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A07790 A short treatise of death in sixe chapters Together with the ænigmatick description of old age and death written Ecclesiastes 12 chap. exponed and paraphrased in English meetre. Written by Mr. William Morray minister of Gods word. Morray, William. 1631 (1631) STC 18167; ESTC S121485 18,101 56

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often meditation of death dying often we may in end die both easily and well Cicero sayeth that the whole life of wise men is the meditation of death Somnium Scip. And it is recorded of the Macedonian King that he commanded his Page once everie day to come and say to him Remember thou art mortall That holy man Hieronimus had alwayes in his studie besides him a dead mans skull and running glasse to keepe him in mynd of shortnesse of his life and certaintie of his death Secondly the often meditation of death is necessare and profitable to make vs liue and die well because it is a strong bitte and bridle against sinne Remember thy death sayeth Ierome and thou shall not sinne and GOD speaking by Moses of his people Israell sayeth Deuter. 32.29 O that they were wise then would they vnderstand this they would consider their latter end and IEREMIE Lament 1.9 Her filthinesse is in her skirts she remembered not her last end Eccles 11.9 and SALOMON scorning the folly of youth sayeth Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheare thee in the dayes of thine youth and walke in the wayes of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes then he addeth as water to their wyne but know thou that for all these things GOD will bring thee to judgement Thirdly often meditation of death causeth vs to contemne this short vaine life wherein all is vanitie and vexation of Spirit which is like to a dreame a shaddow a vapour like to the way of a ship in the sea or like to an arrow shot foorth of a bow which both when they are past their trace is no more seene and man in this life is like the flower of the field which sor a tyme is greene but afterwards withereth and falleth downe so I may say with one Vita quid est hominum nisi vallis plena malorum Principio medio fine dolenda suo That is to say What is mans life a valley full of ill Beginning mids and end lamenting still And with an other What if a day or a month or a yeare Crowne thy delights with a thousand wisht contentings Essex lament Can not the chaunce of a night or an houre Crosse thy delights with as many sad tormentings Finally this often meditation of death prepareth vs for it and armeth vs against it so that it commeth not to vs vnawars as a thiefe in the night but wee looke for it wee watch and pray for strength and comfort in the houre of it and when it commeth will say with old Simeon Now LORD thou lettest thy servant depart in peace and also with David and CHRIST In thy hands O LORD I commend my Spirit and with the first Christian Martyre Stephen LORD IESUS receaue my Spirit The second Chapter What death is and of the causes of naturall death IN holy Scripture death is taken in diverse senses as first and most properly for the dissolution of soule and body Secondly for the separation of soule from GOD his grace and favour Thirdly for the separation both of bodie and soule from GOD his grace and glorie eternallie Death then beeing taken into the first sense is commoun to all mankynd since the fall of Adam and Evah our first Parents as witnesseth the Apostle saying As by one man sinne entered in the world Rom. 5.12 and by sinne death and so death went over all men for all men haue sinned In the second sense death since the fall of our first Parents is also common to all mankind vntill they be quickned againe by the Spirit of regeneration as testifieth this same Apostle saying And you hath he quickned who were dead in sinnes and trespasses Ephes 2.1 In the third sense Death is only proper to the Reprobate and it is called in holy Scripture the second death as posterior to the first which wee call naturall death from this death there is a promise of GOD that all such shall bee delivered Revel 20 6 who are partakers of the first resurrection that is of true faith and repentance Now in order of time death in finne is first that is to say the separation of soule and body from GOD his grace and favour Naturall death which is the separation of soule and body is next Everlasting death which is the separation of both