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 Judah 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 Charge to his Sons that when he was dead they should bury him in the Sepulchre wherein this man of God was buryed and lay his Bones close by the Bones of this Prophet When Death parts us from a Friend we shall never see him more he vanishes as it were out of our sight and we are never more to behold him or cast our Eyes upon him He is both actively and passively in an invisible State So Job mournfully speaks of himself chap. 7. ver 7 8. Oh! remember that my life is wind my eyes shall no more â—â—e good The Eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more thy Eyes are upon me and I am not What more cutting Expression what more sadning Inculcation what more provoking Incitation to Monrning can there be than the Sense of this that we shall behold the Face of our beloved Friend after his departure from us no more Were Man to Return though after never so many Years absence from his home or continuance in the Grave Were he to visit his habitation again and become the objective delight of his poor Mourning Friends and Relations it might be some alleviation to their Grief when he takes his journey to his Long home But Oh! What a prick to the heart what a stab to the Soul what a deadning to the Spirits what an inundation of Sorrow like the opening of Pandora's Box is this lamentable Thought to an ingenuous Man that he must never never never more behold the Face of this or that Relation in this Region of Mortality nor have any converse with him on this side the Bank of Eternity What Husband can think so of his Wife and not melt what Wife can have such a thought of her Husband and not faint what Parent can consider this with respect to his Child and not mourn what Child can reflect upon the impossibility of ever seeing his Father or Mother more and not be overwhelmed with grief In a word What Friend or Relation can ponder on such an eternal Farewel as is then given and not be dissolved into Tears It is the opinion of Divines That the chiefest of Saints happiness consists in Vision or in the use of the visive faculty which will then be enlarged and made glorious to perfection for they shall see the Face of God in Righteousness and be satisfied with his likeness they shall be for ever with open Face beholding as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord and be changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Sure I am the Saints greatest comfort in this World consists in Vision or beholding God's Image in his People and that not only the work of his Power in their comly Features but the work of his Grace in the divine Characters of Wisdom engraven in their Souls and immediatly reflected upon in all their Actions Therefore it cannot but cause Mourning when such delightful Objects are removed out of sight and never more to be beheld And so much the more still if consider the great change and alteration Death makes in the place of the Deceased the great Vacuum there is when Man is removed and carried away to his Long home Concerning which Job excellently speaks chap. 7. v. 9 10 11. As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away so he that goeth down to the Grave shall come up no more He shall return no more to his house neither shall his place know him any more Therefore I will not resrain my Mouth I Will speak in the anguish of my Spirit I will complain in the bitterness of my Soul Oh! It is very sad to consider what a great change one stroke of Death may make A Wife Husbandless poor Children Fatherless Servants Masterless and many Friends Comfortless And so great is the alteration in the Family that the whole House resents it and seems silently to Mourn for it There is as it were a Face of sadness in every place he was wont to be conversant in Look in his Parlour where he used to sit with his Wife and Children about him and there is nothing but a profound silence his voice is not to be heard Look at his Table where he used to sit with chearfulness eating his Bread with joy among his Relations and the dull demeanor and sorrowful posture of all the assessors do plainly yet dolefully speak Behold he is not here Look in his Shop where he used to be about his occasions and the disorder and confusion there proclaims aloud his being gone and not to be heard of In a word Look in every place where he us'd to be and you will find one mourning circumstance or other a legible Historian of his departure and being no more among them So that if you seek him you will not find him if you ask for him you will hear no news Now surely methinks the very miss of a Man in his Family the want of him in his place the great change immediately following his Departure in his Relations and in all his affairs and Concerns should be cause enough to enforce a Mourning from his Survivors if there were no other consideration and cause 'em to prepare for their own Deaths For How many have we known that were of as healthful and vigorous a Constitution as we are that by a Surfeit or an acute Feaver have in a few days been snatch'd away How many that were travelling on the same Road with us a while ago are now at their long Home lying in the Grave and should not we by their early departure learn to die It would not be tedious to us in this sense to live in Golgotha or to dwell among the Tombs when we have in them seen the End of all Men Eccles 7.
it down for his Preservation as appears by her Swouning at any News might threaten ill to him as if her Soul conceived it but Duty to be Bail for her Husband The Head of the Woman is the Man 1 Cor. 11. 3. so her Husband wore the principality she received influence from him and gave conformity to him But a Vertuous Woman is a Crown to that Head Prov. 12. 14. so she gave safety plenty and honour to her head as Crown may signifie The Heart of her Husband did fasely trust in her she did do him good and not ill all the days of her life Longer she is not obliged Till death us depart was their agreement Death ends her natural Relation and enters her into a Divine which she began here by her Religion Her Religion was not as her Sex Female that is all Face and Tongue but pure and solid not despising the Form but delighting in the Power of Godliness She attired not her Devotion as the Lacedemonians did their Gods according to the several Fashions of each City so to gain Reputation from Man but she persevered in the constant substantials of Religion so to gain Grace and Favour from God To whom with the Father and Holy Ghost be Glory and Honour now and for ever Good Night NOW art thou drawing near thy home Heaven is within sight and its Melody almost within hearing thy Lord hath the Curtain in his hand ready to draw it to shew thee all that glory that hitherto he hath been but telling thee of and give thee a Possession of all that which hitherto thou hast enjoyed only in Hopes and Title What dost thou fear and shrug and tremble at Oh my Soul thou peevish froward Creature Shall his Angels stand waiting to convey thy departed Soul home with Songs of Triumph And shall nothing of all this abate thy Fears silence thy Complaints and bring thee to a Chearful Submission Fear not then my Soul but â—oldly throw thy self into his Arms who will certainly keep that safe which thou committest to him But what if I was willing to bid adieu to my Fathers House and leave this World and all its Enjoyments behind me as being sufficiently tired with the Frustrations of a pursued Happiness therein Yet methinks the change I shall pass at Death will be so very great and amazing I fear I shall not bear it To go hence from them I know to a Place and Company I never knew or saw in all my Life to leave my Friends Relations Neighbours with whom I have a long time lived and with whom I have familiarly conversed to go into a Country where I may not meet with one face I know how strangely shall we look on one another What little content do I take in any company on Earth where I meet with shâ—â—ess Will it not be so in Heaven Answ Art thou truly Godly said the pious Wadsworth in his Answer to the Fear of Death and dost thou say thou knowest none in Heaven that is strange Who is he whom you call Father every time you pray what are you born of God united to God by faith and love and hold communion with him and yet not know him Well sayst thou but if I know him it is bâ— very little I never saw him in all my Life 〈…〉 what if thou hast not seen him with thy 〈…〉 eyes yet hast thou not believed in him whom thou hast not seen and rejoiced with joy unspeakable and full of glory Though thou hast not known him after the Flesh yet thou hast after the Spirit But comfort thy self though thou hast known him but little and that through a vail darkly yet he knoweth thee most perfectly He knows thee by name and separated thee to himself from the Womb and effectually called and justified thee he knows thee by thy name and knows thy dwelling and visiteth thee every morning and is with thee living and will not leave thee dying and when he hath taken thee to himself in the Heavens thou shalt know him as he knows thee that is intimately perfectly But sayst thou if I know in some measure God and his Son the Lord of that City I know no more There are ten thousands of Angels there and I know not one of them and as many Spirits of just men some little acquaintance I had with some of the latter on earth but since arrived thither they are so transfigured so wonderfully changed I shall not know one of them when I see them What if thou knowest not one Angel in all the Heavens is it not enough that many of them may know thee But how do I know that How thou hast been their special Charge ever since thou wast born to Jesus Christ Are they not all ministring Spirits to them that are Heirs of Glory How kindly did an Angel comfort Mary Magdalene and the other Mary when they early came to visit the holy Sepulchre of our Lord How well did he know their Persons and their Business when he said Mat. 28. 5. Fear not I know that ye seek Jesus which was crucified he is not here for he is risen as he said Come see the place where the Lord lay and go quickly and tell his Disciples that he is risen from the Dead and behold he goeth before you into Galilee â—here shall ye see him so as I have told you What Discourse could be more kind friendly and famiâ—iar than this But that thou shouldst think thy self an utter stranger to all the Spirits of the Just is more strange when there may be some of thy near Relations â—here and many of those that thou hast had for many years such sweet Eellowship in the Ordinanâ—es of the Gospel If I shall sit down with Abraâ—am Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom surely I â—hall know them to be such Besides their Natures in Heaven are all perfectâ—y gracious and holy and I shall be like them and â—e shall all know each other to be so and what â—iness can there possible be among such who are â—â—tisfied in each others sincere love and affection â—hou mayst be acquainted with a thousand Saints â— Angels in an hours time as if thou hadst known â—â—em a thousand years And if this be so be not poor Soul amazed at this great change of Company at Death For it is but as dying Doctor Preston said I shall change my Place but not my Company Return therefore to thy Rest Oh my Soul for God will assuredly deal bountifully with thee So that Death will bring a Good-Night to thee here and a good Morrow hereafter The End of The House of Weeping The House of Weeping SERMON I. The certainty of a Dying Hour HEB. 9. v. 27. It is appointed unto Men once to Dye but after this the Judgment Dearly Beloved I Am now about to speak of that which will shortly render me unable to speak and you are now about to hear of that which will also shortly make you uncapable
the same enjoy 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. 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 I was as dumb and to complain no trouble might me move Because I knew it was thy work my patience for to prove 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 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 Lord hear my suit and give good heed regard my Tears that fall I sojourn like a stranger here as did my Fathers all 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. The lasting of a thousand years what is it in thy sight As yesterday it doth appear or as a watch by night So soon as thou dost scatter them then is their Life and Trade All as a sleep and like the grass whose beauty soon doth fade Which in the Morning shines full bright but fadeth by and by And is cut down ere it be night all withered dead and dry Our time is threescore years and ten that we do live on mold If one see fourscore surely then we count him wondrous old Yet of this time the strength and chief the which we count upon Is nothing else but painful grief and we as blasts are gone 1 Cor. 15. Ver. 19 20 21 22 26 50 51 52 53 54 55. IF in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all Men most miserable But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first-fruits of them that slept For since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead For as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive The lost enemy that shall be destroyed is death Now this I say brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth corruption inherit incorruption Bihold I shew you a mystery We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed In a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy Victory THE HOUSE OF Weeping Sermon I. John 11. 