more fit nor more ordinarily Preached on than two And they are both of them Voices from Heaven One was to Isaiah the Prophet He was commanded to cry The Voice said Cry And he said What shall I cry All Flesh is Grass and all the goodliness thereof is as the Flower of the Field You will say That is a fit Text indeed so is this here A Voice from Heaven too But St. John is not commanded to cry it as Isaiah was he is commanded to write it That that is written is for the more assurance It seemeth good to me saith St. Luke in his Preface to his Gospel Most excellent Theophilus To write to thee of those things in order that thou mightest know the certainty Philosophers who saw no further than the Clouds of Humane Reason could say A wise Mans Life should be a continual Meditation of Death Joseph of Arimathea had his Sepulchre in his Garden and Jesus Christ at the Publicans Feast falls into a serious discourse of his Passion and Ascension to teach us that in times and places of greatest Pleasure we should put our selves upon Theams of Mortality Heathens indeed had their Burying-places without their Cities but Christians in and about their Churches as signifie that in our Devotions we should think upon our dissolutions which was one reason why Alphonsus King of Arragon used to confess that dead Men were his best Friends they gave him sound and seasonable Counsel to remember Mortality here and provide for Eternity hereafter To this end St. John in his Book of the Revelation is sometimes advising us to make Preparation for Death And sometimes encouraging us against the approaches of Death by describing the glorious Reward of the Saints departed as in this Text Blessed are the dead c. From whence we may observe that they that die in a state of Grace live in a state of Glory This Observation I take to be the Scope and Quintessence of the Text and therefore shall make it the proper Subject of my present Discourse First by way of Explication to shew what it is to die in the Lord. That implies two things especially 1. To die in the Lord is to die for the Confession of the Faith 2. To die in the Profession of the Faith of the Lord Jesus Christ. 3. And lastly To die in the Lord is to die in the peace of a good Conscience A Conscientious Man dies Blessedly howsoever or whensoever or wheresoever he dies therefore when St. Paul had received the Summons of Death he fled to the Castle of his good Conscience there he sat like Noah in his Cabbin in an Ark pitch'd within and without I am ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand and here is my Comfort I shall go to my Grave with a Conscience as clean as my Winding-sheet it follows I have fought a good Fight finished my Course kept the Faith henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness This Truth is confirmed by a double Reason They Rest from their Labours and their Works follow them Their Blessedness consists in two things 1. In a cessation from all Sin and Misery They Rest c. 2. In a possession of all Glory and Felicity Their Works follow them First They Rest c. The Kingdom of Heaven is often in Scripture termed a Rest a place of Rest. The World indeed is a troubled Sea but Heaven is the Haven of Rest the World is an Egypt a place of Burden and Bondage but Heaven is a Canaan that resembled by the Bosom of Abraham a place of sweet Refreshment and Soul-satisfying Rest. The Saints departed Rest from the Labours of their Corruptions Afflictions Temptations And lastly They Rest from the Labour of their particular Calling and Vocation which is toilsome and troublesome ever since God past this Doom upon Man for his offence in Paradise In the Sweat of thy Brows shalt thou eat Bread Indeed Man in the state of Innocency was not excused from Labour Paradise which was Adams Store-house was his Work-house too God put him into the Garden not to sleep in those sweet Bowers not to spend his time idly in those pleasant Walks but to dress and keep it ut operaretur that he might work and labour in it only here is the difference Labour then was a Recreation to the Mind and now it is an Affliction to the Body The second Reason is laid down in the last words of the Text Their Works follow them therefore they are Blessed Their Happiness is not only privative consisting in a freedom from Sin and Misery but positive also in a possession of all Peace and Glory in a consummation of Grace in a perfect Fruition of God and a Blessed Communion with the Lord Jesus Christ. Their Works follow them not their Works in kind but their Works in Issue and Effect the Fruits and Reward of their Works the Blessings of God which lye in the Promises to Works of Piety and Charity These follow them to Heaven Indeed Faith leads the way that must be our Harbinger to take up our Lodging in the New Jerusalem that like the Star in the East leads us to Bethlehem where Christ is but then good Works follow after they are our Attendants to the Court and Kingdom of Glory The Use If the Saints departed rest from their Labours here is then comfort in the general against all Crosses and Calamities in the World and in particular against the fear of our own Death or the Death of Friends Blessed are the Dead they rest c. Death like Lot's Angels plucks us out of the Sodom of Sin and Misery and placeth us in Zâ—…ar a City of Rest and Tranquility Like Peter's Angel it shakes off the Chain of Mortality and opens the Iron-gate the Gate of Pearl into the New Jerusalem like Lazarus his Angel it conducts the Soul from Earth to Abraham's Bosom from this Vail of Tears to the Kingdom of Glory Moreover as Death helps us to our Rest so it is our Rest Why should we fear it The Scripture terms it but a taking away of the Soul to Peace a sweet Sleep of the Body Our friend Lazarus sleepeth and the Patriarchs are fallen asleep St. Stephen fell asleep Our Burying-places are but Dormitories Sleeping-places The Righteous is taken away from the Evil to come and he shall enter into Peace they shall rest in their Beds Such a Blessed Rest have the Righteous in Death as our Saviour wept because his Friend Lazarus was to be deprived of it it is both the Observation of an Ancient Father and the Resolution of an Ancient Council concerning Christs weeping over Lazarus John 11. 35. Doluit Lazarum non dormientem sed resurgentem Christ did not weep because Lazarus was dead and taken out of the World but because he was to return from the Grave into a Troublesome World after he was gone to his Rest. It may be for the same Reason the Thracians
not only interrupt the voice but even oppresses the very Soul it self But then Patience and Suffering are to be offered up for Prayers to God to whom Pain is a grateful Sacrifice so that Patience be joined with it He prays well who suffers well Neither may he be said to pray but to obtain by Prayer of God who sends such Eloquent Messengers to him as Pain and Patience But let him be such a sick person whose Speech may be interrupted whose Mind may be broken and whose Patience may be at a loss Yet there is a way for him to pray Let him look about he shall see some sitting some standing by him ready to help and assist him How easie is it then to cast in a word by the by how easie is it for him to point or cry to his Friend say this Prayer read this Psalm or that Paragraph Who so hard-hearted as to deny so small a Duty to the Sick So that when a sick person cannot pray with his own he may with anothers Lips And therefore I repeat this again Pray always in Sickness We can never unseasonably have recourse to God Sect. 17. In Pain and at other times what is to be meditated upon what to be done every day A Man that trusts in God though oppressed with Miseries and full of Pain may rightly say this while I breathe I hope and so much always the better the nearer to my end I find my self Seneca has most excellently Philosophized concerning pain No Man saith he can feel excessive pain and long for thus has Nature most favâ—… able to us ordered it that pain should be either tolerable or short For the intense excess of grief finds a end Therefore this is the Comfort of vast paâ—… that thou must of necessity cease to feel it if thoâ—… feelest it over-much But this is that which troubles the unskilful in the pains of the Body They are not content with their Souls alone they have still so much Business with the Body And therefore O Sick Person accustom thy self by degrees to wean thy Soul from thy Body and to converse with thy better and more Divine part but with thy Body the frail and weak part no more that needs must And though pain is seldom so constant but that it has some intermission therefore do not think that all Exercise of the Soul is to be omitted when thou lyest sick when thou feeles pain Above all things take care that thy Morning Prayers and thy Evening Examination of thy Conscience as much as in thee lyes may make 〈◊〉 due progress If thy Tongue fail thee let thâ—… Mind pray Never begin the Night nor compose thy self to sleep till thou hast examined thy Conscience In the day-time when thy pain ceases or relaxes take a good Book and there read and weigh every Period every Day set aside a small Hour for Prayer pious Groans and humble Ejaculations so thou wilt believe thy self to have pray'd an Hour in Heaven At the beginning and end of all thy Prayers refer thy self wholly to the will of God with a prepared Obedience All which things are so far from difficulty that a dying man may perform them as well as he whose Pain is not so severe If thou canst not or rather will not perform these Duties yet for that one little Hour patiently endure thy Pains Make not thy Misery more intollerable than it is nor burthen thy self with Complaints Pain is the Lighter of Opinion and Conceit and not to the Weight On the other side if thou beginst to exhort thy self and say 'T is nothing or else it is very little let us endure it will be over by and by thou wilt make it easie while thou believ'st it so Every Man is miserable as far as he believes himself to be so Sect. 18. We are of one Opinion in Health of another in Sickness LAcides the Philosopher when he had lost the most of his Houshold-Goods We dispute saith he otherwise in the Schools than we live at home Thus the Healthy well suggest a thousand Consolations to the Sick But where is that sick person who is able to comfort himself How like Glass is our Srength crackt with the least crush We think our selves made of Brass when we are in health and in a manner challenge pain but when they come we fly them we fall we lie down before any Conflict with the Enemy We are Men thou sayst and dying Bodies are not able to endure the force of Pain I deny not but that Humane Bodies are frail yet not so infirm but that they have strength enough to endure any Affliction unless the Mind be weaker than the Body 'T is our softness that causes so many Deserters of Courage while they refuse all Extremities as intollerable But Courage dies if you take away the Subject of it which is Difficulty Sect. 19. Pious Ejaculations to God in all Sickness and Infirmity O Lord my Strength my Power and Refuge in time of Trouble Jer. 16. v. 19. It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good 1 Sam. 3. v. â—…8 O Father Let Job be well tried because he hath answered for wicked men Job 34. v. 36. Before I was troubled I went wrong but now have I kept thy Word Psalm 119. Therefore have I delectation in Infirmities in Rebukes in Necessity in Persecutions in Anguishes for Christ's sake for when I am weak then am I strong 2 Cor. 12. 10. And now O Lord deal with me according to thy will and command my Spirit to be received in peace Tobias c. 3. v. 6. Sect. 20. Certain Vices of Sick-people FIrst To listen after Curiosities News and Trifles 2. Not to give Ear to the Admonitions of Death 3. To complain of those that look after them 4. To refuse their Dyet as ill drest 5. To find fault with the Bed as ill made 6. To believe they are not well lookt after and therefore to murmur and be angry 7. Seldom to discourse of God and divine things 8. Not to be resign'd in all things and submissive to the will of God 9. To believe some things intollerable and not digest all things with a Christian Patience Now I would sain know of thee O sick Man what concerns it thee what is transacted in Germany France Italy or Spain Do thou rather enquire what is done in Heaven among the Saints Or what is done in Hell among the Cursed Let the dead bury the dead Do thou only mind thy Salvation that 's the onely one thing necessary VVhat hast thou to do with News and false Reports Thou dost not profit thy self thereby but offend others Why art thou angry with those that mind thee of the approaching danger Know 'em they are the Heralds of Death I beseech thee do not imitate those old Men many of which perhaps thou hast known to whom it was death to hear any one disccursing of Death Hast thou not hitherto profited more then so childishly to fear
grows a Worm which afterwards comes to be a Bird of the same Nature Aâ—… plain Symbolum of the Resurrection Mirmeius the Roman Orator a great Antagonist of the Christians see saith he how for our comfort all nature points out our Resurrection The Sun sets and rises the Stars fall and return Flowers decay and reflourish the withered Trees recover their Vendure Seeds return their several species Thus the Body deceased like Trees in Winter cover their Vigour with a feigned dryness We are also to expect the Spring of the Body I know that my Redeemer Lives and that I shall rise again at the last day Sect. 29. The hope of Heaven WHat wouldst thou What desirest thou Wouldst thou live And wouldst thou not die So live then that thou mayst once live happy For to live and not to live happily is a kind of death or the way to death In Heaven thou shalt live never to die Therefore thou shalt live happily for thou neither shalt nor canst suffer pain because there is none there There thou shalt enjoy thy Wishes nor canst thou 〈◊〉 be put out of possession Eat O ye Cant. 5. 1. Friends drink and be merry O ye beloved This Banquet has no end St. Austin cries out O sempiternal Life and tempiternally blessed where joy without sorrow rest without labour dignity without fear health without sickness life without death happiness without calamity where all good things perfect in charity The Gates of Jerusalem shall be built of Saphyrs and Smarayds and of precious Stones the whole Circuit of her Walls The Streets of the City shall be pure Gold transparent as Glass and through her Villages shall Allelujahs be sung Therefore blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will be alwaies praising thee I believe verily to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living Sect. 30. Sighs to Heaven Exod. 35. SHew me thy Glory Shew me all thy vers 18. Good Isa. 61. 3. When wilt thou give unto them that mourn beauty in stead of ashes joyful Ointment for sighing pleasant rayment for a heavy mind Job 6. 8 9. 10. O that I might have my desire and that God would grant me the thing that I long for O that God would begin to smite me That he would let his hand go and take me clean away Then should I have some comfort yea I would defie him in my pain that he would not spare for I will not deny the words of the Holy One. Job 7. 2. For as a bond-servant desireth the shadow and as the hireling would fain have the reward of his work Psalm 15. 1. Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle who shall rest in thy holy place Psalm 27. 45. One thing have I desired of the â—…ord which I will perform even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the fair beauty of the Lord and to visit his Temple Psalm 42. 1 2. Like as the Hart desireth the Water-brooks so longeth my Soul after thee O God My Soul is a thirst for God yea even for the living God When shall I come to appear before the presence of God Now when I think thereupon I pour out my heart by my self I went by with the multitude and brought them forth to the house of God Psalm 55. 6. O that I had wings like a Dove for then would I fly away and be at rest Psalm 60. 9. Who will lead me into the strong City Ps. 65. 4. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and receivest unto thee he shall dwell in thy Court. Ps. 73. 1. Truly God is loving unto Israel even to such as are of a clean heart Vers. 24. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire in comparison of thee Vers. 25. My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Psalm 84. 1. O how amiable are thy dwellings thou Lord of Hosts Vers. 2. My Soul hath a desire and longing to erter into the Courts of the Lord V. 10. For one day in thy Courts is better than a thousand years Psalm 116. 9. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living Psalm 120. 5. My Soul hath long dwelt among them that be Enemies to peace Psalm 122. 1. I was glad when they said unto me we will go into the house of the Lord. Psalm 138. 1. By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept when we remembred thee O Sion Ver. 4. How shall we sing the Lord's Song in a strange Land If I forget thee O Jerusalem let my right hand finger forget her cunning Ps. 142. 9. Bring my Soul out of prison that I may give thanks unto thy Name Which thing if thou wilt grant me then shall the righteous resort unto my company I desire to be dissolved and be with Christ. Sect. 31. An Abstract of the Comforts against Death FIrst Death kills our familiar Enemy the Body There is no mischief more pestilential than a Bosom-Enemy The Flesh lusteth contrary to the Spirit and the Spirit contrary to the Flesh Gal. 5. 17. These are contrary one to another 2ly Death breaks the Door of the Prison wherein we are lockt up But as old Prisoners many times long acquaintance with the place detains us not unwilling in the midst of our Fetters and Sufffferings But the best of Kings desired to be delivered out of Custody 3ly Death eases us of a vast Burthen for why a corruptible Body is heavy to the Soul and the Earthy Mansion keepeth down that Understanding that museth upon many things No man can swim with this Burthen 4ly Death puts an end to our Pilgrimage What is Mortal Life saith St. Gregory but a way Consider my Friends what it is to be aweary upon the way Our present Life is full of pain a perpetual strugling and yet we cannot forsake it without Tears 5ly Death brings us out of all Danger The most Fortunate Man that lives is subject to many Dangers and Danger is hardly avoided without danger He has only escaped all Dangers who is out of this Life 6ly The necessity of Death Nobly said the wise Roman There is no greater comfort in Death than Death it self He would not live that would not die Death carries with it an impartial and unvanquishable Necessity For the first part of Impartiality is Equality 7ly The Death of Christ. To the Contemplation of this St. Paul exhorts us Let us saith he run with patience unto the Battel that is set before us Looking unto Jesus the Captain and Finisher of our Faith who for the Joy that was set before him endured the Cross. To the Members of this Head this is the greatest Consolation For that the Members should not fear Death the Head endured the utmost violence of Death The Author of Life by dying set open the Gates of Heaven Why do we fear to die
shalt be pleased to command that Breath again out of Mans Body then will he presently become a dead Carkass and so short is the Life of Man that many times he doth but cry and Die yea sometimes his Mothers Womb doth prove his Tomb so that he doth not once cry to tell the World that he did once Live Neither is the Thread of Mans Life at any time spun so strong but at one word of thy Mouth it is soon snapt in two Seeing therefore we do but Live to Die we beseech thee Oh blessed God let us Die to Live let us live well that so we may die well let Death never surprize us unlooked for or unprepared nor let it ever seize upon us in an unconverted unregenerate State Good Lord let us not so live as to be ashamed to live any longer or to be afraid to look grim Death in the Face when it comes to separate our Souls from our Bodies and to summon them to make their appearance before the great Judge of the Quick and Dead Let us with thy Servant Job Wait all our appointed time untill our Change doth come Seeing it will be our greatest Wisdom to wait for Death which always waits for us and to expect that at all times which will come at some time and may come at any time Let us Pray and Preach and Hear and so spend our time as those who know and consider that all they do they do it for Eterninity and we shall never have but one Cast for Eternity Heaven and Glory is here to be won or lost for ever Blessed God thou hast taught us in thy Word that it is better to go to the House of Weeping than to the House of Feasting for that is the end of all men and thou hast said That the Living will lay it to heart Oh Lord we are this day come to the House of Mourning and Weeping and we have seen the end of one yea of many of our Friends and Acquaintance within a short space of time and in the Death of our Friends we may read our own Death and yet shall not we who are leâ—…t behind them in the Land of the Living lay these awakening instances of Mortality to heart shall we hear and see daily our nearest and dearest Relations giving up the Ghost and departing out of this into another World and yet shall we once think that we shall ever live to enjoy the Pleasures of this present evil World But seeing Lord this World is a dying World and all its glory is a dying Glory let our Minds and Hearts therefore be set upon the Glory of Heaven which is a never fading Glory Oh! did we believe and consider how much better a Believers future Estate will be than his present State is then should we think that Time is too long before we do and that Eternity will be too short when we shall enjoy our gracious Redeemer upon his Throne of Glory Let us ever live as those that have one Foot in the Grave already Thousands and Millions yea innumerable Millions of Thousands are gone to their Graves before us and do we think that we that are but enlivened Dust animated Shadows dying Lumps of Clay can keep our Bodies from being a Feast for Worms or our Souls from seeking new Lodgings in another World Oh! let us therefore every day be looking into our Graves and familiarize Death unto our Thoughts before it comes let us consider how many signal Admonitions thou dost daily give us of our approaching end Is not every Distemper and Sickness of Body as it were a little Death and a fair Warning to put us in mind of our last Change The Grey Hairs which are here and there upon our Heads the deep wrinkles which are engraven upon our Foreheads the loss of Teeth the Dimness of Sight our Deafness in Hearing our Palsie-hands our feeble trembling Limbs and the frequent Sight of seeing Friends laid out in their Winding Sheets for Dead and carried to their Houses of Clay the silent Grave are Circumstances and Symptoms serving to remind us that the time draws near wherein we must die and that our departure is at hand Let us therefore live as dying Men and let us die as Living Christians let us set our House and our Heart in order remembring the Text It is appointed for all Men once to Die but after this the Judgment The Mourners being all come first sing the following Psalms and after that Read part of 1 Cor. Chap. 15. to bring your minds into a serious frame Psalm 39. I Said I will look to my ways for fear I should go wrong I will take heed all times that I offend not with my Tongue verse 2 As with a bit I will keep fast my mouth with force and might Not once to whisper all the while the wicked are in sight verse 3 I held my Tongue and spake no word but kept me close and still Yea from good talk I did refrain but sore against my will verse 4 My Heart waxt hot within my breast with musing thought and doubt Which did increase and stir the fire at last these Words burst out verse 5 Lord number out my Life and days which yet I have not past So that I may be certify'd how long my Life shall last verse 6 Lord thou hast pointed out my Life in length much like a Span Mine age is nothing unto thee so vain is every Man verse 7 Man walketh like a shade and doth in vain himself annoy In getting goods and cannot tell who shall the same enjoy verse 8 Now Lord sith things this wise do frame what help do I desire Of truth my help doth hang on thee I nothing else require The Second Part. verse 9 From all the sins that I have done Lord quit me out of hand And make me not a scorn to Fools that nothing understand verse 10 I was as dumb and to complain no trouble might me move Because I knew it was thy work my patience for to prove verse 11 Lord take from me thy scourge and plague I can them not withstand I faint and pine away for fear of thy most heavy hand verse 12 When thou for sin dost Man Rebuke he waxeth wo and wan As doth a Cloth that Moths have fret so vain a thing is Man verse 13 Lord hear my suit and give good heed regard my Tears that fall I sojourn like a stranger here as did my Fathers all verse 14 O spare a little give me space my strength for to restore Before I go away from hence and shall be seen no more Psalm 90. Ver. 3 4 5 6 10 11. THou grindest Man through grief and Pain to dust or clay and then And then thou say'st again Return again ye sons of Men. verse 4 The lasting of a thousand years what is it in thy sight As yesterday it doth appear or as a watch by night verse 5 So soon as thou dost scatter them then
