meanes to escape Gods wrath is to remember him God gaue Israel a Law to bee continued to their posteritie namely to remember God and keepe his Commandements that so they might not bee a faithlesse and stubborne Generation who set not aright their hearts and whose spirit cleaueth not stedfastly vnto God like their fore-fathers and the children of Ephraim who kept not Gods Couenant forgetting God and his wondrous works Psal 78.5 to 12. Here wee may see plainly that the remembrance of God is a meanes to escape his wrath When the Lord had giuen the Israelites abundance and plentie of all things lest they should fall into pride vnthankfulnesse and other sinnes he giueth them this caueat saying When thou hast eaten and art full and hast built goodly houses and dwell therein and when thy Heards and thy Flocke and all thou is multiplied beware and take thou heed thou forgettest not the Lord thy God and lest thy heart be lifted vp and thou forget the Lord thy God but remember the Lord thy God Deut. 8.10 to 18. The Apostle Iude writing against the wicked Seducers that liued in his time prescribeth this as a remedie to escape Gods wrath Remember the words of the Apostles of Iesus Christ Iude 17. Dauid shewing what a combat hee had with Diffidence and Distrust acknowledgeth this to be his remedie whereby he got the victorie the remembrance of God and so after confession of the combat he saith And I said this is mine infirmitie but I will remember the yeeres of the right hand of the most High I will remember the works of the Lord surely I will remember thy wonders of old I will meditate also of all thy works Psal 77.10 We must remember to serue and walke with God by dayes not by weekes and moneths onely Psal 90.12 As the chiefest meanes to escape Gods wrath is to remember the Lord so the speediest meanes to draw downe his iudgements is to forget the Lord. Now consider this yee that forget God that is him and his iudgements against sinne lest I teare you there is the greatnesse of their iudgement and there be no Rescuer that is no hope of deliuerance Psal 50.22 The wicked shall turne into hell and all the Heathens that forget God Psael 9.18 When the people forgate the Lord their God he sold them into the hand of Sisera Captaine of the Host of Hazor and into the hand of the Philistims and into the hand of the King of Moab and they fought against them 1. Sam. 12.9 Seeing thou hast forgotten the Law of thy God I will also forget thy children Hos 4.6 If men forget God hee will forget them forget to shew mercy but he will remember to execute iustice and wrath Thou hast forgotten the mightie God that begate and hast forgotten God that formed thee what then the Lord saw it and was angrie Deut. 32.18 19. If Gods words can worke vs to his will he will spare his blowes Hee hath as little delight in smiting as wee in suffering Hee reioyceth in his owne goodnesse grieueth at our wretchednesse God amplifieth this sinne of forgetfulnesse Can a Maid forget her ornaments or a Bride her attire yet my people haue forgotten mee dayes without number Iere. 2.32 as if he had said their Ornaments Iewels and Rings are but toyes and trifles Is there any Ornament like me Is there any Iewell amongst them all that can be compared with me Men remember their friends often and call them to minde An old man will remember his bagge yet hee will forget God shall such things take vp mens memories and shall God bee thrust out Reas 1 First Wee must remember God our Creator hee made vs happy but mutable but Satan by deceit did cast vs from that happy condition whereby besides the losse of that felicitie we were plunged into extreme miserie which consisteth in two things First in sinne Secondly the curse following vpon it Through sinne the Vnderstanding is filled with blindnesse the conscience wounded seared and defiled the Memorie forgetting good things or not remembring any thing aright the Will captiue of no strength to good but onely to euill the Affections altogether disordered the Cogitations about heauenly matters are errors falsehood and lies the Wishes and Desires of the Heart are earthly and fleshly The Curse maketh vs subiect to Deathes and Famines in Body to sicknesse and other paines Wee should remember God because he promised the Messiah Gen. 3.15 because he hath bought vs with a price 1. Cor. 7.23 because hee hath preserued vs and in the end will glorifie vs. If a man be sanctified with the diuine Nature in which glorie is begun he is iustified if iustified then called according to purpose if called then predestinate