CONTEMPLATIO MORTIS, ET IMMORTALITATIS.  
LONDON, Printed by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent MAJESTY: and by the Assigns of john Bill. Anno Dom. 1631.   

CONTEMPLATIO MORTIS ET IMMORTALITATIS.  
Philosopher's, Statesmen, & Divines do all hold, that in this world there are but tria genera vitae: una est activa: Altera Contemplativa: Tertia voluptuaria.  
Which of these is best. Quaeritur:  
Actio Contemplationis expers, is but vita impolita; Contemplation, if it take up all a man's time makes vitam sterilem.  
Voluptuaria vita, though it be not otiosa, because it is in actu: yet is but desidiosa occupatio. Amongst these, who so tries all as I have done, shall find; that Action profits most, but Contemplation pleases best: specially that which indebts a man to action. For man was not made for Contemplation only. It is true, retiredness is is more safe than business, yet as he is not happy that is always busy: so a public man should not always be shut up in thoughts pleasing his life in the sweetness of thinking.  
The sweetness of thoughts, and virtue of Contemplation, lies in the right choice of the subject: every knowing man being so inquisitive by nature, and of so busy a fancy, as it is happy for him in this way to fall upon a fit subject.  
Some ancient Fathers, and some late Writers have fixed upon the love of God, some upon the Passion of Christ, some upon the joys of Heaven, some upon contempt of the World. So several others upon several other subjects. All opining, that some one is to be chosen. For who so will vivere sibi, must vacare Deo.  
Ego in meo solito recessu in quo à negotijs publicis vacans, mihi ipsi vacaveram (which was but seldom) found it fruitful, useful, and delightful, cogitare de Novissimo.  
Quatuor sunt Novissima, say the Fathers; Death, judgement, Heaven and Hell, subjects large enough.  
But considering I had passed so much employment, so many offices in several professions, I was some while musing whether any of these fitted me to contemplate. In the revolution of many things, I found, that when Meditation had produced Devotion, than it applied itself to Contemplation. And that true Contemplation required a settlement upon some divine object. Hereupon I made choice of Death and Immortality for the subject of my Contemplation.  
But first my thoughts did beat to find a difference betwixt Meditation and Contemplation.  
Meditation or recogitation, I saw was but a reiterated thought, proper to production either of good or evil. Day and night have I meditated on thy Law, saith David in one Psalm: in an other, Why have they meditated vain things? But Divines do now dedicate Contemplation to divine mysteries. Which affecting our souls, and exciting our wills, produceth some holy resolution. We meditate, saith one, to know God; we contemplate to love God. Meditation is the mother, Contemplation the daughter. Yet as joseph was the crown of his father, and brought him increase of honour and contentment: the like doth Contemplation to her mother Meditation. When God himself had seen the things created in several pieces, he said, they were good. But when he considered the Universe (as it were in Contemplation) than he said, Lo, they were exceeding good.  
For Meditation considers her objects piece by piece; but Contemplation sums them up all together, and sees as in a gross, all the several beauties of meditations objects. Meditation is with a man as he that smells the Violet, the Rose, the jessamy, and the Orange flowers, one after the other, distinctly. But Contemplation is a sweet water compounded of them all, wherein you shall smell all these odours together, extracted from the several scents, which before you smelled dividually. Which extract is fare more fragrant, then were any of the simples, though every one was sweet alone. This is more elegantly denoted in the Canticles; where the Spouse pleates up her hair, trussing it up in one knot, to show that we should not diffuse our thoughts into variety of considerations, but recollect them by contemplation.  
The end of all is, after many changes of meditations and discourses, to reduce all cogitations to one conclusion. Which is, contemplation of things divine. Here with a man's soul being once affected, he shall hardly obtain leave of his thoughts to return again to employment.  
Now to return ad meum Novissimum. What man liveth (saith David) and shall not see death? And if after death justus vix salnabitur, as the Gospel saith; Then we may well be fearful, and had need be careful, that we be not taken unprepared.  
When I was a young man (saith Seneca) my care was to live well. I practised Artem bene vivendi: when age came upon me, I studied Artem bene moriendi, how to die well.  
It is true, Iter vitae occupatis non apparet, nisi in fine: yet when I was occupatissimus, hoc me dulci oblectabam solatio, aliquando me victurum mihi. And this at last I am come to, disponendo, non mutando me.  
The covenant of the grave is showed to no man, saith the Wiseman: But the watchword is given to all men: Sint lumbi praecincti, Lucernae ardentes, semper vigilantes. Lord let me be found in this posture, when I shall be to dye.  
Nunquam ego fortunae credidi, etiamsi videretur pacem agere. I have had my portion as another man, of the world's favours: yet did they never so delight me, or abuse me, as to make me neglect, or to defer this work of preparation. I considered this, Guttatim per horas & dies fluit vita. And although the hour be not past till all the glass be run, & nemo multum ex stillicidio potest perdere: yet the glass than runs most faintly, when it draws nearest to effluxion. Careful Martha was full busy about many things, but was well admonished, there was only unum necessarium.  
Physicians exclaim, Vita brevis, Ars longa est. But Divines teach, Ars optima est, usuendo discere artem bene moriendi. If this Science be to learn, when prae foribus Mors est; Thy sin-sicke Soul will say, Infelix ego homo, quis me liberabit à corpore mortis huius? But if thou hast learned it betime, than it will rejoice to say, Mihi vivere Christus est, & mori, lucrum. Welcome death, more blessed than my birth.  
In the whole course of my life I have always thought the right way to die, was to live well; and the way to live well in the world, was to dye betimes to the world.  
Mihi Mundus Crucifixus, & ego Mundo: yet I found it rem difficilem; In mundo vivere, & mundi bona contemnere. Therefore for assistants, I took three coadjutors; Faith, Hope, Charity. Charitatemex corde puro, spemex conscientia bona, fidem non fictam. And for my soul's health often used this preparative; Examen conscientiae meae. Nam quicunque cordihabet salutem suam, let him every day, mane & vespere, examine his heart. Quid nocte vel die praecedente, hath he thought, hath he said, hath he done? Et in quo peccati labem invenerit? Let him mend it, cum proposito efficaci, simili non peccare. This if it be done daily, I dare boldly say, Vix fieri poterit, ut quis moriendo peccet, aut peccando moriatur.  

Inter these thoughts, I had these things in Contemplation.  
1. First, what Death was, and the kinds of death.  
2. Secondly, what fears or joys death brought.  
3. Thirdly, when death was to be prepared for, and how.  
4. Fourthly, death approaching, what our last thoughts should then be.   

