not in some sort humour and applaud you Here I end this matter desiring God to enlarge your affections more more vnto the obedience of his word An answer to the 2. obiection concerning the generalitie of death Herein I will be briefe because indeed this sort of people are lesse worthy of further instruction who hold that this so goodly a frame of the world should not or cannot be destroyed Of whom Saint Peter speaketh thus 1. Pet. 3.3 There shall come in the last dayes mockers who will walke after their owne lusts and shall say Where is the promise of his coming for since the Fathers died all things continue alike vnto this day There needeth no other answer for them then that which S. Peter maketh them in the verses following let them looke to it vpon their perill This doctrine concerning the generalitie of death serueth to reproue three sorts of people The first are those who wholly or for the most part do set their loue and liking vpon the things of this world as if they were to tarrie in it for euer or as if they were to chuse they would not change this world no not for the kingdome of heauen ioying and reioycing as Amos the Prophet said Amos. 6.13 in a thing of nought like vnto the tribes of Ruben and Gad and halfe the tribe of Manasses Num. 32.1.2 who chose the towns and lands on this side Iordan because there were goodly habitations and fertile soyle rather then the townes and lands in Canaan which for the fertilitie therof was said to flow with milke and honey and for the innumerable pleasures thereof like vnto the kingdome of heauen Saint Paul blaming such and seeking to draw them vnto better choise exhorteth saying Seeke ye the things which are aboue Col. 3.1 where Christ sits at the right hand of God and set your affections on heauenly things and not on earthly The second sort who are to be reproued by the generall doctrine of death Are they who murmure much or rather do mourne too much for the deceasse of their neare friends as though God had not done well to take one and not another to take this and not that or as if death had surprised them before their time and for euer or else that death had casually lighted on thē more then others Saint Paule comforting himselfe and others concerning this complaint 2. Cor. 5.1 sayd We haue a building giuen of God that is an house whose builder and maker is God The children of God die but one Luk. 20.36 they taste not of that second death in hell as the reprobates do This once to die is but a short interiection betweene two eternities to wit election and glorification with a kingly and a kindly passage as it were by calling and iustification vnto eternall saluation Rom. 6.9 Christ died once but in that he liueth he liueth for euer So ye likewise saith the holy Apostle are dead to sinne Rom. 6.9 but aliue to God through Iesus Christ The third sort who are to be reproued by this generall doctrine of death Are those who not minding their mortalitie nor accompts which they must make do treasure vp sinne vpon sinne being driuen as it were with the swinge of their nature set on fire of hell defile their bodies and the whole course of nature resolued with themselues to vndergo any sinne so as it may bring them either pleasure or profite Alwayes saying in their hearts and many times with their tongues If we must die for sinne as Preachers say and that as well for one sinne as for a thousand why then let vs eate and drinke and be merrie while we may Salomon out of his owne experience and specially from the holy Spirit of inspiration faith of such one a after this maner Eccles 10.9 Reioyce ô thou yong man in thy youth let thine heart cheare thee walke in the wayes of thine owne heart and in the sight of thine eyes But what followeth God will bring thee to iudgement Although his Maiestie be inclined to mercie yet when he is moued to iustice it is ineuitable it is innarrable it is intollerable To that effect said Dauid as if it were in the proper person of almightie God vnto all such desperate and gracelesse wretches that do abuse his holy patience Psal 50.17 I will set thy sinnes in order to wit thy sins in the night thy sinnes in the day thy sins in thy youth and thy sins in thine age thy sins against me and thy sinnes against thy brethren I will so muster and so ranke them together so place them by rowes and in euerie ranke and row such and so many as shall seeme to be more odious shamefull and detestable euen vnto thine owne selfe And what shall follow I will teare thee in peeces that is thy torments shall be more terrible and farre more horrible to nature then as if thou wert racked tormented peece-meale These are they who although in deed sinne is too too generall yet they rifle and runne ragingly after it in a more particular manner not minding their mortalitie or at least not regarding the accompts that they must make do maligne enuie vtterly hate yea and seeke the whole ouerthrow of vs the Preachers of his holy word and others the deare children of God who runne not into the same excesse of riot and damnable behauiour but with zeale do frequent the ministerie of his word with reuerence do keepe his Sabbaths with all care do keepe themselues vnsported of the world Therefore they esteeme them not worth their societie nor worthie to liue vpon the earth Ioh. 15.19 We are not of the world therfore the world hatethvs saith