A DIVINE DISCOVERY OF DEATH, Directing all people to a triumphant resurrection, and everlasting salvation.  
It is ordained that all men shall die.  HEB. 9.17. 
unum hoc gestit verit as ne ignorata damnetur.  
LONDON, Imprinted for WILLIAM JONES, and RICHARD boil dwelling in the blackfriars. 1612.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, MY VERY GOOD LORD, HENRY THE EARL OF HUNTINGTON.  
AS amongst all ordinary accidents incident to the prosperity & adversity of mankind, there is nothing more momentary than marriage: even so, right honourable, there is nothing more answerable to the salvation & condemnation of mankind than death. For as by the one all men come into the world, & by the other all men go out of the world: even so by both, all men without the merits of jesus Christ, shall go into hell fire. Yet for all that, there is nothing more out of the minds of men than death, nor any thing less feared than God's ireful judgements which follow after. As may appear in every profession which is stained and polluted with heathenish impiety: the like was not in the time of blindness and ignorance; whereby it may be truly said, that the last of the three revolutions signified by seals, 
Reu. 5.1. & 8.2. &. 17.1.  by trumpets, & by viols, related to be the dishonour of God, and the disturbance of the Church militant, is now more fresh and more ragingly revived, then in any of the two former revolutions, consisting of 600. years. Your Lordship perhaps will say, What is that to me? how can I redress it? I know my Lord, I know, and in truth I must acknowledge, that you are an example unto others, for the diligent hearing of God's holy word preached, and for the sincere receiving of the Sacrament: well may your Honour go on and be strengthened with the zeal of God's glory, and be recommended before the throne of God's grace, by the prayers of such as you did relieve when they were oppressed. But the principal cause of this my clamour is, to put you in mind of that you know, to wit, seeing sin is so general & the same so horribly heinous, that there is nothing else to be looked for but death, and not that death only which is the common visitation of all men; but also the second death, which is the perpetual reward of the devil and the damned. And also, my Lord, the special end of my writing unto your Honour, is, so much as in me lieth, and as duty binds me, to make you partaker of the fruit of my poor labour, with other my honourable and worshipful friends. Nothing doubting but under that truth and plainness wherein I have so faithfully endeavoured, and so hearty desired the good also of so many thousands as to whom it may come; your Lordship shall savour so much of some thing, as that you will say hereafter for your labour in reading of all, you are right glad, and have thereby lost nothing. Thus briefly and most humbly I end, desiring the Majesty of our eternal God, through the mediation of jesus Christ, to beautify and to adorn you and your honourable Lady with all spiritual graces, and that you both may see, (like yourselves) according to your hearts desire, your children's children unto the third and fourth generation.  
From Stretton Lefield the 3. of july, 1612. Your Honour's most humble in the Lord, Edw. Vaughan.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LADY THE COUNTESS of Leicester, Douger.  
RIght Honourable, I know none amongst all the women in the world, upon my forty years reading, neither yet truly reported by any, to whom this book doth so properly appertain to be carefully read, as to yourself. In respect specially of God's mercy wherein he hath made your honour admirably memorable for your exceeding wisdom and abounding graces: which was plainly seen in your patiented abiding of one such double deadly days news, concerning your noble son, & your worthy honourable husband, as made all England, France, and Ireland, more astonished than that great invincible Armado of Spain, valorously floating under sail upon our narrow seas. And there is also another famous respect of God's mercy, and the king's majesties favour upon you, for that there is yet alive a noble Earl of Essex, even out of your own loins, who is like to repair the ruins of his father, to raise his and your honourable house far more renowned, and lineally to leave it so to be upholden for ever. Madame, when the foundation of the Temple at jerusalem was newly laid, the sound of the people for joy could not be discerned from the noise of the Priests, 
Ezra 4.  Levites, and Ancients for weeping: even so right Honourable, your, and their most loving friends in that doleful day, could not discern whether the joy for the Queen's majesties safety, or the sorrow for their decease was the greatest. Although indeed some of both sides, most unconsiderately were partial in their joying, and other some exceeding in their sorrowing; yet the majesty of God did most divinely and most duly traduce the one to temper the other in you, who had the greatest cause of both. Labour you therefore good honourable Lady so to abound in joy for them, whose souls are in heaven, & so to abound in sorrow for your own sins, that whilst you are alive, it may not be discerned in which of both you exceed. And labour to abate your sorrow for the father which is dead, because his heroical honour, and Christian magnanimity is yet alive in his son. As for the manner of their death, it maketh nothing at all to the matter of their salvation, nor for the time of their dissolution, as you may read in this book, by many infallible sentences and warrantable examples of Scripture particularly, after this manner: First, that death hath his prerogative and privilege in general. Secondly, that death makes this world no world, and men to trade and travel, to buy and sell upon all uncertainties. Thirdly, that the decree concerning the time of death, is inviolable and unrepealable. And four, how variable, and how sundry ways death seizeth: upon some with the stroke of an Angel, upon some with the stroke of justice, upon some with the stroke of a friend, and that unwittingly and unwillingly; upon some with the stroke of an enemy, wittingly and willingly. Some godly men do kill and destroy themselves, but unwittingly and unwillingly: and some ungodly men do kill and destroy themselves wittingly and willingly, even by their own act and deed. And now to conclude, you know that honourable honour resteth not in the dignity that men & women have, but in the good works whereby they deserve: and you know as stigmatical brands are tokens of former felonies, even so procrastination breadeth dangers. Apply yourself therefore good honourable Lady unto the conveniency of the time, for you know not when death will light on you by many years, nor the manner of it by many hundred ways; that whensoever and howsoever it falls, you may have recourse to the death of jesus Christ, to whose holy protection I leave you, etc. Newly from the Printers Press, the 3. july, 1612.  
Your Honour's most humble in the Lord Edw. Vaughan.   

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL SIR JOHN HARPER AND SIR PHILIP STANHOP in the county of Derby Knights:  
And to the worshipful Master Richard Hall of London, Master Humphrey Bonner of Nottingham, and Master George Abney in the said county of Derby, esquires.  
MY singular selected friends, having published many and sundry books of divinity, and resolutely concluded with myself there to surcease, knowing this to be the envious and maligning age, in which few men shall be condignly rewarded, neither yet from unjust imputations, and impious calumniations freed: yet for all that I was occasioned, or rather (as I may say) violently importuned for my own better instruction and satisfaction, being more surprised with sorrow then with the loss of all the kingdoms of the world, carefully to collect answers to divers questions, and objections which did assail my soul, for and as concerning the decease of some such as did most nearly concern me, and exceeding dearly appertain unto me. And having therewithal received through God's mercy, that which of all other things I most specially desired; I was drawn dutifully and respectively to consider that my case was, or might be yours, and the common case of all men. Wherefore I took in hand methodically to dispose of all those dispersed collections into this book, as your Worships may see. Wherein I allege nothing but true sentences, & examples of holy Scriptures, and that so warrantably, so briefly, and so plainly, as that I might not seem tedious to the wise and learned, nor yet obscure to the simple and sorrowful hearted. Humbly and hearty desiring you in lieu of my labour, and in recompense of my love, that you will be pleased sometimes to sequester yourselves from your public affairs, yea and sometimes from your most private occasions, for the orderly and through reading thereof. Assuring you upon my poor experience, and upon the judgement of the best learned writers, that there is nothing so effectual in God's word, except the graces of his holy Spirit, to make a regenerate man to mourn in mirth, to solace in sorrow, and to apprehend the right use of all the means, which God hath ordained for the preservation of life, until the time of death doth come; as the meditation of mortality, with Scripture answers contemplatively to every such question and objection, as may be raised concerning death: together with devout prayers going before, and thanksgiving following after. Or otherwise a thousand to one, death brings with it fear, fear brings an increase of natural torments, an increase of torments, brings distraction of memory. Afterwards followeth all idle, dissolute and damnable speech, and so from one defect unto another, an oblivion of Christ and his kingdom, as the devil would have it. Thus I end, having timely enough I hope forewarned you, with my hearty desires unto his holy Majesty, to comfot you in your affliction and tribulation, that you may be able and ready to comfort others, to the glory of his holy name, and the everlasting comfort of your own souls.  
From Stretton Lefield in the county of Derby, this 3. of july 1612. Yours in the Lord Edw. Vaughan.   

The contents.  
In the displaying of this divine discovery of death, is necessarily to be observed these four general heads of instruction, approved by many sentences and holy examples of Scriptures. viz.  
First, the Generality of death, to wit, how invincibly death reigneth over all the generation of mankind, no place exempted, no time privileged, nor any person upon any occasion favoured.  
Secondly, the sundry sorts, manners, and kinds of death, that is to say, how diversly and how many ways death seizeth upon all people, with the several reasons thereof.  
Thirdly, the timeliness of death, relating by particulars, the day, the hour, the moment and point of time, in which almighty God hath decreed that every the generation of mankind shall die, so that no man by the diligent use of the means can lengthen his life, nor any man by the negligent use of the means shall shorten his life.  
Fourthly, the memorabilitie of death, that is to say the commemoration and religious solemnisation which the living ought to have for their dead, with four principal and Christian respects.   

THE GENERALITY OF DEATH.  
DEath hath dominion over all mankind, not all together as they are innumerable, but one after another in their appointed time. To which purpose, the just man job by the holy influence of God's divine Spirit, said, not only of himself, but also of all others: 
job. 30.23.24.  Surely I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all the living. Solomon the wisest man than in all the world, having duly considered of man's abode in this life, said: 
Eccles. 6, 6.  Man shall be covered with darkness, if he live an hundred years twice told; and shall not all go into one place? Saint Luke speaking by the same spirit, sets down the divine speech of Saint Paul to the Athenians, among which he doth plainly relate the manner of man's creation in this wise: 
Act. 17.26.  God hath made of one blood all mankind to dwell on the face of the earth. As if he had said, by a vulgar phrase of speech, Where there is a contagion or an infection, it goes through that family, because they are of one nature, and of one blood: even so he meant that all the generation of mankind, being of one blood and of one flesh, shall all taste of one death. Saint Paul in his exhortation to the Corinthians for their enduring affliction, and to live well, 
2. Cor. 5.10.  said, We must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ: as if he had said, There is no help nor hope, we must all die. josua a man exceeding victorious, and full of magnanimity and Christian courage, yet being prepared to die, in his exhortation to his people, points unto himself, saying, 
josua. 23.14  Behold I enter into the way of all the world: as if he had said, Marvel not my brethren at me, who must needs departed this life, the like must be your lots & your posterity. The wise woman of Tekoha amongst many other emphatical speeches which she used to David the king, in the behalf of Absalon his son; said unto him, We must all die, 
2. Sam. 14.14.  and we are as water spilled on the earth, which cannot be gathered: neither doth God spare any person. As David said, 
2. Sam. 11.25.  The sword devours as well one as another: even so it may be said of all people, that death seizeth one manner or other upon every man without exception. Furthermore, 
Gen. 5.28.  the ten holy Fathers who lived every man almost his thousand yet died. 
Deut. 2.3. josua. 8.9.10.11.12.  We may speak of divers by examples, as of Moses & josua the most valiant & most victorious warriors that ever were; 
jud. 16.28.29.  of Samson the strongest man in all the world, and yet they died. 
1. King. 11.43. Dan. 4.  Of Solomon who was the wisest man in all the world, and yet he died. Nabucadnezzar was the richest man in all the world, and yet he died. Peter and Paul were as holy as ever any before or since, and yet Peter and Paul died. 
Gen. 23.1.2. Hest. 9  Sarah and Hester were two beautiful Ladies as ever were, and yet Sarah and Hester died. To conclude, there was never any time, nor place, nor person that could exempt any man from death. For Sem called Melchizedech was before the flood: he out lived all that knew him; 
Gen. 14.14. Heb. 7.1. to 7.  and so long, that no man knew his kindred: even when Lot was taken prisoner, and a great grandfather of eight degrees in Abraham's time: whence he was said to be without father and without mother, and in part a figure of Christ, whose Godhead had no mother, and whose manhood had no father: without beginning of days, or end of life: in respect of whom also he was said to be king of righteousness, king of peace, and a Priest for ever of the most high God; yet for all this Melchizedech died. job said, If God set his heart upon man, 
job. 34.14.  and gather his spirit unto himself, than man shall return to dust. As though he had said more plainly; No man in all the world that liveth, but liveth to die when God will; because man's life consisteth of that which is Gods. Solomon saith, The desire of death cannot be satisfied, 
Eccles. 8.8.  he gathereth unto himself all nations, & doth heap unto himself all people. 
Hab. 2.5.  job speaking to this purpose concerning all mankind, and more particularly of himself, said thus; 
job. 6.11.  What power have I that I should endure? is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass? To wit, What did men think of me when I was at the best? or what could I ever think of myself? was I a man like to live always? And what man may be named that now is, that ever was, or ever shall be so strong or so enduring, as that he shall be able to surcharge death? The sundry examples, and the common experience even of our own time hath told us and doth still forewarn us of death, which is so due to us, as to them who are gone before. The most unlikeliest do longest live, & the most likeliest do soon die; which argueth plainly, that there is no stability, no certainty nor true token of continuance in any man whatsoever. Also S. Paul said to the Corinthians, 
1. Cor. 15.51.  we shall not all die. Indeed we shall all once die in respect of our outward estate, ourelementarie inclination, and natural affections: but in respect of Gods divine majesty, innarrable power, and secret will, they which shall live at the last day shall be changed, they shall not be the same which formerly they were as men in the world.  
I have advisedly considered of ten holy motives, or divine reasons of Scripture, why all men must die.  

The first reason why all men must die,  
It is the decree of almighty God, which ordereth all inferior causes, and binds them to the obedience of his will. No king can produce so ancient a right to his crown, as every man hath out of this most ancient decree to challenge after death the crown of glory. Solomon said, 
Eccles. 3.14.  I know that whatsoever God hath done, he hath done it for ever: to it can no man add, and from it can no man diminish. Esai the Prophet, as in the proper person of God himself, saith, The Lord hath sworn saying, 
Esa. 14.24.  surely as I have purposed so shall it come to pass, and as I have consulted so shall it stand. Again he saith, Seek ye the book of the Lord, and read; none of these things shall fail, none shall want, his mouth hath commanded it. 
Mal. 3.6.  Malachi said to that purpose, I am the Lord that changeth not. The Author to the Hebrews saith, 
Heb. 6.17.18.  That God more abundantly to show the stableness of his counsel, bound himself by an oath, wherein it is impossible that God should lie; that we might have strong consolation. 
Dan. 6.8.  As the laws of the Medes & Persians were unrepealable: so is the decree of almighty God concerning death unrepealable, and in regard of the everlastingness of it, jeremy said, 
jer. 17.1.  It is written with an iron pen, and with the point of a diamond, and graven upon the tables of the heart.   

The second reason why all men must die,  
Is drawn from the uprightness of God's justice. Sin being so general in all men, his Majesty hath decreed to punish it by death in all men, yea in his own dear children; who although the guilt of sin be removed and taken from them, yet sin remaining in their mortal bodies is to be punished with death, and perishing of that substance so subject to sin. Saint Paul said, Death went over all men, 
Rom. 5.12.  in as much as all men have sinned. As by the law every husband may put away his wife for alienating her body to another man: even so sin by the law doth alienate & put away the soul from the body of everic man. 
job. 34.11.  Elihu spoke most divinely to this purpose, with his friends: God will render unto man according to his work and cause every man to find according to his way. And as sin increased from age to age, so did the anger of God, as appeared by the shortening of their days. Though Christ hath forgiven us, yet sin is not out of us. There is still in man that will keep him from soaring: and a Quis me in his mouth, extending lamentably with Saint Paul, from men to Angels, with a violent interrogation enforcing an answer, who shall deliver me from the body of death?   

The third reason why all men must die.  
All men must die in respect of Gods general purpose for the changing and renewing of mankind from one substance into another, for the transubstantiating of one body into another, & a transmitting of one life into another. This purpose of the Father in Christ jesus, made job to say, 
job. 14.14.  I will wait mine appointed time till my changing come. S. Paul relating the very same amongst many other things of great weight unto the Corinthians, said, We shall all be changed. And in another place, 
1. Cor. 15.  at another time, Flesh & blood, saith he, 
35 ●4.  cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven: mortality must be swallowed up of life. 
2. Cor. 5.4.  And in his epistle to the Philippians he writes the same in effect, being occasioned otherwise thereunto, and that in these words. God shall change our vile bodies, 
Phil. 3.21.  that they may be like unto his glorious body.   

The fourth reason why all men must die is,  
That there may be a performance and a seizure upon God's promises for the perpetual good of his Saints after death, which in this life can not be obtained, and also for the inevitable destruction of the wicked. With the godly, 
Esai. 23.18.  saith Esai, shall be joy and gladness, slaying of oxen, killing of sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine, rejoicing and triumphing. By which words is meant all spiritual & heavenly plenty of immortal melodies, and unspeakable alacrities; the father joying and rejoicing in the son, and the son in the father, and both the father and the son in other the Saints, in the Angels, and specially in the Lamb Christ jesus. The same Prophet continueth his speech, as being half ravished with the meditation thereof, in the behalf of his fellow brethren, who saith, Awake thou that sleepest in the dust; 
Esai 25.9.  in that day men shall say, Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, he will save us, we will rejoice and be joyful in his salvation. Again the Lord himself speaks by the same Prophet, 
Esa. 26.19.  The dead men shall live ever; with my body shall they arise: awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust. Saint Paul said to that effect, 
1. Cor. 5.10.  We must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that every man may receive the things which he hath done in his body. As it was with Christ the head, so is it with his members: Except the wheat corn die, and fall into the ground, it abideth alone, but if it die, it bringeth much fruit.  
Concerning the seizure of God's judgements upon the wicked according to God's promises, these joys, these preparations, and these exultations, are turned unto weeping and gnashing of teeth: Then saith Esai, 
Esa. 23.9.  that the noise of them that rejoice, endeth, intimating the wicked: then their mirth ceaseth, they shall not eat and drink with mirth, 
24.8.26.21.  and good things shall be bitter unto them, Lo, than the Lord cometh out of his place, to visit the inhabitants of the earth. The earth shall disclose her blood, and shall no more hide her slain. Then the Lord hath decreed to stain the pride of man's glory, and to bring into contempt all them that be glorious upon earth. Here the glory of the wicked endeth, and even here the glory of the godly beginneth: as by the example of Dives, and Lazarus. And as Abimelech having fought against the city Sechem fiercely, and exceedingly wrathful, he slew all the people that were therein, left none alive; and afterwards in sign that it should never be inhabited, he sowed salt in it: even so is the Lord in his wrath against the wicked of the world at that day.   

The fifth reason why all men must die.  
It is drawn from the matter or substance whereof man was made, to wit, of earth, and therefore subject to perishing: earth cannot continue long out of its sphere whence it was exhausted. Earth how cunningly, and how curiously soever it be built, (as earth upon earth,) it will descend and press downward according to the nature thereof, unto the place whence it came, and by little and little, in short time much will come to nothing. According to the which God said unto Adam, Thou art dust, 
Gen. 3.19.  and into dust thou shalt return. Man is built upon a bad foundation, 
job. 4.19.  therefore job said that the souls which came from heaven do dwell in houses of clay, and their foundation is in the dust, which shall be destroyed before the moth. 
Eccles. 3.20.  And Solomon said that the spirit shall return to God that gave it.   

The sixth reason why all men must die.  
It is drawn from the matter or substance whereof the woman was made, or for her immediate conversion from one substance to another, to wit, from earth to flesh; which being rightly considered in itself, is a matter or substance less durable, and more momentany than the former. For flesh how fine soever it be in itself, and how curiously, or costly so ever it be preserved: yet if it be not used, and taken in season, it will putrefy and become exceeding noisome of itself, specially the flesh of a woman: for by how much more excellent, brave, & beautiful she is in the constitution of her body then the man, by so much the more foul, filthy, & stinking, her body will become shortly after she is dissolved; following therein, the nature of other pure and purified creatures, which in their time, and right use are much to the praise of God, and to the comfort of man, but being abused, or not used as they ought, are the most vile, and the most venomous things of all others. The flesh of beasts, are good for men, and the flesh of men, good for something, but the flesh of women when they are dead is good for nothing. job therefore being borne of a woman, said of himself, & of all others of that kind, My flesh is meat for worms, 
Job 7.5.  my flesh is clothed with worms and filthiness. Man both by father & mother, is a stigmatical note, a word of disdain, or an appellation of anger: therefore David saith, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? Ye are all but men, the sons of men. S. Paul said, O wretched man, not, o wretched Apostle, nor, o wretched Christian, but, o wretched man; the cause of his wretchedness was in himself, a man miserable, because a man.   