Of these I thus resolved.  
THat Death was a fall, 
What death is.  which came by a fall. Our first framed father Adam falling, in him we all fell. Cecidimus omnes (saith S. Bernard) super acerbum lapidem in luto, unde inquinati & vulneratisumus. Therefore we needed water in Baptism to wash us, Blood in the Eucharist to heal us.  
This falling sickness infected not only the person, but the nature (such is the infection of evil always worse than the Act) making man that was immortal, subject to Death, as are Birds and Beasts: whereas before we were differenced from them in this condition, though made of the same matter, Dust. Yet as we now stand, the fault is ours, if that fall be not our rise: the advantage we have by Christ, being more than the damage we had by Adam, ideo qui stat, videat ne cadat. For relapse may turn us again to be as Birds and Beasts, that have no joy, but being; no sorrow, but dying.  
Consider Death originally or in his own nature, and it is but a departed breath from dead earth inlivened at first by breath cast upon it. Take the dimension of it, and it is but a point of Time, interiected between two extremes. A Parenthesis which interposed breaks no sense, when the words meet again. When Seneca was asked, Quid est Mors? he answered, Aut finis est, aut transitus. Rogatus Secundus Philosophus said to the Emperor Adrian, Mors est aeternus somnus, Divitum Pavor, pauperum desiderium, incerta peregrinatio, inevitabilis eventus, latro hominis, fuga vitae, resolutio omnium. Plato said it was Lex Naturae, Tributum mortalium. Scaliger defines it to be, but the cessation of the soul's functions. All men grant the cause of Death was just, yet few can tell, who was the Author, or what's the name or nature of it. Estimemus singula famâ remotâ quaeramus quid sint, non quid vocentur.  
In Nature it can be nothing for it hath no cause efficient, 
The nature of Death  but deficient. Post mortem nihil est, ipsaque Mors nihil. It hath no Essence, though Existence. It is no substance, but privation; no creature, but creaturarum sepultura. Therefore curiously to search the efficient of it, were to labour the eye to see darkness. God made it not, saith the book of Wisdom, nor is it mentioned as any of his works. God that made all things, saw that all things which he had made, were good. Omne ens bonum, & omne bonum estens. Therefore good Saint Augustine said finely, Lord, thou hast not made Death, wherefore, I beseech thee, suffer not that which thou hast not made, to reign over that which thou hast made. It is no error to say that man made death. For curiosity (the itch of man's Soul) affecting to know that which God never made, which was the evil of death, thinking it had been good, to know evil, by desiring to know it, made it. He that knew all other things, knew not this one thing: that he knew enough. So divine a thing is knowledge, that we see, innocence itself was ambitious of it. Life did not content, that was thought but the act of knowledge: knowledge was the life the soul looked at. That yet begets a studious scrutiny to discover things we can never know. So we see, that although Nature be moderate in her desires, yet conceit is unsatiable. But since God hath revealed more than we can know, enough to make us happy; let us learn sober knowledge, and contented ignorance.  
Who then was the Author of Death? 
The Author of Death.  The book of Wisdom saith, that through envy of the devil, death came into the world, and they that hold on his side, find it. But if the Devil was the father, Sin was the mother. For saith Saint james, sin being finished, travaileth in childbirth like a mother to bring forth death. Adam falling, sin followed him: Man being tempted, Death attempts him, and by sin death entered. Death had no interest in man, till sin had dispossessed him of the freehold he had in God. There was no trust in God's servants, saith Eliphaz, but even Angels were charged with folly. And to do the Devil right, he did but persuade, not compel. It was in man's choice to stand or fall. Adam acceperat posse, quod vellet: non velle, quod posset: nos accepimus & posse, quod volumus; & velle, quod possumus: ille posse non mori, nos non posse mori sic Augustinus. Power of standing, man had from God, but possibility of falling from himself. Therefore though we may thank our first parents for our birth-sin; Yet we may thank ourselves for improoving of it; wherefore said the old Litany, Am, salaa me, Domine.  
All man's native virtues were given him but in trust, and under a condition. He abused the trust, and broke the condition, so incurred the penalty. For that is man's nature, ever subject to extremities, either dull in want, or wanton in fruition. Ne moriemini was a fair warning, but he cared not for it: when Satan tempted, he consented. Had the mind governed the eye, the Apple could not have beguiled, though it was fair to see to. The proud aspiring thought was hatched in man. The Devil was but the deviser, sin was the Author, and we being partners in the sin, shared likewise in the punishment. Facinus quos iniquinat, aequat. Since than Death stole in at the ear, by our harkening to ill counsel; let us now cast it out by the ears, through harkening to God's Word: the word of life, the life of Death.  
For the name of Death: 
The name of Death.  Saint john calls it a sleep, Amicus noster Lazarus dormit. Of Saint Steven it was said, and when he had thus spoken, he slept. The Patriarches and Kings of judah slept with their Fathers. Transitum ad vitam, aliqui appellant mortem, saith Saint Bernard. Sed ideo Scriptura dormientes appellat, ut evigilaturos minimè desperemus. He is not dead (saith David) but sleepeth, whose flesh doth rest in hope. The night savours of mortality, and sleep is but the shadow of death, and where the shadow is, the body cannot be fare off. But let it be Mors à morsu, which our first Parents tasted; or Mors à mora, which yet tarries for us all. Let her be styled Lady, mistress of the world, that will not be courted, nor yet cast off. Yet is she but vox tantum, a thing next to nothing. Solo timenda sono. Better is it called a transfiguration, or transmigration from life by death to life again, Exitus non transitus. Transitus quem ire non intelleximus, transissesentimus. The grave is but a withdrawingroome to retire in for a while, a going to bed to take rest, sweeter than sleep. And when it is time to rise, cum expergiscar, than I shall be satisfied, saith the Prophet David.  
In the mean time it is common to all, 
Death common to all.  Mors etiam saxis nominibusque venit. Yet this favour nature hath done. Quod gravissimum fecit, fecit common, ut crudelitatem fati consolaretur aqualitas. Who life's and shall not see death? Quisquis ad vitam nascitur ad mortem destinatur, it respects none. Equat omnes cinis. It is as natural to die as to be borne. Licet impares nascimur, pares morimur. No sooner borne, but hastening to die: Orimur, morimur. We come into the world with a sheet about us, as no sooner borne, but going to be buried. For all this, man is even with Death. Nunquam enim magnis ingenijs cara in corpore mora est: nay, the good Soul aegre fert has angustias. Therefore what great thing doth death in hastening days? This shows infirmity, rather than power. Age doth more, nil enim non longa demolitur vetustas: Death only shortens time, not life; for life's time shortens by lengthening: Morimur, quòd mortibus vivimus; morieris, non quia aegrotas, sed quia vivis. This all men are to know, that mortis meritum, is peccati debitum. Both imposed on man for sin.  
Sith then, 
Life but a dying death.  it is a Statute made in heaven, omnibus semel mori, and that life is so momentany, and death so certain; splendemus licèt, Hêu quàm citò frangimur corpora vitrea! Since life itself is no true living, but a dying being; and such a being, as every day pants for breath, which nature fawns upon it for a while. Mors & fugacempersequitur virum. And since death is no death, but a going unto heaven, and heavens coming unto us; How can a man but think it a well spent life always to be meditating upon death?  
But saith Zenophon, Curio vitam contemnendamputas, & habes? I will not inquire nor require more of death, but death. Err as enim, qui in terrogas, Quid sit mors? Et propter quod mortempetam? Quaeris enim aliquid supra summum.  
But if a man dye shall he live again? saith job. Yes, 
Life after Death.  saith Saint Paul, we that are in this Tabernacle sigh, and are burdened, because we would not be unclothed, but clothed upon, that Immortality might be swallowed up of life.  
Phoenix sponte crematur  
 redeat, proprioq solet pubescere letho:  
Ste tu corpus coactum  
Discere mutatâ melior procede figurâ.  
The bright days die into dark nights, but rise again a mornings Though the body sleep awhile in the dust, yet shall it arise after thy likeness. The Soul which departed for a season, shall, as Saint Paul said of Onesimus, come again and be received for ever. That body which was sown a natural body, shall rise a spiritual body: Sow in tears, reap in joy; who so go forth weeping and carry precious seed, shall return with joy, and bring their sheaves with them.  
Yet caro ista Pulueries, this clod of earth must lie a while in Dust. Sed resurget tandem as the Queen's daughter all glorious within. For if in this life holiness maketh the face of a man to shine by an Irradiation from the heart; what shall be the beauty of the body glorified? Surely though it be not deified: yet shall it be purified, perfected, and immortalised. Our vile bodies shall be changed, saith Saint Paul, and fashioned like unto his glorious body. Such glory have all his Saints.  
If the exchange be such, who would not be willing, yea, glad to die? Nilminus est hominis occupati, quam vivere. Quos autem felicitas gravat, exclamant illi, Mihi vivere non licet. It is a good mind to be content to dye, and willing to live. But to be willing to dye, and content to live, is the mind of a strong Christian. Diligimus mortem pariter, pariterque timemus. Ipse metus te noster amat. When the Senator Cato was asked a question concerning Death; Si Deus (inquit) ille mihi largiatur, ut repuerascam, valde recusem. Nec tum me vixisse poenitet, quia bene vixi; nec timeo, mori, quod ex hospitio, non domo, discedam.  
Wherefore though death be not to be sought in the error of youth, as the Preacher saith. respects it may be desired. 
Death  for three respects.  Portus est aliquando petendus, nunquam recusandus.  
As first, that sow may betimes leave off to sin; since sin life's in us, and leaves us not till Death. Dixit Socrates, Appropinquante morte multò es divinior.  
Secondly, the Soul that soon departs, facilius ad superos iter facit, quia minùs facis ponderisque traxit.  
In this passage between life and death, what's the distance? So little, as with the Ancients the Emblem of life was oculus apertus: Mortis clausus, but not extinctus: nec plus interesse putaverunt inter mortem & vitam, quam ictum oculi. Man is only a wink of life, his life and death joined as near as joy and grief; where tears express both.  
Thirdly, that we might the sooner come to live indeed. Vita aeterna est illa vita vitalis, ista est tantùm mortalis. For this cause saith Bernard, praecipitat quisque vitam suam, fuiuri desiderio laborat, praesentium taedio. Men commonly say. There is nullum tempus praeter Nune. But this present is not that which contents the Soul. Nimis angustat gaudia, qui praesentibus acquiescit. They are only creatures of inferior nature, that are pleased with the present.  
Man is a future creature, his soul looks at what is beyond this life. Scrutatur quod ultra mundum, futura & praeterita illum delectant; Haec expectatione, illa recordatione.  
It would make a man heavenly proud, but to think of how Divine a nature and quality his Soul is. The Heathens could say it was Divinae particula Aurae. Epicurus makes it a Spirit mixed of fire and air: Others define it to be a selfe-moving number. Seneca said, Quid aliud est anima, quam Deus in corpore humano hospitans? Never could any give it such a definition, that either an other, or himself could conceive it.  
And no wonder that a man cannot conceive what his Soul is: Because it suffered a composure before itself was. Therefore Admiration rather than Search becomes a man in such a secret.  
Tully said, Mihi quidem nunquam persuaderi potuit, animos dum in corporibus essent mortalibus, vivere; cum exijssent ex ijs, emori. Let me ever worship the great God of this little god, my Soul. Et ne plus ultra.  
Only this I know, That to no creature else God hath given a living soul, nor is there hope in any creature else, but man; and this hope is given for sustentation of his soul.  
He that contemplates these things, will bear himself too loftily, and think himself too good to look so low, as upon the sublunary things of this life. Angustus, est animus quem terrena delectant.  
