so the body shall be re-vnited to it againe participating with it in glory vnspeakeable and euerlasting Therefore mourne not excessiuely for him like the Gentiles the Epicures and Sadduces that haue no hope of the Resurrection 12 Though hee cannot come to thee as the dead Diues desired Luk 16.24 yet ere long thou shalt goe to him as Dauid said of his deceased Childe yea thou shalt in all probabilitie know him againe in thy Glorification as Adam knew Eue in the Creation and as Peter knew Moses and Elias in Christs Transfiguration Therefore haue patience for his absence till you meete againe to your more mutuall comfort as Iacob met with Ioseph in a better place 13 His better part is yet liuing his soule is immortall Iohn 11.25.26 onely the Cage of the body is broken and the soule like a Bird hath taken vvings and is at rest 14 His estate is now bettered and farre more blessed then it was of a Bond-man being made a Free-man Freed by Death First from Sinne Rom. 6.7 to which here hee was solde as Ioseph was solde to the Ishmaelites Secondly hee is freed from the miseries of this life the punishments of Sinne as from a prison by this Goale-deliuery Death his paines in this life concluding in the pleasures of the next Thirdly hee is free from the Gunne-shot of the world and from those euils which are fore-told in the last times Mat. 24. Luke 21.25.26 1 Tim. 4.1.2 2 Tim. 3.1 ad 9. Chap. 4. ver 3.4 2 Pet. 2.1.2.3 Fourthly from the vanitie vnder which all the Creatures groane Rom. 8.20.21.22 Fiftly besides hee is with Tryumph and honour recalled from exile and banishment as was once Themistocles amongst the Athenians and Iphtah amongst the Israelites to receiue dignities in his owne Country from whence his soule came Now are any Parents sorie when their Children of Bond men are infranchized of Prentises are made Freemen Is any man grieued that his distressed and disgraced friend is recalled home from Banishment and that by the King himselfe Now this is thy case if thou take paines to apply it 15 In thy exceeding sorrow thou laments what could not be preuented for hee vvas one of the Sonnes of Adam therefore borne to dye hee could not escape the stroke as the Swallow by flying For the God of Nature now confirmes the Principles of Nature that whatsoeuer hath motion by generation must haue a cessation from motion by corruption 16 Thy case is not alone but thou hast millions and thousands both in the Christian and Heathenish world sayling at this instant all along with thee in the Sea of sorrow driuen with the windes of their owne sighes and sobs for the like or greater crosses then thine bewayling publike and priuate calamities Therefore if companions in griefe as the phrase is mitigate griefe then let societie asswage thy Sorrow 17 Thy impatient sorrow 1. hurts thy selfe 2. preiudiceth thy health 3. consumes thy moysture 4. occasionedly shortens thy life 5. Discontents thy friends 6. displeaseth thy God therefore eyther moderate it or leaue it off or which is best of all turne the streame of it from a naturall to a spirituall from a carnall to a Christian sorrow for thy speciall sinnes which is that godly sorrow commanded of God practised by the Saints causing repentance vnto saluation neuer to be repented of Thy extreame sorrow for the dead is as fruitlesse as faithlesse as vnprofitable to the dead or to the liuing to others and thy selfe as vnpleasant therefore let Dauids considerations when his Childe was dead be thy directions 2 Sam. 12.22.23 The Lord is still liuing who is thy Head thy Husband thy Father thy Mother thy brother thy sister all in all vnto thee if thou hearest him belieuest in him and obeyest him therefore as Dauid in another extreamitie comfort thy selfe in the Lord thy God happy is hee that is ready to leaue all for Christs sake that can say with one of the Auncients My God and all things my God my Guide my Rocke my Defence my Saluation therefore that loue which thou diddest beare to them that are gone sequestrate it from the dead and reflexe it vpon God there is danger in our earthly loue whether naturall to our Childe coniugall to our marriage Mate or morrall to our Friend in which vvee may soone offend in the defect of too little or in excesse of too much For which cause God being a Iealous God and not enduring that our hearts should be set on any thing in louing it too much ouer or aboue or besides or equall with himselfe oft depriues vs of our loued Idols Therefore hee hath crost the loues of his dearest Saints in this kinde of two Wiues Iacobâ— Rachell dyes which hee loued aboue Leah of twelue Sonnes Iacobs Ioseph is solde his dearling more then the rest of many Children Dauids Absâ—lon and Adoniah whom hee most pampered soonest perish of all Dauids Friends hee soonest sorrowes for his best Friend his halfe-soule Ionathan Thus perhaps it is with thee thine owne Sheepe from thine owne bosome thy Turtle-doue thy louing Hinde thy Wife the fayrest male-Lambe in thy Folds thy Heyre and eldest Sonne thy strength thy Reuben or thy Friend thy second selfe is taken from thee perhaps thy heart was more vpon them then vpon God therefore God hath taken away the occasion of thy Idolatry Then there is danger in earthly loue but there is no danger in louing ouer-louing our louing God The speech was as seasoned as the heart was sanctified which I once heard of a young Gentlewoman Lord thou hast depriued mee quoth shee of my deare Husband of mine onely Sonne whom I loued too dearely I see now thou wouldest haue my whole loue thy selfe Lord take it all thou shalt haue it thou art worthy of it it is too little for thee 20 Lastly thinke with thy selfe that if those whom thou bewaylest were sensible and capable of thy immoderatenes in this kinde as they are not they would say vnto thee as God said to Rachell and Christ to Iairus and to the Widdow of Nain lamenting their Children Weepe not nay as hee said to the bewaylers of his Passion Weepe not for mee but weepe for your selues I am well your case is worse I haue conquered you are still fighting I am in the Hauen you are fluctuate on the Sea and therefore as it would be a meanes to restraine the Papists Idolatrie in praying to Saints and Angels if they had but eyes to see how they inforce vpon them this Idolatrous worship which themselues haue prohibited and directed vnto God so leaue thy sorrowing till thou consider how little notice they take of it how little they desire it or delight in it for whom thou sorrowest being to no more purpose then to pray
