A Defiance to Death, Sermon

A Defiance to Death · Sermon

p. 1A DEFIANCE TO DEATH.

1 COR. 15.55.

Oh death, where is thy ſting?

VPright Adam was made immortall: but ſinfull Adam begat all his Sonnes mortall, like as hee had made himſelfe. p. 2Adam then is dead, and ſo all Adams Sonnes but liue to dye. The ſentence of death paſt vponupon vsus in him; wee are but borne to the execution thereof in our ſelues. Euen as Adam himſelfe, for the neceſſity of dying,Gen. 2.17.Gen 2:17 dyed the ſame day that hee ſinned; though, for the euent, and iſſue of death, hee liued an hundred and thirty yeares after that day.Gen. 5.5.Gen 5:5 So in him wee vnderwent the ſame neceſſity; though it be for thouſands of yeares after, that wee are brought out to ſuch an euent. As a Malefactor is a dead man according to the law, at that inſtant the ſentence is pronounced vponupon him: though for ſome few dayes after, the execution be deferred: So according to Gods law and decree, we are all dead in Adams doome: though God bee yet pleaſed to prolong thoſe things of ours, wherein we muſt liue to dye, accordingly as hee hath p. 3doomed vsus. A malefactor is not executed ſometimes of one, two, three, foure, fiue, or ſixe dayes after his iudgement: Euen ſo were we all adiudged to dye, before wee were; but God (with whom a thouſand yeeres is but as one day) hath appoynted the firſt, ſecond, third, fourth, fifth, or ſixt thouſand yeare of the world, to be the day of our execution.

There is a more neceſſity vponupon our death, then our life. No ſuch need, that hee that is not, ſhould be, as that he that now liues, ſhould once dye.

The former may be ſuppoſed, but this other is expreſſed: It is appoynted for all men once to dye. Heb. 9.27.Heb 9:27There is alwaies a more neceſſity of the End, then Meanes. Not onelyonly in execution, but intention, is death the end of life. Mortinati ſumus, wee are borne to dye, and dye from the time that we are borne. Our birthday, p. 2duplicate page p. 3duplicate page p. 4what is it, but the beginning of our death-day? our death-day, what, but the end of our birth day? our birth-day precedes, or happens before our death-day: but our death-day is preferred before our birth-day: The day of death is better then the day that one is borne. Eccleſ. 7.3Eccl 7:3Did wee ſo conſider it, our birth-day is indeed a puniſhment, and our death-day (in compariſon) a reward. Vt ſuppliciam non ſit naſc…, mors efficit. Death is as the remedy againſt the miſeries of life: and to dye, is but to reſt from thoſe labours, and ceaſe from thoſe ſorrowes, whereunto wee were borne. What a plague and puniſhment were our birth-day into a ſinfull and miſerable world, did not our death-day giuegive an end to all ſuch euils, both of ſinne, and paine?

I ſaid, our birth-day is the beginning of our death-day: and our death-day but the end of p. 5our birth-day. We are deceiued, to call the day of our departure onelyonly, the day of our death. On our laſt day indeed we ceaſe to liue, but from our firſt day, wee beginne to dye. Conſummat hora mortem extrema, non facit. Our laſt day doth not cauſe death, but conſummate it, doth rather finiſh, then beginne it. It is not the extream and vtmoſt minute of our life, that brings death vponupon vsus: it rather but manifeſts, that death was alwayes with vsus. As ſpake the Prophet of perſecutions, Wee are killed all the day long, Pſal. 44.22 1 Cor. 15.31.Ps 44:221 Cor 15:31and the Apoſtle Paul concerning his owne ſufferings, I dye daily: So, though no violence come againſt vsus, euen through natures owne frailty, wee dye daily, and by fatall mortality, we are killed all the day long. We dye daily, from the time we firſt beginne to liue: On our firſt day, our life is the longeſt: eueryevery day after, takes one day from our p. 6liues; and the longer wee hauehave liued, the leſſe we hauehave to liue. Quotidie morimur, Senec. lib. 3. epiſt 24.quotidie enim demitur aliqua pars vitae: & tunc quoque cum creſcimus, vita decreſcit. We dye daily, eueryevery day paſſes away a part of our life; and while wee are yet waxing, does our life decreaſe.Ibid. Hunc ipſum quem agimus diem, cum morte diuidimus: This very day that we now liue, doe we diuide with death.Hieron. ad Heliodor. in Epitaph. Neſoliani. Hoc ipſum quod dicto, quod ſcribitur, quod relego, qnod emendo, de vita mea tollitur. As by the times of eating, ſleeping, working, playing: ſo by the inſtants of ſpeaking, reading, writing, our liues are leſſened. Yea (brethren) this houre, theſe moments of my preaching, and your hearing, are taken away from both our liues.

