discoursâ— of the immortality of the soul anâ— Apology for Socrates p. 31. Ediâ—â— Franc. This was very considâ—â—rable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. certainly saith he death muâ—â— be one of these two either a beinâ— utterly insensible or a passagâ— into some other place If thâ— first then it is a pleasant rest likâ— an undisturb'd sleep but dying Souls go into other hâ—â—bitations as its certain they wiâ—â— then I shall go from before theâ— Judges to higher and there coâ—â—verse with Orpheus Musaeus Hesiod Homer how often would I have died to see how they livâ—â— how pleasantly shall I dwell with Palamedes and Ajax equal in the injoyments of another World as we have been in the injuries of thisâ— both happie in that we shall be everlastingly so Death differeth nothing from life and he may be sure to live well that lived iustly approving himself not to giddy men but to that one wise God who is truth his choice words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concluding his life with these expressions after he had been accused for being one who did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too curiâ—usly enquire into the state of things above the Heavens â—elow the earth and for bearing to the truth of one God for which Iustin Martyr and otherâ— thought him â— Christian before Christ and â— a partaker of our faith because he actâ—d according to his own reason It is time for me to goe and die and you to live 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is best is known to God 2. Xenophon who in his life time did nothing without Socrates advise was at his death of his opinionâ— for after several years spent in Cyrus his Court and Camp and reflecting on the manly pleasures as Hunting Riding c. which he practised as well as writ of he left thisâ— Memento among his friends that in the midst of his delights he had this grief that he doubted theâ—â— was no place for these diveâ—tisements in the upper world and that wise Souls should beginâ— betimes those exercises which shall last ever exercises pure and eternal as spirits words to be as much esteemed by us as his Cyropaedia was by Scipio Affricanus the graces as appears by these sentences dwelling in his mouth as they said the Muses did 3. Eschines a fluent and stately Orator Quint. Inst. 10. c. 1. being questioned for dispersing Socrates his books made Socrates his answer that he was not afraid to dye for scattering instructions among men to teach them to live Being ashamed of nothing more than that he advised Socrates to fly when no man should be afraid to dye but he that might be ashamed to live adding that life was a thing which none almost understood but those that were ready â—o leave it 4. Thales the first of the seven wise men before whom none taught â—he motions of the Heavens so clearly saith Eudemus and none proved the immortality of the soul so evidently saith Chaerilus though he shewed by his foresight of a dear year and the provision he brought in against it that a Philosopher might be rich yet he convinced men by his foresight of another world that they need not blessing God that he was a knowing Grecian not an ignorant Barbarian and a rational man not a beast he professed at his death that he had studied all his life for the ancientest thing in the world and he found it was God What was the most lasting thing about him and it was his Soul What waâ— best and he found it was thaâ— which was eternal what was hardest and he found it was to know himself What was wisest he found it was time and as the Epitaph saith of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Stars which for age he could not see on the earth he was taken up nearer to see them in Heaven 5. Solon having done the greatest services to and received the greatest injuries from his native Country said that man had the hardest measure of any Creature if he lived but three-score admonished Craesus swimming in the greatest affluence of enjoyments and pleasures imagiâ—able that he should not be happy â—ill he ceased to be who esteemed â—is words as little as he underâ—â—ood them till deprived of all â—hings but his reasonâ— and consideâ—ation he cryed O Solon Solon thou â—â—rt in the right 6. Chilon trusted in the sixty fifth Olympiad with the extraordinary power of Ephorus or Lord High Constable in Sparta and so jovial a man that I think he dyed with excessive joy being asked what the difference was between the learned and the unlearned at last Answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good hope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He being of opinion that a fore-sight of things to come was all a mans vertue for the present and that an honest loss was to be preferred before a dishonest gain for this reason because the sadness that followeth the first is but for once but that which followeth the other perpetual to which I may add Pittacus his sentence much used by him who being demanded what was the best thing in the world replyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— to perform well a manâ— present duty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Know thy opportunity being his Apoththegm 7. Bias who going with some wicked men that prayed in a storm intreated them to be silent least the gods should hear them and being asked by one of them what that piety he talked of meant he held his peace saying it was to no purpose to speak to a man of those things that he never purposed to practise bequeathed this instruction to those thaâ— survived him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we should measure life so as â—f we were to live a very little â—nd a very great while from which principle his friend Clebuâ—â—s on his death bed inferred this â—onclusion that those â—â—en only lived to any â—urpose who did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. overcome â—leasure make vertue â—â—milâ—ar and vice a stranger the great rule of life being as heâ— said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the great work of it mediâ—ation according to that of hiâ— contemporary Pâ—riander who hated pleasures which were not immortal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meditation is all 8. Anacharsis the â—eâ—thian to deâ—er young men from tasting pleasures by the ill effects of them he felt when old left this saying behind him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that the vinâ— bore three branches or clustersâ— on the firstâ— whereof grew pleasure on the second sottishness on the third sadness yea Pherecides himself otherwise no very seriouâ— man hearing one saying that he had lived well answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I wish you may dye well anâ— being asked why he said so be caâ—â—â—e returned he we Live to Dyâ— and Dye to Live 9. Those Ionick Philosophers the hearers of Thales who as Diod. sic l. 1. affirmeth went into AEgypt and the
Temples yet when he fell sick he â—ormented his body with exquisite â—enance as thorns thonges c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—hat he might repent of what â—e had done against the Gods â—hose Altars he filled when dyâ—g with sacrifices and their eares with petitions and confessions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laertiâ—â— feared in vainâ— then wise when he was just râ—â—dy to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good morrow Pâ—utus 11. Aristotle when he came to the end of his walk and life however he was for the eternity of the world thinking it inconceivable that things should be any otherwise than they are and that there can be no production but in a ordinary way of ouâ— generation measuring the originâ— of the world by the present statâ— of it thought God was a separateâ— being the cause oâ— all motion himseâ—â— oneâ— immoveable anâ— therfore onely eternal that therâ— was a providence which Cracaâ—â—thorp proves at the samâ— time that the book Mundo is his and with â— that reason which he reduced into the exactest method and rules of any man he could not pitch upon a greater comfort in a dying hour than that of Ens entiumâ— mei miserere thou being of beings have mercy upon me Yea Ocellus Lucanus himself to whose book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristotle was so much beholding though he acknowledges not by whom he profited saith that though he could not see how the world had a beginning yet could not he dye without fear and reverence of one by whom all things had a beginning 2. His Schollar Theophâ—a stus in Laertius having bewailed the expence of time gave this reason for it viz. That we are so foolishly senual that we begin not to live untill we begin to dye Cicero who called him alwayes his delight in his Tusc. quest l. 4. saith that Theophrastus dying complained of nature that it gave long life to creatures whom it little concerned to be long-lived and so short a life to men who