And to receiue and enioy this glory there is no other way but by death Death onely fetches vs and brings vs thither Now as a young Prince liuing some-where in banishment would exceedingly reioyce to see a messenger sent by the King his father to fetch him home and to set him on his Throne Euen so ought a childe of God to reioyce when God sends vnto him his Messenger Death to fetch him vnto his eternall kingdome Yea so much the more then such a Prince by how much the more the Kingdome of heauen doth excell all the Kingdomes of the world For it is better to be one day in the Palace of heauen sayes Dauid then else-where a thousand Psal 84.11 Priuiledge of the life to come For what haue we on the face of the earth that should make vs desire to stay here If we giue ouer this life which is but temporall and full of miserie and trouble wee obtaine a life on high where there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying Reu. 21.4 neither shall there be any more paine If heere wee depart from our earthly parents we are entertained there of our heauenly Father Math. 5.45 If heere wee leaue our chiefest friends and kindred wee meete there with our brethren in Christ cloathed in long white garments Reu. 7.9 If heere wee loose our Gardens and faire Pallaces wee finde our selues there in Paradise where the tree of life is continually growing If heere we remoue out of a famous Citie wee become there Citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem Heb. 12.22 Or if here we forgoe our Princely honours there we are named children of the most high Luk. 6.35 Yea if here we forsake euen an earthly Kingdome we possesse there a heauenly Kingdome Luk. 1.33 whereof there shall be no end The seeing of God When further wee proceede and consider that we are promised there to see God and that we shall see him as he is Math. 5.8 how can wee but hope to see the holy Trinity with full satisfaction 1 Ioh. 3 2. Wee shall see him in whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy Psal 16.11 and who shall say then vnto vs Enter into thy masters ioy Math. 25.21 O what an vnexpressable ioy will this bee What can our mindes imagine or hearts wish more If the Queene of Seba cryed out that those men were happy which stoode before Salomon to heare his wisedome 1 Reg. 10.8 how happy will those be that shall stand before Iesus who is the wisedome of his heauenly Father And if Iohn the Baptist leaped for very ioy at the presence of Christ Luk. 1.44 while he was yet in his mothers wombe And Simeon was satisfied when hee had but seene the childe in the Temple Luk. 2.30 what ioy and satiety will those receiue that shall see him sit at the right hand of his Father in eternall glory The three Apostles of our Lord when they had but a very small resemblance therof in that short transfiguration of Christ how soone did they forget set light by the world with all her appurtenances cried out Master it is good for vs to be here Luk. 9.33 and let vs heere build vs tabernacles What doe those Apostles now feele Or what doe they say now with all those that perfectly behold his glory and dwell in it The honour of our soules When we farther yet consider that we our selues shall obtaine there the Crowne of glory 1 Pet. 5.4 that fadeth not away as Peter speakes And that Gods children being by Christ iustified shall shine forth as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father Math. â—3 43 and be as the Angels of God in heauen Math. 22. â—0 yea are there to raigne for euer and euer Reu. 22.5 What heart what soule can chuse but long exceedingly to forgoe this world and to attaine to the presence of God Dauid cries out As the Hart panteth after the water brookes Psal 42.1 so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God for the liuing God when shall I come and appeare before God Now that which he longed for euery true beleeuer after this life once ended shall for euer enjoy The meeting of the body and sâ—ule together But whosoeuer farther will cast his eyes on the generall resurrection of the dead may finde yet farther matter of ioy and comfort Euery one may in some sort conceiue how vnspeakeably these two old friends soule and body will reioyce when after many ages they shall meete againe and perceiue that each of them is in a happy estate 1 Cor. 15.45 But chiefly when this corruptible shall haue put on incorruption and this mortall shall haue put on immortality and bee partaker with the soule of heauenly delight Yea the Lord Iesus shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body Phil. 3.21 What is there in heauen or in earth more excellent or what can bee imagined that deserues rather to be desired Yea with our corporall eyes we shall behold Christ This it was euen this I say was it wherewith Iob comforted himselfe in his long continued miserie and which did releeue him in his greatest agony I know sayes he that my Redeemer liueth and that hee shall stand at the latter day vpon earth and though after my skinne wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God Iob 19.26 whoâ— I shall see for my selfe and mine eyes shall behold and not another Stephen the Martyr had assurance hereof in this life for hee being