most feruent and vnfained affection each to other not but that your enemies and strangers yea all men in whom nothing but nature doth appeare are also to bee beloued but the fellow members of the same misticall body yea brethren by grace and adoption by calling and profession Chtistians begotten by the same word and spirit redeemed by the same bloud Heires of the same promise kingdome are to haue the chiefe seate of loue in your soules and as it were the highest and fairest roome of true affection in the house of your hearts This is my commandement that yee so loue one another 3 As I haue loued you That which I haue commanded in word I haue for your instruction and imitation practised in deede I haue made my life the example of my law and therefore may iustly require that loue at your hands whereof I haue exhibited my selfe a continual patterne before your eyes I haue most authoritie to command and my example should bee of most force to induce you will readilie imitate him of whom you thinke well especially hauing receiued some great benefit from him now of whom should you thinke better then of mee and to whom are you more beholding then to mee who haue indured a miserable life and must suffer a contemptible death for your sakes wherefore my disciples my friends my followers Loue one another as I haue loued you And with cheerefulnesse and constancie follow my example in this principall and most necessarie Christian duty of mutuall charity each to other This beloued is the full sense and meaning the maine drift and substance of my text Which as a fountaine of liuing water diuideth it selfe into three streames and in the diuision thereof commends to the duty of our obseruation these three distinct parts 3 parts 1. A commandement or law prefixed to win the Deuision greater reuerence and attention in these wordes this is my commandement 2. A duty of mutuall loue enioyned to worke in vs the deeper impression in these words That ye loue one another 3. A reason or motiue thereunto grounded on Christs example most worthy of imitation in these words As I haue loued you This is my commandement a commandement Illustratio â—â—â—tus of absolute soueraigntie and therefore to bee obeyed that ye loue one another a worke of excellent vse and commodity and therefore to bee performed As I haue loued you an example or president of singular sufficiencie and therefore to be followed This is my commandement Not an earthly Prince though his ordinance be as full of soueraignty as his seate of maiestie Neither heauenly Angells though in them all things make remonstrance of great power and glorious excellencie gaue this charge But the Lord Iesus the Lord of Angells the King of kings the Destroyer of Sathan the Sauiour of Saints the Conquerour of death the Giuer of life whose goodnesse is such as all are bound to loue him and greatnesse such as none may disdaine to obey him the Lord Iesus Excelsus in honore August enchyr suauis in amore diues in haereditate primus supremus liberrimus The first before all in eternity the highest aboue all in infinite maiestie most free and absolute at his owne libertie by nature essentiall and very God by distinction of â— Heb. 8. â— Ioh 1. â— Heb. persons the Sonne of God by office the word of God by holinesse the expresse Image of God the brightnesse of his glory the sweetnesse of his goodnesse the greatnesse of his power The Lord Iesus the Creatour of our persons out of nothing the Reformer of our natures out of sinne the Redeemer of our estates out of miserie the raiser of our soules from death to life and the exalter both of body and soule vnto glory Whose comming in the flesh the Patriarchs honored by their prefiguration Princes and potentates by their expectation Iohn Baptist by his preparation the three Wisemen by their offrings and oblation the Angells by their song the Sheepheards by their ioy Simeon and Anna by their praise euen the Lord Iesus whose comming into the world was thus honored going now out of the world he thus commanded This is my commandement 2. That ye loue one another That yee the naturall branches of Christ the true vine of whose fulnesse ye 1. Ioh. 16. haue all receiued from whom the soule-sauing-sappe of meekenesse mercy loue liberalitie temperancie and humilitie and all other spirituall graces are alone deriued that ye which are Christians not in name onely but in nature not in outward appearance but in reall existence not only by externall profession but by eternall election and internall regeneration that ye 1. Pet. 1. 21. loue one another Brotherly with a pure heart feruently being of one minde will and affection not hauing your wills diuided your iudgments distracted your affections alienated but supporting one another through loue and alwaies consorting as Brethren therein endeauouring to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace This is Christs commandement Ephes 4. 3. that we which professe Christianitie in sinceritie should loue one an other verè sine fictione purè sine corruptione Hug. Card. constanter sine defectione Truly without dissimulation purely without corruption constantly without flinching or defection 3 As he hath loued vs Who so loued vs that hee made a progresse from dignity to basenes in his incarnation from the ioyes of heauen to the paines of hell in his bitter passion to free vs from sinne and death and to purchase for vs euerlasting life and saluation Who so loued vs that hee turned the white robe of his innocency into the red robe of his martyrdome that the blacks raggs of our sins and sable weeds of sorrow might bee converted into triumphant robes of gladnes and ioy Who so loued vs qui tantus tales tantillos Bern. in lib. de dibde Rom. 5. 10. Ephes 2. 4. 1. Ioh. 4. 14. tantum prior gratis dilexit Who being so great and high in power and dignity loued vs so bad by nature so base in qualitie and that so much and that before wee loued him and that freely Who so loued vs as Bernard speaketh Bern. in Cant. Ser. 20. Suauiter quod carneÌ„ induit prudenter quod culpaÌ„ cauit fortiter quod mortem sustinuit so sweetly investing himselfe with our humanitie so wisely auoiding euery sinne and impiety so strongly in suffering death for vs and triumphing ouer the powers of darknesse victoriously that this his loue in respect of the admirable and vnmatchable perfection thereof may rightly be termed and entituled A None-such Wherevnto there hath not beene beene no nor shall be the like like no not the like in any degree O amor sine exemplo sine gratia sine merito charitas sine modo Ambr Bern O loue without it's like ô grace without merit charitie without measure yet in what manner or measure wee can let vs beloued imitate this his
comfortable hold-fast of all but good christians must not misse of any but must be forward in the course of godlines a holy conuersatioÌ„ as not running at vncertainty or fighting as beating the aire but following hard toward the 1. Cor. 9 26. marke knowing that they are begotten by the immortall seede of the word in the bosome of the Church militant to a liuely hope of an inheritance for body and soule together immortall and vndefiled in the Church triumphant 1. Pet. 1. 4. This hope as it giueth vs an edge that we should earnestly affect spirituall things so doth it giue vs a backe also to indure all things For why doe the seruants of God indure crosses so patiently absteine from euill so carefully pursue the things that are good so cheerefully constantly but because they looke for a glorious resurrection Reasons ratifying the Doctrin of the Resurrection which is the full end of all Gods promises when the wicked shall haue their full iudgement and the godly their full payment when the wicked shall both in body and soule be made sensible of all maner of misery and intollerable wretchednesse and the godly which haue but breathings here shal be bath'd in a whole Sea of comforts and in body as well as in soule haue the complete inioyment of vnconceiuable happinesse And as God hath promised it and will accomplish it how incredible soeuer it seeme to reason and impossible to nature so secondly the equity of Gods iustice requires it for heere oftentimes as 2. Cor. 4. 10. Aristot in Eth. the Philosopher speaketh Bonis fit male malis benè therefore it stands with Gods iustice else-where to recompence euery man according to that hee hath done in his body 2. Cor. 5. 10. either good or bad and in that great day of resurrection to make both bodies soules of penitent beleeuers or vnrepentant sinners ioint partakers of eternall weale 2. Thes 1. 6. 7. or woe And thirdly as Gods word promiseth and iustice requireth it so his power with whom nothing Luk. 1. 