Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	death_n	die_v	sin_v	1,960	5	9.3564	5	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B14844	Six excellent treatises of life and death collected (and published in French) by Philip Mornay, sieur du Plessis ; and now (first) translated into English.	Mornay, Philippe de, seigneur du Plessis-Marly, 1549-1623.; Cyprian, Saint, Bishop of Carthage.; Ambrose, Saint, Bishop of Milan, d. 397.; Cicero, Marcus Tullius.; Seneca, Lucius Annaeus, ca. 4 B.C.-65 A.D.	1607 (1607)	STC 18155; ESTC S94239	82,027	544

with the winde should threaten thy shipwrack wouldest thou not indeuour to recouer some Port Behold the world how it shakes and is ready to dissolue manifesting in the ende her vtter ruine Why therfore thinkest thou not on God Why reioicest thou not the condition wherein thou standest seeing thy selfe taken betimes out of those ruines shipwrackes and warranted from the blowes that threaten those which suruiue Wee must consider deare brethren and seriously meditate how we haue renounced the world that we reside therin but for a time as pilgrims and strangers Let vs eueÌ„ embrace that day which summoneth euery one of vs to his proper dwelling place which hales and puls vs out of the snares of this life to put vs in possessioÌ„ of the kingdom of heauen He that trauels vp and downe countreys to some farre place desires he not to returne to his owne home If any man be vnder saile in the course towards his countrey desires he not a good winde to fall quickly with the land the more speedily by this meanes to come to the imbracemeÌ„ts of his kinred and friends We call Paradise our countrey and the Patriarkes our Fathers Why run wee not then with all speed to see our countrey and to salute our PareÌ„ts A great number of frieÌ„ds kinsfolks brothers and children already assured of their immortalitie and desirous of our good doe there attend and wish for vs. What a ioy will this bee both to them vs there to review and meet one another what pleasures there are amongst the inhabitants of the heaueÌ„ly kingdom which now feare death no more and are sure to liue for euer There is the glorious coÌ„pany of the Apostles the troups of Prophets reioicing in God the innumerable armies of martyrs who after hauing valiantly fought and suffered are immortally crowned In this place the Virgines triumph which subdued their own concupiscence bodily pleasures by the vigor of true contineÌ„ce the charitable that by almes deedes and diuers other good workes towards the poor shewed themselues the performers of righteousnes and who hauing obeyed the commandements of God heaped vp vnto themselues a treasure in heaueÌ„ where they are richly recompensed My most deare brethren let vs with all affection runne towards them and desire to bee there quickly and so to come vnto our Sauiour God behold our cogitations and thoughts the Lord Iesus Christ vouch safe to cast his eye on the resolutioÌ„ which our hearts in his promises haue vndertaken that they may haue the richest and most glorious rewards that with most ardent and zealous affectioÌ„ desire his presence Amen A Treatise of S. AMBROSE Bishop of Milan who flourished twenty yeers after S. CYPRIAN which is to say 370 yeeres after the birth of CHRIST Of the happinesse of death THE ARGVMENT IN this Treatise being diuided into 12. Chapters S. Ambrose shewes in what sense Death may be called good or euil and how many kinds of death there are Also what it is which the holy Scripture calles life death and what the meaning is of spiritual death Afterwards he prooues that death is happinesse to the faithfull seeing it is an end of sinne and by the same the world was redeemed Hereupon he coÌ„cludes that therfore it is not to be feared teaching vs how wee should meditate thereupon But the better to take away all apprehension and bitternes he discourseth vpoÌ„ al the dangers that in this world enuiron vs and vpon the discommodities of this life And then hee reenters into his former argument shewing that there is nothing terrible in death but the opinion thereof Then he proues that the soule doeth not perish with the body and entreats of the great contentment of soules after this present life as also of the happinesse of the celestiall kingdom and what wayes wee should take to come thereunto Of the happines of Death CHAP. 1. In what sense death may bee tearmed good or euill BEing to intreat of the happines of death wee must first conceiue in what respect it may bee called good or euill If it therefore hurt the soule it appeares to be an euil thing and on the contrary if the soule be endamaged nothing therby it caÌ„not iustly be blamed Now that which is not euil is good for that which is vitious is euill also and so oppositely whatsoeuer is without vice may bee reputed good therfore good is contrary to euill and euill to good In briefe where there is no will to hurt that may be called innoceÌ„ce and him we tearm culpable that is not innocent he that pardons merciful so him cruel that wil not pardon nor remit But some may replie that there are no things more coÌ„trary thaÌ„ life and death If life theÌ„ bee reputed a speciall good must not death be esteemed as great an euill We must then obserue what life death is Life is the enioying of breath and death the priuation thereof Many thinke that it is a great happinesse to breathe to enioy life therefore is a good vnto them and a death it is to bee depriued thereof So the Scripture sayth Beholde Eccl. 15. I haue set before thee life death good and euill calling life good Gen. 2.3 and death euill comparing them one with another And to produce yet a more expresse testimony hereof the first man was placed in the garden of Eden to eate of the fruit of the Tree of life of other fruits in the garden with a precise prohibition that he should not eate the fruit of the Tree of knowledge of good and euill threatning him that he should that day die the death when he did eate therof He went beyond his coÌ„mission lost the Tree of life being driuen out of the garden tasted of death Wherfore it followes that death is a notable euill seeing it is the rewarde of transgression and condemnation CHAP. 2. That there are three kinds of Death BVt there are three kindes of death The first is the death of sinne of which it is writteÌ„ Ezek. 18. The soule which sinneth shall die The second is death mysticall when any one dies to sinne and liues to God of which the Apostle sayth that wee are buried with Iesus Christ Rom. 6. in his death by Baptisme The third is the end of our course vocation in this worlde which is to say the separation of the soule from the body we see therefore that ther is an euill death that is when we die in sin another good wherin whosoeuer dies he is deliuered from sin and the third betwixt both for honest men repute it good and others stand in feare of it Though it deliuers all men yet are there but a few that take pleasure therein but that proceeds not from any vice that is in death that is in the separation of the soule from the body but from our infirmities in that giuing our selues ouer to the pleasures of the flesh and delights of

our sinnes Math. 6.11 The reward of sinne is death Rom. 6.23 Eternall life which wee lose by our corruption and transgression is restored again vnto vs by Iesus Christ THe gift of God is eternall life by Iesus Christ our Lorde Rom. 6.23 At the same time when we were dead in sinne hee reuiued vs together by Christ by whose grace you are saued Ephe. 2.5 The determination and grace of God is manifested vnto vs by the apparition of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath destroyed death and brought to light life and immortalititie by the Gospel 2. Timot. 1.10 In this the loue of God appeared vnto vs when he sent his onely Sonne into the worlde to the end wee might liue by him 1. Iohn 4.9 And this man is witnesse that God hath giuen vs eternall life and this life is in his Sonne 1. Iohn 5.11 To whom eternall life is giuen GOd so loued the world as he gaue his only begotten Son that no man which beleeueth in him might perish but haue euerlasting life He that beleeueth in the Son hath eternall life but he that beleueth not in the Son shall not see life but the wrath of GOD shal remaine vpon him Iohn 3.15 36. Verely verely I say vnto you whosoeuer heareth my words and beleeueth in him that sent mee he hath eternall life and shall not come into condemnation but passe from death to life This is the will of my Father which sent me That whosoeuer sees the Sonne and beleeues in him he may haue eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day Verely verely I say vnto you hee that beleeues in mee hath eternall life Iohn 5.24 and 6.40 47. Iesus sayde I am the resurrection and the life hee that beleeueth in me although hee be dead shall liue Iohn 11.25 These things are written that you may beleeue that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God that in beleeuing you may haue life in his Name Iohn 20.31 God shal giue to euery one according to his workes which is to say to those that with patience in well-doing seeke glory honor and immortalitie eternall life Rom. 2.6 7. Being now deliuered from sinne and made the seruants of God you haue your fruit in sanctification and for your ende eternall life Rom. 6.22 If we be children we are also heires heires I say to God and coheirs with Iesus Christ that is to say if wee suffer with him that with him wee may also bee glorified Rom. 8.17 Seeke peace with all men and holinesse without which none can see the Lord. Hebr. 12.14 The excellencie of eternall life WHen the account is cast I think the sufferances of this present time no wayes equiualent to the glory to come which shall be reuealed in vs. Rom. 8.18 The things which the eye hath not seene the eare heard and that neuer entred into the heart of man are those which God hath prepared for those that loue him 1. Cor. 2.9 This present life is limited THe dayes of a man are short the number of his moneths remaine with thee thou hast set downe limits which hee must not exceede Ioh 14.5 The shortnesse and vanitie of the same WE are strangers and forreiners before thee as our Fathers were our dayes are as the shadow vpon the earth and there is no mention of them 1. Chron. 29.15 Man borne of a woman is but of little continuance and those few dayes are replenished with trouble sorrowe hee cometh out like a flower and is gathered vp hee flies away like a shadow and stayes not Are not his dayes set downe Iob 14.1 2 5. Thou hast assigned my dayes the measure of an hand-breadth and my life time is before thee as nothing in effect there is nothing but vanitie with euery man that liues As soon as thou chastisest a man reprehending him for his iniquity thou consumest all his excellencie like a moth so slight a thing is euery man Psal 39.12 The sonnes of men are nothing they are but the lyers of great Princes so that if they were all put together in a ballance they would bee found lighter than vanitie it selfe Psal 62.10 The dayes of our life are threescore and ten yeeres and of those that liue longest but fourescore and yet the best of them are but affliction miserie they soon passe hence and we our selues flie away swiftly Psal 90.10 The dayes of a man are like the grasse and flourish like the flower of the fielde Psal 103.13 Man is like to nothing his dayes are as the shadowe which vanisheth away Psal 144.4 See thorowout all Salomons Ecclesiastes All flesh is grasse and all the glory thereof is as the flower of the field Isa 40.6 I tell you this my brethren that the time is short 1. Cor. 7.29 What is this your life it is certainely but a vapour which appeareth for a while and then vanisheth away Iames 4.14 The end of mans life WHether you eat or drinke or whatsoeuer you doe do it al to the glory of God 1. Cor. 10.31 The first death which is the separation of the soule from the body and the second which is eternal death proceede from sinne THe day wherein thou eatest of the fruite of the Tree of knowledge of good and euill thou shalt die the death Gen. 2.17 As by one man sinne entred into the worlde and by sinne death so death came vpon all men because al men sinned Rom. 5.12 The first death is common to all IT is ordained that all shall once die and after that comes Iudgement Heb. 9.27 The Children of God ought to feare death FEare not those that can slay the bodie and not kill the soule Math. 10.28 Hee that loueth his life shall lose it and whosoeuer hates this worlde hee shall finde it in eternall life Iohn 12.25 We knowe when our terrestrial lodging is defaced we haue a dwelling place in God an house not made with handes but eternall which is in heauen 2. Corint 5.1 I am inclosed on the one side and the other desiring to be dissolued and to be with Christ the which were much better for me Phil. 1.23 Death destroyed by Iesus Christ IEsus Christ hath destroyed Death and brought to light Life and immortality by the Gospel 2. Tim. 1.10 Death is swallowed vp in victorie 1. Cor. 15.54 Who sits at the right hand of God hauing swallowed vp death that we might be made partakers af eternall life 1. Pet. 3.22 What opinion wee should hold of the dead HAppie are those that die in the Lord yea saith the holy Ghost for they rest from their labours and their works follow them Apo. 14.3 We must not mourne for the dead as profane persons doe ALso my brethren I would not haue you ignorant concerning those which sleep to the end you may not be sorrowfull as others are that haue no hope 1. Thes 4.13 Their soules which die in the Lord are receiued into rest and glory in heauen ANd it happened that

