THE TWO TWINS OF BIRTH AND DEATH. A SERMON PREACHED in Christ's Church in London, the 5. of September. 1624. By SAMSON PRICE, Doctor of Divinity, one of his Majesties Chapleins' in Ordinary. Upon the occasion of the Funerals of Sir WILLIAM BIRD Knight. Doctor of the Law, Deane of the Arches, and judge of the Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury. PHILIP. 1.21. To me to live in Christ, and to dye is gain. AT LONDON: Printed by Edward Allde, for John hodget's. 1624. TO MY CHRISTIAN AND LOVING PARISHIONERS OF CHRIST'S CHURCH IN LONDON. Beloved in Christ Jesus: IT is the promise of the Word, that the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance, Psal. 112.6. as registered in the book of eternal life, so graciously mentioned to the joy of posterity in this life. Chrisost: The best monument is not in stately houses, strong walls, high Towers, glorious Sepulchers, Antomin: 1. P. Tit. 2. C. 9 S. 2. but in righteous actions, grounded upon memory, which considering the infirmity of nature, loss by sin, examples of the good, folly of the wicked, necessity of the miserable, and looking upon God, as a Creator, Redeemer, Rewarder, maketh a man live according to his will revealed in his Word; Mic. 6.8. in doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly. The memorial of such a one I present to you (and to those whosoever shall read this passage from birth to death) in Sir William Bird deceased and gone to the Lord, whom I know you esteemed Inter raros & paucos excellentissimae gratiae viros, Amongst those few choice pearls of excellent parts, Aug. de Cyp. li. 6. de Baptismo left in these decaying times. Unperfect it is, and this birth had died as soon as it had been borne (without pressing) had not I perceived how tender it was taken among some, and earnestly desired to be published by others. We shall learn to live well by remembering our death, and we shall live to God if we die to the world. As long as I am in this Tabernacle I shall put you in remembrance of this, 2. Peter 1.13. that you may love the Lord your God, walk in his ways, keep his commandments, statutes, judgements, & live, & multiply, & that the Lord our God may bless you: and we may be preserved and delivered at the hour of death and day of judgement. From the new Rents in your Parish, Octob. 18. 1624. Yours in Christ Jesus, Samson Price. THE TWO TWIN OF BIRTH AND DEATH. Lord jesus begin and end. ECCLES. 3.2. A time to be borne, and a time to dye. IT was a divine confession of that sweet Singer of Israel, holy King David, a man concerning whom GOD did swear in his holiness, Ps. 89: 33. that he would not suffer his faithfulness to fail him: His glory is great in thy salvation, honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him. Ps. 21.5. Great were his deliver ances from the jaw of the Lion, Paw of the Bear, javelin of Saul, Spear of Goliath; from the Counsel of Achitophel, Slander of Doeg, Reviling of Shemei, Mouth of the Sword, from the murrain of his Subjects, multiplicity of his sins, & the rebellion of his son Absalon. Honourable were his dignities in the love of his people, glorious wearing of a Crown, triumphant victories over his enemies. He was higher than the Kings of the earth: Ps. 89.27. such a son did the Lord send him: Solomon a King, passing all the Kings of the earth in riches & wisdom, 2. Ch. 9. 2●. 2. Sam. 12.24 Eccles. 1.1. 2. Sam. 12.25 called Solomon by his father David, when Bethsheba had borne him: the Preacher by himself in the forefront of this book, and jedidiah by Nathan the Prophet, by whose hand the Lord sent so to name him. Hier. in Eccles. orig. in Can. Am. pro. in Lu. Salonius viennensis in Prou. Three names agreeable to three books he wrote, Solomon to that of the Proverbs, the Preacher to Ecclesiastes, jedidiah to his Canticles: the Proverbs containing moral Instructions, the Preacher many natural secrets, Prou. 4.1.3. his Canticles the supernatural mystery of that marriage betwixt Christ and his Church. Tria volumina Salomonis misle Cobel. th'. Sir Hasirim. Heir. Praef. in Prou. Solom. In the Proverbs as a Father he teacheth tender children the offices of life: in Ecclesiastes the young man that for all things he must be brought to judgement: in the Canticles, him that is grown to some perfection how to be joined with divine embracings to God, Cant. 1.2. and to be kissed with the kisses of his mouth. In the Proverbs, he teacheth how to live in the world: In Ecclesiastes, Hie. Prae. in Ec. how to despise the world: In the Canticles, how to love God above the world. As Solomon, he wrote his Proverbs, a King of peace giving laws, which being kept by us, shall work internal, external, eternal peace for us, peace with ourselves, neighbours, God. As a Preacher he wrote his Ecclesiastes: for no doctrine more fit for the Pulpit, and to be preached to the whole world, than man's mortality the chief subject of the book. As God's favourite, he wrote the Canticles, containing the mutual love of Christ and his Church. King David was Gods beloved, and hence comes his name, David of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dod Amor. Amicus. Dilectus. his son Solomon was so, a wise son of a wise father, a Prophet from a Prophet: for howsoever the spirit of prophecy goeth not ever by inheritance and succession; Basil. yet David by prayer obtained this blessing, to have a son like himself, a son by generation, and a son by similitude. King David delighted to teach transgressors the ways of God, that sinners might be converted: Ps. 51.13. Prou. 1.2. Bede Ecles. 12.14. so King Solomon wrote to make men know wisdom and instruction, and to perceive the words of understanding, how men should live according to the truth of knowledge: direct their intentions, and govern their actions: For God shall bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil. Thales therefore (answered well, when demanded what was the wisest amongst creatures: Time (said he) for it findeth out all things. O then that we were wise, that we understood this, that we would consider our latter end. Deut. 37.29. Things past must be considered, the good omitted, Patritins' de transitu animae ad Deum. not providing for a time to come, neglecting the day of grace, desisting from doing good: the evil committed against God by disobedience, our neighbours by hurt done, ourselves by consenting to sin: the time lost which is precious, a benefit from God, irrevocable: Things present must be considered, the shortness of life which flieth as a shadow, fadeth as a flower, is only certain in uncertainty: the world's vanity, whereby the covetous are deceived, the carnal led, the proud caught: the space given to repent, wherein our estate should be remembered, our passage considered, our good foreseen. Things to come must be considered, the giving up of our account, when we must answer for our thoughts, words, works, the day of death which is at hand sure, unsure: the day of judgement which is the last doom, to the evil fearful, to the good joyful. This was the song of Moses, not only merely prophetical, as Rabo, Paulus would have it, but exhortatory also. This is the wisdom from above, making men pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, jam. 3.17. without partiality, without hypocrisy. Other wisdom perisheth, the wisdom of the serpent in a curse, Is. 29.14. the wisdom of the pharisees in a woe, the wisdom of Achitophel in folly, of Nimrod in confusion, of the unjust steward in expulsion, the wisdom of jezabel in death. Moses prayed for this heavenly wisdom: So teach us to number our days, Ps. 9.12. that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom: Hier. ep. 139. Nothing so deceiveth men, as to be ignorant of the paces of their life, and to promise long times to themselves; unless we think upon death we can never fashion ourselves to a godly life. Repentance hath no such enemy, as to think that any time will serve to repent, Hardly can a man think of a short life here and think evil, or of a long life and think well. The act of living well is very long, but life itself short, and God would have the time of death unknown unto us, because we should be ready for him at all times, having no more certainty of one hour then another, yet salomon's lesson shall make us ready to leave the world cheerfully, when we remember a time to be borne, and a time to dye. A text showing the short progress of man's life, his inconstancy and mortality who cometh up and is cut down like a flower, flieth as it were a shadow, and never continueth in one stay: in the midst of life is in death, whirling by a swift wheel, which should admonish us, that we have a set time for our task, the clock counting our hours, and should work out our salvation with fear and trembling, while we have light, lest we be benighted, and our eyes shut, and we sleep in death. A great task it is, and we should not lose one minute, but make a good use of time, and seeing we were borne to glorify God, and must dye, we should labour that after death we may live for ever with him in glory, because there is a time to be borne, and a time to dye, as sure as we have been borne, so sure we must dye. Oritur Moritur. Birth and Death are Twinnos. The sum of the words is, the Revolution of time, or watch of time, or the Race of life, or Man's mortality, or his pilgrimage, consisting of two parts: 1. Upon his birth, a time to be borne. 