eternall with out time for that they abuse the speciall benefit of time in this world Againe concerning those which post off their repentance til age sicknes or death of these there are specially two sorts viz. The first sort are such as plead the sweete promises of the Gospell Ezech. 18.21 Mat. 11.28 as namely these At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent c. Come vnto me all yee that labour and are heauie loaden and I will refresh you Answer True it is and most true but to whom are these promises made and to what sinners They are made to all repentant sinners that turne to the Lord with all their hearts but thou art an vnrepentant wretch and continuest in thy sinnes therefore those comfortable promises belong not vnto thee And what sinners doth he bid come vnto him Those that be weary and heauie laden that is whose sins pinch and wound them at the very heart and withall desire to be eased of the burthen of them Therefore take not occasion to presume of the promises of the Gospell for vnlesse thou turne from thy euill wayes and repent of thy sinnes they belong nothing at all vnto thee I know the Gospell is a booke of mercy I know that in the Prophets there are many aspersions of mercy I know that out of the eater comes meat and out of the strong comes sweetenesse and that in the ten commandements which be the administratiōs of death there is made expresse mention of mercy I will haue mercy vpon thousands yea the very first words of them are the couenant of grace I am the Lord thy God yet if euery leafe and euery line and euery word in the bible were nothing but mercy mercy yet nothing auailes the presumptuous sinner that lies rotting in his iniquities O but he is mercifull gratious slow to anger aboundant in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquitie transgression and sinne is not here mercy mentioned nine or ten times together It is but read on the very next words and not making the wicked innocent visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children and vpon childrens children vnto the third and fourth generation is not this the terrible voice of iustice But stay in the 136 Psal there is nothing but his mercy endureth for euer which is the foote of the Psal and is found six and twentie times in 26 verses yet harke what a ratling thunder-clappe is heere and ouerthrew Pharaoh and his host in the red sea and smote great Kinges and slew mighty Kings c. The second sort are such that by reading and hearing of the story of Lots drunkennes of Dauids adultery of Peters deniall doe thereby blesse themselues and strengthen and comfort their hearts yea they haue learned to alledge them as examples to extenuate their sinnes and to presume that they shall finde the like mercy Am I a Drunkard saith one so was that good man Lot Am I an Adulterer saith another so was Dauid a man after Gods owne heart Am I a swearer a forswearer a curser a denyer of Christ So was the holy Apostle Saint Peter Shall I despaire of saluatiō saith the wicked persister in sinne and I read that the theefe repented on the crosse and found mercy at the last houre O vile wretches who hath bewitched you to peruert Gods word to your destruction It is as much as to poyson the soule Look on their repentance Lot fell of infirmitie and no doubt repented with much griefe yet looke vpon Gods iudgment vpon that incestuous seede Looke vpon Dauid Psal 38. Read the 38 Psalme it made him grow crooked his sinnes were as fire in his bones he had not a good day to his death but the griefe of his sinnes made him to roare out thou wouldst be loath to buy thy sinne so deere as he did Looke vpon Peter who wept for his sinnes most bitterly Mat. 26.75 And as for the example of the theefe as wee haue heard already and cannot heare too often seeing it is so often obiected and vrged the Lord knocketh but once by one sermon and he repented but thou hast heard many sermons crying and calling vnto thee and yet thou hast not repented and this is as wee haue heard an extraordinary example and thereof not the like in all the scripture againe and the Lord hath set out but one and yet one that noe man should despaire and yet that noe man should presume by this one example for what man will spurre his Asse till he speake Num. 22.28 because Balaam did so and yet one that no man should despaire but to know that God is able to call home at the last houre And by this he did declare the riches of his mercy to all such as haue grace to turne vnto him where contrary we see many thousands of those who hauing deferred their repentance haue beene taken away in their sinnes and dyed impenitent But this example is for all penitent sinners who vpon their hearty repentance may assure themselues that the Lord will receiue them to mercy Now if thou canst promise to thy selfe the same repentance and faith in Christ that he had then maist thou promise thy selfe the same felicitie which he now enioyes S. Ambrose cals the history of this man pulcherrimum affectandae conuersionis exemplum a most goodly example to moue men to turne to God But looke thou on his fellow who had no grace to repent and who hangs as an example to all impenitent wretches to looke vpon that they despise not the mercie of God nor reiect his call by his messengers and Ministers lest it come to passe that when they would repent they cannot To thee then that art priuie thou hast had many calles many offers of grace yea that hast seene the painfull and faithfull Preachers of Gods holy Word Sacraments spend their wits their strength yea ouerspend themselues for thy good what diuell hath bewitched thee to post off all and willingly to cast away thy selfe To thee therefore that dost strengthen thy selfe in thy sinnes vpon presumption of mercie to others I referre thee to the words that the Lord himselfe speakes in Deuteronomie Deut. 29.19.20 He that when he heareth the words of this curse blesseth himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace though I walke according to the stubbornenesse of my owne heart thus adding drunkennesse to thirst the Lord will not spare him nor be mercifull vnto him but the wrath of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in this booke shall light vpon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from vnder heauen Besides this place there are many others in the Scriptures against those that strengthen their hearts in their sinnes If you presume that a Lord Lord will serue the turne at the close of your life it is nothing else but Infidelis fiducia a faithlesse confidence as
heard Yea God hath told thee as we haue said before Because I haue called and you refused you shall call vpon me Prou. 1.24.28 and I will not answere you A dolefull and heauie doome for a dying man It is too late to sow when thy fruite should be in and no time to leaue sinne when sin must leaue thee Luke 16.24 Heb. 12.17 Mat. 25.11.12 Diues prayed but was not heard Esau wept but was not pitied The foolish Virgins knocked but were denied By which fearefull examples it appeareth that it will be too late to call for mercie after this life when the gates of mercie will be shut vp and repentance comes too late For if wee through our negligence and carelessenesse ouerslip this opportunitie which the Lord in mercie offereth vs we cannot recouer it afterward although wee seeke it with teares which we find truely verified by the fore-alledged fearefull examples Esay 59.2 For your iniquities haue seperated betweene you and your God and your sinnes haue hid his face from you that hee will not heare It is therefore the surest and safest way and better by many degrees for the saluation of our soules to leaue our sinnes now in our youth and now to repent in our health then hereafter alas when it may be too late The holy Ghost in the Scriptures pointeth vs to the present time and exhorteth vs to make that the time of our repentance and vpon this Theme many of the holy men of God spent their Sermons Looke in Esay Ieremie and the rest and you shall euer finde that they beate vpon this present time Esay 55. Ier. 35. Heb. 3. Psal 95. Ioel. 2. Now turne