death of Iesus Christ to whose holy protection I leaue you c. Newly from the Printers Presse the 3. Iuly 1612. Your Honours most humble in the Lord Edw. Vaughan TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVL SIR IOHN HARPER AND SIR PHILIP STANHOP in the countie of Darby Knights And to the worshipfull Maister Richard Hall of London Maister Humphrey Bonner of Nottingham and Maister George Abney in the said countie of Darby Esquiers MY singular selected friēds hauing published many and sundry bookes of diuinity and resolutely cōcluded with my self there to surceasse knowing this to be the enuious and maligning age in which few men shal be condignely rewarded neither yet from vniust imputations and impious calumniations freed yet for all that I was occasioned or rather as I may say violently importuned for my owne better instruction and satisfaction being more surprised with sorrow then with the losse of all the kingdomes of the world carefully to collect answers to diuers questions and obiections which did assaile my soule for and as concerning the deceasse of some such as did most nearely concerne me and exceeding dearely appertaine vnto me And hauing therewithall receiued through Gods mercie that which of all other things I most specially desired I was drawne dutifully and respectiuely to consider that my case was or might be yours and the cōmon case of all men Wherefore I tooke in hand methodically to dispose of all those dispersed collections into this booke as your Worships may see Wherin I alledge nothing but true sentences examples of holy Scriptures and that so warrantably so briefely and so plainely as that I might not seeme tedious to the wise and learned nor yet obscure to the simple and sorrowfull hearted Humbly and heartily desiring you in liew of my labor and in recompence of my loue that you wil be pleased sometimes to sequester your selues from your publike affaires yea and sometimes from your most priuate occasions for the orderly and through reading thereof Assuring you vpon my poore experience and vpon the iudgement of the best learned writers that there is nothing so effectuall in Gods word except the graces of his holy Spirit to make a regenerate man to mourn in mirth to solace in sorrow and to apprehend the right vse of all the meanes which God hath ordayned for the preseruation of life vntill the time of death doth come as the meditation of mortality with Scripture answers cōtemplatiuely to euery such question and obiection as may be raised concerning death together with deuout prayers going before and thanksgiuing following after Or otherwise a thousand to one death brings with it feare feare brings an increase of naturall torments an increase of torments brings distraction of memorie Afterwards followeth all idle dissolute and damnable speech and so from one defect vnto another an obliuiō of Christ and his kingdome as the diuell would haue it Thus I end hauing timely inough I hope forewarnd you with my hearty desires vnto his holy Maiestie to comfot you in your affliction and tribulation that you may be able and readie to comfort others to the glory of his holy name and the euerlasting comfort of your owne soules From Stretton Lefield in the countie of Darbie this 3. of Iuly 1612. Yours in the Lord Edw. Vaughan The contents In the displaying of this diuine discouerie of death is necessarily to be obserued these foure generall heads of instruction approued by many sentences and holy examples of Scriptures viz. First the Generalitie of death to wit how inuincibly death reigneth ouer all the generation of mankind no place exempted no time priuiledged nor any person vpon any occasion fauoured Secondly the sundrie sorts maners and kinds of death that is to say how diuersly and how many wayes death seizeth vpon all people with the seuerall reasons thereof Thirdly the timelinesse of death relating by particulars the day the houre the moment and point of time in which almightie God hath decreed that euerie the generation of mankinde shall die so that no man by the diligent vse of the meanes can lengthen his life nor any man by the negligent vse of the meanes shall shorten his life Fourthly the memorabilitie of death that is to say the commemoration and religious solemnization which the liuing ought to haue for their dead with foure principall and Christian respects THE GENERALITIE OF DEATH DEath hath dominion ouer all mankind not all together as they are innumerable but one after another in their appointed time To which purpose the iust man Iob by the holy influence of Gods diuine Spirit said not onely of himselfe but also of all others Iob. 30.23.24 Surely I know that thou wilt bring me to death and to the house appointed for