rich prizes Old age is venerable youth is lusty but death reuerenceth not the gray hayres of the one for though Adam Enoch Sem Methusalem Malaleel Iaired Noah Heber and others in the primitiue times as also Arganton Nestor Valerius Coruinus Epiminedes Metellus Terentia Clodia Hipocrates Sybill and infinite others amongst Christians and Heathens liued so long that the Historians write and Poets sing that Tercentum Messes c. That they liued their one two and three hundreds yet though their lifes day were very long at last came Euening Song Neyther respecteth it the greene lockes of the young but like an Eagle and Vultur seazeth on the flesh of Infants as in the murther of Bethlems Infants and in the death of many Children younger then Dauids Childe that dyed Experience saith that Prima quae c. The houre that gaue them breath did end that houre in death as Seneca saith of others Yea Mista c. Both young and old Deaths cruell armes infold Et fugacem c. The man can neyther flie him nor the youth passe by him Hazael was as swift as a Roe and Atlanta was too swift for a woman yet Death ouertooke them Goliah was a great fellow but Death was greater Sampson was strong but Death was stronger it killed him that killed a thousand with the iaw-bone of an Asse it cut downe him that pluckt vp trees by the rootes That Enceladus that great darter could not shunne his darts neyther can any for it is like that Ramâ—ne which Daniel saw in his Vision that shakes his hornes against the East and the West the North and the South and the beasts are notable to resist him It is like a Haruester that with his Sickle cuts downe all Corne and Tares good and bad Mors resecat mors omne necat nullumque veretur What ere it meetes with vp it sheares For none it fauours none it feares It is a mad Dog that bites all as it hath his name like the Vsurer of biting so Morâ— mordet omnes c. It bites all yea euen the biting Vsurers and grindes those that grinde the faces of the poore It is a fire vnsatiable burning the greene Iuie and the cragged Oake young and old It is a Tyrant ouer Tyrants bringing them to their graues cum eaede vulnere as it did Nero and Domitian with bloudy heads It is like the Sea terrible not to be dramd not to be turned out of his channell carrying all away with it by as many wayes as there be wayes to the Sea all waters runne to the Sea and all men tend to their earth It is like the Lyon in the Fable to whose denne many Beasts went but none returned It accepts as many as comes like the Harlot in the Prouerbs but none returnes since like those Oxe-like beastly fooles that goe in to a whore they goe into the chamber of death like a couetous Niggard it receiues all but parts with none Spaires none neque moribus nec aetati Nay saith a Papist nec Matri vitae nec vitae neyther the Virgin Mary which they say is the Mother of life nor CHRIST the life it selfe then much lesse will it spare vs for Pallida mors equâ— pulsat pede c. With aequall foote it knockes the gate Both of the rich and poore estate And that so indifferently that as one saith if hee should make choyse of a Iudge in the whole world he would chuse Death it is not corrupted like a corrupt Officer but is as vnpartiall as imperiall Thus much for the necessitie of dying Now it is time by Vse and Application to bring home vvhat hath beene said vnto the heart of euery Reader First therefore from the necessitie of death let it teach vs not too much to be in loue with life or with any thing in this life What a folly is it for a man to set his heart vpon a strange woman in a strange Country whose face it is likely hee shall neuer see more If Sampson had knowne how soone he should haue beene taken from his Dalilah hee would neuer haue so doated on her if Sichem had knowne how speedily his lusting loue to Dinah would haue occasioned his destruction hee would rather haue loathed her before his folly with her as Ammon did Thamar after then haue loued her If wee did but ponder how soone vvee are to leaue these perishing pleasures and profits which will be our ruine and irreuocable destruction wee would cast them from vs as a menstruous cloath wee would hate them as wee doe a Toade detest them as wee doe the Diuell and flye from them as Moses from his rod when it turned into a Serpent Oh the thought of death may moderate euen lawfull affections and curbethem in their idolatrous exorbitancie from being immeasurable least by a violencie of desires they be carryed away after any outward thing that wee doe inioy and may cause vs as it did the holy Patriarks Prophets Apostles primitiue Christians ancient and moderne Martyres to leaue father and mother wife and childe house and land portion and pence for Christs cause voluntarily as Moses did the pleasures of Pharaohs Court since as Horace hath it Linquenda tellus c. Wee must leaue them will we nill wee Necessarily and sure if vvee ought to leaue in affection the good things that vvee liue by much more vvee ought to leaue both in Affection and Action the sinnes that vvee perish by ere vvee leaue the vvorld least wee dye as vvicked men haue dyed before vs as wretchedly as vvickedly Secondly since wee must all dye and that as wee haue heard because vvee haue sinned then if wee loue life as all doe naturally let vs hate sinne that depriues vs of life A man that loues his Wife dearely cannot loue him that would make a breach betwixt them or deuorce him from her hee that loues his life me thinkes should not loue the intentiue murtherer that plots and contriues his death This disturber this destroyer is Sinne It is a right Faux a plotter of thy perdition a right Cateline a conspirator of thy calamitie it watcheth opportunities as the Foxe doth the Hare as the Lyon doth the Dogge as Iael did Sâ—sera as Iudith did Holofernes and as Delilah did Sampson when to deceiue thee when to destroy thee yea euen when it fawnes vpon thee and flatters thee and playes with thee then like the Cars play with the Mouse it purposeth to prey vpon thee Thus it fawned and flattered vpon Adam and Eue and offered them as Witches and poysoners offer Children an Apple to play withall but by this Apple it killed them so hath it done all mankinde besides and wilt thou fauour it Zealous was his spirit that once expostulated with one as I now with thee Peccatum omnes maiores tuos occidit tu fouis Sin saith one hath slaine all thy Predecessors and Ancestors and wilt thou