vnto the Lord now whiles it is called to day to day if yee will heare his voice this is the accepted time and therefore wee may not come for it many yeeres hence being promised to day Iniquitie did then abound as now it doth and procrastination was euer dangerous and therefore they iudged no doctrine so fitte as often to vrge repentance without all delay So that now euen now is the time of repentance euen now whilst he calleth now whilest he speaketh now whilst hee knocketh now let vs take vp this day and make it the ioyfull day of our repentance For ioy shall be in heauen saith our Sauiour in the Gospell Luke 15.7 ouer one sinner that repenteth Therefore let vs now say this shal be my day of repentance I will deferre it no longer and so let vs repent from day to day euen to our dying day and then whosoeuer shall continue so repenting to the end hee shall surely and vndoubtedly be saued Mat. 24.13 Now for conclusion of this duetie of repentance marke heere how happily we fall vpon repentance God grant repentance to fall vpon vs. It is a grace when it fals vpon a sinfull soule that makes the Diuels murmure Luke 15. and vex themselues in hell and the good Angels reioyce in heauen This is that which makes the eternall Wisdome content to forget our iniquities and to remember them no more then if they had neuer beene and this is Magnaspongia as Saint Augustine calles it the great spunge that wipes them all away out of the sight of God this speakes to mercy to seperate our sinnes from the face of God to binde them vp in bundles and drowne them in the sea of obliuion this is that mourning Master that is neuer without good attendants teares of contrition prayers for remission and purposes of a mended life This makes Mary Magdalen of a sinner a Saint Zacheus of an extortioner charitable and of persecuting Saul a professing Paul Repentance is the Supersedeas that dischargeth all bonds of sinne Behold the office of repentance shee standeth at the doore and offers her louing seruice entertaine mee and I will vnloade thy heart of that euill poyson and returne it to thee emptie though it were full to the brimme Peccasti poenitere millies peccasti millies poenitere millies poenitet adhuc etiam poenitere Hast thou sinned repent hast thou a thousand times sinned why then a thousand times repent hast thou repented a thousand times I say despaire not but still betake thy selfe to repentance If you welcome repentance knocking at your dore from God it shall knocke at Gods doore of mercy for you It askes of you amendment of God forgiuenesse Receiue it therefore and imbrace it The fourth dutie is to die in prayer for when it shall please God in the weaknesse of our bodies to giue vs a remembrance of our mortality and our end let vs pray to God for grace that we may spend the time of our sicknesse in reading Gods word and comfortable bookes in godly conference in holy meditation and in feruent prayer to the Lord first for patience in thy sicknesse secondly for comfort in Christ Iesus thirdly for strength in his mercy and fourthly for deliuerance at his good pleasure yea endeuour as much as thou canst to die praying For when thou art in the depthes of miseries and at it were at the gates of death there is a depth of Gods mercie who is readie to heare and helpe thee for misery must call vpon mercie and Prayer is the chiefest thing that a man may present God withall For by prayer we are oftentimes in spirit with the blessed Apostle rapt vp into the third heauens 2. Cor. 12.2 where we that are otherwise but wormes walke with the blessed Angels and euen contâ—nually to our very end talke familiarly with our God And hence it is that holy men and women in former times could neuer haue enough of this exercise Nazianzen in his Epitaph for his sister Gorgonia writeth that shee was so giuen to prayer that her kneâ—s seemed to cleaue vnto the earth and to grow to the very ground by reason of her continuance in prayer Gregorie in his Dialogues writeth that his Aunt Trasilla being dead was found to haue her elbowes as hard as horne which hardnesse shee gate by leaning to a deske on which shee vsed to pray Eusebius in his Historie writeth that Iames the brother of our Lord had knees as hard as Camels knees benummed and bereaued of all sence and feeling by reason of his continuall kneeling in prayer Hierom in the life of Paul the Ermite writeth that he was found dead kneeling vpon his knees holding vp his hands lifting vp his eyes so that the very dead corps seemed yet to liue and by a kinde of religious gesture to pray still vnto God O how blessed was that soule without the body when as that bodie without the soule seemed so deuout O would to God that we likewise might be so happie so blessed as this holy man was that wee might depart hence in such sort as he did nay in such sort as our Sauiour Christ did who died in prayer Luke 23.46 Father saith he into thy hands I commend my spirit and in such sort as Stephen
ready and prepared for it O what an excellent thing it is for a man to end his life before his death that at the houre of death he hath nothing to doe but only to be willing to die that he haue no need of time nor of himselfe but sweetly and obediently to depart this life shewing therby his obedience to the ordinance of God for wee must make as much conscience in performing our obedience vnto God in suffering death as wee doe in the whole course of our liues Our Sauiour Christ is a notable example and paterne for vs to follow in this case And therefore the Apostle saith Let this minde be in you Phil. 2.5.6.7.8 which was also in Christ Iesus who being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God but made himselfe of no reputation and tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant and was made in the likenesse of men and being found in fashion as a man hee humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto death euen vnto the death of the crosse And although the wicked bee ill affected vnto death as we haue alreadie heard and would if it lay in their power most villanously intreate and handle death 2. Sam. 10.4 as Hamon the sonne of Naash King of the Ammonites did the messengers of King Dauid yet let euery good man when Death shall come for him as it may seeme to him vntimely before the threed of his life be halfe spunne out be heere informed to entertaine it kindly Gen. 19.1 as Lot did the Angels who came to fetch him out of Sodom For though he bee pulled from his seate which was to him as the plaine of Sodom seemed to Lot as a pleasant Paradise yet shall hee finde with Lot that hee is taken away from the iudgement to come howsoeuer he be taken away either by the malice of wicked men or by the mercie of God and that he is separated from the sinnes of this world which grieued his soule yea from sinning himselfe and from his owne sinnes which grieued the Lord his so gratious and kinde Father How can it be but that Death should be a welcome guest this a choice blessing which as a gentle guide leades vs to Christ carrieth the soule to her beloued Husband The resolution of Saint Ambrose was neither to loath life nor feare to die but obediently yeeld vnto Death because saith he we haue a good Lord to goe vnto The third duetie is to die in repentance which must bee performed by vs at all times and especially at this time Tertullian saith of himselfe that he is a notorious sinner and borne for nothing but repentance and hee which is borne for repentance must practise repentance as long as he liues in this sinfull world into which hee is borne vpon this condition that hee must leaue it againe and repent at his end also Repentance is a very sore displeasure which a man hath in his heart for his sinnes euen because they are the breach of Gods holy Lawes and Commandements an offence to God his most mercifull and louing Father which ingendreth in him a true hatred against sinne and a setled purpose and holy desire to liue better in time to come ordering his life and death by the will of God reuealed in his holy word Repentance consisteth of foure parts the first of confession by which the