their bodies the Divels may be laughing over their souls O unspeakable folly to make much of the Cabinet and disesteem of the Jewel to trim the Scabbard and let the sword rust like Shimei to seek their servants and lose themselves Man in regard of his body claimeth kinred with the beasts of the field in regard of his soul with the Angels of Heaven and yet this beastial part is pampered whilst the Angelical is starved It is storied of Archimides that when Syracuse was taken by the Romans he was secure in his Closet Plut. in vit Marcell drawing circles with his Compasse in the dust and was then and there slain So these men ordinarily leave the Earth when they are most busie about it How did the fool in the Gospel promise himself a long and a comfortable life Soul take thine ease Luke 12.20 thou hast goods laid up for many years If he had said Soul take thine ease thou hast a treasure in Heaven or thou hast Christ who will doe thee good to eternity it had been somewhat like but thou hast goods saith he Alas how irrational is this you may assoon satiate or content corpus aura as animam auro the body with wind as the soul with wealth But I beseech you consider he that thought then to begin to take his ease is forced that night to make his end He was but a little before flourishing exceedingly his mind full of mirth his heart full of hope and his soul full of expected satisfaction But on a sudden he is departed and all his high hopes frustrated If you ask me whither he is gone his estate to men his body to the grave his soul to Hell Poor wretch little did he dream when he was asleep in sin How many die like those that are stung of the Tarantula a viper in Italy that even diâ— laughing though they are going to the place where is nothing but weeping of going from a bed of feathers to a bed of fire But too too many like him go from carnal pleasures to eternal pains Take notice how secure this rich fool was and yet his security was but the forerunner of his future calamity When the Wind lyeth then the great rain falleth When the Air is most quiet then commeth the great Earth-quake When Sisera was asleep then his Head was nailed to the ground Pharaoh in his Chariot Belshazzar in his bowls Haman at his banquet Herod in his robâ—s are secure but not safe when they least looked for it death surprized them When they cryed peace peace then sudden destruction seized on them as travail on a woman with child 1 Thes 5.3 which they could not escape Ambitious like the Jay They are pruning and priding themselves on the top of some high tree when suddenly a shot from a Fowler tumbleth it down dead to the Earth Covetous like Ants How busie are they like a company of Ants about white and yellow Earth when death like the feet of the next passenger crusheth them to pieces Voluptuous like the little Fish that swims merrily down the silver streams of Jordan till they empty themselves into the dead Sea and there perish The worlds greatest darlings are in no better condition then the Bull that goeth to be sacrificed with a Garland on his head and Musique before him when suddenly he feeleth the stroke of the murdering Axe and is knockt down dead Job 21. ver 7. to 13. They spend their days in wealth and end their days in endless wo. I shall conclude this Use with Job's Character of this rich sinner who flourishing for a time and perisheth to eternity The wicked live become old yea are mighty in power They send forth their little ones like a flock and their children dance They spend their days in wealth and in a moment go down to Hell Vse by way of advice Prepare for your dying hour Isa 38.6 Doe it speedily Exam. Are Magistrates mortall Let me then in the fear of the Lord beseech you that are Magistrates now presently to make preparation for the hour of your dissolutions My counsel shall be with a little alteration in the words of the Prophet Isaiah to King Hezekiah Now set your house in order for you must die I must tell you all the time ye have is little enough for a work of this weight If Seneca can say all a mans life is little enough for Philosophy etiamsi a paeritia usque ad longissimos humani aeviterminos vita protendatur though the silver-wyre of life should be drawn out to the longest thread I am sure then that all your time is little enough for Christianity Ye have a great work to doe a great journey to go and a little time will not be sufficient Make much of time saith Aquinas especially in the weighty matters of Salvation O how much would he that now lyeth frying in Hell rejoyce if he might have the least moment to get God's favour in The sun of your lives Blessed be God is not yet let the gate of mercy is not yet shut I request you before the bridge of divine grace be drawn in this day of God's patience mind the things that concern your eternal peace Austin professeth he would not be an Atheist one quarter of an hour for a world because he did not know but in that time God might cut asunder his thread of life and so let him drop into Hell Let me perswade you and the good Lord prevail with your hearts to set your selves speedily about this necessary work Delays are dangerous especially in a business of infinite concernment Mat. 24.44 Ideo latet unus dies ut observentur omnes How earnestly doth our blessed Saviour exhort you to be always ready