DEATHS SERMON unto the living. DELIVERED AT The Funerals of the Religious lady philip, late Wife unto the Right worshipful Sr. anthony rous of Halton in Cornwall Knight. BY Charles Fitz-Geffry.  Hieronym. ad Heliodor. Epitaph. Nepotian. 
Aliud est conari, aliud agere; aliud vivere moriturum, aliud mori victurum; ille moriturus est ex gloriâ, iste moritur semper ad gloriam. Debemus igitur& nos animo praemeditari, quod aliquando futuri sumus,& quod velimus, nolimus, abbess longius non potest.  
LONDON, Printed by Wiliam Stansby for John Mungwell. 1620.   

TO MY MOST HONOVRED FRIEND, John PYM ESQVIRE: Grace, Mercy and Peace.  
SIR,  
I Present you here with that whereat you could not bee present, your dearest Mothers funeral. A labour which I could willingly haue spared, if God had been so pleased. But seeing the great Disposer hath otherwise decreed, I gladly publish what I sorrowfully preached. neither will I use that trivial apology for this publication, The importunity of friends. I confess mine ambition to divulge my observance of that House to which I owe my best endeavours, that the World may see that my worthy Patron hath conferred his free favours on him who is therefore not altogether unworthy, because not unthankful. What his religious ear received with some comfort, I here offer to your judicious eye; that as you are interested in the same sorrows, so you may bee partaker of the same Comforts. poor, I confess, are these of mine to those rich ones which the rare Gifts of Nature and Grace afford to yourself; yet herein I would haue you symbolise with the Great Ones of this World, 
Quamuis possideant urbes& regna Tyranni, Iugera pauca tamen, si dabis, accipient. Pamphil. Saxus. Lament. 3.1.  Who although they possess whole Cities and kingdoms, will yet accept an offer of a few Acres.  
You may well take up the complaint of the pathetical Prophet, I am the man that haue seen affliction; A great affliction first in being deprived of a most loving, holy, helpful Wife; whose Learning rare in that sex, whose Vertues rarer in this Age, whose Religion, the rarest ornament of all the rest, could not choose but level the sorrow of losing her with the former comfort of enjoying her. This cross is now seconded with the loss of a dear Mother, and such a Mother as was worthy that son, who was worthy such a Wife. With the Prophets complaint, I doubt not but you also take up his Comfort, 
Lament. 3.27.  It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. And as Saint jerome saith that the zealous 
Orbitatis magnitudo religionis occasio fuit; Nebridium suum sic quaerit absentem vt in Christo praesentem nouerit. Hieron. ad Saluin. tom. 1.  Saluina did by her dear Nebridius, whom shee lost in her youth, so I hope you do by your dear Saluina and dear Mother, turn the greatness of Orbitie into a greater occasion of piety, so grieving for their absence from you, as rejoicing that they are present with Christ.  
I haue fairly gained by this Publication, if hereby you take notice of my thankfulness to yourself, the world of my seruiceablenesse to my Patron If God shall confer a farther blessing( as commonly he doth in all good attempts) that as some received comfort in hearing, so many may bee edified by reading these my weak endeavours: this I shall esteem my happiness. In this hope, bequeathing the success to him who is able to do above all that wee can do or think, yourself to his chiefest blessing, my best affections to your worthy self, remaineth  
Yours in all Christian love and duty, CHARLES FITZ-GEFFRY.   

DEATH'S SERMON unto THE LIVING.  ECCLES. 7.2. 
For that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart.  
TO obtrude fitter Titles on the Books of holy Writ then the most holy author himself hath given them, were intolerable presumption. Yet by way of allusion, as the former book of Salomon is called his proverbs, so this of Ecclesiastes may be called his Paradoxes. For 
Gatak. True contentment.  divinity hath her Paradoxes as well as philosophy, strange and improbable positions; strange in the opinion of the World, but most true in the Iudgement of God who is Truth itself.  
The very Text to this divine Sermon or book of the Preacher is a Paradox to the World, namely, that all the Worlds felicity is mere vanity, and that true felicity is that which the World esteemeth vanity.  
Two of Salomons Paradoxes you haue in the first Verse of this Chapter, and a third in this second Verse; The first is concerning Reputation; the second concerning Death; the third concerning Mirth and Mourning. Concerning Reputation, he prefereth true Credit before Pleasure or Profit, saying, A good name is better then a precious ointment, thereby understanding whatsoever among men is most desirable. This is a Paradox to the Worldling, who careth not what men do think or say of him, so long as he may wallow in his wealth: like that fordid Athenian who said, 
Populus me sibilat, at mihi plaudo Ipse domi quoties nummos contemplor in arca. Hor. satire. 1. lib. 1.  The people hiss at me abroad, but I applaud myself at home, when I behold my bags in my Chest. 
— Quid enim saluis infamia nummis?  What careth such a one, though his Credit and Conscience both be cracked, so long as his coin is currant?  
Concerning Death, Salomon prefereth it before Birth, and consequently before Life itself, saying, The Day of Death is better then the Day of our Birth; telling us therein, that 
Gatak. Serm. on Eccles. 7.1.  the manner of our Death more nearly concerneth us, then the matter of our Birth, because our 
Ex hoc momento pendet aeternitas.  eternity dependeth on the moment of our mortality. But this is a stranger Paradox then the former; for men care not what becomes of them after this life, so they may live in jollity in this life: 
O more quàm amara est memoria tua, &c.  therefore they celebrate the day of their Birth, but cannot endure to hear of the day of their Death.  