2. Upon his death, and a time to dye. The first, sheweth us his coming forth, the second, his returning back. In the first see his beginning: In the second his ending. The first, openeth his day: the second, threatneth a night. Here is the Prologue and Epilogue of the state of man, wherein, first his Birth cometh to be considered. Prima pars. Caietan. A time to be borne. Amongst salomon's couples; which are 14. in this Chapter, the four first contrarieties concerning the generation and corruption of men, plants, other creatures, and things made by Art: the four next concerning the delectable good: the other three a profitable good: and the three last, humane society: First, here is mention made of the Birth and Death, Nyssen & Olym●iod. to rouse up the sluggard, to raise up the worldly minded men, who neglect things future, remembering them, that because they were borne, they must dye; as Moses, who having written his book of Genesis, the beginning, creation, production of creatures, written an Exodus next to that, a going out. No man must murmur against God's providence: It is not in the power of man to come into the world, Hugo Victorinus. nor in his disposition to departed out of the world. A divine hand ruleth all, every thing hath its season, as a time ordained by God. The creature is governed by the Creator. Righteousness that came down from heaven, first appeared in the glimpse of the rudiments of nature; when the la came it was in the infancy, Tertul. de Virg. Veland. c. 10. when the Gospel was preached, it had a flourishing youth; and at the coming down of the holy Ghost, it grew to more maturity. When the fullness of time was come, Gal. 4.4. God sent forth his Son. It is folly for men to murmur, that they were borne at such times and not other: we are borne at God's pleasure, and his periods of time. There is a time of conception, & a time of birth; For that hath not ever a birth, which hath had a conception, though sometimes one word be used for another, the birth for the conception, as that which shall be borne of thee shall be called the Son of God: Lorinus in textum. Luk. 1.35. and sometime it signifieth any increasing, as Nascere Dardanio promissum semen julo Tu modo nascenti puero— castae faue Lucina: And that Sometimes Birth is taken for creation, as that, Martial l. 6. Epig. 7. Virg. Aeglog. 4. job 15.7. Art thou the first man that was borne? Understood of Adam: But here in the proper signification opposed to Death, and limited by God, Psal. 73.9. who disposeth of all things though some set their mouth against the heavens, and cast the faults they commit upon the Planets under which they were borne, Amb. & Euth. in illud Psal. never considering how providence governeth time, never referring any thing to their own corruptions. God hath sent us into the world to use our time well, that whither we live we live unto the Lord, or dye, we may dye in the Lord, so we shall exchange a troublesome life for a peaceable, a temporal for an eternal. Man is borne miserable. For other creatures which are but base borne in respect of man; have coverings to defend them, and Bucklers to offend their enemies. Fishes of the Sea have shells, Pli. nat. hist. li. 7. proem. Trees of the Forest have knotty barks, Beasts of the field hard hides, Bees stings, Hogs bristles, Hedgehogs prickles, Bears rough hair, Birds feathers, Fishes scales, Sheep fleeces, Serpents stings, Cocks spurs, Elephants and Boar's teeth and tusks, yet man cometh from the prison of his mother's womb as a poor worm, Ar. l. 3. de generat. animal. c. 4. Yea nudissimum omnium animalium: Most naked of all living creatures. He enters into the world bathed in blood, an image of sin, Dr. Wilk. his first song is the Lamentation of a sinner, weeping and sobbing, the mother lieth, by but half slain by the birth, and when she looketh upon the fruit of her labour pranked up, it is as the Thief when he is pardoned, looketh back to the string that was like to strangle him: and knoweth this child had been her death, had not God given her a safe deliverance in the great danger of childbirth. The child being borne, requireth nourishment, and the mother should do this, if her breasts be as able bottles, and her strength sufficient, and no maine let to hinder the nursing of her own child: yet often (upon a needless wantonness) the mothers send abroad their Infants to strange Nurses and remote places, not enduring to embrace little children in their arms, which Christ himself did, having been once a child, and wrapped in swaddling , but rather will embrace a Whelp or Puppy, worse than the Sea monsters, they draw out the breast, La. 4.3. and give suck to their young ones: yet if this young Gallant be nursed by his own mother's paps, and tender, and only beloved in her sight, Pro. 4.3. as once borne in her womb, and ever borne in her heart; tender in her eyes, because she is ever tenderly careful and fearful of him: what is he borne to but a succession of miserable times, if he outlive the birth? for he might have died from the womb, and given up the ghost when he came out of the belly: job 3.11.12. the knees might have prevented him, and the breasts from sucking. What is Infancy but an Apprenticeship of seven year's infirmity, Jsidore reckous 6. ages. Infancy, Puerility, Man's state. youth, gravity, o'de age. Marcius Aurelius: Galen maketh but 5. Childhood to 15. years, Adolescency to 25. Lusty youth to 35. Man's age to 49. The last old age. wherein there is no use of expressing almost a reasonable soul? Childhood to 10. but an untoward fantastical toying; shake the rod, it is persecution: Man's estate to 28. but heady, adventurous, voluptuous, passionate, prodigal. Youth to 50. but a season, wherein Nature reareth against him a more furious combat, and all the vices of the world there plant their siege: Gravity or unwieldiness to 70, bring all the diseases that ever Christ came to cure. Old age having no stint as the other, because the remains of life are referred to this, yet the dregges only and powder of man's life, and a continual necessary expectation of death. Thus man never continueth constant, and scarce is his life a life in his mutable conditions, tossed by time, which continually runs on and is irrevocable. THIS is our wisdom to apprehend it, and not neglect or abuse it. All Gods works have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a time and season, and we should make our time seasonable, for it is an high part of wisdom to follow opportunity: Nature's Secretary the Physician looketh at this, and every man showeth himself wise or foolish in this. Temperibus medicina valet: Data tempore prosunt Et data non apto tempore vina nocent. Ou. 1. de remed. amor. Pitacus best advice was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: know the season. He that is young in years may be old in hours if he lose not time, and as fit for judgement as invention, for counsel as execution. If he remember the times, he will not embrace more than he can hold, stir more than he can quiet, fly to the end without consideration of the means and degrees, use extreme remedies at first, be like an unruly horse that will neither stop nor turn. Time brings changes and therefore it is good to be wise in time: The Ancients painted this as an Image on a swift wheel, having feathers at the foot, running swiftly in a round, rough at the foretop, bald behind, when offering itself easy to be taken, afterward impossible: some as a goodly Boy with his hairs hanging over his eyes: Politian. in Miscell. c. 49. john Tzetzes in historijs. Pier. l. 14. pag. 130. Id. l. 56. p. 536 some paint it deaf without ears, reaching a sword to him that shall follow it. The Egyptians describe it by a Serpent streatching itself in length wreaths & folds, the long courses of days and years, creeping along without noise. Others by a sith represent it, Id. l. 52. p. 505 Id. l. 44. p. 437 because it moweth, reapeth, cutteth all things down. Others by a Poplar tree having leaves of two colours, signifying the day and night. Others by a Star, for nothing so keepeth the appointed times as the heavenly bodies, and so should we from that globe of examples: For our times run on and slip away and we cannot hold in the swift post of our days. Ouid. Tempora labuntur, tacitisque senescimus annis, Et fugiunt fraeno non remorante dies. Time consumeth wit, fame, youth, honour, old age, strength. Nothing liveth here but is subject to the law of time; It is the watch of the morning, sentinel of the night, ruin of proud buildings, spoil of antiquities, tamer of wild beasts, waster of huge stones with small drops. It maketh an Embryo to become a child, a child a man, and an old man as it were a child again: The time of birth we see described by the wise man; Wosd. 7.2.3.4. a fashioning there was of us to be flesh in the wombs of our mother in the time of ten months; and being borne, we drew in the common air and fell upon the earth which is of like nature; the first voice we uttered was crying: we then come to be nursed in swaddling clothes and that with cares, and no King had another beginning of birth. Nativitas