37. is vnpossible is able to effect it For to examine what he can do by what he hath done could he create all things of nothing and can hee not worke his owne will in his owne creatures and restore our bodies out of the 4. Elements to their former estate againe could he quicken vs in the wombe of our mother and can hee not reuiue vs out of the wombe of our mother the earth can he with the dew of the morning and euening giue life to the seed that is vnder the earth and shall he not with the sound of the trumpet and with all his power giue life to vs can we of a little sparkle kindle great flames and cannot he of our ashes though neuer so small raise our bodies or can we fetch fire out of the flint caÌ„not he fetch vs out of the earth Could Eliah and Elisha raise the widow of Sarepta and the Shunamites 1. King 17 23. 2. Kin. 4 32. Act 9. 40. Act. 20. 10. children could Peter raise Tabitha and Paul Eutichus and cannot God their Lord and ours raise both them and vs Yes he can and will and that in a moment in the twinkling of an eie Qui fecit idoneus est reficere 1. Cor. 15. 52. Tertul. l. de res car saith Tertullian Considera Authorem tolle dubitationem saith St. Austin Consider the Author of this admirable worke and leaue August Greg â—om 20. in Ezâ—k doubting or reasoning Nam in rebus mirabiliter factis ratio facti est potentia facientis But yet if any naturalists will farther reason against the resurrection of the body let theÌ„ for their satisfaction attend what strong reasons euen from their rules of Philosophy and the immortality of the soule by themselues granted may bee drawne to confirme the same Posita facultate saith The Soule was not made to liue by it selfe but in the body and resteth not fully contented so long as it wanteth her organ and companion Aristotle ponatur organum necesse est i. Admit then the soule as most Philosophers hold to bee immortall and then it must needs follow that the body as the organon or instrument thereof should bee revnited thereunto Againe Nulla res imperfecta est capax perfectae foelicitatis i. No imperfect thing is capable of perfect felicity but the soule separated from the body is an imperfect thing therefore it ought to bee ioyned to the body againe for the attaining of this perfection Againe Non est perpetuum quod est contra naturam i. Nothing is perpetuall which is contrary to nature but it is contrary to the nature of mans soule to be separate from the body seing it is the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfecting act thereof Wherefore the soule cannot continually be separate therefrom but must necessarily resume the body againe But leauing all other reasons that which our blessed Sauiour hath in loue done and suffered for vs in body and soule manifestly euinceth that our bodies shall bee raised glorified with our soules by vertue of Christs resurrection Christ our head suffered in body and soule for the redemption of Mat. 27. Act. 1. both parts he ascended in both is glorified in both and so shall we his members be For though the vnion betwixt him and vs be spirituall yet our bodies are called the members of Christ 1. Cor. 6. yea the temples of the holy Ghost that 1. Cor. 6. 15. 19. since they are members of Christ they might be restored vnto their head and since in their corruption they are vouchsafed to be the temples of the holy Ghost they might put on incorruption and as they be graced in this life so be glorified in the life to come What though in the meane while our bodies be scourged tortured tormented as Christs was what though we be bought and sold cruelly entreated as Ioseph was what though death swallow vs vp as the Whale did Ionah and bind Ioh. 1. 17. vs hand and foot as the Philistines Iudg. 16. did Sampson and seale vp the Sepulcher vpon vs as the Iewes did Mat 27. vpon Christ what though in death the spirit be loosed from the flesh the flesh separated from the bones bones flesh conuerted into rottennes rottennes into dust dust resolued into the Elements as Dr. Gregory in his Morals reasoneth and the scornefull Atheist oftentimes Greg. in 19. Iob. Ezek. 37. obiecteth yet as the Prophet Ezekiell in a vision prophesied ouer dry bones and they came together and the flesh and sinewes grew vpon them and life entred into them and they became faire and strong bodies So and more then so shall it bee at the last day for the trumpet shall blow and the graues shall giue vp their dead our bones shal be conioyned our parts composed our bodies reedified wee presented face to
Is not this the bloud of these men which went in ieopardy of their liues for it are not these vain pleasures the very price of our foules far be it therefore from vs to touch them or taste them or to be caried away with the alluremēts of thē least at length we bee fully fearefully and finally tormented for them Remember saith Abraham to Luk. 16. 25. the rich Glutton thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures but now thou art tormented Remember that thou didst disport thy time in wanton daliance solace thy selfe in fond pastimes fare deliciouslie euery day defending pride to be a point of gentry drunkennes good fellowship wantonnes a tricke of youth At nunc cruciaris But now thou which inclosedst all pleasures to thy selfe in earth takest vp thy rents and hast thy full payment of paines in hell So true it is that intollerable torments there are ordained as the wages of fleshly pleasures here yea the more the pleasures the greater the torments for the Lord doth proportion his iudgements according to the measure of mens vanities So much as shee liued in pleasure so much giue ye to her torment Reu. 18. 7. and sorrow O that those which are led with sensuality would consider of this wages of vnrighteousnesse 2. Pet. 2. 13. which they are to receiue O that all which follow wantonnes euen with greedines would remember that whilst they liue they are dead 1. Tim. 5. 6. and though they think themselues in Dothan yet if they had grace to lift vp their eies they should perceiue themselues to bee in the midst of sinfull Samaria though 1. King 6. in the worlds iudgement they seeme with Capernaum to be lifted vp to heauen yet behold they are in the very confines of Hell O turne you turne you for why Ezek. 33. 11. Rom. 6. 12. will you die saith the Prophet Let not sin raigne any more in your mortall bodies but if you haue stricken handes with it heeretofore shake handes with it now for a farewell Moriantur ante te vitia saith Seneca Sen. Epist 12 Bernar. in Sen◠Morere saith Bernard antequam moreris sic quando moreris non morieris Die vnto sinne before thou diest so shalt thou liue when thou art dead As God said to Moses Ascende vt moriaris so say I to thee ô man morere vt Deut. 32. 49. ascendas Die to thy earthly desires mortifie thy fleshly lusts that thou maiest ascend and mount towards heauen in an holy life As Lot forsooke Sodom looking Gen. 19. to Zoar his sanctuary so let vs all flie from this world in affection meditate on our heauenly beeing and striue for perfection forgetting Phil. 3. 13. 14. what is behind and following hard towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Amarescat mundus dulcescat Berit Christus Let the world bee bitter that Christ may bee sweet vnto vs let no gaude of earthly glory or blaze of worldly beuty withdraw our loue from him who when wee were his enemies so loued vs that Rom. 5. 10. he voluntarily indured vnconceiuable torments in body and soule vnto death to procure for our bodies and soules the inheritance of eternall life Arise and depart for here is not your rest Mich. 2. This is the Prophets watch-word to the Iewes Mich. 2. 10. and it will stand vs in good steade if wee marke it well and that wee may marke it well once I will rehearse it often Arise and depart c. Arise sleepe not in security depart abide not in iniquity for here is not your rest in heauen alone is true tranquility For as the Doue sent out of the Arke found no rest for her feete Gen. 8. 9. whilst she flickered on the flouds but was restles vntill she returned to the Arke againe So our soules sent from heauen finde no restfull footing on the glassie Sea of this Reu. 15. 2. world vntill they returne to the true Noah our sauing rest Christ Iesus againe Arise then and flie from the world that Christ may come to liue in thy heart by grace depart prepare to die and goe out of the world that thou maist come to liue in heauen with Christ in glory As Iacob said to Laban this long haue I serued thee and looked to thine affaires and now it is time to looke to my selfe and to trauell for Gen. 30. 30. mine owne house So say thou to this Laban-like world this many yeeres haue I serued thee seeking the profits and pleasures of a transitory life Now now it is high time to make prouision for my soules health and to labour that mine infinite debts towards God in regard of mine innumerable sinnes may by repentance bee discharged and my Title to an heauenly inheritance by faith in Christs merits and newnes of life be maintained and iustified Arise stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee life Some lie in their sinnes as children in their Ephes 5. 