WHat man is he that liueth, and Gen. 25. 7. 8. & 35. 28. 29. & 49. 33 & 50. 26. Deut 34. 7. lo [...]. 24 29. 1 Sam▪ 2. 51 1 Kin. 2. 21. 2 Chron. 2 [...]. 28. Iob 42. 17. 2 Sam. 11. 18. 19. Gen. 5. 5. 8. 11. 14. 17, 20. 27. 31. Gen. 5. 24. Heb. 11, 5. Syrac. 44. 16. 2 Kin. 2 11. Syrac. 48. 9 1 Mac. 2. 58. 1 Cor. 15. 30. 31. shall not see death; shall hee deliuer his soule from the hand of the graue? Ps. 89 48. And, It is appointed vnto men once to dye. Heb. 9. 27. And so death passed vpon all men, Rom. 5. 12.

II. For all men must dye. This is cléer by these testimonies of holy Writ. Iob. [...]0 23. For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for al the liuing. Read Iob 34. 14. 15. Psal. 104. 29. Eccles 6. 6. Esay 40. 6, 7, 8. Iob 14. 2. & 8. 9. Psal. 102. 11. & 103. 14, 15. & 144. 4. Iames 1. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 24 Iob 17. 13. 14.

III. Examples. Death is the lot of all men: for Abraham dyed, Isaac, Iacob. Io­seph, Moses, Ioshua, Samuel, Dauid, Iob. Young and old, all that haue béene before vs haue dyed, except Enoch & Eliah, who were translated vp into heauen: and those that now are, or hereafter shall be on the [Page] earth, must all dye, except those that shalThes. 4. 6. 17. be at the last day, who in the twinckling of an eye shall bee changed, when the iust shall be caught vp in the clouds, and be e­uer with the Lord. 1 Thes. 4 16. 17.

IV. Reasons manifest. I. Reason.Reasons. [...] Reason. [...] Kin. 2. 2. 1 Cor. 15, [...]0 31. Iosh. 23. 14. because this is the way of all the earth: for euery child of Adam is sub­iect to death daily. Death is the debt that all men owe & this is the common course of all the liuing.

II. Reason. Because all are of the2 Reason. Gen. 3. 19. Iob 4. 19. & 7. 12. 13. Ecel. 12. 7 Iudg. 16. 28 dust, and all turne to the dust againe: there is not any thing in any earthly creature that can preuent death. Strength cannot withstand it: for Samson was a mighty strong man, and yet he was ouercome by death. Wisedome a most excellent gift, yet vnable to subdue death: for Salomon 2 Kin. 11. 43 2 Chron 9. 31. Psal. 49: 10. Eccl. 2. 16. the wisest of meere men, was dispatched by death: for wise men dye as well as the foolish. Eloquence is not able to charme death: but the most eloquent men that e­uer liued, haue all dyed, as Tully and De­mosthenes. Death saith one can find way into. Princes palaces, into the Courts of Kings, as well as into the pesants Cot­tage: for Magistrates are Gods vicege­rents, [Page] but yet all mortall, and subiect vntoPsal. 86. 7. death. Death spareth not the beautifull: Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Ester and Bersheba Gen, 12. 1 [...] & 24, 16. & 23. 2. & 29. 17. & 35. 18. 2 Sam. 14 25. 2 Sam. 2. 1 [...] 50. 51. 2 Sam. 16. 23. & 17. 27. Luk 16. 1 [...] 22. 23. Psal 49. 1 [...] Lucan▪ [...] were all beautifull creatures, yet all died, Absolon and Achilles were braue gallants yet are dead and gone. Asael was as swift as a Roe, yet death ouerwent him. Goliah was a great Giant, yet death was grea­ter then he▪ Achitophel was very politike and subtle, yet was ouer-reacht by death: rich and poore all are arested of death.

