of God in Christ Iesus by whom the guilt of sinne and the condemnation of the law together with the sting of death is qualified and in a sort done away leauing indeed no more to do nor to say against such as can take hold of his promises but onely the perishing and destroying of that body so naturally subiect to sinne According as Paule proclaimed in a most comfortable manner in these words Death went ouer all men Rom. 5.11 in as much as all men haue sinned as if he had said Such was the infinite mercie of God and yet mingled with his iustice that he would lay no more to the charge of his chosen then he must needes by the open rules of religion reuealed word Moses in his defence to the people of Israel concerning that open rebellion of Corah and his company speakes most diuinely and most plainely of this kinde of death in these words Numb 16.29 to 36. If these men die the common death of all men or if these be visited with the generall visitation of all men then the Lord hath not sent me As if he had said There is a sort or kind of death which is naturall which is vsuall and which is rightly appertayning vnto the nature of mankinde and that which most commonly falles out vpon good and reasonable deliberation vpō orderly disposing of worldly affaires vpō due bequeathing of the body to be buried This naturall death which he calles the common death and the general visitation of all men Iob saith it is as a ricke of corne Iob. 5.26 which comes into the barne in due time As if he had said This is the death indeede that is full of maturitie and seasonablenesse lo thus we haue inquired of it and so it is Againe he saith to the same effect Iob. 34.14.15 As a rush cannot grow without mire and as grasse without water can grow no longer but withereth though it be not cut euen so man by nature liueth vntill nature be quite worne and wholly extinguished and then dieth though he were not touched nor medled withall in any sort which death is nothing so nor so as the penall The man of God intimating such a kinde of death said to Hezckiah King of Iudah Esai 38.1 Thou shalt not die with the sword but thou shalt die in peace To wit thou shalt not die the penall death which is terrible and painefull nor an vnwonted death but the common death the generall visitation of all men to wit the naturall death This naturall death which is also called the common death and the generall visitation of all men hath by the reuealed word of God foure other inferior sorts or kinds of death whereof I must dispose for methods sake after this manner 1. Some do die In their old age 2. Some do die In their nonage 3. Some do die Languishingly 4. Some do die Suddenly The first reason why some liue long Is drawne from the singular fauor of almightie God in granting vnto some one amongst many that which in his heart he specially desireth For amongst all things that man specially desireth there are principally these two to wit health and wealth For wealth a man will bestow all his wits all his indeuor all his labour all his friends and whatsoeuer else he possibly can deuise but for health and that he may liue long he will bestow all his wealth that was so industriously so laboriously gotten and be contented to be counted a foole yea a forlorne wretch and to be indeede a begger at euerie mans doore all the dayes of his life To be breefe as chastity is a singular gift of God to one amongst ten thousand so long life is a singular guift of God to one amongst ten thousand Salomon therefore said Pro. 16.31 Old age is a crowne of glorie wherein are two goodly and godly respects one is that a man may the better the more abundantly gather riches by looking more respectiuely into the workes of God and the end of his creation For the longer a man lines in a reasonable kind of husbandrie the more his gaine and getting must needes be Although his reuenewes be but small yet if he get and spare here a litle and there a litle in continuance of time according to the old prouerbe Many a little makes a mickle following the example of that little poore pismire who according to her small strength and yet being diligent Pro. 6.6 hath against winter a great heape of prouision and being also prouidident she painefully nibleth the heads of euery graine lest they should grow and so her labor lost The Maiestie of God to set forth his renewed loue towards Iudah and Ierusalem said thus Zach. 8.4 Their men shall liue so long as that they shall go by a staffe As there is no commandement that hath any promise but the honouring of parents so there is no such reward pleasing to any man as to liue long therefore God made promise thereof to thē that keepe his commandement What temporal blessing did the Lord bestow on Dauid 1 King 3.14 for a reward who was a man according to his owne heart but long life as the holy Ghost testifieth he liued so long that he could liue no longer 1 King 1.1 nature was quite extinguished in him This was also a reward specially bestowed vpon the ten holy Fathers Gen. 5.1 to the end before the floud Thus shall men be enabled with their hands to performe the desire of their hearts in contributing vnto the necessitie of the Saints Abraham also had for his temporarie blessing Deut. 31.2 an hundred and twenty yeares life euen in his old age he was carefull to fulfill the worke of the Lord so long as he said that he could go no more out and in Length of life Deut. 11.9 saith Moses is a reward for keeping of Gods cōmandements they then that keepe not Gods commandements shall be guilty of Gods iudgmēts for the same and also for the time which they haue mis-spent The other speciall and most principall respect of long life is that such men might also gather spirituall riches For as by little and little men come to be stored with the things of this world specially if it be long continued euen so by the continuall keeping of the Sabboth by the often reading and hearing of Gods word by vsual praiers by often reiterating with thankefulnes the mercies of God such like men may grow increase most richly and abundantly in the things that concernes a better life If the increase be but as Esai the Prophet saith here a line and there a line Esai 28.10 to wit a little at one time and a little at another either gotten or saued To which purpose Iob saith Iob. 12.12 In length of dayes there is wisdome and amongst the ancient there is vnderstanding Therefore the holy man Dauid all his life long
