compared by profane and divine writers to a passenger to a walking to a pilgrimage to a race to a post to a chariot to a whirlegig to a warfare to a tabernacle to the flitting of a tabernacle to a turning wheel to a stage-play to a table-play to dice to counters to a tale to a tennice-court to a weavers shutle to the dayes of a hireling to the moneths of vanitie to the wing of an eagle to an eagle in the aire to a span or hand-breadth to a smoak to a blast to a breath to winde to a passing cloud to a vanishing vapour to a bell to a space to a tyde to an ocean of waters to a ship sayling through the sea to a gowne soon put off or on to a sleep to a night watch to grasse to hay to a fading flower to a leaf to a thought to a dream to a shadow to the dream of a shadow to vanity to vanity of vanities to nothing to lesse then nothing This Epicharmus alludeth unto while he calleth man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a blowne bagge Aristophanes and Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the flies of Aristotle at the river Hipanis which appear in the morning are in their full strength at noone and die at night like Jonah his gourd which sprung in one night and withered in another wee are like a blast and away with us as ye say in your trivial proverb And this we shall see more clearly if we look more narrowlie to our life Euripedes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Augustine expoundeth I know not whether to call this a mortall life or a vitall death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our life is a violence or trouble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our body a sepulchre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our beauty and colour a carion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our frame and shape a band 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our generation is a casting of us unto earth another funus est fumus our buriall a rieke So that this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a life not a life And this shall be more manifest if wee take a view of our ages First our infancie is full of infirmitie and tears when we are in our mothers bellies the least fall of her may crush us into pieces the smoak of a candle may smother us and she is so ashamed of our birth that no honest matron desireth to be delivered of us in publick And are we once come to light we creep in our own filth when other creatures take them to their feet or wings to feed themselves Secondly our child-hood is full of wantonnesse and foolishnesse we hunt after toyes and trifles not able to govern our selves wearisome of the instruction of our parents and masters and when they have much troubled themselves with us we are not worthie perhaps the paines taking on Thirdly our youth-hood is full of vaine idle and rash pleasures leading us to debauchery lulling us asleep in their bosome for to cut our throat like so many pillules of gold which under their outward beauty keep an inward sowrenesse like so many Dalila's to betray us to our enemies or like so many Syrens to devour us or like so many Judases to kill us with a kisse Fourthly our man-hood is full of pride emulation ambition with thousands of carking irking and pricking cares so that in this life we walke upon briars and he who hath the crowne on his head his heart is full of thornes and neither his purple nor his precious stones nor the magnificence of his fare or his court can keep him from traitours flatterers and assasinates So that some princes have thus spoken of their purple O cloath more glorious then happy Fifthly our old age is full of sicknesse complaints miseries for when a man hath done what he can to make himself honourable rich learned wise then it cometh to the which few winne many wish to come to it but they are no sooner arrived but they would bee far from it for with it are catarrhs colick gravell gout fever c. till that death give the stroak so that we begin in tears and end in miseries Astrologers such as Proclus Ptolemee and Aliben have more subtilly then solidly compared our ages looking to the perfection of the seventh number to the seven planets in this manner First our infancy humide moveable to the moone in the which having none or very little use of reason we live and grow like plants and in this only we differ from them as Philo Judaeus saith that other plants have their roote on earth but ours is in the heaven Secondly our child-hood to Mercurie wherein wee are taught and instructed Thirdly our youth-hood to Venus the dayes of love dalliance and pleasure Fourthly the Zeni of our youth the prime of our beauty to the sun in his goodly array Fifthly our ripe and full man-hood to Mars when we bend our desires intentions determinations towards preferment honour and glory Sixthly our raw old age to Iupiter when we begin to number our dayes and to apply our hearts unto wisedome Seventhly our rotten and decrepit age to Saturne when we are overclouded with sorrow tending to the doore of death which lyeth wide open at all times to all persons when the tyde of our dayes shall have a perpetuall ebbe without a full plemmura our leaf once fallen shal never spring up againe till that the world be no more So that ye see howbeit the spaces of our short time be compared to the heavens above yet they make us not immortall For as they have their owne courses which beginne and end according to their proper motions even so wee are wavering and wandring planets till that our first mover God settle us with eternall rest In the mean time we may say with Job ch 14. 