their life time subiect vnto bondage Heb. 2.14 Well therefore say the learned Marl. ex Pet. Mart in 1. Cor. 15.17 Ipse bellum nostrum pugnauit nos victoriae illius per fidem redditi sumus perticipes Hee hath fought our battaile and through faith wee are made partakers of his conquest So that we may say and not vse the Apostles words much amisse Wee know that hee which hath raised vp the Lord Iesus shall raise vs vp also 2. Cor. 4.14 Euen when Christ which is our head shall appeare then shall we appeare with him in glory Collos 3.4 Then Sciant fideles se ex mundo migrare Calu. in 1. Thess 4. vt tandem colligantur in regnum dei The faithfull doo know that they depart out of the world that at the last they may bee receiued into the kingdome of God And then God shall wipe away all teares from our eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there be any more paine for the first things are passed Reue. 21.4 So that euen in this world Insultare morti licet Seb. Mai. in 1. Co. 15. tanquam subactae quia Christi victoria nostra est Wee may triumph ouer death as conquered because the victorie of Christ is ours Then to end this thankes bee vnto God which hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord lesus Christ Therefore my deare brethren be ye stadfast and vnmooueable and alwaies rich in the workes of the Lord. Why shuld you tremble at the remembrance of death Further there may be added a sift consideration which may make death comfortable vnto vs and though it be here last in order yet see thou too it as to one of the first chiefe which must goe before the rest And this is in thy whole life time carefully to expresse the truth and soundnesse of thy faith by thy good workes Iam. 2.20 Which GOD hath ordained that wee should walke in them Ephe. 2.10 because the bloud of Christ hath purged our conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God Heb. 9.14 Which seruice of good workes must be done not as causes but as fruites that follow iustification Quia opera bona ex ipsius iustificatione operamur Aug. de Gram. Nobi Test ad Honorat ca. 30. Aug. ad Simpl. li. 1. Quest. 2. because our good workes doo spring from our iustification as light from the sunne And whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne And without faith it is impossible to please God But if thou haue this oyle in thy Lamps of faith and keepe not thy conuersation in the lusts of thy flesh fulfilling the will of the flesh and of the mind thou shalt be redaie for the Bridegroome with the fiue wise Virgins and death can doo thee no harme Nisi peccatum habueris non est quod mortem timeas Stella in Luk. 12. Tom. 2. fol. 73. c. except thou haue sinne thou needest not feare death but when thou doost transgresse the commaundement of the Lord then doest thou arme death and make it able and strong to fight against thy selfe Stella in Luk. 12. Tom. 2. fol. 37. But Mors sinullum adsit peccatū imbecillis inarmis venit Death where sinne is absent comes weake and vnarmed as I hope the Spaniard will if we haue no Traytors at home Well Amb. de bono mort cap. 5. Qui vicerit non laedetur a morte secunda He that ouercommeth to wit by the blood of the Lambe shall not be hurt of the second death Therefore Quod eam timeamus quae animae nocere non scleat Why should we be afraid of her that vseth not to hurt such a soule Feare ye not them saith Christ that kill the bodie but are not able to kill the soule Can the Bee hurt thee haue lost her sting And can death wound thy soule without thine owne sin The sting of death is sinne Resist the diuel and he will flie from thee and keepe death from thine owne sword of sinne and she shall not hurt thee The fire flameth and fumeth like a tyrant whilest it hath matter and the Diuell hath great wrath knowing that he hath but a short time But as God hath set the sea boundes which it cannot passe though it rage and swell horribly and as the strong winde may shake off the leaues from the greatest Oake but the stocke standeth firme euen so death the diuel and the world may a little trouble nature experience heerein hath taught me something but they cannot beate downe faith As examples of many doo teach Of holie Iob Sydrach Misach and Abednego Daniel the Prophet the Apostles and holie Martyrs Therefore saith the Apostle Paul I am perswaded Rom. 8.38.39 that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lorde But flie thou from sinne as from a Serpent the matter of this sire the baite of the Diuel and the sting of death by which thy soule is