NOW followes the last part of this holy Hymne Simeons Quletâ—s est or his Pacification God suffering him to depart in peace Caluin and Bucer renders Simeons minde thus Nunc libenter sedato quieto animo moriar Lord now I depart willingly with an appeased heart and a setled soule since I haue seene thy Christ From whence I gather that a good man that liues piously alwayes dyes peaceably It appeares here in Simeon so in the rest of the Saints as in Abraham to whom it was promised Gen. 15.15 that hee should goe vnto his Fathers in peace and should be buryed in a good age which promise was plentiously performed to Abraham for he yeelded the spirit dyed in a good age an old man and of great yeeres Gen. 25.8 So Isaack the Sonne of Promise gaue vp the ghost and dyed peaceably being old and full of daies Gen. 35.29 Neither was the death of good Iacob that preuailing Israel discrepant to his holy life for he dyed quietly making an end of his charge vnto his Sonnes hee pluckt vp his feete into his bed and gaue vp the ghost Gen. 49.33 After the like manner was the death of chaste and mercifull Ioseph Gen. 50.26 of penitent and patient Iob after hee had seene his sonnes and his sonnes sonnes euen foure generations Iob 42.16 Of zealous and sincere Dauid 1 Kings 2. after hee had counselled and charged his Sonne Salomon to walke in the wayes and Statutes of the Almightie Of Moses the faithfull Seruant of the Lord who dyed when his eye was not dimme nor his naturall force abated though he were an hundred and twentie yeeres old God himselfe being present at his death and buriall So Ioshuah that couragious Leader of Israel Iosh 24.29 Aaron the Lords Priest who dyed before the Lord in the Mount Hor Numb 20.28 Eleazar Aarons Sonne Iosh 24.33 Samuel the Lords Prophet 1 Sam. 25.1 with all the rest of Gods Children Patriarkes Prophets Iudges Kings Martyres Confessors the learned Lights of the Church such as Ambrose Augustine c. as they haue liued holily they haue dyed happily of which in their seuerall Histories they haue giuen demonstrations most of them if not all in these three particulars First that they were gathered to their Fathers in a mature and full age full of yeeres reaped like a Ricke of ripe Corne into the Lords Barne taken like mellow Apples from the Tree of life in which full age Abraham Isaack Iacob Ioshuah Iob with the rest before mentioned as also the Patriarkes before the Floud which out-liued them with others of the faithfull did blessedly yeeld their spirits and quietly slept in the Lord which blessing of long life being the promise annexed to that fift Commandement of Obedience is peculiarly incident to the godly rather then the wicked whose sinnes as the Iuie kils the Oake ordinarily abbreuiate their dayes or if any of the faithfull dye young or in their middle age before they haue attained to the yeeres of their Fathers eyther by a naturall dissolution as Iosias or by a violent death as the auncient and moderne Martyres eyther they are taken away from the euill to come as Augustine was immediately before the siege of Hippo by the Gothes and Vandals or else because they are ripened already in grace and come to that maturitie which GOD in his fore-seeing wisedome knowes they would or could attaine to and so are fitted for glory or else they testifie the truth here to others confirmation Gods glory and their owne consolation Secondly the Elect vsually haue their wishes and the fruition of their desires ere their departure to the great satisfaction of their soules the contentation of their hearts the corroberation of their faith and the sealing pledge of Gods speciall loue vnto them thus Simeon ere his death had CHRIST in his armes which was the desire and longing of his heart So Abraham saw Christs day before his death in the spirit and reioyced what did old Israel so long after in the whole world except the sight of Shiloh the Messias in the flesh as to see his darling Ioseph which longing of his the Lord satisfied at the full ere his death for his dying eyes did not onely see Iosephs face but his seede Ephraim and Manasses Gen. 48.11 What did Moses desire more then the fruition of Canaan the promised Land Now euen before the Lord shut his dying eyes the Lord tooke him vp into a mount and as a rellish and a taste of his fauour gaue him a sight of Canaan Deut. 34. ver 1.4 In what could Dauids heart be more setled then to see his Throne setled in Salomon his Sonne which his desire was accordingly accomplished for his eyes did see what his heart desired for which hee blessed God 1 Kings 1.48 And the like ordinarily fals out as many aged Christians at this very day can bring in their experienced probatum est as many that are fallen a-sleepe before them could haue testified how the Lord hath heard their requests and granted the desires of their soules in these and these particulars before their deaths Thirdly the godly expresse the hidden ioy and inward peace which they finde within their soules by their seasoned and sanctified words of grace which they breathe out as a sweet Perfume from holy hearts to the refreshing of others vpon their sicke beds with which they vsually winde vp the thread of their life words so good so gracious that they are worthy to be writ in Letters of Gold and for euer to be remembred as they are recorded in the sacred Cannon and collected by holy men from the Saints of latter times For example vvhat a sweet gratulatory speech is this of Simeons in his farewell to the world Lord now lettest thou thy Seruant depart in peace c. Euery word hauing his waight and Emphasis Ponder the last Sermons that Moses and Ioshuah and Samuel these faithfull Seruants of the Lord made immediately before their deaths vnto the Israelites Gods chosen people how zealously they perswade to the seruice of the true God disswade from Idolatrie and false Gods enumerate Gods speciall mercies exhort to obedience dehort from rebellion against God and their Superiours proclaime the promises to the obedient pronounce mercies to allure denounce iudgements to terrifie the disobedient blessing GOD by gratulatory Songs for his benefits and blessing the people in their Tribes Deut. 32. ch 33. Iosh 12. 1 Sam. 12. and a man shall see the peace they had in their hearts by the grace of their lips The last words of Iacob were blessings and prophecies Of Ioseph were admonitions and cautions the one to his Sonnes the other to his Brethren Gen. 49. Gen. 50. The last words of Dauid were his charge to Salomon his Son concerning Gods worship and the gouernement of his Kingdome 1 Kings 2. vers 3.4.5.6 c. The last words of Steuen the first Martyr after CHRIST were prayers for his
