HEre beginneth the fift Section of the law called [...] Chaije Sarah. Where we may see how holy Abraham in his old age Paulus ab Eitzen. lib. 1. is tried with a new and a great domesticall crosse, viz. depriued of the crowne of his glory, Pro. 12.4. hath lost [...] Gnezer his helpe, [...] Samech his staffe, prop and stay of comfort. Now this is written for our instruction and consolation. Rom. 15.4. Paulus ab Eitzen. lib. 1..

Instruction, to teach vs that the children of God must not looke to liue at ease and quiet in this life. They must not prophecie of peace to themselues, and that there shall be no leading into captiuity, and no complayning in their streetes. They must not [Page 2] dreame that alwaies they shall be carried on Eagles wings, Exod. 19.4. and that all the sheaues in the shocke shall fall downe at theirs, Gen. 38.7. But their dreames must be of Willow trees by the wa­ters of Babel, Psal. 137. 1. Of sheaues thrashed with an iron flaile, Seneca Trag. in a word, of afflictions & crosses. Non est ad astra mollis è terris via, The way to the king­dome of Heauen is not strawed with flowers, 2 Tim. 3.12. A Christian must looke to be a daily crosse bearer; Stella de con­temp. mundi. For ad immortalitatem non nisi per aerumnas patet aditus; A Christian must not thinke to walke alwayes in plaine and easie pathes. Orig. Tom. 1. Hom. 5. sup. Exod. 14. fol. 37. Non pro­cliue iter est, quo tenditur ad virtutes, sed ascenditur, & angustè ac difficulter ascenditur. Hee must clime hard, it is all vp hill, the way lyeth, [...], Exod. 14 1. inter Epauleum & inter Magda­lum, Orig. ibid. as the Sept. reade it, that is, by turretting and towring, turning and winding, as Origen expoun­deth it. Crux vitae aeter­nae prodromus.

It is via arcta & angusta, Mat. 7.14. straite and narrow; therefore no way for a Libertine to walke in. Those whom God will haue to sayle to Hea­uen must first be wafted a long by the suburbs of hell, Psa. 116.3. And they whom the Lord intendeth shall arriue at the place of blisse, must first creepe along by weeping crosse, Luke, 9.23. It is not possi­ble without afflictions to enter into Christs King­dome, Wirth. de vita Christi lib. 5. Cap. 2, pag. 324. Mar. 10.38. Ad regnum coeleste peruenitur, non nisi mundana infoelicitate, cruce & afflictione: non honore, fed onere. In a word, neuer went any to Hea­uen with drie eyes. The first man that euer dyed [Page 3] went to Heauen, but yet take this by the way, The Thargum Ierusalemy affir­meth that the cause why Caine slew Abel was, because holy Abel oppugned Caines hellish and atheisticall opinions, as that there was no world to come, no re­compence for good, no pu­nishment for euill, &c. 1 Iohn 3.12. The first that euer went to Heauen dyed a Martyr, Gen. 4.8.

Furthermore, here we may take a good hint for Consolation in the midst of our greatest miseries and highest pitch of our tribulations, namely, That the dearest seruants of God haue suffered no lesse Paulus ab Eitzen lib. 1. in locum., but haue indured as great a storme as we can doe. Take blessed Abraham the Father of the faithfull for an example, and see how the volume of Scripture setteth forth the prints of his piety and gracious be­hauiour, as also describeth at large his life, and the many occurrences, alterations, crosses and afflictions, which hee suffered in his life; as to instance in some particulars. First, he is constrained to forsake house and home, kindred and friends, Gen. 12.1. Secondly, No sooner is he come into that strange land, but he is inforced away from thence by famine, Gen. 12.10. Thirdly, In Aegypt wonderfully is hee perplexed, Gen. 12.12. whether he will saue his life, or hazard his wiues chastity. But what need I recken vp more? for wheresoeuer he went, he found neighbours out­ragiously barbarous, which would not suffer him so much as to drinke water out of the Wels that him­selfe had digged with great labour, Gen. 21.25. Wherefore let vs haue an eye to a better then this present life Non est requi [...] ­vbi quaeritis ea [...] Quaerite quod quaeritis, sed ibi non est vbi quae­ritis. Beatam vi­tam quaeritis in regione mortis: non est illic. Quomodo enim beata vitae, vbi nec vitae? Aug. Tom. [...]. lib. 4. Confes. cap. 12.? Happinesse is not to be found here.

But to shut vp my selfe within some lists and li­mits, this Chapter spreadeth it selfe into two braun­ches. The one containeth the death of that Noble, Vertuous, and Religious Lady Sarah. The other, [Page 4] the gracious behauiour of Abraham her Lord at her death: namely, Luctus, he mourneth for her: Second­ly, a godly care for her funerall rites, and decent in­terring of her corpes, vers. 3.4. together with that which may seeme strange, Emptio agri, The purcha­sing of a place for buriall: for though he had as good a title and right thereto as any man hath to his pos­session, it being conueighed vnto him by indenture, and confirmed by the broad seale of the Couenant Circumcision, yet is this great Lord glad to crouch to the sonnes of Cheth. Thirdly, there is specified the buriall it selfe, vers. 19.