if predestinate to meanes then foreknowne as one chosen to the end euen to glorie Of God we receiue euery good thing Iam. 1.17 therefore we should remember him Euery ache and paine is a memento to put vs in minde of God How great is our sinne if we forget him Wee should remember God because of his all-seeing Reas 2 Wisedome for hee seeth all things wee doe though neuer so secretly hee heareth euery word we speake though neuer so tacitely He that planted the eare shall he not heare or he that formed the eye shall hee not see Psal 94.9 Hee knoweth vaine man and seeth iniquitie Iob 11.11 Thou knowest my sitting and my rising thou vnderstandest my thoughts afarre off Thou compassest my pathes and my lying downe and art accustomed to all my waies For There is not a word in my tongue but loe thou knowest it wholly O Lord Psal 139.2 3 4. We should remember his Iustice he is righteous and must needs punish he is a mightie God and is able to punish There is nothing wanting in him which is fit to bee in one on whom wee are to place our trust He is able to helpe vs because he hath power what a power is that which keepes vs to saluation who haue so little strength and lesse wisedome whereby we might stand nay he is Omnipotent Gen. 17.1 He is willing because he loues vs so dearly Ioh. 3.16 Nay to the death Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Psal 116.15 He is skilfull because all the treasures of knowledge and wisedome are hid in him Coloss 2.3 He is mindfull because his eyes are alwaies open vpon vs he doth neither slumber nor sleepe Psal 121.4 He is carefull because he is Lord and King ouer all he is the King of Kings 1. Tim. 6.15 And he biddeth vs cast all our care vpon him 1. Pet. 5.7 Wee cannot search these things to the full for to see things vnuisible and search things vnsearchable are alike vnpossible Reas 3 We should remember God for he hath giuen vs many helpes of memory First hee hath giuen vs the Scriptures his Word an Epistle sent vs from Heauen that by reading and hearing it wee might remember him
a countenance neuer waite on him Many that eate his meate that neuer acknowledge the Giuer Many protected by him see it not Many afflicted yet seeke him not diligently Hos 5.15 Hee strikes them but they sorrow not hee consumes them but they refuse his correction Iere. 5.3 He giues to such as are vnthankfull clotheth such as are proud helpeth such as are vnworthy and prouideth for such as are wicked He that giueth all good things hath little or nought giuen him againe Where hee should bee loued hee is hated and of whom hee should bee honoured he is dishonoured Gods loue towards vs hath beene from all eternitie Some as wine doth receiue the greater praise by the age of it old wine is the best and ancient loue is the most approued How much doe wee esteeme of such a friend as hath borne vs good wil for some twentie or fortie yeeres together The more reckoning wee should make of Gods loue which hath beene eternall Before Christ wee were enemies to God there was nothing to be seene in vs but sinne and miserie nor any thing to draw Gods affection toward vs but his owne free and good pleasure now that loue wee haue deserued wee the lesse esteeme but such loue as is freely conferred on vs we doe make more store of Vse 2 The second Vse not onely the Creation bindeth Man to remember God but all other his benefits wherewith Man is compassed about Many are the works of mercy which God hath bestowed on Man besides the Creation all of them binding Man to remember God First Mans Redemption by Christ Of all the works of mercy this chiefly ought to be remembred for it is the chiefest worke the freedome of Sinners both from the guilt and power of sinne By whom wee haue Redemption through his Bloud euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes Ephes 1.7 To haue sinne forgiuen is to bee redeemed or set free from all euill That which Paul calleth in the former words Redemption is afterward called Remission of sinne What is forgiuenesse of sinne but an act of Grace acquitting vs from all the guilt and the whole punishment of all our sinne and as men speake of Redemption so they may speake of Remission Secondly the worke of Preseruation is another great benefit of God which is a keeping men free and safe from dangers and from hurt by enemies Preserue me O Lord for I trust in thee Psal 16.1 What shall I doe vnto thee O thou Keeper of men Iob 7.20 Hee preserueth both Man and Beast Psal 36.6 Thou preseruedst them all Nehe. 9.6 Thirdly the worke of Sustentation bindeth Man to remember God