35. Jesus Wept WE may learn from the Example of Our blessed Saviour how we are to behave our selves what we are to do in the Sickness and Death of Friends In this World we are all Bennonies the Sons of Sorrow The way to Heaven is by Weeping Cross The Kalender tells us we come not to Ascention Day till the Passion Week be past It is the great work of a Preacher to consider the state of the people to whom he preaches so to prepare his work before hand as that he may hit the mark The Preacher sought out acceptable words now generally those words are most acceptable to and best received by the hearers that are suited to their present condition I considering therefore the secret hand of God upon this Congregation in taking away an eminent Servant of Christ thought it incumbent upon me to speak something at this time that might be suitable to the present dispensation of of God towards you and in meditations this Scripture was cast in Jesus Wept The occasion of this text is known unto you in the beginning of this Chapter you read that Lazarus was sick and the news thereof immediatly sent to Jesus who notwithstanding he dearly loved him yet as the sequel of the story acquaints you he doth not presently go up to Bethany to visit sick Lazarus but maketh a stay for several days the reason wherof is at hand viz. That a sentence of death might pass upon beloved Lazarus and he be laid in the grave and a stone rouled upon him and all this in order to the manifestation of the glory and power of Christ in his resurrection After Lazarus had been in the grave four days Christ he comes up to Bethany and the sisters of Lazarus viz. Martha and Mary they come out to meet Jesus first Martha she cometh ver 20. and she saith Lord If thou hadst been here my brother had not died ver 21. After this comes Mary verâ— 32 and she falls down at Christs feet saying Lord If thou hadst been here my brother had not died When Jesus therefore saw her weeping and the Jews a so weeping which came with her he groaned in the Spirit and was troubled and said where have ye laid him They say unto him Lord come and see Jesus wept There is very much wrapt up in the bowels of this little Text Here we may take notice of the humanity of Christ it appears by Christs weeping that he is perfect man as well as perfect God That Christ wept is to be referred not to his Divinity but to his Humanity and so we shall find that Christ was subject as to this so to all natural infirmities as hunger thirst weariness c. which may comfort the Saints that groan under natural as well as sinful infirmities and that from the reason why Christ was made in all things like unto his brethren namely That he might be a merciful High-priest Hebr. 2. 17 18. And though Christ be now in glory yet he is touched with the feeling of the infirmities of his people here on earth Hebr. 4. 15. so touched as that he cannot but have compassion on them under all their pressures and grievances whatsoever Do'st thou then groan under natural weaknesses and infirmities Go boldly to the Throne of grace and Christ will enable thee to bear up under these weaknesses until mortality shall have put on immortality The Subject Matter of this Chapter is Lazarus redivivus it is a Relation of the miraculous raising up of Lazarus from the Dead From vers 1 3. we may observe thus much that a Believers interest in the distingnishing love of Christ doth not exempt him from outward Troubles or bodily Distempers He whom thou lovest is sick From vers 4. We may observe thus much that the darkest Difpensations of Providence they oftentimes usher in the brightest manifestations of God to the Soul or Gods Glory is most
the other Form we may be guilty of mistakes about the circumstances of worship and yet be happy but if we mistake about the great matter of our Justification by Christ we are lost for ever Thirdly His Death justly calls for Weeping for as much as we have all lost the Conversation of one who was an Experimental Christian one that had much communion with God and much experience of his goodness as you have heard him often express Many a Preacher dishes out largely to others of that which he tastes but little himself I am apt to think many a faithful Minister of Christ lives but low in comparison to what this blessed Saint enjoyed By this his Experience he was enabled to speak a word in due season to the weary Soul He walked close with God in his Family he was not a Saint abroad and a Devil at home but made it appear that he was really good by this that he was relatively good good in his Relations a good Husband a good Father c. He sate loose from this World he made not gain his godliness he did not design to make Merchandize of Christ and the Gospel His discourse was mostly heavenly and Spiritual If other 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 â—id heartily close with Christ were before their Conversion very Vile and Wicked see 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 â—1 Such were some of you but ye are washed c. But Thirdly This blessed Saint would to his dying â—â—y acknowledge his former vanity to his own â—ame and the lifting up of the Riches of free grace â—â—d mind what the Apostle saith 1 John 1. 9. If we â—nfess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unâ—â—ghteousness I shall now close up all with a word or two â— way of Caution and that First Though this stroke of God be just matter â— weeping and sorrow yet you must take heed a murmuring Spirit You have cause to be â—leased with your selves and your sins but â—â— with God because God takes away nothing but â—at he first gave The Person and gifts of this â—â—â—t were given unto you by the Lord he â—â—â—h taken nothing but his own Learn thereâ—â— to say with Job Chap. 1. 21. The Lord gave â— the Lord hâ—th taken away blessed be the name â—he Lord. Secondly Though you are to weep under this stroke yet take heed of mourning as those without hope without hope I say â—â— 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 oâ— God But now let God be present and that iâ— 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 Dâ—vine 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 â—ura 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 House 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 Adieâ— to any pleasure or
to live To die well is too busie a work to be done well on a sudden Deferring as well as presuming makes many men implicite Atheists It was a sweet Speech and might well have become an Elder Body which a young innocent Child of my own used in extremity of sickness Mother what shall I do I shall die before I know what death is I beseech you tell me what is Death and how I should die Now of the way to die well HE that would end his days well must spend them well 'T is no great matter to live all do as much but few die well But Death falls sad and heavy upon such Are little known at home abroad too much Man is ready to die before he lives but therefore he liveth a time in the world that he may die betime to the world His Years come to an end as a Tale that is told His days deceive him for they pass as a shadow by moon-shine then appearing longest when they draw nearest to an end Job saith My days are swifter than a Post they flee away and see no good The art of dying well is better learnt by Practice than by Precept Unto dying well three Things are most requisite First To be often meditating upon Death Secondly To be dying daily Thirdly To die by little and little The first step of dying well OFten meditation of Death brings a man to die in ease for it alleviates pains expels fear eases cares cures sins corrects death it self The very Thought of Eternity will make easie and pleasant all things we suffer in a miserable Life How can we be said not to die when we live among the dead We live with so many deaths about us as we cannot but often think of dying Every Humour in us engenders Diseases enough to kill us so that our Bodies are but living Graves and we die not because we are sick but because we live And when we recover from sickness we escape not sickness but the disease All this life is but a death of an hour Familiarity with Death a soveraign Cordial against Death THerefore be acquainted with Death betimes for through acquaintance death will lose his horror like unto an ill Face though it be as formidable as a monster yet often viewing will make it familiar and free it from distaste walk every day with Joseph a turn or two in thy Garden with death and thou shalt be well acquainted with the face of death but shalt never feel the sting of death Death is black but comely Philostrates lived seven years in his Tomb that he might be acquainted with it against his bones came to lye in it Some Philosophers have been so wrapt in this contemplation of Death and Immortality that they discourse so familiarly and pleasingly of it as if a fair death were to be preferred before a pleasant life This is well for Nature's part and Moralists think this enough for their part to conceive so But Christians must go farther and search deeper They must try where the power of death lyes They shall find that the power of every man's death lyes in his own sin That death never hurts a man but with his own weapons It always turns upon us some sin it finds in us The sting of Death is sin Pluck out the sting death cannot hurt us The way to die well is to die often Let a man often and seriously think of dying then let him sin if he can said Picus Mirandula In Sardis there grew an Herb called Appium Sardis that would make a Man lie laughing when he was deadly sick Such is the operation of sin Beware therefore of this Risus Sardonicus laughter of Sardis We count it a fearful thing for a man to be author of his own death but a sinful life slays the soul and so while we live we kill or lose our better life The Commandment that says Thou shalt not kill especially forbids the murthering of our own Souls And herein is our happiness though we live in sin yet we die without sin Therefore to me Death is welcome not as an end of troubles but of sin Into thy hands I commend my Spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of Truth The Second Step To be dying daily THE second step to dying-well is to die daily Methinks O my Soul it is but yesterday since we met and now we are upon parting neither shall we I hope be unwilling to take our leaves for what advantage can it be to us to hold out longer together Are we not assured that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens Why therefore O my Soul shouldst thou be loth to part upon fair terms Thou O my Soul to the possession of that happy Mansion which thy dear Saviour hath from all Eternity prepared for thee in his Father's house and thou O my body to that quiet repository of the grave till ye both shall happily meet in the blessed Resurrection of the Just I die that I may not die I die daily saith Saint Paul So many days as thou livest reckon so many lives for he that disposeth all his days as one life can neither wish nor fear to morrow The old saying is a good saying Do that every day which thou wouldst do the same day that thou diest 'T is an excellent thing to make all we can of life before Death To die by little and little the third step THE third step to dying well is to die by little and little Naturally we are every day dying by degrees the faculties of our minds the strength of our bodies our common senses are every day decaying by little and little every sin is more than a disease and a wicked life makes a continual death Impiè vivere est diu mori To live wickedly is to be long a dying Therefore saith the good Man We are killed all the day long He that useth this course every day To die by little and little to him let Death come when it will it can neither be terrible nor sudden If we keep a Courser to run a Race we lead him daily over the place to acquaint him by degrees with all things in the way that when he comes upon his speed he do not start or turn aside for any thing he sees So let us inure our souls and then we shall run with boldness the race that is set before us looking to Jesus the Author and finisher of our salvation To die by little and little is first to mortifie our lesser sins and not to say with Lot Is it not a little one There be also a sort of little deaths sickness of body loss of Friends and the like Use these in their kind and you may make them kindly helps to dying well Every change is a certain imitation of Death Let a man go out as he came into the World
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 none 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 When thou shalt leave this Tenement of Clay And to an unknown somewhere wing away When Time shall be Eternity and thou Shalt be thou know'st not what and live thou know'st not how 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 all 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 dye But you having shot the Gulph delight to see Succeeding Souls plunge in with like uncertainty IV. When Life 's close knot by writ from Destiny Disease shall cut or age unty When after some delays some dying strife The Soul stands shivering on the ridge of Life With what a dreadful Curiosity Does she launch out into the Sea of vast Eternity V. So when the spacious Globe was delug'd o're And lower holds could save no more On th' utmost Bough th' astonish'd Sinners stood And view'd th' Advances of th' encroaching Flood O're topp'd at length by th' Elements encrease With horror they resign'd to the untry`d Abyss It is very desirable to know in what condition our Souls will be when they leave the Body and what is the Nature of that abode into which we must go but which we never saw into and through what Regions we must then take our flight and after what manner this will be done 'T is certain my Soul will then preserve the faculties that are natural to it viz. to understand to will to remember as 't is represented to us under the Parable of Dives and Lazarus But alas we little know how the People of the disembodied Societies act and will and understand and communicate their thoughts to one another and therefore I long to know it What conception can I have of a separated Soul says a late Writer but that 't is all Thought I firmly think when a mans body is taken from him hy Death he is turned into all Thought and Spirit How great will be his Thought when it is without any hinderance from these material Organs that now obstruct its Operations In that Eternity as one expresses it the whole power of the Soul runs together one and the same way In Eternity the Soul is united in its Motions which way one faculty goes all go and the Thoughts are all concentred as in one whole Thought of Joy or Torment These things have occasioned great variety of Thoughts in me and my Soul when it looks towards the other World and thinks it self near it can no more cease to be inquisitive about it than it can cease to be a Soul Tears FOR A Dead Husband WHen Mary came where Jesus was and saw him she fell down at his feet saying unto him Lord if thou hadst been here my Brother had not died Jo. 11. 