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A48788 Dying and dead mens living words published by Da. Lloyd. Lloyd, David, 1635-1692. 1668 (1668) Wing L2637; ESTC R23995 67,095 218

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for the propagation of it than live up to it and to shew they had no design in different Countries times interests professions Languages and abilities die for it 7. Of the wisdom of being serious and religious considering there is no inconvenience in being so nay to be sober temperate just loving humble faithful which is to be religious c. are things that carry along with them a great deal of convenience in this world and a great necessity of being so if here be as no man is sure there is not another world I say upon serious considerations of this the like nature our noble Lord looking through and beyond all that is in this world and of all that makes up this frame and scene of things finding nothing likely to stay with him during his everlasting state but grace virtue true goodness came up to these noble thoughts which as true goodness is communicative he thought the great interest of a Careless world to know ponder the rather because all men arrive at these sentiments at last why will they not brace them at first Ah why will any rational man live in those things wherein no rational man dares dye if irreligious courses be bad why do you why doth any ingenious person rashly enter upon them If good why do all men sooner or later soberly renounce them What is the reason that men of understanding buy repentance so dear when there is not a man who doth not in his latter yeares sadly reflect upon those things which in his younger dayes he so much pleased himself in No other can be imagined than this that we embrace evil courses and neglect good by fancy opinion and lust the worst judges of things for many yeares the first whereof we loath and the second we love at last by experience the best and but that sin is folly and doth infatuate as well as defile would any thing indued with reason make that matter of pleasure which every body for these 6000 years hath upon tryal the best ground of knowledge found matter of grief or that a matter of scorn which all the world hath experirienced the only matter of comfort It s sad that after Eusebius his learned demonstrations Iustin Martyrs stout and successeful Apologies Tertullians pressing and close Discourses Clemens Alexandrinus his various Learning his Scholar Origens sweet and powerful reasonings Minutius and Arnobius nervous 〈◊〉 acuté Tractates Lactantius that Christian Cicero's flowing arguments the School-mens convincing reasons besides the satisfactory and useful labours of Ludovicus Vives the Lord Du Plessis Grotius Amyrald Ficinus Stilling fleet c. of the reasonableness of religion any should hazzard their reason interest so far as to make tryal whether is better a religious or an irreligious life but it is much sadder that after a tryal of so many thousand years as have been since the Creation and every man that had the use of his reason either while he lived in the world or when he departed from the world leaving behind him this testimony that nothing repented him but the evil he had committed and nothing pleased him but the good he had done Of the thousands whose death we have seen or heard what one person though never so much besotted ever recommended a debauched life to those that stood about him ready to gather his last breath as desireable nay earnestly as they loved him or themselves by his own sad example warned them not from it as mischievous What one man in the world repented of a good life yea with teares for his own miscarriages did not with all the arguments imaginable exhort to it I say it is much sadder that after the experience of all men that went before us any man should be able so far to suppress his reason as to fall into that snare and pit of licenciousness that all men before him warn him of What advantage have we of living after others and observing in their History that however they lived they died piously if we become Histories our selves and g●ve others occasion to say the same things of us that we did of our fore fathers all the miscarriages in Arts and Sciences in War peace in Laws and Government found by experience inconvenient we have cast off retaining only those of life and manners What is more an argument against or for any thing than experience And what experience can be in this world more than that of mens whole lives And what declaration can there be more solemn than that of dying men Soules even almost separate just freeing themselves from the burden of the body and inlightned with the approaches of God An holy desire of a religious death is not the pang the humor the fancy the fear of some men but the serious wish of all many having lived wickedly very few in their senses died so Sect. 1. § 1. For upon this occasion having recollected the ends of most men of whom either the Scripture of prophane History hath made mention I find besides the many Scripture instances as 1. of Adams being ashamed and affrighted with the guilt of sin Gen. 3. 4 5. as soon as he had injoyed the pleasure of it and leaving to his posterity besides seven rules of a serious religion this caution as the Iews report it that no man would sin if he saw from the beginning to the end of things 2. Cain who though he is said by the Talmudist Ruzzia to challenge his brother to the field upon this assertion that there was no other world and no everlasting reward to those that did well or punishment to them that did ill yet overcoming his brother he was overcome of that great truth of an everlasting state owned by him for fear of which he trembled being as the most jolly sinners are all his life time in bondage for fear of death He that stabbed half the world● at a blow could not command the dictates of conscience which make them who are without Law a Law to themselves so far as to kill the Worm that shall never die 3. Lamech had no sooner committed the sin of Cain whether upon Cain's own person or upon some other cannot and need not be decided but he lived all his dayes under the fear of his punishment for Gen. 4. 23 24. Lamech said to his Wives when in all probability there were none he needed to fear but them and God Adah and Zillah hear my voice ye Wives of Lamech hearken to my speech for I have slain a man to my wounding and a young man to my hurt if Cain shall be avenged seven fold truly Lamech shall be avenged seveny times seavenfold Insomuch that men convinced by these instances of the power of a natural conscience began then as it followeth in the text to call on the Name of the Lord verse 36. So I understand the word with Iosephus Archaio the best Antiquary in this case R. Eliezer in Maase-Beresithe c. 22.