so wonnded that without the mighty worke of God thou canst not be saued Then cease to doo euill learne to doo well Proue your owne workes take the brest-plate of righteousnesse the shield of faith and helmet of saluation c. and fight a good fight None is crowned except hee striue lawfully Non datur Nobilitati palma sed cursui There is no respect of persons with God he seeth not as man seeth Therefore so runne that ye may obtaine do well and haue well For God rewardeth euerie man according to his workes not of due debt but of his louing and free mercie This is briefe One droppe of the Sea dooth taste the saultnesse of the whole and by this thou maiest sauour the truth Which beeing not to be withstood what maner of men ought we to be in holie conuersation and righteousnesse Why do we not shewe forth our faith by our good works Ambr. li. de Nab. Iezr cap. 14. Qui dines est in misericordia diues est in deo He that is rich in the workes of mercy is rich in God and this sacrifice pleaseth him But he that hath this worlds goods and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him as the mysers of the world doo that will not abate one penny in a bushell of corne to helpe the poore how dwelleth the loue of God in them Euen as Christ abode among the Gargesens he departed out of their coastes Therefore let not your Religion be in words as of most it is but in deeds as of all it should For pure Religion and vndefiled before God euen the Father is this to visite the fatherlesse and the widow in their aduersitie and to keep himselfe vnspotted of the world This beloued is Comes defunctorum Ambrose A
But syr God is comming downe with the shout of an Archangell as hee did to view the Ci ie and the Tower which the sonnes of men builded (y) Gen. 11.5 and to see whether they haue done according to the cry which is come vp into his eares And therefore to conclude this part take the counsell of the Apostle those which thus in any point haue liued be ashamed of your former conuersation as Adam was of his nakednes (z) Ro. 6.21 and hide your selues vnder the tree of life Christ Iesus take of the water that he doth giue and liue for euer Learne of him for hee is meeke and lowly and you shall sinde rest vnto yoursoules And as S. Augustine saith Erubescat homo esse superbus propter quem factus est humilus deus Let man bee ashamed for to bee proud for whose sake God so humbled himselfe And decke your selues inwardly with lowlynesse of minde If you will not hearken what followeth 1. Pet. 5.5 Thou shalt be brought downe to the graue to the sides of the pit 1. To hell as after you shal heare And thus much for the first part or proposition You see how she will mount and be like God Now you shall heare how God doth allow it The second part of the text opened likewise in the Chapter following Thou shalt bee brought downe to the graue The text vers 15. to the sides of the pit And as Saint Ierom translateth it into the depth of the pit In profundum Loci 1. The bottome of hell Here I note two things First the fall of Pride Secondly the place whither shee shall fall In her fall I obserue first who threatneth her fall Secondly of what power or strength the threatning is Thirdly how God effecteth his threatnings or purpose vpon the proud The place heere appointed for the proud is first the graue and then the sides of the pitte CHAP. I. Who dareth to tame those proud before spoken off HEe that heere threatneth to bring downe the proud that rise vp against Gods Church Dent. 28.58 2. Esd 8.21 c. is the Lord God whose throne is glorious fearefull Whose name is inestimable and his glory is incoÌ„prehensible before whom the hoast of Angels stand with trembling And shall not his excellencie make you afraid Iob. 13.11 Who after in this Chapter as often in the scripture is called the Lord of Hoasts Isay 1.9.24 10.26 Ier. 11.28 29.8 because he hath all things in heauen and in earth and euery where else at his commaundement as souldiers vnder him And he saith to one goe and he goeth to an other come and he commeth and to his seruant doo this and he doth it as the Centurion told Christ hee did Mat. 8.9 Now consider if the commaundement of man were of such force the commaundement of God is greater If the Centurion were to be beleeued why should not God This God the Lord of Hoastes that planted thee ô man hath pronounced a plague against thee Thou shalt bee brought downe Paul the Apostle saith It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne And now it is God that speaketh who dares to