(†) ́rmię rỡ ♪αφυλαχθεται xy a pride's Javáts Euchol. pag. 776. &Lit. S.Chryfoft. Χρισιανὰ τὰ τέλη The Cans nuwv. pag. 74. A fubitanea improvifà morte. Miff.fec.uf.Sarum. (u) Job. xv. 32. Antequam dies ejus impleamur, Vulg. Lat.gd gas lxx Heb. die non fuo.

we have the more need to pray earnestly before, that we may prevent it, if it be poffible: Yet howfoever rational this Petition may feem, it hath been cenfured by fome: The Fatalift condemns it as an oppofing of immutable Decrees, and others (who it feems believe themselves always fit to dye) blame it as impertinent; but let fuch know, that they do not only reproach our Church, but all thofe Antient Offices of the Eaft and Weft, from whence we borrowed it (t), nor would they find any ground for contending with us, or them,if they duly confidered what is meant by fudden Death, viz. I. Untimely Death, which is when a Man dyes before the years be fpent, which Nature, his Conftitution, and God feemed to have allowed him, which the Scripture calls Dying before ones time (u), or before ones day (however fome men fo confidently fay this cannot be.) A judgment threatned to evil men, Job.xv. 32, 33. and feared by a good man, fai. xxxviii. 10. and doubtless this is an Evil, that every prudent Man would and doth heartily pray he may efcape. II. iolent Death is another kind of fudden Death,to dye by burning or Drowning, by Falls from Horfes or high-places, by voluntary or involuntary hands the crushing of an unexpected of men, by ftifling or choaking, or breach, which the Romans called, a Mans not dying his own Death (w), and truly all these forts of Death are as fad as fudden,and who

(w) Nemo eorum fud morte defunclus eft. Sueton. de Fercufforibus Cæfaris. Erit longevus, in feneEta felix,gu movie fua morietur. Julius

Fimic.. 8.c 19.

would

(x) Lotus nobifcum

est, hilaris canavit & idem, Inventus mane est mortuus Andragoras. Martial.1.6. (y) Mitius ille perit fubitò qui mergitur undi

Quam qui laffatis brachia quaffat aquis.

(z) Exempla babemus, Tufc. quæft.l.

1.Cleobis & Bitonis, Trophonii Agamedis.

would not pray against them? III. That which is peculiarly called Cudden Death, that is when men seemngly very well, without any apparent Caufe, do imnediately faint or dye among their friends, or in their Leds (x), and I fuppofe no man wishes to dye thus: And though eHeathen, who confidered not the World to come, commended thefe ways of dying (y); yet we Chriftians ought to pray against them, with fubmiffion indeed to Gods will (who can turn them to the beft, and fometimes calls good men this way out of the world(z)): for that is fuppofed in all the former judgments, if it may please God, we ought to defire deliverance from Sudden Death, as well as from, Lightning and Tempeft,&c. yea rather from this, than them, for thefe Reasons; First, Because fadden Death gives us no time to fettle our Eftate, but leaves all our Concerns intricate and intangled, and involves our Relations in endless Suits and Contentions. Secondly, because these kinds of Death are very uncomfortable to our furviving Friends, who have no time to wean them by degrees from us, and have not fo comfortable grounds of our eternal welfare, as if we had had time to have expreffed our felves to them. Thirdly, Because those who dye thus,want their Viaticum, which the mercy of God and the piety of the Church hath provided to fit them for this laft journey, and doubtless it is a very admirable comfort, aid a mighty refreshing to a dying Chriftian to enjoy an opportunity to confefs his Sins, and unburden his Soul to Gods Minifter, to hear his Prayers, receive his Abfolu