1 Man that is borne of a woman is of few dayes and full of trouble And with Jacob Few and evil are the dayes of my pilgrimage Therefore let us live as sojourners aiming at our journeys end as runners looking for the prize as fighters sweating for the crowne for this is a strange land and this world is a banishment and heaven is our countrey and paradise our native soile and GOD our Father and Christ our Brother and the Spirit our comforter and the spirits justified our kindred and the holy angels our companions Why doe we not long for them But alas poore miserable wretches that we are wee fix not the eyes of our soules upon that life which is hid in Jesus otherwise wee would bee willing to lay downe this transitorie uncertain calamitous life for to regain that permanent secure and glorious life Oh if wee could see with the eyes of faith the things that are not seen by the eyes of a naturall man and which wait for us then ten thousand
architectonick cause of these two former subordinat appointments for it is the cause of causes and without damnable curiositie we ought not to go further it is a precipice and wee must not cast our selves headlong off it it is a great gulfe too deep for our shallow wits let us admire adore it But to leave the infinite names which Lullists Rabbines Caballists Paganes Divines give to God he is tearmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the best deviser 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goodnesse it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of most free will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him very self and so his appointment must bee holy righteous perfect irresistible whose appointment is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for whatsoever God ex voluntate beneplaciti hath first concluded within himself or acted in the parliament or secret counsell of himself before all time that ex voluntate signi must bee execute by nature and taught by experience in time seeing these two are his loyall and faithfull servants who must not nor cannot nor will not controll their masters uncontrollable will who even trystes with them for the reall and effectuall accomplishment of all actions Therefore because it is ratified from all eternitie in that supernall throne of Gods justice that for sinne all men must once die then for the execution and exhibition of the same on earth nature must play its part and experience its part for of necessitie the severe sentence of a soveraigne and inappellable judge must be reverently obeyed But so it is Job 14. 5. All the dayes of man are determined and the number of his moneths is with God and he hath set him bounds that he cannot passe And 7. 1. There is an appointed time to man upon earth The poet saith well Stat sua cuique dies Hence it is that Deut. 30. 20. God is called by Moses the length of the peoples dayes and David Ps 31. 15. saith that his time is in Gods hands who as he hath begun to spin the thredof mans life so he is onely able to spend it And this is it which the fabulous Poets forge of their three fatall sisters Clotho Lachesis Atropos the spinster twister and cutter of the small thred of mans life We acknowledge no Chaldaick fates no poetick sisters no blind fortune no coactive necessitie of destinie but the wise just good Almightie providence of God which not only extends it selfe ad vermiculos in coeno but also angelos in coelo and man who was made a little inferiour to the Angels and alas now by his default hee is lower then the wormes Indeed Naturalists may know that there is a God in nature forming reforming performing confirming perfecting all things without the which they could not stand one moment this is only a Theoretick knowledge and it may be without sanctification But we who are enlightned with the light of grace and the sunshine of the Gospel and taught and inspired by Gods Spirit have a practique and saving knowledge whereby we not only admire his power in the creation his wisedome in the administration his constancie in the conservation his beautie in the decoration his bountie in the augmentation of all things but also are particularly informed and fully perswaded Deum esse vitae necisque arbitrum Vtramque vero saith Tertullian disponendo praescivit praesciendo disposuit that God is the commander of life and death who in disposing foreknew and in foreknowing hath disposed of them both The Lord saith Deut. 32. 39. I kill and make alive God is not carelesse of us as the Epicures have dreamed but by his speciall providence he hath such an extreame fatherly regard to us that one hair cannot fall out of our head one cubit cannot be added to our stature with it without the which a little sparrow cannot fall to the ground So that ye may evidently perceive that nature experience and God himself prove the truth of this assertion It is appointed c. The uses of this generall doctrine are especially these two The first use is of instruction It is appointed c. Then let not us be so foolish as to fret against nature so stubborne as to grudge against experience so profane as to dispute against God Why hast thou made us thus for Esay 45. 