God for ever and ever and blessed be thy glorious Name which is exalted above all blessing and praise Neh. 9. 5. Remember how the Psalmist moved them unto it when he cryed O bless our God ye people and make the voice of his praise to be heard Psal. 66. 8. Be thankful unto him and bless his Name Psalm 100. 4. Remember how David resolved saying I will bless the Lord which hath given me counsel Psal. 16. 7. Remember how he decreed saying I will bless thee while I live I will lift up my hands in thy Name Psal. 63. 4. Remember how he encouraged his Soul to this Duty saying Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name Psal. 103. 1. Bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits vers 2. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy disease vers 3. Remember how he practised it when he blessed the Lord before all the Congregation and said Blessed be thou Lord God of Israel our Father for ever and ever 1 Chr. 29. 10. Thine O Lord is the greatness and the Power and the Glory and the Victory and the Majesty for all that is in the Heaven and in the Earth is thine Thine is the Kingdom O Lord aâ—…d thou art exalted as head above all vers 11. Both Riches and Honour come from thee and thou reignest over all and in thine hand is power and might and in thine hand it is to make great and to give strength unto all vers 12. Now therefore our God we thank thee and praise thy glorious Name vers 13. And remember how Ezra blessed the Lord the great God and all the people answered Amen Amen with listing up their hands and they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their Faces to the ground Neh. 8. 6. Thus if ye bless him if ye love him if ye honour him if ye obey him he will so bless you that ye shall delight in his Service and be filled with his Goodness Carry in your minds those words of the Psalmist Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord that walketh in his ways For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands happy shalt thou be and it shall be well with thee Psal. 128. 1 2. Blessed is the Man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is Jer. 17. 7. Remember how after the Death of Abraham God blessed his Son Isaac Gen. 25. 11. So he may you and so he will you when I your poor feeble Mother am stretched forth and returned to the Earth if ye will hear his voice and observe his statutes If so you will do then the Lord your God will bless you in all the works of your hands which ye shall do Deut. 14. 29. He who created man in his own Image both Male and Female and blessed them Gen. 1. 27 28. Even the same Lord will bless you if ye be Righteous Psal. 5. 12. And with favour he will compass you as with a Shield Psalm 115. 13. He will bless them that fear him both small and great 2 Tim. 4. 6. And now my Children I have not much more to say to you for the time of my departure is at hand If you do heartily love your God I know that ye will affectionately love each other Ye will be observant to your Guardians and Instructors Ye will be courteous unto all Be not dismayed at any Cross or Affliction at any loss or poverty which may fall upon you Mat. 6. 33. but seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and then all other things shall be added unto you Deut. 28. 8. Then the Lord shall command the blessing upon you both in your store-Houses and in all that ye set your hands unto Exod. 23. 25. He shall bless your Bread and your Water and take away sickness from tlâ—… midst of you Deut. 28. 3. Blessed shall ye be in the City and blessed shall ye be in the field vers 4. Blessed shall be the fruits of your bodies and the fruits of your grounds and the fruits of your Cattel and the increase of your kine and the flocks of your sheep vers 5. Blessed shall be your basket and your store vers 6. Blessed shall ye be when ye come in and blessed shall ye be when ye go fortâ—… c. 7. 13. The Lord will love you and will bless you and multiply you He will also bless the fruit of the Womb unto you and the fruit of your Land and your Corn and your Wine and your Oyl and the increase of your kine and the floâ—…ks of your sheep in the places where ye shall live c. 28. 12. He will open unto you his good treasure the Heaven to give the rain unto your land in his season and to bless all the work of your hands and ye shall lend unto many and ye shall not borrow Gen. 49. 25. He shall help you and bless you with the blessings of heaven above blessings of the deep that lyeth under and blessings of the breasts and of the Womb. And that he may thus bless you the same Lord direct your hearts and preserve yoù in his Blessing All that I can do now is to pray for you and my weakness will hardly permit me to do that Yet so long as I can speak I trust I shall pray and in my petitions remember both my self and you While I am yet alive it is my duty to pray for you and it is your duty also to pray for me The Lord