To looke backe vnto the first branch of the Chap­ter, which in some sort may not vnfitly be called Sa­rahs Epitaph, is contained these two things: First, the time when she died; secondly, the place where she died. And besides, the time and place whereof wee presently will speake, shee is honored with a 1 double honour aboue all other women. First, that she is the onely woman whose whole age is mentio­ned in the Scripture, [...] autem sci­ [...]e non fuisse mo­rem. Hebraeis ne (que) diuinae Scrip [...] genealogias [...]exere mulierum, Damas, Orth: sid: lib. 4. cap. 15 fol. 163. and whose number of yeares are recorded of God. In Scripture women are vsu­ally excluded not onely from Genealogies, but also from Chronologies: That they liued is recorded, but how long they liued, and when they died is not specified. Yet here the Lord by the pen of that man of God Moses, Beda Tom: 5. in Luc: lib. 1 pag: 190: doth set downe the length of Sarahs age: First, because she was to bee the mother of all the faithfull: 1 Pet. 3.6. as Eue was the mother of all liuing, Gen. 3. And therefore the great God of Heauen would haue some notes of eminency set [Page 5] vpon her aboue other women. Secondly, that wo­mankind may know that though they be the weaker sexe, yet their life is no lesse regarded of God then is the life of man, and that their death is as precious in his sight, as is the death of man, Psal. 116.15. this caution by the way beeing obserued: Si modo per­manserint in fide, in dilectione, & sanctificatione cum sobrietate; 1 Tim. 2.15. If they continue in faith, and loue, and holinesse with modesty.

The second priuiledge is, that shee is the first for 2 whose death mourning and weeping is mentioned, an other note of no small honour: Gen. 50.9. And it is a great and fearefull iudgement, and signe of Gods wrath, to haue the buriall of an Asse, to haue none to lament, none to mourne for them, Ieremy 22.18.19.

To come to the words themselues, because the yeares of Sarah are distinctly numbred, and the He­brewes reade thus: Lyra in [...]cum. And the liues of Sarah was an hun­dred yeares, and twenty yeares, and seuen yeares: the Iewish Rabbins collect that here is commended her beauty and her chastity: viz. That she was as faire at an hundred, as at twenty; and as chaste at twenty, as at seauen. That Sarah was pulchra, & casta, can­not without impudency bee denied. Pulchra, well featured, well fauoured, the currant of Scripture is pregnant for it, Gen. 12.11. And the holy Ghost maketh her a figure of the new Testament, and of the heauenly Ierusalem, the mother of vs all, Gal. 4.24.26. The spouse of Christ is faire, Cant. 4.1. Ca­sta, well nurtured, sweet natured, pure and chast, is [Page 6] no lesse euident, 1 Pet. 3.6. in that the Apostle set­teth her forth for all women to behold, and as a glasse for them to looke into, and an example to follow in their liues and conuersations: But neuer­thelesse that which the Iewish Rabbins would ga­ther is not from the words warrantable, such idle dreames affoord little or no edification. But from the words we safely may collect for our comfort and consolation, viz. that the Lord doth number all our yeares, & whether they be few or many he hath no­ted them down in his booke of remembrances: The Scripture sheweth that the Lord doth very carefully take a reckning of our life; here Sarahs dayes are pre­cisely numbred. And Iob 14.5. mentioneth moneths and dayes, how that our dayes exactè praefiniti sunt, are exactly determined, and the number of the mo­neths which man hath to liue, are in the Lords owne hand. Wherefore no good man need make any que­stion, but that the Lord hath a care of him, and that the thread of his life doth not depend vpon the skill of any Aesculapius, but on the good pleasure of our God: Christianis est haec magna con­solatio, ut sciant, mortem non esse in tyrannorum vi, nec ullius creaturae manu positā, neuè anxij sint multum de morte, sed velut pueri moriantur, quandò Domino placuerit. Luth. Tom. 3. fol. 253. Our life is in his hand, Psal. 31.15. Hee counteth our wandrings, which (God knoweth) are many, he putteth our teares into his bottle, and all our miseries are firmely registred, Psal. 56.8.

Concerning the time we may see the quality of it, Chaiiee, liues, there is intimated misery; the quan­tity of it, for many a yeare, euen for the space of an hundred twenty and seauen.

The word Chaiiee, and Psal. 16.11. Chaiim, is translated in Greek by the holy Ghost, life: Act. 2.28 [Page 7] Thou hast made knowne vnto me [...], the waies of life. And it is so named in the forme plural, Chaijee, liues, for diuers reasons.

First, to note, that in the life of euery man are 1 many operations, many changes and chances, many occurrences and alterations, risings and fallings, eb­bings and flowings: Mel & fel, but more of the one then of the other. Mans dayes are euill dayes, Genes. 47.9. Dayes full of labour, Man cannot vtter it, Eccles. 1.8. Because euery day hath suam malitiam, Mat. 6.32. his griefe; and euery night suum terro­rem, his terror, Psal. 91.5. in so much that the life of man is rather calamity then life. A good hint to put vs in memory of the fal in Paradise, and of the trans­gression against Gods precept, Gen. 3.16. Multipli­cabo aerumnas tuas; I will greatly increase thy sorrowes. Greg. lib 11 Mor. cape. From this Multiplicabo aerumnas tuas issued our mi­sery. For (as Gregory speaketh) Quid in se habebit fortitudinis, qui natus est in infirmitatem? Quid aliud ex carne, quàm caro prouenire potest? Quid ex misera matre aliud, quàm misera creatura? Can good come out of euill, light out of darknesse, strength out of weaknesse? Can there come from a wofull mother ought sauing a wofull creature?