It is recorded, that among many dead carkasses one wold know which was Phi­lip King of Macedon. Answer was made, he that had the bald head is Philip. Al haue bald heads saith he. He that hath the flat nose is Philip saith the other. All haue flat Noses saith he. Heé that hath the hollow eyes saith the other, and that hath the bare ribs, and ratling bones: but all are such & haue such saith he. Then saith the other, I perceiue there is no difference betwéen the King and the begger in death. In a East of compters one hath the place of a pound, another of a shilling, a third of a peny, and euery one as he that casts the count shall thinke good to lay them: but put them to­gether into the bag and what difference [Page] betwéen those that were worth thousands and those that were worth nothing? Euen so, in the common bag the earth, rich and poore are alike: for there is none that can be exempted from the dust of death.

III. Reason. Because the w [...]ges of sin 3 Reason Mat. 16. 27 Psal. 62. 12 Prou. 24. 12 I [...]r. 3. 19 Eze. 35. 20. Rom 2. 6. Ezec. 7. 27. 2 Cor. 5. [...]0 Col 3. 25. 1 Pet. 1. Apo. 22. 12. 4 Reason. Hos. 13. 14. Luk. 21. 36 1 Cor. 15. 54. 55. 5 Reason. 2 Cor. 5. 4. Phil 3. 21. Iob 14. 14. Ʋses. 1 Vse. 1 Thes. 4. 13 Apoc. 4. 13. Ioh. 14. 28. is death, Rom. 6. 23. And so sinne passed vpon all men, for all men haue sinned. Rom 5. 12.

IV. Reason. Because the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 1 Cor. 15. 16.

V. Reason. Because we shall be chan­ged, 1 Cor. 15. 51. &c.

Vses seuerall. I. Vse. That we sor­row not euen as others which haue no hope, for when we know that our friends and acquaintance that are dead are de­parted in the Lord (for they that die in the Lord are blessed) their death doth rather yéeld cause of comfort then of sorrow, of re­ioycing rather then mourning: for our Sa­uiour saith, If yee loued mee yee would re­ioyce because I goe to the Father. Those then that loue their friends indéed, haue greater cause to reioyce then mourne, be­cause they goe to be glorifled with their heauenly Father in heauen.

For as a childe or simple person, thatSimile. should sée a Goldsmith melting pure Gold or Siluer, would imagine that all were quite spoyled, when as the skilfull worke­man hath a purpose to cast some excellent péece of plate: euen so, we silly creatures, whē the Lord cuts off some of our friends by death, or melteth them in the furnace of the graue, are ouercome with sorrowful conceits, as if some euill thing had betided our friends, whereas we should remember that the Lord hath a purpose by that meanes to preserue them, & to transforme into the glorious estate with the AngellsM [...]t. 18. 1 [...] 1 Thes. 4. 13 in ioy in heauen, where they shall neuer dye. For as Saint Paul saith, I would not haue you ignorant brethren, concerning them that are asleepe, &c. 1 Thes. 4 3. WhoSimile. would be sorry to haue his friend fall a­sléepe séeing thereby hée is more fresh, lu­sty, and lightsome. Now death vnto the godly is nothing else but a sléepe, wherebyActs 7. 60. we are refined and refreshed.

Oh then why should wée be offended there with. If our friends be wicked, then haue we iust cause of mourning, as Dauid 2 Sam. 18 [...]3. had, 2 Sam. 18. 33. but if we know them to liue and dye in the feare of God, how­soeuer [Page] naturall affection may haue force to cause vs to mourne and shed teares, and to lament them in respect of the good we haue by them, yet wée haue reason to reioyce & be glad for their happy change.

For, as if in this world our friends shouldSimile. be aduanced to some high and honourable place, and be the third in the Kingdome, as Daniel was, Dan. 2. 48. this wouldDan, 2. 48. much reioyce our hearts. Oh how much more then should we reioyce, when as our friends are deliuered out of this miserable world by death, and are crowned with glory for euer in the Kingdome of heauen.2 Thes. 4 13 To conclude this with that of the Apostle, that yee sorrow not euen as others which haue no hope.