to their Fathers they are gathered to a future state 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Procopius interprets that phrase Mundum Animarum the World of Soules as the Iews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nay where Religion hath been much corrupted people have been affraid to speak or doe any unhansom thing near the dead before they were buried because they thought their Souls fluttred about the bodies till they were laid in their graves and would tell all they saw or heard as soon as they came into the invisible state Bar. Nachomi in Beresheth Rabb c. 22. Talm. sandedrin c. 4. misdrain de anim Nadab Abihu Naboth Homer● Il. A late learned man of our own observing a new notion of She● in Maimonides D. Dub. l● 2. of which he saith we had ha● a greater account if learning ha● not lost 12000. excellent Jewi● books at Cremona and othe● parts of Italy hath this remar●●able passage out of R. Sam. Eb●● Tibbor an old man dying said 〈◊〉 those about him that he had be●● asleep all his life and that he w●● now awake and there was 〈◊〉 sloath ease and folly but in th● world whose words the Auth●● concludeth in these words ● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. but ● you throughly weigh these thing and what did he see when awaked even an eternal state of which Hippocrates saith Dedi●eta that which the common people think is born comes only out of the invisible state 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are his words and what they think is dead goeth only into that state whence they came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the eternal circle of things returning to one as they came from one as Musaeus writes the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Pythagoras and the Rota in aeternum ●ircum-voluta in R. Ionas his Porta poenit fol. 42. Nay that great man among the Heathens whom Hierocles makes a paralel to Christ among the Christians Apollonius Tyaneus perswaded Valerian in a letter to him to be seen in Cujacius his pretended latine version that the dead were not to be lamented for they exchanged not company but place Plato calleth death somewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by going to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first being whom he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the God to be feared by all Clemens Strom. 3. p. 433. brings in an old man out of Pindar giving this reason of his cheerful death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c happy is he who having seen the common course of this upper world goeth into the lower● where he may understand the en● of Life and see the beginning o● it Another sick man is mentione● by Salmasius somewhere wh● could not quietly dye till he un●derstood what the meaning w●● of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Homer D●●mus porta Lethi the house an● gate of Hell in Lucretius Virg● and Ennius and that some know●ing men of that time being b● answered him that he could no● know it because he had not pu●●ged his Soul this being one of th● misteries that were not to be u●●derstood by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men that had not made it their business to purge their Souls vid. Casaub. excerp ex codice Caesar the pure among the Jews and Greeks understanding the two everlasting Seats of the Vertuous and the Vitious R. Eliaz in Pirk. c. 3. Gaulman not ad vit mosis the one North and the other South where the Souls of good men after three tryals being freed from all their bonds leap for joy and are carried on high Diodorus Siculus placeth the judgement of the unjust and the enjoyment of the just in the invisible state whereof Rabban Iochanan Ben. Saccai in Gemar Berachoth fol. 27. 2. as he was a dying said he had before his eyes two ways the one leading to Paradise and the other to Hell the last of which places is represented by all the world as full of tortures furies called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Plut. de defect Orac. See the same notions in the Talmud or heap of disputations like those of our School-men upon the Jewish Law Tract Rosh Hashannah c. 1. fol. 16. p. 2. See Maymon well skilled in both Talmuds in cap. 10. Sanderim See R. Abdias Spharnus the great Physitian in or Hashem p. 91. Nobly describing the bliss of good men after death The book of Moses his life fol. 23● p. 2. brings in God encouraging Moses to dye by the same description of Heaven and the everlasting happiness of good men in it tha● Pindar hath in the 2. Ode of hi● Olympiads concerning the blessed and that is the same with Sain● Iohn Revel 21. 21. 25 7. ult 21● And Moses chiding his Soul fo● its delay in going into the Societ● of Cherubims and Seraphims u●●der the throne of the Divine M●●jesty of which Ioseph Ben Perat R. Mekir in Aukath Rochel R. Ephodi in D. Dub. c. 70. R. Shem. Tobh Eben Esdra R. D. kimchi that King of Gram deadly enemy of Christianity in Psal. 110. R sal Ben. Gabirol the famous Jewish Poet in Kether Malcuth whose words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the seating of just Souls under the throne of glory in the bundle of life with a state of perfection is the futurum aevum the future state into which R. Ionah ben Levi in his Tikune Sockar fol. 63. Col. 1. et 2. affirmeth that most of the Rabbies said they were to go when dying as do most of the Talmudists as we may find in Constant L. Emperour who made a key to them yea and Mahomet himself in his Alcoran that Oglio Iudaisme Groecism and Neorianism surat 2. ver 22. as in his Dialogue with Sinan discourseth of a blessed state of good men begun in the inward pleasures of good men here and perfected in their everlasting pleasures hereafter It is a great argument to all men to live as if they believed a future state that these men who had so little knowledge of it by reason of their corrupt reason as to describe it foolishly yet had so much knowledge of it by natural reason as to own it and that so far as to believe tha● all the poetical descriptions of Paradise and Elizium in the Hebrew and Arabian Authors in the Greek and Latine Poets are Allegories of a more Spiritual state and so the Persian Ali and his faction understands Mahomet and divine Plat● in many places understands the Hellenists expressing in Phaedro the feast of the Soul in contemplating the first and real being as divinely as the Jews do the happiness of it in the beholding the Shecinah or the light of the countenance of the King of life or the Christians in the beatifick vision and concluding that all good men have a share in that as confidently as the Jews affirm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that every Israelite hath a part in the world to come all men with Socrates