all the liuing Salomon the wisest man then in all the world hauing duly considered of mans abode in this life said Eccles 6 6. Man shall be couered with darkenesse if he liue an hundred yeares twise told and shall not all go into one place Saint Luke speaking by the same spirit sets downe the diuine speech of Saint Paul to the Athenians among which he doth plainely relate the maner of mans creation in this wise Act. 17.26 God hath made of one bloud all mankind to dwell on the face of the earth As if he had said by a vulgar phrase of speech Where there is a contagion or an infection it goes through that familie because they are of one nature and of one bloud euen so he meant that all the generatiō of mankinde being of one bloud and of one flesh shall all taste of one death Saint Paul in his exhortation to the Corinthians for their enduring affliction and to liue well 2. Cor. 5.10 said We must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ as if he had said There is no helpe nor hope we must all die Iosua a man exceeding victorious and full of magnanimitie and Christian courage yet being prepared to die in his exhortation to his people points vnto himselfe saying Iosua 23.14 Behold I enter into the way of all the world as if he had said Maruell not my brethren at me who must needs depart this life the like must be your lots your posterity The wise womā of Tekoha amongst many other emphatiticall speeches which she vsed to Dauid the king in the behalfe of Absolon his sonne said vnto him We must all die 2. Sam. 14.14 and we are as water spilt on the earth which cannot be gathered neither doth God spare any person As Dauid said 2. Sam. 11.25 The sword deuoures as wel one as another euen so it may be said of all people that death seizeth one manner or other vpon euerie man without exception Furthermore Gen. 5.28 the ten holy Fathers who liued euery man almost his thousand yet died Deut. 2.3 Iosua 8.9.10.11.12 We may speake of diuers by examples as of Moses Iosua the most valiant most victorious warriours
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
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
answer for the vse of means to preserue life Is the practise of holy men who were moued by the Spirit of inspiratiō as of Dauid the King and Prophet who although he had the word and promise of Almightie God for victorie against the Philistins yet he knowing the right rule of Gods will in his word and promise determined with himselfe to vse warlike meanes and therefore came vpon them valiantly with an alarum from the mulberrie trees 2 Sam. 5.25.24 So did Gedeon politickly and valiantly come vpon the Midianites with his 300. men only Iudg 7.16.17.18 hauing in sted of swords staues pitchers and lamps Ichoiada the priest though he did know that his cause and his butines was the Lords yet he gaue commandement vnto the Captaines to vse speares and shields which he gaue them 2 King 11.10.11 As the seruants of Benadab the King said to their maister when they were ouercome by the King of Israel We haue heard that the Kings of Israel are mercifull 1 King 20.31 we pray thee let vs put on sackcloth about our loynes and ropes about our necks and let vs go to the King of Israel it may be he will saue thy life So likewise we must all conclude and agree for the vse of all kind sorts manners of good meanes who can tell whether the Lord our King and our God will saue vs in the vse of meanes or not As Daniel said to his keeper Da. 1.12 Proue vs ten dayes let vs haue pulse to eate water to drinke so in like maner let vs say to our selues and to whom else soeuer Proue the meanes trie what God vouchsaseth to do thereby Although Saint Paul knew that neither he nor any one of his company should perish in that dangerous voiage yet he said vnto the mariners Except these tarie in the ship Act. 27.23 to 52. they cannot be saued as if he had said We and they haue one meanes of life let vs vse it and God will giue good issue thereunto Saint Paul also knew by the Spirit of inspiration and by the reueiled word of God that no man should die before his day yet he commanded Timotheus to vse wine for his stomacke sake and his often infirmities 1 Tim. 5.23 As the Gibeonites being leaft-handed vsed to sling stones whereby they became so skilfull that they could sling at an haire and not faile Iud. 20.16 euen so Gods people are to be so skilfull in the vse of meanes frō the least to the greatest that they may preserue life The third answer for the vse and meanes to preserue life Is proued by the practise also of holy women as that vertuous woman of Tekoha 2 Sam. 14.14 who importunately intreated King Dauid for the life of Absalon his sonne The Shunamitish woman being of great estimation