a time of trouble such as neuer was since there was a Nation Ezek. 7.7 euen to that same time Da. 12.1 Man knoweth not his time As the fishes that are taken in an euill net and as the birds that are caught in the snare so are the sonnes of men snared in an euill time when it falleth suddainly vpon them Ecles 9.12 The fish is cheerefull deuouring the bayt not seeing the hooke but the fisher-man drawing him vp torments the bowels and dragges it to destruction August de agone Christi cap. 7. So many runne away with presumptuous sinnes but the time shall come that they shall feele the plagues of it when time shal be no longer One woe shall be past and another woe come quickly from death to iudgement from iudgement to hell Reu. 10.11.14 They may come vp as flouds their waters may moue as the riuers they may saye we will couer the earth they may rage with their Charets but when the day of vengeance commeth in vaine shall they vse many medicines for they shall not be cured their crye shall fill the land they shall be swept away when the Lord driueth them they shall appeare to haue beene but a noyse when they haue passed the time appointed Jer. 46.17 Vse 2 Our Instruction must be not to walke as fooles but circumspectly as wise redeeming the time because the dayes are euill wee are borne of women Ep. 5.16 of few dayes full of trouble Ioh. 14.1 Let vs remember how short our time is what man is hee that liueth and shall not see death Ps 89.47.48 Be not ouermuch wicked neither bee thou foolish why shouldest thou die before thy time Eccles 7.17 Stat sua cuique dies Euery mans dayes are determined Virgil. 10. Aeneid the number of his moneths is with God he hath appointed him his bounds that he cannot passe Ioh. 14.5 this is a measure of his dayes in respect of Gods prescience and prouidence Psal 39.4 but in respect of the course of nature the threed of life which might haue beene lengthned is cut off by Gods command for sinne and men liue not out halfe their dayes Psal 55.23 as that Bishop applyed this texte in his time Bernardinus to 2. in Qua. dragesimali de Euang. oetern Do. 2. quadra serm 17. a. 3. cap. 1. when in Catalonia a citty neare Valentia a strippling of 18. hauing beene disobedient to his parents and so fell to robbing and being executed on the tree and thus remaining for a spectacle to disobedient children on the next morrow a Beard and gray haires appeared on him which the people hearing of and wondring how suddainely these should come to a young dead body and vrging how young he was at his death the Bishop said he should haue liued to be so old as hee appeared then had he not beene disobedient Thus the Lord threatneth the family of Eli all the increase of thine house shall dye in the flower of their age 1. Sam. 3.33 He dyeth before his time who dyeth vnwillingly not prepared not rype in yeares though rype in sinne which hasteneth death and destruction as God threatned to the Amorrhites when their iniquity should be full Gen. 15.16 Happy is he who can triumphe with that flagge of defiance against all enemies as St. Paul Herein doe I excercise my selfe to haue alwayes a conscience voyd of offence toward God and toward men Act. 24.16 Happy is he who euery night thinketh with himselfe a day is gone a part of my time is cut off so much lesse haue I left of a short and miserable life God hath appointed the time of life short in respect of prosperity and aduersity in this world that our appetite may be stirred to future things whereof here we haue but a taste as were the trees in Paradise and Manna If these pleasures belowe delight vs how much more shall those aboue Punishments here are but essayes of those hereafter ordained for the wicked as those vppon the Sodomits Chorah and his complices and if the short plagues of this life are feared how much more those of another A little time we haue that by little consolations we may be inuited to glory and by small troubles feare greater A little time is giuen vs least our troubles being ouer long we should despaire onour ioyes we should neglect God Aduersity sometimes must exercise vs else prosperity will pull vs down There are but foure times a time of deuiation as from Adam to Moses when death reigned Rom. 5.14 a time of Reuocation from Moses to Christ the Lawe being added because of transgressions a time of Reconciliation from the birth of Christ to the sending of the holy Ghost Gal. 3.19 the spirit it selfe bearing witnesse with our spirit that wee are the children of God a time of Peregrination from the sending of the holy Ghost till the day of Iudgement Rom. 8.16 while wee are at home in the body 2 Cor. 5.7 vve being absent from the Lord. 2. Cor. 5.7 In this Pilgrimage we must walk by faith The times are dangerous in regard of troubles which must fail out such as neuer were since the begining of the world Mat. 24.21 Of Sathans libertie Reu. 20.8 who being loosed deceaued the Nations of the foure quarters of the earth of the multitude of many false Prophets rising and deceauing many Math. 24.11 of the rarenesse of good men Math. 24.12 iniquity abounding the loue of many waxing cold Let not the time runne away without obseruation Thinke vppon time past and be thankefull for benefits receaued Creation Redemption Iustification repent for sinne committed imitate the godly Think vppon the time present the opportunity vrging vs to worke while we haue time the breuity compelling vs to be instant the irreuocability stirring vs vp to constancie Thinke vpon the time to come and prouide to giue a faire account Barn de trip custodia 1. Cor. 4.7 Nothing ought to be of so pretious esteeme as time it is Gods gift we haue nothing but what we haue receaued wee are answerable for it and must deliuer backe all things in number and weight we must gaine according to the talentes deliuered vnto vs Ecc. 42.7 wee must growe in grace Math. 25.20 And to this end as in bodily growth there are 4. helpes so in a spirituall There is nourishment in the wombe here is a proficiencie of knoweledge there we are brought into the light of the world here we shewe forth some fruits of the illumination of Baptisme there is milke giuen vnto vs here the word of God deliuered out of both Testaments there wee are carryed to our Parents table here we come to the Supper of the Lord our heart and our flesh reioycing that Nowe is the accepted time 2. Cor. 6.2 now is the day of saluation wherein God the Father begetteth vs the