discourse was in hand he was but dull Company he had little to say but if the Conference were Heavenly he was as upon the Wing as a fish in the Water and a Bird in the Air c. He would often say with pious Dod come enough of the World now let us talk of Heaven If it be here objected that he was in his younger years of a vain and slight conversation I answer First Divine Love rideth in greatest triumph when it hath the greatest sinners following it as it's Captives Secondly Some in the Church of Corinth that did heartily close with Christ were before their Conversion very Vile and Wicked see 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. Such were some of you but ye are washed c. But Thirdly This blessed Saint would to his dying day acknowledge his former vanity to his own shame and the lifting up of the Riches of free grace and mind what the Apostle saith 1 John 1. 9. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness I shall now close up all with a word or two by way of Caution and that First Though this stroke of God be just matter of weeping and sorrow yet you must take heed of a murmuring Spirit You have cause to be displeased with your selves and your sins but not with God because God takes away nothing but what he first gave The Person and gifts of this Saint were given unto you by the Lord he hath taken nothing but his own Learn therefore to say with Job Chap. 1. 21. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. Secondly Though you are to weep under this stroke yet take heed of mourning as those without hope without hope I say 1. With respect to him his happiness is unquestionable Your loss is his gain He is taken up into glory and hath there communion with God He is now where God is served adored and glorified with one heart and with one consent Secondly Weep not without Hope with respect to your selves as if God were not able to make up this loss I remember a Relation of a Lady from whom it pleased God to take an only Son that sometime after a Friend coming to visit her and bemoaning this her sad loss she breaks forth into these expressions I profess saith she God can never make me amends for the taking away of that Son A dreadful speech it was take heed my friends of this Spirit It 's true your loss is great but God is able to supply it and that either First By causing the Spirit of Elijah to fall upon Elisha by anointing and raising up of some other to head and feed you in the room of this his Servant Or 2dly He can feed you himself without a Minister God can fill up the room of Ministry and Ordinances Indeed let God be absent and there 's nothing can fill up his Room It 's not Husband Wife Children Estate Liberty Pastors Ordinances c. can supply the want of God But now let God be present and that is above and more than all Lastly Such strokes should teach us all to provide for death God takes away our Leaders and we must follow them Those that would not follow the Counsel and advice of this pious Divine while living must follow him to the Grave now dead to the Grave we must all go and the Lord knows how soon Of what import therefore is it that we all manage matters so while we live as that when we come to die we may die in peace and in full assurance of Eternal Life Our present Time is but a dressing Room for Eternity let us therefore perform every thing with this Proviso That I may die well I am so to buy sell and converse with Creatures that I may die well I am so to hear pray read receive the Sacrament have Communion with the Saints as that I may die well die in peace all is to be done in order to dying well Such Death may wound but never can destroy Their House of weeping proves an House of joy Death parts the dearest Friends WHen a man goes to his Long Home all the pleasure in his Society is dead with him nothing remains of it but the remembrance which serves only to aggravate and heighten the Grief of the Surviver 'T was a true saying of one Aura secunda bonus socius A good companion is as a prosperous Gale carrying a Man pleasantly and with comfort through the Tempestuous Sea of this World And again Bonum sodalitium optimum solatium Good Company is the best solace Indeed suitable Society is the comfort of Life the improvement of Parts the joy of the Intellect the only distinguishing Priviledge that gives the Preference to Men above Beasts Take away this and what happiness is it to be a Man or what is humane Life any thing to be accounted of But when Man is dead there can be no more delight in him or comfort received by Society with him There is no converse in the shades below no interlocution in those gloomy Regions The Grave is a silent Hoâ—…se where the Eyes of all the Inhabitants are closed in the Dust and their Mouths filled with cold Clay And therefore this should cause Mourning in the Streets when we see a man going to his Long Home especially if he was a Friend or Relation because we shall never have the opportunity of enjoying any pleasant hours with him more We must then bid farewel to all discoursing upon any Subject to all advising about any difficulties to all profiting by any Polemick Notions started and improved in an amicable way In a word we must bid an eternal Adieu to any pleasure or satisfaction we received in communing with him for we shall enjoy no more of it for ever Oh! surely this cannot but cut deep in a generous Soul this cannot but greatly wound a spirit whose thoughts are drained from the dross of Plebeian Conversation that has any esteem at all for the advantages of a rational Life Upon this account it was that the old Prophet in Bethel lamented over the man of God which came from Judab who was slain by a Lion as he rode upon an Ass in the High-way He bitterly bewailed and mourned for his Death crying out Alas my Brother As if he had said I have been extreamly refreshed by thy company in hearing the Word of the Lord from thy mouth concerning the destruction of the Priests that burn Incense upon the Altar and the pulling down the House of Jeroboam Oh! How have I been strengthned in my Courage confirmed in my Faith and the more resolved in the Ways of God by this thy Prophecy But now thou art gone I shall never have any more of this profitable and spiritual Discourse with thee This made him weep over his torn Carcass and bitterly lament his untimely Fall and to give a solemn
we that now mourn for others know not how soon our Friends may do the same for us and celebrate our Funerals When God took away many others that we knew he might at the same time or before have taken away you or me and why do we survive their Death but that we may set our House in Order The time is coming when Riches and Honour Health and Beauty Credit and Reputation among men will be of no value nor will Gold and Silver the Idols of this be currant in the next World We should not therefore be like those young people that are only serious in the House of Mourning or when they see their Friends carried to the Grave but in the next vain Company suffer the Impressions of their Mortality to wear off again We must be always sober in our Conversation as not knowing when we our selves shall be gone only this we may know that as the Years we have already lived are soon past so will those that are to come with the same swist motion pass away The longest Life here on Earth is but as a moment if compar'd with the future Eternity 'T is as a flash of Lightning to the whole Element of Fire just seen and then vanish'd The Last Sigh MY dearest Children ye whom I love in the tender and yerning Bowels of Affection draw near and attend to the words of your dying Mother who am now sighing out my last breath A weak Woman ye see I am but yet sinful I am which peradventure ye see not O weep not my pretty ones do not pierce and break my troubled heart with your sad laments I must die my little ones and go to a better place whither ye I hope shall one day follow me We came not together into the World nor shall we go together out of it In vain do ye shed those Tears of Sorrow for although Nature teacheth you to bewail my departure yet Grace will teach you to moderate your Mourning My Heart even bleeds to leave you behind me fearing lest ye will forget the Commandments of your God I should be sorry to have just cause to say unto you as Moses did to the Levites yet I will put you in mind of his words Behold said he while I am yet alive with you this day ye have been rebellious against the Lord and how much more after my death Deut. 31. 27. I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt your selves and turn aside from the way which I commanded you and evil will befall you in the latter days because ye will do evil in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands vers 29. But I am persuaded better things of you and things that accompany salvation though I thus speak Heb. 6. 9. O my dear ones hearken unto the words which I shall say They must be my Legacy unto you Hear me with patience and treasure up in your memories the last Speech of your Fainting your dying Mother How dear ye cost me before ye had life and what Pangs and Torments I suffered for you before ye were heard or seen in the World ye cannot imagine nor I express Yet all was forgotten for joy that ye wâ—…re born Joh. 16. 21. and hoping that ye would add unto the Qâ—…ire of Saints To this purpose I have laboured and taken care for the nourishment both of your Souls and Bodies and for your sustentation so much as in me lay from the Breast to this instant O what sad and perplexed thoughts have I had for you in the day times and how many hours have I borrowed from my sleep in the nights to think what would become of you if ye should not be obedient to the Commandments of my God! To the same God they are best known O how often upon my knees have I prayed for your happiness and wept and mourned when ye have done what ye ought not To him is it best known to whom I now am going Sometimes when ye have offended I was enforced to correct you but each stripe which ye received did cut me into the heart In many things ye failed because ye were young and in many things I failed too because I am a weak and a sinful Woman If at any time ye thought that I did not my Duty take heed that hereafter ye remember it not to my dishonour Ponder in your minds that curse which wretched Ham the Father of Canaan received from Noah when he saw his Nakedness and told his Brethren Cursed said Noah be Canaan a servant of servants shall he be to his Brethren Gen. 9. 25. But because Shem and Japhet took a Garment and laid it upon their Shoulders and went backward and covered the nakedness of their Father and their faces were backward and they saw not their Fathers nakedness vers 23. Therefore he said Blessed be the Lord God of Shem and Canaan shall be his servant vers 26. God shall enlarge Japhet and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem and Canaan shall be his Servant v. 27. Consider with your selves that I am your mother Whatsoever imperfections ye have discovered in me do in some kind reflect even upon your selves for as your Bodies were mine so my Credit and good Name you must account to be yours But I cannot think that ye will need more Advice for this which even Nature it self should teach you to practise My time is but short my Speech beginneth to fail me I will not trouble you with much although something more I must say unto you which I hope ye will remember when I shall sleep in the Dust. Your first and chiefest Duty must always be for the service of your God If ye will daily observe the benefits which he sendeth you ye cannot chuse but thank him daily for his Blessings Let it be your care to ground your actions upon his written Law Undertake nothing which is not warranted by his Word and go forward in nothing by unlawful means or to a bad intent Begin all in him and continue in him and end in him and he himself will be your Reward If ye always preserve Religion in your hearts ye will always have quietness and content in your minds First make him your God and then distrust not his Providence no nor his love and compassion while ye remain his Children In whatsoever vocations ye shall lead your lives be sure that ye be conscionably industrious and laborious in them and then leave the event and the blessing to his good pleasure I would fain have you be his Children much more than ye are mine for ye have nothing from me but your sin and corruption but from him you must expect both grace and glory If therefore ye strive to bless and magnifie your God ye may be sure that your God will both bless and glorifie you his Children Remember that the blessing of the Lord maketh rich and he addeth no Sorrow with
it Prov. 10. 22. Take heed therefore to your selves and let him be in all your thoughts for even for them ye must account at his great Tribunal Take heed unto your Words that they give none offence either to God or Man There is a sort of people who bless with their mouths but they curse in their inward parts Psal. 62. 4. I would not have you be of the number of them for as they love cursing so it shall happen unto them they delight not in blessing therefore shall it be far from them Psal 109. 17. As they cloath themselves with cursing like as with a Garment so it shall come into their Bowels like Water and like Oyl into their Bones vers 18. Take heed also unto your Actions that there be not wickedness in the intent nor sin in the prosecution of them for howsoever they shall appear in the Eye of the World they will be strictly and justly examined by the righteous judge First be ye sure that ye bless your God and then ye may expect a blessing from him When ye have eaten and are full then ye shall bless the Lord your God Deut. 8. 10. Remember the Congregation of Israel how they blessed the Lord God of their Fathers and bowed down their heads and worshiped the Lord 1 Chr. 29. 20. Remember how the Levites encouraged the People unto it and said unto them Stand up and bless the Lord your God for ever and ever and blessed be thy glorious Name which is exalted above all blessing and praise Neh. 9. 5. Remember how the Psalmist moved them unto it when he cryed O bless our God ye people and make the voice of his praise to be heard Psal. 66. 8. Be thankful unto him and bless his Name Psalm 100. 4. Remember how David resolved saying I will bless the Lord which hath given me counsel Psal. 16. 7. Remember how he decreed saying I will bless thee while I live I will lift up my hands in thy Name Psal. 63. 4. Remember how he encouraged his Soul to this Duty saying Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name Psal. 103. 1. Bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits vers 2. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy disease vers 3. Remember how he practised it when he blessed the Lord before all the Congregation and said Blessed be thou Lord God of Israel our Father for ever and ever 1 Chr. 29. 10. Thine O Lord is the greatness and the Power and the Glory and the Victory and the Majesty for all that is in the Heaven and in the Earth is thine Thine is the Kingdom O Lord aâ—…d thou art exalted as head above all vers 11. Both Riches and Honour come from thee and thou reignest over all and in thine hand is power and might and in thine hand it is to make great and to give strength unto all vers 12. Now therefore our God we thank thee and praise thy glorious Name vers 13. And remember how Ezra blessed the Lord the great God and all the people answered Amen Amen with listing up their hands and they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their Faces to the ground Neh. 8. 6. Thus if ye bless him if ye love him if ye honour him if ye obey him he will so bless you that ye shall delight in his Service and be filled with his Goodness Carry in your minds those words of the Psalmist Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord that walketh in his ways For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands happy shalt thou be and it shall be well with thee Psal. 128. 1 2. Blessed is the Man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is Jer. 17. 7. Remember how after the Death of Abraham God blessed his Son Isaac Gen. 25. 11. So he may you and so he will you when I your poor feeble Mother am stretched forth and returned to the Earth if ye will hear his voice and observe his statutes If so you will do then the Lord your God will bless you in all the works of your hands which ye shall do Deut. 14. 29. He who created man in his own Image both Male and Female and blessed them Gen. 1. 27 28. Even the same Lord will bless you if ye be Righteous Psal. 5. 12. And with favour he will compass you as with a Shield Psalm 115. 13. He will bless them that fear him both small and great 2 Tim. 4. 6. And now my Children I have not much more to say to you for the time of my departure is at hand If you do heartily love your God I know that ye will affectionately love each other Ye will be observant to your Guardians and Instructors Ye will be courteous unto all Be not dismayed at any Cross or Affliction at any loss or poverty which may fall upon you Mat. 6. 33. but seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and then all other things shall be added unto you Deut. 28. 8. Then the Lord shall command the blessing upon you both in your store-Houses and in all that ye set your hands unto Exod. 23. 25. He shall bless your Bread and your Water and take away sickness from tlâ—… midst of you Deut. 28. 3. Blessed shall ye be in the City and blessed shall ye be in the field vers 4. Blessed shall be the fruits of your bodies and the fruits of your grounds and the fruits of your Cattel and the increase of your kine and the flocks of your sheep vers 5. Blessed shall be your basket and your store vers 6. Blessed shall ye be when ye come in and blessed shall ye be when ye go fortâ—… c. 7. 13. The Lord will love you and will bless you and multiply you He will also bless the fruit of the Womb unto you and the fruit of your Land and your Corn and your Wine and your Oyl and the increase of your kine and the floâ—…ks of your sheep in the places where ye shall live c. 28. 12. He will open unto you his good treasure the Heaven to give the rain unto your land in his season and to bless all the work of your hands and ye shall lend unto many and ye shall not borrow Gen. 49. 25. He shall help you and bless you with the blessings of heaven above blessings of the deep that lyeth under and blessings of the breasts and of the Womb. And that he may thus bless you the same Lord direct your hearts and preserve yoù in his Blessing All that I can do now is to pray for you and my weakness will hardly permit me to do that Yet so long as I can speak I trust I shall pray and in my petitions remember both my self and you While I am yet alive it is my duty to pray for you and it is your duty also to pray for me The Lord