32. She wept indeed yet it was but for a Brother and the Jews also wept vers 33. yet it was but for a common Friend But what was all that to the death of a Husband O my Husband my Husband That very name of Husband methinks would flatter me with comfort as if I might imagin that he could hear me But oh he is dead he is dead He cannot hear me he cannot behold me he cannot answer me His Ears are locked up his Eyes are closed his mouth is sealed his Soul is gone O what shall I do for my head my guide my heart my Husband Were my Saviour upon Earth again I could send one to him as Mary did who should say Lord behold he whom thou lovest is dead Dead say Iâ— O dead dead he is gone he is departed and can never be recalled But why Why can he not be called back again Did not my Jesus cause Lazarus to arise when he had been four days dead ver 39. Yes he did But what then I neither love my Saviour so well as Mary did nor I fear doth he love me so well as he did Mary or if both were so yet since Miracles are ceased I cannot so much as hope that he will call back the Spirit of my Lord my Husband Oh could he be wooed by the Tears of a sinful Woman never did any mourn so much as I would But nothing will perswade I seek but the disturbance of him whom I mourn for if I desire to call him from his eternal rest When Sarah died in Kirjath-Arba Abraham stood up from before his deceased Wife and spake unto the Sons of Heth saying I am a stranger and a Sojourner with you Give me a Possession and a burying place with you that I may bury my dead out of my sight Gen. 23. 3 4. Though he so tenderly affected her whilst she was living yet he would not look too long on her when she was dead It is a duty as full of humanity to interr with decency the Bodies of the dead as it is of Religion to love the Persons when they are alive Yet vain is man in this affection if he fixeth his love only on the beauty of the body This flesh which is so tender this skin which I strive to preserve both smooth and white must one day be a banquet for the loathed Worms No greater priviledge belongeth to me than did to my Husband for the time will come when I shall follow him to the Earth Had I loved only his outward form my love should now either be quite forgotten or else I should fondly desire to deny it interment But it was his body enlivened with a rich and excellent Soul which drew mine affection and commanded my desires Had that Soul and body continued their Society I had been freed from my laments but they have bid farewell till the general Resurrection and hence am I enforced to utter my complaints I weep for my loss because we are divorced But oh what conflicts then can I imagin that he had when he was not only to part from his indeared Wife but likewise his Soul was to leave this chillowed Earth Oh for him for him for my loss of him do I pay the tribute of these watering Eyes Yet these tears must not flow in too great abundance lest by them I should seem to envy his happiness Even when his body shall be
the next Hour be a Banquet for the Worm to feed upon Prepare to follow SERMON VIII ISAIAH 8. 38. Set thy House in order for thou shalt dye and not live Dearly Beloved I Am now about to speak of that which will shortly render me unable to speak and you are now about to hear of that which will also shortly make you uncapable of hearing any more and that is Death It will be but a little while before Death will cause both the Speaker to be Dumb and the Hearer to be Deaf Oh that I might therefore this day speak with that seriousness unto you as considering the time draws on apace when I shall be Silenced by Death and never more have an opportunity to speak one word unto you And Oh! that you might Hear this day with that diligence and reverence as considering that after you are once Nailed down in your Coffins and Covered with the Dust you will never hear one Sermon more or one Exhortation or one word more till you hear these words pronounced by the great Judge of the Quick and Dead Surgiâ—â— Mortui venite ad Judicium Arise ye Dead and come ye unto Judgment What is said in my Text as it is likely you have often heard it with your Ears so now you may ice it accomplished It is appointed unto all Men once to die Death hath long since come into our Nation and hath summoned many to make their appearance in another World yea you know that Death hath already entred into our Streets and hath not been afraid to step over our Threshold and to seize upon those that have been standing round about us yea it hath come into our very Bed-chambers and hath suddenly snatched away those that have been lying in our very Bosoms So that we have had warning enough of the near approaches of Death unto our selves and without doubt some of us have had the Sentence of Death within our selves as the Apostle speaketh and therefore it is high time for you and I seriously to consider what is said in my Text Set thy House in order c. Something we shall briefly speak now in order to the explanation of the words that so you may once more hear before you feel the meaning of them It is appointed or enacted by the Court of Heaven Statutum est it is a Statute or Law more firm and certain than the Laws of the Medes and Persians which is never to be repealed or abrogated We are not therefore telling you what may but of what must inevitably come to pass It is appointed unto Men that is as much as to say unto all Men once to die It is an indefinite Expression and so is to be understood of all the same kind without some special exception from this general Rule And indeed such an exception there is to be found in the Scripture for saith the Apostle We shall not all Die but some shall be Changed in a Moment in the twinkling of an Eye there shall be some at the end of the World who shall not pass under Death but yet they must pass under a Change which is thought will be equivalent unto Death But for the present time and according to the common Method and Course of Providence no Man or Woman hath any ground to expect that they shall escape the stroke of Death for it is appointed unto Men that is unto all Men once to Die Death will no more spare him that wears a Crown upon his Head than him that carries a Spade in his Hand as the Poet Elegantly expresses it Pallida Mors aequo pulsat pede Pauperum tabernas Regumque Turres c. And the Scripture speaking of Kings useth this Expression I have said ye are Gods but ye shall die like Men. But what is the meaning of the Phrase to Die I can assure you if you know not yet it will not be long e're you will know the meaning of it The Philosopher describes Death thus Est privatio Vitae â—â— Anime separationem a Corpore As Spiritual Death is the Separation of God from the Soul so Temporal Death is the Separation of the Soul from the Body When those two the Soul and Body which have like Twins dwelt lovingly together under the same Roof must be parted asunder and enjoy no more sweet and intimate Communion one with another till the time of re-unition at the General Resurrection This is that which must once be done every one must here take their turn And though this happeneth to some at one time and to others at another time yet first or last it will happen to all The Greek word Thanatos which signifies Death is taken from a word which signifies extendere and indeed Death stretcheth out it self so far that no Man can live out of the reach of it As surely as thou wast once Born so surely shalt thou once Die Let me but ask you this one plain Question and your own Conscience shall be the Judge in the Case Couldest thou still remain a Drunkard or a Swearer if thou didst but once seriously consider that thou must once Die Or couldst thou so eagerly set thy Heart upon the empty lying and dying Vanities of this World didst thou but once seriously consider that thou must once and it may be before to Morrow be taken out of this World Or couldst thou neglect the means of Grace or Delight in Prophaneness didst thou but seriously consider that thou must once die and it may be before ever thou enjoyest another Praying or Preaching opportunity To die is much and as this must be once done so there is more to be done than this for after this cometh Judgment Whether the particular or general Day of Judgment is here to be understood needs no debate seeing both will certainly follow after Death As for the certainty of Death you need not look into your Bibles for a proof of that I shall only desire you to open your Weeping Eyes and let them but a little while be fastened upon the Dead Corps that now is before you and if afterwards you can question this Truth I shall say no more to you at present but that it will not be long e're others may say of thee as the Apostle Peter did to Saphira Acts 5. verse 5 6 7 compared with the 9 and 10. Verses And Ananias fell down and gave up the Ghost and the young Men arose wound him up and carried him out and buried him And his Wife not knowing what was done came in and Peter said unto her How is it that ye have agreed to tempt the Spirit of the Lord Behold the Feet of them which have buried thy Husband are at the door and shall carry thee out Then fell she down straightway and yielded up the Ghost and the young Men came in and found her dead and carrying her forth buried her by her Husband The same Bier and it may be the same Persons which have carried
said not to be When we come to the Court of Heaven as the Queen of the South to Solomons Court and there behold how much God is beyond and above all that we have hitherto heard of him here at home in our own Country we shall be rapt up into admiration and there shall be indeed no more of this low and narrow Spirit in us for ever All these conceptions about and interpretations of the Text are pious and profitable but that which I rather take to be the proper meaning of these words Mine Eye shall behold and not another is this Job as was touched in giving the analysis of these two Verses speaks here of the Identity of his flesh in the Resurrection I shall see him I shall see him for my self mine Eyes shall behold him and not another That is I the Man who stand here before you the same who Job now speaketh I the very same numerical Person shall see God in this very flesh and with these eyes they shall be indeed new dressed and dyed trimmed and made fit to come into the presence of the great and glorious God yet it shall be even this flesh and these Eyes in which I shall come into the Presence of God and and behold my Redeemer I shall be altered from what I was but I shall not be another than I was I shall be changed into a better condition but I shall not be changed into another person My qualities shall have a perfective alteration but I shall retain the same matter and be the same man A man raised glorious and immotal is what he was except his Morality and hath no more than he had except his Glory The Philosopher acknowledgeth there may be a specificial but not a numerical Restauration of that which is corrupted But Job's Faith was clearer than Aristotle's reason He believed a Personal Resurrection Mine Eye shall behold and not another I shall not be changed into another Person whatever changes I undergo I shall be Job still the same Job Hence observe Every Man at the Resurrection shall receive the same Body that now he hath and be the same Mâ—n which now he is One of the Antients hath a large Discourse upon this subject wherein he discovers some who tho' they granted the Soul immortal yet denied the Resurrection of the same Body Such were the Marcionites Basilidians and Valentinians These saith he went halves with the Sadduces in their opinion The Sadduces denied Spirits Hence Act 23. 6. Paul perceiving that the Assembly was mixed of Sadduces and Pharisees and wisely considering that if he did but mind them of their differences between themselves they would not so strongly agree and combine against him he made his advantage of it by professing openly that he was a Pharisee And the sacred Historian tells us what the peculiar tenents of the Sadduces were v. 8. The Sadduces say there is no Resurrection neither Angel nor Spirit they denied both but the Pharisees confess both They held that there were immortal Spirits or Souls united to the bodies of Men that those bodies should arise and be reunited to the Soul They also confessed that there were Angels who are Spirits subsisting properly without Bodies Now as the Sadduces denied the Resurrection of the Body so others denied the Resurrection of the same Body These he calleth sharers or halvers in the Sadduces Opinion though not so grosly as they yet too too grosly departing from the Faith And indeed they who deny the Resurrection of the same body do by implication altogether deny the Resurrection of the body For if the same numerical Body should not rise it could not be called a Resurrection Resurrection is the rising of that which fell and the taking up of that which was before laid down So that it would be the Creation of a new Body not the Resurrection of the old if it were not the same Body And it conduceth much to the comfort of Saints and may be the terrour of wicked Men to keep close to the Faith of this Article The Apostle seems to touch it 2 Cor. 5. 10. We shall all appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ that every one may receive the things he hath done in his Body according to what he hath done whether it be good or bad That hand which hath been doing for Christ that very Tongue which hath been speaking for Christ that whole Body which hath been moved and acted for Jesus Christ as an instrument of his Glory that shall receive the Reward As also that Hand that Eye that Tongue that Foot which hath moved and stirred against Christ that also shall be punished and receive according to the evil committed in the Body Judgment would not be exact unless as there hath been a copartnership between Soul and Body in their works so also they should be co-Partners both in reward and punishment If it be objected how can the same numerical Body rise again especially in such cases when thousands of Carcasses are mingled and their Dust promiscuously heapead together or scattered abroad When the Bodies of Men are devoured by wild Beasts and digested into the substance of Fowls and Fishes especially when the Bodies of Men are eaten and concocted into the Bodies of other Men How can these numerical Bodies rise I answer first if we will not rest in matters of Faith till we have a clear rational account of them our Faith may quickly be at a stand I answer secondly that as it is easie to make Objections against Faith so Faith hath one answer as easie as these Objections The Apostle gives it and into that all such doubts must be resolved Phil. 3. 20. For having shewed the present condition or disposition of the Spirit of Saints in the former Verse Our Conversation is in Heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ He presently shewes what the future condition of the Saints Bodies shall be Who shall change our â—ile Bodies that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body How is this Who puts this vile Body into such a Glorioâ—i fashion Trouble not your selves for that there is power enough to do it it is done according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself This is an answer to the hardest Objections Christ can subdue all things therefore those which are hardest There is no difficulty to Omnipotency You ask how the same Body can be restored I ask how the first body was Created Tell me how God Created Heaven and Earth out of nothing So that as the Apostle speaks Heb 11. 3. Things which are seen were not made of things which do appear How were these things done If you argue by reason you will be pos'd and gravel'd in these as wall as in that other yea you will be at a Wall and notable to answer above that which is ordinary and every day done and shall continue to be done in all the