ofteÌ„ hath the Lord vouchsafed to teach vs How often hath he coÌ„maunded mee to protest and preach incessantly before you al that you should not lament for your brethren wheÌ„ it pleaseth God to call and to deliuer them out of this worlde seeing I knowe that they do not perish but precede and go before those that remaine behind and that we may be grieued or a little touched for them as for friendes that remooue to some other place or that embarke themselues to arriue in a good Port But wee must not lament nor weare mourning weeds for them here belowe on earth seeing they haue now put on white roabes in heauen We must not giue the Painims iust occasioÌ„ to tax reprehend vs when they shal see that throgh immoderate loue wee seem to iudge those perished forgotteÌ„ whoÌ„ otherwise we affirme to be liuing with GOD wheÌ„ they perceiue that by euident testimoniall of our thoughts we coÌ„demne the faith wherof we make profession by mouth In this wise we should ouerthrowe our hope and beleefe that which we say would but proceed froÌ„ hypocrisie It is nothing to appeare couragious in wordes if we subuert the trueth by effects The Apostle S. 1. Thes 4. Paul condemnes sharply reprehends those that are too sorrowfull for the death of their kinsmen and friends Brethren said hee I would not that you should bee ignoraunt concerning those that sleep to the end you may not lameÌ„t like those that haue no hope For if we beleeue that Iesus Christ died and was raised again in like manner they that sleepe in Iesus God will bring theÌ„ vnto him He sayes that they which are void of hope sorrow for the death of their friends But we that liue by hope which beleeue in God which are assured that Christ died and rose again for vs remaining in Christ rising againe in and by him why should we refuse to goe out of this worlde why do we mourn and lament for our friends which GOD takes to himselfe as if they perished Why giue we not eare to our Lorde and God Iesus Christ admonishing vs and saying Ioh. 11. I am the resurrectioÌ„ he that beleeues in me though he be dead shall liue and whosoeuer liues and beleeues in me shall neuer die If wee beleeue in Iesus Christ let vs giue eare vnto his sayings promises that in stead of dying eternally we may vndoubtedly and ioyfully come vnto our Sauiour with whom we shal liue and reigne for euer For this our temporall death it is but a passage vnto immortality and we cannot attaine to euerlasting life before we dislodge and remoue out of this world Death is not a going foorth but a passage and transportation out of the way of this life to eternall rest Who is he that doth not merrily go forward when there is any possibility of his honor profit Who refuseth to be traÌ„sformed chaÌ„ged into the image of Christ and quickly to come to the graces of God Our conuersation Phil 3. saith S. Paul is in heauen froÌ„ whence we look for the Lord Iesus Christ who shal chaÌ„ge our vile bodies to the end they may be conformable to his glorious body Our Lord Iesus Christ promiseth that we shall be such when he intreated his father for vs that we might bee with him that wee might liue in his eternal mansion and that wee might reioice in his heauenly kingdome Father said he I desire that those whom thou hast giuen me may be where I must be and that they may see the glory which thou gauest mee before the world euer was He that is to go to the Court of Iesus Christ into the light of the kingdom of heaueÌ„ should not weep and lament but rather according to the promise of the Lord and the certaintie of his word he should reioice at his departure and transportation To this end we read that Enoch was traÌ„slated it so pleasing God and the holy Scripture affirming in Genesis Gen. 5. Enoch walked according to God and was no more seene for God tooke him vp See what it is to please God for it is to be taken froÌ„ the corruptions contagions of this world The holy Ghost also teacheth vs by the mouth of the wise man Eccle. 14. that those whom God loues he quickly deliuers out of this world for feare lest soiourning there too long they might be infected with the ordures thereof Wisd 4. The iust man saith he was takeÌ„ away to the end that malice might not depraue his vnderstanding for his soule pleased God and therefore made haste to be remooued from out the midst of iniquity In the self same maner the faithfull deuout soule runs a great spirituall pase towards her God saying Psa 84. O God of armies my soule sighes makes haste towards Gods Courts For the rest it belongs to him that takes all his pleasure in the worlde that suffers himselfe to be caught with the bait of earthly delights and the flatteries of the flesh such an one I say it concernes to desire to tarrie long in the world But seeing the world hates the childreÌ„ of God why louest thou thine enemie why folowest thou not rather Iesus Christ thy Redeemer who so ardently loues thee Saint Iohn admonisheth vs very earnestly in his first Epistle saying Loue not the worlde 1. Ioh. 2. nor the things that are in the world If any man loue the worlde the loue of the Father is not in him For all that is in the world that is to say the concupiscence of the flesh the desire of the eyes the pride of life are not of the Father but of the world The world and the desires thereof passe away but hee that performes the will of God liues for euer euen as God himselfe is eternall Let vs therefore deare brethren attend patiently whatsoeuer God sends with a pure vnderstanding an assured faith and a constant resolution Let vs driue away far from vs the apprehension of death and bee mindfull of the immortality which is to succeed Shew we our selues such as our profession imports not to lament the death of our frieÌ„ds but our hour being come let vs merrily and chearfully goe to the Lord when hee calles For seeing Gods seruants should bee alwayes prepared to this point they ought most of all to be so now considering how the world declines it being assieged with infinite euils that ouerwhelm it We haue seene and passed many dangers these are but slight euils in respect of those that are to come we may therfore thinke our gaine great in going out of the same so quickly If the wals of thine house shake with age if thy roofe totter if thy hole edifice not being able any longer to stand presage a neer fall and ruine wouldest thou not make more thaÌ„ ordinary haste to bee gone If thou wert sayling in the main sea and that a furious storme swelling the waues

people of God In which when he presented himselfe frankly vnto death to appease the wrath of God being readie in the name of all others and for their comfort to beare the scourge of GOD he knew well that it was farre greater glory to die for Christ than to raigne in this world can there bee a more excellent thing than to offer vp our selues vnto CHRIST Although therefore the Scripture speaketh of diuerse Sacrifices of Dauid yet is there a mentioÌ„ of this one particular in this Psalme which sayth I will sacrifice vnto thee praise and thankesgiuing hee said not I doe sacrifice but I will minding hereby to inferre that a sacrifice is then perfect wheÌ„ euery beleeuer is deliuered out of the bandes of this body to appeare before the Lord then presents himself to him in a sacrifice of praise because no praise nor thanksgiuing is perfect or accomplished before death and no man can be truely praised in this life by reason of the vncertaintie of that to come Death therefore is a separation of the soule from the body for that which further remaines we said before howe S. Paul declared That to be dissolued be with Christ he esteemed a farre better thing than to tarrie here still What else procureth this separation but the dissolution of the bodie and bringing of it to repose as for the soule it is her freedome introduction to peace ioy that is to say to liue with Christ if it beleeue The chrildren of God therefore do nothing in this worlde but purifie theÌ„selues froÌ„ the contaminations of the body which are as bands to tie vs in labor to free theÌ„selues from these difficulties renouncing of pleasures shunning dissolutenes the flames of coÌ„cupisceÌ„ce Is it not theÌ„ true that euery faithful soule liuing here belowe is conformed and ioyned vnto death wheÌ„ she studies to die in her selfe to all carnall delights and to all the desires and allurements of the world Thus was the Apostle dead when hee said Gal. 6. The world is crucified to mee and I to the world In fine to the end wee might knowe that death is in this life and that it is good he exhorteth vs to bear in our bodies the death or mortificatioÌ„ of our Lord Iesus for he who hath in him the death of the Lord Iesus hee shall haue his life also in his body Death therefore is necessarie in vs to the end that life may be necessary also There is a good life after death that is to say a great felicitie after victory a good life at the end of the combate wheÌ„ the law of the flesh can no more contradict the lawe of vnderstanding when death striues no more against the bodie but that the victory ouer death is inclosed in the same And I knowe not whether of these two are more effectual 2. Cor. 4. this life or this death considering the Apostles authentike testimony who sayth Death therefore is necessary in vs life in you How many nations were reuiued by the death of one man The Apostle then as you see 2. Cor. 4. teacheth that those who enioy this present life must also desire this present death to the ende that the death of Christ may appeare in our bodies and that wee may participate of this felicitie by which our external man is destroyed to the end that heauens mansion place may bee open vnto vs. He therefore conformes himself well vnto death that retires from the earnest desires of the world that looseth the bands wherof the Lord speaks in Esay Loose the bands of vnrighteousnes Esa 51. break the obligations of vniust exchange let them goe free that are troden vnder foote vntie the knots of wickednes Hee approcheth neere vnto death that strips himselfe of the pleasures of the world that disintangleth himselfe from terrestriall cogitations and raiseth his minde to the heauenly Tabernacle within the which Saint Paul was conuersant euen while he liued here belowe otherwise hee woulde not haue sayde Phil. 1. Our conuersation is in heauen the which may also be applied to the zeale meditatioÌ„s of this holy man for his thoughts were there there his soule frequented the studies and indeuours of his minde were raised vp thither the limits of this body being indeed too strait to comprehend the apprehensions of a man truely wise who aspiring to such a good separates for the time his soule from his body and hath no more to doe with the same in contemplating of that trueth which he desires openly to see for which cause he seekes nothing more than to bee freed from the snares darknesse of this body For wee cannot with our hands with our eyes or our eares conceiue this celestiall trueth because things visible are temporall and those inuisible eternal And besides our sight is oftentimes deceiued and we discerne things farre otherwise than indeed they are our hearing also deceiues vs and therfore wee must looke to inuisible things if wee will not bee deceiued When may we then be assured that our foule is not deceiued When is it that she layes hold on the throne of veritie euen when she is separated froÌ„ the body which then can abuse nor deceiue her no more The same deceiued her by the regard of the eyes by the hearing of the eare therefore it is necessarie that she should leaue abandon it And therefore the Apostle minding to shew that it was not by bodily repose but by the eleuatioÌ„ of the soule the harts humility that had found out the trueth he sayth that our conuersation is in heauen He therfore sought in heauen that which is trueth and shal so remaine for euer And thus retiring his thoghts and all the force of his vnderstanding without reuealing himselfe to any other but knowing and considering well of himselfe resoluing to followe that which he tooke to bee trueth and perceiuing that to be false flitting which the flesh desires and chooseth fraudulently he rightly blasoned this body calling it the body of death For who can discerne with his eyes the brightnesse of vertue Who can gripe righteousnesse with his hands or see wisedom with his bodily eyes Briefly when we meditate on any thing wee would not willingly see any body we like not to heare any noyse about our eares hauing somtimes our minds so fixed as wee see not that which is before our eyes And in the night our cogitatioÌ„s are more firme and we conceiue the better of that in our hearts which serues for our document and instruction where-vnto that saying of the Prophet in the 4. Psalme hath reference Ponder with your selues vpon your beds Often-times also diuers men cloase their eyes when they would profoundly consider of any affaire auoiding at such a time the impediment of sight Otherwhiles we seeke out solitarie places to the end that no body may trouble vs or by his prattle turne vs out of the right way