THE TWO TWINS OF BIRTH AND DEATH A SERMON PREACHED in Christs Church in London the 5. of September 1624. By SAMSON PRICE Doctor of Diuinitie one of his Majesties Chapleins in Ordinarie Vpon the occasion of the Funeralls of Sir WILLIAM BYRDE Knight Doctor of the Law Deane of the Arches and Iudge of the Prerogatiue Court of the Archbishop of Canterburie PHILLIP 1.21 To me to liue in Christ and to dye is gaine AT LONDON Printed by Edward All-de for John Hodgets 1624. TO MY CHRISTIAN AND LOVING PARISHIONERS OF CHRISTS CHVRCH IN LONDON Beloued in Christ Jesus IT is the promise of the Word that the righteous shall be in euerlasting remembrance Psal 112.6 as registred in the booke of eternall life so graciously mentioned to the ioy of posterity in this life Chrisost The best monument is not in stately houses strong walls high Towers glorious Sepulchers Antomin 1. P. Tit. 2. C. 9. S. 2. but in righteous actions grounded vpon memory which considering the infirmity of nature losse by sinne examples of the good folly of the wicked necessity of the miserable and looking vpon God as a Creatour Redeemer Rewarder maketh a man liue according to his will reuealed in his Word Mic. 6.8 in doing iustly louing mercy and walking humbly The memoriall of such a one I present to you and to those whosoeuer shall reade this passage from birth to death in Sir William Byrde deceased and gone to the Lord whom I know you esteemed Inter raros paucos excellentissimae gratiae viros Amongst those few choise pearles of excellent parts Aug. de Cyp. li. 6. de Baptismo left in these decaying times Vnperfect it is and this birth had died as soone as it had beene borne without pressing had not I perceiued how tender it was taken among some and earnestly desired to be published by others We shall learne to liue well by remembring our death and wee shall liue to God if we dye to the world As long as I am in this Tabernacle I shall put you in remembrance of this 2. Peter 1.13 that you may loue the Lord your God walke in his wayes keepe his commaundements statutes iudgments liue multiply that the Lord our God may blesse you and we may be preserued and deliuered at the houre of death and day of iudgement From the new Rents in your Parish Octob. 18. 1624. Yours in Christ Jesus Samson Price THE TVVO TVVINS OF BIRTH AND DEATH Lord Iesus begin and end ECCLES 3.2 A time to be borne and a time to dye IT was a diuine confession of that sweet Singer of Israel holy King Dauid a man concerning whom GOD did sweare in his holinesse Ps 89 33. that he would not suffer his faithfulnesse to faile him His glory is great in thy saluation honour and maiestie hast thou layde vpon him Ps 21.5 Great were his deliuer ances from the Iawe of the Lyon Pawe of the Beare Iauelin of Saul Speare of Goliath from the Counsaile of Achitophell Slaunder of Doeg Reuiling of Shemei Mouth of the Sword from the murraine of his Subiects multiplicity of his sins the rebellion of his son Absolon Honourable were his dignities in the loue of his people glorious wearing of a Crowne triumphant victories ouer his enemies Hee was higher then the Kings of the earth Ps 89.27 such a sonne did the Lord send him Salomon a King passing all the Kings of the earth in riches wisdome 2. Ch. 9 2◠2. Sam. 12.24 Eccles 1.1 2. Sam. 12.25 called Salomon by his father Dauid when Bethsheba had borne him the Preacher by himselfe in the fore-front of this booke and Iedidiah by Nathan the Prophet by whose hand the Lord sent so to name him Hier. in Eccles orig in Can. Am. pro. in Lu. Salonius viennensis in Prou. Three names agreeable to three bookes hee wrote Salomon to that of the Prouerbs the Preacher to Ecclesiastes Iedidiah to his Canticles the Prouerbs containing morrall Instructions the Preacher many naturall secrets Prou. 4.1.3 his Canticles the supernaturall mysterie of that marriage betwixt Christ and his Church Tria volumina Salomonis misle Cobel. th Sir Hasirim Heir Praef. in Prou. Solom In the Prouerbs as a Father he teacheth tender children the offices of life in Ecclesiastes the young man that for all things hee must be brought to iudgement in the Canticles him that is growne to some perfection how to be ioyned with diuine embracings to God Cant. 1.2 and to be kissed with the kisses of his mouth In the Prouerbs hee teacheth how to liue in the world In Ecclesiastes Hie. Prae. in Ec. how to despise the world In the Canticles how to loue God aboue the world As Salomon he wrote his Prouerbs a King of peace giuing lawes which being kept by vs shall work internall externall eternall peace for vs peace with our selues neighbours God As a Preacher he wrote his Ecclesiastes for no doctrine more fit for the Pulpit and to be preached to the whole world then mans mortality the chiefe subiect of the booke As Gods fauourite hee wrote the Canticles containing the mutuall loue of Christ and his Church King Dauid was Gods beloued and hence comes his name Dauid of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dod Amor. Amicus Dilectus his sonne Salomon was so a wise sonne of a wise father a Prophet from a Prophet for howsoeuer the spirit of prophecie goeth not euer by inheritance and succession Basil yet Dauid by prayer obtained this blessing to haue a sonne like himselfe a sonne by generation and a sonne by similitude King Dauid delighted to teach transgressours the wayes of God that sinners might be conuerted Ps 51.13 Prou. 1.2 Bede