withstand In the batâ—â—â—â— betwixt Israel and Ame-Iech when Moyses held vp this haâ—d Israel had the better And when God taketh the matter into his hands he will preuaile For it is written Who shall bee able to stand before him when he is angry Euen none at all For at thy â—ebuke ô God of Iacob both the chariot and horse are falue This the proud Egyptians knew in spightfull enâ—ie pursuing Israel Therfore euery one said I wil flie from the face of Israel for the Lord fighteth for them And will not Priae and all sinne flie now God is bent against them When proud Haman had made ready his gallowes and was come to the Kings Court minding to get and take Mardoche the Lords seruant that he might hang him a contratie winde to Hamans expectation had hoyst vp Mardoche to fauour Hest 6.10 11. and Haman in stead of a hangman to shut his breath which hee intended became Mardoches footman and heraâ—ld to proclaime his honour which hee sore disdained and for which he was no lesse grieued then Ahab was when he could not get Naboth his vineyard Ahab came into his house heauie and in displeasure And euen so Haman hasted home mourning and his head couâ—red and tolde Zereth his wife and all his friends all that had befalne him Then said his wise men his wife vnto him If Mardâ—che be of the seed of the Iewes Hest â— 12 13. before whom thou hast begunne to fall thou shalt not preuaile against him but shalt surely fall before him And indeed no more he did For Hamans head was a button for his owne halâ—er and his body became the clapper of his own bell to ring his soule to hell To be plaine he was hanged vpon his owne gallowes Now beloued if Hamans wife and his wife men knew that he should not preuaile against Mardoche because he was of the seed of Israel Shall Pride thinke to rise and preuaile against the Lorde which is the God of Israel who casteth out the heathen before him and bringeth the counsell of Princes to nought and maketh the deuises of the people to be of none effect whose throne is the heauens and the earth his foot-stoole whose glorie is ouer all the earth who filleth all things with the power of his maiestie euen God in his holie habitation No no. It is in vaine for the pot to striâ—e against the Potter When the King of Iuda threatened warre to the King of Israel Rom. 9.20 the King of Israel returned this answere again That it was but the Thistle against the Cedar So he made account of the King of Iuda and of his strength 2. Reg. 14.9 but as of a thistle in regard of himselfe But God is of greater strength against the wicked to destroy them then the Cedar is in respect of the thistle to breake it There was a battle in heaueÌ„ Michael his Angels fought against the Dragon and the Dragon fought his angels But they preuailed not neither was their place found any more in heauen And the great dragon that old serpent called the diuel Ephe. 5.5 Reu. 21.27 and sathan was cast out and so shall Pride and proud men The Psalmist saith All the beasts of the forrest are mecked and tamed by man but the beasts of Pride God wil came Sequitur superbos victor a tergo deus Sen. in Her furiente Zeph. 2.11 God will be vpoÌ„ the backs of them He will take their matter into his owne hands he wil deale with them himself whom none else can match or dares meddle with Therefore saith the holie Ghost God resisteth the proud And againe 1. Pet. 5.5 Iam. 4.16 The Lord will destroy she house of proud meÌ„ that is their posteritie Thogh Pride be so stout
and whatsoeuer is vilde which shee once disdained should touch her shall now tread vpon her Yea stinke and rottennesse shall so preuaile against that bodie which was once so proud that none may abide it like Herods and Antiochus but all men readie to get her into the ground to auoyd her noy some smel which once abounded with Pomanders and must-balls Thus wee see a foule fall of filthie Pride neuer thought vpon before it come of the most Like Diues who neuer remembred hell vntill hee was in it Then he cried But if thou once be there Luk. 16.24 then neuer hope for helpe for Ab inferno nulla est redemptic thou shalt neuer come out Amend then before death come Ambr. lib. de bono Mortis c. 2. et in oratione de fide resur Aug. in Io. Tract 42. lib. Q. 2.65 32. Oreg in Epist ad Rom. lib. 6. Of death the auncient and learned Fathers haue gathered from the holie scriptures as the painfull Bees dooth hony from the flowers not only for themselues but for others Sic vos non vobis fertis aratra boues Therefore because that which is written is written