We dye daily: our times dye daily, our actions dye daily, our perſons dye daily. Our times dye daily: the time paſt, is dead p. 7to the time preſent; the time preſent, is dying to the time to come: yeſterday is dead to To-day, and To-day is dying to To-morrow. Our actions dye daily: what is done and paſt, is dead to what is now doing: and what is now doing, is dying to what hereafter muſt bee done. We neither remember what we hauehave done, nor conceiue what wee hauehave done, nor delight in what wee hauehave done: ſo daily dye our actions to our memories, to our vnderſtandings, to our affections. Our perſons dye daily: our infancy dyes into childhood, our childhood into youth, our youth into manhood, our manhood into old age, and our old age dyes into death. A man is in a continuall conſumption of himſelfe: His dayes ſpend him alſo, as hee ſpends his dayes EueryEvery day one part or piece o… him languiſheth or periſheth, corrupteth, and is p. 6duplicate page p. 7duplicate page p. 8caſt away.Seneca vt ſupra. Non repente in mortem incidimus, ſed minutatim procedimus. We dye by piece-meale, and not all at once. There is no day in which our ſpirits vaniſh not, our bloud cooles not, our moyſture dryes not, our ſtomack fayles not, our liuer corrupts not, our lungs conſume not, our bowels yearn not, our heart faints not, our head akes not: eueryevery day, either ſome veine ſtops, ſome ſinew ſhrinkes, or ſome bone breakes: either is ſome skinne withered, ſome fleſh bruiſed, or ſome member decayed. EueryEvery day more then other, either the eyes grow dimme of ſeeing, the eares dull of hearing, or elſe the palate vnſauory of taſting. Thus dye the parts by little and little, and thus is the whole dead at laſt. The Candle ſtill conſumes, from the time it firſt beginnes to burne: ſo wade the oyle and marrow of a mans life, from the time that he begins p. 9to liue. Man is a Candle, that either conſumes himſelfe vponupon the candleſticke of the world, or elſe ſweales away vnderunder the buſhell of his Mothers wombe. The houre-glaſſe runnes continually, from the time it is turned. Man is an houre-glaſſe, but a running ſand, or mouing duſt. And as the ſand in the houre-glaſſe fals corne by corne, or mite by mite, till the heape bee runne out: ſo a man drops away by little and little, till the whole lumpe be done. A Traueller goes many dayes onward to his iourneyes end. Man is this Traueller, this life the way, and death the iourneyes end. And is it a ſtrange thing to dye, when our whole life is but the way to death?Sen. ep. 78. Tu non putabas te aliquando peruenturum ad id, ad quod ſemper ibas? Can we thinke not once to come to, what wee alwayes goe to? There is no way on earth without an end: the p. 10intricateſt labyrinth hath a way out at laſt. Wee goe towards death continually, how ſhould we but meet withall at laſt? Wee dye daily, how ſhould wee but once be dead?Bern. ſer. Miſer homo, quare te omni hora non diſponis? cogita te iam mortuum, quem ſcis neceſſitate moriturum. Wretched man then, who euer thou art, ſeeing thou dyeſt daily, why doſt thou not daily diſpoſe thy ſelfe for death? thinke thy ſelfe now dead, whom thou knoweſt needes muſt dye. Woe to vsus wretches all! that ſo many of vsus are ſo neare death, and yet put it ſo farre from vsus: ſo neere it in the euent, and yet put it ſo farre from vsus in the conſideration. Death is ready to take vsus by the hand, in the naturall execution; ere wee are willing to take death to heart by a chriſtian meditation. Wee goe toward the graue, with our faces backward: our feet are at poynt to fall into p. 11it, ere our eyes once looke vponupon it. We many feele Death before we know Death: & are brought wofully to hazard, or experience it; ere we are drawne wiſely to conſider, and conceiue it, though we ſee it dayly in others; yet can we not be led to conſider it in our ſelues: hereof hauehave we daily warning;Eucher: epiſt: Paraen. yet will we make it vnawares. Nihil ita quotidie homines vt mortem, vident; nihil ita obliuiſcuntur vt mortem. Men daily behould nothing more then Death, and yet then Death, they forget, they neglect nothing more. But to bring you (beloued) to the knowledge, the conſideration & remembrance of Death; I hauehave taken this text (O Death, where is thy ſting) both to inſtruct you concerning it; as alſo to incourage you againſt it. Where note firſt an Appellation, ſecondly an Interrogation: an Appellation, or Death ſummoned; O Death! an Interogation, p. 12or Death dared; Where is thy ſting? Where I hauehave 1. Something to ſay to Death, for your inſtruction; O Death! 2. One thing to aske of Death, for your incouragement; Where is thy ſting?

I. The Appellation, or Death ſummoned; where I am to ſay ſomething to Death, for your inſtruction: O Death!

O Death! what art thou? a Chimaera, a Fable, a Buggebeare a Dreame, a Shadow, a nothing. O Death, thou art a ſtrange thing conſider: Thou art none of Gods Creature:Wiſedom. 1.13. God made not Death, neither hath he pleaſure in the deſtruction of the liuing. God is the God of our being, he delights not in our deſtruction. Death was intended not for vsus, but for our Sinne: therefore are we mortall, that ſinne might not bee immortall: Wee muſt therefore dye, once, that it might not alwayes liue.

p. 13O Death, what doſt thou? thou diſſolueſt the rareſt compact of Heauen and Earth; thou diſtinguiſheſt betwixt our Spirit, and our Clay; Body and Soule thou ſeparateſt, ſharper art thou then any two edged ſword, and entreſt to the diuiding a ſunder of the Soule and Spirit, thou euen diuideſt betwixt the marrow and the bone. Thou makeſt our Duſt returne to the Earth, whence it was taken; and our Spirit to God that gaue it.