hath no Interest in Jesus Christ who hath not him to be his Advocate who shall then be his Judge And this you will certainly find and feel to be true whether you fear it or not for God hath appointed it and if none can disappoint him then all must first dye and after that be judged c. And thus having Explain'd the Words of my Text I shall next shew you what Observation or Doctrine may be drawn from them and it is this Doct. That it is past all dispute that all Men must pass through Death and Judgment As for the certainty of Death you need not look into your Bibles for a Proof of that I shall only desire you to open your Weeping Eyes and let them but a little while be fastened upon the Dead Corps that now is before you and if afterwards you can Question this Truth I shall say no more to you at present but that it will not be long e're others may say of thee as the Apostle Peter did to Saphira Acts 5. vers 5 6 7. compared with the 9. 10. Verses And Ananias fell down and gave up the Ghost and the young Men arose wound him up and carried him out and Buried him And his Wife not knowing what was done came in and Peter said unto her How is it that ye have agreed to tempt the Spirit of the Lord Behold the Feet of them which have buried thy Husband are at the door and shall carry thee out Then fell she down straightway and yielded up the Ghost and the young Men came in and found her dead and carrying her forth buried her by her Husband The same Bier and it may be the same Persons which have carried thy Neighbour thy Husband thy Wife thy Brother or Sister already to the Grave behold they stand ready to do so much for thee and let every one consider with himself that he may be the very next in the Town or Family for whom the Bier may be fetched to carry him unto his long home And then as for the certainty of Judgment though every one hath a sufficient Proof in his own Conscience of the truth of this yet for as much as some have â—eared Consciences and therefore would put off the evil Day and say with those 2 Pet. 3. 3 4. And there will come in the last dayes Scoffers walking after their own lusts saying Where is the Promise of his coming since all things continue as they were from the beginning c. You may therefore Consult these plain Scripture Proofs Eccl. 11. 9. compared with Rom. 14. 11 12. For we shall all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ yet that is not all but as it followeth So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God 2 Cor. 5. 10. For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in the body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Now when you are about any badness and doing any evil I dare say you never think of this suddain and strict account that you are to give to God of all your Thoughts Words and Deeds But howsoever we shall next shew you the reasons and grounds why it will and must be thus that all must dye and that all must come to Judgment The reasons of the Doctrine then are First We have Gods Ipse Dixit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it God hath said it shall be so and if his words be true who is Truth it self and if he can make good the words which have once passed out of his Mouth who is Almighty you must all Dye and after that come to Judgment and tell me when God hath once said it that it shall be so who can say it shall not be so and make good his words when he hath done Secondly All have â—inned and therefore all must Dye and be Judged Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore as by one Man sin entred into the World and Death by sin and so Death passed upon all Men for that or in whom as it is in the Original all have Sinned in whom c. Treason stains the Blood the first Man Adam having sinned and all that were in him as we all were deriving Guilt from him so we must all come under the same Penalty of Death which he by sinning made himself and his Posterity obnoxious unto Thirdly The Justice and Mercy of God requires it should be so for as God will openly manifest his Justice by the Punishing of unbelieving Sinners who in this Life have escaped Punishment by the hands of Divine Justice so he will openly manifest his Mercy in the Pardoning and Saving of all Believers who have seemed in this Life to serve God without Reward You may read to this purpose at your leisure 2 Thess 1. 7 8 9 10. compared with Matth. 25. 31 33 34 41. Though now there seemeth to be little difference between the Godly and the Ungodly between the Righteous and the unrighteous between those that serve the Lord and them that serve him not yet then it will be a plain Case that it was better to be a poor Believer than a rich Unbeliever then it will be put out of all doubt who was the wisest and who shall be the happiest Man whether he that preferred Christ before the Creature or he that valued the Creature more than Christ yea then will appear a great difference between the Sanctified and the Glorified though the Sanctified were happy in enjoying of God on Earth in having Communion with him in Duties and Ordinances yet will the Glorified be more yea most happy when they shall fully and perfectly enjoy immediate Communion with God without the use of all means according to the Philosophical Maxim Finis nobilior est mediis The principal ultimate End is more excellent in it self and more desirable and valuable than the Means conducing unto the End But this you that have feared loved obeyed and served the Lord in this World will most understand in the World to come We shall next come to make some brief USE of the Doctrine and the USE is Fourfold 1. Of Information 2. Of Reprehension 3. Of Consolation 4. Of Exhortation 1. VSE of Information And we may hence be Informed that if it be certain both in Scripture and by common experience that all must dye and after that be Judged then it argues gross Ignorance for any one to think that it is possible for him to make such a Covenant or agreement with Death and Judgment that they shall not come near him Indeed such Atheists and Fools there have been as the Scripture speaks and it is likely some such there may be amongst us But hath God appointed that thou must once dye and afterwards come to Judgment Then what art thou Oh poor Worm that thou shouldest once Dream that thou canst null or make void this Ordinance and Decree of Heaven
made the Deaf to hear the Dumb to speak cleansed the Leapers which say to the Devil be thou dumb thou foul Spirit and he shall forthwith be dumb Awake and sing c. But how shall they awake who have no previledge above the Idol Baal that they cannot wipe off the Dust from their own faces Where are those cristal glasses which were so long since broken how shall they awake how shall these windows be opened which have so long since been dampned up with clay how shall they sing the song of the Lord in a strange language how shall they sing Where are these harps of their tongues these well tuned Cymbals Surely they are hanged up in the willows while they lie in the land of forgetfulness yet the day shall come and it is not far off when all mountains and graves shall open nay let earth earth earth earth upon earth keep down man yet shall he arise and God of this despised unvalued and contemptible Dust shall build up the walls of his celestial Jerusalem Again it is the powerful voice of God which sends men to judgment For before I end this Point I must speak of the quality as I noted before For here also I find a main difference between the godly and the wicked For howsoever to awake â—ay belong to both yet to awake and â—g I find this proper only to the godly These blessed ones shall not only awake â—ut when they are awaken they shall â—g that is they shall awake to their â—y But what then shall the Wicked sing â—â—so No surely For as one observes â—ery well Musica in luctu importuna Muâ—ck in mourning doth not well agree Their hearts shall lie heavy within them â—ut the Elect when this day shall come â—ey shall lift up their heads for the â—â—me of their Redemption draweth nigh They shall not rejoyce only but they â—â—all leap and exalt for joy at the sight of their Saviour with the applause of their â—ands they shall make Heaven and Earth â— ring Then shall these ever Blessed say to the â—icked Non vobis pars non sors nobiscum â—ou have no part nor lot of inheritance â—ith us Your joy shall be turned into horâ—ur and dread your singing into howlâ—â—g your clapping of hands into gnaâ—ing of teeth Begon from us depart â—om us for you have no skill of the tune â—â— the Lamb. And thus you see that howsoever to arise and to awake may belong unto the Wicked as well as to the Godly yet they have no part nor portion in this joy mentioned in my Text which shall be at the general Resurrection For thy Dew is as the Dew of herbs and the Earth shall east up her Dead Here we have two kinds of proofs of the Resurrection The first an Inducement a Probability or Comparison drawn from the course of Nature Thy Dew c. The other is an Argument very necessary forcing strict Yea of great constraint The Earth c. The one allureth surely and gently to bring forth The other implyeth a necessity a matter that needs must be as who should say the Earth must be as a weak stomock that certifieth she must cast up what she hath taken down into her bowels The Similitude then stands thus Foâ— thy Dew is as the Dew of herbs That is even as the morning dew sweetly and softly falling on the herbs doth make them grow and spring up Even so shall the spirit and power of the Lord gently call for these Creatures and they shall as it were spring out of the Earth But say the Earth will not render when the Lord shall call say she plead Antiquity of possession so many thousand years yet she must render and though she doth render yet doth she yield up that which never was her own she must cast them up That there shall be a Resurrection then even things in Nature probably do shew it Consider but the Phoenix of Arabia of whose Cinders when she is dead another bird springeth up Consider but the Lillies of the field how they sprout and spring out being allured by the deaw and the sweet influence of the Sun in the Summer-time Look upon the Herbs walk into your Gardens see the fragrant flowers whose roots in the Winter-time â—ye hid under Earth as if they were dead yet in the spring revive and flourish again in a most beautiful manner Though the Oak and the Elm in the Winter-time having cast their leaves â—eem dead yet there is a sustance in them Though winter hath blurred and disfigured the beautiful face of nature and robbed her of all comliness yet when the Spring returneth God spreadeth his Carpets of Egypt on the Earth and cloaths it with a Joseph's partie coloured Garment divers storks of most beautiful flowers do spring up and appear There is a bare Corn thrown into the Earth yet it comes forth with a goodly green stem and billows and plants upon the Ground Nay the flyes and those other ludi bria naturae scorns of nature howsoever they seem dead to us in Winter lying in holes yet in the Spring time revive Nay faetus in utero the birth in the womâ— sheweth it which lyeth as an heavy lump seeming dead unto us and ye comes forth alive These all are probabilities that there shall be a Resurrectoiâ— a Goal delivery of those Prisoners which the Earth now holds fast The Earth shâ— cast out the dead If these soft instillations and shower will not prevail if this deaw will nâ— serve to call forth this dead God hath floud as my text saith The Earth shâ— cast them up If she be unwilling to let hâ— Prisoners come forth God shall raâ—sack her bowels and make her to voâ— up what she hath swallowed God shâ— say to the Earth Give and to the Sea Restore so that not only the Earth but also the Sea married to the Earth and having her arms folded about her lovers bosom she I say the Sea as Jonas his Whale shall cast up those in her belly Nay hath any beast swallowed up any bit of the Body of Gods Saints and chosen they shall find that they have swallowed a morcel too hard of digestion which shall trouble their stomacks very much they shall cast it up also Would you know the reason hereof in a word The truth of this matter is proved by an Argument drawn from Gods power for as the Prophet speaketh shall â—he cause to bring forth and shall he himself be â—â—arren shall he cause to travail and shall be not bring forth Suerly God which by his power hath made all things and given the Earth and all things that are â—o serve for mans use shall not he when that day cometh cause the Earth to cast up â—er dead he that hath made man of nothing shall he not be able to raise him again out of the dust at the last day far be it from us Beloved from thinking so but rather let us stedfastly believe and