who honor thee in this world but to resplendent and most excellent verity her self Axi Thy discourse hath made mee change my mind I am now so far from fearing death that contrariwise I ardently desire the same and to expresse my selfe more magnanimiously I am already in a maner out of the world and begin to enter into these diuine and eternall paths so that being wholly eased of my infirmity I am quite become another man than that I was before CICERO in his dialogue of old age towards the end THere remaines a fourth reason which seems to vexe and torment olde age that is to say the approach of Death which at that time can not bee farre off But I think that old man to be very miserable which in the space of so long time before neuer learned that death simplie was not to bee feared but rather to bee coÌ„temned if it destroy the soule as some thinke but according to my opinion it ought to bee desired seeing it leades man to a place where he shall liue eternally Wee cannot finde any one betwixt these two opinions What should I then feare if I either feele no misery at all or if I shall bee happie after death Besides this is ther any man so foolish how yong a Gul soeuer he be to suppose that he hath a Patent of his life but til the euening He is so farre from that that euen youth it self is subiect to many more kinds of death than old age yong men sooner fall into diseases they are more grieuously sicke and hardlier healed so that it is rare to see men liue to bee olde If this were not wee should liue more wisely and happily for old men are indued with the vnderstanding of counsel and wisedome and without them CoÌ„mon-wealths could not stand on foote But let vs come to this feare of present death and in that olde age is wrongfully charged to be subiect to this apprehension feeing this is a more common accident with youth For my part I felt in the death of my sonne your brothers of whom great hope of good hereafter was coÌ„ceiued that death threatens all ages Some body may reply that a yong man hopes to liue long which one aged cannot expect This hope is truely the hope of a yong man that is to say of a light head For is there a greater sottishnes than to make sure and certain of that which is altogether vncertaine and vnsure But an old man hath no reason in the world to coÌ„ceiue any such hope and I affirme that his condition herein is far better thaÌ„ a yong mans in that he hath obtained what the young man doth but hope for and that is long life which the olde man hath passed I pray you what length doe you find in a mans life fet down vnto me the longest of all others Let vs consider the age of the King of the Tartessians for I find in bookes that one Arganthonius reigned fourescore and liued sixescore yeeres but I see that ther is nothing long but tendeth to some period the which being attained vnto all the rest is gone and past ther remaining nothing but what thou hast obtained by Iustice and pietie The howers passe away so doe the moneths that past neuer returnes againe what will come hereafter we knowe not Euery one must be contented with the time allotted him to liue For as hee that playes a Part vpon a stage needes not to repeat the whole Comedie from one end to the other to make him be accompted a good Actor so that in the Part which he properly plaieth he giue contentmeÌ„t to the spectatours no more is it requisite that the wise man should liue as long as the oldest man that euer liued in the worlde because a shorte life is long enough for a man to carrie himselfe therein honestly and vertuously And so if our dayes shoot out at length we must be no more weary of them than labourers that after the beautie of the Spring time see Summer ensue and then Autumne For the Spring time resembles youth and makes some demonstration of the fruits which afterward must be reaped Other ages are proper to gather and lay vp the increase of the earth and the fruit of olde age is the remembraunce of those goods which wee haue formerly purchased whatsoeuer is done according to nature we may place in the rank of good things But what is more naturall than to see old men die The same falles out to youth but somewhat against Nature and as it were in despite of her so that when yong men die me thinkes I see as it were a great fire quenched by an huge quantity of water where as contrariwise old men droppe away of theÌ„selues without any violence offered like to a fire that quencheth of it selfe And euen as apples but greene and vnripe fall not from the trees except we violently pluck them off being ripe they fall off without vsing any great force thereto so also young men seeme to die not without some violence offered to their nature old men quite otherwise The which so cheares mee vp that the neerer I approach vnto death the neerer I discerne my selfe to hale in with that harbor and port where I pretend to anchor after so long dangerous a nauigatioÌ„ All the ages of our life are limited but only old age wherein wee liue vertuously as long as the means yet remaines to labour in our vocation and otherwise to hold death in contempt the which may bee the reason also that old age is more ardent and couragious than youth This is that which Solon answered to the Tyrant Lisistratus who interrogated him concerning vertue wherewith he so braued him and was alwaies opposite to his designes because sayd Solon I am old but the ende of this life is then most sweet and excellent when the same Nature which built defaceth also her worke wheÌ„ a man til the last retains his senses vnderstaÌ„ding entire For euen as the Carpenter or Architect can easily when he lists plucke the ribs and beames of his ship asunder or the other plucke downe that building which he had erected euen so Nature most properly dissolueth a man whom shee before had sodered together of two so different pieces now al kind of Soder and conglutination lately made is hardly dissolued but in that old and long worn it is otherwise and so the remainder of life is not much desired or sighed after by the aged who haue reason rather to be ready to dislodge expecting minutally the great Captains comandement which is God without whose will and pleasure as Pythagoras sayd wee are prohibited to leaue our Guarison Corps du guard wherin we are constituted in this worlde There is a notable saying ascribed to the wise Solon wherin hee would haue his friends to mourne and lament his death which makes me thinke that his meaning onely was herein that they should shewe to

haue made great accompt of him But the Poet Ennius peraduenture hit better vpon this point when he forbade his death to be lamented or that any mourning funerals should bee performed he supposing that such a death was not to bee deplored which was seconded by immortality For the rest if there bee some sense or feeling in death and in our last gaspes it lasts not long especially in a very aged man and as for any feeling after death it is either nothing at all or else a thing to be much desired But wee must haue learned betimes to contemne death for without this Meditation none can haue any repose in minde seeing it is most certaine that die wee must not knowing when and it may be at the same moment or instant of our thought How can that man therefore enioy a peaceable soule if hee fear death which threatens him euery minute of his life I neede not dilate more at large of this wen I call to mind not only Lucius Brutus who was slain in the deliuery of his countrey or of the two Decij who violeÌ„cly plunged themselues the one within an huge deepe Dell and the other within a Battalion of armed men amongst whom he verily thought to haue beene slaine or Marcus Attilius who couragiously returned to cruell punishment choosing rather to lose his life than breake his oath which hee had plighted to his enemies and the two Scipioes that exposed their bodies to the enemies furie for the stopping of a passage or Lucius Paulus who by his owne death defaced the temerity rashnes of his collegued Consull in the discomfiture of the Romanes at Cannas and also Marcus Marcellus who being dead was honored with a Toombe by his most mortall enemie but I will also set before your eyes our moderne Regiments which haue often-times chearefully and with noble courage assaulted those places from whence no one of the troupes euer hoped to come off Should it be sayd that learned old men doe feare that which youth and those rusticall ignorant for the most part valiantly despise And moreouer me thinkes the being satisfied with all things else makes one also well satisfied with liuing Infancie hath certain disports and recreations which young men desire not to put in practise Old age feeles no contentment in the pleasures of youth and men of auncient yeeres seek not after that wherin men delight that are yet in the flower of their age and olde age discernes the very last employments of our life but yet in such sort that all in the end vanisheth away as the exercises of precedent times haue done the which comming to passe to bee satisfied with liuing clearely shewes that then it is high time to die For my part I see nothing that hinders me from setting down my opinion touching death and me thinkes I may speake thereof with good motiue seeing it appeareth so neer vnto me Out of doubt Scipio Laelius I thinke that your fathers which were honorable men my best friends though dead to the world doe yet liue and such a life as onely deserues to bee so called For while we are inclosed within these straite precincts of the body we trauell and we must will we nill wee yeeld vnto the yoak and burden the celestiall soule and off-spring of the highest Tabernacle being ouerwhelmed and as it were buried in earth this being a contrary habitation to eternitie and a diuine nature But I beleeue that the immortal Gods haue planted soules in humane bodies to the end there might be people to replenish preserue the world to contemplate the beautifull course of heauenly bodies to imitate them in constancie and regular life Besides many reasons and arguments which haue induced me to beleeue this the authority and reputation of the greatest Philosophers hath much furthered me I haue heard say that Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans somtimes named the Philosophers of Italy consequently inhabitants of our countrey were alwayes of opinion that our soules were extracted from Diuinity I haue vnderstood also of Socrates his discourse who was iudged by the Oracle of Apollo to be the wisest man of the world toward the later part of his life about the immortality of soules What neede wee any more behold my opinion herein Seeing the soules of men are so pregnant so retentiue and mindfull of things past foresee so discreetly those to come haue inuented so many mysteries and diuers other worthy Sciences excellent matters it is impossible that a nature capable of so great good should be mortal And the soule hauing perpetual motion without receiuing any inferiour beginning thereof considering that she onely moues of her self it must necessarily follow that she shall haue this motion for euer because shee can neuer abandon her selfe Also in that the nature of the soule is simple there concurring in her no mixed difference shee cannot be diuided And so being iudiciall she is by consequent immortall For this is a manifest proofe that men are intellectual before their being born in that children learning the most difficult Sciences doe suddenly comprehend such an infinitie of things that we may suppose they begin not then to knowe what is but onely remember call againe vnto minde These are almost the very words of Plato On the other side the great Cyrus of whome Xenophon hath written at large at the hower of his departure sayd thus vnto his children My deare beloued though I remaine no more amongst you yet do not thinke for all this that I haue afterwardes no more being nor am resident in any place for when I was in your coÌ„pany you could not perceiue my soule but only you imagined it to be within my body by my exteriour actions Beleeue therefore that this soule remaines so still although you see the body no more The vertuous should not be honoured after death if their soules had performed nothing worthy of their memoriall long time before their death I could neuer yet bee perswaded that if soules liue within mortall bodies that euer they can die issuing out of the same or that the soule going out of the body which of it selfe is stupid and senselesse becommeth then also inexistent insensible but on the contrary when she is freed from all commixtion with this body shee then beginneth to be pure and entire then say I shee is mounted vnto the height and top of all wisedome Moreouer it being so that humane nature is dissolued by death wee plainely see whither all other things tend that is to say thither from whence they were first extracted the soule onely excepted the which wee neither see enter soiourne nor issue out of the body But for the rest you see there is nothing which so truely reseÌ„bles death as sleep And the soules of them that sleep clearly in this point shew their diuinitie that being free and in repose they foresee things to come which plainly argues their being after their relaxation from