for God vp-holdeth his Children that they take not a fall by sinne and calamitie or that they take no hurt by such fals The Lord sustayned me Psal 3.5 Hee maketh mee to rest in greene pastures and leadeth me by the still waters Hee restoreth my soule and leadeth mee in the pathes of Righteousnes for his Names sake Ps 23.2 3. Many other benefits are men compassed withall to binde them to remember God In the dayes of thy youth It is good for children to learne to know God euen in youth Text. whiles they are young for so much Solomon teacheth here saying In the dayes of thy youth Doct. That because youth is most prone to forget God it is needfull they should be exhorted to remember God Youth is most prone to forget God for they are in the flower of their age in the roofe of pride and in the heate of lust hauing by nature corrupt hearts and carnall desires liuing in pleasures passing their time in mirth all which makes them forget God Though young men doe not alwaies breake out into notorious wickednesse yet they are subiect to youthfull wantonnesse and vnstaiednesse of affection which if it breake not out yet it makes them forgetfull of God and lesse carefull of good things This loosenesse is the way to lewdnesse this weaknesse is the high way to wickednes this Gods children being regenerate see which before they saw not Hence is it that Dauid prayeth Lord remember not the sinnes of my youth Psal 25.7 Of all mans life Youth cōmonly is most vaine The imaginations of mans heart is euill from his youth Ier. 8.21 We are all transgressors from the wombe Esa 48.8 In sinne hath my Mother conceiued me Psal 51.5 Euen from the Belly haue they erred Ps 58.3 For the sinnes of youth God often punisheth men in their age so making them to inherit the iniquities of their youth Iob 13.26 The Prophet saith We and our Father haue sinned from our youth Ier. 3.25 Shal we thinke they in their youth committed grosse sins as Adulterie Drunkennesse Murther and such like which were so holy men as Iob and Ieremie surely no but they confessed the sinnes of their youth their wantonnesse and forgetfulnesse of God their too much loue of pleasure their youthfulnesse Solomon saith Foolishnesse is bound in the heart of a child Pro. 22.15 therefore child-hood and youth are vanitie not in themselues but because they are often spent in vanitie Suruey those which are more then ordinarie young men which haue the best wits and are thought to bee of the best disposition and their youth will hardly be found without vanitie nay not onely those young men that are best in ciuill gifts but in spirituall graces as Timothy find child-hood and youth to be vanitie Eccl. 11.10 Timothy did tame his body and bring it into subiection so that Paul was faine to bid him to drinke wine 1. Tim. 5.23 yet he had this memento giuen him flie the lusts of youth 2. Tim. 2.22 Young men see not vanitie when they are yong but they may perceiue it when they are old for now their consciences are like water in a bason if the water be troubled the face cannot be seene but when it is setled it may so all is troubled in youth but when maturitie of yeeres come then it will stand still and they may see their faces Dauid being old praied against sinnes of youth Because it is so hard for a young man to remember God and to be holy Dauid breaketh off his meditation abruptly into this wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his waies Psal 119.9 And Dauid vsing the word cleansing compareth the young man to a glasse which though it be very cleane yet will gather filth in the Sunne beames As a ricke of Hay put vp wet set it selfe on fire so haue the hearts of young men enough in them to inflame them Young men should remember their Creator in Reas 1 their youth lest accustoming to forget God in youth they doe not remember him in old age Customes is another nature and can hardly be altered Can the Black-More change his skinne or the Leopard his spots then may yee also doe good that are accustomed to doe euill Ier. 13.23 This young men get by continuing in sinne they cannot leaue it many cannot leaue swearing lying stealing when they
