health let vs ô let vs out of the large garden of Gods word gather many sweet flowers to comfort vs in the day of sicknes to solace vs in the houre of death Let wisdome enter into our hearts and the knowledge of Prou. 2. 10. the gospel delight now our soules that the remeÌ„brance of such good lessons as by diligent reading and reuerent hearing we haue learned may then stand vs in stead to confirme our faith to strengthen our hope and to make vs conquerors in that our last combat It hath euer bin accounted more noble and succesfull to set vpon an Note enemy in his owne home then to expect till he set vpon vs whilst we make a defensiue warre This rule serues vs very well for our last enemy death with which wee must meet in the way through premeditation in our minds before it seize vpon our bodies premeditate we Rom. 7. 24. Phil. 1. 23. must with what limitations it is to be desired in what respect it is to be feared and for what ends it is daily to be expected Happy is that soule that can send out the scouts of his thoughts before hand to discouer the power the peril the profit of death and blessed is hee that can meditate thus with St. Austin August med If my life may bring farther glory to thee and good to thy Church giue life sweet Iesu giue life but if it cannot send death sweet Iesu send death but in the darknes of death thee to be mine euerlasting light and life Doubtles our carelesenes and vnpreparatioÌ„ is deaths aduantage whereas if we would coÌ„front him with courage in our often deuout and discreet meditations and consider how that those worthies of whom the world was not worthy haue gone that way before vs how Heb. 11 38. Christ hath by his death sanctified it vnto vs and perfumed the graue for vs wee shall find his force lesse fearefull and make death aduantageous vnto vs namely a passage vnto a better life the very gate to heauenly glory In a longing desire after which glory the glimpse whereof made S. Peter cry out Bonum est esse hic Mar. 9. 5. It is good to be here Let vs all not only with Iob wait for but with St. Paul wish for our changing let vs setting our houses and hearts in order henceforward prepare for our departing stand fast with our loines girt and staues in our hand Exod. 12. Gen. 18. 1. King 19. Mat. 25. that wee may passe ouer into the heauenly Canaan with Abraham in the tent doore with Elias in the caues mouth with the wise Virgins hauing the light of faith in our hearts and the burning lamps of good workes in our hands let vs be ready to meet the bridegroom and to follow the lambe wheresoeuer he goeth It is recorded of Dr. Ierom that wheresoeuer he was and whatsoeuer â—â— vita Hieron he did it seemed he heard the Archangel with the trumpet sounding Surgite ad iudicium Arise vnto iudgement I could wish this sound were alwaies in our eares that it might sinke deepe into our hearts and worke in them a reuerent feare of God and rouse vs out of the sleep of sin and make vs prepared willingly to leaue this sinfull and wretched world which is such a pull-backe from God that Salomon iudgeth him that is dead better then him that is aliue for the more daies wee spend the more waies we offend In regard whereof happy were we if with St. Paul and St. Pauls affection we could say I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ and Phil. 1. with Iacob and Iacobs resolution O Lord I wait for thy saluation and Gen. 40. with old Simeon Simeons deuotion Lord now lettest thou thy seruant Luk. 2. depart in peace for mine eies haue seene thy saluation I feare no sin I dread no death I haue long'd inough I haue my loue I haue seen ynough I haue my light I haue liued ynough I haue my life Lord nowe let thy seruant depart in peace Happy I say were we if our harts and mouthes were full of these meditations I must die because I haue sinned I woudl dy that I might sin no more I must dy because I am the sonne of man I would die that I might be the son of God I must dy because I liue with wicked men on earth I would die that I might liue with righteous Saints in heauen Happie and thrice happy are they which are thus religiously exercised and christianly affected Happy then by the iudgement of charity is he as for the iudgement of certainty the Lord alone knoweth his who in a coÌ„fortable christian maner was thus resolued and in the time of his sickenes vnto his end piouslie deuoted I meane this breathles deceased Knight whose funerals we now celebrate A man well knowne to you all in the time of his life best knowne and in the best sort to me as hee drew neerer to his death Whom without offence I hope I may call good King Ezekiahs knight for as Ezekiah being summoned by sicknes the Prophets Isa 38. short sermon to prepare for his dissolution turned presently to the wall praied and wept in the like manner according to that measure of grace which God had giueÌ„ him did this Knight demeane himselfe who soone vpon his visitation feeling his infirmity acknowledging his humane frailtie turned to the wall that is from the world to God to consecrate the short remainder of his life to diuine meditation humble hearty praier praying often though not in the like maner as Ezekiah did Lord remember how I haue walked before thee in sincerity and truth yet to the same effect for mercy Lord remember not the sinnes of my youth weeping also and shedding teares and such teares as either were distilled from the bitter hearbs of others affliction by the heat of compassion or from the sweet flowers of Gods mercies by the flame of godly meditation or from the euill weedes of his owne sins by the fire of hearty contrition Whose setled resolution to die assoone as he was visited whose strong vowes aâ—d protestatioÌ„s to become a new man if hee recouered whose patience in enduring the paines and griefe wherewith hee daylie languished whose piety and deuotion in begging pardon for his transgressions which hee freely confessed whose charitable disposition in forgiuing all and desiring to bee forgiuen of al whom he had any way offended whose constant perseuerance in good motions and exhortations in godly speeches meditations as long as life and memory continued as they deserue my iust commendation who was an often witnesse of it so do they require your christian imitation that both in life and death you may be the better for it I will not study to speake any thing but truth in this busines Concerning the former course of his life I will say nothing to it but if any
most feruent and vnfained affection each to other not but that your enemies and strangers yea all men in whom nothing but nature doth appeare are also to bee beloued but the fellow members of the same misticall body yea brethren by grace and adoption by calling and profession Chtistians begotten by the same word and spirit redeemed by the same bloud Heires of the same promise kingdome are to haue the chiefe seate of loue in your soules and as it were the highest and fairest roome of true affection in the house of your hearts This is my commandement that yee so loue one another 3 As I haue loued you That which I haue commanded in word I haue for your instruction and imitation practised in deede I haue made my life the example of my law and therefore may iustly require that loue at your hands whereof I haue exhibited my selfe a continual patterne before your eyes I haue most authoritie to command and my example should bee of most force to induce you will readilie imitate him of whom you thinke well especially hauing receiued some great benefit from him now of whom should you thinke better then of mee and to whom are you more beholding then to mee who haue indured a miserable life and must suffer a contemptible death for your sakes wherefore my disciples my friends my followers Loue one another as I haue loued you And with cheerefulnesse and constancie follow my example in this principall and most necessarie Christian duty of mutuall charity each to other This beloued is the full sense and meaning the maine drift and substance of my text Which as a fountaine of liuing water diuideth it selfe into three streames and in the diuision thereof commends to the duty of our obseruation these three distinct parts 3 parts 1. A commandement or law prefixed to win the Deuision greater reuerence and attention in these wordes this is my commandement 2. A duty of mutuall loue enioyned to worke in vs the deeper impression in these words That ye loue one another 3. A reason or motiue thereunto grounded on Christs example most worthy of imitation in these words As I haue loued you This is my commandement a commandement Illustratio â—â—â—tus of absolute soueraigntie and therefore to bee obeyed that ye loue one another a worke of excellent vse and commodity and therefore to bee performed As I haue loued you an example or president of singular sufficiencie and therefore to be followed This is my commandement Not an earthly Prince though his ordinance be as full of soueraignty as his seate of maiestie Neither heauenly Angells though in them all things make remonstrance of great power and glorious excellencie gaue this charge But the Lord Iesus the Lord of Angells the King of kings the Destroyer of Sathan the Sauiour of Saints the Conquerour of death the Giuer of life whose goodnesse is such as all are bound to loue him and greatnesse such as none may disdaine to obey him the Lord Iesus Excelsus in honore August enchyr suauis in amore diues in haereditate primus supremus liberrimus The first before all in eternity the highest aboue all in infinite maiestie most free and absolute at his owne libertie by nature essentiall and very God by distinction of â— Heb. 8. â— Ioh 1. â— Heb. persons the Sonne of God by office the word of God by holinesse the expresse Image of God the brightnesse of his glory the sweetnesse of his goodnesse the greatnesse of his power The Lord Iesus the Creatour of our persons out of nothing the Reformer of our natures out of sinne the Redeemer of our estates out of miserie the raiser of our soules from death to life and the exalter both of body and soule vnto glory Whose comming in the flesh the Patriarchs honored by their prefiguration Princes and potentates by their expectation Iohn Baptist by his preparation the three Wisemen by their offrings and oblation the Angells by their song the Sheepheards by their ioy Simeon and Anna by their praise euen the Lord Iesus whose comming into the world was thus honored going now out of the world he thus commanded This is my commandement 2. That ye loue one another That yee the naturall branches of Christ the true vine of whose fulnesse ye 1. Ioh. 16. haue all receiued from whom the soule-sauing-sappe of meekenesse mercy loue liberalitie temperancie and humilitie and all other spirituall graces are alone deriued that ye which are Christians not in name onely but in nature not in outward appearance but in reall existence not only by externall profession but by eternall election and internall regeneration that ye 1. Pet. 1. 21. loue one another Brotherly with a pure heart feruently being of one minde will and affection not hauing your wills diuided your iudgments distracted your affections alienated but supporting one another through loue and alwaies consorting as Brethren therein endeauouring to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace This is Christs commandement Ephes 4. 3. that we which professe Christianitie in sinceritie should loue one an other verè sine fictione purè sine corruptione Hug. Card. constanter sine defectione Truly without dissimulation purely without corruption constantly without flinching or defection 3 As he hath loued vs Who so loued vs that hee made a progresse from dignity to basenes in his incarnation from the ioyes of heauen to the paines of hell in his bitter passion to free vs from sinne and death and to purchase for vs euerlasting life and saluation Who so loued vs that hee turned the white robe of his innocency into the red robe of his martyrdome that the blacks raggs of our sins and sable weeds of sorrow might bee converted into triumphant robes of gladnes and ioy Who so loued vs qui tantus tales tantillos Bern. in lib. de dibde Rom. 5. 10. Ephes 2. 4. 1. Ioh. 4. 14. tantum prior gratis dilexit Who being so great and high in power and dignity loued vs so bad by nature so base in qualitie and that so much and that before wee loued him and that freely Who so loued vs as Bernard speaketh Bern. in Cant. Ser. 20. Suauiter quod carneÌ„ induit prudenter quod culpaÌ„ cauit fortiter quod mortem sustinuit so sweetly investing himselfe with our humanitie so wisely auoiding euery sinne and impiety so strongly in suffering death for vs and triumphing ouer the powers of darknesse victoriously that this his loue in respect of the admirable and vnmatchable perfection thereof may rightly be termed and entituled A None-such Wherevnto there hath not beene beene no nor shall be the like like no not the like in any degree O amor sine exemplo sine gratia sine merito charitas sine modo Ambr Bern O loue without it's like ô grace without merit charitie without measure yet in what manner or measure wee can let vs beloued imitate this his