full of the holy Ghost sayes the Scripture looked vp stedfastly into heauen Acts 7.55 and sawe the glory of God and Iesus standing on the right hand of God With this firâ—t Martyr of Christ let vs then coÌ„tinually cast our harts eies of faith towards heauen and fixe them wholly on Christ crying out with him Lord Iesus receiue my spirit Yea when wee can neither crie nor speake any more Let vs all with Hanna 1 Sam. 1.15 powre out our soules before him And the Spirit will make intercession for vs Rom. 8.26 with groaning which cannot be vttered and wee doubtlesse with the afore-said Stephen shall see heauen open and when our time comes with him dye in the Lord. Yet if it shall please God after all our good preparation An appendix to lift vs as he did the fore-mentioned Ezechias from our bâ—d againe and to restore vs to health let vs take good heede that we doe not neglect likewise with the same King Es 38.20 to sing songs in the house of the Lord all the dayes of our life that is euermore to be thankfull vnto him to serue him and to praise him So the diseased person whom Iesus had healed at Ierusalem was presently found in the Temple Ioh. 5.14 The Prophet Dauid teacheth vs
and nourish their seede to ripenesse But they doe not suffer the Rose-bush nor Gillyflower stockes nor many more to bring their fruit or seede to maturity but gather their flowers as soone as they be blowne A childe likewise doth meruaile to see the Father gather Walnuts or Figges before they bee growne to their full bigneâ—â—e But the Comfit-maker or Apothecarie that comfites them knowes that they serue bâ—tter for his vse then if they were bigger or riper We ought then willingly to yeeld to the Creator of all things the like freedome and choise He knoweth whom he hath ordained to olde age and whom not He knowes what fruit would sooner rot then ripen if hee should not plucke it off betimes that is who rather with the multitude would enter at the wide gate Math. 7.13 then with the small company at the straight Yea wee must thinke that many in their thought Wisd 4.11 are speedily taken away lest that wickednesse should alter their vnderstanding Or deceit beguile their soule And who should grudge then that they escape such either danger or sorrow If the Sauiour of the world saith Mark 10.13 Suffer little children to come vnto me shall we desire to delay them and stay them here certaine yeares Luk. 15.18 to try their Oxen and view the Land which they should possesse No certainly though hâ—re they were euen borne to a Kingdome for all the pleasures and honours thereof the wisest of Kings hath termed but Vanity of vanities Eccl. 1.2 Therefore as those of the vulgar sort reioyce when their children after long seruice are aduanced vnto some preferment in the Princes Court Euen so may we with more reason râ—ioyce that our heauenly King hath esteemed ours worthy to take them vnto him euen before they haue done him any seruice at all Therefore let vs cast off our mourning with Dauid saying according to his Prophecie I shall goe to him 2 Sam. 12.23 but hee shall not come to me But my honest brother may some one say is carelesly neglected or pittifully murthered Let those bewaile this that were the occasion thereof But as for him seeing that the diuine Prouidence hath a hand therein hee suffers thereby no harme He is got whether he intended that not through many by-lanes but euen the very neerest way If two Sea-faring men 2 Occasion should ayme at one Port and the one by reason of a Calme should lye lingering by the way and the other by a Storme should bee violently caught and so cast into the Hauen Doe you thinke that this man would wish himselfe againe with the other in the Calme The Storme may bee somewhat troublesome vnto him yet now he reioyceth that by meanes thereof he is attained vnto his wished Port. And the like must we thinke concerning our brother who we suppose is bereaued of life by some mischance Especially considering that these vnexpected iudgements of God may not be esteemed any signe of Gods especiall wrath for those vpon whom the Tower of Silao fell Luk. 13.4 were not sinners aboue other men Yea whosoeuer dieth in the Lord Gen. 8.4 Acts 7.10 though he were murthered with Abel in a by-way or stoned with Stephen in the open streetes the holy Ghost termes him blessed Reu. 14.13 So that this sorrow also must be remoued and receiue comfort 3 Occasion Whosoeuer thirdly doth bewaile his neighbour that is drowned in his drunkennesse or in any other sinne and so died in Gods indignation hath indeede no small reason so to doe But whether it bee conuenient for one in such case to ouerloade his soule with continuall mourning Ecclus 38.22 that doth no way helpe the deceased but hurt himselfe that is duly to be considered And he that considereth it well shall finde but small reason so to doe For if so be the parâ—y were wholy giuen ouer to wickednesse it may be God hath snatcht him away 2 Pet. 2.6 for our example and for his best aduantage Math. 23.32 because he should not fill full the measure of his wicked predecessours and so encrease Gods wrath against him The best then that wee can doe for him is that wee endeauour to appease by all manner of meanes