because ye know not at what hour your Master will call you Cesar would never acquaint his Souldiers with the time of removing his Campe that they might be always prepared to march Consider that on this moment dependeth eternity Petrach relateth an answer of one who being invited to dinner a day after said A mu tis annis crastinum non habui Quam serum est tunc vivere incipere cum desinendum est Sen. ad Paulin cap. 4. God hangeth heavy weights on weak wyers And how dolefully have many complained and mournfully lamented their losse of time when it hath been too late That story of a great Lady of our land which several speak of may awaken secure onâ—s when on her death-bed she dreadfully screeched out A World of Wealth for an inch of time A world of wealth for an inch of time And I have read of Chrysorius a man as full of wickedness as of wealth when he commeth to die cryeth out Inducâ—as usque ad mane Domine Truce Lord but till morning Truce Lord but till morning and with these words he breathed out his last Alterius perditio tua sit cautio Let that which was a murdering piece to
in your hearts will put life into your hands This life is all your day of working death is the night of resting * Rev. 14.13 the dead rest from their labours When ‖ Psal 104.23 the sun of mans life ariseth he goeth forth unto his labour until the evening of death The heavenly bodies are ever in motion though the earth stand still and the more pure any being is the more active it is Deus est actus purus Fire is the most active of creatures without life Angels of creatures that have life O shew your selves to be as Angels amongst men by walking humbly with God the Angels vail their faces in his presence by working diligently for God Angels are ever employed in the service of God Work industriously in your general callings as Christians John 12.35 yet a little while the light is with you walk while ye have the light The task of Christianity is great the time ye have is little the time ye have lost is much O now bestir your selves in redeeming time and improving every opportunity to the best advantage of your souls How fervently should ye pray as not knowing but that every prayer ye pray may be your last prayer that ye may never have another season to beg mercy in for your souls for your relations for the afflicted members of the Lord Jesus How attentively and how hungerly should ye hear the word of life even as for life How carefully and how conscientiously should ye keep the Sabbath considering ye may be very neer your eternal Sabbath How sedulously should ye hang on every Ordinance as Bees on Flowers never leaving them till ye have sucked some honey Praecipita tempus mors atra impendet agenti some sweetness from them Ponder this there can be but a few days and ye shall never pray more never hear more never sanctifie Lord's day more never enjoy Ordinances more I that am now Preaching and ye that are now hearing must shortly be carried on mens backs and laid in the belly of the earth and can we do too much in so little time especially in a work of such infinite weight Rev. 12.12 The Divel is the more busie because his time is short and therefore striveth in a quick dispatch of the works of darknesse to out-wit the children of light The time is short therefore be indifferent about earth 1 Cor. 7.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 7.29 the time is short therefore be diligent about Heaven the word is The time is rolled up it 's a Metaphor from Mariners the Sails that were spread before when they draw nigh to the Haven are then rolled up You know not how soon the sails of your lives may be rolled up how nigh ye are to your eternal haven O bestir your selves carefully ply the Oars diligently that the vessels of your souls may not miscarry eternally Whatsoever thine hand findeth to do Eccles 9.10 do it with all thy might for there is no work nor knowledge nor device in the grave whither thou goest Work industriously in your particular callings as Magistrates because ye must die Be active for the punishment of iniquity for the encouragement of piety Let the practise of Christ be your pattern John 9.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 8.9 Phil. 2.6 I must work the work of God while it is day the night cometh when no man can work To work a work noteth the strong intention of his spirit about the work Christ though he was rich and for greatnesse the Lord 's equall yet did not as many rich and great men do play his work he did sweat at work yea he sweat drops nay clods of blood Luke 22.44 Now be ye followers of Christ as dear children Magnarum rerum tarda molimina and think you can never do enough for that Saviour which hath done so much for your souls How sad is it that great bodies should move so slowly How many talents hath God committed to you Nothing more sads the heart when a man comes to die then his neglect of such opportunities which God's providence or his own place have put into his hands of doing or receiving good nor is there a sharper corrosive then the reflection upon those days that have passed over him Male aliud nihil agentem Vines Ess Fun. p. 19. Phil. 2.7 when others have one ye have ten A talent is any thing that a man is betrusted with to glorifie God and it 's called a talent because of the great price