A LIVELY ANATOMY OF DEATH: Wherein you may see from whence it came, what it is by nature, and what by Christ.  
Together with the power, strength, and sting thereof: as also a preparative against the same.  
Te●ding to teach men to live, and die well to the Lord.  
By JOHN MORE, preacher of the Gospel.  
Imprinted at London by G. S. for W. jones, and are to be sold at the sign of the Gun near Holborn Conduit. 1596.   

 

Omnia mors aequat.  
Death spareth none estate, no pomp,  
no wealth, no power at all:  
No threats, no prayers can avail,  
when pleaseth him to call.  
He steams no more a mighty Prince,  
his Sceptre or his port,  
Then mattock of a labouring man,  
one of the poorer sort▪  
The King, and Subject, Rich, or Poor,  
in substance dead be one:  
No Lion better is then Cur,  
when both their lives be gone.  
So still the glory of this world,  
out of this world doth pass  
With him, who living in this world,  
once in great glory was.  T. P.   

The Printer to the Christian Reader.  
GEntlemen, our Divines do tell us, that joseph of Arramathaea made his tomb in his life time, and in the midst of his Garden; to this end questionless, to put himself in mind of death, in the midst of his pleasures: And seeing the life of a Christian should be continually exercised in the meditation of Death, by reason of the continual conflicts which we suffer: not in respect of any open enemy, but in regard of our secret sins. Every day, every hour, every moment, and in every place, the Devil fight against us: the world with his delights, and the flesh with his pleasures in so hot an assault, as doth admit no peace, nor suffer any truce, I thought good to present you with this Anatomy of Death, that in the midst of your delights, you may take a view of him, who will in the end, cut off all your delights. Accept it as I import it, the Pawn of my good desire to pleasure you, and Bill for your assurance, to receive greater things at my hand, when opportunity shall serve: in the mean time, as you tender the health of your body, so likewise care for the health of your soul: remembering, that Death to the wicked, is the high way to Hell: but Death to God's children, is the pathway to Heaven.  
Yours in all love, W. jones.   

To the Worshipful M. Thomas South Esquire. The fullness of comfort in Christ our Saviour, to supply the sorrows for his deceas sed Father.  
GOod Sir, I have received your Letters, the messengers of your sorrow, and the workers of my grief: for that I now miss aloving kind Neighbour, as you do want a kind loving Father. And if the most renowned king David, notwithstanding the great enmity betwixt Saul and him, did shed as many tears from his eyes, when he heard that his enemy was murdered, as there did issue drops of blood from saul's body when it was wounded. I trust my Christian sorrow for my friend, shallbe christianly excused, sith that it is a natural thing for one man to have compassion upon an other: and of all worldly losses which we receive by death, the loss of such a friend is very bitter; although now by death he hath gained an estate which is incomparably bet●●r▪ God having taken his unbodied Spirit, to the fruition of his Divine essence in heaven: but left his unspirited Body, to be laid by you, on his last bed in the earth, and yourself, to the practice of your Father's forepast virtues: that in the end of your race, you may enjoy the benefit of your Father's foretasted comforts: which I must acknowledge to be the sweet fruits of his godly life. And where as I understand by your Letter, so many in number, so excellent in quality, so comfortable in his extremity; both for the quickness of his sense, and the quietness of his conscience, and readiness of his memory: that if he would have wished longer life, then that he lived, or more Worship, then that he enjoyed, or greater wealth then that he possessed, yet he could not have desired at the hands of God, a more heroical gift, than the grace he had, to die in his grace: because, as punishment is joined to his displeasure, so glory is always knit to his gracious favour. Therefore (good Sir) henceforth surcease your sorrow, lest you be charged to grieve at his solace. And seeing the privilege to die well, is only allotted to them whom God hath given the grace to live well: endeavour as you are by nature, so in life and death, you may show yourself his Son: that as death took Manasses cutting his Corn, and binding up his Sheaves; so death, when death knocks at your gate, may find your August past, and your Harvest at an end: (I mean not of your Corn which grows in Swallowclisfe-fielde) but of the thoughts which flow from your heart. To this end, my friend hath bestowed upon you this little Treatise, made by a Divine endued with an excellent spirit, requesting you to patronize it with your favour: but especially to follow it with your best endeavour. For so you shall live full of good works, as your Father died full of good days, and leave a testimony of righteousness unto your Children, as their Grandfather hath left, both to you and them. Thus, with heartiest resalutations to yourself, your wife, and sister, I commit both you and yours, to the Almighty God, whose you are, and whom you serve. London. 27. of januarie. 1595.  
Lovingly and assuredly yours, William Barforde.   

A lively Anatomy of Death, etc.  
WE see it verified by experience, that all earthly and transitory things have their end, to the which they tend. Our very years are limited, God hath measured out our months, the days of our lives are dated, how long we have to live. So that our first lesson (even at the beginning) that we have to learn, is this, to think of our ending. We see that the longest day passeth, and the night succeed: how summer followeth winter, and winter summer. The sun it hath both his rising, and his setting, his shining and his shading. The spring time hath his course in covering, and clothing the ground with fruits. Summer it ripens them, Harvest gathers them, and winter spends them. Thus one thing followeth another: and both one and another pass swiftly to their end. The generation of one thing is the destruction of another, and the death of one thing is the life of another: first is our generation, than our conception, after comes our birth in wonderful weakness, our cradle is our castle, when we have once crept out of that, we come to a little strength: yet long is the time ear we come to ripeness. And here (behold) we never continue in one state: for as our strength increased at the first, so by little, and little it diminisheth at the last. As youth succeed childhood, and age youth: so childhood, youth, and age, have all their end. We prove by experience, that the freshest and sweetest flower soon fadeth, and hath his fall: our garments wax old, be they never so gay: our buildings become ruinous be they never so stately: And as our life is upholden by the death of God's creatures: so death shall be the end aswell of us, as of them. But to come near to my purpose, you see the former year, which was new, is both old, and ended: the new year which is now entered, requireth a new gift, a debt I may call it, which your deserts may challenge for a duty. That which I writ, I wish, God only must give it: yet (through him) I offer it, God grant you may well accept it. A posy therefore I present, most fittest for your state, which is both fresh, and fair, sweet, and savoury: which neither the frost of Winter can so bite, or the heat of Summer so parch, or any storm or weather whatsoever so assail, but that it springeth, smelleth, tasteth, and lasteth for ever. Memento mori: Remember to die. Recordare novissima, Remember your latter end: this is your Poesey, and you shall never do amiss, this is the smell, this is the sent of your Nosegay, which if you apply daily to your senses, it will perfume your soul and body, that all without you, and within you, shall be as a sweet odour, and flagrant incense, to the Lord of Hosts.  
