Observations Divine and Moral, Chapter 62
CAP. LXII. Of Death.
NAturall death stands in the separation of the soul from the body: spiritúall of the soul, and whole man from God, in respect of grace: eternall in respect both of grace, and glorie, with the sense of the contrarie evils. By sin death in all three degrees came into the Rom. 5.world. For albeit God onelyonly have immortalitie, and unchangeablenes from, and in himself, and that all creatures1 Tim. 6. (and so man, with the rest, in regard of his elementarie body) be subject to change, save as they do depend upon him that uncreated beeing, and are susteyned, and upheld by the word of his power, and by a continuall influx fromHebr. 1. him; yet God having engraven his image in man, did both so temper his body, and order all creatures, under his providence, for him; as that nothing but sin could possibly impeach his life, or welfare. By his sin he actually lost spirituall life; and the right both to temporarie, and eternall. The first death is a naturall evill: the second a spirituall: the third both. For although in regard of the universall, and of Gods supernaturall ends, it be better that a man bee, to be continued, though in eternall miserie; then that he should cease to be altogether: yet in regard of the persons particular (as better Math. 18.eye out, then ever akeing) better never to have been born, or by death utterly to be abolished, as the bruit beasts are; then to live, and continue alwayes accursed, and miserable.
By naturall death divers men, how like soever they have been in their temporall state, become most unlike in their eternall: the wicked miserable without hope; and the godly happy without fear: And by the same death, both they and all other, in other things, altogether alike, how unlike soever they have been in them formerly. After death remayns no naturall or civill relation; as of father, son; housband, wife; or the like: all these are for this life onelyonly. The liveles earth untoEccl. 12. which the body returns, is altogether uncapable of them: so is the soul, being a spiritual substance, whether in heaven or hell. With them in glory, after the end of1 Cor. 15. Math. 22. the world, God shall be all in all: and men shall be like the angels, neyther taking wives, nor giving in mariage, nor remayning maryed. Peter and Paul neyther are, nor shall be Apostles there; neyther is the virgin Mary Christs mother there: but they onelyonly remayn those persons which sometimes, upon earth, had these states, and relations upon them. If there be any naturall, or bodily difference Ambrose.after death, it is, that the bodyes of the richer s…inck the more by reason of their greater fulnes, and aboundance whilst they lived. And for the good, and bad, which are mingled together Austin.in this life, but cannot agree; death parts them for ever: being hastened of the Lord, that the godly dying may no more be vexed with, or by the wicked: nor the wicked any longer persequute the godly.
If men should live alwayes in the world, or but so long in our age, as did the first patriarks; to what a height would many come in worldly happines, or misery? How extreamly rich would many be? how many extreamly poore? How mightie, and powerfull some? how dejected, and depressed many more? But the wise providence of God is to be honoured herein: by which it comes to passe, that the more men are set to drive things to extreamitie, the lesse time should be allowed them for their courses one or other in the world.
OnelyOnly man being both mortall, and reasonable, can think of his death. Not the angels; for though they can by understanding conceav of death, yet are they by their spirituall state, set without the reach of it: nor bruit beasts, though mortall; because it is not perceaved by sight, or other sense; but being a privation, to wit, of life, is onelyonly Scaliger.discernable by understanding. If a beast see never so many of its own kinde slaughtered before its eyes, it fears not death, which it sees not; though it may fear the instrument which it sees, or other terrible, and sensible object. And hence it comes to passe, that the more brutish men are, they have the lesse thoughts or fear of death for the most part.
It is appointed unto men once to dye ordinarily; and after Hebr. 9.this the judgment. I say, as the Apostle means, ordinarily: for some dye not, but are changed onelyonly: Some dye twice, as… Cor. 15. Lazarus, and others. This death, which will certeynly once come, and with it eternall, and unchangeable happines, or miserie; we should alwayes bear in mynde; as if Phillips deaths head were set before us. For though the thoughts of death be not sufficient to rayse the heart to heavenly things; yet are they so avaylable to draw it from earthly (which is first to be done) as no thing is more, then Ierom.the frequent, and serious meditation thereof. We should think seriously of that part of our life, which remayns unfinished, that we may provide things necessarie for it: and also of our death, that we may cut off superfluityes; and use that moderately, which we must not use long.