I burn for the sake of Christ. Oecolampadius lying upon his Death Bed and a certain Friend coming to him Oecolampadius asked him what news unto whom his Friend answered I know none but says he I can tell you some good news nam ego subito cum Christo regnabor I shall suddainly be with Christ upon his Throne Melanchton a little before his Death he would often say capio ex hac vita migrare propter duas causas primum ut frurar desiderato conspectu filii Dei deinde ut liberer ab immunibus Theologerum odiis I desire to die to injoy a sight of Jesus Christ c. But what need I tell you of the resolute and undaunted Carriage of Christians in former ages we need look no further than upon the carriage of Christians in latter Ages Casper Obevian the famous Lawyer lying upon his Death Bed he would often say O Lord let not my journey be long deferred ere I be with thee I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ he had rather depart this Life and take but one Feast in Glory than take many fees and still live in this miserable World Strigelius the learned Suetzer falling sick he would often say Seperare se finem vitae suae ad esse He hoped this Sinful Life was now at an end that he might injoy God perfectly Grinaus the learned Helvetian died with these words in his mouth O praeclarum illum diem cum ad illud animarum concilium Caelumque profiscar Oh fairest day when I shall make a journey to Heaven that convocation of Souls should I but relate the dying Speeches of Mr. Rollock the learned and devout Scotch-man they would melt any Heart that shall hear them he breathed out these words with his Life I Bless God says he I have all perfect Sences but my Heart is in Heaven And Lord Jesus why shouldst thou not have it it hath been my Care all my Life time to devout it unto thee I pray thee therefore take it that it may live with thee for ever Come Lord Jesus put an end to this sinful miserable life haste Lord tarry not come Lord Jesus and give me that life for which thou hast redeemed me Nay further that I might Christians leave your Spirits in this sweet temper of contemning Death and desiring to be with Christ in Glory where I should much rejoice and indeed earnestly pray that I might meet you all I shall yet mind you of some remarkable instances in this kind even in our own Nation Mr. Cooper that famous Champion for the Truth when he was brought to be burnt at the Stake in Queen Mary's days and there having a box set before him with a pardon in it as soon as he perceived so much he cried out If you love my Soul away with it if you love my Soul away with it Dr. Taylor when he was brought to Hadly in Suffolk to suffer Martyrdom for his Profession of Christ the History says he was as merry in his going from London as though he had been a going to some Banquet or Bridal And when he was brought unto the place of Execution he kissed the Stake uttering these Words Now I am even at home Lord Jesus receive my Soul into thy Hands Before Mr. Bradford was Martyr'd his dear Wife came running into his Chamber and said Mr. Bradford I bring you heavy news for to morrow you must be burned your Chain it is now a buying but when Mr. Bradford had heard these Words he lifted up his Eyes to Heaven and said I thank God for it I have looked for this a long time this news comes not to me suddainly but as a thing that I waited for every day and hour the Lord make me worthy of it And when he was brought into Smithfield to be burnt where there was another young Man to suffer with him he turned himself to the young Man and said Be of good Comfort Brother for we shall have a merry Supper with the Lord Jesus Christ this Night Bishop Jewell lying upon his Death-bed he would often say Now Lord let thy Servant depart in Peace break off all delays Let me this day quickly see the Lord Jesus And observe further one standing by him and praying with Tears that the Lord would be pleased to restore this Godly Bishop unto his former Health he over-hearing of him seemed to be very much offended and replied thus I have not lived so that I am ashamed to live any longer neither do I fear to Die because I have a merciful Father And now truly Friends out of the tender Affection which I bear unto all your Souls I could heartily wish that this might be the dying Language of you all that you might every one be able to say from a good and clear Conscience at last I have not lived not so that I am ashamed to live longer neither do I fear to die because I have a merciful Father And further I do protest in the presence of God with Saint Paul in the 4th to the Phillip at the first Verse That it is my greatest joy and richest Crown if that ever since I came among you I have spoken any thing leading to mutual Love and Peace And if all my pains and endeavours among you in much weakness have taken any effect upon any of your Spirits to win you unto a love of Christ that so you may be holy here and happy hereafter I shall sincerely rejoice But I shall say no more at this time but only conclude with the words of Saint Paul Phill. 4. I pray mark the words for they will be the last I shall speak among you Verse 1. My Brethren dearly beloved and longed for my joy and crown so stand fast in the Lord my dearly beloved Verse 4. Rejoice in the Lord alway and again I sâ—… Rejoice Verse 5. Let your moderation be known unto all men The Lord is at hand Verse 6. Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God Verse 7. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus Verse 8. Finally Brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any Virtue and if there be any praise think on these things Verse 9. Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do so I have received them from Christ those things do and follow And the God of Peace shall be with you THE EJACULATION GOOD Lord let our Souls be filled with breathings and pantings after Grace and Glory Let us be ever willing with St. Paul to depart and to be with Christ. Let us dayly look and long to be in Heaven where we shall sit down in the same Throne with our
Whitaker FAlling Sick of a Fever a Friend asking him how he did he replyed O 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have not taken so sweet a sleep since my disease seized upon me But being in a cold Sweat his Friend told him That Symptoms of Death appeared on him to whom he answered Life or Death is welcome to me which God pleaseth for Death shall be an advantage to me for I desire not to live but only so far as I may do God and his Church Service He dyed Anno 1595. Aged 47. The Death of Robert Rollock HE said I bless God I have all my Senses entire but my Heart is in Heaven and Lord Jesus Why should'st thou not have it It hath been my Care all my life long to dedicate in to thee I pray thee take it that it may live with thee for ever Falling into a Slumber and awaking he desired to be dissolved saying Come Lord Jesus 〈◊〉 an end to this miserable life haste Lord and â—…arry not Then some bewailing their loss of him to them he said I have gone through all the degrees of this Life and now am come to my end why should I go back again O Lord help me that I may go through this last degree with thy assistance lead me to that Glory which I have seen as through a Glass O that I were with thee Some saying the next day was the Sabbath he said Thy Sabbath O Lord shall begin any Eternal Sabbath Then he breathed out Haste Lord and do not tarry I am weary both of nights and daies Come Lord Jesus that I may come to thee Break these Eye-strings and give me others I desire to be dissolved and to be with thee Haste Lord Jesus and defer no â—…nger Go forth my weak Life and let a better succeed One standing by said Sir Let nothing trouble you for now your Lord makes haste to which he said O Welcome Message would to God my Funeral might be to morrow Thus he continued servent in Prayer till he resigned up his Spirit unto God Anno 1598. Aged 43. The Death of Nicholas Hemingius BEfore his Death he grew Blind and much diseased desiring then to be dissolved and to be with Christ. Some time before his Death he Expounded the 103 Psalm to the admiration of all his Auditors He dyed Anno 1600. Aged 87. The Death of Daniel Tossanus DAniel Tossanus falling sick he Comforted himself with these Texts of Scripture I have fought the good fight of Faith c. Be thou faithful unto the Death and I will give unto thee a Crown of Life We have a City rot made with hands Eternal in the Heavens many other places he recited He dyed Anno 160â—… Aged 61. The Death of William Perkins HE was Born at Marston in Warwickshire and was Educated at Christ's College in Cambridge He wrote many rare Treatises which for their Excellency were Translated into most Languages All he wrote was with his Left Hand with which he stabbed the Romish Cause as one well exprest Though Nature thee of thy Right Hand bereft Right well thou Writest with thy Hand that 's Left In his last Fit a Friend standing by prayed for a mitigation of his Pains to whom he said Pray not for an ease of my Torments but for an encrease of my Patience He dyed Anno 1602. Aged 44. He was Buried at the Charge of Christ's-College with great Solemnity Dr. Mountague preached his Funeral Sermon upon this Text Moses my Servant is dead His Works are Printed in Three Volumes in Folio The Death of Francis Junius BUT being at Lions he escaped an Imminent Death which made him acknowledge God's Providence in his Miraculous Deliverance and to confirm his Belief he earnestly desired to read over the New Testament of which he gives this Account when I opened the New Testament I first met with St. John's first Chapter In the beginning was the Word c. I read part of it and was presently convinced that the Divinity and Authority of the Author did excel all Humane Writings My Body trembled my Mind was astonished and I was so affected all that day that I knew not what I was Thou wast mindful of me O my God according to the multitude of thy Mercies and called'st home thy lost Sheep into thy Fold And from that day he wholly bent himself to Pions Practices He dyed Anno 1602. Aged 57. The Death of Thomas Holland BEing Ancient he employed his Time in Prayer and Meditation and often used to sigh forth Come O come Lord Jesus thou Morning Star Come Lord Jesus I desire to be dissolved and to be with thee He dyed