THREE PROFITABLE SERMONS.  

1. A Pastoral Charge.  
2. Christ's Larum-bell.  
3. The Souls Sentinel.   
Preached at several times upon sundry occasions, BY RICHARD CARPENTER Pastor of Sherwill in Devon.  
LONDON, Printed by EDWARD GRIFFIN for Francis Constable, at the white Lion in Paul's Churchyard. 1617.   

A PASTORAL CHARGE.  
Faithfully given and discharged, at the Triennial Visitation of the Lord Bishop of EXON: holden in BARNSTAPLE the seventh of September, 1616.  
By Richard Carpenter Pastor of Sherwill in Devon.  1. TIM. 4. 16. 
Take heed unto thyself and unto teaching, continue therein, for in doing this, thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee.  Bern. serm. 77. in Cantica. 
O utin am omnes qui alacres currunt ad Cathedram tam vig il●s reperirentur ad curam.  Greg 2ae. part. past. cum cap 7. 
Tunc semen verbi fa●ile germinat quando hoc in pectore audientis piet as praedicantis rigat.  
LONDON Printed by EDWARD GRIFFIN for FRANCIS CONSTABLE dwelling at the white Lion in Paul's Churchyard. 1616.   

TO THE RIGHT Reverend Father in God, my very good Lord, WILLIAM Lord Bishop of EXON: the increase of Grace and Peace in this life, and the complete happiness of that to come.  
Right Reverend,  
TO whom should this Sermon preached by a Reverend man of your Diocese upon your injunction, and countenanced by your Honourable presence and patiented attention, have recourse for patronage but only to your Lordship; to whom for many respects it doth especially belong. Which having gained from the Author by much entreaty, I was (after the reading thereof) so full and pregnant of the birth, that I could bear no longer, but must needs bring forth the same, and lay it in the lap of God's children. In doing whereof albeit I had no warrant or allowance from the Author, yet I presume that herein I shall the better satisfy him, because I have made so good choice of dedicating it unto you. Whom he is bound (as I have heard him profess) not only in duty to honour, but in affection to love for many respectful favours & encouragements vouchsafed unto him in his Ministry. In whose behalf, as an unfeigned well-willer of his, I cannot but be humbly thankful unto your Lordship; and in token thereof do in all dutiful submission, consecrate to your survey and service these his ministerial labours, this paper-present, and spiritual gift, in steed of some more sightly oblation: hoping that it will be as acceptable unto your Lordship, being now wout alteration truly presented to your eyes, as it was not long since being without affectation plainly delivered unto your ears. And so using no other olive branch of intercession but the vowed sacrifice of thankful devotion, submitting the premises to your favourable construction, and committing your Lordship to the Almighty's gracious protection, I humbly take my leave; resting ever priest to be proved, what (though unknown) I desire to be accounted,  
Your Lordships in all Christian observancy truly devoted, R. C. London the 18 of September 1616.   