The seventh reason why all men must die.  
It is drawn from the vigour and virility of man's nature, which being grown unto the height, declineth, fadeth, and falleth. It weareth, & waneth like the Moon, and like Nabucadnezzars' image, 
Dan. 3.31.32.33.  which being raised from the earth to iron, from iron to brass, from brass to silver, and from silver to gold, the head and highest perfection; than it declined, it returned, and abated from gold to silver, from silver to brass, from brass to iron, and from iron to earth, even to that indeed whence first it came. When nature is quite decayed, them the body extinguisheth, as in the example of that renowned man David, 
1 King. 1.1.2.  King of gods peculiar people: he was so old that he died, when nature was quite worn out of him. This is also variably to be proved, even by the nature of natural things, which having their liquor, moisture or juice dried and worn away, do decay and perish presently. To which purpose God said by the mouth of the Prophet Esai, in part touching the desolation of Israel: They shall be as an oak, 
Esai. 7.30.  whose leaf falleth, and as a garden without water. So likewise saith job interrogatively, Can a rush grow without dirt, 
job. 8.11.  or can grass grow without water? As if he had said, Take dirt & water away, than neither the rush nor the grass but will presently whither, and come to nothing. Saint Peter likens mankind to the flower of the field, 
1 Pet. 1.24.  and to grass which being grown to the full height & maturity, which the liquor & juice thereof could possibly extend, then presently it returns, and in very little time is withered, and clean gone. Solomon likens man, for his growing and decreasing, unto Lilies and roses. 
Cant. 2.1.  As an Alchemist, having violently exhausted the spirits, and by little and little distilled the quintessences of minerals, and metals, they are thenceforth good for little or nothing, but as salt having left the saltness; even so man having his natural vigour, by little, and little, taken or worn away, is but a dead carcase, good for nothing but for to be hid in the earth.   

The eight reason why all men must die,  
It is drawn from the decree of almighty God for the dissolution of the world, and a final end of all things, a throwing together, and as it were a folding up of many things into one thing. Esai said concerning this dissolution, thus, 
Esai 13.9.  The day of the Lord cometh, cruel with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land waste, 
Mat. 24.29.  the stars shall fall from heaven, and the planets shall not give their light, the Sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the Moon shall not give her light. Likewise Ezechiel saith, O how fearful, and how terrible that day shall be to them which pierced him through! yet than whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.   

The ninth reason why all men must die.  
It is that there may be a general victory over death and hell. For so saith S. Paul, 
1 Cor. 15.26.  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. God speaks to that effect by the mouth of his Prophet, unto death in the behalf of the godly: O death, 
Hose. 13.14.  I will be thy death. As though he had said triumphantly, thou that hast been the death of all mankind, o cruel enemy, o thou unsatiable devourer, now I will be thy death, now shalt thou be destroyed for ever; now thy sting, and thy strength, shall utterly be taken away. 
5.8.6.  Again the same Prophet saith, he will destroy death for ever, and God will wipe all tears and heaviness, from all faces; 
Luk. 20.36  and S. Luke saith, they can die no more.   

The tenth reason why all men must die,  
Hath four special respects or divine attributes.  
The first whereof is drawn from the celestial kingdom whence our souls came, and the terrestrial tabernacles and houses of clay, wherein our souls do a while live or dwell, as strangers and sojourners. Men are said to be strangers either in respect of their travel from one place unto another, or in respect of some kingdom where they dwell, being borne elsewhere, not yet free denized nor naturalised. In both which respects David saith, 
Psa. 39.12. 1 Chro. 19.15. 1 Cor. 5.1.2.  that as our fathers were in this world strangers, & sojourners, so Saint Paul to the like purpose saith, We know that we have a building given us of God, that is, an house not made with hands, but eternal in heaven: as if he had said, our certain and most resting place is not here on earth, but is in heaven. As he that is in a voyage or journey never contenteth himself until he be at home, and therefore toils and travels with great earnestness to end his business, that he may return: even so are we in this tabernacle, 
2 Cor. 5.2.  as Saint Paul said, sighing, and desiring to be clothed with our house, which is from heaven. The faithful did manifestly confess, that they were strangers and pilgrims on earth, 
Heb. 11.13.  and that they desired an heavenly country.   

The second respect or attribute given to the children of God, is  
Drawn from the mere merits of Christ, by whom also our bodies and souls have interest and title to the kingdom of heaven, & that in a more particular and proper manner then in this world, as thus appeareth. Christ is called our bridegroom, and we his bride, 
Mat. 25.6. Cant. 4.12. Ephe. 1.22. Coll. 1.18.  inferring by a necessary consequence, that where the husband is there must be the wife. Again, where Christ is called the head of the Church, it is to be inferred necessarily, that where the head is gone before, the members must and shall follow after: much like to that which Christ said, wheresoever the body is, 
Luk. 17.37.  thither will the eagle's resort. As an honest wife hath always an unsatiable desire and longing to be with her husband, no way contented with his absence, no not with love letters, nor with messengers, nor with tokens of great price, but with his corporal presence: even so the true member of Christ, being zealously affected & faithfully disposed towards her holy & heavenly husband Christ jesus, 
Cant. 1.1.  saith, Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth. As if the Church or bride of Christ had said unto God his and her heavenly father: O let me have the fruition of his glorious presence, let me be always with him.   

The third respect or attribute given unto the children of God, is  
Drawn from the mortal hatred & malice which the devil hath against us, exceedingly envying our spiritual, and glorious arrival into heaven, & therefore lays many snares and infinite allurements, to let & hinder us from our passage; with whom therefore according to the will of God, we must encounter, under the conduct of our Lord General Christ jesus. In respect of which strive, 
Eph. 6.10. to 18. 2. Timo. 2.3. Phile. 1.2.  conflicts and battles, we are called soldiers and warriors: inferring thereby that when we have valiantly fought the Lords battles, and faithfully triumphed over the devil, than it follows that we shall return to our own home with rewards and crowns of everlasting glotie.   

The fourth respect or attribute given unto the children of God, is  
Drawn from the affairs wherein God our eternal king hath employed us for the performance of certain religious duties, whereof some are pertaining to God, some to our brethren, and some to ourselves: the which being done, and duly accomplished, then must we be gone. In regard whereof, we are called Legates, Ambassadors and such like, sometimes labourers, sometimes pilgrims. And in our commission we have every man his set and limited time of dispatch, 
job. 7.1. 1 Pet. 2.1.  which being ended, the ancient of days, the Angel of the covenant will send his Angel Gabriel, or some other, 
Dan 9.20.21.22.  saying unto us for our return unto heaven, as unto the people of Israel in Babylon, for their return unto jerusalem   

Now me thinks I hear two objections made against me by two sorts of people:  
The one saying, This doctrine concerning the generality of death, needed not; it might have been spared, and the speech spent upon matter that we know not. For by the use of reason, by common experience, and by manifold examples, men are induced to believe all this that you have said to be true, and long since generally allowed. This is now a harsh kind of doctrine to wise men, and it is very distasteful to all men; for it is a melancholy kind of teaching, and of no such necessity. Ye might rather, in steed thereof stir up men to be merry, and to endure their miseries patiently. Preachers do nothing more than fright and astonish men: in the name of God let us be merry whiles we may, sorrow comes fast enough.  
The other sort reasoning, and expostulating with flesh and blood, cannot determine upon the generality of death. They see not, they say, how it may be, nor how it can stand to be true, because than it is questionable, say they, who shall have the dominion over other creatures in the world, which are innumerable, and most admirable. 
2 Pet. 3.1. 1.3.4.  Saint Peter saith, these believe not that the world shall be destroyed with fire.   

An answer to the first concerning the generality of death.  
Interrogatively, do you know this to be true by any sentence or example of holy Scripture? No, no, you do not. For if you did so know it, the hearing of the same again and again, would rather have been comfortable than tedious unto you. That knowledge which is not grounded upon the Scriptures of truth is nought worth, & merely unperfect. True it is, that men may know and be induced to believe, that they which are a dying, will die; and that they which are in eminent dangers and perils present, shall die. But truly to believe, and certainly to know that all men shall die, or who, or how many shall die, flesh and blood cannot reveal unto men. For the sense of hearing and seeing, by the which men are brought to know and to believe, reacheth no further than unto things present; because light, which is the object of seeing, and the air which is the object of hearing, upon divers occasions are sometimes given, and sometimes taken away. Therefore to see and to know certainly, as an article of belief, that all men shall die, which is my general doctrine, no man can apprehend nor yet comprehend, but by the knowledge of the holy Scriptures, and by the holy influence of God's divine spirit; because in very truth, the same reacheth unto the apprehension of things in time to come, and unto that which is clean out of sight and out of hearing. Saint Paul speaketh directly of two sorts of seeing, 
2. Cor. 4.18.  the one proper to the spiritual eyes, or eyes of the understanding, in these words: We look not on the things which are seen, but on the things which are not seen. As if he had said, We who are the children of God, do not esteem of that which we may apprehend with our natural eyes, in comparison: but we esteem and allow, specially, of that which we may comprehend and apprehend by faith. And in that very place he verifies the same, calling the one, in a sort, an object temporal; the other an object eternal. The same Apostle saith to the like purpose: We walk not by sight, but by faith: 
2. Cor. 5.7.  to wit, We judge not so highly, nor so truly of that which the light or the air doth manifest unto our senses, as of those things which the word of faith doth manifest unto our souls. The effects and fruits of the one and the other shows the difference. As the virtue attractive was not in Noah's Ark, 
Gen. 7.7.9.10.  that drew famous and most worthy creatures and of all sorts into it; nor the virtue attractive was not in Elias cloak that drew Elisha from his ploughing, 
1. King. 19.19.  but both in the effectual use of God's word. Even so the virtue of hearing, seeing, and believing the general doctrine of death and life, proceedeth not from any matter in nature, nor from worldly reason, nor yet from the wisest human narration, but from the holy Spirit of the living God, who worketh in us by faith, which is grounded upon the written word of God. As for example briefly; 
2. King 6.18.19.  Elisha his man, as he was a natural man, saw only an army of the Aramites who were come to take his master: but when the eyes of his understanding were opened upon the prayers of his master, he saw a far greater army of Angels that were come to protect them. This made S. Paul to pray, 
Ephes. 1.  That the eyes of the Ephesians understanding might be opened: which was in effect, that God would be pleased to inflame & to kindle their hearts and their affections with the splendour of his word and Spirit. As the same host of the Aramites was led with blindness, 
1. King. 6.18.19.  unto their mortal enemy the king of Israel, at Samaria, the eyes of their understanding being shut up: and as the Sodomites did strike at Lot's door with blindness, 
Gen. 19.10.11.  when their natural eyes were open; or as Saul and his company, 
1. Sam. 26.12.  being in the justice of God, stricken into a dead sleep: even so all such as have not their sight, and their knowledge for spiritual things out of Scripture, they wear out themselves with wearisomeness, and in the end do bring themselves, as through ignorance, into that inevitable gulf of perdition. Labour you therefore, ye servants of the Lord, labour ye the Scriptures, and know you for certain, that ye know nothing as ye ought to know, unless ye know it by the Scriptures, and believe it by the same Spirit that wrote the Scriptures. As the light of the body is the eye, 
Luk. 11.34.  so the light of the inner man is the word of God; and consider I pray you, consider in due time I advise you. If I be to be blamed for this long discourse concerning the generality of death, why then did the holy Ghost so largely discourse thereof? Why did his holy Majesty so often particulate one and the same matter, so variably and in so many places of Scripture? How can this be answered? If you say, fewer places would have sufficed, than you do directly blaspheme; which God forbidden. Then you charge the holy Ghost with superfluities and tediousness, where as through God's mercies, with such, and so many iterations he doth importune you to remember your mortality and to make provision for the same accordingly. If you say this doctrine was not so needful, because you knew it long since; out of your own words you prove this doctrine, of all others, to be most needful, and myself of you most careful. And whereas you know alreadle, as you say, that you shall die: nevertheless, it is questionable, whether you be ready prepared to die every hour for the testimony of a good conscience, as his Majesty hath commanded, yea or no. And it is questionable, whether you be willing and desirous to die. You will say peradventure, you are of that mind, & you trust ever to be so, that there is nothing vainly spoken in God's word: and you will count them vain and frivolous that shall speak any thing out of this word, that doth not in some sort humour and applaud you. Here I end this matter, desiring God to enlarge your affections more & more unto the obedience of his word.   

An answer to the 2. objection concerning the generality of death.  
Herein I will be brief, because indeed, this sort of people are less worthy of further instruction, who hold that this so goodly a frame of the world, should not, or cannot be destroyed. Of whom Saint Peter speaketh thus: 
1. Pet. 3.3.  There shall come in the last days mockers who will walk after their own lusts, and shall say, Where is the promise of his coming for since the Fathers died, all things continue alike unto this day. There needeth no other answer for them then that which S. Peter maketh them in the verses following, let them look to it upon their peril.   

This doctrine concerning the generality of death, serveth to reprove three sorts of people.  
The first are those who wholly, or for the most part, do set their love and liking upon the things of this world, as if they were to tarry in it for ever: or as if they were to choose, they would not change this world, no not for the kingdom of heaven; joying and rejoicing, as Amos the Prophet said, 
Amos. 6.13.  in a thing of nought: & like unto the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and half the tribe of Manasses, 
Num. 32.1.2.  who chose the towns and lands on this side jordan, because there were goodly habitations, and fertile soil, rather than the towns and lands in Canaan, which for the fertility thereof, was said to flow with milk and honey: and for the innumerable pleasures thereof, like unto the kingdom of heaven. Saint Paul blaming such, and seeking to draw them unto better choice, exhorteth, saying: Seek ye the things which are above, 
Col. 3.1.  where Christ sits at the right hand of God, and set your affections on heavenly things and not on earthly.  
The second sort who are to be reproved by the general doctrine of death,  
Are they who murmur much, or rather do mourn too much for the decease of their near friends, as though God had not done well to take one, and not another, to take this and not that: or as if death had surprised them before their time, and for ever; or else that death had casually lighted on them more than others. Saint Paul comforting himself and others concerning this complaint, 
2. Cor. 5.1.  said: We have a building given of God, that is, an house whose builder and maker is God. The children of God die but one: 
Luk. 20.36.  they taste not of that second death in hell, as the reprobates do. This once to die, is but a short interjection between two eternities, to wit, election and glorification, with a kingly and a kindly passage as it were, by calling and justification unto eternal salvation. 
Rom. 6.9.  Christ died once, but in that he liveth, he liveth for ever. So ye likewise, saith the holy Apostle, are dead to sin, 
Rom. 6.9.  but alive to God through jesus Christ.  
The third sort who are to be reproved by this general doctrine of death,  
Are those, who not minding their mortality, nor accounts which they must make, do treasure up sin upon sin, being driven, as it were, with the swinge of their nature, & set on fire of hell, defile their bodies, and the whole course of nature: resolved with themselves to undergo any sin, so as it may bring them either pleasure or profit. Always saying in their hearts, and many times with their tongues, If we must die for sin, as Preachers say, and that as well for one sin as for a thousand; why then let us eat and drink, and be merry while we may. Solomon out of his own experience, and specially from the holy Spirit of inspiration, faith of such one a after this manner: 
Eccles. 10.9.  Rejoice o thou young man in thy youth, let thine heart cheer thee, walk in the ways of thine own heart, and in the sight of thine eyes. But what followeth? God will bring thee to judgement. Although his Majesty be inclined to mercy, yet when he is moved to justice, it is inevitable, it is innarrable, & it is intolerable. To that effect said David, as if it were in the proper person of almighty God, unto all such desperate and graceless wretches, that do abuse his holy patience: 
Psal. 50.17.  I will set thy sins in order: to wit, thy sins in the night, thy sins in the day, thy sins in thy youth, and thy sins in thine age, thy sins against me, and thy sins against thy brethren. I will so muster and so rank them together, & so place them by rows, and in every rank and row, such, and so many, as shall seem to be more odious, shameful, and detestable even unto thine own self. And what shall follow? I will tear thee in pieces, that is, thy torments shall be more terrible, and far more horrible to nature then as if thou wert racked & tormented piece-meal. These are they who although in deed sin is too too general, yet they rifle, and run ragingly after it, in a more particular manner, not minding their mortality, or at least, not regarding the accounts that they must make; do malign, envy, utterly hate, yea and seek the whole overthrow of us the Preachers of his holy word, and others the dear children of God, who run not into the same excess of riot and damnable behaviour: but with zeal do frequent the ministery of his word, with reverence do keep his Sabbaths, & with all care do keep themselves unsported of the world. Therefore they esteem them not worth their society, nor worthy to live upon the earth. 
joh. 15.19.  We are not of the world, therefore the world hatethus, saith S. john. The manifold plagues to the Egyptians, the fiery Serpents to the Israelites, and the Emerods' to the Philistims, were not so troublesome and tedious, as these heathenish Atheists, & profane jews are to us. We live not as enemies in an hostile manner among them, but modestly, and mildly, and benignly, as Christian comforters, bringing peace, & offering reconciliation. The words of our commission are of 3. emphatical and public narrations. The first is, Benedicite, bless ye; the second is, Benefacite, do ye good; and the third is, Orate, pray ye. Thus are we enjoined to behave ourselves, amongst many other religious duties, towards God and good men, yea & towards our enemies. Where in so ever we do fail through frailty, it is not indifferent, nor justice for them, being our enemies to judge what we should do, but rather out of charity to judge what we would do. Neither is it for them to revenge themselves upon us, it is his holy majesty to whom we must answer upon our account. We are (whatsoever they say) bringers of peace, and we are peaceable. 
2. King. 10.17.  Come & see, said jehu to jehonadab: so it were to be wished, that these men would zealously and religiously come and see before they would condemn us, and hear quietly what we have to say, before they do with their tongues so injuriously execute us. 
jer. 18.8.  As the soul of jonathan was knit to the soul of David, 
1. Sam. 18.1  so our souls are knit as in one to them. We can truly say, our hearts are upright towards them, as the heart of jehu was towards Ichonadab. 
2. King. 10.15.  And yet for all that me thinks I hear them say, as jehu said to jehoram, 
2. King. 9.19  what hast thou to do with peace? turn thou behind us. And to be brief, we shall not need to insinuate for fear, to have their favour: every one of us may with Christian magnanimity say unto them, as Nehemiah said to his adversaries, 
Neh. 6.11.  Shall such a man as I fly? who is he being as I am that will do it? For we may say as Elisha said to his man, 
2. Kin. 6.16.  There are more with us then be with them. And with the Prophet David, If God be with us, who can be against us? Although they have dealt with us shamefully and despitefully, as the Ammonites dealt with the kind messengers of king David, 
1 Sam. 10.1. to 17.  shaving half their beards, and cutting off their skirts even to their buttocks, yet we will neither do nor say, 
judg. 9  but as jotham said to the Sichemites, If ye have dealt truly and purely with us, then rejoice ye with us, and we will rejoice with you: but if not, we will retort upon them their own terms, What have we to do with your peace? turn you behind us. These are they, who long since, as they say, do know right well that they shall die, and they doubt not but they shall die so faithfully and so godly, as the purest and most perfect Christian of us all.  
That this their error and gross persuasion may appear unto them, and unto all others, I will yet for their sakes, & for the better patiented abiding of the godly, deliver in sorne particular manner, by the Scriptures of truth, who they be indeed, out of this general number, that shall die well, and so live everlastingly in the glorious kingdom of heaven.  
The generality of death is not now in question. It is generally agreed upon, and withal, we find it is of necessity: it is forcible and violent upon the warrantable decree of the most Highest. But the question is, who frames himself to die willingly, and with contentment. All shall die of force: but none shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but such as in some measure do die willingly and with contentment. Saint Paul saith, Although I preach the Gospel, 
1. Cor. 9.16.17.  I have nothing to rejoice of, for necessity is laid upon me: if I do it willingly I have a reward, but if I do it against my will, what is my reward? As if he had said, what religious duty soever is performed in respect of commandment and fear, is not to any man so much as thank worthy: but that which is performed by man voluntarily and freely, as from a liberal heart, without respect of law, or constraint, that man shall have his reward. Even so is it with every man that is of force surprised by death, but almighty God highly accepteth of every man that disposeth of himself, with a willing heart to die. Therefore the Lord said unto the people of Israel: My heart is among them that are willing. As if he had said, 
judg. 5 9  Though you fail to do such things as I command you, yet I will accept of your will. This willingness is a kind of strong affection and a forcible faculty of the soul: and yet for all that, it is led captive unto sin. Such is the corruption of man's nature, being inveigled with the manifold forces and assaults of Satan, that it prevails against the will of the inner man: as S. Paul complains of himelse verse largely and particularly, and which makes him to say plainly, 
Ro. 7.15. to the end.  I allow not of that which I do; for what I would that do I not, but what I hate, that do I. As if he had said, Howsoever it be, that I offend God through corruption and frailty, yet my heart, my mind and my will is with God. When I do any thing contrary to the will of God, I must confess it is not I that do it, but fin that dwells in me. 
Phil. 1.23.  Saint Paul did desire to die, and yet in a stronger appetite and affection he would not. So was it with Christ jesus. 
Luk. 22.42.  So long as a man can find in himself a will to do well, although it be properly the gift of God, it shall be accounted unto him a deed, as it was unto Abraham, 
Gen. 22.12.  when as his will led him to sacrifice his son, and yet did it not from his natural affection. He that will die willingly and well, must live willingly and well accordingly. There must be a continual combat, betwixt the spirit of man, and his fleshly members. 
Col. 3.5. Ephe. 4.21. to the end 5.8 to 22.6.10. to 19  The earthly members must be mortified, and subdued by little and little, with the will and desire of man; to wit, man must carry a loathing in his mind and will of that which is evil, by a clean contrary affection, lifted up to heaven. Our saviour Christ refers us unto the serpent, for two special instructions, concerning this business, in these words; Be wise as serpents. 
Mat. 10.16.  The serpent being fiercely pursued, & in danger of her life, not able to shift any longer, she with her teeth, wings and claws, will earnestly labour in the ground, to hide her head, being then sure enough from the pursuers, as not caring for her body, because her life lies in her head: even so they that make a good preparation to die willingly and well, must not regard their goods, 
jonah 1.5.  when their bodies are in question, nor regard their bodies, when their souls are in question; because indeed the life of their body and soul lies in their head Christ jesus, who hath so enjoined them. The other quality of the serpent is, to rouse and rub herself very vehemently when she is old, against the ground, until she hath gotten off all her old skin; and then having new under it, she flieth up on high with such agility and nimbleness, as when she was young: even so if we will die well and willingly, so as our souls may mount up to heaven, we must in our youth, and in our age rub off, and shake away the old man which is sin and wickedness, 
Rom. 6.6.  and be renewed in the spirit of our minds.   