expect a future judgment the good for a happy sentence the unjust the Insancibles the encorrigible for an unhappy one to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to unjust men everlasting monuments and examples that Common sentence of the Rabbines being the common sence of mankind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ● there is no place after death for repentance so much there was of the sense of Religion upon these men otherwise ignorant enough that a learned Arabian when dying considering the contradiction of the Practises of men in this worl● with the notion all me have of another World breath'd out his ●oul in this wish Sit anima mea cum Philosophis Be my soul with the Philosophers The same man being pleased much with the AEgyptian Hierogliphyck of the Soul which was a Pyramis and the correspondence thus As a Pyramis if it be turned about its Axis the Axis continuing still the same is Geometricall● transformed into a new soli● cone So mortality having gone it its rounds as it were i● this circle of time u●●on the immoveable ce●●ter of the soul shall become ● new Body and unite again In a discourse concerning th● resurrection had before Iuli●● Caesar the Emperour at which 〈◊〉 Gamaliel was present Cleopat●● the Queen asked R. Meir a●● said we know that they that lye down shall live because it is written and they shall spring out of the City like the herb of the ground but when they stand up from the dead shall they rise up naked or cloathed he said unto her Valmechonier i. e. argumentum a minori ad Majus aut e contra from the Wheat the Wheat is buried naked and yet riseth up very well Clad how much more the just men who are buried in their Cloaths Caesar said to R. Gamaliel c. Talm. in sanded c. 11. fol. 90. 6. apud Greg. Nat. p. 128. I will conclude this part with a remarkable saying of an Arabicke Commentator upon the Turkish Alcoran he that desires to escape Hell fire and go to Paradise let him beleive in God and the day of judgement and doe to every man as he would be done by What saith the careless and debauched man to this doth he think to be without those thoughts that all mankind hath if he thinks he shall be possessed with them as men are when dying will it not be a torment to him that he thought not of them sooner and that he can only think of them then when it is too late I● there greater torment in th● World then for a man on hi● death bed to be racked wit● the consideration of his eterna● state and to reflect how often h● was told it would come to that and that all men sooner or lat● have those thoughts how poss●●ble yea how easie it had been t● prevent them how serious● God and men warned them 〈◊〉 them Good God! that men w●●● not embrace Religion when the● see they cannot avoid it th● men will not come under the yoke of it when all men doe so or else at last come u●der the torments of it what think you will you stifle religious reflections then as you doe now you cannot doe it because your fond imaginations and conceits your foolish hopes all that ill grounded peace within all your carnal mirths and recreations all your sensual delights and contentment which assisted in the diverting of these thoughts will fail you and you will be left alone to dwell with your pain and conscience Sect. 3. You see the wisest in all ages at their death when they were freest from design owning that Religion which they did not consider as they ought in their lives and they were too many and too wise to be imposed upon see the greatest doing the like though too great to be otherwise over● awed or frighted 1. Nimrod the founder of the Ass●●rian Monarchy who from his do●minion overbeasts whereof he wa● a mighty Hunter advan●ced the first to a govern●ment over men Abar●●nel in par Noach acknowledg●ed in his later dayes Gods powe● over him as great as his over h●● subjects wherefore he Institute the worship of the Sun and Sta●● the greatest instruments of Go● government and many are ●● opinion that the He● thens worshipped n● the creature but G● appearing in them in ● verse wayes of admi●nistrations but the same Lo● working all and in all and wh● carried away by Spirits at his death as Annius in his Berosus relates the story he cried out Oh! one year more● Oh one year more before I must goe into the place from whence I shall not return What you are born to doe doe while you live as who should say with Solomon whatever thine hand findeth thee to doe doe it with all thy might for there is no knowledge nor understanding in the grave whit her thou art going 2. Ninus the next from Nimrod save Belus the time place manner of whose death is uncertain hath this History in Colophonius in Phoenix in Atheneus his twelfth Book viz. Ninus the great Emperor who never saw the Stars nor desired it worshipped neither Sun Moon nor Stars never spoke to his people nor reckoned them strong in eating and drinking and skilfull in mingling wines yet when dead left this testimony among all men viz. Looking o● this Tombe hear where Ninus is whether thou art an Assyrian ● Mede or an Indian I speak to thee no frivolous or vain matters formerly I was Ninus and lived a● thou dost I am now no more tha● a piece of earth all the meat tha● I have like a glutton eaten all th● pleasures that I like a beast e●● joyed all the handsome women that I so notoriously entertaine● all the riches and glory that I● proudly possessed my self ● failed and when I went into th● invisible state I had neith●● Gold nor Horse nor Chario● I that wore the rich Crown of f●●ver am now poor dust Nay There is a tradition ● mong the Jews in the bo●● Maase Toral quoted by Muns●●● upon Genesis that Abraham being brought before Amraphel King of Assyria for burning his Father Terahs Idols though but three years old discoursed before the Tyrant concerning the Creator of Heaven and Earth Am●aphel proudly replyed ●hat it was he that made ●he Heaven and the ●ost of Heaven if so said Abraham ●ay thou to thy Sun that he should ●●se in the West and set in the ●ast and I will believe thee Am●aphel being exasperated with the ●hilds boldness and discretion ●ommandeth that he should be ●ast into the fire out of which God ●elivering the child whence the ●ord is said to bring him from Vr●● the Chaldees convinced the ●an so far as to make him worship ●od in the fire Sardanapalus that prodigy of ●●faeminacy as wanton as Cicero observed his name is who as Iustin writes did nothing like a man but that he Died as he did yet had a Tomb at Anchialus which with Tarsus he built in
heart if 〈◊〉 slept on roses or down the de●● men he had killed troubled hi● he scosfed at Religion and feared one while he despised sacred things and at another time they made him tremble with horror in vain seeking all ways imaginable for expiation his Soul being torn with exquisite torments wilde as a stung beast a great while and at last sottish as a tame one beseeching the Senate to have so much ●ercy on him as to kill him to ●ave him the labour and horror of doing it himself who had not a more tormenting thought than this that he was an Athiest notwithstanding the warning given him by the burning of Diagoras the lice of Pherecides the dogs of Lucian the thunderstruck Olympius and the fearful death of others that led Atheistial lives vid. Dion Prusaeus Orat. 9. Tiberius Caesar in Tacitus had his sins so turned into punishments that he thought nothing would confirm men more in vertue than to see wicked mens breasts opened with their inward wounds and gashes where their minds are tormented with guilt lust and evil thoughts as much as the body is vexed with stripes neither the greatness of his fortune nor the pleasure of his diversions and solitudes being able to remove the punishment● he carryed about him insomuch that he doth profess his anguish to the Senate in these words Qui● vobis scribam patres cons●ripti a●● quomodo scribam aut quid omnin● non scribam hoc tempore● Dij deaeque pejus perdant● quam quotidie me perire sentio An● Dion Cassius in Tib. doth profes● to the world his acknowlegment o● the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Th● first and great God that made an● governeth all things 10. Otho having killed Galba could not kill his ghost whic● though in vain by all wayes of expiation attoned gave his conscience as great a wound as he had done his body so that in his distress he came to that serious conclusion which Livy l. 3. saith all men come to in distress prose quisque deos esse non negligere humana fremunt every man then believes a God whence that smart saying of Saint Cyprian haec est summa delicti c. this is the highest both folly and impiety not to have those lawful sentiments of a God which a man cannot be without 11. Neque enim post id Iugurtha c. neither had Iugurtha writes Salust of him after his many villanies a quiet day or night nor could he trust any place time or man fearing both Friends and Foes looking about and pale at every noise tumbling from one Room to another several times in the night in a way unseemly for a Prince and so mad with fears as sometimes to get up in his sleep in arms disturbing the whole house whence