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
haires It s an observation common and useful that as there is no maâ— of quality hardly goeth out of thâ— world now without the instructiâ—on prayers and ministry of a Chapâ—lain however they have lived iâ— it owning the comforts of Religionâ— though they disowned the practise of it So there is no King or States-man from the beginning of our history to H. 8. times that left not legacies more or less to pray for his Soul though it might be said of some of them as the tart Historian saith they never prayed heartily for it themselves â—hose Masses that they laughed at â—hen living they craved and â—ayed dearly for when dying About the year 1548. Francis â—pira saith this of himself I was â—xcessively covetous of moneys â—nd accordingly I applied my self 〈◊〉 get by injustice corrupting â—â—dgement deceit â—â—â—enting tricks to â—lude justice good â—â—ses I either deâ—â—â—ded deceitfully or sold them 〈◊〉 the adversaries perâ—idiously 〈◊〉 causes I maintained with all my â—â—â—ht I willingly opposed the known truth and trust committed to me I either betrayed or preverted And for the inordinate love of the things of this World I wofully wounded my conscience by an infamous abjuration of the blessed Truth which I formerly professed upon the serious consideration of what I had done in cold bloud acknowledging my self utterly undone and for ever This poor man became a spectacle of such spiritual misery and woe to the whole world that there is not any thing left unto the memory of man more remarkable his spirit suddenly smitten with the dreadfuâ— sense of divine wrath for his Aâ—postacy and split in pieces as iâ— were by so grievous a bruise fainted fearfully failed him quite and fell a sunder in his breast like dropâ— of water hear some ruful expressions of his desperate state from his own mouth O that I were gone from hence that some body would let out this weary Soul I tell you â—here was never such a monster as I am never was man alive a spectacle of such exceeding misery I now feel Gods heavy wrath that burneth like the torments of Hell within me and afflicts my Soul with pains unutterable Verily desperation â—s hell it self the gnawing â—orms of unquenchable fire horâ—our confusion and which is worst â—f all desperation it self continuâ—lly tortureth me And now I â—ount my present state worse than 〈◊〉 my soul separated from my â—ody were with Iudas the truth 〈◊〉 never had mortal man such exâ—erience of Gods anger and â—â—tred against him as I have the â—amned in hell I think endure not â—â—e like misery If I could conceive but the least spark of hope in my heart of a better state hereafter I would not refuse to endure the most heavy wrath of the great God yeâ— for 2000. years so that at length I might get out of misery O that God would let loose his hand from me and that it were with me now as in times past I would scorn the threats of the most cruel Tyrants bear torments with most invincible resolution and glory in the outward profession of Christ till I were choaked with the flame and my body turned into ashes Gribaldus addeth in the forecited letter that being sound in his mind and memory he woulâ— in sober-sadness wish that he weâ—â— either in Cainâ— or Iudas his casâ— the worm had so eaten into hiâ— conscience and the fire into hiâ— Soul 4. Long before this though remembred it not till now viz. â—bout the year 1160. diverse of â—he best of the City of Lyons â—alking and walking in a certain â—lace after their old accustomed â—anner especially in the summer â—â—e conferred together upon â—atters among whom it chanced â—e the rest looking on to fall â—own by sudden death Waldusâ—â—e â—â—e Father of the Waldenses a â—â—â—h man of that City being one â—â— them and beholding the matter â—â—re earnestly than the other and â—â—â—â—ified with so heavy an examâ—â—e Gods holy Spirit working â—â—â—hall was strucken with a deep â—â—d inward repentance whereâ—â—on followed a new alteration â—â—â—h a carefull study to reform his â—â—â—mer life he admonished others â—o to repent and ministred large â—â—es of his goods to such as â—â—ded many people therefore â—â—ly resorting to him and he seeing them ready and diligent to learn he began to give out to them certain rudiments of the Scripture which he translated himself into the French tongue 5. And fourscore years before this viz. about the year 1060. there was at Paris a Funeral of a grave Doctor at the interring of whom when the Priest came to the