Oh Death! thou makeſt our Spirit vaniſh, our Breath ſtop, our blood coole, our colour change, our Beauty fade, our Strength fall,Eccleſ. 12.Eccl 12 Thou makeſt the keepers of the houſe (our hands) to tremble, and the ſtrong men (our feet) to bow themſelues: Thou makeſt the grinders (our Teeth) to ceaſe, and them that looke out of the windowes (our Eyes) to waxe darke: Thou p. 14ſhutteſt the Doores of our lippes and ſtoppeſt our windpipes, the Daughters of our ſinging: Thou cutteſt ſhort the ſiluer cord of Marrow; and breakeſt the golden Ewer of our Brainpanne: Thou breakeſt the Pitcher of our veines, at the Well of our Liuer; at the Ceſterne of our Heart, there breakeſt thou the wheele of our Head.

O Death, Heb. 9.27.Heb 9:27thou art doomed to vsus all. It is appointed for all men once to dye. We all walke this one way, all tread this one path; we muſt all ſleepe, our laſt ſleepe; and that darke night of Death, will once ouertake vsus all, Patres noſtri praeterierunt, nos abimus, poſteri ſequuntur. Eucher: Paraen.Our Fathers are dead, our Friends are dead, and our ſelues alſo muſt dye. Some are gone before vsus, ſome accompany vsus and ſome come after vsus, like waue after waue are we daſht againſt the hard and cold ſtone Death, Serius aut citius, metam p. 15proper ammad vnaus. And thus ſoone, or late we dye all at laſt. We are borne, with condition to dye: We therefore put on the Garment of our Body, to put it off. and at firſt take vp the load of Nature, to lay it dowen at laſt. Death is Natures Law; and to dye, is but to pay Natures Tribute. It is as naturall for vsus to liue, and dye; as for to wake, and ſleepe:

O Death, Thou art certainely comming, yet vncertaine is it when thou wilt come. Nil certius morte, at hora mortis incertius nihil. Nothing more certaine then Death; but then the houre of Death, nothing more vncertaine;Matth. 24.36.Matt 24:36 Of that day, and houre knoweth no man. That is, of the day of Iudgement, & the houre of Death. Death comes as a Thiefe in the night, both ſuddenly, and violently: it takes vsus, one vponupon the houſe top, another in the Field; one working p. 16in the Vine-yard, another grinding at the Mill: one vponupon the houſe top of honours, another in the field of Pleaſures; one abouring in the Vineyard of a Chriſtian Calling, another grinding at the Mill of worldly affaires.Eccleſ. 9.12.Eccl 9:12 A man knoweth not his time, that is, the time of his death. God will not tell vsus the time, when Death ſhal come vponupon vsus; becauſe hee would hauehave vsus thinke it neuer but neere vsus: He will not let vsus know our laſt day; becauſe he would hauehave vsus ſuſpect and expect eueryevery day to be our laſt. Latet vltimus dies vt obſeruentur omnes dies. Aug de diſcipl: Chriſtiana.This one houre, the houre of Death is hidden from vsus; that all the houres of our life might the rather be obſerued by vsus.

O Death, thou art impartiall, and indifferent to all. Pauperam tabernas, regumque turres: thou knockeſt equally at the Pallace, as the Cottage doore: thou likeneſt p. 17a Kings ſcull to a Beggers, and makeſt no difference betweene their duſt. Neither haſt thou pitty vponupon the Poore, nor reſpect vntounto the Rich; neither ſcorneſt thou the fooliſh, nor doſt thou reuerence the wiſe:Eccleſ. 2.16.Eccl 2:16 How dyeth the wiſeman? as doth the Foole. The oldman, thou long threatneſt; the yong man, thou ſoone betrayeſt, Neither ſpareſt thou for Age, Sexe, Degrees, nor Gifts. No Power of ours can forbid thee; no Diligence auoyd thee; no teares moue thee; Price hire thee; no art, or Eloquence perſwade thee.

O Death, thou art manifold: thou commeſt to vsus in ſundry hues and ſhapes. Thou approacheſt pale, and leane, to the old man; bloody, & boyſterous, to the yong man; blacke as hell, to the bad man, and but vgly, vntounto eueryevery man. Thou comeſt to vsus, ſometimes in Mens hands, ſometimes in Beaſtes mouthes, ſometimes p. 18in a flame of fire, ſometimes in a waue of water, ſometimes in a blaſt of wind; ſometimes in the ſlipping of a foote ſomtimes in the faling of a ſtone Thou comeſt to vsus, ſometimes in our cloaths, and ſometimes in our Meate and Drinke. We dye diuerſly: Some by warre, ſome in Peace; ſome by Sea, ſome by land; ſome in the Field, ſome on our Beds; ſome by our own violence, or Intemperance ſome by a ſudden wound, and ſome by a languiſhing diſeaſe Mille modis lethi miſeres mors vnafatigat. And thus, by a thouſand wayes of dying, one Death deſtroyes vsus all.