and hauing her onely sonne dead 2 King 18.19.20 most labouriously vsed the helpe of Elisha the Prophet if it were possible to haue him restored to life As the inhabitants of Gibea though they were leaft-handed Iudg. 20.16 could sling a stone at an haires breadth and faile not euen so must Gods children labor to be skilfull in the vse of al good meanes for the preseruation of life The fourth answer for the vse of meanes to preserue life Is the practise of almightie God himself who vsually doth annexe the vse of meanes with his decree concerning the time as well for the destroying of life as for the preseruing of life whereby the one be not shorter nor the other longer Sometimes he vseth weake or small meanes to bring mightie things to passe and that for the manifestation of his mercy and readinesse for the chearing vp of such as were weake and miserable 2 Cro. 14.11 as Asa the King of Iudah said in his prayers vnto God being miserably distressed It is nothing with thee to helpe with many or with no power Likewise Gedeon with his 300 mē presumed vpon the promise of God Iudg. 7.16.12.18 to giue the onset to many royall armies at one time of the Midianites Ifrael had victory against the Philistims 1 Sam. 13.19 without speare or shield Sometimes God vseth base or as it may be said by a phrase of speech foolish meanes that thereby he might confound the wisedome of the wise So did he command Iosua to compasse the great and inuincible citie Ierico seuen times Iosua 16.11 to 8. sounding out their rams hornes and with the same to throw downe the wals and to open their gates of iron brasse Somtimes he vseth miraculous means 1 Sam. 14.15 There was feare in the hoast of the Philistims amongst all the peope the garrison also and they that went out to spoyle were afraid themselues the earth trembled for it was stinken with feare by God He vseth miraculous meanes for the manifestation of his inexpugnable power as at the winning of that royall citie of Gibeon Iosua 10.11.12 whereat fine Kings and their armies were discomfited in one day Iosua being the Lord Generall of Israel whereof some with the sword some with stones from heauen Sometimes his Maiesty vseth physical means as that plaister of figs which Hezechiah 2 King 20.7 was commanded to take for his plague sore Sometimes he worketh the good of his people euen by no means as he himselfe said by the Prophet Hosea I will not saue them by bow Hos 1.7 not by sword nor by battell nor by horses nor by horsemen but I will saue them by the Lord their God As if he had said Naturall worldly men shall not impute the deliuerance of my people vnto possible meanes on earth but it shall be done beyond all expectation cleane contrarie to the vse of reason besides the capacity of the most wise in the world The fifth answer for the vse of meanes to preserue life There is in euerie man both good bad by the instinct of nature an intollerable affected pronenesse to vse all sorts and all kinds of meanes for the preseruation of life drawne originally from a naturall manner of feare such as was in Adam who hauing in his owne conscience deserued death Gen. 3.8.9.10 fled and hid himselfe So Caine hauing murthered his brother durst not for feare of punishment acknowledge his offence and when sentēce was pronounced against him Gen. 4.13.14 he feared death exceedingly which made him to expostulate with God in a most desperate manner Act. 27.1 to 21. Saint Paul his company in that most dangerous voyage were maruellous fearefull which made them to labour and to vse all meanes possibles for their liues The heathen sailers with Ionas to Tarshis in that great outragious tempest Ion. 1.1 to 8. spared not their best commodities but threw them into the sea to lighten the ship and laboured innarrably and all with the feare of death So in like manner holy men such as were indeed the
liue so withall euen in the same decree was set downe before the giuing of the law that long life should be a reward for him that kept the law and shortnesse of life for him that did breake the law when as yet he had done neither good nor euill Almightie God foretelleth the sinnes of Israel many hundred yeares before they were and their iudgements that should be accordingly in these words Deut. 31.16.17 This people will go a whoring after other gods they will forsake me and my couenant wherefore my wrath will wax hot against them that day and I will forsake them then shall they be confounded Almightie God to the like purpose by the mouth of his Prophet Esay speaks thus concerning the same people Esa 48.8 I knew that thou wouldest transgresse therefore haue I called thee a transgressor from the wombe Saint Peter speaking of Christs death therin of the death of his Saints