soeuer thou bee bee prudent and prouident as it beseemeth thy yeeres thy place thy office thy state embrace Eliphaz his exhortation Iob 12. 21. Acquaint thy selfe with God make thy peace with him there by shalt thou haue prosperity Iob 22. Wisdome saith Salomon is the gray Sap. 4. haire and an vndefiled life is the old age Let these ô let these wisdome and an vndefiled life meete together in thee and kisse each other looke narrowly to thy waies least either in the greatnes of thy power thou forget God or in the abundance of thy pleasures remember not thy selfe Be not like Nabuchadnezar who in the ruffe of his pride remembred not who had made him till God had mard him neither acknowleged who set his ioints together till God had rent his Kingdome asunder But let my counsell be acceptable to thee ô man whether Knight Iustice Gentleman or all in one and let mee boldly say to thee as Daniel did to him Breake Dan. 4. 24. off thy sinnes by righteousnesse and thine iniquities by mercy towards the poore Loe let there bee an healing of thine errors Loe thou hast erred and gone astray by thy pride and luxury returne returne by the holy way of temperance and humility Thou hast through couetousnes and malice sowen in hardnes of heart O returne by the way of mercifulnes and charity least thou reape in horror of cōscience Returne returne ô Shulamite as Cant. 6. 12. Christ speaketh to his Spouse returne returne that we may behold thee that we may see aswell a sight of thy good workes as heare a sound of thy good words that we may behold the fruits of amendment in thee place not the anchor of thine eternall wealth and woe on so ticklesome a point as thy repentance at last cast Repent amend defer not from time to time least God in whose hands are the moments of time cut thee off from all time and send thee to paines eternall without time for abusing the singular benefit of time in this world make not thy death-bed to smart by thy wilfull adiournings of thy repentance In the midst of thy ruling remember thy reckoning suffer now whilst it is to day the seeds of godlines to be sowne more and more in the field of thy repentant heart that whensoeuer the night of death commeth thou maiest reape receiue the plentifull crop of a ioyfull haruest furnish thy soule with grace and inure it to a sweete conuersation with God in thy life so shall the offering of thy death-bed be acceptable and thou maiest boldly make God the guardian thereof in thy death And now at length to come to Tertia Part. Viaticum in via my last part and to shut it vp in a word beeing desirous to recompence the largenes of my former discourse with the briefe touch of that which followeth let mee Right Worshipfull and beloued in Iesus Christ intreat you all both old and young which haue heard and seene this day the blacke colours of death and the glorious ensignes of the resurrection displayed to make the due and daily meditation of both vsefull profitable vnto you that your practises in this life may hence forward be more commendable and your passage out of this life when God shall call you be blessed and comfortable Let me I say intreat you all in a serious consideration of the speedy approach of death sure in the end vnsure in the time and bitter when it commeth and of the certain appearance of vs al before the iudgement seat of Christ to render an account of our doings in that day of resurrection to watch all the daies of your life and with holy Iob in my text to waite till your changing shall come Your change may come at a suddaine therefore be alwaies prouided and prouide not so much by corporall phisicke as the maner of most is to put off death that it may not so soone happen vnto you as by soule sauing phisicke repentance faith obedience cleernes of conscience and comforts of Gods word and confidence in his sweete promises to cut off the sting and malignity of death that whensoeuer it comes it may not hurt you This this is viaticū in via prouision in the way to bring vs in safety to the iourneies end of euerlasting felicity O runne with alacrity this race of piety set before you Gratia praeparandus animus mens D. Ambros li. 1. off c. 38. stabilienda ad constantiam saith St. Ambrose for expedition in this iourney pray for grace practise constancie Seeke earnestly for the things that are aboue liue after the lawes of the new Ierusalem which is aboue your Burgeship is in heauen bee not then earthly minded but heauenly affected labour to get more more assurance of the forgiuenesse of your sinnes and to feele in your soules the power of Christs death in dying vnto sinne and the vertue of his resurrection in rising to newnes of life And that you may out of the court of Requests the more easily obtaine for all your transgressions an assured pardon indulgence put somewhat euery day into the court of Gods Exchequer in hope of recompence or remembrance that with good Nehemiah you may Neh. 13. 22. say Lord remember me according to this and pardon me after thy great mercies Let the counsell of our Sauiour be precious Lay vp treasure Matt. 6. 14. for your selues in heauen send your vertuous actions the best monuments of a Christian thither before you Bee zealous of good workes studious of piety abundant in the deeds of charity for the witnes and inward testimony of a well-deeded life when all other comforts leaue you will relieue and comfort you in death accompany you to heauen and present it selfe with you before God By these fruites of a liuely faith Ezek. 9. as his own marks God will know and acknowledge vs to be his and for these his owne gifts which are our best merits he will reward vs and this reward is a life and such a life as is eternall is a crowne and Rom. 6. 23. 1. Pet. 5. 4. Heb. 12. 28. 1. Pet. 1. 4. 2. Pet. 3. such a crowne as is the crowne of glory is a kingdome and such a kingdome as cannot be shaken is an inheritance and such an inheritance as is immortall vndefiled For the obtaining of which life crowne kingdome inheritance what manner persons ought we to be in holy conuersation and godlines how ought wee in respect of these great and gracious promises to giue all diligence to ioine to 2. Pet. 1. 5. our faith vertue to our vertue patience temperāce brotherly kindnes and all other ornaments of a sanctified life These these are Viaticum in Bern. mundo the saurus in coelo Prouision for spirituall comfort in this world for a celestiall crown in that to come O let vs in this behalfe be prouident and thriuing Christians and whilst we are in
wee know that we are translated from 1. Ioh. 3. 14. death to life because we loue the brethren Whereby the Apostle setteth it downe for a sure marke of Gods children to be louing one to another which hee doth more at large amplifie in the 7 8 9 and 1. Ioh. 7. 4. 16. 12 verses of the fourth Chapter and in the 16 verse concludes with this prouerbiall sentence neuer to be forgotten or committed to obliuion alwaies to be practised and by Christians put in execution God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him I will not loose my selfe or you in heaping vp any more needlesse proofes in a point so plaine S. Paul Rom 12. Cor 1. 13. Eph 4. 2. Col 3. 12. is very vehement in pressing this argument of mutuall loue but I will leaue his plentifull exhortations to your priuate meditations holding it sufficient for the confirmation of this doctrine that Christ Iesus made his whole life the example of his law this law of louing one another being no other than an irrefragable and most sound axiome arising out of the irreprehensible and most sincere actions of his life who was borne liued and died to restore man to the loue and fauour of God to promote loue and friendship betwixt man and man and to expresse the aeternitie and bounty of his loue to all mankinde who brought loue as the prince of peace and our King conquering death and Sathan the enemies of it who wrought loue as our Priest giuing himselfe to his Father as a peace-offering for it who taught loue as our Prophet abundantly praising and preaching it often pressing and alwaies practising it the more strictly to binde vs thereby to the embracing of it and to the willing obedience and conformitie of our wils to his will therein And so much of the doctrine or lesson it selfe Let vs now consider a few reasons to riuet this doctrine and obseruation the better to perswade our hearts in this behalfe which reasons are especially foure First we are to loue our Christian brethren because God loues â—easons of â—octrine them 2. Because we are neere of kinn and condition and tyed together by many linkes of loue 3. Because this brotherly loue will make vs most seruiceable each to other in Church or Common-wealth 4. Because it will preuent a multitude of mischiefes and inconueniences Let these reasons bee weighed a little in the ballance of our Christian iudgment and we shall soone perceiue if Sathan haue not exceedingly captiuated our senses that the loue of our Brethren is a most requisite and necessarie a most commendable and profitable thing Reason First the Lord of heauen and earth the Creator of vs all and our Father loueth them with whose loue ours should sympathize with whose affections ours should make a perfect harmonie that where he loueth there wee should loue also and that earnestly for it is good in a good thing to loue earnestly Gal 4. and where he hateth much Gal. 4. 18. we should hate also and that vehemently for as our vehement hatred cannot but bee good if that No which we hate be naught so our earnest loue can neuer be naught if that which we loue be good and how can that bee otherwise then good which God being goodnes it selfe doth effect If then it be a sufficient argument incitement to vs to hates any thing which is an abhomination to God then it cannot be a weake consequent but a strong encouragement for vs on the contrary that where God loueth most we should loue most also Now the Lord loues all his Creatures in a generall manner approuing them as the workemanship of his owne hands and therefore there should be a correspondency in our affections to loue and like all the Creatures as they are his Creatures But as for Christians they are his peculiar Christians Gods peculiar his children the sheepe of his pasture his treasure his chosen generation by all the possessiue relatiue respectiue tearmes of alliance and vnity his as neere and deere to him as the apple of his eye the signet of his right hand alwaies vnder the eye of his protection prouidence vnder the light of his louing countenance the proper obiect of his lookes and loue too Wherefore as he doth tenderly regard them such should be the feruency of our loue and affection â— Iohn 5. 1. toward them for euery one which loueth him which begate will loue them also which are begotten by him and if wee say wee loue God whom we haue not seene and yet hate our brethren whom wee haue seene we are but lyars It cannot be 1. Iohn 4 20. that the fire of our affection should burne hot in the Lord and but like ice that is to say no whit at all towards those which are his sonnes seruants and chiefe friends Wee haue an old Prouerbe somewhat homely but true and by common experience verified Loue mee and loue my dog how much more Loue me and loue my sonne or my wife Seeing then God hath adopted all true Christians bee they neuer so full of infirmities wants and imperfections as sonnes vnto himselfe hath married them in mercy and fidelity giuing them in assurance thereof a ring with sixe spirituall Hose 2. 19. 20. Iewells described by the Prophet Hosea How can we then euer approue our selues to be well affected towards him if our behauiour bee strange our kindnes cold towards them if either with cruell Ahab we preferre our beasts before our brethren in the time of scarcitie as I feare too many haue done Or else with churlish Nabal deny the smallest 1 Kings 18. 5. reliefe to Dauids seruants or to the seruants of the Lord in their extremity 2 Sam. 25. 10. 11. verses as too many amongst vs at this day doe O let vs blush for shame and sigh for sorrow that we cannot that wee doe not affect where the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost conspire with ioynt consent to fauour and let this be a prouocation to vs all to blow vp the dying coales of our almost extinguisht charitable affections and seeing our good things cannot extend to thee Lord in Heauen as the Prophet speaketh Let our Psalm 16. 2. well doing bee extended towards his Saints on earth And because God doth not only loue them but professeth this loue and proclaimeth to the world that to bee done to himselfe which is done to Christians in his name Let vs no way exclude them from the benefit of our best friendshippe which are euery way so much interrested in his bounty and fauour Let vs loue them because GOD our Father loues them and this is the first reason Reason 2 Secondly because there is a neere bond of kinne and condition betwixt vs mutually which doth most iustly challenge kindnes and good affection at our hands If a man doe not shew kindnesse to a stranger to whom
a man without loue is as a dead Carkasse without life or like to a swoln arme or legge that must be wrapped vp and couered and tenderly touched but when it commeth to the vse it will not it cannot sturre it doth vs no seruice Wherefore as any man desires to approoue himselfe a fruitfull branch of Christ the true Vine or would that his life should be officious or beneficiall for the vse commodity of Christians yea for the glory and seruice of God so let him striue to store vp in his soule this rich treasure of Christian loue which as an odoriferous perfume smelleth a far off and causeth a sweet sent where it is not seene or rather as the eye of the soule charitas enim oculus mentis Greg. in mor. is quickned in espying out all occasions and oportunities of doing good to others It is not like to fire in the flint which can hardly be stricken out but like fire in the Amor non est ignis in filice sed in sinu bosome which cannot be concealed This will make vs in all cases and in all places to open our selues to our friends and to deale friendly and faithfully in the affaires of them which we doe affect and to helpe them by counsell to comfort them in griefe to succor them what wee may in the sundry disasters of fortune which daily and casually occurre as Ionathan dealt 1 Sam. 19. and 20. chap. with Dauid And to shut vp this reason Loue it is alone which makes vs all one This makes vs vigilant to pry out euery occasion wise and prudent to see euery opportunity painefull and diligent to take any labour cheerefull to vndergoe any trauaile or trouble constant indefatigable in going through any businesse for the bettering and benefiting of each other If therefore we would not be which it is a shame any Christian should bee as stocks and Images which stand in a wall and do nothing let vs labour for loue which will both set vs a worke and get vs wages make vs seruiceable to each other on earth and aduance vs hereafter to be Saints in Heauen according to that Charit as est viaticum in mundo No Thesaurus in coelo and this is the third reason why Christians should be the more willingly obedient to Christ commandement of Louing one another Reason 4 The fourth and last reason is because Christian loue preuenteth many mischiefes and inconueniences and meeteth with many harmefull prankes to hinder them and cut them off whereunto wee would otherwise breake foorth to our after griefe and our brethrens hurt it whippeth anger malice enuie out of the heart as Christ did the prophane Marchandizers out of the Temple Iohn 2. It stoppeth â—oh 2. 