14. swathling cloathes and so sinne of infirmity some as sicke men in their beds and sinne of obstinacy some as dead men in their graues and sinne desperately to all these in the name of Christ who raised three from the dead Iairus daughter Mat. 9. Luk. 7. Ioh. 11. the widow of Naims sonne and Lazarus to shew that no degree of death in sinne is incurable when he comes to heale is my commission directed Arise cast off the workes of darkenes put on the armour of light depart not without some fruit of this Doctrine of the resurrection Euen at this instant couenant with thine owne soule to rise from dead workes to serue hence-forward the liuing God not God and Mammon too not God and thy belly too but the liuing God alone walking before him in sincerity and truth with an vpright hart as good old Ezekiah 2. Kin. 20. 2. Chro. 34. and godly yong Iosiah did To this purpose first rowse thy selfe ô yongue man whatsoeuer thou art shake off the fetters of folly suffer not the bud of thy youth to bee blasted in the very sprouting the Sunne to be darkened in the very rising giue not thy wine to the world keeping the lees for the Lord giue not thy prime daies to the Diuell reseruing the dog-daies for God Let not Lady Dalila dandle thee on her Iudg. 16. knee till shee haue shaued all thy strength and goodnes from thee giue thy youthfull pleasures a bill of diuorce for their baggage dealing neuer to haue more familiarity with them discharge thy sinne betime least in thine age thou beare the reproach of thy youth and be forced to cry without comfort or remedy O vtinam Remember that of Ambrose Momentaneum Ambrose est quod delectat aeternum quod cruciat a Sea of torture for a drop of pleasure And thou ô man of age and grauity of what calling and degree
therefore to your selues c. Our blessed Sauiour Christ Iesus that good and great shepheard of soules seeking the breed of his spirituall flocke out of all the heards that fedde on the mountaines of Iudah got vnto himselfe in a short time the number of twelue Apostles All which though they did eat of their Masters morsels and drinke of his cupp and enioy his company yet receiuing as euill through the fleshes weaknesse what Christ gaue to them as life through the spirits goodnes they became reprehensible both in doctrine and manners In doctrine for they doubted whether Christ were the Messias and were ignorant of the resurrection In manners for some of them were chilling cold in charitie others exceeded in the heate of ambition To which maladies that there might be the fittest medicines applyed our Sauiour Mark 9. 50. as a skilfull Phisition Mark 9. 50. proposeth a soueraigne potion wherein for the rectifying of their knowledge he prescribeth salt to sauour them haue salt in your selues for the tempering of the heat of their ambition coldnesse of charity he warneth them to haue peace the queller of factions cōpounder of cōtrarieties Haue salt in your selues and peace one with another But first haue salt in your selues that is the acrimony of true knowledge and godly wisdome that hereby you may the better season others as here in my text it is Take heed first to your selues that you may the better attend to the flocke whereof the Holy Ghost hath made you Ouer-seers For as Philosophy telleth vs of a twofold action the one immanent and the other transeunt and withall teacheth vs that immanent actions whereby some Action 2. good thing is wrought in our selues are waies to the transeunt whereby wee leaue the end and effect of our well-doing in others so diuinitie approuing this distinction of her handmaid philosophy groundeth herevpon this conclusion which is the first doctrinall point of my text worthy your obseruation Doctr. 1 That all men especially Ministers and Magistrates should haue that really and actually in themselues which they would haue to be wrought and effected in others Charity and true zeale in her ascendent begins with it selfe and it is meete that we be as cesternes to hold cleane water in our selues before wee become as conduits to convey the same to others Timothie ought first to take heede to himselfe to walke warily in the pathes of holinesse and righteousnesse for the furtherance and assurance of his owne saluation and then he must attend diligently to his doctrine and teaching that as much as in him lyeth he may saue others 1. Tim. 4. So the Elders and 1. Tim. 4. 16. Ministers of Ephesus are here enioyned first to looke to themselues Act 20. 28. and to make sure worke for their owne soules and then to attend to the guidance and direction to the safety and protection of the flocke of Christ The Cocke first clappeth his owne winges to rouze himselfe and afterwards croweth aloude that others may be awakened so surely all they whose labours God imployeth in drawing others to any good dutie and well-doing ought to bee such themselues and to shew themselues such as they would haue others to be He is too nice a Phisition saith S. Ierom either for the body or the soule that prescribeth fasting to others and is sicke of a surfet himselfe si vis me flere dolendum est primo tibi if thou wilt worke powerfully on my affection thou thy selfe must not be voide and exempt of passion When Abimelech Iudg 9. 48 had cut downe Iudg. 9. 48. boughes and carried them on his shoulders then saith he to the people what yee haue seene mee doe doe the like so our blessed Sauiour Ioh 13. hauing washed Peters feete Ioh 13. forthwith telleth his disciples that therein he had giuen them an ensample to do as he had done and in the 11 of Matthew where he vseth that gratious call Venite ad Mat 11. 29. me omnes Come vnto mee all and learne of me he saith not learne of mee because I talke of humilitie but learne of mee because I am humble and meeke and walke in humilitie and am a patterne of that which I giue in precept and such he was beyond all exception his birth and education his life and conuersation his death and passion being altogether a pageant of humilitie So likewise S. Paul Philip 4. 8. 9. from his owne example and precedency commendeth to the pursuit and practise of the Philippians whatsoeuer things are true are honest iust pure pertaine vnto loue and are of good report willing them to bee followers of those things euen as they had heard of him and seene in him they had heard his doctrine they had seene his vertues and vertuous life agreable thervnto both these must go together if we will take heede to our selues as here wee are enioyned to doe And here to begin with our selues of the Ministry this ought to be our first and principall care to keepe diligent watch and ward ouer our owne hearts as Salomon aduiseth Prou. 4. to keepe Pre. 4. 23. this pretious vessell from all fraud and violence safe and sound locked with the key of faith barred with resolution against sinne guarded with supervisiting diligence and to take heed that no pleasures profits or preferments cause vs to make shipwracke of a good conscience which is the casting away of all other excellencies it being no rare thing to note the soule of a wilfull sinner stripped of all her graces and by degrees exposed to shame The more serious must our studie and vigilancy be with often and earnest prayer vnto God that the peace of our consciences and purity of our hearts may be preserued and consequently our conuersation so well and warily ordered and inoffensiuely guided that intus puri extus boni vtrinque sani vitam Deo gratam gregi acceptam omnibus probatam agamus being sincere in heart and vpright in life our whole comportment may be accepted of God approued of men Omnia saith Ierom in sacerdote Hieron debent esse vocalia all things in a Minister Vestis gestus manus mensa mores his coate his countenance his gesture his diet his discourse his priuate as well as publique behauiour must preach sanctification and holinesse thus integrity of life as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a disciple and sheep of Christ is first required in euery worthy minister and secondly soundnes of doctrine and assiduity in preaching as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a teacher of Christians and a Pastor of Christs flocke with his personall graces 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to walke vprightly and circumspectiuely Gal. 2. 14. the gifts of his Gal. 2. 14. ministeriall function 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to diuide the word of truth with diligence and dexterity with modesty and grauity 2. Tim. 2. must bee 2 Tim. 2. 15. tempered conioyned and