Anno 1612. Aged 73. The Death of James Granaeus IN the midst of his Pains he used to say As Death's sweet so to rise is sweet much more Christ as in Life so he in Death is Store On Earth are Troubles sweet Rest in the Grave I' th' last Day we the lasting'st Joys shall have He dyed Anno 1617. Aged 77. The Death of Robert Abbat ABbat drawing near his End he desired to make a Confession of his Faith but being faint and weak he referred his Friends to his Writings saying That Faith which I have published and defended in my Writings is the Truth of God and therein I die and so departed Anno 1618. Aged 58. The Death of John Whitgift THE Queen had a great Esteem for him and was pleased to be so familiar as to call him Her Black Husband at her Death he was present and administred to her what Comfort she desired when King James came to the Crown he much reverenced the Archbishop and when he fell sick King James visited him and laboured to chear him up but he had laid the Death of Queen Elizabeth so much to heart that in a few days he departed in the Lord Atno 1603. Aged 73. The Death of Theodore Beza HE often used the Apostles saying We are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus to good Works And that of St. Augustine I have lived long I have sinned long blessed be the Name of the Lord. Also Lord perfect that which thou hast begun that I suffer not Shipwrack in the Haven And that of Bernard Lord we follow thee by thee to thee we follow thee because thou art the Truth by thee because thou art the Way to thee because thou art the Life He dyed upon a Sabbath day when rising in the Morning he prayed with his Family and finding himself weak he desired to go to Bed again but sitting down on the Bed-side he departed without the least Sigh or Groan Anno 1605. Aged 86. The Death of William Cowper FAlling Sick he used to say My Soul is alwaies ready in my Hand ready to be offered to my God Where or what kind of death God hath prepared for me I know not but sure I am there can no evil death befall him that lives in Christ nor sudden death to a Christian Pilgrim who with Job waits every Hour for his
about her Neck but fourteen days before she died the Marjoram-Tree dried up the Birds the next Night were all found dead and after that the Chain broke in two in the middle Then Barbara calling for the Abbess told her that all those Warnings were for her and in a few days after died in the Seventeenth Year of her Age After her death above twenty other Virgins died out of the same Nunnery Several other Presages there are that foretold the death of Princes and great Men As the unwonted Howlings of Dogs the unseasonable noise of Bells the Roaring of Lions c. Therefore said Pliny The Signs of Death are innumerable and that there are none or very few Signs of Safety or Security What do all these things Admonish us but only this Remember O man that thou art a man think upon Eternity to which thou art hastening Go to prepare thy self thou art called to that Tribunal of God as thou didst live shalt thou be judged Sect. 20. What Answer is to be given to the Messenger of Death SAint Ambrose having received the News of his Death when his Friends bewailed him and begg'd of God to grant him a longer space of Life I have not lived as to be ashamed to lieve among you neither do I fear to die because we have a gracious God Saint Austin nothing troubled at the News of his Death He never shall be great saith he who thinks it strange that Stones and Wood fall and that Mortals die Saint Chrysostom a little before his Death in Exile wrote to Innocentius We have been these three Years in Banishment exposed to Pestilence Famine continual Incursions unspeakable Solitude and continual Death But when he was ready to give up the ghost He cryed out aloud Glory be to thee O God for all things Let a dying Christian imitate these most holy Persons and repeat these Sayings often to himself Thanks be to God Glory be to thee O God for all things I have watcht long enough among thorns labour'd long enough in Storms Now because I see the end of my Watching and my Labour Thanks be to God Glory be to God for all things For Life is tedious Death a certain gain Sect. 21. Death is better than a sorrowful Life IT is better once to Die than to be always Dying We daily Die we have lost our Childhood our Youth is gone All our Time even to Yesterday is slid away These things Gregory Nazianzene comprehending in a few words There is no good among men with which there is not something of evil mixt Riches are a Snare Poverty a Fetter Honour a meer Dream Empire dangerous Subjection troublesom Youth is the Summer of Life Grey-hairs the Sun-set of Life Matrimony a Bond Children the growing Crop of Care Fulness breeds Petulance Want begets Impatience Whatever we behold in this World is like the World in a perpetual motion Whatever seemed stable is now doubtful contending with the perpetual volubility of Day-night Labours Diseases Sorrows Pleasures and Calamities Death is most certain Elegantly St. Austin Death saith he is only certain all things else uncertain