the Author concludeth that there is a God within men who seeth and heareth all that they do and I may infer with an●●●pol ●pol 9. mae ipsius testimonio probamus deum quae licet corporis car●ere pressa c. We may see and feel a God in our Souls which ●hough kept close in the prison of the body though depraved by il● principles though weakened by lusts and concupiscence though enslaved to false gods yet whe● it awakes and recovers as out o● a drunkenness a sleep or sickness it owns fears and appeale● to a God and repenting look● up to the heaven from whence i● came 12. Iulian the Apostate o● whom Crakanthorpe de provid ●●ej hath this character quo tetrius magisque deo simul hominibus exosum animal orbis vix vidit Yet gave this testimony towards the latter end of his life to Religion in general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We all by nature without any instruction have ingraven in us strong perswasions of a Divine being to whom we must look up and I believe saith he that our minds are to God as our eyes are to light and at his death to Christian Religion in particular when having two plots for the honour of his Government Idols the rooting out of the Galileans so he called the Christians the subduing of the Persians he was prevented in the former by being overthrown in the latter and being shot or thrust in the belly he threw up his blood towards heaven saying ●icisti Galilee thou hast overcome O Galilean meaning Christ Ita simul et victoriam fassus est Blasphemiam evomuit see Naz. or 4. in Iulian Socrates Sezom Theodoret in Iul. collected in Pez mellific Histor p. 2. p. 273. Indeed St. Basil gave the right reason why he and all other Apostates slight Religion even because they understand it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I read I understood I condemned said Iulian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast read but not understood for if thou hadst understood thou hadst not condemned said Basil. 13. Seneca a man of great parts prudence and experience after a serious study of all the Philosophy then the World was almost a Christian in his severe reproofs of vice and excellent discourses of vertue Lips●●s epist. ad Paul Quintum and a Saint as Ierome de Script eccles reckoneth him for his supposed Epistle to St Paul and St. Pauls to him to be read saith Mr Gataker in his preloquium to Antonius by those that study Divinity as well as those that study other in learning And Came to this excellent temper by this consideration in hi● reduced yeares which is to be seen in his excellent preface to his natural questions O quam contemptares est homo nisi supra ●umana se erex erit what a pittiful thing is man were it not that his Soul soared above these earthly things Yea and when he was somewhat dubious as to the future condition of the Soul yet he could tell his dear Lucilius with what pleasure he could think of it and at last that he was setled in his opinion of an eternal state with this thought hoc habet argumentum divinitatis suae quod illam divina delectant nec ut alienis interest sed ut suis the Soul had that mark of divinity in it that it was most pleased with divine speculations and conver●ed with them as with matters that did neerly concern it and when it had on●e viewed the dimensions of the Heavens contemnit domicilii prioris augustias it was ashamed of the Cottage it dwelt in nay were it not for these contemplations non fuerat operae pretium nas●i it had not been worth while for the Soul to have been in the body and as he goeth on in detrahe ●o● maestimabile bonum non est vi●a tanti ut sudem aut aestuem Whence come such amazing fears such dreadful apprehensions such sinking thoughts of their future condition in minds that would fain ease themselves by beleiving that death would put a period both to Soul and body whence on the other side comes such incouraging hopes such confident
DYING AND DEAD MENS Living Words Published by Da. Lloyd M. A. and Minister of the Gospel at the Charter-house near London Luke 16. 27. 28 29 30. Then he said I pray thee therefore father th●●●ou wouldest send him to my Fathers house For I have five brethren that he may testifie unto ●●em lest they also come into this place of torment Abraham said unto him They have Moses and th●●rophets let them hear them And he said Nay father Abraham but if one ●ent unto them from the dead they will repent LONDON Printed for Amery● at the Black-boy over against Saint Cle●●●● Church in the Strand 1668. OR FAIR WARNINGS TO A Careless World Shewing THat all sorts of men that have gone before us into an eternal state of all conditions as Emperours Kings Philosophers States-men c. of all Religions as Heathens Iews Mahometans Christians of all Opinions among Christians and of all Tempers under those Opinions whether strict and serious or loose and debauched in all ages of the world from the Creation have left this great observation behind them that upon experience they have found● that what vain thoughts soever men may in the heat of their youth and lust entertain of Religion they will sooner or later feel a testimony God hath given it in every mans breast which will one day make them serious either by the inexpressible fears terrors and Agonies of a troubled mind or the unconceivable peace comfort and joy of a good Conscience A small part whereof was Printed 1665. both at London and at Yorke ad obturandum os Atheorum to use the words of the Reverend Doctor Digle Chaplain to the Lord Archbishop of York in his earnest and particular Recommendation of it to the Press there to awaken us out of our Prodigious Atheisme and Infidelity a little before the late Dreadful judgements that made us feel the power of that God whom we wouldnot believe and the whole is now published upon a pious Persons importunate request that we may take example by others to be serious in the matter of our eternal concernments before we be made examples our selves Eccles. 12. 11. The words of the wise are as goads and as nails fastened by the Masters of Assemblies which are given from one Shepheard● Fair Warnings TO A CARELESS WORLD Letter from the Right Hon Iames Earl of Marleburgh a little before his death in the Battle at Sea on the Coast of Holland 1665. the Right Honourable Sir Hugh Pollard Comptroler of his Majesties Houshold Sir I Believe the goodness of your nature and the freindship you have alwayes born me will re●●ive with kindness the last of●●e of your friend I am in health enough of body and through the mercy of God in Jesus Christ well disposed in mind This I premise that you may be satisfied that what I write proceeds not from any phantastick terrour of mind but from a sober resolution of what concerns my self and earnest desire to do you more good after my death then mine example God of his mercy pardon the badness of it in my life-time may do you harm I will not speak ought of the vanity of this world your own age and experience will save that labour But there is a certain thing that goeth up and down the world called Religion dressed and pretended phantastically and to purposes bad enough which yet by such evil dealing loseth not its being The great goo● God hath not left it without ● witness more or less sooner o● later in every mans bosome t● direct us in the pursuit of it and for the avoiding of those inextricable disquisitions and entanglements our own frail reasons would perplex us withal God in his infinite mercy hath given us his Holy Word in which as there are many things hard to be understood so there is enough plain and easie to quiet our minds and direct us concerning our future being I confess to God and you I have been a great neglecter and I fear despiser of it God of his infinite mercy pardon me the dreadful fault But when I retired my self from the noise and deceitful vanity of the world I found no true comfort in any other resolution then what I had from thence I commend from the bottom of my heart the same to your I hope happy use Dear Sir Hugh let us be more generous then to beleive we die as the beast that perish but with a Christian manly brave resolution look to what is eternal I will not trouble you farther The only great God and holy God Father Son and holy Ghost direct you to an happie end of your life and send us a joyful resurrection So prays Your true friend Marleburgh Old Iames neer the coast of Holland April 24. 