14. v. the course of ill violent passions it maketh them to turne saile or come vnder the Lee It causeth the proudest man to stoupe the chollericke man to bee calme the niggerdest man to be liberall so far forth as it possesseth them or it is possessed by them in any degree This stinteth strifes and contentions musleth vp censurings and backbitings blotteth out murrings and repinings and keepeth the heart from thinking the mind from conceiuing the tongue from speaking the hand from acting any thing which is euill and therefore is rightly compared to the herbe panacaea or to the generall medicines of the Phisitians called panchresta which are good for all assaies accomodable to euery disease Pliny Saint Austin of purpose speaking August de laud char hereof saith thus Charitas est mors criminum vita virtutum gluten animarum quae diuisa vnit confusa ordinat inequalia sociat imperfecta consummat i. Charitie and loue is the very death and queller of vice the life and cherisher of vertue the glue and as it were the sodder of the soules and affections of Christians It vniteth things diuided putteth in order things confused matcheth and consorteth things vnequall and consummateth things vnperfected In a word loue is the fulfilling of the Law the complement of Christianitie Rom. 13. 18. Coloss 3. 14. and the band of perfection the friend of a good conscience the companion of a liuely faith the prouoker of good words the promoter of good workes the throne of God in earth the delight of God in heauen Loue speaketh with the tongue of euery vertue 1. Ioh. 4. 16. Pitty biddeth thee to succour the penurious and indigent Iustice biddeth thee to giue euerie man his owne and not to wrong the impotent Patience biddeth thee to suffer Mercy biddeth thee to forgiue to helpe and relieue others But the voice of Christian loue commandeth all these A coward inflamed with this holy spark of heauenly fire banisheth feare becommeth valiant and manfull The couetous oppressour commanded by the imperious resolution of loue becommeth liberall and bountifull The ambitious Tyrant mollified hereby becommeth humble meeke and mercifull so true is that saying Amor Aug. de ciâ—â—â— Dei l. 〈…〉 meus pondus meum illo ferer quocunque feror My loue is my loadstone where it setteth mee there am I fixed whither it leadeth me thither am I carried so that to close vp this point Hee that hath much loue doth least harme and most good he that hath little loue doth more harme and lesse good and where no loue is this is nothing but harme and no good at all Whereof I may say as Abraham Gen. 20. 11. did of Abimelechs house Lo Iereah Eclohim baernacon the feare of God is not in this place But on the contrarie where loue dwelleth I may conclude thereof as Ezekiell doth Ezek. 47. 35. his prophesie Iehouah Shammah God is there Not to stand longer on the point you may see now by these proofes and reasons it is most plaine that spirituall Christian loue is a duty most requisite and necessarie to be exercised amongst Christians if euer wee will be like God our Father who is the God of loue or like vnto our profession which is the communion of Saints and the profession of loue or decline from euill and doe good 1. Cor. 13. which are the properties of loue Now very briefly before wee discend to the vse of this doctrine Definition of loue and come to the application let vs consider what this loue is which will worke such wonders bring men to such perfection Loue in briefe is an affection of the soule by which it doth settle it selfe in the liking of a good thing according to the kind and degree thereof or loue is that power of the heart whereby it doth rest it selfe in the approbation and liking of that which is good in its kind and according to the degree of goodnesse therein Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to loue is by the Greekes deriued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from resting it selfe quieted and contented with the thing beloued So then spirituall loue is an holy affection of the Spirituall loue soule
whereby the soule in a spirituall manner doth rest and settle it selfe in the liking and approbation of a Christian man as he is a Christian and according to the excellency of a Christian When therefore in our hearts and soules wee are quietly and fully possessed with the liking and embracing of any of our fellow members and brethren in Christ according to their worth and dignity as they are Christians then doe wee loue them indeed spiritually and as Christians ought to loue one another I say not when we loue and like them as they are men thus and thus be friended thus enriched thus enobled thus outwardly beautified or accomplish'd for this is carnall and partiall loue But when wee louingly regard them as they are Christians considering the spirituall excellency of them in Christ and knowing that diuine perfection which is in Christ for them and in them in some measure as the Apostle speaketh and 2. Pet. 1. 4. accordingly fixing our affections on them and highly esteeming and heartily louing them as God doth both vs and them for Christs sake This this is true Christian spirituall loue that loue which our Sauiour here requireth the which as a golden chaine consisteth of these three linkes the good-will of Threefold cord of charity Bernard the heart the good word of the mouth and the good worke of the hand Triplex enim funiculus charitatis beneuolentia in corde benedictio in ore beneficentia in mann As Bernard well obserueth Wherfore he which in this manner tenderly affecteth his Christian Brethren whatsoeuer they be for outward respects that hee can vnfainedly wish well vnto them in his heart as Moses did vnto the Israelites Exod. Exod. 32. 32 1. Sam. 19. 4. 32. blesse them with his mouth and speake good of them as Ionathan did of Dauid 1. Sam. 19. and can bee willing according to his abilitie to helpe and relieue them in their necessitie as Nehemiah did Nehem. 5. 8. 9. 10. the Iewes by lending to them both corne and money freely in the time of extremitie Nehemiah 5. 10. and all this for Christianities sake he doth rightly and in truth loue them as Christ hath prescribed and in what measure any of vs shall so doe in the same degree we haue obtained that spiritual amity and are possessed of that Christian charity which Christ Iesus doth by so many Commandements as it were extort and with an holy kind of violence wring from vs. Vse 1 Now to make some vse and application of that which hath beene taught First mee thinketh this should strike a terror into vs and make vs all both to blush forshame and sigh for sorrow sith wee haue been so cold and frozen as it were in the performance of this duty of mutuall loue which Christ with such vrgent vehemency doth so often require at our hands Did hee he I say the totall of our loue the hight of our hope the vtmost of our feare the way neuer erring the truth neuer fayling the life neuer ending so precisely prescribe vnto vs the way to loue in truth that we might attaine to life and haue we as the wise man speaketh Ioh. 14. 6. in the error or forwardnesse of life sought death haue wee so much forgotten and neglected or most sparingly practised that lesson of loue which he so abundantly commended vnto vs by precept and the example of his whole life Here then is matter of bewailing and lamenting for the best of vs to consider how we haue beene failing or fainting in this duty and how wee haue come farre short of discharging that charge which Christ hath laid on vs. We cannot deny but Christians are most deare vnto the Lord yet who of vs made them so deare vnto himselfe wee cannot but confesse that wee are tied vnto them many waies and that most strongly but yet whose heart doth so fully embrace them whose hart doth so rest it felfe in the liking of them as they are Christians may not the best say that his affections are strongly setled on such such rather as they bee his friends or kinsfolke his Creditors or Benefactors then as they are good men good Christians and the friends of Christ Iesus If any bee so farre gone that they dare deny this for you shall haue those which neuer had any loue or came neere the dwelling place thereof most ful of boasting that they loue their neighbours as themselues spectemur agendo Let vs come to the trial and make enquiry of our loue by the effects and our common dealing and daily practise will soone conuince vs of the contrary My little children saith Saint Ioh. 1. Ioh. 3. 18. Let vs not loue in word or tongue only for this lip-labour wordy loue is not worthy the name of loue but in deede and truth Well then in Greg. in mor. Neâ—â—â— aliquem amat quâ—m non vult esse meliorem truth and by our deedes let vs in particular by our selues examine our owne soules how wee haue loued our Christian brethren and what seruice wee haue done vnto them for Christs sake What haue wee been desirous that our neighbours amongst whom we dwell or others with whom wee haue conuersed and had comerce and acquaintance should bee the better for vs haue wee left among them some tokens of our goodnes some monuments of our godlinesse haue wee refreshed them in their neede with the sweete sauour of our kindnesse gentlenesse mercifulnesse haue wee beene content that some portion of their sorrowes and disastrous fortunes should be laide on the shoulders of our friendshippe that thereby wee might alleuiate and lesson their weight least they should otherwise sinke vnder the burthen of their wants and woes haue wee in causes of extremitie holpen them by our counsell sustained them by our comfort supplied their necessities by the superfluity of our wealth supported their decaying estate by our credit and countenance haue wee endured much trouble and trauell for their sakes and yet thinke no labor too much to do them good because they are the members of Christ these are buddes blossomes and fruites of Christian loue indeede for true loue as it maketh vs to grieue when the person beloued is decaied in estate or despised so it maketh vs to vse all good meanes for his vpbearing and to reioyce when we see him benefited or aduanced But where is this loue become now when as a number of those that bee accounted and wee must hope are indeed Christians thogh very weake ones doe make their owne profit pleasure and preferment the end of all their doings dealings and endeauours yea â— Phil. 21. when as the most of those which professe Christianity thinke all their riches little enough to feede their fancie to satisfie their pleasure to maintaine their pride and not a penny in a pound bestowed on the poore members of Christ Iesus when by experience we find all their time to be little enough to follow
and your vertuous and worthily honoured Ladies greatest welfare are and shal be euer most powerfull and plentifull I rest alwaies prest to be proued your Worships in all Christian obseruancy truly deuoted RICH. CARPENTER To the Reader CHristian Reader though it bee often true that he which putteth in Print what hee preached in the pulpit bindeth himselfe to loose a portion of his former reputation because heereby his sayings become dispirited and without life in regarde whereof the Author of this Sermon could haue wished that the day of its birth had beene the day of its buriall yet notwithstanding yeelding to the often and earnest importunity of his friends and ayming rather at thy benefit â—hen affecting his owne credit hee hath beene content to suffer the same in its natiue attire without any new dresse at all to passe to the publike view and thy proper vse Vse it then peruse it at thy pleasure and enioy it in the Lord for thy greatest good in life and comfort in death Thus neither desiring to bee commended of the ignorant for learned nor caring if hee be condemned of the learned for ignorant but wishing to both as to himselfe the increase of all true sauing knowledge and Christian happinesse hee biddeth both thee and them heartily Farewell Suspend thy iudgement censure not in hast But ere thou iudge the first first reade the last THE SOVLES SENTINEL IOB 14. 14. If a man die shall hee liue againe All the daies of mine appointed time will I waite till my changing shall come THis whole Chapter Right Worshipfull is as a large mappe of mans misery and mortality and this verse now read vnto you is as a liuely mirror and looking-glasse of Christianity representing at once three proper obiects to the Diuision eye of our vndestanding 1. The frailty of this life present 2. The certainty of the life to come 3. The duty of watchfulnesse to be performed in the former that we may ioyfully attaine the latter First the fraile condition of this life is exhibited to our view by way of supposition h. v. If a man die implying by force of Logicke this plaine and peremptory proposition Man must die there is no remedy Secondly the certainty of our resurrection after death is offered to our apprehension by way of Question h. v. shall he liue again where by a question of admiratioÌ„ he doth put it out of all doubt and question as a Greg. Mor. D. Gregor noteth on this place that man dying shall surely rise and liue againe Thirdly the duty of watchfulnesse and wayting for the dissolution of this life temporall and the restitution of the body to the soule in another life eternall is commended to our consideration h. v All the daies of mine appointed time as Tremelius interprets it or of my warfare as D. Greg. and Ierom read it will I waite till my changing shall come Wherein three particulars are remarkable The first is a secret concession or granting of that which was before questioned The second is an open confession that our time here is prefixed as the time of Sentinels in a watch of Captaines and souldiers in the warre so that when the great Generall of heauen and earth shall cal away the greatest there is no meanes of withdrawing no place of auoyding no power of resisting The last is an expresse declaration that this war-fare shall haue an end a change shall come which of the wicked is to be feared the godly to be desired all to be expected These Beloued in Christ Iesus are the seuerall streames into which this welspring of liuing water naturally deuideth it selfe From the which very many profitable Christian instructions for the edifying of vs in an holy faith and godly life might easily be deduced But as the Eagle which Esdras saw in a vision d 2. Esd 11. 1 had twelue wings but onely three heads and as the vine which Pharaohs Butler saw in a dreame e Gen. 40. 10 had many clusters but three chiefe branches so this fruitfull parcell of scripture hauing many wings many clusters hath yet but three maine branches and heads or principall points of doctrine of me to be discussed of you to be considered if the Antecedent of my text with the consequent the Interrogation If a man die shall he liue with the Inference and illation All the daies of mine appointed time will I waite c. bee rightly compared together 1. Obser The first that The terme and time of our life is appointed and die we must by ordinary prescription and this I will terme mors in Olla death is our lot 2. Obs The second that A change shall come by death and there shal be a generall resurrection and this I will call spes in vrna hope is in the graue 3. Obs The third that wee ought to prepare dayly for death and to liue in continuall expectation of the iudgement to come particular and generall and this I will entitle Viaticum in Via prouision in the way to bring vs to the iournies end of euerlasting felicity of each of these and their vses in their order as God shall giue grace and assistance and you rightly regarded continue your Christian attention and patience and first of the first 1. Doct. The time of maÌ„s life is determined Mors in Olla death is our lot and death by no man by no meanes can be avoided f Seneca Vita cito auolat nec potest retineri mors quotidie ingruit nec potest resisti Life flieth away speedily and cannot be retained death commeth on as hastily and cannot be resisted What one writeth wittily of the GraÌ„marian that being able to decline all other Nounes in euery case he could decline death in no case the same may serue fitly for euery mans Motto and Memento The longest liuer hauing no stroÌ„ger charter of his life then that g Iob 14. 2. He shooteth forth as a flower and is cut downe vanisheth as a shadow and continueth not Yea the very stoutest and strongest Gaeber the man of might prowesse command and greatnesse as the word in my text importeth must yeeld to deaths stroake and daunce in deaths ring leauing behind him onely this poore remembrance h Ouid. 12. Metam Iâ—m cinis est de taÌ„ magno restat Achille Nescio quid paruam quod â—ix bene compleat ornam If a man die death is inexorable ineuitable and admits of no ifs and ands man i Gaber whatsoeuer or wheresoeuer he be must needs die Iamuth Man in the old testament hath three appellations hee is called Adam red earth homo ab humo in respect of the substance whereof hee was first created Aenosh mortall or wretched in regard of the misery to the which by his fal he was inthralled Ish or Gaeber vir a virtute maÌ„ indeed for his vertue valor as here he is considered But notwithstanding these different appellations man
