your Armour of Proof on your spiritual Armour Object But to what purpose is that I shall be conquer'd let me do my best Was ever man able to grapple with Death and so to overcome Doth it not alwayes get the Victory where ever it comes Is it not called a Aequa legâ— Necessitas sortitur insignes et imos Hor. Necessitas So Iob 18.14 According to the Seventy b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let necessity lay hold on him We reade it The King of terrours c Sol a insuperabile fatum c. Ovid. Metamorph. lib. 15. Can any one man overcome that which overcomes all men Resol It is true there is no man is or can be death-proof by any Armour of proof the thickest Walls it can pierce it can scale the highest Walls it can cut through the strongest Coat of Mail. But yet as it was said of d Vtque animadvertit undique se strictis pugionibus peti togâ caput obvolvit simul sinistrâ manu sinum ad ima crura deduxit quo honestius caderet etiam inseriore corporis parte velata Sueton. Iulius Caesar when he saw there was no remedy but die he must the Assassinatours pressing so hard upon him and adding so many wounds to him He covered his head with his Gown and with his left hand drew down the fold of his Garment over his legs that he might fall modestly Covering his lower parts that the nakedness of life might not be seen and covering his face that the Deformities of Death might not be lookt on So if thou canst not avoid the mortal wound of Death yet laboul in another sense honestè cadere Die with a good Name and a good Report and a good Conscience 2. This preparation will serve for an after Victory for as Christ led Captivity captive and triumphed over Death which had before triumphed over him so shall we if we die in Christ and live to Christ We must be content to lose the Victory that we may gain it and give ground at first that we may gain ground at last of this our Enemy And mark what pieces of Armour are necessary against Satan or the World the same are necessary against Death Yet when we have done all we can We are but poor Souldiers it is our Cheiftaine that gets the Victory for us The Weapon of this Enemy wherewith he doth all the mischief that is a sting that Death carries a sting with it A sting is first telum naturale Nature gives stings to those Creatures that have stings it is not any artificial Weapon as the Sword or Bowe 2. Poenale it puts the Creature that is stung be it Man or Beast to a great deal of smart and pain for the time it is very a terrifying pain 3. Lethale some especially are so poysonsom viz. of Adders and Vipers and other Serpents that they corrupt and enflame the bloud and poyson the body and in short time bring Death This sting the Apostle sayes is sin vers 56. For as the Scorpion by the sting transfuses a deadly poyson into those upon whom it fastens so (a) Aculeum enim mortis esse peccatum utque multò gravius malum ipsa morte utpote in quo suas illa vires habeat omnes jam manifestum est Death kils by sin Were it not for sin Death would be weaponless and stingless a toothless thing (b) Or rather it would not be at all For it is Sin only stings men to death It would be to us but as it is to herbs and plants which die in the Winter but live again in the Summer So it would be but as a benumming for a short time whereas sin by which Death stings leaves such a poyson in the nature of man that he shall never recover himself by any natural power as the herb or flower but onely by the mighty power of God in Iesus Christ. Therefore we can never be sufficiently thankfull to him Sequel 1 that shall disarm Death for us and draw out the sting And who is it that can disarm such an universal Enemy but he that hath the universal Militia of all the World the Lord of hosts is his Name But of this more anon in the fourth part If Death carry a sting with it and that sting be sin as Sequel 2 appears by what follows or which is the Apâ—stles meaning as Aquinas well notes [c] Sciendum est autem quod strimulus mortis potest dici vel stimulans ad mortem vel quo utitur seu quem facit mors Sed literalis sensus est stimulus mortis i. e. stimulans ad mortem quia qomo per peccatum est impuâ—sus et dejectus ad mortem Aquin. in 1 Cor. 15. if sin sting men to Death How can we sufficiently wonder at the fool-hardiness of mortal men who make nothing of it to dally and play with sin as if it were some toothless harmless thing as if it were some harmless play-fellow To see people play with Dogs or Birds to see them stroke them and take them in their arms is not strange but to see people play with Snakes and Adders with Scorpions and Cockatrices is a most strange sight and what do men do otherwise in dallying with sin The Serpent in the Garden left a sting in Adams disobedience Adam could not be content with the fruit of Paradise and so was stung to Death by his disobedience As the Israelites could not be content with (a) Numb 21.6 These serpents fiery teeth being the just punishment of their fiery tongues Or the serpents tongue which is his sting being the just punishment of their tongues become stings Manna and so God sent amongst them fiery Serpents which stung them to death that they who murmured at mercies might now have something to murmur for (b) The greatest of boasters is vanquisht by one of the least of creatures Orion boasted that the earth could not produce any such Monster which he would not undertake to encounter and kill and yet this man was after killed by a Scorpion Thus the proud sinner that dares Heaven and Earth Angels and Men nay God himself and all is killed with the sting of one sin It (c) That was applied to him to wound which is ordinarily used for healing was a strange death that Marcus Arethusius the Martyr was put to by Julian the Apostate which was to be annointed all over with honey and so to be stung to death with Waspes and Bees But this is the death of every sinner he annoints himselfe with the sweetness and pleasure of sin and so is stung to death for his labour You that are yet in your sins that draw iniquity with cords of vanity and sin as it were with carr-ropes will no warning serve you Hath not sin been represented to you in the Book of God and by the Ministers of God and through the judgements of God as the most infectious poyson-some