Prophet Daniel saith Dan. 9.4 We acknowledge our owne wickednesse and the wickednesse of our fathers for we haue sinned against thee righteousnesse therefore belongeth vnto thee but vnto vs shame and vtter confusion Father saith the prodigall childe I haue sinned against heauen and in thy sight Luke 15.21 and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne He that couereth his sinnes saith the Wise-man shall not prosper Prou. 28.13 but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercy 1. Iohn 1 9. If we confesse our sinnes saith the Apostle he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnesse Secondly Contrition Psal 51.17 The sacrifices of God saith the Prophet are a broken spirit and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not dispise Isa 57.15 For thus saith the high and loftie one that inhabiteth eternitie whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of an humble and contrite spirit to reuiue the spirit of the humble and to reuiue the heart of the contrite ones For all these things hath my hand made Isa 66.2 and all these things haue beene saith the Lord but to this man will I looke euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my words So that this contrition is the bruising of a sinners heart as it were to dust and powder through vnfained and deepe griefe conceiued of Gods displeasure for sinne and this is Euangelicall contrition and is a worke of grace the beginning of renewed repentance Therefore the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 7.10 Godly sorrow worketh repentance vnto saluation not to be repented of The third is faith For without faith neither by repentance nor by any other meanes are we able to please God neither indeede can there bee any true repentance without faith The fourth and last point is amendment To amend is to redresse and reforme faults repentance is as the roote amendment the fruit Matth. 3.8 Bring forth therefore fruit saith Saint Iohn meete for repentance or answerable to amendment of life Repent saith the Apostle Paul and turne to God Acts 26.20 and doe works meet for repentance so that first there must be a change of the heart from euill to good by the gift of repentance put into it of God and then will follow amendment of our liues and manners There is no part of Christian religion of that maine importance wherein men doe more voluntarily deceiue themselues then commonly they doe in this dutie of repentance In respect whereof it will not be amisse but very materiall to deliuer certaine infallible signes and vnseparable fruits whereby we may assure our selues that wee haue repented The Apostle Saint Paul nameth seuen fruits which in some measure alwayes follow where true amendment goeth before 2. Cor. 7.11 Behold saith he your godly sorrowes what care 1 it hath wrought in you yea what clearing 2 of your selues yea what indignation 3 yea what feare 4 yea how great desire 5 yea what zeale 6 yea what punishment Those then who are true conuerts who do vnfainedly amend their liues they are not sluggish or secure in sinne but carefull to redresse what is amisse not hiders or excusers of euill but confessors and by humble supplication clearing their offences they are not contented to dwell in wickednesse but vexed in soule and full of indignation against themselues for their sinnes committed they stand in awe and are afraid of Gods iudgments they desire his fauour as
contempt and refusing the time of grace the Lord cast them off and reiect them I deny not but that in respect of vs till God hath manifested his will there is hope but in respect of Gods secret decree the time of Gods mercie may bee out euen during this life therefore when mercie is offered wee must take heed we wilfully cotemne it not lest we prouoke the Lord to be gone and vtterly to reiect vs. One of the most feareful signes of a Cast-away is to delay and put off the Lords gratious offer of mercy as we reade of Pharaoh who when Moses offered himselfe to pray to the Lord for him he put it off till the next morrow Exod. 8.9.10 so he that hath the mercies and graces of God offered him to day and puts them off from his youth to his age and from his old daies till his death-bed may iustly feare an vtter reiection euen then when he hopes for most comfort And as it is most certaine that after death teares are fruitlesse repentance vnprofitable as after death no mercie is to be expected nothing but miserie nothing but wrath so is it doubtfull and very dangerous that our sighes teares and groanes are of little force at the very neere approach of death whether by age extremitie of disease or otherwise For at that time when our powers are distracted or spent when no part is free eyther from the sence or feare of his cruell gripe we may well be said to be in death or at leastwise in such a condition or state that doth lesse participate of life then death And therefore at the least it is doubtfull that at that time we shall not remember God and that our repentance shall come too late What a shame is it that the children of this world are wiser in their kind then the children of light A good husband will repaire his house while the weather is faire and not deferre till winter doth rise A carefull Pilot will furnish his shippe whiles the Seas are calme and not stay vntill tempests doe rage The traveller will take his time in his iourney and will hasten when he sees night approach lest darknesse ouertake him The Smith will strike while the iron is hot lâ—st it coole vpon him and so hee lose his labour The Marriner will not let the tide passe him for as the common prouerbe is the time and tide tary for no man The Lawyer will take the terme because he knoweth that it being ended his clients will be gone So we ought to make euery day the day of our terme and a prouident man will repent him of his sinnes in the seasonable time of health and strength and not protract till hee bee in the very armes and the imbracement of death when many occasions may cut from him either his minde or power or time to repent For we haue iust cause to feare that if we would not when we might we shall not be able when we would and that by our will to do euill we may happily lose the power to doe well Thy very tongue will condemne thee in thy trade if thou trust a man with thy wares thou wilt require a bill or bond saying all men are mortall and at lesse then an houres warning But let the Preacher exhort thee to accept of the gratious time of the Lord and put thee in minde that thy life as a vapour is soone gone yet thou wilt not beleeue him but so lead thy life in sinne as if thou hadst the same in see farme And to thee that callest thy neighbours friends and companions to Cards Dice or any such pastime saying come let vs goe passe the time away Is time so slow that it must be driuen I tell thee there are at this day many thousands in hell who if they had many kingdoms would gladly giue them all for one houre of that time whereof thou hast many not to passe it away or driue it from them but in hope to recouer that which thou dost most gracelessely contemne Alas who dares trust to the broken reed of extreame sicknesse or age bruised by originall but altogether broken by our actuall sinnes We haue good cause not to trust to this deferring of time and late repentance For if Esau could not finde repentance albeit he sought it with teares Heb. 12.17 how may we with good reason suspect our extreame late seeking for repentance Not because true repentance can euer bee too late but because late repentance is seldome true as wee haue alreadie heard Et sera rarò seria that which is late is seldome liuely as proceeding rather from feare then from loue from necessitie then from willingnesse and desire rather outwardly pretended then with the heart intended We all of vs in our iolitie thinke we may doe what wee list and so long as God forbeares to punish we will neuer forbeare to sin but still deferre the time of repentance But God grant we may remember and lay to our hearts what that good Father Saint Augustine saith Nihil est infoelicius c. Nothing is more infortunate