without difference in respect of his final estate may rightly bee compared vnto a tree which sooner or later must be cut downe by the axe of death to be fuell for burning or timber for building to become a cursed brand in Satans furnace or a blessed beame in Christs palace Indeed the time was but a short time God knowes when as man the mortall mirror of immortall Maiesty created in admirable perfection and beauty and indowed with the richest gifts and graces which could be competēt to a creature did not only in the exquisite integrity of his soule liuely resemble his makers purity but also in the most sound and healthfull temper of his body carry some excellent sauor of his eternity for the continuance whereof it pleased the Almighty to place him in the goodly garden of Eden stored with matchlesse variety of whatsoeuer delights heart could desire especially garnished * Gen. 2. 9 begnetz hacaijm with the tree of life whose fruite had by Gods ordinance naturally vertue to banish hunger thirst sicknesse age death So that if Adam had neuer sinned mankinde had euer continued in this his primary estate and condition free from sorrow sicknesse death and corruption But alas now the case is much altered and lamentable is the alteration for no sooner had Adam by the entisement of Eue in eating the forbidden fruit transgressed but God passed vpon him and his posterity this sentence of temporall condemnation neuer to bee reuersed l Gen. 3 19 Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne againe As Leui was in the loines of Abraham when hee paied tithe or tribute m Heb. 7. 5 Heb. 7. so were wee in the loines of Adam when hee plaide the traitor his disobedience is in vs vnexcusable the doome and punishment of death due vnto it is irreuocable and all of vs of what estate age or degree soeuer wee bee ar◠without some rare and extraordinary dispensation as that of Enoch and Elias was liable vnto the same Though Sathan a liar from the beginning said n Gen. 3. 4 Non omnino moriemini yee shall not die at all and Mother Eue minced the matter with o Gen. 3. 3 Ne forte moria mini least perchance ye die yet God said expresly in that day wherein thou eatest of the tree of knowledge of good and euill p Gen. 2. 17. moth tamuth morte morieris thou shalt surely die yea through the hereditary contagion of this originall rebellion Statutum est omnibus semel mori q Heb. 9. 27. It is decreed that all Adams sinnefull progeny shall once die This is a statute enacted by three states of the highest court of heauenly parliament and neuer to be repealed We came by the wombe and must to the graue whether old or yong God knowes how soone death stands ready in the gate for old men and they cannot liue long death lies in ambush for young men and they may die soone the difference is no more the one goeth to death and death commeth to the other Belshazzars Embleme is on euery wall and his Impresa vpon all flesh able to make the proudest Tyrant the frolikest gallant the prophanest Church-robber if not to blush for shame yet to tremble Dan. 5. 25. for feare r Mene mene Tekel vpharsin God hath numbred thy daies he hath ballanced thee thou art found lighter then vanity away thou must Wee must needs die said the wise woman of Tecoah to Dauid ſ 2. Sam. 14. you a soueraigne and I a subiect you a man and I a woman wee must needs die and are as water spilt on the ground Dauid confessed so much on his death-bed t 1. King 2. 2 I must goe the way of all the earth and holy Iob u Iob. 30. 23. I know assuredly thou wilt bring me to death which is the house appointed for all the liuing as a hauen for all shipping It may be when a ship is come to the mouth of the hauen a blast driueth it back againe but thither it will arriue at last so must wee to the gates of death x Bern de conu cler Non miseretur inopiam non reueretur diuitias as D. Bernard speaketh Death pittieth not the poore regardeth not the rich spareth not any It is not the Maiesty of the Prince or holinesse of the Priest strength of body feature of face learning riches honour or any secular regard can plead against death or priuiledge any person from the graue Nereus the faire Thersites the foule Pyrrhias the Cooke Agamemnon the King Absolon with his beauty and Lazarus with his blaines must all the same way Say Prince say pesant say rich say poore say all with holy Iob. y Iob. 17. 14 c. 17. Corruption thou art my father rottennesse thou art my mother wormes and vermine yee are my brethren and sisters say graue thou art my bed sheete thou art my shrine earth thou art my couer greene grasse thou art my carpet say death demand thy due for thy seasure is without surrender and from thy sentence there is no appeale To this purpose the Prophets proclamation is so generall z Isay 40. 6 All flesh is grasse All flesh without any exception is grasse which by the Sunnes angry countenance winds blasting frosts nipping mans trading beasts deuouring and many other waies is turned to corruption All flesh is grasse and the beauty and grace thereof is as a flower 1. If any thing bee more seemely more amiable more goodly more gracious more glorious in man it is but as a flower which though it bee more faire in shew and more fragrant in smell then grasse yet as the grasse withereth so the flower fadeth And euen so the greatest power pomp authority estimation and most illustrious estate of man decayeth Where is that wisdome which folly hath not tainted where is that honour which slander hath not stained where is that strength which sicknesse hath not impaired where is that beauty which age hath not defaced where is that high and happy estate of ruledome and renowne which enuie and time hath not ruinated where are either of these or all together which death hath not spoiled and lodged in the graue I haue seene saith Dauid an end of all perfection a Psal 119. 96 Happy are they which haue Dauids eies and thrice happy were we if vpon true insight of our frailty imperfection wee did daily and duly forethinke of our end and dissolution To incite vs whereunto Isaiah as the Lords Herauld is commanded to deliuer the former message not whisperinglie in a soft still voice such as that was wherein God passed by Elias b 1. Kin. 19. 5. but to crie aloud and to make such a noise as would mooue him that were musing rouse him that were slumbring awake him that were sleeping so carefull God is we should learne this lesson and lay it to our hearts that our continuance in this life
is but momentany and our best estate as the princely Prophet protesteth in this world c Psalm 39. 5. altogether vanity For the better riuetting whereof in our mindes and memories the holy Ghost by his pen-men actuaries Moses Iob Dauid Salomon Saint Paul and others hath vsed verie significant similitudes comparing mans life to a d Iam. 4. 14. Vapor that vanisheth to a e Sap. 5. 12. Ship that saileth in the Seas and the path there of cannot be found in the flouds f Reu. 15. to Glasse g 2. Cor. 2. 5. to a Booth h Sap. 5. to a Bubble i Iob 14. 12. to a sleepe k Iob 14. 2. a shadow l Iob 7. 6. a weuers shittle m vers 7. to a wind n vers 9. a cloud o Isa 29 8. a dreame p Psalm 90. 9. a thought q Sap. 5. a passage yea r Sap. 5. 9. Psa 39 103 1. Thess 4. a swift post vnto death and what not which argueth vanity and mutability But what neede haue we of these resemblances or of so great a noise to put vs in mind of our mortality sith wee haue both a continuall sight of it in others in our parents brethren kinsfolk neighbours and acquaintance which are gone the way of all flesh before vs and also a daily sense of it in our selues by the aches of our bones heauinesse of our bodies dimnes of our eies deafenes of our eares trembling of our hands baldnes of our heads graynesse of our haires that verie shortly wee must follow after them But alas the Diuell doth so deafe vs the world doth so blinde vs and the sensualitie of the flesh maketh vs so extreamlie sensles that we neither heare nor see nor feele what lieth so heauie vpon vs. If we be yong we feare not death at our backes if sicke wee feele not death treading on our heeles if old wee looke asquint and see not death before our eies Indeede in temporall affaires to procure security we will all pleade mortality and in some cases of discontentment wee will complaine with Saint Austine that our life is a vitall death Splendida miseria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a glittering miserie a liuing calamitie wherein Austin our best repose is full of anguish our greatest securitie without foundatiō our trauell often without fruit our sorrowes and cares alwaies without profit our desires without successe our hopes without rewards our mirth without continuance our miseries without remedies dangers affrighting vs diseases afflicting vs afflictions greeuing vs griefes tempting and tormenting vs on euery side But notwithstanding these pleadings and complaints the most of vs put the day of death farre from vs and would haue it rather to be the lot of others then to belong to our selues beeing heerein like to ſ Cuspinian Hist Vespasian who seeing at once two presages of his death a blasing Comet and a gaping Sepulchre turnd them both from himselfe forced thē on others saying the sepulcher gaped for the old Empresse Iulia and the blasing starre pretended the death of the King of Persia which ware long haire thus wee dallie and delude our selues yea in a vaine perswasion that we shall see many daies wee sing sweete lullabies to our senslesse soules like to the rich corn-hoorder in the 12. of Luke who hauing plentie and for the same safe custodie promised to himselfe a kind of eternity saying t Luk. 12. 19. 20 Soule take thine ease and why thou hast goods layed vp for many yeeres But alas one day of ease did he not see Foole saith God this night thy soule shall bee taken from thee and thou shalt not liue to inioy that pelfe which made thee ioy to liue but as hitherto thou hast led a life euer dying so now thou must goe to a death neuer ending this beeing the last will and testament of such wealthy worldlings u Bern. Relinquunt diuitias mundo corpus sepulchro animam diabolo They leaue and bequeath their riches to the world their bodies to the graue their soules to the Diuell Simil. And as the sumpter-horses of great personages gaine nothing by their great burdens of siluer plate and other treasures wherewith they are loaden but a gauled backe for when they come to their Inne or iourneys end their treasure is taken from them and they tired and gauled as they bee are turned into a filthy stable so wretched worldlie men get nothing by their coffers crambde with crownes their barnes filled with corne their bags stuft with coyne but a conscience pittifully gauled with many a grieuous crime and when they are come to the iourneys end of a toilsome life stripped of all they had and thrust tired and gauled tortured and grieued as they bee into the stinking stable of hell hauing nothing there but vglie serpents for their daintiest food damned ghosts for their best company horrible shriekings for their chiefest musicke and weeping gnashing of teeth for their choisest mirth This doubtles is the case of all careles and secure persons they may wanton it for a time but shall want at last they may state it and stoute it too but shall stoope at last and though they haue now the summe of their vnsanctified desires they shall haue at length their full deserts Alas these deceiue themselues much by mistaking their tenure taking that to be a free gift which God intends for loane and holding themselues owners not onely of lands but of life too in fee-simple whereof they are but depositaries and tenants at will But be not thou deceiued ô man whatsoeuer thou art which hearest mee this day bee not deceiued God is not mocked thy daies are numbred away thou must death mounting on his x Reu. 6. 2. pale horse is posting towards thee here is not thy rest thou dwellest in a house of clay in a tent pitched to day remooued to morrow Thou art a Didapper peering vp and downe in a moment and as Aristotle rightly termes thee thou art Fortunae lusus inconstantiae Aristotle apud Sto◠imago temporis spolium imbecillitatis exemplum Miserable infirmitie such is thy person foolish inconstancy such is thy prosperity inconstant honour such is thy crowne sinnes sorrowes sickenesses such thy comforters and companions depart thou must and be gone God knowes how soone Serius aut citius mortis properamus ad oras It is not eminency of office or dignity can priuiledge thee for Dauid in the z Psalm 82. 6. 82. Psalm setteth men as high as they may goe I haue saide yee are Gods nuncupatiuè not substantiuè as the schoolmen note and the children of the most high This is mans aduancement But hee bringeth them as low and hath a But for them But ye shall dy like men and ye princes great ones shall fall like others heere is his abasement Hee that made the world at first of nothing can mar the greatest in a