Now to make profit of this posy, remember (I beseech you) that sithence we live, move, and have our being in God, that therefore our lives are not our own, but lent us for a time. Remember that we are borne to die, and die to live: If this once were beaten into our brains, we would not so much deceive ourselves. For the forgetfulness of death, and hope of life, makes us so secure, and careless, as that we desire no other heaven, than earth. Many make a covenant with Death, and clap hands with the grave, hoping thereby to escape, and so bathe themselves in their fleshly pleasures, and wallow like Swine in their filthiness, following things apparent to the eyes, never regarding the time to come, till death prevent them of a sudden, and summon them to appear before their judge: so it comes to pass, that as they lived wickedly, so they die most miserably. Their hope is as the wind, and their confidence like the Cobweb. Death is a terror, and a tormentor, both to soul and body: and this is the reason, they have not learned to die. Death is strange unto them, he seems an uglesome monster, they dare not once behold him. True it is, that Death in it own nature is most terrible to behold, that the sight thereof amazeth all our senses: yet he that is armed with faith, is well assured, that it is sent for his profit, to be his packhorse to carry him from earth, to heaven: from pain, to pleasure: from misery, vexation, grief and woe, to endless mirth, melody and joys unspeakable with God for ever. To the end therefore that the remembrance of Death drive us not to despair, but may rather comfort us in our conflicts, it will not be amiss (if according to my skill) I show you some Anatomy, in which you may see (as in a glass) the original of Death, and from whence it came, what it is by nature, with the power, strength, and sting thereof: and what through Christ to the faithful. Lastly, a preservative, or at least a preparative against the same, so that it may rather help us then hurt us.  
First, touching the original and beginning of Death, it seemeth doubtful from whence it came, & what Auctor it had: for although the issues thereof be in the hand of God, and that it is his handmaid to execute his will (as he also fetters the very devils themselves, who can do nothing without him) yet all the creatures that God made were very good, and as he is the very goodness itself: so can nothing but good proceed from God. And therefore since Death, and the devil, be enemies to God and goodness, be destroyers and corrupters of nature, which he had made, they are none of his creatures, he is neither their Auctor, nor they of his offspring. From whence then came Death? it proceeded from the devil. God (saith the wise man) created Adam without corruption, and made him after his own Image: yet through envy of the Devil, came Death into the world, and they that hold of his side, prove it. So that the father of Death is the Devil: and as he is ill by nature, so is Death in itself issuing and proceeding from such a Fountain. The Devil is the Auctor of sin, and consequently of Death: for by Sin, Death entered, and Death is the wages thereof. He that committeth sin, is of the devil: for the devil sinneth from the beginning, he is a murderer from the beginning, he is both a liar and the father thereof: not by creation, but by corruption. God made him an Angel, he made himself a devil. So falling from God, he fell from goodness, and became the father of sin and wickedness. Non stetit in veritate: he stood not in the truth. Now being thus transformed, from an Angel to a devil, and that of himself, not of God, who made him good, he lost the prerogative of his creation, and so was altered both in name & nature. Now being fallen, observe his fetches, (being that envious man) he repined at the state of man, made like to God: He came covertly to Hevah in the similitude of the Serpent, and after long allurements, caught her in his snare, that she consented. So being snared, she bends her force to catch her husband also: and indeed prevailed. Mark the devils proceed, and see what hooks he had hidden, under his fine and pleasant baits. First he bewitches her senses with a fair show, and goodly taste of the fruit forbidden. Secondly he assaileth them with infidelity and doubtfulness of God's word pronounced: namely, that they should die the death, and puts in peradventures. Thirdly, he opposeth himself to the undoubted truth of God, setting down the contrary, You shall not die. Lastly he pricks them forward to pride and self love, You shall be as Gods, you shall be as cunning as the highest in good and evil. So the poor creatures, not leaning to God, nor ask counsel at his word, but trusting to themselves, and believing his vain and strong delusions, they yield and came to his lure: and in yielding, were seduced, and so snared, and holden with the cords of their own sin, and fetters of their own finding out. Then through this disobedience, comes the justice of God to revenge itself on man, and the penalty which it exacted, was death appointed, and due by God to their disobedience.  
See therefore now the pedigree of Death, and of what parentage it proceeded. Came it from God? (I say) no; but was derived from the devil, by the means of sin, which he brought into the world, whose stipend and wages, is death and damnation: the oucrthrowe of mankind, an enemy to nature, the breach of God's law, the power of the devil, the strength of God's wrath, and most heavy displeasure; And albeit that Death (as I have said) be derived from the devil, yet it is also attributed to man himself, to leave him inexcusable, as it most plainly appeareth in Paul's comparison between Christ and Adam. As by the offence of one man (saith he) Death reigned over all, and sin came on all to condemnation: so by Christ, which is one, the benefit of grace abounded towards all men to justification of life: and as sin by Adam, reigned unto Death: so grace reigned by righteousness unto eternal life through Christ. In which opposition we may likewise see Death attributed unto all, through Adam, and not unworthily: so that man and devil, are partners in sin, and so in Death. Here two things run together: the tempter and the obeyer. Satan tempted, and persuaded of envy, intermingling the matter, with lying and slandering of the truth to break God's commandment: yet notwithstanding all this, Satan had nothing prevailed, had man resisted, and not consented: therefore we may conclude, that in respect of Satan's envy, and root of his evil temptation and lying, tending all to man's undoing, and utter destruction, that so he may be called (as he is indeed) the Auctor of Death: yet in respect of the assent & consent of man in transgressing Gods law, Death may well lie on his neck, and he may most boldly be accounted his own bane, though indeed there were no other Author, being created to the likeness of God himself, and flourishing with free will, which (as then) he possessed. The devil than is not the absolute and proper cause of sin and death, because the nature of the absolute, and proper cause is such, that it going before, the effect cannot choose but follow: but it falleth not out so in man, provoked of the devil: who although he continually assail, and most vehemently assault God's children to sin: yet sin doth not always follow his assaults. His work is not effectual, for many of God's saints and servants very mightily resist him, being armed with faith: which weapon he flieth. Again, let us imagine (saith a godly father) the devil himself never to have fallen from God and man (as yet) to have stood in his creation: yet man by nature might have declined, and should have had indeed the cause of sin in himself: the reason is this; God gave him free will, and so left him to himself: free it could not be, but that he had full choice of good and evil: yet not so unarmed and naked was he left, but that God gave him power and strength sufficient to continue in his upright state: albeit he leaning too much one way, and sliding from God's law, and not using, but rather abusing the means that God had given him, he fell of himself from his creation, and so was entangled in the snare of the devil, death, and everlasting condemnation: so that in this supposition the suggestion of the devil is not simply the cause of sin and death (the devil as yet not degenerating from God.) Neither also hath the devil power of man's will to bow it (as he listeth) to his purpose. Furthermore, we must not think that God is to be blamed, for not shutting all gates, and stopping all gaps tending to sin: for that (as I said before) he gave to man, armour sufficient to defend himself, and to keep him from falling. Neither yet was it unagreeable to God's justice, to make a distinction between himself and his creature, for that he himself is only good, without change or alteration, all his creatures good, yet subject to change: yea in the very Angels of heaven themselves (in respect of God) there is found imperfection, the Cherubins hide their faces with their wings, for the brightness of his glory.  