â— â—neidomastix it appeales not onely to your Honourable but Learned and iudicious pâ—otection Fourthly and especially that I might at last accomplish not the least of my earthly desires to shew my selfe in some measure gratefull to your Lordship for so many and manifold aâ—cumulated fauours euen to my desires exceeding my desarts from whom and from whose Honourable House as primarily from God so instrumentally next vnto my King from whom I draw the common ayre my Parents from whom I had my being the Vniuersitie my Mother and Tutors from whom I had my education and well-being besides those that are my selfe and from my selfe in my Familie as I know I haue receiued most good so I acknowledge my selfe to be most oblieged for that good not onely participating in those generall and common fauours with my friends and bloud but in speciall reflecting vpon those by whose meanes I was first furnished with meanes in the Ministerie competent and certaine vnder the shadowes of whose wings I haue been protected by whose Graces I haue beene countenanced by whose countenance encouraged nay by whose very counsels I haue beene directed in my best courses in my calling and lastly by whose largesse I haue beene prouided for not onely for the present but with a free donatiue for the future For all which fauours if I should not thinke my selfe as much indeared and indebted as Virgil to his Augustus Horace to his Mâ—câ—nas Varro to his Asinius Pollio Cicero to his Pomponius Atticus Oppian to his Anthome Euripides to his Archilaus or to leaue Heathenish Parallels as a Preacher can be to his Patrone I should shew my selfe as Viperously vngratefull as the continuation of these fauours is submisly desired Accept therefore Right Honourable and in my heart truely honoured Mecaenas this Rapsodicall poore Paper present this Persian gift as an argument of my vndoubted and redoubled Loue and Dutie to you and yours my much respected Lady your Honourable Coniugall Yoake-fellow my Honourable Fauorites Sr. William Eurie together with his no lesse wise then religious Lady with my vnfayned Prayers to the God of Heauen for the continuation and augmentation of all Blessings temporall and spirituall with accumulation of all Graces externall internall and eternall vpon your Honours and vpon those pleasant and fruitfull Oliue branches the hopefull Honours of the House of the Euries in all humilitie I take my leaue submisly resting in all duties to be commanded Old Malton March 10. Your Lordships truely deuoted Chapleine STEVEN IEROME To the Readers chiefely his late Auditors at S. Brides in London CHristian Friends whom I loue vnfainedly in truth and for the Truth as I haue published this myrrhour of dying Moses and Song of holy Simeon for the good of Gods Church in generall to whom I haue deuoted my selfe my life my labours so in my reserued thoughts more peculiarly I tender and present it vnto you my late Auditors aboue the rest First as your due by right being some few Gleanings after the Haruest and some few Grapes of the Vintage of my Ministery amongst you or more plainely and properly the flowers of some Funerall Sermons occasionedly preached now printed for you Secondly that you might receiue by this single and simple labor a double benefit by a redoubled reflexion vpon your vnderstandings memories and affections as through the organ of the eare by hearing so of the eye by reading both which Philosophie cals Sensus doctrinae the senses of learning For which respect I haue turned my tongue into a penne and the gesture of a liuing man into a dead letter writing the same things with Peter as Paul spoke twise the same words Which penning though in respect of preaching it be but as a painted fire to the powerfull Element as the dead portraiture to the liuing person like the dead corps to fighting Hector yet the same things red to those that before heard them haue the place of the Moone at least to enlighten the brain though Hearing the power of the Sunne to heate the heart Besides that you may act the noble Beraeans part the better in trying the spirits more retentiuely and deliberately examining the Truth then infirme and weake memories could conueniently from a voluble tongue Thirdly they are as desiredly so deseruedly yours euen as my selfe was with my labours by mutuall consent and therefore I send you onely backe those Exercises which you haue payed for and withall in my occasioned corporeall absence the presence of my spirit the pledge of my heart the argument of my well-wishes and constant desires towards you an Epistle of that zealous affection which I iustly beare you a testimonie of my gratefull remembrance of all those true effects of your Christian loue towards me the answering of which loue is not the least of my earthly desires As a true seale whereof I send you this poore Paper-present desiring your acceptance as of the gift so chiefely of the heart of the giuer Good it may doe you if God concurre with his grace and his spirit weake meanes may worke Mortification euen the Cockes crowing may awaken Peter hurt it can doe none vnlesse accidentally the fault be in your selues euen as to some the Word it selfe and the Sacraments with all holy things are the sauour of death euen as meates and medicines to a weake stomacke and distempered body turne to diseases and Anguors by reason of vicious humours To giue you a fore-taste and relish of what you shall further finde in these vnited Treatises the chiefe marke that I ayme at is after the patterne of two myrrours of men the one the Pronouncer of the Law the other a Trumpe of the Gospell to teach you how to dye as well as willingly A Lesson which the wisest amongst the Heathens euen their Sages Philosophers and Gymnosophists nay many learned Scribes Disputants and great Rabbies amongst Christians eyther neuer knew preecptorily or forgot to prâ—ctise as their Tragicall ends some whereof I haue exemplified doe demonstrate A point taught onely in the Theorie in the Schoole of Christ to his Disciples his docible Simeons wrought in the practicke part by his spirit in the hearts of the Saints of Sion Further I haue let you see your owne faces in two examplary Glasses what you ought to be euen Gods Seruants righteous with mâ—n religious with your God that so your worke may receiue the reward euen true beatitude the soueraigne good Labouring moreouer so to wash the foule spots and â—spâ—â—sions of your sinne-soyled soules that you may appeare beautifull and gracious as Hester to Aâ—â—neâ—â—s when Death Gods Purseuant fetcheth you to stand before the King of Kings being not defectiue at least in desire and endeauour to lay before you the true exemplary forme and perfect modelâ— how to liue holily so to die happily What I haue done further thousands will iudge I neyther prayse nor disprayse mine owne doings a Heathenish Master tels mee the one were vanitie the other folly onely I