1665. I beseech you commend my love to all mine acquaintance particularly I pray you that my cousin Glascock may have a sight of this Letter and as many friends besides as you will or any else that desire it I pray grant this my request THis Letter though very weighty in the matter of it very serious in the phrase and expression yet is most observable fo● the time it was written in a few dayes before this honourable persons Soul went we hope to be happy into another world did he in this solemn manner of a Will and Testament rather than a Letter leave his mind about the necessity of being religious in this It was after he had made tryal of most of the great variety of opinions which were in this licentious age broached and had experience of most of the vanities which have been in these loose times practised that recollecting himself and as it becomes every rational man who onely of all the creatures in the world hath therefore power to reflect communing with his own heart about his passed life which he knew was but a state of tryal in order to a future upon serious consideration or putting together of and dwelling upon rational thoughts for want whereof the thousands that perish are cast away of the account he saw by the frame of things made for men men must give to the first being that made them for them 2. Of the invisible things of God that were seen by the things that are made 3. Of an immortal Soul he felt within him and an eternal estate expected by him 4. Of the consent of Nations and the dictates of every mans own conscience attesting religion 5. Of the providence of God sealing it by miracles in the former ages owning it by extraordinary dispensations both of mercies and judgements in the latter ages of the world 6. Of the experience all men have of religion on their hearts in the comfort it affords in doing well and the terrors it sends upon doing ill together with the strange success it hath had by bare perswasion against the learning the lusts the Laws the Customes and Interests of the world and that in the hands of men that could doe no more
other knowing parts of the world to be acquainted with all the Learning and Laws then in being conveighed by a genuine Cabbala and tradition from the Founders of mankind among other useful considerations that they had at the close of their lives when as Ar aeus affirmeth in Hie ron● Mercurialis his Variae lectiones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Those that are sick at heart have their senses more quick their thoughts more free their minds more enlightned their hearts more pure their reason better settled their imaginations more divine these were most remarkable 1. Anaxi●anders saying on his death bed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that infinity he found after much study was the beginn●ng of all things and thence concluding it must be the end wishing when he had studied the Sphere much that he might dwell in it and comforting himself when he saw time passing away on the Dyall he made for he was thought the first inventor of Dialls that he was born for eternity 2. his Scholar Anaximenes being asked how he could study confin'd to a Prison and expecting death answered that his soul was not confined having as large a walk as the heavens he studied nor frighted having as great a hope as immortality which he looked for 3. His hearer Anaxagoras as I have it from simplic his comment upon Aristotle Cicero's Tuscalan● 1. Et Nat. Deor. who firs● to use Aristotles words l. 8● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 observed tha● there was an eternal mind movin● the material world whence h● himself was called Mind being seriously expostulated with for retyring as he did a little before his death and neglecting the care of his Country rejoyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have now the greatest care of all of my Country pointing at Heaven of which he said to one that was sorry he must dye in a forraign Country you may go from any place to Heaven and being demanded when he was dying what he was born for he answered to contemplate the Sun the Moon and Heaven while I live and to dwell ●here when I am dead at the thoughts of which he was so raised that when he was informed in one hour ●hat he himself was condemned ●nd his ●on dead he said no more him 1. That Nature had con●emned his judges 2. And that 〈◊〉 knew when he begot his son that he had begotten one that should dye And when he was to dye he required of the Citizens who desired to know what he would have them do for him that the boyes should play every year on the day of his death 4. The Droll great actor Aristippus who for his flattery luxury was called the Kings dog being asked before his death what wa● the difference between a Philosopher and another man answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. though ther were no Laws we should live a● we do and another tim● he said it was a brave thing to use no pleasures at all but to overcome them as when in a discourse about Socrates his way o● dying he said that that man dye● as he desired and that it woul● never be well in the world unti●●oys learned those things whic● they were to use when men an● men learned those things which they were to practise when happy in the attainment of the end of good men which he said was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. if I understand him right though with the help of Cicero's translation Tusc. quaest l. 1. A sweet motion towards an immutable fruition Nay mad Theod. himself wh● writ no contemptible books if we may believe the above cited Author against the gods and a while believed himself a God yet at last comes to this conclusion viz. That the end of good men was joy of bad men sorrow the first the effect of prudence and the other of folly And that most solid man Euclid of Megara who reduced Phyloso●hy from loose discourses to ●lose and cohaerent reasonings ●itched after much enquiry up●n this conclusion which is to be ●een in Tully Arcad. Quest. l. 2. That there was but one good which some called Prudence others Mind others ●od see Ramus his Pref. to Schol. Math● G. Neander Geog. p. 1. Blan● Disert de Nat. Math. Sa●il Lect. 1. Eucl. Not to mention a discourse to the same purpose which may be seen at large in his contemporary Cebes to whom of th● Socratiques I shall adde onely Menedemus who being told on hi● death bed that he was a happ● man that attained to what h● design'd answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he was happi● who desired not more than he ough● which puts me in mind of an o●servation much to our purpos●● which those which will hard●● beleive should seriously conside● gathered by Dr. M. Cas●ab En● p. 60. out of the Author of t●● History of the Counsel of Tre●● Solenne in Confinio mortir positis ● humanas ex ignota quadam sup●● naturali causâ fastidere that it is an usual thing for men however ensnared in the world all their lives at their deaths to loath the things of it from an unknown and supernatural cause meaning no doubt depth of prudence and height of religion 10. The founder of the Academy Plato who was surnamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though the accutest and smoothest writer of his time himself Quint. inst orat l. 10. c. 1. yet when sick was more taken with this plain verse of Epicharmus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Gods alwayes were and alwayes will be their being never beginning and never ceasing than with all his