O Death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee, Eccluſ. 41.1.2.Sir 41:1Sir 41:2to a man that liue that reſt in his poſſeſſions, &c. O Death, how acceptable is thy iudgement vntounto the needfull, &c. O Death thou art a ſhadow indeed, thou fleeſt thoſe that follow thee; and followeſt thoſe p. 19that flee thee, Mors optata recedit; at cum triſtis erit, praecipi. tata venit. Thou haſtneſt then, when we wiſh to eſchue thee; then delayeſt thou, when we ſeeke to imbrace thee. Death is the rich mans Feare; and the poore mans Deſire: Often called vponupon, in Aduerſity; neuer thought vponupon in proſperity. In proſperity, we complaine, and cry with Hezekiah, Iſa. 38.Isa 38to hauehave it further added into our dayes: But in aduerſity, we can be content eueryevery one to wiſh with Elijah; It is enough now O Lord, 1 King. 19.4.1 Kgs 19:4take away my Soule, for I am no better then my Fathers.

O Death! How fearefull a thing art thou to fleſh and blood? How abhor we, to hauehave the graue, forour houſe; to make our bed in darkeneſſe; to ſay to Corruption, thou art my Father; and to the Worme, thou art my Siſter, and my Mother? How doe we hate to inherit p. 18duplicate page p. 19duplicate page p. 20ſerpents, and wormes; to be ſeparated from our ſelues; to be returned to our duſt? how does Death terrifie vsus, not onelyonly in our owne experience, but others example? In others Example; ſo oft as we ſee or heare another is dead; it troubles vsus to thinke, that wee alſo muſt dye. For our owne experience; how are we then agaſt, not knowing either what we muſt be or whither we muſt goe? Wee are afraid to dye, euen we, who hauehave good hope after Death: Euen we that looke for an houſe not made with hands; are notwithſtanding loath to leaue this houſe of clay: we that hauehave the promiſe of a Kingdome, are but vnwilling to forgoe our Priſon: There is a Feare in vsus, to be diſſolued; notwithſtanding our Deſire to be with Chriſt: and we many irke to vndergoe the Paſſage, that euen reioyce to approach to the Home.

p. 212 An interrogation, or death dared, where I am to aske this one thing of death, for your incouragement: where is thy ſting?

Not onelyonly this I am now to aske of death but that I hauehave already ſaid to death, (truely conſidered) ſerues to incourage vsus againſt death. Death is a ſhadow, foreign,Chryſ. ad pop. hom. 5. but a very Bug-beare: and are we (like children) afraid of Hobgoblings onelyonly? death is a nothing, and are wee afraid of we know not what? Death ſeparates betwixt ſoule and body; why feare wee ſo it ſhould diſſolue vsus, when wee ought to reioyce rather, that it cannot deſtroy vsus? Feare wee what may ſeparate vsus from our ſelues? rather imbrace we, what will conuey vsus to Chriſt. Death is deomed to vsus all, and why feare we, what we cannot eſchew? Our willingneſe to dye, is the onelyonly way to preuent the neceſſity of p. 22death.Chryſ in Mat. 10.Matt 10 Offeramus Deopro munere, quod debito teneamur reddere. Let vsus therefore offer God our liues, as a free gift, which hee will otherwiſe require as a due debt. Deaths comming is vncertaine, and ſhall any vncertaine thing cauſe in vsus a certaine feare? Incertum eſt, Sen. ep 26.quo te loco mors expectet; itaque tu illam omni loco expecta. Rather, ſeeing it is vncertaine, at what time, or in what place death will ouertake vsus; let vsus therefore bee ſure to expect death at all times, and in eueryevery place. Death is equall and impartiall to all; this alſo ſhould make vsus leſſe afraid of death.Sen ep. 30. Quis queri poteſt, in ea conditione ſe eſſe, in qua nemo non eſt? Who can complaine, when himſelfe is but in ſuch a caſe or condition, in which none are not? Who lookes that ſhee ſhould ſpare any, that knowes her indifferent to all? When the like ruine is threatned to an whole p. 23world, who expects that himſelfe ſhould eſcape alone? Some comfort againſt the cruelty of death, is her equality. There are diuers wayes of dying, and ſhould that make vsus afraid of death? No matter how we dye, ſeeing the moſt is but to be dead. Non multum curandum eſt eis, Aug. lib. 1. Ciu. Dei.qui neceſſario merituri ſunt, quid accidet, vt moriantur; ſed moriendo, quo ire cogantur. Since wee muſt dye, it skilleth not how we dye, but whether we muſt goe after death. Laſtly, death is a thing fearefull to fleſh and bloud; yet ſhould not all this make vsus afraid of death. For it is not death, but the feare of death, that is ſo fearefull. This feare fulneſſe is rather from our owne ignorance, then according to the nature of the thing, Chryſ. ad pop. hom. 5.foreign: did we but know death, wee would not ſo feare death. The feare of death p. 24is the puniſhment of our ignorance and negligence, which make vsus apprehend things, as new and ſtrange things, which otherwiſe are neither ſtrange, nor new. The onelyonly way then to make death not ſo fearefull to vsus, is (by a daily meditation thereof) to make it more familiar; to acquaint our ſelues withall, before the comming, that we may leſſe feare it when it comes. And thus, firſt learning not to feare death, at laſt come wee to dare death; O death! where is thy ſting?1 Cor. 15.26.1 Cor 15:26