that is in the least opportunity to honour God Ye have many such talents ye may hinder much wickednesse further much holinesse be a great terror to evil doers a great praise to them that do well let it not be said of you that ye do the work of the Lord negligently Did not Christ humble himself for you Magistrates are custodes utriusque tabulae Socrates was adjudged to death by the Athenians for a dishonorable speech concerning their gods and shall you think it below you to search Alehouses those head quarters of Hell to enquire into mens observation of God's day to use all means whereby ye may know mens prophanation of God's name by hellish oathes and cursed blasphemies and abuse of God's creatures by drunkennesse that so they may be severely punished Alas a few dayes will come and the best of you shall have no such opportunity to discover your love to God for his abundant mercies Plut. in vit Nici Vid Lev. 24.16 Job 31.26 27 28. your thankfulness to Christ for his precious merits do therefore now act to the utmost of your power for the glory of God and your Saviour Be not like the tallest trees which bring forth either no fruit Matth. 25.26 30. or that which is only for Swine Remember God puts no difference betwixt nequaquam nequam an idle and an evil servant the unprofitable servant is for utter darknesse Do but consider the time of your departure may be at hand and should not this resolution be in your hearts to act vigorously and strenuously for God The neerer ye are to your centre the faster ye should move The setting Sun shineth most brightly The dying Swan sings most sweetly The approaches of a Needle are so much the more quick by how much it draweth neerer to the Loadstone The Rivers run with a stronger stream Oportet imperatorem stantem mori Vespa when they are about to empty themselves into the Ocean Ye are neerer death then ever be quicker in your motions for God then ever that it may be said of every one of you how young soever ye may die as one said of Juel Diu vixit si non diu fuit 5. Mind the power of godlinesse Fifthly Must ye die and would ye prepare for death labour to find some inward work of grace wrought upon your hearts be not contented with forms but mind the
Claudian of Pomp. Mag. Cyrus therefore did fitly cause this Epitaph to be engraven on his tomb O man whosoever thou art that shalt come hither know that I am great Cyrus that first erected the Persian Monarchy therefore envy me not this little Earth that now covereth my body From it you may learn That your greatest care should be to fit your self for your last hour your main work is to doe your last act well The Roman Gladiators appointed to death were very solicitous how they should contrive their bodies so as that they might fall handsomely and die modestly Your business is so to furnish your soul that you may die piously Å¿ Hujusmodi comparandae sunt opes quae simul cum naufragio enatent to get such riches as will swim out with you in a shipwrack to be t Luke 22.21 rich towards God u Jam. 2.5 to be rich in faith to be rich * 1 Tim. 6.18 19. in good works Alas how poor is that 〈◊〉 who hath no other riches then what are at the courtesie of the thief moâ—â— and death hereby you will lay up a good foundation against the time to come and lay hold on eternal life It will shew you how absolutely necessary an experimental knowledge of a crucified Christ is to a dying Christian that no weapon is more requisite for us to have and use when we enter the lists and encounter with our last enemy then the shield of faith O how cheering and comforting to a dying body will the warm blood of the Lord Jesus be being applied by a true lively faith to the soul He and he only may look on the King of terrours without fear that hath first looked on the King of Saints with the eye of faith It will acquaint you that a saving work of grace must be wrought upon the heart before death can be a passage to the weight of glory A Painter may paint fire but he cannot paint heat A person civillized may attain to the outward actions but cannot to the inward affections of a sanctified Christian That all the godliness of an unregenerate man will die with him That the lamp of profession which shineth gloriously whilst a man liveth if it be not fed from oyl in the vessel true grace in the heart a renewed nature the image of God stamped on the soul it will go out in a stink when he dieth and not advantage him at all And therefore Christians should not like some Tradesmen live altogether upon their credit with others but labour to find some testimony within them that there is a real change wrought upon them It will tell you that it highly concerneth you to be laborious for your soul for your Saviour now you live because you must rest when you die That you should be much in thinking highly of God in speaking humbly to God in acting vigorously for God * 1 Cor. 15. ult That you should abound more and more in the work of the Lord. Saints must not * Josh 10.12 13. Falsi illi sunt qui diversissimas res expectant ignaviae voluptatem praemia virtutis Salust Non incepisse sed perfecisse virtutis est Aug. ad fratr in erem like Joshua's Moon stand still much less like Crabs goe backward no not like the Snail creep forward but like the Sun rejoyce to run his race The path of the just must be like