own composition of all which he ●poke of none with ●ver after th●● he could not get 〈…〉 ●ho●ght that he should 〈…〉 a beast and wa● 〈…〉 ●e should have 〈…〉 longer to live a man 〈◊〉 of his mind wherefore Crate● 〈◊〉 away all his estate that he 〈…〉 Philosopher and make 〈…〉 use of his life which 〈◊〉 said was no other than a contemplation of death And Cranto● ga●e himself so much to the stu●dy● of good and evil with thei● co●sequence that his book of tha● subiect bequeathed by him t● po●●erity is by Cicero and Panaeti●us● Master or Friend to Tubero●●●lled ●●●lled non magnus at aureolus 〈◊〉 ●ui ad verbum ediscendus A●●●e reading of which Carneade who disputed many years again●● the motion of good and evil and Che●ilaus who prote●ted h● knew for many yeares nothin● that was good but what w●● pleasant and nothing that was evil but what was unpleasant both durst not die sober without a great draught of Wine because they said no voluptuous man could goe in his wits to an invisible state And to mention no more Platonists ●ion a Cynech indeed rather than an Academick ●aid that the torments of evil men in the other life were greater than any man imagined in ●his and though he had defied ●he Gods a while deriding ●heir worshippers and never ●ouchsafing to look into their
expectations such comfortable prepossessions of their future state in the souls of good men when their bodies are nearest to the grave An dubium est habitare deum sub pectore nostro an caelumque redire animas coeloque venire And while the Soul is here in its cage it is continually fluttering up and down and delighteth to look out now at this part and then at another to take a view by degrees of the whole universe as Manilius Seneca's contemporary expresseth ●t Quid mirum noscere mundum ●i possunt homines quibus est mun●us in ips●s To these notions of ●he future state it was that Caesar owed that his opinion of death that it was better to dye once than to lose his life in continual expectations Being troubled with that unhappiness of men mentioned in Atheneus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That he had done his work as if it had been his play and his play as if it had been his work 14. Aug. Cesar consulting the Oracle about his successor received thi● answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Hebrew child hath bid me leave these shrin which Oracle Augustus having received erected an Altar with this inscription Ara primogeniti dei the Altar of the first born of God and when Tiberius by Pilates Letters qui pr●● conscientia Christanus himself heard of the wonderful death of Chris● at which there was a voice hear● saying that the great God Pa●● is dead and at the ecclipse it wa● said that either nature was dead or the God of N●ture and his more wonderful resurrection he would have had him made a God See Phlegon de temp in orig cont Celsum l. 2. Fol. 21. Pliny l. 2. c. 25. 15. That Deity which Tiberius owned he feared securing his head with Laurel against the Thunderer and running to his grave as Ca●igula did afterwards under his ●ed for fear of a God That God which the great Scipio had at last ●uch a reverence for that before ●e went about any business into ●he Senate he went to prayers in●o the Capitol looking for no good success from the Counsells ●nd indeavours of men without ●he blessing of God who he ●hought made and was sure ●overned the World and indeed ●here was no man ever went ●eriously about any great matter but at last he was glad to take in the assistance of a God as Numa consult with Egeria Zamolcus the Thracia● with AEgis Lucurgus Solon Min● with Iove Mahomet with the Angel Gabriel Gods messenger Ca●ligula with Castor and Pol●ux 16. And as we have made ● clear that all men have near thei● latter end a sence of Religion So Plutarch in his Book of Liv● concludes most of his Hero● Histories with discourse of Relig●●on how divine doth he treat ● Immortality an● the happiness of a future stat● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. whe● the body lyeth under pale deat● the Soul remains carrying upon the image of eternity for that is t●● only thing that came from the God must return thither not with b● without the body altogether pu● and spiritual nothing followin● it but vertues which place it among the Heroes and the Gods How rationally doth he discourse of the Divine Nature and the being of a God towards the close of Pericles his life how seriously doth he bring in Fabius Maximus that great commander in the emminent danger of the Common-wealth not training his men but ●●rching in the Sybills books and ●●lling his Countrey-men that they ●ere overthrown not by the ●eakness or rashness of the Souldiers but by their neglect and contempt of the Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beginning his great enterprize for the saving of ●is Country bravely with the ●ervice of the Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●s Plutarch goeth on p. 176. not ●esigning to ensnare mens minds with superstition but to confirm ●heir valour with piety and to ease their fears with the hope of Divine assistance raising the desponding peoples minds by Religion to better hopes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it was a common principle amongst them that the Gods gave success to vertue and prudence upon which Fabius advised them not to fear their enemies but to worship the Gods and speakin● of his successes he hath thes● words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But these you must ascribe t● the goodness of the Gods It wa● the same man who when he wa● asked what he should do with th● Gods of Tarentum answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us leave to the Tarentines th● Gods that are angry with them How easily doth the same A●●ther dispute of the influence Go● hath upon the will of man by ve●●tue and on the frame of nature b● miracles and prodigies in Coriolanus Camillus and Dion how gravely doth he assert in Marius that the neglecting of the study of true wisdom will revenge it self the despisers of it as he saith not being able to do well in their greatest prosperity and the lovers of it not doing ill in their lowest adversities How seriously doth Themistocles promise the Persian King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to honour the ●ing and to worship the God that ●reserveth all things How de●outly doth Camillus p. 131. ap●eal to the Gods as Judges of ●ight and Wrong Confessing ●fter all his great exploits that ●e owed his greatness not to his ●wn actions but the Gods favour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●ho was upon all occasions pre●●t with him by many and great ●●nifestations of himself of which Plutarch hath this grave discourse To believe these manifestations or disbelieve them is a matter of great uncertainty som● by too easy a Faith falling to superstition and vanity others by too obstinate an unbelief into ● neglect of the Gods and loosnes● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wa●●ness and a mean are best Ho● resolvedly doth Cato minor wh●● he would not yield to Caesar ●● whom the world submitte● choosing rather that Caesar shou●● envie his death than save h●● life First read over Plato discourse of the Soul which w●● found over his beds head an● then he dispatched himself wi●● assurance of enjoying what h●● read As Empedocles having p●●●●sed a discourse of the etern●● state of Souls threw himself in● AEtna and Pliny into Ves●vius t●● emblem● if not the real s●at ●hat state And there was nothing made Artaxarxes so afraid of death when the Assassines broke ●nto his Chamber as the uncertain●y of his state after he was dead ●he reason why he wept when he ●ooked upon his vast Army to ●onsider that of 300000 men there ●ould not in sixty yeares be two ●en in the land of the Living ●he vanity indeed and shortness ●● life was so much upon Augustus ●●sars spirit that when he was ●●ying he spoke to his friends ●bout him to clap their ●●nds intimating to them that ●●s life was only a short stage and ●● dying a going off from it Of ●is Titus Vespasian the