Death is not yet deſtroyed, for the laſt enemy that ſhall be deſtroyed is death; but death is already diſarmed; O death, where is thy ſting? The Text is an foreign: The Captaines ſong of victory, as alſo the Souldiers ſong of deliuery. The words are of a mighty Conquerour, brauely inſulting ouer a baſe and wretched enemy. And who is p. 25this conquerour of death, but Chriſt Ieſus, the Lord of life? It was hee, ſpake in the Prophets words, O death, Hoſ. 13.14.Hos 13:14I will bee thy death; and in his power, ſpeakes the Apoſtle here, O death, where is thy ſting? Greg. hom. 22.Quia in electis funditus occidit mortem, mors mortis extitit. Chriſt did once ſubdue death for vsus; O death, I will be thy death; and we may now deride death in Chriſt, O death, where is thy ſting? Olim morti noſtrae, Leo ſerm. 8. paſſion.mortis ſuae potentiam minabatur. Chriſt once threatned his death to our death, O death, I will be thy death; wherefore wee now may glory in the vertue of his death, againſt the malice of our owne, O death, where is thy ſting?

Chriſt ouercame death by dying: nay, through death, deſtroyed be, not death onelyonly, but him alſo that had the power of death, the Deuill.Heb. 7.14.Heb 7:14 Our Captaine both beate our enemy at her owne weapon, and caught the p. 26Hunter in his owne ſnare. Hee but yeelded to death, to take aduantage againſt her: yea, therefore dyed the life, that death might no longer liue.Chryſ. in Math. 12.Matt 12 Wherefore, Non Chriſtum mortuum in morte credimus, ſed mortem mortuam in Chriſto. Wee doe not thinke that Chriſt is dead in death, but beleeue that death is dead in Chriſt. Death, that greedy Whale durſt deuoure Chriſt, our Ionas, (who was therefore caſt forth into the ſea of the world, that ſo the ſtormes and tempeſts of the deuill, and ſinne, might ceaſe) but hee was preſerued aliue in the Fiſhes belly (the belly of hell, the iawes of death) to preach repentance to the Niniue of the Church. This ſame Whale ſwallowed the baite of Chriſts humanity, but the hook of his diuinity intangled her, and made her vomit vp her bowels,Hieron. lib. 1. ep. ad Heliodor. together with the baite. Deuoraſti, & deuorata es. Death p. 27thought to hauehave ſwallowed Chriſt downe in obſcurity, and ſo death her ſelfe was ſwallowed vp in victory. Death, that Serpent, was bold to ſting Chriſt; but he made her loſe her ſting for her labour. His humanity could but receiue her ſting, of which his Diety did depriue her. So that wee may well aske her in him: O death, 1 Cor. 15.56. Ioh. 1.29.1 Cor 15:56John 1:29where is thy ſting? The ſting of death is ſinne: Chriſt, the Lamb of God, hath taken away the ſins of the world. In Chriſt Ieſus therefore may we ſecurely ſay: O death, where is thy ſting?

Iob askt of man, Man dyeth, and where is he? Iob 14.10.Job 14:10but wee may aske as much of death: Man dyeth, and where is death? yea, wee may aske concerning the worſt of death, deaths ſting; O death, where is thy ſting? Iacob thus bewailed the death of Ioſeph, Ioſeph is dead Ioſeph is not.Gen. 42.Gen 42 And Rachel wept for her children, and would not bee comforted, p. 26duplicate page p. 27duplicate page p. 28becauſe they were not.Math. 2.Matt 2 Becauſe death was there, they thought their children to bee no where. But now, death does but conuey vsus where we ſhould be, and death it ſelfe is no where. O death, where is thy ſting? Death is quite vndone ſince the Croſſe of Chriſt. When death entred firſt into the world,Exod. 15.Exod 15 it was like the waters of Marah, exceeding bitter: but ſince the Tree of the Croſſe of Chriſt, was caſt therein, it is now ſeaſoned and ſweetned vntounto vsus. Wee might once cry out with the children of the Prophets:2 King. 4.2 Kgs 4 death is in the pot, death is in the pot: But ſince, Chriſt hath ſaid, This Cup is the new Teſtament in my bloud: we may now ſay with the Saints of God; The Cup of Saluation, Saluation is in the Cup. There is now no more death, ſince the Lord of life. Vita cius inſtruxit noſtram, mors deſtruxit noſtram. His life hath inſtructed our life, p. 29his death, deſtroyed our death; his life quickened ours, his death ſweetned ours. his life tooke away death from our life; his death, gaue life to our death.