S. Iohn The manifold plagues to the Egyptians the fierie Serpēts to the Israelites and the Emerods to the Philistims were not so troublesome and tedious as these heathenish Atheists prophane Iewes are to vs. We liue not as enemies in an hostile manner among them but modestly and mildly and benignly as Christian cōforters bringing peace offering reconciliation The words of our commission are of 3. emphaticall and publicke narrations The first is Benedicite blesse ye the second is Benefacite do ye good and the third is Orate pray ye Thus are we enioyned to behaue our selues amongst many other religious duties towards God and good mē yea towards our enemies Where in so euer we do faile through frailtie it is not indifferent nor iustice for them being our enemies to iudge what we should do but rather out of charity to iudge what we would do Neither is it for them to reuenge themselues vpon vs it is his holy Maicstie to whom we must answer vpon our accompt We are whatsoeuer they say bringers of peace and we are peaceable 2. King 10.17 Come see said Iehu to Iehonadab so it were to be wished that these men would zealously and religiously
come and see before they would condemne vs and heare quietly what we haue to say before they do with their tongues so iniuriously execute vs. Ier. 18.8 As the soule of Ionathā was knit to the soule of Dauid 1. Sam. 18.1 so our soules are knit as in one to them We can truly say our hearts are vpright towards them as the heart of Iehu was towards Ichonadab 2. King 10.15 And yet for all that me thinkes I heare them say as Iehu said to Iehoram 2. King 9.19 what hast thou to do with peace turne thou behind vs. And to be briefe we shal not need to insinuate for feare to haue their fauour euery one of vs may with Christian magnanimitie say vnto them as Nehemiah said to his aduersaries Neh. 6.11 Shall such a man as I flie who is he being as I am that will do it For we may say as Elisha said to his man 2. Kin. 6.16 There are more with vs then be with thē And with the Prophet Dauid If God be with vs who can be against vs Although they haue dealt with vs shamefully and despitefully as the Ammonites dealt with the kind messengers of king Dauid 1 Sam. 10.1 to 17. shauing halfe their beards and cutting off their skirts euen to their buttockes yet we will neither do nor say Iudg. 9. but as Iotham said to the Sichemites If ye haue dealt truly and purely with vs then reioyce ye with vs and we will reioyce with you but if not we will retort vpon thē their own tearms What haue we to do with your peace turne you behind vs. These are they who long since as they say do know right well that they shall die and they doubt not but they shall die so faithfully and so godly as the purest and most perfect Christian of vs all That this their error and grosse perswasion may appeare vnto them and vnto all others I will yet for their sakes for the better patient abiding of the godly deliuer in sorne particular manner by the Scriptures of truth who they be indeed out of this generall nūber that shall die well and so liue euerlastingly in the glorious kingdome of heauen The generalitie of death is not now in question It is generally agreed vpon and withall we find it is of necessitie it is forcible and violent vpon the warrātable decree of the most Highest But the question is who frames himselfe to die willingly and with contentment All shall die of force but none shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but such as in some measure do die willingly and with contentment Saint Paule saith Although I preach the Gospel 1. Cor. 9.16.17 I haue nothing to reioyce of for necessitie is laid vpon me if I do it willingly I haue a reward but if I do it against my wil what is my reward As if he had said what religious dutie soeuer is performed in respect of commandement and feare is not to any man so much as thanke worthie but that which is performed by man voluntarily and freely as from a liberal heart without respect of law or constraint that man shal haue his reward Euen so is it with euery mā that is of force surprised by death but almightie God highly accepteth of euerie man that disposeth of himselfe with a willing heart to die Therefore the Lord said vnto the people of Israel My heart is among them that are willing As if he had said Iudg. 5 9. Though you faile to do such things as I command you yet I will accept of your will This willingnesse is a kind of strong affection and a forcible facultie of the soule and yet for all that it is led captiue vnto sin Such is the corruption of mans nature being inuegled with the manifold forces and assaults of Satan that it preuails against the will of the inner man as S. Paul complains of himelse verse largely and particularly and which makes him to say plainly Ro. 7.15 to the end I allow not of that which I do for what I would that do I not but what I hate that do I. As if he had said Howsoeuer it be that I offend God through corruption and frailtie yet my heart my mind and my will is with God When I do any thing contrarie to the will of God I must confesse it is not I that do it but finne that dwels in me Phil. 1.23 Saint Paul did desire to die and yet in a stronger appetite and affection he would not So was it with Christ Iesus Luk. 22.42 So long as a man can finde in himselfe a will to do well although it be properly the