thouendest it is all one end where thou wilt so thou concludest with a good periode Epist. XCIIII WE chide Destiny euery day why takes not death such an one why takes he him in the middest of his course why doeth such an one tenter out an old age irkesome to himself and others I pray you which is more reasonable that Nature should obey you or you Nature why takest thou care at what hour thou shalt depart seeing froÌ„ hence thou art sure to go We must not be careful how to liue long but how to liue suficiently To liue long depeÌ„ds on Destiny to liue sufficieÌ„tly depeÌ„ds on thine owne will That life is long which is accoÌ„plished then it is accomplisht fulfilled when the will is content when the mind enioies her happinesse and is settled in her own power What good hath such an one by hauing idlely passed ouer fourescore yeares Hee hath not properly liued but soiourned in this life He died not slowely but long seeing his life was no other but a death But thou wilt say hee liued fourescore yeeres thou must obserue froÌ„ what day thou reckonest his death for the vnprofitable part thereof hath been but death On the contrary another although he died in his vigor and strength discharged the offices of a good citizen a good friend a good childe hee omitted nothing of his duety though his age were vnperfect yet his life was perfect Why then dear friend Lucilius let our life bee vnto vs as the most precious things are let vs measure it not according to the time but according to our actions not according to the continuance but after the effectes of the same Wee may commend and repute him happy that wel emploied the little time he had to liue Age is an externall thing and without ourselues Though I be here yet this depends of another thing but to be an honest man depends on my selfe Require you of mee that I passe not my time obscurely as it were in darkenesse that I leade a true life that my time bee not lost demaunde you which is the longest life It is to liue while we attaine to wisedom he which comes to this point though he arriue not to the longer mark at least yet he hath obtained the principall Death passeth ouer all He that killed followes him that was slain It is nothing for which we take so much care And what matter is it how long thou auoidest that which in the ende cannot by any meanes bee auoided why fliest thou backe from that which thou canst not shunne Epist. C. OBserue the swiftnes of time consider the shortnesse of this carriere the which we also runne so speedily Marke the following on of all humane kind tending all to one place They which seem to be farre off followe notwithstanding hard after others Hee who thou supposest to bee dead is but onely sent before Can there bee a more vnreasonable matter than when thou must necessarilie performe the same iournie to weep for him which hath out-gone thee in the way Whosoeuer lameÌ„ts for any ones death laments onely because hee was a man One selfe all the world Whosoeuer was first born must afterwards die We are distinguished by measurable space but equall in the issue One goes before another followes but both goe the same way All things are dissolued all things passe into their contrary this being Dame Natures pleasure In all these revolutions of humane things there is nothing certaine but Death and yet euery one coÌ„plaines of that which neuer failed nor deceiued any body But he died being an infant I will not in this point also affirme that it was the better for him to be so soone dispatched out of this life But let vs come to him that hath liued to olde yeeres I pray you what great matter hath hee gained of this Infant In vnderstanding and ideally propound vnto thy selfe this wonderful distance of time and comprehend it all together Afterwards compare me with this Infinite the ordinary age of man then thou shalt see how small a matter it is that wee desire and how little it is that we extend out in length And yet of this age let vs but consider how much is spent in griefe how much in cares how much in the conceit of death before it comes to our wished desire how much in sicknesse how much in fears briefly how much in our yong and vnprofitable yeers And notwithstanding of all this we euen sleep out the moity Adde hereunto the troubles sorows and daungers you shall see that in the longest life of all the time which we truly liue is the least of al. Life is neither good nor euill but it is the place of good or euill Hee that dies in his youth in that by all likelihoode hee might aswell haue impaired as ameÌ„ded is like one that hath lost a die wherwith he might rather haue lost thaÌ„ won In briefe for the breuitie of age if you compare it to the infinitie of time we are al equally young and old for the most extended age of a man is but as a point or minute Epist CII EAche day eache hower teacheth vs that we are nothing by some very fresh and vnanswerable argumeÌ„t puts vs in minde of our fragility wheÌ„ we would otherwise forget it vrging vs to haue an eye vnto death when intellectually we conceiue in our selues some eternitie Graft Pear-trees plant vines in order said a certain man Oh what a foolish thing it is to proportion out our age we haue not so much as the power of to morrowe in our hands Oh what a wonderful foolerie their hopes come vnto which enter into long and tedious affairs I will buy I will build I will put out for profit I will exact I will purchase Honors and then in time wee come to these resolutions but I am old and my old age being satisfied in all these things I will lead it in repose and quiet Beleeue that euen to those deemed most happie all things are doubtfull No man can promise any thing to him selfe of future things and that which we hold slippes euen out of our hands that hower it self which we instantly run some incommodity or other glides betweene our fingers Time passes away according to a certaine and immutable lawe but coÌ„cealed from vs. Now what haue I to doe whether this bee certain and knowen vnto Nature or not seeing it is vncertaine and vnknowen vnto me We many times propound vnto our selues long nauigations not to returne againe in a long time while we haue run vaging about and discouering many straunge coastes wee propound to our selues the wars and the slowe recompenses of our military indeuours briefly of place honours and aduancement from one office to another And in the meane while Death comes vpon vs without euer thinking thereon if it bee not sometimes exposed to our eyes by the examples of others mortality which takes no longer impression

die It seemes not that they goe but rather that they are haled out of this life Then they can say how they had been fooles and that by reason of their follie they had not liued out halfe their life but if they could escape this disease they would liue quietly and abandon all affaires Then they call to mind how they had borrowed in vaine that which they were not alwaies to enioy and that all their labour and trauell is now come to nothing But they are only wise and they onely liue which finde time and leasure wherein to learne wisedome For they doe not only beare their yeares well but they adde all the time past vnto their owne All the yeeres which passed before them they haue ouertaken and so we likewise if we be not too ingrate The famous Authors of these excellent sacred opinions were born for our sakes they prepared a life for vs. By other mens labors we are conducted to admirable things drawen and digged out of darkenesse to bring them to light and knowledge There are no ages forbiddeÌ„ vs we may enter into al. And when we take pleasure out of a great minde to issue a little out of the straight siege of humane imbecillitie there is fitte time enough to fetch our walkes abroade at large We may dispute with Socrates doubt with Carneades take repose with some with others vanquish and subdue humane nature Now seeing Nature admitteth vs to the communion and fellowship of all ages past let vs not therefore lose this little and fraile passage of time but addict our selues with our whole hearts to things supernaturall eternall and that participate with the best These people that hitch from office to office that importune both others and themselues when they haue well scudded the streets trotted soundly vp and downe from gate to gate when there is not an open doore but they haue peept in at when they haue ietted with salutations from one house to another in an huge citie transported away with other delights how many would there bee that they should neuer see how many that will absent themselues from them and sende them away with a flea in their eare because they would either sleep or passe their time in lasciuiousnesse Let vs therfore be mindfull of better offices All men whatsoeuer may when they will haue priuate coÌ„uersatioÌ„ with Zeno Pythagoras Democritus Aristotle Theophrastus and with other principall and famous Authors of good and liberall Sciences Hee shall find none of them otherwise occupied none but he wil find leasure to entertaine him none that will not send him back more happy more content and more desirous of his amitie none that will let him depart emptie handed Out of the Booke of Consolation IT is therefore a singular consolation to thinke that whatsoeuer all men before haue passed and all to come must likewise vndergoe shall or may happen to himselfe And Nature in my opinion made that which was most grieuous most common vnto all to the end that such an equalitie might asswage the rigor and seuerity of Death Goe to then cast thine eye on euery side vpon all mortall men and ouer all thou shalt easily discern great and continuall occasion of griefe One is vexed with an ambition that neuer hath repose Pouerty calles another dayly to his work Another feares the same wealth which erst hee desired and is tormented with his owne wishes One is afflicted with care another with labour a third importuned with a troupe of people that dayly laye siege to the portall of his house Here 's one angry for hauing children there 's another laments for hauing lost them Teares sooner faile vs than iust cause to lament Mayest thou not perceiue what maner of life Nature hath allotted vs when she ordained that whosoeuer was borne should enter into the world with cries and teares Wee came into the world with such a beginning and all the sequel of our years is correspondent to the same in this maner wee passe ouer our whole life All those goods wherein we delight through a certain pleasure but in apparaÌ„ce being inwardly replenished with cosinage deceit I say treasure dignities power authoritie with diuers other things by which the blind auarice of humane care becomes stupide besotted wee possesse theÌ„ with woÌ„derfull molestation men enuie vs the enioying them and euen amoÌ„gst those that haue them they rather threaten than make the owner more powerfull they are smooth and slippery one can neuer possesse them securely there 's euer some daÌ„ger of their perill and shipwrack And though one did not fear any thing to come yet the only preseruatioÌ„ of a great worldly state is full fraught with cares If thou wilt giue credit to theÌ„ which doe more profoundly looke into truth our whole life is a punishment we are here lanched foorth into this deepe inconstant sea where ther is always flood and ebbe which one while hoystes vp with the waues then throwes vs down again with the more damage dayly tossing and tormenting vs whether it raise vs vp or bring vs downe wee I say most miserable haue neuer any settled or assured place we euer hang in suspence wee alwaies floate we alwayes rush one against another and often-times euen suffer wracke We are neuer out of feare in this vast Sea subiect to all kinde of tempests and storms and those that sayle therein haue no other Port to make withall but Death Out the Booke of Diuine prouidence In what maner diuers euils light on good men YOu required of me Lucilius if it were so that the worlde was gouerned by prouidence diuine how it could come to passe that so many inconueniences fell to honest mens shares I wil yeeld you hereof a more liuely reason in my written worke wherein I determine to prooue that Gods prouidence is ouer all things and that GOD himselfe dwelles and conuerseth amongst vs. There is an amity betweene GOD and honest men which vertue maketh and contracteth and not onely a friendship but also a neere alliaunce and resemblance For an honest man differs from God but onely in time he is his disciple his imitator and his true off-spring And therfore this magnificent Father which exactes hardly of his own that they should be vertuous hee brings them vp hardly as seuere fathers vse to doe When as therfore thou seest honest men and those so neer vnto God trauell and take paines mounting vp by rough and craggie ascents and contrariwise the wicked to spende their time in follies being drowned in sensuall pleasures imagine how wee delight to raine in our owne children and loose the raines to our slaues progenie For the one wee containe them within their dueties by a seuere sharp discipline for the other wee lay the bridle on their necks Thou mayst euidently perceiue the like taken by God Hee lets not an honest man haue his head he proues hee tries hee prepares him for his seruice