thou first steppest into Eternity What sayest thou Oh my Soul are the things of time only or chiefly to be minded And are the precious things of Eternity utterly to be forgotten or disregarded Hath the infinitely wise and gracious God only given thee opportunities and abilities to desire and hasten thy eternal ruin And hast thou no time capacity understanding or will to work out thy Salvation with fear and trembling Canst thou once suppose thou shalt ever be an Inhabitant upon the Earth Or is the Earth with the sensual delights thereof which thou must certainly forego more valuable than Heaven with its fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore Or if thy judgment be clear in this case why doest thou no more think upon love and long to be dissolved and to be cloathed upon with that house which comes down from Heaven Will the enjoying of sinful pleasures or empty lying vanities for a few minutes recompence the loss of Heaven it self Can any thing be counted an advantage when the Soul loseth God and it self in the getting of it Or can any thing be had upon Earth that will hold ever Awake Oh my drowsie Soul and let thy Conscience and Conversation no longer contradict one the other If thou judgest Heaven to be Heaven indeed and one moments Communion with God more worth than ten thousand Worlds then let thy Conversation be new in Heaven that thy Conscience may not hereafter witness against thee Or tell me plainly Oh my Soul Dost thou pretend that thou art really willing to go to Heaven and yet art unwilling for the present through thy weakness of Faith to leave this Earth with all the sensible comforts of it Or doth thy natural timorousness or unpreparedness put a check to the vehemency of thy Desires Or what is it that thou so much stickest at Is there a Lion in the way Wouldst thou not be detained one day one minute or moment longer from drinking thy fill at the Fountain of Living Waters and yet art afraid to pass over that narrow darksome Bridge of Death which leadeth thereunto Indeed Death is the King of Fears but yet a Serpent without a Sting may safely be put into thy Bosom Thou art then willing to be with thy glorious Redeemer upon the Throne only the sad Thoughts of giving up thy tender Flesh to be meat for the Worms that something startles thee But weigh the matter well canst thou be for ever happy and not be with Christ Or canst thou be whereChrist is and not die Well then welcom death tho' not for thine own sake yet for his sake whose Messenger thou art and who hath sent thee to fetch me home to himself with whom I shall be as soon as ever I am but parted from thee Then I shall with joy look back upon thee O sad Messenger and triumph over thee saying Oh Death where is thy â—…ing Oh Grave where is thy Victory But thanks be unto God who hath given me the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Oh Death though thy looks be terrible and thy last gripe painful yet is thy Message comfortable and I was more afraid than hurt For I see though thou leadest me through a dark Entry yet it is my Fathers House And as soon as I had passed from thee or ever I was aware my Soul made me like to the Chariots of Aminadib So come Lord Jesus come quickly He 's carry'd by Angels into Abraham's Bosom Sermon II. Luke XVI 32. And it came to pass that the Beggar died and was carryed by the Angels into Abraham's Bosom The whole Parable runs thus THere was a certain Rich Man which was cloaâ—…ed in purple and sine Linnen and fared sumptuously every day And there was a certain Beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his Gate full of sores and desiring to be sed with the crumbs which fell from the Rich Man's Table moreover the Dogs came and licked his Sores And it came to pass that the Beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abraham 's Bosom The Rich Man also died and was buryed And in Hell he lift up his Eyes being in torments and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his Bosom c. Dearly Beloved In my Discourse upon these words I will not be over tedious but with as much brevity as I can I will unfold some of the weighty Truths contained therein And the Lord grant that they may be of general use to all persons that shall either read or hear them These words have Relation unto the precedent Verses in this Chapter wherein our Saviour Christ from the thirteenth to the seventeenth verse reproveth the Covetousness of the Pharisees by shewing unto them that no man can serve two Masters that is God and Riches All these things heard the Pharisees which were covetous and they mocked him Whereupon he aptly and fitly taketh occasion to relate this Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus Hearken therefore now and I will speak of a great Rich Man that flourished here on Earth as a learned Divine observes In all pomp and abundance that shined in courtly purple Robes that was cloathed in Byssus and fine Silk and fared deliciously that was lodged softly that lived pleasantly But understand what became of this Rich Man his years being expired and his days numbred and his time determined he was invited to the fatal Banquet of black ugly Death that maketh all men subject to the rigour of his Law his Body was honourably buried in respect of his much Wealth but what became of his Soul That was carried from his Body to dwell with the Devils from his purple Robes to burning Flames from his soft Silk and white Byssus to cruel pains in black Abyssus from his Palace here on Earth to the Palace of Devils in Hell from Paradise to a Dungeon from Pleasures to Pains from Joy to Torment and that by hellish means damned Spirits into the infernal Laks of bottomless Barathrum where is wo wo wo And where is weeping and wailing and gnashing of Teeth Mat. 25. The wicked shall be turned into Hell and all the people that forget God Psalm 6. Hearken also of a certain poor Beggar clothed in rags with miseries pained pained with griefs grieved with sores sorely tormented unmercifully condemned lying at this Rich Mans Gate desiring to be refreshed but with the Crumbs that fell from the rich Man's table the dogs had more pity than this rich man on this distressed creature for they came to visit him they came to comfort him they came and licked his sores Well his time being also determined he went the way of all flesh and death was the finisher of all his miseries and griefs Vita assumpsit mortem ut mors vitam acciperet He died once to live for ever And what became of his soul it was carried from his body to his Master from a House of Clay to a house not made with hands from a wilderness to a Paradise
Erasmus also saith that it is but a Parable whereby Rich Men may learn to be merciful to their poor Brethren that they may speak for them in the day of Vengeance and Wrath. Many Writers there are also that rather aiming at the Arguments and Observations herein have not set down their Judgments whether it be a Parable or History Therefore it might seem Wisdom in me to suspend my judgment also herein especially since Marlorat saith Parum refert ut tam sit Parabola an Historia modo summam doctrinam teneant lectores It greatly skilleth not whether it be a Parable or History so that we duly consider the Doctrine herein But because it is requisite that I also shew my Opinion I will return my Verdict according to my Evidence And therefore in naked truth I find and hold that it is a Parable And my Reasons are these two First because our Saviour in the beginning of this Chapter doth relate a Parable of the Rich Man that had a Steward c. therefore he continueth in this Chapter to open his mouth in Parables according to the Prophet I will open my mouth in Parables and shew dark sentences of old time Secondly because the Rich Man cryed out of Hell unto Abraham and Abraham answered the Rich man which needs must be understood Parabolically For the Damned in Hell cannot see nor hear the Saints that are in Heaven neither by reason of the distance of place and also because of many Sphears and Orbs that are betwixt Heaven and Hell neither shall they see nor know what is done there And again Abraham's throat is dry and cleaveth to the Roof of his Mouth Therefore he cannot speak so loud as to be heard out of Heaven into Hell Therefore it is but a Parable Secondly let us consider what his Apparel was Purple and fine white as some will have But we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 although some take it for fine Flax yet let it here be understood of Silk There was a very great difference betwixt the Apparel of John the Baptist and this Man John's Rayment was Camels Hair with a Leathern Girdle about his Loins which did Argue Repentance and Mortification in him but this Rich Mans Apparel was Purple and fine Silk whose outward Apparel did argue the Pride at his Heart The outward Habit for the most part resembles the inward Habit and condition of the Mind Pride as saith one is grounded in the Heart of Man a Vice most loathsom to God hateful to Men and hurtful to the Soul But let us consider the third Circumstance in the Life of the Rich Man to wit what his Dyet was Deliciously every day And here we see what the Children of this World delight in namely in fulness of Meat who neglecting the serving of God have given themselves to serve Bacchus and Venus Hence one noteth A gluttonous Person eateth more for Pleasure than Necessity So did the Rich Man so did our first Parents it was not through need or necessity that they did eat of the forbidden Tree but through Wantonness Pleasure and Idleness Gluttony is a flattering Devil and a pleasant sin and a sweet Poyson which whoso useth hath not the use of himself which who so hath not hath no sin for he is all sin it self Besides it hath an especial effect for it doth as Gregory saith generate Lust. To be short it was Gluttony that caused our Parents to transgress It was Gluttony that caused Lot to commit Incest It was Gluttony that made Esau to sell his Birth-right It was Gluttony and Drunkenness that caused Nabal's Death It was Gluttony that lost Belshasars Kingdom Be not thou desirous of dainty meats saith Solomon For he that loveth Banqueting shall be Poor and he that delighteth in Wine shall not be Rich. But let us a while leave this Rich Man and consider the second that which is the Life of the Beggar There was also a certain Beggar named Lazarus c. And here observe these things 1. That the Saints of God are a poor contemptible People There was a certain Beggar If you understand the word Beggar to hold forth outward Poverty or scarcity in outward things such are Saints of the Lord for they are for the most part a poor despised contemptible People but if you Allegorize and Interpret it thus they are such as beg earnestly for Heavenly food this is also the spirit of the Children of God and it may be and is a truth in this sense though not so Naturally gathered from this Scripture 2. That he was laid at his Gate full of Sores These words hold forth the Distempers of Believers saying he was full of Sores which may signifie the many Troubles Temptations Persecutions and afflictions in Body and Spirit which they meet withal while they are in the World And also the Entertainments they find at the hands of those ungodly ones who Live upon the Earth Whereas it is said he was laid at his Gate full of Sores Mark he was laid at his Gate not in his House that was thought too good for him but he was laid at his Gate full of Sores From whence Observe that the Ungodly World do not desire to entertain and receive the poor Saints of God into their Houses If they must needs be somewhere near unto them yet they shall not come into their Houses Shut them out of Doors if they will needs be near us let them be at the Gate And he was laid at the Gate full of Sores 2. Observe that the World are not at all touched with the afflictions of God's Children for all they are full of Sores a despised afflicted tempted persecuted people the World doth not pity no but rather labour to aggravate their Trouble by shutting them out of Doors sink or swim what cares the World they are resolved to disown them they will give them no Entertaiment if the lying in the streets will do them any good if hard Usage will do them any good if to be disowned shut out of Doors rejected of the World will do them any good they shall have enough of that but otherwise no Refreshment no Comfort from the World And he was laid at his Gate full of Sores Poor Lazarus What lying at a Gate and full of Sores too Would not this Rich Man afford thee some out-house to lie in to shroud thee from Storms and Tempests no would not his servants pity thee no would not his Children speak for thee no Would not his Wife intreat her Husband for thee no Hadst thou ever done them any wrong no But Lazarus it may be thou art stout and often-times Beggars will be chusers thou perhaps wouldest have some great Alms or Copy-hold some Farm of this Rich Man no Or thou wouldest have some delicate Meat no. Many Dishes no Or thou wouldest sit at the Table with his Sons and Servants no no What is it then that thou dost desire
Misery is then a Sea of tribulation and scarce a drop of consolation when a Man is oppressed many ways and relieved by no means Thirdly In the Life of the Beggar we noted what he desired in this life Crumbs desired to be refreshed with the Crumbs that fell from the rich man's Table By these words our Lord Jesus doth shew us the frame of a Christians heart and also the heart and carriage of worldly men towards the Saints of the Lord. The Christian's heart is held forth by this that any thing will content him while he is on this side Glory And he desired to be fed with the Crumbs the Dogs meat any thing I say a Christian will be content with any thing if he have but to keep life and soul together as we use to say he is content he is satisfied he hath learned if he hath learned to be a Christian to be content with any thing as Paul saith I have learned in whatsoevir state I am therewith to be content He learns in all conditions to study to love God to walk with God to give up himself to God and if the Crumbs that fall from the Rich mans Table will but satisfie nature and give him bodily strength that thereby he may be the more able to walk in the way of God he is contented and he desired to be fed with the Crumbs that fell from the Rich man's Table But mark he had them not you do not find that he had so much as a Crumb or scrap allowed unto him No then the Dogs will be beguiled that must be preserved for the Dogs From whence observe that the ungodly world do love their Dogs better than the Children of God you 'll say that is strange It is so indeed yet it is true as will be clearly manifested as for instance how many pounds do some men spend a year on their Dogs when in the mean while the poor Saints of God may starve for hunger they will build Houses for their Dogs when the Saints must be glad to wander and lodge in Dens and Caves of the Earth Heb. 11. 38. and if they be in any of their Houses for the hire thereof they will warn them out or Eject them or pull down the House over their heads rather than not rid themselves of such Tenants Again some men cannot go half a mile from home but they must have Dogs at their heels but they can very willingly go half a score miles without the society of a Christian. Nay if when they are busie with their Dogs they should chance to meet a Christian they would willingly shift him if they could they will go on the other side the Hedge or the way rather than they will have any society with him and if at any time a Child of God should come into a House where there are but two or three ungodly wretches they do commonly wish either themselves or the Saints out of doors and why so because they cannot down with the society of a Christian though if there come in at the same time a Dog or a Drunken swearing wretch which is worse than a Dog they will make him welcom he shall sit down with them and partake of their Dainties And now tell me you that love your sins and your pleasures had you not rather keep company with a Drunkard a Swearer a Strumpet a Thief nay a Dog than with an honest-hearted Christian If you say no what means your four carriage to the People of God Why do you look on them as if you would eat them up yet at the very same time if you can but meet with your Dog or a drunken companion you can fawn upon them take acquaintance with them if it be two or three times in a Week But if the Saints of God meet together pray together and labour to Edify one another you will stay till Doomsday before you will look into the House where they are Ahâ—… Friends when all comes to all you will be found to love Drunkards Strumpets Dogs any thing nay to serve the Devil rather than to have loving and friendly Society with the Saints of God The Dogs came and licked his sores The Rich Man's Dogs by licking Lazarus taught their Master to have mercy on him but he would not therefore he had worse than a doggish Nature and cruel Heart But here first we note God's Providence toward his Children he will have them comforted and fed though by dumb and only sensible Creatures so the Dogs here came and licked Lazarus's sores So Elias was fed by Ravens to save his life 1 Kings 19. 4. And thou shalt drink of the River and I have commanded the Ravens to feed thee there But again Secondly In that Dogs came and licked Lazarus 's Sores when the Rich Man himself forsook him we observe that sensible dumb Creatures of the Earth are in their kinds better than many men Therefore it is that God complaineth by the mouth of the Prophet The Ox knoweth his owner and the Ass his Masters Crib but my People will not know me saith the Lord. So the Dogs here knew Lazarus to be pained but the Rich man would not vouchsafe to know him Therefore his own Dogs condemned him of merciless Cruelty Here Beloved you may see not only the afflicted state of the Saints of God in this World but also that even Dogs themselves according to their kind are more favourable to the Saints than the sinful World though the ungodly will have no mercy on the Saints yet it is ordered so that these Creatures Dogs Lions c. will Though the Rich Man would not entertain him into his House yet his Dogs will come and do him the best good they can even to lick his running Sores It was thus with Daniel when the World was against him and would have thrown him to the Lions to be devoured the Lions shut their mouths at him so that there was not that hurt befel to him as was desired by the Adversaries Dan. 6. But now let us consider the Third Part which is the Death of the Beggar It was so that the Beggar died Here is the adage fulfilled Mors optima rapit deterrima relinquit Now must I speak of Tragical matters of Funerals and Obsequies of Dissolution and Death This Beggar died that represents the Godly and the Rich Man died that represents the Ungodly From whence Observe neither Godly nor Ungodly must live always without a change either by Death or Judgment The good man died and the bad man died that Scripture doth also back this Truth that good and bad must die marvellous well where it is said And it is appointed to men once to die and after that the Judgment Heb. 9. 27. Now when it is said the Beggar died and the Rich man died part of the meaning is they ceased to be any more in this World I say partly the meaning is so but not altogether though it be
the manner of dying AMongst Men it is a matter of chief mark the manner of a man's death The chief good of Man is his good departure out of this life Before you die set your house in order He that hath not a house yet hath a soul no soul can want affairs to set in order for this final dissolution The chief grace of the Theatre is the last Scene It is the Evening that Crowns the day and we think it no good sign of a fair Morrow when the Sun sets in a Cloud The end Crowns every Work Most men wish a short Death because death is always accompanied with pain We die groaning To lie but an hour under Death is tedious but to be dying a whole day we think beyond the strength of humane patience He that desires to be dissolved and be with Christ dies not only patiently but delightfully Happy is he that after due preparation dies ere he be aware so likewise is he happy that by long sickness sees death afar off for the one dies like Elias the other like Elisha both blessedly The best posture to be found in when Death comes is in the exercise of our calling Press saith St. Paul towards the mark for the prize of the high calling Phil. 3. A good Man by his good will would die praying and do as the Pilgrim doth go on his way singing and so adds the pains of singing to that of going Who yet by this surplus of pain unwearies himself of pain But some wretches think God rather curious than they faulty if a few sighs with a Lord have mercy upon us be not enough at the last gasp But commonly good Men are best at last even when they are dying It was a Speech worthy the commendation and frequent remembrance of so divine a Bishop as Augustine which is reported of an aged Father in his time who when his Friends comforted him on his sick bed and told him they hoped he should recover answered If I shall not die at all well but if ever why not now Surely it is folly what we must do to do unwillingly I will never think my Soul in a good case so long as I am loth to think of dying There is no Spectacle in the World so profitable or more terrible than to behold a dying man to stand by and see a man dismanned Curiously didst thou make me in the lowest part of the Earth saith David but to see those Elements which compounded made the Body To see them divided and the man dissolved is a ruful sight Every dying man carries Heaven and Earth wrapped up in his bosom and at this time each part returns homeward Certainly death hath great dependency on the course of man's life and life it self is as frail as the Body which it animates Augustus Caesar accounted that to be the best death which is quick and unexpected and which beats not at our doors by any painful sickness So often as he heard of a man that had a quick passage with little sense of pain he wished for himself that Euthanaâ—…ie While he lived he used to set himself between his two friends Groans and Tears When he died he called for his Looking-glass commanded to have his Hair and Beard kembed his reviled cheeks smoothed up Then asking his Friends if he acted his part well when they answered Yes why then says he do you not all clap your hands for me Despair in dying may as well arise from weakness of Nature as from trouble of Mind But by neither of these can he be prejudiced that hath lived well Raving and other strange Passions are many times rather the effect of the Disease than coming from the mind For upon Death's approaches choler â—…uming to the Brain will cause distempers in the most patient Soul In these cases the fairest and truest judgment to be made is that sins of sickness occasioned by violence of Disease in a patient man are but sins of infirmity and not to be taken as ill signs or presages A Son of so many Tears cannot but be saved I will not despair in respect of that man's impatient dying whom the Worm of Conscience had not devoured living Seldom any enter into Glory with ease yet the Jews say of Moses His soul was sucked out of his mouth with a kiss David in this case the better to make his way prayed and cried Lord spare me a little O spare me that I may recover my strength before I go hence and be no more Indeed to Ezekias some Years of Days were lent But we are not worthy of that favour we must not expect that God will bring back the shadow of degrees â—…hen 〈◊〉 it is gone down in the Dial of Aâ—…az we must time it as we may and be content to live and die at uncertainties Therefore as a sick man 〈◊〉 to the Clock so let us waâ—…h Death For sudden coming of Death finding a weak soul unprepared makes it desperate and leaves it miserable Death approaching what our last Thoughts should be SEneca saith the last day judgeth all the precedent The last is the best dying words are weightiest and make deepest imressions Our last thoughts are readiest to spend themselves upon somewhat that we loved best while we lived The soul it self when it is entring into glory breaths Divine things At this time a good man's tongue is in his breast not in his mouth his words are then so pithy and so pectoral that he cries O Lord Jesus take thine own into thy own custody Anatomists say there are strings in a man's tongue which go to his heart when these break Man speaks his heart Oh that they were wise said Moses and would understand and fore-see their latter end When he was dying Christs last words in the Bible are Surely I come quickly Our answer is Amen Even so come Lord Jesus c. I have but small acquaintance with the future State but this I 'm sure there will be no change that will be so surprizing to me as that By Death It is a thing of which I know but little and noâ—…e of the millions of Souls that have past into the invisible World have come again to tell me how it is I. It must be done my Soul but 't is a strange A dismal and Mysterious change Norris When thou shalt leave this Tenement of Clay And to an unknown somewhere wing away When Time shall be Eternity and thou not how Shalt be thou know'st not what and live thou know'st II. Amazing State no wonder that we dread To think of Death or view the Dead Thou' rt all wrapt up in the Clouds as if to thee Our very knowledge had Antipathy Death could not a more sad retinue find Sickness and pain before and darkness aâ—… behind III. Some courteous Ghost tell this great Secrecy What 't is you are and we must be You warn us of approaching Death and why May we not know from you what 't is to