home to visit his Family and Death prevents him arresting him by the way and claps him into Prison We must cease to hope when we cease to be c Our dance is turned into mourning Lam. 5.15 Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To our joy and mirth When we are merry amongst our Friends sporting or feasting oftentimes in comes newes that such a dear Brother such a near Friend such a courteous neighbour is deceased and this damps all our jollity and often turnes our dancing into mourning our laughter into weeping our feasting into fasting our pastimes into pensiveness d Mors est recessus animae a corpore Aristot Mors hominis non est nisi separalio animae a corpore hac enim anima a corpore separata totum compositum moritur quia deâ—init esse compositum caro moritur quia privatur forma quae essentialiter est vita Vnde impossibile est animam esse et non vivere sicut impossible est animam esse et non esse animam Gabr. di 21. q. unica etc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Isid Pelus lib. 3. epist 248. To our very subsistence it divides matter and form it separates soul and body An Enemy to Gods Workmanship in the World a tearing a devouring Enemy So that the dying man may well say to Death seasing on him as Ahab to the Prophet Hast thou found me O mine Enemy Object But many men finde it to be a Friend 1. The extremely miserable man who had rather Nature should die in him than Misery should live in him Job 3.20 21 22. Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery and life to the bitter in soul wh ch long for Death but it cometh not and dig for it more than for hid Treasure which rejoyce exceedingly and are glad when they can finde the Grave So also a The Septuag much otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iob 7.15 16 So that my soul chooseth strangling and death rather than my life I loath it I would not live alway for my dayes are vanity Yea Solomon sayes The day of our death is better than the day of our birth Eccles 7.1 2. It may seem a friend to a true godly man because at once it seems to do many good offices for him and to set him free from many incumbrances being as welcome to him that he may begin his felicity as to the other that he may end his misery It is the bridge by which he b Finis malorum janua ad vitam et c. Cyprian Mors piorum mors non est sed vita miseria hominis moritur non homo passes into a better life it sets him free from mortality it enters him into a state of immortality It puts an end to his labours it is the beginning of his reward It is the end of his tears it is the beginning of his joy It is the Goal-delivery of his soul the enlargement of his better part Resol To the first Branch Either the miserable man is in the way of righteousnesse or unrighteousnesse a childe of light or a childe of wrath an heir of everlasting promises or an object of everlasting anger a vessel of honour or a vessel of dishonour If the latter so Death is an Enemy as it puts an end to his finite miseries to begin his infinite it exempts him from temporal wrath to immerse him into eternal wrath and this is not the part of a friend but an Enemy If the former we must distinguish there is a natural enmity and an accidental enmity Naturally Death destroyes even a righteous man it at least keeps the body in Prison The fruit and wages of sin cannot absolutely naturally per se be a Friend but an Enemy if by this a godly man be dispossest of his Troubles yet is he not possest of his joys The excutioner of a Martyr sends him out of this world yet is not said to send a Martyr to heaven It is his work and so the work of Death to destroy it is the work of God to save and glorifie a Mors quando a te muliere scilicet provisa est tunc lamentandi materia fuit nunc vero facta est virtutis occasio quia tunc ad paenam peccati data est nunc permissa est resuscitantis ad gloriam tunc tartarus invenit hominem nunc amittit Chrysolog Serm. 63. Discamus recte judicare de divinâ providentiâ non ipsa mala facit sed quae fiunt à malis bene administrat Paraeus in Gen. 45.8 If therefore it be a Friend to any man it is per accidens per se it is an Enemy to every man at least to the life and being of man To that of Eccles 7.1 Solomon speakes onely of the present vanity of the World b In vitâ nostrâ copia tribulationis inopia consolationis August that a man meets with so much evil and so much vain good in the World that it is better for a man not to be born Chap. 4.2 3. explaines it The full Answer therefore is this b look upon the vanity c Mors transit est de laborem ad refrigerium de expectatione ad praemiuus de agone ad brabium de fide ad notitiam de peregrinatione ad patriam de mundo ad patrem Bernard misery and iniquity in the World so Death is a Friend at least to a good man But consider life is sweet and every thing desirous to preserve it self so it is an Enemy in the former sense a Friend by chance in the latter an Enemy absolutely Look upon the Troubles incident to the flesh the frailties our wearisomnesse and paines and griefes and maladies so it is a Friend as being ex duobus malis minus of two evils the least but as it keeps down the body and tyrannizes over the same till the Resurrection so it is an Enemy in the former regard it is a Friend for a need in the latter regaed it is an Enemy for a long continuance Vse 1. Stand then upon your d Vt dum semper ignoratur semper proxima esse credatur et tanto quisque in operatione sit ferventior quanto est de vocatione incertior Greg. Moral Watch against Death as against an Enemy You know not at what time or how soon it may come you know not in what place or how near it may be you know not whether it will meet you at home in your house or abroad in the field whether it will come in the day or in the night whether it will take you sleeping or waking You know not whether it will come in the second Watch or in the third Watch. It becomes you to be watchfull least you prove your selves to be wastfull of your own soules So look for it as to expect it every day Die dayly in expectation that you may die any day in fit preparation 2. Stand upon your Guard Be sure you have
what manner of Blessing Prov. 14.11 The tabernacle of the upright shall flourish And indeed however he is pleased to suspend the performance of this from many of his precious servants for their Triall yet all this was made good to him though not for his righteousness for God did bless his increase by a special providence putting such undertakings at such times and seasons into his hands when they might be most advantageous to him 3. To be well tempered in matter of Religion For I observe there are four Constitutions in Religion as well as in bodily Compositions (a) Angeli sine zelo nihil sunt et substantiae suae amittunt praerâ—gativam nisi eam zeli ardore sustentent Ambr. in Ps 118. 1. There are some in whom a flegmatick temper is too predominant that are too cold and too slow to any profession you cannot get them forward to any Duties sluggish and drowsie Christians Matth. 24.12 The love of many wâ—xes cold so the zeal the prayers the discourse of many waxes cold they want heat 2. Some like these of a melancholy temper discontented with every way pleased with no way 3. Some again are over sanguine and credulous in love with any Doctrine constant to none giving entertainment to any but keeping true correspondency with none at all 4. Others again are over cholerick and furious in their way will hear no reason admit of no argumentation But in this our worthy deceased Brother there was such a temper as might well recommend him for an excellent Example of Religion he was no lukewarm Laodicean contenting himself with a form of goliness but denying the power thereof None of those that think enough that God have service but care not what service it be either how sluttishly performed in one extreme or how apishly in another how irreverently performed on one hand or how superstitiously on the other He professed himself an Enemy as well to all suspicious adorations as to all odious confusions in Gods service I must confess I never came into his company but I came away heated with his godly zeal what earnest Expressions have I heard from him to see the Church of God in all places settled in peace to see Religion here at home settled in the true power and purity to see a just and powerfull Magistracy in the Nation to see a pious and learned Ministery in the Church to see an orderly spiritual heavenly service in Gods house to see a spiritual charitable concord amongst all Christians worshipping the same God believing in the same Christ sanctified by the same Spirit professing the same faith rinsed by the same Baptism joyned in the same Body redeemed by the same Bloud and joynt-heirs of the same Glory This was true heat the true zeal of Gods house no feaverish distempered heat proceeding from the predominancy of Choler or from a malignant humour but a zeal sweetened with charity and enlightened with knowledge And whilest I mention knowledge I have often wondered that considering his manifold Imployments in his middle and elder part of his life how he should attain to so great a measure of knowledge as he had in so many godly Books but above all in the Book of God But it was not such knowledge as is spoken of 1 Cor. 8.1 Which puffeth up There is too much of this swelling knowledge in these Times gunpowder knowledge which puffes men up to undertakings too high for them when people commence per saltum from catechumeni to becom prebyteri It was not so with this religious personage who although rich inwardly in abundance of knowledg yet was one of the most humble lowly minded men that I have met withall O Humility the Pedestal of all Graces the Copy of Christ Learn of me the glory of Saints I am but dust and ashes sayes Abraham I am but a worm and no man sayes David I am not worthy thou shouldst come under my roof sayes the Centurion I am not worthy to be called an Apostle sayes the most painfull and skilfull Apostle (a) In Musick the higher any note stands upon the range the smaller it is in sound The higher we are in excellency the less should we seem at least to our selves The more Endowments Gods servants have the lesse they see Laodicea contrariwise was never so poor as when she thought her self so rich Because thou sayest I am rich and increased in goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blinde and naked Rev. 3.17 Never was a fitter Time to preach Humility to you and to set such an Example of Humility before you than in these proud Times wherein men make themselves what they should not be think themselves what they are not and are not what to others they seem to be Never a fitter Time to learn this Lesson than in such Times when so many that teach others teach any Lesson besides thiâ— It is with Religion as with all other things there is a medium and two extremes and therefore it is called the narrow way as Pythagoras said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In diet let a man eat too little he sterves himself let him eat too much he surfets himselfe Let a man build a house too high and it will stand over him let him build too low and he cannot stand in his house lay too little ballast in the ship and it oversets lay too much into it and so it may sink let a scholar neglect his study he proves a Dunce let him be unreasonably intent and he may break his brains use too little Physick and the body not being acquainted with it may be overthrown use too much and the body being over-used it findes no benefit Nilus if it flow less than twelve Cubits makes a Famine and if it flow more than eighteen cubits it also makes a Famine There are a kinde of Birds that either lie flat on their breasts on the earth or else are continually flying in the air for they have no feet it is so in Religion understand me aright I mean Quoad specificationem actus not Quoad exercitum the way or kinde of Religion not the exercise When you have found the right way make what haste in it you wil presse forward towards the mark of the high Calling c. In my judgement he is a wise Christian whom no errours can make erroneous he a strong Christian whom no scandals can make to fall who because he findes the frigid Zone too cold runs not presently into the torrid or because he findes the torrid too hot runs not straight into the frigid but avoiding both Excesses keeps himself within the temperate Climate of sound Religion of this temper was the deceased and one that sailed warily betwixt Scylla and Charybdis being as unwilling to be swallowed up of one as to be split upon the other A good firm Protestant proportionably careful of the Truths purity and of the Churches unity And now in this his last sickness wherein he verily apprehended that Death waited for him his Discourse was as I am informed wholly of things spiritual and heavenly not suffering any earthly thing so much as to be interlined or come within a parenthesis shewing to all about him a wearinesse of the world a desire of a change and a thirst after Heaven and in his earnest Prayers bewailing the calamities of Christs Church and the sad condition of Gods true and faithfull People recommended the Church of God to the Mercies of God And O that the mercifull God would hear the Prayer of humble minded men and that his faithfull ones would give him no rest till he establish and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth That our drosse may be taken away from our silver and our wine may no longer be mixt with water When when will the indignation be over-past O that it might be but a little moment till then we will hide our selves under his wings that we may be safe under his feathers Ye that are the Neighbours and Allies of the Deceased I have set before you the Patern of a good and virtuous man but especially ye that are the Issue and Off-spring of him I have proposed to ye the Example of a good Father he hath intituled ye to his name least to ye his earthly Mansions bequeathed to ye his earthly Possessions be ye also Inheritours of his exemplary virtues God Almighty grant ye the former blessing of your Father here and the present hoped blessedness of your Father hereafter that ye may live plentifully and walk piously here and die happily hereafter conquering all sin at the time of Death and conquering Death at the Resurrection for then in the behalf of all those that are Christs shall be made good the saying that is written O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory FINIS ERRATA IN the title page for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Epist to the reader for Hercules r. Achilles for way apologized r. was apologized for impartial r. partial for impartiality r. partiality for taught r. toucht In the Serm. p. 3. in marg for Paulum r. Paulam l. 24. f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 5. marg f. adjuncto r. adunco p. 6. l. r 3. f. this is as r. this is as p. 9 marg f. transit r. transitus f. laborem r. labore p. 13. marg f. volentem r. nolentem p. 14. f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 15. marg f. habitat r. habita