Secondly, to point backe vnto the History going 2 before, which well eyed and carefully obserued will shew that this good Lady led a carefull life all the dayes of her life. First, if she were the daughter of I Haran, which is the currant and receiued opinion of all the Iewes, then was she an Orphan and fatherlesse almost as soone as she was borne: Gen. 11.27. No [Page 8] II sooner borne but subiect to the crosse. Secondly, when she came to womans estate, then is she likewise made subiect to affliction, she is barren & childlesse, a great crosse, yea in those dayes reputed a curse, that she cannot bear Eues [...], Ish Iehouae, the man, the Lord, Gen. 4.2. Iacobs Shiloh, Gen. 49.10. Da­niels III Messias, Dan. 9.24. Pauls second Adam, 1 Cor. 15.45. our Lord Iesus Christ. Thirdly, constrai­ned to forsake her house and home, kindred and IIII country; Gen. 12.1. and for the space of 62. yeares to liue a Pilgrime. Fourthly, in this pilgrimage she felt the smart of want and famine, Gen. 12.10. V Fiftly, in Aegypt Gen. 12.15. as also in Palestina, Gen. 20.4. she was in hazzard of her honour, the VI woman Iewell, Chastitie. Sixtly, her Lord goeth to VII a dangerous war against foure mighty Monarches: Gen. 14.14. Seauenthly, she was incumbred with domesticall dissentions, ouertopped by her owne seruant, no small vexation, Gen. 16.14. Where by the way in a short passage obserue, that domesticall VIII dissentions are not alwayes a curse though euer a crosse. Eightly, shee was not free from spirituall temptations, long did faith and frailty wrastle and striue, whether the God of heauen who is faithfull and true and cannot lye, were true of his word con­cerning the promised Seed. So that with Moses she might truely say: Psal. 90.10. Optimum in vita la­bor & dolor. The best day she saw dawne was full of la­bour and sorrow.

From all which learne this lesson, and yee may write on the truth thereof; Nulla calamitas sola, No [Page 9] misery is alone: but (like the waues of the Sea) one followes in the neck of another: neuer let vs look for rest in this miserable life, till wee come to rest with Christ Iesus in the world to come.

To conclude this point, because that they who in 3 their life see and feele many sorrowes, are accusto­med to obserue the time best, and (as it were) tell the houres thereof; Iob 7.2.3. Therefore Moses doth not set down her yeares in grosse, but draweth them out at length: q. d. Sarahs life and dayes were not so short, that she forgat them, but God did so re­markeably marke them forth with one misery or another, that she might easily count them on her fingers ends. That which hapned to Sarah is or may be likewise incident to all the godly: 2 Tim. 3.12. In the booke of Exodus chapter the 15. verse 25. there is this passage, Ibi posuit deus iustitias & iudicia, Ther God made the Israelites an ordinance and a Law. Ibi, ubi amaritudo, ubi sitis, & quod est grauius, Origen Tom. Hom. 7. fol. sitis in abundantia aquarum, ibi posuit Deus iustitias & iudicia. Alius non erat locus dignior, aptior, vbe­rior, quàm iste, in quo amaritudo est. Where is this there, God made them an ordinance & a Law? euen there, where was the bitter waters of Marah, there, where the people were like to perish through thirst, though there was water at will, and in great plenty: There God made them a Law, and gaue them ordi­nances, no fitter or more conuenient place could be found then it, where was the bitter waters of Marah.

Hitherto of the quality of Sarahs dayes, now of the quantity & continuance of the same namely, 127

[Page 10]Although this noble and vertuous Lady endured many a sharpe shower, yet neuerthelesse the Lord continued the thread of her life for many a faire yeare: To make manifest to all ages and generati­ons to come, that the Lord preserued her life in the midst of death, Psal. 23.4. If euer any afflictions could haue hastned the death of any, then might they haue hastned hers, who for the space of little lesse then 90. yeares, was continually subiect to one calamity or another: In so much that it may seem the worlds wonder; how she was able so long to endure. But God in whose right hand are length of dayes Pro. 3.16. Mortem times, vitam perennem exoptas? in dex­tra sua longitu­dinem dierum habet: Qui vi­uit & credit in me, non morietur in aeternū. Ioh 11. Immortalis est, mortem supera­vit: Immortali dextra, immor­talitatem porri­git: Baynus lib, 1 in Pro. Salom. did preserue her life in the midst of those mi­series. Miseries cannot shorten the dayes where the feare of the Lord is, but sin may, Pro. 10.27. The feare of the Lord increaseth the dayes, but the yeares of the wicked shall bee diminished. And Israels Singer saith, Viri sanguinum & dolosi non dimidiabunt dies suos, Psal. 55.24. Wicked men shall not liue out halfe their dayes.

To conclude, though Sarahs life was replenished with a world of woes, yet did it not want some sin­gular comforts. For this vertuous Lady liued after the birth of her sonne Isaac (as appeareth Gen. 17.17) the space of 36. yeares. The Lord Gods good plea­sure was, that for some good space shee might fol ce her selfe with that childe so greatly wished, so long expected, and so often promised. Thus the good God of heauen suffereth not his seruants to depart out of this life without some especial comfort, which sweetneth and mitigateth all other sorrowes.