saith thus to the Iewes Act. 2.23 Him haue ye takē by the hāds of the wicked being deliuered by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God As if he had said This could not haue bene had it not bene so decreed before hand this is not happened by chance nor by aduenture but as it was foreseene good of God The second answer concerning conditionall lengthning and threats of shortning life The answer concerning the Prophets praying for and in the behalfe of Gods people for long life and sometimes praying for the cutting off of the wicked They being so graciously and so plētifully inspired by the spirit of God could not erre so grosly as to crosse contrarie other holy men who had written by the same Spirit They knew well that God had exactly concluded the time of all men for their life and time of death and therefore they did but pray as other religious mē drawne thereunto vpon the performance of other religious duties in that behalfe towards their brethren After this maner Daniel doth pray for the people of Israel being in Babylon Dan. 9.2.3 hauing found by bookes when the number of yeares was ended wherof the Lord had spokē by Ieremie that he would accomplish 70 yeares in the desolation of Ierusalem Therefore although he knew that God would deliuer his people out of bondage according as he had promised yet out of his loue to them and from his dutie to God he betook himselfe most importunately to pray for them and so continued vntill the Angell Gabriel brought him a direct an immediate answer from the throne of the Almightie Gen. 18.23 to 33. Abraham prayed for the Zodomites and that verie importunately though he knew very well that God had most iustly determined their ouerthrow The third answer concerning conditionall lengthning of life Thirdly concerning that addition of fifteene yeares to Hezekiahs life it is not so to be vnderstood when he was so mortally sick that his day was come to die But in such a case alwayes where such a Scripture seemeth litterally to disallow or crosse another as this doth men must looke for another sence yea such a sence as may agree with the analogie of faith It seemed indeed vnto Hezekiah as he was a mortall man and as the case stood between him God at that time that indeed fifteen yeares were added to his life Iob. 42.16 The like place is in Iobe Hauing exactly by many sentences proued the timelinesse of death and withall hauing answered some obiections that might be made in the discourse thereof Let vs now obserue sixe sorts of people who are to be reproued by this obiection of lengthning and shortning of life First it serueth warrantably to reproue those that do put off the time of their death vsing the world as if they were to dwell therein for euer Like the people before the floud Gen. 7.11 of whom Saint Luke speaketh who notwithstanding 120. yeares repentance giuen vnto thē in the which the arke was a preparing yet neuerthelesse they were carelesse and vnconscionable Luk. 17.26.27 They did eate and drinke maried wiues and gaue in mariage euen vnto the day that Noe entred into the arke and the floud came Likewise as it was in the dayes of Lot and when as they tooke his holy exhortation for mockage they eate Gen 19.24 Luk. 17.28 they dranke planted vineyards and builded but in the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone and destroyed them all So the people in these dayes notwithstanding the manifold and variable warnings of the Amightie sometimes out of the element sometimes out of the earth sometimes out of the sea and specially out of his holy Scripture these I say are not yet moued in heart to prouide for their departure or at least they haue no willingnesse or resolutiō therunto They stand as it were vpon terms with his Maiesty vntill they be ouercome surprised sodainly as a bird in the snare of the fowler These are they whose affections being alienated do iudge better of earthly things then of heauenly of whom Saint Iohn saith They loue darkenesse better then light Io. 3.19.31 And he that is of the earth is of the earth and speaketh of the earth And as God said vnto the Israelites Iudg. 10.14 11.7 Deu. 32.29 Go and cry vnto the gods which you haue chosen let them saue you in the time of your tribulation so will the Lord say vnto all such as defer the time of their repentance and amendment Seeke you help elsewhere find it if you can for I will do nothing for you Why come ye vnto me now in the time of your tribulatiō did ye not thrust me out O that men were wise then would they consider their latter end Secondly it serueth to reproue those who wilfully riotously waste spoile and spend that which should necessarily appertaine to their posteritie Euen in nature and qualitie like the wilde Boare