as though that they which die naturally in their beds or they themselues which liue in the good appearance of the world were not as guiltie of condemnation for euery small sinne which they commit without faith in Iesus Christ as they who are hanged burned beheadded or pressed or as those vpon whom the tower of Siloam fell Here I conclude asking pardon of the learned wherein soeuer I haue erred or haue wanted in the disconise of the common lawes of this land Knewing the profunditie thereof to be passing the reach of all men and withall acknowledging it to be a meere subiect out of my element and therefore as a man hauing spoken nothing in effect of that which it deferueth I am cōtent to be condēned without replication vpō a nihil dicit if reason require it The third instruction concerning the timelinesse of death Not withstanding there are such variable and sundry sorts or manners of death as hath bene formerly enlarged and howsoeuer almightie God hath bene occasioned in his iustice to punish sinne yet none of the generation of mankinde departs this life before his appointed day so that no man by diligence can lengthen his life nor any man by negligence shorten his life The holy Prophet Dauid hauing Saul his enemie in his hand would not be perswaded to lay his hands on him but said His day shall come to die 1 Sam. 26.8.9 I will not smite him As if he had spoken more plainely It is not for me to kill him for God hath appointed him his time in which he shall die To this purpose said the iust man Iob by way of two interrogations Iob. 7.1 Is there not an appointed time for man vpon the earth And are not his dayes determined Iob. 14.5 The number of his moneths are with thee thou hast appointed him his bounds ouer which he shall not passe As if it were to say Certainely there is an appointed time for mans departure out of this world euen by the diuine ordinance sacred decree of the Almightie which cannot be shortened nor lengthned no not so much time more as to go ouer a meere or baulke nor so much time lesse as to come vnto it Againe he saith verie emphatically and affirmatiuely beleeuing in the promise of God therin after this manner I will waite my appointed time as though he had said Iob. 14.14 My God hath determined and set downe the day and houre of my dissolution it is hid from me I will therefore attend I will be looking for it from day to day Salomon after his conuersion amongst many excellent most diuine instructions he particulateth this secret decree of God most plainly after this manner Eccl. 3.12 To all things there is an appointed time And from this generall he descendeth into a more particular thus There is a time to be borne and a time to die to wit as there is a most certaine time inclosed in euery womans wombe in which she shall bring forth into the world euen so there is a certaine and an appointed time in which he that is borne of a woman shall go out of the world Saint Paul said to the Athenians Act. 17.26 God hath assigned the times that were ordained before and the bounds of their habitation By that saying the time of mans departure is decreed and vnreapeable why because there is no alteration nor change in Gods diuine Maiestie that which he is he was the same he will be for euer Iehoida said 2 King 11.15 He that comes within the ranges let him die the death euen so it may be said Whosoeuer comes within the compasse of the time which God hath decreed let him die without delay there is no hope nor helpe for him there will be no partiality or fauourable respects The liues of the 10. Gen. 5.3 to the end Fathers were twise exactly reckoned and their death once for diuers causes but specially that thereby euerie man thenceforth might be able to know the age of the old world before the floud The ages of these holy men being computated and layd together do amount iustly to 1656. yeares In which obseruance or sure rule for numeration and multiplication the holy Ghost deliuereth plainely that God doth strictly seuerely recken the liues of all men yea from their verie beginning to the verie day of their death Saint Iohn and other the Euāgelists affirme out of their owne knowledge that the Iewes vsed all cunning meanes practised diuers wayes to apprehend our Lord and Sauiour but all was in vaine something or other went betweene and why his houre was not yet come Ioh. 8.30 the time which his holy Father had decreed was not when they would To this effect Moses by a large measure of inspiration spake of an holy woman the wife of the Patriarch Abraham who had a particular and gracious respect before God specially for the time of her life the time of her death Gen. 23.1.2 When Sarah saith he was 127. yeares old so long liued shee then Sarah died That is as much to say Shee liued iust so long indeede and no whit longer when her appointed time was come then she died and not before Likewise Moses doth computate the age of Abraham her husband and saith Gen. 25.7 This is the age of Abrahams life which he liued 175. yeares Then Abraham yeelded the spirit died in a good age As if he had said This 175. yeares was the full time in which God had appointed him to liue When as Moses himselfe was to depart this life almightie God called him saying Thy dayes are come Deu. 31.14 thou must die to wit my decree is certaine towards thee my louing and my faithfull seruant as towards all the generation of mankinde As in an hoast of men furiously in fight so in the world some shall die now because God hath so appointed and some shall not die then because God hath not so appointed To which effect he spake by the mouth of his Prophet Eze. 9.4.5.6 Set a marke vpon the foreheads of thē that mourne And cōcerning others he said vnto him Go and smite destroy vtterly the old and the young Gen. 4.15 So likewise God was said to set a marke vpō Caine but touch no man vpon whom the marke is set shewing therein that euen amongst furious and outragious men in martiall affaires and in the determinations of malicious men life and death is euen then particularly in Gods hands and also the verie time thereof Here arise two necessary questions One why hath God so exactly determined the time of death the other why God doth conceale the time The first whereof is Why hath God so exactly determined the verie time of euery mans departure out of this world so that no man can go beyond it nor come short of it Why did he not rather resolue vpon this Let euery man shift for himselfe and