Three divine causes moving willingness to die.  
The 1. is drawn from the general decree of God, who in respect of death, deals indifferently with all the generation of mankind: all men must die, the noble and the ignoble, the King as the beggar; why then should any man mourn or murmur at the death of his dearest friends? and why should he not be moved to yield himself, with all willingness & contentment to die? Why should any one man think himself worthy of that prerogative, and privilege, as not to die, yea rather willingly, then of constraint? josua the Lord General of Israel, at his death took this as a strong forcible argument, to persuade with his people, to live well, and that they might die willingly; therefore emphatically, he said, 
josua. 23.14.  This is the way of all the world: to wit, Although I be a man as ye know, in an extraordinary acceptation with God, yet I must die; so must you, and so must all mankind that live, and are yet to be borne, look not you to be exempted from this sentence: but provide accordingly. A voice said unto Esai, Cry; 
Esai. 40.6.  What, said he? That all flesh is grass, & the grace thereof as the flower of the field. This holy Prophet being suggested and instigated by the Spirit of God, to prepare the way of Christ in the hearts of the people, he receives as from the Lord also, the manner how to move them effectually thereunto, even by telling them that they were all subject to death, and that the most wise and most excellent amongst them was subject to the same end.   

The second cause moving willingness to die.  
It is drawn from a threefold exchange that we make with the Almighty: the first is the exchange that we make of our bodies; 
1 Cor. 15.25.54. Phili. 3.21. Esai. 49.10.25.8.  for this corruptible body, which is subject to manifold miseries, and to fall from God, we shall have incorruptible and immortal bodies. For these our bodies subject to hunger, to thirst, to cold, to heat, to manifold diseases, to sundry passions, and other such like calamities, we shall have celestial and glorified bodies, every way freed of all those perturbations. The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne, 
reve. 7.15.16.17.  shall govern his people, and shall lead them unto the lively fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. 
21.3.4.  The tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be their God with them. There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, neither crying, neither pain. Every Christian is always longing, and desiring this exchange, yea senseless creatures, do always strain with a fervent desire to be unburdened, & to be discharged of this life; how much more every good man? As he that is in prison desires and longs to go abroad, or as Hagar in her bondage, so miserable is man living in the flesh, as a living soul in a body subject to death.  
The second exchange that we make is of our goods, as when we change earthly riches for heavenly, momentany and transitory treasures for everlasting, and that which never fadeth. To which purpose the holy Ghost saith, 
Mat. 6.19.20.  Lay not up treasures where moth or canker corrupteth, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up treasures for yourselves in heaven. As if it were to say, The best things of this life, are subject to corruption, & to manifold casualties: but the treasures which are in heaven, are not subject either to mutability, or yet to decay. And our saviour Christ saith by way of a parable, 
Luk. 12.15.10.22.  that the abundance of worldly wealth avails nothing for the time prefent, which is but momentany, neither doth it any way minister comfort unto the distressed soul. Thus he saith, take heed of covetousness; for though a man have abundance, yet his life standeth not in his riches. Saint Paul seeing and perceiving the inordinate desire of riches, which was in his time, and knowing that the like would be continued, he speaks by way of comparison, very disdainfully and contemptuously of worldly riches, 
1 Timon 6.17.18.19.  and charges men to provide for better things, and to build upon a better foundation. In heaven is all kind of plenty, maturity, and satiety. 
judg. 18.9.10.  As the Spies said unto the children of Dan their brethren concerning Laish, Arise and let us go up, we have seen the land, and surely it is very good, it is a place lacking nothing that is in the world; be not slothful to possess it, for God hath given it into your hands: even so do innumerable sentences and examples of holy Scripture say and assure us as touching the kingdom & immortal joys of heaven.  
The third exchange that we make by dying willingly and well, is of our society, & of our company; as when we change the society, fellowship, and company of men, for the company and society of Angels; 
Heb. 12.22.23.24. Revel. 14.1. to 6.  the company of whoremongers, drunkards, liars, swearers, oppressors, and such like, for the company of the Saints; the company of children on earth, for the company of children in heaven; the company of husband or wife, for the company of jesus Christ himself. As a virgin that is affianced to a man thinks it long before the solemnisation thereof: so is every one that is affianced with Christ evermore desiring his full fruition and holy fellowship.   

The third cause moving willingness to die.  
It is the mitigations, comforts, & helps, that almighty God yields against the torments of death, to such as do commemorate their mortality, with prayers and intercessions unto almighty God, that they may be faithfully prepared. Of which gracious qualifications of sicknesses, and diminishing of death's torments, the holy Prophet David speaks, 
Psal. 41.3.  most plainly, The Lord will strengthen him upon his bed of sorrow; thou Lord, saith the Prophet, hast turned all his bed in his sickness as if it were to say, God will enable a merciful religious man, to endure all that he will lay on him, or else will diminish the quality or quantity of the disease. To whom also Christ jesus saith, I am the physician: as if it were in effect to say, I am a present discharge for the soul that is surcharged with sin, and also a present qualification of bodily griefs, and natural diseases, as was manifoldly and plainly experimented by Christ, upon divers poor people, who were miserably and mortally distressed with both.   

The second instruction.  
Concerning the manner, sort, or kind of death, to wit, how diversly, and how many ways, death seizeth on all the generation of mankind: I will distinguish into four sorts. The which for assignations sake, I must call by four names, under the which the holy Ghost comprehends as in a close narration dispersed over the Bible, all manners, sorts, and kinds of death whatsoever, howsoever, and wheresoever: which are these.  

1. the Penal death.  
2. the Natural death.  
3. the Unnatural death.  
4. the Political death.   
These three are comprehended in that answer of David, the selected man of God, to Abishai, concerning Saul the king, whom God delivered into their hands, to do with him as they would: even as Pontius Pilate delivered jesus into the hands of the Pharisees, to do with him as they would. 
2. Sam. 26.8.9.10.  Let me smite him but once, said Abishai to David, & I will smite him no more: intending by those words, with one blow to kill Saul. Shall I lay mine hands upon the Lords anointed, said David? No, I will not, God shall smite him. There he plainly related the penal death. Or his day shall come to die. There he plainly related the natural death. Or he shall descend into battle. There he plainly related the unnatural death.  
First, the Penal death is that which almighty God did usually inflict upon those, with whom he was wrathfully displeased; as appeared by the inevitablenesse thereof. It was most commonly miraculous, and publicly powerful, that it might be for an everlasting remembrance among all nations. Such was the punishment of Adam for the transgression of God's commandment, 
Gen. 3.17.18.19.  as did appear by many particular denunciations; and afterwards concluded with his death, and with the death of all his posterity irrecoverable in themselves for ever. job to this purpose said, 
job. 34.14.15.  If God set his heart upon man, and gather unto himself his spirit and his breath, all flesh shall perish together, and man shall return to dust. As if he had said, If God be once wrathfully displeased with any man, how shall he live? how can he or they endure the hand of him, who so penally & powerfully punisheth unpenitent sinners?  
Druine motives or reasons, why God doth so penally, so miraculously, and so powerfully punish some, and not others: with a sixefold answer thereunto.   

The first Motive why God punished penally.  
First, God punished penally with water, when men were publicly and generally grown to be tyrannous, cruel, and savagely disposed, one towards another, as the people of the old world. Then did the windows of heaven open, 
Gen. 6.11.12.13. Gen. 7.4.10 11 to the end.  and the foundations of the great deep break up, so that the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth, and covered all the high mountains of the world.  
Likewise the Egyptians, 
Exod. 1.11. to 16.5. to 14.7.8.9.10.11.14.  who dealt tyrannously, & cruelly with God's people this Majesty taking special knowledge thereof, did penally and powerfully punish them with manifold plagues in their own land, and afterwards with the inundations of waters, wherein their king, and many thousands more were miraculously drowned.   

The second Motive why God punished penally.  
Secondly, God punished penally with fire, 
Gen. 19.5.15.16. to 17  when he saw that men were grown so generally and so publicly carnal, sensual, fleshly, & unnaturally defiling their own bodies, taking the loving admonitions, and godly persuasions of his Saints, but as jests and mocks: as he did the Sodomites.   

The third Motive why God punished penally.  
Thirdly, by changing the nature and quality of the earth: when as particular persons being in place of pre-eminence, did offer indignity & disloyalty to such as were in authority, as did Corah Dathan, 
Num. 16.29.36.  and Abiram with their companions; whom God did penally, powerfully, and miraculously destroy, by opening the earth to swallow them up alive.   

The fourth Motive why God punished penally.  
Fourthly, with savage beasts, when as his holy and well-beloved people are disdained, mocked, and scorned; 
2. King. 2.23.24.  as two and forty that mocked Elisha the Prophet of the Lord, and were penally destroyed with Bears.   

The fifth Motive why God punished penally.  
Fifthly, with Angels, when as men in authority do publicly and incorrigibly offend his holy Majesty, as did David in numbering his men of war, 
2. Sam. 24.1.15.  and trusting in them: whom God did penally and publicly punish with the death of seventy thousand of his chosen men, by the stroke of an Angel. 
Act. 12.23.  Likewise Herod the king was stricken unto death publicly by an Angel, because he took that glory to himself, which was due to God. 
1. King. 13.1.2.3.2. King 23.17.  So was jehoram most penally and miraculously destroyed for his idolatry, according to the saying of the man of God.   

The sixth Motive why God punished penally.  
Sixthly, where it may be demanded why God doth punish some so penally and so miraculously, and not others, it is drawn from his established rule, and general order of governing kingdoms and nations, holding it sufficient in his godly wisdom, to punish publicly some, in stead of many, that one example so public and so penally powerful, should serve for many hundred years in a whole nation or kingdom. When the Church began to spread through God's mercies, there were many miracles, signs and wonders; as that in Egypt, as that in their journey through the wilderness, and as that their conquering of Canaan, and so until the temple of jerusalem was built, and religion established. But afterwards as it drew nearer and nearer unto Christ, they grew to be fewer and fewer.   

The first use of this doctrine concerning the penal death,  
Serveth to forewarn Landlords and Patrons, who most tyrannously live upon the spoil of the poor: the one fleecing the Church, the other fleecing the commonweal, and both robbing God of his honour so much as they may, or as it doth bring them either pleasure or profit. As in the old world, wherein cruelty did overrun the whole earth: so it is now in the glorious Sunshine of the Gospel. If the examples of those whom God so powerfully & so penally punished, will not serve, it may well fall out even in the justice of God, that for the same cruelty, their oppression and grinding of the poor, and selling them for old shoes, that they shall be made examples for such as do come after.   

The second use of this doctrine concerning penal death.  
It may well serve to forewarn dissolute and lose livers, yea all such as live according to their own lust, giving themselves over, according to the swing of their own nature; lest they also neglecting the use of God's holy word, and the use of these fearful examples, do, in a time when they think not, fall into some inevitable and damnable judgements of God in a miraculous manner.   

The third use of this doctrine concerning penal death.  
Forewarneth all such as are subjects, to submit themselves unto such as are in authority over them, as unto the divine ordinance of God.   

The fourth use of this doctrine concerning penal death.  
It may serve to admonish all sorts of people to demean themselves reverently, and conscionably, towards all the zealous professors of the Gospel.   

The fifth use of this doctrine concerning the penal death.  
It admonisheth all those that are in authority, to submit themselves dutifully, and every way religiously towards God, as they would their subjects should do unto them.   

The second manner, sort and kind of death, to wit,  
The natural death is more moderate, more mild, and more alluding to the favour of God, than the penal death; because indeed it hath reference to the promises of God, in Christ jesus: by whom the guilt of sin, and the condemnation of the law together, with the sting of death, is qualified and in a sort done away; leaving indeed no more to do, nor to say, against such as can take hold of his promises, but only the perishing and destroying of that body, so naturally subject to sin. According as Paul proclaimed, in a most comfortable manner, in these words. Death went over all men: 
Rom. 5.11.  in as much as all men have sinned, as if he had said, Such was the infinite mercy of God, and yet mingled with his justice, that he would lay no more to the charge of his chosen, than he must needs by the open rules of religion, & revealed word. Moses in his defence to the people of Israel concerning that open rebellion of Corah and his company, speaks most divinely, and most plainly, of this kind of death in these words, 
Numb. 16.29. to 36.  If these men die the common death of all men, or if these be visited with the general visitation of all men, than the Lord hath not sent me. As if he had said, There is a sort or kind of death, which is natural, which is usual, and which is rightly appertaining unto the nature of mankind; and that which most commonly falls out upon good and reasonable deliberation, upon orderly disposing of worldly affairs, & upon due bequeathing of the body to be buried. This natural death which he calls the common death, and the general visitation of all men, job saith it is as a rick of corn, 
job. 5.26.  which comes into the barn in due time. As if he had said, This is the death indeed that is full of maturity, and seasonableness; lo, thus we have inquired of it, and so it is. Again he saith to the same effect: 
job. 34.14.15.  As a rush cannot grow without mire, and as grass without water can grow no longer, but withereth, though it be not cut: even so man by nature liveth until nature be quite worn, and wholly extinguished, and then dieth though he were not touched nor meddled withal in any sort; which death is nothing so, nor so as the penal. The man of God intimating such a kind of death, said to Hezckiah King of judah, 
Esai. 38.1.  Thou shalt not die with the sword, but thou shalt die in peace. To wit, thou shalt not die the penal death, which is terrible and painful; nor an unwonted death, but the common death, the general visitation of all men, to wit the natural death.  
This natural death which is also called the common death, and the general visitation of all men, hath by the revealed word of God four other inferior sorts or kinds of death, whereof I must dispose for methods sake after this manner.  

1. Some do die In their old age.  
2. Some do die In their nonage.  
3. Some do die Languishingly.  
4. Some do die Suddenly.    

The first reason why some live long.  
Is drawn from the singular favour of almighty God, in granting unto some one amongst many, that which in his heart he specially desireth. For amongst all things that man specially desireth, there are principally these two, to wit, health and wealth. For wealth a man will bestow all his wits, all his endeavour, all his labour, all his friends, and whatsoever else he possibly can devise: but for health, and that he may live long, he will bestow all his wealth that was so industriously, & so laboriously gotten, and be contented to be counted a fool, yea a forlorn wretch, and to be indeed a beggar at every man's door, all the days of his life. To be brief, as chastity is a singular gift of God, to one amongst ten thousand, so long life is a singular gift of God, to one amongst ten thousand. Solomon therefore said, 
Pro. 16.31.  Old age is a crown of glory, wherein are two goodly and godly respects; one is, that a man may the better & the more abundantly gather riches, by looking more respectively into the works of God, and the end of his creation. For the longer a man lines in a reasonable kind of husbandry, the more his gain and getting must needs be. Although his revenues be but small, yet if he get and spare, here a little and there a little, in continuance of time according to the old proverb, Many a little makes a much: following the example of that little poor pismire, who according to her small strength, and yet being diligent, 
Pro. 6.6.  hath against winter a great heap of provision; and being also providident, she painfully nibleth the heads of every grain, lest they should grow, and so her labour lost. The Majesty of God to set forth his renewed love towards judah, and jerusalem, said thus: 
Zach. 8.4.  Their men shall live so long as that they shall go by a staff. As there is no commandment that hath any promise, but the honouring of parents: so there is no such reward pleasing to any man as to live long: therefore God made promise thereof to them that keep his commandment. What temporal blessing did the Lord bestow on David, 
1 King. 3.14.  for a reward, who was a man according to his own heart, but long life? as the holy Ghost testifieth, he lived so long that he could live no longer, 
1 King. 1.1.  nature was quite extinguished in him. This was also a reward specially, bestowed upon the ten holy Fathers, 
Gen. 5.1. to the end.  before the flood. Thus shall men be enabled with their hands, to perform the desire of their hearts, in contributing unto the necessity of the Saints. Abraham also had for his temporary blessing, 
Deut. 31.2.  an hundred and twenty years life, even in his old age he was careful to fulfil the work of the Lord so long, as he said that he could go no more out, and in. Length of life, 
Deut. 11.9.  saith Moses, is a reward for keeping of God's commandments: they then that keep not Gods commandments, shall be guilty of God's judgements for the same, and also for the time, which they have misspent.  
The other special and most principal respect of long life, is that such men might also gather spiritual riches. For as by little and little, men come to be stored with the things of this world, specially if it be long continued: even so by the continual keeping of the Sabbath, by the often reading and hearing of God's word, by usual prayers, by often reiterating with thankfulness the mercies of God, & such like, men may grow & increase most richly and abundantly, in the things that concerns a better life. If the increase be but as Esai the Prophet saith, here a line, and there a line, 
Esai. 28.10.  to wit, a little at one time, and a little at another, either gotten or saved. To which purpose job saith, 
job. 12.12.  In length of days there is wisdom, and amongst the ancient there is understanding. Therefore the holy man David all his life long followed the counsel and directions of the ancient, and thereby prospered. It is a matter ordinarily expected from old men, that they having such an extraordinary favour at God's hand, should not only be able well and wisely to govern themselves, but also well and wisely to govern others.   

The second reason, why some do die in their minority and nonage.  
The answer is fourfold.  
The first is drawn from Gods exceeding great mercy in Christ towards some to whom he imputeth nor sin, for their good even in this world, that they should not see, nor hear of those lamentable calamities, & woeful judgements that should fall upon them, with whom they sometimes lived. His Majesty duly tendering the good disposition, the mild affection, & tender inclination of all such people, takes them therefore before hand into his glorious protection, that they should not be grieved with the sight nor hearing of those matters. Accordingly saith Esai the Prophet, The righteous shall be taken away from the evil to come: 
Esa. 57.1.  that is as much to say, Some of God's dear children shall not live to see and hear the miseries which shall come upon those whom they do so highly love. Mark the upright man, & behold the just, 
Psal. 37.37.  the end of that man is peace. So it is said of jeroboams son, 
1. King. 14.13.17.  he only of jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some goodness towards the Lord God of Israel. As if it had been said, He only of that house shall go to his grave in peace, because he shall not see the desolation that shall come upon the land. So also was it said of josias, as if it were in the proper person of God, in these words; 
2. King. 22.20.  I will gather thee to thy father's house, thou shalt be put in thy grave in peace, and thine eyes shall not see the evil that I will bring upon this place. 
Wisd. 1.13.14.  Though they were soon dead. yet fulfilled they much time: as if he had said, They did much glory to God, and much comfort to his Saints in that little time wherein they lived.   

The second answer, why some do die in their nonage or minority.  
It is drawn from the merciful goodness of God in Christ jesus, in brining them more speedily out of this world into their heavenly inheritance. For by how much the sooner he taketh them out of this world, by so much the sooner he bringeth them into their wished possession, 
Heb. 11.14.  God providing better things for them. In the prayer which Christ our advocate hath framed for us, we are taught specially to desire the speedy entrance into this our heavenly inheritance, in these words, Thy kingdom come. And with all for the better enabling, propping, & comforting of his people with patience, to abide the time, he saith in a figurative speech, Behold, 
Cant. 2.8. to 14.  he cometh leaping upon the mountains, and skipping upon the hills like a young Roe, or as a young Hart. job speaking of the best estate of man living in this world, saith thus; While his flesh is upon him, 
job. 14.22.  he shall be sorrowful; and whiles his soul is in him, he shall mourn.   

