IF it be a blessing of the vertuous to mourne , it is the rewarde of this , to be comforted ; and he that pronounced the one , promised the other : I doubt not but that Spirite , whose nature is Loue , and whose name Comforter , as he knoweth the cause of your griefe , so hath he salued it with supplies of grace , pouring into your wound no lesse oyle of mercie then wine of Iustice ; yet sith courtesie oweth compasion as a duetie to the afflicted , and nature hath ingrafted a desire to finde it , I thought it good to shew you by proofe , that you carry not your cares alone , though the loade that lieth on others can little lighten your burthen , her decease can not but sit neerer your heart , whom you had taken so deepe into a most tender affection . That which dieth to our loue , being alwaies aliue to our sorow , you would haue bin louing to a lesse louing sister : yet finding in her so many worths to be loued , your loue wrought more earnestly vpon so sweete a subiect , which now being taken from you , I presume your griefe is no lesse then your loue was , the one of these being euer the mesure of the other , the Scripture mooueth vs to bring forth our teares vpon the dead , a thing not offending grace , & aright to reason . For to be without remorse in the death of friends , is neither incident nor conuenient to the nature of man , hauing too much affinitie to a sauage temper , and ouerthrowing the ground of all pietie , which is a mutuall simpathie in ech of others miseries : but as not to feele sorrow in sorrowfull chances , is to want sence , so not to beare it with moderation , is to want vnderstanding , the one brutish , the other effeminate , and he hath cast his account best that hath brought his summe to the meane . It is no lesse fault to exceede in sorrow , then to passe the limites of competent mirth , sith excesse in either is a disorder in passion , thogh that sorow of curtesie be lesse blamed of men , because , if it be a fault , it is also a punishment , at once causing & tasting torments . It is no good sign in the sicke to be senslesse in his paines , as bad it is to be vnusually sensitiue , being both eyther harbengers or attendants of death . Let sadnes , sith it is a due to the dead testifie a feeling of pitie , not any pang of passion , and bewray rather a tender then a deiected minde . Mourue as that your friendes may finde you a liuing brother , all men a discreete mourner , making sorowe a signell , not a superior of reason : some are so obstinate in their owne wil , that euen time the naturall remedie of the most violent agonies can not by any delayes asswage their griefe , they entertaine their sorow with solitary muses , and feede with sighes and teares , they pine their bodies , and draw al pensiue consideration to their mindes , nursing their heauinesse with a melancholy humor , as though they had vowed them selues to sadnesse , vnwilling it should end till it had ended them , wherein their folly sometimes findeth a ready effect , 〈◊〉 that being true which Salomon obserued , that as a moth the garment and a worme the wood , so doth sadnesse perswade the heart . But this impotent softnesse fitteth not sober mindes . Wee must not make a liues profession of a seuen nights duety , nor vnder colour of kindnesse be vnnaturall to our selues , if some in their passion ioynd their thoughts into such laborinths , that neither wit knoweth , nor will careth how long or howe farre they wnder in them , it discouereth their weakenesse , but discerneth our meditation . It is for the most the fault , not of all , but of the seeliest women , who next to the funeral of their friends , deem it a second widowhood to force their teares , and make it their happinesse to seeme most vnhappy , as though they had only been left aliue to be a perpetuall map of dead folkes misfortunes : but this is to arme an enemie against our selues , and to yeeld Reason prisoner to Passion , putting the sworde in the rebelles hand when wee are least able to withstand his treason . Sorrowe once setled is not lightly remoued , easily winning , but not so easily surrendring possession , and where it is not excluded in time , it challengeth a place by prescription . The Scripture warneth vs not to giue our hearts to sadnes , yea rather to reiect it as a thing not beneficiall to the dead , yet preiudiciall to our selues , Ecclesiasticus Eccles. 38. 2 . alloweth but seuen dayes to mourning , iudging moderation in plaint to be a sufficient testimony in good will , and a needeful office of wisedom . Much sorrowe for the dead is eyther the childe of selfe-loue , or of rash iudgement : if wee should shead our teares for others death , as a meane to our contentment , wee shewe but our owne wound perfit louers of our selues , if we lament their decease as their hard destinie , we attach them of euil deseruing , with to peremmatory a censure as though their life had been a arise , and their death a leape into finall perdition , for otherwise a good departure craueth small condolling , being but a harbour from stormes , and an entrance vnto felicitie . But you know your sister too well to incurre any blame in these respects . And experience of her life hath stored your thoughts with notice of so rare vertues , as might sooner make her memorie an inforcement to ioy then any inducement to sorrow , and moue you to esteeme her last dueties rather the triumph of her victorie then the farewelles of her decease . She was by birth second to none but vnto the first in the realme , yet she measured onely greatnesse by goodnesse , making nobilitie but the mirrour of vertue , as able to shew things worthy to be seene , as apte to drawe many eies to beholde it , she suted her behauiour to her birth , and ennobled her birth with her piety , leauing her house more beholding to her for hauing honoured it with the glorie