An eye to heauen in earth A necessarie watch for the time of death, consisting in meditations and prayers fit for that purpose. With the husbands christian counsell to his wife and children, left poore after his death.

PART. 1.

Death certaine, his comming vncertaine.

BY the former Discourse, ye may per∣ceiue, that Death will certainly come vpon mee

and you, as vpon all men; but when, where or how, no man knowes; and that after death, all shall come to Iudgement, and yeeld account for whatsoeuer they haue done in this life, and therefore wee all should prepare vs against the time, by continuall watchsulnesse in well-do∣ing.

You may also conceiue, and I know, you haue too well experimented my poore estate to bee such, as I cannot leaue behinde me such testimonies, of my worldly happinesse as ma∣ny other men doe to them they leaue behinde them, that may challenge some remembrance by their

worldly substance. And therefore, in stead of such commemorations, I desire, before I goe hence, and bee no more seene, to leaue such token of my loue towards you, as I can; that you may likewise remember mee in Christian imitation, after my death, wishing you to take that in good part at my hands, that I shall giue you in counsell, though words, I know, make none wealthy.

In stead therefore of * 1.1 Possessions, and Pecuniary Portions, I wish you euer to esteeme the fauor, loue, and prouidence of God, your chiefest riches, who as he hath been euer mine: so will hee bee assuredly

yours, if in faith yee serue him and seeke him. Bee yee therefore patient in that, which in this life ne∣cessitie inforceth to be vn∣dergone, howsoeuer hard and vnsauourie it bee to flesh and bloud: and make of that necessitie a ver∣tue; which if bee taken with grudging, turnes into sinne.

The time will not bee long, which will giue end * 1.2 to the greatest miseries, then what difference can there bee obserued, be∣tweene them that haue a∣bundance, and them that haue least; they shall carrie equall portions to their graues, only nakednesse, which both the rich and

poore, the glorious and the base brought into the World with them: yet their future portions may differ, as did the Rich mans * 1.3 and Lazarus.

Let vs therefore, as long as we liue together, couple and comfort our hearts to∣gether in the Lord, whose pleasure it is (and that in * 1.4 loue) to keepe vs low in this World, to the end wee should not be transported from the loue of heauenly, to earthly things; the best whereof is our bodie, which yet is compared to a Flowre, that fades and comes to nothing.

If therefore pouertie and afflictions continually pos∣sesse vs, and presse vs

downe, euen vnto our liues ends: Let vs rest euer faithfull, cleauing con∣stantly vnto God, for hee careth for vs; so shall wee * 1.5 bee the lesse carefull for worldly things.

Care not for your liues (saith Christ) namely, what * 1.6 yee shall eate, or what yee shall drinke, nor for your bo∣dies, what yee shall put on: * 1.7 for the bodie is more worth then meate, and of more va∣lue then rayment, bee it ne∣uer so precious: yet shall it naturally rot as the Gar∣ment doth: but so much the more precious is the bodie, though it perish, by how much it shall bee fu∣turely glorified. But the bodies of the disobedient

and wicked, are so much the more base and vile then is a garment, by how much it shall not so total∣ly perish as the garment doth, but bee reserued and raysed to endlesse tor∣ments.

The fowles of the ayre * 1.8 are brought in by Christ, to teach man to cast his care vpon God, Who careth * 1.9 for the verie fowles, though they sow not, nor reape, nor carrie into barnes, yet they are fedde and nourished by God: but they are not idle: for as God hath ordained food for them, so are they to flye to and fro to seeke it; teaching as not to rest careles of lawfull labours, though Christ say, Care

not for to morrow: but ra∣ther that we should bee so much the more industrious euery where, by all meanes & at all times, in our law∣full callings, omitting no opportunitie lawfully to encrease our store.

Christ likewise by way * 1.10 of comparison, brings in the Lillyes of the field, set∣ting their glorie to the glorie of our corrupt bo∣dies; shewing, that al∣though wee labour and toyle, and carke and care, * 1.11 and busie our bodies and braynes about superfluous and vanishing things, wee can neuer bee comparable to the glory of the Lilly, & other glorious & beau∣tifull flowers; no not Salo∣mon

in his most glorious robes: yet as glorious as these beautifull flowers are, they quickly fade and fall away.

Whereby we are taught, * 1.12 that how gawdily or glo∣riously soeuer we couet to beautifie our bodies, wee make them neuer the more permanent, but, as these * 1.13 flowers wither and fall, leafe after leafe, through the defect of the sap, that first caused them to flou∣rish: * 1.14 so man, liue he ne∣uer so long, and neuer so full of glorie, when the sap of nature begins to wax drie in him, his most glorious leaues begin to fade and faile, one after another; the strong men

(his legs) begin to wea∣ken and falter; the grinders (his teeth) fall out of the head; the lookers, (the eyes) wax dim, & one part after another decayes, till the bodie totally comes to dust in the graue.

This is the glorie of the most glorious; hee buds, blossoms, ripes, & rots, as doth the flower in the * 1.15 garden, the grasse of the field, and as a shaddow, a dreame, and as a fancie flyes to his end; and liue he neuer so long, his life is but as a tale that is told.

Doe wee not daily see * 1.16 the youngest & strongest among humane creatures, liuely, full of agilitie, and corporall actiuitie in the

morning; who yet before night are eyther naturally or accidētally oftentimes cut downe, and in their graues?

Why therefore should * 1.17 I, or you, that shall per∣chance suruiue me, be so sollicitous, and ouercare∣full of worldly things? e∣specially seeintg he longest liuer cannot enioy what he desireth, with any true contentment, aboue for∣tie or fiftie yeeres: for till he bee twentie, hee is vn∣der gouernment, not at his owne will: after that, he is wearied with labours, and cares of the world; & when he comes to sixtie or seuentie yeeres, hee be comes decrepit, vnapt, &

vnable to follow his owne occasions.

To bee in league with * 1.18 death, as hoping he will forbeare the execution of his warrant vpon vs, or by arte to indeuour to put off old age, though many desire it, none can doe it; the richest by his gifts, the strongest by his valour, the wisest by his policie, nor the most cunning by any artificiall deuice or strata∣gem he can contriue.

Who can free himselfe of a feuer? who can rid himselfe of the gout, of the stone, or of any other inherent infirmitie of the bodie? Surely none but death: death is the Phisi∣cian * 1.19 that cures all the dis∣eases

present in the bodie: yet we like not his phisick, wee are contented to vse art, money we willingly giue to auoyd it; and yet it is commonly seene, that hee that seekes and desires most to prolong his life, is most suddenly taken by death: and he that seekes most to flie from it, him it followes euen at the heeles: and hee that co∣uets most to saue his life, soonest loseth it.

I thinke it therefore * 1.20 greatest wisdome, so farre to couet long life, as it may stand a blessing of God; during which life, we are to meditate neces∣sarily * 1.21 two especial points, namely, how to leade our

liues, & how to entertaine death when it comes.

As touching the first, * 1.22 we are inioyned, & there∣fore bound to liue godly; which comprehendeth all the dueties of a Christian life, which duties although * 1.23 they be many, are all per∣formed by holy obedience to God, which consisteth in a perfect obseruing of his diuine Precepts, name∣ly, * 1.24 in doing that which is good, and auoyding that which is euill.

The good commanded, * 1.25 cannot be done by nature, which is corrupt; but by grace, freely giuen: the euill, which is forbidden, comes, and is done by na∣ture. The effects of good

and ill affections, consist in action, by seuerall opera∣tions: the good which we doe, God worketh both in vs and by vs; the euill which wee doe, is of & by our selues: The like in suf∣fering; the good suffer e∣uill with patience, not the euill of doing, but the bea∣ring of euils and wrongs offerd, without grudging: The wicked suffer euen goodnesse, as it were, a∣gainst their wils, and com∣mit euils against the good wittingly, and with their wils: The good endeuour to leade their liues vnspot∣ted in the world, not as did many Heathen Philo∣sophers, who had both the actiue and passiue parts of

doing good, and suffering euill, & that in great mea∣sure of patience, wanting only diuine knowledge, & consequently, faith: which are no more ours by na∣ture, then they were theirs.

Therefore, if I, or you * 1.26 should onely indeuour a kinde of Philosophical out∣ward and morall goodnes, without the internal wor∣king of grace through faith; wee should by our such doing and suffering, gaine but that which they gayned, a bare name of ho∣linesse; although wee (as some of them did) would voluntarily giue our bo∣dies to death, wee should thereby gain but the more future miseries.

In all our doings and * 1.27 sufferings, wee must set GOD alwayes before the eye of our mindes, taking hold of Christ by faith, by whome hee hath reueiled himselfe vnto vs (to be our louing Father) not vnto them: without Christ, wee are euen as the former Gen∣tiles were, vnder the curse; but, by and through him, made heires of the King∣dome of glorie: whereof (although these Philoso∣phers were endued with humane wisedome farre a∣boue vs, they had yet no vnderstāding of, nor were partakers of that true glo∣rie which is by Christ.

Therefore must we, that liue in the light of Truth,

striue to bee partakers of * 1.28 better things then they, that liued in the darknesse of ignorance: for vs to come short of their care (of do∣ing the good they suppos'd good) in doing that wee know to bee good, were most palpable idlenesse, and seuerely punishable.

We must therefore, while it is to day, studie, and pra∣ctise to be holy in deede, not in shew, like the Pha∣rises, whose seeming san∣ctitic was all external, and internally were prophane hypocrites.

As touching the second point of Meditatiō, name∣ly, * 1.29 of the vncertayne com∣ming, and to be prepared for death: cast your eye vp∣on

the fore-part of the former treatie, where you may peraduenture finde matter of Meditation tou∣ching this point. In briefe, Remember your ends, name∣ly, death; and if you haue any grace, it will preuent sinne in you: so walke in health, as if you should presently die: ye shall find it a remedy against the va∣nities of this life.

Who can thinke of pre∣sent death, and yet delight himselfe in the vncertayne things of this world? Hee that is still dying, begins his eternall life here, and remembers that hee hath here no continuing Citie; * 1.30 and therefore thinks of, & seekes that which is to

come; not liuing as the se∣cure conetous man in the Gospell, flattering his soule to remaine many yeeres in his bodie, not hauing one night to liue.

Yee are poore, I con∣fesse, * 1.31 I cannot enrich you, and therefore to disswade you from couetousnesse, may seeme superfluous; yet I thinke not, but a begger may be as couetous, and as greedy to get & hoord vp, as the richest man: flie it therefore in your smallest meanes: it is the roote of all other sinnes, it depriues men of the sense of future good or euill; auoid it, left death steale vpon you, and finde you so doing: depend * 1.32 on Gods prouision & bles∣sing

of your owne lawfull and laudable industries; He is your heauenly Father, and knoweth whereof ye haue neede; seeke him, hee will be found, he will supply all your occasions, if yee bee faithfull, though yee were neuer so poore.

DAVID depending on * 1.33 God, found by experiēce, that the righteous were neuer left destitute, nor their faithfull children to begge. Cast then your care vpon God, for hee careth for you: And let not the care of the things of this life preuent your carefull pre∣paration to a better life, which you cannot attayne vnto but by death: and therefore indeuour so to

liue, as God may bee glo∣rified in your death, not giuing your members as wea∣pons * 1.34 of vnrighteousnesse, vnto sinne here: but giue your selues vnto God, as they that are aliue from the dead, and giue your members as wea∣pons of righteousnesse vnto GOD. Striue against your owne corruption, and let * 1.35 not sinne raigne in your mor∣tall bodies, that yee should o∣bey it in the lusts thereof: for, When lust hath conceiued, it * 1.36 bringeth forth sinne, and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death; not the death of the body only, which is but a dissolution of the soule from it for a season: but the death both of soule and body, which is

eternall. Walke therefore in * 1.37 the Spirit (saith Saint Paul) and yee shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Ye haue the light, walke not in darknes; for, he that walketh in dark∣nesse, * 1.38 walkes hee knowes not whither: while yee haue the light therefore, walke in it.

So walke as your hearts * 1.39 may mooue from euill to good, from sinne to sancti∣tie; cease to do euil, learne to doe good, and practise it. Learne of Dauid, to run the way of the Lords Cō∣mandements: Walke not in * 1.40 the counsell of the wicked, stand not in the way of sin∣ners, nor sit in the seate of the scornefull: but, delight * 1.41 your selues in the Law of the Lord, and thereupon medi∣tate

day and night, so shall yee bee blessed in life and death.

Yet thinke not to bee * 1.42 free from troubles, ene∣mies, and crosses, how sincerely soeuer yee liue; nay, the more carefull yee shall be to lead a holy and a godly life, so much the more will Satan seeke to peruert you: bee not dis∣maid, cease not to walke honestly, as in the open light, that men may see your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in heauen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The loue of God in pouertie, is greatest portion.
• * 1.2

  Death giues e∣quall por∣tions to poore and rich.
• * 1.3

  Mat. 16. 21
• * 1.4

  God keeps them low, whom hee loues.
• * 1.5

  1. Pet. 5. 7
• * 1.6

  Luk. 12. 22.
• * 1.7

  Mat. 6. 26.
• * 1.8

  Mat. 6. 26.
• * 1.9

  The very brute beasts and fowles must tra∣uaile for their food, how much more man?
• * 1.10

  Mās beau∣tie farre short of the flowres
• * 1.11

  Matt. 6. 28.
• * 1.12

  Mans e∣state like a flower here.
• * 1.13

  Esa. 40. 6.
• * 1.14

  1. Pet. 1. 24
• * 1.15

  Psal. 78. 39.
• * 1.16

  The fragi∣litie of man.
• * 1.17

  Why we should not be too carefull of worldly things.
• * 1.18

  As no man cā put off death, so can he not prolong life.
• * 1.19

  Death cu∣reth all diseases.
• * 1.20

  How farre to couet long life.
• * 1.21

  Exo. 23. 26.
• * 1.22

  First point to liue godly.
• * 1.23

  All duties performed by holy obedience
• * 1.24

  1. Sam. 15. 22, 23. Hos. 6. 6.
• * 1.25

  All good is of God, euill of ourselues.
• * 1.26

  Outward vertues gaine but a bare name of holinesse.
• * 1.27

  We must haue God before our eyes, both in doing and suffe∣ring.
• * 1.28

  We must striue to do better things, then the Philoso∣phers did.
• * 1.29

  Second point, to prepare vs for death.
• * 1.30

  No con∣tinuing Citie here
• * 1.31

  Needlesse to dissuade the poore from co∣uetousnes
• * 1.32

  To depēd on God.
• * 1.33

  The safest course, to cast our care vpon God.
• * 1.34

  Rom. 6. 13.
• * 1.35

  Vers. 12.
• * 1.36

  Iam. 1. 15.
• * 1.37

  Gal. 5. 16.
• * 1.38

  Iob. 12. 35.
• * 1.39

  We ought to walke from euill to good.
• * 1.40

  Psal. 1. 1.
• * 1.41

  Vers. 2.
• * 1.42

  The most godly haue most troubles.