The shortnesse of mans life.

THou hast numbred my steps saith Iob Iob. 14, 16 & whē Dauid desires of God to teach him that heauenly Arithmatick to number his dayes, hee did not doubt but God had done it, hee knowes not the number onely, but the measure, both how many and how long the dayes are which wee must liue, as you may see Psal. 39, 4: yea hee that hath num­bred the haires of our heads Mat. 10, 30, hath numbred not onely the yeares of our life, but the monethes of our yeares, & the weekes of our monethes, and the dayes of our weekes, and the houres of our dayes, & the minutes of our houres, which point wee cannot passe. Indeed, God doth diuers waies take men out of this life: Some by murther, as Abel Gen. 4, 81, Some by drowning, as the olde world▪ Gen 7, 21: Some by burning, as the Sodomites▪ Gen. 19, 24: Some by stoning, as the Sabbath breakers, and Achan Num. 15 36.: Some by be­ing cut in peeces Iudg. 19, 29: Some by the fall [Page 11] of an house, as the Philistims Iug. 16, 30, and such as they vpon whom the Tower of Siloam fell Luk. 13, 4: Some by a nayle as Si­sera Iug. 4, 21: Some by Lyons, as the young Prophet 1 King. 13 24: Some by Beares, as the scoffing children 2 King. 2 24: Some sawen to death, as Esay: Some hanged, as the good Theefe Luk. 23, 39: Some crucified, as Christ: But none of these sooner or la­ter then the Lord hath appointed. The same God that hath determined the manner how, the meanes where, had like­wise determined the time when they should die.

The consideration of this, may first Vse 1. comfort the godly, in that their liues lie not in the power of men, or malice of Satan, for these indeed would swal­low them vp quicke when they are dis­pleased at them, and the godly neuer want the wicked or the Diuels displea­sure; you shall see some of the Iewes band together, and binde themselues by an oath, that they will neither eate nor drinke, till they haue killed Paul Act. 23. 12, but their plot shall bee preuented, and Paul preserued till the time appointed of God. Tyrants may take away the life [Page 12] of the godly, but they cannot cut off the lappes of their coats, nor touch the skirts of their garments without Gods permission, and he will neuer permit them before the appoynted time. Pharaoh would haue taken away Moses his life often, but God had not appointed it so, for Moses died in the land of Moab Den. 34, 5, Saul thought to make sure worke with Dauid when he ran at him with a speare, but God had appointed that Dauid should die a naturall death, in his bedde as he did 1 Kin. 2, 10: wee see such men as are grieuously wounded, oftentimes doe not die, as on the contrary, the cutting of a corne doth kill some, what is the cause but the performance of Gods ap­poynted time in both. Asaph was but sick in his feet, farre from the heart; he [...]s to seeke helpe of the Phisition, yet dies of the disease 2 Chro. [...] 12: Hezechiah was sicke at the heart, and at the poynt of death, yet liues many yeares after, be­cause his time determined by God was not yet come when he should die, though in regarde of his disease in the sight of man, the day was come that hee should die. One lies long sicke, yet recouers [Page 13] because his time is not come, another as hee walkes in his chamber, or sits in his chaire, drops downe and neuer riseth because his time is come.

To conclude this Vse for the com­fort of the godly, though their enemies that seeke to spill their blood be many, and those mighty and malicious withal, yet all these cannot diminish one day of this life which the Lord hath decreed.

Secondly, this may serue for re­proofe Use 2. of such as dreame & dote only vpon second causes, and neuer looke to Gods councell and decree. This makes these men cry out and say, when their friends are taken away, Oh it was for want of learned Phisitians about him, yet died of no dangerous diseases, while hee looked to second causes and not to the Lord without whose appointment nothing can come to passe. A Sparrow cannot fall to the ground without Gods guiding prouidence Mat. 10, 29: nor a bird fall into a snare where no fouler is Amos 3, 5: In the pestilence they cry out of the infecti­on of the ayre, in consumptions of sorrow and griefe, in feuers of cold, in famine of foule weather, in warre of the malice of [Page 14] the enemies, but Moses would haue men to looke to a higher hand in all these; For it is the Lord, saith hee, that shall smite men with consumptions, and with the feuer, and with the burning ague, and with feruent heat, and with the sword, and with drought, & with the mildew. Deut. 28. 21. The second causes I know, that is such meanes as God hath appointed for the preseruation of life, must not bee despised, yet they must not be doted vp­pon; vse these carefully, but commit the successe to God, who onely can blesse these meanes, and will, whensoe­uer they may serue for the performance of his purpose and his time appointed, which can by no meanes be either pre­uented or auoyded.