of her vertues , then she was to it for the titles of her degree , she was high minded in nothing but in aspiring to perfection , and in the disdaine of vice , in other things couering her greatnes with humilitie among her inferiors , & shewing it with curtesie amongst her peeres : of the carriage of her selfe , and her sober gouernement may be a sufficient testimony , that enuy hir self was dumbe in her dispraise , finding in her much to repine at , but naught to reproue : the clearenes of hir Honor I neede not to mention , she hauing alwaies armed it with such modestie as taught the most vntemperate tongues to be silent in her presence , and answered their eyes with scorne and contempt that did but seeme to make her an aime to passion , yea , and in this behalfe , as almost in all other , shee hath the most honourable and knowen Ladies of the land , so common and knowen witnesses , that those that least liked her religion were in loue with her demeanour , deliuering their opinions in open praises . How mildely she accepted the checke of fortune fallen vpon her without desert , experience hath bin a most manifest proofe , the temper of her mind being so easie that she found little difficultie in taking downe her thoughts to a meane degree , which true honour , not pride had raised to the former height , her faithfulnes and loue where she found tru frendship , is written with teares in many eyes , and wil be longer registred in gratefull memories diuers that haue tried her in that kinde , auowing her for secrecie , wisedome , and constancie , to be a miracle in that sex , yea when shee found least kindnesse in others , she neuer lost it in hirselfe , more willingly suffering then offering wrong , and often weeping for their mishappes , whome though lesse louing her , shee could not but effect . Of the innocencie of her life this generall all can auerre , that as she was gratefull many wayes , and memorable for vertues , so was shee free from the blemish of any vice , vsing , to her power , the best meanes to keepe continually an vndefiled conscience : her attire was euer such as might both satisfie a curious eye , and yet beare witnesse of a sober minde , neyther singular nor vaine , but such as her peeres of least report vsed : her tong was very little acquainted with oathes , vnlesse eyther duetie or distrust did enforce them : and surelie they were needelesse to those that knewe her , to whome the trueth of her words could not iustly be suspected , much lesse was she noted of any vnfitting talke , which as it was euer hatefull to her eares , so did it neuer defile her breath : of feeding shee was very measurable , rather of too sparing then too liberall a diet : so religious for obseruing all fasts , that neuer in her sickenesse shee could hardly bee wonne to breake them , and if our soules be possessed in our patience , surely hir soule was truly hir owne , whose rocke thought often stricken with the rod of aduersitie neuer yeelded any more then to giue issue of eie streames , and though these through the tendernesse of her nature & aptnes of hir sex , were the customarie tributes that her loue paied , more to her friendes than her owne misfortunes , yet were they not accompanied with distempered words or ill seeming actions , reason neuer forgetting distancie , though remembring pitie , her deuotions she daily obserued , offering the daily sacrifice of an innocent heart , and stinting her selfe to her times of prayer , which shee performed with so religious a care , as well shewed that shee knew howe high a Maiestie shee serued . I neede not write how duetifully shee discharged all the behoofes of a most louing wife , since that was the commonest theame of her praises , yet this may be saide without improofe to any , that whosoeuer in this behalfe may be counted her equall , none can iustly be thought her superiour , where she owed she payed dutie , where she found she turned courtesie , wheresoeuer she was knowen , she deserued amitie , desirous of the best , yet disdaining none but euill company , she was readier to requite benefits than reuenge wrongs , more grieued then angred with vnkindnes of friends , when either mistaking or misreport occasioned any breaches : for if their words carie credite , it entred deepest into her thoughts , they haue acquitted her from all spice of malice , not onely against her friends , whose dislikes were but a retire to steppe further into friendship , but euen her greatest enemies , to whom if she had bene a iudge as she was a suppliant , I assuredly thinke she would haue redressed , but not reuenged her iniuries . In summe , she was an honour to her predecessours , a light to her age , and a patterne to her posteritie , neither was her conclusion different from her premisses , or her death from her life , she shewed no dismay , being warned of her danger , carying in her conscience the safeconduct of innocencie . But hauing sent her desires before to heauen with a milde countenaunce , and a most calme minde , in more hope then feare , she expected her owne passage , shee commended both her duetie and goodwill to all her friends , and cleared her heart from all grudge towardes her enemies , wishing true happinesse to them both , as best became so soft and gentle a minde , in which anger neuer stayed , but as an vnwelcome stranger : Shee made open profession that shee did die true to her religion , true to her husband , true to God and the world , she enioyed her iudgement as long as she breathed , her body earnestly offering hir last deuotions , supplying in thought what faintnes suffered not her tongue to vtter : in the end , when her glasse was tunne out , and death beganne to chalenge his interest , some labouring with too late remedies to hinder the deliuery of her sweet soule , she desired them eftsoones to let her goe to God , and her hopes calling her to eternall kingdomes , as one rather falling asleepe then dying , shee most happily tooke her leaue of all mortall miseries . Such was the life , such was the death of your dearest sister , both so ful of tru comfort , that this suruey of her vertues may be a sufficient lenatiue to your bitterest griefes . For you are not ( I hope ) in the number of those that reckon it a parte of their paine to heare of their best remedies , thinking the rehearsall of your dead friendes prayses an vpbraiding of their losse , but sith the obliuion of her vertues were iniurious to her , let not the mention of her person be offensiue vnto you , and bee not you grieued with her death , with which shee is best pleased . So blessed a death is rather to be wished of vs , than pitied in her , whose soule triumpheth with God , whose vertues stil breatheth in the mouthes of infinite praises , and liueth in the memories of all , to whom either experience made her knowen , or fame was not enuious in concealing her deserts : shee was a iewel that both God and you desired to enjoy , he to her assured benefit without selfe interest , you for allowable respectes , yet employing her restraint among certaine hazards and most vncertaine hopes . Be then vmpier in your owne cause , whether your wishes or Gods will importeth more loue , the one , the adornement of her exile , the other , her returne into a most blessed countrie , and sith it pleased God in this loue to be your riuall , let your discretion decide the doubt , whome in due should carry the suite , the prerogatiue being but a right to the one , for nature & grace being the motiues of both your loues , she had the best title in them that was author of them , and she , if worthy to be beloued of either , as she was of both , could not but prefer him to the dearest portion of her deepest affection : let him with good leaue gather the grape of his own vine , & plucke the fruit of his owne planting , and thinke so curious workes euer safest in the artificers hand , who is likeliest to loue them , and best able to preserue them , shee did therefore her duety in dying willingly : and if you will doe yours , you must be willing with her death , sith to repine at her liking is discourtesie , at Gods an impietie , both vnfitting for your approoued vertue , she being in place where no griefe can annoy her , she hath little neede or lesse ioy of your sorrow , neither can she allow in her friends that she would loathe in her selfe , loue neuer affecting likenesse : if she had bin euill , she had not deserued our teares : being good , she cannot desire them , nothing being lesse to the likenes of goodnesse , than to see it selfe any cause of vniust disquiet or trouble to the innocent . 1. King . 9 . Would Saul haue thought it friendship to haue wept for his fortunes , in hauing found a kingdome by seeking of cattel : or Dauid account it a curtesie , to haue sorowed at his successe , that from following sheepe came to foile a giant , and to receiue in fine a royall crowne for his victorie , 1. King . 17. why then should her lot bee lamented , Psal. 112. whome higher fauour hath raised from the dust to sit with princes of Gods people , if securitie had bin giuen , that a longer life shuld stil haue bin guided by vertue , and followed with good fortune , you might pretend some cause to complaine of her decease . But if different effectes shoulde haue crossed your hopes ( processe of time being the parent of strange alterations ) then had death beene friendlier then your selfe , and sith it hung in suspense which of the two would haue hapned , let vs allowe God so much discretion , as to thinke him the fittest arbitrator in decision of the doubt : Psal. 86. her foundations of happines were in the holy hilles , and God sawe it fittest for her building to be but lowe in this vale of teares , and better it was it shoulde be soone taken downe , than by rising too high to haue oppressed her soule with the ruines . Thinke it no iniury that she is now taken from you , but a fauour that shee was lent you so long , and shew no vnwillingnes to restore God his owne , sith hitherto you haue payed no vsury for it : consider not how much longer you might haue enioyed her , but how much sooner you might haue lost her : and sith she was held vpon curtesie , not by any couenant , take our soueraignes right for a sufficient reason of her death , our life is but lent , a good to make thereof , during the loane our best commoditie : It is due debt to a more certaine owner than our selues , and therefore so long as we haue it , we receiue a benefit , when we are depriued of it , we haue no wrong , we are tenants at will of this clayee farme , not for tearme of yeeres , when wee are warned out , we must be ready to remooue , hauing no other title but the owners pleasure : Eccles. 10. it is but an Inne , not a home : we came but to baite , not to dwell , and the condition of our enrance was , in fine to depart . If this departure be grieuous , it is also common , this to day to me , to morrow to thee , and the case equally afflicting all , leaueth none any cause to complaine of iniurious vsage .