II. Vse. Luke 12. 40. Bee therefore 2 Vse. Luk. 12. 40. ready also, for the Sonne of man commeth at an houre when yee thinke not. Briefly, for the better manifesting this, viz. that wée may be ready for Christ at his com­ming, whensoeuer he shall summon vs ey­ther particularly by death, or generally by iudgement, to enter heauens glory, let vs take a serious view of these particulars which herevpon result. 1. The Meanes. 2. the Markes. 3. the Motiues.

For the first, to wit, the meanes. OhMeanes, to help vs to make ready for Christ that we may die blessedly, diuers. but what meanes must I vse, that I may be ready at Christs comming, that so I may dye blessedly?

By a diligent vse of these Meanes.

I. Meanes is, wée must seriously thinke with our selues, that we are but dust and ashes, made of clay which is frail and brit­tle,1 Meanes Gen. 18. 27 Gen. 3. 19. and this will make vs thinke, that we cannot long continue here, but that our bodies of clay, and our earthly tabernacles must néeds be dissolued, and that wee haue 2 Cor. 5. 1. Heb. 13. 14. Iob 4. 19. here no continuing Citie. For, our bodies are houses of clay, and the foundation of them is in the dust.

II. Meanes. We must aforehand ac­quaint2 Meanes our selues with death, and so liue, that we be still ready to dye, that so wée may say with S. Paul, I dye daily. Thus1 Cor. 15. 31. Iob 17. 14. did patient Iob, If I wait, the graue will be my house, I haue made my bed in the dark. &c. Thus are we to preuent death, as it were, by little and little depriuing our selues of life, not by offering violence to our persons, but by mortifying our earthlyCol 3. 5. Psal. 119. 37. Psal. 38. 13. members. Thus should we cause our eyes to dye, by turning them away from behol­ding vanitie. Our eares to be as deafe not [Page] harkening after the villanies of the wic­ked world.

III. Meanes. We must lay to heart3 Meanes the death of others, that so our harts may be in the house of mourning: for, It is bet­ter Eccl. 7. 2. 4. to goe to the house of mourning, then to the house of feasting: for it is the end of all men, and the liuing will lay it to heart. Therefore if we heare of any that be dead let vs thinke it might haue béene our own turne as well as theirs, and so prepare ourLuk 12. 43. selues daily for Christ that when he com­meth he may finde vs so doing. To which end let vs frequent funerall Sermons, for there may we both see with our eyes, and heare with our eares, that which will put vs in minde of our mortalitie and end, for euery graue and tombe be monuments to put vs in minde of death.

IIII. Meanes is to pray earnestly, fre­quently,4 Meanes Ionah 3. 8. Psal. 90. 12. Iob 13. 5. Psal. 39. 4. zealously, feruently, and mighti­ly vnto the Lord, Ionas 3. 8. and continu­ally vnto Almighty God, in the name of Iesus Christ, to teach vs to number our dayes that wee may apply our hearts vnto wisedome▪ Psal 90. 12.

Secondly, the Marks. Oh but by what marks and tokens may we assertaine our [Page] selues, that we shal be in the glorious ioiesMarkes to know cer­tainly whe­ther we be ready for Christ, to enter hea­uens glory at the dis­solution of our vile bodies, diuers. 1 Marke Rom. 8. 19. 20. &c. 2 Cor. 5. 6. Psal 42. 1. 2 of heauen, with our swéet and blessed Sa­uiour, when our soules shall be vnbodyed? By these markes ensuing.

I Marke. If it be the earnest desire of our hearts to be dissolued, and to bee with Christ Iesus, Phil. 1. 21. and yet in the meane time by faith and hope wait pati­ently▪ expecting the Lords leisure, being contented to liue as long as it shall please him, thinking long till wee be at our long home▪ groning within our selues, and wai­ting for the redemption of our bodies, ear­nestly longing after the ioyes of heauen, as knowing that whilest wee are here in the body, we are absent from the Lord: this longing desire was in Dauid. Psal. 42. 1. 2.