The third answer why some do die in their minority.  
It is the sin of the parents, or best affected friend of him that dieth, whose death is to him a punishment. For as generally amongst parents, there is nothing more grievous, nothing more irksome, than the death of their young children; specially such as are tractable: so is there no punishment so countervailable as the death of such children. Naomi, when her husband & her two sons were dead, said unto her daughter in law: 
Ruth. 1.13. to 21.  The hand of the Lord is gone out against me, the almighty hath given me much bitterness. The widow of Sarepta, when her young son was dead cried, & said to Eliah; 
1. King. 17.18.19 20.  Art thou come to call my sins to remembrance, and to slay my son? As if she had said, I see the greatness of my sins against God, by the greatness of my punishment, which, by taking away my son, his Majesty hath inflicted upon me. The same Prophet in his intercession farther said; O Lord God, hast thou punished this widow by killing her son? As if he had said, O Lord do not so: the world was not worthy of them, 
Heb. 11.38.  the sins of worldly men deserve them not. Lord do not lay her sins so heavily to her charge. Saint Paul said, that the recovery of Epaphroditus out of his mortal sickness, 
Phil. 2.25.26.27.  imparted the mercy of God towards him, lest he should have had sorrow upon sorrow.   

The fourth reason why some do die in their minority.  
It is the extreme wickedness and outrage that some would grow into against God and his Saints, if they were suffered to live. To which purpose his holy Majesty saith, 
Psa. 101.8.  I will destroy all the wicked of the land, that I may cut off all the workers of iniquity from the city of the Lord. As if he had said, I will prevent by death the ungodly determination of graceless men, they shall not live so long as to do villainy against my people.   

The third question why some do die languishingly.  
It is answered threefold.  
First, to declare that the use of Physic, chirurgery and such like means are nought worth, and to no purpose, when as God denieth the virtue thereof. To make men know that the best means, and the effects thereof, are two distinct things, Almighty God in his ireful speech to the Egyptians, saith thus, Take balm, 
jer. 46.11.  o virgin daughter of Egypt, and in vain shalt thou use many medicines, for thou shalt have no health. He speaks again by the same Prophet after this manner, Thy burstings are incurable, 
30.12.13.  and thy wounds dolorous, there are no plasters, nor medicines, nor help for thee.   

The second answer why some do die languishingly,  
Is drawn from the fatherly care of Almighty God, who knowing whereunto some of his children are inclined, and naturally addicted, accordingly he keeps them under, he still disables them from the performance of that they would, even in matters hurtful to their own souls. As a natural father tenderly affecting the good of his son, whom he seethe to take head, & make way to spend all, sometimes he threatens him sore, sometimes he beats him sharply, at other times he feeds him with hard fare, now & then he clothes him with ragged apparel, and always keeps him without money. Or as a mother intending to wean her child from the breast, lets him cry much; if that will not do, she anoints it with wormwood or such like, even so God deals with some such as are stubborn or like to grow disobedient, he keeps them under with many strange devices, and doth disable them every where, & at all times from doing that they would, to the hurt of themselves. The peregrination of the people of Israel from Egypt to Canaan, was through the most vast, deep, and dangerous places of all the world; and sometimes through goodly valleys, by pleasant rivers, and such like places of contentment: sometimes in great penury & scarcenesss of all good things, and sometimes in great plenty of every thing; & thus with uncertainties, mutabilities, liking & disliking 40. 
Num. 33.1  years together before they came into the promised land, not resting in any one good place one whole year, intermingling one with another. Even so is it with gods people, specially such of them as his Majesty knoweth will not travel rightly the right way. Moses said, God led them 40 years in the wilderness, 
Deut. 8.2.3  to try them, to humble them, to know what was in their hearts. God said by the mouth of his Prophet thus, 
jer. 30.11.  Although I have stricken thee with the wound of an enemy, and with a sharp chastisement, because thy sins were increased, I will correct thee, but not utterly cut thee off. So God said to David concerning Solomon his son, 
2 Sam. 7.13.  If he sin I will chastise him with the rods of the children of men, but my mercy will I not utterly take from him. Whom the Lord loveth, 
Heb. 12.6.  saith the holy Author to the Hebrues, he chastiseth, & he scourgeth every son that he receiveth. We have a famous example in David, whom if God had not humbled with continual persecution, it is certain he would have driven Saul violently out of his kingdom.   

The third reason why some do die languishingly.  
As the former proceeded from the mercy of God towards those whom he would reform: so in this we shall find the inevitable justice of God upon the wicked, every way disabling and putting them down from their intents and enterprises, keeping them at a low rate, and as it were at a scantling. He deals with them, as with the house of joab the murderer; 
2 Sam. 3.23.  never without running issues, never without the leprosy, or one that leaneth on a staff, or doth fall on the sword, or lacketh bread. So God said he would deal with the people Israel, if they would not keep his commandments, in these words: The Lord will make thy plagues wonderful, and of long continuance, 
Deut. 28.59.  sore diseases, and of long durance. Such a writing was brought to jehoram King of judah, from the Lord, because of his Idolatry, containing this effect; Thou shalt be in great diseases, 
2 Chro 21.12 to 16. 2 King. 15.5.  in thy boweles day by day. Ahaziah King of judah was disabled with a leprosy for ever.   

The fourth reason why some do die suddenly or instantly, hath these two respects.  
The first respect is the matter wherewith they die. Some die with old age as did David; some with long endured sickness; some with the eminency of the place which ministereth present danger and death, as a ship against the rocks, a wilderness of wild beasts, a storehouse of gunpowder. Sometimes in respect of Gods sudden decree, because the Lord's breath is in his nostrils.  
Sometimes being occasioned from a natural cause, which learned Physicians say, doth arise ab apoplexia, a stoppage in the head, or à vomida pulmonun, a suffocation in the lungs, or else a sincope vel cardiaogmo, from the stomach or heart. All which is common both to good and bad men, to the just and unjust: and that which never gives warning, nor knowledge, any manner of way formerly to be prevented by physic, and therefore rightly called Mors repentina, a sudden and an unprovided death.  
The second respect is the manner or difference betwixt both. The bad and unjust man dieth suddenly, how long soever he liveth, and what warning soever he hath, 
Mat. 25.3.  because of his unpreparedness, like the foolish virgins: or like the unjust and careless steward.  
The good and upright man who fears the Lord, and rules himself according to his laws, is always upon his guard, like the good householder, who knows on a night suddenly his house shall be broken up: and like those wise virgins always in a readiness, ever looking for death. This resemblance of both was in the old world; Noah was well prepared, the rest were nothing at all.  
The eight uses that we are to make of this doctrine, concerning the natural death, which is the common death, and the general visitation of all men.   

The first use concerning the natural death.  
It serveth to reprove old men, who either idly or riotously spend their patrimonies, and their parents portions. The holy Prophet Hosea saith, 
Hose 7.9.  Grey hairs are here and there, upon him, and he knows it not: to wit, the aged man considers not, the old man whose life is almost ended remembers not, he thinks upon time enough to be getting and sparing, which is yet left behind; he deviseth upon many more years, & so goeth on until his strength faileth him, and he purposeth to bring many matters unto good effect, even by his wits, when as indeed with his strength, his senses will fail him. Therefore jeremy the Prophet said, 
Lam. 3.27.  It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth. It is expedient that he do take pains in his profession while he may, lest when he should give, he be enforced to take. Solomon not only for matters of salvation, but also for matters of this life, doth exhort very earnestly, particularly & plainly, 
Eccle. 12.1.2. to 8.  thus: Remember thy maker in thy youth, whiles the evil days come not, nor the years approach wherein thou shalt say. I have no pleasure in them. To conclude with that pathetical saying of Saint Paul, 
1 Timo. 5.8.  If there be any man that provideth not for his own, namely for them of his household, he denieth the faith, and is worse than an infidel; the honourable age is not that which is measured by time, neither that which is measured by the number of years: but wisdom is the grey hair, 
Wisd 4.7.8.  & an undefiled life is the old age. As if he had said, It is not the age of any man, how old soever, that deserves reverence and special account amongst men: but it is the knowledge of God, and an unreprovable life.   

The second use concerning the natural death.  
It serveth to reprove those who by their over much care, and excessive labours, have gotten much wealth, always getting, ever sparing, never spending, accounting from ten to the hundred, and from the hundred to the thousands, for every of their children; yea and many times (having neither son nor daughter) they know not for whom: and yet in all this time and amongst all this wealth, having nothing at all for themselves against the day of the Lord, having indeed neither oil nor lamps. Much like the glutton that fared deliciously every day, 
Luk. 16.19.  & gorgeously appareled: but inwardly for his soul he was more miserable than any, and as the poor beggar at his door outwardly. So commonly at deaths door the wicked parteth with all joys: and there the godly receives it.   

The third use concerning the natural death.  
It serveth to reprove all such parents, who having a son or a daughter taken from them by death in his minority, they do not take to heart nor think the extraordinary care, the greedy griping, the intolerable shifts, and the manifold devices which they used to get worldly wealth and preferments for him. So that they ever kept from their heart, or for the most part, all conscionable care of training him up in the fear and nurture of the Lord, so as he might be a necessary member in Church or common wealth. They consider not, neither can they be made to think, much less to believe, that God took him away for their punishment. And for this cause also God takes away another, and so another of their best and dearest children, leaving such parents, either none at all, or else such as are graceless, and without hope to be any comfort unto them. If parents out of their natural affection, or out of God's word, would but imagine what a doleful day, what a sorrowful sight, and a galling grief it would be unto them, to see one child after another suffer the bitter pains and pangs of death, & then being dead to be doubtful of their salvation: such parents might the better and the sooner see, & take knowledge of their sins towards their poor children, and so by true repentance be turned unto the Lord.   

The fourth use concerning the natural death.  
It serveth to reprove those who out of their over abounding natural affection towards their children, are never prepared to part with their children, no not though they be to change their company, for the company of God himself, and the company of others their brothers and sisters, for the company of the holy Saints and Angels in heaven. And their worldly riches, for the true treasures purchased by the precious blood of jesus Christ. And this because that either they want knowledge, or faith.   

The fift use concerning the natural death.  
It serveth to reprove those who live so securely and so carelessly, as if they had made a covenant with death, until an appointed day: or as if they could keep death away so long as they would, or at least give themselves lawful warning. Upon these comes the day of the Lord suddenly, not in respect of God, but in respect of themselves, being unprovided. By how much they want of that they should have against his coming, or by how little they fear death, by so much the more terrible and fearful death is unto them.   

The sixth use concerning the natural death.  
It serveth to reprove those who arrogate to much unto the worthiness of the means, attributing that virtue unto them, which indeed is due unto God; as in the time of sickness, to physic, surgery and such like. No marvel though they languish in their diseases, and no man able to help them. What was the overthrow of so many thousands of the Israelits, & the taking away of the Ark of God by the Philistines? 
1. Sam. 4.5.  was it not because they relied to much upon the ark? as appeared by their shooting and loud rejoicing, as though heaven and earth rang together. jeremy speaketh of them at another time, how they vaunted and boasted of their temple, saying, 
jer. 7.4.  The temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord: therefore the Lord gave their Temple to be ransacked and ruinated by Nabuchadnezzar king of Babylon. 
Dan. 1.1.2.  jeremy likewise speaking of the pride and presumptusnesse of the Egyptians, who in their strength and multitude of their men, concluded most infallibly the utter overthrow of the people of Israel: 
jer. 46 7.  They come, saith he like floods and rivers, with raging horses, swift chariots, Blackemores and Libian to shoot and to bear shields, yet all in vain.   

The seventh use concerning the natural kind of death.  
It serveth to reprove those who do derogate from the worthiness of the means, which God in his mercy hath ordained in his Church and commonwealth, to be in him, and for him, or as in his stead, helpers & comforters unto his people: as in the time of sickness, not to seek to the Physician, they rather scoff and scorn them, and they deride their profession. These indeed, as the former, are accessary to their own continual diseases, languishing maladies, and in the end, to their own death: not because that they thereby do directly shorten their lives, but because that they do frustrate, so much as in them lieth, the holy ordinances of God, which are joined with his decree.   

The eight use concerning the natural death.  
It serveth to reprove those who run into eminent dangers & places of contagion; they avoid not when they may convemently, outrageous elements, as fire, water, and such like: or enterprise to perform actions, which stand not either with their wits, or with their abilities.   

The 3. general sort, manner, or kind of death, to wit, the unnatural death.  
The unnatur all death, is that which is more violent, more abhorring nature, more cross and contrary to the laws & ordinances of God. A kind of death which proceedeth from man's self, or rather a death instigated by the devil: merely derogative to the Majesty of God's government, dishonourable to his name, & by the revealed word, impeachfull to the salvation of the souls of such. An untimely and an unseasonable death.   

Under this kind of death there are 4. other inferior sorts.  
First when a man killeth himself unawares, or against his will, as Ahaziah king of Israel did with a fall. 
2. King. 1.6   
Secondly, when a man kills himself wittingly and willingly, 
1 Sam. 31.4 2. Sam. 17.23. 1. King. 16.18.  as Saul did with his own sword; as Achitophel hanged himself; and as Zimry did, that burned himself.  
Thirdly, when a man is killed by another unwittingly and unwillingly, not having hated him before; 
Nu. 35.22. Ios. 20.1.2.3  for whose saftetie God appointed cities of refuge.  
Fourthly, when a man is wittingly and willingly killed by another, 
2. Sam. 3.27 2. Sam. 20.10.  as Abner was by joab, and as Amasa was.   

The first question concerning the manner of the unnatural death.  
Why it is, or how it comes to pass, that some unwittingly and unwillingly do kill and destroy themselves, yea with their act and deed, some hang themselves, some burn themselves, some drown themselves, and such like manner of unnatural death?  
This kind of unnatural executions happeneth many times on the just, as well as on the unjust, upon the wise, as upon the foolish; upon the rich as upon the poor.   

The answer therefore is twofold, one concerning the ungodly, the other concerning the godly.  
That which concerns the ungodly, is, when any such man or woman unwittingly puts or brings himself into perilous places, puts himself to death by his own act and deed. It proceedeth from the upright justice of God, ruling and overruling man how puissant, and how outrageous soever he be, making him in despite of his heart, & wholly against his will, to do that to himself which shall be to his own destruction, and against nature. To which purpose God speaks by his Prophet, unto the wicked, in these words; 
jer. 20.21.  I will make thee to be a terror unto thyself, and to thy friends. And by a phrase of speech, as from him who hath suffered great indignity, saying to the wrong doer, I will make thee undo that again which thou hast done unto me, although thou didst it by another: I will make thee undo it thyself, and with thine own hands. After this manner it is said, that God doth surcharge the wicked, who sometimes have overruled and surcharged his people. As for example, Paul and Silas having been wrongfully imprisoned, and sorely whipped by the governors of Philippi, a famous city in Macedonia, they sent their Sergeants, 
Act. 16.35.36.  saying, Let these men go. Nay verily said they, we have been beaten openly uncondemned, and now would they put us away privily? but let them come and bring us out. So they came and brought them out, and prayed them and desired them to departed. Likewise he saith by his Prophet jeremy to the people of Israel, 
jer. 5.9.  As ye have worshipped strange gods in your own land, so shall ye worship strange gods in another land. As if he had said, Whereas in your own country you would worship idols whether I would or not, now I will make you do the like in another land whether you will or not; how hurtful and loathsome soever it be unto you, yet I will enforce you. Absalon, 
2. Sam. 18.9.10.  who was a public enemy to the crown of judah & a deadly enemy to the king his father, by his own act and deed unwillingly, and against his heart and mind hung himself. King Pharaoh having drowned many of Go●s people in Egypt, by the justice of God upon him, unwittingly and unwillingly drowned himself and his host even by his own act and deed. 
Exo. 14.26.  The Moabites mistaking the element of water for blood, became secure and careless, 
2. King. 3.22.23.16.17.  and therefore unwittingly and unwillingly, and yet by their own act & deed, they fell upon the sword of their enemies. Wherein God showed that even by the self same matter wherewith the Israelites were comforted and relieved, their enemies were confounded and discomfited: where with a man sinneth, 
Wis. 11.13.  even by the same God usually punisheth. And as Samuel said unto Agag the king of Amalek, As thy sword hath made many women childless, 
1. Sam. 15.33.  even so shall thy mother be childless of thee amongst other women.   

The second answer concerning the godly, who unwittingly and unwillingly do by their own act and deed kill and destroy themselves, is threefold.  
The first sort are those, who being surprised with sorrows and anguish of heart: as Eli, who having having heard that both his sons were slain by the Philistims, 
2. Sam. 4.19.20.21.  and specially that the Ark was taken, he fell back out of his chair and broke his neck. Likewise Phineas wife, when she heard such news of the Ark, pained & died. So Nabal having heard by his wife what David had intended, 
1. Sam. 25.37.  with sorrow his heart died within him, and he was like a stone.  
The second sort mistaking the use of the good creatures of God, and their own strength, do unwittingly & unwillingly destroy themselves: 
2. King. 4.18.39.40. 2 King. 3.  so did the shunamit's son with overmuch heat in his head. So did the children of the Prophets, who in stead of potherbs gathered wild gourds, and therewith had poisoned themselves, had not the Prophet miraculously and speedily helped them.  
The third sort being overcome with drowsiness and stupidity of nature do unwittingly & unwillingly, even by their own act and deed kill themselves: so did Eutychus, 
Act. 20.9.  who sleeping at Saint Paul's sermon fell out of an high window, so that he was dead.  
The second question, Why some kill and destroy themselves, so diversly and so many ways, and that wittingly and willingly, as by their own act and deed.  
The answer is of four sorts.   

The first sort who kill and destroy themselves wittingly and willingly,  
Are those who, through the ignorance of God that is in them, do not know whether there be an hell or a heaven. Of which ignorance, Saint Paul speaketh thus: 
1 Cor. 2.14.  The natural man perceiveth not the things that be of God; they are spiritual, but he is carnal. It may be said unto them, as Christ said unto Peter, 
Mar. 8.33.  Thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.   

The second sort who killand destroy themselves wittingly and willingly,  
Are those who in the justice of God for their unpenitencie and reprobate manner of behautour, having the eyes of their understanding shut up, their senses taken away for the time, their wits not their own, their memory gone. Of which kind of benumbing Saint Paul speaks to the Romans; 
Rom. 1.24. to the end. Ephe. 1.18.  and prayeth for the restoring of the Ephesians, to wit: that the eyes of their understanding might be opened. The Aramites being in this reprobate sense, having their eyes of understanding shut up, 
2 King. 6.18.19.  went into Samaria where was their mortal enemy the King of Israel; when as they thought to have gone home unto their master and King. In like manner, Nebucadnezer the King of Babylon, 
Dani. 4.30.31.  being also in this temper by the upright justice of God, went out of his palace from amongst his Nobility, upon his hands and feet, into the fields amongst his beasts, where he continued as a beast 7. years. Saul, as he thought, was safe, 
1 Sam. 26.11.12. to 18.  having his spear at his head, with Abner the Lord General, and the people guarding him round about; but God sent a dead sleep upon them, whereby David went in, and brought forth the King's spear, & might have slain him. No man saw it nor marked it, neither did any awake, so bewitched they were of their sense.   

The third sort who kill and destroy themselves wittingly and willingly,  
Are those who from an exceeding distrust of God's mercies, having long lavished in an abominable life, & neglected all the means of their faith, they conclude desperately with themselves. Much like the four leprous men, 
2. King. 7.3.4.5.  at the gates of Samaria, who said one to another, If we tarry here we shall die; if we go into the city we shall die come, let us go into the the tents of the Aramits; if they save our lives, we shall live; and if they kill us we are but dead: and as the King of Israel shamefully said, This evil comes from the Lord, 
2 King. 6.33.  shall I attend upon the Lord any longer? To them and to all such it may be said, as Elias said to Ahab King of Israel, Thou hast sold thyself to work wickedness. 
1 King. 21.20.  Thus these men betraying all succours that reason offers, they set every member or members against another, 
judg. 7.22.  like the sword of the Midianits rushed into the bowels one of another: the soul against the body, & the body against the sole, allthings upside down like the chariots of Pharo, 
Exo. 14.25.26.  the wheels upward, and the bodies downward; greatly afraid where no fear was, like a lion who mastering all other beasts in the forest, quakes and trembles at the crowing of a cock. Or rather like the damned indeed, 
Pro. 28.1.  flying when none pursueth; they are stricken with faintness of heart, 
Levi. 26.17.36. Deut. 28.28. 1. Sam. 13.6.  with the sound or shaking of a leaf, and with cowardliness to hide themselves in caves, in pits, and in dens, from a sword. All these being formerly known unto God, for the manner of their behaviour, his Majesty decreed upon the manner of their death, not as it was in him, but as it would be in them. As the devil did put into the heart of judas to betray Christ his master, so the devil putteth into the hearts of those to betray themselves.   

The fourth sort who kill and destroy themselves wittingly and willingly,  
Are those who do not only neglect all good means, and opportunities thereunto: but also voluntarily contemn it tread it under feet, and with fierce affection following their own ways: of whom jeremy speaks reprehensively after this manner, as it were in the proper person of the almighty God. 
jere. 2.12.13.  My people have committed two evils, they have forsaken me the well of life, and have diged up puddles of their own. As Pontius Pilate delivered jesus unto the common people, 
Luke. 21.24.  to do with him what they would: even so these in a sort do deliver up most unnaturally their bodies and their souls unto the devil, to do with them what he will. 
Luk. 21.14.  They fall upon the edge of the sword, to wit, into eminent and inevitable dangers. 
judg. 9.54.  As Abimelech being brained by a woman, called hastily unto his page, Draw thy sword and slay me, that it be not said, that a woman slew me: even so do they that in their distresses do not rely upon God's directions. As the waters prevailed & increased over all high mountains, so doth the devil increase and multiply sin upon sin in the unpenitent person, making him unrecoverable to godward.   

The third question concerning those that do wittingly and willingly kill and destroy one another.  
The Prophet Malachi wondering at such unnaturalness, questioneth after this manner: 
Mal. 2.  Have we not all one father? hath not one God made us? Why do we every one transgress against his brother, & break the covenant of our fathers? The answer to this question is drawn first from the killer, secondly from the killed. The killer is drawn thereunto sometimes by an evil spirit, executing therein upon the killed, the rustic of God, for some former murder, as upon Abimelech, 
judg. 9.23.55.56.57.  who killed his seventy brethren. To which effect the Prophet jeremy saith, They that devour shall be devoured they that spoil thee o Israel, 
jere 30.16.  shall be spoiled, & they that rob thee, I will give to be rob. So he saith by his Prophet Ezekiell, 
Ezek. 35.6.  Except thou hate blood, blood shall pursue thee. joash the King of judah having caused the son of jehoiada the priest to be slain innocently, 
2 Chro. 24.25.  he desired God to remember it, and therefore God according to justice remembering it indeed, his own servants murdered him as he lay in his bed. 
1 Sam. 14.20.  So it is said that the Philistians slew one another; also when the evil spirit was upon Saul, 
1 Sam. 19.10.  he still sought to kill David.   

The second motive in the killer.  
The killer is drawn thereunto by malice & envy, 
Gene. 4.4.  as Cain slew his brother Abel. Which made David to say unto Saul, 
2 Sam. 26.19.  If the Lord do thus stir thee up, let him receive a sacrifice at my hands: but if it be the children of men that have done it, cursed be they before the Lord. To which effect the Lord speaks by his Prophet Ezechiel unto the Seirians concerning his people Israel, 
E'er. 35.5.  Thou hast a perpetual hatred against my people, and hast put them to flight with the sword, when their iniquity had an end. As if he had said, O Seir, thou most malicious and envious wretch, thou persecutest my people, not as an instrument of God's justice, but out of thy own extreme malice & envy, even when I was at peace with them. Again, he saith unto all such by the mouth of his Prophet Zacharie, I am wrath with these careless heathen, 
Zach. 1.15.  who when I was angry but a little with my people, they helped forward the affliction. Wherein he showeth that they were very malicious, and very enviously disposed. After that manner Cain slew his brother. 
Gen. 4.8.    

The third motive in the killer.  
One killeth another out of his own malicious & devilish quarrels, with an unsatiable desire of revenging. As joab slew Abner for the blood of Hasael, 
2 Sa. 3.27.  which he had shed. 
2. Sa. 13.27.  So Absalon slew Ammon. The holy Ghost saith of a graceless man, 
Wis. 10.13.  In his wrath he killeth his brother, & in his fury he perisheth. As if he had thereby pointed out by two special notes, a reprobate and a most vile man, shedding his brother's blood, to wit, by fury and by anger. As Samson being moved with an intolerable passion, 
judg. 16.28  desired nothing of God but that he might have strength to be avenged for his two eyes.   

The fourth motive in the killers.  
Some kill one another being drawn thereunto through covetousness, as jesabel slew Naboth. 
1. King. 21.12.  This kind of impiety is in such, for lucre's sake, as he of whom Nahum the Prophet speaketh, likening him to a Lion, in these words; He did tear in pieces for his whelps, 
Nah. 2.12.  and woried for his Lioness, and filled the holes with prey, and his dens with spoil. Even so these graceless grigs to have worldly wealth for their children, will spare neither old nor young.   

The fifth motive in the killer is,  
When a man doth kill another in the quarrel of God and his people, as did Ehud, 
judg. 3.21. judg. 4.21.  who slew Eglon: and as jael who slew Sisera.   

The sixth motive in the killer  
Is to kill and destroy, being drawn thereunto with a damnable rage, for the offence of some other. As that most execrable example of Saul, who killed the priests of Nob, 
2. Sam. 22.18.19.22.  through the offence that was committed by David, as he himself confessed to Abiathar: I am guilty, said he, of their blood, they were innocent. Murder hath been held among barbarian heathens an intolerable and a revengeful sin, as appeared by their words, when as the viper fell upon Paul's hand, 
Act. 28.1.2.3. etc.  Sure said they, this man is a murderer, who although he hath escaped the seas, yet vengeance hath not suffered him to live. 
Gen. 4.10.11.  The blood of Abel cried for vengeance. And to conclude; Murder is so detestable in God's sight, and so abhorring nature, as for what cause soever one man shall or doth wittingly & willingly kill another, if it be secretly done, 
Deut. 21.1. to 10.  as doth appear by diligent inquisition made for the finding out of the murderer, the heinousness of the sin also appears by the grievousness of the punishments, which are no less than death. 
Levi. 24.17.21. Deu. 21.8.9.  It endangereth the whole congregation with the plagues of God how guiltless soever they be of that fact. 
Gen. 4.10. Re. 6.9.10.11.  It calleth and crieth out from earth to heaven for vengeance, & the souls of the Saints in heaven do call and cry unto God for justice. The holy man David, who by his regal authority, & also in his martial affairs, was to shed the blood of many: yet he prayed that God would deliver him from blood-guiltiness.   

Now concerning the killed, to wit, why God doth suffer innocent blood to be shed wilfully, or to be subject to the will of the wicked.  
The answer is twofold.  
The first answer concerning the killed, is to manifest Gods secret decree concerning the time of man's departure; and as for the manner how, it is all one with God, and so is it with a righteous man. The manner of death maketh nothing against the matter of salvation. Christ's jesus speaks comfortably and very directly to this purpose, unto his Apostles and disciples, and so unto all true Christians: You shall be betrayed of your brethren, 
Luk. 21.16.17.18.19.  and kinsmen, & friends: & some of you they shall put to death; ye shall be hated of all men, yet there shall not one hair of your heads perish; possess your souls in patience.   

The second answer concerning the killed.  
It makes the justice of God the more manifest upon the killer. As Solomon said concerning joab who had murdered Abner and Amasa: 
1. King. 2.32.33.  The Lord shall bring his blood upon his own pate, for he slew two men causeless, and more righteous than he: their blood shall return upon the head of joab. The Prophet Habacuck questions to that purpose with God, concerning the innocent that were slain so unjustly: O God, 
Hab. 1.13.14.15.16.17.  saith he, thou art of pure eyes and canst not see evil, wherefore dost thou look upon the transgressors and hold'st thy tongue, when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he? Shall they therefore spread forth their net & not spare continually to slay the nations? This is answered by the same Prophet in the same chapter, after this manner: Art not thou o Lord my God, 
12.  my holy one? we shall not die. O Lord thou hast ordained them for judgement, and o God thou hast established them for correction. As if he had said, Thou wilt not suffer these lewd and graceless ones any longer, then until thou hast accomplished thy will in mercy upon us, than thy heavy wrath shall consume them. Saint Luke affirms interrogatively the same after this manner: Shall not God avenge his elect which cry day and night unto him? 
Luk. 18.7.8.  though he suffer long, I tell you he will avenge them quickly. As Christ said concerning the man that was borne blind, 
joh. 9.1.2.  It was not his sin, nor his parents, but that the work of God might be seen: even so these whom the monsters of the world do kill and destroy, is not in respect of that which they pertinently or properly have deserved, but that the justice and vengeance of God might be seen just upon such as kill them. There are many ways and divers manners by the which the dear children of God do departed this life, but no way nor manner can prevent their preparation to die well, how sudden and how unusual soever it seems to be unto others. And seeing the case so standeth, let all men beware of rash judgement, and uncharitable censuring of such as are slain. Let the manner of death be rather an occasion to forewarn others to be ready also, as not knowing the time, nor the manner of death. It is commonly alike, both to the just and to the unjust for the outward manner of death, but the inward is nothing so nor so. As we may read of the two thieves, the one upon the right hand, 
Mat. 27.38  the other upon the left hand of Christ: the outward manner of their death was alike, but the inward was not so; for the one died faithful, and therefore Christ said, This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise: the other being unpenitent inwardly went unto the damned. Again, the suffering or permission of God is always the means of his secret decree: no man can kill another, no not injure his brother in the least measure, but by the will of God; because no sin can be committed against his will: nor any otherwise will God permit and suffer a sinner to outrage, then in that manner, & so far forth as may stand well with his divine purpose: & yet for all that, such a will, purpose, and permission of his, cannot be said to be the immediate cause of such an outrage or injury done howsoever; but rather out of man's will, who for his own part respects not the fulfilling of Gods will so much as his own, which proceedeth from his corrupt nature being inveigled by the devil. And when as almighty God doth withdraw his helps, his gifts and graces, (which he may, because properly they are his own, 
Ezod 7.4. ) thence it is said, that God hardened the heart of Pharaoh; & that Sihon king of Heshbon would not let Israel pass by, 
Deut. 2.30.  for the Lord had hardened his spirit and his heart. Further, it must be granted, that almighty God might very well, and most fitly, if he would, have restrained and withholden that murder and shedding of innocent blood, and so the wrong and kill of other his Saints; but it was not his will, it pleased him not so to do, he foresees it not to be for his honour, and a further good. As may plainly be evidenced by a special difference between the purpose of God, and God's election: for it is certain that election was before the purpose of God to salvation or damnation, because in election there is the holy will of God, without regard either of good or evil to be found in man, or before he had done either good or evil. The concurrence and the prosecution whereof stands in these three most holy asseverations of the Almighty, the first being vocation, the second justification, and the third glorification. To which effect and purpose the holy man David being prevented of his murdering mind, said with all holy consideration & gladsomeness: 
1 Sam. 25.33.  Blessed art thou which hast kept me this day from shedding innocent blond.   

The fourth manner, sort or kind of death, to wit, political.  
In the discourse whereof there will arise many doleful questions, with cross and contrary objections, made by them which are perplexed, some for their sons, some for their daughters, some for their dear & familiar friends, some for their wives, and some for their husbands, who before their faces were cruelly executed unto death; which parents & friends of theirs, do attribute the same unto the rigour of law, or unto the unjust proceed of law, or at least unto the cruel executioners of law. For the removing of all which unjust imputations, as also for the comforting of all such sorrowful souls, I will deliver so particularly, so plainly, and so directly, my mind & my knowledge therein, as I hope through God's mercy shall stand them in good stead for persuasion and satisfaction in this manner and method.  

First, what the laws ought to be in general in a well governed kingdom.  
Secondly, what the laws now are in general inthiss our glorious and so selected a kingdom.  
Thirdly, what the law politic in particular is in this kingdom for the complainants instanced.    

First concerning the laws in general how they ought to be.  
The laws of all well governed kingdoms ought to be grounded upon divine intentions, and peaceable ends, consisting of jurisdiction, regal without partiality, and of a civil policy without corruption, for the nourishing and upholding of spiritual jurisdiction, tending to the religious worship of God, and the mutual society amongst brethren, which is indeed rightly reckoned to be the sum of the moral law of Moses, and the chiefest respect of our common laws. The principles of all which laws also are to have their fit, their convenient & their warrantable application, and denommation, first to the glory of the blessed Trinity, secondly to the honour of the immediate Majesty of the King; thirdly to the reverent regard of his or their substitutes: and four to the good of the people in public, according as times, places & persons shall urge their importunities; still inferring and extending rules of justice and equity, thereby making an evident difference betwixt the plaintiff & the defendant, and betwixt the just and unjust, because contrarieties being laid together, makes justice to appear the more just, and the same law to be the more commendable, and unrepealable.   

Secondly, concerning the common laws as they are now in England.  
This little Isle of England, and Northern side of the world, of which the great Prophet Ezechiel speaks in some particular, 
Chap. 38.2.3.4.5.6.15.  hath been more anciently endued with God's particular favours, than any other part else of the whole world, for matter of his majesties religious service, and for matter of civil government, in this land now most graciously established. All which law is full of profound maturity, full of needful justice, and full of divine well ordered policies. And whereas other nations round about this realm through their own homebread mutinies, and foreign devastations, cannot prescribe by any record, custom, or memory of man, by what law, justice or equity, other then by the law of nature, which is common amongst heathens, that they do execute any malefactor, or inflict any pecuniary punishment, almighty God out of his infinite providence and mercy, although that many times religion, through the corrupt judgement of Kings and Queens of this land, & the manifold sins of the people therein, were sometimes altered, and sometimes quite overthrown: yet our common laws were still maintained, and extolled even unto this day. All which laws had they not excelled the laws of other nations, they could never have continued without extinguishment, without impeachment, or at least, without some annullity, & public indignity by the Kings of the Britain's, or by the Kings of the Saxons, or by the Kings of the Danes, or by the Kings of the Normans; every of which men were very wise, very politic, very religious, and most admirably valorous: which Kings immediately succeeded one another, ever since this Island was first found habitable. In all whose times these our said laws slorished, and by many necessary additions were publicly enlarged. Again, had not these our common laws been every way besitting the maintenance of God's sacred and true religion, and for the preservation of peace; as also by all former ages, since the confusion of tongues, left unto our days and times uncontrollable, & unrepealable; then without all question, some one or other of our godly Kings or Queens would have established other laws, or else would have in some sort reform them. But by reason of the great multiplication of this nation, and through some disorders likely to accrue amongst so many, who would in time cross and contrary the true meaning of those laws, our renowned Princes have only repealed some few statutes, and in stead thereof have enacted others, to better purpose, as necessarily was required: always with this prudent proviso, that no law nor statute should be in sense and intendment but according to the rules and former patterns, which they had received from former ages, tending to the true worship of God, and the peace of the people. So did Alfred a famous King of the Saxons, in the year of our Lord 880. add unto these laws, holy precepts and statutes, namely against sacrilege, against the violating of the Sabbath, against treason, & against the immodest and unchaste touching of another man's wife or daughter: all which facts were even then held to be most vile, most odious, and most detestable; and yet for all that even than were they most likely to have been committed by many irreligious persons. So in like manner Caesar the Emperor before the incarnation of Christ, by an established law brought that wife within the compass of petty treason, which was found guilty for betraying the life of her husband, and to be burned for the same. So likewise the son that did betray his father, and the servant that betrayed his master, should be hanged for the same as petty traitors: all which well contrived laws are in force unto this day, blessed be the Majesty of God for it.   

Thirdly concerning the political law, which is a chief part of the common law: whence indeed ariseth the matter instanced.  
The political law is that by virtue whereof malefactors are judicially executed unto death, upon public trials and arraignment, by witnesses produced, and then by the verdict of 12. substantial honest sworn men. The common law, whereof I have spoken, doth consist of a law Regal, and a law political, both which were in request many years before Christ was borne. This law Regal is said to be grounded upon divers ancient customs, rules and orders, drawn out of the natural law, or as it may be said, out of the will of the King, be it good or evil, which is effected by his authority upon the subjects. The political law is indeed a branch principal, and a means special of that by the which the spiritual policy of the Church is royally maintained and supported, and which is in very deed the life of the regal law. As the judicial law of Moses was the conjunct and the inseparable companion of the moral law amongst the people of Israel: so in like manner the political law may be said to be arteries and ligaments of the common laws amongst us here in England. As if it were to say, Where there is no political law wisely and mercifully contrived, there is no regal law that can be upholden and maintained; take away the one, take away the other. A king I grant may govern regally, and according to his will may enforce his subjects unto obedience, or patience: yet without Christian policy no kingdom can continue. For the order and frame of civil government is broken, if men may not possess their own in peace after a peculiar property: so is it if men may nor be in their own houses safely: so is it if men men may not travel without danger of robbery: so is it if men may not have the free use of the sabboth's by an ingress and egress for the service of God, according to an uniform order throughout the Realm. This I conclude: We being defended by the king's laws from all injuries, private and public throughout his dominions, and also having under his protection, the peaceable profession of jesus Christ, in effect then, Let us subject ourselves unto him as unto the immediate Vicar or Deputy of the King of heaven.   

The political law hath in itself these four sorts or kinds of executions.  

1. Beheadding.  
2. Hanging.  
3. Burning.  
4. Pressing.   
First, the reason of this political law in general, or the cause why it hath ever been held requisite and necessary in every well-governed kingdom; it is occasioned or drawn from the foulness and most outrageousness of some men's nature, breaking forth into an hateful kind of demeanour towards their equals, and a treacherous manner of behaviour against their superiors; evermore and in all places, preferring contentions and wars, before quietness and peace, liking and allowing in their corrupt judgement, deceit, and rapine, before truth and plaindealing: still pressing themselves unto the dishonour of God, and unto treason against the king; if it may carry any hope of profit, or likelihood of pleasure. And therefore have need of such law as may restrain all such, or if they will not be so restrained, then without all partiality to execute them. The moral law of God, & the common law of this land, do only manifest and persuade with men what things ought to be done. But the political law, as the law judicial, doth enforce and violently press men to the performance of that which ought to be done. Of which sort of people Saint Paul speaketh, as of the Romans, 
Rom. 1.31.  Though they knew the law of God, that they which do such things are worthy of death, yet not only do the same, but favour them that do it. This kind of law may be truly said to be the law of nature, to wit, a law common to all people; where yet the law of God is not in force, and duly executed, they are a law unto themselves. To be brief, the political law is an executioner of the common law, and therefore a cause principal and necessary to have it, and to keep it in use.   

Secondly, the reason of such sundry sorts and several manners of execution, which are used by virtue of the political law.  
The manner, sort, or kind of executing malefactors worthily deserving the same, is not to be found in the grounds of the common law, nor in any branch thereof; but always hath been held as a matter indifferent, and to be published and maintained according to the pleasure of the Prince for the time being, specially as the manners of their subjects did induce him thereunto by the consideration of the heinousness of the fact either more or less: as we find by the order and manner of Moses in his government, which must needs be understood to be figuratively related to all other kings and people, as well as to the people of Israel; whence they should derive the substance of their politic laws to be consisting of justice & equity: and always using the manner, the sort, and kind thereof, as being a matter of circumstance, according to their own wills, as time, place, and persons require. As for example briefly, The judicial law for him that stole an ox was, 
Exo. 22.1.2  that he should recompense it to the owner with five oxen. Some kings punish such an offence with stocking & whipping, some do punish it with banishment, and our kings for many hundred years together have punished it with hanging. As for murder, it was ever & in all places punished with death, and yet the manner of the death still remained in the will of the king, according as the manner of the murder was found to be either more or less heinous. The judicial laws of Israel were said to be appertaining unto them, and therefore can they not be said to be broken by us when as indeed they were never given unto us, neither yet made for us.   

This doctrine serveth to reprove four sorts of people. The  
First are those, whose nature is so froward and so rebellious, that they are no way to be governed and guided but by force and violence: yielding rather their obedience and loyalty to man & that only for fear of punishment, then unto almighty God for the love of his favour.  
Secondly, those who do most unjustly and most maliciously malign the reverend and commendable students of the law, and generally all the learned and grave professors thereof; being drawn thereunto out of their extreme folly and palpable ignorance: or else being convicted unjustly in the trial of some case, through their own wrong information, or want of means judicially to follow it: or otherwise, having had the overthrow and conviction, as justly they deserved, by reason of the unlawfulness and unjustness of their case, being plaintiff or defendant.  
Thirdly, those who do utterly scorn and altogether disdain the very law itself. And no marvel, for commonly they are such as do mock and scorn the majesty of God's holy Scriptures, and all the sincere Preachers thereof; drawn thereunto, as may be thought, by a turn sick spirit of giddiness, or rather from the stirring of the devil, who can away with nothing which is better than himself.  
Fourthly, those who most uncharitably, and without all Christian reason or good consideration, do make question and doubt of their salvation, who are judicially executed for their unlawful acts. As though the manner of death did any thing at all derogate from the matter and substance of faith, which is required of every one that dieth howsoever. Or as though he that stealeth, or he that murdereth, or he that is a traitor, were a greater sinner than Christ would or could forgive; or else as though that they which die naturally in their beds, or they themselves which live in the good appearance of the world, were not as guilty of condemnation for every small sin which they commit, without faith in jesus Christ, as they who are hanged, burned, beheaded or pressed, or as those upon whom the tower of Siloam fell.  
Here I conclude, ask pardon of the learned, wherein soever I have erred, or have wanted in the disconise of the common laws of this land. Knewing the profundity thereof to be passing the reach of all men: and withal, acknowledging it to be a mere subject out of my element; and therefore as a man having spoken nothing in effect of that which it deserveth, I am content to be condemned without replication, upon a nihil dicit, if reason require it   

The third instruction concerning the timeliness of death.  
Not withstanding there are such variable and sundry sorts or manners of death, as hath been formerly enlarged; and howsoever almighty God hath been occasioned in his justice to punish sin: yet none of the generation of mankind departs this life before his appointed day, so that no man by diligence can lengthen his life, nor any man by negligence shorten his life. The holy Prophet David having Saul his enemy in his hand, would not be persuaded to lay his hands on him, but said, His day shall come to die, 
1 Sam. 26.8.9.  I will not smite him. As if he had spoken more plainly, It is not for me to kill him, for God hath appointed him his time, in which he shall die. To this purpose said the just man job by way of two interrogations, 
job. 7.1.  Is there not an appointed time for man upon the earth? And are not his days determined? 
job. 14.5.  The number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed him his bounds over which he shall not pass. As if it were to say, Certainly there is an appointed time for man's departure out of this world, even by the divine ordinance & sacred decree of the Almighty, which cannot be shortened nor lengthened, no not so much time more as to go over a mere or balk, nor so much time less as to come unto it. Again he saith very emphatically and affirmatively, believing in the promise of God therein, after this manner, I will wait my appointed time: as though he had said, 
job. 14.14.  My God hath determined and set down the day, and hour of my dissolution: it is hid from me, I will therefore attend, I will be looking for it from day to day. Solomon after his conversion, amongst many excellent & most divine instructions, he particulateth this secret decree of God most plainly after this manner: 
Eccl. 3.12.  To all things there is an appointed time. And from this general he descendeth into a more particular, thus: There is a time to be borne, and a time to die; to wit, as there is a most certain time enclosed in every woman's womb, in which she shall bring forth into the world: even so there is a certain and an appointed time, in which he that is borne of a woman shall go out of the world. Saint Paul said to the Athenians, 
Act. 17.26.  God hath assigned the times that were ordained before, and the bounds of their habitation. By that saying the time of man's departure is decreed, and unreapeable: why? because there is no alteration nor change in Gods divine Majesty; that which he is, he was, & the same he will be for ever. jehoida said, 
2 King. 11.15.  He that comes within the ranges, let him die the death: even so it may be said, Whosoever comes within the compass of the time which God hath decreed, let him die without delay; there is no hope nor help for him, there will be no partiality or favourable respects. The lives of the 10. 
Gen. 5.3. to the end.  Fathers were twice exactly reckoned, and their death once, for divers causes, but specially that thereby every man thenceforth might be able to know the age of the old world before the flood. The ages of these holy men being computated and laid together, do amount justly to 1656. years. In which observance or sure rule for numeration, and multiplication, the holy Ghost delivereth plainly, that God doth strictly & severely reckon the lives of all men, yea from their very beginning to the very day of their death. Saint john and other the evangelists affirm out of their own knowledge, that the jews used all cunning means, & practised divers ways to apprehend our Lord and Saviour; but all was in vain, something or other went between: and why? his hour was not yet come, 
joh. 8.30.  the time which his holy Father had decreed was not when they would. To this effect Moses by a large measure of inspiration spoke of an holy woman, the wife of the Patriarch Abraham, who had a particular and gracious respect before God, specially for the time of her life, & the time of her death. 
Gen. 23.1.2  When Sarah, saith he, was 127. years old, so long lived she, than Sarah died. That is as much to say, She lived just so long indeed and no whit longer; when her appointed time was come, than she died, and not before. Likewise Moses doth computate the age of Abraham her husband and saith, 
Gen. 25.7.  This is the age of Abraham's life which he lived, 175. years. Then Abraham yielded the spirit, & died in a good age. As if he had said, This 175. years was the full time in which God had appointed him to live. When as Moses himself was to departed this life, almighty God called him saying, Thy days are come, 
Deu. 31.14.  thou must die: to wit, my decree is certain towards thee my loving and my faithful servant, as towards all the generation of mankind. As in an host of men furiously in fight, so in the world some shall die now, because God hath so appointed; and some shall not die then, because God hath not so appointed. To which effect he spoke by the mouth of his Prophet, 
Eze. 9.4.5.6.  Set a mark upon the foreheads of them that mourn. And concerning others he said unto him, Go and smite, destroy utterly the old and the young. 
Gen. 4.15.  (So likewise God was said to set a mark upon Cain) but touch no man, upon whom the mark is set: showing therein that even amongst furious and outrageous men, in martial affairs, and in the determinations of malicious men, life and death, is even then particularly in God's hands, and also the very time thereof.  
Here arise two necessary questions. One, why hath God so exactly determined the time of death: the other, why God doth conceal the time.  
The first whereof is: Why hath God so exactly determined the very time of every man's departure out of this world, so that no man can go beyond it, nor come short of it? Why did he not rather resolve upon this, Let every man shift for himself, and live so long as he can?   

The answer or reason is fourfold.  
The first reason thereof is to declare, that he is the principal master of times, and according to his divine prescience he is an exact performer of promises through all ages of the world. He observes the time when a man comes into the world, and when he goeth out of the world. The Majesty of this eternal God considerately and renownedly beginneth famous actions, and ends them memorably by periods & places full of weighty consideration, accounting upon the years of holy men. 
Gen. 5. Gen. 1. to Gen. 7. Gen. 8 to Gen. 12. Gen. 12. to Exod. 19 Exo. 12. to Ios. 1. Ios. 1. to judg. 1. judg. 1. to 1 Sam. 1. 1 Sam. 1. to Nehe. 1. Nehe. Esra. Hester. Daniel.  As by the lives and deaths of the first ten holy Fathers, how many years there was from the creation to the flood: viz. 1656 years. From the flood to the promise made to Abraham, 427. years. From the promise to the giving of the law, 430 years. From their going out of Egypt to their entrance into Canaan, 40. years. From their entrance into Canaan to their quiet possession, 7. years. From thence to Saul the first King, 450. years. Thence to their captivity in Babylon, 490 years. From their captivity to their restoring again, to build the Temple at jerusalem, 70. years. From thence to their general liberty by Christ jesus, 490 years. Almighty God is so severe and so sovereign an observer of time for the beginning & ending of all famous actions, and specially the coming of man into the world, and his going out, that he standeth upon the performance of his word and promise even to a day. Moses speaking of the Egyptian captivity said, 
Exo. 12.41.  that when the 430. years were expired, even the self-same day departed all the host of the Lord out of Egypt. Yea and farther his Majesty observes the very name of the day, in which he doth perform his word and promise, as he speaketh plainly by his Prophet. 
Eze. 14.1.2.  Son of man, saith he, writ the name of the day, even of this same day, for the King of Babel set himself against jerusalem the self-same day. So God ordereth all things in measure, 
Wisd. 11.17.  in number, and weight.  
The second ten holy Fathers in whom it pleased God to multiply a new Church after the flood, 
Gen. 11.10. to the end.  are exactly accounted by every full year in which they lived, according to the determinate will of God, and that for divers causes, but specially to declare that the life of man is not at random nor at rovers. And here also observe, that at the flood the ages of men were halved, as may appear by the ages of those holy men, who lived not above half so long as they lived before the flood. Again the fame age was halved at the building of Babel; again it was halved upon the going of Israel out of Egypt. And at every of these ages his holy Majesty had a special hand, that neither the one nor the other, good nor bad, should have either more or less than was in his will. As of these holy men before, and immediately after the flood, so withal God computates the ages very directly of all and every of the twelve Patriarches: 
Gen. 49.50.  also how long every judge of Israel hued, and how long every oppressor was to live. He also kept a register and did diumely chronolize the age of every king, and how long he did reign in Israel and in juda, as may be sound in every of their stories. 
Dan. 1.2.3.4.5.  The seventy years captivity was ended exactly upon the particular death of three kings, to wit, Nebucadnezzar who lived 45. years, Euilmerodech who lived 22. years, and Baltashar who lived three years, neither one day more, nor one day less.   

The second answer or reason concerning the timeliness of death, to wit, why God hath so exactly determined it.  
It is to set forth the incomprehensibleness of God's wisdom and providence, in that he doth govern all the generation of mankind throughout the world, as one common weal, or as one private family, or as if it were one particular person, registering and chronolizing every man by his name, by the place of his habitation, by the manner of his conversation, and by the time specially of his departure out of this life, as a wise master of a family, taking in some, & letting others forth. So did Ahashuerus the king of Persia put forth Vasthi, 
Hest. 1.19.  and took in Hester: so doth the Majesty of God in due time take in some into the world, and lets others depart. 
1. King. 10. 1. to 11.  The Queen of Sheba hearing of the marvelous wisdom of Solomon for the ordering and governing of his house and kingdom, came from far to see and to hear more thereof: after the which she said, Happy are these thy servants which stand before thee to hear thy wisdom. Behold here, faith the holy Ghost, a greater than Solomon, to wit, a God more admirable than Solomon for his government in Church and common weal. The holy Prophet David entering into some consideration of his marvelous Majesty, concludes most admirably of it, saying; O Lord our governor, how wonderful art thou in all thy works! thy knowledge is too wonderful for me, 
Psal. 139.1.  I cannot attain unto it. Ezra said, that God numbered all the vessels that were to be returned from Babylon to jerusalem even unto the meanest sort. 
Ezra, 1.7.8.  And he doth account the people even by their names, and by the names of their fathers: intimating thereby, 
Ezech. 9.7.  that none went to Babylon, but such, and so many as had received his express name; nor any that were to return, but such as he had reserved to build the Temple, and to re-edify the walls of the city, and to plant the religion of their fathers. God's wisdom and providence is innarrable and infinite, even to a sparrow. 
Luk. 12.6.  Barnabas and Paul said, 
Act. 15.18.  From the beginning of the world God knew his works. Moses, to the end he might fasten the sure knowledge, and the everlasting remembrance thereof in the hearts of the people of Israel, said; Remember the days of old, 
Deu. 32.7.8  ask thy father, and he will show thee, thine elders, and they will tell thee. When the most high God divided the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he appointed the borders of the people according to their number.   

The third answer or reason concerning the timeliness of death, why God hath so exactly determined upon the same.  
It is to manifest the prerogative, the privilege, and supremacy that his holy Maresty hath, and holdeth over all principahties and powers, captivating and subduing them, and all the generation of man, to the obedience of his will, that neither the one nor the other can possibly lengthen or shorten his own life, much less the life of another. As a king that is to govern a kingdom, must be powerful and severe in the execution of justice against the mighty, and ready to minister mercy to the needy and distressed: even so the Majesty of this eternal King, having the whole world to guide and to govern, must be powerful and severe. To which effect he faith by his Prophet Jeremy, Fear ye not him, faith he, 
jer. 5.22.  who hath placed the sand for the bounds of the sea by a perpetual decree that it cannot pass? Again he said, Cannot I do with you ò Israel, as this Potter? 
jer. 18.6.  The holy Prophet Ezekiel speaking of his predominant power over the wicked faith after this manner; 
Ezech. 6.7.  I will take the blood out of his mouth, & his abomination from amongst his teeth. The same prerogative our Saviour Christ manifesteth himself to have in his speech to his Disciples: If any man, saith he, 
Mar. 11.3.  do say unto you, Why lose ye the Colt? say ye unto them, The Lord hath need, and they will strait way let it go. As if he had said, Do but tell them of me, use but my name, and they shall have no power to withstand you.   

The second question, why God doth conceal the time of man's departure out of this life?  
Why doth he keep it secret to himself? This seems to be hard justice, that a matter of so great importance should be hid: 
Eccl. 9.12.  No man knoweth his time, saith Solomon, but is suddenly taken, as a fish or as a bird. 
Dan. 12.4.  It is shut up and sealed unto theend of the time appointed, said Daniel. 
Gen. 27.2.  I know not the day of my death, said the holy Patriarch Isaac. And as Saint Luke said to the disciples concerning the restoring of Christ's kingdom: It is not for you to know the times & seasons which God hath reserved in his own power: 
Act. 17.  even so is it not for any man to know the time and season of his departure out of this life. I conclude this question with the forewarning of Saint Paul to Timothy, in these words; Put away foolish and unlearned questions, knowing that they engender strife.   

There are three special and divine reasons why the time of death is concealed.  
The first reason is,  
That every man should stand upon his guard, lest the enemy come suddenly. Watch and pray therefore, said our Saviour Christ jesus. Saint Luke knowing the manner of death, exhorts to watchfulness in these words, 
Luk. 12.35.36.37.38.  Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their masters. God told Moses where he should die: but he told him not the time: and why? because he, as all other men, should stand upon his watch or guard. 
Deu. 28.66  Thy life saith the Lord shall hang before thee, and thou shalt fear both day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life.   

The second reason why the time of death is concealed.  
It is for the continual good of all succeeding ages, that the one ought to provide for the other. Therefore specially it is said by Solomon, 
Eccl. 1.4.  One generation passeth, and another cometh: as of heavenly, so in some proportion of earthly, which made Christ to say, One soweth, and another reapeth. 
joh. 4.37.  Were it that some might know the time of their departure, they would not renew any thing that might be for them that should come after, partly through malice and envy, and partly through extreme idleness, or superfluous expenses.   

The third reason why the time of death is concealed.  
That all men should carefully & conveniently use the means for life which God hath appointed in his Church. Whereas if they knew the exact time of their departure, they would hold it frivolous to use any of those good means which his holy Majesty hath inserted & annexed to the decree for the time of man's departure. So should the ordinance of God concerning the use of his creatures be made frustrate, and those his exceeding good creatures stand of none effect.   

The fourth reason why the time of death is concealed.  
If the time of death were known to some, they would live very desperately and damnably for many years: and the more near to the time of their death, they would grow the more sad, sorrowful, and heavy, and into such intolerable passions, as would drive them into desperation, or at least into an unwilling and a most graceless striving with death, & in a sort against God himself. Therefore Moses said, 
Deu. 29.29  Secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the thing revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever.  
Besides these two questions which formerly you have heard, there arise out of this doctrine concerning the timeliness of death, three objections.  
First, if God have so resolutely decreed upon the very day and hour of every man's departure: To what end shall a man use endeavour or any of the best means for the preservation of life?   

The first answer for the use of means to preserve life.  
As almighty God hath decreed the time of death: so withal he hath annexed, and commanded religious and pertinent means for the preservation of life, until the time come. As for example, The people under Moses and Aaron might have perished in a natural contagion of the leprosy; therefore God commanded that the whole might be singled and severed from the sick and infected. 
Levit. 13.1.2.3.4.  The same people might have been destroyed in the judgement which God had prepared for others; therefore God commanded some, saying, Separate yourselves from the tents of Corah, 
Numb. 16.1.2. 2 King. 10.23.  Dathan and Abiram. jehu the King said, Search & see whether there be any of the Lords servants amongst the servants of Baal, lest they be also destroyed with them. Good men may perish in the outrage of the wicked, 
Mat. 2.12.13.  therefore God forewarned the wise men to departed home another way. And Saul said to the Kenites, 
1 Sam. 15.6.  Depart from amongst the Amalekits, lest I destroy you with them.  
That virtuous woman so highly in the favour of God, might have been famished in that seven years of dearth, 
2 Kings 10.23.  had not God forewarned her by his Prophet, that she should shift for herself and her household in due time.  
All men, by the justice of God for their sin, might lawfully be destroyed together in this or that plague or vengeance: yet he hath in his mercy forewarned some, and so doth, to save themselves with the use of means which he hath commended and commanded in his Church. And withal in the use of the same means, or the like, to preserve very reprobates from the plagues which fall upon their fellows, to the end they may live unto the time which he hath decreed for their death, in which their sins will be full ripe. As may appear in the four recited examples.   

The second answer for the use of means to preserve life,  
Is the practice of holy men who were moved by the Spirit of inspiration, as of David the King and Prophet, who although he had the word and promise of Almighty God, for victory against the Philistines; yet he knowing the right rule of Gods will in his word, and promise, determined with himself to use warlike means, and therefore came upon them valiantly with an alarm from the mulberry trees. 
2 Sam. 5.25.24.  So did Gedeon politicly and valiantly come upon the Midianites with his 300. men only, 
judge 7.16.17.18.  having in stead of swords & staves, pitchers and lamps. Ichoiada the priest though he did know that his cause and his butines was the Lords, yet he gave commandment unto the Captains to use spears and shields which he gave them. 
2 King 11.10.11.  As the servants of Benadab the King said to their master, when they were overcome by the King of Israel, We have heard that the Kings of Israel are merciful, 
1 King. 20.31.  we pray thee let us put on sackcloth about our loins, and ropes about our necks, and let us go to the King of Israel, it may be he will save thy life: So likewise, we must all conclude and agree for the use of all kind, sorts & manners of good means; who can tell whether the Lord our King and our God will save us in the use of means or not? As Daniel said to his keeper, 
Da. 1.12.  Prove us ten days, let us have pulse to eat, & water to drink: so in like manner let us say to ourselves, and to whom else soever, Prove the means, try what God vouchsafeth to do thereby. Although Saint Paul knew that neither he nor any one of his company should perish in that dangerous voyage, yet he said unto the mariners, Except these tarry in the ship, 
Act. 27.23. to 52.  they cannot be saved; as if he had said, We and they have one means of life, let us use it, and God will give good issue thereunto. Saint Paul also knew by the Spirit of inspiration and by the revealed word of God, that no man should die before his day, yet he commanded Timotheus to use wine for his stomach sake, and his often infirmities. 
1 Tim. 5.23.  As the Gibeonites being leaft-handed used to sling stones, whereby they became so skilful that they could sling at an hair and not fail: 
jud. 20.16.  even so God's people are to be so skilful in the use of means from the least to the greatest, that they may preserve life.   

The third answer for the use and means to preserve life,  
Is proved by the practice also of holy women, as that virtuous woman of Tekoha, 
2 Sam. 14.14.  who importunately entreated King David for the life of Absalon his son. The Shunamitish woman being of great estimation, and having her only son dead, 
2 King. 18.19.20.  most laboriously used the help of Elisha the Prophet, if it were possible, to have him restored to life. As the inhabitants of Gibea, though they were leaft-handed, 
judg. 20.16.  could sling a stone at an hairs breadth, and fail not: even so must God's children, labour to be skilful in the use of all good means for the preservation of life.   

The fourth answer for the use of means to preserve life,  
Is the practice of almighty God himself, who usually doth annex the use of means with his decree concerning the time, as well for the destroying of life, as for the preserving of life: whereby the one be not shorter, nor the other longer. Sometimes he useth weak or small means to bring mighty things to pass, and that for the manifestation of his mercy, and readiness, for the cheering up of such as were weak, and miserable: 
2 Cro. 14.11.  as Asa the King of judah said in his prayers unto God. being miserably distressed, It is nothing with thee to help with many or with no power. Likewise Gedeon with his 300 men presumed upon the promise of God, 
judg. 7.16.12.18.  to give the onset to many royal armies at one time of the Midianites. Ifrael had victory against the Philistims, 
1 Sam. 13.19.  without spear or shield. Sometimes God useth base, or, as it may be said by a phrase of speech, foolish means, that thereby he might confound the wisdom of the wise. So did he command josua to compass the great and invincible city jerico seven times, 
josua. 16.11. to 8.  sounding out their rams horns, and with the same to throw down the walls, and to open their gates of iron & brass. Sometimes he useth miraculous means. 
1 Sam. 14.15.  There was fear in the host of the Philistims amongst all the people, the garrison also and they that went out to spoil were afraid themselves: the earth trembled, for it was stinken with fear by God He useth miraculous means for the manifestation of his inexpugnable power, as at the winning of that royal city of Gibeon, 
josua 10.11.12.  whereat fine Kings and their armies were discomfited in one day. josua being the Lord General of Israel; whereof some with the sword, some with stones from heaven. Sometimes his Majesty useth physical means, as that plaster of figs which Hezechiah, 
2 King. 20.7.  was commanded to take for his plague sore. Sometimes he worketh the good of his people, even by no means, as he himself said by the Prophet Hosea: I will not save them by bow, 
Hos. 1.7.  not by sword, nor by battle, nor by horses, nor by horsemen; but I will save them by the Lord their God. As if he had said, Natural & worldly men shall not impute the deliverance of my people unto possible means on earth but it shall be done beyond all expectation, clean contrary to the use of reason, & besides the capacity of the most wise in the world.   

The fifth answer for the use of means to preserve life.  
There is in every man both good & bad by the instinct of nature, an intolerable affected proneness to use all sorts and all kinds of means for the preservation of life, drawn originally from a natural manner of fear, such as was in Adam, who having in his own conscience deserved death, 
Gen. 3.8.9.10.  fled and hid himself. So Cain having murdered his brother, durst not for fear of punishment acknowledge his offence, and when sentence was pronounced against him, 
Gen. 4.13.14.  he feared death exceedingly which made him to expostulate with God in a most desperate manner. 
Act. 27.1. to 21.  Saint Paul his company in that most dangerous voyage, were marvelous fearful, which made them to labour, and to use all means possibles for their lives. The heathen sailors with jonas to Tarshis in that great outrageous tempest, 
jon. 1.1. to 8.  spared not their best commodities, but threw them into the sea to lighten the ship, and laboured innarrably, and all with the fear of death.  
So in like manner, holy men, such as were indeed the true and sincere servants of God, were touched with this natural fear, and therewith drawn to use all means possible for help and safeguard of their lives. jeremy the Prophet did importune the king after this manner for his life, being drawn into an extraordinary fear; 
Ier 37.20.  Now I pray thee o my Lord the king, let my prayer be accepted before thee, that thou cause me not to return unto the prison, lest I die there. Likewise, jesus Christ himself, knowing that the hour of his death was at hand, did exceedingly desire his Father, that if it were possible he might escape it. 
Mat. 26.39   
Secondly, we are to observe that there is in man's corrupt nature an unsatiable kind of devouring or eating and drinking, which made the Majesty of God to restrain man & his generation by way of exceptions, 
Levit. 11. to the end. Gen. 3.3.4.  from divers sorts of creatures whereof they should not eat. Adam was to eat of every tree in the garden of God, which was a sufficient allowance, but out of his unsatiableness he took also of that which was excepted: of which corrupted nature, it cometh that men generally have a continual renewed desire of eating and drinking. Which God in his mercy doth tolerate, and allow their provision so far, as they are not excepted nor forbidden.  
Thirdly, from the nakedness of Adam, which was God's particular justice for his wilfulness, it cometh to pass that his posterity do use all sorts of clothing, some to avoid heat, some to avoid cold, the which also God doth like and allow so far still as is not excepted.  
Nevertheless, he that is moved to use means for the preservation of his life by the instinct of nature only, and not for imitation and example sake, according to faith in the promises of God & obedience to his commandments, he is still a most miserable natural man, & far from the way of his salvation.  
To conclude this doctrine for the use of means, as notwithstanding the diligent use thereof, men must die when the time of God's decree is come, in things pertaining to God: even so notwithstanding the negligent use of the means, men must live until their time doth come, in things pertaining to men. Both which are to be found in the consideration of the difference that is between the preserving of life, & the lengthening of life. Men may by means preserve life until the time of Gods decree come: but men by no means can lengthen life, when the time of God's decree for death is come. As for example, two men are stricken with the plague both at one time, the one a beggar, the other a king; both of equal years, both of one complexion, both of one disposition, both of one climate, both of one house, both in one bed, both under one Physician, and both applied with one self same salve or medicine; yet the beggar liveth, and the king dieth. And why? the one was stricken (his time being come) by an Angel, either good or bad, & that supernaturally, as some in every house from Dan to Bersheba: 
2. Sa. 24.15.  and therefore incurably: the other naturally, derived from some corrupt and poisonful matter in himself, and therefore curable. And because the Angel's stroke is not essentially to be known from that stroke which cometh by natural corruption, because elements resolve into putrefaction; it were over desperate, & unchristian presumption, to neglect the use of medicine; and no folly, but faithlike when God gives the matter faithed, 
Gen. 17.1.  to wait carefully upon that service, and to stand with Christian magnanimity to perform holy religious duties one towards another in such a case, as in a time of the greatest weight in all the world, and in the judgement of many, is an holy kind of martyrdom. As it was said by the spies to Rahab Whosoever shall go out of his door, 
josua. 2.19.  his blood shall be upon his own head, and we will be guiltless: but whosoever shall be within the house, his blood shall be on our heads: even so, he that neglecteth the means of life, shall be guilty of eternal death; but he that useth the means shall be innocent.   

The second objection.  
If means are to be used, as formerly you seemed to prove, and that of necessity: than it followeth by a necessary consequent, that he who doth contemn them or neglect them, doth shorten his life, and therein is guilty of his own destruction.   

The same is answered 6. manner of ways.  
The first answer concerning him that doth contemn or neglect the means, is  
From the generality and timeliness of death, where already it was proved, that the time of every man's departure is according to Almighty Gods former decree & unchangeable counsel; which maketh also, that neither the diligent use of the means can lengthen life, nor the neglect thereof can shorten the time of life.   

The 2. answer concerning him that doth contemn or neglect the means.  
Where you heard that it was formerly commanded that means should be used for the preservation of life, neither those, nor other places do say, that the use of the means doth lengthen life, nor the neglect thereof shorten life; that were to cross and contrary other holy Scripture. But those places do absolutely command the use of all good means, as men will avoid Gods high displeasure, and not be found guilty of their own everlasting death.   

The third answer concerning him that doth contemn or neglect the means.  
There is no sentence nor example of Scripture that doth conclude the neglect of the means to be the shortening of life, nor the diligent use thereof the lengthening of life.   

The fourth answer concerning him that doth contemn or neglect the means.  
If the neglect or contempt of the means were the shortening of life, then that were to prove injustice in God by punishing one man's sin for another. As if the father neglect or contemn the means of helping the preservation of his child, shall that be the child's death? No, God forbidden. So likewise in Baptism; if the parent do neglect & delay the baptizing of his child, and the child in the mean time dieth, shall that neglect be to the condemnation of the child? No no. Again, if the neglect of the means be a shortening of life, and the diligent use thereof be a lengthening of life: than it must needs follow, and necessarily be granted, that it is in man by his diligent or negligent use of the means, to cross or to alter the decree of God, concerning the time of man's decease; which by no way can be granted: and be it far from any man so to think, much less to say, least of all so to teach.   

The fifth answer concerning him that doth contemn or neglect the means.  
By an usual phrase of speech (it is said) that man shorteneth his life, when he refuseth the means, or doth run headlong into eminent dangers: yet by the propriety of the Scripture, that phrase cannot be so generally maintained, no more than it may be truly said, that a man performing the will of God in some special matter, is a mean thereby to lengthen his life, but only by a phrase of speech. So it was said to Ebedmelech the Blackmore, Thy life shall be a prey unto thee, 
jere. 39.16.17.  because of the favour thou didst show to jeremy.   

The sixth answer concerning him that doth neglect or contemn means.  
If the diligent use of the means be a prolonging of life, and the neglect thereof be a shortening of life; then of necessity it must be granted, that there is an inseparable virtue, and an inherent quality of saving life in the means: and that were no less sin than sacrilidg, arrogating to the creature by derogating from the creator, or as absurdly to say, 
2 King. 6.6. Gen. 7.7.  that Elisha his bough caused iton to swim: or that Noah's ark caused some of all sorts of creatures to come into it. Thus did that proud and profane Philistine, 
1 Sam. 17.45.  presumptuously challenging all Israel, crusting in his greatness, in his spear & in his shield; but David manfully met him with his sling and his shepherds crook, trusting in the virtue and power of God whom he did serve. The Lord speaks unto wicked men trusting to the means, by the mouth of his Prophet David; I said, 
Psal. 89.43.  I will turn back the edge of the sword: as if he had said, When the wicked think with their instruments of death to destroy my people, I will take away their force, they shall not cut nor hurt. 
jere. 6.22.  So he saith to the same purpose, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in their hands. The Lord makes question by his Prophet jeremy thus: Is there no balm in Gilead? 
jere. 9  is there no physic there? why then is not the health of my people recovered? As if he had said, That precious medicinable balm, and those people skilful in Gilead, of all others in the world, shall do no good on them, to whom I deny the virtue thereof; these licors, ointments & such like, & the most exquisite physicians shall not prevail. Again he saith by his Prophet Ezechiel, 
Eze. 5.16.  I will break the staff of bread: to wit, I will take away the virtue and efficacy, even of their daintiest food. To which purpose Hosea the Prophet said, They shall eat and not have enough: to wit, 
Hose. 4.10.  those which do rely wholly upon the means, shall fail of their expectation. Likewise said Micha the Prophet, All hands shall be weak, 
Mich. 6.14.  and all knees shall be weak as water: to wit, those valiant and mighty men that do depend upon their strength, when they come to the push shall fail of their purpose; for they shall not be able to stand of themselves upon their feet, because the Lord hath disabled them. Again the Lord saith unto all such by the mouth of his Prophet Ezechiel, 
Ezech. 7.17.39.3.  I will strike thy bow out of thy left hand, and thine arrows out of thy right hand: as if he had said, How ready soever the wicked be prepared against the faces of the godly, yet they shall not do the least harm. The same in effect he saith by the mouth of Haggai the Prophet: 
Hagg. 1.6.  Ye have sown much, and bring in little, ye eat but ye have not enough, ye drink, but ye are not filled; ye cloth you, but you be not warm, and he that earneth wages puts it in a bottomless bag.  
To conclude, as a man may use all lawful means for an honest and a virtuous wife, and yet may have a graceless and an irreligious wretch: even so a man may use all means and all endeavours for the preservation of life, and shall not be able to prevent death. Because the virtue, the efficacy and power of the means is in the hands of God, and the use only in the hands of men. As in Noah his olive leaf which the dove brought into the ark, 
Gen. 8.12.  there were actions of two sundry natures, to wit, peace and plenty; and as in the ministery of God's word there is an action of life and an action of death: even so in this matter or means concerning life and death, there are actions of two sundry natures, one concerning God, the other concerning man. That which pertains to man, is the diligent use of the means, that which pertains to God, is to give virtue and efficacy unto the means. As for example, God said unto the people of Israel, 
jere. 38.2.  He that remaineth in the city shall die without the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, but he that goeth forth shall live, he shall have his life for a prey. Here life and death was in present question, to fly out of the city was the means of life, which was for the people to do, and to give virtue unto their flight, was in God to do. On the contrary side the neglect of that duty, made them guilty of their own death, and accessary by a phrase of speech to their own destruction: & yet in that very rebellious action of theirs, was the decree of God fulfilled concerning the time of their death. 
Mat. 2.  Likewise in that Herodian persecution the wise men took the forewarning of of God for the means of their preservation, and his Majesty gave good success and effect thereunto. I conclude again, that he which useth means (how lawful soever) with an understanding, and with a believing, that the same of itself is effectual for the lengthening of life, that man is an Infidel. But to use means which are not inhibited for the preservation of health, wealth and liberty, and such like, is very religious.   

The third objection concerning addition, or conditional life  
If the time of death be so exactly set down and so resolutely concluded in the counsel of God,  
Why then doth his holy Majesty promise to lengthen the life of the godly? as is in the first commandment of the second table, 
Exo. 20.12.  I will prolong thy days, if thou wilt walk in my ways. The performance of his promise concerning long life, 
Gen. 5.5.8. to 32.  may be evidenced from the ten holy Fathers before the flood, who for keeping of his commandments did live many hundred years more than any other lived after them. And the same we have in a sort truly said of Ezechias, whose sincerity was such as God vouchsafed to add fifteen years unto his life. And again, 
2 King. 20.5.6.   
Why is it said by the Prophet, 
Psal. 55.23.  The bloodthirsty man shall not live half his days? Or he shall live long conditionally? as God said to Abimelech. Deliver Abraham his wife that thou mayst live: 
Gen. 20.7.  but if not, be sure thou shalt die the death, thou and all that thou hast.   

The answer to this objection is threefold.  
First, as by a decree from the beginning is set down how long the godly and the wicked shall live, so withal even in the same decree was set down before the giving of the law, that long life should be a reward for him that kept the law, and shortness of life for him that did break the law, when as yet he had done neither good nor evil. Almighty God foretelleth the sins of Israel, many hundred years before they were, and their judgements that should be accordingly, in these words: 
Deut. 31.16.17.  This people will go a whoring after other gods, they will forsake me and my covenant; wherefore my wrath will wax hot against them that day, and I will forsake them: then shall they be confounded.  
Almighty God to the like purpose by the mouth of his Prophet Esay speaks thus concerning the same people: 
Esa 48.8.  I knew that thou wouldst transgress, therefore have I called thee a transgressor from the womb.  
Saint Peter speaking of Christ's death, & therein of the death of his Saints, saith thus to the jews: 
Act. 2.23.  Him have ye taken by the hands of the wicked being delivered by the determinate counsel, and foreknowledge of God. As if he had said, This could not have been, had it not been so decreed before hand: this is not happened by chance nor by adventure, but as it was foreseen good of God.   

The second answer concerning conditional lengthening, and threats of shortening life.  
The answer concerning the Prophets praying for, and in the behalf of God's people, for long life, and sometimes praying for the cutting off of the wicked. They being so graciously and so plentifully inspired by the spirit of God, could not err so grossly as to cross & contrary other holy men, who had written by the same Spirit. They knew well that God had exactly concluded the time of all men for their life, and time of death, and therefore they did but pray as other religious men drawn thereunto upon the performance of other religious duties, in that behalf towards their brethren. After this manner Daniel doth pray for the people of Israel being in Babylon; 
Dan. 9.2.3.  having found by books, when the number of years was ended whereof the Lord had spoken by jeremy, that he would accomplish 70 years in the desolation of jerusalem. Therefore although he knew that God would deliver his people out of bondage, according as he had promised: yet out of his love to them, and from his duty to God, he betook himself most importunately to pray for them, and so continued until the Angel Gabriel brought him a direct & an immediate answer from the throne of the Almighty. 
Gen. 18.23. to 33.  Abraham prayed for the Zodomites, and that very importunately, though he knew very well that God had most justly determined their overthrow.   

The third answer concerning conditional lengthening of life.  
Thirdly, concerning that addition of fifteen years to Hezekiahs' life, it is not so to be understood, when he was so mortally sick, that his day was come to die. But in such a case always, where such a Scripture seemeth literally to disallow or cross another, as this doth; men must look for another sense, yea such a sense as may agree with the analogy of faith. It seemed indeed unto Hezekiah as he was a mortal man, and as the case stood between him & God at that time, that indeed fifteen years were added to his life. 
job. 42.16.  The like place is in jobe.  
Having exactly by many sentences proved the timeliness of death: and withal having answered some objections that might be made in the discourse thereof:   

Let us now observe six sorts of people who are to be reproved by this objection of lengthening and shortening of life.  
First it serveth warrantably to reprove those that do put off the time of their death, using the world as if they were to dwell therein for ever. Like the people before the flood, 
Gen. 7.11.  of whom Saint Luke speaketh, who notwithstanding 120. years repentance given unto them, in the which the ark was a preparing; yet nevertheless they were careless and unconscionable. 
Luk. 17.26.27.  They did eat and drink, married wives, and gave in marriage, even unto the day that No entered into the ark, and the flood came. Likewise as it was in the days of Lot, and when as they took his holy exhortation for mockage, they eat, 
Gen 19.24. Luk. 17.28.  they drank, planted vineyards, and builded; but in the day that Lot went out of Sodom it reigned fire and brimstone, and destroyed them all. So the people in these days, notwithstanding the manifold and variable warnings of the almighty, sometimes out of the element, sometimes out of the earth, sometimes out of the sea, and specially out of his holy Scripture: these I say, are not yet moved in heart to provide for their departure, or at least they have no willingness, or resolution thereunto. They stand, as it were, upon terms with his Majesty, until they be overcome & surprised suddenly, as a bird in the snare of the fowler. These are they whose affections being alienated, do judge better of earthly things then of heavenly: of whom Saint john saith, They love darkness better than light. 
Io. 3.19.31  And he that is of the earth, is of the earth, and speaketh of the earth. And as God said unto the Israelites, 
judg. 10.14 11.7. Deu. 32.29  Go and cry unto the gods which you have chosen, let them save you in the time of your tribulation; so will the Lord say unto all such as defer the time of their repentance and amendment: Seek you help elsewhere, & find it if you can, for I will do nothing for you. Why come ye unto me now in the time of your tribulation? did ye not thrust me out? O that men were wise, then would they consider their latter end.  
Secondly, it serveth to reprove those who wilfully & riotously waste, spoil, and spend that which should necessarily appertain to their posterity. Even in nature and quality like the wild Boar, 
Psal. 80.13.  of which the Prophet David speaketh, who not only eats and devours all that is above ground: but afterwards roots up all that should serve another year. And in the same place also likened unto wild savage beasts, who having eaten their fill, do tread & trample all the rest under foot and into the dirt, that no other beast may, or can eat thereof. If they sin that do neglect the use of lawful means: how much more than they, that use lawful means unlawfully, by surfeiting, by drunkenness, & such like? which God in his mercy hath ordained for the cheering and comforting of the godly. 
Pro. 31.7.8  Even as the people of Laish after the manner of the Sidonians, 
judg. 18.7.  dwelled carelessly, and so were conquered.  
Thirdly, it serveth to reprove those who not knowing the Scriptures, and therein not knowing specially the absolute decree of almighty God, concerning the very certain day & hour of every man's departure; they fret, they furne, they weep, they wail excessively for the decease of such as are nearly appertaining unto them; as if the want of means, or the neglect of some duty, had directly shortened his or their lives: all which is a plain evidence of an unbelieving heart.  
Fourthly, it serveth to reprove those who to prevent death in the time of danger, do arrogate unto the use of unlawful means, as forceries, witchcraft, and such like, which God hath directly & absolutely forbidden: or else, do first use unlawful means, and afterwards do apply themselves to the use of lawful means, 
Da. 2.1.4.1.  as Nebucadnezzer did, who first sought to his astrologers, soothsayers, and others of that kind: and afterwards sought help of Daniel the servant of the living God. For to attribute that unto the means which is due to God, is every where inhibited; as it was forbidden the people of Israel to say; 
Deu. 8.17.18.  My power & the strength of my hands hath prepared me this abundance: but remember the Lord thy God, for it is he which giveth thee power to get substance.  
Fiftly, it reproves those who spend the time of their renown, the time of their dwelling here, & the time wherein they possess their souls, so vainly. Every point whereof is precious: although not riotously, nor wanton, nor covetously, yet carelessly, & unconscionably spent without desire of the knowledge of God according to his word, without groweth in zeal to his holy ordinances, in the strength of faith, and in the power of his spirit, having all means thereof brought even home unto them; but even as a people that doth neither good nor harm, lukewarm, or halting between two opinions. The time of this ignorance, want of zeal, knowledge, and such like, God regardeth not in us whiles we are without the means thereof, as in his mercy he declared himself also towards the heathen. But now it is called to day. Christ said, partly concerning himself, and partly concerning others, I must work while it is called to day, 
joh. 9.4.  the night cometh when a man cannot work. Let us also take it as spoken to us, we are Gods children, and therefore may not be idle: let us be doing in time, for time will away. A man not knowing by the word of God the timeliness of death, to wit, that death cannot take hold on him until God's appointed time, and that then he must needs departed, the same man dieth willingly & comfortably: whereas a man that is ignorant thereof, mourns, and murmurs, imputing the cause of his sickness and death unto casual means.  
Sixtly, it is sharply and warrantably to rebuke those most ignorant and most profane caluminators, who do derogate from the worthiness of the means which God hath ordained in his Church, whose detracting tongues do manifest their hearts in speaking so maliciously, so untruly, and every way so indignly, not only of grave & learned Physicians, but also even of that laudable and honourable use of Physic itself, which was highly commended, & carefully used amongst the holy patriarchs, the Prophets and Apostles, and thence from age to age successively, by all, and amongst all godly men ruling themselves by the former examples & sufficient grounds of Scripture. Some of which malicious, & profane persons will nevertheless in their depth of danger use the advico and help of Physicians, whom at other times, before and after, they use in a parable of reproach & disdain, as they do the Ministers and Pastors of their souls, without whose ministery they cannot possibly be saved: and as indeed they do use the learned, the grave, and most honest professors of the law, who in their places do stand for the defence of their goods, their good names and their patrimonies. Every of which stately and most honourable professions, is so needful and so necessarily required in Church and in commonweal, as that neither the one nor the other can be, nor in any good seasonable sort continue. And to be brief, the ignorant and dissolute man doth always bear armour defensive to defend his own evils, and arms offensive to assail the good manners of others; according to the old saying, & common Proverb. Yet according to my humble duty, in Christ, and in Christ his steed, even by the mercifulness of God I do exhort all such, as in an acceptable time, to make use of these honest and holy professors, as of the means of his mercy towards them, and as of effectual instruments for their bodies, and for their souls: and that according to the directions of the Scriptures of truth, and examples of holy men in all ages. And as Abimelech said unto his folk, 
judge 9.48.  What ye see me do, make haste and do the like; look on me and do likewise, even as I do so do ye: even so say I and more also unto you my good christian brethren, let all things be spoken and done in the fear of God, according to knowledge, and according to the good example of such as guide themselves by the word and Spirit.  
The fourth instruction concerning the memorability of death, having in it these 4. principal respects or christian considerations; as the persons are in place or in behaviour, so is the commemoration either more or less, after their decease to be solemnized privately or publicly, with mourning, fasting and praying.  

First the person dead or dying.  
Secondly whether private or public.  
Thirdly whether spiritual or temporal.  
Fourthly whether just or unjust.   
First, whether the person dead or dying be private or public, we are instigated unto this mournful memento, for the terrors and torments of death, which he endured in our sight and in our hearing; as did appear by his woeful complaints to such as were about him, who would and should, but by no means could minister any help unto him; as also by the galling griefs and griping groans he endured, who being yet alive was so surprised of all his vigour and force of spirit, as made him blind, yea deaf and dumb. O how detestable is sin, whence death and the intolerable pangs thereof are originally derived! Sin being so odious, and so detestable with God, his Majesty devised an odious and detestable punishment and plague for it, which is death. A plague of all plagues, and the most unwillingest plague of all other, for any man to undergo. There was never any punishment that God did inflict upon man for the breach of his holy laws, nor any torture which the Imps of the devil could devise for the Saints of God, but every man was more willing to endure it then death. Not only because it did deprive man of the world and worldly things, but also, and more specially, because that man hath even in nature a great loathing, & an unspeakable fear of it: as may partly appear by the strange means, by the notable devices, and by the desperate attempts which men have used and endeavoured, only to shun and to avoid the torments of death: and as also may appear by the examples of many in the Scriptures, and of others who are recorded in Ecclesiastical histories. The pains and pangs which the body doth endure before the soul be sundered, may be likened unto the pains and pangs of a woman in her travel with child, of whom the holy Prophet speaks: Her hands, saith he, on her loins, 
jere. 30.6. Esai. 13.7.8,  her face turned to paleness, her heart weakened and melting with fear and anguish. Yea the pains and pangs of death do well resemble the pains and torments of hell, and therefore the first & second death, is but one & self-same, with this difference only; the one is natural and temporary, the other is supernatural and everlasting. The fear of this death made our blessed Saviour jesus Christ as he was a man, to importune the Majesty of his Father with tears that it might pass from him, 
Mat. 26.39.40.41.42.43.  & being brought unto it through the agony thereof he was enforced to call and to cry unto God his Father, as if in part he had despaired: O my Father, why hast thou forsaken me? The like oblivion and desperate speeches are heard & seen in the time of death's torments, even from many of God's dear children and canonised Saints. Saint Paul saith that death hath a sting, thereby inferring that death is venomous, as all creatures which have stings are noisome and hurtful either more or less: but death is like unto the devil himself, stinging and poisonful, & therefore called a serpent, the most noisome, and the most pestiferous creature of all others. Again, Saint Paul calleth death an enemy, inferring thereby as out of the natural disposition of a natural enemy, the greatest mischief that possibly he can devise to the poor body of man, specially being godly. The torments of death must needs be held innarrable, if we do but consider the combat and conflict that is between the soul and the body, the one affecting clean contrary to the other, and in nature quite opposite. Which opposition and conflict may well be resembled unto that dangerous tempest on the sea of Tarshish, which was raised purposely by God himself, for the arresting of jonas, who was as he thought secure. The winds were sent into the seas, which being an element light, laboured vehemently according to the nature thereof to ascend, and the seas being an element heavy, laboured mightily according to the quality thereof to descend; so that the seas being violently kept up by the winds, and the winds being violently kept down by the seas, made such a storm & such an outrageous tempest, as if heaven and earth had rattled and rang together, or as if the ship had been still a rushing and a riving in pieces upon the rocks: even so is the soul and body of him who is in the hands of death. The soul according to the nature and quality thereof, being a spiritual, an heavenly and holy creature of the Almighty, useth and enforceth all means thither to ascend: but the body being of a clean contrary disposition, massy, heavy and earthy according to the quality thereof, in sort and kind labours thither to descend. The one being of a clean contrary disposition to the other, they become hindrances to the passage one of another, & means one against another of greater enduring passions. And to conclude briefly, the torments of death are as the hewing of Agag in pieces, 
1 Sam 15.33. Psal. 50.22.  & as the ireful execution of God, whereof David speaks. Although this tormenting be the decree of the Almighty, for the subduing of man's body, and for the deprivation of his life: yet it is evident, that the variety and sundry manners, sorts and kinds of death, whereunto his Majesty hath left himself at large, is the cause that many wicked men so well as the godly do departed this life with little pangs or pains. And at other times out of his majesties royal and extraordinary favour through jesus Christ, the pains and pangs of death in many of the godly are mitigated and diminished, as may appear out of manifold sentences and examples of Scripture. For it is all one with him, in regard of his power and mercy to abate or to annihilate the quality and the quantity of executing creatures: or things appointed for torments, as it is for him to increase and to multiply the same. As the savage and hungry lions were so assuaged, & in their natures so mitigated, 
Dani. 6.20.21.22.3.20.21.22.  that they became as playfellows unto Daniel; the fiery furnace being seven times hotter than ordinary, was unto him and his companions but as a place of recreation: So no doubt were the fiery torments unto the Saints of God, who were cruelly executed in Queen Mary's days. After another sort most powerfully doth his Majesty multiply or increase the quality of bread and water, for the good of the poor who otherwise could not possibly live: and abateth the extremity of their cold in the winter. Remember the augmentation of the 7. 
Mar. 8.8. Dan. 1.15.  loves and few fishes, so that more was taken up then was laid down: and remember daniel's pu●●●. And albeit I should absolutely grant that there is no mitigation of pains in death for any, and that it must needs be concluded, that the very Saints and servants of God shall suffer the most grievous torments of natural death equally with the reprobates (which cannot be truly agreed unto, and which God forbidden): yet considering that the guiltiness of sin is clean taken away in jesus Christ, & that these torments of death are but as it were momentany, or as the twinkling of an eye in comparison of the everlasting torments of the reprobates: what man or woman having any hope thereof, having any feeling of faith, or having any one motion of God's spirit, but would most willingly endure the torments of bodily death, were they yet greater? yea before it come, to commemorate, and withal to celebrate the remembrance of death, by which there is an end of all sorrows, and the possessing of all joys and immortal happiness.   

If the person dead or dying be an husband,  
Then the matrimonial association which by God's ordinance was made, singularly and plurally, two in one, and one in two, the better to be helpful one unto another, is now by death dashed, as it were into powder, and violently parted a sunder, and severed one from another for ever into two distinct places, which division to the husband or wife is so naturally grievous, as it is for one limb being cut off from another, as Ruth doth impart out of her most singular affection to Nahomie her mother in law in these words; 
Ruth. 1.17.  The Lord do so to me and more also, if ought but death part thee & me: even so is the love of a wife, fearing God, towards her husband, that she concludeth in her heart, from the first hour unto the last, that nothing shall infringe her faith towards him but death, which when it cometh exceedingly moveth her to mourn. This also appears upon the woeful and lamentable experience of Nahomie, who by death was violently rend from her husband, which made her as out of a sorrowful heart to cry out saying, 
Ruth. 1.20.21  The Almighty hath given me much bitterness, I went full, I return empty, the Lord hath humbled me, and brought me to adversity. By which words and by many daily examples, it is plain, that the parting of an husband from a wife ministereth many occasions of weeping, mourning, and calling upon God. If she be old, then is she void of hope, and the farther from help in her greatest need; if she be young, then is she the more subject to utter undoing, by her choice, which standeth so in general amongst all men in the world. In the mean time she is in danger by her singularity to the subtle temptations of the devil, and so to the provocations of devilish men, together with the breaking up of her household, and the dispersing of her fatherless children. All which doleful dangers should be sufficient matter to move her to commemorate her husband's death, and by the divine ordering of herself in the same to solemnize her own.  
If the party dead be private, and a wife, the husband in like manner is occasioned to commemorate her death, with much mourning. The more godly and wise the husband is, the more is his grief with the consideration of that danger which is to come, in the choice of another, and in step-daming, and mother-lawing his little young children, and when as specially he shall endanger religious exercises, in his house amongst his family, and in himself the decay of God's service, by means of a wife who perhaps will cross and contrary all. The consideration of these, and such like disturbances no doubt together with natural affection, being powerful in Abraham (although a man highly in the favour of God) it wrought in him exceeding great passions, which made him to mourn much & with hearty grief, 
Gen 23. vers. 3.  not able to abide the sight of his corpse.  
Here a complaint may well be raised against husbands, who most carelessly, and most unconscionably do pass over the decease of their wives, and in like manner the wives passing over the decease of their husbands; saving only for the present time, the matter seeming irksome, they burst out passionately into some few funeral tears, saying with admiration, what is he dead? or is she dead? what dead? alack what dead? & who would have thought it! With clapping of hands, and striking of thighs, as if death were unwonted, they still for a few days speak admirably, Such a man is dead, the only honest husband is dead, or the only honest wife that ever man had is dead; well, this is the world, there is no remedy, weeping will not serve, we shall all die; or else dissemblingly they mourn on their backs, but joy in their hearts, making an outward show of that which is not inward. 
Sam. 14.1. to 13.  Like the woman of Tekoha, who with her mourning apparel, with her heavy countenance, and with her lamentable cries made David the King (though a great wife man) to believe that her husband & her two sons were dead in deed as she said, which was nothing so. Or else most unnatural of whom S. Paul speaketh, 
Rom. 1.23.  who are nothing moved to mourn, being in sort a people forsaken of God, and branded with the mark of unnatural affection. To yield no natural affection, is so much abhorring nature, and so contrary to pity, and so void of piety, as it is to deny the burial of the dead; so that before God it is all one kind of profaneness, and so much as that husband or that wife can do, to condemn them that are graciously dead in the Lord, to be in state of damnation, and therefore not any way worthy of commemoration: whom the Prophet Ezechiel reproveth after this manner, Cruelty is risen up, 
Eze. 7.11.  & a rod of wickedness, none of them shall remain, nor of their riches, nor any of theirs, neither shall there be lamentation for them. And Esay saith, 
Esai. 57.1.  The righteous perisheth, and no man considereth it in heart, and merciful men are taken away, and no man understandeth that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.  
If the person dead or dying be private, and a son or daughter, the inherent quality, and the unanswerable affections of parents towards their children whiles they are alive, doth sufficiently discover their continual mourning, their grief and their hearty sorrows when the children are dead. And now I call to mind out of my own tormented heart, and fatherly afflicted soul, my sorrow for many sons, specially forone. Parents cannot be included within this account of reproose, but rather truly be reckoned amongst those who mourn too much and overlong, being drawn thereunto as out of their unanswerable affections, derived no man knows whence, nor how, saving that which is in respect of children begotten in marriage, to which the exceeding divine affection of God the Father in Christ jesus hath relation and perfect reference.  
If the person dead or dying be private, and a father or mother,  
What exceeding great cause have the children continually to commemorate, and religiously to celebrate, his or her death, with mourning, with fasting, and with calling hearty upon God, for these two special causes? One is, for their continual care of parents, tending only for their welfare in the world; the other, their Christian conscience for the salvation of their souls in the world to come: & where parents fail in the one, they exceed in the other, according to the common proverb; Happy is the child whose father goes to the devil. As if it were to say more particularly and more plainly, The father and the mother are so unsatiable in their coveting, so infidell-like pinching their backs & their bellies, and so devilishly oppressing the poor, yea many times so atheistlike hazarding their own lives by unlawful getting, and so directly opposing themselves against God, for to enrich their children, as that indeed they make whole shipwreck of their souls. The truth whereof is so clear, and the matter itself so probable, as if there were neither many millions of godly witnesses, neither the wicked lives and wasteful behaviour of their children: yet their own conscience to their own condemnation would manifestly declare it. And have not such children great cause to mourn, yea always to bewail the decease of such parents, specially, because of the hellish torments, and the inevitable pains which they do endure? Me thinks I hear and see the same or greater torments, which God in his upright justice doth prepare for such children, not only because of their unnatural and undutiful behaviour towards their parents being dead, and whiles they were alive; but also for that they do so joy, and so rejoice in their goods, being so gathered, and so left unto them, which is indeed, no other than the price of blood; and I may say more plainly, the price of their parents souls and bodies. 
Gen. 4.10.  As the blood of Abel did call and cry from earth to heaven for vengeance against his brother Cain, 
2. Kin. 1.12.13. to 15.  and as Eliah called & cried that fire might come from heaven to the earth upon all the captains of Ahaziah: even so is there an interchangeable intercourse from heaven to earth, & from earth to heaven, of God's ireful plagues to fall upon such children. The holy man David, although he unlawfully longed to drink of the water at Bethlehem, yet upon better consideration he would none of it when the three Worthies brought it unto him, but poured it for an oblation to the Lord; and said, Let not my Lord God suffer me to do this. 
2 Sam 23.15.16.  Be it far from me that I do this, is not this the blood of these men which went in jeopardy of their lives? 
1. Chron. 11 17.18.19.  shall I drink the blood of these men's lives? So that by this it appeareth were there no other proof, how dangerously ill gotten goods are kept, how more dangerously they are to be spent, and how damnably such children do live in this world, indeed as it were without God: yea the very damned in hell shall rise in judgement against them. 
Luk. 16.27  For the glutton in torments was perplexed with grief for the state of his brethren which lived in sin, & would not have them come to that place to aggravate his torments. Whereas these ungracious children have no remorse or sorrow for their distressed parents, which died in sin, and live in death. And what may not be said of another sort of graceless children, who after the decease of their godly religious parents, are so far from mourning after them, or for them, as that they indeed do joy and rejoice in their hearts at their departure? If they sorrow any thing at all, it is for that they died not sooner, according as many times they wished, for their lands and goods sake. Shall they escape for their wickedness? No: the Majesty of our eternal Father will shorten their days, diminish their store; and from their graceless stock shall spring ungracious imps, to requite disobedience seven fold into their bosoms. 
Mat. 7.  For the measure, saith our Lord, which you meet to others shall be heaped upon you again. When good king josiah was dead, we read not that his son jehohaz mourned for him, or followed his good examples, either in the continuance of religion, administration of justice, or godly conversation. Wherefore his days were shortened, his life miserable, and his kingdom was left to the disposition of his enemy. His posterity was yet more miserable; for his son being dead, was not lamented, 
jer. 22.18.19.  neither did any mourn for him, saying; Ah Lord, or, ah his glory: he shall be buried as an ass, even drawn and cast forth without the gates of jerusalem.  
This serveth necessarily to instigate and to call upon all survivors of their parents and friends, carefully to commemorate the heavy hand of God upon themselves, for that private deprivation of friends if they were godly; with the acknowledgement of their own sins, chief in the omission of many reverent duties towards them, and specially in thankfulness unto God for those helps which they received from them. It serves for the accomplishment of other holy duties towards the dead, in taking care, & in making conscience to do good unto those, whom their friends being dead, entirely loved whiles they lived. Whereof we have a famous example in David toward his faithful friend jonathan who was dead: Is there any man, 
2. Sam. 9.1. to 8.  said he, of the house of Saul, that I may show mercy unto him for jonathans' sake? to whom was brought Mephiboseth, jonathans' son: David said unto him; Fear not, for I will surely show thee kindness, for jonathan thy father's sake, who is dead, and I will restore thee all the fields of Saul thy father, and thou shalt eat at my table continually. Again he said, 
2. Sam. 10.1  I will show kindness unto Hanun as his father showed kindness uno me. There was a solemn law in Israel, which was to be performed to the widow of him which was dead, if she had no son to comfort her: which law & Christian commemoration for the dead was memorably performed by Boaz towards Ruth. 
Ruth. 4.10.21.  If the person dead were wicked in his life, and at his death; then there is more cause of mourning and lamentation, and calling earnestly unto God, by his kindred, and by his allied friends for the avoiding of God's judgements, which they most justly have deserved, in that they did not more carefully and more conscionably instruct such a man or such a woman unto a better life, whereby he or she might have made a better death. According to which purpose Saint james speaketh after this manner: 
jam. 5. v. 19.20.  If any of you have erred from the truth, and some man hath converted him, let him know that he which hath converted the sinner from going astray out of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.  
If the party dead or dying be public, spiritual, or temporal, and just,  
Then consider the present evil that hath happened to particular persons, to private families, to public congregations, and to whole kingdoms, after the decease of such a man, or such a woman. Which is drawn from that good which almighty God vouchsafeth for the time present wherein they lived, who being dead, it incontinently ceaseth. As Solomon saith, By the blessing of the righteous, 
Pro. 11.11.  cities are exalted: to wit, the whole inhabitants of that town and country where a righteous person liveth, shall far and prosper the better, and shall have the judgements of God which they have deserved withholden from them. And it is certain, 
josua. 7.1. to 6.  as for the sins of one, many have been in the anger of God destroyed and brought to nothing; so for the true godliness of one or more, 
2. Sam. 24.15.  many hundreds and thousands have been most miraculously preserved. God promised Abraham, that if in all Sodom and Gomorrah there were found but ten righteous persons, 
Gen. 18.24. to 33.19.18. to 26  he would spare all the rest for their sakes. The same was experimented in Zoar at Lot's request, for all the people therein were miraculously preserved from the fire which abundantly fell from heaven round about them. There was three years dearth in all the land of Israel for saul's sins only in slaying the Gibeonits. 
2. Sam. 21.1. to 11.  David the King did therefore importune the Gibeonits, for their favour unto God in their behalf, which being obtained the plague ceased. On the contrary so long as joseph lived, King Pharaoh and all his subjects prospered: but when joseph died, 
Exo. 1.6.7.8. to the end. 9.1.33. Exo. 9.27.28. 2 King. 24.2. to the end. Dan. 11.1.2.  than their plagues revived and fell thick in Egypt. When Moses was entreated to pray for them, those plagues also ceased. Moreover after the death of King josias the city of jerusalem was won, and the people carried captive unto Babylon: God spared them and did withhold his wrath from them in all his days according to his promise. As the person is in his place of pre-eminence, in Church or commonweal, & in his pains performing the work of the Lord: so is the loss of him to the people whensoever he departs. And as the greatness of the loss is, so ought the greatness of the considerations to be had amongst those where he is miss, continually mourning, weeping and calling upon God for his mercy, and that he will be pleased to withhold those plagues which he hath so begun, having always before them the remembrance of their sins, and the judgements of God for the same, which they have many ways and at sundry times deserved, humbly prostrating themselves before the throne of his mercies, in the name and mediation of jesus Christ. The children of Israel wept much and mourned sore for Moses thirty days together. 
Deut. 34.8.  The Majesty of God taking particular knowledge of his death, said unto josua, Moses my servant is dead. 
josua. 1.2.3.  As if he had said more plainly, I see his want already amongst the people, it is so great and so dangerous that there must be a present supply.  
If the person public being dead were ungodly, an oppressor, and such like ill disposed, being in profession either spiritual, or temporal; who will not think it an happy day, a blessed time in which it pleased God to cut him off? for every man where such an one had to do, for his own particular & private good, hath cause to commemorate the mercies of God in that behalf. And by how much the more it may be said that he was generally disposed to evil: by so much the more ought all that people amongst whom he lived, be generally disposed to commemorate the mercies of God with all alacrity and cheerfulness for his deprivation: weeping and mourning for their former sins, which was the cause why God did raise such a graceless man to have rule over them so long, and continually praying to have a more virtuous and a more religious man in his room.  
This teacheth all true professors of christianity as formerly was said, religiously to commemorate the decease of public persons, who had their places in Church and commonwealth; specially if they were profitable to the people, and religious towards God. We have the example of David the King, and all his honourable subjects; who mourned much after the decease of Abner, 
2 Sam. 3.27. to 39  because he was a necessary man in the common wealth. So likewise it is said, 
Act. 8.2.  that there was great lamentation amongst all the people which feared God, for Saint Steven, who was a necessary man in the Church. This religious duty is not so much required, because of their deceases directly, as for ourselves who were the cause thereof according to the foreknowledge of God, sometimes arrogating too much worthiness unto them, and thereby derogating from God; or sometimes derogating from them that worthiness and desert which was their due, and thereby do become spiritual spoilers and unfaithful unto God that gave them. And I may press farther and justify out of mine own lamentable experience, that the commemoration of death passed upon others our dear friends, will work in us a hearty calling upon God for mercy, and a kind of preparation in ourselves to die well, besides the good example which we shall give thereby unto our posterity to do the like for us.  
FINIS.