A Child once Conceived perhaps is born perhaps not but perishes in Abortion If he be born perhaps he grows up perhaps not perhaps he grows old perhaps not Peradventure he shall be Rich peradventure Poor perhaps he shall attain to Honour peradventure live Contemned perhaps he shall have Children it may be not perhaps he shall die in his Bed it may be slain in the Field But who can say perhaps he shall die perhaps not The first Book of Maccabees thus describes the Death of Alexander Then he fell sick and when he perceived that he should die Alexander had wished for several Worlds in hopes of Victory and thought with himself that he had performed Atchievements that deserved Eternal Annals Nevertheless after so many and such great Victories overcome at length he fell not only into his Bed but into his Tomb contented with a small Coffin Peter Alfonsus reports That several Philosophers flockt together and variously descanted upon the King's Death One there was that said Behold now four Yards of Ground is enough for him whom the spacious Earth could not comprehend before Another added Yesterday could Alexander save whom he pleas'd from Death to Day he cannot free himself Another viewing the Golden Coffin of the Deceased Yesterday said he Alexander heaped up a Treasure of Gold now Gold makes a Treasure of Alexander This was their Learned Contention yet all ended in this Then he fell sick and died Thus forgetful of our selves what Mountains do we raise to our selves in Thought We revolve in our Minds Immortal I wish they were Heavenly Things whilst Death surprizes us in the midst of our vast Undertakings and that which we call Old Age is but the Circuit of a few Years Wherefore do we trust to Death Behold through what slight Occasions we lose our Lives Our Food our Moisture our Watchings our Sleep are unwholesome to us without their due measure A small hurt of a Toe a light pain of the Ear a Worm in the Tooth make way for Death The little Body of Man is weak frail subject to Diseases this Air these Winds those Waters offend him Therefore let us believe the Son of Syras Death is better than a bitter Life and Eternal Rest better than continual Sickness So that it is much better to be an Inhabitant on Earth than a Pilgrim in Heaven Sect. 22. The Happiness of Death BLessed are the dead that die in the Lord even so saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works follow them To die in the Lord is the same thing as to die a Servant of the Lord as the Scripture speaks concerning Moses Moses my Servant is dead As if God had said saith Cajetan Though he were once a Sinner and was not then my Servant nevertheless he died my Servant He so died that whatever he was or whatever he did was mine for a Servant wholly belongs to the Master And let such a Servant of the Lord sing that Song of Simeon at his death Lord now let thy Servant depart in peace according to thy word Altogether in peace and that Eternal in the beginning whereof all the Warfare of good men is at an end never more to be rekindl'd For such Servants of God die in the Lord who dying rest in the Bosom of God and so resting sweetly sleep in death Thus Stephen among so many Showers of Stones in such in the midst of the Tumult and Dinn of the Enraged Multitude slept in the Lord. Thus Moses the Servant of the Lord died by the command of God Thrice happy and blessed are such that never more shall be miserable The death of the Just saith St. Bernard is good because of its Rest better because of its Novelty best of all by reason of its Security Blessed and again thrice blessed are such for their Works follow them They
follow them as Children follow their Parents as Servants follow their Masters as Scholars follow their Teacher and Souldiers their Captain They follow them to the Tribunal of God to the Court of Heaven as Peers follow their Prince whither these Noble Servants are only admitted Sect. 23. The Farewel of a dying Person to the living which are to go the same way THere are many things of which it behoves me to Repent of Vertue often neglected and Time ill spent How much did it become me to have been more patient more submissive more studious of daily Death How small a Spark of Divine Love did glow in me Pity me O God pity me according to thy great Mercy Spare a Sinner O Infinite God through the Passion and Blood of thy dear Son But I have also offended you both in Word and Deed Pardon me you find me both Confessing and Sorry and deny me not this Provision for my Journey the pardon of all my Transgressions Let not your Vertue decrease by my Example which was always bad You have before your Eyes the Lives of the Saints to which yours must conform Enable their Patience Submission and Obedience to the utmost of your power I also return you thanks for your Pains for your Assistance for your Advice and for your Love God the inexhaustible Fountain of Goodness and the Immense Ocean of Love recompence your Affection God is certainly most Liberal to those that Commit themselves to his most holy Providence Obedience is a most Noble Vertue Patience is