for this time and when I haue conuenient time I will call for thee Act. 24.26 But Foelix was remooued Festus put in his roome and Paul continues bound still So young men say to goodnesse to grace and to God goe your wayes for a time and when wee are old and sickly then we will send for you but God will turne away Sathan will come in place and yong men wil be left in their sinnes First how knowest thou thou shalt liue till thou be old doe not many die in their youth And why not thou If thou dost what will become of thy soule Secondly if thou liue till thou be old how knowest thou whether then thou shalt remember God or no Is it in thy power Noe because men forget God being yong he forgets them and makes them forget him being olde Thirdly if thou doest remember him what great matter doest thou offer it to thy Prince will he accept it That which is vnfit for the World is it good enough for God Wilt thou offer him thy old age thy dote-age a bagge of drie bones Will not hee haue the first fruites of thy Corne and the fat of thy flocke and wilt thou giue the cleane corne of youth to the Deuill and the huskes and chaffe of old age to God wilt thou sacrifice the fat of thy Flock to the Deuils and the leane to God wilt thou forgiue thy enemies when thou canst hurt them no longer wilt thou giue thy goods to the poore when thou canst keepe it no longer wilt thou leaue sinne when sinne leaues thee and wilt thou serue God when it pleaseth thee is God at thy command is he bound to thee not thou to him It is a reproofe of those that are the Proctors and Vse 2 Patrons of sinnes of youth They say what shall youth doe shall they be mortified so young shall not youth be merrie and iouiall shall they bee sober aâ—d graue so young then you will haue no life in them belike Others say a young Saint an old Deuill A young Deuill may become an old Saint but a young Saint can neuer become an old Deuill Others say youth is youth and youth must haue a swinge Others of a ragged colt comes a good horse a knauish boy becomes a good man Either Solomon was not wise or they are starke fooles in so saying he saith Remember God in thy youth Let young men learne by Elies children how they were cut off ere age came To put off such things to old age is as if a carrier hauing many horses should put all his carriage on the weakest and poorest hauing many better Young men haue many better dayes and yeeres to repent in Delaying of repentance is dangerous deadly and damnable If a wound bee not cured before it rot it becomes oftentimes incurable If the fire be not quenched in time it becomes vnquenchable and if flesh be not salted before it stinck it becomes so vnsauorie that it cannot bee mended If a mote fall into the eye or a thorne sticke into the foot we take them out without delay but in things pertaining to the health of the soule delay is much more dangerous Satan seekes but a delay God craues present repentance It was offered by Moses to Pharaoh when shall I pray for thee and he answered to morrow Exod. 9.10 It is offered by the Lord to man when wilt thou that I haue mercie on thee many answere when wee are old Miserable was Pharaoh who delayed Moses but one day but more miserable are many men who delay the Lord for many yeeres Some will first burie their Fathers as the Disciple would Math. 8.21 Some will first go and kisse their Fathers that is delight yet a space in the pleasures of this life God will haue men now to turne God will haue the present time Bee wise now Psal 2.10 Now therefore feare the Lord and serue him Iosh 24.14 Therefore also now saith the Lord Ioel 1.12 Consider this now yee that forget God Psal 50.22 When Abraham was bid to circumcise his Familie he did not deferre it but circumcised them the same day Gen. 17.23 As soone as Cornelius was willed to send for Peter hee sent immediatly Act. 10.33 That thou wilt doe doe quickly in thy youth for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Pro. 27.1 Hee that is not now willing may hereafter bee more vnwilling I know no difference betweene the wise two Virgins and the foolish but that the one did it in time which the other would faine haue done out of time and could not The most prophane men of the world are forced in death to make their refuge to the Lord. Then the eye and the hand are lifted vp vnto him Then they crie for mercie and desire all others to pray for them If men were wise they would doe that in time which many would do and do at length when God sent laborers into his vineyard he that was bad goe in the morning did not deferre till noone hee that was called at noone did not deferre his comming till night Art thou called to day deferre not till too morrow to day if thou wilt heare his voice harden not thy heart Heb. 3.15 To day is Gods voice to morrow is the deuils giue God to day that is thy youth It is one of Satans pollicies to perswade men to repent when they are old till all the time bee past wherein Men should repent This brings many to damnation