tion, and partake of the bleffed Sacrament, that great feal of the Divine Love,with all the affurances of Pardon and Peace, that God allows his Church to give. Oh with how calm a foul, and how glorious Expectations do pious men depart after these refreshments! And therefore the want of them is very fad, if there were no more evil in fadden Death. But Fourthly,No man is prepared, as he ought, to appear at Gods great Tribunal, but he, that hath long expected Death; which few men in health do fo feriously, as to drefs their Souls for the grand Solemnity of that dreadful Examination; and I am perfwaded the best men in the world in their very best frame, would wish to know fome hours before they were to be fummoned to their laft account, Ofpare me a little faith David: And who will not joyn with him? We ought indeed to be always preparing for death, and ever prepared; but who is fo well fitted as they ought, and defire to be? And who would not be better, if he had a little more time? If we observe how fervently a dying penitent prays, how humbly he confeffeth, how heartily he bewaileth all his Sins, how he fubmits and kiffeth the Rod, how he longs after God, and forgives all the world, and lays faft hold on Jefus: We fhall fay, we would willingly abide so many hours of fickness or pain, for so bleffed an opportunity of doing good to our immortal Souls, and fhall pray, that we may have fuch a season to search our hearts, renew our intereft in Jefus, and compofe our Souls for God,however dear we buy it: 'Tis true we must not put off our preparation till then, but even though we have prepared all our lives, it will be very fweet if not neceffary to do fomewhat at our laft, or elfe it is to be feared, that Sudden will be unprepared Death to us; from both which Good Lord deliver us, from this however, from that alfo if it be Gods will,

S.VIII.

VIII. Kom all Sedition, privy Confpiracy and Rebellion, from all falle Dodrine, Heregand Schifm, from hardness of Heart,and contempt 27 thy Wo2d and Commandement. Good Lord deliver 5.]

(a) Peftem civitatis.Cicero proRabir. Peftem patria. Idem pro Seftio. A&t xxiv. 5. "Avdga ToToy 208

The Judgments here recited are part of them Temporal,viz. the first fix, part of them Spiritual, viz. the two laft: In the former Paragraph, we had those evils which aimed at our Lives, here we have those which would deprive us of Peace and Truth, those were generally from the Hand of God, these (which are temporal) are contrived and acted by the hands of Evil men, who are the Plagues of Societies (a), and as infectious to the Body politick, as the Peftilence to the Body natural; raifing Seditton,Confpiracies and Rebellion against the State, fpreading falle Doarine, Hereftes and Schilms in the Church, and seeking the ruine of both: The two laft words of either Order, Kebellion in the State, and chifm in the Church,were both lately added fince his Majefties happy Reftauration, on the fad occafion of that accurfed Kebellton, which prevailed against the beft of Kings (b),and that furious Schifm, which rent in pieces the most pure, and Orthodox of all modern Churches: The Confequents of both which were fo fad, that we and our Childrens Children shall have reason to fay from fuch another Kebellion, and fuch another chifm, Good Lord,&c. It is the fancy of a late picquant Author, that the Bifhops have imperti

(b) Tua autem œtas incidit in id bel

lum cujus altera pars it, altera parum fefceleris nimium habu

licitatis,Cic.off. 1.2.

nently

nently added [Schifm] in this place, and that they have spoyled the Cadence thereby; but he may do well to call to mind, that [Rebellion] was added at the fame time, and that we heartily with those whofe Patronage he undertakes, had never given occafion for the putting in of either, and we do not perceive any want of harmony in the Cadence,the words run fmoothly enough in their mouths, whofe Confciences are clear of thefe Crimes, and whofe hearts unfeignedly deteft them: The three firft concern the State, Sheba's Debition, Zimri's Confpiracy, and Abfolon's Rebellion, all are expreffed in the Greek Liturgies by one Word From Civil War,&c. as was noted in the last Paragraph; but not one word of any of these could I ever find, in any of thofe Roman Miffals, which yet have come to my hands, it being the peculiar glory of the Church of England, that her prayers and practices have always been eminently Loyal, and Enemies to Treafon and Rebellion, but let us view them apart. I. Dedition is the Mother of the other two,begun by Factious and unquiet Spirits (c), who do privately alienate the affections of the People from their Governours, by complaining of Perfecution, Oppreffion, Tyranny, ill-management, and the preferment of Evil men, and with thefe baits they cafily gain much Credit among the credulous Multitude, whom they blame for their foftnefs, and animate them with hopes of Liberty,or Tolerations, Exemptions and Priviledges. Now while thefe practices produce no other effects than Libels, Clamours against those in Authority, and popular Tumults, they have the name of edition, which yet is fo great a Crime, that the Roman Laws did punish the Authors of it, with banishment or capital pu

(c) Quibus quieta

movere magna merces videtur.Saluft.

nishments