9. Wo unto him that striveth with his Maker shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it What makest thou That threefold appointment is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bottomelesse deep of the unsearchable waies of God It is a labyrinth we may well finde the entry but never get the outgate of it it is a steep rock we may well climbe up but the downfall is great it is an Ocean and our boat is too light and shallow for it not unlike the head of that great river Nilus which could never be found out So that seeing our dayes are short let us say with Moses Psal 90. Lord teach us so to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto wisedome And with that notable patterne of patience that excellent doctor upon this point Job 14. 14. All the dayes of my appointed time will I wait til my change come alwayes in much humiliation and reverence prostrating our souls before the sacred and dreadfull Majestie of our God who rideth upon the heavens and dwelleth in that inaccessible light cloathed with ravishing glory armed with innumerable legions of angels crowned with unspeakable blessednesse at whose presence the Cedars of Lebanon are throwne down the forrests denuded the earth trembleth the sea roareth the mountaines melte like waxe and all the inhabitants of the earth are as stubble before the fire the sun and moone obscured the stars darkned the powers of heaven weakened the Cherubims and Seraphims cover their faces not able to behold the brightnesse of him whom the angels adore the thrones worship the devils fear So that wee must confesse whether wee lie or stand wee run or walk we sleep or awake or whatsoever we do we can neither by force subtiltie or request recall his irrevocable decree by whose unsearchable wisedome and unchangeable providence and almighty power all befalleth us that doth befall us Is it then Gods ordinance to day to deprive our king of a valiant subject the nobles of a peere the countrey of a baron the house of a head the obedient son of a dear father and our selves of a welbeloved and worthie friend Let us be taught that the rarest and highest spirits live shortest and have the swiftest course and that these whom God tendereth most are earliest taken to himself and let us not be so ignorant as to lay the blame upon second causes such as the influence of heaven the aire the dyet the complexion untimely disease the company the mediciner but let us look higher to the cause of causes GOD who is as the first wheele of the horologe which leadeth the rest as the primum mobile which draweth about with it all the inferiour sphears
worlds would not hold us back from them for if there were so many they would not bee able to content our illimited desires and infinite appetites What is then able to fill them I answer the soveraigne good the great GOD with the superabundant treasures of his free grace and undeserved favour and bottomlesse ocean of the multitude of his medicinall compassions O Lord drowne us therein that the deep of our uncurable miseries may be swallowed up by the deep of thy restaurative and preservative mercies for this is the life of thee our everloving everliving God in Christ Jesus Sweet hearts pray that ye may bee once inspired by this and surely heaven shall bee your home God your portion strength salvation with whom if once ye dwel there yee shall lacke nothing What would yee have Is there a better then eternall life it is there Would yee have a crowne Is there a bettter then an incorruptible crowne of uncomprehensible glorie it is there Would yee have a kingdome Is there a better then that which cannot be shaken it is there Would yee have an inheritance Is there a better then an immortall undefiled that fadeth not away it is there And where where the poorest begger of you shall bee richer then all the kings of this earth for putting a way his clouts he shall put on the glorious robe of Christs righteousnesse and receive that crowne of justice weightier then the whole masse of this earthly globe because it is the eternall weight of glorie and so is more precious then all the diadem's and scepters of Alexander Caesar with the mightiest princes who now are turned into muddy dust filthie stinke dreadfull horrour perpetuall oblivion for death is able to make us know our selves one day It will tell to the proud that he is abject to the rich that hee is a beggar to the beautifull that hee is evill favoured to the ambitious whom now territories and dominions will not content then seven foot of ground shall cover him with these two short words hic jacet here he lyeth quem terra non cepit urna capit Hee whom the universe could not containe his ashes lye in a little pitcher The second doctrine by way of consequence is this Is it appointed c Then man should prepare himself not onely for the end of this decrepit world that is come upon us but also for his own end with a generous and masculous courage saluting and inviting that which he cannot shunne The thing that makes us so negligent is our not preparation at all for the day of our dissolution is assuredly at hand death is at the doore where it knocks it must enter no iron or brasen gates are able to resist it it will take the man whom God hath pointed out with his finger with its flooked arrow it wounds him to the heart and like a rigorous sergeant layeth hold upon him and imprisoneth him till that his life which is our debt for sinne be payed This is the King of kings great taxation from which there is no redemption exception exemption from Caesar to the cotter For how thinke ye death will reason with all and every one of us whatsoever part of argument we hold it will overcome us for our obligation is personall or individuall none can sit the