gift of God it shall be accounted vnto him a deede as it was vnto Abraham Gen. 22.12 when as his will led him to sacrifice his sonne and yet did it not from his naturall affectiō He that will die willingly and wel must liue willingly and well accordingly There must be a continuall combat betwixt the spirit of man and his fleshly members Col. 3.5 Ephe. 4.21 to the end 5.8 to 22.6.10 to 19. The earthly members must be mortified and subdued by little and little with the will and desire of man to wit man must carrie a loathing in his mind and will of that which is euil by a cleane contrarie affection lifted vp to heauen Our sauiour Christ referres vs vnto the serpent for two speciall instructions concerning this businesse in these words Be wise as serpents Mat. 10.16 The serpent being fiercely pursued in dāger of her life not able to shift any longer she with her teeth wings and clawes will earnestly labour in the ground to hide her head being then sure enough from the pursuers as not caring for her body because her life lies in her head euen so they that make a good preparation to die willingly and well must not regard their goods Ionah 1.5 when their bodies are in question nor regard their bodyes when their soules are in question because indeede the life of their body and soule lies in their head Christ Iesus who hath so enioyned them The other qualitie of the serpent is to rouse and rub herselfe very vehemently when she is old against the ground vntill she hath gotten off all her old skinne and then hauing new vnder it she flieth vp on high with such agilitie and nimblenesse as when she was young euen so if we will die well and willingly so as our soules may mount vp to heauen we must in our youth and in our age rub off and shake away the old man which is sinne and wickednesse Rom. 6.6 and be renewed in the spirit of our mindes Three diuine causes mouing willingnesse to die The 1. is drawne frō the generall decree of God who in respect of death deales indifferently with all the generation of mankind all men must die the noble and the ignoble the King as the
that euer were Iud. 16.28.29 of Sampson the strongest man in all the world and yet they died 1. King 11.43 Dan. 4. Of SalomoÌ„ who was the wisest man in all the world and yet he died Nabucadnezzar was the richest man in all the world and yet he died Peter and Paul were as holy as euer any before or since and yet Peter and Paul died Gen. 23.1.2 Hest 9. Sarah and Hester were two beautiful Ladies as euer were and yet Sarah and Hester died To conclude there was neuer any time nor place nor person that could exempt any man from death For Sem called Melchizedech was before the flood he out liued all that knew him Gen. 14.14 Heb. 7.1 to 7. and so long that no man knew his kindred euen when Lot was taken prisoner and a great grandfather of eight degrees in Abrahams time whence he was said to be without father and without mother and in part a figure of Christ whose Godhead had no mother and whose manhood had no father without beginning of dayes or end of life in respect of whom also he was said to be king of righteousnesse king of peace and a Priest for euer of the most high God yet for all this Melchizedech died Iob said If God set his heart vpon man Iob. 34.14 and gather his spirit vnto himselfe then man shall returne to dust As though he had said more plainly No man in all the world that liueth but liueth to die wheÌ„ God will because mans life consisteth of that which is Gods Salomon saith The desire of death cannot be satisfied Eccles 8.8 he gathereth vnto himselfe all nations doth heape vnto himselfe all people Hab. 2.5 Iob speaking to this purpose concerning all mankind and more particularly of himselfe said thus Iob. 6.11 What power haue I that I should endure is my strength the strength of stones or is my flesh of brasse To wit What did men thinke of me when I was at the best or what could I euer thinke of my selfe was I a man like to liue alwayes And what man may be named that now is that euer was or euer shall be so strong or so enduring as that he shall be able to surcharge death The sundrie examples and the common experience euen of our owne time hath told vs and doth still forewarne vs of death which is so due to vs as to them who are gone before The most vnlikeliest do longest liue the most likeliest do soonest die which argueth plainly that there is no stability no certainty nor true token of coÌ„tinuance in any maÌ„ whatsoeuer Also S. Paul said to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15.51 we shal not all die Indeed we shall all once die inrespect of our outward estate ourelementarie inclination and naturall affections but in respect of Gods diuine maiestie innarrable power and secret will they which shall liue at the last day shall be changed they shall not be the same which formerly they were as men in the world I haue aduisedly considered of ten holy motiues or diuine reasons of Scripture why all men must die The first reason why all men must die It is the decree of almightie God which ordereth all inferior causes and binds theÌ„ to the obedience of his will No king can produce so ancient a right to his crowne as euerie man hath out of this most ancient decree to chaleÌ„ge after death the crowne of glorie Salomon said Eccles 3.14 I know that whatsoeuer God hath done he hath done it for