Natures debt is sooner exacted of some then of other , yet is there no fault in the creditor that exacteth but his owne , but in the greedinesse of our eger hopes , either repining that their wishes faile , or willingly forgetting their mortalitie , whome they are vnwilling by experience to see mortall , yet the generall tide washeth all passengers to the same shoare , some sooner , some later , but all at the last : and wee must settle our mindes to take our course as it commeth , neuer fearing a thing so necessarie , yet euer expecting a thing so vncertaine . It seemeth that God purposely concealed the time of our death , leauing vs resolued betweene feare and hope of longer continuaunce . Cut off vnripe cares , lest with the notice and pensiuenesse of our diuorce from the world , we should lose the comfort of needfull contentments , & before our dying day languish away with expectation of death . Some are taken in their first steppe into this life , receiuing in one , their welcome and farewel , as though they had beene borne onely to be buried , and to take their pasport in this hourely middle of their course , the good to preuent change , the bad to shorten their impietie : some liue till they be weary of life , to giue proofe of their good hap , that had a kindlier passage , yet though the date be diuerse , the debt is all one , equally to be answered of all as their time expireth : Psal. 88. for who is the man shall liue and not see death ? sith we all die , and like water slide vppon the earth . ● Kings 14. Genes. 5. In Paradice wee receiued the sentence of death , and here as prisoners we are kept in ward , tarying but our times till the Gaoler call vs to our execution . Whom hath any vertue eternized , or desert commended to posteritie , that hath not mourned in life , and bin mourned after death , no assurance of ioy being sealed without som teares ? Euen our blessed Lady the mother of God was throwen down as deep in temporal miseries as she was aduanced high in spirituall honours , none amongst al mortall creatures finding in life more proof then she of her mortalitie : for hauing the noblest sonne that euer woman was mother of , not onely aboue the condition of men , but aboue the glorie of Angels , being her sonne onely , without temporall father , and thereby the loue of both parents doubled in hir breast , being her only Sonne without other issue , and so her loue of all children finished in him . Yea , he being God , and she the nearest creature to Gods perfections , yet no prerogatiue either quitted her from mourning , or him from dying : and though they surmounted the highest Angels in all other preheminences , yet were they equall with the meanest men in the sentence of death And howbeit our Ladie being the patterne of christian mourners , so tempered her anguish , that there was neither any thing vndone that might be exacted of a mother , or any thing doone that might be disliked in so perfit a matron , yet by this we may gesse with what curtesies death is likely to friend vs , that durst cause so bloody sunerals in so heauenly a stocke , not exempting him from the law of dying that was the authour of life , and soone after to honour his triumphs with ruines and spoile of death , Seeing therefore that death spareth none , let vs spare our teares for better vses , being but an idle sacrifice to this dease and emplacable executioner , and for this not long to be continued , where they can neuer profit , nature did promise vs a weeping life , exacting teares for custome as our first entrance , and for suting our whole course in this doleful beginning : and therefore they must be vsed with mesure that must be vsed so often , and so many causes of weeping , lying yet in the debt , sith we cannot end our teares , let vs at the least reserue them , if sorowe cannot bee shunned , let it bee taken in time of neede , sith otherwise beeing both troublesome and fruitlesse it is a double miserie or an open follie . We moisten not the ground with pretious waters , they were stilled for nobler endes , either by their fruites to delight our sences , or by their operations to preserue our healths . Our teares are water of too high a price to be prodigally powred in the dust of anie graues . If they be teares of loue , they persume our prayers , making them odour of sweetenesse , fit to be offered on the aultare before the throne of God : if teares of contrition , Apoc , 8 . they are water of life to the dying and corrupting soules , they may purchase fauor and repeale the sentence till it be executed as the example of Ezechias doeth testifie , but when the punishment is past , 3. King . 1● . and the verdict performed in effect , their pleading is in vaine , as Dauid taught vs when his childe was dead , 2. Kings 1● . saying , that hee was likelier to go to it , than it by his weeping to returne to him . Learne therefore to giue sorrow no long dominion ouer you . Wherefore the wise should rather marke than expect an end , meete it not when it commeth , doe not inuite it when it is absent , when you feele it do not force it , sith the bruite creatures which ( nature seldome erring in her course guideth in the meane ) haue but a short though vehement sence of their losses you should burie the sharpenesse of your griefe with the course , and rest contented with a kind , yet a milde compassion , neither lesse then decent for you , nor more then agreeable to your nature and iudgement , your much heauinesse woulde renew a multitude of griefes , and your eies woulde be springs to many streames , adding to the memorie of the dead a new occasion of plaint by your own discomfort , the motion of your heart measureth the beating of many pulses , which in any distemper of your quiet with the like stroke will soone bewray themselues sicke of your disease : your fortune , thogh hard , yet is notorious , and though moued in mishap and set in an vnworthy lanthorne , yet your owne light shineth farre , and maketh you markeable : all will bend attentiue eye vpon you , obseruing howe you warde this blowe of temptation , and whether your patience be a shield of proofe , or easily entred with these violent strokes . It is commonly expected , that so high thoughts which haue already climed ouer the hardest dangers shuld not now stowp to any vulgar or femal complaints : great personages whole estate draweth vpon them many eies , as they cannot but be themselues , so may not they vse the libertie of meaner estates , the lawes of Nobilitie not alowing them to direct their