that where in their young yeares they will not repent in their olde age they cannot the affections through long custome of sinnes waxing strong euen then when the bodie is weake Marke Satans deceit and put not off thy remembring of God to thy old age for thy yeeres may bee shortned thy faith weakened Satan aduantaged thy heart hardned and it may be God in iustice and the deuill in malice will not suffer thee to remember thy Creator How fearefull a thing is it to fall into the hands of God who is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 As fire consumeth stubble so the most seuere God will consume and destroy the wicked contemners of his Word Thinke of it whiles there is hope you young men that forget your Creator heauen and hell least you misse the one and come into the other where there is no redemption no hope of ease or end which is that that makes hell hell indeed If all the paines of hell might haue an end were it after million and millions of yeeres as many as there bee Sands on the Sea-shoare it might nourish some miserable comfort of a release in the long ruine But this night hath no day this Ague no intermission this death no death to end it withall Text. Before the euill dayes come The dayes voide of all delight will come all ioy will faile and sorrow vpon sorrow befall There are good dayes that is a blessed and happie life wherein many good things befall vs. If any Man loue
Teeth and Iawes make a base small sound in grinding the meat grinding it badly and weakely And he shall rise vp at the voyce of the bird that is he shall not be able to sleep or sleepe very little and be awaked with euery little sound euen the singing of a Bird this followeth their cruditie and rawnesse being not able to digest their meates All the daughters of Musicke shall bee brought low that is their voyces will faile them And men will dread euery high place and feares will be in the way that is they are afraid to goe vp into high places they are afraid to walke because a plaine way seemes rough vnto them a hillocke a mountaine a hollownesse a great valley And the Almond tree will flourish that is the head grow white He nameth the Almond tree for that doth first flowre of any tree as if he should say old mens gray haires come on with haste sometimes before they looke for them As the flowers of trees are a signe of instant Summer so the whitenesse of the head is a signe of instant death And the Grasse-hopper shall be a burthen that is the least creature shall bee a burthen light things shall seeme heauie vnto them And all lust will be dissolued that is all the desire to eate or drinke or otherwise shall decay because all the faculties both vitall and naturall shall bee weakned For man goeth to his long home that is goeth to his old house from whence first hee came forth The Graue is the house where the dead must dwell it is the way as Ioshua saith of all the world Iosh 23.14 that is I shall die shortly after the custom of all other men Dauid said I goe the way of all the earth 1. King 2.2 The Graue is the common house and receptacle of all humane bodies Euery one shall sleepe in his owne house Esay 14.18 that is in the Graue I know saith Iob thou wilt bring me to death and to the house appointed for all the liuing Iob 30.23 and the mourners goe about in the streetes that is weeping for the dead for weeping is not to bee reproued if it be moderate our Sauiour wept for Lazarus his friend Ioh. 11.35 Abraham lamented Sarah Gen. 23.2 The Hebrewes Moses Deut. 34.8 Ioseph Iacob Gen. 50.1 The Israelites Ioseph the Apostles Stephen It is not without much reason that Solomon doth giue counsell to goe to the house of mourning for there is perform'd that blessing which Christ promiseth Heathenish mourning is reproued which is without hope 1. Thess 4.13 but Christian sorrow is commendable The siluer Cord is loosed that is the Marrow of the backe which because it is white is called by the name of Siluer this beginneth at the Braine and goeth all along the bone this in old age strength decaying is lengthned and drawne out The golden Ewer is broken that is the Braine whose skin which compasseth it is yellow as gold which being broken or hurt man must needs die Nor the Pitcher burst at the Well that is the great Veine called the hollow Veine which cānot draw bloud any more out of the Liuer which is the common Store-house and Fountaine which watereth all the body in such sort that it yeeldeth no more seruice then a broken Pitcher By the wheele broken at the Cisterne that is the Head for that is like a wheele