The good Propheâ—… 〈◊〉 id represent these unto us in those Tâ—… five young Men which were Besotted and Ravished in beholding the labouring Sun that glorious Creature and vast Eye of all the World whose gentle Heat broodeth upon the Waters and hatched in Six Days all the World which by way of Exposition signifieth the adoring of the Glory of their Birth But leaving these to themselves as silly Fools who glory in the Gold that glisters God Almighty comes here unto old Adam with a Memorandum of Death and teacheth him another Lesson saying Dust thou art aâ—…d unto dust thou shalt return The end ever holâ—…s a correspondence with its beginning Naked came I out of my Mother's Womb and naked shall I return The Rivers come from the Sea and thither again they return and so doth the labouring Sun from the East and thither it retires again That Image of Gold Silver Brass and Iron that had its Feet of Earth must in the end turn to dust Barak having asked Where are the Princes of the Nations makes answer himself and saith The earth hath swallowed them up all Now to comment upon this same place we may make the like question and give the very self-same Answer Nonne omnia Pulvis nonne Fabula nonne in paucis ossibus memoria eorum conservatur The very greatest and famousest of us all have been are and shall be but dust and there is no Memorial to be left of us but a few rotten and stinking Bones But to proceed because in Preaching Plainness is ever counted the best Eloquence In these words as they offer up themselves unto our consideration you may with me as they naturally arise from the express words in mâ—… Text observe these two regardable Circumâ—…tances First How these Morral Bodies of ouâ—…s are said to be Dust. And then secondly How they shall return to Mother-Earth from wheâ—…ce they came Now of these two in their due order severally And first of the First and that is How we are said to be Dust. Now as for the Walls of Flesh wherein the Soul doth seem to be immur'd before the Restauration it is nothing but an Elemental Comâ—…osition and a Fabrick thâ—…t may fall to Ashes All Flesh is Grass is not only Metaphorically but Literally true for all those Creatures we behold are but the Herbs of the Field digested into Flesh in them or more remotely Carnified in our selves Nay further we are what we all abhor Anthropophagi Cannibales Devourers not only of Men but of our selves and that not in Allegory but a positive Truth for all this huge Mass of Flesh which we behold came in at our Mouths yea this Frame which we look upon hath been upon our Trenchers In brief we have devoured our selves Man is such a frail sorry and base Creature that the good Prophet Jeremy calls him to his own Face thrice Earth at one Breath saying O Earth Earth Earth hear the Word of the Lord Jer 22. 29. Man is Earth by Procreation Sustentation and by Corruption First He is Earth by Procreation for the first Man is called Adam that is red Earth Of the dust of the Earth made he Man Gen. 2. 7. The Patriarch Abraham acknowledging the baseness of his beginning said unto the Lord I am but dust and ashes Gen. 18. 27. Now Almighty God the Câ—…eator of all things made this Earth of which he made Man of nothing according to the Text God created the Heaven and the Earth He made not this Heaven and Earth of another Heaven and Earth but he Created both as having nothing but nothing whereby and wherewith to build this goodly Frame and so consequently proud Man in respect of his Maâ—…rials is brought unto nothing And therefore our Princely Pâ—…ophet David says Psalm 144. 4. That Man is like a thing of nought Yea and to confirm this the better St. Paul that ever blessed Apostle in his Epistle to the Galatians says If any Man seem to himself that he is something when he is nothing he deceiveth himself in his imagination Gal. 6. 3. Adam begat Cain and Abel Gen. 4. Cain signifieth Possession Abel Mourning or Vanity to teach us that Possessions are but Vanity and vexation of Spirit yea Vanity of Vanities all vanity Eccles. 1. 2. And as Adam begat Sons like to himself so his Sons also Sons like to themselves of a loathsom Excrement carried in those Members of the Body which are least honourable brought forth into the World with intollerable Pain so vile and so soul that I shall spare to speak wanting Epithites whereby to express my self only give me leave to Cry out with our Princely Prophet David saying What is Man O God that thou art mindful of him and the Son of Man that thou visitest him or with St. Paul O Man what art thou who pleadest against God As if he should have said as Cyprian said once to Demetrius Consider how base thou art in respect of God even as Clay in the hand of the Potter and then I think thou wilt not enter into dispute with thy Creator That any Man is miserable let it suffice him that he is a Man that is Infelicitatis tabula nec non Calamitatis fabula a Map of Miseries and as it were the Table of Troy whomsoever thou seest to be miserable thou maiest without all doubt conclude he is a Man and therefore the first Voice uttered by the new-born Babe is Crying hereby Prophecying that he is come into a World full of Care and Grief Crying and taking it grievously to heart because he is a Man Blushing because he is Naked Weeping and wailing because he is born into a most wicked and miserable World and murmuring because indued but with a dull Genius and made up of so base matter which every Disease like a Storm is ready to totter down God Almighty Created Adam of the basest matter even of very Dirt but this Dirt being Moulded by God's own Hand and Inspiring it with so much Wisdom Counsel and Prudence it may be called Cura Divini Ingenii the Curiousness of God's Wit But Man growing proud hereupon and hoping to be a God himself God doomed him to Death and wrapped him again in hâ—…s dirty Swadling Clouts with this Inscription Puâ—…vis es in pulverem reverteris Dust thou art and unto Dust thou shalt return Adam did not without some Mystery cloath himself with green Leaves for he gave therein as it were a sign and token of his vain and foolish hopes But as the Mother when the Bee hath stung her Childs Finger runs with all haste to get a little Dirt and claps it to her little One which doth asswage the Swelling and give it ease So those busie Bees of Hell daily stinging us and striking into our Breasts the Poyson of their Pride and Arrogancy Almighty God with a Memorandum of Death with a Dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return abates this Pride and tells us of that swelling Arrogancy
they are the Image and Representation of Good but Dust and Ashes speak no other good Amongst the Elements the Earth is the least noble and the most weak the Fire the Water and the Air have in them Spirit and Actitude but the base Element Earth as it were a Prisoner laden with Weightiness A certain Poet styles the Earth Bruta not only for that it hath an unpleasant Countenance as Deserts Quick-sands Dens and Caves but also for that it is an Inne of Serpents Tygers Panthers and the like so that it is good neither to the Taste to the Smell to the Feeling nor to the Hearing nor yet to the Seeing Thou being therefore Earth why art thou Proud thou Dust and Ashes And thus far of the First Now the Second Thing regardable is If thou art Ashes why â—…uch a deal of Care in Pampering thy Body which the huâ—…gry Worms are to devour to morrow Consider those rotting and stinking Carkasses of your Relations that lye here under the Ground and the very thought thereof will moderate your desire of being over-dainty and curious in cherishing your own Isaac on the Night of his Nuptials placed his Wifes Bed in the Chamber where his Mother died Tobias spent all the Night with his Spouse in Prayer being mindful of the harm which the Devil had done to her former Husbands as being advised from Heaven that he should temper with the remembrance of Death the Delights and Pleasures of this short Life of ours The Camomile the worse you treat it and the more you tread upon it the better it thrives other Plants require Pruning and tending to make them fruitful but this Herb hath a quite contrary condition that with ill usage it grows the better It is the pamper'd Flesh that brings forth Thistles and Thorns but the Flesh that is trodden down and humbled that yields store of Fruit And this is likewise concerning the Second Now the Third thing to be considered is If thou art Dust and to Morrow must become Dust and Ashes why such a deal of coveting of Honours and Riches which on a sudden may take themselves Wings and flye away Esau sold his Birth-right for a Mess of Pottage but he excused his so doing for that he saw his Death was so near at hand Behold I am ready to die what will this Birth-right profit me But to be brief as Man in respect of his beginning and proceeding is Earth even so he is Dust and Ashes in râ—…spect of his ending which is the last thing now to be handled for the Lord himself denounced as it is evident in the words of my Text Out of it wast thou taken for dust thou' art and unto dust thou shalt return When that Death mounted upon his pale Horse like a Serieant sent from above upon Action of Debt at the Suit of Nature comes with a Habeas Corpus to pull down these Clay Walls wherein our Immortal Souls are kept close Prisoners within the narrow compass of these mortal Bodies of ours then shall our Dust return unto the Dust as it was then yea even then we shall be Terra à Terrendo because then every one shall tread on us A living Dog is better than a dead Lion every Thersites will Insult over Hector and every Scrub run upon Achilles Every Child is ready to mangle the strong Oak when it is down and he that durst not look Caesar in the Face is now bold to pull him by the Beard Our Bodies are not only Houses of Clay Job 4. 19. but as they be earthly so Tabernacles 2 Cor. 5. 1. Set up this Day and happily taken down the next And therefore the Years of Man are termed Days in holy Scripture as the Daies of Noah the Daies of Lot and the Daies of Elias because they lived but a few Days as the Patriarch Abraham Few and evil have been the Daies of my Pilgrimage Gen 47. 9. Although time may be divided into past prrsent and future yet there is no time belonging essentially to our Life but even the very Now because the time past is certainly gone and the future time uncertainly to come and therefore our blessed Lord and Saviour Christ enjoyned us to pray Give us this day our daily bread Matth. 6. 11. Not this Age Month or Week but only this Day because we may not care for to Moâ—…row and therefore says wise Solomon Boast not thy self of to morrow Prov. 27. 1. For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth All flesh is grass saith Isaiah Grass withered or green Oh Fool this Night thy poor Soul may be fetched from thee and so thou shalt have no need of daily Bread to Morrow Josiah was a vertuous Governour 〈◊〉 Kings â—…3 and yet he had but his time In the the daies of 〈◊〉 the Son of Ammon Jer. 1. 2. Noah was a very upright honest Man in his time Gen. 6. 9. and yet he had but his time In the days of Noah 1 Pet 3. 20. Herod was a most mighty Man and yet he had but his time In the daies of Herod King of Judah Luke 1. 5. If we be as strong as Sampson and as mighty as Alexander this Tyrant Death in time will take us all away Moses upon Mount Abarim Aaron upon Hoâ—… and Methuselam after 99 years were all cut down and brought to dust again as they were Although the good Prophet Daniel Prophesied of one who should have a time and a time and a half time yet as it appeareth in the Revelation of St. John all is but a time and that a short time too For although Antichrist exalt himself above all that is called God yet he shall one day perish as a Man he came from Earth and notwithstanding his double Honour and triple Crown he must being Dust return to the Earth as he was and see Corruption Wherefore I say unto you as the good Prophet Jeremiah did unto them of old O Earth Earth Earth hear the Word of the Lord. Remember what thou was what thou art and what thou shalt be when thou leavest this sad World behind thee Thou wast in thy beginning a most miserable Wretch yea a filthy stinking Worm Conceived and Born in Sin thou art now a Sackful of Dirt and hereafter thou shalt be nothing but a Bait and Banquet for Worms In thy Beginning thou wast nothing and now nothing worth and if thou repent not of thy damnable Sins thou art in danger heâ—…eafter to be worse than nothing conceived in Original Sin now full of Actual Sin and if that thou still continue in thy Wickedness thou mayest one Day feel the Eternal Smart of Sin Begot in Uncleanness Living in Unhappiness and Dying in Anguish and Uncomfortableness Remember I pray you from whence you came and Blush where you are and Lament and whither you must in spite of your Teeth and Tremble Brag not of any thing in you or on you neither what you have been are or may be for in respect
Body but if that we stuff our Corps as full as they can hold making our mouths as Tunnels our throats as Wine-pipes and our bellies as barrels we must expect nothing but Lust ever to Tyranize over us Secondly let every one keep his Body in continual Action for Concupiscence is begot of an idle Brain and hatch'd in a lazy Body Quaeritur Aegistus quare sit factus Adulter In promptu Causa est desidiosus erat Egistus complaining why he should be made an Adulterer was quickly answered because he was idle The Crab-fish being more subtle than many other Fishes against the coming of the Flood when that the Oyster never fails to open flings into her a little Stone that she cannot shut her self again and so the Oyster is devoured by the Crab our Adversary the Devil is like unto the Crab and we just like the Oyster if that he find us idle and gaping he takes his opportunity to confound us Idleness is the Devils Pillow saith Origen and therefore like a pestiferous and dangerous Plague is to be shun of all Cupid shoots still in a slug and therefore hits none but such as are sluggish Thirdly Let every Man stir to cool his Body by washing of himself throughly with his Tears as David did who watered his Couch with his Tears and whose Eyes became a Fountain of Tears David and his people lifted up their Voices and wept so long that they could weep no longer Fourthly As the Pot is cooled by taking it altogether from the Fire so indeed may the Lust of the Body by shuning opportunities and occasions of Sin for Liberty makes Thieves Daniel although but a young Man was so indued with the Continency that he did not only all he could to suppress Lust in himself but also reproved the Lascivious Elders Joseph a young Man resisted the Temptations of his own Mistress and likewise St. John the Blessed Evangelist although very young almost a Boy did what as in him lay to bridle his Nature and to keep his House in order Now seeing that filthy Lust doth not only dishonour but also pollutes our Vessels our Clay Bodies let us take Saint Paul's advice which is to abstain from its every kind for although it doth seem a Paradise to the Desire yet it is a Purgatory to the Purse a Plague to the Body and a Hell to the Soul and that which may stir up the Wanton the most a Sin against his own Body Dost thou then love thy Flesh Abstain from Adultery for it is rottenness to thy Bones Dost thou thy Soul Abstain then from it Lord for it is very unhonest Or dost thou love thy Credit Be sure then likewise that thou abstain from it for it is very dishourable This heat is an Infernal Fire whose Fuel is Fulness of Bread and abundance of Idleness Evil Communications are the Sparks Infamy the Smoak Pollution the Ashes and the End Hell wherefore seeing this get your selves throughly cleansed from this Infectious Disease and suffer not Sin to raign in your Mortal Bodies but with all haste set your House in order for you shall die As the Body before it can be set in order must first be purg'd of all Blood-guiltiness and then of all those Distempers occasioned by Adultery so must it likewise be Scoured from top to toe of all Pride and Arrogancy which are the other proper Sins of Satan they that are proud and vain-glorious must of necessity be ever Factious seeing that bravery ever stands upon comparisons and likewise very violent ever to make good their own vaunts they are seldom or never at love with their Neighbours it 's true one Tradesman will love another and one Drunkard according to Horace will take Delight in the Company of another sitting Hour after Hour drinking of Soul-sick Healths but for one proud Man to associate with another and to love him as himself is a thing seldom or never seen just like the Foolish Jea cloath'd with the Peacock's Feathers he ever thinks himself Chief among all though according to Natures Ordination a meer Ignoramus he is ever casting beyond the Moon till that he bring himself to destruction which may well be so according to that of Solomon Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty mind before a fall Prov. 16. 18. The good Prophet Isaiah had such an invettered hatred against the Sin of Pride that he pronounced a woe against Ephrin the very Crown of all Arrogancy saying Woe unto the Crown of Pride Isa. 28. 1. for it shall bring a Man very low when humility shall raise him full high as you may see by the words of the ever blessed Virgin Mary who saith Luke the 1. 52. that the Lord hath put down the Mighty from their Seat and hath exalted the Humble and Meek This Sin corrupts the whole World therefore that you may get your selves free from all its Infections fly it as you would the Plague or Pestilence and with all haste set your House in Order for you shall die and not live 4. The next Malady that you must get your selves Cured of before that your Houses can be set in order is Envy Hatred and Malice a Sin which hath been of too long standing It was very common in Hesiod's time and not only among the Potters and Singers but also among the very Vagrants whereupon he took occasion to say One Potter saith he there envies another one Singer hates another and one Beggar pronounceth a woe against another A Man that hath no Virtue in himself ever is envying Virtue in another and not in those that are far distant but even in those that are full near and dear unto him feriunt summos Fulmina montes as high Hills are most exposed to Thunder and as the fairest Flowers are the soonest nipt by the venemous Cantharides even so the most Eminent Gifts and Graces in Men are the greatest griefs of the Malicious and Envious Misers this Sin is a repining grief for other Mens Happiness it is an evil Eye which wisheth good to no Man but to it self although the Squint-Eye Male content and Envious Wretch doth thus ever Travel with Mischief and bring forth ungodliness still disquiering of himself like the raging Sea and stiring up strife all the day long yet let him remember that this course of Life must be alter'd that he must get his Body throughly drench'd from all Envy Hatred and Malice the greatest Antagonist against Love which ought to be embraced for all and Get his House set in order for he shall die and not live Fifthly The Body must first be purged from the Corruptions of Blood-guiltiness Secondly from the cruel Maladies occasioned by Adultery Thirdly of all putrifactions brought in by Pride and Arrogancy and fourthly the infections procured by Envy Hatred and Malice so likewise it must be ever kept free from all Covetous and greedy desires the root of all ill and the very Metropolis of all Villany Judas was not sooner made