II. Marke is, If we dye vnto sinne dai­ly,2 Marke Col. 3. 5. Tit. 2. 11. 12. 13. Gen. 5. 22. 24. & 7. 1. & 17. 1. Gal 6. 16. Psal. 1. 2. and liue vnto righteousnesse, continual­ly mortifying our earthly members, cruci­fying our sinfull corrupt natures, liuing a godly, righteous and lober life, denying all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts, walking before God in vprightnesse of heart, stri­uing against all the vanities of this sinfull life, and leading our liues answerable to the rule of Gods most holy word.

III. Marke is, if wee haue a moderate3 Marke 1 Cor. 7. 2 [...] &c. [Page] vse of these earthly things, obseruing a mediocritie both in worldly cares & earth­ly delights, in vsing this world, as not a­busing it: for the fashion of this world pas­seth away.

IV. Marke is, if we haue our conuersa­tion4 Marke 1 Tim. 6. 19 in heauen, laying vp in store a good foundation against the time to come: euen treasure in heauen, setting our affectionsMat. 6-20. Col. 3. 1. 2. 3 Tit. 2. [...]3. on things aboue, and not on the things on the earth, looking for the glorious appea­ring of our Sauiour Iesus Christ.

Thirdly, the Motiues. Oh but what beMotiues to make vs ready for Christ speedily, sundry 1 Motiue the motiues to induce vs to long earnestly for the comming of our Sauiour Iesus Christ.

I. Motiue is, the shortnesse and breuity of our liues: for our life is compared to the Grasse that withereth, to a shadow thatEsay 40. 6 1 Pet. 1. 24 Hos. 23. 3. Iob 7. 6. & 14. 2. & 7. 9. Iam 4 14. Iob 7. 7. Psa. 103. 16 & 144. 4. Psal. 102. 11 passeth away, to smoake that vanisheth, to a weauers shuttle for swiftnesse, to a flo­wer that sadeth, to a Spiders web which is easily swept away, to a vpour which is soone dispersed and to a winde that pas­seth away.

Oh let vs seriously consider with our selues, that we may be the next parties that must dye. Séeing then we may be so [Page] suddenly dispatched by death, Oh what manner of persons ought wee to bee in all holy conuersation and godlinesse.2 Pet. 3. 11 2 Motiue

II. Motiue. By being ready for Christ at his comming, we shal be deliuered from all the miseries of this life, viz. from all calamities, as sicknesse, paines, labours, reproachings, mockings and taunts of the wicked rabble of vnreasonable men, and2 Thes. 3. 2. 1 Thes. 1. 10 Esay 25. 8. Apoc. 7. 16 17. Apo. 14. 13 Apoc. 21. 4. 3 Motiue Iohn 14. 3. 1 Iohn 3. 2. Luke 23. 42. 43. from all the prouocations, snares, strata­genis of the Deuill, and from all feare of the paines of hell for euer

III. Motiue, by being ready prepared for Christs comming, wee shall be with Christ where he is, viz. in the Kingdome of heauen, where we shal sée him as hée is, where we shall blesse the day and houre that euer we were borne: for happy and for euer thrice blessed are they, that after this short and fléeting life ended, shall en­ter into heauens glory.

This glory of Gods people in heauen will appeare more punctually to vs, if wée take a suruey of these things, that here upon result. To let passe many, of some few for the rest, a word or two briefly.

2. God will be all in all vnto his chil­dren in the Kingdome of heauen: for what [Page] good things soeuer the heart of man can with or desire, that God will be to his chil­dren there: if we desire wealth, God will be wealth vnto vs: if honor & pleasure, he will be honor & pleasure to vs, yea all in all1 Cor. 15. 28. Luk. [...]. 32. Ioh. 14. 2. 3 1 Pet. 1. 4- [...] vnto vs: nay euery child of God shal haue a kingdome reserued for them in heauen.

