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earth_n	father_n	heaven_n	holy_a	10,196	5	5.1385	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10084	A verie godlie and learned sermon treating of mans mortalitie, and of the estate both of his bodie and soule after death. Preached at Denham in Suffolke. At the celebration of the solemne and mournfull funerals of the right orshipfull Sir Edward Lewkenor Knight, and of the vertuous Ladie Susan, his wife, both at once. By M. Robert Pricke their beloued and faithfull minister: now also since that time (to the encrease of our sorow for the losse of so excellent a light) departed this life.	Pricke, Robert, d. ca. 1608.; Allen, Robert, fl. 1596-1612.	1608 (1608)	STC 20338; ESTC S112476	28,846	49

their studies Let the Noble and worshipfull race of Gentry Magistrates lay to heart the losse of two such familiars as were most faithfull and dutifull to them Poore of Den. ham and in the townes adioyning But O yee poore and miserable of these partes howle yee and cry out seeing they are taken from you whose hands in times past were alwaies open to relieue your necessities The Minister himselfe then a chief mourner for them on earth but now achiefe reioicer with them in heauen And would to God mine eies would gushe out teares yea riuers of teares seeing the place and seats open now empty and without them whose presence in times past was comfortable to my heart where vnto they alwaies bent themselues as did appeare by their readinesse and willingnesse to repaire to this place Finally there is cause that all should mourne for the death of such persons according to the laudable custome and manner of the Church The causes of comfort are resumed more fully amplified because they are greater and therfore ought to receiue the deeper more durable impression chiefly in the heartes of those that are most subiect to passe boundes in mourning in all times Yet least we should passe measure and runne into the excesse of mourning wee want not iust cause to moderate and temper our mourning and sorrowe and that not only for that we are not without hope as were the heathē but for far better more agreable causes And first of all although they be gōe yet haue they left behind them many persons equall to thē in degre dignity who are not ōly indued with excellent gifts but ready prest to performe the same duties which they in their life time performed As namely to professe and maintaine the Gospell The 1. cause of comfort sincerely to worship serue the Lord and to go before other in a holy christian example of life A 2. cause of comfort Againe it ought not a little to mitigate our sorrowe in regard of their departure because as they honoured God in their life so God hath now honored thē in their death as appeareth this day not ōly by the solemnities of their buriall but also in the great concurse of all sorts who are come together euery one according to his place to testifie what honorable and louing affections they bare toward them A 3. Cause of comfort both in life and in death The last full cause shuttinge vp perfecting all our cōfort against all our mourning Lastly that we may at lēgth conclud the greatest matter of comfort is that although they haue left vs for a time yet ere it bee longe wee shall meete with them in the Kingdome of God For which purpose because wee know not howe sodenly the Lord will come either by death And thus a sweete conclusion of a verie sweete godlie learned and fruitfull Sermon To God be all the praise honour glory to vs much benefit spirituall edificatiō through his most gratious blessing or at the last iudgement as we haue good cause to bethinke vs thereof by the present occasion let vs not driue off as the slouthfull seruant in the Gospell or as the foolish virgins but let vs fit our selues before hand for his glorious comming that is let vs get oyle in our lamps with the wise virgins and euerie one of vs behaue our selues faithfully in our place and calling by imploying such gifts as we haue receiued of our Soueraigne Lord and Maister to the glory of God and the benefit of our brethren And then no doubt as the second death shall not hurt vs so shall wee enter into our Maisters ioy where we shal with the soules of the righteous crie continuallie Lord Iesus come quicklie Reu. 22.21 as the soules of these two persons doe And in the end we shal doubtles heare those sweet words of heauenly entertainement which Christ our Lord Sauiour from his glorious throne shall pronoūce to the vnspeakeable comfort of all the elect saying Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you Math. 25.34 from the foundation of the world Which the Lord of his infinite mercie hasten speedily put an an end to the miseries of this world vnder which we doe continually sigh and groane 2. Cor. 5.4 And that euen for Iesus Christ his sake our onely Redeemer and Sauiour to whom with the Father the holie Ghost be rendred and giuen for euer and euer both in heauen and earth all possible praise honour glory immortalitie Amen And thus an ende Let vs pray

rude and the rather because that in the extreame colde when it was deliuered the naturall instruments and partes of the Preacher did performe their duties not so wel as at other times But seeing it doth containe nothing but the plaine simple truth there is no cause whie it should feare the curiositie of proude carpers and deprauers Whatsoeuer it bee I doe heere present it to you all ioyntlie and that for diuers reasons The first is in regard of the manifolde benefites and fauours which I and mine haue enioyed both from your selues and at the hands of your saide deceased Parents which because I can in no wise requite I content my selfe with this slender signification of thankfullnes following therein the example of manie in all times who haue by small gifts as of a roote or water taken vp in the hollowe of the hand expressed their loue and dispatched dutie towards great persons and doe by prayer commit a fuller recompense to bee made by him who hath promised not to forget a cup of colde water bestowed vpon anie of his Secondlie for that the treatise doth not onely put you in minde of your fraile and mortall condition euen nowe in this your youthfull and flourishing estate that so you might walke in feare and euerie houre fitte your selues for the Lordes calling of you away by death but also containeth or rather brieflie toucheth diuers necessarie pointes of Christian doctrine and religion which may serue as a remedie against the horrible prophanenesse Atheisme and contempt of GOD which as some great floud doth at this time ouerflow the bancks of this whole Land Lastly to stirre you vp although forward of your selues to followe and treade in the holie steppes of your worthy Parents gone before the traces wherof are in this Sermon trulie and faithfully set downe without all flatterie or ostentation They were both of them carefull in their life to prouide for your good and happy estate both in this life and the life to come If therefore you shall after their death runne on in the course of righteousnes holines of wisdome temperance zeale and loue to religion with all other good vertues you shall not onely honor them heere but also shall shortly meete with them in the kingdome of heauen where children and Parents shall incessantlie together praise glorifie God for euermore You are as it were set vpon a stage the eyes of manie are fixed vpon you If you doe well you shall satisfie the expectation of your friends make their hearts reioyce if you doe ill your enemies wil be glad and your wel willers lament In the meane season receiue I beseech you this small gift with the same affection wherein it is deliuered by his hand who doth daylie in his vnworthy prayers craue earnestlie of our mercifull Father all good blessings and graces in your behalfe when they are according to his promise performed to you will thinke all labours indeauours in what respect soeuer fullie satisfied And thus in hast I commend you to the blessing and tuition of the same Almightie God Yours as his owne in the Lord. Robert Pricke Denham in Suff. Septemb. 1606. ¶ Epitaphium MAgnorum seruent nomen monumenta Virorum Marmorea his Pietas marmora vera dabit Stemmatis antiqui faciant insignia claros Virtutum his cumulus fixa columna manet Isa 57.1.2 AVreum Par amisimus heu miselli Stemmate insigni pietaterara Nec valet damnum reparare nobis Aurea moles Iustus è terra perijt nec est qui Curet aufertur medio benignus Interim mundus sine cura in aurem Dormit vt ramuis Tollitur iustus perijt benignus Ne malos casus videant propinquos His quetem nemine pensitante Numine dante Corpus infirmum tumulus recondit Continet fulgens animas Olympus Gloria plenum dies supremus Iunget vtrùmque Mente quis sanus sua si darentur Vota nondum secla beata malit Corde suspirans cito vece clamans Christe venito Richardus Blackerbie Mr Richard Blackerby Dyed in the yeer 1648 in his 74th year F.H. Van Houe Sculp A Sermon preached at Denham in Suffolke I Wished that the charge of preaching at this present had bene laid vpon the sholders of another more fit and able for the purpose then I am but seeing the dutie doth fall vpon mee so necessarilie that I cannot put it from mee either with honestie or with a good conscience I must needes make triall by the assistance of God what I am able to performe Wherein because I meane not so much to applie my selfe to the dead as to the instruction and edification of the liuing I haue therefore chosen a Text fit as I hope for the present purpose occasion out of the last chapt of Ecclesiastes 7. vers in these words And dust returne to the earth as it was and the spirit returne to GOD that gaue it The principall groūd or scope of the whole book of Ecclesiastes is that all things in this world are exceeding vaine The chiefe and principall point or ground of doctrine whereabout Salomon the pen-man of the holie Ghost is principallie occupyed in this booke is brieflie propounded and set downe in the 2. vers of the 1. chapt and that in this manner Vanitie of vanities saith the Preacher vanitie of vanities all is vanitie Whereby is signified that neither true comfort nor assured happinesse doth consist in anie creature vnder the sunne The meaning of the same doctrine in the generall seope of it and all to the end that the holie Prophet or rather the Spirit of God might call mens mindes backe from too much studie and delight in earthly worldly things The generall ende or vse of the doctrine vnto the knowledge and feare of God wherein onelie true comforte and felicitie are to be found And for this purpose he turneth his eyes round about the huge frame of this world The reasons of it are mame by a diuine spirit doth search into the nature properties effects and euents with the mutable estate of all things contained therein from all which he gathereth sundry manifold arguments whereby he doth often proue and conclude the same proposition namelie that all things vnder the compasse of heauen are nothing else but vanitie and vexation of minde The last reason of all and the same a very speciall one is conteined in the present text taken from the consideration of mans mortalitie After all which arguments followeth this argument which I haue read And dust returne c. taken from the death and dissolution of man The reason why this argument beeing so strong and perswasiue is put in the last place is not so much in regard of the order and degrees of mans life younger or oulder whereof he treated a little before not yet to proue that both man himselfe all things wherof he is Lord and possessor The vse which is to be made

calling to minde how religiouslie and iustly he had behaued himselfe in the former course of his life and hereby carried awaie a most renowned victorie The 6. reason is the discomfort of conscience in time of sicknes specially at the hour of death for neglect of leading a godly life Furthermore manie in sicknes and great extremitie speciallie at the houre of death are troubled and doe lament for that they haue suffered the former parte of their life to passe a way without doeing any good duties either toward God or their neighbour but all in vaine For oftentimes the season beeing past and death oppressing them their breath is shut vp in horrible despaire whereupon insueth eternall miserie and destruction The doctrine cōcluded vvith an earnest exhortation Fronte capillata pòst est occasio calua Let all persons therefore olde and young men and women of what estate degree qualitie whatsoeuer lay holde vpon fitte time and oecasion remembring what the verie heathē haue sayd that occasion weares a bushe before but is balde behinde so that beeing gone it cannot be layd hold one afterward Oh that christians had wisedome to consider the exceeding goodnes of God who wher as he might haue cut of their life so soon as they were borne he graunteth them longer time and fit opportunitie to prepare themselues for the obteining of euerlasting life and happines Which metcie of God if they lightlie passe ouer they shew themselues most vnthankeful to God and enemies vnto their owne soules And thus much for the reason why the argument of the death and dissolution of man followeth in the last place and now The text diuided into tvvo parts let vs come to the Text it selfe which conteineth two parts 1. A description of death The 2. is the estate of the two generall and principall parts after death The first part of the text vvhat death is Death then is nothing els but a separation of the soule and bodie a sunder or a seuering and diuorce of the soule and bodie This description is not expressed plainlie and in so manie wordes but it is necessarilie concluded from the Text. For if death do separate the soule and bodie as farre one from the other as the heauens are distant from the earth thē doth it follow necessarilie that death is a separation of the soule and bodie Which is also manifest by diuers phrases formes of speach in holie Scripture by which we may by the way clearely see that death is not a small or light punishment of sin Death a great punishment of sinne but great heauie and terrible For is not that a great and mightie Tyrant that doth rend a sunder things that are knit ioyned together with so strong and wonderfull a band as is the bodie with the soule And is not that a heauie fearefull thing that doth part two deare friends one from an other who shuld haue liued in an eternall vnion of ioy and happines had not sinne bene Death iustly terrible to all flesh In regard whereof it is no maruell if all flesh euen the best of Gods children doe tremble and are astonished at the remembrance of death 1. Cor. 15. as being a terrible enemie and a very cruell Tyrant Death commō to all men and the reason vvhy 1. For all haue sinned But whatsoeuer death be it is certainely a state and condition common to all the posteritie and generation of Adam All men must die and none can auoyd the stroke of death For if death be the fruite or effect of sinne as it is most certaine as appeareth Gen. 3. then seeing all men haue sinned partly in Adam partly in themselues it followeth of necessitie that death raigneth and hath dominion ouer all mankinde Rom. 5.12 Which thing may yet be proued and made more cleare First of all from the Scriptures Secondly by continuall experience From the Scriptures two waies 2. It is Gods decree and iust sentence First by the sentence of God pronounced vpon all mankinde 3. God is faith full in executing his sentence as experience confirmeth Againe by the execution of that dreadfull sentence For proofe of the first It appeareth that the Lord gaue charge to Adam in his innocencie that hee should not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and euil threatning that if hee did eate The proofe and amplification of the first and second reason or taste thereof he should die the death But Adam did eate of the tree forbidden and so trespassed against the Commandement and therefore God foorth with gaue sentence in these words Earth thou art and to earth thou shalt returne That is I haue decreed appointed as a punishment for thy sinne that both thy selfe and all thy posteritie conteined in thy loynes shall not only be subiect to eternall misery but also shall suffer a corporal or natural death Wherevpon it followeth that death is most certaine and ineuitable For why all men must of necessitie taste of death it cannot be shunned or auoided And as the sentence it selfe is certaine and vnrepealeable proceeding from the mouth of him that is truth it selfe and vnchangeable so the execution of that sentence is so certaine and infallible that no meanes or prerogatiue can resist or preuaile against it The proofe and amplificatiō of the third reason Neither length of dayes nor wisdome nor riches nor honour nor strength no not that excellent gift of regeneration The auncient Fathers The Patriarks though they liued long yet are long since dead Salomō thogh most wise yet is dead Samson thogh most strong yet he is dead Dauid Moses all the Prophets though most holy in their times are dead and Patriarkes before the flood liued verie long some 700. some 800. some 900. yeares yet it is said of euery one hee died and was gathered to his Fathers Salomon was wise and excelled all Kings before him and since his time in riches glory Sampson was endued with extraordinary strēgth Dauid was a man after Gods owne heart Moses sawe God face to face The Prophets were endued with a great measure of sanctification yet the Prophet Zachary ioynes them all together in one state of mortalitie in the first Chap. verse 5. Your fathers where are they and doe the Prophets liue for euer Zach. ● 5 Vpon this ground the Holy Ghost in diuers places of the Scripture affirmeth that man borne of a woman is of short continuance and full of trouble that he shooteth forth as a flower and vanisheth also as a shadow and continueth not That a man can by no meanes redeeme his brother that he may liue still and not see the graue Yea as a thing commonly knowne death in a prouerbiall manner is called the way of all flesh So loude cryeth the holy Scripture that all men are subiect to death But if this voyce were silent yet experience doth speake out the matter so plainly that

it selfe Secondlie by relation that is by reference to the place to which it belongeth or wherevnto it is to be committed In it selfe by this word dust in the originall He gnaphar noting out the matter whereof the body is made agreeable with the hystorie of the Creation Gen. 2.7 in these words The Lord also made man of the dust of the earth where the selfe same Hebrew word is vsed The reason why it pleased God to make the bodie of man of the earth The reason why God mad the bodie of man of such base matter doth so often mention it in holie Scripture was no doubt to humble man and to represse that insolencie wherewith hee might easilie haue bene puffed vp in regard of his excellent estate in cōparison of other creatures if he had not set before his eyes both his originall also what manner of mansion place or dwelling that is It is a most effectuallmeanes to humbleman wherein th soule is still to be lodged For these are verie forcible Arguments to abase and cast downe the loftie hearts of all men which otherwise might as was said haue bene more easilie puffed vp As for example if his bodie had proceeded frō the glorious matter of the sunne and the heauens aboue Iob. 37.18 which Iob compareth to moulten glasse for the puritie and brightnes and so consequentlie his soule had dwelt in a stately pallace sutable to the excellent nature thereof he had had as might haue seemed some greater occasion to lifte vp himselfe aboue other creatures But now when as earth and dust is his mother which he daily treadeth vpō dwelleth in Iob. 4.19 as Iob saith in an house of Clay there is small cause why he shuld conceiue highlie of himselfe If a man which comes of a Noble parentage dwells in a house agreeable to his estate it is as wee would thinke some peece of an excuse though hee should be something high minded But if a poore creature who is descended of base parentage and withall dwelleth and lodgeth in a poore cottage built and framed of mudde clay should neuerthelesse hautilie exalte himselfe aboue others The pride of man is the more monstrous and finnefull it would iustly be counted so much the more monstrous and intollerable pride How monstrous then and absurd is the pride of man who being but a wretched worme and dirt it selfe doth yet exalte himselfe not only aboue all other creatures but euē against the mightie Lord his Creator whose seate is the glorious pallace of the whole heauens From whence we may gather a double vse And first of all that whensoeuer wee feele our selues conceited with anie speciall gift or qualitie which wee lifte vp and spread abroad as peacocks feathers that we presently looke vpon our vile and fraile bodies as vpon black feete which wil easilie cause our glorious taile to sincke and fall downe Secondly hereby we may see the extream madnes and more then diuellish Luciferian pride of Atheists and profane worldlings The pride of mā is the more foolish vaine and pernicious to himselfe who doe so swell and are puffed vp with such a vaine conceite of their owne excellencie that they doe not onely contemne God their Lord and Creator but as Giants doe make open warre against him Which persons seeing that the sight of their owne basenesse will not humble them assuredlie the hand of God with some fearefull thunderbolt of his wrath wil one day so represse them and crush them that they shal be inforced to confesse will they nill they their base estate condition in comparison of their Lords and Creator Which they may see by an example verified in Nebuchadnezzar Examples of who because hee would not acknowledge God and stoope to him as to his Superiour Gods iudgementes against proud persons was by the iust iudgement of his mighty Lorde and Soueraigne stript spoiled of his kingdom Dan. 4.30 liued the space of 7. years in the state of a bruit beast that eateth grasse till he did acknowledge himselfe a mortall man 2. Chro. 32.10 They may see it likewise in Sancherib the great King of Assyria who was lifted vp so high in the pride of his heart that hee durst blaspheme the Eternall But what got he thereby 21. The Lord made hauock of his huge Armie put a hooke in his nose caused him to returne home againe with shame and confusion anone after stirred vp his two sonnes who most vnnaturallie slew him in the temple of his false Gods What shall I speake of Herod the King Act. 12. vlt. Act. 12. who could finde in his heart to arrogate to himselfe the worship and honour due vnto God which was giuen vnto him by his wicked flatterers but the Lord by his Angell stroke him with a lowsie and loath-full disease A zealous and godlie admonition to all that they beware of pride whereof hee miserablie perished Wherefore Oh earth earth earth humble thy selfe and stoope downe before him whose glorious Maiestie not onely the Elect Angels but also the diuels adore and tremble at And alwayes remember thou that God of all other sinnes cannot abide the pride and loftinesse of Man It is the vsuall way dealing of God to take vengeance vpō proud persons 1. Pet. 5.5 Luc. 2.52.53 as may appeare by sundrie speeches in diuers places of the holie Scripture which testifie that God resisteth the proude that Hee beholdeth the proude a farre off that Hee filleth the hungrie with good things and sendeth the rich emptie away and such like Which all doe serue to bring all men to true humilitie which is a sweete and amiable vertue opening a way for all excellent graces of God into the soule of a man that is trulie humbled But this which wee haue spoken hetherto of the matter whereof the bodie is made was the estate of man before sinne should haue continued though man had not trangressed That is he should haue consisted of an earthly body a spiritual foule Nowe that which followeth in the next wordes of our Text came in by sinne and therefore is farre worse and more miserable in these wordes returne to the earth as it was For thereby is signified not onelie the simple buriall of the dead bodie The estate of mans earthly bodie in and after death It may be considered in three degrees 1. It is voyd of sense motion 2. It is vtterlie defaced 3. It putrifieth and turneth againe to base earth but also the estate thereof after it is buried and layd in the earth Which consisteth of diuers effects For first of all the bodie lyeth in the graue senseles and without motion euen as a blocke or stone Againe the maiestie and beautie of the face and whole bodie departeth and a pale deformed and vglie forme succeedes Thirdlie the bodie putrifieth and rotteth and from thence proceedes a most horrible and