moment he bringeth Potentates to nothing and maketh the Iudges of the earth as vanity a Isa 40. 23. It is not the strength or statelinesse of any place or territory can protect thee For what Hormisda the Persian Ambassador said to Constantius the Emperor demanding of him how he liked the City of Rome with the Amphitheater the Capitoll and other such rich monuments as were shewed vnto him b Ammian marc lib. 16. In truth I thinke it the most glorious City in the world and all therein pleaseth me well but this that I see men die at Rome as else-where The same may truly bee auerred of all other places from which death cannot bee excluded but if it enter not in at the gates with full force it will ascend by the windows with great feare c Ier. 9. 21. To which purpose Socrates smilingly replied vnto his friends that would haue rescued him from the officers which were to put him to death No I will no longer liue except ye can tell me of a place without the territorie of Athens where men neuer die Lastly as no height of honour or estimation can priuiledge thee no safety and sweetnes of place protect thee so no power or pollicy can preserue thee from the fatall dart of death The King cannot saue himselfe by the multitude of his host d Psal 33. 16. Visuntur magni parua sepulchra Iouis saith the Poet Tamberlaine the terrour of the world died with three fits of an ague as e Paul Iouius de vit ill Paulus Iouius writeth Saladine that mighty pagan which wan the holy Land from the Christians in the height of his pride pompe was surprised by death hauing no greater solemnity at his funerals then this a Herauld carrying his shirt or shrowd on a speare or spade and crying aloud f G. Parad. in Heroic Hae sunt reliquiae victoris orientis These are the conquests of great Saladine Alexander that famous Monarch acknowledged in his owne person this humane frailty when in the Olympicke games falling in the dust and perceiuing therein the length of his body hee confessed with griefe that g Q. Curt. in vit Alex. seuen foote of ground were sufficient to make him a graue h Iuuenal Mors sola fatetur quantula sunt hominum corpuscula Wherefore bee our daies neuer so few or our yeeres neuer so full resolue we must wheresoeuer or in what state soeuer wee bee to come ere long to the gates of death there is we see no meanes of withdrawing no place of absenting no power of resisting God alone can say i Exod. 3. 14. sum qui sum I am what I am and will be what I haue bene Men can say nothing else but I am and shall not be Witnesse this the Lacedaemonians song of three parts wherein the Elders sang wee haue beene strong and are not now the Youth replied wee shall bee strong but Plutarch are not yet the Middle-aged sang wee are now strong but shall not be Witnesse this Iobs sonnes at a banquet k Iob 1. 19. suddenly destroied l Iudg. 9. 53. Abimelech brained Holofernes beheaded Adrian with a Gnat and Leo with a flie both Popes suddainely choaked What shall I say more All mankind must needs sing this Aut sumus aut fuimus aut possimus esse quod hic est wee are or haue beene or may soone bee such as this breathles subiect is The dolefull pageant of whose mortality is heere presented to our sight hauing in euery colour a speaking griefe in euery griefe a mourning tongue able to worke sad thoughts in our harts if not to wring salt teares from our eies So that Hesiod may tell of Nectar Hesiod Ambrosia and sweete wine of the Gods which will make men immortall and Pliny may pratle Pliny of the Herbe Moly which hee saith hath vertue to make an old man yongue and Historians may write of certaine fortunate Ilands where exceeding long liuers for their prolonged life are called Macrobioi But alas these fables reiected nothing can bee indeed inuented whereby life may be prolonged beyond its limited time as burning torches wee are dailie consumed as potters vessels euery houre endangered Yea so dangerous a Sea is this world wherein we are wafted so boysterous are the winds and waues of woe wherewith we are tossed and so extreamly hazardous are the rockes of profit pleasure and preferment against which the silly Barke of our soules is carried that in euery calme we feare a storme in euery storme wee are swallowed quicke in all our ease we looke for paine in euery paine wee pine away in all our rest wee feele disease in each disease wee post to death The very elements themselues by burning infecting drow ning and swallowing many becomming caters for our corruption who were at first created for our consolation Yea all things in this life making way like a marshall for death that shee may triumphantly passe through the field of this world ouer the carkases of her slaine Thus death rules on earth as eternity in heauen there all liue heere all die m Hoâ— Omnes vna manet nox calcanda semel via Lethi It is n Iosh 23. 14. the way of all the world o Sen. Epist 25 Hac conditione intraui vt exirem said Socrates All both good and bad are actors on the stage of mortality enery one acting a part some of lesse some of greater dignity and the play beeing ended exeunt omnes euery one goes off the stage and as Chesse-men without difference Simil. they are swept from the table of this world wherein one was a King another a Queene a third a Bishop or Knight into the earths wide receptacle The onely distinction betwixt good and bad beeing this that the good are alwaies actors of a Comedy and howsoeuer they beginne they end merrily but the bad are actors of a Tragedy and howsoeuer they beginne or proceede yet their end is miserable their Catastrophe lamentable Death beeing to the wicked the diuels seriant to arrest them and carry them without bayle to a prison of vtter darkenesse which to the godly is the Lords Gentleman vsher to conduct them to a pallace of euerlasting happinesse yea death beeing to the one as Sathans cart to carry them presenly to execution in hell which to the other is as Elias his firie Chariot to mount them vp to heauen For p Eccl. 11. 3. Olimpiod As the tree falleth so it lyeth As a man dyeth in the fauour or disfauour of God so without changing or recalling hee remaineth Vnusquisque cum causa sua dormit cum causa sua resurgit as D. Austin speaketh And to conclude Aug. this point on euery mans particular death his particular iudgement attendeth either of the soules eternall blisse in heauen or euerlasting woe in hell which all the praises praiers and preaching of men Saints or Angels
cannot reuerse Vse A consideration R. W. and beloued in Iesus Christ by the miscreant Atheist much contemned by the temporizing Politician greatly neglected by the carnall gospeller slightly regarded by the Popes pardon purchasing and pickpurse Purgatory beleeuing Papist corruptly intertained and by very few of the best professors so sincerely and seriously thought on and embraced as it ought to be For it is the great fault not only of great men whose greatnes maketh them too often forgetfull of goodnes but euen of vs all high and lowe rich and poore great and small that wee neuer thinke on death or prepare to dy till wee finde and feele wee can no longer liue Yea we so imbrace admire adore and doat vpon this glittering world and are so loath to leaue the ruinous tabernacle of our corruptible flesh that we are not content or willing to goe to heauen till we see there is no remedy we can stay no longer on earth For the reforming of which carnall and worldly affection and for the better inciting and stirring of vs all vp to a more frequent meditation and Christian consideration of our soone expiring life and speedy approaching death let vs now in the name of God descend to some further vse and application of that which hath beene so largely deliuered And seeing we haue beene euery way sufficiently taught what through the frowardnesse of our carnall disposition we are otherwise dull ynough to learne that in this wicked world which is nothing else but a shop of vanity a theater of iniquity whordoms stewes oppression slaughterhouse thefts refuge and for euery sinne a sinfull sanctuary there is no sure rest or residence for vs and that here we haue no continuing City but liue euery day in such incertainty that the highest healthiest holiest happiest among men cannot promise to themselues to morrow O let vs I beseech you by the tender mercies of Christ Iesus as wee tender the good of our owne soules heare and know this for our selues as Eliphaz saide to Iob Heare this and know it for thy selfe Iob 5. 27. He that knoweth not what hee should know is a beast among men hee that knoweth no more then he must needs is a man among beasts but he that knoweth all he may know and that for himselfe and his spirituall aduantage is a god among men Let vs study and striue to bee such gods and euer remember that wee must die like men Let vs esteeme of euery present day as of the day of our death and make such conscience of all our waies words and works as if wee were presently to giue an account of our life q Greg. in Moral Qui considerat qualiter erit in morte pauidus prouidus erit in operatione He that thinketh alwaies of dying will be circumspect in his doing The meditation of death is a Christian mans Philosophy O let vs as carefull christians be continually exercised in this study and as cheerefull and faithfull professors bee alwaies busied in performing those righteous and religious duties which wee would doe if wee were dying and because that death in all places wayteth for vs let vs expect it euery houre suspect it euery where and be at all times prepared for it And now at this time especially let the dreadfull spectacle of death before our eies be as a shrill trumpet sounding aloud that message of Isaiah to Ezekiah in our eares that it may sinke deepe into our hearts r Isa 38. 1. Set thy house in order for thou must dy and shalt not liue Dispose of thy temporall affaires leaue not thy lands intangled thy substance intested to be a cause of variance to thy posterity make thy will doe it in time whilst thy thoughts are free thine affections staied and thy reason not distracted with feare or senses disturbed with paines so shall thy testament be testatio mentis a witnesse of thy mind Whereas on the contrary if thou put ouer the disposing of thine estate to that troblesome time of sicknes when thine head aketh hand shaketh thy tongue faltreth thine heart fainteth and euery part is pained it may iustly bee feared that neither thy words or writing will so expresse thy meaning but that thou shalt be easily drawn to make a will after anothers mind rather then thine owne Set therefore thine house in order now that thy soule bee not wearied then with secular affaires when it should be wholly busied in making it selfe ready for God Yea set thine heart in order also and forthwith dispose of thy soule to cast vp her reckonings turne thy selfe as Ezekiah did Å¿ 2. Kin. 20. 2. to the wall that is from the world to God Silentium a mundo est susurrus cum deo consider what thou hast beene examine thy selfe what thou art premeditate what thou shalt be Cogita vnde venis erubesce c. Thinke on thy Bern. naked natiuity and blush for shame on this worlds wretchednesse misery c. Sigh for griefe on deaths approaching tyranny and tremble for feare or rather that thou mayest bee freed from feare griefe and shame make soone thy soules peace with God and the world and by faithfull repentance turne from the worlds vanities to Gods seat of mercy and weepe as t 2. Kin. 20. 3. Ezekiah did bewaile thy sinnes past keepe a narrow watch ouer thine heart for the time to come Sow in teares that thou maiest reape in ioy Psa 126. And lastly not to leaue so good a patterne in any point vnfollowed pray too as Ezekiah did though thou canst not in the same manner Lord remember how I haue walked before thee in sincerity and truth yet to the same effect for mercy as Dauid did u Psalm 25. 7. Lord remember not the sinnes of my youth Lord for thy goodnesse sake remember mee And as D. Ambr. in Psal 38. Ambrose did on the 38. Psalm Lord forgiue mee my faults heere where I haue sinned for else where I cannot be releeued except I haue my pardon heer it is in vaine to expect the restfull comfort of forgiuenesse hereafter Now is the acceptable time as St. Paul speaketh x 2. Cor. 6. 2. now is the day of saluation This world is for thy repentance the other for thy recompence y Chrys in Heb. cap. 2. hom 4. Hic locus luctae ille coronae Hoc cunaeorum tempus est illud coronarum as D. Chrisostome speaketh This is the time and place of combatting that of crowning this of working that of rewarding this is for thy patience that for thy comfort Now God is helping to all them which repent and forsake their euill ways but then he will be a seuere examiner iudge and reuenger of all our wicked workes This is our day wherein the Gospell of peace and remission of sins is preached that is Gods day wherein all that haue receiued this grace in vaine shall be punished They that will not now receiue good counsell at