life of another As a king that is to gouern a kingdom must be powerful and seuere in the execution of instice against the mightie and readie to minister mercie to the needie and distressed euen so the Maiestie of this eternall King hauing the whole world to guide and to gouerne must be powerful and seuere To which effect he faith by his Prophet Ier emie Feare ye not him faith he Ier. 5.22 who hath placed the sand for the bounds of the sea by a perpetuall decree that it cannot passe Againe he said Cannot I do with you ò Israel as this Potter Ier. 18.6 The holy Prophet Ezekiel speaking of his predomināt power ouer the wicked faith after this manner Ezech. 6.7 I will take the bloud out of his mouth his abhomination frō amongst his teeth The same prerogatiue our Sauiour Christ manifesteth himselfe to haue in his speech to his Disciples If any man saith he Mar. 11.3 do say vnto you Why loose ye the Colt say ye vnto them The Lord hath need and they will straight way let it go As if he had said Do but tell them of me vse but my name and they shall haue no power to withstand you The second question why God doth conceale the time of mans departure out of this life Why doth he keepe it secret to himselfe This seemes to be hard iustice that a matter of so great importance should be hid Eccl. 9.12 No man knoweth his time saith Salomon but is suddenly taken as a fish or as a bird Dan. 12.4 It is shut vp and sealed vnto theend of the time appointed said Daniel Gen. 27.2 I know not the day of my death said the holy Patriarch Isaac And as Saint Luke said to the disciples concerning the restoring of Christs kingdome It is not for you to know the times seasons which God hath rescrued in his owne power Act. 17. euen so is it not for any man to know the time and season of his departure out of this life I conclude this question with the forewarning of Saint Paul to Timothie in these words Put away foolish and vnlearned questions knowing that they ingender strife There are three speciall and diuine reasons why the time of death is concealed The first reason is That euerie man should stand vpon his guard lest the enemie come suddenly Watch and pray therefore said our Sauiour Christ Iesus Saint Luke knowing the manner of death exhorts to watchfulnesse in these words Luk. 12.35.36.37.38 Let your loynes be girded about and your lights burning and ye your selues like vnto men that wait for their maisters God told Moses where he should die but he told him not the time and why because he as all other men should stand vpon his watch or guard Deu. 28.66 Thy life saith the Lord shall hang before thee and thou shalt feare both day and night and shalt haue none assurance of thy life The second reason why the time of death is concealed It is for the continuall good of all succeeding ages that the one ought to prouide for the other Therefore specially it is said by Salomon Eccl. 1.4 One generation passeth and another cometh as of heauenly so in some proportion of earthly which made Christ to say One soweth and another reapeth Ioh. 4.37 Were it that some might know the time of their departure they would not renue any thing that might be for them that should come after partly through malice and enuie and partly through extreme idlenesse or superfluous expences The third reason why the time of death is concealed That all men should carefully conueniently vse the meanes for life which God hath appointed in his Church Whereas if they knew the exact time of their departure they wold hold it friuolous to vse any of those good means which his holy Maiesty hath inserted annexed to the decree for the time of mans departure So should the ordinance of God concerning the vse of his creatures be made frustrate and those his exceeding good creatures stand of none effect The fourth reason why the time of death is concealed If the time of death were knowne to some they would liue very desperately and damnably for many yeares and the more neare to the time of their death they would grow the more sad sorowfull and heauy and into such intollerable passions as would driue them into desperation or at least into an vnwilling and a most gracelesse striuing with death in a sort against God himselfe Therefore Moses said Deu. 29.29 Secret things belong to the Lord our God but the thing reuealed belong vnto vs and to our children for euer Besides these two questions which formerly you haue heard there arise out of this doctrine concerning the timelinesse of death three obiections First if God haue so resolutely decreed vpon the verie day and houre of euery mans departure To what end shall a man vse indeuor or any of the best meanes for the preseruation of life The first answer for the vse of meanes to preserue life As almightie God hath decreed the time of death so withall he hath annexed and commanded religious and pertinent meanes for the preseruation of life vntill the time come As for example The people vnder Moses and Aarō might haue perished in a naturall contagion of the leprosie therefore God commāded that the whole might be singled and seuered from the sicke and infected Leuit. 13.1.2.3.4 The same people might haue bene destroyed in the iudgment which God had prepared for others therefore God commanded some saying Separate your selues from the tents of Corah Numb 16.1.2 2 King 10.23 Dathan and Abiram Iehu the King said Search see whether there be any of the Lords seruants amongst the seruants of Baall lest they be also destroyed with them Good men may perish in the outrage of the wicked Mat. 2.12.13 therefore God forewarned the wise men to depart home another way And Saul said to the Kenites 1 Sam. 15.6 Depart from amongst the Amalekits lest I destroy you with them That vertuous woman so highly in the fauor of God might haue bene famished in that seuen yeares of dearth 2 Kings 10.23 had not God forewarned her by his Prophet that she should shift for her selfe and her houshold in due time All men by the iustice of God for their sinne might lawfully be destroyed together in this or that plague or vengeance yet he hath in his mercie forewarned some and so doth to saue thēselues with the vse of meanes which he hath commended and commanded in his Church And withall in the vse of the same meanes or the like to preserue very reprobates frō the plagues which falle vpon their fellowes to the end they may liue vnto the time which he hath decreed for their death in which their sinnes will be full ripe As may appeare in the foure recited examples The second