whoso●●ver turn● Religion into Railler●● and abuseth it with two or three ●old jests rendreth not Religio● but himself ridiculous in the opinion of all considerate men ●ecause he sports with his o●●●●fe for a good man saith If the principles of Religion were doubtful yet they concern us 〈◊〉 neerly that we ought to be serious in the examination o● them I shall never forget a traditio● of the Jews related by Masi●● upon Ioshua viz. that Noah i●●he universal deluge instead o● Gold Silver and all sorts of treasure carryed the bones of Adam into the Ark and distributing them among his Sons said take ●hildren behold the most pre●ious inheritance your Father ●an leave you you shall share ●ands and Seas of God shall ap●oint but suffer not your selves to ●e intangled in these Vanities my ●hildren all glideth away here ●elow and there is nothing which ●ernally subsisteth learn this ●esson from these dumb Doctors ●he reliques of your Grandfather ●hich will serve you for a refuge ●n your adversities a bridle in ●our prosperity and a Mirrour at ●ll times provide for your Souls ●he opinion of whose immortali●y you will find got every where ●here you sind men so true is that ●f Plotinus that never was there a man of understanding that strove not for the immortality of the Soul Animam inde venire unde rerum omnium authorem parentem spiritum ducimus Quint. That which we call death being in Max. Tyrius but the beginning of immortality Therefore Philostratus mentioneth a young man much troubled about the state of Souls in the other life to whom Apollonius appeared assuring him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it was immortal and bidding him not be troubled at it since it was the Divine providence it should be so Nay Phlegon a Heathen hath written of a Maid in Trayls of Phrygia Philenion by Name who burned both with lust and a feavour to death appeared to her Father and Mother to tell them if they took not that course of life the gods designed men for and which they are to blame they did not instruct her in they would find another state they little thought of where there was grief and no re●medy and he addeth moreover that he sent this history whereof he was an eye witness by a particular messenger to the Emperour Adrian Curopalates relateth how the excellent Painter Methodius drawing the last day heaven black the Earth on fire the Sea in bloud the Throne of God environed with Angels in the clouds wrought upon Bogoris the Barbarous King of Bulgaria so as that in a short ●ime he yielded himself to God by a happy conversion for he dreaming on the whole proceedings of that day among other things saw the sins he had made so light of bespeaking him thus I am the pleasure thou hast obeyed I am the ambition whose slave thou wast I am the avarice which was the aim of all thy actions behold so many sins which are thy children thou begatst them thou ●ovedst them so much as to prefer them before thy Saviour These con●iderations made weeping Heraclitus wipe his eyes and look cheerfully saying that his eyes were never dry till he had settled his thoughts about his eternal state and had a dry Soul not steeped in lust capable of the notions of immortality the only support of Bellisarius when having been the Thunderbolt of War made the East West and South to tremble the mighty Powers of the Earth crawling in dust before him he that drew the whole world in throngs after him was forsaken and walked through the streets of Constantinople with two or three servants as a man that had out-lived his Funerals to serve as a spectacle of pity at last loosing his eyes and crying in the Streets dateabolum Bellisario This example and others of the sad uncertainty of humane affairs and the necessity of yielding to religious thoughts sooner or later made Charlemain at the Coronation of his Son utter these serious words My dear Son it is to day that I die in the Empires of the world and that Heaven makes me born again in your person if you will raign happy fear God who is the force of Empires and Soveraign Father of all Dominions keep his commandements and cause them to be observed with unviolable fidelity serve first of all for an example to all the world a●d lead before God and man a life irreproachable What Steph. Gardiner said of justification by Faith a branch of our Religion is true of all of it viz. that though it be not looked upon as a good breakfast for men to live up to in the heat of their youth yet is it a good supper for men to live upon in their reduced years The Persian messenger in AEschiles the Tragedian could not but observe the worth of Piety in time of extremity when the Grecian Forces hotly pursued us said he and we must venture over the great wat●r Strymon frozen then but beginning to thaw when a hundred to one we had all dyed for it with mine eyes I saw many of those Gallants whom I heard before so boldly maintain there was no God every one upon their knees with eyes and hands lifted up begging hard for help and mercy and entreating that the Ice might hold till they got over Those Gallants saith a good man in the application of this story who now proscribe godliness out of their hearts and houses as if it were only an humour taken up by some precise person and Galba like scorn at them who fe●r and think of death when they themselves come to enter the lists with the King of terrors and perceive in earnest that away they must into another world and be saved or tormented in flames for ever as they have walked after the flesh or after the spirit here without question they will say as dying Theophilus did of devout Arsenius thou art blessed O Arsenius Who hadst alwayes this hour before thine eyes or as the young Gallant that visited St. Ambrose lying on his death bed and said to his comrade O ●hat I might live with thee and dye with Saint Ambrose And it is observed among the Papists that many Cardinals and other gre●t ●nes who would think their ●owle and Religious habit ill ●●came them in their health yet ●●e very ambitious to dye and be ●uried in them as commonly they ●re They who live wickedly and loosly yet like a Religious habit very well when they goe into another world Cardinal Woolsey one of the greatest Ministers of State that ever was who gave Law for many years to England and for some to all Europe poured forth his Soul in those sad words a sufficient argument that Politicians know nothing of that Secret whispered up and down that Religion is a meer Court-cheat an arcanum imperij a secret of Government had I been as diligent to serve my God as I have been to please my King he would not have forsaken me now in my gray