is but momentany and our best estate as the princely Prophet protesteth in this world c Psalm 39. 5. altogether vanity For the better riuetting whereof in our mindes and memories the holy Ghost by his pen-men actuaries Moses Iob Dauid Salomon Saint Paul and others hath vsed verie significant similitudes comparing mans life to a d Iam. 4. 14. Vapor that vanisheth to a e Sap. 5. 12. Ship that saileth in the Seas and the path there of cannot be found in the flouds f Reu. 15. to Glasse g 2. Cor. 2. 5. to a Booth h Sap. 5. to a Bubble i Iob 14. 12. to a sleepe k Iob 14. 2. a shadow l Iob 7. 6. a weuers shittle m vers 7. to a wind n vers 9. a cloud o Isa 29 8. a dreame p Psalm 90. 9. a thought q Sap. 5. a passage yea r Sap. 5. 9. Psa 39 103 1. Thess 4. a swift post vnto death and what not which argueth vanity and mutability But what neede haue we of these resemblances or of so great a noise to put vs in mind of our mortality sith wee haue both a continuall sight of it in others in our parents brethren kinsfolk neighbours and acquaintance which are gone the way of all flesh before vs and also a daily sense of it in our selues by the aches of our bones heauinesse of our bodies dimnes of our eies deafenes of our eares trembling of our hands baldnes of our heads graynesse of our haires that verie shortly wee must follow after them But alas the Diuell doth so deafe vs the world doth so blinde vs and the sensualitie of the flesh maketh vs so extreamlie sensles that we neither heare nor see nor feele what lieth so heauie vpon vs. If we be yong we feare not death at our backes if sicke wee feele not death treading on our heeles if old wee looke asquint and see not death before our eies Indeede in temporall affaires to procure security we will all pleade mortality and in some cases of discontentment wee will complaine with Saint Austine that our life is a vitall death Splendida miseria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a glittering miserie a liuing calamitie wherein Austin our best repose is full of anguish our greatest securitie without foundatiō our trauell often without fruit our sorrowes and cares alwaies without profit our desires without successe our hopes without rewards our mirth without continuance our miseries without remedies dangers affrighting vs diseases afflicting vs afflictions greeuing vs griefes tempting and tormenting vs on euery side But notwithstanding these pleadings and complaints the most of vs put the day of death farre from vs and would haue it rather to be the lot of others then to belong to our selues beeing heerein like to ſ Cuspinian Hist Vespasian who seeing at once two presages of his death a blasing Comet and a gaping Sepulchre turnd them both from himselfe forced thē on others saying the sepulcher gaped for the old Empresse Iulia and the blasing starre pretended the death of the King of Persia which ware long haire thus wee dallie and delude our selues yea in a vaine perswasion that we shall see many daies wee sing sweete lullabies to our senslesse soules like to the rich corn-hoorder in the 12. of Luke who hauing plentie and for the same safe custodie promised to himselfe a kind of eternity saying t Luk. 12. 19. 20 Soule take thine ease and why thou hast goods layed vp for many yeeres But alas one day of ease did he not see Foole saith God this night thy soule shall bee taken from thee and thou shalt not liue to inioy that pelfe which made thee ioy to liue but as hitherto thou hast led a life euer dying so now thou must goe to a death neuer ending this beeing the last will and testament of such wealthy worldlings u Bern. Relinquunt diuitias mundo corpus sepulchro animam diabolo They leaue and bequeath their riches to the world their bodies to the graue their soules to the Diuell Simil. And as the sumpter-horses of great personages gaine nothing by their great burdens of siluer plate and other treasures wherewith they are loaden but a gauled backe for when they come to their Inne or iourneys end their treasure is taken from them and they tired and gauled as they bee are turned into a filthy stable so wretched worldlie men get nothing by their coffers crambde with crownes their barnes filled with corne their bags stuft with coyne but a conscience pittifully gauled with many a grieuous crime and when they are come to the iourneys end of a toilsome life stripped of all they had and thrust tired and gauled tortured and grieued as they bee into the stinking stable of hell hauing nothing there but vglie serpents for their daintiest food damned ghosts for their best company horrible shriekings for their chiefest musicke and weeping gnashing of teeth for their choisest mirth This doubtles is the case of all careles and secure persons they may wanton it for a time but shall want at last they may state it and stoute it too but shall stoope at last and though they haue now the summe of their vnsanctified desires they shall haue at length their full deserts Alas these deceiue themselues much by mistaking their tenure taking that to be a free gift which God intends for loane and holding themselues owners not onely of lands but of life too in fee-simple whereof they are but depositaries and tenants at will But be not thou deceiued ô man whatsoeuer thou art which hearest mee this day bee not deceiued God is not mocked thy daies are numbred away thou must death mounting on his x Reu. 6. 2. pale horse is posting towards thee here is not thy rest thou dwellest in a house of clay in a tent pitched to day remooued to morrow Thou art a Didapper peering vp and downe in a moment and as Aristotle rightly termes thee thou art Fortunae lusus inconstantiae Aristotle apud Sto◠imago temporis spolium imbecillitatis exemplum Miserable infirmitie such is thy person foolish inconstancy such is thy prosperity inconstant honour such is thy crowne sinnes sorrowes sickenesses such thy comforters and companions depart thou must and be gone God knowes how soone Serius aut citius mortis properamus ad oras It is not eminency of office or dignity can priuiledge thee for Dauid in the z Psalm 82. 6. 82. Psalm setteth men as high as they may goe I haue saide yee are Gods nuncupatiuè not substantiuè as the schoolmen note and the children of the most high This is mans aduancement But hee bringeth them as low and hath a But for them But ye shall dy like men and ye princes great ones shall fall like others heere is his abasement Hee that made the world at first of nothing can mar the greatest in a
moment he bringeth Potentates to nothing and maketh the Iudges of the earth as vanity a Isa 40. 23. It is not the strength or statelinesse of any place or territory can protect thee For what Hormisda the Persian Ambassador said to Constantius the Emperor demanding of him how he liked the City of Rome with the Amphitheater the Capitoll and other such rich monuments as were shewed vnto him b Ammian marc lib. 16. In truth I thinke it the most glorious City in the world and all therein pleaseth me well but this that I see men die at Rome as else-where The same may truly bee auerred of all other places from which death cannot bee excluded but if it enter not in at the gates with full force it will ascend by the windows with great feare c Ier. 9. 21. To which purpose Socrates smilingly replied vnto his friends that would haue rescued him from the officers which were to put him to death No I will no longer liue except ye can tell me of a place without the territorie of Athens where men neuer die Lastly as no height of honour or estimation can priuiledge thee no safety and sweetnes of place protect thee so no power or pollicy can preserue thee from the fatall dart of death The King cannot saue himselfe by the multitude of his host d Psal 33. 16. Visuntur magni parua sepulchra Iouis saith the Poet Tamberlaine the terrour of the world died with three fits of an ague as e Paul Iouius de vit ill Paulus Iouius writeth Saladine that mighty pagan which wan the holy Land from the Christians in the height of his pride pompe was surprised by death hauing no greater solemnity at his funerals then this a Herauld carrying his shirt or shrowd on a speare or spade and crying aloud f G. Parad. in Heroic Hae sunt reliquiae victoris orientis These are the conquests of great Saladine Alexander that famous Monarch acknowledged in his owne person this humane frailty when in the Olympicke games falling in the dust and perceiuing therein the length of his body hee confessed with griefe that g Q. Curt. in vit Alex. seuen foote of ground were sufficient to make him a graue h Iuuenal Mors sola fatetur quantula sunt hominum corpuscula Wherefore bee our daies neuer so few or our yeeres neuer so full resolue we must wheresoeuer or in what state soeuer wee bee to come ere long to the gates of death there is we see no meanes of withdrawing no place of absenting no power of resisting God alone can say i Exod. 3. 14. sum qui sum I am what I am and will be what I haue bene Men can say nothing else but I am and shall not be Witnesse this the Lacedaemonians song of three parts wherein the Elders sang wee haue beene strong and are not now the Youth replied wee shall bee strong but Plutarch are not yet the Middle-aged sang wee are now strong but shall not be Witnesse this Iobs sonnes at a banquet k Iob 1. 19. suddenly destroied l Iudg. 9. 