mirabilis. jer. 23.5. There is an admirable Nativity wherein flesh is borne without spot, there is his purity, as in Christ's birth arighteous branch, a child of a Virgin, there is the novelty: God of a woman, there is humility, the highest himself shall establish her: Is. 7.14. Fruit of a Rod, there is our commodity; unto us a child is borne, Ps. 87.5. borne as an example of humility, Is. 9.6. testimony of verity, figure of love, covenant of reconciliation: but our Nativity is miserable because vile and unclean: what is he which is borne of a woman that he should be righteous? Miserabilis. job. 15.14. penal and inflamed by hell, clouded with darkness and passing as a shadow: job. 3.6. In this birth man hath another following making him blind in his birth, joh. 9.1. unworthy to teach others, weak to do good, Vituperabilis. frail to resist evil: we have had time to be borne, and as a man that hath passed over a dangerous bridge if he turn bake quaketh to remember the danger he was in; so if we look back upon the danger we escaped till our birth, and in it, we may say as King David Thou art he that took me out of the womb, but few consider the use of their birth and so much abuse time, Ps. 22.9. that better it had been for them they had never been borne. Use 1 This then justly reproveth many who misspend their time in chambering and wantonness, Rom. 13.13. gluttony and drunkenness, and vicious games, having no portion to themselves or posterity in earth, never thinking of a portion in heaven, having no conscience for their souls, no discretion for their goods. Some complaine of the iniquity of the times and no whit mend themselves: say not, Former times were better, thy virtues make good times, Hic in Eccls. 1. thy vices bad. All things are others, time only is our own, yet hasteneth, and therefore should not be wasted away, as by him, who being asked how long he had lived? answered, Stob. se. 9 de Simovide. a very little time though many years: Or as those lewd servants who having a candle allowed them to go to bed withal, spend it in carding, dicing, or drinking. What a curse is it to spend all thy time in vanity, and to send thy hoary head to thy grave in ignorance and folly? Wilt thou give Satan the finest of thy flower and sweetest of thy wine, and present the bran and dregges of thy dottage to thy Lord? wilt thou lay the heaviest burden upon the weakest beast, and force old age (so feeble that it cannot bear itself) to bear all the burden of thy Repentance? O take heed, for when the strong man is grown stronger by praescription, the rotten tabernacle is ready to fall down: custom hath turned infirmity into nature; sin is soaked into substance: when thy bones shall be full of the sins of thy youth, then to repent it will be hard, if not impossible. Did not we bring sin enough with us into the world to condemn us? we must all confess as he did, Behold I was shapen in inquinity and in sin did my mother conceive me: words which David uttered, Ps. 51.5. 2. Kin. 18.42. as Eliah when he put his face between his knees, for so is the child in the womb. Boast not of thy goods, Inheritance, countenance, and blood by thy Parents, it is tainted with sin: this is the poison. Pineda in job. 15.24. Hipoer. lib. de natura pueri. We had Birth from our mothers, but withal the reward of sin, death; clothes and wrapping from the but withal nakedness and shame. What must be done, but as that woman sick of the bloody issue, having been long physicked, but ill handled of the Physicians, having suffered many things of many Physicians, and spent all she had and nothing bettered, but rather grew worse; Mar. 5.26.27 when she heard of jesus, came to be physiked a new of him; So we who are thus base borne, must take our time to be borne a new. This is an Honourable and commendable birth if we respect the causes. Nativitas commendabilis. Faith: whosoever believeth that jesus is the Christ is borne of God. Love: 1. Io. 5.1.1 Io. 4.7.1 Io. 3.9. Every one that loveth is borne of God and knoweth God. Righteousness: whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sin, presumptuosly, desperately, impenitently. It is an honourable birth if we respect the effects, to conquer the world; whatsoever is borne of God overcometh the world, 1. 10. 5.4. joh. 3.3. to bring to heaven, for except a man be borne again he cannot see the Kingdom of God. This maketh new men, new affections, giveth another spirit, another will, a loathing of the world, a love of God. It causeth us not so much to observe days, and months, and times, and years, as to know The TIME that now it is high time to awake out of sleep, Gala. 4.10. Rom. 13.22. for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. Sicut nec capillus de oapite sie nec momentu seribis de tempore: Bar. This maketh us good husbands and ever to think upon our reckoning, and to consider that as not a hair falleth to the ground without providence, so neither a moment of our time is unaccountable: How busy was the Devil above a thousand years since, because he knew he had but a short time? Will you plant, build, buy, Reu. 12.22. sell only for the world, and do nothing for eternity? Will you be prodigal of the golden days given us to redeem time, and let heaven fly away and hell steal on? Be not lulled a sleep in ease, mirth, prosperity, as the Dalilah of the world or flesh, or Devil persuade. Satan will come with fearful arrest and seize upon thee in sickness, weakness, discontent, as the Raven upon the fainting sheep; and writ, and urge, and open bitter, unanswerable, terrible things against thee: O than that men would fly out of the midst of Babylon, Revela. 2.22. and deliver every man his soul that he be not cut off in iniquity, for there is a TIME of the Lords vengeance. jezebel had her space to repent of her fornication and repent not, therefore a bed of tribulation is threatened her. jerusalem not knowing the time of her visitation, had their enemies to cast a trench about them, compass them round, keep them in on every side, lay them even with the ground, Luk. 19.44. and their children within them, and not to leave one stone upon another. Am. 5.13. If we see the TIME when the prudent keep silence because it is an evil time: Mic. 2.3. when men work evil upon their beds, and covet fields, and take them by violence because it is an evil time: when men dwell in their fieled houses, and yet say the time is not come, that the Lords house should be built: Hagg. 1.2. when being possessed with Devils and reproved, they cry as those did to jesus, Mat. 8.29. what have we to do with thee, Art thou come hither to torment us before the time? When those perilous times come wherein men are lovers of themselves, covetous, boasters, proud, 2. Tim. 3.1.2. blasphemers, disobedient to Parents, unthankful, unholy; Wherein when for the time men ought to be teachers, they have need that one teach themagain, Heb. 5.12. which be the first principles of the Oracle of Gods: When the last times bring forth those who walk after their own lusts, jude 18.19. separating themselves; sensual, having not the spirit. Let us pray, It is TIME for thee Lord to work, Ps. 119.126. for they have made void thy Law. Job 22: 16. He shall cut them down out of time and overflow their foundation with a flood: their false Gods cannot arise and save them in the time of trouble: Jer. 2.27. They shall fall when others fall. When they are visited and shall be cast down, Jer. 6.15. They shall be smitten and have no healing; look for peace and there shall be no good, for a time of healing and behold trouble: Jer. 14.19. They shall be like a thrashing flower, for the Lord seethe it is time to thrash them, yet a little while and the time of their harvest shall come: An end is come, it watcheth for them, jer. 51.33. the time is come, the day of trouble is near: a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a Nation, Ezek. 7.7. even to that same time. Da. 12.1. Man knoweth not his time; As the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them. Ecles. 9.12. The fish is cheerful devouring the bait not seeing the hook, but the fisherman drawing him up, torments the bowels and drags it to destruction. August. de agone Christi. cap. 7. So many run away with presumptuous sins, but the time shall come that they shall feel the plagues of it; when time shall be no longer. One woe shall be passed and another woe come quickly: from death to judgement, from judgement to hell. Reu. 10.11.14 They may come up as floods, their waters may move as the rivers, they may say, we will cover the earth; they may rage's with their Charets, but when the day of vengeance cometh, in vain shall they use many medicines, for they shall not be cured; their cry shall fill the land, they shall be swept away when the Lord driveth them, they shall appear to have been but a noise when they have passed the time appointed. Jer. 46.17. Use 2 Our Instruction must be, not to walk as fools, but circumspectly, as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil: we are borne of women, Ep. 5.16. of few days, full of trouble. joh. 14.1. Let us remember how short our time is: what man is he that liveth and shall not see death? Ps 89.47.48. Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? Eccles. 