a cheape rate shall then buy too late repentance at a deere hand For the Angel hath sworne by him that liueth for euer that time shall bee no more z Reu. 10. 6. that is after this life there shall be no more time for repentance for remission for saluation Life and saluation is here either lost or wonne as D. Cyprian affirmeth Cypr. contr Demetr after this life no effect or working of satisfaction auaileth To whom D. Austin accordeth Aug. Epist 54 ad Macedon Epist ad Hesyc saying There is no other place to correct our manners and conditions but onely in this life and againe as euery mans last day doth leaue him so Gods day i. the day of iudgement shall finde him Euery man shall sleepe and rise againe with his owne cause as he dyeth so shall he be iudged Wherefore now whilst thou liuest set both thine house and heart in order prepare thy soule and make it ready for the Lord repose not thine vnprepared selfe vpon the vaine staies of deceiuing Popery vpon Masses Trentals Dirges Pilgrimages Praiers Pardons and such like superstitious shews of piety fondly inuented to releeue soules in and release them out of fained Purgatory Beleeue me beleeue me for what I say the truth proclameth the word confirmeth and too wofull experience testifieth the presumptuous hope of helpe in Purgatory Purgatory confuted hath sent many thousand deceiued soules to hell That I may say no more I can say no lesse of that Popish puddle if I say the truth but as the Apostle said of an Idoll an Idoll is * 1. Cor. 8. 4. nothing so Purgatory is nothing it is none of Gods creatures it is none of Gods ordinances it was neuer in his counsell and therefore can neuer stand with his prouidence It was neuer knowne in the Church of Israell or a doctrine a Exod. 24. 8. sprinkled vpon that people with the bloud of the old couenant by Moyses who was b Nom. 12. 7. faithfull in Gods house and deliuered all he saw vpon the Mount Moyses prescribing all kind of sacrifices in the old law maketh no mention either of sacrificing or praying for the dead without which Purgatory cannot stand As for the New testament Purgatory hath no footing or foundation therein this teacheth plainly and plentifully c 1. Ioh. 1. 7. Gal. 3. 13. Rom. 8. 2. that the bloud of Christ alone purgeth and preserueth vs ab omni culpa paena from all sinne and all punishment due vnto the same Good old Simeon neuer dreamed of Purgatory when he said d Luk. 2. 29. Lord now let thy seruant depart in peace for there is little peace in Purgatory by the Papists owne positions It neuer came into Saint Pauls mind when he said e Ephes 1. 23. I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ. It was neuer reueiled to the Angell when hee spake from heauen saying f Reu. 14. 13. Write from henceforth amodo Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord for they rest from their labours There is no paine in blisse no toile in rest if this happines be amodo euen straight vpon the dissolution as * Ambr. Lorin in act Nescit tarda molimina spiritus Dei gratia then there is no danger by the way no delay in supposed Purgatory Neither Lazarus nor the rich man were acquainted with it for Luk. 16. the one was immediatly carried into Abrahams bosome the other cast into hell Hee which said to the good thiefe who came in the nicke of oportunity to beg grace while grace was a dealing g Luk 23. 43. This day shalt thou bee with mee not in Purgatory but in Paradise knew only two waies the strait way to heauen the broad way to hell and therefore speaketh to his sheepe h Mat. 25. Come ye blessed to the goats Goe yee cursed The third way hee which knew all things did not know for indeed there is no such way to know It is only an opinion of papizing Paganes or rather paganizing Papists heathenish in deuise hellish for practise Romish for gaine It is most iniurious to the bloud of Christ which alone purgeth our sinne pleadeth our cause purchaseth our peace to be briefe it delaieth and destroieth soule sauing repentance without which there is no remission of sinne here and with which satisfaction for sinne hereafter cannot stand For there commeth nothing to the spirits of them that are dead but according to that wich they wrought while they were aliue Bona opera sequuntur bonos to crowne them mala opera persequuntur Cypr. malos to torment them Wherefore to returne to my purpose againe and not to suffer Popish peeuish Purgatory with which I met only by the way to transport mee farther out of the way mine humble and hearty request vnto you all is this that yee would agree with yo◠〈…〉 uersary quickly i whilst ye are in the way and that ye would all labour Mat. 5. 25. and indeuour to be reconciled vnto the Lord while it is to day k Worke ô man thy righteousnesse Eccl. 14. 16. before thy death as the wiseman counselleth l Doe what thine Eccl. 9. 10. owne hand findeth to do with all thy power as Salomon aduiseth m Doe Gal. 6. 10. good vnto all whilst thou hast time as Saint Paul admonisheth And n Worke while it is to day as our Ioh. 9. 4. â—ril in Iohan. â— 6. c. 14. Sauiour exhorteth for the night commeth i. the darknes of death wherein none can worke or wipe away those death breeding staines which in the day of his life he contracted as Cyrill noteth Make hast then and delay not set to the worke enter persently into a strict course of religion answerable to thy place and vocation be not discouraged though at first a religious straight conuersation seeme to thee an vncomfortable companion for blessed is that mortification which so estrangeth vs from the world that it changeth vs into the similitude of Christ O deale faithfully with thine owne soule sift search examine and ransacke the same to come to a true sight sense and vnfeigned sorrow for all thy sinnes especially thy bosome beloued darling sinnes extenuate them not as Saul did but aggrauate them as 1. Sam. 13. 12. Dan. 9. 5. Daniel did and all other thy transgressions against thy selfe in the consistory of thine owne conscience by the multitude and contagiousnesse of them in that by them many haue beene infected of whose repentance thou art not assured but that some of them beeing dead may for any thing thou knowest be damned and others liuing may be in the like dangerous estate too euen for those sinnes which in thy company by thine example or through thine occasion they commited O consider this blush for shame split for sorrow fret for indignation o at the recounting hereof 2. Cor. 7. 11. for such euils are not onely
with the teares of weeping eies but with the drops of a bleeding heart to be lamented And that thy repentance â—incere Repenâ—ance may not onely bee generall in the lumpe but personall and particular according to euery transgression of the law article against thy selfe recapitulate thy sinnes make vp a catalogue of thy offences Item for lying swearing whoring backbiting sclandring Item for plotting of mischeefe for vexing men with lawles suites in malice for abusing Gods creatures in drunkennesse and gluttony for abasing his Magistrates and resisting authority for prophaning the Sabbath neglecting the word preached and despising the ministry Item for spending so many thousands to maintaine thy pride so many hundreds to satisfie thy lust so many score of pounds to please thy fancy and not a pound no scarce a penny bestowed in Gods seruice or on Gods seruants to right their wrongs or relieue their wants The totall summe being the manifest and manifold breach of all Gods commandements Bring all these particulars in an holy a Pro. 28. 13. confession before thy maker b Iam. 4. 10. and cast thy selfe downe in humble submission and harty contrition before his seate of mercy earnestly begging pardon with c Psalm 51. Dauid d Ezr. 9. Esrah e Neh. 13. 22. Nehemiah f Dan. 9. 19. Daniel for them resoluing neuer againe in the like wilfully to offend him but beeing iealous ouer thy selfe with a godly iealousie and studious in all things henceforth to please him not onely carefully performing those duties of piety appertaining to his immediate worship which he hath commanded but also in matters of lesse moment and consequence in eating drinking recreating thy selfe and conuersing with others conscionably conforming thy selfe to those rules of modesty equity and sobriety which in his word hee hath prescribed that so vpon thy sincere repentance and sound reformation hee may be reconciled vnto thee and thou desiring in heart and indeauouring in life to become a new man maiest obtaine this inestimable fauour of him to haue all the former accounts and sinfull billes of debt crossed here for otherwise thou shalt neuer haue thy quietus est hereafter To conclude this point with D. Austin Age poenitentian dum Aug li. de mir â—ac scrip ser 36. sanus es sic si ages dico tibi quod securus es quia poenitentiam egisti eo tempore quo peccare potuisti i. Repent whilst thou art in health for in so doing thou art without danger of hurt because thou hast repented at what time thou mightest haue sinned And because in the yongest and strongest there is no assured signe of safety and security but in all of vs both yongue and old many home-bred tokens of death and dissolution therefore the counsell and watch-word of our Master and Sauiour is to be remembred g Mat. 24. 42. Mar. 13. 35. Wake and watch for you knowe not what houre your Master will come either by the first death or the last iudgement ye know not that houre therefore watch euery houre yee know not that yeere moneth or day wherein Simil. death the Lords hand-maid with the broome of sicknesse or sorrow will sweepe you away being as too many are spider-like busied in making nothing but nets and cobwebs to catch the flies of honour and riches which taketh her to her wings as an Eagle soone Prou. 23. 5. flieth away therefore keep watch and ward ouer your soules euery day moneth and yeere And as he which sitteth at a table Simil. furnished with many dainty seruices amongst which one is poisoned as he hath beene secretly aduertised will if he be wise not hastily aduenture on any because of the danger that lyeth hidden in that one so let vs be heedfull that we rush not into sinne bee it neuer so pleasaÌ„t a seruice on any day because for any thing wee know that may be the very day wherein death may ouertake vs h Matt. 26. 41. Watch and pray least you enter into temption Repent and amend least yee i Psalm 2. 12. perish in the way and die in your transgressions Vse Lastly forasmuch as in this fraile life the meanest of vs is no lesse and the mightiest amongst vs is no more then Gods steward steward of Gods house i. the Church Luk. 16. 1. as the Minister of the common house the weale publike as the Magistrate of his owne priuate samily as euery houshold gouernor of the closet of his owne conscience as euery particular christian man and to euery one of vs God hath commited the charge of his goods and gifts either corporall temporall or spirituall to be imploied as his talents for his aduantage and glory and our fellow-seruants benefit and good Therefore I beseech you let vs all in our seuerall places be good and gracious in our offices For we know not when the k Mar. 13. 35 Master of the house will come whether at euen or midnight at the Cocke crowing or the dawning of the day We know not how soone we shall be summoned to giue an account of our stewardship And because being stewards we are not masters but seruants therefore let vs not beate or abuse our fellow-seruants l Isa 3. 15. vex and molest our poore neighbours but as fellow helpers let vs labour not loyter in the Lords vineyard We are not hired for a day as the m Matt. 20. Laborers in the Gospell or for an yere as the n Iud. 17. Leuite was by Michah or for seuen or thrice seuen as o Gen. 29. Iacob was by Laban but for all the daies and yeeres of our life to doe his worke therefore let vs discharge our duties diligently And because we haue his gifts to dispose not as we list but according to his good will and pleasure Let vs take heed carefully that we play not the bad stewards either in getting goods wrongfully as too many rent-racking Land-lords do or in keeping them basely as too many churlish Note Nabals doe or in spending them wantonly and wastefully as too many prodigall prophane gallants doe least in so doing we be iustly accused for our vniust conuersation to our Master and be fearefully conuicted of vnrighteous dealing by three sufficient witnesses or plaintiffes the poore oppressed Gods creatures abused and our owne consciences wounded as not long since a great man of this Land was by whom a poore â— Barons wars widow was exceedingly wronged and put from house and home and constrained to make an old Oake her best harbour the conscience of which fact so affrighted him that when he should be most couragious he was most daunted and in horror of mind often exclaimed O the widow vnder the Oake And as of late a lewd Canon of Paris was who with the remembrance of his adulterous and Idolatrous Gall. Hist life beeing extreamly terrified in his death bed at seuerall times spake but these three words Accusatus
sum iudicatus condemnatus I am accused iudged condemned and so expired O heare and feare this all yee that desire rather to be feared then deserue to bee loued in the midst of your ruling remember your reckoning and by your more diligent charitable and conscionable demeanor hereafter preuent that iudgement which hangs ouer your heads for your negligence and want of conscience in your callings heeretofore And let vs all euen now begin if not before whether wee be Ministers or Magistrates or persons of inferiour place to looke to our charges diligently to attend on our offices faithfully to discharge our stewardship carefully to examine our receipts and expences daily and accordingly to make vp our perfect reckonings and accounts that when that great day of reckoning shall come our Lord and Master may say to euery one of vs p It is well done good seruant Mat. 25. 23. and trustie Thou hast beene faithfull in a little I will make thee ruler ouer much enter into thy Masters ioy And thus much bee spoken of the first part and of the vses thereof namely Mors est in olla death is our lot none can auoid it Now of the second and that more briefly Spes est in vrna there â—ecunda pars â—iz Spes est in â—rna â—hrys in 22. Math. is hope in the graue beeing dead we shall liue againe none may denie it Tolle spem resurrectionis saith golden mouth'd Chrysostome resoluta est omnis obseruantia pietatis take away the hope of resurrection and the building of piety wanteth her foundation For then Christ is not risen and so our preaching is in vaine and your faith is 1. Cor. 15. vaine and of all others the best christians were most miserable and of al stories the Gospell were most fruitlesse and vnprofitable But the Lords Herauld Isaiah of all the Prophets most Euangelicall of all the Euangelists most Propheticall besides the streame of all holy antiquitie consenting thereunto hath plainly proclaimed it q Isa 26. 19. Thy dead men shall liue with my body shall they rise and againe Peace shall come to the righteous Isa 57. 2. they shall rest in their beds that is their graues vntill the morning of the resurrection Post tenebras spero lucem saith Iob. Sybilla Iob 17. prophesied heereof in this manner Tunc castus Cbristus ponet certamina iusta Sybil. Ornabitque probos aeternaque praemia reddet The great Poet could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—hocilid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wee hope and know that we shall not for euer sit in darknesse or sleepe in the graue but we shall come to the heauenly light liue with Christ r through the power of God in whose 2. Cor. 13. 4. booke all our members are written God hath a threefold book The first is his priuate booke Enchiridion or vade mecum in which onely the names of the elect are written whom hee knoweth and calleth by their Å¿ Exod. 32. 32. names whose â—sa 43. 1. names hee will not put out of the booke t Reu. 3. 5. of life è libro praesentis iustitiae aut praedestinationis aeternae as the Schoolmen distinguish The second is his booke of accounts and black booke blurde and blotted with the register of sin wherein onely the wicked are written according to that Dan. 7. The Dan. 7. 