world what is there more to bee found but a dayly conflict and combate with the diuell a continuall warre where wee must be dayly at hand blows to receiue and entertain his charges We carrie on our armes in front vpon the flanke and on the back auarice impudicity choler and ambition we must wrastle incessantly with losse of breath against the desire of the flesh the allurements of the world Mans vnderstanding being assaulted battered on al sides by SathaÌ„s artillery knowes not whither to retire or how to resist but with great daÌ„ger If auarice be vaÌ„quished then coÌ„cupiscence marcheth fair large if this be repelled ambitioÌ„ giues the onset AmbitioÌ„ being discoÌ„fited choler is in a mutinie pride mounts on horfebacke druÌ„kennes storms enuy giues th' alarme discord cuts off all hope of recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ Thou art vrged to do that which the law forbids thou promisest that which is not lawful for thee to perform Seeing the soule is continually subiect to so many euils seeing so many daÌ„gers attend vs without ceasing is it possible that wee can take any great pleasure to be here amongst the diuels glittering trenchaÌ„t blades Wee might rather bee desirous by a ready and sudden death to bee quickly conueyed to Iesus Christ as he himself hath sufficieÌ„tly summoned vs saying Verely verely Iohn 16. I say vnto you you shall weepe and lament and the worlde shall reioice but your sadnesse shal be conuerted into ioy I know no man but he takes delight to go to a place where mirth is and no body seekes after sadnesse and mourning The same Lord sets downe when our sadnesse shal be turned into ioy saying I will see you once again and your hearts shall reioice when no man shal be able to take your ioy away from you Seeing then that there is nothing but ioy in seeing of Iesus Christ and that wee cannot bee truely ioyfull but in seeing of him what a blindnesse and folly is it to loue anguish the trauels and miseries of the world in stead of chearefully imbracing the life ioyes eternall This fals out my deare brethren for want of faith Men thinke that what God promiseth who is truth it selfe and whose word is eternall and inuiolable towards those that beleeue shuld not be performed If any honorable maÌ„ of authority and place should promise thee this or that thou wouldst make account of it beleeuing that he whoÌ„thou knowest to be very obseruant of his word would not abuse or deceiue thee HearkeÌ„ therfore to God who speaks vnto thee yet like a disloyal wretch as thou art wilt thou stil wauer in inconstancie God promiseth vnto thee perpetuall eternall life at thy departure out of this world doubtest thou thereof This is the true ignorance of God to offend by incredulity Iesus Christ the Doctor of all beleeuers to liue faithlesse in the house of faith which is the Church Christ the Author of our good saluation shewes the profit which redownds vnto vs by death when hee obserued his disciples sadnesse because he had told them of his departure out of this world he said vnto theÌ„ If you loued mee Iohn 14. you would be ioyfull for my going to my Father teaching vs by this to bee merrie and not sad when our friends doe but as it were dislodge out of this life Saint Paul being mindfull of such a matter entreateth therof in one of his Epistles and sayeth Christ is gaine vnto me both in life and death he reputing it for a wonderfull gaine to bee no longer detained by the snares of this world Phil. 3. to be no more subiect to the sinnes and vices of the flesh to bee exempted from all afflictions deliuered from the diuels iawes and to goe into the ioyes of eternal saluation whither his Sauiour called him Some wonder to see the heate of this disease lay hold on Christians aswel as on Infidels as if Christians had receiued the promises of the Gospel to bee touched with no discoÌ„modities before the performaÌ„ce of the same but to enioy at their pleasures the happinesse of this world whereas on the contrary he is tormented with a thousand euils here below that by this means he may conceiue how eternal ioyes are reserued for him But whereas we finde it strange that the plague shuld sweep away Christians aswel as Infidels haue we any priuiledge in this worlde from others so long as we are clad in this mortall body correspondent to the lawe of our first birth While we liue here belowe wee are ioyned with other men by the bonds of this corruptible flesh but so in spirit wee are separated from them While therefore this corruptible puts on incorruption our mortall parts be made immortall and that we ascend to God our Father all the discoÌ„modities of the world are common to vs and we haue our shares therin with other men For example when any Frosts procure the earths sterility euery one hath his part in the famine ensuing If an enemie take into his hands any towne all the inhabitants lose their liberty together when the seasons are cleare and scorching all are constrained to endure this drought and if the rockes split a shippe asunder the passengers perish We are subiect as others be to the infirmity of the eyes to burning agues and to all kinds of diseases that afflict all the members of the body as long as we liue a mortall life in this world aswell as other men Nay and if a Christian man doe but well vnderstand vpon what couenants hee beleeued in God hee will conceiue and be clearly resolued that he ought to bee in conflict more than others by reason hee hath a continuall warre aboue all others against the diuel The holy Scriptures teach admonish vs of this saying My sonne when thou entrest into Gods seruice bee firme in righteousnes feare and prepare thy soule for temptation Also perseuer in sorrowe and feare be patient in humilitie for yron tryes both golde and siluer In this manner Iob hauing lost his goods and children and being all spread ouer with botches and sores yet was hee not vanquished for all this but onely tried considering that in all his paines and griefe hee shewed the patience of a man that feared God when hee sayd Naked came I out of my mothers wombe Iob 1. 2 and naked I must returne to the earth againe GOD gaue and GOD tooke away as God would so hath it happened blessed be the name of the Lord. And his wife importuning him to growe impatient and to belch out some blasphemous coÌ„plaint against God his aunswere was thou speakest like a fool for if wee haue receiued good from Gods hand why should we not also suffer euils from him During al these hard accidents Iob neuer let any thing slip out of his mouth wherein God might be offended For so God himselfe witnesseth saying vnto Sathan Hast thou well considered my seruant Iob how ther

is not his like in the worlde Tobias after so many religious workes and so high commendations of his charitable pitie became blind and yet for all this he feared and blessed God in his afflictioÌ„ and he was the more worthy of praise in withstaÌ„ding his wiues temptation who would haue corrupted him saying Where are thy good deedes Tob. 2. Thou soundly feelest now the euils which thou endurest but hee being settled in the loue of God and armed with the reuerence of his name to support all affliction he yeelded not in furie to such an assault but honoured the Lorde the more by this his second patience so that afterwards this testimoniall was giuen him by Raphael saying It is an excellent thing to vnderstand and magnifie the workes of God for when thou and thy faire daughter Sarra prayed I presented the same before the face of the Lord. And when thou didst bury the dead with out delay rising eueÌ„ froÌ„ the table for this purpose I was sent to proue thee and to heale thee and thy faire daughter Sarra for I am Raphael one of the holy Angels which assisteth and am coÌ„uersant before Gods brightnes The righteous alwaies shewed themselues patient and the Apostles knew well the Lordes meaning herein that his seruaunts should not murmure in aduersitie but couragiously and patiently endure whatsoeuer fell to their share in this world There was no sinne that the Iewish people ran oftener into thaÌ„ this of murmuring and impatience against God as he himselfe declareth wheÌ„ he addeth Let them cease from despiting me and they shall not die Dearest brethren wee must not murmure in aduersity but patiently and constantly indure whatsoeuer may happen calling to minde what is writteÌ„ that an afflicted spirit is an acceptable sacrifice Psal 51. vnto God and that hee reiects not the humble and contrite hart The holy Ghost also speakes by the mouth of Moyses The Lord thy God shal afflict thee send thee famine to make thee looke into thine owne hart whether thou keepest his commaundements or no. Also Deut. 8.13 the Lord your God tempteth you to knowe whether you loue the Lord your God withall your heart and with all your soule Obserue how Abraham was acceptable vnto God when to obey him he made no account to lead his owne sonne to death and so was ready to be a paricide Thou which canst not loose thy sonne hee being subiect to death as others are what wouldest thou doe if God should sentence thee to put thy selfe to death Faith the feare of God should make thee ready to performe whatsoeuer his pleasure is Though thou losest thy goods though diseases vexe and torment thee on all sides though thy wife thy children thy friends be haled froÌ„ thee by death all this should not make thee to shrink although such blowes bee very heauie such trials ought not to quaile and daunt the faith of a Christian but rather stirre vp his force and courage to fight considering that the assurance of a future good should make vs contemne the annoyaunce of all present euils There can bee no Victorie before the battel fought if after the comming to hand-blowes the fielde bee left by either side then the victor obtains a glorious crowne A good Pilot is discouered in the storm and a good souldier in the conflict It is but ridiculous to braue and brag when blowes are far off to set vp the bristles against aduersitie is a certaine brand and marke of vertue The tree deep rooted in the earth is not shakeÌ„ with the blustring of windes the ship that is well keeled and strongly ribbed may well bee tossed but neuer pearced by the waues when wee winnowe the corne in the open ayre the sounde graine feares not the winde which quickly blowes away the straws and chaffe Euen so the Apostle S. Paul after his shipwracks whippings long and durable afflictioÌ„s of body protested that such trials hurt him not at all but rather did stand him in great stead so that in the full course of all these calamities hee profited the more in good An angel of Sathan 2. Cor. 12. said he the sting of my flesh was sent to buffer mee for feare that I might bee puffed vp for the which I thrice prayed vnto the Lord that it might bee remooued from mee and hee sayd Let my grace suffice thee for my vertue is perfected in infirmitie When as therefore some infirmitie weaknesse or other aduersity doth rage then our vertue is made more perfect If proued faith perseuer at last it is crowned according to that which is sayd that the furnace tries the potters vessels and temptatioÌ„s righteous men For the rest they which knowe not God differ from vs in this point that they murmure and complaine in aduersity and contrariwise afflictions are so farre from distracting vs from pietie and Iustice that wee are rather fortified by them amidst griefes and sorrow it selfe If the bloody fluxe did weaken vs if heate make the infirmities of our mouthes more grieuous if our stomacke be sore with continuall vomiting if our eyes looke red like blood if any one lose his feete or other members when hee is constrained to cut them off because they are ready to fal away in pieces if by diuers laÌ„guors maladies happening to the body the strength of the legs come to diminish the hearing be deafened or the sight dulled all this learnes vs to profit more and more in the grace of God What notable valour is this to enter couragiously into the field against so many plagues and euils Can any man obscure his excellencie that stands firme amidst so sundry resolutions without declining or falling to them that put not their trust in God Hee must vnfainedly reioyce and thinke the time well employed when in making trial of his faith and trauailing couragiously we march vnto heaueÌ„ by the strait gate to receiue from Christ our Iudge the reward of our faith and of eternall life Let him feare death who hauing neuer beene regenerate with water and the spirit is ordained to hell fire He that hath no part in the crosse and death of Christ hee that enters by the first into the second death he that when he leaues this present life is tormented with perpetuall flames hee that onely stands through Gods patience whose sorrow and griefe is only differred and not forgotten Let such an one I say feare death Many of our brothers are dead of this plague which is to say many of them are deliuered out of the worlde As such a mortalitie is a plague to the Iewes Painimes who are Christs enemies so is it a comfortable departure to the seruants of God Though the iust die aswell as the vniust yet think not that good men die the like death as the wicked The children of God are taken into a place of ease repose but the reprobate are drawen to the punishment of eternal fire the beleeuers are presently taken

this life wee are afrayde to see so quicke an ende of this our earthlie course wherin notwithstanding there is more gall than honie Vertuous men such as feare God haue alwaies done otherwise for the long continuaÌ„ce of their trauels in this world made them to mourne and think it much better to bee separated from this body Phil. 2. to bee with Iesus Christ so that some of them haue growen to such a point as to detest the day of their birth witnes he who said Iob 3. And let the day wherin I was borne perish For what pleasure is ther here in this life ful of anguish care replenished with a million of calamities miseries with the tears and lamentations of the afflicted wholly destitute of all consolation Therefore it is that Salomon in his booke of Ecclesiastes rather coÌ„mends the conditioÌ„ of the dead than of the liuing Eccles 4. and further addeth Nay and I thinke him better than them both that neuer was borne for he neuer sawe the wicked workes that are committed vnder the Sunne In another place hee holds opinion that the dead infant is in better state and condition than an olde man by reason hee neuer sawe the euils that are wrought in the world hee neuer came into this darknes he neuer walked in the vanities of this present life and therefore he that neuer entered into the worlde enioyes more peace repose thaÌ„ he that is come into the same And in deed what good can a man reape in this world that walkes therein but as an image and can neuer be satisfied with the desires thereof If there be any wealth to deuoure hee loseth his peace being constrained to haue his eye alwaies ouer that which with miserable greedines he sought after most miserably to possesse that which can staÌ„d him in no true stead could there be a greater slauery thaÌ„ to see a man labour to amasse and heap those goods together that bring him no profit If this present life then be a continuall and insupportable burden we must needs couÌ„t the same for a great coÌ„fort This end is death and comfort is a good thing it followes therefore that death is a good thing That was the cause why Simeon so reioyced who knowing that hee should not die before he had seene the annointed of the Lord when they brought Iesus into the Temple he tooke him in his armes and sayd Lord thou lettest now thy seruant depart in peace as if hee before had remained in this life rather by compulsion then of his own free-will hee requiring to be set at libertie as if being hampred in some bonds he had then gone to take possession again of his freedome This bodie is as it were chained yea and which is worse with the chaine of temptations which shackles bindes torments outragiously by reason of the cruelty of sinne For we see in dying how the soule of man loseth it selfe by little and little from the bands of the flesh and beeing let out by the mouth flies away being deliuered out of the dungeon of this body Dauid made haste to go out of this temporall course saying I am a stranger Psal 39. and pilgrime before thee on the earth as all my Fathers were wherfore as a stranger he ranne speedily towards the common countrey of all the Saints requiring before death pardon of his sinnes wherewith he was defiled while he soiourned on the earth For hee that obtaines not pardon of his sinnes in this world shall neuer attaine to eternall life And therefore Dauid addes Let me retire my selfe suffer that I may bee refreshed before I goe and be no more Why pant we therfore after this life wherin the loÌ„ger any one remains the more he is surcharged with sin The Lord himselfe sayth Euery day is content with his owne miserie Mat. 6. And Iacob complained that the hundred thirty yeeres of his life Gen. 47. were short and irksome not that the dayes were tedious of theÌ„selues but because malice here increaseth as the dayes passe away For there is not a day that passeth ouer our heads wherein wee doe not offend And therefore the Apostle sayde very well Phil. 1. Christ is gain vnto me both in life and death in the one hauing relation to the necessity of his life for the seruice of the Church and in the other to the particular benefit which he receiued by dying as wee also liue in seruing of Christ towards whoÌ„ his seruants must needs shew their good affection in deliuering vnto others the doctrine of his Gospel And as for Simeon who said Now thou sufferest thy seruaÌ„t hee stayed because of Christ who is our King so that wee may not omit nor reiect his commandements How many men were there that the Romane Emperors caused to remaine in remote and strange Regions in hope of future recompense and honors Came they from thence without their masters leaue and without all comparison is it not a more excellent thing to obey the will of God than of men CHRIST therefore is gaine to the beleeuer as well in life as in death for in the qualitie of a seruant hee refuseth not to serue in this life and as a wise man hee embraceth the gaine of death It is a great gayne to bee out of the haruest of sinne to be remooued from euill and in full possession of good Saint Paul also addeth My desire is to remooue and be with Christ which were far better for me but for you it is more necessary that I should remaine in the flesh Hee set down this word necessary by reason of the fruit of his trauels and the worde better by reason of his celestial grace and thrise happie coniunction with Christ CHAP. 3. What death is and what life according to the Testimony of the holy Scriptures and of spirituall death SEeing then the Apostle teacheth that whosoeuer leaues this mortall bodie goes to Christ if he hath truely knowen serued him let vs a little consider what death what life is We knowe because the holy Scriptures auerre it that death is a loosing of the soule froÌ„ the body and as it were the separation of a man For in dying the soule is disioined froÌ„ the bodie Dauid therefore seems to allude hereunto when he sayes Thou hast broken my bonds Psal 116. I will offer thee sacrifice and praise The precedent verse of this Psalm because the death of the Saints is precious in the eyes of the Lord sheweth that by these bonds is vnderstood the coniunction of our bodies with the soule And therefore foreseeing euen then that hee was in the number of those faithfull that had deuoutly rendred their liues into the handes of Christ he reioyceth on his part hee also faithfully offring vp himselfe for the people of God to fight with huge Goliath hand to hand and by himselfe alone to remoue the opprobrie peril which then threatned the