A PASTORAL Charge.  ACT. 20. 28. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, whereof the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood. 
THe Church of God and Spouse of Christ, (right Reverend, right worshipful, and worthily regarded) is by the princely Preacher Solomon Cant. 6. 3. rightly 
Cant. 6. 3.  termed and entitled, Castrorum acies ordinata, an army well marshaled, where every company hath his Captain, and both Captains and companies under one chief commanding General Christ lesus, are well and wisely ordered. For the preservation of which order by the corruption of times much decayed, and for the reformation of such enomorties as in the declining ages of the world have greatly increased, not only ecumenical Counsels for whole Christendom, and national Synods for several Regions and Countries have been constituted and ordained, but also Episcopal Visitations for peculiar Dioceses, and particular Countries, have been appointed, kept, and observed. Of all which visitations and convocations of the Clergy, howsoever some supercilious Critics either prejudicating the sincerity, or undervaluing the sufficiency, or maligning the superiority of Church-governors, have too peremptorily concluded what Saint Paul once and but once 1. Cor. 11. 
1. Cor. 11. 17.  affirmed of the Corinthian assemblies, that they met together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not for the better but for the worse, not for the grace and emolument, but for the disesteem and detriment of and detriment of the Church and Churchmen too: yet the discreet and godly wise, not transported by passion, or sinister suggestion, both know and acknowledge that as the use of them hath somerimes been and ought always to be wholesome and profitable, either ad medelam, to cure the maladies, or ad cautelan, to prevent misheifes in the body Ecclesiastical; so the authority of them is and certainly hath been most ancient and excellent and immediately grounded upon practice Apostolical, viz: upon the practice of the blessed Apostle S. Paul recorded in Act: 15. 36. and 
Act 15 36.  and in the 17 verse of this 20 Chapter, whence my text is taken, where S. Paul is said to have summoned and called together the Elders or Ministers of Ephesus in Asia, to whom when they came (as they came willingly and obediently, reverencing the graces of God in him) he made a grave and vehement Oration. Wherein he declareth the integrity of his humble & harmless conversation amongst them, the painfulness which he endured, and faithfulness which he used to testify the gospel of grace, and to show the whole counsel of God unto them, the constant resolution which he had to fulfil his course, and the ministration received with joy, whatsoever dangers or difficulties might befall him, & the certainty of his departure never to see them more: after which departing wolves should enter into the flock and seek to devour them. From the due consideration of all which premises, as Precedent (if I may so say) of that convocation, he commendeth unto the care of the Pastors assembled the good government and incolumity of the Churches, and earnestly presseth upon their consciences the most necessary duties of their calling in this pithy and powerful exhortation, Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock etc. which words being the select subject of that discourse which upon your injunction (right Reverend Father) I am this day to commend to your christian consideration (right well-beloved brethren) seems not unlike the sound of a loud clarion or voice of a shrill trumpet able to move those that are musing, to rouse those that are slumbering, to awake those that are sleeping, and is in effect as if in more words the Apostle had thus pathetically and emphatically expressed his meaning, and excited the Pastors of Ephesus, and in them all Ministers of the Gospel to the more watchfulness, diligence and faithfulness in their calling. My brethren, friends, and fellow-labourers, 
Paraphr: T●●:  so it is that I must now departed from you without hope of ever visiting you again, and I protest before you (such is my confidence to godward, and the clearness of my conscience witnessing for me) that I have opened to you the whole will of God concerning the salvation of mankind, and the true way to life everlasting, and have been wanting to you in nothing (oh that all Prelates and Pastors could truly say the like) I have with sincerity and sedulity done, with meekness and humility suffered whatsoever to the uttermost of my power and patience and grace given to me might be suffered or done, to publish the purity and to promote the peace and prosperity of the precious gospel preached amongst you. And now sith I can be no longer present to instruct, counsel, comfort and encourage you, therefore in the bowels of Christ jesus I earnestly beseech you to supply by your own extraordinary care and diligence whatsoever may be wanting through my absence. Watch, stand 
1. Cor. 16. 13. 1. Pet. 1. 13.  fast in the faith, gird up the loins of your mind, quit yourselves like men, be zealous in the way and work of the Lord, and jealous over yourselves with a godly jealousy, Take heed to yourselves, make sure work for your own souls, that ye be not corrupted or seduced, and take the like care and thought with an equal bent and extent of goodwill and affection for the flock, the whole flock, whereof (not the authority of man, or power of Angels, or any private spirit of your own, but) the Holy Spirit of God hath made you overseers; suffer not this flock, or any part thereof to pine for want of spiritual provision to be wandering, wounded, wearied, wronged, but see that it be fed, refreshed, cherished, preserved: For hereunto are ye called, not to be loiterers but labourers, not to be idle speculators, but painful Pastors to feed with wholesome food in due season the family of God, God's Church, God's chosen, God's people, a precious people bought and redeemed with a price, a rich price, a price of infinite value, even with blood, with God's blood, with Gods own blood, for so by reason of the hypostatical union of two natures in Christ that which is proper to the one is attributed to the other, per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as we speak in schools, Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock whereof the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers etc. Suffer not the sheep of Christ's pasture, his peculiar, his chief treasure, so much set by, and so dearly purchased by the unvaluable price of his most precious blood to perish or miscarry through your default or negligence. For if you do, I call heaven and earth to record against you, that both the blood of Christ shall be charged on your heads, and the blood of his people perishing required at your hands. O terrible blast like the sudden sound of a mighty thunderclap, or the roaring of many waters able to make the two ears to tingle, and the heartstrings to tremble of all evil and idle Pastors, which either cannot, so great is their ignorance; or do not, so little is their conscience; or will not, so graceless is their negligence, feed the flock of Christ and take heed thereunto. And thus having somewhat fully and freely by way of paraphrase opened and enlarged the coherence, sense and substance of this parcel of Scripture; for my more orderly proceeding therein, let me entreat you to observe with me by way of division, two principal parts thereof.  
Division. 1 The first a strict charge and injunction what to do, actuated and enforced by this illative particle [Therefore] h. v. Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the stock.  
The second an important cause and consideration why it is to be done, in the words following, because the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God purchased with his own blood.  
Subdivision 1 The charge itself (to omit the ordinary circumstances of the person giving it, and the parties to whom it is given) contains a twofold substantial caveat or caution, the one intrinsical, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Take heed to yourselves, neglect not the care of your own salvation, for sibi nequam cui bonus? hardly will he do good to others extensive, that is not good for himself intensive. The other extrinsical, take heed to the flock, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to all the flock and every part thereof, strengthen the weak, reduce the wandering, raise those that are fallen, confirm those that stand. For this, and all this, and more than this under this allegory and comparison of a minister to a shepheard is comprehended.  
As for the cause and consideration, that consisteth of a threefold reason. The first drawn from the author of their sacred function, viz: the Holy Ghost which had made them Overseers, importing their calling to be not an human invention, but a divine institution, wherein they were assisted by the presence, protected by the power, directed by the wisdom of God's Spirit.  
The second from the end and burden of their office, in that they were made overseers non ad deglubendum, sed ad pascendum, and as the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will bear it, 
Reu. 2. 17.  ad regendum, not to fleece, but to feed the flock of Christ pabulo coelestis doctrinae & orationis, not to grieve but to govern the Church of God pedo disciplinae & exemplo conversationis.  
The third and last sharppointed reason from the dignity of the Church, and the quality of the flock which is to be fed, namely, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as S. Peter calls it, a peculiar people purchased (as it 
1. Pet. 2. 9  is in my text) with Christ's own blood, he hath paid full dearly for them, he hath best right unto them, he sets highly by them, and therefore will call those to a strict account which take the charge of them, Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, whereof the Holy Ghost etc. These (right Reverend and worthily regarded) are the several branches of my text, and the bounds and limits of my intended meditations, by the very survey whereof, though I doubt not, but you (Fathers and brethren) may readily apprehend and praeconceive before I speak the sum and effect of all that I have to say; yet sith it is no disparagement to learning to hear what we know again confirmed, no prejudice to a well ordered private life and public government to hear and see what we do, and aught to do often preached, pressed, and approved, I will now by God's assistance and your continued patience descend from the superficial pointing of them out unto your view for observation, unto a more substantial prosecuting of them in their order for your better use and application. And first of the first, viz▪ the charge or injunction, and therein of the first intrinsical caveat or caution contained h. v. Take heed therefore to yourselves etc. Our blessed Saviour Christ jesus that good and great shepherd of souls seeking the breed of his spiritual flock out of all the herds that fed on the mountains of judah, got unto himself in a short time the number of twelve Apostles. All which though they did eat of their Master's morsels, and drink of his cup, and enjoy his company, yet receiving as evil through the flesh's weakness, what Christ gave to them as life through the spirits goodness, they became reprehensible both in doctrine and manners. In doctrine, for they doubted whether Christ were the Messiah, and were ignorant of the resurrection; In manners, for some of them were chilling cold in charity, others exceeded in the heat of ambition. To which maladies that there might be the fittest medicines applied, our Saviour (Mark. 9 50.) as a skilful Physician 
Mark. 9 50.  proposeth a sovereign potion, wherein for the rectifying of their knowledge, he prescribeth salt to savour them, have salt in yourselves, & for the tempering of the heat of their ambition & coldness of charity, he warneth them to have peace the queller of factions & compounder of contrarieties, Have salt in yourselves, and peace one with another. But first have salt in yourselves, that is the acrimony of true knowledge and godly wisdom, that hereby you may the better season others, as here in my text it is, Take heed first to yourselves, that you may the better attend to the flock, whereof the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers. For as Philosophy telleth us of a twofold action, the one, immanent; and the other transeunt, and withal teacheth us that immanent actions, whereby some 
Action 2.  good thing is wrought in ourselves are ways to the transeunt, whereby we leave the end and effect of our well-doing in others; so divinity approving this distinction of her handmaid philosophy groundeth hereupon this conclusion, which is the first doctrinal point of my text worthy your observation.  
Doctr. 1 That all men, especially Ministers and Magistrates should have that really and actually in themselves, which they would have to be wrought and effected in others. Charity and true zeal in her ascendent gins with itself, and it is meet that we be as cisterns to hold clean water in ourselves, before we become as conduits to convey the same to others. Timothy aught first to take heed to himself, to walk warily in the paths of holiness and righteousness for the furtherance and assurance of his own salvation, and then he must attend diligently to his doctrine and teaching, that as much as in him lieth he may save others 1. Tim. 4. So the Elders and 
1. Tim. 4. 16.  Ministers of Ephesus are here enjoined first to look to themselves 
Act: 20. 28.  and to make sure work for their own souls, and then to attend to the guidance and direction, to the safety and protection of the flock of Christ. The Cock first clappeth his own wings to rouse himself, and afterwards croweth aloud that others may be awakened; so surely all they whose labours God employeth in drawing others to any good duty and well-doing ought to be such themselves▪ and to show themselves such as they would have others to be. He is too nice a Physician, saith S. jerom, either for the body or the soul, that prescribeth fasting to others, and is sick of a surfeit himself, si vis me flere dolendum est primo tibi, if thou wilt work powerfully on my affection, thou thyself must not be void and exempt of passion. When Abimelech Iudg: 9 48 had cut down 
judg. 9 48.  boughs and carried them on his shoulders, then saith he to the people, what ye have seen me do do the like: so our blessed Saviour 
Ioh: 13.  having washed Peter's feet, Ioh: 13. forthwith telleth his disciples that therein he had given them an ensample to do as he had done; and in the 11 of Matthew, where he useth that gracious call, Venite ad 
Mat: 11. 29.  me omnes, Come unto me all and learn of me; he saith not, learn of me because I talk of humility, but learn of me because I am humble and meek, and walk in humility, and am a pattern of that which I give in precept; and such he was beyond all exception, his birth and education, his life and conversation, his death and passion being altogether a pageant of humility. So likewise S. Paul 
Philip 4. 8. 9  from his own example and precedency commendeth to the pursuit and practice of the Philippians, whatsoever things are true, are honest, just, pure, pertain unto love, and are of good report, willing them to be followers of those things even as they had heard of him and seen in him, they had heard his doctrine, they had seen his virtues and virtuous life agreeable thereunto; both these must go together, if we will take heed to ourselves, as here we are enjoined to do. And here to begin with ourselves of the Ministry, this aught to be our first and principal care to keep diligent watch and ward over our own hearts, as Solomon adviseth Prou. 4. to keep 
Pre. 4. 23.  this precious vessel from all fraud and violence safe and sound, locked with the key of faith, barred with resolution against sin, guarded with supervisiting diligence, and to take heed that no pleasures, profits, or preferments cause us to make shipwreck of a good conscience, which is the casting away of all other excellencies, it being no rare thing to note the soul of a wilful sinner stripped of all her graces and by degrees exposed to shame; The more serious must our study and vigilancy be with often and earnest prayer unto God, that the peace of our consciences and purity of our hearts may be preserved, and consequently our conversation so well and warily ordered, and inoffensively guided, that intus puri, extus boni, utrinque sani vitam Deo gratam, gregi acceptam, omnibus probatam agamus, being sincere in heart, and upright in life, our whole comportment may be accepted of God, approved of men. Omnia, saith jerom, in sacerdote 
Hieron.  debent esse vocalia, all things in a Minister, Vestis, gestus, manus, mensa, mores, his coat, his countenance, his gesture, his diet, his discourse, his private as well as public behaviour must preach sanctification and holiness: thus integrity of life as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a disciple and sheep of Christ, is first required in every worthy minister; and secondly soundness of doctrine and assiduity in preaching, as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a teacher of Christians, and a Pastor of Christ's flock with his personal graces, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to walk uprightly and circumspectively, Gal. 2. 14. the gifts of his 
Gal. 2. 14.  ministerial function, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to divide the word of truth with diligence and dexterity, with modesty and gravity, 2. Tim. 2. must be 
2 Tim. 2. 15.  tempered & conjoined, and both these implements, or rather compliments of a godly minister are typically and lively represented to the eyes of our understanding by the two Cherubins in salomon's Temple, Chron. 2. 3. by the mystical creatures 
Chron. 2. 3.  which had hands under their wings, Ezek. 1. and by the 
Ezek. 1. 8.  urim and Thummim in Aaron's breastplate, and by the golden bells and pomegranates in the skirts of his garments, Exod 28. which two 
Exod. 28. 34.  whosoever shall carefully and conscionably join together (as all of us should do) both observing and teaching to others the commandments of God, he shall not only be great, but shall have the honour to be called great in the kingdom of heaven, Mat. 5. 19 Such a one, 
Mat. 5. 19  and amongst others, a singularly eminent and excellent minister of the Gospel, and preacher of repentance, did john the Baptist show himself to be, of whose worthy praise, that praiseworthy testimony of our Saviour (who being truth itself, joh. 14. would not flatter, could not lie) is registered for all posterity, Ille erat lucerna arden's & lucens: he was a burning and shining lamp, john. 5. 35. Lucerna praedicationis 
john. 5. 35.  beneficio ardens charitatis incendio, arden's & lucens virtutis exercitio, burning inwardly with true zeal and charity, outwardly shining by the lustre of his lively preaching, burning and shining with the continual exercise of virtue, of whose singular graces and virtues, we of the Ministry (men, fathers, and brethren) should be studious emulators and followers, that so like men of God, tam magisterio virtutum quam ministerio verborum, as well by the example of our good works, as by preaching the incorrupt 
2. Tit. 7.  and wholesome word, we may better and benefit the people of God; and with Basil the great, whom Nazianzene emblazeth, doctrina 
Naz.  tonitruantem, vita coruscantem, thundering in his doctrine, glistering and shining in his life may be enabled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, every manner of way at all 
●as. hom. 6. in ●ex.  times, in all places, amongst all persons, to edify the Church, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in preaching, practising, by practice preaching, as Clem. Alex. pithily 
Clem. Alex. streom.  writeth. And the reason for all this is very good, which Saint Gregory in his pastorals yieldeth, quia exemplaris vita est concio optima, illudque cum imperio docetur, quod 
Rat. Greg. in pastor.  prius ag●●ur quam docetur, because (saith he) the exemplary good life is the best sermon, & that is taught with authority, which is first acted by ourselves, before it be given in charge to others: semenque verbi facile germinat, etc. and the seed of God's word, and of wholesome instruction doth easily bring forth increase, when the godliness of the Preacher doth water and moisten the same in the hearts of the hearers. And so much of the duty of Ministers, in taking heed unto themselves, that by composing their lives religiously, and by proposing God's word reverently they may go before the people with the lamp of life and doctrine, to the heavenly Canaan, and land of the living. Which duty of self heede-taking, not only concerns ministers, that bear the Lords ark, but Magistrates also, which wear his armour, and wield his sword, and all inferior household governors too, who in the fear of the Lord m●st look to it, that they be good, and well affected themselves, if 
Offic. mag. & pat. fa.  they will work the like effect in others, which belong to their charge: they must with David's resolution say, Psal. 39 I will take heed to mine 
Psal. 39 1. 101. 2.  own ways: and Psalm. 101. I will walk with an upright heart in the midst of mine house. They must resemble the snuffers in the Tabernacle, Exod. 25. 38 which being ordained 
Exod. 25. 38.  to purge others, were made of pure gold themselves. It is a rule or overruled case in Philosophy, that the brain is senseless, though the fountain of senses, and that the universal causes have not actually in themselves, what they produce in their effects: howsoever this be, sure I am, it ought to be far otherwise, not only with ministers, as I have in part showed, but with Magistrates also, with Parents, Masters, and all Domestical Governors, with whose wisdom and welfare, it stands much to be circumspect in their doings, that by the stayed government of themselves, they may impress deep characters of good behaviour in all those which depend and attend upon them, who Lycurgus like must make their lives the example of their Laws, and their Laws, precepts and injunctions, must be as sound axioms drawn from the integrity and uprightness of their lives, that so their inferiors their hearers, their children, servants, and followers, may as well by that which they see in them, as hear from them, be instructed and edified. This kind of instruction both by doing and teaching, is that two-edged sword, which proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lamb, Revel. 1. able to divide betwixt the 
Revel. 1. 1.  marrow and the bones, betwixt the souls and the bosom darling sins of those whom we would & should amend: With which double edged sword, sharp and keen on the teaching side, and cutting deep on the doing side, If Prelates and Preachers in their assemblies: if judges and justices in their circuits and countries: if Magistrates in their towns and cities: and Masters in their houses and families would resolutely fight withal against sin and ungodliness, certainly they should prevail far more than they do in repressing of iniquity, and redressing of abuses and disorders: neither could presumptuous impiety long stand out, and bear up the head against them, but they would soon nip it in the blade, smite it on the head, yea pierce it to the very heart. But alas, the condition of these times is much to be lamented, wherein Ministers and Magistrates, which should join hand in hand, and unite their forces to see iniquity punished; are for the most part; either in their judgement or affections so divided, that whereas the Priests lips should preserve knowledge, and the magistrates hands keep good order, the one denounce Gods judgements against sin, the other execute them, and both combine their strength, like Moses and Aaron, David and jonathan, judah and simeon, to reform abuses, in Church and commonweal: little or nothing (God wots) is by them amended, whether through the wilfulness and corruption of the one, the pride and covetousness of the other, or the cowardliness and slothfulness of both, or rather through the Churchwardens and sworn men's neglect to present faults for fear, favour, or affection dangerously dispensing with their oath, I leave it undetermined; neither is it my part or purpose to publish the overthrow of the mighty in Gath, or the faults & 
2. Sam. 1.  fall out of great ones, in the streets of Ascalon, lest the uncircumcised should triumph. I will rather lay my finger on this scar, so far forth as the truth of my love may not prejudice the love of truth; only this betwixt shame and sorrow I must say; that for want of the Laws judicial execution, both the unbridled lusts of man's corruption in spiritual consistories remain uncorrected; and the wicked attempts of man's presumption in temporal courts remain unrepressed, and the original of both defaults and defects is this, that some officers in either, do too much resemble the Idol Molech, Leuit. 18. 21. lively described, or are 
Levit. 18. 21.  not much unlike those Giants which called themselves Rephaims Physicians and reforms of vices, whereas they were Zanzummims, 
Deut. 2. 20.  most distempered, vicious and flagitious themselves, as in the 20. verse of the second of Deuteronomy, it is plainly and pregnantly noted. O that my words were in an 
Apostrophe.  ancients mouth, that grey hairs might give grace unto them: then would I the more boldly beseech you, right reverend Father in God, that (according to your wisdom & gravity, place and dignity, power and authority, being armed, with the complete armour of temporal and spiritual jurisdiction) you would with undaunted courage and resolution, strike at the very root of those enormities. And sith in this course of reformation, you have the prayers, help, and approbation of all good men, and the assured assistance of God himself, who will reward your care, and crown your diligence; O go on with the spirit of fortitude, well tempered zeal, and godly constancy, to brandish the sword of justice against the faces of presumptuous idolatrous Papists, of miscreant irreligious Atheists, of profane Neutralists, and seditious Priscillianists, and alother enemies of God and his Church, and with the spear of reproof, and severest castigation, run through (as I may say) the very heart of far spreading Popery, of whoredom, drunkenness, bribery, extortion, contempt of the Ministry, perjury, blasphemy, sacrilegious Church-robbing, and of other gross corruptions, whereof the Church wardens (whom I again, and again, advise to make conscience of their sacred oaths) shall make presentation. Magna quidem est in illa severitate piet as per quam tollitur peccandi 
Sen.  libertas. O make the truth hereof to appear by your severity, in giving a downright blow to those offensive evils which cry for a mighty stroke, that they may no more stalk by you, much less stare upon you uncontrolled, but that by your two staves of bands and beauty, in imitation of the great shepherd of Israel (Zachar. 
Zach. 11. 7.  11.) that is, of doctrine and discipline of coactive & corrective jurisdiction, either with an oportet haec facere, or decet haec fieri, with a prohibe, or cohibe; a caveat or a capias; with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Tit. 2. a cut 
Tit. 2. 13.  off, a put down, or shut up, the authors and actors of these ranging, raging, roaring sins, in Clergy & Laity, may be severely censured, and as much as in your Lordship lieth, utterly suppressed. For the better accomplishing of which needful work (to return to that from which I have a little digressed) it is of us all (Dear Christians) to be hearty wished, and by all good means to be endeavoured, that such always be placed in the Magistracy and Ministry, as may not only by the duty of their calling, seek earnestly the reformation of those things which are amiss, but also may by their well-ordered holy lives, be lanterns & spectacles of virtue and godliness, patterns and precedents of well-doing grace, and goodness to all others. That the people by them as by a glass (even as the youth of Greece did by Epaminondas) may learn to timme and adorn themselves with all virtuous ornaments; This, this, is the most hopefullest course to rectify things that are depraved, to unite things that are divided, to set in order and reform things, which had need to be amended. I do not deny but that multi multis prosunt dicendo quae non 
Aug. tract. 46. in joh.  faciunt: but I also aver with Saint Augustine: that long pluribus prodessent faciendo quae dicunt, and without taking this course of making our lips and our lives, our hands and our hearts, our words & our works, our profession and practice to agree together in a competent commendable manner, little amendment in public or in private, is to be expected, though the complaints of Ministers concerning their hearers profaneness and ignorance; of Magistrates concerning their people's stubbornness and disobedlence; of Parents and Masters concerning their children and servants wantonness, faithlessness, and negligence be never so much aggravated, never so often reiterated. For when, I pray, will a lewd servant be dissuaded from his drunkenness and whoredom, by the words of a luxurious and licentious Master? when will a handmaid be reclaimed of her folly by the persuasion of a lose Mistress? when will disordered people, and dissolute parishioners be reform of their vain and vile courses, by the counsel or threatenings of unruly rulers, and carnal careless Ministers? But it is high time for me to shut up this point, (for I have a long way to go, and but lirtle time to spend) and therefore I humbly beseech you all, Men, Fathers, and Brethren, beloved in Christ, that you would seriously meditate on so necessary and profitable a Christian duty, as hath now by way of doctrine of general exhortation, and particular application, been commended unto you, Use 2 let it have its due entertainment in your souls, and take deep impression in your hearts for the amendment of whatsoever is amiss, either in your own persons, or in your public assemblies, or private families. Again and again I say unto you all, Take heed unto yourselves, and more especially, to you my brethren in the ministry, who by your callings are captains of God's army, dispensers of God's mysteries, stewards of God's household, builders of God's Church, shepherds of his flock, and therefore should be courageous, faithful, skilful, watchful, Take heed to yourselves, and look to your families, that there be not sound in them an Hophue or Phineas to make the Lords sacrifices abhorred as it fell out in the time of Eli, 1 Sam. 2. beat 
1 Sam. 2.  down the body of sin in yourselves and others, that you may grow up in the spiritual strength of your souls, be much in conference with God and practice of holy duties, pray much, read much, meditate much, preach often and earnestly; and least by any means after, you have preached unto others, and prepared an ark for their safety, you yourselves should be reproved, and perish with Noah's carpenters, in the flood of your own iniquity: Take heed, abandon all impiety and scandalous irregularity, and as S. Paul exhorteth Timothy, 1 Tim. 6. Flee covetousness 
1 Tim. 6.  and noisome lusts, and follow after righteousness, love, patience, meekness, and labour always, amongst all persons, to manifest a laudable congruity & correspondency between your good teaching, and godly living. Let that profane proverb (doing and saying be two men's offices) be verified among the Heathen, as for us (beloved) which would be accounted good Christians, and indeed should be approved patterns of Christianity: Let it be our principal care & study that our words and works, our doings and sayings, our profession and practice may agree together in one tune, and draw in one line, as it becometh the Gospel of Christ jesus, which is truly called the Gospel of Peace, 2 Ephes. 
● Ephes.  whose author is the God of Peace, 1 Cor. 14. whose ministers are messengers 
● Cor. 14. Rom. 10.  of Peace, 10 Rom. whose followers are the children of Peace Luke 10. whose duty is the study 
Luk. 10.  of Peace, Rom. 12. and end that 
Rom. 12.  Peace which passeth all understanding, Phil. 4. and all to move us to 
Philip. 4.  have Peace amongst ourselves, and as much as in us lieth with all others that so living in Peace, and spending our days holily, we may die in peace, and end our days happily, and after this mortal pilgrimage ended, may pass by the life of grace, to the life of glory, and immortality which never shall have end. And so much, if not too much (in regard of the precise model of time allotted for me to speak, and you to hear) be spoken of the first intrinsical caveat, Take heed to yourselves.  
Now it followeth, and that by a necessary consequent (for Christianity extendeth both her charity and industry to the good of others) Take heed to all the flock, which I term the extrinsical caveat or caution; wherein before I descend to the distinct duties of Ministers in particular, without any other curious induction, I obfurther this doctrine in general.  
Doct. 2 That all Christians which by taking heed to their ways and walking after Gods will have tasted the sweetness of God's graces in themselves, are or aught to be witnesses of the same graces of God unto others, and workers of them in others, as much as in them lieth. The gifts of God's spirit, and profitable employment, may not be separated; in whomsoever the graces of God be they must be seen in doing some spiritual good according to their place and calling who are endued therewith. It was said to Peter, Luk. 22. when thou art 
Luk. 22. 32.  converted strengthen thy brethren; and it is said by S. Paul, Gal. 1. 16. 
Gal: 1. 16.  that it pleased God to reveal his Son unto him, that he might preach him to the Gentiles: and in the 2. Corin: 14. that God did 
2 Cor: 14.  comfort him in all his tribulation that he might be able to comfort others in their affliction. And hence it is that he giveth that general charge, 1. Thess. 5. 11. exhort 
1. Thes. 5. 11.  and edify one another as ye do, admonish the unruly, comfort the feeble, etc. and in the 10 Heb. 24. 
Heb: 10. 24.  Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works. and Rom: 15. 2. Let every man please his 
Rom. 15. 2.  neighbour in that which is good to edification. and to this purpose the commandment of S. Peter, 1. Pet: 
1. Pet: 4. 10.  4. 10. is very express and pregnant, Let every man as he hath received the gift minister the same one to another as good disposers of the manifold graces of God.  
R. 1 Every one is God's steward, not to engross the gifts and graces of God to himself, but to employ them to a common benefit. And the example of God himself that eternal essence, whose perfection must be the pattern of our wills, teacheth us so much, whose immanent operations though they might clear him from prejudice, working upon so good and infinite an object as himself, yet would he not rest, in that which was excellent, but pass to that which was most gracious, and his eternal essence would give to every thing a being or entity, and his truth verity, and his existence an unity, and his perfection goodness, and his happiness felicity. If then we will be conformable unto him, we must not content ourselves in the excellency and pleasure of our own contemplation without casting an eye downward upon our brethren; neither must the receipt of infused graces purchased by christ, rest upon ourselves alone, but when we are in some measure filled, we ought to look upon others that are lank and lean, till they be as full as we; being enlightened ourselves, we must seek to make others wise unto salvation. Peter Antaeus-like having gotten strength by his fall endeavoureth to breed the same quality in his brethren; and Paul being converted addicteth himself wholly to the converting of others, and Rom: 1. 14. acknowledgeth himself a debtor 
Rom: 1. 14.  both to jew and Gentile in that behalf. David Psal. 12. prayeth to be helped and saved himself, but 
Psal: 12. 1.  so as the word (Hoshignah) in the original importeth, that he might help and save others. The true lights of the firmament are ever in motion for the good of others, whilst comets and blazing stars fed with corruption from below, stand at a stay and vanish away. And surely this is a property of every righteous and holy man, that having his own heart possessed with the true fear of God and unfeigned love of religion, he hath his desire also inflamed to draw others thereunto, and it is the joy of his heart to see others as good as himself; yea he thinketh the framing of others to conformity with himself to be a most necessary operation of the life of grace, R. 2 infused into his soul; and nature itself enjoineth him this duty arising from the necessary relation between his lips and feeding, as it is lively expressed Prov: 10. 21. 
Prov: 10. 21.  the lips of the righteous feed many, the righteous man who hath obtained pardon of his sins by the blood of Christ, and hath his righteousness imputed to him, and in assurance hereof endeavoureth with a sincere heart to please God in all things, and hath the good treasure of his heart filled with all spiritual wisdom, the word of God dwelling plenteously in him; such a righteous man hoardeth not up his treasure as the miser doth his corn, and the covetous his riches, but lets it pass through his lips thereby to feed, not a few but many, and to spread abroad knowledge Pro: 15. 7. so that from the 
Prov: 15. 7.  righteous man's treasure (and such a man especially every Minister should be) the ignorant hath a portion, and that is instruction; the perfract and obstinate hath a portion, and that is reprehension; the wanderer a portion, and that is admonition; the penitent a portion, and that is consolation; and it cannot well be otherwise. For if it be a true Maxim that every instrument worketh dispositively at the command of the principal agent, then since God hath given lips to serve the soul as principal commander, either there must be little store of grace in the heart, or else out of the store thereof the lips will utter it, and from the abundance of the heart speak abundantly. To be short, the spiritual good of those with whom the righteous man liveth, and whom he loveth, taketh up a chief room in his affections, he seeketh their conversion and salvation, this is an employment worthy his love, his labour, his prayers, his pains. Herein he showeth himself the child of God, and his wishes accord with Gods; Oh (saith the Lord Deut: 5.) that there were in 
Deut: 5. 25.  my people an heart to fear me; Oh (saith the righteous christian) that there were in my friends, kinsfolk, neighbours, and acquaintance, an heart to fear the Lord and keep his commandments, that it might go well with them. Would to God, saith Moses Numb. 11: all God's people were Prophets: and 
Numb: 11. 29.  Paul Act: 26. wisheth that not only 
Acts 26. 29.  Festus the Precedent, and Agrippa the King, but all that heard him were as he was, not in bands, and captivity, but in grace and christianity. Seldom shall you hear these or the like voices amongst worldlings; I wish others were as rich as I, as learned as I, and in as good credit as I am; for these things make men earthly-minded, base selfe-lovers, and privately affected; but grace and holiness is of an excellent royal nature, and enlargeth the heart wherein it is with such love to other men, that nothing more contents the righteous man then to make others as good as himself, and to see them go in his Master's heavenly livery. He taketh heed to himself, he taketh care of others, tanquam sidus clarum & beneficum, as the Sun in the firmament is beneficial to all.  
Use. 1 Wherefore to make some use of this point. Rouse up yourselves (o ye Christians) which hear me this day, up and be doing, and the Lord will be with you; suffer not this doctrine to pass unregarded, unpractised, but as you would be accounted the holy and righteous servants of the Lord, quickened and enlived with the spirit of grace and power of godliness, so show yourselves to be such by communicating the good graces you have received to the benefit of others, lay aside all hypocrisy in seeming to be what you are not, & remove all slothfulness in not appearing to be what you are, and as the elect of God put on the bowels of mercy, and with cheerfulness and alacrity spend those talents wherewith God hath enriched you, and adventure them for your Master's best advantage, and use your gifts as David Psalm: fitted for the good of all which may be or desire to be benefited by them. Be not spare in spending, what God hath been bountiful in bestowing, make known yourselves to be not only like the good tree which bringeth forth its own good fruit in due season; but like the fire, and 
Psal: 1. 3.  the fire, non in silice, sed in sinu, not in the flint, which will hardly be beaten out, but in the bosom which cannot be concealed, but will soon show itself, and having matter to work upon, will send out a flaming light to direct and comfort others. O consider from what misery by nature you yourselves are freed, and to what an excellent estate by grace ye are translated, and be not so thankless to the author of your happiness, or hard hearted to the good of your brethren, as to neglect to pay to either what you do own them. You own glory to God for his manifold mercies vouchsafed unto you, and the greatest thing wherein you can glorify him is to be the means of drawing others to his kingdom; you own love unto your brethren, and the greatest thing wherein you can show this love, is to seek their freedom out of the bands of sin and Satan, and to be instruments of saving their souls O set then close to this work, use all the good means of prayer, counsel, conference, comfort, and admonition, and commit the success unto God. Petitur avobis cura non curatio, as Bernard speaketh: God requireth 
Bern: lib. 4. consider:  not at your hands that you should cure your brethren, for that is his immediate work, Hebr: 13. but that you should care for them, and do what in you lieth to procure not only their temporal, but especially their spiritual and eternal good. Blessed and beloved Christians, we are all and aught to be one another's keepers, and it was but Cain a murderer which made question to the contrary, Gen. 4. 
Gen: 4. 9  Wherefore as brethren, sons of the same Father, seruant● to the same Master, heirs of the same promise, fellow-travellers bound for the same country, let us make on an other partakers both of our temporal goods, according to the rule of Solomon, Prov: 5. Let thy 
Prov: 5. 16.  fountain flow forth, and thy rivers in the streets; and especially of our spiritual graces, instructing, counseling, comforting, and edifying one an other in an holy faith and godly life. It is a true saying, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a good man is a common good. Oh then let us show ourselves to be such good men and loving Christians indeed leaving behind us in all places where we live and have to do some tokens of our goodness, some monuments of our godliness, some sweet savour of our virtues; especially as occasion is now given, let us express our bounty for a common good, namely in furthering (by our willing contribution thereunto) the honourable plantation of Virginia, for the reducing 
Virginia.  of pagans unto Christianity; and the praiseworthy erection of the College of Controversies, 
Chelsey.  for the speedier refuting of the errors, and repressing of the insolences of malignant popish adversaries. Those worthies which are employed in these famous works cry unto us as the Angel of Macedonia did unto Paul, Come and help us. Let us then be helpful 
Act: 16. 9  unto them; and as profitable members in the Beehive of Christ's Church, let us bring by our love our largesse; by our prayers, pains, or practise, wax or honey thereunto, for the benefit of many; and not be like those haughty ungentle spirits, in whom the gross humours of pride and covetousness have bred such an obstruction of liberality and kindness, that neither good works, nor gracious words at all proceed from them. Solon in 
Plutarch. in moral.  Plutarch made a law that if any one had digged 20 foot deep in his own ground and found no water, his neighbour should permit him to draw water out of his Well: Do then such and such men labour to live, and endeavour to learn, and yet want some maintenance and learning, which God in some greater measure hath afforded us; why then we are bound to give unto them of that little which we have, and to teach them of that little which we know, and to do them what good we can; if we do, God will reward us; if we do not, the heathen man will rise up in judgement against 〈◊〉. In the 26 of Exodus, you may 
Exod: 16. 20.  read how that Manna being hoardward up for private use continued not sweet two days, but being potted up for a common remembrance lasted many years: So if we keep up our goods and graces for ourselves alone, they will rot, decrease, or be diminished; but if we dispose them as we ought for a common benefit, they shall last long, and increase, and for them shall we be rewarded: for the merciful man rewardeth his own soul, Prou. 11. and the Prophet in Psal. 
Prov: 11. 17.  112. having said that the righteous man is merciful and distributeth, the next news we hear of him is, that his righteousness endureth for ever, and his borne shall be exalted, Psalm: 112. 9 Thus and thus shall they be rewarded, which honour God in bestowing for the public good, those gifts and graces where with God hath honoured them. Which being a duty that concerns all Christians in general, doth in a more peculiar manner appertain to us Ministers in particular. For to us of the Ministry, who are Ambassadors of Christ, dispensers of his secrets, corrivals of his spouse, watchmen of his City, overseers of his servants, pastors of his flock, and therefore deserve audience, reverence, love, obedience, and that which is most denied, or envied unto us (by such as would bring on us verissimos labores, certissimam egestatem, unstinted pains, undoubted penury) liberal maintenance. To us (I say) this charge of superuisiting diligence is chief directed, Take heed to all the flock, and as it followeth in my text, to feed the Church or family of God, etc. which being things in sense and substance well agreeing, deserve jointly to be handled, as on the contrary, things that differ, deserve to be distinguished.  
Doctr. 3 The point then to be considered is this. God who is absolutely good, and doth nothing but to very good purpose, having made us men to resemble his image, and called us to be men of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to partake of his homage, hath withal precisely enjoined us this task, to take heed to his flock, to feed his family, to preserve and protect his heritage. To watch over his own soul is every man's duty, but to watch over the souls of others, is a more especial bounden service of ours, who are called men of God by a kind of excellency. This is our work, as conduit pipes of grace to convey to the thirsty souls of our hearers, the living water of God's word, and to be as the mesaraical veins in the boby natural, through which the spiritual food must pass, whereby the members of Christ's body mystical are to be nourished up unto everlasting life. This is our work, and as the Apostle calleth it, ● Tim. 
1 Tim. 3. 1.  3. a worthy work; If any desire the office of a Bishop, of a Prelate or Pastor: he (saith the Apostle) desireth not a good dignity, a good delight, good riches, great revenues, a good and gainful office, but a good duty, a painful great and worthy work. For the better & more beneficial accomplishing whereof, three principal virtues, as implements and ornaments in us which would be accounted his 
3 virtues req. in godly min.  workmen, are necessarily required. First, skilfulness to begin. Secondly, faithfulness to go on. Thirdly, zealousness to continue courageous unto the end. 1. skilfulness, and dexterity, bene preesse. 2. Faithfulness and sincerity, semper prodesse. 3. Zeal and constancy, nunquam dcesse aut deficere. First, 
1. Skill.  every Minister, and Pastor, aught to be skilful and dexterous in teaching, knowing as the wise steward, Luke. 12. how to give God's 
Luk. 12. 42.  household their portion of meat in due season, and how to divide the word of truth aright, that all may be edified, 2 Tim. 2. being not only 
2 Tim. 2. 15.  learned himself, implied in that speech, Mal. 2. The Priest's lips 
Mal. 27.  should preserve knowledge, but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 1 Tim. 3. apt to teach 
1 Tim. 3. 2.  others, which was signified in the old Testament by the golden bells which hung on the skirts of the Priests Garments, the sound whereof was to be heard when he went into the holy place, and came out upon pain of death, Exod. 28. and 
Exod. 28. 35  in the new Testament by the descension of the holy Ghost upon the Apostles, in the likeness of cloven tongues, Acts 2. 3. not of 
Acts 2. 3.  hands, whereby to overcome the world by worldly force, or of feet, to flee from the rage of persecuting Tyrants, nor of eyes and ears fit instruments to learn, but of tongues to teach them their duty in teaching others, and what else do their names and Titles declare? why are they called the light of the world, but that being enlightened themselves, they should blaze forth the 
Math. 5. 13. 14  beams of truth, to give light to those which sit in the shadow of darkness, or the salt of the earth, but that being savoury themselves, they should season with wholesome doctrine the weak souls that bend to corruption; or builders of God's house, but that with Bezaleell and Aholiab, they should be skilful in the work of his sanctuary; or Captains of God's army, but that they should know to order and marshal his host, and to destroy the stratagems of the enemy. Use. The more lamentable is the state of our Church in many corners and quarters of this land, which being divided into several congregations, as an army into several companies, hath more than a good many of such captains and leaders as have not such tolerable knowledge and skill as their place and office requireth: For whereas they should be as the keepers of salomon's bed, Cant. 3. All valiant men of Israel, 
Cant. 3. 7.  all handling the sword, and expert in war: these on the contrary, are as jeroboams Priests, of the reversion and refuse of Israel, altogether 
1 King. 12. 31.  unskilful in managing the weapons of this spiritual warfare, rurales Nomades, and as Pindarus terms them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, fit to be any thing, then that which they take upon them, to be spiritual shepherds. It cannot be denied, but that in many ancient councils, as also in our late Church-Canons, it hath been decreed, that none should enter into this sacred function, but such whom morum innocentia & literarum scientia reddiderunt insignes. The more scandalous to religion, & disgraceful to the Ministry it is, that such should now adays be both admitted, & permitted, sacra mysteria tractare, quos morum petulantia & literarum ignorantia reddunt infames, by whom this Priestly order which in itself (as chrysostom at large showeth) is 
Cbr. l. 3. desacerd. dig.  most holy and honourable, is made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, ridiculous and contemptible, by whom God is dishonoured, good Laws are deluded, holy things are profaned, the Church stained, the people starved. This, this, Fathers and Brethren, is a sore which had need to be deeply lanced. I would to God it might this day begin to be cured; In hope whereof, and in hearty prayer for the same, I pass over this unrelishing reproof of wilful and unskilful ministers, and pass to the second good quality, implement, or ornament required in every godly Pastor, to wit, faithfulness, 
2. Faithfulness.  which importeth both sedulity in respect of the matter taught, that we should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 5. laborious in the word and 
1 Tim. 5. 17.  doctrine, and sincerity in the manner of teaching, that we should not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hucksterers of the word, 2 Cor. 2. Either adding 
2 Cor. 2. 17.  thereto, or distracting there from, or adulterating the sense thereof. He that hath my word, saith the Lord by the Prophet jeremy, chap. 23. let 
jer. 23. 28.  him speak my word faithfully: for what is the chaff to the wheat, saith the Lord? The truth then, not lies; Scriptures, not fables; the precepts and word of God, not the dreams and dotages of men are to be spoken: and the word of God is to be delivered as the word, not 
1 Pet. 4. 11.  cockishly, corruptedly, or unfruitfully, but gravely, modestly, piously, profitably, as the religious silence of the people, the reverence of the place, and the greatness of our office doth require. Of this faithfulness, both in respect of the matter and manner, S. Paul showed himself an excellent pattern, not only teaching openly and in every house, Acts 20. there's his industry; 
Acts 20. 20.  but in declaration of the truth, approving himself to every man's conscience, in the sight of God, 2 Cor. 4. there's his sincerity, 
2 Cor. 4. 2.  which having thus carefully practised himself, he giveth the same in charge to Timothy, with a severe 
2 Tim. 4. 2.  kind of adjuration, charging him before God and jesus Christ, the judge of quick and dead, to preach the word in season, and out of season: in season, volentibus & propitijs, for aworde in due season, is like apples of gold in pictures of silver, Prou. 25. out of season, nolentibus 
Prov: 25. 11.  & iratis, for charit as ad saluandum est violenta, charity is earnest to save all. And the like charge doth 
Sen: 55. 11. ep.  our Saviour with a thrice ingeminated expostulation, give unto Saint Peter, john 21. If thou lovest me: 
john 21.  If thou lovest me: If thou lovest me: Feed, feed, feed, my sheep, my lambs, my flock. Whereupon S. Bernard sweetly, Si me ames 
Bern.  plusquam tua, plusquam tuos, plusquam te, pasce oves meas, pasce agnos meos, & pasce in pascuis pinguibus ubi est copia alimoniae, ibi in docendo assiduitatem, pasce in pascuis salutaribus, ne inficiantur tabe, hic in docendo sinceritatem, pasce in pascuis discriminatis (ut oves in gramine adulto & laetiori, agnelli in tenera & molliori herba exspatientur) hic in docendo prudentiam postulat: I know how the time passeth, and to whom I speak, and therefore forbear englishing. And the same charge, with a statute of addition, S. Peter commendeth to all his successors, & to all faithful Pastors, 1 Pet. 5. saying, feed (non dicit 
1 Pet. 5. 2. Beza in Locum.  (saith Beza) offerte pro vivis & mortuis & peregrina lingua centones male consutos cantillata) But pascite feed, (not your flock, but) the flock of God which dependeth upon you, caring for it, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind, not as domineering over God's heritage, but exhibiting yourselves patterns of well-doing to the flock. Use. Which duty of faithfulness and watchfulness infeeding defending & attending Christ's flock, sith it is so often and earnestly charged upon all that are ministers of the Gospel, what then remaineth as a portion for faithless Pastors that receive Gods wages, and do not his work. For faithless Captains that receive the Lords pay, and fight not his battles, but the dung of disgrace & doom of woe: Woe unto the shepherds which cloth themselves with the wool and feed not the sheep, Ezek. 
Ezek. 34. 2. 3. 4  34. which see the flock to putrefy, and yet have salt, and savour them not: to faint, and yet have Wine, and comfort them not: to wander, and yet have light, and guide them not: to be besieged of sin and Satan, and yet see the danger, and warn them not: to be even hunger-starved, and yet have bread and refresh them not. If such as preach not in conscience of their wants, are to be reproved, than those which for want of conscience, rather than knowledge, remain dumb and open not their mouths, are more deeply to be censured. Woe unto me, saith S. Paul, 1 Cor. 
1 Cor. 9 16  9 if I preach not the Gospel, for why, a necessity is laid upon mee● and is it not likewise on you Fathers, on you Brethren, on us al● Ministers? Yes surely,  discamu● invit at nos veritatis suavitas, ut doceamus cogit, nos charitatis & officij necessitas. Whereunto that earnes● exhortation of Saint Bernard in ser.▪ 
Bern ser. 76. in Cant.  76. mainly tendeth, Attendite pretioso deposito quod vobis concreditum est: civitas Dei est, vigilate ad custodiā● sponsa, studete ornatui: oves, attendit● pastui, educite è lacu miseriae, conducite perviam justitiae, perducite ad pascula Vitae. Use. 2 Wherefore far be i● from us, (beloved) to suffer our 
Arden's post.  gifts to be wrapped up in an idle brain without practice, as Goliah● sword was in a cloth without use 1 Sam. 21. or to suffer the fountain of our knowledge, like Laban's well, 
1. Sam. 21. 9  to be shut up with a great stone of security or saturity, as some do which make the Court with Diotrephes, or the University with Cleanthes, a sanctuary for their idleness and nonresidency. Rather let us stir up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as S. Paul adviseth 
2 Tim. 1. 6.  Timothy, and even blow up with a pair of bellows (as the original importeth) the graces of God in us, and strive to show ourselves truly learned, and to the flock of Christ truly loving, by truly labouring in the diligent instruction and edification thereof, labouring so to nourish infants with plainness, that we deny not to feed great ones with profoundness; descending so in our ordinary doctrine, to the meanest capacity, that at sometimes we speak aloft, as beseemeth God's Majesty, so using a sanctified kind of sauce, to secure some men's weakness upon extraordinary occasion, that at most times our spiritual provision be fitted for the better appetites of the whole congregation. Believe me, brethren, idleness in action, argueth emptiness in affection, and I leave you to judge what he is that hath an head full of learning, and a mouth full of nothing; sure am I, that he can hardly be said to have the spirit of grace in his heart, which being a Minister, and learned too, hath no word of Prophecy at all in his mouth. From which fearful censure that we (Fathers & Brethren) may be freed, let us hereunto bend all our studies, and extend the uttermost of our endeavours, both by our diligence and faithfulness in dispensing the word, by our discretion and well advisedness, in handling the word, by our obedience and carefulness in framing our lives according to the word, to show ourselves gracious Ministers. And that we may be complete (as far as is competent to human frailty) to our skilfulness and dexterity, to our faithfulness and sincerity.  
In the third and last place zeal 
3. Zeal.  and fervent constancy must also be adjoined, which by the rod of correction (that was reserved in the Ark of the Testament, with the Manna of refection, and Tables 
Exod. 37.  of direction) is lively prefigured, and by Gregory in his pastorals 
Lib. 2. past. c. 6.  plainly intended h. v. sit & districtio virgae quae feriat, & consolatio baculi qui sustentet, sit p●etas sed non plus quam expedit parcens, sit zelus sed non immoderatè saeviens; where he requireth in every Minister, as well a zealous disposition, as a pious affection. And what else was signified by the donation of the Holy Ghost in fiery cloven tongues, but a zealous hot and piercing ministry, such as will enter into, and quicken the hearts of God's children, and like a pursuivant dispatched from heaven will attach a wicked man by the shoulder, yea and catch him by the bosom too unless he amend. I confess there is no working in metals without very hot fires, nor in distillations without soft & slow fires, yet there is fire in both, for else how should the one be melted, and the other distilled? So in truth, there ought to be the fire of zeal more or less in all God's ministers, and the more the better if discreet: As for that undiscreet zeal of those which can endure nothing read or said or sung, but what agreeth with the consonants of their precise Alphabet, which wrangle about forms and shadows, cavil about ceremonies, and slight the Sermons, and censure the persons of those which will not do the like, making the Pulpit oftentimes a Pasquil to ease their spleens, and to traduce superiors; I account it to be schismatical. But the zeal of godly Pastors, which with a good conscience in God's cause for the good of his people are as earnest in the pursuit of sin, as Eleazar was of the Philistims 2. Sam: 23. cleaning 
2. Sam: 23. 10.  as fast in their hearts to the word, as his hand clave to his sword, I both love and approve as spiritual. Such was the zeal of the Prophet David Psal: 69. where he saith, the 
Psal: 69. 10.  zeal of God's house had even consumed him. Such the zeal of S. Peter, when he so pricked the hearts of his hearers with the razor of the word, that they came to him and the rest of the Apostles with weeping eyes, and mournful voices, saying, Men and brethren what shall we do that we may be saved, Acts 2. Such the zeal of 
Acts 2. 37.  john the Baptist, when he so pierced the hearts of his hearers by his powerful preaching of repentance Luk. 3. that they came to him by 
Luk: 3. 4.  several companies according to their several callings, as so many wounded soldiers to a Chirurgeon, saying, What shall we do then? what shall we do? Such likewise was the zeal of S. Paul Acts 24. 
Acts 24. 26.  when preaching of righteousness, temperance, and the judgement to come, he made the bribe-taking Governor Foelix, if not to blush for shame, yet to tremble and shudder for fear. O let us (Fathers and Brethren) whether we be young, as Samuel and Timothy; or old, as Paul and Eli; whether we have ten or five or two Talents, strive to attain the like zealous vehemency, and to express the like godly earnestness in our effectual preaching, not only in obscure Bethania, our private Parishes, but also in eminent jerusalem, in more public places, if we be called thereunto. What if the mountains being touched do smoke? what if greatness being taxed for want of goodness do fume, fret, swell, sweat? what if for rebuking of sin justly, ye be depraved and maligned unjustly, yet dicatur veritas, rumpatur invidia: Rebuke (saith S. Paul) them that 
●. Tim: 5. 20.  sin openly, even to their face, that the rest which are witnesses hereof may stand in awe and fear. It becometh not those free and ingenuous spirits, to whom Christ hath committed the dispensation of his glorious gospel to fear the face of man, to be dulled, daunted, dispirited. Be we than what we ought to be, not only luciferi, as 
Bern.  Bernard speaketh, & scientia fulgentes, having some lights of knowledge in our heads, but also igniferi & zelo flagrantes, having the fire of true zeal in our hearts. And that our discourses be not weakened by ungraciousness, or by any dullness, and flatness of spirit, and so prove like moral philosophy Lectures, and the collations of the Scribes and Pharisees, cold and comfortless, let us join with our doctrine general exhortation; and to our exhortation add particular application; and in our application speak home to the conscience, and use a fervent feeling affection. To conclude, as skilful, faithful, and zealous pastors our joint care and study must be that our Sermons and public meditations may so well be sorted, that (the love of truth conceiving them, the truth of judgement forming and framing them, variety of learning amplifying and exemplifying them, modesty of style and distinct utterance delivering them) the plain and powerful evidence of the spirit may be seen in them, the congregation may understand them, feel the benefit of them, receive instruction and comfort by them. This, this is to be worthy preaching pastors; of whom it may be truly said, that the Holy Ghost hath made them Overseers. Which title of over-seeing 
Overseers.  and superintendency importing the dignity of Ministers should now be considered. But on your patience I have already too much presumed, and therefore will reserve this task for some other time and place. In the mean time let us all make our retreat to the throne of Grace, beseeching Almighty God to multiply his graces upon us all, that at all times, in all places, amongst all persons, we may behave ourselves as faithful and zealous Ministers of the gospel of grace, and in the midst of our over-seeing and ruling here may remember our account and reckoning hereafter, and so pass the time of our dwelling here in his fear, that when we shall pass from this earthly habitation to an heavenly, in his loving favour, we may be brought in peace, with a good report, especially a good conscience to the bed of the grave, that after the sleep of death, in the morning of the resurrection we may awake to blessed immortality,  
Amen.  
FINIS.   