then the felicitie of sinners whereby there penall impietie is nourished and their malice strengthened and increased When God doth suffer sinners to prosper then his indignatioÌ„ is the greater toward them saith that Father and when hee leaueth them vnpunished then he punisheth them most of all For the further pressing of this doctrine on our consciences let vs obserue some places of Scripture And first let vs see what the Lord saith to such as despise wisdomes call being of three sorts viz. The first that like fooles content themselues with ignorance The second that scoffe at the Lords offer by his seruants The third which are carried away by their owne lusts Prou. 1.24.28 Because I haue called and yee refused I haue stretched out my hand and none would regard and then they shall call vpon mee but I will not answere they shall seeke me early but shall not finde me Noting to vs that as they did refuse the time in which he called so they should call in hope of mercy but finde none Esay 23.12.13 The like we reade how the Prophet Esay calling Ierusalem to repentance in sack-cloath and ashes for their sinnes shee fell to sporting and feasting despising the Lords message and offer of grace by his Prophet what came of it You may reade presently that their contempt comming to the Lords eares he doth answere Surely this iniquitie shall not bee purged from you till you die saith the Lord of Hostes giuing them to vnderstand that seeing they set so light by the admonitions of the Prophet there should bee left them no time to repent in till hee had destroyed them But of all the places of Scripture for this purpose let vs see what the Lord saith to Ierusalem by his Prophet Ezechiel Ezech. 24.13 Because saith hee I would haue purged thee and thou wast not purged thou
shalt not be purged till I haue caused my wrath to light vpon thee Marke this Place well which may terrifie our hearts if we carry not the hearts of Tygers in which the Lord testifies not onely to them but to vs then when by all kinde meanes and louing allurements hee offereth his fauour and we obstinately refuse it let vs be sure then when wee would haue mercy and fauour from him though wee begge it crying and howling he will deny vs. For there is a time set in which we may repent but being despised and outrun there is after no houre to obtaine mercy The reasons whereof are speciallly three viz. The first taken from God who because it proceedes from his loue to offer mercy it must needs stand with his iustice to punish the wilfull contempt of it with a perpetuall deniall of mercy The second from Sathan who by contemning and neglecting the Lords gratious offer of mercy gets great aduantage of vs and hereby makes a way for such sinnes as hardly in time we can repent vs of The third is from the nature of this sinne which hatcheth three horrible sinnes for delay breeds custome custome breeds securitie and security breedes impenitencie A drunkard wee see is more easily reclaymed from that sinne at the first then when hee hath gotten the custome of it and so it is of all other sinnes And hence it is that the Lord by his Prophet doth note it a thing impossible in respect of humane power to leaue those sinnes which are customably committed saying Can the black-more change his skin Ierem. 13.23 or the Leopard his spots then may yee also doe good that are accustomed to doe euill Oh beloued let vs take heede of despising the Lords kind offer of mercy lest hee bee angry Psal 2.13 and so wee perish in his wrath For which cause let vs call to remembrāce these foure motiues to mooue vs to accept of the time of grace 2. Cor. 6.2 this acceptable day of saluation viz. First how mercifull the Lord hath beene to vs who might haue cut off our time in our youth in which it may be wee were vnthriftie or in the midst of some grieuous sinne that we commited heretofore or of late daies and so haue sent vs to hell Secondly consider how many good motions of his holy spirit wee haue let slip and made light accompt of and sent him away from vs with griefe which it may be we shall neuer enioy againe Thirdly call to thy minde how hee hath this day offered thee his Maiesties gratious pardon vpon thy willing accepting of it which for ought that either I or thou know he will neuer offer againe vnto thee Fourthly consider that at the Lord hath giuen thee a time so he hath giuen thee thy sences thy wittes thy memory which hee hath depriued others of and may thee also for ought thou knowest because thou hast made no better vse of them for his glory and thy owne saluation Therefore say Lord turne mee vnto thee and deliuer my soule enlighten my vnderstanding from this grosse darkenesse free my desires from these iron chaines from these massie fetters of sin that I may turne vnto thee in the seasonable time of health and strength and not deferre the great and waightie worke of my repentance vntill either by long custome of sin or by debility of body or minde or both I shall not be able to think vpon thee But some will obiect what is there no hope of saluation for him that repenteth at the last houre Answer I will not say saith Saint Augustine he shall be saued I will not say he shall be dāned You wil say the theefe was saued at the very last cast of life Luke 23.43 or some short time before he departed from the crosse to paradise Answer I confesse that the scripture speaketh of such a one crucified at the right hand of the son of God who crauing with faith mercy to saluation receiued this answer to day shalt thou be with me in paradise Hee was called at the eleuenth houre at the poynt of the twelfe when hee was now dying and drawing on and therefore his conuersion was altogether miraculous and extraordinary And there was a speciall reason why our Sauiour Christ would haue him to be then called that while he was in suffering he might shew forth the vertue of his passion that all which saw the one might also acknowledge the other Now it is not good for any man to make an ordinary rule of an extraordinary example and besides the scripture speakes but of one that was so saued and it speakes of another in that very place and at that very instant that was damned And herevpon a father saith we reade of one that no man should despaire and but of one that no man should presume And vpon this also Origen writeth thus there is no man hath cause to despaire of pardon seeing Christ said vnto the theefe verily this day thou shalt be with me in paradise and yet may not too much presume of pardon because Christ said not verely this day shall yee be with me in paradize This example therefore is a medicine onely against desperation and no cloake for sinne And therefore let vs remember before we sinne that Christ pardoned not the multitude and thereby feare his iustice and after wee haue sinned let vs remember that Christ pardoned the theefe and so hope for mercy Etsi poenitentia est sera tamen indulgentia non est fera Saith Lombard Gods mercy is aboue our misery and an euening sacrifice is accepted by him yet on the other side we neuer reade that Christ cured one blind man often that hee healed the same leapers diuers times that he raised Lazarus twice Marke well saith one what I say that a man which repenteth not but at his latter end shall be damned I doe not say so what then doe I say He shall be saued No. What then doe I say I say I know not I say I presume not I promise not will thou then deliuer thy selfe out of this doubt Wilt thou escape this dangerous poynt Repent thou then whilst thou art whole for if thou repent whilst thou art in health whensoeuer the last day of all commeth vpon thee thou art safe for that thou didst repent in that time when thou mightest yet haue sinned but if thou wilt repent when thou canst sinne no longer thou leauest not sinne but sinne leaueth thee One being demaunded when it was time to repent answered one day before our Death but when it was replyed that no man knew that day he said begin then to day for feare of fayling and boast not of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth many pretend to mend all in time and this time is so deferred from day to day vntill God in whose hands onely all times consist doth shut them out of all time and send them to paines