with all alacrity and chearfulness of Heart you may endure all things for Christs sake Fourthly you must get your selves furnished with Humility Virtue which when the Lord of Heaven beholds it in you which caused him to sink into your Hearts Fifthly you must get your selves furnished with Hope of Everlasting Faith and Salvation And then sixthly and lastly with Faith which is an evidence of things not seen thus you must get your selves set in order c. And thus far of the matter of this Admonition and earnest Exhortation Now I should come to the Reason which is twofold affirmative and negative Affirmative thou shalt die and Negative and not live Set thy House in order for thou shalt die and not live Now of these severally and first of the reason affirmative thou shalt die Now there are three kinds of Death First the Death of the Body which is a natural Death Secondly the Death of the Soul which is a Spiritual Death And then thirdly and lastly the Death both of Body and Soul which is Eternal Death But that which good King Hezekiah was warned of was but only the Death of the Body which according to the Statute Law Decreed in that High Court of Parliament of Heaven all Men shall once taste of no Man can escape it for so saith St. Paul it is appointed unto all Men that they shall once die to all once to many twsce for there is a second Death and that is truly a Death because it is Mors Vitae the Death of Life the other rather a Life because it is Mors Mortis the Death of the Death after which there shall be no more Death Now as Job saith Mans time is appointed his Month determined and his day numbered yea and as Christ Jesus the Worlds Saviour saith his very last hour is limited he was made of the Mould of the Earth he shall return again to the Earth And as all have one Entrance into Life the like going out shall they have to Death Nothing we brought in nothing we shall carry out Naked come I out of my Mothers Womb and naked shall I return A Change then shall come which of the wicked is to be feared of the godly to be desired and of all people to be daily and hourly expected Remember them that have been before you and that shall come after you that this is the Judgment of the Lord over all Flesh to taste of Death All Men shall once die for as much as all have sinned and been disobedient unto the Laws of God This Death of the Body is not a dying but a departing a transmigration and Exodus of our Earthly Pilgrimage unto our Heavenly Home yea a passage from the Valley of Death unto the Land of the Living Although our Souls and Bodies are separated for a while yet shall they meet again in the receptacle of Blessed Saints and Angels with much joy and receive an incorruptible Crown The Body is a Prison to the Soul and Death a Goal-delivery that frees the poor harmless Soul of those Grievances which formerly it did endure Length of days is nothing unto us but much grief and Age the duance of long Imprisonment wherefore if that you would but seriously consider this you might find Death to be rather a Friend than an Enemy and by consequence rather to be desited than shun'd as Simeon did as it is evident Luke 2. 29. saying Now Lord lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy Word which by some is used thus Now Lord I hope that thou wilt suffer me to depart in peace and keep my poor Immortal Soul no longer within the small circumference of this Mortal Body The Thief upon the Cross laid down his Life most joyfully because he saw Christ and did stedfastly believe that he should pass from a place of pain and misery unto a Paradise of Pleasure and so did St. Stephen Acts 7. 56. The Royal Preacher King Solomon lest that his Son should be deprived of such Happiness doth by an Emphatical Irony disswade his Son from those youthful Lusts and sensual Pleasures whereunto he feared that he should naturally be addicted and that by the consideration of that dreadful account he was to give unto God at the great and terrible day of the Lord desiring him most earnestly not to let his House stand out of order but ever to remember his Creator in the days of his youth for old Age will come saith he and then thou shalt not be so fit by reason of much weakness and infirmities Or else Death may seize upon thee For Dust shall return unto the Earth as it was and the Spirit shall return unto God who gave it Eccles. 12. 7. In a moment yea at the twinkling of an Eye when once this Tyrant Death comes it will sweep us all away It is the Custom among us here to let Leases one two or three Lives but God lets none for more than one and this once expired there is no hopes of getting the Lease renewed he suffers Man sometimes to dwell in his Tenement threescore Years and ten Psal. 90. 10. Sometimes to fourscore but secures none far from home and that for several Reasons First to bridle our curiosity left that we should search after things too high for quae supranos nihil ad nos those things that are above us are nothing to us Secondly to try out patience whether that we will put our whole trust and confidence in him although we know not the time of our departure and dissolution and then thirdly to keep us in continual watchfulness for if that we should know when Death would come with a Habeas Corpus to remove us it would make many more careless than they are though indeed the best of us are careless enough Here Men do know the date of their Leases and the expiration of the Years but Man is meerly a Tenant at will is put out of Possession at less than an Hours warning Wherefore now while it is said to day set your Houses in order seeing that you must die and not live It is not sufficient at the last Hour of Death to say Lord have mercy on me or Lord into thy hands I commend my Soul But even in all our Life-time yea and especially in our youth we must strive ever to set our Houses in order for we shall die and not live Samson was very strong Solomon very wise and Methusalem lived many years yet at last they with many more were brought to Mother Earth If it seem pleasant unto you at the present to let your rotten and ruinous Houses stand out of order yet with all remember what the Prophet saith The day of Destruction is at hand and the times of perdition make haste to come on Art thou a young Man in the April of thine Age and hast thou thy Breasts full of Milk and doth thy Bones run full of Marrow as Job speaks and thereupon dost
the Devil and so judge your selves that you be not judged of the Lord. In a word that you may escape all those torments which by reason of sin are incident both to Body and Soul seeing the night is far sâ—…ent and the day is at hand while you have time set you Houses in order for you shall die and not live THE EJACULATION GOod Lord let us be always setting our Houses in order that we may be really willing and truly fit to die when Death shall seize us Let us be always a preparing for our last Change for it is the living only who are in a capacity to praise Thee The Grave into which we are all going is a place of silence where there is no praying to Thee nor praising of Thee neither are any that go-down thither capable of securing their eternal well-fare in the Grave there is no Preaching nor hearing there we shall be altogether insensible of the actings of God and be altogether uncapable of acting any thing for God Oh! that we therefore who are within a few steps of our long and last home might seriously consider what a vain thing it is to dream that we shall ever enjoy our worldly Relatives or that we shall ever possess our worldly accommodations What need have we then to be setting our Houses in order for 't is certain we shall once die and how soon we know not Oh then let your Thoughts Words and Actions be such as may best become dying persons seeing all that would dye comfortable must set their Houses in order beâ—…re they depart Look on every day as your last SERMON IX JAM 4. 14. What is your Life It is even a Vapour that appeareth for a little time and ufterward vanisheth away THere is nothing that doth evidently set before Mens Eyes the Deceits of the World and the vanity of things present as doth the due consideration of the uncertainty shortness and frailty of Man's Life for all humane Pride and the whole glory and pomp of the World having Man's Life for a stay and foundation can certainly no longer endure the same Life abideth so that Riches Dignities Honours and such like howbeit a Man may enjoy them for a small space on Earth yet do they never continue longer with him than unto the Grave The consideration whereof together with this present occasion offered have caused me amongst all other places of Holy Scripture to make choice of these words which I have now read unto you in which as in a most bright shining Glass we may behold both the frail Constitution of Man's Nature as also the short continuance of his Life here on Earth it being but a Vapour and What is your Life This whole Chapter containeth four Dehortations the first is from Lust unto the fifth Verse the second from Pride to the Tenth the third from speaking evil of our Neighbour to the Thirteenth the last from Presumption of words to the end of the Chapter to disswade from which sin he useth two arguments especially the first is drawn Ab incertitudine rerum from the uncertainty of things and that 's contained in the words immediately going before my Text the second is drawn á Vanitate Vitae from the vanity of Man's Life and that 's set down in the words of my Text. Which words contain two general parts a Question and an Answer What is your Life There 's the Question the Answer followeth in the next It is even a Vapour c. First of the Question What is your Life Wherein observe that Life is twofold for there is a Created Life and there is an Increated Life the laâ—…ter is only to be found in God the former is a quality in the Creature whereby it liveth and moveth and acteth it self Now Created Life is twofold Spiritual and Natural Again Spiritual Life is twofold sometimes it is taken for the Life of Grace which God's Children only do enjoy in the Spiritual Kingdom of Christ in this World which by way of excellency is called the Life of God not so much for that it is from God as also all other kinds of Life are as because God liveth in them that are his and approveth this Life in them And it is called for the same respect the Life of Christ because Christ liveth in his through a super-natural Faith and Spirit and they live unto God and conform their Life unto his Will And it is called a new Life a Christian Life and a renewing of the Mind Will and Affections This Life is opposed to Death in Sin and to the old Man Sometimes it is taken for the Life of Glory whereby the Soul being jopned again to her Body shall lead a Life which the Apostle calleth Spiritual not in respect of the Substance but of the qualities 1 Cor. 15. 44. whereby the Faithful shall live for ever and it is laid up in Christ and the end of the World shall be disclosed and which is opposed to the second Death and it is called Eternal Life Thus much of the Spiritual Life Now the Natural Life also is twofold for either it may be taken generally for the Life of all Creatures whereby they live move and have their being or more particularly for the Life of Man which natural Life in Man is the act and vigour of the Soul arising from the conjunction of the Body with the Soul this Life is given by God continued by Meats and Drinks and other necessary helps and ended by Death this is the Life properly meant in this place It is even a Vapour c. A Vapour according to the Philisophers is a thin fume extracted out of the Earth by the Sun in the night time but in the morning or afore it is scattered with the Wind or dispelled with the Sun or else if the Sun do not appear in his Brightness it falleth away of it self to the Earth from whence it came or was drawn by the heat of the Sun Such as is the nature of a Vapour even such is the Life of Man for he is extracted out of the Earth by the Sun of Righteousness and he either perisheth before he seeth the Sun or else in the Morning of his Youth or if he escape the mid and noontide of his growth yet at the last he falleth away by Age to the Earth from whence he was taken The Text thus explained we may observe these Points of Doctrine for our Instruction The first is the Frailty of our Constitution in these words It is even a Vapour Secondly the Shortness of our continuance Which appeareth for a little time Thirdly The vanity or nullity of our Life after Death in these words And afterward vanisheth away First Of the Frailty of our Constitution the Apostle doth not compare the Life of Man to Silver or Gold or Iron or Brass which are durable Substances or some Body that is Corpus perfecte mixtum that is perfectly mixed or compounded of the four Elements but to
a Vapour that is Corpus imperfecte mixtum that is such a Body that is imperfectly mixed and that for two Reasons First because it hath not perfectum Miscibilium numerum that is all the Elements in it then also because it hath not perfectum Mixtionis modum the true manner of a mixt Body and therefore it vanisheth away into Air either per attenuationem by rarefaction and attenuation as the Philosopher speaketh aut per condensationem when it returneth to the Earth from whence it came And well might this our Apostle compare the Life of Man to such an Imperfect Body as a Vapour is For first if we consider our Birth we are brought forth in the danger of our selves and them that bear us Our Feet are not our own neither are they able to carry the bulk and trunk of our Body our Tongues are not our own our Hands are not our own but we lye bound and wrapped for many Months together we Live and yet we seem not to breathe in our Youth we are liable to many Diseases If it be true that the Physicians say our Eyes are subject to an hundred Perils how much more is the whole Body Some cry My Head My Head as the Shunamites Child some are troubled with lame Legs as Mephibosheth some with Gouty Feet as Asa some are pained in the Belly as Jeremy This is that miserable Frailty which the Prophet Isaiah signifieth in these words Almighty God said unto his Prophet Cry and the Prophet answered What shall I cry God said unto him All Flesh is Grass and all the glory thereof like the Flower of the Field the Grass withereth the Flower fadeth away but the Word of the Lord continueth for ever Upon these words St. Ambrose saith thus Truely it is even so for the glory of Man flourisheth in the Flesh like unto Grass which although it seem to be great it is in very deed but little it buddeth like a Flower and fadeth like Grass so that it hath no more but a certain flourishing in appearance and no firmness and stability in the Fruit. For what firmness can there be in the matter of Flesh Or what good things of any long continuance are to be found in so weak a Subject To day thou maist see a young Man in the flourishing time of his Age with great Strength Lusty and jetting up and down in the Streets in great Bravery with a jolly lofty Countenance and if it so fall out that this very next Night he be taken with some Disease thou shalt see him the next day with a Face so far altered and changed that whereas before he seemed very amiable and beautiful he shall now seem ill-favoured miserable and loathsom to behold nay Mans Fading away is such and so sudden oftentimes that there can be no reason given of his Death for many have gone to Bed well in the Even that in the Morning have bee found dead in their Beds and many suddenly have dropped down in the Highways and Streets as they have walked about their Affairs And this is no wonder if we consider the Substance of Mans Body which being a Building compact of green Clay is easily overthrown with a small puff of Wind. This being then the frailty of our Constitution the consideration thereof should be used to put away and abandon our natural Pride and make us humble our selves under the Hand of God An Example hereof we have in Abraham who said Gen. 18. 27. Behold I have begun to speak to my Lord who am but Dust and Ashes Mark here how the consideration of his frail condition made him to abase and cast down himself in the sight of God In like manner if we could but consider how Frail we are it would straightway pull down our Peacocks Feathers and make us with Job to abhor our selves in Dust and Ashes Secondly The next Point I am to treat of is the shortness of our continuance intimated iâ—… these words Which appeareth for a little time c. Man that is Born of a Woman saith Job is of shoâ—…t continuance and full of Miseries he shâ—…teth forth as a Flower and is cut down he vanisheth also as a Shadow and continueth not Job 14. 〈◊〉 2. In which words in that Job compared Man to a Shadow and a Flower he notably setteth forth the short continuance of Mans Life a Shadow we see if the Sun be never so little overclouded it vanisheth away and a Flower we know is a comely and beautiful thing yet for all that there is nothing found more fading and vanishing even so Man duâ—…ing the time of his Childhood and flourishing Youth seemeth to be of a wonderful Comeliness but his Beauty is of small Price because it is more brittle than Glass seeing that Man carrieth always the Cause of Death in his Veins and Bowels We see at this day what a great matter it is for one to live Threescore and Ten or Fourscore years and this is commonly the ordinary Race of Mans Life insomuch as when they live so long they account themselves not to be evil dealt withal as the Prophet signifieth when he saith The days of Man are at the uttermost but Threescore and Ten Years and if the Strongest do reach to Fourscore what followeth is but labour and grief Now if we should deduct those years which Infancy and Childhood spendeth if also we should take away that time which passeth away when we sleep it would be a small number of Years that would remain which remnant if we should compare with the Life to come it would seem but as a drop of Water compared with the whole Sea so short is his Fading Life in regard of that which lasteth always Neither is our Life so short only but as it is short so is it uncertain how long it shall continue for though there is nothing more certain than Death yet is there nothing more uncertain than the hour of Death and therefore a certain Philosopher compared the Lives of Men to Bubbles that are made in Water pits when it raineth of the which some do vanish away suddenly even at their very rising others do endure a little longer and out of hand are decayed others do continue somewhat more and others less So that although they do all endure but some little time yet in that little there is great variety This being then the shortness and uncertainty of our Lives it should teach us so much the rather to embrace our Saviours Counsel in the Thirteenth of St. Mark 's Gospel Watch because ye know not the day nor the hour The which is as much as if he had more plainly said Because ye know not that Hour watch every hour and because ye know not that day watch every day and because ye know not the Month and the Year watch therefore every Month and Year And to make this matter more plain by a Similitude If thou shouldest be invited to a Feast and being set at
I burn for the sake of Christ. Oecolampadius lying upon his Death Bed and a certain Friend coming to him Oecolampadius asked him what news unto whom his Friend answered I know none but says he I can tell you some good news nam ego subito cum Christo regnabor I shall suddainly be with Christ upon his Throne Melanchton a little before his Death he would often say capio ex hac vita migrare propter duas causas primum ut frurar desiderato conspectu filii Dei deinde ut liberer ab immunibus Theologerum odiis I desire to die to injoy a sight of Jesus Christ c. But what need I tell you of the resolute and undaunted Carriage of Christians in former ages we need look no further than upon the carriage of Christians in latter Ages Casper Obevian the famous Lawyer lying upon his Death Bed he would often say O Lord let not my journey be long deferred ere I be with thee I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ he had rather depart this Life and take but one Feast in Glory than take many fees and still live in this miserable World Strigelius the learned Suetzer falling sick he would often say Seperare se finem vitae suae ad esse He hoped this Sinful Life was now at an end that he might injoy God perfectly Grinaus the learned Helvetian died with these words in his mouth O praeclarum illum diem cum ad illud animarum concilium Caelumque profiscar Oh fairest day when I shall make a journey to Heaven that convocation of Souls should I but relate the dying Speeches of Mr. Rollock the learned and devout Scotch-man they would melt any Heart that shall hear them he breathed out these words with his Life I Bless God says he I have all perfect Sences but my Heart is in Heaven And Lord Jesus why shouldst thou not have it it hath been my Care all my Life time to devout it unto thee I pray thee therefore take it that it may live with thee for ever Come Lord Jesus put an end to this sinful miserable life haste Lord tarry not come Lord Jesus and give me that life for which thou hast redeemed me Nay further that I might Christians leave your Spirits in this sweet temper of contemning Death and desiring to be with Christ in Glory where I should much rejoice and indeed earnestly pray that I might meet you all I shall yet mind you of some remarkable instances in this kind even in our own Nation Mr. Cooper that famous Champion for the Truth when he was brought to be burnt at the Stake in Queen Mary's days and there having a box set before him with a pardon in it as soon as he perceived so much he cried out If you love my Soul away with it if you love my Soul away with it Dr. Taylor when he was brought to Hadly in Suffolk to suffer Martyrdom for his Profession of Christ the History says he was as merry in his going from London as though he had been a going to some Banquet or Bridal And when he was brought unto the place of Execution he kissed the Stake uttering these Words Now I am even at home Lord Jesus receive my Soul into thy Hands Before Mr. Bradford was Martyr'd his dear Wife came running into his Chamber and said Mr. Bradford I bring you heavy news for to morrow you must be burned your Chain it is now a buying but when Mr. Bradford had heard these Words he lifted up his Eyes to Heaven and said I thank God for it I have looked for this a long time this news comes not to me suddainly but as a thing that I waited for every day and hour the Lord make me worthy of it And when he was brought into Smithfield to be burnt where there was another young Man to suffer with him he turned himself to the young Man and said Be of good Comfort Brother for we shall have a merry Supper with the Lord Jesus Christ this Night Bishop Jewell lying upon his Death-bed he would often say Now Lord let thy Servant depart in Peace break off all delays Let me this day quickly see the Lord Jesus And observe further one standing by him and praying with Tears that the Lord would be pleased to restore this Godly Bishop unto his former Health he over-hearing of him seemed to be very much offended and replied thus I have not lived so that I am ashamed to live any longer neither do I fear to Die because I have a merciful Father And now truly Friends out of the tender Affection which I bear unto all your Souls I could heartily wish that this might be the dying Language of you all that you might every one be able to say from a good and clear Conscience at last I have not lived not so that I am ashamed to live longer neither do I fear to die because I have a merciful Father And further I do protest in the presence of God with Saint Paul in the 4th to the Phillip at the first Verse That it is my greatest joy and richest Crown if that ever since I came among you I have spoken any thing leading to mutual Love and Peace And if all my pains and endeavours among you in much weakness have taken any effect upon any of your Spirits to win you unto a love of Christ that so you may be holy here and happy hereafter I shall sincerely rejoice But I shall say no more at this time but only conclude with the words of Saint Paul Phill. 4. I pray mark the words for they will be the last I shall speak among you Verse 1. My Brethren dearly beloved and longed for my joy and crown so stand fast in the Lord my dearly beloved Verse 4. Rejoice in the Lord alway and again I sâ—… Rejoice Verse 5. Let your moderation be known unto all men The Lord is at hand Verse 6. Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God Verse 7. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus Verse 8. Finally Brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any Virtue and if there be any praise think on these things Verse 9. Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do so I have received them from Christ those things do and follow And the God of Peace shall be with you THE EJACULATION GOOD Lord let our Souls be filled with breathings and pantings after Grace and Glory Let us be ever willing with St. Paul to depart and to be with Christ. Let us dayly look and long to be in Heaven where we shall sit down in the same Throne with our