7.17. Stat sua cuique dies. Every man's days are determined, Virgil. 10. Aeneid. the number of his months is with God, he hath appointed him his bounds that he cannot pass: joh. 14.5. this is a measure of his days, in respect of God's prescience and providence, Psal 39.4. but in respect of the course of nature, the thread of life which might have been lengthened is cut off by God's command for sin, and men live not out half their days: Psal. 55.23. as that Bishop applied this text in his time, Bernardinus to. 2. in Qua. dragesimali de Euang. oetern. Do. 2. quadra. serm. 17. a. 3. cap. 1. when in Catalonia a city near Valentia, a stripling of 18. having been disobedient to his parents, and so fell to robbing, and being executed on the tree, and thus remaining for a spectacle to disobedient children; on the next morrow, a Beard and grey hairs appeared on him, which the people hearing of, and wondering how suddenly these should come to a young dead body, and urging how young he was at his death; the Bishop said, he should have lived to be so old as he appeared then, had he not been disobedient. Thus the Lord threatneth the family of Eli, all the increase of thine house shall dye in the flower of their age. 1. Sam. 3.33. He dyeth before his time who dyeth unwillingly, not prepared, not ripe in years, though ripe in sin; which hasteneth death and destruction as God threatened to the Amorrhites when their iniquity should be full. Gen. 15.16. Happy is he who can triumph with that flag of defiance against all enemies as St. Paul. Herein do I excercise myself to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men. Act. 24.16. Happy is he who every night thinketh with himself, a day is gone, a part of my time is cut off, so much less have I left of a short and miserable life. God hath appointed the time of life short, in respect of prosperity and adversity in this world, that our appetite may be stirred to future things whereof here we have but a taste, as were the trees in Paradise and Manna; If these pleasures below delight us, how much more shall those above? Punishments here are but essays of those hereafter ordained for the wicked, as those upon the Sodomites, Chorah and his complices, and if the short plagues of this life are feared; how much more those of another? A little time we have, that by little consolations we may be invited to glory, and by small troubles fear greater. A little time is given us, lest our troubles being over long we should despair: onour joys, we should neglect God. Adversity sometimes must exercise us, else prosperity will pull us down. There are but four times, a time of deviation as from Adam to Moses when death reigned: Rom. 5.14. a time of Revocation from Moses to Christ, the Law being added because of transgressions: a time of Reconciliation from the birth of Christ to the sending of the holy Ghost, Gal. 3.19. the spirit itself bearing witness with our spirit that we are the children of God; a time of Peregrination from the sending of the holy Ghost till the day of judgement, Rom. 8.16. while we are at home in the body, 2 Cor. 5.7. we being absent from the lord 2. Cor. 5.7. In this Pilgrimage we must walk by faith. The times are dangerous in regard of troubles which must fail out, such as never were since the beginning of the world: Mat. 24.21. Of Satan's liberty; Reu. 20.8. who being loosed, deceived the Nations of the four quarters of the earth: of the multitude of many false Prophets rising and deceiving many: Math. 24.11. of the rareness of good men, Math. 24.12. iniquity abounding: the love of many waxing cold. Let not the time run away without observation. Think upon time past and be thankful for benefits received; Creation, Redemption, justification: repent for sin committed; imitate the godly: Think upon the time present, the opportunity urging us to work while we have time; the brevity compelling us to be instant, the irrevocability stirring us up to constancy. Think upon the time to come and provide to give a fair account. Barn. de trip. custodia. 1. Cor. 4.7. Nothing ought to be of so precious esteem as time, it is God's gift, we have nothing but what we have received; we are answerable for it, and must deliver back all things in number and weight: we must gain according to the talents delivered unto us: Ecc. 42.7. we must grow in grace, Math. 25.20. And to this end as in bodily growth, there are 4. helps, so in a spiritual: There is nourishment in the womb, here is a proficiency of knowledge; there we are brought into the light of the world, here we show forth some fruits of the illumination of Baptism: there is milk given unto us, here the word of God delivered out of both Testaments: there we are carried to our Parent's table, here we come to the Supper of the Lord, our heart and our flesh rejoicing; that Now is the accepted time: 2. Cor. 6.2. now is the day of salvation wherein God the Father begetteth us, the Church our mother conceiveth us: The seed whereby we are borne again is the word: the nurses to feed, wean, cherish us, are the Ministers of the Gospel, and preaching is the food we must require, which will make us new creatures, have new souls, affections, members; a new heart, hand, ears, eye: but if there be no appetite in us after this; we are a Golgotha, having a name to live but are dead in sin and dead in desires, unborn and better unborn then untaught. Was it miraculous for Elias to live forty days without food of the body, Animas portant mortuas in corporibus vivis. Aug. and shall we think to live for ever if we neglect the food of our souls, which should nourish us to life everlasting, having a name to live but are dead and carry about us dead souls in living bodies? Have we hereetofore lived an idle, profane, ungodly life? O let us live the rest of our time in the flesh no longer to the lusts of men, but to the will of God, for the time passed of our life (as the Apostle speaketh) may suffice us to have walked in the will of the Gentiles, wherein the Apostle alloweth not the former life but reproveth it: 1. Pet. 4.3. It is like that, more over this was not enough for them that they erred in the knowledge of God, Non approbat sed reprobat vitam praeteritam. Lyra. but whereas they lived in the great war of ignorance, those so great plagues they called peace: and like that, O ye house of Israel, Wisd. 14.22. let it suffice you of all your abominations. Ez. 44.6. There is no loss to the loss of time: it is folly to expect time while we have it before us. He that hath life hath time, and this runs swifter than a Weaver's shuttle: Remember how grievous it will be to think upon the neglect of time, as Titus Vespasianus meditated, Suction. Amici diem perdidi: A day misspent is lost. It was the lamentable Epitaph of Similis Captain of the Guard to the Emperor Adrian after he had retired himself and lived privately seven years in the country, Xiphilinus in vita Adriani. that he had lived only seven years. Hic iacet Similis: cuius aetas Multorum annorum fuit, ipse Septem duntaxat annos vixit. Let us consider how long it is since we were borne, and number our years, not from the time of our old birth, but New birth. Let us often consider how our time runs on, let us remember the day of DOOM, the end of this time, and beginning of immortality to come. 2. Esd. 7.43. Let us look upon our threefold disease, the beginning, middle, end: our Nativity, life, death, Our Nativity unclean, our life perverse, our death dangerous: Let the meditation of the birth of Christ purge our birth; Bar: in transitu malachiae pessima mors peccatorum, quorum Nativitas mala, vita peior. of his death destroy our death; of his life instruct our life. Our Nativity hath been sinful, let not our life be bad, lest our death be worse: Let us endeavour to dye the death of Saints by living as God's best servants: then precious shall our death be in the sight of the Lord, as the end of out labours, consummation of our victories, the gate of life, an entrance into glory: Let us get to be borne again, which is our new Regeneration in Body and Spirit. Bar. declamat. & apol. ad Gulielmum Abbatem. We fell together in soul and body, but first must rise in soul if we would be raised up at the last day in bodies to glory. Let us first esteem our souls and not as those of the school of Hipocrates and Epicurus who neglect the soul and provide only for the body, who fear not to commit sin, but to endure shame. Let us know that as fare as the spirit is above the flesh, God above men, heaven above the earth, eternity above frailty; so fare is the new creation above the old; the one is mortal and corruptible, the other immortal, from heaven, a work of God, abiding for ever: This bringeth to life, the other to death, as it followeth the Birth here. PARS. TWO And a time to dye. There are many reasons why Death is come into the world: the disobedience of God's prohibition. Of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the Garden, God hath said, ye shall not eat lest ye die. Gen. 3.3. The Malice of the Devil's temptation; Wisd. 7.24. through envy of the Devil came death into the world, the folly of the woman's condition: she saw that the tree was good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and a Tree to be desired to make one wise, and took of the