deeds by their desires , but to limite their desires to that which is decent . Nobilitie is an ayme for lower degrees to leuell at markes of higher perfection , and like stately windowes in the northeast roomes of politicke and ciuil buildings , to let in such light , and lie open to such prospects , as may affoord their inferiors both to find meanes and motiues to heroicall vertues : if you should determine to dwell euer in sorrow , it were a wrong to your wisedome , and countermaunded by your qualitie , if euer you mind to surcease it , no time sitter then the present , sith the same resons that hereafter might mooue you , are now as much in force . Yeeld to Wisedom that you must yeeld to Time , be beholding to your selfe , not to time for the victory , make it a voluntarie worke of discretion that wil otherwise be a necessary worke of delay . We thinke it not enough to haue our owne measure brimme full with euill , vnlesse we make it runne ouer with others miseries , taking their misfortunes as our punishments , and executing forraine penalties vppon our selues : yea disquiet mindes being euer bellows to their owne flames mistake oft times others good for ill , their follie making it a true scourge to them that howsoeuer it seemed was to others a benefite . Iacob out of Iosephs absence sucked such surmises , as hee made his heart a prey to his agonies , whereas that that buried him in his owne melancholies raised Ioseph to his highest happinesse : if Mary Magdalen saide and supposed shee could haue suncke no deeper in griefe than shee had already plunged her selfe , and yet that which she imagined the vttermost of euils prooued in conclusion the very blisse of her wishes . The like may be your errour if you cumber your minde with musing vppon her death , which would neuer be discharged from cares , till death set his hand to her acquittance , nor receiue the charter of an eternall being , till her soule were presented at the fealing : I loathe to rubbe the scarre of a deeper wound , for feare of renewing a dead discomfort ; yet if you will fauour your owne remedies , the maisterie ouer that griefe that springs from the roote , may learne you to qualifie this that buddeth from the branch , let not her losses moue you that are acquainted with greater of your owne , and taught by experience to knowe how vncertaine this chance is , for whome vnconstant fortune throweth the dice , if she want the woonted titles , her part is nowe in deede , and they were du but vpon the stage , her losse therein is but a wracke of woundes , in which shee is but euen with the height of princes , surpassing both hir selfe in them , and the new honors of heauenly stile . If shee haue left her children , it was her wish they should repay her absence with vsury ; yet had she sent her first fruits before her as pledges of hir own comming . And now may we say that the Sparrow hath found a home , and the Turtle Doue a nest , where she may lay her yongling , enioying some , and expecting the rest . If she be taken from her friends , shee is also deliuered from her enemies , in hope hereafter to enioy the first out of feare of euer being troubled with the latter . If shee be cut off in her youth , no age is vnripe for a good death ; and hauing ended her taske , though neuer so short , yet shee hath liued out her full time : Old age is venerable not long , to be measured by increase of vertues , not by number of yeares , Sap. 4. for heauines consisteth in wisedome , and an vnspotred life is the ripenes of the perfectest age . If she were in possibilitie of preferment , shee coulde hardly haue wanted higher then from whence shee was throwen : hauing beene bruised with the first , she had little wil to clime for a second fall : we might hitherto truely haue said , Ruth 1. this is that Noemi , shee being to her ende inriched with many outward , and more inward graces . But whether heereafter shee would haue bid vs not to cal her Noemi , that is , faire , but Mara , that signifieth bitter , it is vncertaine , sith she might haue fallen into the widows felicitie , that so changed her name to the likenesse of her lot . Insomuch that she is freed from more miseries than she suffered losses , and more fortunate by not desiring , then shee would bee by enioying fortunes fauour , which if it be not counted a follie to loue , yet it is a true happinesse not to neede , we may rather thinke that death was prouident against her imminent harmes , then enuious of any future prosperities , the times being great with so many broiles , that when they once fall in labour , we shall thinke their condition securest whome absence hath exempted , both from feeling the bitter throwes , and beholding the monstrous issue that they are likely to bring foorth : the more you tender her , the more temperat should be your griefe , sith seeing you vpon going , shee did but steppe before you into the next world , to which she thought you to belong more then to this , which hath already giuen you the most vngrateful congee . They that are vpon remouing , send their furniture before them ; and you still standing vpon your departure , what ornament could you rather wish in your future abode than this that did euer please you ? God thither sendeth your adamants , whither hee would draw your heart , and casteth your anchors where your thoughts should lie at rode , that seeing your loue taken out of the world , and your hopes disanchored from this stormie shoare , you might settle your desires where God seemeth to require them . If you would haue wished her life for an example to your house , assure your selfe shee hath left her friends so inherited with her vertues , and so perfit patterns of her best parts , that who knoweth the suruiuors , may see the deceased , and shall finde little difference , but in the number , which before was greater , but not better , vnlesse it were in one repetition of the same goodnesse : wherefore set your selfe at rest in the ordinance of God , whose workes are perfit , and whose wisedome is infinite . The termes of our life are like the seasons of the yere , som for sowing , some for growing , and some for reaping , in this only different , that as the heauens keepe their prescribed periods , so the succession of times haue their appointed changes . But in the seasons of our life , which are not to the lawe of necessarie causes , some are reaped in the seed , some in the blade , some in the vnripe eare , all in the end , this haruest depending vpon the reapers wil. Death is too ordinarie a thing to seem any nouelty , being a familiar guest in euerie house ; and sith his comming is expected , and his arrant vnknowen , neither his presence should be feared , nor his effects lamented . What wonder is it to see fuell burned , spice pownded , or snow melted ? and as little feare it is to see those dead that were borne vpon condition once to die , she was such a compound as was once to be resolued vnto her simples , which is now performed : her soule being giuen to God , and her body sorted into her first elements , it could not dislike you to see your friend remoued out of a ruinous house , and the house it selfe destroyed and pulled downe , if you knewe it were to build it in a statelier forme , & to turne the inhabitant with more ioy into a fairer lodging . Let then your sisters soule depart without griefe , let hir body also be altered into dust , withdraw your eyes from the ruine of this cotage , & cast them vpon the maiestie of the second building , which S. Paul saith shall be incorruptible , glorious , strange , spirituall , and immortall : night and sleep are perpetuall , mirours , figuring in their darknes silence , shutting vp of sences , the finall end of our mortal bodies , & for this some haue entituled sleep the eldest brother of death ; but with no lesse conuenience it might be called one of deaths tenants neare vnto him in affinity of condition , yea far inferior in right , being but tenant for a time of that which death is the inheritance ; for by vertue of the conueiance made vnto him in Paradice , that dust we were & to dust we should returne . He hath hitherto shewed his signiorie ouer all , exacting of vs , not only the yerely , but hourely reuenues of time , which euer by minuts we defray vnto him : So that our very life is not only a memorie , but a part of our death , sith the longer we haue liued , the lesse we haue to liue . What is the daily lessening of our life , but a continual dying : and therfore none is more grieued with the running out of the last sand in an houre glasse then with all the rest : so should not the end of the last houre trouble vs any more , of so many that went before , sith that did but finish course that all the rest were stil ending , not the quantity but the quality commendeth our life . The ordinarie gaine of long liuers being onely a great burthen of sinne : for as in teares , so in life the valew is not esteemed by the length , but by the fruit and goodnesse , which often is more in the least than in the longest . What your sister wanted in continuance , she supplied in speede , and as with her needle shee wrought more in a day than manie Ladies in a yeere , hauing both excellent skil , and no lesse delight in working , so with her diligence doubling her endeuours , shee won more vertue in halfe than others in a whole life Her death to time was her birth to eternitie , the losse of this worlde an exchange of a better , one indowment that she had being impaired , but many farre greater added to her store . Mardocheus house was too obscure a dwelling for so gracious an Hester , shrowding royall partes in the mantle of a meane estate , and shadowing immortall benefits vnder earthly vailes . It was fitter that shee being a summe of so rare perfections , and so well worthy , a spouse of our heauenly Ahashuerus should bee carried to his court from her former abode , there to be inuested in glorie , and to inioy both place and preheminence answerable to her worthines , her loue would haue beene lesse able to haue borne hir death , than your constancy to brooke her , and therefore God mercifully closed her eies before they were punished with so grieuous a sight , taking out to you but a newe lesson of patience out of your old booke , in which long studie hath made you perfect . Though your hearts were equally ballanced with a mutual and most entire affection , and the doubt insoluble which of you loued most , yet death finding her the weaker , though not the weaker vessell , laide his weight in her ballance to bring her soonest to her rest : let your mind therefore consent to that which your tongue daily craueth , that Gods will may bee done as well here in earth of her mortall body , and in that little heauen of her purest soule , sith his will is the best measure of all euents . There is in this worlde continuall enterchange of pleasing and greeting accidence , still keeping their succession of times , & ouertaking ech other in their seuerall courses : no picture can be all drawen of the brightest colours , nor a harmonie onely conforted onely of trebles : shadowes are needefull in expressing of proportions , and the base is a principall part in perfect musicke , the condition of our exile heere alloweth no vnmedled ioy , our whole life is tempered betweene sweete and sowre , and wee must all looke for a mixture of both : the wise so wish : better that they stil thinke of worse , accepting the one if it come with liking , and bearing the other without impatience , being so much maisters of eche others fortunes , that neither shall worke them to excesse . The dwarse groweth not on the highest hill , nor the tall man looseth not his height in