all those which he may haue wronged to the end that at the least we may lessen the number of those that may accuse him before God as much as lyeth in vs. But let vs also looke to our selues that we doe not step too farre speaking of him as if hee were certainly now cast off from God Math. 4. Iudge not saith the Iudge himselfe lest yee be iudged Betweene the Bridge and flood sayes St. Augustine may hee repent that intends to drown himselfe Christian loue must cause vs to hope that euen before his last gaspe at least he cries out Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome Luk. 23.45 And thus hoping there shall be no iust occasion of a continuall lamentation An other it may be will vncessantly bewaile his betrothed bed-fellow 4 Occasion and suppose he does it with great reason For whereas many are sorrowfull for the death of some friends or neighbours he bewailes may he say the bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh Gen. 2.23 Whose decease as he principally feeles himselfe so hee may principally and that with good reason lament it This coniunction of the body in married persons is indeed certainly such for man and wife according to Gods word are one flesh Gen. 2.24 to witte so long as both parties remaine aliue But if the husband or wife be dead the Apostle sayes the suruiuer is free to be married to another Rom. 7.3 And then this band or first connexion is loosed The husband may moreouer alledge out of holy writ that his wife was the onely Lamb 2 Sam. 12.3 which lay in his bosome and was vnto him as a daughter And that hee for that reason according to duty loued her as his owne body Eph. 5.28 hence also is the more vrged to bewaile her We cannot indeede but confesse that a good wife is a pleasure and delight vnto vs in this life but she is not onely granted vs to this intent by God but rather to be a helper vnto vs Gen. 2 18. in all accidents and necessities of our age And wee are commanded to dwell with her according to knowledge 1 Pet. 3.7 as being heires together of the grace of life But if so be that it shall please God as one of his sheepe to call her vnto him Ioh. 10.27 and to leade her vnto eternall life some while before vs we ought willingly for Gods sake to bee bereaued of that comfortable delight which this Lambe did bring vnto vs Ioh. 10.14 knowing that she is gone to that good Shepheard to whom we were bound in holy wisdome to direct her We are also bound in duty to loue her as
in his hundred and sixteenth Psalme that being released we should call vpon him as long as we liue walke before him Psal 116. and pay our vowes vnto him in the presence of all his people which Psalme throughout ought then to be our meditation and our practise For wee doe neglect this and forgetting God and all godlinesse returne againe to our euill wayes wee must expect some greater punishment This the Lord demonstrates vnto vs in his words to the forenamed diseased person To whom because wee should not thinke it sufficient sometimes to appeare in the Temple hee said Sinne no more lest a worse thing befall thee That is worse then the sicknesse of eight and thirty yeares continuance which hee had endured before Behold how sorely he is threatned that after his release vngratefully rushes againe into his former sinne God graunt vs a better heart Finall conclusion To conclude all that hath beene said as we in the first part haue shewed that the death of the body is not hurtfull to man and in that respect ought not to be fearefull so we suppose that in this second part wee haue declared by what meanes we may make the same to be very profitable vnto vs and haue shewed in the first place how that wee must settle our house by a decent ordering of our goods that we ought to inure our body to a patient suffering of paine and that we must prepare our soules by a timely preparation to meet death couragiously After that we haue taught how we ought to disarme it and so to strengthen our selues through Christian faith that its sting may not pricke our soule and bring it to the second death And withall we haue endeauoured to establish the wauering soule in this faith and to relieue the troubled consciences with comfortable speeches and examples that may instruct them And lastly wee haue made it apparent that death openeth a dore for our soule to a life truly happy which shee shall receiue with all aduantage honour and perfect ioy from her Sauiour in heauen and shall possesse vnto all eternity Wherefore we iustly conclude that all Christian soules haue great reason to waxe weary of this temporall troublesome and sinfull life and earnestly to say with the holy Apostle Wee desire rather to remoue out of the body Rom. 5. â— and be with Christ Let vs then lift vp our soules to him and heartily entreate him that he would come quickly Yea Lord Iesu come The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with vs all Reu. 22.20 Amen A SHORT PRAYER CONCEIVED BY THE Author for his Seruant that lay a dying An. 1623. O Almighty God and most mercifull Father that hast created and by thy wisdome doest preserue and gouerne all things we poore sinners prostrate our selues at thy feete to powre out our Prayers for a sicke creature