CHRIST'S LARUMBELL OF LOVE RESOUNDED.  
By R. C. Pastor of Sherwell in Devon.  1. JOH. 3. 18. 
Let us not love in word, neither in tongue only, but in deed and truth.  AUG. in lib. confess. 
Beatus qui amat te (Domine) & amicum in te & inimicum propter te.  
LONDON.  
Printed by Edward Griffin for Francis Constable and are to be sold at his shop in Paul's Churchyard at the sign of the White-Lyon. 1616.   

TO THE Worshipful Magistrates and all the well affected Inhabitants of BARNSTAPLE, Especially TO HIS APPROVED good friends Mr. Nicholas Down, and Master john Delbridge etc. R. C. unfeignedly wisheth the increase of all saving knowledge, sanctified love, and Christian happiness.  
RIghtly regarded. As I am bound to love where I find desert, so I cannot but endeavour to deserve where I have ever found love. Hence it is that upon reiterated importunity exhibiting to public view (amongst other my ministerial labours extorted from me) this slender discourse as the first fruits of my love many years sithence bestowed on you. I could do no less then by way of dedication put the same into your hands, and present it to your eyes, in the same singleness of spirit and spiritual afction wherewith at first it was delivered to your ears; which if it be worth any respect, in many respects belongeth unto you, especially because you had a present property and interest therein, as soon as it was preached; by the means of a reverend and religious father * amongst 
Mr. Do●idge.  you, who by earnest entreaty obtained then a true copy thereof from me, even word for word as now it is printed. I could have been content to alter some things therein to satisfy those which perchance like not the latinisme or unfamiliar strain thereof; but yet (knowing that he which in doing any thing thinketh to prevent all objections must lie still and do nothing) I have (as you see) suffered it to pass through my fingers unto your hands in its proper primitive habit, without any alteration of form or matter at all; Commending it in lieu of some better present and more sightly oblation to your general acceptance, service, and devotion; especially to you two my especially named good friends, as a deed of gift wherein I have bequeathed some part of the goods of my unfeigned affection, which your many respectful favours have worthily deserved. I forbear particulars, lest my traveling thoughts should transport me beyond the bounds of an Epistle, only in assurance of my thankful remembrance of them, I recommend this little Tract of Christian love to your Christian use, observation, and imitation too; beseeching the God of love that (by an attractive heavenly virtue and influence from above) it may powerful draw you and others to follow the truth, painfully preached, and plentifully professed amongst you) with love unfeigned, with zeal well tempered, and a conversation regular and rightly sanctified, and that you as chief amongst the rest, loving each other entirely in the truth, and for the truth's sake, may (as much as in you lieth) like two eyes one way looking, and two hands together working carefully, and conscionably provide for the preservation of peace and unity, and the propagation of true religion and sanctimony in your well ordered society and corporation. Thus with my best vows and wishes for your towns welfare in general, and more particular prayers for the increase of all sanctifying graces in you, that amongst the many blazing starrès of these days (who only make a show of godliness) you may truly approve yourselves in your private godly comportment, and public government, to be fixed in the same firmament with the Sun of righteousness, and have your affections so inclined and enlarged to the pursuit and practice of holiness here, that you may attain everlasting happiness hereafter; I rest always priest to be proved  
Yours in the Lord jesus ever assured, Richard Carpenter.   

CHRIST'S LARUMBEL OF LOVE REsounded.  JOH. 15. vers. 12. This is my commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you. 
AS courageous judith having 
judith. 13. 11.  beheaded Holofernes, returned to the gates of Bethulia, crying, open, for God even our God is with us: So having made headless some uprising doubts and difficulties which would have hindered my approach to this place, I appeal this day to the gates of your hearts, calling and crying open, for God is with us, even our God, the true Emmanuel Christ jesus. In whose name I am at this time to deliver a message unto you (Right worshipful and well beloved in the Lord) not by way of petition to entreat you, or by fair promises and persuasions to induce you, but by a precise peremptory commondement to require and charge you, to perform a most necessary Christian duty of mutual love and charity one towards an other: My message is taken out of the 15. Chapter of john the 12. verse, the authority whereof depends not on the Messenger which brings it, but on the majesty of God which sendeth it. Wherefore with reverence and attentive regard hearken unto it. This is my 
joh. 15. 12.  commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you. Which words commend unto us all a lesson of love fit to be learned and practised, not only on this day of the fair, but all the fair days of our life: And so much the more to be attended unto, because in these last and worst days, iniquity increasing, deceit, dissimulation, craft, covetousness, hatred, and contention every where abounding, the love of many, yea of 
Math. 24. 12.  most is waxed cold. For the blowing up of the dying embers whereof, lest it be wholly extinguished, our Christian hearts ought to give the best entertainment to that which Christ hath here commanded, This is my commandment etc. Which charge of our Saviour being somewhat enlarged, unfolds itself to our better understanding in these terms, as though he had said: My Disciples, my friends, & 
Paraphrasis textus.  followers, so it is that very shortly, I am to finish that great work of man's salvation, for which I was sent into the world, and to seal the revealed mystery of your redemption, by my precious blood, by my bitter death and passion. Wherefore this is my last will and testament, this is my commandment (not but that all other commandments are mine, having their authority from the highest heavenly court of Parliament) but this in a more especial manner and meaning, and in a kind of excellency is my commandment, which among the rest I would have all Christians to hold in chief regard and estimation, to observe with the greatest diligence care, & * contention: this is my peculiar 
Emulation.  commandment, which I do most urge, and by mine own example most plainly teach, That ye love one another. That ye which profess Christianity, and are joined together in my name, by my spirit, bear a most fervent and unfeigned affection each to other (not but that your enemies and strangers, yea all men in whom nothing but nature doth appear, are also to be beloved) but the fellow members of the same mystical body, yea brethren by grace and adoption, by calling and profession christians, begotten by the same word and spirit, redeemed by the same blood, Heirs of the same promise & kingdom, are to have the chief seat of love in your souls, and as it were the highest and fairest room of true affection in the house of your hearts.  
This is my commandment that ye so love one another, 3 As I have loved you. That which I have commanded in word, I have for your instruction and imitation practised in deed, I have made my life the example of my law, and therefore may justly require, that love at your hands, whereof I have exhibited myself a continual pattern before your eyes. I have most authority to command, and my example should be of most force to induce; you will readily imitate him of whom you think well, especially having received some great benefit from him; now of whom should you think better then of me, and to whom are you more beholding then to me, who have endured a miserable life, and must suffer a contemptible death for your sakes; wherefore my disciples, my friends, my followers, Love one another as I have loved you. And with cheerfulness and constancy follow my example in this principal and most necessary Christian duty of mutual charity each to other. This (beloved) is the full sense and meaning, the main drift and substance of my text. Which as a fountain of living water divideth itself into three streams, and in the division thereof, commends to the duty of our observation these three distinct parts.  

