Sect. 1.

§. 1. For upon this occasion having recollected the ends of most men, of whom either the Scripture of prophane History hath made mention, I find, besides the many Scripture instances as 1. of Adams being ashamed and affrighted with the guilt of sin, Gen. 3. 4, 5. as soon as he had injoyed the pleasure of it, and leaving to his posterity, besides seven rules of a serious religion, this caution as the Iews There is a Book talkt of amongst the Iews called Poenitentia Adami. report it that no man would sin if he saw from the beginning to the end of things

2. Cain who though he is said by the Talmudist (Ruzzia) to challenge his brother to the field upon this assertion, that there was no other world, and no everlasting reward to those that did well, or punishment to them that did ill, yet overcoming his brother he was overcome of that great truth of an everlasting state, owned by him, for fear of which he trembled, being (as the most jolly sinners are) all his life time in bondage for fear of death: He that stabbed half the world • at a blow could not command the dictates of conscience (which make them who are without Law a Law to themselves) so far as to kill the Worm that shall never die.

3. Lamech had no sooner committed the sin of Cain (whether upon Cain's own person, or upon some other, cannot and need not be decided) but he lived all his dayes under the fear of his punishment; for Gen. 4. 23, 24. Lamech said to his Wives (when in all probability there were none he needed to fear but them and God) Adah and Zillah, hear my voice ye Wives of Lamech, hearken to my speech, for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt: if Cain shall be avenged seven fold, truly Lamech shall be avenged seveny times seavenfold. Insomuch that men convinced by these instances of the power of a natural conscience began then, as it followeth in the text, to call on the Name of the Lord, verse 36. (So I understand the word with Iosephus Archaio the best Antiquary in this case.) R. Eliezer in Maase-Beresithe c. 22. Cyril. orat ad Iul. Epiph. 1. against the Targum of Ionathan: The account given of Idolatry by Maimonid l. de cultu Stellarum and Proseld. 3. ad synt. de diis Syris.

And as appeares in the instances of Enoch & Noah, men who walked with God, and God took them.

Sect. 2.

1. And besides that sin sooner or later makes all men as well as David and Heman have their Soules sore vexed, become weary of their groaning, while all the night long they make their bed to swim, and water their Couch with their teares, their eyes being consumed because of grief; and they saying how long shall we take counsel in our Soules, having sorrow in our hearts daily; my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me, why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring? Remember not the sins of my youth: look upon my affliction, and my pain, and forgive all my sins. I had fainted unless I had beleived the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living. My life is spent with greif and my years with sighing, my strength failed because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed; when I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long: for Day and Night thy hand lay heavy upon me; I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid: I said I will con • ess my transgressions to the Lord. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee. Be not ye as the Horse and mule that have no understanding. Many sor • ows shall be to the wicked. What man is he that desires life, and • oveth many dayes that he may see good? depart from evil and do good. Thy arrows stick fast in me, thy • and presseth me sore: Neither is • here any rest in my bones by reason of my sin. I have roared for the ve • y disquietness of my heart. When thou with rebukes doest chasten man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away. Surely every man is vanity. My sin is ever before me: make me to hear of joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce. A broken and a contrite heart, O Lord, thou wilt not despise. There were they in great fear where no fear was. Fearfullness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me; and I said, O that I had wings like a dove, for then would I flee away and be at rest. Mine eyes fai • while I wait upon my God. My Soul refused to be comforted. • remembred God and was troubled • I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed. My Soul is full o • trouble, and my life draweth nig • to the grave. I am afflicted an • ready to die from my youth up • while I suffer thy terrors I am di • stracted. All men, I say, as well a • these in the Psalms, out of which I made this collectio • , find first or last, that sin as it hath short pleasures, so it hath a long sting; that though men seem not to be able to live without the commission of it, yet are they not able to live with the thoughts of it when committed: that as when they have done well, the pain is short, but the pleasure lasting, so when they have done ill, the pleasure is short, and the pain lasting. (Sin and sorrow are so tyed together by an Adamantine Chain; and the Temptation to Evil tickleth not more than the re • lection upon it torments, when all • he enjoyment being spent in the acting of sin, there is now nothing • eft but naked sin and conscience.)

Tacitâ sudant praecordia culpâ • ur tamen hos tu • vasisse putes quos diri conscia • acti • ens habet attonitos & surdo verbere coedit; •• cultum quatiente animo tortore flagellum, • oena autem vehemens & multo gravior illis. Quas & caeditius gravis invenit, • ut Rhadamanthus, Nocte die que •• um ge •• are in pectore testem.

Not to discourse to men out of books, what they feel in their hearts, that the things they eagerly pursue, they shall sadly lament; that evil it self, to a rational Soul carryeth with it so much shame and horror, that as many Poe • s, I • ven. &c. believed there were no Furia, Al •• tores, Eumenides, or whatever Names were given of old to those daughters of Nemes • s or the results of mens thought • after sin, concerning the proceedings of the Divine justice against it) like the conscience of having done evil, so many wise men (a • Cicero ad Pisonem) thought there were none besides it, and that hel • is no other than conscience, where • fore Iudas and others ventured in • to that to avoid this; whose wor • that dyed not was more insupportable than the other fire that is not quenched. Although this were enough to reclaim men from their frolicks, that they are sure they shall be sad, although there need not more be said to a man in his wits then this; Sir, a quiet mind is all the happiness, and a troubled one is all the misery of this world; you cannot enjoy the pleasure, honour or profit you imagine follows your evils with a troubled mind, and yet no man ever followed those courses, without it: all the calamities you meet with in doing well, are eased much by the comforts of a good conscience, And the Spirit of a good man bears his infirmities: but all the pleasures we have in doing • ll, will have no relish or satisfaction, when we lye under the • errours of a bad one, A wo • nded • pirit who can bear? But to shew • hat a strict and a serious life is not the humour of some conceited and singular persons, but the opinion of all men, when they are most impartiall and serious. Observe 1. The wisest men that have been in the world, & among them. 2. Instances out of Scripture.

1. The one Nu. 23. 9, 10. The most knowing man in the East, Balaa • the Prophet, so much courted by Balak the Prince, reckoned the same in Mesopotamia, that Trismegistu • was in Egypt, or Zoroaster in Persia • who against his own interest the • and his opinion, with that whol • Countries at all times from th • high place wherein he was to de • fie all the religion that was the • in • the world to please Bala • owned it, though he displease • him, and he took up this pa • rable and said Balak the Kin • of M • ab hath brought me fro • 〈◊〉 out of the Mountains of th • East, saying, curse me Jacob, an • come defie Israel: how shall I curse whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defie whom the Lord hath not defied: For from the top of the Rocks I see him; who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? let me dye the death of the righteous, and my last end be like his. 2. The second 1 Kings 4. 29. • o 34. The most knowing man in • he world, Solomon, to whom God gave wisdom and understanding • xceeding much, and largeness of • eart, even as the sand that is on • he Sea • shore. And Solomons wis • om excelled the wisdom of all the • hildren of the East-countrey, and • ll the wisdom of Egypt, for he was • iser than all men; than Ethan the • zrahite, and Heman, and Chal • ol, and Darda the Son of Mahol, • nd his fame was in all Nations • ound about, and he spake three thousand Proverbs, and his songs were a thousand and five; and he spake of the Trees from the Cedar Trees that are in Lebanon • even to the Hysop that springeth ou • of the wall; he spake also of fowle •• of beasts, of creeping things, and o • fi • hes. And there came of all Pe •• ple of the earth to hear the wisdo • of Solomon, from all the Kings o • the earth which had heard of h •• wisdom. Who being the most e •• perienced for enquiry, the mo •• wise for contrivance, the mo •• wealthy for compassing all the s •• tisfaction that can be had in t •• things of this world, after man • years sifting (for saith he in Eccl •• that his Book of repentance, Cha •• 2. vers. 1. I said in my heart, g • to now, I will prove thee wi • myrth, therefore injoy pleasur • therefore Chap. 1. vers. 17. gave my heart to know wisdo • and to know madness and folly • • hat there was in Learning, Ho •• our, Pleasure, Peace, Plenty mag • ificent, entertainments, For • eign supplies, Royal visits, Noble • onfederacies, variety and abun • ance of sumptuous provisions, & • elicate Dyet,1 King 4. 91. 10. stately • difices, and rich Vine • ards, Orchards, Fish-ponds, and • oods, numerous attendants, vast • reasures, of which he had the • ost free, undisturbed, and una • ted enjoyment, for he saith, he •• th-held not his heart from any •• y: after several years, not only ••• suall, but Critical fruition, to •• d out as he saith, that good •• ich God hath given men under •• e Sun, after he had tortured Na •• re to extract the most exquisite •• irits, and pure quintescence, •• ich the varieties of the Crea ••• e, the all that is in the world, •• e lust of the •• esh, the lust of the •• e, and the pride of Life, at last pronounceth them all vanity, and vexation of Spirit, and leaves thi • instruction behind, for late Poste • rities, Let us hear the conclusio • of the whole matter, fear God an • keep his commandements, Fo • this is the whole duty of man; fo • God will bring every work in • judgement, with every secret thin • whether it be good, or whether it evil, Eccles. 12. 13, 14. Is it n •• cheaper believing this, than 〈◊〉 loose a brave Life, wherein a m •• cannot erre twice in the sad trya • and at last with tears and groa • own this conclusion?

II. These following out such other records as we ha •• next the Scripture; waving the u •• certain Cabala, and the Fabul • Talmud of the Jews, who bring men seriously to confess at 〈◊〉 that it had been their interest be good at first. In the famo •• words of the wise Son of Sira •• 〈◊〉 man who profited in the Jewish • earning above his fellows, Wisd. 5. • , 5, 6, 7. We fools counted their •• fe madness, and their end to be • ithout honour; how are they • umbred among the children of • od, and their lot among the • aints? We wearied our selves in the way of wickedness and destruction? What hath pride profited us, or what good hath riches with our vaunting brought us; all these are past away as the shadow, and as a post that hasteth by, but the Souls of the righteous are in the hand of God; in the sight of the unwise they seem to dye; and their departure is taken for misery, and their going from us to be utter destruction, but they are in Peace: for though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality, and having been a little chasti • ed, they are greatly rewarded • • or God proved them and found them worthy of him self. I say these following exam • ples, we will take out of the •• Histories, viz.

1. The Phenician history 〈◊〉 Sanconiathon, as it is translated b • Philo-biblius, and quoted by Po • phyry, Hist. Phaen. p. 112. where Mast •• Kircher out of Ierub • a •• the Priest of the God Ia • , that Iehovah, and other publick r •• cords and inscriptions, speaking 〈◊〉 the religious end of the wise m •• of those times, brings in two d ••• coursing to this effect.

Quest. Is there another wo •• or state?

Answ. I am willing there shou • not, but I am not sure there not.

Quest. Why, are you willi •• there should not?

Answ. Because I have not liv • in this state, so well as to have hope to be happy in another.

Quest. Rememb. the end, and thou shalt never do amiss. Ecclus. What a madness was it in you when your reason dictated to • ou, that there might be • nother world, to live as if you had • een sure there were none.

Answ. If men could look to their • eginning or ending, they would • ever fail in the middle.

Quest. Then it is the safest way • o be good.

Answ. It can do no harme, it • ay do good.

2. The supposed Egyptian writers, • uch as, first, Hermes Trismegistus, • ho in his old age is brought in • ith a serious Dialogue of Religi •• , to make amende for the vain •• eces of history he had writ in his • outh, and among many other •• ings, Mantho pretends to, from 〈◊〉 inscriptions, this is very consi ••••• le.

1. That there was some great reason, not yet well understood why men enjoyed their pleasure • with fear; why most mens deat • is a repentance of life; why n • man is contented in this life; wh • men have infinite wishes, and wh •• ther those that dream when the • are asleep, shall not live when the • are dead.

3. The Caldeans, such as Zor • aster and the Zabij, by the visibl • things that are seen, the Sun, th • Moon, the Stars, (which as Ma •• monides speaks of them, we •• their books) saw so much into t •• invisible things of God, his wi •• dom and power, that their o •• men, as Kircher speaks somewher • durst not dye before they h •• been by sacrifices reconciled 〈◊〉 him by whom they lived.

4. And besides that Tertullia • l. de. Prescript. Cont. H • r. I. Mart • Apol. II • Clem. Alex. Strom. 5. •• f • Prep. Evan. 10. of old, and Vossius de orig. Idol. Grotius de verit. Christ. Rel. Bochart Geog. Sacra of late have taught us, that the fables of the Greek Heathenism, are but the depraved and corrupted truth of Jewish Religion; there is not an eminent man among the Grecians that dyes a heathen or an infidel, though he lived so. Heraclides, Ponticus, Antisthenes, Democritus, and his Schollar Pithagoras, a little before their deaths writ books, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 about them that lived in the invisible state, which they profess they thought not of in their lives.

1. Socrates, whom we set here now, as the Oracle placed him formerly, by himself, reckoned therefore the wisest man of his time,Diog. Laert. p. 42. Ed. Rom. Zan. because he brought Phylosophy from the obscure and uncertain Speculations of nature to useful conderations of vertue; in all hi • discourses recommended goodness,Plutarch. as the trues • wisdom; although he confesse • 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. that h • had no perfect knowledge of thos • who were in the invisible state yet among other great di • course he made between his condemna • tion and death, (collected by Plat • in his Phaedone, that is, a discours • of the immortality of the soul, an • Apology for Socrates p. 31. Edi •• Franc.) This was very consid •• rable, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. certainly saith he, death mu •• be one of these two, either a bein • utterly insensible, or a passag • into some other place. If th • first, then it is a pleasant rest, lik • an undisturb'd sleep; but dying Souls go into other h •• bitations as its certain they wi •• then I shall go from before the • Judges to higher, and there co •• verse with Orpheus, Musaeus, Hesiod, Homer; how often would I have died to see how they liv •• how pleasantly shall I dwell with Palamedes and Ajax equal in the injoyments of another World; as we have been in the injuries of this • both happie in that we shall be everlastingly so. Death differeth nothing from life; and he may be sure to live well that lived iustly, approving himself not to giddy men, but to that one wise God who is truth (his choice words are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 concluding his life with these expressions (after he had been accused for being one who did 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 too curi • usly enquire into the state of things above the Heavens & • elow the earth,Apol. 2. p. 8. Clem. Alex. Strom. 6. • az de patre orat. 28. and for bearing to the truth of one God; (for which Iustin Martyr and other • thought him • Christian before Christ, and • a partaker of our faith because he act • d according to his own reason) It is time for me to goe and die, and you to live 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which is best, Plut. Apol. Soc. 31. is known to God.

2. Xenophon who in his life time did nothing without Socrates advise was at his death of his opinion • for after several years spent in Cyrus his Court and Camp and reflecting on the manly pleasures, as Hunting, Riding, &c. which he practised as well as writ of, he left this • Memento among his friends, that in the midst of his delights he had this grief,Gen. Bib. p. 564. that he doubted the •• was no place for these dive • tisements in the upper world, and that wise Souls should begin • betimes those exercises which shall last ever,Caus. de • l. l. • . c. 35. exercises pure and eternal as spirits, words to be as much esteemed by us as his Cyropaedia was by Scipio Affricanus; the graces as appears by these sentences dwelling in his mouth as they said the Muses did.

3. Eschines a fluent and stately Orator (Quint. Inst. 10. c. 1.) being questioned for dispersing Socrates his books,Deg. where me • h. Leg. Hist. Pho. Bibl. p. 1463. made Socrates his answer, that he was not afraid to dye for scattering instructions among men to teach them to live, Being ashamed of nothing more than that he advised Socrates to fly, when no man should be afraid to dye but he that might be ashamed to live; adding that life was a thing which none almost understood but those that were ready • o leave it.

4. Thales the first of the seven wise men, before whom none taught • he motions of the Heavens so clearly, saith Eudemus, and none proved the immortality of the soul so evidently,Dio • . La •• . p. c. saith Chaerilus though he shewed by his foresight of a dear year, and the provision he brought in against it, that a Philosopher might be rich; yet he convinced men by his foresight of another world, that they need not, blessing God that he was a knowing Grecian, not an ignorant Barbarian, and a rational man, not a beast; he professed at his death that he had studied all his life for the ancientest thing in the world, and he found it was God; What was the most lasting thing about him, and it was his Soul? What wa • best, and he found it was tha • which was eternal; what was hardest, and he found it was to know himself; What was wisest, he found it was time; and as the Epitaph saith of him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. The Stars which for age he could not see on the earth, he was taken up nearer to see them in Heaven.

5. Solon having done the greatest services to, and received the greatest injuries from his native Country,Plut. Apoth. said that man had the hardest measure of any Creature, if he lived but three-score; & admonished Craesus swimming in the greatest affluence of enjoyments and pleasures imagi • able, that he should not be happy • ill he ceased to be, who esteemed • is words as little as he under •• ood them, till deprived of all • hings, but his reason • and conside • ation, he cryed, O Solon, Solon, thou •• rt in the right.