died for when Death had seased his bodie he died in prayer Acts 7.59 Lord Iesus saith he receiue my spirit And in such sort as Iacob died who in the seasure of death vpon his bodie raised vp himselfe and turning his face toward his beds head leaned on the top of his staffe by reason of his feeblenesse and so prayed vnto God Which prayer of his at his death was an excellent fruit of his faith For by faith Iacob Heb. 1.21 when hee was in dying blessed both the sonnes of Ioseph and worshipped leauing vpon the top of his staffe God grant when he commeth that he may finde vs so doing that when we shall lye vpon our death-beds gasping for breath readie to giue vp the ghost that then the precious soule of euery one of vs redeemed with the most precious bloud of our sweete Sauiour Christ Iesus may passe away in a prayer in a secret and sweet prayer may passe I say out of Adams body into Abrahams bosome But heere it may be obiected that in the pangs of death men want their sences and conuenient vtterance and therefore are vnable to pray Answere The very sighes sobbes and groanes of a penitent and bleeding heart are prayers before God at such a time euen as effectuall as if they were vttered by the best voyce in the world For prayer standeth in the affection of the heart whereof the voice is but an outward messenger For God at such a time especially lookes not vpon the speech and voice but vpon the heart And therefore the Psalmist saith Psal 10.17 Psal 145.19 That God heares the desire of the humble the Lord will fulfill the desire of them that feare him What prayer maketh the little infant to his mother He weepeth and cryeth not being able to expresse what he lacketh the mother offers him the breast or giueth him some other thing Psal 38.9 Matth. 7.11 such as shee thinketh his necessitie requireth much more then the heauenly Father heedeth the desires sighes groanes and teares of his children and doing the office of a Father hee heareth them and prouideth for them Exod. 14.15 Wee reade in the booke of Exodus that the Lord said vnto Moses Wherefore cryest thou vnto me and yet as it is there said there was no voice heard Wee reade also in the first booke of Samuel 1. Sam. 1.12.13 that Hannah continued praying before the Lord that shee spake in heart onely her lippes mooued but her voice was not heard and yet the Lord heard her heartie prayer and granted her request Yea the very teares of the children of God are loud and sounding Prayers in his eares who will as the Psalmist saith put them into his bottle Psal 56.8 and register them in his booke yea the very bloud of his Saints are crying prayers vnto him And therefore the Lord said vnto Cain Gen. 4.10 when he had slaine his brother Abel What hast thou done the voice of thy brothers bloud crieth vnto mee from the ground If thou canst not pray distinctly and orderly lifting vp thine eyes on high with Hezekiah chatter like the Swallow mourne like the Done For the sorrow of his heart did so oppresse his soule that though he remembred God and looked vp vnto him and had all his desires waiting vpon the hand of God yet he was not able to pray to God in any distinct manner like a well aduised man his praying was all out of order it was more like the mourning of a Done and the chattering of a swallow then like the holy and orderly prayers of a wise and godly man as wee may reade in the Prophecie of Esay Esa 38.14 Luke 22.62 Wee reade not in what words Peter prayed but onely that he wept bitterly let thy teares flow likewise when thy words can find no free passage Which teares of sinners S. Bernard cals the wine of Angels And as concerning the true vigor of praying S. Augustine in one place sayeth It stands more in teares then in words for instructing a certaine rich widow how to pray vnto God among other words hee hath this saying Plerumque hoc negotium plus gemitibus quà m sermonibus agitur plus fletu quà m afflatu This businesse of prayer for the most part is performed rather with groaning then with words with weeping then with speech Let God heare thy sighes and grones let him see thy teares when thou canst not shew him thy desire in words Psal 6.6 Water thy couch with teares as did the Prophet and God will gather vp and put euery drop into his bottle Thus doing when thou thinkest thou hast not prayed thou hast prayed most powerfully For as Saint Ierome saith Oratio Deum lenit lachryma cogit prayer greatly moueth God teares forceably compell him he is allured and wonne with the words of prayer to heare vs but with the teares of a contrite heart he is drawne and inforced to heare and helpe where otherwise hee would not And in this case wee must remember that God accepts affecting for effecting willing for working desires for deeds purposes for performances pence for pounds S. Chrysostome saith That prayer is the soule of our soules and in this affliction growing in thy soule because thou knowest not how to pray heare a notable comfort that the Apostle giues thee saying The spirit helpeth our infirmities Rom. 8.26 for we know not how to pray as wee ought but the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes that cannot bee expressed Where thine owne strength and wisedome faileth in this seruice of prayer vnto God there the wisedome and power of Gods spirit kindleth in thee strong desires and earnest longing after mercie and the meanings of those desires and longings God perfectly vnderstandeth and needes not be informed by thy words So that though thou canst not pray as thou oughtst to doe yet that seruice goeth forward wel while heartily thou desirest Gods fauour Esay 65.24 And it shall come to passe saith the Lord that before they call to me for ayde that is in our purpose of prayer I will answere and whiles they are yet speaking I will heare Remember that many goe to bed and neuer rise againe till they be raised vp and wakened by the sound of the last trumpet 1. Thess 4.16 If therefore thou desire to sleepe safely and securely whether in health or sicknesse goe to bed with a reuerence of Gods Maiestie and a consideration of thine owne weaknes frailty and miserie which thou mayest imprint in thy heart in some poore measure and pray thou thus and say If it bee thy blessed will to call for mee in my sleepe O Lord for Christ Iesus sake haue mercy vpon me forgiue me all my sinnes and receiue my parting soule into the heauenly kingdome But if it be thy blessed wil and pleasure to adde more dayes vnto my life then good Lord adde more amendement to my dayes and weane my mind from
taken patiently losse of fathers mothers husbands wiues children and friends c. and neuer started at it in comparison of this man O vaine fable then of religion that yeelds no more patience nor quiet content of need Wee will no such religion for our parts neither will wee hereafter regard this man as in former time c. What a fearefull fruite had this beene of Iobs impatience how could the Lord haue indured it at his hands if he had in this sort opened the mouthes of the wicked against his holy feare Therefore Iob laid his hand vpon his mouth and submitted himselfe wholly with all his affections to the Lords good wil and pleasure without causing any one to speake euill by his meanes to his praise and Gods good liking as a memoriall for all posterity For as our Sauiour Christ told the Disciples touching the commendation of the woman that annointed him with a very pretious and costly oyntment to his buriall saying Matth. 