A DIVINE DISCOVERIE OF DEATH Directing all people to a triumphant resurrection and euerlasting saluation It is ordained that all men shall die HEB. 9.17 Vnum hoc gestit verit as ne ignorata damnetur LONDON Imprinted for WILLIAM IONES and RICHARD BOYLE dwelling in the Blackefriers 1612. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE MY VERY GOOD LORD HENRY THE EARLE OF HVNTINGTON AS amongst all ordinary accidents incidēt to the prosperity aduersity of mankind there is nothing more momentarie then mariage euen so right honorable there is nothing more answerable to the saluation condemnation of mankind then death For as by the one all men come into the world by the other all men go out of the world euen so by both all men without the merits of Iesus Christ shall go into hell fire Yet for all that there is nothing more out of the minds of men then death nor any thing lesse feared then Gods irefull iudgments which follow after As may appeare in euerie profession which is stained and polluted with heathenish impietie the like was not in the time of blindnesse and ignorance whereby it may be truly said that the last of the three reuolutions signified by seales Reu. 5.1 8.2 17.1 by trumpets by viols related to be the dishonour of God and the disturbance of the Church militant is now more fresh and more ragingly reuiued then in any of the two former reuolutions consisting of 600. yeares Your Lordship perhaps will say What is that to me how can I redresse it I know my Lord I know and in truth I must acknowledge that you are an example vnto others for the diligent hearing of Gods holy word preached and for the sincere receiuing of the Sacrament well may your Honor go on and be strengthned with the zeale of Gods glory and be recommended before the throne of Gods grace by the prayers of such as you did releeue when they were oppressed But the principall cause of this my clamor is to put you in mind of that you know to wit seeing sinne is so generall the same so horribly hainous that there is nothing else to be looked for but death and not that death onely which is the common visitation of all men but also the second death which is the perpetuall reward of the diuell and the damned And also my Lord the speciall end of my writing vnto your Honour is so much as in me lieth and as dutie binds me to make you partaker of the fruit of my poore labor with other my honourable and worshipfull friends Nothing doubting but vnder that truth and plainenesse wherein I haue so faithfully endeuoured and so heartily desired the good also of so many thousands as to whom it may come your Lordship shall sauour so much of some thing as that you will say hereafter for your labor in reading of all you are right glad and haue therby lost nothing Thus briefly and most humbly I end desiring the Maiestie of our eternall God through the mediation of Iesus Christ to beautifie and to adorne you and your honourable Lady with all spirituall graces and that you both may see like your selues according to your hearts desire your childrens children vnto the third and fourth generation From Stretton Lefield the 3. of Iuly 1612. Your Honours most humble in the Lord Edw. Vaughan TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE LADY THE COVNTESSE of Leicester Douger RIght Honorable I know none amongst all the women in the world vpon my forty yeares reading neither yet truly reported by any to whō this book doth so properly appertaine to be carefully read as to your self In respect specially of Gods mercy wherin he hath made your honor admirably memorable for your exceeding wisedome and abounding graces which was plainly seene in your patient abiding of one such double deadly dayes newes cōcerning your noble son your worthy honorable husband as made al England France and Ireland more astonished thē that great inuincible Armado of Spaine valorously floting vnder saile vpon our narrow seas And there is also another famous respect of Gods mercie and the kings Maiesties fauor vpon you for that there is yet aliue a noble Earle of Essex euen out of your owne loynes who is like to repaire the ruines of his father to raise his and your honourable house farre more renowmed and lineally to leaue it so to be vpholden for euer Madame when the foundation of the Temple at Ierusalem was newly laide the sound of the people for ioy could not be discerned from the noise of the Priests Ezra 4. Leuites and Ancients for weeping euen so right Honourable your and their most louing friends in that dolefull day could not discerne whether the ioy for the Queenes maiesties safetie or the sorrow for their deceasse was the greatest Although indeed some of both sides most vnconsiderately were partiall in their ioying and other some exceeding in their sorrowing yet the maiestie of God did most diuinely and most duly traduce the one to temper the other in you who had the greatest cause of both Labor you therefore good honorable Lady so to abound in ioy for them whose soules are in heauen so to abound in sorrow for your owne sinnes that whilest you are aliue it may not be discerned in which of both you exceed And labour to abate your sorrow for the father which is dead because his heroicall honour and Christian magnanimitie is yet aliue in his sonne As for the maner of their death it maketh nothing at all to the matter of their saluation nor for the time of their dissolution as you may reade in this booke by many infallible sentences and warrantable examples of Scripture particularly after this maner First that death hath his prerogatiue and priuiledge in generall Secondly that death makes this world no world and men to trade and trauell to buy and sell vpon all vncertainties Thirdly that the decree concerning the time of death is inuiolable and vnrepealable And fourthly how variable and how sundrie wayes death seizeth vpon some with the stroke of an Angel vpon some with the stroke of iustice vpon some with the stroke of a friend and that vnwittingly and vnwillingly vpon some with the stroke of an enemie wittingly and willingly Some godly men do kill and destroy themselues but vnwittingly and vnwillingly and some vngodly men do kill and destroy themselues wittingly and willingly euen by their owne act and deed And now to conclude you know that honourable honor resteth not in the dignitie that men women haue but in the good works whereby they deserue and you know as stigmaticall brands are tokens of former felonies euen so procrastinatiō breadeth dangers Apply your selfe therefore good honourable Lady vnto the conueniency of the time for you know not when death will light on you by many yeares nor the manner of it by many hundred wayes that whensoeuer and howsoeuer it fals you may haue recourse to the