may testifie thus much truely that I haue not beene penurious in paynes For since I vndertooke this taske in as many weekes as Virgils Poems yeeres I haue polished it as I could as the Beare her Whelps by licking pervsing some Authors for this purpose drinking deeply at their Wels where I thought the waters sweet decking this for Gods Israell with Aegiptian Iewels euen some Heathenish Illustrations as is lawfull and laudible in this kinde For the manner of penning you haue my good will if not skill in cooking what is catered if I adde sometimes sowre Sauce let it relish the better with you what is vntoothsome to a fleshly palate will proue wholesome to a sound soule For my words I haue not beene very curious though cautelous God and Nature haue administred them to my Pen as to my Tongue without martyring my selfe about them if I haue erred it is rather on the right hand then the left in the excesse then defect as some haue taxed the one in Osorius others the other in Lipsius rather chusing to flow and ouerflow as Tully once did before Athens brought him within his banckes that I may be intelligible in expressing the notions of my soule then with an affected concise Lipsian and Laconian breuitie to be obscure as is said of Aristotle Theophrastus and others who for their stiles are said to write to torment their Readers I haue laboured to giue a good garment to a good body to clothe a good subiect in words fitted not affected For the matter you haue here not what Sathan shewed Christ the World with her glory and her pompe but a Map of mans Miserie a Modell of his Mortalitie of the Worlds Vanitie Lifes Breuitie so brittle so briefe so short so certainely vncertaine in his flitting in its fading that the Word intitles our life in this world a Pilgrimage Gen. 47.9 a Flower Esa 40.7 a Smoke Psal 102.3 a Weauers shittle Iob 7.6 a House of clay a Shepheards Tent Iob 4.19 Esay 38.12 a Shadow Iob. 8.9 a Dreame Iob 20.8 Vanitie nay Nothing Psal 39.5 All which points with sundry moe I haue according to my Talent laid open at the full with sundry incouragements euery where inserted against such feares as the thoughts of these things naturally possesse men withall It was my purpose also to haue added some comforts as against the feare of death naturall so of death spirituall and eternall in the corroberation of the weake Christian against Sathan the wounds of Conscience and terrours of his owne Soule but the length of these Lines already extended beyond their propounded limits ioyned with weaknesse of body cause me to omit or pretermit this till some other occasion where I shall if it be requisit reueale what I know in this practicall part of Diuinitie in the meane space I referre you to draw cooling waters from those Springs of Israel to whom the Lord hath giuen the tongue of the Learned to speake a word to him that is weary in due season in perusing the Workes of the worthy Perkins D. Sparkes Espmes good old Linakers Comforts for afflicted Consciences Hughes Troubled mans Medicine The Pensiues Practise the Consolatory Letters of that zealous Greenham D. Hil Wilcox c. Ferrarius vpon 51. Psalme Mr. Knox vpon the 6. Psalme Mr. Downams Christian Warfare Luthers Consolations The sicke mans Salue chiefely that best sixe-penny Manuel that I know in English Mr. Fremans Comforters Wolcomb his Sinners salue with all those that haue strengthened the soule directly against desperation Besides if you desire further satisfaction in any point eyther positiue or controuersall concerning death naturally in which these my poore paines doe not content you the zealous learned Lucubrations of men of good parts and paines offer themselues as Mr. Perkins and Lupset Mr. Sutton with D. Hill by their printed Workes as their titles are will teach you how to die well Mr. Draxe lends the sicke man a Guide another a Salue Sr. Thomas Eliot lends a preseruatiue against Death Mr. Bradford writes against the feare of Death Mr. Caue out of French shewes how to remoue that feare Wolcombe lends Armour against Deaths assaults Erasmus shewes Deaths chances Mr. Foxe exhorts the sicke Deaths generall Proclamation is extant in Print with his Trophies and Conquests Couerdaile out of Dutch hath translated a Booke of Death Ars moriendi the Art of dying hath bin long extant Also the learned know what not onely the Fathers but Papists haue writ of this Argument as Pontanus Inclinus c. as also some Germane Protestants as Bibembachius and Brandmillerus in their Funerall Sermons with others both in Latine and English all which I haue seene most of which before and vpon this occasion read and in many of them omitting the principals found small satisfaction so that none by comparing mee with them shall finde me seruilely tyed to any of them or taking any thing so verbally or by sentences from them as it is not mine owne by method digestion and application Neyther I hope will it be more blame-worthy in me to write after these then it was in Curtius to write the life of Alexander in Baptista Egnatius to write the liues of Emperours in Platina to write the liues of the Popes after that seauenteen approued Authors had writ of the same subiect before the first thirteene before the second and fifteene before the third as a warrantable Writer reckons them And now hauing acquainted you what I haue done how and why I send all vnto you as Abraham sent his Seruant away with a blessing euen such a one as I desire and intend With which thought now the custome of all Epistlers cry it is time to conclude least it be too tedious yet beare I pray you with mine error of loue which still extends my lines being vncertain when or whether euer to see all your faces againe in earth by reason of that mortalitie we speake of or to speake to you by audible voyce to commend vnto you as a departing father would some things to his children as dying Dauid did to suruiuing Salomon onely these two things first that you would spend well the time of your short life secondly that you would prepare your selues for death The first makes way to the second as the Needle for the Thread the second for a third euen a dignitie amongst liuing Angels as Grace sits for Glory First therefore because the daies of your pilgrimage are as few as euill as short as sinfull that euen for that cause as the Apostle counsels you would redeeme the time account of it as not onely Christians but euen the Heathens Theophrastus Seneca with others haue prized it as the greatest treasure yea aboue your patrimonies and inheritances from which you will not suffer your selues to be disinherited Beware the losse of it as Lodouicke Blosius and that mysticall Thaulerus counsell amongst the rest of their documents as of the most pestiferous poyson that is knowing that one