6. Chilon trusted in the sixty fifth Olympiad with the extraordinary power of Ephorus, or Lord High Constable in Sparta, and so jovial a man, that I think he dyed with excessive joy, being asked what the difference was between the learned, and the unlearned, at last? Answered ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) good hope,— 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. He being of opinion that a fore-sight of things to come, was all a mans vertue for the present; and that an honest loss was to be preferred before a dishonest gain, for this reason, because the sadness that followeth the first, is but for once; but that which followeth the other perpetual: to which I may add Pittacus his sentence much used by him, who being demanded what was the best thing in the world, replyed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 • to perform well a man • present duty; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Know thy opportunity, being his Apoththegm.

7. Bias, (who going with some wicked men that prayed in a storm, intreated them to be silent least the gods should hear them; and being asked by one of them, what that piety he talked of meant, he held his peace, saying, it was to no purpose to speak to a man of those things that he never purposed to practise) bequeathed this instruction to those tha • survived him ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) that we should measure life, so as • f we were to live a very little, • nd a very great while; from which principle his friend Clebu •• s on his death bed inferred this • onclusion,

Athen deip. 106.

Agel. 26.

Hesych. voce • Perian.

Ex • Her • Pont. l. de. Prince.

that those •• en only lived to any • urpose, who did 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. overcome • leasure, make vertue •• mil • ar, and vice a stranger; the great rule of life, being as he • said 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and the great work of it medi • ation, according to that of hi • contemporary P • riander (who hated pleasures which were not immortal) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Meditation is all.

Plut. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 • 8. Anacharsis the • e • thian to de • er young men from tasting pleasures, by the ill effects of them he felt, when old, •• me • He • . Subse • . left this saying behind him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. that the vin • bore three branches, or clusters • on the first • whereof grew pleasure, on the second sottishness, on the third sadness: yea Pherecides himself, otherwise no very seriou • man, hearing one saying, that he had lived well, answered 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 I wish you may dye well; an • being asked, why he said so, be ca ••• e, returned he, we Live to Dy • and Dye to Live.

9. Those Ionick Philosophers the hearers of Thales (who as Diod. sic. l. 1. affirmeth, went into AEgypt and the other knowing parts of the world, to be acquainted with all the Learning and Laws then in being, conveighed by a genuine Cabbala and tradition from the Founders of mankind) among other useful considerations that they had at the close of their lives (when as Ar aeus affirmeth in Hie ron • Mercurialis his Variae lectiones, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. Those that are sick at heart have their senses more quick, their thoughts more free, their minds more enlightned, their hearts more pure, their reason better settled, their imaginations more divine) these were most remarkable 1. Anaxi • anders saying on his death bed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that infinity he found, after much study, was the beginn • ng of all things, and thence concluding it must be the end, wishing when he had studied the Sphere much, that he might dwell in it, and comforting himself when he saw time passing away on the Dyall he made (for he was thought the first inventor of Dialls) that he was born for eternity. 2. his Scholar Anaximenes being asked how he could study confin'd to a Prison and expecting death, answered that his soul was not confined, having as large a walk as the heavens he studied, nor frighted, having as great a hope as immortality which he looked for.

3. His hearer Anaxagoras (as I have it from simplic: his comment upon Aristotle, Cicero's Tuscalan • 1. Et Nat. Deor.) who firs • (to use Aristotles words l. 8 • 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) observed tha • there was an eternal mind movin • the material world, whence h • himself was called Mind, being seriously expostulated with for retyring as he did a little before his death, and neglecting the care of his Country rejoyed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 I have now the greatest care of all of my Country, pointing at Heaven, of which he said to one that was sorry he must dye in a forraign Country, you may go from any place to Heaven; and being demanded when he was dying, what he was born for, he answered, to contemplate the Sun, the Moon, and Heaven while I live, and to dwell • here when I am dead;Diog. La • r. 4. at the thoughts of which he was so raised that when he was informed in one hour • hat he himself was condemned • nd his • on dead, he said no more him, 1. That Nature had con • emned his judges. 2. And that 〈◊〉 knew when he begot his son that he had begotten one that should dye. And when he was to dye he required of the Citizens (who desired to know what he would have them do for him) that the boyes should play every year on the day of his death.

4. The Droll & great actor Aristippus, who for his flattery & luxury was called the Kings dog, being asked before his death what wa • the difference between; a Philosopher, and another man, answered, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. though ther were no Laws, we should live a • we do;Idem. Ibid. and another tim • he said it was a brave thing to use no pleasures at all, but to overcome them: as when in a discourse about Socrates his way o • dying, he said that that man dye • as he desired; and that it woul • never be well in the world unti • • oys learned those things whic • they were to use when men, an • men learned those things which they were to practise when happy, in the attainment of the end of good men, which he said was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 i. e. (if I understand him right, though with the help of Cicero's translation. Tusc. quaest. l. 1.) A sweet motion towards an immutable fruition. Athen. 13. c. 28. 5. 5. Nay mad Theod. himself, wh • writ no contemptible books, if we may believe the above cited Author, against the gods, and a while believed himself a God, yet at last comes to this conclusion, viz. That the end of good men was joy, & of bad men sorrow, the first the effect of prudence, and the other of folly. And that most solid man Euclid. of Megara, who reduced Phyloso • hy from loose discourses, to • lose and cohaerent reasonings, • itched after much enquiry up • n this conclusion, which is to be • een in Tully Arcad. Quest. l. 2. That there was but one good, which some called Prudence, others Mind, others • od; see Ramus his Pref. to Schol. Math • G. Neander Geog. p. 1. Blan • Disert. de Nat. Math. Sa • il. Lect. 1. Eucl. Not to mention a discourse to the same purpose which may be seen at large in his contemporary Cebes, to whom of th • Socratiques I shall adde onely Menedemus, who being told on hi • death bed that he was a happ • man that attained to what h • design'd, answered, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that he was happi • who desired not more than he ough • which puts me in mind of an o • servation (much to our purpos •• which those which will hard •• beleive should seriously conside • gathered by Dr. M. Cas • ab. En • p. 60. out of the Author of t •• History of the Counsel of Tre •• Solenne in Confinio mortir positis • humanas ex ignota quadam & sup •• naturali causâ fastidere, that it is an usual thing for men however ensnared in the world all their lives, at their deaths to loath the things of it, from an unknown and supernatural cause, meaning no doubt depth of prudence and height of religion.

10. The founder of the Academy Plato, who was surnamed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ,vid. Plat. Timaeu. Plut. l. 8. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Aug. 8. • . D. c. 11. c • rsigon. de temp. Ather. Xen. l. 3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Pha vor. l. 1. comment. Plato died crying 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . though the accutest and smoothest writer of his time himself (Quint. inst. orat. l. 10. c. 1.) yet when sick was more taken with this plain verse of Epicharmus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. The Gods alwayes were, and alwayes will be, their being never beginning and never ceasing, than with all his own composition; of all which, he • poke of none with • ver after, th •• he could not get 〈…〉 • ho • ght (that he should 〈…〉 a beast, and wa • 〈…〉 • e should have 〈…〉 longer to live a man) 〈◊〉 of his mind; wherefore Crate • 〈◊〉 away all his estate that he 〈…〉 Philosopher, and make 〈…〉 use of his life, which 〈◊〉 said was no other than a contemplation of death: And Cranto • ga • e himself so much to the stu • dy • of good and evil with thei • co • sequence, that his book of tha • subiect bequeathed by him t • po •• erity, is by Cicero and Panaeti • us • Master or Friend to Tubero • •• lled non magnus, at aureolus 〈◊〉 • ui ad verbum, ediscendus. A • •• e reading of which Carneade (who disputed many years again •• the motion of good and evil and Che • ilaus, (who prote • ted h • knew for many yeares nothin • that was good, but what w •• pleasant; and nothing that was evil, but what was unpleasant) both durst not die sober without a great draught of Wine, because they said no voluptuous man could goe in his wits to an invisible state. And to mention no more Platonists: Athen. l. 13. c. 23. • ion, a Cynech indeed rather than an Academick. • aid, that the torments of evil men in the other life were greater than any man imagined in • his, and though he had defied • he Gods a while, deriding • heir worshippers and never • ouchsafing to look into their Temples, yet when he fell sick he • ormented his body with exquisite • enance, as thorns, thonges, &c, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 • hat he might repent of what • e had done against the Gods, • hose Altars he filled, when dy • g, with sacrifices, and their eares with petitions and confessions ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) Laerti •• feared in vain • then wise when he was just r •• dy to say. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 good morrow P • utus.

11. Aristotle, when he came to the end of his walk and life, (however he was for the eternity of the world, thinking it inconceivable that things should be any otherwise than they are;Elian l. 2 • va. Hist. c. 9. • l. 1 • Curt. l. • and that there can be no production but in a ordinary way of ou • generation, measuring the origin • of the world by the present stat • of it) thought God was a separate • being, the cause o • all motion, 〈◊〉 Phy. l. 8. himse •• one • immoveable an • therfore onely eternal, that ther • was a providence which Craca •• thorp proves at the sam • time that the book Mundo is his,Providen • iā E • a •• . ep. l • 28. ep. mono Ludov vives de Caus. Corr • pt. vid. Arist. Dorj. Evesta. p. 111, and with • that reason which he reduced into the exactest method and rules of any man, he could not pitch upon a greater comfort in a dying hour, than that of Ens entium • mei miserere, thou being of beings, have mercy upon me. Yea Ocellus Lucanus himself (to whose book 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Aristotle was so much beholding, though he acknowledges not by whom he profited,) saith that though he could not see how the world had a beginning, yet could not he dye without fear and reverence of one by whom all things had a beginning.

2. His Schollar Theoph • a stus, in Laertius, Suidas in voci Theophrastus, Athen 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 vid. Causab. in Theoph. Char Proleg. having bewailed the expence of time, gave this reason for it, viz. That we are so foolishly senual, that we begin not to live, untill we begin to dye. Cicero, who called him alwayes his delight, in his Tusc. quest. l. 4. saith, that Theophrastus dying complained of nature, that it gave long life to creatures whom it little concerned to be long-lived, and so short a life to men, who are so much concerned, weeping that he no sooner saw this by much study and experience, but he must dye, saying, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 That the vanity of life was more than the profit of it; I have no time to consider what I should do • • speaking to those that were about him at his death) you have— which words, stuck so close to hi • Schollar and successor Strato • that he studied himself to a Skel •• ton about the nature o • spirits,Dequil • accu • i •• me scriptsit. the glory •• heaven, the chief goo • and the blessed life, which be • cause he could not comprehen • he desired it should comprehend him. Cic. in Lucullus Plut. lib. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Euseb. in Chron.) and to his successor Lycon, who said on his death bed, that it was the most foolish thing in the world to repent, and wish for,Videt Athens l. 12. c. 270. 171. as most men do, that time which cannot be recalled; to whom I may adde out of Cael. Rhodiginus, l. 29. c. 5. Demetrius, who said, that when he was a child at home, he reverenced his Parents;Vid. I har. var. his • . 12. c. 43. when a man abroad, the people and the Magistrates; and when an old man and retired, himself: which advise being followed by Heraclide • , when he felt himself sick put him upon writing his books of the Heavens, of those who are in hell, of temperance, piety, and the chief good.

12. Among the Cynicks, 1. Antisthc • e • , who though in jest • he bid the man who was discoursing of the happy 〈◊〉 of then in another • world, dye him • elf, yet afterward he used to assert 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈◊〉 he had rather be punished • with madnes • than enjoy pleasure, adding, when sick, this •••• ence 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ,Laertius 130. that those who would be hereafter immortal, must be here godly and just.

2. Diogenes grounded all his Cynical and an • tere re • gards of this world up • on this pleasant con • templation 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. that all thing • were the gods;Vid. Vocebus ••••• sthenes, 〈…〉 et • •• ian var • hist. • . 10. c. 〈◊〉 Diogenes 〈…〉 . l. 6. 〈◊〉 6. 147 • &c. an • that wise • men we • the gods friends, and therefor • that all things belonged to wi •• and good men, whom he though the image of the Gods. To a ma • on a sick • ed complaining th • life was a sad thing, he answered, Yes a bad one is so, because it is but a tampering of the body, when it should be the exercise of the mind, which he inculcated so much to his Auditors, that his disciple Monimus counterfeited himself mad, that he might be at Liberty from his master, to study truth and vertue (abhorring luxury and drunkenness, as madness indeed.) with Crates, who comforted a mocked but good man with these words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. those that make themselves so merry with thee, thou shalt see one day sadly calling thee, the blessed man for thy vertue, and themselves wretched for their sloath, thou being one of those good men who want few things, because they are like the gods that want nothing •

Indeed Religion had such a power over these Cynicks, that one of them by name Menedemus, as Laertius calleth him, and Menippus as Snid • s (in verbo 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) out of a zeal against the looseness of his time, walked up and down in the habit of a fury, declaring himself a spectator of mens exorbitances on earth, sent on purpose to be a witness against them in hell.

13. The Stoicks among whom Zeno was looked upon as the chieftain, • uid. in vo • . • estrot came after a world of reasonings (which you will find in • ully, Seneca, Autoninus, Lipsi • s, • lutarch, de com. notion. ad stoicos de placitis Phil. Epictetus, Hiero • le • ) and subtlety (which you may observe in Diog. Laertius his Zeno, l. 7. p. 185. & ed. Rom.) To these great conclusions, 1. That the great end of ma • was to have the pleasure of living according to right reason, th • daughter of Jove, the great mode • rator of all things, to whose will it is good mens pleasure and all mens necessity to submit. 2. That vertue is the regulating of passions and affections, by reason: for indeed I think the Stoicks did no more aim at the destruction of natural affections, by their discourses of apathy, than Saint Paul, Lumb. to l. 3. dist. 15. Aq. p. 3. q. 15. art. 4. Lad l. 6. c. 14. by his exhortation, to mortifie the flesh with the affections and lust, both aiming at the reducing of the disorder, and the raising of the nature of our faculties, that the wisdom of vertue should so compose and consolidate the mind, and settle it in such stability and resolution, that it should not at all be bended from the right, by any sensitive perturbations or impul • ions. 3. That the consequence of goodness, was calmness and serenity; and of evil, fear, bondage, grief,Aul. C. l. 19. c. 1. Cic. Tu • . 4. l. 4. Sen. ep. 85. de. • ra • l. 9. c. Cic. de • in. l. 4. Aq. 22. de q. 24. Art. 2. 3. Clem. Alex. Padag 2. 13. L • ert. Zeno l. 7. stupidity. 4. That that was only good, which was honest, desirable for it self, satisfactory, and lasting. • . That nothing base was truly pleasant. 6. That all disorders of the soul proceed from misapprehensions of the understanding, and con • inue by disturbing and clouding ••• son, which they say is in them, 〈◊〉 of God, whom it represent •• , they say, so as he is wicked, 〈◊〉 dares displease him, and he a mad man that dares doubt of him • 7. That the good man is free and happy in the worst condition,Vi • . Phi •• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and the bad a slave in the best; vertue being sufficient in it self to render happy, and vice so to make men miserable, and that all things are unalterably ordered by the eternal mind: In testimony whereof a man need only goe over the several Titles of Chrysippus his sober and good books mentioned by Laertius in his ninth book, which I will not transcribe, ne Chrysippi, Sarinia compilâsse videar, being contented with that of Horace concerning Homer and himself, Quid sit pulchrum, quid turpe, quid utile, quid non Plenius & melius Chrysippo aut Grantore dicit.

14. Pythagoras, (who traveld into Egypt for learning; and if we beleive Origen. Clem. of Alex. Porph. and others to be seen in Seldons book de jur. Nat. el. gentium apud Hebraeos. l. 1. c. 2. converse with the Iews in Chaldea, yea, and if we listen to Vossius, c. 6. §. 5. de sectis Philosoph. with Elisha •• n: Mount Carmel.) Summed up • is observation into this con • lusion.

1. That there were two principles of all things 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. An active and a forming principle,Vid. Jamb. Sect. Pyth. comment. S • mp. ut et. •• rianin epict. • alch. vit. Pythag. aldro ••• d •• 9. de lib. D. Laert. which is the Mind or God by all to be worshipped.

2. The other 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. the passive principle, which was not to be regarded. 2. That he himself came from the infernal Mansions some yeares past, and must return (see Horace Carm. l. • . od. de Architâ Tarenti • o. 3. That he had found one to be the beginning and end o • all things, which he said were man aged by fate as men we •• by providence. 4. That ther • should be a separation of Souls, their pure immortal Souls being carried up to the highest feat • and the impure to the lowest i • the World, never t • approach the other,La • r. 2. p. 21. Herod. Tha • . c. 44. Plin. l. 17. c. 5. l. 27. l. 24. c 17. Arsen. in po. Aphth. Hier. Apol. ad Rus. Herod. Euberpe Gregor. Gyrald. de Pythas. simb. Hier. in quest. ad Hebidiam. A. Gell. l. 3. c. 11. Luc. Dial. Plut. de Placitis. Plut. al • wayes to be tormented with furies and chains, among themselves; and and Plutarch brings in Pythagoras asserting the immortality of the Soul, and giving this quaint reason for it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , because it must return to the Soul of the World as to first and most perfect of its kind.