there fell Where while the Boy his cruel Fate bemoan`d The tender point straight melted in the wound Would Chance have us adore her lawless will Or tell where Death is not if drops can kill Thus has Death infinite Accesses then nearest when it is least thought of Sect. 20. An Antidote against sudden Death HEre Reader though out of order I will give thee three Prayers as Examples made against sudden Death It is at thy choice every day to make use of one or all cordially and sincerely They are designed so many it being but reason that we should fall three times at the Feet of Christ when we beg so great a Boon For this we must know that in this respect there can be no Man too cautious or too provident The first Prayer MOst Merciful Lord Jesu by thy Tears by thy Agony and Bloody Sweat by thy Death I beseech thee deliver me from sudden and from unexpected Death The second Prayer O Most Gracious Lord Jesu by thy most sharp and ignominious Stripes and Coronation by thy most hitter Cross and Passion by all thy Tender Goodness most humbly I beseech thee that thou wouldst be pleased not to permit me to depart out of this Life by a sudden death without receiving my viaticum for Heaven The third Prayer O My most Loving Jesu O my Lord and God by all thy Labours and thy Pains by thy precious Blood by those Sacred Wounds of thine by those thy last Exclamation upon the Cross O my sweetest Jesu my God my God why hast thou forsaken me by that loud cry of thine Father into thy hands I recommend my Spirit most earnestly I beseech thee that thou wilt not take me hence in haste Thy Hands O my Redeemer made me and formed me throughout O do not suddenly cast me headlong Grant me I beseech thee time of Repentance grant me an Exit happy and in thy favour that I may love thee with my whole Mind that I may praise and bless thee to all Eternity Nevertheless O merciful Jesu all things are in thy power nor is there any one who can resist thy will My Life depends upon thy nod that must end when it is thy pleasure Neither do I desire my most gracious God but that my will should be conformable to thine In whatever place at whatever time by whatever Disease thou art pleased to call me home thy will be done All these things I commit to thy Goodness and to thy Divine Providence I except no place or time no sort of Death though never so ignominious This only one thing I beg of thee O Christ my God that I may not die an unexpected and sudden Death Nevertheless not mine but thy will be done If it so pleases thee that I must die a sudden Death I do not repine Let thy will be done in all things O God For I hope and trust through thy great Mercy for the sake of which I make this only Prayer that I shall die in thy favour and grace wherein if I depart not sudden death can separate me from thee For the Just Man though prevented by Death shall be happy There is no Death can be unexpected to him whose Life has been always provident Wherefore if I have not space and time which is only known to thee O God wherein to commend my self to thee behold I do that now and as submissively and as ardently as I am able I send up my Prayer to Heaven to thee Have mercy on me O God according to thy tender loving kindness thy will be done O Lord in Heaven and in Earth into thy hands I commend my Spirit Thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of Truth Let all Created Beings bless and praise thee O God In thee O Lord have I put my trust let me not be confounded for ever Sect. 21. The Days of Mans Life are few and evil HOW old art thou Threescore And how many art thou Seventy And how many art thou Fourscore Ah! my good friends where are your years Where are thy Sixty Where hast thou left thy Seventy Where wilt thou find thy Fourscore Wherefore dost thou number thy lost years Elegantly answered Laelius that Wise Man to a certain person saying I am Sixty years of Age. Thou callest these Sixty answered he which thou hast not Neither what is past nor what is to come is thine We depend upon a point of flying Time and it is the part of a great Man to have been moderate The Egyptian Pharaoh asking the Patriarch Jacob how many are the years of thy Age the old man answered The days of the years of my Pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty years few and evil Hear ye O Tantalus`s that thirst after extent of fading Life and know that ye are but Pilgrims not Inhabitants nor are ye Pilgrims for a long Journey neither Your Life is both short and evil Short because perhaps to be ended before this very Hour that we divide with Death No man but must know it to be evil that enjoys it It affords us Brambles sooner than Roses to be trod upon And yet still will ye loyter and delay in these Bushy and Thorny places So forgetful of your Countrey Famous is the Sentence of St. Gregory This Life is the way to Heaven But most of the Travellers are so taken with the pleasantness of the way that they had rather walk slowly than come quick to their Journeys end Oh most miserable Franticks We are taken with Flowers and pick up little glittering Stones but neglect immense and unbounded Treasures We scrape together the filth of the Earth and the froth of Caverns forgettful what great and real Treasures we lose while we labour after such as are false Miserable and vain Creatures What has a Pilgrim to do with Flowers and Pibbles if he return not to his Countrey What matter is it if he leave those behind if he come to his Countrey To labour in this way to be wearied to sweat to endure all inconveniences is to be looked upon as the chiefest point of Gain For thy Countrey will please thee so much the more by how much the more ungrateful thy Exile was Sect. 22. How a Young Man may Die an Old Man AS we may meet with old Men not old Men but Children so we may meet with young Men not young Men but stricken in years Barlaam the Hermit an old Man of Seventy years when Jehosaphat the King asked him how old he was answered Forty five at which when the King admired he reply'd that he had been absent from his Studies Twenty five years as if those years which he had spent upon the Vanity of the World had been quite lost So Similius being Buried in the Cares of the Court and living rather for his Emperors sake than for his own caused this Inscription to be put upon his Tomb. Here lyes Similius an old Man of Seven years of Age. The Book of Samuel relates of Saul that
the World Therefore watch and believe every day thy last Sect. 47. VVe are to trust in God HE whom God assists though in the midst of the Waves of the enraged Sea he shall be able to withstand the Storm with a Couragious Heart Let Troubles surround him let Sorrows overwhelm him let the Devil roar and grin a Soul that trusts in God need never be afraid Though Hell be moved and the World tumble fearless he shall behold the Ruins he shall rise a Victor and like the Marpesian Rocks contemn the vain threats of the Ocean Thus Job thus David behaved themselves Job speaking to God with a firm Confidence in him Set me saith he by thy side and let the hand of whomsoever fight against me He provokes and Challenges the Camp of the Enemies of God let come who will he is ready to meet them But saith David though I walk through the midst of the shadow of Death I will fear no evil for thou art with me Behold a strong Faith Though I am in the extremity of danger though wrapt in the horrid darkness of Eternal Night and that Death stood nearer than the shadow to the Body trusting only in the presence of God I will despise all those Terrors Most certain I am that in his presence there is a most safe and impregnable Refuge For because the Lord is my Aid I will not fear what Man can do unto me The Lord is my Light and my Health Whom shalt thou fear If Armies were Encamped against me my Heart shall not be afraid Though I were to withstand the power of a whole Battel my Confidence should be in God VVe are to trust in God so much the more by how much the less we can trust to our selves He ranges his Army under the Enemies VValls who trusts in God To trust in God is to be above all Enemies Sect. 48. VVhen it shall please God TO a Blessed Life a long Series of years contributes nothing neither is Life to be reckoned by years or wrinkles but by just performances But that When disgusts the most part of Mortals They know they are to die and are willing to die but not yet They are willing to pay Nature her Debt but not yet They desire to be loos'd from the Chains of the Body but not yet So ingeniously do we poor Mortals rave We desire an end of our Miseries but not yet we would be Blessed and Happy but not yet We would and we would not die We are unjust to complain at the same time that we are miserable and that our Miseries are at an end There is no reason to grieve or weep when we cease to be what we were unwilling to be Is it because thou wouldst have many steps to thy Death that thou buildest thy self so high a Gibbet and is it because thou wouldst take a slow prospect of thy Funeral that thou desirest so many years Alas thou art to go either to day or to morrow Tobias the worthy Son of a most worthy old Man but old himself attain'd to the Ninety ninth year of his Age. Yet when Ninety nine years were expir'd in the fear of God they Buried him with joy Could Tobias in our judgment Expostulate with God or complain Why Lord dost thou now break off my Life Why didst not thou permit me to make up the full hundred What other Answer would God return It so pleas'd me Now die and reckon all thy past years as clear gain Therefore we must die when it pleases God not when it pleases Tobias Raguel or Ananias But I know what deceives many When Death knocks we believe the Exactor comes before his time Fools then 't is time when it pleases God Wherefore do ye delay Wherefore do ye pretend immature Age Wherefore do ye expect a Truce Wherefore do ye think upon delay Thou wert ripe for Death long before But grant thee thy own time thou wilt be never the more ready or the more prepar'd After all thou wilt desire delay the more thou stay'st perhaps the less prepar'd Delay has made many the worse 'T is a bad preparation for Death to be unwilling to die He has perform'd half of the Act who now is willing The desire of Death is to be shaken off and thou art to learn that it matters not when thou sufferest whatever it behoves thee to suffer How well thou hast lived is the main business not how long and often it happens well when there is no delay Therefore lay all hankering thoughts aside and thus resolve with thy self whatever God pleases let that be done Sect. 49. VVe must have recourse to God in all things ALas poor miserable Creatures alas insipid Fools When we are ill we take cur flight over the whole Orb with the wings of our Thoughts We beg petty Comforts from things Created with an ignominious Beggery VVe call Friends and Enemies to our aid we implore the help of all only God we pass by or at least apply our selves to him last of all VVhat madness is this to desire help from those that cannot afford it not to desire it from him who alone can give it us Therefore whenever and as often as thou art ill let thy first Groans thy first Prayers thy first Complaints be put up to God Open thy Cause to God declare to him all thy Sufferings VVhere dost thou fly about the VVorld and beg at the Cottages of Beggars VVherefore dost thou bow in vain to every Coach that whirls by thee Throw thy self at the Door of that only Rich Person who can free thy Soul from its necessities Thus did Moses who in all Cases of Doubt and Extremity had recourse to the Tabernacle where he consulted God himself Thus was Joshua deceived by the Gibeonites because he would not consult God before-hand Apply thy self to God in thy Afflictions and upon all other occasions The Woman that was troubled with an Issue of Blood for twelve years and had suffered many things of many Physicians at length came to the Physician of Physicians from whom alone she obtain'd that Cure which she could not have from many in twelve years It is a main matter to know from whom thou expectest a kindness It is an Argument of extream Poverty to beg from Beggars Sect. 50. VVE have said that recourse must be had to God in every thing Therefore a happy end is so desired from none but God Of which I will annex a short Example First Prayer Eight Verses chosen out of the Psalms of David by St. Bernard which he is reported to have repeated every Day for a Happy Hour of Death ENlighten my Eyes that I sleep not in death lest my Enemies say I have prevailed against him Psal 12. v. 3 4. Into thy hands I recommend my Spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of Truth Psal 31. v. 6. At last I spake with my Tongue Lord let me know my end and the number of my days that I
from his Childhood to his Infancy being afflicted with the Palsie so that he could not lift his Hand to his Mouth yet by hearing could remember all the Bible by Heart and while he lay all that time a dying continually had in his Mouth that one Sentence Thanks be to God To him all the Calamitous Days of his Sickness seemed nothing to Eternity The blessed Lydwick a Virgin of Schiedam lay sick eight and thirty Years contesting with â— strange variety of all sorts of Maladies In those eight and thirty Years she scarce eat so much Bread as would suffice as strong Man for three Days and hardly took the rest of three Nights Yet in this croud of Miseries her continual Prayer was O kind Jesu have mercy upon me Coleta another Virgin had sustained an incredible burthen of Pain and Misery for above fifty Years she hardly slept one Hour in eight Days Upon Festivals and Sundays her Pains augmented and sometimes she laboured under Distempers of Mind as well as Sickness of Body Yet in the midst of all she would still cry out I desire to be a Theatre and Stage for all sorts of Diseases to play their parts that so I may become a grateful Spectacle to God and Angels She might have said with St. Bernard My Labour is but the labour of one Hour in respect of Eternity yet if more I value it not through my extream love Therefore my sick Friend if thou numberest the Days and Years of thy Sickness call them a Moment If thy Patience and Constancy out-vye them hope for the Eternity of the blessed The Labour is small the Pain short the Recompence eternal Sect. 52. THat as well the Healthy as the Sick may put inpractice and bring forth what they have determined in their Minds we have added the following Prayers 1. Prayer To be said by the Healthy the Sick and them that lie a dying OH my sweetest Lord Jesu Christ in the Union of that Charity whereby thou didst offer thy self to the Father to die I offer thee my Heart that thy good Will and Pleasure may be satisfied upon me and by me Sweet Jesu I make choice of and desire thy good Pleasure though Adversity Sickness and Death press hard upon me and commit myself entirely to thy most faithful Providence and thy most holy Will For I hope and beseech thee that thou wilt direct me and what-ever belongs to me to thy Glory and the Salvation of my Soul 2. Prayer For the preservation of Conformity with the Divine Will LOrd Jesu Christ who for thy Glory and our Salvation dost intermix Joy and Sadness and permittest for our profits Prosperity and Adversity I return thanks to thy Goodness that thou wert mindful of me and hast visited thy unprofitable Servant with this small Affliction I implore thy Favour that I may reap the Fruit and Advantage of this Visitation of thine and that I may not be hindred by my Impatience or Ingratitude What thou art able to do I humbly beg of thee to remove this present bitter and troublesom Cup from me as thou didst listen to the Tears of King Hezechia and didst miraculously