2. In heauen wee shall want nothing: for we shall haue all our wants both in our soules and bodies wholly supplyed, whenApoc. 7. 17 Esa. 49. 10. Apoc. 21. 4. Esay 25. 8. Apoc. 22. 4. Psal. 23. 4. 1 Cor. 13. 12. 1 Iohn. 3. 2. Psal. 16. 11. 1 Thes. 4. 17 Psal. 36. 8. 9 & 17. 15. Phil. 3. 21. Esay 64. 4. Apoc. 7. 9. 10. 1 [...] 12. 4 Motiue Mat. 10. 28. al teares shal be wiped from our eies, with fulnes of ioyes and pleasures for euer. Al­though in this vale of misery and shadow of death, we sée God but in pact▪ yet in hea­uen we shal behold him face to face, and sée him as he is to our euerlasting comfort.

3. In heauen we shall be like our Lord Iesus Christ, for he shall change our vile bodies, and make them like vnto his glori­ous body.

4. In heauen we shal reap endlesse ioies & happinesse, where we shal wholy delight our selues in praising God for euer.

IV And last Motiue is drawne from the ineuitable danger that shal must certainly ouertake vs▪ if we prepare not our selues speedily to be ready for Christ.

If wee be in some great mans danger, [Page] that is able to be reuenged of vs, Oh how doe we créep and crouch vnto him: but we should feare him much more that is able toMat. 3. 12. destroy both soule and body in hell. And if we had hearts to conceiue, and grace to be­léeue, and minds to think vpon the wofull pains of hell, this would force vs to forsake and renounce all sin vtterly, and make vs prepare for Christ spéedily, that so we may enter heauens glory immediately. [...]ut a­las, alas, the power and strength of sinne nowadaies hath gotten such dominion o­uer the most, that it hath banished & exclu­ded all loue and feare of God, and al dread of hels misery out of their harts▪ what else mean those raging and ruling vices in the world, as swearing, lying, vncleannesse, drunkennes, mocking of Gods seruants, & such like: if people did seriously call to minde the grieuous paines of hell, would they liue as they doe? No I trow.

There are some be so tender, that they cannot abide the heat of the Sun, nor the least cold, yea euery small flea or fly disqui­ets them, but their many foule iniquities neuer trouble them, to bring them any vn­erst, vnlesse it be to bring their hellish de­signes to passe. Oh that such would consi­der [Page] what it is to fry in vnquenchableApoc. 21. 3 flames of fire and brimstone in hel. & there to haue the neuer dying worme of Consci­ence to gnaw on them continually.Marke 9. 43

There are a sort of nice ones that are so dainty they cannot abide to looke vpon the sores of poore Lazarus and so vnmercifull, that they stop their eares at the cry of their poore distressed brethron, seeking rather to molest them, then to comfort and help thē. Oh that such miserable caitifes would re­member what a filthy prison is prepared for the damned in hell, and what yelling & howling the mercilesse shall euer heare, and haue euen iudgment without mercy.

There are a sort of miserable wretches, to whom the sernice of God (though indéed perfect fréedome) is most irksome, as to knéele at prayer, to be any thing long at a sermon, or the like exercises: but to sweare, to ly, to cheat, to cozen in buying & selling, to be drunk, and hunt after vaine & wicked pleasures, is their chiefe delight and ioy.

Oh that all miserable wretched swearers, Rorers, & pot companions, would but pre­meditate of the wofull paines of hell, that they might repent of their sinnes, and so a­void Hels misery spéedily, and be prepared [Page] for Christ continually, that they may en­ter heauens glory eternally.