fruit thereof and did eat: The man's greedy apprehension, and he did eat: ibid. Hence some observe that mors comes of mordeo, because our first Parents did eat of that forbidden fruit. A memorable punishment drawing a man from pride: Ecc. 10.9. facile contemnit omnia qui novit se moriturum. Aug. & Higher why is earth and ashes proud? from covetousness: Easily despiseth a man the world when he seethe he must dye: from earthly pleasures, corruption being the father, the worm a mother and sister, job. 17.16. when man goeth down to the bowels of the pit, and rest must be in the dust. It stirreth up a man to good, to alms, to repentance, to disposing of his house, as appeareth in Hezekiah when he had received the message of death, he turned his face to the wall, If. 38.14. prayed and mourned as a Dove. Now he settleth himself by a lively faith the foundation of salvation, a search and confession of his former sins, in a broken and contrite heart, Ps. 51.17. by remission of injuries, submitting himself to God's good pleasure, unlading himself of ill gotten goods, running to obtain. Howsoever man hath thought of himself before he be summoned to dye, and have bragged with proud Phaeton in the Poet, that Apollo were his father; yet now he must call to mind, that Climene was his mother: he seethe that his strength is not of brass, his matter is not of gold, silver, precious stones, but earth: that life and death are in the hands of God, and have their date and destiny by him: that we are carried away as Merchants in a ship, whither we stand or sit, watch or sleep, Sensim sine sensu ●●nescimus, old age stealeth on, that he that purposeth himself a long life, doth as he that looketh through a perspective, conceive those things great which are very small; that Death is a commanding Tyrant and will have nodenyall. Hence is it called Dust, If I have rewarded evil to him that was at peace with me, let the enemy lay mine honour in the dust: A brook: Ps. 7.5.110.7. Ps. 8 l. 3. job. 3.13. 1. Thes. 5.2. 2 Tim. ●. 8. Ios. 2●. ●4. he shall drink of the brook in the way: The grave, my life draweth nigh unto the grave: A sleep, A coming, as a thief in the night: A time of departure: the way of all the earth: Of Abel whose sacrifice God accepted, as of Cain, whose sacrifice God despised: of Abraham the Father of the faithful, as well as of the children of unbelief: of Izhac the son of the free woman, as of Ishmael the son of the bond woman: of jacob whom God loved, as of Esau whom he hated: of chaste joseph as of incestuous Ammon: of meek Moses as railing Rabshekah: of zealous Phinees as the lukewarm Minister of the Church of Laodicea: of David a man according to Gods own heart, as Saul from whom God took his spirit: of Solomon the wise, as Nabal the fool: of tender hearted josiah, as hard hearted Pharaoh: the humble Publican, as the proud Pharisee: poor Lazarus to be carried into Abraham's bosom, as the rich glutton to be carried into hell: john the beloved Disciple, as judas the traitor: Simon Peter the Apostle, as Simon Magus the Sorcerer: The death of Christ hath freed from the second death, but not the first: He hath altered the use of the first death, but not taken it away: it was ordained as a punishment, but he hath made it a passage into Heaven: and as by life man cometh to bondage, so by death his freedom is wrought, yet die he must first; be he Nature's Paragon, he is but a lump of flesh, and strait after Birth is due the fatal Beer. Death is the Emperor of graves, common Inn, the punishment, tribute, Conqueror, receptacle of all: and as the Sun where it shineth melteth the hardest ice, so where this Centurion commands there must be obedience. This place enemy striketh with a bloody dart, the wretched Caitiff and the King alike: It sends out a Commission, as that voice to Abraham, Exi de terra tua, Go out of thy Country wherein thou wert bred and borne: come forth ye souls from those bodies, and though there be but one manner of coming into the world, yet are there many thousand ways of going out of the world. We are full of holes and breaches, One dyeth young, another in a good age, some when their breasts are full of milk: Eriyere vitam nemo non homini petect. At nemo mortem, mille ad hanc patent aditus Sen. trag. 3. Ac. 1. Wait we must for our change, and patiently expect the execution of that Decree, which is so various and manifold, that no one man's tongue can possibly describe it. Abel was slain by his brother, Abimelechs' brains beaten out by a woman, throwing a piece of a millstone from a wall: Agag washewed in pieces: Isay cut a sunder with a wooden saw: Epipha de vitis Prophetarum. Amos slain with a door bar: the Infants of Bethlehem were slain in their Cradles, Eglon in his Parlour, Saul in the field, Isbosheth in his bed, Sennacherib in the Temple, joab at the very Altar: Bears slew the boys that mocked Elizeus, worms Herod, Lyons daniel's accusers, Dogs Euripides. Extremity of joy hath killed some, as Zeuxes, Diagoras, Rhodius, Sophocles: Sorrow others, as old Eli, Homer, Vrbain the third. Fire destroyeth some, as the Sodomites, Nadab and Abihu, Zimri, Perillus. Water others, as M. Marcellus, Laurentius Laurentinianus that great Physician. Earthquakes, Chore, Dathan, Abiron, M. Curtius. Hunger destroyed Cleanthes the Philosopher. Thirst, Thales Milesius. Watching, M. Attilius Regulus. The fall of an house Athenaeus. Philippe a young French King called Grossus, fell from his horse dead: jezabel being cast out of a window died: Fulgo li. 9 c. 1●. Anacreon the Poet was choked with the kernel of a raisin: Valentinian the Emperor came to his end by straining himself with crying too loud: Pli. nat. li. 7.7. Hier. op. 9 to. 9 Fulgo ubi supra Guido. Ful. ib. Pli. ut supra. Florus. lib. 3. c. a 3. Suides. Polyd. Virgil. hist Ang. the yolk of an egg stifled Saufeius: a fish bone Tarqvinius Priscus: a pear Drusus Pompeius: an hair in his milk Fabius the Senator: a smoke Caetullus the Orator: the hot Sun Chrisostome: a crumb of bread, Goodwin Earl of Kent. A Pleurisy killed Charles the Great, a Dissenterye, Anastasius the second, the Colic Antiochus. julius Cesar disputing the night before of the good of sudden death, was the next day by Brutus and Cassius slain suddenly in the Senate: johannes Mathesius having preached of the raising of the Widow of Naimes son, within 3. hours died: Luther having sat at supper, and discoursed divinely of the joys of Heaven, about midnight after he slept in the Lord: jovian an Emperor was found dead in his bed: Pope Adrian the fourth was choked with a fly: Soz. hist Eccl. 6.6. crimonesis can we forget that doleful DOLEFUL EVENSONG of that Popish assembly in the Blackfriars, miserably misled to hear a jesuite? Oct. 25.1623 90. or 100 whereof perished while they heard Antichrist exalted: I dare not be so uncharitable as from their temporal destruction to collect their eternal confusion: But by these we may see no place is privileged from the arrest of death. Some we see come to their graves by Apoplexies, Lethargies, dead Palsies, some by sudden blows, some as a wasted candle, go out naturally. How many doth that violent FEVER now sweep away in our City, and in the most parts of the Kingdom? an argument of God's anger against us, as he threatened the disobedient children of Israel, Dc. 28.15.22. that if they would not hearken to his voice to observe to do all his Commandments and Statutes (the SIN of ENGLAND) he would smite them with a FEVER, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme BURNING. Our Neighbour's visitation showeth us Belshazzars' emblem upon our doors and walls, that our days are counted, Vita cito avolat nec potest retineri mors quotidie ingruit nec potest resisti. that our life flieth away daily and cannot be retained, and death is continually ready to rush upon us and cannot be resisted, but as we have had a time to be borne, so a time to DIE. Let the Egyptians call man a reverend and admirable creature, Mercury a great miracle, Pythagoras the measure of all things, Plato the wonder of wonders, Aristotle a politic creature, framed for society, Synesius the Horizon of corporeal and incorporeal things, Tully a divine creature full of reason and judgement, Pliny the world's Epitome, and Nature's darling, yet he is mortal, and must yield to this heavy cold enemy, which sneapeth the bravest blossoms, and maketh them fade anon which ere while flourished: the longest liver dies, and DEAD, the lowliest creature as the loathsome carrion lies. This is it that daunteth all earthly things, They were borne to dye: If they had a beginning, they must have an end. Death is impartial, cutting off good and bad, Itself known to all, the hour of it unknown to any: Nothing can resist it, No Peers, Princes, mortal wight; No Towns, Realms, Cities, Towers: All must run this course, and whatsoever life's 'tis sure to dye: Nothing under the Sun is immortal: Death may claim his right upon birth, God permits it, All have their times dated in his book of all disposing providence: when the hour comes let none ask whence or why? All should prepare for it: The goodliest Cities have been equalled with the ground, stateliest buildings leveled with the earth, greatest Empires brought to nothing: Kings have been bound in chains, Nobles