of so exceeding great use that scarce any thing undoeth mankind more than the neglect of it O that I might prevai● with you to a conscientious practise of it I have heard of ● Gentleman that upon his Death bed laid this one comman● upon this wilde Son and engaged him to the performance of it by a solemn promise that he should every day of his life be half an hour alone which this young man constantly observing and spending his half-hours retirement at first in any kind of vain thoughts at last he began to ponder with himself why his Father should enjoyn him this penance and the spirit of God suggesting to him that his intent therein could be no other but to bring him to consider of his ways and whether they tended and what would become of him hereafter if he went on it pleased the Lord so to set those thoughts home upon his heart that he became a new man Which one instance may teach us how advantagious a duty serious consideration is and how much it doth concern men to retire frequently from the Cares and ●usinesses of this Life and examine how the case stands between God and their Souls FINIS Dr. T. Th. There is a Book talkt of amongst the Iews called Poenitentia Adami 1 King 4. 91. 10. Hist. Phaen. p. 112. Rememb the end and thou shalt never do amiss Ecclus. Diog. Laert p. 42. Ed. Rom. Zan. Plutarch Apol. 2. p. 8. Clem. Alex. Strom. 6. ●az de patre orat 28. Plut. Apol Soc. 31. Gen. Bib. p. 564. Caus. de ●l l. ● c. 35. Deg. where me●h Leg. Hist. Pho. Bibl. p. 1463. Dio● La●● p. c. Plut. Apoth Athen deip 106. Agel 26. Hesych voce● Perian Ex● Her● Pont. l. de Prince Plut. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ● ●●me● He● Subse● Diog. La●r 4. Idem Ibid. Athen. 13. c. 28. 5. 5. vid. Plat. Timaeu Plut. l. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aug. 8. ● D. c. 11. c●rsigon de temp Ather Xen. l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pha vor l. 1. comment Plato died crying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athen. l. 13. c. 23. Elian l. 2● va Hist. c. 9. ●l 1● Curt. l. ● 〈◊〉 Phy. l. 8. Providen●iā E●a●● ep l● 28. ep mono Ludov vives de Caus. Corr●pt vid. Arist. Dorj Evesta p. 111 Suidas in voci Theophrastus Athen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vid. Causab in Theoph. Char Proleg Dequil● accu●i●●me scriptsit Videt Athens l. 12. c. 270. 171. Vid. I har var. his● 12. c. 43. Laertius 130. Vid. Vocebus ●●●●●sthenes 〈…〉 et●●●ian var● hist. ● 10. c. 〈◊〉 Diogenes 〈…〉 l. 6. 〈◊〉 6. 147● c. ●uid in vo● ●estrot Lumb to l. 3. dist 15. Aq. p. 3. q. 15. art 4. Lad l. 6. c. 14. Aul. C. l. 19. c. 1. Cic. Tu● 4. l. 4. Sen. ep 85. de ●ra● l. 9. c. Cic. de ●in l. 4. Aq. 22. de q. 24. Art 2. 3. Clem. Alex. Padag 2. 13. L●ert Zeno l. 7. Vi● Phi●● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. Jamb Sect. Pyth. comment S●mp ut et ●●rianin epict ●alch vit Pythag. aldro●●●d●● 9. de lib. D. Laert. La●r 2. p. 21. Herod Tha● c. 44. Plin. l. 17. c. 5. l. 27. l. 24. c 17. Arsen. in po Aphth Hier. Apol. ad Rus. Herod Euberpe Gregor Gyrald de Pythas simb Hier in quest ad Hebidiam A. Gell. l. 3. c. 11. Luc. Dial. Plut. de Placitis Plut. Suidas Plin. c. 19. Vid. Sta. ● el. sont Gr. el. Lat. Luer 150. and 153. Dr. Till●s●on c. A man born to adde Perspicuity to the strength of Religion use Chron. con Possev Bibl. Val. max. l. p. 8. Massom Scip. vid. Euseb pepar evang l. 11. c. c. 35. 36. Hesich de Philos See Virgil. AEnead 6. the words sheol and Hades have ●ignified an invsible state since they were wordes Broughton Dr. I. W. Hym. 3. Plot. Enn. 1. l. 8. See Mr. Joas Grey ser. de res see Came Hist. med●r c. 73. Sym Groular Hist. mem 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epith. Vid. Lyis dissert 9. A●g C. D. c. 24. ●rw Rawl Hist. World b. 1. Vid. 2. Euseb. chron Scal. Isa. 9. see Gregory Assimon 232. 23. Amra phel quasi dixsit descende Herodotus as in Athen Vid. Alex. vid. Alex. The Romans believed a providence in that Caesars murderers fell upon those very weapons they killed him with Who was both a Courtier and a Recluse Ann 6. Suet Tiber. c. 61. De van idol Tacit. l. 13. Ab●●t ut epis● olas illas legitimas put●tis Lyl Greg. Cyr. de poel hist. dial l. 8. vid. Scrivel Annot. in Martiall 10. Miraris homines ad deos ●ire deus in hominem venit nulla fine deomens bona sen. ep 73. p. 673. Holling p● 35. Vit. Rom. ulj in p. 34. Ed. Par. p. 132. 132. 75● Suet. * Hi● speaking of a Country m●ns-house into whi●h he retired by chance for food O sapientiam dei admirabilem saith he optimam scholam Christianitatis dominus mihi paraverat sic effecit deus admirabilite● ut bonus rustic●s sanctissimum ●●lum quem habebat operante domino mihi quasi instillaret Ego verò malus Christianus si quidem Christianus ei scientiâ prelucerem eâdem horà suam gratiam in utroque explicavit ostendit deus a me scientiam rustico ab illo ze●i se mina quaedam Ingenerans See his life writ first in Italian then in Latin● by Beza and in English by Crashaw and Calv. Ded. ep com in 1 ad Cor. Valdeso the Author of a good book of considrations is an instance o● the same nature leaving the Emperours service for the stricter profession of Religion ●he particulars I have not now by me Lact. de opis dej● ex ipsis membrorum officiis ufibus partium singularum quantâ●vi providentiae quisque factus sit intelligere nobis licet See Arist. de partibus Animal Se my Lord Brooks his Book * De prin●ip p. 2. art 54. 55. Nay Doctor ●●rvy having searched accurately into the na●●re of generation concludes upon a creation ●ecause none ever found any thing either ele●ents or particles before and separate from bo●●es which might make them therefore God ●ade them Vid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Virg. Sen. Luc. Statis Strabo l. 15. Herod Euterp de AEgyptis quibus est de infernis Persausio Taci Prophyr● l. 4. de Edendis Anim Prat. Spirit c. 195. re●er Bar. An. 411. Whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 argueth him so possessed with a serious Religion that he there hazards all for 〈◊〉 squares his interest by it raiseth all his Prin●●●ples of Government upon it adviseth his S●● to be serious in it comforteth himself under ● the Calamities that befell him and his Peop●● with considerations taken from it framed 〈◊〉 Soul into the power of it at last sealed it as 〈◊〉 first King that dyed a Martyr for it See the excellent preface to his History of the ●orld wherein he doth from great instances of ●●e Providence of God finding out the sins of ●●e greatest men Kings of France Spain and Eng●●nd conclude what fear and reverence of God ●●ould be upon the hearts of all men Having held a private conference awhile with his brothers Ambassador he took the candle to light him down which the Ambas●ador endeavoring to hinder by taking the candle into his own hand the Emperour refused saying Sir Remember that you saw Charles the fifth who hath been attended by 〈◊〉 many Armies and waited on by so many Lor● and Gentlemen Now hath not a Servant at ha●● in his Cha●ber to wait upon him Pezel Mellit His●or 1283. Anno 1621. Synch Hispan And after an unanswerable Trearise of the Truth of Christian Religion This great man coming over as I take it from Sweden or returning thither after he had been Ambassador ●or that Crown in France where his wife by his direction ioyned in Communion with the English Church lay by his own distem●er and the violence of a storm he met with in his passage on his death bed where sending for ●he Minister of the Place I think he desired him to perform the last office for him Professing himself the poor Publican and saying he had nothing to trust to but the mercy of God in Christ and wishing that all the World saw as much reason for Religion as he did See his life in the Dutch Eicones Illustrum virorum the Athenae Batavicâ Elogia Doctor Hamonds defences of Gro●ius and the particular manner of his death in Doctor Merick Casaubons little tract the verborum usu see Gro●us his Epist. He charged his Heir upon his blessing to have nothing to do with the Patrimony of the Church See the Reverend Dr. Po●ces Sermon at his Funeral See my Lord Bacons confession of ●aith and his devotion Printed in ● little book about twelve years agoe wherein he doth very seriously prosess that after all hi● studies and inquisitions he durst not ●●e with any other 〈◊〉 th●n those Religion taught as it is pro●●● among the C●ris●ians Prince H●nry used to s●y that he knew no sport worth an oath and with Judge Nich●l● that he knew not what they called Puritan preaching but he loved that preaching that went next his heart and sp●ke as 〈…〉 to say of Dr. Preston as if they knew the 〈◊〉 God● From a Gentlemans mouth at whose house he lodged in Italy From Doctor Vshers mouth ●hom he de●●red to preach at his Fun●ral and to give him the Sacrament at the Celebration whereof a great scholer as it is commonly re●orted coming in stared ●●ying I thought Selden had more learning judg●ment and s●i●●t than● to 〈◊〉 to ob●●lete formes History of Spira in Latine and English Gribaldus Epist. de tremendo divin jud exemplo Dr. M. D. E. And in the preface to h●● Book ●alled Knowledge and ●●●●tise