into some straying and by-path Euen so this bodie procures diuers occupatioÌ„s which dull the soules point and slacken our intentions so as the holy man Iob said well to this purpose Iob. 10. Thou hast made mee of clay and slime If this body be of clay we are onely plaistered therewith but it dissolues not nor distempers the soule with the filth of his IntemperaÌ„ce Thou hast apparelled me saith he with skin and flesh thou hast interlaced me with bones and sinewes So that our soule is confined and extended thorow the sinewes of the bodie many times shee is as it were stiffe and otherwhiles crooked Hee addeth Thou hast not exempted me from iniquitie but if I bee wicked accursed be I yet if I were iust I durst not lift vp my head because I am all confusion for thou hast inuironed me with temptation What is this life but a place ful of ginnes and snares We walke amidst the nets and conuerse in the thickest of many daungers Before Iob had said The life of man is it not a battell vpon earth It is very materiall that hee said vpon earth for there is a life for man in heauen Iob 7. His life addeth he is like a labourers work which is to say spent in toy e and trauel consuming it selfe in vanities ebbing away in words hauing a mansion place in dust a life in slime and clay without resolution or constancie In the day he desires night before he eates he cries and weeps at the time of his repast there is nothing but teares in this life grief feare carefulnes incessant troubles trauell without solace anger and horrible anguish Many wish death cannot obtaine it if they obtaine this good they reioice because it is only death that bringeth a man to repose CAAP. 4. That Death is altogether good aswell because it procures an end to sin as in that the world is thereby redeemed BVt I heare some replie how it is written that God made not Death that life was in the Garden of Eden wherein God had planted the Tree of life and life is the light of men and so consequently the death that entred in is euill I demaund in what sense one may tearme it euill if according to the opinion of the heathen it hath no more feeling or if according to the Apostle Christ is gaine with whom it were better to be How then can death be an euill thing if after the same wee haue no feeling at all For where there is no sense of feeling there can bee no griefe seeing to be grieued is to feele ones selfe euill Or if there be any sense and seeling after death there is then life after death and the soule which vseth sense and hath life suruiueth the body after a separation by death But seeing the life and soule remain after death that which is good continues it not being annihillated by death but contrariwise it is augmented for there is no impediment of death that can detaine the soule but shee labours with the more efficacie being intentiue on those things that properly belong vnto her without being tied to the body which in stead of pleasuring ouerchargeth makes the soule to sinke vnder her burden What euill then receiues the soule if it be maintained in puritie that is to say in the knowledge and feare of God But if she haue done otherwise death notwithstanding is not euill but the life which was not a true life for wee cannot rightly call the course race of mankind a life which is so dayly assaulted and corrupted by sinne Why then doe we accuse death which doeth giue the reward of life or else which finisheth the afflictions miseries of the world I conclude therfore that either death enioyes the happines of his repose or is tormented by reason of the euill of a precedent life Now consider me this point well If life be a burden death is then a discharge and releasement thereof if life bee a punishment death is a deliuerance if there be any iudgement after death there is then a life after death Shall wee then say that such a death is not good WheÌ„ as life heere belowe is good how caÌ„ the death out of the world be euil seeing there is no apprehension which wee neede to feare during this life What makes this mortall life good but pietie righteousnes Life therfore is not good in respect of the soule bodies vnioÌ„ but because by the feare of God it putteth to flight this euill and obtaines the happinesse of death more performing that which concerneth the good of the soule than that which pertaines to the society and coniunction of the soule body together If we call life good which is the mirrour of the soule separated from the body and if the soule be good which raiseth and retireth it selfe from the coÌ„pany of the body out of question death is good which frees and deliuers the soule from the society and company of the body In what sense therfore soeuer wee take it death is good both because it separates two aduerse parties for fear lest they should ruine one another and in that it is a Port of refuge to those who hauing roued vp and downe the sea of this world search by faith the hauen of repose as also because it makes not our condition worse but reserues vs to a iudgement to come such as particularly wee are found hereunto may be added that it holds vs at rest it withdrawes vs froÌ„ their malice that suruiue in the world and replenisheth vs with the enioyance of those things which before we desired expected To this we may also annexe that it is in vain for men to fear death as if it brought an end to Nature For in calling to minde that God made not Death but man after he fell to sinne receiued the sentence of his disloyaltie and reuolt which was that he should returne to dust out of which hee was framed wee shall finde that death is the ende of sinne for feare least if life had beene prolonged sinne might the more haue augmented The Lord therfore suffered Death to enter into the world to the ende that sinne might cease And to preuent that Nature might not end in death he hath set down a day when all shall rise againe so that Death doeth extinguish sinne and makes our nature perdurable for euer And thus death is the portion of all the liuing And thou must passe it with a good courage for so we go from corruptioÌ„ to incorruption from death to immortalitie from labor to repose Let not therefore the very name of death terrifie thee but rather reioice in the commodities of so excellent a passage For what other thing is death but the funerall of our vices and resurrection of our vertues and therfore there was one that said very truely Let my life die the death of the Iust which is to say let it finish for the laying

aside of imperfections and putting on of that grace which is imparted to all the faithfull which bear the mortification of our Lord Iesus in their soule and bodie Now this mortification consists in the remission of sinnes in the wiping away of offences in the obliuion of error and in the participation of mercie what can we say further of the benefit of death except wee should also once more adde that the world was thereby redeemed CHAP. 5. BVt I pray you let vs deliuer somwhat of the death which is common to all Why should we feare it seeing it procures no hurt or preiudice vnto the soule For it is written Feare not them which kill the bodie and cannot kill the soule Now by the meanes of this death the soule is deliuered being separated from the bodie and disintangled from these troublesome snares For which cause while we are in this body let vs prepare our selues for death let vs rayse our soules aboue the bedde of our flesh and to speake aptly let vs rise out of this sepulchre let vs retire from the coniunction of the bodie let vs leaue all earthly things to the ende that the aduersary coÌ„ming hee may find nothing that beloÌ„gs to him in vs. Let vs cheerfully march towards this eternal happinesse let vs mount vp with the flight of loue charity soare vp from hence which is to say from these fraile and worldly things hearing this exhortation froÌ„ the Lord Rise vp depart from hence minding that euery one should leaue the earth reforme his soule which hangs backward lift it vp to heauen rouse vp his Eagle-flight that hee may enioy the benefit of this promise Psal 103. Thy youth shall be renewed as that of the Eagle this was spoken to the soule Let our soules therfore soare vp aloft like the Eagle for she flies aboue the cloudes she glitters shines again by the renouation of her plumes she raises her flight euen vp to the skies where she cannot be intrapped by any snare for the bird which descends froÌ„ aloft downeward is often-times takeÌ„ with the whistle and snare or by some other subtil deuise And so let our soules also take heed of descending downe vpon the earth There is a snare in gold and siluer is limed there be nets in possessions and prickes in the pleasures of this world In running after golde the snare layes holde on our neckes in seeking after siluer wee are taken in the lime and setting downe our feete in possessioÌ„s the nets catch vs. Why contend wee after that gaine which serues for nothing but to ruine the soule that is so precious All the world is nothing in coÌ„parison of the losse of one soule for what benefites it a man Luk. 10. to haue wonne all the world lost his his owne soule What wilt thou giue in exchaÌ„ge of thy soule It caÌ„not be redeemed neither by gold nor siluer and yet it is golde that makes it to perish Adulteries wrath choler and all other passions are so many spikes which are fastened in our soules and that pearce our very bowels and intrailes Let vs therefore shun these euils raise vp our soules to the image and similitude of God To flie sinne is a resemblance vnto God whose image similitude is purchased by pietie and righteousnes CHAP. 6. That all the world is full of ginnes and snares THere be Principallities of the ayre Powers of the world that labour to throwe vs downe headlong from the raÌ„pire of the soule either they hinder vs froÌ„ marching vpright or seeke the meanes to ouerthrowe vs if we flie a little aloft beating vs downe againe to the earth but euen then let vs striue the more to mount vp our soules to heaueÌ„ hauing the word of God for our guide These Principalities do blowe into thy eyes the vanities of the world to make thee stumble but oh faithfull soule the more zealouslie guide thy steps towards Iesus Christ If they solicite thee by the auarice of gold siluer or of possessioÌ„s for the purchase of which thing they would haue thee excuse thy selfe from his banquer that inuites thee to the marriage of his Sonne which is his eternall worde take heede of making any excuse but contrariwise put on thy marriage garment bee at the banquet of this rich man for feare if thou deferrest and intanglest thy selfe in the affaires of this worlde hee call others and shut thee out of doores The powers of the world propounde also vnto thee the desire of honour that thou mightst grow proud like Adam and so comparing and equalling thy selfe to God thou mayest contemne his commaundements and begin to lose the true riches which thou didst enioy for he which hath not shal lose eueÌ„ that which he hath How ofteÌ„ in our praiers wherin we drawe neeter vnto God than by any other meane are our thoughts seized vpon by wicked and vile cogitations to the ende to hinder our affections from striuing to God-ward How often doth carnall concupiscence lay hold of vs How often are wee encountred with wanton eyes to assault a modest heart to pearce it suddenly with the dart of wicked desires How often are bad words fixed in thy wil and secret thoughts of no value against the which God speaks Take heed of harboring in thine heart wicked thoughts lest the Lord say vnto thee Why thinkest thou euill in thine hart or else when thou hast heaped together gold siluer and riches enough thou mayest say vnto me my vertue Deu. 8.13 and wisedom hath purchased this and so thou forget the Lorde thy God Behold the obstacles which that soule meets withal that bends her flight vp to heauen But for thee louing brother fight like a good souldier of Iesus Christ forgetting base matters and contemning earthly things aspire to those celestiall and eternal raise vp thy soule that it bee not allured with the baite of the snare The pleasures of this worlde are baits and which is worse they are the baites of sinne and temptations In seeking after delights thou lightest on the ginne for the eye of lust is the snare which entrappes him that treadeth on the same as also her wordes are another snare which for a time taste as sweet as honie but when sinne comes to be feelingly prickt in a vanquished Conscience then is it but gall and sharp bitternes Other mens goods alluring the eye are likewise a ginne ther be no paths throughout the whole course of our life which are not layde all ouer with theÌ„ And therfore righteous Dauid sayd they haue layed snares for me Psal 142. in my waies but see that thou follow the way which sayth I am the way Iohn 14. the truth and the life to the end that thou mayest affirme I restore my soule and shee conducts me by the paths of righteousnes for the loue of his name Let the world therefore bee dead vnto our eyes let vs die to the wisedome