euer to it can no man adde and from it can no maÌ„ diminish Esai the Prophet as in the proper person of God himselfe saith The Lord hath sworne saying Esa 14.24 surely as I haue purposed so shall it come to passe and as I haue consulted so shall it stand Againe he saith Seeke ye the booke of the Lord and reade none of these things shal faile none shall want his mouth hath commanded it Mal. 3.6 Malachi said to that purpose I am the Lord that changeth not The Author to the Hebrewes saith Heb. 6.17.18 That God more abundantly to shew the stablenesse of his counsell bound himselfe by an oath wherin it is impossible that God should lie that we might haue strong consolatioÌ„ Dan. 6.8 As the lawes of the Medes Persians were vnrepealable so is the decree of almighty God concerning death vnrepealable and in regard of the euerlastingnes of it Ieremy said Ier. 17.1 It is written with an iron pen and with the point of a diamond and grauen vpon the tables of the heart The second reason why all men must die Is drawne from the vprightnesse of Gods iustice Sinne being so generall in all men his Maiestie hath decreed to punish it by death in all men yea in his owne deare children who although the guilt of sinne be remoued and taken from them yet sinne remaining in their mortall bodies is to be punished with death and perishing of that substance so subiect to sinne Saint Paul said Death went ouer all men Rom. 5.12 in as much as all men haue sinned As by the law euerie husband may put away his wife for alienating her body to another man euen so sinne by the law doth alienate put away the soule from the body of eueric man Iob. 34.11 Elihu spake most diuinely to this purpose with his friends God will render vnto man according to his work and cause euery man to find according to his way And as sinne increased from age to age so did the anger of God as appeared by the shortning of their dayes Though Christ hath forgiuen vs yet sinne is not out of vs. There is stil in man that will keep him froÌ„ soaring and a Quis me in his mouth extending lamentably with Saint Paul from men to Angels with a violent interrogation enforcing an answer who shall deliuer me from the bodie of death The third reason why all men must die All men must die in respect of Gods generall purpose for the changing and renewing of mankind from one substance into another for the transubstaÌ„tiating of one body into another a transmitting of one life into another This purpose of the Father in Christ Iesus made Iob to say Iob. 14.14 I wil waite mine appointed time till my changing come S. Paul relating the verie same amongst many other things of great weight vnto the Corinthians said We shal all be changed And in another place 1. Cor. 15. at another time Flesh bloud saith he 35 â—4 cannot inherite the kingdome of heauen mortality must be swallowed vp of life 2. Cor. 5.4 And in his epistle to the Philippians he writes the same in effect being occasioned otherwise thereunto and that in these words God shall change our vile bodies Phil. 3.21 that they may be like vnto his glorious bodie The fourth reason why all men must die is That there may
harsh kind of doctrine to wise men and it is very distastfull to all men for it is a melancholy kind of teaching and of no such necessity Ye might rather in steed thereof stirre vp men to be merrie and to endure their miseries patiently Preachers do nothing more then fright and astonish men in the name of God let vs be merrie whiles we may sorrow comes fast inough The other sort reasoning and expostulating with flesh and bloud cannot determine vpon the generality of death They see not they say how it may be nor how it can stand to be true because then it is questionable say they who shall haue the dominion ouer other creatures in the world which are innumerable and most admirable 2 Pet. 3.1 1.3.4 Saint Peter saith these beleeue not that the world shall be destroyed with fire An answer to the first concerning the generalitie of death Interrogatiuely do you know this to be true by any sentence or example of holy Scripture No no you do not For if you did so know it the hearing of the same againe and againe would rather haue bene comfortable thē tedious vnto you That knowledge which is not grounded vpon the Scriptures of truth is nought worth meerly vnperfect True it is that men may know and be induced to beleeue that they which are a dying will die and that they which are in eminent dangers and perils present shall die But truly to beleeue and certainly to know that all men shall die or who or how many shall die flesh and bloud cannot reueale vnto men For the sense of hearing and seeing by the which men are brought to know and to beleeue reacheth no further then vnto things present because light which is the obiect of seeing and the aire which is the obiect of hearing vpon diuers occasions are sometimes giuen and sometimes taken away Therefore to see and to know certainly as an article of beleefe that all men shall die which is my generall doctrine no man can apprehend nor yet comprehend but by the knowledge of the holy Scriptures and by the holy influence of Gods diuine spirit because in verie truth the same reacheth vnto the apprehension of things in time to come and vnto that which is cleane out of sight and out of hearing Saint Paul speaketh directly of two sorts of seeing 2. Cor. 4.18 