the shining light that shineth brighter and brighter to perfect day Prov. 4.18 Truth of grace is ever followed with growth in grace though perfection be the honour and reward onely of the Saints in Heaven yet it is the desire and endeavour of the Saints on earth That you should persevere and encrease both by your pattern and precept in discouraging the bad and encouraging the good That you should improve all opportunities employ every talent your honour riches power life health strength relations interests all you have are or can be to the utmost in his service and for his for glory who I hope hath loved you and washed you in his blood Gen. 47.6 Pharaoh would have active men to be his servants the great King of heaven is a pure act and he loveth most and liketh best those servants that are most active for him Hereby you will please the most high God though hereby you will displease prophane men The world indeed whom the Spirit of God compareth to e 2 Pet. 2. ult His speech savoured more of wit then grace who counselled his friend not to come too nigh unto truth lest his teeth should be beaten out with its heeles dogs if a man go softly will be quiet but if he ride a pace in the way to heaven they will bark exceedingly yea and bite if they can do but hinder their progress in sin and like waters stopt at a bridge they will roar and make a noise to purpose But surely the favour of God will bear up the heart against all the anger of men Those persons which the wicked besmear with calumny and those actions which ungodly men speak of with scorn and contempt God will entertain with an Euge and reward with glory f Matth. 25.21 Well done good and Faithfull servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee ruler over many Cities enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Sir My hearts desire and prayer to God for Rickmersworth is that it might be saved And I hope the Divine providence wil ere long put a greater price into your hands then ever yet you had wherein you may manifest your fear of his Majesty your zeal for his glory your hatred of iniquity and your real love to the place of your Nativity which that you may faithfully discharge at this day and comfortably account for at the last day and that you and yours 2 Cor. 5.1 when these earthly houses of your tabernacles shall be dissolved may have a building of God an house not made with hands but eternall in the Heavens shall be the prayer of him whose desire is to be Rickmersworth June 1. 1657. Your faithful servant in the work of your faith GEORGE SWINNOCK The GODS Die like MEN OR MAGISTRATES are Mortall Psal 82. v. 6 7. I have said Ye are gods and all of you are children of the most High But ye shall die like men and fall like one of the Princes ONe a Ambr. Offic. lib. 1. cap. 32. of the Fathers resembleth the whole Bible to the visible Heavens wherein saith he the Psalms are like the Sun whose beams shine brightly and rays warm comfortably An English Divine compareth all the Scriptures to the body of Man Luther calleth them parva biblia summarium utriusque testamenti and the Psalms to the heart the most Pathetick part the seat and center of sweet affections Nay as one observeth the very Turks that disclaim both Old and New Testament in general yet will swear
Hell the higher their exalation is the greater and lower their damnation will be The words of the Prophet are Emphatical i Isa 30.33 Ingentia beneficia ingentia flagitia ingentia supplicia Kings saith one are fair marks for traytors to shoot at Tra. on Esth 2. Tophet is prepared of old yea for the King it is prepared The greater mens preferment is the greater their defilement and the greater their punishment 2. Others understand them of a fall by a violent death So many Princes fall In that bloody way Saul Abner Ahab and many other Princes mentioned in Scripture went to their long homes The Roman Historian observeth that the Cesars got little by their places nisi ut citius interficerentur Some mens honour hath been the Knife to cut their throats Horat. ad Licin Saepius ventis agitatur iugens Pinus celsae graviore casu Decidunt turres feriuntque summos Fulmina montes 3. A third sort Expound the words of falling as the Princes of other Nations Deodati in loc though ye are the Princes of God's people yet ye are not thereby priviledged from the arrest of death For as the sun of prosperity shineth as well on the briars in the Wildernesse as on the roses in the Garden so the frost of adversity falleth as well on the fruitfull corn as on the hurtful weeds The most notorious sinner liveth as well as the most gracious Saint and the most gracious Saint dyeth as well as the most notorious sinner Grace is an Antidote against the poyson of death but not a preservative from undergoing death 4. The words are construed thus Like the Princes that have been before you Ye know that your Ancestours who were as high in honour and as great in power as your selves yet submitted to death so must ye doe as they have done Etiam muta clamant cadavera Their graves amongst you do read a Lecture of mortality to you The term whereby the Spirit of God describeth death is considerable it s called a fall and fall like one of the Princes * Rom. 14.13 Sin is called a fall and so is death Death is the first-born of sin and therefore no