now come to the tryall and bring our practise to the Touch-stone and wee shall be found as vnworthy of Christs reuelation to vs as vnthankefull for his manifestation amongst vs as the very Iewes themselues nay let vs compare our selues with them and wee shall iustifie them as they did Sodome Euer since CHRIST dwelt amongst the sonnes of men the kinde of his vsage hath beene too vnkinde the course of his entertainment hath beene too course the forme and manner of his welcome deformed and vnmannerly the world hath beene still so weake through ignorance as not to know or so wicked through ingratitude as not to acknowledge or so corrupt by nature as not to welcome the Word incarnate the Lord of Nature For euen in his birth at Bethlem howsoeuer hee had the hearts and admirations of some few some handfuls as of Anna Simeon Zachary Elizabeth c. As also after of his Disciples of Nathaniel Nicodemus Ioseph Mary Martha Lazarus some healed Patients conuert sinners penitent Publicanes and such like yet the grossest and the greatest part despised and dispited him Looke vpon him from the wombe to the earth from the Cradle to the Crosse from the Crosse to the Graue and you shall see him still crossed by cursed instruments so looke on him from Bethlem to Aegypt from Aegypt to Nazareth from Nazareth to Capernaum from Capernaum to Ierusalem from Ierusalem to Golgotha yâ—â— shall see him tost from place to place from post to pillar Herod the Diuell the Iewes the People the Scribes the Pharises the Lawyers the Herodians the Gentiles the Romanes the Souldiers Dogs and Foxes and Diuels Iudas and Pilate and Herod Earth and Hell all opposed madly and maliciously euen against the Lords Annoynted whose rage from the first houre of his birth till the last of his death could not be quenched without his bloud Hee came vnto his owne but his owne receiued him not Iohn 1.11.20 We surely are in the same predicament if not worse Compare vs with the Patriarkes and we come as short of their faith in Christ obedience and sanctification as they of our knowledge and illumination we come nearer vnto the infidelitie of prophane Esau flowting Ismael wicked Cham cursed Canaan and their seede then wee doe to the Faith of Abraham Isaack and Iacob c. to Noahs Obedience and the holy liues of the rest For the Iewes wherein are wee inferiour in the highest measure of ingratitude against Simeons Lord wee lodge him not at all but cast him out of the Inne of our hearts with the Bethlems wee shut our gates against him with the Samaritanes when wee reiect his Word and Ministers wee bid him depart from vs with the Gadarens when wee preferre our Swinish lusts before him we crucifie him worse and oftner in his immortall body then the Iewes in his mortall when like mad dogs wee flye in his face and by swearing and blaspheming wound his wounds tearing and renting euery part of his humanitie and yet wee will be Christians But I know not how vnlesse on the contrary as the Cynick named his Man as some say Mons à mouendo when it moues not for wee moue not after the motion of Christ We are like the Hare running one way when wee looke another way Well let vs looke to it Christ is come to vs Iohn 1.14 but if wee come not vnto him by Prayer and into him by Faith and hee into vs by his Spirit Iohn 14.18 he will come to vs and against vs in Iudgement to our ruine and destruction Acts 7.31 Oh therefore Kisse the Sonne least hee be angry Psal 2. Thirdly in that Simeons desire of life was not simply for any loue of life but onely to see and proclaime and prayse Christ the Messias to blesse God for this fountaine of blessings to his Church It is worth our animaduersion more worthy our Imitation that wee ought not simply to desire life for it selfe but that wee might liue to glorifie God and to the good of his Church and Children This point is plaine by the Apostles precept Rom. 14.7.8 and by his practise Phil. 2.23.24 For as here prescribes to others that none should liue or dye vnto himselfe but vnto the Lord that whether Christians liue or dye they should be the Lords yea that whether they liue in the body or remoue out of the body they might be the Lords 2 Cor. 5.8.9 So hee himselfe being in a strait what to doe whether to liue in the flesh or to be loosed and be with CHRIST is ouer-swayed with the loue of his brethren to dwell vvith them still onely for the furtherance and ioy of their Faith So it must be with thee in that rancke wherein thou art Vse 1 Art thou a Minister thy desire to liue must be onely to preach the Word for the gathering of the Saints for bringing home the wandering Sheepe for planting and watering Gods Vineyard for feeding his people vvith knowledge and vnderstanding for propagation of the Gospell for conuersion of soules and addition vnto his Church such as shall be saued and for this end thy life and thy liuings must not be deare to thee that by Preaching or Printing Disputing Conferring Writing Praying and Meditating the things wherein that holy Augustine and zealous Bernard were constantly and continually imployed thou mightst be beneficiall to the soules of thy brethren yea for the accomplishment of these ends as thou art called A Light and Salt it must not be grieuous vnto thee to consume and melt thy selfe in spending thy spirits to giue light vnto and to season others Thy ends in thy Ministery must neyther be ambitious like Diotrephes his that loued preheminence nor to be exalted on the right hand or the left with Zebidee's Sonnes not to sit onely in Moses his Chayre vvith the Scribes and Pharisies not couetous like Balaams and Iudassâ—s but Christian and consciâ—nable like Paul's and Peter's and Iames who tâ—â—t they might feede the flocke endured not onely labours and stripes and imprisonments but euen death it selfe Art thou a Magistrate thy desire to liue must be the discharge of thy duety the execution of thy function the decision of Controuersies the cutting off of strifes in their causes courses and euents the iudging rightly betwixt man and man c. to be a nursing Father to the Church to stand for Gods Truth and Orthodoxe Religion to be zealous for Gods glory to defend the fatherlesse right the oppressed to let the cause of the Widow come before thee to draw out and vse the sword committed vnto thee for the defence of the righteous and the right for the offence of the wicked and their wrongs these are the ends thou must aime at in thy place whether superiour or inferiour Art thou a gouernour a Master of a Familie hast thou a charge committed to thee thy desire to liue must be rightly to discharge it and thy duety in it as