suffering Christ than he who begins to hate those things for which Christ suffered Sect. 24. The Sick man's Bed THE Sick-mans Bed burns though upon Sardanapalus's Down or the Roses of Smyndyrides is may be soft Smyndirides a young man famous for his Effeminacy finding that the tender Feathers hurt his Skin would needs try whether he could lie any softer upon a Bed of Roses and yet that fragrant and soft Lodging was too hard for his delicate and tender Sides because the Feathers had wheal'd his Skin the Night before A Sick-man though he lay upon Hare's-wool or Partridge Feathers would think he lay hard But he is to be pardon'd his Pains cause him to complain But we can shew you Beds much more uneasie Laurence the Martyr had a beginning Gridiron for his Bed After him Vincentius the Martyr and many others This was a hard and uneasie Bed indeed yet Love made it soft and easie The Persians formerly inflicted a most severe Punishment upon the Persians which was called Scaphismus for the Christian that was to be tormented was layd upon his Back between two hollow pieces of Wood with his Head Hands and Feet out For his Food he had Honey and Milk poured into his Mouth against his will Thus in the Day-time he was exposed to the heat of the Sun with his Eye-lids distended upward and downward His Head Hands and Feet were also at the same time anointed with Honey which brought infinite swarms of Flies and Wasps to feed upon his bare Flesh so that the Corruption extending to the enclosed parts engendred Worms which together with the Flies and Wasps made a tedious Banquet upon his miserable Carcase And this Torment was the Martyr forced to endure sometimes fifteen sometimes seventeen and sometimes more Days together Consider this Bed O Sick man this miserable and tormenting Lodging of a suffering Martyr How gentle are thy Pains to his How soft is thy Bed to this How is thy Disease a matter of nothing to these Torments Be silent therefore and preserve thy Patience He that is a Companion of the Cross shall be a Companion of Paradise It was an excellent Saying of the blessed Salvianus To me it seems to be a kind of health for a man to be only sometimes in health Sect. 25. The Garden of Christ is the delight of a Sick-man WHen Jesus had spoken these words he went forth with his Disciples over the Brook Kedron where was a Garden into which he entred and his Disciples John 18. v. 1. Enter this Garden O Sick-man all the Saints invite thee Here shalt thou hear things to be admir'd and see things more wonderful In this Garden Joy it self began to grow sad My Soul is exceeding heavy even to death tarry ye here and watch I beseech thee let these words concern thee O sick Man Tarry here a while and watch with thy Lord. The Spirit is ready but the Flesh is frail O Father if thou wilt remove this Cup from me nevertheless not my will but thine be done Yet the third time he reiterates this Prayer Father if this Cup cannot pass from me unless I drink it thy will be done In these streights O Christ there is no Man living that can mitigate the least of thy pains None that can supply thy place that can give the least word of Consolation to thy Sorrows Thy chiefest Friends forsake thy Disciples more forward in their Tongues than Hearts renounce thee a little before prepar'd to be bound and die with thee anon seeking which way to save themselves by flight Only thou alone O Christ watchest prayest thou dost both labour and sweat O happy Garden be purpled by thy Lord and studded as it were with the starry drops of his Blood Thou heardst those groans and sobs those sighs intermix'd with Tears those Prayers interrupted with deadly Moans privy to the Sorrows that overwhelmed Christ to the Sleep that seized his Disciples Others talk of the Gardens of Adonis and Alcinous they were Trifles wild Fields overgrown with Brambles compared to thee The Elysian Fields are nothing in respect of thy Dignity Nor should I err to say thou wert a Paradise more happy than the first O happy Earth that drankest the Blood of thy Lord on which before ne're fell so precious a Dew But Oh Earth didst not thou blush to be prest with so Sacred a weight to be sprinkled with so noble a Liquor Yes certainly thou didst begin to blush be-scarleted with that most precious Vermillion when the new Gardener had watered thee with his Distilling Purple From this Gardener let the sick Man learn to pray In this Garden to gather Posies is to join together several Acts of Patience Sect. 26. Christ's Bed among the Olives THere is no more effectual Comfort to a sick Man than that Bed of Christ in the Shades of Olivet But Oh! 't is very hard and full of pain Behold and attend No sooner was Christ entered into the Garden but he began to fear look pale be troubled groan display his sadness confess his heaviness betray his Anguish in his Countenance to desire Companions in his watching and his prayers often to go and return to and fro from his Company yet no comfort or quiet could he find And then behold again how he falls upon his Knees how he intreats the wrathful Father how he interrupts his words with sighs and begs that the Cup may be removed yet not desiring his own but the will of the Father to be done How he wiped off the trickling Sweat from his bloody Cheeks In this Fatal Bed of Earth O Spectacle to be bewailed of Men Even to be lamented by the Angels themselves And his Sweat was like drops of Blood trickling down to the ground Thus Christ wept and lamented with his whole Body the Tears and those bloody ones burst forth every where Such haste did the Divine Love make to our Salvation that by Bands seemed to him to be delayed the Scourge and Pillâ—…r to be tardy and the Thorns and Nails to tarry too long the very Cross it self seemed to be deferred So God loved the World O immense Love for the fulfilling whereof one Death was not enough which before Death caused Life it self to die so that the most Loving Jesus was constrained to perish Limb by Limb to consume Drop by Drop and by the slow distilling of his Blood to breath out his Soul several ways And yet he loved more than he suffered and more he desired to endure than Humane Nature was able to bear Death seemed to him the slightest of his Punishments nor was it enough for him to die once in Golgotha unless he had died before in Gethseman It had been a small thing for him to have expired between Thieves had he not reaked before with bloody Sweat to shew how he had been Scourged O Christ As yet the Roman Executioner does not appear the hooked Wyre does not yet tear thy Flesh. The great Nails are
between David shew'd his fear of Death when he cry'd out Lord take me not away in the midst of my Age. Neither was Abraham Jacob nor Elias free from that fear though it were but moderate Arsenius a Man of a Hundred and Twenty years of Age after he had served God Five and Fifty years being ready to depart the World began to be afraid and to shed Tears which his Friends admiring And dost thou Father cry'd they fear death To whom he Verily said he ever since I have taken upon me Religious Orders I have always been afraid of this Hour To which purpose Seneca spake very perspicuously Therefore saith he the stoutest Man while he is putting on his Arms looks pale and the fiercest Souldiers knees tremble a little at first Charles the Fifth in all Warlike Expeditions most Couragious in all Dangers most undaunted yet when he put on his Armour before a Battel was always wont to look pale and quiver for fear but after his Arms were on like an Armed Giant breathing nothing but a Lion-like Valour like an Iron Giant he flew upon the Enemy Thus the best of Men desires and fears Death But it is better to die with Catâ—… than to live with Antony He overcomes death who dextrously suffers himself to be overcome by Death Sect. 5. An Ill Death follows an Ill Life AS the Tree when it is cut falls which way it bends So which way we bend when we live that way we fall when we die It would be a strange thing that a commendable death should conclude an ill-spent Life A Courtier of King Kenred who studied more to please his Lord than his Saviour Christ when he came to die he did not so much seem to neglect as to delay the care of his Soul But at length seeing the Devils triumphing about him with a List of his wicked Actions in despair he expir'd When the Impious Chrysaurius desir'd respite respite but till Morning he expir'd with a denial Thus Jezabel and Athaliah thus Benhadad and Belshazzar thus Antiochus and thousands of others as they liv'd so they ended their days Sect. 6. A good Death follows a good Life MOST truly said St. Austin That is not to be thought an ill death which St. Ambrose gives us this Rule A sincere fidelity and a discerning foresight Or Charity with Prudence and Prudence with Charity Thirdly Sole care of Salvation This is the one thing necessary St. Austin ten days before he died admitted no body to see him but the Physician and the person that brought him sustenance and that at set Hours All the while employing himself in Prayers Groans and Tears leaving this Rule behind him That no Man ought to depart hence without a worthy and competent Repentance Fourthly To Receive the Sacrament In this Affair delay is always dangerous Fifthly An Entire Resignation of thy self to the Divine Will All Men perhaps cannot shew an undaunted Spirit but all Men can shew a willing Mind Therefore let the sick Patient often repeat those words of the Lord Christ Even so O Father for so was it thy good pleasure He cannot well miscarry that so effectually reconciles himself to his Judge Sect. 7. How to recover Time lost WHoever he be that desires to recover his lost time let him remove himself from all time and place and betake himself to that Now of Eternity where God lives In God all things lost are to be found Let Man plunge himself into God in this manner Most Eternal God O that I had liv'd as purely as obediently as holily from the beginning to the end of the World as all those Men did who best pleas'd thee in the practice of all manner of Vertues in continual Miseries and Afflictions Oh that I might be able to bear thee that Love wherewith all the Blessed and all thy Holy Angels bear thee For all that I can do and more is due to thy Mercy and Love But now O Lord have Mercy upon me according to thy Knowledge and thy good Pleasure He recovers his lost Hours who sincerely grieves for having lost them Sect. 8. A short Life how to be prolong'd A Man of an upright Mind is to live not as long as is convenient but as long as it behoves him Wisdom cries out though he was soon dead yet fulfilled he much time For how has he not fulfill'd all times who passes to Eternity For as much time as he has spent not in Series of Years or Number of Days but in Devotion and an unquenchable desire of profiting in Piety so much does he deservedly claim of true Life For he retains in Vertue what he lost in time And therefore an unwearied study of profiting and a continual going forward to perfection is reputed for perfection Sect. 9. There is an End of all Things but of Eternity 'T IS the Sence of St. Gregory all the length of the time of this present Life is known to be a point and has its end Which the same Gregory confirming 'T is but little all that has an end For whatever tends to a Non-Entity by the course of time ought not to seem long to us Those very moments that seem to delay it drive it on St. Austin is more plain All this time saith he I do not mean from to day till the end of the World but from Adam to the end of the World is but a drop compar'd to Eternity All things else have an end but Eternity has none There is nothing in the World but has an end Banquets Balls Pleasure Laughter have all an end but Eternity has none Wherefore then do we set our Minds upon vain things Nothing but what is durable will delight a great Mind Whatever had a beginning shall have an end only Eternity has no end Why boasts the fond vain-glorious World Whose Joys are transitory Like to the Potters brittle Ware Is all her Pomp and Glory Ah! where is Solomon the Wise Or Sampson strong in Fight Where is the lovely Absalom Or David's dear Delight What is beceme of Caesar now VVith all his Trophies around VVhere 's Aristole Tully where In Learning so profound So many Men of Might and Fame VVith all their Honour won In the short twinkling of an Eye Are vanish'd all and gon The fleeting Banquet of our Joys Swift as our shadows run In the short twinkling of an Eye Thâ—… are vanish'd all and gone Sect. 10. The Consideration of a Dying Man SAith the Master of Patience Job The waters pierce through the very stones by little and little and the Floods wash away the Gravel and Earth so shalt thou destroy the hope of Man Thou prevailest still against him so that he passes away Thou changest his Countenance and puttest him from thee Job c. 14. v. 19 20. How few Ceremonies God uses when he would send a Man out of this into another World He changes his Countenance and commands him to be gon VVhen death is at hand the whole Face is
about her Neck but fourteen days before she died the Marjoram-Tree dried up the Birds the next Night were all found dead and after that the Chain broke in two in the middle Then Barbara calling for the Abbess told her that all those Warnings were for her and in a few days after died in the Seventeenth Year of her Age After her death above twenty other Virgins died out of the same Nunnery Several other Presages there are that foretold the death of Princes and great Men As the unwonted Howlings of Dogs the unseasonable noise of Bells the Roaring of Lions c. Therefore said Pliny The Signs of Death are innumerable and that there are none or very few Signs of Safety or Security What do all these things Admonish us but only this Remember O man that thou art a man think upon Eternity to which thou art hastening Go to prepare thy self thou art called to that Tribunal of God as thou didst live shalt thou be judged Sect. 20. What Answer is to be given to the Messenger of Death SAint Ambrose having received the News of his Death when his Friends bewailed him and begg'd of God to grant him a longer space of Life I have not lived as to be ashamed to lieve among you neither do I fear to die because we have a gracious God Saint Austin nothing troubled at the News of his Death He never shall be great saith he who thinks it strange that Stones and Wood fall and that Mortals die Saint Chrysostom a little before his Death in Exile wrote to Innocentius We have been these three Years in Banishment exposed to Pestilence Famine continual Incursions unspeakable Solitude and continual Death But when he was ready to give up the ghost He cryed out aloud Glory be to thee O God for all things Let a dying Christian imitate these most holy Persons and repeat these Sayings often to himself Thanks be to God Glory be to thee O God for all things I have watcht long enough among thorns labour'd long enough in Storms Now because I see the end of my Watching and my Labour Thanks be to God Glory be to God for all things For Life is tedious Death a certain gain Sect. 21. Death is better than a sorrowful Life IT is better once to Die than to be always Dying We daily Die we have lost our Childhood our Youth is gone All our Time even to Yesterday is slid away These things Gregory Nazianzene comprehending in a few words There is no good among men with which there is not something of evil mixt Riches are a Snare Poverty a Fetter Honour a meer Dream Empire dangerous Subjection troublesom Youth is the Summer of Life Grey-hairs the Sun-set of Life Matrimony a Bond Children the growing Crop of Care Fulness breeds Petulance Want begets Impatience Whatever we behold in this World is like the World in a perpetual motion Whatever seemed stable is now doubtful contending with the perpetual volubility of Day-night Labours Diseases Sorrows Pleasures and Calamities Death is most certain Elegantly St. Austin Death saith he is only certain all things else uncertain A Child once Conceived perhaps is born perhaps not but perishes in Abortion If he be born perhaps he grows up perhaps not perhaps he grows old perhaps not Peradventure he shall be Rich peradventure Poor perhaps he shall attain to Honour peradventure live Contemned perhaps he shall have Children it may be not perhaps he shall die in his Bed it may be slain in the Field But who can say perhaps he shall die perhaps not The first Book of Maccabees thus describes the Death of Alexander Then he fell sick and when he perceived that he should die Alexander had wished for several Worlds in hopes of Victory and thought with himself that he had performed Atchievements that deserved Eternal Annals Nevertheless after so many and such great Victories overcome at length he fell not only into his Bed but into his Tomb contented with a small Coffin Peter Alfonsus reports That several Philosophers flockt together and variously descanted upon the King's Death One there was that said Behold now four Yards of Ground is enough for him whom the spacious Earth could not comprehend before Another added Yesterday could Alexander save whom he pleas'd from Death to Day he cannot free himself Another viewing the Golden Coffin of the Deceased Yesterday said he Alexander heaped up a Treasure of Gold now Gold makes a Treasure of Alexander This was their Learned Contention yet all ended in this Then he fell sick and died Thus forgetful of our selves what Mountains do we raise to our selves in Thought We revolve in our Minds Immortal I wish they were Heavenly Things whilst Death surprizes us in the midst of our vast Undertakings and that which we call Old Age is but the Circuit of a few Years Wherefore do we trust to Death Behold through what slight Occasions we lose our Lives Our Food our Moisture our Watchings our Sleep are unwholesome to us without their due measure A small hurt of a Toe a light pain of the Ear a Worm in the Tooth make way for Death The little Body of Man is weak frail subject to Diseases this Air these Winds those Waters offend him Therefore let us believe the Son of Syras Death is better than a bitter Life and Eternal Rest better than continual Sickness So that it is much better to be an Inhabitant on Earth than a Pilgrim in Heaven Sect. 22. The Happiness of Death BLessed are the dead that die in the Lord even so saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works follow them To die in the Lord is the same thing as to die a Servant of the Lord as the Scripture speaks concerning Moses Moses my Servant is dead As if God had said saith Cajetan Though he were once a Sinner and was not then my Servant nevertheless he died my Servant He so died that whatever he was or whatever he did was mine for a Servant wholly belongs to the Master And let such a Servant of the Lord sing that Song of Simeon at his death Lord now let thy Servant depart in peace according to thy word Altogether in peace and that Eternal in the beginning whereof all the Warfare of good men is at an end never more to be rekindl'd For such Servants of God die in the Lord who dying rest in the Bosom of God and so resting sweetly sleep in death Thus Stephen among so many Showers of Stones in such in the midst of the Tumult and Dinn of the Enraged Multitude slept in the Lord. Thus Moses the Servant of the Lord died by the command of God Thrice happy and blessed are such that never more shall be miserable The death of the Just saith St. Bernard is good because of its Rest better because of its Novelty best of all by reason of its Security Blessed and again thrice blessed are such for their Works follow them They