wonder if the Child be called after the name of its Parent Death is to every man a fall from every thing but God and godliness Ye that are Magistrates fall more stairs yea more stories then others the higher your standing while ye live the lower your falling when ye die Death to some is a fall from Earth to Hell to all from the society of men to the company of worms To you that are great men it will be a fall from your richest treasures from your delightful pleasures from your stateliest possessions from your loveliest relations Job 7.7 from whatsoever is called the good of this world Your eyes shall no more see good Hor. ad Posth Linquenda tellus domus placens Vxor neque harum quas colis arborum Te praeter invisas cupressos Vlla brevem Dominum sequetur Death is called an uncloathing 2 Cor. 5.4 because it will strip you of all your places of honour of all the ornaments of nature As ye came naked into the World Job 1. ult so ye must go naked out of the World Nothing will follow you when ye die but your works Rev. 14.13 When the good Magistrate dyeth that hath been zealous for the Lord's honour and studious of his souls welfare his works follow him through free grace into an eternal weight of glory When the evil Magistrate dyeth who hath been careless of his Conscience and unfaithful in his calling his works follow him through divine severity into a boundless Ocean of endless misery Doctrine After this brief Explication of the words I proceed to the doctrinal Observation That Magistrates are mortal or they who live like gods must die like men the most potent Emperour must take his leave of this life as well as the poorest beggar Death is called * Josh 23.14 the way of all the Earth because all flesh on Earth go this way Is the greatest road in the World never without many travellers of all sorts ranks and degrees The grave is the Inn or resting place whither this way tendeth and Job telleth k Job 3.19 us that The small and the great are there The mortal sythe of death is Master of the royal Scepter and moweth down as well the Lillies of the Crown as the grasse of l Isa 40.6 7. the Field At one end of the Library in Dublin was a Globe at the other end a Skeliton to shew that though man were Lord of all the World yet he must die All flesh is grasse and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field The grasse withereth the flower fadeth As Athanasius speaketh of Julian so I may say of the greatest King in the World Nubecula est quae citò transibit Do we not find by experience that the greater Candles consume and burn out as well as the lesser And that the boysterous wind of sickness bloweth down and rooteth up as well the tall Cedars of Lebanon and the strong Oaks of Bashan as the lower shrubs and weaker trees of the Vallies We Ministers that preach the Word of life must ere long submit to m 2 Cor. 4.7 death ye have the Heavenly treasure in earthen vessels And you Magistrates that are the Bulwarks of the Countrey under God to preserve us from the shot of a violent death must necessarily your selves undergoe a natural death Ye are called n Psal 47.9 Scuta terrae sunt terrea scuta the shields of the Earth yet ye are but Earthen shields Ye are called the o Isa 44.18 As at a game at chess when done not only pawns but Kings Queens and Knights are tumbled into the bag so when the race of life is finished noble as well as ignoble are tumbled into their graves shepherds of the people but this Wolf of death will seise as well on the shepherd as on the sheep I shall not stand to prove it any further at this present there is not one of you either Judge or Justicâ—s that hear me this day but within a few days shall be the proof of the text I shall only give you the causes of the Doctrine and then make some Use of it But why do the gods die like men There are three Causes of it as they are men * Grounds of Doctrine 1 Ethicall cause of death is sin Rom. 5.12 Rom. 6. ult Stipendium peccati mors First the moral or meritorious cause of death is sin Sin and death like Jacob and Esau were brought forth at one birth they were twins and came into the World together As the thread followeth the Needle so death followeth sin Wherefore as p by one man sin entred into the World and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that
others be a warning piece to thee Do but think should God permit a danmed sinner that is now in Hell to come and sit but one hour amongst you under the Gospel of the Kingdome of Heaven how highly would he prize this present opportunity how greedily would he embrace every tender of mercy how eagerly would he catch at every word of comfort how heartily would he close with Christ upon the hardest terms I am perswaded ye should behold him with such streams of tears watering his cheeks as if he were dissolved into a fountain And will ye trifle away such golden seasons and waste such precious advantages which others would purchase with worlds if they had them to give nay which ye your selves would redeem hereafter with your heart blood but shall not be able O therefore now prize time Quare O miser non omni hora ad mortem te disponis cogita te jam mortuum quem scis necessitate moriturum mors enim inopiae non miseretur divitias non reveretur non sapientiae non moribus non aetati parcit nisi quod senibus mors est in