And there are another sort that are like the wicked Pharises, of whom our Saui­ourMat. 23. 13. Luk. 11. 52. speaketh, that will neither goe to hea­uen themselues, nor yet will suffer by their wils, those that would: else what meane all those accursed scoffes, mockes & taunts which the wicked crue blech out of their accursed brests against all those that set their hearts and faces towards Sion, the heauenly Hierusalem, in traducing, car­ping, and girding at them, because they will not run headlong to the Deuill with1 Pet 4. 4. Iohn 8. 34. Rom. 6. 16. 20. 1 Ioh. 3. 8. 10. 2 Pe. 2▪ [...]9. 2 Tim. 2. 26. Act. 13. 10. Mat. 23. 33 Act. 8 22. Phil. 3. 19. Luk. 13. 35 Luk. 12. 40 Mat. 24. 13. Mar. 13. 33. Mat. 24. 42 them for company, into the same excesse of riot, therefore they speake euill of them.

Oh miserable seruants of sinne, slaues of the Deuill, taken captiue at his will & pleasure, how long will ye peruert the wayes of God? miserable wretches, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Oh repent of this your great wickednesse, and pray God that the thoughts of your hearts may be forgiuen you: for without true re­pentance your end will be destruction and damnation. It may be this night Death for ought you know may dispatch you sud­denly, before you be prepared for Christ: [Page] and then wofull and miserable will your estate be: it had béene good for you, thatMat. 26. 24 ye had neuer béene borne. Oh that all the rabblement of the wicked crue, would se­riously thinke of hell, and be forewarned now whilest it is called to day, and thatHeb. 3 15. Lu [...]. 1 [...]. 28 vers. 26. with all expedition, lest they come into the place of hels torments, from whence is no redemption. This would be a strong motiue vnto them, if they had but any dramme of true grace in their hearts, it would bridle and curbe their leud affecti­ons, and dry vp the fountaine of their fil­thy words, change the vaine course of their conuersation, and make them willing to submit thēselues to any good course what­soeuer, so that they may auoid the bitter torments of hell.

If a man haue but some extremitie ofSimile. the Gout, Collicke or Tooth ache, what paines and cost will he be at to be eased? Oh what are these to the endlesse, ease­lesse, remedilesse paines of hell? yet few there are that will bestow the cost and paines to auoid them. Oh that all the re­uell rout of beastly drunkards, and all o­ther impenitent persons, would but medi­tate seriously a little vpon Diues in Hell, [Page] how that for one drop of water to coole his tongue, he cryes most bitterly in the gulph of hell for the obtaining of it, and yet go­eth without it. Oh that all this that hathLuk. 25 26. béene said, would cause euery miserable wretch in the world, that heares or reades of the most wofull torments of hell, with all prayers and teares of true repentance, to worke out their saluation in the feare2 Cor. 7. 1. of God.

Heare what St. Chrisostome speakethChrisost. in 2 Epist. ad Corin. hom. 10 to this purpose, If thou, saith he, shouldest come into a loathsome prison and there sée some looke pale and wan, others hungry and thirsty, others bound in chaines and fetters, others shut vp in a darke and fil­thy dungeon, making pittious moane and lamentation, would it not moue thy heart with commiseration, and cause thee carefully to avoid those courses that might bring thee to the like danger: oh thē think vpon the prison and dungeon of hell, and confider seriously with your selues, oh miserable wretches, how many poore soules looke pittifully there, how many are bound strongly there in the deuils fet­ters, how many are shut vp in the place of vtter darknesse, and being in, continual­ly [Page] tormented with foule and vgly diuels in hell, doe nothing but weepe and waile and gnash their teeth for euermore in ex­tremitie of paine: oh what madnesse is this in euery one of vs all, if in this our pilgrimage or trauel on the earth we spend our dayes in pleasu [...]es, bathe our selues in sports and pastimes, ca [...]king and caring for the things of this life, & neuer bethink our selues as to say [...]las [...] doe I now, eate, drinke, mock, sweare, cozen, cheat, whore, and bathe my selfe in all kinde of lewd courses, but woe is mee for [...] must come to iudgement for all these things, to giue a strict account of all those things that I haue done in my vile body, whether it be good or euill, Eccles. 11. 9. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Eccles. 12. 14. Mat. 12. to close vp this, Luke 12. 40. Bee therefore ready for the Sonne of man commeth also at an houre when yee thinke not.

