to lie unburied and dye unlamented Deut. 28.26 1 King 21.23 24. 1 King 14.11 2 Chron. 21.19 Isa 14.20 Jer. 7.33 8.2 14.16 16.4 and 22.19 Fit then it is that we attend at the Obsequies of deceased Friends not that it helps the Dead But 1. For their Honour it being a decent respect we pay to their name and memory for it is an honour to live desired and die lamented See Dr. Walker Fun. Sermon on Luke 7.12 13. 2. In Charity to the Living for their comfort and alleviating their sorrow while the burden is made lighter by many helping them to bear it John 11.31 The Jews were with Mary to comfort her at the death and burial of her Brother Lazarus Curatio Funeris conditio Sepulturae pompa Exequiarum magis vivorum solatia sunt quà m subsidia mortuorum Aug. 3. For our own advantage and encrease of Piety Eccles 7.2 3 4. 4. And lastly To testifie our faith in that great Article of the Resurrection of the Dead For if in this life onely we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15.19 Now it strengthens our faith of the Resurrection when bodies of Christians are not cast away as beasts bodies are But if thy Friend wanted decent Burial if there was no Funeral-solemnity for thy comfort 1. Consid It cannot reasonably be expected that there should be Funeral-Solemnities in Pestilential-places for this would occasion further infection We read Luke 7.12 how the Widows son of Naim was carried out of the City to be buried Hinc collige Judeos Sepulchra sua habuisse non in Urbe sed extra Urbem idque tùm ob nitorem tùm ob sanitatem nè cadavera suo faetore putredine aerem inficerent Cornel. à . Lap. The Jewes buried out of the City that the Graves might not deface the comliness of their Cities nor noysome Exhalations and Vapours of the Graves infect the Air and hazard the health of the Living Great care is to be had that the Living be not infected with the Contagion of the Dead For if a living Dog be better than a dead Lion as Solomon concludes Eccles 9.4 Surely the persons of Christians that survive are more to be respected than the bodies of those that are dead Now how dangerous were it for the Living to accompany the Corps of such as dyed of the Plague how noysome to bury them there where the Living have often occasion to make their recourse so that it were incommodious to humane society to perform solemn Funeral Rites at such a time I end this with words taken out of that godly Exhortation at the end of Divine-Service appointed to be used on the Monthly-Fast during the continuance of the Plague The words are these Though it be a Christian and laudable custom to accompany the Bodies of the Dead unto the Grave and commend them in decent manner unto their rest yet seeing the end of such Assemblies as are then gathered together is by the use of Prayer and the Word preached rather to give comfort unto the Living than any benefit unto the Dead let men be advised perswaded and content that their Dead should be buried with no more company than is needful for the interring and laying them up in the Earth because the gathering together of Friends and Neighbours in so common a Contagion cannot be without present danger and hazard of their health and lives and it is verily thought that Infection by this means of meeting hath ensued unto many 2 Consid It is all one to the Dead whether their Bodies be drown'd or burnt or buried and if buried it is all one where the Grave is made for them Facilis jactura Sepulchri Lucan lib. 16. If they fail of the Burying-Place they expected the loss is not great for the Body is not sensible how it is used Neither do such Solemnities do the Dead either good or hurt Though they adde to the comfort of the Living yet not of the Dead 3 Consid What if the Body be thus used the Soul is safe if thy Friend belonged to God The Soul of man is his Darling Psal 22.20 and 35.17 If this Jewel be preserved no matter what becomes of the Cabinet 4 Consid Many of Gods dear Servants have wanted decent Burial See Psal 79.2 3. The dead Bodies of thy Servants have they given to be meat unto the Fowls of the Heaven the Flesh of thy Saints unto the Beasts of the Earth their Blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem and there was none to bury them There was none to bury them either none that durst for fear of the enemy or so many slain by the enemy that the living sufficed not to bury the dead In persecuting times many Martyrs have been devoured of wild-beasts torn in pieces hang'd on gibbets burnt to ashes drowned c. so that they have wanted burial Moses himself a dear Servant of the Lord was buried no man knows where Deut. 34.6 5. And lastly consider The Dead in the Lord are never the worse thought of by God if without decent burial Sore Lazarus had little cost bestowed on him at his Death that found so little mercy in his Life It is said Luke 16.22 This Beggar died no mention made of his Burial yet he was carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosom which as St. Ambrose Ambros Orat. fun de obitu Valent. saith is a certain retiring-place of eternal rest Sinus Patriarcharum recessus quidam est quietis aeternae But it is said of the Rich-man that he died and was buried buried he was and probably with great pomp yet the next news we hear of him is that in Hell he lift up his eyes being in torment ver 23. Another cryes out 12. Apology answered It troubles me to think the body should lye rotting and stinking in the grave and be eaten up of wormes and be turned to dust disrobed of all amiable features so that after a few years there are but few remains of our dear friend here perhaps a scalp and there a bone c. Answer 1. Consid The Soul of thy Friend if a Child of God is in bliss whilest the Body lies in the grave that place of silence rottenness stench and corruption That the Soul dyes not with the Body these places of Scripture shew See 1 King 17.21 Elijah raising to life the Widows Son of Sareptah cryed unto the Lord and said O Lord my God I pray thee let this Childs Soul come into him again Which expression as it shews the Child was really dead and that death separates the Soul from the Body so it shews that after death the soul lives or hath a being for he said Let this Childs Soul come into him again or let it return He doth not say let a new one be made for him So Eccles 12.7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the Spirit shall return to God
they not cover thy nakedness defend thy body keep thee warm and distinguish thee in respect of sex and condition Therefore be content 7. And lastly Consider If you be cloathed with Christs Righteousness and have upon your souls the graces of his blessed Spirit you are better cloathed then he that goes in Scarlet wanting this spiritual apparel Christ with his Righteousness and the graces of his Spirit in Scripture is compared to a garment Psal 45.13 14 Isa 61.10 Mat. 22.11 12. Rom. 13.14 Gal. 3.27 Ephes 4.24 The white Raiment so oft mentioned in the Revelations as Rev. 3 18. 4.4 6.11 7.9 13. what is it but Jesus Christ imputed and applied to the soul Christ with his graces in which the soul of a Beleiver is invested Rev. 19.8 Believers are candidati invested with the white Robes of Christ's Righteousness This spiritual Garment doth most beautify a Christian as the Apostle shews 1 Pet. 3.3 4. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair and of wearing of gold or of putting on of apparel but let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price And again 1 Pet. 5.5 be cloathed with humility Humility is a garment becoming any Christian soul The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Illigare et innodare significat Mr. Leigh's Crit. Sacra in vocem It signifies to â—ye or bind together or to tye knots as delicate and curious women use to do of Ribands to adorn their heads or bodies as if Humility was the knot of every Vertue and ornament of every Grace And St. Paul adviseth 1 Tim. 2.9 10. That women adorn themselves in modest apparel with shamefastness and sobriety not with broidred Hair or Gold or Pearls or costly Array but which becometh women professing Godliness with good works St. Cyprian writing to the Virgins of his time said of them Quaerentes ornamenta monilium perdiderunt morum That they looked so much after Jewels they lost the Ornament of Vertue and good Manners No such Jewels as Meekness Humility Chastity Sobriety c. See a chain of Graces becoming any Christians neck 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7. Salvian saith Salv. l. 7. de gub Dei pe 235. Quid Deus a nobis exigit quid praestari sibi a nobis jubet nisi solùm tantummodò fidem castitatem humilitatem sobrietatem misericordiam sanctitatem quae utique omnia non onerant nos sed ornant These graces will adorn not burthen us Put on therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies kindness humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering forbearing one another c. Col. 3.12 13. If these graces be in you and abound you have no cause to complain though your outward apparel be but mean But you say You shall be slighted and disrespected Answ Indeed this is too much the guise of the world Prov. 14.20 The poor is hated even of his neighbour but the rich hath many friends Donec eris faelix multos numerabis amicos Nullus ad amissas ibit amicus opes Ovid. It is with us usually as with a Sun-dyal you know in a cloudy day the Sun-dyal is not lookt upon nor are we respected if a cloud of adversity overshadow us Tempora si fuerint nubila solus eris But let such consider for their comfort 1. Consid It hath been the common Lot of God's dear servants to be disrespected Job's friends like leaves from trees dropt off from him when the winter of adversity drew on See Job 12.4 I am as one mocked of his neighbour The just upright man is laughed to scorn And Job 16.20 My friends scorn me So Job 19.13 to 20. So David Psal 109.25 I became a reproach saith he unto them when they looked upon me they shaked their heads by way of derision Psal 22.7 So Psal 119.141 I am small and despised So it was with the Apostles 1 Cor. 4.10 13. They were defamed and made as the filth of the world and off-scouring of all things So those Worthies Heb. 11.36 Had tryal of cruel mockings Nay Christ himself our Lord and Master was despised See Psal 22.6 I am a worm and no man a reproach of men and despised of the people It is spoken Prophetically of Christ So Isa 53.3 He is despised and rejected of men And Phil. 2.7 He made himself of no reputation Nay God himself is despised Exod. 5.2 Pharaoh said Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice to let Israel go I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go So Job 21.14 15. They say unto God Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes What is the Almighty that we should serve him And what profit shall we have if we pray unto him So Psal 73.9 Wicked men set their mouth against the Heavens Melancton said right Nullum hominem tantum sustinere malorum quantùm contumeliarum Deus Our betters then by far are far more despised than we are or can be 2. Consid God hath an hand in all reproach and disrespect that we meet with David under curses and great disrespect from Shimei saw God's Providence in it and was patient 2 Sam. 16.10 Let him curse said he because the Lord hath said unto him Curse David And again vers 11. Let him alone let him curse for the Lord hath bidden him c. But where did God bid him Answ Not by his revealed Word for that forbidds cursing especially a Magistrate as David was Exod. 22.28 Eccles 10.20 but as some observe by a secret act of Providence disposing of Shimei's malice to chastise David for his sins and hasten forward his own destruction as it did afterwards in Solomon's days 1 King 2.44 That God hath a hand in the disrespect we meet with will farther appear Psal 44.9 Thou hast cast us off saith the Church and put us to shame So vers 13. Thou makest us a reproach to our Neighbours a scorn and derision to them that are round about us And again vers 14. Thou makest us a by-word among the heathen a shaking of the head among the people God himself tells us Isa 43.28 I have given Jacob to the curse and Israel to reproaches Submit therefore your selves to God as St. James speaks Jam. 4.7 3. Consid God layes upon you scorn and disrespect for your good David was patient under disrespect not only because he saw the hand of God in it but likewise because he thought God would do him good by it as you may see 2 Sam. 16.12 It may be saith he that the Lord will look on mine affliction and that the Lord will requite good for his cursing this day God hath several good ends in suffering thee to lie under disrespect As 1. For the Tryal and Exercise of Christian Graces as Faith Patience Constancy Courage Sincerity Zeal Humility