that euer were Iud. 16.28.29 of Sampson the strongest man in all the world and yet they died 1. King 11.43 Dan. 4. Of SalomoÌ„ who was the wisest man in all the world and yet he died Nabucadnezzar was the richest man in all the world and yet he died Peter and Paul were as holy as euer any before or since and yet Peter and Paul died Gen. 23.1.2 Hest 9. Sarah and Hester were two beautiful Ladies as euer were and yet Sarah and Hester died To conclude there was neuer any time nor place nor person that could exempt any man from death For Sem called Melchizedech was before the flood he out liued all that knew him Gen. 14.14 Heb. 7.1 to 7. and so long that no man knew his kindred euen when Lot was taken prisoner and a great grandfather of eight degrees in Abrahams time whence he was said to be without father and without mother and in part a figure of Christ whose Godhead had no mother and whose manhood had no father without beginning of dayes or end of life in respect of whom also he was said to be king of righteousnesse king of peace and a Priest for euer of the most high God yet for all this Melchizedech died Iob said If God set his heart vpon man Iob. 34.14 and gather his spirit vnto himselfe then man shall returne to dust As though he had said more plainly No man in all the world that liueth but liueth to die wheÌ„ God will because mans life consisteth of that which is Gods Salomon saith The desire of death cannot be satisfied Eccles 8.8 he gathereth vnto himselfe all nations doth heape vnto himselfe all people Hab. 2.5 Iob speaking to this purpose concerning all mankind and more particularly of himselfe said thus Iob. 6.11 What power haue I that I should endure is my strength the strength of stones or is my flesh of brasse To wit What did men thinke of me when I was at the best or what could I euer thinke of my selfe was I a man like to liue alwayes And what man may be named that now is that euer was or euer shall be so strong or so enduring as that he shall be able to surcharge death The sundrie examples and the common experience euen of our owne time hath told vs and doth still forewarne vs of death which is so due to vs as to them who are gone before The most vnlikeliest do longest liue the most likeliest do soonest die which argueth plainly that there is no stability no certainty nor true token of coÌ„tinuance in any maÌ„ whatsoeuer Also S. Paul said to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15.51 we shal not all die Indeed we shall all once die inrespect of our outward estate ourelementarie inclination and naturall affections but in respect of Gods diuine maiestie innarrable power and secret will they which shall liue at the last day shall be changed they shall not be the same which formerly they were as men in the world I haue aduisedly considered of ten holy motiues or diuine reasons of Scripture why all men must die The first reason why all men must die It is the decree of almightie God which ordereth all inferior causes and binds theÌ„ to the obedience of his will No king can produce so ancient a right to his crowne as euerie man hath out of this most ancient decree to chaleÌ„ge after death the crowne of glorie Salomon said Eccles 3.14 I know that whatsoeuer God hath done he hath done it for euer to it can no man adde and from it can no maÌ„ diminish Esai the Prophet as in the proper person of God himselfe saith The Lord hath sworne saying Esa 14.24 surely as I haue purposed so shall it come to passe and as I haue consulted so shall it stand Againe he saith Seeke ye the booke of the Lord and reade none of these things shal faile none shall want his mouth hath commanded it Mal. 3.6 Malachi said to that purpose I am the Lord that changeth not The Author to the Hebrewes saith Heb. 6.17.18 That God more abundantly to shew the stablenesse of his counsell bound himselfe by an oath wherin it is impossible that God should lie that we might haue strong consolatioÌ„ Dan. 6.8 As the lawes of the Medes Persians were vnrepealable so is the decree of almighty God concerning death vnrepealable and in regard of the euerlastingnes of it Ieremy said Ier. 17.1 It is written with an iron pen and with the point of a diamond and grauen vpon the tables of the heart The second reason why all men must die Is drawne from the vprightnesse of Gods iustice Sinne being so generall in all men his Maiestie hath decreed to punish it by death in all men yea in his owne deare children who although the guilt of sinne be remoued and taken from them yet sinne remaining in their mortall bodies is to be punished with death and perishing of that substance so subiect to sinne Saint Paul said Death went ouer all men Rom. 5.12 in as much as all men haue sinned As by the law euerie husband may put away his wife for alienating her body to another man euen so sinne by the law doth alienate put away the soule from the body of eueric man Iob. 34.11 Elihu spake most diuinely to this purpose with his friends God will render vnto man according to his work and cause euery man to find according to his way And as sinne increased from age to age so did the anger of God as appeared by the shortning of their dayes Though Christ hath forgiuen vs yet sinne is not out of vs. There is stil in man that will keep him froÌ„ soaring and a Quis me in his mouth extending lamentably with Saint Paul from men to Angels with a violent interrogation enforcing an answer who shall deliuer me from the bodie of death The third reason why all men must die All men must die in respect of Gods generall purpose for the changing and renewing of mankind from one substance into another for the transubstaÌ„tiating of one body into another a transmitting of one life into another This purpose of the Father in Christ Iesus made Iob to say Iob. 14.14 I wil waite mine appointed time till my changing come S. Paul relating the verie same amongst many other things of great weight vnto the Corinthians said We shal all be changed And in another place 1. Cor. 15. at another time Flesh bloud saith he 35 â—4 cannot inherite the kingdome of heauen mortality must be swallowed vp of life 2. Cor. 5.4 And in his epistle to the Philippians he writes the same in effect being occasioned otherwise thereunto and that in these words God shall change our vile bodies Phil. 3.21 that they may be like vnto his glorious bodie The fourth reason why all men must die is That there may