the lowest valley , and as a base mind , though most at ease , wil be deiected , so a resolute vertue in the deepest distresse is most impregnable . They euermore most perfectly enioy their comfortes that least feare their contraries : for a desire to enioy , carrieth with it a fear to loose ; and both desire & feare are enemies to quiet possession making men rather owners of Gods benefits then tenants at his wil : the cause of our trobles are that our misfortunes happen either to vnwitting or vnwilling mindes ; foresight preuenteth the one , necessitie the other : for he taketh away the smart of present euilles that attendeth their comming , and is not amated with any crosse , that is , armed against al , where necessitie worketh without our consent , the effect shoulde neuer greatly afflict vs , griefe being bootlesse , where it can not helpe , needelesse where there was no fault : God casteth the dice , and giueth vs our chance , the most wee can doe , is , to take the point that the cast will affoord vs , not grudging so much that it is no better , as comforting our selues it is no worse . If men should lay al their euilles together , to be afterwardes by equall portion diuided amongst them , most men would rather take that they brought , than stand to the diuision ; yet such is the partiall iudgement of selfe-loue , that euery one iudgeth his selfe-miserie too great , fearing if he can find some circumstance to increase it & making it intollerable by thought to induce it . When Moses threw his rod from him , it became a serpent ready to sting , and affrighted him , insomuch as it made him to flee , but being quietly taken vp , it was a rod againe seruiceable for his vses , no way hurtfull . The crosse of Christ , & rod of euery tribulation seeming to threaten stinging and terrour to those that shunne and eschew it , but they that mildely take it vp and embrace it with patience , Psalme 12. may say with Dauid , thy rod and thy staffe haue been my comfort . In this , affliction resembleth the Crokadile , flie , it pursueth and frights , followed , it flieth and feareth , a shame to the constant , a tyrant to the timorous . Soft mindes that thinke only vpon delights , admit no other consideration , but in soothing things becom so effeminate , as that they are apt to bleede with euery sharpe impression . But hee that vseth his thoughts with expectation of troubles , making their trauell through all hazards , and apposing his resolution against the sharpest incounters , findeth in the proofe facilitie of patience , and easeth the loade of most heauy cumbers : we must haue temporall things in vse , but eternal in wish , that in the one neither delight exceed in that wee haue no desire in that wee want : and in the other our most delight is here in desire , and our whole desire is hereafter to enioy . They straighten too much their ioyes , that draw them into the reach and compasse of their sences , as if it were no facilitie where no sence is witnes , whereas if we exclude our passed and future contentments , pleasant pleasures haue so fickle assurance , that either as forestalled before their arriuall , or interrupted before their ende , or ended before they are well begunne : the repetition of former comfortes , and the expectation of after hopes is euer a reliefe vnto a vertuous minde , whereas others not suffering their life to continue in the conueniences of that which was and shall be diuided , this day from yesterday , & to morrow , & by forgetting all , and forecasting nothing , abridge their whole life into the moment of present time : enioy your sister in your former vertues , enioy her also in her future meeting , being both titles of more certaine delights , than her casuall life could euer haue warranted . If we will thinke of her death , let it be as a warning to prouide vs , sith that that happeneth to one may happen to an other : yea none can escape that is common to all . It may be the blowe that hit her was meant to some of vs , and this missing was but a proofe to take better aime in the next stroke : if we were diligent in thinking of our own , we shuld haue little leasure to bewaile others deaths : when the souldior in skirmish seeth his next fellow slaine , he thinketh more time to looke to himselfe , than to stand mourning a haplesse mischance , knowing the head which sped so neere a neighbour , cannot be far from his own head . But we in this behalfe are much like the seely birds , that seeing one sticke in the lime bush , striuing to get away , with a kind of natiue pittie are drawen to goe to it , and so rush themselues into the same misfortune ; euen so many for their frends decease by musing on their lot , wittingly surfet of too much sorrow , that sometimes they make mourning their last decease : but steppe not you into this roile , that hath taken none but weake affections : holde not your eies alwayes vpon your hardest happes , neither bee you still occupied in counting your losses . There are fairer partes in your bodie than scarres , better eye-markes in your fortune then a sisters losse ; you might happily finde more comforts left than you would willingly loose . But that you haue alreadie resigned the solaces of life , and shunned all comforts into the hopes of heauen , yet sith there is some difference betweene a purpose and proofe , intending and performing ; a subdued enemy being euer ready to rebell when hee findeth mighty helpes to make a partie . It is good to strengthen reason against the violence of nature , that in this and like cases will renew her assaults , it was a forcible remedie that hee vsed to withstand the conceit of a most lamentable occurrent , who hauing in one ship lost his children and substance , and hardly escaped himselfe from drowning , went presently into an hospitall of lazars , where finding in a litle rome many examples of greater miseries , hee made the smart of others sores a lenatiue to his owne wound : for besids that , as lownesse & pouerty was common to them , they had also many cumbers priuate to themselues , some wanting their sences , some their wits , other their limmes , but all their health , in which consideration he eased his minde , that fortune had not giuen him the greatest fall . If God had put you to Abrahams triall , commaunding you to sacrifice the hope of your posterities , and to be to your onely sonne an author of death , as you were to him of life . If you had bin tied in the streights of Iepthaes bitter deuotion in bruing his sword in his owne daughters blood , and ending the triumphs ouer his enemies with the voluntarie funeralles of his onelie of-spring : yet sith both their liues and their labours had bin gods vndeemable debt , your vertues ought to haue obeyed maugre al incounters of carnall affection . And how much more in this case should you incline your loue to Gods liking , in which hee hath receiued a lesse part of his owne , and that by the vsuall easiest course of natures lawes . Let God strippe you to the skinne , yea to the soule , so hee stay with you himselfe : let his reproch be your honour , his pouertie your riches , and he in lue of al other frends . Thinke him enough for this world , that must be all your possession for a whole eternity : let others ease their carefulnes with borrowed pleasures , not bred out of the true roote , but begged of externall helps . They shall still carry vnquiet mindes , easily altered with euery accident , sith they labor not any change in their inward distempers . But by forgetting them for a time by outward pastimes , innocencie is the only mother of true mirth , and a soule that is owner of God , will quietly bare with all other wants , nothing beeing able to empouerish it but voluntarie losses . Beare not therefore with her losses , for shee is won for euer , but with the momentarie absence of your most happie sister , yea it can not iustly bee called an absence , many thoughts being daily in parlee with her , onely mens eies and eares vnwoorthie to enioy so sweete an obiect , haue resigned their interest , and interested this treasure in their hearts , being the fittest shrines for so pure a Saint , whome as none did knowe but did loue , so none can nowe remember with deuotion . Men may behold her with shame of their former life , seeing one of the frailer sexe honour her weakenesse with such a traine of perfections . Ladies may admire her as a glorie to their degree , in whom honour was portraied in her full likenesse , grace hauing perfected natures first draught with all the due colours of an absolute vertue : all women accept her as a patterne to immitate her giftes , and her good partes , hauing beene so manifested , that euen they that can teach the finest stitches may themselues take new workes out of this sampler . Who then could drinke any sorrowe out of so cleere a fountaine , or bewaile the estate of so happy a creature , to whome as to be her selfe , was her praise , so to be as shee is , was her highest blisse . You still floate in a troublesome sea , and you finde it by experience a sea of dangers , how then can it pittie you to see your sister on shoare , and so safely landed in so blissefull an harbor ? Iud. 15. Sith your Iudeth hath wrought the glorious exploite against her ghostly enemies , for the accomplishing whereof shee came into the dangerous campe and warrefare of this life , you may well giue her leaue to looke home to her Bethulia to solemnize her triumph with the spoiles of her victorie : yea you should rather haue wished to haue beene Porter to let her in , than mourne to see her safe returned . For so apparant hazardes shee caried a heauenly treasure in a earthlie vessel , 2. Cor. ● which was too weake a treasurie for so high riches , sinne creeping in at the window of our sences , and often picking the lockes of the strongest hearts . And for this it was laide vp in a surer , to the which the heauens are walles , and the Angelles keepers . She was a pure fish , but yet swimming in muddy streames , it was now time to draw her to shoare , and to employ the inwardes of her vertues to medicionable vses , that laid on the coles of due consideration , they may draw from our thoughts the Deuilles suggestions , Tob. 6 . and applied to their eyes , Tob. ● . which are blinded with the dung of flying vanities , the slime of their former vanities may fall off , and leaue them able to behold the true light , the base shell of a mortall body was vnfit for so pretious a Margarite , Matth. 13. and the Ieweller that came into this world to seeke good pearles , and gaue not onely all he had , but himselfe also to buic them , thought now high time to bring her vnto his bargaine , finding her growen to a Margarites full perfection . She stoode vpon too lowe a ground to take view of her Sauiors most desired countenance , Luke 19. and forsaking the earth with Zacheus shee climed vp into the tree of life , there to giue her soule a full repast of her beauties . Shee departed with Iepthaes daughter from her fathers house , but to passe some moneths in wandring about the mountaines of this troublesome worlde , which being now expired , she was after her pilgrimage by couenant to returne to be offered vnto God in a gratefull sacrifice , and to ascend out of this desert like a stemme of perfume out of burned spices . Let not therefore the crowne of her vertue be the foile of your constancie , nor the ende of her cumbers a renewing of yours . But sith God was well pleased to call her , shee not displeased to go , and you the third twist to make a triple cord , saying , Iob 2. Our Lord gaue , and our Lord tooke away , as it hath pleased our Lord , so hath it fallen out : the name of our Lord be blessed .