How then can this Beauty be pleased to inhabit long contubernio isto? All it needs to care, is but Sepulture to that body which once had the Honour to be the Temple of such a guest: But because many times the houses of the dead and the urned bones do meet with foul hands, for this also Nature hath provided, ut disertè ait Maecenas. Nec tumulum quaero, sepelit Natura relictos.  
It is one of the daily petitions of every good Soul, Adueniat Regnum tuum, Thy Kingdom come, O Lord Yet saith Ambrose, Hoc nitimur & reluctamur. For, Quis sine querela moritur? Quis non gemens, quis non recusans exit? Quis cum accesserit, non tergiversatur, timet, plorat?  
In all things else, 
Man's cross Nature.  observe how contrarily we carry ourselves. The labourer from his work hasts to his bed. The Mariner rows hard to gain the Port. The Traveller is glad when he is within kenning of his Inn: yet we, when Death comes to put us into our Port, shun it as a rock. We fear what we should wish, and wish what we should fear.  
O fortunatiorem Marcellum eo tempore, quo exitum suum Bruto approbavit, 
Man's better choice.  quàm quo populo Romano consulatum! Hear, O Christian, what the Pagan saith, Quid ni non timeat, qui mori sperat? It is harder to make a true Philosopher patiented of life, then of Death. Hic spe mortis patienter dolet, & taedio doloris libenter moritur. Hunc fert, illam expectat, sed expectata Mors, tardè venit.  
I am in a strait betwixt two said Saint Paul, whether to live in the flesh were profitable for me, and which to choose I wot not. Yet at last resolved, live or die Christ was to him advantage. Therefore to be loosed and to be with Christ was best of all. Till than God grant that I may have vitam in patientia, mortem verò in desiderio.  
So shall I fulfil my course with joy, life not dear, nor death grievous.  
In elder times both wise men, great men, 
Life and death compared.  and vain men, had Death in such estimation, and so undervalved life, as they fond said, Had man been worthy to know what life was before, he received it, he would have been loath to accept it. Nemo vitam acciperet, si daretur scientibus. Life would have kept us in slavery, but that Death freed us. They counted death but the retreat of life, & optimum Naturae inventum: for by it every man might make himself happy, no man be longer miserable than he will. Placet no vita? vive. Non placet? licet co reverti, unde venisti. They thought no state miserable, but that which Death could not remedy. Wherefore (say they) a wise man life's but so long as he should, not so long as he can. If Death were not in our power, we should desire it more than now we fear it. Magistra rerum ratio taught them, that common safety lay in Death, &, invitum qui seruat, idem facit occidenti. Life was subject to many fortunes, sed in eo qui scit mori, nil posse fortunam. This made them cherish these desperate conceits: Nil refer; faciatne finem, an accipiat. For though life be not, yet Death is at a man's command. Mori nihil aliud est, quàm velle; in which respect no man could complain of life. Quia neminem tenet. If any man did complain, this was their wish, Mors utinam pavidos vitae subducere nollet; sed virtus hanc sola daret. In scorn some said, Egone expectem vel morbi crudelitatem vel hominis, cum possim medio exire tormento, & adversa discutere? But their bravest conceit was worst, that it was genus mortis generosum, for a man to be author of his own death, say they, if permitted to desire death, why ill to give it to themselves?  — Sed furor est, ne moriare, mori. 
They seemed thus to maintain their assertion, by reason as wellas courage. Death is natural, therefore we come. Vivere noluit, qui mori non vult, he is sorry that he was a man, that is not glad to dye. It is inevitable, therefore we must be resolute, feras non culpes, quod vitari non potest. Fools fly it, old men attend it, wise men wish it. Nay, some so prided themselves in this way, that for Care, Fear or Grief they would not dye. Non inferam mihi manus propter dolorem, nor yet for fear, stultum est, timore Mortis mori. Nor yet the threats of torments. Sic mori, vinciest. Sed si coeperat suspecta esse Fortuna, si multa occurrebant molesta tranquillitatem turbantia, than it was Fortitude to dispatch themselves. How, or with what, it mattered not. Scalpello aperitur ad illam magnam libertatem via, & puncto securitas constat, said Seneca when he bled to death. Cato will die because the Commonwealth declined; Nerua, because the laws were not kept; Siluianus, because he would not live at the mercy of his enemy; Lucretia, to cover a dishonour.  
But Plato and his Socrates were of another mind: Death was to be expected till Nature called for it, or justice took it. For Religion's sake men may ponere animas, but suas, not for ostentation, nor in discontent. Ind facult as fuit non ponendi animam, sed pendendi. Bona res est mori suâ morte. Life was given to manage to the utmost, and to make the best of it. Every one was here set sentinel, not to departed the place till his Captain calls him off. Non est optima, quae placet, sed quaedecet: That Death was best which was well recollected, quietly suffering what it could not possibly prevent. Fortiter ille facit, qui miser esse potest. It is not enough to die with a Roman courage, nor that the cause of Death be just; but it must be also necessary, unsought, inevitable.  But let go this discourse, my Contemplation lies another way. 
The kinds of Death as of life, are two: The one bodily, 
The kind of death.  the other spiritual. As bodily life is the conjunction of body and soul: So bodily Death is the separation of soul and body. And as a godly man hath three degrees of life:  
The first in this life, when Christ life's in him; for the soul of a good man's soul is the Spirit of God within.  
The second when his body returns to the earth, and his soul to God that gave it.  
The third at the end of the world, when body and soul reunited shall enjoy heaven: So likewise a wicked man hath three distinct deaths. Dead in sin while he life's, dead in soul when he dies, dead in body and soul when both are adjudged to eternal condemnation. Malis fit mors sine morte, fin● fine fine, defectus sine defectu. Quia mors vivit, fints semper incipit, & desicere defectus nescit. To labour not to lie is labour in vain, it is to defer, not to avoid. To forget to dye, and hope to live is dangerous security. This let a wise man do, quod ne cesse est, ne timeat; quod incertum est, semper expectet. Seek not consolation against death, but let Death be thy consolation; for there is no comfort against death, but in death. Supremum necoptes, nec metuas diem. Mortem optare, malum, timere, peius.  
Now to make Death easy: Think of the glory that follows it. Who will not endure a few pangs for infinite pleasures? The bitter pill promising health is swallowed willingly. Mors non anfert vitam, sed in melius transfert.  
That the aspect of Death may not trouble thee, look not upon Death in death, but look beyond it. Think not so much of it, as of the happiness that comes by it. Erit somnus dilectis, initium refrigerij, scala montis, haereditas secura, janua vitae, ingressus in tabernaculum. Therefore saith job, From six troubles it delivereth thee, & in septima, that is, at point of death, non tanget te malum. Fit yourself for it, and you will never fear it, do by it as you do in other things, when you would go sleep, you put off your , you draw the curtains, and go to bed. Thus as it were acting sleep, before you go to sleep. So address yourself to death before hand. Bring yourself acquainted with it, that when it comes you may entertain it, non ut hostis, sed ut hospes, not as a foe, but as a friend: not as a stranger, but as a guest that you had long looked for; and bid welcome Death, more blessed than thy Birth. What a grief is it to see some great men build stately houses, as if they should always live, and yet they to live as if they had but mortal souls!  
It is good counsel; Effice mortem tibi familiarem, ut possis, cum sors tulerit, illi laetus & alacriter obuiam exire.  
Those Philosophers were more mortified, who had their graves always open before their gates, that going out or coming in, they might always think of Death. Good joseph of Arimathea built his Sepulchre in the midst of his garden. So do thou, amid all thy pleasures and delights, think of death, and that will cool and temper all thy vain desires. It will so qualify thee to the world, and the world to thee, as thou wilt not much care for it.  
In this world we are all Benonies, the sons of Sorrow. The way to Heaven is by weeping cross.  
High motus animorum atq haec certamina tanta  
Pulueris exigut tactu compressa quiescunt.  
It is observed, that most of other creatures live long, but dying, perish all to nothing. Man that is short-lived, he dying, life's eternally. Think but of this, and you will think as S. Bernard did, that life was little better than hell, were it not for the hope of Heaven.  
Surely Christ would not have died, but that we might die with safety. He by death in death, did deliver us from death. And did Christ dye for me, that I might live with him? I will not therefore desire to live long from him. It is a token of little love to God, to be loath to go to God. All men go willingly to see him whom they love. Our brother joseph liveth, therefore though with jacob I cannot say, I will go see him before I die. Yet Lord let me dye that I may see him whom my soul loveth. Living I cannot, but dying I shall.  
Let no difficulties hinder, for since Adam's fall none passeth unto Paradise, but by burning Seraphims. The way to Canaan is cumbersome, but knowing that our journey leads to the land of promise, we pass it pleasantly. Yet before we come at Jerusalem, we take in our way the valley of tears. The swift River of jordan must be crossed, before we come to the sweet Waters of Siloam.  
Let no delights tempt you; prosperous fortunes may hinder a cheerful dying: but if pleasures of life allure not, fears of death will never trouble. Neminem adversa convincunt, nisi quem secunda decipiunt. Adam was set upon in Paradise, job on the dunghill: yet job fortior in stercore, quam Adam in Paradiso. The very place of pleasure is dangerous. In Paradise Adam could not be innocent, but out of Paradise he was a good man. For any thing in life, lose not the cause of life, nor judge not of things by the face of things. For life and death have deceivable vizards: under the fair face of life lurks grief: under the foul feature of death (which is but fancy) lies felicity. Take off the mask and you shall change your mind; loath that you loved, and love that you loathed.  
Vita habitu casto, cum non sit casta, videtur,  
Mors, praeter cultum, nil meretricis habet.  
Now for the freedoms that come by Death. 
Freedo by dear   
First it frees from all worldly injuries: Mors multorum malorum finis, nullius boni. Hear good men do but live, and suffer benè agere, & male pati. It is their portion and it is good for me (saith David) that I have been afflicted. Non sentire mala, non est hominis; sed non far, non esset viri. Sufferings are greater trials than actions.  
Secondly, it ends all miseries. Man in misery (saith job) longs for death, and digs for it more than treasure. Mors finis est, non poena.  
Nay saith one, Nec finis, nec paena bonis lex est, non paena, perire. Death ends sins, not life: it reforms, but doth not destroy Nature. Vitiorum est Sepultura, virtutum Resurrectio.  
Thirdly, it frees us from all corporal infirmities. Mors omnium dolorum solutio. Life itself is a disease, and we dye by corruption of humours, whether they be of body or manners: who think to heal all infirmities with an easier plaster than Death, Delineamenta potius quam remedia podagraesuae ponunt.  
Fourthly, it frees us from all bodily labours. So saith the Spirit. Blessed are they that die in the Lord, they rest from their labours. Adeo iwat occupatum mori.  
Fiftly, it eases us of all troubles. Refrigeries est animae. Refection to the Soul. Were we but in a throng, we think that man at ease who gets out first. Noah, when he had been tossed but a year upon the waters, Mount Ararat was to him a gladsome place; for there the Ark rested. So likewise miscrable man after many wearisome years, tossed up and down the world as in a troubled sea, will be glad of Death as of Mount Ararat, a resting place for his tired Soul. As an Apprentice patiently undergoeth seven years labour to be made a Freeman, or as a bondman waits for the year of jubilee: So doth the Soul for her deliverance.  
Lastly, death doth us not the least pleasure, in freeing us from phantasms and vain pleasures. Pleasure may stand with innocence, for God love's to see his creatures happy: But commonly the pleasure of the body, is the poison of the soul. A man smothered in Roses meets with Death, though in sweetness. Delicatas enim mentes eneruat felicitas. In vain mirth, there is no true joy, nor gladness in laughter. Nam res est severa verum gaudium. Delight in pleasures, and you shall find your greatest pleasures become your bitterest pains in their loss. A man whose soul is conversant with God, finds more pleasure in the desert, and in death, then in the Palace of a Prince.   