raise him from his Bed of Sickness Yet not my will but thine which is just and holy be done In thy Hands is all the Authority of Judging and Determining concerning thy Children Neither is there any one that better knows than thee what Physick is most convenient for the cure of our Diseases O my most loving Father Reprehend Chastise and Afflict me here that thou mayst spare me hereafter I know thy Rod doth profit many when thou dost Chastise thy beloved Children and that then dost purge and try thy Elect before thou dost Crown them My Heart is prepared O God my Heart is prepared when and how thou pleasest to submit to thy Paternal Rod and that my Patience should be tried by Affliction In thee have I put my trust O Lord let me never be confounded I submit and commit my self entirely to thy most holy Will Though thou slayest me yet will I not cease to hope in thee thou Fountain of Life My desire is in thy hands 3. Prayer For Patience MOst Omnipotent God thou knowest how vile and frail this work of thy Hands is how it is shaken by the least blast of Wind and vanishes again into dust so that there is nothing wherein I can trust to my own strength who in the Contest of the Flesh against the Spirit feel so many Commotions of Anger Impatience Pusillanimity Diffidence and Mistrust upon the slightest Assault of Sickness Therefore I implore thy Help most Heavenly Physician thy Divine Physick which is Patience For Patience is the chief of Consolation in the most bitter of Sicknesses Grant me I beseech thee O Lord with a present and contented Mind I may be able to endure Joy and Sorrow sweet and sowre as proceeding only from thy Paternal Providence because thou directest all things for the tryal and profit of thy Children Let thy Spirit I beseech thee teach me through whose Comfort and Assistance there is nothing too hard for us to perform that I may know how to possess my Soul in Patience till Death Thou art a God who considerest the stings of Affliction under which we labour Yet I though I have not yet resisted to the shedding of my Blood yet against my will I have had the Experience of the weakness of the Flesh and force of contending Nature Therefore Lord help my imperfection so much the more that both my strength may be perfected in Infirmity and that I may be able sincerely to testifie that thy Rod and thy Staff they have Comforted me 4. Prayer Containing a Resignation of a Mans Self to the Will of God OLove ineffable O most sweet Jesu my God and Christ shouldst promise me the best of worldly favours or what I my self would desire I would beg of thee the utmost of what I now suffer This I beg a thousand times over that thy will may be fulfilled and satisfied upon me and by me in all things 5. Prayer After Receiving of the Sacrament GLory be to thee O Christ who out of thy goodness hast been pleased to visit and refresh my sick Soul Now let thy Servant O Lord depart in peace according to thy Word Now I hold thee O Divine Love nor will I any more let thee go Now to the World and all worldly things I bid adieu Now rejoicing I come to thee O God Nothing O sweet Jesu nothing shall separate me from thee For I am united with thee O Christ In thee will I live in thee will I die and in thee if it be thy pleasure will I remain to all Eternity No more do I live now but Christ liveth in me My Soul is weary of this Life I desire to be dissolved and be with Christ and to die a Gainer Now will I fear no evil walking in the shadow of Life because thou O Lord art with me As
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 Cats 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 Kenâ—ed 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 become 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 Ese Are vanish`d all and gon The fleeting Banquet of our Joys Swift as our shadows run In the short twinkling of an Eye Th` are vanish`d all aud 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 changed The Nose becomes sharp the Eyes sunk and hollow the Skin of the Forehead hard and wrinkled the Colour of the Face grows pale with several other Mortal Symptoms that make such a strange and dismal alteration in the Countenance that it seems to be quite another thing So that when God changes the Countenance of Man he sends him â—orth Go now saith he go Man into thy House of Eternity Upon so small a point of Death depend so many Ages not to be numbered by Ages Sect. 11. Of Dying in a standing Posture IT was a saying of Vespasian That an Emperor ought to die standing I also say that it becomes a Christian
foretold his own Death and truly here the City Plithia signifies no other than the Coffin and the Sepulcher whither whatever Treaties makes a hasty speed The Old Poet sang of Alexander the Great But having enter'd once that mighty Town Whose Sun-bak'd Walls were of such high Renown Contented in a Coffin then he lay Thus Death alone makes the most true display What little things Mens Bodies are There is no House or Habitation so certainly our own as the Grave This the blessed Jacoponus a Person as Religious as Facetious most aptly taught A Citizen of Tudertum had bought a pair of Cock Chickens and spying Jacoponus in the Market desired him to do him the Favour to carry them home for him desiring him withal that he would not fail To whom Jacoponus be certain said he that I will not fail to carry them home and so went directly to the Church of St. Fortunatus where that Citizens Monument was and hid the Chickens as well as he could The Citizen returning home in the first place enquired for his Chickens All the Servants denied they saw any such thing thereupon the Citizen returning back and finding Jacoponus I thought said he thou wouldst deceive me as thou usest to do But where are the Chickens said he To whom Jacoponus I carried them home as you ordered me Thereupon the Citizen denying any such thing to be done come along with me said Jacoponus and believe thy own Eyes and so saying earried the Citizen to his Monument and lifting up the Stone Friend said he Is not this thy House Which the Citizen acknowledged to be true and there received his Chickens again Therefore most truly saith Job I know because thou wilt deliver me to Death where the House is appointed for all living Creatures Sect. 15. Nine Wills VEry truly said Pliny the younger the common Opinion is false that the Wills of Men are the mirrour of Manners 1. Zilka bequeathed his Skin to make a Drum and his Flesh to the Fowls of the Air und Wild Beasts and commanded his Souldiers to spare neither Churches nor Monuments He died of the Sickness in the year 1424. 2. There was a Woman that left her Cat by Will five Hundred Crowns for her Cats Food as long as she lived O the ridiculous Fosteries of Humane Thoughts Augustus said of Herod I had rather be his Hog than his Son A Man might as well have said I had rather have been this Womans Cat than her Servant 3 A Famous Usurer being at the point of Death sending for the Publick Notary and Respesses caused his Will to be written in these VVords Let my Body be returned to the Earth from whence it was taken but my Soul be given to the Devils His Friends astonished at his words advised rebuked him but he again and again persisted saying Let my Soul be given to the Devils for I have unjustly scraped together the most of my Estate To them belongs the Soul of my Wife and the Souls of my Children who that they might have where withal to spend upon Cloaths Feasting and Luxury put me upon the wicked Trade of Usury To them also belongs the Soul of my Confessor who encouraged my wickedness by his silence And so saying he breathed his last 4. St. Jereme rebukes the Covetousness of Heirs with this Fable A little Pig bewailed the Death of its Dam. with a most bitter gruntling but hearing the Will read and that there were a heap of Acorns and some Bushels of Pease left him he held his Peace and being asked wherefore he ceased his Lamentation so suddainly Oh saith he the Acorns and the Pease have stopped my Mouth This is the Humour of most Heirs now adays They gape after the Legacies make Inventories of the Goods and tell the Money let what will become of the Soul of the Testator let him rest as he has deserved But let us view another sort of Wills 5. The Holy Martyr Hierem the fourth day before he was carried to Execution left his Estate to his Mother and Sister but to Rusticius who was chief in Authority in the Commonwealth of Aneyra his Hand already cut off 6. The Holy Hilarion at Fourscore years of Age made Hesychius his Heir in these Words All my Wealth that is to say the Gospel and one Hair Vest my Coat and little Cloak I leave to my most loving Friend Hesychius And this was all the Inventory of his Goods 7. Antonius the Great made his Will in these Words As for the Place of my Burial let no man know but your own Love My Felt and old Cloak give it to Athanasius the Bishop which he gave me when it was uew Let Serapion the Bishop take the other which is somewhat better Do you take my Hair Garment And so farewel My Bowels for Antony is going He had no sooner ended these Words but extending his Legs he gave admittance to Death 8. The Patriarch of Alexandria John of Almes wrote his Will thus I give thee thanks O God that at my Death of all my Revenues it hath pleased thee to let me have remaining but one third part of a pound When Alexandria first made me their Patriarch I found Fourscore Hundred pieces of Gold to this the Friends of Christ added an unspeakable quantity of Money all which that I might give to God that which was Gods I expended upon the Poor wherefore what remains I also give to them 9. To this may be added the Will of a certain Christian changing only the Name the Year and the Day I Achathius Victor have been running to Eternity from the year 1581. upon the 15th of August and have Eternity in my mind Now I commend my Spirit to God and because I cannot deny the Earth what belongs to it I bequeath my Body to the Earth and to the Worms Of my Goods there is nothing now mine but good will which I carry with me to the Tribunal of God the rest I thus dispose 1. I forgive all my Enemies from the bottom of my Heart 2. I am sincerely sorry for all my Sins 3. I believe in Christ Jesus my most loving Redeemer And in this Faith I desire the Sacrament of the Church 4. I hope for Eternal Life through the goodness of God 5. I love my God with all my Heart above all things and resign my self up fully to his holy will Most absolute prepared to be well to be sick to live or die when it shall please the Lord. The will of God be done Unless every Christian so order his Life and his last Actions he is to be thought to have lived ill and to have died worse The last Hour consumates Death but is not the cause of it which was preceded by a good Death For nothing makes Death ill but what follows Death Good Seed brings a good Harvest The Highway to a good Death is a good Life I may not unfitly compare Life and Death to a Syllogisme The end of a
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 Lise 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 for h thy Hand and save me stom sinking But if thou sufferest me to go farther yet with Peter to run headlong into denial then such is my hope that thou wilt look upon me with an Eye of Mercy and Compassion as thou lookest upon Peter and grant me a new 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 AVgustus the Emperor dy'd with these words in his Mouth Live mindful of our Nuptial Knot and so farewel How much more holilv 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 noâ— 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
Grave but as a Victorious Captain breaking the Bonds of Death he led Captivity Captive in spite of the Malice of his Enemies who set a Guard upon him for as we have it Matth. 28. 1 2 3 4 5 6. In the end of the Sabbath as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the Sepulchre and behold there was a great Earthquake for the Angel of the Lord descended from Heaven and came and rolled away the Stone from the door and sat upon it his Countenance was like Lightning and his Raiment white as Snow and for fear of him the Keepers did tremble and became as dead men and the Angel answered and said unto the women fear ye not for I know that ye seek Jesus that was crucified he is not here but is risen as he said come see the place where the Lord lay The Death of St. PETER WHen he was at Rome he Prophesied the Destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish Nation by Vespasian But about that time the Persecution growing hot against the Christians especially upon Nero's return from Achaia in great Pomp he at that time resolving to glut himself with Innocent Blood caused several thousands of the Christians to be shut up in Prisons and amongâ—â— the rest St. Peter for whose Preservation the Prayers of the Christians were still put up to Heaven many of the chief of them who could gain Acceâ—â— perswading him earnestly to make his escape alledging that the preservation of his Life would be very useful to the Church The which after many denials he attempted by getting over the Wall which being effected and coming to the City Gate is there said to meet our Lord who was entring the City when knowing him he asked him Lord whither art thou going from whom he received this Answer I am come to Rome to be Crucified a second time By which Answer St. Peter apprehending himself to be reproved for endeavouring to fly that Death which was allotted him and that our Saviour meant he was to be Crucified in his Servant he returned again to Prison and delivered himself to the Keekper and so continued till the Day of his Execution with great chearfulness Having Saluted his Brethren and especially St. Paul who was at that time his Fellow-Prisoner he was led to the top of the Vatican Mountain near the River Tiber about three Furlongs without the City and there Crucified with his Head downwards it being his own desire so to die alledging that he was unworthy to suffer after the same manner that his Lord and Master had suffered and so having run the race that was set before him he undoubtedly obtained the reward laied up for him in the Highest Heavens The Death of St. PAUL HOW long St. Paul continued in Prison after he had received Sentence to die is uncertain but the Day of his Execution soon came but what his preparatory Treatment was whether he was Scourged as Malefactors were wont in order to their Death is not known As a Roman Citizen by the Valerian and Porcian Law he was exempted from any such Ignominious and Infamous Punishment though by the Law of the Twelve Tables