Thus doth God humble all his creatures to exalt himself, to teach them this, not to go from him, of whom they had, and have their goodness, nor to lean only to themselves (though by creation good) yet subject to corruption. Though man's nature (saith Augustine) was upright and sound, and nothing sinful, yet it was capable of sin & apt to receive corruption. Though man in his nature were immortal (standing in his state) yet was he inclinable to mortality. As for example; we see our flesh apt to receive a wound, yet every one is not wounded. The body of man is subject to sieknesse, yet many often die, not subject to sickness: so the state of Adam's body was such, that although he might have died, yet (except sin had come between) he might and should have been preserved of God from death. Even as the hose and shoes of the Hebrews in the desert by God's mighty power never waxed old, by wearing or consumption. Therefore to hedge up this gap, man was subject to death by nature, yet not necessarily, as though he saw no way to shun it: for now I go no further than man's knowledge, setting God's election and secret working aside: for he had sufficient force given him of God in his creation, to avoid it. God's law was written in his heart agreeable to his nature: he thought it no yoke or slavery to observe it, his shoulders, and other parts being strong enough to sustain it. Sin therefore we may see, hath diminished our strength, and altered our nature, that now we are slaves to those, who before were our subjects. God's law now written, is the same that before were engraven in nature: yet now it is a huge weight, and heavy yoke, which neither we, nor our fathers were able to bear, except we be first new borne in by the holy Ghost, given us of God through Christ. So that to conclude this point, not only the devil, but even we ourselves are the cause and auctor of sin, and so of Death. Although indeed (as Augustine allegeth) An ill thing hath no cause efficient, but rather deficient. And if any man (saith he) will go about over curiously to search out the efficient cause of Death, it is all one, as if a man should labour with his eyes to see darkness, or to bend the sense of his ears to hear silencc, which since they be of themselves mere deprivations, have no essence in nature, though existent in some subject, and known unto us. The sight seethe nothing but bright things, and the ear heareth nothing but a noise of loud things: these things are known to our senses, not by use, but by deprivation only. The deficient cause, and Autour therefore of sin and Death, is Devil and Man: the devil by suggesting, the other by obeying: both their actions not urged of God, but voluntarily of themselves. Learn therefore this by the way, whosoever committeth sin is of the devil: whosoever sinneth is the servant of Death. Neither let us so rage against the Devil, as that we altogether exempt ourselves from guilt, but rather knowing the readiness of the devil, in assailing, and our own willingness in obeying, we may both renounce the Devil, and forsake ourselves, & cleave only in this extremity to the Lord. Out of this original of Death, we may fetch the definition: wherein let us consider what it is in nature of itself, without Christ, what sting it hath, and of what power and strength it consisteth? Death in itself, is not only a kill of the body, but also a slaying of the soul: not only a separation of soul from body, but a division and cutting off, both of soul & body from God. Death therefore is two fold, to wit, corporal and spiritual: yet both of them, the stipends and rewards of sin, and both of them due to all without exception: For all sinned, and are destitute of the grace of God. This corporal death (as I said) is a separation of the soul from the body, and is called the first death. Spiritual death, is a cutting off, of the soul from God, and excluding and shutting out of the same, from the blessed and sweet countenance of God, which is life itself: and this is called the second death; common (I say) to all by reason of sin, yet not prevailing over God's children, for whose sins Christ hath satisfied. Death therefore at a word, is nothing else but a departing from life, and the life of the body is the soul: therefore the separation of the soul from the body, is death. And as the soul is life to the body, so the life of the soul is God: therefore the going or departing of the soul from God (to cleave to sin) is the death also of the soul. Without God there is no lice: therefore Adam and Eva, departing from God, departed from life: and although their souls were not presently separated from their bodies, yet being gone from God, their life; they lay (as it were buried) in their bodies, as also their bodies themselves, every moment subject to corruption. So soon as man by sin turned himself from God: even so soon was he destitute of his grace and favour, that he could not so much as once aspire to felicity, so tha● presently the soldiers of death besieged his body, to wit; hunger, thirst▪ sickness, sorrow, and all kind of calamities. So soon as ever they had sinned (saith Chrysostome) even so soon did the Lord pronounce sentence o● death against them. And even as those that are condemned of the judge, although for a while (perhaps) they may be reserved alive in prison, and be reprieved, yet in effect they are accounted but for dead men. Even so our firs● parents, though (through the exceeding great mercy of God) after sentence pronounced, they did long enjoy their lives: yet forthwith in effect they were as good as dead, for no day, or hour, or moment, did afterward ensue, that they had assurance of their life. Whereby we have to learn, that the life of sinners is no life (indeed) but a death being estranged from ●he life of God, & all remain as dead, which lack belief in Christ: for only Christ (who is eternal life through ●aith) doth quicken his children, so ●hat truly to acknowledge Christ, and through faith to possess him, is indeed ●o be freed from Death, and to have eternal life. Only in name to profess ●im is the part of dead men: for whosoever believeth not, remaineth in ●eath: because the wrath of God tarrieth upon him. He which hath not the ●onne of God, hath not life: hereof ●aith john to the Angel of the church ●f Sardis. Thou hast a name that thou li●est, but thou art dead. Hereof Christ calleth the Pharisees painted sepulchres, whose souls were dead in their bodies for want of faith: hereof he said to the young man, Let the dead bury the dead. And Paul to the wanton widow, that being alive she was but dead: Awake thou that sleepest, and stand up from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light: you hath he quickened, which were dead in your trespasses and sins. By this that hath been spoken, we may see, not one, but all are subject to the spiritual death, being full of sin and disobedience, and so remain, (those only excepted) which are quickened by Christ, and are buried by Baptism into his death, to die to sin, and live to righteousness, to the glory of him that doth quicken them. And as faith in Christ, is the life of the soul being dead through sin: so no faith can quicken us, which is not lively in itself, namely which apprehendeth not Christ, which worketh not by love, which flourisheth not with fruits: for faith without good fruits, is dead. And therefore to the end we may be revived (being buried in our sins) we must first believe in Christ, which is our life. If our belief be lively, we must show it forth by our fruits: otherwise we may have a name to live, and yet be dead. Now to understand this point the better: learn what it is to be dead in sin. They are said to be dead in their sins, whom Death still holdeth in the fetters and cords of their sin, who cannot so much as move themselves to any goodness, who have no sense or feeling either of God's mercy or their own miseries. Those to whom all goodness is unsavoury, whose bodies and souls are holden captives of the devil, whom they serve as slaves, which are like the deaf Adder, that stoppeth her ears, and will not hear the voice of the charmer, charm he never so wisely: such as are wedded to their own wicked wills, whom the God of this world hath so blinded, that they can neither hear nor believe the truth: whose conversion is as hard, as to raise up sons of stones unto Abraham. Here we ought to learn to loath sin, which brings us in such thraldom to Death and devil, which cuts us off from God, shuts us out of heaven, robs us of salvation, brings the wrath of God upon us: which is unmeasurable and infinite, and never able to be fully satisfied, but by only Christ, who is infinite and of like majesty with God his father. Now to the end that the goodness of Christ, and his grace, (which hereafter