Thirdly, this may teach vs to waite 3 Vse. with patience, expecting when our changing shall come, Iob 14. 14. It is not for vs to know the time and season, the yeere or moneth of our appointed time which God hath kept secret to himselfe. It is comfort enough, and powerfull to perswade a patient expectation of our change, to thinke how happy a change we shall haue; Christ shall change our [Page 15] vilde bodies, that they might be like vn­to his glorious body Phil. 3. 21.: when we haue the world at will, and nothing comes crosse vnto vs, we can be content; wee say to liue as long as the Lord hath appoin­ted, but when we are pinched with po­uerty or surcharged with sickenesse, or vexed with sorrow and griefe, then most impatiently we pray, and wish that wee were out of the world, and wee will not waite the Lords leisure; but with the King of Israel we wickedly resolue, be hold this euill is of the Lord, what should I wait for the Lord any longer? [...] Kin, 6. 23. In these cases, we can alledge Scripture, that it is better to die, then to liue; because Salo­mon saith, that the day of death is better thē the day of our birth. Eccles 7. 4 Salomon doth not say that the day of death is good simply, but by way of comparison bet­ter then the day of birth; and yet this may seeme in humane sence and reason to be absurd, for there is ioy when a man is born into the world. Ioh. 16 21 The number of the children of God is increased, life is the gift of God; 1. Sam. 2. 6. How thē can the day of death be better then the day of life. The meaning of Salomon is, that life is [Page 16] attended with many miseries, for we are borne to labour and trauell, subiect to sickenesses and sorrow, and sinne, nothing but death can deliuer vs from all these; and therefore better is the day of death then the day of birth; yet be it neuer so good, be it better then life, yea, be it best of all to be with Christ: Phil. 1. 23. Though we haue here no abiding Citie: Heb. 13. 14. Though we be strangers and pilgrimes: 1 Pet. 2. 1. Though soiourners, as all our fathers were: Psal. 39. 12 Dust and ashes, Gen. 18, 27 Wormes of the earth; Psal. 22. 6. Though wee were worse then all these; yet we must wait Gods appoin­ted time. Though the euer-liuing God hath condemned mankinde to death, which is the wages of sinne: and to the graue, Rom. 6. 23 which is the house appointed for all the liuing, Iob 30. 23 yet may we not ei­ther hasten our death, or digge our own graues, and descend into them before we be dead. Though our bodies bee but houses of clay, Iob 4. 19. earthly houses or tents rather, 2 Cor. 5. 1. yet may wee not pull downe these houses ouer our heads, or re­moue these tents before our Generall giue command, but waite till our chan­ging come. In a word, God hath deter­mined [Page 17] that we must die, and therefore death should be welcome, when it doth come, but he hath determined withall when we must die, and therfore nothing should make vs weary of waiting, till it doe come.

Fourthly this point duly considered may reprooue such that goe about to 4 shorten their liues, these men presume to appoint their own time, & with a fals key to open this prison of their body, and let their soules depart before God call for it, or giue them any commission vn­to it. It is true that God hath appoin­ted this time for these mens deaths in his secret counsell, but it is more then they know; and for ought that they see, they might liue longer if themselues were not the cause, and so they crosse the re­neiled will of God, which onely can bee our warrant in all our actions. Againe, though they were so much of Gods se­cret Counsell, as to know that God had appointed this to be the time, yet they know that God hath not appointed ei­ther themselues or such violent meanes to make good his purpose at his ap­pointed time. No, no: it is misery that [Page 18] makes these men weary of their liues; and therefore like the foolish fish, they will leape out of the frying-Pan, into the fire; out of short trouble here, into e­ternall torments hereafter. He that will liue godly, must suffer persecution; 2 Tim. 3. 12. hee that will come into heauenly Canaan, must passe through this earthly Egypt; Through many afflictions, we must enter into heauen, Acts 14, 22 and shal we then cut off the thred of our life, because wee finde some knots in it. Abimelech cut off his owne life, Iug. 9 54. so did Saul, 1 Sam. 31 4. so did A­hithophell, 2 Sam. 17. 23. so did Iudas, Mat. 27. [...]. and so doe many in their desperate humour now a dayes, by the cunning of Satan, but not without the secret vnsearcha­ble and iust iudgement of God.