Notorious Malefactors Condemned by the Centuriate Assemblies were first to be Scourged and then put to Death And as Baronius informs us That in the Church of St. Mary beyond the Bridge in Rome two Pillars are yet to be seen to which St. Peter and St. Paul were Bound and Scourged before their Executions As our Apostle was led to Execution he is said to have Converted three of the Souldiers who Guarded him which the Emperour hearing commanded that they should be put to death St. Paul being come to the place appointed for his Execution which was near the Aquae Salviae three Miles from Rome after he had exhorted such as came â—o see his Tragedy to Repentance and recommended his Spirit into the hands of his blessed Lord and Master he kneeling down had his Head stricken off with a Sword St. Chrysostom declares That his chearful submitting to Death and his constant Courage till the last was a means not only to Convert his Executioner but several others who afterwards suffered Martyrdom for the Faith of Christ He was Executed as far as can be gathered in the Sixty eighth Year of his Age. And thus the great Apostle after he had Preached the Gospel to the Gentiles and either in Person or by his Epistles visited most of the known World and as Theodoret tells us in the Isles of the Sea whereby he undoubtedly means Britain he received first the Crown of Martyrdom He was Buried in via Oâ—â—iensis about two Miles from Rome Over whose Grave about 318 Years after Constantine the Great at the request of Pope Sylvester built a stately Church and endowed it with many rich Gifts and Priviledges The Death of St. ANDREW VVHen he was Condemned the Pro-Consul ordered him to be Scourged and as he was going to be Crucified the People cried out He was a just and good man yet he was fastned upon the Cross with Ropes that he might be the longer dying the Cross being two Beams set in the fashion of the Letter X. From this Cross after he was fastned to it he Preached to the People for the space of two Days and by his admirable Patience Courage and Perseverance Converted many to the Faith During his hanging there great sute was made to the Pro-Consul for his Life but our Apostle desired them not to Intercede for him For that he was greatly desirous to be dissolved and to be with Christ Praying earnestly to Heaven that he might at that time finish his Race and be crowned with Martyrdom And so it happened for he there gave up the Ghost After which his Body being taken down was Embalmed at the Command of Maximilia whom he had Converted and afterwards laied in a stately Tomb prepared for that purpose where it continued till the time of Constantine the Great and was at his command brought to Constantinople and buried there in the great Church which he had founded to the Honour of the Apostles The Scots for many Ages past have had such Veneration for him that they Stiled him the Patron of their Country bearing his Cross in their Standard The Death of St. JAMES A Short time after his Imprisonment Sentence of Death was passed upon him and as he was led to the Place of Execution according to Clemens Alexandrinus the Souldier or Officer who Guarded him to the place of his Martyrdom or as Suidas will have it his Accuser being Convinced by the Courage and Bravery of the Apostle in his chearfully going to his Death came and fell down before him asking Pardon for what he had done upon which the blessed man raised him from the Ground embraced and kissed him saying Peace my Son peace be to thee and a pardon of thy faults Whereupon before all the Assembly he openly confessed
were permitted to come to him with whom he prayed very servently and gave them all his Benediction The next Morning the Sherist received him and by the way he was greatly solicited by the Sheriff of Essex to Recant To which he only answered Well I perceive that I now have been deceived my self and shall deceive many in Hadly of their Expectations At which the Sheriff told him It was a gracious Saying and desired him to explain it hoping he intended to Recant Why said Doctor Taylor I did propose to my self once that I should have been buried in Hadly Church-yard in which I now see I shall be deceived and as for my deceiving of others of their Expectations is that I being a man of a Corpulent Body might have fed many Worms who now must be content without me Bing come within two Miles of Hadly a great number of people came to meet him greatly lamenting the state into which he was fallen but he comforted them saying Be patient as for me I thank God I am almost at home and have not past two Miles more to go over before I come to my Father's House When the Fire was kindled he extended his Arms toward Heaven and with a Voice ravished with Joy continued saying Most merciful Father of Heaven for Jesus Christ my Saviour's sake receive my Soul into thy Hands till one with a Halbert beat out his Brains Thus died this blessed Martyr Anno 1555. The Death of John Bradford VVHhen he came to Newgate several came to visit him to whom he gave Ghostly Consolation and the next Morning the Sheriff came and conveyed him together with a Youth of about 18 years of Age to Smithfield where the Stake was prepared When he came at the Stake he kissed it as likewise a Faggot that he took up and then falling flat upon his Face in token of Humility he prayed for a good space till the Sheriff ordered him to rise putting off his Raiment he was together with the Youth fastned to the Stake when as he cried with a loud Voice Repent O England of thy Sins beware of Idolatry beware of false Antichrists take heed they do not deceive thee Then turning to the young Man who was an Apprentice to a Merchant in London he said Be of good comfort Bothers for we shall have a merry Supper with the Lord this Night And then embracing the Reeds he said Strait is the Way and narrow is the Gate that leadeth unto everlasting life aud few there be that find it The Fire being kindled he held his Hands in the Flames and with a Christian patience suffered the burning without so much as stirring the Body dying a Glorious Martyr in the Bloody Year Anno 1555. The Death of Nicholas Ridley AFter his Degradation he was delivered in order to his Execution At Supper-time his Keepers Wife weeping to think he must suffer the the next day he comforted her saying I pray be patient and chearful as I am for by this Grief you express 't is plain you love me not and with a chearful Countenance invited them all to his Wedding saying To Morrow I shall be married And when some offered to watch with him he refused their kindness saying That he should sleep as well that Night as ever he did in his life When the Morning was come the Sheriff and others came with a great Guard to convey him to the place of Execution also Dr. Latimer who was Condemned with him Dr. Ridley dressed himself in his Episcopal Garments and shaved himself as if he had been going to an Earthly Wedding Upon his way he looking behind him espied Dr. Latimer coming after and called to him with a chearful Voice saying O Brother are you there Yes said Dr. Latimer I have after you as fast as I can Then turning to Dr. Latimer at the place of Execution he embraced him and bid him be of good comfort For said he ` God will either asswage the heat of the Fire or give us strength to endure its Fury with patience And so going to the Stake he kissed it then kneeled down and prayed for a good space when rising up and being about to speak to the people the Popish Locust run and stopped his Mouth When the Smith was knocking in the Staple that fastned the Chains he said I pray thee good Fellow drive it in fast for the Flesh will have its course The Fire being kindled he stood in the Flame a long while before he died by reason of the ill making of the Fire and then saying Into thy hands O Lord I commend my Spirit Lord receive my Soul he gave up the ghost suffering Martyrdom Anno Christi 1555. One thing is worthy of Note and may be counted a Prophecy which was this Dr. Ridley then Bishop of London long before King Edward's death as he was crossing the Thames in a Boat the Wind arose so high that all that were with him were in fear of present drowning but he comforted them saying Fear not for this Boat carries a Bishop that must be burned and not drowned The Death of Hugh Latimer WHen he was brought to the Stake he looked with a chearful Countenance not being dismaied at the approach of Death After he had prayed awhile he unstripped himself and said to Bishop Ridley Brother be of good comfort and play the Man for I trust by God's Grace we shall this Day light such a Candle in England as shall never be put out adding That he knew God was Faithful and would not suffer him to be tempted above what he was able to bear Then embracing Dr. Ridley he was bound to the Stake and the Fire kindled then he cried with a loud Voice O Father of Heaven receive my Soul and stroaking his Face with his Hand he gave up the ghost dying a glorious Martyr at Oxford Anno Christi 1555. The Death of John Philpot. WHen he came to Newgate he was put into a place by himself and had word brought him the next Morning that he must suffer when with a cheerful Countenance he replied I am ready God grant me strength and a joyful Resurrection And after having retired awhile to pray he came forth and was conveyed into Smithfield where he no sooner came But he â—e'l on his Knees and with a loud Voice cried I will pay my Vâ—ws in thee O Smithfield then rising up he kisled and embraced the Stake saying Shall I disdain to suffer at this Stake when my Lord and Saviour refused not to suffer a most vile Death for me Having poured out his Soul to God he suffered himself to be bound with the Chain and when the Fire was kindled he commended his Spirit into the Hands of the Father of all Spirits and patiently gave up the ghost suffering Martyrdom Anno Christi 1555 and of his Age about Forty Nine The Death of Thomas Cranmer Arch-Bishop of Canterbury THE Popish Doctors frequently visited him in Prison and used all the Arguments
they could to persuade him to a Recantation but he absolutely resolved for a considerable time but at last through humane Frailty and desire of Life he did subscribe to a Recantation The good Bishop being soon greatly afflicted and troubled in his Conscience for what he had done burst out into a flood of Tears and after his Speech came to him he lifted up his Hands towards Heaven saying O Lord forgive me this great Sin against thy Holy Name which through the weakness of the Flesh I have unadvisedly committed And then addressing himself to the People he desired them for Jesus Christ sake to pray for him that God would pardon his Sins and especially that of his Recantation But said he This right hand that signed so wicked an Instrument shall first perish in the Flames Then they pulled him down and hurried him away to the Fire which was made in the same place where Ridley and Latimer had suffered stopping his Mouth lest he should any more speak to the People who were not a little grieved to see the Primate of England cast down from all his Honours and in the end so barbarously mis-used When he came to the Stake he fell on his Knees and Prayed but was interrupted by the Papists who followed him with his Recantation saying Have you not signed it Have you not signed it Then he was tied to the Stake his Cloaths being first put off and the Fire being kindled to him some time before it came at his Body he stretehed forth his right Hand and held it in the Flames till it fell off without any more than once drawing it back And after having recommended his Spirit into the hands of our merciful Redeemer the Lord Jesus he died like a Lamb ending his Life with the same Meekness as he had lived suffering Martyrdom for the sake of the everlasting Gospel Anno Christi 1556 and of his Age 72. The Death of Conrade Pellican HE was born in Suevia and educated at Zurick He was a candid sincere and upright Man free from Falshood and Ostentation He departed this Life upon Easter-day Anno 1556. aged 78. The Death of John Bugenhagius HE was born at Julin near Stetin in Pomeâ—ania being well educated in Grammar Musick and other liberal Sciences He used great diligence and industry in converting many to the Truth drawing near to his end he often repeated this Portion of Scripture This is life eternal to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent He died Anno Christi 1558. aged 73. The Death of Philip Melancthone HE was sent for by the Elector of Saxony to Lipsich to examine those that were maintained by the Elector to study Divinity In which he used great Diligence and after he returned to VVitterberg and fell sick of a Fever of which he died Sickness daily increased yet he so far strove against the power of his Disease that he would often rise to his Study The last Words he spake were to his Son-in-Law Doctor Pucer who when he asked him what he would have he replied Nothing but Heaven therefore trouble me no more with speaking to me After this he lying silent whilst the Ministers prayed by him he gave up the Ghost Anno Christi 1560. and in the sixty third year of his Age having been a constant Preacher of the Gospel for the space of 42 years The Death of John Laseus HE was a man of an excellent Wit and Judgment and took great pains to have composed that difference in the Churches about Christ's presence in the Sacrament though it did not succeed The King of Poland had such an esteem for him that he used his Adâ—ice in Affairs of great importance He died Anno 1560. The Death of Augustine Marlorat MArlorat was taken and carried before the Constable of France who after several Examinations condemned him of High Treason which was to be drawn upon a Sledge and to be hanged upon a Gibbet before our Ladies Church in Roan his Head to be stricken from his Body and set upon a Pole on the Bridge of the said City which Sentence was accordingly executed Anno 1562. aged 56. The Death of Peter Martyr BEing worn out with Travel and daily Study he after a while fell sick when calling together the principal Pastors of the Chtrch he made to them an excellent Confession of his Faith concluding This is my Faith and they that teach otherwise to the withdrawing Men from God God will destroy them And so taking his Leave of all his Friends after having made his Will he gave up the Ghost Anno Christi 1562. and of his Age Sixty-two The Death of Amsdorfius HE was born in Misnia of noble Parents and educated at Wittemberg He was recommended by Luther to instruct several Churches at Maegdeburg Gosâ—aria and Naumberg where he carried on the great Work of Reformation He