The Text askes not this queſtion; O death, what is thy ſting? yet doe the words following make anſwere to ſuch a queſtion; The ſting of death is ſinne. (Death belike is not the ſting of ſinne, but ſinne the ſting of death: peccato enim morimur, Anſelm. in l….non morte peccamus; Sith we d…e indeed, by ſinning, but ſinne not by dying.) And as the words following anſwere to a queſtion, they aske not; So my Text askes a queſtion, to which it anſweres not; O death, where is thy ſting? It does not tell you where it is, to tell you, it is no where. Death hath now no ſting. I am non eſt ſtimulus, ſed ſibilus, immo iubilus. Reioyce all, and be glad; This Serpent may hiſſe at vsus, this Bee may buzze about vsus, but now p. 30can neither pricke nor ſting. The ſting of death is gone; there remaines but the name of death; nay, not the name of death to them that are in Chriſt Ieſus. Mors piorum, non mors dicenda, &c. The death of the godly is not to bee called a death, but a ſleepe, a reſting from their labours, a deliuery from their priſon, a laying downe their loade, a flitting to their home. Death hath loſt her ſting. Death is now no puniſhment, but a paſſage; not ſo much an end of this preſent life, as an entrance to a better; not a deſtruction now, but a diſſolution, ſeparating body and ſoule for a time, that ſo both may be conioyned with Chriſt to eternity.

Thus hauehave I askt this one thing of death, O death; where is thy ſting? Now let me aske this one thing of you, why are you ſo deſperately and forlornely afraid of death, hauing heard p. 31and knowne how death hath loſt her ſting? Oh ſaithleſſe man, and faint hearted! Why trembleſt thou now to incounter with thy laſt enemy, ſince her weapon is taken from her? Shrinkeſt thou ſo at the coldneſſe of the Serpent, when thou knoweſt her poyſon and ſting are both away? Oh faithleſſe, and faint-hearted, to be ſo afraid of a ſhadow? Ah wretches! why feare wee death ſo deſperately; that are not loſt, but ſent before; whom death vtterly deſtroyes not, but eternity once receiues? It is for them to feare death ſo deſperately, that paſſe from one death to another; namely, from a death of the body once on earth, to the death of body and ſoule in hell for euer. It is for them ſo forlornely to feare a temporall death, that are either ignorant, or deſperate of eternall life. It is for them ſo to feare their flittings, that goe from p. 32their priſon, to the place of their execution. But as for vsus that are in Christ Ieſus, wee paſſe from a Priſon, to a Palace; from a Dunghill, to a Throne, from a crazy and wretched Tabernacle, to a certaine and bleſſed home.Cypr. de mortal. Eius eſt mortem timere, qui non vult ad Chriſtumire. It is for them to feare to be diſſolued, that hope not to be with Chriſt. A forlorne feare of death, is but a deſpaire of life after death. Men had rather ſuffer a great deale of paine, and liue, then dye but with a little paine: the which betokens, that it is ſomething after death, that is ſo fearefull, and not death it ſelfe. Let them then deſire to linger in the miſeries of this preſent life, that ſo but delay awhile the torments of the life to come. But as for vsus that are in Chriſt Ieſus, after many our ſtormes and ſhipwracks, why feare wee to arriue at our Hauen? Hauing fought a good p. 33fight, and finiſhed our courſe, why doubt we to goe and hauehave our crowne? hauing runne our race, why are we ſo loath to obtaine our price? Why ſhould we feare the threatnings of a temporall death, that may reioyce in the promiſes of eternall life?Rom. 14.8Rom 14:8 Whether we liue, wee liue vntounto the Lord, whether we dye, we dye vntounto the Lord: therefore whether wee liue or dye, we are the Lords: Neither let vsus bee ſo diſſolute, and prophane of life, as therefore aſhamed to liue, nor ſo ignorant and negligent of death, as therefore afraid to dye. But at the inſtant of our ſeuerall flittings, ſay eueryevery one, as a dying Saint; Egredere, quid times? Hieron in vita Hilarion.egredere anima mea, &c. Goe forth my ſoule! why feareſt thou? goe forth. Learne each ſoule to ſay at the laſt paſſage of his pilgrimage: what though I dye. I know my Redeemer liueth; though I be diſſolued from my p. 34ſelfe, yet ſhall I bee conioyned with Chriſt. Lye then downe (my body!) and returne vntounto thy duſt; mount thou aloft (my ſoule!) and meet thy Sauiour in the ayre; my body may be but wormes-meate for a while, my ſoule (I am aſſured) ſhall be an Angels fellow for euer.

I hauehave done with my Text as concerning you, before whom it hath beene vttered. I am now onelyonly to apply it to this honourable party, for whom it was intended. This honourable party, your doletull ſpectacle, and my Texts vntimely occaſion; This honourable party, our Maſter, Father, Brother; this honourable party, whoſe honour, for his perſon, now lyes in the duſt; for his ſucceſſion, Lord let it long, and much, both continue and increaſe.