Fiftly, and finally if our time be de­termined, and that time known to God, 5 vnknowne to man, certaine to him, vn­certaine to vs, we must prepare against that time come, we are men, and therfore mortall; weake men, and therefore secure, for we are euery day dying, and cannot long liue, as old men haue death before their eyes, so yong men haue him behind their backs: and betwixt old and yong, [Page 19] I desire no other difference but this, that yong men may die quickly, and old men cannot liue long, and therefore all must be prepared. Be ye prepared therefore, for the Sonne of man will come in an houre when ye thinke not: Luk. 12. 40. All must prepare, old and yong, rich and poore, great and small, noble and ignoble; old men must prepare, for they must short­ly die, they should put their houses in or­der, Isa. 38. [...]. they should with sence and sor­row, confesse their sinnes to God, say­ing, Against thee, against thee onely haue we sinned, Psal. 51. 4. they should labour for life to be at peace with God and their owne consciences, and if it be possible to haue peace with all men Rom. 12. 18. Yong men should prepare, for they may die before those that goe crooked with age: they haue no Charters of their liues. It is not policie, nor gay and gorgeous apparell; not eloquence of an Angels tongue, not strong Castles and stately houses, not pompe nor promotion, can take day with death, or perswade the wormes to pitty them, nor preserue their names from perpetuall infamy. These things may procure honour on earth, but no [Page 20] happinesse in heauen. If all were not subiect to death, yong men might hope to be exempted, but a new ship may as soone be dasht in pieces meeting with a rocke, as one that is old and weather­beaten, a yong tree may be ouerturned with a whirlewind, as soon as that which is old and blasted, many old men haue out-liued these tha [...] were yong, but ne­uer any yong or olde that liued and did not die: Doth not euery man beare a­bout him in his own bosome, that which will bring him to his end: are wee not all sick of the same disease, euen the con­sumption of our daies.

Time, pretious time, passeth away swiftly, and with it wee passe towardes our end, and like those in a ship, we per­ceiue it not, and therefore prepare not for it, or thinke not of the danger of it; for as death leaueth vs, so the day of Iudgement shall finde vs. They that build faire and sumptuous houses, are not cer­taine how long they shall hold them; they that purchase lands and liuings, can­not tel how long they shall possesse them; they that haue gathered in a great har­uest, cannot tell whether they shall bee [Page 21] better by it; they that plant, cannot tell whether they shall eate of the fruit of it; yet all these men are prouident to pre­pare for life that is vncertaine, and for­get death which is most certaine shall come, & more vncertaine when it shall come. Prepare then in health, for it may hardly bee done in sicknesse, or at the houre of death. Sicknesse may be so full of extreame sorrowe and paine, and death so sudden and present, that thou canst not prepare thy selfe if thou would; or if thou doe, yet not so well as thou wouldest: many neglect to prepare themselues when they may, and when they would cannot. So the fiue foolish Virgins might haue had Oyle in their Lamps, if they had lookt to it in time; but afterward, when willing they would, could neither buy nor borrow any. These men consider not how dan­gerous it is to procrastinate, and p [...] [...]ff their repentance from day to day, a [...] that for two causes.

First, God doth leaue the wicked desti­tute of diuine helpe in that howre, I haue called, saith the Lord, but ye refu­sed, ye were in health in the prime [Page 22] of your time, in the flower of your age, in the heat of lust, hauing by na­ture corrupt hearts and carnal affections liuing in pleasure, passing the time in mirth, subiect to youthfull wantonnesse and to vnstaidnesse of affection, full of loosenesse, which is the way to lewdnes; of weakenesse, which is the way to wic­kednesse, then you would not heare, now in your death-bed, ye shall call, but I will not heare, but laugh at your de­structiō, P [...]o. 1. 24. They that forget God liuing, God will forget them dying.

Secondly, in the time of death men are more grieuously tempted, and ther­fore it is dangerous to deferre repen­tance to the dying day. Remember (saith Salomon) thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth, Eccles. 12, 1. why should wee remember God in youth, because if youth be spent in vanity, commonly old age will end in prophanenesse.

The Prophet speaketh of Crimson sinnes, sinnes of a double die, if it bee right Crimson or Purple, it is dyed in thred & in the wooll, and that is euer a deepe dye, so if Satan dye vs in our wooll, in our youth before we be men, [Page 23] before wee be made cloath, it is like to sticke by vs, and to go with vs to our graue. If Sathan make thy youth vn­profitable, of all the ages after, there can hardly any good be hoped for; if the blossome be nipt, where is the hope of the Autumne. Thus much for the first point, that God hath determined the dayes of man how long hee shall liue.

A Christians combat against• 1 Sathan. , • 2 The World. , • 3 The Flesh. , and • 4 Sinne. 

THe second point of Doctrine which doth arise frō these words, is this; Doct. 2. That the time appointed by man to liue vpō earth, is a time of warfare. Men must liue Souldiers, and die Conquerours; liue fighting, and die ouercomming; from the cradle to the graue is a time of warfare; wee haue many enemies, all fierce and furious: 1. The Diuell. 2. The VVorld. 3. The Flesh. 4. Sinne. All these we must encounter and ouercome too, if it goe well with vs; and woe is vnto vs if they ouercome. Conquerors shall be Crowned, [Page 24] but C [...]wards shall bee shamed, and the Conquered shall be captiuated.

A preparation how to die well.

The first Vse is for instruction, in Vse 1. that we haue so many Enemies to stand vpon our guard, let vs keep watch and ward continually, let vs be as care­full to resist, as our aduersaries are to as­sault. A carefull watch is the chiefest point in Warre, and therefore this is of­ten commanded in the Word of God; Watch, for you know not what houre your master will come Matth. 24. 42.: VVatch and pray Mat 26. 4, Awake to liue righteously, 1 Cor. [...] 34., Be sob [...]r and watch 1 The. [...]. [...]. Vnto this command, God had for our incouragement annexed a promise of no lesse then blessednesse. Bles­sed is the seruant whom the Master when he commeth shall finde watching Mat 26 46.. Bles­sed is he that watcheth Reu. [...]. [...].. Blessed is the man that watcheth daily at my gates Pro. 8. 33.. Christ will cause them that watch, to sit downe at Table with him, where they shall be at ease from paine; at rest, from labour; full without hunger, healthy with­out sickenesse; and haue fulnesse of [...]irth and solace, without any mixture of sorrow or mourning: God is the Center of the soule, as euery thing doth rest in his [Page 40] Center, so our soules shall rest in God: My people, saith God, by his Prophet, shall dwell in the Tabernacle of Peace, and in sure dwellings, & in safe resting places Isa. 32. 18.. Thirdly, as we haue precept to watch, and promise of blessednesse if we doe watch; so wee haue a patterne and example of watching, worthy to be imitated, for it is Christ himselfe. What Souldier will not be glad to watch with his Captaine? what Christian will not runne to watch, when they heare Christ thus kindly calling them? Could ye not watch with me one houre Mat. 26. 38.. VVatch, Behold the easinesse, I bid you not fight for mee, or die with me; but watch onely, and that an houre: Behold the easinesse, not a yeere, or a weeke, or a day, but an houre.

Lastly, by watching as wee follow Christs patterne, so we shall be prepared hereby for Christs comming, which will be in an houre that we know not Luke 12. 40..

The second Vse serues to teach vs to cast off all carnal security seeing we haue Use 2. so many enemies to encounter withall. The Diuell is another Herod; the World is a flattering Pharasie, the Flesh a trea­cherous Iudas, and Sinne a seditious Ie­busite; [Page 41] And therefore little cause haue wee to walke without our weapons, or sleep in security. Whē the old world was secure, it was drowned Gen. 7. 23.. When So­dome and Gomorrha were secure, they were burned Gen 19. 24.. Whē Sampsō was secure, his eyes were put out [...]ug. 16. 21.. When Io­nah was secure, and slept in the side of the ship, hee is shaken with the waues, and the lo [...] doth designe him to bee cast into the Sea Ion. [...]. [...]5.. When the rich man was secure, his soule was taken from him Lu [...]. 12. 1 [...].. As Bankrupts neuer care to pay their debts till the Serieant bee vp­on their backs; so many secure men neuer thinke how farre they runne dai­ly in arrerages with God, till they be ar­rested by death, at the suite of the great Iudge, and so be cast into prison. This security is the Mother of negligence, and high way to destruction; for as the oxe when he is driuen to the slaughter, goeth willingly, because his hope is (if I may so speake it) that he shall goe to grasse in some better pasture, and neuer feare, till the axe be ready to fall vpon his head; or as a foole, when he is led to the stoak [...], goeth cheerefully, and neuer [Page 42] shrinketh vntill his feet bee fast snared therein; euen so many men goe secure­ly forward, wandring in the broad way without remorse of conscience, perswa­ding themselues they are safe, when in­deed they are secure, and neuer perceiue their owne folly; till they be insnared in destruction: many are carefull for o­thers, but secure for thēselues; they looke on other mens faults with both eyes, but scarcely with one on their owne; either they will not see their sinnes, or if they see them, they wil slightly passe them o­uer without any serious consideration: They cry Peace, Peace, when destruction is at their doores 1 Thess. 5. 3.. They that finde themselues in good health, neuer seeke or send to the Phisitian; and they also that are soule sicke, and dangerously dis­eased, but feele it not, doe neuer cry after Christ, they seeke little after him, and set lesse by him:

Thirdly, the hope of a happy reward should encourage vs to wage Warre a­gainst those our enemies; He that neuer comes forth to fight, can neuer conquer; & he that doth not conquer, shal neuer be crowned; he that ouercommeth, will I [Page 43] giue to eate of the Manna that is hidde, and will giue him a white stone, and in that stone, a new name written, which no man knoweth, sauing he that receiueth it Reu. 2. 17.. He that ouercommeth and keep­eth my words to the end, to him will I giue power ouer Nations Reu. 2. 26.. To him that o­uercommeth, will I giue to eate of the Tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God Reu. 2. 7.. And so often in the same Chapter you may see it to be the posee of all the Epistles; to him that ouercom­meth will I giue, either grace, or glory, or both; not to him that steppeth forth into the battel, and starts backe againe; nor to him that draweth his Sword, or giue a blow, or looseth some blood; but to him that ouercommeth, that fights it out till hee haue foiled his enemy and wonne the field. So if wee suffer with Christ, we shall raigne with him; suffer here, raigne in heauen; suffer misery, raigne in glory; for, from the crosse, wee must come to the Crowne. A Souldier must fight before he can winne the victory; he must be a Souldier, before he can bee a Captaine. There is a Crowne of righte­ousnesse laid vp; But for whom? for such [Page 44] as haue fought a good fight 2. Tim. 4. 7; and it is not a good fight, vnlesse we [...]uercome. The penny of eternall life is promised to labourers, not to loiterers, to workers, not to idle [...]wanderers; to those that are in the Vineyard, not to such as stand staring in the market place. Suffer affliction, saith the Apostle, as the good Souldier of Ie­sus Christ; No man that warreth, entan­gleth himselfe with the affaires of this life, because hee would please him that hath chosen him to be a Souldier; and if a­ny man striue for a mastery, hee is not crowned vnlesse he striue as he ought to doe 2 Tim 2. 34., and can wee then hope to bee crowned, if we striue not at all. World­lings wrastle for a corruptible Crowne, as vncertaine whether they shall obtaine it or no; but it is not so with the true Christian, he runneth not as vncertainly, he fighteih not as one that beateth the ayre 1 Cor. 9. 25: Some will say that afflictions and troubles doe hinder many Souldiers that they cannot fight as they would: but the Apostle puts them both toge­ther. Suffer thou affliction, as the good Souldier of Iesus Christ, looking to the reward that Christ is ready to giue thee [Page 45] as soone as the battell is ended. Thy fighting is but for a moment; thy tri­umph is for euer; thy fighting is light, thy reward heauy; A waight, and excellent waight; a more excellent, a farre more excel­lent and eternal wayght of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17.. Where God purposeth to heale, he spareth not to launce; he ministreth bitter pils to purge corrupt humours, and sendeth Embasies of death and renenge where he meanes to preserue, and where he purpo­seth to bestow eternall life and felicitie. Ioseph accused his brethren as spies, when he meant them least hurt, and restrai­ned little Beniamin as guilty of that, whom he knew full well to bee a guilt­lesse innocent; but these accusatious were like water in a Smiths Forge, which ser­ueth to kindle, not to quench; it was a rough entrance, to a most kinde vsage; an outward shew of suspition, the more plainly to vtter his entire affecti­on; so dealeth God with his children for they haue gone through fire and water, but he hath brought them out in­to a wealthy place Psal. 66. 12. Many goe out of prison and chaines, but their iour­neyes end is to a Kingdome, many in [Page 46] few things are vexed, but in more they are well considered. Though the godly are tryed like gold in the furnace, yet God loues them neuer the lesse for it, but makes them the purer by it: If af­flictions be grieuous, yet at the least the godly gaine this by it, that it makes the soule more sober: If God beginne, with I haue afflicted thee, he will doubt­lesse end with I wil afflict thee no more Nah. 1, 12. And as we are partakers of Christs suf­ [...]erings, so wee shall be also of his conso­lation 2 Cor. 1, 7: If we die with him, with him shal we liue: And if we bear his Crosse we shall weare his Crowne, God woundeth vs sometimes, but his wounds are the wounds of a friend, for whether hee de­nounce iudgement, or inflict it, all is for our good in the end. He sent Ionah to Ni [...]neh to threaten and ouerthrowe, but his intent was to bring them to re­pentance, that hee might manifest his greater mercies. He sent Esay to Hezeki­ah to tel him of his dying day Esa. 38. 1: but his meaning was to mooue him to amend­ment that he might adiourne his life yet longer: Hee suffered Daniel to bee throwne into the Denne of Lions but [Page 47] it was to aduance him to greater cre­dite. Hee that had seene Ioseph in pri­son vniustly; Mordacay with a gibet be­fore his eyes, would haue bewayled there case, but had hee knowne that Io­sephs prison would haue ended in a Princedome, and Mordecay his perill with royall preferment: hee would ra­ther thinke them much beholding to God for the ensuing felicitie, then greatly to be pitied for their present misery.

The Musitian straineth not his strings to high for feare of breaking, neither doth let them to low, for feare of dis­cord; so God will keepe a meane, nei­ther suffering vs to bee carelesly secure, nor driuing vs for want of comfort to dispaire. Who then wil not warre when hee shall be sure to triumph hereafter; If wee ouercome, we shall goe home to our fathers house Ioh. 14, [...]: To the Citie of the liuing God, the heauenly Ierusalem: Heb. 12. 22.

Lastly, we must fight for feare wee be ouercome, for then what mercy can bee expected at the hauds of our spirituall Pharaoh, what delight in the prison, [Page 48] where there is nothing but: howling for griese, gnawing of the tongue for sor­row, gnashing of the teeth for feare & paine Re. 16. 10: There is neither hope, nor helpe, nor ease, for the fire is vnquench­able, & the worme shall not die Mat. 3, 12: there is no end, for the paine is euerlasting; there is no light but darknesse, nay a land of darkenesse more palpable then that of Egypt Iob. 10, 21: It is violent fire which shall deuoure the adnersary Heb. 10, 17: A lake of fire burning with brimstone Reu. 9, 20: In which Lake the men that are ouer­come are cast, and shall lie burning day and night for euermore Reu. 20, 10: where in­steed of order, there shall bee confusion; insteed of Halaluiah, there shall be cur­sing; insteed of mirth, mourning; insteed of ioy vnspeakeable, vnconceiueable, and which is worst of all, eternall tor­ments. In that place the sweetest har­mony shall be howling, and the greatest cōfort confusion of faces. When Ade­ni-zedeck was taken the men of I [...]da & Simeon cut off the thumbes of his hands, & of his feet Iudg. 1, 6: So our spirituall ene­mies will deal with vs if they ouercome vs, and farre more cruelly. They will [Page 49] put out our eyes that wee shall not lift them vp to the heauens from whence our help doth come; they will cut off our hands, that wee shall not lift them vp in prayer vnto God, as the Apostle exhorteth 1 Tim. 2, 8: They will pull out our tongues, that we shall not speake to God in prayer, and they will binde vs hand and foot that we shall not be able to helpe our selues, or goe to other to seeke for helpe Mat. 22, 13: Thus wee haue seene the quality of mans daies, how they are sharpe; The second generall point notes the quantity of our dayes, that they are short in these words, Are not his dayes as the daies of an hireling.

The Christians Crowne of glory after warfare.

ARe not his dayes as the dayes of a [...]ireling, an hireling hath a time appointed and limited how long hee shall labour, and then to haue his wa­ges; so man hath a time appointed to warre and fight, and then to haue his re­ward, which is promised by him that di [...] neuer deceiue any, the grand Captaine, Christ Iesus, who will confesse such as [Page 50] serue him before his Father, and before the holy Angels Reu. [...]. 6 [...]: an hireling loo­keth and waiteth when his day will end that hee may haue his hire; so the god­ly, desire to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ, that they may receiue the Crown, of glory prepared for thē. Many profitable points might hence bee collected, but the time will not giue me leaue to stand vpon all, onely this I will briefly vrge.

That man shall then receiue his re­warde when hee hath ouercome, when he hath done his worke, God will not de­nie his wages, this rewarde is not carnall but spirituall, not earthly but heauenly, not mans but Gods, not me­rited but giuen of mercy. This reward is layd vp 2 Tim. 4, 8: and it is a Crowne, not of thornes, as on Christs head, nor of gold, as on earhly Kings heads, but a Crowne of righteousnesse, so Paul cals it a Crowne of life; so Iames names it Iam. 1. 12: a Crown of glory; so Peter stileth in 1 Pet. 5, 4: yea a Crowne incorruptible and euerlasting. When thou hearest of a Crowne con­ceiue a triumph, for Crownes are layde vp for them that after victory triumph ouer the enemy. There is no garland [Page 51] where there is no gole to runne to, there is no victory, where there is no ene­my; there is no hire, where there is no labour; and there is no happinesse, where there is no tryall by temptation: and ra­ther then such as fight the Lords battels against sin and Sathan, the world and the flesh, shall want either Credit or Com­fort, God himselfe shall be their Crown. In that day shall the Lord of hostes be for a Crowne of glory, and for a Diadem [...] of beauty vnto the residue of his people, Esa. 28 5.

So runne that you may obtaine this Crowne. Such as wrastle or runne in a race, will diet themselues before hand, and endure much when they come to fight or runne, euen sweate, and pant, and blow, and bleed; how much more should Christians in this course & con­flict of Christianitie; especially, conside­ring the enemies with whom wee are to fight and wrastle are farre mightier; for they wrastle but with men made of the same mould and mettall that wee are: wee with principalities and powers, and wicked spirits: the time that we are to fight is farre longer, they but for an [Page 52] houre or two; but we al the daies of our life, the Crowne for which wee striue is farre better: they did wrastle for the applause and commendation of men, or for a garland of flowers, which did fade in a day: we for an incorruptible Crowne of glory, which God shall giue vs in his kingdome. Let no man looke for his reward in this world, but in the end of the day, that is, after death: then the wages shall bee paid, when wee rest from our worke. As L [...]ch called his sonne Noah because he should comfort him, and make all his labour and sorrow to eease and end Gen. 5, 29: Euen so all iust and righteous men may call death their No­ah, the sonne of their rest, and end of there labours, and sorrowes, and sicknesses, and sinne, and shame; for then these and all other miseries shall bee done away, and shall neuer be againe, and then shall hee be crowned that hath ouercome.

This may serue to let Christians see what a gracious Master they serue, who will not see their worke vnrewarded. The wicked indeed in a pow [...]ing and repi­ning humour, will say as Iob settes it downe Iob. 21, 15: VVhat is the Almighty that [Page 53] we should serue him, and what profit should we haue of we pray vnto him: But the Christian will gladly confesse, that their wages is farre beyond their worke, for if wee ouercome, the Crowne is not due of debt: heauen is no purchase of ours, but a free inheritance giuen to the god­ly for Christs sake. Eternall life it the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6, 23: Euery man shall receiue according to his workes, but not for the worth and merit of his workes. The Crowne is of mercy, not of merit, and where there is need of mercy (as what man doth not need it) there is no stan­ding vpon merit. The Apostles reason in this point is plaine: If saluation bee of grace, it is no more of workes, for else were grace no more grace, and if it be of workes it is, no more of grace, for else were workes no more workes Rom. 1. 6: But saluation is of grace, as the same Apostle hath plainely deliuered Eph. 2, 8: By grace are you saued through faith, and that not of your selues, it is the gift of God, not of workes least any man should boast. Indeed we are created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes, that wee should walke in them, as it fol­lowes [Page 45] in the same place; that we should walke in them, not that we may merit by them. For good workes are the way wher­in wee must walke to the Kingdome of Heauen, but they are not the cause that wee are Crowned when wee come there. Good workes wee all know proceed from the grace of God and therefore God can­not any way be indebted to vs for his owne which he giues vs. Doth not Da­uid say, all things come of thee, and of thine owne hand, we haue giuē thee 1 Chro. 29 14.. Who hath giuen vnto him first, and hee shall be recompenced Rom 11. 35. We are borne to doe good, and our whole course must be to walke in Gods commandements, and a speciall commandement is, to bee fruitfull in good works Coll. 1. 10.: As hirelings are busied all day, so must wee as long as we liue here exercise our hands vnto good works.