The saying, Nothing more certayn then death, and yet nothing Bernard.more uncertayn then the hour of death is common, and commonly abused. The certayntie of it should teach us moderation in the use of the world, and all worldly things,1 Cor. 7. and that we abuse them not: because the fashion of this world passeth away. But contrary-wise, many take hereby occasion to lay the faster hold of it, eyther in the profits thereof for themselvs, or theyrs; or pleasures; saying, let us eat, 1 Cor. 1…and drink; to morrow we shall dye. And whereas God would Austin. Gregory.have us ignorant of our last day, and hour, that suspecting it alwayes, we might alwayes be ready; we are apt, on the contrarie, because we know not the certayn tyme, to be the lesse ready at all times: and (which is worse) not to take warning neyther, as we ought, by any, or all those known messengers of death; which are reckned three: 1. Casual…ie, Hugo.2. Weaknes, and 3. age: the first shewing our death to be doubtfull; the second and third to be near, and at hand. Hardly any so old, but thinks he may yet live a year; or so sick, but that he may live a day longer. Not onelyonly the foolish, but evenMath. 25. the wise virgins are too prone to slumber, if the bridegroome defer his coming a litle. Few regard the good counsayl given, to account every day the day of our death, and as that,Perkins. wherein we are (it may be) to appear before the Lord. Few watch because they know not what hour the Lord w…l Math. 24.come, (as all are warned). But the servant that so doth, and is ready; blessed is he, whom his Lord when he cometh, findes so doing.
Young folk may dye shortly; but the aged cannot live long. The green apple may be pluckt off, or shaken down, by violence; but the ripe will fall of it self. It is wisdom therefore to provide for death in youth, (there being many more that dye in youth, or childehood, then that survive till old age); but madnes it is to neglect preparation, when age commeth: Though in truth few dye well in age, Seneca.that have not lived well in youth. That we may once dye the great death aright, and in peace; it is requisite, that we1 Cor. 15. dye dayly many litle deaths, both by outward afflictions; & inward mortifyings of our worldly, and corrupt lusts.
We should so live, as being content to dye, when God calls us hence: and that upon knowledg of the nature, cause, and event of death; and out of a good conscience towards God, and men: And not in senseles blockishnes, overcomeing death, as the most do, by forgetting it; as if a man overcame his enemy, by getting as far from him as he could: nor yet by desperate wearisomnes of life for any troubles in it; but as being willing, yea desyrous to live to serv Gods providence for good, upon earth. It is ill (sayth the wise heathen) to wish death; but worse to fear it. Seneca.But godly Christians are to doe both in different respects. To desire it (as it stands with Gods will) that they may be free from sin, and misery; it being best for them to be dissolved, and to be with the Lord: To fear it, as being in itPhil▪ 1. self a fearfull punishment of sin; the dissolution of the most excellent creature upon earth; and an end of further praysing God in his church, and performing particular offices of goodnes, and love to men. And in truth, though grace have this effect with them that desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, that they do not dye onelyonly patiently; Austin.but even dye with delight, and live patiently: yet nature causeth, that not onelyonly they that know they must dye, as all doe; but they also which beleev, that after death they shall enjoy a more happie state, desire the deferring of it: so loath toIdem. part are the two old acquayntances, the body, and soul.
Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saincts, Psal. 16.when they dye for, or in …ayth, and a good conscience: as the gold melting, and dissolving in the furnace is as much esteemed by the gold-smith, as any in his shop, or purse. Pretious also it is, whilst they live, and that which God will not lightly suffer to befall them. And if he put their tears in his bottle, he will not neglect their blood, nor easily suffer it to be shed: Neyther doth death, when it comes, part him, and them; though it part man, and man; yea man and wife; yea man in himself, his soul, and body. Freinds shew themselvs faythfull in sticking to their freinds in sicknes, and all other afflictions: but they (how affectionate soever) must leav them in death: and areGen. 23. glad to remove them, and to hauehave their dead buried out of their sight. But the fruit of Gods love reacheth un…o death it self: in which he doth his beloved ones the greatest good, when freinds can do no more for them.
He that sayd, Before death, and the funerall no man is happy, spake the truth, as he meant, of the happines which can be found in worldly things. But both he, and they, who have so admyred his saying, should have considered, that he who is not happie before death in worldly things, cannot be happy in them, by it; which deprives him of them all, and of life it self, which is better then they, and for which they are. But miserable indeed is the happines, whereof a man hath neyther beginning, nor certain…ie, but by ceasing to be a man. The godly are truly happy both in life and death: the wicked in neyther.
We are not to mourn for the death of our christian freinds, as they which are without hope: eyther in regard… Thes. 4. of them, or of our selvs. Not of them, because such as are asleep with Iesus, God will bring with him to a more glorious life, in which we (in our time, and theirs shall ever remayn with the Lord, and them: Not of our selvs, as if that, because they had left us, God had left us also. But we should take occasion by their deaths to love this world the lesse, out of which they are taken; & heaven the more, whether they are gone before us, and where we shall ever enjoy them.
Amen.
FINIS.