whom I am chief 1 Tim. 1. 15 But he that shall endure to the end the same shall be saved Mat. 24. 13. Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Rev. 2. 10. These Fountains refresh and cool the hot Baths of death he shall happily swim therein who plunges himself over Head and Ears in these Rivolets Sect. 39. The Sighs and Prayers to God proper for a Dying Person ENlighten my Eyes O most merciful Jesu that I sleep not in death Left my Enemies say I have prevailed against him Psal. 13. 3 c. Lord Jesu Christ Son of the Living God Lay thy Passion Cross and Death between thy Judgment and my Soul O Lord Jesu Christ remember not our old Sins but have mercy upon us and that soon for we are come to great misery Psal. 79. 8. Sweet Lord Jesu Christ for thy glories sake and for the Effectual Vertues sake of thy Sufferings cause me to be written down among the number of thy Elect. Enter not into judgment with thy Servant O Lord for there is no Man righteous in thy sight I worship thee O Christ I bless thee because thou hast redeemed the World by thy Sufferings Saviour of the World save me who by thy Cross and Blood hast redeemed me O most merciful Jesu I beseech thee that with thy precious Blood which thou didst shed for Sinners that thou wouldst wash away all my iniquities O Blood of Christ purifie me let the Body of Christ save me let the Water from Christs side wash me let the Passion of Christ comfort me O kind Jesu hear me hide me between thy Wounds Permit me not O merciful Jesu to be separated from thee in this my Hour of death call me command me to come to thee that I together with thy Saints may praise thee to all Eternity Cast me not from thy Countenance nor take thy Holy Spirit from me Sect. 40. At the Moment of Death NOW Lord according to thy good pleasure deal mercifully by me and command my Spirit to be received in peace Sound into the Ears of my Mind those sweet words this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Now let thy Servant depart in peace because mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation O Jesu Jesu Jesu permit me to enter into the number of thy Elect. O Jesu Son of David have mercy upon me O Lord Jesu make haste to help me O Lord Jesu receive my Soul Sect. 41. The true Confidence of a Dying Person in God HEre I confidently aver with St. Bernard Let another pretend to Merit let him boast of enduring the heat and burthen of the day my desire is to adhere to God and to put my hope in the Lord. And though I am conscious to my self that such was the naughtiness of my pass'd Life that I deserve to be forsaken of God yet will I not cease to relye upon his Immense Goodness and to hope that as hitherto his most Holy Grace has afforded me strength to endure all things so the same will still uphold me and enable me to finish my course Therefore this one thing I beg of thee O God that thou wilt never suffer me to distrust of thy Goodness though I know my self to be weak and miserable Yea though I should perceive my self in that Terror and Consternation ready to fail like St. Peter upon one blast of Wind let me remember him let me call upon Christ Lord make me whole Then O then shalt thou stretch forâ—…h thy Hand and save me from sinking But if thou sufferest me to go farther yet with Peter to run headlong into denial then such is my hope that thou wâ—…t look upon me with an Eye of Mercy and Compastion as thou lookest upon Peter and grant me a now Confirmation of Eternity This I am certain of that unless the fault be mine the Lord will not forsake me I acknowledge that saying of St. Austin God may save some without good works because he is Good but he condemns none but for their evil works because he is Just. And therefore I commit my self to him with a full hope and confidence in him If he suffer me to perish for my Sins yet his Justice shall be magnified in me Yet I hope and most certainly hope that his most merciful Goodness will most faithfully preserve my Soul so that his Mercy rather than his Justice shall be praised in me Nothing can happen to me against the will of God Whatever he pleases to whom ever it seem ill is still the best to me VVhatever pleases thee that will I that will I O God Sect. 42. The Last Words of Dying Persons AUgustus the Emperor dy'd with these words in his Mouth Live mindful of our Nuptial Knot and so farewel How much more holily would these Christians do that direct their last words to the Beginning and Creator of all things Dyonisius the Areopagite being condemned to lose his Head with a Christian Generosity contemning the Reproaches of the Spectators Let the last words of my Lord upon the Cross said he be mine in this World Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit Basil the Great lying at the last period of Life after he had piously instructed his own Friends breathed out his Soul with these last words Lord into thy Hands I commend my Spirit St. Bernard upon his Death-bed Oh Christian said he despair not of this Infirmity Christ has taught thee what thou oughtest to say in all the dangers of death whom to fly to whom to invoke in whom to hope Therefore do thou so behave thy self that at the hour of death thou maist be able to say In thee Lord have I trusted let me not be confounded to Eternity Therefore let the last words of a dying Person be directed to God All his Prayers Wishes Desires and last Hopes must ever tend to him Let the dying Person say from the bottom of his Heart To thee Lord I turn my face to thee I direct my Eyes Sect. 46. Let the dying Person imitate the Penitent Thief in Golgotha LOrd remenber me when thou comest into thy Kingdom Happy Thief who in the School of Christ had learnt more in three Hours than the Unhappy Iscariot in three years Lord God! How great is the Abyss of thy Judgments Thy Friends and Kindred are silent thy Disciples forsake thee the Angels appear not Where are those thousands fed by this Crucified Lord Who of all that multitude speaks one word for so great a Benefactor Yet the Thief against his Companion pleads the Cause of Christ and justifies his Innocency take off all Scandals from him and convicts the Multitude of Murther Nor was the Son of God asham'd of such an Advocate but rather applauded him Nor was the happy Rhetorician wanting in his Cause But we truly said he are righteously punished for we receive according to our deeds but this Man hath done nothing amiss Oh how truely may I say the same of
my self I justly now dye I receive according to my Deeds but my God and my Lord did nothing that he should dye and dye in so much Torment And therefore may I truely use this Prayer Lord remember me because thou art come into thy Kingdom And because thou art now in thy Kingdom look upon me weeping in this Exile and admit me going hence into thy Kingdom This I beg of thee for the sake of thy Scourgings thy Thorns thy Cross and through thy Torments and thy Death Therefore what remains but for me to throw my Soul into his Bosom who alone considers its Pains and Sufferings He knows what conduces to the Salvation of Souls I wait for thy Salvation O Lord. Sect. 47. A Heliotropian Receit against all Sickness and Death THE Heliotrope is a Flower which as we find by daily Experience turns it self with the Sun from East to West and doing the same even in cloudy VVeather and in the Night for want of the Sun contracts and shuts up the Beauty of its Colours Let the will of Man always wait upon Divine Pleasure continually turning and winding it self to the beck of Sacred Power though the VVeather be cloudy Nor can any day in all the life of Man be more cloudy than the day of our death Then let the dying Person with fix'd and stedfast Eyes like the Heliotrope turn himself to his only Sun This let our Saviours words teach us Even so O Father for so was it thy good pleasure After this manner my dear dying Friend speak altogether In all things to be done to be avoided to be endured and born according to thy Lords Example always say Even so O Father even so always submitting thine to the most holy VVill. Even so O Father even so both now and for evermore Philip the second King of Spain groaning under the pains of a desperate Disease was wont continually to repeat these words of our Saviour Father not mine but thy will be done And one time among the rest as the Passion of Christ was read to him while the Chirurgeons were Lanching open an Aposthume he caused the Reader to stop at these words So highly did that great King value this Heliotropian Receit as well in Health as in Sickness This Heliotrope cures Sickness Death and all sorts of Diseases He is far from Destruction who in his will is so near to God THE Fatal Moment VVHen we dye our Everlasting state is to be determin'd After Death the Judgment The moment of our departure hence will pass us over to the Righteous Tribunal of God It will make us either to shine with the Angels above or to set with the Devils It will either fix us in a joyful Paradise or in an intolerable state of Woe So that we may say with Nieremberg How many things are to pass in that Moment In the same is our Life to finish our Works to be examined and we are then to know how it will go with us for ever and ever In that Moment I shall cease to Live in that Moment I shall behold my Judge in that moment I must answer for all my publick and my secret Actions for all that I have ever thought or spoke or done for all the Talents the Time the Mercies the Health the Strength the Opportunities and the Seasons and Days of Grace that I have ever had for all the Evil that I might have avoided for all the good I might have done and did not and all this before that Judge who has beheld my ways from my Birth to the Grave before that Judge who cannot be deceiv'd and who will not be impos'd upon Little can he that has not been brought near to Death and Judgment know what Thoughts the Diseased have when they are so Little very little does a Soul in Flesh know what it is to appear before the Great God This is so great and so strange a thing that they only know it who have receiv'd their final Sentence but they are not suffer'd to return to tell us how it is or what passes then and God sees it fit it should be concealed from us who are yet on this side the Grave But who does not tremble to think of this mighty Change and of this Moment that is the last of Time and the beginning of Eternity that includes Heaven and Hell and all the Effects of the Mercy and Justice of God Who does not tremble when he considers that Infinite and Holy Majesty before whom the Angels cover their Faces that considers his Omniscience and his Greatness and the mighty Consequences of that Sentence how sudden it is and how irresistible and that it is an irrevocable Decree and by a Word of this mighty Judge we live or dye for ever It is no wonder if the thoughts of it make us shrink and quiver It is a greater wonder that when some or other whom we know are almost every week going to such a place and state as this we who are not yet Cited to the Bar are no more concerned and use no more endeavours to be ready for it Oh my Friends when you come to the Borders of the Grave when you are within an Hour or two's distance from your Final Judgment and your unalterable state what a mighty Change will it cause in your thoughts and your apprehensions You will then know and feel it Then when the Perspective is turn'd and the other World begins to appear very great and this very little This that I have represented to you is a part of that which we call dying It is a great Mercy and greatly to be acknowledg'd that God allows us so much Time wherein to prepare our selves for this final and irrevocable Doom It is an instance of his Patience that is truly Divine that notwithstanding our many repeated Sins he has not cut us off It is his great Mercy that gives us leave to appear in his Courts before we appear at his Tribunal and that he affords us such large notice and warning that so we may be ready for our Last Tryal whereon so very much depends THE TREATMENT OF OUR Departed Friends AFTER THEIR DEATH In Order to Their Burial WHen we have received the last Breath of our Friend and closed his Eyes and composed his Body for the Grave then solemn and appointed Mournings are good Expressions of our dearness to the departed Soul and of his worth and our value of him The Church in her Funerals of the dead used to sing Psalms and to give thanks for the Redemption and Delivery of the Soul from the evils and dangers of Mortality But it is good that the Body be kept veiled and secret and not exposed to curious Eyes neither should the dishonours wrought upon the Face by the changes of death be stared upon by impertinent persons When Cyrus was dying he called his Sons and Friends to take their leave of him to touch his Hand to see him the last time and gave
insomuch that notwithâ—…nding the many Rich Presents he received at the â—…nds of the Emperor he died very Poor He used to say of Piety That Godliness always enriches the Possessor The Death of ATHANASIUS AFter all the Storms that were raised up against him he died in peace at Alexandria Anno â—…risti 375 having been Bishop of that See 46 â—…ars during which time he had been in many â—…at Perils and Hazards of his Life for not only â—…shops but Emperors and Nations sought his Deâ—…ustion But God delivered him oat of their â—…nds to the Glory of his Name for his only trust â—…s in God alone which caused him often to say â—…ough Armies should Encamp about me yet I would 〈◊〉 fear The Death of HILARIUS HE Travelled to Italy and France instructing the Bishops in those parts in the Catholick â—…ith He was very Eloquent and wrote many â—…reatises in Latin also Twelve Books of the Triniâ—… Expounding the Canon containing the Clause 〈◊〉 One Substance being of sufficient proof against the Arrians He died under Valentinian and Valence Anno 355. The Death of CYRILLUS IN the midst of all his Afflictions he kept his resolution to die in the Faith He used to say concerning the benefit of Hearing Some come to Church to see Fashions others to meet their Friends yet it 's better to come so than not at all In the mean time the Net is cast out and they which intended nothing less are drawn into Christ who catches them not to destroy them but that being dead he may bring them to Life Eternal He died Anno 365. The Death of EPHREM SYRUS HE died Anno 404. He used to say concerning Perseverance The resolute Traveller knows that his Journey is long and the way dirty yet goes on in hopes to come to his House So let a Christian though the way to Heaven be narrow though it be set with Troubles and Persecutions yet let him go on till he has finished his Course with Joy for Heaven is his Home Concerning the Soul he used to say He that feasts his Body and starves his Soul is like him that feasts his Slave and starves his Wife He died Anno 404. The Death of BASIL BAsil died at Caesarea when he had sat Bishop there eight years departing this Life Anno Christi 370. At his departure he uttered these words Into thy hands O Lord I commend my Spirit He used to say of Self-knowledge To know thy Self is very difficult For as the Eye can see all things but it self so some can discern all faults but their own Of Love Divine Love is a never-failing Treasure he that hath it is Rich and he that wanteth it is Poor Of the Scriptures It 's a Physicians Shop of Preservatives against Poysonous Heresies A pattern of profitable Laws against Rebellious Spirits A Treasury of most costly Jewels against Beggarly Elements And a Fountain of most pure Water springing up to Eternal Life The Last Sayings of GREGORY NAZIENZEN IN his Minority he joined Studies with Basil and accompanied him to Arhens and Antioch where he became an Excellent Orator There is so much Perfection in all his Writings and such a peculiar Grace that he never tires his Reader but he always dismisseth him with a thirst after more Concerning Preaching he used to say That in a great multitude of people of several Ages and Conditions who are like a Harp with many Strings it is hard to give every one such a touch in Preaching as may please all and offend none He lived under Theodosius Anno 370. The Death of EPIPHANIUS VVHen he found himself Sick he said to his Friends God bless you my Children for I shall see you no more in this Life He died Aged 115. He used to say this was his Antidote against Hatred That he never let his Adversary sleep not that he disturbed him in his sleep but because he agreed with him presently and would not let the Sun go down upon his Wrath. The Death of AMBROSE AFter Ambrose had sate Bishop about Sixteen years Death summoned him to lay down this troublesom Life for a Life more lasting Before his Death he resolved to provide a Shepherd for his Flock and for that purpose sent for one Simplicianus and ordained him Bishop in his stead after having given many Godly Exhortations to such as were about him he gave up the Ghost dying in the third Year of Theodorus Anno Christi 397. He used to say of Repentance When Gold is offered to thee thou usest not to say I will come again to morrow and take it but art glad of present possession But Salvation being proffered to our Souls few Men haste to embrace it He used to say of true Charity It is not so much to be enquired how much thou givest as with what Heart It 's not Liberality when thou takest by Oppression from one and givest it to another Of Conscience A clear Conscience should not regard slanderous Speeches nor think that they have more power to Condemn him than his own Conscience hath to clear him The Death of GREGORY NISSEN HE lived under Constantins Julian Jovian Valentinian Valence Gratian and Theodosius the Great He was President in the Council of Constantinople against the Macedonian Hereticks 492. Amongst his Similitudes he compared the Userer to a Man giving Water to one in a Burning Fever which proves prejudicial So the Userer though he seems for the present to relieve his Brother yet afterwards he torments him This Character he also gave the Userer He loves no Labour but a Sedentary Life A Pen is his Plough Parchment his Field Ink his Seed Time is the Rain to Ripen his greedy desires his Sickle is calling in his Forfeitures his Horse the Barn where he Winnows his Clients he follows his Debtors as Eagles and Vultures do Armies to prey upon dead Corps Again Men come to Userers as Birds to a heap of Corn they covet the Corn but are caâ—…cht in the Nets He died under Valentine and Valence The Death of THEODORET HE died in the Reign of Theodosius Junior not with Age but hard Studies He used to say That the Delights of the Soul are to know her Maker to consider his Works and to know her own Estate The Death of HIEROM HE died Anno Christi 422 and of his Age 91. He wrote many large Volumes being a Man of singular Chastity of great Wit slow to Anger and in Learning exceeding most of his Time His usual Prayer was Lord let me know my self that I may the better know thee the Saviour of the World An Excellent Saying he had of Christian Fortitude If my Father was weeping on his Knees before me my Mother leaning on my Neck behind my Brethren Sisters Children and Kinsfolks howling on every side to retain me in a single Life I would fling my Mother to the ground run over my Father despise all my Kindred and tread them under my Feet that I might run to Christ. Of
Chastity That Woman is truly Chaste that hath liberty and opportunity to Sin and will not Of Vertue All Vertues are so linked together that he that hath one hath all and he that wants one wants all In all his Actions he ever fansied this sound in his Ears Arise ye Dead and come to Judgment The Death of CHRYSOSTOM THE exact year of his death I find no where set down but that he flourished in the Bishoprick of Constantinople Anno Christi 400 is most certain He used to say of Lust As a great shower of Rain extinguisheth the force of Fire so Meditation of Gods Word puts out the Fire of Lust in the Soul Of the danger of Riches As a Boat over-laden sinks so much Wealth drowns Men in perdition Of Love A Bulwark of Adamant is not more Impregnable thâ—…n the Love of Brethren Of Temptations The Devils first Assault is violent resist that and his second will be weaker and that being resisted he proves a Coward The Death of AUGUSTIN HE died Anno Christi 430 of his Age 76 and of his Ministry 40. He was a Man of a Charitable Disposition very sparing in Diet and a hearty Lover of all good Men. His Table was more for Disputation than for Revelling and had Engraven upon it He that doth love an absent Friend to jeer May hence depart no room is for him here He Collected together several Precepts of a Christian Life which whoever perused it might see their Duty this he called A Looking-glass His usual Wish was That Christ when he came might find him either Praying or Preaching when the Donatists upbraided him of Levity in his Minority Look said he how much they blame my former faults by so much the more I commend and praise my Physicians He used to say of Marriage Humble Marriage is better than Proud Virginity Of Death There is nothing that more abateth Sin than the frequent Meditation of Death he cannot die ill that lived well and seldom doth he die well who lived ill Of Christian Thoughts A Christian at home in his House must think himself a Stranger and that his Countrey is above Of Riches If Men want Wealth it is not to be unjustly gotten if they have it they ought by good Works to lay it up in Heaven He so admired the Seven Penitential Psalms that he had them hung up in great Letters within his Bed Curtains that so he might depart in the Contemplation of them The Death of CYKIL of Alexandria HE was Famous for Wit Eloquence and Piety Concerning Charity he used to say 'T is the best way for a Rich Man to make the Bellies of the Poor his Barn and thereby to lay up Treasure in Heaven Of Modesty Where the Scripture wants a Tongue of Expression we need not lend an Ear of Attention we may safely knock at the Council-door of Gods Secrets but if we go further we may be more bold than welcome He lived under Theodosius Junior and died Anno 448. The Death of PETER CHRYSOLOGUS HE was a Man of an Excellent Wit and by his Example and Ministry wrought upon many Souls He used to say of Charity Let not thy Care be to have thy hands full whilst the Poors are empty for the only way to have full Barns is to have Charitable Hands And Vertues separated are annihilated Equity without Goodness is Severity and Justice without Piety Cruelty He lived under Martian the Emperor having been Rishop above 60 Years He died Anno 500. The Death of PROSPER PRosper having under Martian continued 20 years in that Episcopal See he fell sick many of his Friends coming to visit him and perceiving them to weep bitterly he comforted them with these words The Life which I have enjoyed said he was but given me upon condition to render it up again not grudgingly but gladly for me to have stayed longer here might seem better for you but for me it is better to be dissolved So falling into servent Prayer he with great Alacrity resigned up his Spirit into the hands of his Creator dying Anno Christi 466. His usual Sayings was of Conscience That it was his utmost endeavour to keep a Conscience void of offence towards God and Man Of Vice Thou shalt neither hate the Man for his Vice nor love the Vice for the Mans sake Of Pride Consider what thou art by Sin and shalt be in the Grave and thy Plumes will fall for every proud Man forgets himself Of Gods Secrets Those things which God would have searched into are not to be neglected but those which God would have hidden are not to be searched into by the latter we become unlawfully Curious and by the neglect of the former damnably Ingrateful The Death of FULGENTIUS WHen Fulgentius fell Sick during which sickness he behaved himself with wonderful Patience and Humility and when his Physicians told him a Bath would do well for the recovery of his Health he answered What tell you me of a Bath can any Bath preserve the life of him who has run his natural course that he shall not die and why perswade you me now I am at the point of death to abate of that rigor which I all my life have used When having taken leave of those that came to visit him and distributed what Money he had to pious uses he yielded up the Ghost dying Anno Christi 529 and of his Age 65 having sat Bishop 25 years He used to say If want of Charity be tormented in Hell what will become of the Covetous In his greatest Suffering he would say We must suffer more than this for Christ. The Death of GREGORY the Great HE never could read these words Son remember that thou in thy Life-time receivedst thy good things c. without Horror and Amazement lest he by enjoying such Dignities and Honours should lose his Portion in Heaven He dyed Anno 605. The Death of ISIDORE HE so wasted his Body with Labours and enriched his Soul with Divine Contemplations that he seemed to live an Angelical Life upon Earth He used to say of a Guilty Conscience All things may be shunned but a Man 's own Heart a Man cannot run from himself a Guilty Conscience will not forsake him wheresoever he goes Of the danger of Pride He that begins to grow better let him beware lest he grow proud lest Vain-glory give him a greater overthrow than his former Vices He dyed 675. The Death of Venerable BEDE IN his Sickness he was wont to encourage himself with the words of the postle Heb. 12. 6. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth And when he beheld some of his Scholars weeping over him he comforted them with these words The time is come if my Creator pleaseth that being freed from the Flesh I shall go to him who made me when I was not out of nothing I have lived long and the time of my dissolution is approaching and my Soul desireth to see