januis juvenibus vero in insidiis Bern. before you come to enter upon eternity Be serious in your preparation for death And yet a little further to presse this needful duty upon your spirits O that if it were the will of God I had the tongue the understanding the affections of an Angel how willingly would I improve them to the utmost and serue them up to the highest pitch in exhorting you to this weighty and absolutely necessary work This this is the one thing necessary this this is the whole duty of man Mors est aeternitatis ostium this is the great end for which ye were born and the great errand for which ye were sent into the World It s a work of infinite weight and a businesse of everlasting concernment I speak to you that are great men and I assure you from the great God that ye must die and that ye must come ere long to doe that which ye never did before nor never shall doe again even this to throw your last cast for eternity Your everlasting weal or woe joy or sorrow pleasure or pain dependeth on your well dying As Scipio said In bello non licet bis peccare So may I of death as he of War in death there is no erring twice he that erreth once errs for ever Assoon as ever your souls launch out of your bodies they sail to the Ocean of eternity Ca yl on Job That we transgresse the laws of living so often is the aggravation of iniquity on all men but that we can transgresse the laws of dying but once is the seal of misery on most men How pathetically doth God wish that man would mind this real wisdome Deut. 32.29 Vid. 1 Tim. 6.17 18 19. Pro. 19.20 O that my people were wise then would they consider their latter end or that they would consider their latter end It seemeth to me one of the dolefullest sayings in the book of God and by the way let men guilty of bribery or oppression think of it He that getteth goods and not by right Jer. 17.11 shall leave them in the midst of his days and in his latter end shal be a fool To be a fool in the judgment or account of Scripture while a man liveth speaketh his condition very dangerous but to be a fool when he dyeth speaketh his estate altogether desperate For a Vessel to leak much in the harbour is sad but O how sad is it for the Vessel to leak in the main in the Ocean It was Austin's prayer Hic ure seca ibi parce Lord launce me burn me here but spare me hereafter And the desire of Fulgentius Domine hic da patientiam postea indulgentiam But it is very emphatical and observable in the fore-quoted place that the holy Ghost speaketh In his latter end he shall be a fool He was a fool before in the estimation of God and in the opinion of godly men but now in his latter end he is a fool in the conviction and acknowledgement of his own conscience and now he will think O what a fool was I who was ever dying never to live to my Saviour to my soul What a fool was I to respect so exceedingly my vile transitory body and to neglect so unworthily my precious immortal soul What a fool was I to make so much provision for a little time and so little preparation for eternity What a fool was I to be so diligent about Earth and so negligent about Heaven so careful about perishing decaying vanities and so slothful about reall enduring felicities Pliny observeth of the Mole that though it be blind all its time of living yet when it commeth to die Oculos incipit aperire moriendo then it seeth Men that whilst they live are blind in the worth of their souls insensible of the weight of their sins ignorant in the severity of divine justice incredulous about the necessity of the new birth when they come to die their eyes are opened and they see all these things cleerly Lam. 1.9 Mumb. 24.20 and O then what a doleful screech will that soul give that stands quivering upon the pale lips of a dying man ready to fly to its eternal home and seeth nothing before it but a bottomless boundless Ocean of the wrath of God in which it must swim naked for ever ever ever My Lords and Gentlemen I beseech you attend diligently that this Sermon which is a funeral Sermon in regard of its subject may be a resurrection Sermon in regagd of its effect Who knoweth what a day yea what a great bellied hour may bring forth I can assure you this Sermon is a child of some prayers yea and of some tears therefore I hope it shall not perish If I speak not the word of God the mind of Christ and the meaning of the Spirit cast back my words as dung in my face But if I doe hear attentively and practice conscientiously least my counsel rise up in judgement against you at the great and dreadful day of the Lord. In reference to this great duty of preparing for your dying day I shall commend six particulars to your most serious thoughts my prayer shall be that they may all especially the two latter be written in your hearts 1 Execute justice impartially 1. Discharge your trust faithfully the way to have great confidence when ye die is to keep a good Conscience whilst ye live Were Judges and Justices always to live upon Earth there were no such reason for the impartial Execution of justice but God acquainteth you this day that ye must die Heb. 9.27 and after death commeth judgement Judex nuper eram jam judicis ante tribunal Subsistens paveo judicor ipse modo Ye are but Stewards and within a short time ye must give an account of your