the one proper to the spirituall eyes or eyes of the vnderstanding in these words We looke not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene As if he had said We who are the children of God do not esteeme of that which we may apprehend with our natural eyes in cōparison but we esteeme and allow specially of that which we may comprehend and apprehend by faith And in that verie place he verifies the same calling the one in a sort an obiect temporall the other an obiect eternall The same Apostle saith to the like purpose We walke not by sight but by faith 2. Cor. 5.7 to wit We iudge not so highly nor so truly of that which the light or the aire doth manifest vnto our senses as of those things which the word of faith doth manifest vnto our soules The effects and fruites of the one and the other shewes the difference As the vertue attractiue was not in Noahs Arke Gen. 7.7.9.10 that drew famous and most worthy creatures and of all sorts into it nor the vertue attractiue was not in Elias cloke that drew Elisha frō his plowing 1. King 19.19 but both in the effectuall vse of Gods word Euen so the vertue of hearing seeing and beleeuing the general doctrine of death and life proceedeth not from any matter in nature nor from worldly reason nor yet from the wisest humane narration but from the holy Spirit of the liuing God who worketh in vs by faith which is grounded vpon the written word of God As for example briefly 2. King 6.18.19 Elisha his man as he was a naturall man saw onely an armie of the Aramites who were come to take his maister but when the eyes of his vnderstanding were opened vpon the prayers of his maister he saw a farre greater army of Angels that were come to protect them This made S. Paule to pray Ephes 1. That the eies of the Ephesians vnderstanding might be opened which was in effect that God would be pleased to inflame to kindle their hearts and their affectiōs with the splendor of his word and Spirit As the same host of the Aramites was led with blindnesse 1. King 6.18.19 vnto their mortall enemie the king of Israel at Samaria the eyes of their vnderstanding being shut vp and as the Sodomites did strike at Lots doore with blindnesse Gen. 19.10.11 when their naturall eyes were open or as Saule and his company 1. Sam. 26.12 being in the iustice of God striken into a dead sleepe euen so all such as haue not their sight and their knowledge for spirituall things out of Scripture they weare out themselues with wearisomnesse and in the end do bring thēselues as through ignorance into that ineuitable gulfe of perdition Labour you therefore ye seruants of the Lord labour ye the Scriptures and know you for certaine that ye know nothing as ye ought to know vnlesse ye know it by the Scriptures and beleeue it by the same Spirit that wrote the Scriptures As the light of the body is the eye Luk. 11.34 so the light of the inner man is the word of God and consider I pray you consider in due time I aduise you If I be to be blamed for this long discourse concerning the generalitie of death why then did the holy Ghost so largely discourse thereof Why did his holy Maiestie so often particulate one and the same matter so variably and in so many places of Scripture How can this be answered If you say fewer places would haue suffised thē you do directly blaspheme which God forbid Then you charge the holy Ghost with superfluities and tediousnesse where as through Gods mercies with such and so many iterations he doth importune you to remember your mortalitie and to make prouision for the same accordingly If you say this doctrine was not so needfull because you knew it long since out of your owne words you proue this doctrine of all others to be most needfull and my selfe of you most carefull And whereas you know alreadle as you say that you shall die neuerthelesse it is questionable whether you be readie prepared to die euerie houre for the testimonie of a good conscience as his Maiestie hath commanded yea or no. And it is questionable whether you be willing and desirous to die You wil say peraduenture you are of that mind you trust euer to be so that there is nothing vainly spoken in Gods word and you will count them vaine and friuolous that shall speake any thing out of this word that doth
as though that they which die naturally in their beds or they themselues which liue in the good appearance of the world were not as guiltie of condemnation for euery small sinne which they commit without faith in Iesus Christ as they who are hanged burned beheadded or pressed or as those vpon whom the tower of Siloam fell Here I conclude asking pardon of the learned wherein soeuer I haue erred or haue wanted in the disconise of the common lawes of this land Knewing the profunditie thereof to be passing the reach of all men and withall acknowledging it to be a meere subiect out of my element and therefore as a man hauing spoken nothing in effect of that which it deferueth I am cōtent to be condēned without replication vpō a nihil dicit if reason require it The third instruction concerning the timelinesse of death Not withstanding there are such variable and sundry sorts or manners of death as hath bene formerly enlarged and howsoeuer almightie God hath bene occasioned in his iustice to punish sinne yet none of the generation of mankinde departs this life before his appointed day so