Concerning Mirth and Mourning, Salomon prefereth the later before the former, saying; It is better to go to the house of mourning, then to the house of feasting. But this to the Epicure is a strange Paradox, who reposeth his chief felicity in feasting and in reauelling, but cannot endure the sound of sorrow or any show of mourning. Therefore this assertion is strengthened by an evident reason, which sheweth why it is better to enter into the house of mourning, &c. Because this is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart. In places of mirth& jollity there is no remembrance of mortality, but in houses of mourning wee behold our own frail condition, and by the end of others, we learn how to prepare for our own. So the whole Verse may bee called, Death's Sermon unto the living; and it consisteth of three parts, whereof the former containeth the Doctrine:  It is better to go into the house of mourning then into the house of feasting. 
The second part is the proof of the Doctrine by a reason,  For that is the end of all men. 
The third sheweth the use and application,  And the living will lay it to his heart. 
I leave the former part to your godly Meditations in private, finding the whole Verse too large to bee confined within the limits of one hour. The two latter parts are my Text, whereof, the one preacheth unto us our mortal condition, for That( namely Death) is the end of all; the other teacheth us to take it seriously into our consideration; For the living will lay it to his heart. The one sheweth us what wee must do of necessity, come to an end at last by Death, For that is the end of all men; the other what wee ought to do by duty, namely, meditate on our end afore-hand: The living will lay it to his heart. Shortly, the first sheweth us that we must end our life, For that is the end of all men; the latter telleth us how we may amend our life, By laying the same while we are yet living to our heart.  
The first part( as you haue heard) is a reason of the premised Doctrine, wherein the house of mourning is preferred before the house of mirth; and this reason offereth unto our due consideration this Doctrine,  
Death is the end of all men in this World. There is no life so long, but at last it endeth in Death. For that( saith Salomon) is the end of all men. A Doctrine needing no great proof, because generally confessed, but not so seriously considered as it should bee; for if it were, wee should find it to be,  


This Doctrine is  1. Venerable for antiquity.  
2. general for extent or universality.  
3. Demonstrable for evidence and certainty.  
4 Profitable for use and instruction.   
First, this Doctrine, 
1. Venerable for antiquity. Gen. 3.19.  that Death is the end of all men, is venerable for antiquity; The first Doctrine that was preached to man after his fall; Because thou hast eaten of the fruit forbidden, Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt return. It was menaced before the Fall, that if they did eat they should certainly die for it, 
Gen. 2, 17.  In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the Death. So ancient therefore as sin is, so ancient is Death; the Mother and the Daughter, as old the one as the other, begotten and born both together. 
Gen. 5.5.  For though Adam actually dyed not the same day that he sinned, but lingered out almost a thousand yeares, 
D. Willet on Gen. 9. 2: quest. 29.  yet he began to die the same day, yea, the same instant that he sinned, because then he became mortal and subject to Death; yea, then actually the Seriants of Death, Sorrow, Labour, Hunger, seized on him, yea, Death itself entred into his soul, the very instant of his transgression. So the Doctrine of Dying is for antiquity very venerable.  
Likewise for extent it is very large, 
2. general for extent.  being general and universal. Death is the end( not of some, but) of All, and( not of all other inferior breathing Creatures only, but) of all men. For that is the end of all men, saith Salomon. All that haue breath must lose it, all that haue life( in this World) must leave it; whether a vegetative life, as herbs, Plants, Trees; or a sensitive life, as Beasts, Birds, Fishes; Death is the end of all. But though it be the end of base Creatures who received life for man, and for him are to lose it, yet peradventure it is not the end of man himself, the noblest Creature, the Epitome of heaven, the chief favourite of the heavenly King, the King of Creatures, and Character of the Creator; yea, even of him also. Death is the end of all, even of Man, the noblest of all.  
But though of men, that is, of some sort of men, yet not of all men. Perhaps not of rich men, their Gold may gard them: not of Wisemen, their Wit may ward them; not of Learned men their Knowledge may keep them; not of Noblemen, their arms may exempt them; not of the beautiful and amiable, their pure Complexion may preserve them; at least, not of Kings, Emperours, Monarchs; their strong Guard, their Armies royal, their Crownes, their diadems may deliver them. No such matter; they are all alike subject to Death. We see that Wisemen die as well as fools, 
Psal. 49.10.  saith david: Rich men die as well as poor, Noblemen die as well as vulgar, strong men die as well as weak, briefly Kings die as well as Subiects; For that is the end of all men. 
job 30.23.  Therefore job saith, I know that thou wilt bring me to Death, and to the House appointed for All the living. Therefore the widow of Tekoa said to david the King, being bold herein to match herself with him, 
2. Sam. 14.14.  Wee must needs die,( you as well as I) neither doth God respect any person; he exempteth none out of this general censure. The Statute of dying hath no exception; 
Heb. 9.27.  therefore the Apostle saith, Statutum est, It is decreed, that( not some, but) All shall once die, and then cometh the Iudgement. Therefore david calleth Death, the way of all the Earth. And Ioshua, 
1. King. 2.2. Ios. 23.14.  the way of all the World, yea, God himself calleth it, the end of all flesh. Therefore if Kings, 
Gen. 6.13.  or Nobles, or Wisemen, &c. be Men, or flesh, or Earth, die they must, For that is the end of all men. But men may be Kings, Noble, Wise, &c. yet wicked; and then no marvell, though Death do claim his due. But what say you to the godly, to the righteous, to the regenerate, who besides their first Birth, haue a new Birth, are these also subject unto Death? doubtless Salomon saying, that Death is the end of all men, includeth also the most godly, for they also are men. 
Esay 57.1.  Therefore the Prophet Isay saith, that the righteous doth perish, though no man regards it, and the merciful man is taken away( by Death) though none do lay it to heart. 