Ecles 12.14 so King Salomon wrote to make men know wisdome and instruction and to perceiue the words of vnderstanding how men should liue according to the truth of knowledge direct their intentions and gouerne their actions For God shall bring euery worke into iudgement with euery secret thing whether it be good or whether it be euill Thales therfore answered well when demanded what was the wisest amongst creatures Time said he for it findeth out all things O then that we were wise that we vnderstood this that we would consider our latter end Deut. 37.29 Things past must be considered the good omitted Patritins de transitu animae ad Deum not prouiding for a time to come neglecting the day of grace desisting from doing good the euill committed against God by disobedience our neighbours by hurt done our selues by consenting to sinne the time lost which is precious a benefit from God irreuocable Things present must be considered the shortnesse of life which flyeth as a shadow fadeth as a flower is onely certaine in vncertainty the worlds vanity whereby the couetous are deceiued the carnall led the proud caught the space giuen to repent wherein our estate should be
though he had Giges ring to walke without the controlement of any eye to walke vprightly He was often desired not to trouble himselfe so much in his place of Iudicature but to suffer Surrogates to dispatch businesse for him which hee seldome did saying I will do what I may possible by my selfe I and not they must answer if wrong be done And when I shall be vpon my death Bed clamoures will trouble me if any be iniured He laboured to make his House a spectacle of deuout discipline to others Hier de Nepotiano Domus eius erat magistra publicae disciplinae humbling himselfe and his whole family before God with Riligious praiers often three times a day A Method which he learned from holy King Dauid Euening and morning and at noone will I pray and crye aloud and he shall heare my voyce Ps 55.17 Which the Fathers ascribe to the Mysterie of the Passion Resurrection ascention of Christ Aug. Hier. Ruff Bed Remig. Three times a day the Apostles inioyned that the Lords Prayer should be vsed Cle. 7. Constit 25. Mr. hist schol in Daniel c. 9. Three times a day the Iewes prayed the third houre because the Law was then giuen the sixt because the Brazen Serpent was then erected the ninth because then water came out of the Rocke Three times a day the Church of the antient Christians had praiers because at the third houre the holy Ghost was giuen the sixt Christ was crucified the ninth he was pierced through with a speare Dan. 6.9 Three times a day Daniel kneeled vpon his knees and prayd and gaue thankes before his God Three times a day Prayers haue beene enioyned either in honour of the holy blessed glorious three persons of the Trinity or because we should get the practise of the three Theological Vertues Faith Hope Charity or because we should haue a watch ouer three doors the heart mouth action or three Tempters the lust of the Flesh pride of the eyes pride of life or our three great Enemies the Flesh World Deuill or because nothing doth so adorne man in the three parts of his life Childhood Youth Olde age This learned and reuerend Iudge had the sixe Properties required in a Iudge Skill Goodnes Diligence Nuizanus ex Ioh. Pirrho in l. imperia ff de regul iur Barbatus in Capit Quoniam s in alijs Eloquence constancie Prudence Hee had salem scientiae conscientiae conscience to season his knowledge without which the minde of a Iudge is diabolicall and vnsanory Hee was truely Miles Christianus a Christian Knight in whom it is esteemed no lesse greatnes of heart to resist vice then to fight against enemies the goodnes of a Knight consisting not in Pompe and great magnificence Guenara but in the tranquillitie innocencie of a good conscience For he that walloweth in the wealth of Craesus and sleepeth not in the bosome quietnesse of Abraham holdeth no more then if he were Lord of a goodly vessell replenished with corrupt and poisoned liquor To haue rich tapistrie massie plate great horses and other preparations to sportes and pleasures be things rather to get honourable names then to keep Soules in safety My wish is that as the trophees of Miltiades wold not suffer Themistocles to sleep til by the like acts he had purchased to himselfe the like glorious name Val. Max. l. 8. c 15. Plut. so all of that hourable professiō of the Law would looke into this glasse make him a Canon of their Ciuill Christian imitation Vitam caelestem egit in terris Hi◠vita Pauli Eremitae following him as he followed Christ in a heauenly course If I should spend many words more about him I should but strike wounds into their mindes whom I desire to comfort His hearty deuotion to God tender compassion to pouerty affable kindnesse to his friends In illo vno non vnum sed plures amissos requirimus Amb. de excessu Satyr milde affection to his seruants harmelesse behauiour and meaning to all make vs complaine that In his losse alone we haue not lost him alone but in him many a worthy one He liued like a Doue dyed like a Lambe when God stroke him abroad and summoned him to death by sickenesse From Grausende he was perswaded to returne by water where how sweetly did he sing Psalmes as knowing that a Psalme is mirth of the minde trāquility of the soule an Ambassadour of peace a ruler of the affections a procurer of charity reconciler of loue Bas homil in Psal 1. neither is any so troubled in minde and disturbed in thought but if he takes the Psalmes he may be straight appeased Dyon c. 3. de diu nom p. 3. The Psalter is a briefe of all the mysteries of the Bible A Psalme sung with the intention of the heart maketh way for the soule to God Greg bom 1. in Ez. Innoc. 