And by the Cistern is meant the Heart which is the chiefe dwelling of Life When all this commeth to passe then the body which is made of the dust of the earth shal turn into it againe through the sin of our first parents In death all things are recalled to their first beginnings And the spirit to God that gaue it hence is it that God is called the Father of spirits Heb. 12.9 that is the maker and giuer of soules He formeth the spirit of man within him Zech. 12.1 the soule is the hoast in the sin of the bodie not produced from the seed of the parēts nor from the soule of the parents but giuen of God that it might viuificate the bodie There can be no pleasure where so many troubles Reas 1 sorrows are It is better to die then to liue What pleasure is there in old age when old persons cānot put on or put off their clothes cannot feed themselues cānot rellish their meat nor know what day of the weeke it is nor discerne good from euill When Dauid would haue Barzillai come to him into Ierusalem that he might feed him Barzillai said vnto the King how many daies are the yeers of my life that I should goe vp with the King to Ierusalem I am this day fourescore yeers old and can I discerne between good or euill hath thy seruant any taste in that I eate or in that I drinke can I heare any more the voyce of singing men women wherefore then should thy seruant be any more a burden vnto my lord the King Thy seruant wil go a little way ouer Iordan with the King why will the King recompence it me with such a reward I pray thee let thy seruant turne backe againe that I may die in mine own citie be buried in the graue of my father and of my mother 2. Sam. 19 34 35 36 37. Barzillai vsed foure reasons for his refusall to go with Dauid First his age be being fourscore was not fit for trauell Secondly the defect of his sences and therefore not fit for a Princes court he could not iudge between sauourie and vnsauourie between sweet and sowre he could not discerne by tasting good or euill in meate or drinke or in any other such pleasant things neither did he here with pleasure Thirdly he was loth to be a burthen to Dauid In Princes courts such as wil not behaue themselues as others doe are burdensome if they will not be merry cōpanions if not drinkers they are a burden Kings will haue such men with them which can discourse but I am vnable to doe it and therefore vnfit to be a Courtier Fourthly it was pleasant to him to returne to thinke rather of his graue then of a Princes Court and therefore let thy seruant turne back againe old men should think not how they may liue but how they may die godly they should prepare in life for death and then death to them will be a passage to life Reas 2 Many aged persons are weary of the world because the world is so full of troubles they so full of paines and griefs Especially if they feare God for then euery houre is a day euery day a week euery weeke a yeere they liue They desire to be dissolued to be with Christ which is best of all Phil. 1.23 They loue to remoue out of the body and to dwell with the Lord 2. Cor. 5.8 They be from home as long as they are on earth here strangers vsing this World as if they vsed it not setting their minds vpon that Countrey which
to see good dayes let him refraine his tongue from euill 1. Pet. 3.10 What Man is he that desireth life and loueth long dayes for to see good Psal 34.12 And there are euill dayes not that dayes are euill in themselues but accidentally Doct. That old age is called euill because of the many euils it brings with it Dayes are called euill nor effectiuely making men euill nor essentially as if a day in its owne nature were euill but accidentally in regard of the euill actions and euents which happen to men in that day Euill dayes are times full of Sinnes and troubles or troublesome sinfull times The Apostle saith Redeeme the time for the dayes are euill Ephe. 5.16 Iacob said to Pharaoh few and euill haue the dayes of my life beene Gene. 47 9. Euill because they were full of troubles full of afflictions full of dangers Our Sauiour saith Sufficient for the day is the euill thereof Mat. 6.34 That is the day brings with it affliction griefe and hurts Many discommodities enuiron old men Old age is a continuall weaknesse and a daily disease Moses the man of God saith The dayes of our yeeres are seuentie yeeres and if by reason of strength they bee eightie yeeres yet is the strength then labour and sorrow for it is soone cut off and we flie away Psal 90.10 If the longest period of dayes that men ordinarily liue be so short