The bleſſed Saints of God p. 35learne many good leſſons in their liues, which they both teach, and vſe at their death. Concerning this Saint now departed, wee that heard, can witneſſe, how well he had learnt to adapt the prayers and ſayings of the faithfull, and former Saints, to his owne, and inſtant neceſſities.Luk. 2.Luke 2 He ſang with Simeon, Lord, now letteſt thou thy ſeruant depart in peace. Hee prayed with Saint Paul, deſiring to be diſſolued, Phil. 1.Phil 1and to be with Chriſt. Yea, ſaid hee, with both the lingring and longing Saints, How long Lord, how long? Euen ſo come Lord Ieſus, Reu. 6. Reu. 22.Rev 6Rev 22come quickly. One of theſe ſweet ſayings of his owne application, had giuen me my Text to treat of, ſaue that I conſidered, this Text that I hauehave choſen, did as much as intimate them all. For, to pray to depart, to deſire to be diſſolued, to call for the haſ…ening, and to complaine of the deferring; What other is all p. 36this, but as in my Text, earneſtly to ſummon death, O death! and ſtou…y to daredeath, where is thy ſting? Hee mentioned the departing, hee expected the diſſoluing, but he neuer feared the ſtinging. Hee knew hee ſhould not be loſt, he ſhould but depart; therefore ſayes he, Lord, now letteſt thou thy ſeruant depart, &c. He knew well, death could but diſſolue him, it could not deſtroy him; he therefore ſaid, I deſire to be diſſolued, &c. And this is no more, then as if hee had demanded of death here in defiance; O death, where is thy ſting? As hee had thus ſaid; O death, thou art death indeede, and thou mayeſt diſſolue mee; but where is thy ſting? Sting haſt thou none, and therefore thou canſt not deſtroy me.

It hath beene alwayes the Churches vſe, not onelyonly to relate, but commend the liues of the Faithfull, being dead, that ſo p. 37the liuing might come to know their conuerſation, and bee brought to follow their example. Both for our information, and imitation of this Saint deceaſed; I could gladly, (as I might iuſtly) inlarg my ſelfe to a volume of …is prayſe. I flatter him not to ſay the beſt I can of him, that is now better then I can tell how to ſay. To p…ayſe a good man after his death, is not to flatter him, but to prayſe God for him: beſides, a dead mans commendation, is the liuings admonition. Then wh… ſhould we forget, whom we ought to imitate? Why ſhould his vertues dye with him, before men on earth? whoſe graces are gone before him, and liue before the face of Chriſtin heauen. Let vsus yet therefore ſpeake of him, when wee cannot now ſpeake with him. Let vsus hauehave him now in our mindes, while he is now no more before our eyes: hauing p. 38now loſt his preſence, let vsus inioy him yet in his remembrance.

The life of our Honourable and deare Brother departed, muſt I remember vntounto you, according to the two-fold ſtate of life; his proſperity, his aduerſity; and in them both, I commend vntounto you his Chriſtianity. Hee is worthy the conſideration in either ſtate: In as much as hee dranke deepe of a mixed Cup; both had he his ſhare of the honey-combe, and withall, was vineger and gall made his portion to drinke: as a large talent was giuen him, ſo an heauy load was layd vponupon him. God wonderfully both bleſſed, and afflicted him, becauſe in both (as himſelfe both found and ſaid) God would try him to the full. And indeede, neither ſtate did more then exerciſe, and examine him: for, neither did the height of his proſperity, puff… p. 39him vp, nor could the depth of his aduerſity depreſſe him. In his proſperity I neuer heard but that he was iuſt, and temperate. This I can ſay, hee was both humble and thankefull in his affliction.

1. For his proſperity in particular; and there to beginne with him as ſoone as he began to proſper. He was a man (as it is well knowne) worſhipfully borne, religiouſly educated, wiſely inſtructed, honorably promoted; A man happy in a loyall wife, ioyfull in vertuous children, proſperous in worldly wealth. Nor were his proſperity ſo commendable, but for his Piety, and charity. For his Piety, he ſerued his God, hee reuerenced the Church, hee heard the word, he beleeued the truth, he endeauoured the good; His ſighs and teares, could witneſſe his tender heartedneſſe; ſo his prayers, and meditations, his p. 38duplicate page p. 39duplicate page p. 40heauenly mindedneſſe. For his Charity, it is well noted, where euer he had any thing to dee, the firſt thing he did, was alwaies to doe good. Beſides his oft, and priuate almes, his light moreouer ſhines in publique, and both in City, and country, men may ſee his good workes. Were I (for memory, and imitation ſake) to catel…gue, or record his works, I could declare when, how, where, hee ſpared neither for hundreds, nor for thouſands, to doe good. But ſuch a thing I rather thinke worthy a wide worlds eye, then but only a ſmall peoples care. What he hath beſtowed to pious and charitable vſes amount to more then 11000. pounds. And this the ſeuerall places endowed can truely witneſſe, and Parties beneſitted ſhall thankfully confeſſe. Both liuing and dying was he largely and variouſly beneficent. As for the moſt things of p. 41common vſe, and neede, theſe were the obiects of his liberality. Hale, Hoſpitals, Priſons, Schooles, Colledges, and Churches; of ſome was he ſole Founder, to ſome a free Benefactour I might (not amiſſe) call him a man of good workes. Hee was food to the hungry, a garment to the naked, comfort to the ſicke, a reliefe vntounto the priſoner, and an harbour euen to the ſtranger: For, beſides thoſe of his acquaintance, many one had cauſe to bleſſe him, that ſcarce euer ſaw his face. One thing I may not here omit, that when he had done much good for many, hee further demanded of vsus, Who was there would hauehave him doe any thing for them? And when he had freely and orderly giuen the laſt he gaue, hee yet ask…, what elſe was for him to doe? Though his good deeds were many and munificent, yet ſuch words ſhewed a minde, p. 42beyond his deeds; that wh…n he had done well, and ſufficient, yet was he not ſatisfied with doing good.