3 parts 

1. A commandment or law prefixed, to win the 
Division.  greater reverence and attention, in these words, this is my commandment.  
2. A duty of mutual love enjoined to work in us the deeper impression in these words, That ye love one another.  
3. A reason or motive thereunto, grounded on Christ's example, most worthy of imitation, in these words. As I have loved you.     
This is my commandment▪ a commandment 
Illustratio ●●●tus.  of absolute sovereignty, and therefore to be obeyed; that ye love one another, a work of excellent use and commodity, and therefore to be performed; As I have loved you, an example or precedent of singular sufficiency, and therefore to be followed.  
This is my commandment] Not an earthly Prince though his ordinance be as full of sovereignty as his seat of majesty: Neither heavenly Angels, though in them all things make remonstrance of great power, and glorious excellency, gave this charge; But the Lord jesus, the Lord of Angels, the King of kings, the Destroyer of Satan, the Saviour of Saints, the Conqueror of death, the Giver of life, whose goodness is such, as all are bound to love him; and greatness such as none may disdain to obey him, the Lord jesus Excelsus in honore, 
August. enchyr.  suavis in amore, dives in haereditate, primus, supremus, liberrimus: The first before all in eternity, the highest above all in infinite majesty, most free and absolute, at his own liberty, by nature essential and very God, by distinction of 
●. Heb. 8. ●. Ioh 1. ●. Heb.  persons the Son of God, by office the word of God, by holiness the express Image of God, the brightness of his glory, the sweetness of his goodness, the greatness of his power. The Lord jesus, the Creator of our persons out of nothing, the Reformer of our natures out of sin, the Redeemer of our estates out of misery, the raiser of our souls, from death to life, and the exalter both of body and soul unto glory. Whose coming in the flesh the Patriarches honoured, by their prefiguration, Princes and potentates by their expectation, john Baptist by his preparation, the three Wisemen by their offerings and oblation, the Angels by their song, the Shepherds by their joy, Simeon and Anna by their praise, even the Lord jesus whose coming into the world was thus honoured, going now out of the world he thus commanded This is my commandment.  
2. That ye love one another] That ye the natural branches of Christ the true vine, of whose fullness ye 
1. joh. 16.  have all received, from whom the soule-saving-sappe of meekness, mercy, love, liberality, temperancy, and humility, and all other spiritual graces, are alone derived, that ye which are Christians, not in name only, but in nature, not in outward appearance, but in real existence; not only by external profession, but by eternal election, and internal regeneration, that ye 
1. Pet. 1. 21.  love one another. Brotherly, with a pure heart fervently, being of one mind, will, and affection, not having your wills divided, your judgements distracted, your affections alienated, but supporting one another through love, and always consorting as Brethren therein, endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. This is Christ's commandment 
Ephes. 4. 3.  that we which profess Christianity in sincerity should love one an other, verè sine fictione, purè sine corruption, 
Hug. Card.  constanter sine defectione: Truly without dissimulation, purely without corruption, constantly without flinching or defection.  
3 As he hath loved us] Who, so loved us that he made a progress from dignity to baseness in his incarnation, from the joys of heaven to the pains of hell in his bitter passion, to free us from sin and death, and to purchase for us everlasting life and salvation. Who so loved us, that he turned the white rob of his innocency into the red rob of his martyrdom, that the blacks rags of our sins, and sable weeds of sorrow might be converted into triumphant robes of gladness and joy. Who so loved us, qui tantus, tales, tantillos, 
Bern. in lib. de dibde. Rom. 5. 10. Ephes. 2. 4. 1. joh. 4. 14.  tantum prior gratis dilexit. Who being so great and high in power and dignity, loved us so bad by nature, so base in quality; and that so much, and that before we loved him, and that freely. Who so loved us, as Bernard speaketh, 
Bern. in Cant. Ser. 20.  Suaviter quod carnem induit, prudenter quod culpam cavit, fortiter quod mortem sustinuit: so sweetly investing himself with our humanity, so wisely avoiding every sin and impiety, so strongly in suffering death for us, and triumphing over the powers of darkness victoriously, that this his love in respect of the admirable and unmatchable perfection thereof, may rightly be termed and entitled, A None-such. Whereunto there hath not been, been? no nor shall be the like, like? no not the like in any degree. O amor sine exemplo, sine gratia, sine merito, charitas sine modo. 
Ambr: Bern:  O love without its like, o grace without merit, charity without measure! yet in what manner or measure we can, let us (beloved) imitate this his measureles love, and Love one another as he hath loved us. And thus much for the explication, division & illustration of my text. Now in the fear of God, let us come to the handling of such plain and profitable doctrines, and observations, as naturally arise out of the same. First, in that our Saviour giveth so especial & strict a charge unto us of loving one an other in these words, This is my commandment that ye love one another, etc. Thereby to incite us the rather to love, and to teach us how to love one another. Doct. 1 The lesson hence to be learned is, that it is a thing which Christ most earnestly requireth, & all Christians ought most earnestly to labour for, that they be tender hearted & lovingly affected each to other. Secondly, in that our Saviour proposeth and setteth down his example, in these words, As I have loved you.  
Hence two doctrines, without wresting of the words from their proper scope, are to be gathered.  
Doct. 2 The one, that the feeling apprehension and consideration of Christ's tender love towards us, is a most effectual means to enlarge our hearts in true affection towards our Brethren.  
Doct. 3 The other, that Christians should not content themselves with any measure of love, or think they had gotten love enough, but contend rather and strive, to come daily nearer to that perfection of love, whereof Christ gave himself an example. Of these three points of doctrine, their reasons, and uses in their order; and first of the first, namely,  
Doct. 1 The thing which Christ doth chief require at our hands, and we are especially to labour for, is to have a tender regard each of other, to love one another unfeignedly; As if there were no other commandment, nor any other duty: so expressly doth he prefix his own authority to this precept saying, This is my commandment: there being nothing which our Saviour doth urge more and call for, nothing which we his servants should more study and strive for, than this vicissitude of love, and commerce of kindness, and practise of mutual charity and goodwill. To have our hearts enlarged to our Christian Brethren, and the doors of our souls and kind affections, set wide open to the Saints, is that wherein he taketh most pleasure and contentment, and wherein we must take most pains, and use our chiefest endeavour and employment. And indeed if we may judge either of the necessity of a duty on our parts, or the acceptableness of a duty on his part, by the often and earnest repetition of a commandment; then this wanteth not that proof. For besides that the whole life of Christ, from the day of his conception, to the day of his passion, was nothing else, but an actual service and continual preaching of love and charity: even now when he was to take his last farewell of his disciples, and to sing his dying song, as he went along to the place of his apprehension (where judas was to betray him most unnaturally; and that for thirty pieces of silver most basely; and that to the murderous jews, most cruelly; and that without cause most unjustly) even now did he thrice repeat this precept, and three several times exact this duty. In the 13. chapter of his gospel and 34 verse, he doth (as I may say for fear of failing, twice repeat in one sentence the same precept: A new commandment give 
joh. 13. 34.  I unto you that ye love one another. As I have loved you, that ye also love one another. He calls it there a new commandment, not because it was then first brought forth, but because the most absolute and excellent pattern thereof, was then seen in himself; as also because he would have it new and always fresh in their remembrance, as ● charge newly given, that they might not suffer it at any time, to be cancelld out of their minds and memories, and therefore not content to speak it once, he doubleth it saying, that ye love one another, that ye also love one another. As if he had said, of all things forget no● this love, this is an inexhaustible fountain which cannot be drawn dry; a precious mine, wherein the more ye dig, the more treasure ye shall find; this is so sweet a grace, Mell in ore, melos in aure, iubilaeum in cord, as Beruard speaketh: and so full of profit and pleasure, and so fully taught by my example, that at any hand, ye should not forget this, To love one another. So likewise in this place which is my text, you see how he urgeth it, as a matter of great consequence and importance; and as the famous Trojan Aeneas, encouraged his son Ascanius, Disce puer virtutem ex me verumque laborem: So doth our Saviour here from his 
Ioh: 15. 17.  own example make way for the better entertainment of this commandment, Love one another as I have loved you. Again in the 17th 
joh. 17. 21.  verse of this chapter, he in general terms redoubleth the charge, These things I command you, that ye love one another. And yet not content to give the same commandment, with so many repetitions, he commendeth this duty also to his Father's care, chap. 17. begging of 
joh. 17. 21.  him, that he would keep all his in one, meaning both that they might be kept one with him, and not to be plucked from him by the violence of any temptation, affliction, or sinful affection; and also continue in unity and amity amongst themselves, not having their judgements distracted, or their affections estranged from one another, but be united and knit each to other, in an indissoluble band of love and goodliking. These proofs would suffice to make plain the necessity of this duty: but because our Saviour urgeth it so much, his best beloved disciple, S. john, forgetteth not to press it, and that often, and that hard and close unto the soul. I will not strive to show this out of the Ecclesiastical history. Where it is recorded of him, that he 
Euseb. Socrat.  would shut up many of his discourses and main sentences of his Sermons with this sweet Epiphenema and exhortation, My little children love one another. The evidence hereof is most pregnant in all his Canonical Epistles, in the third 
1. joh. 3. 23.  Chapter and 23 verse, 1. Epist. he putteth us in mind of Christ's commandment in these express words, That is his commandment 
1. joh. 3. 11.  that we believe in the name of jesus Christ, and love one another as he hath commanded: and in the 11th verse of the same Chapter, as also in the 5. verse of the second Epistle, 
2. joh. 5. v.  he commends this, from its antiquity; for a good thing the more ancient, the more excellent. This is the message or commandment, that ye had and heard from the beginning, that ye love one another. It is a duty as old as Adam, wherein wicked Cain failed, in that he slew his brother, and thereby abideth in death; but on the contrary we know that we are translated from 
1. joh. 3. 14.  death to life, because we love the brethren. Whereby the Apostle setteth it down, for a sure mark of God's children, to be loving one to another, which he doth more at large amplify in the 7, 8, 9, and 
1. joh. 7. 4. 16.  12 verses of the fourth Chapter; and in the 16 verse concludes with this proverbial sentence, never to be forgotten, or committed to oblivion, always to be practised, and by Christians put in execution: God is love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him. I will not lose myself or you, in heaping up any more needless proofs in a point so plain. S. Paul 
Rom: 12. Cor: 1. 13. Eph: 4. 2. Col: 3. 12.  is very vehement in pressing this argument of mutual love, but I will leave his plentiful exhortations, to your private meditations, holding it sufficient for the confirmation of this doctrine, that Christ jesus made his whole life, the example of his law, this law of loving one another, being no other than an irrefragable and most sound axiom, arising out of the irreprehensible and most sincere actions of his life, who was borne, lived, and died to restore man to the love and favour of God, to promote love and friendship betwixt man and man, and to express the eternity and bounty of his love to all mankind, who brought love as the prince of peace, and our King conquering death and Satan, the enemies of it; who wrought love as our Priest, giving himself to his Father, as a peace-offering for it; who taught love as our Prophet, abundantly praising and preaching it, often pressing and always practising it, the more strictly to bind us thereby to the embracing of it, and to the willing obedience and conformity of our wills to his will therein. And so much of the doctrine or lesson itself.  
Let us now consider a few reasons, to rivet this doctrine and observation, the better to persuade our hearts in this behalf, which reasons are especially four.  
First we are to love our Christian brethren, because God loves 
●easons of doctrine.  them.  
2. Because we are near of kin and condition, and tied together by many links of love.  
3. Because this brotherly love will make us most serviceable each to other in Church or Commonwealth.  
4. Because it will prevent a multitude of mischiefs and inconveniences.  
Let these reasons be weighed a little in the balance of our Christian judgement, and we shall soon perceive, if Satan have not exceedingly captivated our senses, that the love of our Brethren is a most requisite and necessary, a most commendable and profitable thing.  
Reason. First, the Lord of heaven and earth, the Creator of us all and our Father loveth them, with whose love ours should sympathise, with whose affections ours should make a perfect harmony, that where he loveth, there we should love also, and that earnestly: for it is good in a good thing to love earnestly, Gal 4. and where he hateth much, 
Gal. 4. 18.  we should hate also, and that vehemently, for as our vehement hatred, cannot but be good, if that 
No:  which we hate be nought, so our earnest love can never be nought, if that which we love be good, and how can that be otherwise then good, which God being goodness itself doth effect. If then it be a sufficient argument, & incitement to us to hates any thing, which is an abomination to God, than it cannot be a weak consequent, but a strong encouragement for us on the contrary, that where God loveth most, we should love most also. Now the Lord loves all his Creatures in a general manner, approving them as the workmanship of his own hands, and therefore there should be a correspondency in our affections, to love and like all the Creatures, as they are his Creatures. But as for Christians, they are his peculiar, 
Christian's Gods peculiar  his children, the sheep of his pasture, his treasure, his chosen generation, by all the possessive, relative, respective terms of alliance and unity his, as near and dear to him as the apple of his eye the signet of his right hand, always under the eye of his protection & providence, under the light of his loving countenance, the proper object of his looks and love too. Wherefore as he doth tenderly regard them, such should be the fervency of our love and affection 
● john 5. 1.  toward them: for every one which loveth him which begat, will love them also which are begotten by him, and if we say we love God whom we have not seen, and yet hate our brethren whom we have seen, we are but liars. It cannot be 
1. john. 4 20.  that the fire of our affection should burn hot in the Lord, and but like ice (that is to say) no whit at all towards those which are his sons, servants, and chief friends. We have an old Proverb; somewhat homely, but true, and by common experience verified, Love me, and love my dog, how much more, Love me, and love my son or my wife. Seeing then God hath adopted all true Christians, (be they never so full of infirmities, wants, and imperfections) as sons unto himself, & hath married them in mercy and fidelity, giving them in assurance thereof, a ring with six spiritual 
Hose. 2. 19 20.  jewels, described by the Prophet Hosea: How can we then ever approve ourselves to be well affected towards him, if our behaviour be strange, our kindness cold towards them? if either with cruel Ahab we prefer our beasts before our brethren in the time of scarcity, as I fear too many have done. Or else with churlish Nabal, deny the smallest 
1 Kings 18. 5.  relief to David's servants, or to the servants of the Lord in their extremity, 
2 Sam. 25. 10. 11. verses.  as too many amongst us at this day do. O let us blush for shame, and sigh for sorrow that we cannot, that we do not affect, where the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost conspire with joint consent to favour: and let this be a provocation to us all, to blow up the dying coals of our almost extinguished charitable affections, and seeing our good things cannot extend to thee Lord in Heaven, (as the Prophet speaketh.) Let our 
Psalm. 16. 2.  well doing be extended, towards his Saints on earth. And because God doth not only love them, but professeth this love, and proclaimeth to the world; that to be done to himself, which is done to Christians in his name. Let us no way exclude them from the benefit of our best friendship, which are every way so much interested in his bounty and favour: Let us love them, because GOD our Father loves them, and this is the first reason.  
Reason. 2 Secondly, because there is a near bond of kin and condition betwixt us mutually, which doth most justly challenge kindness and good affection at our hands. If a man do not show kindness to a stranger, to whom he is no way obliged, (though yet such a one is not to be unkindly entreated) Exodus 
Exod. 22. 21.  22. 21; We do not so hardly censure him for it: but to be ungentle, froward, and discourteous to those that are near unto us, and to whom we are bound by many strong links of nature, duty or desert, we commonly hold it for a savage and unnatural part. Now christians are all linked one to another in the strictest, surest, and most inseparable manner which can be thought: we are sons of the same Father, espoused to the same Master; we are heirs of the same promises, we are begotten with the same seed of immortality; we travel 
1 Pet. 1. 23.  towards the same Country: we are bound for the same haven, and in one word for all: we are members of the same body, all flesh of Christ's flesh, and bone of his bone; all fed at one Gods table, all eat 
1 Cor. 12. 12.  by Faith of one Christ's flesh, all drink of one saviours blood, all baptized in one Baptism, all professing the same Faith, all sanctified 
4 Ephes. 4. 5.  by the same spirit. When we are knit together in so many bands of unity, shall we not consort together in the same Christian affection of love and Charity? If the Brother have cause to love the brother and be unnatural if he do it not; if the husband have great reason to affect his wife, and be barbarous if he affect her not; if the mother have cause to tender her child, and be accounted cruel if she regard it not: Then how worthily are we Christians to be esteemed cruel, barbarous, unnatural, if we regard not, affect not, love not one another, seeing we are nearer each to other, than Parent to Child, Husband to Wife, Brother to Brother? Arctius enim gratiae quam naturae vinculum. 
Austin.  For the knot is straighter, and the band stronger of Grace, then of nature: the love of Parents to children is natural, of children to Parents loyal: of husband to wife reciprocal: of friend to friend mutual, but the love of Christians, is all these, and more than these; immortal: for we are members of the same body mystical, as near as the hand to the shoulder, the shoulder to the neck, the neck to the head, the very members of one another. Where then are the mutual 
1 Cor. 12. 21.  offices, which as Pilgrims here on earth, though Citizens in Heaven, we should perform one to another? When Merchants or travelers of the same country meet together in a strange land, as Englishmen in Italy, France, Spain, or Turkey, many of you do know, the most of us may easily conceive, what a league of love there is betwixt them, what passages of kindness, & exchange of courtesy, how forward they will be to benefit and pleasure one another. Sith than we are no other than strangers, and Pilgrims here in this world, all traveling towards heaven, the place of our habitation (paulumque morati, serius aut citius metam properamus ad unaem:) should we not much more embrace each others acquaintance, and strive to express our bounden love, by the readiest performance of the best Christian duties, wherein we might do a favour, or be a furtherance, for the good and welfare one of another. In a word, we are all tied together by many links, therefore we should have much love.  
Reason. 3 Thirdly, there is nothing which will make Christians serviceable, and ready to do good, but love, therefore nothing more to be required, or desired among Christians than love, for this will make us all in our several callings, whether we be Ministers or Magistrates, or Tradesmen, of the town or country, Buyers or Sellers, of what estate, degree, or quality soever we be. This love I say will make, will make us prone and willing to employ our wit, our wealth, our credit, our knowledge, our counsel, our commodities, and all for the good of all. All other things without this, make us worse: riches will make us wanton or wilful, to ourselves or others injurious. Honour will make us high minded, and in contemning others, whom we should countenance, overhasty and presumptuous. Witte will make us self-conceited, and either privately slanderous, or publicly schismatical and seditious. Knowledge will make us swell, to be ambitious, curious, censorious, scientia immo omnia haec entia inflant, charitas 
Bern. 1 Cor. 8. 1.  solum aedificat: Knowledge yea wit, honour, wealth, and all do but blow and puff us up. Charity only doth edify and build us up, and others, and putteth itself forth to the uttermost, to be helpful and beneficial to all. The Proverb is 
Epich.  ancient & excellent, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Love is all communicative, of a diffusive spreading nature, not for itself alone, but ready to impart wisdom, wealth, counsel, credit, head, tongue, hand, foot, limbs, life and all to the parties beloved. It maketh the soul of him in whom it resideth to be more, Vbi mat, quam ubi animat. 
Bern.  Where it loveth, than where it liveth or quickeneth. Yea, it is of so sovereign virtue and power, that it not only restraineth us from rendering 
Matth▪ 26.  evil for good, as judas did to Christ, which was monstrous villainy; and curbeth us from doing evil for evil, as joab did to Abner, which was a sinful infirmity; or 
2 Sam. 3. 27.  urgeth us to do good for good, as Ahashuerus did to Mordecay, which 
Esth. 6. 10.  was but natural justice and equity: but it easily draweth us to recompense evil with goodness, as David did to Saul, and this is without 
1 Sam. 24.  exception, complete Christianity. He therefore that hath a loving heart, and hearty affecteth the members of Christ, be he what he may be, for outward respects never so base and contemptible, he is notwithstanding a profitable and behoveful member in the Beehive of Christ's Church, he bringeth either wax or honey by his pain or his prayers thereunto, for the benefit of many, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, such a good man is a common 
Epict.  good But on the contrary, he that hath an haughty ungentle spirit, in whom the gross humours of pride and covetousness, have bred a stoppage▪ or obstruction of all liberality and kindness, so that in all his connsails, cogitations and actions, he aims at his own proper gain or glory, not a whit regarding his Christian brethren's good, or relieving them in their woes, their wants, their wrongs & miseries: such a one be he whatsoever he be in the eye of the world, never so great or glorious, he is yet in the vineyard of Christ, but as a briar or thorn, and in Christ's Church, but as a humming drone. As the Church of Sardy had a name a live but was dead, so hath he And what the Apostle saith of the 
Revel. 3. 1 1 Tim. 5▪ 6.  voluptuous woman, 1 Tim. 5. 6. that may truly be said of him, that he is dead whiles he liveth: For a man without love is as a dead Carcase without life, or like to a swollen arm or leg, that must be wrapped up and covered, and tenderly touched, but when it cometh to the use, it will not, it cannot stir, it doth us no service. Wherefore as any man desires to approve himself a fruitful branch of Christ the true Vine, or would that his life should be officious, or beneficial for the use & commodity of Christians; yea for the glory and service of God; so let him strive to store up in his soul this rich treasure of Christian love, which as an odoriferous perfume, smelleth a far off, and causeth a sweet sent where it is not seen, or rather as the eye of the soul, (charitas enim oculus mentis) 
Greg. in mor.  is quickened in espying out all occasions and opportunities of doing good to others. It is not like to fire in the flint which can hardly be stricken out: but like fire in the 
Amor non est ignis in filice sed in sinu.  bosom, which cannot be concealed. This will make us in all cases, and in all places to open ourselves to our friends, and to deal friendly and faithfully in the affairs of them which we do affect, and to help them by counsel, to comfort them in grief, to succour them what we may in the sundry disasters of fortune, which daily and casually occur, as jonathan dealt 
1 Sam. 19 and 20. chap.  with David. And to shut up this reason, Love it is alone, which makes us all one, This makes us vigilant to pry out every occasion, wise and prudent to see every opportunity, painful and diligent to take any labour, cheerful to undergo any travail or trouble, constant & indefatigable in going through any business, for the bettering and benefiting of each other: If therefore we would not be (which it is a shame any Christian should be) as stocks and Images, which stand in a wall and do nothing, let us labour for love, which will both set us a work, and get us wages, make us serviceable to each other on earth, and advance us hereafter to be Saints in Heaven, according to that, Charit as est viaticum in mundo, 
No:  Thesaurus in coelo, and this is the third reason, why Christians should be the more willingly obedient to Christ commandment, of Loving one another.  
Reason. 4 The fourth and last reason is, because Christian love preventeth many mischiefs and inconveniences, and meeteth with many harmful pranks to hinder them and cut them off, whereunto we would otherwise break forth to our after grief, and our brethren's hurt; it whippeth anger, malice, & envy out of the heart as Christ did the profane Marchandizers out of the Temple, john 2. It stoppeth 
●oh. 2. 14. v.  the course of ill violent passions, it maketh them to turn sail or come under the Lee: It causeth the proudest man to stoop, the choleric man to be calm, the niggerdest man to be liberal, so far forth as it possesseth them, or it is possessed by them in any degree. This stinteth strifes and contentions, musleth up censurings, and backbitings, blotteth out murrings and repine, and keepeth the heart from thinking, the mind from conceiving, the tongue from speaking, the hand from acting any thing which is evil, and therefore is rightly compared to the herb panacaea, or to the general medicines of the Physicians, called panchresta, which are good for all assays, accomodable to every disease. 
Pliny.  Saint Austin of purpose speaking 
August. de laud char.  hereof, saith thus, Charitas est mors criminum, vita virtutum, gluten animarum, quae divisa unit, confusa ordinat, inequalia sociat, imperfecta consummate (i.) Charity and love is the very death and queller of vice, the life and cherisher of virtue, the glue, and as it were the sodder of the souls and affections of Christians: It uniteth things divided, putteth in order things confused, matcheth and consorteth things unequal, and consummateth things unperfected. In a word, love is the fulfilling of the Law, the complement of Christianity, 
Rom. 13. 18. Coloss. 3. 14.  and the band of perfection; the friend of a good conscience, the companion of a lively faith, the provoker of good words, the promoter of good works, the throne of God in earth, the delight of God in heaven. Love speaketh with the tongue of every virtue. 
1. joh. 4. 16.  Pity biddeth thee to secure the penurious, and indigent. justice biddeth thee to give every man his own, and not to wrong the impotent. Patience biddeth thee to suffer. Mercy biddeth thee to forgive, to help, and relieve others. But the voice of Christian love commandeth all these. A coward inflamed with this holy spark of heavenly fire, banisheth fear, & becometh valiant and manful. The covetous oppressor commanded by the imperious resolution of love, becometh liberal and bountiful; The ambitious Tyrant mollified hereby, becometh humble, meek, and merciful; so true is that saying, Amor 
Aug. de ci●●●. Dei l. 〈…〉.  meus pondus meum illo ferer quocunque feror: My love is my loadstone, where it setteth me, there am I fixed, whither it leadeth me, thither am I carried, so that to close up this point: He that hath much love, doth least harm and most good, he that hath little love, doth more harm and less good, and where no love is, this is nothing but harm and no good at all. Whereof I may say as Abraham 
Gen. 20. 11.  did of Abimeleches house, Lo jereah Eclohim baernacon, the fear of God is not in this place. But on the contrary, where love dwelleth, I may conclude thereof as Ezekiell doth 
Ezek. 47. 35.  his prophesy, jehovah Shammah, God is there.  
Not to stand longer on the point, you may see now by these proofs, and reasons, it is most plain, that spiritual Christian love is a duty most requisite and necessary to be exercised amongst Christians, if ever we will be like God our Father, who is the God of love, or like unto our profession which is the communion of Saints and the profession of love, or decline from evil and do good 
1. Cor. 13.  which are the properties of love.  
Now very briefly (before we descend to the use of this doctrine, 
Definition of love.  and come to the application) let us consider what this love is, which will work such wonders, & bring men to such perfection. Love in brief is an affection of the soul, by which it doth settle itself in the liking of a good thing according to the kind and degree thereof: or love is that power of the heart, whereby it doth rest itself in the approbation and liking of that which is good in its kind, and according to the degree of goodness therein. Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to love, is by the Greeks' derived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from resting itself quieted, and contented with the thing beloved. So then spiritual love is an holy affection of the 
Spiritual love.  soul, whereby the soul in a spiritual manner doth rest and settle itself in the liking and approbation of a Christian man as he is a Christian and according to the excellency of a Christian. When therefore in our hearts and souls we are quietly and fully possessed with the liking and embracing of any of our fellow members and brethren in Christ according to their worth and dignity as they are Christians, then do we love them indeed spiritually, and as Christians ought to love one another. I say not when we love and like them as they are men, thus and thus be friended, thus enriched, thus ennobled, thus outwardly beautified, or accomplished, for this is carnal and partial love. But when we lovingly regard them as they are Christians, considering the spiritual excellency of them in Christ, and knowing that divine perfection which is in Christ for them and in them, in some measure as the Apostle speaketh, and 
2. Pet. 1. 4.  accordingly fixing our affections on them, and highly esteeming and hearty loving them, as God doth both us and them for Christ's sake. This, this is true Christian spiritual love, & that love which our Saviour here requireth, the which as a golden chain consisteth of these three links, the goodwill of 
Threefold cord of charity. Bernard.  the heart, the good word of the mouth, and the good work of the hand. (Triplex enim funiculus charitatis, benevolentia in cord, benedictio in ore, beneficentia in man) As Bernard well observeth. Wherefore he which in this manner tenderly affecteth his Christian Brethren (whatsoever they be for outward respects) that he can unfeignedly wish well unto them in his heart, as Moses did unto the Israelites, Exod. 
Exod. 32. 32 1. Sam. 19 4.  32. & bless them with his mouth, and speak good of them as jonathan did of David▪ 1. Sam. 19 and can be willing according to his ability to help and relieve them in their necessity as Nehemiah did 
Nehem. 5. 8. 9 10.  the jews, by lending to them both corn and money freely in the time of extremity, Nehemiah 5. 10. and all this for Christianity's sake, he doth rightly and in truth love them, as Christ hath prescribed, and in what measure any of us, shall so do, in the same degree we have obtained that spiritual amity, and are possessed of that Christian charity, which Christ jesus doth by so many Commandments as it were extort, and with an holy kind of violence wring from us.  
Use. 1 Now to make some use and application of that which hath been taught: First, me thinketh this should strike a terror into us, and make us all both to blush forshame and sigh for sorrow, sith we have been so cold and frozen, as it were, in the performance of this duty of mutual love which Christ with such urgent vehemency doth so often require at our hands. Did he, he I say the total of our love, the height of our hope, the utmost of our fear; the way never erring, the truth never failing, the life never ending, so precisely prescribe unto us the way to love in truth, that we might attain to life; and have we (as the wise man speaketh) 
joh. 14. 6.  in the error or forwardness of life, sought death? have we so much forgotten, and neglected, or most sparingly practised, that lesson of love, which he so abundantly commended unto us by precept, and the example of his whole life? Here then is matter of bewailing and lamenting for the best of us, to consider how we have been failing or fainting in this duty, and how we have come far short of discharging that charge, which Christ hath laid on us. We cannot deny but Christians are most dear unto the Lord, yet who of us made them so dear unto himself? we cannot but confess that we are tied unto them many ways, and that most strongly, but yet whose heart doth so fully embrace them? whose heart doth so rest it self in the liking of them as they are Christians? may not the best say, that his affections are strongly settled, on such & such rather as they be his friends or kinsfolk, his Creditors, or Benefactors, then as they are good men, good Christians, and the friends of Christ jesus? If any be so far gone, that they dare deny this (for you shall have those which never had any love, or came near the dwelling place thereof most full of boasting, that they love their neighbours as themselves) spectemur agendo, Let us come to the trial and make inquiry of our love by the effects, and our common dealing, and daily practice will soon convince us of the contrary. My little children saith Saint joh. 
1. joh. 3. 18.  Let us not love in word or tongue only (for this lip-labour wordy love is not worthy the name of love) but in deed and truth. Well then in 
Greg. in mor. Ne●●● aliquem amat qu●m non vult esse meliorem.  truth and by our deeds let us in particular by ourselves examine our own souls, how we have loved our Christian brethren, and what service we have done unto them for Christ's sake? What? have we been desirous that our neighbours amongst whom we dwell or others with whom we have conversed and had commerce, and acquaintance, should be the better for us? have we left among them some tokens of our goodness, some monuments of our godliness? have we refreshed them in their need, with the sweet savour of our kindness, gentleness, mercifulness? have we been content that some portion of their sorrows and disastrous fortunes, should be laid on the shoulders of our friendship, that thereby we might alleviate and lesson their weight, lest they should otherwise sink under the burden of their wants, and woes? have we in causes of extremity helped them by our counsel, sustained them by our comfort, supplied their necessities by the superfluity of our wealth, supported their decaying estate by our credit and countenance? have we endured much trouble and travel for their sakes, and yet think no labour too much, to do them good, because they are the members of Christ? these are buds, blossoms, and fruits of Christian love indeed (for true love as it maketh us to grieve when the person beloved is decayed in estate, or despised, so it maketh us to use all good means for his upbearing, and to rejoice when we see him benefited or advanced) But where is this love become now? when as a number of those that be accounted, and we must hope are indeed Christians, though very weak ones, do make their own profit, pleasure, and preferment, the end of all their doings, dealings, and endeavours; yea 
● Phil. 21.  when as the most of those which profess Christianity, think all their riches little enough to feed their fancy, to satisfy their pleasure, to maintain their pride, and not a penny in a pound bestowed on the poor members of Christ jesus, when by experience we find all their time to be little enough to follow their delights, their bowling, dicing, carding, hawking, hunting, and not an hour in the week to be spent for the good of poor Christians, either in relieving their wants or in redressing their wrongs. When all their money is little enough to make bargains, to purchase land, to chest up in their Treasury, or to set forth to usury, and not a shilling in the hundred employed for the use and benefit of their needy neighbours or distressed brethren? Nay is it not almost every where, come so to pass, that a wanton Gallant, or rich Glutton, though he be an open profane man, and a known Whoremaster, Drunkard, or blaspheming Swaggerer, shall yet have more kind entertainment at our house, and better usage at our hands, than the best Christian, being of mean estate, and in some manner of want? Are we not for the most part carried as the blind world is, with that squint-eyed partiality, so much condemned by the Apostle jam. 2. 
jam. 2. 2.  Let one come in with a gold ring on his finger, in gorgeous apparel, we use him with passing kindness, a chair and a cushion, presently, you are hearty welcome, I am glad to see you well, the best cheer, the best lodging, the best attendance, all is too little, much ado, and more than needeth: But let a poor Christian come to crave help at need, either the fatherless for relief being distressed, or the Widow for justice or right being oppressed, a scornful eye, a short answer, cold comfort, a near hand, a needy reward, all is too much, little done for such, and that as good as nothing. Is not this the common fashion, and the corrupt affection of the most of us? O my brethren, beloved in Christ jesus, is this to love one another, with a true Christian love, as Christ hath commanded? No: No: Christianity, Christianity, godliness the Image of God in the poor members of Christ, and true godliness itself is the proper object of this spiritual love. A man for his wisdom is much to be regarded, for his religion more highly to be esteemed, but if eminent sanctity beautify his profession, he is more entirely to be embraced: every excellency in moral virtues carrieth with it a sweet grace and motive to amability, but such is the bright lustre of Christianity, that it alone causeth a more solid friendship, love and amity; whom we affect for this, and that earnestly, them we love indeed, here Christian love will pour forth it self, here it thinketh all that is done too little, no cost too much; here it will spend and extend itself to the uttermost. Hence it was, that Saint Paul was so kind to the Galathians, of whom he was disgraced, and so lovingly devoted to the unkind Corinthians, who the less loved him, by how much the more he loved them: surely the love of Christ and Christianity, as he confesseth, moved, yea constrained him hereunto. That sweet influence 
2. Cor. 5. 14.  of kindness, which the spirit of God infused into his soul, testifying to his heart that Christ was his Redeemer, and had done so much for him, would not suffer him to be unkind, but did even offer an holy violence unto him, and compel him to love all men in Christ, and to seek to gain all men unto Christ. This was it which made the three thousand which were converted Acts 2. to be so abundant in charity, that they communicated each to other, whatsoever he had, every one esteeming his purse (as it is indeed) the common treasury, and his house a common Inn for all the members of Christ. This caused Lydia and the jay lour Acts 16. to 
Acts. 2. 44.  be so kind to the Apostles, so full of love in heart, and outward behaviour, to the rest of their fellow Christians, they felt in themselves 
Acts 16.  the life of Christianity, and the hope of the life to come through Christ, and in consideration hereof were liberal and bountiful of whatsoever good things the liberality of Christ had made them partakers and Stewards of. O that we did live now in that loving and giving age to Christians. O that our father's charitable devotion, sequestered from superstition were more abounding in us. O that we did not live in the winter of the world wherein charity is grown chilling cold, and the fire of true Christian love, is as it were put out and quite extinguished by the water and frost of self love, the love of the world, and worldly covetousness. But alas, so it is that there is a general defection in this duty of Christian love, and our eyes may with David gush forth 
Psal. 119. 136.  rivers of tears, yea our souls may drop down tears in secret for the same. Use. 2 And to come a fresh upon our souls with a new charge, 
reprehension.  whose heart doth not in steed of love, give often and long harbour unto hatred? whose lips are not polluted, with breathing forth of malice, and malicious conceits? whose hands are free from offence in this behalf? Do not all of us, come within compass of just reprehension, for that we have so much neglected and transgressed this commandment of love so often proclaimed and earnestly pressed by our loving Saviour? whence is it that the false surmise of a stolen wrong doth leaven our hearts with malice, and envy, and evil intentions for twice twelve months together, so that we can neither think well, or speak well of some of our neighbours, much less do any good unto them? is it not because we have not tasted one spoonful of the sacred liquor of Christian love, which is able to quench the fiery fury of any conceived wrong? whence is it that Christians meeting together in a seeming love at God's table, do at their own tables so severely censure, upbraid, backbite, and slander one another, little regarding the Apostles admonition, if ye backbite one another, take 
Gal. 5. 15.  heed lest ye be devoured one of another, When is it that they are so quicksighted to see, and open mouthed to speak of their neighbour's imperfections, not before God in prayer for them; or in their bosom with grief in secret to reclaim them, but in public amongst friends & foes to disgrace them? Is it not for want of the holy spark of spiritual love? Whence is it that Nero-like we writ our enemies in marble, & register their unkindnesses with deep Characters in the Tables of our minds & memories, and upon every light occasion, vex them with suits in law or lawless suits: And in brief arm both our tongues, and our hearts, and our hands to do mischief to the name, goods and persons of those whom we should call Brethren? Is it not because this christian love, the seasoner of our life, which maketh us full of good words and good works is banished from our society? Oh where is that love now, whereof S. Paul maketh mention unto the Corinthians, and 
1. Cor. 15. 5. 6. 7.  setteth it out by 15. properties, viz. That it is patiented, bountiful, & not puffed up, that it disdaineth not, seeketh not her own, thinketh not evil, rejoiceth not iniquity, but in the truth, hopeth all things, believeth all things, endureth all things, and so forth. Was love then neither malicious, nor disdainful; nor suspicious, Neminen enim suspicit 
Bern. in Cant. Serm. 59  amor, nec dispicit quidem, as Bern. speaketh? Was it liberal then and not avaricious, humble & not ambitious? surely then is love changed much since the Apostles time, or else ter●as astrea reliquit. Love with justice is fled from the earth, or couched in a narrow corner thereof, so that it is most rare to find, being utterly exiled from the common society of men, as appeareth even at this day. For otherwise how cometh it to pass that in buying and selling, & mutual merchandising, men use so many false weights, false lights, and crafty sleights. mill actus ve●itos, & mill piacula tentant, to deceive one another, and to hurt their brethren, whom they are bound to help? is it not for lack of the holy spark of spiritual love? Whence is it that the swallowers of the poor, and those iron hearts against whom the Prophet Amos lifteth up his silver 
Amo●●. 5.  trumpet, do wait when opportunity will buzz into their ears, the desirous news of a new moon or Sabbath, that they may set forth their wheat, and make the Ephah small, and the shekle great; and falsify the weights by deceit, and buy the poor for silver, and the needy for shoes; is it not because their hard hearts are not softened by the holy fire of true christian love? And that I may lead you along as the Prophet Ezekiel was 
Ezek: 8. 13.  by the spirit, from abomination to abomination, and each greater than other: Whence is it that subtlety setteth on fire the tongue of the crafty buyer, so that (as the Wiseman speaketh) he crieth out, It is nought, it is nought, but when 
Prou: 20. 14.  he is gone boasteth of his bargain, and giveth his tongue the lie? Whence is this dissimulation and division betwixt the tongue and the thought, and breaking forth even for a little red or white earth, into lying, swearing, and forswearing too, is it not for want of a dram of spirituall-upright-dealing love? Whence do these corrupt streams of extortion, usury, oppression, bribery, mercilessness, and cruelty, and the like crying sins, noisome in quality, heinous in degree, dangerous in effects, proceed and flow? is it not from the fountain, or rather the dead sea of an unloving, uncharitable frozen heart? In a word, hence it is that some (I fear too many of this place) rightly termed Latrones puluinarij, gracious thieves, do fill their coffers and enrich their treasury by the devils Alchymistry, by jewish usury, little better than achan's the every, Iosh: 7. 
Iosh: 7.  Hence it is that others justly called gripping Extortioners, and merciless oppressors do enlarge their livings and possessions by damnable designments, as bad as Ahabs' cruelty, 1. King. 21. Hence it is that the Rulers say with shame, 
1. King. 21.  Bring ye, Hosea 4. 15. and not only 
Hosea 4. 15.  superiors but inferiors too, maintain their estate by unjust dealing, cogging collusion, and Trades more sinful and shameful than Gehazi's bribery, 2. Kin: 5. To conclude, hence it is, that Monopolites, 
2. King. 5. 7.  engrossers, regraters, forestallers, transporters, and cormorant like corn▪ hoorders (qui in loculis includunt salutem inopum, & 
Stella in Luc.  in tumulis sepeliunt vitam pauperum.) do secretly laugh at the public want and penury, and make an exceeding benefit of the times extremity, and sacrifice to their yarn & nets of policy: Hab: 2. 16. and 
Habac: 2. 16.  grind the faces of the poor without measure, without mercy, sowing in hardness of heart now, and I fear hereafter reaping in horror of conscience, (for judgement merciless, shall be to those which show no mercy, Iam: 2. 13.) even 
james 2. 13.  because their corrupt hearts are not seasoned with the sovereign savoury salt of Christian love and charity. The having whereof, as it is an Antidote and preservative to keep us from running into mischief and impiety; so the want thereof is the original of all ungodliness and villainy. Witness this that (without exception) most horrid and devilish powder-treason plot, and damnable project of our Antichristian adversaries, quibus nulla fides, nullus amor nisi quantum expedit, according to the rule of the Parthians, with whom no conscience, no religion, no band of nature, consanguinity, allegiance, alliance, affinity, oath, or Sacrament standeth good, so it withstand their mischief plotting purpose: Witness this, I say, that their barbarous bloody purpose and designment of cutting of all the heads of our Land, as it were upon one and the same shoulder, by one Catholic blow of blowing up the Parliament house, and so judas like purchasing a field of blood, with no less price, than the life of King, Queen, Prince, and the chief State of this Land. Alas had they been possessed, but with one grain of that truly Catholic Christian charity, whereof they do so fond boast, they would never have harboured the thought, much less have set forward the practice of so unheard of a villainy, of a sin so exceeding sinful, that no pretence of religion can excuse it, no shadow of good intention extenuate it, God and the heavens condemn it, men and the earth detest it. But certain it is, they had set apart all bowels of compassion and natural affection, all thoughts of humanity, pricks of conscience, sparks of reason, and bars of religion, all fear of God and reverence of men, in being authors of so execrable a work of darkness and desolation, which to hear would make a man's ears to tingle, and his heartstrings to tremble, and in steed of the spirit of love, they were possessed with the Angel of the bottomless pit, the spirit Abadon, the spirit 
Apoc: 9 11.  of destruction and devastation. I would to God this spirit did not reign and revel so much now adays also in the midst of them, and even in their desperate hopes, make them to bear deadly hatred to this our Zion; so that they cry, down with it, down with it, to the ground; but so it is that notwithstanding the discovery and defeasance of their manifold mischievous designments, and our miraculous deliverance, (for which the Almighty's mercy be ever magnified amongst us) they continue still our irreconcilable enemies, in their erroneous bitter crossbiting books, they profess it; by their daily machinations and practices they show it; God grant we do not hereafter to our greater wrack and woe feel and find it. Howsoever let us be confident, and commending the protections of our persons, and the defence of our cause to the God of truth, who hath hitherto graciously delivered and defended us, from those massacring bloody-minded underminers of his truth and gospel; Let us follow the truth in love, as the Apostle exhorteth, Ephes. 4. and love one another, 
●phes. 4. 15.  yea even our enemies, as our Saviour in my Text commandeth, and be no ways partakers of those forenamed gross sins of craft and cruelty, which proceed from hatred, malice, covetousness, and envy, but be every way abundant in good works, which are the fruits of true Christian love and liberality.  
Use. 3 And now lastly, for our instruction, sith love is not only a necessary implement, but also an excellent ornament for a Christian, and therefore by our Saviour so earnestly required at our hands, let us know that it is our duty, by humble and hearty prayer to seek it at his hand; let us therefore beseech him to grant by grace that true love unto us, which nature cannot give; let us humbly entreat him so to shed his Spirit abroad in our hearts, that we may love his servants as we ought, that those which are near and dear to him, may be so to us, and where he loveth most, we may there be most enlarged in our love and kindness also; that our very souls may fully rest themselves in the liking and embracing of Christians, not looking to their present wants and imperfections, but to their future perfection and glory, not considering what they be in themselves, but rightly conceiving what they be in Christ; this prayer, this meditation will be an effectual means to make our love abound; whereunto if we shall adjoin the commendable practice of other Christian duties, and in our often meetings, confer and discourse charitably and conscionably of holy things, and make one another partakers of the benefit of our reading and hearing, especially on the Sabbath day, surely this would be as fuel, and tow, and bellows too to blow and stir up this grace of love in our hearts, and to make it flame in a great measure to our mutual comfort and commodity. 
2. Tim 16.  Wherefore as ever we would have loving hearts, and be loved of him that alone knoweth our hearts, let us always strive to have our companies and societies seasoned with holy and religious exercises, and in steed of profane talking, ripping up of other men's faults, scoffing, and jesting, which are things uncomely, Ephes: 5. and 
Ephes. 5. 4.  faults too common in our private meetings, and as it were the puddle water to quench love, and the incentives to provoke hatred. Let us on the contrary, use godly conference, and delight in the practice of prayers, and singing of Psalms, & the like duties of Christianity, as often as our company in any place is thereto required, whereby occasions of hatred may be prevented, & whereby Christians perceiving the spiritual excellency which is in each other, may be the faster glued, and linked, and obliged in their judgements, wills, and affections one to an other. Finally to shut up this point with the exhortation of the Apostle, Ephes. 5. 1, 2. Beloved be ye followers of 
Eph. 5. 1, 2.  God as dear children, and walk in love as Christ hath loved us. And, Let every man please his neighbour in that which is good to edification, Rom: 15. 2. and the 
Ro: 15. 2.  God of peace and love grant that in the eternal peacemaker Christ jesus we may love each other eternally. And thus much of the first doctrine, and of the several uses and reasons thereof. And so (the time cutting off the intended handling of the two other points following) in the fear of God I commend you all to the grace of his word, which is able to build you 
Act. 20. 32.  further, and to give you an inheritance with those which are sanctified: and commit that which hath been spoken, even this little grain of love to the ground of your hearts, & the blessing thereof to him, who is able to make an handful of corn to prove like the top of Lybanus, Psal: 72. 16. and the 
Psalm:: 72.  least grain of mustardseed to overtop the trees of the forest, Matth: 13. 
Math: 13.  though he which sowed the same depart: Even to God the Father the inexhaustible fountain of goodness, the Son the incomprehensible, wisdom of the Father, and the Holy Ghost the indivisible power of them both; To whom being three in persons, one in essence, the same only wise, immortal and invisible Deity, we ascribe, and desire to be ascribed, all praise, power, might, majesty, and dominion now and for ever. Amen.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL AND worthily regarded, Sir ROBERT CHICHESTER, Knight of the noble Order of the BATH, etc. increase of all grace and true happiness here, and the blessedness of immortality hereafter.  
SIR, Being often solicited by the earnest entreaty of men of no mean quality, to publish these slender fruits of some few days labour, and to let them pass to the eye of this censorious world, as things in their judgement worthy longer life, then to fade with the hour or two, to which they were destinated: I have at length after much reluctancy, yielded consent to satisfy their importunity, addressing myself with the more alacrity to the business, because I saw opportunity offered thereby, to let the world see, how I reverence your person, regard your place, and unfeignedly desire to make public acknowledgement of my bounden service to you, for all such beneficial favours as have been at any time vouchsafed unto me, in that place and calling wherein by God's grace I stand Sentinel, for the soul-saving good of you and many others I hope, whom the Lord of grace hath ordained to glory: being in duty and conscience obliged, so far as the nature of my ministerial function shall guide me, and the power of my poor ability can reach, to return unto you the interest of spiritual bless sings & the comforts of a better life eternal, in am of such corporal benefits as under God's providence, & your patronage, I do enjoy, for the maintenance of this frail life temporal.  
As a pledge of which duty, I do here humbly present unto your eyes that funeral sermon, which lately you heard with your ears, presuming that by your favourable acceptance and benign countenance, you will give unto the same a kind of second life, especially, because it was penned & preached upon the occasion of your much esteemed friends death, & at the solemnizing of his burial. In the which if there be any sentence of instruction, rule of direction, example of religious resolution, whereof your christian wisdom (according to the pregnancy of your wit & apprehension) shall make a conscionable and comfortable use, to the furtherance of your salvation; the matter & occasion of my thanksgiving to God, for his blessing on my poor labours shall hereby greatly be enlarged, and my respectful readiness, upon your encouragement to undergo the like employment, shallbe much augmented. Thus humbly beseeching your Worship to rest assured, that (how weak and mean soever my counsels and endeavours be) my vows and prayers (for your truest happiness and honour, and your virtuous and worthily honoured Lady's greatest welfare) are, and shallbe ever, most powerful and plentiful, I rest always priest, to be proved your Worships, in all  
Christian observancy truly devoted, RICH. CARPENTER.   