who gave it So Mat. 10.28 our Saviour teacheth that the Soul cannot be kill'd though the Body be So Mat. 22.32 God is not the God of the dead yet he is said to be the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob These Patriarchs then were alive as to their Souls You see then the Soul dyes not with the Body And if the Soul of a good man it is in bliss and happiness even in the state of separation as these places shew Luke 23.43 2 Cor. 5.1 8. Phil. 1.23 Rev. 14.13 The Body is as it were the Nest or Cage of the Soul Death disturbs this Nest opens this Cage and then the Soul that Bird of Paradise flyes away to the kingdom of Heaven Seneca Seneca ad Merc. cap. 24. could tell disconsolate Mercia Imago duntaxat filii tui periit ipse quidem aeternus meliorisque nunc status est despoliatus onexibus alienis sibi relictus That the Image only of of her Son was defaced by death and that himself was Eternal in a better state eased of his uneasie burdens and now at freedom to enjoy himself 2. Consid There is not a fitter place for the Body of thy deceased Friend than the Grave is Gen. 23.4 Give me a possession of a burying place with you saith Abraham to the Children of Heth that I may bury my dead out of my sight He would be rid of Sarah when she was dead he would have beautiful Sarah removed out of his sight he would have the Wife of his bosom laid under foot When once we are dead all beauty and glory ceaseth and we become loathsome to our best friends and the Grave is the fittest place for us 3. Consid Thy friend fares no worse than Princes do The Grave is called The house appointed for all living Job 30.23 Living men in short time become dead men and are housed there Psal 89.48 What man is he that liveth and shall not see death Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the Grave No death will attach the greatest and the Grave be a Prison to hold their bodyes fast 4. Consid Is not the Grave a desirable place Death is a sleep and the Vault or Grave is a Dormitory or Bed for the Body to rest in See Isa 57.1 2. The Righteous that are taken away are said to enter into peace and rest in their beds Poor afflicted Saints are glad when they can find the Grave See Job desired it Job 3.13 c. and 14.13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the Grave he longed for it 5. And lastly Consid Thy Friends Body shall rise again and if he dyed in the Lord be made a glorious body The Body of man shall rise again as appears by holy Writ Deut. 32.39 1 Sam. 2.6 Job 14.7 c. Job 19.25 26 27. Isa 26.19 Ezek 37.1 5. Dan. 12.2 Joh. 11.23 24. ◠Cor. 15. The Apostle spends the longest Chapter in all his Epistles in proving the Resurrection of the Body against some in the Church of Corinth that denyed it Most of the Heathens dreamed of an everlasting Separation Nobis cum semel occidit brevis lux Nox est perpetuò una dormienda Catullus But Christians make the Resurrection of the Body an article of their Faith Manchest All mon. in contemplatio mortis immortalitatis And truly when we see as an honourable person observed worms and flyes and other creatures that spend the winter season in a kind of Death revive in the Spring when we see our selves dead every night and alive in the morning we may easily conclude and believe the Resurrection of the Body No stone great enough could be laid in the mouth of Christs Sepulchre to hinder him from rising again and nothing shall hinder the rising of God's dear servants St. Austin saith Bodyes of Believers shall be raised tantâ facilitate quantâ faelicitate with as much facility as felicity with as much ease as happiness The Body of a Believer is a pretious treasure which God locks up in the Cabinet of the Grave so much is implyed in that Phrase Job 14.13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the Grave We use to hide our choicest treasure At the great day of Judgement he will open his Cabinet and take out the Body and it shall be as good nay better than before There shall then be a new Edition of the Body in a fairer Letter more amended for Phil. 3.20 21. Our conversation is in Heaven saith the Apostle from whence we look for a Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile Body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself The same Body shall rise again the same for substance but not for quality a change of it there shall be but 't is for the better The vile body shall be changed that it may be fashioned like unto Christs glorious body and that you should not doubt of it he tells you it is done according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself q. d. There is nothing too hard for Omnipotency to effect Your friends body though sown in corruption is raised in incorruption sown in dishonour yet raised in glory 1 Cor. 15.42 c. It shall then be a glorious body indeed for it shall be beautiful full of brightness active and nimble not stand in need of outward refreshment it shall not be subject to irksom labours afflictions and diseases it shall not dispose the soul to sin nor the soul make use of the body as a weapon to fight against God it shall be an immortal body and every part and member of it shall have as much happiness as it is capable of Such honour have all the bodies of Believers at Christ's second coming So then thy Friends Soul is not eternally divorced from his Body nor shall the Body lye for ever in the grave but at Christ's second coming which will be shortly it shall rise again and his Soul be re-united to it in a more glorious and firm contract and they shall enter together into the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 25.34 Dr. Abbot on Jonah Lect. 15. To end this You know a Watch is taken in pieces before it be mended and things new cast are broken first So thy Friend's Body must be knockt in pieces by death and the power of the grave that it may be new cast not only in its old figure but to a better form in the day of the Resurrection Wherefore comfort one another with these words 1 Thes 4.18 With what words with those words going before vers 13 c. Whereof this is the summe that they shall rise again and be for ever with the Lord. 13th Apology answerd Another cryes out This Friend or Relation that God hath taken away was a good and useful person a very charitable man c. not only I my self but the
lest I should exceed the bounds of an Epistle craving your Lordships Patronage and Acceptance of these my Labours I take leave and rest My Lord Your Honours most humbly devoted Servant Tho. Allestree Ashow Jan. 27. 1670. To the Reader Courteous Reader SOme judicious Divines have looked upon these following Notes as a Talent not to be buried in a Napkin or in a few sheets of Paper in my Study I therefore resolved at last to press them for publick service This I can say I have not offered thee that which cost me nothing I have spent much time and labour in the composure of this following Treatise What I have met with in reading that might serve for my present purpose I have digested into a method for thy benefit and the principal Quotations I have set down A Posy is not cast away because made up of several Flowers nor Honey distasted which the diligent Bee gathers here and there nor I hope wilt thou like this Book the worse because there are several Quotations in it The former part of this Funeral Handkerchief may teach thee to take patiently the death of Friends We read Act. 19.12 That frō the body of Paul were brought to the sick Handkerchiefs or Aprons and the Diseases departed from them and the evil spirits went out of them This Handkerchief brought to thee from mine hand may through Gods blessing be a means to cure thee of melancholly immoderate sorrow discontent and such like distempers of spirit which may arise at death of Friends and Relations Mine Arguments are grounded upon Divine Writ And as David said of the Sword of Goliah 1 Sam. 21.9 There is none like that give it me So say I of Scripture-Arguments there are none like them These are right words and so the more perswasive Job 6.25 How forcible are right words The latter part of this Treatise may teach thee several good uses which thou oughtest to make of the death of Friends and Relations The first part is far larger than the second what though A large first makes recompence for the shorter second Course at any mans Table And this I also say That though the first part be greater in bulk yet the latter is of greater worth both parts I hope may in some measure answer expectation as to what they promise but the latter chiefly if thou livest up to it may be a means to promote thy eternal Salvation which is the hearty desire of Thy faithful Friend and Servant T. Allestree Ashow Jan. 27. 1670. Errata in the Funeral Handkerchief PAge 3. line 13 read Telluris p. 4. l. 21 r. are not p. 5. l. 7 r. mourning p. 6. l. 10 r. resorbebant p. 11. l. 27 r. as his gift so saith p. 20. l. 1 r. Patimur p. 59. l. 22 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 60. l. 1 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 2 r. a fixed p. 61. l. 19 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 62. l. 3 r. cast off p. 64. l. 20 r. may be presently p. 67. l. 3 after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insert 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 77. Marg. r. miserum p. 84. l. 33 r. did so lively paint p. 125. l. 13 r. whet l. 14 r. Mowers p. 130. l. 9 r. my Corn. p. 159. l. 24 r. meet p. 190. l. 14 r. suffer patiently p. 191. l. 26 r. secundae p. 197. l. 12 r. manuum p. 198. l. 22 r. be no. p. 217. l. 30 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 254. l. 2 r. Gen. 47. l. 30 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 266. l. 31 r. with the wicked p. 277. l. 27 for within r. with him p. 279. l. 17 r. thy enquiries p. 282. l. 25 r. putting p. 297. l. 27 r. expectation p. 299. l. 20 r. tormented in which Errata in the three Sermons Page 7. line 7 read gratitudinem l. 34 r. frequentiam p. 9. l. 13 f. them r. him l. 17 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marg. r. à morte remotus p. 12. l. 20 r. saith he hath l. 21. r. there is sin p. 22. l. 28 r. impenitent wretches p. 31. l. 14. r. Afflictorum p. 32. l. 1 r. erexit p. 40. l. 12. r. strangely p. 46. l. 24 r. devoted p. 55. l. 9 r. his life These and some other small faults of the Printer which thou mayest possibly meet with in reading may be easily mended with a little Ink But the Personal Faults of the Author can onely be done away by the Blood of Christ for the effecting of which thy prayers are desired Farewell A Funeral handkerchief Part 1. CHAP. I. The Porch Entrance or Preface to to the ensuing Discourse WHen a Friend is going a long Journey it is a commendable piece of civility to go with him some part of the way and to weep at parting so civil were the people to St. Paul Act. 20.37 38. they accompanied him to the ship and wept over him So when our Friends depart and go to their long-home from whence they shall never return till time shall be no more is it not good manners to accompany them to the Grave and shed some tears for them whom we shall see no more with mortal eyes Eccl. 12.5 Man goeth to his long-home and the Mourners go about the streets The Jews were wont to hire Mourners 2 Chron. 35.25 Jer. 9.17 18. Amos 5.16 and for the most part they were women called in Latin Praeficae They profest an Art in Mourning and composing doleful Ditties And for the greater solemnity persons of worth or estate would hire them to accompany the Hearse and they would mourn for the Dead with such affection gesture and lamentation that they would cause others to mourn for company We find Eccles 7.2 4. the Wise-man calling the house where one dies the house of Mourning which he would not do if it were not lawful to mourn upon such an occasion We reade in Scripture how Abraham mourned for Sarah Gen. 23.2 Joseph for his Father Jacob Gen. 50.10 The Israelites wept for Moses Deut. 34.8 so for Samuel 1 Sam. 25.1 Elisha cryes after Elijah 2 King 2.12 Jeremiah weeps for Josiah 2 Chro. 35.25 And under the New-Testament we find Act. 8.2 devout man carried Stephen to his Burial and made great Lamentation over him And Act. 9.36 37 39. We find there the Widows embalming charitable Dorcas in tears And before this we reade how Martha and Mary wept sore for their Brother Lazarus John 11.19 31 33. Nay Christ himself wept v. 35. and the Jews interpreted it as an argument of his love to Lazarus v. 36. so that civility custom and love to deceased Friends call for weeping upon such an occasion It is pronounced as a judgment upon wicked men when relations shed not a tear nor pay a solemn sigh but are rather glad to be rid of them Job 27.15 Psa 78.64 so God threatned Jehoiakim that he should die unlamented and be buried with the burial of an Ass Jer. 22. 18