10. iudgement was set and the bookes opened The third is his vniuersall common-place booke wherein both good and bad are recorded according to that of the Prophet In thy book are all my members written Psalm 139. so that albeit in death there be a dissolution of body and soule yet in the resurrection there shall bee a restitution and revniting of the same body in substaÌ„ce though altered in quality to the same soule that the ioy of both may be consummated to which purpose God is said to write all our members in his booke Yea he keepeth the very bones of his Saints Psal 34. and not a haire of their heads Psalm 34. 2 Luk. 21. 18. shall perish Luk. 21. Hence it is that the Prophet Daniel speaketh so expressely Many Dan. 12. 2. that sleepe in the dust shall awake and rise againe some to euerlasting life some to shame and perpetuall contempt Hence it is that our Sauiour Christ speaketh so plainelie Maruell not at this for the Ioh. 5. 28. 29. houre shall come in which all that are in the graâ—es shall heare his voice and they shall come foorth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation To which infallible truth Saint Paul beareth witnesse 2. Cor. 5. We must all appeare Cor. 5. 10. before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receiue according to the things which are done in his body whether good or euill Whereunto that of the beloued Disciple Saint Iohn is very agreeable Reuel 20. where the maiesty â—eu 20. 11. 12 of Gods throne is described the singularity of the Iudge is declared the vniuersality of all both great and small which must stand before him is manifested and the equity of proceeding in iudgement excellently shewed by the bookes opened and the sentencing of euery mans cause according to his workes Whence by the way wee may Note note the difference betweene the act of iustification and the act of iudgement for the act of iustification wherein God maketh vs righteous which were vniust is onely by u Rom. 3. 24. faith i. by the apprehension application and appropriation of Christs merits righteousnesse by a liuely faith But the act of iudgement wherein God declareth those to bee iust which Mat. 25. 2. Cor. 5. were iustified in this life is according to our workes God iudgeth not according to the root of faith which is hidden but according to the fruits of faith namely good workes which are open and manifest and the fittest meanes to try euery mans cause and to discerne who were by faith working in loue Gal. 5. 6. iustified in this life Not to affect more testimonies of proofe in a point of christianitie so plaine This holy perswasion of the resurrection after death impression of immortality hath euer possessed the hearts of Gods Saints and seruants and hath bene as a naile of the Sanctuary to keep them from desperate distractions in the errours of this life and to set them forward to perfection vndanted constancie in the terrors of death Iob patient and iust Iob in the plea Iob 19. 25. of all his miseries with the single eie of faith held fast by this hope and made it the issue of all his maladies I know that my Redeemer liueth and I shall liue againe c. this sentence of vndoubted assurance is matter worth the remembrance and therefore Iob setteth a Preface vnto it O saith he that Iob 19. 23. 24. 25. my
words were now written and written not in loose papers but in a booke and not written onely but engrauen and that with an iron pen in lead or in stone to endure not for a time onely but for euer to the solace of all distressed Saints I know that my Redeemer liueth and though the wormes destroy my body yet shall I see him in my flesh againe with these mine eies c. Dauid distressed Dauid anchored on this hold and indeede the surges of sorrow had quite sunke his soule when Saule a 1. Sam. 19. persecuted him b 2. Sam. 6. Micholl derided him c 1. Sam. 22. Doeg accused him d 2. Sam. 16. Shemei rayled vpon him and e 2. Sam. 18. Absalon rebelled against him but that hee fixed his eies on this cape of good hope and f Psalm 27. 13. beleeued verily to see the goodnes of the Lord in the Land of the liuing Paul blessed St. Paul was rauished with this heauenly hope and soule-solacing assurance of life after death and therefore desireth to be dissolued and to be with Christ Phil. 1. 23. which is best of all St. Stephen that bold champion for christianity and faithful Proto-Martyr Act. 7. of Christ Iesus when hee was to be stoned feeling this holy comfort in the middest of heauy combats opposuit furori patientiā Lossius in Act. mortis terrori vitae despicientiam opposed his patience to his enemies fury the contempt of life to the terrour of death and hauing a sweet foretaste of the ioies which body and foule should iointly inioy in heauen he with a victorious grace despised all matter of torment and discontentment which his aduersaries malice could inflict vpon them on earth Ignatius that holy Martyr in the Primitiue Church beeing fully furnished with this assured hope of his bodies resurrection went confidently vnto a bloudy execution saying Frumentum Dei ego sum c. I am Gods corne now shall I bee ground small by the teeth of wild beasts to bee made fine manchet for my Lords table Babilas Bishop of Antioch building on the same assurance spake comfortably to his soule when he was drawne to a cruell death Returne my soule vnto thy rest for the Lord hath bene mercifull vnto thee This infallible expectation of a glorious resurrection made Saint Paul to conclude so triumphantly Rom. 8. I am perswaded that neither Rom. 8. 38. 39. life nor death nor things present nor things to come shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God And againe My departing is at hand I haue fought a good fight 2. Tim. 4. 7. 8. I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith Hencefoorth is laid vp for mee the crowne of righteousnesse which the righteous ludge shall giue me at that day and not to mee onely but vnto all them also which loue his appearing To which purpose hee speaketh thus in the name of all the faithfull Heere we haue no continuing City Heb. 13. 14. but wee looke for one to come and though we liue on earth yet our conuersation is in heauen from whence also wee looke for the Sauiour Phil. 3. 20. 21. euen the Lord Iesus Christ who shall change our vile bodies that they may be like his glorious body So that a change shall come and indeed wee are all desirous of some change as not contented with our estate Adam would change to be as Gen. 3. 2. Sam. 15. wise as his maker Absolon would sit in his fathers seat and of a subiect bee a Soueraigne Salomon would haue change of wiues The Israelites would change Samuell 1. Sam. 8. 5. the righteous Iudge for Saul a wicked King The Sychemites Gen. 34 23. would change their religion in hope of commodity and too many amongst vs would change the food of Angels and heauenly Manna for the flesh-pots of Egypt in hope of more libertie Yea the most haue changed plaine dealing into crafty vndermining mercy into malice single tongues and hearts into dubble and a great number like Proteus can change themselues into all formes like Polypus into all colours like courtly Aristippus into all fashions Omnis Aristippum decuit color status res But while we affect these alterations not vnlike to Glaucus his commutation of gold for brasse Homer while we are thus occupied about these choppings and changings we seeme seldome or neuer to remember that great change whereof the Apostle speaketh in the place before mentioned wherevnto Iob here aimeth saying All the daies of mine appointed time will I wait till my changing shall come Which changing is not onely an exchange of earth for heauen of a prison for a Pallace of an estate in sinne and misery for perfect holinesse and glory in respect of the foule but a change also of a mortall life for an immortall of corruption for incorruption in regard of the body For as there is a twofold death the one of the soule beeing depriued of the operation of Gods spirit and separated from God by sinne The other of the body being 1. Tim. 5. 6. destitute of the operation and working of the soule So there is a twofold resurrection the one Two-fold Resurrection spirituall of the soule a peccato ad gratiam from sinne vnto grace here the other corporall of the body a sepulchro ad gloriam from the graue vnto glory heereafter Which great day of the generall resurrection the Angels desire to see the diuels tremble to heare of and other creatures sigh groane for and man especially must looke and long for and cannot be without it whether we respect the manifold profits which come by it or the wonderfull inconueniences which would arise from the want of it For how can we dwelling on earth haue our conuersation in heauen if we do not looke for the comming of our Sauiour Phil 3. 20. 21. Christ and how can wee looke for his cōming except wee beleeue the resurrection and how can we beleeue the resurrection vnlesse we acknowledge that power by the which hee is able to subdue all things vnto himselfe Againe how doe wee acknowledge God to be God in almighty power without the faith of the resurrection and how can wee haue the faith of the resurrection without the hope of a Sauiour and how can we haue the hope of a Sauiour without an heauenly conuersation so that the life of this conuersation is hope by the which we expect the comming of a Sauiour and the ground of this hope is faith by the which we are assured that at his comming hee shall change our vile bodies and make them like to his glorious body And the reason of this faith beyond reason is his power by which hee is able to subdue all things vnto himselfe All these bee linkes so diuinely hanging depending each on other in that golden chaine of the Apostle that if we let slip one we loose the
Is not this the bloud of these men which went in ieopardy of their liues for it are not these vain pleasures the very price of our foules far be it therefore from vs to touch them or taste them or to be caried away with the alluremēts of thē least at length we bee fully fearefully and finally tormented for them Remember saith Abraham to Luk. 16. 25. the rich Glutton thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures but now thou art tormented Remember that thou didst disport thy time in wanton daliance solace thy selfe in fond pastimes fare deliciouslie euery day defending pride to be a point of gentry drunkennes good fellowship wantonnes a tricke of youth At nunc cruciaris But now thou which inclosedst all pleasures to thy selfe in earth takest vp thy rents and hast thy full payment of paines in hell So true it is that intollerable torments there are ordained as the wages of fleshly pleasures here yea the more the pleasures the greater the torments for the Lord doth proportion his iudgements according to the measure of mens vanities So much as shee liued in pleasure so much giue ye to her torment Reu. 18. 7. and sorrow O that those which are led with sensuality would consider of this wages of vnrighteousnesse 2. Pet. 2. 13. which they are to receiue O that all which follow wantonnes euen with greedines would remember that whilst they liue they are dead 1. Tim. 5. 6. and though they think themselues in Dothan yet if they had grace to lift vp their eies they should perceiue themselues to bee in the midst of sinfull Samaria though 1. King 6. in the worlds iudgement they seeme with Capernaum to be lifted vp to heauen yet behold they are in the very confines of Hell O turne you turne you for why Ezek. 33. 11. Rom. 6. 12. will you die saith the Prophet Let not sin raigne any more in your mortall bodies but if you haue stricken handes with it heeretofore shake handes with it now for a farewell Moriantur ante te vitia saith Seneca Sen. Epist 12 Bernar. in Sen◠Morere saith Bernard antequam moreris sic quando moreris non morieris Die vnto sinne before thou diest so shalt thou liue when thou art dead As God said to Moses Ascende vt moriaris so say I to thee ô man morere vt Deut. 32. 49. ascendas Die to thy earthly desires mortifie thy fleshly lusts that thou maiest ascend and mount towards heauen in an holy life As Lot forsooke Sodom looking Gen. 19. to Zoar his sanctuary so let vs all flie from this world in affection meditate on our heauenly beeing and striue for perfection forgetting Phil. 3. 13. 14. what is behind and following hard towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Amarescat mundus dulcescat Berit Christus Let the world bee bitter that Christ may bee sweet vnto vs let no gaude of earthly glory or blaze of worldly beuty withdraw our loue from him who when wee were his enemies so loued vs that Rom. 5. 10. he voluntarily indured vnconceiuable torments in body and soule vnto death to procure for our bodies and soules the inheritance of eternall life Arise and depart for here is not your rest Mich. 2. This is the Prophets watch-word to the Iewes Mich. 2. 10. and it will stand vs in good steade if wee marke it well and that wee may marke it well once I will rehearse it often Arise and depart c. Arise sleepe not in security depart abide not in iniquity for here is not your rest in heauen alone is true tranquility For as the Doue sent out of the Arke found no rest for her feete Gen. 8. 9. whilst she flickered on the flouds but was restles vntill she returned to the Arke againe So our soules sent from heauen finde no restfull footing on the glassie Sea of this Reu. 15. 2. world vntill they returne to the true Noah our sauing rest Christ Iesus againe Arise then and flie from the world that Christ may come to liue in thy heart by grace depart prepare to die and goe out of the world that thou maist come to liue in heauen with Christ in glory As Iacob said to Laban this long haue I serued thee and looked to thine affaires and now it is time to looke to my selfe and to trauell for Gen. 30. 30. mine owne house So say thou to this Laban-like world this many yeeres haue I serued thee seeking the profits and pleasures of a transitory life Now now it is high time to make prouision for my soules health and to labour that mine infinite debts towards God in regard of mine innumerable sinnes may by repentance bee discharged and my Title to an heauenly inheritance by faith in Christs merits and newnes of life be maintained and iustified Arise stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee life Some lie in their sinnes as children in their Ephes 5. 14. swathling cloathes and so sinne of infirmity some as sicke men in their beds and sinne of obstinacy some as dead men in their graues and sinne desperately to all these in the name of Christ who raised three from the dead Iairus daughter Mat. 9. Luk. 7. Ioh. 11. the widow of Naims sonne and Lazarus to shew that no degree of death in sinne is incurable when he comes to heale is my commission directed Arise cast off the workes of darkenes put on the armour of light depart not without some fruit of this Doctrine of the resurrection Euen at this instant couenant with thine owne soule to rise from dead workes to serue hence-forward the liuing God not God and Mammon too not God and thy belly too but the liuing God alone walking before him in sincerity and truth with an vpright hart as good old Ezekiah 2. Kin. 20. 2. Chro. 34. and godly yong Iosiah did To this purpose first rowse thy selfe ô yongue man whatsoeuer thou art shake off the fetters of folly suffer not the bud of thy youth to bee blasted in the very sprouting the Sunne to be darkened in the very rising giue not thy wine to the world keeping the lees for the Lord giue not thy prime daies to the Diuell reseruing the dog-daies for God Let not Lady Dalila dandle thee on her Iudg. 16. knee till shee haue shaued all thy strength and goodnes from thee giue thy youthfull pleasures a bill of diuorce for their baggage dealing neuer to haue more familiarity with them discharge thy sinne betime least in thine age thou beare the reproach of thy youth and be forced to cry without comfort or remedy O vtinam Remember that of Ambrose Momentaneum Ambrose est quod delectat aeternum quod cruciat a Sea of torture for a drop of pleasure And thou ô man of age and grauity of what calling and degree