To the Reader.  
CHristian Reader, though it be often true, that he which putteth in Print, what he preached in the pulpit, bindeth himself to lose a portion of his former reputation, because hereby his sayings become dispirited and without life, in regard whereof the Author of this Sermon could have wished, that the day of its birth, had been the day of its burial: yet notwithstanding, yielding to the often and earnest importunity of his friends, and aiming rather at thy benefit, ●hen affecting his own credit, he hath been content to suffer the same in its native attire, without any new dress at all, to pass to the public view and thy proper use. Use it then & peruse it at thy pleasure, and enjoy it in the Lord, for thy greatest good in life, and comfort in death. Thus neither desiring to be commended of the ignorant for learned, nor caring if he be condemned of the learned for ignorant, but wishing to both as to himself, the increase of all true saving knowledge and Christian happiness; he biddeth both thee and them hearty  
Farewell.   

Suspend thy judgement, censure not in haste:  
But ere thou judge the first, first read the last.   

THE SOULS SENTINEL.  JOB. 14. 14. If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of mine appointed time will I wait till my changing shall come. 
THis whole Chapter (Right Worshipful) is as a large map of man's misery and mortality, and this verse now read unto you is as a lively mirror and looking-glass of Christianity, representing at once three proper objects to the 
Division.  eye of our understanding.  
1. The frailty of this life present.  
2. The certainty of the life to come.  
3. The duty of watchfulness to be performed in the former, that we may joyfully attain the latter.  
First, the frail condition of this life is exhibited to our view by way of supposition. h. v. If a man die, implying by force of Logic this plain and peremptory proposition, Man must die, there is no remedy.  
Secondly, the certainty of our resurrection after death is offered to our apprehension by way of Question. h. v. shall he live again? where by a question of admiration he doth put it out of all doubt and question; as 
a Greg. Mor.  D. Gregor. noteth on this place, that man dying shall surely rise and live again.  
Thirdly, the duty of watchfulness and waiting for the dissolution of this life temporal, and the restitution of the body to the soul in another life eternal, is commended to our consideration. h. v▪ All the days of mine appointed time (as Tremelius interprets it) or of my warfare (as D. Greg. and jerom read it) will I wait till my changing shall come.  
Wherein three particulars are remarkable. The first is a secret concession, or granting of that which was before questioned. The second is an open confession, that our time here is prefixed as the time of Sentinels in a watch, of Captains and soldiers in the war, so that when the great General of heaven and earth shall call away the greatest, there is no means of withdrawing, no place of avoiding, no power of resisting.  
The last is an express declaration, that this warfare shall have an end, & a change shall come, which  

of 

the wicked is to be feared.  
the godly to be desired.  
all to be expected.     
These (Beloved in Christ jesus) are the several streams into which this wellspring of living water naturally divideth itself. From the which very many profitable Christian instructions, for the edifying of us in an holy faith and godly life, might easily be deduced. But as the Eagle which Esdras saw in a vision 
d 2. Esd. 11. 1  had twelve wings, but only three heads, and as the vine which Pharaohs Butler saw in a dream, 
e Gen. 40. 10  had many clusters, but three chief branches: so this fruitful parcel of scripture having many wings, many clusters, hath yet but three main branches and heads, or principal points of doctrine of me to be discussed, of you to be considered, if the Antecedent of my text with the consequent, the Interrogation If a man die▪ shall he live? with the Inference and illation, All the days of mine appointed time will I wait etc.) be rightly compared together.  
1. Obser. The first, that The term and time of our life is appointed, and die we must by ordinary prescription, and this I will term mors in Olla, death is our lot.  
2. Obs. The second, that A change shall come by death, and there shallbe a general resurrection, and this I will call spes in urna, hope is in the grave.  
3. Obs. The third, that we ought to prepare daily for death, and to live in continual expectation of the judgement to come, particular and general, and this I will entitle Viaticum in Via, provision in the way to bring us to the journeys end of everlasting felicity: of each of these and their uses in their order, as God shall give grace and assistance, and you (rightly regarded) continue your Christian attention and patience, and first of the first.  
1. Doct. The time of man's life is determined, 
Mors in Olla death is our lot.  and death by no man, by no means can be avoided. 
f Seneca.  Vita cito avolat, nec potest retineri; mors quotidie ingruit, nec potest resisti. Life flieth away speedily, and cannot be retained; death cometh on as hastily, and cannot be resisted. What one writeth wittily of the Grammarian, that being able to decline all other Nouns in every case, he could decline death in no case, the same may serve fitly for every man's Motto and Memento; The longest liver having no stronger charter of his life, then that 
g job 14. 2.  He shooteth forth as a flower, and is cut down; vanisheth as a shadow, and continueth not. Yea the very stoutest and strongest, Gaeber, the man of might, prowess, command and greatness, as the word in my text importeth, must yield to death's stroke, and dance in death's ring, leaving behind him only this poor remembrance.  

h ovid. 12. Metam.  I●m cinis est, & de tam magno restat Achille  
Nescio quid: paruam quod ●ix bene compleat ornam.  
If a man die, death is inexorable & inevitable, and admits of no ifs and and's, man 
i Gaber.  whatsoever or wheresoever he be must needs die. 
jamuth.  Man in the old testament hath three appellations; he is called Adam red earth, homo ab humo, in respect of the substance whereof he was first created; Aenosh mortal or wretched, in regard of the misery to the which by his fall he was enthralled; Ish or Gaeber, vir a virtute, man indeed for his virtue & valour as here he is considered. But notwithstanding these different appellations, man without difference in respect of his final estate may rightly be compared unto a tree, which sooner or later must be cut down by the axe of death, to be fuel for burning, or timber for building: to become a cursed brand in Satan's furnace, or a blessed beam in Christ's palace.  
Indeed the time was (but a short time God knows) when as man the mortal mirror of immortal Majesty, created in admirable perfection and beauty, and endowed with the richest gifts and graces which could be competent to a creature, did not only in the exquisite integrity of his soul lively resemble his maker's purity, but also in the most sound and healthful temper of his body carry some excellent savour of his eternity, for the continuance whereof, it pleased the Almighty to place him in the goodly garden of Eden stored with matchless variety of whatsoever delights heart could desire, especially garnished 
* Gen. 2. 9  begnetz hacaijm with the tree of life, whose fruit had by God's ordinance naturally virtue to banish hunger, thirst, sickness, age, death.  
So that if Adam had never sinned, mankind had ever continued in this his primary estate and condition, free from sorrow, sickness, death and corruption. But alas now the case is much altered, and lamentable is the alteration, for no sooner had Adam by the enticement of Eve in eating the forbidden fruit transgressed, but God passed upon him and his posterity, this sentence of temporal condemnation never to be reversed.  