then used form mihiâ— or answer me the Corps sate upâ—right in the Beer and to the aâ—mazement of all that were there cry'd out sumâ— at the just Tribunal of Goâ— I am accused lying immediatelâ— down in its first posture the astoâ—nished company deferring the Bâ—â—rial to see the issue of this stranâ—â— accident till next day a vast muâ—â—titude gather together from aâ— parts of the City to consummaâ—â— these strangly interrupted obsâ— quieâ— when at the same words thâ— disturbed body riseth again and with the like hideous noise cryed out Iusto dei judicio judicatus sum by the just judgement of God I am judged whereupon the solemnity was deferred a day longer when the whole City thronging to the strange Burial in the presence of them all at the reciting of the same words he rose up the third time and cryed Iusto dei judicio â—ondemnatus sum by the just â—udgement of God I am condemâ—ed whereat as the whole mulâ—itude was sadly affrighted so â—runo was seriously affected insomuch that being then an eminent â—octor in the same University he â—â—lled his Schollers together and â—â—ld them that as they had forâ—erly heard so they now saw that â—he judgements of the Lord are â—â—searchable and his ways past â—â—â—ding out for said he this Person â—hom we honoured for the strictness of his life the vertues and discretion of his converse cryeth now that he is damned by the jusâ— judgement of God Just are alâ—wayes the judgements of God though sometime hidden I aâ— saith the poor man damned bâ— the just judgement of God â— dreadful speech which I woulâ— to God alwayes sounded in oâ—â— ears till it get into our heartâ— that since we cannot by anâ— meanes avoid judgement aâ—â— the wrath to come we may wiâ—â— fear prepare for it and in tâ—â— our day seek the things that bâ—â—long to our peace Let us coâ—â—sider my Brethren goeth 〈◊〉 good man on I beseech you wâ—â—â— profit hath this poor wretch◠〈◊〉 Hell of all his Light and knoâ—â—ledge now he is for ever in daâ—â—â—ness what advantage of all 〈◊〉 estate when he hath not a 〈◊〉 of water to cool his tongueâ— What of honours and delights now he must undergoe as many torments as formerly he enjoyed pleasures we have seen his body thrown without honour into a dunghill and we may imagine his Soul to be thrown without mercy into Hell to suffer with
the Sceptick begins his book of the gods in this doubtful manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. As for the gods I know not whether they be or be not yet he and Pyrrhon the Master of the Scepticks being asked why they walked alone so much answered that it was to meditate how they might be good and being urged again what necessity there was of being good since it was not certain â—hat there was a God they used â—o reply it cannot be certain â—here is not and it being an even â—ay between the serious and good â—nd the vain and bad man that â—here is a God though upon woâ—ull odds the good man hazzardâ—ng only the loss of his lusts which â—t is his interest to be without or â—t furthest some little advantage â—eing in this world at more rest â—nd inward serenity more healthfull reâ—pected befriended secure and free and in the other if there be not a God as happy as the badâ— but if there be infinitely as much happier as an unspeakâ—able and eternal blessedness is beyond extream and endlesâ— Torments So that as an excellent persoâ— saith if the Arguments for anâ— against a God were equal and 〈◊〉 were an even Question whetheâ— there were one or not yet thâ— hazzard and danger is so infiniteâ—ly unequal that in point of pruâ—dence every man is bound to sticâ— to the safest side of the Questioâ—â—nd make that his Hypothesis 〈◊〉 to live by For he that acts wisâ—â—ly and is a thorowly-prudeâ— man will be provided in omneâ—â—â—â—â—tum and will take care to sâ—â—cure the main chance whatevâ—â— happeneth But the Atheist in case things should fall out contrary to his belief and expectation he hath made no provision in this case If contrary to his confidence it should prove in the issue that there is a God the man is lost and undone for ever If the Atheist when he dyeth finds that his soul hath only quitted its lodging and remains after the body â—hat a sad surprise will it be to find â—imself among a world of spirits â—ntred on an everlasting and an â—nchangeable state Yea Pyrrhon himself would â—ften repeat that of Euripides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. who knoweth â—ut to dye is to live and to live â—s to dye and therefore Epicurusâ—imself