of the flesh which is enemie to God Subiect wee our soules onely to Iesus Christ that euery one may truely say My soule Psal 62. is it subiect vnto God then it is not subiect vnto the earth nor this world The couetous rich man cannot say so It is the iust and temperate mans protestation But the couetous man saieth My soule thou hast goods enough for many yeers enioy good dayes eate drinke and make good cheare for the auaricious soule is subiect to the pleasures of the flesh whereas on the contrary the righteous mans soule vseth her bodie onely as an instrument or as the handicrafts-man disposeth of his work as he pleaseth and makes such inuentions as are best liking to himselfe shee setting forth such vertues as are best pleasing singing sometimes an Hymne of chastitie otherwhiles a song of temperance a verse of sobrietie the melody of integrity the harmonie of virginitie and then the solemne musick of widdowhood and coÌ„tinence It is true that the Musician addapts himselfe sometimes to his instrument But howsoeuer sing none but honest religious ditties to the end that the voice and instrument may be truely accorded CHAP. 7. That life is annoied with many euils and discoÌ„modies BVt why make I meÌ„tion of the snares that are without vs we had need take heede of those ginnes that are layed within our selues for within our bodies there are too many scattered abroad on euery side which we ought to shunne We must not committe the guard of our selues to this body nor mingle our soules therewith Ioine with thy friend and not with thine enimie thy flesh is thine enemie because it contradicteth the law of vnderstanding and contends after nothing but to sowe enimities seditions quarrels and troubles Mingle not thy soule therewith for fear thou confound and defile it altogether For making this coÌ„mixtion thy flesh which should be subiect comes to contemne the soule which ought to command as Souereign seeing she giues life to the body and the flesh on the contrary effects the death of the soule This would therefore bee an ouerthrowing of the operation and almost a confounding both of the one and other substance Shall wee then affirme that the soule receiueth into it selfe the insensibilitie of a dead bodie and that the body likewise communicates with the vertues of the soule Though the soule be infused into the body yet wee may not thinke that shee is there coÌ„founded Consider the light for an example though it pearce into euery place yet is it not for all this mixed therewith Wee must not therefore confound the offices and effects of so different substances but let the soule reside in the body to quicken gouerne and enlighteÌ„ the same To this we agree that it suffers with the body for she is sad and Iesus sayd My soule is sad euen to the death discouering in himselfe humane passion and affection The Prophet sayeth also My soule is troubled And as the Musician is mooued according to the song which he singes or plaieth vpon a Recorder Harpe or Organs and by his countenance wee may discerne his passioÌ„ so the soule which toucheth plaieth on this bodie as on an instrument of Musicke if she be sage and wise shee will expresse with the ends of her fingers the most inwarde parts which is to say the affections so that a pleasant harmony of good manners will redound thereof and we shal see her obserue such melody in her thoughts actions as that her deliberations and executions will most sweetely accord It is the soule therfore that needes the body but as an instrument And therfore souereigntie is one thing and seruice another and there is difference betweene that which we are and that which is our owne Whosoeuer loues the beauty of the soule hee mav well affirme that he loues the person also but he that loues onely the bodily beautie therof loues not the whole person but onely an external appearaÌ„ce which withers and consumes away in a small time We rise vp euery day to eate and drinke and yet there is not any one so replenished as that hee may iustly say I need to eate no more We seeke to gayne day after day and yet there is no ende of our desires The eye saith the wiseman is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare with hearing Hee that loueth siluer cannot bee satisfied therewith Eccles 1.4 7. Wee neuer leaue trauelling and yet neuer can we reape the fruite of abundaunce Wee desire without intermission to vnderstand new things and I pray you what is all humane Science but a new breaking of the braine and an augmentation of dolor and griefe Whatsoeuer is hath heretofore been and vnder the Sunne there is nothing new but All is vanitie I doe hate all the parts of this life sayd Ecclesiastes But he that hated life must needs haue thought well of death yea hee did certainely think better of the condition of the dead than of the liuing iudged him happie that neuer made entrance into the world nor had any part in vanitie My hart said he turned aside to discouer the pleasures annoiance and bragges of the wicked I found them more bitter than death it selfe not that death in it selfe is bitter but because it is so to the wicked And life is also more bitter than death for without all comparison it is a more grieuous thing to liue in sin than to die for as long as a wicked man liues his iniquitie encreaseth if he die his sinne comes to an ende Many are glad when they are absolued of their crimes they doe well herein if they determine to amend but they are very sottish in this if their willes still stand to the propagation of offences and better it had been for them to haue beene condemned betimes for impairing the great heape of their sins and misdeedes The Apostle speakes very wel and grauely to this purpose Rom. 1.2 That not onely those which committe wickednes but they also which approue of it are worthie of death and they which performe that that in others they greatly condemne are inexcusable and condemned by their owne sentence for in condemning of others they iudge theÌ„selues He addeth that such meÌ„ should not flatter theÌ„selues although for a time they seeme guiltles exempted froÌ„ punishment seeing that euen then they are grieuously tormeÌ„ted in their own consciences being guilty by their own sentence while euery body else iustifies them in themselues double afflicted whensoeuer and as often as they condemne their neighbors faultes But take good heeds O thou man sayd the Apostle how thou contemnest the treasure of patience and the goodnesse of God who calles thee to repentaÌ„ce and summons thee to change of life but for thy obstinacie head-strong perseuerance in error augments the seueritie of iudgement to come to the ende thou mayest then receiue the due reward of thine iniquities Out of al this before spoken let

vs conclude that death in it self is not an euill thing for there is no death either for those in this world or those out of it For the liuing it is nothing to them because they liue and for the dead they are out of his clouches And so it is no euill or discommoditie to the liuing who haue nothing to do therwith nor to those which in respect of the bodie are insensible and in their soules freely deliuered from the same CAAP. 8. That it is not Death it selfe of which men are afraid the opinion and apprehensioÌ„ therof only terrifies IF death be redoubted of the liuing I say it is not death it selfe but the apprehension thereof as euery one applies the same to his owne affections or in respect of his conscience as it is touched therwith whose wounds we may well accuse and not the sharpnes of death For the rest death is the gate of repose to the righteous as on the contrary it is the shipwracke and ruine of the wicked Out of question it is not the passage of death that offendeth them that feare to die but it is the apprehension and horrible conceit of this passage that thus tormenteth them In briefe as I saide before death greeues vs not but the apprehension thereof Now this terrible apprehension is grounded vpon a precedent opinion of our infirmitie and contrarie to trueth for veritie encourageth opinion daunteth vs. I will further auerre opinion it selfe hath a reference to life and not to death and we shal find that it is life it self which we iudge grieuous wher upon it appeares that the apprehensioÌ„ which we haue of death must not be referred to death it selfe but to life for if we haue done nothing in our liues whereof to be afeard wee haue no iust cause to feare death for punishment deserued by reason of offences committed feareth those of true iudgemeÌ„t and to commit sinne is an action of the liuing and not of the dead Life therefore hath relation to vs and the vigor and propagatioÌ„ of the same is supposed to be in our power but death which is the separation of the soule froÌ„ the body doth preiudice vs nothing at all The soule is deliuered and the bodie returnes vnto dust from whence it came The deliuered part reioiceth the body which goes to the earth feeles nothing and consequently hath no apprehension therof But if death bee an euill thing how comes it to passe that young men feare not to growe old and flie not the neighbour age vnto death From whence proceeds it that one which foresees his owne death dieth more willingly than another whom death surpriseth of a sudden So that I suppose they are very well satisfied which tooke death to be an euill thing and it were but for this onely reason amongst many others that by life we passe to death and by death we return to life for none can rise again except he first die It is true that fooles feare death as the worst thing that can befall them but the wise desire it because it is the ease of their labours and the end of their trauels For that which otherwise may bee said there are two reasons why fooles feare death one is that they call it death annihilation which in deed caÌ„not be coÌ„sidering that the soule liues when the body is reduced to ashes besides the bodie it selfe also must rise againe Another is because they fear the torments punishments wherof Poeticall books make often mention that is to say the barkings of Cerberus the terrible profunditie of the riuer Cocytus the Ferri-man Caron the troups of Furies the Infernall depths wherein the monster Hydra remaines that deuoures all where wee may see Titius whose intrailes renew growe again after they haue been eaten by a great huge Vulture which neuer ceases to torment him In like manner Ixion who rowles incessantly the great stone with the huge rock hanging iust ouer their heads that make good cheare beeing ready to fall vpon them These be the Poets fables But so that wee must not denie but there is punishment after death And if wee referre that to death which happens after it let vs also referre vnto life that which fals out after life Punishment therefore must haue no relation vnto death the which as before was deliuered is but a separation of the soule from the bodie And this separation is not euill seeing that to be dissolued Phil. 1. and liue with Iesus Christ is the best thing of all others saith the Apostle It followeth then that death of it selfe is not euill True it is that the death of sinners is euill From whence I collect that therefore all death in generall is not bad but that only of sinners in particular for Psal 14. 116. the death of the righteous is precious the which once more declares that the euil lies not indeath but in sinne The Grecians expressed death by a word which imported to haue end because it is the end of this earthly life The Scripture also calleth death a sleep witnesse hereof that which IESVS CHRIST sayde Iohn 10. Our friende Lazarus sleepeth but I will goe and wake him Sleepe is a good thing for then wee take repose according vnto that which was written Psal 3. I slept tooke my rest awaked againe because the Lord receiued mee into his protection The sleep of death therfore is a sweete repose Furthermore the Lord awakes and raiseth vp them that sleepe for he is the resurrection Ther is also a notable senteÌ„ce in the Scripture which sayth Eccle. 2. Praise no man before his death for euery one is knowen at the end of his life and he is iudged in his children if he haue taught and instructed them in his owne knowledge for the childrens misgouernment is euer ascribed to the fathers negligence And because euery liuing man is subiect to offend old age it selfe not being exempted here-from we read that Abraham died in a good old age because hee continued still constant in the good affection which he had to serue God Death therfore serues for a restimonie to a precedent life For if the Pilot be not worthy of his commendation before he hath brought his ship secure into the Porte what reputation can we holde a man in before the houre of his death Hee is his owne Pilot amongst the stormes and waues of this life as long as here hee soiournes he is in danger to perish The Captaine receiueth not his triumphaunt Crowne before the victorie be wonne the Souldier layeth not aside his Armes nor hath his due recompense before the ouerthrowe of the enemie The conclusion is that death is the full and entire payment of the faithfull mans wages it is the summe of his rewarde and his finall Quietus est Let vs also consider what Iob sayth Iob 29. That the blessing of the dead came vpon him for though ISAAC blessed his children dying and