that no man by diligence can lengthen his life nor any man by negligence shorten his life The holy Prophet Dauid hauing Saul his enemie in his hand would not be perswaded to lay his hands on him but said His day shall come to die 1 Sam. 26.8.9 I will not smite him As if he had spoken more plainely It is not for me to kill him for God hath appointed him his time in which he shall die To this purpose said the iust man Iob by way of two interrogations Iob. 7.1 Is there not an appointed time for man vpon the earth And are not his dayes determined Iob. 14.5 The number of his moneths are with thee thou hast appointed him his bounds ouer which he shall not passe As if it were to say Certainely there is an appointed time for mans departure out of this world euen by the diuine ordinance sacred decree of the Almightie which cannot be shortened nor lengthned no not so much time more as to go ouer a meere or baulke nor so much time lesse as to come vnto it Againe he saith verie emphatically and affirmatiuely beleeuing in the promise of God therin after this manner I will waite my appointed time as though he had said Iob. 14.14 My God hath determined and set downe the day and houre of my dissolution it is hid from me I will therefore attend I will be looking for it from day to day Salomon after his conuersion amongst many excellent most diuine instructions he particulateth this secret decree of God most plainly after this manner Eccl. 3.12 To all things there is an appointed time And from this generall he descendeth into a more particular thus There is a time to be borne and a time to die to wit as there is a most certaine time inclosed in euery womans wombe in which she shall bring forth into the world euen so there is a certaine and an appointed time in which he that is borne of a woman shall go out of the world Saint Paul said to the Athenians Act. 17.26 God hath assigned the times that were ordained before and the bounds of their habitation By that saying the time of mans departure is decreed and vnreapeable why because there is no alteration nor change in Gods diuine Maiestie that which he is he was the same he will be for euer Iehoida said 2 King 11.15 He that comes within the ranges let him die the death euen so it may be said Whosoeuer comes within the compasse of the time which God hath decreed let him die without delay there is no hope nor helpe for him there will be no partiality or fauourable respects The liues of the 10. Gen. 5.3 to the end Fathers were twise exactly reckoned and their death once for diuers causes but specially that thereby euerie man thenceforth might be able to know the age of the old world before the floud The ages of these holy men being computated and layd together do amount iustly to 1656. yeares In which obseruance or sure rule for numeration and multiplication the holy Ghost deliuereth plainely that God doth strictly seuerely recken the liues of all men yea from their verie beginning to the verie day of their death Saint Iohn and other the Euāgelists affirme out of their owne knowledge that the Iewes vsed all cunning meanes practised diuers wayes to apprehend our Lord and Sauiour but all was in vaine something or other went betweene and why his houre was not yet come Ioh. 8.30 the time which his holy Father had decreed was not when they would To this effect Moses by a large measure of inspiration spake of an holy woman the wife of the Patriarch Abraham who had a particular and gracious respect before God specially for the time of her life the time of her death Gen. 23.1.2 When Sarah saith he was 127. yeares old so long liued shee then Sarah died That is as much to say Shee liued iust so long indeede and no whit longer when her appointed time was come then she died and not before Likewise Moses doth computate the age of Abraham her husband and saith Gen. 25.7 This is the age of Abrahams life which he liued 175. yeares Then Abraham yeelded the spirit died in a good age As if he had said This 175. yeares was the full time in which God had appointed him to liue When as Moses himselfe was to depart this life almightie God called him saying Thy dayes are come Deu. 31.14 thou must die to wit my decree is certaine towards thee my louing and my faithfull seruant as towards all the generation of mankinde As in an hoast of men furiously in fight so in the world some shall die now because God hath so appointed and some shall not die then because God hath not so appointed To which effect he spake by the mouth of his Prophet Eze. 9.4.5.6 Set a marke vpon the foreheads of thē that mourne And cōcerning others he said vnto him Go and smite destroy vtterly the old and the young Gen. 4.15 So likewise God was said to set a marke vpō Caine but touch no man vpon whom the marke is set shewing therein that euen amongst furious and outragious men in martiall affaires and in the determinations of malicious men life and death is euen then particularly in Gods hands and also the verie time thereof Here arise two necessary questions One why hath God so exactly determined the time of death the other why God doth conceale the time The first whereof is Why hath God so exactly determined the verie time of euery mans departure out of this world so that no man can go beyond it nor come short of it Why did he not rather resolue vpon this Let euery man shift for himselfe and