a time and the longest time flieth so fast then well might the Prophet say that our daies passe away as a tale that is told Psal 90.9 The more labours men vndergoe in their youth the more matter of sorrow in old age The stronger a man hath beene and the more labours he hath endured the fuller of aches and paines will old age be Old age is but a death and Death comes flying In old age there is weaknesse of body and of mind for a man is twise a child and then commonly they are as children againe mewed vp and their children are either Parents or Lords ouer them vsing them as Innocents Old men are deafe of hearing and cannot heare good admonitions dim-sighted and cannot see to reade nor to goe to the House of Praier they haue feeble Knees so that they cannot goe weake Loines and faint Armes the Heart is afflicted the Head smitten the Spirits waxing faint the Breath smelling ill the Face wrinckled the Stature crooked the Eyes darke the Ioynts weake the Nose running the Haires falling the Teeth rotting and the Eares waxing deafe insomuch that old age may be called Euill dayes In old age the Memorie failes old men waxe dull deafe senselesse and speechlesse Reas 1 It brings many troubles sorrowes and grieues with it then men cannot helpe themselues nor guide themselues nor feed themselues they cannot reade to comfort themselues nor repent many of them to solace themselues they lie on their beds as on the Racke from morning to night crying out some of one griefe some of another then they feare to die and some wish for Death for whom they are not prouided Many aged people are inwardly vexed and perplexed in conscience so that they seeke Death as a present ease not considering how they leape out of the Smoake into the Flame out of the Flame into the Fire out of a cureable Disturbance into an irrecouerable Woe How blockish is the manner of dying of many a Nabal who strucken with the feare of Death and Hell become as insensate as stocks and stones Aged men feare Death but not Hell following Death they feare the Thunder cracke not the Bolt the report of the Peece and not the Bullet the Serjeants arrest and not the Gaolers imprisonment so labouring to escape Death which they cannot not Hell which they might Reas 2 If men learne to remember God in youth they will bee willing to die old age will bee a Crowne and comfort to them for after death they shall rest from their labours Reuel 14.13 They that laboured valiantly are at rest Iob 3.17 They learne in youth to know God they know that if they be once old they shall shortly die and then they can sinne no more Death to the godly is an entrance into ioy Michaela Caignoela a noble Matron seeing her Iudges looke out of the windowes said to her fellow Martyrs These stay to suffer the torment of their consciences and are reserued to iudgement but we are going to glorie and happinesse And two certaine poore women weeping and crying Oh Madame we shall neuer now haue more Almes yes hold you saith shee yet once more and plucked off her Slippers and such other of her apparell as shee could with modestie spare from the fire Death is to men as he comes attended to the rich Man he came followed with Deuills to carry his soule to hell Luk. 16.22 to Lazarus with troupes of Angels to conuey him to Abrahams bosome Death is the Atheists feare and the Christians desire Death is the irreligious rich mans Enemie but the religious poore mans Friend It shewes the strange folly of many men who Vse 1 spend most of their time in prophanenesse in pleasure in vanities and vices Insomuch that if the Lord shew not more then ordinarie mercy they will be no more fit in their old age to honour their Creator then so many dead men What madnesse is it then especially in those that haue passed the greatest time they can expect to haue no care of the houre of death and of the account they shall then make when their whole time is but short as a Tale that is told Men should so profit by the meanes of saluation affoorded them that in age they should giue good example to such as are young The elder men grow the better they should be Commonly Horses trauell best homeward or when they are almost come home Hounds follow the game fastest when they are neerest vnto it finding the sent hot they know the game is almost at an end They that runne in a Race striue most not at the beginning but at the end In naturall motions euery thing mooueth fastest when it is neerest his owne place The Swan singeth sweetest a little before her death so should it bee with old men they should then bee most holy