Did hee then prepare many habitations onely for eleuen persons Mat. 8. Why sayd he in another place that ther should come out of all quarters of the world those that should sit in the kingdome of God Do we doubt of the performance of his diuine will The will and deede of our Sauiour are all one Besides hee points out the way and deciphers the place saying You perceiue whither I go knowe the way The place is in heauen with the Father Christ is the way as he himselfe sayth I am the Way the Trueth and the Life Iohn 14. none can come to the Father but by mee Let vs therefore enter into this Way imbrace this Trueth follow this Life This is the Way which guides vs the Truth that confirmes vs and the Life is giuen vs. And to the end we might be resolued of his bountious and franke will he afterwards addeth Father my desire is that those whom thou hast giuen me may be there where I am with mee Iohn 17. to the ende they may see my glory O Lord IESVS we follow thee but call thou vs that wee may march the more chearfully for no man can aduance forward without thee thou being the Way the Trueth the Life the Possibilitie the Faith the Rewarde Receiue vs seeing thou art the Way confirme quicken vs seeing thou art the Trueth and the Life Manifest vnto vs that happinesse which Dauid desired to see wheÌ„ hee should dwell in the house of the Lord. There is also treasure without sinne where eternal life is He saith in another place Psal 27. We shal be replenished with the riches of thy house Discouer therefore vnto vs O Lord Psal 63. this true happines which imparts vnto vs true life true being and sanctified motion We haue motion in the way and being in eternall life Cause vs to see that felicitie which is alwayes like to himselfe indissoluble immutable in whom wee are eternall in whome we knowe all good in whome there is entire and perfect rest immortall life perpetuall grace holy inheritance for the soule and a secure tranquillitie not beeing subiect vnto death but absolued and freed from the same without tears or lamentations For wherefore should any one there lament seeing no body there offendeth either God his neighbour or himselfe Briefly it is in this land of the liuing where the Saints are deliuered from all errour from care from ignorance from follie from pride from feares from perturbations couetous desires passions and lastly from all other coÌ„tamination Seeing the land of the liuing is in heaueÌ„ we must account this world the Region of the dead the which is most true seeing there are the shadow the body the gates of death Notwithstanding if the righteous man gouerne himselfe according to the will of God to doe the same he shall liue then come to the Region of the liuing where life is not confined but free where in stead of shadowe ther is glory S. Paul being in this worlde was not yet in glory hee mourned in this body of death and sayd that our life was layed vp with Christ in God Rom. 1. but when Christ our life should appeare we should also appeare with him in glory Let vs therefore chearefully aduance forwarde towardes the way Hee that enters into the true way Coloss 3. shall liue Wee haue testimony thereof Luk. 1. in the woman which touched but the hem of Christ his garment and she was deliuered from death as hee sayd vnto her Thy faith hath saued thee goe away in peace For if hee that touched a dead man was defiled he that toucheth the liuing shall certainely bee quickened Let vs therefore seeke after the Lord of life But so we must be carefull not to search after him amongst the dead lest it be said vnto vs as it was vnto the women Why seeke you him liuing amongst the dead hee is not here but risen vp The Lorde himselfe sheweth where it is that hee woulde haue vs seeke for him saying Go vnto my brethren and tell them I ascend vp to my Father and your Father to my God and your God Iohn 20. Let vs inquire for him where Iohn his disciple enquired for him and founde him out that is to say liuing with his Father from the beginning and being his eternall Sonne Wee must seeke him out in these last times imbracing his feete and worsnipping him that so he may vouchsafe to say vnto vs Fear not which importes thus much Feare not the sinnes of this age nor the worlds iniquities or the furious waues of carnall passions for I am the remission of sinnes feare not darknes I am the Light feare not death I am the Life Whosoeuer commeth to mee shal neuer see death As the plenitude and fulnesse of all Deitie is in him so to him be ascribed all honour glory and immortality for euer and euer Amen Certain places and sentences of the holy Scriptures concerning Life and Death The rule scope of our life SEek first the kingdome of God and the righteousnes therof then all things shall be administred vnto you Mat. 6.33 Al things which you would men should doe vnto you do vnto them againe for this is the Law and the Prophets Mat. 7.12 Luk. 6.37 Eternall life promised to those that obserue the commaundements of God OBserue my lawes and iudgements the which if a man keep he shall liue by them saith the Lorde Leuit. 18.5 Keepe my commandements and my lawe as the apple of thine eie and thou shalt liue Prou. 7.3 I haue giuen them my commaundements and shewed them my iudgements the which if a man performe he shall liue by them Ezech. 20.11 If thou wouldest enter into life keepe my commandements Mat. 19. Good Master what might I doe to obtaine eternall life Iesus aunswered thou knowest the commaundements doe that and thou shalt liue Mark 10.17 Luke 10.28 18.18 The Lawe is not of faith but the man that doth these things shall liue by the same Galat. 3.12 That we cannot fulfill the commaundements of God and consequently not obtaine eternall life by the Lawe but contrariwise we lose life by transgressing the Lawe WE knowing that a maÌ„ is not iustified by the works of the Lawe but by faith in Iesus Christ wee also beleeued in Iesus Christ to the ende that wee might be iustified by faith in Christ and not by the workes of the Lawe because no flesh shall be iustified by the workes of the Law Galat 2.16 All those that depend on the workes of the Lawe are vnder the curse for it is writtten Accursed bee hee that continues not in all those things which are written in the booke of the Lawe to performe them Galat. 3.10 Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for no liuing man shall bee iustified in thy presence Psal 143. There is no man but hee sinneth 1. King 46. The children of God saye alwayes Forgiue vs

our saluation Hee sheweth vs vaine and ridiculous things afarre of and perswadeth vs that all is magnificence and happines he terrifies vs with such things as we should not be afraid of and maketh vs flie that which we should embrace He calles summons allures and flatters vs by the interposition of our concupiscences if this bee not enough hee stormeth and rageth endeuouring to terrifie vs both within and without O eternall light and truth Oh heauenly Lord most mercifull Father scatter and dissipate these clowdes of ignorance and errour illuminate our vnderstandings and permit vs not to approach vnto that which thou commaÌ„dest vs to flie which is pernicious and hurtfull to vs that we may desire nothing but that which is truely to be desired that is to say thy selfe who art the source and spring of all goodnes and of our life and eternal felicitie All flesh is grasse and the glorie of a man is as the flower of the fielde procure then that we may seeke for our stay and coÌ„tentment in the grace which thy Sonne brought vnto vs that our life may bee inclosed in him so that in the day of separation of our soules from their bodies wee may absolutely finde it again in heauen in expecting chearfully and with assured ioy the most happie resurrection of this flesh wherein all corruption infirmitie and reproach being abolished and death it selfe swallowed vp in victory we may liue eternally with thee in an incoÌ„prehensible felicitie wherwith thou shalt be glorified Maintain therefore thy childreÌ„ good Lord in this faith hope accoÌ„plishing in them thy worke till they intirely be with thy self to enioy the inheritaÌ„ce glory which thy onely Sonne purchased for them by his merits Amen A Prayer O Lord Iesus Christ creator redeemer of mankind who didst say I am the Way the Truth and the Life I beseech thee by that vnspeakeable charitie which thou shewedst in offering thy selfe vp to death for vs that thou wilt not permit me to swarue a whit froÌ„ thee that art the Way or to distrust in thy promises seeing thou art Trueth performest whatsoeuer thou doest promise Make me to take delight only in thee who art eternal Life without whoÌ„ ther is nothing worthy to bee desired either in heauen or earth Thou hast taught vs the true and onely way to saluation that we might not goe wandring vp and downe in the by-paths of this world reuealing vnto vs more clearely than the Sunne at noon dayes what wee ought to beleeue performe and hope after wherin we should rest satisfied and contented It is thou that madest vs to vnderstand how vnhappy we were in Adam that there is no meanes to escape the perdition wherein wee are altogether plunged but by faith in thee Thou art that resplendent light which appearest vnto those that trauell thorow the desert of this life and who hauing deliuered vs out of the darkenesse of spirituall Aegyptâ— doest disperse the clowdes of our vnderstanding and enlightenest vs that wee may contend after the promised inheritaÌ„ce which is eternall life into the which the vnfaithfull shall neuer enter but those who assuredly relie on thy holy promises Oh what goodnesse hast thou vouchsafed to send down from the bosome of thy Father and his eternall throne vpon earth in putting on our beggerly nature and of a Master to become a seruant that by thy doctrine thou mightest chace away the darkenesse of our ignorance prepare and addresse our feete vnto the way of peace and make plaine vnto vs the way of saluation such a way being appointed vs in following whereof no man can goe astray or bee wearie seeing thy grace and power doeth accompanie vs therein all the dayes of our life And moreouer by the comfort of thy holy Spirit thou doest strengthen vs and redouble our courage in passing the same Thy worde is the breade wherewith we are nourished and thy promise is the staffe wheron we leane Thou thy selfe by a secret and incomprehensible power doest conduct and maintain vs therein after an admirable maner that we might the more couragiously march towards thee both in foule and faire weather And as thou hindrest and preseruest vs from falling into the snares of the world and Sathan euen so in that thou art the trueth it selfe thou remouest farre from vs all doubtes scruples and distrusts that might anie wayes disturbe arrest or diuert vs during this our course Thou makest vs to discerne the ende and scope of heauenly vocation the worlds miserie and vanitie the fragilitie of this present life the gate of death and the happie and blessed life which is within the same And as thou art this true life euen in this worlde thou doest quicken vs by thy truth that are poore miserable dead wretches in sinne Thou augmentest this life by the ministerie and efficacie of thy holy Gospel and confirmest it by the vse of the Sacraments which thou hast ordained for the fortification of thy childrens faith while our corruption and that which is mortall in vs being defaced by the resurrection wee may exist and liue eternally with thee in bodie and soule then when thou shalt bee all in all Eternall life is to knowe the true God thee his Sonne who was sent vnto vs. Now wee behold thee by faith as in a mirror obscurely but one day we shal see thee face to face to be traÌ„sform'd into thy glory wholly reformed according to thine owne image I beseech thee most mercifull Sauiour that thou wilt increase my faith that I may bee so well grounded in the doctrine of my saluation as nothing may be able to misleade mee augment in mine heart the reuerence which I owe vnto thee that I may neuer swarue from thy obedience strengthen me in such a sort that neither alluremeÌ„ts nor threatnings either catch or astonish mee but that I may adhere constantly to thee who art my life euen vnto death Procure that in the power of thy promises and holy spirit I may bee heated more and more in thy loue and so leauing behinde the things of this world I may bend my selfe to that which is solide and perfect Encrease thy grace in mee that from day to day I may die in my selfe to bee reuiued and conducted by thy fauour fearing none but thee O most mighty and puissaunt God louing none but thee euen as there is nothing truely amiable but thy glorious selfe boasting in nothing but thy grace and mercie which is that whereof onely thy seruants should glorie they seeking after none other happinesse but thee nor desiring nothing but thy selfe who art the full and perfect felicitie of all the faithfull Amen Another LOrd Iesus that art alwayes mercifull and ceasest not to bee my Sauiour as well in aduersitie as prosperitie graunt mee the grace to rest satisfied with all humble obedience in thy will wheÌ„soeuer it shal please thee to mixe some sower amongst so much sweete as thou hast caused mee

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