53. Abimelech brained Holofernes beheaded Adrian with a Gnat and Leo with a flie both Popes suddainely choaked What shall I say more All mankind must needs sing this Aut sumus aut fuimus aut possimus esse quod hic est wee are or haue beene or may soone bee such as this breathles subiect is The dolefull pageant of whose mortality is heere presented to our sight hauing in euery colour a speaking griefe in euery griefe a mourning tongue able to worke sad thoughts in our harts if not to wring salt teares from our eies So that Hesiod may tell of Nectar Hesiod Ambrosia and sweete wine of the Gods which will make men immortall and Pliny may pratle Pliny of the Herbe Moly which hee saith hath vertue to make an old man yongue and Historians may write of certaine fortunate Ilands where exceeding long liuers for their prolonged life are called Macrobioi But alas these fables reiected nothing can bee indeed inuented whereby life may be prolonged beyond its limited time as burning torches wee are dailie consumed as potters vessels euery houre endangered Yea so dangerous a Sea is this world wherein we are wafted so boysterous are the winds and waues of woe wherewith we are tossed and so extreamly hazardous are the rockes of profit pleasure and preferment against which the silly Barke of our soules is carried that in euery calme we feare a storme in euery storme wee are swallowed quicke in all our ease we looke for paine in euery paine wee pine away in all our rest wee feele disease in each disease wee post to death The very elements themselues by burning infecting drow ning and swallowing many becomming caters for our corruption who were at first created for our consolation Yea all things in this life making way like a marshall for death that shee may triumphantly passe through the field of this world ouer the carkases of her slaine Thus death rules on earth as eternity in heauen there all liue heere all die m Hoâ— Omnes vna manet nox calcanda semel via Lethi It is n Iosh 23. 14. the way of all the world o Sen. Epist 25 Hac conditione intraui vt exirem said Socrates All both good and bad are actors on the stage of mortality enery one acting a part some of lesse some of greater dignity and the play beeing ended exeunt omnes euery one goes off the stage and as Chesse-men without difference Simil. they are swept from the table of this world wherein one was a King another a Queene a third a Bishop or Knight into the earths wide receptacle The onely distinction betwixt good and bad beeing this that the good are alwaies actors of a Comedy and howsoeuer they beginne they end merrily but the bad are actors of a Tragedy and howsoeuer they beginne or proceede yet their end is miserable their Catastrophe lamentable Death beeing to the wicked the diuels seriant to arrest them and carry them without bayle to a prison of vtter darkenesse which to the godly is the Lords Gentleman vsher to conduct them to a pallace of euerlasting happinesse yea death beeing to the one as Sathans cart to carry them presenly to execution in hell which to the other is as Elias his firie Chariot to mount them vp to heauen For p Eccl. 11. 3. Olimpiod As the tree falleth so it lyeth As a man dyeth in the fauour or disfauour of God so without changing or recalling hee remaineth Vnusquisque cum causa sua dormit cum causa sua resurgit as D. Austin speaketh And to conclude Aug. this point on euery mans particular death his particular iudgement attendeth either of the soules eternall blisse in heauen or euerlasting woe in hell which all the praises praiers and preaching of men Saints or Angels
a cheape rate shall then buy too late repentance at a deere hand For the Angel hath sworne by him that liueth for euer that time shall bee no more z Reu. 10. 6. that is after this life there shall be no more time for repentance for remission for saluation Life and saluation is here either lost or wonne as D. Cyprian affirmeth Cypr. contr Demetr after this life no effect or working of satisfaction auaileth To whom D. Austin accordeth Aug. Epist 54 ad Macedon Epist ad Hesyc saying There is no other place to correct our manners and conditions but onely in this life and againe as euery mans last day doth leaue him so Gods day i. the day of iudgement shall finde him Euery man shall sleepe and rise againe with his owne cause as he dyeth so shall he be iudged Wherefore now whilst thou liuest set both thine house and heart in order prepare thy soule and make it ready for the Lord repose not thine vnprepared selfe vpon the vaine staies of deceiuing Popery vpon Masses Trentals Dirges Pilgrimages Praiers Pardons and such like superstitious shews of piety fondly inuented to releeue soules in and release them out of fained Purgatory Beleeue me beleeue me for what I say the truth proclameth the word confirmeth and too wofull experience testifieth the presumptuous hope of helpe in Purgatory Purgatory confuted hath sent many thousand deceiued soules to hell That I may say no more I can say no lesse of that Popish puddle if I say the truth but as the Apostle said of an Idoll an Idoll is * 1. Cor. 8. 4. nothing so Purgatory is nothing it is none of Gods creatures it is none of Gods ordinances it was neuer in his counsell and therefore can neuer stand with his prouidence It was neuer knowne in the Church of Israell or a doctrine a Exod. 24. 8. sprinkled vpon that people with the bloud of the old couenant by Moyses who was b Nom. 12. 7. faithfull in Gods house and deliuered all he saw vpon the Mount Moyses prescribing all kind of sacrifices in the old law maketh no mention either of sacrificing or praying for the dead without which Purgatory cannot stand As for the New testament Purgatory hath no footing or foundation therein this teacheth plainly and plentifully c 1. Ioh. 1. 7. Gal. 3. 13. Rom. 8. 2. that the bloud of Christ alone purgeth and preserueth vs ab omni culpa paena from all sinne and all punishment due vnto the same Good old Simeon neuer dreamed of Purgatory when he said d Luk. 2. 29. Lord now let thy seruant depart in peace for there is little peace in Purgatory by the Papists owne positions It neuer came into Saint Pauls mind when he said e Ephes 1. 23. I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ. It was neuer reueiled to the Angell when hee spake from heauen saying f Reu. 14. 13. Write from henceforth amodo Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord for they rest from their labours There is no paine in blisse no toile in rest if this happines be amodo euen straight vpon the dissolution as * Ambr. Lorin in act Nescit tarda molimina spiritus Dei gratia then there is no danger by the way no delay in supposed Purgatory Neither Lazarus nor the rich man were acquainted with it for Luk. 16. the one was immediatly carried into Abrahams bosome the other cast into hell Hee which said to the good thiefe who came in the nicke of oportunity to beg grace while grace was a dealing g Luk 23. 43. This day shalt thou bee with mee not in Purgatory but in Paradise knew only two waies the strait way to heauen the broad way to hell and therefore speaketh to his sheepe h Mat. 25. Come ye blessed to the goats Goe yee cursed The third way hee which knew all things did not know for indeed there is no such way to know It is only an opinion of papizing Paganes or rather paganizing Papists heathenish in deuise hellish for practise Romish for gaine It is most iniurious to the bloud of Christ which alone purgeth our sinne pleadeth our cause purchaseth our peace to be briefe it delaieth and destroieth soule sauing repentance without which there is no remission of sinne here and with which satisfaction for sinne hereafter cannot stand For there commeth nothing to the spirits of them that are dead but according to that wich they wrought while they were aliue Bona opera sequuntur bonos to crowne them mala opera persequuntur Cypr. malos to torment them Wherefore to returne to my purpose againe and not to suffer Popish peeuish Purgatory with which I met only by the way to transport mee farther out of the way mine humble and hearty request vnto you all is this that yee would agree with yo◠〈…〉 uersary quickly i whilst ye are in the way and that ye would all labour Mat. 5. 25. and indeuour to be reconciled vnto the Lord while it is to day k Worke ô man thy righteousnesse Eccl. 14. 16. before thy death as the wiseman counselleth l Doe what thine Eccl. 9. 10. owne hand findeth to do with all thy power as Salomon aduiseth m Doe Gal. 6. 10. good vnto all whilst thou hast time as Saint Paul admonisheth And n Worke while it is to day as our Ioh. 9. 4. â—ril in Iohan. â— 6. c. 14. Sauiour exhorteth for the night commeth i. the darknes of death wherein none can worke or wipe away those death breeding staines which in the day of his life he contracted as Cyrill noteth Make hast then and delay not set to the worke enter persently into a strict course of religion answerable to thy place and vocation be not discouraged though at first a religious straight conuersation seeme to thee an vncomfortable companion for blessed is that mortification which so estrangeth vs from the world that it changeth vs into the similitude of Christ O deale faithfully with thine owne soule sift search examine and ransacke the same to come to a true sight sense and vnfeigned sorrow for all thy sinnes especially thy bosome beloued darling sinnes extenuate them not as Saul did but aggrauate them as 1. Sam. 13. 12. Dan. 9. 5. Daniel did and all other thy transgressions against thy selfe in the consistory of thine owne conscience by the multitude and contagiousnesse of them in that by them many haue beene infected of whose repentance thou art not assured but that some of them beeing dead may for any thing thou knowest be damned and others liuing may be in the like dangerous estate too euen for those sinnes which in thy company by thine example or through thine occasion they commited O consider this blush for shame split for sorrow fret for indignation o at the recounting hereof 2. Cor. 7. 11. for such euils are not onely