5. That the greatest good or evil amongst men, was opinion or perswasion. Empedo cles one of his followers, hearing a discourse of the immortality of the Soul, • n his old age threw himself into • he flames of AEtna to injoy it. S • idas in voce 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ep. de 〈◊〉 poet.)

15. When Heraclitus •• d all his lifetime wept • t the folly of makind,Suidas Plin. c. 19. he was at last asked this question, wherein consisted true wisdom? to which he gave this answer, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that it was the only wisdom in the World to know that mind that governed all things and (to use his friend Xenophon's wordes, Laer. p. 24. 1.) is all eye,Vid. Sta. • el. & sont. Gr. el. Lat. and all ear, all things at once, Omniscient, Omnipotent and Eternal; and as Melissus thought (in Simplic. his Comment on the first of Aristotl •• Physick) not to be rashly spoken of, because not fully known.

16. And when Democritus had all his life time laughed at the folly of mankind, he at last stated the happiness of man, to lye in th • se • enity of the mind; and bein • to dye, he prolonged his life b • many applications for three days that he might live to pay h •• d •• votion to the great goddess, an • depart upon her solemnity: Ye • when he and Epicurus loathing the absurd notions men had by poetry, &c. Entertained of the heathen Gods, (for they with Dyonisius, Diagoras, Theodorus, and others, then called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Atheists, got that name rather by jeering the ridiculous Polutheism of those times than by denying that Religion which is supported by the consent of all times) set their Philosophical wits on work to salve the appearances of nature, without the true God, by asserting the beginning of the world, from a lucky conflu • nce of infinite little particles, called Atomes, and that so confidently that Lucretius, who put those Atomes into the best order, and •• n • est poem of any I know, in hi • shrew'd book de natur a rerum (but be it remembred, that that great and witty Epicurean lived and dyed a mad man, (and I think with Mirandula, there is no Aheist in the world in his wits) Ge • eh. Chron. l. 2. Pet. Crinit. de Poeti • latinis, l. 2. c. 19.) affirms Epicu • rus to be the first Gyant that tollere contrà est oculos ausus, tha • d • rst encounter, and did overthrow that notion of the Gods, that had for so many years opp •• ssed, a • d kept under the free t • oughts of men; Yet Catta in Cic. d • •• t. deorum l. 1. c. 86. report that they were so far from gainin • their beloved ease, pleasure, & th • carnal security of the beast whic • perisheth • that never was a School b • y more afraid of a r • d than on • of them, Epicurus by name was o • the thoughts of a God and Deat • •• c quenquam vidi, (they are C • tta • • ords) • ui magis ea quae ti • en •• • sse • egaret, timeret, mort •• di • & deos. So hard it is (saith Maste • S • illing fleet upon these words, e •• cellently, as he doth in all his di •• course • (whose life God long pr •• serve for the good and service of his Church) for an Epicurean, even after he hath prostituted his conscience, to silence, it but (whatever there be in the air) there is an elastical power in the conscience, that will bear its self up notwithstanding the weight that is laid upon it. Yea Epicurus his followers confess that it is to no purpose to endeavour the • ooting out wholly of the beleif of • deity out of the World, because of the unanimous co • sent of the World in it; and there he admits • his as a principle quod in omni •• animis deorum notionem im • resset ipsa Natura, that Nature • ts self had stamped an Idea upon • h • minds of men, and that up • n this ground, cum enim non in • tituto aliquo, aut more, aut lege • it opino constituta, manet at que • na omnium consensio, intelligi • ecesse est Deos esse, quoniam insitas eorum • vel potuis in nata • cogitationes habemus; de quo au • em omnium natura consentit id verum esse necesse est; i. e. (The • are an Epic • reans own words) Since the belief of a deity neithe • rose from Custome, nor was enacted by Law, yet is unanimously assented to by all mankind, i • necessarily followeth, that there must be a deity, because the Ide • of it is so natural to us, that thoug • it be very troublesome to man • men, yet could it be laid aside b • none as it might, if there had be • no God. For as the stoicks urg • very well, if there were no Go • considering the wishes of som • and the abilities of others, 〈◊〉 overthrow such a false notio • non tam stabilis opinio permaner • nec confirmaretur diuturnita • temporis, nec una cum seculis aet a •• bu • que hominum inveterare potuiss •• •• e. Nat. deor. l. 2. vid. Gass •• Tom. 2. l. 3.

17. Although Protagoras the Sceptick begins his book of the gods in this doubtful manner 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c.Luer. 150. and 153. As for the gods, I know not whether they be or be not; yet he and Pyrrhon the Master of the Scepticks being asked why they walked alone so much? answered, that it was to meditate how they might be good; and being urged again, what necessity there was of being good, since it was not certain • hat there was a God? they used • o reply, it cannot be certain • here is not, and it being an even • ay between the serious and good, • nd the vain and bad man, that • here is a God, though upon wo • ull odds, the good man hazzard • ng only the loss of his lusts (which • t is his interest to be without) or • t furthest, some little advantage, • eing in this world at more rest • nd inward serenity, more healthfull, re • pected, befriended, secure and free; and in the other, if there be not a God, as happy as the bad • but if there be,Dr. Till • s • on, &c. A man born to adde Perspicuity to the strength of Religion. infinitely as much happier, as an unspeak • able and eternal blessedness is beyond extream and endles • Torments.

So that (as an excellent perso • saith) if the Arguments for an • against a God were equal, and 〈◊〉 were an even Question whethe • there were one or not; yet th • hazzard and danger is so infinite • ly unequal, that in point of pru • dence every man is bound to stic • to the safest side of the Questio • • nd make that his Hypothesis 〈◊〉 to live by. For he that acts wis •• ly, and is a thorowly-prude • man, will be provided in omne • •••• tum, and will take care to s •• cure the main chance, whatev •• happeneth: But the Atheist, in case things should fall out contrary to his belief and expectation, he hath made no provision in this case. If, contrary to his confidence, it should prove in the issue that there is a God, the man is lost and undone for ever. If the Atheist, when he dyeth, finds that his soul hath only quitted its lodging, and remains after the body; • hat a sad surprise will it be, to find • imself among a world of spirits • ntred on an everlasting and an • nchangeable state!

Yea, Pyrrhon himself would • ften repeat that of Euripides, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. who knoweth • ut to dye is to live, and to live • s to dye? and therefore Epicurus • imself in his letter to Meneceus, • aith, he observeth him a fool who • s vain at death, wherein because of • he consequence ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , • aith he) there is no jesting, it being 〈◊〉 infinite concernment to be serious; in fine, it appears from 〈◊〉 , Berg •• ius, Theol • gen • ium • •• ym. de s • bud. Theol. Nat • 〈◊〉 , E • gusb. Perenni. Philos. and others, that all the learned men in the world found, as Ci •• d • Nat. deor. l. 1. et de leg. 2. that th •• notion of God and Religion i • the first notion that is engraven in • and the last that is defaced out o • the minds of men; and that, tak • away the being and providence 〈◊〉 God • out of the World, you take •• way all reason, faith, vertue, peac • y • a & humane society; yea all men though never so barbarous an • 〈◊〉 , have been Religious; an • though they had neither Art • nor Laws, nor Letters, yet h •• Gods. See Benzon Hist. de • occi • Indi a Acostas, both Eman. an • Ioseph Hist. No • . orbis Chr. Aco •• ep • de Reb. Ind. So authentic • Tu •• quest: is that of Tully, nulla ge •• tam barbara, nemo omnium est tam immanis, cujus mentem non imbuerit deorum opinio, multi de dijs pravà sentiunt, id enim vitioso more effici solet omnes tamen esse vim & naturam divinam arbitrantur. Nec vero id collocutio hominum aut consensus efficit, non institutis opinio est con • irmata, non logibus; omni autem re consens • o omnium gentium lex naturae pu • anda est; and elsewhere, Gentes licet qualem deum haberent ignorant, tamen habendum sciunt. There is no Nation so Barbarous, that hath not some sense of a deity, many have odd imaginations of • he diety from ill habits, but all • ind there is a Divine power, by • ure reason, &c. Thinking it un • easonable, as the same Heathen • oeth on, that all m • n should be • ieve there is a mind and reason • n themselves, and none in the • orld, and that there should be such a glorious order of things, and none to be reverenced for it; See Iust. in serm. ad Gent. quoting Orpheus, the Sybils, Sophocles, Hom. &c. to this very purpose. So that we see there was never any man, that to enjoy his pleasures stifled his Religion, but at last after thoughts of Religion, stifled his pleasures, this being one argument of the Divinity of the Soul which is another argument of the being of God, that it can and doth correct sooner or later, loose mens imaginations concerning this world, and the next; And that reason doth at last form apprehen • ions of things quite different from those conveighed at first by sense. But how can any man live securely upon the principles of Atheism • when those commonly thought Athiests, as Heraclides, Ponticus, Antisthenes, Democritus, Protagoras, &c. have written books 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ,use. Chron. con. Possev. Bibl. of those in the invisible state; nay the punishments which wicked men must look for in another World, though never so secure, and the rewards good men may expect, though never so much discouraged, were so inwoven into the first thoughts of men, and looked upon as of so great concernment to common life, and society, that the Jews who have kept the tradition of religion the best of • ny, doe say that Heaven and Hell were one of the seaven things created before the World. See Talmud. Tract. Nedarim. & Pesae • him & Pirt. R. Eleas. c. 3. Chalde-Paraph. in Gen. 2. and the knowledge of the eternal in the other World was of so much • onsequence that Eris and Pam • hylus, are by Plato Rep. Antillus, and Timarchus Thespesius by Plutarch de sera dei vindicta,

Val. max. l. p. 8. Massom.

Scip. vid. Euseb. pepar. evang. l. 11. c. c. 35. 36.

Hesich. de Philos.

Aristaeus in Herodotus in Melpomene. The Woman in Heraclides his Noble Book 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as Pliny calleth it, Hist. Nat. 7. c. 52. all grave Authors, not to mention instances of the like nature in their Poets, Orpheus, whom Homer, Plato, See Virgil. AEnead. 6. as little as he loved them, called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) are brought in coming from the dead to declare their state there, which they would not beleive while they were living; it seems as most men when dying endeavour • so all, when dead, would return if they might to perswade those to be religious that are alive. And the words of the rich man in the 16th of St. Luke (I pray thee therefore that thou would send him to my Fathers house, For I have five brethren, that he may testifie unto them, and they come not to this condemnation,) are not the words of any one man, but the words of all men in the eternal State, who could wish men did beleive what they feel, which if they had beleived they had not felt, and that when they are gathered to their Fathers, they are gathered to a future state 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ,the words sheol and Hades have • ignified an invsible state since they were wordes, Broughton as Procopius interprets that phrase, Mundum Animarum, the World of Soules, as the Iews ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) nay where Religion hath been much corrupted people have been affraid to speak or doe any unhansom thing near the dead before they were buried, because they thought their Souls fluttred about the bodies till they were laid in their graves, and would tell all they saw or heard as soon as they came into the invisible state, (Bar. Nachomi in Beresheth. Rabb. c. 22. Talm. sandedrin c. 4. & misdrain. de anim. Nadab, Abihu, Naboth Homer • Il.

A late learned man of our own observing a new notion of She • in Maimonides, Dr. I. W. D. Dub. l • 2. (of which he saith we had ha • a greater account, if learning ha • not lost 12000. excellent Jewi • books at Cremona and othe • parts of Italy) hath this remar •• able passage out of R. Sam. Eb •• Tibbor, an old man dying said 〈◊〉 those about him, that he had be •• asleep all his life, and that he w •• now awake, and there was 〈◊〉 sloath, ease and folly, but in th • world; whose words the Auth •• concludeth in these words, • 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. but • you throughly weigh these thing and what did he see when awaked? even an eternal state, of which Hippocrates saith, Dedi • eta that which the common people think is born, comes only out of the invisible state [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they are his words] and what they think is dead, goeth only into that state whence they came,Hym. 3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or the eternal circle of things returning to one as they came from one, as Musaeus writes: the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of Pythagoras, and the Rota in aeternum • ircum-voluta in R. Ionas his Porta poenit. fol. 42. Nay that great man among the Heathens, whom Hierocles makes a paralel to Christ among the Christians, Apollonius Tyaneus perswaded Valerian in a letter to him (to be seen in Cujacius his pretended latine version) that the dead were not to be lamented,Plot. Enn. 1. l. 8. for they exchanged not company but place, (Plato calleth death somewhere 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) by going to the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the first being, whom he calleth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the God to be feared by all. Clemens Strom. 3. p. 433. brings in an old man out of Pindar, giving this reason of his cheerful death, ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c) happy is he who having seen the common course of this upper world, goeth into the lower • where he may understand the en • of Life, and see the beginning o • it. Another sick man is mentione • by Salmasius, somewhere, wh • could not quietly dye till he un • derstood what the meaning w •• of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in Homer, D •• mus & porta Lethi, the house an • gate of Hell, in Lucretius, Virg • and Ennius; and that some know • ing men of that time being b • answered him, that he could no • know it, because he had not pu •• ged his Soul, this being one of th • misteries that were not to be u •• derstood by the ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) men that had not made it their business to purge their Souls, (vid. Casaub. excerp. ex codice Caesar) the pure among the Jews and Greeks understanding the two everlasting Seats of the Vertuous and the Vitious, R. Eliaz. in Pirk. c. 3. Gaulman not. ad vit. mosis) the one North, and the other South, where the Souls of good men, after three tryals, being freed from all their bonds, leap for joy, and are carried on high. Diodorus Siculus placeth the judgement of the unjust, and the enjoyment of the just in the invisible state, whereof Rabban Iochanan Ben. Saccai in Gemar, Berachoth, fol. 27. 2. as he was a dying, said, he had before his eyes two ways, the one leading to Paradise, and the other to Hell: the last of which places is represented by all the world, as full of tortures, furies, [called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Plut. de defect. Orac. See the same notions in the Talmud or heap of disputations, like those of our School-men upon the Jewish Law, Tract. Rosh. Hashannah, c. 1. fol. 16. p. 2. See Maymon, well skilled in both Talmuds in cap. 10. Sanderim. See R. Abdias, Spharnus the great Physitian in or Hashem. p. 91. Nobly describing the bliss of good men after death.] The book of Moses his life fol. 23 • p. 2. brings in God encouraging Moses to dye, by the same description of Heaven, and the everlasting happiness of good men in it, tha • Pindar hath in the 2. Ode of hi • Olympiads concerning the blessed and that is the same with Sain • Iohn, Revel. 21. 21. 25, 7. ult. 21 • And Moses chiding his Soul fo • its delay in going into the Societ • of Cherubims and Seraphims u •• der the throne of the Divine M •• jesty of which Ioseph Ben Perat R. Mekir in Aukath Rochel, R. Ephodi. in D. Dub. c. 70. R. Shem. Tobh. Eben. Esdra. R. D. kimchi, that King of Gram, & deadly enemy of Christianity in Psal. 110. R, sal. Ben. Gabirol, the famous Jewish Poet in Kether Malcuth, whose words are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. the seating of just Souls under the throne of glory in the bundle of life, with a state of perfection is the futurum aevum, the future state into which R. Ionah ben. Levi in his Tikune Sockar fol. 63. Col. 1. et. 2. affirmeth that most of the Rabbies said, they were to go when dying, as do most of the Talmudists as we may find in Constant L. Emperour, who made a key to them; yea, and Mahomet himself in his Alcoran, that Oglio Iudaisme, Groecism and Neorianism, surat 2. ver. 22. as in his Dialogue with Sinan discourseth of a blessed state of good men begun in the inward pleasures of good men here, and perfected in their everlasting pleasures hereafter. It is a great argument to all men to live as if they believed a future state, that these men who had so little knowledge of it, by reason of their corrupt reason, as to describe it foolishly, yet had so much knowledge of it by natural reason, as to own it, and that so far as to believe tha • all the poetical descriptions of Paradise, and Elizium, in the Hebrew and Arabian Authors in the Greek and Latine Poets are Allegories of a more Spiritual state, and so the Persian Ali, and his faction understands Mahomet; and divine Plat • in many places understands the Hellenists expressing (in Phaedro) the feast of the Soul in contemplating the first and real being, as divinely as the Jews do, the happiness of it in the beholding the Shecinah, or the light of the countenance of the King of life, or the Christians in the beatifick vision: and concluding that all good men have a share in that as confidently as the Jews affirm 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. that every Israelite hath a part in the world to come; all men with Socrates expect a future judgment, the good for a happy sentence, the unjust, the Insancibles, the encorrigible for an unhappy one to be ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) to unjust men everlasting monuments and examples, that Common sentence of the Rabbines being the common sence of mankind 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , & • . there is no place after death for repentance: so much there was of the sense of Religion upon these men, otherwise ignorant enough, that a learned Arabian, when dying considering the contradiction of the Practises of men in this worl • with the notion all me have of another World, breath'd out his • oul in this wish, Sit anima mea cum Philosophis, Be my soul with the Philosophers: The same man being pleased much with the AEgyptian Hierogliphyck of the Soul which was a Pyramis and the correspondence thus, As a Pyramis (if it be turned about its Axis, the Axis continuing still the same is Geometricall • transformed into a new soli • cone. So mortality having gone it its rounds,See Mr. Joas Grey. ser. de res. as it were i • this circle of time, u •• on the immoveable ce •• ter of the soul shall become • new Body and unite again.