26.13 Verily I say vnto you wheresoeuer this Gospel shal be preached in the whole world there shall also this that this woman hath done be told for a memoriall of her Euen so it may be said touching the commendation of the patience of Iob in this case That wheresoeuer this storie of Iob shall be read and preached there shall also this that he hath performed be told for a memoriall of him And therefore to this purpose the Apostle Saint Iames saith Yee haue heard of the patience of Iob Iam. 5.11 and haue seene the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pitifull and of tender mercy The case is yours at this time in some sort and measure you haue lost a losse and mens eyes are vpon you you haue loued the truth and spoken of the Lords feare before diuers now they looke for the power of it in your selfe and as they see you now to gouerne your affections according to the same so happily will they thinke both of Religion and of your selfe while they liue Therefore plucke vp your heart in Gods name and shew patience and comfort and cause not the name of God to be blasphemed among the wicked and irreligious Rom. 2 24. through your impatience but honor the Lord by blessing his name as Iob did honor his truth which you professe by a godly gouernment and stay of a weake nature and as the Lord liueth he will honor you againe as he did Iob with mercie and compassion that shall counteruaile this losse and farre exceed it for all is the Lords that you enioy and this friend of yours was his also He hath not taken all but part and left you much more then he hath taken Both now and euer be content with his holy will he gaue and none but he he hath taken and none but he not mine but his own my time was out and the right returneth to the true owner I may not grudge a mortall man his owne when my time is out much lesse God my deare God my most mercifull Father that yet sendeth mee many mercies and comforts though this be gone Secondly to your comfort consider what this holy man Iob saith againe to his impatient wife shee rageth and stormeth not onely like a weake woman but like an vngodly woman and comming to her husband in his greatest affliction increased now much more by Satans malice vpon his body shee said vnto him Dost thou still retaine thy integrity Iob 2.9.10 curse God and die To whom this sweet and meeke spirited man made this answere vnto her Thou speakest like a foolish woman shall we receiue good at the hand of God and not receiue euill also Not sinning yet for all this with his lips as the holy Ghost there saith but bridling his affectiōs that his tongue through intemperancie did not once murmure against the Lord. Now marke I pray you Iobs reasons to his wife He telleth her that both hee and shee had receiued many good things at Gods hand and therfore they were bound to welcome such woe as the Lord should send without any wayward grudging or repining at the change because by good things wee are bound to take worse things in good part if the Lord doe send them As for himselfe he followeth this rule and for the manifold mercies which he had receiued he will now endure with willing heart and quiet minde the misery which was present Blessed Iob thou man of God for thy thus doing how sweet was this argument in Gods eares that preuailed so little with thy wayward wife Apply this now to your owne estate and tell me as you tender the truth whether God hath not beene so good to you many waies as vnto Iob Cast vp the bils of your receits and call your selues to a Christian audit and I warrant you the summa totalis will amount very high and yet you can neuer remember the one halfe Thinke then what Iob said for his part that he tooke himselfe bound by the good to endure the euill and so if your case be not all one you may not gain-say it and therefore vnlesse you will wilfully fight against the Lords good will and pleasure you must yeeld as hee did and in effect of words say with him O my deare God and blessed Father God of all comfort and consolation how many haue thy mercies beene vpon me and to me How deepe a draught haue I drunke of this sweete cup of thine Now thou hast taken one comfort from me shall I set the one against the other as thy seruant Iob did Shall I receiue good things of thine hand and not euill Shall I prescribe vnto thee what I will haue O farre be it from me I thanke thee my deare God for thine infinit and manifold mercies and in this change I humbly cast downe my selfe at the foot of thy Maiestie and let thy will bee done and not mine Lord make me content and I am content as a weak wretch may be content By my losse thou hast gained and I doubt not but that this friend of mine is remoued from mee to dwell with thee at the which I may not grudge many mercies I enioy still and they shall content and please mee Thus if you reason you shall please God resemble Iob heere before your eyes and that eye of God that spied him and was glorified by the patience of his seruant he shall doe the like to you to your great ioy and comfort Comfort your selfe in the Lord then after this sort and remember this speech of Iob to his wife Iob receiued good things so haue you Iob receiued euill and so must you yet Iob was patient so ought you to be which the God of patience grant vnto you Rom. 8.28 Thirdly I think in this case of the blessed Apostles words which are these We know that all things worke together for the best to them that loue God If the dead belonged then to God this was best for
of Canaan not through the Land of the Philistims Exod. 13.17.18 although that were neere For God siad lest peraduenture the people repent when they see warre and returne to Egypt but God led the people about thorow the way of the wildernesse of the red sea So God for many causes best knowne to himselfe doth bring his children out of this Egyptian world vnto the spiriutall Canaan which is the kingdome of heauen not the neerest way but by many windings and turnings and the furthest way about euen as it were thorow the red sea of miseries and afflictions that all Gods waues and billowes may goe ouer them Psal 42.7 The Lord can if he please bring them as he doth many other of his children the neerest way to heauen but this further way about is for Gods owne glorie and for his childrens owne good And God as a most wise Father is not euer kissing his childe but many times correcting him and the same God that doth mercifully exalt vs by giuing vs a sweete taste and liuely feeling of his grace and the efficacie of it in vs doth in much loue many times for our health humble vs when hee leaues vs without that sence and feeling in our selues and then doth he cure vs of the most dangerous disease of pride and confidence in our selues settle in vs a true foundation of humilitie cause vs to deny our selues and depend wholly vpon him to cast our selues into the armes of his mercie to hunger for his grace to pray more zealously and with greater feeling of our wants and to set an high price vpon the sence of Gods fauour to make more esteeme of it when we haue it againe and to kill and mortifie some special sinne for which before we had not seriously and heartily repented For when it is his good will and pleasure to make men depend on his fauour and prouidence hee maketh them first to feele his anger and displeasure and to be nothing in themselues to the end they might value and prize their vocation and calling at an higher rate and estimate and wholly and altogether rely and depend vpon him and be whatsoeuer they are in him only This point being then well weighed and considered it is more then manifest that the child of God may passe to heauen euen thorow the very depth and gulfe of hell For the loue fauour and mercie of God is like to a sea into which when a man is cast he neither feeles bottom nor sees banke For thy mercy saith the Psalmist is great aboue the heauens Psal 108.4 and thy truth reacheth vnto the clouds So that touching despaire whether it ariseth of the weaknesse of nature or of the conscience of sinne though it fall out about the time of death it can be but the voice and opinion of their sicknesse and a sicke-mans iudgement of himselfe at such time is not to be regarded and besides it cannot preiudize the saluation of their soules that are effectually called For the gifts and calling of God saith the Apostle are without repentance Rom. 11.29 and those whom God loueth hee loueth to the end and world without end And as for other strange euents which fall out in death they are the effects of diseases Rauings blasphemies and idle speeches arise of the disease of melancholy and phrensies which often happen at the end of hot