2 Touching his aduerſity; his heauenly Father, as hee had for a long time imbraced this his Sonne, in the armes of his bleſſings: ſo did his heauy hand ſcourge him ſore, now that hee receiued him. Hee ſo cheriſhed him, as not to let him eſcape the whip. And all to tell him, he could not be ſo happy here, as not to be miſerable, and muſt be miſerable a while, to be happy for euer, During the time of his ſinkneſſe, his ſufferings were both tedious and extreame, ſo that (comparing h… p…ines cogether with his yeares) we wondred he could be ſo mightily afflicted, and yet ſo … ſubſiſt in his afflictions. Both were his paines great, and groanes many, and (for many … together) his …, p. 43and ſleepe (in compariſon) ſmall, or none. His Bed was but as his Racke; the place of naturall refreſhment, as an engine of extreame torment. Nor was any time ſo reſtleſſe to him, as the common time of reſt. For all which, he was neuer heard to charge God fooliſhly, but alwayes, in his wholeſome Admonitions, his holy Confeſſions, his hearty Inuocations; ſo improoued hee his breath to the laſt. All thoſe godly and comfortable ſayings that proceeded from him, ſhould I now vtter them in particular, I ſuppoſe it would bee another Sermon to recite them. Laſtly, hauing both appoynted, and perfected his whole bequeſts, and ſo ſet his houſe in order, and now quite renounced the world, ſetting himſelfe (as he ſaid) to preſent his ſoule before God in Chriſt: after a long and bitter agony, and now towards the doomed p. 44and expected moment of this peaceable paſſage: while our hearts groaned, and eyes diſtilled in their deuotions his ſoule beganne already to be rauiſhed in her heauenly viſions, and bleſſed contemplations: and ſo, he cheerefully flitting from vsus, left vsus ſadly looking on.

To inſiſt long vponupon the vertues of the Dead, is (in ſome caſe) to adde vntounto the ſorrowes of the liuing: For, to heare his goodneſſe prayſed, cannot but this way grieue vsus, namely, in that wee hauehave loſt ſo great a good. We hauehave loſt him, w… hauehave loſt him; nor indeed is he loſt, but to vsus. We hauehave ſome loſt a Lord, ſome loſt a Friend, ſome loſt a Magiſtrate, ſome loſt a Maſter, ſome loſt a Pe…re, ſome loſt a Patron, one loſt a Husband, ſome loſt a Father, and (to mine owne particular) next a Father, his loſſe was mine. To reckon ſo manifold p. 45a loſſe, my Teares begin to ſtop my ſpeech; and bid me bewaile it rather in ſobbes, then words. But I refraine the rather to let looſe mine owne paſſion at this time and place; conſidering how vnfitting he is to comfort others, whoſe owne ſorrowes ouercome himſelfe. It is not for me now to ſhew ſorrow in my face, that am now to ſpeake comfort to your heatts.

Comfort we our ſelues therefore (Brethren) in the Lord, in whom (wee beleeue) this our Brother doth now reioyce. Let vsus be content to loſe him whom it hath pleaſed God to gaine: How iuſtly might he take him away from vsus, that euen gaue him to himſelfe? Letvs not only bewaile that we want him, but reioyce rather, that once we had him, He is dead, neither the firſt, nor laſt: we muſt follow after, whither he is but gone before. Neither was he violently p. 46nor vntimely ſnatcht away from vsus, but he ſlept peaceably, and dyed in a good age. Let it not then ſo afflict vsus, to thinke how wee may miſſe him here on earth, as reioyce vsus to expect how we muſt meet him in the Ayre, at the laſt comming of the Lord Ieſus. To which comming of thine (Lord Ieſu) not only haſten, but prepare: that when thou ſhalt deſcend from Heauen with a ſhout, with the voyce of the Archangell, and the Trumpe of God; we which ſhall then liue and remaine, may be caught vp with them (euen this our Brother, and all thine holy Saints and Angels) in the clouds; and ſo be, & be bleſt with thee our onelyonly Lord and Sauiour, for euer and euer. Amen.

FINIS.