[Page 11]The currant of the Scriptures is plentifull to proue this point, Psal. 42.11. In the multitude of the sorrowes that were in my heart (saith Dauid) thy comforts (Lord) haue refreshed my soule. Shewing that as the world had a multitude of sorrowes to assault Dauid, so God had a multitude of comforts to refresh his heart. As our sufferings abound, so consolations abound, 2 Cor. 1.5. Elias for a time mourned and was persecuted, but at the last (besides the comforts 1 Reg. 19.6.7.18.) there came a charriot which freed him from Iezabels rage, 2 Reg. 2.11. Sperandum quod qui in vita mor­tes & infernos tulerint, in mor­te mitius h [...]bitu­ros. Luther Tom. 2. pag. 75. The man according to Gods owne heart ( Dauid of whom be­fore I spake) had anguish and sorrow, dangers and perils, many and mighty, Psal. 18.4.5. Funes mor­tis, the cords or bands of death compassed him a­bout; Dolores inferni, the sorrowes of hell compas­sed him: hee was inuironed with the pangs of hell and death, Psal. 116.3. yea and as it is in the 11 ver. of this Psal. 116. he breaketh forth into words little lesse then of infidelity, accusing holy Samuel the Lords Prophet of a lie, & that he deceiued him in the promised kingdome of Israel. The God of comfort taketh not this his seruant Dauid out of this life, when his minde was not in quiet, when he was op­pressed with inward and outward sorrow, Mortem iusto­rum vocat pa­cem, quoniam à mundi pugna li­berati, coelestem pa em cosequun­tur. Hector Pin­tus in Isay 57.2. but giues him a comfortable deliuerance, Psal. 116.6. O the infinite goodnesse of a gracious God! Hitherto of the time, now of the place.

And Sarah died in Kiriath-arba, the same is Hebron the land of Canaan.] Sarahs daies & yeres before were numbred, and found to be full of labour and sorrow: [Page 12] And now at Hebron those dayes of misery haue an end: now she is at rest from her manifold troubles, Apoc. 14.13. now peace is come, and shee resteth in the bed of peace, Isay 57.2. ô praeclarum diem, ô bles­sed and happy houre.

Horat. lib. 2. Car. ad Lycinium Ode. 10.Our Latine Pindarus could say, Non si malè nunc & olim sic erit, It is a strange storm that lasteth euer: Nocte pluit tota redeunt spectacula manè, which I en­glish by a better Poet, Psal. 30.5. Weeping may en­dure for a night, but ioy commeth in the morning. Many are the troubles of the Righteous, Psal. 34.50. These words, Many troubles, are able to amaze many a man; but what followeth? The Lord deliuereth out of all, This is able to comfort and raise vp any man. In the Gospell of Saint Iohn we haue the pro­mise of our Sauiour, Iohn 16.20. Verily, verily I say vnto you: Christi iuramentum, Christianorum sit fundamentum, saith Augustine, Christs oath and strong asseueration, may be to christians the stay and staffe of consolation. And what is Christs asseuera­tion? Ye shall weepe and lament, and the world shall reioyce, and yee shall sorrow, but your sorrow shall bee turned to ioy, Gen. 8.4. Long was righteous Noah tossed with a tempest, but at the last, hee and his Arke rested vpon the mountains of Ararat: from whence the sweet Singer of Israel tooke the origi­nall of the Bibles briefe, a sentence full of consolati­on, Psal. 55.22. Cast thy burden vpon the LORD and hee shall nourish thee: Non dabit in aeternum fluctua­tionem iusto, The iust shall not alwaies be floating, There is neuer a Go my people into Aegypt, but there [Page 13] is, Come againe my people out of Egypt. There is no leading of them into captiuity, but there is a bringing backe out of captiuity. There is not Enter Noah into the Arke, but there is, Come forth againe Noah out of the Arke. Non dabit in aeternum fluctua­tionem iusto. At Hebron the dayes of misery haue an end.

And to take a suruey of this Hebron. This City had three names: At the first it was called Mamree of the name of the first founder and builder of it, Gen. 13.18. Afterwards it was called Kiriath-arba, of one Arba a great man among the Anakims, who repaired the same, Iosh. 14.14. and 15.14. Lastly it was called Hebron of the nephew of faithfull Caleb, 1 Chro. 2.4.2.

It is most certaine that at this time it was the Metropolitan and Lady City of the whole land, hauing vnder it many other Cities, Iosh. 10.37. As it is said of Sion, Psal. 87.3. So it may in some sort be said of Hebron, glorious things are spoken of it.

First, Antiquity, Num. 13.23. it was an ancient City, seauen yeares ancienter then Zoan in Aegypt.

Secondly, it was a Princely City, euen a mansion for a King, Io. 10.3.

Thirdly, it was for Calebs worthy seruice giuen to him for an inheritance, Iosh. 14.14.

Fourthly, it was appointed for one of the Cities of refuge, and giuen for the Leuites to dwell in, Iosh. 20.7. Iosh. 21.11.12.

Fiftly, in it Dauid first reigned ouer Gods peo­ple, 2 Sam. 2.1.11.

[Page 14]Sixtly, to this came the blessed Virgin the mo­ther of our Lord Iesus Christ to visit Elizabeth, Luke 1.39.