other can iustly except against it I will say this to him A little thereof is now ynough and any thing at all is somewhat too much De mortuis nil nisi bonum Virgil Aeneid 3. Parce pias scelerare manus oh parce sepulto For mine own part as I dare not blanch any mans faults because it is contrary to my profession so I hold it now an vnfit time to blab or blaze a dead mans follies it is somewhat I thinke beyond my cōmission Charity vnder one vertue couers many blemishes whereas malice like a kite feeding on nothing but carrion vnder one vice couers many excellencies I will leaue malice to those which loue to dwell in the tents of Meshek following the rule of charity will passe from his former conuersation in the daies of his health to that which was much more commendable and comfortable his godly comportment behauiour in his sicknes vntill his death and what I haue seene and heard with these mine eies and eares I will boldly testifie that at my first comming to him which was a fortnight before his death I found him religiouslie disposed and concerning his end and passage out of this life well resolued the apprehension of his sins beeing so well temper'd with a sweet application of Gods mercy that he seemed to mee to goe an euen course betwixt feareles security and saithles dispaire the conscience of his manifold transgressions humbling him indeed and casting him downe but the consideration of Gods infinite mercies reuiuing him and lifting him vp againe To whō after I had made known by priuate conference with him what an especiall signe of Gods fauour it was to bee so graciouslie inuited by a lingring sicknes as a long sermon to come by the way of repentance vnto him and hereupon had cheered him vp against the terrors of death and exhorted him to deale faithfully with his owne soule in sorrowing yet more deeply suing for a pardon more earnestly for all the errors of his life because God did yet wait to Isa 30 18. shew him more mercy he heereunto made this ready answere I know and feele God to bee mercifull and were hee not exceeding mercifull I were very miserable for I haue a long account to make But fetching a deep sigh I beseech God to binde all my sins in a bundle and to cast them into the bottome of the Sea that they may neuer rise vp in iudgement against me which pithy praier twice together he vttered and that with so great vehemencie that in some conflic̄t of passion he brake foorth into teares wept bitterly which signe of gōdly sorrow appearing in him I comforted and counselled him in the wordes of the Prophet telling him that God would treasure vp al true repentant teares into his bottle and if we did mourn Psalm 56. 8. ouer Christ Iesus whom wee haue crucified by our sinnes and open vnto him a fountain of teares God would open vnto vs a fountaine of Zach. 12. 10. Zach. 13. 1. grace to wash vs from all our sins which comfortable place of Scripture hee as feelingly apprehended and applied to his soule in these words O Lord open this fountaine to me be gracious to me forgiue me forgiue me as I forgiue all the world And so vttering partly of himself and partly repeating after me these and the like sentences or short ciaculatory praiers O Lord in thee Psalm 31. Psalm 90. is my trust let me neuer be confounded returne Lord and bee pacified toward thy seruant comfort mee as thou hast afflicted mee Reueale thy grace and glory to mee and in my greatest extremity refresh mee with the sweet tast of thy mercy my heart fainteth and strength faileth but in thy helpe is my onely hope O Lord Psalm 37. 26. say to my soule I am thy saluation c. at length vpon his entreatie the whole company there present ioined together with me in a more solemne praier vnto God for him himself accompanying vs very willingly and reuerently and in this praier behauing himselfe so passionately with such wringing of his hands lifting vp of his eies with such heauy sighs and groanes of his heart expressing the feruency of his zeale and deuotion that the report heere of may seeme incredible to many wich knew his former life and conuersation But I know what I speake and I speake it not to praise the dead for my praises preaching or praiers cānot profit him neither to please any of his friends liuing for it is basenes of mind this way to picke thanke of them but to the eternall praise of the vnspeakable goodnes of our euerliuing God who shewed to this deceased knight so great mercy as to giue him so religious a mind in so great weaknes of body and not onely so but blessed him likewise with a very ready memory from the beginning to the end of his sicknes in such sort that conferring diuers times with him about some particulars concerning sound repentance and the assurance of Saluation and the certaine tokens of our peace and reconciliation with God and quoting many places of Scripture especially out of the 8. Rom 17. Ioh. out of the 51. 73. 91. Psalmes to strengthen his faith and affiance in Gods mercy through Christs merits to confirme his hope in the assured expectation of a ioyfull resurrection and to set him forward in the holy way to a happy better life to come I must confesse to the glory of God that hee would many times meet me halfe waies in the midst of the said sentēces apply them to his soule with such feruency and feeling as was much I saw to his owne comfort but more as I vnderstand to his friends ioy and admiration To be short I come to his death which was on St. Stephens day he accounting it an addition to his hoped for happines that he should goe to heauen when so blessed a Martyr ascended as by one of his deerest friends I was enformed for this I speake vpon the report of others as also how that he spent the beginning of this day in finishing his last will and testament and in performing kinde charitable offices for his brethren sisters seruants and other friends The rest as a man sequestred from the world he spent in praier in meditation and soliloquies betwixt God his soule as if he had learned of dying St. Ierom to say O my Euseb in vita Hieron friends interrupt not my approaching ioy doe not hinder me from yeelding to the earth that which is the earths vntill about the euening comming to him againe hee rowsed himselfe and glad of my presence conferred with me receiued counsell comfort and encouragement from me being desirous that I with such also as were present should once yea againe and the third time pray for him feeling belike his time to be short so that I found him euery way as religiously deuoted and christianly affected and
measureles loue and Loue one another as he hath loued vs. And thus much for the explication diuision illustration of my text Now in the feare of God let vs come to the handling of such plaine and profitable doctrines and obseruations as naturally arise out of the same First in that our Sauiour giueth so especiall strict a charge vnto vs of louing one an other in these words This is my cōmandmēt that ye loue one another c. Thereby to incite vs the rather to loue and to teach vs how to loue one another Doct. 1 The lesson hence to bee learned is that it is a thing which Christ most earnestly requireth all Christians ought most earnestly to labour for that they be tender hearted louingly affected each to other Secondly in that our Sauiour proposeth and setteth downe his example in these words As I haue loued you Hence two doctrines without wresting of the words from their proper scope are to be gathered Doct. 2 The one that the feeling apprehension and consideration of Christs tender loue towards vs is a most effectuall meanes to inlarge our hearts in true affection towards our Brethren Doct. 3 The other that Christians should not content themselues with any measure of loue or thinke they had gotten loue enough but contend rather and striue to come daily nearer to that perfection of loue whereof Christ gaue himselfe an example Of these three points of doctrine their reasons and vses in their order and first of the first namely Doct. 1 The thing which Christ doth chiefly require at our hands and we are especially to labour for is to haue a tender regard each of other to loue one another vnfainedly As if there were no other commandment nor any other duty so expresly doth hee prefix his owne authoritie to this precept saying This is my commandment there being nothing which our Sauiour doth vrge more and call for nothing which wee his seruants should more study and striue for then this vicissitude of loue and commerce of kindnesse and practise of mutuall charitie and good-will To haue our hearts enlarged to our Christian Brethren and the dores of our soules and kinde affections set wide open to the Saints is that wherein hee taketh most pleasure and contentment and wherein we must take most paines and vse our chiefest endeuour and employment And indeed if we may iudge either of the necessitie of a duty on our parts or the acceptablenesse of a duty on his part by the often and earnest repetition of a commandement then this wanteth not that proofe For besides that the whole life of Christ from the day of his conception to the day of his passion was nothing else but an actuall seruice and continuall preaching of loue and charitie euen now when hee was to take his last farewell of his disciples and to sing his dying song as he went along to the place of his apprehension where Iudas was to betray him most vnnaturally and that for thirty peeces of siluer most basely and that to the murdrous Iewes most cruelly and that without cause most vniustly euen now did he thrice repeat this precept and three seuerall times exact this duty In the 13. chapter of his gospell and 34 verse he doth as I may say for feare of failing twice repeat in one sentence the same precept A new commandment giue Ioh. 13. 34. I vnto you that yee loue one another As I haue loued you that yee also loue one another He calls it there a new commandment not because it was then first brought forth but because the most absolute and excellent patterne thereof was then seene in himselfe as also because he would haue it new and alwaies fresh in their remembrance as ◠charge newly giuen that they might not suffer it at any time to bee cancelld out of their mindes and memories and therefore not content to speake it once he doubleth it saying that ye loue one another that yee also loue one another As if he had said of all things forget no◠this loue this is an inexhaustible fountaine which cannot be drawne dry a precious mine wherein the more yee digge the more treasure yee shall finde this is so sweet a grace Mel in ore melos in aure iubilaeum in corde as Beruard speaketh and so full of profit and pleasure and so fully taught by my example that at any hand yee should not forget this To loue one another So likewise in this place which is my text you see how hee vrgeth it as a matter of great consequence and importance and as the famous Troiane Aeneas encouraged his sonne Ascanius Disce puer virtutem ex me verumque laborē So doth our Sauiour here from his Ioh 15. 17. owne example make way for the better entertainment of this commandment Loue one another as I haue loued you Againe in the 17th Ioh. 17. 21. verse of this chapter he in generall tearmes redoubleth the charge These things I command you that yee loue one another And yet not content to giue the same commandment with so many repetitions he commendeth this dutie also to his Fathers care chap. 17. begging of Ioh. 17. 21. him that hee would keepe all his in one meaning both that they might be kept one with him and not to be plucked from him by the violence of any temptation affliction or sinfull affection and also continue in vnitie and amitie amongst themselues not hauing their iudgements distracted or their affections estraunged from one another but bee vnited and knit each to other in an indissoluble band of loue and good-liking These proofes would suffice to make plaine the necessitie of this duty but because our Sauiour vrgeth it so much his best beloued disciple S. Iohn forgetteth not to presse it and that often and that hard and close vnto the soule I will not striue to shew this out of the Ecclesiasticall history Where it is recorded of him that hee Euseb Socrat. would shut vp many of his discourses and maine sentences of his Sermons with this sweet Epiphenema and exhortation My little children loue one another The euidence hereof is most pregnant in all his Canonicall Epistles in the third 1. Ioh. 3. 23. Chapter and 23 verse 1. Epist hee putteth vs in minde of Christs commandement in these expresse words That is his commandment 1. Ioh. 3. 11. that we beleeue in the name of Iesus Christ and loue one another as hee hath commanded and in the 11th verse of the same Chapter as also in the 5. verse of the second Epistle 2. Ioh. 5. v. he commends this from its antiquity for a good thing the more ancient the more excellent This is the message or commandment that yee had and heard from the beginning that yee loue one another It is a duty as old as Adam wherein wicked Cain failed in that hee slew his brother and thereby abideth in death but on the contrary