whom it hath pleased thee to cast into the snares of death But in doing thus our owne vnworthinesse representeth it selfe to our eyes What are we that we should dare to entreate for one who in thy sight it may be is holier and better then wee our selues are and we consequently haue more neede that some other should pray for vs. Notwithstanding O wise and most mercifull Lord seeing that thou hast commanded vs for to pray one for an other sanctifie wee pray thee our heart and guide our tongue that our weake prayers may be acceptable vnto thee Whereby wee desire of thee that thou wouldest fauourably behold this our brother lying in great distresse Doe not behold in him that corruption which as well by originall sinne as by dayly transgression hee is fallen into But O Lord regard him as thy creature and as the worke of thine owne hands Cast not thine eyes on his owne deformity but on the worke of thy mercy whereby thou hast renewed thine image in him Forgiue vs forgiue him all his sinnes and transgressions for his names sake whom thou hast mercifully appointed to bee a ransome for vs before the foundation of the world and reuealed in due time to wit Iesus Christ who descended from heauen to take on him mans nature and in the same to suffer for vs and by suffering to saue those that beleeue in him Grant him O Father and grant each of vs to bee of that little flocke which through his merrits is elected to saluation Strengthen him in faith that he as a member of Christ may assure himselfe that he is partaker of all his merits We entreat thee for our selues we entreat thee for him as our brother in Christ and especiall for him as one to whom our lone is confirmed by a long continuance of dwelling and liuing together O Lord we pray for him as for our owne soule Be mercifull vnto him Let him tast of thy meekenesse Let him feele in his soule that thou hast quitted him of all his sinnes and turned thy wrath from him Strengthen him in body strengthen him in soule Shew thy power in this wealie flesh of his Touch his tongue that he may call on thee and declare his good hope euen in this his greatest frailty Or at the least O God so infuse thy diuine light into his Spirit that it may driue away all dazeling and darknesse from him Turne away from him all distrust and distresse of minde O Lord be mercifull vnto him And by this example teach vs wisdome that we in our greatest prosperity may flye all vaine arrogancie beholding here what a tender worme man is when thou doest but visite him with sicknes But at this present O Father comfort him that feeles this by experience Strengthen him and mercifully receiue him into thy protection Shield him from the arrowes of that wicked one that still is wandring about but chiefely assaulting vs in our greatest extreamity Set him free O Lord and if it seeme good vnto thee restore vnto him his former health If not send thine Angels vnto him â—hat they in due time may bring his soule into thy bosome Let him with Stephen if not with bodily eyes yet with the eyes of faith see his Sauiour standing in heauen euen ready to receiue his soule This we desire this we begge of thee O Lord for thy Sonne our Sauiours sake euen in that prayer which he hath endited for vs and begunne with that comfortable word Our Father Our Father that art in heauen heare vs whom thou hast vouchsafed to name thy children Hallowed among vs be thy Name Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done on earth as it is in heauen euen in this our weakest brother Giue vs this day our dayly bread not that of our body onely but the Spirituall and necessary foode also of our soules Forgiue him and forgiue vs our trespasses as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Lead vs not into temptation take compassion on our weakenesse that hardly can resist any thing But deliuer vs all from euill For thine onely O Father is the Kingdome
a kinde mother her onely daughter whose affection is so exceeding that God makes it a question whether it be possible that a woman can forget her childe Es 49.15 It is really her owne flesh and blood And notwithstanding though shee dearely loue it if some good match bee offered though it were in a forraine Country howsoeuer out of a motherly affection she may seeke some delay and desire that the damsell may remaine with her yet some tenne dayes yet after mature consideration the answere is commonly Gen. 24.50.55 this thing commeth from the Lord take her and goe For she supposeth that shee shall bestowe her on a good husband If so bee then that a weake woman can let her liuing daughter that yet is and remaines flesh of her flesh depart from her because shee is desired of some earthly Bridegroome with more reason ought a man of spirit willingly to forgoe his deceased wife that now is no more called his flesh when her heauenly Bridegroome hath taken her vnto him Let vs then leaue off mourning and beare our solitarinesse patiently Which if it seeme hard vnto vs and that we loue our wife as our selfe Eph. 5.33 then must it bee more acceptable vnto vs that this estate of widdowhood is of the twaine rather befalne vs who by nature are the stronger and may seeke more pastime abroad then if the