in fetters of iron. We wax old as a garment, dwell in houses of clay, our breath goeth away, and we all perish: Mathuselah with his years, Samson with his strength, Absalon with his beauty, Solomon with his wisdom, they had a time of birth, and a time of burial. Young men have death at their backs, and old men before their eyes; yet few desire to look upon it, nay they cannot endure to hear, that as they have had a time to be borne so a time to dye. USE 1 Which may seek to reprove many, who never seriously think upon their mortality, and therefore are dead and buried in pleasures while they live, holding Repentance but an hour's work, Faith fancy, Religion a lip-labour, of whom we may say as Martha of Lazarus, john 11.39. He stinketh: Would we think upon our end, we would not so offend, but the forgetfulness of this, causeth wisdom to be tainted with craft, justice with corruption, Faith with dissimulation, Godliness with hypocrisy, Friendship with hope of gain, Lending with usury: We live in a quarrelling age, the most making ill use of God's mercies, not enduring any correction. We have enjoyed a long time of peace, plenty, & above all, the free passage of the Gospel, yet our own consciences do accuse us, that we have neither worthily esteemed, nor sufficiently expressed the sweet comfort of the Gospel revealed unto us; but works be changed into words, walking in goodness into talking of God, hands into tongues, hearts into cares: to cure superstition we neglect true devotion. Some have Israelitish stomaches, and loath Manna the bread of heaven; others Athenian cares itching after new Teachers and new Doctrines: Men rather seek for profound knowledge, then for faith that worketh by love: Preach we death and judgement? men say (blessing themselves in their hearts) we shall have peace though we walk in the imaginations of our hearts, Deu. 29.19. to add drunkenness to thirst. Hence Heu viwnt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur Et velut infernus fabula vana foret. Many live as if they should never dye, and as if hell were but a gull and fable, But the Lord will not spare such, his anger and jealousy shall smoke against them, they shall have sicknesses and wounds, and the Lord will be unto them as a moth & as rottenness. Hos. 5.12. Better a living Dog then a dead Lion, so long as we live we may repent, but after death judgement, Heb. 9 ordinary arguments; and the use of them hath taken away the force of them, but none so necessary. Is a man persuaded that these are nigh? It will easily dispatch, that which no Law, Prince, prison, Parents or punishment could do: they that before could take no counsel, now give good counsel. Nothing so teacheth as the remembrance of death, as not only appears in Ezekias his devout meditations, put upon a perpetual record by the holy Ghost, when he had but a tally of days left him, but in Baltashazar who seeing the number of his days and that he was found too light, began to quake & learn wisdom: Death's remembrance brings horror: O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee, to a man that liveth at rest in his possessions: Ecc. 41.1. : It comes with trouppes of sorrows, Dr. Haywatd in his Sanct: of a troubled Soul. the head shooting, the back aching, the heart panting, the throat rattling, the tongue faltering, the breath shortening, the flesh trembling, the veins beating, the heart strings cracking, the eyes waxing dim, the nose sharp, the brows hard, the cheeks cold and won, the lips pale, the hands numb, the joints stiff, the whole body being in a cold-sweat, the strength fainting, the life vanishing, the standers▪ by like flesh flies crying or craving, offering to molest the dying body. Death separates the soul, deuideth friends, spoils a man of worldly goods though he heaps upsiluer as the dust, and prepare raiment as clay. job. 27.16. Be not puffed up with prosperity, you know not what a day may bring forth, the rankest corn is soon laid: I see that all things come to an end: This we must teach as David did, Ps. 119.96. and that surely men of low degree are vanity, Pl. 62.9. and men of high degree are a lie to belayed in the balances, they are altogether lighter than vanity. Tot quotidie occidimus quot ad mortem ire tacentes videmus Gr. lib. 33. epi. ad Venantium. Ac. 20.26. In this point we must not be silent, so many we kill as we suffer to run on to death without warning. St. Paul would keep nothing back from the Ephesians, and shunned not to declare unto them all the counsel of God, because he would be pure from the blood of all men. I have heard that News came to a certain Town, that AN ENEMY was approaching, yet he came not: hereupon a Law was made, that none should bring such rumours of wars and news of an Enemy: Not long after the enemy came, besieged, assaulted, ruinated the Town, and thence grew a Proverb, THAT PLACE WAS DESTROYED BY SILENCE: Let us lift up our voices as Trumpetes herein, and though men be as gods upon earth, Let us preach Man's mortality, and press for fruits worthy amendment of life, that there may be comfort in death. Hath God made thee a little world, and above all earthly creatures, given to thee an immortal soul, foreseeing things to come, remembering things past, judging of things present, bearing the image of God? made thee erect to behold the Heavens, promised a resurrection of thy body and life everlasting, and wilt thou abuse the goodness of God which leadeth to repentance? If he be provoked, he is a consuming fire: He which in health hath been diligent to fear God and to do good, shall feel in sickness an unspeakable comfort, which he will not miss for all the whole world, and a mighty boldness to speak unto God, But he which whiles the world prospered with him never thought upon God, nor regarded his word, when the visitation of the Lord is upon him, when his soul is ready to be taken from him, his heart being hardened in sin, & he having made no preparation for DEAEH; terror shall take hold on him as waters; a tempest shall steal him away in the night; a storm shall hurl him out of his place, men shall clap their hands at him, & shall hisse him out of his place: job. 27.22.23 USE 2 An Instruction for us to have our accounts in a readiness, that whensoever the Lord shall call us by his Bailiff Death, he may find us prepared; that we may keep a Calendar, and Ephemerideses of our time, how it passeth away; that as our bodies stoop downwards by years and infirmities, so our souls soar upward; that we may have our Loins girt & our Lamps burning. While we are in the world, we are in a Sea of troubles; we sail as Pilgrims, tossed by the tempests of adversity, oppressed by three Pirates; the Flesh, World, Devil: Yet by the Bark of a lively Faith, this Mariner Death may transport us from Egypt to Canaan. For howsoever death (to the Reprobate) be the Curse of God, Suburbs of Hell, Pirate of life, the Devil's Sergeant to arrest and carry them without bail to a Prison of utter darkness; his Cart to bring them to execution, from which there can be no reprivement: Yet to the Godly it is not exitus, but transitus: a departure but a passage: Cyp. sc. de mortal. Fratres mortui non sunt amissi sed praemissi. Our dead Friends are not lost, they are but sent before. Profectio est quam putas mortem: that thou thinkest death, Au. ep. 6. is but a journey to them, Tert. de Patientia. to the Land of the living; The key to unlock from misery, and send abroad to liberty: A Bridge to pass from a vale of tears, to a paradise of joys. Like the Brazen Serpent, so fare from hurting true Israelites, that it healeth them. The beginning of joy, first fruits of pleasure, Prince of delight, and a Massinger of glad tidings: A passage from labour to rest: Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, Reu. 14.13 that they may rest from their labours: From vileness to glory; Lazarus was carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosom: From fear to security, The wicked is driven away in their wickedness, Luk. 14.22. but the righteous hath joy in his death: Pr. 14.32. From trouble to peace, as old Tobit prayed, command my spirit to be taken from me, Tob. 3.6. that I may be dissolved, that I may be delivered out of this distress, and go into the everlasting place: From an uncertain commorancie to a settled habitarion, an eternal house in the Heavens: 2. Co. 5.1. From captivity to liberty; therefore St. Paul wished: O wretched man that I am, Ro. 7.24. who shall deliver me from the body of death? From vanity to glory, which made the same Apostle so confident; To me to live is Christ, and to dye is gain. Ph. 1.21. To the Godly it is a coast for them banished out of this world, a landing at the Haven; a laying down of a heavy burden of the body, the consumption of all diseases, the escaping of all perils, breaking of all Bonds, return to our own home. Est vitae virtus maxima posse mori. Mat. 24.42. THIS we should often think upon, because the greatest work we have to do, is to dye well: And because Christ commandeth; watch, for ye know not what hour your Lord will come: what I say unto you, I say unto you all, watch: Mar. 13.37. Like unto men that wait for their Lord, when he will return from the wedding; Luk. 12.36. that when he cometh and knocketh, ye may open