I mind to speak of) may more appear, in so miraculously delivering us from the power of death, and the devils tyranny; it will not be amiss to set out the force, strength, & sting thereof, that the power of Christ in vanquishing the same, may more be magnified. The original you have heard already, as also the description, who be subject to it, and their state in this their thraldom: Now therefore mark, that as the devil, and man together brought in death, by sinning, so it now being entered, is become the very kingdom of Satan, wherein he exerciseth his tyranny. By this death he showeth his triumphing over man, whom he so seduced in holding him so fast fettered in the links of his own sins, and so hath him as his slave, is counted as his Prince, and ruleth over him as a head. God did renounce us, although he created us, and cast us of, whom he had made: even to the form of his Image. And as through sin, he gave us over to the devil: so he justly appointed the means to hamper us: neither was this his doing contrary to his justice; nay rather if he had not so done, he should have seemed to deny himself, and to be repugnant to his word pronounced. In the beginning he created man, in righteousness, and holiness, according to his own shape and likeness. So long as he kept this form, he enjoyed his blessed presence, his protection and providence ruled over him. He wanted nothing that was necessary for him, all creatures were his servants, they came at his call, & bowed at his beck, even the beasts of the field, the fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea, he put all things in subjection under his feet: so that it forceth the Prophet to cry out, and with a loud voice to exclaim. O Lord how excellent is thy name, in all the world? what is man that thou art so mindful of him? or the son of man that thou so regardest him? thou madest him lower than the Angels to crown him with glory, and great worship, he wanted nothing that heart could wish, he was placed in Paradise amongst all passing pleasures. The ground of itself yielded forth her increase, without toil or travel. He was made Subject to no creature, but was Lord of all (him only excepted) who had so preferred him. This God, and this Lord, for all these his graces and blessings unspeakable, required no great homage or service at his hand, he exacted no high rent, he did not over charge him: But only this (to show his sovereign authority over him) he gave him a commandment, no weighty thing to be observed, but a matter easily to be performed: to wit (that he having abundance of all things beside, he should abstain (for his pleasure) from tasting of the tree of good and evil: and all this he did, to try his obedience. Mark now on the other side, this unkind creature: this ungrateful wretch, and wicked man, forgetting God, and what he had done for him, casting all aside behind his back, most traitorously, villainously, and most like a monster, rebels against his Lord, contemneth his Creator, and sets his God at nought, & so listens to the devil, believe his lies, following like a beast his sensual appetite: and even in that one thing forbidden, spiteth his God, regardeth not his word, feareth not Death that was threatened, but eateth of the forbidden tree, maugre the beard of God and his judgements. See therefore the greatness of his sin, and the due deserts of this everlasting death (which I spoke of) could any punishment be great enough, or any bitter plague bad enough for such a heinous fact, that whereas God had given him such liberty, and freedom of all things, he would not so much as obey him in one. Again, God did not only bind him to obey him, but threatened his disobedience. If thou eat thereof, thou shalt die the death. Notwithstanding both Gods commanding, and his threatening, he is most careless, and swiftly runs headlong to sin and wickedness, and so entered into such a mass of miseries, whence neither he himself, or his posterity, could ever unwind themselves. For so abusing his own free-will, he lost it, and was made a slave unto himself: defacing God's image, he became like unto the devil: and contemning life, he found out death, even death erernall. This was the wages of his sin, this was the higher of his labour, this great profit reaped he for his pains. Mark now the fruit of his disobedience: God thrust him out of Paradise, and being extruded, kept him out by Cherubins, so he saw his own shame, and could not cover his wickedness: his Fig leaves would not serve his turn, but God accursed him, and his seed: he plagued the earth with barrenness, & made all creatures feel the smart of this fall: and as he disobeyed God; so caused he disobedience in the creatures towards him. Hereof comes thefearcenesse of Lions, Bears, Tigers, Wolves, and all wild beasts: hereof arised all rebellions, and war, disorder, scarcity, dearth, hunger, cold, nakedness, plagues, murder, and all kind of miseries that are in the world: all which, are forerunners of this eternal death, and ringleaders to damnation. And to convince us of this our accursed state the better, God renewed his law first written (as I said) in nature: but blotted out by our fall, even in tables of stone, to show us the hardness of our hearts, that so (as in a glass) we might see our own condemnation. For amidst the heaps of other sin, pride so possessed our hearts, that although we were nothing but sin: yet we thought ourselves clean, holy, and righteous. We were so blinded, that we knew not sin, until the law laid it open, & showed us our nakedness. Without the law (saith Paul) we had not known sin. I knew not (saith he) sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not lust. But sin took an occasion by the commandment, & wrought in me all manner of concupiscence: for without the law, sin is dead. Not as though there were no sin in the world before the publishing of the law (for even the Gentiles themselves which had not the law written, showed the effect of the law in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts accusing one another, or excusing) and therefore being convinced of sin in their souls without the law written, are a law unto themselves: and sinning without the law, shall perish without the law written, by the law of nature engrafted in their hearts. This is proved by many moral virtues, that they naturally followed, and by many vices which they naturally hated. This knowledge of the law of nature (though unperfect) yet sufficient to confound them. Albeit sin indeed was then hidden in respect, and their best knowledge of the law so overshadowed, and well nigh blotted, that sin could not appear in his nature. But when the law was renewed, sin (that seemed to be dead) revived, and showed itself: all our spots did then appear, which before were darkened, by ignorance of God's law, which we gained by our fall. The law then convinced us of sin, & revealed our nakedness, which our Fig leaves had hidden, it opened the inward man with all his concupiscence, it showed us our shame and confusion, our ugelsome shape, most monstrous to behold, how we were transformed from the Image of God, to the similitude of the devil: it put us in remembrance of our divine nature, which we had lost: it showed us hell and the wrath of God. Nothing but condemnation appeared by it: it let us understand how far we were fallen from God, how all things both within us and without us, were corrupted: it painted out God in his nature, according to his most pure holiness and justice: how he requireth all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, all our might, all our strength, all our force, in this his service. All our members, both head, hands, and heart (yea all parts that we possess) are tied to his obedience. The least sin could not shadow itself, but it showed it in us, not condemning only our outward acts, but giving sentence against our wicked thoughts: yea, all our idle motions, without consent. And therefore since all flesh (created of God) is corrupted: so that the very imaginations of man's heart, are only evil continually, since that by the Law it is convinced, that there is none that doth good, no not one, but all are concluded under sin, and subject to the same guilt of damnation. Since by the Law cometh the knowledge of sin, and that it stops every man's mouth, and makes all the world subject to God's judgements, and summons them to appear before his seat: since it was added, because of transgressions, & that our sins might more appear and abound: therefore it is called (to the vnregenerat man) an importable yoke: the occasion of sin, hence it is called the law of sin, and of wrath, the administration of condemnation, & the oldness of the letter, which can not give life, but pronounceth all our works accursed.  