soule and body from the grace and glory of GOD for ever last The first sort of death is verie fearefull but the feare of it apprehended by few because it floweth from the wrath of GOD and is a death in sinne a spirituall death yet it is not desperate for Christ died for vs Rom. 4.25 and rose againe to justifie and sanctifie vs And GOD for his sake freely forgiues our sinne who beleeue in his Sonne his Spirit is given vs with his word and Sacraments to regenerate and quicken and at last to perfectly sanctifie vs. 2 Cor. 3.18 The second sort of death is also fearefull because in the owne nature of it it is the punishment of sinne Also because in this dissolution of soule and body that haue beene straitly and long joyned together and acquaint one with other as two neare and deare friends they are loath to sunder So nature abhorreth and feareth this very naturall death but faith and grace overcommeth this horror and feare and maketh the true Christians to triumph over death As witnesseth the Apostle when hee said O wretched man that I am who shall deliver mee from this body of death Rom. 7 24.25 I thanke GOD through Iesus Christ And in an other place O death where is thy sting 1 Cor. ●5 55.56.57 The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law But ihanks bee to GOD who giveth vs the victorie through our LORD IESVS CHRIST The third sort of death is most terrible because from it there is no redemption nor delyverie if once wee bee plunged therein It is therefore called the second death the wrath to come everlasting fire everlasting paine everlasting destruction from the which both living and dying wee should labour and pray to bee delivered seeing wee are warned to flie from the wrath to come Math. 37 And IESUS CHRIST hath delivered all true Christians from thence This much of the diverse sorts of death 1 Thess 1.10 whereof the holy Scripture maketh mention Now I minde chiefly to speake of naturall death which I define The dissolution of soule and body The causes there of are these following First the efficient cause of death is sinne for if man and woman had not sinned they should not haue died Thus GOD did signifie to our first Parents by the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evill which grew in the midst of the Garden in Eden The first was to him a Sacrament or signe that so long as they continued in GODS obedience they should liue happily The
of it argues want of fortitude And this much of the feare of death which proceeds of ignorance Now follow remedies and comforts against the feare of death which proceede from infidelitie or despaire Let such as feare death through infidelitie or despaire imitate the counsell following Acknowledge all good helpe comfort to come from GOD Repent and be sorie for all thy sinnes in geuerall and for everie one in particulare as thou canst remember them confesse them to GOD and forsake them Pro 28.19 Psal 32.5 Isa 28.17 then shall thou sind mercie Bee oft and earnest in prayer to GOD for mercie and comfort and desist not albeit thou get no answere but rather insist the more Luke 18 remembering the doctrine of CHRIST by parables that we should doe so Iames. 5 Desire the counsell and prayers of the faithfull aboue all things studie to know CHRIST and the power of his resurrection Philip. 3.10 and the fellowship of his sufferings for CHRIST hath swallowed vp death in victorie Isa 25 8 so that after this digestion of death it hath lost the sting of it against all true Christians yea CHRIST changed the name of death and called it a sleepe to teach vs that the nature of death is changed to those that beleeue in him Iohn 11.11 saying to his Disciples Lazarus our friend sleepeth In the true knowledge of CHRIST is our comfort Iohn 17.3 Act. 4.12 both in life and death The two Cherubims looked to the Mercie-seare the two Testaments looked vnto CHRIST Hee is the propitiatorie that covereth the Law the Pillar of fire to giue light in darknesse the clowde to comfort and refresh in all temptations Rely vpon the mercie of GOD in IESUS CHRIST and resolue to say with IOB in thy greatest terrours Iob. 13.15 Though he slay mee yet will I trust in him Reade often the holy Scripture and meditate therevpon Bee never idle not too solitarie If melancholie trouble thee take physicke from a skilfull and godly physitian reade and meditate vpon GODS promises of mercie to penitent sinners and consider his dealing with them how many sinners hee hath made righteous and enemies friends oft read and meditate vpon these places of Scripture Exod. 34 4. Deuter. 