not in some sort humour and applaud you Here I end this matter desiring God to enlarge your affections more more vnto the obedience of his word An answer to the 2. obiection concerning the generalitie of death Herein I will be briefe because indeed this sort of people are lesse worthy of further instruction who hold that this so goodly a frame of the world should not or cannot be destroyed Of whom Saint Peter speaketh thus 1. Pet. 3.3 There shall come in the last dayes mockers who will walke after their owne lusts and shall say Where is the promise of his coming for since the Fathers died all things continue alike vnto this day There needeth no other answer for them then that which S. Peter maketh them in the verses following let them looke to it vpon their perill This doctrine concerning the generalitie of death serueth to reproue three sorts of people The first are those who wholly or for the most part do set their loue and liking vpon the things of this world as if they were to tarrie in it for euer or as if they were to chuse they would not change this world no not for the kingdome of heauen ioying and reioycing as Amos the Prophet said Amos. 6.13 in a thing of nought like vnto the tribes of Ruben and Gad and halfe the tribe of Manasses Num. 32.1.2 who chose the towns and lands on this side Iordan because there were goodly habitations and fertile soyle rather then the townes and lands in Canaan which for the fertilitie therof was said to flow with milke and honey and for the innumerable pleasures thereof like vnto the kingdome of heauen Saint Paul blaming such and seeking to draw them vnto better choise exhorteth saying Seeke ye the things which are aboue Col. 3.1 where Christ sits at the right hand of God and set your affections on heauenly things and not on earthly The second sort who are to be reproued by the generall doctrine of death Are they who murmure much or rather do mourne too much for the deceasse of their neare friends as though God had not done well to take one and not another to take this and not that or as if death had surprised them before their time and for euer or else that death had casually lighted on thē more then others Saint Paule comforting himselfe and others concerning this complaint 2. Cor. 5.1 sayd We haue a building giuen of God that is an house whose builder and maker is God The children of God die but one Luk. 20.36 they taste not of that second death in hell as the reprobates do This once to die is but a short interiection betweene two eternities to wit election and glorification with a kingly and a kindly passage as it were by calling and iustification vnto eternall saluation Rom. 6.9 Christ died once but in that he liueth he liueth for euer So ye likewise saith the holy Apostle are dead to sinne Rom. 6.9 but aliue to God through Iesus Christ The third sort who are to be reproued by this generall doctrine of death Are those who not minding their mortalitie nor accompts which they must make do treasure vp sinne vpon sinne being driuen as it were with the swinge of their nature set on fire of hell defile their bodies and the whole course of nature resolued with themselues to vndergo any sinne so as it may bring them either pleasure or profite Alwayes saying in their hearts and many times with their tongues If we must die for sinne as Preachers say and that as well for one sinne as for a thousand why then let vs eate and drinke and be merrie while we may Salomon out of his owne experience and specially from the holy Spirit of inspiration faith of such one a after this maner Eccles 10.9 Reioyce ô thou yong man in thy youth let thine heart cheare thee walke in the wayes of thine owne heart and in the sight of thine eyes But what followeth God will bring thee to iudgement Although his Maiestie be inclined to mercie yet when he is moued to iustice it is ineuitable it is innarrable it is intollerable To that effect said Dauid as if it were in the proper person of almightie God vnto all such desperate and gracelesse wretches that do abuse his holy patience Psal 50.17 I will set thy sinnes in order to wit thy sins in the night thy sinnes in the day thy sins in thy youth and thy sins in thine age thy sins against me and thy sinnes against thy brethren I will so muster and so ranke them together so place them by rowes and in euerie ranke and row such and so many as shall seeme to be more odious shamefull and detestable euen vnto thine owne selfe And what shall follow I will teare thee in peeces that is thy torments shall be more terrible and farre more horrible to nature then as if thou wert racked tormented peece-meale These are they who although in deed sinne is too too generall yet they rifle and runne ragingly after it in a more particular manner not minding their mortalitie or at least not regarding the accompts that they must make do maligne enuie vtterly hate yea and seeke the whole ouerthrow of vs the Preachers of his holy word and others the deare children of God who runne not into the same excesse of riot and damnable behauiour but with zeale do frequent the ministerie of his word with reuerence do keepe his Sabbaths with all care do keepe themselues vnsported of the world Therefore they esteeme them not worth their societie nor worthie to liue vpon the earth Ioh. 15.19 We are not of the world therfore the world hatethvs saith S. Iohn The manifold plagues to the Egyptians the fierie Serpēts to the Israelites and the Emerods to the Philistims were not so troublesome and tedious as these heathenish Atheists prophane Iewes are to vs. We liue not as enemies in an hostile manner among them but modestly and mildly and benignly as Christian cōforters bringing peace offering reconciliation The words of our commission are of 3. emphaticall and publicke narrations The first is Benedicite blesse ye the second is Benefacite do ye good and the third is Orate pray ye Thus are we enioyned to behaue our selues amongst many other religious duties towards God and good mē yea towards our enemies Where in so euer we do faile through frailtie it is not indifferent nor iustice for them being our enemies to iudge what we should do but rather out of charity to iudge what we would do Neither is it for them to reuenge themselues vpon vs it is his holy Maicstie to whom we must answer vpon our accompt We are whatsoeuer they say bringers of peace and we are peaceable 2. King 10.17 Come see said Iehu to Iehonadab so it were to be wished that these men would zealously and religiously