These are the best apparell of Chri­stians, and their most durable riches and treasures. What one point doth God more presse vs vnto, then this duty of doing good workes, bring forth workes worthy amendment of life Acts 26. 20. Be zealous of good workes Tit. 2. 14. And this wee cannot [Page 55] be till we be in Christ; without me, saith our Sauiour, ye can doe nothing Ioh. 15. 5 [...]. As a graft can bring forth no fruit which is not set into a stocke: so no man can possi­bly turne his hand to any thing that is truely and formally good, till he be in­graffed into Christ: and therefore it should be our wisedome and comfort to shew by good conuersation our works Iam. 3. 13, and our loue to prouoke one another to good works Heb. 10. 24. A faith busie in obedi­ence, and fruitfull in good works, is the fruits of profitable Preaching, and con­scionable hearing; a godly life is the Christians badge whereby he is knowne, it is the Ensigne, shewing whose Souldier he is, and to whom he belongeth. As the pleasant and delghtfull fruit which the Spies brought out of the promised land; shewed that that was pleasant and pro­fitable, so a godly conuersation, sheweth that a man is the child of God, and ser­uant of Christ.

Last of all, let this serue to exhort all true Christians to liue godly in this pre­sent life, & alwayes to look for, yea, and long for death; to welcome and em­brace it when it doth come, for there is [Page 56] no other meanes to put an end vnto our troublesome Warfare, and to put vs in possession of our promised reward, but onely death. The poore Apprentice counts when the date of his Indentures ende, that hee may bee made free; the Day-Labourer lookes when the Sunne will set, that he may leaue worke; The Seafaring man and Passenger is faine when they come within kenne of land, that they may attaine the Hauen; and shall not we, whose Indentures end not but by death; who must not leaue wor­king till the Sunne of our life be set; and who can neuer come within ken of the Hauen of Heauen, till we see some signes of death, welcome it with all our hearts. It is no wonder indeed, if the wicked looke pale and wanne at the warning of death, because they discry beyond death, a day of Iudgement, and beyond that, they behold hell; well may they be de­iected, when they feele sicknesse, and al­most desperate, when they finde the pangs of death vpon them; for besides the paine of death, euery sinne serues as a Fury to torment the soule, and to make it loath to depart out of the prison of [Page 57] the body. But the godly who haue wrast­led and made Warre here with their spi­ritual enemies, are glad to heare that the time is come when they shall be crow­ued. It was a cleare heart, nothing els could doe it, that gaue so bold a f [...]re­head to that good Bishop, who durst on his death-bed professe; I haue so liued, as I neither feare to die, nor shame to liue; for if we so l [...], as alwayes looking when we shall die; we shall so die, as not doubt but be Crown [...]d with Christ in his Kingdome.

The Commendations of the deceassed Partie.

ANd now blessed and beloued Bre­thren; That little Boxe of oynt­ment which I haue brought for the buri­all of this worthy and Worshipfull Knight; I hope you will giue mee leaue to powre forth (for a good name is like a pretious oyntment powred out) and I doubt not but to fill the house with the sauoure of it; and though I cannot sufficiently set forth his com­mendations, yet I dare not so much wrong him that deserued it, or you that expect it, or my selfe that owe it, as to be altogether silent; lend me your pati­ence then a little, till I discharge this due debt of deserued praise, not to be de­nyed vnto the dead.

To liue well, and to die well, as they are inseperable companions; so they are the most certaine tokens of a true Christi­an, and the greatest commendations that in fewest words can bee giuen a man; which whether they bee not due to the deceassed Partie, those that knew [Page 59] him best can well witnesse, and you will confesse when you shall haue heard the particulars which I can but onely point at.

The Hebrew Doctors say of their meanest Magistrates, whom they call the Court of three men, that there must be in euery one of them these seuen pro­perties; VVisedome, Meekenesse, The feare of God, Hatred of Mammon, Loue of the Truth, Loue of their fellow Crea­tures; that is, of other men, and that they be men of good name; and these seuen are indeed the same in effect with those that we finde mentioned in Exod. 18. 21. and Deut. 1. 13. And did sweet­ly concurre in this Man menaging the affaires of the Common wealth where­vnto he was called; and did carefully and consciouably discharge.