Pallida mors aequo pulsat pede pauperum tabernas Regumque turres— Horat. odd. 4. lib. 1— Cadit& Pentheus iustissimus vnus Qui fuit in Teucris,& seruantissimus aequi. Virg. Aeneid. l. 2  Pale Death, who( as the Heathen saith) knocketh with the same foot at the palaces of Princes, as well as at the Cottages of Peasants, doth with the same rough hand seize on the sanctified Christian as well as on the profane infidel. And as in the sacking of sodom Cadorlaomer and his Confederates, carried away righteous Lot, as well as the reprobate Sodomites, so in this general havoc, the most righteous are surprised by Death as well as the most wicked. There is indeed great difference between the Death of the godly and of the wicked in regard of the manner of Death, and in regard of the sequel or that which follows after Death; but vpon the matter the same Death is common to them both, For that is the end of all men.  
Wee haue known some who haue lived well, many who haue lived long, but none who haue lived still; For what man liveth( saith david) and shall not see Death? 
Psal. 89.48.  No, 
Talis est ista vita mortalium, vt nec ipse Dominus aliter ab illâ exiret nisi per mortent. August. de civit. Dei lib. 17. cap. 18.  not the son of God himself, but when he became the son of david, and so the son of Man, became under the condition of david and of all Mankind, he dyed; for that is the end of all men.  
As God hath set the Sea his banks, so hath he set mans life his bounds, thus far shalt thou go& no farther, thus long shalt thou live and no longer. The longest day hath his night, the longest way hath his end, the longest tragedy hath a Catastrophe, the longest Oration hath his Epilogue or Conclusion, the longest Life ends in Death; For that is the end of all men. Man, is as it were a book; his Birth is the Title-page, his baptism, the Epistle dedicatory; his groans and crying, the Epistle to the Reader, his 
— Totius praeludium Instanstis aeui primus est vitae lepor. Ileinsius in Syl.  infancy and Child-hood is the Argument or Contents of the whole ensuing Tretise; his life and actions are the subject; his sins and errors are the Faults escaped; his Repentance is the correction. Now there are some large Volumes In Folio, some little ones In Sixteenes; some are fairer bound, some plainer; some in strong Velame, some in thin Paper; some whose subject is Piety and godliness, some( and too many such) Pamphlets of wantonness and Folly; but in the last page. of every one, there stands a word, which is Finis, and this is the last word in every book. Such is the life of man, some longer, some shorter, some stronger, some weaker, some fairer, some courser, some holy, some profane; but Death comes in like Finis at the last, to close up the whole; For that is the end of all men. Thus you see the Doctrine, is for extent universal.  
So it is for evidence and proof most demonstrable. If Scripture had been silent herein, 
3. Demonstrable for evidence.  heaven, Earth, Seas, deeps, living, Dead, would haue preached and confirmed this Doctrine unto us, that Death is the end of all men. look we up above us, there we see the sun over us daily rising and setting, the moon monthly waxing and wayning, the stars now shining and on a sudden shutting. What doth this but tell us, that we who now rise must set, who now wax must wane, who now shine must shortly shut and fall? For that is the end of all men.  
look we round about vs. In our Gardens wee see the Flowers now flourishing, anon withered; in our Orchards, the Trees now green and white, anon deprived both of blouth and leaf; in our Fields the corn now growing, shortly ripe for the Sickle; in our meadows, the grass now standing, anon mowed down with the Sithe. Doth not all this teach us that wee who now grow and are green, must whither; who now flourish, must perish; who now stand and live, must bee reaped down by Death? For that is the end of all men.  
look we on the Sea that encircleth the Earth, we see it now filling the banks by flowing, and anonne discovering the channels by ebbing. What doth this but teach us that our life, which is not at a full tide, must shortly be at a low ebb? wee must be emptied by Death; For that is the end of all men.  
Consider we the things that are about vs. The apparel on our backs, made of the wool of Beasts that are dead: The silk we wear, wrought by worms who dyed in the work; the gloves on our hands, the shoes on our feet, the skins of sheep or Neat, who lost their lives to cover our nakedness. The Meate on our Tables, the members of Creatures that haue dyed to maintain our lives; 
Vita nostra sine multorum mortibus constare non potest.  We cannot live but by the Death of many others. Doth not all this teach us, that these our bodies which are for a time kept alive by the Death of other Creatures, must at last yield to Death, as they haue done for us? For that is the end of all men.  
Consider we our bodies themselves, and the several parts thereof. Our eyes every night dying in sleep do show us, that we at last must sleep in Death. The hair of our heads, the nailes on our fingers, calling so often for polling and paring, tell us that the whole body must shortly be shaved by Death. Our stomach still disgesting our meat, and craving for more, sheweth us the insatiable manner of the grave, that having eaten and digested our Ancestors, gapeth for us; and when it hath devoured us, will hunger also for our successors. The worms take possession of us, almost assoon as we do of life, and haue bespoken us even in our Cradles, for their fellowes that await us in the Earth. Thus haue we Death already in us and on vs. We wear it in our faces by wrinkles, wee bear it in our brows whose furrows are the Emblems of the grave: We put it on our backs in our clothes, and are clad in Death from top to to; we cram it into our mouths with our meate, we haue it in our bones, we carry the handsel of it in our bowels. show me where Death is not? 
ubi mors non est?  For that is the end of all men.  
pass we from the living to the Dead, they are so many demonstrations to us, that we must pass from Life to Death. This very place where wee are now assembled, the occasion of this great Assembly in this place, all that wee do here, now hear and behold, are so many Demonstrations of this Doctrine. Wee come hither to perform the last office unto the Dead, we come over the graues of the Dead, wee cannot bring the Dead to her sleeping place, but wee must walk over the beds and heads of those that are asleep; in making the grave, wee discover the bones of some that haue lain already in the same bed. Doth not every particular tel us, that as wee now perform this last function of charity to this worthy lady, so it will not bee long ere our friends must meet here or else-where, to requited our kindness by doing the like for us? For that is the end of all men.  