summons Come O king from thy throne come O counsellor from thy counselhouse come O courtier from thine attendance come Oswaggerer from thy cloaths of silver and gold come O nobles from your pastimes come O prelats preachers from your chayres come O husbands from your wives come O merchants from your shops come O craftsmen from your trades come O beggars from your brats come Caesar come cotter sleep all in the dust And howsoever ye differ in ranks qualities sexes conditions there is no distinction of persons king and subject rich and poore noble and ignoble young and old all are equal here Juvenal saith Mors sceptra ligonibus aequat Death equalls the mace with the mattock And Horatius Pallida mors aequo pede pulsat pauperum tabernas Regumque turres Pale death levelleth the countrey cabine and the kingly palace both alike Ambrose more clearly Nulla distinctio est inter corpora mortuorū nisi forte quia gravius foetent divitum corpora luxuriâ distenta There is no difference betwixt dead corps but that rich menscorps stink worse then others Chrysostome more pathetically Proficiscamur ad sepulchra ostende mihi patrem ostende uxorem tuam ubi est qui purpuram induebat nihil video nisi putrida ossa vermes differentiam nullam video Let us go to the sepulchres shew thy father shew thy wife where is he who was cloathed in purple I see nothing but rotten bones and wormes no difference can I perceive Therefore laying all worldly considerations aside the king his scepter the counceller his robe of justice the courtier and swaggerer their roaring shewes the nobles their sword the scholar his pen the labourer his spade the merchant his purse the tradesman his instruments the beggar his bagge Every one of them promiscuously and indifferently must conclude thus O rottennesse thou art my father O worme thou art my mother and my sister Beleeve me saith Augustine in opened sepulchres have been found in dead mens sculs earth-toades in their nerves serpents in their bowels worms This is a grave meditation and profitable contemplation to thee O man and I pray thee consider it deeply with mee I am assured to die ere it be long but thou art hewen out of that same rock thy mothers bellie with mee and art made of that same stuffe dust and ashes with mee I am conceived in sin so art thou I am born in sin so art thou I am fostered in sin so art thou I am in the prime of my years but alas in the strength of sin I know not if thou be in the first I know well thou art in the last and worst estate God immortall pitie us mortall men and prepare us in time to redeeme our mispent time and to number our dayes one by one for feare when the decretorie day of death is come we have not oyle in our lamps and our loyns girded towards our Masters coming And againe we beseech thee O gracious Father who delightest not in the death of sinners prepare us of all sinners the most for endlesse and unspeakable are the torments of an unprepared man before at and after death O dissolute and desperate sinner then make no more delay and let thy conscience be troubled at this let thy spirit tremble at it let thy heart smart for it and let all the faculties of thy soul be afraid of it that when it is come ye need not to fear at all Use of exhortation Therefore let us not be so foolish and sluggish as those who onely learn to die upon their death-bed as if it were an easie and momentanie lesson Augustine Sero parantur
remedia cum mortis imminent pericula It is no time to prepare remedies against imminent death Foreseen dangers harme least But let us studie it in the morning that the evening of our dayes may bee calme and peaceable Yea let us gather our selves together before the supreme decree of death passe out against us at unawares that so wee may meet it with as much readinesse of minde as it is willing with greedines to receive us who should not be drifters off of repentance like Salomons sluggard or any more supersede flatter or foster our selves with vaine and deceitfull conceits of the immortalitie of this melting mortalitie or admire this dying carcasse which the wormes must feed upon ere it be long or be ravished with the astonishing fabrick of our bodies which are but clay tabernacles and death at our flitting will dissolve the pinnes thereof Therefore O young man remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth O strong man go not a whooring from the living God! O old man who hast one foot in the grave already let death be set before thy eyes And thinke not O beastly drunkard O devouring glutton but as thou insultest over thy companions in the excesse of meat and drinke so thy liver will faile thee and the powers of death and of the grave shall triumph over thee ere it be long O leacherous man who sowest where thou darest not reap deflowring virgines defiling the honourable bed of marriage the fierie heat of thy concupiscence shall be quenched in the flouds of oblivion ere it be long O avaricious extortioner O ambitious worldling howbeit now thou canst pledge whole monopolies devoure widows houses eat up the poore rob the altar yet thou shalt get one morsell that thou canst not digest ere it be long O generous man howbeit thy heart now erected in thy breast inthe forme of a restlesse piramide be the fountaine of thy life it shall be dryed up like a summer strype ere it be long And as it was primum vivens so it shall bee ultimum moriens ere it be long O brave man thy noble and straight face which now contemplates the heavens shall bee defaced in the slimie