l Gen. 3, 19  Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt return again.  
As Levi was in the loins of Abraham when he paid tithe or tribute 
m Heb. 7. 5  Heb. 7. so were we in the loins of Adam, when he played the traitor, his disobedience is in us unexcusable, the doom and punishment of death due unto it is irrevocable; and all of us, of what estate age or degree soever we be, ar● (without some rare and extraordinary dispensation, as that of Enoch and Elias was) liable unto the same. Though Satan a liar from the beginning said, 
n Gen. 3. 4  Non omnino moriemini, ye shall not die at all, and Mother Eve minced the matter with 
o Gen. 3. 3  Ne forte moria mini lest perchance ye die, yet God said expressly in that day wherein thou eatest of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. 
p Gen. 2. 17.  moth tamuth morte morieris, thou shalt surely die, yea through the hereditary contagion of this original rebellion, Statutum est omnibus semel mori, 
q Heb. 9 27.  It is decreed that all Adam's sinful progeny shall once die. This is a statute enacted by three states of the highest court of heavenly parliament, and never to be repealed. We came by the womb, and must to the grave, whether old or young, God knows how soon: death stands ready in the gate for old men, and they cannot live long: death lies in ambush for young men, and they may die soon: the difference is no more, the one goeth to death, and death cometh to the other.  
Belshazzars Emblem is on every wall, and his Impresa upon all flesh, able to make the proudest Tyrant, the frolikest gallant, the profanest Church-robber, if not to blush for shame, yet to tremble 
Dan. 5. 25.  for fear ʳ Mene mean Tekel upharsin. God hath numbered thy days, he hath balanced thee; thou art found lighter than vanity, away thou must.  
We must needs die said the wise woman of Tecoah to David, 
s 2. Sam. 14.  you a sovereign and I a subject, you a man and I a woman, we must needs die, and are as water spilled on the ground. David confessed so much on his deathbed, 
t 1. King. 2. 2  I must go the way of all the earth, and holy job, 
u job. 30. 23.  I know assuredly thou wilt bring me to death, which is the house appointed for all the living, as a haven for all shipping. It may be when a ship is come to the mouth of the haven, a blast driveth it back again, but thither it will arrive at last, so must we to the gates of death. 
x Bern: de conu. cler.  Non miseretur inopiam, non reveretur divitias as D. Bernard speaketh Death pitieth not the poor, regardeth not the rich, spareth not any.  
It is not the Majesty of the Prince, or holiness of the Priest, strength of body, feature of face, learning, riches, honour, or any secular regard can plead against death, or privilege any person from the grave. Nereus' the fair; Thersites the foul; Pyrrhias the Cook, Agamemnon the King, Absalon with his beauty, and Lazarus with his blains must all the same way. Say Prince, say peasant, say rich; say poor, say all with holy job. 
y job. 17. 14  c. 17. Corruption thou art my father, rottenness thou art my mother, worms and vermin ye are my brethren and sisters, say grave thou art my bed, sheet thou art my shrine, earth thou art my cover, green grass thou art my carpet, say death demand thy due, for thy seizure is without surrender, and from thy sentence there is no appeal.  
To this purpose the Prophet's proclamation is so general, 
z Isay. 40. 6  All flesh is grass. All flesh without any exception, is grass, which by the suns angry countenance, winds blasting, frosts nipping, man's trading, beasts devouring, and many other ways is turned to corruption. All flesh is grass, and the beauty and grace thereof is as a flower. 1. If any thing be more seemly, more amiable, more goodly, more gracious, more glorious, in man it is but as a flower, which though it be more fair in show, and more fragrant in smell then grass, yet as the grass withereth, so the flower fadeth. And even so, the greatest power, pomp, authority, estimation, and most illustrious estate of man decayeth.  
Where is that wisdom, which folly hath not tainted? where is that honour, which slander hath not stained? where is that strength which sickness hath not impaired? where is that beauty which age hath not defaced? where is that high and happy estate of ruledome and renown, which envy and time hath not ruinated? where are either of these, or all together which death hath not spoiled and lodged in the grave?  
I have seen (saith David) an end of all perfection. 
a Psal. 119. 96  Happy are they which have David's eyes, and thrice happy were we if upon true insight of our frailty & imperfection, we did daily and duly forethink of our end and dissolution.  
To incite us whereunto, Isaiah as the Lords Herald, is commanded to deliver the former message, not whisperinglie in a soft still voice, such as that was wherein God passed by Elias, 
b 1. Kin. 19 5.  but to cry aloud, and to make such a noise, as would move him that were musing, rouse him that were slumbering, awake him that were sleeping; so careful God is we should learn this lesson, and lay it to our hearts, that our continuance in this life is but momentany, and our best estate (as the princely Prophet protesteth) in this world 
c Psalm. 39 5.  altogether vanity.  
For the better rivetting whereof in our minds and memories, the holy Ghost by his penmen & actuaries, Moses, job, David, Solomon, Saint Paul, and others, hath used very significant similitudes, comparing man's life to a 
d jam. 4. 14.  Vapour that vanisheth: to a 
e Sap. 5. 12.  Ship that saileth in the Seas, and the path there of cannot be found in the floods: 
f Reu. 15.  to Glass: 
g 2. Cor. 2. 5.  to a Booth: 
h Sap. 5.  to a Bubble: 
i job 14. 12.  to a sleep: 
k job 14. 2.  a shadow: 
l job 7. 6.  a wevers shuttle: 
m vers. 7.  to a wind: 
n vers. 9  a cloud: 
o Isa. 29 8.  a dream: 
p Psalm. 90. 9  a thought: 
q Sap. 5.  a passage: yea 
r Sap. 5. 9 Psa. 39 & 103 1. Thess. 4.  a swift post unto death, and what not? which argueth vanity and mutability.  
But what need have we of these resemblances, or of so great a noise to put us in mind of our mortality? sith we have both a continual sight of it in others, in our parents, brethren, kinsfolk, neighbours, and acquaintance, which are gone the way of all flesh before us: and also a daily sense of it in ourselves by the aches of our bones, heaviness of our bodies, dimness of our eyes, deafness of our ears, trembling of our hands, baldness of our heads, grayness of our hairs, that very shortly we must follow after them.  
But alas, the Devil doth so deaf us, the world doth so blind us, and the sensuality of the flesh maketh us so extremely senseless, that we neither hear, nor see, nor feel, what lieth so heavy upon us. If we be young, we fear not death at our backs; if sick we feel not death treading on our heels; if old we look asquint and see not death before our eyes.  
Indeed in temporal affairs, to procure security, we will all plead mortality, and in some cases of discontentment, we will complain with Saint Austin, that our life is a vital death, Splendida miseria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a glittering misery, a living calamity, wherein 
Austin.  our best repose is full of anguish, our greatest security without foundation, our travel often without fruit, our sorrows and cares always without profit, our desires without success, our hopes without rewards, our mirth without continuance, our miseries without remedies, dangers affrighting us, diseases afflicting us, afflictions grieving us, griefs tempting and tormenting us on every side.  
But notwithstanding these plead and complaints, the most of us put the day of death far from us, and would have it rather to be the lot of others, then to belong to ourselves; being herein like to 
s Cuspinian. Hist.  Vespasian, who seeing at once two presages of his death, a blazing Comet, and a gaping Sepulchre, turned them both from himself, & forced them on others, saying, the sepulchre gaped for the old Empress julia, and the blazing star pretended the death of the King of Persia which ware long hair; thus we dally and delude ourselves, yea in a vain persuasion, that we shall see many days, we sing sweet lullabies to our senseless souls, like to the rich corn-hoorder in the 12. of Luke, who having plenty, and for the same safe custody, promised to himself a kind of eternity, saying, 
t Luk. 12. 19 20  Soul take thine ease, and why? thou hast goods laid up for many years. But alas, one day of ease did he not see. Fool (saith God) this night thy soul shall be taken from thee, and thou shalt not live to enjoy that pelf which made thee joy to live, but as hitherto thou hast led a life ever dying, so now thou must go to a death never ending, this being the last will and testament of such wealthy worldlings. 
u Bern.  Relinquunt divitias mundo, corpus sepulchro, animam diabolo: They leave and bequeath their riches to the world, their bodies to the grave, their souls to the Devil.  
Simil. And as the sumpter-horses of great personages, gain nothing by their great burdens of silver, plate, and other treasures wherewith they are loaden, but a gauled back; for when they come to their Inn or journeys end, their treasure is taken from them, and they tired and gauled as they be, are turned into a filthy stable: so wretched worldly men get nothing by their coffers crambde with crowns, their barns filled with corn, their bags stuffed with coin, but a conscience pitifully gauled with many a grievous crime, and when they are come to the journeys end of a toilsome life, stripped of all they had, and thrust tired and gauled, tortured and grieved, as they be, into the stinking stable of hell, having nothing there but ugly serpents for their daintiest food, damned ghosts for their best company, horrible shriekings for their chiefest music, and weeping & gnashing of teeth for their choicest mirth. This doubtless is the case of all careless and secure persons, they may wanton it for a time, but shall want at last; they may state it, and stout it too, but shall stoop at last, and though they have now the sum of their unsanctified desires, they shall have at length their full deserts.  
Alas these deceive themselves much, by mistaking their tenure, taking that to be a free gift, which God intends for loan, and holding themselves owners, not only of lands but of life too in feesimple, whereof they are but depositaries and tenants at will.  
But be not thou deceived o man whatsoever thou art, which hearest me this day, be not deceived, God is not mocked, thy days are numbered, away thou must, death mounting on his 
x Reu. 6. 2.  pale horse is posting towards thee, here is not thy rest, thou dwellest in a house of clay, in a tent pitched to day, removed to morrow.  
Thou art a Didapper peering up and down in a moment, and as Aristotle rightly terms thee, thou art, Fortunae lusus, inconstantiae 
Aristotle apud Sto●.  imago, temporis spolium, imbecillitatis exemplum. Miserable infirmity such is thy person, foolish inconstancy such is thy prosperity, inconstant honour such is thy crown, sins, sorrows, sicknesses, such thy comforters and companions, depart thou must and be gone God knows how soon, Serius aut citius mortis properamus ad oras.  
It is not eminency of office or dignity can privilege thee: for David in the 
z Psalm. 82. 6.  82. Psalm. setteth men as high as they may go. I have said ye are Gods, (nuncupatiuè not substantiuè, as the schoolmen note) and the children of the most high. This is man's advancement. But he bringeth them as low, and hath a But for them, But ye shall die like men▪ and ye princes & great ones shall fall like others, here is his abasement. He that made the world at first of nothing, can mar the greatest in a moment: he bringeth Potentates to nothing, and maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. 
a Isa. 40. 23.   
It is not the strength or stateliness of any place or territory, can protect thee. For what Hormisda the Persian Ambassador said to Constantius the Emperor, demanding of him how he liked the City of Rome with the amphitheatre, the Capitol, and other such rich monuments as were showed unto him. 
b Ammian. marc. lib. 16.  In truth I think it the most glorious City in the world, and all therein pleaseth me well but this, that I see men die at Rome as elsewhere. The same may truly be averred of all other places, from which death cannot be excluded, but if it enter not in at the gates with full force, it will ascend by the windows with great fear. 
c jer. 9 21.   
To which purpose Socrates smilingly replied unto his friends that would have rescued him from the officers, which were to put him to death. No I will no longer live, except ye can tell me of a place without the territory of Athens where men never die.  
Lastly, as no height of honour or estimation can privilege thee, no safety and sweetness of place protect thee; so no power or policy can preserve thee from the fatal dart of death. The King cannot save himself by the multitude of his host. 
d Psal. 33. 16.  Visuntur magni parva sepulchra iovis saith the Poet, Tamburlaine the terror of the world died with three fits of an ague, as 
e Paul. iovius. de vit. ill.  Paulus iovius writeth. Saladine that mighty pagan which won the holy Land from the Christians, in the height of his pride & pomp, was surprised by death, having no greater solemnity at his funerals then this, a Herald carrying his shirt or shroud on a spear or spade, and crying aloud, 
f G. Parad. in Heroic.  Hae sunt reliquiae victoris orientis: These are the conquests of great Saladine.  
Alexander that famous Monarch, acknowledged in his own person this human frailty, when in the Olympic games falling in the dust, and perceiving therein the length of his body, he confessed with grief that 
g Q. Curt. in vit. Alex.  seven foot of ground were sufficient to make him a grave, 
h Juvenal.  Mors sola fatetur quantula sunt hominum corpuscula.  
Wherefore be our days never so few, or our years never so full, resolve we must, wheresoever, or in what state soever we be, to come ere long to the gates of death, there is we see no means of withdrawing, no place of absenting, no power of resisting. God alone can say, 
i Exod. 3. 14.  sum qui sum, I am what I am, and will be what I have been. Men can say nothing else, but I am and shall not be.  
Witness this the Lacedæmonians song of three parts; wherein the Elders sang, we have been strong and are not now; the Youth replied, we shall be strong but 
Plutarch.  are not yet; the Middle-aged sang, we are now strong but shall not be. Witness this jobs sons at a banquet, 
k job 1. 19  suddenly destroyed; 
l judg. 9 53.  Abimelech brained; Holofernes beheaded; Adrian with a Gnat, and Leo with a fly, both Popes, suddenly choked. What shall I say more? All mankind must needs sing this. Aut sumus, aut fuimus, aut possimus esse quod hic est: we are, or have been, or may soon be, such as this breathless subject is. The doleful pageant of whose mortality, is here presented to our sight, having in every colour a speaking grief, in every grief a mourning tongue, able to work sad thoughts in our hearts, if not to wring salt tears from our eyes.  
So that Hesiod may tell of Nectar 
Hesiod.  & Ambrosia, and sweet wine of the Gods, which will make men immortal, and Pliny may prattle 
Pliny.  of the Herb Moly, which (he saith) hath virtue to make an old man young; and Historians may write of certain fortunate islands, where exceeding long livers, for their prolonged life, are called Macrobioi. But alas, these fables rejected, nothing can be indeed invented, whereby life may be prolonged beyond its limited time; as burning torches we are daily consumed, as potter's vessels every hour endangered: Yea so dangerous a Sea is this world, wherein we are wafted, so boisterous are the winds and waves of woe wherewith we are tossed, and so extremely hazardous are the rocks of profit, pleasure, and preferment, against which the silly Bark of our souls is carried, that in every calm we fear a storm, in every storm we are swallowed quick, in all our ease we look for pain, in every pain we pine away, in all our rest we feel disease, in each disease we post to death. The very elements themselves by burning, infecting, drowning, and swallowing many, becoming caters for our corruption, who were at first created for our consolation. Yea all things in this life, making way like a marshal for death, that she may triumphantly pass through the field of this world over the carcases of her slain.  
Thus death rules on earth as eternity in heaven; there all live, here all die. 
m Ho●.  Omnes una manet nox & calcanda semel via Lethi. It is 
n Josh. 23. 14.  the way of all the world. 
o Sen. Epist. 25  Hac conditione intravi ut exirem, said Socrates.  
All, both good and bad are actors on the stage of mortality, every one acting a part, some of less, some of greater dignity; and the play being ended exeunt omnes every one goes off the stage, and as Chesse-men without difference 
Simil.  they are swept from the table of this world, wherein one was a King, another a Queen, a third a Bishop, or Knight, into the earth's wide receptacle.  
The only distinction betwixt good and bad being this, that the good are always actors of a Comedy, and howsoever they begin, they end merrily; but the bad are actors of a Tragedy, and howsoever they begin or proceed, yet their end is miserable, their Catastrophe lamentable: Death being to the wicked the devils sergeant to arrest them, and carry them without bail, to a prison of utter darkness; which to the godly is the Lords Gentleman usher to conduct them to a palace of everlasting happiness; yea death being to the one as Satan's cart to carry them presently to execution in hell, which to the other is as Elias his fiery Chariot to mount them up to heaven.  
For 
p Eccl. 11. 3. Olimpiod.  As the tree falleth, so it lieth: As a man dieth in the favour or disfavour of God, so without changing or recalling he remaineth. unusquisque cum causa sua dormit, cum causa sua resurgit, as D. Austin speaketh. And to conclude 
Aug.  this point; on every man's particular death, his particular judgement attendeth, either of the souls eternal bliss in heaven, or everlasting woe in hell, which all the praises, prayers, and preaching of men, Saints, or Angels cannot reverse.  
Use. A consideration (R. W. and beloved in jesus Christ) by the miscreant Atheist much contemned, by the temporising Politician greatly neglected, by the carnal gospeler slightly regarded, by the Pope's pardon purchasing, and pickpurse Purgatory believing Papist corruptly entertained, and by very few of the best professors so sincerely and seriously thought on and embraced, as it ought to be. For it is the great fault, not only of great men, whose greatness maketh them too often forgetful of goodness, but even of us all, high and low, rich and poor, great and small, that we never think on death or prepare to die, till we find and feel we can no longer live.  
Yea we so embrace, admire, adore, and dote upon this glittering world, and are so loath to leave the ruinous tabernacle of our corruptible flesh, that we are not content or willing to go to heaven, till we see there is no remedy, we can stay no longer on earth. For the reforming of which carnal and worldly affection, and for the better inciting and stirring of us all up to a more frequent meditation and Christian consideration of our soon expiring life, and speedy approaching death; let us now in the name of God descend to some further use and application of that which hath been so largely delivered.  
And seeing we have been every way sufficiently taught, what through the frowardness of our carnal disposition we are otherwise dull enough to learn, that in this wicked world (which is nothing else but a shop of vanity, a theatre of iniquity, whoredoms, stews, oppression, slaughter-house, thefts refuge, and for every sin a sinful sanctuary) there is no sure rest or residence for us, and that here we have no continuing City, but live every day in such incertainty, that the highest, healthiest, holiest, happiest among men, cannot promise to themselves to morrow.  
O let us I beseech you by the tender mercies of Christ jesus, as we tender the good of our own souls, hear and know this for ourselves as Eliphaz said to job: Hear this and know it for thyself, job 5. 27.  
He that knoweth not what he should know, is a beast among men, he that knoweth no more than he must needs, is a man among beasts, but he that knoweth all he may know, and that for himself and his spiritual advantage, is a god among men. Let us study and strive to be such gods, and ever remember that we must die like men.  
Let us esteem of every present day, as of the day of our death, and make such conscience of all our ways, words, and works, as if we were presently to give an account of our life. 
q Greg. in Moral.  Qui considerate qualiter erit in morte, pavidus & providus erit in operatione: He that thinketh always of dying, will be circumspect in his doing. The meditation of death is a Christian man's Philosophy. O let us as careful christians, be continually exercised in this study, and as cheerful and faithful professors, be always busied in performing those righteous and religious duties which we would do if we were dying: and because that death in all places waiteth for us, let us expect it every hour, suspect it every where, and be at all times prepared for it.  
And now at this time especially let the dreadful spectacle of death before our eyes, be as a shrill trumpet, sounding aloud that message of Isaiah to Ezekiah in our ears, that it may sink deep into our hearts. 
r Isa. 38. 1.  Set thy house in order, for thou must die, and shalt not live: Dispose of thy temporal affairs, leave not thy lands entangled, thy substance intested, to be a cause of variance to thy posterity; make thy will, do it in time, whilst thy thoughts are free, thine affections stayed, and thy reason not distracted with fear, or senses disturbed with pains, so shall thy testament be testatio mentis, a witness of thy mind. Whereas on the contrary, if thou put over the disposing of thine estate to that troublesome time of sickness, when thine head acheth, hand shaketh, thy tongue faltreth, thine heart fainteth, and every part is pained, it may justly be feared, that neither thy words or writing will so express thy meaning, but that thou shalt be easily drawn to make a will after another's mind rather than thine own.  
Set therefore thine house in order now, that thy soul be not wearied then with secular affairs, when it should be wholly busied in making itself ready for God. Yea set thine heart in order also, and forthwith dispose of thy soul to cast up her reckonings; turn thyself as Ezekiah did 
s 2. Kin. 20. 2.  to the wall, that is, from the world to God. Silentium a mundo, est susurrus cum deo: consider what thou hast been, examine thyself what thou art, premeditate what thou shalt be. Cogita unde venis & erubesce, etc. Think on thy 
Bern.  naked nativity, and blush for shame; on this world's wretchedness & misery, etc. Sigh for grief, on deaths approaching tyranny, and tremble for fear, or rather that thou mayest be freed from fear, grief, and shame: make soon thy soul's peace with God and the world, and by faithful repentance turn from the world's vanities, to God's seat of mercy, and weep as 
t 2. Kin. 20. 3.  Ezekiah did, bewail thy sins past, keep a narrow watch over thine heart for the time to come. Sow in tears that thou mayest reap in joy, Psa. 126. And lastly, (not to leave so good a pattern in any point unfollowed) pray too, as Ezekiah did, though thou canst not in the same manner. Lord remember how I have walked before thee in sincerity and truth, yet to the same effect, for mercy, as David did. 
u Psalm. 25. 7.  Lord remember not the sins of my youth. Lord for thy goodness sake remember me. And as D. 
Ambr. in Psal. 38.  Ambrose did on the 38. Psalm. Lord forgive me my faults here where I have sinned, for else where I cannot be relieved, except I have my pardon here, it is in vain to expect the restful comfort of forgiveness hereafter. Now is the acceptable time, as St. Paul speaketh, 
x 2. Cor. 6. 2.  now is the day of salvation. This world is for thy repentance, the other for thy recompense. 
y Chrys. in Heb. cap. 2. hom. 4.  Hic locus luctae, ille coronae. Hoc cunaeorum tempus est, illud coronarum, as D. chrysostom speaketh. This is the time and place of combating, that of crowning, this of working, that of rewarding, this is for thy patience, that for thy comfort.  
Now God is helping to all them which repent, and forsake their evil ways, but then he will be a severe examiner, judge, and revenger of all our wicked works. This is our day, wherein the Gospel of peace and remission of sins is preached, that is God's day, wherein all that have received this grace in vain, shall be punished. They that will not now receive good counsel at a cheap rate, shall then buy too late repentance at a dear hand.  
For the Angel hath sworn by him that liveth for ever, that time shall be no more, 
z Reu. 10. 6.  that is after this life, there shall be no more time for repentance, for remission, for salvation.  
Life and salvation is here either lost or won, as D. Cyprian affirmeth, 
Cypr. contr. Demetr.  after this life no effect or working of satisfaction availeth. To whom D. Austin accordeth, 
Aug. Epist. 54 ad Macedon. Epist. ad Hesyc.  saying, There is no other place to correct our manners and conditions, but only in this life: and again, as every man's last day doth leave him, so God's day, (i) the day of judgement shall find him. Every man shall sleep and rise again with his own cause; as he dieth so shall he be judged.  
Wherefore now whilst thou livest, set both thine house and heart in order, prepare thy soul and make it ready for the Lord, repose not thine unprepared self upon the vain stays of deceiving Popery, upon Masses, Trentals, Dirges, Pilgrimages, Prayers, Pardons, and such like superstitious shows of piety, fond invented to relieve souls in, and release them out of feigned Purgatory.  
Believe me, believe me, for what I say, the truth proclaimeth, the word confirmeth, and too woeful experience testifieth, the presumptuous hope of help in Purgatory, 
Purgatory confuted.  hath sent many thousand deceived souls to hell. That I may say no more, I can say no less of that Popish puddle, if I say the truth; but as the Apostle said of an Idol; an Idol is 
* 1. Cor. 8. 4.  nothing, so Purgatory is nothing, it is none of God's creatures, it is none of God's ordinances, it was never in his counsel, and therefore can never stand with his providence.  
It was never known in the Church of Israel, or a doctrine 
a Exod. 24. 8.  sprinkled upon that people, with the blood of the old covenant, by Moses who was 
b Nom. 12. 7.  faithful in God's house, and delivered all he saw upon the Mount. Moses' prescribing all kind of sacrifices in the old law, maketh no mention either of sacrificing or praying for the dead, without which Purgatory cannot stand.  
As for the New testament, Purgatory hath no footing or foundation therein; this teacheth plainly and plentifully, 
c 1. joh. 1. 7. Gal. 3. 13. Rom. 8. 2.  that the blood of Christ alone purgeth and preserveth us, ab omni culpa & paena, from all sin and all punishment due unto the same. Good old Simeon never dreamt of Purgatory when he said, 
d Luk. 2. 29.  Lord now let thy servant departed in peace, for there is little peace in Purgatory by the Papists own positions.  
It never came into Saint Paul's mind, when he said. 
e Ephes. 1. 23.  I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ. It was never revealed to the Angel when he spoke from heaven saying, 
f Reu. 14. 13.  Writ from henceforth amodo. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, for they rest from their labours. There is no pain in bliss, no toil in rest, if this happiness be amodo, even strait upon the dissolution, as 
* Ambr. Lorin. in act.  Nescit tarda molimina spiritus Dei gratia; then there is no danger by the way, no delay in supposed Purgatory.  
Neither Lazarus, nor the rich man were acquainted with it; for 
Luk. 16.  the one was immediately carried into Abraham's bosom, the other cast into hell. He which said to the good thief (who came in the nick of opportunity to beg grace, while grace was a dealing) 
g Luk, 23. 43.  This day shalt thou be with me (not in Purgatory, but) in Paradise, knew only two ways, the straightway to heaven, the broad way to hell, and therefore speaketh to his sheep, 
h Mat. 25.  Come ye blessed, to the goats, Go ye cursed. The third way, he which knew all things did not know, for indeed there is no such way to know It is only an opinion of papizing Pagans, or rather paganizing Papists; heathenish in devise, hellish for practise, Romish for gain. It is most injurious to the blood of Christ, which alone purgeth our sin, pleadeth our cause, purchaseth our peace, & to be brief, it delaieth and destroyeth soul saving repentance; without which there is no remission of sin here, and with which satisfaction for sin hereafter cannot stand.  
For there cometh nothing to the spirits of them that are dead, but according to that which they wrought while they were alive. Bona opera sequuntur bonos, to crown them, mala opera persequuntur 
Cypr.  malos, to torment them.  
Wherefore (to return to my purpose again; and not to suffer Popish peevish Purgatory, with which I met only by the way, to transport me farther out of the way) mine humble and hearty request unto you all is this, that ye would agree with yo● 〈…〉 versary quickly, ⁱ whilst ye are in the way, and that ye would all labour 
Mat. 5. 25.  and endeavour to be reconciled unto the Lord while it is to day. ᵏ Work o man thy righteousness 
Eccl. 14. 16.  before thy death, as the wiseman counseleth. l Do what thine 
Eccl. 9 10.  own hand findeth to do with all thy power, as Solomon adviseth. ᵐ Do 
Gal. 6. 10.  good unto all whilst thou hast time, as Saint Paul admonisheth. And ⁿ Work while it is to day, as our 
joh. 9 4. ●ril. in johan. ●. 6. c. 14.  Saviour exhorteth; for the night cometh (i) the darkness of death wherein none can work or wipe away those death breeding stains which in the day of his life he contracted, as Cyrill noteth.  
Make haste then and delay not, set to the work, enter persently into a strict course of religion, answerable to thy place and vocation, & be not discouraged, though at first a religious strait conversation seem to thee an uncomfortable companion, for blessed is that mortification which so estrangeth us from the world, that it changeth us into the similitude of Christ.  
O deal faithfully with thine own soul, sift, search, examine, and ransack the same, to come to a true sight, sense, and unfeigned sorrow for all thy sins, especially thy bosom beloved darling sins; extenuate them not as Saul did, but aggravate them as 
1. Sam. 13. 12. Dan. 9 5.  Daniel did, and all other thy transgressions, against thyself, in the consistory of thine own conscience, by the multitude and contagiousness of them, in that by them many have been infected, of whose repentance thou art not assured, but that some of them being dead, may for any thing thou knowest be damned, and others living may be in the like dangerous estate too, even for those sins which in thy company, by thine example, or through thine occasion, they committed.  
O consider this, blush for shame, split for sorrow, fret for indignation, ᵒ at the recounting hereof; 
2. Cor. 7. 11.  for such evils are not only with the tears of weeping eyes, but with the drops of a bleeding heart to be lamented. And that thy repentance 