Death who Conquers all Conquered him for having made his Will he received the Sacrament and earnestly prayed for the Churches He on the Seventh of May Anno Christi 1562. yielded up his Spirit into the hands of his Maker dying in the 55 Year of his Age. His Funeral Solemnities were performed at the Charge of the Senate almost all the City being present He being Buried as himself desired in the Church-Yard where a stately Tomb was erected to his Memory The Death of William Farellus WHere ever he came Romish Malice attended him being so powerful in Prayer and Preaching that he gained thereby no small Congregations When he heard of Calvin's Sickness he could not satisfie himself though he was seventy years old but he must go to Geneva to visit him He surviv'd Calvin one year and odd months and died aged 76 years Anno 1553. The Death of Vergerius THE Devil stirred up many Adversaries against him especially the Friers who accused him to the Inquisitors but to avoid their Rage he went to Padua where he was a Spectator of rhe miserable Estate of Francis Spira which so wrought upon him that he resolved to go into Exile and accordingly he went into Rhetia where he preached the Gospel of Christ sincerely till he was called from thence to Tubing where he ended his days Anno 1565. his Brother being dead before him not without the suspition of Poyson The Death of Strigelius AFter his going through many Troubles he fell sick and said He hoped his Life was at an end whereby he should be delivered from the Frauds and Miseries of this evil World and enjoy the blessed Presence of God and his Saints to all Eternity He died Anno 1569 aged 44. The Death of John Brentius FAlling sick of a Fever he was endued with Patience saying That he longed for a better even an eternal Life He died Anno 1570. aged 71. was buried with much honour and had this Epitaph With Voice Stile Piety Faith and Candor grac'd In outward Shape John Brentius was thus fac'd The Death of Peter Viretus HE went to several places and carried on the Work of Reformation with Vigour and Success but Popish Malice lurked in Corners insomuch that they attempted to poyson him and laid wait for his Life He was very learned eloquent and of a sweet Disposition He died Anno 1571. aged 60. The Death of John Jewel IN his Sickness going to Preach he was desired by a Gentleman to return home the Gentleman alledging that one Sermon was better lost than by Impairng his Health to lose so good a Pastor But his reply was That it best became a Bishop to die preaching in a Pulpit That his great Master the Lord Jesus's Words might be fulfilled who says Happy art thou my Servant if when I come I find thee so doing And thus continued this good Man till his Sickness encreasing and Nature visibly decaying in him he was obliged to take his Bed and so far was he from fearing Death that he rather desired as longing to enter his Masters Joy often repearing the Words of old Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in Peace for mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation One standing by prayed for his Recovery which he hearing said I have not so lived that I am ashamed to live longer neither do I fear to die because we have a merciful Lord a Crown of Righteousnes is laid up for me Christ is my Righteousness Father let thy Will be done thy VVill I say and not mine which is depraved and imperfect this day let me quickly see the Lord Jesus And so in a certain and assured hope of everlasting Happiness he resigned his Spirit into the Hands of his Redeemer dying Anno Christi 1571. and of his Age Fifty The Death of Zegedine HE was driven by Popish Cruelty from several Places but where ever he went he took so much delight in breeding up Youth in Religion and Learning that he called it his Recreation Many hardships he endured in his Travel for being taken Prisoner by the Turks he was made an Object of their Fury for refusing to abjure the Christian Religion yet God delivered him out of all his Trouble and he died in Peace Anno 1572. aged 67. The Death of John Knox. FAlling Sick he gave order for his Coffin and being asked whether his pains were great he answered That he did not esteem that a pain which would be to him the end of all Troubles and the beginning of Eternal Joys Often after some deep Meditation he used to say Oh serve the Lord in fear and Death shall not be troublesome to you Blessed is the Death of those that have part in the Death of Jesus One praying by his Bed-side asked him if he heard the Prayer Yea said he and would to God that all present had heard it with such an Ear and Heart as I have done adding Lord Jesus receive my Spirit He ended this Life 1572. Aged 62. The Death of Peter Ramus HIS Fame grew so great that he was chose Dean of the University and Studied the Mathematicks wherein he grew exquisite The Civil Wars now breaking out he left Paris and fled to Fountain-bleau but not being safe there he went to the Camp of the Prince of Conde and from thence into Germany When the Civil Wars was ended he returned to Paris and remained the King's Professor in Logick till that horrible Massacre happened on St. Bartholomew's day wherein Thousands were slain by the bloody Papists He was then Lock'd in his own House till those furious Villains brake open his Doors and in his Study ran him thorow and being half dead threw him out of the Window so that his Bowels issued out on the Stones then they cut off his Head and dragged his Body about the Streets in the Channels at last they threw it into the River Sein Anno 1572. Aged 57. The Death of Henry Bullinger MR. Bullinger fell Sick and his Disease encreasing many Godly Ministers came to Visit him but some Months after he recovered and preached as formerly but soon Relapsed when finding his Vital Spirits wasted and Nature much decayed in him he concluded his Death was at hand and thereupon said as followeth If the Lord will make any farther use of me and my Ministry in his Church I will willingly obey him but if he pleases as I much desire to take me out of this miserable Life I shall exceedingly rejoice that he will be so pleased to take me out of this miserable and corrupt Age to go to my Saviour Christ. Socrates said he was glad when his Death approached because he thought he should go to Hesiod Homer and other Learned Menâ—…de ceased and whom he expected to meet in the other World then how much more do I joy who am sure that I shall see my Saviour Christ the Saints Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and all Holy Men which have lived from the beginning of the World These I say I
Change Yea saith he many a Day have I sought it with Tears not out of Impatience Distrust or Perturbation but because I am weary of Sin and fearful to fall into it In his Sickness he used these private Meditations Now my Soul be glad for at all Parts of this Prison the Lord hath set to his Pioneers to loose the Head Feet Milt and Liver are failing yea the middle strength of the whole Body the Stomach is weakned long ago Arise make ready shake off thy Fetters mount up from the Body and go thy way I saw not my Children when they were in the Woâ—…b yet there the Lord fed them without my knowledge I shall not see them when I go out of the Body yet shall they not want a Father Death is somewhat Driery and the Streams of that Jordan between us and our Canaan run furiously but they stand still when the Ark comes Let your Anchor be cast within the Veil and fastned on the Rock Jesus let the End of the Threefold Cord be backled to the Heart so shall you go through He died Anno 1619. The Death of Andrew Willet GOing from London his Horse threw him and by the Fall broke his Leg which was presently set by a Bone-setter and being confined to his Bed he would meditate upon Hezekiah's Sickness and Recovery Isaiah 38. especially on the 9 10 13 and 15 Verses Hearing a Bell Toll he peradventure had apprehensions of Death which occasioned him to discourse with his Wise concerning Death and our blessed Hopes after Death and the mutual Knowledge the Saints have of one another in Glory Then he repeated the first Verse of the 146 Psalm and said it was a most sweet Psalm but stirring to ease himself he fell into a Trance his Wife crying out he looked up and used these last words Let me alone I shall do well Lord Jesus and so departed Anno 162â—… Aged 59. The Death of David Pareus AT Anvilla he wrote his Body of Divinity which having Finished he said Lord now let thy Servant depart in peace because he hath Finished that which he desired He earnestly besought God that he might lay his Bones at Heidleberg which not long after he returned thither safely where he was received with much joy but his former Disease of a Catarrh returning upon him being sensible of approaching Death he frequently opened his Mind to Henâ—…y Alting and others and so quietly departed Anno 1622. Aged 73. His Works are in 3 Volumes The Death of Robert Bolton MR. Bolton falling sick of a Quartane Ague and finding himself weaker and weaker he Contemplated upon the four last things Death Judgment Heaven and Hell and being asked if he could be content to live if God would permit him He said I grant that Life is a great Blessing of God neither will I neglect any means that may preserve it and do heartily desire to submit to God's Will but of the two I infinitely more desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ. When the Pangs of Death were upon him he breathed out I am now drawing on apace to my dissolution hold out Faith and Patience your Work wiâ—… quickly be at an end He died Anno 1631. Aged Threescore The Death of William Whately IN his Sickness he comforted himself with that Promise Psalm 41. 1 2. Blessed is he that considereth the poor the Lord will deliver him in the tâ—… of trouble the Lord will strengthen him upon the Bod of languishing c. A little before his death a Friend praying with him That God wold be pleased if his Time were not expired either to restore him or put an end to his Pains He lifting up his Eyes towards Heaven one of his Hands in the close of that Prayer gave up the ghost shutting his Eyes as if he was fallen into a soft-Slumbeâ—… Anno 1639. Aged 56. The Death of Anthony Wallaeus HE was much troubled with the Stone in the Kidneys and Hypocondraical Wind which still encreasing upon him he called his Family and exhorted them to fear God then taking his leave of them he fell asleep out of which he never awaked only strived a little when his Pains came upon him so on the Sabbath-day at a Eleven of the Clock he resigned up his Spirit to his Maker Anno 1639. Aged 66. The Death of Henry Alting HE sell sick at Groning of a Catarth and Feaver accompanied with great Pains in his Back and Loins which caused often Paintings The day before his death he sang the 130th Psalm with great Fervency In the Evening he blessed his Children and exhorted them to fear God and to persevere in the Truth of the Gospel Being sensible of the time of his Departure by his Prophetick Spirit he accordingly died about Three of the Clock August 25. Anno 1644. Aged 57. The Death of Frederick Spanhemius HIS last Sermon he preached at Easter upon Phil. 3. 24. Who shall change our vile Body that it may be like his glorious Body c. He prayed earnestly to God to continue his Blessings to his Family and never suffer them to be seduced to Popery he prayed likewise that in the Pains of Death he might with all his Soul breath after God and migh before-hand have some taste of the Glory of Hea ven Having ended his Prayers his Voice and Strength failed him and so about Sun-setting he quietly departed and slept in the Lord 1649. Aged 49. The Death of Sir John Oldcastle HE was sent for before the Council when the Bishop proffered to absolve him he replied He had never trespassed against him and therefore had no need of his Absolution When they told him unless he would recant they would condemn him as a Heretick He bid them do as they thought best for said he I am at a Point that which I have written I will stand to it to the death Then kneeling down he lifted up his Hands towards Heaven and said I shrive me here unto thee O Eternal and Ever-living God in my frail Youth I offended thee O Lord by Pride Coverousness Wrath Uncleanness and many Men have I hurt in my 〈◊〉 and committed many other horrible Sins for which good Lord I ask thee forgiveness And so with Tears in his Eyes he stood up and turning to the People he said Lo good People for breaking God's Laws and his holy Commandments they never yet accused me but for their own Laws and Traditions they handle me most cruelly and therefore they and their Laws by God's promise should be utterly destroyed Then they proceeded farther to examine him but he returned such Answers to their Questions as made many wonder at his Wisdom yet they proceeded to read the Bill of Condemnation against him as a Heretick After which he lifting up his Eyes towards Heaven said Lord God Eternal I beseech thee of thy Infinite Mercy to forgive my Persecutors After that he was sent to the Tower The Sentence against him was That like a Traytor
Spirit fainting he yielded up the Ghost in January Anno 1625. Aged 65. The Deaths of the KINGS and QUEENS of England since the Reformation to this present The Death of King Henry the VIII KING Henry being grown Fat fell into a languishing Fever and by Will appointed his Successor and Council did on the 28th of January 1547. in the 56 Year of his Age and 38 of his Reign leaving Issue by Queen Jane Prince Edward by his first Wife Katherine of Spain the Lady Mary and by Ann of Bullen the Lady Elizabeth who all Successively came to the Crown The Death of King Edward VI. ABout three hours before his Death his Eyes being closed thinking that none heard him he made this Godly Prayer Lord God deliver me out of this miserable and wretched Life and take me amongst thy Chosen howbeit not my VVill but thy VVill be done Lord I commit my Soul to thee O Lord thou knowest how happy it were for me to be with thee yet for thy Chosens sake send me Life and Health that I may truly serve thee O my Lord God bless thy People and save thine Inheritance O Lord God save thy Chosen People of England O my Lord God defend this Realm from Papistry and maintain thy true Religion that I and my People may praise thy Holy Name for thy Son Jesus Christ's sake Then turning his Face and seeing some by he said Are you so nigh I thought you had been further off Many servent Prayers he made but his last Words were these I am faint Lord have Mercy upon me and take my Spirit and so committed his Pious Soul into the hands of his Heavenly Father He died July 6. 1553. in the Seventeenth Year of his Age. He Reigned Six Years Five Months and Eight Days he was the one and Fortieth Sole Monarch of England and was Buried at VVestminster The Death of Queen Mary HER Husbands absence and the disappointment of proving with Child brought her into a Sickness whereof she died November 17. 1558. having Reigness 5 Years and 4 Months Cardinal Pool dying the day before but sometime before she declared to him That if when she were dead they would look into her Heart they would find Callis her great Distemper In her Reign there suffered 5 Bishops 21 Divines and in all 277 Persons The Death of Queen Elizabeth 1594. LOpez a Jew Physitian to the Queen was Executed for attempting to Poyson her In 1600. the Earl of Essex having incurr'd the Queens Displeasure in Ireland and more by scandalous Speeches and a kind of open Rebellion at his House in London being condemned by his Peers is Beheaded On the 24th of March 1602. died Queen Elizabeth having Reigned above 44 Years in as Troublesome times as any yet full of Honour and most happy in the Love of her People She was Interred in Henry the Seventh's Chappel at VVestminster The Death of King James the First THis King was Interred at VVestminster with great Solemnity his Queen was Ann Daughter of Frederick the Second King of Denmark by whom he had two Sons Henry and Charles and three Daughters Elizabeth Mary and Sophia the two last dyed young The Death of King Charles the First HE was led through the Park to the Seaffold before VVhite-Hall where having declared that he died a Martyr for the Laws and Liberties of his People he made a Confession of his Faith asserting that he died a true Son of the Church of England then he betook himself to his private Devotions and so patiently submitted his Royal Head to Martyrdom from the hand of a disguised Executioner His Body was put into a Black Velvet Coffin and afterwards wrapt in Lead was on the 7th of Feb. following Interred at St. George's Chappel at VVindsor in the same Vault with King Henry the 8th in presence of the Duke of Richmond Dr. Juxon and others but the manner appointed in the Liturgy could not be obtained to be used nor had he any Epitaph affixed but only on the Sheet of Lead ou a thin Plate fastned on the Breast this plain Inscription King Chaales 1648. The Death of King Charles the Second ON Monday Feb. 2. 1684. the King was seiz'd with a violent Fit of an Apoplexy which deprived him of his Senses but upon speedy Application of Remedies he returned to such a Condition as gave some Symptoms of his Recovery till VVednesday Night and then the Disease was so violent that he lay in a languishing Condition until Friday Feb. 6. and then expired He had Reigned Thirty six Years and Seven Days and was in the 55th Year of his Age. He was Interred in Henry the Seventh's Chappel being the Forty-sixth Sole Monarch of England The Death of Old Mr. Eliot of New-England WHILE he was making his Retreat out of this evil World his Discourses from time to time ran upon The coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was the Theme which he still had Recourse unto and we were sure to have something of this whatever other Subject he were upon On this he talk'd of this he pray'd for this he long'd and especially when any bad News arriv'd his usual Reflection thereupon would be Behold some of the Clouds in which we must look for the coming of the Son of Man At last his Lord for whom he had been long wishing Lord come I have been a great while ready for thy coming At last I say his Lord came and fetched him away into the Joy of his Lord. He fell into some Languishments attended with a Fever which in a few days brought him into the Pangs may I say or Joys of Death And while he lay in these Mr. Walter coming to him he said unto him Brother Thou art welcome to my very Soul Pray retire to my Study for me and give me leave to be gone meaning that he should not by Petitions to Heaven for his Life detain him here It was in these Languishments that speaking about the work of the Gospel among the Indians he did after this Heavenly manner express himself There is a Cloud said he a dark Cloud upon the Work of the Gospel among the poor Indians The Lord revive and prosper that Work and grant it may live when I am dead It is a work which I have been Doing much and long about But what was the word I spoke last I recal that word My Doings Alas they have been poor and small and lean Doings and I 'll be the Man that shall throw the â—…st Stone at them all It has been observed that they who have spoke many considerable â—…hings in their Lives usually speak few at their Deaths But it was otherwise with our Eliot who after much Speech of and for God in his Life-time uâ—…tered some things little short of Oracles on his Death-bed which 't is a thousand pities they were not more exactly regarded and recorded Those Authors that have taken the pains to Collect Apophthegmata Morentium have not therein been unserviceable to