Lastly, it became a place of buriall for many wor­thy persons, 2 Sam. 4.12. Here was buried Abra­ham and his Sarah, Gen. 23.2. Isaac and his Rebecca, Iacob and his Leah, Gen. 49.31. The first letters of the principall of all their names, who were buried in one graue, are contained in that one name of Israel. And in this place some affirme was buried great Adam the first Father of vs all. Hierom

The obseruation which I collect is, that sinne and sinners staine, pollute and defile all things, Gen. 6.7. Rom. 8.20. yea maketh each place where they come a hell, Fulk. in locum. Apoc. 2.13. Ibi thronus Satanae, vbi pietas pro­fligata, impietas verò summa regnat; There is a hell, where grace and goodnesse is shoued out, and where sinne and iniquity beareth the sway. So on the o­ther side, wheresoeuer grace and goodnesse is, wher­soeuer a good man treadeth he giueth a dignity and a kind of sanctity vnto it, he imprinteth on it and in­to it a kinde of eminency, and inuesteth it with firme and constant stabilitie. To goe no further then my Text, Kiriath-arba is made excellent by Abraham and Sarah, and from their time is made a sanctuary and refuge, and a seat for a godly king to sit vpon.

What hath the spirit of God obserued concerning the death of this worthy personage? Here is neuer a word of the disease whereof she dyed: not a word of the last words which she spake, which questionlesse were comfortable, holy, and heauenly. But the holy [Page 15] Ghost windeth vp all in three or foure words, Mor­tua est in Hebron, leauing the rest to our further con­sideration.

These words, Mortua est, shee died in Hebron wisheth vs to meditate vpon the precedent history: It is well knowne to all such as are conuersant and exercised in the holy Story, the blessed Bible and booke of God; that the mother of the faithful, Sarah bare her sonne Isaac at Beersheba, thirty seauen yeares before her death, Gen. 17.17. compared with Gen. 21.2. As also that at Beersheba, Abimelech made a league with Abraham, the tenure whereof was: That the one should not hurt the other, Gen. 21.23. Hereupon Abraham supposing hee should set vp his staffe, rest for euer, and lay his bones, did there plant a groue, Gen. 21.33.4. And when the Lord by espe­ciall commandement sent him to mount Moriah to offer his sonne, for tryall of his faith and obedience, Gen. 22.2. he returned backe to Beersheba, and there dwelt, Gen. 22.19. Yet for all this, Sarah dyeth not there, but dyeth at Hebron, certaine miles distant from it.

It is very probable that after the death of Abime­lech that good and moderate King, the inhabitants brake the league before made, & troubled Abraham, in so much that now in his old age, when more then one foot was in the graue, this godly aged gray-hea­ded man, with his aged wife, are constrained to seeke a new seate: Luthar. and in this their remouall religious Sa­rah dyeth. Dyeth, I say, Paulus ab Eit­zen lib. 1. pag. 6 [...]1 in absence of her yoake-fellow Abraham, and happily without the presence [Page 16] of her sonne and other acquaintance: dyeth in a strange place, and among strangers.

Chr. Tom. 1. Hom. 66. in Gen. 48. Ne dicat quis miserum in alie­no solo vitam fi­nientem, ne (que) cum qui insolitu­dine ex h c vita decedit. Ne (que) enin ille dignus ut miser dicatur, sed qui in peccatis mortuus est, eti­am super lectum, etiam si praesenti­bus amicis omni­bus spiritum ex­balet. Et ne mi­hi frigida illa verba, dicat ali­quis, Quod ille cane vilius est mortuus, nullo famil arium prae­sente, ne (que) sepul­turae & funus ei contigerunt, &c. Preciosa mors Sanctorum, Psal. 116.15. mors peccatorum pessi­ma, Psal 34 21. At (que) etiam sid­mi suae moriatur & muliere & fi­liis praesentibus. &c.The profitable vses we are to make, are: First, if the like happen to any other, that the Lord vouch­safe them not to die in their own country, or among their owne nearest and dearest friends, wanting them to close vp their dying eyes, and performe the duties and offices of loue, let it not be imputed as any signe of Gods heauy and fearfull wrath, for though friends be absent, yet the best friends, God and his Christ, to the faithfull are euer present: And when all forsake, yet they neuer forsake, Psal. 27.10. and heauen is no more remote from one place then from another.

Againe the consideration of that which hath bin deliuered, may be vnto all a continuall memoriall of sin: It thrust Adam our first parent out of Paradise, and made him a pilgrime, and hath made vs all liable vnto wauering and wandring. That the cause of af­fliction is sin originall and actuall, Psal. 51.5.14. occasioned and increased by meanes of the world, the diuell and the flesh, Ephes. 2.2.3. appeareth not onely by many places of the Scripture Leuit: 26 14.15.16. Deut: 28.58.59. Psal: 32 1.2.39.11: 1 Cor. 11.30.: But by ma­ny examples, as of Adam Gen. 3.14 ad 20., of Ioab 2 Sam 3.28.29., of Dauid 2 Sam. 24.15:, of Miriam Num: 12 10:, of Gehezi 2 Reg: 5 27:, of Iehoram 2 Chron: 21, 12:14:15., of Assa 2 Chron. 16:12:, of the man sicke of the palfie Math: 9.2., as also of him that was sicke thirty eight yeares lying at the poole Bethesda, Iohn 5.2.5.14. and many others.

Moreouer, the consideration of the premises may [Page 17] serue fitly to stirre vp in vs all a longing desire of heauen, where all ioy is, euen riches of pleasure for euermore, Psal. 36.8.9. seeing here wee haue no happinesse, no rest, no quietnesse. Here is onely the valley of teares and weeping, else-where wee must looke for the happy place of reioycing, where there shall be no more death, neyther sorrow, neither cry­ing, neither shall there be any more paine, Apoc. 21.4.