Psal 80.13 of which the Prophet Dauid speaketh who not onely eates and deuoures all that is aboue ground but afterwards roots vp all that should serue another yeare And in the same place also likened vnto wild sauage beasts who hauing eaten their fill do tread trample all the rest vnder foote and into the dirt that no other beast may or can eate thereof If they sinne that do neglect the vse of lawfull meanes how much more then they that vse lawfull meanes vnlawfully by surfetting by drunkennesse such like which God in his mercie hath ordained for the chearing and comforting of the godly Pro. 31.7.8 Euen as the people of Laish after the manner of the Sidonians Iudg. 18.7 dwelt carelesly and so were conquered Thirdly it serueth to reproue those who not knowing the Scriptures and therein not knowing specially the absolute decree of almightie God concerning the verie certaine day houre of euerie mans departure they fret they furne they weepe they waile excessiuely for the deceasse of
such as are nearely appertaining vnto them as if the want of meanes or the neglect of some dutie had directly shortned his or their liues all which is a plaine euidence of an vnbeleeuing heart Fourthly it serueth to reproue those who to preuent death in the time of danger do arrogate vnto the vse of vnlawfull meanes as forceries witchcraft and such like which God hath directly absolutely forbidden or else do first vse vnlawfull meanes and afterwards do applie themselues to the vse of lawfull meanes Da. 2.1.4.1 as Nebucadnezzer did who first sought to his astrologers soothsayers and others of that kind and afterwards sought helpe of Daniel the seruant of the liuing God For to attribute that vnto the meanes which is due to God is euery where inhibited as it was forbidden the people of Israel to say Deu. 8.17.18 My power the strength of my hands hath prepared me this abundance but remember the Lord thy God for it is he which giueth thee power to get substance Fiftly it reproues those who spend the time of their renowm the time of their dwelling here the time wherein they possesse their soules so vainly Euerie point whereof is precious although not riotously nor wantonly nor couetously yet carelesly vnconscionably spent without desire of the knowledge of God according to his word without groweth in zeale to his holy ordinances in the strength of faith and in the power of his spirit hauing all meanes therof brought euen home vnto them but euen as a people that doth neither good nor harme luke-warme or halting betweene two opinions The time of this ignorance want of zeale knowledge and such like God regardeth not in vs whiles we are without the meanes thereof as in his mercie he declared himselfe also towards the heathen But now it is called to day Christ said partly concerning himselfe and partly concerning others I must work while it is called to day Ioh. 9.4 the night commeth when a man cannot work Let vs also take it as spokē to vs we are Gods children and therfore may not be idle let vs be doing in time for time will away A man not knowing by the word of God the timelinesse of death to wit that death cannot take hold on him vntill Gods appointed time and that then he must needs depart the same man dieth willingly comfortably whereas a man that is ignorant thereof mournes and murmurs imputing the cause of his sickenesse and death vnto casuall meanes Sixtly it is sharpely and warrantably to rebuke those most ignorant and most prophane caluminators who do derogate from the worthinesse of the meanes which God hath ordained in his Church whose detracting tongs do manifest their hearts in speaking so maliciously so vntruly and euery way so indignely not only of graue learned Physitions but also euē of that laudable and honourable vse of Physicke it selfe which was highly commended carefully vsed amongst the holy Patriarches the Prophets and Apostles and thence from age to age successiuely by all and amongst all godly men ruling themselues by the former examples sufficient grounds of Scripture Some of which malicious profane persons wil neuerthelesse in their depth of danger vse the aduico and helpe of Physitions whom at other times before and after they vse in a parable of reproch disdaine as they do the Ministers and Pastors of their soules without whose ministerie they cannot possibly be saued and as indeed they do vse the learned the graue and most honest professors of the law who in their places do stand for the defence of their goods their good names and their patrimonies Euerie of which stately and most honourable professions is so needfull and so necessarily required in Church and in commonweale as that neither the one nor the other can be nor in any good seasonable sort