for our learning I haue gathered from them both foure kindes of death 1 The death of sin generall 2 The death Mysticall 3 The death Naturall 4 The death Eternall 1 The death of sinne as Saint Ambrose calls it is the depriuation or losse or darkening of the Image of God in man like vnto which hee was creared Thus Adam dyed so soone as he had eaten of the forbidden fruit as God promised vnto him hee should And in Adam All die 1. Cor. 15.22 like as the braunches of a tree doo wither when the roote is dead Therefore the Apostle saith Rom. 3.23 All haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God Ephe. 2.3 And were by nature the children of wrath and were dead in our sinnes Of this death many places testifie As Let the dead bury the dead Math. 8.22 Arise thou that sleepest stand vp from the dead c. See Galathians 3.22 Psal 14.1 Further search and thou shalt finde 2 Death Mysticall is to forsake sinne Quando quis peccato moritur deo viuit When one dyeth vnto sinne and liueth vnto God It is Qua a peccatis moriuntur whereby men die from sinne Of this Paule speaketh saying How shall wee that are dead vnto sinne yet liue therein Againe Ye are dead to sinne but are aliue to GOD in Iesus Christ our Lord. Of this death Christ speaketh saying The houre is come and now it is when the dead shall heare the voice of the sonne of GOD and liue Thus Paul dyed And so should we therefore hee saieth Mortifie your earthly members 3 Death Naturall S. Ambrose saith is Animae corporisque secessio The departing or seperating asunder of the body and the soule Thus Adam dyed and all we must die Only Elias those that shal be found aliue at Christs comming to iudgement die not thus but they shall be chaunged Which shall be in stead of death 4. Death eternall is the seperation of the soule and body from God and the kingdome of heauen and that for euermore Quae stipendium peccati nominatur Which is called the reward of sinne This Christ remembreth saying If a man keepe my word hee shall neuer see death Which the Euangelist calleth the Second death 1. The lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Into which the great Iudge of all the world will send all the wicked saying Go ye cursed into euerlasting fire Ioh. 8.51 which is prepared for the diuell and his angels Of these two last my text speaketh for Nabuchadnezzar and all the proud and abhominable of the world But know that wee all must to the first and third Math. 25 41. and they that come not to the second shall be sure of the fourth For the first the King cared not to the second he came not to the third hee was forced and in the fourth hee with all such shall neuer haue rest Cruciabuntur die ac nocte They shal be tormented day and night and that for euermore Now of these two last in order CHAP. IIII. What death is DEath naturall is described of many in seuerall maner but the sence or meaning is all one One saith death is Metoicesis tes psuches euthenthe eis allon topon A remoouing Translatio Abret ex Plat. Act. 7.59 Chrysos popu ad Antioch Hom. 7. Aug. in Iohn Ambr. li. de bono mort ca. 1 3. or translating of the soule from hence to another place An other Depositio sarcinae grauis An easing or vnlading one of a heauie burthen S. Ambrose saith death is Spirandi munere priuari To bee depriued of the benefite of breathing Againe Mors est absolutio animae corporis quaedam hominis seperatio Death is an absolution or discharge of the soule from the body and a certaine seperation of man It is like vnto a bill of diuorcement betwixt man and wife seperating that which before was one flesh Adultery is the cause of the one and the diuell sinne and thine owne consent thereto is the cause of the other But the most affirme that Mors aliud non est Aug. de cōso mort lib. 2. ca. 1. quam animae seperatio à corpore Death is nothing else but the seperation of the body and the soule It is like enuy that parteth friends asunder Therefore Ambrose vseth this saying of the Psalme he speaking of death Thou hast broken my bonds asunder Abr. li. de bono Mortis cap. 3. Because death breaketh open the prison of the soule Augustine saith That euen as famine is the defect of foode thirst the want of drinke and darknesse the absence of light c. euen so death is nothing else Aug. contra Pelag. Hyp. lib. 1. Nisi Nomen recedente vita But a name the life beeing gone To be short the Apostle Paul spake of death when he said I desire to be loosed So did Ionas when hee said Take my life from mee And Iob when he desired To be cut off This loosing