stewardship It behoveth you when you sit on the Bench of men to act faithfully that when ye shall appear at the Bar of God ye may answer comfortably Remember when ye are passing sentence of life or death on others that Christ ere long will passe a sentence far more weighty even of eternal life or death on you Isid It s reported concerning the Emperours of Constantinople that on their Coronation day a Mason is appointed to present unto them certain Marble stones saying these Verses Elege ab his saxis ex quo invictissime Cesar Choose Mighty Sir under which of these stones your pleasure is ere long to lay your bones Ipse tibi tumulum me fabricare velis If ye that now are in robes would consider death will levell you with them that are in rags if ye would with the eye of your meditation behold your Coffins standing before you on the table in the place of judicature it might be an excellent curb to iniquity and spur to fidelity 4 Requisites in a good Magistrate 1. Magnanimity Now there are four things requisite in a Magistrate that would discharge his trust faithfully First courage and magnamity Every magistrate should be a man of mettle not daunted with dangers nor frighted with frowns He should so carry himself that others should fear him as a terror to evil doers but he should fear nothing but sin Like Chrysostom who when a threatning Message was sent him from the Empresse Eudoxia go tell her said he to the Messenger Nill timeo nisi peccatum Ye are called the shields of the people Psal 47. ult and shields ye know are ventrous weapons they are made to bear many blows Be thou strong and very couragious Josh 1.7 saith God to the chief Magistrate of Israel 2 Chron. 9.18 Durescito Durescito O infelix Lantgravie said the poor Smith to the Lantgrave of Thuringia who was more mild then stood with his peoples profit The sword of justice saith one ought to be furbished with the oyl of mercy But there are cases wherein severity should cast the scale The throne of Solomon was underpropped with Lions and a Lion is part of the Royal arms both speaking that a Lion-like spirit is becomming him that is in a publike place Deut. 1.17 Secondly uprightness and integrity 2. Integrity It s reported of a King of Persia that he would come of from his horse upon the way to doe justice to a poor man A Magistrate as he should not be frighted with fear so not swayd by favour Ye should be like a Boul without a byas running on fairly and evenly not leaning on this side or on that side like the Sun which affordeth as gracious influences to the low violets as to the tall cedar to the poorest beggar as to the most potent Emperour like a publike Conduit in a City whence justice should run down like water as freely and as fully to the meanest as to the greatest But it was a bad speech of Cesar Causa Cassii melior sed Bruto nil denegare possum Plut. in vit Ces Laws were never made to be Nets only to catch the little Fish and to let the great ones break through The great Judge of Heaven is no respecter of persons neither should Justices on Earth Deut. 1.17 That Edict of Constantine was worthy to be written in letters of gold If any of my Friends Courtiers or Servants have wronged any let them come to me I wil not only right them but reward them Plut. in vit Public And that act of Brutus memorable who commanded his two sons to be executed and saw it done for conspiring with Tarquin's Ambassadors against the Commonwealth Thirdly bounty and liberality 3. Liberality Exod. 18.21 Exod. 23.8 A Justice should not only not be covetous but hate covetousness It s the dust of money that is blown up into the Judges eyes that hindreth their sight into causes It was a witty speech of a pious * Vines on 1 Pet. 2.13 14. p. 25. person He is the best Magistrate that is good for nothing Ye must neither take bribes your selves nor by your servants for Optimus maximus venderetur imperator There is not a gift ye take but will be as a dagger at your hearts another day like Achans wedge of Gold it will cleave your souls in sunder It will in this particular be happy for him that when he commeth to die 1 Sam. 12.2 3. can say as dying Samuel Behold here I am witnesse against me before the Lord and before his Anointed Whose Oxe have I taken or whose Asse have I taken or whom have I defrauded whom have I oppressed or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes And they said Thou hast not defrauded nor oppressed nor taken ought of any mans hands 4. Ability The fourth Thing requisite in a Magistrate is ability A Magistrate must be not only a man of piety but a man of parts quick-sighted uf a deep apprehension knowing the laws exactly because if he be not he will sometime or other condemn the innocent and justifie the wicked And the rather every Judge ought to be able There are they that can make Candida de nigris de candentibus alba in regard he hath to deal with men that can draw a fair Glove over a foul hand blanch over a bad cause with specious pretences as Ziba against Mephibosheth I honour the Profession of the law and I wish that some men did not dishonour their profession who indeed value their substance above their Consciences not believing that of the father In die judicii plus valebit conscientia pura quam marsupia plena Beza telleth us that he once saw on a table the Pictures of four