as my Husband my Wife my Father my Mother my Brother my Sister my Son my Daughter my Friend c. Whereas the truth is they are not ours but Gods he is the absolute owner of them he made them and hath freely lent them to us without any certain time or date or promise of continuance and what is lent freely we cannot deny but may be call'd for most justly at the pleasure of him that lent it May not God most justly say as the Owner of the Vineyard to the murmuring Labourer Mat. 20.15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own Well then we hold our Friends non jure sed gratis not by a juridical right but upon favour and courtisie and if we enjoyed our Relations some time we should be thankful to God that hath lent them to us so long rather then murmur that he takes them so soon St. Jerome comforting Paula for the death of her Daughter Bresilla said Durum quidem sed tolerabile quia sustulit ille qui dederat It was a heavy loss but to be born patiently because he took that gave at first This comforted Job when amongst other things he had lost his Children Job 1.21 22. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. Job considered that God had taken but what he gave at first and so doth thankfully resign up his losses to him Consid 3 Thirdly consider God hath a hand in death of Friends Psal 31.15 My times are in thy hand saith David times of plenty and times of poverty times of health and times of sickness living times and dying times are in the hand i. e. of the disposal of God He measures time of life in what proportion he pleaseth to some he gives a large piece to others a small remnant Job 7.1 Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth Here he puts it by way of question but Job 14.5 There he puts it out of question and takes it for granted That mans dayes are determined the number of his moneths are with thee O Lord thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass So that when a Friend departs that 's the time that God hath appointed So it is said of David Acts 8.36 After he had served his own generation by the will of God fell asleep c. Will of God may be annexed to his falling asleep as well as serving his generation he dyed then by the will of God and was gathered to his Fathers and saw corruption Job saith Job 30.23 I know that thou wilt bring me unto death and to the house appointed for all living Naomi said when she was deprived of her Husband and two Sons in a strange Land The Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me and the Lord hath testifyed against me and the Almighty hath afflicted me Ruth 1.5 20 21. compared So Moses speaking of the frailty and shortness of mans life saith Thou turnest man to destruction and sayest Return ye children of men Psal 90.3 Gods dixit is his fecit as in the first Creation he said Let there be light and there was light Gen. 1.3 So God here saith Return i. e. he makes them to return viz. to their Original The Body to the earth and the Spirit to him that gave it Eccles 12.7 So David tells us God takes away mens breath and then they dye and return to their dust Psal 104.29 God indeed is the orderer and ordainer of all conditions 1 Sam. 2.6 The Lord killeth and maketh alive he brings down to the grave and bringeth up So Isa 45.7 I form the light and create darkness I make peace and create evil I the Lord do all these things Our Saviour tells us not a Sparrow falls to the ground nor a hair from our heads without the overruling providence of God Mat. 10.29 30. Here is Argumentum a minore ad majus If not a Sparrow a bird of small price and account or an Hair which is no essential part but made for convenience and ornament if these fall not to the ground without the will of our heavenly Father surely a Friend cannot dye but God wills it Let us then at loss of Friends patiently submit to Gods will The Heathenish Idolaters were loth to cast Jonah overboard but when they had cast lots and found it to be Gods will it should be so they patiently submitted 1 Jonah 13.14 Let not Heathens outstrip Christians Let us say with Christ John 18.11 The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it See Jobs carriage Job 1.20 21 22. He fell down and worshipped not murmured he charged not God foolishly by railing as though he dealt unjustly with him but saith The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken He saw the hand of God in whatever befel him and this was a strong pillar of supportment to his drooping spirit It is no striving against the stream or current of Gods powerful will Job 9.4 Isa 45.9 Let Gods authority over thee prevent impatience in thee God who doth what he will and will do what he pleaseth Psal 115.3 So Psal 135.6 He takes away and none can hinder him who will say unto him What dost thou Job 9.12 Say then when a Friend is dead Truly this is a grief yet I must bear it Jer. 10.19 And as Seneca saith Aequum est ut patientèr feras quicquid corrigere est nefas It is but fit to bear that patiently which we cannot remedy Consid 4 Fourthly consider God intends it for thy good Psal 119.68 Thou art good O Lord and doest good So vers 75. I know O Lord that thy judgments are right and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me So Psal 145.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Misericors The Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy or according to Orig. merciful in all his works Plutarch in his Epistle consolatory to his Wife on the death of a Child amongst others hath this Argument We must always think well of what the Gods do Christians should consider that God in the saddest passages of his providence aims at their good Though indeed his ways be sometimes hidden yet they are alway just When clouds and darkness are round about him then righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his Throne Psal 97.2 Though his Providences sometimes seem to cross his Promises yet in the conclusion you shall see all things work together for good as Physick works for the good of the Patient Rom. 8.28 Every Rod like Jonathans 1 Sam. 14.27 hath Honey at the end of it All things even loss of Friends work together for good to those that love God We read how Sampson fetch'd Honey out of the carcase of the Lyon Judg. 14.8 9. So may we find or fetch good instructions from the Carcase of a deceased Friend God it may be took away such or such a Relation as the Widow of Sarepta said when
her Son was dead to call your sins to remembrance 1 King 17.18 May be your sin might be foolish Indulgence or too much Fondness you loved your Relation too much and therefore God took him or her away that you might not commit spiritual adultery which you do when you bestow that love and delight upon the Creature that is due to the Creator Psal 73.27 God there threatens such as go a whoring from him He will not suffer such behaviour in those whom he hath marryed to himself Hos 2.19 God is a Jealous God Exod. 20.5 And as a discreet Wife if she perceives her Husband to be in love with her Maidservant will presently put her away that she may be chief in her Husbands affection So if God loves us he will take that away which steals our affections from him Privat bonis aut liberis nimium amatis ut desiderium bonorum praestantiorum atque coelestium magis in eis excitat He deprives us saith Paraeus Paraeus in Gen. 37. chap. of Children or some such outward good things which we love too much that he may thereby excite us to love better things more Or your sin might be worldly-mindedness you were it may be over-worldly in providing portions for such or such a Child Salvian ad Ecles Cathol lib. 2 pag. 380. Quae insania est ô miserrimi ut haeredes alios quoscunque faciatis vos ipsos vero exhaeredetis God saw thee well nigh lost in a croud of worldly cares and therefore took away thy Child that thou mightest sit loose to the world and mind heavenly things God is a gracious Father as one saith wisely tempering the Cup for his Children lest they should surfeit on worldly enjoyments which they might easily do if they were not mixed with occasions of sorrow Or it may be thou didst not think sufficiently on thy latter end as God requires Deut. 32.29 We are ready to say with Peter It is good for us to be â—ere Mark 9.5 God therefore took away a near Relation which speaks as Dalilah to Sampson The Philistines be upon thee Sampson Judg. 16.9 So thy dead friend speaks to thee thou hast a mortal Body Death is at the door By this means God teacheth thee to number thy dayes and apply thy heart to wisdom as Moses prayed Ps 90.12 Or lastly God it may be took away thy Friend to humble thee and prove thee to try thy Obedience to exercise thy Faith and Patience as in Jobs case James 5.11 Thus as the Author to the Hebrews Heb. 12.11 No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous nevertheless afterwards it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of Righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby So that this crossing of us is to do us more good at our latter end Deut. 8.16 Moses with his Rod wrought wonders Exod. 4.17 And God teacheth us many admirable and excellent Lessons with a Fescu made of a Rod Job 6.8 9 10. Mic. 6.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nocumenta documenta Well then as a Patient refuseth not from his Physitian a bitter Potion or from the Chyrurgeon a corrhoding Plaister because it makes way for healing it is in order to a Cure So loss of Friends though of all outward losses most bitter yet should be taken patiently because it is a Medicine to heal spiritual Maladies See Isa 27.9 Me-thinks this consideration should make us not only submit but rejoyce under such losses Consid 5 Fifthly consider God is still with thee Psal 46.1 God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble So Psal 90.2 From everlasting to everlasting thou art God Though Friends forsake us through unavoidable mortality yet an Eternal God is still where he was he keeps his standing He can supply the place of Father Mother Husband Wife Son or Daughter for he is an All-sufficient God So it is in the Original Gen. 17.1 In him there is all excellency beauty comfort and good of the creature in a most superlative and glorious manner sufficiently eminently transcendently so that every loss is made up in him as Philip said Shew us the Father and it sufficeth us John 14.8 and St. Paul saith Phil. 4.19 My God shall supply all your need There is sweetness enough in God to sweeten all outward bitterness so that though the Conduit Pipes through which mercies were conveyed unto us be taken away yet the Fountain runs still entire in God Hagar we read had a Fountain by but her blubbering eyes kept her from seeing it Gen. 21.17 18 19. God the fountain of happiness is still with thee and thou maist have daily recourse to him and therefore wipe thine eyes and â—â—â—t contented God saith to his People what the King of Israel did to the King of Syria I am thine and all that I have 1 Kings 20.4 Let us then under loss of Friends comfort our selves in the Lord our God and say with David Psal 18.46 The Lord liveth and blessed be my Rock and praised be the God of my Salvation When Creture-crutches fail we have the Rock of Ages to rely upon Therefore Rejoyce in the Lord and again I say rejoyce Phil. 4.4 Consid 6 Sixthly consider Thou deservest greater losses and crosses than those thou meetest with Thy sins are far heavier than thy sufferings The shower of misery and trouble that befalls us through loss of Friends was raised by the ascending vapour of our sin Nehem. 9.33 So Psal 39.10 God corrects man for his iniquity and therefore Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sin Lam. 3.39 Why doth vain man fret as though his sins cast not one mite into the treasury of his sufferings Whereas indeed his sufferings are less than his sins As Ezra said Thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve Ezr. 9.13 And as Zophar told Job Job 11.6 Know that God exacts of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth So David Psal 103.10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities Quamvis aspera adversa patiamur minora patiamur quà m meremur Quid querimur Salv. lib. 4 de gub Dei pag. 114. quod dure agat nobiscum Deus multò nos cum Deo duriùs agimus Exacerbamus quippe Deum impuritatibus nostris ad puniendum nos trahimus invitum The fire of Gods wrath is not proportionable to the fuel of our sins whilst we live in this world Let us then bear the indignation of the Lord because we have sinned against him Thus the Church resolves Mich. 7.9 Let us not murmur that it is so bad but rather admire at Gods goodness that it is not worse with us Consid 7 Seventhly consider The many undeserved favours which God confers upon thee He might have taken away all thy Relations whereas he hath left several to chear thee And therefore as Jonadab said to David Let not my Lord suppose that they have slain all