3. proe in Ps 7. poenit Hier. ep 17. Next to the Lords prayer there cannot be better formes of prayer vsed then out of the Psalmes Ierome commended the Plough-men of Bethlehem for singing Psalmes while they followed the Plough In Epitaph Paulae Conc. Nannetense cap. 4. the Lady Paula for singing the Psalms A Counsaile inioyned that the seauen poenitentiall Psalmes which are the 6.32.38.51.102.130.143 should be sung by the Priest at the visiting of the Sicke Christ and his Apostles sung a Hymne after the Sacrament Mat. 26.30 Paul Burge in Marc. 14. the Iewes sung seauen Psalmes after the eating of the Paschall Lambe Baro. Annal. p. 1. Hier. from the 112. to the 119. and one of these it is probable Christ sung Cantator Cygnus funeris ipse sui Martialis and some thinke the 113. though others thinke it were the 21. He sung as a Swan before his death Philo Iud. l. de supplicum virtutibus singing of Psalmes was vsed by the primitiue Christians Vpon his returne to his house he being lodged vpon his bed of sickenesse in a burning feuer the disease of the time which the right hand of the Lord remoue from vs how did he possesse his soule in patience and a humble submission to the hand of God acknowledging Gods great mercies which he had receaued and found nowe continued and herein gratiously that God had chastised him but without extraordinary sensible payne and so had no heauier a burthen vppon him then hee coulde beare He sent for me being his poore Pastour but my occasion of Attendance had called mee abroad yet another Messenger of Gods word came to him He welcomed him with all respect confessed his sinnes his sorrowes his faith prayed earnestly and feruently with sighes and grones and often cryed out Lord IESVS be mercifull vnto me and receaue my soule and so as he had a time to be borne so a time to dye He slept in the Lord Extremity of paines hath chased his soule out of his body and I assure my selfe Angels haue carryed it into the bosome of Abraham Currum conscendit non est iam trepidare ne cadat Bar. in transitu Malachiae He is Now secure where he cannot fall He is in the Quire of the Saints his body is gone to earth his soule to Christ Happy he taken away not to see the continuance of sinnes and consequents of punishments Sanctorummixtus est choris corpus terra suscepit Anima Christo reddita est Foelix qui haec non vidit foelix qui haec non audit Nos miseri attamen viuere volumus Quem corpore non valemus recordatione teneaemus cum quo loqui non possumus de co loqui non esinamus Hier. ad Heliodor Epitaph Nepotiani Ecc. 39.2 Wretched men that we are who desire nothing but life His body wee cannot hold yet let him not be forgotten in our mindes We cannot speake with him Let vs often speak of him how he gaue his minde to the Lawe of the highest sought out the wisdom of the Antient was able to powre out wise Sentences and therefore his Memoriall shall not depart away from vs Blessed is he in his happy change from night to day from darkenesse to light from death to life from sorrowe to solace from a factious world to a Countrye of peace new Ierusalem where our God shall at the last day keepe his great Sessions for eternall peace conscience being the Clarke of that peace an Angell the cryer of peace the MESSIAS the Iudge of peace Saints the Iury for peace Innocent the verdit of peace Come ye Blessed of my Father the Oye of peace Receaue the Kingdome the Sentence of peace Let vs waite for the Redemptiō of the body lift vp our heads after our Home aboue Let vs labour to be found without spot and blamelesse Let vs learne to liue well that we may dye well Let vs lament our losse of our worthies but reioyce for their gaine Let vs comfort our selues in hope of a ioyfull Resurrection through Iesus Christ our Resurrection and life To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost bee ascribed all honour and glory nowe and euermore Amen FINIS
their time in chambering and wantonesse Rom. 13.13 gluttony and drunkenes and vitious games hauing no portion to themselues or posterity in earth neuer thinking of a portion in heauen hauing no conscience for their soules no discretion for their goods Some complaine of the iniquity of the times and no whit mend themselues say not Former times were better thy vertues make good times Hic in Eccls 1. thy vices bad All things are others time onely is our owne yet hasteneth and therefore should not be wasted away as by him who being asked how long he had liued answered Stob. se 9. de Simouide a very little time though many yeares Or as those lewd seruants who hauing a candle allowed them to goe to bed withal spend it in carding dicing or drinking What a curse is it to spend al thy time in vanity and to send thy hoary head to thy graue in ignorance and follie Wilt thou giue Sathan the finest of thy flower and sweetest of thy wine and present the bran and dregges of thy dottage to thy Lord wilt thou lay the heauiest burthen vpon the weakest beast and force old age so feeble that it cannot beare it selfe to beare all the burthen of thy Repentance O take heed for when the strong man is growne stronger by praescription the rotten tabernacle is ready to fall downe custome hath turned infirmity into nature sinne is soaked into substance when thy bones shall be full of the sinnes of thy youth then to repent it will be hard if not impossible Did not wee bring sinne enough with vs into the world to condemne vs we must all confesse as he did Behold I was shapen in inquinity and in sinne did my mother conceaue me words which Dauid vttered Ps 51.5 2. Kin. 18.42 as Eliah when he put his face betweene his knees for so is the child in the wombe Boast not of thy goods Inheritance countenance and blood by thy Parents it is tainted with sin this is the poyson Pineda in Iob. 15.24 Hipoer lib. de natura pueri Wee had Birth from our mothers but withall the reward of sinne death clothes and wrapping from the but withall nakednesse and shame What must be done but as that woman sicke of the bloody issue hauing beene long physicked but ill handled of the Physitians hauing suffered many things of many Physitians and spent all she had and nothing bettered but rather grew worse Mar. 5.26.27 when she heard of Iesus came to be physiked a new of him So we who are thus base borne must take our time to be borne a new This is an Honourable and commendable birth if we respect the causes Natiuitas commendabilis Faith whosoeuer beleeueth that Iesus is the Christ is borne of God Loue 1. Io. 5.1.1 Io. 4.7.1 Io. 3.9 Euery one that loueth is borne of God and knoweth God Righteousnesse whosoeuer is borne of God doth not commit sinne presumptuosly desperatly impenitently It is an honourable birth if wee respect the effects to conquer the world whatsoeuer is borne of God ouercommeth the world 1. 