at deathes doore the wicked parteth with all ioyes and there the godly receiues it The third vse concerning the naturall death It serueth to reproue all such parents who hauing a sonne or a daughter taken from them by death in his minority they do not take to heart nor thinke the extraordinary care the greedy griping the intollerable shiftes and the manifold deuices which they vsed to get worldly wealth and preferments for him So that they euer kept from their heart or for the most part all conscionable care of trayning him vp in the feare and nurtour of the Lord so as he might be a necessary member in Church or comon wealth They consider not neither can they be made to thinke much lesse to beleeue that God tooke him away for their punishment And for this cause also God takes away another and so another of their best and dearest children leauing such parents either none at all or else such as are gracelesse and without hope to be any comfort vnto them If parents out of their naturall affection or out of Gods word would but imagine what a dolefull day what a sorrowfull sight and a galling griefe it would be vnto them to see one child after another suffer the bitter paines and pangs of death then being dead to be doubtfull of their saluation such parents might the better and the sooner see take knowledg of their sinnes towards their poore children and so by true repentance be turned vnto the Lord. The fourth vse concerning the naturall death It serueth to reproue those who out of their ouer abounding naturall affection towards their children are neuer prepared to part with their children no not though they be to change their company for the company of God himselfe and the company of others their brothers and sisters for the company of the holy Saints and Angels in heauen And their worldly riches for the true treasures purchast by the precious bloud of Iesus Christ And this because that either they want knowledge or faith The fift vse concerning the naturall death It serueth to reproue those who liue so securely and so carelesly as if they had made a couenant with death vntill an appointed day or as if they could keepe death away so long as they would or at least giue themselues lawfull warning Vpon these comes the day of the Lord suddenly not in respect of God but in respect of themselues being vnprouided By how much they want of that they should haue against his coming or by how little they feare death by so much the more terrible and fearefull death is vnto them The sixth vse concerning the naturall death It serueth to reproue those who arrogate to much vnto the worthinesse of the meanes attributing that vertue vnto them which indeede is due vnto God as in the time of sicknesse to physicke surgery and such like No maruell though they languish in their diseases and no man able to helpe thē What was the ouerthrow of so many thousands of the Israelits the taking away of the Arke of God by the Philistines 1. Sam. 4.5 was it not because they relied to much vpon the arke as appeared by their shooting and loud reioycing as though heauen and earth rang together Ieremie speaketh of them at another time how they vanted and boasted of their temple saying Ier. 7.4 The temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord therefore the Lord gaue their Temple to be ransacked and ruinated by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon Dan. 1.1.2 Ieremie likewise speaking of the pride and presumptusnesse of the Egyptians who in their strength and multitude of their men concluded most infallibly the vtter ouerthrow of the people of Israel Ier. 46 7. They come saith he like floods and riuers with raging horses swift chariots Blackemores and Libians to shoote and to beare shields yet all in vaine The seuenth vse concerning the naturall kind of death It serueth to reproue those who do derogate from the worthinesse of the meanes which God in his mercie hath ordained in his Church and common-wealth to be in him and for him or as in his stead helpers comforters vnto his people as in the time of sicknesse not to seek to the Physitiā they rather scoffe and scorne them and they deride their profession These indeed as the former are accessarie to their owne cōtinuall diseases languishing maladies and in the end to their owne death not because that they thereby do directly shorten their liues but because that they do frustrate so much as in thē lieth the holy ordināces of God which are ioyned with his decree The eight vse concerning the naturall death It serueth to reproue those who run into eminent dangers places of contagion they auoid not when they may conuemently outragious elements as fire water and such like or enterprise to performe actions which stand not either with their wits or with their abilities The 3. generall sort manner or kind of death to wit the vnnaturall death The vnnatur all death is that which is more violent more abhorring nature more crosse and contrarie to the lawes ordinances of God A kind of death which proceedeth from mans selfe or rather a death instigated by the diuell meerely derogatiue to the Maiestie of Gods gouernment dishonourable to his name by the reuealed word impeachfull to the saluation of the soules of such An vntimely and an vnseasonable death Vnder this kind of death there are 4. other inferior sorts First when a man killeth himselfe vnawares or against his will as Ahaziah king of Israel did with a fall 2. King 1.6 Secondly when a man kils himselfe wittingly and willingly 1 Sam. 31.4 2. Sam. 17.23 1. King 16.18 as Saul did with his owne sword as Achitophel hanged himselfe and as Zimry did that burnt himselfe Thirdly when a mā is killed by another vnwittingly and vnwillingly not hauing hated him before Nu. 35.22 Ios 20.1.2.3 for whose saftetie God appointed cities of refuge Fourthly when a man is wittingly and willingly killed by another 2. Sam. 3.27 2. Sam. 20.10 as Abner was by Ioab and as Amasa was The first question concerning the maner of the vnnaturall death Why it is or how it comes to passe that some vnwittingly and vnwillingly do kil and destroy themselues yea with their act and deed some hang themselues some burne themselues some drowne themselues and such like manner of vnnaturall death This kind of vnnaturall executions happeneth many times on the iust as well as on the vniust vpon the wise as vpon the foolish vpon the rich as vpon the poore The answer therefore is twofold one concerning the vngodly the other concerning the godly That which concernes the vngodly is when any such man or woman vnwittingly puts or brings himselfe into perillous places puts himselfe to death by his owne act and deed It proceedeth from the vpright iustice of God ruling and ouer-ruling man how