The same is Hebron in the Land of Canaan.] Where is Hebron situated? Not in Egypt, but in Canaan. Now Canaan is a type and shadow of the Kingdome of heauen, which Abraham and his Sarah longed and looked to enioy, Heb. 11.9.10. Moreouer at Salem a City of Canaan, Melchisedek the Priest of the most high God, blessed Abraham, reigned and ruled, Gen. 14.18.19. This Melchisedek was a figure of Christ the true King of peace, Heb. 7.2. Though Sarah dyed out of the sight of her Abraham, yet she dyed in the sight, fauour and grace of her good God; and in the Land of peace, vnder the protection of the Lord Iesus Christ the Prince of peace; who liued at Salem, preached at Salem, and dyed at Salem. So therefore this worthy and blessed Lady dyed there, and was buried there, where she might rest not far from the promised Seed, and might rise againe with the promised Seed, Math. 27.53.

But left (my beloued) the streame of discourse carrie me beyond the compasse of the time, and I should tire out both my weake spirits, sickly diseased body, and your christian patience, I will come briefly to some short application concerning this present [Page 18] dolefull occasion, and sigh out, rather then speake out some few words: esteeming my selfe in some sort happy, the case thus standing, that I haue the opportunity to shew Officia postremi muneris as Au­gustine speaketh de Verbis Apost. But as I wish all ho­nour bounded within sobriety, to my honorable Lord and his house, and so likewise to the name and blessed memory of my most honoured Lady and mistrisse, who was no small glory to that house: So from my heart I wish, that in the performance of this last duty, she might haue beene honoured with the paines of some graue godly Augustine, some powerfull preaching Ambrose, or some golden ton­gued Chrysostome, that as shee was honourable and honoured in her life, she might haue had an hono­rable person to haue honoured her death. O that it had beene the pleasure of the Almightie, that time and place might so haue fitted, that the worthy Ser­uant of God, The B. of Lon­don. who visited her in her sicknesse, might also haue performed this last office of loue for her. The Lord grant vnto him and his, mercy at the great & last day: Remember him, O my God, & wipe not out his kindnesse that he hath shewed on the house of God, & to this Honorable Lady the seruant of God.

As it was said of Othniel a good Iudge in Israel, Iudg. 3.11. That hee died, because (saith the glosse) Indignus erat populus habere talem principem, Such a sinfull and vnthankfull people were vnworthy to haue so worthy a prince. So may I truely say, we haue lost a worthy peere, Heb. 11.38. Dorothy. the world was vnworthy of her: her nature was answereable to her name, giuen [Page 19] by God as a great gift vnto the world; (it is no small blessing to be both honourable and holy, to be great and good) Taken away she is for a great punishment especially of her seruants, Isay 57.1. who suruiue her in this world. Such was her conuersation in this slippery and vnwoman-like age, wherein many fall and most doe slide, that I am of cleare opinion, that malice it selfe must needs acknowledge her to be no lesse then an earthly angell, and a Phoenix of this world. Thousand thousands better know it then I am able to tell it: They are either blinde and cannot see, or too far transported with malice and will not see the many noble vertues of this noble Lady. She was pulchra, prudens, pudica, pia: she was of comely per­sonage, of discreet and wise carriage, she was loyall to her Lords bed, and louing to his friends: And for her piety, I know most certainely, that shee had more holinesse inwardly, then she euer shewed out­wardly: her diet was moderate, her apparell modest and onely needfull for her estate, comely it was ra­ther then costly: all yee of that sexe reade Tit. 2.3.4.5. and when ye haue read it once, let me intreat you to reade it ouer againe, there you shall see what vertues the Apostle requireth at your hands, and if you desire to haue an example to illustrate the Apostles doctrine, come hither and behold them here intombed: And in no one thing did she more excell her selfe then in the religious and vertuous education of her noble children, seasoning them to the great good I hope of this kingdome in the flo­wer of their yeares, with heauenly Religion. O [Page 20] daughters of Israel weepe: Ambros: Tom. 3. pag 17. de obitu fratris Satyri. Ita (que) licet priuatum fu­nus, tamen fletus sit publicus, Though for good cause the funerall & solemnity of her buriall was priuate and vpon the night; Lachrimae pie­tatis indices, non illices sunt doloris Amb. Tom. 3. pag 18 de obitu fratris Satyri. yet let your mourning be pub­lique and continue day and night. The Marble weepeth against a storme, a strange storme is now lately fallen: ye haue lost the glory of your sexe; to speake in a word, a vertuous Lady, whose price was far aboue pearles, Her honora­ble Lord follo­wing most Christianly the good rule of that golden Trumpeter, Chrys. in Ioh. 19. did Tob. 14:10: honestly, seem­ly and nobly, performe offici­um humanitatis, charitatis & di­lectionis, giuing a good presi­dent to others to shew mercie to the dead, as also to the liue­ing Chrys Tom. 3. Hom. 84. in Ioh: 19: pag: 137 a peaceable woman & of a good heart, Eccles. 26.14. one in whose tongue was cle­mency, meeknesse and wholsome talke, Eccles. 36.23 This good gracious Lady, one of the daughters of the faithfull, was for all the world like Sarah the mo­ther of the faithfull: For from the beginning of her life, to the end of her life subiect to the crosse. I may wel and truly say, Ipsius animam pertransiuit gladius: Many a sharpe sword of sorrow pierced through her heart and soule. Now at her end without the com­fortable presence of her honorable Lord, without the comfortable presence of her Isaac, her sonne of ioy and comfort, whom the great God of heauen make heire of all his parents vertues and graces, and (if it be his blessed will) turne from him all their miseries and calamities, and make his name more fa­mous then euer theirs was.

But will some say, thus to be crossed is to be cur­sed: Cursed, a heauy word, and so to affirme were to condemne the generation of the iust, Psal. 73.15. Yea and the Lord Iesus Christ the Sauiour of the Iust, Isay 53. For further answere hereunto, and for the rectifying of mens vnsetled iudgements, I intreat [Page 21] you obserue, that there are two things which doe not a little trouble very often not onely the weake, but euen the best in Gods schoole, Psal. 73. verses 2. and 13. The one is, Crucis duritia, the godlies great miserie: the other is, Impiorum laetitia, the wickeds seeming excessiue felicity.

For the first, Crucis duritia. The estate of the godly, is vsually harder then other mens. If any looke for chaste Ioseph where shall he finde him but in a prison? If for vpright and iust Iob, Gen. 39.20. Iob 2:8. with a pot-sheard vpon the dunghill? For godly Lazarus, Luke 16.20. at the Rich­mans gate full of sores? For the mother of the faith­full, tossed from post to pillar, wandring vp and downe. Yea, in a word, it is the portion of the god­ly, Rom. 8.36. Aestimati sumus tanquam oves occisio­nis, Wee are counted as sheepe for the slaughter.

For the other, Impiorum laetitia. If misery were equally the portion of euery man, then each might say, Et mea cum multis iuncta querela est: My com­fort is, though it be but a poore comfort, my hap is no harder then other mens. But the wicked are not in trouble as other men, neyther are they plagued with other men, Psal. 73.5. Baals priests, and the priests of the groue are full fed: they eate at Iezabels table, 1 Kings 18.19. when as good godly Eliah the Pro­phet is glad to get his bread by begging, 1 Kin. 17.11.

Surgunt procellae stagni huius, saith S ^t Augustine; The stormes of this world arise. Vides malos florere, bonos laborare; Thou seest the wicked liue in iollity and prosperity, the godly drooping vnder penury & pouerty: Poore innocent Isaac led to the slaughter, [Page 22] while scoffing Ismael sits at home: Good godly Iacob set to tend and keepe sheepe, whiles my Lord Esau rides on hunting. Tentatio est, fluctus est; A sore try­all, a billow able to beate a mans breath out of his body. Aug: in Psal. 25. pag. 39. Et dicit anima tua, O Deus, Deus, haeccine est iustitia tua, vt mali floreant, boni laborent? And doth thy soule with sobs and sighes say; Is this, O good God, thy iust and indifferent carriage of businesse? That bloudy Cain and his sinfull race should take the Tymbrell and the merry Harp, solace and reioyce themselues in the sound of the Organs, Genes. 4.21. when if wee looke for Daniel, wee shall finde him in the Lyons denne: for Ieremiah in the dungeon: for Isaiah tortured vpon the racke: for the Apostles of Christ in a common loathsome Goale: Acts 5.17. for the mother of the faithfull, liuing in a strange land, and dying in a strange land? Dicis Deo, Haeccine est iustitia tua? Et Deus tibi respondet, Haeccine est fides tua? Haeccine tibi promisi, aut ad hoc Christianus fa­ctus es, vt in seculo floreres? Saist thou to God, Is this thy iustice and righteousnesse? And God saith again to thee, Is this O man thy faith & confidence? Was there euer any such stipulation or promise, which passed betwixt thee and mee at the time when thou tookest that glorious name of Christian vpon thee, that all should outwardly goe well.

We must not in this world looke that our flesh shall haue rest, but wee must looke to be troubled on euery side, Fightings without and terrours within, 2 Cor. 7.5.

Since the fall of Adam no man passeth to Paradise, but by the burning Seraphins, Gen. 3.24. No man to the land of Canaan, but by the bitter waters of Marah, Exod. 15.23. No man to Ierusalem but by mount Caluery and the vally of weeping.

The tenure whereby we hold heauen is the Crosse, Mat. 16.24. and 10.38. That was the Indenture betwixt Christ and his Father, that hee should not enter into heauen, but that hee must first suffer, Luke 24.26. O fooles, and slow of heart to beleeue all that the Prophets haue spoken; Ought not Christ to haue suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And it is the indenture betwixt Christ and vs, 2 Tim. 3.12. Whosoeuer will liue godly in Christ Iesus, must suffer afflictions.

The mouth that cannot lie, that faithfull and true witnesse, Apoc. 3.14. saith, If any will follow me, tollat crucem suam, let him take vp his crosse, ego meam, ille suam, I haue taken vp mine, and hee must take vp his, Luc. 9.23. A Christian must be a daily Crosse-bearer: For, Aug: Tom. 6. de Pastoribus. exceptus à passione flagello­rum, exceptus à numero filiorum; This is good Ca­tholique doctrine, Heb. 12.6. The Lord scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth. It is a shrewd signe [Page 24] that he shall neuer receiue the crowne, who did not first taste of the crosse. Heb. 12.8.