words were now written and written not in loose papers but in a booke and not written onely but engrauen and that with an iron pen in lead or in stone to endure not for a time onely but for euer to the solace of all distressed Saints I know that my Redeemer liueth and though the wormes destroy my body yet shall I see him in my flesh againe with these mine eies c. Dauid distressed Dauid anchored on this hold and indeede the surges of sorrow had quite sunke his soule when Saule a 1. Sam. 19. persecuted him b 2. Sam. 6. Micholl derided him c 1. Sam. 22. Doeg accused him d 2. Sam. 16. Shemei rayled vpon him and e 2. Sam. 18. Absalon rebelled against him but that hee fixed his eies on this cape of good hope and f Psalm 27. 13. beleeued verily to see the goodnes of the Lord in the Land of the liuing Paul blessed St. Paul was rauished with this heauenly hope and soule-solacing assurance of life after death and therefore desireth to be dissolued and to be with Christ Phil. 1. 23. which is best of all St. Stephen that bold champion for christianity and faithful Proto-Martyr Act. 7. of Christ Iesus when hee was to be stoned feeling this holy comfort in the middest of heauy combats opposuit furori patientiā Lossius in Act. mortis terrori vitae despicientiam opposed his patience to his enemies fury the contempt of life to the terrour of death and hauing a sweet foretaste of the ioies which body and foule should iointly inioy in heauen he with a victorious grace despised all matter of torment and discontentment which his aduersaries malice could inflict vpon them on earth Ignatius that holy Martyr in the Primitiue Church beeing fully furnished with this assured hope of his bodies resurrection went confidently vnto a bloudy execution saying Frumentum Dei ego sum c. I am Gods corne now shall I bee ground small by the teeth of wild beasts to bee made fine manchet for my Lords table Babilas Bishop of Antioch building on the same assurance spake comfortably to his soule when he was drawne to a cruell death Returne my soule vnto thy rest for the Lord hath bene mercifull vnto thee This infallible expectation of a glorious resurrection made Saint Paul to conclude so triumphantly Rom. 8. I am perswaded that neither Rom. 8. 38. 39. life nor death nor things present nor things to come shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God And againe My departing is at hand I haue fought a good fight 2. Tim. 4. 7. 8. I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith Hencefoorth is laid vp for mee the crowne of righteousnesse which the righteous ludge shall giue me at that day and not to mee onely but vnto all them also which loue his appearing To which purpose hee speaketh thus in the name of all the faithfull Heere we haue no continuing City Heb. 13. 14. but wee looke for one to come and though we liue on earth yet our conuersation is in heauen from whence also wee looke for the Sauiour Phil. 3. 20. 21. euen the Lord Iesus Christ who shall change our vile bodies that they may be like his glorious body So that a change shall come and indeed wee are all desirous of some change as not contented with our estate Adam would change to be as Gen. 3. 2. Sam. 15. wise as his maker Absolon would sit in his fathers seat and of a subiect bee a Soueraigne Salomon would haue change of wiues The Israelites would change Samuell 1. Sam. 8. 5. the righteous Iudge for Saul a wicked King The Sychemites Gen. 34 23. would change their religion in hope of commodity and too many amongst vs would change the food of Angels and heauenly Manna for the flesh-pots of Egypt in hope of more libertie Yea the most haue changed plaine dealing into crafty vndermining mercy into malice single tongues and hearts into dubble and a great number like Proteus can change themselues into all formes like Polypus into all colours like courtly Aristippus into all fashions Omnis Aristippum decuit color status res But while we affect these alterations not vnlike to Glaucus his commutation of gold for brasse Homer while we are thus occupied about these choppings and changings we seeme seldome or neuer to remember that great change whereof the Apostle speaketh in the place before mentioned wherevnto Iob here aimeth saying All the daies of mine appointed time will I wait till my changing shall come Which changing is not onely an exchange of earth for heauen of a prison for a Pallace of an estate in sinne and misery for perfect holinesse and glory in respect of the foule but a change also of a mortall life for an immortall of corruption for incorruption in regard of the body For as there is a twofold death the one of the soule beeing depriued of the operation of Gods spirit and separated from God by sinne The other of the body being 1. Tim. 5. 6. destitute of the operation and working of the soule So there is a twofold resurrection the one Two-fold Resurrection spirituall of the soule a peccato ad gratiam from sinne vnto grace here the other corporall of the body a sepulchro ad gloriam from the graue vnto glory heereafter Which great day of the generall resurrection the Angels desire to see the diuels tremble to heare of and other creatures sigh groane for and man especially must looke and long for and cannot be without it whether we respect the manifold profits which come by it or the wonderfull inconueniences which would arise from the want of it For how can we dwelling on earth haue our conuersation in heauen if we do not looke for the comming of our Sauiour Phil 3. 20. 21. Christ and how can wee looke for his cōming except wee beleeue the resurrection and how can we beleeue the resurrection vnlesse we acknowledge that power by the which hee is able to subdue all things vnto himselfe Againe how doe wee acknowledge God to be God in almighty power without the faith of the resurrection and how can wee haue the faith of the resurrection without the hope of a Sauiour and how can we haue the hope of a Sauiour without an heauenly conuersation so that the life of this conuersation is hope by the which we expect the comming of a Sauiour and the ground of this hope is faith by the which we are assured that at his comming hee shall change our vile bodies and make them like to his glorious body And the reason of this faith beyond reason is his power by which hee is able to subdue all things vnto himselfe All these bee linkes so diuinely hanging depending each on other in that golden chaine of the Apostle that if we let slip one we loose the
soeuer thou bee bee prudent and prouident as it beseemeth thy yeeres thy place thy office thy state embrace Eliphaz his exhortation Iob 12. 21. Acquaint thy selfe with God make thy peace with him there by shalt thou haue prosperity Iob 22. Wisdome saith Salomon is the gray Sap. 4. haire and an vndefiled life is the old age Let these ô let these wisdome and an vndefiled life meete together in thee and kisse each other looke narrowly to thy waies least either in the greatnes of thy power thou forget God or in the abundance of thy pleasures remember not thy selfe Be not like Nabuchadnezar who in the ruffe of his pride remembred not who had made him till God had mard him neither acknowleged who set his ioints together till God had rent his Kingdome asunder But let my counsell be acceptable to thee ô man whether Knight Iustice Gentleman or all in one and let mee boldly say to thee as Daniel did to him Breake Dan. 4. 24. off thy sinnes by righteousnesse and thine iniquities by mercy towards the poore Loe let there bee an healing of thine errors Loe thou hast erred and gone astray by thy pride and luxury returne returne by the holy way of temperance and humility Thou hast through couetousnes and malice sowen in hardnes of heart O returne by the way of mercifulnes and charity least thou reape in horror of cōscience Returne returne ô Shulamite as Cant. 6. 