sincere Repentance.  may not only be general in the lump, but personal and particular according to every transgression of the law, article against thyself, recapitulate thy sins, make up a catalogue of thy offences. Item, for lying, swearing, whoring, backbiting, slandering: Item for plotting of mischief, for vexing men with lawless suits in malice, for abusing Gods creatures in drunkenness and gluttony, for abasing his Magistrates and resisting authority, for profaning the Sabbath, neglecting the word preached, and despising the ministry. Item for spending so many thousands to maintain thy pride, so many hundreds to satisfy thy lust, so many score of pounds to please thy fancy, and not a pound, no scarce a penny bestowed in God's service, or on God's servants to right their wrongs, or relieve their wants. The total sum being the manifest and manifold breach of all God's commandments.  
Bring all these particulars in an holy 
a Pro. 28. 13.  confession before thy maker, 
b jam. 4. 10.  and cast thyself down in humble submission and hearty contrition before his seat of mercy, earnestly begging pardon with 
c Psalm. 51.  David, 
d Ezr. 9  Esrah, 
e Neh. 13. 22.  Nehemiah, 
f Dan. 9 19  Daniel, for them, resolving never again in the like wilfully to offend him, but being jealous over thyself with a godly jealousy, and studious in all things henceforth to please him, not only carefully performing those duties of piety, appertaining to his immediate worship, which he hath commanded, but also in matters of less moment and consequence; in eating, drinking, recreating thyself and conversing with others, conscionably conforming thyself to those rules of modesty, equity, and sobriety, which in his word he hath prescribed, that so upon thy sincere repentance and sound reformation, he may be reconciled unto thee: and thou (desiring in heart, and endeavouring in life, to become a new man) mayest obtain this inestimable favour of him, to have all the former accounts and sinful bills of debt crossed here, for otherwise thou shalt never have thy quietus est hereafter.  
To conclude this point with D. Austin. Age poenitentian dum 
Aug li. de mir. ●ac. scrip▪ ser. 36.  sanus es, sic si ages, dico tibi quod securus es, quia poenitentiam egisti eo tempore quo peccare potuisti. (i) Repent whilst thou art in health, for in so doing thou art without danger of hurt, because thou hast repent at what time thou mightest have sinned. And because in the youngest and strongest, there is no assured sign of safety and security; but in all of us both young and old, many homebred tokens of death and dissolution, therefore the counsel and watchword of our Master and Saviour, is to be remembered. 
g Mat. 24. 42. Mar. 13. 35.  Wake and watch, for you know not what hour your Master will come: either by the first death, or the last judgement: ye know not that hour, therefore watch every hour, ye know not that year, month, or day, wherein 
Simil.  death the Lords handmaid, with the broom of sickness or sorrow, will sweep you away, (being as too many are, spider-like busied, in making nothing but nets and cobwebs to catch the flies of honour and riches, which taketh her to her wings as an Eagle, & soon 
Prou. 23. 5.  flieth away) therefore keep watch and ward over your souls, every day, month, and year.  
And as he which sitteth at a table, 
Simil.  furnished with many dainty services, amongst which one is poisoned, as he hath been secretly advertised, will (if he be wise) not hastily adventure on any, because of the danger that lieth hidden in that one, so let us be heedful that we rush not into sin, be it never so pleasant a service on any day, because for any thing we know that may be the very day wherein death may overtake us 
h Matt. 26. 41.  Watch and pray least you enter into temption. Repent and amend lest ye 
i Psalm. 2. 12.  perish in the way, and die in your transgressions.  
Use. Lastly, forasmuch as in this frail life, the meanest of us is no less, and the mightiest amongst us is no more than God's steward, steward of God's house. (i) the Church 
Luk. 16. 1.  as the Minister, of the common house the weal public as the Magistrate, of his own private samily as every household governor, of the closet of his own conscience as every particular christian man, and to every one of us, God hath committed the charge of his goods and gifts, either corporal, temporal, or spiritual, to be employed as his talents for his advantage and glory, and our fellow-servants benefit and good.  
Therefore I beseech you, let us all in our several places be good and gracious in our offices. For we know not when the 
k Mar. 13. 35.  Master of the house will come, whether at even, or midnight, at the Cock crowing, or the dawning of the day. We know not how soon we shall be summoned to give an account of our stewardship.  
And because being stewards, we are not masters but servants, therefore let us not beat or abuse our fellow-servants, 
l Isa. 3. 15.  vex and molest our poor neighbours, but as fellow helpers let us labour, not loiter in the Lord's vineyard We are not hired for a day, as the 
m Matt. 20.  labourers in the Gospel, or for an year, as the 
n jud. 17.  Levite was by Michah, or for seven or thrice seven, as 
o Gen. 29.  jacob was by Laban, but for all the days and years of our life: to do his work, therefore let us discharge our duties diligently. And because we have his gifts to dispose not as we list, but according to his good will and pleasure: Let us take heed carefully that we play not the bad stewards, either in getting goods wrongfully, as too many rent-racking Landlords do, or in keeping them basely as too many churlish 
Note.  Nabals do, or in spending them wanton and wastefully, as too many prodigal profane gallants do; least in so doing, we be justly accused for our unjust conversation to our Master, and be fearfully convicted of unrighteous dealing by three sufficient witnesses or plaintiffs; the poor oppressed, God's creatures abused, and our own consciences wounded: as not long since a great man of this Land was, by whom a poor 
● Baron's wars  widow was exceedingly wronged and put from house and home, and constrained to make an old Oak her best harbour, the conscience of which fact so affrighted him, that when he should be most courageous he was most daunted, and in horror of mind often exclaimed. O the widow under the Oak.  
And as of late a lewd Canon of Paris was, who with the remembrance of his adulterous and Idolatrous 
Gall. Hist.  life, being extremely terrified in his death bed, at several times spoke but these three words, Accusatus sum, iudicatus, condemnatus. I am accused, judged, condemned, and so expired.  
O hear and fear this, all ye that desire rather to be feared then deserve to be loved: in the midst of your ruling remember your reckoning, and by your more diligent, charitable, and conscionable demeanour hereafter, prevent that judgement which hangs over your heads, for your negligence and want of conscience in your callings heretofore.  
And let us all, even now begin, if not before, whether we be Ministers or Magistrates, or persons of inferior place, to look to our charges diligently, to attend on our offices faithfully, to discharge our stewardship carefully, to examine our receipts and expenses daily, and accordingly to make up our perfect reckonings and accounts, that when that great day of reckoning shall come, our Lord and Master may say to every one of us: ᵖ It is well done good servant 
Mat. 25. 23.  and trusty, Thou hast been faithful in a little, I will make thee ruler over much, enter into thy Master's joy. And thus much be spoken of the first part, and of the uses thereof; namely Mors est in olla, death is our lot, none can avoid it.  
Now of the second, and that more briefly, Spes est in urna, there 
●ecunda pars ●iz Spes est in ●rna. ●hrys. in 22. Math.  is hope in the grave, being dead we shall live again, none may deny it. Tolle spem resurrectionis (saith golden mouthed chrysostom) & resoluta est omnis obseruantia pietatis: take away the hope of resurrection, and the building of piety wanteth her foundation. For then Christ is not risen, and so our preaching is in vain, and your faith is 
1. Cor. 15.  vain, and of all others the best christians were most miserable, and of all stories the Gospel were most fruitless and unprofitable.  
But the Lord's Herald Isaiah of all the Prophets most evangelical, of all the Evangelists most Prophetical (besides the stream of all holy antiquity consenting thereunto) hath plainly proclaimed it. 
q Isa. 26. 19  Thy dead men shall live, with my body shall they rise: and again, Peace shall come to the righteous, 
Isa. 57 2.  they shall rest in their beds, (that is) their graves, until the morning of the resurrection. Post tenebras spero lucem, saith job. Sibylla 
job 17.  prophesied hereof in this manner.  
Tunc castus Cbristus ponet certamina justa: 
Sybil.   
Ornabitque probos, aeternaque praemia reddet.  
The great Poet could say, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
●hocilid.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. We hope and know that we shall not for ever sit in darkness, or sleep in the grave, but we shall come to the heavenly light, & live with Christ, ʳ through the power of God, in whose 
2. Cor. 13. 4.  book all our members are written.  
God hath a threefold book. The first is his private book Enchiridion, or vade mecum, in which only the names of the elect are written, whom he knoweth and calleth by their 
s Exod. 32. 32.  names: whose 
●sa. 43. 1.  names he will not put out of the book 
t Reu. 3. 5.  of life, è libro praesentis justitiae aut praedestinationis aeternae, as the Schoolmen distinguish. The second is his book of accounts and black book, blurde and blotted with the register of sin, wherein only the wicked are written, according to that Dan. 7. The 
Dan. 7. 10.  judgement was set, and the books opened. The third is his universal commonplace book, wherein both good and bad are recorded, according to that of the Prophet, In thy book are all my members written: 
Psalm. 139.  so that albeit in death there be a dissolution of body and soul, yet in the resurrection there shall be a restitution and reuniting of the same body (in substance though altered in quality) to the same soul, that the joy of both may be consummated: to which purpose, God is said to write all our members in his book. Yea he keepeth the very bones of his Saints Psal. 34. and not a hair of their heads 
Psalm. 34. 2▪ Luk. 21. 18.  shall perish, Luk. 21.  
Hence it is, that the Prophet Daniel speaketh so expressly. Many 
Dan. 12. 2.  that sleep in the dust, shall awake and rise again, some to everlasting life, some to shame and perpetual contempt. Hence it is that our Saviour Christ speaketh so plainly. Marvel not at this, for the 
joh. 5. 28. 29.  hour shall come, in which all that are in the gra●es, shall hear his voice, and they shall come forth that have done good, unto the resurrection of life, but they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of condemnation. To which infallible truth Saint Paul beareth witness. 2. Cor. 5. We must all appear 
Cor. 5. 10.  before the judgement seat of Christ, that every man may receive according to the things which are done in his body, whether good or evil. Whereunto, that of the beloved Disciple Saint john, is very agreeable, Revel. 20. where the majesty 
●eu. 20. 11. 12  of God's throne is described, the singularity of the judge is declared, the universality of all both great and small which must stand before him is manifested, and the equity of proceeding in judgement excellently showed by the books opened, and the sentencing of every man's cause according to his works.  
Whence by the way we may 
Note.  note the difference between the act of justification, and the act of judgement: for the act of justification wherein God maketh us righteous which were unjust, is only by 
u Rom. 3. 24.  faith (i) by the apprehension, application, and appropriation of Christ's merits & righteousness by a lively faith. But the act of judgement wherein God declareth those to be just which 
Mat. 25. 2. Cor. 5.  were justified in this life, is according to our works. God judgeth not according to the root of faith which is hidden, but according to the fruits of faith, namely, good works which are open and manifest, and the fittest means to try every man's cause, and to discern who were by faith working in love, 
Gal. 5. 6.  justified in this life.  
Not to affect more testimonies of proof, in a point of christianity so plain. This holy persuasion of the resurrection after death, & impression of immortality, hath ever possessed the hearts of God's Saints and servants, and hath been as a nail of the Sanctuary to keep them from desperate distractions in the errors of this life, and to set them forward to perfection & undaunted constancy in the terrors of death.  
job, patiented and just job in the plea 
job 19 25.  of all his miseries with the single eye of faith, held fast by this hope, and made it the issue of all his maladies: I know that my Redeemer liveth, and I shall live again, etc. this sentence of undoubted assurance is matter worth the remembrance, and therefore job setteth a Preface unto it. O (saith he) that 
job 19 23. 24. 25.  my words were now written, and written not in lose papers, but in a book, and not written only, but engraven, and that with an iron pen in lead, or in stone, to endure not for a time only, but for ever, to the solace of all distressed Saints. I know that my Redeemer liveth, and though the worms destroy my body, yet shall I see him in my flesh again with these mine eyes, etc.  
David, distressed David anchored on this hold, and indeed the surges of sorrow had quite sunk his soul, when Saul 
a 1. Sam. 19  persecuted him, 
b 2. Sam. 6.  Micholl derided him, 
c 1. Sam. 22.  Doeg accused him, 
d 2. Sam. 16.  Shemei railed upon him, and 
e 2. Sam. 18.  Absalon rebelled against him, but that he fixed his eyes on this cape of good hope, and 
f Psalm. 27. 13.  believed verily to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living.  
Paul, blessed St. Paul was ravished with this heavenly hope, and soule-solacing assurance of life after death, and therefore desireth to be dissolved, and to be with Christ 
Phil. 1. 23.  which is best of all.  
St. Stephen, that bold champion for christianity, and faithful Proto-Martyr 
Act. 7.  of Christ jesus, when he was to be stoned, feeling this holy comfort in the midst of heavy combats, opposuit furori patientiam, 
Lossius in Act.  mortis terrori vitae despicientiam, opposed his patience to his enemy's fury, the contempt of life to the terror of death, and having a sweet foretaste of the joys which body and foul should jointly enjoy in heaven, he with a victorious grace despised all matter of torment and discontentment which his adversaries malice could inflict upon them on earth.  
Ignatius that holy Martyr in the Primitive Church, being fully furnished with this assured hope of his body's resurrection, went confidently unto a bloody execution, saying, Frumentum Dei ego sum, etc. I am God's corn, now shall I be ground small by the teeth of wild beasts, to be made fine manchet for my Lord's table.  
Babilas Bishop of Antioch, building on the same assurance, spoke comfortably to his soul, when he was drawn to a cruel death. Return my soul unto thy rest, for the Lord hath been merciful unto thee.  
This infallible expectation of a glorious resurrection, made Saint Paul to conclude so triumphantly, Rom. 8. I am persuaded that neither 
Rom. 8. 38. 39  life nor death, nor things present nor things to come, shall be able to separate us from the love of God. And again, My departing is at hand, I have fought a good fight, 
2. Tim. 4. 7. 8.  I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, Henceforth is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the righteous judge shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also which love his appearing.  
To which purpose he speaketh thus in the name of all the faithful. Hear we have no continuing City, 
Heb. 13. 14.  but we look for one to come, and though we live on earth, yet our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, 
Phil. 3. 20. 21.  even the Lord jesus Christ, who shall change our vile bodies, that they may be like his glorious body. So that a change shall come, and indeed we are all desirous of some change, as not contented with our estate.  
Adam would change to be as 
Gen. 3. 2. Sam. 15.  wise as his maker. Absalon would sit in his father's seat, and of a subject be a Sovereign. Solomon would have change of wives. The Israelites would change Samuel 
1. Sam. 8. 5.  the righteous judge, for Saul a wicked King. The Sychemites 
Gen. 34 23.  would change their religion in hope of commodity; and too many amongst us, would change the food of Angels and heavenly Manna, for the flesh-pots of Egypt in hope of more liberty. Yea the most have changed plain dealing into crafty undermining, mercy into malice, single tongues and hearts into double, and a great number like Proteus, can change themselves into all forms, like Polypus into all colours, like courtly Aristippus into all fashions. Omnis Aristippum decuit colour & status & res.  
But while we affect these alterations, not unlike to Glaucus his commutation of gold for brass, 
Homer.  while we are thus occupied about these chopings and change, we seem seldom or never to remember; that great change whereof the Apostle speaketh in the place before mentioned, & whereunto job here aimeth, saying, All the days of mine appointed time will I wait till my changing shall come. Which changing is not only an exchange of earth for heaven, of a prison for a Palace, of an estate in sin and misery, for perfect holiness and glory in respect of the foul; but a change also of a mortal life for an immortal, of corruption for incorruption, in regard of the body.  
For as there is a twofold death, the one of the soul being deprived of the operation of God's spirit, and separated from God by sin. The other of the body, being 
1. Tim. 5. 6.  destitute of the operation and working of the soul: So there is a twofold resurrection; the one 
Twofold Resurrection.  spiritual of the soul, a peccato ad gratiam, from sin unto grace here; the other corporal of the body, a sepulchro ad gloriam, from the grave unto glory hereafter. Which great day of the general resurrection, the Angels desire to see, the devils tremble to hear of, and other creatures sigh & groan for, and man especially must look and long for, and cannot be without it; whether we respect the manifold profits which come by it, or the wonderful inconveniences which would arise from the want of it. For how can we, dwelling on earth, have our conversation in heaven, if we do not look for the coming of our Saviour 
Phil▪ 3. 20. 21.  Christ? and how can we look for his coming except we believe the resurrection? and how can we believe the resurrection, unless we acknowledge that power by the which he is able to subdue all things unto himself?  
Again, how do we acknowledge God to be God in almighty power, without the faith of the resurrection? and how can we have the faith of the resurrection, without the hope of a Saviour? and how can we have the hope of a Saviour, without an heavenly conversation? so that the life of this conversation is hope, by the which we expect the coming of a Saviour, and the ground of this hope is faith, by the which we are assured, that at his coming, he shall change our vile bodies, and make them like to his glorious body. And the reason of this faith beyond reason is his power, by which he is able to subdue all things unto himself.  
All these be links, so divinely hanging & depending each on other, in that golden chain of the Apostle, that if we let slip one, we lose the comfortable holdfast of all; but good christians must not miss of any, but must be forward in the course of godliness & a holy conversation, as not running at uncertainty, or fight as beating the air but following hard toward the 
1. Cor. 9 26.  mark; knowing that they are begotten by the immortal seed of the word, in the bosom of the Church militant, to a lively hope of an inheritance for body and soul together, immortal and undefiled in the Church triumphant. 
1. Pet. 1. 4.   
This hope as it giveth us an edge that we should earnestly affect spiritual things, so doth it give us a back also to endure all things. For why do the servants of God endure crosses so patiently? abstain from evil so carefully? pursue the things that are good so cheerfully & constantly? but because they look for a glorious resurrection, 
Reason's ratifying the Doctrine of the Resurrection.  which is the full end of all God's promises; when the wicked shall have their full judgement, and the godly their full payment; when the wicked shall both in body and soul, be made sensible of all manner of misery and intolerable wretchedness, and the godly which have but breathe here, shall be bathed in a whole Sea of comforts, and in body as well as in soul have the complete enjoyment of unconceivable happiness.  
And as God hath promised it, and will accomplish it, how incredible soever it seem to reason, and impossible to nature: so secondly, the equity of God's justice requires it; for here oftentimes as 
2. Cor. 4. 10. Aristot. in Eth.  the Philosopher speaketh, Bonis fit male, malis benè, therefore it stands with God's justice, elsewhere to recompense every man according to that he hath done in his body 
2. Cor. 5. 10.  either good or bad, and in that great day of resurrection, to make both bodies & souls of penitent believers, or unrepentant sinners, joint partakers of eternal weal 
2. Thes. 1. 6. 7.  or woe.  
And thirdly, as God's word promiseth, and justice requireth it, so his power (with whom nothing 
Luk. 1. 37.  is unpossible) is able to effect it. For to examine what he can do, by what he hath done: could he create all things of nothing, and can he not work his own will in his own creatures, and restore our bodies out of the 4. Elements, to their former estate again? could he quicken us in the womb of our mother, and can he not revive us out of the womb of our mother the earth? can he with the dew of the morning and evening, give life to the seed that is under the earth, and shall he not with the sound of the trumpet, and with all his power give life to us? can we of a little sparkle kindle great flames, and cannot he of our ashes though never so small raise our bodies? or can we fetch fire out of the flint, & cannot he fetch us out of the earth?  
Can Eliah and Elisha raise the widow of Sarepta and the Shunamites 
1. King. 17 23. 2. Kin. 4 32. Act 9 40. Act. 20. 10.  children? could Peter raise Tabytha, and Paul Eutichus, and cannot God their Lord and ours, raise both them and us?  
Yes, he can and will, and that in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. Qui fecit idoneus est reficere, 
1. Cor. 15. 52. Tertul. l. de res. car.  saith Tertullian. Considera Authorem, & tolle dubitationem, saith St. Austin. Consider the Author of this admirable work, and leave 
August. Greg ●om. 20. in Ez●k.  doubting or reasoning. Name in rebus mirabiliter factis ratio facti est potentia facientis.  
But yet, if any naturalists will farther reason against the resurrection of the body, let them for their satisfaction, attend what strong reasons, even from their rules of Philosophy, and the immortality of the soul (by themselves granted) may be drawn to confirm the same. Posita facultate (saith 
The Soul was not made to live by itself but in the body and resteth not fully contented so long as it wanteth her organ and companion.  Aristotle) ponatur & organum necesse est. (i) Admit then the soul as most Philosophers hold to be immortal, and then it must needs follow, that the body as the organon or instrument thereof, should be reunited thereunto. Again, Nulla res imperfecta est capax perfectae foelicitatis. (i) No imperfect thing is capable of perfect felicity, but the soul separated from the body is an imperfect thing, therefore it ought to be joined to the body again, for the attaining of this perfection. Again, Non est perpetuum, quod est contra naturam, (i) Nothing is perpetual which is contrary to nature, but it is contrary to the nature of man's soul to be separate from the body, seeing it is the 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  perfecting act thereof. Wherefore the soul cannot continually be separate therefrom, but must necessarily resume the body again.  
But leaving all other reasons, that which our blessed Saviour hath in love done and suffered for us in body and soul, manifestly evinceth that our bodies shall be raised & glorified with our souls, by virtue of Christ's resurrection.  
Christ our head suffered in body and soul for the redemption of 
Mat. 27. Act. 1.  both parts, he ascended in both, & is glorified in both, and so shall we his members be. For though the union betwixt him and us be spiritual, yet our bodies are called the members of Christ, 1. Cor. 6. yea the temples of the holy Ghost, that 
1. Cor. 6. 15. 19  since they are members of Christ, they might be restored unto their head, and since in their corruption they are vouchsafed to be the temples of the holy Ghost, they might put on incorruption, and as they be graced in this life, so be glorified in the life to come.  
What though in the mean while our bodies be scourged, tortured, & tormented, as Christ's was? what though we be bought and sold, & cruelly entreated as joseph was? what though death swallow us up, as the Whale did jonah, and bind 
joh. 1. 17.  us hand and foot as the Philistines 
judg. 16.  did Samson, and seal up the Sepulchre upon us as the jews did 
Mat▪ 27.  upon Christ? what though in death the spirit be loosed from the flesh, the flesh separated from the bones, bones & flesh converted into rottenness, rottenness into dust, dust resolved into the Elements, as Dr. Gregory in his Morals reasoneth, and the scornful Atheist oftentimes 
Greg. in 19 job. Ezek. 37.  objecteth? yet as the Prophet Ezekiell in a vision prophesied over dry bones, and they came together, and the flesh and sinews grew upon them, and life entered into them, and they became fair and strong bodies. So and more than so, shall it be at the last day, for the trumpet shall blow, and the graves shall give up their dead, our bones shallbe conjoined, our parts composed, our bodies re-edified, & we presented face to face, before our Saviour.  
The carnal man stands here at a mammering and marveling how it can be done. The Atheist stands mocking, as though it were unpossible to be done. But I answer them both as St. Gregory doth 20. 
D. Greg. 20. Hom. in Ezek.  Hom. on Ezekiell. O ye maruellers & mockers at the resurrection, doth this seem strange, that God should raise and reform man out of the dust, who causeth out of the lest grain the greatest tree to grow? doth this seem so wondrous a matter & incredible? then mock on, and marvel likewise at the Suns setting & rising, the moons waxing and waning, the Seas ebbing and flowing, the child's breeding in the womb of the mother, and the herbs fading and reflorishing out of the womb of the earth, for such is the resurrection from the dead, though not wrought by natural causes, yet by the same God of nature, and by the same power by which these things are wrought: who doubtless can as easily repair our bodies of somewhat in the resurrection, as he did make all things of nothing at first in the creation of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
Linus.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Do we not see how the Potter of a broken vessel turned to dust, maketh another in the same form at his pleasure? do we not know that the artificer, out of the ashes of fern, bloweth up the purest glass, and frameth it in what fashion he list? and do we not by daily experience find, that out of a little kernel, which was neither hard, nor rough, nor green in show, nor good in taste, nor sweet in smell, there ariseth and issueth the hardness of the Timber, the roughness of the bark, the greenness of the leaves, the sweet smell of the blossom, the good taste of the fruit?  
And shall we not believe that out of the dust which is neither flesh, or blood, or bone, our bodies consisting of them all, shall at the last day by the power of the Almighty be repaired? shall we bind God to means, who worketh what he will, as well against them, Dan. 3. and without them, 1. King. 
Dan. 3. 27. 1. King. 19 8.  19 as with them, because his might is unmeasurable? shall we in a rash presumption, assume to ourselves to know how far possibility can reach, by denying the resurrection impossible? shall we presumptuously intromit our overweening curiosity into the sacred bosom of God's unsearchable omnipotency? God forbidden. Fides credat, etc. let faith believe the resurrection; let not wit seek a reason for it, Ne aut non inventum putetur incredibile, aut repertum non credatur singular, lest if in judgement it be concealed we should think it incredible, or if in mercy it be revealed, we esteem it but ordinary & common.  
And let us all in humility, submit our reason to that rule of Dr. 
Greg. in 9 job c. 11.  Gregory. In factis Dei qui rationem non videt, infirmitatem suam considerans quare non videat, rationem videt. In the wonderful works of God, he that seethe not a reason for it, if he consider but his own infirmity, shall soon see a reason why he doth not see it. And let us account it ever a point of greatest reason, to leave reasoning in things beyond reason, believing steadfastly this article of our faith, the resurrection of our flesh, and in assured expectation hereof, studying and striving earnestly to have our part in the first resurrection, that the second death may have no power over us. 
Reu. 20. 6.   
As for those blasphemous-truthopposing Heretics, and Atheistical naturalists & profane wretches, which so tie the power of God to second causes, and allow themselves in so irreligious courses, that they grow doubtful, not only of the resurrection of the body, but of the immortality of the soul, and live not only without hope of heaven, but even without fear of hell, serving s●n so slavishly pleasing the Devil so wretchedly, delighting in the world and their lusts so brutishly, as if their minds were not only made of earth, but as though their souls were made of flesh: I will here let them pass as eare-markt slaves of Satan, with this note of horror & confusion, telling them to the sealing up of their condemnation, that though the general resurrection, seem to them now so strange & prodigious, that their purest understanding sight is not sharp enough to ken and perceive it; yet assuredly the day will come, and it willbe a dreadful direful day for them, when their dullest deadest sense shallbe quick enough to feel it, when they shall see the world burning without them, feel the worm of conscience 
Anselm.  gnawing within them, behold an unappeasable judge above them, beneath soule-thirsty Satan ready to execute God's judgements upon them, on every side the Saints accusing them, and so in an horrible amazement shall cry, but all in vain, to the mountains to fall upon them, to the deeps to swallow them, to the hills to hide them from the sight of him, whose eyes are of flaming fire, before whom it is as intolerable to appear, as not to appear impossible for them. Use. And so I leave them, & return again to ourselves, who are to make a religious use of this Doctrine of the Resurrection, for the life of this persuasion should be the death of sin in us, and the remembrance that there is dies & Deus ultionis, both a day and God of revenge, for his justice inflexible, for his wisdom infallible, for his power unresistible, that there is an eye which seethe us, an ear which heareth us, and a book whercin all our words and works are written, according to which, sentence shall pass upon us in the great day of resurrection.  