continue And to be breefe the ignorant and dissolute man doth alway beare armor defensiue to defend his owne euilles and armes offensiue to assaile the good maners of others according to the old saying cōmon Prouerbe Yet according to my humble duty in Christ and in Christ his steede euen by the mercifulnes of God I do exhort all such as in an acceptable time to make vse of these honest and holy professors as of the meanes of his mercie towards them and as of effectuall instruments for their bodies and for their soules and that according to the directions of the Scriptures of truth and examples of holy men in all ages And as Abimelech said vnto his folke Iudg 9.48 What ye see me do make hast and do the like looke on me and do likewise euen as I do so do ye euen so say I and more also vnto you my good christian brethren let all things be spoken and done in the feare of God according to knowledge and according to the good example of such as guide themselues by the word and Spirit The fourth instruction concerning the memorability of death hauing in it these 4. principall respects or christian considerations as the persons are in place or in behauiour so is the cōmemoration either more or lesse after their decease to be solemnized priuatly or publickly with mourning fasting and praying First the person dead or dying Secondly whether priuate or publicke Thirdly whether spirituall or temporal Fourthly whether iust or vniust First whether the person dead or dying be priuate or publicke we are instigated vnto this mournefull memento for the terrors and torments of death which he endured in our sight and in our hearing as did appeare by his wofull complaints to such as were about him who would and should but by no meanes could minister any helpe vnto him as also by the galling griefes and griping grones he endured who being yet aliue was so surprised of al his vigor and force of spirit as made him blind yea deafe and dumbe O how detestable is sinne whence death and the intollerable pangs thereof are originally deriued Sinne being so odious and so detestable with God his Maiestie deuised an odious and detestable punishment and plague for it which is death A plague of all plagues and the most vnwillingest plague of all other for any man to vndergo There was neuer any punishment that God did inflict vpon man for the breach of his holy lawes nor any torture which the Imps of the diuell could deuise for the Saints of God but euerie man was more willing to endure it then death Not onely because it did depriue man of the world and worldly things but also and more specially because that man hath euen in nature a great loathing an vnspeakable feare of it as may partly appeare by the strange meanes by the notable deuices and by the desperate attempts which men haue vsed and indeuored onely to shunne and to auoide the torments of death and as also may appeare by the examples of many in the Scriptures and of others who are recorded in
life of another As a king that is to gouern a kingdom must be powerful and seuere in the execution of instice against the mightie and readie to minister mercie to the needie and distressed euen so the Maiestie of this eternall King hauing the whole world to guide and to gouerne must be powerful and seuere To which effect he faith by his Prophet Ier emie Feare ye not him faith he Ier. 5.22 who hath placed the sand for the bounds of the sea by a perpetuall decree that it cannot passe Againe he said Cannot I do with you ò Israel as this Potter Ier. 18.6 The holy Prophet Ezekiel speaking of his predomināt power ouer the wicked faith after this manner Ezech. 6.7 I will take the bloud out of his mouth his abhomination frō amongst his teeth The same prerogatiue our Sauiour Christ manifesteth himselfe to haue in his speech to his Disciples If any man saith he Mar. 11.3 do say vnto you Why loose ye the Colt say ye vnto them The Lord hath need and they will straight way let it go As if he had said Do but tell them of me vse but my name and they shall haue no power to withstand you The second question why God doth conceale the time of mans departure out of this life Why doth he keepe it secret to himselfe This seemes to be hard iustice that a matter of so great importance should be hid Eccl. 9.12 No man knoweth his time saith Salomon but is suddenly taken as a fish or as a bird Dan. 12.4 It is shut vp and sealed vnto theend of the time appointed said Daniel Gen. 27.2 I know not the day of my death said the holy Patriarch Isaac And as Saint Luke said to the disciples concerning the restoring of Christs kingdome It is not for you to know the times seasons which God hath rescrued in his owne power Act. 17. euen so is it not for any man to know the time and