taking away of life or cutting off is death By which the soule departing Paulatim saith Ambrose by litle and litle Ambr. de bono Mor. cap. 2. Soluat se vinculis carnis ore emissa euolat tanquam carcereo corporis huius exuta gurgustio She looseth her selfe from the bandes of the flesh and beeing got out at the doore of the mouth as the spies escaped through Rahabs windowe shee mounteth as being freed from the close darke dungion of the body as one bestirreth his heeles that is broke out of prison And this is death whither all must come But I thinke some scarce beleeueth it and therefore I wil proue it vnto them CHAP. V. That all men must die and when THat all men must die it is plaine for it is written Iosuah
2.15 What man liueth and shall not see death and shall hee deliuer his soule from the hand of the graue The woman of Tekoah hauing a sute to king Dauid the better to mooue him to graunt her request she put him in minde of his death saying Omnes We all must needs die c. for it is appointed vnto men that they shall once die Ortus cuncta suos repetunt Matremque requirunt The meaning is All things must to their mother from whence they were taken Gen. 3.19 Adam is earthy and therefore called Adam and must to the earth Eccl. 41.10 Coru. Gal. Aug. in Euch. ad Laur. cap. 93. de pecca Meri libr. 2. cap. 34. Aug. in Ps 38. as the wise man saith All that is of the earth shall turne to the earth againe Thnascomen homos hapantes Which the Poet doth well expresse saying Omnibus est eadem lethi via All die alike but seuerall meanes bring men to their end Of this thy very meate vpō thy table might put thee in mind For all things die for thy sustenance and thou shalt die for thy sinne The labourer is worthy of his hyer and the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6. Quo cunque te verteris incerta omnia sola mors certa Whatsoeuer thou shalt determin all things are vncertaine onely death is certain All flie at the sight of her whip as the dust before the winde She doth ransacke as wel the pallaces of Princes as poore cottages Both rich and poore young and old of what degree soeuer Ferentur shall packe with her there is no parlying about the matter But when shee comes as Iehu said to the messenger of Iehoram so will shee to thee Turne thee behinde me 2. Reg. 9.18 Follow thou me as Christ said to Peter Heu Heu quam surda miseros auertitur aure Boet. Et flentes oculos claudere saeua negat Which thus may be translated Alas ô woe from wofull men as deafe she turnes her eare And though they cry she doth deny any one of them to heare It is written of all Superiours Ps 82.6.7 I haue said you are Gods but a retreit is also sounded You shall die like men 1. Reg. 2.2 Cesar Hanniball Alexander Pompey many other the mightie Captaines and Monarkes of the world are dead King Dauid though the man after Gods owne heart said I go the way of all the earth 1. I die as all must Nay Iesus Christ was not exempted from this death Looke in the booke of God and you shall finde this the Period of life as well to the holy Fathers the Patriarkes and Prophet as to young babes Mortuus est and he dyed and the childe dyed Thus we see what death is and that all must die Now know this that none shall die before their time appointed of God but euen when theyr time is come which they shall not passe This some of the vely Heathen did consesse saying Stat sua cuique dies breue irreparabile tempus omnibus est vitae The effect is euery mans time is appointed short and vnrepaireable But the scriptures are plaine proouing the same Holy Iob saith Iob. 14. Are not his dayes determined the number of his moneths are with thee thou 1. God hast appointed his bounds which he cannot passe Which Caluin confesseth writing vpon the same place As Ioseph was cast into prison and kept in the stocks yet when his time came the King sent and loosed him euen so will God do by thy soule For as the Egiptians could not keepe the Israelites in bondage after their time was come to be deliuered no more can the body the soule nor the graue the body when God sendeth for their deiluerance Almightie God speaking by his Prophet of the destruction of the Egiptians saith They could not stand Ier. 46.21 because the day of destruction was come vpon them And for the death and destruction of all the enemies of Gods Church Daniel saith which also was reuealed vnto the Euangelist Iohn There is a time appointed Dan. 11.35.36 the determination is made You know many times the Iewes sought to kill Iesus Christ but when they would they