and many moe added but I hasten to the Vses being onely intercepted with some Obiections of carnall reason vvhich must be remoued Obiect 1. The first is this Death is the wages of sinne Rom. 6.23 the curse of the Law Gal. 3.10 the enemie of Christ and his chidren 1 Cor. 15. How then can it be good Aâ—s I answere the nature and propertie of death is altered by the death of CHRIST to the godly to whom it is a short cut to heauen it is onely a curse to the reprobates whom it sends to hell euen like the red Sea that drowned onely the Aegyptians but gaue a passage vnto Gods people into the Land of Promise Obiect 2. Christ Ezekias and Dauid prayed against death therefore it brings no peace Answ Wee haue shewed the reasons of Ezekias and Dauids prayer before the first wanting Issue to succeede him the second being afflicted with an issue of sinne which was not healed which caused for the time both their doubts and feares for our Sauiour Christ he prayed not against death simply for he dyed willingly else his death could not haue merited hee prayed for the remouall of the cup of his Fathers wrath being the curse of death Obiect 3. The godly oft dye sodainely therefore not peaceably for sodaine death is a Iudgement against which we pray Answ Death is not euill because it is sodaine for the last Iudgement shall come sodainely and yet not euill but it is euill to the vnprepared as to the wicked Mammonist Luk. 12.20.21 Secondly it is neuer sodaine to the Christian in respect of preparation eyther more or lesse generall or speciall which preparation if it be the shorter God accepts in their intention as he did Abrahams sacrificing of Isaack as hee did Dauids in building him a Temple if they haue no more time then with the Theefe on the Crosse to implore Christ to remember them with the Publican to giue one knocke on their penitent brests with Peter to giue one shrike vnto Christ crying Helpe Master who dare say but with that out-cry they awaken Christ If Moses and the beleeuing Israelites had beene cut off sodainely by Pharaohs Sword or the surging waues if Peter had sunke when hee walked on the waters if the Disciples had beene lost when they were tossed in the tempest if Paul had beene drowned when hee suffered shipwracke wee should haue thought their deaths sodaine in the execution but who durst haue censured them in respect of preparation no more then we censure Mephibosheth that was slaine in his bed or Bethlems Children or those that perished in the French Parisian Massacre by the diuels meanes the Duke of Guize or Ionathan that was slaine in Battell or Abner that vvas killed by Ioab Nay I know none of iudgement that dare censure the foules of Iobs Children and of Lots Wife that were taken away in the act of seeming sinnes I thinke with Augustine that God respects not quo modo after what manner as quales morimur what manner of ones wee dye in Christ or out of Christ We came not together hither but like the Labourers in the Vineyard some at one houre some at another so must wee goe forth some sooner some later Obiect 4. But some of the godly raue rage blaspheme behaue themselues like frantique men nay seeme to despayre Answ First these are the effects of their Melancholy or are to be imputed to burning Feauers the Collique or other violent diseases the fruits onely of their infirmities or at the most the temptations of Sathan which the diuell must answere for not they being rather passiue in these sins then actiue and therefore they not arguing any want of loue towards God any deliberate purpose of sinning but weakenesse of Nature tendernesse of conscience for sinnes committed they hinder not their peace Secondly wee see ordinarily and I can speake it by certaine experience in the visiting of many that these by Gods mercy recouering againe the vse of Reason they seriously repent of these infirmities their faith appearing like the Sun from vnder the darkening cloud Thirdly these and all other vnknowne sinnes are pardoned and buryed in Christs death to these that are in Christ Rom. 8.1 Fourthly in the matter of saluation God oft workes by contraries and by the gates of Hell brings his Seruants to Heauen Therefore let vs not play the arrogant Crittiques in condemning those that haue liued well eyther of Impietie or Hypocrisie by their deaths Let vs looke into their former courses of life and conuersation let vs iudge charitably and Christianly as wee would be iudged in the like case Obiect 5. But Gods Saints are at their deaths most of all molested assaulted and tempted by Sathan some in one nature some in another as was the good Mr. Knoxe and Mris Katherin Stubbs and others How then can they dye in peace Answ Many of the godly God tying and chaining vp Sathan dye as here old Simeon and others before recited as a Torch or Firebrand without sense of paine or tryals Esa 57. vers 1.2 Secondly Exercentur in praelio vt maiori remunerantur praemio they are exercised in the last combat that they may receiue the more ioyfull Crowne of conquest Thirdly by Faith Prayer and Gods Word they resist Sathan as Christ did Mat. 4.4.7 and hee like a Crocodile pursued flyes away Iames 4.7 1 Pet. 5.9 for the godly in that houre laying holde vpon the promises flying vnto Christ hee mannaging their cause the holy Spirit assisting vvhen Sathan lookes for the greatest victory hee receiues the greatest foyle Obiect 6. But some that goe in the rancke of the godly haue dyed of the Plague and Pestilence which hath beene vsually sent as a iudgement for the sinnes of disobedience vncleannesse diffidence c. vpon the Israelites and others from which the godly are promised to be preserued Psal 9.10 How then die such in peace that die of the plague Answ First that promise of preseruation from the Plague in the Psalmist is to be vnderstood of those Iewes that in Dauids time were vntouched with it Secondly then the Plague came by Gods immediate hand now by meanes Thirdly the godly are preserued from it as it is a curse but not as it is a fatherly correction for doe wee not thinke that many Christians in Corinth died of the Plague 1 Cor. 11.30.31 In these great Plagues which Grosius hath mentioned in his Tragicall Histories which haue swept away whole Countries with these that haue raged in particular Cities as in Venice in Florence the yeere of our Lord 400. in which thirtie thousand or in Constantinople when Leo Isaurus ruled wherein there dyed three hundred thousand Citizens as both Volateran and Aegnatius testifie shall wee say that none of these dyed the Seruants of God Shall wee censure Alphonsus the eleauenth King of Spaine that good Ladouicke with his Sonne Iohn many zealous Diuines as Beza and others for bad men