season of his departure out of this life I conclude this question with the forewarning of Saint Paul to Timothie in these words Put away foolish and vnlearned questions knowing that they ingender strife There are three speciall and diuine reasons why the time of death is concealed The first reason is That euerie man should stand vpon his guard lest the enemie come suddenly Watch and pray therefore said our Sauiour Christ Iesus Saint Luke knowing the manner of death exhorts to watchfulnesse in these words Luk. 12.35.36.37.38 Let your loynes be girded about and your lights burning and ye your selues like vnto men that wait for their maisters God told Moses where he should die but he told him not the time and why because he as all other men should stand vpon his watch or guard Deu. 28.66 Thy life saith the Lord shall hang before thee and thou shalt feare both day and night and shalt haue none assurance of thy life The second reason why the time of death is concealed It is for the continuall good of all succeeding ages that the one ought to prouide for the other Therefore specially it is said by Salomon Eccl. 1.4 One generation passeth and another cometh as of heauenly so in some proportion of earthly which made Christ to say One soweth and another reapeth Ioh. 4.37 Were it that some might know the time of their departure they would not renue any thing that might be for them that should come after partly through malice and enuie and partly through extreme idlenesse or superfluous expences The third reason why the time of death is concealed That all men should carefully conueniently vse the meanes for life which God hath appointed in his Church Whereas if they knew the exact time of their departure they wold hold it friuolous to vse any of those good means which his holy Maiesty hath inserted annexed to the decree for the time of mans departure So should the ordinance of God concerning the vse of his creatures be made frustrate and those his exceeding good creatures stand of none effect The fourth reason why the time of death is concealed If the time of death were knowne to some they would liue very desperately and damnably for many yeares and the more neare to the time of their death they would grow the more sad sorowfull and heauy and into such intollerable passions as would driue them into desperation or at least into an vnwilling and a most gracelesse striuing with death in a sort against God himselfe Therefore Moses said Deu. 29.29 Secret things belong to the Lord our God but the thing reuealed belong vnto vs and to our children for euer Besides these two questions which formerly you haue heard there arise out of this doctrine concerning the timelinesse of death three obiections First if God haue so resolutely decreed vpon the verie day and houre of euery mans departure To what end shall a man vse indeuor or any of the best meanes for the preseruation of life The first answer for the vse of meanes to preserue life As almightie God hath decreed the time of death so withall he hath annexed and commanded religious and pertinent meanes for the preseruation of life vntill the time come As for example The people vnder Moses and Aarō might haue perished in a naturall contagion of the leprosie therefore God commāded that the whole might be singled and seuered from the sicke and infected Leuit. 13.1.2.3.4 The same people might haue bene destroyed in the iudgment which God had prepared for others therefore God commanded some saying Separate your selues from the tents of Corah Numb 16.1.2 2 King 10.23 Dathan and Abiram Iehu the King said Search see whether there be any of the Lords seruants amongst the seruants of Baall lest they be also destroyed with them Good men may perish in the outrage of the wicked Mat. 2.12.13 therefore God forewarned the wise men to depart home another way And Saul said to the Kenites 1 Sam. 15.6 Depart from amongst the Amalekits lest I destroy you with them That vertuous woman so highly in the fauor of God might haue bene famished in that seuen yeares of dearth 2 Kings 10.23 had not God forewarned her by his Prophet that she should shift for her selfe and her houshold in due time All men by the iustice of God for their sinne might lawfully be destroyed together in this or that plague or vengeance yet he hath in his mercie forewarned some and so doth to saue thēselues with the vse of meanes which he hath commended and commanded in his Church And withall in the vse of the same meanes or the like to preserue very reprobates frō the plagues which falle vpon their fellowes to the end they may liue vnto the time which he hath decreed for their death in which their sinnes will be full ripe As may appeare in the foure recited examples The second