And here behold the strength and sting of death. How did death enter? By sin. How did sin appear? and what is the strength of the same? The Law of God, which giveth sentence of condemnation against all flesh, and leaveth not one justified in his sight: And yet notwithstanding all this, the Law of God is holy, just, and good, opening his very will, setting a blessing before our eyes as well as a curse. It was not contrary to our nature before it was corrupted, but agreeable for the Image of man, in which he was first created. It teacheth the very pattern of true obedience, what is agreeable to God and his nature, how much he hateth sin, and delighteth in goodness. It offereth both life and death: life to the obeyers, death to the breakers.  
Therefore let us all glorify God, let every man's mouth be stopped from accusing him or his Law. Let us confess against ourselves our sins, and say unto him: Shame and confusion belongs unto us, Death and damnation is our due: the heavy anger, wrath, and hell, are our deserts: And thou O blessed God, art just, righteous, good, and gracious, in all thy doings for ever. Let us thus (I say) give sentence against ourselves, that God may be found clear (even to the most wickedest men) when he is judged. Well then, let us bear in mind that God is not too rigorous in punishing us with eternal death, by reason of our sins so convinced by his law: and that God's infinite justice thus broken & disobeyed, could not otherwise be answered of man, but by infinite sustaining of eternal death.  
Mark therefore (I pray you) the whole kingdom of the Devil▪ He first fighteth and warreth with temptations, which are as darts to wound our souls to death▪ which if we resist not, (being so tempted, but yield to sin) then comes the Law against us with his force, and by virtue of the Law, death entereth and triumpheth. For the sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the Law: for it showeth us Hell, which is the palace of Death, & leaves us in perdition. So that you see (according to my promise) what Death is itself, what Prince it hath, and what strong Soldiers it hath to keep his kingdom: to wit, the Devil himself, sin, law, wrath of God, and all to uphold it: Wherefore it is no marvel if the remembrance of death be bitter to many, and that they abhor and hate it. I say it is no wonder if all their joints do tremble and shake a sunder: for the horror thereof made the Son of God oft to pray against it, to sweat drops of blood for the agony of it, and to cry out to his Father as a man forlorn. Why hast thou forsaken me? Neither yet was this so strange a miracle, to see the Son of God so amazed at death: for it set both Devil, Law, Sin, Hell, Grave, and wrath of God against him: all these were armed to overthrow him: all these were Death his Soldiers, and appointed captains to conquer Christ. And any, or the least of these without him, will quite destroy us.  
But now (to your comforts that believe) let us see who got the victory, whether Christ or Death, or which of them was spoiled: that so we may learn to confirm our faith in the midst of our conflicts? You have heard already what death is in it own nature, & now hear what it is through Christ. Our estate without him we know: we are even holden in the shadow of death, being fettered in our fins. The weight of our fins is the Law of God laid upon us. Hell is our prison, & death is our jailor to hold us. See how we are locked from God: yet most justly (as I noted.) In this distress and deep dungeon, jesus Christ came to visit us, even God and Man a right redeemer for us: he takes our cause upon him, and he reasons and wrestles with the Devil, that held us captives. This mighty Saviour took flesh and blood, to take our part, that he might destroy through death, him that had power of death, that is to say, the Devil, and that he might deliver all them which for fear of death, were all their life time subject to bondage. He suffered for our sins, the Just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, and was put to death concerning the flesh, but quickened in the spirit, that he might be our ransom.  
Mark therefore diligently (I beseech you) this his combat and conflict. For, he had to deal with the Devil, who held us captives. The Devil for his defence had the Law, even the righteous law of God: which man had transgressed, and therefore now worthily subject to his power. The objections therefore that he made against man to Christ, are these. Whosoever breaketh the Law of God, shall die the death: but man hath broken the Law of God, therefore he shall die the death: and by the virtue of the Law (saith the Devil) I will hold him in death. Again, the Law of God is according to his nature good, holy, and righteous. And therefore the death of man pronounced by the Law, is just, and his damnation righteous. God the Law giver, is infinite and eternal: therefore his death must be endless and everlasting. God is just, and can not deny himself. He said, that man (if he should break his law) should die the death: and therefore death shall hold him. God is perfect & pure: and therefore the satisfaction must be according to his nature. His law binds both soul and body, even thought, word, and deed: and therefore let man perform this, and he shall live. These, and many more are the darts of the Devil, which he throweth against our fowls to wound us to death: the least of which, assuredly will pierce us thorough, were it not that the strength of jesus Christ rebounded them back, and bluntens them. He is our shield & our buckler, our helmet of salvation, our castle, and house of defence: he covereth us with his wings, and we are safe under his feathers: his faithfulness and his truth doth still preserve us. For all these dangerous darts, and a thousand more, are nothing to his power, their force is less, and their violence is weaker than straw or stubble to the furnace.  