having attained to 80 years of Age died Anno 1563. The Death of Wolfangus Musculus MVsculus being destitute at Strasburg some Fortifications were mending where he hired himself a Labourer to work by the Day comforting himself with this Dystich A God there is whose Providence doth take Care for his Saints whom he will not forsake Much Popish Malice he met with but God delivered him from their Revenge At length being seized with a violent Fever he died Anno 1563. and of his Age 66. The Death of Hyperius HE was born at Ipres in Flanders of noble Parents and was well educated His Care was great in reforming the Church and abolishing the Popish Fooleries out of the Service of God and and to establish a holy Scriptural and Ecclesiastical Discipline And in these Employments having worn out himself a Catarrh and Cough seized him complaining also of pains of the head breast and sides which often were so great as made him sweat as if he had been seized wish a Fever He died Anno 1564. aged 53. The Death of John Calvin CAlvin being settled in pastoral Charge of Geneva he continued to Confute Hereticks Papists and stirrers up of Sedition to heal Breaches and Division being Couragious even in the worst of times and as an Undaunted Champion of Christ not to follow his Standard till 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 personned 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 Inquisiâ—ors 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 theâ—ce to Tubing where he ended his days Annâ— 1565. his Brother being dead before him â—ot 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 repeating 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 Men deceased 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 am sure to see and to partake with them in Joy why then should not I be willing to dye to enjoy their perpetual Society in Glory And then with Tears told them That he was not unwilling to leave them for his own sake but for the sake of the Church Then having written his Farewel to the Senate and therein admonished them to take Care of the Churches and Schools and by their Permission chose one Ralph Gualter his Successor he patiently resigned up his Spirit into the Hands of his Redeemer dying Anno Christi 1575. and of his Age 71. The Death of Edward Deering DRawing near his end his Friends requested something from him for their Comfort and Edification The Sun shining in his Face he replyed There is but one
Sun in the World nor but one Righteousness and one Communion of Saints if I were the most excellent of all Creatures in the World if I were equal in Righteousness to Abraham Isaac and Jacob yet had I reason to consess my self to be a Sinner and that I could expect no Salvation but in the Righteousness of Jesus Christ for we all stand in need of the Grace of God and as for my Death I bless God I feel and find so much inward Joy and Comfort in my Soul that if I were put to my Choice whether to die or live I would a thousand times rather chuse Death than Life if it may stand with the Holy Will of God He dyed Anno 1576. The Death of Peter Boquinus THE Popish Party being incensed against him sought all means to destroy him so that he was forced to fly to Heidelberg where upon a Lord's Day visiting of a Sick Friend he found his Spirits fail and said Lord receive my Soul and so quietly departed Anno 1582. The Death of Abraham Bucholtzer HE was full of Self denial Humble and an Enemy to Contentions He used often to meditate upon Death and used this Expression it hath always formerly been my Care in what Corner soever I have been to be ready when God called to say with Abraham Behold my Lord here I am but now above all other things I should be most willing so to answer if he would please to call me out of this miserable Life into his Glorious Kingdom for truely I desire nothing so much as the happy and blessed Hour of Death He dyed Anno 1584. Aged Fifty Five The Death of Gasper Olevian AMortal Sickness seized upon him and preparing himself for Death he expressed to a Friend That by that Sickness he had learned to know the greatness of Sin and the greatness of God's Majesty more than ever he did before The next Day he told John Piscator That the day before for four Hours together he was filled with ineffable Joy so that he wondered why his Wife should ask him whether he were not something better whereas indeed he could never be better For said he I thought I was in a most pleasant Meadow in which as I walked up and down me thought that I was besprinkled with a Heavenly Dew and that not sparingly but plentifully poured down whereby both my Body and Soul were filled with ineffable Joy To whom Piscator said That good Shepherd Jesus Christ led thee into fresh Pastures Yea said Olevian to the Springs of Living Waters Then repeating some Sentences out of Psalm 42. Isa 9. Matth. 11. c. he said I would not have my Journey to God long deferred I desire to be dissolved and to be with my Christ In his Agony of Death Alstedius asked him Whether he was sure of his Salvation in Christ c. He answered Most sure and so gave up the Ghost Anno 1587. Aged 51. The Death of John Wigandus HIS strength decaying he fell sick and preparing for Death he made his own Epitaph In Christ I liv'd and dy'd through him I live again What 's bad to Death I give my Soul with Christ shall reign So praying he resigned up his Spirit to God who gave it Anno 1587. Aged 64. The Death of John Fox MR. Fox together with his Wife and some others went to Antwerp and so to Basil which was then a place of free reception of poor distressed Fugitives who were forced to leave their Countreys for the sake of the Lord Jesus and his Everlasting Gospel And here he undertook to correct the Press and at such leisure times as he could spare he wrote part of the Acts and Monuments of the Church a Work Famous to all Posterity And in this station he continued till the death of Queen MARY whose death he had a little before foretold Upon certain notice of which he with several Pious and Learned Men returned into England and were kindly received by Queen Elizabeth where Mr. Fox prosecuted his Work begun at Basil and so laboured therein that he soon brought it to a period He finishing this great Work in Eleven years space searching all the Records himself He now growing in years and by reason of his former Hardships his great Study Travel and Labour he was reduced to a very weak Condition he laid down the troublesome Cares of the World to prepare himself for Death He resigned up his Spirit into the Hands of the Father of all Spirits dying Anno Christi 1587. in the 70th year of his Age. The Death of George Sohnius HE was full of Humility Piety and Patience falling sick he bore it with much Patience and with fervent Prayer often repeated O Christ thou art my Redeemer and I know that thou hast redeemed me I wholly depend upon thy Providence and Mercy from the very bottom of my Heart I commend my Spirit into thy hands and so dyed Anno 1589. Aged 38. The Death of James Andreas THE year before his death he would say He should not live long That he was weary of â—his Life and much desired to be dissolv'd and to be with Christ which was best of all Falling sick he sent for James Heerbrand saying I expect that after my death many Adversaries will rise up to asperse me and therefore I sent for thee to hear the Confession of my Faith that so thou mayest testifie for me when I am dead and gone that I dyed in the true Faith The night before he dyed he slept partly in his Bed and partly in his Chair The Clock striking Six in the Morning he said My Hour draws near When he was ready to depart he said Lord into by hands I commend my Spirit He dyed Anno 1590. Aged 61. The Death of Hierom Zanchius ZAnchy being grown old had a liberal Stipend setled upon him by Prince Cassimir and â—oing to Heidleberg to visit his Friends he fell sick â—nd quietly departed in the Lord Anno 1590. â—ged 75. The Death of Anthony Sadeel HE sell Sick of a Plâ—urisie which he Prophetically said would be Mortal and withdrawing himself from the World he wholly conversed with â—od He dyed Anno 1591. Aged 57. The Death of William Whitaker FAlling Sick of a Fever a Friend asking him how he did he replyed O happy â—ight I have not taken so sweet a sleep since my disease seizâ—… upon me But being in a cold Sweat his Frieâ—… told him That Symptoms of Death appeared 〈…〉 him to whom he answered Life or Death is wâ—… come to me which God pleaseth for Death shall bâ—… advantage to me for I desire not to live but only far as I may do God and his Church Service He dâ—…d Anno 1595. Aged 47. The Death of Robert Rollock HE said I bless God I have all my Senses entiâ—… but my Heart is in Heaven and Lord Jesâ—… Why should'st thou not have it It hath been my Câ—… all my life long to dedicate it to thee I pray
the Lord Guilford Dudley was conveyed to a Scaffold on Tower-Hill where he penitently ended his Life his Head and Body being laid in a Cart all bloody was brought to the Chappel and exposed to the Sight of this sorrowful Lady a Spectacle more dismal than the kneenest Axe of her Death And now her own part is to be acted upon a Scaffold erected upon the Green within the Tower where being mounted with a chearful Countenance she looked upon the People and with great Constancy directed her self after this manner That she was come thither to die for an Offence which was committed by a Device not of her own seeking then wringing her Hands and protesting her Innocency she desired them to take notice that she died a good Christian and requested their Prayers Then kneeling down she repeated in English the 51 Psalm after which her Gentle woman helped her off with her Gown and the Hangman on his Knees asked her forgiveness which she forgave him freely and prayed him to dispatch her quickly Looking upon the Block and knecling she said Will you take it off before I lay it down No Madam replied the Executioner then she tied a Handkerchief before her Eyes and feeling for the Block said What shall I do Where is it Where is it Being guided she laid her Head upon the Block and giving the Sign she said Lord into thy Hands I commend my Spirit Then receiving the Fatal Blow she ended this Life Anno 1554. Aged 16. Her Death was much lamented but did not gâ— unpunished for the Judge which passed her Sentence shortly after fell distracted crying out continually Take away the Lady Jane from me The Lady Jane Grey had a curious Vein in Pâ—etry In her Troubles she composed these Lines Think nothing strange which Man cannot decline My Lot's to Day to Morrow it may be thine If God protect me Malice cannot end me If not all I can do will not defend me After dark Night I hope for Light This Epitaph was also made on her My Race was Royal sad was my short Raign Now in a better Kingdom I remain The Death of Sir Philip Sidney SIR Philip lay for the space of 25 Days enduring his Pains with admirable Patience and at length resign'd up his Spirit into the hands of his Redeemer October 16. Anno 1586. Upon him was made this Epitaph Apollo made him wise Mars made him stout Death made him leave the World Before his Youth was out The Death of Galeacius Carracciolus SIckness the Harbinger of Death seizing upon him which proceeded from abundance of â—…heum this was produced by his long and weariâ—ome Journeys which he had formerly taken by â—and and Sea for his Conscience sake His Phyâ—â—cians despairing of his Cure he wholly sequestred â—imself from all Worldly Cogitarions and taking â—is Farewell of his Wife and Friends saying He â—ould lead them the way to Heaven Then he desiâ—…ed God to receive him and acknowledge him â—or his own and so quieâ—ly departed 1592. Aâ—ed 74. The Death of Katherine Bretterg ONce she took the Bible in her hand and joyfully kissing it said O Lord 't is good for me to be afflicted that I may learn thy Statutes The law of thy mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver Then she desired her Husband to beware of Popery and to let her little Girl be brought up in the Fear of God saying So shall I meet her in Heaven whâ—m I must now leave behind me on Earth Once she was very dull in Prayer and when she came to Lead us not into Temptation she said I may not pray I may not pray for Satan interrupts me yet her Friends left her not till she had gained the Conquest She repeated often We have not received the Spirit of Bondage to fear again but the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The Verse of Psalm 13. ult she often repeated chearfully Many Pious Meditations she used but the last was this My Flesh and my Heart faileth but God is the Strength of my Heart and my Portion for ever He that preserveth Jacob and defendeth his Israel he is my God and will guide me unto Death Then she departed this life without any motion of Body May ult Anno 1601. Aged 22. The Death of John Lord Harrington Baron of Exton FRom the First Day of his last Sickness he apprehended the approach of Death and so readily prepared himself for it he made Confession of his Sins and oft confessed his Faith and undoubted hope of Salvation in Christ and when Death approached he breathed out O my God when shall I be with thee And in the midst of these longing Desires he departed Anno 1613. Aged 22. The Death of Phillip de Mornay Lord of Plessis Marley BEing displaced from his Government of Samur he betook himself to a Private Life and made his Will for the peace and good of his Family being seiz'd upon by a continual Fever and no hopes of Recovery he would often say I fly I fly to Heaven and the Angels are carrying me into the bosome of my Saviour then would he repeat the words of Job I know that my Redeemer liveth I shall see him with mine eyes and I feel I fell what I now speak He dyed in the 74th Year of his Age. The Death of John Bruen of Bruen Stapleford in the County of Chester Esquire FAlling Sick the morning before his Death divers Friends took their leaves of him and hearing some make motion of Blacks he said I will have no Blacks I love no Proud nor Pompous Funeral neither is there any cause of Mourning but of rejoicing rather in my particular Immediately before his Death lifting up his hands he said The Lord is `my portion my help and my trust his blessed Son Jesus Christ is my Saviour and Redeemer Amen Even so saith the Spirit unto my Spirit therefore come Lord Jesus and kiss me with the kisses of thy mouth and embrace me with the Arms of thy Love into thy hands do I commend my Spirit O come now and take me to thy own self O come Lord Jesus come quickly O come O come O come So his 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