burning feauers the choler shooting vp to the braine the writhing of the lips turning of the necke and buckling of the ioynts and the whole body proceed of crampes and convulsions which follow after much euacuation and whereas some in sicknesse are of that strength that three or foure can hardly hold them without bonds it comes not alwayes of witchcraft as people commonly thinke but of choler in the veines and whereas some when they are dead become as blacke as pitch it may rise by a bruise or impostume or by the blacke Iaundise or the putrefaction of the liuer and doth not alwayes argue some extraordinary iudgement of God in the wicked it doth but in the godly not Now these and the like diseases with their symptomes and strange effects though they doe depriue man of his health and of the right vse of the parts of his bodie and the vse of reason and vnderstanding yet they cannot depriue his soule of eternal life and happinesse which with the soule of Dauid is bound vp in the bundle of life 1. Sam. 25.29 with the Lord his God in eternall peace and blessednesse And all sins procured by these violent and sharpe diseases proceeding from repentant sinners are sins only of infirmity and weaknesse for which if they knew them and came againe to the vse of reason and vnderstanding they will further repent if not yet they are pardoned and buried in the bloud of Christ and in his death who is their Sauiour and great Bishoppe of their soules 1. Pet. 2.24.25 for he that forgiueth the greater sinnes will also in his children forgiue the lesse And againe wee ought not to stand so much vpon the strangenesse of any mans end when we knew before the goodnesse of his conuersation and life For wee must iudge a man in this case not by his vnquiet death but by his former quiet godly life And if this bee true that strange diseases and thereupon very strange behauiour in death may befall the best childe of God we must then learne to reforme our iudgements of such as lye thus at the point of death The common opinion is if a man lye quietly in his sicknesse and goe away like a lambe which in some diseases as in consumptions and such like lingring diseases any man may doe that then he goes straight-way to heauen though he haue liued neuer so wickedly But if the violence of the disease stirre vp impatiencie and cause in the partie frantick and vnseemely behauiour then men vse to say though hee be neuer so godly that there is a iudgement of God seruing either to discouer an Hypocrite or to plague a wicked man But the truth is farre otherwise for in truth one may die like a lambe and yet goe to hell For the Psalmist saith Psal 7 3.4.5 There are no bonds in their death but their strength is firme they are not in trouble as other men neither are they plagued as other men And againe another dying in exceeding torments and strange behauiour of the body may goe to heauen examples whereof we haue in that holy and iust man Iob as may appeare throughout his whole booke and in diuers others Gods deare Saints and children Therefore by these strange and violent kinds of sicknesse and death which doe many times happen to the deare Saints of God wee must take great heed that wee iudge not rashly of them in condemning them to be wicked and notorious Hypocrites and offenders for it may be our owne cafe for ought wee know This rash censuring and iudging was the sinne
ending he is the way in our peregrination truth in deliberation life in remuneration the way whereby our pathes are directed the truth whereby our errours are corrected and the life whereby our fraile mortalitie is eternized Therefore you may not looke to leape out of your mothers warme wombe into your fathers hot ioy Matt. 10.24.25 For the disciple saith our Sauiour is not aboue his master nor the seruant aboue his Lord you must for a while endure death that you may be dignified I had almost said deified and surely you shall be neere it Iohn 1.13 For we are borne of God saith the Euangelist and we shall be fashioned like vnto the glorious bodie of Christ for hee shall change our vile bodie Phil. 3.21 that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie and we shal follow the Lambe saith the holy Ghost Reuel 14.4 whithersoeuer hee goeth And now tell me in lieu of all I haue said if death doeth thus diuide vs from all euill and bring vs into all good if death bee like vnto the gathering hoste of Dan Numbers 2.31 Numb 10.25 Ioshua 6.9 that commeth last to gather vp the loste and forlorne hope of this world that they may bee found in a better whether is it better to liue in sorrow or to die in solace Let Agamades and Trophonius assoile the doubt of whom it is writen by Plato in his Axiaco that after they had builded the temple of Apollo-Delphick they begged of God that he would grant to them that which would bee most beneficiall for them who after this suite made went to bed and there tooke their last sleepe being both found dead the day after in token that the day of death is better then the day of life this being the entrance into all misery and that the end of all misery yea our dissolution is nothing else but aeterni natalis the birth day of eternitie as Seneca calles it more truly then he was aware For this dissolution giues to our soules an entrance and admission into the most blessed societie of eternall glorie with God himselfe for what other thing is death to the faithfull but the funerall of their vices and the resurrection of their vertues Christians therefore one would thinke need not as pagans consolations against death but death should serue them as a consolation against all miserie But you will here obiect and say me thinkes I am called backe too timely out of this life Psal 102.24 God snatcheth me a way in the midst of my dayes I might yet liue longer for I am young and in my blood I feare therefore lest this be a signe of the wrath of God Psal 55.23 seeing it is written Bloudie and deceitfull men shall not liue out halfe their dayes I answere there is no time now to consult with flesh and blood but readily to obey the heauenly call And for your few yeeres Seneca saith well He that dieth when he is young is like him that hath lost a dye wherewith hee might rather haue lost then wonne more yeeres might haue ensnared you with more sinnes and haue hardened you in your impenitencie to the hazard of your life in this world and your soule in another And for the flower of your youth if you compare it with eternitie whether now you are going and ought to long after it indeed all are equally young and equally old For the most extended age of a man in this world is but as a point or minute and the most contracted can bee no lesse And Iesus the sonne of Sirach saith Eccl. 41.13 A good life hath but few dayes nothing is too timely with God which is ripe Long life truly is the gift of God and the hoarie head a crowne of glory saith the Wiseman if it be found in the way of righteousnesse Pro. 16.31 Yet short life is not alwaies a token of the wrath of God seeing God sometime commands the godly also and those that are beloued of him to depart timely out of the house of this world that beeing freed from the danger of sinning they may be setled in the securitie of not sinning neither be constrained to haue experience of publike calamities more grieuous oftentimes then death it selfe An immature and vntimely death for a man to be taken away before he be come to the full period of his life that by the course of nature and in the eye of reason he might haue attained vnto is a thing that may betide good men and not be a curse to them Esay 57.1 The righteous man perisheth and no man layeth it to his heart saith the Prophet the mercifull man is taken away namely vntimely For if they died in a full age it were not blame-worthy for a man not to consider it in his heart Iacob knew this full well that vntimely death belongeth to Gods children for when Iosephes party-coloured coat was brought to him all bloudie it is said that he knew it Gen. 37.33 It is my sonnes coate saith hee some euill beast hath deuoured him Ioseph is without doubt rent in pieces So Abiah Gen. 44.28 