12. Christ speaketh to his Spouse returne returne that we may behold thee that we may see aswell a sight of thy good workes as heare a sound of thy good words that we may behold the fruits of amendment in thee place not the anchor of thine eternall wealth and woe on so ticklesome a point as thy repentance at last cast Repent amend defer not from time to time least God in whose hands are the moments of time cut thee off from all time and send thee to paines eternall without time for abusing the singular benefit of time in this world make not thy death-bed to smart by thy wilfull adiournings of thy repentance In the midst of thy ruling remember thy reckoning suffer now whilst it is to day the seeds of godlines to be sowne more and more in the field of thy repentant heart that whensoeuer the night of death commeth thou maiest reape receiue the plentifull crop of a ioyfull haruest furnish thy soule with grace and inure it to a sweete conuersation with God in thy life so shall the offering of thy death-bed be acceptable and thou maiest boldly make God the guardian thereof in thy death And now at length to come to Tertia Part. Viaticum in via my last part and to shut it vp in a word beeing desirous to recompence the largenes of my former discourse with the briefe touch of that which followeth let mee Right Worshipfull and beloued in Iesus Christ intreat you all both old and young which haue heard and seene this day the blacke colours of death and the glorious ensignes of the resurrection displayed to make the due and daily meditation of both vsefull profitable vnto you that your practises in this life may hence forward be more commendable and your passage out of this life when God shall call you be blessed and comfortable Let me I say intreat you all in a serious consideration of the speedy approach of death sure in the end vnsure in the time and bitter when it commeth and of the certain appearance of vs al before the iudgement seat of Christ to render an account of our doings in that day of resurrection to watch all the daies of your life and with holy Iob in my text to waite till your changing shall come Your change may come at a suddaine therefore be alwaies prouided and prouide not so much by corporall phisicke as the maner of most is to put off death that it may not so soone happen vnto you as by soule sauing phisicke repentance faith obedience cleernes of conscience and comforts of Gods word and confidence in his sweete promises to cut off the sting and malignity of death that whensoeuer it comes it may not hurt you This this is viaticū in via prouision in the way to bring vs in safety to the iourneies end of euerlasting felicity O runne with alacrity this race of piety set before you Gratia praeparandus animus mens D. Ambros li. 1. off c. 38. stabilienda ad constantiam saith St. Ambrose for expedition in this iourney pray for grace practise constancie Seeke earnestly for the things that are aboue liue after the lawes of the new Ierusalem which is aboue your Burgeship is in heauen bee not then earthly minded but heauenly affected labour to get more more assurance of the forgiuenesse of your sinnes and to feele in your soules the power of Christs death in dying vnto sinne and the vertue of his resurrection in rising to newnes of life And that you may out of the court of Requests the more easily obtaine for all your transgressions an assured pardon indulgence put somewhat euery day into the court of Gods Exchequer in hope of recompence or remembrance that with good Nehemiah you may Neh. 13. 22. say Lord remember me according to this and pardon me after thy great mercies Let the counsell of our Sauiour be precious Lay vp treasure Matt. 6. 14. for your selues in heauen send your vertuous actions the best monuments of a Christian thither before you Bee zealous of good workes studious of piety abundant in the deeds of charity for the witnes and inward testimony of a well-deeded life when all other comforts leaue you will relieue and comfort you in death accompany you to heauen and present it selfe with you before God By these fruites of a liuely faith Ezek. 9. as his own marks God will know and acknowledge vs to be his and for these his owne gifts which are our best merits he will reward vs and this reward is a life and such a life as is eternall is a crowne and Rom. 6. 23. 1. Pet. 5. 4. Heb. 12. 28. 1. Pet. 1. 4. 2. Pet. 3. such a crowne as is the crowne of glory is a kingdome and such a kingdome as cannot be shaken is an inheritance and such an inheritance as is immortall vndefiled For the obtaining of which life crowne kingdome inheritance what manner persons ought we to be in holy conuersation and godlines how ought wee in respect of these great and gracious promises to giue all diligence to ioine to 2. Pet. 1. 5. our faith vertue to our vertue patience temperāce brotherly kindnes and all other ornaments of a sanctified life These these are Viaticum in Bern. mundo the saurus in coelo Prouision for spirituall comfort in this world for a celestiall crown in that to come O let vs in this behalfe be prouident and thriuing Christians and whilst we are in
health let vs ô let vs out of the large garden of Gods word gather many sweet flowers to comfort vs in the day of sicknes to solace vs in the houre of death Let wisdome enter into our hearts and the knowledge of Prou. 2. 10. the gospel delight now our soules that the remeÌ„brance of such good lessons as by diligent reading and reuerent hearing we haue learned may then stand vs in stead to confirme our faith to strengthen our hope and to make vs conquerors in that our last combat It hath euer bin accounted more noble and succesfull to set vpon an Note enemy in his owne home then to expect till he set vpon vs whilst we make a defensiue warre This rule serues vs very well for our last enemy death with which wee must meet in the way through premeditation in our minds before it seize vpon our bodies premeditate we Rom. 7. 24. Phil. 1. 23. must with what limitations it is to be desired in what respect it is to be feared and for what ends it is daily to be expected Happy is that soule that can send out the scouts of his thoughts before hand to discouer the power the peril the profit of death and blessed is hee that can meditate thus with St. Austin August med If my life may bring farther glory to thee and good to thy Church giue life sweet Iesu giue life but if it cannot send death sweet Iesu send death but in the darknes of death thee to be mine euerlasting light and life Doubtles our carelesenes and vnpreparatioÌ„ is deaths aduantage whereas if we would coÌ„front him with courage in our often deuout and discreet meditations and consider how that those worthies of whom the world was not worthy haue gone that way before vs how Heb. 11 38. Christ hath by his death sanctified it vnto vs and perfumed the graue for vs wee shall find his force lesse fearefull and make death aduantageous vnto vs namely a passage vnto a better life the very gate to heauenly glory In a longing desire after which glory the glimpse whereof made S. Peter cry out Bonum est esse hic Mar. 9. 5. It is good to be here Let vs all not only with Iob wait for but with St. Paul wish for our changing let vs setting our houses and hearts in order henceforward prepare for our departing stand fast with our loines girt and staues in our hand Exod. 12. Gen. 18. 1. King 19. Mat. 25. that wee may passe ouer into the heauenly Canaan with Abraham in the tent doore with Elias in the caues mouth with the wise Virgins hauing the light of faith in our hearts and the burning lamps of good workes in our hands let vs be ready to meet the bridegroom and to follow the lambe wheresoeuer he goeth It is recorded of Dr. Ierom that wheresoeuer he was and whatsoeuer â—â— vita Hieron he did it seemed he heard the Archangel with the trumpet sounding Surgite ad iudicium Arise vnto iudgement I could wish this sound were alwaies in our eares that it might sinke deepe into our hearts and worke in them a reuerent feare of God and rouse vs out of the sleep of sin and make vs prepared willingly to leaue this sinfull and wretched world which is such a pull-backe from God that Salomon iudgeth him that is dead better then him that is aliue for the more daies wee spend the more waies we offend In regard whereof happy were we if with St. Paul and St. Pauls affection we could say I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ and Phil. 1. with Iacob and Iacobs resolution O Lord I wait for thy saluation and Gen. 40. with old Simeon Simeons deuotion Lord now lettest thou thy seruant Luk. 2. depart in peace for mine eies haue seene thy saluation I feare no sin I dread no death I haue long'd inough I haue my loue I haue seen ynough I haue my light I haue liued ynough I haue my life Lord nowe let thy seruant depart in peace Happy I say were we if our harts and mouthes were full of these meditations I must die because I haue sinned I woudl dy that I might sin no more I must dy because I am the sonne of man I would die that I might be the son of God I must dy because I liue with wicked men on earth I would die that I might liue