Now therefore, mark now these darts are dashed. God's justice in deed was gone out, it could not be revoked. Man must keep his law, or man must die an eternal death. Hereupon it pleased Christ to become man for our sakes, and so as man, to satisfy the Law of God for our sins, that God's truth might not be altered. No Angel or Saint could be our saviour in this case, but man who had offended God. Now man of himself being too weak to bear this heavy burden, Christ was God and man, that so he might suffer as man, and save as God. Our mediator was God and man. Man and God were foes: and therefore, being God and man, he reconciled man to God. And as the first Adam by transgressing, brought death upon all: so the second Adam through obeying, brought life to all believers. God's purest justice could not exact the thing which he fulfilled not: it required the fulfilling of the Law. This he accomplished, being the end of the Law and the Prophets. He was the very substance of all the Ceremonies, and the body of all their shadows of the Law. He was circumcised, he paid tribute, he was obedient in all things, and was under the Law: so that his coming was not to break, but to fulfil the Law. It required perfect holiness in man: he therefore was a man without sin, conceived by the holy ghost. And therefore he is not afraid to say to the faces of his foes, Which of you can rebuke me of sin? Yea, the judge himself that condemned him, washed his hands, as a witness of his cleanness, I find no fault in this just man. True therefore is the saying of the Apostle, That he was made sin for us, that knew not sin, that we should be made the righteousness of God through him. He is truly called the Paschal Lamb, most pure and unspotted, that taketh away the sins of the world. To him all the Prophets bear witness, that justly through his name is preached the remission of sins, and that there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved. Thus he fulfilled the law for man, being man himself: his obedience was most perfect, he left nothing unfulfilled. And as he kept the Law, which man had broken, so likewise he ●id pay the penalty for his trasgression. The breach of the Law, was the curse of God, and eternal death: He therefore became accursed, and sustained ●eath, even the death of the Cross, accursed of God: And so by death overcame death, & by this cursing brought he blessing of God upon us. He canceled the handwriting and obligation ●hat the Devil, and Law had laid against us: he nailed them to his Cross, ●nd made it void. So that now the faithful may triumph through Christ. Death being swallowed up in victory, ●hey may boldly excleayme and say▪ O Death where is thy sting? O Grave where ●s thy victory? For the sting of death being sin, and the strength of sin being the Law: and both sin and law being taken away through Christ, there ●s no condemnation that now remaineth. And therefore thanks be unto God, who hath given us the victory through jesus Christ our Lord. Fo● he hath taken our sins upon his back, he hath satisfied the Law o● God, not for himself, but for us▪ He died, that we might live: he was accursed, that we might be blessed: he was buried, that we might rise from our graves: he descended into hell, that we might ascend into heaven: his righteousness is our righteousness, and our sins are his.  
This exchange did he make for our sakes. And therefore through him, by faith (being dead in our sins) we are revived, quickened, and strengthened. All his merits are reputed unto us, as though they were our own, and our sins are truly his: for which he suffered and satisfied, to the uttermost. Christ is our only Sacrifice, the fountain of grace and virtue, the portion of our inheritance, our righteousness, wisdom, satisfaction, and redemption: our ●oore to heaven, the way, the truth, ●nd the light, our atonement unto God, our Sheppard, Master, Lord and King.  
To be short, he is all in all to us, that ●re nothing. This our Christ hath brogated the Law, and hath redeemed those that were under the Law, and he himself is the end of the Law: and that which the Law could ●ot do, he hath accomplished.  
And therefore, O Devil, let God's people go, for the Law cannot hold ●hem. And therefore, O Death, yield ●p thy power: thy sting and strength ●s nothing, the Law being fulfilled, ●nd sin removed.  
The seed of the woman hath bru●ed the Serpent's head. Christ hath ●edde Captivity captive, and given gifts to men. He hath reconciled and made as one, all things both in heaven and earth, he hath plucked down the partition wall, in abrogating through his flesh the hatred that remained. There is neither jew, nor Gentile, bound nor free, Scythian nor Barbarian, for all are one in Christ. He hath made the Wolf to dwell with the Lamb, and the Leopard to lie with the Kid: he hath made the Calf, the fat Beasts, the Lions so tame, that a little child may lead them, the Cow & the Bear with their young ones, not only feed bu● lie together, the sucking Child doth play upon the hole of the Asp: yea▪ even the weaned child most safely puts his hand into the cave of the Cockatrice: Christ hath now dissolved the works of the Devil, and broken his snares a sunder, that all believing sinners should be made righteous by him, waiting for eternal life. He hath opened the eyes of the blind, and brought the prisoners from their dungeon, and them that sat in darkness, hath he placed in light. To conclude, By his death and passion, he destroyed sin, and so was death in the same victory maimed. For sin is the sting of death. And when death had lost his sting, & was conquered in Christ's resurrection from death; Satan also lost his strength and power, which rested only on them which through sin were in danger of death: For the wages of sin is death. Finally, because hell only devoureth them that through sin and death are slaves to Satan: It followeth that the other three, were by him so mightily vanquished, that hell also with all the danger thereof was subdued, and we delivered from all their tyranny, according to the saying of Zacharie, He hath performed the oath which he swore, to deliver us from our enemies, that we might serve him without fear. Now then, all we which believe, are freed from the slavery of sin, kingdom of the devil, gulf of hell, and chains of death. So that henceforth death is no death to God's children through Christ, but great advantage: and appointed for a passage to a better life. And therefore though wicked reprobates tremble at the name of death, (to whom they are in thraldom) yet Gods children (being conquerors through Christ) may well triumph: for now through him, we have an entrance made to heaven, and death is the very door to life, a passage out of this world to the Father, from the prison of this body to go to Christ. It is a returning to our heavenly country: from which we were exiled. And this is the cause why the godly sigh and sorrow, to be loosed, and to be with Christ, being subject to sin. And here let us note, that whereas death is a dissolution of the soul from the body: that therefore the body is nothing else but a prison, in which our souls are bound. And he that desireth to live, is like a mad Prisoner, that is delighted in his gives, that may be free from his fetters, and cares not: that may go out of the jail and will not. Wherefore we must consider of Death, not as it seems in itself, but as it is Christ, naturally we covet to be, and consequently we shun Death, which deprives us of our being. Death is horrible to the best, for a while, because it is repugnant to their nature: but on the other side, we see how we are held as in a prison, so long as this body of sin compasseth us about. Therefore we ought to long for the everlasting life which is promised us after death (for when we draw towards death, then come we nigh unto it, and Death is the very gate of life) assuring ourselves, that for as much as jesus Christ hath passed the same way, we need not be afraid that Death shall overcome us, for it is through him, a rebated and blunted sword, whose point is broken, whose edge is taken off, so that it cannot hurt us: and although it draw some blood of us: yet notwithstanding the same shall be but to purge us, and rid us of all our diseases.  
Since therefore we have learned what Death is in itself, and what in Christ, and know the worst: since Death is advantage to the faithful, and the very high way to heaven: let us learn how to prepare ourselves there to, which is the last thing which I promised to perform.  