Latomus and Hoffmeister haue tryed it in their despayring deaths so the inioying of a good conscience is the greatest ioy Hugo cals it the Temple of Salomon the Field of Benediction the Garden of delight the treasurie of the King the house of God the habitation of the holy Ghost the Booke sealed and shut to be opened in the day of Iudgement the very thing saith Ambrose that makes a blessed life yea and I may adde withall a blessed death for to vse the words of Bernard as hee prepares a good dwelling for God whose Will hath not beene peruerted nor Reason deceiued nor Memory defiled so God prepares a dwelling for him that is pure in heart and soule Psal 15.1.2 and in whose spirit there is no guile Psal 32.2 Of which blessed mansion they haue some taste euen in death that keepe a good conscience in life Hence is it that the godly take there deaths patiently like sheepe sing ioyfully like the Swanne as Martyres haue done at the stake and as did our good Simeon when the wicked dye like Swine repiningly like the Hiaena ragingly Naturalists write that the warme sweet bloud recoyling to the heart of the Swanne tickleth her with such a secret delight that it makes her sing euen in her death Contrariwise when the Hiaena is in dying the blacke and distempered bloud gathers to her heart which makes her sad and mournefull This is worth applying the conscience of holy actions so warmes the hearts of Gods Seruants with that inward ioy that they dye singing their Hosanna's tryumphing and reioycing in spirit but the consciousnesse of wicked wayes and workes of darknesse oathes vncleannesse profanenes c. like streames of blacke bloud recoyles backe vpon and clogs the hearts of the Sonnes of Belial which makes them dye as wofully and cursedly as they haue liued retchlesly and wickedly oh therefore good Readers who euer you are Ministers or Lay-men keepe a good conscience I intreate you with God and with man in all your wayes and walkings in your courses callings functions and tradings that in your deaths you may shew your selues the Lords Sheepe the Lords Swannes like Simeon not the Diuels Swine and Hels Hiaena's Now thou art to be directed in some dueties in thy sicknesse the probable summoner of thy death for though God onely know when death is nearest he hauing as the keyes of the heauens and the keyes of the heart so the keyes of the earth and of the graue of life and of death 1 Sam. 2.6 yet it is probable that life is nearest expiring when sickenes is approaching as the wals are nearest ruine when the Cannon is laid to batter them Now these Directions I referre to these three heads First respect God secondly thy selfe thirdly others In respect of God first renue thy former repentance seeke earnestly to be reconciled to God in CHIRST get more assurance of the Mercy Fauour and Loue of God towards thee gather together all thy spirituall forces striue and wrastle couragiously against Diffidence Distrust Infidelitie and Despayre like an actiue runner shew some brunts as it were of inward strength euen when thou seest the Goale and art nearest the end of thy race Now for strengthening thy Faith and renuing thy Repentance the better take this course First when Sickenesse or Infirmitie ceazeth on thee consider that it ariseth not from 1. Chance 2. Fortune 3. Rawnesse of Weather 4. Ill Ayre 5. Bad Dyet 6. Catching of cold or the like which are eyther no causes at all or else onely secondarie but by an immediate prouidence Secondly search out the cause for which God afflicts thee and thou shalt by the light of the word and of thine owne conscience find that the cause is thy sin other causes there may be as CHRIST shewes in the case of the blinde man who neyther sinned nor his Parents Iohn 9.2 As 1. tryall of Faith 2. of Patience as in Iobs case 3. exciting to Prayer and Repentance as in Ezekias case Esay 38.1 4. to preuent sinne to which Nature and corruption inclines 5. the Humiliation of pride 6. manifestation of the workes of God oft cause the Lord to visit euen his owne sonnes with sicknesses and diuers diseases but in Gods reuealed will sinne is the ordinary cause as appeares Deut. 28.21 Leut. 26. c. Sinne caused the Aegyptians Botches Exod. 9.10 the Philistines Emerods 1 Sam. 5.6 the Widdow of Sarepta's Sonnes sickenesse 1 King 17.18 and therefore when CHRIST cured the bodies of his Patients hee first remits the sinnes of their soules so remoues the cause Mat. 9.2 Iohn 5.14 as in the blinde man and the sicke of the Palsie Thirdly when thou hast felt thine owne pulse and laid the finger on the right cause which is sinne then by examination of thine owne hart find out what speciall sin causeth thy present scourge oh search thy selfe thorowly Zeph. 2.1 examine thy soule narrowly Psal 4.4 Play the selfe Constable make priuie search in euery roome within the house of thy heart for thy secret sinnes as for priuie Traytors Fourthly when thou hast found them out confesse them bring them to the strict barre of Gods Iustice arraigne them nay be thy selfe a Witnesse against them yea a Iudge to condemne them as Paul prescribes the Corinthians in the like case 1 Cor. 11.30.31 and as Dauid practised in his owne particular Psal 32.5 Fiftly supplicate and intreate the supreame Iudge of Heauen that may condemne thee or repriue thee to pittie thee and pardon thee Ieremy and Hosee will direct thee how to put vp thy supplications in forma pauperis as a poore penitent and what words to vse that will plead and preuaile for pardon Lam. 3.40.41 Hosee 6.1 Dauid sets thee an holy President most beseeming thy imitation who when hee was sicke at least vpon the occasion of his sickenes penned speciall Psalmes of repentance as namely Psal 6. the 22. the 38. the 29. which I prescribe to be read of thee repeated and applyed with Dauids heart also as spirituall Physicke 1. to purge the ill humours of thine heart 2. to quicken thy dulnesse 3. to excite thy deadnesse 4. to inflame thy desires 5. to comfort thy conscience 6. to strengthen thy faith 7. to prepare thee to Prayer reade seriously the History of Christs Passion recorded Luke 22.23 Chap. the 29. Psalme the 42. Psalme the 51. Psalme the 143. Psalme the 14. Chapter of Iob the 11. the 14. the 17. Chapter of Saint Iohn Ecclesiastes Chap. 1. Dan. Chap. 9. Romanes Chap 8. the 7. Chap. of the Apocalypse 1 Cor. 15. Chap. these will giue thee some holy heate Thus thou hast the true preparatiues in thy sickenesse in respect of God they are the more worthy remembrance because so few follow them for alas how many that haue liued long in the bosome of the Church are so farre from renuing their Faith and Repentance that when they lye sicke and are drawing to