III Vse. Apoc. 14. 13. Blessed are the 3 Ʋse. dead that die in the Lord, &c. Not to stay long on this, let these things that are here inbalmed be had in remembrance briefly: 1 They are blessed in respect of the place, for if we consider the world wherein we liue, it is but a prison, a vale of misery, a [Page] place of vexation and trouble, as the bles­sed Apostle testifieth in Rom. 8. 22. but heauen is a place of ioy, rest and comfort, Iohn 14. 16. The world is of no certaine continuance, here wee haue no abiding City, but we looke for one to come, Heb. 13. 14. but in heauen is a place of continu­ance, for the foundatiō is God, Heb. 11. 10 2 They are blessed in regard of their com­panions, for here we liue among wicked, godlesse, sinfull wretches, but there wee shall enioy the company of innumerable Saints in heauen. It was an excellentDan. 7 9. Heb. 12. 22. Apoc. 5. 11 Heb. 12. 11. Apoc. 7. 19, 10, 11. 12. [...] Sam 9. 3. to 27. & 10. 1. 1 Sam. 16. 11, 12. 13 2 Sam. 7. 8. Apoc. 22. 5. Apoc. 21. 4. Mat. 6. 20. exchange for Saul when hee was seeking his fathers Asses to be called to be a King: so it was an excellent exchange for Dauid when he was called from a shepheard to be a King. Oh, yet this is nothing to their estate which are called from this miserable world to heauen, where there is light without darknesse, ioy without sorrow, riches without corruption, and all with­out ending: yea wisedome without igno­rance, vnderstanding without error, rea­son without obscurity, memory without obliuion, where whatsoeuer shall bee desi­red shall be obtained, where wee shall see God face to face, 1 Cor. 31. 12. euen as he is, [Page] 1 Ioh. 3. 2. to our euerlasting comfort world without end. 3 They are blessed becauseIII. of their condition, for they rest from all their labours: for they that die in theAPoc. 14. 10. 1 Thes. 4. 18. Phil. 1. 23. Phil. 1. 22. Lord are for the Lord. This made Saint Paul desire to be dissolued and to bee with Christ: death considered in Christ and ioy­ned with a godly life, to Gods Elect is an aduantage: death to the godly is nothing else but a bridge ouer this tempestuous sea of this troublesome world to paradise, Gods mercy made it not by making death in it self good but an instrument of good to his. Oh why shall wee then be vnwilling to dye, for death doth not separate vs from God, but it makes vs draw neere to God, as Pharaohs Butler could not see the faceGen. 40. 21 of the King when as hee was in prison,1 Cor. 13. but being loosed from his bonds, hee both saw him, and gaue the cup into his hand. So long as our soules be in the prison of our bodies we cannot see the face of God,Esay 64. 4 1 Cor 2. 9. 1 Cor. 1 [...]. [...]6. but our soules being once loosed from our bodies we shal see God face to face, and in­ioy that vnspeakable good which God hath prepared for all them that loue him: dost thou feare God sincerely, oh then feare not death for the sting of death; is [Page] taken away from thee by Christ. If one enemy finde fauour at another enemies hand, oh why then should a dutifull child feare to goe home to his heauenly father, and a penitent sinner to goe to his swéete Sauiour: if Christ came into this world to redéeme vs, oh why should wee doubt but at our death he will receiue vs, he that bought vs at so deare a rate euen with his owne blood, which is most precious, willAct. 20. 28. 1 Pet. 1. 18. he refuse his penny worth? if he affected our company so much on earth, as that he said, my delight is to bee with the children of men, Pro 8. 23. Hath he now so forgotten his old loue as not to admit vs into his company in heauen, seeing hee went thi­ther to prepare a place for vs? oh let vsIoh. 14. 22. then surrender our soules & bodies vp vnto God as a faithfull Creator. 1 Pet. 4. 19. To conclude Apoc. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord.