BY this time you see the summe of our now errand and present text : the worke in hand is a funerall , the partie deceased worthy Samuel ; the mourners , all Israel ; the place of buriall , his owne house at Ramah . The whole passage penned , either by Gad , or Nathan ( as it should seeme by the Chronicles ) at Gods appointment ; whose eye followes euery mourner here , and therefore it behoues vs to follow his voyce with our best attentions . For my owne part , I am very sensible of the difficulties I now sustaine : for the subiect of our discourse , Samuels funerall is enough to astonish any Israelite ; for matter , it is not easie to say , what will be most expediently said ; and for manner wee haue things , almost incompatible to reconcile , plainenesse and briefenesse in the same speech : the text giues some aduantage by its plainenesse and fulnesse , yeelding matter of large vse from three sorts of men of highest qualitie ; from Samuel dying , from Israel mourning , from Dauid flying ; of all whom , whilest I speake plainely , doe you heare conscionably , so God shall haue his end , and I my aime .

And first of Samuel he dies ; the time is gessed at by men , but not expressed by God : some knit this story with that next before , because of the word ( And ) , but that particle in the original , is sometimes ordinatiue , as wel as copulatiue , and begins sometimes a new storie , a new book sometimes . ‛ Paul is most expresse for the time , Exod. 1.1 . Ezek●… 1. P●… Sam. ●8 S●… A●… Mont. in 〈…〉 V 〈…〉 enda●…mp . Sa●… A●… 1● . who g●… him a longer time , H●…cus yet more , 〈…〉 and I●…allus most of all . 1. Sam. 3 20.2 . Sam 12. Act. 12 ; where summing vp the reigne of Saul and Samuel , he makes the whole 40 yeeres , whereof not much aboue two or three ( if I mistake not , falls to Saul , the other are Samuels , so ancient a Ruler as this worthie , yet now he dies : what further he was we need not say , his name and storie speakes it sufficiently , he was begged of God , borne of honest parents , brought vp in best fashion , aduanced to highest emploiments in Church and Common-weale ; a Prophet approued of God and man a Magistrate to whom heauen and earth in the day of his resignation gaue applause ; God spake from heauen in his voice of thunder , man could not vpon the sharpest challenge charge him with any indirectnesse in gouernment ; this Samuel so well descended , so much regarded , so holy in life , so high in place , a good Christian , a good Church-man , a good Sates-man , now dies and yeelds to nature .

In his death le ts reade our owne , and grow to this conclusion , Death is vnauoydable , life and death take turnes each of other ; the man liues not that shall not see death , be he a King with Saul , a Prophet with Ieremie , a wise Salomon , a foolish Nabal , a holy Isaac , a prophane Esau , of what sort soeuer , hee must be deaths prisoner ; nay , let there bee a concurence of all in one , let Samuel be both a good man , and a good Minister , and a good Magistrate , and haue as many priuiledge , as are incident to a man yet can he not procure a protection against this officer ; his mother may beg his life , but none can compound for his death . Speake we this according to men ? saith not the Scripture as much ? Psal. 49.10 . Wise men die ( saith Dauid ) and fooles die ; rich men die , and poore to ; and therfore he cals both vpon the sonnes of Nobles , and of the earth to mind the lesson : indeed the Heathens could compare the sonnes of Adam to Counters , Chesse , Stage-playes ; in reckoning Counters haue their seuerall place and vse for a time , but in the end they are all iumbled on a heape ; in a game at Chesse , so ne are Kings , some Bishops , &c , but after a while they go all into the same bagge : on the Stage , one is in his raggs , another in his robes ; one is the Master another the Man , and very busie they bee , but in the end the Play ends , the brauerie ends , and each returnes to his place ; such ( and no other ) is the estate of man , euen in their iudgement , al are either weeds or flowers , both wither ; all trees good or bad , both die ; as dieth the foole , so the wise , saith Salomon , Eccles. 2. In the manner there is some difference , for the matter none ; but why doe I proue what none denies ? Both liuing and dead giue testimonie to this truth ; the liuing may take vp Iobs words in another case ; We are filled with wrinckles , which is a witnesse against vs , wee weare death in our faces , Iob 16.8 . and beare it in our bones , we put it vpon our backes , and into our mouthes , and cannot bee ignorant of it . Yea , the dead proclaime this lesson , and in this respect ( like Abell ) are liuing Prophets , when dead men ; Goe to the Word , Heb. 11.4 . goe to the earth ; and they that make their beds in darkenesse , and sleepe in the dust will tell you , that it s neither wisdome , nor power , nor strength , nor friends , nor place , nor grace , nor any thing else that can exempt from this tribute of nature ( Death ) , as darkenesse could call it : our Abel here dead speakes this to all his friends ; If greatnesse of estate , feature of body , gifts of mind , chastenes of life , sobernes in diet , diligence in a calling , prayers of the Church , would haue giuen any aduantage against death , darkenesse and blacknesse had not at this time couered vs : sith the strong is become weake , let vs with Sampson out of the strong gather meate ; Reason . and see first whence this is , and next how it may be improued for vse , that there is no prescription against death . For the first , the holy Ghost referres vs to a threefold reason of mans mortalitie , each of which hath place in all men , as well as any . The first of which is taken from the decree of God , it s a statute enacted in that highest Court , the voyce of heauen , that man should once die : this statute we reade in Pauls ninth to his Hebrews , and in the entrance into Gods booke ; which as it was laid vpon mankind in Adams , so hath it euer hitherto , and shall hereafter for euermore lay hold on his posteritie . No man as yet hath breathed , but he hath had his death or translation : no man is yet to come , but he must see either death , or an alteration ; so hath heauen concluded it , and who can possibly reuerse it ?

The second is taken from the matter whereof all men are made ; the Scripture compares man to a house , whose foundation is laied in the dust , whose walles are made of clay , the whole is but a tabernacle , and that of earth , and that of mans building , 2 Cor. 5.1 . 〈◊〉 19. & 10 9 & 13.12 . &c. as Paul ( after Iob ) tels vs : this is the estate of man , of all men ; some are more painted then some , but all earthen vessels ; some more cleare then some , but all glasses ; all built of earth , all borne of women , and therefore all short of continuance , Chap. 14. as Iob inferres .

The third is taken from the proper cause of death , Sinne : sinne is poyson to the spirits , rottennes to the bones where it comes ; and where doth it not come ? who can say , his heart is cleane ? 1 Epist chap. 1. ves. 8.10 . Nay , who can wash either heart or hand ? Iohn answers the question negatiuely , no man can acquit himselfe from sinne ( if growne ) either actuall or originall ; and therefore not from death . Shall wee then summe vp all , and conclude all vnder death with the same breath : thus it stands ; It is impossible for any liuing wight to frustrate the voyce and sentence of God , to be a man or earth , and not to haue a body of earth ; to be borne of the vncleane , and not to bee vncleane ; therefore it s impossible for him to auoide death . Indeed had Christ vndertaken our freedome from all deaths , as well as from some ; or were there any power , counsell , &c , against the Lord ; or could any place priuiledge any from being borne of women , or made of dust , or tainted with sinne , then such might contest with death , and impleade corruption : but sith the former is impossible , the latter must be deemed vnauoidable . And the●efore now what 's to be done ?

Surely as men that must trauell , Vses . stand not to dispute , but arme themselues for all weather : so must we ; die wee must , that 's alreadie concluded ; young and old , good and bad , &c. Whatsoeuer wee bee now , wee must bee dead anon , so saith God ; let vs say the same , and prepare for it ; nay , let 's not say it , but think it ; nay , not think it , but conclude it with greatest affirmations : you will thinke strange ( perhaps ) my paines in this kind , whilest I perswade a mortalitie ; but the argument is both needfull and vsefull ; needfull in regard of our insufficiencie to assume , and vnwillingnesse to apprehend death in our selues : for howsoeuer wee can all say in the generall , we are mortall , nothing so suer as death ; yet when it comes to our owne particular , we dreame of an immortalitie in nature , we neuer set any bounds to life , we do not resolutely conclude , I must die shortly , I may instantly , this day may be the last that I shall see , this hower the last that I shal spend , this word the last that I shall speake , this deed the last that I shall performe , this place the last that I shall breathe in ; and so liue by the day , by the hower : but when we enter the hower , the eldest of vs thinks to end it , nay the day , nay the week , nay the yere . Hence the most haue a yeeres work to do , when they haue not an howers space to liue ; needefull then it is to force this meditation of death vpon our harts : and as needful , so most vseful ; this will mind vs of the wofulnes of sin , which turnes strength into weakenesse , beautie into ashes , life into death , a breathing man into a liuelesse carcasse ; this will assure vs of the iustice and truth of God , who is so pure , that he cannot but threaten sinne ; so true , that all the world cannot shift his threats ; this wil worke humilitie , when the goodliest man must be twice a childe , and runne in a round , beginning with the earth , and ending in the earth , being at last what he was at first , not able to dresse himselfe , to feede himselfe , to helpe himselfe , or speake for helpe ; this ( in a word ) wil work repentance towards God , modestie towards man , diligence in our callings , patience vnder crosses , watchfulnesse in all places , moderation in all cases ; and therefore this , this must be thought vpon . Nor must our thoughts be ( as most mens be ) short and sudden , fleeting and vncertaine , but we must be daily in these contemplations ; & particularly , we must consider what it is to die , what goes before it , what comes with it , what followes vpon it : for first , before we come to the very gate of death , we are to passe through a very strait , long , heauie lane : Amari●…ita quam mo●s , Amb. de bono mortis , cap. 7. sicknesse first tameth vs , which many times is worse then death it selfe , that renders vs vnfit for all religious seruices , prayer , repentance , &c , as being a time not of getting , but of spending ; that cleaues the head , and paines the heart , and wounds the spirits , and leaues vs so distressed , that meate is no meate , the bed no bed , light no light to vs ; that makes vs catch at death for help : but alas , what help in death , if not fore-thought of ?

Oh the miserie of a poore creature , that is so pained that he cannot liue ; so vnprepared that he dares not die : he goes to bed , but cannot sleepe ; he tastes his meate , but it will not downe ; he shifts his roome , but not his paine ; death ( saith the conscience ) would end and amend all , wert thou prepared for death ; but to die before , were to loose those comforts one hath , and to fall vnder those curses that are vnsufferable , &c. But as yet we are but in the way to death . After sicknes hath for a time entertained vs with sharpest conflicts , it deliuers vs vp to death it selfe : then the armies of feare display themselues , and stabbe the vnprouided soule through his thickest shield ; then two powerfull officers seize vpon a maimed man at once ; death vpon the body , terrour vpon the soule ; death hales much like Salomons officers , and the soule holds ( as Ioab the altar , so she ) the body ; 1. King 2. loth they be to part , but death will rend them in twaine ; the conscience the whilest that meditates feare , that quakes , that trembles : Whither am I going ? So Adrian dying , Animula , vagula , blandudula , &c. where must I lodge this night ? where shall I liue hereafter ? Oh that I might liue ! Oh that I might die ! Oh that I might doe neither ! and knowes not what to chuse ; meane while , what case is this man in , whilest death thus rips him vp , and thrusts his hands into his bowels to pull out his heart . Ah beloued , wee may intimate somewhat of his miserie ; but it falles not within our thoughts to conceiue what his feare , be , who hangs between life and death , earth and hell , thus forthwith ready to drop into flames at euery stroke of death , and to sinke downe , downe , downe , till he be gone for euer . And yet this is not all : when I am dead ( saith the carnal wretch ) , all the world is done with me : he saith truth , al the world , and all the comforts of the world haue done with him indeed ; he shal neuer laugh more , he shal neuer haue a moniēts ease more : but though the world hath done with him , yet God hath not done with him ; he sends for his soule , ( hauing first taken order that the body be forth-comming ) conuents that , and doomes that , & casts that from him with greatest indignation , into such a place , such a company , such a condition , as would make the heauens sweat , and the earth shrinke to heare it . Well then ( beloued ) , sith die wee must , sith we must be sicke , be in paine , in feare , in tentation whilest here ; sith we must to iudgement when we go hence ; sith that is most true of death , which antiquitie hath faigned of the Wolfe and Basiliske ; if wee see death before it comes to see vs , we shall then preuent the sting , and poyson , and fiercenesse of it ; if it steale vpon vs vnseene , it leaues vs dumbe , nay dead : bee wee entreated by all the mercies of God , as we would please him , and pleasure our selues , to take into our thoughts the often meditation of death , and to make due preparation for the same . Tell thy heart euery day , when thou takest it alone , in the words of Iob , When a few yeeres , Iob 16.22 . ( or as the text runnes ) when the yeres of number ( which are allotted me , namely ) are come , then I shall goe the way , whence I shall not returne : say with him , Iob 17.1 . the graue is ready for me , ( indeed graues ) ; I must die , I must from all these profits , these pleasures , these friends ; I must answere for all these deeds , these words , these thoughts ; I must bee ashamed , cast , cursed , damned , burned , plagued as long as God liues , if I prepare not : I shal be spared , saued , blest , crowned , and be as neere to God as a creature can be to his maker , if I doe prepare , therefore I must ; I must , I will prepare for death . This done without all delayes , as a man that is now dying ( as well as he for whom the bell toles , though not happily so neere to death ) set vpon two things : First , set thy house in order , next , thy soule . For the first , thou hast persons and things to looke vnto : to begin with persons ; so liue with thy wife , being a husband ; with thy seruants , being a master ; with thy children , being a father : exercise such wisedome , kindnesse , faithfulnesse , mercy , euery day , as thou wouldest doe , if thou knowest it to be the last day . And for things ( marke me wel , ●…ken not to Satan who disswades all seasonable willes , because hee would administer the goods , by being timely in this errand , thou shalt not shorten thy dayes ; but hauing taken thy leaue of the world , shalt better attend on death . Things therefore vnlawfull , restore , ( I say againe ) restore . Things lawfull dispose of , and as in a iourney ( hastie and vncertaine ) wait the call . But what auailes it to set house in order , with Achitophel , and to forget ones selfe . In the second place therefore . ( nay in the first ) looke to thy selfe , and sith the places be but two , and they so different , go not to hell , so long as heauen may bee had : there is no man so forlornely wicked , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. Basil . but if he repent , wee may warrant him heauen ; if he will not , who can helpe him ? But what must he doe ? first , he must repent , that is , see his life and nature , confesse , mourne , hate sinne , and leaue all in practice or allowance . Secondly , he must beleeue , that is , acquaint himselfe with the Word , and yeeld consent vnto it , apply it to his owne particular , and dwell vpon it : hee must threaten himselfe in euery threat , curse himselfe in euery curse , blesse himselfe in euery promise . Thirdly , he must die daily to sinne and the world , he must liue daily in the constant practice of al duties , religious towards God , righteous towards man , priuate in his place & calling . And so if he doth ( in truth & vprightnesse , though in much weaknesse ) there is no heauen , if he go not to heauen : if he do not thus ( out of a presumption of mercy , of life , and I know not what ) , there is none in hell if he be not one . Vp then ( my brethren ) and foreslow no time : now the wind serues , hoyse vp saile , now is the market , make your prouision ; now is the seeds-time , sowe apace , as yet you haue all aduantages from grace and nature , Word , Sacrament , wit , memory , sense , strength , &c. Now apprehend the opportunity , repent and be pardoned ; beleeue and be saued ; obey , and be for euer blessed : if any hath perswaded himselfe otherwise , my soule shall weepe in secret for his destruction , which I know will be as certainly effected , as now it is plainly threatned . Be entreated then , let God entreat you , and once ouer-rule you : you must die , you must die but once ; being once dead , you returne not to make a new preparation ; doe that once well , which being once wel done , will make you men , nay more then men , then Angels for euer . And this is the vse for our selues . A second respects our friends .

Must all die , is there no remedie ? then must we haue patience in our friends departure : a common lot , Ferre quam sortem patiuntur omnes , nemo it . cusat . Senec. no man should shrug at , euen in the Poets iudgement : who quarrels summer for some heate , or winter for some cold ? a thorn for pricking , or a brier for scratching ? who is angry that he is framed like other men , subiect to like hunger , like thirst , like sleepe ? and why ( I pra'y ) should not our friends resemble others in their death , as well as in their birth ? we would not haue them haue more eyes or hands then others , v. Greg. Nyssen synod . de dormientibus . and why more dayes ? what doe we make of life , what of death ? surely to the godly , life is but a prison , death is an aduantage . Say our friends were tied in prison , would wee begrudge them liberty ? say tost on the seas , would you enuie them the hauen ? say doubtfull in the skirmish , would you bee sorie for their victorie ? nay , say but beaten with a tempest , would you not wish them at home ? Beleeue it , Brethren , this world is but a sea , a prison ; this life a iourney , a warfare : if God hath preuented our wishes , shall he bee returned frowardnesse ? shall wee trouble the ayre with needlesse cries , my husband , my husband , my father , my father , as if wee were the first widowes and Orphans in the world ? no , let them mourne without hope , whose life and death is without hope : as for Christians , who die liuing , and liue dying , they loose nothing by death but what may well bee spared , sinne , and sorrow ; they meet with nothing in heauen worthy teares ; they goe not from , but to their friends ; not from , but to their home ; not from , but to their ioyes ; a change indeed they haue , but to their gaine . For first , so soone as death arrests them , the world is well amended with them , especially for the soule ; howbeit the full accomplishment of their happinesse is reiourned to the last day , that day of refreshing , that day of reioycing , that day of marriage , of solemnity : then a full , a blessed change shall euidence it selfe to the whole world : and this change , if wee speake in generall , is onely in qualities ( as all alterations be ) not in substance , the mettall is the same , onely it is refined ; the stuffe the same , only it is trimmed ; the body and soule the same , onely it is newly clothed . If we descend to particulars , the change will bee found to bee in these following : in body , soule , estate , place , company : for the body , that is stript of all sinfull and naturall defects ( the abortions of sinne ) , and filled with all heauenly complements ; of mortall , it becomes immortall ; of corruptible , incorruptible ; of naturall , spirituall , ( that is , not needing naturall helpes or props ; there is no vse of meat , apparell , sleepe , beds , ) of dishonourable , glorious , like ( in its measure ) to the body of Christ which is the standard . In short , whatsoeuer might make to the annoying , blemishing , dishonouring , disquieting of the body , is remoued ; whatsoeuer might make it amiable , actiue , honourable , glorious , comfortable , is added ; the glory of the Sunne will be but darknesse to it . For the soule , that is first eased of all the rags and reliques of sinne , deliuered of ignorance , pride , selfe-loue , &c: Generally all whose obiects are either future or euill . deliuered next of all the consequences of sinne , griefes , guilts , feares , accusations ; yea , deliuered of all things , which may any way import an imperfect state , though an vpright heart , as faith , repentance , hungring after righteousnesse , &c: and then in a second place , it is filled with the image of Iesus Christ . First , all the powers and faculties therof are perfected and aduanced aboue the ordinary straine of nature : next , all those vessels are stuffed with knowledge , loue , and all things else that are there requisite : and not only so , but the soule is furnished with all the attendances of Christs image , euerlasting ioy , perpetuall peace , a constant correspondency and communion with God : and in briefe , whatsoeuer might offend , staine , blemish , the soule is remoued ; and whatsoeuer may enrich it , ennoble it , and make it blissefull , is ( according to each mans measure ) added ; And thus of the person . The rest we dispatch with all speed , for the estate thus ; there shall be nothing that shall be wanting , that shall trouble , distract , or discontent ; there shall bee nothing that the soule shall then desire , but there it is . For the place thus : there shall bee nothing lesse then what shall bee desired , nothing more that can bee desired : what it is , the Word no where ( for ought I know ) tels vs . The Church on earth is more tich than gold , more precious then pearle , more bright then the Suaue , more glorious then the Moone ; Read . 21.22 . but what is there to be seene , Paul could not vtter ; wee cannot conceiue : onely this we know , that none shall be euer weary of it , or willing to alter it . Lastly , for the companie , there bee of three sorts : first , Angels , who shall not then terrifie , but attend ; the worst and lowest seruant there , shall bee as an Angell . 2. All the famous and godly men that euer liued : Illic Apostularum 〈…〉 Pro ●…tarum &c. Cypr. de mort . ad fratres . there shall we meete with Adam , abraham , &c: there shall we be acquainted with Dauid , Paul , &c. 3. The blessed Trinity , there shall we see him who hath done and suffered so much for vs : him , whom the Fathers before , and since his incarnation so much longed to see , Iesus Christ the blessed : all which considered and beleeued , what can wee lesse doe then abandon all fruitlesse and fleshly teares for friends departed ? what way are they gone , but the way of all flesh ? with whom doe they liue , but with Samuel , with God ? where are they , but in better place and case , with better friends then euer before ? In stead of carking , therefore doe two other things , first , whilest friends bee present , Our vulg●… seldome 〈◊〉 for friends till gone . doe the part of a friend in praying for them , in calling vpon them , and in fitting of them to death , that so thou maiest haue peace in thy selfe , and hope of them in their departure : Else when thy conscience shall say vnto thee , Wretched man , thy wife , thy child , thy charge is now dead , and ( for ought thou knowest ) in hell ; if not , no thankes to thee , for thou wast neuer the man that would call vpon them , pray with them , or mind them of their departures : when ( I say ) thy conscience shall thus greet thee , thou shalt not tell how to take it . Secondly , when they are gone to bed , and fast asleepe , awake them not with thy cries , but make ready to follow after , so the time shall be best redeemed , the losse and crosse best improued , and Satan ( who loues to fish in such troubled waters ) most preuented ; and so farre this vse .