The benefits that come by death.  
Fullness of grace, 
The benefits by death.  which here we have but in part. Vivere velinthomines, ut perfectisint: Mori volunt, & perfecti sunt. Hear we have but arrham Spiritus, there we shall have pretium.  
Secondly, perfection of glory; Erimus participes, non spectatores gloriae. Enjoy with these eyes, visionem illam beatificam, joy unspeakable. And (saith S. john) your joy shall no man take from you.  
Thirdly, inseparable fellowship with Christ. They follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. There we shall be married to him, here we are but contracted. Desponsabo te mihi, saith the Prophet. Those favours and love-tokens I have here received, do but inflame, not satisfy desires, and I am willing to part with them, lest they should make me loath to departed to him that gave them: Meretricius est amor plus amicum, quàm sponsum diligere.  
Lastly, it brings me where I would be, into my own country, into Paradise, where I shall meet, not as in the Elysium of the Poets, Catones, Scipiones, & Scaevolas, but Abraham, Isaac, and jaeob: The Patriarches my Fathers, the Saints my Brothers, the Angels my Friends, my wife, children, kindred and servants that are gone before me, and do there attend me, looking and longing for my arriving there. Therefore with David I will say, Lord, when shall I come and appear before thee? Like as the Hart panteth for the water brooks, so panteth my soul for thee, O God. I had rather be a doorkeeper keeper in thy house, then dwell here though in chambers of pleasure.   

Touching the second general Division. II.  