said condition had lighted on our wife on whom it would lye more heauy because that decencie constraines her to sit lamenting within dores But be it man or woman Let euery one in this estate say with Iob God hath giuen and God hath taken Iob 1.21 blessed bee the name of the Lord. Trusting that wee shall finde the comfort that we misse of our bed-fellow in GOD who hath taken him or her from vs. 5 Occasion Besides my loue may a widdow say I complaine of want For I with my children cannot be without the helpe of my deceased husband This indeede is a bitter sorrowe and therefore God himselfe seemes to haue compassion on her who commends her diuers times vnto vs in his word Yet not that then he first begins to take care of her for it is he alone that hath maintained her and her husband throughout the whole course of their liues And her husbands death hath not shortned his mercy Psal 118.1 â—36 1 for it endures for euer Yea it may be hee thus will demonstrate vnto vs that hee is cursed that trusteth in man Ier. 17.5 by this meanes to draw our hearts wholly to himselfe This wee learne in Ioseph when hee was forsaken yea banisht from all his kindred and friends for then euen then came he to be exalted and prouided for abundantly with all things And how chanced this The holy Scripture diuers times repeates the reason For the Lord was with Ioseph Gen. 39.2.21 sayeth it Let then the sorrowfull widdowes so behaue themselues as those that trust and surely beleeue that God is with them and they shall by diuers signes really perceiue Gods care ouer both themselues and their children Psal 34.10 for they that seeke the Lord shall not want any good thing saith Dauid Though the earthly father of her children be dead their heauenly Father liues yet Heb. 12.9 who hath called himselfe Psal 68.6 A Father of the fatherlesse and a Iudge of the Widdowes cause And did not hee prouide for that poore widdow of Sarepta 1 Reg. 17.14 abundance of sustenance euen when the richer sort were feeling witnesses of scarsitie Did not he marrie a poore Ruth vnto a rich famous Boos Ruth 4.10 and a wise Abigail to King Dauid 1 Sam. 25.41 To what end hath the holy Ghost left vs these and the like examples in holy writ Certainly for to teach all sorrowfull Widdowes and Orphanes that God can want no meanes to assist them and that they might laying their mourning aside wholly and stedfastly comfort themselues in his fatherly and prouident care Trust in GOD saith Dauid and hee will bring it to passe Psal 39.5 Lastly some man may finde himselfe troubled in conscience 6 Occasion by occasion of the death of some party because hee hath not reconciled himselfe with him This indeede is a pittifull and a heauy burthen in that therein we haue to deale with God for neglecting that which hee earnestly commandeth And yet is it not so heauie but that it may be lightned For though we had confessed our fault to the deceased the most that we could haue obtained from him was that he had forgiuen vs our offence with all his heart Now this indeede had beene good for himselfe For by forgiuing vs he should haue receiued forgiuenesse of his heauenly Father Math. 6.14 But doe we thinke hee could absolutely haue forgiuen vs No it is GOD himselfe onely that can remit vnto vs all our transgressions I euen I Is 43.25 am he that blotteth out all your transgressions saith he by Isaiah and to seeke to him it is neuer too late Wee doe not reade that Dauid made any moane because hee had neglected to reconcile himselfe vnto Vrias though it is like he did that too but the principall thing he minded was to call vpon God Wash me cleanse me Psal 51. against thee onely haue I sinned Let vs then confesse our sinnes vnto him and entreate forgiuenesse and be reconciled vnto him and so take away the occasion of this our heauinesse But we may yet come nearer home and make satisfaction to his heires for that wherein wee haue offended the deceased Besides if wee haue offended our deceased Parents in words or deedes wee haue a remedie at hand to wit that after the afore-said reconciliation made with God we doe good to their children That is that wee behaue our selues so religiously that our Parents may haue brought foorth in this world heires of the Kingdome of heauen And this is it that would not onely please God and our Parents best if yet they were aliue but that which is also most profitable for our selues Wherwith also we end Common comforts Yet ere we leaue wee would entreat euery one in generall that though it seeme harsh vnto them to be without the louely fellowship of their friends they would willingly submit themselues to Gods will and ordinance Wee must say with Ely It is the Lord 1 Sam. 3.18 let him doe what pleases him And if wee will be his seruants whatsoeuer hee doeth wee must like Againe we must neither expect nor desire to haue all things heere on earth according to our owne minde If this should be granted vnto vs these earthly things would cause vs to neglect the heauenly Our heauenly Father warnes vs by aduersity that wee should not fasten our mindes on earthly matters If hee did not visite vs in this manner wee should it may bee grow unmindfull of him who ought to be alone and alwayes