4.31 Proverb 28.3 2 Chron. 7.14 Isaiah 1.18.19.20 Ezek. 18.27 Hosea 14.3.4.5 Psal 103.13 Math. 5 6. and 11.28 Iohn 3.14 Rom. 5.20 2 Cor. 12.9 Rom. 16.20 1. Timoth. 2.4 Meditate likewayes vpon the mercie of GOD to penitent sinners as Moses Aaron Iob David Salomon Manasses Hezekiah Iosiah Marie Magdalene the forlorne sonne Peter the thiefe vpon the Crosse with CHRIST Paul for these examples may serue to teach vs though wee sinne yet not to goe on still and proceede in wickednesse also not to despaire of GODS mercie more than they Rom. 10.12 for the LORD is rich over all that call vpon him and repent therefore no man ought to despaire for this is a true saying and by all meanes worthie to bee receaved 1 Tim. 1 15.16 that CHRTST IESUS came in the world to saue sinners whereby many haue obtained mercie Math. 9.15 vnto the example of them which shall in tyme to come belieue in him vnto eternall lyfe Mark 2.17 If Sathan or thy owne conscience trouble thee with these doubts and objections following answere thus Object 1. My sinne is so great that it can not bee pardoned Answere No sinne in it selfe is so great but it is pardonable to everie one that can repent No cryme so great but GODS mercie is greater yea the sinne against the holy Ghost can not bee forgiven only because these that fall therein can not repent Hebr. 6. Object 2. I sinne dayly and often fall in one and the selfe same sinne Answere If thou sinne dayly repent dayly if thou sinne once twise 100 1000 tymes repent as oft He who said if thy brother offend thee seventie tymes seven tymes forgiue him will forgiue thee all thy sinnes if thou repent Object 3. I can not repent my heart is so hard An. GOD calleth all men to repentance so long as they liue in this world so doeth he thee and so long as thou livest if thou despise not his bountifulnesse and patience hee will giue thee repentance before thou die As for the hardnesse of thine heart because thou feelest it it is an argument of spirituall lyfe for death corporall or spirituall maketh vs losse all feeling Object 4. I can neither belieue repent nor cease from sinne albeit I would gladly Answere Pray with the man spoken of in the Ghospell LORD helpe my vnbeliefe Know also that thy desire is acceptable to GOD if it be vnfeined and constant Object 5. I am forced now and then to thinke evill thoughts and blasphemies against GOD even against my will Answere These are not from thee but from Sathan they are his sinnes but thy crosses thou shall bee forgiven hee shall be rebuked and punished for them Object 6. I can not be perswaded that I am one of these whom GOD hath chosen to life Answere Farre lesse can thou bee assured that thou art a reprobate for GOD may giue thee assurance of thine election at thy last houre and wee liue more by faith than feeling therefore say with JOR Though hee slay mee yet will I trust in him The sixth Chapter Of the desire of death and how that wee may die both peaceablie and likewayes well THere bee only two causes for the which wee may lawfully desire to die The first is a longing to bee with IESUS CHRIST our Saviour this cause moved Paul to desire to die Philip. 3.23 when hee said I desire to depart and that I may bee with CHRIST The other causes why wee may lawfully desire to die is that wee may cease altogether from sinning against GOD which we can not doe so long as we are in this body of sinne and of death This also moved Paul to desire to die when hee said Rom. 7.24 O miserable man that I am who shall delyver me from this body of death All desire of death flowing from other causes as griefe trouble paine povertie miscontentment c. are all vnlawfull for GOD hath put vs in a warrefare and hath appointed everie one of vs a station which wee should keepe as obedient Souldiers vntill GOD our great Captaine and commander call vpon vs and remoue vs. Wherefore are wee to follow the example of Elias 1 King 19.14 who out of great griefe said Now LORD take away my life Nor the example of Ionas when he said It is better to mee to die than to liue Ion 4.6 But rather the example of David Psal 101.2 who said I will behaue my selfe wisely in a perfect way vntill thou come to mee And aboue al we should follow the example of CHRIST our Saviour Heb. 12 Who for the joy so set before him indured the crosse despised the shame and is set at