In the Booke of Iob there is made this inquision, Iob. 28.12.13. Sapientia verò ubi inuenitur? Et quit est locus intelligentiae? the answere is, Non invenitur in terra suaviter viventium, as the vulgar latine rea­deth: So may I say concerning Piety, the feare of God, grace and goodnesse, where are they to bee found? Non in terra suaviter viventium, Not in the Land which liueth in pleasure, Iam. 5.5. If you find a land of good fellowes, if you seeke for grace and goodnesse, you must seeke some where else, for you shall not finde them there. But to returne vnto this worthy Lady, though she were afflicta, yet was she not derelicta, Psal. 37.26. She had her many com­forts, Oliue plants about her table, Psal: 128.3. not one but many dutifull children, children tractable to piety and goodnesse, children free from the com­mon staine of this sinfull age. Moreouer shee died in good time for her selfe, though too soone for me and many moe: Sibi maturè, aut mihi citò. she came to the graue in a good age: to the graue often before wished, often before desi­red, Phil. 1.23. Often haue I heard her vtter the ef­fect of these following verses:

But my spirits faile, my passions will not suffer me [Page 25] speake, the fountaine is full, therefore well may it ouerflow: we therefore that doe remaine haue this for our comfort, and it is no small comfort, that she liued and died in a Land, where vnder a gracious Prince of peace the word of life is published: and in this vale of misery she tooke vp Christs crosse, she passed the burning Seraphins, therefore hath she en­tred into Paradise Habent omnes animae cum de seculo exierint diversas recepti­ones suas, habent gaudium boni, & mali tormen­ta. Aug. in Ioh: 11. Tract. 49. pag: 442.: shee did drinke many a deepe draught of the bitter waters of Marah, therefore she hath set foote into the Land of promise the true Canaan: she hath climbed vp mount Caluarie, and waded many a wet footstep through the vallie of weeping, therefore she is ascended mount Sion, and come to the City of the liuing God, the Coelesti­all Hierusalem, and to the company of innume­rable Angels, and to the Assembly and Congre­gation of the first borne, and to God the Iudge of all, and to the Spirits of iust and perfect men, Heb. 12.22. where with Christ Iesus she liueth for euermore Fideles etiam defuncti, mem­bra Christi sunt: quamvis ergo cum suis corpori­bus nondū sunt, iam tamen eorū animae regnant cum illo: Aug..

But I must leaue thee, Noble Lady: thy bo­dy to rest in thy graue of peace vntill the great Resurrection, when you shall receiue full blessed­nesse Quum verò ab hoc somno evigilabunt, si­mul omnes quod promissum est, accepturi sunt. Promissa enim est fidelibus re­surrectio carnis, mortis consump­tio, vita aeterna cum Angelis: Aug. Tom: 9. Tract: 49. in Euang. Ioh. pag. 442., and thy Soule to bee with the God of peace, and with the blessed Angels, and all the con­gregation of the first borne, where you sing the song of Moses, a song of victory and thanksgiuing, Reu. 15.3.

And as for you my Christian auditorie, take this by the way, and thinke vpon it, This place and this Country is, Terra suaviter viventium, a Land that [Page 26] liueth too much in pleasure, too much giuen to the common sinne of this age, Hor epist. lib. 1. ad Albium Ti­bullum. that is, too many are, Epicuri de grege porci: to english it in the Apostles phrase, 1 Cor. 15.32. Beasts of Ephesus giuen to eating and drinking To remedy this great euill which hath bin the ruine of many of his Maiesties Sub­iects, the wa­sting of their goods, and losse of their liues in these parts: I wish the wor­shipfull Iustices would be plea­sed to giue eare to these my re­quests: First, That no Ale­house be suffer­ed vpon the edge of Com­mons, and in obscure places, where Rogues, and Theeues may resort. Se­condly, not to licence any in a village, when the Minister thereof and all the whole Parish shall think it vnfit. Third­ly, not to licence any, who hath iustly stood for misdemeanours excommunicated a yeare or two. Fourthly, when the abuse shall grow so great, that poore women out of the an­guish of their soules shall craue ayde, that their husbands may not spend all at the pot, and they statue, that then there be made some redresse. Lastly, that painfull Preachers or other Officers may be heard, and not checked, when they iustly complain at your Benches against such places as suffer drinking, carding and fighting vpon the Sabbath dayes in the time of Diuine Seruice. If these requests be iust and good, I request you harken vnto them.. Consider that here lyeth a Saint, therefore bee not so grosse sinners: Here God hath erected the standard of his Word to his people, Isay 49.22. His banner is displayed, and whosoeuer are guided hereby, to them appertaine peace and mercy, Galath. 6.16. Here the great Trumpe is blowne, Isay 27.13. O foelicem popu­lum qui agnoscit clangorem, Psalm. 89.15. O bles­sed is the people that know the ioyfull sound, gi­uing eare vnto this voice, for they, O Lord, shall walke in the light of thy countenance, Iob. 14.23.

And (I pray you) is not this his word or voice, Luke 21.34. Take heed to your selues, lest at any time your hearts bee oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse.

But at this time I will presse this point no more, here I will abruptly end, and that portion of Scrip­ture, which was lately my text for a Sermon, I will make now the conclusion of this my Sermon. Now [Page 27] the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Iesus, that great Shepheard of the Sheep, through the bloud of the euerlasting Couenant, make you perfect in euery good worke to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Iesus Christ, to whom be glory for euer and euer, Amen.