The fears or joys that death brings.  
NAturally men fear Death, 
The fears of death.  because it ends being, which Nature would preserve: Rachel mourned for her children and would not be comforted, because they were not. When Moses Rod was turned into a Serpent, it was fearful. But when God bids, Fear not to take it up, it may well be handled. Timeat mortem qui Deum non timet, sed si sperare desideras, desine timere. It is well said, Pompa Mortis magis terret quam mors ipsa. Groans, convulsions, and a discouloured face show death terrible. But that Philosopher is not to be followed, who to prepare himself the better for death, set forth death most fearfully: nor yet that Emperor to be praised, who so little esteemed of death, that he died in a compliment.  
Fear of death kills us often, where death itself can do it but once. The Philosopher's thought, that if death (as bad as men count it) were not mingled with bitterness, men would run to it with desire and indiscretion. Ergo mortem concupiscentes, & timentes, aeque obiurgat Epicurus. It is true, life would not willingly be troubled with too much care, nor death with too much fear. Fears betray, cares trouble those succours that reason would yield to both. Multi ad fatum venêre suum, dum fata timent.  
Fears multiply evils, Faith diminishes them: yet most men wish, ut mors potius semel incidat, quam semper impendeat, because nothing is so painful as to dwell long under the expectation of some great evil.  
Conscience of dying, gives the right sense of death, and the true science of living. For by death absoluitur anima, resoluitur corpus, gaudet quòd absoluitur, quòd resoluitur, non sentit. Therefore said the Heathen man, Non nego poenas esse quibusdam post mortem, sed quid ad mortem, quod post mortem est? If there be any fears in death, saith a wise man; Quare iwenes non timent fieri senes? But it is the nature of fear to make dangers greater, helps, less than they are.  
When Anaxagoras had word brought him that his dear and only son was dead: Scio, said he, me genuisse mortalem. The son's condition, satisfied the father's passion without more words. He can never be at ease, nor live contentedly, that life's continually in fear of death. Nil in morte metuamus, si nihil timendum vita nostra commisit. There is no such gentle remoovall of all life's discontents, as a quiet death.  
He that knows not how to end his time, hath lost all his time. Nescire mori miserrimum. Socrates de morte disputabat usque ad ipsam. When Otho and Cato had prepared all things for their death they settled themselves to sleep: when they awaked, and found themselves upon the stroke of execution, all they said, was, Vita supplicio data est, mors remedio. Cruel tyrants have been told to their faces, that their threats of death, were promises of life. Their swords were favours to the sufferer. Mortal wounds made them immortal. Vivere non potest, qui mori non audet. Though it be true, that it is in vain to fear what we cannot shun, and fear of death, as a tribute due to Nature, is a weakness: yet fears be not always ill symptoms before death, nor in death: at that instant nature will reluct for love sake to keep still her being. But grace thus distinguishes of being. To the wicked the best thing of all were not to have been. Non nasci optimum. His next best were to live long. It was ill with him that he was borne, worse, that he must dye: for he not being sure of a better, would fain be sure of this. Conscious to himself that this dying life, will bring him to a living death. His hope is no longer than his breath. His word is Dum spiro, spero; he flutters inter mortis metum, & vitae tormentum: vivere nolit, & merinescit. With good men it is otherwise, to them the best thing of this life is to have been, for this leads the way ad beatitudinem patriae, to the fruition of their faith. Quid huius vivere est, saith he, sed dijs mori. His word is Cum expiro, spero: his hopes faint not, when his breath fails him. Patienter vivit & delectabiliter moritur. To this man, mori quamprimum is his rather: for that ends misery, and gins felicity. There is no man so valiant as the believer. Therefore he saith unto his soul, Why art thou cast down, O my soul? Why art thou so disquieted within me? Wait on God.  
Soul and Soul are differenced in dying, as well as living. 
The difference of souls as well in dying as living.  The Atheist dares not die for fear of non esse. The ill liver dares not die, for fear of male esse. The doubtful conscience dares not die, nesciendo; whether he shall be, not be, or be damned.  
Only the good man dares and desires to die, he is assured of his hope, his hope is full of immortality. I am thy salvation, saith his Saviour: to the other theend of these present miserable miseries, is the beginning of worse, and such as death itself cannot terminate: for that would be happiness enough; if they had but hope, there would be an end at last: the greatest pleasure they would desire, is, the act of death, so that might end their sorrows: but their conscience will not let them lie, or flatteringly persuade them: Adueniet tandem quae non sperabitur hora.  
This they know, and grieve to think, that Tophet is prepared for the bad, and Paradise for the good. As the tree falleth, so it lieth: and as death leaveth thee, so judgement shall find thee: he that life's ill, seldom dies well. Live well, and you cannot but die well: practise well doing, and you shall have the comfort of well dying.  
Sed quàm amarum erit hoc tempore corporis & animae separatio? 
Body and soul parting.  We see old acquaintance cannot part without tears. Quid facient intimè familiares, quales sunt corpus & anima, quae ab ipso utere ita iucundissimè vixerint? If the Ox loweth when his fellow is taken from him that drew the plough with him, qualem mugitum shall we give when soul and body part? Siccinè separas amara Mors: Siccinè separas, saith the Book of Kings? The Spirit at this time may be willing, but the flesh will be loath. Egrè amittitur, quod valdè amatur. Faith will assure, God is thy father; but nature will tell thee, She is thy mother, and thou mayest not yet leave her. In this conflict take heed the mother's side prevail not. She will play Naomi's part, persuade thee earnestly to stay and enjoy the delights of Moab yet a while longer. But resolve thou with Ruth, to see what entertainment is for thee in Bethleem, for there thou shalt find a Boaz.  
In ista hora, every man will make Balaams' suit, (for no man would be miserable, if it were enough to desire to be happy) but such a wish only will not serve. He must piè vivere, that will securè mori. We all desire to shut up our last Scene of life, with In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum. But it is not the last words a man utters that do qualify his Soul. Remember how in thy life thou hast entertained God's Spirit: for as we used his in this life, so he will use ours after death. Qualem quisque se fecerit in hac vita, talem se inveniet exiens ab hac vita.  
At this hour what would a man give for the redemption of his soul? but poor indigent man, never was any so rich that could pay the ransom of his own soul. A displeased mercy, asks greater satisfaction than thou canst give. Laesa patientia fit furor. Now thou goest to give account of thy Stewardship: that is, temporis amissi, mali commissi, boni omissi. And thy Soul already knows, in conscientia tua, whither it goes, quando egreditur è corpore tuo. And although thou canst carry nothing else with thee, yet this thou canst not leave behind thee; Which is liber conscientiae tuae, that will tell thee whither thou goest, and what thou shalt look for. Tunc quasi loquentia tua opera dicent; Tu nos egisti. Tua opera sumus, non te deseramus: sed tecum semper erimus, tecum pergemus ad judicium. Man is a great flatterer of himself, but conscience is always just, and will never chide thee wrongfully. It always takes part with God, against a man's self. It is Magistratus domesticus, that will tell what you do at home, and, saith the book of Wisdom, wickedness condemned of her own witness, is ever timorous, and being pressed with conscience, forecasteth grievous things. Nemo severiorem seipso habet iudicem.  
If a man will take his aim by the best men that ever died. That of David, Ezechias, yea and of Christ himself (as a man) is able to amaze any man. When as our Saviour Christ at the point of death, said, Father, if it be thy will, let this Cup pass from me. When David said, Save Lord, for thy mercy sake; for in death there is no remembrance of thee. And Ezechias wept sore, when he was bid, Put thy house in order, for thou must die. Si Prophetae, si Apostoli, si Martyrs, si Christus ipse, was thus troubled at the hour of death: wretched man that I am, what shall I do? Even as Christ bids me. Be of good cheer, for I have overcome death. Mors morte redempta est. Now there is advantage in death: that death which was the wages of sin, is made the reward of righteousness: and in these forenamed persons it was not death, but the curse of the Law that went with death, which Christ in our persons, and these other persons in themselves, feared.  
When Christ was to leave the world, and his Disciples to the world, he left them this word for their learning and their comfort: If you loved me you would rejoice, because I said, I go to the Father. In my Father's house are many dwellings. I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am you may be also.  
Now that death hath overcome death, and Faith hath secured fear: nec me taedeat vivere, nec timeo mori. What can he fear in Death, whose death is his hope? Right precious in the sight of God, is the death of his Saints.  See then what makes men willing, or loath to die. 
Obsecro te Lucili, said Seneca, cur timeat laborem vir, mortem homo? It is the present condition of men in this world, that makes them willing, or loath to die. Nor life, nor death, are alike to all men: some can as willingly leave the world, nay die, as others can forbear the Court. And as men differ in their condition, so do they in their acceptation of Death: some pleasant their lives, as if the world should always laugh upon them. Et post mortem nulla voluptas. These would do any thing rather than die. Others live as if they came into the world but to act a sad man's part and dye, these wish a change, hoping it will be a benefit. Therefore well said the son of Syrach, O death, how acceptable is thy remembrance unto him whose strength faileth, that is now in his last age, and vexed with all things: and to him that despaireth and hath lost patience! But contrariwise, O death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that lieth at rest in his possessions! unto the man that hath nothing to vex him, and that prospereth in all things: yea, to him that is yet able to receive meat! Certainly to this man that thus life's at ease in delicacy with affluence of all things; (for even to use happiness is as difficult as to forbear it) to him it is a sad and bitter meditation, to think that death must take him from all these joys, wherein his heart took pleasure.  
O quam amara mors mundum amantibus! Every poor contentment glues his affections to that he likes. When as the best of this world's contentments are but contemptible. If thy heart be set on Heaven, thy soul will have no pleasure in these low things, look upward. Os homini sublime dedit, coelumque tueri. The mind contemplating Heaven, walks beyond eye sight, and at so fare a distance discerns God, as if he were at hand, there is his true solace, to converse with God. Who ever they be that dwell in Contemplation of heavenly things, go off rich in thoughts, satisfied in their expectation.  
For an antidote against Death, hate sin, and the pleasures thereof, then will death be delightful, nor life doleful: nay, death itself looking thee in the face, knowing thy heart, will change countenance, look upon thee fancy non horrendâ, sed blandâ, non terribili, sed amabili. This very day of death. Dies iste, quem tanquam extremum aliqui reformidant, tibi aterni natalis erit.  
The good man's hope is even in death: the world-lover ends both hope and happiness when he dies.  
Plato discoursing unto one, de contemptu mortis, and speaking strangely upon it, was answered, Fortiùs loqueris, quàm vivis. At ille dicebat non quemadmodum viveret, sed quemadmodum vivendum esset.  
How ever the Contemplation of death pleases, yet the sufferance of death pinches. A man satisfied that death is nothing but a bridge, to pass him over to an other shore where life stands, and looks for his landing: yet while he is upon the Bridge, (which is but a short step betwixt two lives) his vertiginous brain will grow giddy, and he will before troubled in the passage.  
Did not the word Ibis ad Patres, sweeten the contemplation, as did that wood cast by Moses into the the waters of Marah, turning bitterness into sweetness: the thought of death (though it be but a gathering to our Fathers) would be an unpleasing contemplation.  But fears being past, which are but shadows, set off joys the better. Therefore now to see  

What joys death brings.  
Out of the bitter came sweet, 
The joys brought by death.  said Samson. When we think upon the separation of body and soul, than it is a sweet contemplation, to consider the conjunction of our bodies and souls with Christ: which being once made by the bond of the Spirit in this life, shall never afterwards be canceled. For let death, wild beasts, or birds, devour and tear the body from the soul, yet neither body nor soul are thereby severed from Christ. Non curo (saith Ignatius) si ferarum dentes me moluerint modo pura fiam farina Christo. And yet the body thus consumed, life's not in the grave or belly of the beast, nor yet receives life or sense from the soul while it is in this seat, until the great Assizes, that general Venite comes. But then, look what the condition of Christ was in his death, the like shall be of his members. The body & soul of Christ were severed, as fare as Heaven and the Grave were distant: and yet neither of them were severed from the godhead, but both existed in his person: so likewise our bodies and souls, though rent and pulled in sunder millions of miles distant, yet neither of them is severed or disjoined from Christ our head. Qui praedixit, revixit, this serves to work it.  
Humane wisdom cannot comprehend this. Weak faith looks for means, and is put to shifts when she sees means fail. But omnipotency works by improbabilities and tells us. There is no faith, where there is either means or hopes. Difficulties and improbabilities are the objects of Faith. Through the Spirit (saith S. Paul) we wait for the hope of righteousness in faith.  
Yet in nature we see that in winter season, trees which seem as dead, revive again in the Spring, because the body, grains & arms of the trees, are joined to the root, where the sap lies all the Winter, and by means of conjunction, it conveys vegitation to all parts of the tree; even so men's bodies have their winter, when they are turned into dust. Homo arbor inversa, cuius Radix in caelis, rami in terra. Their life is hid in Christ with God. Yet in the day of resurrection, by reason of this mystical conjunction, divine and quickening virtue shall stream from Christ to his Elect, and cause them to resurge from the grave, to life eternal. For the head will not be without the members: where he is, there they shall be also.  
It is noted how in that transfiguration, the body of Moses which was hid in the valley of Moab, appeared in the hill of Tabor, which assures that this body of ours, lodge it where you will, is not lost, but laid up to be raised in glory, as it was laid down in corruption. The incineration and dissipation of this dust, shall have a recollection in that day of resurrection.  
In the valley of dead bones, did not the Spirit say to Ezekiel, Prophesy upon these bones, and say, O ye dry bones, I will cause breathto enter into you; I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh, and you shall live?  
If any think, 
The difference betwixt the resurrection of the  and the just  this Resurge again, which is so wonderful, is not peculiar, but common unto all, both good and bad, (as good men love not to be happy alone) its truth, yet, it is not by the same cause, nor to the same end. For the wicked rise by the power of Christ, to be judged and condemned. But the godly rise by the virtue of Christ's resurrection, to receive eternal life. Vita mortem assumpsit, ut mors vitam assumeret.  
Therefore they collect truly, who say, that the rotting of our bones is no death, but a being asleep; and that sleep must needs be sweet, which hath peace with rest, and rests in safety.  
Awake than thou that sleepest, arise, come and live: he whom thou lovest, sleepeth, but thou wilt come to awake him: till when his couch of ease, is his coffin, the grave his bed, wherein he lies never troubled with dreams or fancies, what shall become of his body, till it rise again.  
I am the resurrection and the life; (saith Christ) He that believeth, though he were dead, yet shall he live: the arrest of Death shall not always keep him. Well said S. Austin, The bodies of Saints shall be raised, tanta falicitate, quanta felicitate, with as much ease as happiness. Nam mors tantum intermittit vitam, non eripit; death doth not disannul, but discontinue life. By our rising, we are remitted to our better right, a life which never dies, a morning which hath no Eve nor ending. Me thinks I hear death say of life, as john the Baptist said of Christ: He that cometh after me, is before me. Which is life.  
O sweet word Life. The best Monasyllable in the world. God's own Attribute. Deus vivit. And my soul (saith job) shall live, for my Redeemer liveth. And is this life, but the child of this word Death? then blessed also be the word Death, the mother of life. I will no more call thee Marah, but Naomi; for thou art not bitter, but sweet; more pleasant, though swifter in thy gate then the Row or Hind. The Stoic could say, Mors est quae efficit, ut nasci non sit supplicium. But what saith S. john? I heard a voice from heaven, saying, Writ, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, whose works follow them, they die no more, death hath no more power over them, all tears are wiped from their eyes.  
Compare together the benefits of life and death, and you shall clearly see, how that death which seems to dispossess us of all, puts us in possession of more than that al.  
Per varios casus, per tot discrimina rerum  
Tendimus in Latium, sedes ubi fata quietas  
Ostendunt.—  
It is but being which we have by Nature, or by Birth; our better being is by Grace; but our best being is in glory: there we cannot be, till death have conveyed us thither. Esse naturae est, benè esse gratiae, optimum esse gloriae. Better therefore is our last being by death, than was our first being by birth. Dicique beatus ante obitum nemo. Birth brought me into the world, but that was misery, allowing no vacation to sorrows. Ne natalem quidem excipit. For crying was the first note of my being. Calamitatis futurae propheta. Death carries me from a world of miseries, to a world of felicities. Dies mortalis est fatalis Nativitas. Hear I dwell in a house of clay, whose foundation is dust: Death brings to an habitation made without hands, everlasting in the heavens. Ad excelsa sublatus, inter felices currit animus, excipitque illum coetus sacer. Birth brought me to converse, and have commerce with men, death brings me to have communion with Saints, and fellowship with Angels; yea, to enjoy visionem illam beatificam. The immediate fruition of God and Christ.  
Old father jacob, when he was told of his son josephs' power in Egypt, was not satisfied to hear of his honours, but inquires of his life: intimating that life to come, is better than all the honours that are in Egypt, or fortunes that are on earth: nor yet did josephs' life content him, without being present with him, and therefore said, I will go down and see him: counting it better to behold with the eye (and yetmost sins begin and creep in at the eyes) then to walk in desires. Implying, that the best things that are, pleasure us not in their being, but in our enjoying them.  
What then shall be the joy, 
The joy soul & die at the meeting.  when soul and body separated for a season, shall meet again in joy, and mutually enjoy one the other? The sense of this delight and contentment did well appear in that meeting betwixt jacob and joseph, whom mutual loss and separation for a while, did more endear each to other.  
Intermission of comfort hath this advantage, that it sweetens our delight more in the return, than was abated in the forbearance.  
And was jacob glad to leave his country, the land of Promise, to see his younger son joseph, though in Egypt. What then shall be the soul's joy to end a pilgrimage in a strange land, and go to see his elder brother Christ in heaven, an inheritance more pleasant than that land of Goshen, freed from all the encumbrances of this Egypt? Therefore said S. Paul, I desire to be dissolved, that I may be with Christ. For this tedious mortality, pleasant it how man can, will be intolerable, if death do not disburden it; because long living so loads us with sin, as the burden thereof tires every man at last. It is such an inmate, as will roost in us as long as life affords it houseroom: nor will it lodge alone, but still one sin will call in another: but through death, the very body of death, and burden of sin, are both cast out together.  
Sith then the life I now enjoy, is beset with death, tends to death, and ends in death, I will no longer mistake terms, calling that death, which is life; and that life which is death. Hanc esse mortem, quam nos vitam putamus: Illam vitam, quam nos pro morte timemus, said Lactantius.  
More divinely said S. Austin, Per vitam ad mortem transitus est, per mortem ad vitam reditus est. Therefore the Pagans did not ill, to celebrate the day of their death with mirth; and the day of their birth with mourning. For although the soul be then infused, when man is made; 
Death the regeneration of the soul.  yet it is new borne, when man dies. His body being the womb, and death the midwife, which delivers that to sorrow, this to glory.  
The Prophet jeremy so little joyed in his birth, that he said, Let not the day wherein my mother bore me, be blessed.  
Quis pavet? quis flet? quis eget? quis errat? Solus (heusortes!) homo sperat, optat alget, voluit, explorat, queritur. Malorum omnia plena, said a divine Poer.  
But to assure there are joys in death. What saith the Scripture unto well dying men? Rejoice, and lift up your heads, for now your Redemption draweth near.    

The third general division. III.  

When Death is to be prepared for: and how.  
IT was the saying of the divine Philosopher Plato. There is nulla salutar is Philosophia, 
The time when.  but perpetua mortis meditatio: and sine ista meditatione tranquillo esse animo nemo potest. Scipio was wont to say, Mortis meditatio, Is vita sapientis: and that it was the most honourable Philosophy to study a man's mortality. Politics say, Totâvitâ discendum est vivere. But saith Seneca; Hoc magis miraberis, Totâ vitâ discendum est mori. Fool's would fain do in the end, that which wise men do in the beginning, Prepare for their end: but careless men think, that the signiory and government of times is at their commands, to do what they list, when they list. We have little power over the present, much less over the future. Therefore King David cried betimes; Lord, let me know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is, and how long I have to live. All the days of mine appointed time, saith job, I will watch, till my changing shall come.  
Change, the great Master of the world, that hath Time for his Agent, abuses many men with the hope of time. It is true, Time is a servant equal to all men: it holds pace, and flies as fast in idleness, as in business; so as time well spent, diminishes our time: yet when it is employed in timely preparation, it lays up time as treasure for a future time, and so is rather a husbanding, then consuming of time.  
He life's in safety that watches his time. Diem perdidimus, said Vespasian. But in reckoning of time, most men miscast-time, counting that first which is last, and that last which is first; beginning our account from the day of our Birth, whereas our death's day is our first day. For in the account of life, our last day of life, is the first day to life. We then ceasing to dye, when we leave to live.  
Solebat dicere Fabianus, In tria tempora vita dividitur, quod est, quod fuit, quod futurum est, ex his, quod agimus breve est, quod acturisumus, dubium, quod egimus, certum. Reckon first with time past, and you may make time to come certain: make your salvation certain, saith Saint Paul.  
The Sceptics put a fortasse up on all things in the world. But said S. Austin, there is no one thing in the world to be named, where this word fortasse had not place, except you speak of death. Hîc solùm fortasse locum habere non potest. Death, as it is said of the kingdom of heaven, comes not by observation. He life's not, that knows where, when, or how he shall dye: yet nonelives but knows he must dye. Mors omnibus finis, multis reme dium, quibusdam votum, de nullis melius merita, quam quibus accidit antequam vocaretur. Therefore said one, dementiae est, it is more than folly not to be prepared for death. Sed si mors veniens praemeditatur, tunc superatur. The preparation for death, is the fruition of life. Nemo propter Canos & Rugas diu vixit: yet never man preserved himself from dying, by forgetting death. The very Heathens, by nature's instinct, provided themselves for death by sacrifices to their gods.  
Frange toros, pete vina, rosas cape, fundere nardo;  
— Ipse iubet mortis te meminisse Deus.  
Solomon saying, 
A fair way of dying well  the day of death was better than the day of birth, inferred that there was a fair way of dying well: whereunto two things were most requisite.  
First, a timely preparation before death. Nam facilè sustinet, qui expectat mortem. Seneca said, Saepe debemus mori, nec volumus; morsmur, nec volumus. We ought often to prepare for death, and we will not: at last we die indeed, and we would not. In hoc errore omnes versamur, quòd non putamus, nisi senes ad mortem vergere, citamur nec sensu, nec aetate. Mors quo faciliùs obrepat, sub ipsovitae nomine latet.  
If you intent preparation for death, you must avoid all procrastination, Nescis enim quid serus vesper vehat. This vox Coruina, that always cries, Cras, cras, cousins many a man, making him perdere hodiernum, trusting upon to morrow, saith Tibullus. I am mala finîssem letho, sed credula vitam spes alit, & meliùs cras fore semper ait, but trust not to that: Ille sapit quisquis, Posthume, vixit Heri. Solomon saith, Ne gloriêris in crastinum, nescis enim quid superventur a pariet dies.  
By deferring, we presume upon that we have not, and neglect that we have. Quod in manu fortunae positum est, disponimus; quod in tua est, dimittis. Which made the Heathen Poet, divino furore instinctus, utter hoc salutare carmen, Optima quaeque dies miseris mortalibus avi, prima fugit.  
Therefore, noli tardare, delay not thy prepare for death, till thou feelest the approaches of Death. Recordare novissimum, & non peribis in aeternum. Do the work of of the day in die suo. No man can promise himself a morrow.  
Fleers, si scires unum tua tempora mensem:  
— Rides cùm non fit, forsitan, una dies.  
Every man hath his day. Est & dies hominis, & dies Domini. When man's day is past, than God's day comes.  
The case therefore of those men is mostunhappy, who after forty or fifty years of days, in their misspent time (for it was not vita, but tempus) and now ready to die, are even then to learn how to dye, when they are in the Act of dying. Quae tam stulta mortalitatis oblivio, inde velle vitam incoare, quò pauci perduxerimus?  
It was a sweet speech, and might well have become an elder body, which a young innocent child used lying in extremity of sickness: Mother, what shall I do, I shall dye, before I know what death is, I pray you tell me what is death, and how I should dye? Certainly, multum interest, peccare aliquis nolit, an nesciat. But there is nil miserius morienti, quam nescire mori; nay saith one, Tolerabilior est non esse, quam nescire mori.  
Since than it is a thing as well natural, as necessary for a man to dye, Quisquis ad summum pervenit, ad extremum properat. It is no thankes to a man to pay that willingly, which he must do of necessity. But in paying of this debt, wisdom counsels thee two things:  
First, to consider the time when.  
Secondly, the means or manner how.  
For the time, seek not death in the error of thy life. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years approach wherein thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in you. Before the silver cord be loosed, or the golden ewer broken. Before the Almond tree flourish, and the Grasshopper be a burden. Before the keepers of the house shall tremble, the strong men bow, the grinders cease. They wax dark that look out by the windows, and the daughters of music be brought low.  
Old Barzillai, being in this case, refused all the pleasures of a King's house, though he was gently entreated by King David.  
Age, or sickness, will make a man unapt either to compose, or dispose himself to death. Tunc tibitarda sluunt ingrataque tempora. It is no good time then to prepare to die, when it is a burden to live.  
Thy best health affords but time good enough for this business. Therefore dedicate not all thy time to business, for that as well as sloth, may rob thee of thy time.  
Do you desire some signs of death, 
Three signs of approaching death.  before you take this course? Tres sunt mortis nuntij, casus, infirmitas, senectus. Casus dubia infirmitas gravia, senectus certa denunciat. Casus nuntiat mortem latentem, infirmitas apparentem, senectus praesentem.  
When man gins to be sick, his senses are wholly busied about the pains of the disease.  I am vigour & quasso languent in corpore vires. 
The Physician is then conferring with thee of the state of thy body. The Lawyer is consulted with, about thy worldly state. The Minister touching thy soul's health. Thy friends are then unwelcome, strangers trouble thee, visits, offend thee: thy own servants cannot please thee, other men's discourses tyre thee, to speak thyself spends thee, and to be silent grieves thee, not to be told how thou dost, vexes thee, to be told how ill thou art, discomforts thee; but it most of all afflicts thee, to see thy wife, children and kindred, weeping and lamenting by thee.  
Thus miserably we poor men at this time are distressed and distracted, made unfit for any thing, when, as God knows, a due preparation to death, requires all the faculties and strength, of a sound, perfect, and whole man.  
Every man naturally, when he comes near the goal of death, even for some intrinsical cause, though unknown to himself, is then weary of himself, entertains life with a tedious dislike. Tunc iniucunda est rei poenitendae recordatio, distasting every thing, neglecting the very thought of all humane affairs.  Nec iweni lusus qui placuere, iwant. 
But than thinks, O how am I straitened till it be accomplished!  
This should have been done when strength of understanding served. Nam serum est tunc vivere incipere, cum desinendum est.  
The little Bee, so soon as flowers spring, goes abroad, views the gay diapry, and the diversity of the flowery fields, sucks the choicest of them, fraights her thighs, carries to her hive, makes a cuurious comb, and so by times hoards up honey in Summer against the Winter. Why is the winter harder to the Grasshopper, then to the Ant? only prudency and imprudency differs them.  
Think not thou the winter of thine age, a time fit enough for this work. Mauna must be gathered in the morning; it is too late to prepare when time is passed before you begin.  
Repentance also begun in the time of sickness, 
Repentance when to be practised.  is commonly as sick as the party, yielding then, when it cannot resist, and then preparing and repenting, when all other helps and hopes fail.  
Sound repentance and fit preparation must both be timely, not then forsaking sin, when sin forsakes us; and wishing time, when time is past. Omnis motus naturalis velocior est in fine, the end of time, affords little time.  
Holy job tells us, If thy bones be full of the sins of thy youth, they will lie down with thee in the dust. Sed mortantur ante mortem vitia, & ad iudicium non sequantur. When death hath folded up thy days, all opportunity is past. The Cock crowed, but that Gallicinium, so soft a voice could not awake thee. Therefore Signicinium, louder music, must end the Scene.  
It is a great mass of sins that we have wound up, in the days of a long misled life; it will ask long time to untwist this bottom; nay, to ravel it out in many ends, will ask great labour. Great labour, and little time, suit not: Therefore work while it is day, The night cometh, when no man can work. Use not time, as ill husbands do their Farms, let their Lease run out, before they be e'er the better by their Farms.  
Few and evil are the days of the longest lived man, and yet to every man there is a Triduum lent, the space of three days at least: but sleep not usque Quatriduum, lest it be said, He hath lain four days in the grave: jam foetet.  
Flatter not thyself by the thieves' example, who repent, but in illa hora. That is not set for imitation, but to keep from desperation.  
It is a strange thing to see, that old men will not see death, though it be before their faces; nor young men, though it stand at their backs. The old gray-headed man to seem young, had coloured his hair black; but the devil told him he would not be so cozened.  Non omnes fall is, scit te Proserpina canum. 
The common fashion is to put men in mind of their death, when we doubt they cannot live. Till the Physician finds some ill symptoms, the patient may not be dis heartened with the name of death. But he is the good Physician of my soul, that tells me of death, when he sees me live in sin.  
There is not any man so wicked, who with his good will would die in his sins; yet most so live, as if they believed permission were the Article of their faith all their life long: and the Article of remission of sins, were reserved till the point of death.  
But terrible will death be, when the dying man with grief for opportunity lost, will repent that ever he lived, and count it happiness enough, if then he might die and be no more. But that will not be, quia Mors est sine morte. Semper vivit, semper occidit, sed nunquàmpraeoccidit.  
That which ends all, is without all end; Remember the parable of the five foolish virgins, and the fair warning Christ gives: Be ye ready, for the Son of Man comes at an hour when ye look not. Ecce venio sicut fur; that is, when you sleep best, and think least of him.  
Now as it is wisdom to be prepared for death; 
Settlement in Religion, the best preparative for Death.  so if you will die with peace of conscience, be well resolved in point of Religion before you die, never any man was a loser by believing; for faith is ever recompensed with glory; while thou livest it is not amiss to make doubts: but thou shalt find it a fearful thing, to die in doubt; and the happiest thing under heaven, to be well assured, and clearly resolved in the truth of thy faith before thou diest. This done, then be of good cheer, for thou shalt hear Christ say unto thy sick soul, as he said unto the sinful woman, Go in peace, thy faith hath saved thee. And let all conceited humanists remember what their master Aristotle said when he died: Anxius vixi, dubius morior. O Ens entium, miserere mei.  
Now of the way to die well.  
Non est res magna vivere: Hoc omnes faciunt: sed pauci bene moriuntur. Et illi Mors gravis iucumbit, qui notus omnibus, ignotus moritur sibi. Man is ready to die before he life's, and therefore lived in the world, that he might die to the world, his years come to an end, as a tale that is told: his days deceive him, for they pass as a shadow by Moonshine, then appearing longest, when they draw nearest to an end. We that now live, live by death; for had not Christ died, we had not lived. Therefore saith S. Paul, My life is not dear unto me, so as I may finish my course with joy.  
Do you desire to live a long time: the son of Sirach saith, A man that is made perfect in a short time, fulfils a long time. Et vita ipsa, si scias uti, longa est. Vir bonus bis vivit, saith the Spaniard. Am●liat at at is spatium sibi vir bonus, hoc est vivere bis, vita posse priore frui He life's twice, that leads his first life well. Alexander had a good account of his age, reckoning by victories, not by days. So should Christians count their days by every sin they conquer in that day. Numbering of days, saith Saint Austin, is not numerus dierum quis sit, but, quî sit.  
Tres sunt dies hominis, saith Saint Hierom, Dies Conditionis, dies Conuersionis, dies Resurrectionis. One day certifieth another, saith David. Time lent us, flies away in the time that is lent, every moment coming, being the death of that is past: But weigh well every moment, for it is of so great moment, as that upon it depends eternity of time to come.  
Unto dying well, there are three things most requisite. 
Three things requisite to dying well.   
First, to be often meditating upon death.  
Secondly, to be dying daily.  
Thirdly, to dye by little and little.  
Often meditation of Death, 
The first step to dying well.  brings you to die in ease, alleviates pains, expels fears, eases cares, cures sins, corrects death itself. Quo modo non morimur, cùm vivitur mortuis? we live with so many deaths about us, that we cannot but often think of dying. Every humour in us engenders a disease enough to kill us, so that our bodies are but living graves, and we die, not because we are sick, but because we live, and when we recover sickness, we escape not death, but the disease.  
Do then as the Preacher counsels; what you have to do, that do quickly; For in the grave, whither thou goest, there is neither work, nor discourse, nor travail, nor wisdom, nor conversation, nor fruition of any thing; all is entombed in silence, darkness overshadowing it.  
Measure not life, spatio, sed actu, because life is ordained for Action, not for fruition. If thou hast any good to do for the Church, the Commonwealth, or thy Friends, do it quickly. Hast thou much goods laid up in store? make thee friends with thy Mammon, but sing not a requiem to thy soul; say not vainly, Vivamus dum vivimus, sors fortuna ut volet, ordinet: vita iam in tuto est. Remember Hac nocte: know, that after the day of vanity, comes the night of judgement: then both light and delight go out together. Sadly and suddenly shalt thou find all worldly pleasures turned into waking dreams: Et quae parasti, cuius erunt? All the towers in the air that thou hast built, Vno ictu prosternentur.  
On the other side, dost thou eat the bread of carefulness, and drink the water of wearisome affliction? Hear is Manna, bread from heaven, and water after which none sities.  
There is no such cordial to comfort cares, or temper sorrows, as often and seriously to think of death, and to be acquainted with it betimes; 
Privacy with death, a sovereign cordial against death.  for through acquaintance, death will lose his horror: like unto an ill face, though it be as formidable as a Monster; yet often viewing will make it familiar, and free it from distaste.  
It is said that Philostrates lived seven years in his tomb, that he might be acquainted with it against his bones came to lie in it. Some Philosophers have been so rapt in this Contemplation of Death and Immortality, that they discourse so familiarly and pleasingly of it, as if a fair death were to be preferred, before a pleasant life.  
This is well for Nature's part, 
Where the power of death lieth.  and Moralists think it enough for their part, but Christians must go further, and search deeper. They must search where the power of death lies: They shall find that the power of every particular man's death, lies in his own sins, that death never hurts a man, but with his own weapon: it always turns upon us some sin it finds in us.  
The sting of death is sin. Pluck out the sting, death cannot hurt. Quid huius vivere est, diû mori? Die often, and you shall be sure to dye well.  
The second step to dying well, 
The second step.  is to dye daily. Morior, ne moriar, I die daily, saith S. Paul. Singulos dies, singulas vitas putae; qui enim ●mnes dies tanquàm vitam ordinat, crastinum nec optat, nec timet. The old saying is as good, Do that every day, which thou wouldst do the same day that thou diest. Bonum est consumere vitam ante mortem: Make that voluntary, which is necessary, and yield that quickly as a gift, which you must pay as a debt at last. Did men know that death were only an end of life, and no more: every man for his own ends would be a disturber of the world's peace while he lived, and seek to make his own but when he died. He that dies daily, seldom dies dejectedly: so he that will live when he dies, must dye while he life's. The widow that life's in pleasure (said Saint Paul) is dead while she life's. Live holily & you shall die happily. Studeto talem esse in vita qualem velis reperiri in morte.  
A living man is subject to a double death: 
Two sorts of death, where to every man living is subject.  The one natural, the other spiritual. Natural death doth but separate the body from the soul: But the spiritual death separates the soul from God. Of all other, it is the most desperate state of life to live naturally, and to be dead spiritually: Thou hast a name to live, but thou art dead, said Saint john. but of the Prodigal child returned from his evil ways, it is said, This my son was dead, but is now alive.  
We count it a fearful thing for a man to be author of his own death. A sinful life slays the soul, and so while we live, we kill or lose our better life. The commandment that says, Thou shalt dye no murder, specially forbids the murdering of our own souls: but certainly that which deprives us of our better life, makes of all other the worst death.  
It is therefore a holy wisdom for a man to let his sins go before him. Moriantur ante te vitia. They to die actually, thou here virtually: and so to live, that when thou art to die, thou have nothing to do but die. Achievement of riches, pleasures, honours, have been painful; yet if these things leave not us by accident, we leave them by death, and at our death we shall plainly tell them, as job said, Miserable comforters are you all.  
If life delight, then use it, yet so, as a Traveller doth his Inn, for a night and away, and in thy journey follow not the common track. Nam ad Deum faciens iter, per trita si itur, longiùs abitur. But do as the doubtful passenger, ask questions of every one you meet, that can set you in your right way. Herein be as great a questionist as were those religious Ladies of Rome, who never let Saint Hierome rest for questions, which was the readiest way to heaven. If a man would but compare the Forenoon of his age with the Afternoon, how long the one is and how short the other is, every man would be dying daily. Palmarios posuisti dies. The longest liver hath but a handful of days. Life itself is but a circle, always beginning where it ends.  
Erat, quando non erat; sed erit. Time was, when man was not. But how late a beginning soever man had, yet after death he shall be sure never to see end. With the Ancient of days there are no days: And the time shall be, when time shall be no more.  
There be two common errors which deceive most men: 
Two common errors.  First, that a man enters not into eternal life, till he dies: when as his calling here gins his life eternal. To Zacheus (Christ said) This day is salvation come unto thy house.  
Faith prevents time, and makes things future, present. The godly man that hath his present life hid with Christ in God, so life's here, as if his conversation were in heaven, carrying himself not only honestly, civilly and humanely; but beyond natural condition, his life seems superhumane, divine and spiritual.  
The second error is that however a man life's, yet if at last he seem to die well, then, all is well, and his soul is sure to be saved: this is a bold and a dangerous conceit; for though Misery be the object of Mercy, and Hope the miserable man's god; yet humane life hath not a greater friend, nor many times a greater foe, than Hope.  
Many would dye, did not hope sustain them: more have died, flattered with vain hope. Whoso hopes too much, cousin's himself at last. Be not deceived, God is not mocked: not every one that saith, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. In this mortal life enter into the first degree of life eternal or thou mayest die eternally, with Lord have mercy upon us in thy mouth. But have thy part here in the first Resurrection, which is from sin to Grace: and then thou shalt enjoy the second Resurrection, which is from dust to Glory.  
The third step to well dying, 
To die by little and little, the third step.  is to die by little and little Totâ die mortificamur. Naturally we are every day dying by degrees. The faculties of our mind, the strength of our bodies, our common senses every day decaying paulatim.  
He that useth this course, every day to dye by little and little, to him let death come when it will, it cannot be either terrible or sudden. If we keep a Courser to run a Race, we lead him every day over the place to acquaint him by degrees with all things by the way; that when he comes upon his speed, he do not start or turn aside for any thing he sees: So let us enure our souls and then we shall run with boldness the race that is set before us.  
To die by little and little, is first to mortify our lesser sins, and not to say with Lot, Is it not a little one? We may not wash our hands from crying and from bloody sins, and yet hug in our bosom some beloved and Herodian sin. Certainly great sins will never be conquered, if little sins be cherished. Saint Cyprian writing consolatory Epistles, to the Martyrs of his time, told them that he that once hath overcome death in his own person, doth daily overcome him in his members: if you mortify the members of your flesh by little and little, you will not fear the cruelty of any exquisite death the Tyrant can device.  
There be a sort of little deaths, as sickness of body, troubles of mind, loss of friends, and the like: use these rightly in their kind, and you may make them kindly helps to dying well.  
The right way to bring any thing to a good end, is to proceed by degrees. God himself made nothing absolute at first. This great God love's to have degrees kept degreeingly: to grow to greatness is the course of the world, so by little and little to go out of the world, per gradus, not per saltum, is the way to Heaven. Let a man go out of the world, as he came into the world, which was, first by a life of Vegetation, then of Sense, afterwards of Reason. David prescribes us this order when he says, Doce me & duce me, Domine. He will not runnetill he be taught to go. Teach me to do thy will, and lead me into the land: What land is that? There is terra quam terimus: land on earth, which yields us all pleasures, that's not it. There is terra quam gerimus, refined earth, beautified bodies which we bear about us, nor is this it. There is, terra quam quaerimus: the glorious land of promise, that's the land we seek. Into this land, duce me, Domine.   

For the manner of dying.  
AMongst men it is a matter of chief mark, the manner of a man's death. All men, as men, die naturally; as Christians, they should die religiously. The good man equally can die, or live, for he knows if he live: God will protect him, if he dies, God will receive him. The Prophet David in a Contemplation of Death, ingeminates the word, saying. Domine Domine; exitus Mortis. The issues of Death belong to thee.  
A good man by his good will would die praying and do as the pilgrim doth, go on his way singing, and so adds the pain of singing, to that of going. Yet by this Surplus of pain, unwearies himself of pain. But some wretches think God rather curious, than they faulty, if a few sighs, with a Lord have mercy upon us, be not enough at the last gasp.  
There is no spectacle in the world so profitable, or more terrible, then to behold a dying man: to stand by, and see a man dismanned. Curiously didst thou make man in the lowest part of the earth (saith David:) but to see those elements which compounded made the body, to see these divided, and the man to be dissolved is rueful. So dependant is the life of man, that it cannot want one element. Fire and Air, these fly upward. Water and Earth, they sink downward. So living man, becomes a dead carcase.  
Seneca thought a man might choose his own death, which was some ease to him. Quemadmodum navim elegam navigaturus, & domum habitaturus: Ita mortem utique quá sum exiturus è vita. But better saith another, Stultè haec cogitantur: vitam alijs approbare quisquam debet, mortem verò sibi.  
But since it is so great a matter to die, so necessary to die well, so dangerous to die ill: Let your life be an acting of death.  
Certainly Death hath great dependency on the course of a man's life. There be many that choose rather to die quickly, then to live long sickly. Some that will invite Death to do them the kindness to take them soon out of the world, counting a short death, the happiest hour of a man's life. And for this (saith Tully) a man is most beholding to Nature. Quòd unum introitum ad vitam dedit, exitus vero multos. Sed non sic itur ad astra. Christians know better ways, as how to live in grace, that they may die in peace. And to whom this grace is given, for him glory is reserved, saith Saint Paul. Many a good man is sore troubled to see men of the best lives, to have distempered and perplexed ends. Some raving, some despairing, some dying suddenly, and seldom have any so bitter draughts, as those whom God love's best.  
It is fit therefore to take notice of the causes that be natural. Despair in dying, may arise as well from weakness of nature, as from trouble of mind: but in neither case can this prejudice him that hath lived well. Mark the righteous, and behold the perfect man, for the end of that man is peace.  
Rave, and other strange passions, are many times rather the effect of the disease, then moving from the mind. For upon death's approaches, choler fuming to the brain, will cause distempers in the most patiented soul. In these cases the fairest and truest judgement that can be made, is, that sins of sickness, occasioned by violence of the disease in a patiented man, are but sins of infirmity, and not to be taken as ill signs or presages: I will not despair in respect of that man's impatient dying, whom the worm of conscience had not troubled, or devoured living.  
David in this case, the better to make his way, prayed, and cried, Lord, spare me a little, O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence and be no more.  
Indeed to Ezekias some years of days were lent, but we are not worthy of that favour, we must time it as we may, and be content to live and die at uncertainties.  
As a sick man hearkens to the clock, so let us watch Death. For sudden coming of death, finding a weak soul unprepared, makes it desperate, leaves it miserable.  
Sudden death of itself is not therefore evil, 
What death is to be counted sudden.  because it is sudden: but because it may take us away suddenly, our souls unprepared. The good man never dies unprepared, because his perseverance in goodness, is a providence against sudden death.  
If a man be always prepared, and have set all even betwixt heaven and his conscience; sudden death is but a quicker passage to heaven, and is not to be accounted a sudden death, but a sudden departure, because it came not unlooked for.  
Though the righteous be prevented by Death (saith the Book of Wisdom) yet shall he be at rest, because he hath made his peace beforehand. His departure is no misery, for his hope is full of eternity. Ezekiel the Prophet (so often styled Son of man) to him God says, I take away from thee the delight of thine eyes, (which was his wife) with a stroke suddenly, and yet thou shalt not weep. Let not the present pleasures of this life allure thee, nor the cares thereof possess thee, and sudden death cannot surprise thee. Improvisa nulls Mors, cui provida Vita. But if a man do not prepare to die, he may live seven years in a consumption, and yet die a sudden death. For any time is sudden to him that is unprepared.  
They take their mark amiss, who judge a man by his outward behaviour in his death. If you know the goodness of a man's life, judge him not by the strangeness of his death. When a man comes to be judged, his life, and not the manner of his death, shall give the evidence with him, or against him. Many that live wickedly, would seem to die holily, more for fear to be damned, then for any love to goodness. To these men there is malum triplex, quod manet in septima. Which is Horror in exitu. Dolour in transitu. Pudor in conspectu Dei. If my life please God, I am sure my death shall please me: for he that life's well, is sure to die well: but he that life's ill, is not sure to d●e well. Vitae praesentis finem, talem esse oportet, quale futurae est principium.  
It is a great happiness to die in ease. Quis tam facile, quando vult, dormit, as he that lays down his life in peace. Yet a good man doth not always die in the exercise of his goodness. But as a wise man when he sleeps, leeses not his knowledge; no more doth a good man his graces, though he die in distemper. For habitudes of goodness do not then leave him, though they cannot then do their office for him.  
But the vulgar opinion, if a man die quietly, and go away like a lamb (which in Consumptions and dull diseases, all men do) then sure he goes to Heaven. But if he die distempered, and of frantic behaviour (which happens to many through extreme inflammations) then sure he goes to hell, is a judgement from nature, not of Religion; and in this case trust not Nature's judgement, for it is arted with subtleties of physic.  
Serenity, joy and peace in a dying man, is a hopeful behaviour: yet we see the clear stars that are so delightful to behold, bring forth their Rays by sparkelings, and dartings, as though they were delivered of their light by travel and hard assays. So good men in their death, have great variety of accidents, many languors, many agonies, many iterated endeavours, travailing of Death, as in a Childbirth. But when the passages of the soul lie open to God without opposition of worldly cares; than it peaceably makes egress with a sweetness, and without disturbance.  
Natural causes have their operations; but it is the God of nature that commands them. It is God's property sometimes to work supernaturally by nature.  
But trust to this, believe aright and live as you believe, and you shall be sure to die in safety: and the way to end life quietly, is to render it willingly.  
Let no contentment of the world so fix you to the world; as to make you desire longer life. Saepe in hoc esse, Bene, non diu. Shortness of life is no unhappiness. Citiùs mori vel tardiùs, adrem non pertinet; bene mori aut malè, adrem spectat.  
The Book of Wisdom saith, He was suddenly taken away, least ill should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul.  
Had present death been evil, or long life good, Cain had been slain, and Abel had survived. But Death commonly gins first, where God love's best. His soul, saith the son of Sirach, pleased God; therefore hasted he to take him away.  
We see the best men live not longest. And indeed it were injurious to wish that goodness should hinder any man from happiness. He that lends good men to the world, owes them a better turn then to let them live long in the world.  
One man seems to die casually, another violently, both by destiny, all men by Decree.  
Quem dederat cursum natura, peregi, said the Poet. But the Divine tells us, though Moses died upon one Hill, Aaron upon another Hill: yet both where they might see the land of Promise.  
How familiarly did Moses hear of Death, when there was no more betwixt God and him, But, Moses go up and dye?  
With such a sociable compellation are good men invited to Death, as to a Feast.  
Nec mihi Mors gravis est  
posituro morte labores.  
— Mors mihi merces erit.   

The assurance of life after Death.  
ALthough my flesh be eaten with worms, 
Assurance of life after death.  these worms turned to dust, this dust blown through the earth, yet after thou hast turned all to destruction: Again thou sayest, Come again you children of men. Redemptor meus, is the word of assurance, My Father, and your Father, saith the Gospel. Meum and tuum, are words of Assurance to men's souls, though in men's states they make all Controversies. I know that my Redeemer liveth. How do I know it? not by Opinion, but by Faith. Fides non creditur, sed cernitur. Things are not so, because we are persuaded they are so: but because they be so, therefore we are so persuaded. The woman with child, knows she is with child, when she feels it stir lively: So the Spirit of God assures our spirit, when we feel his Spirit in us.  
Holy job saith, Though after the skin worms destroy the body yet in my flesh I shall see God for myself, and mine own eyes shall behold him, and not an others.  
Which numeral Identity gives certainty, that this soul of mine, impersonated anew, and so inanimating my body again, shall give a new being, and a better being unto both.  
That soul, the lost pearl, which to find a man would have given all that he had, shall there be found engraven in gold, where as here it was found set but in clay.    