by their words whē as the viper fell vpon Pauls hand Act. 28.1.2.3 c. Sure said they this man is a murtherer who although he hath escaped the seas yet vengeance hath not suffered him to liue Gen. 4.10.11 The bloud of Abel cried for vengeance And to conclude Murther is so detestable in Gods sight and so abhorring nature as for what cause soeuer one man shal or doth wittingly willingly kill another if it be secretly done Deut. 21.1 to 10. as doth appeare by diligent inquisition made for the finding out of the murtherer the hainousnesse of the sinne also appears by the greeuousnesse of the punishments which are no lesse then death Leui. 24.17.21 Deu. 21.8.9 It endangereth the whole congregation with the plagues of God how guiltlesse soeuer they be of that fact Gen. 4.10 Re. 6.9.10.11 It calleth and crieth out from earth to heauen for vengeance the soules of the Saints in heauen do call and crie vnto God for instice The holy man Dauid who by his regall authoritie also in his martiall affaires was to shed the bloud of many yet he prayed that God would deliuer him from bloud-guiltinesse Now concerning the killed to wit why God doth suffer innocent blood to be shed wilfully or to be subiect to the will of the wicked The answer is twofold The first answer concerning the killed is to manifest Gods secret decree concerning the time of mans departure and as for the manner how it is all one with God and so is it with a righteous man The manner of death maketh nothing against the matter of saluation Christs Iesus speakes comfortably and verie directly to this purpose vnto his Apostles and disciples and so vnto all true Christians You shall be betraid of your brethren Luk. 21.16.17.18.19 and kinsmen friends some of you they shall put to death ye shall be hated of all men yet there shal not one haire of your heads perish possesse your soules in patience The second answer concerning the killed It makes the iustice of God the more manifest vpon the killer As Salomon said concerning Ioab who had murthered Abner and Amasa 1. King 2.32.33 The Lord shall bring his bloud vpon his owne pate for he slue two men causlesse and more righteous then he their bloud shall returne vpon the head of Ioab The Prophet Habacuck questions to that purpose with God concerning the innocent that were slain so vniustly O God Hab. 1.13.14.15.16.17 saith he thou art of pure eyes and canst not see euill wherefore dost thou looke vpon the transgressours and holdst thy tongue when the wicked deuoureth the man that is more righteous thē he Shal they therfore spred forth their net not spare continually to slay the nations This is answered by the same Prophet in the same chapter after this manner Art not thou ô Lord my God 12. my holy one we shall not die O Lord thou hast ordained them for iudgement and ô God thou hast established them for correction As if he had said Thou wilt not suffer these lewd and gracelesse ones any longer then vntill thou hast accomplished thy will in mercie vpon vs then thy heauy wrath shall consume them Saint Luke affirmes interrogatiuely the same after this maner Shall not God auenge his elect which crie day and night vnto him Luk. 18.7.8 though he suffer long I tell you he will auenge thē quickly As Christ said concerning the man that was borne blind Ioh. 9.1.2 It was not his sinne nor his parents but that the worke of God might be seene euen so these whom the monsters of the world do kill and destroy is not in respect of that which they pertinently or properly haue deserued but that the iustice and vengeance of God might be seene iust vpon such as kill them There are many wayes and diuers manners by the which the deare children of God do depart this life but no way nor manner can preuent their preparatiō to die well how sudden and how vnusuall soeuer it seemes to be vnto others And seeing the case so standeth let all men beware of rash iudgement and vncharitable censuring of such as are slaine Let the manner of death be rather an occasion to forewarn others to be readie also as not knowing the time nor the manner of death It is commonly alike both to the iust and to the vniust for the outward manner of death but the inward is nothing so nor so As we may reade of the two theeues the one vpon the right hand Mat. 27.38 the other vpon the left hand of Christ the outward maner of their death was alike but the inward was not so for the one died faithfull and therfore Christ said This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise the other being vnpenitent inwardly went vnto the dāned Againe the suffering or permission of God is alway the meanes of his secret decree no man can kill another no not iniure his brother in the least measure but by the will of God because no sinne can be committed against his will nor any otherwise will God permit and suffer a sinner to outrage then in that maner so far forth as may stand well with his diuine purpose yet for all that such a will purpose and permission of his cannot be said to be the immediate cause of such an outrage or iniurie done howsoeuer but rather out of mans will who for his owne part respects not the fulfilling of Gods will so much as his owne which proceedeth from his corrupt nature being inuegled by the diuel And when as almightie God doth withdraw his helpes his gifts and graces which he may because properly they are his owne Ezod 7.4 thence it is said that God hardened the heart of Pharaoh that Sihon king of Heshbon would not let Israel passe by Deut. 2.30 for the Lord had hardned his spirit and his heart Further it must be granted that almighty God might verie well and most fitly if he would haue restrained and withholden that murther and shedding of innocent bloud and so the wrong and killing of other his Saints but it was not his wil it pleased him not so to do he foresees it not to be for his honor and a further good As may plainly be euidenced by a speciall difference betweene the purpose of God and Gods election for it is certaine that election was before the purpose of God to saluation or damnation because in election there is the holy will of God without regard either of good or euill to be found in man or before he had done either good or euil The concurrence and the prosecution whereof stands in these three most holy asseuerations of the Almightie the first being vocation the second iustification and the third glorification To which effect and purpose the holy man Dauid being preuented of his murthering mind said with all holy consideration