â—imself in his letter to Meneceus â—aith he observeth him a fool who â—s vain at death wherein because of â—he consequence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—aith he there is no jesting it being 〈◊〉 infinite concernment to be serious in fine it appears from 〈◊〉 Bergâ—â—ius Theolâ—genâ—iumâ—â—â—ym de sâ—bud Theol. Nat◠〈◊〉 Eâ—gusb Perenni Philos. and others that all the learned men in the world found as Ciâ—â— dâ— Nat. deor l. 1. et de leg 2. that thâ—â— notion of God and Religion iâ— the first notion that is engraven inâ— and the last that is defaced out oâ— the minds of men and that takâ— away the being and providence 〈◊〉 Godâ— out of the World you take â—â—way all reason faith vertue peacâ— yâ—a humane society yea all men though never so barbarous an◠〈◊〉 have been Religious anâ— though they had neither Artâ— nor Laws nor Letters yet hâ—â— Gods See Benzon Hist. deâ— occiâ— Indi a Acostas both Eman. anâ— Ioseph Hist. Noâ— orbis Chr. Acoâ—â— epâ— de Reb. Ind. So authenticâ— Tuâ—â— quest is that of Tully nulla geâ—â— tam barbara nemo omnium est tam immanis cujus mentem non imbuerit deorum opinio multi de dijs pravà sentiunt id enim vitioso more effici solet omnes tamen esse vim naturam divinam arbitrantur Nec vero id collocutio hominum aut consensus efficit non institutis opinio est conâ—irmata non logibus omni autem re consensâ—o omnium gentium lex naturae puâ—anda est and elsewhere Gentes licet qualem deum haberent ignorant tamen habendum sciunt There is no Nation so Barbarous that hath not some sense of a deity many have odd imaginations of â—he diety from ill habits but all â—ind there is a Divine power by â—ure reason c. Thinking it unâ—easonable as the same Heathen â—oeth on that all mâ—n should beâ—ieve there is a mind and reason â—n themselves and none in the â—orld and that there should be such a glorious order of things and none to be reverenced for it See Iust. in serm ad Gent. quoting Orpheus the Sybils Sophocles Hom. c. to this very purpose So that we see there was never any man that to enjoy his pleasures stifled his Religion but at last after thoughts of Religion stifled his pleasures this being one argument of the Divinity of the Soul which is another argument of the being of God that it can and doth correct sooner or later loose mens imaginations concerning this world and the next And that reason doth at last form apprehenâ—ions of things quite different from those conveighed at first by sense But how can any man live securely upon the principles of Atheismâ— when those commonly thought Athiests as Heraclides Ponticus Antisthenes Democritus Protagoras c. have written books 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of those in the invisible state nay the punishments which wicked men must look for in another World though never so secure and the rewards good men may expect though never so much discouraged were so inwoven into the first thoughts of men and looked upon as of so great concernment to common life and society that the Jews who have kept the tradition of religion the best of â—ny doe say that Heaven and Hell were one of the seaven things created before the World See Talmud Tract Nedarim Pesaeâ—him Pirt. R. Eleas c. 3. Chalde-Paraph in Gen. 2. and the knowledge of the eternal in the other World was of so much â—onsequence that Eris and Pamâ—hylus are by Plato Rep. Antillus and Timarchus Thespesius by Plutarch de sera dei vindicta Aristaeus in Herodotus in Melpomene The Woman in Heraclides his Noble Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Pliny calleth it Hist. Nat. 7. c. 52. all grave Authors not to mention instances of the like nature in their Poets Orpheus whom Homer Plato as little as he loved them called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are brought in coming from the dead to declare their state there which they would not beleive while they were living it seems as most men when dying endeavourâ— so all when dead would return if they might to perswade those to be religious that are alive And the words of the rich man in the 16th of St. Luke I pray thee therefore that thou would send him to my Fathers house For I have five brethren that he may testifie unto them and they come not to this condemnation are not the words of any one man but the words of all men in the eternal State who could wish men did beleive what they feel which if they had beleived they had not felt and that when they are gathered
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