with righteous Saints in heauen Happie and thrice happy are they which are thus religiously exercised and christianly affected Happy then by the iudgement of charity is he as for the iudgement of certainty the Lord alone knoweth his who in a coÌ„fortable christian maner was thus resolued and in the time of his sickenes vnto his end piouslie deuoted I meane this breathles deceased Knight whose funerals we now celebrate A man well knowne to you all in the time of his life best knowne and in the best sort to me as hee drew neerer to his death Whom without offence I hope I may call good King Ezekiahs knight for as Ezekiah being summoned by sicknes the Prophets Isa 38. short sermon to prepare for his dissolution turned presently to the wall praied and wept in the like manner according to that measure of grace which God had giueÌ„ him did this Knight demeane himselfe who soone vpon his visitation feeling his infirmity acknowledging his humane frailtie turned to the wall that is from the world to God to consecrate the short remainder of his life to diuine meditation humble hearty praier praying often though not in the like maner as Ezekiah did Lord remember how I haue walked before thee in sincerity and truth yet to the same effect for mercy Lord remember not the sinnes of my youth weeping also and shedding teares and such teares as either were distilled from the bitter hearbs of others affliction by the heat of compassion or from the sweet flowers of Gods mercies by the flame of godly meditation or from the euill weedes of his owne sins by the fire of hearty contrition Whose setled resolution to die assoone as he was visited whose strong vowes aâ—d protestatioÌ„s to become a new man if hee recouered whose patience in enduring the paines and griefe wherewith hee daylie languished whose piety and deuotion in begging pardon for his transgressions which hee freely confessed whose charitable disposition in forgiuing all and desiring to bee forgiuen of al whom he had any way offended whose constant perseuerance in good motions and exhortations in godly speeches meditations as long as life and memory continued as they deserue my iust commendation who was an often witnesse of it so do they require your christian imitation that both in life and death you may be the better for it I will not study to speake any thing but truth in this busines Concerning the former course of his life I will say nothing to it but if any
other can iustly except against it I will say this to him A little thereof is now ynough and any thing at all is somewhat too much De mortuis nil nisi bonum Virgil Aeneid 3. Parce pias scelerare manus oh parce sepulto For mine own part as I dare not blanch any mans faults because it is contrary to my profession so I hold it now an vnfit time to blab or blaze a dead mans follies it is somewhat I thinke beyond my cōmission Charity vnder one vertue couers many blemishes whereas malice like a kite feeding on nothing but carrion vnder one vice couers many excellencies I will leaue malice to those which loue to dwell in the tents of Meshek following the rule of charity will passe from his former conuersation in the daies of his health to that which was much more commendable and comfortable his godly comportment behauiour in his sicknes vntill his death and what I haue seene and heard with these mine eies and eares I will boldly testifie that at my first comming to him which was a fortnight before his death I found him religiouslie disposed and concerning his end and passage out of this life well resolued the apprehension of his sins beeing so well temper'd with a sweet application of Gods mercy that he seemed to mee to goe an euen course betwixt feareles security and saithles dispaire the conscience of his manifold transgressions humbling him indeed and casting him downe but the consideration of Gods infinite mercies reuiuing him and lifting him vp againe To whō after I had made known by priuate conference with him what an especiall signe of Gods fauour it was to bee so graciouslie inuited by a lingring sicknes as a long sermon to come by the way of repentance vnto him and hereupon had cheered him vp against the terrors of death and exhorted him to deale faithfully with his owne soule in sorrowing yet more deeply suing for a pardon more earnestly for all the errors of his life because God did yet wait to Isa 30 18. shew him more mercy he heereunto made this ready answere I know and feele God to bee mercifull and were hee not exceeding mercifull I were very miserable for I haue a long account to make But fetching a deep sigh I beseech God to binde all my sins in a bundle and to cast them into the bottome of the Sea that they may neuer rise vp in iudgement against me which pithy praier twice together he vttered and that with so great vehemencie that in some conflic̄t of passion he brake foorth into teares wept bitterly which signe of gōdly sorrow appearing in him I comforted and counselled him in the wordes of the Prophet telling him that God would treasure vp al true repentant teares into his bottle and if we did mourn Psalm 56. 8. ouer Christ Iesus whom wee haue crucified by our sinnes and open vnto him a fountain of teares God would open vnto vs a fountaine of Zach. 12. 10. Zach. 13. 1. grace to wash vs from all our sins which comfortable place of Scripture hee as feelingly apprehended and applied to his soule in these words O Lord open this fountaine to me be gracious to me forgiue me forgiue me as I forgiue all the world And so vttering partly of himself and partly repeating after me these and the like sentences or short ciaculatory praiers O Lord in thee Psalm 31. Psalm 90. is my trust let me neuer be confounded returne Lord and bee pacified toward thy seruant comfort mee as thou hast afflicted mee Reueale thy grace and glory to mee and in my greatest extremity refresh mee with the sweet tast of thy mercy my heart fainteth and strength faileth but in thy helpe is my onely hope O Lord Psalm 37. 26. say to my soule I am thy saluation c. at length vpon his entreatie the whole company there present ioined together with me in a more solemne praier vnto God for him himself accompanying vs very willingly and reuerently and in this praier behauing himselfe so passionately with such wringing of his hands lifting vp of his eies with such heauy sighs and groanes of his heart expressing the feruency of his zeale and deuotion that the report heere of may seeme incredible to many wich knew his former life and conuersation But I know what I speake and I speake it not to praise the dead for my praises preaching or praiers cānot profit him neither to please any of his friends liuing for it is basenes of mind this way to picke thanke of them but to the eternall praise of the vnspeakable goodnes of our euerliuing God who shewed to this deceased knight so great mercy as to giue him so religious a mind in so great weaknes of body and not onely so but blessed him likewise with a very ready memory from the beginning to the end of his sicknes in such sort that conferring diuers times with him about some particulars concerning sound repentance and the assurance of Saluation and the certaine tokens of our peace and reconciliation with God and quoting many places of Scripture especially out of the 8. Rom 17. Ioh. out of the 51. 73. 91. Psalmes to strengthen his faith and affiance in Gods mercy through Christs merits to confirme his hope in the assured expectation of a ioyfull resurrection and to set him forward in the holy way to a happy better life to come I must confesse to the glory of God that hee would many times meet me halfe waies in the midst of the said sentēces apply them to his soule with such feruency and feeling as was much I saw to his owne comfort but more as I vnderstand to his friends ioy and admiration To be short I come to his death which was on St. Stephens day he accounting it an addition to his hoped for happines that he should goe to heauen when so blessed a Martyr ascended as by one of his deerest friends I was enformed for this I speake vpon the report of others as also how that he spent the beginning of this day in finishing his last will and testament and in performing kinde charitable offices for his brethren sisters seruants and other friends The rest as a man sequestred from the world he spent in praier in meditation and soliloquies betwixt God his soule as if he had learned of dying St. Ierom to say O my Euseb in vita Hieron friends interrupt not my approaching ioy doe not hinder me from yeelding to the earth that which is the earths vntill about the euening comming to him againe hee rowsed himselfe and glad of my presence conferred with me receiued counsell comfort and encouragement from me being desirous that I with such also as were present should once yea againe and the third time pray for him feeling belike his time to be short so that I found him euery way as religiously deuoted and christianly affected and