valley ere it be long O wise man who knowest the estates of kingdomes the secrets of princes the mysteries of nature and hast made up a store-house within thee of all commendable vertues thou and they shall perish together ere it be long O eloquent man whom of all men I thinke to be most compleat thy tongue which now floweth like milk and honey and powreth Nectar and Ambrosia upon the famished and thirstie souls of thy hearers and drowneth as it were the soyle of their hearts with a soft-silver running river shall lick the dust ere it be long O thou comely Rachel beautifull Bethsheba alluring Dalilah thy pampered and well covered skinne in the grave shall be like that of a drudge or vile kitchin-maid ere it belong O young gallant who art enamoured with thy beautie thinking thy self another Adonis Nereus Narcissus thou shall be like Aesope or Thersites ere it bee long And whatsoever thou be O man hear what I say Thy force once must languish thy sense faile thy body droup thine eyes turne in thine head thy veines break thy heart rent and thy whole frame like an old rotten oak shall fall to the ground or like a leaking ship shall sinke into the harbour of thy grave The wise man compares thee to a ruinous house which decayeth piece and piece but that comparison is familiar to those who are acquainted with scripture The certaintie whereof should weane and spean our affections from the base things of this earth and should worke in us an ardour of minde a vehemencie of spirit a serious and sedulous endeavour to bee delivered from the prison of this body the Red sea of the miseries of this life the captivitie of sinne the thraldome of our corruption the tyrannie of Satan Yee know if a couragious man be many years in a stinking solitarie and dark prison he would be glad to change his infamous life with a glorious death But if the judge command the jailour to bring him forth to bee set at libertie I pray you when he seeth the brightsome light of the sunne and tasteth of his wonted joyes in meat drink apparell companie is he not ravished within himself Even so it is with us while we are in Mesech in the Egypt of sinne under our spirituall Pharaoh the devil being compassed about with robbers on the land pirates on the sea hereticks in the church few or no godly men we cannot but be plunged in a deep dungeon of grief and sorrow But when it will please that unappealable judge that high possessour of heaven and earth to command the jaylour Death to loose us from the prison of this body then we shall behold the glorious face of the Sonne of righteousnesse and eat and drink of him who is the bread and fountain of life and be clad with the robe of his justice and enjoy the blessed companie of Saints and Angels in the highest degree of happinesse This heavenly meditation so possest many godly ones of old that long before-hand not hating their naturall but longing after a supernaturall life welcomed and invited death This made Moses to preferre the reproach of Christ before the court of Pharaoh This made Elias to cry out It is enough O Lord take my soul for I am no better then my fathers This made David to say Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit because thou hast redeemed my soul This made Polycarpus to say Receive me Lord and make me partner with thy Saints of the resurrection This made Ignatius Pauls disciple Bishop of Antioch to say I care not for things visible or invisible so that I may winne Christ And in another place fire gallows beasts breaking of my bones quartering of my members crucifying of my body all the torments of the devil together let them come upon me so that I may enjoy my Lord Jesus and his kingdome This made Hilarion to say Depart my soule why fearest thou why tremblest thou thou hast served CHRIST now almost seventy yeares and art thou afraid to depart This made Jerome to say Let us embrace that day viz. of death which shall assigne every one of us to his house which shal free us of the snares of this age and restore us to paradise and the kingdome of heaven Which made Gregory Nazianzen to say That that day shall make us partakers of that fruition and contemplation of the soveraigne good and place us in the bosome of Abraham and shall unite us to the assemblie of Saints and congregation of the just where saith Epiphanius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. The garners are sealed and the time fulfilled and the combate ended and the field empty and the crownes are given This made Augustine to say I desire to die that I may see Christ and I refuse
to live that I may live with Christ This made Ambrose to say I am not afraid to die because I have a good master This made the Apostle St. Paul to say I desire to be dissolved to be with Christ for that is the best of al and That al otherthings are but drosse and dung in respect of the excellencie of the knowledge of Christ God worke this desire in us for while wee are at home in these bodies we are absent from the Lord and ground it upon the assurance of the remission of our sinnes and our perfect union and plenary reconciliation with our God in Christ Jesus The Lord give us grace to be perswaded with the Apostle that if the earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternall in the heavens 2 Cor. 5. But alas here is our miserie that every one of our bodies is a remora to hinder the ship of our soules to stretch sail within the saving harborie of Gods crowning mercies God fasten the anchors of our faith and hope therein that after the tempest of this life we may enjoy peace and everlasting happinesse The third doctrine by way of consequence is this It is appointed Then let no man fear death for it is inevitable and whether we flie from it or goe to it it ever followeth us at the heels it hangeth over our heads as the rock doth Tantalus his head which cannot bee removed There are who desire not to hear tell of it at all and if the preacher urge this point hee becommeth odious To the old Latines this word was so ominous that they periphrased it by another for when they should have said in plaine termes Mortuus est He is dead they said Vixit He lived Abiit ad plures He went to moe for there are moe dead then living As for the vulgar sort they are so besotted with a bruitall stupiditie that they thinke not on death at all But a generous heart should make it its object its butt acquainting it selfe with it at all times representing it before its eyes even in the least occurrences it may seize upon us A king of France died of a small skelfe of a speare in the midst of his pastime An Emperour of the scratching of a pinne Anacreon of one graine of a raisin Aeschylus of the shel of a snaile which fell from the clawes of an Eagle in the aire Milon with both his hands in the clift of an oak Charles of Navarre of the fire of a candle in aquavitae Philemon and Philistion of laughter Dionyse Tyran Diagoras and others of joy O what a feeble creature is man that the very least vermine spider gnat doth kill him and yet feareth death which the Hart the Elephant Phoenix and longest living creatures must yeeld to without any grudging or reluctance Certainly there is no passion more violent in man then feare and produces more strange effects but of all feares the fear of death is the most foolish mad and desperate for it may wel hasten aggravate but never stay or diminish the dint thereof Multi ad fatum venere suum dum fata timent Many precipitate their end in fearing it Seneca in O Edip. Optanda mors est sine metu mortis mori the most desirable death is to dy without fear of death Idem Aristotle the chief of Philosophers calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most fearfull because as it cannot be eschewed so it killeth the man Yet this is a maxime that no sound naturalists will goe from that good and valiant citizens such as Pericles praised in his funerall oration should undergoe it for the defence of their wives children friends citie countrey gods And the Stoicks themselves defend their Philosophie to bee a continuall meditation upon death because the motion of the soule being ravished out of the body by contemplation is a prentiship or resemblance of death And they deemed him to be the best Philosopher who gave the surest precepts against the feare of death So in my opinion he is the best divine who teacheth himselfe and others to doe well to die well Would we die well let us first doe well Qualis vita finis ita such life such death August Non potest male mori qui bene vixerit he cannot die ill who lived well for a godly life hath a happie death The very Paganes of old the Romanes Greeks Egyptians who howbeit they became vaine in their imaginations and their foolish hearts were darkned Rom. 1. 21. and ignored the resurrection of the dead yet they might have taught many of us now adayes by a spotlesse life before the world to die well because they esteemed an easie death should follow after a reproachlesse life But alas men live now as if there were no death to follow no hell to swallow no count to render no judgement to be executed no soul to keepe no God to fear no devill to torment or else they lull themselves asleepe on the devils pillow the cradle of carnall securitie And with the Epicure Sardanapalus and the rich glutton they never thinke upon death till it surprise them and they either care not because they conclude there is no pleasure after this life or else they despaire casting themselves headlong into horrible agonies and inextricable perplexities In the mean time ye may wonder that Pythagoras Socrates Anaxarchus Codrus Cleombrotus Curtius Seneca Cato Cleopatra died resolvedly and yet they knew not where they were going Why then are we pultrons and cowards seeing we are assured to go upon the wings of angels to the bosome of Abraham Their naturall courage made them to disdaine it Mors non metuenda viris Manhood is not daunted with death Lucanus Shall not then our spirituall knowledge perswade us that our death is nothing but a passage to life a passe-port to immortalitie a doore to paradise a seasure of heaven a chartre upon glory or as saith Bernard a passage from labour to rest from hope to reward from the combate to the crowne from death to life from faith to knowledge from pilgrimage to our long home from the world to our father And as another saith It is a change of the crosse unto the crown of the prison to the palace of captivity unto liberty Scripture is more pithie it calleth it A sleep a rest of our flesh in hope a going to our fathers a gathering to our people a recommending of our spirit to God a rendring up of the ghost a walking with God and the Lambe Object But some may say here Why should we not fear seeing worthie persons yea reverend church-men who led a godly life and exhorted sundrie not to fear were mightily troubled at their death and when they should have had most peace they were most disquieted I answer Their fear was a diligent not a diffident a holy not a hellish a filial not a servile a godly not a