to him immediately. It is too late to recall the Bargain, the Bond being sealed; to defend the Walls, when the City is overcome; to sound a retreat, when the Battle is fought; to send for a Physician, when the sick party is dead: When time is past, it cannot be recalled. Therefore saith the wise man, whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor devise, nor knowledge, Ecl. 9.10. nor wisdom in the Grave whether thou goest. Guil. paris. p 5. de. vitijs tr. de accidia. Gr. Ho. 13. in Eua. Bonau. Sanchez in Ecles. Hereafter is no time of working, but rewarding: Hereafter Aristotle's arguments will not serve to excuse or defend, but rather to accuse. If we fear death before it come, we shall conquer it: There is no deliberating hereafter: There shall be no profit of the knowledge of Divine or Humane things hereafter, unless we use it well in this life. God hath given a Talon to exercise every man; some work for every one against his coming into the world: Skill and knowledge is long and difficult, life is short and sickly; we should as opportunity serveth, perform our duty towards our God, Ars longa, vita brevis. Hipocr. towards our Neighbours, towards ourselves. The time of Working ceaseth in the grave: None can be benifited by our works, wisdom, skill, counsel, when we are dead: We cannot praise God nor glorify him in the grave. Now is the time of using and bestowing those gifts that God hath given for his glory in this life; And this time saith job is swifter than a Post, passeth away as the swift Ship; and as the Eagle hasteth to her pray: Nothing so swift in the Land, Sea, Air; job. 9.26. as a shadow so passeth our time; or as when an Arrow is shot at a Mark, it parteth the air, which immediately cometh together again; Wis. 5.9.12.13 so that a man cannot know where it went through. Even so we in like manner as soon as we are born, begin to draw to our end. Our Bodies too and fro; we shall not be that to morrow which we are to day. Nostra quoque ipsorum semperequieque sine ulla Corpora vertuntur, Ou. Metam. l. 1. nec quod fuimusque sumusque Cras erimus. Let us not till the day of death delay our conversion. when sickness summoneth and bindeth upon the Altar, for the sacrificing of the Soul; wicked actions, words, thoughts, will appear armed with God's anger, and with the Curses of of the Law heaped together, aggravated to the uttermost, giving the Conscience many a cold pull, and lying upon the heart as heavy as Led: The Conscience will accuse, the Memory give bitter evidence, Reason will sit as judge, Fear shall stand as executioner. Let us now therefore get a good life, that it may be an usher to a good death. Let us draw good out of evil, and provide for immortality in the time of mortality. Let us dye willingly, seeing we must dye necessarily, we shall live eternally. Let not the world's pleasures detain us, but rather draw our affections to those things which are above; knowing that if there be such delight in any thing of this mortal life, Giselbertus in li. Altere. c. 3. Hic vel accipienus vel amittimus vitam eternam. Cyp. which consists in the presence of the Soul in a corruptible body; what immortal pleasure shall there be, when the presence of the Godhead shall fill the reasonable Soul? Now is the time to get this assurance; here we may win or lose it: Gal. 6.7. Let us not be weary in well doing: As we sow, so we shall reap. Quod sibiquisque serit, praesentis tempore vitae Hoc sibi messis erit, cum dicitur Ite, venite. If we would not hear in the great Harvest of the last judgement that terrible voice, which shall be used to them on the left hand, Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels, Mat. 25.41. Let us Now hear that sweet voice calling to repentance, Come ye Blessed children of my Father: Learn of me for I am meek and lowly, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Mat. 11.29. Qualem te invenerit Deus cum vocat, talem pariter iudicat. Cyp. lib. 4. de morte. As the day of Death findeth us, so shall the last day judge us. Let us stand upon our watch, and wait for it all the days of our appointed time. Let us learn now to be acquainted with God in his world. Let us consecrate to him the Temples of our bodies, and Altars of our souls, who created them of nothing, redeemed them when they were worse than nothing, and hath appointed mansions for them with himself in glory. Let us get AGOOD NAME which will be better than all ointments and treasures: They may be bought for money, but this is the gift of God not to be purchased with base mettle. They are corruptible, this is everlasting. They heave a man in death, and betake them to a new Master, but the praise of the JUST man remaineth still his own. It tarrieth behind him on earth, and goeth with him to heaven, and will crown him with glory at the last day. Let us esteem the day of Death better than our Birthday. That was an entrance into misery, this will give us a pass for felicity. Let us now remember our Creator. Let us take time while it is offered unto us to prepare for Heaven, Time will away. Let ut not neglect our tide, but be wise in passing the time of our pilgrimage here on earth. All must dye: our stroke will come, how soon and suddenly, when or where, we know not. We should impart this in our memory, especially seeing the Lord strikes those who were near unto us, and we may complain, that THE RIGHTEOUS PERISH: As they had A time to be Borne so a time to Die. My Text is occasioned to me upon the taking away of a Worthy flower of our Parish Sir Willam Bird, a Father of the law, and a Just and merciful Patron of Widows and Orphans, a meek Moses, an upright Samuel, a zealous job, fearing God, eschewing evil, a man of courage, dealing truly, hating covetousness: I confess that his soul being taken into the society of heavenly Saints, neither careth for, nor seekeeth our praises, Yet let not the godly be forgotten: though dead we may commend them. It is lawful in itself, and profitable for the living for imitation: Therefore David commended jonathan for his love: 2. Sam. 1.26. 2. Ch. 35.23. the holy Ghost King josiah for his integrity: St. Paul in that Epistle to the Hebrews the patriarchs and Prophets: Christ commanded that wheresoever the Gospel should be preached, Math. 26.18. mention should be made of that good work of the woman: we may commend a Sailor when he arrives at the haven, and a Soldier when he hath conquered. The University bred him, Ancient Oxford, a grave mother of many worthies in Israel, All souls College. where in he took his degrees, ex merito not ex mera gratia. In that worthy and flourishing Society wherein he lived, he was no factious Incendiary (And O let peace as plenty ever be within those walls) For howsoever Beekeepers judge that swarm to be most fruitful in making honey, Aral. 9 de hist. Animal. c. 40. apud quod strepitus sufurrus, frequensque tumultus plurimorum est, which buzzeth most and maketh the greatest tumult; yet in a civil Hive they are judged to make the most honey who are most peaceable, for Busy bodies work nothing at all but canuases. He was no Mushrum to rise up in a moment, like those Giants simul sati & editi, sown and grown in an instant, supposing themselves of sufficiency enough because they can give enough for a preferment, their passions being guided by pride and followed by injustice, and when greatest are but as a puddle upon which the Sun shineth. He rose to his degrees of dignity by just and fair degrees, honouring the places he had with his worth as they him with their greatness: For as Tully told Cesar to set the unworthy in high places is not so much to grace the persons by place as to disgrace the place by such persons. He was fit for government having a sound head and sanctified heart, careful to avoid the world's scandals, diligent in coming with his family to the Church, reverendly attentive in hearing the word, religiously humbled in receiving the Sacrament. How cheerfully would he discourse as his table of what had been delivered in. God's house? It hath often reioycedime to see the true love's Christian knot a sweet unity & harmony betwit him and his joyall and virtuous Lady: & where should we find love & Concord, if not 'twixt husband & wife? They are one flesh by original creation, for the woman came of the man, & by a Nuptial conjunction, the woman is flesh of the flesh of man, & stands on even ground with the man, though drawing on the left side: No bitterness should be there, and therefore among the Heathen, the gall of the sacrifice that was slain and offered at the wedding was thrown out at doors, Plut. in praee. Coning. signifying that the married folks should be either to other as Doves without gall. Husband and wife have a triple band of love A natural as neighbours, A spiritual as fellow members of the body of Christ, An holy and honourable as one flesh by marriage. The love of this learned man was great to God's word, Hier. de Nepetiano. so that pectus suum Bibliothecam fecit Christi, he made his breast a library to Christ to be bound up there: Hereby he learned to carry himself so temperately and fairly, knowing that the Hill of greatness howsover it yield a delighfull prospect, yet is subject to lightning and thunder, remembering that he was to give his account to him