could not as the Apostle saieth No man laid hands on him for his houre was not yet come And Salomon saith To all things there is an appointed time c. A time to be borne and a time to die The very minute or instant thereof thou shalt not passe as before is shewed And this is the ordinance of the Lord ouer all flesh CHAP. VI. Whether any die before their time BVt here some will obiect and say with Dauid Ps 55.24 25 The bloudie and deceitful men shall not liue halfe their dayes Againe God added fifteene yeares vnto the dayes of Hezechias And Ionas preached to Niniuie Ionas 3.4 saying Yet fortie dayes and Niniuy shall be destroyed Fortie dayes came and Niniuy was not destroyed Therefore to some their time is shortned for a plague and to some their daies are prolonged for a blessing as God hath promised And the time of death and certaine end of mans life is not determined First to the threatnings as also to the promises of the blessings of almightie God I answere that both containe alwaies a condition sometimes expressed in Deut. 28.2.15 Isa 1.19.20 Ezech. 33.13.14.15 Sometimes not expressed as to Hezechiab 2. Reg 20.1 To Niniuy Ionas 3. And infinite other wicked people Gal. 5.21 Reu. 21.8 1. Cor. 6.9.10 And when God giueth grace to vs to do his will or leaueth man to his sin the condition is obserued or not obserued According vnto which the promise taketh place whether it be of a curse or of a blessing So that though we say commonly of them that kill themselues they shorten their daies or they die before their time indeed it seemeth so to the opinion of man yet in the decree of God it is not so But Gods iudgement was so determined vpon such a man and the like with Iob his children Malum paenae before the world was And his counsell shall stand for our instruction 1. Either to try or quicken our faith and expresse our patience to the example of other Iob. 1.22 as he did with the holy man Iob. 2. Or to expresse his owne power as hee did to him that was borne blinde The Disciples said to Christ Maister who did sinne this man or his parents that hee was borne blinde Ioh. 9 2.3 Iesus answered Neitther hath this man sinned nor his parents but that the workes of God should be shewed on him 3. Or else to shewe vs his high displeasure and punishment for sinne as he did against Nabuchadnezzar and the wicked of the world And with the Lord there is no shadow of chaunge So that through death punishments come vpon men by meanes ordinary and extraordinarie as Dauid effectually confesseth yet the time and houre and very instant thereof is
will and so should death our life Therefore it is said Ecclesiast 7.36 Aug. lib. 2. de doctr Christ. Remember thy end and thou shalt neuer do amisse And so Timor de futura morte mentem necessario contulit quasi clauus carnis omnes motus superbiae ligno crucis affigit The feare of death to come of force fretteth or disquieteth the minde and as a naile of the flesh it fasteneth or pinneth all the motions of Pride to the stocke or altar of the Crosse But the forgetfulnesse of death and that woe that followeth together with the contempt of godly patience and long suffering maketh men forget that the bountifulnesse of God is to leade vs vnto amendment of life And therefore with the slothfull beast they are euen fatted against the day of slaughter wallowing in their sinne as the sow in the myer like the sluggard who rowles himselfe vpon his bed saying Yet a little sleepe a little slumber a little foulding of the handes to sleepe In like manner those that be proud with the vsurer the whore-maister the extortioner and oppressor c. say with themselues one day after an other Yet a little more Pride a little more vsurie whoredome extortion oppression c. yet a little more nay a little more yet So they haue neuer inough lyke Hell which cannot bee satisfied And as they thirst after sinne so Hell gapeth after them And deare bretheren bought with the blood of the immaculate Lambe of GOD without repentance destruction shall come vpon them and euerlasting death shall gnaw on them Then shall they see what a faire thred they haue spunne Nothing could content them but Hell will containe them Therefore aright remember thy ende and let that mooue thee to applie thy heart vnto wisedome Take the counsell of the holie Ghost Walke whilest it is called to day While ye haue the light beleeue in the light that yee may be the children of the light And behold now the accepted time behold now the day of saluation the night commeth when no man can walke And these may