the sonne of Ieroboam falling sicke Ieroboam sending his wife to the Prophet Abiiah with presents 1. Kings 14.1.2.3.6.12.13.17.18 to tell her what should become of the childe when shee was come the Prophet told her that he was sent to her with heauie tidings Arise thou therefore saith he get thee to thine owne house and when thy feete enter into the Citie the childe shall die and all Israel shall mourne for him bury him for he only of Ieroboam shall come to the graue because in him there is found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Ieroboam Now this truth is confirmed vnto vs by two arguments the one drawne from the malice of the wicked against the godly the other from the mercie of God to the godly For the first the wicked through their malice seeke by all meanes to cut off the godly because their wickednesse and sinfull life is reproued by their godly conuersation neither can they follow their sins so freely as they would nor quietly without detection or checke The Apostle saith Cain 1. Iohn 3.12 that wicked one cut off and slew his brother Abel and wherefore slew he him because his owne workes were euill Gen. 37.2 and his brothers good The Patriarches sold Ioseph their brother and sent him out of the house of his Father because hee was a meanes that they were checked for their euill sayings And this is that we haue in the booke of Wisdome Therefore the vngodly men say let vs lye in wait for the righteous Wisd 2.12.14.15.16.18.19.20 because he is not for our turne but is cleane contrary to our doings he vpbraideth vs with our offending the law and obiecteth to our infamie in the transgression of our education Hee was made to reproue our
saying vnto me Write Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their workes follow them Your friend is dead in the Lord and therefore blessed will you then weepe and lament for him his workes follow him and the Lord in mercie hath crowned his obedience according to his promise and will you looke awry at it God forbid Againe consider with your selfe that your friends walk with God and are gone to their heauenly Father in peace they are gathered vnto their people they are not dead but sleepe and their flesh resteth in hope they are gone the way of all flesh and doe now behold the face of God in heauen and what cause of sorrow is this to any friend that loueth them If your friend were discharged and released out of prison and miserie and preferred to the palace of an earthly prince and to his Court to his great and exceeding ioy and content would you shewe your loue and contentment toward him in bewailing the same how much lesse then should you lament his preferment into Gods euerlasting Court and kingdome to his vnspeakable ioy and comfort Thus may you gather many places of holy Scripture and on this sort meditate on them For sweet is the word of God against all sorrowes and griefes and by name against this But it may happily be obiected it is your child that is dead and it died before it could well be baptized this grieueth me more then otherwise it would and so you feare your childs estate Answ God forbid that we should either speake or think so seeing the Lord neuer said so but contrariwise the Scripture witnesseth that they are in the Couenant of God and so in state of saluation so soone as they are borne and Baptisme doth not make them Christians that were none before but is the Sacrament the seale the signe the badge of them that are Christians before Besides it is not the want of the Sacrament that depriueth a man of Gods fauour for the children of the Israelites were not circumcised all those fortie yeeres which they liued in the wildernesse the reason whereof was because they were euer to remoue and iourney whensoeuer the pillar of the cloud that was their guide ascended and went forward Numb 9.18 c. so that they were alwaies to attend vpon the cloude both night and day not knowing when it would remooue and therefore could not circumcise their children in the wildernesse as yee may read Iosh 5.2 c. but it is the contemning or despising of the Sacrament that depriueth men of Gods fauour when they make no more account of it then Esau did of his birth-right Gen. 25.32 then Ahaz did of the Lords helpe Esay 7. and it is also the neglecting of it when God offereth time and opportunitie that we might haue it Againe the Lord neuer said that whosoeuer died vncircumcised or vnbaptized should be wiped out of the booke of life but hee hath said Gen. 17.12.14 that whosoeuer contemneth or carelesly neglecteth the Sacraments shal be cut off from among his people And so read you the notes vpon that seuenteenth chapter of Genesis and I hope they shall content you for this matter God is not tyed to the Sacrament nor euer was The contempt hurteth but not the want when it is against your will Obiect Happily your child was of ripe yeeres and withall so toward that it could not be but that he should come to some great place and preferment if he had liued both for the good of himself and his friends and that he in his youth and the flower of his age should thus bee taken away is a great losse say you Answer True it is that the losse is great in respect of the world but what is that if we consider God God is also able to supplie all that some other way if we take it well This is apparant that what good or preferment could haue come to him any way or to his friends if he had liued the Lord for some purpose as yet happily hidden hath preuented but yet his arme is not shortened as I said to doe vs good some other way but it might perhaps prooue otherwise contrarie to our expectation if he had liued longer and then it would haue beene a great griefe vnto vs. But admit that it would haue beene as you hope if he had liued longer yet he is more highly preferred euen to the highest heauens and to the presence of God and this no earthly preferment can match And except we be wholy earthly our selues we cannot but sauour this and not let his youth grieue vs for no youth nor age is too good for God when he is pleased to take them A foole or a child seeing a goodly cluster of grapes thinketh it pitie to put them into the presse to deface them but he that is wise knoweth that thereby the liquour which is in them is preserued and that this timely gathering is a meanes to keepe them from corruption So we thinke sometime Oh it is great pitie such a one should die so soone so towardly a youth so good a creature can hardly be spared but God in his wisedome knoweth it to be good And if he cut off the life of that good and godly king Iosiah as it were in the middle of the stemme 2. Kings 22.20 doubtlesse it is for this cause that his eies may not see the manifold euils to come If you will be ruled to weigh things with reason you may well see mercie euen in this timely death for many are the perils both of bodie and soule that young men auoid when they are taken hence false doctrine heresies errours and many grieuous sinnes wounding the very conscience with a biting worme that euer gnaweth publike calamities and ruine of state many priuate miseries great and grieuous which no man can thinke of beforehand more bitter to good men then any death from all which this happie deliuerance in time of youth doth free your child and set him safe that you shall neuer mourne with him nor for him that way And herein we haue Dauid an example of godly fortitude who hauing a child sicke did while it liued afflict his soule besought God for the child and fasted and wen◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and lay all night vpon the earth and would not be comforted Thus while there was hope of remedie he gaue way to the sorrow of his heart 2. Sam. 12.16 but when Dauid perceiued that the child was dead then he arose from the earth and washed and anointed himselfe and changed his apparell and came into the house of the Lord and worshipped and after came to his owne house and bad that they should set bread before him and he did eate His sorrow ended when he once saw there was no hope of enioying any longer the companie of his child Now this course seemed vnto