absolutely necessary Submission is a most excellent Vertue and Contempt of our selves Poverty is a Vertue belov'd of Christ Charity is the Queen of Vertue Yet above all the Vertues Faith in God seems to me to have something singular and most excellent and a Plenary Resignation of a Man's self to Divine Providence which the holy Scripture so commends and which is continually in the Mouth of the Kingly Prophet and which Christ endeavours to inculcate into us by so many Arguments drawn from Flowers c. little Birds The Vertues of this Faith and the Tranquility that attends it he only knows and finds who in every thing as well small as great most perfectly trusts in God and confines himself to rely upon his Providence and Will Neither do I believe there is any man who had this Hope and Trust in God but that strange and hidden Mysteries befell him Therefore let us trust in God and commit our selves wholly to his Will and Protection I whom ye here see am cited to the Tribunal of God to give an Account of Sixty Years All my Deeds Words and Thoughts are open to this Judge Nothing is concealed from him All my Lifes Actions shall receive their definitive Sentence How I tremble for it is a terrible thing to stand in Judgment before God But in this Extremity there is that which comforts me Therefore though I am a wicked Servant my Lord is Gracious and Infinitely Good who will acknowledge his Servant though he have been bad And now God be with you all that Survive Farewel all you that are to follow me in your order Sect. 24. The last Admonitions of Dying People AS the Sun towards his Setting shines often forth more pleasantly So Man the nearer he is to Death the wiser he is Hence those Admonitions of dying People which Wisdom has so much applauded â—…yrus being about to die My Son said he when I am dead close up my Body neither in Silver nor in any other Mettal but return its own Earth to the Earth again His last Words were Be grateful to your Friends and you will never want the Power to punish your Enemies Farewel my dear Son and tell these my Words to your Mother also Wisely saith Thcophrastus upon his Death Bed Many fine and pleasant things doth Liâ—… impose upon us under the pretence of Glory then the Love of which there is nothing more vain Hither may be referred the saying of Severus the Emperor I was all things but nothing avails Constantius Father of Constantine the Great upon his Death-Bed as he was resigning his Empire to his Son with a wonderful Chearfulness Now said he do I almost esteem Death above Immortality I leave a Son Emperor Here is the Man that after 270 years has wiped away the Tears of the Christians and avenged the Cruelty of Tyrants Christ was truly in Arms with Constantius Lewis King of France gave these his last Admonitions to his Son Beware my Son that thou never commit any deadly Sin rather suffer all manner of Torments First chose such about thee as will not be afraid to tell thee what thou art to do and what to beware To thy Parents give all Obedience Love and Reverence Ferdinand the Great King of Castile falling sick of his last Sickness caused himself to be carried to the great Church in all his Royal Robes where putting off all his Royal Ornaments and as it were restoring God his own he put on a Haâ—… Cloth and casting himself upon the Ground with Tears in his Eyes Lord said he the Kingdom which thou gavest me I return to thee again seat me I beseech thee in Eternal Light Charles King of Sicily spoke these Words Oh the Vain Thoughts of Men Miserable Creatures we are delighted with Honour heap up Treasure and neglect Heaven O the happy Fate of the poor who content with little Sleep in Tranquility What does now my Kingdom what do all my Guards avail me I might have been Miserable without all this Pomp. Where is now the power and strength of my Empire The same necessity involves me as hampers the meanest Begger Of so many Thousands of Clyents Servants and Flatterers there is not one that will or can accompany to the Tribunal of God Go Mortals go and swell your Breasts with great Thoughts to Day or to Morrow ye must die Farewel Earth would I could say welcom Heaven Nor must we forget the most Holy and Opulent of Kings the Son of the Hebrew Nation David who being near Death I saith he am going the way of all the Earth and then turning to his Son But thou my Son Solomon said he Keep thou the watch of the Lord thy God that thou walk in his Ways and keep his Statutes and Precepts If thou seek the Lord thou shalt find him but if thou forsakest him he shall cast thee off to Eternity A terrible Exhortation and enough to have pierced a Heart of Adamant Thus Death devours all cuts off Kings lays Nations wast and swallows the People up deaf to Prayers Riches Tears not to be overcome by any humane force Only the wise Man dies contented the Fool murmurs at his departure Sect. 25. Christ is invited ABide with me O Lord for it draweth toward Night and the day is far passed The day of my Life hastens towards Night and there is no Joshua to stay the Sun or prolong the Day But as the Sun is daily