First therefore in this our preparation, let us arm ourselves against these temptations, with which both devil, world, and flesh, will mightily assail us. What man (saith the devil) wilt thou die? why then, behold the company of thy sins, the wrath of God, the grave, and hell are ready to devour thee: the Law is thy judge which doth condemn thee. To these temptations of the devil we must oppose Christ's righteousness, satisfactions, and merits, in which God holdeth himself fully appeased. The world it setteth abroach his baits. What, wilt thou die (O man) why see thy goodly buildings, thy bags of gold, thy lands and livings, thy rents and revenues, thy pastime and thy pleasures, thy jewels, and thy treasures, thy delights, and all that thy heart desireth. In deed, O world, this felicity is good: but yet no otherwise than it standeth with the favour of God, it is to be kept; but yet so far forth, as by the keeping of it we lose not God: and yet we see the vanity of thy pleasures, the frailty of thy glory, and the fickleness of thy goods, are therefore nothing in respect of the joys of heaven, and happy life, which after death I am sure to have. Wherefore I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ: in whom, are hidden all the treasures of God, who is the keeper of our life. For, this our life which now we lead, is no life in deed (but a death) for we are dead, and our life is hid with God in Christ, we walk by faith, and not by sight: yea, so long as we are at home in this our body, we wander and go astray from God our Lord.  
And O thou world (which allurest me so to love this life) What is thy wages? If I should serve thee, I am sure to be a foe to Christ, who loves thee not, who prayeth not for thee, whose kingdom is not of thee: and therefore to love thee, is to hate my God: which to do, is worse than death. Thy reward I know is nothing but nakedness: for naked I came unto thee, and naked I shall go from thee. And therefore I am willing to forsake thee, and desire to be loosed, and to be with Christ; who will cover my nakedness with the robes of his righteousness: lastly comes the flesh with trembling and quaking.  
And wilt thou die (O man?) why, see thy friends and thy family, thy wife and thy children, thy father, and thy mother weep and wail, cry and call unto thee, and wilt thou departed thus? wilt thou needs go from them? But O thou flesh, fight not thus against my soul; it is good in deed to tarry still amongst our friends, yet so that we abide not there in God's displeasure, and hereafter to dwell in hell with the devils, in fire everlasting. There is nothing under God, but it may be kept, so that God (being above all things which we have) be not lost. He that loves, father or mother, wife or children, etc. better than Christ, is not worthy of his presence. And therefore though they lament the loss of my life, yet can they not redeem it: for what man is he that liveth, and shall not see death. And shall hedeliver his soul from hell; No, no, neither riches, nor strength, neither power, nor policy, can prevail in this point: for whether we sleep, or whether we wake, we draw towards death. God hath set us our bounds, which we cannot pass: and as the green leaves in a thick tree, some fall, and some grow: so is the generation of flesh and blood, one cometh to his end, and another is borne: we came not altogether, neither must we return altogether.  
Therefore (O flesh) be content. O my friends be quiet, for needs we must depart: yet to meet again we are sure. And in going from you (my fleshly friends) I go to the Saints of heaven, to the mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the celestial jerusalem, to the company of innumerable Angels, to the assembly and congregation of the first borne, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just and perfect men: I know that so long as I am in this flesh, I cannot please God: and therefore I desire to be loosed, and to be with Christ. We have here no continuing city, we look for one of God. And I know, if this my earthly house of this tabernacle, be once destroyed: I shall have a building given me of God, a house not made with hands, but eternal with God in heaven. Mark, our bodies be earthly houses: Dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt return again. They are as Inns, wherein we sojourn for a season: they are as tabernacles set up for a time, and quickly to be removed: (being without foundation) our bodies are like an old ruinous cottage, still in danger to fall. David counted himself a stranger upon the earth, and a soiournour, as all his fathers were.  
Hereof Abraham obeyed God, to go whither he would: he abode in the land of Promise, as in a strange countric, as one that dwelt in Tents. For he looked for a city having a foundation, whose builder and maker is God. job called this our body a house of clay: therefore the godly groan in this tabernacle (being loaded with corruption) that this mortality may be swallowed up of life: flesh, and blood cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. God's children therefore are grieved (not because they bear about their bodies, (for it is a grief to them to lay them down) no, they sigh for this, to be cleansed from their sins. Wretched man that I am (saith Paul) who shall deliver me from this body of sin. And therefore we ought not to long for this present life, which indeed is but an Image of Death: but rather loath it, that we may be unloaden of our sins.  
This preparation to die, pertaineth unto all: for neither rich, nor poor: old, nor young: Prince, nor people: Death let's escape. It respecteth no person, no sex, no age, no condition, no estate whatsoever, no power, no riches, no learning, no policy, can resist it. There is no remedy for this sickness, no physic to be found against it. It is the way of all the world: it is an Axe that heweth down, not only the low shrubs and Osiers, but also the great Elms and Okes: yea, all the high and tall trees of Lebanon. The days of man are but as Grass, and as a flower of the field: in the morning it is green, and flourisheth: but in the evening it is cut down, dried up, and withered. We bring our years to an end, as a tale that is told. Our life is like a stage, on which men play their parts, and pass away.  
Man is like a thing of nought, his days are like a shadow. God biddeth Esay to cry, that all flesh is grass, and all the grace and goodliness thereof, is but as a flower of the field. O that the Lord would open the eyes of all, to see themselves in this bright Glass. What? are we all but grass? and shall we whither as hay? alas we cannot so persuade ourselves: for if we could, it would pluck down our pride, and set our lofty looks aside. It would then shorten soon our ruffs so long, and make our monstrous attire more modest. It would mitigate our madness, and make us humble minded: we would then throw down ourselves with Abraham, and say to God, We are but dust, and ashes: this is a common case, that all flesh is dust. Now for avoiding extreme sorrow, (which at the hour of death will mightily assail us) Let us against that time be even with the world, at agreement with our brethren, & especially with our own conscience, which then most straightly will accuse us. The conscience is like a Crystal Glass, wherein (if we will) we may lively view ourselves. It will show every thing that is amiss in soul and body.  
Let us therefore take our spundg in hand, to cleanse our spots: to wit, true faith in Christ, and good fruits that follow it, that so being at one with the world, in charity with our brethren, and clean in our conscience through Christ: we may be ready to go the way of all the world. And that this our journey may be more easy, and this rough way (as it seemeth to the flesh) more plain: let us arm ourselves with these contemplations which shall follow; let us say unto our soul: Why art thou so sad, and why art thou so disquieted within me. Put thy trust in God, which is the help of my countenance, and my God.  