land how is the [i] Hoc est Babylon quae quasi malleus adamantinus percussit et contudit totam terram ita ut nihil quantumvis durum vel aeneumei resistere aut ejus ictum sustinere possit quin confringereturet dissilâ—ret A Lapid in loc Haec ipsa de morte dici possunt quae omnia confringit a Christo tandem confrigenda hammer of the whole earth cut asunder that like Iael's hammer doth not onely kill but nailes us to the earth for a certaine time Rom. 16.20 The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly So Death under your feet shortly to shew that we are to enjoy the benefit of this Victory But God shall bruise to shew that he must have the glory of the Victory and therefore Christ triumphed over his own death when he was carried up into heaven in a cloud as in a chariot for so Elias his vehiculum was called my Father the Chariots of Israel and the Horsemen thereof And one will have it that when Christ ascended up to Heaven the Angels went before and proclaimed Lift up your heads ye gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in 6. Why is this great Victory obtained 1. That no enemie may be left and this is the last enemie Object But is not the hell of wicked men an enemie No To them it is an enemy but not to Christ and his Members because it is the very execution of his enemies This Ark will not leave one Dagon standing 2. That man may be made up again that Death hath taken and kept asunder 3. That his wonderfull Power may be manifest Victory declares Power Psal 49.15 We reade of the power of the Grave but Christ will have all the World to see that which now onely some of the World believes that his power is greater than the power of the Grave Psal 106.8 He saved Israel at the Red Sea to make his power to be known 4. That his glory may appear in his power as his power in Victory [a] And having spoyled principalities and powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it Vt autem praeclaram hanc Christi victoriam mentis nostrae oculis visendam praebeat utitur illustribus metaohoris desumptis a consuetudine triumphantum imperatorum Nam illud verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alludit ad illam consuetudinem qua victores solebant victos armis spoliare eadem que pro trophaeo illîc figere ubi in fugam hostes versi sunt Quod autem addit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spectat illam triumphantium pompam in qua solebant ignominiae causâ ducis captivos inter se junctos agere ante curium suum triumphalem toto populo inspectante acclamante Cicero in Pisonem hunc morem triumphantium hisce verbis depingit quid tandem habet iste currus quid vincti ante currum duces quid simulacra oppidorum quid aurum quid argentum et c. Daven in Coloss Coloss 2.15 He will raise himself glory out of the confusion of his Enemies and honour out of the destruction of his Adversaries Shall Death be disarmed and the Grave conquered Corol 1 and shall we sit still and do nothing Shall Christ overcome for us hereafter and shall not we overcome for him now Are we such perfect men and such compleat Saints that we have no lusts to mortifie no temptations to vanquish Poor men Lusts God knowes too many and temptations too frequent but we neither feel the burden of the one nor know the danger of the other When King Francis the first of that name was resolved to go into Italy to recover the Dukedom of Milan he advised with his Privy Councel which way to get into Italy his Fool met him as he came from the Councel-board and told him his Councel had dealt unwisely with him for they had told him how to get into Italy but not how he should get out again It is so with us our carnal Friends can shew us the way into dangerous temptations into a Noli conscentire concuiscentiae tuae Non est unde concipiat nisi de te Aug. homil 42. cap. 8. consuming lusts that consume our Estates by prodigality our bodies by luxury our repute by infamy but they cannot shew us the way out again but leave us in the lurch Thou feeble faint-hearted Christian whom every slight temptation proves a Coward who knowest not how to deny the inticements of a sinner either to commit a sin or to do that which probably will lead thee to commission of sin remember what is written Rev. 2.7 To him that (b) Insidiae repunt in hoc seculo et in cautos repente occupant Repentes autem tentationes quis numerat Repunt sed cave ne surripiant vigiletur in ligno et c. Aug. in Psal 103. enarratio conci quart overcomes will I give to eat of the tree of life not to him that is overcome 1 Pet. 1.13 Gird up the loins of thy minde be sober and hope to the end Ephes 6.14 Stand therefore having your loins girt with truth and having on the breast-plate of Righteousnesse It is better to conquer with pains than to yield with sorrow To him that is regenerate sin is worse than Death and grace is better than life Let him never look to have a share in the Conquest of the Death of the body that hath not before a share in the Conquest of the body of Death Corol 2 If Death shall be disarmed and the Grave overcome let us make up our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Apostles Doxology Thankes be to God who hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Glory be to God on high the mighty God that gives Victories the mercifull God that gives us this Victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. What praises can we use to set out this benefit or what words can we use to set out his praise who when he searches into things hidden is above all most wise When he rewards every man is most just When he bestows his Gifts is most liberal And when he conquers his Enemies is most valiant And who is it for for us Hath given us the Victory Vs Why should the great God bestow so much honour on us What are we or what is our fathers house that wee should have such Victory given us (a) Nonne fragiliores sumus quaÌ„ si vitrei essemus vitrum enim etsi fragile tamen servatum diu durat et invenis calices ab avis et proavis in quibus bibunt nepotes et pronepotes Aug. hom 28. c. 7. We whose original is dust whose excellency is vanity and whose life is sin We that have received so many Benefits returned so little thanks and deserved so much anger Whom before our Conversion no Benefits could perswade to come to God whom since our Conversion no mercies can