The fourth general division. FOUR  

What our last thoughts should be.  
AS in greatest extremities, good Physicians leave drugs, and minister only Cordials: so deal by thy soul when death approaches, cast away all worldly cares, entertain only thoughts that will animate thy weak body, and refresh thy thirsty soul, as did that dew of Hermon, falling upon the Hill of Zion: nor will I fear how this body of mine shall appear an other day. For I am promised by him that will perform, it shall not be found naked: But this covering of flesh being cast off, I shall take this body again clothed with glory, as with an other garment.  
This doth Saint Paul most elegantly and divinely express, saying: We know, that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle be destroyed, we have a building given of God, that is, a house not made with hands, but eternal in the heaveus. For therefore we sigh, and desire to be clothed with our house, which is from heaven: Because, that if we be clothed, we shall not be found naked. For indeed, we that are in this Tabernacle, fie and are burdened, because we would not be unclothed, but clothed upon, that immortality might be swallowed up of life. And he that hath created us for this thing, is God, who also hath given us the earnest of his Spirit. Therefore we are always bold, though we know that whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, and not by sight. Nevertheless, we are bold and love rather to remove out of the body, and to dwell with the Lord. 2. Cor. 5.  
This is so promising and so sweet, as it seems, to transport a man alive from earth to Heaven. Hîc in via es, sed illic eris in Patria. Therefore bait not too long upon pleasures by the way. All the while I lived, said a good man, I was going on my journey towards my country: but now that I am dying, I find myself near home, I am now come to Mount Zion the City of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.  
I will not therefore sit down on this side jordane, but hasten to the City; whither when I come, I shall there see my God face to face: Hear my Saviour say, Euge, bone serve. It is my Father's will to give thee a kingdom.  
Is it not enough, that my God is gone up to prepare a place for me, but will he give me a kingdom also? And shall not I be glad, when God shall come and fetch me to enthrone me in this kingdom? Absit.  
Now me thinks I hear my soul say, Cur non accedis, Domine? Quid moraris? I have too long dwelled in this sepulchre of earth. And woe is me, that I still remain in Mesech, and dwell in these tents of Kedar. It is enough, Lord, as Elias said in the wilderness, Take now away my life, for I am no better than my Fathers were.  
Nay, my soul is now grown so high minded, that she saith, Maior sum, & ad maiora genitus, quàm ut mancipium sim huius corporis. Thus rich in thoughts, and great in expectation, doth divine Contemplation make us.  
God hath not given a soul to any creature else but Man: Therefore it is but duty in Man to know the dignity of his Soul, which is so heavenly ambitious, as it will not let heaven alone, till it may see, as it is seen.  
Gravata est anima mea, my body is a burden to my soul. It hath had honour enough to have been so long companion with my Soul: wherefore now as Saint Hierome said, Egredere, anima, egredere.  
The Hermit sitting on his turft, said to his soul, Sexaginta annos seruivisti Deo, & nunc mori times? Go out of this Ark of flesh, O my soul, for I smell the savour of rest. Celeritas nunc in desiderio, mora est.  
Though my soul, as a bird, for necessity sake, hath been fain to stay awhile here upon earth; yet willingly would she be soaring in the skies. But I find that ista vita est mihi impedimento ad id, propter quod vivitur. Specially when I hear my Saviour say, Father, I will that those whom thou hast given me, be with me also where I am: That they may behold my glory. To him that is faithful until death, I will give a Crown of life. Therefore, desiderio desideravi ergastuli huius egressum, that I may see fancy ad faciem, him whom my soul loveth, and to be (Lord) where thou enjoyest thyself, and glorified spirits enjoy thee.  
Entertain thy last hours with such like thoughts. Et hatibi dabunt ad aeternitatem Iter, & in itinere sublevabunt. They will Angelize thy body, and imparadise thy soul, before thou comest into Heaven; yield a sweetness, fare beyond the bitterness of Death.  
Certainly, a good soul, thus employing itself, in ista hora, will not leave the felicity it shall have in such a transmigration from death to life, for all the joys that life past did ever render her.  
Good Saint Austin, in a high speculation, endeavouring to express this heavenly joy, was asked by a grave old man: Father Austin, quid agis? A man may as well draw in all the air in the world with one breath, as express to the life that which thou art now about. Though this ineffable joy cannot be expressed: yet it is res generosa conari alta, & ment maiora concipere, quàm quae effici possunt.  
Therefore this we may do, some way sample that which we can no way express.  
Look as a Bird that hath been long encaged, then chants it most merrily, when she gets lose into the open air.  — Nititur in syluas quaque rediresuas: 
Or as a sick man, that hath wearily tossed and turned himself in his bed all night, is them comforted when he sees the day break, and the sun beams gild the morning:  
Or as a prisoner that feels his chains heavy upon him, longs for releasement.  — Liberaque â ferris crura futura velit: 
So it will be with thy Soul, when thou shalt hear thy Saviour say, I am thy salvation. Come unto me thou that art weary and heavy laden, and I will refresh thee. Poenitentibus & petentibus pertinet Regnum Coelorum To them that are weary of this durance, and sue for deliverance, belongeth the kingdom of heaven.  
Wherefore as a wearied traveller that hath passed a long journey (though perhaps met with some delights by the way) is then gladdest, when he comes within kenning of his country.  
Natale solum dulcedine cunctos ducit. Even so thy soul, after many years pilgrimage in the wilderness of the world, being come with Moses to Mount Nebo, and beholding the pleasant land of Canaan from the top of Pisgah, will then laugh for joy, as doth the Horizon, to see the Sun coming as a Bridegroom out of his chamber. Dilectus meus descendit ad hortum suum, ad areolam aromatum.  
Of this joy, thy dazzled eyes might have some glimpses, when thou wast in health: but than it was as the blind man's vision in the Gospel, to whose first sight men seemed to walk like trees. But in this thy new state, thou shalt see clearly men and Angels stand before the Lamb's Throne, and hear thyself invited to the Lamb's Supper, where thou shalt be brought into the wine seller, and love will be the banner over thee.  
Come then, O Shunammite, stay me with flagons, and comfort me with Apples, for I am sick of love: Kiss me with the kisses of thy mouth, for thy love is better than wine; Show me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou liest at noon.  
Thus with Solomon in a Canticle, and with David in a Psalm, let be the Raptures of thy Soul, which, as in trance, shall be caught up to Heaven, as was Philip by the Spirit, or Abdias by the Angel.  
And with an Heroical alacrity, tempered with a gracious humility, give up thy soul to God, and bid farewell to the world.  
It was S. Bernard's, I shall never truly joy till I hear this word. Come you blessed; Nor cease to sorrow till this be past; Go ye cursed.  
Dying Saint Stephen, before his eyes were closed, had a facial fight of his Saviour, looked steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and jesus standing at the right hand of God. And old Simeon, after he had seen his Saviour, than rejoiced to say, Lord now lettest thou thy servant departed in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation.  Hoc videan, & moriar. Morior, ut videam.   

THE RAPTURE OF THE SOUL.  
RApitur anima, cùm coelestia Contemplatur, & contemplando iucundatur. And because sight increases delight; Therefore Rapture would fain ascend to vision. But that's a privilege for Saint Paul; It so divinely ravishes, as it raises in man towering thoughts, irradiates his soul with high apprehensions; yea, so it elevates man's soul to God, as it takes him out of himself, to live above himself. The Soul being thus powerfully attracted by the fair inducements of so divine delight, She on her party corresponds, and with a willing assent glides after these attracts: And as a vapour exhaled by the Sun, she goes out of herself, would willingly draw the body with her, but that substance is too sad: wherefore she quits it, as not agile, and spriteful enough to soar so high.  
It is an admirable thing to consider, that the eye of a man, so weak a creature, should look up every day to heaven, so wonderful in height, and yet never be tired by the way. But by this I see, that heavenly Contemplation, if it be strong enough, and not over-clogged with earthy thoughts, is able to carry us with case to heavenly ecstasy: but then there must be application of the will and understanding, from things sublunary, to things heavenly. For the will takes pleasure to perceive the understanding taken into Rapture; and when as the faculties both of will and understanding, do intercommunicate their ravishments, then are we sweetly brought into divine ecstasy.  
Of this sacred ecstasy, the Seraphical Divines make diverssorts: One of Understanding a second of Affection, a third of Action.  
Action is well added, for a man is not to be above himself in Contemplation, and under himself in Conversation.  
The first of the three is in Splendore. The second in Feruore. The third in Labour. The one caused by Admiration, the other by Devotion, the last by Operation.  
In these Raptures, the Fathers who were styled Saints had such a complacency, as they striven to act this as the way of a new life, sometime before their Death, insomuch as the Votaries would say: Never was Saint but had Ecstasy and ravishment of life before his death. They laboured by a liquefaction of their souls into God, to Insoule themselves in God: to put their fowls out of the natural comportment of the body, and so to live in divine ecstasy, without living in the body.  
Some so lived, as it was doubted whether they were living-men dead, or deadmen living: nay some, with fervency of spirit, were transported into such Ecstasy, that their souls being wholly conversant in divine Contemplation, they cared not to afford common assistance to Nature, and so have died through exinanition and want of strength.  
Thus did love perform the office of Death. Love is as strong as Death, saith Solomon; nay with them it wrought more than death could do. For death only performeth by effect, that which love operated by affection.  
Death did but separate their bodies from their souls. But love separated their souls from their bodies. In such a trance they report Saint Austin to say, O God thou only art all mine, when shall I be wholly thine?  
S. Bernard to say, What is there in heaven, or what desire I on earth, but thee, O Lord? Thou art the God of my heart, and my eternal portion, my Soul is satisfied with nothing, but to be with thee.  
S. Ambrose to say, The soul of jonathan was knit to David; but my soul is glued unto thee, O Lord.  
S. Hierome to say; O my Savicur, didst thou die of love for me? A love more delorous than death: but to me, a death more lovely, then love itself. I cannot live, love thee, and be longer from thee.  
S. Basil to say, That jacob, when he had fast hold on God, let him go for a blessing: but the Shunamite, My soul will not let thee go so. For she now seeks no more Benedictions of God, but to enjoy the God of Benedictions.  
When Savernius the Indian Saint, was recovering from dying, it is reported he was heard to say, O my God, do not for pity so overioy me, if I must live still, and have such consolations, take me to heaven. For he that hath once tasted this and thy sweetness, must necessarily live in bitterness.  
This is the state of love's life in God, which giveth a superhumane Being unto man, man being yet on earth. So that this ardent love, never satiated here, having engrafted me into God by her uniting virtue, makes me now say Vivo ego, sed non ego: vivit verò in me Christus. My life is hid in Christ with God. And though my Saviour be hidden from my corporal eyes in God, as God was hidden in him, while he lived here on earth; yet now me thinks I see him face to face. Visione beatificâ, & iugitèr revelatâ fancy, Sponsi gloriam speculando, transformatur anima de claritate in claritatem: Audet & ipsa loqui, Tota pulchraes amica mea.    

MORTIS EPILOGUS.  
QVoniam mors me quotidiè expectat, ego mortem quotidiè expectabo. But before thou goest, consider well these four things.  

1 Vndevenis.  
2 Quò vadis.  
3 Quides.  
4 Quid eris.   
Upon enquiry undè venio, I am told, 

Peccatores peccatorem me in peccato genuerunt.  
Miseri miserum me in hanc lucis miseriam induxerunt.  
Conceptus culpa. Nasci miseria. Vivere paena. Mors Angustia. Et quantò est vita mea longior, tantò est culpa mea numerosier.    
This makes me to think, Quorsum commodata est mihi vita humana?  
For this only, 
Ad comparandum vitam coelestem:  
Et hoc vult divina clementia,  
Quòd vita mea sit brevior,  
 labor meus sit levior.   

For my, Quò vado.  

IT is life's Posy, Vadere, to fade and decay.  
Vado tells me I am in transitu,  
But it rejoices me to think,  
Eo ad Patres.  
And this promise comforts,  
Sepelieris in aetate bonâ.  
Therefore nec me taedet vivere, nec  
timeo mori:  
Mihienim Mors seruit in solatium vitae.  
Vitam habeo in Patientia,  
Mortem verò in desiderio.  
Plangam ergo Paulatim dolorem meum,  
Et tunc  
Oblitus exilij Ibo ad Patriam: nam  
Mortuâ morte revertitur mihi Christus.    

To express, Quid sum.  

QVis fando explicare queat?  
Puluis & Aer, this I know;  
Et in puluerom revertêris. This is sure.  
That homo is Morbidum, putre, cassum;  
This every man finds.  
Homo de humore liquido; This is our metal,  
And the mould is no better, In utere impuro,  
Damnatus antequàm natus, that's our Condition.  
Semen Abrahae; that's our best Stock.  
Dicens putredini; Thou art my Mother,  
And to the Worms, You are my Brethren.   

So here is our great kindred.  
Our dwelling is, Inter pulices & culices, amongst Flies and Fleas.  
Our quality is vile and base, lighter than vanity, there is our weight.  
A thing of nothing, that's our worth.  
Et in non hominem vertitur omnis homo.  
There is our end.   
What then is our being? 

Somnium & dolour est tota vita hominis, cùm crescit vita, decrescit. Vita ipsa non est vita, sed umbra mortis & figura vitae.  
Flentes nascimur; In labour vivimus; In dolore morimur.    
Then certainly 
Si natus sum plorans,  
Si morior plangens,  
Nolo egovivere ridens.  
Hoc tantum volo.  
Animam meam ornare quae Deo & Angelis  
mox praesentenda est in coelis.    

Now for, Quid eris. This also I know.  

QVodsum, & me nonesse, scio. Sedid esse & nôsse desidero.  
Num videre Deum, vivere cum Deo,  
Esse in Deo, & habere Deum:  
Haec est aeterna securitas & secura aeternitas.  
This may be admired, but cannot be thoroughly understood:  
Yet better understood, then can be expressed.   
Therefore to my soul I say not, 
O Animula, blandula vagula: but,  
O Anima Dei insignita imagine,  
Decorata similitudine,  
Desponsata Fide,  
Redempta Sanguine,  
Dotata Spiritu,  
Deputata cum Angelis,  
Quidtibi cum Carne?   
But to contemplate Quanta claritas, quanta suavitas, quanta iucunditas maneat te in illa visione, cùm facie ad faciem videbis Christum?    
FINIS.  

Erratae.  
PAge 2. line 2 is redundat. pag. 18. line 23. fawns pro fans. p. 19 l. 2●. Diseere, pro Desere. p 29. l. 12. the threats, pro for threats. p. 30. l. 6. animas, but suas, pro animas suas, but p. 30. li. 7. Ind, pro judae p. 36. l. ●3. conu ncun●, pro comminuunt. p 38. l. 23. we chink, pro we would think. p. 51. l. 23. amaze, pro amuse p. 41. l. 8 amicum, pro annulum p. 74 l. ultima. Tolerabili●r, pro Tolerabilius. p. 80 l. 4 Signicinium, pro Cygnicinium. p. 92. l. 7. Palmarios, pro Palmares.