is still with thee in whom dwels all fulness Col. 1.19 Inexhaustible treasures are to be found in Christ If we were Christless then hopeless would our condition be Ephes 2.12 But so long as we have Christ we are well enough It is enough said Jacob in a time of want and misery Gen. 45.28 Joseph my Son is yet alive So may a Christian say It is enough my Christ Joseph was a type of him is yet alive Christ who is still with thee he hath the sweetness desirableness of all creature-comforts he is able and willing to help in the greatest straits Heb. 4.15 16. and therfore Christian be content 3. Consider Thou hast the Comforter still the holy Ghost abiding in thee for ever John 14.16 26. So John 15.26 This Comforter comforts us in all our tribulation 2 Cor. 1.4 5. So 2 Cor. 7.4 Hos 2.14 Peace of Conscience which passeth all understanding Phil. 4.7 Is the earnest and first fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8.23 These Spiritual joyes that come streaming into thy soul they are a cluster of Grapes Numb 13.24 A fore-taste of the exceeding great joy that thou shalt have in the Heavenly Canaan Now as Eliphaz said to Job Do the consolations of God seem small to thee or as Gideon said Is not the gleaning of the Grapes of Ephraim better then the Vintage of Abiezer Judg. 8.2 Is not this gleaning of Spiritual joy better then the whole vintage of carnal joy that the world affords Therefore Christian be content 4. Consider Thou hast interest in many pretious promises as 1. of Justification or pardoning Grace see Isa 43.25 so Jer. 31.34 Mic. 7.19 2. Of Sanctification or Healing see Isa 1.18 Psal 65.3 Ezek. 36.25 26 27. Zech. 13.1 Hos 14 4. Rom. 6.14 3. Of Corroboration or Spiritual assistance 1 Sam. 2.9 Psal 37.17 Isa 41.10 4. Of outward provision Psal 34.10 Psa 132.15 Isa 41.17 Mat. 6.33 1 Cor. 3.21 22. Phil. 4.19 1 Tim. 4.8 5. Of outward protection Psal 31.20 Psal 91.3 4 c. Rom. 8.31 1 Pet. 3.13 6. Of direction in reference to soul and body Neh. 9.20 21. Prov. 3.5 6. Psal 25.12 Psal 32.8 Psal 48.14 Psal 73.24 Isa 58.11 They have the Spirit leading them into all truth Joh. 14.26 and this is a great priviledge calling for thankfulness v. 22. Luther preferr'd the understanding one of David's Psalms above all the riches in the world 7. And lastly Of Eternal Salvation Psal 73.24 2 Cor. 4.17 18. 2 Tim. 4 8. Tit. 1.2 Heb. 4.9 1 John 2.25 What if livelyhood be short so long as Eternal Life will be thine shortly Though thou hast little in hand yet thou hast much in hope and therefore rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 We count not him poor that hath a great estate very shortly to fall into his hand There is but one life betwixt thee and a great inheritance and it is thine own life when that is expired thou shalt take possession of it St. James tells us James 2.5 God hath chosen the poor of this world rich in Faith and Heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him What discontent and Heir to a Kingdom methinks you should take joyfully the spoiling or loss of your goods knowing in your selves that you have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance Heb. 10.34 Now Christian Reader these are exceeding great and precious Promises 2 Pet. 1.4 and the Righteous are Heirs to such Promises as these Heb. 6.17 The Saints are there called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is never a Promise in the whole Bible but a godly man may lay claim to it and say This is mine I have an interest there And far better it is to be Heirs to these Promises than to a whole Kingdom therefore Christian be content These Promises are certain things 1 Thess 5.24 Tit. 1.2 Heb. 6.17 18. God's Word is more certain than any mortal man's Bond. I have not wrote down the words of these Promises because I would have you to turn to them in your Bibles and dwell upon them in your private thoughts 'T is Meditation that sucks sweetness out of the honey-comb of a Promise 5. And lastly consider Thou hast many precious Graces which are far better than all the Riches which the World affords as Faith which is more precious than Gold that perisheth 1 Pet. 1.7 It is called Precious Faith 2 Pet. 1.1 So Hope and Charity Humility Meeknesse Chastity Temperance c. are precious things So Spiritual Wisdom is better than Rubies Pro. 3.13 c. and 8.11 These are the true Riches Luke 16.11 These are the durable Riches that cannot be taken away from us Luk. 10.42 These are such things as accompany Salvation Heb. 6 9. Now what saith Solomon Prov. 14.14 The good man shall be satisfied from himself that is as some expound it from the Grace of God that is in him Piety is a good foundation to build Contentment upon Well then poor Christian if I may call thee poor who indeed art so rich having the Graces of the Spirit which are better than this world's goods be content Thus you see if you belong to God you have better things than the World affords But some may say I fear I belong not to God I have not made my peace with him Ans Methinks then the things of the World should be the least of thy care and thou shouldst be most troubled that thou hast not made thy Calling and Election sure as thou art commanded 2 Pet. 1.10 and for the future shouldst give no sleep to thine eyes nor slumber to thine eye-lids Prov. 4.4 till by Faith Prayer and Repentance thou hast got a propriety in him 14. Consider God can if it please him raise thee to a great estate 1 Sam. 2.7 8. He bringeth low and lifteth up he raiseth up the poor out of the dust and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghil So Psal 107.41 He setteth the poor on high from affliction So Psal 113.7 8. Jacob became a great man from small beginnings Gen. 32.10 God raised up Job again and made him greater then he was before as you may see Job 42.10 11 12. Well then remember this that God that gave these things at first may give them a second time therefore be content 15. Lastly Consider Gods former loving kindness let this support thee It was God that did form us in the womb through the midwifery of his providence we were brought forth into the world and ever since we came into the world we have depended upon the breasts of divine providence for Act. 17.28 In him we live move and have our being We may say with Jacob Gen. 48.15 God hath fed us all our life long unto this day Why then should we distrust him now former Experience of God's Mercies should strengthen future confidence in the God of Mercies 1 Sam. 17.37 The Lord that delivered me saith David out of the paw of the
so Isa 25.6 and 55.1 2. These and such like places signify celestial viands wherewith God feeds his people by the ministry of his blessed Word and Sacraments Hungry and thirsty souls get much refreshing by these Luk. 1.53 4. and lastly You have the rich graces of the Spirit of God which are a spiritual feast of this Christ speaks Mat. 5.6 Such as hunger and thirst after the righteousness of Christ after the gifts and graces of his blessed Spirit they are blessed and they shall be filled as at a feast So Rev. 3.20 If any man open the door of his heart and recieve Christ with his graces he hath promised to come in and sup with him They shall be merry and fully satisfied as at a feast Thus the righteous have meat to eat that the world knows not of 10. And lastly consider If you belong to God you shall ere long have better fare You may be to morrow for ought you know at the Supper of the Lamb Rev. 19.9 God as one saith is the founder of this feast and none are admitted but Friends Christ the Lamb of God will gird himself and make them to sit down to meat and will come forth and serve them Luke 12.37 What a strange expression is this Christ himself their Lord and Master will serve at the Table he who is sweetness it self will afford them his presence to serve them and to solace them Future happiness is oft in Scripture set forth under the similitude of a feast as Mat. 26.29 Mark 14.25 Luke 22.16 18 30. Mat. 8.11 so Luke 13.29 the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to sit down as at a feast or banquet but let us not dream as possibly that Pharisee did Luke 14.15 that there is eating and drinking in Heaven For glorified bodies are freed from these and the like necessities Rev. 7.16 They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more and then v. 17. The Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them c. The Lamb of God shall be instead of meat drink apparel sleep and the like Muscul in Gen. 1.29 p. 47. In coelesti vitâ corpus futurum est sine cibo perdurare Glorified bodies shall stand in no need of any outward refreshments no more then Spirits do And therefore the Apostle tells you It is sown a natural body it is raised a Spritual body 1 Cor. 15.44 The holy Ghost then by comparing the joys of Heaven to a Feast shews that there is fulness of joy as at a Feast For as it is Psal 16.11 In thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for ever more Well then poor Christian that fares so hardly though it be bad with thee now it will be better with thee shortly Poor Lazaras that fared hardly here being dead is comforted Luke 16.25 and abundantly refreshed as at a feast And whereas you say you must wear mean apparel Consider for your comfort 1. Consider Thy betters have gone in worse habit then thou wearest John the Baptist had his Raiment of Camels hair and a leathern girdle about his Loins Mat. 3.4 so the Apostles 1 Cor. 4.11 We hunger and thirst and are naked so 2 Cor. 11.27 so those Worthies Heb. 11.37 They wandred about in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins being destitute afflicted tormented Our first Parents after the fall were no better cloathed then with Leather Gen. 3.21 2. Consider Thy Garments how mean soever are gifts from God Gen. 28.20 Jacob acknowledged raiment to put on as well as bread to eat to be Gods gift God ows thee nothing thou deservest nothing It is a mercy that thou hast any thing to put on to cover thy nakedness For thy unthankfulness God might justly strip thee of all Hos 2.8 9. 3. Consider God knows mean apparel is fittest for thee Costly apparel is many times a provocation to lust 1 Tim. 2.9 It is a consumer of a great estate and so hinders works of charity It brings down Gods judgments Isa 3.16 c. Zeph. 1.8 It makes them proud usually that wear it who more proud then your great Gallants though there is little reason for it For many inferior pitiful creatures excel man in his gallantry Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like a Lilly Mat. 6.28 29. And a poor Butter-fly as * Refin'd Courtier p. 47. one saith outvies all the artificial colours of the Court. Besides our clothes are ensigns of our sin and shame compare Gen. 2.25 with Gen. 3.21 The same Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies a garment Buxtorf Heb. lex signifies likewise sin Had it not been for sin that caused shame we had not needed apparel And therefore to be proud of it is as if a wounded man should be proud of his plaisters Well then God cloaths thee in mean apparel to prevent sin in thee 4. Consider To be desirous of rich apparel argues much vanity St. Bernard saith Vestium curiositas deformitatis mentium et morum indicium est It shews the deformed nakedness of the soul and that virtue hangs but loosly on it Attire was at first given as I told you to cover shame and sin he therefore that is desirous of apparel surely hath more sin to hide more shame to cover then other men 5. Consider God respects no man a jot the more for the richness af his outward apparel see Jam. 2.5 God hath chosen the poor of this world rich in Faith Poor Lazarus was dear to him and received into Abrahams bosom but rich Dives notwithstanding his gorgeous apparel was cast into Hell the place of torment as you read Luke 16.19 c. 6. Consider Course garments may be as useful Hos 2.9 as costly apparel Garments were given for these ends 1. To cover our nakedness Gen. 3.7 Our first Parents after the fall sewed fig leaves together poor shifts to cover their shame 2. To defend and guard the body from the injuries of the weather Garments are munimenta corporis the bodies defence and safe-guard see Gen. 3.21 Our first Parents first covering was of fig-leaves which would do them little service but God afterwards provided them such cloathing as would defend them against the offence of heat cold wind rain c. 3. To give warmth to the body Joh 31.20 and Job 37.17 4. and lastly To distinguish persons 1. In respect of sex that men may be known from women and women from men Deut. 22.5 The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth to the man nor shall a man put on a womans garment Habits of men and women have been ever diverse 2. In respect of quality and condition Conditions should thereby be distinguished as well as Sexes Clergy should by their garments be distinguished from Laity Exod. 28.2 c. Rich from Poor Prince from Peasent Master from Servant Mat. 11.8 Luke 7.25 Well then are not thy course garments as useful as more costly apparel do
be a means to humble thee Drinking Wormwood say some will take down a full body Sure I am the Wormwood of Poverty is a proper remedy for an high and lofty spirit Lam. 3.19 20. Poverty clips the wings of Pride and keeps the heart humble 6. Patience Rom. 5.3 We glory in tribulations knowing that tribulation worketh patience St. John the Divine speaking of the Saints sufferings saith Here is the Patience and Faith of the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 13.10 The meaning is here is matter for their Patience and Faith to be exercised about Jam. 5.11 Ye have heard of the Patience of Job Job's Poverty amongst other afflictions set Patience at work 7. Frugality Rich men many times are addicted to prodigal spending They are excessive many times in their expences upon back and belly And they give that to their Dogs and Hogs which is fit for poor Christians to feed upon God therefore by sending Poverty teacheth a Lesson of Frugality to gather up the fragments that remain that nothing be lost Joh. 6.12 8. And lastly Constancy and sincerity of your love to God It is ordinary to see many follow Christ for loaves and express their love towards him so long as they reap outward gain by him but to see a man cleave to him and follow him through a wilderness of temptations and tryals when he sees nothing but signs of his displeasure this argues the strength and sincerity of his affection towards him Job's love was seen and set at work in the midst of poverty and other tryals that he met with Job 27.5 6. Till I die saith he I will not remove mine integrity from me my righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go Now if God take away outward possessions and by this means work in us these and the like graces we have no cause to complain as if we were undone or losers by such an exchange If a man go backward in estate yet if he thrive in grace this is uberrimus quaestus and what he loseth one way he gains another 2. Answ A man is never utterly undone till he be in Hell And wilt thou say thou art utterly undone when God by this affliction would prevent thy coming thither 1 Cor. 11.32 When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world The Captain of our Salvation was made perfect by suffering Heb. 2.10 Though the cup be bitter yet Gods wisdom tempers and love sweetens all the bitter ingredients God saith he will do us no hurt Jer. 25.6 He sees it needful for you to be thus afflicted 1 Pet. 1.6 For a season if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations God who afflicts not willingly Lam. 3.33 sends no more affliction then you need God who is a dieting of thee sees it best for thy souls health to be kept fasting or to be stinted in thy allowance It is good for the Patient to be at the finding and disposing of so wise a Physitian and withall so careful It is good for me saith David that I have been afflicted Psal 119.71 Volo mihi irascare Pater misericordiarum sed illâ irâ quâ corrigis devium non quâ excludis curiâ Bern. Per diversam medicaminum opem ad unam nos vult Deus perducere salutem Salvian de Gub. Dei lib. 6. p. 224. Alas poor silly man knows not what is good for him like a Child led by sence he prefers sweet-meats before bitter pills that are more wholsom Assure thy self dear friend Non caeco impetu volvuntur rota The motions of Providence are all juditious these wheels are full of eyes God knows these worldly things have ruined thousands of souls God knows a great estate hath hindred many from entring in at the narrow-gate and therefore he cuts you short as a man cuts off a gangren'd Leg to preserve Life It is thy ignorance of Gods design that makes thee quarrel with him Moreover the greatest Mercies have oft-times issued from the womb of greatest Disappointments How ill does Jacob resent Josephs absence Gen. 37. latter end 42.36 He concludes all against him when indeed all made for him for preservation of himself and the life of his whole family in Egypt Gen. 45.5 Nay we read that Joseph himself was sold Gen. 37. and after that cast into Prison Gen. 39. What could Joseph expect but utter ruine Retrò omnia all things went so cross and ill-favoured with him yet Divine Providence so ordered the matter that Joseph is advanced Religion propagated in Aegypt and the Reliques of the Church preserved in a time of great Famine Gen. 50.20 Patitur eum in Carcere aliquantulum sudare laborare clamare precari lachrymari ut eum in pietate probè exerceat tandem verò Carcerem in salutem ejus convertit nisi enim in Carcerem quidem Regium fuisset conjectus non innotuisset Regi nec fuisset hoc modo exaltatus saith Pareus in Gen. cap. 39. It was a great mercy for Israel to be in the Wilderness for that was the right way to Canaan And though God suffered them there to meet with much hardship yet it was to humble them to prove them and do do them good at their latter end Deut. 8.15 16. yet they thought and concluded they were brought to be slain Exod. 16.2 3. Num. 14.2 3. 20.4 One attempting to kill Prometheus the Thessalian Tully reports the like of Phereus Jason Cic. l. 3. de Nat. Deorum Sic casu fortuito Phereo Jasoni profuit hostis qui gladio vomicam ejus aperuit quam sanare medici non poterant run him so deep with his sword into an Imposthume that he let out corruption and saved his life So this bitter stroke of God which thou thinkest God intends for thy undoing is a means to purge out corruption and save thy soul Therefore say with Themistocles Periissem nisi periissem I had been lost if God had not prevented me with this happy losse It is well with me it is so ill with me for if God had not thus cross'd me I had been in a cursed condition Job calls Gods afflicting of us his magnifying of us Job 7.17 And vers 18. he calls afflictions Gods visitations They are God's friendly visits he corrects out of love As Josephs Cup was put in Benjamins Sack whom he most loved so the Cup of Affliction is the Lot of God's most affected Children Prov. 3.12 27.6 Heb. 12.9 10. Rev. 3.19 Et cum blandiris Pater es Pater es cum caedis Augustine saith well he is a Father when he strikes us as well as when he stroaks us The Cross is the way to the Crown Via non Causa 2 Cor. 4.17 For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory That God that brought light out of darkness and erected the glorious Fabrick
of the World out of a confused Chaos and made Clay and Spittle likely to put out sight a means to recover it this God I say can bring it to pass that what thou thinkest will undo thee shall be a means to promote thy eternal good Oh the admirable harmony of Divine Dispensations in reference to mans Salvation To shut up this you know several herbs have several qualities some of them very bitter yet if a skilful simpler have the mixing of them he will make you a pleasing and wholsom sallade so there are many interchangable passages of Providence and some of them very bitter to flesh and blood yet divine Wisdom and Goodness will so order the matter that they shall in the end be both pleasing and profitable Jam. 1.2 My brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations For vers 12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Indeed we read Psal 36.6 Gods judgements are a great deep And again Psal 77.19 Gods way is in the Sea and his path in the great waters and his footsteps are not known Which words some apply to the bringing of his People through the Sea and the waters returning to their course of which you read Exod 14.28 29. Others apply the words to the interchangable passages of Providence in reference to his Church the administration of the World and of every mans Salvation And so Rom. 11.33 How unsearchable are his judgements and his ways past finding out Gods wayes are many times cryptical full of Meanders we cannot trace them they are a compendious heap of intricacies oft going contrary to mans judgment and expectation and to our apprehended rules of common right Yet all his wayes are judgment that is justice and equity for he is a God of truth and without iniquity just and right is he Deut. 32.4 Much may be above us because our ignorance is such that we cannot see a reason of his wayes but nothing is unreasonable or evil that proceeds from an holy wise loving and just God I end this with that of the Psalmist Psal 25.10 All the pathes of the Lord how rugged and severe soever to flesh and blood are mercy and truth to such as keep his Covenant and his testimonies They may seem cruelty but indeed they are mercy though thou can'st not see it for the present yet thou may'st hereafter Another crys out 7th Apology answered This relation of mine dyed in the best of his age in the prime of his strength in the acuteness of his parts his Sun set at noon-day he fixed a Period where we made account of a Comma hoping at least half the Sentence of his Life was behind but it was broken off in haste and this troubles me Answ We do not much lament the death of Old persons because we know they could not live long Every mans Life as one saith is a Lease and an old mans Life is an old worn Lease ready to drop into the Land-Lords hand We expect a Taper should go out when the Wax is spent but to see the Lamp of a friends Life extinguished in its brightest and strongest lustre This troubles us But 1. Consid 'T is ordinary for man to dye in his full strength Job 21.23 24. One dyeth in his full strength being wholly at ease and quiet his breasts are full of milk and his bones are moistned with marrow c. King Edward the 6th that hopeful Prince fell asleep before noon and was laid untainted in the Bed of Honour So that good King Josiah died before he was 40 years of age as may be gathered from 2 Chron. 34.1 Nay Christ himself was cut off before he attained one half of the age of man described by Moses Psal 90.10 Nay David tells us Psal 39.5 Every man at his best state whether of age or honour is altogether vanity It being so ordinary for man to dye at or about the vigour of his age it should be the less troublesom 2. Consid If thy Friend had lived to old age what is that but an age of misery a stage of vanity an hospital of Diseases The dayes of Old Age are called Evil dayes by the Wise man Eccles 12.1 Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth while the evil dayes come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them q. d. The dayes of old age bring so many aches and troubles along with them that if they be lengthened into years yet a man can find no pleasure or content but whole years together shall be full of weariness and sorrow Nay the very strength of the years of an Old man is labour and sorrow saith Moses Psal 90.10 Old people are oft-times a trouble to themselves and others 3. And lastly consid Thy Friend must at last have died Man's Life is by some fitly compared to a Lamp which may be soon extinguished by some fall or violent blast but if it escape these there is but a set proportion of oyl which will soon be consumed and then it goes forth of its own accord The Clock though it goes slowly strikes surely at last And the Sun in the longest day of its perambulation at last goes out of sight He that walks longest over the graves of others comes at last to his own So that if thy Friend had not died now he must have dyed some other time And if another time why not now Another cryes out 8th Apology answered This Relation of mine was loth to die he died comfortless desperate words idle vain talk unseemly gestures and speeches proceeded from him and this troubles me Answ Was your Relation loth to dye 1. Consid Many of Gods dear Children have at some time or other been loth to depart So was David Psal 55.4 5. and Psal 102.24 And Hezekiah Isa 38.1 And Peter out of a sudden apprehension of death and fear of it denyed his Lord and Master The Godly cease not to be Men by becoming Christians as men they are sometimes afraid of Death which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Malum corruptivum destructive to nature God hath imprinted saith a Dr. Abbot Lect. 6. on Jonah p. 126 127. judicious Divine a passionate love betwixt the soul and the body that they grieve to leave one another So that the spirit may be willing yet the flesh is weak What man is he whom God's Spirit hath not in a great measure mortified that feels not in himself oft-times an horror and a quaking to think of his dissolution 2. Consid Thy Friend though he might fear the pain of death yet he might rejoyce at the gain of death as many a man desires the Haven yet trembles at the voyage The pangs of death might a little affright him yet being dead if a good man let us not question his happiness Christ
went to the Cross with much care and many agonies nay the Apostle tells you that he feared Heb. 5.7 Did he die comfortless Answ 1. Consid It is one thing to have true comfort another thing to have the sence of it The sence of it as Divines say may be taken away for a while through the violence of the distemper or through Satans malice who is most busie at such a time to disturb a good man's peace The Devil that roaring Lyon who at all times goes about seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5.8 at such a time plays the Devil indeed and exerciseth what cruelty he may because his time is short Rev. 12.12 But though the sence of comfort for a while may be taken away yet their comfort is not quite gone See Isa 54.7 8. The holy Ghost the comforter where he once takes possession abides for ever John 14.16 2. Consid Our Saviour Christ He who was the only begotten Son in whom alone God was well pleased Mat. 3. last As he had not alwayes a sence and feeling of Gods love Mat. 27.46 so nor of spiritual and heavenly joy Mat. 26.38 39. His soul was exceeding sorrowful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 declarat animum undique moerore obsessum circumvallatum His soul was besieged with grief and sorrow compassed it about So Luke 22.44 He was in an agony 3. And lastly Consid Though a good man seem to dye comfortless yet his end is comfortable Ps 37.37 Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace If peace did not enter into him whilst living yet being dead he enters into peace Isa 57.2 He shall enter into peace that walks in his uprightness The Godly through tedious conflicts as the Israelites through a crooked and tedious wilderness come to the promised Land at last Did desperate words idle vain talk unseemly gestures and speeches proceed from him Answ Indeed many of God's dear servants have given sweet exhortations at the time of their death heavenly discourses have proceeded from them Jacob blessed his Sons Gen. 49. so Heb. 11.21 See the sweet carriage and pious discourses of Moses a little before his departure Deut. 31 32 33 Chapt. So Joshua dying exhorts the people to obedience Jos 23.14 and Chap. 24. So David when he was dying professeth his faith in Gods promises and declares the different state of the wicked 2 Sam. 23. beginning and instructs his son Solomon 1 Kin. 2.2 Blessed Stephen made a sweet end praying for his enemies Act. 7. latter end So blessed Peter about to put off his tabernacle ceaseth not to give good instructions and exhortations 2 Pet. 1.13 14 15. Such serious discourses of dying Christians as they instruct by standers and make deepest impressions upon their spirits so they afford abundance of comfort to living Friends to see so blessed a departure But if it fell out otherwise with thy Godly-Friend Consider for thy comfort That these frenzies and raving unseemly speeches and carriage if they proceeded onely from the person while sick did not proceed ex animo but ex animi morbo they proceeded not so much from the person as from his distemper fuming up into the brain or from want of sleep c. So it was with Job that God boasts of for his Servant as a Nonsuch Job 1.8 2.3 when he was sadly diseased in body he was sadly distemper'd in mind for in chap. 3. he curseth the day of his birth and chap. 6. so chap. 9. wisheth God would destroy him and cut him off And Job 13.14 like a mad-man he takes his flesh in his teeth And chap. 16.9 he said God hated him What unseemly speeches and carriage were in this good man in the time of his sickness So David under bodily distemper said he was cut off Psal 31.10 22 compared Asaph behaves himself as strangely see Psal 77.7 c. but these desperat words proceded from him in his sickness v. 2. Such speeches as these proceed not from the disposition of the heart but from the distemper of the head lightness of the phansie caused by the distemper of the body Mr. Smith's Essex-Dove T. 3. p. 143. A Christian may dye saith a Godly Divine of so strange a disease of the Flux Burning-Ague Stone Convulsion when either the Choler shooting up into the head or the disease working furiously upon the tender vital parts the party may dye strangely talk idely c. nay he may have his face and mouth drawn awry yet for all this be a dear Child of God Some may dye of an Apoplexy or dead Palsy in which case a man shall have his senses benum'd so as he may dye like a block without shew of judgment or reason yet may be in a blessed state For though the state of his body be changed yet the state of his mind and soul remains untouched August Tom. 9. de Disciplin c. 2. We may conclude for our comfort as St. Austine saith Non potest malè mori qui benè vixerit Audéo dicere non potest-malè mori qui benè vixerit I dare say it and say it again that he cannot die ill that hath lived well Another cryes out 9th Apology answered This Friend of mine was much tortured with his disease Oh the sad casts of his countenance how did he tumble and toss upon the bed of languishment without any intervals of rest nothing could tempt his eyes to let their curtains down Groans and sighs and sobs were his soul's passing-bell There was a sad parting betwixt soul and body And this troubles me Answ Indeed many are sore troubled to consider God should deal so severely with their relations in the time of their sickness They cannot chuse but sympathize with them and sadly reflect upon the groans and pains of deceased Friends But Consider 1. God is absolute Lord over all his creatures and his dispensations towards them are various God deals with some as with Enoch he takes them away and they hardly see or feel death whereas many others as dear to him are with Elijah carrâ—ed to Heaven as it were in a fiery-Chariot and by a Whirlwind Luther Abel Redivivus in Life of Luther without any bodily pain that could be discerned departed this life whereas Calvin was miserably wrack'd before he dyed having the Gout Feaver and Cholick all at one time Nah. 1.3 The Lord hath his way in the Whirlwind We cannot give a reason of all God's dealings towards the sons of men but considering he is absolute Lord over all his creatures this is reason sufficient we should submit unto him 2. Consid Thy Friend dyed not so cruel a death as many of God's dear Servants have done Christ himself dyed the death of the Cross which was a painful as well as a shameful death Phil. 2.6 7 8. Heb. 12.2 Naboth was stoned 1 Kin. 21.13 so was Zacharias 2 Chron. 24.22 and the Protomartyr St. Stephen Act. 7.59 You
I know there is a kind of bastard counterfeit patience which as one saith ariseth from the natural constitution whereby the heat not abounding too much the man is not so prone as some others to choler and discontent but useth his reason in ordering of himself and bears what he cannot avoid but this is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the shadow and picture of true patience which indeed is an herb of Grace not growing in Natures Garden or if you will it is a Slip taken from the Tree of Life and planted in the Soul by the finger of God it is of an heavenly extract or descent from God as well as Faith Phil. 1.29 Men naturally meek good natures as we call them may bear a little but not enough nor in a right manner nor to right ends without the supernatural work of patience The Apostle placeth it amongst the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 23. Well then If any man be afflicted let him pray Jam. 5.13 Let him under loss of Friends or any other Affliction lay open his sad condition before God in prayer as a man opens his mind to his Friend So did Hannah 1 Sam. 1.12 and then with her ver 18. he may in time come from prayer and his countenance no be more sad The End of the First Part. Deo gratias A Funeral Handkerchief The Second Part. Containing severall Uses which we ought to make of the Death of Friends By Thomas Allestree M. A. Rector of Ashow in the County of Warwick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nocumenta documenta Hear the Rod and who hath appointed it Mic. 6.9 So teach us to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom Psal 90.12 LONDON Printed for the Author Anno Dom. 1671. To that Worthy Gentleman and my much esteemed Kinsman Mr. William Allestree Living in Darby Grace and Peace be multiplied Dear Sir DIvine Providence hath deprived you of many dear Friends and Relations amongst others he hath taken away your Religious Parents and lately your dear * Mâ—is Frances Lorymore Wife the choicest under heaven of all your outward Possessions and Delights made nearer unto you by Marriage than either Father or Mother I call her one of Gods Jewels such there are Mal. 3.17 she was little of stature but of great worth She was a Great Fortune but which is more considerable she was an huge good person She was a constant frequenter of the Ordinances a strict observer of the Sabbath her Family-devotion was great and her secret ejaculations fervent and constant She was meek modest chaste courteous charitable patient humble c. These and the like Virtues came streaming into her Soul from the Fountain of Divine Grace She was no scoffing Michal nor you a churlish Nabal The onely strife betwixt you was this which should shew most dearness and tenderness so pleasing was your deportment each to other that one would think one Soul animated two Bodyes You did never grieve her Spirit but by your excessive grief to see her in that extreamity of She dyed in child-bed pain which with greatest care you could not remedy and with admirable patience and Christian courage she chearfully underwent She was not afraid of Death Though she loved her Husband as dearly as any Christian ought to do yet she loved him much less than her Saviour and she knew that Death would bring her to an happy sight of him and I doubt not but she is with him whom her soul longed for What remains sweet Sir but that you look upon your self at least as half dead and become a most serious and mortified man I know when God first snatched this precious Jewel out of your bosom you were sadly affected with your loss indeed her Funerals were celebrated with great solemnity with many a weeping eye and sorrowful heart let not sensual delights make you to forget it Labour to get good by this affliction Let her Memory be still pretious with you not for adoration leave that foppery to the Papists but for imitation And that you may make a right use of this and such like losses which have and may still befal you let me entreat you to peruse this following Treatise to which I take the boldness to prefix your Name to testify my thankfulness for former Favours and to declare to the world That I am SIR Yours unfainedly T. Allestree Ashow March 3d. 1670. A Funeral Handkerchief Part 2. CHAP. I. Containing several Uses which we ought to make of the Death of Friends SAint Austin cryed out against some who did not profit by afflictions August de Civit. Dei lib. 2 cap. 33. Perdidistis utilitatem calamitatis Ye have lost the benefit of your affliction Christians should improve cross Providences to their spiritual advantage Sad it is when as Salvian Salvian lib. 7. de Cub Dei p. 231. complains Curâ ipsâ deteriores sumus we are made worse by that which should make us better It is with Spiritual as with bodily Physick if it makes us not better it leaves us worse than we were before I shall therefore Courteous Reader for thy spiritual benefit shew thee what Use ought to be made of the Death of Friends which discourse like the Wine in the Gospel John 2.10 though it come now at last yet through God's blessing may be best of all And here my Prayer is That my Doctrine may drop as the Rain my speech distil as the Dew as the small Rain upon the tender Herb and as the Showers upon the Grass Deut. 32.2 Now if you would make a right Use and spiritual improvement of the Death of Friends and Relations you must Use 1 1. Eye the hand of God in such losses Gods Providence reacheth to all worldly occurrences Not a Sparrow falls to the ground nor an Hair from our Heads without the will of our heavenly Father Mat. 10.29.30 Of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen Rom. 11.36 God worketh all things after the Counsel of his own will Ephes 1.11 There is no evil befalls us but God hath a hand in it Amos 3.6 Shall there be evil in a City he speaks of malum culpae of the evil of punishment and the Lord hath not done it God is the appointer of the Rod as the Prophet Micah tells us Mic. 6.9 In particular God hath an hand in loss of Friends as I shewed at large in the former Treatise and therefore under such losses look up to God and give him the glory of all The Psalmist Psal 28.5 there threatens with destruction all such as regard not the works of the Lord nor the operation of his hands So Isa 26.11 Lord saith the Prophet when thine hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed It is a most grievous sin when people do like the Dog snap at the stone forgetting the hand of him that sent it It is a
mind him of his mortality and keep him temperate in the use of Gods good Creatures Oh consider thou wretched Epicure that thy pamper'd body will shortly be a most noysome Corps Job 24.20 The Worm shall feed sweetly on it Consider the pleasures of sin are but for a season Heb. 11.25 Thou mayest hear that voice this present hour in the midst of Drinking Dancing Feasting Gaming Whoring c. which Pope Innocentius the 4th heard in his Court and was found dead the next day Veni miser ad judicium Come thou wretch to judgment Use 10 10. Let death of Friends give a check to pride and ambition * Dr. Stuarts Cathol Divin pag. 150. Some say The hand of a dead man stroaking the part cures the Tympany Methinks the spectacles of mortality presented so frequently before us should asswage the swelling of pride that is within us Who would be proud of popular applause which is indeed but a fancy for so Agrippa's pomp is called Acts 25.23 Orig. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did he consider his own mortality Herod would not have erected the plumes of pride as he did when the people flattered him had he looked on himself as a mortal man and that he should be so soon eaten up of Worms the vilest of Creatures Acts 12.21 22 23. Who would be proud of beauty considering if Deaths Hand do but touch the best complection'd Persons like the * Contacto◠cinerescunt Apples of Sodom they drop speedily into dust and ashes Who would be proud of Gifts and Parts seeing the Wise Man dies as well as the Fool Psal 49.10 Who would be proud of stately and pleasant Houses considering shortly he must be housed in dark and dankish rooms under ground Job 17.13 Who would be proud of his Pedigree considering he must say ere long to corruption Thou art my Father and to the worm Thou art my Mother and my Sister Job 17.14 Who would be proud of Apparel which must shortly be laid aside Or who would be proud of Riches which must be left at death and we know not to whom Psal 39.6 Who would be ambitious of great swelling titles as your Worship your Honour your Grace your Excellency your Greatness your Highness c. considering that the Greatest die and their Titles with them and their Glory will not descend after them Psal 49.17 Ambition like a blazing Comet portends no good and in a while vanisheth and comes to nothing How unbefitting a thing is it for man to be daily aspiring who is daily expiring to soar so high who must lie so low even under the feet of those whom he desires to tread upon Ahasuerus that could reckon 127 Provinces under his command Esth 1.1 had but about seven foot Sepulchre at most being dead And Alexander that sweated within the compass of the world as too narrow for him Aestuat infoelix angusto limite mundi Juvenal Sat. 10. Yet being dead had but a little patch of ground to contain his Body and that was with much difficulty obtained There is indeed some odds betwixt men whilst living in respect of birth education wealth wit alliance honour beauty c. yet to pull down the top-sail of pride man should consider that the same God made us all Job 31.15 Mal. 2.10 and of the same matter and we all at last return alike to the same earth Gen. 3.19 Eccl. 12.7 There is no odds amongst dead men Respice sepulchra vide quis servus quis dominus quis dives quis pauper discerne si potes vinctum a Rege fortem a debili pulchrum a deformi * Aug. lib. de nat et grat Aust Take a view of the Graves of men and you shall find all there have a like hollow eyes flat noses ghastly looks noysom scents c. there Dives cannot be distinguished from Lazarus nor beautiful Rachel from blear-ey'd Leah At a game of Chess as a learned * Doctor observes we see Kings and Queens and Bishops †Dr. Stuart's Catholic Divinity pag. 151 152. and Knights upon the board and they have their several walks and contest one with another in points of state and honour but when the game is done all together with the pawns are shuffled in one bag In like manner in this life men appear in different garbes and take diverse courses some are Kings some are Officers some Bishops some Knights some of other ranks and orders But when this life like a game is done which is sometimes sooner sometimes later all are shuffled together with the many or vulgar sort of people and lie in darkness and obscurity All their pomp is brought down to the grave and the worms shall cover them Isa 14.11 To shut up this point A proud man is a vain supercilious bubble that swells for a while and danceth about with a splendid gaiety upon the surface of the waters but presently disappears and is seen no more Who would then boast himself with Theudas to be some body Act. 5.36 or with Simon-Magus look upon himself as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 8.9 some grand Magnifico whereas in his best state he is but altogether vanity Psal 39.5 Use 11 11. Let death of Friends be a Cordial to keep you from fainting under any affliction You see Friends die daily assure your self ere long your turn will come and by death you shall be delivered from all your sorrows A Christian may say with Jacob Gen. 47.9 Few and evil have the dayes of the years of my life been This is Jacobs Arithmetick he casting the account of his days tells you they were by substraction and diminution Few by addition and multiplication full of evil Indeed Psal 34.19 Many are the afflictions of the Righteous The Latin word Quies which signifies rest wanteth the plural number for there is little rest in this world A good man meets with contempt from the world temptations from the Devil assaults from the flesh sometimes with rebukes from God checks from Conscience with spiritual desertions with poverty sickness reproach c. like a Ship sayling on the Sea of this world no sooner is he freed from one waye but he is immediatly lifted up by another but when he dyes he is safely landed on the shoar in the haven of Heaven above a state of misery and mortality too Old Chaucer's Epitaph is a good one * Manch Al. Mond p. 61. Mors aerumnarum requies Death puts an end to all sorrow We may write upon the Grave-stone of a Spiritual Pilgrim Hic mortuus requiescit semel Qui vivus requievit nunquam Death is a Sleep and the Coffin a Couch In quo illé mollius dormit quisquis durius in hâc vità se gèsserit Ambros The Sepulcher is a place of rest for the Antients called it Requietorium or Dormitorium And the Prophet Isaiah calleth it a Bed Isa 57.2 They shall rest in their Beds Men being hard-work't all day sleep sweetly at night So
on Luk. 7.12 13. p. 13. Dr. saith Their less confirmed constitution is sooner discomposed and out of temper Their fresher blood is more susceptive of infection their warmer and agil spirits more easily blown up into a feaverish heat and flame Infectious Distempers as Plague Measels Small-Pox c. soonest seize on the purest Complexions and speedily overturn the best-built structures of Nature The purest Fruit soonest perisheth When Jonah's Gourd was fullest of Sap and Verdure then the Worm smites it and it is gone Strong Cedars sturdy Oaks are hewen down when Death layes the Ax to the Root of the Tree Great Zerxes wept to think that the strength of his Army could not keep Death out of his Quarters If thou beest as strong as Sampson or David's three Worthies whom you read of in 2 Sam. 23.8 yet sickness may soon weaken thee and Death lay thee flat on thy back 2. Some measure their life by the lives of others as their Neighbours and their own Kindred They see many Neighbours older than they by many years and besides their Father is alive and Grandfather lived long Their Generation used to be long-liv'd and therefore they reckon on many years But this is deceitful reckoning for young men die as well as those that are striken in years see Job 21.23 24 25 26. So Job 36.14 They die in youth So Jer. 9.21 Death is come up into our Windows and is entered in at our Palaces to cut off the Children from without and the young Men from the streets Old Age is a Distemper that very few in comparison die of And though your Father be alive and your Grandfather lived long yet many times Children die before their Parents Gen. 11.28 Haran died before his Father Terah Absalom out-lived all his Children Naomi lived to see her Children buried as well as her Husband Ruth 1.5 So did Job Job 1.18 19. To end this The Sons of Jacob as * Mr. Fuller in his Comment on some of Ruth one observes when they came to the Table of Joseph sat down the eldest according to his Age and the youngest according to his Youth Gen. 43.33 But Death observes not this method he takes not Men in seniority but sometimes sends them first to their Burial that came last from the Birth and those that came last from the Womb first to their Winding-sheet 3. Some think they shall live long because they are temperate and chast Intemperance doubtless destroys many Plures gulâ quà m gladio More perish by gluttony than by the Sword Multos morbos multa fecerunt fercula Seneca Epist 95. And drunkenness is destructive to the bodies of those that delight in it Prov. 23.29 30. Whence come Dropsies Gouts Feavers Rheums and such like Distempers but usually from excess in eating and drinking Lasciviousness and excessive wantonness is likewise an impairer of strength Prov. 5.11 so Prov. 31.5 But yet the most temperate and chast men may die soon For these are very subject to infectious Maladies neither are they priviledged from manifold chances and unexpected surprisals which may suddenly put an end to life 4. and lastly Others because they have been sick and are recovered they hope to see many dayes But alas how ordinary are relapses into the same distemper that men think they are recovered of And those relapses as Physitians say and Experience doth witness most dangerous But if a man be perfectly recovered of one distemper how ordinary is it for that man to fall irrecoverably into another Ambros. de Obitu fratris 3 Tom. p. 16. Satyrus St. Ambrose's Brother returned from Africk by a perilous Voyage for he suffered shipwrack and escaped drowning very narrowly by swimming yet having escaped so great a danger within a short t me after his arrival and return to his Friends fell sick and died amongst them If you escape one danger you know not how soon you may fall into another If you recover of one distemper you are but reprieved for how short a time God only knows O courteous Reader deceive thy self no longer Death like a Mole is secretly undermining thee Thou art far nearer Death and the Grave than thou art aware of Consider 1. How many Diseases thou art subject to which like so many Worms lie gnawing at the Tree of Life The very eye as some Oculists observe hath above sixty Diseases attending it Innumerable then must the diseases be which the whole body is subject unto This Body of ours which is fearfully and wonderfully made Psal 139.14 like a curious Watch is soon out of order and oft-times Physicians with all their skill cannot mend it again Non est in medico semper relevetur ut aeger Ovid de Pont. Lib. 1. Eleg. 4. Interdum doctá plus valet arte malum Some mens Bodies are ground to pieces with the Stone some destroyed with the Epilepsie See Mr. Ley's Sermon on Jam. 4.14 or an Imposthume which insensibly gathers to an head breaks in a moment and stops the breath of mans Bosom or stifles the spirits of his Brain Some Bodies are blown up with the Cholick or Illiaca Passio Some eaten up insensibly by a Consumption some drowned with the Dropsie some burnt with a Feaver And indeed many new Diseases break forth amongst us which puzzle Physitians not only how to cure them but how to call them These bodily Distempers are as so many warning-pieces which God many times shoots off before he send his murdering-piece 2. De civit Dei lib. 22 cap. 22. Consider the manifold chances which may befal thee Quid de innumeris casibus qui forinsecùs corpori formidantur Aug. There are casual mishaps as well as Diseases innumerable which may prove destructive to life We all receive life but one way viz. by Generation but we may lose it many * Mille modis morimur Sen. l. 7. 1. Controvers wayes As we see in a Garden-Pot the Water is poured in but at one place viz. the narrow mouth but it runs out at an hundred holes If we ride on Horseback the Horse may start or stumble and cast us that we may rise no more Absaloms Mule running from under him hastned his destruction 2 Sam. 18.9 c. If we walk on foot we may take immoderate heats and colds which may bring with them incurable Distempers Thieves and Robbers may surprize us wound us and leave us for dead Luke 10.30 Some Beast or other may kill us as the disobedient Prophet was slain with a Lyon 1 Kings 13.24 Or a Drunkard worse then a Beast enraged by strong drink Prov. 20.1 may speedily dispatch us Walking in the streets a piece of Timber a Stone or Tile from an House may suddenly fall upon thee and strike thee dead As a piece of a Mill-stone thrown from a Tower broke the Skull of Abimelech Judg. 9.53 D. Stuarts Catholick Divinity p. 163. Martial makes mention of one that was kill'd with the fall of an Ice-sicle which caused
spent her youthful dayes amongst Ruffians and debauched Companions If thou thinkest the flower of thine Age too good to give God may justly think the dregs of it too bad to receive How canst thou reasonably think that God should take pleasure in those dayes of which thou thy self wilt say Thou hast no pleasure in them Eccles 12.1 2 Sam. 19.35 'T is task sufficient for old Age to bear up under the infirmities of it Preparation for Death in old Age or sickness is usually weak and sickly like the party and proceeds rather from fear than love How kindly doth God take it when we dedicate the firstling of our years to his service Jer. 2.2 I remember thee saith God the kindness of thy youth Youthful bodies are most active and strong and so most fit for the Service of God who is a Spirit a pure Act and a living God He whose Name is I Am Exod. 3.14 cares not for such as say They will be but are not Now Courteous Reader what I have here spoken is out of a good intent not to drive any to despair but to prevent presumption Well then as Abraham rose early in the morning to sacrifice his Son Gen. 22.3 so let us early in the morning of youth sacrifice our sins or dedicate our selves both Soul and Body to God's Service 2. Ardenter 2. Put the forementioned Directions into practice Earnestly This God calls for Luk. 13.24 Strive to enter in at the strait Gate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Cornelius a Lap. in locum Quasi in agone contendite extremas summasque vires velut agonizantes exerite Strive as Wrestlers do put to all their strength so the word signiffes We should give diligence to make our Calling and Election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 Yea all diligence v. 5. Thou hast commanded us saith David Psal 119.4 to keep thy Precepts diligently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valde that is with all diligence and watchfulness and earnest endeavour So Dr. Hammond in Loc. Nay we are not only to give diligence but to put forth holy violence Mat. 11.12 Luke 6.16 The twelve Tribes are said to serve God instantly day and night Acts 26.7 Orig. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a kind of extension or vehemencie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sig Omnibus viribus vehementer prolixe liberaliter toto animo Cornel. a Lap. in 1 Pet. 1.22 St. Paul tells you what he did Phil. 3.13 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Like a man running a race he press'd forward stretch'd forth his Neck and Arms and ran swiftly towards the Mark. True Christians are called lively stones 1 Pet. 2.5 They are compared to stones for solidity and stability but called Lively Stones for their Zeal and Activity Lazy wishes and luke-warm desires will not serve our turn Numb 23.10 He lies under the prophetick Curse that doth the Work of the Lord negligently Jer. 48.10 All that we do for God without zeal is but opus operatum meer performance of the Work which can no more ascend to Heaven than Vapours from the Still unless there be fire under it as a worthy * Mr. Ward in Serm. on Rev. 3.19 Divine tells us Dulness Drowsiness Luke-warmness is unsutable to the work of the Lord. We should serve him with most awakened affections and most serious intentions of Spirit Deut. 11 13. Mat. 22.37 God hath threatned to spue the luke-warm out of his mouth Rev. 3.15 16. Some say that Speech is drawn from warm-water which the stomach cannot by any means brook so God cannot away with luke-warm persons Gregory somewhere saith It is better to be cold than luke-warm in Religion not because the luke-warm person sins more hainously but because he is reclaimed more hardly Dum enim se sanum putet medicinae opem non quaerit Marlor A cursed formality or customary performance of duties without fervent love to them undoes many and renders the Times so perillous 2 Tim. 3.5 Having a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 form of Godliness but denying the Power from such turn away Let us then with Caleb follow God fully Numb 14.24 And as Barnabas exhorted Let us with full purpose of heart cleave unto the Lord Acts 11.23 As Peter and John strove which should come first to our Savious Sepulchre Joh. 20.4 so let us strive which should attain first to true mortification of sin Let us strive to out-strip one another in goodness * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is a commendable contention The greatness of the Work calleth for our greatest endeavours We have many Duties to perform many Graces to get many Sins to subdue and conquer The manifold opposition which we meet with in our way to Heaven from the World the Flesh and the Devil should make us active 1 Cor. 16.13 Ephes 6.10 11 12 13. 1 Pet. 5.8 9. Former mispence of time should put us upon a more diligent improvement of it for the future Ephes 5.16 1 Pet. 4.3 4. Vespatian an Heathen lamented the loss of a day wherein he had done no remarkable service Heu diem perdidi was his word Alas I have lost a day We have let slip many days without doing good squandred away many precious opportunities not to be regained Let us improve time whilst we have it with the best diligence we can shortly we would be glad to have it that we might improve it If God would but vouchsafe to the damned creatures a little time of tryal here on earth again how eagerly would they accept it how holily would they spend it like those Creatures mentioned Ezek. 1.14 They would run and return as the apperance of a flash of Lightning They would Angel-like be upon the Wing ready to fly upon the hardest Errand God should send them about But alas their Glass is run and shall never be turned more The Door of Mercy is shut against them their possibilities are ended Let us be wise in time and work whilst we may for when the Night of Death comes no man can work John 9.4 Stella in Luk. 13.24 Nunc ergà poenitentiam age nè praeoccupatus die mortis quaeras locum quando invenire non possis The wise Man makes this consideration a Whetstone to Industry Eccles 9.10 Whatever thy hand finds to do do it with all thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave whither thou goest If thy Work be not done when Death comes thou'lt be undone for ever for there will be no second Edition of thy Life to alter or amend what is done amiss Nicodemus's saying according to the flesh is true John 3.4 No man can enter the second time into his Mothers Womb and be born O then be not remiss and negligent in matters of such consequence Let us pray in good earnest repent in sober sadness let us put on Christ's Vertues by imitation and his Merits by application with as much diligence as may be Old men especially
to perform God sent us not into the World as he did the * Psalm 104.26 Leviathan into the Sea to take our sport and pastime therein but he sent us hither as into a School to learn this one Lesson to die well Yet alas how negligent are most as if unconcerned herein This great concern is the least of their care Tell them of preparing for Death and they are ready to put us off as Felix did Paul Acts 24.25 Go thy way for this time when I have a convenient season I will call for thee but we never read that he call'd for him after I shall therefore Courteous Reader lay before thee some Considerations to move thee to prepare thy self for Death according to the forementioned Directions And here I have a large field before me but as the Disciples passing through the Field of Corn pluckt onely an ear or two and rubbed them in their hands so shall I content my self with three Considerations amongst many and handle them as briefly as I can with conveniency First then Consider 1 1. By this means thou shalt live comfortably 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and Godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the World Rejoycing and working Righteousness is put together Isa 64.5 What joy and peace is there in believing Rom. 15.13 If the Angels in Heaven rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner as the Scripture affirms Luk. 15.7 10. surely the joy of a sinner converted must needs be very great in his heart How can it otherwise be For such an one is reconciled to God his sins are pardoned whereupon follows peace with God and rejoycing in hope of the Glory of God as you may see Rom. 5.1 2. And this peace of Conscience passeth all understanding Phil. 4.7 It is joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 A continual Banquet together with the joy of the Harvest and of such as divide the spoyl are but dark representations of it Prov. 15.15 Isa 9.3 This is Manna in the Wilderness a foretaste and earnest of future Jubilees such an one is even in the Suburbs of Heaven so that the Term of a godly mans life who is continually fitting himself for Death may be truly called Hilary Term for a pure Christal Torrent of Divine Joy comes streaming into his Soul from the God of all comfort What should such an one fear Of whom should he be afraid At what should he be dismaid If he lives he lives to the Lord if he dies he dies in the Lord Living or dying he is the Lords Rom. 14.8 Object But do not we see those who take most pains in fitting themselves for Death most sad and sorrowful mourning for their own and other mens sins do they not meet with most trouble and afflictions so that their lives of all men are most uncomfortable Answ A carnal man can no more judge of a good mans condition than a pur-blind man can of Colours He is not acquainted with a good mans joy Prov. 14.10 The righteous have meat to eat which the World knows not of They have hidden Manna secret joy 2 Cor. 6.10 As sorrowful yet alwayes rejoycing Their weeping for their own and other mens sins Est quedam flere voluptas makes way for spiritual comfort As April-showers refresh the face of the Earth When the Righteous have been shedding tears at the Throne of Grace they oft arise from their knees with their hearts brim full of comfort If they meet with outward trouble as the Waves encrease so doth the Ark of Comfort arise above these Waves See 2 Cor. 1.3 4 5. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Mercies and the God of all Comfort who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God for as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ We read Acts 5.41 how the Apostles rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer When Saint Paul was in that great storm at Sea Acts 27. When neither Sun nor Stars in many dayes appeared vers 20. In the midst of that danger his Soul was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in a quiet Haven Dr. Boreman in Serm. on Phil. 3.20 p. 33. even in the bosom of God In that great darkness he had a light within the light of joy and comfort because God was with and in him I end this with that of Solomon Prov. 29.6 In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare that strangleth his joy but the Righteous doth sing and rejoyce Consider 2 2. By this means you may die comfortably A man who in his life-time hath been fitting himself for death is not afraid of it when God shall please to send it He can say Come Death come Lord Jesus come and well-come He can say to Death as Adonijah did to Jonathan the Son of Abiathar the Priest 1 King 1.42 Come in for thou art a valiant man and bringest good tydings He knows Death sets his Soul at liberty out of the Prison of the Body as the Angel did Peter out of Prison Acts 12.7 Upon the sight of Death his Spirit revives as Jacob's did when he saw the Wagons that were sent to carry him from a place of penury and misery to a place of plenty and happiness Gen 45.27 When Moses the Servant of the Lord had finisht his course God bids him Go up and die in the Mount Deut. 32.49 50. Deut. 34.5 It is there said He died according to the Word of the Lord secundum os Domini The Jews say that his Soul was suckt out of his mouth with a kiss God dealt by him as a fond Nurse by her Babe kissed him and laid him down to sleep Elijah requests God to take away his life 1 King 19.4 Aged Simeon like a Swan welcomed his approaching death with this melodious Song Sapientis animus totus in mortem prominet hoc vult hoc meditatur hac semper cupidine fertur Sen. ad Marcium c. 23. Nunc dimittis c. Luke 2.29 Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy Word c. St. Paul cries out Cupio dissolvi Phil. 1.23 I desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better St. Ambrose ready to depart said to his Friends Non sic vixi ut me pudent inter vos vivere sed nec mori timeo quia bonum Dominum habemus He was neither ashamed to live nor afraid to die Old Hilarion being somewhat backward at first to entertain Death he checkt himself for his vain fears Egredore anima quid times Septuaginta annos servivisti Deo jam mori times Egredere Anima Go out my Soul said he what fearest thou Thou hast served God these threescore years and ten