be causes why the time of death is not reuealed CHAP. VIII Of those that deferre to repent and think they shall not die yet BVt notwithstanding this heere is a certaine fellowe called Shall that all this while lyeth lurking in the text which carrieth along a great deale of filth and still he is at all hands readie and sets his foote before men to keepe them from this resolution And makes them thinke yet it is but a sleight of the diuel that if they may haue him their friend if they may haue that day giuen them then they will doo bad ynough You thinke I should say well inough But read the second Chapter of Wisedome and you shall see what these Atheists both say and doo And surely this same presumptuous fellow Shall or some other his bastarde brother vndoubtedly brings men into some one or into all these wicked opinions 1 With the foolish bodie to say in their heart Psal 14.1 There is no God 2. Or else neuer to remember or regarde death with the rich man in the Gospel who said to his soule Luk. 12.19 Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeares liue at ease cate drinke the poore would if they had it and be mery or take thy pastime 3. Or else they thinke that after death there is no woe Wisd 2.5 And so they say desperately Surely wee will walke after our owne imaginations and doo euery man after the stubbornnesse of his wicked heart and practise it because our hand hath power 4. Or else they put farre away the euil day I. They thinke they shall not die yet and so approach to the seate of iniquitie Thus shewing themselues to be of the number of those mockers whereof S. Peter speaketh which say Where is the promise of his comming Such things do they imagine and goe astray for their owne wickednes hath blinded them But to answere this fellow and your backe friend Shall be ye well assured that he stands not in my Text to note the deferring or prolonging of iudgement but to shewe the certaintie and necessitie of an intollerable plague to come vpon Nabuchadnezzar and all such that are proud Therefore ô wicked man Be not deceiued that is Gal. 6.7 deceiue not thy selfe God is not mocked 1. Thou canst not mocke with God but Whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he reape This is true Thou shalt die thy time is set and it shall not tarry long though thou presume neuer so much vpon this Shall Which for to prooue the holie Scriptures are plaine And many men haue written long and large discourses heereof and daily experience doth manifest the same And a short Epitomie of all thus briefly may be shewed CHAP. IX What time men may account off to liue THe oldest men that euer liued in this world neuer sawe a thousand yeares Gen. 5. Psal 90.4 2. Pet. 3.8 And if they had Athousand yeeres with the Lord are but as yesterday seeing that is past as a watch in the night In agnitione diuinae virtutis Et preterita presentia Glos ord in Pet. ibid. futura aequaliter praesentia constant With the Almightie times past present and to come are all present alike And therefore it is saide onely of him Reu. 22.13 I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end the first and the last And Christ saith Before Abraham was I am But come thou to thy selfe ô man looke of what time thou canst bee assured and of that thou mayest boast The time that is past thou canst not recall of that which is to come thou must not presume measure that that is present and take that for thine owne And this is the very instant and moment of time shorter then can be spoken of and therefore a short time will serue for to measure it But put all together and because thou shouldest not be imboldened to sinne neither expect by presumption any time to come the most sacred word of God sheweth that it is but short Holy Iob saith Iob. 14.1 Man that is borne of a woman hath but a short time to liue Which Paul confirmeth saying 1. Cor. 7.29 This I say bretheren because the time is short c. The shortnesse whereof is further made manifest by diuers Similitudes For mans life is compared to a Flower of the field To a grasse To a shadow To a vapore A vapore vanisheth a shadow fadeth grasse withereth the flower falleth all are soone gone and the dayes of man consume apace and passe verie swiftly Therefore they be compared vnto a thought To wind To a Weauers shittle To a poste To most swift ships and to an Eagle Then which what is swifter and then man what is britler Psal 39.5 Wherefore he is called an earthen vessell which is suddenly broken Therefore Dauid measuring out manlife he saith 2.