10. 5.4 Ioh. 3.3 to bring to heauen for except a man be borne againe hee cannot see the Kingdome of God This maketh new men new affections giueth another spirit another will a loathing of the world a loue of God It causeth vs not so much to obserue dayes and moneths and times and yeares as to know The TIME that now it is high time to awake out of sleepe Gala. 4.10 Rom. 13.22 for now is our saluation neerer then when we beleeued Sicut nec capillus de oapite sie nec momentu seribis de tempore Bar. This maketh vs good husbands and euer to thinke vpon our reckoning and to consider that as not a haire falleth to the ground without prouidence so neither a moment of our time is vnaccountable How busie was the Deuill aboue a thousand yeares since because he knew he had but a short time Will you plant build buy Reu. 12.22 sell onely for the world and doe nothing for eternity Will you be prodigall of the golden dayes giuen vs to redeeme time and let heauen flie away and hell steale on Bee not lulled a sleepe in ease mirth prosperity as the Dalilah of the world or flesh or Deuill perswade Sathan will come with fearefull arrest and sease vpon thee in sickenesse weakenesse discontent as the Rauen vppon the fainting sheepe and write and vrge and open bitter vnanswerable terrible things against thee O then that men would flie out of the middest of Babylon Reuela 2.22 and deliuer euery man his soule that hee be not cut off in iniquity for there is a TIME of the Lords vengeance Iezebell had her space to repent of her fornication and repented not therefore a bed of tribulation is threatened her Ierusalem not knowing the time of her visitation had their enemies to cast a trench about them compasse them round keepe them in on euery side lay them euen with the ground Luk. 19.44 and their children within them and not to leaue one stone vpon another Am. 5.13 If we see the TIME when the prudent keepe silence because it is an euill time Mic. 2.3 when men worke euill vpon their beds and couet fields and take them by violence because it is an euill time when men dwell in their fieled houses and yet say the time is not come that the Lords house should be built Hagg. 1.2 when being possessed with Deuils and reproued they crie as those did to Iesus Mat. 8.29 what haue we to doe with thee Art thou come hither to torment vs before the time When those perillous times come wherein men are louers of themselues couetous boasters proud 2. Tim. 3.1.2 blasphemers disobedient to Parents vnthankefull vnholy Wherein when for the time men ought to be teachers they haue need that one teach themagain Heb. 5.12 which be the first principles of the Oracle of Gods When the last times bring forth those who walke after their owne vngodly lustes Iude 18.19 separating themselues sensuall hauing not the spirit Let vs pray It is TIME for thee Lord to worke Ps 119.126 for they haue made voyd thy Lawe Job 22 16. He shall cut them downe out of time and ouerflowe their foundation with a floud their false Gods cannot arise and saue them in the time of trouble Jer. 2.27 They shall fall when others fall When they are visited and shall be cast downe Jer. 6.15 They shall be smitten and haue no healing looke for peace and there shall be no good for a time of healing and behold trouble Jer. 14.19 They shall be like a thrashing flower for the Lord seeth it is time to thrash them yet a little while and the time of their haruest shall come An end is come it watcheth for them Ier. 51.33 the time is come the day of trouble is neere
draweth nigh vnto the graue A sleepe A comming as a theef in the night A time of departure the way of all the earth Of Abell whose sacrifice God accepted as of Cain whose sacrifice God despised of Abraham the Father of the faithfull as well as of the children of vnbeliefe of Izhac the sonne of the free woman as of Ismael the sonne of the bond woman of Iacob whom God loued as of Esau whom he hated of chast Ioseph as of incestuous Ammon of meeke Moyses as rayling Rabshekah of zealous Phinees as the luke-warme Minister of the Church of Laodicea of Dauid a man according to Gods owne heart as Saul from whom God tooke his spirit of Salomon the wise as Nabal the foole of tender hearted Iosiah as hard hearted Pharaoh the humble Publican as the proud Pharisee poore Lazarus to be carryed into Abrahams bosome as the rich glutton to be carryed into hell Iohn the beloued Disciple as Iudas the traitor Simon Peter the Apostle as Simon Magus the Sorcerer The death of Christ hath freed from the second death but not the first He hath altered the vse of the first death but not taken it away it was ordained as a punishment but he hath made it a passage into Heauen and as by life man commeth to bondage so by death his freedome is wrought yet dye he must first be he Natures Paragon he is but a lump of flesh and straight after Birth is due the fatall Beere Death is the Emperour of graues common Inne the punishment tribute Conquerour receptacle of all and as the Sunne where it shineth melteth the hardest ice so where this Centurion commands there must be obedience This place enemie striketh with a bloody dart the wretched Caitiffe and the King alike It sends out a Commission as that voyce to Abraham Exi de terra tua Goe out of thy Country wherein thou wert bred and borne come forth ye soules from those bodyes and though there be but one manner of comming into the world yet are there many thousand wayes of going out of the world Wee are full of holes and breaches One dyeth young another in a good age some when their breasts are full of milke Eriyere vitā nemo non homini petect At nemo mortem mille ad hanc patent aditus Sē trag 3. Ac. 1. Waite we must for our change and patiently expect the execution of that Decree which is so various and manifold that no one mans tongue can possibly describe it Abell was slaine by his brother Abimelechs brains beaten out by a woman throwing a peece of a milstone from a wall Agag washewed in peeces Isay cut a sunder with a woodden sawe Epipha de vitis Prophetarum Amos slaine with a doore barre the Infants of Bethlehem were slaine in their Cradles Eglon in his Parlour Saul in the field Isbosheth in his bed Sennacherib in the Temple Ioab at the very Altar Beares slew the boyes that mocked Elizeus wormes Herod Lyons Daniels accusers Dogges Euripides Extremity of ioy hath killed some as Zeuxes Diagoras Rhodius Sophocles Sorrowe others as old Eli Homer Vrbain the third Fier destroyeth some as the Sodomits Nadab and Abihu Zimri Perillus. Water others as M. Marcellus Laurentius Laurentinianus that great Phisitian Earthquakes Chore Dathan Abiron M. Curtius Hunger destroyed Cleanthes the Philosopher Thirst Thales Milesius Watching M. Attilius Regulus The fall of an house Athenaeus Philippe a young French King called Grossus fell from his horse dead Iezabell being cast out of a windowe dyed Fulgo li. 9 c. 1◠Anacreon the Poet was choaked with the kernel of a raisin Valentinian the Emperour came to his end by strayning himselfe with crying too loud Pli. nat li. 7.7 Hier. op 9 to 9 Fulgo vbi supra Guido Ful. ib. Pli. vt supra Florus lib. 3. c. a 3. Suides Polyd. Virgil. hist Ang. the yolke of an egge stifled Saufeius a fish bone Tarquinius Priscus a peare Drusus Pompeius an haire in his milke Fabius the Senatour a smoake Caetullus the Orator the hot Sunne Chrisostome a crumme of bread Goodwin Earle of Kent A Plurisie killed Charles the Great a Dissenterye Anastasius the second the Cholicke Antiochus Iulius Cesar disputing the night before of the good of suddaine death was the next day by Brutus and Cassius slaine suddainely in the Senate Iohannes Mathesius hauing preached of the raising of the Widdowe of Naimes sonne within 3. houres dyed Luther hauing sate at supper and discoursed diuinely of the ioyes of Heauen about midnight after he slept in the Lord Iouian an Emperour was found dead in his bed Pope Adrian the fourth was choaked with a flye Soz. hist Eccl. 6.6 crimonesis can we forget that dolefull DOLEFVLL EVENSONG of that Popish assembly in the Blacke-Fryers miserably misled to heare a Iesuite Oct. 25.1623 90. or 100. whereof perished while they heard Antichrist exalted I dare not be so vncharitable as from their temporall destruction to collect their eternall confusion But by these we may see no place is priuiledged from the arrest of death Some we see come to their graues by Apoplexies Lethargies dead Palsies some by suddaine blowes some as a wasted candle goe out naturally How many doth that violent FEVER nowe sweep away in our Cittie and in the most parts of the Kingdome an argument of Gods anger against vs as he threatned the disobedient children of Israel Dc. 28.15.22 that if they would not hearken to his voyce to obserue to doe all his Commandements and Statutes the SINNE of ENGLAND he would smite them with a FEVER and with an inflammation and with an extreame BVRNING Our Neighbours visitation sheweth vs Belshazzars embleme vpon our doors and walles that our dayes are counted Vita cito auolat nec potest retineri mors quotidie ingruit nec potest resisti that our life flyeth away daily and cannot be retained and death is continually ready to rush vpon vs and cannot be resisted but as wee haue had a time to be borne so a time to DIE. Let the Egiptians call man a reuerend and admirable creature Mercury a great myracle Pythagoras the measure of all things Plato the wonder of wonders Aristotle a politique creature framed for society Synesius the Horizon of corporeall and incorporeall things Tully a diuine creature full of reason and iudgement Plinie the worlds Epitome and Natures darling yet he is mortall and must yeeld to this heauy colde enemie which sneapeth the brauest blossomes and maketh them fade anon which ere while flourished the longest liuer dyes and DEAD the lowliest creature as the lothsome carion lyes This is it that daunteth all earthly things They were borne to dye If they had a beginning they must haue an end Death is impartiall cutting off good and bad It selfe knowne to all the houre of it vnknowne to any Nothing can resist it No Peeres Princes mortall wight No Townes Realmes Cities Towers All must runne this course
Lord shall call vs by his Bayliefe Death he may find vs prepared that we may keepe a Kalender and Ephemerides of our time how it passeth away that as our bodies stoop downwards by yeares and infirmities so our soules soare vpward that we may haue our Loyns girt our Lamps burning While we are in the world we are in a Sea of troubles we saile as Pilgrimes tossed by the tempests of aduersity oppressed by three Pyrates the Flesh World Deuill Yet by the Barke of a liuely Faith this Marriner Death may transport vs from Aegipt to Canaan For howsoeuer death to the Reprobate be the Curse of God Suburbes of Hell Pyrate of life the Diuels Serieant to arrest and carry them without bayle to a Prison of vtter darknesse his Cart to bring them to execution from which there can be no repriuement Yet to the Godly it is not exitus but transitus a departure but a passage Cyp. sc de mortal Fratres mortui non sunt amissi sed praemissi Our dead Friends are not lost they are but sent before Profectio est quam putas mortem that thou thinkest death Au. ep 6. is but a iourney to them Tert. de Patientia to the Land of the liuing The key to vnlocke from misery and send abroade to liberty A Bridge to passe from a vale of teares to a paradise of joyes Like the Brazen Serpent so farre from hurting true Israelites that it healeth them The beginning of joy first fruites of pleasure Prince of delight and a Massenger of glad tydings A passage from labour to rest Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord Reu. 14.13 that they may rest from their laboures From vilenesse to glory Lazarus was carryed by the Angels into Abrahams bosome From feare to security The wicked is driuen away in their wickednesse Luk. 14.22 but the righteous hath ioy in his death Pr. 14.32 From trouble to peace as olde Tobit prayed cōmaund my spirit to be taken from me Tob. 3.6 that I may be dissolued that I may be deliuered out of this distresse and goe into the euerlasting place From an vncertain commorancie to a setled habitariō an eternall house in the Heauens 2. Co. 5.1 From captiuity to liberty therefore St. Paul wished O wretched man that I am Ro. 7.24 who shall deliuer mee from the body of death From vanitie to glory which made the same Apostle so confident To me to liue is Christ and to dye is gaine Ph. 1.21 To the Godly it is a coast for them banished out of this world a landing at the Hauen a laying downe of a heauy burthen of the body the consumption of all diseases the escaping of all perills breaking of all Bonds returne to our owne home Est vitae virtus maxima posse mori Mat. 24.42 THIS we should often thinke vpon because the greatest worke we haue to doe is to dye well And because Christ commaundeth watch for yee know not what houre your Lord will come what I say vnto you I say vnto you all watch Mar. 13.37 Like vnto men that waite for their Lord when he will returne from the wedding Luk. 12.36 that when he commeth and knocketh yee may open to him immediatly It is too late to recall the Bargaine the Bond being sealed to defend the Walles when the Citty is ouercome to sound a retraite when the Battaile is fought to send for a Physitian when the sicke party is dead When time is past it cannot be recalled Therefore saith the wise man whatsoeuer thy hand findeth to doe doe it with thy might for there is no worke nor deuise nor knowledge Ecl. 9.10 nor wisedome in the Graue whether thou goest Guil. paris p 5. de vitijs tr de accidia Gr. Ho. 13. in Eua. Bonau Sanchez in Ecles Hereafter is no time of working but rewarding Hereafter Aristotles arguments will not serue to excuse or defend but rather to accuse If we feare death before it come we shall conquer it There is no deliberating hereafter There shall be no profit of the knowledge of Diuine or Humane things hereafter vnles wee vse it well in this life God hath giuen a Talent to exercise euery man some worke for euery one against his comming into the world Skill and knowledge is long and difficult life is short and sickly we should as oportunity serueth performe our duty towards our God Ars longa vita breuis Hipocr towards our Neighboures towards our selues The time of Working ceaseth in the graue None can be benifited by our workes wisedome skill counsell when we are dead We cannot praise God nor glorifie him in the graue Now is the time of vsing and bestowing those gifts that God hath giuen for his glory in this life And this time saith Iob is swifter then a Poste passeth away as the swift Ship and as the Eagle hasteth to her pray Nothing so swift in the Land Sea Ayre Iob. 9.26 as a shadow so passeth our time or as when an Arrowe is shot at a Mark it parteth the ayre which immediatly commeth together againe Wis 5.9.12.13 so that a man cannot knowe where it went through Euen so we in like manner as soon as we are born begin to draw to our end Our Bodyes too and froe we shall not bee that to morrow which we are to day Nostra quoque ipsorum semperequieque sine vlla Corpora vertuntur Ou. Metam l. 1. nec quod fuimusque sumusque Cras erimus Let vs not till the day of death delay our conuersion when sicknesse summoneth and bindeth vpon the Alter for the sacrificing of the Soule wicked actions words thoughts will appeare armed with Gods anger and with the Curses of of the Law heaped together agrauated to the vttermost giuing the Conscience many a colde pull and lying vpon the heart as heauie as Lead The Conscience will accuse the Memory giue bitter euidence Reason will sit as Iudge Feare shall stand as executioner Let vs now therefore get a good life that it may be an vsher to a good death Let vs drawe good out of euill and prouide for immortallity in the time of mortallity Let vs dye willingly seeing we must dye necessarily we shall liue eternally Let not the worlds pleasures detaine vs but rather draw our affectiōs to those things which are aboue knowing that if there be such delight in any thing of this mortall life Giselbertus in li. Altere c. 3. Hic vel accipienus vel amittimus vitam eternam Cyp. which consists in the presence of the Soule in a corruptible body what immortall pleasure shall there be when the presence of the Godhead shall fill the reasonable Soule Now is the time to get this assurance here we may win or lose it Gal. 6.7 Let vs not be weary in well doing As we sowe so we shall reape Quod sibiquisque serit praesentis tempore
vitae Hoc sibi messis erit cum dicitur Ite venite If we would not heare in the great Haruest of the last iudgement that terrible voyce which shall be vsed to them on the left hand Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuill and his Angels Mat. 25.41 Let vs Nowe heare that sweete voyce calling to repentance Come ye Blessed children of my Father Learne of me for I am meeke and lowely and ye shall finde rest vnto your soules Mat. 11.29 Qualem te inuenerit Deus cum vocat talē pariter iudicat Cyp. lib. 4. de morte As the day of Death findeth vs so shall the last day iudge vs. Let vs stand vppon our watch and waite for it all the dayes of our appointed time Let vs learne nowe to be acquainted with God in his world Let vs consecrate to him the Temples of our bodyes and Altars of our soules who created them of nothing redeemed them when they were worse then nothing and hath appointed mansions for them with himselfe in glory Let vs get AGOOD NAME which will be better then all ointments and treasures They may be bought for mony but this is the gift of God not to be purchased with base mettall They are corruptible this is euerlasting They heaue a man in death and betake them to a new Master but the praise of the IVST man remaineth still his owne It taryeth behind him on earth and goeth with him to heauen and will crowne him with glory at the last day Let vs esteeme the day of Death better then our Birth-day That was an entrance into misery this will giue vs a passe for felicity Let vs now remember our Creatour Let vs take time while it is offered vnto vs to prepare for Heauen Time will away Let vt not neglect our tide but bee wise in passing the time of our pilgrimage here on earth All must dye our stroke will come how soone and suddainely when or where we knowe not We should impart this in our memory especially seeing the Lord strikes those who were neare vnto vs and we may complaine that THE RIGHTEOVS PERISHE As they had A time to be Borne so a time to Die My Texte is occasioned to me vpon the taking away of a Worthy flower of our Parish Sir Willam Byrde a Father of the lawe and a Iust and mercifull Patron of Widdowes and Orphanes a meeke Moses an vpright Samuell a zealous Iob fearing God eschewing euill a man of courage dealing truely hating couetousnesse I confesse that his soule being taken into the society of heauenly Saints neither careth for nor seekeeth our praises Yet let not the godly be forgotten though dead we may commend them It is lawfull in it selfe and profitable for the liuing for imitation Therefore Dauid commended Ionathan for his loue 2. Sam. 1.26 2. Ch. 35.23 the holy Ghost King Iosiah for his integrity St. Paul in that Epistle to the Hebrewes the Patriarches and Prophets Christ commanded that wheresoeuer the Gospell should be preached Math. 26.18 mention should be made of that good worke of the woman we may commend a Sayler when hee arriues at the hauen and a Souldier when he hath conquered The Vniuersity bred him Antient Oxford a graue mother of many worthies in Israel All soules Colledge where in he tooke his degrees ex merito not ex mera gratia In that worthy and flourishing Society wherein he liued he was no factious Incendiary And O let peace as plenty euer be within those walles For howsoeuer Bee-keepers iudge that swarme to bee most fruitfull in making honey Aral 9. de hist Animal c. 40. apud quod strepitus sufurrus frequensque tumultus plurimorum est which buzzeth most and maketh the greatest tumult yet in a ciuill Hiue they are iudged to make the most hony who are most peaceable for Busie bodyes worke nothing at all but canuases He was no Mushrum to rise vp in a moment like those Giants simul sati editi sowne and growne in an instant supposing themselues of sufficiencie enough because they can giue enough for a preferment their passions being guided by pride and followed by iniustice and when greatest are but as a puddle vpon which the Sunne shineth He rose to his degrees of dignity by iust and faire degrees honoring the places he had with his worth as they him with their greatnesse For as Tully tolde Cesar to set the vnworthy in high places is not so much to grace the persons by place as to disgrace the place by such persons He was fit for gouernement hauing a sounde head and sanctifyed heart carefull to auoyde the worlds scandals diligent in comming with his family to the Church reuerendly attentiue in hearing the word religiously humbled in receauing the Sacrament How cheerefully would he discourse as his table of what had bene deliuered in Gods house It hath often reioycedime to see the true loues Christian knot a sweet vnity harmony betwit him and his joyall and vertuous Lady where should we finde loue Concorde if not twixt husband wife They are one flesh by originall creation for the woman came of the man by a Nuptiall coniunction the woman is flesh of the flesh of man stands on euen ground with the man though drawing on the left side No bitternesse should be there and therfore among the Heathen the galle of the sacrifice that was slaine and offered at the wedding was throwne out at doores Plut. in praee Coning signifying that the maryed folkes should be either to other as Doues without galle Husband and wife haue a triple band of loue A naturall as neighbours A spirituall as fellowe members of the body of Christ An holy and honourable as one flesh by mariage The loue of this learned man was great to Gods word Hier. de Nepetiano so that pectus suum Bibliothecam fecit Christi he made his breast a library to Christ to be bound vp there Hereby he learned to carry himselfe so temperatly and fairely knowing that the Hill of greatnesse howsouer it yeeld a delighfull prospect yet is subiect to lightning and thunder remembring that he was to giue his account to him that is Iudex viuorum mortuorum from whom there is no appeale and howsoeuer many opportunities of bribes letters and other engines of corruptions were offered him some times he kept his hands cleane because he had a pure heart This made him reioyce in the the testimony of a Good conscience which as he professed in his sickenesse was as aqua vitae to cheere vp his drooping spirits The Fathers call it the field of blessednesse garden of delight Aug. Ioy of Angels house of the Holy Ghost Paradise of the soule It made Iob more happy in stercore Iob. 27.6 on the dunghill then Adam was in memore in the midst of Paradise That his heart reproched them not It maketh a man