Why should a Christian man so fear the force of Death, whose sting is quite destroyed? Can Death deprive him of Christ, which is all his comfort, joy, and life? No, but Death shall deliver him from this mortal body full of sin and wickedness, which beateth down the spirit. Feign would this flesh make strange of that which the spirit doth embrace.  
O (saith a godly martyr) how loath is this loitering sluggard to pass forth, and go forward in God's path to heaven. So that were it not through the force of faith, plucking it forward: and the bridle of Gods most sweet promises, and of hope pricking on behind, great adventure there were of fainting by the way. Who would be sorry to forsake this life, which cannot but be most certain of eternal lice? Who loveth the shadow better than the body? Who can love this life, but they that regard not the life to come? Who can desire the dross of this world, but such as be ignorant of the treasures of everlasting joy in heaven? I mean, who is afraid to die, but such as hope not to live eternally.  
A greater token (next faith in Christ) there is not of our election, than not to stand in fear of Death, which like a Tailor putteth off our rags, and arrayeth us with the royal robes of immortality, incorruption, and glory. Shall the brute beasts, and senseless creatures (being subject to vanity) groan in their kind for the redemption of the sons of God (at what time they shall be freed from their slavery, and shall we, which are endued with reason (yea and above reason enlightened) with God's holy spirit (especially, when it standeth upon a joyful being, and everlasting dwelling with God in heaven) shall we not, I say, lift up our minds beyond this rottenness of earth.  
And therefore, that these things may pierce the deeper: let us briefly consider (for a conclusion of all) what this life is that we so love: what death is that we so fear: and what is prepared for us after death, which we so little regard. Which three considerations (for the most part) I have rather partly collected out of others, then added of mine own: for that they are so ready at hand, and fit for my purpose: yea and so exquisite in themselves, as that my pains should be but superfluous to trouble myself with studying any further for this conclusion.  
First therefore, concerning this life, you know it is full of misery, vanity, vexation and woe. It is a plain exile from God: for if heaven be our country, what is this earth, but a place of banishment?  
If the departing out of this world, be an entering into life: what is this world, but a grave wherein we are buried? what is it else but to be drowned in Death? If to be delivered out of this body, is to be set at perfect liberty: what is this body else, but a prison, a jail, and a dungeon? If to enjoy the sweet presence of God, be the highest felicity: why then, to be kept from it, is it not the extremest misery? And certainly till we be escaped out of this life, we wander abroad from the Lord.  
If we consider, that this unsteadfast, faulty, corruptible, frail, withering, and rotten Tabernacle of ourbodie, is therefore dissoluted by Death, that it afterwards may be restored again, into a steadfast, perfect, uncorruptible, and heavenly glory: shall not faith compel us fervently to desire that which nature feareth? If we consider that by Death we are called out of banishment, to inhabit our Country: yea, our heavenly country: shall we obtain no comfort thereby?  
Alas, this our wretched life, is a vapour, a smoke, a shadow, a warfare, a Wilderness, a veil of wretchedness: wherewith we are compassed about on every side, with most fierce and fearful enemies.  
And should we desire to dwell here? should we lust to live in this loathsome and laborious life? should we wish to tarry in this wretchedness? should we have pleasure to remain in this perilous estate? daniel's Den is not so dreadful, as is this dungeon we dwell in.  
Secondly, concerning death (as you have partly heard) what is it now else, than a Wasp without a sting, a sword without an edge, a dagger without a point? What is it else now to all God's children, than the dispatcher of all displeasures: the end of all our travels, the door of heaven, the gate of gladness, the port of Paradise, the haven of health, the rail of rest, the entrance of felicity, the end of all miseries, and the beginning of all blessedness. It is the very bed of Down (faith a godly Father) and therefore well compared to a sleep for the doleful bodies of God's people to rest in: out of the which they shall arise and awake most fresh and lusty, to life everlasting. It is a passage to the father, a chariot to heaven, the lords messenger, a leader unto Christ, a going to our home, a deliverance from bondage and prison, a demission from war, a security from all sorrows, and a manumission from all miseries: So that the very Heathen in some places, did cause the day of their death to be celebrated with mirth, melody, and minstrelsy. And shall we, which are Christians, be dismayed at it: should we be afraid of it? Should such a friend as it is be unwelcomed? should the foulness of his face fear us from his good conditions? should the hardness of his husk hinder us from his sweet curnell? should the roughness of the tide, tie us to the bank and shore? there to be drowned, rather than the desire of our home drive us to go aboard? should the hardness of the saddle, set us on our feet to perrishe by the way, rather than to leap up, and endure the same a little, and so be where we would be.  
lastly, touching the life prepared for us after death: if I should go about to express it, the more I should so do, the further I should be from it. For the eye hath never seen, nor the ear heard, nor the heart of man can ever conceive, the joy, mirth, melody, pleasure, power, wealth, riches, honour, beauty, fellowship, dainties, odours, glory, wisdom, knowledge, treasures, security, peace, quietness, and eternal felicity, which the faithful shall have, and enjoy, world without end: with God the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost, with Angels and Arche-angels, patriarchs, and Prophets, with apostles and Evangelists, the martyrs, and confessors, and with all the Saints of God in the Palace of the Lord, in heaven the kingdom of God, the glory of the Father.  
O woe to the blindness of our eyes, that we see not this: woe to the hardness of our hearts, that feel not this: woe to the deafness of our ears, that hear not this in such wise as we should do: where through we might be so far from fearing Death, that rather we should wish it, crying with Simeon: Now let thy servant depart in peace. And with David: When shall I come and appear before thee? Woe is me, that my babitation is thus prolonged.  
But alas, great is our unbelief, full faint and weak is our faith: or else night and day, tears and cry should be our Bread and Drink, whilst it is said unto us: Where is your God? We should rather wish to be door keepers in the house of the Lord, then to dwell in these ungodly tents: for one day in his court, is better than a thousand.  
It is a token of little love to God, to be so loath to go unto him when he calleth. Herein we ought to lament the weakness of our faith: and seeing our need, to prepare for remedy against the time of need, and to beg of God his aid, strength, and comfotre, against the pinch: which undoubtedly, (If we ask with faith) we shall obtain, and find his promise true.  
Thus to knit up all, (lest I should seem to tire you) my promise (I trust) in some sort is performed, touching this short discourse: wherein I have rather tied myself to the matter, than my method. I always prefer the substance before the shadow: and thus I commend you to the Lord, beseeching him for Christ's sake, to keep us, souls and bodies to his kingdom and glory: and to lead us, order us, and dispose us, as he will in all things, in all places, and for ever: that at the length we may come whither we would: that is, into his own blessed presence and fruition of immortality, with Christ and his Saints, world without end.  
AMEN.