The remembrance of these things I say, aught to strike sin in the blade, break it in the head, and kill it to the heart: yea, the due meditation of the reuniting of our bodies and souls together in that day, to be joint partakers of heavenly happiness, must move us all to consecrate both our bodies and souls as pure Nazarits to the service of God, in all holiness, sobriety, and righteousness.  
Belshazzar lost his Kingdom 
Dan. 5.  and life together, for profaning in a carousing jollity the vessels of God's temple; and shall we profane the temples of the holy Ghost our bodies & souls, and put them to base uses, to be slaves to our lusts, drudges to the world, servants to Satan? God forbidden.  
Solomon when he had drawn out the thread of delight, & stretched 
Eccl. 2. 11.  the web of pleasures on the largest tenter of variety, saith, that he found nothing herein but vexation of spirit; doubtless this is the issue of all worldly carnal pleasures. We are therefore to deal with them, as David did with the water brought by his worthies, whereof he would not drink, but powered it forth, saying, O Lord be it far from me that I should do 
2. Sam. 23. 17.  this, Is not this the blood of these men which went in jeopardy of their lives for it? are not these vain pleasures the very price of our fowls? far be it therefore from us to touch them, or taste them, or to be carried away with the allurements of them, lest at length, we be fully, fearfully, and finally tormented for them.  
Remember (saith Abraham to 
Luk. 16. 25.  the rich Glutton) thou in thy life time receivedst thy pleasures, but now thou art tormented. Remember that thou didst disport thy time in wanton dalliance, solace thyself in fond pastimes, far deliciously every day, defending pride to be a point of gentry, drunkenness good fellowship, wantonness a trick of youth, At nunc cruciaris. But now thou which inclosedst all pleasures to thyself in earth, takest up thy rents, and hast thy full payment of pains in hell.  
So true it is that intolerable torments there are ordained, as the wages of fleshly pleasures here: yea the more the pleasures, the greater the torments; for the Lord doth proportion his judgements, according to the measure of men's vanities. So much as she lived in pleasure, so much give ye to her torment 
Reu. 18. 7.  and sorrow. O that those which are led with sensuality would consider of this wages of unrighteousness 
2. Pet. 2. 13.  which they are to receive: O that all which follow wantonness even with greediness, would remember that whilst they live they are dead, 
1. Tim. 5. 6.  and though they think themselves in Dothan, yet if they had grace to lift up their eyes, they should perceive themselves to be in the midst of sinful Samaria, & though 
1. King. 6.  in the world's judgement they seem with Capernaum to be lifted up to heaven, yet behold they are in the very confines of Hell  
O turn you; turn you, for why 
Ezek. 33. 11. Rom. 6. 12.  will you die, saith the Prophet. Let not sin reign any more in your mortal bodies, but if you have stricken hands with it heretofore, shake hands with it now for a farewell. Moriantur ante te vitia, saith Seneca. 
Sen. Epist. 12▪ Bernar. in Sen●  Morere saith Bernard, antequam moreris, sic quando moreris non morieris. Die unto sin before thou diest, so shalt thou live when thou art dead. As God said to Moses, Ascend ut moriaris, so say I to thee o man, morere ut 
Deut. 32. 49.  ascendas, Die to thy earthly desires, mortify thy fleshly lusts, that thou mayest ascend, and mount towards heaven in an holy life.  
As Lot forsook Sodom looking 
Gen. 19  to Zoar his sanctuary; so let us all fly from this world in affection, & meditate on our heavenly being, and strive for perfection; forgetting 
Phil. 3. 13. 14.  what is behind, and following hard towards the mark, for the price of the high calling of God in Christ jesus. Amarescat mundus dulcescat 
Berit.  Christus. Let the world be bitter, that Christ may be sweet unto us, & let no gaude of earthly glory, or blaze of worldly beauty, withdraw our love from him, who when we were his enemies so loved us, that 
Rom. 5. 10.  he voluntarily endured unconceivable torments in body and soul unto death, to procure for our bodies and souls the inheritance of eternal life.  
Arise and departed, for here is not your rest. Mich. 2. This is the Prophet's watchword to the jews, 
Mich. 2. 10.  and it will stand us in good stead if we mark it well, and that we may mark it well once I will rehearse it often. Arise and departed etc. Arise, sleep not in security, depart, abide not in iniquity, for here is not your rest; in heaven alone is true tranquillity.  
For as the Dove sent out of the Ark, found no rest for her feet, 
Gen. 8. 9  whilst she flickered on the floods but was restless, until she returned to the Ark again. So our souls sent from heaven, find no restful footing on the glassy Sea. of this 
Reu. 15. 2.  world, until they return to the true Noah & our saving rest Christ jesus again. Arise then and fly from the world, that Christ may come to live in thy heart by grace, depart, prepare to die, and go out of the world, that thou mayst come to live in heaven with Christ in glory.  
As jacob said to Laban, this long have I served thee and looked to thine affairs, and now it is time to look to myself, and to travel for 
Gen. 30. 30.  mine own house: So say thou to this Laban-like world, this many years have I served thee, seeking the profits and pleasures of a transitory life: Now, now it is high time to make provision for my soul's health, and to labour that mine infinite debts towards God, in regard of mine innumerable sins, may by repentance be discharged, and my Title to an heavenly inheritance by faith in Christ's merits and newness of life, be maintained and justified.  
Arise, stand up from the dead, and Christ shall give thee life. Some lie in their sins as children in their 
Ephes. 5. 14.  swaddling clothes, and so sin of infirmity; some as sick men in their beds, and sin of obstinacy; some as dead men in their graves, and sin desperately; to all these in the name of Christ (who raised three from the dead, jairus daughter, 
Mat. 9 Luk. 7. joh. 11.  the widow of naim's son, and Lazarus, to show that no degree of death in sin is incurable, when he comes to heal) is my commission directed. Arise, cast off the works of darkness, put on the armour of light, depart, not without some fruit of this Doctrine of the resurrection. Even at this instant covenant with thine own soul to rise from dead works to serve henceforward the living God; not God and Mammon too, not God and thy belly too, but the living God alone, walking before him in sincerity and truth, with an upright heart, as good old Ezekiah, 
2. Kin. 20. 2. Chro. 34.  and godly young josiah did.  
To this purpose, first rouse thyself o young man, whatsoever thou art, shake off the fetters of folly, suffer not the bud of thy youth to be blasted in the very sprouting, the Sun to be darkened in the very rising; give not thy wine to the world, keeping the lees for the Lord; give not thy prime days to the Devil, reserving the dog-days for God. Let not Lady Dalila dandle thee on her 
judg. 16.  knee, till she have shaved all thy strength and goodness from thee; give thy youthful pleasures a bill of divorce, for their baggage dealing, never to have more familiarity with them; discharge thy sin betime, least in thine age thou bear the reproach of thy youth, and be forced to cry without comfort or remedy, O utinam. Remember that of Ambrose. Momentaneum 
Ambrose.  est quod delectat, aeternum quod cruciat; a Sea of torture, for a drop of pleasure.  
And thou o man of age and gravity, of what calling and degree soever thou be, be prudent and provident, as it beseemeth thy years, thy place, thy office, thy state, embrace Eliphaz his exhortation. 
job 12. 21.  Acquaint thyself with God, make thy peace with him, there by shalt thou have prosperity. job 22. Wisdom (saith Solomon) is the grey 
Sap. 4.  hair, and an undefiled life is the old age. Let these, o let these, wisdom and an undefiled life meet together in thee, and kiss each other; look narrowly to thy ways, lest either in the greatness of thy power thou forget God, or in the abundance of thy pleasures remember not thyself.  
Be not like Nabuchadnezar, who in the ruff of his pride remembered not who had made him till God had marred him, neither acknowledged who set his joints together, till God had rend his Kingdom asunder. But let my counsel be acceptable to thee o man (whether Knight, justice, Gentleman, or all in one) and let me boldly say to thee as Daniel did to him. Break 
Dan. 4. 24.  off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by mercy towards the poor. Lo let there be an healing of thine errors. Lo, thou hast erred and gone astray by thy pride and luxury, return, return by the holy way of temperance and humility. Thou hast through covetousness and malice sown in hardness of heart, O return by the way of mercifulness and charity, lest thou reap in horror of conscience: Return, return, o Shulamite, as 
Cant. 6. 12.  Christ speaketh to his Spouse, return, return, that we may behold thee, that we may see aswell a sight of thy good works, as hear a sound of thy good words, that we may behold the fruits of amendment in thee: place not the anchor of thine eternal wealth and woe, on so ticklesome a point as thy repentance at last cast.  
Repent, amend, defer not from time to time, lest God in whose hands are the moments of time, cut thee off from all time, and send thee to pains eternal without time, for abusing the singular benefit of time in this world: make not thy deathbed to smart by thy wilful adiournings of thy repentance. In the midst of thy ruling, remember thy reckoning, & suffer now whilst it is to day, the seeds of godliness to be sown more and more in the field of thy repentant heart, that whensoever the night of death cometh, thou mayest reap & receive the plentiful crop of a joyful harvest: furnish thy soul with grace, and enure it to a sweet conversation with God in thy life, so shall the offering of thy deathbed be acceptable, and thou mayest boldly make God the guardian thereof in thy death.  
And now at length to come to 
Tertia Part. Viaticum in via.  my last part, and to shut it up in a word, being desirous to recompense the largeness of my former discourse with the brief touch of that which followeth; let me (Right Worshipful and beloved in jesus Christ) entreat you all, both old and young, which have heard and seen this day, the black colours of death, and the glorious ensigns of the resurrection displayed, to make the due and daily meditation of both useful & profitable unto you, that your practices in this life may hence forward be more commendable, and your passage out of this life when God shall call you, be blessed and comfortable.  
Let me (I say) entreat you all in a serious consideration of the speedy approach of death, sure in the end, unsure in the time, and bitter when it cometh, and of the certain appearance of us all before the judgement seat of Christ, to render an account of our doings, in that day of resurrection; to watch all the days of your life, and with holy job in my text, to wait till your changing shall come. Your change may come at a sudden, therefore be always provided, and provide not so much by corporal physic as the manner of most is, to put off death, that it may not so soon happen unto you as by soul saving physic, repentance, faith, obedience, clearness of conscience, and comforts of God's word, and confidence in his sweet promises, to cut off the sting and malignity of death, that whensoever it comes it may not hurt you.  
This, this is viaticum in via, provision in the way to bring us in safety to the journeys end of everlasting felicity. O run with alacrity this race of piety, set before you, Gratia praeparandus animus, mens 
D. Ambros. li. 1. off c. 38.  stabilienda ad constantiam, saith St. Ambrose, for expedition in this journey pray for grace, practise constancy. Seek earnestly for the things that are above, live after the laws of the new jerusalem which is above; your Burgeship is in heaven, be not then earthly minded, but heavenly affected; labour to get more & more assurance of the forgiveness of your sins, and to feel in your souls the power of Christ's death in dying unto sin, and the virtue of his resurrection in rising to newness of life. And that you may out of the court of Requests, the more easily obtain for all your transgressions an assured pardon & indulgence; put somewhat every day into the court of God's Exchequer, in hope of recompense or remembrance, that, with good Nehemiah you may 
Neh. 13. 22.  say, Lord remember me according to this, and pardon me after thy great mercies. Let the counsel of our Saviour be precious. Lay up treasure 
Matt. 6. 14.  for yourselves in heaven, send your virtuous actions (the best monuments of a Christian) thither before you. Be zealous of good works, studious of piety, abundant in the deeds of charity, for the witness and inward testimony of a well-deeded life, when all other comforts leave you, will relieve and comfort you in death, & accompany you to heaven, and present itself with you before God.  
By these fruits of a lively faith, 
Ezek. 9  as his own marks, God will know and acknowledge us to be his, and for these his own gifts which are our best merits, he will reward us, and this reward, is a life, and such a life as is eternal; is a crown, and 
Rom. 6. 23. 1. Pet. 5. 4. Heb. 12. 28. 1. Pet. 1. 4. 2. Pet. 3.  such a crown as is the crown of glory; is a kingdom, and such a kingdom as cannot be shaken; is an inheritance, and such an inheritance as is immortal & undefiled. For the obtaining of which life, crown, kingdom, inheritance, what manner persons ought we to be in holy conversation and godliness? how ought we in respect of these great and gracious promises, to give all diligence, to join to 
2. Pet. 1. 5.  our faith virtue, to our virtue patience, temperance, brotherly kindness, and all other ornaments of a sanctified life?  
These, these are, Viaticum in 
Bern.  mundo, the saurus in coelo. Provision for spiritual comfort in this world, for a celestial crown in that to come. O let us in this behalf be provident and thriving Christians, and whilst we are in health let us o let us out of the large garden of God's word, gather many sweet flowers to comfort us in the day of sickness, to solace us in the hour of death. Let wisdom enter into our hearts, and the knowledge of 
Prou. 2. 10.  the gospel delight now our souls, that the remembrance of such good lessons as by diligent reading and reverent hearing we have learned, may then stand us in stead, to confirm our faith, to strengthen our hope, and to make us conquerors in that our last combat.  
It hath ever been accounted, more noble and successful, to set upon an 
Note.  enemy in his own home, then to expect till he set upon us, whilst we make a defensive war. This rule serves us very well for our last enemy death, with which we must meet in the way through premeditation in our minds, before it seize upon our bodies; premeditate we 
Rom. 7. 24. Phil. 1. 23.  must with what limitations it is to be desired, in what respect it is to be feared, and for what ends it is daily to be expected. Happy is that soul that can send out the scouts of his thoughts before hand, to discover the power, the peril, the profit of death, and blessed is he that can meditate thus with St. Austin. 
August. med.  If my life may bring farther glory to thee, and good to thy Church, give life sweet jesus, give life; but if it cannot, send death sweet jesus, send death but in the darkness of death, thee to be mine everlasting light and life.  
Doubtless our carelesenes and unpreparation is death's advantage, whereas if we would confront him with courage, in our often, devout, and discreet meditations, and consider how that those worthies of whom the world was not worthy, have gone that way before us, how 
Heb. 11 38.  Christ hath by his death sanctified it unto us, and perfumed the grave for us, we shall find his force less fearful, and make death advantageous unto us; namely, a passage unto a better life, & the very gate to heavenly glory.  
In a longing desire after which glory, the glimpse whereof made S. Peter cry out, Bonum est esse hic, 
Mar. 9 5.  It is good to be here. Let us all not only with job wait for, but with St. Paul wish for our changing, let us (setting our houses and hearts in order) henceforward prepare for our departing, stand fast with our loins girt, and staves in our hand, 
Exod. 12. Gen. 18. 1. King. 19 Mat. 25.  that we may pass over into the heavenly Canaan; with Abraham in the tent door, with Elias in the caves mouth, with the wise Virgins having the light of faith in our hearts, and the burning lamps of good works in our hands, let us be ready to meet the bridegroom, and to follow the lamb wheresoever he goeth.  
It is recorded of Dr. jerom, that wheresoever he was, and whatsoever 
●● vita Hieron  he did, it seemed he heard the Archangel with the trumpet sounding. Surgite ad judicium, Arise unto judgement. I could wish this sound were always in our ears, that it might sink deep into our hearts, and work in them a reverent fear of God, and rouse us out of the sleep of sin, and make us prepared willingly to leave this sinful and wretched world, which is such a pull-backe from God, that Solomon judgeth him that is dead better than him that is alive, for the more days we spend, the more ways we offend.  
In regard whereof, happy were we if with St. Paul, and St. Paul's affection we could say. I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, and 
Phil. 1.  with jacob and jacobs' resolution. O Lord I wait for thy salvation, and 
Gen. 40.  with old Simeon & Simeons' devotion. Lord now lettest thou thy servant 
Luk. 2.  departed in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation: I fear no sin, I dread no death, I have longed enough, I have my love, I have seen enough, I have my light, I have lived enough, I have my life. Lord now let thy servant departed in peace.  
Happy I say were we, if our hearts and mouths were full of these meditations, I must die because I have sinned, I woudl die that I might sin no more, I must die because I am the son of man, I would die that I might be the son of God, I must die because I live with wicked men on earth, I would die that I might live with righteous Saints in heaven. Happy, and thrice happy are they which are thus religiously exercised, and christianly affected.  
Happy then by the judgement of charity, is he (as for the judgement of certainty, the Lord alone knoweth his) who in a comfortable christian manner was thus resolved, and in the time of his sickness, unto his end piously devoted. I mean this breathless deceased Knight, whose funerals we now celebrate. A man well known to you all in the time of his life, best known, and in the best sort to me, as he drew nearer to his death.  
Whom (without offence I hope) I may call good King Ezekiah's knight; for as Ezekiah being summoned by sickness, & the Prophet's 
Isa. 38.  short sermon to prepare for his dissolution, turned presently to the wall, prayed and wept: in the like manner according to that measure of grace which God had given him, did this Knight demean himself, who soon upon his visitation feeling his infirmity, & acknowledging his human frailty turned to the wall, that is from the world to God, to consecrate the short remainder of his life to divine meditation, & humble & hearty prayer, praying often, though not in the like manner as Ezekiah did, Lord remember how I have walked before thee in sincerity and truth, yet to the same effect for mercy, Lord remember not the sins of my youth, weeping also and shedding tears, and such tears, as either were distilled from the bitter herbs of others affliction, by the heat of compassion, or from the sweet flowers of God's mercies, by the flame of godly meditation, or from the evil weeds of his own sins, by the fire of hearty contrition. Whose settled resolution to die assoon as he was visited, whose strong vows a●d protestations to become a new man, if he recovered, whose patience in enduring the pains and grief wherewith he daily languished, whose piety and devotion in begging pardon for his transgressions which he freely confessed, whose charitable disposition in forgiving all, and desiring to be forgiven of all whom he had any way offended, whose constant perseverance in good motions and exhortations, in godly speeches & meditations, as long as life and memory continued; as they deserve my just commendation who was an often witness of it, so do they require your christian imitation, that both in life and death you may be the better for it. I will not study to speak any thing but truth in this business.  
Concerning the former course of his life I will say nothing to it, but if any other can justly except against it, I will say this to him, A little thereof is now enough, and any thing at all is somewhat too much.  De mortuis nil nisi bonum. 
Virgil. Aeneid. 3.  Parce pias scelerare manus oh parce sepulto. 
For mine own part, as I dare not blanche any man's faults, because it is contrary to my profession, so I hold it now an unfit time to blab or blaze a dead man's follies, it is somewhat I think beyond my commission. Charity under one virtue covers many blemishes, whereas malice like a kite, feeding on nothing but carrion, under one vice covers many excellencies: I will leave malice to those which love to dwell in the tents of Meshek, & following the rule of charity, will pass from his former conversation in the days of his health, to that which was much more commendable and comfortable, his godly comportment & behaviour in his sickness until his death, and what I have seen and heard with these mine eyes and ears, I will boldly testify, that at my first coming to him, which was a fortnight before his death, I found him religiously disposed; and concerning his end and passage out of this life well resolved, the apprehension of his sins being so well tempered with a sweet application of God's mercy, that he seemed to me to go an even course betwixt fearless security and saithles despair, the conscience of his manifold transgressions humbling him indeed, and casting him down, but the consideration of God's infinite mercies reviving him, and lifting him up again.  
To whom after I had made known by private conference with him, what an especial sign of God's favour it was, to be so graciously invited by a lingering sickness, as a long sermon, to come by the way of repentance unto him, and hereupon had cheered him up against the terrors of death, and exhorted him to deal faithfully with his own soul, in sorrowing yet more deeply, & suing for a pardon more earnestly, for all the errors of his life, because God did yet wait to 
Isa. 30 18.  show him more mercy, he hereunto made this ready answer.  
I know and feel God to be merciful, and were he not exceeding merciful, I were very miserable, for I have a long account to make; But (fetching a deep sigh) I beseech God to bind all my sins in a bundle, and to cast them into the bottom of the Sea, that they may never rise up in judgement against me; which pithy prayer twice together he uttered, and that with so great vehemency, that in some conflicnt of passion he broke forth into tears & wept bitterly: which sign of gondly sorrow appearing in him, I comforted, and counseled him in the words of the Prophet, telling him that God would treasure up all true repentant tears into his bottle: and if we did mourn 
Psalm. 56. 8.  over Christ jesus, whom we have crucified by our sins, and open unto him a fountain of tears, God would open unto us a fountain of 
Zach. 12. 10. Zach. 13. 1.  grace, to wash us from all our sins, which comfortable place of Scripture, he as feelingly apprehended and applied to his soul in these words, O Lord open this fountain to me, be gracious to me, forgive me, forgive me as I forgive all the world: And so uttering partly of himself, and partly repeating after me these and the like sentences, or short ciaculatory prayers. O Lord in thee 
Psalm. 31. Psalm. 90.  is my trust, let me never be confounded: return Lord and be pacified toward thy servant, comfort me as thou hast afflicted me. Reveal thy grace and glory to me, and in my greatest extremity, refresh me with the sweet taste of thy mercy; my heart fainteth and strength faileth, but in thy help is my only hope, O Lord 
Psalm. 37. 26.  say to my soul I am thy salvation, etc. at length upon his entreaty, the whole company there present joined together with me in a more solemn prayer unto God for him, himself accompanying us very willingly and reverently, and in this prayer behaving himself so passionately, with such wring of his hands, lifting up of his eyes, with such heavy sighs and groans of his heart, expressing the fervency of his zeal and devotion, that the report here of may seem incredible to many which knew his former life and conversation.  
But I know what I speak, and I speak it not to praise the dead, for my praises, preaching, or prayers, cannot profit him, neither to please any of his friends living, for it is baseness of mind this way to pick thank of them, but to the eternal praise of the unspeakable goodness of our everliving God; who showed to this deceased knight so great mercy, as to give him so religious a mind in so great weakness of body, and not only so, but blessed him likewise with a very ready memory from the beginning to the end of his sickness; in such sort that conferring divers times with him about some particulars, concerning sound repentance, and the assurance of Salvation, and the certain tokens of our peace and reconciliation with God, and quoting many places of Scripture, especially out of the 8. Rom 17. joh. & out of the 51. 73. & 91. Psalms to strengthen his faith and affiance in God's mercy through Christ's merits, to confirm his hope in the assured expectation of a joyful resurrection, and to set him forward in the holy way to a happy & better life to come: I must confess to the glory of God, that he would many times meet me half ways in the midst of the said sentences, & apply them to his soul with such fervency and feeling as was much, I saw to his own comfort, but more (as I understand) to his friend's joy and admiration.  
To be short, I come to his death, which was on St. Stephen's day, he accounting it an addition to his hoped for happiness, that he should go to heaven, when so blessed a Martyr ascended, as by one of his dearest friends I was informed, for this I speak upon the report of others, as also how that he spent the beginning of this day in finishing his last will and testament, and in performing kind & charitable offices, for his brethren, sisters, servants, and other friends. The rest as a man sequestered from the world, he spent in prayer, in meditation, and soliloquies, betwixt God & his soul, as if he had learned of dying St. jerom to say, O my 
Euseb. in vita Hieron.  friends interrupt not my approaching joy, do not hinder me from yielding to the earth that which is the earth's: until about the evening coming to him again, he roused himself, and glad of my presence conferred with me, received counsel, comfort, and encouragement from me, being desirous that I, with such also as were present, should once, yea again, and the third time pray for him, feeling belike his time to be short, so that I found him every way as religiously devoted, and christianly affected, and well resolved to die as before; yea more, for as he held his life by many fall & rise, by many faintings and refresh in greater affliction, so he had death in greater affection, his soul drawing nearer to God, as his body to the grave; so that about the end of the said Saint Stephen's day, with S. Stephen's affection praying, and commending his soul to the custody of his Saviour, he peaceably ended his days, and gave up the ghost. Sic sic juuat ire per astra.  
To live saith the Stoic in Seneca, is but to do as our base grooms and beasts do, but to die wisely, constantly, comfortably, is a worthy matter. Thus this knight to the judgement of man died and departed. Worshipfully (you know) he was descended, but most honourably may I now say is he ascended, He is not here. The garment which he wore of borrowed earth, he hath left to be restored to the earth again, and in the better part of himself he is gone, his soul as I hope passing out of Adam's body, into Abraham's bosom.  
And now being gone, I forbidden not his parents to wail for him, as David did for Absalon, 2. Sam. 18. 
2. Sam. 18. 33.  O my son Absalon, o Absalon my son my son. I forbidden not his familiarest friend, and greatest favourite to lament for him, as David for jonathan. Woe is me for thee my 
2. Sam. 1. 26.  brother jonathan, very kind hast thou been unto me, etc. I forbidden not his wife & Lady with the Halcinoe in solitary places to resound her grief in lamentable accents, for the loss of her mate. As for his children, brethren, sisters, and kinsfolk, they may if they please for a time make lamentation for him, like unto that mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon, and they that are of his 
Zach. 12. 11.  own rank Knights and Gentlemen, may if they list howl for him, according to that of Zachary. howl ye fir trees, for a cedar is 
Zach. 11. 2.  fallen, howl ye oaks of Bashan, for a defensed forest is cut down.  
But my counsel unto all is this, Let not the Temple of God be over sad; o temper your conceived grief for that which in him ye have lost, with a truly apprehended joy of the happiness which he hath found, and as the Apostle adviseth, sorrow not without hope 
1. Thes. 4. 13.  for him that is asleep, It is but a sleep which is miscalled death, his grave is his bed, and he shall awake as sure as he lay down, yea more fresh and glorious in the great day of resurrection. Wherefore if this cast any of you down, that he is now gone from you: let this again lift you up, that you must (God knows how soon) go to him, praeit non perit, praemittitur non amittitur (saith St. Cyprian in the 
Cypr.  like case) He is gone before, he is not lost Non dolendum igitur quod decessit, sed gaudendum quod praecessit. Let us not therefore be sorry because he is departed, but rather rejoice because he is exalted in the court of heaven, where all that have lived in God's fear, and died in his favour, are arrived in safety. They are gone before, and follow after we must, and I hope we shall, and I pray God we may.  
Now the Lord jesus grant us all grace, so to follow him, and his faithful servants in holiness here, that we may reign with him and the Saints departed in happiness hereafter, even in the new jerusalem, where we shall be good and not persecuted, rich and not rob, Kings & not flattered, where we shall be ravished with seeing, satisfied with enjoying, and secured for retaining of unconceivable happiness, happy eternity and eternal glory. To the which he bring us, that by his precious blood hath bought us; to whom with the Father the inexhaustible fountain of goodness, and the holy Ghost the indivisible power of them both, we ascribe and desire to be ascribed, all praise and power, might, majesty, and dominion now and forevermore.  
Amen, Amen.   

Vivendo morimur, moriendo vivimus; Ipse  
Qui bene disponit, tempus utrumque sapit.  
FINIS.