Shortly, he who first wrote this Text; sundry that haue learnedly written vpon this Text, many that haue translated it, I who now preach to you vpon it, you that hear this Text, and all that either haue or haue not heard of it, either haue or shall set forth to the World an actual Commentary vpon this Text, must pass by Death; For that is the end of all men. Thus you see the Doctrine is for evidence most remonstrable.  

4. Profitable for instruction.  Lastly, it will be for use and instruction no less profitable, if wee be careful to improve it by due application, as the Preacher here teacheth us, in the last words and parts of my Text.  And the living will lay it to his heart. 
BY the living understand those who yet led or draw on a dying life, a life natural; but chiefly those who in the same do lead a new life by grace, a life spiritual: These will surely lay it to their heart: that is, they will be careful to apply it to themselves, that they may learn thereby to guide their life, and to provide for Death. The living who lead a natural life ought to do so, the living who lead a spiritual life will do so: Thus by another Doctrine wee are taught how to make right use of the former; for The Death of others should bee a Document unto vs.  

Others Death must teach us how to live.  It is the duty of the living to thrive and profit by the example of the Dead or dying, and by the Death of others to learn how to entertain their own.  
Death which is esteemed so hateful, so hurtful, duly considered is profitable to the dead& to the living. How beneficial it is or may be to the Dead, Salomon hath shewed before, when he preferred the day of Death before the day of Birth: how profitable it is or ought to bee to the living, he sheweth here in that he saith, The living will lay it to his heart.  
david prayed God to teach him to number his dayes, that he might apply his heart to wisdom. 
Psal. 90.12.  When we see the glass of another( peradventure younger, stronger then ourselves) run out before us, how can wee choose but look home to the speedy running of our own? and laying the same unto heart we will apply our heart to wisdom. It is an high point of wisdom to make anothers Death profitable to our life. God doth often cause others to act this part before us, that we may practise afore-hand, and learn how to act it well ourselves when it comes about to our turn. It was a conceit of the rich Glutton in Hell, that one coming from the Dead could do much to draw the living to repentance. Surely one coming from the Dead will scarcely prevail so much with the living, as one that is going to the Dead. The sight and due consideration of one who is Dead or dying, will do much with the living if they be careful to lay it to their heart. 
Segnius irritant animos demissa per aures, Quàm quae sunt oculis subiecta— Horat.   
Many Sermons preached to the ear by the living, of the brevity and uncertainty of life, of the meditation of Death, &c. will hardly make so deep impression in the living, as one Sermon preached to their eyes by one that is dead or lies a dying. 
Panormit. de dict.& fact. Alphons. lib. 3. c 1.  Wherefore as Alfonsus of arragon sometimes said of Counsellors, that the Dead were the best Counsellors,( meaning books;) so we may say( in this regard) the Dead are the best Preachers, for what wee preach to your ears, they press it to your hearts; The living will lay it to his heart.  

The right manner of applying the Death of others to ourselves.  Now that we may thrive indeed by the Death of others, we must be careful of the right manner of applying it; which we may( without violence) gather out of the Text itself. For herein wee are are taught to apply it,  

1. Discreetly and rightly.  
2. Seriously and soundly.  
3. Seasonably and timely.   

1. Discreetly, that is, not to others but to ourselves.  First we must apply it discreetly and aright. We must not post it over unto others, but lay it home to ourselves. The living( saith Salomon) will lay it to his heart, doubtless to his own heart: what he seeth in others, he will apply to himself, what he cannot deny in the general, bee will aclowledge in his own particular. But who( almost) doth so among us? We apply it, but not to ourselves: we lay it home indeed, but not to our own heart. As we do by Gods other judgements, so wee do by Death: As wee do by the Sermons of the living, so we do by the Sermons of the Dead or dying, wee apply the chiefest points of them to any other rather then to ourselves. Oh let such an one look to himself! he is no long-liu'd man: Death is in his face: I see by his look he is gone already! As if our eyes were lent us to see for all others, and to be blind for ourselves. Miserable Man! that canst see Death in anothers mans brow, and canst not feel it in thine own bowels! Another brags of his life, and faith, I hope to see such a one butted, and green grass growing over his head: never considering how soon the could day may become a night-cap for his own.  
Two Phrases or proverbs I haue observed in common speech, which do palpably discover our error herein. When we affirm any thing to bee very certain, we use to say, As sure as Death: again, speaking of ourselves, and a matter that wee little dreamed of, we use to say, I thought no more on it, then on the hour of my Death. Can there be any thing more apparent to show that wee can see and beleeue Death in any save in ourselves? Wee can declayme of mortality, and of Deaths certainty and lives uncertainty in general; but when wee come to our own particular we promise ourselves an immortality in Nature, and cannot for our lives frame this conclusion to ourselves out of the premises, though it be never so easy and plain. All men are mortal, I am a man, therefore I am mortal: All must die, therfore I must die shortly, I may die suddenly, this may bee my last thought, my last word, my last act; for he who must die at one time may die at any time. This is to profit by the death of others, to lay it home to ourselves,& not post it over unto others; and what we aclowledge in general, to expect and prepare for, in our own particular. For the living must lay it to his heart, to his own heart.  

2 Seriously.  Secondly, we must apply it seriously and soundly. So much is intimated in that it is said, The living will lay it to his heart. Wee must not lay it to our Eyes to gaze on it, nor to our ears to hear of it, nor to our Tongues to talk and discourse of it only, but we must apply it to our Hearts, ruminate it in our mindes, rivet it in our remembrances, ponder vpon it in our daily Meditations. And what must we lay to our hearts. What? The sorrow for our deceased friend, or rather for the Money, or means, or profit that wee haue lost by his decease? 
— Maiore domus gemitu, maiore tumultu Planguntur nummi quàm sunera— &c. funeral.  Indeed, The living do use to lay this to their heart, the loss of some living or liue-lood which they enjoyed by the life of their friends: But that is not it which they must lay to their heart, but the consideration of Death, the vanity and uncertainty of life, and the meditation of their own mortality. But doth the tenth man so among us? Some apply it indeed, but not to themselves. Some lay it to themselves, but not to their hearts. The just or Righteous doth perish( saith the Prophet) and no man layeth it to heart. just and unjust, righteous and reprobate, neighbour and stranger, elder and younger die before us, in our presence, but where is he that layeth it to his heart? 
Inter populum frequent strage morientem, nemo considerat se esse mortalem. Cyprian ad Demetrian.  We are indeed for the present some what affencted with the Death of our friends, but immediately wee forget it, wee return to our wounted courses, wee lay it to our Eyes, wee do not lay it to our hearts.  
Wee come indeed to the house of mourning, and there wee see the Husband mourning for the Wife, or the Wife for the Husband; the Parents for their Child, or the Children for their Parents; the Brothers for their Sisters, or the Sisters for their Brother; peradventure we bear a part with them in their mourning, and impart unto them such poor comforts as wee are able, telling them that weeping is in vain, there is no remedy, and such like Countrey-comforts. We attend the dead unto the Temple, peradventure in clothes of mourning, there wee see nothing but signs of mourning: and hear a Sermon of mourning, but assoon as the funeral is ended, wee return unto the house of mourning, and turn it into a house of feasting( so confounding the places distinguished by Salomon) and this hinders the living from laying it to his heart.  
Wee wait sometimes about the Bed of our dying friend: there wee see a spectacle that a man would think should never out of our inward eyes: hear groans, whose echo should never out of our ears: wee close up the eyes, wee cover the face of the dead: some prepare the body for the shrowded, others the shrowded for the body: some gather Flowers, some ring the Knell, some dig the grave, and talk of life even in the door of Death; For who layeth these things to his heart? Here is laying of them to the Eyes, to the ears, to the Hands, &c. but where is the laying of them to the Heart? do they who close the eyes, and cover the face of the Dead, consider that their eyes must be so closed, their faces thus covered? Or they who shrowded the Coarse, remember that they themselves shortly must be so shrouded? Or they who ring the Knell, consider that shortly the bells must go to the same tune for them? Or they that make the grave, even while they are in it, remember that shortly they must inhabit such a narrow house as now they are building? peradventure they do a little, but it makes no deep impression in them. These things affect us for the most part no otherwise then the stock did the Frogs( in the Fable) which jupiter cast down among them for a King. The first fall thereof, and the dashing of the water with the fall affrighted them, and made them run into their holes; but seeing no farther harm to ensue, they came forth, took courage, leaped on it, and made themselves sport with that which first was their fear. Till at length jupiter sent a Storck among them, and he devoured them. Thus we make the Death of others but a stock that somewhat at first affecteth us; but wee soon forget it, until the Storck come, and we ourselves become a prey to Death: All this is because wee do not apply it seriously, we do not lay it to our heart.  

3. Seasonably.  Thirdly, this must bee done timely and in due season. The living( saith Salomon) will lay it to his heart, the living, not the dying; not the sick, weak, and feeble, but the living. Wee must think on Death while wee haue yet some faire probability to live: this is best done, while wee are young and strong: They who are decrepit for age, who groan under the heavy burden of fourscore yeares and above, in whom old age itself is perished( as job speaketh) whose moisture is dried up, 
job 30.2. 2. Sam. 19.35.  Who( with Barzillai) are unfit for the Court, because they cannot taste their meate, nor hear the sound of melody; who take no pleasure in the pleasures of life, whose breath doth them now no service but to sigh, call you me such living? Rather( as Bias said of Mariners) they are to be numbered neither among the living nor among the dead, yea, rather among the Dead then among the living.  
Wherefore Salomon, 
Eccles. 12.1.  who in one place of this Sermon bids thee, Remember thy creator in the dayes of thy youth, In this place biddeth thee remember thy dissolution( Death) in the dayes of thy life. It is for the living, rather then for the dying to lay these things to their heart. For when sickness, weakness, Death cometh, they will lay other things to thy heart: The love of life, the dread of Death, the Conscience of sin, the pain of sickness, the want of sleep, the ache of bones, the departure from friends, the care of Wife and Children, these will so surprise and possess thee, that thou shalt haue little leisure or pleasure to lay better thoughts to thy heart.  
Wherefore you that are wise, lay not the greatest burden on the weakest beast, adjourn not the longest journey till the shortest day; take not the last and worst hour for the first and hardest task. A whole life,( were it as long as Methuselahs) is short enough to provide for Death. 
Deliberandum est diu, &c.  We had need be long a doing that, which if it bee not once well done, wee are for ever utterly undone. I haue known a weeks provision for one Feast, a moneths preparation for a Wedding, three moneths deliberation, about the driving of a bargain; This is the best or worst bargain that ever thou shalt make, the best or worst Guest that ever thou shalt entertain; thy dying day will be thy wedding day, and match thee to eternal felicity or to endless misery; and wilt thou make no preparation, no provision for this afore-hand?  
Consider what others do, and what thyself usest to do in matters of far less moment and consequent. A judge at the assize, a Iustice at the Sessions, will not give the charge without some study. A scholar cons his Lesson before he repeats it, corrects his theme before he sheweth it. Nay a Player will not adventure on the Stage until he haue his part perfect, lest he be hissed off. What thinkest thou of dying? Is it a Lesson so soon learned that a man may well come off with it at first sight? Strange! we take time to make provision for the burial of the Dead, but take no care to provide for Death itself. These Blacks were not bought and made, that Coffin was not framed, yonder little grave was not fitted on a sudden. Nothing about Death or about the burial of the Dead, but requires some space, some preparation, some provision, and doth Death itself require none? O miserable men, will you never think on Death, until Death comes and takes away your thinking? For then all your thoughts do perish, saith the Psalmist. think vpon it, I beseech you, in season. The hardest Lesson to be learned, the worst thing to be ignorant of, is how to die. 
O quàm miserum est nescire mori! Senec. Tragoed. Harrice Ser. Samuels funeral.  O what a miserable thing is it( saith one) not to know how to die! To be so pained,( saith another) that he cannot live, and yet so unprepared, that he dares not die! to haue a whole lifes work to do, when he hath not one houres space to live! The neglect of looking to this while we live, is the cause why Death comes on so many as a snare: as( among many) it did on that wicked Caesar Borgia,( the wicked son of a worse 
Pope Alexander the sixth. macchiavel. Aduersus omnia pericula me muniui praeter. quàm aduersus mortem, &c.  father) who meeting Death in that cup of poison which he prepared for others, cried out that he had armed himself against all casualties save against Death, for of that he never dreamed or thought.  
O that men were wise! then they would consider this: and remember their latter end, and this they would do discreetly, applying it not to others, but to themselves; they would do it seriously, applying it not to their outward senses only but to their hearts; they would do it timely, even while they are yet living, yet enjoying health and strength, For the living will lay it to his heart.  
Now this Doctrine of Death, thus laid to our hearts, will bee profitable unto us for many uses; and first for  

1. Consolation.  Consolation, in the heavy case of the departure of our dear friends. To mourn for the Dead is not unlawful, yea, the house is therefore called the house of mourning. 
Etiam hoc quo pacto futurum est, vt eius nobis amara mors non sit cuius dulcis est vita? De civit. Dei, lib. 19. cap. 8. 1. Thes. 4.13.  How can it be( saith blessed Augustine) that his Death should not bee bitter to us, whose Life was sweet unto us? But Christians must learn to moderate their mourning, and take heed( as the Apostle counseleth) that they mourn not as others that haue no hope. For why do I so much mourn for them? Is it because they are gone? 
adversum mortis duritiam,& crudelissimam necessitatem, hoc solatio erigimur, quòd brevi visuri sumus eos quos dolemus absentes. Hieron. ad Theodor. tom. 1.  But why then do I not restrain my mourning, seeing, I know that I shall shortly follow and overtake them? It is true, they shall not come again to us, but it is certain that wee shall go( God knows how soon) unto them. Why should wee so much lament that which is not lost but left? Lament wee may, because it is left, too much we need not, because it is not lost. No true-hearted brother is hearty grieved that his brother is sent for to the Court to be preferred by the King. Some few tears may fall as a farewell at parting, but they are soon dried up as with this consideration, that the King will likewise( shortly) sand for the other and prefer him.  

2. Contrition.  Secondly, it will bee profitable for Contrition. The house of mourning will show the havoc of sin, and seeing the grievous effect we will learn to hate and detest the abominable cause. Who so walks through the field,& sees the poor Lambs worryed by the sorrel, how can he choose but hate the cur that killed them? Whoso enters into a faire Garden, and sees the knots and plots foully defaced, how doth he blame the Bore that spoyled them? Whoso comes into his Neighbours house, and sees the good-man murdered in his hall, and all his goods gone, how doth he abhor the thief that robd and slay him? So seeing such misery, such mortality brought on Man( the fairest Creature of God under heaven) and that by sin, how can wee choose but abborre sin, the cause of such confusion? Hast thou known a man or a woman faire and comely in complexion, amiable in countenance, affable in language, accomplished with all endowments, and anon seest him or her dead, that lovely lamb choked, that rich house robbed, that faire Garden defaced; how canst thou choose but hate sin that Monster which hath done all this mischief? O sin, sin! most hateful, most hurtful sin! which turnest strength into weakness, beauty into ashes, a breathing man into a lifeless carcase, and turnest him( worse then Nabuchadnezzar was turned) from Men to worms, from lightsome Houses to the hole of darkness! This is sins doing, how can it choose but be odious in our eyes?  
Thirdly, it will be profitable for humility. 
3. humility.  What Sermon can more powerfully tread down the pride of flesh, then a Sermon visibly preached on this Text, Dust thou art, and to dust thou must return? Whereof who can choose but make that use which the Wiseman doth, Why is dust and ashes proud? I would haue our Masculine Females, our Hermophradites( in their habit,) those daubers of faces, and defacers of Gods Image, I would haue them brought into the house of mourning( which is as bad to them as the house of Bedlam) and there chained while to the bed of one that lies a dying. Let them behold that body late so lovely, so beautiful, so adorned, so perfumed, that itself perfumed the air where it walked, now so unpleasant that the dearest friends cannot endure to behold it, 
Cartwright in Eccles ad locum.  the face covered with a Napkin,( as if a rag of linen) were now more pleasing to the eye,) as much hast as may bee made to convey it out of sight, or as much care and skill as may bee used to lap it in feare-cloth, that the smell therof be not offensive to the house: if any thing, surely this would humble them, and teach them to bestow less time, cost and care, in painting, decking, yellowing that body which must anon be stripped of all by Death; and make more provision, better preparation against Death that hastens to strip them.  

4. Mortification.— Nulla dulcedine vitae Tangitur, instabiles quisquis been cogitat annos. Petrarch. Facilè omnia contemnit qui se cogitat moriturum. Hieron.  Lastly, it will be profitable to teach us Sanctification, and that which is the infallible sign( or part thereof) Mortification. It will be as wormwood on the dug of the World, to wean us from the desire and love thereof, which so passeth away: it will bee a Sword to slay the love of this life which is so uncertain: it will bee a Tutor to teach us the art of dying, which is so hardly learned. In our mirth it will be a curb to us that we plunge not out into immodesty. In our feasting it will be as a Dead mans skull served in( among some of the Ancients) to mind us of our mortality. every morning it will be to us as King Philips page., bidding us good morrow with a Memento te esse mortalem. In all our actions it will be as Dionysius his Sword over the head of Damocles, bidding us to stand in awe and sin not. Briefly, this will pluck out the sting of Death before it come, and make thee that thou shalt not bee afraid to meet thine enemy in the gate, having thy quiver full of arrows of Comfort: 
Ego quod debeo solvere paratus sum, videat soenerator ubi me appellet. Senec.  and as current Money ready about thee, that when thy creditor whom thou canst not shun shall serve thee with an Execution, thou mayst haue wherewith to free& discharge thyself. Thus and thus profitable will this Doctrine, that Death is the end of all men, be unto us, if while we are yet living wee be careful to lay it to our heart.  
I come now to the sad occasion of our coming hither this day, which telleth us whereunto we must all come one day. To give the Dead their due praise is both for the glory of God, and for the benefit of the living. God is thereby glorified, for he who praiseth the Saints of God, praiseth God in his Saints, because their praise is his. 
— Quia quicquid in hoc miramur ab illo est, undè pijs virtus,& per quem vita sepultis. Paulinus de B. Faelic. Natal. 6.  whatsoever we admire in them, we aclowledge to proceed from him, who is their virtue while they live, and their Life when they are dead. The living likewise are hereby profited; for hearing others praised for their goodness, they are incited to be good that they may attain unto the like praise. 
Non quòd ille praemia terrena desiderat,— said quòd ornamentis bonorum incitatur aemulatio,& virtus aemulam alitur exemplo honoris alieni. Symmach. lib. 10. Ep. 25. Nihil in illa laudabo nisi quod proprium est. Hieron. ad principium Epitaph. Marcel. S. 1  Something therefore I intend to speak of this worthy lady, not because she needeth our earthly commendation, but because the ornaments of the Godly are no small incitements unto godliness.  
expect not that I should speak of her Ancestors, and make that the beginning of her praise, which is rather the praise of others. As Saint jerome said of Marcella, so I of her( who deserved a jerome to commend her) I will praise nothing in her but only that which( by the gift of God) was proper and peculiar unto her. Consider wee her as a Woman, as a Wife and matron, and as a Christian, wee shall find in her a pattern for those of her sex and sort, worthy imitation.  
being a Woman shee was the weaker part of man, who yet is weakness itself. No marvell then if she had her infirmities: For Lord, what is man? said david. O then what is woman! Had shee been free from sin, shee had freed us from this labour, for then shee had been free from Death, the reward of sin. Yet thus much we may safely say of her, she kept herself( or rather God by his Grace kept her) from those sins that follow that sex in that estate, especially in those corrupt times; shee kept herself unspotted from the World, and the spots that appeared to God and her Conscience she was careful to wipe away by daily Prayer and Repentance.  
Her particular calling, as a Wife and a matron, she so well discharged as that she hath left a president unto wives, especially of her estate. A comfortable helper to her loving Husband; and no small support of so great an House for more then thirty yeares continuance. An especial ornament unto hospitality( the long-continued praise of that House,) her courteous and affable entertainment being able to turn even ordinary fare into extraordinary cheer. No way an impediment to her Husband in the course of his civil calling; but having been so long the Wife of a Iustice of Peace, let envy itself accuse her( if it can) whether ever she went about to hinder him in the course of Iustice, or did ever neglect( according to her place) to help and encourage him in making of Peace; A blessed work and that which baptizeth a man with the blessed Name of the child of God; 
Mat. 5.9.  in which work it is well known that he hath been alway most industrious, and that with very comfortable success. An indulgent Mother unto her own Children; a cheerful respecter of those whom Law and love had made her own Children; by her kind deportment removing that old odious 
Iniusta nouerca.  epithet of a Stepmother, and being rather a Steed-Mother unto them. No Lyonnesse in her House nor Tyrant among her Seruants, but as careful to bee comfortable to them when they were visited with sickness, as expecting that they should bee serviceable to her, when they were in health. Friendly, affable, courteous towards her Neighbours, observing truly the Apostles precept for humility, 
Rom. 12.16.  Equalling herself to those of lower estate, whereby she gained their love, and yet lost nothing of her Reputation: they honouring her more for her meekness, then others for their greatness; How could they choose? when as they saw that she so conversed with them, as if she had been one of them; more considering that they were women, and therein equal with her, then that herself was a lady, and therein above them. Glad when she had opportunity to do good unto any: making her Closet as an Apothecaries shop, for the poor Neighbours in time of their sickness, affording what shee had to supply their want, with more alacrity then they craved it. God having blessed her with good skill to cure or to ease sore eyes, she was not dainty to afford her help to the poorest, far or near when they came to seek it. Briefly I may say of her as job professed of himself, 
job 29.15, 16.  Shee was eyes to the blind, feet to the lame, and( as he a Father so Shee) a Mother to the poor.  
Boldly I may speak of her Religion and Christian conversation, because truly. That which I haue said already may suffice to show that she was Peaceable, Humble, and Charitable; three most infallible evidences of a true Christian and sanctified heart; especially being accompanied with a fourth, namely her devotion towards God, and that not only in the public place of Gods service( which shee carefully frequented) but in private between God and her own heart. Two houres( at the least of every day she sequestered both from friends and employments( how great soever or how many they were) unto private prayer. How often hath she with tears complained to myself( and to other, Ministers, of her spiritual wants, of her dulne in hearing, forgetfulness of what she heard, indisposition to Prayer and holy duties? These her tears, I doubt not, but God treasured up in his Bottle: sure I am, they haue been many times my comfort; for they assured me that shee had in some good measure those Graces for whose want shee wept, seeing it is Grace that makes us complain of the want of Grace. But the end is the crown of the whole work; and the last Act( if any) carrieth away the Applause. If the end be well, then all is well, true but this is most certain, that life shal end well, that is well led. The men of this World make their life like an Epigram, which if it be closed up with a good strain at last, passeth for currant, how loose soever all the Verses were that went before. But God seeth not as man seeth; he looketh not so much to the last period, as to the whole course of our life,  
Her sickness was short and sharp; whether she knew it should be her last, till almost the last, that he knows who sent it, and for her by it. More then once I asked her, whether she dreaded Death, her answer alway was, that if Gods will so were, she desired it rather. One thing is well known to those who did attend her, that shee was very careful to furnish herself with that armor of a Christian, continual Prayer. even when Death shooke her by the hand, yet by often( though feeble) lifting up her hands she shewed the lifting up of her hart unto the Lord. On the Lords day( the day of Rest) she sickened, on the Day of Rest she departed: I doubt not to pronounce her blessed, she resteth from her labours, her good works follow her, and shee keepeth continual Sabbath in heaven, bidding us who are living to lay these things to our heart. Farewell, dear Lady, with grief we dismiss thee to thy place of ioy; here wee shall never see thee more, our desire is that wee may salute thee there. In the mean time God grant we haue not cause to say of thee as Saint jerome once did of a godly lady, 
Plus sensimus quod habuimus, postquàm habere desiuimus. Hieron. ad Pammach. Tō. 1.  Wee then most perceived what we enjoyed when we ceased to enjoy it.  
Let me now conclude with you( blessed and beloved) with whom I began: What came you hither to see? a funeral. What came you hither to hear? a Sermon. You haue heard a funeral Sermon, and you may see a Sermon in the funeral. As the Apostle saith of Abel, he being dead yet speaketh, 
Heb. 11.4.  so may I of this religious lady, Shee being dead yet preacheth unto us a sensible Sermon, on the first part of my Text, That Death is the end of all men. Shee who not long sithence came cheerfully unto this place on the Lords Day,( as her godly manner was) hath caused us mournfully to repair hither on this Day; shee who used to come in her Coach, is now carried in a Coffin; she who used to hear attentively and to look steadfastly on the Preacher, is here now( so much of her as remaineth) but can neither see nor hear the Preacher, but in silence preacheth to the Preacher himself, and to every hearer and beholder, that this is the end of all men. And by her own example( which is the life of Preaching) she confirmeth the Doctrine, that neither arms, nor Scutcheons, nor greatness of state, nor godliness of life, nor gifts of mind, nor sobriety of diet, nor art of physic, nor Husbands care or cost, nor diligence of Attendants, nor Childrens tears, nor sighs of Seruants, nor Prayers of the Church, can exempt us from that common condition; for if they could, we had not seen this great and sad assembly here this day.  
What remaineth now but that as she hath preached unto us on the former part of my Text, that this is the end of all men, so wee now begin to preach to ourselves on the later part, by laying this to our heart while we are yet living. As Phisitians do use to make Mummy of the Dead which serveth as a Medicine for the living; so let us make a spiritual Mummy of others mortality, by turning their Death into a Medicine for our life. Maximilian the first Emperour of that name, commanded that when he was dead his body should bee laid forth a while, to the open view of all men, 
Vt vel meo exemplo descant omnes, nulla diademata, opes nullas, nec vlla imperia à morte eripere possidentem. Laurent. Beyerlink Apophth. Christianor. Tit. Mors.  even of the meanest person that would behold him; yielding this reason, That so( said he) all men may learn by mine example, that no diadems, no Riches, no Empires, can deliver from Death the possessors of them.  
Francis Borgia, a great Gallant in the Spanish Court, having been chief Mourner at the funeral of the Empresse, and there considering how small a grave did swallow up greatness, Riches, beauty, majesty and all, said thus at his return, The Death of the Empresse hath brought me life, 
Augustae mors mihi vitam attulit. Id ibid.  resolving afterward not to trust unto any greatness in the World. God grant that this godly Ladies Death may be a means to bring us all unto life, by showing us the frailty of this life, the vanity of the things of this life, the inevitable necessity of Death, that being prepared for the first Death which is inevitable, wee may bee exempted from the second Death which is intolerable; and that after this frail and short life which is ever wasting, we may attain unto that life which is everlasting, through the Mercies of God, and the Merits of him who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, To whom be praise, Glory, and Honour, now and for ever. Amen.  
FINIS.