bearning the best fruits doing the best works they should with old Simeon take Christ in their armes Luk. 2.28 and with Anna serue God with fastings and praiers night and day Luk. 2.87 It were to bee wished that old men could say as sometime Polycarpus did the Proconsull vrging him to denie Christ I haue serued him eightie sixe yeeres and hee hath not once hurt mee and shall I now denie him And with Hilarion Soule get thee out thou hast seuentie yeeres serued Christ and art thou now loth to die or afraid of death This is a generall and solemne Decree published throughout the World and pronounced by Nature her selfe that whatsoeuer hath a beginning so that it consist of Matter must also haue an end
is aboue Their affections be in heauen though they be on earth their treasure is in heauen and therefore their hearts are where their treasure is and death to them is a passage to life They feare not death hauing a good measure of faith to warm them at the heart they change not their countenance nor haue their colour any whit abated but aâ— it is recorded of Mistris Ioyce Lewis at the stake sundrie other Christians euen of the fearfullest by nature sexe looked as fresh cheerly at the houre of death as at their mariage But if men which are aged do not feare God they wish to die to be freed from paines but they passe from litle paine to great from easelesse to endlesse from corporall to eternall Hell is Deaths Page Follower attending him where euer hee goes among the wicked sort It is miserable to see how boldly blindly such men venture on death Theramines wrote books in praise of Death as the end of all calamities Augustus dies iesting calling for a Plaudite Tiberius in dissimulation Diogenes hearing Antisthenes cry out in his pains who shall ease mee offers him a knife to dispatch himselfe withall Caninus called to execution bids this fellow remember hee had the best of the game The Earle of Kildare seeing his Writ of death brought in when hee was at shouel-boord throwes his cast with this in his mouth whatsoeuer that is this is for a huddle If such men idid know the follower of Death they would neuer iest so and vse such idle mirth Vse Hath old age many miseries which accompanie it so that there is no pleasure in it but euerie day is a day of wrath an euill day subiect to some iudgment or other this should make the children of God lift vp their hands and hearts desiring to enioy that life wherein neuer a day shal passe away in wrath but all in loue fauour and glorie and wherein the dayes of our life shall not be a returning to death but a going on from life to life and ioy to ioy when we shall liue to liue and the longer we shall liue the longer we shall haue to liue and that in happinesse and glorie which daies and times shal neuer waste If we had hearts to consider of things as they are there is neuer a day goes ouer our head but yeeldeth matter of sighing and groaning vnder some act of Gods wrath doe we the best we can If we had the greatest causes of comfort both for this world the world to come that the world can affoord or that euer any man had yet when he shall summe his accounts he shall find the daies he liues here are but daies of euill and he shall see more cause of sorrow mourning then of ioy Let the bitter of Gods wrath here make vs the more seeke after the daies of eternitie where there shall not be the least crosse nor affliction Mans life in this life is nothing else but a returning back againe vnto death Euery man whiles he is here walkes to the house of his graue and though he be a little longer in going backe vnto the earth then he was comming from it yet he doth nothing while he is here but goe back to it A tale is quickly told a word is soone spoken a thought is soone conceiued so the yeers and daies of man are quickly spent It may teach vs euerie day to meditate and thinke seriously of our death and the graue It is the place we are continually trauiling vnto Which way so euer our faces are we mooue thitherward Euery day we are going to the place of execution A Malefactor that is going to suffer death thinks no other thing but death were going to the place of execution wee should still mind death and euerie day prepare to die As Dauid said of Aphimaaz let him come and welcome c. 2. Sam. 18.27 so the faithful Christian wil say of death he is the messenger of Christ he is welcome he bringeth to me the ioyful newes of eternal life They are blessed which die in the Lord Reu. 14.13 And one day of a blessed death wil make an amends for all the sorrowes of a bitter life FINIS