In a discourse concerning th • resurrection had before Iuli •• Caesar the Emperour, at which 〈◊〉 Gamaliel was present, Cleopat •• the Queen asked R. Meir a •• said, we know that they that lye down shall live because it is written,see Came Hist. med • r c. 73. Sym, Groular. Hist. mem. 2. and they shall spring out of the City like the herb of the ground, but when they stand up from the dead shall they rise up naked or cloathed? he said unto her, Valmechonier (i. e. argumentum a minori ad Majus, aut e contra) from the Wheat; the Wheat is buried naked, and yet riseth up very well Clad, how much more the just men who are buried in their Cloaths; Caesar said to R. Gamaliel, &c. Talm. in sanded. c. 11. fol. 90. 6. apud. Greg. Nat. p. 128. I will conclude this part with a remarkable saying of an Arabicke Commentator upon the Turkish Alcoran; he that desires to escape Hell fire and go to Paradise, let him beleive in God, and the day of judgement, and doe to every man as he would be done by; What saith the careless and debauched man to this? doth he think to be without those thoughts that all mankind hath? if he thinks he shall be possessed with them as men are, when dying, will it not be a torment to him that he thought not of them sooner? and that he can only think of them then when it is too late: I • there greater torment in th • World then for a man on hi • death bed to be racked wit • the consideration of his eterna • state, and to reflect how often h • was told it would come to that and that all men sooner or lat • have those thoughts; how poss •• ble, yea how easie it had been t • prevent them, how serious • God and men warned them 〈◊〉 them. Good God! that men w ••• not embrace Religion, when the • see they cannot avoid it; th • men will not come under the yoke of it, when all men doe so, or else at last come u • der the torments of it: what think you? will you stifle religious reflections then as you doe now, you cannot doe it, because your fond imaginations and conceits, your foolish hopes, all that ill grounded peace within, all your carnal mirths and recreations, all your sensual delights and contentment which assisted in the diverting of these thoughts will fail you, and you will be left alone to dwell with your pain and conscience.

Sect. 3.

You see the wisest in all ages at their death, when they were freest from design, owning that Religion which they did not consider as they ought in their lives and they were too many, and too wise to be imposed upon; see the greatest doing the like, though too great to be otherwise over • awed or frighted.

1. Nimrod the founder of the Ass •• rian Monarchy, who from his do • minion overbeasts whereof he wa • a mighty Hunter, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Epith. advan • ced the first to a govern • ment over men (Abar •• nel in par. Noach;) acknowledg • ed in his later dayes Gods powe • over him as great as his over h •• subjects, wherefore he Institute the worship of the Sun and Sta •• the greatest instruments of Go • government, (and many are •• opinion that the He • thens worshipped n • the creature,Vid. Lyis. dissert. 9. A • g. C. D. c. 24. • rw. Rawl. Hist. World. b. 1. but G • appearing in them in • verse wayes of admi • nistrations, but the same Lo • working all and in all) and wh • carried away by Spirits at his death, as Annius in his Berosus relates the story, he cried out, Oh! one year more • Oh one year more, before I must goe into the place from whence I shall not return. What you are born to doe, doe while you live; as who should say with Solomon, whatever thine hand findeth thee to doe, doe it with all thy might, for there is no knowledge nor understanding in the grave whit her thou art going.

2. Ninus the next from Nimrod save Belus, the time, place, manner of whose death is uncertain,Vid. 2. Euseb. chron. & Scal. Isa. 9. see Gregory. Assimon. 232. 23. hath this History (in Colophonius in Phoenix in Atheneus his twelfth Book) viz. Ninus the great Emperor who never saw the Stars, nor desired it, worshipped neither Sun, Moon, nor Stars, never spoke to his people, nor reckoned them strong in eating and drinking, and skilfull in mingling wines, yet when dead left this testimony among all men, viz. Looking o • this Tombe, hear where Ninus is whether thou art an Assyrian, • Mede, or an Indian, I speak to thee no frivolous or vain matters formerly I was Ninus, and lived a • thou dost, I am now no more tha • a piece of earth; all the meat tha • I have like a glutton eaten, all th • pleasures that I like a beast e •• joyed, all the handsome women that I so notoriously entertaine • all the riches and glory that I • proudly possessed my self • failed, and when I went into th • invisible state, I had neith •• Gold, nor Horse, nor Chario • I that wore the rich Crown of f •• ver, am now poor dust.

Nay, There is a tradition • mong the Jews, (in the bo •• Maase Toral. quoted by Muns ••• upon Genesis) that Abraham being brought before Amraphel King of Assyria, for burning his Father Terahs Idols, though but three years old, discoursed before the Tyrant concerning the Creator of Heaven and Earth;Amra. phel. quasi dixsit descende. Am • aphel proudly replyed, • hat it was he that made • he Heaven and the • ost of Heaven; if so, said Abraham, • ay thou to thy Sun, that he should •• se in the West, and set in the • ast, and I will believe thee: Am • aphel being exasperated with the • hilds boldness and discretion, • ommandeth that he should be • ast into the fire, out of which God • elivering the child (whence the • ord is said to bring him from Vr • • the Chaldees) convinced the • an, so far as to make him worship • od in the fire.

Sardanapalus, that prodigy of •• faeminacy, as wanton as Cicero observed his name is, who (as Iustin writes) did nothing like a man but that he Died as he did; yet had a Tomb at Anchialus, which with Tarsus he built in one Day, upon which he ordered this inscription 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Eat, drink, Play • &c. All is not worth this; his Statue being drawn • illiping the World.

Phul. in Herodotus his Euterp • hearing that the Oracle should pronounce against him that he should live but six years and dye the seaventh, the King hearing this, commanded that certain Lamps should be made for the Night time, which he intended to spend in Jovialty whilest other • lept, that so he might delude the Oracle, and live twice the lon • ger by taking so much more no • tice of his Day, but when he w •• called to Dye, Oh said he if • had thought I had thus dye • I had not so lived.

3. Senacherib going forth with his Army against Egypt, Herodotus. it came to pass one Night that a plague of mice came upon him and disarmed his souldiers by devouring their harnesse of leather, in memory whereof there was erected a statue like this Prince in stone, holding a mouse in his hand with this inscription 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. who ere beholdeth me let him learn to be religious. How Nebuchadnezzar was taken down from the pride of a great King to the despicable condition of a poor Beast till he • ift up his eyes unto Heaven and his understanding returned unto • im, and he blessed the most high, and praised, and honoured him • hat liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his Kingdom is from everlasting to everlasting, • hat is till he acknowledged the most high to have ruled in the Kingdoms of men; is worthy all mens most serious consideration, as it is set down in Dan. 4. compared with the fragments of Berosus in Iosephus 1. Affricanus, Eusebius, Scaliger, and Sedar olam Rabba • As is the sad instance of Belshazzar, the last Assyrian Monarch being greatly troubled, his countenance changed in him, his Lord • astonied, his thoughts perplexed, so that the joynts of his loyns wen • loosed, and his knees smote on • against another amidst the mos • Joviall entertainments of his mos • solemn Feastivals called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 upon the Caldee decree upon the wall,as in Athen. Mene, Tekel, Perez God hath numbred th • Kingdom, and finished it thou art weighed in the ballanc • and found wanting; thy Kingdo • is divided and given to the M •• des and Persians. In the sam • night was Belshazzar King of the Chaldeans slain, Dan. 5. compared with Scaligers notes upon the Greek fragments.

4. Cyrus the Persian left this • emento behind him to all mankind (Plutarch: Paral 703 • edti. Par.) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. Whosoever thou art man, and whencesoever thou comest (for I know • hou wilt come to the same condition that I am in) I am Cyrus, • ho brought the Empire to the • ersian, do not I be • eech thee en • ie me this little peice of ground • hich covereth my Body.

5. Alexander the Founder of • he Grecian Monarchy, though • e allowed himself all the exces • es that a man was capable of, • pon an imagination that he was God, yet after he had had expe •• ence of all things in the World, •• d his Master Aristotle had by his command studied the ground and bottome of all things in Nature, Plutarch and Curtius both testifie of him,Vid. Alex. that in his latter dayes he called the Gymnosophists to resolve him whether the dead or the living were most: How a man might become a God: How a man might live s •• as to dye well. And at last wa • so possessed with the sence of Re • ligion, as to lye under so much trouble and disturbance of Spi • rit, as to look upon every littl • matter as portentous and ominou • and to fill his Palace with Sacri • ficers, Expiators, and Diviner • 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. So dreadf •• a thing (saith Plutarch • is unbeleif and contemp • of the Gods,vid. Alex. which sooner o • later filleth all mens minds (as 〈◊〉 did Alexanders, who thereby a •• knowledged one greater then hi •• self) with fears and terrors.

6. Iulius Caesar conquered the Roman Empire, but not his own Conscience which troubled him with dreams and terrified him with visions, putting him upon Sacrificing, divining, and consulting all sorts of Priests and Augures, though he found com ••• g from none, insomuch that a ••• le before he died he was as •• artless as the ominous Sacrifice 〈◊〉 that he offered, professing to •• s friends, that since he had made 〈◊〉 end of the Wars abroad, he •• d no peace at home, for having •• spised as well all the Gods particularly in his expedition •• inst Iuba,) as all men,The Romans believed a providence; in that Caesars murderers fell upon those very weapons they killed him with. although 〈◊〉 Religious ••• s were not 〈◊〉 great as his ••• the rer Bru •••• in whose 〈◊〉 Caesars blood cried so 〈◊〉 that he could not sleep for the noise he thought he h • ard at his doors, and an apparition he thought he saw in his chamber, which told him it was his evil Genius, which he should see at Philippi, where he no sooner saw it, than in the Career of his Victory he drooped, & retired to fall upon his own sword, that he migh • not fall by the Enemies; as in o •• own Chronicles, the young chi •• dren of Edward the fourth, who • he is reported to have murthere • troubled Richard the third ov •• night more then Henry the •• venths Army did the next da • for he started ever and anon in h •• sleep, Crying out take away the •• Children from me. Religion c •• torment those whom it cannot •• claim.

7. It were worth our while 〈◊〉 consider; why, so wise and gre •• a Prince as Philip of Macedon 〈◊〉 one every morning to call up •• him to remember that he was a man; why he was so afraid to be charmed with the sweets of life, as to be roused every day from sleep with the news of death; and why so puissant an Emperour as Saladine would have these words proclaimed to his Army, and communicated to posterity, viz. Great •• ladine, Magnificent Conqueror 〈◊〉 As • a, and Monarch of the whole • ast, carries away nothing with • im to the grave, for fruit of his • ictories, but onely a shirt which • overeth the mould of his body, • nd even this rag of linnen too • ortune giveth him onely to give • he worms: Fui, & nihil amplius, • have been, and that is all.

To see the Emperour Adrian • elebrating his own Funerals, and •• rrying before him his Coffin in • riumph, when he lived; and • hen he was a dying, to hear him • y, animula, vagula, blandula, &c. Ah poor Soul, whither wilt thou goe? is an Argument to all sobe • men, that though Riches, Honour, and Pleasures possess the imagination, yet Religion dwells in ou • •• ason; those things staying with us only, during the age of phansie and this lasting, during the tim • of our being; a consideration tha • may bring all men of Gueva •• mind,Who was both a Courtier, and a Recluse. that the m ••• Courtly and ple •• sant lives are pu •• lick Pennances, a •• that a serious life is the only ple •• sure.

8. Nero having run up a •• down to all the pleasures in t •• world, to divert and suppress a •• thoughts of the deity, found impossible, the apprehensions God, in the midst of Theaters, fea •• and sports, stinging his heart; if 〈◊〉 slept on roses, or down, the de •• men he had killed troubled hi • he scosfed at Religion, and feared: one while he despised sacred things, and at another time they made him tremble with horror, in vain seeking all ways imaginable for expiation, his Soul being torn with exquisite torments; wilde as a stung beast a great while, and at last sottish as a tame one, beseeching the Senate to have so much • ercy on him as to kill him, to • ave him the labour and horror of doing it himself; who had not a more tormenting thought than this, that he was an Athiest, notwithstanding the warning given him by the burning of Diagoras, the lice of Pherecides, the dogs of Lucian, the thunderstruck Olympius, and the fearful death of others that led Atheistial lives; (vid. Dion. Prusaeus Orat.)

9. Tiberius Caesar in Tacitus had his sins so turned into punishments,Ann 6. that he thought nothing would confirm men more in vertue than to see wicked mens breasts opened with their inward wounds and gashes, where their minds are tormented with guilt, lust, and evil thoughts, as much as the body is vexed with stripes; neither the greatness of his fortune, nor the pleasure of his diversions and solitudes, being able to remove the punishment • he carryed about him, insomuch that he doth profess his anguish to the Senate in these words; Qui • vobis scribam patres cons • ripti, a •• quomodo scribam, aut quid omnin • non scribam hoc tempore • Suet Tiber. c. 61. Dij deae que pejus perdant • quam quotidie me perire sentio. An • Dion Cassius in Tib. doth profes • to the world his acknowlegment o • the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. Th • first, and great God, that made an • governeth all things.

10. Otho having killed Galba could not kill his ghost, whic • though in vain, by all wayes of expiation attoned, gave his conscience as great a wound as he had done his body; so that in his distress he came to that serious conclusion, which Livy, l. 3. saith all men come to in distress, prose quis que deos esse, & non negligere humana fremunt, every man then believes a God;De van. idol. whence that smart saying of Saint Cyprian [haec est summa delicti] &c. this is the highest, both folly and impiety, not to have those lawful sentiments of a God, which a man cannot be without.

11. Ne que enim post id Iugurtha, &c. neither had Iugurtha [writes Salust. of him] after his many villanies a quiet day or night, nor could he trust any place, time, or man, fearing both Friends and Foes, looking about, and pale, at every noise, tumbling from one Room to another, several times in the night, in a way unseemly for a Prince; and so mad with fears, as sometimes to get up in his sleep in arms, disturbing the whole house: whence the Author concludeth that there is a God within men, who seeth and heareth all that they do: and I may infer with Tertullian ex an •• • pol. 9. mae ipsius testimonio probamus deum quae licet corporis car • ere pressa, &c. We may see and feel a God in our Souls, which • hough kept close in the prison of the body, though depraved by il • principles, though weakened by lusts and concupiscence, though enslaved to false gods; yet whe • it awakes and recovers, as out o • a drunkenness, a sleep, or sickness, it owns, fears, and appeale • to a God, and repenting look • up to the heaven, from whence i • came.

12. Iulian the Apostate (o • whom Crakanthorpe de provid. •• ej hath this character, quo tetrius, magis que deo simul, & hominibus exosum animal orbis vix vidit.) Yet gave this testimony towards the latter end of his life to Religion in general 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. We all by nature without any instruction have ingraven in us strong perswasions of a Divine being, to whom we must look up; and I believe, saith he, that our minds are to God, as our eyes are to light; and at his death to Christian Religion, in particular when having two plots for the honour of his Government, & Idols, the rooting out of the Galileans (so he called the Christians) & the subduing of the Persians, he was prevented in the former by being overthrown in the latter; and being shot or thrust in the belly, he threw up his blood towards heaven, saying, • icisti Galilee, thou hast overcome. O Galilean, meaning Christ Ita simul et victoriam fassus est, & Blasphemiam evomuit (see Naz. or. 4. in Iulian) Socrates Sezom: Theodoret in Iul. collected in Pez. mellific. Histor p. 2. p. 273. Indeed St. Basil gave the right reason why he and all other Apostates slight Religion, even because they understand it not. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , I read, I understood, I condemned, said Iulian; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , thou hast read but not understood; for if thou hadst understood, thou hadst not condemned, said Basil.

13. Seneca, a man of great parts prudence and experience, after a serious study of all the Philosophy then the World,Tacit. l. 13. was almost a Christian in his severe reproofs of vice, and excellent discourses of vertue, (Lips •• s epist. ad Paul. Quintum.) and a Saint as Ierome (de Script. eccles.) reckoneth him for his supposed Epistle to St Paul, Ab •• t ut epis • . olas illas legitimas. put • tis. Lyl Greg. Cyr. de poel. hist. dial. l. 8. vid. Scrivel. Annot. in Martiall 10. and St. Pauls to him, to be read saith Mr Gataker in his preloquium to Antonius by those that study Divinity, as well as those that study other in learning. And Came to this excellent temper by this consideration in hi • reduced yeares (which is to be seen in his excellent preface to his natural questions) O quam contemptares est homo, Miraris homines ad deos • ire deus in hominem venit. nulla fine deomens bona sen. ep. 73. p. 673. nisi supra • umana se erex erit, what a pittiful thing is man, were it not that his Soul soared above these earthly things. Yea, and when he was somewhat dubious as to the future condition of the Soul, yet he could tell his dear Lucilius with what pleasure he could think of it: and at last that he was setled in his opinion of an eternal state with this thought, & hoc habet argumentum divinitatis suae, quod illam divina delectant, nec ut alienis interest sed ut suis; the Soul had that mark of divinity in it, that it was most pleased with divine speculations, and conver • ed with them as with matters that did neerly concern it; and when it had on • e viewed the dimensions of the Heavens contemnit domicilii prioris augustias, it was ashamed of the Cottage it dwelt in; nay were it not for these contemplations, non fuerat operae pretium nas • i, it had not been worth while for the Soul to have been in the body, and as he goeth on in detrahe • o • maestimabile bonum, non est vi • a tanti ut sudem aut aestuem. Whence come such amazing fears, such dreadful apprehensions, such sinking thoughts of their future condition, in minds that would fain ease themselves by beleiving that death would put a period both to Soul and body? whence on the other side comes such incouraging hopes, such confident expectations, such comfortable prepossessions of their future state in the souls of good men, when their bodies are nearest to the grave, An dubium est habitare deum sub pectore nostro, an caelum que redire animas, coelo que venire. And while the Soul is here in its cage it is continually fluttering up and down, and delighteth to look out now at this part, and then at another, to take a view by degrees of the whole universe, as Manilius, Seneca's contemporary, expresseth • t, Quid mirum noscere mundum, • i possunt homines quibus est & mun • us in ips • s. To these notions of • he future state it was, that Caesar owed that his opinion of death, that it was better to dye once than to lose his life in continual expectations: Being troubled with that unhappiness of men, mentioned in Atheneus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. That he had done his work as if it had been his play; and his play as if it had been his work.

14. Aug. Cesar consulting the Oracle about his successor, received thi • answer ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) An Hebrew child hath bid me leave these shrin, which Oracle Augustus having received, erected an Altar with this inscription, Ara primogeniti dei, the Altar of the first born of God: Holling p • 35. and when Tiberius by Pilates Letters, qui pr •• conscientia Christanus himself heard of the wonderful death of Chris • (at which there was a voice hear • saying, that the great God Pa •• is dead, and at the ecclipse it wa • said, that either nature was dead, or the God of N • ture) and his more wonderful resurrection he would have had him made a God. (See Phlegon. de temp. in orig. cont. Celsum. l. 2. Fol. 21. Pliny l. 2. c. 25.

15. That Deity which Tiberius owned he feared, securing his head with Laurel against the Thunderer; and running to his grave, as Ca • igula did afterwards under his • ed, for fear of a God. That God which the great Scipio had at last • uch a reverence for, that before • e went about any business into • he Senate he went to prayers in • o the Capitol, looking for no good success from the Counsells • nd indeavours of men, without • he blessing of God, who he • hought made, and was sure • overned the World; and indeed • here was no man ever went • eriously about any great matter but at last he was glad to take in the assistance of a God, as Numa consult with Egeria, Zamolcus the Thracia • with AEgis, Lucurgus, Solon & Min • with Iove, Mahomet with the Angel Gabriel, Gods messenger, Ca • ligula with Castor and Pol • ux.

16. And as we have made • clear, that all men have near thei • latter end a sence of Religion So Plutarch in his Book of Liv • concludes most of his Hero • Histories with discourse of Relig •• on,Vit. Rom. ulj in p. 34. Ed. Par. how divine doth he treat • Immortality, an • the happiness of a future stat • 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. whe • the body lyeth under pale deat • the Soul remains carrying upon the image of eternity, for that is t •• only thing that came from the God & must return thither, not with, b • without the body altogether pu • and spiritual, nothing followin • it but vertues, which place it among the Heroes and the Gods. How rationally doth he discourse of the Divine Nature, and the being of a God, towards the close of Pericles his life? how seriously doth he bring in Fabius Maximus that great commander in the emminent danger of the Commonwealth, not training his men, but •• rching in the Sybills books, and •• lling his Countrey-men that they • ere overthrown, not by the • eakness or rashness of the Souldiers, but by their neglect and contempt of the Gods, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , beginning his great enterprize for the saving of • is Country bravely, with the • ervice of the Gods; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , • s Plutarch goeth on p. 176. not • esigning to ensnare mens minds with superstition, but to confirm • heir valour with piety, and to ease their fears with the hope of Divine assistance, raising the desponding peoples minds by Religion to better hopes, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , because it was a common principle amongst them, that the Gods gave success to vertue, and prudence: upon which Fabius advised them, not to fear their enemies, but to worship the Gods; and speakin • of his successes, he hath thes • words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , But these you must ascribe t • the goodness of the Gods: It wa • the same man, who when he wa • asked what he should do with th • Gods of Tarentum, answered 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Let us leave to the Tarentines th • Gods that are angry with them.

How easily doth the same A •• ther dispute of the influence Go • hath upon the will of man by ve •• tue, and on the frame of nature b • miracles and prodigies, in Coriolanus, Camillus, and Dion: how gravely doth he assert in Marius, that the neglecting of the study of true wisdom will revenge it self, the despisers of it [as he saith] not being able to do well in their greatest prosperity, and the lovers of it not doing ill in their lowest adversities. How seriously doth Themistocles promise the Persian King ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) to honour the • ing, and to worship the God that • reserveth all things. How de • outly doth Camillus, p. 131. ap • eal to the Gods as Judges of • ight, and Wrong, Confessing • fter all his great exploits, that • e owed his greatness, not to his • wn actions, but the Gods favour, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] • ho was upon all occasions pre •• t with him by many and great •• nifestations of himself,p. 132. of which Plutarch hath this grave discourse, To believe these manifestations or disbelieve them is a matter of great uncertainty, som • by too easy a Faith falling to superstition, and vanity, others by too obstinate an unbelief into • neglect of the Gods, and loosnes • 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , wa •• ness, and a mean are best. 132. Ho • resolvedly doth Cato minor, wh •• he would not yield to Caesar, 75 • . •• whom the world submitte • choosing rather that Caesar shou •• envie his death, than save h •• life;) First read over Plato discourse of the Soul, which w •• found over his beds head, an • then he dispatched himself wi •• assurance of enjoying what h •• read: As Empedocles having p •• •• sed a discourse of the etern •• state of Souls, threw himself in • AEtna, and Pliny into Ves • vius t •• emblem • if not the real s • at • hat state. And there was nothing made Artaxarxes so afraid of death when the Assassines broke • nto his Chamber, as the uncertain • y of his state after he was dead, • he reason why he wept when he • ooked upon his vast Army to • onsider that of 300000 men there • ould not in sixty yeares be two • en in the land of the Living. • he vanity, indeed and shortness •• life was so much upon Augustus •• sars spirit, that when he was •• ying he spoke to his friends • bout him to clap their •• nds,Suet. intimating to them that •• s life was only a short stage, and •• dying a going off from it. Of • is, Titus Vespasian, the delight of • ankind, that dismissed from him •• ne sad, was so sensible, that if •• remembred at night that he •• d done no good that day, he •• ould cry out Amici diem perdidi • •• ends, I have lost a day. And that Prince was so sensible of a deity in the government of the World, that when Crowns were sent him upon his conquest of Ierusalem, he refused them, saying that he did it not himself, but God to shew his wrath upon the child • en of disobedience (if I ma • so translate Pezel. p. 35.) made u • of him as an instrument and th • rod of his anger. And so serio •• was he and Nerva upon the thoughts, that Apollonius Thyan • us in Phylostratus saith, neither • them was ever seen to smile • play. And Trajan entring upo • his government said, I enter int • this palace in the same temp • that I wish I were of when I g • out of it. These persons no dou • finding the vanity of the Wor • as • feelingly as septimus Sever • did, who left this testimony of •• life • I have been all things, and profiteth me nothing. And Alexander severus allowed Christianity out of love to that one precept, do not that to another which thou wouldst not have done to thy self, a precept, upon consideration of the excellency of it, he had engraven on his Plate, and Roomes, and proclaimed at the punishment of all malefactors. And indeed Religion was so amiable in the eyes of most of the greatest men • n the World, that Charles the • reat said of it as another Em • erour had done before him, that • e gloried more in being a Son of • he Church, then in being an Em • erour of Rome; and when an Affrican King ready to be Bap •• zed in his house, saw twelve Christian beggars, and asked • hose servants they were, was • ld they were Christs, thereupon •• fused Baptism, because the ser • ants of Christ were so poor, the Emperour replied, that if he went to prayer three times a day as he did he would • ind such inward excellencies in Religion as would recompence all the outward inconveniences that might attend it.

Dan. Heinsius, a Master (as Seld • n expresseth it, tam severiorum quam amoeniorum Literarum, History-professor at Leyden, Secretary and Bibliothecary of the same University, and appointed Notary of the Synod of Dort, said at last, Alas, as to humane Learning, I may use Solomon's expressions, That which is crooked cannot be made strait.

Methinks (saith Hensius, and Master Baxter out of him) I could bid the world farewel, and immure my self among my Books, and look forth no more, (were it a lawful course) but shut the doors upon me, and (as in the lap of Eternity) among those Divine Souls employ my self with sweet content, and pitty the rich and great ones that know not this happiness. Sure then it is a high delight indeed, which in the true lap of Eternity is enjoyed!

Cardinal Mazarine, having made Religion wholly subservient to the Secular interest, amassed to his own interest and person all • he Treasure and Intere • t of Eu • ope, and managed the Crown of • rance for several years together; • iscoursed one day with a Sorbon Doctor concerning the immortali • y of the soul, and a mans eternal • state; and then wept, repeating • hat Emperours saying, Animula • agula blandula, quae abibis in lo •• ? O my poor Soul, whither mil • • hou goe? Immediately calling for •• s Confessor, and requiring him 〈◊〉 deal freely with him, and vow •• g ten hours of the day for Devotion, seven for Rest, four for Repasts, and but three for business: saying one day to the Queen-mother, Madam, your favours undid me: were I to live again, I would be a Capuchin rather then a Courtier.

Cardinal Richlie • , after he had given law to all Europe many years together, confessed to P. du Moulin, that being forced upon many irregularities in his life • time by that which they cal Reason of State, he could not tell how to satisfie his Conscience for several thing • and therefore had many tempta • tions to doubt and disbeleive 〈◊〉 God, another World, and th • immortality of the soul; and b • that distrust, to releive his akin • heart: But in vain; so strong (h • said) was the notion of God o • his soul, so clear the impressio • of him upon the frame of th • World, so unanimous the conse •• of mankind, so powerful the convictions of his conscience, that he could not but taste the power of the world to come; and so live as one that must die, and so die as one that must live for ever. And being asked one day why he was so sad: he answered, Monsieur, Monsieur, the soul is a serious thing; it must be either sad here for moment, or be sad for ever.

Sir Christopher Hatton, A little before his Death, advised his Relations to be serious in the search after the will of God in the holy Word: For (said he) it is deservedly accounted a piece of excellent Knowledge, to understand the Law of the Land, and the Customs of a mans Country; how much more to know the Statutes of Heaven, and the Laws of Eternity, those immutable and eternal Laws of Justice and Righteousness! to know the will and pleasure of the Great Monarch and Universal King of the World! I have seen an end of all Perfection; bu • thy Commandments, O God, are exceeding broad.

Whatever other Knowledge a man may be endued withal, could he by a vast and imperious Mind • and a Heart as large as the San • upon the Sea-shoar, command • l • the Knowledge of Art and Nature • of Words and Things; could h • attain a Mastery in all Languages and sound the depth of all Art and Sciences; could he discours • the Interest of all States, the Intrigues of all Courts, the Rea • son of all Civil Laws and Constitu • tions, and give an Account of a • Histories; and yet not know t •• Author of his Being, and the Pr •• server of his Life, his Soveraig • and his Judge; his surest Refug • in trouble; his best Friend, 〈◊〉 worst Enemy; the Support of h •• Life, and the Hope of his Death; his future Happiness, and his Portion for ever; he doth but sapienter descendere in infernum, with a great deal of wisdom go down to Hell.

Francis Iunius, Hi • (speaking of a Country m • ns-house, into whi • h he retired by chance for food.) (O sapientiam dei admirabilem) (saith he) optimam scholam Christianitatis dominus mihi paraverat, sic effecit deus admirabilite • ut bonus rustic • s sanctissimum •• lum quem habebat operante domino mihi quasi instillaret. Ego verò malus Christianus, si quidem Christianus ei scientiâ prelucerem eâdem horà suam gratiam in utro que explicavit, & ostendit deus, a me scientiam rustico, ab illo ze • i se mina quaedam Ingenerans. a Gentile and an Ingenious Person, who hath written his own Life, as he was reading Tully de Legibus, fell into a perswasion nihil curare Deum, nec sui, nec alieni; till in a Tumult in Lyons, the the Lord wonderfully delivered him from imminent death, so that he was compelled to acknowledg a Divine Providence therein: And his Father hearing the dangerous ways that his Son was mis-led into, sent for him home, where he carefully and holily instructed him, and caused him to read over the New Testament; of which himself writ thus: Novum Testamentumaperio, ex. hibet se mihi adspicienti primo augustissimum illud caput, In principio erat Verbum, &c. When I opened the New Testament, I first lighted upon Iohn's first Chapter, In th • beginning was the word, &c. 〈◊〉 read part of the Chapter, and wa • suddenly convinced that the Divinity of the Argument, and th • Majesty and Authority of th • Writing, did exceedingly exce • all the Eloquence of Human • Writings: My Body trembled, m • Mind was astonished, and was s • affected all that day, that I kne • not where and what I was. Th • wast mindful of me, O my God, a •• cording to the multitude of t •• Mercies; and calledst home thy lost Sheep into thy Fold. And as Iustin Martyr of old, so he of late professed, that the power of godliness in a plain simple Christian wrought so upon him, that he could not but take up a strict and a serious Life.

The Earl of Leicester, in Queen Elizabeths days, though allowing himself in some things very inconsistent with Religion, came at • ast to this Resolution; that Man differed not from Beasts so much • n Reason, as in Religion: and that Religion was the highest Reason; nothing being more Rational, than • or the supream Truth to be be • ieved, the highest good to be em • raced, the first Cause and Almighty Maker of all things to be • wned and feared; and for those who were made by God, and live • holly upon him, to improve al for • im, & live wholly to him: Agree • ble to the Apostle, give up your Souls and Bodies unto him, whieh is your reasonable Service.

Galeacius Caracciolus, Marques • of Vico, a Noble Personage of • great estate, powerful Relations • both in the Emperours • See his life writ first in Italian, then in Latin • by Beza, and in English by Crashaw, and Calv. Ded. ep. com. in 1 ad Cor. and in the Popes Court the latter of which wa • his near Relation; notwithstanding the grea • Overtures of his Master, Pathetick lette • of his Uncle, bitte • Cryes and Tears of hi • Parents, his Wife and Childre • the loss both of his Honou • and Estate, forsook his Country and all that was dear to him, t • come to Geneva, and embrace • reproached, despised and perse • cuted truth, with Moses, to who • he is compared, choosing • ather • suffer afflicti • n with the people 〈◊〉 God, than to enjoy the pleasur • of sin for a s • as • n; esteeming th • reproach of Christ, greater riches than the treasures of the world, because he had a respect to the recompence of reward, And endured as seeing him who is invisibe: where he used to say, Valdeso, the Author of a good book of considrations is an instance o • the same nature, leaving the Emperours service, for the stricter profession of Religion; • he particulars I have not now by me that he would not look upon himself as worthy to see the Face of God, if he prefered not one hours communion with Christ, before all the riches, and pleasures of the world. —(Saith a great man speaking of this Marquess) Non celandum est hominem primariâ familiâ natum, honore & opibus florentem, nobilissimâ & castissimâ • uxore, numerosa prole, domestica quiete & concordia toto que vitae statu beatum, ultro ut in Christi Castra migraret patria cessisse: • ditionem fertilem, & am • nam lautum patrimonium, commoda • non minus, quam voluptuosam habitationem neglexisse splendorem domesticum, patre, conjuge, liberis, cognatis ex affinibus sese privasse, &c.

Galen, (who should have been mentioned before) in his excellent book de usu partium, which Gassendus supposeth he writ with a kind of enthusiasm upon him (adeo totum opus videtur conscriptum 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ,) and so that [to use the words of a learned man] all those seventeen books of his upon that subject, are a kind of 119 • Psalm in Phylosophy, or a perpetual Hymn upon the praise of the great Creator, a just commentary upon those words of the Psalmist • Psal. 139. 14. I am fearfully, an • wonderfully made: marvellous ar • thy works, and that my Soul knoweth right well.

I say, Galen observing the beautiful and useful contexture o • mans body, which Lactantius calls Commentum Mirabile, could not choose but break out into the praise of him that made it, handling this argument for the Divine providence & wisdom,Lact. de opis. dej • ex ipsis membrorum officiis & ufibus partium singularum quantâ • vi providentiae quis que factus sit intelligere nobis licet. See Arist. de partibus Animal. in ordering the several parts of animals, and adapting them to their several uses against Epicurus then, with as much zeal & exactness as any Christian can do now against Atheists; So that, that whole book contains in it a most full and pregnant Demonstration of a deity, which every man carryeth about him, in the • rame of his body, on which ac • ount men need not goe out of • hemselves to find proof of a deity, • hether they consider their minds • r their bodys, those Domesticos • stes, of which all men that have •• nsidered them, have said as Heraclitus said in another case, etiam hû dii sunt.

This instance makes good a • learned mans observation, that however men may for a time offer violence to their reason, and conscience, subduing their understanding to their wills and appetites; yet when these facultie • get but a little Liberty to examine themselves, or view the world; or are alarumed with Thunder, Earth • quake, or violent sickness, the • feel a sense of a deity brough • back upon them, with greate • force and power than before the • shook it off with. These and som • other considerations of this natu •• wrought upon Funcius the learne • Chronologer, that reflecting upo • his deserting the calling of a D •• vine to advance to the honour 〈◊〉 a Privi-counsellor, he left th • warning to posterity.

Disce mei exemplo mandato m • nere fungi, & fuge ceu pestem 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which you may understand by the admonition, Iustus Ionas, Son of a Divine of that name, bequeathed next year to all that came after him: Quid juvat inn • meros scire at que evolvere casus, si facienda fugis, si fugienda facis.

9. Sir Philip Sidney (a Subject indeed of England, but they say chosen King of Poland, whom the Queen of England called her Philip, the Prince of Orange his Master, whose friendship the Lord Brooks was so proud of, that he would have it to be part of his Epitaph, here lyeth Sir Philip Sid • eys friend; whose death was la • ented in verse by the then • ings of France, and Scotland, and • he two Universities of England, • epented so much at his death, of • hat innocent vanity of his life, his • rcadia, that to prevent the unlawful kindling of heats in others, he would have committed it to the flames himself; and left this farewel among his friends, Love my memory, cherish my friends, their faith to me may assure you that they are honest,Se my Lord Brooks his Book.but above all, govern your will and affections by the will and word of your Creator; in me behold the end of this world and all its vanities.

10. The late famous Frenc • Philosopher, De Cartes (who shoul • have been thought on sooner) though no Atheist, because s • zealously asserting the existenc • of God, and the immortality o • the Soul, yet because he is muc • in vogue with men Atheisticall disposed, as if his Hypothe ••• ascribing so much to the power o • matter, served theirs that thin • there is nothing left to do for th • providence of a God; and as he thought he could clear up the account of the worlds beginning without a God; is a great evidence of the power of Religion, when after his long De prin • ip. p. 2. art. 54. 55. Nay Doctor •• rvy having searched accurately into the na •• re of generation concludes upon a creation, • ecause none ever found any thing, either ele • ents or particles before, and separate from bo •• es, which might make them, therefore God • ade them. discourse of the power and notion of matter, this great improver, and discoverer of the Mechanical power of matter doth ingeniously confess the necessity, not only of Gods giving motion in order to the Orgine of • he universe but of his conserving motion in it, for the uphold • ng of it: considero Materiam (they are his own words in his • nswer to the third letter of H. M. p. 104) Sibi libere permissam, & nullum aliunde impulsum susci • ientem, ut plane quiescentem, illa autem impellitur a deo, tantunde • motus sive translationis in ea co •• servante quantuw ab initio posui •• And therefore its no wonder tha • it is reported of one of the greates • unbelievers now among us; tha • he trembleth at the thought o • death, because though in an h •• mour, he speaks strangely 〈◊〉 God, yet in his study, a •• thoughts, he cannot but tremb •• before him; and whatever his pe •• vishness hath spoken of the ete ••• Spirit, his Phylosophy owns, a •• fears him, without whom he m •• wrangle, but he cannot sleep; ye •• he that talketh so peremptory • of the great God in public • looketh not so in private: The • may be some Atheists in comp • pany, but there is none alone; a • certainly he would not be so • fraid in the night to put out t •• light on the beds head, but that confesseth it impossible to ext •• guish the candle of the Lord in his bosome, for we may say of those that are commonly called Athiests, as Plato [de rep. l. 9.] doth of Ty • ants [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] &c. If any • erson could but see • hroughly into their Souls,Vid. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Hom. Virg. Sen. Luc. Statis. he should find • hem all their lives • ull of fear, grief and torments; • ectus inust • e deformant maculae • it • is que inolevit imago.

And I do not wonder at it since • trabo reckoneth this among the • pophthegms of the Indians 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , there are judgements in • he invisible state, and that the • rachmans esteemed • his life, Strabo, l. 15. Herod. Euterp. de AEgyptis quibus est de infernis. Persausio Taci. Prophyr • l. 4. de Edendis Anim. but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 • ut the state of a new • orn Infant, and death • as a new birth, to a • etter and a more •• essed life to them •• at followed wisdom; whereof the Gaules, and the Brittains were in C • esars time so confident, that he saith, [1 de bel. Gal.] that the reason why they fought so obstinately was because they were taught by the Druids not to fea • death, because they knew it wa • but passage to a better life, th • Soul in their opinion not perishing • but passing from one to another • which Lucan hath expressed in hi • ranting way, thus Longae, Canitis • cognita, vitae mors media est, cer •• populi quos despicitarctos Faelices er • rore suo, quos illetimorum maxim • haud urget lethi metus, inde ru •• di, in ferrum, mens prona viri •• animoe que capaces mortis, & ig •• vum est rediturae parcere vitae.

Gregentius Arch-bishop of T •• phra, in the Kingdom of the Ho •• rites, in the Empire of AEthiopi • many hundred years agoe, up • the request of the Godly King that place, undertook a Disputa ••• on with the Jews about the truth of Christian Religion, (the dispu • ation is at large Printed out of an • ncient M. S. procured by Abbat Noall, his Christian Majesties Envoy to Constantinople, and the East: in the first volume of the Bibliotheca patrum, p. 194. pub • ished at Paris, 1624.)

Lent being over, and the Jews • omming to give an account of • hemselves before the King, and • ll the Nobility of the Kingdom. • oly Gregentius the Arch-bishop • ndertook for the Christians, and • erbanus a learned man in the • ewish Laws and Prophets under • ook for the Jews in a solemn • isputation before the most •• lemn assembly in the world, •• veral dayes until Herbanus be ••• g astonished to hear so many pla •• s of the Law and Prophets al •• dged for Christ, was so ingeni • s as to confess, that since Mos • s came from God, the Iews should hear him; and since Christ came from God the Christians should hear him, and to offer, that if Chris • were come already as he believed he was to come in Person, and end the controversie with mankind an offer which all the Jews asse •• ted to, with a loud voyce to God • the King and the Archbishop say • ing, shew us Christ, and we wi •• believe in him, whereupon th • Archbishop leaving the assembl • went aside to pray, and as th • King and the assembly said Ame • to the close of his prayers, ther w • an Earthquake about them; an • in the East, the heaven opene with a great brightness abo •• them, from whence the Lo •• Jesus appears in glory befo •• them: and after each side wa • little recovered of its Extasies, t • the one of joy, the other of fe • bespeaks them thus, with a Io • voyce upon the prayer of the Archbishop and the Faithful; I • ppear before your eyes, who was ••• cifyed by your Fathers; at • hich voyce the astonished Jews • ere struck blind, and upon en •• uiry, finding that the Christians • ere not so, Herbanus being led • the Archbishop, desired that he • ould pray Christ to open their •• es, as he had shut them, and •• ey would believe when they 〈◊〉 that he could do good as well • evil; adding that if he did 〈◊〉 , he should answer it in the 〈◊〉 of Judgement.

The Archbishop answered, that •• on condition they would be •• ptized, they should receive •• eir sight: what if we should Baptized and continue blind 〈◊〉 Herbanus; let one of you be •• ptized, answered the Arch ••• hop; they consented, and the man no sooner had his head sprinkled, but he had his eyes opened, and cryed out 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Christ is true God, and I believe in him, whereupon all the rest were Christened, to the number of 505000. men • Moses appearing likewise to Herbanus, for whom the King stood who made him a Senator, in • vision, submitting himself 〈◊〉 Christ, in whose Religion th •• whole Country was instructed becomming as strict Christian • (after many days praying for pa •• don) as they had been obstinat • Jews.

Sophronius Bishop of Ierusale • delivereth the fo •• lowing History,Prat. Spirit c. 195. re • er. Bar. An. 411. as most certain and i •• fallible Truth to P •• sterity.

That Leontius Apiamens • a most faithful and Religious man that lived many years at Cyrene, assured them that Synesius (who of a Philosopher became a Bishop) found at Cyrene one Evagrius a Philosopher, who had been his old acquaintance, fellow-student, and intimate friend, but • n obstinate Heathen, with whom • ynesius was earnest, but in vain, to become a Christian, following with arguments for Christian Reli • ion so close, that the Heathen, • hough he persisted a great while • n discourses to this purpose; that to him it seemed but a meer fable and deceit, that the Christian Religion teacheth men, that this world shall have an end, and that all men shall rise again in these bodies, and their flesh be made immortal, and incorruptible, and that they shall so live for ever, and shall receive the reward of all that they have done in the body; and that he that hath pitty on the poor, lendeth to the Lord, and he that giveth to the poor and needy shall have treasure in Heaven, and shall receive an hundred fold from Christ, together with eternal life.

Yet being convinced by Synesi •• his close arguments, that they wer • certain truths he and his famil • was Baptized, and not long afte • brought Synesius three hundre • pounds in Gold, to be distribute among the poor, upon conditio • he would give him a bill under h •• hand that Christ should repay hi • in another world, which he did not long after, Evagrius being ne • death, ordered his Sons •• his burial to put Synesius his b • in his hand; they did so, and t •• third day after, the Philosoph • seemed to appear to Synesius the night, and say unto him [co •• to my Sepulchre where I lye, and take thy bill, for I have received the debt, and am satisfyed: which for thy assurance I have written with my own hand] whereat the Bishop informed his Sons what he had seen, when he knew not what they had done, who going with him to the grave, found this bill • n the dead mans hand, thus sub • cribed [Ego Evagrius Philosophus &c. i. e. I Evagrius the Philoso • her, to the most holy Lord Bishop • ynesius greeting: I have received • he debt which in this paper is written with thy hand, I am satis • yed, & have no action against thee or the gold which I gave thee, • nd by thee to Christ our Saviour] • hey that saw the thing admired, •• d glorified God that gave such • onderful evidences of his pro • ises to his servants: and saith •• ontius, this bill subscribed thus 〈◊〉 Philosopher is kept at Cyrene most carefully in the Church to this day, to be seen of as many as desire it, though (to use Master Baxters words, who recites this very passage before his book of Crucifying the world) we have a sure word of promise sufficient for us to build our hopes on; yet I thought not it wholly improfitable, to cite this one History • from so credible Antiquity, that the Works of God may be had i • remembrance.

King Charles the firs • had that sense of Reli • gion upon his Spirit,Whose 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 argueth him so possessed with a serious Religion, that he there hazards all for 〈◊〉 squares his interest by it, raiseth all his Prin ••• ples of Government upon it, adviseth his S •• to be serious in it, comforteth himself under • the Calamities that befell him and his Peop •• with considerations taken from it, framed 〈◊〉 Soul into the power of it, at last sealed it as 〈◊〉 first King that dyed a Martyr for it. 〈◊〉 that the one act of passing the 〈◊〉 for the Earl of Strafford's deat • and the other to the prejudice of the Churches of England and Scotland, troubled him as long as he lived, and brought him not only to vow as he did before the most Reverend Father in God G. Lord Archbishop of Canterbur • , to do Penance for them; but also to a resolution never to allow the least thing, though it was but the little Assemblies Catechism, against his conscience. And when it was • old him his death was resolved • on, he said, I have done what I • ould to save my life, without losing • y Soul, and sinning against my • onscience. Gods will be done.

Sir Walter Rawleigh, See the excellent preface to his History of the • orld, wherein he doth from great instances of •• e Providence of God, finding out the sins of •• e greatest men, Kings of France, Spain and Eng •• nd, conclude what fear and reverence of God •• ould be upon the hearts of all men. • t the meeting usually • eld with the Virtuosi in the Tower, discoursing of Happiness, urged, that it was not only a freedom from Diseases and pains of the body, but from anxiety and vexation of Spirit; not only • o enjoy the pleasures of Sense, but peace of Conscience, and inward tranquility; to be so, not for 〈◊〉 little while, but as long as may be and, if it be possible, for ever • And this happiness, so suitable f •• the immortality of our Souls, an • the eternal state we must live i • is only to be met with in Reli • gion.

Master Howard, afterwards th • Learned Earl of Northampton, b •• ing troubled with Atheistical sug • gestions, put them all off this wa • viz. If I could give any accou •• how my self, or any thing else, h • a being without God; how the • came so uniform and so constan • cansent of mankind, of all ag •• tempers and educations, (otherwi •• differing so much in their apprehensions) about the being of God, the immortality of the Soul, and Religion; in which they could not likely either deceive so many, or being so many, could not be deceived; I could be an Atheist. And when it was urged that Religion was a State policy to keep men in awe; • he replied, that he would believe • t, but that the greatest Politici •• s have sooner or later felt the • ower of Religion in the grievous ashes of their consciences, and dreadfulness of their apprehension • bout that state wherein they must live for ever.

Bishop Vsher, that most learned • nd knowing Prelate, after his in • efatigable pains as a Christian, a • • cholar, a Prelate, and a Preacher • •• ent out of the World with this • rayer, Lord, forgive me my sins • f Omission; and desired to die as Master Perkins did, imploring the Mercy and Favour of God.

Sir Iohn Mason, Privy Councellor to King Henry the eighth, and King Edward the sixth, whom some make Secretary of State, setting him a little too high; others Master of the Requests • placing him as much too low, upon his death-bed called for hi • Clerk and Steward, and delivered himself to them to this purpose: • have seen five Princes, and bee • Privy-Councellor to four; I have seen the most remarkable ob • servables in forreign parts, an • been present at most State-tran •• actions for thirty years together and I have learned this after 〈◊〉 many years experience, that Se •• ousness is the greatest Wisdo • Temperance the best Physick, • good Conscience is the best 〈◊〉 state; and were I to live again, would change the Court for Cloyster, my Privy Cousellers bustles for an Hermits retirement, and the whole life I lived in the Palace, for one hours enjoyment of God in the Chappel: all things else forsake me, besides my God, my duty, and my prayer.

Sir Henry Wotton, after his many years study, with great proficiency and applause at the University; his neer relation to the great favorite Robert Earl of Essex, his • ntimacy with the Duke of Tus • any, and Iames the sixth King of Scotland, his Embassies to Holland, Germany, and Venice; desired to re • ire, with this Motto, Tandem didi • it animas sapientiores fieri quiescendo; being very ambitious of of the Provostship of Eaton, that • e might there enjoy his beloved Study and devotion, saying often, • hat the day he put his Surplice on, was the happiest day of his • ife: That being the utmost happiness a man could attain to (he said) to be at leisure to be, and to do good; never reflecting on his former years, but with tears he would say, How much time have I to repent of! and how little to do i • in!

Having held a private conference awhile with his brothers Ambassador, he took the candle to light him down, which the Ambas • ador endeavoring to hinder by taking the candle into his own hand the Emperour refused, saying, Sir Remember that you saw Charles the fifth, who hath been attended by 〈◊〉 many Armies, and waited on by so many Lor • and Gentlemen, Now hath not a Servant at ha •• in his Cha • ber to wait upon him. Charles the fifth, Emperour of Germany, King of Spain, and Lor • of the Netherlands, after three and twenty pitcht Fields, six Triumphs, four Kingdom • won, and eight Principalities added to hi • Dominions, fourtee • Wars managed, resigned all these, retired to his Devotion in a Mo • nastery, had his ow • Funeral celebrated be • fore his face; and left this testimony of Christian Religion, That the sincere profession of it had in it sweets and joys that Courts were strangers to.

Sir Francis Walsingham, toward the latter end of his life grew very melancholy, and writ to the Lord Chancellor Burleigh to this purpose: We have lived enough to our Countrey, to our Fortunes, and to our Soveraign: it is high time we began to live to our selves, and to our God. In the multitude of affairs that passed thorow our hands, there must be some miscarriages, for which a whole Kingdom cannot make our peace.

Whereupon some Court-humo • i • ts being sent to divert Sir Fran • is, Ah, said he, while we laugh, all • hings are serious round about us: God is serious, when he preserveth • s, and hath patience towards us; Christ is serious, when he di • th for us; the holy Ghost is serious, when he striveth with us; the holy Scripture is serious, when it is read before us; Sacraments are serious, when they are administerd to us; the whole Creation is serious, in serving God and us: they are serious in hell and heaven; and shall a man who hath one foot in his grav • jest and laugh?

Don Lewis de Haro, after he had lived a great while the grand Favourite and States man of Spain, but with too little regard of Religion, growing melancholy, was taken up by a Wit of Spain for being Priest-ridden, and troubling his head with those notions of the immortality of the Soul, and the state of the other world; he answered him with Tertullian' • words, Quaedam & Natura not • sunt, ut mortalitas animoe pene • plures, ut Deus noster penes omnes • Vtar ergo & sententia Platoni • alicujus pronunciantis, Omnis anima est immortalis. Vtar & Conscientia populi contestantis Deum deorum. Vtar & reliquis communibus sensibus, qui Deum judicem praedicant [Deus videt] & deo commendo, at cum aiunt [mortuum quod mortuum] & [Vive dum vivis] & post mortem omnia finiun • ur, etiam i • sa tunc meminero & cor vulgi cinerem à Deo deputatum, & ipsam sapientian seculi stultiti • m pronunciatam. Tunc si & haereticus ad vulgi vitia, vel seculi ingenia confugerit, discede dicam, ab Ethnico, Haereti • e.

Philip the third of Spain lying on his death bed the last of March. 1621. Sent thrice at midnight for Florentius his Confessor and Court-preacher, who with the Provincial of Castile discoursed to • im of approaching death, ex • orting him to submit to Gods • ill so gravely that Majesty its self could not choose but weep • and after some intermission from his tears,Pezel. Mellit. His • or. 1283. Anno 1621. Synch. Hispan. and thanks for his wholesome Admonition, the King spake to him, thus, do you not remember that in your Sermon on Ash-wednesday, you said that one of your Auditors might dye that Lent that toucheth me, and loe now my Fatal hour is at hand; but shall I obtain eternal felicity? at which words great grief and trouble of mind seising the poor Prince, he said to the Confessor, you have not hit upon the right way of healing, is there no other remedy; which words when the Confessor understood of his body, the King subjoyne • Ah! Ah! I am not sollicitious o • my body, and my temporary disease, but of my Soul; and the Confessor sadly answered, I have done what I could, I must commit the rest to Gods providence.

Upon this occasion Florentius discourseth at large of Gods mercy, remembring his Majesty what he had done for the honour and worship of that God: to which the King replied, Ah, how happy were I, had I spent these twenty three years that I held my Kingdom in a retirement; and the Confessor rejoyned, that it would be very acceptable to God, if he would lay his Kingdom, his Majesty, his Life, and his Salvation at the feet of his crucified Saviour Jesus Christ, and submit himself • o his will: willingly, willingly, • aid the heart-sick King, will I do • his, and from this moment, do I • ay all that God gave me, my Do • inions, Power and my Life at • he feet of Jesus Christ my Savi • ur, who was crucified for me, • hose image he then kissed with • ingular affection, sayi • g, moreover to Florentius (and it was some of the last words he spake) now really you have suggested to me very great comfort.

Count G • ndamar, was as great a Wit and States-man as ever Europe knew, and took as much liberty in point of Religion; till declining in years, he would say, as they say of Anselm, I fear nothing in the World more then Sin: often professing, that if he saw corporally the horrour of sin on the one hand, and the Pains of Hell on the other, and must necessarily be plunged into the one, he would chuse Hell rather than Sin; yea • That what liberty soever he ha • taken, he had rather be torn in pieces by wild Horses, than wittingly and willingly commit an • Sin.

Should we now turn over the Lives of the Fathers, and the Saints in all ages, we shall find that they had so much comfort from Religion since they professed it, [for he that believeth hath the witness in himself] that they can joyn with Saint Polycarp. who when perswaded to swear by the • ortune of Caesar, and blaspheme or renounce his Saviour, said, Fourscore and six years have I served Christ; I have found him 〈◊〉 good master, neither hath he ever offended me in any thing: I have lived by him, I will live to him.

Salm • sius, that excellent French Scholar, whom the Learned men of his time never mention without su • h expressions as these, Vir nunquam sat is laudatus, nec temere sine laude nominandus, Gu • . Riv. Pref. ad Vindic. Evang. • otius Reipub. Literariae decus, went out of this World with these words in his mouth, Oh I have lost a world of Time! Time, that most precious thing in the World, whereof had I but one year longer, it should be spent in Davids Psalms, and Paul's Epistles: Oh Sirs! (said he to those about him) mind the World less, and God more; all the Learning in the World without Piety, and the true fear of God, is nothing •• rth: The Fear of the Lord, that is •• sdom; and to depart from evil, that is Vnderstanding.

Grotius, the greatest Schola • that this age boasted of after so many Embassies well performed abroad, and as many Transaction • well managed at home; after a • exact survey of all the Hebrew, Greek and Latine Learning; afte • so many elaborat • Discourses in Divinity,And after an unanswerable Trearise of the Truth of Christian Religion. and other part • of Learning; concluded his Life wit • • his Protestation, That he would give all his Learning and Honour • or the plain Integrity and harm • ess Innocence of Iean Vrick, who was a devout poor man, that spent • ight hours of his time in prayer, •• ght in Labour, and but eight in • leep, and other Necessaries: and • his complaint to another that ad •• red his astonishing industry;This great man coming over as I take it from Sweden, or returning thither, after he had been Ambassador • or that Crown in France, where his wife by his direction ioyned in Communion with the English Church, lay by his own distem • er, and the violence of a storm he met with in his passage on his death bed, where sending for • he Minister of the Place, I think he desired him to perform the last office for him, Professing himself the poor Publican, and saying he had nothing to trust to but the mercy of God in Christ, and wishing that all the World saw as much reason for Religion as he did. See his life in the Dutch Eicones, Illustrum virorum, the Athenae, Batavicâ Elogia, Doctor Hamonds defences of Gro • ius and the particular manner of his death, in Doctor Merick Casaubons little tract, the verborum usu: see Gro • us his Epist. Ah! Vitam perdidi, operose nihil agendo! and this Direction to a third, that desired him in his great Wisdom and Learning, in brief to shew him what to do, vi Be serious.

The Earl of Strafford, He charged his Heir upon his blessing to have nothing to do with the Patrimony of the Church. O trust not i • man that shall die, nor in the Son of ma • that shall be made a • grass. There is no confidence in Princes: the onl • thing that stands by a man, is the blood of Christ, and the testimony of a good Conscience.

Doctor Donne, A Person of a great parts and spirit as any thi • Nation ever beheld, being upo • his death-bed taking his solem • farewel of his most considerabl • friends, lef this with them: I re • pent of all my life, but that part 〈◊〉 it I spent in communion with Go • and doing good. That person in dying hour shall wish hi • self not man, that hath not been a good Ch •• stian.

Sir Spencer Compton, Brother to • he Right Honourable the Earl of Northampton, calling to him such Reverend persons as Bishop Mor • ey, and Doctor Earles, when he was on his death-bed at Bruges, he • aised himself upon his pillow, • nd held out his arms as if he were to embrace one, saying, O my • esus! Intimating the comforts • hat then flowed in from the holy • esus into his Soul. After which • oly ecstasie, composing himself • o a calm and serious discourse, • e said to the standers by, O be • ood; O keep close to the principles • f Christian Religion; for that • ill bring peace at the l • st.

Edward Peito Esqire,See the Reverend Dr. Po • ces Sermon at his Funeral. • fter he had told his • hysitians that God had • ent him his Summons, it • as his expression, tha • al the sins of his former life did even kick him in the face; and that if we do well, now he saw the evil attendiug well-doing was short, but th • good eternal; If we do ill, th • pleasures of doing ill pass away and the pain remaineth; his chie • charge about his children, bein • that they should have a Religio •• Education, that they might hav • God for their portion, as well 〈◊〉 his Estate.

An Excellent person havi •• writ exquisitely for Christian R •• ligion, hath this discourse of t •• Nature of it, viz. Doth now th • conquest of Passions, forgiving 〈◊〉 Injuries, doing Good, Self-deni •• Humility, Patience under crosse which are the real expressions 〈◊〉 Piety, speak nothing more No •• and Generous then a luxurio •• malicious, proud, and impati •• Spirit? Is there nothing more b •• coming and agreeable to the So • of man in exemplary Piety, and a holy well-ordered conversation, then in the lightness and vanity (not to • ay rudeness and debau • hery) of those whom the World accounts the greatest Gallants? Is there nothing more graceful and pleasing in the sweetness, •• andour, and ingenuity of a truly Christian temper and disposition, • hen in the revengeful, implacable Spirit of such, whose Honour lives • nd is fed by the blood of their • nemies? Is it not more truly ho • ourable and glorious, to serve • hat God who commandeth the World, then to be a slave to those • assions and Lusts which put men • pon contiuual hard service, and • orment them for it when they • ave done it? Were there no • hing else to commend Religion • o the minds of men, besides that • ranquillity and calmness of Spirit, • hat serene and peaceable temper which follows a good Conscience, wheresoever it dwells, it were enough to make men welcome that guest which brings such good entertainment with it. Whereas the amazements, horrours and anxieties of mind, which at one time or other haunt such who prostitute their Consciences to a violation of the Laws of God, an • the Rules of rectified Reason, ma • be enough to perswade any rational person, that Impiety is th • greatest folly, and Irreligion mad • ness.

Sir Thomas Smith, after he ha • many years served Queen Eliz • beth as Secretary of State, an • done many good services to th • Kingdom, particularly to the se • ling of the Corn-rate for the U ••• versities, dis • harged all affairs a • attendants a quarter of a year b •• fore he dyed, sent to his singul • good Friends, the Bishops of Wi • chester and Worc. intreating them to draw him out of the word of God the plainest and exactest way 〈◊〉 making his peace with God, and living godly in this present world; • dding, that it was great pitty men knew not to what end they were born into this world, until they were ready to go out of 〈◊〉 .

My Lord Bacon would say,See my Lord Bacons confession of • aith, and his devotion Printed in • little book about twelve years agoe, wherein he doth very seriously prosess that after all hi • studies and inquisitions, he durst not •• e with any other 〈◊〉 th • n those Religion taught, as it is pro ••• among the C • ris • ians. towards the •• tter end of his life, • hat a little smattering •• Philosophy would •• ad a man to Atheism, •• t a through insight •• to it will lead a man •• ck again to a first •• use; and that the first •• inciple of right rea •• n, is Religion; in reference to which, it was the wisest way to live strictly and severely: for i • the opinion of another world be not true, yet the • weet • st life in this world is Piety, Vertue and Honesty; If it be, there are none so miserable as the loose, the carnal and profane Persons, who lived a dishonourable and a bas • life in this world, and were lik • to fall to a most wofull state in th • next.

Prince H • nry used to s • y that he knew no sport worth an oath, and with Judge Nich • l • , that he knew not what they called Puritan preaching, but he loved that preaching that went next his heart, and sp • ke [as 〈…〉 to say of Dr. Preston] as if they knew the 〈◊〉 God • Prince Henry's l •• words. O Christ, th • art my Redeemer, an • I know that thou h •• redeemed me: I who • depend upon thy P ••• vidence and Merc •• From the very bott •• of my Heart I comme my Soul into thy ha ••

A Person of Qua • waiti • g on the Prince in his sickness, who had been his constant Companion at Tennis, and asking • im, how he did, was answered, • h Tom! I in vain wish for that time, I last with thee and others, in • ain Recr • ation.

Now my Soul be glad, for at • l the parts of this Prison the • ord hath set his aid to loose •• ee; Head, Feet, Milt and Liver • re failing: Arise therefore, and • ake off thy Fetters, mount from •• y Body, and go thy way.

The Earl of Arundel, From a Gentlemans mouth at whose house he lodged in Italy. •• ing on his Death •• d, said, My flesh and 〈◊〉 heart faileth; and 〈◊〉 Ghostly Father ad •• d the next words, •• at • God was the strength of his •• rt, and his portion for ever; 〈◊〉 would never fail him: He an •• ering, • ll the world • ath failed • 〈◊〉 will • ever failu • e.

From Doctor Vshers mouth • hom he de •• red to preach at his Fun • ral, and to give him the Sacrament, at the Celebration whereof a great scholer, as it is commonly re • orted, coming in stared, •• ying, I thought Selden had more learning, judg • ment and s • i •• t than • to 〈◊〉 to ob •• lete formes.Master Seldon, who had comprehended all the learning and knowledge that is either among the Jews, Heathens; nor Christians; & suspected by many of too little a regard to Religion: one after • noon before he dye • sent for Bishop Vsher and Doctor Langbar •• and discoursed to the • to this purpose: T ••• he had surveyed mo •• part of the Learn ••• that was among the 〈◊〉 of Men; that he 〈◊〉 his Study full o • Boo • and Papers of most subjects in 〈◊〉 World; yet that at that time • could not recollect any passa •• o •• of those infinite Books a •• Manuscripts he was Master wherein he could rest his So •• save of the holy Scriptures; wherein the most remarkable passage that lay most upon his Spirit, was Tit. 2. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. For the Grace of God that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men; teaching us, that de •• ing ungodliness and worldly lust, • e should live soberly, and righte •• sly and godly, in this present • orld; looking for that blessed •• pe, and glorious appearing of the • reat God, and our Saviour Iesus • hrist; who gave himself for us, •• at he might redeem us from all •• iquity, and purifie unto himself • peculiar People, zealous of good • orks: these things speak, and • xhort and rebuke with all Autho •• ty.

Sir Thomas Coventry, once hear •• g some Gallants jesting with • eligion, said, that there was no • reater argument of a foolish and •• considerate person, than profanely to droll at Religion. It's a sign he hath no regard of himself, and that he is not touched with a sense of his own interest, who playeth with life and death, and makes nothing of his Soul. To examine severely, and debate seriously the principles of Religion, is a thing worthy of a wise man: whoso •• ver turn • Religion into Railler •• and abuseth it with two or three • old jests, rendreth not Religio • but himself ridiculous, in the opinion of all considerate men, • ecause he sports with his o •• •• fe, for a good man saith, If the principles of Religion were doubtful, yet they concern us 〈◊〉 neerly, that we ought to be serious in the examination o • them.

I shall never forget a traditio • of the Jews related by Masi •• upon Ioshua, viz. that Noah i • • he universal deluge, instead o • Gold, Silver, and all sorts of treasure carryed the bones of Adam into the Ark, and distributing them among his Sons, said, take • hildren, behold the most pre • ious inheritance your Father • an leave you; you shall share • ands and Seas of God shall ap • oint, but suffer not your selves to • e intangled in these Vanities, my • hildren all glideth away here • elow, and there is nothing which • ernally subsisteth; learn this • esson from these dumb Doctors, • he reliques of your Grandfather, • hich will serve you for a refuge • n your adversities, a bridle in • our prosperity, and a Mirrour at • ll times; provide for your Souls. • he opinion of whose immortali • y you will find got every where, • here you sind men, so true is that • f Plotinus, that never was there a man of understanding that strove not for the immortality of the Soul, Animam inde venire unde rerum omnium authorem parentem, spiritum ducimus. Quint. That which we call death being in Max. Tyrius, but the beginning of immortality: Therefore Philostratus mentioneth a young man much troubled about the state of Souls in the other life, to whom Apollonius appeared, assuring him [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] that it was immortal, and bidding him not be troubled at it, since it was the Divine providence it should be so: Nay, Phlegon a Heathen hath written of a Maid in Trayls of Phrygia, Philenion by Name, who burned both with lust and a feavour to death, appeared to her Father and Mother, to tell them if they took not that course of life the gods designed men for, and wch they are to blame they did not instruct her in, they would find another state they little thought of where there was grief, and no re • medy: and he addeth moreover that he sent this history, whereof he was an eye witness, by a particular messenger to the Emperour Adrian.

Curopalates relateth how the excellent Painter Methodius, drawing the last day heaven black, the Earth on fire, the Sea in bloud, the Throne of God environed with Angels in the clouds, wrought upon Bogoris the Barbarous King of Bulgaria, so as that in a short • ime he yielded himself to God by a happy conversion, for he dreaming on the whole proceedings of that day, among other things saw the sins he had made so light of, bespeaking him thus: I am the pleasure thou hast obeyed, I am the ambition whose slave thou wast, I am the avarice which was the aim of all thy actions; behold so many sins, which are thy children, thou begatst them, thou • ovedst them so much as to prefer them before thy Saviour.

These con • iderations made weeping Heraclitus wipe his eyes, and look cheerfully, saying, that his eyes were never dry till he had settled his thoughts about his eternal state, and had a dry Soul, not steeped in lust, capable of the notions of immortality, the only support of Bellisarius, when having been the Thunderbolt of War, made the East, West and South to tremble, the mighty Powers of the Earth crawling in dust before him; he that drew the whole world in throngs after him was forsaken, and walked through the streets of Constantinople with two or three servants, as a man that had out-lived his Funerals, to serve as a spectacle of pity, at last loosing his eyes, and crying in the Streets dateabolum Bellisario.

This example, and others, of the sad uncertainty of humane affairs, and the necessity of yielding to religious thoughts, sooner or later, made Charlemain at the Coronation of his Son, utter these serious words; My dear Son, it is to day that I die in the Empires of the world, and that Heaven makes me born again in your person, if you will raign happy, fear God, who is the force of Empires, and Soveraign Father of all Dominions, keep his commandements, and cause them to be observed with unviolable fidelity, serve first of all for an example to all the world, a • d lead before God and man a life irreproachable.

What Steph. Gardiner said of justification by Faith, a branch of our Religion, is true of all of it, viz. that though it be not looked upon as a good breakfast for men to live up to in the heat of their youth, yet is it a good supper for men to live upon in their reduced years. The Persian messenger in AEschiles the Tragedian, could not but observe the worth of Piety, in time of extremity: when the Grecian Forces hotly pursued us [said he] and we must venture over the great wat • r Strymon, frozen then, but beginning to thaw, when a hundred to one we had all dyed for it, with mine eyes I saw many of those Gallants, whom I heard before so boldly maintain there was no God, every one upon their knees, with eyes and hands lifted up, begging hard for help and mercy, and entreating that the Ice might hold till they got over. Those Gallants [saith a good man in the application of this story] who now proscribe godliness out of their hearts and houses [as if it were only an humour taken up by some precise person] and Galba like, scorn at them who fe • r and think of death, when they themselves come to enter the lists with the King of terrors, and perceive in earnest, that away they must into another world, and be saved or tormented in flames for ever, as they have walked after the flesh, or after the spirit, here without question they will say as dying Theophilus did of devout Arsenius, thou art blessed O Arsenius, Who hadst alwayes this hour before thine eyes; or as the young Gallant, that visited St. Ambrose lying on his death bed, and said to his comrade, O • hat I might live with thee, and dye with Saint Ambrose: And it is observed among the Papists, that many Cardinals, and other gre • t • nes, who would think their • owle, and Religious habit ill •• came them in their health, yet •• e very ambitious to dye, and be • uried in them, as commonly they • re. They who live wickedly and loosly, yet like a Religious habit very well, when they goe into another world.

Cardinal Woolsey, one of the greatest Ministers of State that ever was, who gave Law for many years to England, and for some to all Europe, poured forth his Soul in those sad words [a sufficient argument that Politicians know nothing of that Secret whispered up and down, that Religion is a meer Court-cheat, an arcanum imperij, a secret of Government] had I been as diligent to serve my God, as I have been to please my King, he would not have forsaken me now in my gray haires.

Its an observation common and useful, that as there is no ma • of quality hardly goeth out of th • world now, without the instructi • on, prayers, and ministry of a Chap • lain; however they have lived i • it owning the comforts of Religion • though they disowned the practise of it. So there is no King or States-man, from the beginning of our history to H. 8. times, that left not legacies more or less to pray for his Soul, though it might be said of some of them, as the tart Historian saith, they never prayed heartily for it themselves; • hose Masses that they laughed at, • hen living, they craved and • ayed dearly for, when dying.

About the year 1548. Francis • pira saith this of himself, I was • xcessively covetous of moneys, • nd accordingly I applied my self 〈◊〉 get by injustice, corrupting •• dgement, deceit,History of Spira, in Latine and English. ••• enting tricks to • lude justice; good •• ses I either de ••• ded deceitfully, or sold them 〈◊〉 the adversaries per • idiously: 〈◊〉 causes I maintained with all my ••• ht, I willingly opposed the known truth and trust committed to me, I either betrayed or preverted. And for the inordinate love of the things of this World, I wofully wounded my conscience by an infamous abjuration of the blessed Truth, which I formerly professed upon the serious consideration of what I had done in cold bloud, acknowledging my self utterly undone, and for ever: This poor man became a spectacle of such spiritual misery, and woe to the whole world, that there is not any thing left unto the memory of man, more remarkable, Gribaldus Epist. de tremendo, divin. jud. exemplo. his spirit suddenly smitten with the dreadfu • sense of divine wrath for his A • postacy, and split in pieces, as i • were by so grievous a bruise, fainted fearfully, failed him quite, and fell a sunder in his breast like drop • of water, hear some ruful expressions of his desperate state from his own mouth. O that I were gone from hence, that some body would let out this weary Soul! I tell you • here was never such a monster as I am; never was man alive, a spectacle of such exceeding misery; I now feel Gods heavy wrath, that burneth like the torments of Hell within me, and afflicts my Soul with pains unutterable.Verily desperation • s hell it self,— the gnawing • orms of unquenchable fire, hor • our, confusion, and which is worst • f all, desperation it self continu • lly tortureth me. And now I • ount my present state worse than 〈◊〉 my soul separated from my • ody, were with Iudas; the truth 〈◊〉 never had mortal man such ex • erience of Gods anger, and •• tred against him; as I have, the • amned in hell, I think endure not •• e like misery; If I could conceive but the least spark of hope in my heart of a better state hereafter I would not refuse to endure the most heavy wrath of the great God, ye • , for 2000. years, so that at length I might get out of misery.—O that God would let loose his hand from me, and that it were with me now as in times past; I would scorn the threats of the most cruel Tyrants, bear torments with most invincible resolution, and glory in the outward profession of Christ, till I were choaked with the flame, and my body turned into ashes.

Gribaldus addeth in the forecited letter, that being sound in his mind, and memory; he woul • in sober-sadness, wish that he we •• either in Cain • or Iudas his cas • the worm had so eaten into hi • conscience, and the fire into hi • Soul.

4. Long before this (though remembred it not till now) viz. • bout the year 1160. diverse of • he best of the City of Lyons, • alking and walking in a certain • lace after their old accustomed • anner, especially in the summer •• e, conferred together upon • atters; among whom it chanced • e (the rest looking on) to fall • own by sudden death, Waldus •• e Father of the Waldenses, a ••• h man of that City, being one •• them, and beholding the matter •• re earnestly than the other, and •••• ified with so heavy an exam •• e, Gods holy Spirit working ••• hall, was strucken with a deep •• d inward repentance, where •• on followed a new alteration ••• h a carefull study to reform his ••• mer life; he admonished others • o to repent, and ministred large •• es of his goods to such as •• ded; many people therefore •• ly resorting to him, and he seeing them ready and diligent to learn, he began to give out to them certain rudiments of the Scripture, which he translated himself into the French tongue.

5. And fourscore years before this [viz.] about the year 1060. there was at Paris a Funeral of a grave Doctor, at the interring of whom, when the Priest came to the then used form Responde mihi • or, answer me, the Corps sate up • right in the Beer, and to the a • mazement of all that were there cry'd out justo dei judicio accusat ••• sum • at the just Tribunal of Go • I am accused, lying immediatel • down in its first posture; the asto • nished company deferring the B •• rial to see the issue of this stran •• accident, till next day, a vast mu •• titude gather together from a • parts of the City, to consumma •• these strangly interrupted obs • quie • , when at the same words th • disturbed body riseth again, and with the like hideous noise, cryed out Iusto dei judicio judicatus sum, by the just judgement of God I am judged; whereupon the solemnity was deferred a day longer, when the whole City thronging to the strange Burial, in the presence of them all, at the reciting of the same words, he rose up the third time, and cryed Iusto dei judicio • ondemnatus sum, by the just • udgement of God I am condem • ed; whereat, as the whole mul • itude was sadly affrighted, so • runo was seriously affected, insomuch that being then an eminent • octor in the same University, he •• lled his Schollers together, and •• ld them that as they had for • erly heard, so they now saw that • he judgements of the Lord are •• searchable, and his ways past ••• ding out; for said he, this Person • hom we honoured, for the strictness of his life, the vertues and discretion of his converse, cryeth now that he is damned by the jus • judgement of God. Just are al • wayes the judgements of God though sometime hidden (I a • saith the poor man damned b • the just judgement of God) • dreadful speech, which I woul • to God alwayes sounded in o •• ears, till it get into our heart • that since we cannot by an • meanes avoid judgement, a •• the wrath to come, we may wi •• fear prepare for it, and in t •• our day seek the things that b •• long to our peace: Let us co •• sider my Brethren (goeth 〈◊〉 good man on) I beseech you w ••• profit hath this poor wretch • 〈◊〉 Hell, of all his Light and kno •• ledge, now he is for ever in da ••• ness? what advantage of all 〈◊〉 estate, when he hath not a 〈◊〉 of water to cool his tongue • What of honours and delights, now he must undergoe as many torments, as formerly he enjoyed pleasures? we have seen his body thrown without honour into a dunghill; and we may imagine his Soul to be thrown without mercy into Hell, to suffer with the damned, the gnawing of the worm that shall never dye, and the scorching flame, that shall be extinguished, where there is burning unimaginable, a stink intollerable, and grief interminable, where men may seek death, and shall not find it; death being there immortal, and feeding on the miserable, not that they might have the great mercy of dying, but suffer the extream punishment of living. What shall we do? Whose advise shall we • etake our selves to? For all we • ike sheep have gone astray, every one hath turned to his own way; There is none that doth good, no not one; we have all sinned, and done amiss, we are all the children of wrath, and deserving the same condemnation unless the mercy of Christ deliver us. What shall we do, shal • we not all likewise perish? I • God spared not this man, nor th • Angels that sinned, nor the natu • ral branches that were cut off how shall he spare us? and ye • do we think that his hand 〈◊〉 shortned, that it cannot save? 〈◊〉 that he will shut up his lovin • kindness in displeasure? Wh •• shall we do? Oh my brethren 〈◊〉 so intangled, so difficult, and 〈◊〉 w • ighty a matter, Let us not 〈◊〉 in our own strength, let us 〈◊〉 Counsel, not of the Iews, 〈◊〉 trust to be justified in the La •• nor of the Phylosophers, who ••• ly o • th • ir own vertues, no • 〈◊〉 the wi • emen of this world, i • 〈◊〉 savour not the things of God, but of those that fear the Lord, and walk in his wayes: Let us • ear the great propitiation for •• ur sins, the Lord Jesus, who saith (as the forerunner Iohn Baptist, than whom there was not greater born of a woman, did before him (repent ye, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand:) bring forth fruit worthy of re • entance: if ye repent not, ye • hall all likewise Perish. Let us • ear Saint Peter p • eaching ear • estly that men should repent, • hat there sins may be blotted • ut; and when his hearers were • ricked at the heart, and asked • hat they should do to be saved, • e repeats that exhortation, re • ent. Repentance brethren (so • runo goeth on) is the only • lank left us, after shipwrack; 〈◊〉 us turn to •• e Lord, and he will have mercy upon us; for he des • reth not the death of a sin • e • but that he may return from 〈◊〉 sin and live; neither le • •• s de ••••• for he that pro • i • eth pa ••••• upon repentance, promi • eth 〈◊〉 so much time as we promise o •• selves to repent; there are tho •• sands • whose ca • e is like theirs 〈◊〉 the proverbs, to whom God speak •••• I have called, and ye would 〈◊〉 answer, I have stretched • o •• my hands, and ye have refuse •• Ye have despised all my co •• se • s, and set a • naugh •• all 〈◊〉 reproofes. I will also laugh 〈◊〉 yo •• Calamity, and moc • •• ll your fear cometh, when your 〈◊〉 as desolation, and you • des ••• on cometh a • a whi • le wil •• when distress and anguish ••• meth upon you, then shall 〈◊〉 call, but I will not answer • 〈◊〉 shall seek me early, and shall 〈◊〉 find me. The Lo • d now call •• us, for this voyce is not for 〈◊〉 •• ke that is dead, and past repen ••• nce, but ours who live, and • hom the patience and long- •• ffering of God leads to repen ••• nce] Let us not delay from • ay to day to answer him, for we • now not at what hour the Lord • ay come.

At these words one of the • cholars Landvinus by Name, a •• scan of Luca, in the Name of 〈◊〉 rest, declared they were all ••• vinced of the truth of what 〈◊〉 said,Dr. M. D. E. but added with •• , that the whole world • eth in wickedness, and it was al • ost impossible to be seriously Re •• gious amidst so many strifes and •• tentions, so many tumults and • mmotions, so much malice and •• vy, so much fraud and in •• stice, so much lying, blasphe ••• g and swearing, so much ••• ptation and vanity, so much • emperance and debaucheries. A good man must separate himself • to intermedle with tru • wisdom, take the wings of a Dov • • and fly and be at rest, and with •• noch and Noah walk with God and therefore said he, Brethren • Let us pray to God to direct us •• a retired place, where we may li •• with him; upon this two othe • advised that they should goe, an • consult with the holy and Re •••• end Bishop of Gratianople, Sa ••• Hugh about withdrawing th ••• selves into a desert, & settle the •• selves there a peculiar peopl • zealous of good works • Sa ••• Hugh, adviseth them to goe 〈◊〉 live in the cold and dreadful ••• sert of Carthusell in Daulph •• where they went and settled sev ••• in number, Anno 1080. in 〈◊〉 strictest way of Religion in 〈◊〉 world, eating no flesh living 〈◊〉 • ouples, labouring with the hands, watching, praying, and •••• er meeting together but on Sundays, the Original of ninety three • arthusian Monasteries (where of • he Charter-house was one) since in • he world.

To shut up this Collection, Master • eorg Herbert, and Master Nicholas •• rrar, as dear each to other as • oth were to God, and good men, • entlemen well known to most • ersons of quality in the Nation. • he latter of them a Gentleman • f a good Estate, extraordinary •• res, excellent Education, and of • happy Temper; after many •• ars travels, experience, and read •• g • being Master of most ancient • nd modern Histories, and of •• moderne Languages, when •• pable of most employments that •• come an accomplished Gentle • an in Court and Countrey, re •• red to his house at little Gidding • Huntingtonshire, where with a • umerous family of his Relations, he dedicated himself to his dyin • day to a very strict way of servin • God in holy and excellent co •• ferences, managed by the me •• bers, by turns in devout pray •• publickly at the set hours in t •• Chappel, and privately in the ••• nonical hours day and night in t •• House, in an orderly and profitab •• course of reading the Scriptu •• with useful Comments and ••• courses upon them: in receiv ••• the pious visits of most good m •• and women in that and other par • of the Nation, in relieving t •• aged poor, relieving and instru ••• ing the young, in pious Need ••• works by his Faeminine Relation • and choice Pen-works by hims ••• of whom a Reverend Person •• hoped is likely to give a good a •• count shortly as of a great pattern • of Self-denying; yet having a dis • creet zeal and Piety to a backslid • ing world.

The first • n younger Brother • o an ancien • Family, [his elder Brother was the learned Lord Her • ert of • herbury.] And the Earls of Pemb • oke and Montgomery, the 〈◊〉 Lord High-s • eward, the other • ord Chamberlaine of the Kings • his near Relations] Fellow of Tri • ity Colledge in Cambridge, Ora • or of that University, a great •• holar, and a high Wit, known in the University by his rich Fancy • pon Prince Henries funeral, and at Court by his gallant Oration upon Prince Charles his return, yet quitting both his de • erts and opportunities that he had for worldly preferments, he betook himself to the Temple, and San • tuary of God, choosing rather to serve at Gods Altar, than to seek the honour of State employments: to testifie his independency upon all others, and to quicken his diligence in Christs service, he used in his ordinary speech, when he made mention of the blessed Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to adde my Master: next God he loved that which God hath magnified above all things, his word, so as he hath been heard to make solemn Protestation (as Luther used to do) that he would not part with one leaf thereof for the whole world, if it were offered him in exchange; but hear the good man in his own good wo • ds.

The Pearl, Math. 13. I Know the ways of learning, both the head And Pipes that feed the press, and make it run, What Reason hath from Nature borrowed, Or of it's self like a good hous • wife spun. In Laws and Policy, what the Stars Conspire, What willing Nature speaks, what forced by fire, Both the old discoveries, and the new found Seas, The Stock and Surplus, Cause, and History; All these stand open, or I have the Keyes. Yet I love thee. I know the wayes of Honour, what Maintains The quick returns of Courtesie, and Wit, Invies of favours, whether party gains, When glory swells the heart, and woundeth it. To all expressions, both of Hand and Eye, Which on the World a true Loves knot may tye; And bear the bundle, whereso'ere it goes, How many drams of Spirit there must be To sell my Life unto my friends, and foes. Yet I love thee. I know the wayes of pleasure, the sweet streams, The Lullings, and the Rellishes of it, The propositions of hot blood and brain, What mirth, and musick means, what love and wit. Have done these twenty hundred years and more, I know the projects of unbridled store. My stuff is flesh, not brass, my senses live, And grumble oft, that they have more in me, Than he that curbes them, being but one to free. Yet I love thee. I know all these, and have them in my hand, Therefore not sealed, but with open Eyes, I • lie to thee, and fully understand, Both the main sale, and the commodities, And at what rate and price I have thy love, With all the Circumstances that may move. Yet through the Labirinth, not my grovling wit, But thy silk twist, let down from heaven to me, Did both conduct, and teach me, how by it To Climbe to thee.

We will conclude with Master Herberts Motto, with which he used to conclude all things that might seem to make any thing for his own honour.

Less than the least of Gods mercies. And his saying was, when he heard any of his own good works mentioned; Ah it is a good work if it be washed in the bloud of Christ.