are so much concerned weeping that he no sooner saw this by much study and experience but he must dye saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the vanity of life was more than the profit of it I have no time to consider what I doâ—â— â—â— speaking to those that were about him at his death you have which words stuck so close to hiâ— Schollar and successor Stratoâ— that he studied himself to a Skelâ—â—ton about the nature oâ— spirits the glory â—â— heaven the chief gooâ— and the blessed life which beâ—cause he could not comprehenâ— he desired it should comprehend him Cic. in Lucullus Plut. lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb. in Chron. and to his successor Lycon who said on his death bed that it was the most foolish thing in the world to repent and wish for as most men do that time which cannot be recalled to whom I may adde out of Cael. Rhodiginus l. 29. c. 5. Demetrius who said that when he was a child at home he reverenced his Parents when a man abroad the people and the Magistrates and when an old man and retired himself which advise being followed by Heraclideâ— when he felt himself sick put him upon writing his books of the Heavens of those who are in hell of temperance piety and the chief good 12. Among the Cynicks 1. Antisthcâ—eâ— who though in jest â—he bid the man who was discoursing of the happy 〈◊〉 of then in anotherâ— world dye himâ—elf yet afterward he used to assert 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he had rather be punishedâ— with madnesâ— than enjoy pleasure adding when sick this â—â—â—â—ence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that those who would be hereafter immortal must be here godly and just 2. Diogenes grounded all his Cynical and anâ—tere reâ—gards of this world upâ—on this pleasant conâ—templation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that all thingâ— were the gods anâ— that wiseâ—men weâ— the gods friends and thereforâ— that all things belonged to wiâ—â— and good men whom he though the image of the Gods To a maâ— on a sick â—ed complaining thâ— life was a sad thing he answered Yes a bad one is so because it is but a tampering of the body when it should be the exercise of the mind which he inculcated so much to his Auditors that his disciple Monimus counterfeited himself mad that he might be at Liberty from his master to study truth and vertue abhorring luxury and drunkenness as madness indeed with Crates who comforted a mocked but good man with these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. those that make themselves so merry with thee thou shalt see one day sadly calling thee the blessed man for thy vertue and themselves wretched for their sloath thou being one of those good men who want few things because they are like the gods that want nothingâ— Indeed Religion had such a power over these Cynicks that one of them by name Menedemus as Laertius calleth him and Menippus as Snidâ—s in verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of a zeal against the looseness of his time walked up and down in the habit of a fury declaring himself a spectator of mens exorbitances on earth sent on purpose to be a witness against them in hell 13. The Stoicks among whom Zeno was looked upon as the chieftain came after a world of reasonings which you will find in â—ully Seneca Autoninus Lipsiâ—s â—lutarch de com notion ad stoicos de placitis Phil. Epictetus Hieroâ—leâ— and subtlety which you may observe in Diog. Laertius his Zeno l. 7. p. 185. ed. Rom. To these great conclusions 1. That the great end of maâ— was to have the pleasure of living according to right reason thâ— daughter of Jove the great modeâ—rator of all things to whose will it is good mens pleasure and all mens necessity to submit 2. That vertue is the regulating of passions and affections by reason for indeed I think the Stoicks did no more aim at the destruction of natural affections by their discourses of apathy than Saint Paul by his exhortation to mortifie the flesh with the affections and lust both aiming at the reducing of the disorder and the raising of the nature of our faculties that the wisdom of vertue should so compose and consolidate the mind and settle it in such stability and resolution that it should not at all be bended from the right by any sensitive perturbations or impulâ—ions 3. That the consequence of goodness was calmness and serenity and of evil fear bondage grief stupidity 4. That that was only good which was honest desirable for it self satisfactory and lasting â— That nothing base was truly pleasant 6. That all disorders of the soul proceed from misapprehensions of the understanding and conâ—inue by disturbing and clouding â—â—â—son which they say is in them 〈◊〉 of God whom it representâ—â— they say so as he is wicked 〈◊〉 dares displease him and he a mad man that dares doubt of
delight of â—ankind that dismissed from him â—â—ne sad was so sensible that if â—â— remembred at night that he â—â—d done no good that day he â—â—ould cry out perdidiâ—â—â—ends â—â—ends I have lost a day And that Prince was so sensible of a deity in the government of the World that when Crowns were sent him upon his conquest of Ierusalem he refused them saying that he did it not himself but God to shew his wrath upon the childâ—en of disobedience if I maâ— so translate Pezel p. 35. made uâ— of him as an instrument and thâ— rod of his anger And so serioâ—â— was he and Nerva upon the thoughts that Apollonius Thyanâ—us in Phylostratus saith neither â— them was ever seen to smile â— play And Trajan entring upoâ— his government said I enter intâ— this palace in the same tempâ— that I wish I were of when I gâ— out of it These persons no douâ— finding the vanity of the Worâ— asâ— feelingly as septimus Severâ— did who left this testimony of â—â— lifeâ— I have been all things and profiteth me nothing And Alexander severus allowed Christianity out of love to that one precept do not that to another which thou wouldst not have done to thy self a precept upon consideration of the excellency of it he had engraven on his Plate and Roomes and proclaimed at the punishment of all malefactors And indeed Religion was so amiable in the eyes of most of the greatest men â—n the World that Charles the â—reat said of it as another Emâ—erour had done before him that â—e gloried more in being a Son of â—he Church then in being an Emâ—erour of Rome and when an Affrican King ready to be Bapâ—â—zed in his house saw twelve Christian beggars and asked â—hose servants they were was â—ld they were Christs thereupon â—â—fused Baptism because the serâ—ants of Christ were so poor the Emperour replied that if he went to prayer three times a day as he did he would â—ind such inward excellencies in Religion as would recompence all the outward inconveniences that might attend it Dan. Heinsius a Master as Seldâ—n expresseth it tam severiorum quam amoeniorum Literarum History-professor at Leyden Secretary and Bibliothecary of the same University and appointed Notary of the Synod of Dort said at last Alas as to humane Learning I may use Solomon's expressions That which is crooked cannot be made strait Methinks saith Hensius and Master Baxter out of him I could bid the world farewel and immure my self among my Books and look forth no more were it a lawful course but shut the doors upon me and as in the lap of Eternity among those Divine Souls employ my self with sweet content and pitty the rich and great ones that know not this happiness Sure then it is a high delight indeed which in the true lap of Eternity is enjoyed Cardinal Mazarine having made Religion wholly subservient to the Secular interest amassed to his own interest and person all â—he Treasure and Intereâ—t of Euâ—ope and managed the Crown of â—rance for several years together â—iscoursed one day with a Sorbon Doctor concerning the immortaliâ—y of the soul and a mans eternal â—state and then wept repeating â—hat Emperours saying Animula â—agula blandula quae abibis in loâ—â— O my poor Soul whither milâ—â—hou goe Immediately calling for â—â—s Confessor and requiring him 〈◊〉 deal freely with him and vowâ—â—g ten hours of the day for Devotion seven for Rest four for Repasts and but three for business saying one day to the Queen-mother Madam your favours undid me were I to live again I would be a Capuchin rather then a Courtier Cardinal Richlieâ— after he had given law to all Europe many years together confessed to P. du Moulin that being forced upon many irregularities in his lifeâ—time by that which they cal Reason of State he could not tell how to satisfie his Conscience for several thingâ— and therefore had many temptaâ—tions to doubt and disbeleive 〈◊〉 God another World and thâ— immortality of the soul and bâ— that distrust to releive his akinâ— heart But in vain so strong hâ— said was the notion of God oâ— his soul so clear the impressioâ— of him upon the frame of thâ— World so unanimous the conseâ—â— of mankind so powerful the convictions of his conscience that he could not but taste the power of the world to come and so live as one that must die and so die as one that must live for ever And being asked one day why he was so sad he answered Monsieur Monsieur the soul is a serious thing it must be either sad here for moment or be sad for ever Sir Christopher Hatton A little before his Death advised his Relations to be serious in the search after the will of God in the holy Word For said he it is deservedly accounted a piece of excellent Knowledge to understand the Law of the Land and the Customs of a mans Country how much more to know the Statutes of Heaven and the Laws of Eternity those immutable and eternal Laws of Justice and Righteousness to know the will and pleasure of the Great Monarch and Universal King of the World I have seen an end of all Perfection buâ— thy Commandments O God are exceeding broad Whatever other Knowledge a man may be endued withal could he by a vast and imperious Mindâ— and a Heart as large as the Sanâ— upon the Sea-shoar command â—lâ— the Knowledge of Art and Natureâ— of Words and Things could hâ— attain a Mastery in all Languages and sound the depth of all Art and Sciences could he discoursâ— the Interest of all States the Intrigues of all Courts the Reaâ—son of all Civil Laws and Constituâ—tions and give an Account of aâ— Histories and yet not know tâ—â— Author of his Being and the Prâ—â—server of his Life his Soveraigâ— and his Judge his surest Refugâ— in trouble his best Friend 〈◊〉 worst Enemy the Support of hâ—â— Life and the Hope of his Death his future Happiness and his Portion for ever he doth but sapienter descendere in infernum with a great deal of wisdom go down to Hell Francis Iunius a Gentile and an Ingenious Person who hath written his own Life as he was reading Tully de Legibus fell into a perswasion nihil curare Deum nec sui nec alieni till in a Tumult in Lyons the the Lord wonderfully delivered him from imminent death so that he was compelled to acknowledg a Divine Providence therein And his Father hearing the dangerous ways that his Son was mis-led into sent for him home where he carefully and holily instructed him and caused him to read over the New Testament of which himself writ thus Novum Testamentumaperio ex hibet se mihi adspicienti primo augustissimum illud caput In principio erat Verbum c. When I opened the New Testament I first lighted upon Iohn's first Chapter In thâ— beginning was the word c. 〈◊〉 read part of the Chapter and waâ— suddenly convinced that the
used in his ordinary speech when he made mention of the blessed Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to adde my Master next God he loved that which God hath magnified above all things his word so as he hath been heard to make solemn Protestation as Luther used to do that he would not part with one leaf thereof for the whole world if it were offered him in exchange but hear the good man in his own good woâ—ds The Pearl Math. 13. I Know the ways of learning both the head And Pipes that feed the press and make it run What Reason hath from Nature borrowed Or of it's self like a good housâ—wife spun In Laws and Policy what the Stars Conspire What willing Nature speaks what forced by fire Both the old discoveries and the new found Seas The Stock and Surplus Cause and History All these stand open or I have the Keyes Yet I love thee I know the wayes of Honour what Maintains The quick returns of Courtesie and Wit Invies of favours whether party gains When glory swells the heart and woundeth it To all expressions both of Hand and Eye Which on the World a true Loves knot may tye And bear the bundle whereso'ere it goes How many drams of Spirit there must be To sell my Life unto my friends and foes Yet I love thee I know the wayes of pleasure the sweet streams The Lullings and the Rellishes of it The propositions of hot blood and brain What mirth and musick means what love and wit Have done these twenty hundred years and more I know the projects of unbridled store My stuff is flesh not brass my senses live And grumble oft that they have more in me Than he that curbes them being but one to free Yet I love thee I know all these and have them in my hand Therefore not sealed but with open Eyes I â—lie to thee and fully understand Both the main sale and the commodities And at what rate and price I have thy love With all the Circumstances that may move Yet through the Labirinth not my grovling wit But thy silk twist let down from heaven to me Did both conduct and teach me how by it To Climbe to thee We will conclude with Master Herberts Motto with which he used to conclude all things that might seem to make any thing for his own honour Less than the least of Gods mercies And his saying was when he heard any of his own good works mentioned Ah it is a good work if it be washed in the bloud of Christ. Reader VVHen you have read thus far I must intreat you to do as I did when I had writ so and that is to consider the reason why Religion so excellent in its self and so exquisitely set forth in the discourses of learned men in all ages hath so little influence on the minds and manners of men is because men do not think as well as read do not by Meditation letâ— those great things sink into the heart to warm the affections into holy Resolutions which float in the brain to perplex the head with ineffectual notions Inconsideration undoeth the world consideration must recover it consider all these serious sayings spoken not an random but upon experience and that not of any small time for here every man speaks upon the experience of his whole Life at the close of it and these speeches not of anyone party or sect or of any one age but of all men of all perswasions and of all times spoken when they were so disintereâ—â—ed and disingaged from the world as neither to be deceived or abused by any the most fair and promising nor to deceive upon any the most profitable and gainful consideration in the world I say take time to reflect seriously on all these warnings of dying men and they many of them the greatest the most learned and wisest in the world and adde to them many more that in the lives and deaths of worthy men you have met with in your â—eading but especially remember the last words of all your Friendâ— and acquaintance about whose beds you have stood in a dying hour when the Physician taking his leave of them intreated them to send for the Divine to whom with sad hearts and weeping eyes they confessed the folly of their former courses begging his comfort and his prayers and when the good man examining them about their repentance told them that they should try the sincerity of their contrition for what was past by the resolutions they had to live well if it pleased God to give them any longer time or if it were possible to live over their lives again the pall and sick men answered ah if we had an hundred lives we would live them at another rate than we have done Remember when the good discourse on both sides was over how the children friends or relations came about the bed to take their last farewell and how the dying person hardly now able to speak yet gathered all their Spirits to leave with their posterity their blessing with these serious words Serve and fear God and if the Companions of their now repented sins came to them recollect how sadly they warned them against their former courses beseeching them as they loved them to take example by them and speech failing them at last how their hands and eyes were fixed upon that heaven â—nd God which we think not of Remember and consider that iâ— is but a little while and you must be in the same condition and entertain the same thoughts for you are as sure to dye as they did as you â—ive as they wish they had not and shew your selves men in a manly and rational resolâ—â—ion â—o live in no other course than that you dare dye in to lead betimes that life which you see all men wish they had led Let none of those temptations have power to beguile you to the Commission of those evils which will have no rellish in the evil day when they should comfort you under the guilt of them Rememâ—er the end other mens which you have seen and your own which you expect and you will not do amiss The Lord Capel of blessed memory told his Son R. H. the Earl of Essex upon the day of his Death that he would leave him a Legacy out of Davids Psalms Lord lead me into a plain path For Boy said he I would have you a plain honest man to which I may adde that excellent saying of the same Noble Lord the 276th of his choice daily observations Divine and Morall viz. The wisdom of those young men is most excellent who by providence and discourse of reason do so order their affairs that they â—tay not till necessity or experience force them to use that oâ—der which wise foresight would much sooner have taken I will close these living sayings of dying men with the remarkable expressions of a Reverend Personâ— Consideration of our wayes is a matter
of so exceeding great use that scarce any thing undoeth mankind more than the neglect of it O that I might prevaiâ— with you to a conscientious practise of it I have heard of â— Gentleman that upon his Death bed laid this one commanâ— 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 â—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. â—az de patre orat 28. Plut. Apol Soc. 31. Gen. Bib. p. 564. Caus. de â—l l. â— c. 35. Deg. where meâ—h Leg. Hist. Pho. Bibl. p. 1463. Dioâ— Laâ—â— p. c. Plut. Apoth Athen deip 106. Agel 26. Hesych voceâ— Perian Exâ— Herâ— Pont. l. de Prince Plut. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— â—â—meâ— Heâ— Subseâ— Diog. Laâ—r 4. Idem Ibid. Athen. 13. c. 28. 5. 5. vid. Plat. Timaeu Plut. l. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aug. 8. â— D. c. 11. câ—rsigon de temp Ather Xen. l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pha vor l. 1. comment Plato died crying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athen. l. 13. c. 23. Elian l. 2â— va Hist. c. 9. â—l 1â— Curt. l. ◠〈◊〉 Phy. l. 8. Providenâ—iaÌ„ Eâ—aâ—â— ep lâ— 28. ep mono Ludov vives de Caus. Corrâ—pt vid. Arist. Dorj Evesta p. 111 Suidas in voci Theophrastus Athen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vid. Causab in Theoph. Char Proleg Dequilâ— accuâ—iâ—â—me scriptsit Videt Athens l. 12. c. 270. 171. Vid. I har var. hisâ— 12. c. 43. Laertius 130. Vid. Vocebus â—â—â—â—â—sthenes 〈…〉 etâ—â—â—ian varâ— hist. â— 10. c. 〈◊〉 Diogenes 〈…〉 l. 6. 〈◊〉 6. 147â— c. â—uid in voâ— â—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. Tuâ— 4. l. 4. Sen. ep 85. de â—raâ— l. 9. c. Cic. de â—in l. 4. Aq. 22. de q. 24. Art 2. 3. Clem. Alex. Padag 2. 13. Lâ—ert Zeno l. 7. Viâ— Phiâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. Jamb Sect. Pyth. comment Sâ—mp ut et â—â—rianin epict â—alch vit Pythag. aldroâ—â—â—dâ—â— 9. de lib. D. Laert. Laâ—r 2. p. 21. Herod Thaâ— 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. â— el. sont Gr. el. Lat. Luer 150. and 153. Dr. Tillâ—sâ—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 â—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. medâ—r c. 73. Sym Groular Hist. mem 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epith. Vid. Lyis dissert 9. Aâ—g C. D. c. 24. â—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. Abâ—â—t ut episâ— olas illas legitimas putâ—tis Lyl Greg. Cyr. de poel hist. dial l. 8. vid. Scrivel Annot. in Martiall 10. Miraris homines ad deos â—ire deus in hominem venit nulla fine deomens bona sen. ep 73. p. 673. Holling pâ— 35. Vit. Rom. ulj in p. 34. Ed. Par. p. 132. 132. 75â— Suet. * Hiâ— speaking of a Country mâ—ns-house into whiâ—h he retired by chance for food O sapientiam dei admirabilem saith he optimam scholam Christianitatis dominus mihi paraverat sic effecit deus admirabiliteâ— ut bonus rusticâ—s sanctissimum â—â—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 zeâ—i se mina quaedam Ingenerans See his life writ first in Italian then in Latinâ— 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 oâ— the same nature leaving the Emperours service for the stricter profession of Religion â—he particulars I have not now by me Lact. de opis dejâ— ex ipsis membrorum officiis ufibus partium singularum quantââ—vi providentiae quisque factus sit intelligere nobis licet See Arist. de partibus Animal Se my Lord Brooks his Book * De prinâ—ip p. 2. art 54. 55. Nay Doctor â—â—rvy having searched accurately into the naâ—â—re of generation concludes upon a creation â—ecause none ever found any thing either eleâ—ents or particles before and separate from boâ—â—es which might make them therefore God â—ade them Vid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Virg. Sen. Luc. Statis Strabo l. 15. Herod Euterp de AEgyptis quibus est de infernis Persausio Taci Prophyrâ— l. 4. de Edendis Anim Prat. Spirit c. 195. reâ—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 Prinâ—â—â—ples of Government upon it adviseth his Sâ—â— to be serious in it comforteth himself under â— the Calamities that befell him and his Peopâ—â— 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 â—orld wherein he doth from great instances of â—â—e Providence of God finding out the sins of â—â—e greatest men Kings of France Spain and Engâ—â—nd conclude what fear and reverence of God â—â—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 Ambasâ—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 Lorâ— and Gentlemen Now hath not a Servant at haâ—â— in his Chaâ—ber to wait upon him Pezel Mellit Hisâ—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 â—or that Crown in France where his wife by his direction ioyned in Communion with the English Church lay by his own distemâ—er and the violence of a storm he met with in his passage on his death bed where sending for â—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 Groâ—ius and the particular manner of his death in Doctor Merick Casaubons little tract the verborum usu see Groâ—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. Poâ—ces Sermon at his Funeral See my Lord Bacons confession of â—aith and his devotion Printed in â— little book about twelve years agoe wherein he doth very seriously prosess that after all hiâ— studies and inquisitions he durst not â—â—e with any other 〈◊〉 thâ—n those Religion taught as it is proâ—â—â— among the Câ—risâ—ians Prince Hâ—nry used to sâ—y that he knew no sport worth an oath and with Judge Nichâ—lâ— that he knew not what they called Puritan preaching but he loved that preaching that went next his heart and spâ—ke as 〈…〉 to say of Dr. Preston as if they knew the 〈◊〉 Godâ— From a Gentlemans mouth at whose house he lodged in Italy From Doctor Vshers mouth â—hom he deâ—â—red to preach at his Funâ—ral and to give him the Sacrament at the Celebration whereof a great scholer as it is commonly reâ—orted coming in stared â—â—ying I thought Selden had more learning judgâ—ment and sâ—iâ—â—t thanâ— to 〈◊〉 to obâ—â—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 hâ—â— Book â—alled Knowledge and â—â—â—â—tise
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 thâ—â—â—ou wouldest send him to my Fathers house For I have five brethren that he may testifie unto â—â—em lest they also come into this place of torment Abraham said unto him They have Moses and thâ—â—rophets let them hear them And he said Nay father Abraham but if one â—ent unto them from the dead they will repent LONDON Printed for Ameryâ— at the Black-boy over against Saint Cleâ—â—â—â— 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 foundâ— 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 Shepheardâ— 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 reâ—â—ive with kindness the last ofâ—â—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 gooâ— God hath not left it without â— witness more or less sooner oâ— later in every mans bosome tâ— 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 foâ— 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
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 gâ—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 worldâ— 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.
Cyril orat ad Iul. Epiph. 1. against the Targum of Ionathan The account given of Idolatry by Maimonid l. de cultu Stellarum and Proseld 3. ad synt de diis Syris And as appeares in the instances of Enoch Noah men who walked with God and God took them Sect. 2. 1. And besides that sin sooner or later makes all men as well as David and Heman have their Soules sore vexed become weary of their groaning while all the night long they make their bed to swim and water their Couch with their teares their eyes being consumed because of grief and they saying how long shall we take counsel in our Soules having sorrow in our hearts daily my God my God why hast thou forsaken me why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring Remember not the sins of my youth look upon my affliction and my pain and forgive all my sins I had fainted unless I had beleived the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living My life is spent with greif and my years with sighing my strength failed because of mine iniquity and my bones are consumed when I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long for Day and Night thy hand lay heavy upon me I acknowledged my sin unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid I said I will conâ—ess my transgressions to the Lord. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee Be not ye as the Horse and mule that have no understanding Many sorâ—ows shall be to the wicked What man is he that desires life and â—oveth many dayes that he may see good depart from evil and do good Thy arrows stick fast in me thy â—and presseth me sore Neither is â—here any rest in my bones by reason of my sin I have roared for the veâ—y disquietness of my heart When thou with rebukes doest chasten man for iniquity thou makest his beauty to consume away Surely every man is vanity My sin is ever before me make me to hear of joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce A broken and a contrite heart O Lord thou wilt not despise There were they in great fear where no fear was Fearfullness and trembling are come upon me and horror hath overwhelmed me and I said O that I had wings like a dove for then would I flee away and be at rest Mine eyes faiâ— while I wait upon my God My Soul refused to be comforted â— remembred God and was troubledâ— I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed My Soul is full oâ— trouble and my life draweth nigâ— to the grave I am afflicted anâ— ready to die from my youth upâ— while I suffer thy terrors I am diâ—stracted All men I say as well aâ— these in the Psalms out of which I made this collectioâ— find first or last that sin as it hath short pleasures so it hath a long sting that though men seem not to be able to live without the commission of it yet are they not able to live with the thoughts of it when committed that as when they have done well the pain is short but the pleasure lasting so when they have done ill the pleasure is short and the pain lasting Sin and sorrow are so tyed together by an Adamantine Chain and the Temptation to Evil tickleth not more than the reâ—lection upon it torments when all â—he enjoyment being spent in the acting of sin there is now nothing â—eft but naked sin and conscience Tacitâ sudant praecordia culpâ â—ur tamen hos tu â—vasisse putes quos diri conscia â—acti â—ens habet attonitos surdo verbere coedit â—â—cultum quatiente animo tortore flagellum â—oena autem vehemens multo gravior illis Quas caeditius gravis invenit â—ut Rhadamanthus Nocte diequeâ—â—um geâ—â— are in pectore testem Not to discourse to men out of books what they feel in their hearts that the things they eagerly pursue they shall sadly lament that evil it self to a rational Soul carryeth with it so much shame and horror that as many Poeâ—s Iâ—ven c. believed there were no Furia Alâ—â—tores Eumenides or whatever Names were given of old to those daughters of Nemesâ—s or the results of mens thoughtâ— after sin concerning the proceedings of the Divine justice against it like the conscience of having done evil so many wise men aâ— Cicero ad Pisonem thought there were none besides it and that helâ— is no other than conscience whereâ—fore Iudas and others ventured inâ—to that to avoid this whose worâ— that dyed not was more insupportable than the other fire that is not quenched Although this were enough to reclaim men from their frolicks that they are sure they shall be sad although there need not more be said to a man in his wits then this Sir a quiet mind is all the happiness and a troubled one is all the misery of this world you cannot enjoy the pleasure honour or profit you imagine follows your evils with a troubled mind and yet no man ever followed those courses without it all the calamities you meet with in doing well are eased much by the comforts of a good conscience And the Spirit of a good man bears his infirmities but all the pleasures we have in doing â—ll will have no relish or satisfaction when we lye under the â—errours of a bad one A woâ—nded â—pirit who can bear But to shew â—hat a strict and a serious life is not the humour of some conceited and singular persons but the opinion of all men when they are most impartiall and serious Observe 1. The wisest men that have been in the world among them 2. Instances out of Scripture 1. The one Nu. 23. 9 10. The most knowing man in the East Balaaâ— the Prophet so much courted by Balak the Prince reckoned the same in Mesopotamia that Trismegistuâ— was in Egypt or Zoroaster in Persiaâ— who against his own interest theâ— and his opinion with that wholâ— Countries at all times from thâ— high place wherein he was to deâ—fie all the religion that was theâ— in â—the world to please Balaâ— owned it though he displeaseâ— him and he took up this paâ—rable and said Balak the Kinâ— of Mâ—ab hath brought me fro◠〈◊〉 out of the Mountains of thâ— East saying curse me Jacob anâ— come defie Israel how shall I curse whom God hath not cursed or how shall I defie whom the Lord hath not defied For from the top of the Rocks I see him who can count the dust of Jacob and the number of the fourth part of Israel let me dye the death of the righteous and my last end be like his 2. The second 1 Kings 4. 29. â—o 34. The most knowing man in â—he world Solomon to whom God gave wisdom and understanding â—xceeding much and largeness of â—eart even as the sand that is on â—he Seaâ—shore And Solomons wisâ—om excelled the wisdom of all the
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 ronâ— 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. Anaxiâ—anders saying on his death bed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that infinity he found after much study was the beginnâ—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 Tuscalanâ— 1. Et Nat. Deor. who firsâ— to use Aristotles words l. 8◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 observed thaâ— there was an eternal mind movinâ— the material world whence hâ— 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 â—here when I am dead at the thoughts of which he was so raised that when he was informed in one hour â—hat he himself was condemned â—nd his â—on dead he said no more him 1. That Nature had conâ—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 waâ— the difference between a Philosopher and another man answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. though ther were no Laws we should live aâ— we do and another timâ— 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 oâ— dying he said that that man dyeâ— as he desired and that it woulâ— never be well in the world untiâ—â—oys learned those things whicâ— they were to use when men anâ— 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 whâ— 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 Phylosoâ—hy from loose discourses to â—lose and cohaerent reasonings â—itched after much enquiry upâ—n this conclusion which is to be â—een in Tully Arcad. Quest. l. 2. That there was but one good which some called Prudence others Mind others â—od see Ramus his Pref. to Schol. Mathâ— G. Neander Geog. p. 1. Blanâ— Disert de Nat. Math. Saâ—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 thâ— Socratiques I shall adde onely Menedemus who being told on hiâ— death bed that he was a happâ— man that attained to what hâ— design'd answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he was happiâ— who desired not more than he oughâ— which puts me in mind of an oâ—servation much to our purposâ—â— which those which will hardâ—â— beleive should seriously consideâ— gathered by Dr. M. Casâ—ab Enâ— p. 60. out of the Author of tâ—â— History of the Counsel of Treâ—â— Solenne in Confinio mortir positis â— humanas ex ignota quadam supâ—â— 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 â—poke of none with â—ver after thâ—â— he could not get 〈…〉 â—hoâ—ght that he should 〈…〉 a beast and wa◠〈…〉 â—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 Crantoâ— gaâ—e himself so much to the stuâ—dyâ— of good and evil with theiâ— coâ—sequence that his book of thaâ— subiect bequeathed by him tâ— poâ—â—erity is by Cicero and Panaetiâ—usâ— Master or Friend to Tuberoâ—â—â—lled â—â—â—lled non magnus at aureolus 〈◊〉 â—ui ad verbum ediscendus Aâ—â—â—e reading of which Carneade who disputed many years againâ—â— the motion of good and evil and Cheâ—ilaus who proteâ—ted hâ— knew for many yeares nothinâ— that was good but what wâ—â— 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 â—ion a Cynech indeed rather than an Academick â—aid that the torments of evil men in the other life were greater than any man imagined in â—his and though he had defied â—he Gods a while deriding â—heir worshippers and never â—ouchsafing to look into their
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 Homerâ— Il. A late learned man of our own observing a new notion of Sheâ— in Maimonides D. Dub. lâ— 2. of which he saith we had haâ— a greater account if learning haâ— not lost 12000. excellent Jewiâ— books at Cremona and otheâ— parts of Italy hath this remarâ—â—able passage out of R. Sam. Ebâ—â— Tibbor an old man dying said 〈◊〉 those about him that he had beâ—â— asleep all his life and that he wâ—â— now awake and there was 〈◊〉 sloath ease and folly but in thâ— world whose words the Authâ—â— concludeth in these words ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. but â— you throughly weigh these thing and what did he see when awaked even an eternal state of which Hippocrates saith Dediâ—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 â—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 lowerâ— where he may understand the enâ— of Life and see the beginning oâ— it Another sick man is mentioneâ— by Salmasius somewhere whâ— could not quietly dye till he unâ—derstood what the meaning wâ—â— of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Homer Dâ—â—mus porta Lethi the house anâ— gate of Hell in Lucretius Virgâ— and Ennius and that some knowâ—ing men of that time being bâ— answered him that he could noâ— know it because he had not puâ—â—ged his Soul this being one of thâ— misteries that were not to be uâ—â—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. 23â— p. 2. brings in God encouraging Moses to dye by the same description of Heaven and the everlasting happiness of good men in it thaâ— Pindar hath in the 2. Ode of hiâ— Olympiads concerning the blessed and that is the same with Sainâ— Iohn Revel 21. 21. 25 7. ult 21â— And Moses chiding his Soul foâ— its delay in going into the Societâ— of Cherubims and Seraphims uâ—â—der the throne of the Divine Mâ—â—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 thaâ— 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 Platâ— 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— 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 worlâ— with the notion all me have of another World breath'd out his â—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 Geometricallâ— transformed into a new soliâ— cone So mortality having gone it its rounds as it were iâ— this circle of time uâ—â—on the immoveable ceâ—â—ter of the soul shall become â— new Body and unite again In a discourse concerning thâ— resurrection had before Iuliâ—â— Caesar the Emperour at which 〈◊〉 Gamaliel was present Cleopatâ—â— the Queen asked R. Meir aâ—â— 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 Iâ— there greater torment in thâ— World then for a man on hiâ— death bed to be racked witâ— the consideration of his eternaâ— state and to reflect how often hâ— was told it would come to that and that all men sooner or latâ— have those thoughts how possâ—â—ble yea how easie it had been tâ— prevent them how seriousâ— God and men warned them 〈◊〉 them Good God! that men wâ—â—â— not embrace Religion when theâ— see they cannot avoid it thâ— men will not come under the yoke of it when all men doe so or else at last come uâ—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 overâ— awed or frighted 1. Nimrod the founder of the Assâ—â—rian Monarchy who from his doâ—minion overbeasts whereof he waâ— a mighty Hunter advanâ—ced the first to a governâ—ment over men Abarâ—â—nel in par Noach acknowledgâ—ed in his later dayes Gods poweâ— over him as great as his over hâ—â— subjects wherefore he Institute the worship of the Sun and Staâ—â— the greatest instruments of Goâ— government and many are â—â— opinion that the Heâ— thens worshipped nâ— the creature but Gâ— appearing in them in â— verse wayes of admiâ—nistrations but the same Loâ— working all and in all and whâ— carried away by Spirits at his death as Annius in his Berosus relates the story he cried out Oh! one year moreâ— 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 oâ— this Tombe hear where Ninus is whether thou art an Assyrian â— Mede or an Indian I speak to thee no frivolous or vain matters formerly I was Ninus and lived aâ— thou dost I am now no more thaâ— a piece of earth all the meat thaâ— I have like a glutton eaten all thâ— pleasures that I like a beast eâ—â— joyed all the handsome women that I so notoriously entertaineâ— all the riches and glory that Iâ— proudly possessed my self â— failed and when I went into thâ— invisible state I had neithâ—â— Gold nor Horse nor Charioâ— I that wore the rich Crown of fâ—â—ver am now poor dust Nay There is a tradition â— mong the Jews in the boâ—â— Maase Toral quoted by Munsâ—â—â— 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 Amâ—aphel proudly replyed â—hat it was he that made â—he Heaven and the â—ost of Heaven if so said Abraham â—ay thou to thy Sun that he should â—â—se in the West and set in the â—ast and I will believe thee Amâ—aphel being exasperated with the â—hilds boldness and discretion â—ommandeth that he should be â—ast into the fire out of which God â—elivering the child whence the â—ord is said to bring him from Vrâ—â— the Chaldees convinced the â—an so far as to make him worship â—od in the fire Sardanapalus that prodigy of â—â—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
one Day upon which he ordered this inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eat drink Playâ— c. All is not worth this his Statue being drawn â—illiping the World Phul. in Herodotus his Euterpâ— hearing that the Oracle should pronounce against him that he should live but six years and dye the seaventh the King hearing this commanded that certain Lamps should be made for the Night time which he intended to spend in Jovialty whilest other â—lept that so he might delude the Oracle and live twice the lonâ—ger by taking so much more noâ—tice of his Day but when he wâ—â— called to Dye Oh said he if â— had thought I had thus dyeâ— I had not so lived 3. Senacherib going forth with his Army against Egypt it came to pass one Night that a plague of mice came upon him and disarmed his souldiers by devouring their harnesse of leather in memory whereof there was erected a statue like this Prince in stone holding a mouse in his hand with this inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. who ere beholdeth me let him learn to be religious How Nebuchadnezzar was taken down from the pride of a great King to the despicable condition of a poor Beast till he â—ift up his eyes unto Heaven and his understanding returned unto â—im and he blessed the most high and praised and honoured him â—hat liveth for ever whose dominion is an everlasting dominion and his Kingdom is from everlasting to everlasting â—hat is till he acknowledged the most high to have ruled in the Kingdoms of men is worthy all mens most serious consideration as it is set down in Dan. 4. compared with the fragments of Berosus in Iosephus 1. Affricanus Eusebius Scaliger and Rabbaâ— As is the sad instance of Belshazzar the last Assyrian Monarch being greatly troubled his countenance changed in him his Lordâ— astonied his thoughts perplexed so that the joynts of his loyns wenâ— loosed and his knees smote onâ— against another amidst the mosâ— Joviall entertainments of his mosâ— solemn Feastivals called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the Caldee decree upon the wall Mene Tekel Perez God hath numbred thâ— Kingdom and finished it thou art weighed in the ballancâ— and found wanting thy Kingdoâ— is divided and given to the Mâ—â—des and Persians In the samâ— night was Belshazzar King of the Chaldeans slain Dan. 5. compared with Scaligers notes upon the Greek fragments 4. Cyrus the Persian left this â—emento behind him to all mankind Plutarch Paral 703 â—edti Par. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Whosoever thou art man and whencesoever thou comest for I know â—hou wilt come to the same condition that I am in I am Cyrus â—ho brought the Empire to the â—ersian do not I beâ—eech thee enâ—ie me this little peice of ground â—hich covereth my Body 5. Alexander the Founder of â—he Grecian Monarchy though â—e allowed himself all the excesâ—es that a man was capable of â—pon an imagination that he was God yet after he had had expeâ—â—ence of all things in the World â—â—d his Master Aristotle had by his command studied the ground and bottome of all things in Nature Plutarch and Curtius both testifie of him that in his latter dayes he called the Gymnosophists to resolve him whether the dead or the living were most How a man might become a God How a man might live sâ—â— as to dye well And at last waâ— so possessed with the sence of Reâ—ligion as to lye under so much trouble and disturbance of Spiâ—rit as to look upon every littlâ— matter as portentous and ominouâ— and to fill his Palace with Sacriâ—ficers Expiators and Diviner◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. So dreadfâ—â— a thing saith Plutarchâ— is unbeleif and contempâ— of the Gods which sooner oâ— later filleth all mens minds as 〈◊〉 did Alexanders who thereby aâ—â—knowledged one greater then hiâ—â—self with fears and terrors 6. Iulius Caesar conquered the Roman Empire but not his own Conscience which troubled him with dreams and terrified him with visions putting him upon Sacrificing divining and consulting all sorts of Priests and Augures though he found comâ—â—â—g from none insomuch that a â—â—â—le before he died he was as â—â—artless as the ominous Sacrifice 〈◊〉 that he offered professing to â—â—s friends that since he had made 〈◊〉 end of the Wars abroad he â—â—d no peace at home for having â—â—spised as well all the Gods particularly in his expedition â—â—inst Iuba as all men although 〈◊〉 Religious â—â—â—s were not 〈◊〉 great as his â—â—â—the rer Bruâ—â—â—â— in whose 〈◊〉 Caesars blood cried so 〈◊〉 that he could not sleep for the noise he thought he hâ—ard at his doors and an apparition he thought he saw in his chamber which told him it was his evil Genius which he should see at Philippi where he no sooner saw it than in the Career of his Victory he drooped retired to fall upon his own sword that he mighâ— not fall by the Enemies as in oâ—â— own Chronicles the young chiâ—â—dren of Edward the fourth whoâ— he is reported to have murthereâ— troubled Richard the third ovâ—â— night more then Henry the â—â—venths Army did the next daâ— for he started ever and anon in hâ—â— sleep Crying out take away theâ—â— Children from me Religion câ—â— torment those whom it cannot â—â— claim 7. It were worth our while 〈◊〉 consider why so wise and greâ—â— a Prince as Philip of Macedon 〈◊〉 one every morning to call upâ—â— him to remember that he was a man why he was so afraid to be charmed with the sweets of life as to be roused every day from sleep with the news of death and why so puissant an Emperour as Saladine would have these words proclaimed to his Army and communicated to posterity viz. Great â—â—ladine Magnificent Conqueror 〈◊〉 Asâ—a and Monarch of the whole â—ast carries away nothing with â—im to the grave for fruit of his â—ictories but onely a shirt which â—overeth the mould of his body â—nd even this rag of linnen too â—ortune giveth him onely to give â—he worms Fui nihil amplius â— have been and that is all To see the Emperour Adrianâ—elebrating â—elebrating his own Funerals and â—â—rrying before him his Coffin in â—riumph when he lived and â—hen he was a dying to hear him â—y animula vagula blandula c. Ah poor Soul whither wilt thou goe is an Argument to all sobeâ— men that though Riches Honour and Pleasures possess the imagination yet Religion dwells in ouâ—â—â—ason those things staying with us only during the age of phansie and this lasting during the timâ— of our being a consideration thaâ— may bring all men of Guevaâ—â— mind that the mâ—â—â— Courtly and pleâ—â—sant lives are puâ—â—lick Pennances aâ—â— that a serious life is the only pleâ—â—sure 8. Nero having run up aâ—â— down to all the pleasures in tâ—â— world to divert and suppress aâ—â— thoughts of the deity found impossible the apprehensions God in the midst of Theaters feaâ—â— and sports stinging his
order to the Orgine of â—he universe but of his conserving motion in it for the upholdâ—ng of it considero Materiam they are his own words in his â—nswer to the third letter of H. M. p. 104 Sibi libere permissam nullum aliunde impulsum susciâ—ientem ut plane quiescentem illa autem impellitur a deo tantundeâ— motus sive translationis in ea coâ—â—servante quantuw ab initio posuiâ—â— And therefore it s no wonder thaâ— it is reported of one of the greatesâ— unbelievers now among us thaâ— he trembleth at the thought oâ— death because though in an hâ—â—mour he speaks strangely 〈◊〉 God yet in his study aâ—â— thoughts he cannot but trembâ—â— before him and whatever his peâ—â—vishness hath spoken of the eteâ—â—â— Spirit his Phylosophy owns aâ—â— fears him without whom he mâ—â— wrangle but he cannot sleep yeâ—â— he that talketh so peremptory â— of the great God in publicâ— looketh not so in private Theâ— may be some Atheists in compâ—pany but there is none alone aâ—certainly he would not be so â— fraid in the night to put out tâ—â— light on the beds head but that confesseth it impossible to extâ—â—guish the candle of the Lord in his bosome for we may say of those that are commonly called Athiests as Plato de rep l. 9. doth of Tyâ—ants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If any â—erson could but see â—hroughly into their Souls he should find â—hem all their lives â—ull of fear grief and torments â—ectus inustâ—e deformant maculae â—itâ—isque inolevit imago And I do not wonder at it since â—trabo reckoneth this among the â—pophthegms of the Indians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there are judgements in â—he invisible state and that the â—rachmans esteemed â—his life but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ut the state of a new â—orn Infant and death â—as a new birth to a â—etter and a more â—â—essed life to them â—â—at followed wisdom whereof the Gaules and the Brittains were in Câ—esars time so confident that he saith 1 de bel Gal. that the reason why they fought so obstinately was because they were taught by the Druids not to feaâ— death because they knew it waâ— but passage to a better life thâ— Soul in their opinion not perishingâ— but passing from one to another â— which Lucan hath expressed in hiâ— ranting way thus Longae Canitisâ— cognita vitae mors media est cerâ—â— populi quos despicitarctos Faelices erâ—rore suo quos illetimorum maximâ— haud urget lethi metus inde ruâ—â— di in ferrum mens prona viriâ—â— animoeque capaces mortis igâ—â—vum est rediturae parcere vitae Gregentius Arch-bishop of Tâ—â—phra in the Kingdom of the Hoâ—â—rites in the Empire of AEthiopiâ— many hundred years agoe upâ— the request of the Godly King that place undertook a Disputaâ—â—â—on with the Jews about the truth of Christian Religion the dispuâ—ation is at large Printed out of an â—ncient M. S. procured by Abbat Noall his Christian Majesties Envoy to Constantinople and the East in the first volume of the Bibliotheca patrum p. 194. pubâ—ished at Paris 1624. Lent being over and the Jews â—omming to give an account of â—hemselves before the King and â—ll the Nobility of the Kingdom â—oly Gregentius the Arch-bishop â—ndertook for the Christians and â—erbanus a learned man in the â—ewish Laws and Prophets underâ—ook for the Jews in a solemn â—isputation before the most â—â—lemn assembly in the world â—â—veral dayes until Herbanus beâ—â—â—g astonished to hear so many plaâ—â—s of the Law and Prophets alâ—â—dged for Christ was so ingeniâ—s as to confess that since Mosâ—s came from God the Iews should hear him and since Christ came from God the Christians should hear him and to offer that if Chrisâ— were come already as he believed he was to come in Person and end the controversie with mankind an offer which all the Jews asseâ—â—ted to with a loud voyce to Godâ— the King and the Archbishop sayâ—ing shew us Christ and we wiâ—â— believe in him whereupon thâ— Archbishop leaving the assemblâ— went aside to pray and as thâ— King and the assembly said Ameâ— to the close of his prayers ther wâ— an Earthquake about them anâ— in the East the heaven opene with a great brightness aboâ—â— them from whence the Loâ—â— Jesus appears in glory befoâ—â— them and after each side waâ— little recovered of its Extasies tâ— the one of joy the other of feâ— bespeaks them thus with a Ioâ— voyce upon the prayer of the Archbishop and the Faithful I â—ppear before your eyes who was â—â—â—cifyed by your Fathers at â—hich voyce the astonished Jews â—ere struck blind and upon enâ—â—uiry finding that the Christians â—ere not so Herbanus being led â—the Archbishop desired that he â—ould pray Christ to open their â—â—es as he had shut them and â—â—ey would believe when they 〈◊〉 that he could do good as well â—evil adding that if he did 〈◊〉 he should answer it in the 〈◊〉 of Judgement The Archbishop answered that â—â—on condition they would be â—â—ptized they should receive â—â—eir sight what if we should Baptized and continue blind 〈◊〉 Herbanus let one of you be â—â—ptized answered the Archâ—â—â—hop they consented and the man no sooner had his head sprinkled but he had his eyes opened and cryed out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is true God and I believe in him whereupon all the rest were Christened to the number of 505000. menâ— Moses appearing likewise to Herbanus for whom the King stood who made him a Senator in â— vision submitting himself 〈◊〉 Christ in whose Religion thâ—â— whole Country was instructed becomming as strict Christianâ— after many days praying for paâ—â—don as they had been obstinatâ— Jews Sophronius Bishop of Ierusaleâ— delivereth the foâ—â—lowing History as most certain and iâ—â—fallible Truth to Pâ—â—sterity That Leontius Apiamensâ— a most faithful and Religious man that lived many years at Cyrene assured them that Synesius who of a Philosopher became a Bishop found at Cyrene one Evagrius a Philosopher who had been his old acquaintance fellow-student and intimate friend but â—n obstinate Heathen with whom â—ynesius was earnest but in vain to become a Christian following with arguments for Christian Reliâ—ion so close that the Heathen â—hough he persisted a great while â—n discourses to this purpose that to him it seemed but a meer fable and deceit that the Christian Religion teacheth men that this world shall have an end and that all men shall rise again in these bodies and their flesh be made immortal and incorruptible and that they shall so live for ever and shall receive the reward of all that they have done in the body and that he that hath pitty on the poor lendeth to the Lord and he that giveth to the poor and needy shall have treasure in Heaven and shall receive an hundred fold from Christ together with eternal life Yet being convinced by Synesiâ—â— his close arguments that they werâ— certain truths he and his familâ— was
doing good That person in dying hour shall wish hiâ—self not man that hath not been a good Châ—â—stian Sir Spencer Compton Brother to â—he Right Honourable the Earl of Northampton calling to him such Reverend persons as Bishop Morâ—ey and Doctor Earles when he was on his death-bed at Bruges he â—aised himself upon his pillow â—nd held out his arms as if he were to embrace one saying O my â—esus Intimating the comforts â—hat then flowed in from the holy â—esus into his Soul After which â—oly ecstasie composing himself â—o a calm and serious discourse â—e said to the standers by O be â—ood O keep close to the principles â—f Christian Religion for that â—ill bring peace at the lâ—st Edward Peito Esqire â—fter he had told his â—hysitians that God had â—ent him his Summons it â—as his expression thaâ— al the sins of his former life did even kick him in the face and that if we do well now he saw the evil attendiug well-doing was short but thâ— good eternal If we do ill thâ— pleasures of doing ill pass away and the pain remaineth his chieâ— charge about his children beinâ— that they should have a Religioâ—â— Education that they might havâ— God for their portion as well 〈◊〉 his Estate An Excellent person haviâ—â— writ exquisitely for Christian Râ—â—ligion hath this discourse of tâ—â— Nature of it viz. Doth now thâ— conquest of Passions forgiving 〈◊〉 Injuries doing Good Self-deniâ—â— Humility Patience under crosse which are the real expressions 〈◊〉 Piety speak nothing more Noâ—â— and Generous then a luxurioâ—â— malicious proud and impatiâ—â— Spirit Is there nothing more bâ—â— coming and agreeable to the Soâ— of man in exemplary Piety and a holy well-ordered conversation then in the lightness and vanity not to â—ay rudeness and debauâ—hery of those whom the World accounts the greatest Gallants Is there nothing more graceful and pleasing in the sweetness â—â—andour and ingenuity of a truly Christian temper and disposition â—hen in the revengeful implacable Spirit of such whose Honour lives â—nd is fed by the blood of their â—nemies Is it not more truly hoâ—ourable and glorious to serve â—hat God who commandeth the World then to be a slave to those â—assions and Lusts which put men â—pon contiuual hard service and â—orment them for it when they â—ave done it Were there noâ—hing else to commend Religion â—o the minds of men besides that â—ranquillity and calmness of Spirit â—hat serene and peaceable temper which follows a good Conscience wheresoever it dwells it were enough to make men welcome that guest which brings such good entertainment with it Whereas the amazements horrours and anxieties of mind which at one time or other haunt such who prostitute their Consciences to a violation of the Laws of God anâ— the Rules of rectified Reason maâ— be enough to perswade any rational person that Impiety is thâ— greatest folly and Irreligion madâ—ness Sir Thomas Smith after he haâ— many years served Queen Elizâ—beth as Secretary of State anâ— done many good services to thâ— Kingdom particularly to the seâ—ling of the Corn-rate for the Uâ—â—â—versities disâ—harged all affairs aâ— attendants a quarter of a year bâ—â—fore he dyed sent to his singulâ— good Friends the Bishops of Wiâ—chester and Worc. intreating them to draw him out of the word of God the plainest and exactest way 〈◊〉 making his peace with God and living godly in this present world â—dding that it was great pitty men knew not to what end they were born into this world until they were ready to go out of 〈◊〉 My Lord Bacon would say towards the â—â—tter end of his life â—hat a little smattering â—â— Philosophy would â—â—ad a man to Atheism â—â—t a through insight â—â—to it will lead a man â—â—ck again to a first â—â—use and that the first â—â—inciple of right reaâ—â—n is Religion in reference to which it was the wisest way to live strictly and severely for iâ— the opinion of another world be not true yet the â—weetâ—st life in this world is Piety Vertue and Honesty If it be there are none so miserable as the loose the carnal and profane Persons who lived a dishonourable and a basâ— life in this world and were likâ— to fall to a most wofull state in thâ— next Prince Henry's lâ—â— words O Christ thâ— art my Redeemer anâ— I know that thou hâ—â— redeemed me I whoâ— depend upon thy Pâ—â—â—vidence and Mercâ—â— From the very bottâ—â— of my Heart I comme my Soul into thy haâ—â— A Person of Quaâ— waitiâ—g on the Prince in his sickness who had been his constant Companion at Tennis and asking â—im how he did was answered â—h Tom I in vain wish for that time I last with thee and others in â—ain Recrâ—ation Now my Soul be glad for at â—l the parts of this Prison the â—ord hath set his aid to loose â—â—ee Head Feet Milt and Liver â—re failing Arise therefore and â—ake off thy Fetters mount from â—â—y Body and go thy way The Earl of Arundel â—â—ing on his Deathâ—â—d said My flesh and 〈◊〉 heart faileth and 〈◊〉 Ghostly Father adâ—â—d the next words â—â—atâ— God was the strength of his â—â—rt and his portion for ever 〈◊〉 would never fail him He anâ—â—ering â—ll the world â—ath failed◠〈◊〉 will â—ever failuâ—e Master Seldon who had comprehended all the learning and knowledge that is either among the Jews Heathens nor Christians suspected by many of too little a regard to Religion one afterâ—noon before he dyeâ— sent for Bishop Vsher and Doctor Langbarâ—â— and discoursed to theâ— to this purpose Tâ—â—â— he had surveyed moâ—â— part of the Learnâ—â—â— that was among the 〈◊〉 of Men that he 〈◊〉 his Study full oâ— Booâ— and Papers of most subjects in 〈◊〉 World yet that at that time â— could not recollect any passaâ—â— oâ—â— of those infinite Books aâ—â— Manuscripts he was Master wherein he could rest his Soâ—â— save of the holy Scriptures wherein the most remarkable passage that lay most upon his Spirit was Tit. 2. 11 12 13 14 15. For the Grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that deâ—â—ing ungodliness and worldly lust â—e should live soberly and righteâ—â—sly and godly in this present â—orld looking for that blessed â—â—pe and glorious appearing of the â—reat God and our Saviour Iesus â—hrist who gave himself for us â—â—at he might redeem us from all â—â—iquity and purifie unto himself â—peculiar People zealous of good â—orks these things speak and â—xhort and rebuke with all Authoâ—â—ty Sir Thomas Coventry once hearâ—â—g some Gallants jesting with â—eligion said that there was no â—reater argument of a foolish and â—â—considerate person than profanely to droll at Religion It 's a sign he hath no regard of himself and that he is not touched with a sense of his own interest who playeth with life and death and makes nothing of his Soul To examine severely and debate seriously the principles of Religion is a thing worthy of a wise man
whosoâ—â—ver turnâ— Religion into Raillerâ—â— and abuseth it with two or three â—old jests rendreth not Religioâ— but himself ridiculous in the opinion of all considerate men â—ecause he sports with his oâ—â—â—â—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 oâ— them I shall never forget a traditioâ— of the Jews related by Masiâ—â— upon Ioshua viz. that Noah iâ—â—he universal deluge instead oâ— Gold Silver and all sorts of treasure carryed the bones of Adam into the Ark and distributing them among his Sons said take â—hildren behold the most preâ—ious inheritance your Father â—an leave you you shall share â—ands and Seas of God shall apâ—oint but suffer not your selves to â—e intangled in these Vanities my â—hildren all glideth away here â—elow and there is nothing which â—ernally subsisteth learn this â—esson from these dumb Doctors â—he reliques of your Grandfather â—hich will serve you for a refuge â—n your adversities a bridle in â—our prosperity and a Mirrour at â—ll times provide for your Souls â—he opinion of whose immortaliâ—y you will find got every where â—here you sind men so true is that â—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 reâ—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 â—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 â—ovedst them so much as to prefer them before thy Saviour These conâ—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 aâ—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 watâ—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 feâ—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 â—hat I might live with thee and dye with Saint Ambrose And it is observed among the Papists that many Cardinals and other greâ—t â—nes who would think their â—owle and Religious habit ill â—â—came them in their health yet â—â—e very ambitious to dye and be â—uried in them as commonly they â—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