sorts of Persons and their several Posies 1. The Courtier with this Posie By my sword I defend you all 2. The Clergy man with this Posie By my prayers I preserve you all 3. The Countrey-man with this I feed you all 4. The Lawyer with this I devour you all I request Lawyers to consider that of God to Moses Exod. 23.2 Thou shalt not speak in a cause to wrest judgement and that speech of the Apostle I can do nothing against the truth 2 Cor. 13.8 but for the truth But I have digrest too far already Secondly If ye would fit your selves for death live among men exemplarily You that must die shortly Live among men exemplarily August had need to live strictly Must you ere long fall then whilst you stand be holy to admiration to imitation Nihil sic revocat à peccatis sicut frequens meditatio mortis Some say the stroaking of the belly with the hand of a dead man will cure the Tympany I am sure the thoughts of death seriously laid to the heart are a good Medicine for an evil heart Nothing in the War will so much dead the Cannon as
is that which causeth the Saint to be so busie about the Scriptures but because they are they that testifie of Christ they prize the Cabinet for the Jewels sake what maketh the godly man so frequent at prayer surely because therein he enjoyeth Communion with his Saviour with Jesus Christ his voice to every Ordidance is Saw ye him whom my soul loveth Now this is the felicity of the Magistrate that is godly he shall be with Christ when he dieth There will be a perfect freedome from all evill when the Sun is at the highest there shall be no shadow When the Christian hath passed this red Sea he shall see all his enemies both bodily and spiritual dead on the shore There will be a full fruition of all good Psal 16. ult In his presence will be fulnesse of joy and at his right hand pleasures for evermore The presence of this King will make a Court indeed There will be all that thine eye ever saw or thine heart ever desired or thy tongue ever asked or thy mind ever conceived yea ten thousand times more then thou canst either ask or think There will be all beams of light in this Sun all streams of water in this Ocean out of whom as out of a christal Fountain thou shalt drink down all the refined sweetnesse of all Creatures in Heaven and Earth for ever And this Condition will be eternally thus comfortable 1 Thes 4.17 We shall ever be with the Lord. O how sweet is that word Ever Ever to be happy and ever happy to enjoy Christ fully immediately and ever to enjoy him Certainly as the Word ever is the Hell of Hell * Baxter's Rest excellently so it is the Heaven of Heaven Frailty is a flaw in the best diamond of nature which abateth its price Eternity is one of the most precious jewels in the Crown of glory which encreaseth its value exceedingly What an Argument is here to incite you to live to Christ Cyprus famosa divitiis paupertatem populi Rom. ut occuparetur solicitavit Sextus Rufus why when ye die ye shall eternally live with Christ When the Gauls had once tasted the wine made of the grapes in Italy they marched eagerly desiring to conquer it I have given you a taste of Canaans grapes O use violence for the inheritance above Be constant immoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord for your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. ult Plutarch Pericles that famous Oratour before ever he pleaded would intreat his God that not a word might fall from him besides his cause Plut. in vit To conclude all It s reported that Scipio African when he had any weighty work in hand would go before day into the Capital in Coelum Jovis quasi consultans de Republica cum Jove d And also that Moses in four causes which came before him two whereof were not weighty and two were more material Caeterum tam de his quam de illis dicebat Non Audivi Of both the lighter and weightier Moses said I have not heard To wit from the Lord to shew that a deliberation and consultation as it were with God Jewish Antiq. lib. 5. cap. 6. Plato in his 6 lib. de legibus would have the Palaces of Princes joyned unto temples ought to be in all judgement before sentence be pronounced Your custome Sirs is commendable to make your supplication to God before the administration of justice to men I beseech you again and again in the bowels of Christ As ye would have your Saviour to stand by you when all your friends estates honours will fail you as ye would have your names to smell a sweet savour in the Churches of God when your bodies shall be rotten as ye would die the deaths of the righteous and have your latter end like theirs as ye would render up your accounts with joy when ye must appear at the Judgement seat of Christ Now execute justice impartially Live among your inferiours exemplarily Walk with God humbly Work for God zealously Mind the power of sanctity and know a crucified Saviour In a word let true righteousness towards men and reall holiness towards God be your work while ye live that perfect holiness among men that are good and eternal happiness in the fruition of God may be your reward when ye die For though he hath said Ye are gods and all of you are children of the most High Yet ye must die like men and fall like one of the Princes FINIS ERATA Page 2. line 13. for uJpiter read Jupiter line 21. for Evangelical read Angelical