that is Iudex vivorum & mortuorum, from whom there is no appeal: and howsoever many opportunities of bribes, letters, and other engines of corruptions were offered him some times, he kept his hands clean, because he had a pure heart. This made him rejoice in the the testimony of a Good conscience, which as he professed in his sickness was as aqua vitae to cheer up his drooping spirits: The Fathers call it the field of blessedness, garden of delight, Aug. joy of Angels, house of the Holy Ghost, Paradise of the soul. It made job more happy in stercore, job. 27.6. on the dunghill, than Adam was in memore, in the midst of Paradise, That his heart reproached them not. It maketh a man though he had Gyges' ring to walk without the controlment of any eye, to walk uprightly. He was often desired not to trouble himself so much in his place of judicature, but to suffer Surrogates to dispatch business for him, which he seldom did, saying, I will do what I may possible by myself, I (and not they) must answer if wrong be done: And when I shall be upon my death Bed, clamours will trouble me if any be injured. He laboured to make his House a spectacle of devout discipline to others, Higher, de Nepotiano. Domus eius erat magistra publicae disciplinae. humbling himself and his whole family before God, with Riligious prayers, often three times a day. A Method which he learned from holy King David. Evening and morning, and at noon, will I pray and cry aloud, and he shall hear my voice: Ps. 55.17. Which the Fathers ascribe to the Mystery of the Passion, Resurrection, ascension of Christ: Aug. Hier. Ruff Bed. Remig. Three times a day the Apostles enjoined that the Lords Prayer should be used: Cle. 7. Constit. 25. Mr. hist. schol in Daniel. c. 9 Three times a day the jews prayed, the third hour because the Law was then given, the sixth because the Brazen Serpent was then erected, the ninth because then water came out of the Rock. Three times a day the Church of the ancient Christians had prayers, because at the third hour the holy Ghost was given; the sixth Christ was crucified, the ninth he was pierced through with a spear: Dan. 6.9. Three times a day Daniel kneeled upon his knees, and prayed and gave thankes before his God: Three times a day Prayers have been enjoined, either in honour of the holy, blessed, glorious three persons of the Trinity: or because we should get the practice of the three Theological Virtues, Faith, Hope, Charity: or because we should have a watch over three doors, the heart, mouth, action: or three Tempter's, the lust of the Flesh, pride of the eyes, pride of life: or our three great Enemies, the Flesh, World, Devil: or because nothing doth so adorn man in the three parts of his life, Childhood, Youth, Old age. This learned and reverend judge had the six Properties required in a judge; Skill, Goodness, Diligence, Nuizanus ex joh. Pirrho in l. imperia. ff. de regul. iur. Barbatus. in Capit. Quoniam s. in alijs. Eloquence, constancy, Prudence: He had salem scientiae & conscientiae, conscience to season his knowledge; without which the mind of a judge is diabolical and unsanory. He was truly Miles Christianus a Christian Knight, in whom it is esteemed no less greatness of heart to resist vice then to fight against enemies: the goodness of a Knight consisting not in Pomp and great magnificence, Guenara. but in the tranquillity & innocence of a good conscience: For he that walloweth in the wealth of Croesus and sleepeth not in the bosom & quietness of Abraham holdeth no more than if he were Lord of a goodly vessel replenished with corrupt and poisoned liquor: To have rich tapestry, massy plate, great horses, and other preparations to sports and pleasures, be things rather to get honourable names then to keep Souls in safety. My wish is that as the trophies of Miltiades would not suffer Themistocles to sleep, till by the like acts, he had purchased to himself the like glorious name: Val. Max. l. 8. c 15. & Plut. so all of that hourable profession of the Law, would look into this glass, & make him a Canon of their Civil & Christian imitation, Vitam caelestem egit in terris. Hi●. vita Pauli Eremitae. following him as he followed Christ, in a heavenly course. If I should spend many words more about him, I should but strike wounds into their minds whom I desire to comfort. His hearty devotion to God, tender compassion to poverty, affable kindness to his friends, In illo uno non unum sed plures amissos requirimus. Amb. de excessu satire. mild affection to his servants, harmless behaviour and meaning to all, make us complain, that In his loss alone we have not lost him alone, but in him many a worthy one. He lived like a Dove, died like a Lamb: when God struck him abroad and summoned him to death by sickness, From Grausende. he was persuaded to return by water, where how sweetly did he sing Psalms? as knowing that a Psalm is mirth of the mind, tranquillity of the soul, an Ambassador of peace, a ruler of the affections, a procurer of charity, reconciler of love, Bas. homil. in Psal. 1. neither is any so troubled in mind and disturbed in thought, but if he takes the Psalms he may be strait appeased. Dyon. c. 3. de diu. nom. p. 3. The Psalter is a brief of all the mysteries of the Bible: A Psalm sung with the intention of the heart maketh way for the soul to God: Greg bom. 1. in Ez. Innoc. 3. proe. in Ps. 7. poenit. Hier. ep. 17. Next to the Lords prayer, there cannot be better forms of prayer used then out of the Psalms: Jerome commended the Ploughmen of Bethlehem for singing Psalms while they followed the Plough: In Epitaph. Paulae. Conc. Nannetense cap. 4. the Lady Paula for singing the Psalms, A Counsel enjoined that the seven penitential Psalms, which are the 6.32.38.51.102.130.143. should be sung by the Priest at the visiting of the Sick. Christ and his Apostles sung a Hymn after the Sacrament, Mat. 26.30. Paul. Burge. in Marc. 14. the jews sung seven Psalms after the eating of the Paschall Lamb, Baro. Annal. p. 1. Hier. from the 112. to the 119. and one of these it is probable Christ sung: Cantator Cygnus funeris ipse sui Martialis. and some think the 113. though others think it were the 21. He sung as a Swan before his death: Philo jud. l. de supplicum virtutibus. singing of Psalms was used by the primitive Christians. Upon his return to his house, he being lodged upon his bed of sickness in a burning fever (the disease of the time which the right hand of the Lord remove from us) how did he possess his soul in patience and a humble submission to the hand of God, acknowledging Gods great mercies which he had received and found now continued, and herein graciously that God had chastised him, but without extraordinary sensible pain, and so had no heavier a burden upon him than he could bear. He sent for me being his poor Pastor, but my occasion of Attendance had called me abroad: yet another Messenger of God's word came to him: He welcomed him with all respect; confessed his sins, his sorrows, his faith, prayed earnestly and fervently with sighs and groans, and often cried out, Lord JESUS be merciful unto me, and receive my soul, and so as he had a time to be borne so a time to dye: He slept in the Lord: Extremity of pains hath chased his soul out of his body, and I assure myself Angels have carried it into the bosom of Abraham. Currum conscendit, non est iam trepidare ne cadat. Bar. in transitu Malachiae. He is Now secure where he cannot fall: He is in the Choir of the Saints, his body is gone to earth, his soul to Christ: Happy he taken away not to see the continuance of sins and consequents of punishments: Sanctorummixtus est choris, corpus terra suscepit, Anima Christo reddita est. Foelix qui haec non vidit: foelix qui haec non audit. Nos miseri attamen vivere volumus. Quem corpore non valemus, recordatione teneaemus: cum quo loqui non possumus, de co loqui non esinamus. Hier. ad Heliodor. Epitaph. Nepotiani. Ecc. 39.2. Wretched men that we are who desire nothing but life. His body we cannot hold, yet let him not be forgotten in our minds. We cannot speak with him, Let us often speak of him, how he gave his mind to the Law of the highest, sought out the wisdom of the Ancient, was able to pour out wise Sentences, and therefore his Memorial shall not departed away from us: Blessed is he in his happy change from night to day, from darkness to light, from death to life, from sorrow to solace, from a factious world to a Country of peace, new jerusalem, where our God shall at the last day keep his great Sessions for eternal peace, conscience being the Clerk of that peace, an Angel the crier of peace, the MESSIAH the judge of peace, Saints the jury for peace, Innocent the verdict of peace, Come ye Blessed of my Father the Oye of peace, Receive the Kingdom the Sentence of peace. Let us wait for the Redemption of the body, & lift up our heads after our Home above: Let us labour to be found without spot and blameless, Let us learn to live well, that we may dye well: Let us lament our loss of our worthies, but rejoice for their gain: Let us comfort ourselves in hope of a joyful Resurrection, through jesus Christ our Resurrection and life, To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be ascribed all honour, and glory, now and evermore. Amen. FINIS.